Ramie blinks rapidly as ANOTHER draconic character steps into view, she twiddles her fingers back in greeting as reply to his wave. Damn, did I screw the pooch with wishing to be a Kitsune? She wonders wildly, then shakes her head in response to her own question. Nah, that's a completely different build.
"Sure, on it." She says to the Elder Chosen. "Blue Screen." She says distinctly, in her tone of voice cultivated specifically for addressing Alexa. She pulled the dark lenses down her nose as she peered closely at the text, revealing bright blue eyes that seemed to glow in the reflected light.
"Ok, Kitsune Court Bard... that sounds right. Dancing Lights? Oh for F@*%$ sake, everyone knows Light is the superior spell! Bah, cutesy spell like abilities. Oh cool, I almost forgot I put points in Draconic." She looks up from the sheet and brightly greets the dragon and dragonkin in their native language.
She fervently nods her agreement with Zano, "Yeah, he's right. You guys look a little out of our league. Just tell me who to cower behind. Heh. My death wasn't so painless or peaceful... Not looking for a repeat performance." She shudders slightly, remembering.
"Yeah", Zaidel agrees. "Stick with us. We'll do our best to keep you safe. And..uh, Welcome to Arcanium!"
Cheerfully he offers in his deep gravely voice, "The dwarfs would have plenty to sell. If my armory doesn't have it then we can head there."
He then leads the group to a stocky stone building. There are no guards but there isn't very many people around either. The doorway is built for his physic making you each feel small stepping through. You see the half dragon go and greet a squad of dragonkin. After a bit of rough housing he tells them in Draconic, "I need some weapons and armor for my new initiates."
The others laugh but nod saying, "Whatever you want boss!" They then head out leaving the room to your group.
Krazok then asks, "What are your Dexterity scores? Oh and what weapon would you like?"
"I'm sorta the opposite. I don't even feel as strong as I did in my regular human life. Must be the race penalty. So I'll need to balance protective power against weight. You guys don't have any Spidersilk bodysuits lying around, do ya? I can fire a shortbow, I even had some training with that as a kid. Summer camp activities, yanno. Desna is my patron for this journey, so Starknives would be nice if you've got them but any finesse-able blade will be fine." She nibbles her bottom lip pensively before she decides to admit something to the group.
"Actually, I'm a... pacifist." The word tumbles out like a confession. "I was a SPED teacher and mother in my past life, so most of my skillset is focused on convincing others to use their words and not choose violence, yanno? So I'd really rather not hurt anyone if I can help it." She looks down at her purple sneakers and scuffs at a spot on the floor, seemingly embarrassed to admit this to a team of hardy adventurers.
"An adherent of Desna! Wonderful!" Zaidel smiles wide. "Our group could always use a little luck and protection from the night! A great goddess and friend to Cayden Cailean, my patron."
"We, with the exception of Lady Darkling, Lord Krazok and the elven rangers, call our adventuring party, with I think means 'Glorious Air' in Celestial. I can wait for us to have a jam session!"
"An adherent of Desna! Wonderful!" Zaidel smiles wide. "Our group could always use a little luck and protection from the night! A great goddess and friend to Cayden Cailean, my patron."
"We, with the exception of Lady Darkling, Lord Krazok and the elven rangers, call our adventuring party, with I think means 'Glorious Air' in Celestial. I can wait for us to have a jam session!"
Ramie brightens visibly and she smiles at Zaidel, glad to be distracted from contemplating battle. "That sounds fun! What do you play? I'm a singer, primarily, though I can thump out a passable rhythm if need be."
She gives a brief demonstration as she puts away the dark glasses, having realized they were actually hindering her vision now. Her voice clear and resonate as she sings.
"I can see clearly now the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright, bright,
Bright, bright sunshiny day."
"So... do we need to sign something to make it official?" She asks, not knowing much about adventuring companies. Was she a mercenary now, she wondered.
