"Oh Hek, I have something for you. This should allay your fears."
*Korb hand Hek a hunk of stone in the shape of a crude sword. There is a beard chisled near where the hilt would be*
"We'll I'll be..." Hek's voice cracks a bit as he takes the proffered gift. "Ahem! Uh..." a trick of the light seems to reveal a few tears held back in his eyes and then...
"Bah! A stone sword? Bah! It's... it's... bah!" Hek is torn between gratitude and the need to keep showing his tough dwarfness.
He storms off, grumbling something about lizard-dogs and possibly a muffled "THANKS!" gets thrown over his shoulder, but he places the sword carefully, reverently on his person. He sits down to wait for the adventure to continue and examines the sword, trying to figure out what it is while he secretly casts glances at Korb, trying to hide his excitement at a possible explanation.
"I'll give you the short story, but please do tell if you want me to elaborate. You see, Mother has given me the task to write down and categorize all of her children into this tome." Vidar holds up his tome and pats it with his hand. "She has given birth to so many different children by now, you see, and she believes we need help understanding each other. So that's what I am doing, I'm traveling around in the world and whenever I encounter new species; plants, rocks, sentient beings, animals and insects, I write it down, categorize it and draw a picture of it. See here.. "
Vidar open's the tome for Francesco to see and as he flips the pages in the tome, no matter how many he flips, the tome's pages never run out.
"She gave me this tome and it's magic make it produce new pages whenever you flip it. I am currently at page 2554 as you can see her in the register." Vidar shows the register in the start of the book, which in itself, spans for many, many pages.
"If you want to you can borrow it and read through it all. It's so fascinating! Here, look here!" Vidar is starting to get excited now which is an uncommon sight. He's usually a bit distant and calm. "Look at this plant here, the Calisbury Colinium Badastian Kliniaii Grass Weed. Here you can trace its place in the binomial nomenclature. Did you know that the Calisbury Colinium Badastian Kliniaii Grass Weed and the Calisbury Colinium Badastian Kallandian Grass Weed do NOT belong to the same family of Grass Weeds!?" Vidar licks his lips now, his voice starting to sound excited. His eyes flicker back and forth between Francesco and the tome.
"Isn't it exciting! Isn't it MARVELOUS! Come, sit down and let's go through them all, all of Mother's beautiful children, one after another." Vidar eye's suddenly fill with hope and zealous frenzy. "Francesco, maybe Mother has called for you to, maybe you are destined to walk with me and continue this epic journey of botanism for the rest of your days?"
“This isn’t the first time I’ve met a crazy botanist. Can’t say I want to sleep with this one, though.” Grem smirks to himself as he sits on the ground and flips a coin repeatedly.
Francesco sit down beside Vidar and examine the tome with interest. He spend more time on pages displaying herbs he know. "This is a wonderful piece of work, the best i've ever seen in the theme. My curiosity in botanism is more practical than academic, but i recognize a treasure if i see one. I have another destiny in learning and helping the people of various species, but it would be a honour to partake in your exciting task in any form. Please let me know if i can help you with anything. And i gladly read this masterpiece, if i have the time."
Francesco reads the tome page by page in the future, if he will have the oppurtunity, and share his insight with Vidar in case he can add anything to the description. If he funds an entry from a sentient plant he becomes very excited too.
“Made this fer ye a while back,” Hek furtively says to Korb while everyone is focused on Vidar. “Hadn’t ‘membered to give it ter ye ‘till just now.”
It’s a leather harness for a dire weasel. The harness has a few pockets for storing things, such as potions or messages, and has a relatively thick but still flexible hide that serves as a very light armor.
“Don’t tell anyone where ye gots it or there’ll be the nine hells ter pay,” he grumbles. “I ain’t no charity, and I ain’t no lizard-dog lover. I got a reputation to uphold. But yer all right, kid...”
Then he gives a loud “Bah!!!” and storms over to examine the book of Vidar’s.
“I hope ye got good descriptions of the best way to kill some o’ these animals and... and rocks!” he says conspicuously and obnoxiously to Vidar. “Needs a good bashing, some of these childrens do, I say...”
*Korb smiles* "I'm touched, and I'm sure Mikki would be proud to wear it. Thank you."
If anyone is wondering why Korb isn't intereacting with them. He doesn't trust the "big people" much. He will be friendly if talked too though, and wouldn't hesitate to help with any problems.
