Our adventure takes place in the land of Evertale. Click for Map.
The story begins in the capital city of Benhaven, a gilded city of wealth, power and influence. Sitting on a sheltered bay the size of a small sea with access to plentiful lumber in the King's Wood, Benhaven was the ideal choice for construction of Evertale's royal palace. In turrets that rise high enough to give a dazzling view of the Elden Plains, we find a young princess arguing loudly with her parents, the King and Queen of Evertale...
Carys, the last member, takes Lucas's hand and makes it easily to safety. The water which she conjures seems to soothe the lizard's burnt skin a bit, but the second that she is safe the beast dives beneath the river waters, swimming a bit upstream toward the evident spring, and taking shelter under a (very) large rock about 300 meters away.
The group stands on a small stretch of smooth, white rock which gives way to mountainous dunes which now seem to be impossibly large, some nearly 6-7 thousand feet tall, by estimation. The large outcropping from which the water springs is where the lizard has taken refuge, and is the only shade to be seen. The sun beats down with penetrating force. At midday, it is nearly 115 degrees, or thereabouts, on the rock.
Our heroes seem to be out of the frying pan, but will they survive the fire?? STAY TUNED FOR THE NEW SERIES, "The Third Continent," which begins on July 2nd!
You escaped the Goblin Cave! Everyone takes 2000 XP! Achievement Unlocked: Trust the Glowing Lizard - bonus 500 XP Achievement Unlocked: Save the Lizard Friend - bonus 300 XP
*This campaign leg is now closed for actions other than speaking between characters, planning, and the like.
Ariana is able to hang on to the rope, putting hand atop hand until she is safely to the smooth rock with Eli. The lizard seems to gain some strength back from the decreased weight, and pulls itself and the remaining group up and over the falls, gaining a firm stance near dry land. Its head and legs are still uncovered, however, and it is shaking in the heat.
Eli's quick reflexes and a surprisingly powerful jump land him over ten feet away from the struggling lizard. As he rolls onto dry ground, the beast gains a bit of stability, trying again to push against the water to reach the dry land. But again, it flinches and nearly loses its footing when the light strikes its back. It struggles against the water, neck writhing in the heat, and lands a clawed front foot near where Eli lay, bracing with its back feet against a ledge, and is stable for the moment. The heat seems to be taking its toll on its sensitive skin, however. The once pearly-white scales are quickly turning clouded and brown, as it continues to writhe in pain.
Ariana and Carys easily make their way up to the lizard's back!
No sooner have they done so, than the glowing symbols pulsate and disappear. The lizard makes its way to the shore, then skirts Keller's basin and begins to climb with huge webbed, clawed feet. It pulls back when it strikes the sunlight, but keeps climbing steadily upward toward the opening.
As it reaches the first ledge of the waterfall, our escapees catch a glance of what awaits them outside the cave mouth: giant dunes the size of mountains stretch into the distance, radiating heat in wave after wave of icy mirage. The sand itself is pure white near the cave entrance, and then stretches away into a multitude of browns, greys, and shifting pearl.
Just as they are beginning to feel the warmth outside, the lizard falters a bit, losing its footing on the slippery rock! At the final ledge, it is unable to hold onto the rock in the heat much longer, and is struggling to keep the group upright against the force of the rushing water.
The lizard climbs a bit further to a portion of smooth alabaster stone, still inside the cave's shadow, but above the waterfall. The heat seems to be wreaking havoc with the lizard's translucent white skin, and it throws its tail wildly about as it climbs even further.
Then, its back foot gives way, and its front...it begins to slide down, back toward the cave entrance!
Lucas vaults onto the lizard, which seems not to notice his weight. Indeed, he looks small compared to the giant beast's huge, scaled form. Eli falters a bit, scrambling up the lizard's face to its back, but not without putting one of his boots in its eye and desperately grabbing a dripping nasal passage for support. If possible, the lizard looks slightly annoyed.
This is ONLY if you choose NOT to ignore the book. If you ignore it, stop HERE. A bit of text is illuminated on the page, but to your surprise, it is in fact part of the goblin diary. The entry on this page is entitled "Walksing On" and details a routine journey of some sort. Three bits of text are faintly glowing in the entry:
As Eli stands gazing at the lizard, it quietly closes its eyes, tail whipping gently back and forth across the surface of the water.
Suddenly, Carys' spellbook seems to be having another fit. It flies from her bag and hovers a bit in front of her, pages flipping of their own accord, then flops down at her feet, turned to page 249 (or 257, if one believes the goblin diary's most-likely mistaken page numbering).
You dredge up some memories of your encounters with lizards and other reptiles. Actually, you remember quite a bit about regularly-sized monitor lizards. They tend to protect their head, as a rule, and so laying it at your feet most likely shows submission to some degree. Also, the tail and claws are not poised to strike, which is yet another indication that this particular lizard, as Ariana put it, "likes you." It would probably be inclined to let you touch it, and would certainly not bite you right away if you tried to climb on top of it. One more note: you discern that this lizard is not behaving as those you've encountered in the wild. Instead, it is behaving like the small lizards you used to catch as a child and keep in that rickety wire cage near your bedside. In other words, it seems almost domesticated.
