Zazu has a hunch about these items. The wizard casts Detect Magic and takes a closer look.
"Hmmm ... does anyone else have any thoughts about these?" Zazu also wonders about the fellow who brought the seed to town. "Does anyone have Detect Evil? We should use that on the seed guy."
Beech while pulling prepared food from the haversack, "I tend to follow mom's example, Scrying is not a type of magic I'm familiar with. As to the shard and cover, don't combine them, until we get home. I think from what was said earlier, if we combine them here, anything beyond the reach of the seed, which I can see reaching that far, as the vines only grew in like a 50' area around it. So my suggestion is we use the cover at the bridge and pray that the vines disappear when we do so or we may be stuck with them for the future."
Naithi watches as the stone circles her head and then tries it out on Camalayas who purrs appreciatively. She'll need to think about who is better suited to carry the stone. Naithi has Camalayas smell the stones, but it doesn't yield any new results.
Nightingale can do the first watch or two, as she can meditate while watching over her friends. Nightingale would like to look at the seed and it's pod ... maybe she can discern something about them ... she'd really like to know how they got into the pond in the first place
Sahabiel By a serendipitous series of events, Sahabiel never changed the selection of her morning prayers since that time she had to prepare the prayer of Divination to ask the Will of the Wood about the best course the party could take that time in the dryad grove... after that sent them hurrying back home and right into the discovery of those vines overtaking the bridge, there just has not been a quiet morning to think about changing up her morning prayers again, so she has been renewing those same ones every day since... and so, it just happens she does in fact have the prayer of Divination (4th level divination spell, cleric list) prepared today as well.
Sahabiel will share the information so obtained with the rest of her party. The.. slight problem is that I, the player not the character, do not understand what the hint locked behind having a divination spell is meant to tell us? Question to DM - if that was from the module, are you sure that hint was supposed to be provided out here, and not back at the bridge in Freedom Landing?
Come evening, Sahabiel would like the first watch because after it gets really dark she does not see quite as well as some of the others.
Lothlo looks at the shards. They are beautiful, but the magic they are filled with eludes him. Sorry guys, I can't identify these and haven't heard about them before. Hopefully, someone else here has more experience with this type of thing.
Panzer Panzer knows nothing other than that Whilil almost certainly is bad and sent the heroes out here to die, or at the very least stay out of his way. Panzer wants Very much to run back at full speed and feels the weight of the nights they have already spent dilly-dallying around on this quest is going to come back to bite them but he knows that alot of the spellcasters are low on spells and doesn't want to run the group headlong into a fight at home with them tired and low on spells. So, he remains quiet and takes middle watch, going so far as to have Beech cast a darkvision scroll on him for the duration of his watch. He puts his armor on for the watch as well. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Zazu Highlight to display spoiler: {You decipher that the magical Geometereic stones are in fact Ioun Stones. These that you & your friends have augment your basic Attributes. As far as the shard is concerned, it is the polar opposite of the Reddish-Pink Shard discovered under the bridge in Freedom's Landing. }
Beech Highlight to display spoiler: { You are quite astute in your observations about the shards. Bravo! As for the magical Geometereic stones are in fact Ioun Stounes. These that you & your friends have augment your basic Attributes. As far as the shard is concerned, it is the polar opposite of the Reddish-Pink Shard discovered under the bridge in Freedom's Landing. }
Sahabiel Highlight to display spoiler: { Your attempt at Divination on the Shards & Stones yields the following:
1) The Shards are equal & polar opposite of each other. They were designed to nullify each other when attached together. When connected together and at their boarders, will exist a magenta color.
2) The shard's creation was at the behest of the Warped SAAR for purposes only known to it.
3) The Ioun stones were brought there by the Elder Water Weirds attracted by the Purple "Negative" Shard.
4) The Purple Rock, aka the Negative Shard pulses with a purple light. It needs to affect something and control it. You all have the blazing insight that if you don’t get it to the Pink Shard quickly, the Purple Rock will start trying to control them!
}
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=- All three watches (if you do 3 of them) are uneventful. The natural sounds of the area return overnight now that the Water Weirds are gone.
You all wake feeling fully rested, well-fed, and ready to tackle another challenge! Those that are of a magical nature rise with all their slots restored and or fully recharged if you meditated.
Where will you go now? What's your plan?
