Hungry like the Wolf

[Ebiris]

[17:45] <@Kotono> You travel for most of the day to the north with a slightly western bearing. The going is slow - you run into bull nettles, poison oak and other irritants fairly often, requiring skill and time ot circumvent. It's a few hours until sunset, the forest starting to grow dim and dark. Yet as you proceed on? By chance it's Porridge who glances up. Above the canopy thickens and rises like a dome.
[17:45] <@Kotono> Within it he can see brown shapes half hidden in the leaves. Not truly hidden, but buildings largely shielded by nature.
[17:47] <@Porridge> Looking up, Porridge points them out to his companions. "I've seen treehouses but never a treetown."
[17:47] <Feather> "Huh." Feather peers up, shielding his eyes with a hand. "See anyone up there?"
[17:48] <@Kotono> OOC: Perception check, Feather.
[17:49] <Gildas> "Hm... that must've taken some skill to perform." He nods to the other two. "Hopefully they are friendly to visitors."
[17:49] <Feather> roll 1d20+7
[17:49] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+7 and gets 19." [1d20=12]
[17:49] <@Porridge> "You thinking of climbing up to say hello?"
[17:50] <@Kotono> Feather can see a glimpse of a creature. It wears golden armor and has wings like a bird. You don't get a good look, as it passes into one of the houses far above. From your knowledge of locals in the Vastwoods, Feather can identify these as Raptorians.
[17:52] <Gildas> "They may know something of the area. It could save us some time." He looks around at the slowly waning light. "It also might be safer to spend the night there... well, potentially, I suppose it might not be..."
[17:52] <Feather> "It's a Raptoran place, seems like," Feather muses, before repeating. "Huh. Never seen one before."
[17:53] <@Porridge> "Me neither," Porridge shakes his head.
[17:55] <Gildas> "We could try and announce ourselves from down here... if they do not wish to be disturbed, it may save us some time." He offers.
[17:56] <Feather> "If you like," Feather offers. "So long as we don't try to climb up on our own, I doubt they'll get upset any."
[17:59] * Gildas nods and will step forward and look up. "Hopefully it will carry far enough..."
[18:00] <Feather> The forest being dangerous and filled with branches that fall on their head, Feather is alert for anything untowards as they stop in that area for the time being.
[18:02] <Gildas> He will cup his hands around his mouth and call out, hoping his voice will reach above to the buildings. "Excuse me! We are three travellers that would like to stop in your city! If that is acceptable, please give us a sign!" He will lower his arms and wait for some sort of response.
[18:03] <@Kotono> Gildas shouts out! Several seconds pass before an unseen person yells back, "Hah! No Winachur can find their way up here! What are you going to do, climb up?" It's voice is airy and chirpy, bringing to mind a morning songbird. It's a man's voice, yet undeniably pretty.
[18:04] <@Porridge> "Hey, that sounds like a challenge to me!" Porridge yells up himself.
[18:07] * Gildas looks at the other two. "Well, we can certainly try, at least. Perhaps there's an easier way up hidden to us."
[18:08] <Feather> "They fly, they don't need no stairs," Feather says with a snort. "But hey, sounds like a challenge alright. What you think, we give it a try?"
[18:09] <Gildas> "I am not sure I can make it, but I am willing to try." He smiles.
[18:10] <@Porridge> "Sure, sounds more like they're messing with us rather than being hostile. Might get some respect if we pull it off," Porridge says, whistling for Bubi. "Go up and say hi for me," he tells the bird who buzzes upwards while Porridge starts climbing!
[18:12] * Feather readies his climbing gear, first. There is no point in climbing most of the way only to fall all the way back down to the ground due to a single misstep. Better to just take his time and secure himself with the rope here and there.
[18:12] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay, I'll call for climb checks from all of you. Feather, you're going slow and using climbing gear to prevent a serious fall?
[18:12] <@Kotono> OOC: Barring what Gildas is donig since he hasn't acted yet.
[18:13] <Feather> OOC: Yeah.
[18:13] <@Porridge> OOC: take 10 for 22
[18:14] * Gildas is going to watch the others climb first to see if there are any problems with doing so.
[18:14] <Feather> OOC: Take 10 for 18+whatever my rope/grappling hook/etc gives me
[18:17] <@Kotono> Porridge and Feather begin to climb! They make it about halfway up without any difficulty over the course of a minute. It's slow going with the tree and branches, but not difficult. They're about 60ft up and another 60ft to go in the strange dome of the canopy. At this height, you can see far more. Interwoven branches and leaves form ground above, connecting various huts of molded wood. The
[18:17] <@Kotono> unseen voice shouts, "Landbounds can climb like THAT?!"
[18:18] <@Porridge> "Yeah?" Porridge calls back, hugging the tree and using large branches occassionally to speed things up. "How do you guys climb?"
[18:18] <Feather> "Slow and steady does it," Feather repeats his climbing motto to himself, pausing in his spot to hear the answer to Porridge's question.
[18:19] * Gildas seeing that the two aren't having much trouble, will try and go for himself, but do so much, much more slowly as to not make any mistakes.
[18:19] <Gildas> OOC: Can I take 20 on this, or is 10 the best I can do?
[18:19] <@Kotono> OOC: 10s the best you can do.
[18:19] <@Kotono> OOC: Since failure has a consequence and possibly a damaging one.
[18:19] <Gildas> OOC: Then I suppose I'll just chance rolling, since I have no skill in it at all.
[18:19] <Gildas> roll 1d20+3
[18:19] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+3 and gets 15." [1d20=12]
[18:22] <@Kotono> Gildas is able to slowly follow! It's harder for him but he makes it up halfway as well! Meanwhile, the others continue on! Three fourths of the way up! The branches get thicker here - it's easy going from this point on. "Hmph." A mutter that isn't so far away, "Up here, Winachur."
[18:24] <@Porridge> "Hope you're buying us drinks for this, pal!" Porridge calls as he eases into the last stretch. "Hope you guys actually have drinks, even..." he adds thoughtfully, considering the lack of any farmland seen nearby.
[18:25] * Gildas will follow along with the other two.
[18:25] <@Kotono> OOC: Another climb check, Gildas.
[18:25] <Gildas> roll 1d20+3
[18:25] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+3 and gets 22." [1d20=19]
[18:28] <@Kotono> At last you reach the top! A hole in a thick layer of leaves leads you up! You stand amid a floor of branches and leaves. The sky! You can see the sky and sunlight gushes in! The gloom of the Vastwood is dispelled as you stand in the late afternoon sunshine. Houses of solid, molded wood are about, multistory with doors well above ground and only sometimes with stairs connecting them to the
[18:28] <@Kotono> ground. Before you stands a figure in gold armor. He is slender and bony, features more angular and pointed than an elf's. He has spotted brown wings and a spear in one hand. He rests it against him as hec laps, "Bravo. For a bunch of landlings, you climb well." Around you can see others like him, flying or gliding about.
[18:30] * Feather stores his gear away, snorting. "Thanks. No need to qualify it like that, though."
[18:31] <@Porridge> "When you can't fly you gotta make do," Porridge shrugs and grins, looking over to see Bubi sitting on the ledge of one of the houses. "Name's Porridge."
[18:33] <Gildas> "Thank you for allowing us to visit." He bows a bit to them out of respect.
[18:34] <@Kotono> "Lurul," Inclinding his head slightly forward to that, "So why did you risk yourselves climbing up?"
[18:35] * Feather straightens up and returns the nod in greeting. "My name's Feather. And why not? Sounded like a friendly challenge, it did!"
[18:35] <@Porridge> "Well, you said we couldn't do it," Porridge says, as if that explains everything.
[18:37] <Gildas> "Gildas." He responds after the others. "Even beyond that, though, we are in search of something and thought that you all may know of someone... or somehow that we can remedy the condition that is currently affecting my two comrades here."
[18:39] <@Porridge> "Oh, huh. Hadn't thought of that," Porridge blinks.
[18:39] <@Kotono> That gets the two a look, before Lurul growls. It comes out as a strangled chirp, "Fey touched," he says shortly.
[18:41] <@Porridge> "Yeah, this horrible looking thing turns us blind after we kill the wolf she set on us, then gives us wolf eyes as our prize," he nods. "Pretty worried about who else is looking out these eyes, y'know?"
[18:42] <Feather> "We're headed to Carnath Falls to try n'fix this," Feather adds. "If you folks know some lead, though, that's great."
[18:43] <@Kotono> "You gained this touch in disfavor?" The winged creature asks rhetorically, "Come with me."
[18:44] <@Porridge> Shrugging, Porridge follows along!
[18:44] <Gildas> "I think it was done as a reward. But one man's reward is another's... ah... ...wolf eyes?" He sighs as that one didn't quite work out the way he meant it to.
[18:46] <@Kotono> You are lead into a tall, tower-like building. Within it is empty, rising up a hundred feet into a broad opening. It is bright and sunny within, the ground full of straw. "Rest here. Another will wish to consult with you on the touch of the fey."
[18:47] <@Porridge> "Sure. And thanks," Porridge tells him, sitting down on the ground. "Good idea, Gildas. Shame we didn't get a drink, though."
[18:48] <Gildas> He smiles and chuckles a bit. "Perhaps we can get one after."
[18:49] * Feather laughs at his words. "Was just thinking the same thing myself, here!"
[18:54] <@Kotono> You don't wait long. From above the figure comes, gliding down. It is another raptorian, wizened and old. He wears the same golden armor and carries a spear, leaning on it when he lands. His hair is pure white and he leans on his spear. A garland and belt of white daisies decorate his armor. Tapping the butt of his spear down twice after landing, THUNK THUNK, "Greetings, Winachur. The winds
[18:54] <@Kotono> speak of tales of your exciting lives."
[18:55] <@Porridge> "Oh yeah, there's always something going on," Porridge chuckles.
[18:56] <Feather> "Tends to happen when you travel all over," Feather says, grinning. "Evening. Name's Feather," he adds, deciding to introduce himself again.
[18:57] <@Porridge> "Porridge," the half-elf adds.
[18:58] <Gildas> "Gildas." He bows again.
[19:00] <@Kotono> "Apapa." He inclines his head and thumps his spear twice more. "Tell me the story of how you obtaind those fey touched eyes."
[19:03] * Gildas looks at the other two. "Since I actually witnessed it, would you like me to explain?"
[19:04] <@Porridge> "Sure, go for it," Porridge nods.
[19:06] <Gildas> He looks back over at Apapa. "We went to the world of the fairies chasing after one that has caused some mayhem with a human settlement and the centaurs that lived near there. When we made it there, after some fighting, we met one who calls herself Lady Valisha. Her presence blinded my two friends... for some reason I was not affected. She gave me two wolf eyes and called them their 'right by
[19:06] <Gildas> conquest'... when they took them, their eyes were changed."
[19:09] <@Porridge> "She had us fight a wolf first," Porridge adds in that, "Dire one. Kept hearing laughing and clapping from these chairs in a circle around, but there was no one. Got pissed off and jumped amidst the stairs but was blocked by web, fought through it and bam, evil looking fey right there. She said we were rude."
[19:10] <Feather> "Rude or not, wasn't gonna leave Porridge to do it alone," Feather mutters. "And all that business with kidnapping kids and putting them to magical sleep, that's worse than any rudeness."
[19:12] <@Porridge> "Turned out it wasn't her though, some other fairy she knew. We killed that one when it attacked us at the centaur village but didn't mention that to her when she told us about the other fairy," Porridge clarifies.
[19:13] <@Kotono> A mute nod is your reply, followed by a silence. He slowly shakes his head, "Lady Valisha is a fey noble. To do anything but to obey her is to be impolite. Unfortunately, removing such a touch is no simple matter. I cannot say with veracity to the effects the eyes will have on you or if they spy, but it is clear they are part of the fey world. Should you fear this much, putting your eyes out is
[19:13] <@Kotono> the certain solution. It will render you blind, and I fear no life will dare grow in their place, even at magic's behest." Tapping his spear to the ground once, "I do not have the knowledge to ascertain the purpose or means to remove the fey eyes safely. But know this - as you carry a small part of the fey world within you, will you slowly become influenced by it. Perhaps...perhaps at best in
[19:13] <@Kotono> time you will lose your mortality and become petty servants to Lady Valisha. At worst..." Shaking his head, "Tragedy."
[19:15] <@Porridge> "Could Lady Valisha undo what she's done, you think?" Porridge asks. "Nevermind how she'd have to be convinced, could she do it?"
[19:16] <@Kotono> "I do not know for certain. It would be easy to assume, but I cannot say so with confidence," Apapa says slowly, a hand reaching up to stroke his chin. "Or even if you could find her. The fey are able to hide from our sight in their realm. If a fey does not wish to be found, finding them is a difficult task."
[19:17] <@Porridge> "We'd have to find something she wants, then," he figures, discounting the possibility of bullying her into it.
[19:19] <Feather> "Any fey noble might do," Feather muses.
[19:21] * Gildas frowns at the conversation, since he was more or less directly responsible for them in their current state.
[19:22] <Gildas> "Can you think of anything, even something that only appears in stories or legends, that might be able to break this?"
[19:24] <@Kotono> "Seek a Sidhe Scholar. They are druids, usually elven, that are guided by a fey patron. They are scholars to the fey and servants of them. They know more of the fey than any other."
[19:24] <@Kotono> OOC: Gah.
[19:25] <@Kotono> "Seek a Sidhe Scholar. They are druids, usually elven, that are guided by a fey patron. They are scholars to the fey and servants of them. They know more of the fey than any other." A pause here as he shakes his head, "Unfortunately, they are rare and there are none amid my people."
[19:25] <Gildas> "It is at least something to be on the lookout for." He nods.
[19:26] * @Porridge laughs ruefully. "We really are gonna have to find an elf."
[19:28] <@Kotono> "All else I can offer is a place to rest for the night," he says, "Will you accept?"
[19:29] <@Porridge> "We'd be grateful, thank you."
[19:32] <Gildas> "It would be an honor."
[19:34] <@Kotono> Food and rest come in that very hay-laden tower. The next morning is bright. As you wake up, eat and prepare, a child enters. It is a raptorian in miniature, even down to the gold armor. She has a warm smile and carries a tray. "Good morning!" she calls, her voice akin to the chirping of songbirds. "Winachur, elder Apapa and scout Lurul have a gift for you, to comme-comme-..." Frowning and
[19:34] <@Kotono> working on the word, "Er, to say thanks for managing to climb up. It was brave!"
[19:36] <Feather> "Morning," Feather greets her, finding himself growing amused. It really is far braver than fighting spiders or fey, now that he thinks about it, when one considers the drop.
[19:36] <@Porridge> Daww, that's adorable! "We worked very hard, and it can be scary so high without wings," he says with all due serious to the child.
[19:38] <Gildas> "Good morning, young lady." He responds with a small smile.
[19:38] <@Kotono> The child smiles and sets the tray down! It soaks up the sunlight, and on it a pair of bracers appear! They are decorated with brown and white owl's feathers and delicate looking, light as the air. "There is magic in these," she says.
[19:40] <@Porridge> "Hey, Feather. I think they'd suit you great," Porridge suggests, enjoying the synergy.
[19:41] * Feather rolls his eyes, but does pick the bracers up. "Let's see, then?" he voices, putting them on and then having a proper look.
[19:42] <@Kotono> Feather feels lighter with them on, like the wind is blowing at his back. OOC: Going to spellcraft?
[19:42] <Feather> roll 1d20+8
[19:42] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+8 and gets 12." [1d20=4]
[19:43] <@Kotono> Feather can't figure out how the bracers work.
[19:43] <@Kotono> OOC: Loot post without info since they aren't IDed.
[19:43] <Feather> "These bracers are either gonna let me live up to my name, or make me change it." He grins. "Got no clue which! But they look very stylish."
[19:44] <Gildas> OOC: Can Gildas try too?
[19:44] <@Porridge> "Did Elder Apapa tell you what the magic does for them?" Porridge asks, crouching down before the little raptoran.
[19:48] <@Kotono> OOC: Sure.
[19:49] <Gildas> roll 1d20+9
[19:49] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+9 and gets 14." [1d20=5]
[19:52] <@Kotono> Gildas can't puzzle it out, either. "They  make you better at climbing and help protect you if you fall," she says, taking out a little bit of tree bark. "There's script here that explains it."
[19:53] <Feather> "Jump down from here, land on the ground below without so much as a broken leg?"
[19:55] <@Kotono> "Right," she says with a smile.
[19:56] <@Kotono> OOC: With that info the loot post is edited.
[19:56] * Feather grins back at her.
[19:58] <@Kotono> OOC: What are y'all gonna do now?
[19:59] <Feather> OOC: Have breakfast, go to our destination?
[20:00] <Gildas> OOC: That sounds good to me. Thank the Raptorians and then climb back down, probably.
[20:01] <@Porridge> OOC: well will Carnath Falls do any good now? May as well look for elves instead.
[20:02] <Gildas> OOC: There might be elves at that destination!
[20:02] <@Porridge> OOC: fair enough
[20:04] <@Kotono> As you head out, Lurul meets you. "If you need to get down safely, come with me," he says.
[20:05] * Feather laughs. "You really do have a ladder leading down after all?" he asks incredulously.
[20:09] <@Kotono> "Better," His lips twitch up, as he leads to a hole in the leaf and branch ground. Below you can see what looks to be a hollowed out tree trunk. Within it is a winding, smooth slide down. "It's one way - and when you come out you won't be able to take it back up."
[20:11] <@Porridge> Figuring the giant axe on his back will only cause problems, Porridge takes it off and then drops it over the edge outside the hollow tree. Then he gleefully hurls himself down the slide!
[20:11] <Feather> "I was thinking of giving the bracers a try," Feather muses. "But hey, this seems like fun." He offers Lurul his hand. "It was short, but pleasure meeting you all." He can't help but give Porridge a quick jealous look, however.
[20:14] <@Kotono> "Good fortune to you, landdwellers," Lurul wishes as the two slide. He then glances at Gildas, "Good luck to you in particular. Sticking with two fey touched is courageous. You may be entangled in more troubles."
[20:15] * Gildas smiles and bows once again. "I have to watch out for them." With that, he followed the others! Whee! But he wouldn't tell them he enjoyed it, even if he did.
[20:15] <@Kotono> Woosh! Thus the trio slide down! You rapidly pick up speed, twirling and twirling around! Wooooosh! You come shooting out of a tree, the bark and wood ghostly as the trio land in a dizzy heap on the ground, safe!
[20:17] <@Porridge> "Hah, those raptorans are alight!" Porridge grins as he dizzily picks himself up, waiting a moment before collecting his axe.
[20:18] <Feather> "They sure are!"
[20:19] <Gildas> He nods to the two of them. "Now... are we in the same relative position we were in before we entered?" He takes a look around to ascertain his bearings in regards to direction.
[20:21] <@Kotono> Gildas can tell you're close by. It's not hard to reinorient yourself.

[Nephrite]

[12:34] <Kotono> -------
[12:34] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[12:34] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 45." [1d100=45]
[12:34] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[12:34] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 31." [1d100=31]
[12:35] <Kotono> The next two days are without incident. You get some nicks and bruises traveling the wilds, but nothing that's serious. Early in the third day...OOC: Make perception checks, y'all.
[12:36] <Porridge> roll 1d20+12 Porridge
[12:36] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+12 Porridge and gets 30." [1d20=18]
[12:36] <Porridge> roll 1d20+21 Bubi
[12:36] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+21 Bubi and gets 38." [1d20=17]
[12:36] <Gildas> roll 1d20+10
[12:36] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+10 and gets 28." [1d20=18]
[12:38] <Kotono> As you go along, the party catches sight of a glint of something in the morning gloom. Lying in what looks to be weeds and overgrowth is a glint of metal - the hilt of a sword sticking up into the air. What little light there is happens to catch it, making it shine bright for a moment.
[12:39] <Porridge> Porridge walks over to where the sword is, looking to see if there's any sign of either a body or a burial beneath.
[12:40] * Gildas will go over and look too!
[12:41] <Kotono> In the underbrush, you find a body. A body that's well past bloated and little more than badly torn and bloodstained clothes clinging to a skeleton. The sword is stuck into the ground, chipped and rusty. An intact backpack lies besides him, unopened. A few pouches also lie on the ground near him.
[12:43] <Gildas> "How unfortunate..." he frowns.
[12:43] <Porridge> "Tch, that's a bad end," Porridge shakes his head. "Wonder what got to him? An animal wouldn't leave him together like that, or ignore the backpack."
[12:48] <Gildas> "A good question." He looks around and then back at the corpse.
[12:48] <Kotono> OOC: Got any ranks in anything medical or that would help you determine a cause of death?
[12:50] <Gildas> OOC: I think all I could do is confirm it wasn't an animal, probably.
[12:51] <Kotono> OOC: Okay then.
[12:51] <Gildas> "What would you like to do? I hate to leave it in such a state..."
[12:53] * Porridge has quit IRC (Ping timeout)
[12:57] <Feather> "Dunno about what did him in," Feather muses, heading over to the man's belongings to examine them. "Could tell some about who he was and who might be missing him, though."
[12:58] <Gildas> "I have no objections to it, as long as we bury the body and anything we don't need afterwards." He nods.
[12:58] * Porridge has joined #dunes
[12:59] <Kotono> OOC: Loot post for possessions. Post if you're taking anything.
[12:59] <Porridge> "Animals'll get it eventually," Porridge shrugs, uncaring about burying the corpse.
[13:00] * Feather checks for any inscriptions or markings on the silver ring or gold nuggest, before examining the scroll.
[13:02] <Kotono> Both are uninscribed. The scroll is a Scroll of Endure Elements.
[13:03] <Feather> "A traveling healer, I reckon?" Feather muses.
[13:03] <Porridge> "Y'think? Those are good people," Porridge says, having the utmost respect for those who dedicate themselves to healing others.
[13:04] <Gildas> "Is the ring magical in nature?" He looks over, since Feather is checking it out.
[13:05] * Feather gives everything a quick look over with Detect Magic.
[13:06] <Kotono> The scroll radiates magic and nothing else does.
[13:08] <Feather> "Just the scroll. Could come in handy, I guess, if you like to keep it."
[13:09] <Gildas> "I will take it and the healer's kit... It still seems strange, why is this person here? What something specific taken from him?" He frowns again and will retrieve the two items.
[13:09] <Porridge> "Dead too long to make out tracks of whatever killed him. It'll just have to be a mystery."
[13:10] * Gildas will take a look at the longsword to see if there are any distinguishing features about it at all.
[13:11] <Kotono> Gildas doesn't see anything odd about the longsword on studying it.
[13:11] <Porridge> Meanwhile Porridge takes his shovel and starts digging a trench beside the body.
[13:12] <Gildas> "I suppose so. We'll have to hope we don't run into whoever did this." He will stand and put the two items into his backpack.
[13:12] * Feather helps Porridge dig, as that is the sole thing he can do here.
[13:13] <Kotono> Soon enough the body is buried. The morning is wearing on by this point as you lay this poor soul to rest.
[13:14] <Porridge> Not one for sentimentality, Porridge is back to walking as soon as the last clod of dirt is piled over it.
[13:14] * Gildas will say a simple prayer and thank the others. "Shall we continue, then?"
[13:15] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[13:15] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 99." [1d100=99]
[13:15] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[13:15] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 87." [1d100=87]
[13:15] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[13:15] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 81." [1d100=81]
[13:15] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[13:15] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 53." [1d100=53]
[13:19] <Kotono> The rest of the week passes without incident. Despite two of the days being rainy, the party makes better time as the forest is a bit less thick around these parts. Near noon on one dry day, you come to a stream. Glancing upstream, you can see and hear it! A great roaring waterfall, plunging down into a small lake! Foam sprays about, rainbows forming in the sunlight from above. All around is a
[13:19] <Kotono> clearing, log cabins and a few stone houses about. It's bigger than Clearbrook, with plenty of well tended fields and even a single cobblestone road looping around the lake. Children run about, playing around and in the lake. The adults work in the fields.
[13:20] <Gildas> "Let us hope that there are no fairies in this town, hm?" He looked at the other two.
[13:21] <Porridge> "Yeah, fairy servants and scholars'll do just fine thanks," Porridge snorts.
[13:27] <Kotono> OOC: What are y'all doing then?
[13:28] <Porridge> OOC: lets find an inn/tavern/common house if we can?
[13:28] <Kotono> OOC: Okay.
[13:29] <Kotono> There's a tavern with a crude drawing of grapes on its hanging sign. Withing you find an unremarkable tavern, no one about right now save for a barkeeper. This one is female, a little on the plump side and with a bandanna keeping her brown hair back. She wears peasant's clothes otherwise and an apron. "Yeah?" she asks, "What do you want?"
[13:32] <Porridge> "Whatever's on the tap," Porridge shrugs, walking over to the bar. "After that, can you tell us where to find the mayor?"
[13:35] <Kotono> A mug of ale is producted without comment. "Yeah, at his home. City hall. Same thing."
[13:36] <Feather> "Wouldn't mind one myself," Feather says, eager to have a drink after days on the road.
[13:37] <Porridge> Putting a silver coin on the bar before her, Porridge takes a long draught of his ale before asking, "Where's that from here?"
[13:37] <Kotono> Another drink is produced, slid on over to Feather.
[13:38] <Kotono> "Other side of the lake, biggest stone building. Can't miss it."
[13:38] * Gildas stays quiet and doesn't order anything, letting the others do the asking and such.
[13:39] * Feather drains the mug in two quick gulps, before setting it aside with a happy sigh and paying for it.
[13:39] <Porridge> "Much obliged," he nods, draining his mug. "Ahh, that's the stuff!"
[13:40] <Kotono> "So where are y'all from?" The question follows, "Want another round?"
[13:41] <Porridge> "Me? I'm from the Elk tribe. Dunno about these two," Porridge says, shaking his head as to another drink. No time like the present to see the mayor.
[13:42] <Feather> "Sure thing," Feather agrees, providing the cash first this time. It won't take long to drink. "And from all over, it sometimes feels like. Most recently from Clearbrook, though."
[13:46] <Kotono> "That right?" With a nod, "So looking for our estwhile mayor, eh?"
[13:46] <Kotono> *erstwhile
[13:47] <Porridge> "Heard he's a sage, knows about all kinds of obscure stuff? We've got a pretty obscure problem on our hands we need advice with," Porridge explains.
[13:50] <Kotono> "Yeah," Nodding, "He's retirin' to do more studying things." Shrugging her shoulders before starting to clean the bar, "So he has the time coming up."
[13:52] * Feather finishes his second mug as quickly as the first. "Want to go pay him a visit?" he asks Porridge and Gildas. "Or get rooms first?"
[13:52] <Gildas> "Let us go see if he is busy." He finally said something!
[13:53] <Porridge> "It's early yet, lets go see him," Porridge suggests, heading out.
[13:54] <Kotono> The mayor's house is two stories of stone, surrounded by a wooden fence and lawn. The front door is answered by an older lady wearing a nice brown dress. Her gray hair is cut short. She squints slightly, peering at the party. "Ah. 'fraid I don't know your faces," she says, "Out of towners?"
[13:56] <Feather> "That's right, Ma'am," Feather responds, inclining his head in greeting. "Good afternoon."
[13:56] * Gildas will nod in greeting.
[13:56] <Porridge> "Name's Porridge, this here's Feather and that's Gildas. We're looking for Redmond," the half-elf elaborates.
[13:58] <Kotono> "Oh." Smiling, "Come in." You're taken to a fancy sitting room, a painting of two armies at war dominating. A serving girl in plain clothes is in right after you sit down on real, actual couches, silently serving drinks and snacks. "I'll get Redmond," Your hostess says, "Make yourselves comfortable."
[13:59] * Porridge has quit IRC (Ping timeout)
[13:59] * Gildas will nod in thanks to the hostess.
[14:00] * Feather already had a good drink just then, and simply resolves to wait with a simple, "Much obliged, Ma'am," and a smile at the girl serving them.
[14:02] <Kotono> The girl smiles back and withdraws with your hostess. It isn't log to wait - soon enough Redmond enters. He has a wild shock of white hair, wearing strangely stained clothes. He smells odd, of alchemy and stranger things yet. He walks with a cane, "Ah. Visitors!" he says, "Stories of my knowledge precede me?"
[14:03] <Feather> "Sure do!," Feather
[14:03] <Feather> "Sure do!" Feather says, standing up and offering their host his hand. "My name's Feather, and these are Gildas and Porridge."
[14:04] <Kotono> He comes over and offers his grip - quite a strong grip, no less. "Ran afoul of the Sidhe, eh?" He smiles when he says that, meeting Feather's eyes.
[14:07] * Feather laughs. "Sounds like the advice we got back in Clearbrook was spot on, going by your words. And one of those went and toyed with everyone's lives, going about putting human and centaur kids into magical sleep and then turning the two villages against each other. As we were dealing with that, we came across another that blinded the two of us, and then gave us these wolf eyes in turn.
[14:07] * Feather We've been hoping there's a way to turn them back ever since."
[14:07] * Gildas nods to the story.
[14:08] <Kotono> Nodding slightly, "Got any leads?"
[14:09] <Gildas> "Well, we were told by a Rapotorian Elder that the only solution was to gouge their eyes out..." He frowns.
[14:09] * Feather shrugs, sitting back down now. "That a fey noble or an elf scholar studying fey might do something. That's a bit of advice we got off that elder... well, that and that we could just go blind and end up a burden on someone."
[14:10] <Kotono> "
[14:11] <Kotono> "Hmmm...hmmmm..." Humming and peering into FEather's eyes, "That might work, if you can find a lead. Fortunately, I have a book collection that might be able to help. Further..." Losing himself staring at Feather's eyes, "You there, Feather! I'll need your help to experiment on your eyes. I might be able to whip something up."
[14:12] <Feather> "Sure thing," Feather agrees. "Whatever help you need from me, you have it."
[14:13] * Gildas is quiet, but does frown just a bit at 'experiment'.
[14:17] <Kotono> "Good good. My wife will take you two to the library in the meantime - you two have your letters, right?" he asks.
[14:18] <Feather> "Letters?"
[14:18] <Gildas> Gildas tilts his head a bit, probably just as confused as the others are.
[14:23] <Kotono> "I mean can you read," he clarifies.
[14:26] <Feather> "Won't be a problem, I think."

