This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Boosey makes a placating gesture at Allister.
Religion check 18
"The maze, it's her God's symbol..." he says out of the corner of his mouth. "He has marked us in some way, apparently. Anyway, I don't see much harm in telling her something."
He turns to Sthara and gives a deep bow, as deep a bow as a gnome can, anyway.
"Well met, my Lady. My friends and I, we are here gathering stories and songs to take back to the Sword Coast. I am a bard of some repute back home, and I must say that already, our journey has proved a fruitful one." He strikes a thoughtful pose. "I wonder why your God has marked us. Are you from Chult, my Lady?"
"I am. And it is as you say. The maze is the emblem of Ubtao's choosing. He is the mazemaker who shaped Chult from the earth with his hands, as his shadow and Sseth above watched. We in Chult owe our existence to him, as he made the land and he made us–or, made man here. I am a child of Sseth–a yuan-ti."
She glances around nervously before continuing.
"When you were coming to this place, I saw his mark on your bags, if only for a moment. He means me to meet you and to help you in some way. I have spent long wandering, helping those who Ubtao has deemed in need and it seems as though you are the next who may need my aid. You see, I am–" she pauses as she chooses her words. "I am chosen by Ubtao. I am not a priest, but he has shown me that I can weave spells. And I am grateful, but my life's journey must be for some purpose. He is guiding me through my own maze. He is guiding me to find my best self there, at the center."
She looks into their faces and mouths numbers as she counts.
"Lady, would you excuse us for a second?" I take Herman and Boosey to a quiet corner. "What do you make of this? I have no clue, and you know I don´t trust random encounters in this part of town. Who knows what her god is planning for us. Maybe they make human, and gnome, sacrifices. Should we wait for Funderburk to read her thoughts before we follow her?"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Insight Check (not really needed, but more to see if I roll badly) 8
Boosey pauses to reflect for a moment, then says carefully "From the stories I've heard, although few and far between, I believe they do or have made sacrifices of some kind, so we should be careful. It does seem rather coincidental she has approached us, but," and he glances over at Sthara "if she is genuine, we could have an invaluable friend and ally with local knowledge. A guide."
After a moments thought he continues. "Your idea for Funderburk to probe her mind is a good one. I suspect if she agrees to it she may well be genuine. He would have to delve deep though, and that may not be very pleasant for her. As for her diety, I find it odd that we may have been singled out by Him. I was under the impression he was very much an 'arms length' God."
“I don’t want to sound like an arse but looking into her head with a spell is less unpleasant than slicing you open and eating your heart. Ok, let’s assume we believe her story. This is a strange island, so strange things might happen to us. And why the gods do what they... do THEY even know? Dammit. Should we take her to the docks? See if we find out more?“ I turn back to the woman. „Care to join us on a trip to the docks? Maybe you see more signs of divine guidance.“
Boosey laughs. "You make a good point Allister, though there's little chance of a sacrifice being made on the street." He looks round at the hustle and bustle of the town, taking in the unfamiliarity of the place. The colour, the smells, the sounds and the people contribute to sensory overload. "Although," he says with a nervous grin, "now you come to mention it..."
He turns back to Sthara and adds to Allister's question. "Well, how about it my Lady. Would you accompany us for a while? As long as you promise not to sacrifice any of us to Ubtao!"
"Herman, I don´t want to fight anyone here. But are you up for some information gathering on the docks? I might need a brutish face on my side, and you might find some quick and cheap pleasure."
Herman considers the request quickly and then replies, downing his drink:
Aaall right, I join you
ooc: congrats for your posting rate, at the omment I cannot keep up, I will read everything tomorrow, just go on
Just to make sure I am understanding correctly, Clove and Funderburk are headed to the market ahead of the rest of the party, and the four behind are going along the docks to speak to Captain Fisk for a moment? Is there anything else your four intend on doing while in the docks section before going to the market to join the other two?
Boosey:
Your roll was really good on the religion check for knowledge regarding Ubtao. Whatever passage you read or stories you were listening to really caught your ear. This isn't to say that you're an expert on Ubtao - the god is truly vague and sparsely known, but you are certain in your knowledge that the god might only exist in stories in this day and age.
