Portal to D&D IC - Lentrax

[Rizban]

Discord (https://discord.gg/vCaRa5), if you're interested.


Ashleigh Vess is a college student at CalTech, double majoring in Physics and Math, with a Minor in Classical Languages. Now in her senior year (Even though to finish both degrees she probably needs one more semester on top of that.), she has been accepted as a lab assistant in the High Energy lab. Sure, she doesn’t get to do much in the way or experiments, but she is surrounded by science, and she loves it. But when she isn’t behind in homework, or busy in the lab, she is laying in her bed, hooked up to her computer, her hands twitching as she controls her avatar online, where she becomes Shanna.

Shanna is actually, technically, her alt. But she created it when the 2.6 update dropped, adding her favorite PrC, the Dervish. So she made a character that resembled herself more closely than she would care to admit, and joined on one of the more RP heavy servers. Shanna is a barmaid in Tevelainne, at the Sated Fate inn where she has been known to use her Dervish Dance to entertain and delight. And to break up the occasional bar fight.

One day, Ashleigh’s friend called her up, asking her to head over to the Advanced Tech lab, where, she said, she had made a breakthrough in VR accessibility. An hour later, and Shanna was standing in The Sated Fate, serving drinks, when someone hit her with a thrown mug of ale. Not uncommon really. But what was uncommon was that now Shanna was bleeding, and she couldn’t access the menu to log out...

You find yourself staring at the blood on your fingers as you begin to feel faint. The scene in the tavern freezes completely, glitching slightly like a paused VHS tape.

Suddenly, a popup fills your vision.



Ş̸̧̟͕̙̪̋͌̎̒̽͛̏̏̐͜͝ý̸̩̼̫͚͕̺̱̫̽̓̈́̄͌̒̄͗́s̸̀̄̀̈́̄̎̓̚͝ ̡̡̺̜̜̬̺̟̞ṱ̸̨͑̃e̸͙̹͗̊ͅm̷̻̭̱̲̣̮̾́̊̍̽̂͝ ̶̧̢̩̲̙̣̳̩͓̞̎Ë̷͈̩̥͍̮͔́̈̑̓̒̑̚͘͝ͅr̵̨̖̖͇̤̘͖͉̘͒̌ͅr̶̛̻̀͂ ̘̩ǒ̴̡̩̫͚͚̝͉̭͆̂̚r̸̨͕͙̘̜͊͑̇͐̃͠


The popup dismisses itself and then is replaced by another one.



System Error
Your connection to the world server has become corrupted.
We apologize for the inconvenience and would like you offer you an opportunity as recompense.



Greetings, Player!
You have been offered the chance to remake yourself anew!
Do you accept this offer?
| Yes | No |

The popup closes, a second taking its place.



Warning!
This action will delete your current character, forcing you to restart at level 1.
Do you wish to continue?
| Yes | No |

The popup closes, as a third popup appears.



Final Warning!
Note that this action cannot be reversed.
Are you ready to leave your life behind and enter a new realm?
| Yes | No |

You feel extreme nausea as you awaken back in the lab with a pounding migraine. Split skin on your forehead bleeds freely as a deep bruise forms around it, a wound exactly like the one you received in the game. However, nothing else seems unusual.

When you attempt to log back into the game, even using the advanced VR system recently developed in the lab, you merely experience the game as usual. You have no more corrupted connections or unusual experiences. If not for the faint scar visible when you get really close to the mirror looking for it, you would almost swear the whole experience was a dream.

Life goes on as usual.

Game Over

[Lentrax]

What the-

Leave my life behind?

I mean, I liked Shanna, but whatever. I can always just remake her, right?

Ashleigh says yes.

[Rizban]

Pain courses through your entire body, pain which should be blocked or at least reduced by the game's pain filters. You have them set to minimum, after all.

The taste of rainbows fills your ears as the sensation of being turned inside out and sucked through your toes overwhelms your senses, causing you to black out.

You awake an unknown period of time later and find yourself numb, completely unable to feel your body. Your ears hear nothing, and only a black emptiness meets you as you try to open your eyes.

Just as panic begins to set in, a popup appears. You feel relief at knowing that you're still in the game. You attempt to open a menu to determine your status, but nothing happens. The popup vibrates at you, as if somehow angered that you're ignoring it.



Welcome to your New Life+
Click below to begin character creation.
| Below |

You find yourself unable to do anything but interact with the popup mentally, just as you would with any popup in the game.

After clicking the button, a series of numbers, symbols, and random words fly across your vision faster than you can read. You feel an almost intrusive sensation in your mind, as if someone or something is peering deep within.

Suddenly, a visual representation of dice scatter across your screen. The final result of each becoming large enough to fill your vision for a brief second.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[roll3]
[roll4]

[Rizban]

Congratulations!
You have received two [2] Minor Boons.

Please choose your race.

A representation of the major races appears standing nude in front of you. Or rather, you see yourself in front of you, slightly altered to appear as each of the major races. A hazy line of individuals stretching off into the distance, which you intuit to be subraces that would be available for selection after making your choices.

Your available choices are

Human
__
Elf
__
Spiritfolk
__
Hengeyokai


There is a pair of buttons hovering in front of each which reads

Select Race Information

Almost obscured near what you would expect to be the floor, if such a thing existed, is a nearly invisible button which reads

Apply Minor Boon to Race

There is no further information about this button.

Before you click anything, you feel a foreboding sensation that any and all choices you make at this time will be permanent.

[Lentrax]

Hengeyokai? That’s an option now?

Ashleigh is almost tempted to click it...

But that feeling...

That weird... whatever that happened... And the pain...

Oh, she was going to have words with Samantha when she got done with this.

We’re both Sisters in Delta Pi, she should have warned me.

As tempting as the options are, Ashleigh selects Human. The bonus feat and skill point was necessary for getting to Dervish as quickly as possible.

And there is that odd button about boons to consider too...

[Rizban]

As soon as she touches the button for human, all of the race representations disappear, and she is presented with four variants of human instead.

Human
__
Deepdweller
__
Neanderthal
__
Talaire


Each has the same two button options as the races did before.

Select Subrace Information

Down below, the minor boon button is slightly more visible than before.

Apply Minor Boon to Race

[Lentrax]

Talaire?

She presses the ‘Information’ button.

[Rizban]

Talaire
Human descendants from the ancient Talaire bloodline have innate psionic talent. They receive a randomly selected bloodline from the eight available to their race which determines the exact nature of their psionic powers. Beyond their mental prowess, they are indistinguishable from a normal human.

[Lentrax]

Ah. Psionics. Thanks, but no thanks game.

Ashleigh selects the regular Human button.

[Rizban]

System Error: Selection Unavailable
Ancient bloodline detected. Base Human race selection is unavailable for this character.
Error Resolution: Human race selection upgraded to Tier 2 Race: High Human.


High Human
Humans are the most common race through most of the realm. They are far more adaptable than any other; however, they tend to have poor relations with the non-human races.

High Human is a Tier 2 race. You are everything that a human is, but more. Your adaptability and potential for growth is greatly improved.


The other figures disappear from your sight, and you find yourself able to customize the appearance of the High Human to you liking, including changing the sex. While you can't point to anything specific on the High Human that's different from a normal Human, it has a sense of presence to it that can't be easily explained.

When you're finished, your point of view shifts instantly, and you find yourself in the character you just shaped. You once again have feeling, the numbness gone. However, you still feel weightless in the black nothingness around you.

An extremely sparse character sheet appears in your vision. (Link sent to you via PM)

You find yourself able to fill in a few minor blanks, including your character's name. You also have 3 points to spend on your ability scores, increasing any chosen score by 1. However, you can't assign more than 1 point to the same ability score.

[Lentrax]

Ancient Bloodline? Is that a weird way of saying "Veteran Player?"

Everything she is reading is confusing the hell out of Ashleigh. And while this process seems intuitive, each next step adds something that is adding to a general feeling of unease.

As the sheet appears in front of her, she figures out what she can and can't do with it rather quickly, and hopes that all of this will come together and make more kinds of sense later on.

[Rizban]

As you finalize your selection, you receive a notification that you will receive 3 points to spend on any ability score of your choice at each future level, but you still won't be able to assign more than one point to the same score at any given level.

Your vision blurs again as you are given a choice of classes, basic gear sets appearing before you, representing each class option. You get the feeling that you should have a limited selection of options, as you did with race, so you are surprised by the number of options available to you.

Barbarian
__
Bard
__
Commoner
__
Crusader
__
Dragon Shaman


Duskblade
__
Eidolon
__
Fighter
__
Hexblade
__
Monk


Paladin
__
Ranger
__
Rogue
__
Sorcerer
__
Warmage


The same two buttons appear floating in front of each class option.

Select Class Information

Apply Minor Boon to Class

[Lentrax]

Three points? At every level? That’s a little OP, don’t you think devs?

Ashleigh looks at the options. They all seem pretty standard, which they should be. They’re all level one base classes, right?

And then there is the matter of that Minor Boon button.

What are these boons anyway? Only one way to find out, right?

