Renew the Pact: N'pacier Atol'ciel, p4
Log Info
- Title: Renew the Pact: N'pacier Atol'ciel, part 4
- Emitter: Cryosanthia
- Characters: Thurid, Zaxx, Braelnoir
- Place: The Desolation, N'pacier Atol'Ciel
- Time: Sunday, April 11, 2021, 1:55 PM
- Summary: The Sky Island, has shot up into the sky. The adventurers cling to the base. It's a long climb up, an even longer fall down. Even worse, they are split. They start climbing. Zaxx and Braelnoir within sight of each other, Thurid on the far side of the Island. Firestarter is hesitant, and Lars is hanging back. His reasons, to sneak a few Charm Persons on Zaxx and Braelnoir while they are otherwise occupied and climbing. He manages to do so, although Zaxx takes some convincing to accept the 'cantrip'. Thurid, aching from her feat of strength, still manages to climb up to a resting spot. She summons a dire bat to help the others out. Firestarter, needs the help the most and is flown to the top. The three adventurers climb, while the bard builds himself a spiral staircase using another magic want. Upon reaching the top, Braelnoir calls for Lars to trust her, and helps him ascend faster via a rope. On top of N'pacier Atol'Ciel, the adventurers can see a ruined keep, and snakes. Lots of very large snakes. Lurking in the keep, is an even larger one, which displays its wings. Braelnoir addresses it, and surprisingly, receives a response in her mind.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Appearing, in Order =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Thurid 7'1" 249 Lb Giantborn Female Bright-eyed, muscular, blond Giantborn woman. Zaxx 5'2" 152 Lb Shadow Elf Male Compactly built, bald man with dark skin and pointy ears. Braelnoir 5'11" 146 Lb Human Female A tall, pale Acanian woman, branded in silver. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- NPCs of Note -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Lars Human Male A very _charming_ bard, Mr Feels the Eels Firestarter Hobgoblin Female An orange Arvek Nar, hobgoblin -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- As the GM =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Cryosanthia 6'9" 291 Lb Sith-Makar Female A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
Everything was falling down. Everything was falling up.
With that anti-magic mangonel shot removed the Sky Island accelerated into the sky. It's upward trajectory was such that loose pebbles, earth and the occasional plant was shaken off by it's rocking motion. A pendulum sway that would have been much worse if not for the Jotun's astonishing feat of strength that stablized it in the last few seconds where it was near the ground. Adding to the confusion of lift off, a flock of flying creatures abandonned nests that were up the rock face, darkening the sky and adding to the falling detrius.
The adventuring party finds themselves split. Lars and Zaxx are on the western half of the Sky Island, in a very secure balcony on the edge of the Sky Island, that includes a waist-high wall, a ramp that originally led to the ground and now drops to empty sky. The start of a spiral staircase is in the depths of the island.
Braelnoir and Firestarter are within sight, across the crack through the rock and clinging to the eastern side. Their situation is much more precarious, with only their strength, each other, and a couple good handholds keeping them attached.
Lastly, Thurid is on the far side of the island, gripping handholds she punched into the rock itself with the remanents of the possessing strength. Not within sight, she's far enough that being heard can be a challenge.
N'pacier Atol'Ciel stretches up, tall, so very tall. It's a long way up.
It's a longer way down.
Thurid grits her teeth as she clings to the stone and refuses to look down. It's not the hights that bother her, it's the flying. Especially flying by means of technology she doesn't understand. On the back of a mighty bird or wirth a blessing might be different. But this? This is unpleasant. Made more unpleasant still by her dislocated shoulder, and the precarious position she finds herself in, dangling from the craggy face of the island. Nevertheless, the Jotunborn begins to climb. One handhold holding on tight, while she digs her toes into cracks and crevices to give her a few inches more height, and then in quick motions shifting her hand hold to a higher grip. It is arduous work, with one arm hanging limp by her side, but she is determined to make it to more solid ground.
Zaxx frowns and gets to climbing until he can stand safely. It is not a great plan, but he can execute it without setting his mind to engineering and architectural and kulthian problems. Somewhere he can fold out papers and make educated guesses. Dang it! "Taara's hairy warts!" the mul grumbles.
