The captain looks over the four of you (including an Eladrin fellow that hasn’t spoken yet), hands the notice to you, and says,
“Here, there’s 4 of you, that should make old Rezlin happy. You’ll find his cottage at the outskirts of town. Easy money. Come back when you want something tougher.”
You all make your way to Rezlin’s cottage, presumably getting acquainted with each other. It’s a small, run-down little one-story house. Probably only big enough for 2-3 rooms. There’s a picket fence in the front, but in disrepair, the gate stuck open. Weeds flank a short path to the front door. The stone cottage features glass pane windows, but they’re dirty enough to obscure what may be inside. Originating behind the cottage, and towering over the structure enough to supply it with quite a bit of shade, is an oak tree, with many reaching and sprawling branches. On the unshaded side, a chimney produces a thin stream of black smoke.
A black cat sits on the front porch, lazily watching you with slitted yellow eyes. A mouse scurries into the weeds at your approach, and you notice one or two squirrels in the higher boughs of the oak tree. They chatter at you.
Aralin, has been watching from the side, he's somewhat shy which is odd for an Elf! "Greetings, I'm Aralin, I am a long way from home but I am looking to make new friends and maybe make a name for myself!"
He continues: "This Guard Captain pointed to the job noticeboard and I saw this very interesting add and here I am!"
Aralin moves towards the black cat sitting on the porch noticing the chatter of the squirrels. [Rolls Animal Handling: 14]
Being led to the old man's house, Valerian introduced himself to the group as Val, being cautious about throwing around his full name. He tries to keep an observant eye on his new companions as they head towards adventure.
Once arriving at the house, Valerian is not sure what to expect or what to make of the almost dilapidated structure ahead of them. Everything seemed old and unkept and he wonders which part of this is going to be their job today.
As they all walk through the gate, Valerian observes the fences that surround the gate and tries to decipher whether the fence has just been eroded over time or particularly damaged. (Investigation Check: 20)
Turning to the others, unsure of what the plan is, Valerian asks, "I assume we simply knock on the door and see who answers?"
As they begin the walk to Rezlin’s cottage, Seraphine takes a deep breath and steps forward, her scale mail gleaming. "I am Seraphine Bloodrune," she says, her voice steady. "I have some experience with both arcane and divine magic. Let's work together and make this task quick and efficient." Arriving at the cottage, Seraphine’s eyes scan the overgrown garden and dilapidated fence (Perception: 16). She notes the black cat on the porch, watching them. "We should check the garden first," she suggests, moving towards the oak tree. "Look for anything unusual or signs of an infestation. Better to be cautious," she says eying the mouse with an eyebrow raised.
She kneels to inspect the ground around the tree, her expression focused. "Val, Finn, Aralin," she says, glancing back at them, "spread out and see what you can find. Let's ensure the garden is safe before we enter." With her shield ready and her spellbook at her side, Seraphine feels prepared.
Perhaps it was the years of following orders that was influencing his feelings but Valerian felt far more confident now having gotten instructions from Seraphine. Knocking on the front door might not have been a good idea if they had no idea what they were getting into.
"I'll head towards the back of the house." He replies quietly, nodding towards the group. Keeping away from the parts of the house where the windows look out, Valerian tries to make his way around the house unseen to see if he can spot a garden or anything peculiar. (Stealth check: 21) ( Perception: 5 (nat 1 + 4)
Examining the fence, Valerian sees it has simply worn down over time, no specific damage has been done. Routine maintenance such as whitewashing have been neglected.
Aralim attempts to approach the black cat but she arches her back and hisses at you before dashing away, into the rear of the property, ahead of you. As you bypass the front porch and head to the back, where the tree is growing, the cat realizes you have followed it, gives you another hiss of displeasure, and runs off even further.
Reaching the area behind the cottage in but a few strides, you all loo around to see a quaint little garden. A path of paving stones stretches away from the cottage and reaches a small pond. In between that and the cottage are a flower patch, a vegetable patch, and another patch for herbs.
Seraphime, staying alert, notices many little things typical of an outside garden area, including some bees. You see their tiny eyes have a spark of unusual color in them - purple. Care to make a nature check?