You take a minute to study the lizard, but nothing about its movements suggests anything to you, because lizards don't behave like humans. If it were a human, it would be quite a ridiculous, slobbering one, and would probably be locked up for, well, behaving like a large animal of the reptilian variety. You could give it another shot with Knowledge:Nature and Perception, which would work better, I'd reckon.
You attempt to make sense of the symbols. As you study them, you realize that they have to be some sort of language, as they are consistent. But you can't seem to recall anything about it. They are glowing, though, so most likely it is some kind of enchantment at work.
In response to Eli,
The lizard reaches forward and snaps the Blindfish out of the air, chewing and swallowing quickly. It then approaches Eli and lays its gigantic head at his feet. The symbols on its back glow ever brighter.
Eli wades back into the pool, peering past the surface.
Survival 1d20 + 8
Survival:
You see everything...EVERYTHING that's moving in the lake. There are several Blindfish within your reach. They move so slowly that you shouldn't have a problem catching another one.
The lizard switches its attention to Carys and lights up again, moving toward her a few feet. At the sound of Lucas' command in Goblin, however, it rears back again slightly, and watches him once more.
If it isn't aggressive, do we need to stay in initiative order?
We can drop the initiative order for now.
Lucas wrote:
Lucas waits for any kind of response.
Upon hearing Lucas' shouting in Goblin, the lizard twitches, retracts its head a bit, and the strange marks on its skin fade slightly. Its eyes are now fixed on Lucas, watching him unwaveringly.
The blindfish sails straight toward the lizard's gigantic face, and would have slapped it in the nose. Luckily, it seems the lizard was ready for Eli, and it snaps up the huge fish eagerly. A strange reaction triggers on the back of the lizard, growing luminescent. From the distance, the group cannot see exactly what is happening, except that strange, small patterns are beginning to glow along the ridge of the lizard's back. The lizard itself munches on the blindfish's tail and creeps a few feet closer to the group, bowing its head slightly.
Eli tries to look as non-threatening as possible, but the dead Blindfish behind them and the large weapon in his hands are not helping.
People were kind of talking (which is totally fine)...it was confusing, so let's just say we're at the end of round 2 (after Carys' turn finishes).
The beast suddenly fixates on Eli, but takes a step back, causing large waves to ripple up to the shore again.
Carys Heylyn wrote:
Carys studies the creature carefully, trying to remember everything she's ever read about these kinds of animals.
knowledge nature 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
SWEET! I know all the things!
Knowledge:Nature:
Suddenly it clicks, and you know that this is a monitor lizard, albeit giant and adapted for living in a cave. To your knowledge, very few monitor lizards reach 10 feet long, let alone 40. The only explanation is cave gigantism, where a lack of predators and a constant supply of food (the Blindfish) and clean water (the waterfall) has allowed the lizard to live for (you would guess) around 700 years or so, and lizards never stop growing. This is unheard of, so perhaps there are other secrets to its age/growth. Regardless, you know that its behavior right now is not hostile. It is acting characteristically for a domesticated lizard, actually: nosing at the air, smelling you, etc. Until Eli shook his fish at it the beast seemed downright cordial. Should you wish to kill it, you know that a quick strike beneath the gills would easily sever important arteries. In addition, monitor lizard tails are said to be prized among the orcs (although, you doubt you could heft a 10-foot tail).
The beast continues to nose at the air, then looks directly at Eli, then Lucas. It slowly lumbers only a few feet forward in the deep water, flicks its tail up lazily out of the lake, and back again with a splash.
The ripples form larger and larger, until they are small waves, lapping over the side of Keller's Basin and washing over the band of escapees.
From the epicenter emerges a scaly beast, ghostly white as the moonlight had been on the waterfall. Like the Blindfish that lies flapping near the shore, the creature has clouded, tiny eyes. Only it's upper body is visible, elongated and smooth, scaled, but smooth like the alabaster stone of the basin. Nearly thirty feet long, in estimation, the beast rises and then simply waits, unmoving except for its head, which slowly noses at the damp air in Eli's direction.
The game board will be live in 6 hours. Please plan your first move until that time. Thanks!
Recap: something is moving beneath the water, causing giant ripples. Eli has alerted the group to the likely presence of a threat in the middle of the lake. The ripples are growing larger.
When he is waist deep, it is obvious that he is distracted. His curious gaze is fixed on the odd ripples, as he makes tentative steps closer to the center of the lake.
Knowledge (nature) 1d20 + 5
Know: Nature (20):
Several things could be creating these ripples under the surface, but none of them are small. As your eyes pierce through the mist from the waterfall, you are able to catch a pattern. The ripples are slowly building, ever-so-slowly the epicenter is moving here and there. In this environment, your best guess is an amphibian of some sort. Given the desert outside, it's unlikely that anything living in water has traversed the terrain to reach this point. Thus, you're guessing it must be something native to the caves, rarely disturbed, and without much in the way of predators. Likely it is a normal fish or amphibian allowed to grow to large proportions due to little disturbance. That sort rarely make ripples except when coming to the surface, so it is probably about to make an appearance.
