Pharasma guides the group of deities down an increasingly dark and damp tunnel, the uneven stonework giving way to clay and bedrock in many places.

After nearly an hour, the tunnel begins to slope gently upward again.  Fresh air can be felt ahead as a worn but even stairway leads upward and through a small stone doorway.

The instant that the first person passes through the doorway, Pharasma vanishes.  The group emerges from a small stone structure surrounded by rubble and muddy ground.  It is early afternoon; the sky is overcast.

[Roll Perception.]

[Note: When beginning a new scene and asked to roll Perception, each player has three options:  roll for yourself, take 10, or roll to aid another.  Please specify which of these you're doing in the dice roller and note any conditional bonuses.  I will provide a description of the area based on the best rolls.  You, as the players, can decide how the characters react and interact; you don't necessarily need to wait to be told what was seen.]

Elera took a deep breath of the muddy air as she emerged into the mortal world. Her head swiveled cautiously as she checked to see if their arrival had been noticed. After a few seconds to assure herself there wasn’t danger, she took a moment to feel the squish of the mud beneath her before the novelty wore off. It wasn’t ideal weather for traveling, but it could have been worse. She turned to ask her compatriot, “So, how does mortality feel?”

OOC: 13:55, Today: Elera Nehnisa rolled 25 using 1d20+8.  Rolling perception for self.

“Shallower “, muttered Skeeve from the shadows, testing the air with his whiskers and peering around


21:37, Today: Skeeve rolled 12 using 1d20+7.  Perception - Self

Ludovic shrugged at the idea of how mortality felt. He spread his arms out and twisted his body in various ways making all kinds of pops and crackles. "Wings are stuck inside the torso." He twisted around, "I still have the tail." He tilted his head back and a crease on his forehead opened up to what looked to be a beholders eye. "Third eye still there." it closed before he opened his mouth and uttered a few words of aberrant far realm language, pronounced perfectly as a native. "Tongue still augmented."

"Still need to revive a great many body mods but its a start." King of monsters indeed. "How are you feeling? All bits in place?"


20:04, Today: Ludovic rolled 10 using 1d20+6.  Perception.

Elera nodded appreciatively at Skeeve's answer before she blinked in surprise as Ludovic's various modifications were displayed. She hadn't expected to see things like that on an outwardly human body, but she should have expected that someone named the king of monsters would have sculpted his body to mimic his subjects. At Ludovic's question, she spread her fingers wide and held them out in front of her before wiggling them in a wave. She repeated the process with her feet, squishing the mud with her toes before nodding and answering, "Yes, I think that I have all my parts." She pauses as she sweeps her gaze across the surroundings before adding, "I thought the world would look a lot more evil with the seal in place. Foreboding clouds blocking heaven's gaze and things like that."

As Ziklag came down out of the tunnel, the others could notice him touching his face, stretching his face muscles, clapping himself on the arms, and other such unusual gestures.

"For me, leave mortality all on its own - corporeality is strange and interesting."  He commented  "Unnn nervinnng.  These sounds vibrate my face.  How odd!"

23:00, Today: Ziklag rolled 15 using 1d20.  Perception (aiding Elera, as he's walking with her).

"Everything does indeed seem to be in place." Thaddeus responded to Ludovic whilst looking down at his body.

Thaddeus rolled 6 using 1d20+4

All the various augments closed up and hid away. Overall he looked as human as can be. "I am so very excited for everyone. There is such depth to the nobility they can have, and such vast villainy."

"It may be rough starting but but no divine has a better chance at personal growth than we."

Shadowdale stays back at watches the others ready to act if need be.

The party is in a long-disused graveyard, having exited the central mausoleum.  There is no longer any sign of the tunnel from which they entered; the small stone building is a single room with no sign of another passage.

What were once tombstones are now faded fragments, and the mud has been churned and resettled - most of the graves have been dug up at one time or another over the centuries.  There is no sign that anyone has been here in years, probably decades.

At what was once the cemetery's south entrance is a dirt road running east to west that shows infrequent but regular traffic.  Travelers on foot and by cart have passed within the last couple of days.

It will rain within the hour.

"Appropriate", chcuckled Skeeve, mostly to himself, as he took in the tombstones and the air of disuse, adding "But hopefully not prophetic" as he began to poke behind the broken stones and weeds.

After a few moments his head pops up and he peers at the other deities taken mortal form, "Any thoughts on how low a profile we keep. After centuries cut off from mortal thoughts, we might be - dare I say - a bit out of touch..."

Confident that he will hear enough of the debate, he cautiously moved to study the tracks, to see if might glean who was travelling where, and why

Elera watches the overcast sky with hopeful anticipation before she returns her focus to Skeeve. She looks to the other mortal deities and adds, "I think that we should at least attempt to pass as local mortals even if we don't know enough to do it well. We'll get better at doing so with every interaction that occurs as we learn what they behave like. I am also leery of drawing the attention of our enemy before we have found allies. For now, our best shield is our obscurity." She begins following Skeeve towards the road as she continues, "We should try to find shelter and water for our bodies. After all, I doubt that you will enjoy the rain as much as I will."

At those remarks Skeeve glanced upwards, brow furrowed, “Such concerns had not crossed my mind; the weather, I mean. If the traffic is heading mainly one way, I say we head that way.”

“It may indicate a town”, he added doubtfully. In truth, east was no worse then west from what he thought they might garner from the road, but he would look
This message was last edited by the player at 22:03, Fri 13 Jan 2023.

Elera wiggles her hand side to side as she answers, “I think we’re going to get ran out of the first town we visit no matter what; we are too clearly outsiders with no idea how to act. I’d prefer that we get run out of a small village rather than a larger town. Less people to chase us and less risk that we must kill our pursuers in order to escape.” She looks back to the rest of the group to see if they have any thoughts on the matter.

Ludovic frowned looking at the disturbed graves. "To rob the dead of their monument is to invoke ignorance on the following generation. They earned their rest and someone tilled the graves like a lost crop." He took a knee and removed a sample of the soil. Hopefully it could go to a spell but it was doubtful the graverobbers would still be alive for that spell to find a touch of justice.

"You are, without a doubt, correct. And in the end we know we will be betrayed. We can only truly count on each other. Even with monsters I cant keep them around for very long at all for now. So, small town it is?"

