Caelesti's notes

Date

06/05/2008

Log

Rootweaver met with the party and suggested that Carric take the form of a white eagle and lead the party down into the chasm. The form was to impress the masses that worship the Boundless and his bird messengers.

The party, minus Carric, arrived for the ceremony. A short time later the white eagle appeared in the sky over the ceremony. Rootweaver said that the messenger of the Boundless has arrived to lead this group into the chasm to determine what happened to Lost Bridge.

The eagle let out a cry and glided downward. The Fellowship followed. Some noted some Banders banding near the stairs down; they moved off as a group.

The party continued on. Near noon, Carric returned to his normal form. The party ducked into a cave behind a root so that Carric could pray in peace. While the party remained in "hiding", a group of Banders passed. One commented that they would join the party at the bridgers; Mercald noted that it sounded suspicious, but not threatening.

After an hour, the party continued downward, now following at least some of the Banders. On the next bridge down, Nextdown, a Bridger named Twospur greeted them. Yoshi wanted to avoid the Banders at night, so asked to stay with the Birders.

In the morning, the fellowship headed for the next bridge, Midwall. The way was uneventful.

Nessey's notes

Nessey: We have been given carte blanche to do whatever needs to be done to get rid of Slysaw and his evil clan. Meanwhile, we need to find out what has been killing the roots.
Nessey: Pombis to the left of me and termites to the right and here I am, stuck in the middle with you.
Nessey: We have a mission.
Nessey: We are supposed to leave after a big ceremony in the morning.
Nessey: It is NOT public knowledge that the roots are dying.
Nessey: So don't tell anyone, Caelesti.
Mavis: Rootweaver is sending Beedie, Roges, and Mercald with you
Nessey: Instead, it will be "known" that we are seeking a lost treasure that disappeared with the previous lowest bridge city
Mavis: "Lostbridge"
Nessey: Lostbutnotforgotten Bridge
Nessey: We are packed and ready to go. Let's hear our farewell speach
Nessey: We are eager for adventure
Nessey: Rootweavers shows at in the morning at our bridie house
Nessey: around 8am or so
Nessey: Rootweaver says there will be a meeting in an hour or so. I am sending Beedie, Mercald and Roges with you, as you know.
Nessey: Mercald is a priest and a judge and representative of the Birders.
Nessey: He will be strict about what is Right.
Nessey: I will say you are off to discover myseteries of Lost Bridge.
Nessey: I am expecting that the Bander Clan will take a lot interest in this treasure talk and who knows they may take off after you to find out what is going on. You are free to defend yourselves per your own judgement.
Nessey: I am some thoughts and I'd like your opinions =
Nessey: Carric, is it true you appeared as a bird.
Nessey: Carric - yes, I can change into an animal.
Nessey: Rootweaver - I am thinking we should send you off as a bird.
Nessey: Caelesti - you mean we should appear smaller in number?
Nessey: Rootweaver, no, no, no, you fly in a bird during the ceremony to impress the populance.
Nessey: Carric - I can change into a bird in front of them.
Nessey: Rootweaver, no, no, no. Turn into a bird in private before the ceremony. That will impress people with my speech and your mission.
Nessey: Carric - okay.
Nessey: Caelesti - but, but, but
Nessey: Rootweaver, I think the Banders will follow out of greed - despite the size, large or small, of you apparent group.
Nessey: Rootweaver, I very much suspect the Banders will take an interest in you soon.
Nessey: Caelesti, okay.
Nessey: Asks the rest of us, each in turn.
Nessey: We each agree to the plan.
Nessey: Mavis says, yes, this is my team.
Nessey: Yohsi - We ARE the weapons of good.
