939 replies and 98 files omitted.
>>180097"It's plausible, but I have a hunch that whoever was here is either in the neighboring structure on that ship. Let's check them."
"It's also plausible that our colts may be involved. They're Marines, and they likely don't know that they're being rescued. If they're alive, they likely looked for logical sources of shelter on the island, or supplies from the ship to keep warm and build their fires."
"The coat in the building gives me pause. Somepony left this place in a hurry."
>>180098Bones (taking the liberty of a +2 circumstance for my roleplayed bone obsession):
[1d20+5 = (17+5) = 22]Boots:
[1d20+3 = (8+3) = 11] >>180101The bones belong to multiple marine mammals, specifically pinnipeds, presumably seals or sea lions.
The boots are of a style not consistent with pony boots.
>>180100Screw it, I'll flip those two results:
The boots are griffin boots, like what is used in especially fish processing.
The bones... Hard to say
>>180103Posey takes any skulls from the pile.
>>180104"Perhaps it has something to do with that crown mentioned earlier. Let's investigate."
Posey begins trotting towards the other structures and the pier
>>180105Only a few skulls, which are incomplete as the jaw bones has been separated. The number of skulls seems underrepresented, and the whale skull is also absent.
>>180105The pier is to the left. There are two structures in the back.
>>180106Let's check out the structures before heading to the pier.
>>180106>>180107Silver and Kira take one of the structures
>>180108Let's search them together, in case we encounter something.
>>180109Hey, Posey and the others are more than welcome to search with them in this one or to search the other.
>>180110That's what I meant.
Posey follows the others.
Two structures:
One, a cottage of some kind with windows. The other has no windows and must be some kind of workshop.
There a few smaller auxiliary buildings, however, even behind this
>>180112"We're looking for ponies, so let's check the cottage first. They could have hidden there."
>>180113Idk why I put that in quotes, but I guess that's not unreasonable to say in character...
>>180112Posey walks to the door of the cabin, but as she's about to open it...
She compulsively knocks.
>>180115No response.
This door is indeed closed.
>>180117Posey freezes there, struggling against herself.
....
Wait, is there a welcome mat?
>>180117>>180118Silver looks oddly at Posey, before opening the door for her.
>>180119But does he invite her in?
>>180119The door is unlocked, and opens simply
>>180118No.
>>180119>>180118Mala stands at the ready with his shotgun, and seemed as if he intended to kick down the door if Silver had not simply opened it.
>>180120Kek
>>180120>>180121>>180122>>180123Silver steps inside, and having not immediately died (as far as I know) turns to Posey and says, "Seems safe enough. Come on inside."
>>180124Posey enters the building, and looks around.
>>180124>>180125You wanna get a surprise round against you? Because this is how you get a surprise round against youSilver opens it...
To find that the cottage contains a desk with many papers, some papers strewn on the ground, a collection of giant... teeth? On a windowsil. Many, many, many empty bottles. A couple glasses, one turned over. Writing in.. chalk? Multiple... spearheads? On the walls. A single bed that is made but slightly disturbed.
>>180126Fair.Silver: "This seems to belong to hunter."
Kira enters, and wonders at the interior. She takes special interest in the spearheads, comparing it to the leaf-shaped steel spearhead of her spear.
>>180126>You wanna get a surprise round against you?People told me not to powergame. Posey phobia is one of her weaknesses.
>a collection of giant... teeth?Ooh, that's fun.
>Writing in.. chalk?A magic circle? Summoning?
Arcana
[1d20+11 = (5+11) = 16]>Multiple... spearheads?Any of those look masterwork?
Let's check the floor boards under the bed, to see if there's a hidden compartment that the crown could have been hidden in.
>>180127It sholuld be clarified that there are two distinct and radically different types of "spearheads" here. One is absolutely massive, six or so inches long and made of steel, presumably chrome plated.
But another class is several different kinds of mostly smaller spearheads. Some are made of... metal? Some odd looking black colored substance. Two are carved bone. One of the metal ones looks broken, probably from something larger
>>180128These are definitely of some kind of magical attempt or occult tradition, very possibly for the purpose of summoning. However, Posey does not recognize any of the attempts at symbols. Well, that isn't true. She recognizes a symbol belonging to Erebus, of primordial chaos, and another to the fish god. However, if Posey really had to guess, this looks more like an imitation of magic rituals rather than anything real.
>>180128There is a box, yes.
>masterworkMaybe the large steel one?
>>180130Hmmm...this may be a long shot, but...can Silver use his mastery of Weaponsmithing to learn the quality of the spearheads?
>>180131Are you asking if it's masterwork?
>>180131If you have tanks in weapons nothing, you get a bonus to appraisal checks.
