Red Dead Annihilation: Campaign Thread

"Maybe try another outlet?" Meili pointer at the ten corked holes on the jug's surface.

“You do more than enough grumbling from the back of the boat for us”  Mica replies to Hew with a joke and a smile, but watches Ran with interest as he tries to figure out the jug “Not sure what it does.” 

Short Rest HD:  10.

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Ran nods at Meili and experiments with each of the other spouts on the jug. Sniffing anything that comes out first before taking a small taste.

After experimenting, Ran finds that only the first spout, the one that produces ale, seems to work.

Hew scratches his beard.  "That's... unexpected.  I've seen some unimaginable things out here.  Magic, horror... but I would not have expected a jug of magic beer to come out of an ancient Chultan ruin.  These people can't even make a decent beer."

Ran taps the jug a couple of time. 

"Maybe there's a command or something for the other holes," Ran says. "Did that scroll say anything?"

He offers the jug around.

"But hey, we won't go thirsty if this is all it does."

He was covered in sweat and dirt when they returned to the camp.  Tired, hurt, and grateful only for the facts that neither the bladed trap triggered on the way back neither the lightening spell had hit Ninlil. The damn thing had more than enough power to vaporize the familiar and there that would be a problem. It would mean he would not be able to summon the familiar for a while. Maybe for the remainder of their quest. And then the eyes who had assured they were not surprised would be lost and the dangers of the jungle would be that much deadlier for it. Some luck, finally.

“The scroll is a spell scroll. Really advanced magic.” He said in response to Ran’s question while sitting on the ground. “It will take a time for me to identify it properly. So much that I cannot even give you a precise estimation. My suggestion would be to have our other wizard take a look.” Velan gestures to Inete with a wave of his head. “Then, if her analysis is no better than mine, we keep the thing hidden for later. It may be dangerous to use without properly understanding it and who knows, in the future it may be very useful for our quest.”

Notes: Absolutely fine with the short rest-to camp vengeance plan.

Inete is intrigued by both the scroll and the jug.

While the rest of you take an hour's rest to treat your burns and recover, she studies both items.

Afterwards, she approaches you all with her findings.  "Of the scroll, I cannot say much.  It is beyond my skill.  I had hoped to at least glean what school of magic it belongs to, but..." she shrugs sadly.  "Other than confirming it is an advanced magical spell, I learned nothing."

But then her eyes gleam.  "This, on the other hand..." she says, producing the jug.  "I had to cast identify to reveal its secrets.  This is quite a find.  What you have here is an alchemy jug.   This is really special," she says, turning it over in her hands to reveal the green and brown illustrations of plants and dinosaurs on the glazed jug.  "This magical container can produce one of ten different liquids... acid, poison, beer, honey, mayonaise, oil, vinegar, freshwater, saltwater, or wine.  It can only produce a limited amount, and only of one type of liquid per day, and responds to you asking for which kind you want.  It looks like we are stuck with beer for today... but it resets every dawn.  It can make up to 8 gallons of freshwater each day!"

"It was considered a gift from Ubtao, and had been passed down among the people of this settlement for generations.  When Ubtao left the world, they sealed it away inside the ruins to await the day their god would return."

Ran smiles at Inete's discovery.

"Well if we're stuck with ale for the day then we might as well make some use of it." Ran says. 

As they rest, he rummages through the camp to find what cups he can and pours out a serving for everyone.

"Nothing soothes the bumps, aches and bruises better." Ran says toasting the other. Then after a gulp he adds "I can carry it for now unless someone else wants to."

@All

 Meili could name a number of alternative medicines for bumps and bruises but she did not and instead accepted her cup gratefully. If this is the thing they might one day find themselves surviving on, better to get used to it now. 

"Feel like we desecrated a holy place." She immediately raised the hand (with the cup in it, which made the gesture look like a toast) defensively. "I am not saying we have to put it back - this is a great thing and might very well save our lives one day, giving more chances with the quest. But... it still feels wrong." She cast her eyes down and finished her ale in silence.

After hearing out the list of things this magical jug could produce she followed up with, "But not Tej." The sailor pouted before letting her expression slip into a lazy smile. "Having access to fresh water when our rain catchers can't help us will be a boon to be sure." Getting out her mug and holding it out to get a pour of ale for herself. Humming at Meili's words, the elf couldn't help but feel she might have a point. Though they weren't like to put the thing back after all the trouble to get it. Instead she settled for raising her mug in a toast and offered, "Here's to Ubtao for the drink and our future success." Sure she didn't really know for or care for the deity but it hardly made sense to piss a God off. Though a half baked toast wasn't likely to quell any anger either. Oh well. She drank. 

