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Post by DM-Boneyard Ben on Dec 9, 2017 7:11:40 GMT -5
It isn't too long before you find another path that leads to a Crocodile's waiting jaw if not for Fillin's sharp eyes. You note somewhere between the second and your current path to trouble, Fillin had picked up a stick, you think. Its a long object that's caked in hard packed mud. He's been swinging it around as you've both been traveling, treating it in much the same way as you've handled your pick. When left to his devices he even starts making whooshing noises which comes to an abrupt halt whenever you meet his eye. Anyway at this path you find yourself at some serious over growth. You see the tracks lead right into it but see no signs of the plant life ever being disturbed.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 10, 2017 14:31:07 GMT -5
Xanadu watches Fillin 'practice' for a while, trying to keep his observations unobtrusive. After a while, when the whooshing noises start to get under the Dwarf's skin, he pipes up, "Since you seem interested in learning, we will add an hour of combat training to the end of each night." In spite of himself, Xanadu smirks so the boy can't see. He's just so... So... Fillin. When met with the wall of undergrowth, Xanadu sighs, once again addressing the area, "I've heard of those in touch with nature that can pass through natural barricades without being bothered, but I had not seen evidence of such before." Xanadu nods approvingly, "Such a skill must come in handy in this environment. I still wish to speak to your tribe, and I'd rather not cut a path through this lush vegetation to do so." Spinning in a slow circle, with hands upraised, "Come now, what harm could there be in speaking with my companion and I? It's clear that you can avoid detection if you so choose." He waits for a full minute after his voice trails off before continuing along his chosen route.
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Post by DM-Boneyard Ben on Dec 10, 2017 18:45:55 GMT -5
Fillin perks up when you mention combat training and happily whoops and jumps into the air before he catches himself and clears his throat, saying he will do his best. After a minute of searching about you find no signs of anyone making an approach so you head in with Fillin trailing behind you. The growth is thick here but your able to push through it with some effort on your part, it does slow you down considerably. At least more so then the bogs did. The foot prints lead this way and that and before you know it, the growth is well above your stout figure, making it a chore to see over it. After about an hour of pushing through plant life you comes to a particularly thick patch and shove your way through it, breaking apart various dry twigs and leaves, getting many stuck in your beard. It comes out to a small out cropping of flat, firm land about 15 feet before disappearing into a deep swampy lake. Your darkvision kicks in and you see a vast expanse of water and trees before you. The canopy of those trees almost completely blocking out the sun. You hear the sounds of various beasts and insects and could swear you seen the tail of a creature thrice your size. Then, when you hear Fillin break through the wall of plants himself with an "Oof!" As he hits the ground. Suddenly all the noise in the swamp stops. You look behind you to see Fillin looking around. Likely blinded by the darkness, you also see the wall of brush you and Fillin just broke through knit itself back together good as new. There's magic at work here.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 10, 2017 19:12:24 GMT -5
Xanadu takes a seat, crossing his legs with his pick resting across his knees. "I hope this means you're willing to communicate with us now." he announces to the area. "We have come in peace, only wishing to talk to your people." Xanadu gestures to Fillin to take a seat. "My name is Xanadu, and my companion is Fillin. It is a pleasure to be a guest of your tribe." Xanadu falls silent, and waits to see what comes of this.
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Post by DM-Boneyard Ben on Dec 12, 2017 9:04:05 GMT -5
You wait. And wait. Aaaaaaand this is getting your nowhere. Its gotten bad enough that Fillin, who was sitting at your diagonal, seems to have dosed off.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 13, 2017 7:02:11 GMT -5
Xanadu sighs, speaking softly to Fillin, "This is getting us nowhere, let's go." Xanadu stands slowly, and begins forcing his way back the way he came.