>>180130>imitation of magic rituals rather than anything real"It looks like the fishermen were getting desperate. They even resorted to esoterics." Posey declares
"It's all wrong though. For all we know they angered the sea spirits and had a horde of sea fiends ascend in this settlement." She ponders
>>180133>tanks in weapons nothing*ranks in weapon smithing
>>180132Yeah, and maybe recognizing what the metal and black colored substance is.
>>180133Hmmmmmmmmmmmm
Kira: "They didn't ask the spirits correctly, I suppose, and didn't receive their blessings. We're not really a sea people, so I don't know if we had any ways to ask for blessings to increase fish yields. We just fished in the rivers if we needed any."
>>180135"Esoterics are no laughing matter. Some creatures think of them as harmless futility at worst, but in dire circumstances it can do more harm than good. I know of a village not unlike this one that was depopulated by drowners after the locals got chancey with chalk like this..." Posey says, shaking her head slowly
>>180136Rolling
[1d20+3 = (4+3) = 7] >>180136Can I roll? Not for anything in particular, just in general
>>180136Weaponsmithing: Silver inspects the spearheads with the keen eye of a master smith.
[1d20+12 = (14+12) = 26]>>180137Kira: "I imagine they got desperate, ran out of whale meat and resorted to hunting sea birds for food. This might have been their last gambit to survive..."
>>180141"It may have also been their undoing. Sea spirits are not to be trifled with." Posey says
"I know that first hoof...." she adds
>>180142"I wondered the same. Perhaps there were more of them at some point."
>>180139Are there any hidden chambers under the floorboard, behind the bed, or under the mattress?
>>180140Defiant's mix tape does
not get picked up by a record label.
>>180137Posey does not recognize the spears
>>180141Silver can tell that the large spearhead is a fresh, modern spear with a chrome plated head. Presumably, it's for a harpoon.
The other objects are... less clear. One is the tip of a larger spear, and a few are full spearheads. One of the spearheads is corroded in an unsual way. However, all of them seem to be made from some kind of alloy. Iron, Nickel, and Manganese. The thing is, it looks as if it
hasn't been properly smelted at all, and is a naturally occurring semi-metalic substance. This means that the iron includes ferric oxides that you'd really rather not use. However, it
is near purely metalic.
>>180144No search roll?
>>180145I keep forgetting my bonus
[1d20+5 = (5+5) = 10] I really should take 10 on these kinds of rolls...
>>180145Silver: "These are odd. I have never seen anyone attempt to fashion spearheads like these before. It almost seems as if they were using whatever metals they had on hoof...talon?...to make these."
>>180147Search: Kira also searches the house for any hidden compartments.
>>180149"Seems like it. They probably melted down old scrap metal to make these."
>>180150There
is a hidden compartment in the floorboard.
It contains a couple boxes, and has clearly been moved recently.
>>180152Voila!
Posey levitates the boxes out.
>>180153Kira taps her hooves together as she watches Posey lift the boxes out. "Um...can I help open them?"
>>180154"Sure. You can be the trap-checker." Posey replies
>>180155Kira: "Okay!" She smiles, and claps her hooves together excitedly...before stopping and looking at Posey a couple seconds later. "...how does one do that, exactly?"
>>180154Opening the boxes:
There is
not a waiting hoof grenade
It's pretty clear that the physically largest items under the floorboards have been removed.
Inside are a couple smaller boxes of ammunition, two sets of papers, a necklace with a symbol of a lion holding an axe, some paper money, and a number of coins in foreign currency.
>>180157Kira: "Oh, money!" Kira takes the money, seeing what kind of money it is.
Silver: "Money?" Silver looks, and takes the ammunition, seeing what caliber they are.
>>180157Posey examines the amulet.
Does it look like it could be magic?
Arcana
[1d20+11 = (18+11) = 29]Let's pool all the money we find into a loot pile, to divide at the end of the mission.
>>180159It does not.
It's insignia to be sure, and precious metals, but not magical
Symbol is a lion holding an axe overtop two shorts words. Silver with gold plating.
>>180158Two distinct calibers.
.45 ACP
6.5 MM rifle
The money is... well, there's a griffin on it. It's silver and gold, though.
The paper is colored green and red.
>>180159A fair idea, but does that mean we would also pool all of the money we get from pawning items?
>>180160Damn, no one has firearms in those calibers. Though the existence of this ammunition implies the existence of their matching firearms somewhere.
>>180160"Well, that's treasure." Posey says, eyeing the necklace
>>180161Depends, items that clearly are better off for certain characters should go to those characters. Items that are not useful to any characters should be sold off and proceeds divided.
>>180145I hope you know that I am scrunching at you. Hard
>>180161"We can decide how to divide the treasure after we get paid." Posey says, stowing the necklace
"Let's check the other building before we head to the pier."
>>180165Mala shakes his head
"That's not how that works."