Braelnoir considers the pair across the gap, with Firestarter's backside and legs framing the upper corner of her vantage, "Gotta get topside!" she calls, "Topside's the goal, eyes on the prize!"
Figuring telling them to focus on looking up rather than warning them not to look down is the best bet, she turns her attention to the stone buttocks she's clinging to so tenaciously. The Korite brings her lower foot up to start her climb in earnest... Firestart looks down. She shivers and holds onto the side, not moving. "Shit! Don't look down." She closes her eyes, "Dammit Lars!"
Lars meanwhile, is standing in one corner of the balcony and watching Zaxx. "Where are you going? Hold onto the wall, breathe." Louder he calls across the crack, "Hold on 'Star, babe, I'm... uh... figuring things out."
<OOC> Thurid nods, "My minimum is a 12 including ACP. Mithral Chainmail" <OOC> Thurid says, "I'll attempt the perception check, and then take the distribution." GAME: Thurid rolls perception: (12)+10: 22 <OOC> Thurid says, "Specifically, I'll look for somewhere I can potentially stop and free up my hands for a moment on the way up."
Staring up Thurid can see two viable routes, one is the full distance of three hundred feet, with a good looking rest spot, a small cavern, about one hundred foot up. The other is shorter, only two hundred sixty, provided the Jotun takes a sideways start. It looks like there's an easier slope near the top.
<OOC> Thurid says, "I'll take the long route with the resting spot." <OOC> Thurid says, "At the resting spot, I'll pause to summon a celestial dire bat," <OOC> Thurid says, "then send it around to the other side to see if anyone (even lars, reluctantly) needs help." GAME: Thurid rolls athletics: (7)+11: 18 GAME: Thurid rolls athletics: (13)+11: 24 GAME: Thurid rolls athletics: (3)+11: 14 <OOC> Thurid says, "Miss one, shall I roll it again?" <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "one more extra climb, yes" GAME: Thurid rolls athletics: (11)+11: 22
Thurid finds a stable spot, where she can brace with her knees and lean back a bit to get a better view of the rockface she's climbing. That done, she begins to climb up- powerful hand having no trouble frinding crags to grip onto for the most part, though having only one to work with does make things tricky. Once or twice she loses her grip for a moment or two, as pebbles come loose from the ancient rockface or else she misjudges a reach. But they don't deter her. Eventually, fhe pulls herself towards a shallow cavern buried into the cliff wall, and she drags herself up into it.
She gets to her feet once she's in there, and pants to catch her breath for a moment. It's not tall enough for her to stand upright, but stooped it provides a decent enough spot to rest. She grips her limp arm, above the elbow, sets it in place, and then slams her shoulder into the wall. She grunts in pain through gritted teeth, and then does it again. With a pop, the limb is re-seated in its joint. Another moment to catch her breath, and she turns, leaning back against the rock face.
Thurid closes her eyes and grips the holy icon she wears about her neck. "Angoron, send to me a winged servant, that they may watch over my allies, and see them safely to the summit." she calls out.
The clouds swirl overhead, darken, and then with a peal of thunder, a winged bat- with a body as large as a horse and an impressive wingspan swoops from the clouds. Unlike most bats, its eyes are a brilliant blue, and its brown fur is shot through with streaks of red. It swoops around the island, to the far side, that it may do as commanded and keep an eye on them.
With that done, Thurid turns carefully back to the rock face, and once more begins to ascend.
<OOC> Braelnoir says, "min roll is 12 with a nat 1 counting my acp" GAME: Braelnoir rolls perception: (2)+12: 14 GAME: Braelnoir rolls knowledge/dungeoneering: (12)+5: 17 <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Brael, you only see the long way, but get +2 Climb for some good guesses." <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Just 1 if you're taking the distribution Braelnoir," <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "since with the 1-20 and a +2 on them you'd only miss progress on 1 check" GAME: Braelnoir rolls athletics: (7)+11+2: 20
Braelnoir doesn't see any ways to mitigate the climb from her vantage, and she looks with concern as the Hobgoblin finds that 'down' is the mind killer, "Easy, 'Star. It's just hand over'and." She nods assent to Firestarter's words and starts her ascent. Hand over hand, foot over foot, though she does manage to enjoy some happy accidents by the meander of her route; good gripping surfaces hidden from further down are revealed as her angles change, "Got... some good holds here... might make it easier!"
