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Post by Spwack on Sept 30, 2020 10:00:07 GMT
"THE TRAVELLER. A STRANGE CREATURE. THEY OFTEN FORGET MORE THAN THEY SHOULD, EVEN IF A MOMENT HAS PAST, OR KNOW MORE THAN THEY SHOULD UPON RETURNING. THEY CANNOT HELP BUT LEAVE, AS MUCH AS THEY WOULD LIKE TO STAY, BUT THEY RETURN AS OFTEN AS THEY CAN. IF YOU LEAVE A MISSIVE WITH ME, I SHALL ENDEAVOUR TO PASS IT ALONG."
"THE TRAVELLER IS INDEED A MASTER OF THE THOUGHTFUL ARTS, AND I AM GLAD YOU HAVE FOUND A MODICUM OF PEACE. PERHAPS THE PROFESSOR, THIS 'SPELL-O-MATIC', COULD HELP, THOUGH I MUST SAY I HAVE NEVER CONVERSED DIRECTLY WITH THE MACHINE."
"BE WARY OF ANY THAT WOULD ADVISE YOU TO SEEK THE GREY ELVES. THEY WOULD PERHAPS BE ONE WAY OUT OF MY SAD PREDICAMENT, BUT NOT A CERTAIN ONE. THE COSTS OF SUCH A PATH ARE GREAT AND ILL-PERCIEVED."
"THE STONES OF THE DEPTHS KNOW MUCH. PERHAPS YOU WILL FIND ANSWERS WITH THEM."
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Post by wingilbear on Sept 30, 2020 12:31:36 GMT
How big is the statue? What if we wanted to move it? For I have a wonderful idea
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Post by wingilbear on Sept 30, 2020 12:36:19 GMT
« Mother there is an archway on one of the lower floors that grants life to anything pushed through it. What if we were to push your statue through it? »
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Post by Spwack on Oct 1, 2020 4:12:29 GMT
Absolutely massive, the size of a small house.
Take +1 XP for that particular idea.
"THE CURSE LAID UPON ME IS POWERFUL AND SUBTLE. PERHAPS IT WOULD GRANT MY STATUE-FORM LIFE, BUT SINCE I AM ALREADY ALIVE, I WOULD MERELY BE TRAPPED WITHIN THE BODY OF A NEW BEING. ALTHOUGH, THAT HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM BEFORE..."
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Post by red_kangaroo on Oct 1, 2020 6:48:44 GMT
"Forgive my ignorance, Your Majesty, but does "Stones of the Depths" refer to a specific place, or does it simply mean that going downwards, we are more likely to stumble upon more magic? And if the Stones are a place, would you know of a route there?"
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Post by wingilbear on Oct 1, 2020 11:53:35 GMT
« would you like that mother until we could find a way to revive you fully? »
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Post by Spwack on Oct 2, 2020 8:32:03 GMT
"THE FORMER, THIS PLACE THAT WE INHABIT IS STRANGE IN WAYS THAT ARE KNOWN TO VERY FEW. I KNOW OF NONE WHO WOULD CLAIM DOMINION OVER THE WHOLE. AND I WILL LEAVE THAT DECISION TO YOU, MY SON."
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Post by wingilbear on Oct 2, 2020 12:06:56 GMT
What now Juxadyzad? I think I have a rough plan although we need a way to move this statue a couple of feet (I can think of something that will take care of the rest) Do you still wish to visit the drow? Either way I feel we should check on cell block zero.
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Post by red_kangaroo on Oct 3, 2020 15:53:20 GMT
We could bind a chain around the statue for a better grip, plus I can try telekinesis. Could some of your minions pull too? But I don't want to make your mother topple and shatter. I would first visit Cell Block Zero, too. Maybe we could try to get some coin from the beholder's lair? Because I don't expect that the Professor or the drow will be much helpful without any coin.
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Post by wingilbear on Oct 3, 2020 16:33:11 GMT
Maybe several people could haul and you could stabilize with telekinesis. Beholder is crazy dangerous but I have considered killing him. He negates magic and does death rays and bolder tosses. Drow don’t really need money, they are unusual and dangerous... professor likes secrets and coins. It’s funny out of character I know where there is a ton of easy money nearby but blerble wouldn’t know that and phykalla worked really hard to make it accessible. We do have crossbows to sell or trade for labor.
