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IC [DW] From the Outside

Binder Fred

3 rings to bind them all!
Somewhere in the Monster Kingdoms

"Troll! Witching Troll!"
No sound but the winds of time passing through the leaves of the clearing...

"WITCHING TROLL!" he tried again, as loud and resonant as he possibly could.


OOC: And I'm back.

Isida: Briar hasn't returned from his quest for Slice yet.
 
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doghead

thotd
Day Three - Around Midday, Deep in the Forest

Khirynnax pauses, not acting or speaking but watching the faun for some sort of reaction to their presence.

[sblock=OOC]That sounds great to me, doghead, but then it seems to favor my character more than the others so take that with a grain of salt.[/sblock]

Hawthorne looks up at the faun, and makes a wave of greeting. "Hello. That's a lovely tune," she says, wondering if she, Trickle, Briar, and Khirynnax seem as exotic to the faun and the faun seems to her.

At first the faun seems to pay no attention to the travellers as he plays his pipes. But then the tune wavers and little. It rallies, before coming to an abrupt end as Hawthorne addresses it. The faun directs a quizzical look at the group.

"You can see me," he says, clearly somewhat surprised. He plans a couple of quick tunes on his pipes, as if testing them.

"You can still see me."

The faun leaps down from his perch in the tree and approaches warily, sniffing the air. It stands on stark white goat legs and has short horns protruding from its head.

"Well, yes, you," he says to Khirynnax. "An Iron Bearer and Skin-changer.

"But you are not," he continues, approaching Hawthorne, "You smell of Stone Idols and the Cold Gods. Not that I mind you know. Each to their own thing.

"And thank you. Yes! It is a lovely tune. One of my favourites. Whistle it and I shall dance with you," he adds with a mischievous grin.

The faun throws a glance at Trickle as trying to confirm is the last member of the group is watching him.

"You can see me too, Mr Sartorial Shifty Eyes. Strange. You don't smell of anything. Well, except for smell of too many days travel. And still you see. Mysterious!

"Its a mystery!

"In a mysterious forest!"

The faun casts a nervous look over his shoulder.

"Dark and mysterious." His tone is suddenly more serious. "Not for the likes of you I think. Not for the little ones either. Sun and song, not stone and sleep. No."

"Peripoptofulavar will show you a mystery, yes? A gift for a gift?"
 

doghead

thotd
Time - Somewhere in the Monster Kingdom

No sound but the winds of time passing through the leaves of the clearing...

"WITCHING TROLL!" he tried again, as loud and resonant as he possibly could.

From the Witching Troll there is no response.

No one is listening. Well, no one but the trees. Their conversation has fallen away to a murmur. They listen for what Slice has to say. They listen for his answer. They talk quietly among themselves.

He roars!

He bellows! But does he agree?

Its not clear. He still rages.

Does he demand?

She has no more time for demands.

Or rage.

She waits for agreement.

Does he agree?

Its still not clear.
 

Binder Fred

3 rings to bind them all!
Somewhere in the Monster Kingdom

"Troll?" much more tentative this time.

From the Witching Troll there is no response.

No one is listening. Well, no one but the trees. Their conversation has fallen away to a murmur. They listen for what Slice has to say. They listen for his answer. They talk quietly among themselves. [...]
So much for 'You just have to ask for me'! Touchy little Giant-Mossy-Fey-Boulder-On-Legs, wasn't He? (Which made Him all the more human. Which, in turn, pleased Slice no end, in a dark sort of way...)

Maybe they could get along after all.

"Of course I agree! Tell me Your sacred goal and I will serve it till the end." Bargains with devils were apparently a family business, after all.
 

Isida Kep'Tukari

Adventurer
Supporter
At first the faun seems to pay no attention to the travellers as he plays his pipes. But then the tune wavers and little. It rallies, before coming to an abrupt end as Hawthorne addresses it. The faun directs a quizzical look at the group.

"You can see me," he says, clearly somewhat surprised. He plans a couple of quick tunes on his pipes, as if testing them.

"You can still see me."

The faun leaps down from his perch in the tree and approaches warily, sniffing the air. It stands on stark white goat legs and has short horns protruding from its head.