<OOC> Zaxx says, "Minimum is 15 here. +14 skill. Armor training master class. n.n" <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "You'll be able to get up in 20 rounds then Zaxx" <OOC> Zaxx says, "Catch anyone by throwing a rope at them which he has hammered into the wall whenever he can."
Zaxx drags himself up in the rattling, prattling, clanging chain which covers much of his body. The dark man is right at home in this rocky wall he moves in. His ascension is methodical, practical. He even uses his deep, deep voice for a khazadi wandering song. He does prepare to catch any who try a flyby, though, and watches out where able.
"I'm casting message so we can talk to each other," Lars announces, making some quick arcane gestures and pointing at Zaxx first. He seems startled at how fast the khazadi climbs.
"You go first Brae. I'm... I'm gonna hold on here a sec, then ah'll power up after you." Firestarter says. She's got a good grip, still has her eyes closed. "You go, I'll be ok."
Zaxx is a mul so he takes what positive compliments he can get! The baldie keeps up the song and thanks the speakerphone cave he does not shoot the bat. The others in their group do seem to manage their climb which makes the grumpy silkind focus on the climbing.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Zaxx, Brael will save DC17 please" (Lars Charm Person on Brael, then Zaxx) GAME: Braelnoir rolls will: (13)+2: 15 GAME: Zaxx rolls will: (19)+5: 24
Some spell washes over the Mul'niessa, which he instinctively resists.
"You're doing great there Braelnoir. Can you... ah, never mind. Can you hear me fine?" Lars calls out, watching climbers and making a few more arcane gestures. He sounds genuinely concerned when he addresses the hobgoblin, "Hang in there 'Star. Yeah... I got an idea. I'll try something."
A few more gestures, "Hearing me okay Zaxx? Do I need to do the Message again?"
Firestarter continues to hold on, waiting as directed.
And Lars seems like not a bad guy all of a sudden, seems really concerned, the silver-haired Merc suddenly realizes.
Zaxx shakes his head, "Thank you for your concern. I do well. You know, as well as I can. I felt a brief touch of something, though. Is the maestro doing his trickery again?"
"Message cantrip, like I said. Allows us to talk in whispers at range, hundred feet or so." Lars calls back, "Works better if you don't resist it."
He starts doing something, which involves humming and waving a wand around and pointing at the rock. He's crushing a small ball of clay in his free hand. Near his position, a bulge of rock is formed, then stretches out in a thinning spar across the crack. He waves the wand at the far side. "Hold on there 'Star, I'll build you a bridge if you don't want to climb."
"Yeh, sure." Firestarter is watching Braelnoir climb.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Thurid, DC17 perception (distance penalties) to hear their conversation." GAME: Thurid rolls perception: (4)+10: 14 <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "They're talking, but you can't really make out what."
Braelnoir shivers, probably as the crosswind breezes chillingly across her skin, but she pauses in her climb to toss back, "Yeah, luv,'re you alright?" with some concern in her eyes. She scans the rock face again, then looks down to check on Firestarter, as she's getting too far to catch if something goes wrong.
Zaxx rolls his eyes, "I agree. Condition: do not share your consuming interest in anything female with me, please." He will get to climbing again as soon as is possible.
Long distance to Zaxx: Cryosanthia nods, "So OOC, allowing the spell?" Zaxx pages: Yes. You paged Zaxx with 'Ok! Lars doesn't seem like such a bad guy after all. (OOC, Charm Person active, lasts 8 hours)'
"Okay, deal. Casting it." Lars makes a few more arcane gestures, pointing at Zaxx once more, "yeah, um... keep doing what you're doing, that's amazing. He returns to his activities with the wand. A wand of Stone Shape, apparently, which he uses to build a small, arching bridge across the crack. This goes even slower than the climbing, he's making ten feet of arch for every fifteen Zaxx and Braelnoir climb up.
