Gods of madness and chaos it seems.
"Galacien is my Lord. His Way is the true way and I walk His path. He is the balming palm and the wrathful fist. He has come before and he will come again. The time is coming..." He trails off as Lexxan speeds away.
"Your spurn and scorn does not become you, Lexxan. I hope you find your way before you are lost. For the lost shall be cast aside as chaff on the winds, His indifference shall flense their bones"
Remembering Spizz' words from the cantina he idly fetches some dried meat from his pouch and drops it to the Kobold. "Did you speak truth about needing meat?"
"Do you follow a holy path Spizz? Your wild kind must have gods, do you remain locked in their ignorance or do you seek spiritual enlightenment s well as more earthly growth?" He gestures at Spizz' phrase book
"Spizz need meat! Kobold without meat go blind. Then mad. No fat on bone. Then die." Spizz is very somber about this. "Die with full belly of grass."
Spizz thinks about Pious's other question. That of gods. "Dragon. Dragon very important to Kobold. Like god. Find Dragon that has same color scale. Serve dragon. Some Kobold think that if serve very well, Kobold become Dragon. Spizz know this is wrong, because Dragon come from egg." Spizz continues to look thoughtful. "Spizz have pretty gold scales. Gold Dragon friendly to weak thing. Spizz tribe have red scale. Spizz never see gold or red dragon. One time, Spizz see blue dragon, fly overhead. Even though it not red, Kobold tribe celebrate for many day. Like looking at face of god. Like Pious seeing irrefutable proof of Galacien. Even though blue dragon not see us, we see it, and that is enough." Spizz frowns. "Enough for tribe anyway. Metal dragon and color dragon fought long ago. Spizz not like color dragon very much. Tribe make fun of Spizz for gold scales. Spizz not like that. Spizz think that if he was in gold tribe, and meet red kobold, Spizz be nice to poor lost red kobold. Color dragons not say that. Say be mean to everyone not you. Spizz not like that either."
Draconic:"Berries are good additives to a Kobolds diet, but I cannot survive on them alone. Do you have any meat?"
Lex nods,
Lexxan has no problem finding (and capturing) a prairie dog, a tree frog, and a wren in the time needed. As Spizz considers which one to eat first, the rest of the party packs up their gear. There are still about 3 miles (almost 5 km) to go before finding the ranch in question.
It has been some time since you saw the last lane leading to a ranch, and you're beginning to think you took a false path. But at last you spot your destination.
As the sun wanders westward, but still several hours from nightfall, you come across a sign reading The Lonely Canyon Ranch. This is the name of the ranch on the posting you found back at the Cantina.
A well warn path leads between several smaller buttes off into a well-maintained area with many plants. Though there are a few cows, and one horse, visible, this is probably not the main grazing area. a house with yellow-orange clay walls and protruding logs still visible along the roofline lies about a half-mile away up a slight hill.
Lexxan studies plants. She think that she spies hallucinogens. All different kinds.
Lex wasn't sure if it was good or bad, and she was not sure how to explain it either. "Look, who speaks for us?"
Lexxan finds two she can identify for sure, as they walk toward the ranch house:
Seductus Lactimus “Lust-shroom”. A golden luminescent mushroom with silver spots. Ingesting the mushroom makes the creature who ate it hallucinate, making random things nearby appear as a mushroom. Additionally, the creature has an unusually intense desire to consume all other mushrooms in sight.
Profundus Obscurus. This average brown and purplish mushroom ranges in size, features, and color. Consumption causes random behavior for a short time.
There are two other types that MIGHT have some effect; though Lexxan cannot pin down what exactly.
"Look, who speaks for us?"
"I will speak. His words run through me."
Pious adjusts his harness, draws his sword, and moves to approach the farmstead.
"Maybe friend Pious give Spizz a chance to prove Spizz is good Kobold? Spizz need to practice common tongue." Spizz chimes in hopefully.