Nessey: Nessey - Yes, yes.
Nessey: Caelesti - okay by me.
Nessey: Carric - Ready.
Nessey: We talk about whether the Banders will notice Carric's absence or appearance thereof.
Nessey: Nessey - I think Carric should be a parrot.
Nessey: Mavis - You must be something impressive. How about a Flamingo?
Nessey: Yoshi - are Eagles white? Or a peacock?
Nessey: Caelesti - Ostrich?
Nessey: Carric - I think a white eagle is best.
Nessey: Carric - or a penguin?
Nessey: He goes with White Eagle.
Nessey: Rootweaver appears with the rest of our adventuring party.
Nessey: Carric transforms in front of the party for dramatic effect. He sings an Eagle song and perches on Mercald's head.
Nessey: Rootweaver bows and acknowledges she didn't believe Mercald before.
Nessey: Rootweaver leads us to the assembled crowd, who stare at us in awe.
Nessey: Rootweaver, people of Topbridge, it is as we have been saying, a messenger from the Boundless has arrived.
Nessey: We have put together a group to go to determine once and for all when LostBridge, with all of its treasures
Nessey: fell into the chasm centuries ago.
Nessey: The group we have assembled is going to be guided and led by our messenger here - points to white Eagle - who caws.
Nessey: We recites names of all the rest of the adventuring party.
Nessey: She names us all and Mercald and Roges and Beedie.
Nessey: They will descend into the depths of the chasm, she repeats, to discover the secrets of LostBridge.
Nessey: The crowd looks at us with great interest.
Nessey: Rootweaver leads us to the West wall of the chasm where there are stairs going down.
Nessey: She says, it will be a long journey. You will pass through Midwall to Bottomost and there be on your own. But with this messenger of the Boundless leading you, I am confindent you will achieve your goal!
Nessey: She opens her arms wide.
Nessey: She beckons to us and points to the bridge.
Nessey: Mercald looks at the bird, rises his arms and hands high, puffs out his chest - and - the bird flies up and then down and we all go down the stairs. The crowd watches us go.
Nessey rolls Nes - Spot (d20 + 8): [3 + 8] = 11
Mavis rolls Mavis Spot (d20 + 16): [8 + 16] = 24
Yoshi rolls Sk:Spot (d20 + 13): [1 + 13] = 14
Yarazzi rolls Skill (Spot) (d20 - 1 + 2): [6 - 1 + 2] = 7
Caelesti rolls Skill (Spot) (d20 - 1 + 2): [10 - 1 + 2] = 11
Caelesti rolls Skill (Spot) (d20 - 1 + 2): [3 - 1 + 2] = 4
Mavis rolls Mavis Spot (d20 + 16): [19 + 16] = 35
Yoshi rolls Sk:Spot (d20 + 13): [10 + 13] = 23
Yoshi rolls Sk:Spot (d20 + 13): [16 + 13] = 29
Nessey: mavis happens to look up and back over her shoulder and notices the Banders gathering together and talking.
Nessey rolls Nes - Spot (d20 + 8): [3 + 8] = 11
Carric rolls Spot (d20 + 13): [14 + 13] = 27
Nessey: Yoshi and Mavis notice that Slysaw motions and all the Banders go off somewhere.
Mavis rolls Mavis Spot (d20 + 16): [4 + 16] = 20
Caelesti rolls Skill (Spot) (d20 - 1 + 2): [6 - 1 + 2] = 7
Carric rolls Spot (d20 + 13): [16 + 13] = 29
Yoshi rolls Sk:Spot (d20 + 13): [12 + 13] = 25
Nessey: Mavis asks and Beedie how long it takes to get down to Middlemost.
Nessey: Beedie says it will take all day.
Nessey rolls Nes - Spot (d20 + 8): [1 + 8] = 9
Carric rolls TK Spot (d20 + 16): [13 + 16] = 29
Nessey: Tankuran and Mavis and Yoshi and Carric notice that shortly after we left, it looked like several people threw themselves off the side of the bridge carrying leaves to glide from spot to spot.
Nessey: They are heading down much faster than we are, controling their motion back and forth through the cavern.
Nessey: Beedie says, those are the messengers, they are going down to tell the next town to expect us.
Nessey: Yoshi - how will they get back up?
Nessey: Beedie, they will climb up on these stairs. So, we will be expected at all next bridge cities. That's good.
Mavis: Topmost, Nextdown, Midwall, Bottommost
