Short Straws

[Eric Zephlaer]

Cycle: 500: Day: 13. Season: Rebirth.

Spoiler: Wariness

Coldtree: 30(perception) + 83(clairaudience) + 66(d100) = 179
Kite: 41 + 90(olfaction) + 79 = 210
Terrendale: 58(observation) + 54(clairvoyance) + 75 = 187

With the regrowth of vegetation, Forest had estimated that the villagers had departed several hundred Cycles back. The strange bird was certainly semi-sentient, but Nigel almost immediately discounted his previous statement, faulting it to effects of having been mesmerized. It would later be learned that the bird was in fact a mythical Harpy, a fully sentient and malicious creature known to eat the vital organs of men, specifically. Though being stronger in coercion than the party members, it did not consider itself to be significantly greater and would not risk its own life to take one of theirs.

Despite the minor setback with the Harpy, Coldtree, Kite, and Terrendale show interest in continued exploration. Astarte, Gretda, and Forest decide to return to the lower part of the village to gather materials viable for commerce. Astarte would do some hunting. Gretda would search the rocky outcropping for valuable stones and ore, while Forest would look for medicinal herbs.

Having decided that the Dojo with its strange feathered statues was not likely to offer anything further of interests, the remaining three make their way farther inland toward the other structure that could barely be seen through the fog. The movement was purposefully slow, with everyone acutely tuned to a potential for danger, but nothing impeded the progress to the new location. The second building was larger than the previous one and had multiple stories. It is surmised that it would have housed the leader or governing body of the former villages. It would require some time to examine it thoroughly; and with the light of day fading, the three men decide to take their rest on the porch area, continuing the next day.

Spoiler: Character Data

Coldtree: full wellness
tunic: 59
Kite: full wellness
tunic: 60 - 3 = 57
Terrendale: full wellness

Spoiler: Collections

daystone: 1: {Compulsion, Enthrall}

Spoiler: People of Interest

Linstahl: Leader, Lighted Sentinel: Laurel, twin sister
Oshanti: Leader, The Zoo.

GM: Each character receives 9 DP.

OOC: State physical actions and intentions. Provide a random roll or reprint the previous roll if it was not used.

 

[MacConnell]

Coldtree motions for the others to remain still so that he can mystically amplify his hearing, as a means of determining if any dangers lie hidden in the fog. Eitleog can only amplify his sense of smell, which is seriously impeded by the excessive moisture in the air, even worse than vision. Terry, with a unique talent, mystically shifts his vision far into the infrared spectrum in order to see heat. Any warm-blooded creatures within 30 or so strides should be visible to him. He will not maintain the vision after scanning the area, as it can put him at risk of damage from sudden increases in illumination.

After listening for a minute or two, Coldtree says, “I think sleeping on the porch area surrounding this building will give us the safest respite.”

Eitleog nods to himself. “I agree. It should give us a buffer zone, should anything untoward try to approach us in the dark.”

It really makes no difference to Terry. If he sees anything that proves to be a threat or a problem, he will convey the information to the others.

OOC: 84

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Cycle: 500: Day: 14. Season: Rebirth. (8 days until the ship returns)
This island or at least this particular section must be heavily populated with birds of all kinds. Even as the light of day fades, Nigel can hear the sounds of nearby birds cooing to one another as they take to their roosts for the night, most birds not being able to see in the dark. Terrendale can see the shapes of the large harvesters, glowing with their internal heat, in the near distance, but he sees no other creatures of any note. Though centuries have passed, the behavior of the birds homing to this location indicates that the previous residents had likely domesticated them. Their population has certainly bloomed since.

The faint light of morning through the heavy fog is still enough to wake the wary teamsters, along with a rather cool draft of air, wafting down from higher elevation. This particular building brings a new delima. Egress is blocked by an actual set of doors that had been barred from the inside. Trying to break them would produce a great amount of noise, so that option is quickly rejected. With the mystical enhancement, Coldtree is able to add his strength to give Kite a boost to his leaping and launch him to the roog of the first story. Kite quickly finds his way down to the entrance without taking any time to explore the pagoda. Removing the bar, with some difficulty, he opens the door to allow his colleagues to enter the gloomy, very poorly illuminated structure.


Laurel stormed into her brother’s bedroom early the following morning, waking him prematurely. Being the particularly lazy sort, he often laid around in bed until mid morning. Laurel was highly agitated, something she did not normally display, not even in front of her brother.

“What is it, sis? He sat up in bed, fully awake. “What is amiss?”

