The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
The Reaches, or the Deeps as Brother knows them, are a strange and dangerous place. Perhaps an extension of the forest or perhaps something else altogether, one thing is certain: they are not safe for the likes of you.
Still, the records of those who do find their way back provide two certainties: while there is danger in the Reaches, so too are there many treasures and adventures to be had. Whatever you're seeking, the Reaches will provide.
Aren't you hungry for something...interesting?
How this works:
Post here or DM me (wurm#2359) that your oc(s) are going into the deeper reaches of the forest. You can rp it out or not, your choice. If you don't have an oc, you can post ooc.
I’ll reply with what they find. Most expeditions will find useful or odd little trinkets, but occasionally an oc might find something more special/interesting. Magical and enchanted objects are most likely.
If the group involves multiple players, the chance to find something good doubles. If one player finds something neat, everyone will get something equally interesting to keep it fair.
You may submit your oc to be randomly matched with another for a group. You'll get the same odds as another group of two and are welcome to RP with each other or not as you prefer. If enough players submit their ocs to be randomly matched, groups of up to 5 may be formed.
Bigger groups (up to 5) have better chances of finding something useful to the plot or otherwise interesting. They also have a better chance of defending themselves against monsters, which will earn them more loot.
It is also very possible that your oc will run into some sort of enemy or complication (75% chance). It’s your choice as a player what damage they take, if any. I’ll also describe the monster or complication, should your character run into one. The bigger the group, the more likely you are to beat the monster and gain some extra items + another roll for a unique drop.
Simplified odds of unique/interesting drops:
5% (1/20) for single-player groups
10% (1/10) for multiple-player groups
Simplified odds of beating a monster:
10% (1/10) for single-player groups
Odds will increase by 20% for each new participant, up to 90%.
Donations
You may keep your items. Whatever your character finds is theirs to do with as they like. Most items will have some minor unique or interesting property.
However, your character may also donate them to Brother or Hlin.
Depending on who you donate to, you will change the ending of this plot.
Brother has an offer for future groups going into the Reaches.
If you bring them your magical objects, they will grant you a wish based on the object's potency.
They are capable of impressive feats of magic; whatever you want may well be within their grasp.
I am only trying to escape, they assure.
Magical items from this forest or the Reaches will progress either bar by 5%.
Magical items from other realms or minor items from The Reaches will progress either bar by 3%.
Non-magical items will progress either bar by 1%.
-- 64%
-- 66%
LFG:
Please check the comments below!
Available for random groups: Last updated 3/7
0 participants
A huge thank you to the creators of donjon.bin.sh, dndspeak and kassoon for their generators. I'm using them here to easily generate encounters and loot.
I would love to offer my Davian up for a party. He adores magical things and a portal to another place would be irresistible! But he is smoll and needs friends. xD Anyone game, I'm reachable on discord: Lbaal#4389
I've added an option for random matching, if anyone's anxious about finding a group or just doesn't feel like it. I'll match up groups randomly (up to 5, oc numbers permitting) and you'll have the same odds as any other group.
As always, if you don't have an oc, you're welcome to participate as yourself or an ooc and we'll fudge the details.
You find yourself in what looks to be a completely normal clearing. That is, until the clearing itself begins moving. Beneath your feet, the loam and soil shift from the back of a massive creature. When its head pops out from the soil, you can clearly see that it's an ancient tortoise. It looks at you blandly.
There must be something interesting around here somewhere...Well, aside from the massive buried tortoise.
If you squint, you can just make out something glimmering beneath the tortoise's massive shelled underbelly. It watches you carefully, suspecting your intentions.
Your characters may take two each of the following:
1. an invitation to a wedding that happened a few weeks ago 2. A tiny music box Taken by Hati. 3. A small, battered silver bracelet Taken by Ola.
4. a pair of bloodstained gloves 5. A 1-pound egg with a bright red shell (which you hope is not the tortoise's) Taken by Munkwon.
6. a knot of silk ribbons
Each of these objects has a small, interesting property, which you may ask about or discover on your own.
Hati, Ola and Munkwon do not find any magical items or runes, but they do find a pegasus. Well, you think it's a pegasus. Its teeth sure are sharp.