As Seraphine rounds the corner of the cottage into the garden, her eyes quickly catch the unusual purple hue in the bees' eyes. She frowns slightly, noting the strange detail. "These bees have purple eyes," she remarks quietly, loud enough for her companions to hear. "I've seen that color before, but not in insects." She looks at her companions, her expression alert. "Stay vigilant. There might be more to this garden than meets the eye." Seraphine closes her eyes briefly, reaching out to Kiaransalee for guidance in unraveling the mystery. She continues to scan the garden, remaining cautious and observant.
With her nature check, Seraphime knows that the bees’ eye color is unusual, even unnatural. Further, she suspects that the bee activity is unusual, though she can’t quite put a finger on it. Perhaps they’re not foraging and pollinating the way they ought?
While pondering this curious finding, her thoughts are interrupted. The back door creaks open and out steps an old man. Wild unkempt white hair swirls on top of his wrinkled head. His face crinkles into a smile which reveals yellowed teeth. His back is bent by age and he leans on a cane. His robes are shabby and a bit dirty.
“Ehh? You’ve missed the front door and are on my land. Ah, but you have the look of adventurers, come to answer my advertisement. Eager to get a peek at your assignment, eh? Haha, enterprising, that’s good! But come in, come in, let old Rezlin explain the job properly!”
He stands to the side, gesturing for you to enter the cottage. The black cat rushes out from a patch of weeds and zooms in ahead of you.
Valerian kept an eye on the peculiar bees as he took a few steps back towards the house. The feelings that they were stumbling into things they didn't know enough about overwhelmed him and he didn't want this to go badly for them. Gesturing to the house, Valerian says, "The guard did say that the man, Rezlin, was involved in some magic. I think we should speak to him before we go any further. Gather some information."
With that, Valerian walks back to the door and knocks on it. Quickly pulling his hand away and taking a few steps back, he waits for an answer. He reminds himself that this is his one attempt at a more noble path and it would be a far less convincing one if the man in the house thought they were trespassing into his land.
Seraphine watches as the old man steps out, her sharp eyes taking in his wild white hair, wrinkled face, and shabby robes. She nods respectfully, acknowledging his presence. "My apologies for our intrusion, Rezlin," she says, her voice steady but lacking in practiced politeness. "We saw the beautiful garden and were curious. It caught our eye. The advert mentioned an infestation."
She steps forward, accepting his invitation. As she crosses the threshold, she glances back at the garden, then turns to Rezlin. "Your bees—there's something unusual about them. Their eyes are purple and they act weird. Do you know what's causing this? Are they what troubles you in the garden?"
Finn will roll his eyes at the hissing cat, such vulgar gestures feel childish. He admires the open space of the garden, the careful sections for flowers and vegetables and herbs, and delights in the potential of what it could be. He casually assesses his surroundings, but the old man calling to them from the door distracts Finn from any real investigating.
Rezlin doesn't seem rich, which puts Finn at ease. Seeing the state of his clothes and home, he almost feels bad for taking the man's money, but a job is a job. With a shrug to himself, Finn will saunter towards the door with a friendly expression and give a polite nod to Rezlin as he passes into the dilapidated house. The torn ear twitches as Seraphine speaks, listening intently at the mention of bees with purple eyes. Strange... but he doesn't know much about the world, so he doesn't realize how odd it truly is.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Cordimis Fay - Aasimar Cleric // The Witchwood Finnan Superstes - Tabaxi Monk // Tending the Garden
Bran appreciates the garden and can see Rezlin cares deeply about it. Surprised somewhat at the cats reactions to him he quickly refocus' on Rezlin and Seraphine's conversation and adds:"You have a good garden Master Rezlin, you obviously care for it deeply". Noting Seraphine's comment about the bees, he agrees and quietly murmur's to himself; "purple eyes?" Bran rolls an insight check 18
Rezlin ushers you in to his humble abode, and you find yourselves in a cluttered kitchen area. Every available surface is occupied by dirty dishes, half-eaten meals in various stages of freshness, or else books and parchments with writing on them.
"Sorry about the mess," apologizes Rezlin. "I'm getting older and it's hard to find the energy to do everything that needs done. And I'm so occupied with my work. Speaking of which, I see you noticed my bees. That's clever, you've sharp eyes. I've been working on a concoction that augments the bees' abilities to pollinate and produce higher quantities of honey. It does tend to make their eyes glow purple, but that seems to be harmless. I've gone through several iterations. The current formula is yielding good results in some areas but it's affecting the bees' normal social behavior, so I'm afraid I'm going to have to tweak it some more. And that's where you come in!"
