Adventure: Food of the Gods (DM: ryryguy, Judge: renau1g)

[LadyLaw]

[sblock=jynxx telepathy]You have never heard it used that way before? I am sorry if I worried you, but that use is quite common where I came from.[/sblock]

[sblock=ooc]Sorry if I caused any confusion. The writer in me kicked in there. I realize that cleave is most often thought of in terms of cutting, but it does have an alternate meaning of sticking to things. (Cleave - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary for those interested)[/sblock]

 

[BenBrown]

"We could..." Kaeysari begins. "No, no, there isn't time."

 

[OnlytheStrong]

[sblock=LadyLaw]
Nah, I knew what ya meant. I just thought it would be funny to point that out to ya. It's just me being a jerk... ignore it lol [/sblock]

 

[Mewness]

When they get outside the chamber, Papolstaanas babbles incoherently for a while, blaming himself for the blowup, apologizing profusely, swearing oaths that he will never speak to anyone important ever again, and so on. After a few minutes, though, he calms down of his own accord and becomes quiet.

"I'm sure Castofle would have some ideas about pleasing an undead person's taste," he says reflectively, after everyone has discussed the matter for a little while. His manner is oddly changed: his speech is distinctly measured, unrushed, rational, and free of stammering. "I think he would find it an interesting challenge. But the question is whether there is any way to succeed, because it isn't clear why the head man doesn't like the zocalti. If he can't taste it, then there may be no innovation on Castofle's part that might fix things." Another thoughtful pause ensues. "Castofle is a chef from Daunton," he adds eventually, for Bwarli's benefit. "I understand that he's considered very skilled and daring, although I don't know much about the restaurant business. But he came over with us to inspect the zocalti crop; he's staying in Fulcrum."

[sblock=ooc]Trying to steal the beans seems like a recipe for disaster. Unless, of course, we can do it without actual stealth [/sblock]

 

[BenBrown]

"That's what I was thinking," says Kaeysari. "But do we have time to get all the way back to Fulcrum, get Castofle, get back here, get whatever ingredients he needs, and then get the beans back to Daunton? That's even assuming that this. . . person? likes what Castofle cooks. He seems friendly, but we can't trust him entirely. Or his servants."

 

[ryryguy]

"Trying to find a new obsession for him seems the best option to me. If we were to find some new way for zocalti to be prepared to his liking, the plan may backfire and he could cleave more closely to it than before."

Bwarli puts a hand to his chin. "You could be right," he says. "I feel that restoring his enjoyment of zocalti would be more likely to cure him, but you could be right that it might put your reward at risk. Of course my main interest is to see him cured so... I will give you my word that if you make it so Hulgrimi enjoys zocalti once again, but doesn't agree to give you any, I will myself get it from the storeroom and give it to you. With or without permission."

"I do not doubt we can find a new taste to calm his senses. Where is the library he mentioned? I know enough to know that I know nothing about lich life or what they desire. Pray tell if there is someplace where I may become enlightened?"

Bwarli nods. "If you wish to look at the library, that is fine. I will take you there. It's probably best not to linger there for too long, though."

[sblock=Time note]In terms of timing, you still have two nights remaining, plus the morning of the last day, before you'd have to set sail. You should be able to make it back to Fulcrum tonight if you want. You'd then have a full day to accomplish your goal. If you came back here by that evening, or maybe even early the next morning, you should have time to make it back to Fulcrum in time.

(Of course this is all assuming no major unanticipated delays, like getting teleported deep into the wilderness or something like that.)[/sblock]

 

[Mewness]

[sblock=ooc]If we're not terribly keen on simply trying to rob these, um, nice undead folks, I'd like to go fetch Castofle. We could leave someone here to do research if we want to maximize our use of time (and keep open the possibility of finding a non-culinary solution). Although that would involve splitting up, which seems like a huge no-no in D&D and possibly makes a mess of the encounter structure.[/sblock]

 

[OnlytheStrong]

[sblock=ooc]

Yeah, I hate splitting up lol. TPK anyone? Anywho, Jynxx's main concern is that there may not be a non-magical way to prepare the zocalti so that a lich would enjoy it. It's one of those things where going back to get a fantastic chef may not help at all... if he has had a thousand chefs float through his chambers, then I would assume that one of them would accidently find a recipe that doesn't suck.

