The Wandering Archipelago (D&D 5e)

[thinkslogically]

(lol! fair enough! )

[Arch Lich Burns]

(Does Gwen hear the dragonborn talk? If so she is going to cast comprehend languages)

[Rodgeir]

Standing after sliding his hand over another set of marks in a tree he starts spiraling in on the hut until he is at the door. He gives Syli a nod and slides in beside Mehr in the hut and whispers,

"Hut's been marked. Sometime soon this place is goin' to get hit. Don't know by who for sure but my money's on the kobold."

He squints at the carved words now that he is inside,

"You understand this?"

While he waits for an answer he half heartedly pushes things around on the floor with his foot wondering what all an Elder would get in the way of gifts from the lizardfolk. Probably skulls.

Investigation: any valuables?: 2D20.HIGH(1)+3 = [4, 2]+3 = 7

[thinkslogically]

((No, they're talking pretty quietly around the front, and she's currently still around the back of the hut with the elf)).

When he's done, Varsk heads back to the hut to relay his findings to the others. Poking half-heartedly at stuff with his boots, it all mostly looks like junk to him. There are a couple of painted animal bones amongst the mess that might be from some lizardfolk tribe, but nothing particularly interesting.

[Arch Lich Burns]

Gwen frowns as she listens to Varsk. as she looks at the elf. Something seemed odd with how scared he is. She heads inside of the house, making sure she does not disturb anything. She looks at Mehriv "Have you found anything? Is there anything I need to translate for you?"

Edit realized Varsk did not talk to Gwen.

[Rodgeir]

When Gwen comes in Varsk looks up from his rummaging, even if Mehr hasn't answered him and says,

"Who's watchin' the elf?"

He grumbles and goes back and stands glaring at the as yet unnamed caretaker.

He opens the window, violently if needed, so he can hear what is said inside.

[thinkslogically]

((Realised I never responded to Gwen's action before the Insight roll)):

"I don't wish to steal from you, I don't understand why you would think that. I'm more interested in what he scrawled down than anything else." Gwen frowns and kneels down to the elf. "Are you okay? Maybe you would feel better if you'd come with me?"

The elf looks up at her and says:
"I - I'm sorry... I know we're not safe out here and sometimes it's hard not to think... Gods... I'm sorry, I'm just... I'm so tired! I've tried to get him to leave so many times, and he just... won't. He's doesn't look it, but he's strong as hell. And all this crazy stuff he says... it's terrifying! Do you know you're the first people who've visited us in almost a year? For that whole time it's been just me, on my own, with... all of THAT, every day, all day... I... Do you know how many times I've wanted to just walk away from it all?"

[Dlover]

Mehr nods to Varsk's warning, "We should all be on guard. Attack could come at any moment."

"Aye, I understand it. A good portion of it, at least. It is mostly written in my people's tongue. The most important part, repeated regularly is... 'When the blood star falls, the beginning will'... either die or end, probably end, 'and old or' another unclear word here, it could be either young or new, with this context, 'will die as what was once' here it's either dead or ended, 'shall rise again.' Three places in which the words can hold different meanings. When it comes to prophecy, a single word's difference can change the meaning greatly. This bodes poorly."

Considering the meaning behind the words, Mehr moves to the bed to examine what he spotted, speaking aloud as he goes, "I have a feeling those three unclear words are ambiguous for a reason. The overall meaning behind this prophecy... The first section seems to hold two meanings regardless of the word. Either something which is only beginning shall progress to its next stage, or beginning itself will cease to be, leaving only endings to occur, leading to an end to all things."

"The second could be 'old or young,' to indicate all beings shall die, or 'old or new,' to reference time, places, events, and such. What concerns me greatly, though, is the simple use of 'and old or other.' Not 'all, old or other.' Perhaps a matter of wording, or an indication that one or the other shall meet its end. Thus, either the long-lived end or are all that remains, or either the past or future will cease to be. Though I hope dearly I am simply interpreting this prophecy falsely, as is so often done."

"Then the final indicates something from the past shall return, but due to the unclear word use, it may be a being which has died, likely the fel dragon, or a place, time, event, culture, anything from the past which has come to an end may be referenced... This may refer to Ash'Karoth, or to the time of suffering when he lived. I doubt much else would be so foreboding. It is good that the druids had us come here when they did. If the kobolds destroyed all of this before we found it, we would have no access to the prophecy."

((Does the second use of 'die' only have one meaning in common due to context (I'm pretty sure there are some languages which use different words for the same thing based on specific context clues), or is it another [die/end]?))

[thinkslogically]

((Good catch! That's supposed to be another die/end.))

[Arch Lich Burns]

Gwen looks at the Elf and sighs, she leans down and whispers to him.

► Show Spoiler

Thinks?

► Show Spoiler

"I know that feeling all too well. We not only traveled with a mad man for several days. Spouting nonsense, and trying to convert others to his 'true god'....

Gwen trails off deciding not to give more details. "Will you be alright?"

