5e Adventure By Me. Yeah. II

[Ramsus]

"What is wrong hatchling?" Altiui asks Zuzu, noting his distress has clearly increased.

Spoiler

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Altiui auto-succeeds, but I might as well roll anyway.
(1d20+4)[12]

[Zergrinch]

Nothing. Nothing. I'm fine. Just shocked they were willing to go from 15% to 60%.


Deception: (d20+2)[7]

[mgshamster]

Zanan stands by awaiting an answer to Zu's question.

Please do no post as my character. i've reported this to the mods.

[Gluteus_Maximus]

"Either way, you may change your mind when you see our storage. We have any weapon or armor you might need. We also have drinks. If you change your mind, and if you can't fly, you'll need a mount. Standard issue is a ring of feather fall, a talking pebble, and a giant bird mount."

[2D8HP]

"...We also have drinks...."

"Ossian"Ox", Half-Elf Fighter/Rogue (Swashbuckler) AC:16 (Chainmail), HP:25/12, Init:+6, Speed:30ft. Passive Perception:15

"Did you say something about drinks?"

[Sicarius Victis]

Nothing. Nothing. I'm fine. Just shocked they were willing to go from 15% to 60%.


Deception: (1d20+4)[20]

"I don't know, Zuzu. You look more 'sad' than 'shocked' at the moment."

Spoiler: OoC

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(1d20+4)[20]

Arkhen then Mind Melds Zuzu, saying Seriously, kid, what's wrong?

[mgshamster]

That seems fair to me. Is there a way for you to funnel my portion of the profits to my family back in [City we never named]? Once I upgrade equipment, I'd rather fund my family and improve their station in life.

Insight (1d20-3)[-1]

[2D8HP]

Insight:(d20+3)[22]

"Ossian"Ox", Half-Elf Fighter/Rogue (Swashbuckler) AC:16 (Chainmail), HP:25/12, Init:+6, Speed:30ft. Passive Perception:15

"How long have you been away from home Zu?"

[Ramsus]

"It does not seem to be nothing." Altiui replies, with basically no tact.

Insight: (1d20+4)[20]

[Gluteus_Maximus]

"What are their names and descriptions? I can send them a message."

"I'll show whoever wants a drink to the place we're going next. Naram will lead you where you need to go, the rest of you.
He leads you (assuming ox and arkhen want drinks) back through the massive hangar in the mountain. Lining the walls are giant vultures, giant frigatebirds, giant eagles, giant hawks, even giant hummingbirds. There are birds of all kinds, twice the size of a human. He leads ox and arkhen through a portal.

Spoiler: Ox and Arkhen

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This is the Ugly Ogre Inn branch in Kloogate, 200 miles southeast of our hangar, past the Dwarven mountain of Dval'Tuur and Darklake. Just ask the barman, he'll give you drinks."
The barman is a wood-elf. He wears commoners' clothes, but underneath are some really strong muscles.

[mgshamster]

Zanan gives the names and descriptions of his family, and then by extension the entire half-orc neighborhood.

Afterwards, he inquires about the weapons and equipment available.

[Gluteus_Maximus]

While the psion sends a message to your family and neighborhood, Copper leads you to the equipment stores. In a large warehouse-like room lie hundreds of weapons. Some you haven't ever seen before. None are magic in essence, and they are all free. Armor lines the walls. Some you recognize as the armor of the guards you saw earlier.
"This is part of why we have the 85-15 cut. It goes to make replacement weapons and armor.

[mgshamster]

Zanan drops off all the loot he's accumulated so far, keeping only his axe and magic Ring.

He picks up a short bow and some arrows, and an explorers pack.

You know what would help in our quest? Magical equipment, he says to the dragon.

[Gluteus_Maximus]

'mnot a dragon, I'm a human who ate the Dragon-Dragon fruit, model Copper. Pretty convenient considering my name. Your friend, Jutta, seems to have eaten the Dog-Dog fruit, model Wolf. As for Magical equipment, standard issue is a ring of feather falling and a message pebble. No more, no less. You also get a mount. I don't know what it's like because I've been able to fly forever, but still, you and the others in your group who can't fly get one."

He hands you a ring and a pebble. The ring of feather falling works just like in the DMG.
The message pebble is kind of like a sending stone, but unlike a sending stone, which only allows for one casting of Sending per day to the holder of the corresponding sending stone, the message pebble is a smaller rock that allows for a constant channel of talking between one holder of any message pebble and another, meaning that wherever the group is you can talk to each other without actually talking.

[Zergrinch]

Arkhen then Mind Melds Zuzu, saying Seriously, kid, what's wrong?

For the second time in a few minutes, Zuzu jumps as another's telepathic voice rings in his head. It doesn't take too long for him to trace the source to the warlock and regain a modicum of composure.

