They’re smoking a drug called Sneak. It’s not that bad, a minor high. Drugs are semi-legal, with new laws racing against new drugs every year. It looks like it’s having no effect at all.
See seems down in the dumps, with a lot on their mind and very unsure.
[OOC: Don’t be sorry, I was just giving you a chance if you wanted to. There’s no right choice.]
Just a few feet outside her place is an ordinary looking dead end. She turns back to you with a sheepish grin, then traces her finger on the wall in a pattern. The stone shimmers, then peels back like a pulled open fruit. The stone becomes sticky, droplets fall, then it solidifies once again. A short doorway is left behind, the perfect height for a dwarf to walk through.
She tilts her head to get through it. Beyond the doorway is a warm room that smells earthy. It’s damp, and you can hear the rain from above. Only one wall light flickers into life, though there is one on each wall. Looking up, you see the room is many, many stories high; the ceiling must be the roof of the tower itself.
There are four glass beams in each corner of the room, tubular in shape. You cannot figure out their purpose.
The mentioned secret staircase is in the middle of the room, and appears to ascend all the way to the roof.
“Must of been an escape route for the baddies, that’s my guess. The way this city, I mean, when it wasn’t a city, was built is crazy, but you’ve got to admire the thought put into it.”, she says.
She puts her hands on her hips and nods.
“I’m coming up with you. I don’t go in for larking around, but getting a better understanding of the architecture will be good for my family. I’ve never been to the top yet, kinda scared to go up by myself in case it’s slippery or something.”
—
Gear and Hado
They don’t reply, just shrug. They’ll come with you.
A little ways around the corridor you come to an open room.
The edges of the room are stone, but in the middle is an oval of glass flooring. Scattered around are several glass pebbles. One of them rests on the oval, about 6 feet in.
There is a staircase leading up to the next level of the tower.
At the opposite side of the room there is a closed door with a marking on it.
The Tunglani shuffle behind you, looking quite tired now you’ve seen passed their obvious beauty. They close their eyes briefly, not paying attention to much.
"Wow, this place is pretty cool! I haven't spent much time in the old buildings before, mostly I stuck to the shore and the sea and my family's homes in Seafoam, so this is all new to me. If you'd like, I can go first and keep an eye out for slippery spots, while you can keep an eye out for anything else, like monkeys or traps or something."
[OOC: Sorry, the staircase is the ‘>’ symbol. The staircase is made of stone.]
You get the sense the glass pebbles have been thrown in here, and aren’t usually left littering the floor.
“That door over there has something to do with what this floor was used for. I think they tested weapons here? I heard that said once. I don’t know how much testing a weapon needs, you know? Weird.”
After a huge drawn out sigh, they reply, “I’m not actually sure. Thinking up a journey name, maybe. But is even that important now?”
They pluck a feather from their head and run it through their fingers.
—
Baber
“You might be from the coast but I like your straight thinking. Go for it”, chuckles the Wallflower of Dogabag.
Do you want to take a look at anything before you head straight to the top?
If not describe your ascent (it’s a tight spiral staircase), and I’ll cut in if something happens...
Baber peers at the glass tubes, curious, before starting their ascent. They go slow, placing each foot carefully and looking for moisture, as well as tapping the stairs ahead of them with their javelin. Their other hand is on the handrail (if there is one).
They briefly pulse their bioluminescence out of nervousness, then decide the extra light is probably a good idea and glow a soft pale green to help see.
"Why would it not be? What sort of journey do you want to make?" Gear considers the door, obviously deciding between it and going up stairs. There's something... off about all of this, and given yesterday's encounter, she's more aware than ever before that the vilelord may be gone, but the dangers of it's reign arent. "We're planning to go visit my family later on lots of Tunglani in there. You might know of Iroh? maybe they could advise you."
The tubes go up for many yards, then curve off in different directions. They’re empty.
Seems this staircase is pretty robust even after all these years.
The higher you go the spots of rain turn to broadly wet steps. This staircase opens directly out to the roof.
Once you arrive on the roof you’re surrounded by tall serrated spikes and barbs pointing at all angles. (X)
Beside your new ally is a massive crossbow mounted on a plinth, still loaded with one long obsidian bolt. It looks like it can be turned in any direction. (C)
From this vantage point you can see another part of the tower topped with many tall trees. The rain grows heavier still. You see no monkeys.
Baber, roll for initiative.
[OOC: Both maps are in play. They’re very rough so as long as what you’re doing makes sense narratively it’s fine.
You’re on a pointed roof and across the gap is a flat one with trees on it!
