Griznuq Gaming

D&D Campaigns => Forest Keep => In Character Discussions => Topic started by: Griznuq on October 14, 2008, 06:28:34 PM

Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Griznuq on October 14, 2008, 06:28:34 PM
This ICD would happen after session 27.

Flower / Opal 6

Belwar had trouble sleeping that night. Of course, he had been having trouble sleeping these last weeks anyway, and the unusual heat of the late spring night made him kick off his few covers and he was sweating profusely. Still, tonight's restlessness was different: he was more mentally restless than usuall. He was eager to set back out to the temple again.

Eventually the sun poured it's light over the keep, and Belwar rose. He groaned as he stretched and his stomach protested it's own neglect.

It was still a bit early for visiting anyone, so he spent time oiling his armor and sharpening his axes while he mulled over what to do next.

Communication, he decided would be the most difficult obstacle to get by. Perhaps Trillomore could help. However it worked out, this time Belwar wanted to do the talking, but he certainly wasn't going to be reading off of any scroll. The simple thought of casting magic sent a shiver down Belwar's spine.

Perhaps an enchanted item though... For some reason, magic that made inanimate items more useful was much more acceptable to him.

Belwar grabbed a piece of dried meat from his travel pack. No sense letting it go bad, he though. He chewed on it while he went to see of Trillomore was awake.
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Johan on October 17, 2008, 08:16:40 PM
Griz, I took a liberty with your post. Make sure that I haven't stepped on any of your oversized toes, please.

Belwar made his way out into the courtyard; the day promised to be overly hot and his night sweats continued unabated. An engramic memory of his cool subterranian home presented itself to him.

Belwar approached the door to the spartan appartment that Trillomore...didn't seem to live in, but it was where Belwar had met with the elf more than once.

Belwar raised his fist to hammer at the door, but it opened before he could strike it. Targyle smiled from the now opened door.

"Good morning, Belwar." He greeted. "I've been expecting you. Trillomore will be here shortly, would you care for a breakfast?"

He stood aside, affording Belwar entry to the appartment and the lonely table. There was a light breakfast there: breads and muffins, fruit and two pitchers.
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Griznuq on October 18, 2008, 09:20:50 PM
No problem at all. Those are things I probably would have included if I could remember them. :)

Belwar's scowl hardened a bit. If someone knew he was coming and had enough time to prepare a breakfast, why not prepare the answer to his questions and have those laid out ont he table as well?

Still though, he was hungry. Since his exposure to the humans Belwar had discovered that he was very fond of banana bread and coffee. They didn't have these things at Eastwold.

"Thank you Targyle, an impressive spread indeed." Belwar stepped into the all but empty room. He looked about expecting to find a table where he could sit and talk with Trillomore.
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Johan on October 19, 2008, 10:09:58 AM
I know that it seems petty, but there would be no banana bread at the keep. They didn't have the commerce that we have today, nor the ability to keep things fresh for as long as we do. This being mid-spring, the keep would have no bananas available. Their breads at this time of the year would be limited to simple grains, which they would have taken with them from Gorna. Later in the year, they will have native fruits available (apples, blue berries, black berries...).

That said...

Trillomore's appartment was the same as usual. Empty except for the lone table and it's compliment of four chairs.

"It's not much of a meal for a dwarf." Targyle conceded, indicating the faire on the table. "Trillomore and I were going to sit and eat, so he should be here momentarily." The young elf sat down in one of the chairs and poured a cup of what looked like water into a stout goblet for himself. "Please sit and join us." He looked up at Belwar expectantly as he helped himself to a muffin and some of the fruit, which upon closer inpsection Belwar discovered was dried apples and pears. Of the two pitchers, one was water, the other appeared to be a dark wine.
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Griznuq on October 20, 2008, 01:38:15 PM
"Well, don't mind if I do," Belwar said as he slid a chair back for himself. Ever the one to make himself at home, Belwar plopped down into the chair and began to fill his plate.

He opted for water.

"Exactly how is it yer always expectin me?" he asked matter of factly.
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Johan on October 21, 2008, 06:04:56 PM
"Well, ah, that's more or less the business that I'm in: knowing things." Targyle answered, putting on his own feeble air of inexperienced importance. "Trillomore should be here in just a moment." He said. As the young elf spoke the scent of sausage and hamsteak assailed Belwar's nostrils. Targyle seemed to take no note of it.
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Griznuq on October 23, 2008, 08:52:48 AM
Belwar smirked slightly at the obvious attempt to evade the question.