[Nephrite]

[12:37] <Kotono> ----------
[12:39] <Kotono> [14:11] <Kotono> "Hmmm...hmmmm..." Humming and peering into FEather's eyes, "That might work, if you can find a lead. Fortunately, I have a book collection that might be able to help. Further..." Losing himself staring at Feather's eyes, "You there, Feather! I'll need your help to experiment on your eyes. I might be able to whip something up."
[12:39] <Kotono> [14:12] <Feather> "Sure thing," Feather agrees. "Whatever help you need from me, you have it."
[12:39] <Kotono> [14:13] * Gildas is quiet, but does frown just a bit at 'experiment'.
[12:39] <Kotono> [14:17] <Kotono> "Good good. My wife will take you two to the library in the meantime - you two have your letters, right?" he asks.
[12:39] <Kotono> [14:18] <Feather> "Letters?"
[12:39] <Kotono> [14:18] <Gildas> Gildas tilts his head a bit, probably just as confused as the others are.
[12:39] <Kotono> [14:23] <Kotono> "I mean can you read," he clarifies.
[12:39] <Kotono> [14:26] <Feather> "Won't be a problem, I think."
[12:39] <Kotono> OOC: For the sake of gaming, it's been retconned that Porridge went with the Professor while the others go with his wife to the library. More coming.
[12:42] <Kotono> The library is on the second floor. It's a room lit by windows and a single closed lantern (currently unlit) on a table. Besides that, there are a few shelves of books about. There's nothing too fancy here all in all. "Here you are," the Professor's wife says. "I'm afraid my eyes aren't what they used to be, so you'll have to do your reading on your own."
[12:46] * Gildas nods to the Professor's wife. "Thank you for your kindness."
[12:46] <Gildas> He will then glance around and walk up to the furthest left side of the shelves and begin looking through the books there to see if anything jumps out at him, so-to-speak.
[12:47] <Feather> It will likely go slow, judging by his own abilities. But there's no rush at all, as far as Feather is concerned. "Much obliged, Ma'am," he echoes Gildas's gratitude before deciding to take a look for anything mentioning the fey in the title.
[12:48] <Kotono> OOC: Okay, I'm going to have both of you make K:N checks with a +10 bonus here.
[12:48] <Gildas> roll 1d20+10+11
[12:48] <Gildas> OOC: HATBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT
[12:50] * Kobot has joined #dunes
[12:50] <Feather> roll 1d20+18
[12:51] <Kobot> Feather rolled 1d20+18 --> [ 1d20=4 ]{22}
[12:51] <Gildas> roll 1d20+21
[12:51] <Kobot> Gildas rolled 1d20+21 --> [ 1d20=12 ]{33}
[12:53] <Kotono> The first day passes with research and study of the books.  You clear about a quarter of the leads you have. Only one provides useful information, found as the sun sets...OOC: See the post here, reply IC after you've read. http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,102721.msg1043785.html#msg1043785
[12:56] <Gildas> He taps the page a few times before looking at Feather. "Do you remember if you were the one to land the final hit on what we now assume to be that fairy...?"
[12:58] <Feather> "Reads like a dead end to me," Feather muses. "No reason for it to spread over to Porridge if that's the cause, and no reason for it to pass you by if it's not."
[13:00] <Gildas> "Well, I haven't been afflicted with anything yet. But didn't you two mention something about those portals we passed through? Or do you think that's from the eyes?" He looks back and at the page.
[13:00] <Feather> "That's the eyes." Feather shrugs. "Well, if a curse is gonna be coming after me, despite the cold iron and all that, that's just bad luck."
[13:02] <Gildas> "I think it's worth our time to at least find a Cleric at some point and see if you're affected with anything. There's no harm in at least checking, correct?" He scans the page for any further information.
[13:04] <Kotono> Nothing further of interest is in that book - it was just a snippet.
[13:05] <Kotono> OOC: Going to continue reading and researching y'all?
[13:06] <Gildas> OOC: Yessir.
[13:09] <Kotono> A night of rest passes. The next day has the two going back out it. It's just before lunchtime when Feather comes on a book. It's pure, pitch black covered. The sunlight doesn't seem to touch it at all and it's cold to the touch.
[13:11] <Feather> "C'mere, Gildas," Feather calls out, waving him over. "This ain't natural, I'm thinking." He checks the book for magic, just in case.
[13:11] <Kotono> The book radiates magic. Meanwhile, Gildas comes over - and doesn't see any black book at all.
[13:12] <Feather> roll 1d20+8 spellcraft
[13:12] <Kobot> Feather rolled 1d20+8 spellcraft --> [ 1d20=19 ]{27}
[13:12] <Gildas> "Um..." He blinks, rubbing his eyes once. "What are you talking about?"
[13:13] <Kotono> Feather can see the book radiates faint necromancy and moderate abjuration.
[13:14] * Feather pats the book's cold surface. "Here's the thing, magical as I ever saw a book. Come on, reach out to touch it."
[13:15] <Gildas> "Ah... I don't see anything, Feather." He frowns.
[13:16] * Feather shrugs. "Book's invisible, then," he says, and since Gildas doesn't take his offer of touching the book where Feather is pointing it out, he'll just open it and pass the time by reading from it.
[13:19] <Kotono> The book opens! Feather's eyes shine night-black as it does, before the world around the two collapses! The two now stand in dark forests, as if the Vastwoods had suddenly been plunged into night! OOC: Nighttime conditions. You can't see anything without darkvision or a light source.
[13:20] <Gildas> "...Well, this is different." He looks around and frowns at the fact that, well, he can't... see anything.
[13:20] <Gildas> OOC: Do they still have their backpacks?
[13:21] <Feather> Blinking in the darkness, Feather tries to first close the book in his hands.
[13:22] <Kotono> OOC:  You two.
[13:22] <Kotono> OOC: You do, even.
[13:23] <Kotono> The book is closed! Suddenly the darkness collapses! You once again stand in the library! But before you is a figure of pure shadow! The creature stands out starkly against the sunlight, even as it raises a hand up to slash at Gildas!
[13:23] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3 Flatfoot AC, Gildas? Forget if you have uncanny dodge or anything lik ethat
[13:23] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+3 Flatfoot AC, Gildas? Forget if you have uncanny dodge or anything lik ethat --> [ 1d20=19 ]{22}
[13:24] <Gildas> OOC: I don't think it matters even if I did!
[13:24] <Kotono> roll 1d6 str damage
[13:24] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d6 str damage --> [ 1d6=1 ]{1}
[13:25] <Kotono> Before he can react, the hand rips into his shoulder! It's curled up like a claw, passing through him without touching. But a moment later his entire body feels weaker, his muscles numbed from the touch! OOC: Init. Something unpleasant this way comes.
[13:25] <Feather> roll 1d20+3
[13:25] <Kobot> Feather rolled 1d20+3 --> [ 1d20=6 ]{9}
[13:25] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2
[13:25] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7
[13:25] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+2 --> [ 1d20=4 ]{6}
[13:25] <Kobot> Gildas rolled 1d20+7 --> [ 1d20=1 ]{8}
[13:25] <Kotono> OOC: Wow.
[13:25] <Gildas> OOC: This is going to be one of those fights, isn't it...
[13:25] * Kotono changes topic to 'Feather(9)>Gildas(8)>Shadow(6)'
[13:25] <Kotono> OOC: Open Feather.
[13:27] <Feather> roll 1d20+8 K:R
[13:27] <Kobot> Feather rolled 1d20+8 K:R --> [ 1d20=20 ]{28}
[13:28] <Kotono> The creature before you is a shadow, an incorporeal undead. Besides being impossible to injure by nonmagical means, they' drain strength by the touch. If this gets out and can start slaughtering innocent villagers, you'd have a village of shadows by sundown.
[13:32] <Feather> "Magic's the only way here," Feather says grimly, drawing his scimitar as he leaps at the shadow. The room is further lit up by an electrical discharge, and then Feather is dancing back to have plenty of room to maneuver.
[13:32] <Feather> roll 1d20+9
[13:32] <Kobot> Feather rolled 1d20+9 --> [ 1d20=9 ]{18}
[13:33] <Feather> roll 1d100
[13:33] <Kobot> Feather rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=100 ]{100}
[13:33] <Kotono> OOC: HIt. d100 for incor-success. Damage.
[13:33] <Feather> roll 5d6 elec
[13:33] <Kobot> Feather rolled 5d6 elec --> [ 5d6=10 ]{10}
[13:34] <Kotono> The scimitar slices through the shadow! It seems to do nothing before arcs of eletrcity surge up the shadow! Its entire body crackles with a corona of lightning, shaking all over! OOC: Ow. Gildsa.
[13:37] <Gildas> Suddenly, there was a bear in the library! He moved forward to bite at the strange creature!
[13:37] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7
[13:37] <Kobot> Gildas rolled 1d20+7 --> [ 1d20=4 ]{11}
[13:37] <Kotono> Gildas charges in - but his bite misses entirely! The shadow creatures shakes off the lightning, before raking its claws through Gildas!
[13:37] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3 touch AC?
[13:37] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+3 touch AC? --> [ 1d20=15 ]{18}
[13:38] <Gildas> OOC: 16
[13:38] <Kotono> roll 1d6 str damage
[13:38] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d6 str damage --> [ 1d6=5 ]{5}
[13:38] <Kotono> More claws rip through Gildas! His vitaity ebbs away under it, body straining to keep up! His color t urns waxen white, clothes hanging loose on his body afterwards! OOC: Ow. Feather.
[13:40] <Feather> "Take it down, man!" Feather calls out as he darts in again. "We can't let it get away!"
[13:40] <Feather> roll 1d20+9
[13:40] <Kobot> Feather rolled 1d20+9 --> [ 1d20=5 ]{14}
[13:40] <Kotono> OOC: HIt. d100.
[13:40] <Feather> roll 1d100
[13:40] <Kobot> Feather rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=7 ]{7}
[13:41] <Kotono> Feather slashes across the figure - but this time the blade passes through and leaves no shocking gift behind! OOC: Gildas.
[13:41] <Gildas> Again, the bear tries to bite into the shadow!
[13:41] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7
[13:41] <Kobot> Gildas rolled 1d20+7 --> [ 1d20=9 ]{16}
[13:43] <Kotono> OOC: What's your roll after str damage?
[13:43] <Kotono> OOC: Hit. d100.
[13:44] <Gildas> roll 1d100
[13:44] <Kobot> Gildas rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=62 ]{62}
[13:45] <Kotono> OOC: Damage
[13:45] <Kotono> .
[13:45] <Gildas> roll 1d6+3
[13:45] <Kobot> Gildas rolled 1d6+3 --> [ 1d6=3 ]{6}
[13:46] <Kotono> Gildas pounces in! He tears into the shadow's shoulder, teethmanaging to catch on the ghostly vapors! He tears much of it away, but the shadow is still going! It quickly darts down, through the floor! OOC: Provokes an AoO. You can AoO if you like, Gildas.
[13:47] <Gildas> OOC: Sure, is that just another bite attack attempt?
[13:47] <Kotono> OOC:  Yeah.
[13:48] <Gildas> roll 1d20+3
[13:48] <Kobot> Gildas rolled 1d20+3 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{16}
[13:48] <Kotono> OOC: Hit. d100.
[13:49] <Gildas> roll 1d100
[13:49] <Kobot> Gildas rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=63 ]{63}
[13:49] <Kotono> OOC: Success. Damage.
[13:49] <Gildas> roll 1d6+3
[13:49] <Kobot> Gildas rolled 1d6+3 --> [ 1d6=1 ]{4}
[13:49] <Kotono> With a fina, desperate bite, Gildas tears into the throat of the retreating shadow! He catches on something and PULLS! A great twisting strand of shadow is pulled out, akin to a spine. The entire creature breaks apart into wisps of shadow-stuff that fade in the noontime sunshine! OOC: Free act.
[13:51] * Feather stares at the spot where the shadow disappeared for several moments, before rising from his crouch. "Good work," he compliments Gildas, nodding. "Let's go downstairs, make sure there's not more of them on the loose?"
[13:52] <Gildas> He spits the wispy substance out and is back to his old self, although he looks a bit worse for wear and weaker. "Yes, that will... be a good idea."
[13:52] <Feather> "Shadows," Feather mutters, shaking his head. And then, keeping a firm hold on that book, he heads out of the library.
[13:53] * Gildas will follow!
[13:53] <Kotono> Going downstairs, you find nothing immediately awry. Servants are laying out a steaming-warm lunch as you check the dining room. No sign of the lord or lady of the manor nor of Porridge offhand.
[13:54] <Gildas> "Hm... I think that was the only one. Else we'd notice something, don't you think?" He glances around at saying that.
[13:55] <Feather> "Could be," Feather muses, before inquiring about the whereabouts about the lord and lady of the manor.
[13:56] <Kotono> One of the servants looks up, "The Lord of the manor's locked in his laboratory," he says, "The Lady should be back any moment. She went to freshen up before lunch."
[13:59] <Gildas> "Should we return to looking through the material? We can let the Professor know about your find when we see him again."
[14:00] <Feather> "Thanks," Feather tells the servant, before glancing over to Gildas. "Yeah, I figure we might as well keep on reading for now, and talk to the Professor this evening." Turning back to the servant once more, Feather says, "Mind passing the word to the Lord of the manor that we found something mighty interesting in his library he'd wanna hear about?"
[14:09] <Kotono> That is done, and thus the two return to studying. Come the late afternoon you come on a small section of a book titled 'Sidhe Scholar'.
[14:11] <Gildas> "Hm, this looks promising..." He will look through it.
[14:13] <Kotono> It reads as follows: "Side Scholars are the intelligentsia of the elf-fey world. They are gifted with unrivaled insight into the realms of the fey. Such gifts include fey-inspired dreams, forms closer to the fey and something only known as the 'Dark Moon's Secret'. Sidhe scholars are valued for their knowledge of fey matters, but can often be as troublesome as a fey. Many attempt to mimic them
[14:13] <Kotono> and gain bodies alien and powerful to us. Sidhe scholars tend to be isolationists and live in groves with flower-gates tothe fey realm.
[14:16] <Gildas> "Hm..." He taps the book again and looks at Feather. "I suppose it's good to know, but unless there's another flower ring around here..."
[14:17] <Feather> "Huh." After skimming the book himself, Feather nods thoughtfully. "Guess we better look closer next time we come across one. Our host'll know if there is a ring near, though, so might as well ask him when we see him."
[14:18] <Kotono> OOC: Skip along to him, then?
[14:18] <Gildas> OOC: For now, and if those leads don't pan out we can resume booking.
[14:20] <Kotono> That evening you meet with the Mayor over dinner. Porridge isn't here, but everyone else is tucking into roast venison. "...so then, I had him lie down and put his eyes on ice. Metaphorically speaking," he explains. After a moment, "So, have you found anything in the books?"
[14:21] <Feather> "Something like," Feather responds. "But before we go into that...." He takes out the black book and pats it with his free hand. "Don't suppose anyone else can see this book but me?"
[14:22] * Gildas stays quiet for the time being!
[14:23] <Kotono> "What book?" The mayor says, peering around. "I suppose that means no."
[14:25] <Feather> "Must be the eyes," Feather says, tapping his temple. "Saw this one. Cold as ice, and black all over. Once I opened it, it's like the two of us were suddenly surrounded by darkness. Then, I close it back, and a shadow appears. A real shadow, just like the one my grandpa used to talk about! I figure, this little thing took us to the realm of shadows, and then just happened to bring one back when
[14:25] <Feather> we returned. Good thing we took it down before it could escape, too."
[14:28] <Kotono> Dinner slows down at all that, "An invisible book of shadows?" Rubbing his chin, "...that reminds me. About five years ago I purchased several books. When I finally got my hands on them - I had to order them and it took over a year to have them brought this far - I was one book short of what was listed."
[14:30] <Feather> "Good to know there's a reason for it being here, and it's not by someone wishing you ill," Feather muses. "Dunno if there's much to do with it. Could wrap it up for you so you know where it is?"
[14:31] <Gildas> "You don't, by any chance, keep in contact with whom you purchased the books from, do you?" It was a long shot, but why not try and ask?
[14:34] <Kotono> "Would be wise. I'm glad you didn't try and destroy it. Destroying unknown magical items is a dangerous thing from what I read." Going on after that, rubbing his chin again, "No, I'm afraid not. I bought them from a friend's estate. The estate executor was his son, but he's months and months of travel away. I haven't talked to him since then and it was all by couriered message. Just as well."
[14:34] <Kotono> With a click of his tongue, "He'd be lucky if he had a tenth of his father's genius. He's a boring clod with as much intellectual imagination as a housefly."
[14:36] <Gildas> He smiles a bit at the shift in tone and nods. "Very well then, we will take care of the matter. Ah... there was one other thing --... do you know of any flower gates anywhere around here? We found a book on Sidhe Scholars."
[14:37] <Feather> "That," Feather agrees, "and it's still your book. For all we know, there's a proper way of opening and reading it. Or it might be needed some day by you, to travel to that place. Bottom line, it's your property to deal with as you see fit."
[14:38] <Kotono> "I'd be happy with locking it up. No need to go borrowing trouble." Pausing to eat a few bites of food and wash it down with wine, "Flower gates? You mean portals to the otherness where the fey reside? There was one within a day's journey of here, but it was destroyed in a forest fire. I know where another is, but it's in deep woods. It's about a three day journey from here."
[14:40] <Gildas> He nods. "That may be where we need to go, then."
[14:42] <Kotono> "It's to the north of here," Going on, "It's hard going and dangerous. We don't go up that way. There's stories of things floating around, the typical boogeymen that the uneducated see. I know there's a problem with dire wolves and various plants, as well as signs of a possible dragon lair. Nothing conclusive on the last."
[14:43] <Gildas> "Ah... one other question, is there a clergyman in town? I would like to confirm something before we go anywhere, if possible."
[14:49] <Kotono> "There's an acolyte," is the reply you get, "Father Berryman. He spends his evenings painting the starscapes around town. Go out and find a eisel and a lit lantern. You can't miss him."
[14:49] * Gildas nods. "I will speak to him. Thank you, sir."
[14:58] <Kotono> After dinner, the two head out. You find the clergyman at the edge of town. A large lantern provides light while he sits on a stool. His gaze is skyward as he paints away, staring at the starry sky. He's a smaller fellow, skinny as a pole and wearing simple, paint stained clothes. His hair his hidden under a paint stained kerchief.
[14:59] * Gildas will take a moment to admire the scenery before politely clearing his throat.
[15:00] * Feather gives his attention to the painting, waiting for Gildas to broach his topic.
[15:01] <Kotono> The fellow puts his brush down before turning to Gildas. He's cleanshaven with big, bushy black eyebrows. "Yeah?" he asks, "Out of towners?"
[15:03] <Feather> "That about sums it up," Feather agrees. "The mayor's been kind enough to put us up for a bit." He keeps from meeting the other man's eyes, however, to prevent an unfavorable reaction.
[15:04] * Gildas nods to Feather. "That is correct. I was hoping you might be able to offer some assistance to us. I believe my friend may be under the effects of a Fey Death curse... and thought you might have the knowledge to determine if that were the case."
[15:06] <Kotono> "I'm afraid not," he says, "I deal in the spiritual, not the fey." Now turning his attention to the both of you, "If you need a simple benediction or spell I can manage that."
[15:07] <Gildas> He lets out a small sigh. "Do you by any chance know if anyone in town might be practiced in the arts to remove a curse... or an enchantment?"
[15:08] <Kotono> Here he shakes his head, "I can manage some healing, but not the removal of a curse. My gifts lie in the paint and the pulpit, not the weavings of greater blessings. I'm the best in town, so you'll need to look elsewhere for a cursebreaker."
[15:09] <Gildas> He nods. "We may need the healing anyway. Thank you."
[15:12] <Kotono> "If it's not an emergency, seek me out during the daylight hours. If you need healing right away, have a villager come find me." he says.
[15:13] <Gildas> "Thank you again." He nods and will return, since there doesn't seem to be much else to ask here.
[15:13] <Kotono> OOC: Going to hit the books again then?
[15:14] <Feather> OOC: sure
[15:14] <Gildas> OOC: Aye.

[Nephrite]

[12:37] <Koaway> -----------
[12:38] * Muirfinn has quit IRC (Quit: )
[12:39] <Koaway> The weather outside is sunny again providing excellent light to read by. You get through the rest of the collection today - and you find another book of interest. It is titled 'Fairy Dragons and Fairy Curses'.
[12:40] <Feather> Fairy curses sounds pretty relevant!
[12:42] * Koaway is now known as Kotono
[12:43] * Kobot has joined #dunes
[12:44] <Gildas> roll 1d4 lesser restoration
[12:44] <Kobot> Gildas rolled 1d4 lesser restoration --> [ 1d4=4 ]{4}
[12:45] <Gildas> Indeed, Gildas will look through the book with Feather!
[12:47] <Kotono> The book describes 'fairy dragons'. It claims that the fey have been known to kidnap dragons and take them into the fairy realm, creating fairy dragons. Fairy dragons are half fey and half dragon, sometimes ridden by powerful fey knights. It goes into considerable detail about them, noting they have immunity to illusions and enchantments as a result of the fey's magic, as well as the ability to
[12:47] <Kotono> see the invisible. However, they have a weaker breath weapon - in part because the energy of it is borrowed by the fey to power their curses. This makes a fey's curse stronger - and the curse of dragon riding fey knights to be exceptionally strong - including death curses.
[12:49] <Gildas> He taps the page again, probably around the word curse and glances at Feather. "I'm not convinced you have been afflicted with a Fairy Dragon's Fey Knight's death curse at the moment... but I suppose it is something to keep in mind."
[12:50] <Feather> "A dragon would've been hard to miss, I reckon," Feather says drily.
[12:50] <Gildas> "Didn't the professor mention something about rumors of a dragon? We ought to be careful if we head that way."
[12:52] <Kotono> OOC: Okay, so you've finished with the books. Now what are y'all gonna do?
[12:52] <Feather> "Rather than any curse, I'd be wary of actual dragons," Feather says with a shrug. "Might as well go take a look for now, see if those rumors have anything to them?"
[12:52] <Gildas> He nods.
[12:52] <Gildas> OOC: I think we're heading to the ...north, was it?
[12:53] <Kotono> OOC: Okay then.
[12:54] <Kotono> The rest of the day passes in rest and preparation. The next say is sunny again as you head out - but soon enough you pass into the gloom of the woods, shadows overtaking all. (More)
[12:54] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[12:54] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=63 ]{63}
[12:54] <Kotono> OOC: Make survival checks you two?
[12:55] <Feather> roll 1d20+8
[12:55] <Kobot> Feather rolled 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=6 ]{14}
[12:55] <Gildas> roll 1d20+12
[12:55] <Kobot> Gildas rolled 1d20+12 --> [ 1d20=12 ]{24}
[12:58] <Kotono> Within an hour of leaving town, you find the way ahead thick and purely untamed forest. The going is slow for another half hour, the party skirting around a few patches of nettles and poison ivy. As you go on, Gildas notices something ahead. The vegetation above gets a little thinner, and the trees have strange patches where the bark is gone.
[12:59] <Gildas> He tilts his head a bit and indicates with his hand the area. "What do you make of that? Something borrowing from the woods to create a nest?" He ponders, unsure of exactly what it means.
[13:00] <Feather> roll 1d20+8 K:N
[13:00] <Kobot> Feather rolled 1d20+8 K:N --> [ 1d20=12 ]{20}
[13:03] <Kotono> Looking up at the odd patches, Feather can see it looks as if the bark has been burnt off. As if large patches of the tree were exposed to something that burned the bark away. This stirs a memory Feather heard once - something about acidic tree-slimes that fall from below.
[13:03] <Kotono> *above
[13:03] * Feather instinctively looks up!
[13:03] <Kotono> OOC: Make a spot check.
[13:04] <Feather> roll 1d20+7
[13:04] <Kobot> Feather rolled 1d20+7 --> [ 1d20=7 ]{14}
[13:04] <Kotono> Feather can see them - several fist sized blobs of green slime. They cling to the tree branches far above you, blending in well to the canopy above.
[13:05] <Feather> Cursing, he gestures at the blobs, saying, "See those? Slimes, nasty acid ones."
[13:05] <Gildas> He looks up and squints. "Ah. ...Well, should we just try and pass through here quickly and avoid them, then?"
[13:06] <Feather> "Better make a detour, I reckon. Don't want to make camp in a place teaming with those things."
[13:06] * Gildas nods.
[13:08] * Feather starts to cautiously make his way around the area of the acid-scorched trees.
[13:09] * Gildas will follow him, moving carefully.
[13:10] <Kotono> Going around is a long slog, but gets you around the slimes without any danger. Soon enough you continue on...(More)
[13:10] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[13:10] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=41 ]{41}
[13:10] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[13:10] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=6 ]{6}
[13:12] <Kotono> The noon hour comes and the party takes a brief meal. It's unremarkable. Soon after resuming, the party comes on a field. The underbrush is gone, though the canopy above is still intact. The ground is full of mushrooms. From floppy-hat styled ones to toadstools to spotted mushroom caps, you can see so many. The field stretches on a good 200ft before ending ahead.
[13:13] <Gildas> OOC: K:N check to identify the mushrooms?
[13:13] <Kotono> OOC: Sure.
[13:13] <Gildas> roll 1d20+11
[13:13] <Kobot> Gildas rolled 1d20+11 --> [ 1d20=8 ]{19}
[13:14] <Kotono> There are all sorts of mushrooms here, ranging from the edible to the poisonous. It's unnatural - mushrooms don't grow like this or this blended.
[13:15] <Gildas> "This is quite peculiar." He looks around. "These mushrooms shouldn't be growing together like this."
[13:15] <Feather> "Should be fine so long we don't take none," Feather muses. "If someone's growing them, we should just walk around it and avoid any trouble, I reckon."
[13:16] <Gildas> "I have a feeling we're nearing something powered by fey magic... or influence." He crinkles his nose. "Let us be on the lookout."
[13:17] <Feather> "Sure. Always doing that in these woods to begin with, though."
[13:18] <Gildas> "Indeed." He nods and will try and find a way around the mushroom field.
[13:18] <Kotono> There's nothing stopping you from going around - it's a wide field but it won't take long to go around.
[13:19] <Gildas> He will go around, then!
[13:21] <Kotono> Thus the party goes around! At about halfway you hear a voice from the mushroom patch and a bit behind you. It's a woman's voice, soft and silky, "Wait," she calls, "Come visit me...I'm lonely."
[13:21] <Gildas> He will glance at Feather.
[13:23] <Feather> "Who might you be?" Feather asks, pausing.
[13:26] <Kotono> "Myann," The voice from the mushroom patch calls. "You're strong enough to hear my voice. Come visit, please. It's been so long."
[13:27] <Feather> "Don't know if I could keep your mushrooms safe," Feather points out, nevertheless approaching the patch.
[13:28] * Gildas is a bit less sure and stays back for now.
[13:31] <Kotono> Coming to the patch, a vision appears before you. She is pale skinned with a hint of caramel to her coloring. She is clad in a red dress and has a short crop of white hair. Despite that she is not old, appearing to be twenty something. She is almost there but not quite, a faintly ghostly quality to her. Behind her is a house in the shape of a mushroom, including windows. She holds a hand out,
[13:31] <Kotono> "I promise I won't hurt you." Looking into Feather's eyes, "You aren't the only victim of the fey."
[13:33] * Feather hardly believes promises from such suspicious people, but there is no way to get anywhere if he keeps on avoiding the very people who might hold a clue for curing his eyes, either. "Name's Feather," he tells her. "This patch is some sorta fey portal to your home, then?"
[13:34] <Kotono> "No." Shaking her head with a sad smile, "It's my prison, my punishment for striking one of the Sidhe."
[13:35] * Gildas is still wary, but does take a few steps closer. Not as close as Feather, though.
[13:35] <Feather> "So people can come over as they please, but they can never leave?"
[13:36] <Kotono> "Most can't see the mushroom patch or myself, and most of the ones that can see the patch aren't strong enough to see me." So she answers, "The only prisoner is myself. Others have come and gone."
[13:37] <Feather> "You don't say," Feather muses. "So how does it work? I take your hand, step forward, and I'm there?"
[13:38] <Kotono> "Just come towards me." She smiles slightly, tinged with sadness. "It's not like a portal into the realms of the Sidhe."
[13:39] * Feather tries doing so, asking, "So how long's it been since you got stuck here?"
[13:40] <Kotono> "I've lost count. I was born an elf, but I fear I've outlived that." she says, Feather coming closer. Things seem more solid now, "Will your friend come as well?" Looking to him, "You're welcome to come as well."
[13:42] * Feather shrugs, lacking the answer to that. "So what happened?" he asks. "Who did you kill to get stuck like this? And what over?"
[13:42] <Gildas> He frowns, considering his options. "You will have to forgive my trepidation." He resigns himself and decides to ultimately step forward as well.
[13:48] <Kotono> "A Sidhe who changed our crops into mushrooms. Mushrooms that drive those that ate them to hallucinations and violent madness. My family..." She trails off her, going silent. She looks down, one arm wrapped around herself. "I struck it. The Sidhe was stunned when my bare hands wounded it. It shrieked that my blood was impure and cursed me." Gesturing about, "This is the last remnant of my family's
[13:48] <Kotono> lands. Instead of crops, only mushrooms grow here. Instead of a farmhouse, I have that house behind me."
[13:49] <Feather> "And if you try to leave?"
[13:51] <Kotono> Myann walks to the edge of the patch. As she reaches it, she simply appears by the house once more. She spreads her arms after, "No matter what I try, going to the edge of the patch sends me back here."
[13:52] <Feather> "It ain't proper, what was done to you," Feather says empathically, shaking his head.
[13:53] <Gildas> "I'm somehow doubtful we could get them to reverse this, though... Though, I suppose anything is possible." He looks around at the field and the mushroom house. "Perhaps the one who did this has passed on."
[13:55] <Kotono> "I wish I knew." With a sad smile again, she asks, "Would you care for something to drink?"
[13:57] <Gildas> "I will pass, but thank you."
[13:57] <Feather> "Wouldn't say no to that," Feather responds, coming closer to the house now. "Dunno how likely it is to find ways to break the curse. But that's what we're out here to do. Find someone to do away with these eyes." He taps the side of his head.
[13:57] <Feather> "If we find a good lead, I'll be sure to ask about your curse too."
[14:00] <Kotono> "I..." Her eyes widen and her cheeks stain red, "Thank you! I was going to ask!" That comes out in a tumble.
[14:02] <Feather> "It's only right we do, it is!" Feather insists. "Don't got much to go on so far, though. Just some hints of a scholar a couple days to the north," he muses. "If you know some place we could try, something outside this trap for you, we'll go and take a proper look as well."
[14:03] <Gildas> He stays quiet for now.
[14:06] <Kotono> "I don't. But! If you keep looking for me and promise to come back if you find something? I'll give you my treasures as thanks." Looking to Feather and a moment to Gildas, "Are you willing?"
[14:07] <Gildas> "I do not think that is an unreasonable offer."
[14:08] <Feather> "It's only right to keep looking," Feather tells her.
[14:11] <Kotono> Sniffling and wiping at her suddenly wet eye, "Thank you!" she says with a growing smile, before dashing off inside. She comes back with a treasure chest, dotted red and white like a mushroom cap. "Here. You can take whatever you like from inside. The cloth-wrapped hand and a half-er is enchanted. It's named High Justifier and strengthens the user's courage. It's said to have been found in the
[14:11] <Kotono> ruins of Tanthan Dalure on the body of one of the twenty Knighthands."
[14:15] <Gildas> He glances to Feather and will take a look.
[14:15] <Feather> Though treasure is not his reason for helping, Feather sees no reason to turn the offer away and takes a look himself.
[14:17] <Kotono> OOC: Loot post.
[14:20] <Gildas> "Hm, I think these things are more up your alley than mine." He looks at the amber, though.
[14:20] <Kotono> OOC: Do you have any ranks in appraise or anything like that, Gildas?
[14:21] <Feather> "Fought a shadow just a few days ago," Feather muses, picking the bastard sword experimentally. "Would've been much easier with an enchanted blade, that's for sure."
[14:22] <Gildas> OOC: Just Spellcraft and K:N
[14:24] <Kotono> The sword has fine balance. It feels strong in Feather's hand, and at the same time he feels near fearless. Alive. Throbbingly alive and ready to take on the world! OOC: Make an int check then, Gildas.
[14:24] <Gildas> roll 1d20+2
[14:24] <Kobot> Gildas rolled 1d20+2 --> [ 1d20=15 ]{17}
[14:26] <Kotono> These are amber drops of elven make. They're worth decent money to a buyer, as they're pretty and relatively rare.
[14:26] <Gildas> He will take them, in case they're useful to trade to someone!
[14:26] <Gildas> "We will ensure you are not forgotten." He adds upon taking them.
[14:28] <Feather> "This is magic, alright," Feather says, nodding, and then he smiles at their hostess. "How about that drink, then? We're in no hurry to go, I figure."
[14:28] <Kotono> OOC: If anyone's taking anything, post it in the loot thread.
[14:30] <Kotono> "Thank you," Smiling radiantly now, wiping away more tears, "Y-yes! In here!" You're lead inside. Everything is mushroom styled, down to toadstool seats and mushroom printed cups. It's well decorated, like a rich woman's room with an overwhelming mushroom design style.
[14:31] <Feather> It must be a horrible reminder of her situation, and Feather avoids bringing it up. Instead, he finds himself a seat and waits to be served.
[14:32] <Kotono> Your drink is cold water that smells faintly of mushrooms. "Thank you," she repeats, "Most that see me refuse to come within the patch, or flee from it right away. They scream about the curses of the Fair Folk."
[14:32] <Gildas> "I am sorry you have suffered so long because of someone's selfishness." He frowns.
[14:34] <Feather> "There must be decent ones, like with most races," Feather muses. "But all fey I've come across, they were up to no good and messing with innocent people. If standing up to that gets you cursed by one, it's not someone you run away from, but a decent sort you try to help however you can."
[14:36] <Kotono> "Hah." With a little laugh, "Isn't that the truth? Mother and father told me tales about the Sidhe as a child. I never thought I'd come across one. They were just fairy tales." Drinking her own water, "How did you two run afoul of the Sidhe?"
[14:38] <Gildas> That was a long story, but he figured Feather had been slightly more affected, so he'd let him tell it, if he so chose.
[14:39] <Feather> "There was one putting children to magical sleep we couldn't wake them from, and pitting humans and centaurs against each other. Got the centaurs to abduct a human child and try to send her across to the fairy realm -- or sacrifice her to them. We never found out. Just stopped the kidnappers, stopped the fey, then found a way to bring the kids back." Feather sighs. "Whole thing ended with the
[14:39] <Feather> centaur kids being cared for by the human village, and me and Porridge -- traveling with us, he is -- getting these eyes for our so-called insolence. Still, better than than blind, I reckon."
[14:43] * Kobot has quit IRC (Ping timeout)
[14:44] * Kotono has quit IRC (Broken pipe)
[14:44] * Kotono has joined #dunes
[14:44] * ChanServ sets mode: +qo Kotono Kotono
[14:45] * Kobot has joined #dunes
[14:45] * Hatbot has joined #dunes
[14:46] <Kotono> "You got off lightly compared to myself," Myann agrees with a hint of a sigh lacing her voice. Bowing her head as she looks down into her water, "Such cruelty."
[14:46] * Kobot has quit IRC (Quit: )
[14:47] * Feather can only nod to that. It's true, after all.
[14:47] <Gildas> "I cannot understand the situation you find yourself in... but if it offers you any comfort, we will do what we can to let you return to your own world." He nods to Feather. "No one deserves this."
[14:51] <Kotono> "I'm in both of your debts," she says, "Be careful. I don't know if the Sidhe will be happy if you try and free me."
[14:53] <Gildas> "Then we will simply impress upon them the severity of the situation." It was not a threat, necessarily... simply a fact.
[14:53] * Feather cracks a grin. "Well said!"
[15:01] <Kotono> Smiling, Myann raises her glass, "Cheers to that!"
[15:01] <Kotono> OOC: Do y'all wanna hang around and talk with her or continue on, by the by?
[15:02] <Feather> OOC: Let's continue, we'll stop by on our way back whatever we find at the destination
[15:03] <Gildas> OOC: ^^^
[15:04] <Kotono> Soon after the party continues on. You are bid a fond farewell as you continue your forest journey!
[15:04] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[15:04] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 36." [1d100=36]
[15:04] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[15:04] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 95." [1d100=95]
[15:05] <Kotono> The rest of the afternoon goes without incident. As the party settles in...OOC: Are y'all keeping any sort of watch or just resting overnight?
[15:05] <Feather> OOC: Let's keep a watch, I'll be first
[15:06] <Gildas> OOC: That's fine.
[15:07] <Kotono> As Gildas sleeps, the watch wears on. The crackle of your campfire is a soft counterpoint to the noises of the forest. OOC: Make a perception check, Gildas?
[15:08] <Kotono> OOC: Er, Feather.
[15:08] <Feather> roll 1d20+7
[15:08] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+7 and gets 25." [1d20=18]
[15:11] <Kotono> There's a rustle in the branches above, Feather's ears catching it.
[15:12] <Feather> The bastard sword resting upon his knees is raised into a proper guarding position as Feather stands up, looking in the direction of the noise.
[15:16] <Kotono> Feather doesn't see anything above in the dark canopy. He hears another rustling, however.
[15:17] * Feather shifts closer to Gildas and kicks at his foot with enough strength to wake him up. Then, he calls upon the dancing lights cantrip to illuminate the area where the rustling is coming from, just in case.
[15:21] <Kotono> As Gildas stirs and returns to the land of the living? 50ft above you is a throbbing red mass! It's the size of a horse, making several branches sag. Long red tendrils dangle from it, covered in green leaves.
[15:22] <Feather> "What the--"
[15:24] <Kotono> OOC: Y'all can make K:N on it if you care to.
[15:24] <Gildas> He shoots awake at the kick, moving to stand. "I see you've brought me into your nightmare on this one."
[15:24] <Gildas> roll 1d20+11
[15:24] <Feather> roll 1d20+8
[15:24] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+11 and gets 17." [1d20=6]
[15:24] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+8 and gets 14." [1d20=6]
[15:27] <Kotono> Neither knows what the hell that is - but you dont have much more time to reflect, as tendrils fall down towards the party! OOC: Init here.
[15:27] <Kotono> roll 1d20+1 ???
[15:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+1 ??? and gets 4." [1d20=3]
[15:27] * Kotono changes topic to '???(4)'
[15:28] <Feather> roll 1d20+3
[15:28] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+3 and gets 23." [1d20=20]
[15:28] * Kotono changes topic to 'Feather (23)>???(4)'
[15:28] * Kotono changes topic to 'Feather(23)>???(4)'
[15:29] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7
[15:29] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+7 and gets 9." [1d20=2]
[15:29] * Kotono changes topic to 'Feather(23)>Gildas(9)>???(4)'
[15:29] <Kotono> OOC: Go Feather.
[15:31] * Feather waits for the very last moment to react, which is when his bastard sword would come down on the tendril headed his way!
[15:32] <Kotono> OOC: Waiting for it to come downt hen?
[15:32] <Feather> OOC: Ready action to hit it when it's in range?
[15:33] <Kotono> OOC: Okay then. Gildas.
[15:34] <Gildas> Gildas will shift into his bear form and wait with Feather, since he can't very well leap at it... Or can he?! No, he can't.
[15:36] <Kotono> A split second later the vines are just about down, ready to lash at the two! OOC: Go ahead and take your held actions, y'all.
[15:38] <Gildas> He will pounce and bite at the monstrosity!
[15:38] <Gildas> roll 1d20+6
[15:38] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+6 and gets 8." [1d20=2]
[15:38] * Feather brings the lightning-charged sword down upon the vine!
[15:39] <Feather> roll 1d20+8
[15:39] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+8 and gets 16." [1d20=8]
[15:40] <Kotono> OOC: Gildas misses, FEather hits.
[15:40] <Feather> roll 1d10+5+5d6
[15:40] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d10+5+5d6 and gets 33." [1d10=9][5d6=6, 3, 1, 3, 6]
[15:42] <Kotono> Gildas leaps in but can't bite through the tough plant-vine! Meanwhile Feather slashes out! His blade crackles white-purple with lightning as it slices through a vine, cutting it away! A second later the surviving vine lashes at Gildas!
[15:42] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 AC?
[15:42] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 AC? and gets 23." [1d20=15]
[15:42] <Gildas> OOC: 20
[15:43] <Kotono> roll 1d6+4 and improved grab is a go
[15:43] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6+4 and improved grab is a go and gets 8." [1d6=4]
[15:43] <Kotono> roll 1d20+12 CMD?
[15:43] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 CMD? and gets 26." [1d20=14]
[15:43] <Gildas> OOC: 23
[15:44] <Kotono> roll 1d4+4 extra damage and you're grappled, another line coming
[15:44] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+4 extra damage and you're grappled, another line coming and gets 7." [1d4=3]
[15:44] <Kotono> The vine lashes out, wrapping around Bear-Gildas like a snake! Sharp pain follows, as it feels like a dozen needles jab him all over from the vine! It's squeezing tight, driving sharp things into him! OOC: Ow. Feather, go.
[15:45] * Feather darts to Gildas's rescue, his sword poised to cut the vine and free the bear!
[15:46] <Feather> roll 1d20+10
[15:46] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+10 and gets 21." [1d20=11]
[15:46] <Feather> roll 1d10+5+5d6+1d6 skirmish
[15:46] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d10+5+5d6+1d6 skirmish and gets 34." [1d10=7][5d6=1, 5, 4, 3, 6][1d6=3]
[15:46] * Feather leaps back afterwards, to prevent serving as a single target.
[15:48] <Kotono> OOC: Ack, it's nearly 4. I need to get up and go already. We'll resume here tomorrow - you severed the vine and ungrappled Gildas. I'll go into it to start tomororw.

