+: A creature on the cob. The middle life stage of the corn creature, between Aur and Centaur. It does not have wings. Its flesh is comprised of thousands of hard microkernels. They travel in herds, and can hear at the speed of sound.
+: 
diff --git a/www/cobit.gif b/www/cobit.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..03ff601
Binary files /dev/null and b/www/cobit.gif differ
diff --git a/www/index.html b/www/index.html
index 57dbb17..94db054 100644
--- a/www/index.html
+++ b/www/index.html
@@ -1753,6 +1753,24 @@ really ruin your day.
+
+
+
Cobit
+
+A creature on the cob. The middle life stage of the corn creature,
+between Aur and Centaur. It does not have wings. Its flesh is comprised
+of thousands of hard microkernels. They travel in herds, and can hear at
+the speed of sound.
+
“SHOE SHINE!” Bellows Tea, with a full bodied laugh!
+
With a well practiced move, faster than one would think
+ giant like Tea could move, Tea removes an object from their
+ satchel.
+
…at first glance it appears to be a flail without a handle,
+ but is actually a spare pair of giant boots, held by their
+ laces.
+
“These could indeed use a good shining.”
+
The boot are spectacularly large, probably a 1/2 size too
+ large, in all honest, for even Tea’s feet.
+
The boots have gold eyelets.
+
+
Earrings greedily snatches the boots and start washing,
+ drying, and polishing them to a shine. Waistcoat eagerly tugs
+ on Tea’s wrist and guides him to the comfy chair, which is
+ decidedly too small for his bulky frame. Teeth graciously
+ offers him a wedge of cheese.
+
Depending on how observant Tea is, he may or may not notice
+ that the boots are returned to him with 1 - 3 fewer
+ eyelets.
+
+
Bending down, Inky sniffs the bottles carefully, mumbling,
+ “Creosote, shellac, hopweed … ou, wild cherry liquorice.”
+ Then, a little louder to one of the blahoblins, though it came
+ out not much more than a squeak, “Might I ask from where did
+ you get these?”
+
+
“Shoe Polish! We Make! Roots and ash!” shouts Waistcoat.
+ They seem to only have the one volume.
From their spot behind the construction banner, Inky pulls
+ a pewter bowl, a large wooden spoon and a set of silver spoons
+ from their brewing kit. In one quick fluid motion, Inky
+ strikes the bowl with the wooden spoon. The sound reverberates
+ soulfully through the domed cavern of the vault, like a call
+ to meditation. The kobits too, seem to recognise that single,
+ sonorous note.
+
After a long pause, Inky taps several silver spoons in
+ rapid succession against one another and on a small rock. The
+ result can be barely heard by everyone in the vault except the
+ aurs, for whom the sounds may resemble the soothing trickle of
+ pebbles flowing along the path of a tunnel.
+
+
A rich tone permeates the vault. The Aurs cease their
+ squeaking. You don’t hear them say this, but you imagine
+ they’re thinking, “Oh shit, I still need to log my sit for
+ Sitember..” And they flutter down to the ground and sit in a
+ circle and close their eyes and are still.
+
You also hear a deep rumbling somewhere beneath you in
+ response to the gentle call. Some of the gold coin dunes start
+ to shift and spill. A suit of armor falls over. HORSE and the
+ clumsy kobit halt their advance and look around nervously, and
+ then bolt for the front door of the vault.
Psst, Inky, can you poke your head into the vault, see if
+ you can spot any crystals. Also, can you tell what kind of
+ gold’s in there? Maybe it’s worth something to nab a piece of
+ two for ourselves, you know, since we’re so good at vault
+ cracking.
+
While you do that I’m going to take a closer look at this
+ sword, it’s giving me heeby jeebies.
+
I cast a spell on the sword to identify its physical,
+ magical, and metaphysical properties
+
“Strange sword, I command thee to divulge your secrets! All
+ that you are of, exist in, and imbue from shall be wrought in
+ words of sorcercy so that the world my see clear what you
+ are!” I chant as I invoke ancient runes with my wand.
+
+
Corraidhín commands the sword commandingly. But the sword
+ just rolls its eye and looks at him exasperatedly.
+
Hmm. Yes, no mouth. Well then.
+
Corraidhín draws on his mastery of Arcane Lore, and sifts
+ through all the knowledge he has filed away on magical swords.
+ There are so many books on magic swords!
+
While at first you guessed that it may merely be a common
+ Look Sword, you have since revised your initial assessment.
+ Look Swords are minor magical items, and are not quite as
+ sentient as this particular blade appears to be.
+
No this must be something a little more special.
+
It’s hard to tell from here–the water is not perfectly
+ clear–but the pattern on the hilt is kind swirly and whirly.
+ Probably a Sword of Omens.
+
Unless…
+
No, it’s so unlikely.
+
And yet.
+
If the pattern on the hilt turns out to be more whirly than
+ swirly, then it probably is indeed a Sword of Omens.
+
But on the other hand, if it is more swirly than whirly,
+ it’s possible that this may be then legendary Sword of
+ J’Son.
+
If only you could get a closer look…
+
+
Inky nods and peeks inside the vault, while keeping an ear
+ open for any sounds coming from the tunnel where the guard
+ kobit is currently sleeping soundly. Small mountains of
+ ancient gold, some as coins and some in nuggets of various
+ shapes and sizes, filled most of the cavern floor. In one
+ corner were a few chests overflowing with rubies and emeralds,
+ with the occasional amethyst and tiny pink diamonds. Whoever
+ had this vault set up has amassed a nice hoard!
+
Inky whispered back, “Some good old gold! There are also
+ little crystals in one of the chests, but I can’t tell if any
+ of them is a Ginnarak.”
+
+
Inky hears the drunken cowboy Kobit guard snoring gently.
+ It whistles adorably a little bit at the top of each
+ exhale.
+
You peek inside the vault just in time to see the lone
+ Kobit guard that went inside to check on the vault. It yelps
+ and trips over its own feet.
+
Its shoes were untied.
+
There are indeed piles of gold, gems, and crystals. Chests
+ full of precious stones. A few suits of armor. For some
+ reason, a giant clam, mouth open to reveal a giant pearl.
+
And in the center of it all, atop a stone pedestal, beneath
+ a dome of glass, is the blue and gold Ginnarak Crystal. It is
+ the size of a melon, and kind of shaped like one. A lumpy,
+ multi-faceted blue and gold melon.
+
Flitting around the pedestal are a couple of Aurs. Giant
+ ears with bat wings. Very keen hearing obviously. Usually more
+ of an annoyance than a true deterrent. Unless there’s a
+ Centaur around. Nasty things those. A hundred ears with a
+ hundred wings. The size of a small horse. They can really ruin
+ your day. Luckily you don’t see one around.
+
Finally, curled up on the ground at the base of the
+ pedestal, hugging a mound of gold coins like a body pillow, is
+ a nude Kobit, sound asleep. It stretches briefly in its sleep
+ and when it does, you are astonished to see that it has large
+ leathery wings.
Blavin provides you with a multibeast for your excursion.
+ “Courtesy of the Benefactor!” You pack it up with food and
+ supplies, and trek into the Tammineaux Forest in search of the
+ first Ginnarak Crystal.
+
The forest is lush, thick, and green. You have to hack your
+ way through the vines and the brush. There are stinging
+ insects, squawking birds, and dangerous forest creatures a
+ plenty. It is hot and sticky.