She tries selecting the “Apply Minor Boon” button.

[Rizban]

The options available to you flash with a faint light. Some of your options have changed, but others have merely received a plus sign next to them.

Barbarian+
__
Bard+
__
Expert
__
Crusader+
__
Dragon Shaman+


Duskblade+
__
Eidoloncer
__
Fighter+
__
Hexblade+
__
Monk+


Paladin+
__
Mystic Ranger
__
Rogue+
__
Battle Sorcerer
__
Warmage+


The same two buttons appear floating in front of each class option.

Select Class Information

The minor boon button is no longer visible.

[Lentrax]

Okay... I guess Minor was really not an understatement.

Hmm. I know what Barbarian should say, what about Barbarian +?

She selects the Information button for Barbarian+ and Fighter+.

[Rizban]

Barbarian+
A warrior often hailing from a primitive society, barbarians use raw bloodlust to fuel their strength but can quickly exhaust themselves.

As an advanced Barbarian, you have the option of choosing a totem spirit which will grant you additional powers as you gain levels in Barbarian.

Fighter+
Skilled combatants, fighters have access to additional feats as most levels. They also have several benefits when performing special maneuvers in combat.

As an advanced Fighter, you have the option of choosing a role specialization, which will give you additional abilities and options unavailable to other Fighters.

[Lentrax]

Okay.... So basically I made them with ToB added in or whatever? Glad I didn't waste this boon thing on race.

She selects Fighter+.

[Rizban]

You select Fighter+, and the starting gear appears equipped on your body.

A new series of choices appears in front of you.


Champion
__
Field Marshal
__
Martial Artist
__
Samurai
__
Swashbuckler


Select Fighter Specialization Information

Apply Minor Boon to Fighter Specialization

[Lentrax]

Hmm. These are specializations, rather than Base classes on their own...

This makes deciding intriguing. If these are playstyles, rather than classes on their own, she might be able to make a Dervish with a unique spin on it.

Which makes her wonder what the options might have been for Barbarian, another of the optimal entries for the Dervish PrC.

Oh well, that choice has already come and gone, I don't see a back button anywhere. So I should probably learn what I can about how this stuff works before just selecting on impulse.

Ashleigh selects the information for Samurai and Swashbuckler.

[Rizban]

Fighter (Samurai)
This advanced Fighter Specialization has a strong will and sense of justice, using their presence to intimidate enemies into surrender without the need to draw blood. In addition, they have inherited an ancestral weapon from their family which is blessed by the ancestral spirits.

Fighter (Swashbuckler)
This advanced Fighter Specialization focuses on grace and movement, avoiding attacks and striking where it hurts the most. They lose many of their benefits when wearing bulky armor or their mobility is impeded but are true masters when free to move.

[Lentrax]

Reading the description for Samurai, coupled with the overall concept of building a dervish conjure images of Kill Bill into Ashleigh’s mind.

But, Swashbuckler is the one that makes the most sense. Especially if in this system it still gives you free weapon finesse.

And, the boon button is back. But she only has one ‘boon’ left, and there are still skills and feats to consider. Wondering if a boon to skills will get a crucial extra skill point per level, she decides to save the boon, and confirms her choice of Swashbuckler.

[Rizban]

As you finalize your old character's name as your name for your new character, you feel a slightly queasy feeling in your gut like a bad case of motion sickness. Thankfully, it quickly passes.

You select Swashbuckler, and the appearance of your gear shifts slightly, the armor becoming lighter and more flexible, the longsword changing to a rapier, and other such details.

Your character sheet appears again, and begins to fill itself out.

You have the option to select two feats for your first Hit Die, one bonus feat from your race, and one bonus feat from your class. Your choices are any feat you qualify for from the Player's Handbook, Player's Handbook 2, Complete Warrior, or Races of Destiny.

In addition, you gain Able Learner as a bonus feat from your race and Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat from your class.

Because you held onto your past rather than allowing it to be swept away, you also gain either Fleet of Foot or Surefooted feat as a bonus feat (both from Player's Guide to Faerun).

Apply Minor Boon to Feats

[Lentrax]

Reading the plethora of information being given to her, Ashleigh could almost swoon.

Able Learner and Fleet of Foot?

At 1st level, she will have the speed of a Barbarian, and the ability to buy all of her skills without the Cross-class penalty!

Which means the only thing I really have to worry about insofar as getting to Dervish is making sure the character survives to sixth level!

But what do I do for the other feats?

The better question is will it let me select feats because my stats aren't set yet.

To test that, Ashleigh tries to select "Dodge," a feat that requires a 13 Dex.

[Rizban]

She is met with an error message. She must still meet any prerequisites for the feats she chooses.

[Lentrax]

As I thought. But still... It would have been nice. But that's okay.

Oh, crap. No it isn't. That requirement locks a lot of things out from even the fighter bonus feat list...

Okay. Okay. Let's not panic.

So. Improved Initiative, because going first meant a better chance to survive.

And for a general first level feat... Quick Draw would have to do.

Having made the choices, she selects 'Quick Draw' for her 1st level Feat
She selects 'Improved Initiative' for her Fighter feat.
And for the bonus choice, she selects "Fleet of Foot.'

[Rizban]

Having made her feat choices, she realizes that she still has two open feat slots available.

If she has no other feats she wishes to select at this time, the system offers her a Moderate Boon in exchange for permanently sacrificing the remaining two slots.

[Lentrax]

Ashleigh opts to forgo other feats right now. Everything else that she can think of that would really be beneficial to her are locked behind skill and ability score caps.

[Rizban]

You have received one [1] Moderate Boon.

Your selected feats populate to your character sheet, changing other values that they affect automatically.

When that completes, a selection of skills appears, and you are informed that you have 16 Skill Points to assign. Clicking through a few of the skills, you discover that the Fighter has the class skills of the Fighter and Swashbuckler classes combined.

Cross class skills still cost two points.

A new button offering to use your moderate boon appears below. It is not obscured.

Apply Moderate Boon to Skills

[Lentrax]

Okay... Let's see what do i need...

Ashleigh tries to recall the requirements for Dervish, and assigns her skills accordingly.

Tumble 4 ranks
Perform (Dance) 2 Ranks
Bluff 4 Ranks
Handle Animal 3 Ranks
Intimidate 3 Ranks

I added the Skills and the Ranks onto the sheet, but I am not sure if you have anything set for the Abilities to modify it automatically so I didn't fiddle with anything else.

[Rizban]

You finalize your skills, and your character sheet fades away.



System Notice
Character generation completed.
One [1] available Moderate Boon remains unspent.

Do you wish to retain this boon for future use or immediately convert it into one [1] Greater Perk?

| Save | Convert |

[Lentrax]

I don’t know what a ‘perk’ is, and the dervish is pretty much the definition of MAD... so I think, maybe I’d better not get to crazy with stuff...

Ashleigh looks at the prompt.

Then again... I get ability score increases at each level... if the description of my race was true...

What the hell? I still have a minor boon left for ability scores, right?

Ashleigh selects ‘Convert.’

[Rizban]

The sound of clattering dice fills your ears.

[roll0]



System Notice
One [1] Moderate Boon converted into one [1] Greater Perk.

One [1] Minor Boon remains unspent and will be retained.

Your vision goes completely black.

You feel something cold and hard on your back and something else warm on your face.

The sounds of buzzing insects can be heard in the distance. Odors of dust and damp earth assault your senses.

You realize that you are lying on the ground, your eyes closed.

[Lentrax]

Smell?

That is not part of the VR programming...

What is going on?

Ashleigh opens her eyes.

[Rizban]

You find yourself in a stone room, which has all the hallmarks of an ancient ruin from the game. The room is approximately 20 feet by 20 feet.

A shallow pool is carved into the floor near the center of the room which is filled with crystal clear water. A faint glow coming from the water is the only source of light in the room itself, leaving the room quite dim if not for the sunlight peeking through a crack in the wall and landing directly on your face.

You believe that you could squeeze through the crack easily enough, which is a relief, as you see no other way out of the room.

[Lentrax]

As weird as all this is, it is still just a game right? Let’s see if I can at least find out where I am...

Ashleigh heads for the crack in the wall and starts trying to fit through it.

[Rizban]

As you start to climb into the crack, you notice a flash of white as the sun glints off of a small obelisk. It is approximately 6 inches tall and appears to be made of polished ivory. A diamond is set in one face of it.

You feel strangly drawn to touch the obelisk...

[Lentrax]

Not even five minutes in, and we already have some sweet looking loot.

Ashleigh doesn’t even hesitate. She reaches out and grabs the obelisk.

[Rizban]

The obelisk cannot be moved. You receive a popup as soon as you touch it.



Hearthstone Discovered
Do you wish to bind your soul to this hearthstone to be revived here upon death?
| Yes | No |

[Lentrax]

Upon death...?

What is going on?

Uhh, yes?

[Rizban]

You feel a pressure in your chest as your soul is bound to the obelisk, and the obelisk now sports a single point of light glowing dimly. You assume this represents your bond.

