AAR: [3M] Talkin 'bout my Generation (2020-08-23 @ 23:00 GMT)

[Xzandrate]

AAR: Talkin 'bout my Generation
Time: 2020-08-23 @ 23:00 GMT
GM: Xzandrate
Difficulty: 3 Medium

Rumor: The Gannagroth liferock re-awoke a number of it's inhabitants, but the world is new and different from when they went for their slumber. The newly awakened have been tasked with learning about the new home of the Liferock.

Benefit: discount Skill training.

Note: Up to 5 players (7:00 Eastern)

[iceface9]

Name: Killian
Last time you (player) played: 2020-18-07 (currently)
Circle: 3
Discipline: Warrior
Quote/Unique: The earth is pure and deserves to be protected
Notable Abilities: Hitting things hard
Downtime: Craft weapon and Armor step 8

Requester

[redwraith]

Name: Redsun
ECL: 3
Discipline: Archer
Quote/Unique: Big and hard hitting
Notable Abilities: Bring's the rain
Downtime:
Last Played 08/14/2020

[Serespar]

Name: Nib
Date of Last Game Played: Friday, August 21, 2020 [Freedom on the Soaring Espagra]
Circle: ECR 3
Discipline: Windling Wizard
Unique: A friendly flying astral sensitive and spell slinger
Downtime: Talents and Skills that other characters can use over downtime:
Research Talent (Rank 2, Step 15)

[bronzemountain]

Name: Juniper
ECL: 3
Discipline: Shadow
Quote/Unique: "Power to the people!"
Notable Abilities: Streetwise
Downtime: Drugs, poetry slams, volunteering, romantic entanglements
Last Game Played: 2020-08-16
This is a secondary character. Please prioritize primaries.

[Anoush]

Name: Bloodbeat II of Syrtis
Last time you (player) played: August 21, 2020 -- Freedom of the Soaring Espagra
ECR: 2
Discipline: T'skrang Nethermancer
Quote/Unique: Tsch!  I hate birds!!
Notable Abilities: I talk to dead people, and make enemies wish they were anywhere else but here.
Downtime: Alchemy (rank 1, step 12), Physician (rank 1, step 12)

[iceface9]

Juniper, Redsun, Nib, and Bloodbeat join me tomorrow for an adventure

[Xzandrate]

AAR:Talkin 'bout my Generation
GM: Xzandrate
ECR: 3
Difficulty: Medium

Player Rewards:
Killian: 1400 LP, 275 SP, 3 TIPs
Juniper: 1400 LP, 275 SP, 3 TIPs
Bloodbeat: 1400 LP, 275 SP, 3 TIPs
Nib: 1400 LP, 275 SP, 3 TIPs
Redsun: 1400 LP, 275 SP, 3 TIPs

Alternate Rewards:
Discounted artisan/knowledge skill training - discount languages(Theran, Obsidiman)

Journal Reward: +70 LP, +68.8 SP

GM Reward: Moe'uhane (19,000 LP, 900 SP, 3 TIPs)

Downtime:
Killian: Craft weapon and Armor step 8
BloodBeat: Alchemy (rank 1, step 12), Physician (rank 1, step 12)
Nib: Research Talent (Rank 2, Step 15)

Summary:
The Players have met Arsia Shelf-walker and helped to find what has caused the Liferock to have difficulties feeling the world around it.

[Anoush]

Journal Entry: [3M] Talkin Bout My Generation
Author: Bloodbeat II of Syrtis
GM: Xzandrate
Date: 2020/08/23

Back in Throal, Killian, my obsidiman warrior friend, approached me about going with him to his Life Rock, Named Gannagroth. What a fascinating idea! In this lifetime, I’ve never visited a Life Rock, so it’ll certainly help me expand my current knowledge. He quickly found others to join us: Nib, the windling wizard I’ve worked with before; Juniper, the elven shadow who’s proved very effective in the past, and a new companion, Redsun, a troll archer.

