Megadungeon B (IC) III

[Malimar]

Lawful Plane of Earth

Namia... does not recognize this area. Too far away from her village, she hasn't been here before.

[RaggedAngel]

Doldor

Doldor looks around, attempting to glean information from the type of earth surrounding them, using his own book-learned knowledge of the Lawful Plane of Earth along with his druidic and dwarven intuitions.

Spoiler

Show

Knowledge (The Planes): (1d20+8)[20]

Survival: (1d20+12)[25]

He'll also attempt to use his dwarven Depth Sense, for fun.

[Malimar]

Lawful Plane of Earth

The stone in this particular area is mostly andesite, with a little bit of dolomite. Dolomite is good for making steel! Nonetheless, according to my (mostly Dwarf Fortress-based) understanding of geology, that combination Doesn't Make Sense because andesite is igneous extrusive and dolomite is sedimentary. But this is the Plane of Earth, which operates according to different rules! (Unlike the Chaotic Plane of Air, which operates according to no rules.)

Also there's some regular ol' dirt, and everything is covered in a miscellany of plants, none of which are particularly useful or interesting, except for a small patch of asparagus over in one corner.

His Depth Sense just confuses him. It tells him "lolnope". The lovely oppressive depth of the Plane of Earth is infinite in all directions.

[Sliver]

Scarecrow

Scarecrow tries scanning the area for magic. Then, unless someone has a better idea, he tries scouting a bit around them by turning into an earth mephling and looking for areas soft enough to burrow through.

[RaggedAngel]

Doldor

Having exhausted mundane options, Doldor looks to the group. "So, here's how things stand: we're at least five miles away from Namia's village, and may be as much as five hundred. No way of knowing, I'm afraid, unless one of you can cast Locate City and never told me about it. I think we should go ahead and try to Teleport closer. Alternatively, we could just camp out here and then Plane Shift back to the Prime Material in the morning. Teleportation carries some risks, and it could end up dumping us somewhere dangerous. On the other hand, it would be nice to meet Namia's people, and if I can visit her home village in person it will make it a lot easier for me to find it again in the future. If we stay here, we don't run the risk of any teleportation mishaps, but we do run the risk of that earth elemental coming back with friends, or for something else to wander across us."

[Artorias]

Namia

Namia looks around for any signs of her people, like tribal markings or any other signs of civilisation "I think it would be easier for us to just search on foot. I don't think we will locate anything by however teleportation works. If we walk we might find signs of scouts or at least someone that we can talk to."

[RaggedAngel]

Doldor

Doldor shrugs. "I suppose I haven't explained how teleport works exactly, now have I? There's about three in four chances that we end up directly on target. It would be a lot better, except that I've only got the description of your home to work off of. For somewhere like the Temple of Numiel, it's very nearly certain that I'll arrive directly on target. The rest of the time we'll end up somewhere pretty close by. There's only about three in a hundred times when we might have problems; and for somewhere like the Temple, there's no chance of a mishap at all. Teleport is a pretty reliable way to travel."

He gestures around at the little cave. "We could be five hundred miles from your home right now. If you don't recognize this area at all, it suggests we're fairly far. We might as well spend on of my two fifth-level spells and see if we can't get a little closer." He seems to have talked himself into that particular course of action.

[Artorias]

Namia

Namia thinks about it and nods "I guess it beats random hours of walking randomly. Okay. We can do this, but what if we fail all times and you...umm...use up your....fifth level spells? Magic sounds weird. I am glad I did not get into it..."

[RCgothic]

Eleanor

"Agreed, let's try and teleport closer", Eleanor says. She feels exhilarated after that short but brutal fight, much more like she's beginning to hold her own again after her enforced absence from the group.

[RaggedAngel]

Doldor

Once everyone is in agreement, and assuming that Scarecrow doesn't find anything interesting while burrowing around, Doldor will gather the group around and then expend Greater Stone Shape to cast Teleport, targeting the description of Namia's home that she'd given him. He'd had her describe it to him repeatedly on their month long voyage across the sea, as well as sketch out the general layout of her village. He felt like he knew it as well as he could without having actually seen it.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Retcon powers, activate!

[Malimar]

Lawful Plane of Earth

Scarecrow finds some earthy area to poke around in as an earth mephling, but finds very little of interest without going far from the party, and the party's got a better idea anyway.