Standing in the stone room now gives you a sense of familiarity, like coming home after a long trip.

As you are about to move, a faint clinking noise catches your ear. The diamond attached to the obelisk has fallen from it and pulses warmly in rhythm with your heartbeat.

[Lentrax]

Warmth? That’s not supposed to be in the programming either.

Ashleigh pockets the diamond. As much as she would surely get for it, she has the feeling that she shouldn’t sell it.

Wait. I’m in game now right? Need to stop thinking like Ashleigh.

[Rizban]

As she picks up the gem, she gets another popup.



Soulgem (Soulbound)
This gem is invisible and intangible to other creatures.

Augment
This item can be attached to another item as an Augment.

Soulbound
This item is soulbound and will remain with you even after death. It cannot be sold or stolen.
This item was awarded to you as a Greater Perk.

[Lentrax]

Ashleigh- no, Shanna.

I really need to get in character. Have to stop thinking of Ashleigh for a while.

Shanna tried to access a map, to get her bearings.

[Rizban]

She discovers that her interface lacks a minimap function or any mapping function whatsoever.

[Lentrax]

Okay... this is getting weird...

Shanna looks around seeing if there is any indication of somewhere to go.

[Rizban]

The crack opens into a narrow tunnel, through which you can see light. You notice no other exits from the ruins.

[Lentrax]

No choice but to keep going then...

Shanna heads down the tunnel.

[Rizban]

You make your way to the end of the tunnel, which is just narrow enough to make you squeeze through a few parts but isn't uncomfortable for you.

You reach the end and stumble out into sunlight.

A large valley opens up before you, though you stand at the narrowest point of it, almost into the mountains. To your right, running water burbles its way down an almost sheer cliff into a wide pool before flowing away as a narrow stream.

The immediate area is filled with rocks which range in size from gravel to stones the size of your head.

In the distance, you see the valley grows broader as it descends from the mountains, becoming quite lush, filled with knee high grass and a few low bushes and shrubs but no trees to speak of.

In the far distance at the end of the valley, you are able to make out the start of a large forest. Your high vantage point reveals that the forest extends farther than you can estimate in every direction not blocked by sheer mountains.

[Lentrax]

Well, I can’t go back...

Shanna takes a moment to check that she has everything, hands reaching to check armor and her rapier.

Once she is sure she has everything, she heads off down the valley.

[Rizban]

Your feet slide some in the scree as she makes her way down into the valley, but other than dislodging a few smaller rocks, you have no real trouble finding a way down. The stones are fairly uncomfortable on your bare feet.

The grass is a welcome relief, soft underfoot. Other than a few dragonflies buzzing near the stream, you don't note any other wildlife.

[Lentrax]

Shanna looks around, hoping to find a path or trail, anything that might point to a direction to travel that isn't just random.

[Rizban]

As you are looking around, you notice what looks like some sort of mechanical person emerge from a secret door in the cliff face. The being is clearly designed to appear female and appears to have been crafted more for aesthetics than any other purpose, as if she was meant to be a showpiece rather than a functional unit.

She appears to be wearing an elegant suit of light armor, but you soon realize that this is just her natural chassis and she seems to be carrying no equipment of any kind.


Hail, friend! she calls out, her voice a pleasant alto. What are you doing out here?

As she approaches, you briefly note an indicator that this is another player.

[Lentrax]

Shanna waves, then gestures back toward the valley she climbed down.

Just coming down from the mountains. Don't suppose you know where the nearest town is, do you?

[Rizban]

That's why I was going upstream-water provides life for people, meaning there's likely to be some sign of civilization, Lilac responds. I'd be happy if you joined me-safety in numbers and all.

As she offers you a chance to join her, you receive a system popup message.



Party Notice
[Player] has offered you a party invite.
Do you wish to join this party?
| Yes | No |

[Lentrax]

Sure! Shall we go? I'm Shanna by the way.

[Rizban]

She speaks just as you do, stumbling a bit over her words as you answer the question as she asks it.


What's your name? I'm Lilac, she asks the stranger. Game is asking me to name the party too-what do you want to call it?

[Rizban]

Lilac selects No for naming the party, but makes sure they're still grouped together. Shanna-okay, sure. We'll name the party later, maybe after we've got a mighty deed to be proud of.

As they start walking, she asks So tell me-what can you do? I'm more of a support person-Bard, with crap Con and Str.

You are interrupted by a system message.



Party Notice
Party name will be randomly generated.
You have joined the party Silence of the Bold (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?615791-Portal-to-D-amp-D-IC-Silence-of-the-Bold&p=24612632#post24612632).

Please continue discussion in Party Chat (the new thread)

[Rizban]

At the "waterfall" part of the stream (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?615791-Portal-to-D-amp-D-IC-Silence-of-the-Bold&p=24612817#post24612817), you recognize that you are close to where you spawned into the world, but Lilac has not seen the mouth of the tunnel you crawled out of.

[Lentrax]

Shanna decides to, while walking open up the "Quest Log" tab.

[Rizban]

Her quest log is completely blank.

[Rizban]

When you see the rabbits, you get a system popup.

Inspect

Woodland Hare

You recognize that only you get this popup, but you don't know whether or not your new party got her own similar popup.

[Rizban]

Achievement: Equipped a Weapon

You have equipped your first weapon. Gain 10 experience.

[Rizban]

Achievement: Killed a Monster
You have killed your first Monster. Gain 10 experience.

[Rizban]

After eating your fill of the fruit, you receive a popup.

You are Well Fed
You gain 10% increased experience.
(3:59:57)

[Rizban]

You finish off the fruit and receive the same buff you had the last time you ate it.

You are Well Fed
You gain 10% increased experience.
(3:59:58)

[Rizban]

The timer expires on your buff just after you enter Littlegate and gain that XP.

[Lentrax]

Having said her goodbyes to Lilac for now, Shanna goes off to find the farrier so she can inquire about making some money.

[Rizban]

The goods is, Shanna knows where one rabbit dungeon is. The bad news is, that it isn’t going to be easy to get back to. But if they are causing this much trouble with the crops there must be at least one nearby.

Lilac. You go with him. I am going to go see about getting some work for a day.Maybe I can get us some coin for food and and a room for the night.

She then proceeds to see about finding the farrier. Surely he needs some help.

She finds the farrier on the far end of town from where you entered. It's not far from a stable.

The "building" is little more than a roof on poles with a forge and anvil under it.

You can see a man hammering on a horseshoe.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/33/74/31/337431ecdc9c242d2528547691e762f2.jpg

[Lentrax]

Shanna raises a hand in greeting.

Hello! I don't suppose you have any work that needs doing?

[Rizban]

The farrier takes his time to finish piercing holes in the hot metal and tosses the finishes shoe into a barrel.

He rolls his shoulders to stretch, puts his tools away, and checks his space before finally turning to respond.

"That depends. Who are you, and do you have any experience with animals?"

[Lentrax]

I am Shanna. I only just arrived in the village today. As to experience with animals, it is mostly limited to riding, but it does lend to being able to handle a horse.

[Rizban]

"Hmm. Ever work a forge?"

[Lentrax]

No, I haven't. I'm afraid that, until now, my only experience with anything to do with a smithy has been to use the end result of their labor.

[Rizban]

"Shanna, was it? You just looking for work or an apprenticeship?"

[Lentrax]

Just work. I don't know how long I will be around. Certainly not long enough for an apprenticeship.

[Rizban]

He shrugs.

"Well, I could use an apprentice, but I suppose I can offer you a bit of work for a few days. I don't have much I can pay you, but I'm sure we can work something out.

First off, I need more coke for the forge. I don't have anywhere to keep it dry here, so head on over to the warehouse by the tavern and fill up the bag."

He tosses you a filthy, blackened bag.

"I need a good 30 lbs, so you'll need to make a couple trips."

[Lentrax]

30 pounds? By my carrying capacity, I should be able to do that with no problem. But then again, this isn't a solid closed bag. Let's see how it goes.

Shanna takes the bag and heads back toward the tavern to find the warehouse.

[Rizban]

You find a windowless wooden building not far from the Lethal Strawberry. It's the only building nearby that isn't obviously someone's home, other than the tavern, of course. You're confident that you've found the warehouse.

[Lentrax]

Shanna will open the door and go inside.

[Rizban]

You see numerous barrels and crates stacked in a very organized manner.

Not far from the door is a large open-topped coal box filled about half full with coal.

While you would normally expect to see rats in a warehouse like this, you are mildly surprised to instead find a rabbit. Okay, maybe not that surprised.

https://mornproductions.com/gitp/portal/coal-bin.jpg

[Lentrax]

What's the worst that could happen? Plus, I can maybe sell the meat.

Dropping the bag, Shanna takes her club and swings for the rabbit.

1d20]+1 [3]+1=4, Damage: [roll0]

Messed that up, I will roll on discord.

[Rizban]

You miss the rabbit, and it becomes enraged.

[roll0] - [1]

[Lentrax]

Shanna swings again.

