Author Topic: STRATA- Chapter 1  (Read 131624 times)

Offline phaedrusxy

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #100 on: June 13, 2014, 09:08:20 PM »
Matsu says to the bear <There, there. It's OK. We're... family. The man on the hill is a... cub.

Have you seen other men recently? How about a four-legged black bird?>
He is transmitting images and feelings more than words, but still thinks in words himself.
I don't pee messages into the snow often , but when I do , it's in Cyrillic with Fake Viagra.  Stay frosty my friends.

Offline SolEiji

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #101 on: June 13, 2014, 09:20:32 PM »
Translation is a finicky thing.  "Phrases" come to you but they are a confused patchwork trying to fill in the correct works.  The bear looks over at the hill and still doesn't seem too pleased with it, but won't react aggressively. 

<More *standing bears*, though you smell different.  Are you *sick*?  Are you *sick* also?  Don't get cubs *sick*.

The *legged shadow* has *bad air*.  It hunts with *standing bears* covered in *bad smells*.>


The fiend is certainly not working alone.
Mudada.

Offline phaedrusxy

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #102 on: June 13, 2014, 09:32:09 PM »
Matsu thinks privately to himself <Interesting... the bear calls Marked humans sick... Perhaps the brute might be onto something... Will have to ponder this more later.>

He says back to the bear <So you've seen the *Walking Shadow*, and it was with *sick two legs*? Can you lead us to them? We will leave as soon as they find them, leave you and your cubs alone.>
I don't pee messages into the snow often , but when I do , it's in Cyrillic with Fake Viagra.  Stay frosty my friends.

Offline SolEiji

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #103 on: June 13, 2014, 10:01:18 PM »
The bear grunted glancing off to your left into the deeper woods for a moment.  Something... no, nothing.  <There are many *walking bears* who are *sick* and *bad smells*, and one *walking shadow* which is *death*.  Its *bad air* makes the cubs sick.  *Puh* won't go far or *walking bears* might return to make cubs more *sick*.

There were two *hungry smell* *walking bears*.  One left, the other is with *bad smells*.>


It will need encouragement to be led farther away than merely pointing you in a direction, but it seems willing.
Mudada.

Offline FireInTheSky

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #104 on: June 13, 2014, 10:08:48 PM »
Berid walks up the hill as if it were perfectly level, making sure to curl wide of the cave, so as not to aggravate the bear any further.

Hearing the "conversation" going on behind him, Berid thinks to himself, <<Perhaps I should have gone off to the left, deeper into the forest, after all... No matter, I'll just take a quick look from the top to get our bearings and see if I can spot anything else of interest.>>
« Last Edit: June 13, 2014, 10:31:22 PM by FireInTheSky »

Offline phaedrusxy

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #105 on: June 13, 2014, 10:17:58 PM »
<If you help us, we will kill the *Walking Shadow*, and I will try to help your cubs be less sick.>
I don't pee messages into the snow often , but when I do , it's in Cyrillic with Fake Viagra.  Stay frosty my friends.

Offline SolEiji

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #106 on: June 13, 2014, 10:27:41 PM »
Berid is free to reach the hill, to a point where he can almost look over the canopy (and if he chooses to scale a tree he actually will be able to, reducing his subsequent perception checks by 5).  Now what can you see....

(click to show/hide)

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Meanwhile...

Can bears laugh?  I think that was a laugh.  Or a snort.  It was something.  <You will die.  If *happy friends*, then help *Puh*.  Cubs need more food,  Bring food for cubs, then *revenge*.

Only one.  *Puh* is guarding.>


Got any food?  Do you have time for making dinner for bears?
« Last Edit: June 13, 2014, 10:58:56 PM by SolEiji »
Mudada.

Offline phaedrusxy

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #107 on: June 13, 2014, 10:32:52 PM »
<*Puh*.... is that your name?> he says to the bear.

Then <Anyone got anything for the baby bears to eat?>
I don't pee messages into the snow often , but when I do , it's in Cyrillic with Fake Viagra.  Stay frosty my friends.

Offline FireInTheSky

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #108 on: June 13, 2014, 11:43:40 PM »
Upon reaching the top of the hill, Berid takes a look around but is clearly not satisfied with the view, so he scales a tree and takes another look (+5 from being at the top of the tree).