"Though I would like to return here much later. The way may be weak but if we make a ... landing spot? We may be able to sneak more aid through. After all, we have never had any help on this side."

Elera turned to walk backwards and face Ludovic as she responded, "Korada was rather cryptic, but he implied that things would be easier once the first task was completed. Maybe that meant that heaven would be able to send something here again while the seal is weakened?" Her hands pause in their gesturing as she considers her next words and then says, "In any case, you're probably right that it's worth returning here to check if something changes after the task is done."

"Also," He held up one finger. "We could come back to the gate later to build it up. Having a base of operations away from others may just be a boon. Nearly all religion starts in a graveyard anyway."

Elera looks slightly concerned as she says, "Just remember not to start an actual religion. I think it would be a shame if we lost you to the seal."

He posed like a hero, fists on hips! "Alchemy lab, Divine is the last thing they think when dealing with an alchemist. Physical science has no room for the fluffery and puffery of faith. PISHAW! I do say."

At Ludovic's pose and exaggerated rejection of religion, Elera laughs before she says, "Of course, I'm sorry to have made the mistake." She pauses and schools her expression into faux seriousness before she continues, "Absolutely no divinity here either. Why, I just punch people. How could anyone possibly mistake that for something worth worshipping."

Shadowdale stood looking around.
The weather is not an issues to me but I think for others it would be.  We need to keep a low profile.  Learn the ways of this place but Elera is right we going to make mistakes.  So acting little, speaking little, watching and learn.  Maybe find a town drunk.  Nobody believes them anyway.

He then goes off to study the tracks.

OOC:
06:00, Today: Shadowdale Greenleaf rolled 18 using 1d20+7.  Survival: Study tracks.

Ziklag smirked at Ludovic's airs.  "That is wise.  Meanwhile, all my powers stem from my distant Efreeti ancestors.  I don't even come close to granting true wishes, how could I be more than my ancestors, let alone a god?"

He moved over next to Shadowdale and gazed at the tracks he was apparently trying to study.  "Looks like a road to me."  He commented helpfully.

The most recent tracks were made by a cart pulled by two horses heading west, three days back.

The tracks before that are a pair of Large humanoids - likely ogres - heading east the same day.

Two days before that, another horse-drawn cart heading east, accompanied by at least two Small humanoids and a Medium animal (canid or felid).

The other wheel tracks and footprints are too old to separate out, but more are headed east than west.

Shadowdale looks up at Ziklag.
We where all gods once.  Or we would not be here.  We all been made semi mortal.  So you are just as good or bad as the rest of us in your own way.  Nothing personal but trying to be dumb in front of the god of fools is not really going to work.  So what is your area of interest.

He looks back at the tracks.

Carts heading both east and west and Ogres east.  I would go for west.  Two less ogres that way.

Elera frowns slightly at Shadowdale's comment to Ziklag, she thought it had been clear that all of them were jesting. None of them could really have expected anyone to forget the fact that Ziklag peeled himself off of a flag or that they were all deities. However, she lets her thoughts go unremarked as Shadowdale moved to discuss his findings. She added her agreement, "I really think that we'll all enjoy not having to escape a pair of ogres. Besides, I would rather not have them deliver news about the arrival of troublemakers back to their king so soon. My vote is that we head west."

Ziklag smiled regardless of the dressing down.  "My earlier comment was interjecting to Elera and Ludovic - having plausible reasons for our abilities and the ability to keep others from recognizing us as gods is important to our mission.  Failing to do so is the only real way to fail our mission..."

"As for the latter comment, that was for levity's sake.  Who'd have expected a humorless god of fools.  Such a waste!"  He laughed aloud.  "Since you are the god of fools, I'll answer your question, though I pretty thoroughly implied it just a few minutes ago.  I'm focusing from everything that sets human hearts alight to the positive emotions - love and luck for me.  In terms of mortal affairs, I'm interested in the arcane and in communicating with people.  Even choleric ones!"

The amount he had said washed over him briefly.  "Going forward, it would be wise for us not to make those distinctions, though.  Even privately - who knows when someone or something might over hear?  Perhaps we should refer to 'nobles' and 'commoners,' or 'ancestors' and 'the living' - anything to disguise our meaning in a way that leads to quick misunderstandings."

</DarkGreen>...

... And west sounds good to me, too.</DarkGreen>"  He concluded.

"West", muttered Skeeve to himself, "Full of portents that would be. Yes, indeed"

He moved into the lee of the wall, cleaning his whiskers ferociously, "West. West, we must go"

Head cocked to one side, he chittered suddenly, watching the tombstones

Elera watched as Skeeve began to intently observe the tombstone. Had he seen something that the others hadn't? Finally, with a majority opinion reached, she says, "That decides it then? If the Thaddeus and Ludovic don't have any pressing objections or new information, then let us be off. We have a long way to go and then a long way to run as we escape our pursuers." She moves to begin slowly walking backwards along the westward path, giving the last two a chance to voice any dissent.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:12, Sat 14 Jan 2023.

"West it is." He just pulled out a number of small vials and what not to begin a few alchemical processes. Much of the alchemy he could do didn't need a lab, but a lab would be nice. A lab would be grand. But that is something that could wait.

"This is going to be grand."

Many small animals have made their homes among the decay of the graveyard. From a hole nearby scurry two rats, sleek and well-fed. Each is the size of a small dog: 18 inches long with another one-foot-length of tail. They cautiously approach Skeeve, their whiskers twitching.

Shadowdale turns to look at Ziklag.
A good answer and a useful one.  So you will be happy to help when it comes to gaining information as we go.
He then added to his suggestion.
We could call the ones that sent us The Heroes of old.  Ourselves scholars or seekers of Stories and Song.
A minor ruler of a small state sent us out to collect said stories and songs for his entertainment.  But wishes to keep his identity secret for his own reasons.
What do you think?
He asks Ziklag but his question was also to the rest as well.  The comment about him being humorless seems to gone way over Shadowdale's head.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:23, Sun 15 Jan 2023.

Elera watches as the two rats scurry out of the hole. She guessed that this was Skeeve's boon in action and nothing worth being concerned about or commenting on.