Contrary to popular belief, this pegasus is neither graceful or pleasant. In fact, it's very, very angry at having been disturbed from its slumber by the massive tortoise awakening in the clearing, and you make excellent targets to take its wrath out on.
Despite your best efforts, you can't defeat the furious pegasus and are forced to retreat without loot.
If you're all interested, you are welcome to RP out this encounter if you like, either here or via DM with me.
Your characters may set out into the Reaches again when you feel they're rested enough.
Llyr and Rohit have been randomly matched and set out into The Reaches.
You find yourself in what looks identical to the mushroom ring closest to the pond. When you look closer, however, you find that the mushrooms are a soft pink versus the normal white. Additionally, the ring hums with power. You can feel it from up to five feet away.
The trees behind you sway gently in a breeze you can't feel. You could swear that you're being watched. But aside from the eerie feeling, nothing appears from the trees or otherwise.
Inside the ring, the air flickers. For an instant you see something that most definitely isn't a forest. when it flickers again, you can make it out. It looks like some sort of cave. You can just make out something shining on a small plinth.
Your characters may take one each of the following:
1. An old chess piece made of glass; it is imbued with the ability to see a minor glimpse of a target's future or past. The effect will expire after 5 uses. 2. An emerald feather; you may speak any language while holding it, but you may or may not understand any responses in a language you don't know. Taken by Rohit.
Your characters may also take one each of the following:
1. 1 sizable amount of currency from your character's home world. If they're from the forest, it's a rare herb.
2. a pouch full of dried berries
3. playing cards 4. faintly blue sand Taken by Rohit.
All of the above objects have some minor interesting property, which your character may decide on their own or I can choose for you.
Llyr and Rohit also find a rune.
Hlin identifies it as the rune 'd'.
Llyr and Rohit do not encounter any monsters or obstacles and make it out of The Reaches safely.
If you're interested, you are welcome to RP out this encounter if you like, either here or via DM with me.
Your characters may set out into the Reaches again when you feel they're rested enough.
Llyr takes the glass chess piece. That's super useful for her!
She also takes the playing cards, and whatever enchantment they have (if any), she donates to Hlin.
There was a sense of something wrong in the forest, a thing that had only just started to cause a crawling sensation beneath one's skin.
Davian had been sleeping, letting the gentle warmth of the sun lull him to peace when it started and he found himself wide awake and trying to find where the odd feeling was coming from. His thoughts turned to before, a thing he had started to think a dream, with the paper and the odd doe mentioning runes and a tear... He must have been close to it, as the once pleasant sounds of birds and other wildlife had utterly ceased.
This entire affair seemed immediately unsafe, but far be it for him to turn away from something so interesting out of a need for safety.
He found himself on his hooves, moving with some care, letting the growing unease guide him past the ruins. And there, on the hill, as she had said, he saw the obvious cause. A ripple, no, a tear shimmered before him in the air, beckoning him forward. He didn't even bother to try and stay back. This was possibly the most interesting anomaly he had yet seen among these endless trees.
He did take the one caution of moving around it, keeping his steps light in case something should be waiting inside. She had spoken of a creature...
His curiosity won. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward, knowing he was completely unprepared for whatever waited on the other side.
[I'm going to give you all your rolls up front so you know what to expect! RP is still welcome.]
Davian enters the Reaches.
You step into the middle of an ancient forest. Massive trees arch high above you in all directions. The moss grows thick on both the trees and the ground. Lush plant life gives the forest a distinct green smell--the scent of things growing, even thriving.
In spite of the foliage, you can't miss the even more massive tree in front of you. The other trees cluster around it as if they're its guardians. Carved into the base of the tree is an opening. You can just make out a set of stairs leading up through the trunk.
Your character make take two of the following:
1. A simple cotton handkerchief. 2. a bottle of honey Taken by Davian
3. A scrap of paper or parchment with an unintelligible note scribbled on it.
4. Rabbit's foot 5. a bottle of honey Taken by Davian
6. Broken weapon
Each of these items has a mundane but interesting property, which your character can choose or I can choose for them.
