The sun is setting on the peaceful hamlet of Carp on the Wall... Albeit less peaceful than it used to be: after the recent events, the villagers are retiring to their homes earlier than usual, locking doors and shuttering windows, in case some other less than friendly entity decides to pay them a visit.

The obvious exception being the Carp's Nest: the local inn keeps going about its usual business, and so, when a solitary traveler crosses the bridge over the Kelder river, and quickly spots the welcoming sign of the Carp's Nest, he doesn't see anything unusual.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:59, Tue 21 Mar 2017.

Every town felt like he was trying to sneak around. The first time he had done the whole hood thing and slunk around... until that got him caught under suspicion and detained for a bit. It took a bit to get through his thick head but he did learn that if you just walk around like you had something to do people would leave him alone.

At this point he wanted to curl up into a ball and take a nap after a nice meal. With his wild inability to deal with the wild, he had to rely on either scavenging or coin, one far more common than the other.

Still, you never eat if you don't take time to poke your nose in the door. So with a stride that said he had some place to be or he would be late he made for the Nest. Poking his head inside for a look about first. If it was full of drunk people he would have to spend the night scavenging, drunk men always looked for fights and he looked tough even if he wasn't.

The inn was not very big, but it was clean, well-lit, and actually had a nice flowery smell.

The innkeeper, a medium sized creature vaguely resembling a monkey, greeted Levithian as he came in. "Welcome... To the Carp's Nest." She looked slightly surprised to see him. "We have warm beds, hot food, and cool drinks. What will your pleasure be?"

Are you going to chat with Tessa or just have dinner and go to bed? You have enough money to pay for a good meal and a good room. and are assumed to have picked up a few trinkets (bits and pieces from animals and plants that you can use in your Profession checks) on your way to Carp that you will be able to sell to the local trader for a little extra money.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:56, Wed 22 Mar 2017.

Lev smiled like he was hopeful as to not be hit by a saucepan. "Water and meat if it is not inconvenient." He wanted a seat so he moved if so allowed and sat with his hands in view on the table top.

"Ummm, do you know if the people around here need help with monster prevention? Things like how to keep krenshar out of fields. Anklegs from tunneling under the area, or other things."

"I don't hunt monsters normally, a pound of prevention kind of deal."


chat a bit to buy in.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:31, Wed 22 Mar 2017.

Tessa blinked: "I... Think you may want to speak with Master Zhorr. I shall send him a message and make sure he sees you in the morning, if that is convenient." Reading a Vanara's expression was rather difficult for somebody not used to them, but Tessa seemed slightly perplexed, more than anything else.

Not especially afraid, however. She offered Lev a table and served him a carafe of cold water (almost freezing, in fact) and a clean mug. "How would you like your meat?" She asked.

He nodded in agreement that it would be alright, he really did not have any other plans.

Lev gave her a thin lipped smile that turned into one of delight when the water showed up. Deliciously cold water was like the smell of cookies to him. The ocean has a number of thermocline that massively drops the temperature in a matter of feet. It was like remembering a good part of home. Swimming along happy as can be when he was first able to.

"Medium rare? Like lamb, kisses the pan and not much else? I very rarely get to cook a sit-down meal so... Rare, lil searing?"
This message was last edited by the player at 05:53, Thu 23 Mar 2017.

Tessa pondered for a moment: "Would you like it Dragon Breath?"

"Dragon Breath" meat is a blue steak "up to 11": it takes its name from the way fire dragons eat the animals they kill - the skin gets charred by their breath, but underneath the meat is still raw. Even people with a predilection for blue steaks tend to find it *a bit* too extreme, but it's a favored dish of several outsiders - and dragons, of course.

Lev gave a big smile filled to the brim with expectant glee and enjoyment. With eyes that had been cautious and hesitant gone full on puppy dog looking at a treat, "Yes please."

A good hard crust locked in the juices and all the delightful texture, oh gods the texture!

Food was to be experienced!
This message was last edited by the player at 23:48, Thu 23 Mar 2017.

Tessa smiled at her guest: "I will be right back."

While Tessa cooked, Levithian had some time to look at the inn and notice that it was very clean and surprisingly well-lit, more so than most inns in large cities.

Tessa came back shortly with Levithian's steak, which was very much like she'd promised. There were also some leaves of some kind on the side that, as he sampled them, turned out to be surprisingly tasty.

Halfway through the meal, Levithian realized what had been nagging him: a small inn in an out-of-the-way hamlet wasn't very likely to have fresh meat. Even less likely to have high-quality fresh meat.

That steak should not have been possible.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:55, Sat 25 Mar 2017.