>>180164You wanna join in on the [-ransacking[/-] searching?
>>180165Kira: "Sounds good to me!"
>>180162Before they leave, Silver takes the one good spearhead, and checks the papers located inside the boxes.
>>180166"How would you prefer to do it?" Posey says
>>180167Posey helps herself to the bone spearheads
>>180167These are written up by a typewriter, and are in a foreign language
>>180168Mala backs down. Literally
>>180169"I thought so." Posey says, smugly
"You can hold on to that watch though." She says, as she leaves the building
Posey moves towards the other structure
>>180169>>180168Well, if the papers can't be read, then Silver attends to Mala with pets. "You are not so used to even shares or items freely given, are you? I noticed how you hid that pocket watch as if it was your most precious possession, my friend."
Kira: "I have a pocket watch, too!" Kira excitedly shows it to Mala.
>>180170And so the group follows Posey.
>>180171Mala:
"No. Usually when a subject was not completely looted by the zebras... or more often, when we were cutting up corpses, and there was a golden filling, or maybe they had swallowed some jewelry, it was about who got to it first. And even then, you had to hide it, or it would be taken from you."
Mala moves back at Kira's pocket watch, but then moves his head to look closer at it.
"I... I see... I've never had one before."
>>180170>>180171Please note the presence of two smaller structures. This one, however, is actually larger than the last, with a shorter ceiling, and no windows. Dark wooden walls. Door is closed
>>180172>it was about who got to it first. And even then, you had to hide it, or it would be taken from you"It was like that where I did my training too. We could do it that way, but since we need to ride the same transport home I would prefer waiting until we got back before we descend into barbarism." Posey says
"Where did that thief go, anyway? Did he fly off? Oh well."
>doorPosey awkwardly waits for someone else to open the door.
>>180172Kira is...a bit grossed out by the description of cutting up corpses, as she doesn't know much about the Hoebuck job and Mala's place in it, but she keeps showing Mala her pocket watch so he can look at it. "When I came to Baltimare, I went to a pawn shop to sell the gold and jewelry I brought from my homeland, and they let me have a pocket watch as a gift. It's pretty neat! I imagine you'll love yours as well!"
Silver: "I imagine you will. And no, there will be no fighting over loot, do not worry. If you see something useful, you can keep it, and rest of it will be gathered together, sold, and profits shared among all members of party. That is how adventurers such as us do it."
As for the door, Silver is more careful this go around, trying the doorknob and peaking through should it prove to be open, rather than just barging in.
>>180173"How do you... wait until you're home to do that?"
>>180174Mala says:
"You can't really change your mind on who has what..."
The door is closed. It is unlocked.
>>180175"We put it all in a bag, and then we fight over the stuff in the bag when we're done with the mission." Posey says
>>180175Kira: "I imagine it's all on an honor system? Like, trusting everypony else to do what you would do and contribute the loot and money to a sort of central pile. Trust and honesty is very important to Harmony!"
Silver peaks through the doorway to make sure there aren't any hostile entities on the other side.
>>180176Kira: "Oh, I can watch after the bag and make sure everyone gets their fair share! That way we don't have to fight over stuff!"
>>180177"Just put it on the disk." Posey says, gesturing to her magical disk
Posey peaks behind silver
Note that Posey has Darkvision
>>180176Mala:
"Oh."
>>180177>>180178It is indeed dark, and not easy to see into the whole structure with just a peak
>>180179Does it
appear to be safe though, at least from where they are?
>>180180Nothing jumps out at them.
Literally nothing jumps at them.
>>180181Posey has her unseen servant push the door open as she readies her weapon for anything that might jump out anyway.
>>180181Silver enters cautiously, clearing the way for the rest of the group.
>>180183>>180182Kerosene lamp on the wall, paper on the floor, and a big table with a giant knife - functionally a sword - laying on it.
>>180184Posey goes up and examines the sword.
A raised portion of the roof allows some light in.
What is blatantly visible without a deeper search is a set of boxes and barrels in the back, stains on the floor, another table besides the one with the knife/shortsword on it which has an open notebook, a rack of knives with most missing, a few tools against the wall, and kerosene lamps on the wall. There is also a stove.
>>180185Blade length of eight inches and a wooden handle that is four inches. It's a single sided blade that seems more for slicing than stabbing.
>>180186"Looks like a butcher shop." Posey says
None of the items look fancy/magical, right?
Search check to check for anything interesting
[1d20+5 = (17+5) = 22] >>180186The raised portion of the roof, what does it look like exactly?
Silver checks the fuel level of the lamps. Kira investigates the boxes and barrels to see what they contain/used to contain.
>>180192"The prior inhabitants left in a hurry. They didn't even take this necklace with them. If the lamps still have fuel in them, that supports this notion."
