This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
'Worms merely *CAWWWS* loudly atop Vaken's shoulder, cocking its head to stare at the goliath with an inscrutible gaze, but Virt speaks up, saying,'
"Hmm, me thinks that maybe A'ro should perhaps hang back with meself. While ye, Kay and Vaken may be able to fight up close, me thinks our spells might be better served from afar. What say ye, good master of sail - a blue man rear guard?"
'Virt says the last with a weary smile, as the ships mage kneels down at the enchanted pool to drink deep of its crystal clear waters.'
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Vassa Sunstar (half-drow bard) - Waterdeep Dragonheist DM Ghosts of a Forgotten Land DM Beyond the Bitter Shore DM Echos of a Burning Crown
'Hearing and apparently heeding Kestrell's words, Worms takes wing into the increasingly cloudy, windblown sky with a talon-digging leap from Vaken's shoulder. Swooping up, around and away from Naskeen's cottage towards the bluffs to the West, the raven's *CAWWW* seems to summon the party onwards. As you all approach what appears to be a barren and thin strip of land that parralels the wood and a open cliffs edge, you take in the mid-morning sun in the distance, casting its reflected golden-glory onto to the shimmering waves beneath, despite the fast encroaching banks of grey cloud. The almost path-like strip of land leads along the bluff tops for several hundred feet, before the encroaching wood crawls up to the very edge of the precipice, forcing the party back beneath the boughs at the urging of their circling and apparently aggitated guide.
As you re-enter the Wispwood, you notice that the trees here grow more widely spaced, permitting slightly more room between the dark, near black bark of each trunk. Rocks thrust up frequently here, which in concert with the tangled roots and underbrush of this area make footing trecherous and travel slow. The ground to the East appears to break apart into narrow, twisting defiles, but Worms banks instead to further Southwards, flying ahead another hundred feet or so, before alighting on a long, crooked finger-like pillar of stone. Though the hour is early and the travel arduous, you find yourselves shivering for some undiscernable reason. Despite the bright sun that you know shines mere dozens of feet above, little of that life-giving light penetrates the mottled, shadow casting canopy to reach the living creatures below. As you all approach the raven's perch, Worms gives another *CAWWW*, but doesn't take flight, merely cocking and rotating his ebon head about, bright yellow eyes peering into the shadowy recesses between the trees.'
[OOC] Everyone make perception or nature checks (nature checks if made must be made with disadvantage). You may read the spoilers below with DCs your score meets or exceeds the DC:
DC 10:
'You note that many of the wildlife sounds common to the clearing and other parts of the wood are absent from this place. Only the insects appear to be courageous enough to continue voicing their opinions here. The ground further South seems to run slightly downwards, the brush and trees thicken to the East and to the West the rocky ground seems to undulate in wave-like mounds and gullies.'
DC 15:
'You note that a couple of nearby trunks display scraped patches and jagged gouges, the moss and older bark disturbed recently and seemingly violently. As your eyes follow the thick trunks up into the lower boughs, you spot the presence of thin, almost sparkelling webbing amidst the branches of the trees. The silvery thread seems to grow thicker in the upper reaches of the trees that spread way to the West.'
DC 20:
'Beneath a nearby tangled mass of thorn-covered shrubbery, you spot what you think at first is a large grey rock... but then you realise that you are looking at a tarnished, metal helmet, partially covered by soil and moss. Looking more closely, you notice what looks like the semi-decomposed form of a body further into and beneath the vegetation, roughly three feet from the helmet. As you watch, a small bright green python slithers over, around and possibly into the half-spherical piece of armour.'
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Vassa Sunstar (half-drow bard) - Waterdeep Dragonheist DM Ghosts of a Forgotten Land DM Beyond the Bitter Shore DM Echos of a Burning Crown
'Kay curses, stumbling through the woods, shivering more violently than the others. The chaos of the woods irks her. It's only been a few hours but she already misses the comfort of wooden floors and walls and wonders how people survived without towns and cities at all. As the party catches up to Worms, Kay walks up to the crooked pillar and looks up at Worms.' "So uh... we're here then? What do we... where... uh... should we start diggin'?"
