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08:35, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Episode Two: Bog Standard.

Posted by Mysterious Ancient WizardFor group 0
Mysterious Ancient Wizard
GM, 209 posts
Meddle not in wizards'
affairs - unless they ask
Fri 17 Mar 2017
at 23:51
  • msg #1

Episode Two: Bog Standard

Life in Carp on the Wall passes slowly and quickly at the same time: a day can seem like weeks, and a week can seem like a few hours. With everybody keping busy with personal project, research, assisting the villagers, or simply enjoying a little well-deserved rest, time just goes by without anybody ven noticing.

By th eend o the week, Zhorr seems to become a little preoccupied. Apparently, just before the party arrived, he had sent somebody to check on a small disturbance in the nearby forest. This person has not been heard from since, and Zhorr is starting to wonder if he sent the poor guy to his death... Or if he stole the item he had loaned him to make his job easier.

On the evening of the eighth day, while the party is having dinner at Zhorr's manor in what is starting to become a tradition, the bells ring. A few seconds later, a rather shaken Uldus announces that Zhorr should come check on something... And fast.

Zhorr invites the party to accompany him, and standin in the middle of the hall they find Levithian, apparently quite exhausted, accompanied by three-vount-them-three of ugly chihuahuas standing on their hind legs... Which Lia promptly identifies as gremlins.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:16, Sun 07 May 2017.
Levithian
player, 49 posts
Sun 7 May 2017
at 16:14
  • msg #2

Episode Two: Bog Standard

Once Zhorr was present Lev sighed the biggest sigh of relief ever. Lev was still all scales and useless wings as he curled up in the corner. He was like a sky blue dragon, if you smushed three of them into one dragon that is... Three sets of barely functioning wings covered most of him up like a comfortable blanket. A reflective but otherwise featureless eye cracked open in a most sleepy effort. "You wanted one, there was four. Arbr is their leader and rather skilled. We kinda saved each other."

"I wrote everything down for you... The undead had been a nearly fatal mistake on my part. I also brought back your treasure intact."


He made a sleepy scratch scratch gesture at the others that was meant to be a wave. "Good morning... Or is it evening?" He still wasn't going to go into humanoid form around the fuzzy harbingers of misfortune.
Mysterious Ancient Wizard
GM, 280 posts
Meddle not in wizards'
affairs - unless they ask
Sun 7 May 2017
at 20:46
  • msg #3

Episode Two: Bog Standard

Tessa, staying several steps away from the gremlins, added: "I thought he should see you immediately."

"And I didn't want those things in my inn" went unspoken, but was certainly understood.

It took Zhorr a moment before his mouth started working again: "I see... Thank you Tessa, Uldus, we'll take it from here. Levithian, if you would be amenable, for the time being I would have a room prepared for the four of you, and debrief you all in the morning."

Lia cleared her throat: "Dee? Did I just hear you invite three gremlins to take residence under our roof?"

Before Zhorr could answer, Arbr looked at Levithian and said: Exclamation bark. Expletive expletive, question bark.

Polite insult, implication of unnatural relationships with six-legged animals, question mark. Replied Zhorr with mild perplexity.

Suggestion of impure genealogy, a pox on the children's children until the seventh generation, invitation to perform anatomically unlikely acts on one's self. Added Lia.

At least, that's what the conversation sounded like to those who did not speak undercommon.

As it turned out, Arbr was asking about Levithian's promise, and Zhorr and Lia were offering reassurances. Undercommon really is a rather ugly language.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:47, Sun 07 May 2017.
Levithian
player, 52 posts
Mon 8 May 2017
at 05:37
  • msg #4

Episode Two: Bog Standard

Lev nodded, "I would be happy to sleep anywhere you want me to. Just so long as I can curl up and take a nap."

He gestured to the furry gremlins. "They didn't abandon me when the ghouls nearly got me. I'd be happy to stay with them, but at this point I cant promise I'll Gremlin sit them or anything. Too many things for them to be occupied by, and I am dead on my talons."
Leonia Sunstorm
player, 108 posts
Wed 10 May 2017
at 05:23
  • msg #5

Episode Two: Bog Standard

Leonia watches with interest. "Looks like another language that would be useful to learn. I assume you can teach when when we have the time, Zhorr?"
Mysterious Ancient Wizard
GM, 285 posts
Meddle not in wizards'
affairs - unless they ask
Wed 10 May 2017
at 21:53
  • msg #6

Episode Two: Bog Standard

Zhorr nodded: "Of course. Undercommon really is rather useful... It's the lingua franca of many underground creatures, much like commom for surface dwellers." That said, he delivered a polite statement in undercommon to the gremlins.

It sounded like the kindest thing in the entire conversation so far... And, judging from the way the small ones whimpered, it probably wasn't.

Arbr, however, simply nodded. With a smile, Zhorr enchanted a copper piece with a light spell, and gave it to an Unseen Servant, instructing it to lead Lev and the gremlins to their room, and turned on the warm water in the tub.

A few minutes later, another Unseen Servant delivered a small kitchen cart with a nutritious dinner.

And then, at long last, Levithian could finally get some proper sleep.



Next post will brief you all on the next adventure. If you have something to ad, please go ahead and do so.
Mysterious Ancient Wizard
GM, 288 posts
Meddle not in wizards'
affairs - unless they ask
Thu 11 May 2017
at 19:56
  • msg #7

Episode Two: Bog Standard

The night was surprisingly quiet, considering there were three gremlins in the house. Apparently Zhorr had impressed upon them the importance of good behavior.

Lev's debriefing took about an hour. Debriefing the Gremlins took the rest of the morning, and then some. Zhorr came back with Arbr in tow and a pensive look.