In reply to Mysterious Ancient Wizard (msg # 9): check made. Rolled 14

True to form he use his knife to shave the crust off its top like an odd lid. If you eat a steak the 'right' way you had class. As he did not... Currently... You start from the middle and work your way outward.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:43, Sat 25 Mar 2017.

By the time he was finished with the steak, Levithian felt well-sated, quite content... And slightly drunk, despite only having had water.

Lev may look like an adult, but there was no telling how old he really was. Being a fabricated thing he could be a year old at best! Either way he was a super lightweight when it comes to getting smashed.

He blinked a few times and looked around from his seat. Something told him to be himself but that was a bad idea. Still, sleeping as himself would be nice for once. So, not changing as that is a far better ideal, he smiled and took note. "If I had to guess I would say you did a bit of adventure in the past."

Tessa chuckled: "Oh, I had some adventures, but not because I was adventuring... It's just how life works in Cheliash for non-humans. Master Zhorr and... Lia, they are former adventurers. They have plenty of stories to tell. Me, I don't have a lot of stories, other than a few old legends, and it suits me fine."

She eyed him knowingly: "You, on the other hand... But I'm being rude. Would you like me to show you your bedroom? You must be tired."

Tired and slightly fuzzy would have been a fair assessment, but Levithian was not especially impaired. Mostly, he was feeling like he'd had a much bigger meal than he actually had, and had consumed a fair amount of alcohol that he actually hadn't.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:35, Tue 28 Mar 2017.

Lev shrugged, "Only a few. Only worth telling when I find the happy ending." bad stories only ruined the mood.

He nodded when she mentioned a room. Standing he was a bit wobbly, proving four legs better than two, but he walked alright. He was in a happy mindset as he thought of a nice fluffy bed. Second best kind of bed too!

A tiny part of him was telling him he had been drugged. But the need to trust someone, no matter how small the event, was something he wanted. To sleep soundly, as himself, without worrying about anything.

Rest...
This message was last edited by the player at 17:55, Tue 28 Mar 2017.

The bed was warm and comfortable, and Levithian spent a good night in deep sleep. By the morning, he could remember he'd had pleasant dreams, but he wasn't really sure what they had been.

The mild buzz from the previous evening was gone, and he felt perfectly fine - no hangover, no headache, no residual effects. It was enough to make one wonder if he'd just imagined it.

Now that he wasn't falling asleep on his feet, Levithian finally got to take a good look at the room.

It was larger than he would have expected; right next to the window, shuttered, sat a sizable water basin with two large jugs to the sides, one filled with water, the other presumably to drain the water into when done, and a conveniently placed brazier underneath to warm it to taste.

On the nightstand, Tessa had left a mug for him, and another carafe of water, still cold despite having been out the entire night - at a guess, it probably had some ice in it originally.

This was entirely not the type of accommodation Levithian would have expected to find in a village this size. Not by a long shot.

When he returned to the inn's main room, he found a man waiting for him. Wearing an expensive-looking chain mail shirt.

As Levithian approached, the man stood up from his seat at the table.

Levithian was used to being taller than most people, and this person was no exception - if anything, he was probably shorter than most.

Even so, as those grey eyes peered at him, Levithian felt especially disinclined to get on his bad side.

The man nodded at Levithian and said: "I am Zhorr van Lyre, of House van Lyre, Master of Carp on the Wall. We welcome in peace those who come in peace."

Levithian couldn't help but notice that, as he said that, his off hand was resting comfortably on the scabbard of the rapier at his side.

The pull of a comfy bed said to curl up and sleep forever, yet that doesn't keep a purse fat enough to feed and shelter oneself. Still he did take his time and used each of the jugs more than he needed to but it was hard to get a warm bath and a head dousing was always welcome. Normally he would just lie at the bottom of a river and terrorize the local fish population. While it was nice to get to swim, an ice cold bath is never a happy bath.

One of the benefits of having all your clothing able to be burst out of and not destroyed is that you just need to reattach the little clips.

There was no telling how long the man had been waiting but something about him said slayer... and that he could turn Lev's spine into coasters for his tea parties. "I am Leviathan, pleased to meet you, I promise I am not here to cause trouble. Just trying to make my way in hopes of food and shelter." He needed to get a fancy name and title... he didn't have a name beyond that. It always gave the wrong idea.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:43, Wed 29 Mar 2017.

Zhorr looked mildly surprised: "Well, if that is the case... You may very well be in the right place. But just so that there is no misunderstanding: you are not the first Outsider to visit Carp on the Wall."