>>180186>a rack of knives with most missing"Somepony took some, but not all of the knives. It could be that they took them as weapons when a fight broke out, like that ice pick we saw earlier."
>open notebookPosey opens the notebook.
>>180195>Opens the open notebookI mean Posey picks up the open notebook and reads it, starting with the page it is open to.
>>180145"One might expect hunters to have different types of spearheads, but wouldn't they be of similar material? I can't see the practical reasons for this collection.">>180157should've put points into appraise to know the origin of the coins or bills"A family crest? Perhaps one of the griffons was nobility. We should hold onto that as a clue.">>180176"Our goal right now is to resolve a conflict, not to create a new one," he says in a dismissive tone.
>>180195>>180207Cavaliere also looks at it, expecting to find either a ledger or the same language as before.
>>180192>raised roofA physically overlapping gap in the roof, presumably to allow the movement of air, with rolls of wool that can come down. The rolls are tied up.
A couple of the lamps are empty, two are half full.
The barrels seem to have an animal product in them
>>180188>MagicalProbably not
The pallets and barrels, aside from the tools, notebook, and lamps, are presumably the most interesting thing. Well, maybe the stains on the floor, which may be blood or body fluids.
>>180209>SpearheadsOne of the heads is clearly the broken tip of a larger blade. One is visibly corroded white and green. Another is chipped, and one is in pretty good condition, having been hammered and shaped well, with barbs at the bottom. Unlike the steel head, these do not have long, metal shafts.
>coinsCavaliere doesn't need to be a numismatist to recognize the portrait of Grover V on half of the coins.
>>180211What's in the notebook?
We should probably check the bottom of the barrels, in case any treasure was stashed beneath the animal product.
Just put a stick in there and poke around.
>>180211What kind of animal product?
Are we doing stuff tonight?
>>180213The first note, in a familiar style
"My Dear Ingrid,
No boat has come by in more than a month. You haven't gotten any of these in a month. Maybe I'll give them to you in person when the ship comes around. We don't have enough new blubber or furs to justify a ship coming by anyways.
Nils says he knows why Sørvik had us stay. He says he heard Sørvik talking to himself. He says that Sørvik owes a lot of money to griffins he shouldn't. I can believe it. Both the debt and the talking to himself. He gets drunk and locks himself in his cabin at night. He'll wear that damned crown, even though it does not fit his head. Nils has had enough of him, as has Ingerstad. I have had enough of him. I have had enough of Ingerstad and Nils as well. There's no more protesting of who will do their duties, but there's always an air of resentment. I suspect Nils has been through my things again. I have nothing he wants, anyways, besides by share, and he's not getting that. I should have gone back in November with the others. Two more weeks of eating seal meat every day and we are done for good, and I am back to you, my dear Ingrid.
Lovingly, Johan Bøkli"
Hastily written,
"Sørvik has gone mad. He's put on that damned crown and started muttering. He's not just drunk. I've seen in glowing with light. Damn Seapony crown is cursed. I am making a run for the boat. I am leaving here if I have to pilot it myself, to Hel with the consequences."
>>180214Looks like rendered fat, or oil.
>>180223Posey raises an eyebrow at the last part.
"I said sea magic is not to be taken lightly. It looks like their foolish leader was cursed or possessed, by an artifact they didn't even know how to use, too blinded by greed to save themselves." Posey says
"We know where most of them went now.... It's not impossible that Sørvik, or what's left of him, might still be haunting here... Be on guard." She continues, holding her halberd close
She brandishes the necklace
"This could be be a lion, but does it not also look like an Anzu demon? Sørvik might've shared his body with something nasty, attracted by the power of the sea crown."
>>180225"If the cursed Sørvik is still here, it's plausible that the Marines have already run into him. We should be careful.
>>180226Cavaliere turns to Posey.
"Do you know about these sort of spirits? What can you tell us about them?" >>180223>>180226Silver: "It seems like this Sørvik found out what Johan was doing and sabotaged boat before attacking him. That is my guess, at least. It is possible there was also mutiny, judging from blood everywhere and missing knives. I am not so sure of Sørvik becoming cursed with anything but madness. It sounds little bit like what our new friend Sea Stone was being affected by, but that could also have just been hypothermia."
Kira takes her spear, and pokes around in the fat/oil looking for anything that might by interesting at Posey's insistence.
>>180230Nothing, Nothing, Nothing, Something, Nothing.
Wait a minute. There's something in one of the barrels at the bottom.
>>180231Kira grimaces, before bringing up her tail, and sticking the end of it into the barrel of gross fat/oil.
Kira: "Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww...grossgrossgrossgrossgrossgrossgrossgrossgrossgrossgrossgross..."
She does
not like how the substance feels on her tail.
She wastes no time feeling around for where she thought she felt the object. She looks like she could get sick before with an "aha!" she grasps the object with her tail and pulls it out.