[Nephrite]

[12:30] <Kotono> ---
[12:31] <Kotono> > The vine lashes out, wrapping around Bear-Gildas like a snake! Sharp pain follows, as it feels like a dozen needles jab him all over from the vine! It's squeezing tight, driving sharp things into him! OOC: Ow. Feather, go.
[12:31] <Kotono> * Feather darts to Gildas's rescue, his sword poised to cut the vine and free the bear!
[12:31] <Kotono> <Feather> roll 1d20+10
[12:31] <Kotono> * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+10 and gets 21." [1d20=11]
[12:31] <Kotono> <Feather> roll 1d10+5+5d6+1d6 skirmish
[12:31] <Kotono> * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d10+5+5d6+1d6 skirmish and gets 34." [1d10=7][5d6=1, 5, 4, 3, 6][1d6=3]
[12:31] <Kotono> * Feather leaps back afterwards, to prevent serving as a single target.
[12:31] <Kotono> > OOC: Ack, it's nearly 4. I need to get up and go already. We'll resume here tomorrow - you severed the vine and ungrappled Gildas. I'll go into it to start tomororw.
[12:32] <Kotono> Feather's leap forward brings the High Justifier slashing through the vine! It's cut away, loosening around Gildas as it is severed! It falls away, a dozen needle-sharp roots dripping blood as they fall away from the druid! OOC: Go Gildas. There's two more tendrils falling towards the party.
[12:33] <Gildas> The injured bear will go after another one of those vines with his nasty, big, pointy teeth!
[12:33] <Gildas> roll 1d20+6
[12:33] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+6 and gets 18." [1d20=12]
[12:35] <Kotono> OOX: Hit.
[12:36] <Gildas> roll 1d6+6
[12:36] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d6+6 and gets 11." [1d6=5]
[12:38] <Kotono> Chomp! Gildas bites in deep, tearing away yet another vine! Three now litter the ground, as a fourth swoops down and lashes out at Feather!
[12:38] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 AC?
[12:38] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 AC? and gets 24." [1d20=16]
[12:39] <Feather> OOC: Hits easily
[12:40] <Kotono> roll 1d6+4 and improved grab times
[12:40] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6+4 and improved grab times and gets 5." [1d6=1]
[12:40] <Kotono> roll 1d20+12 CMD?
[12:40] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 CMD? and gets 27." [1d20=15]
[12:41] <Feather> OOC: 20
[12:41] <Kotono> roll 1d4+4 and now grappled
[12:41] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+4 and now grappled and gets 8." [1d4=4]
[12:41] <Kotono> The vine lashes out, whipping around Feather! It squeezes him tight, needle-roots stabbing into him as his ribs are painfully compressed! OOC: Ow. Feather, go.
[12:43] <Feather> Rather than try to swing his now-unwieldly sword, Feather grabs the vine back and does his utmost to channel electricity directly into it!
[12:43] <Feather> roll 1d20+4+1 concentration
[12:43] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+4+1 concentration and gets 19." [1d20=14]
[12:44] <Feather> roll 1d20+7 touch
[12:44] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+7 touch and gets 25." [1d20=18]
[12:44] <Feather> roll 5d6 elec
[12:44] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 5d6 elec and gets 17." [5d6=2, 4, 5, 2, 4]
[12:46] <Kotono> OOC: Doesn't pass concentration since the DC's 20 for grappling.
[12:47] <Kotono> Feather tries to channel the wrath of storms into his hand, but he can't manage to focus his will! The constant squeezing and pain holds him back! OOC: Ow. Okay Gildas, go.
[12:47] <Gildas> The angry bear will try and help his companion out of the vines by... well, tearing them apart!
[12:47] <Gildas> roll 1d20+6
[12:47] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+6 and gets 10." [1d20=4]
[12:48] <Kotono> The furious bear leaps at the vine, chewing on it in vain as he tries to tear it apart! Yet despite this he can't, as the vine rises up, Feather in hand! It rises up 25ft, halfway to the red mass above! OOC: Okay. Go Feather.
[12:49] <Feather> roll 1d20+5
[12:49] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+5 and gets 14." [1d20=9]
[12:50] * Feather flails helplessly.
[12:50] <Kotono> Feather flails, trying to escape the grappling grasp! But he's held tight above as...OOC: Okay, go Gildas.
[12:50] <Gildas> OOC: Can...I even reach it anymore?
[12:50] <Kotono> OOC: It's 25ft up. Not without a ranged option.
[12:51] <Gildas> OOC: Then I guess I have to pass since there's nothing I can actually hit it with.
[12:52] <Kotono> OOC: Okay then.
[12:52] <Kotono> roll 1d20+12 grapple check to inflict more needle damage CMD?
[12:52] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 grapple check to inflict more needle damage CMD? and gets 22." [1d20=10]
[12:52] <Kotono> roll 1d4+4
[12:52] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+4 and gets 8." [1d4=4]
[12:53] <Kotono> Pain flares through Feather as more of his blood is sucked! The single tendril takes up him to the mass, holding him tightly! Before him an opening appears within it, vaguely like am outh! OOC: Go Feather.
[12:53] * Feather can only try to use his last spell to try and electrocute the monster before he's eaten.
[12:53] <Feather> roll 1d20+5
[12:53] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+5 and gets 8." [1d20=3]
[12:54] <Kotono> But Feather can't move at all, concentration breaking as the mouth comes even closer! OOC: Go Gildas. If you hav eany ideas, now's the time.
[12:55] <Gildas> The bear, helpless to do anything, will shapeshift back and quickly go for a scroll in his pack!
[12:55] <Kotono> OOC: What scroll?
[12:55] <Gildas> OOC: I am going to use a Scroll of Soften Earth and Stone to weaken the ground around the trees, to hopefully knock them enough such that the monster falls. Or at least is disturbed.
[12:55] <Kotono> OOC: Okay.
[12:57] <Kotono> Gildas transforms back and goes into his pack, getting the scroll! Meanwhile, the vine pushes Feather into the plant-mouth! It lets go, as he's sucked in! He's surrounded all over by fetid warmth, the scent of rotting meat all around him as darkness comes! The mouth behind him closes, plunging him into darkness! He can feel the sting of acid around him, pain starting! OOC: Go Feather. You're
[12:57] <Kotono> stuck in the maw of this thing and you're pretty sure you're on the road to being digested. May wanna do something about that.
[12:59] <Feather> With a roar of anger, Feather brings the sword that had been so useless in the grip of the vine down into that foul surface he is struggling to stand on!
[12:59] <Feather> roll 1d20+8
[12:59] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+8 and gets 25." [1d20=17]
[12:59] <Kotono> OOC: Hit. Damage.
[12:59] <Feather> roll 1d10+5
[12:59] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d10+5 and gets 7." [1d10=2]
[13:00] <Kotono> With a mighty slash Feather manages to rip a second mouth, momentarily revealing a path out! But it's a straight drop down, only a few branches with any chance to land on before the hard, unyielding ground 50ft below! OOC: You still have your move action if you wanna try and get out or something.
[13:01] <Gildas> OOC: Isn't he wearing those gloves that prevent falling damage?
[13:01] <Kotono> OOC: Oh yeah, so he is.
[13:02] * Feather doesn't stay inside, diving through the newly-made opening! He flips in midair, holding his sword ahead of him; the ground is not something that worries him at this moment.
[13:02] <Kotono> Feather leaps down! His feather bracers grow warm as he lands nimbly down, completely undamaged by the fall! OOC: Those just earned their keep. Go Gildas.
[13:03] <Gildas> Since Feather is out, he decides instead to run over and invigorate his companion with a Cure Light Wounds!
[13:04] <Gildas> roll 1d8+4 healing
[13:04] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d8+4 healing and gets 11." [1d8=7]
[13:06] <Kotono> Feather's wounds greatly heal themselves, a dozen needle-wounds fading to whole flesh and the pain of his busted ribs soothed as they heal! Above you the great red mass throbs and thrases, intact tendril shaking wildly in the air! The hole Feather escaped from closes shut, leaking grass-green acid that hisses when it hits the trees! Its tendril rises up and lashes far above you! From it those
[13:06] <Kotono> needles launch down, a rain of them at the party! OOC: Ref saves, you two. Note if you have evasion or anything.
[13:06] <Feather> roll 1d20+3
[13:06] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+3 and gets 12." [1d20=9]
[13:06] <Gildas> OOC: I do have Evasion.
[13:06] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7
[13:06] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+7 and gets 17." [1d20=10]
[13:07] <Kotono> roll 1d4+4 Feather full Gildas none
[13:07] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+4 Feather full Gildas none and gets 8." [1d4=4]
[13:08] <Kotono> Needles rain down! Gildas deftly dodges aside, moving like the wind to avoid each and every one! Meanwhile Feather can only brace as he's needled all over, several of them sticking out of him! But thanks to timely healing, he can take it! Meanwhile the great red mass above begins to roll upwards, retreating 10ft up!
[13:08] <Kotono> OOC: Go Feather.
[13:13] <Feather> After going over his options, Feather decides to wait for the beast's next move. Should it retreat, all is well. And if it attacks again, he will be ready to react in time.
[13:13] <Kotono> OOC: Okay then. Gildas.
[13:13] <Gildas> He mometarily contemplates using the scroll he took out, but decides that discretion is the better part of valor and waits as well, frowning.
[13:15] <Kotono> The red mass rises higher up into the canopy, vanishing away into the shadows and leaves. Silence falls, followed by simple exhaustion borne from wounds and battle. OOC: Free act.
[13:15] <Feather> "What the fuck!?"
[13:16] <Gildas> "I am just as confused as you. I've never seen such a creature before..." He lets out a breath. "Are you all right? I'm sorry I did not react faster, I forgot I had the scrolls with me."
[13:17] <Feather> "No. Who would be, after that?" Feather shudders. "We better go. Pack our things, make camp far away from this place."
[13:18] <Gildas> "Very well."
[13:18] <Kotono> OOC: How far ahead are you going to travel?
[13:18] <Feather> OOC: An hour
[13:18] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[13:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 83." [1d100=83]
[13:20] <Kotono> Your travel of an hour is tiring but without incident. Blood loss and broken sleep get to the two - by the time you reach a good campsite, you're both deeply fatigued. At least it's a good sight, right by a river with a clearing and no mud. The trees thin out slightly here, letting in a few glimpses of the starry sky above. OOC: Both of you are fatigued from blood loss and generally needing
[13:20] <Kotono> rest. Going to just rest, I presume? Any watches or spellcasting or whatever before that?
[13:20] <Gildas> OOC: I only need two hours.
[13:21] <Feather> OOC: I'll take the first watch again. And afterwards rest properly.
[13:21] <Kotono> OOC: Okay.
[13:21] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[13:21] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 38." [1d100=38]
[13:21] <Kotono> OOC: Go ahead and prepare spells, Gildas. Night passes without incident and into the morning for a full rest. Restore HP from a night's rest and remove that last point of STR damage.
[13:21] <Gildas> OOC: OK boss
[13:22] <Kotono> The next morning is a gentle one. By midmorning Feather's up, a few beams of sunlight breaking through here. It shines on the river - more like a big stream, really - and makes the water's surface sparkle. It's just barely warm and not even close to hot, wonderful weather for traveling. OOC: If you have any prep or spellcasting, now's the time.
[13:23] <Gildas> OOC: I changed out one spell and noted it on the sheet.
[13:24] <Kotono> OOC: Okay. Anything else before today's travel?
[13:26] <Feather> OOC: Not on my end
[13:26] <Gildas> OOC: Don't think so.
[13:26] <Kotono> OOC: Okay then.
[13:30] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[13:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 21." [1d100=21]
[13:31] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[13:31] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[13:31] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 54." [1d100=54]
[13:31] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 56." [1d100=56]
[13:31] <Kotono> This day's journey is long. You slip past a small lake, ford through a few rivers, avoid poisonous plants and generally have to work. However, it has no greater threats and the branches above you stay clear. The night passes as well, another day's rest. OOC: Restore HP from the night's rest, more coming.
[13:32] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[13:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 48." [1d100=48]
[13:32] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[13:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 26." [1d100=26]
[13:32] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[13:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 40." [1d100=40]
[13:33] <Kotono> The third day's travel is unremarkable if hard. Noon comes and goes, the terrain difficult and overall challenging. But it's nothing of note until about the mid-afternoon. It's here that you find a problem. Ahead is a wall, a wall of wood, plants and vines. It rises higher up than you can see and completely blocks the way ahead. It stretches farther than you can see in either direction, too.
[13:34] <Gildas> "...What in the world?" He glances around, and up. "Is this a tree...?"
[13:35] * Feather hesitates, before looking over for magic.
[13:36] <Kotono> The wall indeed radiates magic.
[13:37] <Feather> roll 1d20+8 spellcraft
[13:37] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+8 spellcraft and gets 22." [1d20=14]
[13:40] <Kotono> The wall radiates moderate conjuration. It seems to be some sort of souped up wall spell, like wall of stone or wall of ice.
[13:41] <Feather> "Looks similar to a wall of thorns, I reckon," Feather muses, leaning on the wall to see if it holds. "Could try going around it, unlesss you got some idea of how to cross it?"
[13:42] <Gildas> "Hm..." He considers for a moment.
[13:42] <Kotono> The wall's solid. Leaning on it doesn't do much of anything.
[13:44] <Gildas> "I think it's blocking where we need to go, so going through it would be the best... but I'm not sure I have any spells that can open this. Although...I could try something."
[13:45] * Feather nods. "No time like the present, then."
[13:47] <Gildas> "All right, please stand back. I am unsure of what will happen."
[13:47] * Feather gives Gildas all the space he needs to work with.
[13:47] <Gildas> Saying that, he takes a few steps away until he's about 30ft. from the wall and casts Flaming Sphere!
[13:47] <Gildas> OOC: The idea is to roll it into the wall and see what happens.
[13:48] <Kotono> A sphere of flaming power appears as cast! It rolls into the wall - and after a few moments, the vines and wall begin to burn!
[13:49] <Gildas> "If something erected it, I have a feeling they won't be happy about this..." He sighs and continues to direct the sphere.
[13:49] * Feather looks warily about himself at all the flammable trees surrounding them.
[13:50] <Kotono> The sphere goes about - and indeed, fire begins to spread amid the wall. Unfortunately, the natural thing happens: The fire is starting to spread from the wall! Oh sure, the wall's on fire, but it's not the only thing!
[13:52] <Feather> "Hey, hey, hey!"
[13:53] <Gildas> "Hm..." He doesn't seem worried, for some reason. He reaches into his pack and takes out a scroll.
[13:54] <Gildas> OOC: Scroll of Gust of Wind.
[13:54] <Kotono> The fire continues to spread in the meantime, the wall burning qutie well. OOC: Okay, lemme look that up.
[13:56] <Kotono> roll 1d100 since this could go a few ways
[13:56] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 since this could go a few ways and gets 30." [1d100=30]
[14:02] <Kotono> The wind and flames battle! The gust blows down the worst of the flames, but several little fires remain, as well as smouldering bits here and there. It's burned a hole through the wall at least.
[14:05] <Gildas> "I would feel more guilty if this were a natural creation and not an artificial one..." He looks around, ready to stamp out any other flames that might be cause for alarm.
[14:07] * Feather approaches cautiously, and peers through the newly-made passage.
[14:09] <Kotono> Ahead is more forest - and a few sparking bits of flame that look to have spread. They're doing the natural thing and starting to burn on the ground and all the underbrush.
[14:09] <Kotono> Gildas can see more than a few fires that could use a quick putting out - and they're not staying idle but slowly spreading.
[14:10] <Gildas> "Give me a moment, if you wish to investigate the other side, by all means." He crinkles his nose and will do what he needs to to put them out! It isn't fair for the rest of the forest to suffer.
[14:11] * Feather stomps out any remaining fires on this side before slipping through the opening and doing the same on the other side.
[14:12] <Kotono> OOC: Make K:N or Survival checks, whichever is higher for the both of you.
[14:12] <Feather> OOC: +8 for me, I'll aid?
[14:12] <Gildas> roll 1d20+12
[14:12] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+12 and gets 22." [1d20=10]
[14:12] <Feather> roll 1d20+8
[14:12] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+8 and gets 13." [1d20=5]
[14:14] <Kotono> It takes some time, but with your knowledge of how these things work, you're able to put out the fires. Including the little smouldering pockets and hotspots that could rekindle it. It takes a good twenty minutes to do so and you smell of smoke and ash, but it's done.
[14:14] <Gildas> "My apologies to you." He dusts himself off. "It was the most direct route I could think of."
[14:16] <Feather> "It was that," Feather mutters. "Direct." He looks at the other side of the wall. "I wonder if we should try climbing over the wall if it grows back and we have to leave."
[14:17] <Gildas> "I will prepare a different spell if it comes to that." He looks through the hole. "Shall we move on?"
[14:18] <Feather> "That's the plan."
[14:18] <Kotono> Thus you move on. Late afternoon brings you to a clearing. Quite a large one on a glance, but it's also cloaked in impossibly thick fog.  You can't see a thing into it at all, obscuring everything within.
[14:20] <Gildas> "Is this another magical hurdle...?" He looks around, squinting.

[Nephrite]

[12:44] <Feather> "Better stay close," Feather says, cautiously advancing into the fog.
[12:44] <Gildas> With some uneasiness, he follows.
[12:45] <Kotono> The fog is thick - thick as bunched up cotton. It's like trying to walk against it, each step barely progressing at all. Everything is lost in the fog - even your companion mere steps away becomes a hazy outline.
[12:46] * Feather takes his time, simply trying to follow the same direction and keep Gildas in sight.
[12:52] <Kotono> Step after step. It's like fighting against the air itself, dragging you further in! All light is lost into a hazy nothingness of fog - until at last you break through the other side! Before you is the clearing. It is full of wildflowers of all types, save for a single fairy-ring in the center. Around the fairy-ring floats dozens of motes of light, occasionally images of strange, almost humanoid
[12:52] <Kotono> things superimposed over them. Sitting cross-legged and floating in the air above the circle is a scrawny male elf. He is nude and unkempt, black hair long enough to reach the small of his back. A few twigs are caught in it, as well as leaves.
[12:53] <Gildas> He lets out a breath once they finally cross over, then raises an eyebrow at the elf. He looks over at Feather. "It is probably good that Porridge is not here."
[12:54] <Feather> "Hello there!" Feather calls out to him, seeing no reason to be shy now that they've found the person they were seeking. He gives Gildas a long look, but rather than respond returns his gaze to the elf. "Excuse the intrusion."
[12:55] <Kotono> A sound of fear and terror comes from around the elf. They are all too high pitched and teasing, yet utterly terrified. The motes of light scatter about and vanish! A split second later the male elf falls to the ground in a heap, managing to roll out of the circle a second later. He lies on the ground and stares up at the sky for several seconds.
[12:56] <Gildas> He blinks and frowns.
[12:56] <Feather> "Alright there, friend?"
[12:58] <Kotono> In a second the elf springs to his feet, snarling! "You DARE?!" he snaps in a deep, booming voice. His hands curl into claws, face twitching in rage!
[13:00] <Gildas> He holds his hands up defensively, quickly remembering one of the rules of the Vastwoods and blurts out "Uuma ma' ten' rashwe, ta tuluva a' lle... Alush?" The last part comes out unsure, because he's not entirely convinced a confrontation can be avoided at this point.
[13:03] <Kotono> Sticking to Common as he stares at the two, "Why. Are. You. HERE?!" he grinds out between clenched teeth.
[13:04] <Gildas> "Ah... that's a long story... perhaps we should make it as short as possible..." He looks warily at Feather.
[13:06] <Kotono> "Speak." A single word as the f igure takes a step closer. As he does, you can see his slim body starts to bulge with muscles.
[13:07] <Feather> "We come here asking for help," Feather says, not really thinking it a long tale at its core. "If simply being neighbourly isn't enough for that, I'm willing to do what I can in return," he continues. "We had a disagreement with the Fair Folk, and this looks like the best way to solve things. But we don't want no trouble."
[13:12] <Kotono> Slowly - very slowly - he breathes in and out. His body slackens, the muscles returning to normal. He straightens, a hand on his hip as he gives you a look over. "You can begin by going back out and finding seven four-leaf clovers. They're a part of the ritual you just ruined."
[13:15] * Feather dips his head in a nod. "Of course. Man's got to own up to his mistakes and make up for them. We'll be back after we get them clovers."
[13:15] <Kotono> OOC: Going to go out and clover hunt, then?
[13:15] <Gildas> His expression sours somewhat, but he doesn't say anything. He turns and will return the way he came with Feather!
[13:16] <Gildas> OOC: It seems so!
[13:16] <Feather> roll 1d20+8 K:N for places to find them
[13:16] <Kotono> OOC: Okay, make survival or search checks, whichever is better.
[13:16] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+8 K:N for places to find them and gets 19." [1d20=11]
[13:17] <Gildas> roll 1d20+12
[13:17] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+12 and gets 16." [1d20=4]
[13:23] <Kotono> It takes several hours, to duskfall, to find the four leaf clovers. The duo is dirty and tired after all that searching, but you have what the elf wanted. On your return he looks them over, "They'll do," he finally announces.
[13:25] <Feather> Despite his tiredness, Feather feels pleased with their success. "Glad to hear it," he tells the elf. "Do you need more for the ritual, or is the rest easily enough replaced?"
[13:28] <Kotono> "I do," he says, pointing to the circle, "Go in there, travel north amid the pine trees until you come to a lake. Draw a wineskin's worth of water and bring it back. Make sure not to spill a drop or you'll regret it."
[13:29] <Gildas> His expression sours again, but if Feather is willing to put up with it, he won't argue.
[13:29] <Feather> "Regret it?" Feather repeats curiously.
[13:31] <Kotono> "The nixies of that lake don't appreciate waste," The elf says, "Now get!"
[13:32] <Feather> "Makes sense," Feather agrees, inspecting his waterskin before stepping into the circle.
[13:33] <Gildas> He will follow!
[13:33] <Kotono> Stepping in the circle is like falling into a blizzard of pine needles and petals. When you step out, you find yourself in a small clearing. The trees are impossibly tall and thick around you, save for a single line of pine trees. There's a bit of space on either side of them, leading deeper in.
[13:36] * Feather heads north, keeping to the right of the trees.
[13:38] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[13:38] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 24." [1d100=24]
[13:42] <Kotono> You follow along the pine trees. As you do, you begin to hear something. The sound of flute and lutes, coming from all around you. It's a jaunty little tune, all energy and hope.
[13:43] <Gildas> "Hm." His ears perk up.
[13:44] <Feather> Some of his energy returns at the music, though Feather does not deter from his course.
[13:48] <Kotono> The music keeps up as you go along. Indeed, your energy replenishes as you advance on! Feather's aches and wounds mend as a general sense of power fills the both of you! As you go on, you come to an end of the path. Here is a large lake, stretching far and wide. The waters are perfectly clear, the lake so deep that you still can't glimpse a bottom despite the waters being clear. OOC: +2 morale
[13:48] <Kotono> bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls until further notice. Feather's HP is restored.
[13:50] * Feather approaches the lake and takes care to fill his waterskin without spilling any of the water.
[13:52] <Kotono> The water is warm as flesh, as warm as fever. It heats up the waterskin immediately - and as you watch, you can see veins spreading amid the leather of it, pulsing as fluid passes through them.
[13:52] <Gildas> He can only express how unsettling that looks with another sour expression.
[13:55] * Feather frowns, and sets about wrapping the tightly-closed waterskin up in a blanket, before he places the result in his waterproof bag. Then, not having any desires to taste water that warm, he stands up and starts heading back.
[13:58] <Kotono> As you begin to head back, the music becomes a triumphant march. A march of victory, playing along with you as you begin to head back.
[13:59] * Feather pumps his fist in the air, grinning to himself.
[13:59] <Gildas> "Well, it's nice that they're being so considerate..."
[14:00] <Kotono> The walk back is under this victory march. Nothing attacks you or bars your way, and you return to the elf without incident. He sits in the flowers, cross-legged and waiting.
[14:02] <Feather> "Got it right here," Feather announces, carefully retrieving the waterskin. "Hope it makes up some for our bad timing before, Friend."
[14:04] <Kotono> The waterskin is taken! He gives it a look before biting down on his lip. He then spits blood onto the waterskin before tossing it over his shoulder! As it flies back the blood expands, staining the entire waterskin red! It lands at the edge of the grove, only to grow before you! In mere seconds a full adult cow stands in place of the waterskin. It lets out a single mournful MOOOOO, before going
[14:04] <Kotono> down and taking a bite of grass. Yet the elf doesn't pay it any mind at all, "Tell me about your trip in there."
[14:06] <Gildas> "Hm? There was some invigorating music..." He looks at Feather to confirm.
[14:06] <Feather> Strange. Feather shakes his head to clear it, and shrugs at Gildas's words. "Invigorating's the right word. Turned triumphant when we were headed back. Didn't come across none that wanted to be seen."
[14:09] <Kotono> The man sits up, head resting on one hand while his other points ahead. He gestures with it like a bit of chalk, "Those eyes of yours have more than one type. The pixies would only play that music for one type of eyes."
[14:13] * Feather feels elation that their situation is far clearer now. The elf is either an expert on their sort of matter or insane, rather than any number of possibilities. "So what does a jaunty tune mean, or a victory march?"
[14:15] <Kotono> "You have eyes dedicated to the Foolish Hero," Answering as the cow wanders up to the elf, standing before him.
[14:17] * Feather snorts. "I can see how it would come to be, I guess. Much rather have my own eyes back, though."
[14:18] <Kotono> "You could," Waggling a finger, "But why? Those eyes have power and responsibility." Looking forward with a leer, "Play your cards right and you could become a knight to whoever gave them to you. Be part of the grand play of the world instead of another dumb extra."
[14:18] <Gildas> Recalling the circumstances that they were gifted under, he nods. Though it's a good thing Porridge wasn't there, he'd probably have something to say about that.
[14:21] <Feather> "Gotta admit they haven't been too bad, except the pain that one time I traveled through another of these rings." Feather gestures at the circle of wild flowers. "Let me see something others couldn't. Lead to trouble, though, that did." He shrugs. "In the end, it's all about a choice, innit? What's the point of becoming this knight if it's because you got no other way? Not much meaning in that
[14:21] <Feather> sorta thing. Me, I want to have some idea of how to get my eyes back to what they were, and then I'll decide if I go through with it."
[14:22] <Gildas> "Although I would have no qualms working with Lady Valisha... I agree with my comrade. He was not given a choice in the matter."
[14:23] <Kotono> "Lady Valisha gave you those eyes?" The elf stops, his attention like a searing laser on Gildas, "After her magnificence blinded you, I presume?"
[14:24] <Gildas> "Ah... just to my two companions." He gestures at Feather. "I... endured, I suppose you could say."
[14:24] * Feather snorts. "Yeah, you could say that."
[14:25] <Kotono> "I could remove them," He announces, "But doing so would bring offense to Lady Valisha. If you want them removed, you had best earn her permission first."
[14:28] <Feather> "That so?" Feather tilts his head in consideration. "Huh. Sounds easy, that part." He thinks about it a bit more, before nodding. "Yeah, not gonna do anything without getting Porridge first. Just don't seem fair to only get myself turned back to normal and not him too." Turning his mind to more practical matters, he asks, "So how would we meet her? Got to go to the same place we were at the
[14:28] <Feather> time?"
[14:30] <Kotono> "If it's in the fey realm," Nodding slightly, "May not be so simple," Waggling his finger again, "But it'll put you on the right track."
[14:30] <Feather> "So going over here and asking about would be all but useless?"
[14:33] <Kotono> "You wouldn't survive. The Thickeners don't like company," The elf says, bluntly.
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[14:34] * ChanServ sets mode: +o Merc
[14:38] <Gildas> "Well, I suppose we have little choice but to return and do what we can."
[14:38] <Feather> "Alright," Feather says, accepting this. "Then I've got a question about another's problem. We came across this woman, see. Myann, her name is. She's been trapped inside a mushroom patch for a century at least, seems like, for striking a Sidhe she said turned her friends and family all violent and gave them hallucinations. Even if that ain't cause to do that, punishment should be fitting a crime,
[14:38] <Feather> I reckon. There anything you could do to help?"
[14:39] <Gildas> He glances at Feather and hopes that his gut instinct on what's about to happen next is incorrect.
[14:40] <Kotono> At this the elf smirks. "Myann's still alive?" He chuckles low at that, "I thought she'd have managed to do herself in by now."
[14:42] <Gildas> It would seem it was not. He stays quiet.
[14:43] <Feather> "Was that you who cursed her?" Feather asks. "Or you just know of it?"
[14:45] <Kotono> "It wasn't by my hand," The elf says, "But I know of her."
[14:46] <Feather> "And she ain't some crazy murderer and liar, as far as you know?"
[14:55] <Kotono> "Oh, she's a killer," With a chuckle he goes on, waggling his fingers again, "Fools mistake her as one of the true Sidhe or as a monster."
[14:58] * Feather blinks. "You trying to say people tried to kill her after she got trapped there and she fought back?"
[14:59] <Kotono> "What else?" He answers back, "Fools, the lot of them. To think someone like that is an actual Sidhe and to have the audacity to fight them!"
[15:01] * Feather shakes his head. "Fools, alright," he easily agrees with that sentiment. "So, this Myann. From what I see, she served her sentence. How do I go about getting that across and setting her free?"
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[15:03] <Kotono> "The Sidhe that imprisoned her has a poetic side." Sitting back now, "If there is a birth and a death in her mushroom patch on the same day, she'll be freed."
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[15:04] <Gildas> "That is... rather specific."
[15:06] <Feather> "So if you brought two farm animals there and waited for one to give birth before killing the other, she goes free?"
[15:08] <Kotono> "It may work." The elf says, lying back with his legs slightly spread. "If the Sidhe hasn't left any more surprises for her."
[15:08] <Gildas> He glances at Feather but has no real comment.
[15:08] * Feather keeps his eyes on the elf's face, frowning. "Any way to check for that?"
[15:13] <Kotono> "A divination spell could help," he finally says, "But you don't look like clerics or augurs."
[15:14] <Feather> "Know one who is, though," Feather muses, before he nods resolutely. "That's enough for us to go on, I figure. Much appreciated, Friend."
[15:16] <Gildas> "Yes, thank you for your hospitality." He figures if the elf wants to give them his name, he can, be he won't ask for it, for fear of it seeming rude.
[15:17] <Kotono> The elf merely nods to that. "May fortune smile on you, for you live in interesting times."
[15:18] <Feather> "We do at that," Feather cheerfully agrees. "The same to you." He tips his head at the elf, and then turns to leave back the way they had originally came despite the hour.
[15:20] <Kotono> OOC: What are yourplans now? Traveling throught he night or setting up camp?
[15:21] <Gildas> OOC: I'd probably suggest resting before we go anywhere.
[15:21] <Feather> OOC: Get enough distance, say an hour's walk, then set up camp. Afterwards, the plans are stop by Myann and return.
[15:23] <Kotono> OOC: Okay. We'll pause here then since it's 7 minutes until our stop time.