While carefully picking his way through the forest Vaken's nerves push him to make small talk"You know, my tribe's Skywatcher was able to turn into a bird and fly. In times like this, I wish I could do the same. I really can't wait until I can take the form of various sealife and swim but that wouldn't help here. For this I'd love to be able to fly, can you imagine with the wind..."Realizing that he's rambling Vaken abruptly stops talking and continues ahead.
Upon catching up with Worms the goliath takes a moment to get a drink of water from his skin as he looks around surveying the area."Is he wanting us to go South? Probably going to be some spiders around, kept an eye out above as well as in front."
A’ro just follows through the woods keeping an eye out for most things – though being use to the city he doesn’t seem able to make out much besides the path and his goliath companion who stands in front of him.
“Sounds like a fun trick mate – so your eventually going to be able to turn into animals? That could be handy.” He had met some with that ability in his time but had never understood it, he just shrugged it off as the difference between how they drew on magic.
As Kay spoke when they got there he just nodded “Looks like it – should we search for the mushrooms before or after?”
'Kay curses, stumbling through the woods, shivering more violently than the others. The chaos of the woods irks her. It's only been a few hours but she already misses the comfort of wooden floors and walls and wonders how people survived without towns and cities at all. As the party catches up to Worms, Kay walks up to the crooked pillar and looks up at Worms.' "So uh... we're here then? What do we... where... uh... should we start diggin'?"
'The head of the raven just keeps swiveling around, pausing only to let out an intermittent, silence shattering *CAWWW*'
[OOC] Kay can make a perception check and read the spoiler on a score of 15 or more:
'Standing closer to the rough, naturally hewn rocky pillar, and glancing around at the lack of articulate response from Worms, Kay notices that parts of the stone extrusion appear flater than its otherwise rougher surface.'
Upon catching up with Worms the goliath takes a moment to get a drink of water from his skin as he looks around surveying the area."Is he wanting us to go South? Probably going to be some spiders around, kept an eye out above as well as in front."
'As the ships mage steps up alongside the goliath, Vaken notices Virts gaze hurriedly rise towards the trees' higher branches at the mention of spiders. The tall, bald, green-eyed ships mage reaches out to steady himself against a nearby trunk at Vaken's words, shaking his head slightly at something.'
A’ro just follows through the woods keeping an eye out for most things – though being use to the city he doesn’t seem able to make out much besides the path and his goliath companion who stands in front of him.
“Sounds like a fun trick mate – so your eventually going to be able to turn into animals? That could be handy.” He had met some with that ability in his time but had never understood it, he just shrugged it off as the difference between how they drew on magic.
As Kay spoke when they got there he just nodded “Looks like it – should we search for the mushrooms before or after?”
'Realising that there is in fact no path here whatsoever, and that the group is at the mercy of their own choices or the apparently misfiring navigational sense of their raven guide, the genasi glances about for signs of mushrooms as he walks up to Kay's side, but spots nothing that looks particularly fungi-like.
As you all stand glancing about the murky area, periodically looking to Worms for some sign of direction, Virt crouches down near one of the larger trees, pulling his long arms in close, as he mutters to himself,'
"The trees, the webs, the spiders... the land... it speaks here. Can't any of ye hear it? It whispers... West..."
'Reaching beneath nearby thorn-covered shrubs and brush, Virt pulls forth a dirty roundish object. The ships mage is forced to quickly yank his hand back as the thorn-covered vines whip out to try and ensnare his arm, but does so in time, perhaps anticipating the attack of the foliage in this strange and dangerous place. Turning the object over in his hands, you see that Virt holds a corroded, dented metal helmet, from which falls a cracked yellow skull, a small slithering green python and a muck covered item of strange aspect.
Discarding the ruined helmet and ignoring the skull and serpent, Virt picks up and wipes off the other object, discovering a small device of leather straps, brass molding and blue-crystal lenses. The ships mage stands and begins to walk West, absent mindedly cleaning his find as he mutters something to himself in an almost dream-like state.'
[OOC] FYI - Virt's walk away to the West is neither stealthy nor hidden in anyway, though the ships mage seems somewhat distant in his actions.