Beech (JohnC) AC 19(23)/14/15,HP 46/46 Character Saturday March 18th, 2023 8:19:07 PM
In the Morning....."Let's make haste, a moment here and a moment there will add up." Beech will keep people going, he's ready to be finished here, there is only the hunter to deal with yet...
OOC: decided on a Int bonus Ioun stone, a skill point is always good.
Nightingale (JonS) HP 51/51 AC 21 CMD: 21 Sunday March 19th, 2023 12:48:36 PM
OOC: Nightingale went with a WIS stone ... to help her clerical abilities a bit
IC: Nightingale is ready to face whatever challenges the party wants to tackle, "If these two now being together has stopped the issues around the village, I'd like to know how they got here in the first place..."
Sahabiel (EstherLauren) -- AC 25/14/24 -- HP: 60/60 Monday March 20th, 2023 3:52:17 PM ooc: I updated my character sheet - added ioun stone and 5,000 worth of gems, and deducted what we'd used to pay the Twigjacks - also, I'll be creating my legacy item soon, which is going to drain the cash portion of my WBL substantially
Also OOC... this is a placeholder post because I am about to send something around the group by email for clarification before I can say what my character wants to do.
Lothlo (WillD) -- AC: 20/15/16, HP: 56/56, CMD: 23 Monday March 20th, 2023 5:44:21 PM I agree with Beech, we should make sure things are better back in town now. If the vines are still there we won't have much time left to figure out what went wrong, so the sooner we confirm the better.
Naithi (JamesD) AC: 24/16/19 HP: 51/68 , CMD = 18 Camalayas AC = 22/16/16 Monday March 20th, 2023 5:50:23 PM
Naithi listens to the others and is also unsure why the group is waiting to return to the village to unite the two pieces. Might it not be safer to do so away from town, or will doing so in town help resolve the situation there in some way.
ooc: Thank you all for the prayers. Health wise everyone is doing better and we are taking a much needed vacation.
Panzer Braun (David F) AC 28 (T16, FF24) CMD 27 HP 87/87 ) Character Sheet Monday March 20th, 2023 6:34:54 PM
OOC Glad to hear it James IC Hopefully before they rest Panzer says, " I think we might need to be near the vines when we put them together in order to dispel them. I have no concrete reason to back this up, it's just a feeling." "One other thing I want to discuss though. I think that Hunter Whilil was an agent of the darkness acting on the Culverwood. This shard is an excellent distraction to buy them some time to attack us properly. I think he is either WAY more powerful than he looks, or that he summoned the elementals we just faced. Because if thatI would like to try and hide our strength when we go back to town. I am always in armor, not fond of swimming and, well, I do ill advised things alot. It is not out of the realm of possibility that those elementals could have drown me. If that happened and I wasn't there being annoying and drawing attacks, some of us might get hurt. What i'm saying is that you guys drag me back to town "'dead' and look kinda beat uf yourselves. Hide our strength and if there IS an ambush waiting for us in town, we gain an advantage when they think they have the upper hand."
Nightingale (JonS) HP 51/51 AC 21 CMD: 21 Monday March 20th, 2023 9:13:28 PM
As Panzer speaks, and begins to make sense about how this darkness started in town in the first place, she gets that "O S**T" look on her face.
When he finishes Nightingale will add, "A travois, its called a travois ... and we can make it more convincing by say rubbing dark red berries on the wraps, so it looks like you seriously got smacked around ... although, the fact that my cousin and I are healers and you being injured, we may need a cover story to make this work."
DM Jon-Paul | Whihl's Colored Pond Map Monday March 20th, 2023 9:38:29 PM Do we stay or do we go?!
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
At this point, there appears to be some confusion as to what to do next.
Some would like to march straight back and either resolve the shard issue or a hunter issue.
Some would like to have a ploy in store for said hunter...
Others, still, need time to sort this out.
Zazu (AC20, HP52) and Boyo the bunny (AC19, HP26) (Cayzle) Monday March 20th, 2023 11:26:17 PM
Zazu is fine with heading back home and putting the matter-anti-matter shards together there.
"What could go wrong?" the elf asks innocently.
Nightingale (JonS) HP 51/51 AC 21 CMD: 21 Tuesday March 21st, 2023 9:40:03 AM
OOC: I've read the email a couple of times. It does seem weird that it was written in a way to NOT expect the adventurers to do something out of the box...all the years I've GM'd I always have a plan B and even C as I know my players are gonna go off the rails and into the unknown rather than follow the golden path I have laid before them ... of course thats when something big and nasty tries to eat them, but, its all fun and games, at least until the healers die a slow painful death being eaten by giant space hamsters
Beech (JohnC) AC 19(23)/14/15,HP 46/46 Character Tuesday March 21st, 2023 10:23:33 AM
Beech is ready to go...
