Volcano's Land - Beyond the City of Light

Game Master Miner Cotren

River looks from one elen to the other curiously, seemingly confused by the topic of conversation.

"I don't understand." She says eventually. "What are you talking about?"

As if Zephyr's very words clear up perspective as well as the weather, the relentless precipitation slows, then stops. Sky's Tears has moved on.

anyone volunteer to go out first and survey the land?

It is thirteenth candle.

As if Zephyr's very words clear up perspective as well as the weather, the relentless precipitation slows, then stops. Sky's Tears has moved on.

anyone volunteer to go out first and survey the land?

It is thirteenth candle.

Zeph could always volunteer Fury to take the first look (and make the action totally GM purvue)

River looks from one elen to the other curiously, seemingly confused by the topic of conversation.

"I don't understand." She says eventually. "What are you talking about?"

Gull tugs gently on your hair to get your attention. "Before I was in the snow, we saw big vultures that talked and a scary tunnel with no air and a monster that our hunter shot but she's gone. It's probably all important."

"Oh and the fire birds too. But you saw that."

Sensing Zephyr Emir's desires on a wavelength heard by no one else, Fury flies speedily out the small opening in the cave; no need to wait for slow elens to remove heavy rocks to make way for lanky meat-bodies.

You receive the following impressions:

holes, where flat was
nothing moves, no wind
branches snapped
feathers and blood
sadness, silence

Benedetto stands and looks out past their makeshift wall. "Time to see what new strangeness we're up against," he says. "Anyone else want to come take a quick look around with me?"

Benedetto stands and looks out past their makeshift wall. "Time to see what new strangeness we're up against," he says. "Anyone else want to come take a quick look around with me?"

"I would ... and just you & I for now maybe? I am somewhat perplexed by the impressions Fury has shared with me. Holes in the ground, nothing moving, an absence of any wind; it's as though the storm were unnatural, a desecration of the land itself."

The elen's brow is clenched in thought ...

"Anan, are you ready to fly again? I want to head outside, and I can carry the knight with my new powers. I want you to follow us and fly back here with Fury if there is a problem. Can you do that?"

Anan stands straight and proud under your gaze. "Yes, I can do as you wish, emir."

Gamberino shrugs and says to no one, "I'll take care of the leftovers." He takes a large bite of a heel of ashbread.

"That sounds like a plan to me," Benedetto says.

He's reminded of his squire. "Kroon, do you know how to use a sword? I have a spare."

Drook gulps, but steps forward with spine straight. "I've used a dagger, sir, but never a sword. I would be honored if you taught me." He looks embarrassed, like he has let you down.

Zephyr smiles thinking he will forever refer to Drook by his new Squire Name: Kroon.

Anan hesitates; you can see he does not trust himself to be worthy of this transformation. His eyes lock with Zephyr's, and all doubts melt in the warmth of his emir's regard. His feet sublimate into gas, followed by legs, torso, arms, and he smiles radiantly as his features blur into steam and wind.

...no idea where I got that name from. XD

"We'll start on that when we have a chance to stop again, don't worry about it, Drook," Benedetto says.

Zephyr and Benedetto venture outside the cave, to a landscape of devastation. The stench of acidic fumes still rises from gaping holes in the stone channels. Smoke and ash fill your nostrils, the uppermost branches of nearby trees burnt and blackened, implying the fire fell from the very heavens.

Dead animals of all kinds litter the ground, but the storm seems to have harbored a particular hatred of birds: the fields of lifeless crows, pigeons, sparrows, robins, and bluejays express a terrible sadness, like children's broken toys never to be repaired or loved again.

The wind is still, almost a dead thing, as smoke, fumes, and blood hang thick in the air.

"Anan, take Fury with you; stay 100' or so above the ground or above Benedetto & myself, whichever is higher. Listen, closely; my namesakes should be whispering of forbidden knowledge. Both Prince Raven & Queen Zephyr must be outraged, listen for them, I know you can."

Zephyr is, uncharacteristically, frowning.

"Sir Knight I am happy to carry you above this field of desolation for a time, perhaps you will choose a place for us to alight?"

Rίver wrote:

River looks from one elen to the other curiously, seemingly confused by the topic of conversation.

"I don't understand." She says eventually. "What are you talking about?"

Gull tugs gently on your hair to get your attention. "Before I was in the snow, we saw big vultures that talked and a scary tunnel with no air and a monster that our hunter shot but she's gone. It's probably all important."

"Oh and the fire birds too. But you saw that."

River nods with a gentle smile. Gull's words haven't cleared up anything at all for her, but she wants him to think it helped.

As the others start to slip out she gets up and tidies away as Gambino polishes off the left-overs. The large elen gets a sharp slap on the wrist as he reaches for Gull's plate and River pauses to make sure that the child finishes his food before returning to her tidying.

