Family Of Experiments [IC]

[JNAProductions]

In a cliff overlooking a small village there's a mansion. Inside it, a laboratory, filled with experiments and weapons.

And three people-though not all would agree with calling them people. A small set of siblings, recently orphaned.

What will you do?

[Xihirli]

Beth looked over the magical pen that had once been tracing Zephyr's heartbeat. She checked it three times a day whenever Zephyr was out, and more than once she'd spent all day in the chair next to it when his heart rate was faster than usual.
Now the pen had fallen onto its side, stopped forever.
"We have to find him," she insisted.
"We have to give him a proper burial."

The goblin body dangling from the large, eye-dominated head turned around, levitating a bit above the ground.
"We're all that's left of him. We owe him that much."

[Izzarra]

"We find who made him dead. We make them more dead, VERY DEAD!" Says the hulking monstrosity that is pacing back and forth clawed hands opening and clenching repeatedly. Eyes looking for something to destroy. Only years of meticulous conditioning is preventing the building from being torn to shreds.

[Xihirli]

"I like your thinking, Bambi." The head floated to angle toward the only other Small creature in the room.
"We have nowhere to start, but I am confident that we will find our way if we follow a river. What say we scour the mansion for supplies, then find our destinies?"

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

"...maybe we can raise him!"

Of the three, Cutty is probably the most distraught simply at being left alone. She doesn't know where Zephyr went, or why he left us to watch his blood feather crumble into ash before our eyes.

Spoiler: The Blood Feather

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The blood feather looks like a quill pen, and is used to take a blood sample of the creature whose life signs you intend to monitor. Once loaded, it turns bright red. It stays that way until its subject dies, at which point it disintegrates.

It's useless to us now.

"There are evil cults all over the place now, right? Or maybe the goddess of knowledge and magic would... do... something? Ugh, I wish I knew more about religion..."

She helps Beth look over his most recent notes in an attempt to figure out where he might have been going. After that, the next option is to start asking around the surrounding village, which might be tricky without Zephyr around to tell everyone we're his homunculus servants.

[JNAProductions]

Spoiler: Investigation

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You're able to find quite a few stacks of notes-though it takes some time to sort them into the most relevant.

Beth takes the lead with trying to figure out where Zephyr went before he passed, eventually determining that he had left in search of one of the Orbs of Dragonkind-powerful artifacts used to call and control dragons of a certain type. Further looking into it doesn't reveal the location of the orb, but does reveal where he believes that information can be found-a sage of the Northern Isles.

[Xihirli]

"That's not a level of power I have access to yet," Beth said to the raising.
"But surely that will not be true for long. I become more perfect every day."

Spoiler: OOC

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Yes, I only have to wait until I can cast... wish.
I don't expect us to make it there.

Beth withdrew the best map she could find from the notes and looked at it for a route to the Northern Islands.
"We'll have to either get a ship or you lot will have to learn to fly on the way, but I think we have a plan of departure."

Spoiler: If there's nothing else...

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Unless there's anything anyone would like to do, I think we'd best pack up and be off.

[Izzarra]

Bambi goes and gets his sword ready.

[JNAProductions]

You gather the last of your supplies-you know that there's lots of powerful equipment in Zephyr's home, but at the same time, you don't know which is volatile and which is safe, or how to use a lot of it. So, you take your primarily mundane gear-though you do snag some healing potions. Those you know how to use.

Spoiler: OOC

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Six healing potions, two for each of you, though you're free to divide them as you wish.

You leave the laboratory, and head... Where? The village is nearby, perhaps a ten minute stroll away. The nearest port for the Isles is some four days to the north, and is a large city. Alternatively, Zephyr's notes do include a small ruin he was planning on investigating between your home and the port-it's supposed to have some items of power, though nothing important enough to distract him from the Orb task.

[Xihirli]

"Follow me. I am a genius." Beth began leading toward the ruins.
"If this ruin has anything to help us travel, we should be able to bypass the hard part of finding transportation."

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

Cutty organizes a half-dozen working healing potions into her bag, along with some more dubious ones she was preparing to test or sell. The bag was specially designed to hold and display the vials for easy dispensation to customers and test subjects. She knows which ones are which, but a common thief would probably get them confused.

She then reaches up with one tentacle, picks an old shortbow from its display above the doorway to the upstairs turret, and slings a halfling-sized quiver over what passes for her left shoulder.

