Heavy is the Head - Campaign thread

Saoirse breathes deeply to steady herself and nods to Hemlock. Then she quickly braids her hair and puts it up in a bun to make this fiery feature of hers much less visible. The she puts the helmet on, visor down, and proceeds to hide in the nearest place that allows that, but that is also close to where Hemlock will be standing to meet Poniros. 

Tesfaye clearly didn't intend for this helmet to be battle-ready - they must have been thinking of it primarily as a way to keep the Doppels from reading others, rather than it being worn by one of their own. You find that it is a little bit uncomfortable, but most annoying is that when you bring the visor down, your field of view is frustratingly limited. There's no obvious place to hide near the latrine - it's primarily one long trench latrine, no culture of privacy here. Fortunately though, the ecosystem in the latrine that processes all of... what goes in... into nutrients for the tree does keep the area smelling of oak, rather than what you would expect. Hiding outside wouldn't let you see in well enough - you would stick out standing fully clothed on the bathing platform... you're stuck deciding between squatting over the latrine to hide in plain sight, and standing where condensing water runs down cleansing mosses on one wall of the latrine area, and people wash their hands. You decide (I assume) to go with the second option, so that you can keeep your pants on. You'll just seem a little overly-concerned with cleanliness. Hiding in plain sight. I suppose you could also stand just outside the latrine area... then it would look like you were waiting for someone else, but you wouldn't be able to look inside without conspicuously rounding the corner.

Hermes skin assumes the olive tones common to the wood-elf citizens of Village tree without further complaint.

Whatever physical violence was happening on North branch sounds like it has stopped for now - but there is still considerable shouting.

(OOC, the majority of people are still on North branch, but not everyone stayed a full hour for lunch. The central platform isn't bustling with people, but there are 3-5 people moving across it at any one moment.)

Saoirse will go for that second option, and will simulate that she's washing not only her hands but also her clothes and even some of her equipment while she grumbles that "this is not funny. Not funny at all. The parents aren't going to hear the end of this once I catch which kids did this. How could they do this to me? When I've worked so hard to teach them the basics. Is this how they repay me? What kind of a prank is this!?".

She'll even add some curses in Primordial and even Infernal to make it more believable.

Hemlock waits until the allotted time and then makes his move. He is already disguised as one of the villagers they passed on the walk here, the tallest one in fact.

As he enters the latrine, he reaches out with his mind. As for himself, he tries to keep his mind focussed on thoughts of neutralising the friends of the runaways Eliza and Saffron. He also thinks over and over, how goes the search?

Hemlock scans the room mentally - there are 4 people using the long latrine at the moment, aside from himself and Saoirse. 

A fairy woman is just standing up when you enter, and moving towards the handwashing wall. <Dang, that's the fourth time I've had to pee today! I hope I'm not pregnant, I mean I can't be. Let's see, Enrique was three weeks ago, so just a few days after full moon, so i would have been...>

A young centaur male is standing over the latrine, though not actually letting anything out. <Dammit I swore I would wait until I was back on the ground where I can go behind a tree. I hate visiting auntie where I have to poop where people can see me. Ugh, come on, come on, just get it over with...>

An Elf man carries an infant at his hip, and casually takes a quick leak before holding the baby up in front of him (carefully and lovingly) above the latrine. <come on, Essy, let it out, I know you've got to go, so do it now before I wrap the diaper back on you. I know it's natural, but I can't stand cleaning that thing...>

And young Lichen walks in from the other entrance, walking with a little more grace than you think you have seen in him before, and begins to undo the top laces of his trousers. <Hermes, you fool! I see we're already on to plan theta, where the locals know we're here.> He is also glancing around the room. <You better have a good reason for - shit. That's their Genasi friend, and I can't read her. Who does she think she's fooling?> His face lights up as though he has just remembered something. <Alright, time to walk out of - wait, is that tall man trying to make me think he's Hermes? The search goes poorly, dingus. It's an ambush. The clumsiest ambush i ever saw, but still.> None of the surprise or concern shows on the young Firbolg face, but he does begin turn quickly to walk back away from the latrines, through the bathing area.