+
How will you ever find your way through this wilderness to
+ the dig site?
+
“Shouldn’t be too hard,” you remember Blavin saying back at
+ Lucy’s, gesturing carelessly and sloshing a little bit of his
+ fourth drink. “They’re gnomes, after all! Just follow the
+ sound of explosions and screaming.”
+
Sure enough, before long you hear a mechanical droning and
+ some blasting up ahead, punctuated now and then by high
+ pitched screams, and you guide the multibeast in that
+ direction.
+
Suddenly you are ambushed by a troop of blahoblins! Awful
+ looking things. Taut rubbery gray skin. Long flat noses stick
+ out way far from their faces. And so do their protruding,
+ lipless mouths full of sharp pointy teeth. You didn’t hear
+ them over the noise of the shrieking parrots and, in the
+ distance, the shrieking gnomes.
+
“SHOE SHINE!!” the first one yells. It is wearing a gold
+ ring on each finger (minus the three fingers it is missing),
+ two in each ear, and one in its nose. It is dragging a vat of
+ black polish nearly as tall as it is.
+
“SHOE SHINE!!” a second one agrees. It is wearing a nice
+ waistcoat with large gaudy buttons, and a nice looking pocket
+ watch on a gold chain. It is dragging a comfy looking chair
+ stuffed with bits of fluff and leaves and fur.
+
A third one screams, “SHOE SHINE SHOE SHINE!” It has
+ several gold teeth and carries a huge block of cheese secured
+ to its back with long loops of hempen rope.
+
The fourth and final one is wearing what looks like freshly
+ painted red shoes and is carrying a lit torch. “SHOE
+ SHIIIIINE!” it screams. It is wearing a gold medallion on a
+ gold necklace.
Inky peers down at the hole, and after some time, turns to
+ the party. “Do you think they’ve cleared most of the gnomes by
+ now, or should we wait until they emerge and grab the crystal
+ then?” Gazing at some invisible spot farther among the trees,
+ Inky continued, “One of the old miners back at the tavern said
+ there used to be a natural maw on the southwestern side, but
+ it was blocked when the tunnel caved in many years ago. The
+ gnomes don’t waste their efforts on blowing up things knowing
+ someone’s already been through them. Chances are there’s only
+ one exit, unless this mine is a decoy.”
+
+
Inky peers down the hole and watches Retrieval Team 70
+ approach the kobit caves.
+
The maw on the southwestern side did indeed collapse
+ several seasons ago. If you know anything about the industrial
+ and intrepid kobits however, it is that they have probably dug
+ several alternative, secret entrances since then.
+
Just as the gophers reach the cave entrance, a large erge,
+ muscles rippling beneath its white feathers, emerges from
+ behind a boulder and blocks their way forward.
+
It raises the feathery crest on the crown of its head, and
+ fluffs up its plumage in a dramatic display. It appears to be
+ arguing with the gophers. All three gophers appear to be
+ arguing back.
+
The egre gestures angrily at the gophers’ feet, shakes its
+ head, and crosses its arms defiantly. The gophers look down at
+ their own feet and shuffle about as though embarrassed.
+
They all exchange a few more words and then the gophers
+ retreat away from the egre and the cave entrance. They huddle
+ together briefly and then start slowly climbing the
+ scaffolding back up to the top of the hole.
+
“Oh yeah,” the foreman remarks absentmindedly. “There’s an
+ egre guarding the kobit caves.”
+
The egre below preens and struts about proudly having
+ chased off the gophers.
+
“Stubborn things,” the foreman continues. “Easily provoked
+ to violence. Impeccable fashion sense though.”
Harrumph I say as I billow out my mustache. I know exactly
+ what this is, I’ve seen these silly terminals at the wizarding
+ academy. Fascinating little babbles really, not that easy to
+ use, and I find they’re easier to melt with a well placed
+ fireball or two, but I think I can get us past without that.
+ Now I might need someone to cover for me if that Kobit catches
+ onto what I’m doing, and I’ll say the weird sword is starting
+ to creep me out a bit.
+
Corraidhin approaches the terminal, cracks his knuckles,
+ and enters: 1,$p
+
+
The printer spits out a piece of paper:
+
The door is Locked
+
+
Corraidhin stares at the paper. Well, that’s not right, the
+ door’s only partially closed. Preposterious thing.
+
That’s okay, I know how to fix this.
+
19 c there is no door, there never was, and never will be.
+ Also the Kobit guard forgot to tie his shoes. . w 1,$p
+
+
The printer spits out a slip of paper.
+
there is no door, there never was, and never will be. Also the Kobit guard forgot to tie his shoes.
+
With a soft pop, the thick stone door vanishes.
+
The sword at the bottom of the pool widens its eye in
+ surprise.
+
Nothing remains between you and the interior of the
+ vault.
+
Some light from the hall spills in and glints off what
+ appears to be a mound of gold, gems, and crystals. The rest of
+ its contents are hidden from view unless you venture
+ inside.
+
You can still hear the guard kobit in the passage, now
+ whistling a warbling, lamentful tune. It sounds dangerously
+ close. Best get a move on if you want to avoid a
+ confrontation.
+
WHAT DO YOU DO
+
+
While the wisened scholar inspects the vault door, Inky
+ walks a few steps from the antechamber to meet the Kobit
+ guard, pressure gauge and tiny notebook in hand. Inky proceeds
+ to ask them about water flow sounds in the surrounding area,
+ water stains, signs of potential pests that could damage the
+ pipes, and other rather boring elements pertaining to modern
+ Basmentia burrow plumbing.
+
After a while, seeing as they have been conversing for some
+ time, Inky pulls out two small bottles of chilled arrowroot
+ beer from a waist pouch and offers one to the Kobit guard.
+
+
The big guard kobit’s eyes start to glass over as Inky goes
+ on about water pressure and structural integrity.
+
But it does graciously accept a bottle arrowroot beer.
+
“Well, golly, don’t mind if I do!” It cracks the lid off,
+ toasts to your health and takes a long swig.
+
“Aaaaaaaah! That hits the spot!”
+
+
Corraidhin absentmindedly inspects the terminal and door
+ while Inky converses with the guard. He’s utterly distracted
+ and talking to himself.
+
By the gods, it’s gone. Just like that! I thought it’d
+ fizzle or something, but it’s gone! I wonder what else I can
+ do with this thing.
+
Corraidhin wanders back to the terminal and enters another
+ command.
+
19 c The wise and elderly Corraidhin is now a young and
+ dashing rogue, with a very nice hat. .
+
+
The printer spits out a slip of paper:
+
?
+
Maybe the ed terminal only has jurisdiction over the door
+ to the vault.
+
Or maybe the machine, the universe, or whatever, is telling
+ you not to push your luck.
+
By now the big guard kobit, lulled by Inky’s questions and
+ finally sedated by the alcohol, is slumped and snoring softly
+ in the mouth of one of the twisty little passages.
+
You stand before the open vault under the ever watchful
+ gaze of the sword at the bottom of the pool of water in the
+ center of the room.
Inky smiles at Corey. “Hullo! We’re the waterworks crew
+ from the neaby town, here to check the outhouse tunnels,
+ inspect all the pipes and so on. We received reports of a
+ blockage somewhere inside the networks. Have the tunnels been
+ flushing well lately?” While speaking, Inky flashes a
+ waterworker’s ID briefly at the kobit before pocketing it and
+ pulling out a pressure gauge, giving the little handle on one
+ side of the device a few cranks, and looking back at Corey
+ expectantly.