Davian does not find any magical items or runes, but neither does he encounter any monsters or challenges in the Reaches and makes it out safely.
Your character may set out into the Reaches again when you feel they're rested enough.
------
Jahangir enters the Reaches.
You find yourself in a clearing of oaks. Tall and stentorian, they tower above you like watchful guardians. One of them creaks and you are instantly reminded of the Old Oak from the forest proper. There's a strange sense of being watched, but unlike in other areas of the Reaches, this watching seems less malicious.
In the center of the clearing is a small pool of water. You could call it a pond if you're being generous, but a puddle is more accurate. However, what you might expect to be sludgy rainwater instead looks like the most glacial and pure water you've ever seen. You could easily drink some.
Your character may take two of the following: 1. A spindly iron key. Taken by Jahangir 2. spectacles that look fancy Taken by Jahangir
3. A hair clasp
4. a lock of hair
5. a palm-sized glass sphere
6. A piece of crystal
Each of these items has a mundane but interesting property, which your character can choose or I can choose for them.
Jahangir finds no magical items or runes, but he doesn't find a monster either. He makes it out of the reaches safely.
Your character may set out into the Reaches again when you feel they're rested enough.
[He will take a bottle of honey and the broken weapon. He will donate both to Hlin.]
Stepping through the tear was both anticlimactic and exhilarating. Instantly the air changed, lush and rich and the scene before him was one of exquisite beauty. He could only stand in awe, gaze moving slowly about, trying to take everything in before the centerpiece of it all drew his eye.
A tree, far more enormous than anything he had witnessed in all of his long years of life. It was exquisite and he found himself stepping with care through all of the foliage to make his way to the base of the massive trunk. Where there was a clear and completely out of place opening, carved into the living wood itself. He could help but journey within, his curiosity winning out over caution.
He isn't sure where the trip itself sent him, but he did find a fascinating little hoard of trinkets and such. Without a thought he took from it a simple bottle of honey and the curious remains of a once fine weapon.
Not long after he was making his way through the opening and back into the green paradise beyond. With a sigh and one last forlorn gaze back, he took his leave through tear and returned to the forest proper.
Davian would have found his trinkets on a lovely little stone circle at the very top of the tree. It looked as if the tree had grown around it; a sturdy vista from which to overlook the forest. There was a small table with the objects set on it, perhaps as an offering to some unknown force or perhaps a sort of take-a-penny-give-a-penny of small objects. Whatever it was, taking the objects didn't seem to cause any trouble. Perhaps they were meant for him all along.
Either way, quite a nice place to spend a few peaceful minutes before heading back down.
There will be a random participants group setting out tonight once I get confirmation from another lil group so I can avoid spamming this topic with multiple posts. :') Just in case anyone who'd entered their characters was wondering why there's only one random participant atm!]
Sedirea, Maddox & Everly and Stria set out into the Reaches.
You find yourselves in the center of a clearing of trees. At its center is an abandoned shack. Perhaps this is too generous a name for the broken-down bones of the structure in front of you, but it does still have walls and the barest outline of having been a home, once. An overgrown flowerbed has gone wild out front. A broken-down pile of wood nearby could have been a wheelbarrow. There is a path to the front door, which hangs open and drooping to the side of its entrance.
This part of the Reaches is quiet. There is no birdsong or sound of any animal life. The trees that surround the clearing are clustered close together, as if hiding something from view. The spaces between them are dark and shadowed.
Your party finds the lost pendant that Hlin was seeking. As a reward, Hlin will offer to read your pictograms and tell your fortune. However, you could slip the pendant to Brother if you're feeling more ambitious--they would certainly grant each of you a better reward.
The amulet has no use outside donating to either party. Please cast your vote when you post to claim your items. The amulet will go to whoever gets the most votes between Brother or Hlin.
Sedirea, Maddox & Everly and Stria encounter a monster. Unluckily, it happens to be Brother, who has been lost in the Reaches for several days. They are quite unhappy and proceed to batter your party, both out of frustration and a desire to steal the amulet.
