Game Thread Merchants Rest - Page 7

Retry · #91 04-12-2019, 12:07 PM

Gajine Flintshard
Male Half-Orc Cleric of the Forge

Back to businessJolting from his sleep in a cold sweat as a cackle of thunder roared across the land drowning out the yelp that escaped from his mouth as he sat up in bed. Where was he? What happened?! Panting trying to calm down he replayed the shards of memories that sat in his mind from the night before during battle.

He struck the creeper lighting it aflame but it was able to put itself out and scurry away then... darkness? No - that wasn't quite right. Andwair did something odd, he splayed out on the ground for some reason. A cloud?... The toxins! The half-orc covered his face with his hands letting out a defeated groan. How could he have let himself fall victim to the toxins? He left all the fighting for the others to do again! The dream sequence you guys didn't get to see

goblin was right, he's trying to be what he's not meant to be. Wait a moment..
"What time is it?" he looked around then out the window. It was storming something fierce but it wasn't pitch black - so the new day had arrived. How long was he asleep for?

The others were surely waiting on him at this point, but there was something he wanted to do last night before the chaos. Something he felt he wouldn't really have the time to make if he went downstairs now. "Dammit...I'll need ta use that won't I?" he grumbled getting out of bed and locating his belt. Fishing through the pockets he pulled out a splintered piece of scrap wood that probably belonged to one of the tables along with his carving knife and a single washer. Walking over and sitting at the foot of the bed he noticed a chair was pulled close to the bed, had someone been watching over him? No, no time to think on that now.

Listening to the rain pelt the window from the heavy storm outside Gajine's breathing slowed as he focused on the wood and his carving knife. He hated this ability, but it had its uses. The world itself seemed to slow down, the rain rapidly striking the window slowed to a steady tapping here and there. His extremities felt icy as he heard his heart beating almost at the pace of the rain before it slowed. It was time to get to Ability used - Channel Divinity: Artisan's Blessingwork

He held the finished product up inspecting it one last time. It wasn't the greatest, but it would work and serve its purpose. As he inspected it the warmth returned to his extremities and the pace of the rain increased as his heart slowed. The side-effect was about to kick in - he knew it. Best to wait here and ride it out. Oh how he hated this. A sharp pain overtook his chest as he fell into a fit of coughing causing his vision to blur and his balance to wane. He felt the ground make contact with the side of his head as he fell off the side of the bed onto the floor where he blacked out for half a minute before coming to once again feeling perfectly normal. Picking himself up off the floor he was just glad he hadn't vomited this time around after using this ability. His adoptive mother told him it was a blessing from Gond himself but with a side-effect like that Gajine begged to differ. He took a moment to say a prayer to Gond regardless and make sure he had all he preparing spellsneeded for the day before he pocketed the finished item into his pouch where he stored his nuts and bolts followed by fastening his shield to the back of his belt and finally leaving the room.

Helping the LadyVenturing into the main room he spotted Lady Vilthal deep into her work on some metal contraption before his eyes fell upon the giant hole in the wall leading outside...."that wasn't there before!" he let out a deep sigh, watching the rain come pouring in. All that repair work for nothing.

He walked over to Lady Vilthal and gave a light nod "Sorry fer passing out...Let me offer my assistance with that." Assisting Lady Vilthal with her crafting for the next hour. Bringing me to 10/10hrs elapsed

*

Back to our regularly scheduled programAfter an hour had passed he finally stood up taking a cursory glance at the mushroom-men before dismissing them. If they were here that meant the others thought them friendly - he trusted the group's decision and continued on his way to a table where Andwair had set out breakfast and quietly began eating and drinking juice. Wondering where those who were absent from the room were and if they were alright but was too ashamed to ask out loud since he fell asleep mid-combat.

oocNote: Gajine is in his working clothes right now, he has his chain mail on his bed. If/when the group decides on leaving he'll excuse himself to go put it on.

Tyeal · #92 04-12-2019, 08:50 PM

Post

Lady Vilthal

Vilthal gave a little start as Gajine's body started floating, glad she was holding on to his arms. This certainly made him easier to carry but she could hardly be put at ease with Vesper being the one casting the spell and looking totally distraught. Morning was the time for talk, not now. Not after the day they'd all had. As everyone went to their respective rooms she gave one last check on Vesper who had resigned herself to staying in Gajine's room after he firmly remained asleep. Trying to assuage some of her guilt by keeping watch, she imagined. With the Mushroom creatures being offered shelter for the night the Elf opted to share in Gordon's room as she had no interest in meditating in the common area.

Success?Before she entered her trance-like state she tried one last time with her coins. Taking a fresh copper she carefully chiseled out the runes that were necessary on one side of the coin. With that done she used the last of her magic to channel a spell into the coin and watched it take hold. She had no idea if it would actually keep until morning but that was at least the hope. Pocketing the coin she sat on the floor, back against a wall, armor and gear beside her and crossbow resting loaded against her shoulder, and dreamed.

Early To Bed, Begrudgingly Early to RiseThe first sound that caught Vilthal's ear was pounding rain. It sounded like a freak storm had moved in overnight and all her companions were still very much asleep. Grabbing her pack and her toolbelt, stuffing her crossbow into a sling on her pack, she slipped out of Gordon's room and made for the common area. It was still very dark out, more so thanks to the driving rain. There would've been more of a chill in this space thanks to the gaping hole but it seems the living fungi had started a fire in the hearth. She wandered over and wordlessly put more fuel onto the fire to stoke it, laying out her toolbelt and materials.

She sighed. "Vesper an' I are gonna have a talk after this passes..." Taking a pair of pocket-sized tongs and a number of screws she set to work building the still, paying no mind to the creatures she couldn't speak to and even muffled her more intense metal-work under her bedroll.

Dawn of the New DayVilthal had gotten so caught up in her work that she only looked up when she heard her group entering. She was mildly relieved to see Gajine up and about, quick to make up for what happened to him during the battle. She nodded and passed him her mallet, taking a moment to secure her toolbelt back around her hips and lending just two tools at a time when needed. Recognizing the hour now she went and ordered breakfast for everyone from Andwair, having the group come out to the prepared food as they woke up. She waited until all were assembled then took a seat at one end so she could be easily seen by all when she turned to Vesper.