"Well, yes, you," he says to Khirynnax. "An Iron Bearer and Skin-changer.

"But you are not," he continues, approaching Hawthorne, "You smell of Stone Idols and the Cold Gods. Not that I mind you know. Each to their own thing.

"And thank you. Yes! It is a lovely tune. One of my favourites. Whistle it and I shall dance with you," he adds with a mischievous grin.

The faun throws a glance at Trickle as trying to confirm is the last member of the group is watching him.

"You can see me too, Mr Sartorial Shifty Eyes. Strange. You don't smell of anything. Well, except for smell of too many days travel. And still you see. Mysterious!

"Its a mystery!

"In a mysterious forest!"

The faun casts a nervous look over his shoulder.

"Dark and mysterious." His tone is suddenly more serious. "Not for the likes of you I think. Not for the little ones either. Sun and song, not stone and sleep. No."

"Peripoptofulavar will show you a mystery, yes? A gift for a gift?"

"I think the Witching Troll let us see you. I can't think of another reason why we should have started seeing you right this moment... Peripoptofulavar, I do like mysteries. What sort of gift would you like? I would like to know," Hawthorne says, smiling at the faun's peculiar mode of speech. But she knew better than to indiscriminately promise things to otherworldly beings. Everything had a price; she knew that well from Ushane's teachings.
 

GlassEye

Adventurer
Trickle laughs and sniffs himself. "Well, yes, I smell like sweat and dirt like any laboring man might. Your mystery is intriguing but I'm not sure we have a suitable gift to exchange for the gift you offer." Trickle caught that glance cast back into the wood by the faun and wonders what might be hidden back there. His eyes get a little more shifty as he closely watches Hawthorne interact further with the creature.

Khirynnax quirks a brow at the faun's description of himself, jabs at the dirt with the butt of his staff and leans upon it to watch the bargaining. He could voice warning about bargaining with the fey but it seems Hawthorne has good sense about her and the power of the gods is usually potent against the fey.

[sblock=OOC]Trickle will discern realities. discern realities (2d6+1=6): Failed.[/sblock][sblock=Sheets][sblock=Trickle][section]
Trickle
Human Thief (level 1; 0 xp)
Shifty Eyes, Cropped Hair, Fancy Clothes, Lithe Body

STR 9 DEX 16 (+2) CON 12 INT 15 (+1) WIS 13 (+1) CHA 8 (-1)
Max. hp: 18 Current hp: 18

Alignment: Neutral: Avoid detection or infiltrate a location.

Gear: (Load 6/9) – Base Dmg: d8
Dagger (hand, 1 wt.) and Short sword (close, 1 wt.)
Ragged bow (near, 2 wt.) and bundle of arrows (3 ammo, 1 wt.)
Adventuring gear (1 wt.)
Bloodweed poison (touch, 3 uses): target deals -1d4 damage ongoing until cured

[sblock=Thief Moves]Human: When you spout lore or discern realities about criminal activities take +1

Trap Expert: When you spend a moment to survey a dangerous area, roll+Dex (2d6+2)
10+: hold 3
7-9: hold 1
Spend hold as you walk through area to ask questions:
  • Is there a trap here and if so, what activates it?
  • What does the trap do when activated?
  • What else is hidden here?
Tricks of the Trade: When you pick locks or disable traps, roll+Dex
10+: you do it, no problem
7-9: you do it, but GM offers two options between suspicion, danger, or cost.

Backstab: When you attack a surprised or defenseless enemy with a melee weapon, you can choose to roll your damage or roll+Dex
10+: choose two
7-9: choose one
  • You don’t get into melee with them
  • You deal your damage +1d6
  • You create an advantage, +1 forward to you or an ally acting on it
  • Reduce their armor by 1 until they repair it
Flexible Morals: When someone tries to detect your alignment you can tell them any alignment you like

Poisoner: Bloodweed (touch) is no longer dangerous for you to use. When you have time to gather materials and a safe place to brew you can make three uses of Bloodweed for free.
[/sblock][sblock=Bonds and Backgrounds]
I stole something from Needles.
Slice has my back when something goes wrong.
*** knows incriminating details about me.

