As they walk towards the table in the corner Barker looks around
"I am definitely making a song about it ... but they should have brought an archer, it would stand over there."
He plays a tune "Than Eleanor yelled: 'Barker they have bows!',
not thinking of his own self he charged with angry frown!"
He laughs at the rhyme, thinking that he could better.
He plays few cords and sniffs the air looking around himself.
He looks at others trying to see if there is anyone observing them in an odd way ... but he sees all eyes being on them.
"Tahar, Zidri did you ever had anything to do with Usij Cultists? Or anyone capable of making such contraption" Barker points at the head
Zephrena knows those Usij cultists worship divs, fiends who seek to thwart and ruin the schemes and works of mortal beings.
Usij cultists are often lunatics or nihilists who worship Ahriman, a particular div, or the concepts of destruction in general.
The gnome champion confirms what Rhys did about the head: no traps. Perhaps it can be repaired but it will take time.
Barker is correct, while the reading is going to begin again soon everyone is eyeballing your table. Of course they are poets and literary types love gossip!
Tahar nods. I know dozens craftspeople who are capable of this; there's a lot of clever art made in this city and mechanics are very much in the zeitgeist right now. Combining machines and literature is fashionable avant-garde! You know, Vinn Gharban is even here. He points to gnomish inventor in the crowd. He's director of the new clockworks academy here in the city. I hear they are already overfull on applicants.
Zirdi laughs at Barker's question. We're just stuffy old patrons dear, adventurers like you are the ones who might have something to do with cultists.
Aren't you curious? Wind it!
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Eleanor slowly stands fro her chair, suing the table to support herself as she walks to the head. "Stand back, I'll do it myself." She seems to struggle a bit turning the key but manages to slowly wind it nonetheless. "I have lived plenty of years if this does explode." She gives it one final crank.
Eleanor steps up and winds the key.
The apertures spin open and the eyes stare crazily around, as if the thing is blind. The jaw works up and down, the tongue clacks. Gears inside the cranium whirr and grind. A broken aluminum voice begins reciting a broken fragment of poetry:
"D-DEAR-EAR EAR HOO-HOOPOE, WELCOME! YOU WILL B-BE OUR GUIDE … GUIDE;
IT W-WAS ON YOU ART-ART-OKUS K-KIRRAN RELIED-LIED
TO C-CARRY…ARRY FIVE SECRET MESSAGES BEE-BETWEEN
FI-FIVE NOMADIC-IC CITY-CITY-STATES-ATES, ON-NNN W-WINGS UN-UN-UN-SEEN."
"HE HE HE KNEW YOUR LA-LA-LA-LANGUAGE AND YOU KNEW HIS HAR-HAR-HEART-T-T—
AS-AS HIS CLO-CLOSE CONFIDANT YOU LEARNT-T-T THE AR-AR-ART ——"
Sparks from the torn throat; ozone fills the air as the voice dies.
Barker listens to the poem and begin to write it down. When he does so he misses all of the references...
"Eleanor that was really brave of you..."
"The hoopoe bird is a symbol of virtue; it's considered a messenger of ancient leaders, kings, and even gods. If the Hoopoe will be the guide in the poem, that means its author believes their message is of the utmost importance to all who hear it."
She then looks down at Holly and her newly blooming berries. "Artokus Kirran was the inventor of the sun-orchid elixir. In 1140 AR he secretly approached the leaders of the five cities of the Thuvia to form an alliance of mutual protection and share the profits from the sale of the sun orchid elixir. The city states established a rotation for hosting the annual sale that lasts to this day." She runs her fingers along one of the berries. "I am hoping these will be used as an ingredient soon."
She knocks her knuckles across the metal frame. "While the device isn’t magical, it clearly has some components that were magically crafted. The housing, for instance, seems remarkably durable."
Zephrena Performance
The blue haired gnome points over at the head of the clockwork school. Lets go talk with this guy. I bet he may grace us with some of his knowledge.
Iksha bites nervously on her lower lip as Eleanor winds the key. It's impolite to argue with one's elders. Besides, if it was rigged to explode they would have found some indication of a trap. Probably.
She heaves another sigh of relief when the head starts spouting poetry instead of exploding. The stuttering initially makes it hard to make out the cadence, but when she mentally replays the words they fit together. "An epic poem written in couplets; a traditionally Thuvian style of poetry. I recently read a collection of Valls' works that had a similar meter and rhyming scheme." She turns the head over one more time to study the intricate clockwork. "It's unfortunate this wasn't able to deliver the whole poem, but given how roughly it was removed from whatever body it came from I suppose we're lucky it spoke at all. Perhaps Vinn Gharban will be able to fix it and recover the rest?"