"Vesper." She began in her clear Elven tone. "I'm not going to scold you over what you did. You're an adult; You know how you messed up and how it won't happen again. You can recognize that it was beyond foolish to travel Boury at night by yourself without informing any one of us or asking one of us to go with you. And you are free to feel as guilty as you wish for what happened to Gajine."

"What I AM going to do is not let you wallow in self-pity and guilt. Nothing good comes from that. Words will not make you feel better, from any of us. Not even Gajine. Action is what you need." She nodded towards her plate. "Clean your plate before you leave the table. You can't work on an empty stomach." She then pointed to the half-complete still and the hole in the wall. "Either help Gajine with building the still you promised or start working on that gaping hole. The weather has made it very clear there's little we can do freely today." She drains her mug of weak coffee and reaches over to give her a pat on the shoulder but catches herself before contact, putting her hand down in front of her instead. Her hybrid accent comes back as she finishes. "Just don't keep quiet over this, a'right? Give yerself somethin' to do, don't let yourself get idle an' lazy. That's th' worst thing you can do t'help yourself."

Stat Block

Reliq0770 · #93 04-12-2019, 09:55 PM

Walk of ShameVesper's eyes sprang open as she jerked awake. She wasn't sure when she had dozed off but was glad to be awake before Gajine. It would have been awkward trying to explain why she was in his room instead of in her own. She quickly looked around, eyes coming to rest on the sleeping form of Gajine. The rain battered the window and there was a crack of thunder.

"Ham..." Gajine muttered in his sleep.

Vesper stifled a chuckle. Clearly, the big green guy was back to his lovable self. She got up, and quickly conducted her morning inventory ritual. Assured that all the items were there, she unlocked the door, took a deep breath, and walked out into the common area of the Inn.

THE PRICE YOU PAY FOR QUALITYMuch to her surprise, Lady Vilthal was already up and working when she entered the common area. Andwair as cleaning the bar while the Mushroom People were stoking a fire. Vesper glanced towards the hole in the wall and thought about making a break for it, but then, looking at Lady Vilthal, she caught a scolding 'Don't-You-Dare' sort of look and thought better of it. Vesper wandered towards an empty table by herself and sat down.

The rest of the group assembled in the common area one-by-one. Once everyone had arrived, Lady Vilthal treated them to breakfast, gathering them all at one table before she finally locked eyes on Vesper and spoke;

"Vesper." She began in her clear Elven tone. "I'm not going to scold you over what you did. You're an adult; You know how you messed up and how it won't happen again. You can recognize that it was beyond foolish to travel Boury at night by yourself without informing any one of us or asking one of us to go with you. And you are free to feel as guilty as you wish for what happened to Gajine."

"What I AM going to do is not let you wallow in self-pity and guilt. Nothing good comes from that. Words will not make you feel better, from any of us. Not eve Gajine. Action is what you need." She nodded towards her plate. "Clean your plate before you leave the table. You can't work on an empty stomach." She then pointed to the half-complete still and the hole in the wall. "Either help Gajine with building the still you promise or start working on that gaping hole. The weather has made it very clear there's little we can do freely today." She drains her mug of weak coffee and reaches over to give her a pat on the shoulder but catches herself before contact, putting her hand down in front of her instead. Her hybrid accent comes back as she finishes. "Just don't keep quiet over this, a'right? Give yerself somethin' to do, don't let yourself get idle an' lazy. That's th' worst thing you can do t'help yourself."

Debts to payVesper keeps her head down as she stares at the plate of bacon. Strangely, she doesn't feel sorrow, misery, or despair after Lady Vilthal's admonishments... She feels... Empowered. She had thought that they would surely abandon her... Or toss her down the well... Or build some new torture device and test it on her... But, there were no whips... No hot calipers, rusty daggers, or clinched fists...

A fat, wet tear fell onto the table followed by a heavy sigh from Vesper. She looked up and saw the various members the group working on various projects. She smirked, shoving the last piece of bacon into her mouth before rising to her feet and walking over to the hole in the wall.

"Hey Gajine! You have any of that wood left over from last night?"

Dice Tinkers Tools Check to repair the wall:

2d20+4kh1

(10, 4 (keeping 10) )+4

Total = 14

Let's have a closer lookAfter finishing what she could with the the repairs to the hole in the wall, Vesper walks over to Gordon and says;

"I don't want to bother Lady Vilthal while she is working. I've done what I can with the wall and I'll help with the Stills when I get back. I want to go study the dead plant thingies before they decompose. I read in a book that you should always 'Know your enemy'... Plus it's fun to dissect dead stuff. Want to come?"

Dice * Nature Check vs Creeper:

1D20+4

(14)+4

Total = 18

Dice * Nature Check vs Vine:

1D20+4

(12)+4

Total = 16

**-2 to both results. Used incorrect Modifier during checks. Already discussed with DM**
Nature Check vs Creeper = 16
Nature Check vs Vines = 14

Warning: rolls have been deleted from this post.

UngainlyFool · #94 04-13-2019, 10:14 AM

Part 1

Vesper took over the transport of Gajine. Gordon watched the half-orc float around the corner of the building. He had tried to help Vilthal carry him, but they were both not doing well after the harrowing conclusion to the fight. "That was some shot," he said to the elf next to him. "I dare say you could punch a hole in metal war machine with that crossbow." He let her go about her business and squinted up at the night sky. A breeze was blowing and with it rain. You could smell the moisture and ozone of the front rolling in. He took off his hat and popped it on his leg to remove the bulk of what had covered him earlier. The man looked and smelled a mess. All he wanted to do was take a bath and go to bed. But there was work left to do.

The half-elf walked gingerly over thick, unmoving vines to the hole in the inn where MAC lay as if confused by his recent alignment. He pulled a swinging board aside and poked his head in. "Mr. Alexander Culpepper, was it? Come on, let's get you out of there." Gordon pulled some broken boards off of the machine and kept the way clear. "Sit up? There you go. Lean forward and--" MAC beat him to the rest, standing and taking a bit more of the wooden structure with him. Gordon stepped back, almost tripping on the vines at his feet. Something glinted there in the remaining light of Anwair's spell. He knelt down. "Would you help me with these vines, Mr. Alexander Culpepper?" He started pulling on a green rope and Olivia's friend joined in. "Mister Alexander Culpepper, help." Together they unearthed a lucrative scene.