+
+
Corey slowly blinks its eyes. “Inspektor?”
+
ASIDE: I rolled for Inky and rolled a six, which according
+ to the rules means GREAT SUCCESS, and also Inky gets to Level
+ Up: they gain the skill Persuasive 2.
+
“Of course! Inspektors! Yes, yes, right this way! A
+ surprise inspection, how exciting!”
+
Corey continues to chatter excitedly as it leads you
+ further into the branching, winding tunnels, pointing out
+ particular bits of stonework and engineering, and also baubles
+ and trinkets and fossils and artifacts that the kobits
+ uncovered in the process of digging their tunnels.
+
Your tour eventually brings you into a large cavern with
+ tunnels exactly like the one from which you just entered
+ branching off in all directions. It makes you dizzy to think
+ of finding your way through this labyrinth without a
+ guide.
+
In the middle of the cavern is a deep pool with a fountain.
+ At the bottom of the pool, a SWORD is thrust into the ground
+ almost up to its hilt. A large jewel set deep in the pommel
+ rolls around like an eye in a socket and tracks your movement
+ around cavern. A few bubbles float up to the surface of the
+ pool.
+
And set into the wall on the far side of the room is a
+ massive stone door reinforced with thick iron bands. There is
+ a keypad and a small printer on the wall next to it.
+
“….and so our tour concludes here in the central atrium!”
+ Corey concludes excitedly. “Behind this door is the VAULT,
+ where we keep all the valuables. Gemstones, gold, crystals, et
+ cetera.”
+
“Top notch security!” Corey exclaims tapping the keypad.
+ The printer spits out a square of paper. It reads
+
ed v1.16
+*
+?
+*
+?
+*e door
+19
+*,n
+1 the door is Locked
+*wq
+
“Ha ha!” Corey shakes its head in amazement. “I have no
+ idea how this thing works!”
+
The eye in the sword watches as Corey clips the small
+ printout to its clipboard.
+
“Now, I trust you’ll find that everything was in tip-top
+ order! Yes, indeed!” Corey wriggles its mustache proudly. “Now
+ if you’ll excuse me,” it flips through the pages on its
+ clipboard, “I am late for my next appointment. Good day!”
+ Corey turns and walks toward one of the twisty little
+ passageways, all alike.
+ ]]>
+
+ 16dozens@tilde.team (dozens)
@@ -347,42 +800,42 @@ But, my last Bear called me her Bee. I quite liked that. The bee in her bonnet!
- 18
+ 00001 - we meet in a taverndozens@tilde.team (dozens)
- 18 - Wed, 28 Sep 2022 10:28:38
--0600
- Wed, 28 Sep 2022 10:28:38 -0600
+ 00001 - we meet in a tavern - Tue, 20
+Jul 2022 20:32:23 -0600
+ Tue, 20 Jul 2022 20:32:23 -0600
00018
-
-
From their spot behind the construction banner, Inky pulls
- a pewter bowl, a large wooden spoon and a set of silver spoons
- from their brewing kit. In one quick fluid motion, Inky
- strikes the bowl with the wooden spoon. The sound reverberates
- soulfully through the domed cavern of the vault, like a call
- to meditation. The kobits too, seem to recognise that single,
- sonorous note.
-
After a long pause, Inky taps several silver spoons in
- rapid succession against one another and on a small rock. The
- result can be barely heard by everyone in the vault except the
- aurs, for whom the sounds may resemble the soothing trickle of
- pebbles flowing along the path of a tunnel.
-
-
A rich tone permeates the vault. The Aurs cease their
- squeaking. You don’t hear them say this, but you imagine
- they’re thinking, “Oh shit, I still need to log my sit for
- Sitember..” And they flutter down to the ground and sit in a
- circle and close their eyes and are still.
-
You also hear a deep rumbling somewhere beneath you in
- response to the gentle call. Some of the gold coin dunes start
- to shift and spill. A suit of armor falls over. HORSE and the
- clumsy kobit halt their advance and look around nervously, and
- then bolt for the front door of the vault.
-
“BrUHrhHHHURHu-RUN!”
-
UH OH WHAT DO!!
+
00001
+
“Congratulations!” The slightly tipsy hobbit grins and
+ salutes you with his martini. “On Retrieval Team 43’s
+ inaugural mission! I’m so excited for you, I’m sure you’ll do
+ fantastic!”
+
You are all seated around a table in the corner at Lucy’s
+ Basement. It is dimly lit and fairly noisy. The walls are
+ covered in red velvet curtains, and the tablecloths have
+ little gold tassels. A cloud of purple smoke from candles,
+ cigars, and pipes hangs in the air. Waiters bustle between
+ tables refilling drinks.
+
“So to recap, the Benefactor has tasked you with retrieving
+ the five fabled Ginnarak Crystals. I, Blavin Blandfoot, will
+ be your case manager. You will be paid handsomely for each
+ crystal you retrieve. And if you retrieve all 5, you’ll get to
+ meet the Benefactor at be their guest at their glorious
+ mansion!”
+
“The first crystal has been spotted near a Gnomish dig site
+ in the Tammineaux Forest, just east of here.”
+
“I recommend getting started right away!” He polishes off
+ his drink and squints at his empty glass. “Well, maybe first
+ thing in the morning. Waiter!”
+
+
Who are you?
+
What role do you think you will fill on the team?
+
What do you plan to do with your cut of the money?
+ href="https://framalistes.org/sympa/arc/tildepals/2022-07/msg00015.html">www
]]>
@@ -441,291 +894,6 @@ But, my last Bear called me her Bee. I quite liked that. The bee in her bonnet!
]]>
-
- 00002 - shoe shine
- dozens@tilde.team (dozens)
- 00002 - shoe shine - Tue, 21 Jul 2022
-20:32:23 -0600
- Tue, 21 Jul 2022 20:32:23 -0600
-
- 00002
-
Blavin provides you with a multibeast for your excursion.
- “Courtesy of the Benefactor!” You pack it up with food and
- supplies, and trek into the Tammineaux Forest in search of the
- first Ginnarak Crystal.
-
The forest is lush, thick, and green. You have to hack your
- way through the vines and the brush. There are stinging
- insects, squawking birds, and dangerous forest creatures a
- plenty. It is hot and sticky.
-
How will you ever find your way through this wilderness to
- the dig site?
-
“Shouldn’t be too hard,” you remember Blavin saying back at
- Lucy’s, gesturing carelessly and sloshing a little bit of his
- fourth drink. “They’re gnomes, after all! Just follow the
- sound of explosions and screaming.”
-
Sure enough, before long you hear a mechanical droning and
- some blasting up ahead, punctuated now and then by high
- pitched screams, and you guide the multibeast in that
- direction.
-
Suddenly you are ambushed by a troop of blahoblins! Awful
- looking things. Taut rubbery gray skin. Long flat noses stick
- out way far from their faces. And so do their protruding,
- lipless mouths full of sharp pointy teeth. You didn’t hear
- them over the noise of the shrieking parrots and, in the
- distance, the shrieking gnomes.
-
“SHOE SHINE!!” the first one yells. It is wearing a gold
- ring on each finger (minus the three fingers it is missing),
- two in each ear, and one in its nose. It is dragging a vat of
- black polish nearly as tall as it is.
