IVV1: The Forgotten Map [orsal judging]

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Has everyone's characters been approved yet? If not, contact the judges! They should be approved by now!
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OOC: Dianna's been approved for about a week. Go check the character thread.
IC: Dianna hands the last half of her bowl to Morlan with a smile and takes two silver pieces from her pack. She puts the money in her pocket.
"I'd like to make a small donation after everyone's finished eating. Hopefully we can all make substantial donations after we find the treasure that this map leads to."

Possum smiles. "I had a small role to play in a salvage operation for a nearby mining company. They were infested with ants, and I accompanied the cleaning crew. Got a very nice reward for it - I can pay for the wand and scroll, although, and I hate to admit, I fear I could use some compensation out of any potential moneys we come across. A loan that is never repaid is hardly a loan and donations to the deserving, kindness to the rest seem to go hand in hand here."

Possum leans back, still oblivious to the fact that she's been stealing stew (albeit a small amount - she does weigh less than the average child!) from the mouths of the hungry. "As for deciphering... I'm sure even a simple visit to a sage should suffice - though how many linguists will make a copy of the map for their own ends, I don't know..."

OOC: Possum will take a look at the map, hoping to find out what it's a map of, and possibly what time period it depicts. She has knowledge- Geography and History, each at +4.

Also, possum has 91 platinum pieces available, which should be more than enough to cover the wand + spell. In addition, she wishes to pay around 800 GP for the wand, as opposed to 750, the rest acting as a donation without it actually seeming to be a donation. She'll pay for the 50 GP out of her own money, of course - the 750 of the wand she expects to mostly be paid back once we strike money. Really, that works out to around 107 GP from each of you, later on in the game. I can make a note, and start threatening to break knee caps later.

Also (finally) IVV - I'm liking how you've set up this adventure so far. Compliments from me - it's an excellent startup.

OOC: Oh, yeah. And possum is approved for level 2.

i had one more correction to make on my character sheet, then that should be the only thing between me and approval...just a little while longer please!

edit: update....second approval by B4ccus! and now Karl is fully approved for first level!

ooc: so, we're waiting on Halina's response then?

OOC: Sorry, life caught up with me. Also, congrats on getting approved! Now I can start getting the XP-earning events out there...

"Well, little one, since you are being so generous, you needn't worry. The services for such a spell are typically 60 gold, if you are curious, but feel free to donate whatever you see fit. Halina bless you and everyone."

She watches as the soup is passed back to the various children. "Oh, you are all such a good sort. Please, your company and generosity are sustenance enough. I suppose you could have a moment to look over the map as I make sure the children are seen after."

"Map?"

Morlan approaches, curious. Some other children join him. "They're adventurers! They must have a treasure map!" "Lots of gold and jewels?" "Yeah, enough for a king!" "I wanna be an adventurer! Garrold the Magnificent!" "Garrold the Goof is more like it..."

"Enough! No name calling!" Halina sighs, sorry she ever opened her mouth. "Let our guests have a chance to rest. Go, play in the yard, I'll call you later."

Halina shakes her head in apology as the children file out the door. She gets to work cleaning up. "They're all excited now... Enjoy the silence while it lasts."

Possum studies the map, looking for details.
1d20+4=23

The more she studies the map, the more worried she gets. She sees what should be coastline, but it doesn't match anywhere she has heard of. There are cities scattered around, indicating a large area, but they are in canyons, at the peaks of mountains, in the middle of the sea... and the eight circles, in two lines of four, appear suspended above them all, connected, and are somehow the key to the ARTIFACT HERE beneath one of them. And the scrawling all over, in some strange, savage script, follows the contours of the land in some cases, and completely ignores them in others. The map could be the work of a madman.

Karl looks at the writing. (Decipher Script 1d20+4=19 ) He recognizes the writing, now, as Gnoll. He sees one city's name: Oruxx, Gnollish for Orussus. The city is apparently submerged under the sea.

Halina, having stepped out for a moment, returns with a bucket in hand and starts rinsing out the bowls. "If you need it, I can pray for language comprehension and read the map for you this evening. I'm busy here right now, and won't be able to prepare the prayer until this evening." She lowers her voice to a whisper. "And if that map has anything to do with gnolls, don't tell Rhiana. Gnolls took her eye."

Shouts and calls to follow treasure maps waft in from outside. "Dear me, calming them down will be difficult. Would it be too much to ask you for a favor? A fisherman named Vaxson is scheduled to arrive today. Ask him if he can make a donation of his catch to the temple. Something hearty should calm the children down, or maybe Vaxson can think of something."

Morlan marches in, with a number of others in tow. "We're forming an adventuring group! We're the Knights of Halina! I'm the leader, Garrold's a swordsman, Rhiana's temple mom, and Tagrin wants to be the wizard."

"Flabbertyzoo! You are all toads!" a small, redheaded freckle-faced boy of seven responds.

"Not now, Tagrin!"

Oskar speaks, "Unless one of my companions can make sense of the writing, we will need the spell."
When the young adventurers march in, Oskar speaks soberly to them, "Adventuring can be fun, and endeavoring for a noble cause is always time well spent, but this sort of life means laying your life on the line for what could be only a few copper pieces. Think long and hard before you risk your life and the feelings of those who care for you- before you decide to take up such a career."

"I am afraid that is a laguage i do not understand ,"says Karl.

when the 'adventuring band' come in a smile escapes. with the casting of the 'spell' he responds with *ribbit*

Dianna smiles at the 'adventuring band' and replies with a ribbit soon after Karl does.

Vindala smiles as she sees the group, and replies to Oskar’s words "You don’t have to be so serious all the time, let the kids dream. Who knows, sometimes dreams come true"