>>180227>"Do you know about these sort of spirits? What can you tell us about them?"That's a good question.
Religion check
[1d20+11 = (7+11) = 18]>>180228"Leviathans live for centuries and are known to swallow treasures of power. The idea of Sørvik coming into contact with an unknown artifact isn't far fetched."
>>180231Posey helps with the search by using her unseen servant and horn to sweep the bottom and pull out whatever's inside.
>>180232Or not
>>180233Oh, I would also like to know Arcana, to see if I would know anything about such a crown.
[1d20+11 = (15+11) = 26] >>179000How much time has passed in the game since the red one's disappearance?
>>180232I was going to suggest just pouring out the rendered fat on the ground... but sure, that would work. Eventually. Once you've pushed it up against the side of the barrel and can fish it out.
It's a necklace, with pearls and a seashell
>>180235Cavaliere? He's still there. I think
>>180233What is the religion check on?
>>180234The specific crown is hard to say, as the exact culture it originated from is hard to say. But it isn't hard to imagine one being deliberately designed as a conduit of magic.
>>180233Silver: "I do not doubt that it was swallowed on accident by whale or 'leviathan' they hunted, and they found it as they carved whale up for meat and fat. I am just saying that curse that could be placed on it is likely just curse of madness, rather than anything like spirits taking over his body. I have heard of cursed objects like that before, whispering dark things into mind of those unfortunate enough to wear or wield them, like Helm of Shadows."
>>180235Does the red one you mention have "Star" in his name by any chance?
>>180237Silver: "Why did you not just pour out barrel to retrieve that? Or ask one of us to fish it out with our magic."
Kira sits there, with a tail covered in muck and holding a similarly mucky necklace, staring at him like a deer in headlights. "...I'm so dumb...can you get me a towel or something, please? I don't trust the water near that boat, what with all of the oil in the water."
Silver looks around for a towel, giving it to the poor lamia. She uses it to wipe up first herself, then her spear, then the necklace. Once it's clean, she inspects it closer.
>>180232"You don't need to do that, Kira. Let me help you." Posey says, as she reaches into the barrel with her magic.
>What is the religion check on?What Posey knows about the relevant sea spirits that Cavalier asked about.
>It's a necklace, with pearls and a seashell"Ooh, more jewelry!" Posey says
"..... That's the second piece of hidden jewelry in a row... Someone didn't want to share, but also didn't come back to claim it." Posey observes.
>>180237Gonna roll another Arcana check, to see if this necklace could be magical
[1d20+11 = (13+11) = 24] >>180241Very possibly. It looks to be of hippogriff design.
>>180240Are you asking about the lion on the other necklace?
>>180239Mala starts licking Kira's tail.
>The necklaceFour pearls, and a shell in the center on a thin, presumably silver necklace. The silver is not in good condition, and is corroded.
>>180242I thought I already asked about the lion and the answer was no.
As the licensed curse-checker, I will take the liberty of briefly placing the necklace on my neck to see if there's any magical power, before putting it in the plot bag.
>silverPosey cringes before she does this...
>>180242Kira: "Awww. I don't think being in this barrel has done this necklace much good..."
Silver: "Silver is not so hard to restore. With some hot water, baking soda, and polishing, we can make it as good as new."
Kira giggles at the feeling of Mala's licking. "T-that tickles!"
>>180243Not so fast, I believe Kira would like to try it on first. She
did go to the trouble of fishing it out of the barrel (even though she didn't have to).
>>180243poofIf it's magic, whatever it does is not immediately apparent
>>180244Okay. You risk the necklace of strangulation. Not like you need to breathe :3
>>180245Posey levitates it back to Kira.
>>180246>>180245Kira tries on the necklace, wishing she had a mirror with which to look in at the moment.
>>180235Although if you're talking about a certain
yellow pony... I don't believe he's formally disappeared
>>180247Kira suspects she may be pretty as a hippogriff. Or a seapony.
Anyways, it isn't clear what, if anything it does. Except look pretty. That, it does respectably well. Besides the corrosion. But it's a very pretty shell. It's easy to see why it was chosen for a necklace.
"It doesn't look like there's anything left hidden in this building. Whoever was hiding these treasures knew better than to put all their eggs in one basket. Let's search the remaining structures before we check the pier. With any luck, our colts will be sheltering in one one them."
Posey makes for the door.
>>180247Cavaliere looks over at the snakepony.
"It looks good on you, but we must find either those griffons or the ponies. There's not much daylight left."He follows Posey, moving past her to the next structure and opening the door for her.
>>180248>>180250>Kira suspects she may be pretty as a hippogriff. Or a seapony.Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
Kira: "I'd like to at least wear this out, if you guys didn't mind! I think it looks pretty!"