-
“SHOE SHINE!!” a second one agrees. It is wearing a nice
- waistcoat with large gaudy buttons, and a nice looking pocket
- watch on a gold chain. It is dragging a comfy looking chair
- stuffed with bits of fluff and leaves and fur.
-
A third one screams, “SHOE SHINE SHOE SHINE!” It has
- several gold teeth and carries a huge block of cheese secured
- to its back with long loops of hempen rope.
-
The fourth and final one is wearing what looks like freshly
- painted red shoes and is carrying a lit torch. “SHOE
- SHIIIIINE!” it screams. It is wearing a gold medallion on a
- gold necklace.
Inky smiles at Corey. “Hullo! We’re the waterworks crew
- from the neaby town, here to check the outhouse tunnels,
- inspect all the pipes and so on. We received reports of a
- blockage somewhere inside the networks. Have the tunnels been
- flushing well lately?” While speaking, Inky flashes a
- waterworker’s ID briefly at the kobit before pocketing it and
- pulling out a pressure gauge, giving the little handle on one
- side of the device a few cranks, and looking back at Corey
- expectantly.
-
-
Corey slowly blinks its eyes. “Inspektor?”
-
ASIDE: I rolled for Inky and rolled a six, which according
- to the rules means GREAT SUCCESS, and also Inky gets to Level
- Up: they gain the skill Persuasive 2.
-
“Of course! Inspektors! Yes, yes, right this way! A
- surprise inspection, how exciting!”
-
Corey continues to chatter excitedly as it leads you
- further into the branching, winding tunnels, pointing out
- particular bits of stonework and engineering, and also baubles
- and trinkets and fossils and artifacts that the kobits
- uncovered in the process of digging their tunnels.
-
Your tour eventually brings you into a large cavern with
- tunnels exactly like the one from which you just entered
- branching off in all directions. It makes you dizzy to think
- of finding your way through this labyrinth without a
- guide.
-
In the middle of the cavern is a deep pool with a fountain.
- At the bottom of the pool, a SWORD is thrust into the ground
- almost up to its hilt. A large jewel set deep in the pommel
- rolls around like an eye in a socket and tracks your movement
- around cavern. A few bubbles float up to the surface of the
- pool.
-
And set into the wall on the far side of the room is a
- massive stone door reinforced with thick iron bands. There is
- a keypad and a small printer on the wall next to it.
-
“….and so our tour concludes here in the central atrium!”
- Corey concludes excitedly. “Behind this door is the VAULT,
- where we keep all the valuables. Gemstones, gold, crystals, et
- cetera.”
-
“Top notch security!” Corey exclaims tapping the keypad.
- The printer spits out a square of paper. It reads
-
ed v1.16
-*
-?
-*
-?
-*e door
-19
-*,n
-1 the door is Locked
-*wq
-
“Ha ha!” Corey shakes its head in amazement. “I have no
- idea how this thing works!”
-
The eye in the sword watches as Corey clips the small
- printout to its clipboard.
-
“Now, I trust you’ll find that everything was in tip-top
- order! Yes, indeed!” Corey wriggles its mustache proudly. “Now
- if you’ll excuse me,” it flips through the pages on its
- clipboard, “I am late for my next appointment. Good day!”
- Corey turns and walks toward one of the twisty little
- passageways, all alike.
“I’ve tried it! It’s not vi! It doesn’t do anything!” Vest
- moans. “Here you try it if you’re so smart!”
-
Sash is balled up on the floor crying, having already had a
- turn at the terminal.
-
Shorts carefully steps over them and timidly prods at the
- keypad.
-
A throng of beefy guard kobits come charging into the hall,
- alerted by the gopher racket.
-
“Here now! You’re not supposed to be in here!”
-
One of them trips over Sash, still balled up on the floor,
- and crashes into Shorts’s back, pinning them to wall. They
- squeal. Another guard grabs Vest by the collar, and after a
- brief scuffle all three gophers are escorted out of the hall
- despite their howls of protest.
-
“I had better check on the vault!” exclaims one of the
- kobits who remains behind.
-
They bang a few keys on the terminal and it spits out a
- slip of paper.
-
ed v1.6
-19
-P
-*,n
-1 the door is locked
-*1s/locked/open
-?
-*H
-no match
-*1s/Locked/Open
-the door is Open
-*wq
-17
-
There is a mechanical whir deep in the walls, and a click
- and a gasp of air as the door swings inward.
-
The kobit slips into the vault and the door swings only
- partly closed behind it.
-
The sword in the bottom of the pool pointedly narrows its
- eye at you.
-
The gods of Basmentaria observe passively from their
- reliefs in the alcoves around you.
-
The door to the vault is ajar, the first of the five
- legendary Ginnarak crystals presumably behind it.
-
From one of the twisty little passages, you hear a guard
- kobit approaching, singing a sad cowboy song to itself.
Harrumph I say as I billow out my mustache. I know exactly
- what this is, I’ve seen these silly terminals at the wizarding
- academy. Fascinating little babbles really, not that easy to
- use, and I find they’re easier to melt with a well placed
- fireball or two, but I think I can get us past without that.
- Now I might need someone to cover for me if that Kobit catches
- onto what I’m doing, and I’ll say the weird sword is starting
- to creep me out a bit.
-
Corraidhin approaches the terminal, cracks his knuckles,
- and enters: 1,$p
-
-
The printer spits out a piece of paper:
-
The door is Locked
-
-
Corraidhin stares at the paper. Well, that’s not right, the
- door’s only partially closed. Preposterious thing.
-
That’s okay, I know how to fix this.
-
19 c there is no door, there never was, and never will be.
- Also the Kobit guard forgot to tie his shoes. . w 1,$p
-
-
The printer spits out a slip of paper.
-
there is no door, there never was, and never will be. Also the Kobit guard forgot to tie his shoes.
-
With a soft pop, the thick stone door vanishes.
-
The sword at the bottom of the pool widens its eye in
- surprise.
-
Nothing remains between you and the interior of the
- vault.
-
Some light from the hall spills in and glints off what
- appears to be a mound of gold, gems, and crystals. The rest of
- its contents are hidden from view unless you venture
- inside.
-
You can still hear the guard kobit in the passage, now
- whistling a warbling, lamentful tune. It sounds dangerously
- close. Best get a move on if you want to avoid a
- confrontation.
-
WHAT DO YOU DO
-
-
While the wisened scholar inspects the vault door, Inky
- walks a few steps from the antechamber to meet the Kobit
- guard, pressure gauge and tiny notebook in hand. Inky proceeds
- to ask them about water flow sounds in the surrounding area,
- water stains, signs of potential pests that could damage the
- pipes, and other rather boring elements pertaining to modern
- Basmentia burrow plumbing.
-
After a while, seeing as they have been conversing for some
- time, Inky pulls out two small bottles of chilled arrowroot
- beer from a waist pouch and offers one to the Kobit guard.
-
-
The big guard kobit’s eyes start to glass over as Inky goes
- on about water pressure and structural integrity.
-
But it does graciously accept a bottle arrowroot beer.
-
“Well, golly, don’t mind if I do!” It cracks the lid off,
- toasts to your health and takes a long swig.
-
“Aaaaaaaah! That hits the spot!”