She wrung her hands together, not answering immediately. Linstahl rose from the bed and draped on a robe. He could not pressure his sister into being more prompt or forthcoming. He would have to wait on her. “I am uselessly frustrated,” she sighed heavily. “The ancients are being more coy than usual. They are not providing me with any useful information about this island, except to say that it is protected, but that tells me nothing. I am very tempted, at this point, to send a being of my own calling to investigate. Oh, and Oshanti is up to something, that little feral kit.”


The frigate bird had only needed about a third of the time to reach the island as a ship would require, far faster even than the fishing vessel she had sent. Seeing through the bird’s eyes, she saw her boat but no sign of people. That impenetrable fog was more than a mere inconvenience. She was not prone to worry. She tended to deal with things as they arose. At that point, she would simply have to trust in her hunters. Should they be able to poach some game, it would likely go unnoticed. She gave no thought to the short straws who had been sent. She began each day with her meditation; but the following morning, she put thoughts of the new island aside, for she had regular duties to attend and a populace to lead.


Ekro, a heavily muscular man with pale skin and hair that was turning white, was the ruler of the Island called, Thunder Mountain. It was so named because of the occasional earthquakes, none of which was particularly strong or damaging but evidence existed that they had been back during the formation of the island, for sharp peaks and deep fissures laced the rugged terrain. The entirety of the island was fairly dry but contained excellent mineral and ore deposits. Highly valued, along with the expert skill in masonry of the island’s residents, these things were traded for food and other goods.

Ekro was a morning person and the farthest thing from lazy, despite being of 50 cycles in age. He rose from sleeping, washed his face, stretched, then began to punch a heavy canvass sack filled with sand that was suspending from a ceiling beam in another room. His fists were rumored to be able to break stone like a hammer could. Working himself into a sweat, he stopped his exercise after a couple of minutes to allow his labored breathing to return to normal. He nodded to himself, satisfied. He would check in on the training of the Thunder Monks for himself, a little later.

Spoiler: Character Data

Coldtree: full wellness
tunic: 59
Kite: full wellness
tunic: 60 - 3 = 57
Terrendale: full wellness

Spoiler: Collections

daystone: 1: {Compulsion, Enthrall}

Spoiler: People of Interest

Linstahl: Leader, Lighted Sentinel: Laurel, twin sister
Oshanti: Leader, The Zoo.

GM: Each character receives 9 DP.

OOC: State physical actions and intentions. Provide a random roll or reprint the previous roll if it was not used.

 

[MacConnell]

Terry takes a stone from a pouch, cups it in his hand, and causes it to glow brightly with mystical light. He uses his cupped hands to cause the glow to illuminate in a directional manner. “Obviously, I will drop this stone should we encounter any trouble, but holding it in my hand, this way, gives better control of the light.”

Eitleog makes a consolatory but agreeable expression on his face. It is a reflex action, as no one else can see it. “Just a note of thought, as I think we should continue to explore the mystery of this island. So far, it seems like it will be a good and renewable source of food, both animal and plant, but we have discovered nothing of other resources.”

Coldtree holds up his hands in an unreadable expression, after the comments. “We have eight more days until the Sentinel ship returns. With the other three separating to tend to the more mundane matters, I am all for continuing this exploration to see what else might be here or what event happened in the past.”

The three men will not take an overly great amount of time initially in favor of a cursory examination to get an overview of the extent of the structure and its original contents. A more thorough search will be re-visited if anything seems to warrant such, afterward.

OOC: 84

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Cycle: 500: Day: 14. Season: Rebirth. (8 days until the ship returns)

Spoiler: Search

Coldtree: 30(perception) + 83(clairaudience) + 84(d100) = 197
Kite: 41 + 91(olfaction) + 84 = 216
Terrendale: 59(observation) + 54(clairvoyance) + 84 = 197

The cursory examination revealed that this structure was even more immaculately decorated with wooden carvings than the dojo had been. There were no exterior portals on the first floor, other than the previously barred doors and no evidence that the place had been disturbed in an inordinate amount of time. One note of particular was that, whatever had caused the departure of the previous people, it must have happened rather quickly. All the belongings and valuables seemed to be where they were originally, although most could not withstand the passage of time.

The second floor, through which Kite had entered a window, had multiple portals of the same nature. They had once been covered by cloth; but after the material had decayed, birds had found their way inside and specific species of smaller harvesters had taken to nesting there. The floor stunk, so much so that Kite had to drop his olfactory enhancement.

The third floor was considerably smaller than the previous two and the window opening were too small to entice the entrance of birds, but they did allow sufficient light and circulation of air. The landing at the top of the stairs opened into a room that occupied most of the available space of the entire floor. It looked like it might have once been an armory, but the location was not efficient for suiting troops nor was the amount of equipment sufficient. Perhaps it had been something of a trophy room. Weapons and armor that had been made of metal were still in their places of display and looked to be of a fine quality, once the patina of dust was wiped away.

