[LPF] Toad in the Hole

[Systole]

"How marvellous!" Beyal exclaims. She reaches for the bracelet, only to be brought up short by Marcus' words. "An exchange of stories? Your story for a story of Lasher's?" She shrugs. "Lasher is ever so boring. Even his name is unimaginative. He doesn't have any stories worth telling. I suppose I might offer you passage through my lands for a story of yours. Hold a moment, however: I have been offered a gift, and it would be rude of me not to accept."

Beyal takes the offered bracelet from Fae'shiel and curtsies deeply. "Thank you for your gift, Lady Fae'shiel. It is exquisite. For your generosity, I grant you and your companions passage through my forest from now until the last of the season's petals falls from the lilac." There's a large lilac bush in full bloom nearby -- you'd guess that the expiration date is a week or two out, at least.

She turns back to Marcus with a smile. "Since you already have passage through my wood, I'm afraid I have little to offer you for your story ... except for a very beautiful bracelet."

GM: Perform:Oratory if you want to try. I'll throw in a +2 bonus since you've RP'ed storytelling earlier in the adventure. I didn't specifically penalize anyone for the Diplomacy roll since it didn't seem particularly different from the progression of the encounter to that point.

.......... Beyal ..........

 

[Artur Hawkwing]

GM: Perform:Oratory if you want to try. I'll throw in a +2 bonus since you've RP'ed storytelling earlier in the adventure. I didn't specifically penalize anyone for the Diplomacy roll since it didn't seem particularly different from the progression of the encounter to that point.

OOC: At least we know that can be tried untrained. Hope you aren't setting a really high DC on this Do you want me to write out the beginning of the tail then just do a description, or just post a "he tells this story..." sort of one liner and then attach the roll? I mean, if the imaginativeness of the story works in his favor, then I'll write something up. At the same time, I don't want to delay the action.

 

[Systole]

GM: You don't have to do a whole write-up, but you can if you want. I would like a general subject, so I can gauge her baseline level of interest in the topic. Keep in mind, you've got the important bit (passage through the woods), and this part is just playing Russian Roulette with an ancient forest spirit who is, at best, differently sane. Good luck.

 

[Artur Hawkwing]

Marcus takes a deep breath. When the Fey turns to him and offers, potentially, Fae'shiel's bracelet for his story, the Ranger takes another breath. He considers for a moment, and the eagerness of the Druid to hear a story as well, while a bit odd to him, spurs him on.

I will do my best to tell a story worthy of such a beautiful gift.

Marcus takes a moment to collect his thoughts, the number of ideas in his mind narrowing quickly to none. As he thinks, he turns his look to Fae'shiel and it seems as though inspiration strikes. He lifts his shoulders, licks his lips and starts into the story.

It would seem that there are those who, like yourself, crave objects of rarity and beauty. That beauty can sometimes fall into the eye of the beholder. It was for one such pair of individuals that Lady Fae'shiel and I, along with a couple of other companions, started our trip from the city of Venza. As we walked away from the City, I turned for one more look at the majestic glass structure that rises from within the city. A sight I shall never grow tired of. Then, it was into the forest....

As he shares the details of the trip to the ruined tower, he doesn't add much extra zest to things, until...

So there we stood, a little dirty, a little bloody, but able to press on. It was then that Lady Fae'shiel got a good look at the dragon mural on the wall...

Though he seems to be doing okay from the seat of his pants, he can only do his best to do the antiquated dragon mural justice, despite it not being quite on the level of work as the first their group encountered, which he also tries his best to describe. He concludes the story with the groups triumphant return to Venza, to deliver the items they retrieved from the reanimated zombie bugbear thing, after providing a good flourish when describing how Fae'shiel struck the ending blow of the battle. it is at the end he realizes he is sweating a little.

[sblock=ooc]He relays, somewhat in detail, the story covered in the adventure Treasure Hunt found here: http://www.enworld.org/forum/playing-game/313034-lpf-treasure-hunt.html he is extra sure to center the more interesting parts of the story around Fae'shiel, making her the 'hero' of the story.[/sblock]

[sblock=RE: Roll]Woohoo! I was so expecting it to return a 1! Looks like he's a nearly decent story teller. Hope at least Maui is entertained [/sblock]

 

[jbear]

Maui listens intently to Marcus' tale. He nods approvingly throughout the story and smiles at its conclusion.

"A good tale, Cat Eyes! Maui hears your feelings for Fae'shiel run deeper than a stolen kiss to make Maui jealous."

He slaps him on the back and waits to listen to Beyal's appraisal.