Panzer Braun (David F) AC 28 (T16, FF24) CMD 27 HP 87/87 ) Character Sheet Tuesday March 21st, 2023 7:49:19 PM
Panzer is ready to go
Naithi (JamesD) AC: 24/16/19 HP: 51/68 , CMD = 18 Camalayas AC = 22/16/16 Tuesday March 21st, 2023 8:32:01 PM
Naithi is also ready to go when everyone else is
ooc: I've had the experience of taking over as GM and having a module already written for me that just about had players mutiny. I have the utmost respect, sympathy and patience for and GM taking over a module.
DM: Thank you. Hopefully, ya'll won't Mutiny.
Sahabiel (EstherLauren) -- AC 25/14/24 -- HP: 60/60 Tuesday March 21st, 2023 8:41:17 PM
Sahabiel too declares in favor of hurrying back to Freedom Landing (after resting, as the case may be).
She is not so convinced that Whihl could be malicious.. a fool and possibly a coward, but that is not quite the same thing. In any case, Sahabiel remembers that before the party left on this expedition, she had asked for Hilia Nighttongue to arrange that someone would be keeping an eye on Whihl. Since Hilia is quite competent, she is not overly worried that Whihl might be engaging in any particularly heinous acts in Freedom Landing right now... but she sees no harm in Panzer's plan either. It is not as if a wayward hunter is the only potential threat to the settlement right now, with those darkness serving druids and their servitors around, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to misrepresent their strength.
Lothlo (WillD) -- AC: 20/15/16, HP: 56/56, CMD: 23 Tuesday March 21st, 2023 8:57:36 PM I'm ready to go as well. I don't think we need to worry about any kind of ploy, though if we have a spell we can use to check in on the town it might be worth doing before we go.
ooc: Are there giant space hamsters in the Wold? I've only encountered the giant space snail, good times.
Zazu Zazu is fine with heading back home and putting the matter-anti-matter shards together there. "What could go wrong?" the elf asks innocently.
Beech Beech is ready to go...
Naithi Naithi is also ready to go when everyone else is.
Nightingale As Panzer speaks, and begins to make sense of how this darkness started in the town in the first place, she gets that "O S**T" look on her face.
When he finishes Nightingale will add, "A travois, it's called a travois ... and we can make it more convincing by say rubbing dark red berries on the wraps, so it looks like you seriously got smacked around ... although the fact that my cousin and I are healers and you being injured, we may need a cover story to make this work."
Sahabiel to declares she is in favor of hurrying back to Freedom Landing (after resting, as the case may be).
She is not so convinced that Whihl could be malicious.. a fool and possibly a coward, but that is not quite the same thing. In any case, Sahabiel remembers that before the party left on this expedition, she had asked for Hilia Nighttongue to arrange that someone would be keeping an eye on Whihl. Since Hilia is quite competent, she is not overly worried that Whihl might be engaging in any particularly heinous acts in Freedom Landing right now... but she sees no harm in Panzer's plan either. It is not as if a wayward hunter is the only potential threat to the settlement right now, with those darkness-serving druids and their servitors around, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to misrepresent their strength.
Lothlo I'm ready to go as well. I don't think we need to worry about any kind of ploy, though if we have a spell we can use to check in on the town it might be worth doing before we go.
Panzer is ready to go... -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The group has pretty much come to the conclusion that now is the time to head back home, with their quarry, after a rest; if needed.
On the way back, do you take the same route as the one you took to get here? If yes, then your trip back to the Bridge covered in Roots & Vines stands before you after your short trip; which is uneventful. Who does what at this point, now that you all stand before the bridge?
Zazu (AC20, HP52) and Boyo the bunny (AC19, HP26) (Cayzle) d20+21=32 Tuesday March 21st, 2023 11:59:06 PM
Zazu makes sure that mage armor is up, and seated on Boyo as always, looks at the plant to see if it has changed.
Perception 32
"I think we should put the shards together now, near that plant thing. I volunteer to do it remotely."