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Post by red_kangaroo on Oct 3, 2020 20:04:56 GMT
Once we get to Cell Block Zero, there should be a journal mentioning that the beholder is blind right now, so we have an in-character reason to go after him.
We can go to Cell Block Zero, try to get someone to help with moving the worm queen. Would it be possible to take some frogs with us to pull?
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Post by wingilbear on Oct 3, 2020 20:30:06 GMT
Frogs are too depressed to do much. Alright back to cell block zero! So we want to go out of this room, down the grappling rope to the tall room, north to the goblin smelling room, west to mine Cart station b, take the Minecart which will take us to station A, then East and we should be at cell block zero.
Spwack can elaborate on what the rooms look like if they wish.
Are you fine with semi fast travel kangaroo?
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Post by red_kangaroo on Oct 4, 2020 7:28:50 GMT
Sure. I'd we had something to offer (food?), we could recruit some goblins for the statue pulling.
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Post by Spwack on Oct 4, 2020 9:37:36 GMT
((Would Phykalla have made a note of her progress among the journals? Up to you, metagaming is fine and the best tool in your arsenal in my opinion.)) Quickly travelling is fine in this area! If you have any questions about places you've been Jaxudyzad or aren't quite sure about how things are connected/related, you are welcome to "think back" / "ask Blerbles" at any time. For the sake of dramatics, I'll say that you can hear the sound of pipes-hitting-flesh and the loud "Woe" of frogs coming from the south! If you wish to head to the frogs, post in this thread instead.
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Post by red_kangaroo on Oct 5, 2020 11:07:40 GMT
((I will continue with Blerble to the swamp area, but can I have a quick asynchronous chat with the Professor here?))
"Greetings, my lady," I bow my head to the Lady, "it is nice seeing you again. I'm pleased to find you in a more enjoyable company than when we first met."
"And good day to you too, Professor," I turn to the vending machine. "I was wondering if I could bother you with a question? Recently, I have ran into a dear fellow who, I'm lead to believe, goes by the name 'Traveller'. Thanks to their kind help, I became a bit of a dabbler in the arts of the mind and I'm eager to learn more. I know your area of expertise is more in the field of magic, but perhaps you could point me to a place or person who could provide further training?
Regrettably, I have no coin to pay for your help, but maybe you would be interested in this?"
I pull out the scrimshawed bone with tiny etchings.
"Frankly, I cannot read the miniscule writing, so I don't know whether it could be worth your help. I have found it in an abandoned orc village, near the grave of the wizard Andsaca."
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Post by Spwack on Oct 6, 2020 10:34:26 GMT
((No problem, seems fine to me))
Lady nods her head to you, but says nothing.
"Traveller, you say? How very... interesting. Thank you for informing me that this entity has returned once more, this knowledge is of worth to me."
"And I may be able to repay back the small debt I owe you immediately, by informing you as to the worth of the item you are holding. From what I can see, it is greater totem of Bonfire Soul. Your difficulty in reading it stems not just from it's fine detail, but it's magical nature. Place it in a hot fire and spell blood upon it, yours or others, if you are in need of power. I would purchase it for - let's see, 150 silver tassels?" He sounds quite hopeful, but you're pretty sure he's not that good at haggling.
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Post by red_kangaroo on Oct 7, 2020 9:37:18 GMT
((150 sp when scrolls cost from 50 to 200 cp?! Now I will be so conflicted whether to sell it or keep it. )) "Thank you, Professor. I appreciate your offer, but I think I will keep this totem just for now. I think I might have a use for some soul power, should the occasion necessitate it. Anyway, is there anything I might do for you should I happen upon the right person or place? I'm asking because I recently met Flights of Fancy and I'm wondering if your kind keeps in touch somehow, or if you would like to send your regards to somebody."
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Post by Spwack on Oct 8, 2020 4:14:58 GMT
"200 tassels? That's the highest I can go..." he says.
((A wand-core of Magic Missile costs 100 sp, just to give you an idea))
"Unfortunately we cannot communicate quite so easily, but I could help you send a letter if that would help, perhaps, sweeten any deal of ours?"
