[2025/07/10 14:04] Sonja Bikergrrl: looks like we're all here
[2025/07/10 14:04] Sapphire: /me waves
[2025/07/10 14:04] Sonja Bikergrrl: no Martina but she isn't even online
[2025/07/10 14:04] Sapphire: this is.... trolls and Tribbles?
[2025/07/10 14:04] Sonja Bikergrrl: Thursday: Trolls & Tribulations
[2025/07/10 14:06] Sonja Bikergrrl: /me pulls out notecards
[2025/07/10 14:06] Sonja Bikergrrl: Dear oh dear.
[2025/07/10 14:06] Sapphire: we still L4 ?
[2025/07/10 14:07] Sonja Bikergrrl: L3 in Mechas' case
[2025/07/10 14:07] Sonja Bikergrrl: /me opens the campaign notes
[2025/07/10 14:08] Sonja Bikergrrl: /me fishes out pen and paper
[2025/07/10 14:08] Andreas: hi Mecha, Sapphire 👋🤖
[2025/07/10 14:08] Sonja Bikergrrl: So, shall we get started?
[2025/07/10 14:08] Mecha: Hi Andreas
[2025/07/10 14:08] Sonja Bikergrrl: We're still on the fourth chapter: The Burial Mound.
[2025/07/10 14:09] Sonja Bikergrrl: You've rescued the hobgoblin foreman, and seen Bartholomew Overcoat take the dug up tome away.
[2025/07/10 14:09] Sapphire: *waves*
[2025/07/10 14:09] Sonja Bikergrrl: Luckily, they kept Notes, which revealed...
[2025/07/10 14:09] Sapphire: Ah yes, we got distracted saving the foreman instead of the book
[2025/07/10 14:10] Sonja Bikergrrl: Details of the Astral Battle Standard, said to make armies unbeatable.
[2025/07/10 14:11] Sonja Bikergrrl: Details of the vanquishment of Lord Caelan, who you are sure is interred in the burial mound, and now stalks the world, not yet dead, not alive, but something hideously between.
[2025/07/10 14:11] Sonja Bikergrrl: Details of Lord Cennard, who defeated Kelly An Daerg thanks to a knife in the back.
[2025/07/10 14:12] Sonja Bikergrrl: Our intrepid duo, Andreas and Mecha, decided to enter the mound to talk to the shade of Lord Caelan.
[2025/07/10 14:12] Mecha: Yeahhhhhh that did not go well
[2025/07/10 14:12] Sonja Bikergrrl: Somehow this involved swinging axes, which went as well as expected, and Mecha has had life force drained.
[2025/07/10 14:13] Sonja Bikergrrl: And with that recap out of the way, GGGGGRRRREEEETTTTIIINNGGGSSSS Adventurers! Other players get a chance to win, you get none at all :)
[2025/07/10 14:13] Andreas: yeah I've dragged dragged off, coz she been way too curious :)
[2025/07/10 14:14] Sapphire: Do they still need rescue?
[2025/07/10 14:14] Sonja Bikergrrl: Andreas has just dragged Lahli out to the light, with the shade of Lord Caelan in hot pursuit.
[2025/07/10 14:15] Sonja Bikergrrl: let's start with Sapphire.... what do you do?
[2025/07/10 14:15] Mecha: Lahli looks at teh Shade."What the hell?! Simple question!"
[2025/07/10 14:15] Sonja Bikergrrl: The creature spits and snarls from the darkness, but doesn't seem inclined to pursue - for now.
[2025/07/10 14:16] Sapphire: "Spirit." Te'ala walks a bit closer, but stays within the light. "Are you mindful enough to explain what you want?"
[2025/07/10 14:17] Sonja Bikergrrl: The creature glares at Te'ala. "I want the head of the dread lord Cennard brought to me on a spike! That damn double crossing BASTARD... and yesssssssss I'm aware of the irony, so DON'T even mention it!"
[2025/07/10 14:19] Sapphire: She considers this. "Well, harming us is unlikely to aid that question." ( What do we know of Cennard? )
[2025/07/10 14:19] Sonja Bikergrrl: (That's a very good question. What DO you know of Lord Cennard?)
[2025/07/10 14:20] Sapphire: ( Perhaps one of my party members who was here last time might enlighten the party druid. )
[2025/07/10 14:21] Sonja Bikergrrl: (Other than he defeated Kelly An Daerg, and slaughtered Lord Caelan and his men after their treachery to Kelly An Daerg, and the fact he forged the Astral Battle Standard? Not much.)