Vidar gladly loans out the tome to Francesco and praises Mother for bringing this group of adventurers, now his friends, into his path.
"Grem, you know.. there's herbs and plants that'll make you wanna sleep with an ogre and I have the skills in herbalism to make those potions. Just sayin'." Vidar looks totally serious.
"Korb, yes of course there's en entry on Dire Weasels but it's not complete. I've already added several new entries thanks to you and your companion." Vidar reluctantly takes the tome back from Francesco and flips the pages until he finds the entry about Dire Weasels. "See here, for instance, I don't know if it applies to Mikki, but I've noticed and noted down that Dire Weasels absolutely love ginger bread cookies. They actually go almost berserk if they smell gingerbread cookies and will stop at nothing to get to it and eat it. Very fascinating!"
Grem’s smirk grows wider as he says “Really? Do you think you could make one for me? You know, in case of emergencies...” He gives Vidar a mischievous wink. “Maybe several of those would help Hek stop being so grumpy.”
Vidar looks at Hek and remembers the armpit incident and slowly shakes his head.. "Well.. I think some cases might be well over my current skill level in herbalism. An ogre, I can handle, but.. that? No, I don't think so. Not yet at least."
"But I have a potion for you here Grem, give it to someone you like and it'll make them instantly desire you in ways and forms you cannot fathom! 'Tis a recipe I learned during my travels in Chult, it's very potent." Vidar hands Grem a small vial containing a murky, dark-green substance.
I have returned! Thanks for carrying on the story in my absence. My exam was excellent and I feel much lighter now. I can relax a bit for a few days now since the next one is more than two weeks later. The adventure shall now resume! Get ready!
Chapter 2 - Deep, Deeper... Beep, Beeper?
After a good rest, and some friendly conversation, you get ready once again to continue your search for the missing cattle. Though it's not really comfortable in a cold, damp cave, with darkness enveloping you like a shroud of mystery and death, you feel glad that you are all together. The sense of having a party of trusty friends fills your heart with warmth and dissipates the fear that arises when you're surrounded by the unknown, that is always eager to challenge you, to dominate you, and, to kill you.
You make your way through the path in collapsed wall that was created as a result of the impact of a massive boulder disturbed by the ogre's frolicking gambols. As it turns out, it was a well disguised passage, set off from the rest of the cavern by its smoothened stone floor. It is very narrow and with a low ceiling, and you sense that something is not quite right here. More strangely, it has little sconces set on the wall, flickering with a pale blue light. Your instincts tell you to exercise caution. Someone or something surely lives here
After walking a few hundred metres along that narrow winding pathway, you meet a blind end. As disappointing as that might be, you still make a thorough search of the walls and surroundings. While doing so, you accidently hit what you find to be since kind of lever. And surprise, a panel reveals itself on the front wall, on which you see:
O O [X] O O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 * 0 #
Another strange password device in this cave? You wonder who's behind all this, and why this place needs such protection.
But wait, this is not all. On further inspection, you find something more scribbled on the wall in a neat hand.
3020777055
55504440404408
2220555066607777033
707770330777707777
777708806060666066
You wonder what these strange lines of numbers mean. Out of mere curiosity, you try the first sequence, and then hit the [X] button. There is a long "BEEEEEP!" and suddenly, all the lights in the sconces are put off, as if someone had blown them out with a "poof"!
Hint: Warning: Don't just keep on trying all the codes haphazardly, if you want to be safe.
"It must be a code this time too. 0-s may seperate the characters, the other number combinations may represents the letters. Along this line we have a word with four letter first:
"It must be a code this time too. 0-s may seperate the characters, the other number combinations may represents the letters. Along this line we have a word with four letter first:
3-2-777-55
Could be l-a-m-p maybe?"
@lolien The first part of your logic is correct. But it's not "lamp". For solving the code, think of something else that looks just like this number panel.
Vidar thinks for a moment and then remembers a similar panel he encountered once in a dungeon crawl in search for a rare glowing fungus.
3020777055 = DARK
55504440404408 = LIGHT
2220555066607777033 = CLOSE
707770330777707777 = PRESS
777708806060666066 = SUMMON
"So what do you think my friends, do we wanna summon the bellboy?" Vidar grins a bit in jest and waits for the team to respond before pressing any more.
This time there is a louder and longer "BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!" The panel displays: "ACCESS GRANTED".
