...And so, the clerics of the Temple of Tehuti, teaming up with the monks of the Chubang Deon, set out toward the sea caves to the northeast, in search of a fabled mystical artifact...


(Temple disadvantage: Lack of numbers/understaffed
Temple disadvantage: the cult of Calum
Chubang Deon advantage: very disciplined
Advantage: team-up bonus
Result: everything cancels itself out

Roll: 2d6

10:47, Today: The GM rolled 3 using 2d6 ((1,2)).

Disaster!

The evil cult of Calum The cult says that Calum is the goddess of blood and oaths. Other religions say that Calum is just an evil spirit that's tricked them into worshiping her, not a legitimate goddess at all...

Jaesin Je, Vans Terk, one of you (whoever posts first, I guess) describe how the expedition to get the Rod of Purification failed. Be sure to mention:

--Did the cult of Calum steal the Rod, or was it never in those sea-caves at all, and the rumors were unfounded?

--Were there other dangers besides the cultists? If so, what were they?)

Calum, trickster goddess that she is (except in her followers' eyes), revels in deception.

Thus it was that the cult had initiated the rumor that the Rod of Purification could be found in the sea-caves to the north.  A trick to lure those who would seek its powers (or, as Calum adherents would rationalize/explain, a test to cull out the naïve and gullible).

Sadly, it was a trick that the Chubang Deon believed, leading them to enlist the Temple of Tehuti's aid.

The effort was disastrous, for not only was the Rod not in the caves, but the caves were home to a fever of stingrays, which did not take kindly to the incursion into their home . . .

(13:55, Today: The GM, on behalf of Vans Terk, rolled 2 using 1d3.

13:55, Today: The GM, on behalf of Jaesin Je, rolled 1 using 1d3.)

The clerics of Tehuti lose two members.

The monks of Jaesin Je lose one.

(On the bright side, you each get to recruit now, if you wish... I'll try to find the time to help you with that (presuming you wish to recruit) in the next day or two or three...)

(Bards and Druids escort mission:

Random Druid Advantage: Bonhomie (These people love the forest, are in tune with one another, and commune with the elements. They are united and morale is high.)
Random Bard Advantage: Mobility.
Team-up advantage: +1.

11:49, Today: The GM rolled 11 using 2d6+3 ((3,5)).)

The mission to escort the Sefonian emissary was a total success.

Reed, Varanda, one of you (I don't care which) tell about the one thing that amazed and pleased the emissary more than anything else he experienced on his travels through the forest.

(Then I'll tell what benefits come to each of you...)

(Mages and Clerics mission: Find the Missing Rich Kid (or at least what happened to him)...

Random Mage Advantage: Well-staffed
Random Clerical Disadvantage: Poorly-staffed
Team-up Advantage: +1

11:55, Today: The GM rolled 7 using 2d6+1 ((4,2)).)

The missing boy belonging to the wealthy family is found unhurt... but the mages and clerics don't end up getting much of the credit they should have gotten.

(Darrell, Varanda:

--one of you post where the boy was found.
--the other one of you post why you didn't end up getting as much of the credit as you deserve.

(Suggestions on where the boy was:
--wandering in the catacombs?
--lost in the city's Strange Quarter?
--playing in the city's rooftops in the smog?
--Something else?)

When the above is posted, I'll tell you what happens next.)

In reply to The GM (msg # 4):

The emissary was most impressed by how the bards essentially created a bubble of peaceful and Serene music around the entire escort Entourage group while The druids use their magic to push away clouds of the mist and essentially open up a tunnel of sorts within the banks of mist that they wove through. It would have been a stifling and somewhat creepy sort of seen but the music combined with seeing the missed move actually made it more mystifying and wondrous then terrifying. The combined efforts of The druids and bards working together made what could have been a tense trip into a pleasant nature hike.

(The Druids have gained a new Advantage: An impressive chunk of money.

The Bards have gained a new Advantage: The goodwill of Roland Fest.

Druids, if you want to try to launder that money into something else (goodwill? of city citizens or of Fest himself by giving it back? the Preparations advantage?) Let me know.)
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 18:57, Mon 27 Sept 2021.

(Mission: Monks and Clerics in The Bad Quarter...

Random Monk Advantage: Very Disciplined
Random Cleric Disadvantage: The Cult of Calum
Team-up Bonus: +1

17:09, Today: The GM rolled 9 using 2d6+1 ((2,6)).

Success, but with a complication.

Vans Terk, Jaesin Je:

--One of you tell me: What did the threat turn out to be?

(Suggestions: a vampire? a strangely-powerful zombie? A skeletonized undead party of adventurers? Something else entirely?)

--One of you tell me: Even though you were victorious, what one bad thing happened?

(Suggestions: there was one civilian death? One of your own number died? (If so, I'll determine which randomly) Something else?

--One of you tell me: What role did the Cult of Calum serve in making things harder than they would've had to've been?

(Yes, this means one of you will answer two questions, or else each of you will pick a question and I'll answer the one neither of you picks...)

After all questions are answered, I'll tell more about what happens afterward...)

After spending the afternoon in prayers, the Clerics of Tehuti and the monks moved to the Bad Quarter to patrol, looking for whatever was causing trouble there.

It took not much time to detect the evilness of an abandoned old temple. Assembling to investigate, they saw some ghouls exiting the temple in search of prey, being directed by a Cleric of the Cult of Calum.

In the ensuing combat, another Cleric of Calum appeared trying to ambush them, While some clerics and monks were wounded, they were able to finish with the ghouls and to burn the evil temple where that necromancy was done, but not before the ghouls could kill and wound some bystanders and allowing one of the Clerics of Calum to flee

(...Orrrrrrrrr one of you could answer all three questions. I guess we could do that.)

Roland Fest gives the Temple a donation... Not quite as large as what he'd promised, but he cited the harmed civilians and the escaped cultist as "problematic..."

He also splits the reward with the monks, for helping.

(Each of you gain a temporary Advantage, Payment For Ghouls. It'll go fast, though...)

In reply to The GM (msg # 5):

After being called on by some of the more prominent individuals in the city to aid in the search for a missing child - one of the more esteemed family's heir it sounds like - the University put forth their efforts using their best Diviners to try locating the child. Given the time that had passed since he went missing of course, they also reached out to the Temple for additional aid - just in case the child was found injured or worse.

Their activities proved fruitful of course as it was found through their magics that the child had gone into the underground tunnels beneath the city for 'an adventure'. While the tunnels were near endless and many were similar to another, the Diviners were able to pin-point specific details about the location to help in the search. Given such knowledge, it seemed the child would be found within a day or two at most after they had found his location...


OOC: Leaving the resultant 'who found the kid' and the complication for the Clerics to fill in.

In reply to Darrell Sornusk (msg # 11):

The mages and Clerics finally located the child, but a slide on a part of the underground tunnels have left him trapped, and the Mages and Clerics son realized they were not strong enough as to free him.

So, in the end, they had to call for the city Watch to help them free the child, and the guardsmen were the oned to be given more merit for it, depite they'd never located the child without help...
This message was last edited by the player at 14:56, Tue 28 Sept 2021.

The University still gets the good will of Vierna's upper class. They'll forget soon enough, but for a little while, at least, they'll remember that the mages really are trying to be a useful force for good even off-campus.

The Temple of Tehuti get nothing... Except for one young woman, a rich man's daughter, who approaches Vans Terk. "I... I had a dream, that the little boy was lost, and that a god came to help him... I think that Tehuti was trying to show me what would happen. I wish to join your order."

(The Mages get the temporary Advantage The Good Will Of The Rich Quarter.

The Clerics get 1 new cleric, if they accept her... doing so may lead to other opportunities in the future...)

(Mage Bar!

Random Mage Advantage: Well-Staffed
Random Mage Advantage: The Good Will of the Rich Quarter (TEMPORARY)
Random Bard Disadvantage: the bardic college lacks money
Team-up Bonus: +1

Roll: 2d6+2

Result: 12:17, Today: The GM rolled 12 using 2d6+2 ((5,5)).

Big success!)

The Bardic College and the University of Vierna go in together on acquiring a tavern on Theatre Street.

--Having so many mages drop by on their off-hours helps the money roll in
--The inhabitants of the Rich Quarter still remember how the Divination Department helped find the missing child, so they drop by and drop a jolly lot of dosh
--These two facts more than make up for how the bardic college doesn't really have a lot of funding to pour into their new venture!

The under-new-management tavern is a big success, and Vierna gets its first official Mage Bar...