With minimal preparation, we left Throal for the Life Rock. The road there was well-traveled, so no special equipment was needed. The journey was expected to take about 5 days, and one night we planned to stay at the home of an ex-Theran of Killian’s acquaintance, Kerim Ianjyre.

The first 4 days passed uneventfully. On the fourth afternoon, we reached Kerim’s villa. He welcomed us cordially, and had his servants prepare a feast. Yes, servants, not slaves, even though he’s from Thera. Nib confirmed this by talking with the servants privately. Some had been slaved, but were freed by Kerim. Now they are treated well, paid and can come and go as they please as employees.

It’s a very good thing that Nib talked to them. From the moment we arrived, Juniper was looking daggers at everyone, not just Kerim, ready for blood. As a quester of Lochost, he can’t bear to see anyone enslaved, understandably so. Once Nib informed him of the servants’ status, Juniper calmed down, still on alert for anything that would contradict Nib’s statements. Luckily, Kerim and his staff were true to their word. We had a marvelous dinner, got a tour of Kerim’s extensive library, and discussed a variety of topics. Kerim even offered to help teach us Theran if we wanted.

Mid-afternoon on the fifth day, we arrived at Killian’s Life Rock. What a surprise! The Life Rock was set in the middle of a small lake! A small village for visitors was set conveniently on the nearby shore. We settled into our quarters and spent a pleasant evening. The only jarring note was in talking to some of the residents. The obsidimen were concerned that Therans, or others, would learn of the Life Rock’s location, then come here in force to attack and take whatever they could of value. Something none of us wanted.

The next morning, we received a message from a Life Rock Elder to come talk to him. A stone skiff — yes, that’s right, a floating skiff made of rock — arrived with an elementalist ferryman to take us across the lake to the Life Rock’s shore. Everything on the astral plane there was open, a breath of fresh air.

At the Life Rock, we met with Arsia Shelf-walker, an Elder obsidiman, made of a reddish-brown stone, beneath one of many protrusions from the Life Rock, intended to provide shade along its shores. Very convenient and comfortable. Killian introduced us all, including describing Juniper as “the most trustworthy elf.” The obsidian described themselves as being “all of one place, but of different bodies.” Most interesting.

Arsia explained that the Life Rock has been sending out groups to explore the nearby areas, and report back on what they find. They’re stretched pretty thin trying to learn as much as they can as fast as they can. So one issue has been left hanging. That’s where we come in.

Arsia said that he needed us to re-attune the land. We all looked dumbly at each other. Re-attune? Arsea continued, explaining that the Life Rock was not in its original, pre-Scourge position so he’s concerned that the Life Rock has disrupted the natural flow of the land in this area. What? The Life Rock had moved?! Nib asked if he thought the lack of attunement was due to the Crystal Entity’s passage through the area, but Arsea did not believe that was related.

Arsia added that they have not been able to sing to other Life Rocks since they emerged after the Scourge. By “sing” he meant communicate. This caught everyone’s attention! Life Rocks can communicate with each other?! What a marvelous, if unknown until now, ability! Arsea gave us all a solemn look. Although I’m writing this in my journal, I will hesitate to spread this information any further. Arsia confirmed that in ancient times Life Rocks could communicate with each other, and the could speak to the land around them. Now they can do neither.

Arsia continued explaining that there’s some static, an interference that is preventing them from singing. There’s also pain when they make the attempt. He said that most of the pain was coming from the North, and that it felt like a scratching, trying to escape. Most of the interference was coming from the South, where their song was muffled, feeling as though they were dinging into a darkness from which the sound could not escape. As nethermancer, I’m familiar with both. Perhaps some kind of horror is responsible?

Arsia instructed Killian on how to recognize where the problems were focused. With that, we set out in the morning, heading North first, to deal with the pain.

After about one and half days of travel in rough, rocky terrain, Killian called a halt, saying that he felt an itching. We were at one end of a canyon, and saw a group of earth q’wrli scattered across it. Nasty creatures, rodents with bird-like beaks! They attacked and we made short work of them. I used Frighten and Spirit Dart to great effect, Killian was surrounded by the vermin and bashed one after another, Juniper and Redsun skewered them with arrows and knives, and Nib helped us all fight and move better, while attacking with his Mind Dagger spell.