One particularly large and intricate suit of armor stood on a slightly raised platform near the center of the room. It was much too large to fit any of the Short Straws, being about a stride taller than the average person. If someone could have worn it, not a single thumb measure of skin could have been seen, including the face. Only the wearer’s eyes would have been visible. The armor was in the style of the residents of The Zoo and exactly like the statues that had been discovered. The armor was made of fabric that had been reinforced with wooden dowels. It made no sense that the fabric had not rotted away like everything else of such material.

Spoiler: Character Data

Coldtree: full wellness
tunic: 59
Kite: full wellness
tunic: 60 - 3 = 57
Terrendale: full wellness

Spoiler: Collections

daystone: 1: {Compulsion, Enthrall}

Spoiler: People of Interest

Linstahl: Leader, Lighted Sentinel: Laurel, twin sister
Oshanti: Leader, The Zoo.

GM: Each character receives 9 DP.

OOC: State physical actions and intentions. Provide a random roll or reprint the previous roll if it was not used.

 

[Kwargrow]

Coldtree intends to inspect the suits of armor to see if any could be modified to be of use to the party.
He says, "It is most curious that the previous dwellers would leave these items behind unless they were worried about carrying the weight. Perhaps some natural disaster was what drove them away and they only brought the most essential items."

Spoiler: Rolls

84

 

[MacConnell]

Eitleog bites his lower lip slightly, as he considers what he is seeing and the words from Coldtree. “I am leaning toward some disaster befalling these previous residents. Since our inspection indicates that it was a great many cycles in the past, it makes sense that none of us know of the event.”

He gestures toward the central suiting of armor standing on its small platform. “I am more curious as to why this particular suit has not rotted away like every other piece of fabric in this place.”

Terry makes a confused gesture. “It is as if all of the people simply vanished in a single instant. I have heard rumors of powerful Benders who can translocate their bodies great distances simply by thought, but that seems ridiculous, especially on this scale.”

He moves about, separating slightly from the others. “This is a good haul of equipment we could take from this room.”

OOC: 7

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Cycle: 500: Day: 14. Season: Rebirth. (8 days until the ship returns)

Spoiler: Reaction

Coldtree: 52(readiness) + 42(speed) + 30(clarity) + 8(d10) = 132
Kite: 43 + 50 + 105(tranquility) + 7 = 205
Terrendale: 40 + 49 + 34(clarity) + 7 = 130

Gathering an overall assessment of the pieces of metal equipment remaining within the room, especially the weapons, the three men realize that it should be worth a small fortune. All of it will need to be repurposed, but that would be of little consequence to the smiths on the island called the Gate of Inferno, the archipelago’s greatest metal workers. There seems no point in trying to move much of it at this juncture. Carrying it back down to the base camp maintained by the other three could likely put the items at greater risk of being stolen by some other group of claim jumpers. Since none of it can immediately be used, it is collectively decided to leave it all, for now. It is also worth noting that no evidence of metal working has been found in the abandoned community. These items had to have been made elsewhere. Perhaps elsewhere on this island, yet to be discovered.

By coincidence, Terrendale happens to have moved a piece of armor farthest from its place of rest. At a distance away of one stride, the giant suit of armor in the center of the room, draws its weapon, and moves deliberately toward him. To Terrendale, the distance is about 10 strides, but the giant figure will likely cover the distance in 7 steps. Nigel is about 10 strides to the right of Terrendale, and Kite is about 12 strides away, toward the center of the room, being just on the back side of the animated armor.

Fortunately, the thing’s weapon is a wooden replica, not the real blade. The wooden sword, called a bokken by the residents of the Zoo, is an advanced practice weapon. It is hard enough to break bones, even if it will not cut flesh. The most disturbing observation is that where the eyes of the wearer should be seen, even though nothing else of flesh could be, there is only a black emptiness, like staring into the Abyss. There is no doubt as to the immediate danger of the situation.

Spoiler: Character Data

Coldtree: full wellness
tunic: 59
Kite: full wellness
tunic: 60 - 3 = 57
Terrendale: full wellness

Spoiler: Collections

daystone: 1: {Compulsion, Enthrall}

Spoiler: People of Interest

Linstahl: Leader, Lighted Sentinel: Laurel, twin sister
Oshanti: Leader, The Zoo.

GM: Each character receives 9 DP.

OOC: State physical actions and intentions. Provide a random roll or reprint the previous roll if it was not used.