"Why would it not be? What sort of journey do you want to make?" Gear considers the door, obviously deciding between it and going up stairs. There's something... off about all of this, and given yesterday's encounter, she's more aware than ever before that the vilelord may be gone, but the dangers of it's reign arent. "We're planning to go visit my family later on lots of Tunglani in there. You might know of Iroh? maybe they could advise you."
[OOC: Dang typo. A feather.]
Gear
The Tunglani with no name considers your questions.
“A man came around a couple weeks ago and he was talking a lot... it made sense. At least I think it did.”, they get quiet suddenly, “Sure. Can I bring a pal? I haven’t spoken to him all week. I’ve been pretty low, now I think about it.”
“Iroh, he’s the old guy with the cool cane, right? He’s friends with Hail, even though they’re way different. Um, Hail, you know, the leader of us guys? The Heed Tribe.”
They describe how the people living here, barring only one, are part of a tribal group lead by Hail, a Primodem...
Gear smiles. "I made that cane for him. He's my grandfather. I dont think i've met hail, maybe Iroh mentioned them once...? You can bring a pal, i'm pretty sure Iroh wouldn't object" she quriks an eyebrow. "This is dogabag, after all!"
"Tell me about this man, who were they? what did they talk about?". Gear, unaware of whatever's unfolding on the roof, heads to the door with the dwarfish sigil.
“Yeah... Yeah! It is.”, they laugh a little, “This guy that came around, we got talking. He was one of the Ripple of the Lotus monks. I can’t even think what he said now, just that nothing mattered and there was only the world, but he made it all sound so cruel.”
Without skipping a beat she tells you about the door.
“So my pal Orelum says it’s a rune for enchanting stuff. It’s been looted ages ago, but everything past that door was for mass enchanting of weapons. Said it lacked love and art to really do a good job, which is why rebel made weapons are better.”
They stretch an arm across their chest.
“Call me Filling the Hollow, or something like that. I’m a street performer.”
A monkey lands with a slap to your left Baber, and another leaps up and grabs the very peak of the tower. The trees across the gap rustle and loud hooting rings out!
Baber, they don’t get the drop on you. They look aggressive, and show their teeth.
What do you do?
Geth roll 1d20+2 for Initiative (M1)
Geth roll 1d20+2 for Initiative (M2)
Geth roll 1d20+2 for Initiative (M3)
[OOC: Maybe there is another monkey here already, who knows?]
Gear scratches her chin. "Good to know. I should come back and see if i can learn anything another time, maybe. Perhaps you could give me a hand! For now though, let's keep heading upwards. Our friend, Baber, is trying to climb up the tower to see if he can get a jump on these damn monkeys."
Gear starts to head up the stairs, and the pauses and grabs one of the pebbles. Never know when such a thing might be useful. "What sort of performance do you do, Filling?". She makes a mental note to ask more about the monk later - Filling's words have her pretty suspicious. For now though, upwards!
[OOC: I’ll write up a google doc of NPCs and places later so you don’t have to memorise everything.]
It’s at this time, Gear, you realise you’re not going up the stairs.
While a glass pebble remains on the glass floor, living things fall through it. Gear, you take 5 bludgeoning damage.
Geth roll 2d6 for Falling Damage
“Stars! Are you okay? I should have realised! Yolo’s beard! Why were the pebbles left out like this?”, shouts whoever they end up calling themselves from the floor above, “Also I’m a living statue. It’s uh, I have this whole thing where I dress up as a statue and stay l real still, but occasionally I give out flowers... and people throw coins into a hat I put out. It makes more sense if you see it. Beats getting a regular city job.”
Gear, while laying down you see the blurring begins of... yes, a giant cog, and three smaller cogs. One of the cogs has fallen down, and so does not turn with the rest. You could fix that quickly, you think.
10 feet to your right is a statue of a monster with a wide open mouth. Looks like there is something in it... a little locked chest!
There is a staircase in the room surrounded by tall spikes, easily your height. You’d struggle to jump over them, and the cost would be great if you do not make it to the staircase in one try.
Gear slowly picks herself up. "...I think the monkeys left them out. At least, i'm choosing to believe the monkeys did. Give me a moment."
Gear dusts herself off, wincing slightly. that hurt (I mean, she just lost a quarter of her hp in one go).
Geth roll 1d20+5 to investigate the gears and what they might do if activated
Geth roll 1d20+5 to investigate the statue with the treasure chest, paying attention for traps and other mischief.