(--One of you name the new (well, uh, overhauled?) tavern!

--One of you describe the decor!

After you do that, I'll tell you the game-mechanics results...)

The tavern is the Alabaster Cask.  Some of that money is going towards good lighting, a small stage for performers and perhaps even a few books the patrons may read while there.  The tavern is cozy, decorated to set people at ease.

(Orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr just one of you could answer both questions. I guess we could do that.)


The bards are given homework by Varanda, their leader: without annoying the guards, remind people that it was a team of diviners that found the missing boy.

(The Bardic college gets a new Advantage: Whispers and Rumors from The Alabaster Cask.

The University of Vierna's Disadvantage, Iffy Reputation, becomes TEMPORARY.)

(Monks and Bards Pirate Trap Mission:

...GM rolls dice...

Roll result: Partial/Mostly Success.)

The Chubang Deon Order and the Bardic College dress like regular sailors and sail (with help from real sailors) out to the area where it seems likely that the pirates like to attack ships...

When a ship spots them and hurries over, a white flag is quickly raised once the pirate flag is spotted, and then the real sailors hide in the hold downstairs...

When the pirates come on board... the monks and bards explode into action!

(--ONE of you: Tell how you worked together to fight the pirates!

--ONE of you: Tell what one unfortunate thing happened even though you were mostly triumphant! (If you say "there were one or more deaths on our side," I'll roll randomly to see whose side one or more people died on.)

I'll tell you about what positive things happened as a result of the attack after these questions are answered.)

When the pirates attacked, the monks did most of the fighting.  The bards gave the monks courage and luck.  The bards also did their best to put any enemy casters to sleep.

Conflict cannot occur without injuries.  And some injuries are fatal.  Sadly, the intrepid bards and monks suffered casualties . . .

OOC: Boring, but most logical.

(12:40, Today: The GM rolled 2 using 1d3.  1 monk 2 bards 3 both.)


The bards suffered one fatal casualty.

Still... this particular pirate menace has been ended! All surviving pirates are tied up and will be turned over to the Vierna justice system.

(One of you gets an advantage: Our Own Ship!

One of you gets an advantage: A Big Share of Pirate Treasure!

But who wants which?)

I want a big share of pirate treasure.

(The Monks get an advantage: Our Own Ship!

IF you want, you may use it as your Headquarters (thereby losing the No Headquarters Disadvantage. Or, you can continue roamin' the land on land).

However, you also get the TEMPORARY Disadvantage We Aren't Experienced Sailors Yet! (Temporary because the grateful sailors of the Dock Quarter will teach you as fast as they can.)


Meanwhile, the Bards LOSE their The College Lacks Money Disadvantage!)
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:34, Wed 29 Sept 2021.

OK.

Having gotten a lead on the meeting place (or a meeting place, at least) of the cult of Calum, the clerics of Tehuti-- asking for some mages from the University of Vierna to come along and help-- head to the rock formation visible from the coast known as the Witch's Cauldron.

An old beggar who overheard the cultists talking (before he realized they were evil cultists) helped lead the clerics and mages (in return for servings of grog up front and a promise of being taken to the Alabaster Cask should everyone involved survive) to the Cauldron, and a tunnel-- its entrance mostly hidden by trees and shrubs-- was found behind.

The old beggar was left at the entrance to keep watch, and the mages and clerics made their way in...

Inside, the clerics and mages find roughly a dozen cultists slaughtering chickens before/to an idol of Calum...


(GM rolls dice...

...GM determines that neither the random Mage Advantage nor the random Mage Disadvantage apply...

...The GM determines that the one random Cleric Advantage and the random Cleric Disadvantage cancel one another out...

Team-up advantage: +1

Roll: 2d6+1: 12:10, Today: The GM rolled 10 using 2d6+1 ((5,4)).

SUCCESS!

--One of you-- JUST ONE OF YOU-- tell me how the cult-- after being completely surprised by your attack at first-- nonetheless attempted to gain the upper hand in the ensuing battle-- and was thwarted anyway!

--One of you-- JUST ONE OF YOU--A DIFFERENT ONE OF YOU THAN THE PERSON WHO ANSWERS THE OTHER QUESTION, tell me what very interesting discovery you made inside the cavern once the battle was over!

NOTE: This is NOT yet the end of the cult of Calum... but they have been dealt a very heavy blow. Two more such blows, and they may be wiped out completely.

I will tell you what you've gained once the above questions are answered.)

The Clerics of Father Vans Terk, along the Mages of Dean Darrell Sornusk , moved to the caves complex in the rock known as the Couldron.

Then, the Mages located the specific cave where the CUlt was meeting, and made some of the Clerics invisible so that they could infiltrate. THe rest of the Clerics began the attack, killing hte guards and entering the cave. The Acolytes of Calum were taken by surprise, but they could actívate some ghoul and even summon a minor demon to fight for them, while conducting a fighting withdrwal deeper i nthe caves, looking for another exit-

Then wa swhen the invisible Clerics amushed them, provoking panic. this, along with the Mages summoning a nearth elemental to help them i nthe caes, finished the whole cell of the Cult.

EDIT: on return to Vierna, Vans terk took the expedition participants (included the guide that helped them) to the Alabaster Cask for a due celebration of the victory.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:27, Thu 30 Sept 2021.

... of course, while the battle had been mostly one-sided given the combined efforts of the clerics and mages working their magics together, the aftermath was a bit more revealing.


It seemed the cult itself - at least those located in the caves - weren't operating as independently as may have been believed. The ritual that the raid had interrupted was for a specific purpose it appeared, one that someone else was organizing. While this portion had been interrupted, there appeared to be two others planned that would wrap up their plans it sounded like. Of course, beyond this, it appeared that the cave that had been chosen had an interesting discovery of its own: writings on the wall provided hints that this was an ancient holy site, one that would hold some significance to the Temple of Tehuti. An auspicious find to say the least! And its desecration was likely the intended purpose behind the ritual - or at least a bonus.

(The Clerics get a new Conditional Advantage: Desecrated Holy Site of Tehuti (CONDITIONAL.) You'll need to spend some time and money performing holy rites (and using scrub brushes and soapy water) to clean it up so that it's sanctified again. (I'll tell you when it's ready.) We'll see if it grants any miracles after it's re-consecrated.)

The Mages get a new magical item Advantage: Orb of Undead Control. This was what the cult's been using to attract and control ghouls. Use it as you will... or sell it... or try to destroy it and discover the magical secrets of how it works... maybe you'll make a new discovery...?!)

ANNOUNCEMENT

For sale: One (1) Boat

The Chubang Deon Order of Monks finds itself to be the owner of one boat, and desires to sell same.

The boat is suitable for carrying cargo, and could be used as a fishing vessel.

Requires a minimum crew of fifteen.

Please contact our Order with inquiries.

OOC: 1.  I suppose that nonplayers can respond too.
     2.  I admit I made stuff up.  All I know for sure is that it's a boat. :)

(MONKS/CLERICS/MAGES GULL ISLAND MISSION:

GM ROLLS DICE... Nothing but advantages came up!

Even without the Team-Up bonus, we have reached the max modifier amount: +3!

2d6+3: 13:42, Today: The GM rolled 11 using 2d6+3 ((6,2)).

SUCCESS!)

The Chubang Deon (and their new colleague, master of the three-section-staff), the Order of the Temple of Tehuti, and a large contingent of mages from the University set off in the monk's recently-acquired ship to Gull Island, since the sailors of the Dock Quarter (making many gestures to ward off evil) pointed out the way on the charts...

--One of you-- JUST ONE OF YOU-- tell me why the mages Orb of Undead Control nearly wasn't enough to help deal with the waves of undead-- and how your alliance succeeded anyway!

--One of you-- JUST ONE OF YOU--A DIFFERENT ONE OF YOU THAN THE PERSON WHO ANSWERS THE FIRST QUESTION-- tell me about the horrible specter of the dead necromancer whose ghost still haunted the castle at the center of the island-- and what you said to him that made him scream with a rage that tore his spirit apart and sent him permanently to the worlds beyond!

--One of you-- JUST ONE OF YOU--A DIFFERENT ONE OF YOU THAN THE TWO PEOPLE WHO ANSWER THE FIRST TWO QUESTIONS-- tell me what sort of treasure you found in the room hidden behind the secret door in the necromancer's magical laboratory...! )

As they disembarked, the mages and clerics began to detect evil everywhere, as they saw large numbers of undead closing.