There, within the mass of vines near the inn were the remains of the plant's last victims. It was hard to say how long ago the attacks had happened. Everything that could be digested, it seemed, was digested down to the clothing and leathers and bone. Gordon handed the bags of coins to M.A.C. one by one until it seemed they had gotten everything. "Can you take those inside to the chess board?" M.A.C. Stood motionless, his head moving back and forth to Gordon and the other people outside. "Check?" Gordon tried, "Chess. Check!"
Those words seemed to spark something in the, machine. Interestingly, rather than go back through the hole in the wall, M.A.C. walked the long way around to the front door he was accustomed to using. He watched with a smile and took off his hat, knocking it against his leg to dislodge the bulk of the soil that had landed there.

Gordon, hat in hand, approached Kiirion then who seemed to have a spare moment. "That was quite the magical display," he said, "Thank you for your help and for helping Gajine as well." Though it was a segue, it seemed earnest. " I was told and saw the amazing work you did cleaning up the council chambers after our battle with the drow. I hate to ask it, but does your magic work on clothing as well? I'm afraid my state is beyond laundering."

Part IIGordon sat in the water of the shower for a long time. Though Kiirion's magic had cleaned him from head to toe, he still felt dirty after the attack. Water streamed over the cuts in his cheek and hands until it could no long draw a pink line of blood from it. It had been a long day full of combats and adventure, just what the gunslinger had been looking for when he left his flat in Clifton. But somehow being clean at last set his mind right and in alignment with the reality of his dream. He entered the inn again, refreshed, running a hand through his hair. He helped Andwair, lean a table against the gaping hole in the wall and both the non-artisans thought that was pretty good for the night.

Gordon headed up to his room and paused in the doorway. Vilthal leaned against the wall there in a trance, her crossbow and gear ready for any contingency. She had said she wanted to use his room, but something about the elf resting so peacefully took his mind to another. For many long minutes he watched her like that. There was nothing really similar between the two. His mother had auburn hair and a smaller frame than the high elf. At least her likenesses told him that was the case. Still, Gordon couldn't help but imagine his mother there. He wondered where she was and if she were still alive. His father said no, but. Eventually he went to his bed and, in the middle of a journal entry fell asleep.

He was awakened in the morning by muted work. Downstairs he found Vilthal and Gajine working. Eventually the others came as well and Gordon helped Vesper fix the hole in the wall. Or really, he simply fetched hammers and nails and boards as ordered. But it was help, and Vesper seemed so appreciative that she invited him on her next task. "In this rain?" he asked, but she knew better how fleeting their window was. He smiled and said, "Of course." He removed his jackets until he was down to only pants and his shirt and picking up a table to shield her as she worked in the rain, he followed her outside.

DaysUntold · #95 04-13-2019, 12:49 PM

Olivia

Olivia had barely reached M.A.C. when Gordon came over to help. Luckily, he was able to hoist him back to his feet and Olivia compulsively checked him over and over, but everything seemed in working order. Olivia couldn't help but give M.A.C. a hug, followed by a quick one for Gordon before she backed away awkwardly, realizing that she'd gotten caught up in relief and hugged someone she barely knew.

"Umm, I'm going to go clean up," she stammered, her cheeks red, and ran up the stairs to her room, leaving M.A.C. with the rest of the ragtag crew. Her exit was undermined when she realized that the mushroom man still had her hat. In a blur, she jumped from the stairs, ran out to retrieve her hat, and back up the stairs all while trying to avoid any ounce of eye contact that she could with anyone close enough to notice the strange display.

As soon as reached her door she slid in, shutting the door with her back as she slid down it, landing with a thump - one leg stretched out and another knee up. In one chaotic moment she'd almost lost her best friend and her dad's hat. Sure, she could rebuild a new chasis for M.A.C. but she was never a hundred percent sure that he'd be the same afterwards. Each time it terrified her more and more that she'd lose him for good. She took a few deep breaths trying to calm her racing heart. What had just happened? It had been just like any other day. Wait for a job, relax for a bit until the cargo arrives, head out in the dead of night - then that absolutely insane and undeniably odd collection of people entered the inn, and by connection her life. It had been exhausting, yet somehow... exhilarating. She hadn't realized how mundane her day-to-day had become when it was just her and M.A.C.

Oh well, she had a job to do soon, and would have to check back in with her contacts in the morning. For now, there wasn't a lot left to do but clean herself up, help Andwair repair the window, and relax a bit. A bit of drinking couldn't help either.

She wasn't quite ready to head back down though, hoping that some of the visitors would fall asleep before she did. Instead, she sat down on her bed and began writing. Her notebook doubled as a journal and a travel log, the sensitive parts of it written in thieves cant. As she finished up, she rubbed the leather edges of the book for good luck and tied the leather string around it tight. Tip-toeing towards the door, she peeked out and not hearing much she crept quietly down the stairs. It had begun to rain, drops lightly pattering against the wooden shutters of the windows on the stairs. She remembered the plants then and went back to her room to get her harvesting kit. As she descended the stairs she noticed Gordon still sitting at the bar. At least it was quieter, so she sat a couple of seats down from him, throwing her kit onto the bar.

Andwair was still there too, though looking older than he had this morning somehow. "Can I get a drink please, Andwair?" she asked, a bit hesitantly. She sat there a bit longer, chatting idly with Gordon when Gajine clamored back down the steps, still seeming a bit out of sorts. She was a bit surprised, it had to be about midnight or one but she smiled at him, happy to see that he was looking better, and downed the rest of her drink.

"Well," she said, "time to see about some plants." As she was grabbing her kit, Gajine volunteered to help which she gladly accepted. "Absolutely, it would be so much easier with an extra pair of hands."

The ground was becoming saturated and her boots made a sucking noise with every step she took. The rain ran in little rivers off of her hat and capelet, but the shirt beneath was slowly becoming wet regardless. She went over to the plants, asking that Gagine hold the vine out as straight as he could without ripping it apart. She dug into her bag and pulled out a small sharp knife capable of making even the most precise cuts with ease. With one hand steadying the length of vine between the fingers of one hand while the other gently cut the outermost layer of skin. Inside, she found a strong thick core which seemed to run the entire length of the plant. She kept going and, to her surprise and absolutely due to the help of the half-orc, she was able to extract the core from the entire length in one piece. She tucked that into her bad before they moved over to the purple blossoms. One by one, she examined them, finding nothing. At the base of the plant however, she was able to cut away a small gland which likely held the poison that made Gajine fall asleep. Luckliy, Vilthal's crossbow had missed it by a centimeter, and it seemed to be completely in tact.