At Shadowdale's comment about what to call the other deities, she adds, "I'm partial to ancestors and the living. I don't particularly like viewing the mortals as mere commoners and ourselves as above their concerns. I also think that we should know more about the world before we try to pass ourselves off as agents of any existing polity. Referring to our backers as heaven-sent heroes seems like a bad idea." She pauses and blinks as she realizes what she has said and continues, "Or we could just call them our backers. That is what they are."

Skeeve hunkers down, his own whiskers twitching, then chitters at the two rats

He has one ear on the conversation, observing only, ”Backers. Let us be soft and subtle”

Shadowdale.
Ah.  I see you misunderstand me.  The Heroes of old are what we call the gods of old between ourselves.  That is separate from the minor noble and being collectors of stories and song.  It is just an idea.  Once we get to town it may not fit.  As skeeve said backers may be just find.  The more we say but less we give away the better.

Shadowdale turns to Skeeve.
Are your friends coming with us as well?

Skeeve bobbed his head, “Yes. Yes, Words like a busy warren, many spoken but like the wind in their meaning.”

He bared long teeth in what was probably a smile, “First I speak to them of this place. Perhaps they will come, but those from the town warrens may be better”

The rats circle Skeeve and chitter.

[Language unknown: "At riloos u ngpo caes be panifi t enai, nieila taofic.  P urhare ur bess.  Som fo k to?"]
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:53, Sun 15 Jan 2023.

Skeeve squeaked and turned in response, [Language unknown: “Eau ntpopr ou ouet hiint estme artwitsetrat hasno ou se, ioous? Ichno sibe ul erswitlat as adeiti hiugh, urmomi iv vir ulthan stwefi?”]

After he had spoken, he paused, and took a small silver earring from a pouch, offering it to one of them, [Language unknown: “io kor Proourndewascom”]

The two dash away, returning a minute later. One has the earring in his teeth.

[Language unknown: "Ametedeauprooul nc ckwil olisch are whi.  All ill as, elhina eciswh aconce sshoat rechse iv la. Rutmenven manthater oflain redmentha lacaec a nteatirea.  Plwh unng wh, erpo un neec tiatli."]

Taking back the earring, Skeeve offered a querulous squeak, [Language unknown: “Sanai palo is ittomopa m o alanek rat itrea larreswas nc? Sti sini out onswitone ainerseve?”]

Conversations and gathering of objects can take a little t8me. So Ludo being the magical short attention span poster guy will have a look see for any herbs, plants, or components.

16:52, Today: Ludovic rolled 23 using 1d20+6 ((17)). Survival

There's not very much growing here that hasn't been grazed on by the local fauna. You find some wild onion and leechwort you can use.

"Some bits and bobs, Leechwort is useful. If anyone finds a beehive honey is great for medicine. I am going to presume that a lot of people are in the dark so eh, going to find what I can."

"You good Skeeve? We don't know what is being said."

Ziklag stretched and spent some time acclimating himself to having a physical body while Skeeve spoke and Ludovic scavenged.  Better to get this done while out in the wilderness than when among other humanoid folk.  He had seen corporeal beings for millennia, so he knew generally what the range of motion for a person was, but he tested it out for himself to be sure.

The rats reply. [Language unknown: "Pe wilwe ntinc preen of. Ove n trer padiwi lo con ousio allanyion.  Earame'ouserethaive fiurckalre itntev hat."]

Some drops begin to fall. It won't be a hard rain, but it will continue throughout the afternoon. At least it is not too cold.

As the rain drops start to fall, Elera perks up and raises her face to the sky to feel them. She hadn’t experienced much weather in the divine realm, and the slight chill felt comfortable to her. Eventually, she lowers her face and lets herself fall into a kata to pass the time while she waits for Skeeve to finish conversing. It primarily involves quick jabbing strikes with her hands while she makes slow steps around an imagined foe. It looks distinctly incomplete, as if she was supposed to be much more fluid and mobile.

Finally noticing that the others were mulling about waiting for him, Skeeve chuckled and beckoned the two rats into his pack, "They will accompany us"

He frowned slightly, "Their view of the world is different from yours, errr mine, but they have told me that those walking westward smell of blood and those walking east of food"

His whiskers twitched once, "Perhaps west is home, and east a butchery or hunting grounds..."

Thaddeus followed the others but was too busy getting comfortable in his new form. He flexed and tensed his muscles in an attempt to feel how strong this new form was. His attention turned towards Skeeve and his new little friends. "You sure you can trust 'em?"

"They would not deceive me", mused the ratling, heading tilted as he thought, "But their perspective is not the same as a man"

Do they have names?
Shadowdale asks.

Skeeve smiled at the question, "They have ... scents ... that talk of their physicality and brood and warren". Gesturing to one of them, disappearing into his pack, he offered, "But I will speak to them as we travel; it might be easier for all concerned..."

"East, or west?", he asked, now everyone had a little more information, "Food, or blood?"

Ziklag spoke up, "West.  Let's get oriented somewhere that might be a little bit safer before we plunge head-long into whatever the bloodland is.  Everyone seemed pretty unanimous on that even before you made some friends.  It's heartening that our first encounter here was to make allies even if they are... smaller."  He concluded with a grin.

"If they are heading east, and smell like food, then they come from the west so we jeep going west."

"Just let them know to alert you to any major changes? Corn and meat are both food. A hunting camp may be fun."

Elera stops her kata before she nods her agreement and says, “Going west still seems like the most sound option for the reasons that the others have stated.” Then, she moves to begin going westward. She walks slowly for a few steps before she turns and waits to see if the others will follow her.

This may be a good time work out a ruff order to travel and what each of us can if anything in a fight.
I know we are in a better situation that most but take it from me there our some bad thing that can happen to you even if you do not die from an attack.

“I am well suited for repositioning around enemies in order to enable flanking maneuvers using my mobility. I am also fast enough to stand in the second rank and still arrive with the first rank,” Elera says. She pauses as she prepares her next words before continuing, “What sort of formation would we like to walk in? We could split it up into two ranks. Those of us who punch and stab people up front and the magic folks in the back row.”

OOC: Elera is a jabbing style dexterity monk. She’ll probably be the most helpful by running around to the other side of enemies to set up flanks with Skeeve, assuming that Skeeve is a rogue. Is there a compelling reason that we shouldn’t split the rows into martials and casters?

