Titaani listens to Horatio with a combination of horror and sadness on her face.
"Why...why would you choose to see the worst in everything?' She chokes out, barely holding back tears. "And...and even if they won't help us, that doesn't mean we shouldn't help them! We shouldn't do it in the hopes of receiving a reward, we should do it because it's the right thing to do!"
Looking to the ground, Titaani wraps her arms around herself, her next words little more than mumbles. "My parents...that is, my biological mom and dad...they taught me about sacrifice a long time ago. If I die for these people, at least I will have made them proud."
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Pronouns: She/her/her's
Currently playing as Titaani Leelathae in The Wild beyond the Witchlight
This conversation has a visible affect on Pud. If anyone noticed, they’d see tears welling up in his eyes and the occasional snifffle. He looks down at Tiny, smiles and gives them a firm pat on the head between their floppy ears.
He straightens up and steps forward.
“I don’t blame ‘em. You know, this place changes people. Time is kinda funny here. You lose track of it. And with those crusty old hags in charge, you can lose hope, too. I sure did. You kinda feel stuck…and hopeless. Spend enough time feeling like that and it can bring out the bad in you.
You guys are my friends now. But when you first found me and Brotor, I was…I uh…I wasn’t doin’ good. I thought I was gonna lose him. I didn’t know you guys and I didn’t trust you. I went along with you, but I thought about doin’ stuff. Stuff that woulda made you mad at me. I almost did. I was this close...”
Pud’s voice cracks and he tries to pull himself together. He takes a deep breath before continuing.
“But that don’t matter now. All I’m saying is, I think these people need help, kinda like I did. You guys helped me. And I wanna help them cuz I know what they’re feeling and I didn’t like it.”
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Pronouns: he/him/his
Pud - lvl 7 Human Artificer - Alchemist (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight).
Quinn - lvl 4 Human Ranger - Hunter (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk)
”Many here are resigned to their fate or only react as in their capricious nature. Still, we have found others who have aided us, and some who have actually fought on our behalf,” says Ben, putting his arm around Titaani comfortingly.
”Let’s give Obud a chance, shall we Horatio?” asks Ben gently.
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Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Horatio thinks for a moment, seeing the distress his feelings caused Titaani, and the reaction from Pud. He sighs, then says, "I was homeless on and off, but the first time was the worst. I lived on the street, and on the second night found myself in a winding alley full of people who seemed to live there. They were.. crazy... for lack of a better term. In a way, many didn't mean any harm. Some acted in ways that scared me, they had arguments with themselves, or made loud proclamations about who or what they really were. Most kept to themselves. I found a spot in the alley that had partial cover from the rain, and began to go back to it night after night. I begged during the day. I hadn't learnt about the workhouses yet, and didn't know I could indenture myself for trade skills, but I dreamed constantly about getting off the streets. Day after day I suffered every imaginable indignity begging - even stealing a few times. People spat at me, chased me off, hit me. Everything. Most though, had at least a look of concern at a child begging. Some even tried to help, though they always seemed to want to find my family and I knew my father wanted nothing to do with me.
"One day, I came back to my spot in the alley and several of the people who lived there had looted my secret stash of coins. They were eating from my stash of foods. I was a child near starved, half clothed, and terrified, and these adults were taking all that I had. That night I realized something - many somethings - but one thing important now. Those people were not toiling day and night to leave the alley. They wanted to be there. It was wrong of them to take from me, to hold me to that forsaken place. I knew I could leave in the real sense, but thought the risks outside that alley to be much greater than those inside it - the very reason they didn't leave. I decided the next day not to return. Lucky me, I got pinched for stealing an apple and sent to a workhouse anyway. That one choice set me on the path to becoming a carpenter and being able to support myself.