Damage [roll1d6

[Rizban]

You swing hard enough to completely crush the poor rabbit's skull.

Encounter Notice
Enemies Defeated:
Experience Gained:
1
38

[Lentrax]

Moving the rabbit down off the coal, Shanna proceeds to find the coke the smith wants.

[Rizban]

You put about 10 lbs of coal in the sack before you start to worry that it's straining to hold the weight.

[Lentrax]

Feeling the bag, Shanna sighs.

Three trips it is.

With club and the rabbit in one hand, and the bag in the other, Shanna heads to the smithy. When she gets there she asks where he would like her to put the coal.

[Rizban]

"Just dump it in the hopper there by the forge," he instructs while pointing to a large canvas contraption hanging from the rafters.

"What's with the rabbit?"

[Lentrax]

Found it with the coal. Figure I can roast it for dinner.

Shanna puts the coal where he asked. Mind if I leave it here while I go get the rest of your coal?

[Rizban]

"Just hang it from a branch in the tree there. It should be fine."

[Lentrax]

Right. Thank you. I'll be back with the next load soon.

[Rizban]

Assuming you return to the warehouse, you find another rabbit inside, though it seems to be ignoring you.

I usually don't assume player actions, but that seemed to be what you intended.

[Lentrax]

Yes, it was. Sorry if it wasn’t clear.

Shanna ignores the rabbit, just grabbing the coal and going back. She does this again, and finishes getting the thirty pounds of coal for the smith.

There you are. Thirty pounds. What else can I do for you?

[Rizban]

"You know how to properly bake coke and bank a forge? No, probably not. Let me show you."

He shows you how the hanging hopper can be moved around to deposit coal around the edges of the fire and how it's slowly raked towards the middle as it burns so that the impurities are driven out of it before it gets to the middle, where the main work is done.

He also explains that you can "flash" cook it if you're using smaller pieces and douse it with water to remove most of the smoke early, but that's only really done if you plan to work a long day and keep the forge burning constantly since it requires less maintenance of the fire to get an even cook.

You spent the next few hours fetching metal, sweeping up slag, and generally just doing whatever menial task he doesn't feel like doing at the moment.

Skill Gain

You gain 1 rank in Profession (Blacksmith)

When he's wrapping up for the day, he says, "You've done good work today, for a rank amateur. I owe you a bit for you labor. Did you want it in coin, or is there something I can make for you?"

[Lentrax]

Thank you, master smith. Coin will suffice. While I would love a rapier, I doubt the work I have helped you with has been enough to cover the cost.

[Rizban]

He laughs, "And I would love to make you one, if I but had the skill and the steel! I'm just a simple farrier. If you need your mount cared for and shoed or have need of simple tools, I can handle that. I could even make some minor repairs to things, but I just don't have the tools or materials to do much more than that here.

But still, here's your pay, twenty-five pips."

He digs into his pocket and pulls out a handful of bronze coins each about a centimeter in diameter and just thick enough to not easily bend. The coin was stamped on one side with the head and wings of a hawk with what looked to be a snake tail hanging from the side of its mouth and stamped on the back with a cross divided into six square sections, each with a different number of tiny dots.

[Lentrax]

I thank you again, master smith. For the work, and for what you have taught me. Perhaps you could do me one more kindness? Is there anywhere that might put up two young ladies for the night? Besides the Strawberry?

[Rizban]

"There's an empty house or two in town, but you'd need to rent or buy them. You can ask the elder about that, but it'll probably be more than you can afford. There really isn't much of another option other than the Lethal Strawberry or sleeping out under the stars."

[Lentrax]

Alright. Well, thank you again.

After the goodbyes are finished, Shanna goes off to find Lilac.

[Rizban]

Experience Notice

You have earned enough experience to level up.
Begin Character Advancement?

Yes
No

[Lentrax]

Uhh, yes? Yes, Please?

Shanna selects "Yes."

[Rizban]

The instant you mentally select "Yes," your vision goes black, and you find yourself floating in the same featureless, dark void that you experienced during Character Generation.

Character Advancement

You have 1,321 experience.

Select an option



Advance Primary
Class Slot


Unlock Secondary
Class Slot

[Lentrax]

Shanna selects the "Advance Primary Class Slot" option.

[Rizban]

When you select "Advance Primary Class Slot," your experience total rapidly ticks down.

Character Advancement

You have 321 experience.

You gain three [3] Ability Points.



As previously, each point must be placed in a different score.

[Lentrax]

Shanna adds her points. One each to Str, Dex, and Con.

[Rizban]

Character Advancement
Select a Primary Class



You have the same class options as before—Fighter, Barbarian, Bard, Commoner, Crusader, Dragon Shaman, Duskblade, Eidolon, Hexblade, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, and Warmage—plus a few new choices: Battle Dancer, Scout, Soulborn, and Soulknife.

[Lentrax]

Battle Dancer? That sounds like fun. But no. We have a plan. We can’t change it now.

Shanna selects Fighter.

[Rizban]

You immediately gain 10 hit points, your saves and BAB progress, and you gain a Bonus Feat and 4 Skill Points.

Your bonus feat may be selected from any fighter bonus feat you qualify for from any official 3.5 source published by WotC or from the Aldhaven site (https://aldhaven.com/).

[Lentrax]

Shanna goes through the list of feats she can select, and sighs. Next level, I can at least get Dodge.

She selects Combat Expertise for her feats and assigns her skill points into Spot and Listen. May as well take advantage of Able Learner to buy as many of those as I can when I get the chance.

[Rizban]

Unless I've forgotten something, Character Advancement ends.

You find that no more time has passed than it takes to blink your eyes. Everything is as it was, but Lilac appears to be locked into some sort of feedback loop and is completely unresponsive. Her bard song can be heard in the first chamber of the rabbit dungeon and has effect there, and it will continue to affect you for a while beyond the first room. She, however, doesn't appear to be in any condition to be following you...

You also take a second to look around and find that there are several more groups of rabbits that could give you experience if you wish to grind out more before entering the dungeon.

[Lentrax]

I wonder what’s going on with Lilac? Hmm. If something’s wrong with her connection or whatever this game is, I had best take advantage of it while I can.

And so, greater hit point total and better stats on her mind, Shanna dives into the dungeon once more.

When she gets into the first room, she looks for a basher. If there is one there, she targets it first.

Spot: [roll0]
A: [roll1] D: [roll2]

I am assuming from your last post that I have the +1 inspiration for attack and damage rolls. If I don’t, the attack and damage rolls are -1 each.

[Rizban]

Yes, you have the +1 inspiration bonus until you go deeper in the dungeon than the first room and then for 1 minute after. She'll keep singing though, so there's no reason you can't step back into the AoE to refresh to buff...The first room contains [roll0] Woodland Hares.

Your opening attack kills the nearest one.

[Rizban]

The remaining four swarm you, provoking AoOs for entering your space.

[roll0] - [1] (provokes)
[roll1] - [1] (provokes)
[roll2] - [1] (provokes)
[roll3] - [1] (provokes)

[Lentrax]

Shanna reacts to the first rabbit to try and bite her.

A: [roll0] D: [roll1]

She then swings at the rabbits around her, hoping to strike one of them.

A: [roll2] D: [roll3]

[Rizban]

She kills one of the rabbits, takes 3 damage, then kills another rabbit.

The remaining two attack.
[roll0] - [1] (provokes)
[roll1] - [1] (provokes) (fails to confirm)

Huh. A nat 1 and a nat 20.

[Lentrax]

Shanna continues laying her club about her.

Opportunity attack: [roll0] D: [roll1]

Regular attack: [roll2] D: [roll3]

[Rizban]

Shanna has left but one rabbit alive.

[roll0] - [1] (provokes) Once again, it fails to confirm.

[Lentrax]

Just one rabbit left, and then we can figure out what is going on with Lilac.

Opportunity attack: [roll0] D: [roll1]

Regular Attack: [roll2] D: [roll3]

[Rizban]

After a few more attacks and 1 more point of damage, you eventually kill the rabbit.

Encounter Notice
Enemies Defeated:
Experience Gained:
5
188

[Lentrax]

With the rabbits gone, Shanna goes over to Lilac.

Lilac? You alright?

I am assuming JNA dropped?

[Rizban]

Lilac still seems to be stuck in a loop, her bard song on repeat.

That's my best guess.

[Lentrax]

Great. Looks like I am alone again. I hate being a solo...

Shanna takes the potion from Lilac, then takes a moment to gather herself before she proceeds further into the dungeon.

[Rizban]

I haven't gotten any responses, so I'm assuming JNA dropped.You make it to the second room of the dungeon and realize you can still hear Lilac's inspiring song, gaining full benefit of it.

The room contains [roll0] Bashers and [roll1] Woodland Hares.

You win initiative.

[Lentrax]

This is going to be so much harder without Lilac to back me up...

With a yell, Shanna charges at the basher, swinging her club in a wild arc.

A: [roll0] D: [roll1]

[Rizban]

You bash the basher, killing it in a single blow.

The woodland hares attack you, provoking AoOs.

