Quest #37 "Black Metal Examination"

[Darklin2]

Darklin

tries to get a good look at the lizards when they go by. Staying in cover but making a mental note of all their characteristics. Hopeing to apply the old adage. The Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend or Ally.

[ChubbyPixie]

Thinking this a typical (and boring) evil dwarf patrol, Chauncey finds his mind wandering as he invisibly contemplates harnessing the power of the artifact the dwarves purportedly have hidden away. Who knows what powers it may contain?

He also realizes, logically, that a broad unity with the Phanaton will be necessary, at the very least for securing the use of the green orb in Chwee’s possession, but also, in all probability, to successfully combat the dwarves menace, artifact or no.

[OGRE MAGE]

On The Dwarven Path
Starday, 27th of Goodmonth
Late Afternoon, Sunny, Hot, Humid, Buggy

Darklin observes the lizards carefully, seeing several signs of physical trauma on their huge bodies. Almost all of it looks intentionally caused.

Once the threat passes, the group moves on again, spending the next few hours cautiously traversing the wide path to the very edge of what must be the mine area up ahead. The smell of smoke is detected on the air and sounds of activity and several voices can be heard.

The area where the trail meets the settlement has been completely cleared, creating a vast open space that has been left empty. 12 dwarves are seen scattered around this area, apparently cutting and bucking the remains of felled trees with large axes.

Wes figures there to be a few hours of daylight remaining before the buggy jungle is doused with the usual inky blackness of night. Grimm’s cavernous dwarven stomach echoes and growls, ready for some dinner rations.

Chwee looks around with a furry expression of confused concern.

Actions?

Greedy Grimm (F2/T3) AC:5 15/15 (Invisible)
Waesfaren Rhey (DR5) AC:7 43/43 1st:5/6 2nd:5/5 3rd:3/3
Chwee?
Chauncey (MU4) AC:8 26/26 CL, RM, DM 1st:3/3 2nd:0/2 (Invisible)
Darklin Sylvanas (F2/MU2) AC:4 15/15 CL, RM, DM 1st:2/2 (Invisible)

[Karaunios]

Grimm

"Now I'm thinking that we have a wee problem. We have to start a fire for the night, also in order to ward off the bugs. But we can't do that close to the trail. If we want to get far, it will be dark before we can do it, since walking through the jungle is a chore.

What do?"

[OGRE MAGE]

Sorry K!

Not sure why we cant get a little more action happening in this one.

[Jernau35]

Wes

"Aye, it's not perfect," agrees Wes. "But I think it's our only option. And the jungle works in our favor too. It might be hard
to walk through, but it's so dense that the smoke and light from a fire won't be seen very far at all".

"We should head off to make camp now. Go as far as we can before it gets dark."

[ChubbyPixie]

"I can't imagine this was approved by the appropriate parties," says Chauncey, frowning at the clearing. "Perhaps it is wise to rest now and infiltrate by day, when presumably most of the dwarves will be out engaging in... wholesale deforestation, apparently. Also, then I could make Wesley and Chwee unseen as well. All the better to secretly and deftly gain entry."

[OGRE MAGE]

Wes
"We should head off to make camp now. Go as far as we can before it gets dark."

Any particular direction? North or South?

[Jernau35]

I believe the mine stretches more to the north, doesn't it? If so, let's go south for now to make sure we're well away from it for the night. (If I've got my directions mixed up, we'll go the other way )

[OGRE MAGE]

Off The Dwarven Path
Starday, 27th of Goodmonth
Early Evening, Warm, Humid, Very Buggy

Chwee looks confused when the group bypasses their destination altogether, avoiding the logging dwarves by heading into the jungle towards the south.

After another long and difficult trek through the untamed thicket, the light of day starts to wane when the group finds a small clearing that might be large enough for all of them to sleep in. By this point, Chwee looks confounded, peering around at the trees and plants wondering what the party is up to.

The bugs really start to come out once the heat of the sun dies down a little.

Actions?

Greedy Grimm (F2/T3) AC:5 15/15 (Invisible)
Waesfaren Rhey (DR5) AC:7 43/43 1st:5/6 2nd:5/5 3rd:3/3
Chwee?
Chauncey (MU4) AC:8 26/26 CL, RM, DM 1st:3/3 2nd:0/2 (Invisible)
Darklin Sylvanas (F2/MU2) AC:4 15/15 CL, RM, DM 1st:2/2 (Invisible)

[Karaunios]

Grimm

"Wes, the Phanaton looks confused... Perhaps you should explain to him what's going on when you get the chance. We're on a scouting mission, not planing to take on the Stoneguts by ourselves. Tell him that our invisibility is dispelled once we undertake any violent action..."

[ChubbyPixie]

Branches and fronds move around seemingly of their own accord as Chauncey begins trying to construct a sort of one-man lean-to to rest in. He aims to cover the surface with leaves to reduce the amount of insects getting in. Having read about this sort of thing in a tome once, he knows exactly what he's doing.