Holding out what looked like a holy symbol, he intoned: "We would have you provide the following guarantees, to Carp on the Wall and its inhabitants: that you come bearing them no ill will, that you mean them no harm, that you shall initiate no hostile actions against them during your stay, and that, if forced to defend yourself against them, you shall do so by using the minimum force required to protect yourself. Swear on your True Name and Power, and be welcome. Or leave us in peace."

"Native" outsiders aren't quite as bound by their True Name and Power as other Outsiders, but that medallion Zhorr is holding out is pretty much guaranteed to be a magic item of some kind.

The vow itself seems rather harmless - it's essentially swearing to be civil.

Devils may have some trouble with the "bearing no ill will" clause, which is interesting, considering this is devil country.

The moment the holy symbol came out a look of absolute terror came over Leviathan as the weight of the 'preparations' cultists had preformed on him came crashing down. Holy symbols meant negative energy to burn or spells to cut away the will. Gods hate the true Leviathan, no succor was expected even in the most loving of divines.

He took three steps back as he braced on a chair to stay standing as his other arm come up in a purely sacrificial gesture, better to have a arm burned off than to have eyes burned out. "I'm not a devil, I swear. I'm a outer dragon... A construct made from the flesh of an old as dirt slumbering monster."

"I am the Leviathan, I have no other name. Unto that name, and my power as you ask I do so swear. Further I will only apply the law of escalation, applying minimum force to any task to finish it as efficiently as need be. If you can help me find my true name I will swear to it but I don't know it."

He feared the holy symbol far more than the blade at the mans hip. Cutting flesh was one thing, but a holy symbol represents cutting the mind and soul, and there are far deeper sufferings in that than of wounding or death. "Please, don't use the symbol. I swear I am only trying to find my place." He closed his eyes and turned his head. Even if it was in his head, the weight that holy symbol had was heavy on him.

Looking rather confused, Zhorr hid the symbol away in his pocket. "That was... Not what I was expecting." Then he brightened: "But! Helping people find their way in life is... Well, it's what we do here in Carp on the Wall, really. Ain't that so, Tessa?"

At which point the innkeeper came through the kitchen door, carying more cold water for Levithian, along with some black bread, and a steaming cup of tea for Zhorr: "Oh yes. Like turning monkeys into innkeepers and lumberjacks."

She chuckled at the look of reproach on Zhorr's face: "Oh, don't look at me like that, Vanaras are allowed to use the m word."

Lev was slow to move once the holy symbol was put away. He moved like a kicked dog for a moment before his higher mind kicked back in, he sat back down spinning the chair backwards to put its back up like a shield. "Sorry, religion and I never had a good day out. Faith by"

He gave Tessa all smiles when she brought him cold water like cookies on a warm plate. "I deal more with pest control via prevention. If you can use that let me know. Being a monster I tend to want to talk with them rather than seek blood and pain."

Zhorr's friendly and not at all predatory smile absolutely did not at all make Levithian feel like he'd suddenly volunteered for something unpleasant - and I don't know why you would even bring that up, really. "Well... If your expertise is dealing with monsters in non-lethal ways, I have something to ask of you. Rest assured, you will be properly compensated."

The mission, as Zhorr explained it to Levithian, was half pest control and half scientific research. Zhorr needed somebody to clear up a small gremlin infestation in a nearby hunting cabin. The location itself was out of the way, and hadn't seen any real use in decades, and at some point in recent years a group of gremlins apparently decided to move in.

A recent surge in gremlin sightings had prompted Zhorr to look for somebody to take care of the pestiferous creatures, but, as he told Levithian, there were potential gains in capturing a few of the fey alive. "And, since i am unable to offer you proper assistance, I will provide you with some additional equipment to help in the task. Would you be interested?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:16, Thu 06 Apr 2017.

Lev rubbed the back of his head. "Gremlins, normally to ward them off you have to spend about a month and you need to use oil as a repellent. They absolutely hate a well oiled object. Barring that the best trap is a widget, a small device with springs, gears, buttons, toggles, and switches. With one they will sit down and try to figure it out, best to put it in a box, even then you will be lucky if you can get them back without pulling the nails out of the box."

"If you want, I'll go have a talk to them. If you can offer doodads to one that may be a good bid for one to come in peacefully. Otherwise stunning it is. Ill see to it one way or another."

Zhorr looked thoughtful for a moment: "I can probably craft some purposeless mechanical contraption, yes. Something with plenty of gears, and literal bells and whistles, making lots of noise and possibly throwing sparks around. It will only last for a few days before breaking, but it should be more than enough time to serve its purpose. I have to admit, it would not have occurred to me to try and convince gremlins to be nice to people. Good luck."