Walking up to Kay, A'ro may make perception check and read the below spoiler with a score of 15 or more:
'Standing closer to the rough, naturally hewn rocky pillar, and glancing around at the lack of articulate response from Worms, A'ro notices that parts of the stone extrusion appear flater than its otherwise rougher surface.'
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Vassa Sunstar (half-drow bard) - Waterdeep Dragonheist DM Ghosts of a Forgotten Land DM Beyond the Bitter Shore DM Echos of a Burning Crown
'Kay, engrossed in her search, mutters an unintelligible response to Virt's words as she notices a smooth flat section of the rough stone and reaches out her hand to touch it gingerly.'
'Kay, engrossed in her search, mutters an unintelligible response to Virt's words as she notices a smooth flat section of the rough stone and reaches out her hand to touch it gingerly.'
'Running her hands over one of the flat areas on the stone, Kay inadvertantly brushes away much of the moss that covered one of the clearly hand-worked surfaces of this otherwise natural stone pillar. The moss and collected grime falls away to reveal a smooth area, engraved with a single unfamiliar rune.
Looking over the stone pillar with a now more careful eye, Kay notices four other similarly flat areas, all covered over with moss and other time-accumulated muck.'
[OOC] The unfamiliar rune Kay sees is below:
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Vassa Sunstar (half-drow bard) - Waterdeep Dragonheist DM Ghosts of a Forgotten Land DM Beyond the Bitter Shore DM Echos of a Burning Crown
'Kay's eyebrows arch and she starts brushing off more of the moss covered stone more agressively.' "Think ol' Worms here is right after all. P... I wonder if there're more letters here hidden. What d'you gents make o'this?"
'Kay's eyebrows arch and she starts brushing off more of the moss covered stone more agressively.' "Think ol' Worms here is right after all. P... I wonder if there're more letters here hidden. What d'you gents make o'this?"
'As some of the others begin to gather around, Kay notices Virt's departing form moving from this relatively level area into the rolling wave-like mounds and gullies that stretch away Westward. Just as the young sail monkey finishes wiping off the last of the pillars flat surfaces, Worms leaps from the pillar right above the kneeling sailor's head, the tip of the raven's right black wing mussing Kay's hair further as the black bird swoops after the ships mage with a resouding *CAWWW*.'
[OOC] Kay and whoever else gathers around notice the rune above and three below scattered about at different locations and angles on the pillar. A fifth flat space, unmarred by any rune or engraving, rests directly atop the pillar, facing the sky. None who look recognise any of the runes as belonging to a language they speak.
Any PC who spends a moment studying the runes and is proficient in arcana (except for Virt) may make a skill check if they wish to.
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Vassa Sunstar (half-drow bard) - Waterdeep Dragonheist DM Ghosts of a Forgotten Land DM Beyond the Bitter Shore DM Echos of a Burning Crown
'Kestrell, at the mention of spiders, is looking up at the webs in the trees, and doesn't notice Virt walk off. He asks the group, no one in particular:'
"How big do you think a spider would have to be to make these webs?"
As Kay points to the runes A’ro walks over and begins to look at them “I’m new to rune studies, really only books that I can randomly find here and there.” He continues to look at them milling over what he could remember as his connections to the elements stir in him helping him slowly “They are sigils of some sort used to trigger something, I’m sorry I don’t know what. If we had a wizard or someone who actually had to study magic to learn it, we might have better luck.” He said just biting his thumb as he looked at Kay.
With Kestrell’s question he just shrugs “Really big ones that we probably don’t want to piss off.” His hand tightens around his quarterstaff as he just waits for something to happen.
As Kay points to the runes A’ro walks over and begins to look at them “I’m new to rune studies, really only books that I can randomly find here and there.” He continues to look at them milling over what he could remember as his connections to the elements stir in him helping him slowly “They are sigils of some sort used to trigger something, I’m sorry I don’t know what. If we had a wizard or someone who actually had to study magic to learn it, we might have better luck.” He said just biting his thumb as he looked at Kay.