By this time, despite the cold rain starting to leech its way into her, excitement started to wake her back up and she thanked the half-orc genuinely for his help. "Wait until the others see what we found," she exclaimed, excitedly.

She took another couple of minutes to collect what crossbow bolts she could recover and investigation 8look around for any scrap metal or loose bolts that had flung wide from the exploding outhouses.

By the time she was done with that, she was back to being exhausted, as well as cold and wet. She went back inside and wished whoever was left a goodnight, prying M.A.C. away from the gunslinger.

The next morning.

Olivia woke up with a start as she heard a loud crASH as a bolt of lightning cracked through the sky nearby. She laid back down and was about to bury herself back deep under her covers when she bolted back up in her bed.

"THE SHIP!" she yelled at M.A.C. who was 'sleeping' like a heap of scrap metal by the door. She threw one of her boots at him and a hollow thump came from his chest cavity. He started sitting up, "M.A.C.! There's a storm we have to go!" she said, tripping over herself as she got dressed and hopped over to get her boot. M.A.C. handed it to her in an outstretched hand and she gave him a gentle punch on his arm, "Thanks, now let's go," she said, throwing the boot on and not stopping to tie it.

As soon as he was clear from the door, Olivia swung it open wildly and it slammed against the wall. She cringed at the noise but couldn't stop, instead sprinting down the steps and through the main room. She grabbed a piece of bread off of the bar as she ran past. By then, most everyone was up and attending to tasks here or there. They looked at her with puzzled expressions as she frantically navigated through people and projects, "Sorry, oops, sorry! Gotta secure the ship! I'll be back soon!" she announced loudly, finally making her way out the door. Realizing that M.A.C. had stopped, fascinated by the metalic object Vilthal was working on, Olivia stuck her head back in. "M.A.C.!!! Hurry up!"

Her head disappeared and M.A.C. looked at Vilthal regretfully voicing, "Mister Alexander Culpepper, help." In a jumble of metallic grinding and clanging he stood and followed Olivia out the door, the wind swinging it shut violently behind him.

Stat Block - Olivia

[/QUOTE]

ColorsOfTheHeart · #96 04-13-2019, 02:16 PM

Later That Night

Kiirion was relieved when the fighting stopped. The mushroom men were innocent and thankfully spared. Nobody had really gotten hurt, except the tavern itself. Gajine would wake up eventually, and Gordon could clean himself up. Vesper apologized to him for causing trouble, and then walked away before he could say anything. All was forgiven of course, she hadn't known about the plants. They had been planning on taking care of them anyway, it was just sooner than expected. Everyone made their way back inside, with Vesper using a Levitate spell to get the sleeping Gajine back inside. Repairs were started on the tavern right away. Unfortunately, the damage was too extensive for Kiirion's simple cantrip to help with much. So instead, he left that to the experts.

Gordon came up the Wizard, praising his magic and asking if the spell he had used to clean up the council room could be used on clothing. He was a mess after the outhouse exploded on him. "Of course. It was made for cleaning up people actually." With a wave of his fingers, Gordon's clothes were magically freed of the mess, and even any wrinkles. "It's only a cantrip, so I can use it without draining my magic. Please, don't hesitate to ask if you need it again. It's really no bother."

Eventually, the Wizard made his way upstairs to the rooms, feeling worn out from the events of the day. It was more mental exhaustion than physical. It had been along day and he was glad it was over. He found it difficult to enter into a Trance without Filia by his side. But eventually his worn out brain found a way to shut down.

The Next MorningKiirion woke to the smell of breakfast. He went downstairs, giving a small greeting to those who were already awake. Breakfast was simple, but good. He picked the grapefruit juice for a drink. He tried to avoid caffeine at all costs. His senses were already hyper sensitive as it was, he didn't need them to caffeine fueled as well. His brain would likely just explode. The Wizard didn't think Vilthal scolding Vesper in front of everyone was necessary, or fair, but a part of him couldn't help but feel grateful that the High Elf wasn't focusing on him. If could avoid talking about his panic attack, he would be happy. Once Vilthal was done with her scolding, Kiirion very quietly went over to Vesper and put Nibbles in front of her. She needed her mouse more than he did right now.

Once breakfast was done, Kiirion pulled out his spellbook from an inner pocket of his coat. The tome was beautifully made of blue and gold leather, and though it was over fifty years old, looked brand new and well taken care of. Flipping through the precious tome, Kiirion settled on the page he was looking for, Find Familiar. The Wizard muttered to himself as he went over the spell a few times, making sure that he knew exactly what he needed. So far, he had about seven gold worth of charcoal, so he needed about three gold of inscense and herbs. Putting the tome away, he got up from his chair and walked over to the bar where Andwair was.

"Pardon me. I was wondering if you knew of anywhere that I could get some inscense or herbs at. I need them for a magic ritual." He said softly. Despite the weather, there was sure to be some shops open. A little bit of rain wasn't going to stop Kiirion from getting Filia back today. Even if nobody wanted to go with him, he would just go alone. A little solitude would be nice after the pure chaos that being around X-2 was.

MeredithS · #97 04-15-2019, 11:26 AM

Vesper

As Vesper inspected the decaying corpses left half harvested from Olivia and Gajine somewhere in the hours of the night before, she realizes that there's not much left to examine. Between the carved up vines and carcasses, really only innards and some fleshy type fiber remained. Though, carefully picked through in dissection, she seems to understand the compound makeup of both deadly plants. Both the Creeper and the Strangler Vine, appeared as normal looking flora and fauna. If they'd not happened upon them, no one would know the ominous trap that lay before them. A true blend in of a normal vine and plant. Upon some of the Creeper's ivy, Vesper could see very small thorns that seemed to open and collapse before the toxin blooms, seemingly the part of the plant that when tread upon, would signal the blooms to activate. The Strangler Vine (at least that was the best term for it previously ) was actually more akin to an Assassin Vine species rather then the strangler, for it too had an element of camouflage not usually found with the former type of plant.