The ground trembles and the wall lifts up to reveal a most unexpected sight. You see a well-lighted, high-tech laboratory, with metal pipes running all over the walls which are themselves made of some tough glassy alloy. Borosilicate glass apparatus are arranged all over the shiny tables, and you get a pungent smell of ammonia and hydrogen sulphide that irritates your nasal passages. And in a corner, you see about half a dozen crates filled with what unmistakably appears to be cow dung. Weird? Very.
And then you notice someone doing something in another farther corner. You take caution, hiding behind one of the tables, and observe the individual. What? A goblin in a white lab coat! He seems busy examining some test tubes filled with cow dung. He says to himself, in a way you are very familiar with, but in a voice completely different, high-pitched and squeaky, "Ahh, the ingredients are finally assembled. It is time for more... experiments."
You wait and watch. The goblin takes one of the sample test tubes and adds a number of chemicals in it. Then he places it over a Bunsen Burner and waits. There is a sound of decrepitation, and soon the room is filled with a peculiar unpleasant smell. You see the goblin sniffing the test tube intently, and then he exclaims, "Hmm! A better sample for sure. Seems high in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentration. Needs higher calorific value. Need to decrease malodorous fumes. Hmmph!" He scribbles down everything in a notepad.
Comments
*Korb hand Hek a hunk of stone in the shape of a crude sword. There is a beard chisled near where the hilt would be*
@RVNS
"Bah! A stone sword? Bah! It's... it's... bah!" Hek is torn between gratitude and the need to keep showing his tough dwarfness.
He storms off, grumbling something about lizard-dogs and possibly a muffled "THANKS!" gets thrown over his shoulder, but he places the sword carefully, reverently on his person. He sits down to wait for the adventure to continue and examines the sword, trying to figure out what it is while he secretly casts glances at Korb, trying to hide his excitement at a possible explanation.
Vidar open's the tome for Francesco to see and as he flips the pages in the tome, no matter how many he flips, the tome's pages never run out.
"She gave me this tome and it's magic make it produce new pages whenever you flip it. I am currently at page 2554 as you can see her in the register." Vidar shows the register in the start of the book, which in itself, spans for many, many pages.
"If you want to you can borrow it and read through it all. It's so fascinating! Here, look here!" Vidar is starting to get excited now which is an uncommon sight. He's usually a bit distant and calm. "Look at this plant here, the Calisbury Colinium Badastian Kliniaii Grass Weed. Here you can trace its place in the binomial nomenclature. Did you know that the Calisbury Colinium Badastian Kliniaii Grass Weed and the Calisbury Colinium Badastian Kallandian Grass Weed do NOT belong to the same family of Grass Weeds!?" Vidar licks his lips now, his voice starting to sound excited. His eyes flicker back and forth between Francesco and the tome.
"Isn't it exciting! Isn't it MARVELOUS! Come, sit down and let's go through them all, all of Mother's beautiful children, one after another." Vidar eye's suddenly fill with hope and zealous frenzy. "Francesco, maybe Mother has called for you to, maybe you are destined to walk with me and continue this epic journey of botanism for the rest of your days?"
"This is a wonderful piece of work, the best i've ever seen in the theme. My curiosity in botanism is more practical than academic, but i recognize a treasure if i see one. I have another destiny in learning and helping the people of various species, but it would be a honour to partake in your exciting task in any form. Please let me know if i can help you with anything. And i gladly read this masterpiece, if i have the time."
Francesco reads the tome page by page in the future, if he will have the oppurtunity, and share his insight with Vidar in case he can add anything to the description. If he funds an entry from a sentient plant he becomes very excited too.
It’s a leather harness for a dire weasel. The harness has a few pockets for storing things, such as potions or messages, and has a relatively thick but still flexible hide that serves as a very light armor.
“Don’t tell anyone where ye gots it or there’ll be the nine hells ter pay,” he grumbles. “I ain’t no charity, and I ain’t no lizard-dog lover. I got a reputation to uphold. But yer all right, kid...”
Then he gives a loud “Bah!!!” and storms over to examine the book of Vidar’s.
“I hope ye got good descriptions of the best way to kill some o’ these animals and... and rocks!” he says conspicuously and obnoxiously to Vidar. “Needs a good bashing, some of these childrens do, I say...”
"Grem, you know.. there's herbs and plants that'll make you wanna sleep with an ogre and I have the skills in herbalism to make those potions. Just sayin'." Vidar looks totally serious.