The Mages tried to use the Orb, but they found up they lacked the proper words to actívate it, that they later deduced must be spoken in the tonge of the Cult of Calum or maybe another tongue of Death.

Nonetheless, even if the Orb seemed to have little effect on the undead, other things did, and soon the lesser undead began to flee the holy symbols of the Clerics (to be mopped out latter), while the greater ones were destroyed by the spells of the Mages, the holy wáter and weapons of the Clerics and the blows of the Monks
This message was last edited by the player at 19:42, Fri 01 Oct 2021.

The remnants of the necromancer's workshop were in ruins.  Nothing usable in the place; nothing of interest, either, except . . . the necromancer's mortal life ended here, and the magic he unleashed on the island enabled his spirit to continue.

When Jaesin, Vans, and Darrell arrived, the necromancer appeared -- quite perturbed at the devastation wrecked upon his creations.

"You underestimate the powers I have gained since I have taken this form," he intoned.  "And you have kindly brought me a ship: Now I can leave this island and reach the mainland, where I can find countless souls for an army larger than this one."

Jaesin stepped forth and sternly rebuked the necromancer.

"No!" he lectured.  "It is you who have underestimated, and badly.  Your horde is crushed, your power is nothing.  You are not a shell of a man; you are something less than a shell.  Your legacy is nothing; your power ebbs even now, and you will fade into nothingness.  You will be forgotten: no memories of you will endure, no legacy shall remain.  You will be but a speck of sand in the hourglass of time."

The necromancer's spirit grew angry and it tried . . . something.  But whatever it was trying to do, it did not work.  Whatever power he had was gone, likely dissipated with the destruction of his army.  He snarled, then grew alarmed, then summoned his energy for one last try at gathering and exerting his power.  But there was nothing there to gather, and the effort slowly tore the fabric of the necromancer's spirit asunder.

Of course, after the necromancer had ultimately been dealt with and things had settled down, a careful search of the area found a few surprises - including a hidden room behind a secret door in his laboratory. While the room contained many treasures, apparently acting as his 'treasury', it also contained a few things that the man had collected in his quest for power that was of little to no use to his own purposes. But even at that, he recognized that they were items of worthy and value, if not some that could oppose him in some way, so he had kept them hidden and safe.


Between those items found and the various other treasures the necromancer had collected over the course of his campaign, the raiding team would not walk away from this endeavor empty handed to say the least.

(Found-- for the mages: The control words for the Orb of Undead Control

Found: Quite a bit of treasure.

Found-- Gull Island, and its castle, both now cleansed of undead...

Acquired-- by the monks-- Duan Jian, master of the three-section staff. He's decided he's going to stick around with you guys!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NcnMnsyFnQ

Also, the Chubang Deon has gotten the hang of sailing their ship (by the time they make it back home...) They lose the Not That Good At Sailing Yet temporary disadvantage...

So, Mages, Clerics... who wants the treasure, and who wants the island/castle?

...Either can be "laundered" into something else, of course...)

(Druids and Monks Cleanse The Mountain Area mission

GM Rolls Dice for Druid modifiers... Decides they cancel each other out.

GM rolls Dice for Monk modifiers... gets the two disadvantages but decides they don't apply to this mission...

Team-up bonus: +1

2d6+1: 08:42, Today: The GM rolled 11 using 2d6+1 ((4,6)).

DUMB FREAKIN' LUCK!

--Monks: tell me what came out of the mountains to attack!

--Druids: tell me how the unity of your circle was re-ignited by cleansing the land of this dark magic from so long ago...!

--Druids: You also discovered what exactly originally caused this area to be blighted... What was it?

--Monks: Tell how your leader, Jaesin Je-- OR the new guy, Duan Jian-- was personally responsible for saving the Druid's ritual from being interrupted at a crucial moment!


I'll tell you more after I get your answers...)

In reply to The GM (msg # 34):

The druids discovered that the source of the blight was a strange necromantic staff that was planted in the heart of the afflicted region. It was forcefully drawing leyline energy into itself, inverting it into negative energy, and then channeling it to someplace in the city. Most likely to some necromancers hiding there. But in doing this inverted leyline channeling, it was slowly taking the Life energy out of the land and killing it which is why the region was spreading from The Middle outward.

The druids, being masters of proper channeling methods and also endorsed by the land, reversed the polarity on the staff and  caused it to suck away the stolen energy from the city and infuse it back into the land as positive-aligned life energy.

This whole ordeal caused the druid's morale to skyrocket as this resounding success once again restored their faith in themselves that they can protect the land. Especially since they not only protected the land but were able to sabotage necromancers somewhere as well.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:44, Tue 05 Oct 2021.

The staff's corruption had extended and, as Reed A'lyn had feared/predicted, had begun infecting the wildlife.  So much so that a small army of twisted creatures were now available to protect the unknown necromancer's work.

Shortly after the druids began their ritual, a pack of wolves emerged; covered in black splotches it took no guesswork to realize they were infected -- or why they were there.

It was good that the druids had thought to bring someone to watch their backs; otherwise, the ritual would have been interrupted.  As it was, the monks were able to keep the canines at bay.

At one point, the wolves seemed to have closed on the circle of druids, with one coming perilously close to Reed A'lyn.  Jaesin Je spotted the peril but was occupied himself, wrestling with one of the wolves.  Having no other means to address the threat, Jaesin Je grabbed the wolf he was grappling with and, arching his body backward, catapulted the wolf in the air onto the wolf menacing Reed A'lyn.  The wolf pair's momentary surprise provided just enough time for Jaesin Je and another monk to swoop in and avert the ritual's interruption.

The faith in themselves and their sacred mission is restored to the Circle of Mist.

The area that was blighted becomes green and lush by comparison, in minutes.

The infected wolves get up, healed, and they lope off to live natural lives again.

Except the biggest-- a dire wolf comes up to Jaesin Je and licks his head, grateful to be freed from its dark enchantment. It will travel with the Chubang Deon for a time... until mating season calls it back to the mountains.

Reed A'lyn gains the Staff of Energy Tapping. It can be used for good... For now. But it was corrupted for too long... soon it will return to its dark ways, and Reed will have to break it and throw the pieces into the sea, destroying it forever. But it can be used for good one more time...


(The Druids lose the TEMPORARY tag on their Bonhomie Advantage.

The Druids gain the Staff of Energy Tapping (TEMPORARY).

The Monks gain a new Advantage: Dire Wolf ally (with the tag TEMPORARY 2. It will leave after it is used as an Advantage twice).)

The Clerics and Mages decide that the Mages will take the treasure, and the Clerics will take Gull Island and its castle themselves.

(The Mages get the Advantage of Gull Island Treasure (but they're already rich... how shall they launder it?

The Clerics get Gull Island Castle (CONDITIONAL 2). Their Desecrated Site also gets a 2 on its CONDITIONAL.

The Clerics are getting spread too thin as far as all their real estate! Maybe they need some hangers-on and gofers to speed up all this reclamation work...?)

You're probably right...

(Well, when you're ready, you can try to get some... BUT the Monks might want to talk to you about Gull Island first... (Or maybe they won't, heck if I know))

(Monks and Clerics Gull Island Dungeon mission

Random Monks Rolls: 1 Advantage applies
Random Clerics Rolls: 1 Advantage applies-- but also, Gull Island loses 1 of its CONDITIONALS

Team-up bonus: +1

2d6+3: 13:22, Today: The GM rolled 10 using 2d6+3 ((1,6)).: SUCCESS

Clerics: Tell me how the Advantage of "being well-equipped" helped. What was down there in the dungeon that you were properly prepared for?

Monks: Tell me what was guarding the Scroll Of Air's Blessing, and how it was defeated)

Once they found the canceled door leading to the dungeons, they found a dark tunnel.

Vans Terk men took their lanterns to advance, followed by the monks, trying the ground with the poles they carried they avoided several traps, including a pit one that left a chasm they needed their ropes to pass.

Finally they found a large door, quite difficult to open if not for the oil they used to burn it and the large hammers they used as a ram...

Once the door was open, they allowed he monks, quite more stealthy than them, to lead the way...

Those who squirreled the scroll away knew that physical barriers would be insufficient, and that guards would not last.  A hard-to-find place was part of the scroll's protection.  The door was another.  Finally, a series of riddles, ciphers, codes and traps had to be solved to bypass the magical wards that barred the way.

Perhaps those who secured the scroll believed that the disciplines and knowledge necessary to get to the scroll would be possessed only by those who were worthy of possessing it.  Certainly, it was no easy task, but the monks' and clerics' studies and training enabled them to pass the tests.