Ramie gives a brief demonstration as she puts away the dark glasses, having realized they were actually hindering her vision now. Her voice clear and resonate as she sings.
Perform Sing[b]1d20+10⇒ (17) + 10 = 27[b]"I can see clearly now the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright, bright,
Bright, bright sunshiny day.""So... do we need to sign something to make it official?" She asks, not knowing much about adventuring companies. Was she a mercenary now, she wondered.
The satyr's eyebrows raise once more, clearly impressed. "VERY good!"
♪"Oh, yes I can make it now the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is that rainbow I've been praying for
It's gonna be a bright (bright)
Bright (bright) sunshiny day!"♫
"I can sing, dance, act, tell jokes, host a TED talk, and play all string, wind, keyboard, and drum instruments. It helps having a racial bonus to Perform."
"So long as all current active members approve, you're in."
|
"We are going to face goblins. They may have a few champions, but for the most part they are good for starting Chosen to go up against. If you start on the Daily Exercise quest you get boxes that can have interesting items. Sometimes not though." Jean tells the new guys. "Just don't forget to do the quest or bad stuff happens."
He pulls five darts out for Zano and hands them over.
He pulls our and lays on the table: a short bow, a composite longbow, a shortsword, 6 daggers, a rapier, two chackrams, and three javelins.
He then states, "No spidersilk suits, I have chain shirts, leather armor, and studded leather. Even a pacifist should know and be able to defend yourself. Total defense doesn't work unless you have a weapon. Our present group should not have a problem with the goblins. Who will hang back with the newbies?"
Looking at Ramie he asks, "Are you a vegetarian too?"
He looks and speaks to Jean, "You may want to share the quest so that they can see it. Also who hasn't finished it yet today?"
The three elves stayed behind to have their own meeting with the council. They are not with you at the moment.
Armed with what they decide you venture out on the stone road slowly circling the lake.
The satyr's eyebrows raise once more, clearly impressed. "VERY good!"
♪"Oh, yes I can make it now the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is that rainbow I've been praying for
It's gonna be a bright (bright)
Bright (bright) sunshiny day!"♫
"I can sing, dance, act, tell jokes, host a TED talk, and play all string, wind, keyboard, and drum instruments. It helps having a racial bonus to Perform."
"So long as all current active members approve, you're in."
Ramie's mouth dropped open and she shut it with an audible *click* of teeth as the satyr looked at her for a response. "Dude! You sound like you're carrying a recording studio in your back pocket, complete with autotune and balancing!" She shook her head in apparent disbelief. "So I'm clearly the backup singer... Noted! It's cool, I can harmonize." Her confidence having taken a slight hit in the face of such a display of talent.
She took up the studded leather armor, the short bow and the rapier. "I've, um... never put this stuff on before, so I might need some help." She said, turning to Jellena who had volunteered to babysit.
"This is going to be like when a group of epic levels gather up a pack of n00bs in an MMORPG and run through killing everything in sight and grabbing up the drops, isn't it?" She laughs as Jellena fastens a strap around a particularly ticklish area.
Looking at Ramie he asks, "Are you a vegetarian too?"
"Actually, it's more like the opposite. I was so low-carb before I died, I was practically a carnivore. Though I haven't eaten anything since then, so I guess I don't really know yet."
Ramie's mouth dropped open and she shut it with an audible *click* of teeth as the satyr looked at her for a response. "Dude! You sound like you're carrying a recording studio in your back pocket, complete with autotune and balancing!" She shook her head in apparent disbelief. "So I'm clearly the backup singer... Noted! It's cool, I can harmonize." Her confidence having taken a slight hit in the face of such a display of talent.
"The key is to use ghost sound to provide backup music and vocals."
The satyr put his hand on Ramie's shoulder. "Listen. Both of you just fell out of the sky and just got a massive info dump. It will takes a couple days to have it all really sink in. And we'll do our best to help get accustomed to life on this new world. Okay?"