Sthara:
Ubtao is not an unknown deity in Chult, but the god is often referred to as something of the past. You have never found this to be true, and while there are believers that follow him, they usually speak of how he might one day return. As to why you have a different relationship in the matter, you are not entirely certain.
Funderburk and Clove: As Funderburk and Clove step out from under the shelter of the building, the rain subsides as quickly as it came. While it is nice not to be dumped on from the heavens, the rain has everything wet now and the sun is out in full stride baking everything, which leaves a low steam near the ground. The humidity was bad before, but now you are left wondering just how much water the air in this place can hold. The two of you follow the large avenue westward in the direction Captain Fisk indicated and, true to his word, a grande marketplace explodes in all directions before you. Vendors call out to all manner of passersby hocking their wares. Naturally, each of them claim to be selling the finest of whatever goods they are trying to sell. There are many, many things to look at here from simple, household items, spices, clothing (all of which is blasted in every brighter color of the rainbow), and equipment. Just when you think you might be a bit overwhelmed, the two of you spot a vendor that deals in the massive lizards walking about!
Allister, Boosey, Herman & Sthara: Even as the four of you depart the Golden Lion, the elf never returns your table, and perhaps it is for the best. There will always be some shady side of town where bad things happen to anyone foolish enough to get caught in those webs. The mist swirls around in the wake of your cloaks and booted steps as you make your way back to The Playful Sprite. During this first hour the crew and dock workers have unloaded an assortment of crates near the busted ship. The poor fitting mainsail pried from the pirate vessel is in the process of being removed, and judging by the crack in the hull, the ship may even spend some time in the dry dock. Captain Fisk stands tall on the upper deck; he looks lost in contemplation as he watches the mainsail being removed.
Funderburk was a bit overwhelmed, but curiosity overtook it quickly. "We should check around Clove. Better understand the area. And if you find anything that is actually a quality item, purchase it. I have indulged in multiple book detailing of merchants lies and tales." The Vedalken decided to walk through the crowds until he comes to where all the commotion is about. Waiting until the Vendor was open, he decided to ask the vendor his wares and services.
"Might I ask what you are selling here? I am looking for fine quality items. Such as books, scrolls, maps; anything to help me along my journey out from this great and wonderous city."
As we approach the ship I say to my companions "Please excuse me for a moment, I need to speak to the Captain. I shouldn't be long." With that I head up the gang plank and on to the upper deck to where Fisk is standing. The others see us chat for a moment, and Boosey trying to hand over what looks like a letter to the Captain.
For DM
Boosey asks Captain Fisk to carry a letter, on the face of it benign, but containing an agreed message about his safe arrival in Chult, back to Waterdeep (or as far as possible anyway).
I look around the harbor scanning the ships for familiar faces and signs of recent battle, signs of illicit activities like smuggling, and other pirate activities.
The captain tells you that he would be happy to help you, but it's going to be a tenday or more before he is back on the water sailing. If that is okay with you, he'll see it as far as his travels take him.
Funderburk: The vendor in front of you tells you that you'll need lots of water to survive outside the city walls then continues with, "I can 'elp with dat! I 'ave 'ere the bes' quality of rain catchers!" He gestures to this heavy contraption that has several large flaps that open up surrounding a container before continuing, "Da rain it falls mos' every day and get trap inside dis bottle. And you? You do not shrivel up like a jungle prune! Haha! What do you say?" He looks Funderburk and Clove over and then finishes, "I can sell dis one to you for only three goldpieces!"6
Allister scans the steamy docks about him taking in all the familiar sights and sounds. This area between the docked ships and city life is just as much an extension of a sailor's home as the ship he comes in on. People are endlessly working day in and day out, the salty sea air permeates everything, and you can still hear the creaks of the ship rigging this close. As nice as it is to take in these sights and sounds, there is still work to be done and people to find. These docks stretch on in both directions for far too long to sort out in just an afternoon though. Perhaps the harbormaster's office would provide more insight to what Allister is searching for? Of course, everything there is written in such a way that all things are legal, but Allister knows the signs if the same old tricks are still be recycled...