(Bran studies the old man intently and determines that Rezlin is deeply passionate about his bees, he's obviously very invested in them.)
(Anyone else who wants to check insight on Rezlin is welcome to do so)
"I need help gathering some hard-to-get reagents. I used to do it myself, but like I said, I'm getting older. Much better for me to pay you young whipper-snappers, with your strong backs and sharp eyes. And then there's the infestation, true. More of a nuisance, really, a sort of be-on-your-guard while you're getting the reagents. That's the main thing, getting my materials. What I need you to gather, specifically, are mole whiskers and mouse dander. But there's a trick to it, they need to be harvested in just the right way or they'll be useless to me. They need to be taken with the creature still alive, and what's more, in a good disposition, not stressed. The reagents lose their magical potency if taken forcefully, or if the creature is harmed. So there's a technique that I've perfected over the years and I'm asking you to do it."
Rezlin is in full stride with his explanation, speaking rapidly and animatedly. His eyes practically gleam with excitement!
"I'm asking you to drink one of my potions and get shrunk down to their size. Well, to a height of about 3 inches, anyway. We'll do it out in the garden where the critters are. Then you can find them, interact with them, gain their trust, get what you need, and get out. The potion wears off after about 8 hours, so well before nightfall, and you return to your original size. Now I know what you're thinking, and I can assure you that the process is quite safe. I've perfected my recipe and used it on myself many times."
He looks at each of you expectantly, expecting perhaps some doubts or rebuffs.
(The post is getting a bit long so here's a chance to respond to what Rezlin has said so far)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"If the concoction for your bees has had several revisions," Finn shifts on his feet, "How many times have you created and tested this shrinking potion?" His ears begin to flatten against his head, showing obvious signs of trepidation.
However Rezlin responds, Finn will be checking his body language for the truth. Does he avoid eye contact, act dismissive, or does whatever he say next seem legit to assuage the groups' fears? Insight: 6
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Cordimis Fay - Aasimar Cleric // The Witchwood Finnan Superstes - Tabaxi Monk // Tending the Garden
"Mole whiskers and mouse dander." Valerian mentally repeated a few times so that he wouldn't forget when he needed, trying to ignore how much this sounded like a bad plan.
There was something terribly uncomfortable about the idea of being smaller, likely offbalance and more vulnerable. Valerian looked back at his companions, being able to glean that they didn't all seem confident in this plan. Finn was the first to ask questions and Valerian found that he had several of his own.
Trying to put on a relaxed demeanor, Valerian says, "We're happy to help but I have some questions before we go on." Once he had the old man's attention, he asks, "Have any of these creatures caused you harm while you were shrunk down? Keeping in mind the infestation. Any weaknesses we should be aware of?"
Valerian tries to observe how confident/convincing Rezlin seems in his tested plan and in answering the group's various questions. (Insight check: 17)
"Hmmm this is different and quite unexpected!" Says Aralin. He continues, "I wonder what its like to experience the world around us so small? The idea appeals to Aralin's fey perspective on the world.
"I am happy to do so if everyone else is, what could go wrong? Rezlin's passion and obvious intellect seems like he knows what he doing". And with that Aralin stands to the side to hear what everyone else thinks.
Seraphine listens intently as Rezlin explains his plan, her eyes narrowing slightly with each new detail. The idea of being shrunk down to the size of an insect fills her with unease. As Rezlin finishes, she speaks up, her expression serious. "I appreciate your ingenuity, Rezlin," she begins, her tone cautious but respectful. "However, there are several concerns. First, your cat. It already seems aggressive, and at our reduced size, we'd be easy prey. Can you ensure it won't be stalking the garden while we're out there?" She glances at the peculiar bees. "Then there are your bees to contend with. Their purple eyes are unusual, and I can't help but feel they might be more aggressive. Can you guarantee they won't pose a threat to us while we're gathering the reagents?"