-
-
Corraidhin absentmindedly inspects the terminal and door
- while Inky converses with the guard. He’s utterly distracted
- and talking to himself.
-
By the gods, it’s gone. Just like that! I thought it’d
- fizzle or something, but it’s gone! I wonder what else I can
- do with this thing.
-
Corraidhin wanders back to the terminal and enters another
- command.
-
19 c The wise and elderly Corraidhin is now a young and
- dashing rogue, with a very nice hat. .
-
-
The printer spits out a slip of paper:
-
?
-
Maybe the ed terminal only has jurisdiction over the door
- to the vault.
-
Or maybe the machine, the universe, or whatever, is telling
- you not to push your luck.
-
By now the big guard kobit, lulled by Inky’s questions and
- finally sedated by the alcohol, is slumped and snoring softly
- in the mouth of one of the twisty little passages.
-
You stand before the open vault under the ever watchful
- gaze of the sword at the bottom of the pool of water in the
- center of the room.
-
WHAT DO
- ]]>
-
- 8dozens@tilde.team (dozens)
@@ -816,89 +984,288 @@ the door is Open
- 00001 - we meet in a tavern
+ 00005 - gnomesdozens@tilde.team (dozens)
- 00001 - we meet in a tavern - Tue, 20
-Jul 2022 20:32:23 -0600
- Tue, 20 Jul 2022 20:32:23 -0600
+ 00005 - gnomes - Tue, 25 Jul 2022
+20:32:23 -0600
+ Tue, 25 Jul 2022 20:32:23 -0600
00001
-
“Congratulations!” The slightly tipsy hobbit grins and
- salutes you with his martini. “On Retrieval Team 43’s
- inaugural mission! I’m so excited for you, I’m sure you’ll do
- fantastic!”
-
You are all seated around a table in the corner at Lucy’s
- Basement. It is dimly lit and fairly noisy. The walls are
- covered in red velvet curtains, and the tablecloths have
- little gold tassels. A cloud of purple smoke from candles,
- cigars, and pipes hangs in the air. Waiters bustle between
- tables refilling drinks.
-
“So to recap, the Benefactor has tasked you with retrieving
- the five fabled Ginnarak Crystals. I, Blavin Blandfoot, will
- be your case manager. You will be paid handsomely for each
- crystal you retrieve. And if you retrieve all 5, you’ll get to
- meet the Benefactor at be their guest at their glorious
- mansion!”
-
“The first crystal has been spotted near a Gnomish dig site
- in the Tammineaux Forest, just east of here.”
-
“I recommend getting started right away!” He polishes off
- his drink and squints at his empty glass. “Well, maybe first
- thing in the morning. Waiter!”
-
-
Who are you?
-
What role do you think you will fill on the team?
-
What do you plan to do with your cut of the money?
-
+
00005
+
+
As the blahoblins were packing up, Inky persuades Waistcoat
+ to sell a few small bottles of shoe polish, a roughly round
+ piece of broken glass and scraps of cheesecloth from the
+ mountain of debris previously on the ground. Inky rolls Do
+ Anything 1 and rolls a 4.
+
+
Inky successfully persuades Waistcoat to sell a few baubles
+ and trinkets with the first roll of the game!
+
They haggle back and forth a little bit, and Inky ends up
+ paying a little more than they wanted to, but they get all the
+ stuff they wanted. Yay commerce!
+
Having concluded business, the blahoblins pack up and
+ disappear into the bushes toting their chair, cheese, and vat
+ of polish.
+
The sound of mechanical droning and periodic explosions
+ compel you forward to the dig site.
+
It is easy to find.
+
It is a large hole blasted deep into the ground. There are
+ drills, and conveyor belts, earth moving machines, and all
+ kinds of gadgets and gizmos, the purpose of which is not
+ always readily apparent. And there is a zip line that seems to
+ be the only way down to the bottom.
+
The site is absolutely teeming with gnomes. Diminutive
+ humanoids with bright red noses and long, long ears, and long,
+ nimble fingers. All gnomes are compulsive tinkerers and
+ mechanics, and build fantastic contraptions. All gnomes are
+ women, and are all highly explosive. Which makes their
+ combustion powered machines extremely dangerous, both for
+ themselves and for any unfortunate bystanders close enough to
+ get caught in the blast.
+
A gnome in a white hat comes running up to you. “You there!
+ Hey! Yes, you!”
+
“Are you the retrieval team? We’ve been expecting you! The
+ whole dig is halted because we accidentally blasted into a
+ whole nest of Kobits, and they won’t let us get near to keep
+ digging! They keep sabotaging our machines when we try!”
+
“They also stole the Ginnarak Crystal that we found! That
+ thing could have powered such glorious new machines!” She
+ pouts.
+
In the background, a gnome who had crawled half way into a
+ coal bin in the side of some kind of excavator suddenly
+ scrambles quickly out, smoking, and runs around in circles in
+ a panic. Nearby gnomes dive out of the way as she erupts in a
+ small ball of fire. The gnomes wait for the smoke to clear and
+ then immediately return to working on the contraption.
+
The foreman continues talking to you as though nothing
+ happened. She leads you over to the edge of the hole and
+ points to the bottom.
+
“The entrance to their cave is right down there! The zip
+ line is the second fastest way down.”
“SHOE SHINE!” Bellows Tea, with a full bodied laugh!
-
With a well practiced move, faster than one would think
- giant like Tea could move, Tea removes an object from their
- satchel.
-
…at first glance it appears to be a flail without a handle,
- but is actually a spare pair of giant boots, held by their
- laces.
-
“These could indeed use a good shining.”
-
The boot are spectacularly large, probably a 1/2 size too
- large, in all honest, for even Tea’s feet.
-
The boots have gold eyelets.
-
-
Earrings greedily snatches the boots and start washing,
- drying, and polishing them to a shine. Waistcoat eagerly tugs
- on Tea’s wrist and guides him to the comfy chair, which is
- decidedly too small for his bulky frame. Teeth graciously
- offers him a wedge of cheese.
-
Depending on how observant Tea is, he may or may not notice
- that the boots are returned to him with 1 - 3 fewer
- eyelets.
-
-
Bending down, Inky sniffs the bottles carefully, mumbling,
- “Creosote, shellac, hopweed … ou, wild cherry liquorice.”
- Then, a little louder to one of the blahoblins, though it came
- out not much more than a squeak, “Might I ask from where did
- you get these?”
-
-
“Shoe Polish! We Make! Roots and ash!” shouts Waistcoat.
- They seem to only have the one volume.
-
“Beeswax!” yells Earrings.
-
“Resin!” cries Teeth.
-
“SHOE SHIIINE!” they all cry in unison.
+
00011
+
The Retrieval Team 70 gophers are absolutely losing their
+ minds over the ed terminal.
+
“It just keeps printing a question mark!” Vest sobs.
“I’ve tried it! It’s not vi! It doesn’t do anything!” Vest
+ moans. “Here you try it if you’re so smart!”
+
Sash is balled up on the floor crying, having already had a
+ turn at the terminal.
+
Shorts carefully steps over them and timidly prods at the
+ keypad.
+
A throng of beefy guard kobits come charging into the hall,
+ alerted by the gopher racket.
+
“Here now! You’re not supposed to be in here!”
+
One of them trips over Sash, still balled up on the floor,
+ and crashes into Shorts’s back, pinning them to wall. They
+ squeal. Another guard grabs Vest by the collar, and after a
+ brief scuffle all three gophers are escorted out of the hall
+ despite their howls of protest.