"And since you are now working for master Zhorr, you are free to stay at the inn at no charge. If you need any goods, talk to Mandala. If you need spiritual counseling, talk to Evelyss. If you need weapons and armor, talk to Eldamere. If you need food, water, or some conversation, you know whom to talk to." Tessa winked at Levithian.

He shrugged at Zhorr, "I am a monster, I do not want to die. Other monsters likely feel the same. Some wont but you never know if you don't try. Having a grimlin on your side could be a huge benefit. The house ring of your enemy gets a undetected curse for minor misfortunes, trash items you need to break down for components is disassembled with the skill of a master... So on."

"Much love to you and yours Tessa... But I think I'll give the spiritual person their space. Nothing but love for the people but I can't even physically set foot on holy ground without permission... Gods don't like Leviathan's."

Zhorr spent most of the following day with Levithian, trying to find the best equipment he could provide him. In the end, he loaned him a Page of Spell Knowledge and a rod, and his best wishes of good luck, along with a mechanical contraption that didn't do anything useful but would probably keep the gremlins' interest for a while.

Traveling to the hunting cabin on foot took Levithian almost an entire day, and, since it was deep in the forest, by the time he got there it was dark.

Once Leviathan was near the cabin he took his time to set his things down. The process of changing was not as fast for him as it was for others. If he had his way he would some day take on the full potency of his blood, but he would do what he could as he could.

The main reason for him going full dragon, dragon ish... monster, was so that he could get past the first barrier that any being of uncommon blood had either a hate or innate fear of beings from the common mans world. The best part was getting a chance to stretch once he was fully his real self. Which he did like a big o dog. Three sets of useless wings proved for a cramped feeling when he couldn't walk about.


Even Lev knew the story of the good knight showing up and committing the horror that was looting a dragons. By not being a normal human he was avoiding that barrier to some minor degree.

He did pick up a small bundle before leaving, a offering. He set a small wooden bowl within view of the door and window of the cabin. Within it was nuts and berries, a food offering. He normally reserved this for good fea he liked, dryads and nymphs and such. Faries he feared but there are so many fea.

To this point he sat there, not looking for a fight but ready if they didn't go for the easy option. It was a long shot but one must honor their own code of conduct.

A few hours later, in the middle of the night, something that looked like an award-winning chihuahua, if the award were for the ugliest critter in the world, poked out its big deformed head from behind a tree, eyeing the offering with mistrust.

Hadn't he been able to see in the dark, Levithian would have completely missed the small shape as it quietly approached the food and took a careful bite.

Then, as if expecting something to jump out of the cabin, it grabbed a handful of the contents of the bowl and quickly scampered back to the tree it had come from. It didn't run away, however, but kept slowly munching on the food and looking at the door.

It then emitted a string of barks, followed by what sounded like an insult to somebody's mother.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:44, Fri 14 Apr 2017.

It was a creature separate from the grims, or related some how. He knew grims as all glowing eyed bat ear monsters... he was going to have to do more research some day on monsters outside of the common pests farmers ran into.

Ah, it was a humanoid with a mind rather than a random forest creature, so it appeared. He inclined his head to the creature and then thought about how a wolf or dog communicates. He tilted his head to one side to show it he meant no harm, and his tail moved side to side.

A cat would have turned a bit sideways...

"Kast-ni dak. Par rum kas taf." Draconic always sounded like he was trying to nip the tip of his tongue. It was to point out they didn't share a language if there was any further indication.

He reached out, slowly, with a talon and started drawing in the dirt. A house with bat eared figures, clearly grims. Next to it one of the grims sits on a stool with a stick figure man writing in a book.

Lastly an image of the grims all gong in their merry way. A crowd of stick figure people with weapons and torches all going another way.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:23, Fri 14 Apr 2017.

Communication with the little monster proved a mixed bag: after the initial gift, it wasn't especially hostile, but the lack of a common language seemed to stump it.

On multiple occasions, it uttered what seemed like a string of insults to Levithian's genealogy, but at the same time it looked like an attempt at actual communication, so maybe it was just a really strange language.

After several minutes of very confusing exchanges, the little monster decided to approach Levithian more closely.

When you only have one parent and that is a massive sea dragon who was aiming to eat your soul and take your body, you can look over insults to genealogy. At least he would overlook such a insult.

Annnnddddd now Lev was cursed. He could only assume that it was the other Grims doing something.

He tapped to the image he scrawled out of the grim sitting on a stool and the man with a book. Then he gestured the way he came. He then drew a bowl just like the one he has out now, then another bow, and another; food, food, food.

19:29, Today: Levithian rolled 19 using 1d20.  Perception 2.
19:28, Today: Levithian rolled 9 using 1d20.  Perception 1.