With Kestrell’s question he just shrugs “Really big ones that we probably don’t want to piss off.” His hand tightens around his quarterstaff as he just waits for something to happen.
'Having looked over the stone pillar and conveyed his opinion to the rest of the party, A'ro has just completed a three hundred and sixty degree turn studying the surrounding area with his staff clutched warily in hand when he sees the fast dissapearing back of Virt weave between two large trunks some sixty feet away, heading West. The raven Worms swoops down at that exact moment to land on the ships mage's shoulder, further calling attention to the vanishing artificer's location with an imperious *CAWWW*.'
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Vassa Sunstar (half-drow bard) - Waterdeep Dragonheist DM Ghosts of a Forgotten Land DM Beyond the Bitter Shore DM Echos of a Burning Crown
A’ro blinks as he catches Virt slowly fading away“Uh…Virt…wondering off isn’t advised…” he calls out to the artificer. He just looks at the rest of the party “I mean we can’t just let him wonder can we?”
He just quickly thinks and remember how the ship mage can get lost in his own thoughts – he hand begins to move towards something around his arm, but he quickly shakes the idea from his head instead trying to chase after the man and catch up.
'Kay seeing two of her allies run off into the dangerous woods, grabs Kestrell and Vaken by the hands and pulls them along running after A'ro and shouting,' "What?! Where are you...?! Oh hell, come on!"
'As Kay grabs his hand and begins pulling him after A'ro, Kestrell shakes his head and looks about, seemingly coming back his surroundings. He starts to sing to Kay:'
"All our times have come...here but now they're gone...seasons don't fear the spiders...nor do the wind, the sun or the rain...we can be like they are...Come on baby...Don't fear the spiders...you took our hands...Don't fear the spiders...we'll be able to fly...Don't fear the spiders...you saved your men!"
OOC: Kestrell inspires Kay, she can roll a 1d6 and add it to an attack roll, saving throw or ability check of hers in the next 10 minutes. Can be used after she makes the 1d20 roll, but before the results are known.
'As you all follow Virt's Westward movements from the site of the stone pillar, you are forced to slow your pace lest you trip, as the ground rises and falls in undulating waves of soil, rock, moss and tree-root. The spider coated trunks and branches thicken about you, almost seeming to form a narrow tunnel through the shadow mantled wood... an arboreal tunnel that eventually terminates before a yawning opening in the largest mound you have yet seen. The cave mouth of jagged stone stretches back into darkness, the already scant light within the wood barely penetrating at all into the uninviting aperture.
Virt stands before the opening, the tall lean man hugging himself as he shakes his head, as though clearing it from the remnants of sleep or a bad dream. Worms, spying a crawling centipede atop the mound overhanging the cave opening, flies up with a *CAWWW* to perch and make a snack of the doomed insect. The yellow-eyed stare of your avian guide seems to watch you all as it eats, the *clacking* of its beak the only sound in this otherwise dead silent part of the wood.'
[OOC] You may make either a perception OR nature checks and read the below spoiler if you get a score of 15 or move:
DC 15:
'The cave opening stretches away into darkness, but there is just enough light here at the entrance to notice your breath steaming on the suddenly cooler air. You make out slivers of webbing extending back into the cave, as well as a few white-yellow sticks and rocks about the opening... which you quickly realise are weathered bones and skull fragments. Disturbances in the morbid debris and a few recent scuff marks near the entrance's stone floor seem to indicate that something has entered the cave recently.'
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Vassa Sunstar (half-drow bard) - Waterdeep Dragonheist DM Ghosts of a Forgotten Land DM Beyond the Bitter Shore DM Echos of a Burning Crown
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
A’ro stops next to Virt glad to have caught up with his companion “What was up with that mate? You can’t just go off on your lonesome.”
A’ro just looks at the bird as it watches them ‘Something is really off with this bird’ was all he could think as he surveyed the area that they found themselves in “So are we suppose to go deeper here or back to the stone pillars?” he asks the bird.
[OOC] Animal Handling Check to see if the Raven will give some sign as to what to do: 12
"Thank you Naskeen. We will be seeing you soon."