Once he reaches the top, Berid gives a running commentary of what he sees. <Wow, there's quite a view from up here. Hmm... the forest feels... empty... up ahead. No birds or these blasted moths. But I'm not surprised, considering the weird darkness that's settled over the canopy - a darkness that's more than just from the fading light. Actually, now that I look closer, the trees aren't completely empty. Ugh. Those aren't monkeys. What are they? They must be shades. They look kinda like gray, rubbery monkeys, with mouths like a lamprey.> Berid sends a mental image of the creatures, as well as a map of exactly which trees he can see that they're in. It's quite detailed. <Huh. Back off to our left, I think I can see... something, but I'm not really sure what it is. There's something grayish juuuust sticking up through the layer of darkness, maybe metal, or rock? Or something else?>

EDIT: The stream of consciousness commentary stops, as Berid considers what he's seen. Then he exclaims, <Aha! Now I remember. Those shades are called Chokers. They're kinda stupid, as these things go, but they're extremely fast, and can grab you from further away than you'd think. And you really don't wanna get grabbed. Akemi, you'll probably be able to sense them when we get closer.  ...I wonder how they got here? We should definitely be watchful for a hole to the Underdark, though I certainly hope we don't find one this close town, or this close to sundown.>
« Last Edit: June 13, 2014, 11:55:35 PM by FireInTheSky »

Offline Raineh Daze

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #109 on: June 14, 2014, 01:46:21 PM »
<Truly? I doubt it; I can merely ascertain the truth within my gaze.>

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Offline phaedrusxy

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #110 on: June 15, 2014, 10:31:10 AM »
After hearing nothing but static silence, The Doctor replies to the bear <Sorry. Sounds like we don't have any food for the cubs. We might find some on the way, though. We have to go now.>

Then to the rest <Let's move on while there's still enough light to follow these tracks. Sounds like our bear friend isn't willing to leave her cubs unless we have some food for them.>

survival 1d20+9 : 6 + 9, total 15
I don't pee messages into the snow often , but when I do , it's in Cyrillic with Fake Viagra.  Stay frosty my friends.

Offline SolEiji

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #111 on: June 15, 2014, 10:34:36 PM »
When asked about names the doctor received a moment of confusion and a lack of reply.  The concept didn't translate well.  It seemed not to matter though, as mother bear was unwilling to stray too far from the cave and could not help you except to let you pass through without harassment.  <Caution.> it warned the party, moving to the side and pointing its head in the direction to go.  With Berid as spotter the path seemed clear, the tracks you sought surely lead into the darkness ahead.  The decision then becomes one of method: to charge in ahead, or weave around cautiously to avoid clocker-bearing trees, or to do either of those with stealth and caution.  Or even a yet-unseen option.  Because where there was darkness there was sure to be magic and someone or something to cast said magic.

Whatever the party does, the bear shall return to the mouth of the cave to make sure the cubs were still breathing.
Mudada.

Offline Frogman55

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #112 on: June 16, 2014, 10:02:29 AM »
Silently following Berid up to the top of the hill, Ptembridge looks around from the base of the tree. <There's something in the forest that way, too.> Ptembridge points off to the left. <We should examine that, before fighting the monsters.>

Offline phaedrusxy

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #113 on: June 16, 2014, 10:30:59 AM »
<We're here to rescue two individuals, not fight monsters and investigate weird things. I'd like to keep to that objective, so we don't get stuck out here all night... I wouldn't mind coming back tomorrow for a deeper look, though.>
I don't pee messages into the snow often , but when I do , it's in Cyrillic with Fake Viagra.  Stay frosty my friends.

Offline Raineh Daze

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #114 on: June 16, 2014, 10:33:29 AM »
<Indeed, I am against the idea of picking needless fights with our surroundings. Every delay could strand us in this wilderness, or cause our task to fail utterly.>

Offline Frogman55

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #115 on: June 16, 2014, 11:33:47 AM »
<Yes. Missing people. And do you think there is no likelihood that this ambush has nothing to do with those lost? Or that something strange in the darkness is of little importance?> Ptembridge makes a clicking sound from deep in his mouth as he shakes his head. <We are here to investigate. To journey. When one seeks, one must not ignore an anomaly like this.>

Offline FireInTheSky

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #116 on: June 16, 2014, 12:17:00 PM »
<I think we should note the presence and general location of that object for further investigation, but agree that for now we should continue on in our search for the missing. Once they're safe and we're back in town, we can (re)supply for that particular mission, as well as see if anyone else has already done some other investigating of that thing.>

Offline Raineh Daze

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #117 on: June 16, 2014, 12:21:01 PM »
<Finding out what happened is always of lesser importance than helping those in need. Always.>

Offline SolEiji

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #118 on: June 17, 2014, 08:59:57 AM »
If investigating the left is on your agenda, you may.  But the question is who is taking the lead and what are they doing?  What the others are doing are fine to know, but the person ahead has the best chance.

This path seems like just more forest, though there is more significant undergrowth and vines.  Difficult terrain is a thing.
Mudada.

Offline phaedrusxy

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Re: STRATA- Chapter 1
« Reply #119 on: June 17, 2014, 09:55:45 AM »
(click to show/hide)
The Doctor continues to follow the tracks of the four-legged bird, looking for signs that it still dragged his quarry through here.

survival 1d20+9 : 15 + 9, total 24
I don't pee messages into the snow often , but when I do , it's in Cyrillic with Fake Viagra.  Stay frosty my friends.