Into the Unknown's page

Aerugo - In Town
Day 7: Day to Dusk

Vernalis spends the rest of his day experiencing the fun Aerugo has to offer. He notices that the entertainers and gamesmen he gives audience seem legitimately pleased by his presence, exhibiting a renewed vigor in their performances which borders on mania, and they are loathe to let him leave. All the food and drink offered, whether it be meat, bread, vegetables, juice, confections, or even water, is sickly sweet, and the young wizard soon develops a sour stomach well before his hunger and thirst are satisfied.

He plays various games involving tossing rings onto bottles or horshoes onto stakes, shooting targets with small mounted crossbows shooting blunted bolts (with far too weak a tension to cause anyone actual harm,) or rolling a stuffed leather sphere at a group of pins to knock them over. All the games are quite easy, lacking the need for any skill; the rings are enormous and the bottles near, the horseshoes are tossed into a field of stakes, the targets for the crossbows cover the opposite wall, and the pins are top-heavy and at the end of a walled lane. Vernalis wins every time, and is given various straw dolls and flamboyant hats as prizes.

He also sees acrobats perform impressive feats of tumbling, juggling, and contortionism; "magicians" perform clever tricks of misdirection and sleight-of-hand; and clowns perform amusing buffoonery, jokes, and puppetry, though some of the humor of these last two comedies are lost on Vernalis.

Many of the jests involve the mockery and debasement of a character known as "Ol' Guv'nor," who is portrayed as a strict but stupid fellow who tries to order people about but is constantly outwitted and foiled by his younger brother, the Wunderkind. The clever Wunderkind is always played by an actual child, even in the puppet shows wherein all the other characters are portrayed by marionettes and the like. Vernalis gathers from these shows that Governor Wunderkind at some point usurped his tyrannical brother's rule and replaced the gubernatorial palace with the domed 'Work-a-Day,' wherein he built his "friends" (obviously alluding to the various constructs and automated machines Vernalis has encountered) to perform all physical labor in the province, freeing the people to have fun all day every day. Work-a-Day apparently also serves as a home to these friends when they need to sleep.

As the day wears into evening Vernalis sees folks falling asleep on benches and in theater seats, though new performers step in to maintain the festivities, seemingly unconcerned that their audiences are unconscious. As the sun dips below the the hazy blue-grey horizon of the mountains the sound of thunderous explosions ring out from the direction of the domed Work-a-Day, and Vernalis sees streamers of sparks and fire shoot out of the central structure in an impressive pyrotechnic display which lasts for several minutes. The performers continue their routines without interruption by the event, and most of those sleeping continue doing so unperturbed.

All the while he is monitored by the flying eye-machine, though he notes its movements have become more clumsy and sluggish in the past hour or two.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Knowledge: Local: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

"The Last Laugh" - Merrymaker C1

As it walks to the far mouth of the alley, the merrymaker's head swivels 180 degrees to regard Vernalis and answer his query.

Viridian: "Libraries are un-fun, and have been removed. Learning leads to resistance of happiness; visitor is advised to cease all learning immediately or risk removal. Good day, visitor."

"And reMEMber - haVE FUN!!!"

With that, the two lumber off into the streets at speed with their captives.

"The Last Laugh" - ROUND 3 / Group 2: Merrymaker C1, Merrymaker D5

"Those removed from Aerugo are tithed," C1 replies. The newly arrived merrymaker's torso springs open, and C1 easily loads the struggling Gunther inside. The man's shouts are cut off as the metal doors slam closed.

"Thank you, visitor," C1 states, then switches to a sing-song voice identical to the one Taxman B4 used just before leaving Bergmann. "And reMEMber - haVE FUN!!!" Both merrymakers then turn around and head down the alley back the way they came.

Merrymaker C1 CMB: 1d20 ⇒ 20

"The Last Laugh" - ROUND 2 / Group 3: Gunther

Gunther continues to struggle against C1 and manages to free his arms, though he hasn't escaped it's grasp.

Viridian: "Nobody's having fun, you walking bucket! Nobody!" Gunther squirms in C1's grasp to turn and face Vernalis. "The only one having fun is the Wunderkind - he delights in our torment! Flee Aerugo while you still can, outsider!"

Vernalis is up at the top of Round 3.

Gunther / CMB: 1d20 ⇒ 18

"The Last Laugh" - ROUND 2 / Group 2: Merrymaker C1

C1 adjusts it's hold on Gunther, pinning the man's arms to his sides. At the end of the alley behind C1 another merrymaker appears and approaches, and C1's howling stops.

Viridian: "Aerugo is only for those who have fun; those who resist happiness, resist fun, and must be removed."

Merrymaker C1 / CMB: 1d20 ⇒ 12

"The Last Laugh" - ROUND 1 / Group 3: Gunther

"No!!!" Gunther flails at C1 and the merrymaker grabs him, easily lifting him off the ground where the man flails helplessly at the contruct's grip.

Vernalis is up at the top of Round 2.

Merrymaker C1 / AoO: 1d20 ⇒ 14
Merrymaker C1 / CMB: 1d20 ⇒ 15
Gunther / unarmed strike: 1d20 ⇒ 7

"The Last Laugh" - ROUND 1 / Group 2: Merrymaker C1

Viridian: "To resist a merrymaker is to resist happiness." C1 wrangles Griselda into his torso, the metal doors clanging closed. At the same time, it begins a loud sort of howling.