+
“I had better check on the vault!” exclaims one of the
+ kobits who remains behind.
+
They bang a few keys on the terminal and it spits out a
+ slip of paper.
+
ed v1.6
+19
+P
+*,n
+1 the door is locked
+*1s/locked/open
+?
+*H
+no match
+*1s/Locked/Open
+the door is Open
+*wq
+17
+
There is a mechanical whir deep in the walls, and a click
+ and a gasp of air as the door swings inward.
+
The kobit slips into the vault and the door swings only
+ partly closed behind it.
+
The sword in the bottom of the pool pointedly narrows its
+ eye at you.
+
The gods of Basmentaria observe passively from their
+ reliefs in the alcoves around you.
+
The door to the vault is ajar, the first of the five
+ legendary Ginnarak crystals presumably behind it.
+
From one of the twisty little passages, you hear a guard
+ kobit approaching, singing a sad cowboy song to itself.
Jarrod raises his right hand and begins adding a new rhythm
+ to his beat by slapping his palm against his chest. The
+ resulting beat sounds eerily like a galloping horse. Jarrod
+ pushes his voice outward and upward, directing his vocal
+ energy at HORSE.
+
"A mighty steed did carry our hero through forest, hill and town:
+ A comely beast with silky mane and smooth and supple hide.
+ One would think that such a stallion needs must have renown,
+ But only our dear hero understood, and so did ride."
+
Jarrod subtly adjusts the rhythm to a fast, regular
+ beat.
+
"Lightning of the hoof!
+ Fire in the eye!
+ One with blowing wind!
+ Strength of mountain high!"
+
Jarrod slowly calms the beat back down to a heartbeat with
+ his left hand fingers on his thigh again. However, the right
+ now rests close to Gertrude’s handle, at the ready.
+
"On fated day, our hero does require
+ Underlings for which a task is set.
+ And yet, this day the underlings and squires
+ Have booked their time away from toil and fret."
+
While continuing the epic, Jarrod makes note of two
+ options, should he need them:
+
+
Should he need, he can dive behind the giant clam;
+ and
+
He eyes a path back out the vault, should he be able to
+ draw the Aurs and Kobits out with him.
+
+
Jarrod keeps his eyes on HORSE, attempting to react to
+ whatever HORSE brings.
+
+
HORSE gives a snort, a groan, and a sigh as the beat of the
+ poem accelerates to a trot, and turns its subject to matters
+ of its own interest. Namely, himself. HORSE likes to hear its
+ own name, and it likes to hear people pay tribute to it with
+ verse. Which is 100% what it thinks is going on here.
+
HORSE beats its wings a few times and then flaps over to
+ where Jarrod is delivering his oration. It stands a little too
+ close, basking in the glory of Jarrod’s verse.
+
There is now gathered at Jarrod’s feet three Aurs; one
+ clumsy Kobit with untied shoe laces; and one naked, winged
+ Kobit named HORSE.
+
The blue and gold, melon shaped crystal in the center of
+ the vault has been left unguarded. It hovers, suspended,
+ beneath its glass dome on top of its pedestal, revolving
+ slowly in place. It looks like a weird tiny asteroid. The
+ veins of gold in the stone pulse lightly with otherworldly
+ energy.
+
+
Damn it Corraidhin thinks to himself, here I am yet again
+ at the bottom of some insipid pool stuck by some random
+ magical thing all because I didn’t pay enough attention in
+ mythical history class. Bloody hell!
+
Good thing I paid attention in sorcery and yesteryears
+ secrecry administrivia, this little sword won’t stay stuck for
+ too long! My lungs if I bungle this though..
+
Corraidhin quickly invokes a spell with his spare hand,
+ casting mystical runes with his hand.
That should do it corraidhin thinks to himself. If not I’m
+ going to need to think quick, I’m stuck and there’s no way up
+ without this sword. I might be able to transmute the water
+ into air around me, but probably only a small pocket which
+ will surely disappear in a gasp. Alternately I could try and
+ blast my way down, creating a pocket for the water to flow
+ into, but I’d be willing to bet I’ll hurt myself in the
+ process..
+
+
You trace some watery runes, invoking Sudo to bend reality
+ to your will.
+
The unschooled masses sometimes erroneously assume that
+ Sudo is a deity in its own right. There’s a certain misguided
+ logic to it: an invisible force that governs the relationships
+ between entities, and infallibly predicts how they will
+ behave? Certainly, it must be an all powerful, godlike
+ entity.
+
You and your ilk, of course, know that there’s no more
+ intelligence behind Sudo than there is behind gravity. No need
+ to correct them though. Sometimes it behooves the mage to
+ allow others to think that they serve an unfathomable arcane
+ lord.
+
There is a dull underwater flash and a muted underwater
+ bang, and you feel the sword slip from its stony clinch like a
+ knife tearing through soggy bread.
+
You push up off the bottom of the pool and rocket to the
+ surface, helped–surprisingly–by the sword, which remains glued
+ fast to your hand, but which also rises above you as though
+ somehow lighter than water.
+
You break the surface of the water and hear joyous
+ laughter.
+
"Oh, yes! Well done, Hardy Bear! So very well done indeed! Oh, I had spent so long trapped at the bottom of that pool waiting for a new bear to come and free me. And now here you are! Oh, what a very good day this is. What a magnificent pair we shall be.
+
+"Now, let's go stab some evil!"
+
You look down at the sword in your hand, and the eye
+ twinkles at you, full of adoration and zeal.
+
A small wine pitcher splashes into the water next to you.
+ It is attached to a thin hose, at the other end of which Inky
+ sits on dry land, drinking a cup of tea. They wave.
+
+
Inky squints at the silhouette underwater, slightly
+ distorted by the occasional ripple on the surface, trying to
+ decipher the odd hand gestures and wisps of light coming from
+ below. Why was Master Corraidhín repeatedly forming
+ semi-circles with his finger, almost like … the handle of a
+ teacup? Was it a request for tea?
+
After a pause, Inky rummages inside a bag and brings out a
+ large porro and a long rubber hose. The porro is filled with a
+ demi-tasse of black grapefruit pekoe from a flask and the
+ spout plugged with an eldarberry-flavoured gummy pen nib. Inky
+ strings together a handful of brass nuts with twine and ties
+ it to the porro’s handle to act as a small weight, then
+ affixes the hose tightly to the open top of the porro. Casting
+ a slightly apologetic look in the direction of the water for a
+ brew long since gone cold, Inky swings the hose and flings the
+ drinking vessel into the pool towards Master Corraidhín,
+ watching for a moment as the porro sinks down into the water
+ to hover near his arm. The other end of the hose is tied
+ securely to a narrow rock on one side of the pool with more
+ twine, the end sticking up in the air like a wiggling
+ snorkel.
+
Inky returns to crouching near the vault entrance and
+ looking inside another small pouch for fresh tea leaves.
+ Waiting is thirsty work!
+
+
You cast an improvised lifeline to the floundering wizard,
+ and find a cache of very fine fermented tea leaves wrapped in
+ waxed paper that you left for yourself at some point in the
+ past. How thoughtful and considerate of Past You!
