Session 4.5: Under the Ruins

[BillTheGalacticHero]

Depends on how well they can cover their tracks.

This is a vs test so if you score more successes then then we win. If it's a tie break it in their favor by using a trait against you, we'll probably earn some condition or twist, but you'll earn, I think, 2 Checks for letting the opponent win.

Thag scans the undergrowth looking for snapped twigs, leaves that have recently been overturned, perhaps a thread from a child's shirt snagged on a branch.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Rabon, notes a lot of depressing about the size of a child or kobolds foot. Wait. Nevermind. Those are just shadows.

That's some crappy luck! On the upside, more than likely, that's a fail, so Alfred only needs 2 passes to advance that skill now.

[BillTheGalacticHero]

Rabon, notes a lot of depressing about the size of a child or kobolds foot. Wait. Nevermind. Those are just shadows.

That's some crappy luck! On the upside, more than likely, that's a fail, so Alfred only needs 2 passes to advance that skill now.

It was hard to read the post on the phone, but now I'm at my desktop, but I think you forgot a D, you have Scout-2 so you should roll 2 dice + 1 + 2 = 5 total. Unless you used your trait against you, in which case you should have written that in the flavor text.

The Kobolds still need to get 2 successes on 2 dice to tie, that's only a 25% chance.

Can you use a trait against yourself to earn a check, and then also break a tie to earn two more?

[Rusty Tincanne]

It is hard to read on the phone. I only noticed one success. That isn't so bad. I'd let the results ride and take the check.

[BillTheGalacticHero]

Yeah, I would too, retroactively say that you used your trait to earn a check, so you only rolled four dice and got 2 successes. The kobolds should only be rolling 2 dice and they would need 2 successes (a 25% chance) just to tie. If they do tie then let them win, we suffer some inconvenience, and we follow the tracks - advance by failing.

You win - mark a Pass in Scout and earn a check
You tie - use a trait (probably have to use your other one) to break the tie, mark a Fail for Scout, and earn three checks

This is our second test, so we should consider camping after the next one. We'll have at least one and maybe three or more checks.

[bucksurdu]

I’ll stay the course.

[Ludanto]

While the kobolds who you suspect of taking the children have managed to leave little trace of themselves in the thick leaf-litter, the children weren't even trying. Thag finds a bit of torn thread, possibly from a child's tunic and Rabon notes several indentations the size of a child's foot. With these clues as a base, Alfred is able to track (the children at least), back to the dwarven monastery. You can see it in the shadow of the western mountains as the sun slowly nears their peaks. From your positions at the edge of the woods, all is quiet, except for the raucous call of the large, red-beaked crows.

Sneaking through the Woods: [1d6] = 2, [1d6] = 3

[Rusty Tincanne]

Rabon scratches his head and looks left, then right. Then behind them. Wel ain't that somethin'? I figured we was headin' due opposite of this place, but here we are again. I guess it was good of you fellers to want to help these kids. Now we have a merit-worthy excuse for coming back and looting this place. And maybe we'll find Aoife and that other elf we was with. Rabon suggests heading back to their first camping area for a rest before trying to save the kids, pointing out that, so far, at least, there are no signs of abuse.

Seems a good time to think about camping. If we go to the spider's tower and drive it out again. Maybe a kill conflict, even, which might help us with that wolf-thing. Thoughts?

[BillTheGalacticHero]

We have a check don't we? No conditions, so we don't need to alleviate anything.

I agree that we should camp in the tower, but let's see if our spider friend has returned.

I drank my water to remove Hungry & Thirsty earlier, before going down into the orphanage basement (had to go back and search for that, lol), so I'm not Hungry & Thirsty. We have the well nearby, so I can fill my waterskin before we enter the monastery.

[Marullus]

With the sun setting above and having spent all day with rough hiking through the woods without a proper trail, Allric also seems quite ready to have a camp to rest. "Onward, then, and find a rest. I see no reason to disturb the spider after a long day, however... I know I shall be more ready on the morrow. The study and bunk room seemed a more secure place to rest, in any case. Let us head there - I wish to look at the chapel for change as we pass by as well, before we rest."

The spider tower was a risky site - the barred-door and proper beds was better. I'd like to enter through the stable doors, cast Supernal Vision to gain new insights at the chapel (perhaps being a test), and then we can camp in that adjacent room and I can reset my spells when we do so.

If there's no strong dissent, Allric makes the command decision and begins towards the stable and chapel doors, asking Thag to scout the way....