-Ooc-

Olivia

As Olivia and MAC rush out of the Tavern and begin in a hurry out the door, the downpour of cold rain and dangerous winds hits them like a brick wall. There was very little visibility before them, only ten or so feet in any direction. The rain was almost horizontal, the wind hampering every step forward. Making it twenty or so feet ahead, you can look behind you to see the Tavern almost completely obscured. Any farther and you'd lose sight of the building completely. The other buildings all line the road as well. There are no alleys or side streets, no cluster of structures. Just a road and a bunch of shops/homes along the main route. Going twenty steps or so further will cause you to lose sight of the row of buildings on the south side of the road completely, as the north side of the road is now almost gone with the Tavern.

-OoC-

Kiirion

Andwair looked to the Wizard with a small nod and groggy morning smile. "Mister Kiirion, good mornin! Don't suggest heading out in this weather right away, I've seen these roll through here before, from North jungle regions... These weathers aren't the friendliest for travelin folk such as yourselves. No, No Sir. But ... if you're headstrong like Miss Olivia "...He points out the door as she rushes out with MAC..."There be a general store down the way that may offer you somethin or another like that I reckon."
He stops a second in his thoughts and leans toward Kiirion with a bashful grin... "And by the way, jus wanna thank you folks for clearin out those intruders last night. Even though there's some damage, I jus truly appreciate you all makin it right and fixin stuff up, I haven't been able to do much of anything about it lately... Not with the water issues Merchant's Rest has been havin. You'd think this downpour would help.. but fer some reason or another... the well stays dry and the creek is down to sludge and muck."

DM NOTES

Vithal is halfway to completion on the first still. Nice roll!

Tyeal · #98 04-16-2019, 12:06 AM

Post

Lady Vilthal

Despite everyone getting up at around the same time it seems they were all eager to do something. Certainly a high-energy group, Vilthal had to admit. And she coudl certainly work off that energy when her more involved projects start to take shape. Watching Olivia bolt out of the tavern mentioning a ship, she made a mental note of that to keep an eye out for her in this horrible downpour. She was sad to see M.A.C. go before she could get all up inside him but it could wait. IT was sounding like folks had some ideas as to what they all wanted to do.

So she decided to speak up. "So! Seems like today's a helluva wash an' we're limited in what we can do. Since we all just came into some coin I suggest we do some shoppin'! I'm certainly gonna need t'stock up on a few things particularly if you lot are gonna start asking me t'make more an' more powerful magic items once I figure out how to. I'm not plannin' on going too far outta th' way myself. Blacksmith for scrap metal, maybe a bookstore for ideas on new projects. Andwair also mentioned somethin' about a well dryin' out? We could look into that too I suppose. Sounds weird enough."

EUREKA!
"Oh! I've also been workin' on this!" She fishes a silver coin out of a side pouch on her toolbelt and places it on the table. The runes carefully etched into the tails side of the coin were glowing faintly with a white energy. As soon as she drops the coin on the table however, Vilthal all but screeches and pounds the table multiple times. Causing a number of the dishes and cups of the party to jostle and clink alarmingly loud.
"IT FINALLY WORKED!!!"
She snatches the coin up and just holds it high overhead, her face sporting a massive smile from ear to ear and her eyes gleaming with the faint energy of the coin. She slams it back down for all to see. "I finally cracked it! This bastard runic language that supposed t'store magic on th' thing it's carved on to; I finally figured what combination of runes I needed! Now that I can fit it on somethin' as small as a silver piece I can etch it ANYwhere! My magic will be held by these runes an' once th' magic is stored I can pass this" She pushes the coin before Gordon. "onto ANYone else! I give ya th' command word an' ya cast th' spell stored in it! How do ya like that?!"

[/fieldset]

DaysUntold · #99 04-16-2019, 11:14 AM

Olivia

It wasn't uncharacteristic of Olivia to be absent minded, but the past two days had been a lot even for her. First she'd forgotten to warn the group of a deadly plant and then she forgot to double check the ship last night, the latter of which led to her wandering around in a damn monsoon. It was only seconds before she was drenched. Rain pelted her face and stung at her eyes, the leather of various parts of her clothing stuck to her skin and pulled with each move she made, while the cloth almost seemed to melt into her own skin. She was very familiar with Merchant's Rest and Boury, but the rain made it so that she couldn't see more than a few feet in front of her at any given time. After she got to the end of the long row of shanty houses, it was almost impossible to tell where she was going. She thought about turning back but couldn't bear to do so. Lives literally depended on that ship and the work she did - if anything happened to it she'd never be able to forgive herself.

She wandered for about an hour and a half before realizing that she'd definitely missed the ship, though visibility was so low that she couldn't be sure whether she walked in the wrong direction or simply passed within feet of the damn thing. Gusts of wind came by often and some were worse than others. One caused her to lose her footing and she found herself falling back into M.A.C. who cradled her against the wind until the worst of it had passed. After that she walked behind him, sheltering her at least a tiny bit from the wind and rain that seemed to come down almost sideways. About a half an hour later, the storm let up a bit. The winds were still persistent but the gusts were less frequent and the rain was at least falling in the right direction again.

As the visibility increased, she was able to get her bearings back a little bit. It looked like she had indeed walked past the airship, which was both good and incredibly irritating. She didn't really have the energy to dwell on it for more than a moment and instead grabbed M.A.C.s hand to give it a little tug and nod her head in the direction they had just come from. M.A.C. led the way, his massive form leaving deep craters in the soft earth with each step he took. Without even realizing she was doing it, Olivia found herself trying to step only in his footsteps, becoming a bit of a game to her, which wasn't easy considering his gait was much wider than hers and the ground was slippery. They finally made it to the ship again after going out of their way for what she could only assume was four or five miles.

Olivia and M.A.C. strode out onto the pier overlooking a sea of tall green and beige grasses that whipped back and forth in the wind as if a million little arms were trying to signal danger to a loved one. The normally serene landscape was transformed into something ominous as the dark blue-grey sky filtered light and color away from the land it overlooked. Every once in a while, lightning would crack through the sky, illuminating the silhouetted form of the airship - light shining through the yellow/green glass of the main cabin and reflecting off of the metallic gold shades of fixtures and masts. The ship itself swayed back and forth with the little slack the dock lines provided, first pulling away then slamming back causing the rubber fenders to collide with the wooden dock.

"Check the pilings, lines, and cleats, I'll check the rest," she directed. M.A.C. tilted his head when she mentioned leaving him behind, his eyes tilting a little. She knew that look, "I'll be fine! It is too windy, I'm worried about you jumping aboard..." He was upset which made her feel terrible, but looking back at the ship drifting back and forth she was confident that she'd made the might decision.