Nightingale (JonS) HP 51/51 AC 21 CMD: 21 Wednesday March 22nd, 2023 3:59:27 AM
Nightingale sighs, "It's too bad we can't ask those vines to move to a different spot, and add them to our town's defenses."
Beech (JohnC) AC 19(23)/14/15,HP 46/46 Character Wednesday March 22nd, 2023 1:44:36 PM
Beech, murmurs to Panzer's "corpse", "Darkvision" He'll cast it, if the answer is aye... then out loud, "With Panzer out of commission, if something goes sideways, remember we're down our front line." Beech is the one who's been tugging along the travois and making rude comments about lazy people, light heartedly.
Sahabiel (EstherLauren) -- AC 25/14/24 -- HP: 60/60 d20+8=10 ; Wednesday March 22nd, 2023 4:37:31 PM
Sahabiel softly prays for the wood to guide her eye, and looks around from her place in the saddle atop Kohlrabi's back. As the group finds itself back at the vine-covered bridge without incident, she feels that the honor of joining the shard and its negative and -in theory- reclaiming the bridge by doing so, should belong to Panzer. It was he after all that went through the most personal risk to secure both pieces.
This... will rather depend of course on how long and how far, having arrived at the bridge without coming under attack, Panzer wishes to pursue this ruse of incapacitation?
ooc: Passive Perception 17, Active Perception d20+8 = 10 so actively looking around she does not spot anything she already didn't see from just riding onto the scene. Used +1 from Guidance prayer on the active skill check.
OOC: Another 2 on my d20 for Perception. Sahabiel's consistently low Perception rolls are becoming a bit of a running gag by now, aren't they?
Naithi (JamesD) AC: 24/16/19 HP: 51/68 , CMD = 18 Camalayas AC = 22/16/16 d20+13=30 ; Wednesday March 22nd, 2023 7:33:47 PM
Naithi keeps her eyes open for danger on the way back (perception=30) and offers to either combine the shards or provide backup when someone else does
Lothlo (WillD) -- AC: 20/15/16, HP: 56/56, CMD: 23 d20+15=16 ; Wednesday March 22nd, 2023 9:07:47 PM If everything is clear other than the roots, how do you guys want to proceed? Do you think one of the lookouts can have someone send a boat over to take us?
Panzer Braun (David F) AC 28 (T16, FF24) CMD 27 HP 87/87 ) Character Sheet d20+4=5 ; Wednesday March 22nd, 2023 9:12:51 PM
Panzer re3mains still. To Beech's question he whispers simply "Wait". Wearing his armor it is fairly easy to look dead. No one can see the rise and fall of his chest. Perception 5 As would be normal, he sees and hears nothing.
DM Jon-Paul | Bridge Map Wednesday March 22nd, 2023 10:14:19 PM The Planting
Zazu makes sure that mage armor is up, and seated on Boyo as always, looks at the plant to see if it has changed. "I think we should put the shards together now, near that plant thing. I volunteer to do it remotely."
Beech , murmurs to Panzer's "corpse", "Darkvision" He'll cast it, if the answer is aye... then out loud, "With Panzer out of commission if something goes sideways, remember we're down our front line." Beech is the one who's been tugging along the travois and making rude comments about lazy people, light-heartedly.
Naithi keeps her eyes open for danger on the way back (perception=30) and offers to either combine the shards or provide backup when someone else does.
Nightingale sighs, "It's too bad we can't ask those vines to move to a different spot and add them to our town's defenses."
Sahabiel softly prays for the wood to guide her eye and looks around from her place in the saddle atop Kohlrabi's back. As the group finds itself back at the vine-covered bridge without incident, she feels that the honor of joining the shard and its negative and -in theory- reclaiming the bridge by doing so, should belong to Panzer. It was he after all that went through the most personal risk to secure both pieces.
This... will rather depend of course on how long and how far, having arrived at the bridge without coming under attack, Panzer wishes to pursue this ruse of incapacitation?
Panzer plays a deadly ruse remaining still. To Beech's question, he whispers simply "Wait". Wearing his armor it is fairly easy to look dead. No one can see the rise and fall of his chest.
As would be normal, he sees and hears nothing.
Lothlo If everything is clear other than the roots, how do you guys want to proceed? Do you think one of the lookouts can have someone send a boat over to take us? -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- As our heroes make it back to their "Home", everything is tense. The Bridge is the same, Roots & Vines in all!