The Monks' new colleague Hoichi the Bearded chuckles over the Scroll of Air's Blessing. "This is it, this is it! Let's get back to the big open areas north of the city so I can work with it! Oh, this will be marvelous! You fellows are officially hired!" he tells the Chubang Deon Order.

Hoichi then turns to the Order of Tehuti. "You lot serve The Balancer, eh? Well, good for you. You sure helped with this little assignment... Did I hear that you folks are short-staffed? I can help you with that..."

Hoichi waves his arm, and a cadre of assistants show up to help the Order of Tehuti...


(The Monks get Advantage: Patron: Hoichi the Bearded.

The Clerics get Advantage: Hangers-On/Gofers.

Clerics: CHOOSE ONE OF THESE TYPES OF HELPERS:

❖ Tiny winged pixies (easily distracted, but there's a LOT of them, so the work gets done on time anyway)
❖ Squarish/squat rock elementals, each about 2 feet high (but they're good at stacking themselves to reach high places)
❖ Tribe of brownies (surly, but good and loyal workers)
❖ Magical clockwork automata helpers (very helpful but have to be given precise instructions)
❖ Ratkin (manic, but maybe it's good to focus that energy into being useful)
❖ Kobolds (boastful, but when it comes to being clever with engineering, the boasts are true)
❖ The Tehuti version of cherubs (what would that be like)?  (helpful but also a bit judgmental

Whichever you choose, they are not slaves-- they will work for you because they want to, for reasons of their own. (Except for the automata, who aren't really alive anyway))

I'll choose the pixies. They may be fun to deal with...

(Okay, stand by)

Hoichi waves his arm, and a cadre of assistants show up to help the Order of Tehuti...

A very large swarm of pixies. "Hi! Hey! This is a neat island! Can we live here? We'll work for you... Oh hey a seagull!" The pixie zips away to chase the seagull.

Another pixie shows up. "Sorry about that (but you'd better get used to it). Anything you need us to do?"

(The pixies will get to work helping to clean up the desecrated shrine behind the Witch's Cauldron, and also Gull Island and its castle.

You may remove ONE of the CONDITIONAL modifiers on one of those sites right now.

Which do you choose?)

"Be welcome" said Vans Terk to the  pixie, "and be our guests to this island. Tehuti will protect those who serve it, and we found a srine of Him that needs some work on it. Help us on this, and you can make this castle you home".

The shrine
This message was last edited by the player at 18:52, Thu 14 Oct 2021.

(The descrated holy shrine in the cavern loses one of its two CONDITIONAL tags, and so will be ready sooner (more soon? faster? whatever).)

(Monks and Clerics Anti-Ambush Mission:

GM rolls dice...

Cleric random results: 1 disadvantage applies (under-staffed)
Monk random results: 2 advantages apply (Bonhomie, Duan Jian)

Team-up bonus: +1

2d6+2: 14:27, Today: The GM rolled 11 using 2d6+2 ((6,3)).

SUCCESS!)

Clerics: The numbers of the (you guessed it!) Cult of Calum nearly overwhelmed you at one point-- what exactly did you do that saved you anyway at that crucial moment?

Monks: Explain how your teamwork (amongst yourself, not with the Clerics), or Duan Jian, or BOTH helped make sure that no lives were lost (except among the cultists, and who cares about them).

(I will give rewards after these questions are answered.)

The Clerics of Tehuti moved towards the Shrine. They knew they would likely be ambushed, and were prepared for combat, but when the ambush fell, it was stronger than expected, and they found they were too few to face them, and had no missile weapons to counter the ambushers’.

Nonetheless, they knew their monk allies were coming, and that delaying tactics was all needed, so, they retreated to cover, using Spiritual Hammers to keep the ambushers busy on hand to hand and too covered for the ambushers to hit them with missile weapons, and they used the time to heal their wounds and ready to counter attack when the monks arrived...

. . . which the monks did en masse.

It was decided that the monks would slip behind the preoccupied cultists silently and simultaneously.  This effort required precision, so that none of the cultists became aware of the monks' presence before any other cultists.

The thought was that this approach would overwhelm the cultists and minimize the chance for injuries (or worse) amongst the monks.  And the plan worked wonderfully; the synchronization was perfect as the monks struck (literally) at the exact same time and the cultists didn't know what was happening.  Most of the cultists were neutralized immediately.  A few cultists managed to resist the initial strike and put up a fight; more the pity for them.

This counter-ambush was devastating to the Cult of Calum!

A monk brings a mysterious map to Jaesin Je that was found on a dead cultist. It's hard to say what location the map signifies-- it was made so as to be useful to those who already know, but obscure to those who don't. But it definitely looks very important-- and useful, if only one could puzzle out what location it's supposed to show. Further study (or further inspiration) is clearly needed.

(The Order of Tehuti gains the CONDITIONAL tag on their Enemy Organization, the Cult of Calum. One more defeat (of them) should wipe them entirely out of this area for years.

The Chubang Deon gains a new advantage: Mysterious Map (TEMPORARY). The first time this advantage is randomly rolled, it will turn out that Jaesin Je will realize that the map applies to the undertaking he is currently on...)

(Bards and Monks Siren Adventure

Monk random Advantage that applies: Duan Jian, master of the three-section staff

Bard random Advantage that applies: mobility

Team-up bonus: +3

2d6+3: 13:53, Today: The GM rolled 5 using 2d6+3 ((1,1)).

YIKES!!!

Bards: Tell me exactly what went wrong, and why, when you tried to out-sing the sirens!

Monks: Tell me how Duan Jian had a good idea-- but also tell me why it wasn't enough!

Suggestions: I was thinking maybe one thing that might have gone extra-wrong is that the sirens whistled up some help? A big creature? A bunch of aquatic warriors? Something else? Or not! Up to you!)

The boat pulled out of the harbor, hopes high.  The voyage to the sirens was spent in warming up by the bards.  The salt air troubled a few people, but everyone was ready when they found the sirens and their reef.

At first the challenge went well.  Then the sirens started cheating.  First rain began to fall.  The bards, undaunted, put away their instruments and switched to choral music.  Then the seas grew rough.  The bards kept singing.  Finally a gigantic head poked above the waves, nearly capsizing the boat.  That was too much for the bards, who started looking for the lifeboats.

As the rain began to fall, Duan Jian remembered the spare sails in the hold.

"Unfurl them!" he exclaimed. "Use them to create a giant tent!"

Unfortunately, the bards' transition to choral music caused the sirens to shift tactics, making the impromptu tent useless.

As the seas grew rough, Duan Jian proposed beaching the boat to provide it greater stability.  "Working together, we can relaunch it once the contest is over!"  Ropes were attached, and the monks intended on pulling the boat ashore.  Alas, the giant creature summoned by the sirens made completing the task impossible and effectively ended the contest.

https://cdn.inprnt.com/thumbs/...trol=max-age=2628000

The mission is a failure. The ship runs aground on the beach nearby trying to get away from the sea giant.

The giant eats a few bards for a snack.

The sirens lure a couple of monks to them... one drowns... one makes it to the sirens and will be their plaything until the sirens get tired of them. So much for the monastic lifestyle.

The survivors get away mostly because the sirens start laughing at the panicked survivors too hard to all sing in concert. At that point, the sea giant wanders back out to the depths...

(09:38, Today: The GM rolled 3 using 2d2.  bye bye bardies.

09:43, Today: The GM rolled 2 using 2d2.  sea monkies.

The bards lose 3 members.

The monks lose 2 members.

Oh well, time to try to recruit...?)

Reeling from the setback, the Monks dock their ship and evaluate what could have been done differently.  At the same time Jaesin Je lets it be known that the Order would accept new recruits interested in devoting their lives to maintaining karmic balance in the universe.

The bards start writing songs about sirens, giant sea creatures and those of their number who were turned into snacks.

They also start taking applications from would-be students.

(GM rolls various dice...)

The monks get 1 new recruit.

The bards are unable to get more recruits, this time...

(Let me know if and when y'all are ready for me to give you a new mission (perhaps the druids' new thing...?))

(Bards and Clerics Curse Mission:

The GM rolls for Advantages and Disadvantages, but decides that none apply to this mission.

Team-Up Bonus: +1

2d6+1: 09:28, Today: The GM rolled 8 using 2d6+1 ((4,3)). Success with complications.)

