Stranded in 1650: IC

[JbeJ275]

The Village of Citallon
The Kingdom of Tamland
The World of Gaia

18th of Gibran, 1482 PDW
11:32 AM

Samuel Arvandor

It is in many ways another average morning in Citallon, but some relevant information has just emerged, your good friend Torgun has just told you about a few older boys, mostly teenagers who have been slipping from the free lands onto your fathers baronial lands while hunting. He’s heard of the path they take back into he village after doing this, directed you there, and asked you to talk to the boys and make sure they stop lest your father catch the, and punish them as poachers. How do you mean to resolve this?

Mama Masala

Your regular morning routine was interrupted, though not unpleasantly when a young women named Sarah calls by your door. As you can tell she’s about eight months pregnant, a quiet scandal since she only married that half-elven boy five and a half months ago. More pertinently though, she’s complaining of problems beyond the usual aches and cravings and hoping that someone of your experience can help more than the martial sort of cleric this town produces have been able to. What can you do to help her?

Emlin Homewall

Today, as part of the regular favour trading that allows villages to run, you are helping Torgun the younger of the two blacksmiths in town with the shoeing of two draft horses. This is a common arrangement as it was him who taught you what you know of smithing. While he’s working though there does seem to be something up, as he was a little nervous upon seeing you enter and seems a little on edge just having you there. Do you press him or turn the conversation to other things?

Ontor Churchson

This morning has seen you on the outskirts of the village, where you and some of the militia have raised a new watchtower in response to rumours of orc marauders operating north of town, possibly being whipped up by your old foe Urthal. Still this occasion has just had you bless the new structure, and now you’re free to talk to the men of the militia. Largely young men who are more respectful of Heironeous than most. What’s the blessing like and what do you do after?

[Evoker]

I place my hand upon the structure.

In the name of Heironeous, I bless this tower. I bless it to stand strong, to protect the vulnerable, and to aid the righteous. I bless it to defend this village against any who seek to attack it.

I then use my holy symbol to lightly carve a small, jagged line evocative of a lightning bolt in one of the supports of the tower, before stepping back and turning to the militia.

I commend all of you. If we're lucky, this

I make a sweeping gesture with my hand at the newly constructed watchtower

will never have to be used. But we must be vigilant for those who would harm the innocent, and this tower will be a great advantage if we ever become attacked. Truly, I, and the rest of the village, am thankful for the help you provide to protect this town.
But the work for now is done. Go and relax, have a drink.

[Toliudar]

Mama Masala

Reaching out, Mama folds Sarah in a big hug, meant both to comfort and to get a bit of a sense of how fast her heart is beating.

"Welcome, welcome! Your timing couldn't be better. First door on the left is our spare room. Strip off everything that goes lower'n your tits. Don't lay down right away less you have to. Walking helps. Does Sennet know you're here?"

Barely waiting for a response, Mama calls out to the grandchildren who had been seconded to help in her kitchen today.

"Malachi! Eunice! You get your lazy butts in here. Malachi, I want you to head over to Osgood's Tannery, find Sennet Fourtwig, and tell him his beautiful bride is here, and he should scoot his butt over presently. And tell him to change first - I don't need that stink in my house. Eunice, fetch the big bucket from downstairs, Mama's shopping bag from by her bed, and the brown sheets and the brown towels from the linen closet. All of the brown ones, hear? Bring it all into the spare room."

She goes into the kitchen to wash her hands.

"Are you still here, Malachi? Move, lad, move!"

Pumping a jug of water, she snags two tin cups and carries them into the guest room.

"Now, Sarah, don't you worry. You're strong and healthy. Every girl comes in here without her ma -"

There is a pause as Mama remembers Sarah's mother, dead these two years from a fall off a hay loft. A strong and fearless woman, even if she had all the brains of a frying pan, and Mama hoped that Sarah had the same in her.

"They always ask me: 'Mama,' they ask. What do I do about the pain. And here is the secret."

Mama pours Sarah a glass of water.

"The birth pain is like the water, and you're the glass. This water's gonna fill you up, fill you so full you ain't going to have room for nothing else. For a while, it's going to be all you have. But then, slowly, you and me, we're going to drink down that water, and we're going to drink it until the glass is empty. An then you'll have a little un."

She put down her glass.

[COLOR="#800080"]"An that's when the hard part starts. Now. Let's have a look."

