@bobble I made the mistake of telling Wife-o-tron about this, and she may be freaking out

uh-oh...

:/

Incidentally, we've hit 27 sessions, which means we've officially passed Campaign 1 (24.5 sessions)

I tried to summarise and probably didn't explain it very well

she started recounting the other times she's made me miss out/run late for things so I'm going to try and leave work EXTRA early to help her ASAP (and if I'm on time for the game as well, great!) but I need to see my manager first

@Mithical woop!

is that 27 total, or does that account for the second group

@bobble I'm hoping I can make my bed, have my cake and eat while taking a nap...

@AncientSwordRage both groups together is 27

We numbered the sessions last time

However, the first campaign does still far outstrip this one in terms of number of messages

8398 for C1, 4495 for C2 so far (according to the bookmarks)

@Mithical gotcha

probably a little bit of double counting going on maybe? If we'd shared the same sessions it'd be less

C1 was also split between two groups

(North, bobble, and Gray in one group; msh and I in the other)

I also didn't get hit in that campaign

@bobble don't let @Sciborg find out...

The bobble has a tendency to play dodgy rogues and/or sneaky sneaks that are hard to hit :p

hey last time Astrid was a cleric

True, but a dodgy cleric

And North usually charged into combat and got hit the most :p

Lae was... not always the most planny

Exhibit A: attacking a major villain really early on

That was hilarious honestly

"welp"

Kith: *lets him go*

We're not starting for an hour right? I need to walk the dog but I should be back in plenty of time

right

@Sciborg 25 min now, and our bus is in 10

Sounds good, I just got back. Ready when frens are

also, since "talk to people" is coming up again in RPG chat: how comfortable are the other players (@bobble, @AncientSwordRage) with relatively frequent / more frequent WM surges?

some may have consequences for people around

100% comfortable based on how it's gone

They've been fun so far!

that's good

Ready?

Yep, have some unit tests to write in case of delay

\o

No delays here atm

Just finished yet another runthrough of the Percy Jackson playlist so I'm properly fired up

This being college, I have my character sheets balanced on top of some ochem textbooks, but they're near me and out

pokes a mith

\o

\o/

was fetching my sheet, ready

Where my poke 😥😜

pokes a ferret

I've loaded up my DnDBeyond character sheet

@Sciborg how rude

apologetically pats ferret's head instead

ferrets a ferret

@bobble 👀

When we left off, the group had just made the acquaintance of a peculiar kenku named Sail Snap who is offering to help them and has reassured them that she means no harm. The party is now in the library and has arranged themselves in the beanbags for a discussion.

Teri carefully puts the book back on the shelf, keeping it in the proper ordering. (with mage hand)

Head in one hand, pinching her nose Fin says, "Svo, I need to know before agreeing to anything... já?"

Sail Snap bobs her head, birdlike. "Ask questions. I answer with all I know. Promise."

"Where to start..."

Sherri shifts the Minor Illusion to show the Gesta instead. "Well, love, you mentioned the... what was it, the "Dreaming Brothers"? Who are they?"

"The Dreamers," says Sail Snap, with a quick, seemingly unconscious twitch of her feathers. "They are... I lack words. They are people who look for relics. They have a Master. Called the Arcanist. Nobody knows who they are - they give orders through others. They look for your book."

"In a helpful way? Or in a send-creepy-creatures-to-an-innocent-library way?"

"Bad way," confirms Sail Snap. "Very bad."

"Já maybe we have met them"

"Ah, so the Illuminati is after us. I see, dear."

"They were not friendly"

"Dreamers are... persuasive. They find out what you want and then they promise it. So you will help. And they do not make you do bad things... not until you very important." Sail Snap clicks her beak. "Not sure how they find what you want. Maybe mind read. Maybe listening. Not important enough to know."

"And what did you want, Sail Snap, dear?"

"I am very stubborn, so they will have a hard time with me!"

Then turning to Terri, less confident "Right?"

Sail Snap hangs her head in apparent shame. "Wanted... not important. But I did not get."