Her eyes scan the garden, imagining the myriad dangers they might face. "And what about other predators—spiders, birds, even ants could be a threat at that size. Have you accounted for these dangers? It’s one thing to shrink down, but another entirely to navigate a garden filled with potential threats." She looks to Valerian and Finn, acknowledging their concerns. "Valerian has a point about the potential harm these creatures could cause, and Finn's concern about the potion's reliability is valid. Have you thoroughly tested this shrinking potion? Is there a way to end its effect more rapidly, if not with immediate effect? You know, just in case we are in mortal danger and need to abandon the ingredient hunt?"
Seraphine's expression remains stern. "We need assurances that your plan is safe and that we've considered all the possible risks. It's one thing to face danger at our normal size, but quite another when we're defenseless and small. Your passion is clear, but our safety is paramount." She waits for Rezlin's response, hoping he can address their worries convincingly (Insight: 22).
"If the concoction for your bees has had several revisions," Finn shifts on his feet, "How many times have you created and tested this shrinking potion?" His ears begin to flatten against his head, showing obvious signs of trepidation.
However Rezlin responds, Finn will be checking his body language for the truth. Does he avoid eye contact, act dismissive, or does whatever he say next seem legit to assuage the groups' fears? Insight: 13
“Oh, certainly, my shrinking potion works quite well, I’ve used it on myself many times in the past to harvest reagents myself.”
Finn notes that Rezlin seems quite confident on this point, almost dismissive, it’s a non-issue to him.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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The captain looks over the four of you (including an Eladrin fellow that hasn’t spoken yet), hands the notice to you, and says,
“Here, there’s 4 of you, that should make old Rezlin happy. You’ll find his cottage at the outskirts of town. Easy money. Come back when you want something tougher.”
You all make your way to Rezlin’s cottage, presumably getting acquainted with each other. It’s a small, run-down little one-story house. Probably only big enough for 2-3 rooms. There’s a picket fence in the front, but in disrepair, the gate stuck open. Weeds flank a short path to the front door. The stone cottage features glass pane windows, but they’re dirty enough to obscure what may be inside. Originating behind the cottage, and towering over the structure enough to supply it with quite a bit of shade, is an oak tree, with many reaching and sprawling branches. On the unshaded side, a chimney produces a thin stream of black smoke.
A black cat sits on the front porch, lazily watching you with slitted yellow eyes. A mouse scurries into the weeds at your approach, and you notice one or two squirrels in the higher boughs of the oak tree. They chatter at you.
Aralin, has been watching from the side, he's somewhat shy which is odd for an Elf! "Greetings, I'm Aralin, I am a long way from home but I am looking to make new friends and maybe make a name for myself!"
He continues: "This Guard Captain pointed to the job noticeboard and I saw this very interesting add and here I am!"
Aralin moves towards the black cat sitting on the porch noticing the chatter of the squirrels. [Rolls Animal Handling: 14]
Being led to the old man's house, Valerian introduced himself to the group as Val, being cautious about throwing around his full name. He tries to keep an observant eye on his new companions as they head towards adventure.
Once arriving at the house, Valerian is not sure what to expect or what to make of the almost dilapidated structure ahead of them. Everything seemed old and unkept and he wonders which part of this is going to be their job today.
As they all walk through the gate, Valerian observes the fences that surround the gate and tries to decipher whether the fence has just been eroded over time or particularly damaged. (Investigation Check: 20)
Turning to the others, unsure of what the plan is, Valerian asks, "I assume we simply knock on the door and see who answers?"
As they begin the walk to Rezlin’s cottage, Seraphine takes a deep breath and steps forward, her scale mail gleaming. "I am Seraphine Bloodrune," she says, her voice steady. "I have some experience with both arcane and divine magic. Let's work together and make this task quick and efficient." Arriving at the cottage, Seraphine’s eyes scan the overgrown garden and dilapidated fence (Perception: 16). She notes the black cat on the porch, watching them. "We should check the garden first," she suggests, moving towards the oak tree. "Look for anything unusual or signs of an infestation. Better to be cautious," she says eying the mouse with an eyebrow raised.