At about midnight on the night of the new moon, rising up from the ground outside Vierna's western gate come skeletons and zombies... and the skeletons are holding torches that light themselves with black-burning fire once they start walking.

They all climb the walls and overwhelm the wall guards until they reach the other side, and they manage to open the gate.

One old crone is on a rooftop nearby, cackling and cheering them on.

But they don't get very much farther than that, because the bardic college and the clerics are waiting for them.

Clerics: tell me how you defeated even the fell black torches of the skeletons... but at a cost.

Bards: tell me how you either bolstered the clerics' attacks... OR how you found a way for your performances to affect even the accursed dead.

(I will decide what the mechanical rewards might be after these questions are answered.)

This message was last edited by the GM at 16:58, Wed 27 Oct 2021.

The bards, in frantically searching for a way to save Vierna, found records of a similar cursing attempt long ago.  The ancient poems said the defenders sang "blessed songs of silver".  The bards decided to use silver instruments and silver strings, asked the clerics to bless the instruments and sang.  The bards alternated between hymns to Tehuti and songs of love of home.

The clerics began to turn some of the skeletons and zombies, but they wer too numerous jsut for that, s otime has arrived for maces and blessed water to destroy them.

Then one fo the acolytes, the one knwn as Deacon Tarim,  took 3 other acolytes and moved to the roof where the old crone was to fight him, having to cross the undead lines to do so.

When the crone finally fell, Deacon tarin and 2 acolytes more wwere layin o nground, and Vans Terk and the rest moved to heal them, unsure if they could be saved.

"you were always too temeraire, Tarim" has Heard a saddened Vans Terk to say. "Sure Tehuti aplauds yourr enthusiasm, but it's not necessary to be so fearless"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:57, Wed 27 Oct 2021.

(13:31, Today: The GM rolled 1 using 1d2.  1 tarim lives 2 he dies.

Also: "temeraire"? Huh?)

Deacon Tarim himself lived, but one of the clerics with him dies trying to reach the witch or hedge-necromancer or whatever she was.

Still, the loss of life was kept to a minimum-- one cleric, one witch-or-whatever, and eight city guards. The city is otherwise (almost entirely) saved-- all thanks to an unfinished note found in a bar...

(The clerics and the bards each gain a temporary advantage: the thanks of the Merchant Quarter, which was closest to the west gate...)

Is this word wrong in English? The existence of HMS Tmeraire (https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Temeraire_(1798); https://es.wikiqube.net/wiki/HMS_Temeraire_(1907)) made me think that it was right. Reckless then.

(Translates in English to "reckless." Temeraire as such is not used in English at all. The Brits gave a ship a French name, to sort of celebrate the earlier capture of a French ship of the same name. (Thanks, Wikipedia.))

(Druids and Rangers Forest Surveying Mission

Druid Random Factor: Bonhomie

Ranger Random Factor: Independence

Team-Up Bonus: +1

2d6+3: 12:23, Today: The GM rolled 12 using 2d6+3 ((5,4)).

SUCCESS)

Two areas of the forest were found that led to other planes of existence. One was able to be successfully closed off right away. The second may be more difficult to seal...

Druids: Tell where the first portal, that you were able to work together to close, led!

(Suggestions: the feylands, the elemental plane of air, of water, of earth, of ice)

Rangers: Tell what threat came through a portal that you were able to defeat!

(Note: "defeat" could mean "kill," or "captured," or "make to surrender," or "drove back through to where it came from," etc.)

In reply to The GM (msg # 67):

The Druids surveyed the Forest of Mist, energized as it was with the new increase in its leyline flows. Using their mixture of both mystical and natural insight, they traced the lines and the places of power while slipping in and out of the veils of mist that covered the woods like they were flickering wisps all unto themselves.

The Rangers, however, not only supplemented the Druids' natural insight but their more martial natures and rugged toughness meant that the Druids' own jobs was made substantially easier as the Rangers could focus on defense, scouting, as well as helping with physical assessment of the terrain. Not to mention they thrived well in the wooded environment. This let the Druids focus purely on the surveying as the Rangers took out any threats that could have interfered with the druidic rituals and channeling.

Plus...there was a lot of common ground between the two factions and both sides had a pleasant time intermingling as well and swapping stories and sharing lore.

There were two major portals that the survey did reveal, which was part of Reed and the Priestess Alaris' fears. One, which took neither of them by surprise, was a portal to the feylands. The forest always had an ethereal, fey-like quality to it and the Druids had long known of a small fey presence within it. Although before this was always a lesser aspect of the forest due to it having had its ley energy siphoned by the necromancers. But now that things were back to normal for the first time in years, the fey connection strengthened.

This portal was not able to be sealed during the mission. It was much more intimately tied to the nature of the forest and the land itself and the spirit of the forest tolerated this fey connection as a result much more than it did other outside influences. And they fey in turn were more in tune with the forest than most normal creatures save beings like druids and treants and such.. Reed and the Druids simply needed more time to consider what to do with this fact.

HOWEVER...

There was a second portal that was found during the survey that most definitely was NOT part of the natural fabric of the forest. A potent locus to the plane of air had been uncovered! And while such portals are normally not all that harmful, this was a major portal to the forces of air and storm that was completely alien to the Forest of Mist itself. Left unchecked, it would eventually haver spawned elementals not in tune with the land that would have ended up rampaging and severely damaging the land and possibly the nearby city. And the feylike misty woods could have evolved into some sort of terrifying fey-air hybrid and become The Forest of Stormy Nightmares! Even the anima of the land was growing more and more agitated by this, and the sigh of relief from the forest was almost auidible when the Druids sealed the portal. The land itself helped aid the sealing ritual and the rangers protected the boundary of the ritual site and helped the druids maintain focus.

First Portal Closed = To Plane of Air
Second Portal Open = Feylands

(I have decided to act for the Rangers, as I think they aren't coming back.)


The rangers were instrumental in disrupting the cyclonic air elemental that was whipping through the forest, trying to test its might by knocking down all the trees it could. Most of them were too big and well-rooted, but it had toppled more than a dozen before it was stopped. The rangers served (safely) as multiple excellent distractions while the druids disrupted the winds that kept the elemental able to remain on this plane, and its spirit was finally banished.

Reed A'lyn's leadership shone through during this entire enterprise, and the internal politics of the Circle of Mist are now slightly stronger than they were last year. Clearly, working together regardless of differing philosophies is what's best for the druidic circle.

(Reed's hold over the Circle is once again solidified-- more than before, really-- and its internal strife is quelled. Another internal challenge to Reed's leadership will not happen soon.)

(Bardic Training Mission with Druid Help

Random Bardic advantage: Mobility

Random Druidic advantages: Bonhomie

Team-up bonus: 1

2d6+3 = 11:34, Today: The GM rolled 10 using 2d6+3 ((5,2)).

Success!!

Druids: tell what emergency came up that threatened the training!

(suggestions: something that came through the fey portal, perhaps? Or something that came through the Air portal that we didn't realize at first had escaped...?)

Bards: tell how it was overcome! (sorry, I do realize that this means the Druids will have to go first, but oh well!))

In reply to The GM (msg # 70):

During the training practicum, Archon Reed and Mistress Varanda agreed to put the Druids and Bards into several paired off groups, with the membership of both being broken down into roughly thirds. Reed made sure to mix druids from various clique-factions as well. Reed personally was paired off with Varanda, and invited Priestess Alaris (of the nature goddess Chirosa) and her acolyte Yerun to go with the "leader group" of Reed and Varanda if they were around still as well.

The groups were not allowed to take any food and water with them, and were to survive and camp for three days in the forest before meeting back and combining into one large group of druids and bards on the fourth day to share notes, have a feast, and enjoy a communal bonfire. There were druids from various cliques together showing their respective bardic charges how to gather, identify poisonous plans and edible berries, how to make a makeshift weapon and bow and arrow for hunting, makeshift fishing rods, lean-to tents, make a fire with a twig and log, tie a square knot, nagivate bia the sun and moss and stars, and so on and so forth. The bards played their music and shared their lore for the druids when they'd camp each night as well as literally were forced to get their hands dirty preparing and cleaning food, finding water, etc.

Things did go well, without any issues as far as the forest and participants were concerned.

However...one thing did happen. Reed had warned Varanda that there was an increased risk of fey activity recently and that tgis could pose a potential danger to the practicum, but that if the bards and druids combined their respective skills together they'd be able to overcome such threats.