“Skeeve is best when he is not seen”, suggested the rogue

Ludovic shrugged. "I am the weakest one here but given time and money I will be the most powerful in the world. I am a clone master alchemist. So any monster we run into i will copy. I can do s bit of summoning but at our current condition they don't last long."

"Think of me as a crafter with some healing and weak bombs."

"I can currently distract and disable things, shoot minor fire bolts, and once per day enlarge or shrink, and charm people."  He thought for a moment.  "With my body's abilities, if you were to ask for one of those things by saying 'I wish...' and stating it, the effect would be stronger.  But only once per day per person."

Ludovic wrote a few notes down. "So I am thinking some antitoxin, antiplagues, Healing balms, and I want to get some Fire wards made so as we go along you want to keep an eye out for a red clover like moss."

"Is there any other alchemy you want me to focus on? Night drops assuming some cant see in the dark? Oooo. I could make some candle rods."

"I am big and very strong, I hit hard and I'm hard to kill. Just like before.." The last sentence was said with a nostalgic tone. The God of War took his position in the front of the group, being the biggest of them all.

OOC: Thaddeus is an Unchained Barbarian with the Invulnerable Rager Archetype. His Domain spells are also things that make him stronger in close combat.

The rain is more pleasant than a hindrance, but it does start to soften the road as you begin your journey west.

The land to either side of the road is wild, overgrown with grasses and trees although with nothing so dense you'd call it a forest.

After less than an hour, you pass what appears to be a crossroads of sorts.  Wooden stalls are set up at each corner, but all are unattended. The roads north and south are clearly less traveled than east and west: the trails you had noted before continue west.

Some cobbling near the crossroads and some piles of stone suggest thst there may have been a village here once, decades ago.

Let me know if you stop to investigate, turn north or south, or continue west.

With the arrival of the party at the crossroads near the village, Elera shifts from foot to foot as she voices her thoughts, “I think we should continue west. The north and south roads are less travelled, but we don’t know if there’s something in those directions. Carts suggest goods being moved and from that, residents.”

OOC: 11:21, Today: Elera Nehnisa rolled 4 using 1d20+3. Foraging during travel.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:34, Tue 17 Jan 2023.

“West”, muttered Skeeve as he scuttled towards the derelict stalls to nose around then; the was a potency in the chance of forgotten things that called to him

The stalls hold the scent of food, but nothing of note remains. Even the garbage has clearly been picked through by the local wildlife.

Shadowdale studies the area for tracks and an idea of what food was sold here.
He turns to Skeeve.  Skeeve can your friends tell us what animal have been here to pick over the wast?  Oh and do they know if owl are common around here?

OOC:
00:07, Today: Shadowdale Greenleaf rolled 21 using 1d20+6.  Survival:.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:11, Tue 17 Jan 2023.

Fruit and grains, from the waste.

The animals are your typical scavenging birds and mammals. Possums, raccoons, etc.

Ludovic did not see much of anything as he was collecting loose bits of wood. He was going to sculpt them into tools and weapons as needed. He would not let any opportunity to make things go to waste. He was good to head west as it was the only direction that posted any reasonable help.

Though at this rate he was expecting slavers or some such.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:34, Wed 18 Jan 2023.

You move further west. The roads seem slightly better here and the rain has stopped for the moment. Occasionally you pass patches of land that have been cleared.

Two miles west of the crossroads, you see your first people: a group of four hobbits on a hill 500 yards south working to till the soil. They stop and watch you as you pass.

It doesn't look like they intend to approach the road or speak with you.

Ludo pointed at the hobbits, "Anyone want to say hello? I am not much of a social person."

"But this makes me wonder something. The people coming here smell of blood, right? For people to be out here randomly farming there has to be something interesting going on. People dont get to be peaceful without the threat of violence." Now that he had a question Ludo just shrugged and walked over. "Hiya can a hermit bother you a bit? If not I absolutely understand and wont mess with your day."

"Get inside," one of the hobbits says to the other three, and whistles. Two mastiffs - both taller at the shoulder than the humanoids - bound into sight from over the hill as the other three hobbits drop their tools and run directly away from the road.

The one remaining hobbit eyes the group, the two dogs stopping even with him and baring their teeth.  "No truck with geflicka* here.  Move along."

(*geflicka is the goblin word for "hunted".)

Ludovic smiled and kept his hands where the brave hobbit could see them. "I hear you and understand. Have a good day." He smiled at the hounds, Ludovic adored dogs. All the same he inclined his head and headed back to the group to keep heading west.

"Goblin language used in idle speech. It runs deep then. It will take a generation after people get freed before the reins let up."

"This is going to be fun."

"Hunted, though?  Is there something that sticks out about us that would set us apart as people who would be hunted?"  Ziklag asked as he looked at the halfling for a long moment before turning to continue down the road.  He looked around at the group.

He considered aloud, "Perhaps our clothing?  Or perhaps... that we are traveling at all.  I can't imagine that evil overlords would want their subjects moving about freely.  We should keep a careful eye and ear out as we travel - if we notice other travelers we should try to figure out if there's a visible outward sign that they are permitted to travel."

Almost an hour passes before you approach another area of tilled land. A stone house with a thatched roof is visible, well back from the road, surrounded by a low stone wall. Between it and the road, two hobbits guide a single horse pulling a plow.

At about the same time that you first notice them, they notice you.  They quickly unyoke their beast and one runs towards the house while the other moves quickly in your direction.

You're still a distance down the road; you have a minute or so to confer until the hobbit is within earshot. But you can already see by her size and how she moves that she is a child.

Elera frowns as she turns to the rest of the party and says, "I'm uncomfortably certain that there will be repercussions for this child if we talk with her. Maybe we could have Skeeve eavesdrop on one of their homes while we hide instead?" She stiffly watches the child approach as she waits for the rest of the party to respond.

"That seems like a very good idea. Set off the side of the road and set up a bit of a hidden camp? We can also cover our tracks." It was something to do so Ludovic was all about it. He was out of his mind traveling on the road with nothing to do other than air dry herbs.

Elera nods and responds, "Then let's move. We can possibly dodge the child if we go now." She sweeps her gaze over the surrounding areas, checking for anywhere that the party might be able to hide.

Darting swiftly to the side of the road, Skeeve seeks out what cover he can find to move closer to the habitation. His ears twitch

[There is cover off the side of the road to the north, and you can dart over there if you move now.  I'll wait to hear that all of you agree to do this.]