She seems to be very neat and quick enough that the jobs are done almost before Gambino is done eating.

"We should be ready to go when they return." She says. "Make sure you have everything." Gull had propped Her against a small rock next to him and River feels a momentary pang of something at the thought of being left behind, in the dark, forever. It is a feeling both familiar and horrifying.

"Don't forget me." She whispers unknowingly.

Gull regards you warmly, but without eye contact. "You're the only thing that matters. I won't for forget you...or you." He picks up the metal doll and gives it a hug, then follows you as you complete your small chores about the cave.

Zeph and Detto both notice some erratic movements farther along the path - misshapen creatures of slush, muck, and glop. The more you look, the more of these creatures you see, blending into the sludgy brown remains of the landscape.

These are mephits, basically scavenging interplanar vermin. They will attack en mass if they see weakness, but are also easily intimidated by shows of power. These are different from the ones the inquisitor summoned a few days ago - they seem to be byproducts of the disruptions of the storm. They have not noticed you - they are squabbling, rooting in the dirt, and giggling.

"Well that's going to complicate things," Benedetto comments as he observes the creatures. "Let's look for a path that avoids the worst of them."

He pauses a moment. "I have to ask, what was that about Prince Raven and Queen Zephyr?"

"I am sure that you know all the aspects of Volcano, as so many of us do, and yet, among Sylphs, many of Father Sky's children do not listen to all of his voices. Disheartening in so many ways."

Zeph smiles just a touch as he continues.

"Yet I appreciate the opportunity to share Him. So for me, when I look at devastation like this, I know that Queen Zephyr who watches over Birds and whispers to each of us of news we may not know, and Prince Raven who is always curious to learn of forbidden knowledge, must both feel that this attack is personal to Father Sky in many ways. I simply counseled Anan to listen differently and more accutely for their voices."

Father Sky

River nods with a gentle smile. Gull's words haven't cleared up anything at all for her, but she wants him to think it helped.

As the others start to slip out she gets up and tidies away as Gambino polishes off the left-overs. The large elen gets a sharp slap on the wrist as he reaches for Gull's plate and River pauses to make sure that the child finishes his food before returning to her tidying.

She seems to be very neat and quick enough that the jobs are done almost before Gambino is done eating.

"We should be ready to go when they return." She says. "Make sure you have everything." Gull had propped Her against a small rock next to him and River feels a momentary pang of something at the thought of being left behind, in the dark, forever. It is a feeling both familiar and horrifying.

"Don't forget me." She whispers unknowingly.

Corsa begins to pack up her belongings as well. "I agree, we should be ready to leave at a moments notice, but it would do us well to be ready for potential attacks as well," she says glancing at the gather elens.

"Are any of you combat trained? We should know who might be able to hold their own and who wouldn't if it comes down to it."

Gull holds River's hand tightly. "I'm good at hiding, and River protects me."

Drook scuffs the cave floor with his foot. "I can heal, and...Sir Benedetto will train me. I'll be worthy of a sword soon."

Gamberino, licking some butter from his fingers, says, "Yeah, sure. I can throw bombs and I can take a hit when I'm wearing my leather. Don't expect me up there with a sword and a shield." He looks toward the cave entrance. "And don't be fooled by Anan's magic. He fols under pressure, not much good in a fight, capire?"

ifrit for "understand?"

going into Monday, let me know your plans - you could try sneaking/looking for the least populated path of mephits ; try intimidating with a show of power, especially elemental power ; or try straight up combat, though there are a LOT of them, so that would be risky

"I can fight if I must." River offers. She conjures a small pellet of water and flicks it at Corsa with her free hand. It hits like a sling bullet, despite the elen obviously putting minimal power into it.

River waits, head cocked to one side, obviously waiting for an evaluation of her abilities.

"That is good to know," Corsa says looking at Gamberino. "Confidence under pressure takes experience, there is no shame in that. I would hate to lose someone because we falsely assumed they had that experience."

A brief expression of something between shock and awe at River's power flashes over Corsa's face before it settles into a more neutral expression again. "It seems our abilities are quite balanced and I'm glad that none of us will be sitting ducks. I don't know what we will encounter on the road to Hearth, but I doubt it will be an easy journey."

Corsa would vote for stealth over direct attack, it seems like the safest thing to do

"Well given how many elens thought Sky was gone forever, I can't exactly blame most sylphs for not knowing much about these different voices," Benedetto comments. "That said, Sky being back is certainly a point of hope in the middle of all this madness. We'll need all the hope we can get, I think."

"So, time to go back and tell the others what we've seen? I'd say we aim for a route that avoids as many of those things as we can, then making a big show of scaring off the first one we can't avoid."

we've got 2 votes for stealth, so I'll update with what rolls I'll need tomorrow (speak your opposition if there is any to be had!)