Merrymaker C1 / CMB: 1d20 ⇒ 10

"The Last Laugh" - INITIATIVE
C1 / Initiative: 1d20 ⇒ 8
Gunther / Initiative: 1d20 ⇒ 2
Vernalis / Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

Vernalis is first to react as Gunther obviously intends to turn the encounter violent; Gunther and Griselda do not appear to have any weapons or armor.

Vernalis / Know Arcana: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

It would seem that C1 is some form of highly advanced construct, which Vernalis suspects is powered completely by it's clockwork mechanisms rather than by magic. The merrymaker is doubtless quite durable, but it's erratic movements and harsh noise lead the wizard to believe that it has suffered some form of internal damage; without a magical source of animation, it may be that it's internal damage would allow C1's stored mechanical energy to be quickly exhausted if forced to exert itself.

"The Last Laugh"
Aerugo - In Town
Day 7: Day

Woman, Viridian: "Yes, that's it! Trah-juh-dee. It's a new kind of fun we've made! Ha ha ha..." The woman nods her head vigorously while broadly smiliing up at C1.

Merrymaker C1: "Trah-juh-dee." C1 looks down at Gunther, then at Vernalis over top of the woman's head. "You... are having fun. Trahjuhdee is a new kind of fun." A flurry of clicks and whirs emanates from C1's helm, and then the top of his hat opens like a hinged lid. With a sproing!, a small cylinder shoots up into the air out of his hat, where it engages it's propellor and flies away in the direction of the large domed building. C1's hat then flips shut again, whereupon the merrymaker gazes down at the woman.

Merrrymaker C1: "You... are not having fun. Aerugo is only for those who have fun; you will be removed." C1 then swivels and grabs the woman, who begins screaming and beating at C1's massive hands to no effect. At the same time the front of C1's longcoat opens, revealing the merrymaker's torso to be made of metal and possessed of a large empty cavity with two hinged doors in the front which have swung open, pushing the longcoat aside. It is evident that C1's intent is to place the woman inside.

Gunther, Viridian: "Griselda!" Gunther jumps to his feet. "ENOUGH! Let her go, you monster!"

Woman / Bluff: 1d20 ⇒ 1
C1 / Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 10
Vernalis / Persuade: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

"The Last Laugh"
Aerugo - In Town
Day 7: Day

Vernalis steps into the alley and observes.

Woman, Viridian: "Stop that now, Gunther; not here!"

Gunther, Viridian: "It was only for a moment, I... I only let go of her for a moment... why did I let go?"

Woman, Viridian: "Gunther, a merrymaker! Stop this at once and put on your happy face!"

Gunther merely shakes his head and continues to sob at the large figure's approach, it's shoulders almost scraping the sides of the narrow alley. Vernalis notices that the "merrymaker", C1, has an erratic twitch to it's limbs, and from where he stands he can hear clanking and whirring coming from the merrymaker, as well as a harsh scraping noise. The woman turns to face C1 and starts a forced laugh.

Woman, Viridian: "Ha ha ha! Oh, Gunther, you're so funny! Heh heh heh." The merrymaker stops in front of the pair, looking down at them and addressing Gunther.

Merrymaker C1, Viridian: "You are not having fun. Aerugo is only for those who have fun; you will be removed." C1's voice is similar to B4's voice, toneless and flat, but much deeper. C1 begins to jerkily reach down towards Gunther with large, gloved hands.

Woman, Viridian: "No, no! He's just fooling - he's being funny! We're both having fun!" She begins laughing again, and glancing behind her she notices Vernalis. "Sir! Sir! He's being quite amusing, isn't he? Aren't we all having fun here?! Tell him we're having fun!!"

Vernalis / Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Vernalis / Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Aerugo - In Town
Day 7: Morning to Day

Vernalis steps through the city gates, which then noisily grind shut behind him, and he spends the rest of the morning casually exploring the city.

Everywhere Vernalis goes street vendors shout about their wares, barkers enthusiastically lure passerby into buildings with practiced mologues and signs advertising wonders and spectacles to amuse and impress, musicians play and sing, clowns tell jokes both silly and ribald, and spectators laugh and squeal with delight. Candied fruits and meats, fried doughs, cookies, and cakes are stuffed into most mouths and held in the hands of all, adults and children alike, and all are engaged in the supply and consumption of merriment. The people themselves appear human, largely similar in physical appearance to the folk of Bergmann in skin, hair, and eyes, though their styling and clothing are quite different. The only few who stand out are tall, burly figures - near to eight feet in height - clothed in garishly colored and patterned longcoats and wearing helms identical to that of the Taxman B4, save for varying alphanumeric combinations stamped on them (C7, D19, E4, etc.) and the fact that they are wearing much more colorful, whimsical hats. These figures slowly patrol the streets, and one is usually in sight from any given corner.

It seems all is free here in Aerugo, for nowhere does Vernalis see anyone exchange any sort of currency for the goods and services offered; indeed, as he goes about, vendors whom he strays too close to simply attempt to shove their goods into his hands with a nod and a smile.

Vernalis ocassionally spots one or more flying devices in the air overhead, similar in appearance to the one he rode in on but of varying sizes, anywhere from his own conveyance's size down to a mere foot in length; they seem relatively common to Aerugo, as no one takes any notice of them. Eventually, however, Vernalis realizes that one of them seems to be following him. It is slightly larger than the one he used as transport, perhaps eight feet in total length, and has a much wider cylinder - a foot or more in diameter - and also a short jointed arm and lensed orb mounted on the bottom, identical to the one at the gate. The device attempts to keep one hundred yards away and thirty feet up, but rises higher and/or moves closer when necessary to maintain line of sight to him. It moves slowly and jerkily, and if not capable of increasing it's speed or agility, he is fairly sure he could "lose it" for at least a short time by running away through the streets.