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Post by red_kangaroo on Oct 8, 2020 14:23:21 GMT
"To be frank, I have less desire for money than I have for knowledge and/or power. The totem could grant me power when I need it, however fleeting, so I would rather trade it for knowledge than silver. What would you say I give it to you in exchange for future questions answered? I don't know how many questions is the totem worth to you, but I'm willing to trust you to give me a fair deal.
Speaking of, I have a first question: Long time ago, I've heard or read about crystals often used by the subterranean squid-folk. These crystals supposedly resonate with the soul of a psychically gifted individual, focusing and enhancing their abilities. Would you know if such items exist here in the dungeon and if so, where to find them?"
"Oh, we misunderstand each other. I was worried that you cannot communicate with the other vending machines and thus might feel lonely, so I wanted to offer that I can deliver any messages you would wish to send to the others. Or maybe me and my companions could even relocate you, the Lady if she so wishes, and One Hit Wonders to Cell Block Zero, so that each of your kind isn't stuck alone in an empty room? I know that would drive me crazy, being able to talk only to the occasional customer.
But thank you for the offer of sending a letter for me, I will keep that in mind, should the need arise."
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Post by Spwack on Oct 9, 2020 9:21:08 GMT
"200 tassels will certainly purchase you a lot of answers, power and knowledge indeed. I keep very good records and your store credit would truly be excellent."
"Crystals are more in line the gem-people that have, sadly, ceased contact with the outer-realms. But in terms of the focusing of mental energies, let me think... I happen to know of a certain artefact of considerable power, located very close by. It has a dark and terrible history, but for a being of your puissance and control, could be turned to better ends. Does this interest thee?"
"Oh! Well you are too kind. Lady here has been excellent company, and us mechanical vendors are not inclined to loneliness compared to herd animals like yourself. No offence intended."
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Post by red_kangaroo on Oct 9, 2020 13:00:06 GMT
"Yes, yes I would be interested in that. Thank you." I give the totem to the Professor.
"No offence taken. Sometimes I wish I too didn't feel the sting of loneliness, sometimes I like the drive it offers to get up and go find a good company."
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Post by Spwack on Oct 11, 2020 5:49:18 GMT
Thin filaments of light uncoil slowly out of the lowest slot of the Professor, where you'd normally collect the scroll-cases after making a purchase, pulling in the scrimshawed bone. It pops up in the glass display area with "Greater Totem of Soul Bonfire. Local ash-orc design, unauthenticated, unknown age, 275 silver tassels" written underneath it.
"Pleasure doing business with you. You have 200 tassels in credit, how much would you like to spend on this information? For 10 tassels I can provide you with a detailed map of the directions needed to find it's last-seen location, for a further 5 I can furnish you with likely but not guaranteed information about the object, and for yet another 5 I can provide completely unsubstantiated but very interesting rumours."
((Don't forget to track the credit that you've got, as well as maybe choosing a next-of-kin to inherit it?))
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Post by red_kangaroo on Oct 11, 2020 11:04:02 GMT
"I would like all three for 20 tassels then, please."
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Post by Spwack on Oct 12, 2020 7:48:10 GMT
"To reach this place, head south from here, then south-west. Over the bridge, and down using the chain-lift. From here, head north-east, and skirting the centre of the chamber (it should be easy to avoid, it is quite large), take the south-east exit. Be careful here, for I hear tale of dangerous plants. Head north, and you will reach a nexus of small rooms. It is very close-in, but I have yet to have someone return a concrete report of the area. If you could do so, I would be willing to reimburse you, oh, 3 tassels."
"The item in question is a crown, an ancient and cursed artefact of immense power. Wearing it should not be undertaken lightly, and I would recommend doing so in the company of a healer or wizard, or preferably both. It is thought to grant destructive mind powers."
"As to some unsubstantiated rumours, it is possible that this artefact is drawn back to this particular area, since despite being taken several times, it has never been found in any location except this one. Perhaps there is a strong bond, or mayhaps those of weak will who venture to take it will find themselves drawn to return it."
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Post by red_kangaroo on Oct 13, 2020 6:03:31 GMT
"Thank you, Professor, for your services. I will return once I uncover any pertinent information."
"Goodbye for now, my Lady."
((And I go back in time to meet the strange fellow and goblins in Saint Seymour's swamp.))
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Post by Spwack on Oct 14, 2020 2:23:24 GMT
((Thread finished. I usually avoid characters being in two threads simultaneously, but this was the exact situation where I break that rule))
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