#Bouldergap

[tabletopjourneys]

Session 39 Notes

(Skipping ahead so last session notes are in time for a quick read before next session) The Silver Scale Pack split up: While group A confronts The Superb Owl one last time, group B falls for a cryptid and gets teleported to the other side of Bouldergap from their recon mission. Plus: Shopping. Again. lol.

@gher-bear​ @aradow​ @telurin​ @epimetala

On this day The Silver Scale Pack's split missions get critical. Diem and Ixayl'anu have to battle it out with the The Superb Owl and her mob of charmed Bouldergap citizens.

Ultimately they win by deceit and successfully chase The Superb Owl off, back to The Iron Heights (mountains) without any loss of life or nonconsensual fey abductions.

The Bouldergap citizens are pretty grateful once the distance shakes off the last vestiges of charm and begin getting back to their lives, cleaning up the mess of a spontaneous tournament, and finding/checking on loved ones lost in the crowd and/or forgotten in their bespelled states.

In other words, nobody we know of is angry at us for chasing off the pretty owl. They're all pretty aware it was a spell that made them love and admire her so much.

Meanwhile, group B meet one of the near-mythical cryptids called a ropen up close. This one seems to be super ancient and magically potent with decorative colorful jewelry and tattoos that commonly get mistaken for "colorful plumage" in the rare (and doubted) accounts of sightings.

When first attempting to communicate the ropen (accidentally?) deals 3 psychic damage to the safety-bubbled forms of Rana and Fee. It sounds like the angels from Supernatural. Once it corrects this, it's voice still holds tangible power and sounds like an ancient being of immense power speaking to children.

It tells them both they are not safe here and that they have the situation contained and are handling it. Then puts them both to sleep and sends them safely to the other side of Bouldergap out into a field where they wake up about an hour later.

Just in time to hear Diem communicate through the stone that the owl has been handled.

The pack reunites and reports everything to Lawmaster Eldeth. They agree to gather in the morning for another trip out to Stoneroost with the help of two guards.

Their free night until then is spent shopping for gems and supplies. Afterward, Rana and Fee play a training game with their ratties and chill in the Temple of V'kandis until they wake there in the morning and procure another helper for the trip out in the form of a dwarven priestess who offers her healing skills in exchange for being able to check in on her family in Stoneroost.

Ixayl'anu spent the night in the stables with her newly resummoned elk. Diem went off to find and presumably spent the night with the other disguise-loving storyteller The Superb Owl had suggested they have a nice chat with.

(Read More)

(At Least Group A is Safely in Town…Right?)

The Superb Owl: Capture them! (80 ft reach command)

Initiative order starts with Ixayl’anu and then Diem; Ixayl’anu goes first and casts moonbeam on the Superb Owl (it really is a fey owl; though a typo does turn her into the super bowl instead. Just a thought.). Ixayl’anu then runs her 30ft south along the fence.

Diem has to run to catch up as Ixayl’anu shoots past them. “Fly, Ixayl’anu!”. They cast fly on them both as soon as they manage to catch up to her in about 30ft.

5 villagers jump the fence to try and grab us.

One guy across fence to her right manages to grab Ixayl’anu and yank her a little off balance and out of the reach of the guy coming straight at her who’d jumped the southern fence to follow the owl’s orders.

Two guys of three more guys who also jumped the southern fence manage to grab me - one to each arm.

The Superb Owl not only takes half damage from a save (8dmg) by staring her turn in moonbeam, she actually pretends she created the moonbeam as an awe-inspiring spotlight for attention. She spreads her wings and flies straight up in it, showboating a little, and says, in an enunciating announcer voice: Bring them to me and I will deal with the heretics!

Practically everyone near the owl by the northern gate of the square arena and out in an oval of about 40 ft east and west is gazing in star-struck admiration at the owl.

Ixayl’anu struggles to get loose and succeeds her strength check, gets loose and flies 30 ft up and 30 ft east.

Diem uses fey presence to go all Galadriel-style-you-would-have-a-dark-queen visage and voice to inspire fear (16 wis check): Not me you fools!

This works on four out of five of the guys around them, but the one who resists just happens to be one of the guys holding on to them, who actually tightens his grip in half panic as Diem tries to fly away with him still attached (contested strength check failed). They only succeed in lifting him a few feet off the ground.

Diem to Ixayl’anu: Get out of here, go get the others!

A new guy enters the area from the south gate and helps the first pull me back down to the ground as those other four continue to cower a few feet back from me.

The owl takes 4 dmg starting in moonbeam again and doesn’t care, the barely-felt pain is worth the extra awe-inspiring beauty of her spotlight. She is hovering there at about the same height as Ixayl’anu (about 30ft off the ground): Keep that one contained, I will get the flying one!

She’s sad to leave her moonbeam, but flies after Ixayl’anu and misses both attacks. Screams: Look at me! (tries to charm Ixayl’anu and fails)

Ixayl’anu screams right back at her and lands all 3 attacks plus a level 2 smite: 45 total damage. “Never trust owls!”

The Superb Owl screeches again.

Diem goes completely limp and in the owl’s voice says: I have possessed this one, you can let it go. (23 deception)

Everyone buys it and lets Diem go. They immediately zoom 30 ft up and 30 ft toward Ixayl’anu, flying with her between me and the owl.

Guys who let them go realizing their mistake: Oh shit!

(3D chess for everyone now!)

The Northern portion of the crowd begins surging toward us as well, both guys who had Diem are running after them even though they’re 30 ft up.

Korial, the feathered dragonborn from one of Ixayl’anu’s home islands (who had been in charge of and enlisted in the fighting competition) had come out at some point, disappeared in his tent again, and is now coming out, handing off nets to capable-looking people nearby so he can take a shot with his bow at Ixayl’anu. He hits her for 10 dmg

The Superb Owl screams in Ixayl’anu’s face again and tries to grab at her for a grapple. 18 slashing damage and a strength check of 20 vs 21. Ixayl’anu pulls herself away from the grapple at the last minute, which is ruled one reason why the claws hurt so much - made the wound worse pulling out of the grasp.

Ixayl’anu’s next attack misses, but her 2nd does 15dmg plus another smite for 9 more dmg (total 24dmg).

Diem still doesn’t want to hurt the owl if they can avoid it, it’s chaotic good, but just doesn’t understand the concept and finality of death for mortals or why consent is important for the little honor guard it’s trying to create. They are out of big spells, but still have a lightning bolt in their ring if it comes down to it. However, the people also need to know this fey is willing to kill them for the sake of convenience anyway. It’s not outright evil, but inhuman enough it will kill them as easy as praise them.

As such, totally trying to create some doubts and tarnish the awe, show a little truth in a dramatic way, Diem moves their hands in front of their face as if they’re casting a spell, conveniently blocking anyone able to see their face from seeing their mouth move as they mimic The Superb Owl’s voice again, as loud as they can supervillain style and say: I will kill anyone who fails me! (21 deception).

A good amount of people around the South fence pause a little bit at this, including the guys who let them go during the last deception.

After that, Diem shoots Northwest and up 60ft to get above and behind The Superb Owl without flying close enough on the way to cause an attack of opportunity (essentially 20ft behind the owl to the northwest and 30ft up for a total of 60ft above ground and away from Korial’s bow).

They cast an eldritch blast but their heart still really isn’t in killing this pretty fey creature yet (Ixayl’anu is definitely not holding back for sure). Their first blast of crackling iridescent magic misses entirely as a result, and the other is held back too much, doing only 3dmg.

The guys who got nets from Korial are now close enough to throw them at Ixayl’anu, but both nets go wide without accidentally ensnaring any of the people under her instead.

Korial shoots at Ixayl’anu again, but misses.

The Superb Owl: Get more archers! Stop using the nets!

She disengages from Ixie and flies a bigger circle away. She goes up to about 80ft off the ground and take a commanding view of the whole area.

Ixayl’anu has seen birds of prey do this maneuver - she’s getting height so she can do a dive at Ixayl’anu (from 50ft above her now/20ft higher up than Diem is). Diem is clueless what this means for Ixayl’anu.

Ixayl’anu drops moonbeam and downs a potion (16 healing) on her way to get behind the owl and in front of me, close enough she and Diem both get the advantages of the bless she casts in moonbeam’s place (add a d4 to any attack roll or saving throw for a minute - 10 rounds).

Diem casts message on The Superb Owl, speaking directly in her head in sylvan, using their patron’s voice: Harm my pets and mark my words you will have an archfey hounding your immortality, making sure no one anywhere ever even thinks about worshipping you ever again (Intimidation check of 26).

The Superb Owl’s wingbeat pauses and she dips down a couple of feet in reaction. She’s still for the moment.

Diem yells out as loud as they can, in part for the Northside audience this time (and in their own voice): This is your last chance, do this the right way, no one’s taken by force and no one dies if they refuse!

24 performance for the crowd gets another big circle near enough to hear who are beginning to doubt. This includes Korial who has run forward enough he heard Diem’s yell. He also pauses and shakes his head a little bit.

The owl takes a good look around at the chaos and doubters, she screams an angry and hurt sound: None of you were really worth it anyway!

She disengages, picks up speed by dropping about 30 ft (still about 50ft from the ground though) and books it back toward the iron heights.

Ixayl’anu misty steps after her and crackles lightning effects, swiping at the air in the Superb Owl’s direction, making noises to reinforce driving her away and generally trying to be intimidating “You better run!” style. She rolls an 11 for intimidation. She can’t see the owl’s face for obvious reasons, but feels like she did a good job.

(The “Victory Speech” No One Asked For)

Diem flies lower toward the ground and makes themself look like an autumn-and-firey-sun themed archfey with a slightly higher voice than their patron’s to address the people around then. Their impulsive goal here is mainly to check on the hostility levels of the crowd while also trying to make sure a the presence of an archfey makes it into some stories. Just in case any of those get back to The Superb Owl in the future. They don’t use their own patron’s looks because they don’t know how their patron would feel getting that credit. They do go for a fiery-autumn look thinking this heavily V’kandis sun god religious area might attribute the deed in story to V’kandis instead, or an archfey follower (vague spur-of-the-moment possibilities for how this story gets retold over the years lol). Their performance is only a 16 for this though and it’s ruled that most people are simply distracted by the charm suddenly getting dispelled, becoming worried about loved ones and children/parents, etc. no longer in sight. Either way, everyone clearly knows what happened now (insofar as being charmed goes). Diem finished the story with what the owl had been planning, that it wasn’t just harmless (to hopefully discourage later retellings from making the owl out to be something to be tolerated the next time it comes around. Like no, it was definitely planning to take people against their will and seriously considering killing anyone merely for refusing to go with it. As they see the mood of the whole crowd shifting toward deflated sadness and seriousness, they end with what they hope is an inspiring message to find their loved ones and celebrate the return of their freedom. Diem knows it’s not their best work for sure, but they think it went over reasonably well for people being understandably distracted by suddenly remembering all the things and people and tasks the owl made them forget. They do notice Korial is standing there just listening and watching, head tilted after the hold on him was also dispelled.

At the end, Diem then pretends, for the benefit of whomever might still be watching, to be released by the mysterious autumn-fire entity who’d possessed them, their own visage fading back in as they get their bearings and look up at Ixayl’anu. They pull out their sending stone and say into it: Owl taken care of, we’re on our way to you guys in Stoneroost, let us know if we shouldn’t.

(Rana and Fee are falling!)

Fee makes a perception or investigation of 23 right before they start falling, they both hear a crack of thunder even though the sky isn’t stormy. Arcana check of 2 - Fee thinks it’s thunderbird thunder, there might be a thunderbird nearby she just doesn’t know.

Rana was showboating a little like “look at my mountains!” before she fell.

They feel cocooned in this nice little bubble of antigravity and have a slow descent that stops right above the trees like levitating above the treeline.

The ropen are following their descent with intent. 30-40 ft away still, it has embellishment on it - what Rana assumed was a natural coloration, it’s a paint/tattoo and jewelry situation.

These details make no difference to Fee.

Rana has an arm extended toward Fee about to cast a polymorph, but then they’re slowing down to a stop. “Fee are you okay?”

“Yeah, you?” Fee was also reaching for her hand and they manage to grasp hands.

When they stop, Fee tries to see if she can swim in the air, but she doesn’t move.

Rana: were you hit?

Fee: No you?

Rana: No

Fee: Can you become an owl again?

Rana: No...well, yes, but not the same way and I don’t know what knocked me out of owl to begin with (Rana is watching the Ropen as they talk - it’s taking its sweet time to get to them like a turkey vulture rather than any bird of prey about to swoop down and snatch you motions.

Fee looks for the ground through the trees and asks something I missed.

Rana perceives 18 trying to see if there are any other ropen around. 100 ft or so and getting closer (overiding the shorter distance earlier). She casts speak with animals and calls out: “Hello!?” (holds her hands out in peaceful gesture, rats freaking out with “What the fuck is happening?!” type chatter in her ears now).

Rana and Fee must make a con save, both fail (7 and 9, respectively). Both begin to hear ringing sounds in their ears - it’s SPN angel speak type noise. It crescendos to the point it hurts, all in their head, past the point of unbearable for a half second before it cuts out and they take 3 psychic dmg.

