Mazer looks at the green light carefully, attempting to observe and ascertain anything he can about it. Its duration, its intensity. Can he glean any clues from the event?
You continue your way through the night without any other issue. Based upon the Nodders' tracks, it would appear that you've gained a few hours on them. They can't be more than half a day ahead of you now. Heroic mice though you may be, the four of you are stumbling a bit when the first light of dawn begins to lighten the woods around you. The first thing of note that you see is a tidy little cabin a short distance off the track. The deepest darkness of the woods are behind you now, and there is a light in the window and smoke puffing cheerily from the chimney.
The second thing you notice is what appears to be a large black hole in the ground directly between you and the cabin. The air immediately around you is very still- your fur is on end.
"Now we pay, Captain," Nissa say cryptically. She may just be overtired. She draws her longsword and creeps up to the edge of the hole, all her senses alert. Groggy, but alert.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
There's... Nothing to see. As far as you can tell, the black spot appears to be a perfectly circular hole. As you silently draw nearer the voice says, "Uh, hello? Can you not hear me? Are you like leaves and bugs? Can you not talk, either?"
Thornbuck's ears are standing straight on end. All of his attention is focused on the hole, and his quarterstaff is at the ready.
Mazer moves to the border of the hole, and carefully pushes a stick into the edge of it. "Yes, we can hear you. I am Mazer Rackham, and we are the mouse guard. Who are you?"
"Oh! You can see some things, but not me? That's funny. You're standing right-"
Mazer's stick moves forward and instead of entering a hole in the ground it meets... Nothing? Gentle resistance?
"Can the stick talk, too? Hello, stick!" The circle of darkness shudders and surges forward in an instant, surrounding Mazer. "Ohhhhh, your shadow is very light. I don't think I could eat it without hurting you, soooo..."
The dark blob coalesces into a short, squat shape. Actually, it looks like an even younger, shadowy version of-
"Ma-zerrrrr. Hi, I'm a mouse guard, too!" it lifts a paw for a shake.
Mazer takes the shadow clone's proffered paw. "Hello, mouse guard," he says seriously. "You said you could eat my shadow. I've never met anyone that could eat a shadow before. Can you tell me more about yourself? As for us, we eat berries and roots."
"Those sound delicious," says the tiny creature. "I've never seen a berriesandroots before. Mostly there's just leaf and tree shadows here. There was an old mouse shadow in the cabin..." It looks down sheepishly. "But I already ate that one."
He looks up eagerly. "But I would LOVE to try berriesandroots. Do you have one? I've never tried anything heavy-heavy before."
Mazer considers this creature's speech. It talks of eating shadows, something that makes no sense. It is in the middle of the forest, surrounded by trees, foliage, berries, and roots, but doesn't seem to know what those are. It's focus is instead on the shadows those things cast.
Mazer has an idea. He takes out a handful of rations, including berries and roots, and holds them up and out. He then moves to a space between the trees where he sees a dappled ray of sunlight. He holds his hand below the sunbeam, making sure that his hand doesn't cast a shadow on the forest floor, but the berries and nuts do. Then, with his free hand, he points to the ground where there is a shadow of the rations.
"That," he points to the shadow of the rations on the ground. "We eat the heavy that makes that. Is that shadow good to eat?"
The little creature quickly moves toward the berry shadow but stops itself short. It looks at Mazer with curiosity written plain across its featureless face. "Why... What is it called- the thing that you're doing? Where you have a thing, but then it's my thing?" It turns to regard the others, then throws its dark paws in front of its face when it notices Eli. "Gah! So bright and shiny! Ow-ow-ow"
Nissa edges forward, stepping between the thing and Eli to block Eli's radiance. "What Mazer has done is called 'casting a shadow,' little one. But he does not do it. Shadows exist because there is light, and it is blocked by a... thing, as you say, to make a shadow. Darkness comes about when all light is blocked. Are you made of shadow?"