Sahabiel Highlight to display spoiler: { The woods hear & answer your prayers: Insert the Reddish Shard back into the seed. Then Join the Purple Shard to the Reddish embedded shard. Wait. }
Naithi doesn't notice anything of real change, with the exception that most of the villagers are avoiding the area of the bridge.
Zazu (AC20, HP52) and Boyo the bunny (AC19, HP26) (Cayzle) Wednesday March 22nd, 2023 11:59:53 PM
Zazu uses Ranged Legerdemain to make sure it is even possible to manipulate each shard. [OOC: Can't see why it would not be, but best to test.]
If the trickster is able to manipulate each shard, then we are all set to go!
"I can put them together, I think," says Zazu. "Better for me to do it from 30 feet back, right?"
If no one objects, and if there is no problem moving the shards, Zazu and Boyo stand back 30 feet and put the two shards together.
Zazu (AC20, HP52) and Boyo the bunny (AC19, HP26) (Cayzle) d20+12=16 ; d20+11=18 ; Thursday March 23rd, 2023 12:03:09 AM
OOC: If you need a Disable Device check or Sleight of Hand (at -5 doing so from a distance), then here are some rolls:
Disable Device 16
Sleight of Hand 18
Sahabiel (EstherLauren) -- AC 25/14/24 -- HP: 60/60 Thursday March 23rd, 2023 8:59:22 AM
Sahabiel interjects as Zazu prepares to rejoin the shards. Speaking with inspired gravitas, a sure sign she is speaking in her capacity as a cleric of the Culverwood, she says; "A detail, Zazu! The Will of the Wood, it is... to rightly unmake this, we must needs start from the state in which it sprang up. We must join the purple shard to the reddish while the reddish is set in the seed, as it was before. And then, we wait."
Nightingale (JonS) HP 51/51 AC 21 CMD: 21 Perception: d20+10=30 ; Thursday March 23rd, 2023 12:41:53 PM
Nightingale is busy watching what's happening on the other side of the bridge ... she's trying to see if the hunter is watching
Beech (JohnC) AC 19(23)/14/15,HP 46/46 Character Thursday March 23rd, 2023 3:29:16 PM
Beech leaves the travois attached, it's not really slowing him down. That was Panzer is close at hand when needed and he can drop a spell on him if needed as well. He fingers his bow, but no arrow is drawn, he's not sure what's gonna happen, but expects it to be spectacular. Either it'll fade and leave it's marks, or it'll trigger something else to happen, and that will be spectacular as well.
Panzer Braun (David F) AC 28 (T16, FF24) CMD 27 HP 87/87 ) Character Sheet Thursday March 23rd, 2023 8:02:42 PM
Panzer plays dead. As he lies there listening to his friends work out the logistics of putting the two parts together he wonders why two different Woldian powers would come together like this. The Culverwood was being drawn towards darkness, an even worse concept in his mind. The darn wood was murderous when it was neutral, imagine if it changed to darkness and evil. And then there was this Saar thing, an agent of change. Hmmm, change? Isn't that what's going on with the Culverwood? What if uniting these two shards doesn't banish the vines, but it sparks the change the Culverwood is on the brink of. Panzer was not the brightest crayon in the box, but suddenly this seemed like a bad idea. The shards were so powerful that they defied identification. " Darkvision me. I have a bad feeling." He whispered to Beech.
Beech (JohnC) AC 19(23)/14/15,HP 46/46 Character Thursday March 23rd, 2023 9:08:06 PM
Beech, pulls a scroll, casts the spell, and then adjusts Panzer's "corpse" to deliver it....
Lothlo (WillD) -- AC: 20/15/16, HP: 56/56, CMD: 23 d20+20=40 ; d8+9=16 ; d20+24=36 ; 2d8+9=15 ; Thursday March 23rd, 2023 9:23:07 PM Okay, I'll try to keep you covered while you go in, but I won't shoot unless something is attacking you to try to keep things safe as possible.
Zazu (AC20, HP52) and Boyo the bunny (AC19, HP26) (Cayzle) Thursday March 23rd, 2023 9:39:11 PM
Zazu listens to his holy friend and takes a close look at the seed / plant. Can a trickster use ranged legerdemain to set the puzzle together as needed? Red into Seed, Purple into Red?
DM Jon-Paul | Bridge Map Thursday March 23rd, 2023 10:48:36 PM Red into Seed...Purple Into Red...Magenta!
