Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

Oct 31, 2023 10:31 pm

As Vaun reaches for the dagger the floor suddenly drops out from under him as soon as he touches the floating dagger. Gravity quickly takes advantage of the lack of a floor and pulls Vaun down into the pitch black depths. Crashing to the ground after falling more than ten feet Vaun is stunned and bruised looks up to see the opening close itself, sealing out the light.

Vaun takes stock of the situation and pats himself over, checking for injuries that he may be too stunned to properly feel. Nothing seems worse off than expected but he does find that the dagger that triggered the trap is on the floor next to him. With it are a small sheath and straps to secure it to his waist, leg, or arm.

Describe how you will navigate the cold absolutely lightles cavern to find your way to talk with the champion from the last age.

Stalker05

Nov 1, 2023 8:53 am

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

Vaun was not expecting a contraption like this, and he might have screamed through his mask as he fell down to the black depths. He probably thought that he was going to meet a deadly end in a spike trap, bleeding and thrashing his last moments in extreme agony. Instead, he fell into a pitch-black cavern of a room with no light.

Vaun waited for sometime to recover from such a shock. He then felt around with his hand and found the dagger that activated the trap. He got very angry about it but controlled his rage by thinking about what to do and how to survive this situation. In either case, he needed to explore this room now that he was not injured, and out in this darkness, what he needed was a light source. Feeling determined, he took the dagger with him and started formulating a plan.

OOC: Do I have my gear with me?

Psybermagi

Nov 1, 2023 1:49 pm

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

OOC:

All gear is in a pack on your back and assumed to be with you unless stated otherwise

For situations like this you can ask anything that might be pertinent or you dont understand and give immediate actions as well as plans and intended next several steps to speed through the back and forth of I do A, B happens, I do C, D happens, . . .
If something along the line needs me to get your feedback I will stop at that point for corrections/addtitions from you

Stalker05

Nov 1, 2023 3:09 pm

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

Vaun rummaged through his gear to find the flint and steel, along with the torch. After several attempts, he managed to light up the torch and use it to navigate the cavern. He walked through the path presented in front of him, occasionally listening to anything or anyone ahead of him. He followed the path to see where it led him.

Psybermagi

Nov 1, 2023 10:23 pm

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

When the torch catches a spark and lights the area Vaun finds himself in a large open area. The floor is rough but basically flat and the ceiling is about 15 feet up and likewise mostly flat. With nothing to go on you head straight ahead and after several minutes of walking. As Vaun walks he looks around to find any landmarks and after a while realizes the only marks anywhere are on the ceiling.

There are 2 sets of lines. The straight lines and the curved lines. Vaun has been following the first line he found, thinking it straight at first but after crosstin two others that angled across the first he realized that the first is somewhat curved and the other two were much straighter and looked to be perpendicular to the curved surface. He had been following the curve in a clockwise direction with the concave to his right and the other lines cut across it. Pausing for a moment you trace the design in the dirt, extending the lines to finish the pattern and end up with something like a sliced pie or spoked wheel layout.

Stalker05

Nov 2, 2023 3:28 pm

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

Vaun was very excited when he could see the pattern on the dirt. If these lines looked like the spokes of a wheel, they would definitely converge at the centre. Maybe there is a hub or central room from where these lines originate. If he follows the line inward, he will surely reach the centre of this cavernous walkway. He turned and followed the line in the direction from where it radiated.

~TinyGM~

Psybermagi

Nov 3, 2023 2:53 am

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

[ +- ] Vaun

[ +- ] Rhidon

[ +- ] Barley

A Trio for the Trials

OOC:

@CurtFactor,@microtheMacroBear,@Stalker05 Welcome to the trials
Introduce your characters appearance and manner to the party

Thief

Inside the rooms is dimly light, though not to the point of making it difficult to see the figure sprawling in a plush armchair. Before him are three stools that he waves you to saying Take a seat. You each take the seat before you, with Vaun in the middle, as you look the others over. Besides the three of you and the lean figure sprawled on the chair the room is full of cluttered tables, shelves, chests, hooks on the walls, and ropes holding items from the ceiling. The items that fill the room range from cups of dice, spools of necklaces and other jewelry, barrels of sand, oil, tar, and ornate pictures, gilded chairs, piles of gems, manacles, racks of weapons, bowls, bpoons, string, etc.