Looking at Ramie he asks, "Are you a vegetarian too?""Actually, it's more like the opposite. I was so low-carb before I died, I was practically a carnivore. Though I haven't eaten anything since then, so I guess I don't really know yet."
"Life as an adventurer is very active", Zaidel admits. "Any fat will burn off, and strong muscle will likely replace it."
|
Seeing Ramie out of her element she quickly offers to help strap her into the leather armor. You would notice she is not in any sort of armor.
She does make it plain, "Please ask any and all questions. The more you ask the more you will learn."
☆☆☆
She opens her blue screen up and types a few things in, then she offers, "Well there are a few quests around that might be a safer way to level them up before throwing them at goblins."
He shakes his head and leaves Jellena to help Ramie. Outside he looks to Jean, "How do you want to make our approach? Flight, flight with the boat, or on foot?"
The blue screen shows several quests:
Catch the loose chickens
----
Collect the 11 loose chickens and return them to farmer Holt.
----
Reward: XP and a basket of eggs.
Find lost child
----
Lucy and her brother John were out picking berries. John has just returned to town looking distraught. He couldn't find her after she sneaked off.
----
Reward: A father's joy
Reward: XP and 13 sp
----
Time limit: 6 hours and 33 minutes
Ramie nods and smiles in response to all the advice. "Thanks, I'll try to keep that in mind. It is all a bit much to start."
Seeing the blue screen pop up, she snaps her fingers as if suddenly recalling something, "Oh yeah, I meant to ask if there were some basic fetch quests or something. You know, go find this or go fetch... that. Did you hear something?" She looks around anxiously and then quickly looks disappointed.
She says the word for a third time, sounding more like a question, ”Fetch?” She apparently hears whatever she was listening for as she brightens with excitement and gazes around in wonder. ”Floofer Doo, where are you?!” And as if the phrase were a summons, a fluffy white and reddish brown dog appears before her.
”Miss Floof!” She cried in delight, ruffling the dog's fur affectionately. ”You did follow me here! I was afraid you had crossed the rainbow bridge without me…” A tear slipped down her cheek and the dog stood up on her hind legs placing her forepaws on her mistress’ shoulders to lap it away with a warm pink tongue. The dog cocked her head to the side and they both seemed to realize simultaneously that there had been a shift in their size dynamic as they stood together at about the same height. Mommy… shrink? Came the canine’s thought just as Ramie blurted, ”Oh My Dog, you’re HUGE!”
They exchanged greetings for another few moments, clearly very happy to be reunited. Then Ramie looks back to actually read what was on the blue screen. ”Wait, a child is missing? We need to deal with that right away. The first few hours after a child is lost are the most crucial.”
Ramie asks for directions and sets off immediately to speak with Lucy’s family.
”Where did you see her last? Can I have something she wore recently, my Floof here can track by scent if we have something to go by.”
Zaidel listened to Zano, then opened his own Blue Screen.
"Blue Screen. Querry. If I help Zano and Ramie with the Catch The Loose Chickens quest, will I have an adverse effect on the Level 1 adventurer's XP gain?"
Zaidel listened to Zano, then opened his own Blue Screen.
"Blue Screen. Querry. If I help Zano and Ramie with the Catch The Loose Chickens quest, will I have an adverse effect on the Level 1 adventurer's XP gain?"
Zaidel's blue screen is hazed out.
You will not get much XP from any of the lower teired quests.
You may choose to share or take. Share basically gives the XP as take implies trying to take it for yourself.
---
Loose Chicken Quest:
Perception DC 16 - 1 per 30 minutes,
If successful, you do a CMB vs. 18 to grab one.
This could take a while.
☆☆☆
Find Lost Child Quest:
Diplomacy DC ... Zaidel auto succeeds.
You talk with a few villagers and they quickly take you to Lucy and John's pa. You quickly find out mom died a few months ago from a monster. PA is distraught but makes his boy explain while he gets some of her clothes from yesterday.
Floof and Jean can pick up the trail quickly enough.
