Kurnish woes

[DM Bob]

Enemy's Slumber, 17th of Fortuary, somewhere around 8:30 to 9 in the morning

Ral: A sliver, overlapping Guthay low to the eastern horizon

Guthay: A sliver

Current Location: New Kurn

The sun burns hot today. You still feel a shiver, your skin even deeper copper in color than before. Reflecting on last night's travel, even those of you turned to elves retained that sheen. Deep in your chest you feel a coal of heat, a nugget of power seething within like a bizarre ember wishing to ignite.

As the wizards study and cram, Quila does a psionic reconnaissance. She knows the duo can only be interrupted if really needed, but some situations are considered 'really needed.'

Preparatory, Quila will cast a Detect Magic so she can use it with scrying.

First, she will again focus on the medallion and Environment it as before. Alas, it seems that the medallion is covered. Dark, rough cloth and then clammy, damp skin. The smell of earth after a rain - but not the clean smell. The one of decay awakened.

Second, using her eidetic memory, she will recall any details of the caravan master room that warranted her attention (aside from the psurlon), like the House Azeth flags behind the creature.

There were many containers in this room, imagine the captain's quarters of a pirate lord. Chests, tables, maps upon table, forbidden instruments of writing and chamber pots, tapers for light, etc...

She then uses Environment there. The worm-person is gone, the room remains unchanged.

She then uses Clairvoyance on the location where the caravan was resting near the watering hole. Wagon tracks lead off to the south. The argosy is not in sight. Given the chaotic nature of the terrain, this does not surprise you, especially if they left soon after your last scrying. So she focuses her sights upward following the tracks. It is now apparent that you are outside Old Kurn, to the east.

Once outside of the rockfields, she can see the caravan moving to the south through grassland. You guess that it is moving slowly to the road south of Old Kurn.

[Quila Oris (John M.)]

Finding the caravan on a path south and the medallion covered, Quila sees no other path forward than to refocus her point of view.

She places it some 40 feet above ground in the path of where the caravan is passing, hopefully allowing her to see the crew of this caravan. She hopes to recognize folks she knows in House Azeth, gain a clue as to the whereabouts of the psurlon or the medallion wearer.

Under her breath she mumbles, ”The smell of decay awakened. Earth after a rain, not in a good way. Could the murderer be undead, or are they simply somewhere where such a smell is had.”

[DM Bob]

This seems to be a standard House Azeth caravan/argosy. Two crodlu mounted riders with lances patrol ahead of the double giant lizard drawn argosy. A team of about 30 warriors, drivers, psions and pretend slaves man the large platform. A dozen or so smaller kank driven wagons follow... these were not seen before, either they were out of sight or joined up later this bright morning. Flags of both House Azeth and Kurn are flown proudly. There are indeed people you've seen, but not well enough for you to put a name to.

[AthasianLaborer]

"Describe what you see, I will do my best to represent it" Muiko says, withdrawing fresh parchment, quill and inks from the bookshelf.

Artistic Ability rolled a 16 needing a 13 or less [Failure]

Even if he fails to accurately draw them, do any of Quila's descriptions sound familiar to Muiko?

[Quila Oris (John M.)]

Quila will drone aloud a descriptive stream of thoughts for ‘Muiko’s benefit.

[Attilius]

The elven gladiator folds his arms and just listens.

[Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP]]

- Skrye listens to the explanation, trying to figure out how these creatures are placed in the whole structure of the land, yet it's field for the best fit to survive, these seem far from simply mindless beasts - "Unless Amman decided to be in our other side and used/pacted with these psurlons to trap our friend, I don't know who could have the drive to do it, unless that person was pretty aware of the outcome of the battle that happened here..."

Keeping in mind that they may move on again soon, her mind wanders in any of the local Kurnan markets, where she may find a Jarbo, possibly..

[OOC:
SPELLS: 1stLvl(1/5), 2ndLvl(3/5), 3rdLvl(4/4), 4thLvl(3/3)]

[DM Bob]

For the record, as long as 'Muiko isn't attempting the next Mona Lisa in sketches - I feel that he's been doing this enough to have a baseline talent that doesn't require a roll. Or he can simply crap a piece of writing material and try again. That isn't a thing you need to level up for.

Since Skrye had two hours of free time in the morning, she can have found a jarbo to keep as a pet.

I believe Quila/John is looking for suggestions on where to focus.

[Quila Oris (John M.)]

Quila will do three other things next.

First, she will go back 'into' the argosy with her scanning, and 'map' the vehicle by going Clairvoyantly from room to room, even trying for secret or hidden places if something doesn't add up space-wise. In this mapping she will try to look for the worm. Having been warned by Coden for psionic deceptions by psurlons, she will mentally note any object or person she feels could be out of place and needing extra research.

Second, she will use an Environment on the cloak the psurlon wore.

Third, during the next couple of hours, irrespective of how or when the group will start moving, she will intermittently try Environment again on the medallion worn by the murderer.

(OOC: There's normally no real chance of failure with the powercheck's for Clairvoyance/Environment, but I've rolled regardless. Clairvoyance does have a distance modifier to the check, so adjudicate that.