The ropen is close enough to hover in front of them after that and they both hear an intense psychic voice “This is not a safe place to be so I am going to bring you back to the nearest settlement - you should not be here until we handle it.”

Rana: We can’t go back, we’re here to figure out what’s going on.

Ropen: We’re taking care of it, their invisible bubbles of levitation start moving both Rana and Fee back the way they came.

Rana makes one persuasion check of 6 before the ropen puts them both to sleep. The whole time the ropen made them feel like they were being talked to as a child by an ancient, one that radiates strong magic.

(The zone you tried to access is down for maintenance; have a portal, take a nap)

Both Fee and Rana wake up feeling like it was really brief, but find themselves in a field outside Bouldergap. (Tournament was southwest of Bouldergap, they wake up northeast of Bouldergap - slightly farther away from town, and directly North of the road in.

Wisdom saving throws: 13 Rana, 20 Fee; Rana wakes up without memory of why she’s even here, the last she remembers she was an owl flying to Stoneroost. She tries to point at the empty air like the ropen is still there though.

Rana: Look, look that’s the thing I saw!

Fee: Yeah we both saw it…?

Rana: Yeah it’s right there! (the air is obviously empty though)

Fee: Uuuhhhhh…

Rana: Wait a minute, why are we back here? (She checks on the rats, who she can no longer understand, but that’s okay because she doesn’t remember casting that spell anyway.)

Fee: Oh, I see, what’s the last thing you remember, friend?

Rana: Flying

Fee: And then we were falling.

Rana statues.

Fee: Here’s what I think happened, I think your bird demons have some kind of bubble around Stoneroost because you somehow became not an owl and we were plummeting toward the ground and they slowed our descent and they made this awful noise screaming in our heads or maybe just my head and then talked to us like kids and were like “No we don’t need your help, we got this dudes.” (She retells the whole thing with more words than this but this is all I got transcribed live).

Rana looks doubtful: I think I’d remember that...

Fee: Yeah you would think…

At about this time, Diem’s voice comes through on the sending stones.

Diem: Owl taken care of, we’re on our way to you guys in Stoneroost, let us know if we shouldn’t.

Fee picks up almost immediately: No, don’t go to Stoneroost - fly to the other side of the tournament just out of town, we’re, well...marco polo or something when you get close until you find us and we’ll catch you up on--

Rana interrupts: Meet us at the gate into Bouldergap.

Fee: Yeah. That probably works better.

It will take Diem and Ixayl’anu about 5 minutes to fly to their destination.

In the meantime, as Rana and Fee walk toward said gate, they talk about what Rana doesn’t remember. She is very VERY interested in everything Fee has to say about the ropen. Fortunately for her, while Fee didn’t care about all the details of the ropen, she did take note of them with her high perception and was able to describe them pretty accurately to Rana - including the detail that they aren’t naturally colorful so much as wearing paint or tattoos and decorative jewelry that glints in the sun. Rana doesn’t know enough about ropen to say whether any of this was normal or not.

The lore for them is only that they’re brightly coloured pterodactyl-like creatures. No one’s gotten close enough to realize it’s not a natural thing and Rana thought they were just animals until now.

They do both remember getting just past the area where we saw the abominations on the road before they were stopped and ported away.

(Together again)

As Diem and Ixayl’anu approach and land, they find Fee and Rana both looking pissed, Rana has her map out, half plotting a route through the mountains instead.

Diem: How’d you guys get over here? Nevermind because…(they proceed to excitedly tell how things went with the owl - including the bit Ixayl’anu was not yet aware of about the message spell convincing the owl that their patron promised retribution if their pets, plural, were harmed)

Ixayl’anu preens with pride over her actions and shining moments during the story. We did not highlight, live, that she would be hearing the message that chased the owl off for the first time though, so there’s no noted reaction to that bit.

Rana (after Diem concludes the story): I hope the Ropen gets it.

Ixayl’anu: Ropen?

Rana looks at Fee: Well, since I don’t remember what happened…?

Fee: Yeah...remember how Rana was gonna carry me safely and we were gonna do this recon mission…?

Rana glares into the open air at nothing over the whole situation.

Fee: Once we got a little more than halfway to Stoneroost, just past where we were before we hit a bubble or something I don’t know but that big Rope-Roc bird thing flew in and Rana got switched back and we were falling then we were not falling and then the bird thing screamed in our heads and it hurt. Then was all like, “Don’t come over here I got this.” and then I don’t know yeah that’s when we were put to sleep and moved over here. I guess Rana must’ve been dropped too hard because she doesn’t remember it all.

(Again, there were definitely more words used than this, more things said, all amusing retellings, but this is all I got transcribed live)

Rana: They’ve never stopped me going through the mountains before, so I’m thinking we go through the mountains and hike out there in the morning. (She also notes that they didn’t see abominations on the road though, at least).

We talk about possibly going by road one more time, but this time, coming out silver scale first to see if that gets us in the door with these Ropen. Among our options is Rana just straight flying out there again with one of us on her back, Ixayl’anu riding on her elk, or possibly hiking back out there and flying for the last 10-20 minutes. All with the silver scale and letter ready to show as a potential vip pass.

Diem pulls out their sending stone and starts to catch the guard captain up on everything as we head her way to check in.

Eldeth: Just meet me at the guard house, this is too much to take in over sending stones.

(At the guard house)

By the time we get there Eldeth says she’s heard many different stories but they all start with YOU (here she points at Ixayl’anu) breathing lightning all over the damned thing.

Ixayl’anu (not in the least as guilty as she should be lol): Yeah…

Eldeth: (nods to self like “Alright then.”) Well we hadn’t tried that, but it worked.

Diem fills her in with 25 performance on every little detail of everything tried first and failed and why etc. including visual demonstration of the archfey they tried to put in the story for retelling in case anything got back to the owl at least some versions might have an archfey involved.

Eldeth seems to appreciate all the details: Well, we had a deal and you handled it, but I’m not gonna lie I’d prefer to help you through to Stoneroost in the morning.

She calls in two guards for us though - a dark blue skinned goliath barbarian type named Mash Jufrin who has a pegleg (Mash was one of the dumb guards from the other day) and a reddish older looking warrior tiefling named Tioshikio Ayibi. Eldeth introduces them and says, “These are who I can spare - they’re the best at smashing things.”

Mash (laughing): Yeah I’m best at smashing things.

Diem: Delighted to meet you (to Eldeth after looking at the rest of their party) I’m definitely for the morning though too, I could use a short rest?

The others nod agreement.

Tio: In that case, I’ll go help out with breaking down all the festival havoc and meet you all at the gate out toward Stoneroost in the morning.

As Diem notices no one is telling the Stoneroost route story, they message Fee to ask why they’re not telling their story.

Fee out loud: Oh yeah you should totally do that!

Diem (also out loud now): Me? Oh...okay *tries to remember everything Fee said and does a 26 performance on telling their story*

Only because of that performance do they not laugh at Diem outright for talking about sky bigfoot but Eldeth is still looking at Rana (the local of our group) like “Seriously?”

Rana gives a look back like yeeaaaah...it is though, I know how it sounds. (She’d been wincing and frowning at every mention of ropen during the story.)

Eldeth believes us but points out that she wouldn’t otherwise if not for the owl and everything crazy that’s been going on of late. She recommends Tio to get more supplies to that end from the armory. We all part ways, Diem getting their extra sending stone back after announcing they have a date to get to.

(Free evening for shopping and more!)

We get the evening to do whatever we like. Rana needs a 300 gold diamond, so she’s going to go shopping. Since it’s on the way to other places we’re all headed, we all go with. Rana gets distracted by all the shiny pretty gems, Ixayl’anu has to pry her away eventually. Rana picks up 2 diamonds and can’t help herself, picks up 2 rubies, a sapphire and an emerald. Loose stones that call to her. Handful of rubies and pretty things.

Diem forgot in the live session but since it was determined they were there for the shopping on their way back to Emmen’s festival tent, they have been approved for also picking up some pretty stones and would have been just as enthralled by the pretties as Rana lol. Gem haul (whopping total of 1500gp lol): Includes 3, 10gp titanium rainbow peacock kyanite feathers, a large Iolite/Cordierite sample that is dark blue with white and clear crystal clusters in it at first glance - looking closer at various angles reveals the whites to shift into shades of silver that blend in with the blues that also shift with lighting into shades of black and violet as well (300gp for a small “brick” sized uncut chunk). Another normal-sized sample of this same uncut stone for 50gp, a water opal with an imperfection that looks like a crescent moon, worth 1000gp (the two big ticket items are to be gifts for their patron, if anyone asks), and topped off with a pouch of additional, hand-selected rough cut samples of asst other stones mostly in shades of teals and purples (basically would look like a small stash of rough fluorite, quartz, etc.). They also pick up a little amethyst cat figuring worth 100gp (because gifts to the fey should always come in threes).

Ixayl’anu hauls us out of there before we spend ALL of our money there (I mean for her goddess’ sake, it’s not like they’re the teeth of a rare and impressive beast or something) and goes off to find a shop with healing potions where she buys two common healing potions (100g total).

Diem gets 2 greater healing potions for 150 each.

Rana says she’s going to the temple, everyone but Diem is gonna join her there. Diem splits off from the rest to find their aforementioned “date.”

Ixayl’anu resummons her elk in the temple courtyard. It takes her 10 minutes to do so. He bugles frantically as though no time had passed since he was attacked and Ixayl’anu is there with horse girl hugs and affection that he appreciates as she calms him down.

Mutanamri quietly comes up to her during this: So while you’re welcome to stay here, and we appreciate all your help recently...your steed does have to stay outside the temple...it’s a little bit of a sacrilegious thing, so if you could put it out in the stables please?

Ixayl’anu nods and says she understands. She and her elk continue their affectionate reunion on the way to stables. She spends the night in the stables with her elk, sleeping together.

Rana floats the idea with Fee to do a find the item and retrieve course for the rats outside the temple somewhere. Fee agrees. Rana hands Fee a frickin ruby for this game and uses a frickin emerald for Hamlet, hiding them for retrieval. These are the games of the rich, people lol. Rana casts speak with animals and they send the rats out on their missions. They make animal handling checks of 8 for Rana and 17 for Fee 17. Horatio wins! It does help that he recognizes the “retrieve” game through practice a little better than Hamlet does.

We confirm that tiny animals stopped speaking draconic about a couple miles out of Longview. So Fee can also speak to and understand her rat through her ring.

Afterward Rana settles down by the flame and Fee with her, presumably.

(In the morning…)

In the morning, after everyone’s gotten up and performed early morning mass, Alka Briskfizz, a dwarven priestess in green, gold, and cream-colored robes, her orangey-red hair in pigtails approaches Rana and Fee: I heard you helped with the owl situation and I know you talked to Mutanamri a little bit about that already. I’m actually here right now because I’d like to offer my services for your other trip - I’ve got some family in Stoneroost as well. It would be nice to go up and see them with your group, make sure everything’s alright. I have some healing capabilities.

Rana nods: We’ll take all the help we can get.

Fee: Yeah…

Alka: Good - though...I thought there was more of you?

Rana: Yeah, we have to go collect one of us somewhere in town and the other is sleeping in the stables with her elk.

(some missed conversation for sure)

Fee: Have you heard anything more about what might be going on?

Alka: Every time I’ve been on the road it’s been uneventful, so this is new to me.

Fee talks about how the road was creepy and Alka says that’s definitely not normal for the pass.

Rana talks about what to expect on the road, mentions the ropen but frames it like, ‘yeah, we know it sounds crazy, but with everything else that’s going on, why not an impossible cryptid too?’.

Fee chimes in every now and then.

Alka’s listening politely. Rana insight checks at a 12 on her reactions - she seems skeptical but open to there being something best described, for now, as a mythological cryptid.

They swing by the stable first to pick up Ixayl’anu and that’s where the session ends.

[tabletopjourneys]

Session 35 Notes

The Silver Scale Pack get to know various members of Rana's immediate family, get woken by draconic-speaking rodents, find out more about their quest, and hit a few stores on their way back through Longview, headed for one of the local taverns.

@gher-bear @aradow @telurin @epimetala

On this day we have a nice visit with Rana's mother, Romy, stay over and find out Anesh, for as long as anyone can remember, has a population of tiny animals that speak draconic. They all speak draconic and have infected our rats with the same! It's totally normal guys! And no, Diem, it is not because one of the town's people is secretly a dragon. We'd know. For sure.

The next day we move on to meet Rana's brother, sister-in-law, niece, and niephew. We find out a little more about Haldric and Phi's daggers, which she hides in her pack and displays her common daggers in their place instead. Ixayl'anu gets her platinum ring made, Diem gives the kids their putty vivis as a gift. On our way toward the tavern, we hit a general supply store and maaaybe one other??? Dried fruits and granola were purchased along Phi's medical supplies at any rate.

(Read More)

Session 35 Notes

Notes!

(Chillin’ with Rana’s mom)

When we go in Rana’s home, Phi becomes a wandering cat who helps herself to exploration, comes back and says “There’s a hot tub!”

Mom: You’re welcome to borrow it.