Geth stop being a shit with my dice.
to investigate the gears and what they might do if activated:
You see that the little chest is made of a varnished palm wood. It sits in the mouth of the monster statue. The monster statue looks like a toad with hunched up spider legs.
(okay. I want to thorw a rope behind the chest, and then use that to pop it out with out sticking my hands into the statue's mouth. do i need to roll anything?)
Gear yells up to her companions. "oooh! I found treasure!" Working quickly, she takes one of her ropes, and throws it behind the chest so it's dangling out the other end - and then grabs both ends of the rope and pulls, sending the little chest flying out and into her grasp.
She puts it down carefully, and then inspects it carefully. Assuming she dosent find anything wrong, she'll attempt to pop it open with her thieves kit
Geth roll 1d20+5 for investigate
Geth roll 1d20+4 for thieves kit
((Hopefully by now you understand why all my DnD characters ever will have proficieny in investigate. i love this skill. INVESTIGATE ALL THE THINGS)
It’s likely this chest was crafted during the rebellion. It isn’t magical, but it does have something written on it in a language you can’t decipher, giving it an exotic aura.
Working carefully with your lock picks, it becomes clear this isn’t that valuable, but was nevertheless made in the hope it would stay locked.
You open the chest to find:
- A rough note that reads: I’m done for. Long live the rebellion! May this reach good hands!
- A chunk of garnet worth 50gp.
- A smooth wooden wand painted blue, about 7 inches long.
The chest has a nice soft lining, and is worth about 10gp.
Gear, though there wasn’t much to investigate, you’ve honed your skills today with all you’ve been investigating. You gain advantage on all Intelligence skill checks until you next take a short or long rest!
Geth roll 1d20+5 for arcana to figure out the wand.
Geth roll 1d20+5 for arcana to figure out the wand.
When she's done poking the wand, Gear stows her new loot safely (tucking the wand into a belt where she can access it easily), and then wanders over to the cogs, and replaces the fallen cog, and gets ready to dodge as necessary
(Well, thank you for the advantage, because apparently Geth hates me currently)
You’re thinking the wand has about 2 to 5 charges left.
It’s an wand of some kind of cold magic, the spell stored in it like a big blast of ice or similar. Not uncommon during the rebellion, as many of the Vilelord’s monsters breathed fire.
It’s safe to use and has no obvious drawbacks.
—
After a moment of readjustment the cogs run smoothly. The spikes by the stairs shoot down into the floor, then shoot back up.
Gear, you’ll need to succeed on an Athletics check to time getting onto the stairs before the spikes hit you!
—
Baber
Suddenly the spikes on the roof shoot down, then back up!
More spikes appear, slamming in and out! The monkeys shriek in fear and hop from side to side.
After your first turn during this encounter with the monkeys I may ask you to make a Dexterity saving throw versus the spikes at any time!
Then she has a thought. She turns so she can see the spikes and the cogs both, and then pulls out her newly discovered wand and takes aim at the cogs.
(She's going to try and and blast the cogs to freeze them in place while the spikes are down. What do i need to roll if anything to do that? feels like it's either an int or a dex roll, but i'm unsure which)
Unfortunately you are also currently glowing hot pink, which means “I am very high up and there are spikes everywhere and I don’t know what I’m doing” in Calipdis.
Posts
geth roll 1d20+3 for medicine (Gear's trying to figure out what's up with the Tunglani - they seem less than okay)
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See seems down in the dumps, with a lot on their mind and very unsure.
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[OOC: Don’t be sorry, I was just giving you a chance if you wanted to. There’s no right choice.]
Just a few feet outside her place is an ordinary looking dead end. She turns back to you with a sheepish grin, then traces her finger on the wall in a pattern. The stone shimmers, then peels back like a pulled open fruit. The stone becomes sticky, droplets fall, then it solidifies once again. A short doorway is left behind, the perfect height for a dwarf to walk through.
She tilts her head to get through it. Beyond the doorway is a warm room that smells earthy. It’s damp, and you can hear the rain from above. Only one wall light flickers into life, though there is one on each wall. Looking up, you see the room is many, many stories high; the ceiling must be the roof of the tower itself.
There are four glass beams in each corner of the room, tubular in shape. You cannot figure out their purpose.
The mentioned secret staircase is in the middle of the room, and appears to ascend all the way to the roof.
“Must of been an escape route for the baddies, that’s my guess. The way this city, I mean, when it wasn’t a city, was built is crazy, but you’ve got to admire the thought put into it.”, she says.
She puts her hands on her hips and nods.