The only businesses he spots are the street vendors selling food, garish costumery, and simple toys. All the buildings seem to contain performance arts of some kind; in fact, he is unsure even where all the people he sees dwell, unless perhaps the buildings are used as domiciles during some other part of the day.

It all seems quite wonderful and gay, at first. As he walks throughout the early morning, however, he believes more and more that the mood of everyone is forced; unless the entire population is composed of idiots, Vernalis finds it hard to believe that anyone could constantly sustain the level of amusedness everyone displays. Every joke is met with uproarious laughter, every morsel is met with a smacking of lips and appreciative "Mmmmm!", and every face displays an unbreaking smile. He notes as well that while they vary in weight and build, all display an unhealthy pallor, a sickly cast to the skin and features at odds with the hard vitality present in Bergmann Klaus and his people.

As the sun climbs halfway to its zenith Vernalis glimpses down an alley to see what appears to be a couple in distress; a man kneels on the ground, sobbing, while a woman stands with her hands on his shoulders, gently shaking him. As he watches one of the enormous helmed figures appears at the far end of the alley and begins approaching the couple.

Everyone is speaking Viridian. The large helmed figures do not appear to speak to the common citizenry nor to each other.

Aerugo - Outside the Walls
Day 7: Morning

The orb "blinks" it's lens, a metal iris momentarily snapping closed around it, then emits loud clickings and whirrings for the next minute before speaking again.

'Common:' "Confirmatories. Undisclosed Vernalis, the Last of, of Bastion; aristononymous knave, late of B'rgmann. All appropriate salutories and abasementories beith extended in honorous goodwills on behalvements of the Most Generositous and Wiseth Guv'nor Wunderkind. Enjoyeth thine berestment inmost grand Aerugo."

The orb jerks back up into it's hole, which snaps shut. After a moment loud clankings and grindings echo out from inside the rusty doors and they slowly begin to swing open outwards; after another minute they stop, leaving a five foot wide space between them for Vernalis to enter. Through this space Vernalis can see a wide, flagged lane in ill repair, down the center of which the wagon ruts continue to run. It is flanked by low brick buildings and populated by what appear to be performers and entertainers of myriad variety: jugglers, pantomimists, acrobats, stilt-walkers, and more, as well as vendor stalls offering brightly colored paper hats and masks, foods on sticks, and confectionaries. Off-key, conflicting melodies drift on the air from several street musicians.

Over the heads of the thin crowd, Vernalis can see the domed building straight ahead less than a mile down the road.

Aerugo - Outside the Walls
Day 7: Morning

The orb darts forward and downward several feet, now much closer to Vernalis's face.

"State your Province and title!"

Aerugo - Outside the Walls
Day 7: Morning

Vernalis painstakingly unwinds the hundred-plus yards of paper while re-winding it around his makeshift spool. Once done he has a light but bulky roll which he carefully stows before continuing towards the city.

Once at the gate he waits for several minutes without any sign of greeting before banging on the massive door. The rock clangs on the metal, displacing several flakes of rust which float to the ground as the noise seems to reverberate and amplify inside the door. A moment later a hole opens high up on the wall and a lensed orb extends out from it on a long, jointed metal rod, until it dangles five feet above the wizard's head. Vernalis is reminded somewhat of the broken looking glass which The Optimumist had shown him (which had been devoid of the necessary lenses to be functional.) A harsh, metallic voice emits from the orb.

Viridian: "State your name and business!"

Aerugo - Outside the Walls
Day 7: Morning

Upon inspection of the device Vernalis sees that the rough landing has snapped off the rotor blade and damaged the outer casing on the non-rotor end of the main cylinder. Prying at the end of the cylinder with his rapier, he manages to pop off the end cap and a long, thin strip of paper spills out. The paper has irregularly spaced holes along it's length and is wound around a spool inside the cylinder, several yards of paper having unrolled out the end onto the ground. At a guess, the strip is probably several hundred feet in total length.

Studying the pattern of holes he is convinced it is some form of cypher or language, but after almost half an hour of poring over the paper without understanding he decides he cannot decipher it without some outside reference or aid.

Collecting himself, Vernalis walks to the road and follows it to the city walls. He believes the road to be the same one that started at Bergmann, as it comes from that direction and possesses identical deep wheel ruts. The road leads up to a large set of double doors set into the city walls. Both the doors and the battlements loom forty feet high, and appear to be made of rusting iron. No guard or other observer is visible.

The device's rod might be able to be made to rotate again, though without the rotor to propel it it would seem to be pointless to do so. If you wish to take the entire length of paper, the easiest way is simply to stuff it back into the cylinder and carry the device. Alternatively, you can easily rip the paper and take only a portion of it rolled up in a pocket, say thirty feet of it, and leave the device behind.

Aerugo - Outside the Walls
Day 7: Morning

Vernalis's feet touch the ground and he manages several steps; however, just as a wave of elation at his reckless plan's success swells within him his arms and hands, numbed by his awkward in-harness slumber, falter and slip from their grip on the device. Free of his grasp the device bobs up and down on it's hotbox tether for a moment, then suddenly begins to swing about wildly, the rotors clipping the ground and the sudden drag yanking the running wizard off his feet. Vernalis tumbles along the ground for several dozen yards as the device bounces and spins dangerously about him, both of them finally coming to a stop approximately a quarter mile from the edge of the road two miles out from the city walls. While he is badly shaken and bruised from his ordeal, it seems Vernalis has escaped without catastrophic injury.

Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 1) = 7

Above the Ground: Bergmann to Aerugo - Grasslands / Aerugo Crater
Day 6: Evening to Day 7: Morning

Despite his swinging and twisting, Vernalis is unable to change the path of the device and quickly realizes that the rotor self-adjusts to always point in the same direction. As the sun creeps down the sky and the fields pass by under his feet he can see the paths cut by the harvesters - they waver, bend, criss-cross, and in some cases even loop around themselves. If their goal is to cut as much grass as possible, then they're going about it in quite an inefficient manner. Throughout the evening he spots several harvesters chewing their way through the fields, as well as two that are stationary and seemingly derelict.

Eventually the sun goes down and despite his best efforts the young wizard eventually dozes off. It seems that he has barely closed his eyes when suddenly his legs are dragging through cornstalks and he jolts awake. Blurrily he can see a rise ahead of him covered in corn, and it's all he can do to pull himself up and shield himself as best he can as the device plunges him into the crop, the stalks whipping and whacking him as he is dragged through their midst. After a moment it's over, the ground falling away as the land opens into a great circular depression beneath his feet. In the early morning light he can see a walled city a few miles ahead in it's center, a road a half-mile on his left leading to the walls. It's outer battlements are arranged so that the circumference resembles the shape of a gear, and the city looks to hold approximately 5,000 people; a veritable metropolis in Vernalis's experience, the center of which is dominated by a massive domed metallic building.

As he marvels at what is undoubtedly Aerugo he notices that the ground is rising back up at him, though not because of a change in the landscape - the device is descending, and at a rate that a man prone to worry might consider alarming...

You have time to either cut yourself free from the hot box harness with your sword and attempt an Acrobatics DC 15 check to land safely, or to brace yourself and attempt to "ride out" the landing with a DC 20 Acrobatics check to avoid harm.

On the Road: Bergmann to Aerugo - Grasslands / Harvester Wreck
Day 6: Evening

Vernalis's best guess is that the device was somehow damaged in the collision of autobulations and had become "stuck" mid-activation, a condition remedied by his vigorous shaking. Of course, if damaged, it may be that further shaking might cause the device to cease functioning. Vernalis tries shaking the device side to side, which achieves minor course changes but does not result in the desired effect.

As he rushes towards the sea of tall grass he lifts the device up to try a vertical skaking, and is surprised when he suddenly becomes airborn, his legs briefly dragging through the grass before it falls away beneath his feet. The device generates enough force to carry him 10 feet above the grassline, and looking up he sees the rotary bar has inclined itself slightly such that it carries him roughly parallel to the road while keeping him aloft, maintaining a lateral speed of 100' per round. Further attempts at shaking serve only to swing himself about as he dangles from the device.

Looking down, he feels confident that with luck he could survive the drop with little more than bruising - assuming he doesn't land on a sharp rock or the like hidden by the grass...

What would you like to do? If dropping to the ground, you may attempt a DC 15 Acrobatics check to lessen the damage. If hanging on, Vernalis quickly realizes that he will only be able to maintain his grip for so long before tiring unless he can somehow strap or harness himself to the device.

On the Road: Bergmann to Aerugo - Grasslands / Harvester Wreck
Day 6: Evening

The "drooping" cross bar at the end of the telescoping rod can be moved with some force, rotated around at the end of the rod. The rod itself cannot be pushed back down/into the cylinder. After fiddling with the rotating piece, Vernalis gives the device several good, hard shakes and suddenly the rod telescopes out another three feet and with a kick the rotating piece whirs into life, generating a great deal of noise as well as a force which propels the young wizard forward across the harvester's cleared path as he reflexively hangs on. His current trajectory, however, will soon find him pulled back into the grass fields.

The device has enough pull to drag Vernalis along at 100' a round; in the cleared area he is able to keep his feet without having to roll, but that will probably change once he hits the tall grass. He's able to maintain his grip with relative ease on the base of the telescoping rod on top of the cylinder. What would you like to do?

The slot is only about 3" long and about 2mm wide, situated at the lighter end and running along the long axis of the cylinder - finding a specific part to "fit" it amid the wreckage would be a monumental task. Would you like to mess with it, take it with you, or leave it behind?

EDIT: And by "mess" I mean "fiddle, tinker, or otherwise attempt to provoke a reaction from it." If so, please be descriptive. I will take the liberty of assuming that you take the 2 minutes to thoroughly inspect it.

Perception Take 20 = 23

While there appear to be no exterior decorations or mechanisms, Vernalis notes that the heavy end of the rod gives a slight kick in time with the clicking - it would seem something inside the device is moving.

On the Road: Bergmann to Aerugo - Grasslands / Harvester Wreck
Day 6: Afternoon to Evening

The wizard searches through the wreckage as best he can, though the heart of the mass remains inaccessible. The collision seems to have caused an impressively strong explosive reaction, both harvesters having blown apart from the inside upon or immediately following their impact - the sides of the bottom unit have burst out and the roof of the top unit has been blown off and shredded. There are no signs of the fire or burning Vernalis would usually associate with such a violent reaction. He finds no traces of any people, and concludes that the devices were most likely autonomous. Whatever makes them work appears to be mundane in nature, or a very minor temporary magic, as he detects almost no magical auras in his search.

Several dozen yards from the wreckage he finds an intact sealed canister, about the length of his forearm, out of one end of which extends a telescoping rod of the same length topped with a centered flat, crosswise piece that is angled so as to appear to be drooping down slightly from the rod. There is a three inch slot on the canister's side near the opposite end. The entire thing weighs about ten pounds, being quite top heavy on the rod end, which is also making a faint clicking noise.