Nessey: Beedies tells Nessey she has the name of the city briges all wrong and goes over it with us.
Mavis: Harvesters, Miners, Potters
Nessey: they are not all the bridges there are. We are not going to the other three listed.
Nessey: We are going down the first 4 in order.
Mavis rolls Mavis Spot (d20 + 16): [13 + 16] = 29
Caelesti rolls Skill (Spot) (d20 - 1 + 2): [5 - 1 + 2] = 6
Yoshi rolls Sk:Spot (d20 + 13): [11 + 13] = 24
Nessey rolls Nes - Spot (d20 + 8): [15 + 8] = 23
Caelesti rolls Skill (Listen) (d20 - 1 + 2): [16 - 1 + 2] = 17
Carric rolls TK Spot (d20 + 16): [10 + 16] = 26
Carric rolls Spot (d20 + 13): [6 + 13] = 19
Carric rolls Wild - Eagle/Spot (d20 + 19): [3 + 19] = 22
Nessey: Carric and Tan Kuran hunt and find and eat rodents along the way. We see caves in the chasm along the way if we want or need shelter. Or if someone wants to lie in ambush and wait for us.
Nessey: It is probably about noon now. Can Carric pray adequately as an Eagle?
Mavis rolls Mavis Spot (d20 + 16): [20 + 16] = 36
Yoshi rolls Sk:Spot (d20 + 13): [5 + 13] = 18
Carric rolls Wild - Eagle/Spot (d20 + 19): [15 + 19] = 34
Carric rolls TK Spot (d20 + 16): [19 + 16] = 35
Nessey: Mavis indicates a nearby cave for us to rest in and place for Carric to turn into a human and pray.
Nessey: Beedie, Mercald and Roges all drop to their knees when Carric changes.
Nessey: Carric, don't mind me while I pray.
Mavis rolls Mavis Listen (d20 + 16): [7 + 16] = 23
Caelesti rolls Skill (Listen) (d20 - 1 + 2): [1 - 1 + 2] = 2
Yoshi rolls Sk:Listen (d20 + 10): [11 + 10] = 21
Carric rolls Listen (d20 + 5): [7 + 5] = 12
Nessey: Beedie says to Mercald, I confess, I didn't used to believe, I used to think it was all bunkhum, but you were right, Mercald.
Nessey rolls Nes - Listen (d20 + 6): [1 + 6] = 7
Nessey: Some of us might hear - ??
Mavis rolls d20: [2] = 2
Mavis rolls d20: [7] = 7
Mavis rolls d20: [16] = 16
Carric rolls TK Listen (d20 + 4): [17 + 4] = 21
Nessey: Beedie, Mavis and Yoshi all whisper, Quiet, someone is coming down the stairs.
Nessey: We all quiet down.
Mavis rolls Mavis Spot (d20 + 16): [13 + 16] = 29
Carric rolls TK Spot (d20 + 16): [13 + 16] = 29
Yoshi rolls Sk:Spot (d20 + 13): [13 + 13] = 26
Caelesti rolls Skill (Spot) (d20 - 1 + 2): [4 - 1 + 2] = 5
Yoshi rolls Sk:Spot (d20 + 13): [8 + 13] = 21
Carric rolls Spot (d20 + 13): [16 + 13] = 29
Nessey: Including Tan Kuran, who was not mentioned in the ceremony of leaving, but who was there and also impressive to the crowd.
Nessey rolls Nes - Spot (d20 + 8): [10 + 8] = 18
Mavis rolls Mavis Listen (d20 + 16): [8 + 16] = 24
Carric rolls TK Listen (d20 + 4): [10 + 4] = 14
Caelesti rolls Skill (Listen) (d20 - 1 + 2): [4 - 1 + 2] = 5
Yoshi rolls Sk:Listen (d20 + 10): [6 + 10] = 16
Carric rolls Listen (d20 + 5): [14 + 5] = 19
Nessey rolls Nes - Listen (d20 + 6): [12 + 6] = 18
Nessey: All except Caelesti - here - "Dada, have they gone down? Are they at Nextdown yet?" Slysaw says it doesn't matter, "we will catch up with them. They may think they are safe, but we are Bridgers too. We will settle in with the Bridgers down there too."
Nessey: Their voices fade away.
Nessey: Caelesti - they want to join us and be part of the Weapons of Good.
Nessey: Mercald, it sounds supicious to me, but could be interpreted that way. Nothing I can judge them on so far.
Nessey: Mavis, I doubt they want to be part of the Weapons of Good.
Nessey: Caelesti, Me too, really, but they didn't say anything incriminating yet.
Nessey: Yoshi - we need to be quiet as we get closer so they don't notice us and set up an ambush.
Nessey: We proceed on our way.
Nessey: We don't have any more encounters.
Nessey: As it gets dark we can see the lights of the next bridge. We hurry to get there before nightfall.
Nessey: There is someone watching and waiting for us. He calls, "they're here. they're here."
