A Faerie Affair Shorts: Giant Crocodile Tears

[Ninja_Prawn]

Today is the 19th of Ches, the Spring Equinox, 1492. It is high noon.

Tiandra's magic hits you with terrible, irresistible force, ripping you from the Feywild body and soul and casting you across the planes at breakneck speed. Before you have time to think, you feel yourself hitting the ground, hard, in a forest that you've never seen before. Everything here is strange and dull. The trees do not sing, there's only one type of flower in bloom (they are narcissuses, you note) and you can't feel any wild magic at all. This must be the Material Plane.

The weather is clear and dry, with a gentle breeze blowing from... you're not sure which direction. You can't see or hear anyone around, but there seems to be a trail through the undergrowth nearby. Clearly people come through here sometimes. Just then, you catch the scent of something. It smells like blood.

[Sirithhyando]

Akiko, tiandra's tear Level 1 Nature Cleric/ Level 3 Sunsoul Monk; HP 27/27; AC 15; Passive perception 12; Save DC 12 Akiko shiver as she takes in a deep breath finding out where she is, how an ugly place this is. Walking around a moment, she still see beauty, well, beauty relative to this foul place. She picks some narcissuses hoping to gift them to her mother as an apology. I'm supposed to learn humility in a place like this, must be a joke. She looks up, knuckle white in rage and scream I wont move from here mother! Please take me back home! Please... But, she knows how futile it is, she curl and let her fox form take over, crying until her nose picks a scent. Blood? The thought makes her shiver but she decide still to move slowly towards it hoping for anything alive to help her. She hides, slowly going towards the scent.

[Ninja_Prawn]

No one answers your screaming, of course, not even the blackbirds that have gathered in the trees to watch you.

Following the scent, you creep through the undergrowth a while, until you come to a small river. There's a smear of bright, red blood on the bank, sending a thin curl of crimson downstream. You can't see any creatures around here, but there are plenty of places to hide...

Please make a Dexterity (Stealth) check.

[Sirithhyando]

Akiko, tiandra's tear Level 1 Nature Cleric/ Level 3 Sunsoul Monk; HP 27/27; AC 15; Passive perception 12; Save DC 12 Spoiler: rolls Show Fox form (1d20+3)[5] As a fox, others get disadvantage on active perception if i'm hidden

[Ninja_Prawn]

Akiko is hidden as she approaches the riverbank, but clearly your curiosity gets the better of you and you step out of cover to get a better look.

A few seconds later, you suddenly realise that you aren't hidden at all! However, nothing seems to happen. No creatures appear and everything is quiet.

[Sirithhyando]

Akiko, tiandra's tear Level 1 Nature Cleric/ Level 3 Sunsoul Monk; HP 27/27; AC 15; Passive perception 12; Save DC 12 Akiko slowly back away close to the trees and start preparing some food for the birds she saw earlier, hoping they'd answer. Hey there, it's good, want it? Can you show me what happened there? She points towards the river, the blood stain while holding some food for the birds. Spoiler Show Speak with animal as a ritual; how do we manage material component already?

[Ninja_Prawn]

You prepare your ritual uninterrupted, and speak with the birds. They tell you that they saw a humanoid person here, badly injured. The person eventually regained some strength and left - the birds point out which way they went and you think you see a hint of some tracks - but the birds missed whatever caused the injury. They didn't arrive until afterwards.

Spoiler: OOC

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Speak with animals doesn't have a material component. But you can generally assume that you can scrounge up simple, natural materials in the forest. Did you bring a focus with you?

[Sirithhyando]

Akiko, tiandra's tear Level 1 Nature Cleric/ Level 3 Sunsoul Monk; HP 27/27; AC 15; Passive perception 12; Save DC 12 Thank you my friend Akiko stays in the bushes a little longer, looking at the blood stain and the direction the person took. She goes back as a fox and run, following as best as she can the tracks. Spoiler Show I do have a holy symbol.