[Nephrite]

[12:33] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[12:33] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 38." [1d100=38]
[12:37] <Kotono> Camp that night is a sleepy affair. Rest comes without quarrel. Feather takes his short shift and then sleeps, leaving Gildas to keep watch. It's perhaps two hours before dawn. It's the darkest part of the night, the Vastwoods cloaked in black. OOC: Perception check, Gildas.
[12:39] <Gildas> roll 1d20+10
[12:39] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+10 and gets 19." [1d20=9]
[12:40] <Kotono> As Gildas watches the evening drag on, he can hear a soft CLINK from...below? As if something metallic sounded in the ground.
[12:41] <Gildas> He blinks and stands up. "Feather!" He isn't sure what it is, but isn't going to take any chances and not warn his comrade.
[12:42] * Feather turns around in his bedroll, running a hand through his hair sleepily. "S'morning?"
[12:43] <Kotono> As Feather wakens, there is a louder CLINK from below. It sounds like metal on metal.
[12:44] <Gildas> "Not quite, yet... but I think you know why I woke you now." He looks around, but looks down at the ground ultimately. "What is that?"
[12:44] <Feather> "Huh?" Blinking, Feather slowly comes to his feet. "Uh. Miners?"
[12:46] <Kotono> There is another CLINK, this one softer than before.
[12:46] * Feather lights a torch, just in case.
[12:49] <Gildas> "Is it passing by...?" He tries to identify at least what direction it might be going in.
[12:49] <Kotono> Another clink -it sounds like it's going downward-ish? It's getting softer.
[12:51] <Gildas> "I think it's going deeper..." He frowns, since he's simply unsure of what it even is.
[12:51] * Feather begins packing up his gear methodically. "Best just get going ourselves. We can rest earlier after."
[12:53] <Gildas> He nods and will do likewise.
[12:57] <Kotono> As you pack up the clinking ceases entirely, quiet coming back to the campsite.
[12:58] * Feather decides to move on anyway.
[12:59] <Kotono> The next day dawns as the party travels ahead...
[12:59] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[12:59] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 81." [1d100=81]
[12:59] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[12:59] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 2." [1d100=2]
[13:00] <Kotono> A day's journey passes without incident. You've gone this way before and doing it again is easier the second time. The next day is rainy - great waterfalls come from the canopy above, the ground becoming sodden-wet. It's sometime in the early afternoon when the field of mushrooms comes into view.
[13:01] * Feather heads towards it, calling out, "Myann?
[13:03] <Kotono> As you come close the house appears, Myann coming out. "You're back!" Her face lights up, "Did you find anything out?" As you get closer, you notice no rain falls over the clearing.
[13:06] <Feather> Feather takes shelter from the elements upon that patch. "We got a good lead, we did," he affirms. "Heard from a sage 'bout the way to get you out. If something gets born here on the same day something dies, sounds like your curse gets broken." He frowns. "Thing is, there could be more mischief here. Wouldn't want to bring a pair of chickens for that only to have you turn into one when it's
[13:06] <Feather> done. So we were thinking of asking you to wait another week or two while we swing by the nearest town. They've got themselves this diviner priest, and he'll do his magic to see if it's safe."
[13:08] <Kotono> "I-I can do that," she says with a hopeful smile, "I can't do anything else but wait, anyway.
[13:08] <Kotono> "
[13:09] * Feather nods. "Glad to hear it. Now, if our priest friend isn't sure about the answer, it all comes down to your decision, I reckon. If we look for more information, or just try it based on what we know and hope for the best. So one way or the other, we'll be back within a couple weeks."
[13:09] <Gildas> Gildas has little to add to the story, so just also takes refuge from the rain in the patch.
[13:11] <Kotono> "Alright then," she says, "Reckon I can't do anything but wait." Taking a deep breath, "Would you like to come in and warm up from the weather?"
[13:11] <Feather> "Just for a little bit," Feather agrees, readily accepting her invitation.
[13:13] <Gildas> His expression doesn't change, but he has a bad feeling. "Very well." He nods, since this way at least he will accompany Feather.
[13:19] <Kotono> OOC: Back. Good to skip along now?
[13:19] <Feather> OOC: Yes
[13:21] <Gildas> OOC: Yep
[13:22] <Kotono> From here, another day's journey takes you back to Carnath Falls. You arrive back near dusk, the waterfall village starting to wind down for the night. OOC: Ball's in your court with what you wanna do now.
[13:25] <Gildas> Gildas will arrive back in town with Feather, letting out a breath. "It is good to have returned. Shall we look for the priest?"
[13:31] * Feather considers the question, before shaking his head. "Told us to stop by during the day if it was work-related, didn't he?" he asks rhetorically. "Better do it come morning."
[13:33] <Kotono> OOC: Just going to get a room then and crash?
[13:34] <Feather> OOC: That's the plan
[13:35] <Kotono> The night passes. Come morning you find Father Berryman in a large cabin. The front is clean and with a small altar. He sits before it, reading from a leatherbound tome. He closes it as you enter, "Welcome," he greets, "How can I help you today?"
[13:37] <Feather> "Greetings!" Feather responds, tipping his volumnous hat at him. "Sorry for the bother, but we were hoping to get a proper opinion. A woman's life is at stake, and it's not something we're gonna rush through. Is this a good time?"
[13:39] <Kotono> "I'm on the clock," he says, "It's a good time. It's not an immediate wound that needs healing, is it?"
[13:40] <Gildas> "Not a physical wound, no." He begins.
[13:41] * Feather shakes his head. "Would've started with that," he echoes Gildas.
[13:41] <Kotono> "Thought so," Nodding forward slightly, "So go on."
[13:45] <Feather> "So there was this woman, Myann, who lived with her family about a day's journey north from here," Feather starts with. "One of the Fair Folk was messing with her people, giving them hallucinations and changing their crops to mushrooms. She hit him to try and stop him, and that's when he cursed her, we hear. She's not forced to stay on a small mushroom patch she can't leave, and she's been there
[13:45] <Feather> on her own, for longer than her natural life. And thing is, we heard from a sage that the condition for her to be freed... what was it?" He glances at Gildas.
[13:46] <Gildas> "Something must be born and also die within a day's time, if I recall." He responds. "It didn't... seem to be very specific... but I imagine plants don't count, or you'd think the mushrooms would've allowed her to escape by now."
[13:47] <Feather> "So we were thinking livestock," Feather picks up the tale from there, "but the sage wasn't too sure it would work. And he said the Fair Folk might've left some sorta second curse in place. But a divination might help clear it up."
[13:49] <Kotono> "Light above," The man murmurs, "I'd heard a few old stories about a cursed mushroom hag. I'd written it off to tall tales." Rubbing his forehead slowly, "So you want an augury then?"
[13:51] <Feather> "Don't think it's right, what happened to her," Feather insists. "And even if you call it a crime, the punishment ain't fitting it any. So yeah, an augury on that plan I suggested would do well, or on whether there are any surprises we should worry about."
[13:53] <Kotono> "I can do that much." He says finally, "It's no good getting mixed up with the Fair Folk, but an augury won't hurt anything. It'll cost 25 gold coins, the materials needed for it are expensive."
[13:56] * Feather glances at Gildas. "I've got me half that," he admits. "How about you?"
[13:57] <Gildas> "I can offer my gold as well." He nods.
[13:58] <Kotono> OOC: Post expenses in loot.
[14:00] <Kotono> From there and once the gold is paid, "The augury has to be in the form of a question. Think it over and pose a question for me to ask. The clearer and simpler the question, the better."
[14:03] <Feather> "What sorta answer do we get here?"
[14:03] <Gildas> He ponders. He looks at Feather. "Perhaps ask 'What are the requirements to be released from the curse?,' If there was anything besides what we know... that'd be answered."
[14:04] <Kotono> "You'll get an answer of weal, woe, weal and woe or nothing. It tells you if a course of action you're going to do will be to your benefit or bane." He answers, "There's stronger divinations out there, but they're outside my grasp."
[14:06] * Feather thinks about it for a good while before asking Gildas, "How about we ask if using chickens to try and break Myann's curse will give her freedom to go where she wants to?"
[14:07] <Gildas> "Hm... I suppose if you phrase it 'The birth and death of chickens,' that would cover it..." He suggests.
[14:08] * Feather shrugs. "Will the birth an' death of chickens break Myann's curse and let her go where she wants to?"
[14:10] <Kotono> "Good luck," Father Berryman rises, "If that's settled, I'll begin the augury."
[14:11] * Feather nods, patting his sheath. "Got a sword I could sell if we need more of those auguries. Hope we get a decent lead with this, at least."
[14:23] <Kotono> From there braziers are hung and lit, golden rune-sticks laid on the altar. Father Berryman kneels and prays. This lasts for several minutes until he at last rises. Amid the sweet smoke of the braziers he stands, "I have been given an answer," he announces, "The answer is weal and woe. A mixed augury means that both profit and loss will come from your chosen course of action."
[14:25] <Gildas> "I wonder if that means... something like she'll be released, but perhaps... time will catch up with her." He rubs his chin.
[14:26] * Feather frowns. "So there's a catch after all. Say, Gildas, recall anything the mayor's library had on that sort of thing?"
[14:28] <Gildas> He looks thoughtful for a moment.
[14:30] <Gildas> "No, I do not think there was anything there... the only thing that comes to mind is the book we read on the Sidhe and their 'Dark Moon Secret,' but I don't think that has any bearing on the current predicament." He frowns.
[14:35] * Feather mirrors that frown, thinking in silence. "Can you do another augury, Father?" he finally asks. "My sword should be good collateral there, I reckon. I wanna know if that woe from the first answer will happen no matter who gets born and dies. Say there's a prisoner condemned to death getting executed there, is that gonna turn out badly anyway?"
[14:36] <Kotono> "Mmmm." Leaning forward with his hands held together, "When referring to a previous augury, it's best to think it over and ask a clear question. If it's too close th eoriginal question you'll get the same answer regardless of the truth. Think and phrase it carefully."
[14:37] <Gildas> "Perhaps 'What will happen to Myann if she leaves the mushroom patch' or something..." He considers.
[14:38] <Feather> "Huh." Feather shakes his head, then. "Nah. It has to be a weal or woe answer. How about asking this? Is it better for Myann if the ones dying and being born to break her curse are people instead of animals?"
[14:42] <Gildas> "Ah. I understand." He nods.
[14:42] <Kotono> "I'd sharpen that if I were you," Father Berryman says, "But I can ask that."
[14:43] <Feather> "Sharpen, eh? Which part?"
[14:44] <Gildas> "Ah... I think he means to make it more specific to the life and death... something like 'Does what is being born and die determine the ultimate effects of the curse'... Or something to that effect."
[14:46] <Feather> "Of Myann's curse?" Feather amends it. "Alright. How does that sound?"
[14:46] <Kotono> "That's what I'm trying to chase down," Father Berryman says, pausing to cough a bit and wave away the remnants of the brazier smoke. "Run it by me one more time to make sure I have the straight of it."
[14:48] * Feather thinks about the phrasing before suggesting, "Does what is being born and dies to free Myann from her prison determine the woe to her that might come from breaking that curse?"
[14:53] <Kotono> "Alright," Father Berryman says. Again the braziers are lit and he prays! When it's over he rises, "I have an answer. The answer is weal and woe once more."
[14:53] * Feather blinks, perplexed. "How's that?"
[14:58] <Kotono> "To be honest, I'm not sure I grasp how either," he admits, "My best guess is that what's used has both good and bad effects."
[14:59] <Gildas> "Hm... That's not entirely surprising, when it comes to the Fey..."
[14:59] <Feather> "Guess we won't get much from auguries beyond that," Feather says with a sigh. "Much appreciate the help, of course. Just gotta ask, Father. What would you do if it was you? Risk it?"
[15:03] <Kotono> "I'd pray for guidance and fast until a way forward was presented. I wouldn't cross the Fair Folk unless I'm directed by a higher power," he says.
[15:04] <Gildas> "You know... I bet Lady Valisha would know the answer." He suggests. "Even... that elf was rather intimidated by her."
[15:06] <Feather> "Not the best of plans," Feather mutters. "Not many options open to us, either." Turning to the priest suddenly, Feather asks, "If we do try this, Myann ain't gonna die from it? If she would, we would only get woe, won't we?"
[15:07] <Gildas> "I think the weal is her being released from the curse." He adds to Feather's question.
[15:08] <Kotono> "In theory," he says, "I don't trust anything the Fair Folk have involved in. I hate to say it," Shaking his head and murmuring a prayer, "My scholastic studies have shown me that the common fear of the Fair Folk is completely justified."
[15:08] * Feather nods. "Thanks again for the help, Father," he says genuinely.
[15:09] <Gildas> "Yes, we have much ot thank you for, Father." He nods his thanks as well.
[15:11] <Feather> "We should stop by for another chat with the mayor," Feather suggests to Gildas, thinking about their next move. "He might know something about the circumstances. And if not, we should just make our preparations, I figure. If the consequences are too bad... well, there's that option of seeking out the fey lady after the fact."
[15:12] <Gildas> He nods. "I agree."
[15:14] <Kotono> The mayor's met once more, over a nice late breakfast. No Porridge again, "He's sleeping off the potions," he says by way of explanation, "So was your trip worthwhile?"
[15:16] * Feather shrugs. "Hard to say. Got told to go back where we got the eyes in the first place and ask to have them fixed."
[15:17] <Gildas> Gildas nods. "It was quite... eye-opening. ...Ah, forgive the..." He gestures, with a small frown. "Pun."
[15:19] <Feather> "Easy to forgive it, with you paying for the second augury," Feather tells him generously. "Did come up across another's problem, though. Did you ever hear about Myann? The woman trapped in a mushroom patch?"
[15:21] <Kotono> "I've heard there's a mushroom patch rumor, but I've never come on it myself," he says, "The sort of thing that's told over deep cups during the winter. A woman of mushrooms trying to lure people to their death. One of the Fair Folk playing."
[15:23] <Feather> "Cursed by one of them, she is," Feather tells him, shaking his head. "One way or the other, don't think there would be any more tales about that patch in the future."
[15:25] <Kotono> "One way or another," The crisp breaking of bacon interrupts that, followed by the Mayor taking a goodly drink. "So what's your plan?"
[15:27] <Feather> "We break the curse and free her," Feather responds. "Or the fairy who made it is lurking in wait and he kills us when we try to break it. Hope it'll go the other way."
[15:28] <Kotono> "Good fortune to you," The Mayor says. OOC: We're getting close to our pause time. Anything else here?
[15:29] <Feather> OOC: Let's get suitable animals? We can try heading over to her later that day and seeing what comes out of this
[15:30] <Gildas> OOC: That's fine with me.

[Nephrite]

[12:42] <Kotono> -----
[12:42] <Kotono> OOC: Okay, what animals were you going to get?
[12:43] <Feather> OOC: Let's go with suitable chickens, along with a proper case to transport them and a couple days's worth of food.
[12:44] <Kotono> OOC: What do you mean by suitable chickens?
[12:45] <Feather> OOC: I don't know, one that's about ready to lay an egg and one that's near the end of its life. Please let's not go into details.
[12:46] <Kotono> OOC: Okay then.
[12:46] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[12:46] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 65." [1d100=65]
[12:46] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[12:46] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 38." [1d100=38]
[12:49] <Kotono> Chickens in tow, the party makes it to the mushroom patch with a pleasant blessing of no encounters. No CLINKS below, no slimes above, no troubles at all besides the normal hazards of traveling. It's slower going lugging chicken cases along with you, but you manage. The both of you are a bit tired when the field of mushrooms finally comes into view.
[12:50] * Feather calls out for Myann, placing the cage he was carrying just outside the boundary and stepping inside.
[12:50] <Gildas> "If nothing else, we have a story to share with Porridge." He says as they approach.
[12:50] <Feather> "And he with us, with a bit of hope."
[12:55] <Kotono> Myann comes out, "You're back!" She eyes the chicken cages, "Are those..." she seems to struggle, "Chicks? It's been so long!" She kneels down next to them and stares, wide eyed. "I remember my mother kept a few."
[12:57] <Feather> "It was our best bet," Feather admits. "Here's the thing, Myann. We did the auguries we could think of, and they all come out the same. Weal and woe at the same time. We reckon you'll get freed if we do this, but not without a cost. And there ain't nothing more we can find out here in the area. You deserve to make the choice, then. Go with the plan and handle the consequences life throws our
[12:57] <Feather> way, or stay here for now. We'll keep on looking as we travel, and we might just learn more some day. It ain't gonna be any time soon, though."
[12:59] <Kotono> "I want to be free," Myann says immediately, "I don't care if it turns me into a chick. I want to see something besides the same forest and mushrooms!" Shaking her head with a shaky smile, "What if something happens to you or you never find anything?"
[13:02] * Feather nods. "Would've made the same one myself, I think. Can't imagine spending over a century trapped like this on my lonesome." He sighs. "If something happens to you, I'll do what I can. All I can promise." He steps back outside and brings the chicken cage into the plot of mushrooms.
[13:03] <Kotono> The chickens are brought into the plot of mushrooms. Myann sits next to them, waiting.
[13:04] <Feather> "Not a farmer myself," Feather admits, gesturing at the two of them. "But it should happen soon enough."
[13:05] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[13:05] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 41." [1d100=41]
[13:05] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[13:05] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 8." [1d100=8]
[13:06] <Kotono> A few hours past. Dusk is coming when, "An egg!" Myann cals from her position by the chickens.
[13:06] <Feather> "I guess this is where you kill the old chicken and hope for the best?"
[13:08] <Kotono> Myann takes a breath, opening the other chicken cage. She reaches i-"OW!" She quickly withdraws her hand out, "It pecked me!" Shaking her hand and wincing, "Do you have a dagger I could use?"
[13:10] <Feather> "Lost mine recently," Feather admits, reaching into his pack and searching about. "Got a pick, though. Should work fine." Retrieving it, he offers the impliment to Myann.
[13:12] <Kotono> The pick is taken, Myann raising it up before bringing it down on the chicken! The sound of flesh being pulverized is followed by the sound of a bell ringing. It rings from the skies above, like a gigantic chime stirred by a gale wind. The mushrooms around begin to wither, as does Myann! Its like the water is being sucked from them, leaving them withered husks! Myann falls to her knees, lips
[13:12] <Kotono> working and yet only strangled gasps coming out.
[13:13] <Feather> Feather's first impulse is to go to her side. It is only there, supporting her, that he tries to look at what must be an incredible magical event.
[13:15] <Kotono> Slowly the mushrooms wither and crumble to spores. They litter the ground - and Myann's body begins to crumble! A great rain of spores comes from her dissolving body, littering the ground all around you.
[13:16] <Feather> That, too, had always been an option all of them had accepted was possible. And Myann still chose to go through with it.
[13:16] <Feather> roll 1d20+8
[13:16] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+8 and gets 12." [1d20=4]
[13:17] <Gildas> He has nothing to say, just looking at the spores with a frown.
[13:18] <Kotono> Feather can detect extremely potent magic in play here - but he can't understand it at all. The spores are also radiating extremely strong magic. A s he watches them, the spores, sink into the ground Moments later, mushrooms begin to wildly sprout all over, in the clearing and in the forest beyond. They sprout all over the trees like a flurry of warts, over Myann's mushroom house and further on
[13:18] <Kotono> as you can see in the dusk.
[13:19] * Feather lowers his head.
[13:21] <Kotono> OOC: Make a perception check, y'all.
[13:21] <Feather> roll 1d20+7
[13:21] <Gildas> roll 1d20+10
[13:21] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+7 and gets 19." [1d20=12]
[13:21] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+10 and gets 11." [1d20=1]
[13:21] <Kotono> Feather's gaze happens to alight up - and he sees a stirring in the dirty just a little bit away. It's surging up, like something's pushing against a small patch of it.
[13:23] <Feather> "Gildas," Feather calls out, heading over to examine his find from close up. "Any idea what sorta magic's happening here?"
[13:23] <Gildas> OOC: Can I do a spellcraft check?
[13:24] <Kotono> OOC: Sure. Drop a detect magic and go for it.
[13:24] <Gildas> He takes out a wand from his backpack and waves it quickly!
[13:24] <Gildas> roll 1d20+9
[13:24] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+9 and gets 11." [1d20=2]
[13:24] <Gildas> OOC: Really, Hatbot...
[13:25] <Kotono> Gildas sees the same as Feather - extremely potent magic beyond his ken to understand. As Feather watches the patch of dirt, a hand punches out from it! IT reaches out, grasping for anything, just barely above the surface!
[13:26] <Feather> "Myann?!" Feather calls out, grasping that hand with one of his and using the other to sweep the mushrooms away from the area.
[13:28] <Kotono> The hand grasps on, holding tight! It pulls up against Feather, hints of a wrist managing to poke out from the dirt.
[13:29] <Gildas> Gildas will do what he can to help when appropriate!
[13:29] <Feather> "Hold on!" Feather cries, steadying himself as he pulls. As Gildas approaches, he tells him curtly, "Got me a shovel in my pack."
[13:30] <Gildas> He will grab it for him! "Here!" And throw it to him.
[13:32] * Feather stares in it without much comprehension, but then grabs it mid-haft with his free hand and uses it to dig the person holding onto him out.
[13:32] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2
[13:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 and gets 17." [1d20=15]
[13:33] <Kotono> Dig! Dig! Dig! Feather digs a storm up, as the hand pulls up! Digging and pulling, head and shoulders manage to emerge! It's a female elf with pale brown hair bordering on blonde, gasping for air. Her facial features are Myann's, yet there's not a hint of anything mushroom on her. She coughs several times, spitting out dirt.
[13:35] <Feather> "Alright there?" he asks in concern, fishing in his things for a moment as his shovel lays discarded, before offering her a canteen with some reasonably cool water.
[13:36] <Kotono> Her answer is to cough - but as she sucks in air and then water, there is a massive quake! The ground shakes terrifically! A storm of leaves and branches begins to fall as...OOC: Acrobatics checks, you two.
[13:37] <Feather> roll 1d20+9
[13:37] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+9 and gets 19." [1d20=10]
[13:37] <Gildas> roll 1d20+10
[13:37] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+10 and gets 21." [1d20=11]
[13:41] <Kotono> OOC: Also, I forgot. Languages you two speak?
[13:41] <Feather> OOC: Human, elven
[13:42] <Gildas> OOC: Common, elf, druidic, orcish
[13:43] <Kotono> Both Feather and Gildas manage to keep their balance! From behind you the mushroomed dirt explodes out! A toweringly large figure of dirt, earth and mushrooms looms over you! It is vaguely humanoid in shape, eyes that blaze with eerie green light. It illuminates everything around it and overpowers the dusklight of the Vastwoods! IT says something in words neither of you understand and advances
[13:43] <Kotono> on you! It's 20ft away and closing in! OOC: Init here.
[13:43] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3
[13:43] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 and gets 23." [1d20=20]
[13:43] * Kotono changes topic to 'Mushroom Man(23)'
[13:43] <Feather> roll 1d20+3
[13:43] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+3 and gets 20." [1d20=17]
[13:43] * Kotono changes topic to 'Mushroom Man(23)>Feather(20)'
[13:44] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7
[13:44] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+7 and gets 23." [1d20=16]
[13:44] * Kotono changes topic to 'Mushroom Man=Gildas(23)>Feather(20)'
[13:44] <Kotono> OOC: Go ahead and go first, Gildas. The turns resolve at the same tim ebut I need to run to the bathroom real quick anyway.
[13:46] <Gildas> He will become a bear and advance on the creature, attempting to engage it so Feather has an opportunity to do something! ...Also, he'll try and bite it.
[13:46] <Kotono> OOC: The creature's big enough to have reach on you - you'll take an AoO closing in. You okay with that?
[13:47] <Gildas> OOC: That's fine.
[13:49] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10
[13:49] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 and gets 20." [1d20=10]
[13:49] <Kotono> OOC: AC?
[13:49] <Gildas> OOC: 24 against AoO
[13:49] <Kotono> OOC: He misses, go for your attack.
[13:49] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7
[13:49] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+7 and gets 23." [1d20=16]
[13:50] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[13:50] <Gildas> roll 1d6+7 bitebitebite
[13:50] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d6+7 bitebitebite and gets 12." [1d6=5]
[13:51] <Kotono> Gildas darts in, dodging a massive fist that leaves a crater where Gildas was a second ago! He comes in and leaps onto the body of the creature, biting into its chest! He tears away great mouthfuls of dirt and fungus, letting it rain down around him! At the same time the creature steadies itself and focuses! Spores fly out all around in a thick cloud! OOC: Fort saves, you two.
[13:51] <Feather> roll 1d20+7
[13:51] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+7 and gets 9." [1d20=2]
[13:52] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7
[13:52] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+7 and gets 16." [1d20=9]
[13:53] <Kotono> The spores thicken the air terribly! Feather can't help but breathe a few in! His skull throbs and head burns moments later! His body feels like its on fire from his head down! Somehow, Gildas clinging so close avoids the spores, as they travel outward!  OOC: 5 damage and 1 wis damage to Feather. Gildas escapes the pain. Feather, you're up. Go.
[13:55] * Kotono changes topic to 'Mushroom Man=Gildas(23)>Feather(20, poisoned)'
[13:56] <Feather> Struggling as he is to even breathe, Feather can't spare any words for Myann or muster a battle cry. Instead, he silently strikes at the giant with the very sword the elf had entrusted him with before leaping back to stand before her protectively once more.
[13:56] <Kotono> OOC: Do you have spring attack yet? I honestly can't recall.
[13:56] <Feather> roll 1d20+8 K:N
[13:56] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+8 K:N and gets 26." [1d20=18]
[13:56] <Feather> OOC: I do indeed have it, yes
[13:56] <Kotono> OOC: Brain farted it then. Go for your attack roll.
[13:57] <Kotono> The creature before you is raw magic in the form of earth and mushrooms. It's like a fey enchantment taking on a material form - the actual curse that held Myann, most likely. It's manifesting powers related to the curse and mushrooms by extension.
[13:57] <Feather> roll 1d20+10 (+shocking grasp)
[13:57] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+10 (+shocking grasp) and gets 29." [1d20=19]
[13:58] <Kotono> OOC: Hit. Damage.
[13:59] <Feather> roll 1d10+5+5d6 (last is elec)
[13:59] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d10+5+5d6 (last is elec) and gets 26." [1d10=4][5d6=1, 4, 5, 1, 6]
[14:01] <Kotono> Feather likewise darts in, taking the other side of the creature! He slices in deep, mushrooms crackling with lightning as they char black! He cuts deep into its side, slicing away great hunks of earth and stone with it! OOC: Ow. Gildas.
[14:03] <Gildas> Another bite from the angry bear!
[14:03] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7
[14:03] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+7 and gets 19." [1d20=12]
[14:03] <Kotono> OOC: Another bite, another trip to hit country.
[14:04] <Gildas> roll 1d6+7 raaar
[14:04] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d6+7 raaar and gets 13." [1d6=6]
[14:04] <Kotono> Gildas clings on, biting away hunks of its chest! The creature writhes with a bear on it and Feather slashing at him! In a fury his fists strike out, slamming everything around him!
[14:04] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 AC?
[14:04] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 AC? and gets 15." [1d20=5]
[14:04] <Kotono> OOC: For both.
[14:04] <Gildas> OOC: 20
[14:05] <Kotono> OOC: Feather?
[14:06] <Feather> OOC: Sorry. 17 right now.
[14:07] <Kotono> The two dodge every blow, the creature writhing about and unable to hit a thing! OOC: Go Feather.
[14:08] <Feather> His previous, simplistic strategy had worked before, and gaining more distance from this monster would only lead him into a defensive position he might not be able to turn around in the end. Thus, Feather darts in with another lightning-quick strike!
[14:08] <Feather> roll 1d20+10
[14:08] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+10 and gets 24." [1d20=14]
[14:08] <Feather> roll 1d10+5+5d6
[14:08] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d10+5+5d6 and gets 26." [1d10=6][5d6=4, 4, 2, 1, 4]
[14:09] <Kotono> Feather zips to the side, blade flashing! Like lightning the creature is cut deeply, shimmering all over with pure current! Another hunk is gone from its side, but it's still not down! OOC: Gildas.
[14:09] <Gildas> Another attempt at a ferocious bite!
[14:10] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7
[14:10] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+7 and gets 24." [1d20=17]
[14:10] <Kotono> OOC: 3/3. Hit.
[14:10] <Gildas> roll 1d6+7 I bet you Hatbot is going to get revenge here soon...
[14:10] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d6+7 I bet you Hatbot is going to get revenge here soon... and gets 13." [1d6=6]
[14:10] <Kotono> This bite chomps into where the heart would be for the creature! Yet it doesn't even slow it down, more dirt crumbling away! As this it reaches out for Gildas!
[14:10] <Kotono> roll 1d20+14 CMD, Gildas?
[14:10] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+14 CMD, Gildas? and gets 32." [1d20=18]
[14:11] <Gildas> OOC: 23
[14:11] <Kotono> IT grabs him in one hand, before swinging him like a bat at Feather!
[14:11] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 AC Feather?
[14:11] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 AC Feather? and gets 22." [1d20=12]
[14:11] <Feather> OOC: Still 17
[14:11] <Kotono> roll 2d6+7 to both
[14:11] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+7 to both and gets 14." [2d6=2, 5]
[14:12] <Kotono> The massive collision sends both landing in a heap, 15ft away! The two roll and land in a tangle of limbs, dirt and mushrooms! The creature is 15ft away, not advancing as great hunks of dirt fall out from the wounds you've inflicted! It's full of holes and tears, the mushrooms over it charred from the lightning! OOC: Both of you are prone. Go Feather.
[14:15] <Feather> If he stands up now, it will all come to naught. The creature is too far, and he is still within its range. Thus, Feather forces himself to lie in wait. When the giant strikes at him or Gildas again, it will be within his reach. And then Feather will react, hitting it first!
[14:16] <Kotono> OOC: Okay. Gildas.
[14:17] <Gildas> OOC: Hm... Can I stand up, return to normal form and also heal Feather, or does that consume too many actions?
[14:17] <Kotono> OOC: Standing from prone is a move, changing is a swift and healing is a standard. You can
[14:17] <Kotono> .
[14:18] <Gildas> OOC: Huzzah.
[14:18] <Gildas> The bear gets to its feet, only to return to his human form once done. He quickly makes an incantation and puts a hand on Feather to heal him!
[14:18] <Gildas> roll 1d8+4
[14:18] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d8+4 and gets 8." [1d8=4]
[14:20] <Kotono> Feather's wounds mend, restoring the worst of the damage -b ut his blood and brain still burn! At this the creature charges in once more, rushing to the duo with great big fists coming down! OOC: Feather?
[14:20] * Feather meets the creature with a desperate strike up!
[14:20] * Kotono changes topic to 'Gildas(23)>Feather(20, poisoned)>Mushroom Man'
[14:20] <Feather> roll 1d20+8
[14:20] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+8 and gets 14." [1d20=6]
[14:21] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[14:21] <Feather> roll 1d10+5+5d6
[14:21] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d10+5+5d6 and gets 26." [1d10=3][5d6=4, 4, 2, 2, 6]
[14:22] <Kotono> Feather leaps up! He lands atop the arms of the creature, swiping its head clean off! The eerie green light ceases as the figure collapses! A tide of dirt and burnt shrooms half-bury the duo, leaving it nothing but a sparking ruin! OOC: Got it. Free act.
[14:23] <Gildas> He lets out a breath. "I don't think I'm going to be able to eat mushrooms for a while..." He turns his attention onto the place where Myann was buried.
[14:23] * Feather would happily cheer if he weren't reeling from the mushrooms he was force-fed.
[14:23] <Kotono> OOC: Make a fort save, Feather.
[14:24] <Feather> roll 1d20+7
[14:24] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+7 and gets 9." [1d20=2]
[14:24] <Kotono> Myann is there, staring at the battle. She's managed to pull herself most of  the way out now, clad in nothing but dirt and grime. (More)
[14:24] <Kotono> roll 2d6 wis damage and more
[14:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 wis damage and more and gets 3." [2d6=2, 1]
[14:24] <Kotono> roll 1d4 int damage
[14:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4 int damage and gets 4." [1d4=4]
[14:26] <Kotono> Feather's brain terribly burns. He can't focus. His stomach churns. His body wavers. He sees Myann blush and cover herself, darting inside of the mushroom house. Meanwhile Gildas can see it all clearly. She reddens as she looks down, covering herself with her hands and running inside. OOC: You're sickened until further notice, Feather. You have nasty-ass poison beating you up and you've had some
[14:26] <Kotono> serious trauma.
[14:28] <Gildas> "...You don't look so good, Feather." He frowns and offers a shoulder if he needs support. "Let's get you inside, perhaps I can try and come up with a remedy with these mushrooms and the kit we found earlier."
[14:28] * Feather tries to respond, but just ends up throwing up. At least he feels better after doing so.
[14:30] <Kotono> As Feather's lunch comes back up for a repeat performance, Myann emerges. She's wrapped in a mushroom dotted blanket. "Feather?" she asks as she approaches, "Gildas? Are you alright?" Her voice is different - a little softer, a bit hoarse on top of it.
[14:31] <Gildas> "I am fine. He ingested a mushroom from that creature and is ill. Can you help him to a place to lay down? I will see if I can find what I need around here." He says calmly, though his face shows great concern.
[14:31] <Feather> "Don't feel so good," Feather complains.
[14:32] <Kotono> "I think I know a place," Myann says, voice a little strained. She offers one hand out while the other keeps her blanket in place, "Can you walk with me?"
[14:34] * Feather stares at the hand, then the blanket, and finally nods.
[14:35] <Kotono> Feather is lead by Myann to the edge of the clearing. She doesn't hesistate as she steps forward - and past the clearing! She leads Feather to a tree just beyond it, helping him lie down. Slowly she looks about, eyes wet as she runs a hand over the tree's bark. "Finally!"
[14:36] <Kotono> OOC: Go ahead and make a herbalism check, Gildas, while yo ugather things and I'll adjudicate it.
[14:37] <Gildas> OOC: That'd be the Profession and not K:N, yes?
[14:37] * Feather smiles at Myann with a somewhat vacant stare.
[14:37] <Kotono> OOC: Yes.
[14:37] <Gildas> roll 1d20+10
[14:37] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+10 and gets 16." [1d20=6]
[14:38] <Kotono> Her hand travels over the tree bark as she silently cries, face split with the biggest smile you've ever seen. Meanwhile Gildas gathers up the right herbs. These should help, he thinks.
[14:38] <Gildas> He will bring them back in short order! "I cannot be certain this will get rid of everything, but it should help..." He will prepare them in order to administer them to Feather!
[14:41] <Kotono> Administering the concoction helps, Feather's nausea passing. OOC: No longer sickened.
[14:41] <Kotono> As that happens, "It's about night," Myann says, "Would you like to stay over one last time? Tomorrow, I'd like to leave this behind and go to town."
[14:42] * Feather scratches his head, and then takes a while to locate his waterskin to wash his throat properly.
[14:43] <Gildas> He nods. "Certainly. Although are you certain you can stomach staying in there? We can prepare camp and get you something to wear if you'd prefer."
[14:44] * Feather has quit IRC (Connection reset by peer)
[14:44] * DarkFlameMaster has joined #dunes
[14:45] * DarkFlameMaster is now known as Feather
[14:45] * Feather nods firmly himself. "Camping is good."
[14:45] <Kotono> "Camping is good then," Myann smiles again, "Let's do that."
[14:45] <Kotono> OOC: Heal up HP from resting and ability damage from a night's rest. Going to be doing any casting for healing, y'all?
[14:48] <Gildas> OOC: I'll prepare a Lesser Restoration in place of Flaming Sphere and cast that on Feather.
[14:50] <Kotono> OOC: Okay. Which stat are you going to target?
[14:50] <Gildas> OOC: Int
[14:50] <Kotono> OOC: Roll it.
[14:50] <Gildas> roll 1d4
[14:50] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d4 and gets 2." [1d4=2]
[15:00] <Kotono> Morning comes. Myann is dressed in a simple gown - nothing fancy, albiet with several mushroom designs removed and patched over. Healing makes Feather feel much clearer-headed now. Not 100%, but he feels on the mend.
[15:05] <Gildas> He will awaken and nod to Feather's condition. "We should return to town... and try and figure out where you can move on to."
[15:05] * Feather rubs his neck, before he laughs suddenly. "Everything worked out great, didn't it?" He shakes his head, looking at Myann. "When you disappeared, I feared the worst. Glad the woe was just some angry magic mushroom."
[15:07] <Kotono> "I'm glad I go ta happy ending," Smiling as she looks up, "I'm so excited! I haven't been to a city since I was a little elf!" Glancing over at Gildas, "I don't really know what I'll do once I get out." she admits, "Maybe farm somewhere. Do either of you have any ideas?"
[15:08] <Feather> "Some," Feather muses. "You should bring your armor with you if you ain't going back here, though. As a keepsake or to sell and buy some land somewhere."
[15:09] <Gildas> "Perhaps something will come to you when we return to town. You may have an epiphany to something." He smiles a bit at her.
[15:12] * Gildas is now known as Nephrite