[roll0] - [1] (provokes)
[roll1] - [1] (provokes)
[roll2] - [1] (provokes)
[roll3] - [1] (provokes)
[roll4] - [1] (provokes)
[roll5] - [1] (provokes)

[Lentrax]

Opportunity Attack: [roll0] D: [roll1]

The club comes up and around, as Shanna tries catching one of the rabbits before it attacks her. She then continues the arc, spinning and bringing the club down toward another rabbit.

A: [roll2] D: [roll3]

[Rizban]

Shanna knocks the first rabbit out of the air before it can bite her but fails to club the second one.

The rabbits continue their attacks.

[roll0] - [1] (provokes)
[roll1] - [1] (provokes)
[roll2] - [1] (provokes)
[roll3] - [1] (provokes)
[roll4] - [1] (provokes)

[Lentrax]

Opportunity Attack: [roll0] D: [roll1]

Shanna keeps trying to dodge the rabbits, swinging as she goes.

A: [roll2] D: [roll3]

[Rizban]

Shanna brutally clubs another two rabbits, reducing their numbers to something far more manageable.

[roll2] - [1] (provokes)
[roll0] - [1] (provokes)
[roll1] - [1] (provokes)

[Rizban]

Hey, Jeriah has offered to hop over to your area to team up if you'd rather not play solo. Alternatively, we could recruit another player or two to join you. I'd be open to recommendations for people you'd enjoy playing with.

You manage to take out the 3 remaining rabbits without taking any more damage from them.

Encounter Notice
Enemies Defeated:
Experience Gained:
7
325

[Lentrax]

I would be fine with another party member. But I can just as easily solo as well.

Having defeated the last rabbit, Shanna goes back to where Lilac is hopefully still singing. When she gets there, she wishes the bard could actually cast, but whatever strange glitch is happening is preventing her from getting anything out of the bard.

So, instead, Shanna goes further into the dungeon, and this time, before charging in, Shanna tries to take a look into the room before running in.

[roll0]

[Rizban]

Just offering, since your character said she hates soloing. I wanted to give you the opportunity to pick up an ally.

You Spot the rabbits you defeated in this room and realize that you haven't looted them. You briefly to loot them, finding [roll0]+[roll1]=9 bronze pips.
[roll2]
In the next room, you Spot 2 Bashers which are a bit larger and meaner looking than the ones you've faced before and [roll3] Woodland Hares. They seem to have noticed you but make no move to attack you as long as you don't enter the room.

[Lentrax]

Seven... I could probably take them on... After all, I do still have the potion. But... Maybe it would be best to find help?

Shanna sighs. No. I have to go on. I can always run, right? But I also have the option of coming back tomorrow and farming XP...

Shanna does decide that discretion is better and leaves the dungeon.

[Rizban]

You realize that if you just want to farm experience, there are a number of rabbits around that could be easily hunted. With the occasional Basher spawn, it wouldn't be hard to gather the experience you need for another level or two.

You also briefly wonder if you could potentially talk one of the locals into accompanying you into the dungeon. Based on conversations you've had with them, you don't think they are even aware of its existence or that it's the source of their rabbit problems.

[Lentrax]

With as many HP as Shanna still has, she decides she can spend some time farming outside the dungeon before she has to head back to town. Plus she has the potion if things go terribly bad for her.

And so, Shanna searches for the nearest group of rabbits to start trying to farm XP.

[Rizban]

Shanna finds groupings of Woodland Hares in the following quantities and can just roll a bunch of attacks in a single post to save time, if she wants.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]

[Lentrax]

Shanna goes after the pack of 6 rabbits. And in an odd flurry of club swinging, she attempts to test the random number generator of the world.

A: [roll0] D: [roll1]
A: [roll2] D: [roll3]
A: [roll4] D: [roll5]
A: [roll6] D: [roll7]
A: [roll8] D: [roll9]
A: [roll10] D: [roll11]
A: [roll12] D: [roll13]
A: [roll14] D: [roll15]
A: [roll16] D: [roll17]

[Rizban]

You manage to kill one of the rabbits when you rush in. You win initiative but fail to hit. You do get an AoO as they scatter, killing a second one.
Encounter Notice
Enemies Defeated:
Enemies Dispersed:
Experience Gained:
2
3
105

You charge into the second bunch, killing one immediately and another when they try to flee.
Encounter Notice
Enemies Defeated:
Enemies Dispersed:
Experience Gained:
2
4
120

On the third group you attack, you manage to kill one, but only by charging in. You miss on the AoO as the flee.
The horrible screaming of a Basher grates on your ears as it emerges from a patch of tall grass to defend the poor, helpless bunnies you're harassing.

You have the initiative.

You run up to it and score a critical hit, killing it instantly.

Encounter Notice
Enemies Defeated:
Enemies Dispersed:
Experience Gained:
2
4
190

[Lentrax]

Shanna will loot whatever she can from the groups, and afterward, look to see if she can find any other groups of rabbits around. If she can't, she will head back to town.

[Rizban]

She's done a good job of thinning out the rabbits, but there are [roll0] groups remaining in the immediate area.

[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]

[Lentrax]

A: [roll0] D: [roll1]
A: [roll2] D: [roll3]
A: [roll4] D: [roll5]
A: [roll6] D: [roll7]
A: [roll8] D: [roll9]
A: [roll10] D: [roll11]

[Rizban]

You kill one, then a second when you win initiative, and then a third when they attempt to flee. Two of them escape, and...
[roll0] a Basher spawns!

You again manage to one-shot the Basher.

Encounter Notice
Enemies Defeated:
Enemies Dispersed:
Experience Gained:
4
2
220

[Lentrax]

Shanna looks around to see if any of the rabbits have left any loot of any kind, then heads back to town.

Spot: [roll0]

[Rizban]

You would be able to harvest the skins and meat from the rabbits and bashers, but they don't seem to drop loot items outside of the dungeon and function more like normal animals. You do recall that the innkeeper was willing to buy the rabbits from you and will likely buy the bashers as well.

[Lentrax]

Shanna collects as many of the rabbits as she can gather, and heads back to town to see if she can sell them.

[Rizban]

You gather the 8 rabbits and 2 bashers before you return to the tavern. They would have been difficult to carry, but you do have that large burlap sack Jim—the elder's son—loaned to Lilac. You're somewhat thankful that you used a club and managed to easily kill them through broken spines, as it means they won't be bleeding on you or the sack. Thank goodness for small miracles.

You enter The Lethal Strawberry to find it completely unchanged. You're early enough in the day, however, that apart from the barkeep, only a nondescript man, obviously the town drunk, is present.


"Welcome back. Er, I see you brought some more coneys for the stew."

After digging around in his coin purse, he offers you 1 bronze pip per rabbit and 4 each for the bashers. He even offers to throw in a free bowl of stew and mug of ale.

[Lentrax]

Shanna accepts the offer, taking the 16 pips, the stew and the ale.

Is there anyone in the village that has some basic supplies to sell? I don’t need much, but anything is better than what I have now, which is next to nothing.

She laughed as she addedI don’t even have a change of clothes!

[Rizban]

He just kind of shrugs.

"Most people make do with what they can make themselves. The farrier is the only real craftsman locally, so he does a fair bit of business. There's a traveling merchant who comes through once a month for the rest.

You might just ask around though. I'm sure people might have some extras they can pass on for a bit of coin or some labor."

[Lentrax]

Fair enough. Thank you. Shanna finishes her food, and then goes to ask around to see if anyone has some things they may be willing to part with as far as bedding goes. She would love to get new clothes, but in reality, at leasr decent bedroll or something similar is more practical for now.

Not sure if you want a roll or anything here, but I will just skip the roll and just take a 20 on it, if I can.

[Rizban]

You spend the day searching the town for useful goods that people are willing to sell or donate.

You find the following goods at the following prices.


ItemAvailablePrice
Club5free
Dagger22 sp
Shortspear11 sp
Sickle34 sp
Sling11 bp
Woodcutter's Axe22 sp

Padded Armor23 sp
Leather Armor115 sp

Backpack42 sp
Basket (empty)820 bp
Bedroll210 bp
Bucket (empty)150 bp
Firewood (1 day)10001 bp
Flint and steel21 sp
Hammer150 bp
Pitcher, clay12 bp
Rope (hempen 50 ft)11 sp
Sack (empty)410 bp
Soap (1 lb)250 bp
Shovel42 sp
Torch231 bp
Trail Rations (1 day)1025 bp
Waterskin11 sp

Mule110 sp
Pack Saddle15 sp

You also find at least 1 of any other item that have a listed value of 0.

Remember that 100 bronze pips = 1 silver plug = 0.01 gold pogs.
Each coin type increments by a count of 100 rather than the D&D standard of 10.

[Lentrax]

Shanna buys a bedroll from one of the villagers, which means she can now try her hand at camping, which she will do at the church, more than likely. It is a place the people don't go to, and close enough to the village that it doesn't seem like the animals visit. The only downside is that she doesn't have the money for flint and steel, so she has no way of making a fire.