Knowledge Engineering: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
A 19 wasn't going to cut it.

On the Road: Bergmann to Aerugo - Grasslands / Harvester Wreck
Day 6: Afternoon

Vernalis approaches the contraption and sees that twisted gears, springs, and unidentifiable shrapnel are strewn across the ground all around it. Up close he realizes that two such autobulations have crashed into each other with disastrous results, rendering both near unrecognizable and apparently inoperative. The two are conjoined in a tangled mess of metal, one have ridden over top and crushed the other while its own side and belly have been ripped open; the front threshing machinery of both have torn themselves apart eating through the bulk of the other. Inside the top carriage Vernalis can see the remains of axles, pistons, and other machinery, but is unable to make sense of the ruined jumble the parts have become. There aren't any signs of operators or passengers outside the wreckage, though it could be that they are crushed inside.

How would you like to proceed? If Vernalis is particularly curious/worried/intrigued, I'll say taking 20 to search the wreck will take the rest of the Afternoon.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

On the Road: Bergmann to Aerugo - Grasslands
Day 6: Afternoon

Vernalis pushes his way through the tall grass towards the source of the noise, stumbling upon the trail the harvester has cut through the field; looking down the lane of cut of grass away from the road he can see the harvester sitting still several hundred yards ahead.

You are following the road towards the sunrise, so if Vernalis is assigning cardinal directions based on sunrise being east and sunset being west, then to the left of the road would be north (the direction the lizards seem to be migrating) and to the right of the road would be south (the direction he's just traveled to discover the harvester) while Bergmann lies behind him to the west and Aerugo lies ahead somewhere to the east.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

On the Road: Bergmann to Aerugo - Grasslands
Day 6: Afternoon

Vernalis's inspection turns up little in the sappy mess of cut grass but bits of lizards that were caught in the harvester's path, finding nothing he'd consider prime food-grade material. Once done he continues down the road towards Aerugo, until a short time later he hears a thunderous 'clang' roll across the fields from his right, as of a giant hammer striking an anvil.

On the Road: Bergmann to Aerugo - Grasslands
Day 6: Midday

Vernalis hides himself in the grass just off the left side of the road as he awaits the arrival of whatever's causing the noise. It grows into a deafening roar before the grass across the way is suddenly ripped away, consumed by a horizontal cylinder of whirling scythes which pushes up onto the road. Momentarily stricken by the fear that he, too, is about to be consumed, the lethal apparatus swings to the side along the road towards Bergmann, revealing an autobulation-like carriage pushing it along. The device makes an about-face turn on the road and then heads back into the fields from the direction it came, unceremoniously spewing the landscape it shreds out its back as it goes and drenching the wizard in a rain of wet, sticky, fibrous pulp.

After wiping his eyes clean of plant matter with the inside of his fur cloak, Vernalis can see a mile down the clear swath the device has cut through the grass; the path obviously goes further, but it seems that unlike B4's autobulation this one follows neither a set of ruts nor a straight path. Indeed, he can tell that its current trajectory is far from parallel to its original.

It looks something like this only more clanky and scythey, and less like it was made in ms paint.

On the Road: Bergmann to Aerugo - Grasslands
Day 6: Morning to Midday

Vernalis sets out on the road once again. Shortly before midday there is suddenly a veritable swarm of the ubiquitous feathered lizards across the length of the road, gliding from the grasses to the right, which causes the wizard to stop in his tracks, being struck several times by the airborn creatures which bounce off of him and continue on their way. One lands for a moment on his right shoulder, cocking its head and studying his face with multi-colored faceted eyes before springing away into the air.

After a brief minute the deluge of animals stops just as suddenly as it began and Vernalis continues on his way until several minutes later he notices a loud noise coming from the right side of the road. Once it registers he's sure that it had been building for quite some time, but he dismissed it as the wind through the grass. Now, however, it is obviously much more than the rustling of the fields - a constant 'whooshing' sound underscored by a rhythmic clacking which seems to be growing closer at some speed.

Vernalis guesses he has about 1 minute before the noise reaches the road. He can't immediately tell if the source of the noise is a single point, i.e. from a specific creature/object, or diffuse, i.e. from some weather event or other area effect.

On the Road: Bergmann to Aerugo - Grasslands
Day 4: Night to Day 5: Morning

Vernalis warily resumes his evening's rest, falling off to sleep after several uneventful hours. He wakes the next morning, his fire burned down to embers and a distinct chill in the air. He straps the Bergmann hotbox to himself as he was shown, breaks camp, and continues on his way.

Assuming there's nothing out of the ordinary you'd like to do before resumng travel...

On the Road: Bergmann to Aerugo - Grasslands
Day 5: Morning to Day 6: Morning

The mist lingers until late morning and the day grows colder as it progresses, clouds obscuring the sun and sky with a biting wind blowing from the direction of Bergmann. Thankfully Vernalis has the hotbox and furs provided by the people of Bergmann, and the wind at his back does little more than speed him on his way. On his day's journey he sees more of the small feathered lizards, many crossing the road headed towards his left. The uniformity of their direction of movement suggests to him that they are in fact migrating in that direction; knowing from Bergmann Klaus that a cold season is coming, the direction to the left of the road must lead to warmer climes more hospitable to the (most likely) cold-blooded creatures. He also passes a large pond which abuts the road to his right around mid-day. Otherwise the rolling grasslands and rutted road remain much the same from yesterday.

