Tests and Trials Game Thread

((Open question to anyone that wants to answer it.))

"Personally, I have been braving the savage environment to sharpen myself and prove myself to a genie of flames.  The rest, since my meeting them, have been tending to the proper care for the dead, and waiting for nature to provide a chance to descend the slopes."

"A genie? Intriguing. Still my question stands as to why the rest went there."

She still sounds friendly enough, but Jaq can clearly see her leg muscles beginning to tense.

"I am a paladin of The Five, and have been tasked with doing works that will be favorable in their eyes. I was traveling alone for a while, then found... well, just Jaq here, with some others at the time, but some of them left since then, they had their own things and their own lives, and some were lost along the way, but we also found some new folks, but it's winter and cold, so we're kinda hunkering down for the winter while we deal with some other stuff, and plan on heading... south I think? in the spring."

((I guess give me a... Persuasion check?

@Spider))

Persuasion: 20

The dragon's leg muscles tense before Jaq's eyes, then just as quickly relax.

"I guess you answered my question without actually answering it. I respect both your gall and evasion little half dragon."

She nudges Jaq along ahead of her as she walks into the light, green scales glimmering in fire light and sword light.

"Let's have a proper conversation."

The kobolds all drop to their knees on seeing her as do the goblins, heads bowed.

"Do you have any thing to offer a guest to your fire?"

((Out of combat for the time being!))

((Sword will stop glowing shortly.))

Kroshav isn't quite sure what to make of her praising his evasion... he wasn't exactly trying to be sneaky, but it wasn't his place to talk about the Library, and how does he tell a dragon about a place he doesn't know the name of?))

Jaq tries to hide any annoyance by being pushed towards the others by the dragon by staying hunched and head down as he moves.   He starts thinking wildly about what he can offer the dragon when she asks, his eyes darting around while he thinks...

He stays silent as he continues to move towards the group.  He continues to walk so that when he does stop, he is at least 15 feet behind the party when he finally does settle on a spot to stop. (He wants to be nearer to cover to run to, if needed, so he can do what he does if it comes to that. (He hopes it doesn't.))

As the immediate danger passed by Cladmir let out a breath he did not realized he was holding.  The noble paladin had, of course, boldly and courageously stood before another figure of awesome power and emerged victorious!

With the tense situation momentarily diffused, Cladmir will move his hands away from his weapon and shield, although he will stay close to Kroshav with be at the ready to snatch up his weapon and shield at a moment's notice.

Rummaging through his packs, Ernos shakes his head, "My only possessions of any value as a gift are a bottle of slippery oil or an antler from a buck I hunted in the past."

"I was thinking food, or an exotic beverage. Oils and antlers are not appealing."

Jaq finds Berylberlia isn't keen on having him behind her, and she would insist on the matter.

"So. If I understood correctly, you were taking care of the dead, though not the undead, on the slope? Why would the undead travel my forest seeking you? This... Gethren you said?"

"I have something I'm almost certain you've never had before, but I wouldn't call it... Good. It's like a meat pie, but it tastes like sawdust and beans. Yours if you want it though. We kicked Gethren's undead butt a while back, but not hard enough to put him in the dirt. He came looking to settle the score, I think, but not sure why he came at us in the first place."

"A meat pie? I am intrigued, bring it to me."

Beryl looks closely at each of the party members and their equipment as she asks,

"This Gethren, where did you first encounter him? Not within my forest? And you expect he will return to challenge you again?"

(Jaq would not want to move behind her,  Just keep moving away from her, and then a bit past the party, more towards cover, before he stops to speak, "I'm sorry, I carry little of interest in the way of food right now, just rations and water.  Boring even for me.  I don't know when Gethren might come back, but he is a strong foe, and we did not want to be taken by surprise by him.   It was a long while since we first met him, and then just recently fought.  If we are lucky, maybe we will NEVER see him again.  I must say I do not enjoy the undead and fighting them."

Kroshav unwraps one of the Librarian's more recent attempts at making food and carries it forward. He's sheathed Sword for now, but won't be stepping out into dark past where he can see. 

((She'd be fine with that.))

"Now that I am aware of his presence his time in my forest is limited."

Beryl leans in and sniffs the food,

"It smells pleasant enough."

She surprisingly gently plucks the food away from Kroshav and begins to chew thoughtfully. Her dragon brows slowly coming together. She swallows and clicks her tongue.

"That was not meat. It tasted of..." She seems at a momentary loss for words, "Very little."

Coming back to the questions,

"What would you do in my forest, should I allow you to remain? Return to the slopes?"

"Yes, very little is a good way to say what it tastes like! Not bad... but not really good either. Something different, at least."

"We could see smoke rising into the air, and were worried it could be Gethren... though I don't know how much undead need fires to keep warm. We came out to see who was making fires, and have a chat in they were friendly, and decide what to do next if they weren't. Were the fires from you and your followers?"

"Knowing the undead creatures do not lurk here, I would return to the slopes.  No reason to intrude longer."

"I don't know which fires you mean, but most likely they were made by my followers."

Turning to look at Ernos,

"How long would you remain on the slopes? Where would you go after leaving them?"