“I’m coming up with you. I don’t go in for larking around, but getting a better understanding of the architecture will be good for my family. I’ve never been to the top yet, kinda scared to go up by myself in case it’s slippery or something.”
—
Gear and Hado
They don’t reply, just shrug. They’ll come with you.
A little ways around the corridor you come to an open room.
The edges of the room are stone, but in the middle is an oval of glass flooring. Scattered around are several glass pebbles. One of them rests on the oval, about 6 feet in.
There is a staircase leading up to the next level of the tower.
At the opposite side of the room there is a closed door with a marking on it.
The Tunglani shuffle behind you, looking quite tired now you’ve seen passed their obvious beauty. They close their eyes briefly, not paying attention to much.
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"Do you know anything about this room?" she says to the Tunglani. "I'm Gear by the way, and this is Hado."
Geth roll 1d20+5 for investigate seeing what i can figure out about the room
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[OOC: Sorry, the staircase is the ‘>’ symbol. The staircase is made of stone.]
You get the sense the glass pebbles have been thrown in here, and aren’t usually left littering the floor.
“That door over there has something to do with what this floor was used for. I think they tested weapons here? I heard that said once. I don’t know how much testing a weapon needs, you know? Weird.”
After a huge drawn out sigh, they reply, “I’m not actually sure. Thinking up a journey name, maybe. But is even that important now?”
They pluck a feather from their head and run it through their fingers.
—
Baber
“You might be from the coast but I like your straight thinking. Go for it”, chuckles the Wallflower of Dogabag.
Do you want to take a look at anything before you head straight to the top?
If not describe your ascent (it’s a tight spiral staircase), and I’ll cut in if something happens...
They briefly pulse their bioluminescence out of nervousness, then decide the extra light is probably a good idea and glow a soft pale green to help see.
"Why would it not be? What sort of journey do you want to make?" Gear considers the door, obviously deciding between it and going up stairs. There's something... off about all of this, and given yesterday's encounter, she's more aware than ever before that the vilelord may be gone, but the dangers of it's reign arent. "We're planning to go visit my family later on lots of Tunglani in there. You might know of Iroh? maybe they could advise you."
Steam: https://steamcommunity.com/id/TheZombiePenguin
Stream: https://www.twitch.tv/thezombiepenguin/
Switch: 0293 6817 9891
The tubes go up for many yards, then curve off in different directions. They’re empty.
Seems this staircase is pretty robust even after all these years.
The higher you go the spots of rain turn to broadly wet steps. This staircase opens directly out to the roof.
Once you arrive on the roof you’re surrounded by tall serrated spikes and barbs pointing at all angles. (X)
Beside your new ally is a massive crossbow mounted on a plinth, still loaded with one long obsidian bolt. It looks like it can be turned in any direction. (C)
From this vantage point you can see another part of the tower topped with many tall trees. The rain grows heavier still. You see no monkeys.
Baber, roll for initiative.
[OOC: Both maps are in play. They’re very rough so as long as what you’re doing makes sense narratively it’s fine.
You’re on a pointed roof and across the gap is a flat one with trees on it!
Any questions just ask.]
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[OOC: Dang typo. A feather.]
Gear
The Tunglani with no name considers your questions.
“A man came around a couple weeks ago and he was talking a lot... it made sense. At least I think it did.”, they get quiet suddenly, “Sure. Can I bring a pal? I haven’t spoken to him all week. I’ve been pretty low, now I think about it.”
“Iroh, he’s the old guy with the cool cane, right? He’s friends with Hail, even though they’re way different. Um, Hail, you know, the leader of us guys? The Heed Tribe.”
They describe how the people living here, barring only one, are part of a tribal group lead by Hail, a Primodem...
You know the name, but can’t remember from where.
Hehehehe!
Mwahahaha!]
"Tell me about this man, who were they? what did they talk about?". Gear, unaware of whatever's unfolding on the roof, heads to the door with the dwarfish sigil.
Geth roll 1d20+5 to inspect it
"Hado, want to go in here, or head upwards?"
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Switch: 0293 6817 9891
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Stream: https://www.twitch.tv/thezombiepenguin/
Switch: 0293 6817 9891
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Without skipping a beat she tells you about the door.
“So my pal Orelum says it’s a rune for enchanting stuff. It’s been looted ages ago, but everything past that door was for mass enchanting of weapons. Said it lacked love and art to really do a good job, which is why rebel made weapons are better.”
They stretch an arm across their chest.
“Call me Filling the Hollow, or something like that. I’m a street performer.”
Baber, they don’t get the drop on you. They look aggressive, and show their teeth.
