Session 2: The Dwarven Monastery

[Ludanto]

Laborers can help, but everyone else will have to help with Scout.

[Rusty Tincanne]

As Rabon searches, he continues to warn Allric about over exerting himself. Now I'm not sayin' yer old, friend. Just that you've sepnt most o' yer years readin' and tellin' them fancy stories o' yers. And I'd hate t'see you get lame. Like my n'uncle Teddy. He was m'granmaw's brother, and he was convinced he needed the stone threshold replaced right away. Couldn't wait on no one. So he set about it and yanked his back out good, and years later he still had that trick back. The only trick to it, though, was that he wouldn't help wit' nuthin'. Not even t'get his own self supper. N'uncle Teddy'd just set in the chair and pout 'til you'd bring him his soup. Of course, he had to et soup 'cause his teeth'd mostly done rotted out. Foul breath on that man. Foul breath and a trick back. But boy did he have some stories! Great ones. Remind me t'tell you 'bout the time him and m'granpaw got to go to the coast-city! Oh that's a good'n!

Really? It seems odd that a scholar won't help in this instance, since we are looking for books of value. Would one scholar be helpful? I'll roll after I hear back.

[Ludanto]

You're not researching or sorting. You're looking for things that you can't see. Once you've actually found something, Scholars might be useful.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Rabon will use this as an instinct. He swaps the crossbow for the pole and gets to work.

With everyone else filing out of the room, Rabon sets down his helmet, ties a cloth around his mouth and brushes his hair back with his fingers. He checks the lower and middle shelves first, by poking and prodding with the pole, looking for hidden nooks. With the lower shelves searched, Rabon offers a wink to the others and, true to his word, he climbs to the uppermost shelves. The rogue deftly maneuvers up, down and sideways to find the least affected books and sort them. Finally, he carries a stack of books, as well as any nice bookends or other sundries to the floor level. He returns to the hallway and hands over his find, after donning his helmet again.

Scout 3 + 1D (pole) + 5D (tapping nature) - 1D (Devil may Care) = 8D and a check earned.

Part 1 [1d6] = 5, [1d6] = 6, [1d6] = 1, [1d6] = 1,
Part 2 [1d6] = 2, [1d6] = 3, [1d6] = 5, [1d6] = 4,
Passed test and Persona spent! Woot!
Hopefully it isn't a stretch to call that an instinct test. Ludanto?

[Ludanto]

Congratulations!
Yes, this is totally an Instinct, though the "when leaving a room" thing might be weird. I don't know. Don't worry about it right now.
However, there's a bit of a problem that I'm going to sort of retcon into place in order for things to make sense. Here goes.

Rabon's search is practiced and thorough. As he prods things and moves books, little dust clouds puff up from the fungus in delicate swirls of motes that dance and dash as his movements cut through their path. Eventually, up on the top shelf, Rabon finds what he was looking for: A large, gilded, gem-encrusted book, lost and dusty (and fungus-free) on the on the top of the shelf proper!

Rabon grabs it eagerly and drops it onto his pile of books... which disintegrate in a great, rainbow-hued cloud of spores!

Rabon's eyes tingle and his throat burns as the spores coat his face...

Basically, touching or moving the books would have set that off, but since you already rolled and all...
Rabon needs to make a Health Test, Ob3. I'd offer you a +1D for the face-cloth, but it didn't come from your equipment, so there's no bonus. Sorry.
(To be clear, the "treasure" book is still intact.)

[Marullus]

Yaaay! A book!!

[Rusty Tincanne]

So effectively, the books are like a trap? Cool stuff!
Can I tap nature for a health test? If so, can I retcon that for my high school health midterm? if so, should I? Seems like we've got plenty of Persona and Fate...

[Rusty Tincanne]

As Rabon takes off the tattered rag he had in front of his mouth and nose, his nostrils are filled with must and mold. He begins to sneeze and cough, racking his lungs violently. Eventually the fit passes though and he hands the book to the nearest group member. Don't go gettin' too attached to that. It'll fetch a nice price back in town. Get us all hot baths, if we want 'em. My paw always used to say there's nothin' so good as a hot bath after a day' work. An' he's right. So we're due a few baths, I reckon.

Ob3 vs Health 5 and Nature 5.
Health [1d6] = 1, [1d6] = 2, [1d6] = 3, [1d6] = 5, [1d6] = 3,
Nautre [1d6] = 1, [1d6] = 2, [1d6] = 4, [1d6] = 5, [1d6] = 3,
Wow. That was closer than I thought it would be with 10 dice. Anyhow, 1 passed health test and a second persona spent, though I wonder if I shouldn't just failed the test and seen what happens. It's more boring to pass.

[Ludanto]

Rabon stumbles out into the hall to join the others, the room behind him filled with a cloud of swirling spores.

In the hallway, the glaring motes continue their assault on your eyes.

I wonder if I shouldn't just failed the test and seen what happens. It's more boring to pass.

That's very true!

(The book is very large and heavy. Hands 2 / Pack 2)

What now?