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Post by DM-Boneyard Ben on Dec 13, 2017 12:50:08 GMT -5
Fillin's head nods forward and back as he comes to. "Huh? Oh... Okay" he yawns, stretches and pulls himself up, brushing the twigs and leaves from his robe as he follows you to the wall of plant life. You reach to push your way through the brush when you notice that their are thorns among the plants now. You came through here and there wasn't any such thing then but now there is. Curious. You looks around and see the whole wall dotted with thorns and such. You also note no other way to leave that won't take you into the water. "Oh, dear" Fillin mumbles as he looks around. "Caught between a thorny wall and a wet place" he tries to laugh, but it comes out dry.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 13, 2017 15:21:15 GMT -5
Xanadu takes a long deep breath, and sighs, "First you won't talk to me, now you do not wish me to leave?" Xanadu shakes his head, gesturing to the wall before him, "We're leaving, if you would be so kind as to open a path for us?" He will wait for a minute to see if he gets a response, before setting to work hacking a path back out. He doesn't want it to come to fire, but if need be fire is remarkably good at clearing vegetation.
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Post by DM-Boneyard Ben on Dec 13, 2017 15:42:36 GMT -5
Your waiting a moment results in more silence so you start making your way back. Its hard to hack through the green with your pick and eventually you wise up and switch to your Javelin, using it to shove the plants aside and make your way through, it takes sometime but your back out where you were again.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 15, 2017 22:08:25 GMT -5
Xanadu has never really been one to quit, and his Dwarven stubbornness begins to flair up, "I only wish to speak with you, I've already spoken with representatives from two other tribes." Xanadu makes his way along the territory border, staying fulling within what he expects to be their territory. This continues until it is time to head back to camp. Steadily exploring, while regularly talking to his surroundings.
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Post by DM-Boneyard Ben on Dec 18, 2017 4:51:55 GMT -5
Fillin chimes up after he thinks you've settled down. "Umm... I don't think they're around, the plants are magically influenced but they didn't receive anything from the Weave, they seem to have magic instilled into them to work protectively" He says and tries to go into magical theory that basically breaks down to no one having to be around to make the plants act funny. You continue at pace and with no results to speak of head back to camp and get yourself settled in.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 18, 2017 7:17:16 GMT -5
Xanadu scoffs, "Somebody left that body as a warning." Xanadu tries to take part in the magical discussion, but his ignorance toward the Arcane quickly shows through. He tries to augment his arguments by discussing how such things could occur through divine means, but those arguments are only a little better. Even if Xanadu doesn't want to admit it, he's not much of a scholar. Xanadu is gruffer than usual, basically sulking about today's failure. He takes out his frustration with today on poor Fillin during weapon training, driving him hard and correcting him harshly. He never actually hurts the boy, but he certainly isn't gentle.
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Post by DM-Boneyard Ben on Dec 18, 2017 8:05:27 GMT -5
After your frustrations are fully vented Fillin finds himself on his back, breathing out heavily, his chest rising and falling with every labored breath. He honestly looks kinda pathetic and some form of you wants to hold him, but your a man and so is he. There'll be none of that, a wyvern wouldn't hold the boy unless it means to snack. With a huff you sit on your log, night is coming fast and the sun has well set before Fillin manages to drag himself over by the fire. He still hasn't caught his breath and you can see his every wince and groan as muscles never before worked just got the Dwarven treatment, but he doesn't complain. Not once. he seems ready to cry as he bows to you and thanks you for the lesson, but he holds it back like a true blue trooper. You might make a warrior of him yet. But something else catches your eye. The mud covered "stick" that Fillin had been carrying and swinging about through the swamp had a chip in it. Though the chip itself isn't that strange, he's used it in your combat practice, the gold you see underneath certainly is.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 19, 2017 14:32:42 GMT -5
The Dwarf raises an eyebrow, "Fillin, do me a favour and go wash off that stick of yours. Look." Xanadu points out the bit of gold he can see through the mud. "I wonder what exactly you've been lugging around all day." The Dwarf sets to work making camp, preparing food and the like. He takes a bit of extra care with Fillin's portion, the abuse the boy took wasn't strictly necessary, and Xanadu knows it. A tiny portion of him actually feels bad, but the bar has been set now. Training will progress quickly for Fillin.