What do you do?
Geth roll 1d20+2 for Initiative (M1)
Geth roll 1d20+2 for Initiative (M2)
Geth roll 1d20+2 for Initiative (M3)
[OOC: Maybe there is another monkey here already, who knows?]
Gear starts to head up the stairs, and the pauses and grabs one of the pebbles. Never know when such a thing might be useful. "What sort of performance do you do, Filling?". She makes a mental note to ask more about the monk later - Filling's words have her pretty suspicious. For now though, upwards!
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It’s at this time, Gear, you realise you’re not going up the stairs.
While a glass pebble remains on the glass floor, living things fall through it. Gear, you take 5 bludgeoning damage.
Geth roll 2d6 for Falling Damage
“Stars! Are you okay? I should have realised! Yolo’s beard! Why were the pebbles left out like this?”, shouts whoever they end up calling themselves from the floor above, “Also I’m a living statue. It’s uh, I have this whole thing where I dress up as a statue and stay l real still, but occasionally I give out flowers... and people throw coins into a hat I put out. It makes more sense if you see it. Beats getting a regular city job.”
Gear, while laying down you see the blurring begins of... yes, a giant cog, and three smaller cogs. One of the cogs has fallen down, and so does not turn with the rest. You could fix that quickly, you think.
10 feet to your right is a statue of a monster with a wide open mouth. Looks like there is something in it... a little locked chest!
There is a staircase in the room surrounded by tall spikes, easily your height. You’d struggle to jump over them, and the cost would be great if you do not make it to the staircase in one try.
What do you do?
Gear dusts herself off, wincing slightly. that hurt (I mean, she just lost a quarter of her hp in one go).
Geth roll 1d20+5 to investigate the gears and what they might do if activated
Geth roll 1d20+5 to investigate the statue with the treasure chest, paying attention for traps and other mischief.
Geth stop being a shit with my dice.
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The spikes by the staircase will go down probably if whatever mechanism has them poking out something something.
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She puts it down carefully, and then inspects it carefully. Assuming she dosent find anything wrong, she'll attempt to pop it open with her thieves kit
Geth roll 1d20+5 for investigate
Geth roll 1d20+4 for thieves kit
((Hopefully by now you understand why all my DnD characters ever will have proficieny in investigate. i love this skill. INVESTIGATE ALL THE THINGS)
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Working carefully with your lock picks, it becomes clear this isn’t that valuable, but was nevertheless made in the hope it would stay locked.
You open the chest to find:
- A rough note that reads: I’m done for. Long live the rebellion! May this reach good hands!
- A chunk of garnet worth 50gp.
- A smooth wooden wand painted blue, about 7 inches long.
The chest has a nice soft lining, and is worth about 10gp.
Gear, though there wasn’t much to investigate, you’ve honed your skills today with all you’ve been investigating. You gain advantage on all Intelligence skill checks until you next take a short or long rest!
Geth roll 1d20+5 for arcana to figure out the wand.
When she's done poking the wand, Gear stows her new loot safely (tucking the wand into a belt where she can access it easily), and then wanders over to the cogs, and replaces the fallen cog, and gets ready to dodge as necessary
(Well, thank you for the advantage, because apparently Geth hates me currently)
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You’re thinking the wand has about 2 to 5 charges left.
It’s an wand of some kind of cold magic, the spell stored in it like a big blast of ice or similar. Not uncommon during the rebellion, as many of the Vilelord’s monsters breathed fire.
It’s safe to use and has no obvious drawbacks.
—
After a moment of readjustment the cogs run smoothly. The spikes by the stairs shoot down into the floor, then shoot back up.
Gear, you’ll need to succeed on an Athletics check to time getting onto the stairs before the spikes hit you!
—
Baber
Suddenly the spikes on the roof shoot down, then back up!
More spikes appear, slamming in and out! The monkeys shriek in fear and hop from side to side.
After your first turn during this encounter with the monkeys I may ask you to make a Dexterity saving throw versus the spikes at any time!
Then she has a thought. She turns so she can see the spikes and the cogs both, and then pulls out her newly discovered wand and takes aim at the cogs.
(She's going to try and and blast the cogs to freeze them in place while the spikes are down. What do i need to roll if anything to do that? feels like it's either an int or a dex roll, but i'm unsure which)
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Geth roll 1d20+3 for intimidation
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Calipdis teeth.
Unfortunately you are also currently glowing hot pink, which means “I am very high up and there are spikes everywhere and I don’t know what I’m doing” in Calipdis.
...shut up, you're probably not my real dad!]