Lex collects all four types of 'shrooms. She weaves them into her leaf armor mesh. Maybe I can use them in soup she thinks.
"I will speak. His words run through me."Pious adjusts his harness, draws his sword, and moves to approach the farmstead.
Lex reaches out and grabs Pious' arm. "Hey! Remember to ask if they'll be feedin' us tonight."
She lets him go.
Spizz and Pious reach the door at the same time, giving two knocks. After a few minutes, the door opens, and a tired woman with ruddy brown skin answers. Her features are partially Espan, but partially from one of the migrant tribes that roamed this land long ago. Here eyes are saggy, and she rubs one with a fist as she opens the door with a yawn.
"Yes?" the woman answers. She clearly was not expecting company.
Pious does not visibly lower his sword
"Is this your farm?"
Just FYI, Rocko has been tagging along unless there was a reason not too. No one has specifically mentioned talking to him, and why bother spending the energy to go out hunting when Lexxan seems so eager to do the work :P
That, and Rocko also sees no need to take the reins in the diplomacy sector. This should be fun :D
"See, Spizz disagree. Legend say that when mighty dragon get old enough, and tired enough, they go find other... places. They say some fly to world like this one, but not like this one, amongst night sky! Other dragon go someplace else. Other place that no flying can ever reach. Land of dead things. Different land of dead things. Place where fire come from. Endless water." Spizz shakes his head. "Spizz not understand all place where dragon go. But to go where no kobold can ever go, to find new place to grow strong, explore, that is like God, no?" Spizz lowers his voice, as if to let Pious in on a secret. "Oldest and most powerful dragon have a technique they use. They take land from the ground, and put it between the many realm. Once there, the land bends to whim of dragon. If dragon want, time does not even pass there. Then dragon send ghost of self out to explore even more, becoming only thought!" "Dragon live forever. Create world of own. Travel anywhere. But Spizz need proof! Otherwise, how know if true? Maybe dragon god, maybe dragon not god! Spizz may be ignorant, but Spizz know Spizz ignorant. Better than many Kobold, always say they right, regardless of truth" Spizz brightens up. "Spizz look forward to meeting your god, maybe that help Spizz understand what a god be better!"
"Be not alarmed human! Spizz see sign in tavern! Sign say missing cow! Spizz and many friend find your cow, or thing that eat them. Spizz promise Spizz not eat your cow, because Spizz promise never to steal from people. May Spizz and friend come in, so you can tell about what happen here?"
Despite his broken common, the earnestness and energy of Spizz transcends even racial barriers. He's just overall pleasant to listen to, and enthusiastic about helping.
The tired woman looks shocked, at first, to find a sword in her face. Thinking she's about to be robbed, she reaches for a crossbow she keeps hidden behind the door.
But then she sees Spizz, and her eyes light up with delight as she listens to his explanation of how they came to be on her doorstep and why.
"Oh, welcome then! Come in, all of you. But, lower the sword, if you would. Makes me a little jumpy."
The interior of the ranch house looks pretty well as expected. It's got a lot of indirect light from doors and smaller windows, set up in a way that will avoid letting much direct sunlight in. The room they are in appears to double as a family room and dining room, and there is a large granite-topped table on stout wooden legs. The woman pulls up an extra chair from the living area, and gestures everyone to sit.
"It's a long way from Albarra, I imagine you're tired from traveling all day. Let me get you some refreshments." The woman wanders off into another room and shouts a few orders to someone, then pops back in.
Soon, a younger woman, likely a daughter, comes in with a tray of pastries and a teapot.
As the travelers enjoy a nice cool tea and some pastries, the woman, who names herself Maria Nempeo, begins her tale.
"My husband, Marco, and our sons are out in the back 40 now, counting cattle and tending to them. That is where the cows were stolen from. It was late at night each time, and always the cows were screaming for minutes beforehand each time. The most recent time, Marco rode out there with a crossbow when he heard them screaming, but when he arrived, another cow was already gone."