Phi: Is this where you grew up?

Rana: Yep! (pulls out duck sauce, honey, apple jam etc. - giving it to her mom).

Phi sees this and pulls out her very expired mixed fruit to hand over, along with her gummy owlbears.

Mom: Oh no dear, that’s fine, you don’t have to start pulling supplies out of your pack.

Phi drops the gummy owlbears into the pile anyway.

Rana: Really sorry to barge in like this, but we just needed a couple of days, we’ve run into some situations and I’m looking for someone in Bouldergap - wanted to see if Stell knew anything about them.

Romy tells us we’re welcome anyway, stresses that this is still Rana’s home too and says something about friends that I missed for note-taking.

Rana pulls out the silver scale and letter from Retin and talks about him, says she’s pretty sure the guy Retin is sending us to is a dwarf. We were told he might be helpful, but we weren’t told where he was. She figured Bouldergap was the place to look and knows it’s a long shot her mom or brother would know him but we also needed a place to stay on the way, so thought she thought she might as well ask.

Romy: I can’t be sure but I feel like Stell has mentioned a Haldric in passing but I certainly don’t have a whole lot of communication with anybody of that name.

Rana: No ironbands as customers then?

Romy: No

Rana: It’s a weird thing, handed us this dragon scale gave us that name and sent us this way.

We’ve noticed Romy has a bone of contention with Rana over the news about shadowood travelling.

With prompting Diem remembers they’re the story teller and should tell it, 13 performance, gets smoother as they go on. However, to their friends, who have heard Diem tell this particular story among others many times, they definitely seem off their game a little.

When we get to fighting the dragon, Romy is worried, Diem insists healers were on standby so nobody died

Rana: We almost had him.

Diem: Well I mean technically one of us did get him later that night…

Phi cracks up laughing

After stories Rana says something about the meteor

Mom says something I missed for note-taking, GM is telling us about blacksmiths/nosy customers (so maybe something about that?).

Through conversation we gather that Grismor is innkeeper/tavern keeper of The Smiling Dragon - one of 2 inns who trades in gossip. Smiling Dragon is better for gossip, better drink, does his own ale, seasonal brews, jolly little dwarf who is as tall as he is round. Square dwarf.

Rana tells us about her messages to her brother which provided a nice distraction about meteor news for Longview.

Rana offers her mother the camels then belated asks us if that’s alright.

Diem says that they can’t obviously take the camels everywhere they go after this anyway.

There’s some talk about whether they’re needed for the trip further North.

Romy: Lets see how they do with the sheep

Rana: Elk’s in with the sheep and they’re doing fine (I think we ended up deciding ooc that it’s in a separate paddock though).

Rana is playing with the silver dragon scale while making small talk which eventually includes Farford gossip too - specifically the mention of a firecat.

Romy: Yeah someone was talking about seeing one here too.

Rana: No one saw the person it was with so I’m thinking it’s just a stray

Romy: We do have a lot of flame point cats in the area so it’s possible I suppose.

Ixayl’anu: Is it the same type of cat?

Conversation about them being wild cats vs tame, a specific species, etc continues.

Rana: No like flame point siamese not actual fire

DM: these are not just cats they are more akin to avatars of The Candace

We find out the entire town is talking about firecats too

Rana: How’s Stell (Stellan) doing? I picked up a few things for the kids, so hopefully they’ll like it.

Romy: Good

Rana: Nothing alive

Romy: I’m sure Stell will appreciate that.

Diem asks about the kids so we find out Rana has a niece and niephio (I have no idea on the spelling for this and a google search turned up only nibling as a suggestion for enby niece/nephew). Diem grins further to learn of the niephio in particular.

Rana (upon mention of the niece): She big enough to help with the forge yet?

Romy: She’s big enough to do the bellows and help out

Rana: We will hunt them down tomorrow

Phi: Yay!

At some point Phi would say “So your brother only has two kids?”

Rana: Yeah just two kids

Phi: Oh, so they’re just starting?

Rana: No I get the impression they might be done

Phi: Interesting...

Rana: At least he doesn’t (something I missed)

Phi: Well, that’s why you have more, so they can be together.

Rana: I’ll mention it to him...better yet you could mention it to him

Phi: This is the starter pack right?

Romy is extremely amused by this conversation.

(Dinner prep and additional conversations)

There are dress mannequins and clothes everywhere, fabrics everywhere.

Diem and Romy eventually start talking about the tailoring and different fabrics and fashions etc.

As they talk about that, Rana wanders off to make food for everyone.

Phi goes to help cook.

Diem wanders off with Romy to talk about fabrics and fashion some more (Rana will throw them out the second story window if they do more than that lol).

Rana was half sorting her bag and still has her rocks and stuff spread out on the rug even as she’s making dinner now.

Romy gifts Diem an outfit by the end of their conversation, still so happy this is the first time Rana’s brought anyone home. As she’s got Diem pulled aside though, she asks for more details about everything that happened, worried and just making sure everything’s truly good, and how is Rana really doing?

Diem spins it well about how capable Rana is.

Her mom def agrees and looks worried, but noticeably less so.

While waiting for dinner we all talk more, telling Romy about how we saved Perfection. She does not look ready to come to terms that her daughter is an adventurer now, but accepts it.

Part 16 of Rana rumors according to the other townsfolk who saw us all: “Yeah we knew something like this was gonna happen eventually”

Rana brings up the thunderbird and we talk about that.

Food got delivered, rats were introduced, how Rana and Phi have been training them to spy, rat race story from the Harvest festival gets told as well.

Rana notes that she is actually showing us off to her mom <3

Rana prompts us to talk about ourselves to her mom.

Phi happily tells her whole life story, or at least all the things she’s said to us as a group.

Ixyal’anu talks a little about herself as well.

Diem hangs back and doesn’t say much during this portion as they already talked pretty extensively with Romy already.

Rana: And Ixayl'anu’s on a task for her god but she doesn’t have a fire cat, she has vague dreams.

Romy asks about Ixayl’anu’s deity, pleasant ‘mom questions.’

As things wind down, Diem remembers the find familiar spell and asks if they have a moment, whether it would be alright to summon them while they’re here - noting it would listen to their directions and not make a mess or break anything. They get permission, but never end up doing the spell before bed.

Phi takes her hot tub bath, Diem takes one after.

After Rana gets us settled to bed in the guest room, she goes out and takes a point of exhaustion spending 8 hours to cast enriching the land again since she’s been gone a few years and it only lasts a year, then she goes and sits with the sheep, all of the sheep bed down next to her in a sea of white around her and she leans back against the nearest sheep for a nap/meditation during the spell. They remember her and know she’s the source of the good food.

(Mice vs. Rats: Draconic edition)

During the night, in the wee hours of the morning Ixayl’anu wakes up hearing some very high squeaky voices arguing “This is our territory”

“No, we were invited,” back and forth half awake-half asleep and thinking “what is this? Oh...this is real, this is something that is happening here.”

Very tiny angry voices continue.

Investigation check for more details 15: It’s dark in the room, she can kinda see in the shadows, she doesn’t see anyone. At the foot of Ixayl'anu’s bed is Horatio, four little house mice are around him being territorial against him, and the strange thing is they are all speaking draconic, including Horatio.

Ixayl'anu: What...what?

When Phi wakes up she doesn’t understand her rat any more, but she does hear the rat and mice speaking draconic.

Ixayl’anu: What?

The four mice squeak in a mousy scream

Horatio: Yeah you better run (turns to Ixayl'anu): Thanks!

Ixayl’anu: What? Why? Why are you speaking draconic?

Horatio: Is that what this is? I don’t know I was just suddenly able to and these mice were speaking a weird dialect and I found I could speak back in it as well.

Ixayl’anu: What...okay...and you’re still speaking it, who were they what were you fighting about?

Horatio: They live here and were being territorial and I was telling them I was an invited guest ‘cause I’m with you all.

(I am dead to the world as Phi wakes up)

Phi: Why are you talking to yourself?

Ixayl’anu gestures at the rat

Phi: Have you been teaching my rat that...?

Ixayl’anu: No…. Do you think that’s just something you can teach a rat?

Phi to Horatio: How are you doing that?

Horatio: I don’t know it just happened!

Phi: You’re still doing it…

There is conversation back and forth as its established among the three characters that Horatio still understands Phi, but since he is no longer speaking rat, she can’t understand him, but now Ixayl’anu can both understand and speak with him through draconic.

Ixayl’anu says something I missed.

Phi: what are you saying to my rat?

Ixayl’anu says something else I missed.

Horatio: You all can just decide what language to speak in? That’s weird.

Ixayl’anu: Yeah it is weird

Horatio: It’s a weird dialect and apparently it’s infectious.

Hamlet is mentioned in the back and forth and Phi, recognizing the name, wonders aloud if Hamlet is like this now as well. She tells Horatio he’s changed and she hopes it’s not permanent

Ixayl’anu tries to stop her to ask about that back and forth but Phi slips out of the guest room.

Phi 25 stealths through the house looking for Rana. From a window she sees an odd clump of sheep in the field. She goes out outside and climbs the fence.

Rana is deep in meditation.

Phi: Hamlet, wake up Hamlet…

Rat wakes up and cleans his face but says something back in draconic that she can’t understand.

Phi in common: Oh my god.

Phi uses her stone to let Ixayl'anu know not only this, but what she can see out here around Rana (visible plant growth around her - she’s decided to sleep on her sheep in the field which is weirdly moving and Hamlet’s doing the same thing, Rana’s not moving, I feel like I’m dreaming I don’t know about you…)

In squeakish Phi tells Hamlet that she can’t understand him but she knows he can understand her so “If you want to find out what’s going on you have to talk to Ixayl'anu about it because she’ll understand you. So I’m going to go now.”

Hamlet is irritated and goes back to sleep. All the sheep watch her. One sheep baas at her, then they all start baaing for food, none of them were speaking draconic.

Ixayl’anu to horatio while Phi’s gone: They just walked up to you and started talking to you and that was it?

Horatio: They tried to fight me!

Ixayl’anu: like biting and scratching?

Horatio: Yeah, look at this wet spot! And I’m an invited guest!

Ixayl’anu: That’s rude!

Horatio: That’s very rude, yeah! I’m an invited guest *stamps tiny rat feet*!

Together Ixayl’anu and Horatio determine they probably live in the roof or something, not pets.

Ixayl’anu casts detect magic. She sees the faintest little glow around Horatio. So faint you may think it’s not there and the only reason she sees it is because the lights are off, a wisp of power with the vaguest sense of magic. The source of it is nowhere nearby and the magic itself is so barely there she can’t even see the mice in the walls like she should have if they were properly bespelled in some way. It’s not any specific school for it. Mostly all she really sees is the glow of our various magic items.

At this point Phi returns

(Diem’s perception rolls were 2, 3, and now 0 lol. It is at this point we determine Diem is actually being held in sleep by their patron, catching up, talking about the familiar, and the follower and the spells and just having tea and a lovely bonding time. Probably when they were Tarma out in the desert, they did less communicating)

I missed some back and forth between Ixayl’anu, Phi, and Horatio.

Phi: They were being aggressive and picking on him?

Ixayl’anu to Horatio: Would you be willing to see where these mice have gone?

Horatio: You want me to bring one back to you? Yeah I can do that.

Ixayl’anu: You don’t have to but it’d be nice, I can give you food for it, *looks at her supplies*

Horatio: What kind of treat do I get, what’s in it for me?

Ixayl’anu: Nope no that’s not food I have nope that’s not food. *pauses in her rummaging* Well, what do you want, I suppose we can find something for you?

*thinks on it* A gummy owlbear?

Ixayl’anu: Oh I have some of those. Sure. *finds her little package of them*.

Horatio: Okay! *scurries off and disappears*

About two minutes later she hears furious squeak yelling, Horatio reappears holding a mouse by the scruff of its neck in his mouth “I found one!”

Ixayl’anu: Where’s the cage you keep the rats from? To put the mouse in?

Phi: We sold the cages, the carrier is Horatio’s home...there’s this box?

Ixayl’anu: Yeah that’ll do.

They find a box of rocks to gently empty real quick and put the mouse in it/close the lid (15 animal handling check).

As soon as Horatio had dropped the mouse: “Gummy owlbear please.”

Phi: He knows fetch now!

Ixayl’anu: All that training you’ve been doing with him is paying off! *taps box* Hello?

Phi: Ask if it if it talks like that if it knows it’s doing it or ask if it knows any dragons? I don’t know?

Ixayl’anu: Right?

Mouse is bouncing around in the box trying to get out.

Rana head canoned the rats as 400-550 grams

Horatio is gaming the system a little bit and only found a wine gummy to eat, never officially given one (Phi bought fancy rat treats for him)

(More things I missed and wrote down as “Talking to mouse ah 2”)

The mouse is screaming obscenities at Ixayl’anu.

Horatio is on his back in 7th heaven and suggests she should also give the mouse a gummy owlbear, maybe it’ll talk then.

Ixayl’anu sneaks in a smaller portion and it takes awhile for it to calm down and then it’s quiet for a little bit after until... “This doesn’t make us friends!”

Ixayl’anu: You want more? I’ve got more.