The party joins hands, and Doldor sacrifices a spell of the fifth circle, and with a bjjjjjjjjjj-florp, the party steps into a rift in reality and emerges in the very center of


Namia's Village

!

A central rocky caverny area, large and uneven enough for a good game of goatball, is surrounded by smaller caves and tunnels containing dwelling areas and workshops and shops.

There's much alarm as a seemingly random assortment of people suddenly appear! Goliath children scatter and goliath adults produce giant hammers and encircle the party!

Then they notice Namia! Namia's mother, a substantial, muscular, towering goliath, emerges from the crowd and bellows while enveloping Namia in a bear hug, "Child! Have you done The Thing already? Who are these little people?"

[Artorias]

Namia

Namia hugs her mother with quite some force, not holding back, trying to lift her off the ground and spin her around as her mother used to do when Namia was weaker.
"Hey mom! Hey everyone!" Namia shouts and lets her mother down "It's good to see you mother. No. I am still working on it and these people are going to help achieve that. They are my friend. The shortest one is Shian, a bird acid dragon!" She says and points to the bird before pointing to Doldor "This one is Doldor, a druid!" before pointing at Scarecrow "This one is Scarecrow, a dragon too! Kind of...?" and finally she points at Eleanor "And this is Eleanor! She is great at fighting!"
Once Namia introduces everyone loudly she puts down her hammer and stretches "Can we have some food and shelter? We are leaving tomorrow, but we need someplace to rest and what's better than home, right?. Also, where is sis? I have a wrestling match....however many years in the making to win!"

[RaggedAngel]

Doldor

Doldor waits until Namia has had a proper chance to greet her mother, then he steps forward, doing his best to look sagely. Given his long, bushy beard, gnarled staff, and various magical accoutrements, he does a good job of it.

"Greetings, tribe of Namia. We are indeed in the process of fulfilling the mission you sent Namia off to accomplish. I can travel between the Prime Material and the Lawful Plane of Earth once per day; it turns out to be a good way to travel large distances on the Prime Material. We are at your service while we are here; I have several Stone Shape spells prepared that I would be happy to cast for you, for example."

Spoiler

Show

Doldor really hates feeling like he's imposing. Good thing Druid magic is good at providing permanent value to communities.

[RCgothic]

"Nice to meet you all," Eleanor greets Namia's family, pleased to be described as great at fighting!

[Malimar]

Namia's Village

Namia's mother gathers everybody else in the party into bear hugs (including pony!Brutus, whom she offers a glistering carrot) one at a time, "Friends of my daughter are friends of the village!"

When Doldor offers his services, a local goliath mason takes him aside and puts him to work repairing some root-damaged cavern walls.

Namia's sister is in the crowd! She immediately charges Namia and attempts to get her into a headlock to administer a vigorous noogie! Namia's sister succeeds at first (as she always used to), but as Namia is being noogied, she manages to flip her sister, then pin her to the ground! Namia stands victorious! Her sister laughs, "Good job!"

[Artorias]

Namia

Namia smiles and gets off of her sister, offering her hand to help her up "I have grown much in my travels. I will tell you everything...over some food..." Namia says as her stomach growls and a blush appears on her face.

[Rizban]

Shian

In an attempt to preserve his delicate birdy bones, Shian tries to deftly dodge any bear hugs aimed his direction.

[Malimar]

Namia's Village

Namia's mother eventually gives up on bear-hugging the teensy sparrow, and declares, "Of course! Food and drink and stories! A feast for my daughter!"

The party is led back to a largish hall that is soon laden with all manner of sustenance! Goat meat and goat milk and the meat of hunted earthy and planty denizens of the plane (the local meat has a crunchy quality that isn't quite unpleasant but is somewhat strange) and fizzy strong alcoholic beverages brewed with precision from the local plants.

[RaggedAngel]

Doldor

Doldor gives into his dwarvenly urges and partakes of the local drinks. Not to excess, of course, but enough make his ruddy cheeks a bit ruddier. He compliments the food and drink (even if it happens to be not to his liking), and he offers to bless the goliath's crops before the party leaves tomorrow with a casting of Plant Growth.

He'll ask Namia's tribe about their part of the Lawful Plane of Earth, curious about the local wildlife and any other sentient creatures in the area.