[Nephrite]

[12:36] <Kotono> With Myann in tow, the party begins the trip back. As you walk away from the mushroom patch, Myann travels slowly. Her pace is downright sedate while her gaze travels everywhere. Her hand routinely reaches out to brush this or that, walking with a half-smile. On her back is a knapsack jimmed up out of some old cloth, containing her worldly possessions.
[12:37] * Feather is happy to travel slowly himself, a grin adorning his face as he takes in the now-familiar sights.
[12:40] <Kotono> The time you make is indeed slow. After an hour of this Myann speaks up. "Everything's so new," she breaks the traveling quiet, "It's so different. I don't know every little wrinkle of everything." She stops before a fallen log, running her hand over it, "There's so many things here we're traveling too fast to learn."
[12:42] <Feather> Plenty of dangerous things, too, from what Feather recalls. But he throws caution to the wind as he nods, saying, "Could spend ages in the area and still be surprised."
[12:44] <Kotono> "I'm constantly being surprised. How did I ever live with it?" she asks, still smiling despite it all. "My heart's racing. I feel like I'm shaking."
[12:46] <Gildas> He nods to her words. "I can only imagine what it must be like... however, caution should still be shown. It is as you said, things are very new now."
[12:50] <Kotono> "Only orcs go into the forest blind. It's a saying from my family," Myann mentions, "It boils down to paying attention to your surroundings and not being like a rampaging orc."
[12:50] <Gildas> He smiles. "A good lesson."
[12:51] * Feather laughs, shaking his head. "With orcs, it's the surroundings that need to pay extra attention or they get trampled?"
[12:54] <Kotono> Laughing along with the two, "And the orcs get trampled along with it. Everyone knows that the orcs won't ever triumph because they can't master the world around them. There's good lessons to be learned from that - my mother made sure I learned the sayings and fables, then that I understood the reasons why."
[12:55] <Feather> "What was the reason about humans?" Feather asks curiously. "And about human towns?"
[12:55] <Feather> *lesson
[12:57] <Kotono> Chuckling as she continues along, "Put away the shiny things when a human comes to visit. That's one of them my mother liked. She said humans are always interested in the next new thing that captures their attention, like dangling yarn in front of a cat."
[12:59] * Feather finds a fresh reason to laugh. "You did the opposite, though. Good thing, too. Might've died without that, I reckon."
[13:01] <Kotono> "I might've," she confesses, "Oh, do either of you speak any elven?"
[13:01] <Feather> "Sure," Feather responds in Elven, albeit with a noticeable accent. "Gotta know it in these parts."
[13:04] <Gildas> He nods.
[13:04] <Kotono> Switching to elven then, "You two do? What about Sylvan?"
[13:05] <Feather> "One foreign language's about my limit," Feather admits.
[13:06] <Gildas> He rubs his chin. "I haven't had time to study that, unfortunately." He'll at least converse in Elven though.
[13:06] <Kotono> "I can speak the Sidhe's tongue." Clearing her throat, "Would you like lessons as we walk, you two?"
[13:07] <Feather> "Could come handy," Feather muses. "Don't think we're in the clear from them, for obvious reasons. Dunno how much I can learn it, though."
[13:09] <Kotono> "Then listen..." Myann begins. OOC: Make int checks, both of you. Feather gets a +2 bonus for currently ??? reasons.
[13:10] <Gildas> roll 1d20+2
[13:10] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+2 and gets 13." [1d20=11]
[13:10] <Feather> roll 1d20+3
[13:10] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+3 and gets 7." [1d20=4]
[13:13] <Kotono> You walk most of the day. Myann's lessons are stunningly effective. Gildas can feel a buzz of power as she teaches - the words just seem to latch into his mind. He can smell the cloying scent of half-rotted flowers as it goes on, thicker than any perfume. For Feather, it's like his eyes begin to burn with allergies. Yet the lessons are incredibly easy. Despite his recently formed mind, the word
[13:13] <Kotono> just seem to emerge from his mind. There's an alien familarity with Sylvan, as if he's spoken it all his life and never known it. It's getting on towards sundown, Carnath Falls only a half hour or so away. OOC: Loot post.
[13:15] * Feather wipes his eyes with a kerchief, squinting towards Carnath Falls. "Should be close now, I reckon," he says to the other two. "Might be best to press on than make camp this close by."
[13:15] <Gildas> He won't say anything to what he feels, but will note it for the future. He will nod to her words as she speaks them, then to Feather as he speaks. "I agree. No sense in stopping now."
[13:16] <Kotono> "My feet are screaming at me," Myann walks slower now, wincing every step, "But I want to get into town too."
[13:16] <Gildas> OOC: Would they know if the mushroom monster spoke in Sylvan now?
[13:16] <Feather> "Best get some rest soon as we're there, and just push on for now," Feather muses, leading the way.
[13:18] <Kotono> OOC: You could ID the words were almost certainly Sylvan now.
[13:21] <Gildas> He will talk to Feather about it later. For now, he continues forward.
[13:21] <Kotono> The party continues on. You reach Carnath Falls as the sun sets. The city is winding down for the day, only a few people about. Myann stops at the edge of town, just looking on ahead with a tired grin.
[13:22] <Gildas> "Did you ever come to this town before...? I don't know if it even existed back then."
[13:25] <Kotono> "It didn't," Stepping forward slowly as she looks around, "I remember this waterfall. I came to it to play when I was a child."
[13:28] <Gildas> "Shall we see if the Professor is available?" He looks to Feather.
[13:29] <Feather> "Works for me," Feather agrees. "If it's too late, then an inn's good for the night. Can figure things out after."
[13:32] <Kotono> Finding the Mayor is easy enough. You're lead inside by his wife and to the sitting room. As Myann virtually melts into the couch, groaning in relief, "Ho there!" The Mayor strides in, covered in paint stains. He's smiling despite it.
[13:35] <Feather> "Solved that problem," Feather says brightly after returning his greeting. However tired he might be from all the walking, it's still trumped by the elation of their success. "This here's Myann, properly freed."
[13:35] <Kotono> "Hello," She manages to hold up a single hand in greeting, elven grace coming through despite her obvious fatigue.
[13:36] <Gildas> "We had quite the trip." He figures he'll leave out the details for now.
[13:36] <Kotono> "Congratulations," The Mayor says at that, "A sign of a towering intellect is driving his enemies before him and hearing their lamentations as he achieves his goals."
[13:40] <Gildas> "I suppose that is one way to put it." He smiles a small bit. "We had hoped that you might have a potential on idea on how to help the young lady. Perhaps you could use some assistance around here until she decides what she ultimately wishes to do with the rest of her own time."
[13:41] <Feather> "I figure you have some idea of what you wanna try," Feather tells Myann, before glancing back at the mayor. "But knowing one's option helps a great deal."
[13:43] <Kotono> Myann's eyelids droop half shut as she lazily watches what's going on. "Mmm-hmm," she murmurs, as the Mayor nods, "It would be best to put her up here," he says, sitting down and drumming his fingers on the armrest of his chair, "If the villagers get wind of who she is and those stories, we may have a problem. I can tell them she's a friend, they'll believe that."
[13:46] <Feather> "Much obliged."
[13:46] <Kotono> "What about you two now? I'm about done with Porridge," he says, "I think I've gotten all that I'm going to out of his situation without a lot more time and research."
[13:47] <Gildas> "I think we need to make a trek back to where this all started."
[13:48] <Kotono> "Good fortune with that," The Mayor says, "Do you have a plan beyond that?"
[13:48] <Feather> "Gotta check with Porridge, I reckon. But no real plan here, no."
[13:50] <Kotono> "You can in the morning. He's already asleep - a result of the paint compounds I used on him," he adds, "He'll be fine once he gets a night's sleep." Standing and stretching, "Are the three of you up for a late dinner?"
[13:52] <Feather> "I could eat," Feather muses. "Tired myself out some, but I've been worse."
[13:52] <Gildas> "Certainly. What have you discovered with your time with him?"
[13:53] <Kotono> The Mayor rises, going on. After a moment he looks back, for Myann doesn't rise at all. "Miss Myann, are you coming?"
[13:53] <Feather> She's probably sleepy, but Feather checks to make sure.
[13:54] <Kotono> She's fast asleep. Her eyes are closed and her breathing has evened out.
[13:55] <Feather> "Might be best to put her in bed properly, so she gets a chance to rest," Feather voices, glancing back.
[13:56] <Kotono> The Mayor stops and lowers his voice, "Pardon, but...she is an elf?"
[13:56] <Feather> "She was," Feather says just as quietly. "But then the fey went and changed her. And the ritual to free her changed her again."
[13:57] <Kotono> "That must be it," Hmming to himself as he watches her sleep, "An elf doesn't have the biological mechanisms to sleep. Sleep enchantments can't even make them sleep, since their bodies don't know how. Do you have any idea exactly what she is, then?"
[13:59] * Feather shrugs. "Could ask tomorrow?"
[14:00] <Gildas> "Hm... I am not sure even she would know, though."
[14:01] * Ebiris has joined #dunes
[14:01] * ChanServ sets mode: +o Ebiris
[14:02] <Kotono> "Hmmm. Hold on a moment." The Mayor goes up to Myann and reaches out to her head. With deft fingers he plucks a strand of red hair, placing it in a pocket. Coming back after she doesn't even stir from that, "Elven hair has a slightly lower tensile strength than human hair as well as higher ability to absorb liquids. I can test that tonight."
[14:03] <Feather> "You think she actually got turned into a human?"
[14:03] <Gildas> "I think anything is possible, with the fey..." He rubs his chin.
[14:04] <Kotono> "I have no idea," he confesses, "I don't think we should assume she's been neatly filled into a human or elf's form. The fey are noted for metamorphic capacities, after all."
[14:08] <Kotono> From there, the three head to a late dinner. It's a ham and all the fixings with it. As you settle into the meal, "So you want to know what I learned about the eyes?"
[14:09] <Feather> "Sure thing!"
[14:10] <Gildas> He remains quiet while poking at the food.
[14:14] <Kotono> "They're incredibly resistant to change. They're closer to unique magical items rather than eyes," Going on, "They've connected fully into Porridge's body. Unlike with typical body augmentations, there's no sign of rejection at all. Normally these sort of arts are forbidden. Besides the mostly groundless tales of patchwork golem horrors, the body tends to reject parts that aren't from it. Example,
[14:14] <Kotono> exchange a person's heart with another and they'll both soon die from rejection."
[14:15] <Feather> "You can do that?" Feather asks in surprise.
[14:16] <Kotono> "No." Shaking his head, "But I've read books about it."
[14:17] <Feather> "Ah. So what does it mean?"
[14:18] <Kotono> After a pause to eat a hunk of ham and biscuit, "Now for example, say I graft a new arm onto you. Assuming it heals properly - and it may not - you'll soon start to feel like something's wrong. You'll develop a pyschosis where you believe that arm is a foreign invador to your body. This psychosis leads to amputation.
[14:18] <Kotono> OOC: Gah.
[14:18] <Kotono> After a pause to eat a hunk of ham and biscuit, "Now for example, say I graft a new arm onto you. Assuming it heals properly - and it may not - you'll soon start to feel like something's wrong. You'll develop a pyschosis where you believe that arm is a foreign invador to your body. This psychosis leads to amputation." Another pause to eat, "The upshot of all this, I reckon, is that the magic
[14:18] <Kotono> behind these eyes is powerful and skillful. Now this magic is the fey's speciality so that's no surprise."
[14:21] <Kotono> After another few bites of food, "Now I mentioned the eyes are resistant to change. Not only are the eyes stable and defiant of rejection, they're defiant of most efforts to change them. So understand this - the eyes are enchanted so that they'll stay even over your natural eyes. I ran a few tests with Porridge's eyes and they resisted any efforts to weaken them or otherwise alter them, even
[14:21] <Kotono> temporarily."
[14:23] <Feather> "So it takes a strong fey?"
[14:23] <Gildas> "I suppose that's not surprising, since they came from what we understand to be a Fey noble."
[14:26] <Kotono> "It does," He agrees, pausing to drink deeply, "They have faint similarities to certain types of tumors. The techniques and magic are still unclear, but I suspect that it uses certain qualities of tumors to facilitate part of the adaptation. Which puzzles me, since tumors are generally harmful."
[14:28] <Gildas> "How peculiar." Perhaps that wasn't quite the right word... a tumor didn't sound peculiar at all.
[14:31] <Kotono> "Anyway." After another pause to eat further, using his fork to point as he goes on, "The techniques involved are fascinating; I'll need to write a book about them when this is done. But in short I suspect the fey or powerful magic are your only options for resource, short of blinding yourselves." He pauses a moment, "Also, I can't confirm this, but I have a suspicion that the eyes may possess
[14:31] <Kotono> regenerative qualities if destroyed by physical trauma. Tumors are often cancerous and cancer is, extremely simply, unchecked aberrant growth within the body. They can be removed but often manage to recur, even after full removal." He pauses again, "That's just speculation, but in case you were thinking of taking the most extreme remedy."
[14:32] <Kotono> *recourse
[14:34] <Feather> "Don't hate them so much I'd poke a sharp stick into them," Feather says with a snort. "But that's another reason not to, I guess."
[14:35] <Kotono> Finishing off his plate, Redmond rises, "You're welcome to keep eating and head to the guest rooms when you're done. I'll let you know results in the morning. Porridge should be up then."
[14:36] * Gildas is now known as Nephrite
[14:36] * Feather has left #dunes
[14:52] * Merc-zzz is now known as Merc

[Ebiris]