She kneels to inspect the ground around the tree, her expression focused. "Val, Finn, Aralin," she says, glancing back at them, "spread out and see what you can find. Let's ensure the garden is safe before we enter." With her shield ready and her spellbook at her side, Seraphine feels prepared.
|| Myrla - Wood Elf Rogue - After the Fall || Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Trystane - Trollblood Lycanthrope - Vecna || Taiga - Genasi Fighter - Looking for Group || Riyphou - Loxodon Druid - Secrets || Tez - Half Elf Artificer - Looking for Group || Valerian - Pallid Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Zelaerys - Halfling/Celestial Divine Soul - NWN || Kesili - Human/Dhampir Monk - Witchwood || Trystane (main/gestalt) - Gestalt Trollblood - DOOM ||
Perhaps it was the years of following orders that was influencing his feelings but Valerian felt far more confident now having gotten instructions from Seraphine. Knocking on the front door might not have been a good idea if they had no idea what they were getting into.
"I'll head towards the back of the house." He replies quietly, nodding towards the group. Keeping away from the parts of the house where the windows look out, Valerian tries to make his way around the house unseen to see if he can spot a garden or anything peculiar. (Stealth check: 21) ( Perception: 5 (nat 1 + 4)
Examining the fence, Valerian sees it has simply worn down over time, no specific damage has been done. Routine maintenance such as whitewashing have been neglected.
Aralim attempts to approach the black cat but she arches her back and hisses at you before dashing away, into the rear of the property, ahead of you. As you bypass the front porch and head to the back, where the tree is growing, the cat realizes you have followed it, gives you another hiss of displeasure, and runs off even further.
Reaching the area behind the cottage in but a few strides, you all loo around to see a quaint little garden. A path of paving stones stretches away from the cottage and reaches a small pond. In between that and the cottage are a flower patch, a vegetable patch, and another patch for herbs.
Seraphime, staying alert, notices many little things typical of an outside garden area, including some bees. You see their tiny eyes have a spark of unusual color in them - purple. Care to make a nature check?
As Seraphine rounds the corner of the cottage into the garden, her eyes quickly catch the unusual purple hue in the bees' eyes. She frowns slightly, noting the strange detail. "These bees have purple eyes," she remarks quietly, loud enough for her companions to hear. "I've seen that color before, but not in insects." She looks at her companions, her expression alert. "Stay vigilant. There might be more to this garden than meets the eye." Seraphine closes her eyes briefly, reaching out to Kiaransalee for guidance in unraveling the mystery. She continues to scan the garden, remaining cautious and observant.
(Nature: 13 (incl. 3 from Guidance))
|| Myrla - Wood Elf Rogue - After the Fall || Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Trystane - Trollblood Lycanthrope - Vecna || Taiga - Genasi Fighter - Looking for Group || Riyphou - Loxodon Druid - Secrets || Tez - Half Elf Artificer - Looking for Group || Valerian - Pallid Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Zelaerys - Halfling/Celestial Divine Soul - NWN || Kesili - Human/Dhampir Monk - Witchwood || Trystane (main/gestalt) - Gestalt Trollblood - DOOM ||
With her nature check, Seraphime knows that the bees’ eye color is unusual, even unnatural. Further, she suspects that the bee activity is unusual, though she can’t quite put a finger on it. Perhaps they’re not foraging and pollinating the way they ought?
While pondering this curious finding, her thoughts are interrupted. The back door creaks open and out steps an old man. Wild unkempt white hair swirls on top of his wrinkled head. His face crinkles into a smile which reveals yellowed teeth. His back is bent by age and he leans on a cane. His robes are shabby and a bit dirty.
“Ehh? You’ve missed the front door and are on my land. Ah, but you have the look of adventurers, come to answer my advertisement. Eager to get a peek at your assignment, eh? Haha, enterprising, that’s good! But come in, come in, let old Rezlin explain the job properly!”
He stands to the side, gesturing for you to enter the cottage. The black cat rushes out from a patch of weeds and zooms in ahead of you.
Valerian kept an eye on the peculiar bees as he took a few steps back towards the house. The feelings that they were stumbling into things they didn't know enough about overwhelmed him and he didn't want this to go badly for them. Gesturing to the house, Valerian says, "The guard did say that the man, Rezlin, was involved in some magic. I think we should speak to him before we go any further. Gather some information."
With that, Valerian walks back to the door and knocks on it. Quickly pulling his hand away and taking a few steps back, he waits for an answer. He reminds himself that this is his one attempt at a more noble path and it would be a far less convincing one if the man in the house thought they were trespassing into his land.
Posted within 5 minutes of each other!
Rezlin opens the door even as Val goes to knock on it!