Fortunately, your party just barely succeeds in beating Brother. They retreat. Your party follows them for a short ways and finds a strange hoard in the bowl of a tree. Perhaps it's theirs, or perhaps it belonged to someone else. Either way, the amount of moss covering each item implies that its owner no longer cares.
Your characters may take two each of the following:
1. gold coin minted in an unknown land
2. a Copper chalice with silver filigree
3. a Gold locket with a painted portrait inside
4. Silver ewer
5. Pair of engraved bone dice
6. a Small gold bracelet
When you make your way back to the clearing, you spot something glimmering in the bones of the old shack.
Your characters may also take two of the following:
1. A pair of knucklebone dice
2. A 1-ounce block made from an unknown material
3. A rope necklace
4. an explosive rune
5. Broken weapon
6. A small glass jar
Just as you are about to leave, one of your party spots a rune that looks like one that Hlin is looking for.
Hlin identifies it as the rune 'a'.
Unfortunately, Brother also follows your party out after they are certain your characters have left the area.
If you're interested, you are welcome to RP out this encounter if you like, either here or via DM with me.
Your characters may set out into the Reaches again when you feel they're rested enough.
Everly votes for Brother, while Maddox votes Hlin.
Everly would take the copper chalice and silver ewer, and then the small glass jar as well as the explosive rune. She donates the jar and rune to Hlin after some prompting by Maddox, but she keeps the chalice and ewer.
Maddox would take the small gold bracelet and engraved dice, and then the rope necklace and broken weapon. She donates everything but the small gold bracelet to Hlin.
Apparently I add terribly so here is some extra loot to pick from for Sedirea and Stria.
Your characters may also take one each of the following for defeating the monster in addition to the posted list above:
1. a Small gold idol
2. a Silver and gold brooch
Your characters may also take one each of the following in addition to the posted list above:
1. A brass orb etched with strange runes
2. Whetstone
Sedir would like the locket with portrait and the gold/silver brooch, and Brass orb and whetstone.
The whetstone she donated to Hlin. She votes to give the pendant to Hlin (Brother was a jerk after all )
Stria takes what remains - the gold idol, the gold coin and the knucklebone dice and 1-ounce block. She donates the idol and the block to Hlín, and also votes to give the amulet to Hlín over Brother.
After examining it, she says, “Yes, this is it.” She hesitates. “Thanks. That was a big risk you took. I hope I can make it worth it.”
Sedirea's picto she reads as "genesis". "Like two hands reaching out for each other. You're going to make an important connection. Maybe a lot of them, more than you have already. Don't be scared to reach out, because someone's reaching back to you."
Everly's picto she reads as "encapsulate". "Like a small bottle filled with just a bit of liquid. You're hiding something, even from yourself. When it gets too big to keep inside, it's going to burst out. Be careful. You deserve to be seen."
Maddox's picto she reads as "reticence". "Like a resting deer. It's okay to relax sometimes. This forest is really beautiful. And magical too. You're going to be happy here, even if you aren't right now."
Stria's picto she reads as "shelter". "Like a sturdy barn. You have people who rely on you, like bats nesting in the eaves. Your shoulders are strong. You're a foundation for others. I hope they help keep you upright too."
Brother has an offer for future groups going into the Reaches.
If you bring them your magical objects, they will grant you a wish based on the object's potency.
They are capable of impressive feats of magic; whatever you want may well be within their grasp.
Laurel, Howlan and Cernoban step into The Reaches.
The first thing you see is a massive ribcage. That overrides the second thing you see, which is that you've found yourselves in a field of petunias. Upon investigating, it's clear that this is a whale ribcage -- mainly thanks to the odd little sign next to it which reads just that.
In the middle of the bones, you can see a gorgeously engraved box with a lock on it. It looks tempting. Though you have to wonder: why would someone leave a box in the middle of a bunch of old whale bones with just a lock on it?
Your characters solve the challenge of the strange little box in the whale bones. As a reward, you may each take two of the following:
a Silver-plated steel longsword with jet set in hilt
a Bottle stopper cork embossed with gold leaf and set with amethysts
a Obsidian statuette with gold fittings and inlay
a Bronze crown
a Box of turquoise animal figurines
a Large gold bracelet
After solving the challenge, the member with the keenest eyes spots some interesting objects tied to the whale's bones. There's no harm in taking them. Probably.