[17:31] <@Kotono> The morning is rainy, a steady drumming outside. Feather and Gildas come to breakfast, a big spread of food laid out. Mayor Redmond and his wife sit along with Porridge, as Myann is just coming in and sitting down as well. "A-YAAAAAAAWN- fine morning to you," The Mayor says, face splitting into a yawn as he tries to speak. "Pardon, pardon. I rather lost track of time last night."
[17:33] <@Porridge> Porridge looks a bit weary and out of sorts for having spent about a week or so near constantly asleep, but gives his two companions a nod and a mumbled, "Morning. Miss anything good?"
[17:33] <Feather> "Mornin'," Feather echoes, feeling terribly tired despite getting some proper rest for a change.
[17:34] <@Kotono> "Morning," Myann murmurs quietly, managing to echo that as well.
[17:35] <@Kotono> "Goodness, did anyone manage to sleep well last night," The mayor's wife waves her teacup about, gesturing with it. "Or at all?"
[17:36] <@Porridge> "Think it's sleeping too long that did me in," Porridge comments. "Mind, sleeping at all's pretty new for me. Doesn't seem as good as trancing."
[17:37] <@Kotono> "It was needed," The Mayor says briskly, "You can go back to trancing now anyway. Besides, I found out something interesting last night."
[17:37] <@Kotono> "You're," A pause for a yawn, Myann slumping over her plate momentarily. "You're Porridge?"
[17:38] <@Porridge> "Hullo," the blond half-elf turns his head towards the new face. "That's me. Don't reckon we've been introduced?"
[17:38] <Feather> "He sure is," Feather says, belatedly introducing the two. "And this here is Myann. She's been under a nasty fairy's spell."
[17:40] <@Porridge> "Lot of that going around," he nods.
[17:41] <Gildas> "It seems like it's been quite a while since we all sat down together." He says, looking much less tired than the other two.
[17:42] <@Kotono> "Charmed to meet you," Myann says, before bowing her head with another yawn. "I'm not even sure why I'm sleeping now, but it's a small price to pay."
[17:44] <@Porridge> "Guess even when you're out of their grip they still leave a mark," Porridge says. "Can't meditate at all, then?"
[17:45] <@Kotono> "I tried this morning and it didn't work. I fell asleep last night almost as soon as I sat down," she confesses, picking at her food with her fork. She looks up with a smile, "It's fine. It was worth it."
[17:45] <@Kotono> "
[17:47] <@Kotono> "Speaking of," The Mayor cuts in, "I can speculate as to why now. Miss Myann, you certainly aren't an elf any more. I checked your hair, a bit of nail and a bit of blood - oh don't look at me lik ethat, you slept right through it - and none of it matches an elf's. It doesn't match a human's, either. It does, however, have the typical metamorphic properties you'd expect from fey influences -
[17:47] <@Kotono> including a few similar to the eyes Porridge and Feather have."
[17:48] <Feather> "Glad to hear it," Feather voices, grinning himself. "Not about the sleep thing, but that you don't regret it. And hey, if you ever change your mind, bet there's a way to be found to get changed again."
[17:48] <@Porridge> "I get you," he nods at that, blinking and waking up enough to start eating properly.
[17:49] <@Kotono> After giving the Mayor an entirely displeaed look, "Thank you," she says to all. "So what are the three of yo guoing to do now?"
[17:51] <Feather> "Oh!" Feather perks up at the question. "Porridge, we found out some stuff in the meanwhile. Might as well share them now?"
[17:52] <@Porridge> "Sure, lets hear it?"
[17:55] <Feather> "There's a long story 'bout this, but the short of it is that we found a sage who could fix our eyes. But he's sayin' that if we just do that, that fey woman is gonna be after us. But if we go to her and ask her to let it go, that's gonna be the end of it. No more michief."
[17:58] <@Porridge> "Problems I see are that she might not be where we found her," Porridge begins, gesturing with the block of cheese he's been eating, "And she might not want to revoke our 'prize'. But if we get rid of the eyes right away, do you think she'd care enough to track us down over it?"
[17:59] <Feather> "Sounds like," Feather responds, nodding. "She's some bigshot name over there, and I bet she can't just take this being thrown back in her face. But going back... we might track her down. If not, well... not that far from here. Not much of a walk."
[18:01] <@Porridge> "Give it a shot, if not we'll axe them ourselves? Sounds good," Porridge agrees to that.
[18:01] <Feather> "Mayor here's saying that won't help," Feather says, nodding at their host. "Something about them growing right back, was it?"
[18:02] <@Kotono> "Axing them out won't do any good most likely," he agrees, "Research suggests they may have regenerative qualities. It's really interesting, I'm going to have to write a study about it."
[18:03] <Feather> "So there it is," Feather addresses Myann. "Guess we're now deciding our next move."
[18:03] <@Porridge> "I meant axe as get rid of, not actually taking an axe to them. Orc idiom," Porridge clarifies with a grin.
[18:04] <@Kotono> "Orc?" That gets Myann to frown, "Why would you be talking like an orc of all things?"
[18:04] * Feather laughs. "Good one!"
[18:06] <@Porridge> "Was raised by 'em," Porridge says in a tone that clearly asks if she has a problem with that.
[18:07] <Gildas> He blinks, since he hadn't heard that one before. "How interesting."
[18:08] <@Kotono> The gasp that comes from Myann is followed her her hands going to her mouth, eyes widenening. "Oh! I'm sorry."
[18:09] <@Porridge> Charitably assuming she's sorry for her faux pas rather than the circumstances of his childhood, Porridge just nods. "Don't worry about it."
[18:11] <@Kotono> "So you three are going?" she asks after that. "Are you leaving today?"
[18:11] <Feather> "No reason to hold off," Feather muses.
[18:11] <Gildas> "I suppose that is up to them." He nods to the other two.
[18:12] <@Porridge> "May as well. Been laying around long enough."
[18:13] <@Kotono> "Be careful," Myann says, and quieter, "Don't get trapped like I was!"
[18:14] <Feather> "How 'bout yourself?" Feather asks. "Gonna be staying here?"
[18:14] <Gildas> "I don't think either of these two would take something like that lying down, as they say." He muses, with a hint of a smile.
[18:14] * @Porridge nods, such a fate hardly being an enviable one.
[18:19] <@Kotono> "I might." Myann pauses for a moment, "I'm not sure yet exactly what I'm going to do."
[18:23] <Feather> "Would it be safe?" Feather asks the mayor. "What with the stories and all? You mentioned something about that last night."
[18:26] <@Kotono> "It should be as long as she stays here." The Mayor says, "As long as no natural disasters or calamities come and pins on the newest visitor. That does happen every so often. Or as long as you don't start causing magical problems around town." A pause, "As long as the truth that she was that fey woman of the mushrooms, as the stories put it, doesn't get around. If someone blabs, then things will
[18:26] <@Kotono> get interesting. The common folk hear the word fey and start trying to placate the Fair Folk. Afraid people do violent things because they're afraid."
[18:28] <Feather> It seems like a risk whatever Myann chooses, then. Feather nods in understanding.
[18:29] <Gildas> "If it came to it, she might fit in in Clearbrook." He offers as a suggestion to the other two.
[18:30] <@Kotono> "Clearbrook?" Myann speaks up at that, "Another village?"
[18:31] <Gildas> He nods to her. "It's where we met each other."
[18:31] <@Kotono> "What's it like?" Asking as she puts aside her half eaten food.
[18:34] <Gildas> He looks contemplative for a moment. "It is a smaller town than this... I believe everyone there was human." He looks at the others to confirm that.
[18:34] <Feather> "Elves pass through now and then," Feather says with a grin he can't quite hide.
[18:36] <@Kotono> "That does sound a little nicer," she confesses, "I'm not sure I want to live somewhere that may cast me out or stone me if they find out I was a victim of the Sidhe."
[18:37] <@Porridge> "I think they'd be understanding. We can show you the way since it's on our path too," Porridge offers.
[18:37] <@Kotono> "Can't say I blame you," The Mayor admits, "Pah! Stupid superstitions!"
[18:37] <Feather> "They understand just what it means, too," Feather muses. "Got into a spot of trouble themselves just recently."
[18:40] <@Kotono> "I think you're right," Myann finally says, "If it's somewhere that isn't so afraid of me, making a living won't be hard at all. Thank you for your kindness," Turning to the Mayor, "But I think I'd like to go see Clearbrook."
[18:40] <Gildas> "Ah, yes." He nods to Feather's words. "I think if we were to explain, they'd be willing to help her."
[18:41] <@Kotono> "If they're more understanding then you should go," The Mayor replies, "Good traveling to you."
[18:44] <@Kotono> OOC: Now that all of this looks to be settled, are you good with moving along?
[18:44] <Gildas> OOC: Sure thing.
[18:49] <@Kotono> The rain continues as the party heads out. Myann's dressed in the chain mail and longsword from her home as the party sets out...OOC: Going to just take the reverse route that you did to get to Carnath Falls?
[18:50] <@Porridge> OOC: lets skip around crystal spider town
[18:50] <Gildas> OOC: That sounds good to me.
[18:50] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay, won't be a serious alteration to the journey. Moving y'all on then.
[18:50] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:51] <@Kotono> OOC: Lemme rouse Kobot.
[18:51] * Joins: Kobot (~dunefar@ip68-96-9-49.hr.hr.cox.net)
[18:52] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:52] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=79 ]{79}
[18:52] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:52] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=49 ]{49}
[18:52] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:52] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=21 ]{21}
[18:52] <@Kotono> Three days of traven to the southeast without incident. As the fourth day begins - mercifully not raining today...OOC: What's the marching order?
[18:54] <Gildas> OOC: I'll be wherever.
[18:54] <@Porridge> OOC: Porridge will take point and Bubi will fly around randomly. Gildas, Myann, then Feather maybe?
[18:54] <Feather> OOC: Works
[18:55] <Gildas> OOC: Fine with me.
[18:55] <@Kotono> OOC: Make a perception check, Porridge?
[18:56] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+12
[18:56] <Kobot> Porridge rolled 1d20+12 --> [ 1d20=10 ]{22}
[18:57] <@Kotono> Porridge is about to take another step through the underbrush. It's unremarkable, but his sharp eyes notice something! There's a slight dip just ahead, the underbrush sagging down slightly. The entire ground slumps down - hot much and not far, but a telltale sign.
[18:59] <@Porridge> "Watch out," Porridge holds a hand up to stop the others. "Might be on top of a sinkhole or pit-trap here." Taking his axe he sweeps it through the undergrowth to clear some away and see the ground or pit beneath.
[19:01] <@Kotono> Just as Porridge does that, the ground bursts out! It's enough for the party to see a sinkhole! Rising out of it is a great pillar of brown and green slime! The foul scent of acid fills the air as the creature rises up, before lashing at Porridge! OOC: Init, the oozes aren't feeling friendly today. Not that they ever are. Porridge is 5ft away, Gildas 10ft, Myann 15ft and Feather 20ft.
[19:01] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7
[19:01] <Kobot> Gildas rolled 1d20+7 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{20}
[19:01] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+2 Myann
[19:01] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+2 Myann --> [ 1d20=16 ]{18}
[19:01] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+1 Porridge, Bubi is staying out of this
[19:01] <Kobot> Porridge rolled 1d20+1 Porridge, Bubi is staying out of this --> [ 1d20=3 ]{4}
[19:02] <Feather> roll 1d20+3
[19:02] <Kobot> Feather rolled 1d20+3 --> [ 1d20=18 ]{21}
[19:02] <@Kotono> roll 1d20-5 ooze
[19:02] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20-5 ooze --> [ 1d20=3 ]{-2}
[19:02] <Gildas> OOC: It never gets a turn!
[19:02] * Kotono changes topic to 'Feather(21)>Gildas(20)>Myann(18)>Porridge(4)>GROUNDSLIME(-2)'
[19:03] <@Kotono> OOC: Unfortunately initiative can handle negative numbers. Scaaaary. Okay, if anyone has ranks in K:D you can make a check here.
[19:03] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+8
[19:03] <Kobot> Porridge rolled 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{21}
[19:03] <Feather> roll 1d20+8
[19:03] <Kobot> Feather rolled 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=8 ]{16}
[19:04] <@Kotono> Feather and Porridge can both identify this as a forest slime. Nasty, hits hard, has acid. Electricity is worthless against it. In addition, Porridge knows that slashing, piercing it or shocking it worthless, causing it to split into another jelly rather than injuring it.
[19:04] <@Kotono> OOC: Open Feather.
[19:06] * Feather hesitates for a moment, and then he darts in with an overhead strike to test the slime's defenses and leaps back swiftly to avoid any of it splashing on him.
[19:06] <Feather> roll 1d20+10
[19:06] <Kobot> Feather rolled 1d20+10 --> [ 1d20=18 ]{28}
[19:06] <@Kotono> OOC: Hit. That's slashing damage, right?
[19:06] <Feather> OOC: Yep, magical bastard sword
[19:07] <@Kotono> Feather slashes into the slime! The sword hisses with the acid-contact but comes out unscatched! However, so does the slime! Instead, part of it splits off and lands besides it, becoming a second pillar of rising acidic slime! OOC: Splits. Go Gildas.
[19:07] * Kotono changes topic to 'Feather(21)>Gildas(20)>Myann(18)>Porridge(4)>GROUNDSLIME=GROUNDSLIME 2(-2)'
[19:07] <@Kotono> "It split!" Myann calls, nailing the obvious with deft speed.
[19:08] <Feather> "What?!" Feather exclaims, staring in dismay.
[19:08] <@Porridge> "Just run, we can't kill it with our weapons!" Porridge yells.
[19:08] <Gildas> "In which direction?!" He calls out, hesitating on using his spells.
[19:09] <@Porridge> "Fuck, just anywhere! Away, around, it's slow!" Porridge continues talking rather than actually following his own advice.
[19:09] <@Kotono> OOC: Taking your turn talking then and nothing else or...?
[19:10] <@Kotono> OOC: Strike, sorry, thoguht it was Porridge's turn a sec. Go Gildas.
[19:10] <Gildas> "Very well then!"
[19:10] <Gildas> He will shift into his bear form and begin retreating, back the way they came to try and find a way around the slimes from afar!
[19:13] <@Kotono> Myann follows suit, turning and fleeing with a quickness! Even in chain mail she's surprisingly fast, making good distance back! OOC: Porridge, go. Also, how far did you fall back from the after the slash, Feather?
[19:13] <Feather> OOC: 20ft to it, 20ft back
[19:13] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay.
[19:13] <@Porridge> Porridge just follows the others since they've picked a direction.
[19:15] <@Kotono> Porridge follows! The two oozes wobble and wiggle a moment before oozing towards Feather! They're just able to close in, slimy bodies becoming crude cudgels as they lash out at the duskblade!
[19:15] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+5
[19:15] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+5
[19:15] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+5 --> [ 1d20=18 ]{23}
[19:15] <@Kotono> OOC: AC?
[19:15] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+5 --> [ 1d20=9 ]{14}
[19:15] <Feather> OOC: 17
[19:15] <@Kotono> roll 2d4+3+1d4
[19:15] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 2d4+3+1d4 --> [ 2d4=2 1d4=1 ]{6}
[19:17] <@Kotono> The slam is partially deflected at the last moment, Feather bringing up the magical blade to deflect it! It spares his chest a direct hit, but the ooze slithers down the blade and hits his hand! It hurts, a stinging pain as acid burns sizzle his flesh! OOC: Your grip just got a bit compromised, -1 to attack rolls until it gets healed up since you got hit hard and acid burned on your right hand.
[19:17] <@Kotono> Go Feather.
[19:17] * Feather sees no reason to stick around, and follows after the others.
[19:18] <@Kotono> Thus the party retreats, falling back in good order! The oozes follow but much slower, the party soon having left them in the dust! OOC: Free act.
[19:19] <@Porridge> "Right, we'll just work our way around them now," Porridge says since everyone's alive and well.
[19:19] <Gildas> "Good eye spotting them." He nods.
[19:20] <@Kotono> Myann comes on over to Feather, "Is your hand alright?" she asks, leaning in to look at it.
[19:20] <Feather> "Dunno how I ever managed to get by on my own," Feather mutters in plain disbelief, holding his arm awkwardly.
[19:21] <@Kotono> Biting her lip a moment before offering her hand out, "Would you like me to help it?" she asks.
[19:22] <Feather> "Appreciate that," he agrees, trying to stretch his arm over but then wincing and thinking better of it.
[19:23] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:23] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=13 ]{13}
[19:23] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:23] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=31 ]{31}
[19:24] <@Kotono> Myann reaches out and touches it lightly, chanting a few strange, rolling words. At first nothing happens but she repeats the words. Slowly the flesh begins to knit back, the wound becoming healthy flesh once more.
[19:24] <@Kotono> roll 1d8+3
[19:24] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d8+3 --> [ 1d8=2 ]{5}
[19:24] <@Kotono> OOC: 5 HP back and the -1 is gone sinc ethe wound's mostly healed.
[19:25] * Feather flexes his fingers, before nodding in appreciation. "Good as new, just about! My thanks!"
[19:27] <@Kotono> Smiling back, "It's the least I could do," she murmurs. OOC: Going to go around and continue on?
[19:27] <@Porridge> OOC: yes
[19:27] <Feather> OOC: Sure
[19:27] <Gildas> OOC: Yar.
[19:28] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:28] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=62 ]{62}
[19:28] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:28] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=73 ]{73}
[19:28] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:28] <Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=49 ]{49}
[19:35] <@Kotono> From there, reaching Riverside and skirting around it without incident. From there you travel on without incident for two days. As you break camp for the last day and head on...OOC: ARe you going to the fairy circle or Clearbrook first?
[19:36] <Feather> OOC: Let's get Myann settled in first, so she doesn't get involved with yet more fairies?
[19:38] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay.
[19:38] <Gildas> OOC: ^^
[19:39] <@Kotono> At last the party comes to Clearbrook! You come to the actual brook on a sunny day, the sunlight leaking into the Vastwoods in occasional little pools. Ahead are the farms and the small town - but you don't see anyone about or around at all.
[19:41] <@Porridge> On a day like this you'd expect to see people out just to enjoy the weather. Sharing his concern with the others, Porridge heads towards the familiar tavern first, poking his head in the door.
[19:42] <Gildas> Likewise, he heads with them, a frown on his face.
[19:42] <@Kotono> Myann follows, looking about with a slowly growing frown. Reaching the tavern, the party looks inside. Within it's packed! Everyone is there - slumped over tables or lying on the ground. Not a single soul moves.
[19:43] <@Porridge> "Well shit," Porridge drawls, going to give the nearest figure a poke. "Think it's the same as before?"
[19:44] * Feather approaches another, taking a look.
[19:44] <Feather> roll 1d20+8 herbs, is it?
[19:44] <Kobot> Feather rolled 1d20+8 herbs, is it? --> [ 1d20=19 ]{27}
[19:44] <@Kotono> The figure doesn't respond. He looks to be quite deeply asleep. Clint's besides him, softly snoring away. It does look ot be the same to Feather, yes.
[19:44] <@Kotono> "What's going on?" Myann asks quietly, hanging back. A hand rests on the hilt of her sword while she looks about.
[19:44] <Feather> "The hell?! We cured them! Got the one responsible, we did!"
[19:45] <@Kotono> On Feather's words, the sound of a man laughing echos from outside. In a silken, deep voice, "A beautiful day, a wonderful day in Clearbrook. A wonderful day to play, don't you say?"
[19:46] <Gildas> He lets out a sigh. Not this again.
[19:46] <@Porridge> "Oh, just fuck off!" Porridge yells, heading right back out again.
[19:48] <@Kotono> Coming out you don't see anyone. The voice seems to come from a bit above - somewhere. "Life thief, life thief, stealing away Elosha's life. These humans dared, so never again."
[19:50] <Feather> "What's your name, coward?"
[19:51] <@Porridge> "Yeah that was actually us. Need to work on your aim, ass," Porridge deadpans, unslinging his axe and whistling for Bubi, who is soon dispatched to seek out invisible talking people in the air above them.
[19:53] <@Kotono> "Knight of the Fairwind, Remizz Fairwind." There is a soft CLOP about 30ft away, the dirt around it spreading out and up. "Ooooooooh! To think these humans were innocent! I congratulate you, I never imagined another fey was behind this." The sounds of hands clapping follows, but it sounds wet and squishy at the same time. "I'm not disturbing another fey's entertainment, am I?"
[19:54] <@Porridge> Huh. Maybe there is an advantage to these damn eyes. "Yeah, you are. So piss off."
[19:55] <@Kotono> "I apologize in the name of House Fairwind." The voice declares, a slight gust of wind coming from the direction fo the voice. It makes each of you feel sticky, like pancake syrup got blotched over your body. "What house do you serve?"
[19:57] * @Porridge draws a blank there, his expression twisting at the unpleasant wind the interloper gives off.
[19:58] <Gildas> Seeing his comrade slow down, he decides to take the initiative. "My comrades were given a gift by Lady Valisha. We are here to speak with her."
[20:02] <@Kotono> "...aaaahahahhahahahahhahahahahahah!" The figure's laughter echos in the forest, followed by the sound of snapping fingers and squishing slime. "What are we but actors on the stage, striving for accolades at a play well done?" He switches to Sylvan then, understood by all but Porridge. "I shall deliver the commencement in person. Shall we travel together?"
[20:04] <Gildas> He considers his words very carefully. "Very well," he speaks likewise in the Sylvan language. "But I think it would be easier to follow one whom we can see for ourselves."
[20:05] <@Kotono> Myann stays well back of it all, as meanwhile you hear assorted groans from the tavern. "As you wish, as you wish. The humans are awoken, the spellbound sleep no longer." He stops there, "I don't understand." He finally says, "The markings on you are obvious, surely you can see the actors as well as the stage? The actors of the eye should have sight hidden by none."
[20:06] <Feather> At his words, Feather decides to take another look. Maybe all it takes is a bit of extra effort, just as it had with learning Sylvan.
[20:07] <@Porridge> Porridge just stands around looking pretty. Or at least least not hideous.
[20:07] <@Kotono> OOC: Make a Wis or Cha check, whichever is higher, Feather.
[20:07] <Feather> roll 1d20+1
[20:07] <Kobot> Feather rolled 1d20+1 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{14}
[20:10] <@Kotono> As Feather looks on, his eyes begin to water. The world seems to waver in and out of vision for a few seconds. When it returns, a figure is before you. It is as much elf as tree, a man of bark and wearing the rich tunic and cape of a knight. A sword is on his belt. Nonetheless, his bark-skin is full of holes, weeping brown tree sap. You can see insects silently writhing within the sap-holes over
[20:10] <@Kotono> the knight's body. OOC: Feather gains the following: Fey Eyes (Su): You are under the effect of a constant see invisibility spell with a caster level equal to your hit dice.
[20:11] * Feather nods slowly. "Sure can," he tells the fey. "But not everyone's got the same eye for things. It's common courtesy, it is."
[20:13] <@Kotono> As Feather talks, shallow pains erupt in his mouth. His teeth lightly tear into the insides of his mouth, the tips suddenly quite sharper than before! With a flourish and bow to Feather, "Very well, good sir," he says, flickering into being for the other three. "Shall we? Unless you wish to linger, but I fear the typical Unseelie response is the likely outcome. Such a massacre is a fine climax,
[20:13] <@Kotono> but nary a midpoint of little remark."
[20:15] <@Porridge> Porridge squints, not really finding visibility to be an improvement. But at least it gives him a target if need be.
[20:19] <Feather> "Let's."
[20:19] <Gildas> "Yes, let us be on our way, Sir Fairwind." He decides to speak.
[17:37] <@Kotono> With Sir Fairwind leading the way, the party makes brisk time out of the reawakening town of Clearbrook. He's going in the direction of the fairy circle, a path you know well. He seems to hop, jump and skip over the forested terrain, not slowed down at all by it. "Tell me," he asks, "Have you yet created any art or grand entertainments?"
[17:38] <@Porridge> Porridge just keeps his mouth shut. It should be easy to figure out when he has to hit something anyway.
[17:39] <Feather> "Gildas here sculted an ancient forest once," Feather says, glancing at his companion.
[17:39] <Gildas> "From one's perspective, we created some entertainment for Lady Valisha some weeks ago..." He glances back at Feather. "It was the most direct way through."
[17:41] <Feather> "It was a work of art," Feather deadpans.
[17:42] <@Kotono> "Aaaah. Worry not, for these times are of the starting minstrel. After all, what grand production does not begin as a nurtured seed of talent within nature's womb?" Keeping his pace just a bit faster than the rest of yours. As it does...OOC: Make spot checks, y'all. +2 bonus for Porridge, Myann and Feather.
[17:42] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+11
[17:42] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+11 and gets 23." [1d20=12]
[17:42] <Feather> roll 1d20+9
[17:42] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+9 and gets 17." [1d20=8]
[17:42] <Gildas> roll 1d20+10
[17:42] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+10 and gets 30." [1d20=20]
[17:45] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+14
[17:45] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+14 and gets 17." [1d20=3]
[17:46] <@Kotono> As the party walks, Gildas can notice something awry. The forest at the edges of his vision is blurry. Glancing about, he can see the forest not immediately around you seems blurry, faded and somehow subtly off.
[17:47] <Gildas> He reaches up to rub at his eyes once, looking around again. He frowns. "Hold." He raises his hand slightly to the rest of them, looking at Fairwind. "What is going on here? Why has the land taken on such a warped shape?"
[17:49] * @Porridge stops when Gildas does, looking keenly at Fairwind, even if he can't understand what the fairy says.
[17:51] <@Kotono> The creature stops. The terrain around you seems to blink for a split-second. Now you are at the fairy circle? Ahead is the field of bloody buttercups, Knight Fairwind stopping here. "Ah, to have such innocent youth," The fey declares, "Are you not familiar with the speciality of the Fairwinds? We are Edgewalkers."
[17:53] <Gildas> He continues to frown. "So where have you Edgewalked us to?"
[17:54] <Feather> "The entrance?"
[17:55] <@Kotono> A hand goes to lightly rest on the fey's face, the tips only grazing his forehead. He looks heavenward and heaves a dramatic sigh. "Yes. Edgewalking is only that and cannot fully transition. Cruel fate, to imagine there are members of the audience that are not yet familiar with such a basic performance! Oh cruel days, allow this to only be the punchline to greater heights!"
[17:55] <Gildas> He looks at Feather, clearly not convinced that they're actually where they should be.
[17:57] * Feather merely shrugs, signaling Gildas to try going along with it for now.
[17:58] <Gildas> His frown somewhat dissipates into a neutral expression at Feather's signal. "Very well then, Sir Fairwind. Will you be joining us to cross over?"
[17:59] <@Kotono> "But of course. I am to give the commencement to Lady Valisha myself. What a curious and wondrous performance it will be! Servant against servant! A bloody fratricidal war that will sprawl across the realms like an ocean of hate and discontent! Lady Valisha's vision is breath-taking, is it not?"
[18:00] <Gildas> "I do not believe words alone can capture such a sight." Well, at least that part was true...
[18:03] <@Kotono> "Oh, the great artists after will strive to capture so, and in the lost magics of the ages past will be brought forth to recreate it!" Gesturing grandly with a hand, sweeping towards the portal, "The Mindmates shall dance glorious recreations of battles amid the milieu of eternal nature! Can you not see it in your mind's eye? By chance if we are so honored by the first, our warfare will be
[18:03] <@Kotono> immortalized as the opening stanza!"
[18:04] <Feather> "No doubt."
[18:05] <@Kotono> "To the future!" Knight Fairwind declares, heading into the fairy circle amid the blood-red buttercups.
[18:06] * Feather follows.
[18:07] * Gildas also follows.
[18:07] <@Porridge> Likewies!
[18:09] <@Kotono> Passing through is like going through a waterfall of summer sunshine. Yet you stand in absolute darkness after, Knight Fairwind heard, "Ah, the realm still yet mourns for Elosha. It seems the tears have no yet left for the world of mortals."
[18:10] <@Kotono> Myann's heard finally speaking up, "Is that why the flowers are...crying?" she asks, hesitant on that last word.
[18:13] <@Kotono> "Yes. In time those tears will leave to the other side as rain, coming to a place that needs rain. That rain will lead to growth, as is proper for her life to have inspired new life. It shall be a fine morality play to see that life lead to a new birth. Elosha will be gone, but not forgotten by her descendant." The party can hear footsteps ahead, squleching as if going through muddy ground.
[18:13] <Feather> "Her descendant?"
[18:15] <@Kotono> There is a chuckle, "I marvel at Lady Valisha's sense of humor, to send such newly innocent babes into this opening act. Yes. The rain is the tears of the realm for Elosha and will call back Elosha's spirit when the growth they cause reaches a climax. It will be Elosha and not Elosha at once - the concept of eternal reincarnation. Now come...or is even the sight beyond light still outside your
[18:15] <@Kotono> grasps?"
[18:16] * Feather frowns. Then killing fey truly is pointless. He will keep that in mind. For now, however, he simply wills his eyes to see in darkness, just as they had been able to see the invisible.
[18:17] <Gildas> "I was not gifted with the same sight as my comrades. I apologize, but if you would be so kind...?" He will cover for the others, for now.
[18:18] <@Porridge> Porridge has no idea what anyone is saying and neither agrees nor disagrees with anything, just trying to look inscrutable instead.
[18:18] <@Kotono> It's surprisingly easy for Feather. His eyes burn for a few moments, then vision around him becomes visible. There is no color nor light, yet he can see perfectly. The field around you is full of flowers, yet each one constantly drips water. The clearing is sodden with an inch of standing water. OOC: Feather gains darkvision 60ft.
[18:19] <@Kotono> "Ah. I will yield to Lady Valisha's wisdom then." There is a snap of fingers, before floating, ghostly motes of light illuminate everything for Gildas and Porridge.
[18:19] <Gildas> He nods this thanks.
[18:24] <@Kotono> "Allow me a moment," Knight Fairwind says, "I shall invoke a minor magic to discern the direction we must travel in." He kneels in the water, splashing around him. "Elosha of our blood and our life, stolen by the thieves of life. I offer to you a crimson droplet. I beg that you take no offense to this and leave it behind like the name Elosha." He reaches up and pricks his thumb with his thumbnail,
[18:24] <@Kotono> a glistening red sap-drop falling into the water. For several moments the waters around you resonate red, before they fade. "Ah, this way. I believe she is making a monument."
[18:25] <Feather> "Of course," Feather agrees, once more ready to follow. The point here is not to show how much out of your depth you really are.
[18:30] <@Kotono> You travel. It is not long - it's like a brief stroll. But soon you are before the village of centaurs! Here everything is overgrown, yet all about are statues. Statues of the centaurs. They are at work, at play and in various situations. The statues are extremely lifelike, carved of simple gray stone but with the finest attention and skill. Atop one roof a sunbeam comes down through abreak in
[18:30] <@Kotono> the foliage. Here sits Lady Valisha, overwatching the empty and yet filled village. To Feather's eyes, he can also see dozens of pixies - yet none are alike. They are spliced with various animals, some having features of bees, flies, locusts, roaches, birds and cats. They fly about, taking tiny stone chips and laying them about. Slowly you can see stone statues build, each stone chip melding
[18:30] <@Kotono> into the greater construction. It looks like they're building more statues.
[18:31] <@Kotono> "M'lady!" Knight Fairwind, approaches the building she sits atop of and makes a grand, flourish filled bow. "Allow me to commend your talent before the inevitable plot twist begins. I can only laud you for your daring choice of actions and actors on the stage! Truly I see now that true artistry knows no bounds and is incomprehensible to all until it unfolds like a glorious rose!"
[18:31] * @Porridge looks at Valisha and even if he can see her without immediately going blind, he still has to fight a desire to tear his eyes away from the sheer wrongness she appears as.
[18:32] <@Kotono> Porridge finds she's much easier to look at. She even appears less wrong to him, somehow. At least emotionally, though the mental wrongness doesn't fade.
[18:32] * Feather pretends not to notice the fairies. He doesn't need to pretend to look thoroughly lost at the Knight's words, as that just happens naturally.
[18:35] <@Kotono> With a slight sigh, "Knight Fairwind, you return full of puzzling tidings. I would chide you for your presumptions, but the fact that you come bearing guests is of more concern." Raising her voice up, "I had thought you wise enough to learn your lesson. Why have you returned?" OOC: Porridge and Feather gain Nymph Immunity (Ex): You are immune to the blinding beauty of a nymph or similar creature.
[18:35] <@Kotono> Porridge can feel his mouth hurting and his teeth itching. 
[18:35] <@Kotono> "M'lady?" Knight Fairwind inquires, a note of discord and confusion coming to his voice.
[18:36] <@Kotono> Lady Valisha is speaking Common to her guests.
[18:37] <Feather> "Did you really thought I was wise, Lady Valisha?" Feather feels he needs to ask. "After branding me a foolish hero?"
[18:38] <@Kotono> "No, but a dog punished seldom does anything but slink away," she retorts, "I suppose then you have some trifling business to bother me with."
[18:39] * Gildas stays quiet, since this really is not his fight to be involved in at the moment.
[18:39] <@Porridge> "Just thought it couldn't hurt to try our luck," Porridge shrugs. "You said we won these eyes in battle? Nice gesture'n'all, but maybe we can return them instead?"
[18:40] <Feather> "There is that," Feather muses, "though I just want to know what will it take to keep Clearbrook's people awake and free of magical influence for good."
[18:41] <@Kotono> There is a chorus of giggles. Unseen to all but Feather, the pixies cease their stonework. They come and flutter over the party, invisible, glittering dust raining from their feet. Meanwhile, "Clearbrook is netting their punishment for the life-theft of Elosha, nothing more. Though I see you have taken to meddling. Greetings, prisoner of mushrooms."
[18:42] <@Porridge> "Yeah, Elosha was us too," Porridge admits. They already told Fairwind after all.
[18:42] <@Kotono> "H-hello." Myann says, momentarily going wide-eyed before her face and body tense. "Can you help them, sidhe?"
[18:42] <Feather> "Since she will reincarnate, can we just apologize for everything and call it even?"
[18:45] <@Kotono> "Oh!" Suddenly Lady Valisha smiles. She chortles, a soft sound that sounds downright girlish. "I never...ahhahahahhahaha! Of course, the best lie is one that another creates themselves from a false assumption." She slowly claps, "Mmmm. There is no point to punishing the humans of Clearbrook any more. Knight Fairwind, see to them and their efforts at tilling the earth. A season of abundance will
[18:45] <@Kotono> prosper nature and you can weave in the proper lesson during the season. Continue this for one cycle of the seasons and a day."
[18:46] <@Kotono> "M'lady, but I came to deliver a commencement! This is all your plan, is it not?" Knight Fairwind speaks up, voice stricken. "It is art!"
[18:46] <Feather> That's one problem resolved. Hopefully.
[18:48] <@Kotono> "Do I appear one of the other court," Lady Valisha asks, raising a single eyebrow. "Go now." At those words Knight Fairwind rises and sprints off, as if all the demons of Hell were chasing him! Once he's gone, "Now you've amused me. A basic game, but one executed well. Even if I suspect happenstance as much as art. Tell me why I should not simply forbid you from leaving this realm and allowing
[18:48] <@Kotono> your eyes to fully grow within you?"
[18:49] <Feather> "Because we amused you?"
[18:50] <@Porridge> "Because..." Porridge has to think a second, clearly. "Because being at your side should be a gift and not a punishment?" It would sound a lot better from someone more charismatic, but it's out there.
[18:51] <Gildas> He continues to stay quiet, since those were both good reasons.
[18:54] <@Kotono> "Perhaps." It is all she says, "Gildas Verdantstep, I will give you the priviledge to step away for the moment. This is not your trial, for you passed a trial of battle, a trial of endurance and a trial of diplomacy."
[18:58] <Gildas> He hesitates for a moment. He steps back from the two of them, speaking up after doing so. "Lady Valisha, I only wish to say this on behalf of my comrades: They are both good individuals. We are all flawed in our own way, but that is what makes us all unique. Going on this journey with them has been a revelation in and of itself." He nods, somewhat satisfied with what he said, though less so
[18:58] <Gildas> with stepping back.
[18:58] * Feather hides his incredulity with some effort.
[18:59] * @Porridge just shrugs. Revelations don't have to be good things after all.
[19:00] <@Kotono> Lady Valisha merely nods to those words. "The three of you," Her gaze hits Feather, Porridge and then Myann. "A simple test. I shall invoke the magic of new growths. If any of you can resist it and keep your minds, I will allow your eyes to be cured."
[19:01] <Feather> "Could you do something about Myann as well? What with the sleeping instead of that trance stuff? If she wants to, I mean," Feather says, glancing at the erstwhile elf. It doesn't sound right that she should gamble like this without getting something out of the deal as well.
[19:03] <@Porridge> If it's mind affecting magic, Porridge at least will try and bolster himself. Hunching over and snarling, the sound of sinews snapping and bones popping issues forth, limbs extending somewhat albeit unequally while veins throb wildly, including a particularly prominent one above his partially popped out eye. "Do it," he growls with the air of someone on the verge of snapping, looking up to glare at Valisha.
[19:03] <@Porridge> OOC: raging
[19:06] <@Kotono> "The prisoner of the mushrooms has been influenced too long." With a laugh, "Elf, did you think you would get to go home and live amid the mortals after all this time? Do you think an escape would be allowed? You are one of us now, prisoner. Our blood is your blood. Mere..." She sniffs the air, "Chickens, was it? Chickens could not thin that blood. Know that-" A stop as Porridge hulks out, "So
[19:06] <@Kotono> be it," she gestures at the party! Suddenly your bodies tingle! Great swelling lumps rise up all over your bodies, like giant tumors! Myann meanwhile listens to her words with growing, obvious dismay - then the tumors come. She stumbles to a knee, holding her chest with both hands! "Resist with all your might!" She calls! OOC: Each of you have a round's action like this if you care to do anything.
[19:06] <@Kotono> If not, just say you're passing.
[19:09] <Feather> It's do or die! Feather draws the wooden token he carries with himself everywhere and places it between his teeth to avoid biting off his tongue from the pain of the transformation. Then, it is merely a matter of enduring and triumphing over this trial!
[19:11] <@Kotono> Myann cries out, managing to stay on one knee. She draws her longsword and plunges it into the ground, using it to support herself. Her knuckles turn white as she holds the hilt with all she has, shuddering as the tumors grow!
[19:11] <@Porridge> His body is already deformed with the overly-emotional form of rudimentary shapeshifting he's using, sheer adrenaline washing away the pain of distorted limbs and swollen muscles nearly bursting his skin. With all that going on, he clenches his fists and tries to further his rage inwards and suppress the uncontrolled cancerous growth, feral growls escaping through clenched teeth.
[19:11] <@Kotono> OOC: Will saves. +4 bonus if you have the endurance feat. +2 bonus to Feather for what he chose to do there.
[19:12] * Gildas will watch with a frown.
[19:12] <Feather> roll 1d20+7
[19:12] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+7 and gets 8." [1d20=1]
[19:12] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+6
[19:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 and gets 13." [1d20=7]
[19:12] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+10
[19:12] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+10 and gets 18." [1d20=8]
[19:17] <@Kotono> Feather screams! His tumors sag out like fat, surging through his body! His form shifts, grey wolf fur growing all over! He falls to his knees and spits out the wooden token, howling up to the sky! Meanwhile Myann cries out in pain! Her tumors explode out, great crops of mushrooms growing all over her. Her body becomes pallid white, her mouth opening - and more toadstools growing out of it! The
[19:17] <@Kotono> biggest one splits open, a tiny mouth revealed and a mushroom-tongue lolling out! But Porridge? Porridge stands tall! The tumors throb, but he does not relent! His will is like iron as they grow in size! They double and then triple in size, dragging his body down like giant weights sewn into his body! But yet he does not change! This hellish agony - can it be anything but - lasts for several
[19:17] <@Kotono> moments, until Porridge's tumors fall off like scabs. They rot away into dirt and fur, leaving Porridge's body intact! Meanwhile Feather and Myann collapse, blissful unawareness ending the moments of nightmare they overtook them! Despite the horrible growths Porridge is fine - still himself in body and mind! Lady Valisha watches keenly, focusing on Porridge alone after a few moments. Once he
[19:17] <@Kotono> returns to normal she claps, lots more clapping coming from above. "Bravo! Bravo!" Dozens of giggly, girlish voices call, "Encore! Encore!"
[19:18] <@Kotono> "I congratulate you, knave," Lady Valisha calls, clapping slowly. "There is hated iron in your blood and scalding fire in your belly."
[19:21] <@Porridge> With a strain of mental effort, Porridge pulls himself out of the raging state. His entire body sags, his deformations only slowly returning to his normal proportions, far more slowly than they'd manifested. "I'll take what I can get," he says, voice a bit thick around his slightly crooked jaw but no longer resonating with fury. A glance at Myann and Feather has him frowning and he asks, "No second chances for these two?" already knowing the answer.
[19:24] <@Kotono> "If any of you can resist it and keep your minds, I will allow your eyes to be cured," Lady Valinsha repeats, "But you are fortunate. I am not bound by word to reverse them, but this magic is temporary. They will revert in minutes, before they awaken. Know this - the prisoner of mushrooms has gone too far. I council you to leave her to this realm. The sooner she succumbs, the sooner she can join
[19:24] <@Kotono> a court. There is no future for her in your world. The petty mortals will fear their better. In time, they will attempt an act above their stations and become life-thieves or she will properly chastise them and grow closer to her blood."
[19:27] <@Porridge> "I'll pass it along," Porridge mutters dubiously. Taking note of her wording, "I take it that means I have to find someone to cure them myself, just that you won't take issue with it? And you will if Feather does?"
[19:29] <@Kotono> "I will allow Feather's to be cured as well," Lady Valisha says, leaning forward slightly. A coy smile is on her face, "You have amused me enough not to bring further chastisement on to you. Take your friend and leave. If you are wise, you will have your eyes removed and never again interfere in our matters. Content yourself with matters on the other side and accept the judgment of your betters,
[19:29] <@Kotono> should you come across them again."
[19:31] <@Porridge> "We'll see," is all Porridge says to that, caring far more about his equals than his betters. Turning to look on Myann and Feather, he simply endures their warped visages and waits for them to come out of it.
[19:32] <@Kotono> As you watch, you can see them revert. Within a minute or two they have returned to normal, albeit still out cold.
[19:33] <Gildas> "I am uncertain we can make such a promise to you." He admits. "We," and it isn't clear if he's saying humans or the party, here... "Have a tendency to become involved in things due to our... perhaps, will to not leave those in trouble." He looks over at Feather and Myann and will wait as well.
[19:34] <@Porridge> "C'mon, they're out cold," Porridge leans down and hefts Feather up into a carry over his shoulder, grabbing that token he dropped as well.
[19:35] <Gildas> He nods and will move to pick up Myann!
[19:38] <@Porridge> Giving Valisha one last nod, Porridge retraces their steps back the way they came.
[19:41] <@Kotono> The party retreats back. It doesn't take long for Feather and Myann to stir, the latter groaning softly as you walk back towards the fairy circle.
[19:42] <@Porridge> Once Feather starts to stir, Porridge sets him down hoping his mind is intact. "You all there?"
[19:43] <Gildas> Likewise, he will set Myann down.
[19:44] <@Kotono> Myann rubs her her eyes, slowly looking around. "What?" she asks in a single word, blinking away.
[19:45] <Feather> "What happened?" Feather asks, not moving much for now.
[19:45] <Gildas> "It's... hard to explain. It seems it was just a mental trial." He looks at Porridge, since he didn't go through it.
[19:47] <@Porridge> "We passed, we can go get our eyes fixed - she won't do it herself but she doesn't care about us now," Porridge says succinctly. Looking to Myann though he looks sympathetic, "Myann, though, you're too far gone. She suggested you stay here, but it's up to you what you want."
[19:49] <Feather> "That might be the sensible thing to do," Feather says, once her processes that. "But heck, why would you decide something like that with logic? Could always come here if you feel like it. No need to swap one prison for another without seeing the world all proper-like first."
[19:51] <@Kotono> Myann's head falls forward, face hidden in shadow. "That's it, then? My freedom's just so I can stay here with the kin of the monster that imprisoned me?" Her voice sounds drained, lacking any energy or feeling at all. "Am I free to leave the home of the sidhe, then? I don't care what she says if I'm not."
[19:53] <@Porridge> "She doesn't care what you do, it was phrased as advice," Porridge tells her.
[19:53] <Feather> "Let's find out?"
[19:54] <@Kotono> "Let's," Myann gets up, face a mix of tight-lipped worry and barely held back anger.
[19:54] * Feather feels he has recovered enough by now to lead the way.
[19:55] <@Kotono> The walk back to the clearing is without incident. It's still pitch dark, but Myann and Feather can lead the way in. OOC: Just going to head out?
[19:55] <@Porridge> OOC: lets
[19:55] <Feather> OOC: Yes
[19:58] <@Kotono> The party goes back through the portal! It's like going through a winter windstorm, but you are again in the field of bloody buttercups.
[19:58] <Feather> "Guess that's our answer?"
[20:00] <@Kotono> Myann lets out a tremendous sigh. Her shoulders slump as a look of utter relief comes to her face. "I can leave." she says faintly, before turning to Porridge, "Did she say why I was so far gone? Why did she think I should stay? Did she say why?"
[20:04] <Gildas> "I think it was partially concern for your safety. Humanity can be very prejudiced at times." He frowns.
[20:04] <@Porridge> Porridge glances at the two men present and winces. "She said a chicken wasn't good enough. That eventually people would fear you for what you are - I dunno if that means you'll keep changing or if stuff'll happen around you, though."
[20:05] <Feather> "Won't matter much if you keep traveling though, would it?"
[20:08] <@Kotono> Myann listens to all of it, gazing her gaze down after. She's silent for a few moments before looking back up. "I suppose a traveler's life is the answer. That or becoming a hermit." With a lighter sigh now, "Can I travel with you a time longer? Right now I don't know much, but I do know I don't want to stay around here after this."
[20:09] <Feather> "Got no problem with it," Feather answers for himself. "And given how fey act, wouldn't be surprised if it's an exaggeration, here. There's got to be more people like that who were their victims, and they either found cures or places to belong, I figure. Just a matter of coming across them."
[20:09] <Gildas> "...There is the slight problem that we..." He glances at the others. "Do we even have anywhere to go from here?"
[20:09] <@Porridge> "Fine with me," Porridge shrugs. "We're heading back the way we came now to get our eyes fixed."
[20:10] <Feather> "That sage," Feather reminds Gildas. "The eyes, remember?"
[20:10] <Gildas> "Ah, yes, of course." He nods.
[20:11] <@Kotono> "Thank you," Myann says, "Maybe that sage will know something that can help, too."