And good thing too. Because all three groups of druids were plagued by groups of satyrs, pixies, nymphs on the third day of the practicum. Some whimsical sidhe even attemped to bedevil the 4th "leader" group that Reed and Varanda were in.

For the sidhe...these were fey nobles, and even a few were a serious threat. But they respected natural power and hierarchy despite their whimsy, and Reed did not negotiate with them or play their games when they harassed his group. He made sure to teach them, then and there, who was at the top of the food chain in The Forest of Mist as he unleashed unbridled natural fury against them while instructing Varanda to single-handedly display her talent and play bardic counter-charm music and not even bother speaking to the sidhe until they either submitted or died. And the Sidhe were surprised when their command over nature and their noble auras failed in the face of an Archon, as the trees worked against them, thorny vines crept along their fey flesh and drew blood, and the ground shifted and threatened to swallow them up while Varanda's music muted their fey auras.

Needless to say, the Sidhe submitted, acknowledged their insolence (for the apology of fey nobility carries great weight), and retreated back to the fey portal.

The other groups handled things based ont he situation but Reed and Varanda had prepped them ahead of time. For the Satyrs plaguing group 1, the Bards sung counter-charm songs while the druids shifted into wolves and bears and forced them to submit and retreat to the portal. For the pixies plaguing group 2, the bards enthralled them with jokes and stories while the druids used magic to ensnare them in spider webs, bundle them up, and toss them back through the portal. For the Nymphs plaguing group 3...the bards used their charisma to win over the fey while the druids made displays of natural plant and water magic to show kinship, and the nymphs (who turned out to actually be benevolent just cautious) relented and gave a kiss of favor to group before retreating to the portal.

OOC: In short...the druids and bards teamed up and repelled a fey exploratory group and forced them back through the portal.

OOC: Hmm, there's really nothing for me to add.

(The Bards get a new Advantage: You are Independent (you can delegate stuff to your group well instead of you having to supervise everything)

The Druids get a new advantage: Nymph's Blessing (Temporary).)

(MONKS AND DRUIDS ELEMENTAL WOOING MISSION...

Gonna do a little extra role-playing with this one...)

Hoichi gestures magically and an area of thick fog appears, about 40 feet in diameter... but only on the ground, about two feet thick.

"Step on, everyone, step on..." Hoichi says, demonstrating...

The monks step up onto the layer of fog, which proves to be solid-- it's like stepping on wet sand at a beach...

"Everyone on? Good!" says Hoichi, and he raises his hands, and the fog layer rises, and starts carrying himself and the monks south, toward the forest... "...I learned this trick from the gal who created the scroll," says Hoichi. "Oh, she's full of wonders..."

The cloud flies above the Forest of Mist, and then lowers itself... in front of a man wearing a brown robe.

---

An odd-looking cloud, flat like a griddlecake, comes moving in fast from north-by-northwest... and lands in front of Reed.

Standing on the cloud are a band of monks and a strange little man with a very hairy beard. "Say there," says the little man. "I don't suppose you'd be the head druid around here? The energies tied to you suggest that you are, but I suppose that doesn't automatically make it true..."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:27, Wed 10 Nov 2021.

The man in the brown hooded robe nods, before speaking.

"Yes, I am Archon Reed A'Lyn of the Circle of Mist. And you all are the monks..." he said, as he suddenly lowered his hood.

..."that I've been expecting. Welcome to the Forest of Mist." he said.

The speaker, despite claiming to be a leader, was surprisingly young for the amount of energy tied to him. Reed is an attractive, dark haired young man with well-bred aristocratic features. From the nearby banks of mist, several other druids emerge of different ages, some older some younger. They watch silently as the monks address Reed.

"I am surprised to see monks flying around on clouds, but I've seen more surprising things in my life. Tellme more about this elemental..."

"I don't want to speak for Hoichi, but . . . in summary, he has been investigating and studying elementals.  It appears that he has been living, somehow, among them.  And one has, for some reason, come to our realm to cause mischief and havoc.  Hoichi would like to encourage it to return, unharmed, so as to prevent that mischief and to preserve his standing with the elementals."

Jaesin turns to Hoichi.

"Is that the essence of it?"

Reed considered, and nodded.

"While now and then, we put down rogue elementals that are raging beyond reason with the full blessing of the land, this is an exception and not a rule. We'd much rather commune with the elements and help them reach a harmonic balance with one another and the Forest instead." he replied. Some of the other druids watching from the edges of the mist also nodded in silent agreement with Reed.

"In this case, it seems your elemental isn't raging beyond all reason anymore and can still potentially be re-homed and sent back to the plane of air. We should be able to ritually bind the elemental with the blessings of the land and the sky, slap it on its wrist, and then open a miniature portal to send it back home to the plane of air. However...luring it into the right position to bind it will be the real challenge...and be where the order of monks will come in most effectively." he continued.

"This isn't a summoned elemental, so we cannot just do a little jig and snap our fingers and poof call it into a circle or something. No...the monks will have to herd the elemental and corral it into an area where we druids will be waiting with a binding ritual secretly set up to snare it. We could just just our magic to brute-force subdue the thing or blast into it, but that would have too much risk of accidentally maiming or killing it. And like I said before, the Druids really don't want to do that. That is a last-resort emergency sort of deal. No...we want to capture it with minimal harm to everyone - the elemental included." he added.

"We will enchant your fists and feet with power so that your punches and kicks can hit the elemental. You will have to give it a few good licks for good measure so it knows you're a threat, but then restrain yourselves as much as possible and instead chase it and corral it into the ritual site we'll set up."

Jaesin bows. "I defer to your superior knowledge and wisdom in these matters.  We will do our best to walk the line you have described."

"Yes, but..."




The wild-bearded little man waves his hands. "It's not that simple, friend. For one thing, this elemental is... special. Powerful-- practically a demigoddess-- but very young yet. But she breaks the rules for other reasons... She's a high-level-- royal, in our terms, more or less-- hybrid of Air and Earth. You don't see that every day, am I right? And it's made her as much of a headache to deal with as a fey. She's capricious and wild like the wind, but stubborn as a rock... when she wants to be. ...Can I take you to 'er...? She's decided she won't listen to me..."

Jaesin bites his lip a bit; Hoichi hadn't shared all of these details, but that slight is not worthy of attention now.

He turns to Reed A'lyn with a quizzical look.

"Does that change your plan in any way?"

In reply to Jaesin Je (msg # 80):

Reed frowned slightly. He was not expecting this.

"Unfortunately, this changes everything." Reed replied.

"Not only is this particular elemental a royal tier, but it seems the thing is much more strong willed and self-willed than normal. I almost wonder if it wants some sort of social interaction, but with someone it deems worthy according to its own arbitrary values. And as druids we're probably the closest beings in the region the thing will deem worthy to speak with." he continued.

He considered.

"Its power isn't actually the worst part of this. It's a royal, but we've got the backing of the land itself on this one as the royal obviously doesn't belong here and is causing trouble. No...the real complexity in all this is going to be dealing with its increased awareness and sentience, and trying to not kill it so we can maintain Hoichi's standing among the elemental courts."

Reed turned and conferred a moment with the druids who were standing silently nearby. Even the three faction leaders conferred with him on this matter and gave their perspective in muted whispers before he nodded to them and returned to the monks.

"Ok...so we're thinking we need to try and play nice with it, but not kiss up to it. If it gets out of control, the land will back us and give us the power to forcefully wrangle it if necessary. HOWEVER...we think we should try to take a social approach to the elemental first. It's earthen nature means it will respond better to ceremony and protocol than a purely aerial elemental would, while its aerial nature means it will have more curiosity and dynamicism than a purely earthen one. It may simply feel lost, or disconnected, or in need of companionship or perhaps need some sort of favor, or even have some sort of problem that its too embarassed to ask for help about except to beings it deems close enough to itself or something." he said.

"So with that said, the new plan is for the druids to go and commune with the elemental and try and establish a rapport with it. It may not listen to monks or most people, but we're druids. And we have Archdruids and an archon among us at that...it simply won't be able to ignore that many people backed by the land and elements. What the monks will have to focus on is acting as an escort while we travel there, and if problems arise as a mix of runners, fixers, and helpers. If something is bothering the elemental we may dispatch groups of monks and druids to do troubleshooting and such."

He then looked at Jaesin.

"What do you think? Does this sound like an acceptable plan? The druids will act as diplomats and the monks as guards and helpers?"

Jaesin nods.