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Zazu uses Ranged Legerdemain to make sure it is even possible to manipulate each shard. If the trickster is able to manipulate each shard, then we are all set to go! "I can put them together, I think," says Zazu. "Better for me to do it from 30 feet back, right?" If no one objects, and if there is no problem moving the shards, Zazu and Boyo stand back 30 feet and put the two shards together.
Sahabiel interjects as Zazu prepares to rejoin the shards. Speaking with inspired gravitas, a sure sign she is speaking in her capacity as a cleric of the Culverwood, she says; "A detail, Zazu! The Will of the Wood, it is... to rightly unmake this, we must need start from the state in which it sprang up. We must join the purple shard to the reddish while the reddish is set in the seed, as it was before. And then, we wait."
Nightingale is busy watching what's happening on the other side of the bridge ... she's trying to see if the hunter is watching
Beech leaves the travois attached, it's not really slowing him down. That was Panzer is close at hand when needed and he can drop a spell on him if needed as well. He fingers his bow, but no arrow is drawn, he's not sure what's gonna happen, but expects it to be spectacular. Either it'll fade and leave its marks, or it'll trigger something else to happen, and that will be spectacular as well.
Panzer plays dead. As he lies there listening to his friends work out the logistics of putting the two parts together he wonders why two different Woldian powers would come together like this. The Culverwood was being drawn towards darkness, an even worse concept in his mind. The darn wood was murderous when it was neutral, imagine if it changed to darkness and evil. And then there was this Saar thing, an agent of change. Hmmm, change? Isn't that what's going on with the Culverwood? What if uniting these two shards doesn't banish the vines, but it sparks the change the Culverwood is on the brink of? Panzer was not the brightest crayon in the box, but suddenly this seemed like a bad idea. The shards were so powerful that they defied identification. " Darkvision me. I have a bad feeling." He whispered to Beech.
Beech, pulls a scroll, casts the spell, and then adjusts Panzer's "corpse" to deliver it...
Lothlo Okay, I'll try to keep you covered while you go in, but I won't shoot unless something is attacking you to try to keep things safe as possible.
Zazu listens to his holy friend and takes a close look at the seed/plant. Can a trickster use ranged legerdemain to set the puzzle together as needed? Red into Seed, Purple into Red? -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Zazu discovers that he can in fact use Ranged Legerdemain to manipulate a simple device.
Sahabiel interjects the wisdom she learns from her inspired patron about the order of the shards and Zazu pauses before continuing the Planting of Seeds.
Nightingale, scan as she might, cannot locate the Hunter within her vision range...he is simply nowhere to be seen.
Beech & Panzer wait with bated breath until the next shoe drops. Panzer is a bit more so, as he is perseverating on the topic of agents of change. Before too long, Beech casts Darkvision onto Panzer.
Lothlo tries to keep every one of his friends covered while the scene is tense. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
After listening to Sahabiel, Zazu deftly manipulates the Shards, because the Purple Rock and Pink Shard are each others’ negatives, the closer they get, the less corrupting the Purple Rock, and they cause the slow down of the Roots and Vines synchronous wave. Zazu holding the rock in front of them, using Ranged Legerdemain, will see the roots and vines lay down and form a path. The Rock and Shard start pulsing in unison. When they touch, the Rock and Shard come together with an audible *click*. The Roots and Vines stiffen and crush the bridge! But then, they start elongating and soaring into a beautiful living arch of wood. In the center, the Purple Rock becomes the Keystone, the Pink Shard a lynchpin, and they settle into a nondescript gray. But the Bridge soars across the river, wide enough for two carts, gentle enough for one horse to pull a cart, and many nooks and nesting areas for animals or hanging lanterns, or spots to jump off into the river for swimming... In short, it is an amazing and lovely thing!
And as the Bridge settles into its final form, from downriver, the citizens can see a merchant ship! A merchant from Karri (aka Emerald City), has come to Freedom’s Landing with a hull full of preserved foods and live animals to trade for the amazingly crafted goods of the town! The merchants are amazed at the Bridge, and the citizens are only too happy to tell the tale of the Champions of Culverwood, over a suitable party in the Town Square, of course!
Naithi (JamesD) AC: 24/16/19 HP: 51/68 , CMD = 18 Camalayas AC = 22/16/16 Friday March 24th, 2023 8:57:00 AM
Naithi carefully examine the bridge to make sure it is safe before any town folk cross it. The bridge truly is beautiful, and amazingly will designed. This bridge will serve well as a model for the architecture of the city. Living wood shaped in a harmony of beauty and function that embraces nature.