"Korb, yes of course there's en entry on Dire Weasels but it's not complete. I've already added several new entries thanks to you and your companion." Vidar reluctantly takes the tome back from Francesco and flips the pages until he finds the entry about Dire Weasels. "See here, for instance, I don't know if it applies to Mikki, but I've noticed and noted down that Dire Weasels absolutely love ginger bread cookies. They actually go almost berserk if they smell gingerbread cookies and will stop at nothing to get to it and eat it. Very fascinating!"
"But I have a potion for you here Grem, give it to someone you like and it'll make them instantly desire you in ways and forms you cannot fathom! 'Tis a recipe I learned during my travels in Chult, it's very potent." Vidar hands Grem a small vial containing a murky, dark-green substance.
Chapter 2 - Deep, Deeper... Beep, Beeper?
After a good rest, and some friendly conversation, you get ready once again to continue your search for the missing cattle. Though it's not really comfortable in a cold, damp cave, with darkness enveloping you like a shroud of mystery and death, you feel glad that you are all together. The sense of having a party of trusty friends fills your heart with warmth and dissipates the fear that arises when you're surrounded by the unknown, that is always eager to challenge you, to dominate you, and, to kill you.
You make your way through the path in collapsed wall that was created as a result of the impact of a massive boulder disturbed by the ogre's frolicking gambols. As it turns out, it was a well disguised passage, set off from the rest of the cavern by its smoothened stone floor. It is very narrow and with a low ceiling, and you sense that something is not quite right here. More strangely, it has little sconces set on the wall, flickering with a pale blue light. Your instincts tell you to exercise caution. Someone or something surely lives here
After walking a few hundred metres along that narrow winding pathway, you meet a blind end. As disappointing as that might be, you still make a thorough search of the walls and surroundings. While doing so, you accidently hit what you find to be since kind of lever. And surprise, a panel reveals itself on the front wall, on which you see:
O
O [X] O
O
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
* 0 #
Another strange password device in this cave? You wonder who's behind all this, and why this place needs such protection.
But wait, this is not all. On further inspection, you find something more scribbled on the wall in a neat hand.
You wonder what these strange lines of numbers mean. Out of mere curiosity, you try the first sequence, and then hit the [X] button. There is a long "BEEEEEP!" and suddenly, all the lights in the sconces are put off, as if someone had blown them out with a "poof"!3020777055
55504440404408
2220555066607777033
707770330777707777
777708806060666066
@Skatan,
@Nimran,
@lolien,
@mashedtaters,
@RVNS
Just in case you haven't noticed that I've come back!
If that works, he try 42 and X too.
Along this line we have a word with four letter first:
3-2-777-55
Could be l-a-m-p maybe?"
You try the first sequence again, but this time nothing happens. Maybe each code is for a specific action only?
When you press 42 followed by X, there is a "BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!" The panel displays: "INVALID CODE".
3020777055 = DARK
55504440404408 = LIGHT
2220555066607777033 = CLOSE
707770330777707777 = PRESS
777708806060666066 = SUMMON
"So what do you think my friends, do we wanna summon the bellboy?" Vidar grins a bit in jest and waits for the team to respond before pressing any more.
55504440404408 and X
66607033066 and X"
The panel displays: "ACCESS GRANTED".
The ground trembles and the wall lifts up to reveal a most unexpected sight. You see a well-lighted, high-tech laboratory, with metal pipes running all over the walls which are themselves made of some tough glassy alloy. Borosilicate glass apparatus are arranged all over the shiny tables, and you get a pungent smell of ammonia and hydrogen sulphide that irritates your nasal passages. And in a corner, you see about half a dozen crates filled with what unmistakably appears to be cow dung. Weird? Very.
And then you notice someone doing something in another farther corner. You take caution, hiding behind one of the tables, and observe the individual. What? A goblin in a white lab coat! He seems busy examining some test tubes filled with cow dung. He says to himself, in a way you are very familiar with, but in a voice completely different, high-pitched and squeaky, "Ahh, the ingredients are finally assembled. It is time for more... experiments."
You wait and watch. The goblin takes one of the sample test tubes and adds a number of chemicals in it. Then he places it over a Bunsen Burner and waits. There is a sound of decrepitation, and soon the room is filled with a peculiar unpleasant smell. You see the goblin sniffing the test tube intently, and then he exclaims, "Hmm! A better sample for sure. Seems high in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentration. Needs higher calorific value. Need to decrease malodorous fumes. Hmmph!" He scribbles down everything in a notepad.
What do you do?