"If you're not important, why are you in so much danger?"

@AncientSwordRage "Well... magic..."

Her eyes flick back and forth between you. "Scared of trying to leave. Thought you were strong enough to protect if people come for me."

"Some people tried to attack us before. I stabbed them"

Unconsciously, Teri makes a stabbing motion, though her hand is knifeless

She nods at the mention of attackers. "I think new people they lure in not always bad people. Sometimes desperate. Maybe just want purpose or money. But when they send them to kill people it means they bad people. Means the Dreamers know they can hurt people."

"I screamed somebody to death... I don't know how..."

Sherri leans a bit closer to the kenku. "It was a bit terrifying, dear, learning that your young coworker is actually quite talented at stabbing people."

"Not that young."

"You're both quite young though, já...?"

"I'm not even a teenager! This is off-topic... Sail Snap, do you think we should expect more attackers soonish?"

A few lyrics of Halsey's "Young God" start drifting from the illusory image of the Gesta that's currently floating in the middle of the beanbags.

♫ Do you feel like a young god... you know the two of us are just young gods...♫

Sail Snap nods vigorously. "Yes. Next people they send will be more scary." She glances awkwardly at Robert's phone. "I am sorry for trick. I did not know how to make you meet if I spoke as scary person."

mutters "if they destroy a single beanbag..."

"How do they find us?"

The song cuts off as Sherri looks back at the kenku. "Ah, that's right, love. You still haven't explained how you got Robert's phone..."

The kenku shrugs helplessly at Teri's question. "Like I say. Not sure how they find or how they learn. Maybe listening somehow." She looks nervously at Sherri. "Friends promise not to be mad if I explain."

"That entirely depends on your explanation, dear."

Teri is nervously playing with the tag of her beanbag, twisting it between her fingers

@bobble looking at the stretched seams on her bean bag, Fin turns to Teri "já that would be awful"

(My computer just crashed so I'm on my phone for the foreseeable future)

[@AncientSwordRage BTW: "Sherri" has 2 "r"s, "Teri" has 1. A bit confusing, I know]

"There is person named..." Sail Snap echoes Robert saying "Presley." Then, in her usual patchwork of voices, "Dreamers were very interested in person, not sure why. Maybe good at something that Dreamers need. Dreamers know somebody will check on if disappear. I am sent to... um... look through Presley apartment. Find if has friends. Not told why I must do this."

Sherri crosses her arms and remains silent.

@Mithical (👍🏻)

Fin looks angry

She mimics the sounds of rifling through drawers and shelves. "Looked through and find out Presley once worked on research team in science university place in Egypt. Used to look at old magic artifacts and magical inscriptions. Is also friends with Detective. They have much documents about relics. I am told to bring back to Dreamers because important. They say to steal research."

"Mamma always said stealing is wrong"

"Except maybe ok to take a bit of bread now and then"

Teri reflexively looks at her bag with a backroom book

She wilts a bit. "Felt bad, but I took because wanted to not disobey. Few days later they tell me to go back because they think I missed something. Say there is something important and Presley is not cooperating to tell them. I feel bad but I go and Robert is there when I arrive. He sees me as burglar and we have fight. His phone falls out of pocket and I take and run away. Did not hurt but heard his voice. Knew he was friends with you when I look at phone, so called to help. Please not be mad."

"A... a lot to unpack there, dear, but alright."

obligatory insight check, to see if she's deliberately hiding anything or outright lying: 11+4=15

There seems like a minor part of the story you sense she left out, but otherwise this account sounds truthful from start to end.

4+3=7 for me

"Where is Presley now, love?"

"They say Presley not cooperating, so think they must have. I only delivered them the papers after they said I missed something. Not sure what they mean because took all the papers I found."

"Oh, God, they're probably torturing Presley."

Telepathically to Teri and Sherri, 'at least we should bring sail snap to Robert'

Worried, Teri gets up to check the door is locked and the loose window shut tight as possible

Out loud, Sherri responds "But we can't reach Robert because his phone is here, and Coulter's phone is disconnected... this isn't good."