Tahar nods at Iksha and Zephrena. Agreed. I'm familiar with Valls and have backed some of his projects. This sounds like his work… but he's not an expert in clockwork engineering. Far from it.
Don't forget, I have helped Valls as well. Zirdi chimes in. Perhaps more… Tahar pointedly ignores the last part.
Iksha, meanwhile, is close to unlocking more secrets from the head but ultimately can't quite figure things out.
Zephrena brings Vinn to the group. The headmaster of the clockwork school examines the head closely, getting out magnifying glasses, calipers and other tools from his kit. Remarkable! Absolutely intriguing! He taps the metal engravings on the cranium. Observe these, there are subtle music symbols etched on the aluminum designs. I think the creator was not just poetic but had a musical touch. And mechanical genius. A true trifecta of talent. Look here at the musical notations, the bars inscribed int he metal and the notes, they act like circuits on a board, making use of parallel dual-direction encoding systems with multiple attention points. Could it be that the patterns are intertwined with some mystical melody? What an innovative method. You mentioned it speaks in verse? Perhaps its creator used epic poetry as a language reference. You know, whoever made this combined advanced mathematical theories and craftsmanship, musical genius, and poetic form. What an incredible achievement. He shakes head sadly and gently puts the head on the table. It is a tragedy this wonderful creation has been treated so… viciously. Who would do such an awful thing?
Zridi rolls her eyes. Enough embellishment , professor. What's the POINT?
Ahh. I suspect there's more data hidden inside. Much more. Perhaps even an intelligence. Special tools or maybe a secret phrases will be be needed to unlock it. Any other attempts could harm the mechanism irreparably. That's my take for now. I'm tempted to study this thing in my lab, but honestly I don't want anything to do with something associated with Usij. It would place the shaky reputation of the clockwork academy at risk. Sorry.
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"Thuvian style of poetry, right, right. I knew that something familiar was about that poem."
Barker looks at the notes that Vinn pointed out and he tries to play them on his mandolin, hoping that maybe it will unlock whatever there is in the head...
Barker plays the music nothing happens. Perhaps there's a faint hum of sympathetic magic deep in the nest of cogs, but then again maybe it's just his imagination.
It will take time, I think. sas Vinn. And special tools. You should keep en eye out for them.
Mysteries abound, says Tahar. But I am very concerned about Valls. Sending a severed head is a threat, and I fear the worst.
You seem to be capable people who understand art. Would you be willing to visit Vall's home and ensure he is safe? I'll give you 40 gold right now if you're willing to leave first thing, and another 40 if you return with news of Valls and his whereabouts.
And take the head with you!
"You think the message was meant for Valls?" Iksha is confused by this turn of events. "Wouldn't they have sent the head to him if that were the case? Not that I have any objection to checking on him," (which is an understatement, the prospect of actually meeting such a famous poet has Iksha positively quivering in delight), "I'm just not certain I understand. Have there been other threats sent his way recently?"
Tahar shakes head. No, that's not quite right. This threat was meant for me, Valls' supporter and longtime patron. Clearly Valls was working on some project associated with this mechanical head, and clearly someone associated with Usij cultists violently destroyed his project. Perhaps that is what "Amity" is, the title of a project? All I know is that whoever did this act of violence was close to Valls, and they may have hurt him.
"If Valls is in danger we should check on his well-being." Eleanors bones creak and pop as she walks towards the door. "Get the authorities involved while we are out."
The gnome champion seems excited at the chance to go to Vall’s house. She isnt overly familiar with the guy but she it should be interesting.
"Oh, so you think it wasn't just a similar style, but that Valls actually wrote this particular poem? That makes sense now." Iksha jumps to her feet. "Then yes, we should hurry. Please be careful while we're gone, both of you. The cultists could always come back."
She's a little surprised that Eleanor wants to go as well given her stated desire for a nap. Perhaps, much like Iksha herself, she finds it difficult to sleep when there's a mystery to solve? Regardless the wisdom of an elder is always welcome.
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Barker smiles broadly showing most of his sharp teeth "Oh, I was hoping that one day Valls would invite me to share some poetry tricks. This is not exactly what I had in mind, but yes, let us save Valls. I can already hear the melody that I will use for the song describing that" he plays a rhythm on the box of the mandolin humming a tune.