She touched his arm lightly, then moved towards the midpoint in the width of the dock. She watched the timing carefully, waiting for a lull in the wind, before running a couple steps and leaping across the to the deck of the boat. She Acrobatics Roll 15landed solidly, crouching on the deck, and got used to the sway of the floor beneath her before standing. The deck was flooded but that wasn't unusual in this type of situation so she wasn't worried... yet. She looked back to M.A.C. and waved to him, he waved back with his good arm the way a child would - opening and then closing his fingers into his palm.

Slowly Olivia moved towards the bow of the boat, starting in the front and moving towards the back as Zayne had taught her. She cursed herself as she did so. She should have moored the ship instead of docking it, but she had no idea that she'd be there that long or that a storm was rolling in. Luckily, she didn't see any damage to the hull and the dock seemed to he holding its own. The bow line and forward spring line seemed to be in tact, the cleat hitch knots doing their job well. She strummed one of the lines and water flew from it in tiny droplets, soon lost in the rain still coming down. She didn't see any noticeable damage on the deck from debris, but that was unlikely anyways given the pasture that they were in. The sails were still secure and she couldn't see any slack or fabric becoming unfurled. After checking the port tie line and aft spring line, she pulled out several drainage plugs near the sides of the deck which would allow the water to drain while she went to check on the engine and other mechanics. She tucked the plugs into a woven bag that was secured to a hook on the outside wall of the cabin and made her way to a watertight door that hid steps leading down inside the hull of the ship. Opening the door was easy enough, but closing it was another matter. It felt as if she were fighting against an invisible hand conjured from a great mage with the sole intent of keeping the door open. Finally, pushing with her back up against the door and her foot finding purchase on an interior railing, she was able to get it closed and latched.

'That would have been a lot easier with M.A.C. here,' she thought to herself, missing the big lug already. The small hallway was wet, but as she took a few steps it was clear that the dampness was just from her entering and the rain that stowed away in the process. She took off her hat and hung it on one of the many hooks on the wall by the door. Other items hung there as well: a cloak made of a fabric that caused rain to run off without soaking in, a set of thick rain boots, extra dock lines, more fenders, a couple empty woven bags like the one she'd tucked the drain plugs into, and other assorted odds and ends. She was tempted to undress and dry off. The idea of just lying around with the sway of the ship beneath her and the patter of the rain above was so enticing that she almost gave in to it, but instead she dragged herself downstairs to check on the engine room. The room was dry and stuffy like always, traces of black dust from coal lingering here and there in the otherwise tidy room. Various tools and parts lined the walls and the room was void of the buzzing and clanking it normally housed, making Olivia feel almost as if she were in the belly of a sleeping beast. Luckily, no moisture had managed to make its way in which was great news. Fixing a wet engine was long and painstaking work, but mostly it was boring.

Satisfied, she climbed the steps again and grabbed her hat and the extra fenders on the way out. Shutting the door behind her was much more manageable thanks to a perfectly timed lull of the wind. She made her way back to the rail and attached the five extra fenders, tying them tight to the rail, just to be safe. Since the rain had died down she was able to stand on the railing and hop across, but her foot slipped a bit as it pushed off of the railing and, while she landed, it was significantly Acrobatics Roll 11less graceful than the previous jump had been. M.A.C.'s hand reached out to help steady her and she smiled at him.

"Everything okay out here?" She asked, and M.A.C. nodded in response. "Alright, let's head back. We should wait to leave until the storm has died down a bit. Want to check in with the Silversets?"

Even in the rain, M.A.C.'s excitement was palpable. He nodded and pointed back east towards town. "happy," M.A.C. said, the pitch of his robotic voice raising a bit. He had always liked them, especially Ivy who always paid him special attention. So, finally, they headed back towards Merchant's Rest, a task made much easier with the storm finally dying down.

Stat Block - Olivia

[/QUOTE]

UngainlyFool · #**100** 04-16-2019, 01:10 PM

All wet

Gordon put down the simple knife and fork available to Andwair and wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin as Vilthal pushed her artifice to him. The breakfast was a welcome treat after the soaking rain while helping Vesper briefly examine the vines outside. There hadn't been room under the table and besides that, he didn't relish getting his face closer to the vines that had almost devoured him. The rain came in sheets and almost knocked him over with the force of wind and water. Now, inside, he was not even close to dry but they would be leaving soon anyway. Maybe he could get dried off that afternoon.

He picked up the rune-marked coin and flipped it amateurishly in his fingers. It didn't feel magical, but then he was never adept at noticing those things. "Very interesting, Lady Vilthal. I don't know much of your craft, but that seems to be quite a feat!" He smiled and nodded to her, sliding it over to one of the more eager spellcasters, Kiirion, who was looking at the coin with wide eyes. "Even without the use of Mana, this seems an invention fit for a Faire," he added with a grin.

He scooted up from the table and cleared his plate to the bar. "Do you need anything from town, Andwair?" he asked the minotaur. And then turning to Face the group he asked, "Are you ready to brave this tempest in search of leather, friend Gajine?"

dice

Dice slight of hand show off:

1d20+6

(6)+6

Total = 12

Retry · #**101** 04-16-2019, 02:14 PM

Gajine Flintshard
Male Half-Orc Cleric of the Forge

The lingering feeling from using his ability was still there but this juice was really helping calm down his stomach. Food was...eh, but it was food. He sat quietly as Olivia and the metal man went storming out of the place - something about a ship. Perking up slightly thinking it was an airship "She has a metal man AND and airship!" he quicky pushed that thought away recalling the waterway the others took to get to Boury. The likelihood of it being just a normal water vessel was too high and he slumped back down into his breakfast listening to the torrential rain from outside.

This was good crafting weather. The forge always was stuffier than all hell having to close the doors to keep out the wind. Despite the heat and thick air the sound of the rain always helped one clear their mind and focus on their item. Plus it was always an amazing feeling to feel the "cool" air - which was actually room temperature, hit you when you could finally open the doors after the storm had past.

Cracking a slight smile thinking back on his days that he crafted during storms he watched Gordon assisting Vesper for a bit with covering the hole in the wall and Kiirion speaking with Andwair about something that he couldn't really make out over the rain. Wasn't his place to listen in anyways so he paid no mind. He heard Vesper call to him but before he could process what she even said he heard the shout from Lady Vilthal causing him to jump in his chair almost spilling his drink on himself. She came into view approaching Gordon talking about storing magic into coins and presented it to him. The half-orc leaned forward interested in the possibilities that could come of this, he wasn't surprised she thought of this - she made that engine after all. Yet it still blew him away to see such things.