+
From your vantage point, the sleepy guard Kobit still shows
+ no sign of stirring. And Jarrod has a throng of captive beasts
+ listening very intently to his stirring, epic poem. HORSE in
+ particular seems to be gaining some kind of physical
+ sustenance from the words, snorting and whinnying and beating
+ its wings with each new stanza.
+
If you can slip through the doorway without disturbing
+ them, there will be nothing between you and the now vulnerable
+ Ginnarak Crystal.
Psst, Inky, can you poke your head into the vault, see if
- you can spot any crystals. Also, can you tell what kind of
- gold’s in there? Maybe it’s worth something to nab a piece of
- two for ourselves, you know, since we’re so good at vault
- cracking.
-
While you do that I’m going to take a closer look at this
- sword, it’s giving me heeby jeebies.
-
I cast a spell on the sword to identify its physical,
- magical, and metaphysical properties
-
“Strange sword, I command thee to divulge your secrets! All
- that you are of, exist in, and imbue from shall be wrought in
- words of sorcercy so that the world my see clear what you
- are!” I chant as I invoke ancient runes with my wand.
-
-
Corraidhín commands the sword commandingly. But the sword
- just rolls its eye and looks at him exasperatedly.
-
Hmm. Yes, no mouth. Well then.
-
Corraidhín draws on his mastery of Arcane Lore, and sifts
- through all the knowledge he has filed away on magical swords.
- There are so many books on magic swords!
-
While at first you guessed that it may merely be a common
- Look Sword, you have since revised your initial assessment.
- Look Swords are minor magical items, and are not quite as
- sentient as this particular blade appears to be.
-
No this must be something a little more special.
-
It’s hard to tell from here–the water is not perfectly
- clear–but the pattern on the hilt is kind swirly and whirly.
- Probably a Sword of Omens.
-
Unless…
-
No, it’s so unlikely.
-
And yet.
-
If the pattern on the hilt turns out to be more whirly than
- swirly, then it probably is indeed a Sword of Omens.
-
But on the other hand, if it is more swirly than whirly,
- it’s possible that this may be then legendary Sword of
- J’Son.
-
If only you could get a closer look…
-
-
Inky nods and peeks inside the vault, while keeping an ear
- open for any sounds coming from the tunnel where the guard
- kobit is currently sleeping soundly. Small mountains of
- ancient gold, some as coins and some in nuggets of various
- shapes and sizes, filled most of the cavern floor. In one
- corner were a few chests overflowing with rubies and emeralds,
- with the occasional amethyst and tiny pink diamonds. Whoever
- had this vault set up has amassed a nice hoard!
-
Inky whispered back, “Some good old gold! There are also
- little crystals in one of the chests, but I can’t tell if any
- of them is a Ginnarak.”
-
-
Inky hears the drunken cowboy Kobit guard snoring gently.
- It whistles adorably a little bit at the top of each
- exhale.
-
You peek inside the vault just in time to see the lone
- Kobit guard that went inside to check on the vault. It yelps
- and trips over its own feet.
-
Its shoes were untied.
-
There are indeed piles of gold, gems, and crystals. Chests
- full of precious stones. A few suits of armor. For some
- reason, a giant clam, mouth open to reveal a giant pearl.
-
And in the center of it all, atop a stone pedestal, beneath
- a dome of glass, is the blue and gold Ginnarak Crystal. It is
- the size of a melon, and kind of shaped like one. A lumpy,
- multi-faceted blue and gold melon.
-
Flitting around the pedestal are a couple of Aurs. Giant
- ears with bat wings. Very keen hearing obviously. Usually more
- of an annoyance than a true deterrent. Unless there’s a
- Centaur around. Nasty things those. A hundred ears with a
- hundred wings. The size of a small horse. They can really ruin
- your day. Luckily you don’t see one around.
-
Finally, curled up on the ground at the base of the
- pedestal, hugging a mound of gold coins like a body pillow, is
- a nude Kobit, sound asleep. It stretches briefly in its sleep
- and when it does, you are astonished to see that it has large
- leathery wings.
Inky peers down at the hole, and after some time, turns to
- the party. “Do you think they’ve cleared most of the gnomes by
- now, or should we wait until they emerge and grab the crystal
- then?” Gazing at some invisible spot farther among the trees,
- Inky continued, “One of the old miners back at the tavern said
- there used to be a natural maw on the southwestern side, but
- it was blocked when the tunnel caved in many years ago. The
- gnomes don’t waste their efforts on blowing up things knowing
- someone’s already been through them. Chances are there’s only
- one exit, unless this mine is a decoy.”
-
-
Inky peers down the hole and watches Retrieval Team 70
- approach the kobit caves.
-
The maw on the southwestern side did indeed collapse
- several seasons ago. If you know anything about the industrial
- and intrepid kobits however, it is that they have probably dug
- several alternative, secret entrances since then.
-
Just as the gophers reach the cave entrance, a large erge,
- muscles rippling beneath its white feathers, emerges from
- behind a boulder and blocks their way forward.
-
It raises the feathery crest on the crown of its head, and
- fluffs up its plumage in a dramatic display. It appears to be
- arguing with the gophers. All three gophers appear to be
- arguing back.
-
The egre gestures angrily at the gophers’ feet, shakes its
- head, and crosses its arms defiantly. The gophers look down at
- their own feet and shuffle about as though embarrassed.
-
They all exchange a few more words and then the gophers
- retreat away from the egre and the cave entrance. They huddle
- together briefly and then start slowly climbing the
- scaffolding back up to the top of the hole.
-
“Oh yeah,” the foreman remarks absentmindedly. “There’s an
- egre guarding the kobit caves.”
-
The egre below preens and struts about proudly having
- chased off the gophers.
-
“Stubborn things,” the foreman continues. “Easily provoked
- to violence. Impeccable fashion sense though.”
As the blahoblins were packing up, Inky persuades Waistcoat
- to sell a few small bottles of shoe polish, a roughly round
- piece of broken glass and scraps of cheesecloth from the
- mountain of debris previously on the ground. Inky rolls Do
- Anything 1 and rolls a 4.
-
-
Inky successfully persuades Waistcoat to sell a few baubles
- and trinkets with the first roll of the game!
-
They haggle back and forth a little bit, and Inky ends up
- paying a little more than they wanted to, but they get all the
- stuff they wanted. Yay commerce!
-
Having concluded business, the blahoblins pack up and
- disappear into the bushes toting their chair, cheese, and vat
- of polish.
-
The sound of mechanical droning and periodic explosions
- compel you forward to the dig site.
-
It is easy to find.
-
It is a large hole blasted deep into the ground. There are
- drills, and conveyor belts, earth moving machines, and all
- kinds of gadgets and gizmos, the purpose of which is not
- always readily apparent. And there is a zip line that seems to
- be the only way down to the bottom.
-
The site is absolutely teeming with gnomes. Diminutive
- humanoids with bright red noses and long, long ears, and long,
- nimble fingers. All gnomes are compulsive tinkerers and
- mechanics, and build fantastic contraptions. All gnomes are
- women, and are all highly explosive. Which makes their
- combustion powered machines extremely dangerous, both for
- themselves and for any unfortunate bystanders close enough to
- get caught in the blast.
-
A gnome in a white hat comes running up to you. “You there!
- Hey! Yes, you!”
-
“Are you the retrieval team? We’ve been expecting you! The
- whole dig is halted because we accidentally blasted into a
- whole nest of Kobits, and they won’t let us get near to keep
- digging! They keep sabotaging our machines when we try!”