He eyes the others wondering what a weird mix they were ... also how this situation reminds him various stories and book that he read. Group of strangers meet in the bar and launch on an adventure to save the world.
"Let's save the world!"
Eleanor shakes her head. "No...no saving the world. We are checking in on Valls to see if he is still alive or needs a Medic. Then we are going to bed. Let the authorities deal with it all." Though deep down inside she knows she will likely be drug into something.
Eleanor shakes her head. "No...no saving the world. We are checking in on Valls to see if he is still alive or needs a Medic. Then we are going to bed. Let the authorities deal with it all." Though deep down inside she knows she will likely be drug into something.
"Yes, correct. When I joined the pirates, ever and anon they would shanghai new sailors in taverns. You see when I joined the Drunken Daisy, they roped couple of sailors, one of which had terrible case of smallpox. After two days of entering the sea half of the crew was as sick as a dogs!"
Zridi argues with Tahar that this is a waste of tie; she has friends she can send there who are better equipped than you but Tahar insists. The mercurial patroness of the arts eventually leaves in a fury.
Tahar seems used to it. He just shrugs. He passes you the 40 gold. Now, I know Valls lives about a day's journey West of the city by camel, but I am not sure where, exactly. You'll have to track that down for yourselves.
The next morning as you make preparations to leave you gather information.
Everyone but Barker barks up the wrong tree, but the gnoll finds accurate directions to the poet's isolated home. It seems that despite his fame—or because of it—Valls sought a place to live far from the more populated areas of Thuvia. Looks like a road trip… plenty of time to get to know one another. Lucky you!
The first few miles west of Lamasara are green, lush, and covered with crops. The farmland ends abruptly, however, and soon after, the land becomes rocky and dry. A few scattered palm trees grow in patches to either side of the road leading west, a sign that water exists but is far less abundant. Over the course of several more miles the road winds through low, hard-packed hills. To the north and south stretches a long expanse of sand. The occasional house is visible from the road, usually tucked behind a hill or dug into the ground.
After a few hours, the road forks ahead; the rocky terrain there prevents too much sand from blowing onto the path. Two broken-down caravan carts lay in the center of the crossroads, blocking the way.
Barker, Ishka, and Eleanor spot someone moving behind one of the caravans, but from where you are the sand is still swirling in the wind, and it's difficult to make out much more.
As they travel through the sand, Barker is wearing a stylish turban and a piece of clothing to cover his face from the sand.
"I am no hunter, but there seems to be someone behind the carts. Do anyone wants to sneak? Or should I yell and ask?"
As they travel through the sand, Barker is wearing a stylish turban and a piece of clothing to cover his face from the sand.
"I am no hunter, but there seems to be someone behind the carts. Do anyone wants to sneak? Or should I yell and ask?"
Im not much for sneaking. I think you should just call out.
The gnome does ready her heart shaped shield.
Iksha makes certain her bow is ready. "Broken down carts in the middle of a crossroads are almost certainly meant to be an ambush." She frowns, puzzled. "Although it's so obvious that you'd think bandits would stop using the tactic. What's the point when everyone recognizes it?"
"Anyway, if you don't mind I'd like to see if I can climb up one of those hills before you start calling out. On the off chance they haven't seen us yet the high ground would be a tactical advantage."
Two masked men step leap up in the carts when barker calls out. Just liek Iksha said they would. "Water Lord Almeth demands a toll for his crossroads. Leave your valuables on the ground, and we'll let you pass. You can even keep your water—we are not cruel." They hold slings, and scimitars at their sides.
They have not noticed Iksha or Rhys. Then again, likely you haven't noticed all of them yet, either.
Water Lord Almeth demands a toll for his crossroads. Leave your valuables on the ground, and we'll let you pass. You can even keep your water—we are not cruel.
"I shall leave a valuable in the air, for you to benefit. Here it comes" he clears his throat and says
"Turn around from your current path, and do some honest work!"
He yells to them.
He looks around trying to see if there are no friends of theirs on their flanks
Eleanor rests a hand on Holly's vine to get her to stop her stride as well. She glowers at the man. "You would rob an old woman? Where are your manners..." She tosses her earrings and jewelry to the sandy floor.
Iksha creeps forward slowly, making sure to stay behind cover as she listens to the exchange taking place. Water Lord Almeth, huh? I wonder if he actually exists. She waits, not willing to be the one to take the first shot, and thinks through how the fight might go. The one talking is most likely the leader. If we take him out first the rest might scatter.
