Expedition to the Craters.

[ahyangyi]

"I guess I overreacted a bit." said Durr, standing, holding his double axe, looking at the construct exploding in the sky afar. "That said, I am afraid it's not the only one of its kind, and it's a broken one, so we do not know their real strength yet."

As Clarity starts to organize an effort to put off the fire. Grabbing his iron pot from his backpack, Durr joins them.

[Athaleon]

As he lacked any spell that would make putting out the fire any easier, Kalis joined the efforts of the citizens fighting the fire with buckets.

[jakarta]

The fire is soon under control, with only one horse lost to smoke inhalation.

Several gnomes in coveralls, spectacles, and gem lopes are looking over the bits of the metal thing you destroyed.

"So, I hear you're headed to the island.... If you can find some larger bits ....we'll make it worth your while...." offers the Gnome who seems to be in the lead. Unlike the others, he is wearing a red hat and shorts.

Meanwhile, one in square framed spects pulls on Ansel's elbow, "Hey kid, let's take a look at that gem? Maybe we can trade..."

On the other side of the street, one in a blue hat is propositioning Durr. "Hey, Spirit Talker, Take a looksie at this..." He discreetly holds out what looks like a shard of broken glass. It shows flickering distorted images, and lines of what could be a language. "If you find some more of these while you are on the island, come talk to me first. We'll be over at the Blue Berry lounge on the short side of town."

[ahyangyi]

"Sure, i'll keep an eye out for them." said Durr, "Why are you looking for these things though?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Sense motive if received an answer.
(1d20+11)[25]

[jakarta]

"If we get enough of them, maybe we can decipher the language."

Spoiler: sense motive result.

Show

True but incomplete.

[ahyangyi]

Durr is still a bit suspicious towards the gnome, as he feels the gnome is hiding the more important half of truth. However, it's almost an instinct for him to want to follow a clue like this, just like a ranger to follow tracks. Well, Durr is a ranger too.

"Fair enough. I'll tell you what we find when we're back.".

[Othniel]

Mirabelle

Mira's eyes grew big as saucers when she saw the gem Durr had held up. If there were more gems like that to be found on the island, this could be a very profitable trip indeed. Plus helping people, she added mentally. That was good too. "Let's go check out this island," she said hurriedly. She was too small to help fight the fires anyway.

[zabbarot]

Ansel held the coin where the gnome could get a good look, but kept a tight hold of it. He knew bankers and merchants his father trusted back home. He had no particular reason to trust this gnome though.

"Sure, you can see it, but I'll be keeping it for now." Once the gnome has sated his curiosity Ansel is ready to head to the boats. "Let's hurry to find the wizard."

[ahyangyi]

After guaranteeing the gnome that he will look for weird glasses, Durr joins the party and is ready for the island.

[jakarta]

"Hummm, Fire Ruby. High grade too... Tell you what, find me something interesting, and I'll install it in your weapon for you. Come find me at the Blue Berry lounge when you get back."

Bob comes over and tells you that the boat is ready, and they have prepared rations for you.

The boat is a longish rowboat. It has 6 oars, an anchor, and 50 ft of rope. The rations are several loafs of bread and some barbecued meat. There is enough for you and the people you are to rescue. Since you spent time fighting a fire, it is now about lunch time. You are served well done steaks and bread.

[Athaleon]

Once the fires were fought, Kalis regrouped with the rest of the party in time for lunch. As they were finishing up and making small talk, he turned to the others and asked "do any of you possess any skill or knowledge in the animation of arcane constructs? I've read little enough about them, unfortunately, but I understand they ought to glow with magic to anyone with the Sight. This one did not."

[Snowbluff]

Clarity pokes at the well done steak. Who would do this on purpose? Maybe it was burnt in the fire? "Can't say I know much about constructs."

[jakarta]

The meat seems very fresh none the less. (knowledge nature or agriculture related check, or ride/handle animal at -5)

"Eh, sometimes you can't spot the magic bit for the metal in the cowling."
(am I spelling that right? metal covering)

This tidbit comes from a nearby gnome who is aiming a telescope on a tripod at the black eye in the sky.

[ahyangyi]

"Kalis, if you don't know about the constructs, I guess none of us do. You are certainly the most knowledgeable people among us. I only know some bits about the heavens and hells, which I think you call 'the planes' in general."

When the gnome mentions the metal bit, Durr agrees: "That's actually a good point."

[jakarta]

"Where did all these gnomes come from? They aren't from around here." observes Bob.

[ahyangyi]

Durr says loudly so everyone else in the party can hear his answer clearly: "They seem to know quite a lot about 'that thing', though."

[Snowbluff]

Clarity

"You think we should question one of them? Get them to spill their beans?" Clarity asks. "I mean, maybe if we can ask them nicely, and firmly, we can convince them we're worth having in the know. I'm a trustworthy person, and if they're working to help clean this up, it might work better if I was filled in on the possible origins of everything."

[jakarta]

All of the gnomes, except one, without looking up, in unison, take a 5 ft step further away from the paladin.