You have telepathy too? Is this a pact boon from your patron, or was it because of the psychic backlash during the Medusa fight?

[Jrpergande78]

Daar follows behind the group that is being led by Copper watching Zuzu, she smiles warmly at the young hatchling.

He reminds me so much of Kriv when he was a young hatchling before Bahamut touched us and granted Kriv his boons. I wonder how his question is going?

She is curious about this group and what they have seen and done and is excited to talk to them when she gets the chance.

[mgshamster]

Well, you can't blame a guy for trying, Zanan says with a half smile.

So how long have you been with the League? How long have you been fighting the wagon rider? Does he have any weaknesses besides acid? How many of his minions are out there? What are their weaknesses?

And I guess I should start carrying around vials of acid, huh?

[Gluteus_Maximus]

"I've been with the league for just over... 20 years now. I've been tasked with capturing the Wagonrider for 10 years. About his weaknesses... it isn't acid. It's damage in general. He suffers double the pain but only half the damage of any attack, but it also makes some of his darkness disappear to repair the injury quickly so he doesn't have to endure the pain. He has about 500 cult followers. Among these are 6 users of Logia fruits, called the Chosen. You fought one already, it was that mage. Their weaknesses are unknown, we haven't seen them in action."

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Zuzu is led over by the shardmind to a giant bat, parked in between a giant hummingbird named "Hummer II" and a giant vulture named "Chauncey XVII". It has red eyes and long ears. The marker for its name hasn't been written on yet.

[Sicarius Victis]

For the second time in a few minutes, Zuzu jumps as another's telepathic voice rings in his head. It doesn't take too long for him to trace the source to the warlock and regain a modicum of composure.

You have telepathy too? Is this a pact boon from your patron, or was it because of the psychic backlash during the Medusa fight?

"Backlash? What do you mean? Was the Medusa psychic, or something? I didn't notice anything like that, but that could have just been due to the heat of the battle."

[Zergrinch]

"Backlash? What do you mean? Was the Medusa psychic, or something? I didn't notice anything like that, but that could have just been due to the heat of the battle."

"Yeah. There was this backlash, felt it backfire and then strike someone else. It... changed me. Wait, you aren't seriously saying you have psionic abilities all this time???"

{ OOC: Sicarius, I added that bit about the backlash hitting someone else in case you want Arkhen to have an in-game reason to suddenly multiclass as a psionic. The initial purpose for the feedback is to give me a way to explain his sudden change in Mystic powers, as I changed him over to WOTC's third attempt at a mystic. But of course, I can easily adapt Zuzu's reaction if you want to play her as always having psionic powers. }

Zuzu is led over by the shardmind to a giant bat, parked in between a giant hummingbird named "Hummer II" and a giant vulture named "Chauncey XVII". It has red eyes and long ears. The marker for its name hasn't been written on yet.

The boy rushes to the bat. "Chichi! Is that you? Why are you here?"

He is somewhat regretful, even resentful of the fact that he can no longer hear the psionic replies of non-psionic creatures. Accursed Medusa!

[Sicarius Victis]

"Changed you how? I thought you were just a warlock like me, what would psychic power like that have done to you?"

[Zergrinch]

Ummm, yeah, i-it was weird. It, um, somehow disrupted the, er, pact... The pact magic with my patron, yeah that's it. Permanently too. Really strange.

[2D8HP]

With his new gold,

"Ossian"Ox", Half-Elf Fighter/Rogue (Swashbuckler) AC:17 (Studded leather, and shield), HP:25/12, Init:+6, Speed:30ft. Passive Perception:15

Buys a vial of perfume, rents a bath, a clean room for the night with a double bed, buys a good hot meal, then orders both a pint of ale, and a bottle of wine...

"A toast to you Sarissa, may you be in a better place!"

Then looks for a pretty face to share the bottle and bed, if none are found, finishes the bottle and pint (pint first), and then drunkenly sings to himself...

"And I watch the parade pass before me
I see my old comrades, how proudly they march
Reliving their dreams of past glory
i see the old men, all twisted and torn
The forgotten heroes of a forgotten war
And the young people ask me, "what are they
Marching for?"
And I ask myself the same question
And the old men still answer to the call
But year after year their numbers get fewer
Some day no one will march there at all... "

[Sicarius Victis]

"Then what makes you think it was psychic at all?
If it messed with your Pact, it would have been arcane.

...Are you sure your power comes from a Pact?"

[Jrpergande78]

As Daar watches Zuzu, she is reminded of her little brother Kriv when he was a young hatchling. He was always uncomfortable with himself and his himself from other. This made Daar smile warmly.

Daar walks over Zuzu and places a reassuring hand on his shoulder and speaks softly. Which is surprising considering her being a Dragonborn.