Sherri is going to try to call Coulter's number again.

Fin finally gets up, and trots after Teri

[anything interesting from the check?]

@Mithical You get the same generic "number disconnected or unavailable" message.

@bobble The door is still locked, and the windows are still shut as you left them.

When Fin is out of sight from the Kenku, she'll cast Minor Illusion to make it sound like Robert's voice is coming from somewhere in the library, saying "I've come for my phone"

(let me know if I need stealth/deception/etc checks)

(Deception check)

(Normally the spell doesn't require one, but you're specifically trying to fool her)

Teri also pokes sadly at the backroom lock with some picks, but bobble is pretty sure that's useless

@Sciborg (9+5=14)

...that's higher than the 13 Insight check I rolled, so pretty sure you've fooled Sherri as well.

Sherri looks up, almost hopefully. "Robert, darling? How'd you get here?"

The kenku's head snaps around in surprise, hearing Robert's voice. "Who is there? How here? Nobody here."

Sightly panicked having not thought this through, Fin casts it again (if there's time/nobody else reacts) but this time saying "I know you stole my phone Sail Snap, you can't hide!"

Sail Snap makes the sound of an alarm siren going off and lunges from the beanbag in apparent terror, all her feathers standing on end like a frightened cat.

Teri is pretty sure that Robert isn't here since she just checked that everything was locked, but she's not going to say that

I just rolled a natural 1 for another Insight check, so... yeah, Sherri is absolutely convinced Robert is now hiding somewhere in the library.

More panicked, Fin casts again this time saying, "Tell me the truth, and I'll go easy on you"

(I've been rolling for each casting)

The kenku squints suspiciously at this last one, her feathers de-poofing slightly. "Is trick?"

Fin telepathically speaks to Teri and Sherri 'play along... please'

> If a creature uses its action to examine the sound or image, the creature can determine that it is an illusion with a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC.

(DC 13)

"Robert, darling! We were worried about you!"

"Robert, how'd you open the front door? It needs a key..."

(8) The kenku blinks in total bewilderment. "How he get here? Explain? Why hiding?"

[can we respond telepathically to Fin?]

Fin casts Minor Illusion one more time, to say as Robert "I'll show myself when I hear the truth"

@Mithical [no, it's one way without casting another spell]

(thumbsup)

(16+5=21)

(told cat that they won't be let in)

Fin's face is dripping from the stress of the situation

"You were there," says Sail Snap, uncertainly. She takes out the phone and holds it up. "I sorry I took phone. Not sure if your friend okay... do you want back?"

She's trying to stay composed

"Do you need the phone for anything, Sail Snap?"

She looks very reluctant to give it up, but says, "No, he can have back."

Fin can't hold up the deception any longer, "Já, it was a trick..." She calls out, "At least now I think I can trust you..."

(brb 2-3 min)

"Oh." Sail Snap's feathers fully relax back down in apparent relief.

Teri pats Sail Snap awkwardly.

"Well then." Sherri settles back down, looking a bit disappointed. "Teri, Fin, darlings, what do you think - do we need to check in on Coulter and Shae, warn Oakwinkle, try to find Presley...? Where are we heading next?"

"Forgot to ask, Sail Snap, do you know how to make the book less... tentacly creey magicy?"

@Mithical walking back into view Fin says "Já but with, Sail Snap, is dangerous?"

Sail Snap clamps her beak shut. "I have said all things I promised to say. Friends must now promise their end. You will help me?"

"I'll give you the assistance you need as long as it's reasonable."

"I don't think we can reasonably refuse at this point, dear. We'll do our best."

She nods in apparent relief. "I need place to hide. Away from Dreamers." She mimics the sound of a padlock snapping shut and a vault door slamming. "Safe place for me where I can go?"

"Ah, that's... a good question, dear. I'm not sure anywhere really qualifies as "safe" now..."

"Do lots of witnesses make a place safer?"