Nightingale (JonS) HP 51/51 AC 21 CMD: 21 Friday March 24th, 2023 12:54:41 PM
Nightingale will examine the bridge as well, especially looking for what nooks and crannies could be used to plant flowers and herbs
Beech (JohnC) AC 19(23)/14/15,HP 46/46 Character Friday March 24th, 2023 3:18:10 PM "Well, it's a lot fancier than I planned, but it'll suffice and seems to be a lot less work.
Seeing that effect in action, that reminds me to ask.... Can anyone cast shape wood? I'll compensate you someway, but it'll be a lot more cost effective that my buying a wand of it. It'll be quite a number of casting, involving grafting to living trees and such. I know i've kept it as a open secret, but this bridge gives me a chance to finally say it out loud."
When nothing further seems to be about to happen, Beech will cross the bridge, halfway across, he seriously considers releasing the travois and dropping Panzer there, but they have one of the hunters to confront.... He's searching for that hunter as he's moving....
Sahabiel (EstherLauren) -- AC 25/14/24 -- HP: 60/60 Friday March 24th, 2023 7:52:58 PM "Shaping wood? I do have the ability..", Sahabiel tells Beech. She is still looking at the 'new' bridge. "I was not sure what to expect from the SAAR as a power of change, but... changing our bridge this way is more benign than I was expecting. That said, I will be keeping an eye on this for a while until we are certain we know all its tricks if it has any. Pleasing to the eye it is, don't ya think?"
Lothlo (WillD) -- AC: 20/15/16, HP: 56/56, CMD: 23 Friday March 24th, 2023 9:15:51 PM That is definitely not what I was expecting to happen. It's a rare and pleasant surprise when you are expecting the worst and the gods instead smile upon you.
Lothlo looks out and sees the ship heading their way. And it looks like we were just in time too. News of this bridge could increase talk of how we are starting to thrive out here and increase trade, but I shudder to think what ill effects those roots would have if word got back the town was currently overrun with them.
ooc: What is the current status of our town in regards to trade? Depending on the DM we seems to jump between a successful new trading outpost and an impoverished town that would be lucky to find a few copper to get bare bone supplies.
Panzer Braun (David F) AC 28 (T16, FF24) CMD 27 HP 87/87 ) Character Sheet Friday March 24th, 2023 9:20:10 PM " Huh, not what I expected."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Beech "Well, it's a lot fancier than I planned, but it'll suffice and seems to be a lot less work. Seeing that effect in action reminds me to ask... Can anyone cast shape wood? I'll compensate you in some way, but it'll be a lot more cost-effective that my buying a wand of it. It'll be quite a number of casting, involving grafting to living trees and such. I know I've kept it as an open secret, but this bridge gives me a chance to finally say it out loud."
When nothing further seems to be about to happen, Beech will cross the bridge, halfway across, he seriously considers releasing the travois and dropping Panzer there, but they have one of the hunters to confront... He's searching for that hunter as he's moving...
Naithi carefully examine the bridge to make sure it is safe before any town folk crosses it. The bridge truly is beautiful, and amazingly well-designed. This bridge will serve well as a model for the architecture of the city. Living wood is shaped in a harmony of beauty and function that embraces nature.
Nightingale will examine the bridge as well, especially looking for what nooks and crannies could be used to plant flowers and herbs
Sahabiel "Shaping wood? I do have the ability..", Sahabiel tells Beech. She is still looking at the 'new' bridge. "I was not sure what to expect from the SAAR as a power of change, but... changing our bridge this way is more benign than I was expecting. That said, I will be keeping an eye on this for a while until we are certain we know all its tricks if it has any. Pleasing to the eye it is, don't ya think?"
Lothlo That is definitely not what I was expecting to happen. It's a rare and pleasant surprise when you are expecting the worst and the gods instead smile upon you.
Lothlo looks out and sees the ship heading their way.
And it looks like we were just in time too. News of this bridge could increase talk of how we are starting to thrive out here and increase trade, but I shudder to think what ill effects those roots would have if word got back the town was currently overrun with them.
ooc: What is the current status of our town in regard to trade? Depending on the DM we seem to jump between a successful new trading outpost and an impoverished town that would be lucky to find a few coppers to get bare-bone supplies.