Young hatchling, my name is Daar, and I couldn't help but see that you seem... Uncomfortable about something. You remind me of my youngest brother Kriv the Runt Mehen Myastan the Hard-headed. You see, he was the last in my clutch to hatch and was the smallest one. Our clan's custom is to kill any young who appears to be sickly, however, Bahamut stayed our father's hand. Bahamut had promised great power to young Kriv when the time was right. Because he was the smallest and no one besides myself and our other five siblings and our parents thought he should have died he hid himself. I finally told him that I had a vision from Bahamut that Kriv would be big and powerful, but first he must prove himself worthy of these gifts by living life to the fullest. You see no matter what has you worried, it is a gift, not a curse, you may feel alone, but your not.

Daar shows Zuzu a drawing of her and her six siblings, next to her is a gold Dragonborn who towered over the six making him the largest, by his picture was a name. Kriv.

[Gluteus_Maximus]

The shardmind appears behind Zuzu and Arkhen.
"Young one, there is no purpose in lying. Us three are all psions, though you two have less experience. I did not mean by what I thought to you as an insult. There is undoubtedly another human out there who has psionic abilities. I know this from my millenia of experience. Even if your friend did not have abnormal psionic powers as well I would know of yours. Again, there is no purpose in lying. Let your feelings go. That is the essence of psionic power."

[Zergrinch]

As Daar watches Zuzu, she is reminded of her little brother Kriv when he was a young hatchling. He was always uncomfortable with himself and his himself from other. This made Daar smile warmly.

Daar walks over Zuzu and places a reassuring hand on his shoulder and speaks softly. Which is surprising considering her being a Dragonborn.

Young hatchling, my name is Daar, and I couldn't help but see that you seem... Uncomfortable about something. You remind me of my youngest brother Kriv the Runt Mehen Myastan the Hard-headed. You see, he was the last in my clutch to hatch and was the smallest one. Our clan's custom is to kill any young who appears to be sickly, however, Bahamut stayed our father's hand. Bahamut had promised great power to young Kriv when the time was right. Because he was the smallest and no one besides myself and our other five siblings and our parents thought he should have died he hid himself. I finally told him that I had a vision from Bahamut that Kriv would be big and powerful, but first he must prove himself worthy of these gifts by living life to the fullest. You see no matter what has you worried, it is a gift, not a curse, you may feel alone, but your not.

Daar shows Zuzu a drawing of her and her six siblings, next to her is a gold Dragonborn who towered over the six making him the largest, by his picture was a name. Kriv.

"Then what makes you think it was psychic at all?
If it messed with your Pact, it would have been arcane.

...Are you sure your power comes from a Pact?"

The shardmind appears behind Zuzu and Arkhen.
"Young one, there is no purpose in lying. Us three are all psions, though you two have less experience. I did not mean by what I thought to you as an insult. There is undoubtedly another human out there who has psionic abilities. I know this from my millenia of experience. Even if your friend did not have abnormal psionic powers as well I would know of yours. Again, there is no purpose in lying. Let your feelings go. That is the essence of psionic power."

Zuzu sighs. "Look, Miss Arkhen, you're right. He's right. I'm not a warlock. I'm a mystic. A freak with psionic powers. A freak whose..." the boy's eyes mist over a bit when he glances at Daar's drawing, "... parents were afraid of him. Someone, who, in the eyes of others, consorted with Elder gods from the Far Realm and made an unholy pact. It's not true, but since when does high society care about facts and not superstitions?"

"Please don't tell the others. Don't tell Zanan. I don't want to be... Please, not now. It's been a long day. I'm ... not ready to deal with this now. I'm... tired... Sorry."

And with that, the boy runs away, careful to hide his eyes from casual observers.

Successful Insight check vs DC (d20+5)[23]

Spoiler

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Zuzu is remembering things about his family. Unpleasant things. Of fear and shame. And parental abandonment. And is trying his best to maintain his composure.

[Jrpergande78]

Daar shakes her head sadly at Zuzu, she doesn't know firsthand how he feels, but she decided right then that she would keep an eye on Zuzu and help him through his issues as best she can. She definitely knows what it's like to be an outsider being a Dragonborn. She sighs heavily and turned to Arkhen.

He needs a little time, but once he sees he is accepted by other's he will come to. Just remain at his side and continue to be there for him.

[mgshamster]

[ooc]I'm so sad that Zanan isn't there right. He'd give Zu a hug. :(

You know, we found one of those magic fruits in the swamp lands. Altiui's people had one. I didn't find out what happened to it, but if the League is collecting them, they may want to send someone there to pick it up.

There's also a Medusa that consumed a magic fruit, but I killed her. Zanan says that last line rather nonchalantly as he looks over the quality of an axe.