He shook his head recalling Vesper spoke to him. "Don't be rude, lad" he chided himself thinking back and trying to process what she said. "N-no! I don't have any misunderstood "wood"food from last night, me apologies!" he gave a light chuckle and then recalled the item. "Oh! Wait a tick" he stood up from one of the tables he repaired before the chaos of last night erupted and moved over to Vesper while rummaging through his pouch dedicated to fasteners. "I do got sumfin fer ya though!" he smiled and held out the item in front of him.

Dangling from a thin piece of hempen rope was a simple yet smooth wooden whistle that was no more than three inches long. One could easily see that it was of the type of wood that the tables were made from. He had obviously carved this from one of the scraps he had found. As the whistle dangled it began to turn and on the bottom of it was a small nickel plate with a

brand seared into it.

The half-orc had a proud grin as if this simple wooden whistle was finer than any of his past metal projects "This ere whistle is fer when you be in disguise nd ya see me being a fool - that way ye kin stop me from goin on a few hour hike. Or ifn ya see me being dumb in ta first place!" he let out a chuckle "Alsa, this ere is tha first item to bear tha G.Flintshard brand! 'nd I want ya ta have it!" he held it out for a moment more and then lightly lobbed it towards the warlock and started making his way towards his table when he heard Gordon inquire if he was game to head out.

"Aye! A little rain never bothered me! Just lemme grab me chain mail nd I'll be set!" he said with some pep taking off in a light jog up to his room to fetch his armor, the hide, and the blood stained bags he borrowed from Vilthal. Up in his room he began to quickly don his armor as fast as he could so he wouldn't make Gordon have to wait too long. Tapping the shield on his back he muttered "Blessed be tha shields I bring fer tha Wonderbringer will keep me from harm" feeling the divine energy course into his shield then fixed his bandana. With that he was all set and made his way back down, ready to leave whenever.

OOCIf Vesper accepts the whistle she obtains a simple wooden call whistle with the Flintshard brand on it

MeredithS · #**102** 04-16-2019, 03:52 PM

Into the Storm.

As the morning waned, breakfasts enjoyed, crafts and light work finishing up, damage repaired...the storm that had rocked the tavern's walls starts to lessen. And though the rain continues to pour and the winds still howl, the violence that it first started with is dampened a degree. From monsoon to severe thunderstorm, those that wished to venture out into the one road shanty town, could at least do so and be able to see twenty or so feet on all sides of them. The shops were beginning to open their shuttered windows, a few doors with protective awnings now were open, beckoning travelers and patrons alike to peruse their establishment's wares. Though the grey tones of the sky held saturated wet, dark clouds above them, the rain no longer was blistering against their bodies and merely fell to the drought earth in large puddles in the dips and divots along the dusty road.

Those who sought the open merchant stores, made their way through this cold downpour along the inset paths that lined each side of the road before the various buildings that aligned it. Time and heavy traffic padded down the strip, with little gravel or ruts. Worn wheel tracks from vehicles and the like still embossed into the main road, even with the rain, it was easy to tell that this road is generally highly traveled.

Finding your way around, without help, isn't usually difficult, however the storm still does offer obstruction in various forms. Wooden sign posts darken with the wet slick that drips against their titles and the City Watch remains indoors unless truly needed. Though after spending twenty or so minutes out in the rain, you eventually find the various stores or places you set out in mind for.

The Silverset Leather Company's double doors are both open, letting the wind sweep through the building in large gusts that offer fresh air and a hint of cleanliness that the village generally doesn't offer. The storm carries the promise of clean water to fill the large barrels that are placed beside the edges of the roof that it pours from. It fills the plains just outside of the town with hope of growing vegetables and early summer grains. And yet, you don't recall seeing any crop fields on your way in to town.

When you enter the building, a L-shaped counter is several feet after the door. There's a small half-table entryway that lifts up to get through and behind it for the owners. Behind the counter that also serves as a glass display of wares,

stands a young girl, somewhere between the age of 10 or 12, long, straight brown hair and a mousey yet full of life smile as you come inside. "Pa-Pa!" She turns to yell to an open doorframe leading to another room behind the counter. "There's business Pa-Pa!". She looks to those who've entered..."Hi." all she offered with her fingers wiggling at you.

From the doorway, a

male halfling with tawny curls and sun reddened skin appears and gently puts a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "We've talked about this Ellie. It's..."Welcome to the Silverset Leather Company, we provide fine leather apparel custom made from imports all over Waevera. Whatever you're looking for, we can make it!" His grin lights up his daughter's face with her own in return. "Sorry PaPa... They kind of took me by surprise, I didn't think anyone would come in with the ScarlaNoa working class term for Massive Storm/Monsoon.pounder going on.

The Halfling looks to all of you, soaked to the bone (most of you) and raises his bushy eyebrow..."Indeed, welcome to the lot of you. The greeting is yours to be had. What can I help with today?" He motions to the display case before you, holding a wide selection of belts and bags. He then points towards the walls behind you on each side of the front doors, holding saddles, bridles and bits, cloaks, hats and boots.

Reliq0770 · #**103** 04-16-2019, 11:18 PM

Dance like no one is watching

"Da-da-dum-da-da" She sings a tune to herself as she performs her haphazard autopsy on the plant creatures. By her guess, based on what she's read about plant life, this species was probably an Assassin Vine, rather than the Strangler she initially thought it was. "Interesting." She whispers as she goes back to humming.

As she finishes with her inspection of the plants, she looks up to see Gordon, soaked to the bone. "I think I got what I need here, let's get back inside and get you warm."

The weather never really bothered Vesper. She, of course, was miserable in extreme temperatures, but things like rain, snow, moderate heat and moderate cold never really affected her. She just assumed it was a Yuan-Ti thing...

Back in the tavern, Vesper was shocked to receive a small gift from Gajine. A tiny wooden whistle.

"This ere whistle is fer when you be in disguise nd ya see me being a fool - that way ye kin stop me from goin on a few hour hike. Or ifn ya see me being dumb in ta first place!" he let out a chuckle "Alsa, this ere is tha first item to bear tha G.Flintshard brand! 'nd I want ya ta have it!" he held it out for a moment more and then lightly lobbed it towards the warlock.