"Oakwinkle. Do we need to warn him that these Dreamers are after him?"

"Oh!" Teri fumbles the dumb phone out and tries to call him again

After quite a few rings, Oakwinkle picks up, sounding more world-weary than usual: "Yes, Miss Teri?"

"Do you know about the Dreamers? They seem to be... after... us, maybe you too."

"The name does not ring a bell, I'm afraid. Beyond some literary works, of course. Is it an urgent matter?" You can hear him stirring something in a cup with a spoon; evidently you caught him in the middle of teatime.

"We're reliably told that they'll be after us again soon, for the book... ?" turn, questioning look at Sail Snap for confirmation "And they probably were the ones that tried to attack us earlier, and they've taken someone named Presley, and Robert is in their sights, and..."

Fin is listening, but not saying much

"Teri, dear, slow down. Don't panic." You hear him set the cup down, evidently realizing you need his full attention. "It will be all right, I'm sure. These are the people who interrogated me earlier, you believe? And you said the Detective is in danger?"

"Not SECO. Different. Yes." Teri is trying to compose herself after letting lots out at once.

"Don't be afraid, Miss Teri, I am sure all will be well. Breathe." You hear a creaking sound as he stands up from his easy chair. "If something is truly afoot, this is beyond an old elf. What has become of Miss Fin and Miss Sherri? Are they with you?"

"Teri, do you need me to speak on the tely-phone?"

"Yes. Do you want to talk with them?"

Fin makes grabby motions at Teri like an impatient child

"I would be happy to." You can hear Oakwinkle moving into another room and rummaging through items. "Where are you, Miss Teri? I believe I have some energy left in these bones."

"Library." Teri hands the phone to Fin

Can Sherri hear Oakwinkle?

Probably, if Teri's phone volume is loud enough.

Holding the phone awkwardly Fin says loudly "OAKWINKLE. WE ARE OK. HAVE A TALKING BIRD! CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

So I'd like to make an Insight check... for paranoia reasons.

Or not; that's a 2+4=6. :p

It's a bit louder than usual because she forgot to turn it down after the last time one of the elderly patrons borrowed it.

Fin looks at Teri to see if she's doing the phone thing right

Teri makes a shush gesture to try to get Fin to be quieter

"I may be an old elf, but I'm still an elf, Miss Fin," Oakwinkle says, sounding very amused. "I can hear you perfectly all right."

Fin stage whispers into the phone, "can. we bring the bird to you. .... please"

Fin looks at Teri for more approval, and then says to her at normal volume, 'How do I know he can hear me if he's not here..?'

"Who is this bird, Miss Fin?" You can hear muffled sounds of Oakwinkle putting a coat on. "And why must they be brought here?"

thumbsup

"We need to check on Robert. He doesn't have a phone. We don't know if he is ok."

Fin says to Teri, 'Will Sail Snap be ok staying at Oakwinkles?'

"Oakwinkle is the elf who runs this library." Teri clarifies for Sail Snap

Sherri holds out her hand to Fin. "May I, sweetie?"

Sail Snap blinks nervously. "I trust new friends. Maybe."

Fin passes the phone over

"Oakwinkle, dear, how are you?"

"I am quite all right, Miss Sherri; my nerves have settled. What has happened to Detective Robert? I would assume that Coulter would be with him." There is a jingling sound as Oakwinkle fetches his house keys. "Has he been attacked?"

"We have a... bird person here, her name is Sail Snap. She needs protection from the cult, I suppose you could say, that she has left, who are the people that attacked the library and us. We can't reach the Detective or his husband, and their friend Presley has apparently been kidnapped." Sherri pauses, out of breath.

"Anyway, dear, we need to find a safe place for Sail Snap to hang out so that this Dreamers cult doesn't harm her."

Fin flops carelessly and roughly into a beanbag forgetting her earlier difficulties

"...Fascinating. It seems a great deal has transpired in my absence." Oakwinkle's front door opens and shuts in the background. "I lack the magical abilities to be of much help, but I will do what I can. This person needs protection, you say?"