[Jernau35]

Wes

Good idea, Grimm. I'll have a little chat with him in a few moments. I want to lay down a couple of little surprises first, just in case any Stoneguts do manage to follow our trail."

"If anybody wants to pose any questions to Chwee, feel free to join in. I was also thinking of teaching him a few simple words to him 'Stop', 'Danger!', 'Look', that sort of thing. Can anybody think of a few that might be useful?"

Wes backtracks down their trail about a hundred and twenty feet, and leaves a small bottle there, obviously visible. Retreating about twenty or thirty feet, the druid takes a length of vine and fastens it around a young tree close to the trail. Then he casts Snare onto the vine, creates a loop at the end of it, and leaves the loop laying on the trail, almost perfectly camouflaged.

"Hopefully those will warn us of anything coming up that trail", he tells the others. "But I'm a fool: I could have cast Pass Without Trace on all three of you and there wouldn't even be a trail."

Wes then sits down to cast Speak With Animals and have a chat with Chwee

The bottle is Fire Trapped. Wes cast it on the bottle a while back.

Level: 2 Components: V, S, M Range: Touch Casting Time: 1 turn Duration: Permanent until discharged Saving Throw: ½ Area of Effect: Object touched

When the trap is discharged there will be an explosion of 5' radius, and all creatures within this area must make saving throws versus magic. Damage is 1-4 hit points plus 1 hit point per level of the druid who cast the spell, or one-half the total amount for creatures successfully saving versus magic. The item trapped is NOT harmed by this explosion. There is only 50% of the normal chance to detect a Fire Trap, and failure to remove it when such action is attempted detonates it immediately.

[Karaunios]

Grimm

"You can teach him here too. So he understands when we tell him where we are.

And... ask him what was he trying to say to us. What a stupid thing to say, that's exactly the first thing you're gonna ask him probably."

The dwarf makes himself comfortable on the jungle floor after the long and difficult trail. He can be heard slapping his neck or face when a bug (or several) bothers him.

[Darklin2]

Darklin

Moves to a clear spot on the jungle floor and removes his cloak, backs up to a tree and lays down against it, and lays the cloak over him trying to keep the biting bugs off his skin.

We need to do something about all these bugs. We are not going to sleep well with them all biting and flying around. Ask the little guy what they do to keep the bugs away.

[OGRE MAGE]

Off The Dwarven Path
Starday, 27th of Goodmonth
Early Evening, Warm, Humid, Very Buggy

The party becomes painfully aware that without an adequate shelter, and no fire, they are in for an excruciatingly long night outside in the dark jungle.

Wes sets up some elaborate perimeter security, informing the others where not to step before having a chat with his tree dwelling friend again.

Actions?

Greedy Grimm (F2/T3) AC:5 15/15 (Invisible)
Waesfaren Rhey (DR5) AC:7 43/43 1st:4/6 2nd:5/5 3rd:3/3 SWA:10
Chwee?
Chauncey (MU4) AC:8 26/26 CL, RM, DM 1st:3/3 2nd:0/2 (Invisible)
Darklin Sylvanas (F2/MU2) AC:4 15/15 CL, RM, DM 1st:2/2 (Invisible)

[Jernau35]

Sorry everybody. I meant to get the SWA spell started so we could move a bit further with the update. Throw in any questions you think I should ask Chwee.

Wes

"Chwee twice today it looked like you had something to tell me, especially when you saw the Stonegut dwarves and their lizards. And now you seem confused as to why we are making camp out here, away from the dwarves. What were you trying to tell us?"

"We're camping here because we want to remain undiscovered by the dwarves as long as possible. We're not trying to kill them, just discover a secret that they have."

[Darklin2]

Darklin

Can anyone cast a Wall of Fog spell? Maybe that will help with the bugs. Maybe that is something I need to research a wall of smoke instead of fog. Would be a cool spell out here. Keep the bugs away and not give away our position. Wall of Smoke. Sounds like a cool spell to work on. Chauncey, Being the most powerful wizard on the Island, do you have anything like that?

[Jernau35]

Wes

"Oh, producing the smoke is quite easy," replies Wes. "Obad Hai grants me more than one way to do that. My knowledge of his wonderful gift has grown quite..." He pauses. "Hmm...grown...Chauncey, you explain the rest of it. I have an idea."

Wes looks for a spot on one side of the clearing that contains trees with large broad leaves. " Here's my plan. I'm going to cast Plant Growth here. We cut the large branches and build a frame. Cover the frame with the giant leaves. Then use our cloaks to make a screen for the entrance."

"After that, I'll cast Create Water over here on the ground. We can all give it a good stomping to make lots of mud. Then we slap the mud all over any gaps we see between the leaves. Once it dries, it'll seal the walls nice and tight and keep those bugs out".

If there are no objections, Wes will start his plan after he talks to Chwee.

[Karaunios]

Grimm agrees with Wes' plans and helps.