After the battle, we skinned the creatures. We gave Killian the skins to make slippers out of, while I kept the sharp beaks for, … future use. You can never have too many, … ingredients at hand. Nib dissected them further and sketched them. The creatures were bloated with food, their skin stretched tight over rounded bellies and an enormous amount of sinew and muscle. The earth q’wrli were slightly tainted, not horror constructs, but still not right and certainly infecting the land with their taint as they moved through it.

We traveled back to the Life Rock and reported to Arsia. Arsia told us that the pain was gone, but the interference remained.

The next day, we headed South to deal with the interference. After about a day, we reached a valley with a plateau on the Southern edge. Water from a newly opened stream had flooded a forested area at that end, forming a swamp. Killian felt the itching strongly there. Astrally the area was open, but we sensed a taint in the swamp. Again, it was not from a horror construct, but still, a taint of some kind.

So we proceeded cautiously into the swamp. We stayed mostly to the solid portions of land that weaved through it. Suddenly we heard a loud thrumming come from the swamp, and looking around for the source, we saw some large frog-like creatures approaching. Bringing us their rear was the strangest creature I’ve seen in this incarnation; is was part toad, part frog, with a bear’s head with a large beak attached. One of our member recognized the frog-like things as Jub Jubs, and the oddity as a Molgrim.

We fought them handily. To start, we focused our attacks on the Molgrim, assuming it was the leader. Killian blocked its path on the land bridge, allowing everyone to join in. Only after it was dead did we attack the Jub Jubs with full force using much the same tactics as with the earth q’wrli. We killed two of the frog-like creatures, but the third escaped back into the swamp.

After the fight, we studied the astral more thoroughly. The taint was already fading, so we believed it had been caused by the now-dead creatures.

We reported back to the Life Rock. Arsia was pleased with our report, but said that the obsidimen would monitor both areas to prevent future trouble.

[Serespar]

Date: <Throalic calendar date for August 23, 2020>

Re: Gannagroth liferock (hex 44.07)

To whom it may concern at the Great Library,

My friend Killian the obsidiman warrior invited me to join him on a trip up into the Throal Mountains to visit his liferock. We were joined by my friends Redsun the troll archer, Juniper the elven shadow, and Bloodbeat the t’skrang Nethermancer.

Given that we would be paying a courtesy call to the nearby Theran Villa (hex 44.07), I prepared a copy of Principles of Geology by the esteemed Dwarven Scholar, Charles of House Lyell, as a gift for the noble in residence, one Kerim Ianjyre. The Theran’s interest in geology is well known, and I hesitate to think of the mining concerns that will be pumping him for information once word gets around in certain circles. I wished to make an assessment of his character, and see if he would be a potential threat to the security of the liferock. I thought the gift would make a good stepping off point for the conversation, as it were.

Travel up into the mountains was relatively uneventful, and passage to the villa went more smoothly than expected. Beautiful country with some truly breath-taking vistas along the route.

We arrived at the villa, and were pleased with both their hospitality and that conversations with the (former) slaves kept by the Theran revealed that they had all been emancipated after Kerim received his copy of the Council Compact and adopted it’s terms. Am glad to see that progress toward a more civil society is possible even with those steeped in Theran culture. Don’t get me wrong, there is much to be said for Thera’s rich culture and history – I am just personally grateful to have been born into a more enlightened time, when the institution of slavery has been abolished within the Throalic sphere of influence, and the cycle of magic has moved forward so that we can (more) safely return to the surface.

I regret to report that Kerim is a delightful conversationalist, but is stunningly naïve. With a sinking heart, I listened to the geologist babble about his survey work and the rich deposits of true elements and other valuable minerals all around the liferock. Not surprising, except for their extent. As I looked with horror around his study, I saw virtually no security measures taken over documents the various House mining concerns in Throal (and that were active in pre-Scourge Thera) would give their eye teeth to get ahold of. I took some consolation in the thought that the liferock and its brotherhood would be taking steps to hide and protect itself, but it was a very unsettling meeting.