It is nice to have another applicant. and he nods to Vaun then chuckles. My compatriot seem
to think my challenges are best suited for teams, and lucky for you we have a few others working on their own challenges, though I see one has already earned his reward. How lucky.

But before I find a challenge for you tell me what it is you seek. I am an expert at . . . finding things and he smiles so I am sure to find an interesting challenge for you, and your new teammates. To this end, tell me why you choose my dagger.

While he talks his eyes never leave Vaun's face and he slowly sits up then leans forwards until his nose is a handsbreadth away from Vaun's.

Stalker05

Nov 3, 2023 6:21 am

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

Vaun was not expecting the 'thief trials'; did he make a mistake? He chose the dagger because it would be of great use in his medical applications, and it is a weapon with which he is somewhat familiar, as he often used scalpels back in the Academy. However, the man in front asked a very interesting question about what he sought. Truly, what does he seek?

Vaun observed this man and chose his words carefully: "You see, I am sort of a doctor, and I sought the dagger because I am somewhat familiar with it. However, a dagger can change roles when used in different ways. In the hands of a blademaster, it can reach the opponent before they have time to react, moving swiftly past their defences. Again, in the hand of a healer, it cuts to save lives. I believe the role of a dagger is multifaceted. It takes on the role as it is wielded by it's master. What I meant to say is that the dagger adapts to the role it needs to take. As for me, I seek knowledge, because whoever is knowledgeable can turn a mere pebble into an ore, a grass into expensive paper, and even gold into something mundane. I want the knowledge to adapt to anything necessary."

He then remained silent, waiting to hear what the man had to say.

Barley

microtheMacroBear

Nov 3, 2023 11:31 am

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

A middle aged elf in simple garb walks into the dimly lit room, followed closely by a semi-transparent cat. He sits down in front of his host and stretches his back. Malachi, his spirit familiar, hops into his lap. He turns to Rhidon, smiles and nods. Then he turns to the other person, His curiosity peaked about the beaked mask and strange garb, a mysterious visage by sputtering flame.

"Interesting, a fellow scholar.", he thinks as he listens to the Doctor's response. Barley turns and waits for their host's reply.

Rhidon Axehorn

CurtFactor Inactive for 4 months

Nov 3, 2023 2:09 pm

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

A middle-aged dwarf with a grayish beard and nunchucks hanging at his side enters. He is dressed like a traveler, and glances about the items in the room chuckling to himself. There was a time not long ago he'd find such sights tantalizing, now the idea of such a hoard feels impractical.

Seeing Barley, Rhidon would give a nod and smile, happy to see his friend alive. During his own trials, he knows he very nearly lost his life and imagines Barley underwent similar risks.

Having earned great respect for the Ranger, Rhidon sits upright and carefully listens to his associate, the Thief. He is impressed with Vaun's answer, and wonders what the thief has in store for them.

Thief

Psybermagi

Nov 3, 2023 8:52 pm

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

Thief

The man sits back and looks Vaun over then nods. I see. Well you choose the blade and now I see why. So I will give you a chance to earn one of my more intersting blades.

He ponders for a moment A fitting challenge for a healer set by a thief. Very well this one should be fun.

The man stands and gesture for you to follow There is a city that is in need of healing. Go there and cure the heart of its affliction. You do not need to eliminate all the sickness merely identify the cause and remove the threat. How is up to you. This should fulfill the bard and rangers needs to test your new companions and show me just what king of healer you are and what knowledge it is that you seek.

As he guides you though the dimly lit room he picks up a slip of paper from a table he passes, then a quill and ink. Take the rearmost door on the wall to my left. Past the door you will find a chamber. Stand in the middle and I will send you to where you must go. Once there present my card to those you meet and they will see you on your way. While talking he sketched out a pattern on the paper that he then hold out to you.

The man smiles again as he looks over the three of you. Yes, this should be most entertaining and interesting. You have no idea how boring near death can be. Now do you have any questions before you go?

OOC:

Bit of a forced narrative to get everyone together but it is now open for character interaction with each other, the NPC, and story. I have the flu so am not up to setting this up better at the moment. Feel free to add character interaction details etc to make it flow better since my brain is having trouble getting out of 1st gear

Stalker05

Nov 4, 2023 5:53 am

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

Vaun pondered over the challenge. A city to heal by curing the affliction from its' heart. Was it a metaphorical speech, or was the city suffering from some kind of poison or pollution? Does that mean there are corrupt individuals destroying the city that he has to deal with? It was going to be a difficult quest, hence the challenge trails. However, it will be impossible to deal with it alone.