Seeing Zaidel, Ramie and Jellena rush to to the lost girls aid he knows he is not needed. He easily finds other tasks unless someone asks/persuades him to help out.
Zaidel will help with the quests, but not take the quests. And he's okay with that.
Krysta didn't quite know what was happening to her, she remembered searing pain as the knife plunged in, the chemicals her so called friend's injected her with kept her awake as the pain tore through her chest, the feeling of her ribs being broken open and her heart being cut out and sizzling on the flames and her last thoughts of wishing she could have known what it was like to fly through the skies as one of her beloved crystal dragons. Next was nothing and then, suddenly, falling through that nothing. It took her a moment to realize that the nothing had air in it and Krysta opened her eyes to see a bright blue sky above her. Something felt wrong but she didn't have time to realize what it was as she continued to fall and slowly rolled over to see ground rushing up at her!
[b]"Oh s+!*, oh s@*+, ohshitohshitoHSHIT!!!!"[/n] she screamed as she fell towards the ground at what must have been terminal velocity. As the ground approached, she tried to aim for some nearby trees hoping she could get lucky and break her fall on them and survive until help could arrive. It was then that she realized something as, almost of their own accord, a pair of great draconic wings made of what seemed to be living crystals, extended and filled with a boom of wind as she felt them suddenly slowing her fall. A moment later they began angle to spill the air and allow her more control. She wasn't quite sure how this worked but it seemed her body understood and she let it handle the process for now.
Krysta was rather low to the ground when she tried to control the wings consciously and that was when she lost control and dropped the last few feet to the ground to land unceremoniously on her rump. As she stood and tried to rub her sore backside Krysta realized she had a tail too, and when she tried to turn and see it stayed just out of her sight. She also realized that her skin was no purplish and that she had scales! and claws! and she was a dragon girl!? Her hands began to touch various parts of her body and she realized that she was a very naked dragon girl. It took her a moment more of panic to realize that her scales covered her enough to at least preserve some amount of modesty. As she took stock of herself, she realized she had become a half-dragon! And a crystal one at that in an amethyst color! All of this inspection, of course, left her oblivious to anyone or anything nearby.
Find Lost Child Quest:
Diplomacy DC ... Zaidel auto succeeds.
You talk with a few villagers and they quickly take you to Lucy and John's pa. You quickly find out mom died a few months ago from a monster. PA is distraught but makes his boy explain while he gets some of her clothes from yesterday.Floof and Jean can pick up the trail quickly enough.
Ramie smiles at the boy warmly. "Hi John, I'm Ramie and this is Floof. We're new here, so maybe you can show us around. Can you tell me what happened and show me where you last saw Lucy?" She asked kindly, giving herself a little magical boost with her guidance cantrip.
As the boy recounts the tale, she tries to get a sense if he is being misleading or holding something back, children often quarrel after all, especially siblings.
Then she held the clothes for Floof to smell and get her scent. "Snuffle snort, Miss Floof. Smell that girly? Go find her!"
The Floof snuffled the scent and gave a characteristic sneeze before putting her snoot to the task at hand. Ramie gave her a pat of approval and guidance as well.
"Stay close, John. It wouldn't do to find Lucy but lose you in the process, eh?" She offers the boy her hand to hold onto, but doesn't insist if he's shy.
You believe the boy means what he says.
The boy takes Ramie's hand and runs beside her.
Following the scent Floof runs off to the stream, down to the log, over the log and stream, follow the dirt path, enter the forest, berry patch, then going deeper into the forest. Floof finds the basket of berries spilt upon the ground.
Ramie takes the extra precautions to minimize the risks of crossing the stream, using her cantrip to aid herself and the boy, John.
Floof huffs at what she smells. "Hard-foot cow, Mommy. Go that way." She communicates to Ramie over their bond, pointing with her snoot.
"Alright, good job, John! We can see just which way to go now, thanks to you. Looks like it's a little further though. How about Zaidel takes you back to your Pa and we'll see you again soon, ok?"