So... wait, got an idea lol

Arcana check to see what Jynxx knows about Lich's preferred food.
1d20+5=19

[/sblock]

Jynxx looks at their "guide," smiles and nods. "It would appear we have reached an understanding. May I get permission to speak to your Honored Ancestor again? I have a few questions about how the zocalti tastes to him.

[sblock=If he gets permission to ask/ooc]

Since Jynxx has not tried the zocalti, he will ask how it tastes (to the Honored One)

What is his favorite aspect of the zocalti, what would he like our master chef to try to enhance

What other form of foods does he enjoy? Any certain meats, veggies, fruit; exotic or not, Jyxx will call on mommy and daddy to help him out.

[/sblock]

 

[ryryguy]

Jynxx looks at their "guide," smiles and nods. "It would appear we have reached an understanding. May I get permission to speak to your Honored Ancestor again? I have a few questions about how the zocalti tastes to him.

"I... don't think that's a good idea," Bwarli says. "In a black mood like he's in now, you're not likely to get any useful answers. And it might be a bit... risky."

He thinks of something. "A few of the cooks who have tried live down in the village. You could ask them what sort of things they've tried. At least get an idea what hasn't worked?"

[sblock=ooc]If Hulgrimi knew what he wanted, he'd just ask for it.

The library in the pyramid is not very large, and many of its books will be in languages none of the PCs can read, so checking it for any useful information will not take too long. Let's say 15 minutes. The knowledge check for this will be Religion (not Arcana), and using the library will give a +2 +4 to the check. I'd say up to two people can use it at a time; if more of you want to make checks using the library it will take additional 15 minute periods. (But any number of others can try to help these checks with Aid Another.)

Anyway, though you may be able to get some hints from the research, don't get too hung up on trying to gauge exactly what a lich would want. If you find a way to create an especially delicious dish, you should be on the right track.

If anyone who did not try the drink would now like to have a taste, remember you left Krassus with a supply of beans down in the village. You could ask someone in the village to prepare it for you... maybe with less fear that it is being doctored or poisoned. Or maybe you'll still be worried about that. (Preparing enough for a taste test is not going to use up a significant amount, I'd still consider you to have one full bushel for eventual delivery.)

Final hint: there are a few other things you already know about going on here on the Isle involving zocalti. Investigating those might turn up useful information.

*edit* let's make it +4 for using the library, that was a good idea![/sblock]

 

[ryryguy]

[sblock=ooc]not sure how to proceed, or everyone waiting for someone else to do something?

I will try to get things going again.

For the library, after thinking it over I don't think I need to make anyone roll anything. You can just get the information from spending a little while checking it out.[/sblock]

Bwarli leads the group down one of the side passages. After passing one door and a stone staircase descending into blackness, you arrive at a small library.

ooc: you have learned a little bit more about the layout in the pyramid which could come in handy in case of a stealthy return visit.

The room is cold, but the dwarf removes shields from a couple of everburning torches. The room fills with light. There are about a hundred and fifty volumes and scrolls, but only a couple dozen are written in languages that you can read. You spread these works out on a large wooden reading table and set to work.

Most of these are quickly eliminated as not relevant to the question at hand, although Cillani might find some of them quite interesting if she had the time to read them. But one book and one scroll do provide some interesting clues.

The book is a diary written by a Bonite courtier who "retired" as a mummy of some sort. An aesthete in life, she describes experiencing many changes in taste following the change. Unfortunately these are mostly tastes in art and music, and there doesn't seem to be any obvious pattern to it. But she does also mention losing a taste for spicy food, though not any new food tastes she came to enjoy. It seems that she didn't really have too much desire for food and drink after the change so didn't seek out anything new to like. At least you have confirmation that her sense of taste was not gone. In fact it doesn't seem to have really changed, just what she liked had changed.

The scroll is a treatise on poisons and drugs and their effect on corporeal undead. Most of it is not too relevant. It does say that liquid poisons are far less effective when ingested because the undead body tends to expel them through the skin before they can be fully absorbed. For ingested poisons, solid forms are recommended.

Bwarli escorts you from the library once the research is done. He seems a bit anxious about your continued presence, but he wishes you luck as he sees you off. He also assures you that the garden is now safe to travel through and ought to be safe if you return.

You walk into the fading light of the setting sun on the way back to Newhill. Krassus is still in the village square where you left him, but the situation has changed. Two groups of villagers are arguing heatedly with each other. Krassus is off to the side crouched beside the mule, looking miserable and trying to avoid notice. The argument is fast and hard for even Chaku to understand, but the word "zocaltipapatlaca" is being used a lot.