The creature approached even closer, warily, and scratched a triangle next to the first bowl, followed by more triangles, then connected them all with lines. If one assumed the first triangle was a head, the scrawling was probably a gremlin.

Slowly and laboriously, the creature drew four gremlins next to the bowls of food, then threw another string of barks at Levithian.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:42, Tue 18 Apr 2017.

Lev nodded with some minor understanding. It was a chance to get a little more information. Lev drew a little poorly drawn dragon so they had a dragon, the man, and the image of a goblin.

He pointed to the dragon, then himself.
He pointed to the triangle and pointed at the creature.
He pointed at the man and then pointed down the road.

At which point the gremlin drew a number of... Things. Half objects, apparently. Bowls, blades, tools of various kinds, but only half of each item. Then it drew something that could possibly be a building, surrounded by tall triangles (though shorter than the building itself), with circles coming out of the top of the triangles.

Lev wiped away his own drawings, all but the man with the book. He then drew a triangle on a stool next to the man and circled the creatures drawing with a line to the new triangle. He then drew the same 'speech bubble' next to the man with the book, doing his best to copy the creatures image.

He then drew the other triangles all on their own stools. With their own speech bubbles.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:27, Tue 18 Apr 2017.

The creature scratched its ugly head and barked something. More barks came from the trees around Levithian, where the gremlin's companions had quietly surrounded him.

Three more monstrous chihuahuas approached Levithian and examined the drawing. They scratched their heads barking something, until the smallest one apparently had a stroke of genius and pantomimed smoking a pipe.

This lead to several seconds of animated discussion, ending with the largest of the gremlins looking at Levithian and pantomiming something that could possibly perhaps maybe be reading a book and smoking a pipe.

Lev laughed at the conclusion. This was more than amusing but the end result is that he was able to prove that the goblins did not prove an active threat. He may be in some danger but evil did not mean "DESTROY THE WORLD!". If the boss man wanted to have them killed it could be managed but working with them would prove so much better. A few of them on the payroll could ensure his enemies are forever unlucky.

He smiled, having expressive lips for a dragon, and tapped the circle with their drawings of gear. He then pointed to his mouth. <red>"Even though you don't understand what I am saying you may be able to understand that this means words and talking."</i>

He pointed to the man with a book, and pointed down the way he came. To prove the point he moved just enough to be next to one of them and took one step, looking at the Grim with amused expectation.

The tiny creature jumped back, its finger-sized hands moving to its belt, from which it pulled what looked like a bone dagger.

The biggest one moved close to it and slapped it on the back of the head, barking something at it. The creatures were seemingly becoming louder and louder by the minute, which probably meant they were starting to... Trust...? Levithian.

After a few more antics, the cretaures finally settled down and looked expectantly at Levithian. Who, at this point, started to notice a faint smell of burning wood.

Burning wood in the middle of a forest? This couldn't possibly be a bad thing...

Lev was about to walk away with them but his sniffer caught a scent. He looked around until he had to look at the little guys and tap the side of his nose in a question.

The house wasn't in fire... The house wasn't in fire...

Lev wasn't sure he had the means to stop a forest fire.

The little monsters began jumping around frantically, until the leader barked something, giving them a semblance of order, and lead them into the house. He made a brusque gesture at Levithian (presumably meaning "follow me", rather than... Something rather rude).

Inside the house, the leader revealed a hidden passage under the floor, leading Levithian and the whole group down a narrow tunnel in the ground (well, narrow for Levithian, anyway: for the gremlins if was actually rather spacious).

Soon the passage became a narrow tunnel dug into rock, whch then opened up in what looked like a cave system.

This is where Levithian will lose the rest of the week - assuming he survives :P The threats will be minor, and he will have the gremlins on your his side... But their aura of unluck doesn't distinguish betwen friend and foe: he's not a gremlin, and he's not a gnoll, therefore he still suffers the roll-twice-take-the-worst-result penalty. Assuming he survives, he will be able to tell Zhorr about this strange cave system, which (spoiler) will be the location of the party's 3rd level adventure :P
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:14, Mon 24 Apr 2017.

"I am going to regret this..." Lev followed along, it was the chance to the other side of what a gremlin did. When it came to the tunnels he squeezed through the best he could, using the flightless wings like extra hands to force himself along. The dark vision was a full on blessing considering that he was about the last one to be able to get out.

He was ready for a lot, but he was only so useful as long as he could keep himself as... himself. Humanoid Lev was squishy and bruised quickly.

An unlucky adventure it was!