[2025/07/10 14:21] Sonja Bikergrrl: Mecha kept notes, I'm sure of it.
[2025/07/10 14:21] Sonja Bikergrrl: Andreas? :)
[2025/07/10 14:22] Andreas: /me nods, sec
[2025/07/10 14:22] Mecha: Lahli drops to her hands and her knees crawling towards him, making sure to stay well out of reach."And THAT IS WHY YOU FREAKED OUT?! May all your waffles be soggy... FOREVER! We already determined i was more insane than you.... test me."
[2025/07/10 14:23] Sonja Bikergrrl: fucks sake, pissing off the same NPC twice wasn't enough, you got to try for three?
[2025/07/10 14:23] Sonja Bikergrrl: Best gravelly serious DM voice: "Are you sure you want to do that?"
[2025/07/10 14:24] Mecha: ...
[2025/07/10 14:24] Mecha: Yes
[2025/07/10 14:24] Mecha: Lahli starts barking at him
[2025/07/10 14:24] Sonja Bikergrrl: Sapphire?
[2025/07/10 14:24] Sonja Bikergrrl: You have my sympathies.
[2025/07/10 14:24] Sapphire: "....." Te'ala turns her head to stare at her suddenly barking mad party member.
[2025/07/10 14:25] Sonja Bikergrrl: /me starts singing her favourite DM song before TPKs: "Stupid deaths, stupid deaths, they're funny because they're you..."
[2025/07/10 14:26] Andreas: /me "oh now, she may turn into a monster?!" looks bit frightened at Lahli.
[2025/07/10 14:26] Sapphire: "Lahli, what in the name of the open sky are you doing, dear?"
[2025/07/10 14:27] Mecha: I asked him a simple question and maybe it was a dumb one but we were talking and he could have just said it's a dumb question but he attacked me." And with that Lahli faceplants as the loss of energy hits her
[2025/07/10 14:28] Sonja Bikergrrl: Undead creature: "You want to take that one to a healer. I've spent 99 years, 9 months and 9 days buried under a hill, and even I'm not that deranged."
[2025/07/10 14:28] Sapphire: "Exactly that time, risen sir?"
[2025/07/10 14:29] Andreas: /me takes Lahli's leg and keeps dragging her furhter away from the creature .... "see creature, you drive her mad, thank you very much" ....
[2025/07/10 14:29] Mecha: Lahli barks into the dirt
[2025/07/10 14:29] Sonja Bikergrrl: The creature just blinks and stares at Te'ala
[2025/07/10 14:30] Sapphire: "It seems like a mystically resonant duration, is all."
[2025/07/10 14:31] Sonja Bikergrrl: That, or the DM put in the easter egg 9999 in, the STOP code for most computer programs.
[2025/07/10 14:31] Sonja Bikergrrl: but in any case, a -little- under a full 100 years. Is that important? How will you find out.
[2025/07/10 14:31] Andreas: {{ setting offset to 0x32, tango and cash sequence started }}
[2025/07/10 14:34] Sonja Bikergrrl: So! What's your take?
[2025/07/10 14:35] Sapphire: Te'ala considers this. For those not familiar, Te'ala is an elven lady with vines and flowers growing in her hair, with durable hide armor and a bulky wooden shield affixed to her arm. "At any rate, I have no particular reason to quarrel with you, if we might be on our way?"
[2025/07/10 14:35] Sonja Bikergrrl: Undead creature: "As long as you bring back the head of Lord Cennard."
[2025/07/10 14:35] Mecha: Hey, turn me over if you're dragging me.. getting dirt up my nose here
[2025/07/10 14:36] Andreas: /me "leave it Te'ala and please help me with this what remained with Lahli. We should keep moving, you can't kill that thing, it's already dead".
[2025/07/10 14:37] Sapphire: "Right, of course. I should work on patching up Lahli."
[2025/07/10 14:37] Sapphire: ( Dang, if only I had actual healing spells as a druid. )
[2025/07/10 14:37] Sonja Bikergrrl: Lahli is in a bad way. Well, she always was...
[2025/07/10 14:39] Sonja Bikergrrl: Hobgoblins (who are all staying well away from this): "So... you bring this guy that guy head?"