[Marullus]

The party fumbles around for a moment, trying to handle the lanterns, ten foot pole, spare crossbow, and shield. Allric smiles and unfurls the scroll in his hand. "Allow me. I'll just conjure aid for us from the ether, a mystical porter to handle our new goods, hmm? Rabon, I'll have it carry the book as well as that crossbow. If you and Thag would be so kind as to go ahead in the hallway there and lead us check those other two storerooms."

He squints a little in the harsh light, working to read the scramped script of his scroll, painstakingly written the day before. He thoughtfully reviews his arcane formulae, speaking with precision and hoping he's interpreting his scrawl correctly in the unfortunate brightness.

Mystic Porter: Eight slots for four turns is the base (Ob 2). +1 Ob for Glare is Ob 3. Versus Arcanist 4D +1D Thoughtful = 5D
Porter [1d6] = 1 [1d6] = 2 [1d6] = 4 [1d6] = 3 [1d6] = 3
One success!

Behold: MAP

The hall between the double doors is small and dimly lit. Very little light trickles in from outside.
The floor in what was apparently the foyer is littered with mounds of debris and a year’s worth of dead leaves.
The doors to the outside stand open, and you can see the tall grass out in the courtyard.
Two smaller doors flank the main door in the north and south walls of the entrance.
To the west, ornate double doors stand ajar, revealing the darkness within.
To the south, at the far end of the hall, two doors face each other from the east and west walls.

[Ludanto]

The scroll vanishes in a flash of aetheric blue fire as the spell releases, but the energy is untamed, and Allric must fight to control it. In the end, he is successful, but exhausted.

Piling the large book and the crossbow onto the hovering, translucent platform, you move up the hall to the leaf-strewn foyer.

Through the open front doors you can see the courtyard. Behind you, the other double doors are open slightly, revealing hints of pews and an altar.

There are closed doors here to the north and south.

Allric is Exhausted.
What now?

[Rusty Tincanne]

Rabon pretends not to notice Allric's recent difficulties controlling his magic, though he does start to worry the old man is losing his touch. And might kill us all...

When they get to the chapel, Rabon notes to the others that religious artifacts are often quite valuable, bringing the highest coin form collectors. Especially from dead religions. No offense, Aoife. Before anyone crosses the threshold, Rabon offers a solemn warning. If any voices start talking to us, don't go making any deals. There was this one bloke, Bremen was his name... Well he didn't get half o' what was promised to him once the townsfolk done realized he'd released a demon. Bad bit of luck that - to sell your soul and get nothin' fer it!

[Marullus]

Allric hisses through his teeth, then talks in a hushed tone, "Not THAT door..... I need to read the book before we go in there. Let us hope there is some knowledge to help prepare us."

He gestures again to the closet-like doors flanking the outside entrance, his exhaustion showing in curtness. "THOSE doors."

[Rusty Tincanne]

Rabon shrugs and walls to the indicated doors, looking to Thag for an indication he might enter first.

[Ludanto]

North door or south door?

[BillTheGalacticHero]

Let's do the north door, based on were it is, it is probably a closet, or the guards's room.

I listen at the door for a second or two, but feeling confident that it is only a closet, I try the handle.

If it opens then I will barely open it, enough to clear the latch. Then step back and push it open with the pole. Then test the door frame, floor area, etc with the pole.

If there's a test, what will the Obs be? If it's less than 3 I might consider using Boasting to earn a Check.

[Ludanto]

Boasting is a Nature, not a Trait. You can't earn a check with it, I'm afraid.

Thag tries the handle, and it moves freely. The door is unlocked, but when he pushes, the door doesn't move. Like several of the doors here, this one seems to have swelled into its frame, firmly sticking it closed.

What now?

[jhrrsn]

Hey, did somebody say something about a door? I’ll have you know they’re my speciality these days!

I’ve been following along but taking a back seat, as you might imagine.

Aoife sizes up the door, sighing heavily as it seems yet another familiar obstacle blocks their way. She returns to the previous door to retrieve her pitons.

[1d6] = 2-1

Only one usable spike retrieved - dang! Could I pick up some broken/bent ones and try to fix them up in the next camp?

Anyway, I can still use one for Aoife but perhaps that means nobody else can help? Unless someone has a better idea for getting this thing open!!!

Also I’ll eat a ration if that’s what we’re all doing.

[Ludanto]

It's not too hard to hammer a spike back into shape, but you can only do one at a time. I guess if you've got nothing else to spend your Instinct on...

Spikes aren't the only way to open a door. They're just helpful.

Up to two people can help you open the door (for space reasons). Just have to narrate what you (and they) do.

Technically I should wait to see what you do before assigning a skill and an obstacle, but assuming that you're all shoving and banging on it, it's Health Ob2.

[Marullus]

Also I’ll eat a ration if that’s what we’re all doing.

Thag, Aiofe, and Allric are still hungry.
Berry and Allric are Exhausted.
We have one Check right now.
We were hedging that we could make it to camp and cook, but we need more checks and may end up eating individually.