It's not the best bridge, although it looks architecturally sound. It will last the next ten minutes. Probably. It's blobby, a foot and a half at its thinnest, with a ridge that would assist crawling along it.
The crack that divides the Sky Island goes all the way up, but the large gap merges about sixty feet from the bottom, allowing Zaxx and Braelnoir to meet up and climb together. Or climb back down on either side, if they wanted.
GAME: Thurid casts Summon Monster III. Caster Level: 8 DC: 17 <OOC> Thurid says, "Bat will hang around for 8 rounds after the cast," <OOC> Thurid says, "has a fly speed of 40 with good maneuverability." <OOC> Thurid says, "Will try to catch anyone who falls and move them as high as it can before leaving." <OOC> Thurid says, "Also, as anote for the other players, Brown, Blue and Red are the colors of Angoron" <OOC> Thurid says, "and the colors on Thurid's Monastic Scapular, which should help in identifying it as friend rather than foe."
Around this time a winged bat, coloured Brown, Blue and Red appears, browm mostly in the body, with blue wings and red at the tips, as well as stripes and a startling pattern on the head. It's huge. It circles and loops around everyone, ready to push against a back or steady someone.
"Just come across that 'Star, or climb up to Brae, whatever Brae thinks is best. It'll hold, I promise." Lars calls out.
Zaxx thumbs up to the magic singer and is comfortable on ledges like this. Bats, too. He upnods to Brae, "See, the maestro is good for something! Let's go up to the tip, everyone!"
Braelnoir is concerned, but seeing the bridge sloooooowly forming, she takes a moment to think about the Hob's problem as Lars trusts her judgement. She looks down, squinting against her wind-lashing locks, "Crosswind's chancy, Star." She almost dislodges herself looking about to see what the meatier flapping sound is all about, about to get sharp again, when she sees the uniquely colored.... bat? "Come on up ta me, luv, I won't letcha fall!"
Thurid's climbing proceeds at a quicker pace now that she has popped her shoulder back into place and can use both hands. She returns to scaling the wall, making decent progress- though she's still rather beat up from her self destructive feat of strength, and she is feeling the ache in her bones and muscles, she puts one hand in front of the next, paces herself, and makes steady progress up the rock face.
Her summoned bat will remain for a short while, making sure no one falls and being available to offer a lift should anyone seem to need or want it.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Thurid is reassured to hear the voices of her allies, even muffled by the wind, and she increases her pace to meet them upon the sumit of the isle.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Oh, Brae, you looked down, will save, DC17" GAME: Braelnoir rolls will: (10)+2: 12 You paged Braelnoir with 'shaken condition for 1 round, so -2, so mostly wait and it goes away and you don't want to climb'
The orange hobgoblin stares up. She's clinging right at the bottom. Beyond her there's nothing but empty sky, whisps of clouds, and the sun scorched Desolation so far below. If she slips, she's gone. If she falls off the bridge, she's gone. If she slips while climbing, there's no one to catch her.
Her eyes are wild, she's almost in a panic. Or slipping around the crazy side to a rage. "Ok. Comin' up. Ge movin'!"
'Raaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!'
She roars, she screams, with adrenaline fueled strength she follows Braelnoir's route. Fast, frantic, she rushing up the face, barely getting a handhold before launching herself up and grabbing at the next one.
If anyone needs aid from Thurid's bat, it's fiery hobkin.
<OOC> Thurid says, "How long would you say it took the bat to get to that side of the island?" <OOC> Thurid says, "It has a standard fly of 40', so it can double move 80 or full move 160'." <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "it could do it in a turn, it's 135-150' through the crack, depending how it's counted" <OOC> Thurid says, "Alright, can it pick up Star and carry her to the summit?" <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Dire Bat? Str17/21?" <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "if it's that bat, then yes it would be able to"
Seeing the reckless and frankly terrifying way in which Fire is scrambling up the rockface, the bat swoops in towards her. It's clawed hind limbs clasp around her shoulders- firmly, but carefully- getting a good grip but making sure not to harm her with its claws. And then it begins to flap its wings and lift her up away from the rock face and towards the fairly level ground at its peak. Despite being a bat- often assciated with unpleasantness like evil and darkness, it is fairly fuzzy and has a benign aura that bleeds through, hinting at its Celestial origins.