Glancing over at their wizard, Danica stretched out her left leg and commented in a low voice, "Y'alright? Seem bit..." She struggled with how to word it delicately before giving up, "More knackered than I would've thought?" 

"Don't feel too badly about it, Meili," Inete says.  "I don't presume to speak for all the people of Chult, but this jug represents a piece of a forgotten history.  While its previous owners may have intended it to remain inside the ruin until the second coming of Ubtao... well, who can say if that day will ever come at all?  And our people have lost so much.  When this journey is over, this should go back to the city to be studied so knowledge of its history can be shared by all."

Hew listens to all of this silently, then hands his mug to the sick soldier, Will Quick, who has already finished his own.  Then Hew returns to the canoes and double checks them for readiness.

Now that the adrenaline from the experience in the temple has faded, Ran looks up river, his mouth forming a tight thin line. 

He quickly sets to helping Hew get the canoes ready to go.

And here it was again... Something was definitely going on with Hew. Or he was just too realistic for esoteric discussions. Meili nodded to Inete, finished her ale and joined the preparations for departure.

Mica raises a battered tin cup in thanks and takes a tentative sip. “That does hit the spot. Now what do we do about the next camp?  I still think we go right through the front door, return young Will here as a hero and Dominick’s sword.  That should put us in the Captain’s good graces and let us find out the lay of the land.”   He finishes his drink and as Hew moves to ready the canoes, he collects his trap from the jungle trail and helps prepare to get underway.

“Oh, this?” He said to Danica while waving his hand on a gesture that tried to express it was nothing. “The spell on that Glyph of Warding hit everyone with the same strength so I’m not more hurt than anyone. I’m just that less physically resilient than all of you.” He pointed to the rest of his tomb exploring companions, excluding the fact that the lightning spell had the potential to outright kill him. “We could say I was just remined why I should always stay at the back. I will be fine after some rest, but thanks for asking. I will be looking through Ninlil eyes so if anyone needs anything just tap my arm.”

And saying so Velan delve into the familiar. His eyes became white and blind, his ears deaf to his surroundings. Sounds and view changed to that of the owl, flying over their group. The wizard was grateful for having the fey at his side still. She was flying over his shoulder, just away from the spell range when the glyph was triggered. Had it been otherwise, in the middle of the Chultean jungle, there would be little hope of bringing her back. I should start looking for herbs on our next stops. Maybe try making some incense.  

Notes: Velan keeps a open eye on their surroundings, from Ninlil's eyes.

[Anyone who hasn't already taken a short rest, go ahead.]

Mica tosses his gear in the canoe and slathers on another coat of bug repellent as they get ready to push back out into the water.  He looks out a Hew and the others “We ready to set off then?  Want to make the camp around nightfall, just in case we want to do any sneaking around.”

The Seekers set out south again in the canoes, their group now numbering 8 with the addition of the sick would-be deserter Will Quick.

You are off to a late start after the exploration of the temple ruins, and with your hopes of reaching the location of Camp Vengeance at or before dark, you push yourselves.  The day is exceptionally hot and humid.  The moisture in the air creates a haze... not quite fog, but nevertheless you can almost cut the air with your paddles, and the sky is a bright, whitish blur.  The jungle is thick here, a mix of small palms, a few tall flowering trees, and densely packed ferns and vines on the lowest levels.

Around mid-day you hear a commotion in the trees up ahead, but Ninlil communicates to Velan that there is no danger.  Passing by you see a colorful show.  Two dozen brightly feathered birds with long, curved beaks jostle in the branches of a fig tree, plucking the fruits delicately before fending off the other birds to eat their prize.  At times the squabbling over food leads to aerial combat, with the birds wheeling and spinning between the trees as they fence with one another.  Below, a pack of small dinosaurs are gathered, gobbling up any figs that are dropped by the hungry birds.  About the size of a large turkey, these appear to be herbivorous, and they move around like rabbits, hopping with their hind limbs and balancing on their forelegs.

It is a grueling day and all of you are beginning to feel the effects of all this time in the jungle.  You haven't been truly dry in weeks, your hands have developed callouses from the canoe paddles, and the constant application of the insect repellant leaves you all feeling extra greasy and a little unclean.  

But the effort pays off, and before dark, Will says you are close to the camp.  He says it is only about 1/2 mile further upriver around another bend.