Honeymarsh Academy (D&D3.5) Chapter 2

[UniversalMonster]

Osbry Keld was one of the last of the Founders that still actively taught at the Academy. New teachers and experts were brought in every year, and sometimes adventurers would come and stay as guests to give lectures or teach some of the more difficult subjects- acrobatics instruction, swordsmanship, even the finer points of teleportation magic.

Osbry mostly teaches languages and a bit of lore and directed the school band. He wasn't a particularly good or popular teacher, and he tended to lapse into stories about "his adventuring days" more often than he should have.

The school year hasn't officially started yet. All of you know each other only vaguely and have arrived within the last week (with the exception of Kytheria, who has been wandering around Honeymarsh since the end of last year, and has been admitted despite the fact that she cannot pay any tuition). You each have rooms within the winding central tower of the Honeymarsh Academy, and most of your gear has been delivered. Kytheria is the exception- she has a cot and a small area in the corner of the infirmary, where she has been providing her services as a healer and chaplain.

Today is a field trip.

It is early morning. Yarin, Arvin, Bahuman, Alek, and Kytheria are standing opposite of Osbry in a lush jungle clearing. They are gathered around a strangely petaled growth- something like a leafy mushroom- speckled in magenta and yellow with weirdly fluted vines hanging down. It was the size of a barrel.
There were a few more of these strange growths scattered around the clearing.

"Now then," says Osbry, leaning on his staff. "This is a special part of the wood.. can anyone guess why?"

(You can make knowledge:wilderness or survival checks - or straight int. Whichever is highest. DC 22)

Yarin: (+6 survival): 18
Alek (+4 Int) 24
Arvin: (+8 survival) 22
Bahuman: (+1 Int)15
Kytheria+1 Int)10

There is a moment of silence. Alek and Arvin are both pretty sure that this is a place frequented by Fey. Arvin notes the location of the mushrooms, the way the clearing is oriented, the well-tended look of the trees and grass. Alek merely notes that the fungi Aristan Sensibulus is identical to the one he saw pictured in a book he read last year that is noted to be a favorite of Fey.


OOC Note: please get familiar with Invisiblecastle.com! That is what we will be using for rolls.

 

[Mithran]

Yarin quietly sniffs the air, which seems to be thoroughly good experience then says "Perhaps the mushrooms don't grow in many places here?"

 

[Tinner]

Arvin crouches down and looks behind several mushrooms before looking up at his instructor.

"This is a place where the wee-folk gather." he states. "Probably pixies and grigs I'd imagine."

<<<OOC: The green text is spoken in Sylvan.>>>

 

[Krug]

"This is where the soil is especially fertile or plants grown here become particularly colourful?" said Bahuman, admiring the plants.

 

[Kohbiel]

*Alek wears a wry grin as he circles the fungus, making a careful show of inspecting this or that leaf. An occassional expression of "hmm" adds to the act as he returns to his departure point. He nods in agreement as Tinner explains the cirlce.*

"I agree. Given how much the fae favor these *Alek points out the fungus* this is almost certainly a kip for the twilight ones*

 

[UniversalMonster]

Osbry leangs his staff against a nearby tree.

"Good answers, all..Yes, this is a Fey area. Theyr'e not here right now... or they might be, just out of sight... but they won't usually come out into the open without knowing our intentions. "

He takes something from underneath his shirt- something like an oversized seed-pod decorated with silvery inlay and several holes-- it's actually an ocarina. He raises it to his lips and plays a strangely exotic and complicated tune.

Before he is finished the air shimmers above the giant fungi and ripples into the form of a strane-looking insect-winged girl with blue skin and close-cropped silver hair. The image seems to flicker in and out briefly. Her clothing seems to be made of silky strands of spiderweb and gossamer filaments tipped with fireflies. The wisps of fabric seem to float independently, as if she were underwater.

Alek and Kytheria (and anyone else with the spellcraft skill) recognizes the work of the arcane.



She speaks first in Sylvan, ignoring the group of students.. (Arvin understands but perhaps the rest of you don't hear this part). **"Oh it's you, Osbry. I suppose you've brought more plunderers to rob us and tear apart another one of our groves?"** She looks apprasingly around the group of students, with her look hardening suddenly as she reaches the overly large Bahuman. **"that big oaf is stomping down all of our clover."**
Osbry responds with **"These are new students. They've been cleared. We want to help you this year.. We'll recover the helm. er.. they will. It's been discussed."**

She rolls her eyes at him. She suddenly breaks into common and addresses your group.

"Good morning. I am Vaela. Welcome to my grove."

**- denotes language use. In this case Sylvan.

 

[Krug]

"OOPS! SORRY!" says the half-giant, as he lifts up his feet, reasliing the damage he's doing, and tries tofind the two most least covered parts to put his big feet on, hoping he doesn't kill anything further.

What a curious creature, thinks Bahuman.

"It is an honour to be here in this wonder of nature," Bahuman replies, wondering if he should have bought a sweetmeat for Vaela.

 

[Tinner]

Arvin nods his head to Vaela without taking his eyes off her. (Since he knows you should never take your eyes off a faerie... at least if you value your eyes).
**"Greetings to you child of nature. This is a magnificent grove you have! I'm quite sorry about the crushed clover, but in a grove this fertile it is certain to recover."**
Arvin offers the fae a toothy grin.

 

[Mithran]

Yarin notices Bahuman moving his feet and looks down to where his own feet are placed to find he has avoided stepping on any larger patches of foliage. He sniffs the air again, trying to seperate the scent of the fey from everything else then catches himself and stops.

Get used to it, you'll be living with this the rest of your life Yarin thinks

"Good morning to you, Vaela."

 

[UniversalMonster]

Arvin nods his head to Vaela without taking his eyes off her. (Since he knows you should never take your eyes off a faerie... at least if you value your eyes).
**"Greetings to you child of nature. This is a magnificent grove you have! I'm quite sorry about the crushed clover, but in a grove this fertile it is certain to recover."**
Arvin offers the fae a toothy grin.

Vaela looks surprised (pleasantly!) for a moment as she turns and looks at Arvin. She then rises and does a sort of inexpert curtsy. She speaks a musical formulaic phrase in Sylvan.

**"My court welcomes you, oh jewel-eyed one. Long may we be allies.."**

Arvin recognizes the greeting immediately- it's an ancient greeting- how Fey greet dragons visiting their lands. Although it is usually reserved for true-full-blooded dragons.

**"You speak our language. Perhaps Ozzy is finding a better class of students this year?"**

Ozzy.. er.. Osbry looks a bit uncomfortable at this. But he quickly switches back to common.

"Vaela is a ..er.. friend of the school. I realize that for some of you this may be your first visit with a noble representaive of the Sidhe Court. Vaela is actually a princess. Er.. a uhm...point of etiquette is to give your own name when first making an aquaintenance with a noble sidhe. It need not be your real name. Vaela is quite used to me bringing students here."