After a year and a day of service the Witching Troll will teach Trickle the secret of Witch's Tears.

In the course of his work Trickle came across a poisoner’s tome (no longer in his possession) that described a potent poison called Witch’s Tears. The poisoner learned the formula for the poison (frustratingly not written down in the book) from a powerful unseelie sorcerer, a troll…
[/sblock]​
[/section][/sblock][sblock=Khirynnax][section]
Khirynnax Skinchanger, AKA Khir
Elven Druid (level 1; 0 xp)
Wild Eyes, Messy Hair, Practical Leathers

STR 15 (+1) DEX 12 CON 13 (+1) INT 9 WIS 16 (+2) CHA 8 (-1)
Max. hp: 19 Current hp: 19

Alignment: Neutral: Eliminate an unnatural menace.

Gear: (Load 3/7) – Base Dmg: d6
Token of the Mire: the Copper Coil, age-blackened armband in shape of snake
Hide armor (1 armor, 1 wt.)
Staff (close, two-handed, 1 wt.)
Poultices and herbs (2 uses, 1 wt.)

[sblock=Druid Moves]
Elf: In addition to any other attunements, the Great Forest is always considered your land.

Born of the Soil: Attuned to the Stinking Mire—when shapeshifting you may take the shape of any animal who might live in your land. Your tell (a crown of ivy) remains no matter what shape you take.

By Nature Sustained: You don’t need to eat or drink. If a move tells you to mark off a ration just ignore it.

Spirit Tongue: The grunts, barks, chirps, and calls of the creatures of the wild are as language to you. You can understand any animal native to your land or akin to one whose essence you have studied.

Shapeshifter: When you call upon the spirits to change your shape, roll+WIS.
10+ hold 3
7-9 hold 2
On a miss hold 1 in addition to whatever the GM says.
You may take on the physical form of any species whose essence you have studied or who lives in your land: you and your possessions meld into a perfect copy of the species’ form. You have any innate abilities and weaknesses of the form: claws, wings, gills, breathing water instead of air. You still use your normal stats but some moves may be harder to trigger. The GM will also tell you one or more moves associated with your new form. Spend 1 hold to make that move. Once you are out of hold you return to your natural form. At any time, you may spend all your hold and revert to your natural form.

Studied Essence: When you spend time in contemplation of an animal spirit, you may add its species to those you can assume using shapeshifting.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Bonds and Background]
*** smells more like prey than a hunter.
The spirits spoke to me of a great danger that follows Slice.
I have showed Needles a secret rite of the land.
*** has tasted my blood and I theirs. We are bound by it.

After a year and a day of service the Witching Troll will reveal a secret of the fae's primordial essence.

Khirynnax was an outsider, too fey for the humans, too unseelie for the elves. He didn’t care because he sensed a deeper essence, pure and powerful, that he needed to understand. When a halfling told him there was one who could put him on the path that might lead to his understanding Khirynnax didn’t hesitate. He made his way to the Witching Troll and readily accepted the bargain of service that the troll required as payment.
[/sblock]​
[/section][/sblock][/sblock]
 

doghead

thotd
Day Five - Around Midday, somewhere in the Mysterious Forest

"I think the Witching Troll let us see you. ...


The faun turns and looks at Hawthorne a long and hard. For a moment it seems that he has not heard the rest of what she had to say. But then he does a little pirouette, and plays a brief refrain on his pipe before returning his attention to the group before him.

"Hola! Now Peripoptofulavar has three gifts worth giving! As to whether you have anything of value to give Peripoptofulavar in return, well Peripoptofulavar can be the judge of that!

The little faun's expression suddenly turns sombre and he goes very still.

"Peripoptofulavar would like to think that this will be an exchange worth the making."
 

Binder Fred

3 rings to bind them all!
Somehere in the Monster Kingdom

Eventually, Needles strode up to the tree in the clearing, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

He looked up at the swaying leaves, and some message might have passed between them, or it might not... But if it did, it could have gone something like:

"He won't set me free, Notch!" And for a flickering moment, fire could have danced amongst his leaves. "Can you FREE me?"