"What you say about its motivations gives me a thought.  From what little I've been told, I believe that the elemental is acting capriciously -- out of spite, or hurt feelings.  But there's someone who can provide us more detail, I believe, as to exactly what prompted this elemental to visit here, because I think it is a direct response to . . . "

Jaesin turns to Hoichi.

"Master Hoichi's visit to the plane of air.  So, Master Hoichi -- what more can you tell us about the reason that this royal elemental has opted to visit our plane at this time, and in this mood?  There's no sense in hiding it -- not if you want this effort to succeed, because it sounds like the druids' efforts will be more likely to succeed if you present the full picture.  Like, perhaps, your dealings with this elemental's . . . aunt, was it?"

"Her, ah, auntie... wants her to come home and stop toying with mortals. Afraid she'll... pick up bad habits. She doesn't want to... I think mostly out of contrariness. To her, I'm just an errand-boy sent by Auntie. But if she doesn't know I've sent you..."

"So -- no idea why she chose now to explore our realm?  No information that might help the druids persuade her to go home?"

Reed considered.

"I'm fine with acting like we don't know Hoichi. However, I agree with Jaesin...if there's anything else you can tell us about this elemental that would be useful. In particular I could use some examples of some of the incidents its been involved in lately. Like what are some of its more recent shenanigans? What people and towns has it bothered, what environmental areas has it disturbed, and so on?" Reed asked.

"Basically...I need to be armed with reasons to accuse it of causing trouble above and beyond the monks saying so. This will allow me to not only have a stronger position in talks with it, but also will make it a lot easier to try and downplay a connection to Hoichi."

Hoichi sighs in frustration. "I don't know. I'm not sure. I think sometimes she's been messing with people... teasing them, misleading them... and then sometimes I think she's been just kidnapping them to the elemental planes. I haven't yet found anyone who she's done that too... Maybe because I've only been checking the plane of Air... Or maybe she's just been killing them, for all I know..."

Reed Frowned.

"Her causing some environmental damage, or even playing pranks and being a brat is one thing. It's not good, but it's one thing. But if she's kidnapping people from this plane or murdering them...that's a serious disruption of the balance of the material plane. If that's the case, she'll be lucky if I don't seal her into a lamp or something, or worse." he said.

"HOWEVER...unless we have clear proof we need to assume her innocence in case there's some sort of misunderstanding, or she's just acting out or some such. We have to go into this with an open mind. And one good thing is that the Forest and surrounding lands and skies have not told any of the druids about such things happening yet thank goodness which means there's still hope she's just a brat and not malicious." he continued.

"Hoichi? Can your cloud thing take us to where the elemental is or can you at least help the monks get there while we shapeshift into a flock of birds and follow?"

"Oh, sure, there's room on the cloud for all. I can make it wider... Ready to go to 'er?"

"We are ready if the druids are ready.  While you came to us first, Hoichi, we will be following their lead given their superior expertise in dealing with elementals."

Alyn nodded in agreement, and was ready to depart whenever everyone else was.

"Oh, that's fine with me. I certainly haven't changed the little brat's mind."

Soon all of the druidic Circle of Mist have joined the monks and Hoichi on the cloud, which takes off again, headed vaguely east.

"Watch this now..." says Hoichi, "watch for it... wait for it... wait for it..."

You're not sure what he's saying to watch for, so you just keep alert... looking straight ahead, since that's where he's looking, but occasionally stealing looks to the side, in case

HOLY--

THAT is what he was talking about. A steel... something. Like a tower. Narrow-- perhaps just thirty feet wide-- but tall-- it doesn't seem to HAVE a top. It just seems to go on up forever.

"Can't be detected until you're getting close," says Hoichi. "Probably doesn't really exist on this plane. It's a liminal space..." The cloud lowers to the ground. "I'd better let you off here... Just head toward the tower... I'd better make myself scarce..."

As Hoichi goes, Jaesin comments: "I am absolutely convinced that he knows more of the wayward elemental's motivations than he is revealing -- most likely because he had something to do with it."

In reply to Jaesin Je (msg # 92):

After Hoichi left, Reed nodded to Jaesin.

"I definitely agree with you about him knowing more than he lets on. But I've never heard of a monk or whatever he is so attached to the elemental courts before." Reed replied.

"This is why I'm going in there with an open mindset, since maybe this elemental princess is someone we can reach out to and possibly help and win over, or even befriend. We might not need to use any force at all. But first, we have to hear her side of the story."

"He's not a member of this Order," Jaesin hastens to clarify. "Nor do I think he's a monk."

Honor thus preserved, Jaesin makes sure that those who are monks in the Order are ready to venture to the tower.

https://miro.medium.com/focal/...0/0*C__knszvhJ6NCa11

It's dark here.

Not so dark you can't see the tower of steel up above, but dark.

You head toward the tower.

Before you get there, though, a young doe runs out in front of you, from left to right.

Then there's a sort of whssh and the doe sharply reverses and heads back to the left.

whssh

Something is toying with the deer, zipping back and forth. You can't tell if it's flying or just leaping from tree trunk to tree trunk.

whsssh

And then the doe is down, and something is upon it-- just about to bite it maybe--

--When it looks up and sees you.

It stands.

The doe, terrified, leaps up and runs off.

The thing grins at you, a too-large mouth filled with too many too-sharp teeth. "Hello..."

It has ash-gray skin, very dark eyes, and wears a very long (down to its ankles) ragged and stained shirt that might have once been white. Its hair is straight and black.

"Hello," Jaesin responds as the other monks get closer to the druids, just in case.


My immediate thought, after reading the description:

https://thering.fandom.com/wik...ng_samara_slider.jpg

Ooc: can the druids determine that the thing before them is elemental in nature? Possibly the princess they are looking for?

(Yes to both.)

"This is her everyone, so please be both careful and mindful." Reed said as the toothy woman-thing turned its attention to them.

Reed steeped forward.

"You shouldn't play with harmless animals like that. Unless you're starving and needed to kill it to eat or something, there is no need for you to torment the poor thing." he said to the princess as the terrified deer pranced away.

"And hello to you, fair maiden of stone and air. I am Reed, the Archon of Mist. To which lovely lady do we have the privilege of speaking with right now?" he asked.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:38, Wed 24 Nov 2021.

"I like to surprise." The voice is breathy and quiet and yet it can be heard clearly by all present. "I like to scare."




"My name Isobel," says Isobel.

As planned in advance, Jaesin remains quiet while Reed negotiates with Isobel.

"A pleasure to meet you, Isobel..." Reed replied with a flourish.

"I happened to be passing through the area, and caught word that a certain elemental princess was causing problems for the people and animals here. Pulling pranks, needlessly damaging the trees and environment, and sometimes even hurting people and animals. And I think we both know which princess those rumors are referring to, my dearest maiden." he continued.

"However...I believe there's two sides to every story, and that it would be unfair to just assume bad things about you without having met you first and gotten to talk with you a bit, and hear your side of things..." he continued.

"My dearest Isobel? Would you like to take a walk with me? I'd love to get to know you better, and even do a nature walk of sorts. Unless you're hungry, in which case perhaps your ladyship would like to join me for a picnic?" he asked, trying to treat her like a normal lady rather than a monster and see if she responded well to this. A royal tier elemental was generally highly sentient, which is why he chose this type of approach rather than a more mystical or coldly direct one like he would with some random normal elemental.

"My servants and guards will keep us safe and help prepare food for us if you'd like to join me for a picnic."

"Tee hee..."



"Pick... nick...?"



"Pic...nic. Food. Food." Isobel nods.

It's hard to say if Isobel is really that young, or if she just doesn't know the language you're speaking that well, or if she's just messing with you and pretending to be young and easily confused by a lot of words. If you had to guess, you'd guess the second option. There's a lot of intelligence in... there.

But... perhaps not a lot of emotional control. She might actually be young in that sense. A very, very smart child.

(So it feels to me like we're approaching time to roll.

Like, specifically, we're going to be doing a charm offensive, with the monks 1. in case things go south and 2. to help make Reed seem like a big important guy.

Sound good/right...?)

OOC: I think that's right.  Last instructions were to stand by, keep out of the way, but be ready for anything.

I am generally deferring to the druids because of their greater expertise.

OOC: Yes right now Reed is playing up his importance, and the druids in general are posturing a bit, while the monks seem like support and bodyguards...all as part of our plan.

The idea here is for us to seem important enough to warrant her interest and attention (and to be hesitant to attack us), while being civil enough for her to want to play nice.