"Marco waited a while, but all he saw was a strange shooting star, which seemed close at hand and seemed to be moving away from a mesa top just past our land."
Spizz seems absolutely delighted by pastries, never having tried one before. He will eat as many as proffered.
"Dragon known for eating cow. But no dragon need sneak. Dragon take in day, or not take at all. Not a dragon." Spizz seems pleased with this logical conclusion. "Any Spizz-Friend have idea on what might take cow? Otherwise, Spizz sleep in cow field, and wait for nasty creature!"
"We will all sleep in the field. He giveth us dominion over the beast that we may tend to its health, drink of its teat, and feast of its flesh. If some wild thing seeks to steal what is yours, god given, then it shall be cleansed so that you can live in fear only of the almighty.
Pious' table manners have not improved over their long walk.
Now that you have something of a plan, you have only to wait until nightfall to place yourselves in the field. That, on Octum 22, will happen in about 4 hours.
I hope the farmers are okay with strangers out in the fields with their cows. Hopefully the cows are okay with it as well. I guess try to make some wild empathy checks to make sure the cows don't shy from our presence?
Wild Empathy +2: rolled a 14, so 16 total and they're just cows, so should be good enough
Also, anyone else want to get a nap in before nightfall? Rocko would like to be able to stay up all night, and he's already worked all morning and walked a good part of the afternoon. Poor guy is probably tired
The cows seem to give you a wide berth, but that's to be expected to some extent. They're not stampeding or anything extreme. They just moo a little and kind of shuffle back from where you are.
Rocko and any others who want can definitely get sleep. There are several small boulders and some cacti providing shade against the sun which, while not hot, is definitely bright for sleeping.
While they are waiting Pious spends some time inspecting the Cacti. He breaks some of the longer spines from the stem. picking up a number of nasty scratches for his troubles.
When he has gathered his fill he sits and begins to work a tattoo with the cacti needles. His arm is so covered in lettering already, these latest words can only be seen by their fresh wounds.
The tattoo reads Patient is he who waits"
Lex sniffed the tea for possible smells of 'shroom flavor. She'd have drunk it either way, but she was only wondered if a twisty thought ride would be sooner rather than later. The druid stayed pleasant inside while trying to keep her mouth shut.
She scurries to the side of the home and relieves the rush of water from within her. She prays for divine water to sprout out from her hand. The Druish bidet cleansing brightens the young woman's mind. She hurries up back to the group.
Lexxan is able to find a couple small trees outside the pasture, but near enough to the fence that she can get to the area the rest of the PCs are in within a couple rounds (1 to climb down, one to run in).
Soon enough, night begins to fall. Just past the pasture are several of the buttes and one or two larger mesas. As some of these extend south, the effects of sunset fall earlier here than back in Albarra.
Soon, it is completely dark. The sky is awash with bright clear stars, and the temperature begins to drop rather quickly. As such, the cattle are huddled up into a tight group, the travelers among them near smaller boulders which the livestock shy away from.
The evening wears on, and soon your alertness drops a bit, giving to boredom. As soon as you hear a noise, however, as people at least somewhat accustom to danger, your attention snaps back.
There's a crackling sound as if something old and wooden has been broken, and soon, you hear mooing that those of you knowledgeable of animal behavior recognize as "upset."
Perception checks please. Lexxan has a +2 bonus for her vantage point.
Lex focuses on the area.
Rocko Initiative:
Lexxan and Rocko perceive the following, from different viewpoints:
The cattle are beginning to shove together as they are being approached by some insect-like beings with 8 legs and 2 arms (upper body bending upright similar to how a centaur does) from multiple directions. The snapping you heard seems to have been a fence that the creatures broke to allow them easier access.
Between the two of you, you count six such creatures, though neither of you can see all of them and there might be more. In their hands, they hold glowing rods of some sort.