[Thundercracker]

Samuel Arvandor

Sa takes it upon himself to investigate and see if there is truth to the claim. He changed into a commoner’s outfit and decides to go for a stroll along the aforementioned path, to possibly catch the boys in the middle of the act or perhaps on their way back.

[Dimers]

Emlin Homewall

Today, as part of the regular favour trading that allows villages to run, you are helping Torgun the younger of the two blacksmiths in town with the shoeing of two draft horses. This is a common arrangement as it was him who taught you what you know of smithing. While he’s working though there does seem to be something up, as he was a little nervous upon seeing you enter and seems a little on edge just having you there. Do you press him or turn the conversation to other things?

Emlin clearly senses his young friend's distress -- and knows it's related to "present company". Not the first time by a long shot, certainly won't be the last. Torgun is basically a good person, but all good people struggle if they constantly try do what's right. Many a time, Emlin has been put in the role of a manifest conscience; people feel guilty around him for not conquering their little devils, regardless of whether has any involvement.

The cause of good isn't served by making people feel awful and want to avoid you. So as the two work, Emlin chats with Torgun about the quality of the draft animals, compliments him on his speed and accuracy, asks after his friend's love interest (a strikingly shy woman, not someone he sees around town often). And then he excuses himself. "Friend o' mine, if we've no other four-handed work today, I ought to go take care of my garden while the light's still in the sky. Thank you for another fine lesson; you're a good man." Emlin himself is living proof that what you're expected to be can influence what you become.

[JbeJ275]

The Village of Citallon
The Kingdom of Tamland
The World of Gaia

18th of Gibran, 1482 PDW
11:34 AM

Ontor Churchson

As you finish your ceremony you notice the militia looking behind you with far greater awe than any mundane ceremony ought to inspire. Turning to look with them reveals a great silver wall of what looks like cracked crystal and then a sudden blinding flash...

Mama Masala

Sarah initially seems flustered, then eventually builds up to a reply. Mama you ought to know it’s just not that, things have been happening when the babe is shifting, not dangerous but not normal either. This remark is aptly demonstrated when water in one cup begins glowing lilac, and the other chills and starts smelling strongly of cilantro. You know this to be signs the girl is pregnant with a potential sorcerer. Still Sorcerous births while ... exciting... are no more difficult than a usual birth so you begin to settle in, then a sudden blinding flash...

Samuel Arvandor

You see six boys making there way back into the village on paths that clearly lead to the private lands of the Barony. They carry bows, half full quivers and spears. Between them they carry a small number of rabbits and pheasants as well as the corpse of a rare Krenshar heft between two of their shoulders. Before you can step out to begin talking though, just a few feet behind the boys a great wall of what looks like cracked metallic glass is formed as if from the air itself and then a sudden blinding flash...

Emlin Homewall

You can notice a little relief and a lot of gratefulness as Torgun waves you out of the blacksmith. It seemed like he was savy enough to realise what you were doing and thankful for your choice, however as you leave in the distance you see a crinkled translucent wall the colour of steel then a sudden blinding flash...

The Village of Citallon
The ??? of ???
The World of Earth

22nd of September 1650
11:35 AM

All

As the flash subsides you regain your vision, and inside the village things are largely the same except for small things knocked over in the disorder. Outside the village though, the land is different, sudden cliffs exist where the barrier formed with differences of up to six feet in various directions. Your old paths lead no-where, and new paths exist that end promptly at the divide, the shy has gone from dotted with high clouds, to completely clear and a brilliant vibrant blue. After a few moments, new hotter winds begin flowing through town and the smell of a salt breeze permeates the air.

[Evoker]

I am shocked, but quickly react, falling back on my strengths.

What... Everyone, stay calm. I don't know what happened, but don't panic, and especially don't run off. Stick with me until I figure out what just happened.

Channeling a fraction of divine power, I open my mind to the auras created by magical forces, in an effort to comprehend what just happened (Casting Detect Magic). At the same time, my mind is flickering through my knowledge of magic, trying to establish what just happened (Rolling Spellcraft. EDIT: Result is 24).

[Toliudar]

Mama Masala

After the flash, Mama shakes her head.

"You all right, love?"

Picking up the oil lamp and setting it back on the table, Mama stands.

"Now, don't you worry. All babies do everything in their power to keep their mamma's attention. This little jinx may just be a bit better at it than most. Looks to me like you're still hours away. Just yell for Eunice if you need anything. Use the pan under the bed as much as you can - helps to clear the way."