[2025/07/10 14:40] Sapphire: ( I guess the question I'm dancing around asking is do we have reason to thing Callen is a bad guy? )
[2025/07/10 14:42] Sonja Bikergrrl: (Hard to say. On the one hand, he's a ghastly monstrosity from beyond the veil of Death, driven by a thirst for revenge. On the same hand, he -did- betray Kelly An Daerg. But then again, he's spent nearly a hundred years dwelling on this.)
[2025/07/10 14:42] Andreas: /me "we'll find out, but if he's surrounded by dead creatures, who can't be killed ... hard to tell, doesn't sound like friendly vibe to me"
[2025/07/10 14:43] Sapphire: "We can look into the matter, at the very least."
[2025/07/10 14:44] Sonja Bikergrrl: Undead: "Bring his head on a pike. You can look into it as much as you want, then."
[2025/07/10 14:45] Andreas: /me "yeah, maybe Mr. Undead, do you have a bone so this crazy barking creature can play with something in a meanwhile?" looks at Lahli and looks and grins at the Undead.
[2025/07/10 14:45] Sonja Bikergrrl: /me groans and facepalms
[2025/07/10 14:45] Mecha: *Woof woof*
[2025/07/10 14:46] Sapphire: Te'ala sighs, grabbing *both* her party members by their collars.
[2025/07/10 14:46] Sonja Bikergrrl: At what point do I just say "fuck it" and TPK your asses...
[2025/07/10 14:46] Sonja Bikergrrl: /me doesn't even make Sapphire roll STR checks
[2025/07/10 14:47] Mecha: Lahli lifts her head and looks."Is undead guy gone?"
[2025/07/10 14:47] Andreas: /me "Where is nearest town or where we can have rest, she might need a healer"
[2025/07/10 14:47] Sonja Bikergrrl: gone, in the sense that Te'ala dragged you away? Yes.
[2025/07/10 14:47] Sonja Bikergrrl: Back to The Hook, Line & Sinker!
[2025/07/10 14:48] Mecha: Lahli struggles to her feet."that was exhausting." She mutters before leaning on the others on the way back."I promise I will explain all that when we get back."
[2025/07/10 14:48] Sonja Bikergrrl: I assure you, the DM is agog
[2025/07/10 14:48] Sonja Bikergrrl: So, heading back?
[2025/07/10 14:48] Sapphire: "You'd better. What place to swallow a tall tale is there than the Hook, Line, and Sinker?"
[2025/07/10 14:49] Sonja Bikergrrl: It'll be late evening by the time you get back to the Hook, Line and Sinker.
[2025/07/10 14:50] Mecha: When We get in Lahli does find a chair to collapse in.
[2025/07/10 14:51] Sonja Bikergrrl: You arrive late in the evening. Patrons are drinking, and Al gives you a toothy grin as she polishes a tankard. "Ah, adventurers! You return with tales of valor and the stench of the undead still lingering about you! Tell me, did you dance with the dead, or simply give them a stern talking-to? Or did you leave them 'grave'-ly disappointed?"
[2025/07/10 14:51] Mecha: Hehe I barked at them
[2025/07/10 14:52] Sonja Bikergrrl: Al: (laughs) "I'm not sure if they expected to be dogged with such trouble."
[2025/07/10 14:52] Andreas: /me "yeah you don't wanna know Al ... just give Lahli bowl of bbq and bone .... "
[2025/07/10 14:53] Sonja Bikergrrl: Al smiles and turns to go into the kitchen behind the bar. You see a dirty brown cloak hanging from a hook, just inside the door
[2025/07/10 14:54] Sonja Bikergrrl: Gith’Ro Tull wanders over. "Did you find anything out?"
[2025/07/10 14:54] Sapphire: A cloak we recognize, presumably?
[2025/07/10 14:54] Sonja Bikergrrl: It's brown, rather dirty. Have you seen any dirty brown cloaks recently?
[2025/07/10 14:55] Andreas: /me nods and moves towards the cloak "What with the cloak on he hook?" .... stops next to it
[2025/07/10 14:56] Sonja Bikergrrl: Al leans out from the kitchen. "It's a cloak."
[2025/07/10 14:56] Sapphire: "Well, we found what Bartholomew wanted from the mounds at least." (That was his name, right? )
[2025/07/10 14:57] Sonja Bikergrrl: Gith’Ro Tull: "Sounds curious, what did he want?"
[2025/07/10 14:59] Mecha: Lahli holds up her hands."Oh no I asked dumb question I am not gonna screw that up again."
[2025/07/10 14:59] Sapphire: "An ancient ritual tome," she answers.