Lexxan doesn't recognize these creatures, per se; she knows almost instinctively they're "not from around here," as it were. However, even not knowing the exact species, she is able to deduce that they likely have decent Nature Armor due to their exoskeletons.
Lexxan guesses the insectoids are diggers. She slides down the tree limb towards the trunk. Her bare foot hits the trunk and helps her control her drop. Her hands move from upper to lower limbs. She lands in a hero like three point landing.
Lex whistles warning to the rest of the group.
Pious ponderously gets to his feet
"Forth into it comrades!" Pious draws his sword and, with a muttered word, ignites it with a pure white glow, the colour of graveyards.
Beginning at little more than a jog but quickly gaining speed, he lumbers towards the cattle
"Spizz follow friend Pious!"
And he proceeds to do exactly what he said he'd do.
Initiative:
Spizz:
Pious:
Lexxan: 16 (rolled above)
Rocko:
Cattle Rustlers:
Party except Spizz goes first, then bad guys, then poor Spizz.
'That sure don't look good!'
I'm assuming by this point Rocko is awake, but I'm defaulting that he would be sitting/crouching with weapons and shield stowed.
So, Rocko will bound to his feet, and start trotting to the nearest bug while pulling out his primary axe on the way.
I'm also going to assume that these bug things don't count as animals towards Rocko's favored enemy
I'm also going to assume that these bug things don't count as animals towards Rocko's favored enemy
Pious continues to trundle towards and around the mass of cattle
Rocko shouts out a challenge to the rustlers:
"Leave them cows alone and identify yourselves!"
Lex heads towards the cows and creatures. She pulls her whip free from its holster on her leather belt. The whip slides like an angry snake behind her and following her every direction.
Lexxan's free hand reaches out for the faded white wash fence. Her fingertips gently touch the edge. I should stay close to the fence, in case I need to jump over. thinks Lex.
She stops momentarily and casts a spell that causes an explosion of vegetation to erupt in front of her.
Reflex:
Reflex:
Reflex:
Reflex:
Most of the creatures seem taken offguard by Lexxan's spell, though one manages to avoid getting entangled. That one moves toward the edge of the effect. Another one also tries to move, but is hindered by the entanglement. The other two draw some sort of wand and aim them at Lexxan.
Ranged Attacks on Lexxan:
MISS
MISS
Bolts of energy that resemble lightning fly toward Lexxan, but clearly the creatures are hindered by their entanglement.
Meanwhile, two lumber toward Rocko, one making its way through the cattle (taking a full move to do so), the other trudging through the entanglement. This one swings a baton, the same item the other two are firing at Lexxan with.
Melee Attack on Rocko
MISS SHIELD (?)
Finally, one makes its way to Pious.
Melee Attack on Pious
HIT
Spizz may act in Round 1
Spizz moves 30ft towards the fight. (1 square down, and two squares to the left of the enemy that only threatens Pious) and throws a cone of flame from his hands!
"Bad bug leave FriendPious alone!"
The jet of flame roars into existence, quickly growing to an area that fills more than 5 times the space that Spizz takes up, and burning with a ferocity that isn't natural to normal fire. Then just as quickly the flame vanishes.
The angry insectoid screeches loudly when hit with the fire, and swivels is face toward Spizz.
"rrr, let's see if you take as good as you give!"
Rocko swings with his primary axe while pulling a secondary one off his belt with his off hand.
Attack with battleaxe. (No attack penalties yet since only swinging once.)
If hit, basic slashing damage
Attack with battleaxe.
A miss, unfortunately.
Lex sees that monsters are behaving effectively as a team. Her left hand grabs the top post of the fence. She launches her feet over to the other side of it. The Druid coils up the whip in the air. She attempts to disarm the goon (15' range) who is attacking Rocko.
Strangely non-verbal for once, Pious lays into the creature scorched by Spizz' magic. Swinging the exquisite longsword that is chained to him two-handed with brutal determination but little effect.