"The point is... That alleyway was a trap, and those people didn't care about anyone else caught in it. It was all they had and they wouldn't risk losing it. They lacked the courage to venture for more. I'm not like Ben, or you Titaani - I do not believe in helping just for the sake of helping. A person must show that they are willing to help themselves, or that their need is true. With the exception of Will and his band, how many have we met here that fit that description, and how many are just living out their lives in this accursed alley? I would never go back to that place for the same reason I would not put myself at undue risk dying here. I was brave enough to step away from what seemed comfortable."
He stops, thoughtful for a moment, a look of genuine concern at Titaani, then he continues. "You are also in an alleyway Titaani. Your sense of right and wrong, your willingness to die for your dead parents' principles, that is your alleyway. That is your island of solace in an otherwise lonely life. Pud's surrender to despair was his own. I am sorry if I'm attacking what you hold dear. But to die for someone else' principles? You are trapped by your own fears. Venture out of that place in your heart and decide things for yourself in life. I know that you - my friends - are worth dying for. We have endured much, and taken great care for one another. Our relationship is in balance. Everything else..." He gestures to the surrounding, "...is just another alley I have to survive. If our efforts relieve distress from these peoples then so be it, but my goals would be upturned if I were to have to trade one of you for the freedom of an entire realm of cowards and crazies. There is no balance here, they suffer nothing for their own cause and we suffer all. I'm really sorry if that hurts your feelings, but I hope it helps you understand mine."
Matilda gulped guiltily, " Uh....I mean I was annoyed....like really annoyed but I don't think.....I mean...."
She moved over and put an arm around Titanni, " Our unicorn friend is good....and Wills friends...and the dandelion...and probably our new elfy friend....and my owlbear was good....well, he didn't eat anyone...and sure....the frogs, and rabbits and goblins have all been kinda *****....maybe it will all get better if we bring the queen back?"
" I will say Horatio is right that if they expect us to do all the work folks could be a lot more helpful and friendly.", she nodded to herself.
" Now whats this little old one got to say and why do people have to risk their lives in order to see them?", she fixed Obud with a stare......though she was quickly distracted by the pony amd searcbed about for an apple or carrot on her person.
Titaani winces at the mention of her dead parents, as Horatio speaks. As different members of the party comfort her, she gives them a sad smile in return, before turning back to Horatio.
“Am I really trapped?” She asks. For a moment, her cerulean eyes fill with a mixture of confusion and sadness before she shakes her head. “No. No, I’m not. My principles are my own. My mother and father taught them to me, but I follow them of my own accord. Ben, Pud and Matilda are right. Many people have helped us, because they know it is the right thing to do.”
Stepping forward, Titaani takes Horatio’s hands in her own. “I’m sorry for what happened to you as a child. I can’t even begin to imagine what that was like. But out of the two of us,” she pauses, looking Horatio in his eyes, “I don’t think that I’m the one trapped by fear.”
"We have a lot of people to rescue from the hag--including Golmo now it seems--and we need to provision ourselves well with arms and armor. We were hoping we could set up shop and make what we need, maybe trade for some items and see what kind of help we could get here before starting the rescue operation," adds Ben.
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Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
"Golmo's forge is right here, if you want to use it. The hag kidnapped him. He was our best architect, and we miss him terribly," laments Obud. He points to a nook in the grotto. "We would be very appreciative if you could rescue him. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you used his tools if you're using them for his ultimate benefit."
Squinting into the dim light on the side of his grotto, you can see the cold furnace. It's small, but not nearly as proportionally tiny as the Brigganocks themselves – it looks like it could be used by medium-sized folks for modestly-sized projects. There is plenty of fuel, stacks of odd materials, and chaotic piles of half-finished contraptions. There's even a small-but-not-tiny anvil. Golmo's tools, however, are unusably tiny; they are only fit for brigganock-sized hands.
"How are you planning on approaching and defeating Creeping Lyn and rescuing her captives, if I may ask?" continues Obud.
"With heavy armor, preferably. We'll need to know about her home, who and what are guarding it. Where the prisoners are too, if known." As he speaks, Horatio pulls out his own tools and full sized anvil. He looks over Golmo's things, then the smelter. "I can make this work..."