Saoirse has clocked all the people in the room, and can see that Lichen has entered, but does not see immediately that he is about to walk out again right away.

“It’s Lichen”, Hemlock telepathically sends to Saoirse.

Then, as soon as the fake Lichen turns away he becomes invisible and follows him. Ensuring he sees any change of form and lets Saoirse know and keeps tracking the mind anyway.

Once clear of the latrine area, he will send a bolt of radiant energy at the doppelgänger.

He becomes visible again.

Bonus Action: Hidden Step

Movement: Follows Lichen out and keeps him visible

Action: Cast Guiding Bolt at level 3 at the doppelgänger. To Hit (advantage for invisible): (1,2)+6 =8

Special: Concentration on Detect Thoughts - not sure how long left

Saoirse receives your message, but doesn't immediately see that 'Lichen' is on his way back out. Hemlock and Saoirse, roll initiative.

On the central platform, Lam and Sha are approached by João, looking very frustrated and a little scared. "Oh! Is so go to be finding you dos! We are needing halp, everyone thinking the other is.. pues... falso. Can you helping us before we be fighting?"

Hermes grins under the helmet.

Hemlock Initiative: 13+2=15

Saoirse gasps and turns around to look for "Lichen".

Initiative: 7

Quote from PolarisUnmoored >>

Saoirse receives your message, but doesn't immediately see that 'Lichen' is on his way back out. Hemlock and Saoirse, roll initiative.

---

On the central platform, Lam and Sha are approached by João, looking very frustrated and a little scared. "Oh! Is so go to be finding you dos! We are needing halp, everyone thinking the other is.. pues... falso. Can you helping us before we be fighting?"

Hermes grins under the helmet.

 

 “Certainly Joāo, how can we help?”  Sha is still lost in his thoughts, but wishing for a chance to smoke and relax.

The chase begins,  with 'Lichen' running through the hanging-vine doorway and short bridge to the bathing platform. Hemlock follows, and shoots a bolt of light after him as he enters the bathing platform as well. It crashes into the far wall, and the one villager using the platform at the moment jumps back from her stream of water and screams in surprise. <so, does this mean Hermes is dead?> The thought is clearly intended to be read, and he clearly has a lock on your mind as well, trying to probe a reaction in your thoughts. (Wisdom saving throw for Hemlock).

Turn order: Poniros, Hemlock, Saoirse. Saoirse can't quite get to melee range with a dash, but almost. There is another exit of the bathing platform, which leads to the part of North branch where the cargo lift is, and most of the foodstuffs are. The pantry, basically.

"Well, I am thinking that because we have very much respect for you and Lam, if you are coming with to North Branch, you can get everyone to shut their lips. Who is this with you in helmet? Another warrior to protect our Village?"

Saoirse runs and runs as she fixes her eyes on the creature she now knows is Poniros disguised as Lichen, as she mutters:

- Cá bhfuil tú ag dul dar leat!?

She feels her blood boil as the blood curse tries to take hold of the doppelganger. Will she be able to stop him?

I think we need tonopen a map for this - I'll update owlbear some point tomorrow. 

In any case, Poniros is just able to shake off the attempted blood curse, and runs across the bridge into the pantry area, rounding a corner to be momentarily put of sight. Hemlock, wisdom save to maintain your mental lock on him. Let's say 7 turns left for detect thoughts, assuming it took 15 seconds or so to find him in the first place.

Hemlock Wisdom Save: 12

Hemlock is able to follow Poniros' mind as he slips around the corner, but the doppelganger seems to have a fix on Hemlock's, as well. <I've shaken a thousand worse than you, big boy. Alright, let's see... elf, human, dryad... One of the bugbear kids! Yeah, that'll - shit, you're listening to my whole damn thought process. Well, this won't be as easy, then.>

You can feel Poniros resolve to settle this with violence. He readies an attack.