"Do you want to talk to him?" Teri whispers at Sail Snap

Sail Snap quails nervously and doesn't reply.

"Yes, protection. Is that something that you can help with, darling?"

"He's nice." reassures Teri

"I believe I have something in mind." You hear wind blowing and grass crunching; it seems Oakwinkle is walking over from his house a few blocks away. "Has SECO blockaded my back room?"

"Já, he wasn't mad when I stole the bad book, Oakwinkle is very nice"

"Weren't you here when they did that, dear?"

"They placed a temporary seal on it, but I was not made aware if they had intended to fully decouple it from our world with a dimensional seal or not. None of my other books are quite as dangerous as the Gesta, I daresay. Is there perchance a runegate over the door?"

Sherri leans over and goes "Teri, dear, do you know what a "runegate" is?"

Fin gets out the Gesta and tries to look up Runegate, about to cast Guidance

Do I know what a runegate is?

Arcana check.

@bobble need some guidance?

19+4=23, woot! Someone's been doing their reading

(if you do I can still add d4 to your result?)

Do I a) know what a runegate is and b) know whether it's there?

[timecheck: 15 minutes until scheduled end time, 22 minutes until the latest I would feel safe leaving my apartment for class]

@bobble The purple-white rune weaving currently blocking the back room door strongly resembles something you've seen in a book. A "runegate" is a magical locking mechanism placed by an artificer or other rune-weaving magic user, implying the person who placed it was a magical engineer or similar. It is intended to be a semi-permanent enchantment that covers a hole in spacetime, which lines up with the back room being a pocket dimension or other warped area of spacetime.

The runegate is not permanent and can be opened, meaning that the back room is still there - just locked.

@bobble [happy for you to call when we end]

"Yes, I tried picking the lock but..." shrugs

"Teri says yes, there's a runegate and she apparently can't pick it."

"If there is a runegate, that means they decided it wasn't important enough to fully decouple. Excellent. We may be able to get back into the room." Oakwinkle's feet are audibly crunching through the grass. "There is a book in there with a specific spell that I daresay one of you will be able to cast to help your feathered friend."

How far is Oakwinkle's house from the library, again?

He only lives a few blocks away, so he's able to usually walk to work in the mornings.

Sherri peeks out through the window to see if Oakwinkle is within sight yet.

"Make sure to tell him the door's locked."

The morning outside is still a bit cloudy; there is dew on the grass outside. You don't see him in sight yet.

Fin stops reading the Gesta, tucks it back into her bag, and looks up at Teri and Sherri

"Ah, yes. Oakwinkle, dear, Teri says to tell you that the door's locked. I'm sure you have your key, though."

Sherri goes to hand Teri back her phone.

"Indeed I do, Miss Sherri. Do you still have what I gave you earlier?" Oakwinkle drops his voice slightly. "I thought it was quite fitting."

"Ah, about that, dear... I'm afraid I couldn't quite figure out what it was. I spent several hours on it. Is there are secret activation word or something, darling?"

"Before I came to this country, Miss Sherri, I lived in the elven country of Laouvthsorienn, quite a ways to the east. The bay in which I resided was at the foot of a mighty spirit-volcano called Ualiar, and one of the elven traditions there was the carving of volcanic glass. That pearl I bestowed onto you is a gift from my homeland. It is a piece of Ualiar's wrath." He sounds amused. "I think you will find it has... useful properties."

"I very much appreciate it, Mr. Oakwinkle, although I won't try to repeat those names back to you. How long will it take you to get here, incidentally, dear?"

"Oh, just about -" His figure appears on the street in the distance in a jacket, heading your way. "Now, I believe."

Where's the map of the library, again?

(The chat search is broken right now, alas.)

(Stop here? I'm starving :p)

sounds good, go find sustenance

dootles off to consume sustenance

thank you for session. lore drops!

I depart for class!

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR AN AMAZING SESSION

FOOD! CLASS!

wizzes around in excitement

*scuttles off to climb into bed*