[Dungeon World] Coldkeep (IC/OOC)

Grog

"Grun, that is no way to talk about our bard."

Super Namicchi

I'll give you a day or two to recover some, @reynolds, before I keep going. I'd really love to have Vandral for the next leg of the game and his lore related abilities, so assuming no one else minds we'll wait a couple days.

Reynolds

Vandral grumbled, pulling his shoddy cloak tighter, trying to find some way to keep his hands warm. Even if it wasn't nearly as cold inside, it was still too cold for his tastes. "This is a night to be inside, near the fire. A young human girl on either knee." He sighed. "...instead I have you lot for company." The current scenery wasn't very interesting to the bard either. Ice and stairs, little to write a song about.

Super Namicchi

Soon.

Super Namicchi

It's a long way down the spiral, and the deeper you go the less worked things tend to be. Eventually the ice makes its transition to stone and the runoff from the melting ice above you populates the stairway with endless plip-plop sounds. After what feels like at least three hours of walking the stairs finally end and what awaits you is wide open darkness. Ahead of you on the cavern floor appears to be moss and you can hear within the grotto running water. Shining your lights about you see that you appear to be on the edge of a ... forest? Have you ever heard of a forest underground before? How did you learn such odd information? What lives here?

What do you do?

Super Namicchi

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tags: @destroyah87, @sakutian, @grog, @reynolds

Sakutian

As he peered at the trees ahead of them Grun frowned. "The king warned me of this place before we departed. He told me a creature of the elements dwells here, it created this place as a trap for those who are bold enough to enter Coldkeep."

Grun spat on the ground. "We will find no comfort or safety among these trees."

Spout Lore 2d6+1= 12

Grog

"Well what he probably declined to tell you is that not all elementals are bloodthirsty loons." The wizard ran a hand through the leaves. Definitely magical.

"Maybe we can get something out of it, if we can keep good manners." He gives Grun a meaningful look.

Spout Lore: 2d6+2 12

Reynolds

Vandral wearily stops at the bottom of the stairs, leaning against the wall with one hand for support. "Finally! We spent half the day on those stairs!" It took him a few moments before he had recovered enough to take a look at their new surroundings. "...a forest. Under a mountain." He snorted. "Of course, that makes perfect sense." The bard shook his head, stepping a bit further in as the others spoke. "...an elemental's doing?" The elf frowned. He might prefer the forest to the snow, but there was still a good reason he had left the forest for the city in the first place. He just didn't fit.

"People are much easier to deal with than spirits. I'd even prefer the gnolls. I say we camp right here, get some sleep, and turn around and spend the next half day going back up those bloody stairs."

Reynolds

Triple post.

Reynolds

Apparently seeing a lightbulb and "No Words" means you've already posted.

Desy

"Don't be foolish. Vandral. Our goal was to brave Coldkeep's depths and I aim to do just that. Elemental or not, we press on. Just keep a civil tongue until offered battle."

"Stay close brothers. The light of Vaelon has never shone upon this forsaken place." Strom steps forward under the trees, his weapon sheathed for the moment.

Super Namicchi

As I posted in my other game, interpersonal life drama has been killing my forum time. Promise to tell you all about the really cool underground forest tomorrow or the next day. Kisses!

Super Namicchi

Hote, you're feeling the leaves and realize that not only are they magical, but they're a much older ancestor to one of the rarer plants used by alchemists to concoct potent restoratives. What is the plant called again?

I'm assuming the rest of you are following Strom so I'll roll with that. I'm going to ask you guys to make the Undertake a Perilous Journey move, with the assumed destination of "through this weird-ass forest".

Super Namicchi

I lied about waiting to post.

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tags: @reynolds, @grog, @destroyah87, @sakutian

Reynolds

Journey: 2d6+1 8

I'll be out of town for the next two days.

Grog

Of course, Dram's Bushel. Hote pockets a few handfuls, sure that they'll be a good source of sustenance.

Quartermaster: 2d6 4

Spoilers: they don't.

Sakutian

What modifier do we apply to that move Arc?

Grog

@Sakutian it's a Wis check and you choose either scout or trailblazer (since I've already flubbed quartermaster.

Desy

Strom leads the party through the subterranean forest, striding forward with purpose.

As he walked forward, he spoke quietly in prayer, "Vaelon, Lightbringer and Dawnstar. Grant this humble servant some of your radiance. So that my way shall not be lost in darkness forever more. Banish the night. Let there be light."

Strom shall take the job of scout. Wis (Undertake Perilous Journy - Scout): 2d6+1 12

Sakutian

Breaking a small sapling in two with a deft swing of his hammer Grun grumbles trudging through the forest.

Grun will be the trailblazer, which makes senses since he has the big hammer to knock down trees.
Wisdom (Undertake Perilous Journey- Trailblazer): 2d6+2 12

Grog

"Give a dwarf a hammer..."

Sakutian

Resting his hammer on his shoulder Grun turns on Hote smiling coldly. "Tell me wizard, why did those gnolls seem so intent on getting their paws on you?"

Grog

"I'm really not sure what it is, but creatures of base intelligence have always wanted to hit me."

He gives Grun a grin and picks some foliage out of his teeth.

"Sure you won't try some of these leaves?"

Sakutian

Snorting Grun bats some more errant foliage out of their path and cotinues walking in the direction Strom had headed. "I would sooner feast on one of those blasted gnolls than eat anything offered by a wizard. You're liable to poison us all with your damnable leaves."