Does the shadow mouse cast a shadow of its own? Is the "hole" in the ground smaller? Gone? Coalesced to become the shadow mouse?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Craven slides down from Haul and trundles over to the shade mouse. He stops just a bit in front of its face. A moment passes. Two moments. Three. And then... Craven puts his hand on its face. He begins feeling the shadow mouse to learn more about what it’s made of. Squishy squishy. Squish. Craven remains silent while doing so, keeping eye contact.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM - Elustran Days ~ Fate/False Revelation
Rex'aliha - Hoard of the Dragon Queen ~ Mozu of Worms- The Stormpoint Mountains ~ Muireach Maon- Shepherd’s Crossing ~ Crownsguard - Storm King’s Thunder ~ Gunnar Wayland -Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians ~ POUF!- Ex-Ravens ~ Pascal LaRoux - Long Road Dragon Heist
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Craven looks around, “Ooo. Mood lightings. Feel like hom- Ohs. It gone gone.” Craven crosses his arms in a huff.
DM - Elustran Days ~ Fate/False Revelation
Rex'aliha - Hoard of the Dragon Queen ~ Mozu of Worms - The Stormpoint Mountains ~ Muireach Maon - Shepherd’s Crossing ~ Crownsguard - Storm King’s Thunder ~ Gunnar Wayland - Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians ~ POUF! - Ex-Ravens ~ Pascal LaRoux - Long Road Dragon Heist
Mazer looks at the green light carefully, attempting to observe and ascertain anything he can about it. Its duration, its intensity. Can he glean any clues from the event?
Brunella Wildheart, Dwarf Barbarian,Tomb of Annihilation
Nyx, Fairy Cleric, Descent Into Avernus
You continue your way through the night without any other issue. Based upon the Nodders' tracks, it would appear that you've gained a few hours on them. They can't be more than half a day ahead of you now. Heroic mice though you may be, the four of you are stumbling a bit when the first light of dawn begins to lighten the woods around you. The first thing of note that you see is a tidy little cabin a short distance off the track. The deepest darkness of the woods are behind you now, and there is a light in the window and smoke puffing cheerily from the chimney.
The second thing you notice is what appears to be a large black hole in the ground directly between you and the cabin. The air immediately around you is very still- your fur is on end.
Imani Jones - Lv 11 Warlock of The Living City - Variant Human| Fate/False Revelation
Wick Stumbleduck - Lv 4 Lore Bard - Forest Gnome | Elustran Days
Khurah - Lv 3 Star Druid - Half-orc | Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians
Dale Swanson - User of the Sound of Silence Stand - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Sunset Investigations
Ayaci Vikerfjell - Lv 8 Rune Knight | Variant Human | Storm King's Thunder
"Now we pay, Captain," Nissa say cryptically. She may just be overtired. She draws her longsword and creeps up to the edge of the hole, all her senses alert. Groggy, but alert.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Campaign links for Game Log access because DDB has abandoned the forum dice roller, apparently.
Radiant Citadel by cbaer8 ~•~ Stormwreck Isle by Rforrest14 ~•~ Wildspace by Rhanloi ~•~ Rise of Tiamat by SteveThaiBinh ~•~ The Long Road currently by me
"Hi!" A voice calls out from the spot on the ground.
Imani Jones - Lv 11 Warlock of The Living City - Variant Human| Fate/False Revelation
Wick Stumbleduck - Lv 4 Lore Bard - Forest Gnome | Elustran Days
Khurah - Lv 3 Star Druid - Half-orc | Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians
Dale Swanson - User of the Sound of Silence Stand - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Sunset Investigations
Ayaci Vikerfjell - Lv 8 Rune Knight | Variant Human | Storm King's Thunder
Craven shrinks, “Oh pleases no.”
DM - Elustran Days ~ Fate/False Revelation
Rex'aliha - Hoard of the Dragon Queen ~ Mozu of Worms - The Stormpoint Mountains ~ Muireach Maon - Shepherd’s Crossing ~ Crownsguard - Storm King’s Thunder ~ Gunnar Wayland - Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians ~ POUF! - Ex-Ravens ~ Pascal LaRoux - Long Road Dragon Heist
Nissa approaches the rim of the hole cautiously and looks in.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Campaign links for Game Log access because DDB has abandoned the forum dice roller, apparently.