Seraphine watches as the old man steps out, her sharp eyes taking in his wild white hair, wrinkled face, and shabby robes. She nods respectfully, acknowledging his presence. "My apologies for our intrusion, Rezlin," she says, her voice steady but lacking in practiced politeness. "We saw the beautiful garden and were curious. It caught our eye. The advert mentioned an infestation."
She steps forward, accepting his invitation. As she crosses the threshold, she glances back at the garden, then turns to Rezlin. "Your bees—there's something unusual about them. Their eyes are purple and they act weird. Do you know what's causing this? Are they what troubles you in the garden?"
|| Myrla - Wood Elf Rogue - After the Fall || Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Trystane - Trollblood Lycanthrope - Vecna || Taiga - Genasi Fighter - Looking for Group || Riyphou - Loxodon Druid - Secrets || Tez - Half Elf Artificer - Looking for Group || Valerian - Pallid Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Zelaerys - Halfling/Celestial Divine Soul - NWN || Kesili - Human/Dhampir Monk - Witchwood || Trystane (main/gestalt) - Gestalt Trollblood - DOOM ||
Finn will roll his eyes at the hissing cat, such vulgar gestures feel childish. He admires the open space of the garden, the careful sections for flowers and vegetables and herbs, and delights in the potential of what it could be. He casually assesses his surroundings, but the old man calling to them from the door distracts Finn from any real investigating.
Rezlin doesn't seem rich, which puts Finn at ease. Seeing the state of his clothes and home, he almost feels bad for taking the man's money, but a job is a job. With a shrug to himself, Finn will saunter towards the door with a friendly expression and give a polite nod to Rezlin as he passes into the dilapidated house. The torn ear twitches as Seraphine speaks, listening intently at the mention of bees with purple eyes. Strange... but he doesn't know much about the world, so he doesn't realize how odd it truly is.
Cordimis Fay - Aasimar Cleric // The Witchwood
Finnan Superstes - Tabaxi Monk // Tending the Garden
Bran appreciates the garden and can see Rezlin cares deeply about it. Surprised somewhat at the cats reactions to him he quickly refocus' on Rezlin and Seraphine's conversation and adds:"You have a good garden Master Rezlin, you obviously care for it deeply". Noting Seraphine's comment about the bees, he agrees and quietly murmur's to himself; "purple eyes?" Bran rolls an insight check 18
Rezlin ushers you in to his humble abode, and you find yourselves in a cluttered kitchen area. Every available surface is occupied by dirty dishes, half-eaten meals in various stages of freshness, or else books and parchments with writing on them.
"Sorry about the mess," apologizes Rezlin. "I'm getting older and it's hard to find the energy to do everything that needs done. And I'm so occupied with my work. Speaking of which, I see you noticed my bees. That's clever, you've sharp eyes. I've been working on a concoction that augments the bees' abilities to pollinate and produce higher quantities of honey. It does tend to make their eyes glow purple, but that seems to be harmless. I've gone through several iterations. The current formula is yielding good results in some areas but it's affecting the bees' normal social behavior, so I'm afraid I'm going to have to tweak it some more. And that's where you come in!"
(Bran studies the old man intently and determines that Rezlin is deeply passionate about his bees, he's obviously very invested in them.)
(Anyone else who wants to check insight on Rezlin is welcome to do so)
"I need help gathering some hard-to-get reagents. I used to do it myself, but like I said, I'm getting older. Much better for me to pay you young whipper-snappers, with your strong backs and sharp eyes. And then there's the infestation, true. More of a nuisance, really, a sort of be-on-your-guard while you're getting the reagents. That's the main thing, getting my materials. What I need you to gather, specifically, are mole whiskers and mouse dander. But there's a trick to it, they need to be harvested in just the right way or they'll be useless to me. They need to be taken with the creature still alive, and what's more, in a good disposition, not stressed. The reagents lose their magical potency if taken forcefully, or if the creature is harmed. So there's a technique that I've perfected over the years and I'm asking you to do it."
Rezlin is in full stride with his explanation, speaking rapidly and animatedly. His eyes practically gleam with excitement!
"I'm asking you to drink one of my potions and get shrunk down to their size. Well, to a height of about 3 inches, anyway. We'll do it out in the garden where the critters are. Then you can find them, interact with them, gain their trust, get what you need, and get out. The potion wears off after about 8 hours, so well before nightfall, and you return to your original size. Now I know what you're thinking, and I can assure you that the process is quite safe. I've perfected my recipe and used it on myself many times."