[RCgothic]

Eleanor

Eleanor also enjoys the food, drink and company, enjoying a day off from the quest after weeks of travel.

[Malimar]

Namia's Village

Over the feast, Namia's people talk to Doldor about the vicinity! There's a hive of formians nearby with whome the goliaths occasionally trade, and an amethyst dragon of moderate size whom the goliaths ply with offerings, and earth elementals come through occasionally, and a variety of axiomatic and earth element animals all over the place. All manner of the various creatures you would expect of the area.


The omnipresent dim light does not change, but eventually the feast winds down and the goliaths offer hard beds to sleep on for the ?night?.


In the morning, Doldor blesses the goliaths' crops!

[RaggedAngel]

Doldor

That night, before going to bed, Doldor takes the block of wood out of his Handy Haversack, and casts Wood Shape on it to shape it into a big raft-canoe-boat object.

The next morning he casts Greater Resistance on himself (and Brutus), then goes out to bless the goliath's crops with Plant Growth. Once that is done he gathers the group together. He'll give one last thanks to Namia's clan, and take another long look around the cavern, firmly fixing the location in his mind. "We look forward to visiting again soon. Having a safe place to lay over on the Plane of Elemental Earth will do a lot to help us with Namia's mission. We thank you for having us as your guests."

Then, unless there is something else to do, he'll use his Plane Shift ability to return the party (and the raft) to the Prime Material.

[Artorias]

Namia

Namia feasts, but does so in a bit more civilised manner than the rest of her tribe. She tells them stories and tales as she drinks, embellishing the details a little bit.

In the morning she wakes up and give everyone in her family a hug before she meets back up with everyone. "Coming here got me nostalgic...We should come back again if we need to. So, did everyone enjoy their time here? Beds are not exactly as soft as in the central plane but I hope the hospitality made up for that." Namia says with a smile, the nostalgia unable to contain her lust for more adventure, her eagerness visible as she stretches and paces around.

[Malimar]

Namia's Village

The party stands on Doldor's boaty thing, and Doldor uses plane shift, and with a mighty noise of power, arrives on


The Material Plane

In the middle of the ocean! Hundreds of miles from land!

Luckily, Doldor's boaty thing floats!

Brutus is mildly alarmed by the whole situation.

[RaggedAngel]

Doldor

Doldor is mildly alarmed; he had been hoping the party would end up on dry ground. He keeps his cool, however, and six seconds after the party arrives on the Prime Material he sacrifices a 5th level spell to cast Teleport. He pictures the monastery of Numiel in his mind; he's spend a good bit of time there, so it's easy for him to hold it strongly in his mind.

[Malimar]

Material Plane, Somewhere In The Ocean

The continent of Gus/Omorashi is only several tens of miles across, and is more than 500 miles from the nearest other continent, and plane shift dumps you 5 to 500 miles (bell curved so 250ish is much most likely) away from your target, so probably landing on some random boat would have been more likely than landing on dry land. And the ocean is so big that even with lots of boats and mangals floating around, even that was vanishingly unlikely. So the raft was a good precaution.

Then Doldor telemaports the party to the general vicinity of the Monastery of Numiel!

And the party arrives


Monastery of Numiel at Perch Hill

directly in the courtyard of the monastery!

A mongrelman cenobite, busy trimming a bush, falls on his butt in startlement at the sudden appearance of the party.

[RaggedAngel]

Doldor

Doldor promptly falls to his knees, breathing a sign of relief. "I'll admit: I'm not especially comfortable standing on a raft in the middle of an ocean. There's a reason to fix the planes right there, to give me more solid ground to land on."

He stands, looking around the monastery with a smile. "This place is starting to feel like a second home. Except, I don't have a first home, so..." He trails off, contemplative. "Hm. Maybe we should look into getting a home base of some sort, in the future. Might be nice to not have to impose on the good will of others if we want to take a break from adventuring. But that's for the future. For now, I have something I need to take care of that may take a day or so. I'd prefer to get it over with now, but I can wait if anyone has an urgent matter that needs taking care of."

If the party is okay with hanging out at the Temple for a day or so, Doldor will look to find a cleric, paladin, favored soul, or archivist of Numiel who'll be willing to come by at a specific time tomorrow with Resurgence prepared.