 

[Systole]

Beyal's eyes glitter as Marcus begins to tell his story, although it's impossible to tell whether her expression is interest, mischievousness, or malice. Nonetheless, she arranges herself on a nearby log and listens intently, stroking Taniwha all the while.

Marcus can tell that Beyal doesn't find the description of Venza particularly interesting, and he quickly moves on. She perks up and giggles a little at the boggard attack, and cocks her head at Marcus' description of the mural. She listens to the other fights with interest, but without any snickering.

It's the telling of the final combat versus the zombie that holds her rapt. "Such an abomination you destroyed! Unwholesome, wicked magics vanquished! Truly a tale worthy of a beautiful bracelet, Marcus Cole." She stands up and tosses the bracelet to the ranger, and in midair, it sparkles and seems to change, becoming heavier and thicker.

Then, without apparent effort, Beyal hops onto a tree bough some twenty feet in the air. She bends down, and with an inscrutable smile, she says, "Lady Fae'shiel, a final word for you: You must get your hands dirty to gain that which you think you want." Then the fey creature vanishes into the canopy, leaving only a lingering echo of laughter behind her.

When Marcus finally looks down to examine the bracelet in his hands, he finds it's not Fae'shiel's bracelet at all. That bracelet was elven craftsmanship, and although it was well made, in all fairness it was only a simple bit of childhood jewelry. What he is now holding is a heavy golden bracelet of exquisite dwarven craftmanship, inlaid with ivory and onyx. It's probably worth several times what Fae'shiel's bracelet was worth, maybe more.

.......... Beyal ..........

 

[Artur Hawkwing]

Marcus catches the bracelet, but is too busy watching the Fey making sport of her departure to notice, until she has disappeared, that the bracelet is heavier, and not Fae'shiel's. He opens his mouth as if to call out, but the still echoing laughter of Beyal causes him to reconsider. He turns the bracelet around in his hands, studying it. It looks very nice to him, but he still seems a bit downcast. He sighs and turns to Fae'shiel.

I doubt any of us will truly know the depth of the sacrifice you just made. You had said that bracelet was very important to you. I only wish I had been able to...

He sighs and offers her the dwarven bracelet.

It isn't the same one, but perhaps in time it might help to ease things.

With the bracelet safely in the hands of the Magus, Marcus reaches over his shoulder and pulls his bow back out, along with an arrow. He looks to Vincenzo.

If you'd be so kind as to keep an eye to my back, we should get moving.

He looks at the Lilac before turning on his heel and walking back the direction they approached from.

So now we at least have a name to work with. Lets see if we can find this Lasher.

[sblock=ooc]You want a survival check for him to regain the trail? LOL...hope the answer is no, cause otherwise he's dumb as a stump. [/sblock]

 

[DalkonCledwin]

Fae'shiel smiles wanly as Marcus explains that the Bracelet he received was not the one that she had given to Beyal. 'Well' she thought 'I really didn't expect to get it back. Still it is very sweet of Marcus to offer me this bracelet.' She looks to Marcus and says "Thank you." as she accepts the bracelet. It is much heavier and of a sturdier design than she is used to wearing, still it is beautiful in the way that many Dwarven designs happen to be. She has to wonder, the bracelet does look like it could possibly be arcane, but it is hard to tell without a proper spell to detect the weave of the magic of the world. So while the group is walking Fae'shiel begins chanting softly to herself and weaving a spell that will allow her to see the weave of any magic that is bestowed upon the bracelet.

[sblock=OOC]Going to cast Detect Magic, and then use Spellcraft and Knowledge (Arcana) to try to determine the nature of any Arcane magic that happens to be embedded in the Bracelet, assuming there is any.[/sblock]

 

[Artur Hawkwing]

[sblock=DC]Hokey smokes. If there is, you know everything about it but if its caster wore boxers or briefs. LOL! Nice rolls.[/sblock]

 

[jbear]

Maui hrumphs at the sudden disappearance of Beyal.

"Maui didn't get a chance to offer his gift to te Sly... or ask his question. Te Sly are good at not answering questions and making more questions come into your mind."

Shaking his head as if to shake out the unaccustomed burden of the many thoughts running through it, he heads back towards the trail behind Marcus, calling back to Taniwha. "Come on King. Te King is waiting for us to go and find te other King. I suppose you want me to carry your Kingfulness upon my unworthful shoulders?"

Despite the sarcasm, Maui does bend down and allow Taniwha to spring up and take his place slung across his shoulders, and if Maui's face is anything to go by, the jungle druid seems quite content to have his friend back.