After a bit of setup he begins smelting a batch of steel. "Ben, what armor do you want? I should be able to do plate with this."
Horatio fuels and lights the small forge. It's well-used, but a high-quality little furnace.
(Keep in mind, per XGTE: "To determine how many workweeks it takes to create an item, divide its gold piece cost by 50." So for one set of full Plate, that's 30 weeks of work! But for a Chain Shirt or Scale Mail, that's only one week. You can get Help to speed things up, but with just a small forge and only one set of Smith's Tools (and one person with the Skill), help will be limited. How speedy or limited, I'll still need to determine. If you are willing to sacrifice appearance and durability, I'm willing to cut the time in half for makeshift armor that has a limited lifespan and some potentially comical-looking culinary touches. Between your kitchen raid and Golmo's supplies, materials are readily available, so cost is not an issue. )
“Plate armor would be wonderful, but I fear it would take too long,” responds Ben.
”Perhaps chain mail and a shield would be a more reasonable choice—and match what I left behind in the mortal realm. I will help the best I can,” he continues.
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Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
(Okay - how about this?... The first few folks who want to Help Horatio can make an Intelligence or Dexterity check - your choice. DC10: Cut the time to 75%. DC20: Cut the time in half. Below 5: Add to the time...
(But first, Horatio should decide what he's making, and whether makeshift or high-quality. If he's making one item, he can have one helper. If he's making two or more items, he can have up to three helpers. But this will take several days at the very least. Does anyone have provisions? Or will you rely on the hospitality of the Brigganocks and Molliver?)
(( Horatio had intended to take as long as needed, but Ben's notion of chainmail would work for he and Horatio. That'd be 3 weeks unassisted at full quality, so Help would be desirable. He also wanted to make Ben a sword if still needed, javelins, and whatever anyone else wanted. Horatio would ask the locals to provide provisions if they could. ))
Ben doesn't have rations, as those would have been in his backpack that was left at home. He isn't great with Int or Dex, so probably helping the Brigganocks with repairs of their home using his stonework capability might be a good trade for food and having one of them use the small size smithing tools to help Horatio?
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Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Pud walks up to Horatio and Ben as they discuss crafting some equipment. He sheepishly makes a request.
”If you have time, I would like a small shield. It doesn’t have to be anything special. I could always infuse it with some magic. I’d be happy to help in any way.”
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Pronouns: he/him/his
Pud - lvl 7 Human Artificer - Alchemist (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight).
Quinn - lvl 4 Human Ranger - Hunter (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk)
"We might be here a while," Titaani wonders out loud, then walks up to Molliver. "Excuse me, but would you be kind enough to provide food and water for my friends? Think of it as an investment towards the future safety of your realm."
Persuasion: 14
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Pronouns: She/her/her's
Currently playing as Titaani Leelathae in The Wild beyond the Witchlight
Molliver responds, "If you're serious about rescuing my sister Glister and the brigganocks’ architect, Golmo, from Motherhorn, then we can certainly feed you. Also, you should know that brigganocks can accelerate the passage of time around themselves, and get a lot of work done fast. They don't have any special crafting skills - that was Golmo's expertise - but if you tell them what to do, they can work astonishingly quickly if it's not too big a project. They can dig and refine wish stones into gems and use them to decorate architecture and crafts, sure, but they can also carve pumpkins, cook dinner, move a pile of stones, tie knots in rope, or lots of other things. Fast."
(So, Horatio: Give me your updated to-make list.
Chainmail - 2 sets? 3 sets?
One shield
A sword? What kind? One?
Javelins? How many?
Is anyone helping besides Matilda? Pud, or anyone else - roll a DEX or INT check if you want to help.)
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Titaani listens to Horatio with a combination of horror and sadness on her face.