[Ebiris]

[18:17] <@Kotono> The foursome head to Clearbrook. As you reach the river into town you find it bustling. People are going about - and are armed with pitchforks and knives. A few look to be working on some sort of wooden construction of some sort. Even from here, you can distantly hear shouting coming from the tavern.
[18:17] <Feather> The tavern is where it's all at, and Feather heads there with confidence!
[18:18] <@Porridge> "Yep, folks sound pissed," Porridge comments, wading across the river and wondering if there's a bridge somewhere he's just never noticed.
[18:21] <Gildas> "I wonder if Fairwind had anything to do with this?" He comments, likewise, following the other two.
[18:21] <Feather> "Being put to sleep, the entire town at once, might've had something to do with it, I reckon."
[18:21] <@Porridge> "Uh, yeah. Did you miss the slumber party earlier?" Porridge asks, looking askance.
[18:22] <Gildas> "Yes, I am aware, Porridge." He will look at him, shaking his head. "I mean, if he returned while you were dealing with your trial to antagonize them."
[18:22] <@Kotono> There's no bridge you've failed to notice. As you ford across Myann hangs back a bit, looking around. You get a few looks, a broad, barrel-chested man wearing a sleeveless tunic and patched pants comes over. He has a big old cudgel in hand, "Hey you! Yeah, y'all!"
[18:23] <Feather> "Folks here need no more antagonizing by the looks of it," Feather mutters, before waving at the man in greeting. "You good people can't seem to catch a break, looks like."
[18:27] <@Kotono> "I know your face! All y'all are the ones who helped Louise-Ann! Good! Y'all can help us with our freak problem." He says, grinning briefly. "Fucking freaks, never should have tolerated them in the first place."
[18:28] <@Porridge> "Wait, what?" Porridge suddenly looks disturbed, jumping to the thought that they're blaming the centaur kids.
[18:28] <Feather> "Can do," Feather says, smiling broadly. "Think I know who you're talking about, but what's the deal here?"
[18:29] * Gildas stays quiet for now, a frown slowly encroaching on his face.
[18:29] <@Kotono> Myann is silent for the moment, but her eyes narrow.
[18:31] <@Kotono> "It's those damn horses! Some dumb fuck went and fucked his horse and now we have centers! Gods take 'em, they're nothing but curses!" Scowling as he goes on, "Couple of us got the idea to hang 'em high as the trees. Should of done that to begin with, kids or not. That old hardass in the inn's pitching a damned fit over it."
[18:32] <@Porridge> Porridge abruptly slings his axe and starts barreling forward, willing to push the man down if he doesn't stand aside. "Anyone wants a lynching, they're going through me first!" he roars.
[18:33] <Feather> "Give us a moment, will you?" Feather asks the man, moving to block Porridge. "Ain't no place to do that, friend. Let's head to the inn here."
[18:33] <@Kotono> The man just barely manages to get out of the way, stumbling back with wide eyes. "What's the idea?!" he blurts, staring at Porridge and Feather.
[18:34] <@Porridge> Porridge at least lets Feather block him, but his expression is mutinous. "We left those kids here to be taken care of, not killed!" he glowers.
[18:34] <@Kotono> "I think we just need to fix something," Myann murmurs, "No killing children. That's a crime against nature."
[18:35] <Gildas> "Allow us to remedy this situation, sir." Is about all he can manage to muster, considering the situation.
[18:36] <Feather> "Leaving 'em here where they ain't wanted isn't a good idea," Feather tells Porridge quietly. "Let's see if we can bring them along. Maybe find some other centaur village who'd take them."
[18:36] <@Porridge> "Yeah," Porridge nods, determined to take them away from here even if they defuse this situation. There'll be another later, won't there?
[18:37] <Feather> Tipping his hat to the man who was so eager to hang up centaur kids, Feather guides Porridge towards the inn, encouraged by his acceptance.
[18:40] <@Kotono> The party heads to the tavern. It's packed full. As you approach you can hear, "Shit from hell, no!" The barkeep's voice is heard, "Look at yourselves, you assholes! I thought better of all of you!" Coming in, you see that the front and back of the tavern is full. A few dozen people are on each side, and the back part has the barkeep and his wife. She kneels next to the centaur children, whispering
[18:40] <@Kotono> gently to them and holding them close. They look terrified in the meanwhile. The barkeep gestures about, "You get one scare and you start acting like fuckin' childrren scared of the dark!"
[18:42] <Feather> "Ain't not gonna be any scares," Feather says loudly as he enters. "Fey here said they'd leave you alone. For a year, you won't even see hide of them!"
[18:42] <@Porridge> "Man's right!" Porridge yells as he strides in, that bigass axe still held dangerously in his hands. "Thought this was a nice place, a place we could count on to do right by two innocent kids. You all trying to make a fool outta me for expecting a bit of common decency from you all?"
[18:44] <@Kotono> The mention of the word fey causes a tidal wave of shouts, calls and curses. It subsides as Porridge calls, getting a greatful look from Samuel.
[18:44] <@Kotono> A man on the close side, weathered and middle aged, glares at Porridge - briefly. "The Fair Folk don't care about that!"
[18:45] <@Kotono> "Shh," The barkeep's wife murmurs to the two colts, holding them close. She murmurs a few more soft words, lost int he general noise.
[18:46] <@Porridge> "They don't care about shit," Porridge retorts. "But they ain't here right now. Right now you gotta worry about what *I* care about!"
[18:46] <Feather> With Porridge seizing control of the situation perfectly, Feather tries to catch Myann's eye and then gesture towards the centaur kids.
[18:47] <@Kotono> OOC: Make an intimidation check, Porridge?
[18:47] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+6
[18:47] -rpgcafe.ca.us.lunarnet.org:@#dunes- Kotono invited Hatbot into the channel.
[18:47] * Joins: Hatbot (~Hatbot@cpe-72-182-99-123.austin.res.rr.com)
[18:47] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+6
[18:47] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+6 and gets 17." [1d20=11]
[18:48] * Gildas continues to stay quiet, as there is no need for further words from anyone.
[18:48] <@Kotono> Myann nods slightly, heading over to the children. In the meanwhile the man backs down, "Momma always said the man with the weapon's right," he mutters.
[18:49] * Feather snorts. "Sensible, that."
[18:49] <@Kotono> "Now listen here!" Samuel growls, "All of you shitheads are going to go back and count your blessings that our friends and saviors here," Gesturing at the party, "Came in when they did and didn't get offended. What odds do y'all think you have against heroes that gave the Fair Folk the business?"
[18:50] <@Kotono> A voice from the back calls, "They're freaks too! Look at 'em in the eyes! They got an elf with 'em too now!"
[18:51] <Feather> "Someone here got problem with elves?" Feather asks, placing his hands on the handles of his sheathed scimitars.
[18:51] <@Porridge> "Don't think I'd be inclined to listen to any talk or pleading had I arrived a half hour later," Porridge agrees darkly. And at that call he shouts right back, "Brave man at the back there! Have some fucking spine and come here where I can look at you with my freaky eyes when I backtalk!"
[18:52] <@Porridge> *you backtalk
[18:54] <@Kotono> The man comes forward. He's unremarkable - muscular but not attractive, tanned with a hint of sunburn. HIs clothes are dirt-stained but well kept otherwise. He has a mane of black hair and a scowl. He manages to even look Porridge in the eye, "Y-yeah?" he manages, "Y-yeah!"
[18:55] * Feather snorts again. "Brave after all! Dumb as shit, but brave!"
[18:55] <Gildas> He continues to stay quiet.
[18:57] <@Porridge> "S'better." He hadn't even given the man credit to go that far. "So, freak am I? Just like those two poor children there?" he gestures to the centaurs. "Think you oughtta try and lynch me too? Nevermind that I got back Louise-Ann with my friends here. Never mind that me and my friends chased off that fairy that had you all sleeping like babes earlier instead of doing the world a favour and stepping on your neck. Just you, and a guy that can actually fight back. Are you gonna try it?"
[18:58] <@Kotono> OOC: Intimidate again, +2 bonus?
[18:58] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+8
[18:58] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+8 and gets 16." [1d20=8]
[18:59] <@Kotono> He manages to meet that glare for a few moments before turning his head away. "Freaks stick up for freaks," he mutters under his breath, carrying just enough to be heard. You can see him shaking despite it, "F-f-fine. Maybe y'all are right and we shouldn't string them up."
[19:00] * Feather shakes his head slowly, and comes closer to the innkeeper. "Reckon all that's left is just Porridge telling some folk how things are gonna be," he tells the other man. "Don't know mobs like this for being too brave when faced with actual weapons. So I guess what we should be doing here is getting the kids ready to travel?"
[19:00] <@Kotono> Quietly under his breath, "We'll talk once we clear the tavern out. Can the all of you do something to encourage them to get out of here?"
[19:00] <@Porridge> "Yeah, and what kind of man sticks up for a child?" Porridge asks disdainfully, giving the man a one-armed shove to the chest. "Not you, that's for fucking sure."
[19:01] * Feather puts two fingers in his mouth at he turns towards the crowd and gives a sharp whistle. "Innkeep wants his place cleared. Got that, you lot? Gonna happen now, either peaceful-like or the hard way."
[19:01] <@Kotono> He stumble back and falls hard! He lands with a thump! At this a few people near the door slip out, shamefaced. The shoved man looks up, "They're not chidlren! They're monsters! M-m-monsters!
[19:01] <@Kotono> OOC: Gah.
[19:02] <@Kotono> He stumble back and falls hard! He lands with a thump! At this a few people near the door slip out, shamefaced. The shoved man looks up, "They're not chidlren! They're monsters! M-m-monsters!" At Feather's whistle, people do indeed start to file out. The mood of the tavern lightens, as your victim manages to half crawl, half stumble out with them.
[19:03] <Feather> "There we go." Feather gives the innkeeper a long look, before nodding in approval. "You're a good man, just like we thought that time."
[19:03] <@Porridge> "Everywhere we go, scum after scum," Porridge shakes his head in annoyance as they all leave, slowly returning his axe to its harness. Hearing Feather he perks up and nods, "Not you, though," he agrees. "World needs more like it."
[19:05] <@Kotono> "Shiiiiiiit." Sighing and running a hand over his face, "Shit, shit, shit!" Samuel mutters once the tavern's cleared. He goes to the nearest seat and sits heavily enough to thump down, "That's the hell of it. People were starting to warm up to 'em," he says as his wife gently comforts the children, leading them off for the moment. "Then this happens and Yosemite there got the idea they were to
[19:05] <@Kotono> blame for it."
[19:05] <@Kotono> His wife pauses as they go, "Thank you for coming when you did," she adds.
[19:05] <@Porridge> "Lucky timing," Porridge agrees.
[19:06] <Gildas> "It was our fault." He finally speaks up. "The fey thought that you all had killed the fairy that originally caused that whole mess... So they punished your town. It has been... resolved, for whatever that means ultimately to you." He frowns.
[19:06] <Feather> "Another fey was the blame for it, more like," Feather elaborates, feeling the locals deserve to know. "But we talked to his boss, sorta, and she told him to lay off and to give you good crops for a while."
[19:07] <@Kotono> "No shit?" He says, closing his eyes and sighing, "Thanks for telling us. But now look at the mess we have."
[19:08] <Feather> "We'll need to find a place that would take the kids without singling them out like this," Feather muses. "Maybe an elven town?"
[19:08] <@Kotono> "
[19:09] <@Kotono> "The right one would," Myann speaks up, coming to sit down too. Brushing back her hair, "I remember stories of centaur foundlings being raised by elves from my childhood."
[19:09] <@Porridge> Porridge looks vaguely affronted, but soon manages to shake it off.
[19:10] <@Kotono> "There's a bit of a problem with that," Samuel butts in, "The children have gotten attached. Shit, a few days ago one of them called my wife Momma. We're all they have after what happened, and they're clinging on for all they're worth."
[19:11] <@Porridge> "Bad all round, but how much good does that do them in half a year when someone else wants to blame all their troubles on them?"
[19:12] * Feather looks grim as he hears that. "Porridge's right about that," he admits. "Unlike you're thinking of selling the place and relocating yourself?"
[19:13] <@Kotono> "Yeah." A simple answer as he looks up to the ceiling, "Shit, thought the same thing myself. Maybe...shit goes downhill. Or downstream. Speaking of, heard from a passing bard that there's a new town a ways upstream."
[19:13] <Feather> "Won't be a better chance to check it out," Feather mentions. "With how dangerous travel is, and with us here and all."
[19:14] <@Kotono> "You all willing? I'd normally wait for travelers to come through and pay 'em." he says, "I can spare some gold for the trouble. By any chance, did you all pass through there? It was about in the direction you'd go to get to Carnath Falls."
[19:15] <Gildas> His expression suddenly turns sour. "I... have a feeling we may have."
[19:16] <@Porridge> "Oh, that one? Riverside?" Porridge clarifies. "Yeah, they were barely getting started. Seemed more interested in picking fights with the wildlife, though."
[19:18] <@Kotono> "That's about right for a new settlement. Clearing out the local predators can do you a world of good down the road. Hell." Sighing deeply, "Look, I need to talk with the wife and you all look like you could use a meal, bed and a bath. Let's do that before we start making plans."
[19:19] <Feather> "Sounds about right, here."
[19:21] <@Kotono> OOC: Skip ahead to the next day then?
[19:21] <@Porridge> OOC: sure
[19:23] <@Kotono> The next morning is rain. Rain, rain rain. Amid the patter of raindrops the party plus Samuel and his wife eat a big breakfast. Eggs, bacon, rolls with butter, sausage, hashed potatoes, small carrots and apple cider. "The children are still asleep," His wife announces, "The poor things took forever to fall asleep, bless them."
[19:25] <@Porridge> "Got a bad lot, they did," Porridge nods sollemnly, digging into the spread.
[19:25] <Gildas> "If we are going back to Riverside, I have one caution." He says amidst all the food. "I would not mention anything about the fey there. That woman..." He look at Porridge and Feather. "You remember her, yes? She had... something about her, when we mentioned it... It was unsettling. So... please, be on your guard if that is our destination."
[19:26] <@Kotono> "We've been talking about it," Samuel's wife speaks up, "Dear me, but I had an idea first. It might be silly, but...you people have magic, don't you?"
[19:27] <@Kotono> "Noted," Samuel nods to Gildas.
[19:27] <Feather> "Some."
[19:29] <@Kotono> "Could you do something with magic to make the people stop this?" she asks.
[19:29] <Gildas> He blinks. "What do you mean? Calm them, somehow?" He looks down, thinking.
[19:30] <Feather> "Don't think we would be better than the meddling fey if we just did that sorta thing," Feather says, frowning.
[19:32] <@Kotono> "Something like that," Gildas gets an answer from Samuel, "To be honest, we don't want to move, but we want to leave those colts behind even less."
[19:37] <Gildas> "I can think of one or two things that could calm an individual... but it is as Feather says, I do not think that is the best course of action. We... could try and speak to the people again... but I worry, as they do, that if something were to befall this place, it would be blamed on the children."
[19:38] <@Porridge> "Yeah, I don't really do calm all that well," Porridge adds unhelpfully.
[19:39] <Feather> "Sorry," Feather says genuinely. "You two got a bad lot as well, not just the kids. But it seems like you should make your choice and stick with it." He points at his eyes. "We got dealt a crappy hand, but we're headed over to Carnath Falls again to fix it. Looked like a nice place. You all might fit in well there. Or Riverside. Or somewhere else. Or whatever other choice you make."
[19:40] <@Kotono> The married pair exchange a look before Samuel nods to her. Turning back, "We'll go to Riverside. Will you escort us? We'll pay 200 gold for it."
[19:40] <Feather> "Your money's no good with us," Feather says, hoping he's speaking for everyone. "We'll be happy to."
[19:41] <@Porridge> Porridge nods in agreement with Feather.
[19:42] <@Kotono> "That's right neighborly of you," That gets a smile back, "Then at least enjoy free lodging here until we're ready to go."
[19:42] * Gildas nods as well. "Thank you for your hospitality."
[19:45] <@Kotono> OOC: Y'all are gonna have a few days of rest in town. Anything you want to get done or just want to skip ahead?
[19:45] <Feather> OOC: I'm fine with a skip
[19:45] <Gildas> OOC: Check in on Clint and Louise-Anne is all I can think of to do.
[19:45] <@Porridge> OOC: I'm good
[19:49] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay.
[19:51] <@Kotono> A few days pass. A rainy afternoon has the group lounging around the tavern. Samuel and his wife are going, making the needed preparations. The four pass the time in idle banter and drinking - until the door ot the tavern open. Clint strides in, wiping rainwater off his face. Louise-Ann is with him, carrying a cute pink umbrella. "I heard all of you ewre back in town!"
[19:51] <@Porridge> "Yeah, didn't see you when we rolled in," Porridge observes. And good for him at that.
[19:51] <Gildas> "Ah, it is good to see both of you again." He nods with a small smile.
[19:52] <@Porridge> Blinking a few times, Porridge rubs his eyes through their lids.
[19:52] <@Kotono> Myann puts down her drinks and subtly sniffs the air.
[19:53] <@Kotono> "Yeah, I was out of town for it," he says, "Took Louise-Ann to the next village to get this," he says, said child twirling the umbrella before closing it.
[19:54] <@Porridge> "Yeah. S'real pretty," Porridge offers, taking a moment from rubbing his annoyingly itchy eyes to look at the child before he looks at Clint oddly. "You alright?"
[19:55] <Feather> Since he had stayed in the background during Clint's visit, Feather takes a closer look at Clint and his daughter.
[19:55] <Feather> OOC: Detect Magic as a SLA
[19:57] <@Kotono> You can detect faint magic coming from Clint's pocket. Meanwhile, "Yeah. 'sides for finding something." He reaches into that pocket and takes something out. It's a gemstone! It's a blood red teardrop, perfectly smooth, as if polished. On taking it out Myann sniffs the air again, while Feather and Porridge's eyes itch even more.
[19:58] <Feather> roll 1d20+8 spellcraft
[19:58] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+8 spellcraft and gets 18." [1d20=10]
[19:58] <@Porridge> Porridge squints, it becoming painful to look at by now. "You oughtta get rid of that. Pretty sure it's a fairy thing," he says.
[19:59] <Gildas> He glances at his comrades, then back over. "...Hm." They had heard something about teardrops recently, hadn't they.
[20:05] <@Kotono> Feather can tell the teardrop is full of sorrow and loss. "I was wondering. Found it in a rainstorm, it was the damndest thing." Putting it on the table, "I saw it fall from the sky with the rain."
[20:06] <Gildas> He looks over at Feather and Porridge knowingly.
[20:09] <@Porridge> "Yeah, listen," Porridge sighs. "That's a tear for the fairy that caused all this. It'll cause growth, but when that growth reaches a climax, she's back. Best just chuck it in the woods far away and forget about it." Pity there aren't any deserts nearby.
[20:10] <Feather> "Could sell it?"
[20:11] <@Kotono> "Yeagh!" Clint wipes his hand off on his shirt and stares at it, "You make it sound like it's a fairy egg!"
[20:11] <Feather> "Probably is."
[20:12] <@Kotono> "You know," Myann speaks up, "When there's an egg you don't want to hatch, you smash it where the mother hen won't see it."
[20:12] * @Porridge shrugs, having no idea if that would work or just make lots of mini-fairies.
[20:13] <Feather> "Do we need to?"
[20:13] <Gildas> "Although that fairy was troublesome, I do not know if that is how we should handle it. I do think... we should take it away from here, though."
[20:15] <@Kotono> "AT the least," Myann agrees, wrinkling her nose, "It smells strangely, too."
[20:17] <Gildas> "I can carry it, if it... bothers the rest of you." He offers, looking over at it.
[20:17] <@Porridge> "Just having it around is a pain, but if it's a bit further away it must be better," Porridge shrugs.
[20:18] <@Kotono> "Why don't we just toss it halfway between here and Riverside?" Myann adds, "If we're going to keep it that long."
[20:19] <Gildas> "That should be fine. I dare not take it to Riverside... They may know what it is." He nods to Myann's offer.

[Ebiris]

[18:19] <@Kotono> Days pass. Soon enough Samuel, his wife and the centaur children are ready. It's a warmish day when the group heads out. As you do so, you see most of the town gathered up. There's no call, no responses - but Clint comes forward, holding a tankard in one hand. "Cheers for the road ahead," he calls.
[18:20] <@Porridge> Porridge doesn't have any words for them, just whistling for Bubi that it's time to go and shouldering his pack.
[18:21] <Gildas> He nods and bows slightly to them in thanks.
[18:21] * @Feather tips his hat at Clint, bringing up the rear of their little caravan.
[18:23] <@Kotono> Samuel pauses with a smile, "Take care of yourselves, shitheads," he says with no small fondness, shaking his head after and going on. His wife wipes at her eyes and waves before leading the centaur children on.
[18:24] <@Kotono> With this, the party begins to go on...OOC: Whomever is in the lead, make a survival check for reference?
[18:26] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+9 lets say me
[18:26] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+9 lets say me and gets 17." [1d20=8]
[18:28] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:28] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 66." [1d100=66]
[18:28] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:28] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 56." [1d100=56]
[18:30] <@Kotono> A day of travel passes. The next day is dim but not rainy, a cooler wind blowing through the Vastwoods. It rustles leaves and sends the early growths of the spring/summer coming down on occasion. As you go on...OOC: Make spot/li-er, perception checks, y'all.
[18:31] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Myann
[18:31] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 Myann and gets 12." [1d20=3]
[18:31] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3 Samuel and company
[18:31] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 Samuel and company and gets 12." [1d20=9]
[18:31] <@Feather> roll 1d20+7
[18:31] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+7 and gets 11." [1d20=4]
[18:31] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+12 Porridge
[18:31] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+12 Porridge and gets 16." [1d20=4]
[18:31] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+21 Bubi
[18:31] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+21 Bubi and gets 38." [1d20=17]
[18:32] <Gildas> roll 1d20+10
[18:32] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+10 and gets 11." [1d20=1]
[18:44] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay. How does Bubi react when he sees something?
[18:47] <@Porridge> OOC: depends on the something. When just trailing along if his primitive bird brain interprets it as dangerous he'll screech and make a fuss above it. If it's just shiny he doesn't much care.
[18:48] <@Kotono> As the party goes along, Bubi can see something. A shambling thing of bone and moss, about 50ft from the party and heading in their direction.
[18:50] <@Porridge> Bubi flies towards it and screeches, his tone distinct enough for Porridge to recognise it. "Watch out," he warns, drawing his axe. "Bubi's spotted something and it might not be good." With that he starts loping towards the noise. It could just be another traveller, but best to be cautious.
[18:51] <@Kotono> Myann hangs back, but draws her sword on the ready. She stays ahead of Samuel, who draws a big old dagger and stays in front of his family.
[18:52] * @Feather draws the bastard sword from its sheath and moves to the side of their convoy, to better meet any threats and defend the civilians.
[18:53] * Gildas will move from behind to next to Feather!
[18:55] <@Kotono> As the rest of the party prepares, Porridge hurries ahead! 20ft away he sees it, bursting past a tree! This gore-spattered skeletal figure moves with great speed. Bloodsoaked organs glisten and swing within its rib cage like water skins. Its arms end in jagged, bloody claws. The entire creature is covered in moss and half-rotted growth, like a crusty second skin. On seeing Porridge, it pounces
[18:55] <@Kotono> right for him! OOC: Init. Okay. Porridge is 20ft away from the baddie, Gildas and Feather are 40ft away, Myann's 45ft away and Samuel's family is 50ft away.
[18:56] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7 gildas init
[18:56] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+7 gildas init and gets 10." [1d20=3]
[18:56] <@Feather> roll 1d20+3
[18:56] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+3 and gets 8." [1d20=5]
[18:58] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+1 Porridge
[18:58] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+1 Porridge and gets 9." [1d20=8]
[19:02] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+2 Myann
[19:02] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Myann and gets 5." [1d20=3]
[19:02] <@Kotono> roll 1d20 Samuel family
[19:02] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20 Samuel family and gets 2." [1d20=2]
[19:02] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+6 ???
[19:02] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 ??? and gets 22." [1d20=16]
[19:03] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay, if anyone has K:R ranks you can make a check here. K:Local too for something else.
[19:03] * Kotono changes topic to '???(22)>Gildas(10)>Feather(8)>Porridge(9)>Myann(5)>Samuel family(2)'
[19:06] <@Kotono> OOC: No one? Okay, baddie's up then.
[19:07] <@Kotono> The grisly creature is far faster than it should be, on Porridge before he can react!
[19:07] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+10 (+2 charge)
[19:07] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 (+2 charge) and gets 22." [1d20=12]
[19:07] <@Kotono> OOC: AC?
[19:07] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+10 (+2 charge)
[19:07] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 (+2 charge) and gets 14." [1d20=4]
[19:08] <@Porridge> OOC: 17
[19:08] <@Kotono> roll 1d4+3 and 1 con
[19:08] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+3 and 1 con and gets 5." [1d4=2]
[19:09] * Kotono changes topic to '???(22 1 bd)>Gildas(10)>Feather(8)>Porridge(9)>Myann(5)>Samuel family(2)'
[19:09] <@Kotono> The creature's right claw buries into Porridge's shoulder! It sinks in like needles, blood syphoned out! The creature's hanging organs swell, throbbing with drained blood! OOC: Gildas.
[19:10] <@Kotono> "What in tarnation?!" Samuel cries, peering ahead! His wife goes to cover the children's eyes, keeping them back!
[19:10] <@Porridge> "Auugh! Fucking bloodsucker!" Porridge's words are not fit for young ears but he has other concerns right now.
[19:10] <Gildas> "You should all stay back, I think." He gestures to Samuel and his family. He turns on the creature before turning himself into a small bear and bounding forward at it, trying to take a bite out of the organs!
[19:11] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7
[19:11] <@Kotono> "You think!?" Samuel sputters, "The fuck is that?!"
[19:11] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+7 and gets 8." [1d20=1]
[19:11] <@Kotono> Gildas lopes forward, going to bite! But the creature is unafraid of the ursine druid, simply letting the bite chew harmlessly on a bone and moss encrusted armbone! OOC: Feather.
[19:11] <@Feather> roll 1d20+8 what are you?!
[19:11] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+8 what are you?! and gets 17." [1d20=9]
[19:12] <@Kotono> OOC: L or R?
[19:12] <@Feather> OOC: R. I have L too, should I roll?
[19:12] <@Kotono> OOC: Sure.
[19:12] <@Feather> roll 1d20+5 K:L
[19:12] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+5 K:L and gets 14." [1d20=9]
[19:14] <@Kotono> The creature before you a sangunieous drinker. It consumes blood and is a type of undead favored by intelligent undead and necromancers. Just your luck - every so often reports of the walking dead filter around the Vastwoods. Ancient things that have stirred themselves and finally stumbled back to plague the living once more. It's not common so your luck must be running like shit.
[19:14] * Kotono changes topic to 'Sanguineous Drinker(22 1 bd)>Gildas(10)>Feather(8)>Porridge(9)>Myann(5)>Samuel family(2)'
[19:16] <@Feather> "Times like this, wish I had fire," Feather mutters, before calling out, "It's dead! So it's okay to kill it proper-like again!" And then, he tries to ease the pressure on Gildas and Porridge by darting in for a quick strike with the bastard sword and then dodging back to stand between the civillians and the undead.
[19:16] <@Feather> roll 1d20+10 zap?
[19:16] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+10 zap? and gets 16." [1d20=6]
[19:16] <@Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[19:17] <@Feather> roll 1d10+5+5d6
[19:17] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d10+5+5d6 and gets 35." [1d10=10][5d6=4, 5, 1, 6, 4]
[19:20] <@Kotono> Feather's  bastard sword terrifically rips into the undead horror! Ribs are sliced away and organs are cut asunder! The creature howls, a bony rasp that's lost in the wet gush! Fresh blood and old, semi-solid black blood pour out of the cut organs! It sprays all over, the ground suddenly liquid-slippery! OOC: The ground in a 5ft radius from the sanguineous drinker is now greased. Each of you
[19:20] <@Kotono> will need ref saves at the start of your turn. Myann's up.
[19:20] <@Porridge> OOC: not me?
[19:20] <@Kotono> OOC: I'm sorry, you are up. Excuse me.
[19:21] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+6 ref
[19:21] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+6 ref and gets 14." [1d20=8]
[19:21] <@Kotono> OOC: Did I tranpose you to in init...so I did.
[19:21] * Kotono changes topic to 'Sanguineous Drinker(22 1 bd)>Gildas(10)>Feather(9)>Porridge(8)>Myann(5)>Samuel family(2)'
[19:21] <@Kotono> OOC: Whoops, my bad. At least it's between two teammates so it doesn't matter.
[19:22] <@Kotono> Porridge tries to keep his balance in the blood-slick, but tumbles down instead! OOC: You're prone and it's your turn. Go Porridge.
[19:23] <@Porridge> "Augh, motherfuck!" Porridge yells as he slips and falls over! Pissed off as all hell, the warp overtakes him and he spasms on the bloody ground, muscles shifting and expanding as he lets loose a bestial howl and hacks his axe through the thing's legs before trying to clamber back up!
[19:23] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+4 -2pa, prone, raging
[19:23] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+4 -2pa, prone, raging and gets 20." [1d20=16]
[19:24] <@Kotono> OOC: Hit-o-rama.
[19:24] <@Porridge> roll 1d12+12
[19:24] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d12+12 and gets 23." [1d12=11]
[19:24] <@Porridge> OOC: getting up and triggering AoO if it doesn't die
[19:25] <@Kotono> With a savage tear, Porridge rips the creature's legs out! It falls prone as well, legs now laying a dozen feet away, slammed against a nearby tree! As it does, it swings at the rising Porridge!
[19:25] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+8
[19:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 and gets 27." [1d20=19]
[19:25] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+8 crit?
[19:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 crit? and gets 24." [1d20=16]
[19:25] <@Kotono> roll 2d4+6 and 2 con
[19:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d4+6 and 2 con and gets 9." [2d4=2, 1]
[19:25] * Kotono changes topic to 'Sanguineous Drinker(22 1 bd prone)>Gildas(10)>Feather(9)>Porridge(8)>Myann(5)>Samuel family(2)'
[19:27] <@Kotono> The creature's claw gets into Porridge's side, ripping down his ribs, to his hips and down his leg! Great tears are torn open, torrents of blood flowing into the creature! Porridge feels terrifically woozy after it, head alight and senses reeling! OOC: You're light headed from severe and suddenb lood drain. -1 to attack rolls and skill checks until further notice. Myann's up now.
[19:27] <@Porridge> Porridge makes a strange whooping sound.
[19:29] <@Kotono> Myann moves forward 30ft, staying just out of the way and healing words on her lips! "Porridge!" she cries! Meanwhile the family stays back and defends themselves! Meanwhile the drinker reaches out with its claws, going for the wounded half elf with one and the charging bear with the other!
[19:30] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+4 (-4 prone) Porridge
[19:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+4 (-4 prone) Porridge and gets 5." [1d20=1]
[19:30] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+4 (-4 prone) Gildas
[19:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+4 (-4 prone) Gildas and gets 22." [1d20=18]
[19:30] <@Kotono> OOC: AC Gildas
[19:30] <@Kotono> OOC: AC Gildas?
[19:30] <Gildas> OOC: 20
[19:30] <@Kotono> roll 1d4+3 and 1 con
[19:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+3 and 1 con and gets 4." [1d4=1]
[19:30] * Kotono changes topic to 'Sanguineous Drinker(22 4 bd prone)>Gildas(10)>Feather(9)>Porridge(8)>Myann(5)>Samuel family(2)'
[19:31] <@Kotono> Claws lash out! Gildas gets his forearm pierced, blood syphoned away as he begins to feel faint! The wound isn't terrible, yet the bloodloss weakens him! OOC: Ow. Okay, Gildas.
[19:32] <Gildas> OOC: I need to do a reflex save first, yes?
[19:33] <@Kotono> OOC: Correct.
[19:33] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7 reflex
[19:33] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+7 reflex and gets 24." [1d20=17]
[19:33] <@Kotono> OOC: Success. You stay up. Go.
[19:33] <Gildas> The angered bear again attempts to tear into the organs of the creature!
[19:33] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7
[19:33] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+7 and gets 13." [1d20=6]
[19:34] <@Kotono> But amid the slippery blood and back and forth sparring, the bear can't manage to land a blow at all! OOC: Feather.
[19:36] <@Feather> With a roar, Feather dives at the prone monster blade first!
[19:36] <@Feather> roll 1d20+3 ref?
[19:37] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+3 ref? and gets 22." [1d20=19]
[19:37] <@Kotono> OOC: Success.
[19:37] <@Feather> roll 1d20+10zap
[19:37] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+10zap and gets Error: Numeric values only." [1d20=9]
[19:37] <@Feather> OOC: 19
[19:37] <@Kotono> OOC: Hit. Damage.
[19:37] <@Feather> roll 1d10+5+5d6
[19:37] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d10+5+5d6 and gets 32." [1d10=6][5d6=6, 4, 6, 3, 2]
[19:38] <@Kotono> With another slash, Feather rips the creature's organs apart! They burst into a rain of slippery blood - but it's enough! The nightmarish horror stumbles back and falls, collapsing into bone and blood! OOC: Free act.
[19:38] * @Feather slowly climbs to his feet, looking about. "Those things," he says warily. "They're minions as often as not, for necromancers and creepers. See any of those near here?"
[19:39] <@Kotono> Myann trots over, murmuring words of healing as she touches Porridge on the shoulder.
[19:39] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:39] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 20." [1d100=20]
[19:40] <@Kotono> But nothing happens.
[19:40] <@Kotono> "Are y'all alright?" Samuel calls back in the meanwhile, "You got it?"
[19:40] <@Kotono> OOC: Feel free to make perception, Feather.
[19:40] <Gildas> The injured bear returns to normal with a sigh. He has a bad feeling about where there may have been a necromancer, but does not say anything for now.
[19:40] <@Porridge> "Oh, fuck that!" Porridge groans, hacking it vindictively with his axe. "Weren't any last two times we came this- huh?" he stops and looks Myann's way.
[19:40] <@Feather> "It's dead again!" Feather calls back, though he mutters quietly to himself, "Was dead before, too...."
[19:40] <@Feather> roll 1d20+7 are you there
[19:40] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+7 are you there and gets 14." [1d20=7]
[19:41] <@Kotono> "This armor makes the gestures difficult," Myann blushes, trying again!
[19:41] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:41] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 85." [1d100=85]
[19:41] <@Kotono> roll 1d8+3 healing
[19:41] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+3 healing and gets 10." [1d8=7]
[19:41] <@Kotono> Feather doesn't see anything around. Meanwhile Porridge feels somewhat better. His wounds largely close, but the lightheadedness doesn't fade.
[19:42] * @Feather frowns, and then decides to make his way to the civilians to be in a better position to defend them.
[19:42] <@Porridge> "Oh," he nods in understanding. "Thanks... oh. Feel real tired after that..." he staggers a few steps away and sits down heavily, wrinkling his nose at the utter stench of blood coating him from that fall.
[19:43] <@Kotono> "Go bathe," Myann wrinkles her nose as she turns her attentions to Gildas. "Are you alright? I can manage another spell."
[19:44] <@Kotono> Samuel's wife keeps herself in front of the rather panicked looking centaur children, "Thank you," she says.
[19:44] <@Porridge> Fainting in the water might be bad. He'll take his chances with stomach cramps instead and pulls out a pouch full of nuts which he begins shovelling into his mouth.
[19:44] * @Feather nods in understanding. "It's times like this you don't feel like going anywhere, ever. Or going somewhere real faraway-like."
[19:45] <@Kotono> OOC: Gildas, do you have the fairy tear on you?
[19:45] <Gildas> OOC: Yes.
[19:45] <@Kotono> OOC: Where on you?
[19:45] <Gildas> He nods. "I am fine, I can handle myself." He smiles.
[19:45] <Gildas> OOC: Backpack.
[19:45] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay, noted.
[19:46] <@Kotono> "It's why we never travel far from the village alone," Samuel mutters, "Shit on bread, all it takes is one bad luck day. Hell, it's why we do milita training."
[19:47] <Gildas> "Should we find a place to rest, or continue on?" He looks at the others for their opinions.
[19:47] * @Feather sighs. "Not even the first undead I saw. Nothing's quite as horrible."
[19:47] <@Porridge> "Gimme a few to eat and jump in the river," Porridge says from his seat. "Then I'll be good."
[19:50] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:50] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 17." [1d100=17]
[19:51] <@Kotono> The rest of the day invovles a river crossing - a blockade combined with general woodsmanship gets through that - and a long night's rest. Wounds heal...OOC: Heal up from a night's rest real quick. More coming after.
[19:52] <@Kotono> OOC: Also a night's rest and +1 con back is enough to shake the lightheadedness, Porridge.
[19:54] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 89." [1d100=89]
[19:54] <@Kotono> roll 1d100 sub tables
[19:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 sub tables and gets 23." [1d100=23]
[19:56] <@Kotono> The lunch break is unremarkable at first. It's an unremarkable day, dim but not dark. Surely it's sunny above, but the foliage is a bit thick here. As the adults eat the children play, overseen by Samuel's wife. "Then," Samuel goes on, "Would you believe that old man-" This tale is stopped by Samuel's wife calling, "Samuel! Could all of you come over here a minute?"
[19:58] <@Porridge> "Hm?" Pushing himself up off the rock he's sat on, Porridge ambles over.
[19:59] <@Feather> It's probably nothing, but Feather makes his way over to take a better look.
[19:59] * Gildas will follow along.
[20:03] <@Kotono> Ahead you find Samuel's wife ahead of the centaur colts. Standing before you is a woman with a hint of orcish features. She's tall and broad, muscular in an extremely dense way. She wears leather armor and a ragged fur cloak with it. She carries no weapon, but her fists are huge and covered in half-healed scabs. She carries no pack but does have a single bag tied to her waist. OOC: More coming,
[20:03] <@Kotono> but what languages do you all speak?
[20:04] <@Feather> OOC: Human, elven, sylvan
[20:04] <Gildas> OOC: Human, elven, orcish, sylvan, druidic
[20:04] <@Porridge> OOC: common, elven, orcish
[20:10] <@Kotono> The words spoken are in orcish, understood by Porridge and Gildas. "Figures," The woman mutters, "It's all humans and a couple of pansy elves."
[20:12] <@Porridge> "Sorry I'm not your manly ideal," Porridge snorts back in orcish, having been rejected by all but the more adventurous orcish maidens in his youth and gotten inured to such dismissals. "You want to join us for a bite or keep on walking? Makes no difference either way to us."
[20:13] <Gildas> He glances at her hands, nodding, mostly to himself about the meaning of that, not saying anything at the moment.
[20:14] <@Kotono> With a snort and a laugh, "You speak a civilized tongue, half blood?" Scowling at him, "Isn't my business why you have horsespawn with you. Just passing by. I've got no problem," A pause to crack her knuckles and smirk, "Unless you want to make a problem."
[20:15] <@Feather> Since everyone is barking at each other and not drawing their weapons, Feather shrugs and returns to his food.
[20:16] <@Porridge> "You're right, it's not," Porridge agrees. "Do what you like, I'm going back to my food," he shrugs and turns back towards their campsite to finish his breakfast.
[20:16] <Gildas> "We have no need for further violence in these forests." He will speak up, likewise in Orcish. "I suggest you be careful, there may be necromancers somewhere nearby."
[20:18] <@Kotono> "Heh, I'll enjoy having a necromancer's spine crumble in my hands," Cracking her knuckles again, a few droplets of blood falling from cracked scabs, "Safe travel," she calls, going off.
[20:18] <Gildas> He shakes his head and returns with the others.
[20:20] <@Porridge> "Yeah, have fun. Sure they'd love to eat your fists!" Porridge calls over in farewell, smiling a bit at the double meaning there.
[20:21] <@Kotono> From ther ethe group continues on. The rest of the day is without incident, and come near sunset you're closing into Riverside. The town is continuing to advance - you can see a few more buildings up, as more are yet worked on. "Aah." Samuel sighs, "About time. My feet are ready to march off."
[20:22] <@Feather> "Seems best to part ways here," Feather muses. "Unless you want us to wait here a bit, see how it goes for you?"
[20:23] <@Kotono> "WE're pretty good at landing on our feet," Samuel says, offering his hand out. "You sure you don't want some gold for your trouble?"
[20:23] * @Feather snorts.
[20:24] <Gildas> "The best thing you can do for us is to stay safe." He nods.
[20:24] <@Porridge> "You'll need it to get your new inn started up," Porridge waves it off. "Take care of yourselves."
[20:27] <@Kotono> "Thank you," Samuel says, smiling a bit. "Shit, when you come back this way, stop in and I'll treat you to a round on the house."
[20:28] <@Porridge> "If we're ever in the area," Porridge nods.
[20:29] <@Feather> "Now that sounds really sensible," Feather agrees. "Count on it, if we're ever back through these parts."