It is Hemlock's turn. https://www.owlbear.rodeo/room/5nRs1L_uFdxM/HeavyistheHeadPBP (note the zoom-in in the upper right)

"Hermes is quite well", Hemlock brings to the forefront of his mind. "Surrender and co-operate and you will also remain well".

At the same time, he whispers to Saoirse, "Poniros is ready for us, but perhaps not for this".

With that the magical disguise drops and the firbolg form re-appears, but only for an instant before it starts to change and grow. His hands and feet solidifying into hooves, his torso, neck and head growing and elongating as his arms and legs also change shape. His entire form becoming more equine.

Horse-lock waits for Saoirse to mount up before moving into the pantry.

Action: Wild Shape into Warhorse
Movement: If allowed wait for Saoirse to mount up and then move into the pantry (I understand you can't ready a movement that isn't an action dash, but DM might be willing to allow it)
Special: Detect Thoughts - 4/10

Lam nods to João. He looks at Sha, who looks a little frazzled, and at Hermes, who looks more disguised with his olive skin tones. He says to João, “This is Hermes.” Then he says to Sha in Goblin, deliberately not saying the word doppelgänger, “Sollten wir sagen, dass Hermes einer von ihnen ist? Ich möchte nicht, dass sie in Panik geraten. Ich möchte auch nicht, dass sie ihm vertrauen. Was würdest du tun, Freund?” He puts a hand on Hermes’s shoulder, keeping the other on his greataxe, and begins walking with Hermes and Sha to follow João.

The warhorse plan is well within 'rule of cool,' and you are welcome to ready your movement to carry Saoirse on your back

Hemlock's muscles grow, and grow, as the hair of his head slides backwards and erupts into a wild mane of beautiful, long, dark hair. He can feel himself standing on his tiptoes and the tips of his fingers, but rather than feeling dainty, this makes him feel powerful, those fingers growing seamlessly into hooves ready to run for miles on end on any surface. It is the largest Hemlock has ever been, with his head ending up at the same height despite dropping to all fours, and his body becoming a mass of muscle that can confidently stand as a bulwark to protect his people, his herd. His eyes move to the sides of his head, and his visions clear focus gives way to awareness on all sides. You can almost feel something missing though - many thousands of years of interspecies partnership has shaped his body to work alongside another. When Saoirse climbs astride you, you will be ready to feel as a single, powerful creature. *snort* if she is worthy of your strength.

You do feel a lack of dexterity though... a misstep over the edge of a bridge or platform, the weight of your body in the wrong direction on one of your thin but powerful legs... this is not a form that evolved to live in treetops. It's good there are some centaurs living here, who have helped to adapt the village to accommodate your newfound mass.

Poniros seems confused as it tries to hold on to your thoughts. <Are you... are you a horse?>

João nods at the newcomer. "Welcome, Hermes! Any Lam's friend is my friends also! So, you will follow us and talk to others on north branch? Please be coming!" João waves for Lam and Sha to follow  and begins to hover back towards the canteen area.

Hermes begins walking after him immediately. "So what's everyone fighting about, new friend?" The doppelganger asks, seeming perfectly sincere.

Lam makes sure to stay close by Hermes, and keeps a death grip on his greataxe. He stares daggers at Hermes, but occasionally glances at Sha to see his feline friend’s reaction. He doesn’t make any move to stop Hermes from trying to talk to João, but it is what he is most paying attention to- he is ready to interject or act at any moment. It might be clear in his mannerisms that he doesn’t entirely trust Hermes. But… he also wants to know what everyone is fighting about. He is not entirely sure how successful Hemlock and Saoirse have been in their mission to find Poniros. He would like to be around to stop Poniros if he is there… or stop other needless violence if he is not.

 „Ich würde ihn nicht aus den Augen lassen und ihn in Reichweite halten, was für dich, mein Freund, etwas einfacher ist. Was seine Identifizierung angeht: Nein, ich denke, ich würde ihn entweder ehrlich oder irreführend sein lassen, um sein wahres Gesicht zu sehen.“. Sha responds to Lam.