The passage eventually expanded into what looked like an underground cave. The gremlins, who had been rather loud on the surface, had become progressively quieter as the group descended.

Levithian was beginning to suspect hat the creatures were somewhat deaf, as they were presumably meant to be whispering to one-another, but they were effectively stage-whispering, and when your language is composed primarily of barks... Yeah, stealth was not an option on this particular table.

The leader, at least, seemed to know where they were going. He lead them confidently for several hours, before declaring something. The others promptly plopped down on the floor, and went to sleep with uncanny celerity, leaving only Levithian and the leader awake.

At which point the leader took Levithian to one side and snapped his fingers, prompting a number of small objects to appear out of thin air.

They looked sort of like toy animals or dolls, though no child would ever play with them: not only was their quality abysmal, looking like they would break if you sneezed at them, but they were all monsters of some kind.

Levithian easily identified the rats and bats in the group, and he knew there was a decent chance to find some inhabiting a cave. The little monster was probably telling him what they were going to encounter... Except some of those things were completely outside Levithian's ability to identify, partly because of the terrible quality, but possibly because they were simply not part of his competences.
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 11:23, Tue 25 Apr 2017.

Lev was rather amused at the creative use of a simple spell. It was going to be one hell of a time trying to keep them all alive but the reward would be worth it. You don't get to make a big pile of treasure without trying harder than anyone else.

To be sure that he was aware of the exact end result they wanted he reached down and slowly crushed on of the monsters. Proof enough to be sure that the important thing to do was to clean out the caves. His plan so far was to be the big scary dragon that he was and to fight as defensively as he could. He could then slowly move until the monsters presented their backs to the gremlins. That should prove a minor but effective tacit.

As far as taking watches went, Lev was happy to take two watches back to back, but screw anyone who wanted to force Lev to stay up all night. He may be smarter than your average construct made out of meat but he wasn't a fool. He was also going to be damn sure he got his rest.

Conveying the concept of "you're taking next shift" to one of the little monsters took longer than it should reasonably have, but eventually Levithian was able to go to sleep.

Surprisingly, he awoke naturally, instead of being woken up... And soon found out why:  the little monster he'd woken up had gone back to sleep without bothering to call anybody else to stand guard, so the group had overslept by an unspecified amount of time.

Apparently, gremlins could sleep for days on end, since none of them was awake yet.

At least they weren't snoring too loudly...

By the time he managed to wake up all of the little creatures, Levithian had completely lost his sense of time. He knew it was at least breakfast time, but it might have been lunch time as well.

After eating some of his remaining rations - and watching the gremlins hunt down a couple of rats for breakfast - Levithian and his merry band of lapdog fairies set out to... Wherever it was that the gremlin leader had decided to take them.

The gremlins were surprisingly careful, sneaking around looking for possible surprises, and more than once the leader had the group double back after hearing one of the other gremlins' report... Which still sounded a lot like a string of particularly esoteric insults to Levithian's ears.

He did, however, manage to learn the gremlin leader's name: it sounded like just another bark at first, but it was actually something like "Arb" or "Arbr".

After a few hours of careful movement, one of the gremlins came back and excitedly reported something. The leader did not look happy with whatever that was, but apparently this time there was no way to avoid the danger. He did the conjuring trick again, and the little dolls he showed Levithian looked like two white, slender men.

Then he poofed a bunch of other dolls into existence, these ones presumably gremlins, had one of the slender men touch one, and let it drop to the floor. Then another, then another, then another. All of them dropping to the floor after a single touch.

So... Pretty bad news ahead.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:45, Thu 27 Apr 2017.

At this point, given their antics, Lev had proven his desire to peaceful resolution with fellow monsters... what he assumed was undead was an entire new matter. Although his humanoid self was pale, he assumed the thin pale figures to be less than alive and the dead should stay dead.


He made a big one strike and drew lines in the ground by using small stones to represent the sides of the caves. He set the two figures in their area. He then patted his scaled chest and made a two clawed walking gesture until he just passed the figures. The slendermen follow, and the furry allies close the trap.

He made another little set up with a 2 strike.  This time he moved the figures to block the finger walk. Showing that Lev would slowly move to again present bad guy back side.

It was all very risky but if that was the way they wanted to go, there wasn't much choice.

He did have an idea though.

He drew the little picture of the man with a book. He made a talky talky gesture and grouped the gremlin figureines next to it.

12:32, Today: Levithian rolled 22 using 1d20+2.  Init bad luck roll.
12:32, Today: Levithian rolled 6 using 1d20+2.  Init primary roll.

The hell O.O

Arbr conjured a Levithian-shaped doll, plus some pebbles to act as walls, and repeated Levithian's proposed plan to ensure he'd gotten the idea.