As Eleanor magically infuses her plant friend (can plants scream?) with intimidating energy, the bandts take an attack posture.
We'll do it the hard way!
Two men step across on the ridge to your left. The first one to act whirls a rock at holly!
The rock bruises Holly; Eleanor too gets a little black and blue.
He then drops it and draws a scimitar, and tries to stealth closer:
But stumbles on a rock.
The other one does the same, but targets Zephrina:
The stone whizzes overhead. He curses, drops the sling, and trips
He then drops it and draws a scimitar, and tries to stealth closer:
He too stumbles on a rock. You'd think desert nomads could sneak around without tripping.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Bandit 4
Bandit 3
➤ Rhys
➤ Iksha
Bandit 2
Eleanor
⠀⠀Holly
Zephrena
Barker
Bandit 1
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Iksha raises her head and peers over the rubble at the first bandit. As she prepares to strike she realizes at the last second the angle is wrong. No, she should choose a different target. The other bandit is slightly closer...
The angle on this one isn't much better but now she's committed. As she gives up the advantage of cover she shouts in Shisk, "Izigelekeqe ziyafa!"
Seeing both Holly and Eleanor with bruises she then does something she never thought she'd do. Weave a heroic tale about a plant. "The great Hippomane Macinella, strongest of her kind, thrashes her many tendrils in anger as she sees her mistress hurt. The villain who did this would pay, she thought, oh yes he would pay..."
Iksha considers carefully before striking; her arrow strikes thanks to her being hidden.
Rhys blasts Bandit 3, surprising the man with arcs of plasma! His follow-through blast singes some nearby rocks.
Bandit 2 shouts. Over there!
He flings a rock at the investigator—
—leaving a bruise. He then drops the slingm draws a scimitar, and leaps down off the cart.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Bandit 4
Bandit 3
Rhys
Iksha
Bandit 2
➤ Eleanor
⠀⠀➤ Holly
➤ Zephrena
➤ Barker
Bandit 1
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Barker plays a qucik tune on his mandolin, "With haste! Let's close the distance and crush them into the ground!"
Barker looks at one of the bandits and points his furry paw at it and then punches himself in the chest
"Lets have you then
I am Barker, I'm the boss here
I'm the ender of man!"
Round 1
With the bard’s music, the gnome gets her feet moving. She is saddened and upset that these bandits would harm her comrades. The time for action is now. Shield up, she is closing distance quickly with Bandit2. She gives him her best intimidating glare peering over the top of her shield. She stops 10’ away and lets loose with her flickmace. Bright steel ball popping out at the bandit.
*Move
* Demoralize
* Attack!
Intimidate
Attack
Flickmace B
Eleanor releases Holly as the plant quickly crosses the area, small long vines dig deep into the soil propelling the plant forward.
Holly skids to a halt as dozens of vines rip free from the dirt and whirl about the air, cracking and making small subsonic booms around the bandits ears.
HP 47/56
AC 17
Hero Points 1/3
Battle Medicine ()
Focus Points 2/3
Spells 1st 2/2 | 2nd 1/2
Holly
HP 47/56
AC 20 (21 w/ Reinforce Eidolon)
Barker's verse shakes the bandit's confidence/
Zephrina fals to scare her opponent, but the flickmace dos some talking too and leaves a bruise.
Eleanor charges Holly, who lashes at their target with sonic-infused energy and then screams.
Blood ours out of Bandit 3's eyes and ears as he falls! Bandit 2 wobbles a bit but fights through it
The last acts. He whirls a stone at the eidolon!
The rock sails harmlessly through Holly's branches.
He draws his scimitar and moves forward… not quite enough to provide his ally a flank.
Bandit 4 looks worried. He slaches at Holly twice, using the scimitar like a machete:
Then he backs away through the rubble.
A small piece of wood flies. And a small piece of Eleanor too.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Bandit 4
➤ Rhys
➤ Iksha
Bandit 2
Eleanor
⠀⠀Holly
Zephrena
Barker
Bandit 1
End of Round 1
Reaction to Bandit who tries to machete Holly.
Glimpse of Remption
1. Bandit may choose to stop attack from happening
Or
2. Bandit still attacks but Holly gains resistence 6 to damage and Bandit is Enfeebled2 till end of turn.
Iksha glares at the bandit who flung a rock at her, rubbing her forehead. The angle is now much better for attacking the talker, but she can get a little revenge first. As she fires twice at the two different bandits her voice rises to be heard above the wind. "With a deafening scream the Hippomane Macinella did triumph over her foe!" Which, while a good thing, does end her tale a little earlier than she had expected. She ducks back behind the rocks while she considers her options.