"That's a handy talent then. Must save a lot of time," he said, looking at his now filled plate, wondering where to start. Belwar found it difficult to resist the urge to eat with his fingers.

"Do you also know my reasons for coming?" Belwar asked.
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Johan on October 23, 2008, 01:50:10 PM
Looking up, Belwar noted that Targyle was not using any utensil for his own breakfast of dried apples and a warm muffin.

"No." Targyle answered Belwar's question. "We do hope to find out soon, though." He smiled familiarly then perked up a bit. "That will be Trillomore now." He said, though Belwar didn't hear anything to alert him.

From where Belwar sat, he could see the head of Trillomore appear from under the floor at the back right corner of the apartment, where Belwar had noted Targyle ascend and descend previously. Trillomore gradually rose out of the floor as he glided from the back right corner to the back left corner of hte room.

A whisp of smoke or steam rose from just ahead of Trillomore, and when the elf was clear of the floor to half his height, Belwar could see that Trillomore was carrying a plate that bore some thick sausages and the hamsteak that he had smelled only a moment before.

"Forgive my tardiness." Trillomore said as he entered the room. "And good morning to you both." When he finally made it to the left corner, he was fully inside the apartment, and approached the table, extending the plate to Belwar. "I've brought some meats for you, Belwar." He explained unnecessarily. "I assume that you're a bit of a meat-eater?"
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Griznuq on October 28, 2008, 01:10:06 AM
"Oh uh," Belwar said clumsily. "As a matter of fact, I am. I'll eat just about anythin, truth be told, but given me druthers, I'd eat somethin tha used to graze..."

Belwar had spent most of his life knowing with certainty, that stone was solid. To move it, took a great degree of effort and in some cases great skill. These two seemed to walk right through it! It went against everything he'd learned through out his life... and it had him babbling.

Belwar drew a deep breath to help him recompose. "Thanks," he said at length.

Not really interested in small talk, Belwar said in Trillomore's direction "So, I was hopin ta prevail upon yeh for an answer to a problem I've got. The ant folk are piled upon one another in me Temple,"

Belwar stopped. "THE temple, that is... the temple I'd like ta restore. I mean, obviously it's no mine. Well, anyway, they're packed in there like weed in a pipe and they be looking fer a new home. Tha's what the elf told us after he'd read that scroll you'd given him."

"Anyway, we thought tha perhaps with the rabble no longer in the chasm, what better a place fer us to herd the mants to? Maybe there be an alliance in there somewhere."

Belwar took a bite of meat, and spoke around a half full mouth. "Trouble is, I'd like ta get ta talk ta these things, but I'm certainly no gunna read a scroll."

Belwar stopped talking for a moment. He held the meat up in front of him. "Quite good, by the way."

He hoped that Trillomore would jump in at this point with an answer or some guidance, so he could stop talking. Attention had been on Belwar far too long for his liking.
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Johan on October 28, 2008, 08:29:56 AM
As Trillomore and Targyle listened to Belwar describe his issue, Trillomore sat down and poured himself a goblet of what looked like a deep red wine. He helped himself to a muffin as well. The two elves ate in relative silence that made the air seem a bit stuffy. How unlike the keep's tavern, where people ate with at least a conversational air, and often a down right rowdy one.

A small smile graced Trillomore's thin lips as Belwar spoke on his purose for this visit. "So," he said in summary. "What you'd like is a way to enable you to speak with the Garachi, but not a spell?" He looked at Belwar, seeking his affirmation.

"It could come to pass that Hemo would be able to cast taht spell upon you, at the appropriate time." He offered. "Of course, you would have to get Hemo to agree to that."

He sipped a bit at his cup, and nibbled at his muffin. Belwar noted that Targyle was intent upon Trillomore's words, although the younger elf made quite a show of being interested in his own plate and cup.