"Why...why would you choose to see the worst in everything?' She chokes out, barely holding back tears. "And...and even if they won't help us, that doesn't mean we shouldn't help them! We shouldn't do it in the hopes of receiving a reward, we should do it because it's the right thing to do!"
Looking to the ground, Titaani wraps her arms around herself, her next words little more than mumbles. "My parents...that is, my biological mom and dad...they taught me about sacrifice a long time ago. If I die for these people, at least I will have made them proud."
Pronouns: She/her/her's
Currently playing as Titaani Leelathae in The Wild beyond the Witchlight
This conversation has a visible affect on Pud. If anyone noticed, they’d see tears welling up in his eyes and the occasional snifffle. He looks down at Tiny, smiles and gives them a firm pat on the head between their floppy ears.
He straightens up and steps forward.
“I don’t blame ‘em. You know, this place changes people. Time is kinda funny here. You lose track of it. And with those crusty old hags in charge, you can lose hope, too. I sure did. You kinda feel stuck…and hopeless. Spend enough time feeling like that and it can bring out the bad in you.
You guys are my friends now. But when you first found me and Brotor, I was…I uh…I wasn’t doin’ good. I thought I was gonna lose him. I didn’t know you guys and I didn’t trust you. I went along with you, but I thought about doin’ stuff. Stuff that woulda made you mad at me. I almost did. I was this close...”
Pud’s voice cracks and he tries to pull himself together. He takes a deep breath before continuing.
“But that don’t matter now. All I’m saying is, I think these people need help, kinda like I did. You guys helped me. And I wanna help them cuz I know what they’re feeling and I didn’t like it.”
Pronouns: he/him/his
Pud - lvl 7 Human Artificer - Alchemist (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight).
Quinn - lvl 4 Human Ranger - Hunter (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk)
Ben:
”Many here are resigned to their fate or only react as in their capricious nature. Still, we have found others who have aided us, and some who have actually fought on our behalf,” says Ben, putting his arm around Titaani comfortingly.
”Let’s give Obud a chance, shall we Horatio?” asks Ben gently.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Horatio thinks for a moment, seeing the distress his feelings caused Titaani, and the reaction from Pud. He sighs, then says, "I was homeless on and off, but the first time was the worst. I lived on the street, and on the second night found myself in a winding alley full of people who seemed to live there. They were.. crazy... for lack of a better term. In a way, many didn't mean any harm. Some acted in ways that scared me, they had arguments with themselves, or made loud proclamations about who or what they really were. Most kept to themselves. I found a spot in the alley that had partial cover from the rain, and began to go back to it night after night. I begged during the day. I hadn't learnt about the workhouses yet, and didn't know I could indenture myself for trade skills, but I dreamed constantly about getting off the streets. Day after day I suffered every imaginable indignity begging - even stealing a few times. People spat at me, chased me off, hit me. Everything. Most though, had at least a look of concern at a child begging. Some even tried to help, though they always seemed to want to find my family and I knew my father wanted nothing to do with me.
"One day, I came back to my spot in the alley and several of the people who lived there had looted my secret stash of coins. They were eating from my stash of foods. I was a child near starved, half clothed, and terrified, and these adults were taking all that I had. That night I realized something - many somethings - but one thing important now. Those people were not toiling day and night to leave the alley. They wanted to be there. It was wrong of them to take from me, to hold me to that forsaken place. I knew I could leave in the real sense, but thought the risks outside that alley to be much greater than those inside it - the very reason they didn't leave. I decided the next day not to return. Lucky me, I got pinched for stealing an apple and sent to a workhouse anyway. That one choice set me on the path to becoming a carpenter and being able to support myself.
"The point is... That alleyway was a trap, and those people didn't care about anyone else caught in it. It was all they had and they wouldn't risk losing it. They lacked the courage to venture for more. I'm not like Ben, or you Titaani - I do not believe in helping just for the sake of helping. A person must show that they are willing to help themselves, or that their need is true. With the exception of Will and his band, how many have we met here that fit that description, and how many are just living out their lives in this accursed alley? I would never go back to that place for the same reason I would not put myself at undue risk dying here. I was brave enough to step away from what seemed comfortable."