[Othniel]

Mirabelle

The halfling woman busied herself with lunch, but looked up at Kalis' question. "Not a clue about arcane constructs, I'm afraid. I know people, and things you find underground. And...other things." Mira quickly drew a small dagger and flashed it before re-sheathing it just as quickly. "Most of my skills are more of the doing kind, than the knowing."

"I could talk to the gnomes, if you like. They may not see another person of their relative height as so much of a threat as you Tall Folk. No offense."

[Snowbluff]

Clarity

Clarity sits up a little straighter and smiles, taking the comment about her height as a compliment. "Well, I do try," she says humbly. "I'm not a bad conversationalist, but you are right in that they may be more comfortable with someone less official." She whispers, leaning in and winking at Mirabelle in an encouraging manner. Pushing people to helpful and good actions is almost better than doing the deed yourself.

[Athaleon]

Kalis looked on, utterly bemused. At length, he turned to one of the gnomes in their midst and asked "Where are you all from?" with a pointed look at his companions.

[jakarta]

Are you addressing one of the ones that moved away from the paladin, or the one that didn't?

[ahyangyi]

Durr feels this is not the best occasion for him to speak. If the gnomes are afraid of the trustworthy paladin, known to be bound by her oaths, what kind of the reaction they will have when a towering half-orc tries to ask the same question? Mirabelle and Kalis look like they are able to handle the situation well though, so there's no need for Durr to act here. He is feeling a bit sorry for not having prepared guidance though.

Instead, Durr gestures to Mirabelle and Kalis to encourage them. Then, he looks at the gnome who didn't move.

Spoiler: Questions

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Does the gnome wear obviously different clothing than other gnomes? (a different kind of hat, for example?) Is he/she looking at a specific person among us?

[jakarta]

The rest of the gnomes are wearing leather aprons or forge crafter gear with various small tools sticking out of pockets or from behind ears, have various eye lenses, and are all either picking up fragments, analyzing and measuring pock marks from impacts, or peering at the eye in the sky.

The other one is wearing a blue tunic and a red hat, and seems to be concerned with cleaning up damage rather than analyzing it.

[Rothis Sil]

Having spoken to the Guild Master and having agreed to help, Islux catches up with the rest of the party.

He's a wood elf, short at 5'0 brown hair, hazel eyes, young.

Once he sees them he does not approach any further, or venture to introduce himself, instead he observes the parties interaction with the gnomes from a moderate distance.

[Snowbluff]

Clarity perks up when she sees a new arrival. Now, this person does seem on the short side, but perhaps he is tall enough not to be intimidated but the paladin clad in bird like armor.

She waves to Islux. "Hello! Comment allez-vous cette belle soirée?" She asks him how he is doing tonight, in Elven. It's a language she picked up from her adoptive father.

[Othniel]

Mirabelle

The halfling woman decided to approach the gnome focused on cleaning. "Hullo!" she said, flashing a smile. "My name's Mira. I don't suppose you can tell me anything about the...whatever-it-is you're cleaning up. I'm supposed to go with these other people here and investigate what happend on the island over there," she pointed to both the others and in the direction of the island. "Any information would be greatly appreciated."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Diplomacy! (1d20+8)[18]

[Rothis Sil]

Clarity perks up when she sees a new arrival. Now, this person does seem on the short side, but perhaps he is tall enough not to be intimidated but the paladin clad in bird like armor.

She waves to Islux. "Hello! Comment allez-vous cette belle soirée?" She asks him how he is doing tonight, in Elven. It's a language she picked up from her adoptive father.

Islux perks up himself, it's beautiful to hear the sound of his homeland. The party seems friendly to start, but Islux will continue the facade at least for a while longer.

Responding in Elven and still standing at a distance.

"Honore par la presence d'une personne aussi gentille et noble que toi-meme".

Islux says that it is a wonderful night, and also mentions that he heard there was supposed to have been quite the fireworks display the night before.

[jakarta]

(it is about noon now. The fireworks was two nights before. They spent most of the night of the fireworks, the next day, and part of the next night fighting fires before passing out form exhaustion.)

The gnome Mira is talking to: "Huh? Oh. That is Mushroom Turtle Island. Cause that's what's mostly there. Mushrooms and turtles and a few trees. We think the turtles eat the mushrooms, but they always hide in their shells when people are around so we don't really know. I'm Gerald. I live here...", looking at some of the other gnomes, "They don't. A few showed up a couple days before the fireworks. The rest showed up afterwards. Does that help?"

(We'll assume the magus approached one of the others...)

The Gnome Kalis is talking to: "Oh, we'er from Dragon Mountain to the south. We came to investigate the skyfall. Rare occurrence. "

[Snowbluff]

Clarity

Clarity frowns. She's losing track of time with all of the things going on and all of the fires she fought.

"C'était bien jusqu'à l'incendie. Franchement, cet événement a été un désastre, c'est pourquoi je vais dans une mission ordonnée par les maîtres de la ville." She says that everything is horrible and so she has to go on a mission to save everyone. Also, her steak is overcooked. "Mon steak est trop cuit à la viande de rat, fabriqué par un chef sans l'odorat."