"The only other option that I can think of quickly would be for us to place a dweomer upon you, or upon one of you items, that would enable you to...trigger that tounges spell upon yourself at your will. That would be a one-time triggering, but I think that the doing of that is beyond your sphere of comfort...you'd have to participate in the preparation of the effect." He looked at Belwar, an unasked question upon his fine elven brow: would Belwar like to take part in such an affair?
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Griznuq on October 28, 2008, 10:23:50 AM
"Uch," Belwar rasped. "Wull, initially, it'd be nice if I could speak wit thum, but if thar goin ta be our neighbors, um thinkin thar'll be a need fer many people ta be talkin wit em. I suppose a spell if it must be... an um sure the Elf would be thrilled to cast anythin on me if given tha chance, though he's much more partial to tha thar color spray of his,"

Belwar realized he was referring to Himo as "the elf" while talking to two other Elves. He dismissed the realization. He didn't feel like stumbling over an apology or any sort of explanation. Besides, Himo was the only Elf in the group anyway. Who else would he be talking about?

The thought of standing still long enough to allow someone to cast a spell like that on him made Belwar's skin crawl, and to think that it could be Himo doing the casting was enough to make him abandon the whole idea all together.

He shook the look of extreme discomfort he knew he must be wearing from of his face. Between the walking through stone and the thought of being the willing target of any kind of finger wiggling had him completely out of his comfort zone. He stood up, "Would ya mind if I paced a bit? It helps me ta think."

He didn't wait for an answer. "Tell me more about tha triggering of this thing ya were talkin about, I guess" he said, shuffling slowly across the floor, feeling the next step with his foot before putting any weight on it. If a part of the floor was illusory, he didn't want to fall through it.
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Johan on October 28, 2008, 02:43:48 PM
"Please, feel free to pace, if it helps you." Trillomore answered Belwar's first question. "Just have a care as you aproach the back of the appartment. It might be difficult for you to discern where the floor ends and our ramp begins."

You want to jump in here, or shall I keep going?
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Griznuq on October 29, 2008, 09:51:49 AM
Ramp?? Belwar scanned the area.
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Johan on October 29, 2008, 10:58:14 AM
Belwar's usually keen eye detected no ramp in the apartment at all. In the smooth but ample ambient light (which, Belwar noted for perhaps the first time, appeared to have no source) the floor of the room was a smooth, light-colored stone mottled through with streaks and flecks of darker veins; it hovered between light granite and marble. For all appearances, the floor flowed seamlessly to the apartment's back wall, which was of identical stonework.

If there was a ramp there, then it must be covered by a glimmer of some sort.
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Griznuq on October 29, 2008, 07:22:07 PM
Belwar decided to just take Trillomore's word for it. It was easier than admitting there was something that could be done with stone that Belwar himself couldn't do.

"Thanks fer the warnin," he said stamping his foot a little to make sure the ground where he was standing was solid. Perhaps he wouldn't pace after all.

"So, I dunno anythin aboot magic, but be thar anythin ta do what um thinkin aboot?"

Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Johan on October 29, 2008, 07:45:19 PM
"Well, the options seem limited to me." Trillomore said. "You get Hemo to cast the spell upon you at the right time, or we all of us together can work out a sort of temporary enchantment that we can place upon an item that you specify, and that you can trigger yourself at the time when you wish."

"The second option would require your participation in the casting of the enchantment, and it's my guess that you wouldn't be very eager to participate in such a magical rite."

He looked at the dwarf expectantly.
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Johan on October 31, 2008, 07:28:40 PM
Ach! whar'd ye go, ya dwarf errant, ya?!?!
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Griznuq on November 02, 2008, 10:14:58 AM
Belwar sighed. "Wull, we all do things about which we're not eager from time ta time, I supose."

"Tell me more about this magical rite."

Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Johan on November 02, 2008, 05:44:34 PM
"Well the simple story is this:" Trillomore elaborated. "We have the ability to create a sort of imprint of a spell on an item, kind of charging that item with the spell's effect. You would be able to call upon that effect by focusing upon the item and the effect that's been imprinted upon it."

"So in this case, we might imprint a Tongues spell upon, say, a piece of jewelry that you might carry with you. Any time within a week that you want to use the effect of that spell, you would focus on that jewel, and on the effect of the spell, and you would cause that spell to come into affect upon you."