[Ninja_Prawn]

Setting off at high speed, you follow the tracks for about five minutes until you come upon the source: a drow elf. He's collapsed on the ground, not moving.

[Sirithhyando]

Spoiler: Question

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What would Akiko know about drows? First thought would be to help this drow

[Sirithhyando]

Akiko, tiandra's tear Level 1 Nature Cleric/ Level 3 Sunsoul Monk; HP 27/27; AC 15; Passive perception 12; Save DC 12 Akiko gasp at the sight and run towards the drow, changing into her two-legged form and kneel beside him and gently lift his head, holding it close to her. Who could've do this to you my friend. You can rest easy, you're safe, i'll keep you company until you regain your senses. She goes to the river to bring back some water and start cleaning the wound to see if he'll really make it through. Spoiler: undefined Show If he needs stabilizing, Akiko will use her healer kit.

[Ninja_Prawn]

The drow doesn't stir when you lift his head. He is breathing, but you realise he needs immediate treatment if he's going to stay that way. Using your healer's kit, you successfully stabilise him. It should be a matter of time before he comes round, now, you hope. Is there anything you want to do in the meantime?

Spoiler: Roll

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(1d4)[1] hour, to be exact.

[Sirithhyando]

Akiko, tiandra's tear Level 1 Nature Cleric/ Level 3 Sunsoul Monk; HP 27/27; AC 15; Passive perception 12; Save DC 12 After a short ritual, Akiko prepare a fire on the beach and put the drow in her bedroll close to the fire. She then goes to fetch food, hunting rabbits or foraging fruits. Spoiler: undefined Show Akiko will use animal friendship as a ritual, ideally on a bird or squirrel in the hope of having someone as a lookout.

[Ninja_Prawn]

You are able to find a few edible fruits nearby. They're not really ripe, but they're good enough to offer to a small animal - in this case a sparrow.

Wis save: (1d20+1)[12]

Unfortunately, it's resistant to your charms.

After a while, the drow comes to. <Elvish> "Ugh... what? Where am I?" He notices you and scrambles backwards, pulling out a dagger. "Gah! Who're you?!"

[Sirithhyando]

Akiko, tiandra's tear Level 1 Nature Cleric/ Level 3 Sunsoul Monk; HP 27/27; AC 15; Passive perception 12; Save DC 12 Not surprised at the drow confusion, Akiko simply stay calm and wait to answer. <Elvish>I am Akiko, your savior, and daughter of Queen Tiandra. I advise you to put that away, you'd be dead if it was my intention. As for where we are, i'll have to say... on the shore of that river. Sorry, its my first time on the material plane so I don't really know where we are exactly. Could you tell me what put you in the aweful state I found you in? And your name?

[Ninja_Prawn]

<Elvish> "Tiandra...? Where do I know that name?" He pushes himself up into a sitting position, but doesn't sheathe the dagger. "My name is Ildan T'ssorae. I was..." he looks down at the jagged, bloody wounds in his torso. "ugh, I got attacked by a giant crocodile. Say, do you have any healing magic? I'd rather not return to my comrades looking like this."

[Sirithhyando]

Akiko, tiandra's tear Level 1 Nature Cleric/ Level 3 Sunsoul Monk; HP 27/27; AC 15; Passive perception 12; Save DC 12 Now she's the one surprised at the drow not knowing her mother. <Elvish>What kind of place is this where a drow wouldn't know my mother name. Anyway, I wish to learn about you and your comrades and drows on the material plane. And we might want to keep clear from the water if there's a beast capable of doing this to a drow. She points the dagger before continuing. <Elvish>Not knowing my mother is one thing but I will not suffer being asked for healing by someone armed. Put that away, i'll heal you. Spoiler: Cure wounds Show (1d8+2)[5]

[Ninja_Prawn]

He complies with your demand this time, accepting the healing with a measure of humility. Only a small measure, to be sure.

Ildan considers his options. "Well, if you want to come with me... I suppose we'd be safer together. There's something I need to do first, though. I seem to have lost something during my escape... probably near to where I was attacked. I'm going that way first."

