Portal to D&D IC - Thokk_Smash

[Rizban]

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You're right. I was thinking you cast it before leveling up to 2nd for some reason.

As it turns out, the unseen servant is still there and has not dropped the rocks. The System is not sure why you ever thought otherwise... *cough*

The best bark you can think of is cedar, though birch is another good option. You remember seeing some birch trees near Mother's Grove. The trees locally are mostly pine and fir trees with several smaller oaks struggling for light and yaupon and other such underbrush being quite common.

Actually, now that you think of it, yaupon grows straight and long, making it excellent for use as a walking stick or tool handle. It's actually quite common in the area too. It's not very dense wood though, so it makes a poor weapon.

[Thokk_Smash]

"Oh, birch and cedar bark; duh. Berserker, lesson one for making things: measure twice, cut once. That includes thinking of what you need before you start. I didn't think, and now I'll have to cannibalize more of my robe to make the tools."

"Now, help me get a few yaupon trees to use for handles." He directs Berserker to help cut down or otherwise harvest the best yaupon trees in the area for making tool handles. While he does, he thinks of ways to strengthen the fabric of his starter robe to help make it more durable, if that can be done.

Spoiler: OOC

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Not sure how likely fabric like the starter robe is to rip once it's been turned into strips, so (1d20)[20], +6 for Knowledge (Nature), +9 for Survival, or (if it's the most applicable) +3 for Craft/Profession (Tailoring). I think Tailoring would work best, but I wasn't sure. Also not sure if this is getting to nitpicky with it, but eh.

[Rizban]

The starter "robe" is pretty flimsy, but it should hold up to a little bit of use. You can't think of a way to strengthen it beyond just wrapping more around the binding.

Spoiler

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You find a few mostly straight yaupon holloy trees that will serve your purpose and easily strip the branches.

[Thokk_Smash]

Jerry makes sure that the holly branches are stripped fully, and has Berserker carry them. He asks the eidolon to drop the 8ft long branch as well. Then, eidolon with handle-branches and unseen servant with rocks, he guides them to his starting glade.

[Rizban]

You're back in your glade.

[Thokk_Smash]

Jerry instructs Berserker and the unseen servant to drop their loads near the center. He takes a moment to take in the sight and feel of the place; he knows his Hearthstone was changed, but has that changed anything about his glade?

((Spot check just to remind me [and Jerry] what’s in his glade, taking 10))

[Rizban]

You find yourself in a forest glade about 20 feet across. A shallow natural pool filled with crystal clear water can be found in the middle, though you see no obvious source for the water. The pool glows faintly, visible even in the daylight filtering down through the trees. The pool seems about half empty.

The trees surrounding you are all ancient hardwoods and grow so closely together that they almost form a solid wall, leaving only one obvious path out.

Several yellow flowers grow near to the pool. Other than a few other types of flowers and some mushrooms growing on the side of one tree, you spot nothing else of note.

Near the exit from the glade, you see a small obelisk of pure turquoise, approximately 6 inches tall, your original hearthstone.

[Thokk_Smash]

“Cool, doesn’t seem like anything’s changed.”

Jerry kneels by the small pool and drinks a few handfuls of the liquid to help his thirst. He considers the hardwoods, and wonders if any of them might make good weapon handles.

((Knowledge (Nature) on the hardwoods vis-a-vis making weapons)). ((Rolled a 25 in the Dice server on discord))

To start with, he tries to make one of the smaller rocks into a knife he can use to harvest skin and meat from the rabbits outside. Berserker helps how he can, holding the rock and breaking it as needed.

((Craft (Weaponsmithing) to make a dagger, presumably -2 for no tools, (1d20)[2]. Berserker will Aid, (1d20-4)[16]))

((I knew it, I knew Berserker would roll higher than me. But a nat 20?????))

[Rizban]

When you drink the water, a golden buff icon in the shape of an open book appears in the top left corner of your vision. When you try to examine it, you get the following popup.

Sacred Water
You gain 25% increased Experience. (23:59:56)

The harder you think about the hardwoods surrounding your glade, the less you seem to know about them. They almost don't seem like real trees.

You chip away at the stone but manage to shatter it rather than knap an edge onto it.

[Thokk_Smash]

“Oh, awesome, a day-long buff.”

...

“Dammit, I could’ve used that before.”

...

“I SAT IN IT!” Jerry checks to guess how many more uses he might get out of his pool.

Oh, so the hardwoods seem to have a perception filter on them, to borrow Doctor Who. That’s neat.

He looks at the shattered rock and sighs, grabbing a new rock and trying again until he gets it right.

((Craft (Weaponsmithing): (3d20)[18][15][7](40)))

[Rizban]

You aren't sure just how many uses are left of the pool. Less than there were before soaking your bum, but an exact number is difficult to guess. At least 10. Maybe.

After an hour of work, you're confident that you've got a good edge on a rock and shaped it to fit your hand well. It's really more of a hand axe than a dagger, but it'll suit your needs well enough.

Spoiler

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[Thokk_Smash]

"Awesome. Okay, Berserker, let's go find some rabbits for you to kill."

Jerry checks his menu for the time; he wants to be back at Mother's Grove by dark so he'll be able to sleep/trance there. He also checks his character sheet quick for any changes. Then, he and Berserker leave the glade and look for some rabbits.

[Rizban]

Your menu doesn't have a time feature. It seems that the System does not track this for you beyond the countdown timers on buffs/debuffs.