[Malimar]

Monastery of Numiel at Perch Hill

Of course Abbot Waxter welcomes the party as guests, and invites them to stay as long as they need.

There is a grand total of one cleric at the monastery: the abbot. (There used to be a paladin, too, but he died and a replacement hasn't yet been sent by the Archbishop of Shell.) Because resurgence is only a spell of the first circle, he is indeed powerful enough to prepare it, so he agrees to do so and meet Doldor at the appointed place at the appointed time on the following day.

[RaggedAngel]

Doldor

Most animal companions die violent deaths.

It was a fact that all druids had to recognize when they formed their sacred bond with their companion. Companions came willingly, out of a primal desire to work toward the mission of the druid that called them; usually to promote balance in the natural world. Even so, it was a very hard thing to have a companion die in combat; something that Doldor now understood firsthand. As a warhound, Brutus had been a force to be reckoned with, and he had been brought low. As a warpony, he was simply less of a fighter than he had once been, and the dangers of Doldor's quest were only increasing.

With this knowledge, Doldor knew that if he did not end his pact with Brutus and call forth a new companion, Brutus would probably not live through the month. Even so, the thought of abandoning his loyal hound, his best friend, made his stomach churn. Thus, he decided that his best option was to make it such that Brutus could fully understand what was happening to him, and give him the faculties necessary to make his own choices and blaze his own path.

Doldor found a quiet, simple storeroom to work in. He cleared out a space for himself and Brutus, set out a trough of fresh water and hay for the warpony, and knelt. He let Abbot Waxter know to return in a little less than a day.

He begins by sharing a sense of calm, trust, and companionship through his empathic link with Brutus. "Don't worry, boy," he says in their secret language. "Trust me. Trust me for one more day." Then, holding the pony's head in his hands, he breaks their bond. He and Brutus both instantly feel a loss as their empathic sense is severed; after a few minutes, Doldor is ready to move forward. He begins to cast an ancient spell, chanting in low tones.

The day turns into dusk, which becomes night, which becomes dawn, which becomes day.

Twenty four hours after his spell begins, Doldor falls to his knees. He cries out as a small piece of him is torn away. That piece flows into Brutus, and a spark ignites in the pony's eyes.

A moment of quiet, stillness, and calm. Then, his voice hoarse and his throat sore, Doldor breaks the silence. "Are you... did it work? Brutus?"

[Malimar]

Monastery of Numiel at Perch Hill

Even after the bond is severed, Brutus remains a dog/pony, and is therefore content to remain with Doldor in the shed for the duration of the spell. Even if he could manipulate the door's latch and handle, he wouldn't.

Day flows into night!

Blue Saquel (representing failure and rejection) is in the Kraken (representing tyranny) -- auspicious for the mission at hand, probably. Not the awakening mission, the broader mission of taking down Quasxthe's work.

Night flows into day!

Abbot Waxter comes in to witness the last bit of the spell (and bring breakfast to Doldor and a carrot to Brutus). But it turns out his services are not needed! Though maybe they'll appreciate the plate of eggs and sausage and the carrot anyway.

The spell is complete, and Brutus glows greenly, and then his ears perk up and his pony eyes show a glint of a keener intellect than before!

The pony blinks, whinnies, and says, "Huh. This... feels really weird, actually? Like... like... no, I've got nothing to compare it to. But maybe you know what it's like, you're probably used to it. Ooh, is that a carrot? No, wait, I want my first meal as a person to be from Doldor, that seems ceremonial and stuff. Although you're good people, too, right, Abbot? My biped-friends seem to think you're okay."

At this point Brutus pauses to ponder Doldor. "Oh, wait, I get it now, you awakened me to leave me behind. Because you don't want me to die. That's sweet." He somehow manages to furrow his horsey brow. "Your quest is important, though, isn't it? I could help! Unless you think I'd just slow you down. I'd probably just slow you down." He hangs his head. "OHHEY but I know a quest I want to do! I liked being a dog, it was much more... what's the word... dignity! More dignified than being a silly pony. Ooh, or a wolf. No, no, a dire wolf! Yes, I want to make me a dire wolf!" He bares his pony teeth ferociously and strikes a wolfy pose.

Then, "Oh, wait, sorry, am I rambling? Am I not giving you a chance to talk? I'm not used to being able to talk, it's new and I like it."