With his business finished, the gnome keeps true to his word, and Boosey returns quickly having only been on the Sprite for a moment.
Herman has nothing against the yuan-ti joining them, thinking
a GOd has chosen us? very very curious.
Morover, yes, she might be a guide...
mh, intriguing: the woman is not bad, not bad at all, who knows what she looks like underneath those simple clothes?!
Jokes apart, Herman is a very instinctive fellow, of course he has preoccupation but he would also go with the flow: if what she says is false, she is nte minority, if it is true: it is really something connected with their doom?!
"I can´t really see anything unusal so far. I have to check out the harbor master´s office, if I can´t find anything there I have take another course of action."
The odor of the dock, particularly after the rain and now intense sun, is a bouquet of seawater, tar, and the acrid scent of humans. It makes Sthara's nose ache.
"Ach, so what is it that you are looking for here down at the harbor?" she asks the companions, as Boosey runsoff to the captain. Seeing the boat that he runs off to, with its structural damage, she grimaces and breathes sharply through her teeth. "What happened to that boat there?"
„We taught a bunch of former pirates and now shark food a lesson. And the ship took a beating in the following fight. Concerning Boosey I have no idea what his business, and honestly I don’t care. Concerning me, I’m looking for people who owe me something.“
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
If that number was a persuasion check, here is a save for me: 15
"I must say," the Vedalken said, "I am quite impressed with this machinery you have here! I don't think I have ever seen one like it. But due to its size I think I am unable to take it with me..." Funderburk lets the pause hang in the air, "However, you seem like a trustworthy and hardworking man. So I would like to still do business with you even with the few gold coins I have to spare." He looks at the lizard, "Do you by any chance sell books, scrolls, or maps? You see, I think it would be much better doing business with you than other merchants; but if you do not happen to sell any by chance, I would like to see if you do know any that do, and that person being in good standing with a merchant like yourself. I wouldn't want to start of our relationship already in a rough position don't you agree?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Made you look.
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Boosey makes a placating gesture at Allister.
Religion check 18
"The maze, it's her God's symbol..." he says out of the corner of his mouth. "He has marked us in some way, apparently. Anyway, I don't see much harm in telling her something."
He turns to Sthara and gives a deep bow, as deep a bow as a gnome can, anyway.
"Well met, my Lady. My friends and I, we are here gathering stories and songs to take back to the Sword Coast. I am a bard of some repute back home, and I must say that already, our journey has proved a fruitful one." He strikes a thoughtful pose. "I wonder why your God has marked us. Are you from Chult, my Lady?"
Sthara wears a puzzled look as she explains.
"I am. And it is as you say. The maze is the emblem of Ubtao's choosing. He is the mazemaker who shaped Chult from the earth with his hands, as his shadow and Sseth above watched. We in Chult owe our existence to him, as he made the land and he made us–or, made man here. I am a child of Sseth–a yuan-ti."
She glances around nervously before continuing.
"When you were coming to this place, I saw his mark on your bags, if only for a moment. He means me to meet you and to help you in some way. I have spent long wandering, helping those who Ubtao has deemed in need and it seems as though you are the next who may need my aid. You see, I am–" she pauses as she chooses her words. "I am chosen by Ubtao. I am not a priest, but he has shown me that I can weave spells. And I am grateful, but my life's journey must be for some purpose. He is guiding me through my own maze. He is guiding me to find my best self there, at the center."
She looks into their faces and mouths numbers as she counts.
"There were more of you, no?"
"Lady, would you excuse us for a second?" I take Herman and Boosey to a quiet corner. "What do you make of this? I have no clue, and you know I don´t trust random encounters in this part of town. Who knows what her god is planning for us. Maybe they make human, and gnome, sacrifices. Should we wait for Funderburk to read her thoughts before we follow her?"
Insight Check (not really needed, but more to see if I roll badly) 8
Boosey pauses to reflect for a moment, then says carefully "From the stories I've heard, although few and far between, I believe they do or have made sacrifices of some kind, so we should be careful. It does seem rather coincidental she has approached us, but," and he glances over at Sthara "if she is genuine, we could have an invaluable friend and ally with local knowledge. A guide."