Trillomore seemed happy with this explanation. "There are some difficulties with castings of this sort, though, and the imprinting process would take all three of us here, working together in my lab for a number of hours, and we would require a sufficiently high quality item upon which to imprint it...I like to use emeralds myself, but we can use crystal, rubies, mithril...almost any sort of similar material, so long as it is high in quality. You just need to be sure that this item won't be broken before the imprint is consumed."

He looked at Belwar, trying to judge whether the dwarf was understanding and accepting this idea and explanation.
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Griznuq on November 02, 2008, 08:33:38 PM
"Sounds a lot like tha enchantin of weapons, I suppose. I dunno what I might have tha we could cast on. Me Axe is Mithril, but holdin it alof doesn't sound like it'd inspire trust, if ya know what I mean. "
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Johan on November 03, 2008, 09:35:25 AM
Trillomore laughed at Belwar's allusion. "No," he said. "You don't really have to hold the object aloft or anything, you just need to be in contact with it. Skin contact would make the triggering easiest, but if there's a layer of cloth between you and the object, that won't be an issue. A layer of mail, however, would prevent your being able to trigger the effect, so you wouldn't be able to hold it in a gauntleted hand, for instance. And a nice, high quality mithril axe would work just fine."

He looked at Belwar for a moment then, and then asked, "What do you think? I note that you're not very comfortable with the casting of spells; are you up to helping cast one yourself?"
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Johan on November 09, 2008, 02:34:50 PM
ker-thump
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Griznuq on November 10, 2008, 09:37:17 AM
"Wull," Belwar said with a shrug. "If tha's what we gotta do, then, I guess I need ta be ok with it. But let's say this all goes as planned, an they move inta the chasm. Wha do we do aboot communicatin with em then? Do we hex everyone's axes or somethin? Mebby have an ambassador from the keep actually learn their languange?"
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Johan on November 10, 2008, 05:51:31 PM
Trillomore affected a rather non-committal shrug and said, "I'm not really sure, but I think this is a one-step-at-a-time affair. And naturally, there are limitations to the dweomer that we are contemplating"

"You no doubt grasp that this slight enchantment is one that can only be used a single time, and moreover is time-terminated." He looked at Belwar meaningfully. "That of course speaks to your overall concern, but you'll be able to communicate with the Garachi for a few hands only, then the magic will be spent. This casting takes time though...it will likely take the three of us the rest of the morning and the better part of the afternoon to complete the casting, and we'll need you fully vested in it."

"You can appreciate then, that this is not the sort of thing that we take upon us lightly. We can't simply provide everyone with a similar ability. We'll have to discuss with Coris how that relationship might be solidified."

"Do you have any questions before we commence? Do we have your full commitment to the ritual? Be warned that without your full commitment, not only will we fail, but we run grave risk to ourselves and to this Keep." He straightened up as he spoke, and his pleasant facial features became hard and somber, and finally he stared calmly into Belwar's eyes.
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Griznuq on November 10, 2008, 06:30:07 PM
Belwar's resolve was hard as an anvil. He returned Trillomore's stare for a moment. "Aye, u'm ready."
Title: Belwar plans an ant farm
Post by: Johan on November 10, 2008, 07:00:24 PM
Trillomore noded in understanding. The elf had seen Belwar's reservations written on other's faces before. "Then we shall perhaps get started." He rose from his chair and moved towards the back left corner of the room. He turned towads the right, and from this angle, as Trillomore decended into the floor, Belwar could suddenly see the ramp that Trillomore had spoken of earlier.

There was indeed a ramp at the back of the appartment, and it led right down through the floor of the appartment, and into the mesa below the keep.

The stonework was remarkable. Far beyond the ability of human, elf, gnome, or even dwarf. The working of the appartment's floor, and that of the wall, were such that the ramp was completely invisible up to the point that you were actually ON the ramp.

They descended into the earth, rotating about the interior of the keep's mesa, and as they decended the light got gradually brighter and a breeze presented itself to Belwar's nose. At length, the corridor's wall on the left opened up to the outside and Belwar was presented with a magnificent view that skimmed along the tops of the forest trees to the north.

Trillomore and Targyle led Belwar further along, until they came to a door in the passage, which Trillomore opened and entered.

Belwar followed the two elves into what appeared to be functioning library and laboratory.

You want to pick up where Belwar emerges later in the day from the appartment? Or is this at it's end?