Silver: "That it does. If you change your mind later, we can always add it to look pile."
>>180249>>180250Silver and Kira follow Posey, though Silver has his doubts that the Navy ponies would have made for this location. Still, exploring is nice. It brings him back to his days as a young novice adventurer.
>>180251"Go ahead and wear it. We'll divide it later."
>agreeing with yourself in-character for why you should have treaure
Beyond these structures are another two sets of whale bones in the ground, though these are much smaller than the leviathan bones from before
>>180251>>180250>>180249The penultimate structure is smaller wooden structure with a closed wooden shutter over a window
Opening it up, it is an outhouse
Yes, it has been used recently
>>180253Alright. Who's going to crawl into the outhouse to find the ultimate treasure stashed at the bottom?
>>180252scroonchI can't just not have them interact with each other. Besides, I have business plans for them.>>180253>>180254Kira: "EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! I am
not sticking my tail in that, even if it has that crown inside!"
>>180253Cavaliere inspects the bones. Are they juvenile whales?
>>180254You have an unseen
slave servant.
>>180255Silver's nominal cohort looks up at him
>>180256Roll! Oh, wait, I could probably just use my Unseen Servant to get it.
>>180256Beat me to it.
Magic is nifty.
Posey uses her unseen servant to check the bottom of the outhouse.
>>180257Silver pets Mala. "Do not worry, I am not going to ask you to check outhouse. I will not ask you to do anything I would not do."
>>180257I guess I'll roll wisdom?
[1d20+3 = (11+3) = 14] >>180257This is a roll for a bone-fanatic
[1d20+5 = (13+5) = 18] >>180253Posey uses her unseen servant to check for treasure at the bottom of the outhouse.
I will have to sleep soon
>>180259Mala tilts his head
"What?"
>>180260No, adults of a much smaller species.
>>180261Probably Minke whale
>>180262At the bottom is....
An empty bottle, and a pistol
>>180264Silver: "Oh, I thought...nevermind. Just happy to have you here."
pet pet pet >>180264A masterwork, +1, splitting, explosive pistol?
>>180265Mala is pet pet pet>>180266No, but it is covered in shit.
>>180264>No, adults of a much smaller species."These were either killed separately, or the leviathan was defending the whale pod."
>>180267The unseen servant drops the pistol on the ground.
"Well, that is the last structure. The only thing left in sight is the pier, and the cliff. Let us check the ship first."
I must slumber
>>180268>Last StructureNo. There is another
>>180269But you can go to the boat instead
>>180270Let's save the boat for last, and go to the last standing structure.
>>180270Let's check the last structure before the board. I expect combat on the boat.
Let"a search it quick. My strength wanes.
>>180272>>180271This one definitely has no windows. It's bigger than the last.
The door is thick and does not open easily.
Inside...
Are big blocks of meat, blocks of ice, and in the fore, a box that has blood, coagulated but still mostly liquid pulled on top of it, beneath it, and in a trail to the door.
>>180273Cavaliere opens the box, bracing himself for what he might find.
>>180273>big blocks of meat"Food was left behind. Now we know for sure that the griffons didn't leave out of hunger."
>and in a trail to the doorLet's follow that trail and see if there's anything interesting in this room.
Search
[1d20+5 = (1+5) = 6] Okay, gonna sleep now. Somepony else can roll to find clues and treasure.
>>180275Posey slips on a set of blood near the door, and falls
>>180274Inside of the box is...
Two bags of salt. Curative salt. One bag has been opened and is mostly empty. There may have been a third.
>>180278Cavaliere scoops up some of the salt with a claw.
"It's salt. But perhaps we're closer to an answer." Should I get involved or should we wait for Posey's player to get back online?
>>179629Amber's curiosity gets the better of her.
"How many spells do you know? I know unicorns are the best at magic of all the creatures in the world, save for the Princesses themselves. I haven't seen that much magic here in Baltimare though, which has me curious." >>180281"What?" She looks down in evident surprise, and then back up and towards Amber, and briefly lifts her right hoof.
"Well, what would you call a 'spell'? Is mending a tear in a jacket a spell, or simply a particular exertion of telekenesis? And what of the ability to simply look at a young mare, and recognize what would work best on her when she visits the mountains, or her aunt and uncle in Dodge Junction, or what she wears to the school dance with the colt that asked her? Is that a 'spell'? Well, it's a, it's a knowledge more than anything. A kind of insight you need both talent and experience to execute properly."
>>180280See
>>180277 >>180282She blinks as she mulls High Sewn's explanation over, and ends up looking more confused than before.
"I never thought of it that way. I've read about magic in stories, but I ain't got a clue of what it really is. Is it really just experience and insight like any other task?" >>180283With a small smile
"Well, what is magic, anyways? With enough practice, maybe you could have it one day, too." She frowns looking at Amber
"Even though that jacket of yours says otherwise..." She lifts a hoof to her chin, staring at Amber inquisitively
"Hmmmm... Perhaps I should recommend some reading for you to do, to see if that helps."