After a moments thought he continues. "Your idea for Funderburk to probe her mind is a good one. I suspect if she agrees to it she may well be genuine. He would have to delve deep though, and that may not be very pleasant for her. As for her diety, I find it odd that we may have been singled out by Him. I was under the impression he was very much an 'arms length' God."
“I don’t want to sound like an arse but looking into her head with a spell is less unpleasant than slicing you open and eating your heart. Ok, let’s assume we believe her story. This is a strange island, so strange things might happen to us. And why the gods do what they... do THEY even know? Dammit. Should we take her to the docks? See if we find out more?“ I turn back to the woman. „Care to join us on a trip to the docks? Maybe you see more signs of divine guidance.“
Boosey laughs. "You make a good point Allister, though there's little chance of a sacrifice being made on the street." He looks round at the hustle and bustle of the town, taking in the unfamiliarity of the place. The colour, the smells, the sounds and the people contribute to sensory overload. "Although," he says with a nervous grin, "now you come to mention it..."
He turns back to Sthara and adds to Allister's question. "Well, how about it my Lady. Would you accompany us for a while? As long as you promise not to sacrifice any of us to Ubtao!"
“I would join you to the harbor. Now that I have met you, my path down this maze has begun. I am named Sthara.”
She smiles and nods.
Herman considers the request quickly and then replies, downing his drink:
Aaall right, I join you
ooc: congrats for your posting rate, at the omment I cannot keep up, I will read everything tomorrow, just go on
Just to make sure I am understanding correctly, Clove and Funderburk are headed to the market ahead of the rest of the party, and the four behind are going along the docks to speak to Captain Fisk for a moment? Is there anything else your four intend on doing while in the docks section before going to the market to join the other two?
Boosey:
Your roll was really good on the religion check for knowledge regarding Ubtao. Whatever passage you read or stories you were listening to really caught your ear. This isn't to say that you're an expert on Ubtao - the god is truly vague and sparsely known, but you are certain in your knowledge that the god might only exist in stories in this day and age.
Sthara:
Ubtao is not an unknown deity in Chult, but the god is often referred to as something of the past. You have never found this to be true, and while there are believers that follow him, they usually speak of how he might one day return. As to why you have a different relationship in the matter, you are not entirely certain.
Funderburk and Clove: As Funderburk and Clove step out from under the shelter of the building, the rain subsides as quickly as it came. While it is nice not to be dumped on from the heavens, the rain has everything wet now and the sun is out in full stride baking everything, which leaves a low steam near the ground. The humidity was bad before, but now you are left wondering just how much water the air in this place can hold. The two of you follow the large avenue westward in the direction Captain Fisk indicated and, true to his word, a grande marketplace explodes in all directions before you. Vendors call out to all manner of passersby hocking their wares. Naturally, each of them claim to be selling the finest of whatever goods they are trying to sell. There are many, many things to look at here from simple, household items, spices, clothing (all of which is blasted in every brighter color of the rainbow), and equipment. Just when you think you might be a bit overwhelmed, the two of you spot a vendor that deals in the massive lizards walking about!
Allister, Boosey, Herman & Sthara: Even as the four of you depart the Golden Lion, the elf never returns your table, and perhaps it is for the best. There will always be some shady side of town where bad things happen to anyone foolish enough to get caught in those webs. The mist swirls around in the wake of your cloaks and booted steps as you make your way back to The Playful Sprite. During this first hour the crew and dock workers have unloaded an assortment of crates near the busted ship. The poor fitting mainsail pried from the pirate vessel is in the process of being removed, and judging by the crack in the hull, the ship may even spend some time in the dry dock. Captain Fisk stands tall on the upper deck; he looks lost in contemplation as he watches the mainsail being removed.
Funderburk was a bit overwhelmed, but curiosity overtook it quickly. "We should check around Clove. Better understand the area. And if you find anything that is actually a quality item, purchase it. I have indulged in multiple book detailing of merchants lies and tales." The Vedalken decided to walk through the crowds until he comes to where all the commotion is about. Waiting until the Vendor was open, he decided to ask the vendor his wares and services.