After another big hug for Sarah, Mama grabs her shopping bag and bustles out into the kitchen, and then out to the yard.

"Salt air and cliffs? Some da*nfool wizard playing silly bu**ers?

She yells back into the kitchen.

"Eunice, you all right, love?. You and Malachi might need to stay here tonight. Make sure to tell your ma I said it was important. Make Sarah as comfortable as she can, and clean up any messes from that shudder there. I'm going into town to get to the bottom of this."

Hustling out to the barn, Mama was gratified to see that Malachi had done his chores, and Tikka's stall had fresh straw and clean water. Unlatching the gate, Mama quickly saddled and prepped the horse with the same affectionate efficiency as she had examined Sarah. Swinging up into the saddle with only a slightly arthritic grunt, Mama geed the horse forward, and turned it toward the nearest of those new cliffs, and the barriers that they portend.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

When Mama gets close enough to the break in territory to see the other side, she'll start by looking at the difference in weather and terrain.
Is the sun in a different place than it 'should' be?
How foreign looking are the difference species of trees, plants and animals?
What happened to plants that were right where the border occurred?
Are bugs passing back and forth between the two sides? Are they the same bugs she's used to?
Is the barrier straight, curved, irregular? Does it go all the way up, or seem to stop at a certain point?

Possibly relevant rolls:
Survival (1d20+10)[28]
Know Nature [roll]1d20+7[/roll]
Spellcraft (1d20+4)[11]

[Toliudar]

Mama Masala Knowledge Nature roll (screwed up the coding above): (1d20+7)[16]

[JbeJ275]

Ontor

Your command keeps most of the milita here from running, though a couple drop their weapons in alarm and most of them back away.

As for your attempts to detect magic, that yields an interesting result. As soon as you cast it the world beyond the barrier becomes invisible, as you seem to be staring into an endless empty expanse, this view lasts for a few seconds before you start seeing beyond the barrier again, still no magic there but something flowing from your side of the line to the other that allows you to see that land with your magic.

The barrier itself glows brightly, but it’s getting dimmer each second, You can’t recognise a specific spell but see strong energies of Conjuration, Abjuration, Transmutation, Illusion and Divination magic all flowing around where the barrier existed just seconds before.

Mama

As you leave the door you see the barrier quickly begin fading, but can tell that the sides of the barrier are somewhat irregular, crinkled and cracked, the converge at a point far above your head but you can tell little else about them. You haven’t seen any magic like it in all your years.

The Sun seems to be in roughly the right place, the outside plant species are a mixture of familiar and foreign. Some you recognise from the woods, others you don’t but that could well just be from another biome. Plants on the border have either been pushed through solid earth into the village, or smashed to smithereens by some immense force that ceased midway across the plant. Small creatures cross freely, and seem normal all told. A few butterflies from outside have patterns you can’t recognise but nothing that poses to great a shock.

[Evoker]

That... that can't be right. Alright everyone. I don't see any immediate threats. I'll keep watch here for a while longer. Everyone else, if you would please figure out a set of watches so that we can catch anything coming before it gets here.

I want us to keep up watches for at least the next night, to make sure we aren't attacked. I don't know where we are, but it's not just an illusion, as far as I can tell, and I want to be ready for whatever awaits us here.

[Thundercracker]

Samuel Arvandor

"Poaching on Father's land, what are these boys thinking? They're going to bring punishment down on their families," Sam thought as he prepared to confront them. Then the flash came and he forgot all about the poachers.

Spoiler

Show

What was that, what's going on?
knowledge the planes: (1d20+5)[8]
knowledge arcana: (1d20+5)[6]

Samuel squinted his eyes and blinked a few times, the after image of the cracked glass burned into his retina and slowly fading. He switched his vision over to detect magical signatures. Whatever that was, a lightning bolt perhaps, had struck just a few feet behind the boys.

"Get over here, it might come back!" Sam yelled to them, frantically motioning them over to where he stood. He pondered if he recognized any of the boys.

[Dimers]

After his vision clears enough to move with safety, Emlin lopes toward what he thinks is the nearest edge of the mad phenomenon. There he seems Samuel trying to herd several young men away from danger. "Samuel! Did you or the boys see that? What happened?"