'Kestrell walks out past Vaken, and hands out 1 potion of healing to everyone as they walk past.'
"Worms, lead the way! Not too fast though. Most of us can not fly. Who is next? Vaken? How about Vaken, myself, A'ro, Kay, then Virt?"
'Worms merely *CAWWWS* loudly atop Vaken's shoulder, cocking its head to stare at the goliath with an inscrutible gaze, but Virt speaks up, saying,'
"Hmm, me thinks that maybe A'ro should perhaps hang back with meself. While ye, Kay and Vaken may be able to fight up close, me thinks our spells might be better served from afar. What say ye, good master of sail - a blue man rear guard?"
'Virt says the last with a weary smile, as the ships mage kneels down at the enchanted pool to drink deep of its crystal clear waters.'
[OOC] Healing for Virt: 7
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Vassa Sunstar (half-drow bard) - Waterdeep Dragonheist
DM Ghosts of a Forgotten Land
DM Beyond the Bitter Shore
DM Echos of a Burning Crown
'Hearing and apparently heeding Kestrell's words, Worms takes wing into the increasingly cloudy, windblown sky with a talon-digging leap from Vaken's shoulder. Swooping up, around and away from Naskeen's cottage towards the bluffs to the West, the raven's *CAWWW* seems to summon the party onwards. As you all approach what appears to be a barren and thin strip of land that parralels the wood and a open cliffs edge, you take in the mid-morning sun in the distance, casting its reflected golden-glory onto to the shimmering waves beneath, despite the fast encroaching banks of grey cloud. The almost path-like strip of land leads along the bluff tops for several hundred feet, before the encroaching wood crawls up to the very edge of the precipice, forcing the party back beneath the boughs at the urging of their circling and apparently aggitated guide.
As you re-enter the Wispwood, you notice that the trees here grow more widely spaced, permitting slightly more room between the dark, near black bark of each trunk. Rocks thrust up frequently here, which in concert with the tangled roots and underbrush of this area make footing trecherous and travel slow. The ground to the East appears to break apart into narrow, twisting defiles, but Worms banks instead to further Southwards, flying ahead another hundred feet or so, before alighting on a long, crooked finger-like pillar of stone. Though the hour is early and the travel arduous, you find yourselves shivering for some undiscernable reason. Despite the bright sun that you know shines mere dozens of feet above, little of that life-giving light penetrates the mottled, shadow casting canopy to reach the living creatures below. As you all approach the raven's perch, Worms gives another *CAWWW*, but doesn't take flight, merely cocking and rotating his ebon head about, bright yellow eyes peering into the shadowy recesses between the trees.'
[OOC] Everyone make perception or nature checks (nature checks if made must be made with disadvantage). You may read the spoilers below with DCs your score meets or exceeds the DC:
DC 10:
'You note that many of the wildlife sounds common to the clearing and other parts of the wood are absent from this place. Only the insects appear to be courageous enough to continue voicing their opinions here. The ground further South seems to run slightly downwards, the brush and trees thicken to the East and to the West the rocky ground seems to undulate in wave-like mounds and gullies.'
DC 15:
'You note that a couple of nearby trunks display scraped patches and jagged gouges, the moss and older bark disturbed recently and seemingly violently. As your eyes follow the thick trunks up into the lower boughs, you spot the presence of thin, almost sparkelling webbing amidst the branches of the trees. The silvery thread seems to grow thicker in the upper reaches of the trees that spread way to the West.'
DC 20:
'Beneath a nearby tangled mass of thorn-covered shrubbery, you spot what you think at first is a large grey rock... but then you realise that you are looking at a tarnished, metal helmet, partially covered by soil and moss. Looking more closely, you notice what looks like the semi-decomposed form of a body further into and beneath the vegetation, roughly three feet from the helmet. As you watch, a small bright green python slithers over, around and possibly into the half-spherical piece of armour.'