Mouse: I mean...yes

Ixayl’anu: I’m not planning on keeping you here I just want to ask a few questions

Mouse: More first

Ixayl’anu: Okay *puts in other half of gummy*

Mouse is very very quiet

Ixayl’anu taps the box: Hello?

Mouse (slurred): What do you want?

Ixayl’anu: Where’d you learn to talk like that

Mouse: I always talk like this this is how mice talk

Some similar back and forth about this.

Mouse (when asked about dragonborn/people like Ixayl’anu): People like you don’t come around here.

Ixayl’anu: Really? Oh… (to Phi in common now) I don’t this is how they talk, this is weird.

Phi: I think they just don’t know, they don’t know that they’re weird, you know

Ixayl’anu: But horatio thinks it’s a weird dialect

Phi: Did you ask if it if they saw any dragonborn? Or dragons?

Ixayl’anu: Well they haven’t seen anything like me (then to the mouse in draconic) Have you seen anything big with wings?

Mouse: Yeah outside but I live in this house I don’t have to worry about that

Ixayl’anu: Are there any mice that you can’t talk to?

Mouse: Everybody kinda talks like this around here

Ixayl’anu: Kind of or they do?

Mouse: They do?

Ixayl’anu: They all speak this...they all...speak this...I’m really confused.

They decide to try and wake Diem up for a third opinion, and it takes awhile before Diem’s patron allows it, letting Diem know that their friends need them for a moment, so they will have to continue catching up later.

Ixayl’anu as Diem finally starts waking up out of sorts: Weird things are happening

Diem continues to be out of it enough for a bit until eventually Phi catches them up - including the detail about Rana meditating in a cloud of sheep.

Phi (to Diem about the mouse in the box: It’s drunk

Diem: Are you guys sure you’re not drunk?

Phi: I’m not sure we’re not dreaming

Ixayl’anu: This isn’t dreaming not even close.

(I didn’t tag these two responses so the first might be Ixayl’anu and the 2nd Phi)

Too tired to bother with ritual magic, Diem uses a slot to cast comprehend languages.

Mouse asks if we’ve got more of those treats, which Horatio hears and says “Yeah! I’ll eat another!” *perks up*

Diem translates for phi who turns sharply to Horatio to talk about how many he’s already eaten and how he got one in the first place to ask Ixayl’anu for another, etc.

Horatio looks sheepish: Weeeellll sometimes you don’t secure your bag very good and I was hungry and they smelled good.

Phi smirks and retrieves Ixayl’anu’s package of owl gummies, then gives half to Horatio, and half to the mouse.

Horatio: YES! (helping her), I want this one I want the bigger section ‘cause I’m bigger and I get the big one (little grabby rat hands)

Diem does a history check on any stories they might have heard about talking animals like this (21). There are plenty of fairy tales with talking animals, sometimes it’s afey kind of thing - playing a prank on people. They’ve heard of similar events happening before, pretty disparate not tied to one physical location. Sometimes they’ve heard stories of animals in an area like within a mile circle will be able to speak draconic or sometimes other languages, not really a pattern to it. Sometimes it’s little towns, other times it’s connected to a whole city. Might be a natural phenomena. Specifically tiny beasts/birds/lizards are usually the type able to speak.

They also know various fae and wish spells can make this happen, but still they’re just random.

Diem shares this with Phi and Ixayl’anu.

(Insert missed conversation here)

Horatio or the mouse (not sure which): Yeah sure sometimes you say words that are funny and I don’t really understand what they are and they kinda sound like that and I don’t know what they are.

?: All the fangs or one specific thing? (I have no idea who said this or where fangs come into play)

We discover the mouse once met a gopher, stuck his nose in its burrow and it yelled at him back in draconic.

Diem to Ixayl’anu: Ask the mouse if it knows any fae in the area

Mouse makes an intelligence check when she asks, but does not know what she is talking about.

We confirm the mouse has always spoken draconic

Diem tells a quick rendition of cinderella as an example of fae meddling with small creatures where dress making is also involved (theorizing that perhaps Rana’s mother gets help from the mice as well)

We’re fairly certain it’s a normal mouse though and it’s now snoring softly so we’re not getting any more info.

Horatio by now is sprawled out on the bed, Phi cuddled around him while Diem gives him scritches. At a loss, we all go back to sleep for now, planning to ask Rana more in the morning.

(Good Morning!)

In the morning Phi will figure out the coffee situation and make some for everyone.

Romy (waking up to this): This is such a nice change of pace, somebody making the coffee for a change, and friends Rana brings in not destroying the house by the time I get up.

Phi: It’s no problem, I was just watching Rana from the window and figured she’d really like some, she’s gonna be tired so I can make sure coffee is waiting for her. We do have quite a story to tell her though.

Romy shows Phi where the biscotti is and such.

Rana is just now getting up and plucks Hamlet up.

Elk: something happened something happened something happened

Rana is feeding the sheep and clearly thinks the elk just wants some too

Elk: Oh is it breakfast? I’d like breakfast too!

Diem, after sleeping on it, performs a new arcana check on what sort of spells and effects cause draconic-speaking critters (21 again). They know now it can be caused by fae, wish spells, high level wizarding things will happen, and that similar strange effects happen around ancient dragon lairs (a little nugget buried in all their Miova dragon research they’d forgotten about), and that sometimes it’s just random without no discernible cause.

Rana comes in covered in sheep wool, hay, butt and legs wet, but she’s happy. Everything outside is noticeably green and lush.

Phi: We made coffee

Rana is super grateful and makes a beeline to grab a cup.

Rana: I took care of the plants and the animals

Ixayl’anu comes down around this time with the mouse in the box.

Romy: Your friend made coffee and something happened last night they were just about to tell me about.

Rana statues over her mother’s words with an ‘oh no what kind of things?’ sort of reaction.

Phi we’ll explain: Where’s Hamlet? Is he in your bag? Wait I’ll go get Horatio (who is snuggling Diem upstairs still)

Rana scritches Hamlet who asks “Oh is it breakfast time?” (in draconic) She’s tired enough she just hands it the biscotti without thinking.

When Phi returns she gets down on her knees in front of hamlet with horatio

Phi: What about today? What are you speaking today?

Speaking to her around his mouth of biscotti “I dunno what am I speaking today?”

This pings for Rana like hey…

Diem comes down as Ixayl'anu is talking about what happened.

Rana healing words the mouse. 7 pts healing. He immediately wakes up and feels great.

Mouse while cleaning his face: I feel really great?!

Ixayl'anu: You want some biscotti?

Mouse (very distrusting): Yes...

She sets the biscotti down. After awhile she’s half grinning and looking at her mom now.

Rana to the group: They just do that around here, always have.

Romy: That’s why the rumor mill here is so lively.

Diem: Why draconic?

(missed conversation)

Rana: Most people understand at least a few words.

Diem: What’s the local lore on it all? I mean...there’s gotta be stories involved?

Romy: The local lore - I did ask around since I’m not from here, it was very strange at the beginning but the townspeople didn’t seem to be bothered, the general consensus is that it’s a blessing of Vkandis.

Diem gets us all talking about maybe the silver scale dragon living nearby as they also share what they remembered about such events after they woke up.

Rana insists she would’ve seen it

Romy thinks you would know though, Diem mentions that they slept with one and didn’t know until the next day though so...

Romy: Rana you did see those kites though (a local cryptid)…?

Rana: That was definitely not a dragon.

Ixayl’anu: Birds? What?

Rana: They almost look like a roc but they’re definitely not rocs (some people write them off as rocs or pterodactyls but the markings are different they are an air cryptid - Ropen from New Guinea).

We get enough from context to realize this is an unusual sighting, but we are not outright told it’s a local cryptid, like spotting bigfoot.

We are told to watch what we say because the bakers bribe the birds and the whole town will end up knowing.

Rana: That thing is def not a dragon though.

Romy admits she’s never even seen a dragon before.

Rana: Diem rode it

Diem (laughing): In more ways than one

Phi laughs too

Rana still insists she would know if one of the townspeople were a dragon though while Diem insists you really couldn’t know that for sure, what if they just enjoyed a simple life and to avoid discovery they just chose a form that aged with the town, no one the wiser. Rana still insists it’s not possible.

Diem: So sure you’d know? We’ve traveled a month together on the road practically living together. How do you actually know I’m not a dragon?

Rana: I don’t.

Prepared for a similar pushback, this admission clearly surprises Diem. “And yet you’re this sure about people you haven’t spent every waking moment with?”

Rana says she thinks if you are not living time people need to know they need to know they will find out what you are doing.

Ixayl'anu: It could just be sleeping somewhere.

Rana: Either way this is just a normal thing

Ixayl’anu: Sure not really but sure.

Diem: Could be the innkeeper and has always been an innkeeper because they enjoy it. Everybody needs a hobby.

Ixayl'anu wants to know if V’kandis has anything to do with dragons.

(It is at this point we are informed that we’ve seen Romy has a shrine to V’kandis in the house as we’ve ignored this fact in favor of being like oh no, it’s not ‘cause a god blessed your town, it’s because of a secret dragon!).

Ixayl'anu scoots the mouse on his way and turns the topic of discussion toward our reasons for being in Longview and Anesh: So we’re looking for this dwarf?

Rana: No we’re looking for my brother

Ixayl’anu: Does he know where he is?

Rana: Maybe.

Phi: How old is he?

Rana: Older than I am

Phi: Oh, so definitely should’ve had more kids by now

Diem: Wait, Phi how many kids do you have then?

Phi (mishearing): Ooooh lemme get back to you on that...between 80 and 50.

Diem: You have at least 50 kids?

Phi: Oh no I have 0 kids, I don’t have that kind of life.

Rana herds us out the door, she leaves most of her heavier stuff at home.

(To Stellan’s house we go)

For some reason we established Diem definitely gets changed under an illusion of Ixayl'anu ever since using her image as a changing screen back in Budelia. Ixayl’anu has no problem with that, but they’ve all probably seen flashes of Diem’s side and leg tattoos anyway over the month we’ve been together.

Before we leave the house Diem casts comprehend languages as ritual. The birds quiet as we approach, but then the chattering starts up and we catch names and normal gossip presumably about people around town.

Ixayl’anu and Diem have a bit of a side chat about this in the RP text snippets section.

We have an uneventful walk over.

We walk in without knocking - Stell is clearly working on a sword or piece of armor.

Amira (the little girl def notices our presence, specifically Rana’s)

Rana quietly holds out her arms for a hug and Amira runs over squealing with excitement.

Diem: That is so adorable.

Rana scoops her up and has her on her hip now.

Amira looks at us and her eyes get really big - like who are you all? With continued excitement.

Stellan takes notice, surprised Rana brought friends, but still busy hammering out the sword.

Rana: Did you get your pigeons?

Stellan (withering look at his sister): I got THREE pigeons, yes.

Rana grins even bigger at his tone and expression.

Stellan is still working on whatever he’s hammering into during this exchange.

Rana: I was worried they wouldn’t get through so I had to send 3 of them.

Stellan: Well they all got here - first one was very surprising, after 3 though...

Phi: What was the message again Rana?

Rana: Oh, I sent him pigeons telling him about the meteorites and that we knew they were going to hit Anesh but we didn’t know where.

Stellan lets us know the meteors have been diverted and are scheduled to hit somewhere in the desert where there are no people.

Rana nods

Diem: Did they use magic to divert them?

Stell: You’re not from around here are you? Must suck to be from a place without a god that cares what happens to you.

He is a BIG guy. He stops hammering to shake our hands

Phi shakes with both hands to see how much she can get them around one of his (she can’t, there’s a gap between her fingertips).

He is very amused to have Phi forcibly shaking his hand with both of hers.

Meanwhile, Hamlet pokes out and gets on Rana’s shoulder to investigate the new passenger on Rana’s hip.

Amira: You have a new pet?

Rana: Yes, but this one is coming with me - you can still play with him for a bit.

Hamlet: What?

Amira in draconic: Wanna be my friend and play?

Hamlet: Okay!

Diem said some things during the exchange I forgot to note (probably a few cool stories about auntie Rana idk, asking about her speaking draconic?) that resulted in Amira excitedly adopting them for a tour of the house/playing with Hamlet. They follow Amira’s excited lead to do just that, but not before stopping near the next doorway for introductions to Adri, her mother.

Diem to Adri: She’s very adorable

Amira (talking about Aunt Rana): Look! She has a pet rat can we have a pet rat too?

Rana: I could probably get them a pet rat?

Adri: I could probably also get them one, if they’re responsible enough and can prove they’re ready to take care of it.

Some possible missed conversation before Adri, Amira, Diem, and Hamlet head deeper into the house while Rana continues talking to her brother.

Rana asks about the dwarf and shows him both the letter and silver scale, which he looks at while listening to the story about the wizard in the shadowoods

Stell: Are you sure it was Haldric that they wanted?

Rana: Yes (she double checks letter)

Stell: I know a Haldric Ironband but he’s a master blacksmith, but I...he...he’s never mentioned anything about wizards or honestly going anywhere so far away?

Rana: To be fair the wizard seemed to know who I was so maybe Haldric never met him either.