Nessey: The person ran off to announce our arrival. We wait.
Nessey: Someone comes.
Nessey: Branch
Nessey: Berry
Mavis: Twospur Bridger
Nessey: Says, "Ahhhhhh, welcome to Nextdown. I am the Senior Bridger of this town. We would be honored if you come and stay with us at Bridgehouse."
Nessey: Things are a bit crowded because a bunch of Banders have arrived and staying with us.
Nessey: Nessey - Could we stay in the Bird house?
Nessey: Nessey - Mercald wil vouche for us.
Nessey: Caelesti says she didn't think were Birders on other Bridges except Topmost.
Nessey: Twospur corrects her - There are Birders and Bridgers on every Bridge.
Nessey: Twospur - you may stay with either us or the Birders.
Nessey: Yoshi - we should stay where ever the Banders are not staying.
Nessey: Nessey - that would be the Birders.
Nessey: Yoshi - then let's stay there.
Nessey: Twospur takes us there and talks to us in private.
Nessey: He speaks of a private note from Rootweaver and problems with the Banders.
Nessey: He asks what we have observed up above.
Nessey: Nessey says roots are mysteriously catching on fire and refers him to Beedie. She relates her experience and suspicions.
Nessey: Twospur has suspicions about the Banders too.
Mavis: Twospur Chaffer, the bridger
Mavis: Bedes, Chaffers, Banders
Nessey: Bedes, Chaffers, Banders, actually.
Nessey: Twospur says to Young Bede that she should not cut roots on fire.
Nessey: She says it was not on fire when she started cutting. She doesn't not know how fire occurred. Only supects.
Nessey: Twospurs confirms with us that our mission is to explore the fate of LostBridge.
Nessey: Nessey speaks enthusiastically about the messengers who fly down on leaves and asks what a chaffer does if they fly on leaves too and could teach her?
Nessey: Twospur says Messenger clan is not high class. But he says he can connect Nessey with them if she has her heart set on it.
Nessey: Meantime I will send you to the Birder house as Yoshi seems to wish.
Nessey: We are received kindly at the Birder house.
Nessey: Birder bows down before Tan Kuran and asks if she is the messenger sent to them from the Boundless.
Nessey: Keeps bowing and looking and bowing and looking.
Nessey: Tan Kuran is not smart enough to notice.
Nessey: Tan Kuran is more interested in a nearby chipmunk.
Nessey: The Birder stands up eventually and says, well, obviously there is no further message from the Boundless, so we will go the message received by the Birders above.
Nessey: We are shown to our rooms. Yoshi goes straight to bed. The rest of us talk among ourselves.
Nessey: Nessey opinions that we should not stay in any houses with the Banders so as not to put innocent bystanders at risk.
Nessey: Yoshi agrees and also doesn't want to damage any buildings.
Nessey: Yoshi is being kept awake by us talking so he continues to advise.
Nessey: Yoshi next says that "someone" should spy on the Banders in the Bridger house.
Nessey: Nessey - like Carric?
Nessey: Yoshi - exactly like Carric!
Nessey: Nessey - he could become a weasel.
Nessey: Caelesti - do you think the Birders will be offended we girls are here talking in the boys' room?
Nessey: Mavis - girl and boy birds can flock together.
Nessey: Mavis - well, Carric is the animal of the party.
Nessey: Nessey - or a Party Animal.
Nessey: Mavis - well, both - obviously.
Nessey: Mavis says she can do disguises.
Nessey: Nessey asks if Mavis is a circus performer.
Nessey: Mavis admits she disguised herself as one particular Amazon woman back in the Amazon camp.
Nessey: And she talked to other Amazons and they didn't notice.
Nessey: Nessey - you didn't talk to me! I would have noticed!
Nessey: Mavis - (quickly) No, no, not one who talked to you.
Nessey: Caelesti - but can disguise youself as anyone, even one of us?
Nessey: Mavis, I didn't say that.
Nessey: Caelesti, but you could. You could disguise yourself as me, for instance?