He stops, thoughtful for a moment, a look of genuine concern at Titaani, then he continues. "You are also in an alleyway Titaani. Your sense of right and wrong, your willingness to die for your dead parents' principles, that is your alleyway. That is your island of solace in an otherwise lonely life. Pud's surrender to despair was his own. I am sorry if I'm attacking what you hold dear. But to die for someone else' principles? You are trapped by your own fears. Venture out of that place in your heart and decide things for yourself in life. I know that you - my friends - are worth dying for. We have endured much, and taken great care for one another. Our relationship is in balance. Everything else..." He gestures to the surrounding, "...is just another alley I have to survive. If our efforts relieve distress from these peoples then so be it, but my goals would be upturned if I were to have to trade one of you for the freedom of an entire realm of cowards and crazies. There is no balance here, they suffer nothing for their own cause and we suffer all. I'm really sorry if that hurts your feelings, but I hope it helps you understand mine."
Matilda gulped guiltily, " Uh....I mean I was annoyed....like really annoyed but I don't think.....I mean...."
She moved over and put an arm around Titanni, " Our unicorn friend is good....and Wills friends...and the dandelion...and probably our new elfy friend....and my owlbear was good....well, he didn't eat anyone...and sure....the frogs, and rabbits and goblins have all been kinda *****....maybe it will all get better if we bring the queen back?"
" I will say Horatio is right that if they expect us to do all the work folks could be a lot more helpful and friendly.", she nodded to herself.
" Now whats this little old one got to say and why do people have to risk their lives in order to see them?", she fixed Obud with a stare......though she was quickly distracted by the pony amd searcbed about for an apple or carrot on her person.
Titaani winces at the mention of her dead parents, as Horatio speaks. As different members of the party comfort her, she gives them a sad smile in return, before turning back to Horatio.
“Am I really trapped?” She asks. For a moment, her cerulean eyes fill with a mixture of confusion and sadness before she shakes her head. “No. No, I’m not. My principles are my own. My mother and father taught them to me, but I follow them of my own accord. Ben, Pud and Matilda are right. Many people have helped us, because they know it is the right thing to do.”
Stepping forward, Titaani takes Horatio’s hands in her own. “I’m sorry for what happened to you as a child. I can’t even begin to imagine what that was like. But out of the two of us,” she pauses, looking Horatio in his eyes, “I don’t think that I’m the one trapped by fear.”
Pronouns: She/her/her's
Currently playing as Titaani Leelathae in The Wild beyond the Witchlight
Obud clears his tiny throat uncomfortably.
"Yes, well, that's very nice, very nice. Uh, I just appraise stones. Nobody trapped here. What can I do for you?"
" We need to build a forge.", Matilda said plainly.
Ben:
"We have a lot of people to rescue from the hag--including Golmo now it seems--and we need to provision ourselves well with arms and armor. We were hoping we could set up shop and make what we need, maybe trade for some items and see what kind of help we could get here before starting the rescue operation," adds Ben.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
"Golmo's forge is right here, if you want to use it. The hag kidnapped him. He was our best architect, and we miss him terribly," laments Obud. He points to a nook in the grotto. "We would be very appreciative if you could rescue him. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you used his tools if you're using them for his ultimate benefit."
Squinting into the dim light on the side of his grotto, you can see the cold furnace. It's small, but not nearly as proportionally tiny as the Brigganocks themselves – it looks like it could be used by medium-sized folks for modestly-sized projects. There is plenty of fuel, stacks of odd materials, and chaotic piles of half-finished contraptions. There's even a small-but-not-tiny anvil. Golmo's tools, however, are unusably tiny; they are only fit for brigganock-sized hands.
"How are you planning on approaching and defeating Creeping Lyn and rescuing her captives, if I may ask?" continues Obud.