<OOC> Cryosanthia nods, "She's probably 200lbs with gear, and Str 17, that should be 'medium' load roughly," <OOC> Cryosanthia nods, "so I think it could manage it but it would use most or all of it's summon time, <OOC> Cryosanthia nods, "it was only 8 rounds I think? 1 round to get over, 1 to look around, at least 2, possibly 4 to carry her 300'
"Woaw." The Maestro is clearly impressed, staring. "Don't let her fall Brae, maybe rope together or something, if she doesn't climb right over you."
He has his own secure perch, the balcony with a surrounding wall. "I was... uh... going to make a spiral staircase. I don't trust myself climbing. I think you're going to beat me to the top. So, see you there!"
Lars turns and uses his wand. He does like his wands. He shapes the rock, burrowing a sloppy spiral staircase. Each step is crude and malformed, a different size and height from the others. Each full turn he makes a little window he can look out, and keep track of the climber's progress. A few times he needs to push it further into the sky island as he gets off vertical, or there's an indent he was expected. Looking out the first window he spots the bat carrying Firestarter up, "Oh wow, that's a much better idea than mine."
Yeah... there's a reason she wanted to keep her eyes up.
THere's a brief animal pang of mortality across Brae's features as she gets a good view of Whoalyshitdown! One that makes her heart trip over the lurch in her stomach. She tucks in against the rock face and white knuckles. Get it together, Sarge, unit needs you, ya gave Star yer word....! Dear Lars's words help, and she forces her attention back to her oathkeeper, knowing the meaning of that roar and seeing the bat dive in to help. The colors can't be coinncidence, "Star! Trust the bat!"
'Raaahahhwaaaaahh?!' Firestarter both trusts the bat and howls with unrelenting rage, allowing it to pull her off the rock face. Her fighting fury, even without a target, helps her manage her fears and that long...
- way...
- down.
The bat, a huge celestial beast, is able to manage her weight. It bears her up, up, out of sight. To safely land on top. First!
Thurid hears vague and distant howls, which give her cause for concern, so she keeps up the pace- being careful not to push herself too hard or too fast and risk falling, but still trying to speed up. She does eventually make it to the sloping edge of the cliff face, and her climb becomes more of an all-fours crawl for the last few feet, until the ground levels out enough for her to flop down onto it, and roll over onto her back, panting up at the sky.
She doesn't rest for long, though, still seperated from the rest of her team she pushes herself back up onto her feet, and brings her hands to her mouth. Inhaling deeply, she bellows, "Hoy! Is everyone safe! Did everyone make it aboard!?" hoping her voice carries far enough to hear an answer.
Zaxx just climbs. He has no earplugs and continues with the song and the methodical motions to get to the "summit". The shocktrooper is safe which is just peachy.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "DC15 Perception to hear Thurid" GAME: Zaxx rolls perception: (20)+12: 32 GAME: Braelnoir rolls perception: (8)+12: 20 Zaxx raises his ears and shouts back, "Hooooy, looks like such, madam priest!" <pre><OOC> Cryosanthia says, "I'll pose the top of the island, and yes you can walk over, make a stealth DC10" GAME: Thurid rolls stealth: (17)+-5: 12
The topside of N'pacier Atol'ciel is generally flat. A cleared, engineered area with the roughness remaining at the edges. In the middle, a ruined keep, both damaged by seige engines then slighted so it will never serve as a defensive structure again.
Firestarter stands where she was deposited, breathing heavily. She waves at Thurid across the distance, shouting, "Careful, there are snakes!"
Braelnoir hollars back, "Yeah!" on the call from Thurid, then, seeing the bat wisking Star up to the top well enough, she turns to helping Lars. She looks his way, "Oi! Magic up a brace so ya don't get swept up, I'ma climb up an' toss down a line for ya ta climb up on!" That said, she turns her attention back to getting up the wall, hand and foot, one over he other, trying to make the most of her time so the poor Mastro doesn't get blown away.
Thurid nods her head in satisfaction once everyone who she actually likes answers back to her call, and then she begins picking her way across the island. "Snakes? They'll be in for a rude surprise when they realize where they are!" she laughs, and then she continues picking her way across- giving the structure a wide berth for the time being, lest she disturb anything slumbering within while the party is still seperated.