[Ebiris]

[17:37] <@Kotono> The next day is rainy. Amid the dim, wet majesty of the Vastwoods the party begins the trek to Carnath Falls. It's mid-morning when you come to a small lake. It's unremarkable under normal circumstances, passed by a few times before. But this time the lake is empty! As you approach you can see no water at all, leaving behind an empty, muddy crater.
[17:39] <Gildas> OOC: Is it still raining right now?
[17:40] <@Porridge> Porridge peers down into the mud from the bank and deadpans, "Someone must've had a thirst."
[17:41] <@Kotono> OOC: Yes.
[17:42] <@Kotono> Looking down, you can see that the far lower-ridge of the lakebottom is sundered. A large, roughly circular hole is there. A few puddles of water below it remain, but the crater is otherwise empty.
[17:42] * Gildas glances upwards, then towards the lake.
[17:42] <Gildas> "Feather, do you recall... that sound we heard that night?"
[17:42] <Gildas> "The one underground." He adds.
[17:43] <@Feather> "Something metal clanging about?"
[17:43] <Gildas> He nods. "I have a suspicion that this is related."
[17:44] <@Porridge> "Mine got flooded?" Porridge asks.
[17:44] <@Feather> "Something down there really likes to dig. It's probably pretty dangerous, too."
[17:45] <Gildas> "I suppose that begs the question... do we pass this and leave it?"
[17:45] <@Kotono> Myann stays by the lake edge, peering down. In the meantime...OOC: Perception, y'all.
[17:46] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+9
[17:46] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 and gets 15." [1d20=6]
[17:46] <Gildas> roll 1d20+10
[17:46] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+10 and gets 18." [1d20=8]
[17:46] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+12 Porridge
[17:46] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+12 Porridge and gets 28." [1d20=16]
[17:47] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+21 Bubi
[17:47] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+21 Bubi and gets 22." [1d20=1]
[17:47] <@Kotono> OOC: Also make a Will save, Porridge.
[17:48] <@Kotono> OOC: I'm sorry, not a Will save. Wis or Cha check, whichever is higher. Was looking at the wrong part of my notes.
[17:48] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+2 wis
[17:48] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+2 wis and gets 20." [1d20=18]
[17:49] <@Feather> roll 1d20+7
[17:49] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+7 and gets 9." [1d20=2]
[17:51] <@Kotono> Looking about, Porridge suddenly feels his eyes burn. He blink-blinks, and he feels his vision sharpening. Hovering up and above is a glowing ball of yellow light. It's slowly looping above the emptied lake. At first it seems transparent and flickers in and out of his vision, but after a few moments the burning stops and the ball of light appears fully. OOC: Porridge gains the following: Fey
[17:51] <@Kotono> Eyes (Su): You are under the effect of a constant see invisibility spell with a caster level equal to your hit dice.
[17:52] <@Porridge> "Hey, look up there," Porridge says, pointing up at the ball of light. "You two see that? Any clue what it is?"
[17:53] <@Porridge> OOC: any relevant knowledge?
[17:53] * @Feather peers at it curiously.
[17:53] <@Kotono> OOC K:D.
[17:53] <@Feather> roll 1d20+8
[17:53] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+8 and gets 23." [1d20=15]
[17:54] <Gildas> He blinks. "I think this is like that time with the book, Feather." Not that he needed to know that, really, but... "I cannot see what you see."
[17:55] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+8 dungeoning
[17:55] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+8 dungeoning and gets 23." [1d20=15]
[17:55] <@Feather> "That had shadows," Feather says warily.
[17:56] <@Kotono> The creature above is a will o' wisp. They're naturally unseen, so both Feather and Porridge knows they wouldn't be able to see it without fey eyes. They're immune to most magic, can turn invisible and have powerful electric shocks. They're difficult foes to kill - usually best avoided, even when seen as harbringers of doom.
[17:56] <@Feather> "You're right, actually," he muses a moment later, frowning. "Just as hard to kill, and best avoided."
[17:57] <@Porridge> Not as if they can do anything with it all the way up there. "Best just leave it be and move ourselves along. Can't do anything down that hole without probably drowing ourselves anyway."
[17:59] <Gildas> He nods to them both. "Very well."
[17:59] <@Kotono> OOC: Moving on then, y'all?
[17:59] <@Porridge> OOC: yes
[18:00] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:00] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 73." [1d100=73]
[18:00] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:00] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 31." [1d100=31]
[18:00] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:00] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 96." [1d100=96]
[18:00] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[18:00] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 11." [1d100=11]
[18:02] <@Kotono> Three more days of travel pass. Besides a sprained ankle that's dealt with and a minor tumble into a patch of nettles, the trip is uneventful. On the fourth day of your treck from Riverside to Carnath Falls, the party has just set up for the vening. The encroaching darkness mandates a campfire and dinner cooked over it. OOC: Set each of yourselves up real quick first of all?
[18:03] <@Kotono> Myann sits before the fire, her chain mail off as well as the layer of padding beneath it. She's splashing the padding with water and squeezing it out, then drying it over the fire.
[18:04] * @Feather sits on the ground by the campfire, his pack behind him and propped against his back. He's not in the habit of removing his armor until it's time to sleep, but his hat is placed on the top of his pack, as per usual for long stops.
[18:05] <@Porridge> Porridge crouches by the fire, slowly turning the fat grouse he has on a stick over it to cook, quite absorbed in his task.
[18:05] <Gildas> Likewise, Gildas sits in front of the fire quietly. He is considering some different spells to memorize for the trip. He also has his backpack at his feet.
[18:07] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay then. Perception checks,  y'all. No mods.
[18:08] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+12 Porridge
[18:08] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+12 Porridge and gets 23." [1d20=11]
[18:08] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+21 Bubi
[18:08] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Myann
[18:08] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 Myann and gets 13." [1d20=4]
[18:08] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+21 Bubi and gets 37." [1d20=16]
[18:08] <@Feather> roll 1d20+7
[18:08] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+7 and gets 23." [1d20=16]
[18:08] <Gildas> roll 1d20+10
[18:08] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+10 and gets 25." [1d20=15]
[18:09] <@Kotono> Feather and Gildas can hear something - a rustling in the bushes from behind them! No, to the side - and now to the front too! In the meantime, Bubi above can see strange, shadowy movements in the dark bushes around the party.
[18:09] <@Feather> With a sigh of regret, Feather climbs to his feet, rememberin to grab his hat first and place it firmly upon his head.
[18:09] <Gildas> "...I think we are surrounded." He will announce, quietly glancing at the others.
[18:10] <@Porridge> Bubi screeches and flies over to flap above those same bushes! Not wanting to lose their dinner just yet, Porridge was planning to keep hold of the spit until Gildas' announcement. Scowling, he drops it on the rocks around their fire and stands up.
[18:12] * Gildas stands and turns his back towards the fire so that they at least aren't jumped from that direction.
[18:13] <@Kotono> Myann does the same, armorless but sword drawn. As you stir, a loud and booming voice calls in heavily accented, guttural Common, "You are surrounded! Drop your shiny things and lie on the ground!"
[18:14] <@Feather> "Move along and our shiny things don't go into your hide to fill it with extra holes!" Feather calls out his counter offer.
[18:14] <@Porridge> Porridge swings his axe into his hands and glowers, "Just fucking try it."
[18:16] <@Kotono> "Then face our WRAAAATH!" the creature calls! From the bushes they emerge from all directions! Creatures no more than two and a half feet tall, reptilian. They are covered in shadows, but their eyes burn red. Each wears a big, bulging backpack and carries a spear. They are dressed in a hodgepotch of scraps and bits of armor. Eight erupt out, coming towards the party from all directions! OOC:
[18:16] <@Kotono> Init here.
[18:17] <@Feather> roll 1d20+3
[18:17] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+3 and gets 7." [1d20=4]
[18:17] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+1 Porridge
[18:17] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+1 Porridge and gets 16." [1d20=15]
[18:17] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+2
[18:17] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 and gets 7." [1d20=5]
[18:17] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7
[18:17] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+7 and gets 21." [1d20=14]
[18:18] * Kotono changes topic to 'Gildas(21)>Feather(16)>Myann=Porridge(7)'
[18:18] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+1 spear 1
[18:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+1 spear 1 and gets 18." [1d20=17]
[18:18] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+1 spear 2
[18:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+1 spear 2 and gets 4." [1d20=3]
[18:18] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+1 spear 3
[18:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+1 spear 3 and gets 7." [1d20=6]
[18:18] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+1 spear 4
[18:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+1 spear 4 and gets 12." [1d20=11]
[18:18] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+1 spear 5
[18:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+1 spear 5 and gets 11." [1d20=10]
[18:18] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+1 spear 6
[18:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+1 spear 6 and gets 21." [1d20=20]
[18:18] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+1 spear 7
[18:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+1 spear 7 and gets 12." [1d20=11]
[18:18] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+1 spear 8
[18:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+1 spear 8 and gets 2." [1d20=1]
[18:18] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+5 ?!!?
[18:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 ?!!? and gets 14." [1d20=9]
[18:19] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+2 ??? 1
[18:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 ??? 1 and gets 11." [1d20=9]
[18:19] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+2 ??? 2
[18:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 ??? 2 and gets 20." [1d20=18]
[18:19] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+2 ??? 3
[18:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 ??? 3 and gets 11." [1d20=9]
[18:19] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+2 ??? 4
[18:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 ??? 4 and gets 15." [1d20=13]
[18:19] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+2 ??? 5
[18:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 ??? 5 and gets 19." [1d20=17]
[18:19] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+2 ??? 6
[18:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 ??? 6 and gets 15." [1d20=13]
[18:19] * Kotono changes topic to 'S6=Gildas(21)>S1(18)>Feather(16)>S4(12)>S5(11)>Myann=Porridge=S3(7)>S2(4)'
[18:20] * Kotono changes topic to 'S6=Gildas(21)>???2(20)>S1(18)>Feather(16)>?!!?(14)>S4=S7(12)>S5=???1=???3(11)>Myann=Porridge=S3(7)>S2(4)>S8(2)'
[18:21] * Kotono changes topic to 'S6=Gildas(21)>???2(20)>???5(19)>S1(18)>Feather(16)>???4=???6(15)>?!!?(14)>S4=S7(12)>S5=???1=???3(11)>Myann=Porridge=S3(7)>S2(4)>S8(2)'
[18:21] <@Kotono> OOC: K:A if anyone wants to try and identify them.
[18:21] <@Feather> roll 1d20+8
[18:21] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+8 and gets 15." [1d20=7]
[18:21] * Kotono changes topic to 'S6=Gildas(21)>???2(20)>???5(19)>S1(18)>Porridge(16)>???4=???6(15)>?!!?(14)>S4=S7(12)>S5=???1=???3(11)>Myann=Feather=S3(7)>S2(4)>S8(2)'
[18:22] <@Kotono> Feather knows the creatures before him. Kobolds, tiny little reptilian pests. A single one is no danger, but en masse they can wear warriors down. They generally revere dragons and aren't known or native to the Vastwoods. What they're doing here is an open question.
[18:22] <@Kotono> OOC: Go Gildas while I prep up S6.
[18:24] <Gildas> He wastes little time, transforming into his predator form and going after one of the monsters! Let's... say #2. He is hopeful that a display of force will drive the creatures off.
[18:26] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay then, make yoru attack roll.
[18:26] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7
[18:26] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+7 and gets 11." [1d20=4]
[18:28] <@Kotono> Gildas surges forward, going to engage the second of the speary creatures! But its size is enough to save it, falling back and under Gildas's bite! At the same time the kobolds come forth like a tidal wave! "FEAR NOT!" The booming voice declares, "BRAVE WARRIORS, CRUSH THEM ALL! PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE SHAPESHIFTER, IT'S JUST A TRICK" The fastest kobold rushes Feather, stopping and thrusting
[18:28] <@Kotono> its spear at him!
[18:28] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3 AC?
[18:28] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 AC? and gets 17." [1d20=14]
[18:28] <@Kotono> OOC: +2 from the charge, already included.
[18:28] <@Feather> OOC: 18, uncanny dodge
[18:29] <@Kotono> But Feather is a hair too fast! He jukes to the side, swiftly dodging an impalement! A second later, a rock comes flying from the bushes, right at Myann!
[18:30] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3
[18:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 and gets 6." [1d20=3]
[18:30] <@Kotono> But it flies errant! A second later another rock comes, flying at Porridge! At the same time the kobolds stare at Gildas, momentarily taken aback! "CHARGE I SAID!" The booming voice demands, "IT'S TRICKS AND ILLUSIONS! IT'S NOT EVEN MAGIC, HE'S USING MIRRORS AND LIGHT! HE'S NOT REALLY A BEAR! KILL HIM!"
[18:31] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3 Porridge AC?
[18:31] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 Porridge AC? and gets 16." [1d20=13]
[18:31] <@Porridge> OOC: 17
[18:32] <@Kotono> But the shot hits off Porridge's armor! A second later one of the spear-bolds advances on Gildas, staying away as it makes one powerful charge at him! "Yaaah!" it cries in guttural Common, "For glory and shinies!"
[18:32] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3 (+2 charge) AC Gildas?
[18:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 (+2 charge) AC Gildas? and gets 4." [1d20=1]
[18:32] <Gildas> OOC: 20
[18:32] <@Kotono> But Gildas pats the spear away with one swipe of his claws, not even turning his attention towards the kobold! OOC: Porridge.
[18:32] <@Feather> "This is fucking embarrassing!" Feather exclaims. "Run away before you get yourself hurt, or us angry!"
[18:33] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+12 perception to identify the square the booming voice is coming from
[18:34] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+12 perception to identify the square the booming voice is coming from and gets 32." [1d20=20]
[18:34] <@Kotono> It's coming a ways back in the foilage - deep behind a thick bush.
[18:35] <@Porridge> "Rarrrr!" Porridge shouts and charges through that bush, bringing his axe down on whatever lurks behind!
[18:35] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+8 -2pa, charge, rhino's rush
[18:36] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+8 -2pa, charge, rhino's rush and gets 15." [1d20=7]
[18:36] <@Kotono> OOC: Hit. d100.
[18:36] <@Porridge> roll 1d100
[18:36] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d100 and gets 14." [1d100=14]
[18:38] <@Kotono> Porridge rushes past the confused kobolds! He tramples over one in the bushes, a squawk as a sling-carrying kobold is put aside! He reaches the bush and swings down deeply - but all he hits is earth! From behind it the creature stumbles out, as visible by its glowing red eyes as anything else. Another kobold - but this one wears a golden sash and a necklace of mouse skulls. "IMPUDENT FOOOOOOL!"
[18:38] <@Kotono> It bellows in a voice that does not match the body at all. "BRAVE KOBOLD ARCHERS, FIRE ON THIS FOOL!" Suddenly a pair of rocks come flying towards Porridge!
[18:38] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3 AC?
[18:38] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3 AC?
[18:38] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 AC? and gets 23." [1d20=20]
[18:38] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 AC? and gets 19." [1d20=16]
[18:38] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3 AC? crit?
[18:38] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 AC? crit? and gets 7." [1d20=4]
[18:39] <@Porridge> OOC: 15
[18:39] <@Kotono> roll 2d3
[18:39] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d3 and gets 3." [2d3=2, 1]
[18:40] <@Kotono> Rocks bounce off Porridge's back and left shoulder! They sting a little bit, like when you accidentally hit your shoulder against against a doorframe. But at this the booming-voiced kobold declares, "PAY FOR YOUR IMPUDENCE! THE MIGHT OF DRAGONS FLOWS WITHIN ME!" He rears his head back before a puff of fire comes from its mouth, aimed at the barbarian's face! OOC: Ref Porridge.
[18:40] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+6
[18:40] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+6 and gets 7." [1d20=1]
[18:41] <@Kotono> roll 2d4
[18:41] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d4  and gets 4." [2d4=2, 2]
[18:41] <@Kotono> OW! Porridge gets a blast of fire in the face! It singes, like a really bad sunburn! Bits of burnt soot cling to his face after as the booming voiced kobolt points at him, "SURRENDER OR DIE!"  Meanwhile two spear-bolds advance, one on Feather and one on Myann!
[18:41] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3 Feather AC?
[18:41] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 Feather AC? and gets 21." [1d20=18]
[18:41] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3 Myann
[18:41] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 Myann and gets 13." [1d20=10]
[18:41] <@Feather> OOC: Still 18
[18:42] <@Porridge> "That's gonna itch tomorrow," Porridge snorts, unimpressed.
[18:42] <@Kotono> roll 1d6 Feather
[18:42] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6 Feather and gets 5." [1d6=5]
[18:42] <@Kotono> roll 1d6 Myann
[18:42] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6 Myann and gets 2." [1d6=2]
[18:43] <@Kotono> Feather gets a nasty poking stab in his shin! It's not deep but it bleeds decently. Myann meanwhile stumbles back, getting a light graze across the side! Meanwhile a spear-bold advances to flank Porridge as another rock flies at the barbarian!
[18:43] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+1 spear
[18:43] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+1 spear and gets 2." [1d20=1]
[18:43] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3 stone
[18:43] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 stone and gets 6." [1d20=3]
[18:44] <@Kotono> But both are ignored, feeble attacks one and all! Another rock then goes flying, this one at Gildas!
[18:44] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+3 AC Gildas?
[18:44] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 AC Gildas? and gets 22." [1d20=19]
[18:44] <Gildas> OOC: 20
[18:44] <@Kotono> roll 1d3 ow
[18:44] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d3 ow and gets 3." [1d3=3]
[18:45] <@Kotono> Gildas gets a stone on the shoulder. It sorta stings, promising a bruise tomorrow! OOC: Feather, Myann and S3. Go Feather.
[18:45] <@Kotono> "They're strong, boss! Really strong!" The spearman that impaled Feather calls, "We need help!"
[18:45] <@Feather> It would likely be a stupid plan, but Feather decides to dance around the two kobolds assaulting him to strike at the leader with all he has!
[18:45] <@Feather> roll 1d20+9
[18:46] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+9 and gets 19." [1d20=10]
[18:46] <@Kotono> Feather dances through the horde of kobolds, dodgins spears and stones alik eas he rushes towards the leader! OOC: Go for it.
[18:46] <@Feather> roll 1d20+8 zap
[18:46] * Hatbot --> "Feather rolls 1d20+8 zap and gets 9." [1d20=1]
[18:46] <@Kotono> But his downward slice misses, sending jolts of lightning into the ground instead! OOC: Rotten luck, thy name is Hatebot.  Myann.
[18:47] <@Kotono> Myann sidesteps another blow and steps in, going to skewer the kobold that presumed to wound her!
[18:47] <@Kotono> roll 1d20+6
[18:47] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 and gets 9." [1d20=3]
[18:48] * Kotono changes topic to 'S6=Gildas(21)>???2(20)>???5(19)>S1(18)>Porridge(16)>???4=???6(15)>?!!?(14)>S4=S7(12)>S5=???1=???3(11)>Myann=Feather'
[18:48] <@Kotono> But she can't land a solid blow! Meanwhile the leading kobold leaps back after Feather's blow, "YAAAH! FOOLS! YOU'LL KNOW OUR WRATH AGAIN!" He bellows, "RETREAAAAAAAAAAT!" At this the kobolds begin to fall back, swiftly running away! OOC: Gildas.
[18:48] <@Feather> "The fuck you are!"
[18:49] <Gildas> The bear attempts to make it for the leader to try and pin him down to prevent his escape!
[18:49] <Gildas> OOC: I'm not sure if that's an actual, like... attack roll or what. Or if he even can catch up.
[18:49] <@Kotono> OOC: You can, but you'd need to tumble to avoid the AoOs from the spearbolds. Do you have any training in that?
[18:50] <Gildas> OOC: I have Acrobatics and Monk Evasion.
[18:50] <@Kotono> OOC: ACrobtics is it. Acrobatics check.
[18:50] <Gildas> roll 1d20+10
[18:50] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+10 and gets 25." [1d20=15]
[18:51] <@Kotono> OOC: Make a CMB check.
[18:51] <Gildas> roll 1d20+7
[18:51] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+7 and gets 8." [1d20=1]
[18:51] <Gildas> OOC: Hatebot, I swear.
[18:52] * Kotono changes topic to 'Gildas(21)>Porridge(16)>???4=???6(15)>?!!?(14)>S4=S7(12)>S5=???1=???3(11)>Myann=Feather'
[18:52] <@Kotono> Bear-Gildas moves like a trained dancer, going through the battle nimbly despite being a bear! The sheer shock of it seems to motivate the leading kobold to dodge, leaping back with wide eyes! Meanwhile the other kobolds continue to retreat! OOC: Porridge.
[18:53] <@Porridge> Porridge just settles for carving his axe down heavily on the draconic kobold.
[18:53] <@Porridge> roll 1d20+5 -3 power attack
[18:53] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d20+5 -3 power attack and gets 23." [1d20=18]
[18:53] <@Porridge> roll 1d100
[18:53] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d100 and gets 84." [1d100=84]
[18:54] <@Kotono> OOC: Hit. Damage.
[18:55] <@Porridge> roll 1d12+11
[18:55] * Hatbot --> "Porridge rolls 1d12+11 and gets 20." [1d12=9]
[18:55] * Kotono changes topic to 'Gildas(21)>Porridge(16)>???4=???6(15)>S4=S7(12)>S5=???1=???3(11)>Myann=Feather'
[18:57] <@Kotono> SLASH! WIth one cleave the kobold is bisected from head to toe! Blood sprays out in a river as the creature's internal organs fall out like fleshy candy! The creature's backpack is likewise sundered, coins, metal and other shiny things gushing out! At this even more kobolds retreat in a tizzy, withdrawing in all deseperate haste! OOC: Free act. Loot post for the backpack posessions.
[18:57] * @Feather spits on the ground. "Idiots. Ruined dinner and everything."
[18:57] <@Porridge> "Yeah, you'd better run!" Porridge calls after them, happy with doing in the ringhleader.
[18:58] <Gildas> With a growl, the bear is human again. "I think you may have overdone it." He glances at the items dropped to see if they lead to any clues on what those kobolds were actually doing here.
[18:59] <@Porridge> "Nah..." Porridge nudges one of the halves with his boot. "Seems about right."
[18:59] <Gildas> "Hm... It just seems like glittering objects." He dusts himself off and stands.
[19:00] <@Feather> "Fuck him."
[19:02] <@Kotono> Myann comes over, "What..what was that all about? A robbery?"
[19:02] <@Porridge> "Coulda been our glittering objects if they weren't such pussies," Porridge comments, going back to the campfire to see if the bird can be salvaged. "Feather, you want to divvy up the coins for everyone?"
[19:03] <@Kotono> The bird can be salvaged, but you'll be eating it extra crispy.
[19:04] <@Feather> "Might as well," Feather agrees with a sigh, handling that task.
[19:04] <Gildas> OOC: Is it possible to tell if the glass shards are anything more than... well, just glass shards?
[19:04] <@Porridge> Better than nothing, so Porridge resumes cooking.
[19:08] <@Kotono> OOC: An appraise check may help with that.
[19:09] <Gildas> OOC: I do not have that, could I just do an Int check?
[19:11] <@Kotono> OOC: Go for it.
[19:11] <Gildas> roll 1d20+2
[19:11] * Hatbot --> "Gildas rolls 1d20+2 and gets 8." [1d20=6]
[19:11] <@Kotono> It's glass. Sharp glass. It'll probably cut you good like any glass. Unfortunately that doesn't offer any new insights.
[19:13] <Gildas> He shrugs and will put the nugget into his backpack. "I can't tell if these are anything more than glass, but I don't know why a Kobold would have something beyond that anyway. I'm going to sell this nugget when we get somewhere, if it's even... made of gold at all." He sighs, realizing it might just be a painted rock.
[19:14] <@Kotono> OOC: Post anything you take in loto, as well as the coin divvy total.
[19:15] <Gildas> "In hindsight... perhaps we should have given the tear to them." He muses.
[19:15] <@Feather> "Huh?"
[19:15] <Gildas> "The fairy tear."
[19:16] * @Feather points at the two halves of dead kobold on the ground. "You want to encouraged that?"
[19:16] <@Porridge> "Or chucked it in that drained lake. You better drop it soon anyway, we're near to Carnath and shouldn't bring that to their door," Porridge says as he starts to carve up the bird.
[19:17] <Gildas> "I had not thought to throw it there... that may have been the best opportunity." He ponders.
[19:18] <Gildas> "Should I just place it here, then?" He looks around.
[19:18] <@Feather> "We could just skip the town altogether and head to that sage. He'll like it, I bet."
[19:18] <Gildas> "Hm... that is a possibility, as well."
[19:19] <Gildas> "I leave it up to you all. I know its presence is an annoyance to you." He nods.
[19:20] * @Porridge shrugs. "Okay, keep it to give to the sage guy."
[19:27] <@Kotono> OOC: Okay, going to skip around Carnath and head straight to the sage then?
[19:27] <@Porridge> OOC: lets
[19:32] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 28." [1d100=28]
[19:32] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 56." [1d100=56]
[19:32] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:32] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 2." [1d100=2]
[19:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 41." [1d100=41]
[19:32] <@Kotono> roll 1d100
[19:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 80." [1d100=80]
[19:33] <@Kotono> Fortune is with the party most plentifully. There's no further problems from here to the Sidhe Scholar. You find his clearing without incident, the nude, dirty elf meditating within. His eyes don't even open as the party tiredly approaches.
[19:34] <Gildas> He's rather concerned they might interrupt something again. The last thing he wants to do is go pick clovers...
[19:35] <@Porridge> Expecting there's some protocol, Porridge looks to the people who've been here before to lead things.
[19:36] * @Feather gestures for the others to sit down and wait, following his own advice.
[19:37] <@Kotono> Myann follows suit, sitting next to Feather.
[19:37] <@Kotono> A few minutes pass until the scholar opens his eyes. He gazes at the party, lingering on Myann. He chuckles and shakes his head before saying, "You've returned. Does this mean you've obtained the blessing of Lady Valisha?"
[19:38] <@Porridge> "We were entertaining enough for that," Porridge confirms. "Name's Porridge by the way."
[19:38] <@Feather> "Sure does," Feather agrees. "And Gildas here also brought something for ya."
[19:38] <Gildas> That wasn't exactly it, but he keeps his mouth shut.
[19:38] <Gildas> At that, he will reach into the pack to produce the tear.
[19:41] <@Kotono> Myann returns that look calmly, but the scholar's attention turns onto the tear, "Ah!" He gasps, coming over. "Did...Did Lady Valisha give that to you?"
[19:41] <@Porridge> "No. Found it in the wild. Knew what it was, though," Porridge explains.
[19:42] <Gildas> He nods. "We thought it best to bring into your care." That wasn't really untrue, at its base.
[19:46] <@Kotono> "Yes, yes. Give it to me," The scholar says, holding his hand o ut.
[19:48] <Gildas> He blinks a bit at that reaction, but will stand up with it regardless. Assuming none of the others say anything, he will hand it over.
[19:50] <@Feather> "Would it take long to get our eyes back to normal?" Feather asks, not seeing any problem with following their plan for the tear.
[19:51] <@Kotono> The gem is taken, held tightly. "A few hours," he says, "I'll need to prepare. Rest now so you can be ready at tomorrow's dawn."
[19:52] <@Porridge> "Lets go set up camp then," Porridge stands, going to find a good spot nearby.