[thinkslogically]

He nods.

"I just need a minute... Thank you... I... I'll be round in a moment. Please don't let your friends damage our home. I know it doesn't look like much, but it's all we've got..."

((Gwen goes round the front))

[Nioca]

Fuming, Syli pats the dragonborn on the shoulder, before entering the hut after Mehriv. To keep the elf from hearing, she murmurs in a low, yet forceful voice, "Elder's been drugged. Brat's been dosing him with sweetsleep, so I'm gonna borrow Varsk and have him beat the antidote outta him. But the elder just said something weird to me, sounded like your language..." Syli clears her throat. "Astahii geou confn. Astahii re claxir ve. Astahii tepoha killed ve."

"Any idea what that means?"

[thinkslogically]

► Show Spoiler

Mehriv

► Show Spoiler

Syli's accent leaves something to be desired, but you recognise the words easily enough. They mean:

"They will come. They are taking me. They have killed me."

[Rodgeir]

((Varsk does as written above once Gwen comes around. He has no comment on the interpretation of the prophecy.))

[thinkslogically]

Seeing Gwen return on her own, Varsk grumbles his way around to the back to keep an eye on the elf, forcing the shutters open with a cracking thump.

The elf yelps and cowers away from Varsk, watching him fearfully in case Varsk's anger is about to get directed towards him.

"This isn't necessary..."

[Rodgeir]

Varsk wipes the sweat from his forehead with the heel of his palm and wipes it on his pant leg while considering the elf.

"What's your name? And why would you willingly choose to live out here," he tips his head to the swamp, "like this?" he tips his head towards the now open window.

[thinkslogically]

The elf looks up at Varsk timidly.

"I uh... I'm Vaceran. Heh. Gods. I don't think anyone's asked me that in years..."

He smiles and shakes his head.

"I told you my people hold the old man in high regard? I left home to travel for a while and came here out of curiosity more than anything. The old man was kind, but obviously struggling, so I thought I would stay a while and help him with some gardening, and a spot of mending and the like. He was good company... IS good company, on his good days, but he cannot take proper care of himself, and refuses to leave. I don't know why he won't. I'm not sure he even knows, but it is vitally important to him that he does and he gets... violent if I try to force the issue. So I stay with him and will probably continue to stay until he dies. I... I wish I could leave, but... it would kill him... Or me, most likely... And there's no-one else to do it."

[Rodgeir]

"Well, Vaceran, my name's Varsk and I'd say you got around a day or two to get out of here before was peepin' in your window comes back. When they come back they will kill you and your sleepy buddy."

Varsk gauges his reaction and continues,

"Might be a good time to wake'm up and get real convincin' 'bout movin'."

[thinkslogically]

He looks up at Varsk and begins to laugh.

"If I could have made him leave by now, I would have."

He holds his head into his hands and keeps giggling.

[Rodgeir]

Varsk shakes his head and the elf. Wouldn't have lasted a month on the streets of Seahaven.

He turns his head slightly to the window,

"Can we wrap this end of the world shit up and go save those nobels?"

[Dlover]

Mehr frowns as Syli relays what she had heard, translating for her, "'They will come. They are taking me. They have killed me.' And Varsk has found signs that this place is marked in some way. Try to wake the elder soon, for those kobolds may come for his life any moment now."

Mehr glances at the window as Varsk calls out, "Perhaps, but I believe we should all be inside until this is sorted out. There could be an attack at any moment, and I don't want to have us all split up around this building. If it comes soon and the kobolds haven't seen us, we'll be able to take them by surprise, while they expect an old dragonborn and his caretaker."

((I'm guessing it got drowned in dialogue, so Mehr's checking what he saw under the bed))

[thinkslogically]

((It did, thanks!))

Mehriv checks what he sees under the bed. It turns out to be a shard of a mirror, and a little more investigation shows that it comes from a broken mirror that's been carefully (if rather carelessly) hidden between the bedframe and the straw mattress. The mirror itself is cracked, and the frame splintered, but around the frame yet more draconic runes are scratched deep into the wood. They read:

"Valemgaldro"

[WearsHats]

Kal looks around at the possible paths.

He'll also take a sec to consider the motives of the lizardfolk. Based on what he knows of their ways, what route is likely best?

► Show Spoiler

Perception: 1D20+1 = [12]+1 = 13
Insight: 1D20+3 = [12]+3 = 15

For now, though, unless he spots something or thinks of something, he'll probably suggest they turn south, staying with the deeper waters.

[Nioca]

"That requires an antidote. I can see if there's some Saram nearby, but that means venturing outward. 'Less, as I said, our elven friend happens to have some on him..."

((Does Syli still have a use of wildshape remaining?))

[Arch Lich Burns]

Gwen frowns when Mehriv translates. She thinks for a bit and suddenly grins. "I think we have a solution for that, and we don't have to wait here.

We can let them borrow the stones, us coming along with them to get them back. If needed, I can ask Tam if it would be okay to house these two there. They would be safe there."