>>180284The younger mare perks up at High Sewn's encouragement.
"I'd love to do some reading, but what about? And where would I find the books? I met this older mare who's in a sort of reading club, maybe I could join that…what sort of books do you like to read?" >>180285"There's magazines on the latest designs in Manehattan and Canterlot. Even Aquelia and Aris, though those are a bit less... communicative, nowadays. Books on the industry, the history of the industry, and especially on the materials themselves. Honestly, even reading a field manual on Army uniforms would do you some good.
As for me." She moves back as if leaning "I
do like to do a quite a bit of reading. Tales of Romance, stories of love lost, and spy thrillers... And I like to delve a bit into" staring into Amber's eyes and with a smug smile, as if confident that simply uttering the name of the following esoteric field of black magic would give her power
"Economics."
>>180286Amber wags her tail as she grins.
"Oh, oh, so do I! I love old stories about adventure and romance, and I've read a few of the newer ones about spies," she replies, tactfully refraining from mentioning how her coltfriend's mother disapproves of such stories and has likely kept them from him.
Her smile falters into a more awkward expression with the mention of the dismal field.
"I don't know much about economics, aside from knowing how to account for my own money and how to save and invest. I mean, it sounds like I ain't doin' a good job of it now with my current situation, but it'll get better…but you probably learn all about economics from bein' a business owner." >>180289Hmmmmmmmmmm
Last I remember, he shot up some mobsters. But he didn't seem to want to tag along to kill some communists and rescue downed airmen.
Unless....
>>180290"Really?" She raises an eyebrow in an unrestrained expression of disbelief. But she does not linger on that.
"Well, you learn more about economics being a business owner than being a demogauge,
I can tell you that."
>>180292"Heh." She looks away. "Yes, I suppose I do. And oh no. It's
so much worse."
>>180294"Ugh. No, it's all too real. It means a creature who looks to rile up ignorant mobs with empty rhetoric to exert her own will. Take for instance this last Mayor - Blessedly I'm blanking on the name, though I doubt that will last much longer - that nonsensical pony they let come in after Ash. He had this scheme of regulations and taxes and-"
Amber may have realized that she made a mistake here. Like cracking open a dam.
>>180295Amber visibly does not like it when Sewn gets into a tizzy.
"Um, I'm sure I have a lot to learn about politics too, but I'd like to know more about what books you read. It's much more interesting and pleasant." >>180296High Sewn looks over at Amber and scrunches
"Oh sure, let's look to fantasy instead of what directly affects us. Anyways..." She repositions herself.
"Are you looking for specific recommendations? Or just my most recent read? I assume you're not talking about the 1013 New Mareland Army Corp Field Uniform Manual."
>>180297She taps her hooves together.
"Um, either? I ain't picky. I don't mind reading anything, even uniform manuals. I'd actually be curious as to how fashion is different for those foreign cultures you mentioned." >>180298"Oh, they have their own traditions. Aquelia has long been a tendsetter. Certainly more so in griffin spheres than here in Equestria, but it would be false to say that looking across the ocean to griffin styles is a recent phenomenon. Aris is newer on the world stage, but their styles are tried and tested. But that's a whole other subject. As for books... I suppose my most recent book has been
When the Apricot Blossums Fall, a sort of coming of age and romance set in Somland, at around about the turn of the millennium. Not the best, mind you, but I
do recommend it."
>>180299"That sounds intriguing, and it's a beautiful book title. How did you find it?"Rolling for knowledge about where Somland is:
[1d20+6 = (2+6) = 8] >>180300Amber could not find it on a map
"There's a bookstore I frequent. The mare there will give me recommendations. That's how I found that one, anyways. There are also reviewers in the magazine who read and recommend books in their monthly reviews."
>>180277>Nopony rolled>>180278>slipBalance check (watch me roll another 1)
[1d20+6 = (20+6) = 26]>saltCheck the bottom of the salt bags for treasure.
>>180280You didn't have to.
>>180303Bwahahaha! Slippery surfaces are no match for my vampony hooves.
>>180289I really liked him and the adorable romance he had with Blue Skies and I also really liked his interactions with Lunar Nadir. I hope we get to see them again soon.
>>180277>>180278Search: Kira gives searching the building her best shot, hopefully while finding more traction on the floor than Posey.
[1d20+5 = (1+5) = 6] >>180306Are all of the search rolls going to be 1s?
Cavalier, Dust, pls help us.
>>180303>>180304Posey is able to use her talent at spreading her legs to regain balance on the slipper floor.