Needles tried, but the words of his fables could not grasp the slippery fabric of the Troll's much stronger enchantment. The third - unsuccessful - try was his last.

Brier shrugged.

"Yeah," bitterly spat the tree, not that surprised. "Go on then. Nothing you can do here. At least one of us should get SOMETHING from this." A whole freaking year, WASTED. Roots creaked and popped, but would NOT pull from the entrapping earth of the Witching Troll's clearing.

The cloaked archer tilted his head, considering... then simply sat down next to the bole, under the occasionally burning leaves, and silently watched as evening faded into night; and waited, as night kept turning into day and then back into nights...

"Stubborn son of a bitch."

And in the tree's hypothetical mouth, that might have had the faraway ring of unspecified emotion...

And the seasons went by.
 

GlassEye

Adventurer
Trickle shrugs. He's game for any sort of gamble and this, at the least, will alleviate the tedium of their travel. "Ok, then, Peripoptofulavar." Trickle stumbles over the name but continues on. "I'm game, on two conditions. First, you don't delay us for an unnecessary length of time. No dancing in glades for a century. We're working here and our, ah, patron wouldn't take kindly to it. Second, I'll give you a gift but not three. I have two companions and the other two gifts are dependent on their agreement."

Khirynnax sniffs loudly and looks at Trickle with a frown. "This is unwise."

Trickle grins and shrugs.

[sblock=Sheets][sblock=Trickle][section]
Trickle
Human Thief (level 1; 0 xp)
Shifty Eyes, Cropped Hair, Fancy Clothes, Lithe Body

STR 9 DEX 16 (+2) CON 12 INT 15 (+1) WIS 13 (+1) CHA 8 (-1)
Max. hp: 18 Current hp: 18

Alignment: Neutral: Avoid detection or infiltrate a location.

Gear: (Load 6/9) – Base Dmg: d8
Dagger (hand, 1 wt.) and Short sword (close, 1 wt.)
Ragged bow (near, 2 wt.) and bundle of arrows (3 ammo, 1 wt.)
Adventuring gear (1 wt.)
Bloodweed poison (touch, 3 uses): target deals -1d4 damage ongoing until cured

[sblock=Thief Moves]Human: When you spout lore or discern realities about criminal activities take +1

Trap Expert: When you spend a moment to survey a dangerous area, roll+Dex (2d6+2)
10+: hold 3
7-9: hold 1
Spend hold as you walk through area to ask questions:
  • Is there a trap here and if so, what activates it?
  • What does the trap do when activated?
  • What else is hidden here?
Tricks of the Trade: When you pick locks or disable traps, roll+Dex
10+: you do it, no problem
7-9: you do it, but GM offers two options between suspicion, danger, or cost.

Backstab: When you attack a surprised or defenseless enemy with a melee weapon, you can choose to roll your damage or roll+Dex
10+: choose two
7-9: choose one
  • You don’t get into melee with them
  • You deal your damage +1d6
  • You create an advantage, +1 forward to you or an ally acting on it
  • Reduce their armor by 1 until they repair it
Flexible Morals: When someone tries to detect your alignment you can tell them any alignment you like

Poisoner: Bloodweed (touch) is no longer dangerous for you to use. When you have time to gather materials and a safe place to brew you can make three uses of Bloodweed for free.
[/sblock][sblock=Bonds and Backgrounds]
I stole something from Needles.
Slice has my back when something goes wrong.
*** knows incriminating details about me.

After a year and a day of service the Witching Troll will teach Trickle the secret of Witch's Tears.

In the course of his work Trickle came across a poisoner’s tome (no longer in his possession) that described a potent poison called Witch’s Tears. The poisoner learned the formula for the poison (frustratingly not written down in the book) from a powerful unseelie sorcerer, a troll…
[/sblock]​
[/section][/sblock][sblock=Khirynnax][section]
Khirynnax Skinchanger, AKA Khir
Elven Druid (level 1; 0 xp)
Wild Eyes, Messy Hair, Practical Leathers

STR 15 (+1) DEX 12 CON 13 (+1) INT 9 WIS 16 (+2) CHA 8 (-1)
Max. hp: 19 Current hp: 19

Alignment: Neutral: Eliminate an unnatural menace.