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Vassa Sunstar (half-drow bard) - Waterdeep Dragonheist
DM Ghosts of a Forgotten Land
DM Beyond the Bitter Shore
DM Echos of a Burning Crown
'Kay curses, stumbling through the woods, shivering more violently than the others. The chaos of the woods irks her. It's only been a few hours but she already misses the comfort of wooden floors and walls and wonders how people survived without towns and cities at all. As the party catches up to Worms, Kay walks up to the crooked pillar and looks up at Worms.' "So uh... we're here then? What do we... where... uh... should we start diggin'?"
~♡~
While carefully picking his way through the forest Vaken's nerves push him to make small talk "You know, my tribe's Skywatcher was able to turn into a bird and fly. In times like this, I wish I could do the same. I really can't wait until I can take the form of various sealife and swim but that wouldn't help here. For this I'd love to be able to fly, can you imagine with the wind..." Realizing that he's rambling Vaken abruptly stops talking and continues ahead.
Upon catching up with Worms the goliath takes a moment to get a drink of water from his skin as he looks around surveying the area. "Is he wanting us to go South? Probably going to be some spiders around, kept an eye out above as well as in front."
Campaigns:
DM - Waterdeep Dragon Heist PbP
A’ro just follows through the woods keeping an eye out for most things – though being use to the city he doesn’t seem able to make out much besides the path and his goliath companion who stands in front of him.
“Sounds like a fun trick mate – so your eventually going to be able to turn into animals? That could be handy.” He had met some with that ability in his time but had never understood it, he just shrugged it off as the difference between how they drew on magic.
As Kay spoke when they got there he just nodded “Looks like it – should we search for the mushrooms before or after?”
Campaigns:
Wildemount: The Felderwin Irregulars (2020) - Balassar Silverstone - Dragonborn Fighter (Rune Knight) Lv. 5 | Rise of TIamat - Aiwin Aralana - Wood Elf Fighter/Ranger (Arcane Archer/Gloom Stalker) Lv. 9
'The head of the raven just keeps swiveling around, pausing only to let out an intermittent, silence shattering *CAWWW*'
[OOC] Kay can make a perception check and read the spoiler on a score of 15 or more:
'Standing closer to the rough, naturally hewn rocky pillar, and glancing around at the lack of articulate response from Worms, Kay notices that parts of the stone extrusion appear flater than its otherwise rougher surface.'
'As the ships mage steps up alongside the goliath, Vaken notices Virts gaze hurriedly rise towards the trees' higher branches at the mention of spiders. The tall, bald, green-eyed ships mage reaches out to steady himself against a nearby trunk at Vaken's words, shaking his head slightly at something.'
'Realising that there is in fact no path here whatsoever, and that the group is at the mercy of their own choices or the apparently misfiring navigational sense of their raven guide, the genasi glances about for signs of mushrooms as he walks up to Kay's side, but spots nothing that looks particularly fungi-like.
As you all stand glancing about the murky area, periodically looking to Worms for some sign of direction, Virt crouches down near one of the larger trees, pulling his long arms in close, as he mutters to himself,'
"The trees, the webs, the spiders... the land... it speaks here. Can't any of ye hear it? It whispers... West..."
'Reaching beneath nearby thorn-covered shrubs and brush, Virt pulls forth a dirty roundish object. The ships mage is forced to quickly yank his hand back as the thorn-covered vines whip out to try and ensnare his arm, but does so in time, perhaps anticipating the attack of the foliage in this strange and dangerous place. Turning the object over in his hands, you see that Virt holds a corroded, dented metal helmet, from which falls a cracked yellow skull, a small slithering green python and a muck covered item of strange aspect.
Discarding the ruined helmet and ignoring the skull and serpent, Virt picks up and wipes off the other object, discovering a small device of leather straps, brass molding and blue-crystal lenses. The ships mage stands and begins to walk West, absent mindedly cleaning his find as he mutters something to himself in an almost dream-like state.'
[OOC] FYI - Virt's walk away to the West is neither stealthy nor hidden in anyway, though the ships mage seems somewhat distant in his actions.
Walking up to Kay, A'ro may make perception check and read the below spoiler with a score of 15 or more:
'Standing closer to the rough, naturally hewn rocky pillar, and glancing around at the lack of articulate response from Worms, A'ro notices that parts of the stone extrusion appear flater than its otherwise rougher surface.'