[BillTheGalacticHero]

I had forgotten about the other place. Off to the secured room it is.

Scouting ahead, I creep into the monastery, take a step, listen, take a step, listen. Until I each the bunk room room doors. I examine them to see if I detect any oddness, any indication that they might have been tampered with while we were gone. If I detect no tampering I silently as possible open the door, and push it open using the business end my Bessie, my crossbow.

[Marullus]

Just noting for Ludanto:
Once he's cleared the route but before we camp, I'll cast Supernal Vision and examine the darkness in the chapel once more, this time with magical insight.

[Ludanto]

Sneaking in from the front, past the old statues, and around the stables to the broken doors across from the chapel, you can see right away that the chapel door stands open, and a soft light, the last of the day's sunlight, casts a warm glow through the stained-glass windows. Blackish stains mar the stone in the area where the monsters fell, but there's no other sign of them here. There's a door in the south wall. Somewhere outside, a raven complains about something.

What now?

[BillTheGalacticHero]

Allric, the way looks clear. Go ahead and do your magiks.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Rabon whispers to Buck as they travel, explaining their previous adventure, whether the elf care or not. And that's where we chased off a giant spider and slept in its lair. We had Aoife with us then. She had a beard, which looked kinda good on her. Not that I go for the bearded ladies, mind ya. But on her... Anyhow, that's where we started chasing a kobold, but then we was chased by some wolves, barely escapin' with our backsides bite-free. Don't worry 'bout that though. Allric's the alpha dog now. Or he was, anyhow. And this chapel is brighter than it was last time we was here. It was inky black from magic then, and Thag and me was attacked by a swarm of fleshy, stone calamari. If that don't make sense, don't worry. I was there and it don't make a lick of sense. But their gone now 'cause of what I done to 'em. (Thag looks big, but they took him right out and I saved his life, so stick close t'me, Al. And then I took out a chunk of that window and sold it back in town to some sucker. Oh. And there's a giant werewolf-thing in that room, which is why I was worried about that dead lady. Anyhow, it was the alpha dog, but Allric scared it, if you can believe such a a thing. But you should. The old man might seem doddering at times, but when it matters, he'll Wow you something fierce. Last time he pert-near blinded us all with his orbs, they got so bright. Not that we needed them to be that way... Oh! And in that area, Berry - he don't look like much either - but he had about a dozen skellingtons cowering for their... Well... He had 'em cowerin'. And then I kilt 'em dead again. And hey. The room we're gonna sleep in... Well That walked right in an' got a load of bricks dumped on his head. Like somethin' outta one of them puppet shows. We was worried at the time, but he's okay so we can laugh about it now. He might be moody, but Thag's a good guy, especially since he's always peeking into rooms before everyone else. I'd do it myself but he's always insistin' on it.
Anyhow, this where Aoife run off without so much as a note about it. She might be a werewolf now that I think on it. Can dwarf girls become werewolfs? He shivers at the thought.

[Marullus]

Allric seems dissappointed that the inky blackness has faded away, but stoicly continues forward to use his new-found knowledge to investigate the nature of the chamber. "Stand back!" he says authoritatively, holding up his hand to the others. "The Mystical Sight can be dangerous, nay, deadly, to the uninitiated. I will be impeded in my sight of this world as I... look into the beyond." He pauses, letting that sink in, then adds solemnly, "Watch over my corporeal form, if you will." He inhales deeply and moves slowly, taking time to double and triple check each aspect of the room. The anvil. Do jewels remain upon it/embedded? The door. The ceiling and floor, now that they are visible. He withdraws his mystical paraphenalia, making a circination sigil on the floor and sitting within it, ensuring the chalk and powder lines are just right, redoing them several times as he works with the new rituals. In truth, it takes far too long, but eventually he rests into a seated position and chants his arcane words, waiting for the white film to overcome his pupils as he casts his vision to the mystic realms...

One turn: Ob 2
Arcanist 5D +1D Fresh -1D Thoughtful (Overthinking it) = 5D (+1 Check)
Allric Arcanist 1/1 [1d6] = 6 [1d6] = 1 [1d6] = 3 [1d6] = 2 [1d6] = 3

[Rusty Tincanne]

Nice narrative! Did you want to explode that 6?

[Marullus]

Sure.

6s [1d6] = 1

[Rusty Tincanne]

well... It's a Fate spent, at any rate.

[Marullus]

Also, we are at 2 Checks. Thag earned one on the Health Test and Allric earned one on this spell. We should put this on the Log thread.