The Wildemount Irregulars (2020)

A moment, good sir. Silent motions to the other to get into a team huddle and mutters, Whaddaya say, lads? Zadash was on the docket anyway, can't hurt to take some prisoners along for the ride. 

Balassar just gives a faint smile "I'm in. It would be nice to see family again..." he just looks down for a second "Its been a while."

Alton gives a nod, "Might as well since that is where we were going next. And I don't mind stopping to visit Balassar's family." 

Do you end the huddle and tell the Lawmaster?

Balassar looks up and just nods "Sounds like you got a prison transport."

Alton looks at the Lawmaster, “Are they normal prisoners or are they special prisoners?”

I don't know, the Lawmaster answers. I doubt they are the highest of high value prisoners; if such were captured, the Cerberus Assembly would transport them with their magic. But nor are they common soldiers or scouts, who would be executed or held for a future exchange. But I know little; only to expect them in two weeks.

But I am glad you will take this mission. Please, rest in town; we will pay the costs of your accommodation. And eighty gold each, in advance, for the prisoner transport.

If you have further questions for the Lawmaster, you can ask them.

Otherwise, you have fourteen days of downtime you can spend in Felderwin or nearby. What would you like to do?

(And don't forget about your wolf!) 

Balassar will go each night with some fresh meat from the butcher to see Ghost. Other than that he will probably spend the time in the tavern or trying to find a smithy to keep his skills sharp. if they'll let him use the forge.

Alton doesn't have any more questions for the Lawmaster.

He will check on Ghost and their horses in the mornings and talk with Juniper to make sure everything has been okay; letting her know that they'll be in town for about two weeks. He will also make sure that the three of them are stocked up on supplies for the road and see if there are any healing potions that he can get his hands on. Then, the other thing Alton will focus on during the down time is sorting out what he can from the maps, books, and the journal; letting Balassar and Silent help too if they want. 

At some point during the two weeks, Alton would like to take Balassar and Silent outside of Felderwin, preferably where they won't disturb people, and try out a new spell. "Hey guys, I've got a spell I want to try out before we get into another fight. If it works like I think it will, we might want to not be in town and kind of away from people, to not scare them."

During the fourteen days of downtime, when he is not helping Alton with sifting through his inventory, Silent will be trying to practice with his blade as much as possible. If Balassar is available and willing, he'd like to spar with him. He'd also be trying to find any experienced fighters or soldiers passing through the town (especially older ones) to see if he can pick up any new tricks. 

When Alton brings up the new spell, he rubs his hands together and says, I like the sound of that, mate, let's see some fireworks. 

Balassar, you're able to find work in the Oppaline Smithy, a place you've visited before, and where Alton has done some business in the past.  They're happy for the extra pair of hands, and will put you to work depending on how well you're able to impress. Make a Smith's Tools check - no advantage or disadvantage, just a straight check.

You visit Ghost in the evenings, but don't spend the days or nights with him. He clearly welcomes your appearance, but seems bored and unhappy at first. Make an Animal Handling check with disadvantage.

Alton, you can also see that Ghost is unhappy and wants to leave the confinement of the barn; you make brief visits but don't linger. Make an Animal Handling check with disadvantage.

You are able to find 3 common healing potions for sale, at 50 gold pieces each, but nothing more.

You devote more of your time to the maps and scrolls. It's tough going at first, and it takes time even to begin to make sense of what you have brought with you. The innkeeper agrees to bring a large table to your room, and you spread out your collection, skimming each item, selecting those that promise most, and reading in greater detail. It's time-consuming, and as time goes by Silent's support is less and less helpful - you feel sure that this mystery is for you and you alone to solve.

Make an Investigation check - there will be a few checks over the course of the two weeks.

Silent, you find a few Crownsguard around town, but none who stay long. The guards are busy patrolling; there's word of drow scouts here and there, enough to get people talking, and worrying. The guards you speak to don't believe the town itself is at risk, but they've doubled patrols to help with morale, and it seems to be helping.  Still, few have time for much practice.

If you want to spar with Balassar, feel free to have a full combat session. :)

It's about a third of the way through your downtime.  You know that the Night of Ascension is coming up; an important holiday in honour of the Raven Queen, it's common in the Empire to burn effigies of the Kryn Dynasty who are believed by some to be undead or immortal in defiance of the laws of the Gods. You see signs here and there of decorations, some creepy and some comical, appearing in windows and on walls.

You gather outside of town as Alton speaks of his spell.

Alton will pick up those healing potions and give one to Balassar and one to Silent. Once he has Balassar and Silent outside of town, he will turn to Balassar and say, “Okay. Balassar, can you do that thing that makes you grow bigger, please.”

Animal Handling: 16 
Investigation: 5 

(OOC: No need for a full combat session - we'll say our sparring matches averaged out to a draw :D) 

Silent stows his healing potion and watches Alton with rapt attention. 

When Alton makes his request during their meet up he will just smile and grow bigger “Sure, but why?”

OOC:

Smith Tool’s: 12

Animal Handling (sorry doing this from phone): 18 or 16

Alton grins at Balassar and Silent, "Well, you doing that and our group name gave me an idea for a spell and somehow on our way here I think I figured out how to cast it." He rubs his hands together with some excitement and moves back to make some space; he then looks to Silent, "You might want to move back a bit." He then turns his attention to Balassar and makes it look like he is trying to squish him between his fingers, but starts to move them apart saying, "One small spell for a halfling, one enlarged size for Balassar." Alton proceeds to cast enlarge/reduce on Balassar using the enlarge option.

(OOC: So, if the DM allows for this to happen and I'm reading the Giant's Might ability and the Enlarge/Reduce spell correctly. Balassar, when the Giant's Might ability is active takes up a 10ft by 10ft space and is between 8ft - 16ft tall, becoming a large creature. With the enlarge/reduce spell cast and the enlarge option is used; Balassar would increase by one size taking up a 15ft by 15ft space and stand 16ft - 32ft tall, making him a huge creature (about the size of a fire giant). )

That does work. You need to use Giant's Might first, and the enlarge/reduce spell second, for it to work. But yes, if Balassar agrees, he will grow to Huge size.  Will he?

Alton, you eventually find two books and two scrolls that seem to be written in a style that seems to remind you of parts of Alator's journal that you had previously considered to be just nonsense, or perhaps in code of some kind. You find passages in one of the books where there are sections that rhyme, but across different pages, so you have to keep flipping back and forth to follow the idea. You attempt the same with the journal and... it's hard, it's not quite coming together, but you persist...

Make another Investigation check for the next few days of study.

Balassar, you are rusty, as you feared you might be. You never quite lose these skills, and the smith recognises what you need; you spend a few days on the most basic of tasks, re-learning the rhythms of the trade, and towards the end feel much happier and more complete in yourself.

Balassar just smiles as he feels the spell taking over and growing larger than before. He just looks around for a second to see everything possible.

OOC:

I could never in good conscious deny the world of Kaiju Balassar.