-
“They also stole the Ginnarak Crystal that we found! That
- thing could have powered such glorious new machines!” She
- pouts.
-
In the background, a gnome who had crawled half way into a
- coal bin in the side of some kind of excavator suddenly
- scrambles quickly out, smoking, and runs around in circles in
- a panic. Nearby gnomes dive out of the way as she erupts in a
- small ball of fire. The gnomes wait for the smoke to clear and
- then immediately return to working on the contraption.
-
The foreman continues talking to you as though nothing
- happened. She leads you over to the edge of the hole and
- points to the bottom.
-
“The entrance to their cave is right down there! The zip
- line is the second fastest way down.”
Jarrod raises his right hand and begins adding a new rhythm
- to his beat by slapping his palm against his chest. The
- resulting beat sounds eerily like a galloping horse. Jarrod
- pushes his voice outward and upward, directing his vocal
- energy at HORSE.
-
"A mighty steed did carry our hero through forest, hill and town:
- A comely beast with silky mane and smooth and supple hide.
- One would think that such a stallion needs must have renown,
- But only our dear hero understood, and so did ride."
-
Jarrod subtly adjusts the rhythm to a fast, regular
- beat.
-
"Lightning of the hoof!
- Fire in the eye!
- One with blowing wind!
- Strength of mountain high!"
-
Jarrod slowly calms the beat back down to a heartbeat with
- his left hand fingers on his thigh again. However, the right
- now rests close to Gertrude’s handle, at the ready.
-
"On fated day, our hero does require
- Underlings for which a task is set.
- And yet, this day the underlings and squires
- Have booked their time away from toil and fret."
-
While continuing the epic, Jarrod makes note of two
- options, should he need them:
-
-
Should he need, he can dive behind the giant clam;
- and
-
He eyes a path back out the vault, should he be able to
- draw the Aurs and Kobits out with him.
-
-
Jarrod keeps his eyes on HORSE, attempting to react to
- whatever HORSE brings.
-
-
HORSE gives a snort, a groan, and a sigh as the beat of the
- poem accelerates to a trot, and turns its subject to matters
- of its own interest. Namely, himself. HORSE likes to hear its
- own name, and it likes to hear people pay tribute to it with
- verse. Which is 100% what it thinks is going on here.
-
HORSE beats its wings a few times and then flaps over to
- where Jarrod is delivering his oration. It stands a little too
- close, basking in the glory of Jarrod’s verse.
-
There is now gathered at Jarrod’s feet three Aurs; one
- clumsy Kobit with untied shoe laces; and one naked, winged
- Kobit named HORSE.
-
The blue and gold, melon shaped crystal in the center of
- the vault has been left unguarded. It hovers, suspended,
- beneath its glass dome on top of its pedestal, revolving
- slowly in place. It looks like a weird tiny asteroid. The
- veins of gold in the stone pulse lightly with otherworldly
- energy.
-
-
Damn it Corraidhin thinks to himself, here I am yet again
- at the bottom of some insipid pool stuck by some random
- magical thing all because I didn’t pay enough attention in
- mythical history class. Bloody hell!
-
Good thing I paid attention in sorcery and yesteryears
- secrecry administrivia, this little sword won’t stay stuck for
- too long! My lungs if I bungle this though..
-
Corraidhin quickly invokes a spell with his spare hand,
- casting mystical runes with his hand.
That should do it corraidhin thinks to himself. If not I’m
- going to need to think quick, I’m stuck and there’s no way up
- without this sword. I might be able to transmute the water
- into air around me, but probably only a small pocket which
- will surely disappear in a gasp. Alternately I could try and
- blast my way down, creating a pocket for the water to flow
- into, but I’d be willing to bet I’ll hurt myself in the
- process..
-
-
You trace some watery runes, invoking Sudo to bend reality
- to your will.
-
The unschooled masses sometimes erroneously assume that
- Sudo is a deity in its own right. There’s a certain misguided
- logic to it: an invisible force that governs the relationships
- between entities, and infallibly predicts how they will
- behave? Certainly, it must be an all powerful, godlike
- entity.
-
You and your ilk, of course, know that there’s no more
- intelligence behind Sudo than there is behind gravity. No need
- to correct them though. Sometimes it behooves the mage to
- allow others to think that they serve an unfathomable arcane
- lord.
-
There is a dull underwater flash and a muted underwater
- bang, and you feel the sword slip from its stony clinch like a
- knife tearing through soggy bread.
-
You push up off the bottom of the pool and rocket to the
- surface, helped–surprisingly–by the sword, which remains glued
- fast to your hand, but which also rises above you as though
- somehow lighter than water.
-
You break the surface of the water and hear joyous
- laughter.
-
"Oh, yes! Well done, Hardy Bear! So very well done indeed! Oh, I had spent so long trapped at the bottom of that pool waiting for a new bear to come and free me. And now here you are! Oh, what a very good day this is. What a magnificent pair we shall be.
-
-"Now, let's go stab some evil!"
-
You look down at the sword in your hand, and the eye
- twinkles at you, full of adoration and zeal.
-
A small wine pitcher splashes into the water next to you.
- It is attached to a thin hose, at the other end of which Inky
- sits on dry land, drinking a cup of tea. They wave.
-
-
Inky squints at the silhouette underwater, slightly
- distorted by the occasional ripple on the surface, trying to
- decipher the odd hand gestures and wisps of light coming from
- below. Why was Master Corraidhín repeatedly forming
- semi-circles with his finger, almost like … the handle of a
- teacup? Was it a request for tea?
-
After a pause, Inky rummages inside a bag and brings out a
- large porro and a long rubber hose. The porro is filled with a
- demi-tasse of black grapefruit pekoe from a flask and the
- spout plugged with an eldarberry-flavoured gummy pen nib. Inky
- strings together a handful of brass nuts with twine and ties
- it to the porro’s handle to act as a small weight, then
- affixes the hose tightly to the open top of the porro. Casting
- a slightly apologetic look in the direction of the water for a
- brew long since gone cold, Inky swings the hose and flings the
- drinking vessel into the pool towards Master Corraidhín,
- watching for a moment as the porro sinks down into the water
- to hover near his arm. The other end of the hose is tied
- securely to a narrow rock on one side of the pool with more
- twine, the end sticking up in the air like a wiggling
- snorkel.
-
Inky returns to crouching near the vault entrance and
- looking inside another small pouch for fresh tea leaves.
- Waiting is thirsty work!
-
-
You cast an improvised lifeline to the floundering wizard,
- and find a cache of very fine fermented tea leaves wrapped in
- waxed paper that you left for yourself at some point in the
- past. How thoughtful and considerate of Past You!
-
From your vantage point, the sleepy guard Kobit still shows
- no sign of stirring. And Jarrod has a throng of captive beasts
- listening very intently to his stirring, epic poem. HORSE in
- particular seems to be gaining some kind of physical
- sustenance from the words, snorting and whinnying and beating
- its wings with each new stanza.
-
If you can slip through the doorway without disturbing
- them, there will be nothing between you and the now vulnerable
- Ginnarak Crystal.
+A creature on the cob. The middle life stage of the corn creature,
+between Aur and Centaur. It does not have wings. Its flesh is comprised
+of thousands of hard microkernels. They travel in herds, and can hear at
+the speed of sound.
+
+
+