Stell: I don’t know this sounds like destiny hero bullshit

Phi is internally happy screaming about oh my god this actually works (it’s just as well that I never noted what actually works since the rest of us might only notice Phi’s happy scream state, rather than mind-reading the reason for it)!

Everyone but Diem learns this shorthand info I can’t entirely follow after the fact. My shorthand is awful and I’ve discovered I am unlikely to remember how to coherently type it later: Bhuxodihr for some reason you do want to mention t by the proper name he’s mostly retired, teaches to a select few, not stellan’s master. Haldric was stellan’s master’s master

Rana holds up the silver scale (again? I guess? lol) “You know what this would signify?” she hands it over to him. “Retin said we could use this, that it would give us legitimacy”

Stellan tests the hardness of it, getting higher and higher and Rana lets him and still nothing happens “Uh…(hands it back) I’m pretty sure this is the real thing.”

Rana: Real dragon scale?

Stellan: Mhm

Rana: Well that’s interesting

Stellan: Who did you say gave this to you again?

Rana: Retin, a wizard who lives in the Rethwellian Shadowoods

Stellan: I think Haldric knew someone down there but they weren’t genasi

Phi and Ixayl’anu tell him that we had a whole argument about it and deduced that Retin takes on the form of whatever will make you feel connected/more at home.

Phi or Ixayl’anu bring up how weird it is that all the animals here speak draconic.

Stellan, however, has hit his limit for weird shit, though not animals speaking draconic - that is a thing that’s completely normal.

Phi awkwardly: You should come visit us some time too, was great meeting you...or...yeah.

Ixayl’anu: Where would he meet us?

Phi: I have a home

Ixayl’anu: But you’re not really there

Phi: Well we can arrange it ahead of time.

Rana: She does have connections in Miova if you every go out that way.

Stellan says some things to Phi about all this, but as he’s talking he looks at her and she sees the moment when he notices her daggers and stops.

Stellan: Where did you get those?

Phi: They’re family heirlooms

Stellan: Nooo….where did you really get those? You can’t take those into stone roost or even bouldergap, not displayed on your hips like that.

Phi: Interesting you say that I was already thinking I should hide them because we found them on the skeleton of a dwarf in a cave in the woods

Ixayl'anu: No it was a corpse

Rana statues a little bit (which Stellan would notice)

Phi: There was a dwarf corpse, yes…

Stellan holds his hands up like ‘I don’t want to hear it’ and points at Phi: You cannot wear those, they’re only given to an elite group of dwarves and they do NOT give them to gnomes, you have to keep them hidden.

A few questions are asked about that. As far as Stellan knows, they’re assassins of some kind.

Phi: So do they have other weapons with the same characteristics?

Stellan: Sometimes they have short swords but not any arrows or large blades - just the small bladed weapons and it was a thing he wasn’t allowed to learn because he’s not a dwarf.

Phi: Do you know anybody who was in this group?

Stellan: No mostly these guys are like--

Rana (talking over him): I don’t think my brother knows any dwarvish assassins

Phi: If I were to return them to the right people, who would I talk to?

Stellan just looks at her for a few seconds: I don’t know if you just heard me but these guys don’t really advertised themselves

Ixayl’anu: Is this a group we wanna have anything to do with or just avoid them?

Stellan: If you’re really determined to get them back to someone, you might try Haldric, but I wouldn’t lead with that.

Ixayl’anu: Are they better to just be avoided?

Stellan: I wouldn’t wanna mess with them but you’re all out there dealing with meteors and who knows what else so maybe that’s what you do now, I don’t know.

Rana: This dwarf found the meteor too and turned into a mushroom

Stellan takes a deep breath.

Rana is enjoying making him uncomfortable now

They all talk about our bag of holding and hiding the weapons, Phi stashes them and pulls out her ordinary daggers to secure in their place.

Rana as they talk about possibly disguising Phi’s daggers: Oh mom has some camels now if you need one, there’re 3

Stellan: Okay I’ll take care of them for you

Rana: Do you want them to talk? I can make them talk.

Stellan (not amused): No, the pigeons are enough.

Phi: Thank you for the information

Rana: Yeah, I would like to not get killed by the people we were looking for

Phi: Yeah that would not be good

Rana: I’m gonna go corrupt tanny for a bit

Stellan: Yeah i’m gonna go back over here and...think about things

Rana: I let mom know everything so you can talk to her later.

At some point before they finish talking to Stellan, Ixayl'anu was looking for signs of jewelry in Stellan’s forge. She saw some platinum but didn’t really see any jewelry (because she needs a platinum ring). She asks him about it anyway while we’re there and it’s simple enough he melts down two platinum coins to make a simple ring for her out of it. He doesn’t even charge her for them since he already has the forge fired up.

He does have Amira help him since he rarely works with platinum and it makes a good teachable moment that takes about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, Adri has been following Amira and Diem around, Diem gets introduced to Taniel, 10, who probably is working on magic homework, they got really into potion making because they fan Rana and Rana brings herbs back - real into that right now.

Taniel gets up to see Aunt Rana, but Adri warns her to wait a bit they’re talking about tense things right now.

Through conversation along the tour Diem gets that Adri speaks draconic and has been teaching her kids.

Diem makes casual conversation that includes whether or not Adri grew up here and when/why she learned draconic.

About that time Rana walks in and Taniel gives her a big hug and tells her about her new obsession

Adri answers Diem that it makes sense from a guard’s stand point so she learned it, birds are awfully helpful

Diem: Oh yeah that makes sense

Rana: Yeah, Adri is very good at her job

Diem: You look it, you are killing it in that outfit (she is amused), I’m...yeah, not surprising I wouldn’t make a good guard, I even need help when we take watches (said in good humor)

Ixayl'anu stands awkwardly in the door until Adri invites her in properly (because she’s secretly a vampire! shhh)

Rana: We’re not gonna be in town for terribly long, I was just hoping Stellan had some of the info I needed and he did.

Adri: What info?

Rana: Oh I was sent by a wizard to find someone named Haldric who might be in stone roost and I thought Stellan might know him.

Adri takes it in stride “Well, be safe.”

Rana drops in that it has to do with the meteor.

Nearing the end of the conversation and visit, Phi asks if we can run by a general store to get medical kit supplies to complete her partial kit.

When we have to leave Amira is sad about the rat having to go and starts asking for a rat again in super sad puppy fashion.

Adri tells her they’ll still have to see and Diem distracts both children by pulling out the self-animating putty to give them as a gift, telling them how they can shape their own rat or whatever they like and it moves (makes a little rat and sets it down to walk around on the table and lick a paw clean) see?

Their imaginations take off with excited chatter about making tiny dragons and more, once again happy.

(A trip to the general store)

Rana takes us to Bafor’s general store (Bafor is a dragonborn).

Phi tells us that we would have noticed how Phi progressively jumped on this field medic train and as things have gotten dangerous and sketchy. Phi realized it would be handy to have some skills in healing just in case - more so ever since Phi found the medical supplies in Budelia and ever since Averni she’s been doing a little research here and there, including medical knowledge heading out into the new terrain of Anesh, like what to do for heatstroke and working on more survival skills. Over the journey she’s brought it up a few times to Rana and Edea, and Rana readily taught her some of her new feat requirements from her similar healer feat. Phi wants to eventually learn to make her own poisons too for maybe a damage over time, but also poison check and knowing what to do about poisons in order to help heal them.

Phi’s medicine check will also apply to her background skills, diagnosing a wound, how they died (starving, madness, dehydration, container recently held poison, blood spatter analysis, forensic stuff is part of her past).

Combat triage is cool and useful.

Ruled that with her medical proficiency feat she can diagnose poisons and such, but she would have to take a separate feat to make a poison and do dmg over time.

Phi walks into the store and admits she’s filling out the healer’s kit.

Rana says she has those items already and they have this conversation in the store. All along though she and Rana have talked about this over the month we’ve known each other.

Bafor: Yeah I have the little items, but you could also just buy a new healer’s kit already filled.

Phi: Yeah why don’t I just do that.

Bafor: Tell you what, you buy a whole healer’s kit and I will fill out your other one for free.

I think we hit a fruit stand or a different store where the vendor is gruff but warms up as we spend money (because that was a note for the vendor attached to all these dried fruits, but Bafor seemed pretty amenable from the start).

Phi and Diem also buy a big bag of granola for a silver each, and some dried fruits (Anesh grows pomegranate, apricots, olives)

Diem also buys a bag of mixed dried fruit, dried apricots, and a pomegranate (for a silver each)

[tabletopjourneys]

Session 36 Notes

The session in which I have come to realize that both Selphina’s player and the DM are spelling her nickname Fee instead of Phi. Henceforth, I will be doing the same. Also the session in which we further explore Longview and get to know more people in Rana's home town, help some of them out, get revenge for Harold the alpaca, Stellan gifts Fee with +1 daggers to help protect his sister, and then we head back out on the road for Bouldergap.

@gher-bear​ @aradow​ @telurin​ @epimetala

On this day we continue catching up with various townsfolk of Longview, in particular the ones we meet at The Smiling Dragon tavern/inn.

We get lots of history lessons from the oldest dragonborn ever, tell the story of Perfection (among others), help Jibru the soft-spoken, new-agey orc with her plants (well primarily Rana does this), encourage, Dicho a travelling bard in training on his adventuring break (primarily Diem), and solve the mystery of Shima's missing alpacas.

This involves a revenge one-shot by Fee of the giant owl responsible for killing poor Harold in front of all the other alpacas.

We stop by for one last visit with Rana's mother, Romy, and her brother, Stellan. The latter gives Fee two +1 crafted daggers he made to use in place of her assassin ones she can't be seen with near Bouldergap and Stoneroost.

After that, we're on our way down the road to Bouldergap.

(Read More)

(The Smiling Dragon tavern)

On our way to the tavern, when Diem finds out the name, they rib Rana with a smirk. “The smiling dragon? How sure are you about the tavernkeep?”

Rana ignores them.

It’s probably 2-3pm

The Smiling Dragon has a nice, homey interior and basically looks like the Green Dragon Inn from The Hobbit inside.

The barkeep is behind the bar doing barkeep things.

We see an Aladdin-looking human bard with a lute (Dicho Acaa), a super ancient female dragonborn (Gran Tewafey; one of those ladies who are now just too old to die), and the barkeep-owner, Grismor Fefoki, behind the bar.

Rana knows both the barkeep and elderly dragonborn (no mention of knowing the bard, so I assume not). The elderly dragonborn, Gran, has looked this old ever since Rana’s known her. Rana nods to her as she comes through the door, this person is a fixture of the town and Rana is unsurprised to see her there.

The old dragonborn looks us all over as we enter, but it takes her a second before she goes “Rana? Who are these people with you, come over here, what in tarnation!?”

Rana: Oh hey, Gran…

Diem introduces themself as we approach with a respectful, hopefully charming bow. “I bet you have all the best stories.”

Gran: Finally, a young person who respects their elders - you look a little strange but you seem to have a good head on your shoulders, and I do have some good stories - people should listen to their elders more!

Rana: We’ll be more than happy to listen - I’m gonna run up and get some food first and then keep you company (Rana practically runs to the bar).

Gran: I was about to leave but yeah I’ll keep you company.

Fee: Ooooh no.

We’re in for having our ears talked off and Diem is loving it, even if it is the somewhat dry material one would expect from schoolhouse history lessons.

In one of the stories, Fee interrupts “Exactly what IS tarnation?”

Gran has a story about this and the etymology too. Her way of speaking is as if she was around for the entire growth of this word lol.

Rana picks up a dessert for Gran.

The barkeep gives Rana a commiserating look (I already got you, I see what’s going on). They gossip about Rana’s niece and niephio’s mischief, namely how Taniel had not so long ago brought home a wild animal, just like auntie Rana used to.

Meanwhile, despite the occasionally dry lesson-style stories, Diem is loving it anyway - sorry ya’ll they’re prompting off this etymology lesson by asking what she knows about all the animals around her speaking draconic.

Gran is definitely of the mindset all of the native animals speaking draconic is the blessing of V’kandis. “We’re a blessed town. Nothing bad ever happens here, no bandits come through, no wild animals attacking, we’re really favored by our god.” This segues into proselytizing and being urged toward the priest before we leave.

Diem is finally less than thrilled by the religious preaching bits and their attention begins to wander to the bard who misunderstands their attention and fumbles his song a little and is painfully self-conscious. He thinks Diem is watching because he missed a chord or some other critique-minded senpai is looking thing. Meanwhile, Diem feels bad for him and can’t wander over or try and encourage him instead because Gran is snapping her fingers at them to pay attention. Diem puts a pin in approaching the bard later to encourage and make it up to him.

All you can drink potions is probably mostly joke potions. Rana orders a round of the local brews including one for Gran.

Gran begins quizzing Rana about her recent travels and how we all met.

Fee: First we had these mighty rats to fight in a tavern much like this one.

Gran: Rats? Why would you just be going off and killing rats, where are you from?

Rana: They’re not the same kinda rats Gran, these ones don’t talk.

Gran: Not from around here, I definitely understand, I definitely knew that.

