Tels really seems to take to Ghardak and Billy's displays. They are clearly speaking his language, and afterward he wants to show them some fighting stances of his own.
Hari seems briefly self-conscious at Yuan Wu's humility.
But you all do impress us!
She snickers at his private comment about his master.
"So, have you all been told the basic information on the Open Road? Can anyone tell me why you would want to stay with the group and not be lost forever in some horrible dimension where you do homework all day? Oh, perhaps I gave you the answer.. You know, such a place DOES exist, it's..."
Thevenin will give Geltra a fist bump.
"I like your bird, they say. "Bird poop is very nutritious."
Awkward thought the joke is, Geltra seems to find it unique enough to be amusing.
Eww! How would you know that?
She snickers, not really expecting an answer to the implicating question.
After these conversations, you head to the Grand Lodge portal—J thinks that “how to prepare for a mission” would be a great lesson for the students, but Krelsun urges the group on,
“You’re going to a Pathfinder Lodge, not the Pit of Gormuz!”—and then steps through the portal.
When the field trip group steps out of trimmed hedges of the Maze of the Open Road and onto the lawn of Woodsedge Lodge, something is clearly wrong. The air has a flat metallic tang, the sky is a startling emerald color, and the sounds of distant bells tinkle on the breeze. The students don’t seem to have noticed anything odd: they chatter excitedly about their journey through the Maze and speculate on where else it might lead.
Suddenly, Hari darts a look across the group and asks, in an alarmed tone,
“Where’s Professor Krelsun? Where are the chaperones?”
The other students fall quiet, then burst out arguing about what to do.
Professor Krelsun is nowhere to be seen.
What do you do?
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Eltis will look to Hari, trying to exude an aura of calm.
"Hm Yes. A little odd but the Maze of the Open Road sometimes does odd things to your perception of reality. Don't worry. We'll make sure you are safe."
He points at Ghardak, "Besides, this fine young man can take care of anything that might happen. Just look at how fierce he is!"
Tels really seems to take to Ghardak and Billy's displays. They are clearly speaking his language, and afterward he wants to show them some fighting stances of his own.
Eltis and Yuan very quickly realize that the students can neither hear nor see them. In fact, you find that you have little effect on the Material Plane, though you feel a faint resistance when you touch things—you might be able to move a blade of grass, but you can’t move a tree branch or a rock.
“Maybe they’re stuck in the Maze. We should look for them!” Vim suggests.
Hari puts up a hand to halt her. “Absolutely not. Going in the Maze is strictly forbidden!”
“Let’s go inside for help,” Tels gestures toward Woodsedge Lodge. “They’ll know what to do.”
The students mutter assent and head to the Lodge, a two-story manor house that sports rounded turrets on the front of the building. The students walk up the staircase to the front doors, decorated with a painting of a stylized wayfinder. Tels knocks, and when no one answers, he opens the doors and leads the class inside.
What do you do?
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"Uh, oh. How are we going to chaperone if they can't hear us?"
Thevenin will take out their Pathfinder Provision, a 2nd rank scroll of dispel magic, and cast dispel magic.
Thevenin will activate their kinetic aura, sending bits of wood flying around, to see if they can get the kids' attentions.
If that all fails, Thevenin will follow the kids into the Lodge.
Thevenin will take out their Pathfinder Provision, a 2nd rank scroll of dispel magic, and cast dispel magic.
[dice=Counteract]1d20+9
Indeed, Thevenin finds that simple attempts to pinpoint and counteract magical effects will not suffice for this more immersive "experience".
On Eltis and Yuan Wu's suggestion, the party decides that it's best to at least keep up with the children and keep them in sight.
When you attempt to follow the students, you find that, while you cannot open the lodge doors, you can pass through them, which feels like pushing through water with a strong current.
What is clear to all of you, is that you will need to devise ways to communicate with the children in short order...
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While Woodsedge Lodge is usually bustling with Pathfinders, it currently seems deserted. The windows are shuttered to keep out prying eyes, though the the front door was unlocked. Fluted lanterns enchanted with continual flames hang at regular intervals in most halls and rooms, providing bright illumination throughout the lodge except where noted.
--------------------
The lodge’s main hall is a two-story great room overlooked by balconies and lit by an ornate crystal chandelier that hangs from the high ceiling. Along the walls, shelves hold a wide array of curios, art objects, and artifacts, many labeled with small brass plates. Taxidermied hunting trophies of several species also hang on the wall, and a large stuffed owlbear poses in the southeast corner.