>>180306The floor is oddly slippery; Kira simply slithers in place
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO2d90YedN0>>180306>>180303The floor appears to be covered in a thin layer of water that has frozen back over.
>>180307Yes.
>>180311>her talent at spreading her legsuwu
>Yes.I guess we could just spend several minutes here taking 20...
Posey helps Kira up.
>>180278Is there anything at the bottom of the bags?
Posey pokes around in the container of blood, looking for anything in it, and inspecting its quality.
>>180311>>180313Kira: "Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" The snej slithers and flails along uselessly, unable to get any traction on the icy floor. With a bit of help, Kira's able to be pulled back out of the building with Posey and Silver's help. She thanks both creatures for their help, but pouts and crosses her forelegs as she's unable to come inside to help with the search. Silver
is able to come inside, however. If Mala can come inside despite the icy floor, Silver looks over to his fellow fluffy friend.
Silver: "This may be weird question, but...can you tell what kind of creature blood came from through scent or some other manner? I will admit part of me is curious if blood belongs to all of this meat or...something else."
>>180319"Yes, I can, actually."
Posey smells the blood to determine it's origin, as she's stirring through it for hidden treasure.
Garv's player will not be available tonight. I think the same is true of Dust.>>180315Yes.
Salt. Curative salt.
>>180320Uh huh...
>>180319>Can Mala come inHe has paws that would give him better traction, but at the same time, let's see if the Nat 1 trend continues.
Mala
"I think... maybe... I can try"
[1d20 = 9] >>180321If they're not available, we should refrain from going to additional areas, lest they miss combat.
>>180322"Did you find anything, big guy?"
>>180324The location of encounters can change
>>180325>>180323>>180319Posey is a necrologist, but Mala is an evolved carrion eater. If anycreature can use the sense of smell to sniff out the subtle differences between blood and corpses, it's Mala
Mala:
"Griffin... I think."
>>180326Posey knows what griffon blood smells like. She had it just last week.
"Why would there be a container of griffon blood there? This isn't proper medical storage. It could only logically be for sacramental, or to be fed to some monster..." She appears confused, despite the comforting familiarity of the sight
"Something weird is going on. And something weirder is being planned. Whoever left this here did so for a reason."
>>180326Silver: "That is...oddly enough what my suspicious were going to be."
Kira, from outside: "They bled a griffon
dry!?!?!? Who would do such a thing!?"
Silver: "And more to point, who does it belong to?"
The blood appears coagulated, right? Could it be hiding something under the surface, such as was the case with the barrel of oil and the outhouse?
>>180328>Who would do such a thing"Vampires, ghoul merchants, cultists, demons, evil wizards, alchemists, the list goes on." Posey says
"The real question is why. For what purpose would they want this enough to store it here?"
Her gripe here polearm
"I have a hunch that whoever left it here might come back for it. Stay alert."
>>180329Kira, from outside: "Are you talking about
blood magic!? But that's, like, the most evil kind of magic there is! Who would be foolish or mad enough to think of trying it!? There's so heavy a price to be paid for using it!"
Silver: "Should we...dump it out? If it
is intended for something like blood magic, should we not deny them its use?"
>>180330"I'm more interested in seeing what they were thinking of doing."
>>180327Having an adequate number of receptors in the nasal cavity and brain to process food of smell isn't the same thing as familiarity... But nevermind that
>>180329>>180330>>180328>>180327Clarification:
The blood is not inside of a container. It is in two pools, which is to say, on top of, a wooden box/crate that was later found to contain bags of salt, and on the floor, next to the box, as well as in a smaller trail going to the door.
The amount of blood on the floor and on the crate is not as much as fits in a griffin, nor even necessarily fatal
The blood is coagulated, yes
>>180332Ohhhhhh, okay, that clears things up. Well, it's definitely a lot easier to dig through salt to see if it contains anything rather than a container of blood.
>>180332Oh
"Looks like a griffon was wounded in this room, and either limped their way out the door, or was dragged. Same as with the ice pick."
Are there footprints that could tell us more of the situation?
>>180333I thought we already checked the salt bags?
Anyway, I have to sleep. We can have the others roll checks to discover hidden compartments later.
>>180307Cavaliere indeed checks the salt bags and anywhere else that could be a hiding place.
[1d20+2 = (13+2) = 15]>>180313We don't have that much time.
>>180321I'm late but available now
>>180327"A griffon driven to the depths of madness can do many frightful things. So can one with a cold reason." >>180334If the blood left claw prints, it has since been disturbed by hooves, paws, claws, and especially the giant reptile. The blood looked undisturbed at first save for a claw print, but it's hard to say.
>>180336Inside the salt is only a piece of the bag evidently ripped off, and a single droplet of blood.
>>180339What about Nadir?
>>180337Oh, can Kira or Silver tell which direction the blood trail seems to be coming from?