But after a good nights rest, along with the hp recovery that comes with it, she should be able to take care of that rabbit dungeon.

But until then, time to go searching for more rabbits!

[Rizban]

You are not disturbed during the night.

Resting overnight in the temple restores you of 4 hit points from natural healing + [roll0] magical healing from an unknown source which happens about a minute after you wake up.

[Rizban]

You find [roll0] groups of rabbits surrounding the dungeon.

They are in groups of the following numbers.

[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]
[roll8]
[roll9][roll10]

[Lentrax]

Shanna starts hunting rabbits. She feels like she has to be close to leveling up again, and hopes to be able to do it before diving into the dungeon again.
A: [roll0] D: [roll1]
A: [roll2] D: [roll3]
A: [roll4] D: [roll5]
A: [roll6] D: [roll7]
A: [roll8] D: [roll9]
A: [roll10] D: [roll11]
A: [roll12] D: [roll13]
A: [roll14] D: [roll15]
A: [roll16] D: [roll17]
A: [roll18] D: [roll19]

[Rizban]

You kill two of the rabbits in the first group and one in the second; however, a basher spawns as soon as they scatter.

It takes you a number of rounds to kill the basher, and it deals damage in two increments of [roll0] and [roll1].

Encounter Notice
Enemies Defeated:
Enemies Dispersed:
Experience Gained:
4
6
280

Group 3, being the closest, has also disappeared, fleeing from the sounds of combat.

Groups 4 through 9 are still present, if you wish to continue.

[Lentrax]

Shanna goes and loots what she can from the rabbits she has killed, and then takes a short break to rest and think.

Take 20 for 20.

Shanna feels like she is close to hitting the experience point threshold to level up again, so she decides to press the groups outside the dungeon first.

A: [roll0] D: [roll1]
A: [roll2] D: [roll3]
A: [roll4] D: [roll5]
A: [roll6] D: [roll7]
A: [roll8] D: [roll9]
A: [roll10] D: [roll11]
A: [roll12] D: [roll13]
A: [roll14] D: [roll15]
A: [roll16] D: [roll17]
A: [roll18] D: [roll19]

[Rizban]

You make it through group 7 before another Basher spawns, and it manages to make one attack against you before you finish it off.

[roll0] - [roll1]

Encounter Notice
Enemies Defeated:
Enemies Dispersed:
Experience Gained:
7
5
355

[Lentrax]

Not a bad morning’s work. Shanna thinks as she starts going through the rabbits looking for coins and gathering the rabbits themselves into her sack.

She then checks her character sheet and sees the “Level Up” notification. She taps it.

[Rizban]

You are somewhat disappointed when you realize that the rabbits rabbits on the surface don't dissolve into loot like they do when inside the dungeon.

The instant you mentally select "Yes," your vision goes black, and you find yourself floating in the same featureless, dark void that you experienced during Character Generation.

Character Advancement

You have 2,104 experience.

Select an option



Advance Primary
Class Slot


Unlock Secondary
Class Slot

[Lentrax]

They don’t drop other loot, but I can still collect them to sell, right?

Shanna floats there for a moment. Thinking.

What is really hurting me right now is the lack of ability scores, right?

But I get to increase them every level...

Yeah, but couldn’t we cheese it by unlocking the secondary class?

That’s no guarantee. And unless this is gestalt, is it really cheese?

She presses the “Advance Primary class” button.

[Rizban]

Yes, of course. I've lost track of what all you've killed. But you can definitely collect every rabbit and basher that you've killed with no problem. The sack is easily large enough to carry them too.

When you select "Advance Primary Class Slot," your experience total rapidly ticks down.

Character Advancement

You have 104 experience.

You gain three [3] Ability Points.



As previously, each point must be placed in a different score.

[Lentrax]

Shanna makes the decision easily enough, putting the scores into Dex, Con, and Int.

[Rizban]

Character Advancement
Select a Primary Class



You have the same class options as before—Fighter, Barbarian, Bard, Battle Dancer, Commoner, Crusader, Dragon Shaman, Duskblade, Eidolon, Hexblade, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Scout, Sorcerer, Soulborn, Soulknife, and Warmage—plus a few new choices: Beguiler, Lurk, Psion, and Warblade.

[Lentrax]

Shanna selects Fighter.

[Rizban]

You gain hit points, base attack bonus, and save progression.

You gain Skill Focus (Intimidate) as a bonus feat and the Insightful Strike class feature.

You gain one [1] feat for reaching 3rd level.

You gain four [4] skill points.

[Lentrax]

Shanna plugs in her skill points, and notes her new features.

After that, she selects her feat. The choice of what to take first now that she has a Dexterity score that opens up her requires feats, she has to look to what is actually useful right now.

And after careful consideration, she selects Combat Reflexes to get an extra opportunity attack against these pesky rabbits.

I don’t have internet access on my PC right now, so I’ve changed what I can on my sheet, but I can’t adjust the size of the cells for feats and abilities on my phone. Could you add in those things for me, please?

[Rizban]

No problems. Sheet should be updated now.
You finish updating your sheet and Character Advancement ends.

[Lentrax]

Right. Now that we have that business taken care of, let’s go hunt some rabbits.

Shanna heads out toward the dungeon, and heads in.

[Rizban]

As you are headed towards the dungeon, you spot a draconic woman in distance with gleaming white scales. She summons a strange, whiteish bipedal creature, which attacks a group of rabbits before vanishing only a few seconds later.

She does not appear to be paying attention to the town or to have noticed you.

[Lentrax]

Someone new. That would be great. Always nice to have another player to game with. Especially since I can’t log out. Actually I wonder how much time has passed back home...

But Shanna doesn’t dwell too long on that. Instead she heads over to the other person, who she assumes to be another player. Too weird to be anything else from around here.

Hi! she calls out as soon as she is close enough.Nice day for hunting rabbits, isn’t it?

[Rizban]

“Uh, yeah, I guess” she says, startled and seemingly just a little peeved. “I take it you’re a player too? I haven’t seen anyone else yet, though I think my game glitched out. Had to remake my character and everything, but oh well.”

“Did you wanna go hunt rabbits together? I’m out of most of my power points, but I’ve still got an attack talent and my tail as a natural weapon. Also, I’m only level 1, so I might not be too helpful if you’re a higher level.”

[Lentrax]

I mean, I’m only level 3, and a straight fighter, at that. That said though, there’s a dungeon not too far from here. Been using it to hunt rabbits and farm XPs. Wanna join up?

Shanna then looks around her display for the Party invite button, and taps it when she finds it.

[Rizban]

“Maybe tomorrow? As a 1st-level psion, I get to meaningfully contribute to a whole 3 rounds of combat per day, so I’d like to level up at least once before I take on a dungeon, even with another player. How about you show me where this dungeon is, and we meet up there tomorrow morning? I’ll just be hunting rabbits in the meantime.”

Assuming you have no objection, she follows you to the dungeon, apparently making some sort of path by scraping the ground with her foot as she walks... which you are sure will annoy the local farmers as you pass through the fields.

“Oh, also, if you need food, I can cook rabbits with one of my powers. Just let me know.”

[Lentrax]

I am guessing that was a 'No" for the party invite?

Shanna takes the other woman off to the dungeon, not too far from where they are now. When they get there, Shanna groans as she sees the trail the woman has left for herself.

So, you want to rest up a bit before trying it out, eh? Alright, I can understand that. Heck, I'm still reticent about trying to go too far by myself, since I am only at level three, so I get where you're coming from. C'mon, let's head to town. I have a sack full of rabbits to sell, and some dinner to buy. And a place to sleep that doesn't need any coin.

[Rizban]

Well, it's another player. So... *shrug*

[Rizban]

“Rest, yes, but I’d like to hunt. Again, three rounds of good combat per day and all that. Next level, it should be like 8 or 10, depending on how many power points I end up getting. Also, I’ve got a +25% EXP buff at the moment that I’m not sure if I can refresh, so I’d like to put it to good use. She pauses for a moment, then continues.

“How about we meet in the town at sunset? Seems like you’ve been there before— is there a good place we could meet, maybe the place to sleep that you mentioned?”

[Lentrax]

There's a little tavern, the 'Lethal Strawberry.' I'll be there.

[Rizban]

“Cool." She turns and walks away.

[Lentrax]

Well. This will make for a fun partnership... And what the hell happened to Lilac?

Shanna heads back to the Strawberry to sell her rabbits and buy some dinner.

[Rizban]

The barkeep sighs as you present him with the bag of rabbits.

"Alright, I know I offered you coin for these, but you're bleeding me dry here. I can't sell as much as you're bringing in. I'll pay for the same rate for this lot, but I'll have to cut the rates by half on the next and maybe lower if you keep bringing them in."

He looks to be somewhere between sad and frustrated, but you're not sure if there's more to it than what he's said.

After digging around in his coin purse, he again offers you 1 bronze pip per rabbit and 4 each for the bashers. He also still throws in a free bowl of stew and mug of ale, as before.