Due to his sharp eyes, Eli is able to snag a Blindfish, nearly four feet long, in both hands, although he seems to be struggling with it. His sharp eyes also notice something else: large circular ripples emanating from the middle of the lake, a distance from the waterfall.
Are you doing this secretly, or while your talking, or both? If secretly, please make a stealth check. Edit: As you wade into the water to try and catch one of the slow monsters, you feel slippery rock beneath your feet. You feel waves of pressure passing through the water, too, and notice small waves lapping at the shore, where there were none before.
Looking at the pool (and a large one it is), you notice ripples of movement. Your keen gaze catches several glimpses of three to four foot-long white shapes gliding slowly here and there beneath the glassy surface. They seem to be common Blindfish, adapted for an environment of low light. You remember hearing about goblins and other dark-dwelling creatures eating such fish, so they are probably decent sustenance, although, as for taste...
Xazt wakes to the eyes of a burly human staring him down. He smiles at the thought of someone protecting him again.
At Eli's compliment, Xazt grins again. "Thank you, hunter. I'm more than happy to prove my heart's intent." Xazt helps Eli loot the bodes and slows when he finds the pauldron. He studies the straps and tries to discern how well this item might help him. Roll what, or just try it on and see? He collects his 10 gold pieces and hands out the other pieces to the rest of the group. Instead of asking Carys while she's studying, he places them in a neat pile beside her.
"Alright, so what's the plan?"
Xazt takes a quick look around to regain his bearings. Cave survival: 1d20 (Plus whatever the skill was you had me roll. I think we had a knowledge check set up for me being a goblin or something, right? I totally forget :/
About the pauldron, you can roll an appraise check of 5 (take ten okay)to figure out that it is sturdy armor of boiled leather which seems to be better than goblin craftsmanship, but has been modified to fit a goblin. It can go over regular small-sized armor, as the pauldron is quite large, providing a +1 deflection bonus to AC.
To get your bearings, go ahead and take that 13 plus a 5 circumstantial for being a goblin and knowing these lands to get an 18. Below is what you know.
Cave Survival:
You know about Keller's Basin, the fabled underground oasis of the desert. You didn't know it was controlled by goblins, but you wouldn't be surprised if this was a rather large goblin trading post. They steal from the travelers near Snyderholm, and often take prisoners, too, and sell to the various other creatures of the mountains and wastes. Most likely, if this is Keller's Basin, you are near the middle of the largest desert in the known world.
Eli, you can just roll a perception (or take ten, effectively) to search the bodies.
Loot:
Eli and Lucas search the filthy goblins and the filthier orc, finding:
- 2 daggers (short swords to the goblins)
- small, tattered clothes
- a battered leather pauldron (goblin sized)fastened by a strap
- 2 small pouches (can hold up to 5 lbs)
- 53 gold pieces
- the orc's loincloth (ewww)
- the orc's battleaxe; as of now, a standard battleaxe, but it's badly beaten up. An orc or blacksmith might be able to inform you of it's true potential.
Carys, your new book is still twitchy, yes, but not trying to fly away anymore. Rhan is also acting a little strangely.
You all take your watches without further incident, and the dawn breaks through the gap in the ceiling of the cave, spilling light onto the waterfall and illuminating the huge cavern once again.
I'm assuming 8 hours sleep to move things along. What will you do next?
as it dashes into the darkness of the cave from whence it came
That's what I meant by this. Withdraw is a double move, so they'd be beyond the edge of the torchlight. I have a lot of classes today, but when I get to the map I'll update.
Okay, the spell goes off in a 10-foot burst 50 feet from where the goblins stood before they withdrew into the darkness. You're unsure of the outcome at this time.
At this point, you aren't an expert in goblins, so, assuming they'd run a little slower than humans, you can have Carys guess where they would be. Don't ubermetaOMGame but go ahead and guess. I won't make you roll anything.
Okay, sounds good. That attack on the goblin is a miss, Ariana.
The orc, barely on two feet and covered in blood from his multiple gaping wounds, bares his teeth and whispers, to no one in particular:
"Gok uzokk dey nar'bazok...zall subokk"
In Orcish:
"Underground, as my fathers died...but..."
(the translation of the last phrase is closest to "not yet" in the common tongue; resigned but resolute at the same time, an oft-used orcish paradox)
He slightly extends his arms in a posture which seems well-known to him, hands flat, palms out, pushing out the world. His eyes glaze over, and he looks down at his large battleaxe where it rests at his feet. Then, he plummets forward and slams against the smooth stone, dead.
The goblin nearest to the orc seems to regain some sense, recovering from its wild swings, and running, full bore, away from the band of escapees, and even dropping its short sword in the process. Withdrawal.
The other goblin, although wounded heavily, also withdraws from the fight upon seeing the orc slam to the ground, and flails its arms with a loud "blargleargleargle!" (which is only gibberish, even in goblin) as it dashes into the darkness of the cave from whence it came.