Ludovic was already trotting over and doing is upmost best to set up the cover in such a way as to be as well hidden as possible. Even trying to obscure tracks as far as he could and still get there in reasonable time.

18:41, Today: Ludovic rolled 26 using 1d20+6.  survival

Elera follows along behind Ludovic as she ineffectually attempts to aid him in setting up their hiding place. She doesn't manage to meaningfully impact his already exemplary demonstration of bushcraft skills.

OOC: 19:36, Today: Elera Nehnisa rolled 5 using 1d20+3 ((2)).

I agree Elera.  We have time and the more we understand of this world the better our chance of success.  The less people that know about us the better.  Let us move off the road and stay out of sight.  I can make water so that not an issue.

OOC:
Stealth to get everybody off the road and out of sight.
18:20, Today: Shadowdale Greenleaf rolled 26 using 1d20+7.  Stealth.

"Fine!" Thaddeus said at the prospect of sneaking around. He was more of the grunt, solve your problem openly kinda guy.

OOC:  Today: Thaddeus rolled 11 using 1d20+2 ((9)). Stealth.

Ziklag silently headed for the cover, hoping to avoid causing trouble for the child.  How horrible would it be if one of their first actions in the world were to bring wrath down on the innocent?


OOC: Sorry, thought I had posted this earlier today, but it apparently didn't go.

Skeeve scampered with the rest into the cover

20:09, Today: Skeeve rolled 15 using 1d20+8.  Stealth

The little girl approaches the place where the party left the road. She looks off into the woods, and after a minute, she turns back towards the house.

Approaching from the house is another child along with an adult hobbit.

[Do you stay hidden?]

"There is a lot of speculation, and I am far to ignorant of goblin culture to assume what is going on. Hell, I've gone down a few rabbit holes already to presume the real seal is a living thing, after all the seal is adaptive to awareness."

"Being the monster guy, if I was them, I would set it up so the smaller races are the labor force. Easy to control and often are happy to get by, by getting by." Still, he was impressed by the desire to not endanger the girl. It was a good call.

He was already starting to craft a few things, Ludovic did not do well sitting idle.

Elera remains crouched down in the cover as she strains her ears in an attempt to catch anything that might be said. She whispers, "Should we want to wait for them to go back in before we send Skeeve to eavesdrop on them?"

OOC: 10:37, Today: Elera Nehnisa rolled 17 using 1d20+8.  Perception: Listen to a conversation from a distance.

"They must've gone to ground when they saw Beeza coming," the younger girl hobbit says as she, an older-looking youth, and the adult gaze north from the road.

"Y'did good coming to get me," the adult says.  His voice creaks with age.  "As long as we're hosting we can't let the geflicka get close to the house.  Don't take it personal - they don't know who they can truck with."

"I dunno, da," the older girl says.  "They didn't look like geflicka to me.  They looked tall, like foreigners.  One of 'em had tusks."

The adult shakes his head.  "No way for foreigners to get this deep into Varnield.  Would've been caught and eaten by now.  They probably looked tall 'cause they were skinny."

"What do we do, da?" the younger girl asks.

He looks west.  "Still got three hours of daylight left.  Have ma wrap up dinner, give it to 'em if they pop out before dark.  Let 'em know why they can't stay here."

"We're hostin', the Flaxfeathers three farms to the west should be safe, don't be on the road after dark," the older girl recites from memory.

"Good girl," the man says as they turn to head back towards the house.

"We'll pray for 'em, right da?" the younger girl asks.

The man's answer, if any, is lost on the wind.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:05, Sun 22 Jan 2023.

Elera relays what she’s heard to the party as she says, “It sounds like they’re tentatively open to speaking with us and giving us the lay of the land, but it sounds like something’s staying in their house that they don’t want to see us. It’s probably okay for us to step out so long as we stay out of sight from the house.” She pauses before continuing, “It sounds like something happens to the roads after dusk, but there is a sympathetic family 3 farms to the west.”

"Well, seeing as nearly everyone around here so far are hobbits, I can cook up a few youth potions. They will only last for two hours and I can only make four of them at this time. But it should give us at least some 'glance over' cover."

The two girls re-yoke their beast close to where you left the road and resume plowing there. One of them has a sizeable cloth bag she didn't have before. It's about three hours until dusk.

Are you making any movements before dusk, assuming nothing else happens?

Elera looks between her companions as she asks, “I’ll step out and ask them for the food and then we can start making our way to the family that will shelter us for the night if we don’t have any strong feelings about what we should do.” She waits for any objections to be voiced before she starts to creep out of the foliage.

Ziklag nodded to Elera.  "I agree.  If we've got food and a sympathetic family that will help us as we are, we might as well save any time that could be spent on preparing those potions, for now.  Personally, I look forward to getting a little bit of context directly from them."

[Is Elera emerging alone, or is the group emerging?]

Shadowdale says.
I will stay back.  We don't want to show our true numbers.

Ludovic was not sneaky and he was making things so he stayed put until he was told to move otherwise.

Ziklag concentrated for half a moment to shift his garments from the high-quality red robes he had been wearing to  simpler garb, much like those the hobbits wore.  "I'll come out as well."  He whispered, doing just that.

Elera nods at Ziklag’s statement as she whispers back, “Are we planning to pretend to be geflicka, or do we want to admit our own lack of knowledge. I think that I could obfuscate the truth, but this is probably the best chance to learn what being a geflicka means.”
This message was last edited by the player at 19:10, Wed 25 Jan 2023.

"We actually don't know that we're not geflicka," Ziklag said quietly.  "Let's accept it for now and get out of their hair so we don't endanger them.  We can find out when we're in shelter at the other farm and off the road."

As Emera and Ziklag emerge from the woods, the older of the two girls stops their animal and dismounts to approach them.

"Hi, I'm sorry you can't stay here," she starts, "we're hosting.  The Flaxfeathers are three farms to the west."

With widened eyes, she looks up, and up, and up at the adults nearly three times her own height. "Are you humans? How did you get here?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:39, Wed 25 Jan 2023.