Vaun looked around to notice his future companions. A ranger and a bard—the thief mentioned it. It would be really helpful to get help from other adventurers. He remembered Garret's face and sighed a bit.

As the thief gave instructions on how to proceed and whether he had any questions, Vaun looked up and said, "I would like to know more about the city, and who are these people we need to meet? If finding it out is part of the challenge, then it's alright. But I would love to gather more information, as it will invariably help me achieve the goal."

Barley

microtheMacroBear

Nov 4, 2023 10:21 am

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

"I second that, anymore you are willing to share?", Barley says and leans forward as Malachi hops off his lap and stretches.

"An afflicted city, I wonder, more dark priests?", ponders Barley and then he thinks to Rhidon, as not to disturb the thief,"Sounds like worthy challenge, no? Good to see you, friend."

Malachi walks to the Vaun and raises his incorporeal head. He chirrups. "He seems to like you.", Barley muses to his new masked companion.

"Malachi, quiet, give our host a moment to speak.", he says softly and brings his attention back to the master thief.

OOC:

Feel better, Psybermagi!

Stalker05, and Barley has telepathic speech. If a person is willing, they can communicate together that way. Things in bold italics are how those work.

Last edited November 4, 2023 10:23 am

Rhidon Axehorn

CurtFactor Inactive for 4 months

Nov 4, 2023 5:12 pm

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

Rhidon is intrigued by the mission, and agrees that corruption may be an angle. "The trading house back home occasionally works with traders who dabble in black markets. If you know what places to look, it doesn't take long to figure out how corrupt a place is."

Thinking to Barley, "I have some stories to tell you later, it is good to see you and I agree on the challenge."

Turning to the Thief, he does have one question, "This state of near death you and the Ranger are in... are you still able to communicate with your compatriots in this form?"

Stalker05

Nov 5, 2023 3:13 pm

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

Vaun looked around and observed his compatriots. As the cat came towards him and his master explained, Vaun reached to scratch the underside of the chin but stopped and looked at Barley, "That's an interesting coat of a feline that I have never seen before. May I... pet?"

He was wearing a hooded, long coat of leather that covered his entire stature. Gloves were covering his hands, and he was wearing a beaked mask with goggles for eyes. It was a curious appearance, but Vaun was very well spoken, though his voice came a little bit muffled from his mask.

He was surprised to see the mental prodding in his mind, as if someone were gently knocking on a door to his head. He cautiously invited it in, "Who is this? May I know your name?"

OOC: Is telepathy a power of Barley, then I will roleplay about it.

Last edited November 5, 2023 3:14 pm

Thief

Psybermagi

Nov 5, 2023 7:55 pm

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

Vaun says:

"I would like to know more about the city, and who are these people we need to meet? If finding it out is part of the challenge, then it's alright. But I would love to gather more information, as it will invariably help me achieve the goal."

Thief

The city was called Eldergrove. Legends say that Eldergrove was a satellite city to the great city of Paphos.

As for those you are to meet, they are leaders of an expedition and they have a means to access Eldergrove. I will use the same method to send you to them. I do this to introduce you to allies and with resources you can access as you seek to help cure Eldergrove of it's affliction.

Rhidon says:

"This state of near death you and the Ranger are in... are you still able to communicate with your compatriots in this form?"

We are in in our own personal limbo but the priestess and mage that oversaw the crafting of our resting chambers ensures we would not be isolated and we can communicate as needed. Most of the time we slumber and dream will a new challenger chooses our path. But in our dreams we can watch the trials the others craft for their heirs.

The man stops in front of a large crystal and indicates it to you Torch the orb, all at the same time. It will let you gain glimpses of the city from those who have already beheld it.

The large orb is about 2 feet in diameter and resembles black marble but there are faint hints of color and light within. It stands on a white stone pedestal with a gold and silver framework holding the orb in place atop of the pedestal. Arranging yourselves before it you reach out and touch the stone together.

[ +- ] Vision 1

[ +- ] Vision 2

The man waits for your to recover from the vision before stating I have little else I can share. The city was alive and well while I lived. I only learned of its fate when the power of the trials allowed me to see a worthy quest for my applicant and he indicates Vaun If there are no other question's I will send you to the place where you may find help, advice, and resources.