The concept of voluntarily acting as bait certainly seemed alien to him, but he apparently had nothing against the idea of having somebody else tank the dangerous undead while he and his companions stabbed them in the back.

He used the conjured items to build a more precise representation of the actual cave layout, refining the plan a little. The basic concept remain unchanged: Levithian would draw the creatures' attention, then the gremlins would attack from behind.

It worked pretty much flawlessly: the two undead followed Levithian down a tunnel, and the gremlins followed them. When the fight broke out, the gremlins were ready to charge in.

Order of Initiative:

Ghoul 2: 16 + 2 = 18
Gremlin 2: 13 + 5 = 18
Gremlin 1: 12 + 5 = 17
Arbr: 8 + 5 = 13
Ghoul 1: 7 + 2 = 9
Levithian: 6
Gremlin 3: 1 + 5 = 6

Ghoul 2 gets its first set of attacks without the disadvantage penalty because the gremlins are too far, then gremlin 2 attacks and both ghouls get the penalty.

Things I discovered today: Names in RPoL cannot start with "not ". I find this exceedingly silly.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:13, Thu 27 Apr 2017.

Lev made sure to point to one of the slendermen, tip it over, and THEN the other. Focus fire, best to lessen their offence quickly.

Lev did indeed go through with the plan, as it was really the best option he had to bring home as many of the Gremlins as he could manage. It was going to be funny if he managed to bring them all, the look on the lords face will be worth every moment... or so Lev hoped.

The danger of undead was something rather extreme! "If I was a normal dragon this would be over in a snap, but noooooo, I gotta be an aquatic sea dragon." Distraction!

In reply to Mysterious Ancient Wizard (msg # 43):

That is rather odd O.O

 Ghouls act first but it is a planned situation. Lev will be in full defensive mode while trying to present the most undead tushy to the Gremlins. If they turn on the Gremlins Lev will regain their attention by gnawing on them. Though I think the action is yours unless it counts as a surprise round. Then Lev would be full defensive.

 I considered doing aid another considering the situation but then I remembered that I have to roll twice ontop of the -4 to fight defensively. Total defense still helps unless they change their targets.

Soooo Touch ac is 16 and normal ac is 18

The first ghoul jumped on Levithian before he could react. He thought he was prepared for the attack, but the sheer inhuman hunger of the creature still surprised him. While he managed to avoid the creature's mouth, the razor-sharp talons - was it fingernails or bones? Not that it mattered - at the end of its hands still managed to cut through his greater self's tough flesh, leaving deep gashes in Levithian's living armor.

Then, on Arbr's command, the gremlins charged at the ghoul. Two of them managed to hit it with their puny daggers, presumably causing some minor irritation.

Arbr, perhaps distracted by having to kick the last one into action, didn't quite manage to hit.

The second ghoul tried the same lunging attack as its partner, but the aura of bad luck surrounding the gremlins caused it to trip on its own feet, making it miss the target completely.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:47, Sun 30 Apr 2017.

Lev stood there still, wings forward ready to bat away attacks... Butttt now he wasn't moving beyond that.


Standard: paralysis
Move: paralysis
Speaking? : Paralysis
Condition: helpless

15:10, Today: Levithian rolled 5 using 1d20+1.  Frt.
15:10, Today: Levithian rolled 8 using 1d20+1.  Fort 1.

Me 11/11. DRAGON ME 2/11


This message was last edited by the player at 21:45, Sun 30 Apr 2017.

The last gremlin finally charged at the ghoul... Somewhat too late to help Levithian. Even though the claws had not penetrated his living armor, the cold emanating from the wound still gripped him in an inescapable vise.

The gremlin's puny dagger connected - only Arbr, the gremlin leader, had missed his attack so far.

At that point, the ghoul who had been serving as the gremlins' pincushion appeared to have had enough, and turned to face them.

He snapped its jaws and swiped its claws at one of the tiny creatures, and one of the blows connected, opening a large gash in the tiny creature's frame.

The monster shivered and barked something at its leader. Arbr considered the situation for a moment, then made a small jump backwards, extended a finger at the ghoul, and barked a sharp word.

A thin line, barely a shimmer in the air, shot forth from its extended finger, and hit the ghoul in the chest.

The ghoul howled in pain, shock, and no small amount of anger.

Levithian had just the time to ponder the fact that it was the first time he saw somebody cast a ranged touch attack spell by flipping the bird at their target.

Then, taking the cue from their leader, the other gremlins started barking excitedly and renewed their attack.