"With heavy armor, preferably. We'll need to know about her home, who and what are guarding it. Where the prisoners are too, if known." As he speaks, Horatio pulls out his own tools and full sized anvil. He looks over Golmo's things, then the smelter. "I can make this work..."
After a bit of setup he begins smelting a batch of steel. "Ben, what armor do you want? I should be able to do plate with this."
Horatio fuels and lights the small forge. It's well-used, but a high-quality little furnace.
(Keep in mind, per XGTE: "To determine how many workweeks it takes to create an item, divide its gold piece cost by 50."
So for one set of full Plate, that's 30 weeks of work! But for a Chain Shirt or Scale Mail, that's only one week.
You can get Help to speed things up, but with just a small forge and only one set of Smith's Tools (and one person with the Skill), help will be limited. How speedy or limited, I'll still need to determine.
If you are willing to sacrifice appearance and durability, I'm willing to cut the time in half for makeshift armor that has a limited lifespan and some potentially comical-looking culinary touches.
Between your kitchen raid and Golmo's supplies, materials are readily available, so cost is not an issue. )
Ben:
“Plate armor would be wonderful, but I fear it would take too long,” responds Ben.
”Perhaps chain mail and a shield would be a more reasonable choice—and match what I left behind in the mortal realm. I will help the best I can,” he continues.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
(Okay - how about this?... The first few folks who want to Help Horatio can make an Intelligence or Dexterity check - your choice. DC10: Cut the time to 75%. DC20: Cut the time in half. Below 5: Add to the time...
(But first, Horatio should decide what he's making, and whether makeshift or high-quality. If he's making one item, he can have one helper. If he's making two or more items, he can have up to three helpers. But this will take several days at the very least. Does anyone have provisions? Or will you rely on the hospitality of the Brigganocks and Molliver?)
(( Horatio had intended to take as long as needed, but Ben's notion of chainmail would work for he and Horatio. That'd be 3 weeks unassisted at full quality, so Help would be desirable. He also wanted to make Ben a sword if still needed, javelins, and whatever anyone else wanted. Horatio would ask the locals to provide provisions if they could. ))
Ben:
Ben doesn't have rations, as those would have been in his backpack that was left at home. He isn't great with Int or Dex, so probably helping the Brigganocks with repairs of their home using his stonework capability might be a good trade for food and having one of them use the small size smithing tools to help Horatio?
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Pud walks up to Horatio and Ben as they discuss crafting some equipment. He sheepishly makes a request.
”If you have time, I would like a small shield. It doesn’t have to be anything special. I could always infuse it with some magic. I’d be happy to help in any way.”
Pronouns: he/him/his
Pud - lvl 7 Human Artificer - Alchemist (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight).
Quinn - lvl 4 Human Ranger - Hunter (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk)
Matilda will help, she has small nimble hands and forming maille links is not too different from knitting...
3
"We might be here a while," Titaani wonders out loud, then walks up to Molliver. "Excuse me, but would you be kind enough to provide food and water for my friends? Think of it as an investment towards the future safety of your realm."
Persuasion: 14
Pronouns: She/her/her's
Currently playing as Titaani Leelathae in The Wild beyond the Witchlight
Molliver responds, "If you're serious about rescuing my sister Glister and the brigganocks’ architect, Golmo, from Motherhorn, then we can certainly feed you. Also, you should know that brigganocks can accelerate the passage of time around themselves, and get a lot of work done fast. They don't have any special crafting skills - that was Golmo's expertise - but if you tell them what to do, they can work astonishingly quickly if it's not too big a project. They can dig and refine wish stones into gems and use them to decorate architecture and crafts, sure, but they can also carve pumpkins, cook dinner, move a pile of stones, tie knots in rope, or lots of other things. Fast."
(So, Horatio: Give me your updated to-make list.
Is anyone helping besides Matilda? Pud, or anyone else - roll a DEX or INT check if you want to help.)