Rana: I picked up this group in Rethwellian

Gran gives us another once over, her eyes falling on Ixayl'anu now and squints at her “I didn’t realize Rethwellian dragonborn were feathered, I thought that was some kind of headdress but you’re not…?”

Ixayl'anu: No no…

Rana starts stuffing her face to avoid being involved in this topic

Ixayl'anu: Not from Rethwellian. From a little bit farther away than that I think.

Gran perks up: Oh okay, where might that be?

Ixayl'anu: The Seejit (spelling?) Isles?

Gran looks at her like she just said Atlantis: Never met anyone from there before. Is it true that ya’ll have a dragon as an emperor over there?

Ixayl’anu: Yeah

Gran: To each their own

Ixayl’anu: No less weird than animals speaking draconic

They move on as Ixayl'anu asks Gran what she does.

She teaches history.

More conversation I missed.

Rana: We came on a boat in the water, never been on one before have you?

Gran: I’ve seen ‘em but I don’t like ‘em, never been on one.

Rana: Apparently these two have shipwrecked before (she indicates Diem and Ixayl’anu)

Gran: See, that’s why you shouldn’t.

Ixayl’anu: I technically never shipwrecked, my ship made it, I didn’t.

Diem: I mean...yeah, my ship made it too, I just got swept overboard and onto the wild expanse no less.

Gran: That explains why you look the way you do.

Diem: I will try not to take that personally….

We get ship avoiding advice courtesy of Gran.

Rana asks after various rumors in town.

Gran talks about livestock going missing and various other things because Gran knows everything and everyone.

Except one thing, apparently: I’m an old lady how would I know what kind of animal is out there?

Rana: You talk to a lot of people

Gran: That would require them knowing what’s going on. (after some thought) About a week ago Shima mentioned she was missing a few alpacas.

Diem: Any giant mole hills involved?

This question eventually leads to the story of their recent adventure with Diem dropping the word abominations in Perfection and several eyes turn our direction.

Now that all eyes are on Diem, obviously waiting for more, they launch into the Perfection story loud enough for eavesdroppers (21 performance). The bard in training stops to listen as well. He adds a chord every so often but he’s very much entranced as well.

Diem notices and encourages with faint prestidigitation sounds, a smile and a wink which totally shuts the poor guy’s brain down instead.

Jibru Tiklot, an older orc lady claps at the end and afterward asks to make sure there was a noon sun druid there.

Diem says their leader was there (because Edea looks like a definite leader to them).

Jibru: How very fortuitous that you were there then, that’s good to hear. (She’s very soft spoken and new agey).

Now that Jibru has Rana’s attention though, she also wants to know if Rana is staying awhile because she has some things she’d love some help with.

Rana: Oh yeah sure (not missing a beat)

They arrange things in exchange for cookies, Rana presuming again to speak for the whole group without asking first lol.

Rana: What sort of issue am I looking at so I can come prepared?

Oh it’s my <insert jungle plant name I missed>.

They talk about it a little, Rana belatedly asks if that’s okay with us, we’re fine with it. Jibru and Rana arrange to meet after food, drink, and stories.

We learn one of the reasons Rana was inspired to leave Longview in the first place was probably traveller stories from this very tavern.

Fee at some point talks about Miova and taking ships to other areas and such.

Rana talks about how super nice and helpful Fee’s friend Dima is (and Fee’s sister being so nice).

Fee gives her a ‘really?’ sort of look about Dima being nice, looking around to see if anyone appeared to recognize the name.

Also, Fee starts investigating around this establishment regarding use of thieves’ cant (25). She notices there are a lot of intricate carvings in the walls and beams, lots of smiling dragons built into the craftsmanship, there are small symbols on the front of the bar that indicate secret codes. An X with a top and an oval with 3 wavy s lines on the bar (bread symbol). On a side beam there’s also a triangle with a pea in it, spear or arrow on top of pea (people inside will…?). Triangle with the downward sword.

(A conversation about bread)

When they pay, Fee tips extra to Grismor after she’s observed this guy seems to be a cool person who helps people in need out.

Fee, in thieves’ cant while complimenting his bread: We seem to have friends in common

Grismor (while also pretending to talk about bread): Not friends but it pays to know the local players/powers.

Fee (so much lovely bread and your brew was lovely): Yes, I agree. Used to be on the payroll myself, but guess I could call them acquaintances also.

Grismor (thank you kindly stranger, please don’t mind that Diem is totally filling in what our fake conversation was like - mmmm bread - these two can REALLY talk about bread) Sounds like you made the right decision, seem like a good group of people you’re here with now.

Fee (Yes, do you have any other pastries I can sample?): Oh you know Rana

(DM Clarifications about earlier points: When Rana mentioned Dima out loud, Fee had noticed Grismor perked up in a negative sort of way recognizing the name. Fee noticed he had lots of symbols. “Safe resting place” “we offer free food here” “People here will guard you”)

Fee (I am all about bread, simply can’t get enough of it, do you have bread I can take on the road?): Do you have any current business with our mutual acquaintance?

Grismor (Sure, I can pack you up some bread, always love a good bread aficionado): No, I’m happy...more retired at this point

Fee (Excellent, I can smell it all from here, could you add a few sweet breads? Stuffed pastries?): I feel ya. Well if you need anything hypothetically we’ll be going back there eventually, I’ll do you a favor (being charming). (insight check on Grismor’s response: natural one - 3 total)

He kinda looks at her and he pats her cheek (All the bread you like little gnome, I’ll toss in a few free samples for the road). “Anytime you need something, just let me know. This is a great conversation, I feel like it’s been illuminating, but I don’t need anything right now, thanks.”

(He is very happy with her though)

Rana is finishing up the story about Ixayl'anu’s feather theft, occasionally glancing over at Fee and the barkeep being 100% slick and believable about their bread conversation that Diem totally did not make up for them after the fact.

When Fee returns “Man I’m tired.”

Rana: It’s after noon…

Diem: To be fair your sleep was disturbed.

Rana tries to ask about missing livestock.

Ixayl'anu suggests we can go talk to people around town about it instead.

As things are winding down Rana tries to get Jibru’s attention.

Ixayl'anu says she’ll go with, Diem says they’re gonna stick around and talk to the bard. Fee says she’s gonna take a nap.

Rana: Here? In the middle of the crowd?

Grismor: I do actually have a spare bed she can use.

After a brief exchange he insists it’s between friends, don’t worry about it.

Fee goes upstairs to nap in the sort of hold-over room for emergency issues like a friend’s friend is about to sleep in a bush drunk, rather than an official room.

(Off to Jibru’s)

Rana and Ixayl’anu go off with Jibru. She ushers them into a house full of plants and crystals, and new agey homey stuff. “I just don’t know what’s wrong with it. It just doesn’t seem to…(missed words) I moved it into and out of the sun and it doesn’t like that either...can you help?” (among a list of other things she’s tried)

Rana nature checks 10 - the leaves look a little ragged in addition to being sad and droopy, soil is dry, and she knows that it’s a tropical plant, not a desert plant.

Jibru: I mist it every day and I moved it into the house…

The heat is fine, it’s probably drying out though.

So I should water it more, is what you’re saying…?

Rana casts lesser restoration on the plant, starting with that. It still looks a little droopy, but the edges of the leaves fill in a little bit and it gives her two new leaves immediately.

“Oh we need water.” Jibru leaves to go get some. When she gets back: “I knew you could do something with it, it’s already looking so much better.”

Rana: It did seem to have some sort of disease (medicine check of 13 - she notices some fungus gnat infestation crawling out while it’s being watered).

Rana advises her to get someone to sell her some gnat eating lizards for it. In a controlled fashion, she’s going to cast plant growth to invigorate it and all the other nearby plants too.

Jibru’s eyes get big “Oh my gosh…” She was just going to give us cookies but now...she gives Rana a plate of very delicious snicker doodles and an herbalist’s bundle which does some cool things: Rare (These ingredients can be chewed raw for minor effects or, if you are proficient with the ‘herbalism kit’, you can spend 6 hours brewing any number of one type into potions for no extra cost, each bundle has 1d4 ingredients, roll a D6 to determine what each ingredient is:

Witch weed - (raw) water breathing for 5 minutes; (brewed potion) disguise self or water breathing for an hour.

Pepper berries - (raw) resist cold for a minute; (brewed potion) resist any element or fire breath.

Ogre ear - (raw) advantage to your next attack roll; (brewed potion) hill giant strength or potion of growth

Lover’s thorn - (raw) advantage to charisma checks for 1 minute; (brewed potion) philter of love or potion of poison.

Ghostbloom - (raw) false life; (brewed potion) invisibility.

Mother’s rest - (raw) resist disease for an hour; (brewed potion) lesser restoration or greater healing.

Rana does have proficiency and sits in small talk with Jibru, chatting about plants, medicinal herbs, and things like that.

She’s one of the people in town Rana typically gets along well with.

Ultimately they say their goodbyes about an hour heading back to the inn where Diem has spent their time trying to encourage and set the bard there at ease. They roll an 18 persuasion at this, primarily accomplished by admitting they’re not a bard either, just an entertainer. The bard is a little sad about this, but also gets over his senpai noticed me thing enough for conversation. Diem finds out he’s on a little bit of an adventuring gap year.

They finish encouraging his future efforts by complimenting all the things they enjoyed about his current performance and rejoin their friends when they enter.

(Enter Shima)

Back together at the tavern, we take cookies, and a pretty lady named Shima Paravash walks in. She appears to be a human about Rana’s age with tan skin and long silver-white hair. They’re not really friends, but they know each other (she’s more Stellan’s friend).

Shima: Rana, I heard that you were in town...are you busy? Are you gonna be in town long?

Rana: Probably at least until tomorrow, but we have time for stuff - what’s going on?

Shima: We keep alpacas...we’ve had an alpaca or two go missing (nervous)

Rana: We actually just heard about that and were gonna check out what’s going on, don’t want livestock going missing.

Shima takes in her friends (the rest of us): I notice you have friends with you…

Diem introducing themself: Diem, lovely to meet you.

Further introductions are made. Ixayl’anu says her full name.

Rana: Ixie is easier

Diem: She doesn’t particularly like Ixie though, Rana (verbal elbow)

Rana (matter of fact): But Ixie’s just easier.

Ixayl’anu to Shima: I prefer Ixayl’anu, please.

Shima turns back to Rana: We haven’t found any bodies or anything.

Rana: We can check it out now.

Shima looks surprised: Oh yeah we can do it now.

Some conversation missed on the way to Shima’s farm.

Shima: Rana’s mom will buy some fleece from us on occasion (they have alpacas of various colours)

Shima’s family definitely does not own the town (Rana is confused about where that impression came from - and I am not sure who asked in the first place between Fee or Ixie).

Shima hangs out by Rana/closer to her, asking the same questions everyone else has so far.

Rana gives her a more complete answer since she’s friends with Stellan - nothing to cause a panic, but a little about the investigation on weirdness with the meteors. She wants the town to be informed but if she lets the wrong thing slip gossip would make it an apocalypse by morning.

Shima doesn’t take us to the house directly, but instead to the paddock where the ones that went missing were last. “This is where they were, we’ve check the fences, I just went out to feed them and do field rotation and they just weren’t here and nobody stole them, I don’t know what to do…”

Rana asks a question I missed.

Shima: There were only two

The other ones were acting nervous like there was a predator around but we haven’t seen anything…

We find out this happened about 4 days ago. Shima hasn’t heard of anyone else missing livestock around town.

Good perception checks all around (Diem actually got a 17!), Rana got a nat 20 - she hears birds but doesn’t see any. Alpacas in the distance do still appear to be nervous, it’s a nice clear day.

Fee squeaks out to lure a local rat for answers. Side note: For future reference, help Fee remember her rat ring adds 2 to her stealth - nat 20 for total 22 persuasion.

Shima looks like she thinks it’s very strange. As she’s saying she hasn’t seen any small things to question around for awhile now though.

However, as she’s saying that a vole pops up “Well, howdy.”

Fee: Oh hello rodent of the brown.

Vole: I’m a vole.

Fee: We are looking for the missing livestock, do you know where all the livestock went?

Vole: Well I uh don’t really go out from under the ground but I have been hearing a bunch of - I’ve been hearing some loud sounds at night, like a big predator so I didn’t think I should come out at night anyway.

Fee: That’s totally valid, stay safe my friend.

She finds out it’s just recently and not all night, but off and on.

Fee: Do they smell?

He doesn’t know he runs when he hears the noise.

Fee gives him a rat treat (Ixayl'anu has been translating the vole’s words)

Vole: Thanks!

Fee: Thank you Mr. Vole

Vole: Come back any time if you’ve got more of these snacks.

Rana heads toward the alpacas by the end of this exchange. She casts speak with animals to understand the alpaca.

Rana: Hey, I’ve got a question for you?

Their heads all swivel in surprise. The bravest alpaca approaches.

Rana: I hear some things have been happening in the area, do you know why that paddock over there is empty?

They all look at her and start talking over each other saying things like “Are you gonna help us?” and ���There’s a monster at night that comes out.” and “Yeah, they ate Harold!”

Rana: That sounds really bad I’d like to make that not happen, do you know where it’s coming from?