Nessey: Mavis - yes, and then anyone I pissed off would come and beat up YOU. Yeah, good idea. Right. (trying to spin the issue)
Nessey: We then get into talk about how small an animal Carric can become.
Nessey: Yoshi - can anyone cast Invisibility?
Nessey: We all say, no, no.
Nessey: Nessey suggests Carric turn into a monkey
Nessey: Carric thinks that would be too obvious.
Nessey: Nessey suggests her Vanisher Cloak
Nessey: Who has the best move silently check?
Nessey: Carric says it doesn't last long enough for this purpose.
Nessey: Yoshi says it would help us scout though.
Nessey: Carric says it would be good for crossing a room, etc.
Nessey: He says it would be good for hanging out for long and listening to conversations.
Nessey: We talk a while and determine it is not practical to spy. The Birders and Bridgers see us to the stairs on the opposite wall of the chasm.
Nessey: As we gather there, we see a sullen band of Banders congregating. They are not going down with us.
Nessey: They do nothing to obstruct us. They are not as ready as we are.
Nessey: We head down to Midwall
Nessey: Nessey talks about how she anxious to engage in action and so being one of those messenger types would not do - cause she would be bored walking up slowly.
Nessey: Mavis takes Nessey by the hand and shows her how far down it is and that she doesn't have a leaf.
Nessey: Carric offers Nessey a Bay Leaf.
Nessey: Nessey - hah, hah, you are just pulling my leg, Carric, you know that leaf isn't big enough.
Nessey: Carric - I fly down with that leaf all the time.
Nessey: Nessey - let's see you do it without turning into a bird!
Nessey: Mavis - Let's not babble on and on about leaves when we don't have any to glide with. Let's just walk in silence for a while.
Nessey: Nessey furrows her brows and broods all the way down to Midwall.
Nessey: It is dimmer and narrower.
Mavis rolls Mavis Spot (d20 + 16): [5 + 16] = 21
Nessey rolls Nes - Spot (d20 + 8): [12 + 8] = 20
Carric rolls Spot (d20 + 13): [2 + 13] = 15
Caelesti rolls Skill (Spot) (d20 - 1 + 2): [13 - 1 + 2] = 14
Carric rolls d20: [9] = 9
Carric rolls TK Spot (d20 + 16): [3 + 16] = 19
Nessey: Mavis and Yoshi notice a kite like object floating on down.
Nessey: It has a body of a young man with a feathered hat.
Nessey: No one tells Nessey about it.
Nessey: Another messenger.
Nessey: It is a dead body.
Nessey: Yoshi nudges one of our native companions - Beedie - and asks what it is.
Nessey: Beedie - oh, yes, when someone dies, we send them off to the boundless on one of these kites.
Nessey: Yoshi - don't they get caught on the way down?
Nessey: Beedie - not from Topbridge.
Nessey: Beedie - the lower bridges have narrower nets because they don't want to catch the debris from the upper bridges. And he bridges are not stacked parallel. They are staggered so that this will not be much of a problem.
Nessey: Mercald agrees and says of course dead bodies are not debris per se.
Nessey: Beedie, of course.
Nessey: Yoshi wants to keep his eye out for caves.
Nessey: Nessey - which eye?
Nessey: mavis - his right eye is closest to this side of the chasm.
Nessey: Yoshi - since I move fastest, I may progress down ahead of everyone as bait.
Carric rolls d20: [6] = 6
Carric rolls d20: [17] = 17
Nessey: We agree to let Yoshi advance as bait for whatever, even Pombis, that might lie in wait in the the caves below along our route.
Nessey: We find a cave for resting and for Carric to pray.
Nessey: Yoshi only goes ahead when spots a cave. He peaks into each cave in turn, waits for us, then goes ahead again.
Nessey: We have lunch while Carric prays.
Nessey: Carric prays so that we have to make him lunch at noon. That's why he prays at noon.
Nessey: Nessey - well, then Carric can make dinner.
Nessey: Caelesti has a taste for Wire Worms, we think.
Caelesti: yes
Nessey: we break here.