Considering you have all the critters on hand this is effectively in round up as opposed to continued combat. Not a thing I could do to influence the fight. All in all anytime I can avoid rolling dice I am happy as a clam =) Synth summoners can be very strong but this situation was a user error. Lev in reality should have "Nope... lets go get help." But in my mind he thinks he is a dragon dragon and they have immunity to this kinda thing. which means he will be super depressed after this, if he lives.

And I do fully suspect they will run and I will have to make a new character. X.X Evil is as evil does.

Rounds spent as a lawn gnome 2/5

Considering that Lev now had time to think about life, and things, he started doing the mental work for his next study.

Fear - Fear is one of the most powerful of animal senses that can ever be within the mind of a mortal creature. So often do we mistake it for panic or terror. Although they can be very similar they differ greatly. Terror is that blind and thoughtless emotion that races through your body and either locks you up to counter harm that will soon be on its way, or to get away from that which can cause the damage.

Fear, is simple. It is the emotion that your body sends through you to cause a caution before an action or of a subject. When a child sees the darkness and feels fear it is their body attempting to get their mind to stay safe and stay within the light.

Fear is a subtle emotion that seeps into you like the cold of a winter night. When it leaves it goes in much the same way like a fire removing the chill, finally reaching the core of the cold.

This is often used by major political establishments that are afraid of losing their power. They either bring the people into fear of themselves and their power, or they create a secondary thing to fear that only the establishment can keep them safe from.

Fear is a long and cold thing that can rot the mind of a person, and generations to come. Fear is hard to cultivate, not nearly so hard as horror, but when it takes root it is even harder bring someone to freedom of fear.


Standard: paralysis
Move: paralysis
Speaking? : Paralysis
Condition: helpless

Me 11/11. DRAGON ME 2/11

Galvanized by their leader's display of strength, the gremlins wailed on the first ghoul, their little daggers cutting off bits and pieces of the undead creature.

In a frenzy of claws and fangs, both ghouls kept trying to put down the monsterlings, but their best attempt were thwarted by the aura of bad luck surrounding the gremlins.

Once again, Arbr took a small jump backwards, and flipped the bird at the ghoul, this time barking something slightly different. A fully formed missile of magical force shot fort from Arbr's finger, blasting the ghoul and destroying it for good.

The other gremlins cheered loudly, and one of them took a piece out of the remaining ghoul with its little dagger.

At this point, the last undead, alone against with four-soon-to-be-five opponents, who had already swiftly destroyed its companion, considered its options... And decided that discretion was the better part of valor.

That was a close one.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:46, Wed 03 May 2017.

Once Lev could move again he started herding the little guys out. They needed wounds looked at and if this was going to be a common thing they would all die. He had not a single wish for them to die or get hurt no matter how close to death their task brought him.

To be clear on his point he drew a road and pushed some of the figurines, once they got back to that point, down that road. At the end of the road was a group of grimlin. He really had no other way to say that they needed reinforcement beyond that. Hell, he wanted an army considering the undead.

He was hoping that the boss man had the ability to speak to them. This fight was going to reaaalllllllyyyyy mess with him when he took time to process.

It really boiled down to chance as he could have clearly died on this one. It would have been far more easy to just stun one and bring it in like the burrito of hate. Rather than what just went down.

Either way, the splunkin was done without goooddddd reasons.

Arbr shook his head: "Not..." He grasped at some invisible thing, and continued with a bark. He shook his head, said a word in a strange language, noticed Levithian had no idea what it meant and sighed.

And then finally: "Not... Safe. More..." He made a vague gesture, then snapped his fingers and conjured a bunch of monstrous-looking statuettes.

"Go... Way." And he pointed in the opposite direction, farther into the cave system.

The other little monsters looked at their leader plainly confused, possibly awed, most likely hungry, and certainly dumbfounded.

Bark, bark, string of seeming expletives.

Expletive, expletive, bark, question mark - or rather, question bark,

Exclamation bark, expletive expletive, nod.

The argument apparently settled, the little monsters looked expectantly at Levithian.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:52, Wed 03 May 2017.

Lev watched the explanation and tilted his head at Arbr as the little guy use a bit of the trade tongue. The explanation was enough to let Lev know what they wanted done, but it did not quell the fact it was a near thing and historically things got harder the deeper in you went.

Lev closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "All beings are people and all people need help from time to time." He reached up and ran his hand over the wound the Ghoul left on him and rubbed it away like sand.

He then gestured the way Arbr indicated and started that way. "I am a fool, I am a fool, I am a fool."

13:27, Today: Levithian rolled 8 using 1d10+1.  HEALLLLL.
Me 11/11. DRAGON ME 10/11