"Okay!" Lars calls back, and switches to building himself a second balcony, then smoothing a line up the side of the sky island and putting some notches in it, as well as a few loops around, creating a rough caged ladder while the others go hand over hand to the top.
Zaxx lets the frequently furious do her thing, watches out and will help whom he can. He puts a blanket around the singer, if he is within range. Humans can be very succeptible to temperature, right?
GAME: Braelnoir rolls perception: (10)+12: 22 (7 snakes) GAME: Thurid rolls perception: (11)+10: 21 (7 snakes) GAME: Zaxx rolls perception: (19)+12: 31 (10 snakes and Quetzocouatl)
Braelnoir completes her climb to the top, scanning the area on the advisory on 'snakes' she replies, "I count seven!" She scoots over to one side, taking a knee as she lays her scythe beside her and starts to send her rope down, with a loop tied wide enough to slip it under the arms, so dear Lars ca have an easier time climbing up to join them, "Try'n keep'm off me a few!"
"Aye, I see them as well." Thurid calls back to Braelnoir, as she finally draws near to the rest of the party again. She looks worse for wear, now the adrenaline of her feat of strength has worn off, and she's exerted herself yet more on her climb up. Dried blood stains her fingertips and flakes off her face under her nose. Her arms bear purple and red bands of swelling and bruises under the skin. And yet, she unslings her hammer from over her back, and puts her back to Braelnoir to keep an eye on the serpents while the silvermane helps Lars the rest of the way up.
"Okay, coming up! Don't drop me." Lars laughs nervously, tying the rope around his waist, stowing his wand and making sure his all important lute is secured. He climbs the makeshift ladder, and with Braelnoir's assistance makes it to the top. The last to arrive.
"Woaw." He says, looking down over the edge then stepping quickly away from it. "Thanks Brae! Couldn't have done it without you."
He shades his eyes and looks around, "Yeh, I see snakes too. Well... I could charm one of them." The man glances at Thurid, "if that's okay."
He slings his lute around to his front, "Or maybe they'll respond to some music... or you could kill them. They're... not that big."
A second glance at Thurid, "anyone want some healing wand?"
Firestarter is taking a knee, breathing. The climb took a lot out of her. She's moved a short distance from the edge, and isn't looking back. "They're na that big. One there, another there." She's pointing out some visible scales, brightly coloured ones that stand out from the rock.
"Oh, that's all the same snake."
Zaxx breathes deeply and sizes up the serpents. "I'm sound." The warrior snarles, "I wonder how those event got here, unless the are the rock loving kind. Are those animals or planetouched?"
Braelnoir slips her arm around the bard's shoulders as she gets him to the top, "Course, luv!" she replies with a warm smile, then starts to recoil her rope, asking Thurid, "Ya'lright?" on noting the bruising. Then expands it to the others, "Everyone alright?"
<OOC> Thurid says, "I'm down to 16 Health, I think, after last session. I'll spontaniously cast a Cure Serious Wounds on myself." GAME: Thurid casts Prayer. Caster Level: 8 DC: 17 GAME: Thurid rolls 3d8+8: (19)+8: 27 <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Nice, heals 27, so now down only 27"
Being as the snakes... or, as it may turn out, very big singular snake, isn't making any agressive moves for the time being, Thurid takes a moment now that everyone is up and Brael's back no longer needs watching to shift her grip on her hammer, letting the head rest on the ground and clutching her icon once more. "Angoron, soothe my aching muscles and burning joints, that I might fight on." she speaks in prayer to her good, and a warm light envelops her for a few moments- the swelling goes down, the bruises quickly shift through a spectrum of shades as they rapidly move through the heeling process, and she breathes a sigh of relief as her painful shoulder joint's ache settles. "Heard some sorts of snake can climb decent, not that I know much about wild things." she responds to Zaxx, keeping her eyes on it incase it decides to come at them.
Zaxx shares pointedly, "Almost a dozen small ones and a big one in the middle. Ten, right!? Were we back home, I would mention hopeful stars orbiting the equatorially gifted moon, but this is more about children and a mother, perhaps?"