Gear: (Load 3/7) – Base Dmg: d6
Token of the Mire: the Copper Coil, age-blackened armband in shape of snake
Hide armor (1 armor, 1 wt.)
Staff (close, two-handed, 1 wt.)
Poultices and herbs (2 uses, 1 wt.)

[sblock=Druid Moves]
Elf: In addition to any other attunements, the Great Forest is always considered your land.

Born of the Soil: Attuned to the Stinking Mire—when shapeshifting you may take the shape of any animal who might live in your land. Your tell (a crown of ivy) remains no matter what shape you take.

By Nature Sustained: You don’t need to eat or drink. If a move tells you to mark off a ration just ignore it.

Spirit Tongue: The grunts, barks, chirps, and calls of the creatures of the wild are as language to you. You can understand any animal native to your land or akin to one whose essence you have studied.

Shapeshifter: When you call upon the spirits to change your shape, roll+WIS.
10+ hold 3
7-9 hold 2
On a miss hold 1 in addition to whatever the GM says.
You may take on the physical form of any species whose essence you have studied or who lives in your land: you and your possessions meld into a perfect copy of the species’ form. You have any innate abilities and weaknesses of the form: claws, wings, gills, breathing water instead of air. You still use your normal stats but some moves may be harder to trigger. The GM will also tell you one or more moves associated with your new form. Spend 1 hold to make that move. Once you are out of hold you return to your natural form. At any time, you may spend all your hold and revert to your natural form.

Studied Essence: When you spend time in contemplation of an animal spirit, you may add its species to those you can assume using shapeshifting.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Bonds and Background]
*** smells more like prey than a hunter.
The spirits spoke to me of a great danger that follows Slice.
I have showed Needles a secret rite of the land.
*** has tasted my blood and I theirs. We are bound by it.

After a year and a day of service the Witching Troll will reveal a secret of the fae's primordial essence.

Khirynnax was an outsider, too fey for the humans, too unseelie for the elves. He didn’t care because he sensed a deeper essence, pure and powerful, that he needed to understand. When a halfling told him there was one who could put him on the path that might lead to his understanding Khirynnax didn’t hesitate. He made his way to the Witching Troll and readily accepted the bargain of service that the troll required as payment.
[/sblock]​
[/section][/sblock][/sblock]
 

doghead

thotd
Day Five, Arond Midday, somewhere in the Mysterious Forest

Trickle shrugs. He's game for any sort of gamble and this, at the least, will alleviate the tedium of their travel. "Ok, then, Peripoptofulavar." Trickle stumbles over the name but continues on. "I'm game, on two conditions. First, you don't delay us for an unnecessary length of time. No dancing in glades for a century. We're working here and our, ah, patron wouldn't take kindly to it. Second, I'll give you a gift but not three. I have two companions and the other two gifts are dependent on their agreement."

Khirynnax sniffs loudly and looks at Trickle with a frown. "This is unwise."

Trickle grins and shrugs.

Peripoptofulavar dances a few steps and claps his hands.

"Peripoptofulavar will take that as a yes," he says, poking his tongue out at Khirynnax. "Excellent!"

"My first gift to you is of wisdom; be careful who you mention the Witching Troll to in this Kingdom. The Queen is of a mood, a dark mood that brooks no intrusion.

"In return, Peripoptofulavar would like something old. Something old and much loved would be perfect!"

"My second gift to you is of discretion; Peripoptofulavar will say nothing of the Witching Troll to anyone. Which for poor Peripoptofulavar the Faun will be hard. Faun's love nothing more than dancing and music and telling stories."

Peripoptofulavar sighs theatrically.

"In return , Peripoptofulavar would like a boon; think kindly of Faun's. We are, at heart, good natured creatures. If no so brave sometimes."

Peripoptofulavar regards each of you with an intent, sombre expression.

"Finally, my third gift is of knowledge. Peripoptofulavar will show you something. It won't take long, and hour out of your way at most.

"In return, Peripoptofulavar asks just that you watch over the little children of the village until the Glowering Night has past, banished by the morning sun.

"How does that sound? Peripoptofulavar is sure that you will find the exchange a good one!"
 
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