The brave alpaca points with its nose toward the iron heights in the hillier direction: “Yeah it’s real quiet and then it suddenly appeared - just lifted him! It was a flying monster the size of a barn with glowing eyes.

Rana: Did it look like the normal big flying birds that come around?

They all look around.

Brave alpaca: I’ve seen little birds? I guess it had feathers?

Rana: You mentioned it had glowing spots?

Alpaca the Brave: The eyes, they were just bright yellow and it was just huge. They confer amongst themselves. It was a big bird.

Rana: I think I know what it might be...is there anything else you want me to do?

Alpaca the Brave: Can you tell them we’d like to be inside at night? In the barn please?

Rana: I will tell them, I have a feeling they won’t have a problem with that ‘cause we wouldn’t want anything to happen to anyone else like it did Harold. We’ll see about getting rid of big bird too.

They all nod like good good

Rana: Thank you very much.

Rana comes back and tells all of us and Shima.

Shima: But we would have seen...do you think it’s a roc?

Rana: All they know is that it was big, it had feathers, and it carried Harold off.

Shima looks confused: Maybe after all this is over I can have you tell me what the alpacas all call each other?

Rana agrees (and notes that she will do so before we leave).

Rana nature checks, knows there’s giant owls and giant eagles - ones she’s seen from a distance before. Giant bird form is thus gifted to her repertoire of shapeshifts.

We talk about spending the night out there to keep watch, help protect Rana’s village.

Rana makes sure we’re okay with that. We talk briefly about our quest, but we were planning on staying one more night anyway.

Shima, talking about sheltering the alpacas: It’s a little tight but if that’s what they want…

Rana: They were adamant about wanting that, and you might wanna tell the others to bring their livestock in for the night too so this thing doesn’t fly past here looking for food.

Shima says she’ll send a bird.

We return to Rana’s home/mother to tell her the plan and pick up our stuff for the night.

(A plan of revenge-camping for poor Harold)

Ixayl'anu is taking the elk with her to use as bait.

Rana convinces her mom to get the sheep inside and camels if they’ll fit.

Rana sets camp up under tree cover in the tiny hut.

Ixayl'anu and Rana swap watch places since Rana’s exhausted from the previous night’s lack of true rest (Ixayl’anu first, Rana with Diem on last watch).

Ixayl’anu’s perception is a 15 - it’s quiet for her watch, she spends a lot of the evening listening to the birds chitter in gossipy draconic, just regular bird talk in draconic though too. Nice little wind background noise. No owls spotted.

Fee’s middle watch perception 9. She’s just a little distracted, she’s confused about why we’re looking for rocks on the ground, why we keep talking about rocks, inspecting the local rocks for movement - it’s probably a desert thing. Something these farmers know that she doesn’t.

Elk has been told to stand watch, still in easy sight, beacon in the field, playing bait, as it were. Elk has passive perception of 10 - gets 14 perception, he snaps his head up a few times.

To Ixayl’anu through the night in their telepathic bond: Can i eat this? Can i eat this? He eventually goes over to talk to the alpacas for a bit: What’re you doing in there? (Ixayl’anu doesn’t get their side of whatever conversation might have happened)

Diem rolls 18 on perception, Rana 16. We still don’t notice what happened until (Ixayl'anu will notice immediately) the elk gives a screaming, bugling cry as it is already being lifted up by a dark shape - we didn’t notice the silent approach.

Rana: Found it!

Ixayl'anu is awake because the elk’s screaming bloody murder in her mind.

It is about 100 yards away.

The elk makes it’s contested strength check at a 22. It takes 1d6 dmg as it falls to the ground (full 6). As it does we hear an angry screech of frustration as the creature whirls back around.

Elk is stunned but Ixayl'anu is calling him back immediately.

Rana casts earthbind immediately: Yellow strips of magical energy loop around the creature. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw, or its flying speed (if any) is reduced to 0 feet for the spell’s duration. An airborne creature affected by this spell safely descends at 60 feet per round until it reaches the ground or the spell ends.

She tries to identify what this is through the pale yellow glow of magic around it in the distance. She sees this is a giant great horned owl. 23 nature check - generally the ones who come down to hunt livestock only when there’s no other food available or they’re injured/can’t catch normal food in a proper hunt.

Rana: Take it down!

Fee hits the owl for 15 - 7dmg + 17 sneak attack dmg (24 sneak attack dmg). It dies in a poof of feathers, all salvagable parts are still salvageable.

The yellow magic binding it to the ground fades.

We trek over to check it out.

Elk comes up slightly bloodied and wild-eyed.

Ixayl’anu: Oh…don’t worry, it’s over now.

She lightly slaps her elk’s shoulder and casts lay on hands, getting an appreciative emotion back.

Even with our crap investigation roles, this owl is very thin, Harold didn’t do much for it.

Ixayl'anu is doing loops keeping watch, working off excess energy.

We discuss what to do with the rest of the night now, deciding to just keep camping out til morning.

Rana: We don’t need a hut

Diem just gives her a look and summons the hut anyway.

Ixayl'anu is too keyed up and running circles with the elk.

Rana camps out in the grass and fresh air.

Ixayl'anu’s perception is 16 - doesn’t see much.

Rana collects some feathers (11 survival - 5 feathers before she gets frustrated - tougher than she expected)

Rana and Diem talk about why it was starving and if more predators might be on the way.

Ixayl'anu calms down enough to take a good look at the bird (7 lol). She can’t see any obvious signs of broken bones, but she doesn’t see any other hints of anything. Feathers are kinda ragged but it’s late in the year, not sure if that means anything. Can’t tell its age. It was able to fly and lift the elk though.

We move on to talk about the two routes to Bouldergap and on to Stoneroost and how Rana has been there but reminds us you can’t just get in Stoneroost. One just does not simply walk into Stoneroost.

We discuss how unlikely it is this giant owl was a symptom of something more sinister that needs to be immediately checked out as opposed to an isolated incident that's been taken care of. We also discuss whether it would be worth taking Rana's usual path through the mountains instead to both make sure everything's good up there with the wildlife while still making our way to Bouldergap.

With an 8 survival check Rana thinks the travel time between her path through the mountains and taking the road is about the same, if she were on her own. In the process she calls them “my mountains” however, which Diem finds charming.

Diem: ‘My mountains?’ Well now I feel like I have to see them up close - like some of your family I’ve yet to meet.

Rana admits it may actually take us longer since we’re not used to mountain travel like she is. Her path through the mountains may be quicker, but she just doesn’t know about us because alone she’s very adept at mountains.

By way of a not serious answer, Diem alters their appearance to look exactly like her, clothing and all and mimics her voice: I’m very adept at mountains.

Rana: I’ll remind you of that when I’m fishing you out of a crevasse.

We decide to take the main road.

As sun starts to break the family comes out to see the bird and Shima talks to us.

Rana: Got you a present.

Some missed words about whether it’s the culprit.

Rana: It tried to snatch my friend’s elk so I imagine it’s what took your alpaca.

More missed words back and forth about these things being common, coming down to feed on farms when injured, all that jazz and how Shima’s never seen anything like it but Rana thinks it’s perfectly ordinary out there.

Shima: You go up in the mountains though...this could defintely eat a person.

Rana: I’ve never been eaten by one.

Diem: No, we left that up to the quetzalcoatlus *ribbing Rana quietly*

Shima is encouraged to hire somebody or something to make use of the rest of the carcass.

We totally gave Fee the credit but the story is gonna become Rana the giant owl slayer in stories.

We all get a nice breakfast.

(One more visit with mom and Stellan before we go)

We get herded back to Rana’s mom’s place.

We establish than when Diem and Romy were talking cloth/clothes, Diem gave Rana’s mom some of the nice cloth we got in Budelia from our fight with the vampire, Lady Sinnah.

We see Stellan one more time. He pulls Rana aside and hands her a pair of daggers: These are for your gnome friend - better daggers while she can’t use the other ones.

Fee thanks him, and wearing the daggers of a known blacksmith is going to be helpful. It’s also easy to notice they’re dwarvish style in make. There’s lots of teasing about Fee refusing the daggers at first, saying her old standard ones are fine, but I’m not sure if that refusal was actually in character.

On the road to Bouldergap we see a lot of priests of Sunhame for V’kandis. It takes us 2 days on the road to arrive to our next destination.

[tabletopjourneys]

Session 30 Notes

Tags: @aradow @gher-bear @telurin @epimetal 

Anchoring in Farford Harbor, even more shopping, and then setting off into the Anesh desert with an elder druid. Let’s help Rana impress her!

On this day we do a lot of heavy shopping, many magic items were bought. We made arrangements for a set of unlimited calls sending stones to be picked up in Bouldergap. Rana also spotted one of her elders, a pro at desert travel who was headed our way to stop off at a small town in need of help on the way. We left the same day we arrived, Diem disguised as a Yasha-sized, intimidating looking desert-dwelling lady.

Rana got a letter from a pirate lady to a friend out the way her elder was headed (for a Val McKee) and we finished that first night on the Anesh roads in a comfy hut. *Read More*

Peter bought our ambergris.

~The Shopping!~

We visit the magic shop because Diem wants to look at ritual scrolls and needs ritual supplies “Winish’s High End Ensorcellations”

Store almost feels like you’re walking into a different, fancy building and town altogether, dark woods, enchanted chandelier with little floating lights over each “candle part” cushy chairs. Abe Winish, a fancy-looking goblin owns this store.

Diem buys alarm and leomund’s tiny hut for 500p total.

Diem buys the shocking grasp ring and mintflayer ring. While wearing one of these rings all your attacks, both physical and magical, deal an additional +2 bonus damage. The type of additional damage dealt is determined by the ring you are wearing. You can tell what damage type the ring is by the band of magical ice cream running through the center. (Psychic damage). mint chocolate chip icecream for Diem.

Band of Shocking Grasp - 9500g - This ring starts with 7 charges and regains 1d6+1 daily at dawn. You may cast Shocking Grasp as a bonus action - this scales with your level. You may also use an action to expend 1 charge to cast Thunderwave, 3 charges to cast Thunder Step, and 5 charges to cast Lightning Bolt.

Bought mats for 10 familiar summons (sage incense), 20g for brass brazier.

Merchant’s eyes get VERY wide when Phi pulls out her daggers to have them appraised.

200g worth of mats for scribing the scrolls in my book.

He lets us know he had a caravan out that was delayed if we happen to come across them that would be great, they are 2 weeks late, coming directly from Bouldergap against his better judgement, but the caravan driver was stubbornly confident.

There’s always been bandits here and there, but they had their own guards. He will pay us for information if we find information.

Diem asks about how to get in touch if they have info - finds out he has a cousin in Bouldergap we could speak to about it - Cousin Terren Winish.

Rana is making perception checks to see if anyone is noticing how much money we’re all spending here. She gets a 14 for perceiving - in front of an inn she sees a very large thorny devil. Stealth (to not let us know she’s worried) 7 

Only Ixayl’anu notices, Phi and I are way too busy spending more money than we’ve ever seen in our whole damn lives.

The devil is just chillin and hasn’t noticed her in return. People are giving it a wide birth. Rana looks a little less nervous now.

Ixayl’anu sees Rana look out worried, scan, and then relax.

Ixayl’anu watches as well and buys the carving and cube.

Rana bought a bunch of stuff too (Sorry, I was busy still trying to read all these things between my own purchases, I mostly literally got nobody else’s purchases down lol)

Phi bought a quiver and some stuff.

Diem bought 1000 gold worth of mats for scribing ritual spells (enough for 20 spell levels total)

Freezing while your cube is hydrated, boiling water, and lava will damage the cube, but it’s pretty safe in its inert state.

Diem buys the nap cap and this is when everyone realizes they’ve been having trouble sleeping now that it’s daylight 24/7.

1000 gold more on companion summoning mats. 110 summonings worth.

Diem buys Putty Vivis 500g figures sculpted out of putty “come to life” and move around.

Kelpie Eye allows attuned creature to see clearly while under water. Diem buys this too.

Phi’s daggers are worth 100k gold total

Our sending stones are worth 200g a piece. (Phi just wants ALL our valuables appraised lol)

Unlimited text and calls would cost 1k gold per stone.

Rana looks outside the thorny devil is talking to someone who’s trying to edge around them. Rana slips out the door and heads across the street.

We learn that it would take about 2 weeks for 5 cell phones with separate channels. But we’ll pay for them when we get to Bouldergap - Cousin Winish will start the order (I already subtracted the amount though), so I give him a 100 platinum “finder’s fee” for getting the order to his cousin instead. *Meanwhile, outside the tavern with a thorny devil mount...*

Rana to devil: Hello pebbles is Elder Edea around? (He is a riding lizard)

Pebbles: Inside, waiting for it to get a little cooler.

Rana: Are you guys staying in Farford?

Pebbles: We’re going to some town out in the desert, having some trouble with some wildlife

Rana: Is it about that caravan that went missing?

Pebbles: Caravan’s along the way? (Pretty sure I missed some stuff)

Rana: Would we be able to travel with you?

Pebbles: You’d have to ask Edea.

Rana calls the rest of us over to introduce us, but stumbles over Ixayl’anu’s name ‘cause she always calls her Ixie.