Elera raises one hand in a slow wave as she approaches and says, "We heard from where we were hiding. Thank you for doing this; I hope that it doesn't cause you trouble." At the smaller one's question, she grins as she says, "I'm mostly human. We walked here, and I imagine there's a lot of that in our future." She lets the grin slip off of her face before adding, more seriously, "At least, I hope so."

The girl takes the pack off her shoulder and hands it to Elera. "Try to get to the Flaxfeathers before dark. They travel at night. A prayer to Yondalla may help you move faster."

"Gramma says prayers don't work anymore," the younger girl says, having approached but staying behind her sister.

"Maybe they still work for humans," the older girl insists.

Elera takes the offered pack and pulls it onto her shoulder while she asks, "Do you know how far the Flaxfeathers are from your farm? It would be helpful to know if we need to hustle in order to make it there before dark."

After the exchange between the two sisters, Elera offers a half-shrug as she says, "It certainly won't hurt."

Concealed by the roadside, Skeeve considered whether to try to move closer to the hobbit's farm. His whiskers twitched with the temptation, though he stayed put for now, sending one of the two rats instead - the one whose scent-name most closely translated to 'Loam'

She looks at the sun's position. "We'd usually take Daisy to go that far.  It would be around two hours. But with your long legs, I bet you can make it walking."

Loam is gone a few minutes. He reports the presence of one goblin in the bigger structure and three dogs and one hobbit in the smaller structure.  Not much food.

Ziklag stays slightly behind Elera, preferring to let the woman be the one closer to the little girls for their sake.  "Please thank your family for their hospitality to us.  No one can do everything for anyone all of the time, but you all have shown us great kindness.  Such small good deeds can sometimes make it into stories that encourage the hearts of others for generations!"

Turning to Elera, he said, "We should probably be moving on as soon as they tell us how far a walk it is."

Elera nods affirmatively at the children as she answers, “Thank you, we’ll make sure to stay out of sight of the house while we pass.“ She starts to take steps away and back towards the others as she offers a wave in farewell.

Traveling on, the rain has entirely stopped, although the sun is still concealed behind clouds.

You encounter a dirt path to the north about an hour and a half later. There are tilled fields on either side of the road, and a half dozen goats graze placidly in a paddock within sight of the road. No people are visible.

There are about two hours of sunlight left. If the upcoming farms are spaced as far apart as the last three have been, you will make it to the next farm just before sundown, and the one after that (matching the girl's directions) about an hour after sundown.

Do you take any action here before continuing on?

While they continue to walk, Elena says, "We need to move faster if we want to make it in time. I can conjure a floating disk from my domain for Skeeve to ride on, and then we can hustle to try and reach our destination." She looks at the others and continues with seriousness in her voice, "I would really rather not find out why we shouldn't be out at night."

Ziklag was only to happy to speed up.  "I concur - haste is in order here."  He said as his paces stretched out and quickened.  "I, for one, found it extremely encouraging that even after all this time, there are still those who remember.  And even more so that some are still willing to go out on a limb for a stranger."

"Cant call up the chariot of monsters just yet. And any other monster I can call on sticks around only for a few moments. So forced march at double time it is for me!" Ludovic picked up the pace as much as he could. He would be making liquor later to make the pain go away.

I agree.  The more we understand and the less we are notice the better.  Just remember nobody can be totally trusted.  Just keep that in mind.

Still waiting for Skeeve.  In the meantime, here are your options, assuming you need to travel about 6 miles (the farms so far have been around 3 miles apart).
Everyone walks: Move speed 20.  ETA 3 hours.
Skeeve hustles or rides the disk, others walk: Move speed 30.  ETA 2 hours.
Everyone (but Thaddeus and Elena) hustles: Move speed 40.  ETA 1.5 hours.
Skeeve rides the disk, others hustle: Move speed 60.  ETA 1 hour.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:25, Mon 06 Feb 2023.

Skeeve nodded slowly, "Scampering is called for, and I can do so, but still be quiet. Let others set the pace - not too fast, not too slow, for haste and speed are different outcomes"

OOC: Recommend the 2 hour option

The group picks up its pace. The next farm appears within the hour, and with more than an hour left before sundown, you approach what you count to be the farm you were told about.

Tall reedy plants grow on either side of a short road to the south that ends in three man-made structures.  A hobbit sits in front of one of the structures - what looks to be a two-story house.  A younger hobbit is chasing two large dogs through the field.

[Skeeve, Ziklag, Shadowdale, and Ludovic take 1 nonlethal damage and are now fatigued.]

"Perhaps you are best placed to see if we are welcome here, Elera", Skeeve suggested, as they paused for breath on their approach, "These 'Flaxfeathers' may welcome the less familiar among us more readily if they see a friendly face first"

Shadowdale move off the road and finds a place to look over the house hidden.

OOC:
22:07, Today: Shadowdale Greenleaf rolled 21 using 1d20+8.  Perception:.
22:07, Today: Shadowdale Greenleaf rolled 10 using 1d20+7.  Stealth.

Elera nods at Skeeve as she answers, "That seems like a good idea. I'll signal you once I've said my introductions and we know how they'll react."

She turns to Ziklag and asks, "Are you going with me like last time?" With her query delivered, she begins to make her way towards the seated hobbit, trusting that Ziklag will either follow her or remain here.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:20, Thu 09 Feb 2023.

Once everyone was all together Ludovic effectively found a spot that broke line of sight to the road, and flopped over onto the ground just sucking in that sweet sweet air. "You'll signal, understood."

Ziklag nodded as he joined Elera in approaching the seated hobbit.  "I'd be happy to."

He waved his open hand as they approached, and kept his quarterstaff gripped in a way that made it effective for walking but clearly ineffective for immediate combat use.

Bobbing his head to Elera and Ziklag, the ratling ducked into the undergrowth close to where Ludovic lay

The hobbit on the porch is slowly spooning a thick stew into his mouth as he watches you approach. He appears quite old, wearing the same simple, faded clothing you've seen on everyone you've met so far.

He squints at you as you come within earshot. "Humans?  That's new.  Haven't seen any tall folk in... a while."  His words belie a deliberate calm.

[Both of you please make Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks when you respond.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:08, Fri 10 Feb 2023.

Elera approaches with a hand raised in greeting as she attempts to brush past the implicit question of how humans had made it here, "We were told that you might be willing to shelter us for the night?"