As night falls once again it brings with it a thin mist which affords the wizard far more visibility than the night before, save for the overcast sky does not provide much light. He again makes camp, but the elevation of the road for miles in either direction leaves him exposed to the wind and he's unable to find sufficient fuel for an all-night fire. Despite his best efforts to stay warm, he awakes with a chill in his bones that he can't seem to shake.

Take 4 non lethal damage which leaves you fatigued. Unless you wish to heal yourself somehow, there's little to do but carry on.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Once Vernalis steps forward and has the weirdling in plain sight it is obvious that while it is stunned it is not unconscious/helpless, hence a coup de grace isn't possible. Would you like to just straight up attack it instead?

"A Weird Encounter" ROUND 1
On the Road: Bergmann to Aerugo - Grasslands
Day 4: Night

Vernalis stands and steps backwards into the mist before unleashing a spell in front of him. Though unable to clearly see his weirdling doppleganger, his best guess is that it his spell has been successful based on the angry cry it utters and it's subsequent lack of movement.

Foregoing the "surprise" round for sake of ease. Weirdling is now 15' ahead of you with partial concealment, campfire is 10' ahead of you. Your turn again.

"A Weird Encounter"
On the Road: Bergmann to Aerugo - Grasslands
Day 4: Night

With a flash of mystic insight, Vernalis realizes that something is about to happen, though he's unsure what...

What would you like to do? Act, hold initiative until after weirdling acts, ready an action...?

"A Weird Encounter"
On the Road: Bergmann to Aerugo - Grasslands
Day 4: Night

Weirdling / Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Vernalis / Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

Dice for secret rolls: 10d20 ⇒ (3, 16, 10, 3, 5, 19, 6, 8, 6, 15) = 91

On the Road: Bergmann to Aerugo - Grasslands
Day 4: Day to Dusk

Vernalis spends the day on the road. He covers 18 miles, passing through the foothills of the duskward mountains and into the valley's fertile plain. He passes no towns or villages in his travels, the plain being a lush, overgrown wilderness of tall grass dotted with groups of short, thin trees. It appears to Vernalis that the growth is probably only a few years old. The only wildlife he encounters is the occasional small, fine-feathered gliding lizard, about 8 inches in height. They scurry off the road and into the grass when he approaches, though he sees a few sailing off of some of the larger trees and into the grasses in the distance, presumably hunting some form of prey. The road intersects no other roads, paths, or trails, and remains clear of any obstructions, the deep ruts of the 'autobulation' continuing on without deviation.

The day proves to be quite warm, the hot box and stones provided by the people of Bergmann unnecessary, but as the sun lowers towards the horizon a chill wind sweeps through grass and the wizard determines that he'd best start a fire. A foray into the grass near the edge of the road gives him enough dry grass and brush for fuel, and after several failed attempts he manages to get them to light. He places the spent hot rocks into the low-burning fire and sits down to eat a dinner of bogoat and berstalk.

Just as the sun is setting a mist creeps over the road, dimming the light of the wizard's already feeble fire. A few minutes later he is quite surprised by a voice which echoes out from the mist, seemingly from all around him; though unable to determine it's source, he recognizes the effect to be one similar to the ventriloquism spell.

Vernalis currently can only see 20' into the mist; clear vision out to 10', partial concealment for the next 10', and full concealment after that.

I put up the time breakdown of each day on this alias's profile - it's actually where I copied it from to post in Helorus. And I'll continue to update the treasure list on the campaign page. I'm working on putting an NPC list up on the campaign page as well; obviously it'll take me some time due to the sheer number of people Vernalis has interacted with. Also thinking of doing a 'lore' tab to summarize what you've learned about the world (for instance: 'Aerugo is the capital city of the province containing Bergmann; the people of Bergmann believe that free men no longer live there.')

Any other clarification, reference, or improvement suggestions?

Village of Bergmann
Day 3: Late Night

Unsure what the pearl may be after examining it with the naked eye, Vernalis executes his cantrip and studies the magical auras it uncovers.

The "pearl" is in fact a miniature armillary constructed of pure force, spinning at such a speed as to make it indistinguishable from an actual sphere by normal touch. A spellcaster may activate it by casting a spell into the sphere; the sphere then grants a resistance bonus equal to the level of the spell cast against any spells of the same arcane school for the next 24 hours. Spells cast into the sphere have no other effect. Once activated by a caster in this fashion it will orbit the caster in a manner similar to an ioun stone; however any attempt to physically handle the sphere by anyone except the caster gaining it's benefit (whether to grab it out of the air to separate it from it's user or pick it up while inactive) requires withstanding a Reflex +20 check, as will a user who does not immediately stow the item. If targeted by dispel magic, the spell fueling the armillary is targeted and if the spell is successfully dismissed the sphere falls to the ground and ceases to function until a new spell is cast into it; if there is no spell currently fueling the sphere, then it grants the caster the appropriate bonus against abjuration spells and begins to orbit. The sphere has hardness 30 and 400 hit points; if targeted by a disintegrate spell or effect while active, the sphere is instantly destroyed; if inactive, it grants the caster the appropriate bonus against transmutation spells and begins to orbit. Though of unusual construction and effect, the sphere operates on the same basic principles as Vernalis's rod.

Village of Bergmann
Day 3: Evening to Late Night

Klaus takes Vernalis to the village mining master, one of the elderly men he noticed earlier, and the two discuss Bergmann's mining operations at length hours into the night. The man obviously knows his trade quite well and, after an initial period of dismissive annoyance, relishes discussing it's finer points with someone who is as knowledgeable as he is. To the man's delight Vernalis is able to provide some helpful tips for reinforcing the mine's construction once the entrance is cleared and repairs begin, and he gives the wizard something in return: a black pearl, painstakingly wrapped in a piece of leather. The mining master unties the leather and carefully opens it, being sure to keep it cupped.