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Post by DM-Boneyard Ben on Dec 19, 2017 15:09:29 GMT -5
Fillin upon seeing the gold, his eyes light up, not like a prospector's would but like a child's upon finding his rock is an old behemoth bone, he dashes over to the near by pool and cleans it. After a time he comes back with a long blade that has a short handle. A solid gold rapier with its hand guard broken clean off, though by the look of it, the handle went the full length of the hilt. Fillin shows you to blade looking over it in sheer amazement. "Who would leave this just lying around?" he asks.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 19, 2017 17:28:05 GMT -5
Xanadu extends his hands to take the weapon, once he has it in hand he assess the blade for quality using his proficiency with smith's tools. While he's assessing he tries to draw insight about the blade and it's prior owner. Gold treated blades are few and far between, maybe Xanadu can remember something about this one. When he's figured out all he can about the blade he returns it to Fillin. "Apparently you've been practicing the blade this whole time." He says with a smile.
Smith Tool: 18+2=20
Insight: 11+0
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Post by DM-Boneyard Ben on Dec 20, 2017 3:58:01 GMT -5
From what you can tell of the blade its mostly for decoration. Gold is a weak metal and making blades like this are usually for ceremony, you recognize the craftsmanship as human. Old human. A few hundred years at least. Given the quality and the indents where you assume gems once were you figure its likely a Royal blade for knighting and such or an heirloom of sorts. Likely both. The hilt is, or rather, was much like a cutlass' and would've given the blade as a whole a P shaped look. You see the blade had decorations all across it but have being weathered probably due to being in the swamp so long. Fillin handles the sword carefully as if he might break it but holding it too tightly. You figure the blade won't break from that but its use as a weapon is limited. If you hit it with all your might you could very well snap it in half, you figure it only lasted as long as it did in your training session cause of the mud coating it had. Even with it, the places where you hit it are deep warps in the metal or outright chips. This blade may have one good fight in it. If that.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 20, 2017 18:37:21 GMT -5
Xanadu smiles at the boy, "It won't do much good in combat, but it could be repaired to look really pretty. Once we get back to town, we can get you the weapon of your choice." Xanadu stands, and puts out the fire, "What say you me boy? Ready to sleep for the evening?" He pauses for a moment, before adding, "Or we could go back to training?" Xanadu laughs at the strangled sound Fillin makes, "I was just kidding Fillin, get some rest." With that Xanadu gets himself ready for bed.
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Post by DM-Boneyard Ben on Dec 23, 2017 15:32:12 GMT -5
Fillin, to his credit, tries to hide his cringe as you mention more training but fails and all but topples when you say it was a joke. "rest sounds nice" The halfling says with a battered smile and finishes his dinner, heading off to bed. The next day comes after a night of dreams you can't quite recall. You do remember a grand adventure in a wondrous city beneath the sea and you recall your pick being the key to finding it but not much else besides and even those fragments seem to fade fast. You go about your routine. Fillin seems to sleep in later than normal and when he pries himself from his tent, his body is stilled and his face twists in pain at the slightest movement, though he tries to cover it up.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 24, 2017 8:50:14 GMT -5
The Dwarf beams at the boy, "I see you're feeling the burn of hard work." He leans in close as if to tell a secret, "That's how you know it's working." He takes a few minutes to show Fillin stretches to help ease the pain in his muscles, explaining that he should stretch each morning and after a solid work out. "We will take it easy for today, at least until it's time to train again later." The Dwarf laughs heartily at the face Fillin makes when he realizes that training will happen again tonight.
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Post by DM-Boneyard Ben on Dec 25, 2017 5:29:42 GMT -5
Fillin nods and follows your instruction of stretches, he seems better afterward, still a bit sore but well, its about an hour after suns rise when your ready to set out when you notice the willow start to glow green and the bark begins to ripple and as if stepping through water the Dryad comes out, but completely dry you note. "Ah, your here, perfect" She says with a smile, clapping her hands together. "My husband has agreed that this spot will benefit your church and granted permission to lay your outpost here" She says sounding like shes done a great service to you. "And I because it seemed to put him in a good mood, I'll even add the benefit of my plants protection to your builders while they cobble together the flith- Building thing" She adds, her smile waning slightly.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 25, 2017 10:28:26 GMT -5
Xanadu gives her a beaming smile, "Well that is fantastic news. Be sure to thank your husband for me next time you see him." Xanadu turns as if to get started right away, but pauses and turns back, "Actually, regarding the construction. I'd rather not despoil the land with a random building. I've heard the Elves construct rather natural buildings that fit the terrain. Would you know anything about how to do such things?"