Zaxx turns to the giantkin more fully, "I know a bit, but I veer too far from the Word to care." Shrug.
Braelnoir takes up her scythe again, trusting Lars knows what to do with the rope as we'll likely be very busy, very shortly. She considers the massive length of their coiled company, and feels inspired to ponder certain variants of the draconic word for growth, feeling... almost the ghost of a tingle along her limbs. On a lark, she edges between the bard and the serpents and tries, "Hello, do you know my words?" in a somewhat diplomatic tone belied by the blotchy, blackaned crimson caking nearly the entirety of her. <draconic>
"Well, snakes can climb," Lars suggests, "although that was a helluva climb. I don't think they could make it on their own. Something could have put them here. There isn't a lot to eat, though, looks like. I wonder what they eat."
The snakes don't seem to have noticed the adventurers yet. They are all awake, flicking out their tongues. The sudden motion of the ground, that never moves, has both agitated and confused them.
The biggest snake in the centre of the ruins has noticed them. It rears up, spreading a cobra like hood. Its eyes are fixed on everyone, glimmering, intensley awareness. When Braelnoir calls, wings flick out from its back. Oh that's how it got up here. It moves. Slithering across the flagstones of the ruins. A few feet closer. It stares directly at the merc.
Echoing in her mind, "Yesssss." <draconic>
OOC Convos and Scene Rules
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "So, the options."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "It's 300' up, a double move climb gets you 15', so that's 20 climb rolls. Statistically, every side on the d20. Missing by 4, you make no progress, by 5, you fall. DC 15 for the natural handholds, catching yourself/someone else is DC+10, so 25. Currently only Star/Brael and Zaxx/Lars have the catch options."
<OOC> Thurid says, "My lowest roll is a 12, so I won't be able to fall unless there are other penalties."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "You could make all the rolls, or ask for the distribution, I would like to know if you would make a DC15 if you rolled a 1. This would get you up very quickly to the top, 2 minutes of mad scramble. Well make sure ACP is in there, but no other penalties."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "alternatively, you can take10, which will be a lot longer of a climb, and you'll have to make 3 Fort rolls."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "You can make perceptions to find a better route, which will knock off some distance/time. Also know/geology, k/dungeoneering, prof/airman, prof/guide would get you a +2 for each successfull on a DC20"
<OOC> Thurid says, "So long as she doesn't start a fight and/or wet herself at being suddenly picked up by a giant bat anyway XD"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "she's all clenched up, there is no ballast release"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Sorry about the Charms, but Lars is being a bastard and was waiting for a good opportunity where you wouldn't shoot or punch him in half. Stuck on a rock-face seemed like it."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "oh damn, I forgot the instructions"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Anyhow, I'm getting more details from Whirl, but here's how I'm handling next scene, or scene after, depending how long the combat goes."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "It will be kind of a 'Stone Soup' sort of thing. So part of the Renew The Pact is re-enacting stuff that the original wizards did. Whirl is going to tell me what the first assembly looked like, if it was Council of Nicea kind of thing, or Lord of the Rings meeting about the Ring, or Founding Fathers and the Declaration of Independance, and what was discussed, and what magic was like before. So, there might be wizards representing a faction of hundreds, or a place, like the Millenium kingdom, or just 5 guys."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "but, since I don't want to write 5 scripts, it'll be OOC: Okay, it's like X, some people need to say y,z,a,b,c, and each of you makes up some kind of wizard or proto-wizard who might say the stuff, and we'll RP a couple rounds of you making up what they say."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "so everyone owns the story, and... possibly this feeds back/ahead into the Animus plot, ie: Whirl incorporates aspects of whatever is said to the other things he does."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "I'm not even sure how long ago it was. Anyhow, that will be covered by Lars, since he got the task info."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "I figured you would need some heads up on that as it was a more creative than usual scene request."
Inspiring Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgRoxf0b8UQ
Map, Bottom of Sky Island
https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=mqcmuofxrdd&secret=ssnwuybyhe0
Map, Top of Sky Island
https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=mn1anysnkpd
https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=mn1anysnkpd&secret=smmy6z6a4lo