He looks at each of you expectantly, expecting perhaps some doubts or rebuffs.
(The post is getting a bit long so here's a chance to respond to what Rezlin has said so far)
"If the concoction for your bees has had several revisions," Finn shifts on his feet, "How many times have you created and tested this shrinking potion?" His ears begin to flatten against his head, showing obvious signs of trepidation.
However Rezlin responds, Finn will be checking his body language for the truth. Does he avoid eye contact, act dismissive, or does whatever he say next seem legit to assuage the groups' fears?
Insight: 6
Cordimis Fay - Aasimar Cleric // The Witchwood
Finnan Superstes - Tabaxi Monk // Tending the Garden
"Mole whiskers and mouse dander." Valerian mentally repeated a few times so that he wouldn't forget when he needed, trying to ignore how much this sounded like a bad plan.
There was something terribly uncomfortable about the idea of being smaller, likely offbalance and more vulnerable. Valerian looked back at his companions, being able to glean that they didn't all seem confident in this plan. Finn was the first to ask questions and Valerian found that he had several of his own.
Trying to put on a relaxed demeanor, Valerian says, "We're happy to help but I have some questions before we go on." Once he had the old man's attention, he asks, "Have any of these creatures caused you harm while you were shrunk down? Keeping in mind the infestation. Any weaknesses we should be aware of?"
Valerian tries to observe how confident/convincing Rezlin seems in his tested plan and in answering the group's various questions. (Insight check: 17)
"Hmmm this is different and quite unexpected!" Says Aralin. He continues, "I wonder what its like to experience the world around us so small? The idea appeals to Aralin's fey perspective on the world.
"I am happy to do so if everyone else is, what could go wrong? Rezlin's passion and obvious intellect seems like he knows what he doing". And with that Aralin stands to the side to hear what everyone else thinks.
Seraphine listens intently as Rezlin explains his plan, her eyes narrowing slightly with each new detail. The idea of being shrunk down to the size of an insect fills her with unease. As Rezlin finishes, she speaks up, her expression serious. "I appreciate your ingenuity, Rezlin," she begins, her tone cautious but respectful. "However, there are several concerns. First, your cat. It already seems aggressive, and at our reduced size, we'd be easy prey. Can you ensure it won't be stalking the garden while we're out there?" She glances at the peculiar bees. "Then there are your bees to contend with. Their purple eyes are unusual, and I can't help but feel they might be more aggressive. Can you guarantee they won't pose a threat to us while we're gathering the reagents?"
Her eyes scan the garden, imagining the myriad dangers they might face. "And what about other predators—spiders, birds, even ants could be a threat at that size. Have you accounted for these dangers? It’s one thing to shrink down, but another entirely to navigate a garden filled with potential threats." She looks to Valerian and Finn, acknowledging their concerns. "Valerian has a point about the potential harm these creatures could cause, and Finn's concern about the potion's reliability is valid. Have you thoroughly tested this shrinking potion? Is there a way to end its effect more rapidly, if not with immediate effect? You know, just in case we are in mortal danger and need to abandon the ingredient hunt?"
Seraphine's expression remains stern. "We need assurances that your plan is safe and that we've considered all the possible risks. It's one thing to face danger at our normal size, but quite another when we're defenseless and small. Your passion is clear, but our safety is paramount." She waits for Rezlin's response, hoping he can address their worries convincingly (Insight: 22).
|| Myrla - Wood Elf Rogue - After the Fall || Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Trystane - Trollblood Lycanthrope - Vecna || Taiga - Genasi Fighter - Looking for Group || Riyphou - Loxodon Druid - Secrets || Tez - Half Elf Artificer - Looking for Group || Valerian - Pallid Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Zelaerys - Halfling/Celestial Divine Soul - NWN || Kesili - Human/Dhampir Monk - Witchwood || Trystane (main/gestalt) - Gestalt Trollblood - DOOM ||
(I will now attempt to respond to each post in turn)
“Oh, certainly, my shrinking potion works quite well, I’ve used it on myself many times in the past to harvest reagents myself.”
Finn notes that Rezlin seems quite confident on this point, almost dismissive, it’s a non-issue to him.