 

• Rolled 7 on 19-20 for Clairvoyance, should work even with modifier.
• Rolled 7 on 19 for Environment for psurlon cloak, success. 
• Rolled a 20 on 19, failure for first hour Environment on murderer. This failure should be interesting, indeed: "The psionicist gets images from a similar item, but not the one he wishes."
• Rolled a 2 on 19, success for second hour Environment on murderer.
• Rolled a 9 on 19, success for third hour Environment on murderer.

The Environment's on the murderer are most likely done while we are on our way in pursuit.)

[DM Bob]

First, she will go back 'into' the argosy with her scanning, and 'map' the vehicle by going Clairvoyantly from room to room, even trying for secret or hidden places if something doesn't add up space-wise.

Left a picture on Discord and a brief description. Quila will eventually find a hidden area underneath the wagon proper that gives a shallow hollow area for smuggled goods. Currently some bone and obsidian weapons - long spears, swords and arrows that radiate magic. Standard enchantment if a school is needed. These all look to be accessible from both the outside and inside of the argosy.

Second, she will use an Environment on the cloak the psurlon wore.

Sitting next to the drivers and psions a man sits wearing the same robe. Long dark hair and rakish good looks, he occasionally mutters something to the men and women working with him and they respond in deference. Pic to be shown in Discord.

The failed environment shows a strange scene. A leathery corpse of a man, dressed in red and black robes wears this similar piece. Across from him, another twelve similarly dressed figures sit at a long stone oval table. They have intricate large headdresses with shiny black and gold beads worked into cords that drop from the side of the weird dome, Pope-style hats. The room is well lit and the architecture is alien to anything you've seen in the Tablelands. Bright white plaster and shining, yet old marble is prevalent. A small marble statue of a creature you've never seen sits in the middle of the table as a centerpiece. The creature has a long snout, dull teeth in a non-malicious sneer, strong chest and two hooved legs rearing upwards. The base of the body then turns to scales and a weird finned lower torso.

[Attilius]

Once the scenes are explained, the muscled elf unfolds his arms, throws them up and exasperatedly asks
"DESE funny hat guys need ta be killed too? Casters... Always gotta be moar casters."

[Quila Oris (John M.)]

Quila describes everything. We make sure we have a floorplan of the argosy.

"I need to talk about this psurlon-in-men-skins-disguise with the Speaker. I don't want it to know we know, but talking to the Speaker is a risk I need to take. Mind you, the Speaker, not so much the Azeth. I leave that to the Speaker's diligence. The psurlon at least have the power to shift shape, be it psionically or magically."

She sighs. "Never a dull moment it would seem."

Looking to Attilius after his question, she continues, "These undead could be anywhere, but most likely outside of the Tablelands given the architecture. Right now it is part of another, perhaps related riddle, as one was wearing a psurlon medallion, but we need to get moving. I still have an active trace, a Footsteps of the Quarry, on the killer of Akos, for another couple of hours. Would hate to see that going to waste."

[Attilius]

Oct 31, 2024 11:37:23 GMT -12 Quila Oris (John M.) said:

"...Would hate to see that going to waste."

"Aye, I'm ready!" He says eagerly

[DM Bob]

Footsteps of the Quarry leads due east from the caravan, as if the hunted left the train some time between your viewings.

Do you wish to meet with the Speaker before leaving?

[AthasianLaborer]

"Agreed, we should avenge Akos if it is at all possible" Muiko says as he moves to gather a few things, seeking to replace his burnt portfolio and supplies. 

Mar 15, 2024 13:30:12 GMT -12 DM Bob said:

Here's that list (it's actually his carried inventory):
Handmade Leather A0 Portfolio/Messenger Bag Combo (4oz Mortar & Pestle, 20oz Sealing Wax, Bronze Flask (4oz of Paint oil), Bronze Pen Knife, Choice Athasian Quills (x24), Disguise Kit, Dry Pigments (x4oz each; Blue, Green, Ocher, Purple, Red, Yellow, Vermilion, White), Half-Giant Robes, Half-Giant Trousers (identical to the ones worn when presenting Phwig), Handmade Leather Palette w/Inset Marble Paintwells, Inkstand, Lap Slate, Parchment Sheet (x36) (x22 left), Signet Stamp (Physical copy of ‘Muiko's Wizard Mark), Slate pencils (x20), Spellbook, Vellum (x36)), Handmade Leather Sandals (with removable 6” lifts), Handmade Leather Skullcap (with integrated chalk/quill bandolier and veil), Handmade Leather Trousers

The crossed out are destroyed before the contents can get smothered.

I imagine he has an older art case that is still useful, it just wasn't as big as the A0 messenger bag (which is why he wasn't using it).  I imagine it looks like a duffle bag sized scroll case that opens along the side rather than on the end.  He'd restock on whatever he had available in his personal quarters, maybe he left a single choice Athasian quill that he didn't have on him to be burnt?  I imagine that he'd get the whole palette of dry pigments though, since they have long been the primary focus of his personal garden (this root for X color, those leaves for Y color, these petals for Z color etc).  

Requests:
One Athasian Choice Quill and some (1d4?) calligraphy brushes
Dry Pigments 4oz each Blue, Green, Ocher, Purple, Red, Yellow, Vermilion, White
Partial Disguise Kit (if not a full spare)
Trousers

After he gathers his things, Muiko turns to face the party and holds up his right hand with the golden ring on his fourth finger "I really need to stop forgetting to study this thing!"