Virt has found goggles of night.
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Vassa Sunstar (half-drow bard) - Waterdeep Dragonheist
DM Ghosts of a Forgotten Land
DM Beyond the Bitter Shore
DM Echos of a Burning Crown
'Kay, engrossed in her search, mutters an unintelligible response to Virt's words as she notices a smooth flat section of the rough stone and reaches out her hand to touch it gingerly.'
~♡~
'Running her hands over one of the flat areas on the stone, Kay inadvertantly brushes away much of the moss that covered one of the clearly hand-worked surfaces of this otherwise natural stone pillar. The moss and collected grime falls away to reveal a smooth area, engraved with a single unfamiliar rune.
Looking over the stone pillar with a now more careful eye, Kay notices four other similarly flat areas, all covered over with moss and other time-accumulated muck.'
[OOC] The unfamiliar rune Kay sees is below:
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Vassa Sunstar (half-drow bard) - Waterdeep Dragonheist
DM Ghosts of a Forgotten Land
DM Beyond the Bitter Shore
DM Echos of a Burning Crown
'Kay's eyebrows arch and she starts brushing off more of the moss covered stone more agressively.' "Think ol' Worms here is right after all. P... I wonder if there're more letters here hidden. What d'you gents make o'this?"
~♡~
'As some of the others begin to gather around, Kay notices Virt's departing form moving from this relatively level area into the rolling wave-like mounds and gullies that stretch away Westward. Just as the young sail monkey finishes wiping off the last of the pillars flat surfaces, Worms leaps from the pillar right above the kneeling sailor's head, the tip of the raven's right black wing mussing Kay's hair further as the black bird swoops after the ships mage with a resouding *CAWWW*.'
[OOC] Kay and whoever else gathers around notice the rune above and three below scattered about at different locations and angles on the pillar. A fifth flat space, unmarred by any rune or engraving, rests directly atop the pillar, facing the sky. None who look recognise any of the runes as belonging to a language they speak.
Any PC who spends a moment studying the runes and is proficient in arcana (except for Virt) may make a skill check if they wish to.
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Vassa Sunstar (half-drow bard) - Waterdeep Dragonheist
DM Ghosts of a Forgotten Land
DM Beyond the Bitter Shore
DM Echos of a Burning Crown
'Kestrell, at the mention of spiders, is looking up at the webs in the trees, and doesn't notice Virt walk off. He asks the group, no one in particular:'
"How big do you think a spider would have to be to make these webs?"
'Kestrell gives an involuntary shudder.'
As Kay points to the runes A’ro walks over and begins to look at them “I’m new to rune studies, really only books that I can randomly find here and there.” He continues to look at them milling over what he could remember as his connections to the elements stir in him helping him slowly “They are sigils of some sort used to trigger something, I’m sorry I don’t know what. If we had a wizard or someone who actually had to study magic to learn it, we might have better luck.” He said just biting his thumb as he looked at Kay.
With Kestrell’s question he just shrugs “Really big ones that we probably don’t want to piss off.” His hand tightens around his quarterstaff as he just waits for something to happen.
Campaigns:
Wildemount: The Felderwin Irregulars (2020) - Balassar Silverstone - Dragonborn Fighter (Rune Knight) Lv. 5 | Rise of TIamat - Aiwin Aralana - Wood Elf Fighter/Ranger (Arcane Archer/Gloom Stalker) Lv. 9
'Having looked over the stone pillar and conveyed his opinion to the rest of the party, A'ro has just completed a three hundred and sixty degree turn studying the surrounding area with his staff clutched warily in hand when he sees the fast dissapearing back of Virt weave between two large trunks some sixty feet away, heading West. The raven Worms swoops down at that exact moment to land on the ships mage's shoulder, further calling attention to the vanishing artificer's location with an imperious *CAWWW*.'
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Vassa Sunstar (half-drow bard) - Waterdeep Dragonheist
DM Ghosts of a Forgotten Land
DM Beyond the Bitter Shore
DM Echos of a Burning Crown
'Kestrell, crouched down defensively and looking up in the trees, dismisses the CAWW, and says to the group:'
"Tell that bird we can't stop here...this is spider country!"