"Okay, I'm ready! I'm not sure what might be in the ruins, but if you think there might be something that can help, I believe you!"

[Izzarra]

"I no follow, I carry." Bambi picks up the two smaller siblings and deposits one on each shoulder. "You point way, I walk fast."

[Xihirli]

"Yes. This is brilliance itself!" Beth pointed the way, her other hand holding the map over her shoulder so her eye stalks could twist to see it.

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

"Oh! Here," once seated on the terrasque-boy's left shoulder, Cutty pinches the map in a long tentacle and holds it where they can all see. "So, the ruins are on this branch here, right? So that means we're taking the port road..." She twists her other tentacle to point towards the coast in demonstration. "...that way! Let's go, Bambi!"

[JNAProductions]

You pass near the village, but never actually go in. You leave a little after noon, going for the ruins.

Spoiler: OOC

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Please make Perception checks, with disadvantage for Bambi due to having to carry folk and being occupied with that.

Passive is okay, but you cannot roll and then go passive. You choose one or the other.

[Xihirli]

"No need to worry. I have so many eyes. Eyes for days!"
[roll0]

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

Cutty has a good vantage point just from being on the shoulder of a giant.

Spoiler

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Going with the passive perception of 10.

[JNAProductions]

As you begin your travels, a few hours in, you spot something in the distance. Beth is the first to spot, but she's able to direct your eyes to the appropriate spot for you to see yourself.

A small giant is leading two goats, each bigger than a horse, along a trail.

[Xihirli]

Chaos Empress Aberrant, Envoy of the End flew off of her brother’s shoulder to gain better control of her position.
"If humans reject us, perhaps the monsters of the world will not! Let us recruit this giant, and bring him with us on our quest!" she proposed, not minding her volume at all.

[JNAProductions]

The giant looks over, hearing you faintly at this distance, and looks back to his goats.

The goats bleat a little, not caring much.

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

Isn't a small giant an oxymoron? How big is he compared to the goats? Or to Bambi, for that matter?

"Yeah, okay!" Cutty eagerly approaches the giant to start talking before Beth ticks him off somehow. "Excuse me, sir! Do you have a minute to talk? Do you bring any news from the Isles?"

Spoiler

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Persuasion to get information and butter him up! (1d20+4)[17]

[Izzarra]

"Goat look tasty"

[JNAProductions]

The giant looks over. "Huh?" he calls back. "I have goats. I'm boss of goats," he replies.

The goats finally take notice of you, looking at you for a brief moment, then returning to grazing.

[Xihirli]

Beth floated nearer.
"Follow me, and I shall make you the boss of men."

[JNAProductions]

"But I like goats," he says, idly petting one of them. The goat nuzzles his hand, happily. "People are too comp... com... complih... cated?"

[Xihirli]

All four of Beth’s eyes squinted.
”Clearly I am dealing with a master of negotiation. Here is my new offer. Travel with us for a day. Share our fire tonight, and we can talk about any further business in the morning."

[JNAProductions]

The giant looks to his goats, who look back at him. He asks them "What do you guys think?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Animal Handling check please! Convince the goats to like you, and you might get an ally!

If you manage a 4-, they'll take an aggressive dislike, and you might very well have a fight!
5-14, they'll stay pretty neutral. You still might be able to persuade the giant, but you missed your best chance.
15+, they'll take a shine to you.

Help and Guidance and everything is fine to use, just explain how you're Helping or whatnot in your IC post.

[Xihirli]

Beth floated back to Bambi.
”Bambi, we need to impress these goats. I need you to bleat at them as welcomingly as you can." Beth paused a moment, then added;
”I am a genius! Kepibluto!"

((Kepibluto is Guidance and I am casting it on Bambi.))

[Izzarra]

A challenge Bambi takes on all challenges.

He slicks back his horns, gets down on all fours, and lets out a massive "BHAAAAHAAAAHAAAAHAA"

Spoiler: Rolls

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Animal handling(1d20)[16]+(1d4)[3]+2=21

[JNAProductions]

The goats canter back a pace, then bleat back at you. While Bambi can't understand them fully, they seem to have accepted him as their new leader.

They step forward, nuzzling into your arms. The giant shrugs, and says "I guess they like you. I can help, but Gerald and Gwen have to be safe, okay?"