The lodge’s great room appears abandoned. Books lie open on reading tables and a fire is burns cheerily in the room’s massive hearth. A set of animal-shaped drouge tiles stands spread across a table as if interrupted mid-game, and an account book rests next to an abacus on the table in the southwestern corner. Hushed exchanges between students are the only sounds.
A few students begin settling into the cozy chairs as Alec Gracekin calls out, “Hello? Anyone there?”
When no answer comes, he shrugs and says, “I suppose we can do whatever we like,” before collapsing sideways into a chair and throwing his feet up on a fine mahogany table.
“I’m going to get my assignment done,” Geltra counters.
“There is supposed to be an interesting Taldan artifact in this room. It shouldn’t be hard to find.”
She begins examining the metal plaques around the room, looking slightly abashed at having spoken up in front of everyone. Her pigeon, Ruffles, coos contentedly on her shoulder while the rest of the students groan at the suggestion that they should do schoolwork under these circumstances.
Now we're going to pause a moment so that all of you can discuss your current challenge and ways that you might work around it.
The challenge: You need to establish communication with the students, help with their academic tasks, and work to repair the planar splintering while remaining largely unable to interact with the youths and the Material Plane.
Discuss and try things.
Thevenin walks through Geltra.
Thevenin finds that he is able to pass through Geltra with little resistance. It is entirely subtle and not like the more substantial resistance of the door. Geltra does not react at all. He can even occupy the same space as her for prolonged time and the kobold does not seem to notice.
Ghardak tries some simple interactions with the book and abacus. Concentrating, he finds that he can only slightly move or slight the items of negligible bulk.
He tries to pick up the book or abacus and is unable too. However, he can lift the cover of the book and turn it over, and flip one page at a time. The beads on the abacus are likewise of negligible weight and he is able to, slowly, slide them back and forth on their lines.
Vim suddenly sits up straight and looks over at the abacus. Her eyes narrow, concentrating on it.
Did anybody see that?
She points and gets up to walk over to it, keeping her eyes trained on it.
Geltra pulls herself away from perusing plaques and wall displays to join Vim.
What did you see?
It was probably just some wind. Let's not get too excited at the things that appear out of the corners of our eyes!
Tels joins them as well. His tone is more measured, not wanting to discourage his classmates but hoping they don't get too hopeful.
Hari nods at Tels' statement, seemingly also not yet convinced. However they do get up to join them all and observe the abacus up-close.
Alec remains slumped into his chair, letting his head sink further back into it as he emits a resigned sigh.
*Meh*
Yuan finds the dust on the floor rather inconsistent and not very plentiful. That is - not exactly a consistent, complete canvas for full messages over the entire floor of the main room. The space for clear lettering runs out before the first word can be completed. Additionally, the abacus seems to have the students' attention currently, and nothing is causing them to look at the ground.
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Eltis follows Geltra. She seems much more inquisitive than many of the kids and also seems intelligent. He's considering options when he has an idea. Any time he casts Guidance on anyone, they know it's happened. He's experienced it himself as well. It's a positive feeling. He casts it on Geltra to see if it will still affect her and if she feels it...
Their eyes all light up as the abacus beads clearly move back and forth without their touching them. Thevenin's flicks don't result in them slamming back and forth between the ends of the frame, but they do lurch distinguishable short distances.
For now Alec remains uninterested.
Eltis is not incorrect in his past experiences about how one might experience receiving divine guidance, but even as the spell completes he's left unsure about his ability to target beings in the Material plane.
The kobold, however, gains renewed inspiration from the beads.
Wait! Who is doing that? Is it our chaperones? Professor Krelson? Venture Captain Jirneau?
She concentrates for a moment, thinking and absent-mindedly scratching her chin with one of her claws.
If they can hear us, maybe we can ask yes-no questions? Um, okay okay. If you can hear us, I'm going to ask if you are any of the above people we mentioned. When I say the right names or I say chaperones, if I'm right, please move some beads to the right! Only the right, and even only one beed will do!
Venture Captain Jirneau? Professor Krelson? Our Pathfinder chaperones?
At this moment Thevenin pushes one or two beads to the right, and the students huddled around the abacus cheer.
I knew it!
The kobold snickers, looking around the room, and asks
Is Alec totally lame!
She stares intently at the abacus beads.
Ghardak
William "Billy" Antrium
Eltis