Stalker05

Nov 6, 2023 6:34 am

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

As the visions left Vaun's mind, he got slightly disoriented but managed to steel himself. After a while, he looked at the thief and said, "I am ready." He looked around at his new companions, waiting to see what they would do.

Barley

microtheMacroBear

Nov 6, 2023 10:50 am

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

Malachi, raises his little black chin and excepts the pets, but Vaun's hands pass through his spiritual form.

"Malachi may look like a cat" thinks Barley to Vaun and then says out loud to him "But he really a spirit familiar that has been following us. I can communicate telepathically."

"Apologies, Master thief.", Barley says and then listens to his story.

"Terrible to be in this state of undeath." Barley thinks to himself and reaches towards the orb.

His fingers touch the smooth warm surface. A fleating thought,"Odd", passes through his mind before he is swept away by the visions.

After a moment, they pass and he shakes his head to clear it, listening to the Thief's last statement.

He looks up determined and proclaims, "Yes, let's make haste."

OOC:

Stalker05, I kind of see Malachi as a forest spirit that can fade in and out of existence like the little guys in Princess Monoke. Although, I flavored him and gave him mannerisms of a little black cat. He is the Familiar trait, so technically he can't interact physically with the world.

Yep, Barley is psychic.

Last edited November 6, 2023 10:51 am

Psybermagi

Nov 6, 2023 2:05 pm

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

The rogue guides you to a heavy door he unbars and then unlocks and shoves open. Beyond is a short hallway, in which Barley ralizes all his psychic sences are absent and Malachi pops out of existance then reapears on the far side of an archway to the next room.

The room is a simpe stone chamber withe large area of black and white tile with a raised border of polished grey stone inset with many glyphs that emit a faint glow that grows brighter. As you watch the tiles rearange themselves and the thief waves you forwards. Stand in the middle and you will be taken to meet those whom may be able to aid you. Take these with you and he tosses Vaun and Barley each a small pendant.
When you have met our xpectations we will impart to you one of our herlooms.

Stepping onto the tiles you all feel the magical energies building up under your feet. The glow from the glyph covered border flares and as the light washes over you, momentarily blinding you, the scene that greets your return of sight is not the one that was there a minute ago.

You now stand in a large cavern with several major tunnels leading away from it. You stand in the middle of the cavern on a large flattened area of black and white tile that forms a labyrinth pattern. Before you stands a tall old man a and a bespectecled gnome who stare at you intently.

Fiznik

We have got to get that Seer to tell us how to lock this damable thing so people dont keep poppoing into the middle of our research.

Guard

Next to them are several armed guardsmen with drawn swords and raised shields . Behind them are others with raised crossbows

Valpip

Oh, shush. We learn more each time this hing activates. Turning to you he smiles. Welcome, you may call me Valpip. May I know who you are and how it is you came here?

Stalker05

Nov 6, 2023 5:00 pm

Trials, Tribulation, and Treasure

Vaun has been experiencing too many arcane phenomena for a day. His mind was racing with anticipation and inquisitiveness. An elf who can talk by linking minds? A spirit manifested as an animal? Is the soul of a thief held in reality? A city named Eldergrove? Visions of a city whose internal and external struggles have destroyed it? The heart of the city having a Heartwood crystal? He was unable to talk because of the abundance of incidents that kept occurring one after the other. As he quietly stepped through the circle and teleported to another location he felt a bit disoriented again.

When Vaun looked up, he noticed the tall, bearded old man and the spectacled gnome among other soldiers who were frankly showing hostility to him. He raised his hands and said, "We are adventurers sent here to help Eldergrove. I have a mark of introduction to show." He slowly took out the card that the thief told him to show.

Vaun opened his mind to Barley, "I don't know if I am doing this right. Maybe introducing us will be the best course of action here?"

Preview

Post Preview

Emotion	Scene
Joy	The city, bright and vibrant, full of people working in harmony with nature and fey.
Sorrow	The city troubled as more soldiers are trained and taken away
Grief/Rage	A crumpled letter. Families crying and raging at soldiers.
Fear	A massive elemental walking through the city casually shattering most buildings
Relief/Hope	An archdruid restoring the heart of the city making it safa again
Fear	The sky shattering as storms rage, people flee to the heart, a flash of green
Weary	The city in ruins, animals do not stay here, the plants grow

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