[Lentrax]

Well, I’ll bring in less of them then. Is there anyone else in the town who can use any part of them? Because until I can stop them at the source from where they’re all coming from, we may have a lot of them to use up.

[Rizban]

He kind of shrugs and looks a bit sheepish.

"I mean... not really. Rabbit pelts aren't exactly that useful as leather. Too soft, you know. They're warm enough, sure, but it's not even close to winter. And you can only eat so much of it before you're ready for something else.

It's just... we've been eating rabbit for months, so it's not exactly that popular at the moment."

[Lentrax]

Sure. Well, thanks for doing what you have.

Shanna goes over to a table and eats her stew, drinks her ale, and wonders idly what she can do to keep herself going. First, she has to get rid of the rabbit dungeon. Then she has to see if she can find the coin to get some proper weapons. But that probably won't happen around these parts.

Probably.

Shanna finishes her stew, and heads off toward the old church to get some sleep near her hearthstone.

[Rizban]

You sleep peacefully throughout the night and awake the next morning refreshed and ready to go, your hit points fully recovered.

[Lentrax]

Right. Well, if the rabbits have no value anymore, the only thing for it is to stop them.

And so Shanna goes back to the dungeon to confront the rabbits once more.

[Rizban]

You wander back to the warren and notice that there are decidedly fewer leporids hopping around the area. It seems as if your actions have had a beneficial effect on limiting the population.

You approach the hole you spent time digging out to better access the warren and find it exactly as you last left it.

An eerie but heartwarming tune seems to echo in the air, its source unseen. You gain a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls and on saves against charm and fear effects for as long as you can hear the music.

[Lentrax]

With her club and shield in her hands, Shanna starts heading inside.

She knows that she can't take on all the beasts herself, but she has to try and get as far as she can to scout the dungeon.

She hears the music and does wish that Lilac was still around, but there does seem to be a lingering effect from whatever it was that happened to her.

Errors in the code of the game, probably.

[Rizban]

The first room contains only two of the rabbits.

As before, they don't seem to notice you until you cross the near invisible threshold and enter the room, giving you a chance to get the drop on them.

[Lentrax]

Shanna rushes toward the rabbits, wishing, not for the first time, that she had a sword.

A:[roll0] D:[roll1]

[Rizban]

You splatter the first rabbit, and the second lunges at you, only to miss completely as you nimbly evade the attack.

[Lentrax]

Shanna swings at the second rabbit, hoping this is a sign of god things to come from this trip into the rabbit warren.

A: [roll0] D: [roll1]

[Rizban]

The rabbit seems even more nimble at evading than you are, but because of its very small size, it provokes an AoO when it tries to enter your space.

(AoO) A: [roll0] D: [roll1]

Rabbit: [roll2] - [1] (provokes)
(AoO) A: [roll3] D: [roll4]
A: [roll5] D: [roll6]

Rabbit: [roll7] - [1] (provokes)
(AoO) A: [roll8] D: [roll9]
A: [roll10] D: [roll11]

Rabbit: [roll12] - [1] (provokes)
(AoO) A: [roll13] D: [roll14]
A: [roll15] D: [roll16]

The rabbit hops around a bit, evading you, but when it next tries to attack, you swing for the fences. Home run!

Encounter Notice
Enemies Defeated:

Experience Gained:2

75

Sorry, I'm listening to a podcast about baseball at the moment...

[Lentrax]

Shanna checks them for loot before heading to the next room.

[roll0]

When she gets to the next room, she targets the bigger bashers first if there are any, otherwise she swings at everything that moves.

Speaking of speeding things along, I will just post a few attacks and we can see how it goes.

A: [roll1] D: [roll2]
A: [roll3] D: [roll4]
A: [roll5] D: [roll6]
A: [roll7] D: [roll8]
A: [roll9] D: [roll10]
A: [roll11] D: [roll12]
A: [roll13] D: [roll14]
A: [roll15] D: [roll16]

And as for the baseball references, I could just change her name to Ness and multiclass to Psion...

[Rizban]

The two rabbits dissolve into [roll0] bronze pips.

You make your way to the second room, finding 1 Basher and 3 Woodland Hares.

Giving you the benefit of the doubt that you charge into the room, that extra +2 attack is just enough to bash the basher and put it out of commission.

The three woodland hares attack, but you brutally whack the first out of the air. The remaining two attack.

[roll1] - [1]
[roll2] - [1]

You take a 5ft step to give you room to swing, but your follow up attack misses, and the two hares lunge again. You seem to have better luck defending than attacking and kill yet another as it tries to attack, leaving only one with the chance to bite you.

[roll3] - [1]

For the last time, you step and swing, missing, but again bat it out of the air when it tries to attack you.

Encounter Notice
Enemies Defeated:

Experience Gained:4

212.5

[Lentrax]

Another search of the room, and then Shanna presses on.

Search: [roll0]

When she arrives in the next room, she goes with the same tactics as before, focusing on the bigger bashers and then taking on the little rabbits.

Charging the first basher: [roll1], D: [roll2]
A:[roll3], D: [roll4]
A:[roll5], D: [roll6]
A:[roll7], D: [roll8]
A:[roll9], D: [roll10]
A:[roll11], D: [roll12]
A:[roll13], D: [roll14]
A:[roll15], D: [roll16]
A:[roll17], D: [roll18]
A:[roll19], D: [roll20]

[Rizban]

When you search the room, the rabbits dissolve into [roll0] + [roll1] bronze pips.

[roll2]

The basher also drops a pair of very nice leather bracers accented with rabbit fur.

[Lentrax]

No way to identify these on my own... But bracers will at least give me a bit of AC...

Shanna puts the bracers on before moving on.

[Rizban]

When you put the bracers on, you discover that the system automatically identifies them for you.

Inspect
Bunny Bracers
+1 dodge bonus to AC.
+1 morale bonus to Jump.

[Lentrax]

Well. These are nice. And it is nice of the system to identify things for me.

Bracers donned, club and shield taken up once again, Shanna heads into the next chamber and readies herself for a fight.

Did you want rolls again, or will what I had rolled prior to getting the bracers work?

[Rizban]

I'll just use those rolls. I didn't resolve the combat, because that +1 AC might make a difference to the outcome and needed to know whether or not you were going to put them on...

The room has 2 bashers and [roll0] woodland hares.

[Rizban]

You run in and knock out the first basher without difficulty.

The second basher attacks, but doesn't have room to charge you.
[roll0] - [roll1]

The three hares also attack, provoking AoOs.
[roll2] - [1] (provokes)
[roll3] - [1] (provokes)
[roll4] - [1] (provokes)

But you fail to hit them. Your next attack also misses.

[roll5] - [roll6]
[roll7] - [1] (provokes)
[roll8] - [1] (provokes)
[roll9] - [1] (provokes)

Your next AoO also misses, but then you smash the last basher to death.

The hares jump again, and you've finally found your rhythm, braining another as it leaps for you.

[roll10] - [1] (provokes)
[roll11] - [1] (provokes) (fails to confirm)

You finish off the last two with swift, deadly swings, having taken only 5 total damage.

Encounter Notice
Enemies Defeated:

Experience Gained:5

312.5

This is the farthest you've ever made it into the dungeon, and you're in better shape than you've ever been by this point...

[Lentrax]

Shanna lets out a sigh as she finishes the skirmish. She then searches the rabbits, and starts thinking about whether to press on or not.

Search: [roll0]

[Rizban]

The rabbits dissolve into motes of light, leaving behind [roll0] + [roll1] bronze pips.

[roll2]

You also get incredibly lucky and find both a pair of gloves and pair of boots, both obviously crafted of fine rabbit leather with the same style of fur accents as your Bunny Bracers.

[Lentrax]

Boots! Yes! No more bare feet!

Shanna doesn’t hesitate. She dons the gloves and boots.

[Rizban]

Inspect
Hare-y Hands
+2 enhancement bonus to Dexterity.

Inspect
Bouncy Boots
+5 competence bonus to Jump.

When you put on the third piece of equipment, you gain another notification!

Achievement: Fabulous Fashionista

You have collected enough pieces of the same gear set to earn a Collection Bonus. Gain 10 experience.

Set Bonus (3 of 6)
Lively Leporidae
When wearing any three pieces of the Lively Leporidae gear set, you gain a +2 bonus to Initiative and +10 foot enhancement bonus to land speed.

[Lentrax]

A speed bonus, eh? Well that will be nice once we get to Dervish... And that Dex bonus equates to an AC bonus too. Today does indeed seem to be the day.

She moves forward into the next chamber, ready for anything.

A: [roll0] D: [roll1]
A: [roll2] D: [roll3]
A: [roll4] D: [roll5]
A: [roll6] D: [roll7]
A: [roll8] D: [roll9]
A: [roll10] D: [roll11]
A: [roll12] D: [roll13]
A: [roll14] D: [roll15]

[Rizban]

You find that the tunnel on the far side of the room from the entrance goes 3 or 4 feet and then turns straight down, disappearing into the darkness.