"I found this in my youth, in the deepest shaft of the mine, long since collapsed. I know not what manner of stone it is, but it is too smooth to handle easily - it is as if it is covered in the most slippery of fats. I chased it around for hours before I managed to secure it. I know of no use for it, but it seems to be unbreakable. I've learned all the stone-lore my people have and added much more to it besides, and yet yours is superior; like yourself, this stone is a mystery, and if anyone might find use for it surely it is you."

Any further actions you'd like to take, or should I advance to your departure the next day?

Village of Bergmann
Day 3: Evening

The soup's broth has a subtle yet hearty flavor; the bogoat meat - the first flesh save Bastion's preserved fish that Vernalis has ever eaten - is surprisingly dense, sitting firmly at the bottom of the bowl, yet quite tender and mildly sweet. Overall a comforting and filling meal, as well as a shocking departure from the feeble vegetables and pickled fish Vernalis has known all his life.

Village of Bergmann
Day 3: Afternoon to Evening

Throughout the afternoon stragglers from the mine arrive, men and children too exhausted to make it back to the village in time for the tithing. People begin to gather in the village center, small groups of friends and family who sit on the ground in loose circles, to lament the day's events and console one another. As the shadows begin to grow long, food is passed out in earthenware bowls filled from one of the cauldrons - a thin aromatic berstalk broth with a single chunk of bogoat meat sitting in it. Klaus appears amidst his fellow villagers looking drawn and somber and, after commiserating with various clusters of people, he approaches Vernalis and proffers a bowl of food to the wizard.

Village of Bergmann Klaus
Day 3: Afternoon

Vernalis concentrates on enriching the food only to find that the mystic paths from which he normally draws such power are somehow blocked, as if a sense he never fully realized he'd had was now blinded. Now that he's noticed it, he's acutely aware of it's absence; a conversation with The Optimumist from long ago, when he was still but a small child, springs to his mind...

You have a talent in you, child, that is striving to express itself. It has connected itself to Bastion, to the very land itself, to try and fulfill it's potential. That talent, boy, is magic - the greatest talent of all - and one that I can teach you to harness to much greater effect.

He now realizes that his mentor was being quite literal; it seems he has strayed too far from Bastion and lost his connection to it, and is unable to call upon it's power to cleanse and improve upon his food and water.

Village of Bergmann Klaus
Day 3: Afternoon

The old woman regards Vernalis with a quizzical look. "Of course the tithes do not return. And we of Bergmann are not travellers; we are content to live amongst ourselves in our hills, working the land. Now I must tend to the children; if you wish to speak of mining, speak to Klaus." She slowly rises to her feet, waddling over to one of the fire pits to inspect its cauldron while tutting the two children there.

Village of Bergmann Klaus
Day 3: Afternoon

The old woman chuckles to herself. "Help Bergmann to mine better? We have worked with shovel and pick since before memory, yet always someone thinks they can do better. We are the best; we were better than the old Governor's men, we were better than the Wunderkind's digging carriages, and now you would like to do better. But I am just an old woman, and what do I know of such things?

"Aerugo is many days walk towards the dawn. At night, you can see it's glow from higher up the slope, but none of Bergmann have ever been there and returned."

Village of Bergmann Klaus
Day 3: Afternoon

The old woman tuts at a child whose attention has strayed from the cauldron they're supposed to be stirring, then nods her head at Vernalis.

"The taxman is called 'Bee Foor,' and yes, that is a bogoat. The men were trying to make the taxman take it instead of people, arguing that by weight is was a better tithe; ridiculous." She snorts. "Tithing a bogoat. Who ever heard of such a thing? We'll be lucky if the Governor does not take offense. Bee Foor seems a fair man, though, and hopefully will not mention it to anyone."

The woman is pronouncing B4 phonetically.

Village of Bergmann Klaus
Day 3: Afternoon

"You may enter."

Vernalis enters the building the old woman indicates, and finds Bergmann Klaus asleep on a straw mat. Thinking better of waking him, the wizard goes back outside and asks the old woman about the village and its history.

"Our's is the village of Bergmann, and always we have been miners. We take stone, iron, and bogoats from the mountain; we grow berstalk and rukroot in the ground. Many years ago, when I was but a girl, we found the first crystals and sent them to Aerugo. We were told that from then on we could tithe in crystal rather than people, and so we have done. Shortly thereafter the Wunderkind became Governor, and every year the crystal required has increased, but this is the first time we have been unable to provide the amount the Wunderkind has asked. It is a shame; we did we all we could, but we could not foresee or stop such a landslide. Most here are too young to have ever had to pay a true tithe."

Village of Bergmann Klaus
Day 3: Afternoon

The old woman points to one of the bunkhouses. "He sleeps there, mist-man."

Village of Bergmann Klaus
Day 3: Afternoon

A dozen or so children are in the village center tending to the fire pits, watched over by the elderly woman; no other people are in sight. There is a clear sky but a strong chill in the air, even around the fire pits.

You are now rested. What would you like to do?

Village of Bergmann Klaus
Day 3: Afternoon

Vernalis wakes from the endless repetition of elemental alphabets to find his mind strikingly clear and focused, and the solutions to several of the problems he's faced for both the past few hours and past few years become obvious to him.