Not trying to be a jerk by the way Grog. Grun just doesn't care for wizards.

Grog

No worries, I love it.

Super Namicchi

Well the good news is your Trailblazer and Scout did a wonderful job on their rolls. Unfortunately the Quartermaster is trying to make you all eat salads made out of healing herbs. After about a day of this you all attack your rations with renewed vigor and end up expending two uses per person instead of one (so 8 total). The semi-good news is you have plenty of Dram's Bushel to make some proper potions if you ever have the time, inclination, and tools.

Anyway, the journey through the underground forested grotto is slow, even with Grun acting as a living plow through the brush. Some ways in to your trek you realize your eyes have adjusted and the plants have started to give off a weird aqua light, washing everything in a blue dusk. It starts to hurt your head after awhile. Small price to pay though because being able to see stopped you from walking into a set of keenly placed spear traps hidden in a small copse of trees. It nearly punched a hole right in your head, Grun.

What are you all doing?

Super Namicchi

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tags: @sakutian, @destroyah87, @reynolds, @grog

Reynolds

Vandral didn't seem pleased with the idea of more walking, but at least nothing was actively trying to murder them down here. Yet. He couldn't help but smirk at Hote's honestly clueless response. The bard knew one good reason plenty of things wanted to kill the wizard, even if he himself had forgotten about it. Vandral was keeping that card up his sleeve, just in case.

Eventually, their trailblazer came to a sudden halt, nearly causing Vandral to stumble into the wizard. "What now? Which one of you needs to stop and pray this time?"

Sakutian

"It would seem our kindly host doesn't care for visitors." Grun pricks his thumb on one of the exposed spears. "Unless of course this is just its way of welcoming us."

Grog

"Not very effective by itself. Could be more of a warning, I suppose." Hote surveys their surroundings with renewed suspicion.

Discern realities: 2d6 7
What is about to happen?

Super Namicchi

Hote, what's about to happen is the (presumably) setter of said trap is going to emerge from the woods. Elfin and dark of skin, dressed in fur and hide and serviceable leather accoutrements... you're face to face with one of the scourges of the southern sands (what's the story behind that, anyway?), a notorious Drow. Except this one doesn't seem terribly menacing or surprised at your presence. Vandral, I know you speak Elven, so you at least have no trouble understanding him, although it's definitely a peculiar dialect.

"Hail whiteskins, I come peaceably," he says to you, very clearly not holding a weapon.

Grog

"You're a long way from the Fire Dunes, must be some fine riches in it to draw you this far north." Mercenary isn't a strong enough word for the Drow. Morals, might and often their sanity will bend before their desire to get paid.

Desy

Strom stood up from examining the traps, his hand resting on his sheathed sword, "Hote, what is he saying?" Strom did not speak elvin, as he had no time to learn other tongues while serving Vaelon's will.

"Is he here to promise us safe passage across the desert, then strand us with no supplies?" He asked dryly. It was well known that when the Drow of the Fire Dunes would not face a force in honorable combat, they would resort to trickery and deceit. Let the desert they called home do the work, as it were.

Reynolds

Vandral resisted the urge to turn and spit as the Drow showed his face. "I find that hard to believe..." He muttered in common, before putting on a smile and switching to Elven. "Hello, brother. I must say, your kind might be the last thing I expected to see in this place. A forest...under a mountain...in the cold..." He forced a chuckle. Vandral knew the others were on the right track. There must be a big payday involved to draw one of their kind to this place. He wouldn't be here himself, if he didn't think the same thing, after all.

"It seems we almost stumbled into one of the traps you likely set to defend yourself from other, less honorable travelers. Obviously you mean us no harm. Would you enlighten us, brother, on the subject of your current location...?" He glanced at Hote, not commenting on his Elvish. Humans tried hard, but...well...

Wondering if Bardic Lore has any tales that link Coldkeep to Drow, or anything that might be related.

Super Namicchi

Bardic Lore does indeed come up with something - you don't know the actual legend by heart, but you do recollect that there was a Drow expedition led to the far north a handful of years ago that famously came to be known as the Blackwalkers; allegedly the Drow never returned from their journey and are said to walk the frozen wastes at night, hunting the heads of lost travelers. Probably a load of bunk though, huh? This guy, he looks flesh and blood. In fact, he seems to be giving you all the same suspicious look you are giving him.

He pauses. "I was here for treasure, yes," he says, considering his next words. "I have been lost in this place for a good long time. Once you enter this forest it is very hard to leave it I am finding. Dark magic at work."

What do you do?


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tags: @sakutian, @grog, @reynolds, @destroyah87

Sakutian

"And I'll bet you or one of you're people are the cause of it." Grun spat at the ground in front of the Drow.

Grog

"My associate raises a good point. You can't have survived in this place alone- should we be expecting any more surprise greetings?" Hote makes a show of addressing the trees around him, as if expecting more drow to show themselves.

Super Namicchi

I'm assuming you're translating for eachother?

Super Namicchi

The dark elf considers your words carefully and shrugs. "I was with comrades once, no longer. All dead or turned."

As if on cue there's a mighty roar off in the distance. The drow looks in that direction. "Dark elemental. Spawned from the earth and hate. Sees all, knows all in this forest."

What do you do?


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tags: @grog, @reynolds, @sakutian, @destroyah87