You can see that it drops about 20 feet before ending, then another 15 to 20 feet before reaching the floor. You can't see any walls beyond 20 feet down, making this look like a point of no return, or at least a very difficult return...

[Lentrax]

Well. Looks like this is where I stop for today. Damn it all! But I am not going to go further without a torch to at least see how far down it goes. And a rope to make running away easier if I have to.

Shanna sighs as she pushes herself back up onto her feet and starts heading for the entrance again.

At least I have a few coins to do some shopping.

[Rizban]

You see a few scattered groups of rabbits nearby, but they are considerably more sparse than when you began.

You are easily able to return to town. It's still fairly early in the morning, though the farmers have been working their fields for several hours by now.

[Lentrax]

Shanna starts asking around for anyone who might be willing to part with a rope and a torch.

Gather Info: [roll0]

[Rizban]

You spend the day searching the town for useful goods that people are willing to sell or donate.

You find the following goods at the following prices.


ItemAvailablePrice
Club5free
Dagger22 sp
Shortspear11 sp
Sickle34 sp
Sling11 bp
Woodcutter's Axe22 sp

Padded Armor23 sp
Leather Armor115 sp

Backpack42 sp
Basket (empty)820 bp
Bedroll2 110 bp
Bucket (empty)150 bp
Firewood (1 day)10001 bp
Flint and steel21 sp
Hammer150 bp
Pitcher, clay12 bp
Rope (hempen 50 ft)11 sp
Sack (empty)410 bp
Soap (1 lb)250 bp
Shovel42 sp
Torch231 bp
Trail Rations (1 day)1025 bp
Waterskin11 sp

Mule110 sp
Pack Saddle15 sp

You also find at least 1 of any other item that have a listed value of 0.

Remember that 100 bronze pips = 1 silver plug = 0.01 gold pogs.
Each coin type increments by a count of 100 rather than the D&D standard of 10.

You start to ask around, but then remember that you've already done that. After a little thought, you quickly remember a villager who was willing to sell both to you, as well as how much they were asking.

You also suspect that your new magical gear could be considered quite valuable if you chose to sell it.

The bedroll count was reduced by 1, because you bought one. Everything else is still available

[Lentrax]

Shanna buys three torches and the flint and steel to light them and looks longingly at the rope, but, unwilling to part with her rabbit gear just yet, decides to end her spending there.

And then, throwing caution to the wind, she heads back to the rabbit warren and goes inside.

[Rizban]

That 1 silver on your sheet was not a typo. It was supposed to be there.

[Lentrax]

The flint and steel costs one silver doesn’t it? That was where it went.

[Rizban]

Ah, sorry, I missed the flint and steel in your reply...

Despite the fairly short time you spent shopping, you return to find that the dungeon has already respawned.

The first room contains 4 woodland hares.

[Lentrax]

Shanna cracks her neck, rolling it from one shoulder to the other, and then charges in.

A: [roll0] D: [roll1]
A: [roll2] D: [roll3]
A: [roll4] D: [roll5]
A: [roll6] D: [roll7]
A: [roll8] D: [roll9]
A: [roll10] D: [roll11]
A: [roll12] D: [roll13]
A: [roll14] D: [roll15]

[Rizban]

You dart in swinging, and quickly kill the first woodland hare.

They leap to attack you, but you bat a second out of the air, leaving two to attack!
[roll0] - [1]
[roll1] - [1]

You miss, and again on the AoO. The two continue their attack!
[roll2] - [1]
[roll3] - [1]

The next round you finish them off.

Encounter Notice
Enemies Defeated:

Experience Gained:4

150

[Lentrax]

Right. Now, its too much.

Shanna checks for anything they left behind, then exits the dungeon, she spends the rest of the day doing basically nothing, and then goes to bed in the church.

Search: [roll0]

[Rizban]

You find 2 bronze pips and 1 silver plug.

You sleep peacefully through the night uninterrupted, though you are fairly hungry having not eaten all day.

[Lentrax]

Putting her bedroll away, Shanna reaches out and touches her Hearthstone, not sure if the connection will do what it is supposed to in this weird world with its real pain and blood.

She then heads to the Strawberry to see if there is anything at all to eat before she heads out to the dungeon.

[Rizban]

When you touch the hearthstone, you feel a calming, pervasive peace and tranquility sooth your troubled thoughts. Though you may still have some lingering doubts, you no longer feel quite so worried that its magic won't work.

The barkeep welcomes you back and offers you a bowl of rabbit stew, on the house.

[Lentrax]

Shanna eats the stew, then feeling at least that much better, feels like the time has come to push herself to the limit. It is time to head into the rabbit warren and fight.

When she arrives, she takes stock of herself and her gear.

And then, taking a deep breath, she heads inside. When she reaches the first chamber, she shows no hesitation, and charges right in.

A: [roll0] D: [roll1]
A: [roll2] D: [roll3]
A: [roll4] D: [roll5]
A: [roll6] D: [roll7]
A: [roll8] D: [roll9]
A: [roll10] D: [roll11]
A: [roll12] D: [roll13]
A: [roll14] D: [roll15]
A: [roll16] D: [roll17]
A: [roll18] D: [roll19]

[Rizban]

You charge into a room with [roll0] Woodland Hares!

You kill one during the surprise round when you burst into the room then quickly bash another to death before they can react!

The remaining four attack you, but you miss your defensive attack! Three of them hit, dealing 3 total damage to you!

You swing again, pulping a third rabbit!

Three attack, and you again miss. One hits for another 1 damage.

You miss!

Three attack, and you again miss. One hits for another 1 damage.

You miss again! The rapidly hopping rabbits seemingly more dexterous than usual, or perhaps you're just not on your game!

Three attack, and you club one out of the air! The remaining two both fail to bite you!

Crack! You put another rabbit our of your misery with a vicious club to the face.

The final rabbit leaps towards you, but you swing for the fences. Its limp body flies through the open door of the dungeon. It. Is. Out of here!

[roll1] - [1] (provokes)
[roll2] - [1] (provokes)
[roll3] - [1] (provokes)
[roll4] - [1] (provokes)
[roll5] - [1] (provokes)
[roll6] - [1] (provokes)
[roll7] - [1] (provokes)
[roll8] - [1] (provokes)
[roll9] - [1] (provokes)
[roll10] - [1] (provokes)
[roll11] - [1] (provokes)
[roll12] - [1] (provokes)
[roll13] - [1] (provokes)
[roll14] - [1] (provokes)
[roll15] - [1] (provokes)


Encounter Notice
Enemies Defeated:

Experience Gained:6

225

You loot the corpses, finding 25 bronze pips.

[Lentrax]

On to the next room!

A: [roll0] D: [roll1]
A: [roll2] D: [roll3]
A: [roll4] D: [roll5]
A: [roll6] D: [roll7]
A: [roll8] D: [roll9]
A: [roll10] D: [roll11]
A: [roll12] D: [roll13]
A: [roll14] D: [roll15]
A: [roll16] D: [roll17]
A: [roll18] D: [roll19]
A: [roll20] D: [roll21]

[Rizban]

As you're about to head to the next room, you hear a high-pitched voice.


"What the *#$^ kind of rabbits are those? I would have thought rabbits are just little noncombat things that will mostly just wander around randomly and die in one hit if you get close and kick them!

Those...WHAT?!"

Turning, you see a small halfing dressed only in the familiar blue "starter robe" gaping at your casual slaughter of the deadly beasts.

[Lentrax]

From what I can tell, the bigger ones are called Bashers. And there are a lot fewer of them around today than there were yesterday.

Shanna kept her club up, though she rested it against her shoulder.

I'm Shanna, by the way.

[Rizban]

"I'm Racso. As you can probably guess based on my dress, I'm brand new here.

Is it just me, or was the character creation process something vaguely like a burning biplane careening toward the statue of liberty? I have no real idea of what's going on at this point.

Though I've learned two things: Water good, mushrooms bad.

Care to offer me some pointers? I can throw stuff pretty damn effectively (assuming I can find something to throw), so I'd be happy to 'throw' in my support as well (and I can even be punny!). I can also use a little bit of magic if things get dicey."

[Lentrax]

Pointers? Uhhh.... Well, so far, here is what I have figured out. Things actually hurt, I have actually bled. I don't want to find out what death entails, but I have a Hearthstone, so if it happens, I will hopefully be okay?

Shanna sighed.

Look, I'm gonna level with you here, I was going to try and clear this dungeon out today, but if you want to team up I can help you gain some XPs.

Shanna sends a party invitation.

[Rizban]

Party Notice

You have sent a party invitation to Racso.
You are forming a new party.

Do you wish to name this party now?

Yes
No

[Lentrax]

Shanna selects Yes.

When it prompts her for the part name, she tries to enter Silence of the Bold.

She really did like the name and it would be a shame to let something so cool go to waste.

[Rizban]

Achievement: Formed a Party

You have formed your first adventuring party. Gain 10 experience.

You have joined Silence of the Bold 2.0 (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?632429-Portal-to-D-amp-D-IC-Silence-of-the-Bold-2-0)