Panzer " Huh, not what I expected." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Everyone is pretty much taken aback by the transformations created by the power of the SAAR shards. Not only did it clean up the mess taking away the Roots & Vines disturbance, but it generated a new Bridge of Living Wood; the new architectural wonder of Freedom's Landing.
This lasting gift heralded the arrival of trade vessels from Emerald Cityn loaded to the hulls.
In retrospect, the Champions mull over these two new arrivals, while some of their team search for the Hunter of the hour.
The living Wood Bridge is exactly what seems like an amazing gift from an immortal power.
OOC: Lothlo, I'm inquiring to the PTB to be able to give you a valid answer to your question.
Zazu Bridgebuilder (AC20, HP52) and Boyo the bunny (AC19, HP26) (Cayzle) Friday March 24th, 2023 10:43:57 PM
At first Zazu is speechless, but then the elf gives out a "YIPEE" and beams with joy!
Laughing, Zazu says, "Boyo Boy! That was great! I built a bridge! From now on my name is Zazu Bridgebuilder!"
The elf rushes over to the merchants. "Did you guys see that? I made it! I built that bridge! It's the best bridge ever! Made by me, Zazu Bridgebuilder!"
For the rest of the day, Zazu Bridgebuilder goes around town telling everybody the story. The trickster does not neglect to tell the part played by his friends, of course.
Nightingale (JonS) HP 51/51 AC 21 CMD: 21 Saturday March 25th, 2023 1:57:45 PM
Nightingale will catch up to Sahabiel and in sylvan ask her "Cousin, the seed is now part of the bridge ... should we ask however if it is removed whether it will cause more mayhem, or do we think it's power is spent. I know too little about the SAAR to fathom a guess."
Beech (JohnC) AC 19(23)/14/15,HP 46/46 Character Saturday March 25th, 2023 8:48:39 PM "The way it formed, I get the impression of how those shards work, or at least how I think they work. The Heart of Change, the items that were sent to cause the change around the wold, are active. The shard, or as I see it, The Cloak will counter the effects of The Heart as long as it's covering it. But... and here's the Big part, once The Cloak is removed The Heart becomes active. We've all seen that in action, and I expect each Shard is different, in look and effect. Now for the speculation part... The Cloak once re-matched with The Heart it's a counter to, can only counter it but nullifying it completely. I'm betting the magic of creation that created our new bridge either is already or soon will be gone, permanently, and that includes the cap stone and it's linchpin, which are now just decorative pieces of history."
Naithi (JamesD) AC: 24/16/19 HP: 51/68 , CMD = 18 Camalayas AC = 22/16/16 Monday March 27th, 2023 1:34:01 PM
Naithi laughs at Zazu. I was always partial to Zazu Barrel Rider myself.
Lothlo (WillD) -- AC: 20/15/16, HP: 56/56, CMD: 23 Monday March 27th, 2023 8:17:30 PM Looking at the bridge that was created, I agree that it appears to be permanently secured at this point. The amazing bridge didn't just randomly form on it's own, so I'm inclined to assume that whatever caused the bridge to be formed was intended as part of something bigger to permanently keep the shards safe. The alternative is that the bridge is now a giant beacon to make the location of the shards known, which seems to go against the stories we've been told.
Still, it would be prudent to check for any crazy magic still in the bridge.
Sahabiel (EstherLauren) -- AC 25/14/24 -- HP: 60/60 Monday March 27th, 2023 9:13:19 PM
Sahabiel heads over to the dock as a volunteer to help the visiting trade ship unload its goods for sale. When she realizes that a lot of its cargo is preserved foodstuffs, she soon takes a break and goes to bring Limka and Ghundit back with her as well... her half-orc housemate would know better which ingredients she can turn into some fine meals, and helping unload things would let her know early what is going to be up on offer at the market after.
The three will stay together to make the most of this market day and the surrounding merriment that comes with it. If nobody already has, she offers some coins for some of the more musically inclined settlers to go get their instruments as an impromptu band to liven up the occasion with a bit of festive music, too. She believes that with all the dire events of late this town could really use a break to lighten the mood, and having a bit of a shindig to celebrate both the improved bridge and the arrival of traders is as good an excuse as any.
Sahabiel will also take care of the cost of any food items Limka wants to purchase from the traders -- she knows that Limka stocking up on good ingredients will mean good meals in her own future.
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