"Might I ask what you are selling here? I am looking for fine quality items. Such as books, scrolls, maps; anything to help me along my journey out from this great and wonderous city."
Made you look.
As we approach the ship I say to my companions "Please excuse me for a moment, I need to speak to the Captain. I shouldn't be long." With that I head up the gang plank and on to the upper deck to where Fisk is standing. The others see us chat for a moment, and Boosey trying to hand over what looks like a letter to the Captain.
For DM
Boosey asks Captain Fisk to carry a letter, on the face of it benign, but containing an agreed message about his safe arrival in Chult, back to Waterdeep (or as far as possible anyway).
Persuasion check 11
I look around the harbor scanning the ships for familiar faces and signs of recent battle, signs of illicit activities like smuggling, and other pirate activities.
Boosey:
The captain tells you that he would be happy to help you, but it's going to be a tenday or more before he is back on the water sailing. If that is okay with you, he'll see it as far as his travels take him.
Funderburk: The vendor in front of you tells you that you'll need lots of water to survive outside the city walls then continues with, "I can 'elp with dat! I 'ave 'ere the bes' quality of rain catchers!" He gestures to this heavy contraption that has several large flaps that open up surrounding a container before continuing, "Da rain it falls mos' every day and get trap inside dis bottle. And you? You do not shrivel up like a jungle prune! Haha! What do you say?" He looks Funderburk and Clove over and then finishes, "I can sell dis one to you for only three gold pieces!" 6
Allister:
Can you roll a perception check, please?
@DM:
3
Allister scans the steamy docks about him taking in all the familiar sights and sounds. This area between the docked ships and city life is just as much an extension of a sailor's home as the ship he comes in on. People are endlessly working day in and day out, the salty sea air permeates everything, and you can still hear the creaks of the ship rigging this close. As nice as it is to take in these sights and sounds, there is still work to be done and people to find. These docks stretch on in both directions for far too long to sort out in just an afternoon though. Perhaps the harbormaster's office would provide more insight to what Allister is searching for? Of course, everything there is written in such a way that all things are legal, but Allister knows the signs if the same old tricks are still be recycled...
With his business finished, the gnome keeps true to his word, and Boosey returns quickly having only been on the Sprite for a moment.
HERMAN
Herman has nothing against the yuan-ti joining them, thinking
a GOd has chosen us? very very curious.
Morover, yes, she might be a guide...
mh, intriguing: the woman is not bad, not bad at all, who knows what she looks like underneath those simple clothes?!
Jokes apart, Herman is a very instinctive fellow, of course he has preoccupation but he would also go with the flow: if what she says is false, she is nte minority, if it is true: it is really something connected with their doom?!
"I can´t really see anything unusal so far. I have to check out the harbor master´s office, if I can´t find anything there I have take another course of action."
The odor of the dock, particularly after the rain and now intense sun, is a bouquet of seawater, tar, and the acrid scent of humans. It makes Sthara's nose ache.
"Ach, so what is it that you are looking for here down at the harbor?" she asks the companions, as Boosey runs off to the captain. Seeing the boat that he runs off to, with its structural damage, she grimaces and breathes sharply through her teeth. "What happened to that boat there?"
„We taught a bunch of former pirates and now shark food a lesson. And the ship took a beating in the following fight. Concerning Boosey I have no idea what his business, and honestly I don’t care. Concerning me, I’m looking for people who owe me something.“
If that number was a persuasion check, here is a save for me: 15
"I must say," the Vedalken said, "I am quite impressed with this machinery you have here! I don't think I have ever seen one like it. But due to its size I think I am unable to take it with me..." Funderburk lets the pause hang in the air, "However, you seem like a trustworthy and hardworking man. So I would like to still do business with you even with the few gold coins I have to spare." He looks at the lizard, "Do you by any chance sell books, scrolls, or maps? You see, I think it would be much better doing business with you than other merchants; but if you do not happen to sell any by chance, I would like to see if you do know any that do, and that person being in good standing with a merchant like yourself. I wouldn't want to start of our relationship already in a rough position don't you agree?"
Made you look.