Travel to the liferock itself revealed a small village of mostly obsidimen, with folks of a few other races mixed in, enjoying the beautiful mountain lake with the liferock on a small island in the middle. The lake water is rich in kernels of True Water, and the obsidiman brotherhood had begun to develop the natural bounty in a sustainable way so true to their lifestyle of living in harmony with the elements. They were welcoming, friendly, and… …had two guards on watch, but I saw no other appreciable security in evidence.

One of the brothers, an Elementalist, used some form of ancient pre-Scourge magic to guide a floating stone platform out into the lake, so that we might visit the elder currently speaking for the liferock. I was struck by this unique adaptation - so similar to what I have read about Theran Navel technology - to guide and power the raft, and again had a feeling of dread about the risk to this peaceful community if word gets out about what is here. I strongly suggest that Throalic representatives visit with the obsidimen to see what might be learned, with an eye toward a cooperative agreement that would improve the safety and security of their community while developing the local resources in harmony with their lifestyle. The Throalic Fleet is looking for knowledge and magical adaptations of this type, and a mutually beneficial exchange is certainly in both communities’ best interest. The liferock may be especially receptive to the discussion given that a crystal horror has been active in the area.

We met with the Brotherhood Elder, Arsia Shelfwalker. A beautiful moment of re-connection for my friend and a lovely ceremony under a bower of living wood on the island as the liferock looked on. Arsia asked if Killian and his companions would be willing to assist with two disturbances that the Brothers had sensed nearby, one to the north west and the other to the south. The disturbances were interfering with the obsidimen’s ability to attune with the land, and our help would be appreciated. Killian communed with the Elder to learn how to attune his senses to the disturbances, and we chose to head toward the northern one first.

[Note: there is no reference in writing to the "Singing", the communication mode between liferocks in writing in Nib's journal, tho there is a doodle in the margin that might be of interest to someone working for the Eye of Throal]

The nest of Earth Q’wril we found was… …odd (hex 43.06). We handled their aggression with our usual dispatch, but in addition to their nest being “off” to the local obsidimen, the Q’wril’s territorial aggression was extreme. After defeating them, our examination of the bodies showed two distinct sub-species, both of whom should signs of being spell worked or bred or both? The smaller specimens were so muscular their skin was close to tearing, and they lacked even the minimal body fat normal to healthy Q’wril. The larger and stronger specimens were even further removed from the vegetarian creatures familiar in Throal, multiple generations removed or a heavier dose of the mutagen, perhaps? While it is possible a local magical effect could duplicate an alchemical steroid in different doses (an intriguing potential resource in it’s own way if used appropriately), it is also possible that someone or something is performing experiments in the area, a potential hazard to be wary of. (C.F. known activity of Crystal Horror, Parliament of Glass).

We traveled back to the liferock to report our findings to the north, restock supplies, and gather things useful for slogging through the muck, then headed to the swamp area with a disturbance to the south (hex 44.08).

I have never been so grateful for wings and felt so sorry for mud covered walkers ☹

Anyway, after slogging closer to the center of the area where Killian could feel the disturbance between his toes, we encountered another set of mutants. So glad there is no pattern emerging. This time, it was Jub Jub’s who had found a potion of steroids, and they were led by an even more hodge podge monstrosity called a Molgrim, which had also fallen into a vat in an alchemist’s lab. We dispatched the Molgrim and several of the Jub Jubs, but the pattern is disturbing.

When we returned with our findings to Arsia, he seemed pleased that the swamp was less astrally contaminated than it had been, so yay progress?

My gut says there is someone playing games with the local flora and fauna up in these mountains, breeding, creating, mutating, and for some reason I have a suspicion it won’t end well. The thought did occur to me that if a mining interest oversteps itself, they could be in for more than they bargained for by whatever is behind this. I just hope the Brotherhood of Gannagroth isn’t caught in the cross fire.

In service,


Nib