Radiant Citadel by cbaer8 ~•~ Stormwreck Isle by Rforrest14 ~•~ Wildspace by Rhanloi ~•~ Rise of Tiamat by SteveThaiBinh ~•~ The Long Road currently by me
There's... Nothing to see. As far as you can tell, the black spot appears to be a perfectly circular hole. As you silently draw nearer the voice says, "Uh, hello? Can you not hear me? Are you like leaves and bugs? Can you not talk, either?"
Thornbuck's ears are standing straight on end. All of his attention is focused on the hole, and his quarterstaff is at the ready.
Imani Jones - Lv 11 Warlock of The Living City - Variant Human| Fate/False Revelation
Wick Stumbleduck - Lv 4 Lore Bard - Forest Gnome | Elustran Days
Khurah - Lv 3 Star Druid - Half-orc | Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians
Dale Swanson - User of the Sound of Silence Stand - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Sunset Investigations
Ayaci Vikerfjell - Lv 8 Rune Knight | Variant Human | Storm King's Thunder
"I can hear you, yes," Nissa says, casting about for the speaker, nose twitching. "I cannot see you, however."
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Campaign links for Game Log access because DDB has abandoned the forum dice roller, apparently.
Radiant Citadel by cbaer8 ~•~ Stormwreck Isle by Rforrest14 ~•~ Wildspace by Rhanloi ~•~ Rise of Tiamat by SteveThaiBinh ~•~ The Long Road currently by me
Mazer moves to the border of the hole, and carefully pushes a stick into the edge of it. "Yes, we can hear you. I am Mazer Rackham, and we are the mouse guard. Who are you?"
Brunella Wildheart, Dwarf Barbarian,Tomb of Annihilation
Nyx, Fairy Cleric, Descent Into Avernus
"Oh! You can see some things, but not me? That's funny. You're standing right-"
Mazer's stick moves forward and instead of entering a hole in the ground it meets... Nothing? Gentle resistance?
"Can the stick talk, too? Hello, stick!" The circle of darkness shudders and surges forward in an instant, surrounding Mazer. "Ohhhhh, your shadow is very light. I don't think I could eat it without hurting you, soooo..."
The dark blob coalesces into a short, squat shape. Actually, it looks like an even younger, shadowy version of-
"Ma-zerrrrr. Hi, I'm a mouse guard, too!" it lifts a paw for a shake.
Imani Jones - Lv 11 Warlock of The Living City - Variant Human| Fate/False Revelation
Wick Stumbleduck - Lv 4 Lore Bard - Forest Gnome | Elustran Days
Khurah - Lv 3 Star Druid - Half-orc | Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians
Dale Swanson - User of the Sound of Silence Stand - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Sunset Investigations
Ayaci Vikerfjell - Lv 8 Rune Knight | Variant Human | Storm King's Thunder
Nissa hisses and jumps back, instinct crowding out more reasoned responses.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Campaign links for Game Log access because DDB has abandoned the forum dice roller, apparently.
Radiant Citadel by cbaer8 ~•~ Stormwreck Isle by Rforrest14 ~•~ Wildspace by Rhanloi ~•~ Rise of Tiamat by SteveThaiBinh ~•~ The Long Road currently by me
The dark, featureless mouse shadow cocks its head at Nissa. It looks down at its feet and, after rocking a little, it hops backward in imitation.
Imani Jones - Lv 11 Warlock of The Living City - Variant Human| Fate/False Revelation
Wick Stumbleduck - Lv 4 Lore Bard - Forest Gnome | Elustran Days
Khurah - Lv 3 Star Druid - Half-orc | Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians
Dale Swanson - User of the Sound of Silence Stand - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Sunset Investigations
Ayaci Vikerfjell - Lv 8 Rune Knight | Variant Human | Storm King's Thunder
Mazer takes the shadow clone's proffered paw. "Hello, mouse guard," he says seriously. "You said you could eat my shadow. I've never met anyone that could eat a shadow before. Can you tell me more about yourself? As for us, we eat berries and roots."
Brunella Wildheart, Dwarf Barbarian,Tomb of Annihilation
Nyx, Fairy Cleric, Descent Into Avernus
"Those sound delicious," says the tiny creature. "I've never seen a berriesandroots before. Mostly there's just leaf and tree shadows here. There was an old mouse shadow in the cabin..." It looks down sheepishly. "But I already ate that one."
