[D&D-5e] On the Shoulders of Giants.

[Candide3693]

OK, here's the meeting between Garl and James.

Meeting Between James and Garl Part 1 Garl sits at a table in the corner of the tavern sipping his ale and waiting for his meal to arrive. He glances around the room. The main room is still fairly empty. The light from the setting sun streams in through the open door, illuminating some parts of the room but leaving others in shadow. Garl had selected a table in a location tucked away in a corner with the deepest shadows when he came in, but the light from the setting sun is slowly creeping across the floor towards his feet. Not long before his table and he are fully illuminated. He takes another draw of the cool ale and looks intently at the doorway leading to what he presumed was the kitchen. He wishes they would hurry up with his meal so he can eat and retreat to his room before it gets busier in the main room. Another patron enters the main room, catching Garl’s attention. The person looks familiar. Garl pulls his small notebook out and begins reading his notes in reverse order, starting at the end, and working backwards. Garl feels that he is on the verge of remembering his name, but it remains out of reach. He seems to remember this person from a recent expedition. ”Something for the Wayfinder’s Guild?” He comes across his notes written during that adventure. “There it is. James Skeeter, the Wizard.” He looks up to see James approaching his table. “Wonder what he’s doing here. Another expedition for the Guild?” “James, right? Have a seat.” Garl pushes the other seat at the small table out with his foot. “I have a meal on the way. If you’re wanting to speak with me, I hope you won’t mind waiting to talk until after I eat.” Garl smiles as he tucks his small notebook away and looks towards the kitchen door again as his server appears with his plate.

Meeting Between James and Garl Part 2 James turned his head to look at the approaching server, partly to disguise the look of pain on his face. He doesn't remember me at all! He thought dismally, then turned back with a frown. No, that's not quite true. Right when he first spotted me, there was a spark of recognition, enough for him to review his notes anyway! His hand drifted to the spellbook he kept in a special holster on his belt. He had awakened a limited sentience, and more importantly Intelligence in a few leaves of paper and bits of leather, surely he could find a way to heal the mind of the man who had guided him past such terrible dangers, just so he could add a few tawdry passages to the history books. As the server placed the food in front of Garl, he places a couple of silver coins on the table. "Stew and an ale, if you please." He says to the server. Turning back again, he says: "We should both eat a decent meal while we have the chance...."

Meeting Between James and Garl Part 3 Garl sighs with relief as James sits down and orders food and drink but remains silent after that, waiting for his stew and ale to arrive. So often, people wouldn’t understand why Garl prefers not to talk and eat at the same time and misinterpret it as rudeness. “Obviously, he remembers my condition. No memory problems for him,” Garl thinks, a small ember of jealousy flaring up as he eats the savory stew. This errant thought sparks a fragment of a memory in Garl’s damaged mind. James had been very curious about his injury and had asked many questions, for most of which Garl had no answers. Yet, James had continued to ask questions for some reason, even when it was clear Garl could not answer. “What was it? What was he telling me? Something about a journal or a book?” Garl searches his damaged memory for anything about James. “Nope, nothing,” Garl thinks resignedly. He will have to wait to see if there is anything in his notes later this evening, or maybe James will bring it up during their conversation after the meal. “This is no chance meeting. He was looking for me.” He continues to eat in silence, grateful that James seems content to do the same. Garl finishes the last spoonful of his stew, pushes the bowl aside, and takes out his small notebook and charcoal point. “Well, James, good to see you. How have you been and what brings you here?” Garl moves a bit closer, turns his head so his right ear is towards James, and prepares to make notes on anything important.

Meeting between James and Garl Part 4 James nodded to his dining companion, finishing off the last of his stew with a grimace. The meat had contained to much gristle and fat for his taste, so he had cast a minor spell to remove it from the stew, and placed it in his handkerchief as a treat for his Raven, who was keeping an eye out for trouble on the rooftop above. Still, the vegetables and broth were tasty enough. "I don't know how much you remember of our previous expedition, but we had discovered a partial 2nd Era Ruin, and ...er, it nearly killed us, would have done if it wasn't for you, for which I will remain eternally grateful!" He pauses, looking slightly embarrassed. "Anyway, most of the writing there was ruined, either by the passage of time, or through the catastrophe that had wrecked the place, but I did find some Magically-preserved texts which I couldn't translate at the time. Some of the other Researchers worked it out between them, so I had to share the credit for the discovery!" He says the last part through clenched teeth! "The texts spoke of other sites like the one we found, all of which have already been documented, and were in a worse state than that one." He holds up a finger. "All, but ONE!" He places a map down between them and points to a marked spot. "I cross referenced a list of unknown landmarks in the area that one was supposed to be in, and there are unsubstantiated claims of a "Structure of Unknown Origin" about thirty or so miles off the Kings Highway, up in the mountains. Difficult to get to, and we would need a Special Writ in order to be allowed there in the first place, but it would just be a surface survey to confirm it's location, no "delving" this time, and the Wayfinder Council have offered double the usual payment. I need someone that I can trust and who knows the wilds, so will you, again, be my guide in this?" As the woodsman ponders his decision, James hopes for two things: First, was that Garl agrees despite the potential danger. And second, that the forged Writ in his bag would not cause them any trouble with the law....

Meeting Between James and Garl Part 5 Garl initially writes his notes in his small notebook as usual, but as he begins to comprehend what James is asking, his charcoal point pauses in its scribbling as his hand begins to tremble ever so slightly. "Did he...is he...did he actually seek me out to be his guide and companion?!?" Garl was used to being asked for assistance by villagers and recruited for expeditions in whatever town he happened to find himself, but no one had ever intentionally sought him out before. He folds his small notebook around his charcoal point and tucks it away in his tunic. "James...I...yes. I will accompany you on your search." Garl doesn't care about the danger, or the Guild, or even if James is only interested in him for his skills. He holds his right hand out to firmly shake his new companion's hand, smiling at what might be the start of his first real friendship.

[balan]

Originally Posted by VonKlaussen

Please make sure your race choice is among those listed in the Brief History of Time (yes I know I have yet to update the stat blocks for my custom races - I'm working on that, among other things). If you're not sure what to switch to, just ask.

I can't seem to find anything similar to water genasi in the races. The background I was going for was that my Warlock patron was an ancestor. That's not going to fit with the races of the world.

[VonKlaussen]

@balan you're right, that's my bad. aasimars and tieflings aren't in the doc either - but I definitely have people with unusual blood like Outsiders, Elementals, or Fae in my world. Just pick a base race and we'll work from there.

[balan]

Water genasi are basically flavored humans with the ability to breathe underwater and have a swim speed. So I could just work from there.

[VonKlaussen]

So base race human, then? Simple enough. Just the default Genasi stat block.

[VonKlaussen]

Updated race blocks!

[VonKlaussen]

Shameless bump.

[Candide3693]

Shameful bump.

[VonKlaussen]

Map of the Northern nations - we'll be starting here

[Sarsprilla]

Are you accepting Spheres of Power classes?

[VonKlaussen]

Gonna have to pass on that. I've got enough work to do just adapting psykers into the world.

[VonKlaussen]

Something else for perusal.

[VonKlaussen]

Alright, application is officially closed. I was hospitalized yesterday so I'm just going to stay in bed and recover over the weekend. I'll be starting the game thread on Monday.

[VonKlaussen]

Check your pms for invite and game link!