[2025/07/10 15:00] Sonja Bikergrrl: Gith’Ro Tull: "Interesting. Did it have anything to do with Kelly An Daerg?"
[2025/07/10 15:00] Sonja Bikergrrl: Al wanders out, plonks a bowl before Lahli. It contains a few bones, covered with some BBQ sauce.
[2025/07/10 15:01] Sapphire: "Lentils and bread, if you have them," she asks, before answering. "From the sound of it yes, as did two dreadlords of interest."
[2025/07/10 15:01] Mecha: Lahli sniffs it and smiles before digging in before smirking at Andreas and wiping a few BBQ lines on her face.
[2025/07/10 15:02] Sonja Bikergrrl: Al wanders off, and Gith’Ro Tull asks: "Two lords? Did you get their names, any history?"
[2025/07/10 15:02] Andreas: /me grins back at Lahli and nods
[2025/07/10 15:05] Sapphire: Lords Cennard and Caelan. It seems they hate each other.
[2025/07/10 15:06] Sonja Bikergrrl: Gith’Ro Tull: "Lord Caelan? One of Kelly An Daergs' allies. Why was he there?"
[2025/07/10 15:06] Andreas: /me "so what's our next step, except getting a leash and gag rule for Lahli?"
[2025/07/10 15:06] Sonja Bikergrrl: Al: slides a plate of bread rolls and lentils before Te'ala
[2025/07/10 15:06] Sapphire: Lentils as raw beans or as a stew?
[2025/07/10 15:07] Mecha: Lahli looks at Andreas before wiping off the barbecue sauce."Like I said I will explain everything, but business first. As she motions to the discussion going on.
[2025/07/10 15:08] Sonja Bikergrrl: Lentils, as in, a pile of raw lentils.
[2025/07/10 15:08] Andreas: /me "yeah you can explain whatever, you end up on a leash woof woof no more a stupid question" grins at Lahli
[2025/07/10 15:09] Sapphire: ".....ah, yes, I forgot where we were." SHe grabs a roll, "Do you by chance have any *cooked* lentils on hand?"
[2025/07/10 15:09] Sonja Bikergrrl: Gith’Ro Tull: "What happened to the book you mentioned?"
[2025/07/10 15:10] Sapphire: "It got taken before we could get it, sadly."
[2025/07/10 15:11] Sonja Bikergrrl: Al looks at Te'ala for a few moments, takes the plate of lentils and walks out to the kitchen. There's a long pause, then a soft WOOOSH and a flare of light round the door frame. Al returns, with a plateful of thoroughly blackened lentils.
[2025/07/10 15:11] Sonja Bikergrrl: Gith’Ro Tull: "Taken? How?"
[2025/07/10 15:12] Mecha: Big guy with the hat
[2025/07/10 15:12] Sonja Bikergrrl: Gith’Ro Tull: "You mean that flying bugbear?"
[2025/07/10 15:14] Sapphire: "Yeah. The one who works for the wizard." Who still owes her information on her sickness, actually.
[2025/07/10 15:14] Mecha: Lahli nods
[2025/07/10 15:14] Sonja Bikergrrl: Al puts the plate of black lentils down before Te'ala. Some of the lentils are still flaming. "I've seen a housefly, I've seen a horsefly, but I've never seen a flying bugbear! HA HA! HA HA!"
[2025/07/10 15:18] Sapphire: Ah, yes. She nibbles on the lentils with a sigh, pressing some into a bread roll. "Don't you recall him?"
[2025/07/10 15:19] Sonja Bikergrrl: Al chuckles. "So you got to talk to the ancestor of Lord Cennard? Well, you still got the Black Wizard Thargon Cenardis to deal with - once you get past his Great Troll Army, anyway. And you probably want to do that sooner rather than later, this is starting to really drag-on." She wanders back to the bar.
[2025/07/10 15:20] Sonja Bikergrrl: Gith'Ro Tull: You know, "Cennard" is an old surname, and the modern form would in fact be "Cenardis".
[2025/07/10 15:20] Mecha: Lahli face palms over that but chuckles
[2025/07/10 15:21] Sapphire: "....that's his last name?" She considers this. "I wasn't aware, he's always just been Thargon when I heard it mentioned."
[2025/07/10 15:22] Sonja Bikergrrl: Gith'Ro Tull: "My apologies, fair lady, I thought you knew. The Black Wizard Thargon Cenardis."