He looks up eagerly. "But I would LOVE to try berriesandroots. Do you have one? I've never tried anything heavy-heavy before."
Imani Jones - Lv 11 Warlock of The Living City - Variant Human| Fate/False Revelation
Wick Stumbleduck - Lv 4 Lore Bard - Forest Gnome | Elustran Days
Khurah - Lv 3 Star Druid - Half-orc | Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians
Dale Swanson - User of the Sound of Silence Stand - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Sunset Investigations
Ayaci Vikerfjell - Lv 8 Rune Knight | Variant Human | Storm King's Thunder
Mazer considers this creature's speech. It talks of eating shadows, something that makes no sense. It is in the middle of the forest, surrounded by trees, foliage, berries, and roots, but doesn't seem to know what those are. It's focus is instead on the shadows those things cast.
Mazer has an idea. He takes out a handful of rations, including berries and roots, and holds them up and out. He then moves to a space between the trees where he sees a dappled ray of sunlight. He holds his hand below the sunbeam, making sure that his hand doesn't cast a shadow on the forest floor, but the berries and nuts do. Then, with his free hand, he points to the ground where there is a shadow of the rations.
"That," he points to the shadow of the rations on the ground. "We eat the heavy that makes that. Is that shadow good to eat?"
Brunella Wildheart, Dwarf Barbarian,Tomb of Annihilation
Nyx, Fairy Cleric, Descent Into Avernus
The little creature quickly moves toward the berry shadow but stops itself short. It looks at Mazer with curiosity written plain across its featureless face. "Why... What is it called- the thing that you're doing? Where you have a thing, but then it's my thing?" It turns to regard the others, then throws its dark paws in front of its face when it notices Eli. "Gah! So bright and shiny! Ow-ow-ow"
Imani Jones - Lv 11 Warlock of The Living City - Variant Human| Fate/False Revelation
Wick Stumbleduck - Lv 4 Lore Bard - Forest Gnome | Elustran Days
Khurah - Lv 3 Star Druid - Half-orc | Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians
Dale Swanson - User of the Sound of Silence Stand - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Sunset Investigations
Ayaci Vikerfjell - Lv 8 Rune Knight | Variant Human | Storm King's Thunder
Nissa edges forward, stepping between the thing and Eli to block Eli's radiance. "What Mazer has done is called 'casting a shadow,' little one. But he does not do it. Shadows exist because there is light, and it is blocked by a... thing, as you say, to make a shadow. Darkness comes about when all light is blocked. Are you made of shadow?"
Does the shadow mouse cast a shadow of its own? Is the "hole" in the ground smaller? Gone? Coalesced to become the shadow mouse?
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Campaign links for Game Log access because DDB has abandoned the forum dice roller, apparently.
Radiant Citadel by cbaer8 ~•~ Stormwreck Isle by Rforrest14 ~•~ Wildspace by Rhanloi ~•~ Rise of Tiamat by SteveThaiBinh ~•~ The Long Road currently by me
(coalesced to become shadow mouse)
(Pausing for a bit to allow others to interact!)
Imani Jones - Lv 11 Warlock of The Living City - Variant Human| Fate/False Revelation
Wick Stumbleduck - Lv 4 Lore Bard - Forest Gnome | Elustran Days
Khurah - Lv 3 Star Druid - Half-orc | Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians
Dale Swanson - User of the Sound of Silence Stand - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Sunset Investigations
Ayaci Vikerfjell - Lv 8 Rune Knight | Variant Human | Storm King's Thunder
Craven slides down from Haul and trundles over to the shade mouse. He stops just a bit in front of its face. A moment passes. Two moments. Three. And then... Craven puts his hand on its face. He begins feeling the shadow mouse to learn more about what it’s made of. Squishy squishy. Squish. Craven remains silent while doing so, keeping eye contact.
DM - Elustran Days ~ Fate/False Revelation
Rex'aliha - Hoard of the Dragon Queen ~ Mozu of Worms - The Stormpoint Mountains ~ Muireach Maon - Shepherd’s Crossing ~ Crownsguard - Storm King’s Thunder ~ Gunnar Wayland - Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians ~ POUF! - Ex-Ravens ~ Pascal LaRoux - Long Road Dragon Heist