OOC:
07:01, Today: Elera Nehnisa rolled 18 using 1d20+2.  Diplomacy.
07:01, Today: Elera Nehnisa rolled 28 using 1d20+8.  Sense Motive.

"We're sorry to intrude.  We're extremely new to the area and we and our couple of friends could use the rest and some help understanding the way things are here."  Ziklag added honestly.

08:53, Today: Ziklag rolled 1 using 1d20.  Sense Motive.
08:53, Today: Ziklag rolled 12 using 1d20+10.  Diplomacy.

A 1 and a 2 - Go me!

The man nods, glancing to the westward horizon.  "We wouldn't be leaving you with many options otherwise.  How many are you, and do you have mounts?"

The older hobbit squints at this. "D'you mean you're not from Varnield? How did you even get this far inland?"

Elera answers, “There’s 6 of us, and we don’t have mounts.” She pauses before continuing, “Not all of us are human; will that be okay?”

The old man closes his eyes, and answers: "[Language unknown: Les noreta liof sonwheest laanma elerfi mimo om unmoio n ncthha, al vor ofad uthis waswerome. Urofta esspe ent.]"
He nods smiling.  "Glad I still know it.  Call your friends in; I'll let the family know to add to the pot."
He whistles, and the two mastiffs lead the hobbit boy quickly inside.  The old man follows them in, leaving the door to the house wide open.

Elera keeps her expression still as the halfling speaks. She doesn't know what he said, but it sounds as if it was something that she was supposed to know. Quickly, she turns and waves back to where the others are hiding and beckons them over before she starts following the old halfling into the house.

[Does everyone follow?  If so, give me Perception checks upon entering the house.]

19 on perception

Ludovic lifted straight as a board on the balls of his heels before he marched right along. He kept quiet and was just happy to be there like a golden retriever. "Nice home. Amazing dogs."

"Glad you still know what?"  Ziklag confusedly asked in response to the strange words.  He called for the others from the brush before following the small man into the home.

14:34, Today: Ziklag rolled 16 using 1d20.  Perception.

Shadowdale waits.
He instructed his owl to stay outside and keep an eye out for anybody sneaking up to the house.
He then heads into the house.  He goes over to the dogs and makes a few friendly noises at them.

OOC:
23:52, Today: Shadowdale Greenleaf rolled 15 using 1d20+8.  Perception:.

At the others beckoning, Skeeve emerged slowly from his hiding spot and following the others inside. His whiskers twitched at the scents within, beady eyes swiftly appraising the interior

18:07, Today: Skeeve rolled 26 using 1d20+7.  Perception

Handwoven rugs cover the floors and walls of this residence, which is clearly sized for shorter folk (the ceilings are about 5 and a half feet tall; anyone taller needs to crouch to move around).

You are immediately squeezed into a main room where a table is being set by a younger adult woman and a girl.  Two smaller children can be heard playing in what look to be bedrooms adjoining the main room.  A ladder to a second floor is visible in one corner.

"Sit," the adult woman immediately bellows.  The table is low to the ground, with cushions provided in lieu of chairs.  Eying Skeeve she merrily adds, "at least one of you folk are properly sized."

"Scripture," the old man answers. He pulls out decorative medallions and symbols that were hidden behind rugs and below floorboards.  They each show a Cornucopia, the sign of Yondalla and halfling hospitality.  "The Mother commands that we provide aid to all, and Her commands are food to us richta."  ('Richta' is the goblin words for property, something owned.)


The boy who was with the dogs earlier smiles.  "They're Sugar and Chicken.  Chicken's the braver one."  He giggles as the dogs leap towards Shadowdale, but his attention stays on Ludovic.  "What's your name?  I'm called Rill."

The dogs approach Shadowdale, yipping excitedly, tales wagging.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:07, Tue 14 Feb 2023.

Elera enters a slight crouch as she enters the residence. Less out of a need to shorten herself and more from a discomfort with having the ceiling so close to her head. She approaches the table and makes her best attempt to seat herself in the space provided before she settles into sitting a bit further from the table to leave her legs space.

Shadowdale sits down on the floor.
Yondalla loves they that respect hearth and home.  I am a wondering healer.  My services are offered just for a meal and a bed.  If you need them.

He then turns his attention to the dogs.  Extending a hand to each to ruffle their fur.  Again he make dog noises.

"How did wandering humans... and others... end up here?" The woman asks.  "You're as likely to end up eaten as anything else, 'specially if you go into the wrong house."

The girl comes to the table with a bowl of field greens and a loaf of bread, which she starts breaking by hand to set chunks at each of the wooden plates.

Ludovic smiled, "Good people call me Ludo, bad call me Vic. But people who dont know any better call me Ludovic." It endlessly amused Ludovic as children represent the real core of his domain. It wasnt just about the monsters, it was about monsters being the forge for the steeling of the mortal soul. The heroes journey was his bread and butter. "Being brave is grand, being careful is smart. Both puppers have the right idea."


He held up a wooden coin that held no icon before he made it vanish. A twist of the wrist he reproduced it like magic offering the kid the simple wooden disk.

"In my case mam, I am a traveling alchemist. Though I do confess I am fairly ignorant as to the ongoings of the world. I just kind of follow my feet and offer alchemy or fixing things for people as it is needed. Got a head full of books and clouds it seems." He was kind of relying on any stories of alchemists. A host of strange abilities so filling in he blanks could be a thing here! "I can mend a damaged tool as well I can mend a broken limb. So if you need either I am happy to provide in return for your kindness."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:46, Wed 15 Feb 2023.

"Seems to me," the woman says, bringing around a jug of some frothing liquid to pour into plain wooden cups, "that y'all're avoiding answering the question."

She looks pointedly at Shadowdale, glancing at the corner where he sits with the dogs, and then at the empty cushion near the table.

"Come, sit.  We'll talk and then we'll eat."

It's a tight squeeze.  Four hobbits - the old man, the woman, the boy and the girl - share the long table with their six guests.  The one woman nods pointedly to the man.

"Greeg Flaxfeather is my name," he begins.  "This is my daughter, Neelan, and her kids.  We keep to the old ways.  Hospitality and the Scriptures.  From your breakneck pace coming here, I suspect you were intending to find a bed a few miles back at the Brightsoil farm but they're Hosting."