You've spent roughly 3 hours in travel time and crafting since you left the Grove. You know it takes a bit over an hour of walking to travel there or back, assuming no stops along the way.

[Thokk_Smash]

"Okay, so around five o'clock, maybe."

Jerry checks the position of the sun once outside to gauge how far off sunset may be. Berserker, meanwhile, scans the area.

Spoiler: OOC

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Taking 10 Survival for 19, Spot for 23

As if remembering, Jerry pokes at the bite wound he'd gotten from the wolf to see how it's scabbed up.

[Rizban]

You hold a hand up to the sky and note that you can fit six of your fingers between the sun and the horizon with just a bit remaining. You know that each finger width represents about 15 minutes of time.

At least it did on earth. In the game, that would have been like 5 minutes with night lasting about 20 minutes before sunrise. The world no longer seems to function on the old game clock.

[Thokk_Smash]

"I'm pretty sure this game is as realistic as the real world, apart from all the magic and everything. We'd better head back, Berserker, if we want to have enough light to see by."

Jerry pulls more thread from his starter robe to use to summon another unseen servant, the other one having disappeared not long before he finished his dagger. The unseen servant picks up the rocks, and Jerry tucks the wood under his arm. He eats the rest of his apple from Mother's Grove, then puts the dagger he's made into the pouch. Then, with the unseen servant leading the way and Berserker keeping an eye out for trouble, the group begins to walk back to Mother's Grove.

[Rizban]

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

As you approach the swamp, you see a large reptile lounging on the bank near the path.

[Thokk_Smash]

Remembering the elf woman's words, Jerry does not sic Berserker on the reptile immediately. He's not going to be able to eat all the meat, and he imagines scaly hide is harder to work with than rabbit hide.

He takes the lead, moving cautiously closer and trying to get onto the path without disturbing the croco--allig--whatever it is. If the reptile notices him, he does his best to exude calm and non-hostility as a proper druid.

Spoiler

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Taking 10 on Knowledge (Nature) for 16 to determine if it's a croc or gator.

If needed, Wild Empathy check: (1d20+4)[5]

[Rizban]

It's definitely some type of alligator.

The alligator opens its mouth in a threat display and slides backwards into the water before submerging and disappearing from sight.

[Thokk_Smash]

"Maybe I should've gone for the exp...but we're still low on health, right, Berserker?" Jerry double-checks his HP to see if it's changed somehow.

Regardless, he directs the unseen servant to start down the path, and Berserker keeps an eye on the outside of the path.

[Rizban]

Your health is full. You didn't notice it at the time due to your intense focus on crafting, but you healed 1 hit point about every five minutes you were in your starting glade. Since you spent almost two hours there, it was plenty of time to heal up.

The spiders still have not moved back onto the path, leaving you clear the rest of the way back to Mother's Grove.

You arrive right about sunset but before losing the last lights of day.

[Thokk_Smash]

Jerry takes a moment to try and find some dead cedar branches that he can strip of bark, before he cautiously enters Mother's Grove. Instead of speaking, he bows respectfully to the Mother's tree before finding an empty spot in the clearing.

Spoiler: OOC

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Knowledge (Nature) to find cedar branches, taking 10 for 16

[Rizban]

You find a few fallen branches, but you know that cedar bark really needs to be green and fresh to be pliable. Even then, it still requires soaking in water to get the most use out of it. Once it's dried out, it's not that useful for crafting.

[Thokk_Smash]

Taking care to step a bit further away from Mother's Grove, Jerry tries to find a cedar tree whose branches are low enough to the ground that he can cut a few down with his dagger/"hand axe".

[Rizban]

It's difficult to find them in the fading light, but you soon find a younger cedar tree and cut several branches from it.

[Thokk_Smash]

Jerry takes the branches in hand with a small sense of accomplishment. He goes to the entrance to Mother's Grove and cautiously steps through, remembering what happened the last time. So as not to disturb the Mother, he bows respectfully towards her tree by way of greeting, then retires to a part of the clearing out of the way.

Spoiler: OOC

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The plan is to soak the cedar branches in the stream, downstream so that it's out of the way, then rest for a bit until the moon or stars are strong enough to see by for him. Then, take the cedar branches and strip them, then start working on making tools like a shovel, actual hand-axe for chopping stuff, etc. If the cedar bark needs to be stripped first before being soaked, he will do that.

[Rizban]

You definitely need to strip the bark while it is fresh. You can soak it later to make it more pliable, but you know that letting it rest for too long before stripping it will make it extremely difficult to work with, especially with the tools you have available.

This is going to require a successful Craft/Profession check.

[Thokk_Smash]

Hesitantly, Jerry tries to strip the bark with his dagger.

Spoiler: OOC

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Craft: (1d20+1)[2], +2 if Tailoring applies

[Rizban]

You can't figure out how to peel the bark and eventually just destroy one of the branches. (1d100)[41] The stone knife also slips and cuts the hand holding the branch, dealing 1 damage to you.

Thankfully you have 3 more to work with.

[Thokk_Smash]

Muttering expletives under his breath, Jerry sucks on the cut for a second, then continues on to the other three branches.

Spoiler: OOC

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Craft check for each branch: (3d20)[15][12][10](37), +1 to each 16, 13, 11

If he manages to strip them well, it can be assumed he goes to Mother's Grove as detailed above, and begins to do what he needs to do to further prepare the bark, if anything.