She speaks quickly in Sylvan to the Satyr.
"Hello, John", Zaidel said in Common. "I'm a satyr, a part of the fey. Have you heard to fairy tales? Well, my people are often in those tales. If you will follow me, I'd like to bring you back to your parents."
You safely get John across the stream. John nods and goes to Zaidel. With awe on his face he looks upon the beautiful saytr. At the mention of his parents he begins to cry but you easily soothe him. He gives his reason, "Ma... she was taken like Lucy! Will I see her again?"
☆☆☆
With ingugineity Zano works with his spell to spook the chicken towards himself. Stratton is there to help as Zaidel went on the other quest, grabbing the chicken in one hand.
☆☆☆
A few children walk tentatively towards Krystal and mumble to each other as they point at her coloring and scales. One of them a lad, about 8 years, with copper red hair asks slowly as you answer them more come out, "Miss, you look lost or at least discombobulated, are you new to flying? Are you a child of the All-Father or are you here to meet him? Your scales look pretty, are they hard or soft?"
You safely get John across the stream. John nods and goes to Zaidel. With awe on his face he looks upon the beautiful saytr. At the mention of his parents he begins to cry but you easily soothe him. He gives his reason, "Ma... she was taken like Lucy! Will I see her again?"
Zaidel leans down closer to the boy. "John, we already have one hero out looking for her. I'll rejoin her as soon as you are safe."
"If you could pray to the Gods for us, I'd appreciate it."
Stratton looks at the blue screen and states, "Ten more chickens."
Loose Chicken Quest:
Perception DC 16 - 1 per 30 minutes,
If successful, you do a CMB vs. 18 to grab one.
This could take a while.
Or
Perception DC 26 - 1 per 15 minutes
In the next hour he grabs four more chickens.
John shakes his head praying with his pa after you leave.
Ramie waits patiently for Zaidel to return, conversing with Floof through their bond. 'You've really changed, haven't you, Floofer? I always felt like you understood me before... but now you really do, don't you?'
Always, part of you now. Never apart from you again. She smiled and stroked the soft fur.
When Zaidel returned, she took a deep breath and cast guidance on her furry companion. 'We have a job to do now though. Can you still smell the girly? We need to find her.'
Krysta was surprised when she heard the voice of the boy speak to her and turned around quickly which, unfortunately, left her off balance as her wings and tail threw her movements off and promptly fell on her butt again. "Ow," she said before simply remaining seated and looking at the kids and focusing largely on the boy who had spoken to her.
"Yeah," she said to the red haired boy, "I never had wings until...well a few minutes ago, and I was doing alright until I tried to control my flight myself and, well, you saw what happened I guess?" Some of the other questions he asked confused her and so she ignored that one for the moment and said instead, "I'm guessing they are?" She reached out and flicked one of her scales with a talon and it made a chiming sound causing her to say, "Yep, they are hard."
"As for being a 'Child of the All-Father', well," Krysta shrugged, "I don't know if I am or not, I don't even know who the All-Father is...at least I don't think I do...," she remembered hearing that term once before but she couldn't quite remember where.
The satyr clops back to the Ramie, bending down to pet the pup. "Hi, little guy!"
Floof is positive she can follow the girl, but offers, 'I can follow the cow better.'
☆☆☆☆
The children before Krystal look at each other with bewilderment talking amongst themselves but then a girl about 9 with silver colored hair down to her waist states, "I saw Krazok, he will know. I will bring him, please stay here." Rainbow tinted transparent wings appear before she flies off.
The girl quickly brings another half dragon...
☆☆☆☆☆
The pup, Floof, stands at about 4 to 5 feet tall. Also you notice several differing aspects making her more unnatural.
This ten foot regal monster of draconic heritage stands towering over the children. In his claws is a bloody large war axe as if straight from battle. His head is that of a dragon, as are his reddened bronze scales and claws. He flies with ease on his shiny bronze wings. A mithril breastplate covers his chest, with a belt of gear around his waist. There are straps which indicate either a harness or backpack. A glowing scepter of emerald green flames rests on his belt at his side.