With a nod, Greeg continues.  "You're clearly out of your depth here, giving answers that make no sense.  There are no traveling healers in Varnield, or alchemists neither.  There are no towns where they would be welcome, and as soon as word got out, they'd be eaten.  That's all there are here - the hunted and the owned."

Neelan picks up the thread from her father.  "Please, tell us straight where you're from and why you're here.  We want to help.  It's clear you're out of your depth, but we can't fill you in if we don't know what you don't know."

Elera takes a moment to gather herself before answering, "We had gone to delve an underground tomb a few miles from here. We hadn't thought anything of resting inside it to avoid the rain, but when we exited the catacombs, nothing was how we remembered it from the day before. It was as if the very land had changed above our heads. I suspect that we were caught in some sort of curse or spell while we were in there, but none of us are experienced enough to determine what it was." She tries her best to project confidence, but she doesn't have a good explanation for how such a relatively strange group of people appeared deep inside of an occupied territory without already learning the information that they need to know.

OOC: I'm guessing this is either an unlikely or farfetched bluff lie? Does the party's anachronistic composition and lack of knowledge provide any amount of convincing proof to the lie? If any of the others would like to try to aid Elera's lie, then I would be grateful since she'll likely need all the bonuses that she can get. If it's a subtle effect, then she'll also use her domain ability: silver-tongued haggler to try and improve her odds.

[A Bluff is certainly reasonable here.  Anyone want to chime in and Aid the check?  From earlier Sense Motive, you know that both the adults here are Friendly and open to whatever you have to say, so they're inclined to believe you.]

Shadowdale picks himself up and move over to sit on the empty cushion.
Thank you he tells Neelan.
Then shrugs his shoulder at the dogs.  Making a small noise at them.

Then to answer Flaxfeather.
What the others remember I cannot speak for.  However I did speak with the the mistress of the catacombs.  For my efforts I was trapped in a curse gem.  To watch time go by and to see horrors.  It is true it have been hundreds if not thousands of years sense I have walked these lands.  Back then a healer had value.

He nods.
Please tell me what has happened.  Things are not as they where I understand?

OOC:
Shadowdale is telling the true.  He just wording it a little oddly.

OOC: I don't think anybody is going to try and aid at this point.
21:23, Today: Elera Nehnisa rolled 10 using 1d20+8.  Bluff Check +5 Wants to Believe -5 Unlikely Lie +8 Skill Bonus.

Greeg and Neelan exchange a glance.

"O... okay," Neelan speaks after a momentary pause.  "We'll go with that.  You don't know what's going on because you were bound by a curse below ground.  Not really more believable than the other, but it's your hides."

"We'll start with the basics, then," Greeg adds.  "The Sealing happened when... ah, lad!"  He turns to Rill.  "D'you know it?"

Rill nods, his face wrinkled in concentration.  He recites a poem:

"Locked out of heaven and barred from hell,
What eats flesh now eats souls as well.
The fountain's thirst we cannot slake,
So river's curse we cannot break.
There is no one to hear a prayer,
And we can't touch what isn't there.
All clad in ice as hard as steel,
Our suffering is Warlord's weal.
The Horde takes all, and all revive,
Should even one alone survive."

Greeg nods in satisfaction.  "That pretty much covers it.  We're under the Ogre King - that's the first one.  If they eat your flesh, the soul goes with it... so they say."  He shrugs.  "So don't get eaten, that's the point.  Find a safe place to stay after dark, keep you're head down, do as you're bid."

Ludo turned around and started writing the poem down. "Sounds like a consumptive gluttony curse. Gibberings, devourers, and other such monsters do the same. It's going to be interesting to see what is causing it in the wretch critters." He tapped his writing device on the book "Could also be the gourmand blessing. Though I don't think it wise to chemically extract whatever it is that is letting them pull this off. Still, knowing is half the battle."

"That being said in all but the very few monsters the souls are chained. Countering the ability or its source could very likely lead to freeing them."

"Just pondering."

Elera looks a little disturbed from the news about creatures consuming souls as she asks, "Are cremations common, or do they demand the souls in tribute? Are there hunters in the night that we must avoid?"

Greeg's expression is solemn.  "The soul leaves the body, and it goes to the Ogre King.  Buried, burned, chopped, digested... it doesn't matter what happens to the body."

The old hobbit looks from one face to the other.  "Every soul in Varnield is food for the King.  He may have eaten a million by now, five hundred years of enemy and slave alike.  He cannot be fought; he cannot be resisted.  Simply avoid him."

Shdowdale looks hard at the table but he really looking hard into himself.
Does he still have a soul to be consumed.  As they where gods and cannot die.  As he spend an eternity in a gem prison.  Was not anything that make a soul his and his alone to keep now?

OOC:
16:19, Today: Shadowdale Greenleaf rolled 21 using 1d20+7.  Nature or Arcane.

Elera answers, "That's really not good. Why did the other family tell us to find shelter before nightfall?"

Behind the others, quiet and nervous, Skeeve muttered to himself after the recital had ended, "Should even one survive... That does not bode well"

"If any of the Masters are travelling, it'll be during the night.  Goblins will leave you alone... mostly..." he casts a concerned look at his daughter.  "But if a bugbear -"

"Or worse, Ogre Lord," Neelan interjects.

Greeg nods, "Right.  If either encounters someone on the road at night, they seldom bother to ask questions.  They just..."  He grabs a piece of the bread and tears into it with his teeth.  "Yeah, about like that."

The boy adds, "We chain the dogs up securely after dark."

They turn to their food for a bit and focus on eating.

After a while, Greeg begins again.  "What more can we tell you, or how can we help?  The way you're headed, you'll come across more Masters within a day or two.  Do you have a destination in mind?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:02, Sun 19 Mar 2023.

"Sounds like some kind of frenzy. May be wise to have a calm emotion spell on hand in the event that we run into them. It's a long shot but quelling any kind of rage may yield interesting results." Ludo started taking notes on cause and effects that he would need to keep track of in the event the group ran into an oger or some such.

"The fewer waves we make the better."

Elera listens quietly as the halfling man explains that their overlords are primarily nocturnal before she asks, "Are there any groups that are still actively opposing your masters, or have they been thoroughly quashed by now? Giving us the literal lay of the land would also be helpful. If you can't tell, we're rather thoroughly lost."