(DRUIDS AND MONKS VS. ISOBEL NICENESS AND CHARM ASSAULT MISSION

Druid random factor rolls: 1 thing applies: Advantage: Staff of Energy Tapping (TEMPORARY)

Druid random factor rolls: 1 thing applies: Advantage: Very Disciplined

Team-up bonus: +1

Roll: 2d6+3: 12:17, Today: The GM rolled 12 using 2d6+3 ((6,3)).

SUCCESS...)

Reed, with the other monks and druids playing wow, look how important Reed is, is able to impress Isobel.

Isobel, though her command of the language is... problematic... nonetheless opens up and discusses her feelings.

She doesn't like this little mortal man attempting to date her auntie, she felt out of place in the Air plane where everything was "so floaty" but also out of place when she tried the Earth plane where everything was "so dark." She likes this world where things are so fragile, where there are places to hide but also "such prettiness" like the sun and the trees and blood.

Reed nods and continues to say very compassionate and sympathetic things to Isobel at all times.

The monks do not get alarmed even when Isobel does a sudden LEAP and CHOMP and eats a squirrel, due to their hours a day of practice in self-discipline.

Isobel seems somewhat able to smell fear, so it's just as well they maintain a demeanor in keeping with pretending that this is perfectly normal picnic guest behavior.

Finally, though, Isobel seems to decide, in talking about the plane of Air, that perhaps she might go back there after all. "Everyone want me to. So I not want to. But to fly is fun... and... rules here strange. Strange when things fall down. Strange when things break. Strange when trees smell like screaming." She sighs, and her gaze flits around...

Her eyes land on Reed's Staff of Energy Tapping. "Give me that?" she asks.

(She's going to leave, but let's do a little more role-playing first. Will you give her the Staff of Energy Tapping...?)

Reed considers.

On one hand, she's being naughty and needs a spanking. Badly. Even if he needs to draw on the leylines and cast a "Hand of Spanking +5" spell or some such to do it coupled with am "Irresistable Attraction to my knee" spell, which when comboed can lead to even elementals and such being spanked over his knee.

Yet...on the other hand, Isobel seems less malicious (despite the occasional chomping and such" and more neutral aligned and a bit naieve and childish, despite her intelligence that she thinks she is hiding. He was glad he talked to her and took a nice approach with the monks rather than treating her like some monster to be fought and killed.

He also got a sort of puberty sense from her. Like she was trying to figure out where she belonged, and wanted to push boundaries yet also felt lonely when people and her family were doing their own thing and she didn't feel included or wanted.

He also wondered if Hoichi was this "pesky mortal trying to date her aunt" she was referring to, but he didn't want to mention him or bring him up. But if that was the case, Reed and Jaesin would surely let Hoichi know of their displeasure in him omitting details.

...buuuut for now, he had to focus on Isobel.

He listened politely and intently to her as she expressed herself, before responding.

"Hmmm...well Isobel my dear, I have a few thoughts to share on your situation. Thoughts I think might make you feel better or at least be able to better organize your thoughts." he replied.

"First of all...I can tell you are becoming a big girl now more and more over time. I know you're smarter than you let on for one thing - your curiosity is a sign of that among other things. But part of growing up is learning that sometimes, your family and friends have lives of their own and will be growing in their own paths just like you are. And that includes your aunt. This doesn't mean your aunt doesn't love...but just that she's also exploring new things. And this mortal man who is courting her is just a part of your aunt's growing life path. What really matters, Isobel, is if your auntie is happy with this man or not." he said.

"Your aunt deserves to be happy and find love, whatever form that takes. She's a grown woman though, and I doubt she'd give this mortal man the time of day if he didn't have some redeeming qualities of some kind. You might want to try and get to know the man better first, before deciding you don't like him. Because who knows...maybe he's a potential friend in the making that you just haven't made yet?" Reed continued.

He looked around.

"You're right about the physical laws of this plane being a bit...weird. Like we have gravity, and can't do a whole lot without channeling magic, and so on. But you're not a normal elemental Isobel. You have both Air and earth natures, which is actually fairly rare. Bur rare doesn't mean bad. On the contrary...I think you're interesting and have the potential to enjoy the best of what both air and earth have to offer. But you might be looking in the wrong places though in your exploring, but I have an idea of a place you might find of particular interest..." he said conspiratorially.

"Have you heard of the para-elemental planes? They lie between the main elemental planes like between water and air is ice, and so on. Now most normal scholars thinks that elements that seem opposed cannot make para-elements. Like fire and water and air and earth for instance. But I happen to know they are wrong and those para-elements are totally real...I mean you yourself are living proof of this! But there is a para-elemental plane that is a confluence of air and earth...it's basically the paraelemental plane of sand. Some times they manifest as dust, or silt, but it's basically an area that's a vast windy desert like area filled with all sorts of secrets and nooks and crannies, yet for all its dunes it also has open air and wind as well. I think you'll learn a lot about yourself if you visit this place...but unfortunately due to its peculiar nature it's harder to get to than normal planes." he said with a frown.

However, he then tapped his staff. "Although... my staff could help you get there easily though. Once you've been there before you can get to it easier with normal magic but the first arrival is always difficult and needs special circumstances to assist...but my staff just happens to have enough power for a single major channeling action and it could easily bridge the gap and get you there. And I'd be willing to give you my staff of channeling if you agree to be my friend in return, Isobel." he said, with a smile.

"What do you think?"

She crosses her arms. "Hmph!" This seems to translate into both Hmph, more than just 'a girl'! but also into Yeah, no girl is bigger nor better than me!





"But... she love mortal man once before...? ...He die! She sad! Not want her that again!"

A pause.

"...Him much pretty than new little man, too. Seen statues."





"Bah." Nodding. "Strange."





"Bah. Been ice. Too cold."





"Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo." Reed has her interest. She has clearly not visited the Sand plane before.





"Yah, friends! Give stick!"

Jaesin remains silent, impassive, unmoving, and hopefully unnoticeable throughout the exchange.

Hopefully, the rest of the monks follow his lead.

Reed nodded.

"I know that your aunt has a much, much longer lifespan than her mortal lover did...but what's important isn't that he died before she did, but that the limited time they did have together was well spent. That they loved each other. Your aunt deserves to be able to find love, even if it cannot last forever. Death and life are part of the cycle of nature, after all." he replied.

"But isn't it better that she loved and lost, than to have never loved nor have received love at all? I know it's sad...but what matters most, Isobel, isn't how much time you have with someone you care about, be they a friend or a lover, but WHAT you do with that time. Time well spent is the best time, after all." he continued.

He then held out his staff.

"Yes...you're my friend now, and this is a present from me to you. Just promise you will try to cause at least somewhat less mischief in exchange." he said with a playful grin.

"Although be careful and be patient when you use the staff to open a way to the Plane of Sand. It's trickier than normal due to the confluence of opposing elemental forces. That's why normal mages and such can't get there easily. Druids are special due to our tie to the elements, and of course YOU are special because you're both an air and earth elemental. With that staff...I know you'll be ok. Just be patient. Once you channel your way there the first time, your natural plane shifting will let you come and go from the place since you technically have ties to both the planes of air and earth...which also make up the plane of sand." he said seriously.

"But like I said...it's a neat place with many undiscovered secrets still. And it may help you come to better terms with your own nature too. It's the best gift I can think to give you, Isobel my friend."

OOC: Yes he will give her the staff of channeling.

"Wheee h'ray byeeeeeee!" trills Isobel. She waves the staff around like a baton... and stops. "Oh! Trade! More fair!" she says, and she gives Reed something. She waves the staff around again...

...and she and the Tower of Steel both disappear.

Reed looks at what she gave him. It's a rod, a bit less than two feet long, of... what is that, hematite? Tourmaline?

--No-- It's lodestone...

A portal opens up. "Oh, good, lads, very good!" It's the little man from before-- Hoichi. "That'll do nicely!" He extends his hands to Jaesin Je. "You've earned a boon! What can I do for you?!"

Hoichi briefly eyes what Reed's holding. "Ooh, nice lodestone rod. You've already been rewarded, I see."

(Druids lose the Staff of Energy Tapping, which wasn't going to work much longer anyway, and gain the new advantage: Lodestone Rod of Lightning. This rod can be used to fuse the power in the heavens and the earth together to summon (vertical) lightning bolts. It works better the closer the bolt is to the summoner, though (although it does NOT offer protection from the bolts themselves), and it works better the more clouds there are in the sky-- although it WILL work with no clouds (although clouds will start forming if it's used when there are none).

Monks, what boon might you ask of Hoichi?)