You realize that all your life you have been coasting along as if you were in a dream. Suddenly, facing the trials of the last few days, you have come alive.

You may advance Vernalis to 2nd level as a Wizard.

Village of Bergmann Klaus
Day 3: Morning

B4 climbs the steps into the carriage and sits down on the bench, scale on his lap, then grabs a long, slim lever along the right side of the bench which Vernalis had failed to notice. He pushes it forward then yanks it back, causing a muted cacophony of mechanical noises to begin to emanate from the carriage.

First the doors to the bench seat area slide closed while at the same time the ramp raises, locking into place with a clank; this is followed by the porticullis dropping shut. Next, the carriage rises up from the chassis, inches at a time, on a central telescoping rod which connects the two; when the bottom of the carriage has cleared the tops of the wheels, about two feet in height, it rotates counter-clockwise forty five degrees and then lowers back down onto the chassis, such that the closed ramp now faces the village. Finally the wheels begin to turn, pulling the entire "autobulation" forward and down the slope of the hill. The carriage attains an impressive speed and quickly disappears out of view around the next hill.

The despondent villagers watch the carriage until it is out of sight, then begin to disperse. Several men get the goat-thing to it's feet and lead it back into the village square.

"Impressive" is about 10 miles an hour.

Village of Bergmann Klaus
Day 3: Morning

Vernalis walks around the outside of the carriage. The carriage and chassis have roughly the same lateral dimensions - twenty feet long by twelve feet wide - with the chassis clearing three feet over the ground and the carriage having an additional height of ten feet; however, the long axis of the carriage is set across the narrow axis (width) of the chassis. The carriage end opposite the open ramp appears identical save for a lack of hinges; this end does not open. The far side of the carriage is featureless, without door or window. It appears the carriage has no team to pull it, nor even anywhere for such a team to be hitched. He is unable to see onto the roof of the carriage. The chassis features spiked metal wheels which are set into the road's ruts. Unless it's built of some particularly lightweight metal, he estimates it weighs at least a ton.

Peering inside he can see that the interior is divided into two sections by a metal grate made of crossed vertical and horizontal bars. The ramp end is a cargo section containing several built-in bins full of crystalline ore and is slowing filling up with despondent villagers; the seating section accessed by the side door contains only a narrow bench seat. The opposite end of the carriage (five feet in length) seems inaccessible from both the inside and out.

Village of Bergmann Klaus
Day 3: Morning

Vernalis stumbles to the front of the crowd, the villagers parting to let him through.

The carriage is windowless and made entirely from several different silvery metals. It is basically a bulky, oblong box, set crosswise on an oblong chassis - an arrangement which looks quite odd to Vernalis. The side of the carriage facing the crowd has a set of rolling double doors which have been slid aside to allow entrance/exit to the interior, and a set of three tall steps lead up to this entrance. The left end of the carriage is open, having a construction similar to a drawbridge; that is to say, the entirety of the back wall of the carriage is hinged and has opened down to provide a ramp to the carriage's interior, and there is an inner portcullis mechanism which is currently raised, the gate sticking out the top of the carriage end. Through the open door the wizard can see a bench seat against the far wall, facing the door; there appears to be no interior ornamentation.

The scale is a complicated bronze affair of hinged metal arms, wire, and counterweghts, from which hangs an empty wire basket.

The struggling village men are holding down a large furry bovid creature possessed of a thick, heavy body, six short, hoofed legs, and a wide head set on a stump of a neck; though of somewhat strange anatomy, it appears to Vernalis to be a variant of the goat whose skeleton and hide were preserved in Bastion for his study. He believes it to be adapted for life and travel in the cold, mountainous terrain to be found duskward of the village, and it's teeth look sturdy enough to gnaw through rock let alone flesh and bone. The creature is on it's side, occasionally lashing out at the men holding it with it's legs, it's long thick tongue, or it's large gnashing teeth.

The helmed figure is wearing a luxurious thick-collared brown fur cape over drab brown robes and elbow-length black leather gloves. As Vernalis speaks, the figure turns its head to regard him, the lenses in the helm making whirring noises as they briefly rotate back and forth. Up close he can see that a stylized 'B4' is stamped in the center of the helm's forehead, and over the sound of the bleating goat-thing it sounds as if the figure is making a hollow tutting noise.

Village of Bergmann Klaus
Day 3: Morning

Vernalis starts awake, looking around in confusion for a few moments as he suddenly finds himself in a strange village instead of The Optimumist's 'classroom.' Clearing his head to the here and now, he finds that the village square is empty save for him. From the roadwards side of the village he hears a frantic terrified bleating; no doubt what woke him. Given the position of the sun in the sky, he guesses he has slept for about three hours. Gathering his things he walks around the roadward bunkhouse to investigate.

What must be close to the entire population of the village has gathered at the roadside near the square building, which earlier this morning he discovered is used for storage of the crystalline ore. Over the heads of the crowd he can see a bulky-looking carriage of some sort, as well as the head of a helmed newcomer with a very tall fur hat who nears eight feet in height and stands adjacent to the end of the carriage closest to the ore storage. Some sort of tall metal device is next to him; based on what he can see of it, Vernalis presumes it to be some sort of weight scale. Bergmann Klaus is pleading with the figure while several village men struggle nearby with whatever is making the bleating noises. The villagers seem terrified of the newcomer, and many of the adults are openly weeping, some clutching their children close.

You have recovered 3 non-lethal damage, the daily use of your bonded item, and all uses of your metamagic rod. You are now only fatigued instead of exhausted. You have not rested enough to regain spells.

How would you like to proceed?