|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Ridiculouth. The anthwer ith clearly a kangaroo. They bend down on all fourth to forage in the morning, thtand on two legth to leap around at midday, and plathe their tail on the ground at night to lean back and retht."
[dice=bardic lore]1d20+8
The stuffed scholar grins smugly. He leans over and whispers to Cirri. "A human? Really? How did you come up with thuch a thilly anthwer, Thirri?"
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Professor Bun Bun fruitlessly attempts to adjust his cap before clearing his throat and speaking. "Pleathed to make your acquaintanthe. I am Profeththor Bun Bun, Q.T.E. I've been thpending the latht few weekth inthtructing thtudentth at Dacilane Academy. After a bit of a kerfuffle involving a prank war at the thchool I dethided to take a thabbatical and rethume my adventuring activitieth."
I am Kromrock Crushmaster, from the dwarfs from Alkenstar. Recently I had to inventory a pile of treasure for the Society. But what would you say about talking about this with some drinks?
The professor gives the dwarf an concerned look before leaning closer and whispering."You keep bringing up drinkth. Are you thertain you don't have a bit of a problem?"
"Bechamel Mornay, I'm just here for the food ..."
The plush professor smiles and pats his cotton-filled belly. "No food for me thank you. I'm thuffed." He chuckles quietly at his joke.
|
|
With all the pleasantries completed, you and Taiwalei enter the portal. You follow a series of five pointing statues to arrive at the entrance of the hedge maze that is the Maze of the Open Road. Across a vast paved garden courtyard is the two-story stone manor that serves as the Woodsedge Lodge. When you first arrive, Taiwalei exclaims in awe and spends a few seconds taking in the sights.
"This place really is like the rumor says. Vast distance covered but with a few minutes of walking!" Taiwalei pulls three slips of paper from within his sash. "I managed to collect the routes for three different lodges before I arrived in Absalom, namely Heidmarch Manor in Varisia, Nexus House in... Nex, and Starrise Spire all the way in Mendev. I can’t decide which I want to visit first, so how about you take your pick?"
|
Cirri mostly focuses on drawing a map... only to realize the distances don't make sense. No guiding star, no central landmass, distance and speed aren't correlated.
So she instead sticks to landmarks, like the pointing statues. She adds other landmarks and features of note. Rumors that the maze changes shape means it's better to be redundant.
Cirri wonders if the Professor is stuffed with cotton, bird feathers, or wool. But it may be uncouth to ask someone about the consistency of their guts. So she keeps quiet until Taiwalei mentions the lodges he'd like to visit.
"I've never been to Nex before. I don't get the magical stuff, but if we're trying to navigate through the air I've got that down pat!"
"Whee!" Cirri finds a good updraft to catch herself upon and gets a fantastic view of the road from above. "I think that's Nex over there..."
|
|
The portal deposits you at the entryway of a lodge. Directly opposite the main door on the wall is the coat of arms of the lodge. It is red with an orange band and bears four lotuses and a book, which you recognize as the coat of arms of Nexus house. You also notice that it is quiet... too quiet... You begin to suspect something is wrong.
You notice faint tracks left behind by four different shoe-wearing Medium humanoid creatures, all of which head toward the northern-most doorway.
Crit Success
|
|
In that case, I could add Q,T.E.B.M.T.L. to my name as well. Starlight replies. But that sounds rather presumptuous
"Hmm...'Quite Thoroughly Educated But Mostly Taldan Literature'? Well there'th nothing wrong with a liberal artth education of courthe but it doeth theem rather pretentiouth to add the extra alphabet thoup at the end."
"It's very very quiet. I wonder if they're planning a thurprise party for our friend Taiwalei. There are thome trackth headed through thith door." The stuffed rabbit hops over and indicates the northernmost door before opening it and peeking inside. "Perhapth we thhould follow the trackth?"
|
|
Professor Bun Bun yells as he steps into the corridor. He is joined by the others.
Starlight heads past the door and turns right into a large room. This large exhibition room is lined with 3-foot-tall shelves. A center display stands on a 1-foot-tall platform. On the far end of the room is a set of stairs that goes up three feet to an elevated corridor, which is fenced off by 2-foot tall guard rails. At a glance, most items on exhibit are tastefully expensive. Three rough looking men appear to be in the room. They do not appear to be friendly.
------------------
COMBAT TRACKER
Round: 1
Tactical Map
------------------
Those with ** may go
**Professor Bun Bun, Q.T.E. - AC 18, 42/42
**Lorch - AC 19, 34/34
**Kromrock Crushmaster - AC 18 (20 w/shield), 30/30
**Starlight Sparkle - AC 16, 27/27
Pink
Yellow
Blue
Bechamel Mornay - AC 20 (21 w/shield), 33/33
Cirri Merryweather - AC 17, 20/20
|
|
Lorch charges Blue and buries her pick in his chest, killing him instantly.
However, as Lorch turns from Blue's falling corpse, she notices a fourth bandit by the doorway!
------------------
COMBAT TRACKER
Round: 1
Tactical Map
------------------
Those with ** may go
**Professor Bun Bun, Q.T.E. - AC 18, 42/42
**Lorch - AC 19, 34/34 (1 action)
**Kromrock Crushmaster - AC 18 (20 w/shield), 30/30
**Starlight Sparkle - AC 16, 27/27
Red
Pink
Yellow
Bechamel Mornay - AC 20 (21 w/shield), 33/33
Cirri Merryweather - AC 17, 20/20
|
|
"What'th going on? Ith thomthing wrong with the party?"
Professor Bun Bun hops into the room and is astonished by the carnage wrought by his fellow pathfinders.
"Oh dear, oh dear. The party ith ruined. Although..." He pauses for a moment while he reassesses the situation. "Thethe people don't theem to be pathfinderth at all. They jutht theem to be ugly brutish thugth. That one even thmellth bad." He points to a nearby attacker and wrinkles his nose.
He goes on to give a lecture about criminal protection rackets in Cheliax following Aroden's failure to manifest in 4606 A.R.
|
|
Kromrock moves into the room and shoots Yellow. But his shot misses Yellow and puts a hole in the wall.
Starlight sends lightning at Red and Yellow. Neither manage to get out of the way in time and get zapped. Professor Bun Bun launches a quip at Yellow and leaves the man spluttering in anger, distracting him. Nonetheless, Yellow pulls out a knife, advances into the flank with Red and stabs Lorch.
Red pulls out a club and attempts to brain Lorch with it.
Pink pulls out his dagger and advances on Starlight.
"Aren't ye adorable. I'll make sure ta pull all yer stuffin' out!"
------------------
COMBAT TRACKER
Round: 1-2
Tactical Map
Active Conditions: Inspire Courage (1/1)
------------------
Those with ** may go
-2-
**Professor Bun Bun, Q.T.E. - AC 18, 42/42
**Lorch - AC 19, 15/34
**Kromrock Crushmaster - AC 18 (20 w/shield), 30/30 (AC 20)
**Starlight Sparkle - AC 16, 13/27
Red (-9)
Pink
Yellow (-9)
-1-
**Bechamel Mornay - AC 20 (21 w/shield), 33/33
**Cirri Merryweather - AC 17, 20/20
|
|
Cirri realizes her attempts at diplomacy have backfired.
Or as her father likes to say, diplomacy finally got spicy. She can't get a clear shot from here, so it's time for action. She sighs.
With her staff in her hands, she Strides into the room to get a closer look. "Wow, y'all really quick to choose violence, huh?" She shrugs as an aura of air bubbles form around her, turning her staff into a watery tool. She sets her sights against the Pink-clad foe.