If you are going the sneaky route, everyone roll a stealth check, or a different skill if you can justify it :)

Stealth: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26

River is pretty sneaky as she glides through the snow - her colouring blends in well.

"Well given how many elens thought Sky was gone forever, I can't exactly blame most sylphs for not knowing much about these different voices," Benedetto comments. "That said, Sky being back is certainly a point of hope in the middle of all this madness. We'll need all the hope we can get, I think."

"So, time to go back and tell the others what we've seen? I'd say we aim for a route that avoids as many of those things as we can, then making a big show of scaring off the first one we can't avoid."

"Caution should rule this day, surely. Anan & I can fly with Fury, and I should be able to hold several of the young ones aloft as well."

"The problem with flight is they'll all know someone is here. Even if none of them can fly, it might get them riled up for anyone who's still on the ground. That said, if it looks like we're going to be overwhelmed, absolutely take the young ones and get out of here."

Gull speaks idly, as if discussing boring weather, "I can make us invisible for a little while, kind of like we're air-colored. Bye-bye showed me how. It doesn't work on the ground. Or in the rain. It's dela-kit."

River is definitely succeeding in stealth, and with her speed she makes an excellent scout, too. Once we figure out the weight estimations, we'll see if anyone else needs to go on foot.

Stealth if it ends up needed: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31

Stealth: 1d20 ⇒ 9

So then the modified plan to to skulk along stealhily, the fliers can float which should make it easier for them, and then we can escape to the sky invisibly if needed. Did I get all that correct?

sounds about right! Here we go, with a roll for Zeph too

stealth, telek. invis, +2 dex, +2 circumstance from floating: 1d20 + 2 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 + 10 + 2 = 24

the way I run stealth is taking an average --- even though corsa rolled low, it could be that 'Detto steadied her at the last minute before stumbling over a sleeping rock mephit

The mephits are coarse, obvious creatures, capering about the ruined countryside, reveling in the acidic remnants of field and flower. You take your time, weaving circuitous paths around the ragged clumps of mephits.

Zephyr, you observe a group of smoky, cinder-faced mephits throwing crow corpses at one another. Some of the feathers are sticking to their backs, and they giggle obscenely as they dance, jumping higher and higher into the air.

"It would be helpful for me, in this moment, to be steadied by a hand of reason who can see our survival superceding our intervention in ongoing blasphemy ..."

Zephyr smiles, NOT the good smile either

"or a hand of faith could share with me that there needs to be a limit to the desecrations we suffer, and I will bend my will to destroying the disgusting little cinder-pussed deformeties who 'frolic' before us."

As you finish your statement about faith, Fury crackles with lightning.

give me a d20 roll + your wisdom mod, then roll 10d6 for damage. Fury is becoming a lightning bolt spell (temporarily) to sizzle these blasphemers. You are definitely hitting them, but the d20 will determine whether your can misdirect the rest of the mephits as to where the bolt came from.

As you finish your statement about faith, Fury crackles with lightning.

give me a d20 roll + your wisdom mod, then roll 10d6 for damage. Fury is becoming a lightning bolt spell (temporarily) to sizzle these blasphemers. You are definitely hitting them, but the d20 will determine whether your can misdirect the rest of the mephits as to where the bolt came from.

TheFuryOfFURY: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 1910d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 1, 4, 5, 3, 1, 3, 2, 6) = 31

Zephyr didn't really need another sign ...

The mephits that dared to play with the forces of flight and feather are incinerated by a sudden lightning bolt from above, as Zeph buzzes overhead--there and gone--before any of the other mephits have a chance to react.

A dozen or more of the creatures converge on the location, looking for enemies, but the group has quietly moved on. They find only the charred flesh of sinners, the vengeance of an angry, not-quite-dead god.

The rest of the group finds River waiting for them and staring quizzically at the sky.

"I did not see any clouds." She says. "Is there a storm? I thought it rained?"

Gull says, "He's the storm." His eyes flicker toward Zephyr, then back to the ground.

Benedetto thinks it was a reckless move, but hopes that Zephyr had a good reason for it. But for now he's not going to shout up and see what's going on until they're free of the danger.

Corsa wearily eyes the remaining mephits, making sure that none of them follow the group.

It is sixteenth candle.

Corsa perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29

Corsa adjusts her speed to match pace with Gamberino, River, and Gull. "We are being followed, at least two from what I can tell," she says quietly. "I don't think they know we know yet and we should try to keep it that way until we have a plan of some sort."

She glances at the group flying above them. "Do any of you have a way to notify the other group without drawing more attention?"

River shakes her head, outside of shouting she has no way to communicate that far.

"We could hide from them?" She offers. "Snow is good for hiding." Easy for her to say, she barely even leaves footprints.