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Post by DM-Boneyard Ben on Dec 28, 2017 18:35:41 GMT -5
The woman smiles. "I happen to know a great deal. Why do you ask?"
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Post by DM-Delfon on Dec 29, 2017 18:00:25 GMT -5
Xanadu pauses, seeking the right words, “Well, I don’t want to construct a temple you would consider...” He trails off, but desides to play out this gambit, “Filthy.” He finishes, choosing the word he suspects that she was going to use. “With your assistance, perhaps we could work together to build a Temple worthy of Bahamut, that would also not offend...” He was going to say ‘Your sensibilities’ but chooses to finish with “The natural terrain.”
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Post by DM-Boneyard Ben on Jan 3, 2018 5:39:28 GMT -5
"Oh?" The green girl asks curiously as she approaches you. "What did you have in mind?" She asks seeming to be at the edge of her seat for what you have to say next. Best not to disappoint.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Jan 4, 2018 20:46:04 GMT -5
The Dwarf gestures toward the Temple layout, and leads the green woman through the various rooms and their uses. “I want the place defendable. It’s to be a refuge when the City is not safe.” He leads her back outside, “I was thinking that we could have a garden of sorts here, maybe a little pond there.” Gesturing across to the other side, he adds, “Trees. Maybe an orchard of some sort? I’m not really sure about this sort of thing.” He looks to the woman, “What do you suggest?”
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Post by DM-Boneyard Ben on Jan 9, 2018 1:56:36 GMT -5
"A refuge? What is it you think your stone walls and buildings can't keep you safe from that a wooded building will? Hmm? Expecting trouble are we? I may seem a fool but my husband is a detective and some of that..." She visibly shudders. "Prowess..." She clears her throat and resumes her usual demeanor. "has passed onto me in our time together. Well no matter, if you want a wooded temple I can certainly call in some favors to make it so, however I will need the appropriate means to attain the material costs of such a structure, especially for what your suggesting " She says seeming very proud of herself for stringing those words together. She then clears her throat. "That means I will need you to fetch materials for me" She clarifies.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Jan 9, 2018 14:08:19 GMT -5
Xanadu takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly, "Those walls keep out exterior threats really well, but threats from the inside..." Another breath, sadness entering his voice, "Groups of people have gathered together to form guilds. Now guilds are often useful when they deal in construction or mercantile dealings. The guilds I'm speaking about have gathered for nefarious purpose. They're organized criminals, and they're not above theft or murder."
Xanadu smiles once she agrees to help, the sadness in his voice replaced by the Dwarven equivalent of joy, that is to say slightly less gruff, "I will happily gather the required resources." Xanadu listens to the list of required materials, either memorizing them or writing them down depending on the list. If the materials are things he can collect himself, he will do so. Otherwise he will bring the list to the Wyrmspeaker. "I thank you, er, you know I never did get your name before. Only called you Dryad." Xanadu looks abashed at that.
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Post by DM-Boneyard Ben on Jan 10, 2018 4:16:58 GMT -5
You figure the outpost all in all will cost about 15000gp in material cost and 100 days to form up from what you see here at your camp and that time and cost can be cut depending on your willingness to acquire rare materials and creatures related to the Feywilds. All in all it seems like it'd be just as much of a pain as an actual fort but instead of having to guard workers day in and day out you'll have to acquire things from another plane of existence. Certainly more exciting but its a toss up, perhaps something to discuss with the High Priest.
The green girl bows as you ask her name. "I am Midoriya Hasven Archenhold Maewyn, but you may refer to me as Midori (Pronounced; Me-Dory)" She says with a smile. "Now, time is a wasting this place won't build itself" She says hurrying you and Fillin off with a smile.
Now what?
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Post by DM-Delfon on Jan 10, 2018 13:38:55 GMT -5
Xanadu smiles, "Aye, get going back to town Fillin, I'll catch up shortly." Xanadu hangs back for a moment, "I have one further question for you about this area." He pulls out his map, and points to where he believes the third tribe's territory is to be located. "I've been tasked to locate the three major tribe's territory boundaries. As you can see I've marked two of the three. Would you happen to know the layout of the third?" Xanadu looks hopeful, as this would save another trip back to that enchanted part of the swamp. Not to mention that it would finish this quest as he's planning to go back to his Wyrmspeaker anyway.
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