He greets the children by wrapping his wings about them and laughs with them. Then he looks up at the half amethyst dragon before him with interest. He jerks his shoulders to the left and right making his wings seemingly fall upon him like a cloak. With a deep gravely voice he states, I am Lord Krazok Vell Firesource, it is good you have not feasted on the children." He gives you a wry toothy smile as some of the children kick his shins. He laughs and asks, "What business do you have in my lands?"
As Krystal likely will falter just as her landing failed he tries to approach from another angle. He calmly asks he seems like he cares and seeing your dirty form realizes you likely crashed, "Are you hurt? Are you from Earth? You just fell from the sky didn't you?"
|
|
She touches the cloven marks and walks around the scene several times making sure about it.
As Zaidel returns she points as Floof barks in agreement.
Jellena asks, "Zaidel I will let you talk first but be ready for a swap out if needed."
After jogging for 45 minutes the terrain becomes craggy. Forest begins to transition into hill, less and less trees and vegetation. The incline grows more steep.
Floof in the lead comes to a gap in the hill. A open air gap in the hill which has a 40 foot cliff on either side. It is about a 15 foot gap and you can see the path twists out of sight after 20 feet or so.
The satyr clops back to the Ramie, bending down to pet the pup. "Hi, little guy!"
"Hi, guy!" The Floof pronounces, giving her words voice for the first time out loud. Ramie laughed in surprise, clapping her hands over her gaping mouth.
It was becoming clearer all the time that a Floof was not really a dog anymore, but something more. Though she certainly still resembled a dog, by and large.
"Oh wow..." Ramie breathed quietly to the others in case they were closing in on their quarry, "That's a long way down. What sort of a check do we need to make it safely?" She asks the Elder Chosen, unsure of her next move. "Do you think we can take ten?"
"I don't think we have time", Zaidel huffs from the run.
The satyr begins to leviate and carry Ramie, Jellena, and Floof across the chasm, using his fly ability.
Krysta was rather surprised by the girl suddenly sprouting butterfly wings and flying away to go get someone she thought could help her. Krysta did as the girl told her and stayed where she was and answered the inevitable barrage of questions as best she could and was surprised that she was handling it as well as she was. Fortunately for Krysta it wasn't long before Krazok appeared.
Krysta watched how he interacted with the kids, thinking nothing of the fact she knew nothing about him, and decided he was a big scaly teddy bear. She considered the answer to his question and said, "Well, I found myself falling through the sky and my body started to fly on it's own to stop me from going splat when I hit the ground, but then I tried to figure out how I was flying and I failed and fell to the ground." Her amethyst coloring darkened a little as she blushed in embarrassment at the situation and then continued, "Once I stood up I realized I have wings and claws and a tail and scales now and then I fell down again when the kids surprised me," she turned an even darker purple and then added, "So the answer is I was falling and don't know where I am and yes I am from Earth...," she hesitated and then added tremulously, "I think?"
|
|
It is not a drop, you can walk into the miniature canyon. Though there are 40 foot tall sides. The trail takes us into the canyon.
She pushes the group forward into the canyon stating, [b]"I will defend Ramie first if anything goes down. Once she is safe I will switch us. Let's not tarry and find out what took Lucy.
He does his best to explain even after Jean joins the event, "Yeah give it some time, I can help you figure out flying. From Earth and lost, so no goddess introduction then? I am likely not the best one to explain things as I am from here. You are a Chosen recreated here in Arcanium. This is a world made up of all the 'fairy tales' from your world. There are Avalon, Eternia, Khorvian, and presently you are in the Golden Glade. These are the lands I steward for forerunner Kre'Teshlar Goldenwings. Ahh Jean excellent! We do have a new Chosen but apparently did not get the introduction as you went through it first hand it would likely best if you explain her new situation."