[JbeJ275]

Ontor

Yes sir. Replies a shocked but seemingly determined corporal, who leaves you to watch as he wrangles the more panicked men back into line and sets to restoring enough order to establish a watch. The low trees stop you seeing very far beyond the barrier, but ascending the watchtower and trying to spot things from there might help.

(If you climb the watchtower and keep watch for a while longer, please roll a spot check.)

Samuel and Emlin

The boys drop their prizes in alarm as they scatter after the flash and the sudden magic. They come to a stop only once they’re a fair way behind Sam and seem confused and afraid of the sudden magic.

Samuels magical sight also sees the barrier light up a glowing swarm of magic, it’s clearly very powerful magic and likely some sort of teleportation but you couldn’t tell any more than that.

[Evoker]

I climb the tower, silently Wondering about the strange coincidence that it should be built just when it was needed

Spoiler

Show

(1d20+3)[11]

[Toliudar]

Mama Masala

Mama shakes her head as she looks up at the barrier, even as it starts to fade.

"Oh, good. This was all just some big illusion, and now we can get back -"

She looks at the border between the familiar and the new, and is significantly put out by its decision not to vanish and return to normal.

"Bu**er."

The salt air. Perhaps it would be useful to determine whether that's coming from a nearby sea, or a salt flats, or more silly wizarding. Wheeling Tikka about, away from the apparently-permeable barrier, she headed in the direction that the wind was blowing from, looking for a way forward through the new terrain.

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Her intent is to check just a little beyond the barrier in the direction the wind is blowing from - a mile at most. If the foliage is too dense, she'll dismount to lead Tikka through - hopefully, woodland stride is of some use in this. She's especially interested to know about any signs of other humanoid habitation or of anything that might be interested in eating people.

[JbeJ275]

Ontor

From the tower you can see over many of the closer trees, giving you a good line of sight to the north. In the distant north, what seems to be a little over two kilometres away you see the blue ocean, closer than it has any right to be. There is no sign of imminent threats, but you do see a dust cloud in the east that matches either a herd of large creatures or a good number of people travelling on horseback. They do seem to be travelling away from you though.

Mama

The wind is blowing in from the north, and so you start off in that direction. You spy some of the boys from the village crowding around the watchtower on your way north, with that nice boy Ontor at the top of that watchtower they’ve been doing up.

Continuing north, the sound of gulls quickly clues you in that you’re not to far from the sea, and then you spy cliffs that likely mark the coastline, and beyond them a great open sea.

Spoiler: Mama’s Spot

Show

(1d20+10)[28]

Looking for signs of human habitation you first notice the lack of structures along this coastline and there are none of the fishing boats that would usually fill a bay like this. However over land to the southeast you see smoke that more likely comes from a large settlement than any natural fire, and in the sea to your north you can see a distant ship, flying a red flag with a golden winged lion upon it.

[Toliudar]

Mama Masala

As she rides past the watch tower, she waves cheerfully at the boys, and up at that nice Ontor boy. She calls up.

"Ho, lads! Looks like someone's been usin' the world as a puzzle, and they put us together wrong. Back in a titch!"

After doing a quick recon"oiter at the sea cliffs, Mama whirls Tikka around and returns to the tower. She pauses to confer with Ontor and the lads of the watch.

"Goofier and goofier. There's a bay north of here - no boats or houses, but a ship in the distance. And a town of some kind over to the right. Isn't that crazy?"

[Evoker]

That's worrisome. Ma... Mrs. Masala, I respect your skills, but I do feel like you shouldn't have rushed off into unknown territory without anyone to watch your back. This territory seems potentially dangerous. If you feel the desire to explore further, perhaps you should find someone else to travel with you? I would offer to go with you, but I would slow you down a lot without a horse of my own. Perhaps someone else would be willing to travel with you?

[Thundercracker]

Samuel Arvandor

Sam spared a glance for the teenagers then stepped closer to the edge of where the crack happened.

"Teleportation magic, so does that mean we teleported somewhere?" he thought. The warmer air and sea breeze that drifted over them seemed to indicate so.
"It would have had to have been an extremely powerful spell..." he thought.

He picked up a rock and tossed it through the border. Assuming nothing spectacular happens, he walked right up to the edge of it to see if he could figure if it had a shape he could discern (basically checking if it curved, and in which direction). He wasn't about to cross the border now.

Sam walked back to the boys, checking if he recognized any of them.

"Poaching on the baron's land is the least of our worries now, gather these up, and stay close," he said, pointing to the carcasses.