[Sirithhyando]

Akiko, tiandra's tear Level 1 Nature Cleric/ Level 3 Sunsoul Monk; HP 27/27; AC 15; Passive perception 12; Save DC 12 Pleased with the drow answer, she adds <Elvish>Thank you Ildan, please lead the way. May I ask what you were doing away from your comrades?

[Ninja_Prawn]

His eyes narrow - clearly he isn't happy being questioned. "I had a job to so, a solo mission. That's kind of... what we do in my company." Perhaps in an effort to stop you from asking any follow up questions, he asks: "So, what brings you to the Material Plane?"

[Sirithhyando]

Akiko, tiandra's tear Level 1 Nature Cleric/ Level 3 Sunsoul Monk; HP 27/27; AC 15; Passive perception 12; Save DC 12 Akiko smile at the drow displeased face. <Elvish>Well, i've been punished and sent here to reflect. Ended up seeing you half-dead almost right when i got here. Anyway, my mother want me to learn to behave better with other fey. A mischievous smile appear on Akiko face as she continue <Elvish>Need help on that solo mission of yours? Shouldn't you trust your savior a little more? I'm only a naive little fox out here, not knowing where to go. You wouldn't just let me here now, would you? She tries to lighten his sour mood with her giggles.

[Ninja_Prawn]

"So, even other fey creatures see you as a troublemaker? Just my luck that I'd end up stuck with you here."

Please make a Charisma (Persuasion) check to see if you can get him to open up a bit more.

[Sirithhyando]

Akiko, tiandra's tear Level 1 Nature Cleric/ Level 3 Sunsoul Monk; HP 27/27; AC 15; Passive perception 12; Save DC 12 Akiko pout at the comment. <Elvish>Oh, so "Mister" half-dead from a crocodile sees me as a troublemaker? See the irony? Fine, i'll go that way. She start walking toward where she found him first hoping he'll change his mind and come for her.

[Ninja_Prawn]

He rolls his eyes and continues on his way without another word. Will you follow him, or wait here, or wander off elsewhere?

[Sirithhyando]

Akiko, tiandra's tear Level 1 Nature Cleric/ Level 3 Sunsoul Monk; HP 27/27; AC 15; Passive perception 12; Save DC 12 Seeing as the drow let her go, she shift back as a fox and follows him as far as she can so that he doesn't see her.

[Ninja_Prawn]

That definitely needs a Dexterity (Stealth) check.

Ildan is wary and cautious as he moves along the river's edge, doubly so because of his injuries. He tries to keep a careful watch about himself...

Spoiler: Roll

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Ildan's perception: (1d20+4)[11]

...Though his pain distracts him enough that you might be able to follow unnoticed...

[Sirithhyando]

Spoiler: stealth

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(1d20+3)[14] and since Akiko is in fox form, others have disadvantage on perception to spot her.

[Ninja_Prawn]

You follow the drow, unseen.

He goes to the place where he was attacked - where you first picked up the trail of blood - and roots around for a while, looking for something. Eventually, he finds... a short stick. You can't see any details from here, but you hear him cursing in a language you don't understand, so you can assume his search is over. Tired, he sits down by the river and begins to wash his wounds.

[Sirithhyando]

Akiko, tiandra's tear Level 1 Nature Cleric/ Level 3 Sunsoul Monk; HP 27/27; AC 15; Passive perception 12; Save DC 12 Akiko walks out of hiding back to her humanoid form. oh, Ildan, what a coincidence, I decided to came around where I found you in hope to find that crocodile. Anyway, I demand that you bring me to the closest place where fey gather. Do this and your debt to me will be fulfilled. Not that bad of a deal, right?

[Ninja_Prawn]

He frowns. "You demand, do you? What a strange creature you are, Akiko daughter of Tiandra." His eyes wander to the object he found (you can see now that it is a magic wand. It looks broken) and he sighs. "Alright, I suppose I am no position to refuse. There's a pixie village not too far from here. If I take you there, will you stop following me?"