'Kestrell's apparent fear of spiders makes him oblivious to Virt's vanishing.'
A’ro blinks as he catches Virt slowly fading away “Uh…Virt…wondering off isn’t advised…” he calls out to the artificer. He just looks at the rest of the party “I mean we can’t just let him wonder can we?”
He just quickly thinks and remember how the ship mage can get lost in his own thoughts – he hand begins to move towards something around his arm, but he quickly shakes the idea from his head instead trying to chase after the man and catch up.
Campaigns:
Wildemount: The Felderwin Irregulars (2020) - Balassar Silverstone - Dragonborn Fighter (Rune Knight) Lv. 5 | Rise of TIamat - Aiwin Aralana - Wood Elf Fighter/Ranger (Arcane Archer/Gloom Stalker) Lv. 9
'Kay seeing two of her allies run off into the dangerous woods, grabs Kestrell and Vaken by the hands and pulls them along running after A'ro and shouting,' "What?! Where are you...?! Oh hell, come on!"
~♡~
'As Kay grabs his hand and begins pulling him after A'ro, Kestrell shakes his head and looks about, seemingly coming back his surroundings. He starts to sing to Kay:'
"All our times have come...here but now they're gone...seasons don't fear the spiders...nor do the wind, the sun or the rain...we can be like they are...Come on baby...Don't fear the spiders...you took our hands...Don't fear the spiders...we'll be able to fly...Don't fear the spiders...you saved your men!"
OOC: Kestrell inspires Kay, she can roll a 1d6 and add it to an attack roll, saving throw or ability check of hers in the next 10 minutes. Can be used after she makes the 1d20 roll, but before the results are known.
'As you all follow Virt's Westward movements from the site of the stone pillar, you are forced to slow your pace lest you trip, as the ground rises and falls in undulating waves of soil, rock, moss and tree-root. The spider coated trunks and branches thicken about you, almost seeming to form a narrow tunnel through the shadow mantled wood... an arboreal tunnel that eventually terminates before a yawning opening in the largest mound you have yet seen. The cave mouth of jagged stone stretches back into darkness, the already scant light within the wood barely penetrating at all into the uninviting aperture.
Virt stands before the opening, the tall lean man hugging himself as he shakes his head, as though clearing it from the remnants of sleep or a bad dream. Worms, spying a crawling centipede atop the mound overhanging the cave opening, flies up with a *CAWWW* to perch and make a snack of the doomed insect. The yellow-eyed stare of your avian guide seems to watch you all as it eats, the *clacking* of its beak the only sound in this otherwise dead silent part of the wood.'
[OOC] You may make either a perception OR nature checks and read the below spoiler if you get a score of 15 or move:
DC 15:
'The cave opening stretches away into darkness, but there is just enough light here at the entrance to notice your breath steaming on the suddenly cooler air. You make out slivers of webbing extending back into the cave, as well as a few white-yellow sticks and rocks about the opening... which you quickly realise are weathered bones and skull fragments. Disturbances in the morbid debris and a few recent scuff marks near the entrance's stone floor seem to indicate that something has entered the cave recently.'
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Vassa Sunstar (half-drow bard) - Waterdeep Dragonheist
DM Ghosts of a Forgotten Land
DM Beyond the Bitter Shore
DM Echos of a Burning Crown
A’ro stops next to Virt glad to have caught up with his companion “What was up with that mate? You can’t just go off on your lonesome.”
A’ro just looks at the bird as it watches them ‘Something is really off with this bird’ was all he could think as he surveyed the area that they found themselves in “So are we suppose to go deeper here or back to the stone pillars?” he asks the bird.
[OOC] Animal Handling Check to see if the Raven will give some sign as to what to do: 12
Campaigns:
Wildemount: The Felderwin Irregulars (2020) - Balassar Silverstone - Dragonborn Fighter (Rune Knight) Lv. 5 | Rise of TIamat - Aiwin Aralana - Wood Elf Fighter/Ranger (Arcane Archer/Gloom Stalker) Lv. 9