He led them back to town, to the butcher's. On the way he kept his eye out whether other people were talking about the occurrence.

[Toliudar]

Mama Masala

Mama looks fondly up at Ontor.

"That's so sweet of you, Ontor! If I hadn't delivered you, I'd be completely compliant. Well, no, I wouldn't. But I will let you know if I'd like some company.

"In the meantime, we have actual problems. Like the fact that the part of the world that isn't us has up and moved on us. I don't suppose that Papa Heironeous has any insight into all this?"

She scans the tree line.

"So...how's the view from up there?"

[Evoker]

Well. I don't see any immediate threats, but there is a large group of something to the east. Seems to be moving away from us though.

[JbeJ275]

Samuel

As you head back to the butchers you here a lot of panic and hurried discussion, with theories covering everything from another attempt to invade by demons, to some elaborate prank played by the long dead wizard. Most people who served in the militia or hunted have gathered up what weapons they own, and quite far from the butchers you see a crowd assembled on the common. Your father does not appear to be there to.

Mama & Ontor

Quietly, and still obviously wrong footed by the recent events two members say that they have got a vague watch system in order and have offered to take watch here if you need to help sort this out in some other way.

[Evoker]

Thank you.

I'll seek out whatever authority I directly answer to.

[Toliudar]

Mama Masala

"Huh. So we've got a town or something to the east, some sort of group moving away from us, and at least one ship in the bay. Definitely not some deserted island, then. We're gonna have to find a safe way to meet the neighbours."

Mama rides back into the centre of town with Ontor, and heads to the Stumble Inn to share the news and find out what other people have heard and seen.

[Thundercracker]

Samuel

Sam gave the crowd at the commons a passing glance, but he needed to take care of the kids first. If they showed up at the butcher with obviously poached meat there could be trouble, and if he wasn’t mistake they would need all the food they could get in the coming days.

He leads the way into the butcher shop.

“Good day, we’ll need these cleaned and cured for storage,” he said, “the kills are from my father’s land.”

[Evoker]

I'm looking around to see if anyone seems to be trying to take control of the crowd, or if it's leaderless.

Spoiler

Show

(1d20+3)[5] Spot

[JbeJ275]

Mama and Ontor

A few louder than average people are trying to maintain order, or trying to propose one theory or another as to how you all got here. Most seem to have noticed no other movements, there is are some large hills to your south and you appear to have landed on a road that goes from east to west. One farmer reports seeing a huntsman running for his life in the moments after your transportation, but you know that could be seeing things in the panic. The crowd is mostly fearful for now, but you can detect a rising anger that might latch onto any obvious target presented. The Baron is yet to appear and the council is lacking any order whatsoever.

Both inside the inn and outside its doors on the common people are freshly alarmed by Mama’s news, demanding that someone investigate these riders, the town and the ship. Though no-one seems to be ready to volunteer themselves quite yet.

Samuel

You find the butcher’s shop abandoned as he’s seemingly left in the panic. You could leave the carcasses here with a note and the butcher would likely find someone to read it before doing anything with the carcasses.

[Thundercracker]

Samuel

"Of all the bloody..." Sam thought.

"Alright, drop these here, you all get on home," Sam said to the boys, "go straight home, your parents will want to know you're safe. Rest assured I will have a word with them about your little transgression today, but perhaps you'll be fortunate, or unfortunate, enough that the day's events overshadow them."

Sam left note for the butcher and returned to the common area to make sure the crowd wasn't panicking.

He dragged a chair or table over and stepped atop it so as to be more visible.

"Everyone, your attention please," Samuel said loudly, "for those of you who don't know me, my name is Samuel Arvandor."
The baron's surname should get everyone's attention, he hoped.

"Yes, there has been some kind of teleportation mishap, no we don't know exactly where we are," he said, "If you have an emergency or if you have services or skills to offer, please see me. Above all, remain calm, and trust in one another. The bonds that bind us will help us overcome any hardship, together."
He continued to speak for a few minutes about a past event where the town had come together against some difficulty.

Spoiler

Show

diplomacy: take 10 for 33 to calm the crowd down and hopefully get any PCs in the area to come together, cutting short if someone has a dire emergency.

[Evoker]

I approach Samuel.
Sir. I believe I can offer you help in these times, and I eagerly await your command. I have already established a watch, so we should receive warning well in advance if someone were to approach the town, so we aren't about to be sneak attacked.