[2025/07/10 15:23] Sonja Bikergrrl: So... what is everyone thinking is the next step now?
[2025/07/10 15:24] Sapphire: "Well... at the very least I have questions for Lord Cenardis."
[2025/07/10 15:25] Andreas: /me "We should get ready and get the list, just don't let Lahli ask any questions"
[2025/07/10 15:25] Mecha: Lahli nods as she eats."Agreed, but before we do anything I need a healer and some rest... and you two deserve an explanation
[2025/07/10 15:25] Sonja Bikergrrl: Now is a good time to explain! Also, D20 from all.
[2025/07/10 15:26] D20: Andreas rolls 19
[2025/07/10 15:26] D20: Mecha rolls 6
[2025/07/10 15:26] D20: Sapphire rolls 16
[2025/07/10 15:26] Sonja Bikergrrl: Lahli starts to get a headache with pictures.
[2025/07/10 15:28] Mecha: Okay, what are the pictures of
[2025/07/10 15:28] Sonja Bikergrrl: ...it's...
[2025/07/10 15:28] Sonja Bikergrrl: ...an idea!
[2025/07/10 15:28] Andreas: /me oh no 🤦
[2025/07/10 15:29] Mecha: *Figured that, but what is the idea?*
[2025/07/10 15:29] Sonja Bikergrrl: You recall that Melody Wraith ... well, didn't get put to rest, but certainly came to terms with her death, when the one who killed her was killed in his turn. Lord Caelan and Kelly An Daerg are restless, vengeful spirits... it would seem that taking that vengeance might put them to rest.
[2025/07/10 15:31] Mecha: Lahli writes this down so she doesn't remember it wrong and slides to to Te'ana.
[2025/07/10 15:32] Andreas: /me pushes the bowl with bbq sauce and bones little closer to Lahli "so what are you thinking of?"
[2025/07/10 15:33] Sapphire: "Hmmmmm. You think this could work? I suppose the harder part is to have enough of a chance."
[2025/07/10 15:33] Sonja Bikergrrl: Sounds like a trip to Kelly An Daerg might be in order.
[2025/07/10 15:33] Mecha: Sorry I don't have a plan here. This is above my pay grade.
[2025/07/10 15:33] Sonja Bikergrrl: And that is the end of Chapter 4 - and welcome to level 5!
[2025/07/10 15:34] Sapphire: :O
[2025/07/10 15:34] Mecha: She sighs a moment and smirks at andreas."First off, Barbecue sauce in an inn is not for skin. I'm a little derpy but not that dumb. I just did the stripes thing to play with you on it."
[2025/07/10 15:35] Mecha: Second. I overacted the crazy because being crazier than the ghost thing got him to stop wrecklessly attacking us. So I went overboard. It was exhausting especially with what he did with that hit on me."Yes it was a stupid question but seriously."
[2025/07/10 15:36] Mecha: I admit to silly, and weird and playful, but if I have to bark into the dirt to get someone off the trail of attacking any of us I will.
[2025/07/10 15:37] Sapphire: It did seem to confuse him!
[2025/07/10 15:37] Mecha: Exactly, and I could not exactly wink or clue you two in because it might have blown the whole thing
[2025/07/10 15:37] Andreas: /me "yeah yeah Lahli, sure you knew, you're not crazy .... don't forge to finish the bowl" grins at Lahli ... *woof woof*
[2025/07/10 15:38] Sonja Bikergrrl: /me quickly scans Chapter Five
[2025/07/10 15:38] Sonja Bikergrrl: Oh boy. You're really... anyway! We'll leave it there and pick it up next week :)
[2025/07/10 15:39] Sonja Bikergrrl: paws up who liked?
[2025/07/10 15:39] Andreas: /me 🐾
[2025/07/10 15:39] Mecha: Lahli looks at her remaining meat and starts dipping it into the barbecue sauce and eating."You'll notice I ate the sauce on the food before putting it on my face." She reaches over and headpats Andreas making sure her fingers are nice and saucy
[2025/07/10 15:39] Mecha: /me both paws
[2025/07/10 15:39] Sonja Bikergrrl: heh. well, I sure had a ball ;)
[2025/07/10 15:43] Mecha: /me chuckles and Andreas if your character wants to underestimate Lahli, go for it
[2025/07/10 15:45] Sonja Bikergrrl: okay, I got work tomorrow and it's bloody hot, so... going to call an early night. See you next week for the next bit!