Pebbles asks if we have mounts. (Horned Lizard large enough to ride and able to talk)

Rana: We’re looking into that, I’m hoping to pick up some camels

Pebbles: Best get on that then.

Rana asks permission to go in and talk to Edea first.

There’s a water genasi captain against the far wall with her two thugs and a female orc in an eyepatch talking. To the right there’s 4 normal looking generic characters and one nice looking black dude giving a lecture/vacation bible school type gathering to a group of students. Two generic guys at a center table. Red-haired bartender and tough looking dwarven cook with a tentacle boa, a cute triton in the immediate right corner and Edea, an elderly looking half elven druid at the non corner table to the door’s right.

Rana is obviously, respectfully submissive in this situation. (Edea Vilyua)

Rana: Elder Edea?

Edea: *has to look behind herself at us* Yes? Oh Rana.

Rana: I saw Pebbles outside and he mentioned you were heading out soon, I was wondering where you were going?

Edea: A small town who’s requested some assistance.

Rana: Able at the magic shop said a caravan was missing and we’re on the way to bouldergap, if you wouldn’t mind company, if we could accompany you I would very much appreciate it.

Edea: It is always better to go in groups in the desert, so long as ya’ll can keep up. We do have a timed schedule to keep.

Rana: We have to get some mounts and supplies but we can be ready when you are.

Edea: We’ll probably ride into the night.

Rana: Where would you like us to meet you?

Edea: Here is good, I’m not inclined to leave here anytime soon - about to listen to this bard here (the triton), waiting past the heat of the day before starting the journey, conservation of movement and all that.

Rana: We’re gonna go get our supplies and we’ll meet you in time and hopefully we can help you out.

Rana calls us to follow while Diem looks a little forlorn and wondering if they could stay ‘cause they kinda wanna hear the bard too, “Do we all need to go on the supply run?”

Bard winks at me, overhearing it and I cheer up a little.

(Listen up - Do NOT embarrass me) (Alt title: Preparing for the desert)

When Ixayl’anu asks Rana what all we need to accomplish (out of ear shot of Pebbles), Rana tells us and adds that she doesn’t want her whole circle to think she’s incompetent, so we should all please make sure to listen and have everything ready, dressed appropriately, etc. We all have 4 hours. Plenty of time.

Diem interrupts the shopping and supply assignments to point out that their new spells actually take HOURS to transcribe so maybe it really would be better if they stayed behind at the tavern to focus on that while others bought their share of the supplies/clothing/etc.

This gives Rana pause to realize we actually have plenty of time. She stops to think before agreeing, noting how she’s very concerned about how things look to Elder Edea and tells Diem to just make sure they look busy doing actual work while transcribing their new spells.

We’re warned about cold and heat, Rana has slowed down a bit ever since Diem brought up the point of using the hours now to scribe spells while they supply shop for them. She tells us more of what she knows about what we need and why. Basic desert survival.

Phi thanks her for arranging everything. 

Rana: If you run out of water you will die, not everyone can create water, there are bandits who will take you if they think you’re an easy target, there’s giant scorpions, giant ant lions, if you fall in the funnel of sand, you fall into the bug, basilisks who can turn people into stone by looking at them, things like jellies, lots of fables and stories, water thieves.

Diem: So we’re about to walk into Mad Max? *realization*

Rana: I don’t know what that is

Diem: Never mind, it’s a story they tell in, nevermind we don’t have time, continue.

Phi asks if Edea is a dirt genie too and gets a dirty look from Rana, Phi brings up genie as a mispronunciation of genasi. Rana corrects her, not a jinn and they’re kinda like fey - but more dangerous

Diem scoffs

Rana scoffs back

Diem laughs, amused.

Details dropped during Rana’s group talk: Edea is a half elf both of them are circle of the land, she’s desert, Rana’s mountain, if she tells you what to do do it. (We don’t know Rana’s circle is called the Iron Heights Circle, but we do know Edea is a Noon Sun circle elder).

Diem (before they leave) upon the bringing up of clothes requests extra roomy desert appropriate outfits for comfort, since they can make them look however they want with disguise self. *Messages Phi something more*

Ixayl’anu leaves her elk with Pebbles.

Diem’s rumors heard about Farford (probably during the times they needed to rest their poor fingers owie): 1. Dragons have been spotted south of town

2. The meteor is going to hit east of Sunhame, possibly close to Lake Natron

3. A few people are claiming to have seen a Firecat in town. 

4. Giant molehills have been popping up in the desert. 

5. There are murmurings of Petaris being behind the "meteor" strikes. After all, THEY haven't been hit yet

6. Birds have been acting strangely.

7. The Meteor is going to hit north of Sunhame

8. A town along the desert path has had trouble. 

9. A caravan is late coming from Bouldergap.

Diem will look at their 4 hours available and what each hours long thing they need to do is and realize that tiny hut will probably be the most useful thing, but they won’t be able to finish it. It takes 1 hour to summon a familiar, but they’re going into a hostile environment and Diem decides they want the new fey friend to be comfortable on first meetings so that can wait.

It takes 2 hours to write down this alarm spell and I *suck* at writing so probably will take me 3 hours to do. 

It’s gonna take me a whopping SIX hours minimum to write down tiny hut. Maybe I can do the other two hours or so when we stop because alarm is not going to be quite as useful when we can just keep watch anyway...?

*Notices a change in their spellbook* Oh hey, I have comprehend languages now and tongues has disappeared...interesting. Not quite as useful, perhaps, except that I can cast this one as a ritual, apparently.

They are actually far more concerned right now with making their established friend (Rana) happy with them and hit hyper focus when not resting their sore fingers. (Self-imposed concentration check of 17).

They started out facing the bard to listen, but couldn’t focus so moved to put their back to the bard.

Phi and Ixayl’anu went to a general store. They pick up some impulse buys, spices, soup balls, interesting impulse soup buys.

It’s a rocky AZ type desert. We get plenty of water. Two large 20 gallons each casks on one camel. 4 casks and 4 canteens total.

50 gold total for all supplies. Phi paid for it all.

Rana goes looking for camels, friendly camels for noobs found 3 saddles and 3 camels for 180gold and all associated tack. She hitches the camels up to a post by Pebbles.

*Back at the tavern, we speak of rumors*

We talk about the rumors Diem heard after pulling up plenty of chairs.

Rana stops them at mention of a firecat.

Rana is skeptical that the firecat was alone. “Those are kinda messengers of the Candance, god of anesh, you hear about him mostly in sunhame.”

No gender for east meteor rumor. Woman talked about north of sunhame rumor, hushed group talking about firecat.

Rana: Anesh is a theocracy - pretty lenient, different gods are fine but Vkandis is THE guy. That priest over there is probably one

Diem: Forgive the pun I’m about to make, but...Priests of Vkandis are pretty hot. 

Rana: Everything is run through Vkandis, you guys have your king and queen, we have the son of the sun, and they get word directly from Vkandis and if something important is happening you MIGHT see a fire cat. As opposed to the visions being vague like with Ixie’s goddess, you get a guide with a direct line.

...If it’s not with somebody that’s interesting....

Diem reveals one of the other people didn’t even believe it was a firecat because it was alone. If it is a firecat if it was alone and wandering, maybe it was here with someone, just not together at the time?

The kids leave hot teacher as we talk about this (Hunt down the firecat kids! Extra credit!)

Rana: If it has something to do with us it will pop up.

Diem: I suppose...

Rana: No, it will

Diem: Okay...but I’m also worried about something else I overheard - after all that talk about giant bugs and funnels, I was hearing people talk about giant mole hills popping up in the desert?

Rana: This is far out of the purple worm natural range...(but she can’t think of what else it might be)

Diem ticks through rumor list on their way to potentially super bad news: More than a few people have suggested Petarus might be responsible since they haven’t been hit yet. I don’t know how many stories you’ve read, but that kind of talk can start wars if enough people believe it...

Rana tells us there’s been no nationwide conflict/war between Petarus and Anesh before. There’s also not any bad blood really between them, despite minor quibbles over where one begins and the other ends - but it’s all desert anyway so none of it’s gotten serious before.

Diem is less concerned now after that information, finishes the rumors with how people say the birds have been acting strange. One person talked about a seagull flying around in some kind of weird daze, ignoring perfectly good food on the beach. Most of the other rumors talked about migration patterns being off in general, birds from other areas flying in that normally aren’t seen so far south.

Rana takes interest in this as well and reconsiders her statement about the giant purple worms not coming this far south.

Diem asks if they should start packing up. Pretty sure this is also where I told Rana how far I got in my work and why I made that decision. Everyone else has already changed into their desert friendly attire, so I get my clothes from Phi and go change as well.

When I come out of the bathrooms, I look like a Yasha-sized version of Tarma (Mercedes Lackey Oathbound reference) - dark-skinned woman with a few scars, intimidating don’t fuck with me look/attitude, black hair in braids under my desert-appropriate attire - even my new rings are disguised to look like cheap, simple iron adornments. I have a scratchy, harsh voice to match, but do little more than nod my greeting as I sit down. I borrowed many different visuals I liked from Farford natives I’d seen, who looked like they knew what was what. Ixayl’anu pokes straight through the illusion of my fake cloak to my arm like “are you real?” but hits about where she expects my arm to be.

Edea compliments it. 

I thank her in chill bitch speak. (21 performance roll)

(And a quest on the way out!)

Pirate: Oi! Earth genasi!

Rana: Yes…

Pirate: Us genasi should stick together. 

Pirate introduces herself (Captain Breil) and mentions that she noticed Rana’s going out with Elder Edea. She asks for Rana to deliver a letter to Perfection, a half orc woman named Val McKee, help her out if you can, and hands Rana a small sack of coin (20 platinum in it).

Rana hands the coin bag back: We’re headed out there anyway, don’t worry about it.

Pirate: I like your style.

Rana: I’ll make sure it gets there.

(Rana had tilted her head at a water genasi claiming they should stick together like...spiritually, yeah, physically...not so much.

For Later: Phi is gonna try and steal Rana’s letter, copy it/read it, use forgery to seal it back up and put it back.

(Hitting the road...)

Diem pretends to be standing guard while Rana talks to everyone else about how to mount, etc. They watch everyone else get on first so they can hopefully look like a pro when they try it too, back up their intimidating badass of the desert disguise.

I got a natural 20 when it was my turn to get on the camel. Yay method acting!

First leg of journey, Rana fills in Elder Edea on all the things Diem overheard - a what we’ve been thinking about what’s been going on around the town kinda thing.

Ixayl’anu (about the firecats): Is this a recent development?

Edea: Fairly recent, I got a call once that messenger arrived

Ixayl’anu: Has it been like this before?

Edea: We get calls for assistance - it’s fairly normal.

We roll an 8 for first leg, Edea motions us off to the side after awhile for riders who are inexperienced, so we can get a rest at a small spring in the hills. We drink and refill.

Phi tests the water with her spoon. Tarma *impressed* tells her it’s a really good idea, but with a bit too much of Diem’s enthusiasm and not enough bad bitch (despite still sounding nothing like Diem otherwise)

Rana glances at Edea for what she thinks about that exchange.

Tarma-Diem tells Edea that it’s a spoon that detects poisons.

I named my camel Jadrie (after Kethry’s shin’a’in daughter)

Rana didn’t name her camel, Phi will figure out hers later.

Ixayl’anu rolls a nat 20 on perception and points out a large bird overhead. “What’s that?”

Rana says it’s a roc. Considerably bigger than a condor. “As long as it stays over there (riding the thermals) it’s fine.” (Didn’t catch her nature check #)

Edea: There’s a pair nesting near here but not close enough we need to worry.

Phi: Like that giant bird you got eaten by?

Diem: *message* You’re embarrassing Rana in front of Edea.

Rana tries to deflect and change the topic.

Edea (amused): No I’m very interested in this story.

Rana (thoroughly embarrassed now): Diem could tell it better

Diem *deadpan*: Too bad you didn’t bring that one along, I would’ve liked to meet them.

Rana is now feeling her credibility crash around her.

Back on the road again, Rana is quite clearly happy and smiling as we travel, making it quite obvious she’s missed her home and is proud of it.

Phi thinks it’s super cute, but it also makes Phi homesick with how different everything is out here.

When we make camp, we break into shifts, Diem coordinating to have first shift with Ixayl’anu this time, and to settle everyone in the area where they intend to summon the tiny hut when they finish transcribing it (so that no one has to wake up to get in it) - also means coordinating so that our animals aren’t *also* in the perimeter because otherwise the spell will fail.

3-4 hours in Diem summons the tiny hut.

Phi takes middle and hears rumbling during her shift. Elder and Rana take last, conversing softly in druidic.

Phi decides not to try and steal the letter after all since Rana went to sleep with it in her pocket. While they were eating earlier though, Phi asked her if she’s curious to see what the letter says, “Nobody would have to know just you and me, I can seal it back up like it was never opened afterward.”

Rana: No thank you.

Phi /sighs and drops it - she figured as much.

Rana: This isn’t the first time I’ve delivered mail for people.

Diem: Well now I’m curious too...

Rana: Tough for you.