She caught the whistle and, as Gajine was walking away, she said; "Thanks G-Man!"

To her knowledge, it was the first time anyone had ever given her an actual gift. No strings attached. No caveats. No addendum's. Just an honest gift... This made her feel... Strange. Good, but definitely strange. She pocketed the whistle and smiled.

Shaking her head a few times, Vesper Cast Mask of Many Faceschanged her appearance once more, choosing the appearance of a

random female redhead. She borrowed features from several human females she had seen recently and combined them into, what she thought was, a decent disguise. Slightly taller than she was used to, but seemingly effective nonetheless.

Pulling the whistle from her pocket, she blows it loudly.

"<Ahem>" Vesper clears her throat once she has everyone's attention. "I too, would like to go shopping. But, after we are done with that, I think we should investigate the outhouses, and well, a bit more. I conducted an autopsy on the plants and those Vines aren't 'Stranglers'. They're 'Assassins'. That means that they need a steady/stable water supply to remain viable. With this downpour, and with Merchant's Rests' water troubles, I think we need to make sure that the vines don't come back, but also figure out what happened to the city's water. The emergence of these vines, at the same time that the city is having difficulties with water, may be related. Andwair is, also, going to need water to make some decent alcohol with those stills." It was the most coherent, straightforward, and well thought out string of words that any of you had ever heard from Vesper. "Oh, and I changed to look like this now so we can go shopping. Don't worry. Gajine made me a whistle so you can all know it's me. That's all I have to say. Okay-bye."

Before anyone has a chance to comment, Vesper turns around and walks out into the rain. You all can see her standing just outside of one of the windows, dancing in the rain. Her hips sway back and forth as her head looks up towards the heavens. She whispers a tune to herself; "The cold never bothered me anyways..."

UngainlyFool · #**104** 04-17-2019, 12:10 PM

All wet

The walk through the rain was more managable and Gordon brought his coat this time to fend off the driving rain and keep his firearms relatively dry. Boury and its environs were proving to be a dangerous place and he was loathe to wander around without his most effective means of defense. Rivulets streamed off the brim of his hat as he and the half-orc made their way across the street in the direction Andwair had pointed them. The town well came into view in the rain like a stolid sentry. They reached it and the other side of the increasingly muddy street appeared out of the gloom. Gordon held the door for Gajine and shook out his hat under the small awning to the leather shop. Running his hand through his hair and checking his moustache he planted the wet silk affectation back on his head and entered the warm and dry interior. Despite entering first with business to be had, Gajine was strangely quiet, even after the greeting by the pleasant young girl and her equally pleasant father. Gordon looked to the cleric one more time before smiling broadly and stepping up to the glass case.

"Greetings. I would love to see your wares, but it is really my quiet friend that had business with you." Gordon motioned with an expressive hand to the half-orc and the bundle under his arm. "But I dare say I had to come as well, once I learned from Lollie that the Silversets have a shop in Merchants Rest." He looked from the father to his daughter and took off his hat revealing a wet sleep of hair. "Miss Ellie, if you don't mind me saying, I had to meet the girl I have heard so much. Your grandfather and brother present tensespeak highly of you. I had the pleasure of riding with Estus from Clifton, and he present tense!is very proud of you and your invention. As proud as a father you might say." Gordon nodded to the proprietor. "He heard of your ill luck at the council and made quite an offer to make them reconsider. Quite a man, Estus Silverset present tense!!is. Quite a family, if I can be so bold.
"

Retry · #**105** 04-17-2019, 12:46 PM

Gajine Flintshard
Male Half-Orc Cleric of the Forge

As they left the Hair of the Bear the rain immediately started pelting them, it wasn't as fierce as it was earlier and he was thankful for that. But it was still fairly harsh. A tickle in the back of his mind was telling him he was forgetting something but he could of swore he remembered all of his gear and items! Using his shield as a make-shift umbrella he ventured through the rain along side Gordon and eventually made it to the Silverset Leather store.

His mind trying to calculate how in the world he was going to address the contents of the note - he wasn't the best with kids. But this one apparently was a genius like Vilthal, making inventions good enough to be put before the council meant maybe she was more mature? Who knew? Before he realized it they were in the shop. There stood a little halfling girl saying hello to them.

That tickle in the back of his mind again. Odd.

Gordon was speaking but Gajine wasn't listening, too busy diving through his thoughts on how to properly handle this. Gordon could probably handle it if he kept quiet, the gunslinger was great at talking. But it wasn't right to shove this on him, the half-orc resolved himself see this through as thanks to Estus for helping him get to Boury, and as an apologie for letting him pass in Pengay...

Water.

"Thats it!" Gajine exclaimed as Gordon finished speaking and before anyone could react the half-orc dipped into his pouch pulling a few grains of wet sand out and clapped his hands together muttering an incantation. In an instant a small blast of steam erupted from the clothing of the cleric and gunslinger, almost hot enough to singe the skin but not quite. The blast even erupted from the gentleman's top hat causing it to rocket off his head a few inches yet his dexterous hand shot up and righted it as the steam cloud faded. Both of them were completely dry now. "I knew I was fergettin somethin! I coulda blocked the rain the whole time!" he let out a hearty laugh then looked at the halflings recalling the older one calling the young girl 'Ellie' - Just like the note! Gordon even mentioned that she might be related to that Lollielad!

"Oh! Yer tha bricky lass who done presented ta tha Council last faire, yeah?" he gave a light respectful bow, he was doing his best to learn from Gordon on proper ways to talk to people but still had a ways to go. "I'm Gajine Flintshard, we jus got back from presentin ourselves ta tha Council, wouldn't ya know? Gordon nd I even tried ta fulfil Estus', dying wish of gettin yer invention back inta tha running after we were done by speakin ta none other than Lady Blue 'erself!" he was talking louder than normal due to his excitement oblivious to the heavy words coming out of his mouth that would either break news or salt a wound to these seemingly kind people he literally just met! Returning to a straight posture with a childish grin on his face feeling happy he finally could lay Estus' wish to rest he tried to return his mind back to business remembering the hide and bags "Oh! 'fore I ferget any longer - Kin I borrow some tools ta make some leather?"

Are you confused and wondering what is going on here? Check out this YouTube video to get the scoop.