Iksha talks some trash while dropping two arrows into her targets! Why's bolt of superheated plasma flies wide.
Bandit 2 clambers through the rubble at Iksha…
Failing so badly the champion doesn't even need to react.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Bandit 4
Rhys
Iksha
Bandit 2
➤ Eleanor
⠀⠀➤ Holly
➤ Zephrena
➤ Barker
Bandit 1
Eleanor gains bruise after bruise, not that it matters much as her skin bruises easily these days. Holly's long vine reaches out sweeping into one of the bandits.
Eleanor rubs her slippers across the sand and sends a small jolt into another of the bandits. "This old woman will not go down easily."
HP 43/56
AC 17
Hero Points 1/3
Battle Medicine ()
Focus Points 2/3
Spells 1st 2/2 | 2nd 1/2
Holly
HP 43/56
AC 20 (21 w/ Reinforce Eidolon)
Holly slaps and eleanor zots. But the targets are still up.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Bandit 4
Rhys
Iksha
Bandit 2
Eleanor
⠀⠀Holly
➤ Zephrena
➤ Barker
Bandit 1
Barker reaches to his pocket and finds the special object: Pick of Destiny! He gets a hold of it and Barker begins to play on his mandolin, his paws move up and down the fretboard as his other hand is shreding through the strings. The music is aggressive and energetic encouraging violance of all sorts!
Then he introduce lower sounds to his music, and as he plays the rocks begin to tremble and one large stone flies towards one of the bandits
Round 2
Zephrena is moved by Barker’s music. Her feet shuffle and her hips sway. She dances 5’/one square over and into flanking position w/ Rhys. She gives the bandit a nasty glare and gets her flickmace swinging once and looping around to shoot out in attack.
* (dance)Move
* Intimidating Glare
* Attack
Intimidate
Melee Attack1
Flickmace
Zephrena knocks her target out.
Bandit 1 turns tail and runs down one of the paths.
Bandit 4 starts to cry and drops his weapons. This isn't woirth it!
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Eleanor walks up to the man and kicks his weapon away. She points a frail looking finger in his face as she calls Holly off. "You should be ashamed of yourself. Oh, young man, what were you thinking? Running around like that could get you hurt, all over a little gold! Do you youngsters have nothing better to do than terrorize innocent people?"
"You want something valuable? Well, let me give you a lesson in value. The real treasures are the stories, the memories, the laughter shared with loved ones. Not trinkets or coins." She plucks a berry off of Holly and hands it to the bandit. "Now then, you look hungry. Let' eat a meal." She holds out the ripe looking berry to the bandit.
Barker lets the music to fade slowly as he moves towards the fallen bandit
"I will check if this one is alive" he says, as he checks for any signs of life, if so he stabilize them
"So who is Water Lord Almeth? in the first place"
Iksha watches the first bandit run away, memorizing his appearance. She considers firing another arrow at him but decides it's unnecessary. If they want to track him down they can just follow the blood trail later.
Climbing down the small hill she searches for recoverable arrows while Eleanor lectures the bandit. She almost feels sorry for him. "This is why bandits shouldn't use the 'carts blocking the road' tactic. Sure it makes people stop, but it also puts them on their guard. If you hadn't blocked the road we would have kept going, none the wiser, and you could have pounced before any of us drew our weapons." Although hopefully this will be the end of his bandit career and he'll never have the chance to take that advice.
Eleanor walks up to the man and kicks his weapon away. She points a frail looking finger in his face as she calls Holly off. "You should be ashamed of yourself. Oh, young man, what were you thinking? Running around like that could get you hurt, all over a little gold! Do you youngsters have nothing better to do than terrorize innocent people?"
"You want something valuable? Well, let me give you a lesson in value. The real treasures are the stories, the memories, the laughter shared with loved ones. Not trinkets or coins." She plucks a berry off of Holly and hands it to the bandit. "Now then, you look hungry. Let' eat a meal." She holds out the ripe looking berry to the bandit.
The Champion of Shelyn looks on approvingly of Eleanors admonishment of the bandit.
She had her own “Go forth and sin no more…” speech ready but a talking to from an Elder should work even better in Zephrena’s eyes.