"I learned a number of interesting things from our new friends. I think I know where the mites came from now... But this is a conversation for another time."

He looked at Arbr, then back at the party and continued: "I have been talking to Arbr about the importance of integrity: I think we can work out something that will allow the gremlins to become productive members of our community."


The gremlin nodded and barked something that may have been an assent.
"However, I still don't have any test subjects for my research, and I specifically need some fey for their abilities."

With a gesture, he conjured an image of a map of the area: "There is a swamp a few days to the north, and bog nixies are reported to live there. Ideally I would like one of them alive, but I am probably going to need a few nixie hearts as well. I am not too keen about this, however: bog nixies can be rather vicious. After what happened with Levithian here, I am worried I might be sending people to their deaths."
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:56, Thu 11 May 2017.
Leonia Sunstorm
player, 111 posts
Thu 11 May 2017
at 21:18
  • msg #8

Episode Two: Bog Standard

Indicating the stitched flesh on Levittown (as shown in the icon), Ask asks "isn't he already dead? Best-mannered zombie I've ever met, admittedly..."
Levithian
player, 54 posts
Thu 11 May 2017
at 22:14
  • msg #9

Episode Two: Bog Standard

Lev did indeed come down in his humanoid form. Now that he had slept he was in a far better mood than when he first showed up. He smiled at Zhorr, "Sorry, I always want to bring back friends rather than captives. Still, I am really happy you talked them into helping with the community."

He tilted his head side to side trying to think on any way to help with the trapping. "Could make a big water bell trap. Put their favorite food inside the bell that sits on the top of the water. There are little tubes running inside that they can fit through but a few brush bristles that make it so they cant go back out that way. A few live Nixies should give you the best resource for your time."

"I promise not to try to recruit them this time... And it was my fault we had a near miss, a dragon is normally immune to that kind of thing..."


Lev looked surprised at Leonia's comment. "I am a dragon thank you very much. Well... I am the result of the true leviathian's effort to make an avatar of its own flesh so it could try to get free, a failure clearly. Which is why I came in as my dragon self when I first saw you all. I look dead because I was made, not born."
Dakash Szagdala
player, 151 posts
Pray for peace
But be prepared for war
Fri 12 May 2017
at 12:20
  • msg #10

Episode Two: Bog Standard

Dakash was vindicated when he heard the man say 'he knew where the mites came from'. The warrior-priest had been certain they were not native to the area, and probably were not the wandering, nomadic type. He looked forward to hearing the answer to his unasked question.
Mysterious Ancient Wizard
GM, 289 posts
Meddle not in wizards'
affairs - unless they ask
Sun 14 May 2017
at 20:51
  • msg #11

Episode Two: Bog Standard

Zhor seemed unconvinced: "Bog nixies are smart, cunning, and resistant to magic. They can also grant small wishes, and many people lost their lives trying to get their wish granted by a bog nixie. Which is why I want a few nixie hearts for spell research: reverse-engineering their ability would make for a very powerful spell."

Please post your shared consumables list for reference. You get a nice round 1000 gp to spend on common items (with the usual discount where applicable), and potions of lesser restoration and wands of cure light wounds tend to be useful under a number of circumstances. A wand of infernal healing is also an option. It heals more than cure light wounds, and it can be used by multiple arcanes (wizards, sorcerers, and summoners) without UMD, but, since the spell has the [evil] descriptor casting it (even with a wand) is a minor evil act. It's not the kind of thing that will shift your alignment any time soon, but make sure there are no paladins nearby or they might take offense. The only arcane in the party that can use the wand of CLW without UMD is Akane; conversely, she can't use infernal healing.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:56, Sun 14 May 2017.
Leonia Sunstorm
player, 114 posts
Thu 18 May 2017
at 13:54
  • msg #12

Episode Two: Bog Standard

Leonia looks equally surprised at Lev's comment. "Your...dragon form?" She turns to Zhorr and shields her mouth so Lev cannot see her lips move. She mouths the words 'Is he crazy or something?' All SHE had seen of Lev was a zombie body. Perhaps his brain was rotted as well.....
Mysterious Ancient Wizard
GM, 292 posts
Meddle not in wizards'
affairs - unless they ask
Thu 18 May 2017
at 15:32
  • msg #13

Episode Two: Bog Standard

Zhor shrugged: "Levithian has some unusual abilities. Most things about Levithian are rather unusual, really. He's more akin to Aasimars or Tieflings than humans or dwarves." His chuckled: "Which seems rather common, these days. Back when I was a young adventurer, most of us where plain boring humans."
Levithian
player, 61 posts
Thu 18 May 2017
at 16:30
  • msg #14

Episode Two: Bog Standard

"Back in your day adventurers seeded the future of half breeds boss." Lev smiled ear to ear. He inclined his head in respect for Zhorr. The man was a prime example that power had no roots, any could be powerful.
Mysterious Ancient Wizard
GM, 296 posts
Meddle not in wizards'
affairs - unless they ask
Mon 29 May 2017
at 21:24
  • msg #15

Episode Two: Bog Standard

Zhorr chuckled: "Some more literally than others. But I digress..."

"A lot." Promptly agreed Lia. "I have to go visit the farms, so I'll make this short: if you need any potions, let me know. If you need equipment, talk to Mandy. That is, Mandala, the shopkeeper. Weapons, talk to Elda. There may be unusual dangers on the way, so Akane will accompany you and keep an eye out for traps and things. She isn't a fighter, however, so keep that in mind. You leave in two days, so make sure to have everything you need before then."
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:25, Mon 29 May 2017.
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