Your characters may also take two each of the following:
1. A simple cotton handkerchief.
2. a smoking pipe
3. 1pp wrapped in a crude map
4. a ring of iron keys
5. a broken buckle
6. Scissors
As always, RP is welcome if you're interested.
Your characters may enter the Reaches when you feel they've rested enough.
Chitz, Ramsus, Melrakki and Sebastian enter the reaches.
You step through the portal to find what you think is a tree. You can't be sure, because the tree is completely composed of crystalline leaves. It looks like a massive chandelier, if chandeliers grew in the middle of the plains.
Past the tree are vast grasslands. There are no other trees or landmarks in sight. As far as the eye can see is waving green.
The tree itself has strange markings on it. They look almost runic in nature, but not like the ones Hlin is looking for. You find yourself getting drowsy if you look at them for too long. You get the feeling you should take a nap.
Your characters manage to solve the challenge before them. If you choose not to roleplay this out, you may decide what the challenge/puzzle was and how they solved it. They may each take two of the following:
1. An old divination card
2. a pouch of ruby powder
3. A creature's scale
4. A small wooden statuette of a smug halfling
5. A pipe that blows bubbles
6. a signet ring for a noble house
7. A necklace string of small pink pearls
8. Fine gold chain set with a fire opal
After solving the challenge, your party finds an extra stash of objects conveniently placed in the roots of the tree. Was someone watching you?
Each of your characters may also take two of the following:
1. a sizeable amount of currency from your character's most recent world
2. a necklace of animal teeth
3. a string of wooden prayer beads
4. a vial of quicksilver
5. a Black velvet mask stitched with silver thread
6. Roll of twine
7. A black button with a bit of string hanging from it
8. A small wooden statuette of a smug humanoid figure
All of these objects have a small interesting property which your character may choose or I can choose for them.
Chitz, Ramsus, Melrakki and Sebastian do not find any runes or magical items, but they also do not encounter any further issues and make it out of the Reaches without harm.
Your characters may re-enter the Reaches when you feel they've rested enough.
Updated up to here! Hlin appreciates all the donations.
Nesrin -- Sure can! Here's his roll.
Dappled Sunshine steps into the Reaches.
In front of you is the remains of a vast quarry, flooded centuries ago. You can see the paths leading down, down into a dark pit at its very center. The sleet grey walls are covered in waving fronds of underwater weeds. If you squint, you can see a fish dart past as its scales glimmer and flash.
Below the water, you can make out a carved statue. It must be massive; its head is just below the water line. It appears to be a human man, a crown upon its head. Its face is fixed in a permanent furious snarl. How strange to see what must have been an imposing figure left to drown here.
Upon the shores of the quarry are a small assortment of items, perhaps having bubbled up from the depths and pushed here to wait for their new owner.
Your character may take two of the following:
1. a worn leather strap
2. a list of people in a nearby city
3. a small amount of red thread
4. A tiny silver icon of a raven
5. a vial of ink
6. a hand mirror
Each of these has a small interesting property which I can choose or you can choose for your oc.
Dappled Sunshine meets no enemies and faces no challenges, save for a vague and unnerving sense of being watched. Perhaps it's the statue, or perhaps it's something else.
RP is welcome.
Your character may return to the Reaches when you feel they've rested enough.
The list, when examined closely, is not a list of names. You can't be sure exactly what it's a list of. All you know is that when you look up from the paper, your surroundings are much clearer. The paper seems to sharpen your faculties for a small amount of time when it's read over.
When you pick up the raven icon, you immediately notice a corvid in the trees above you. It doesn't come any closer, but you could swear it nods at you. Seems the idol makes corvids just a little bit friendlier. Perhaps you could make some new friends with a bit of bribery?
You arrive from broad daylight into a warm summer night. In front of you is a massive oak, though not so large as the oak from the main forest. Around it, beautiful blue lights dart and dash. You quickly realize they're fireflies. A few of them drift past you. The afterglow they leave is a beautiful turquoise that you're unlikely to forget any time soon.
As you approach the Oak, it bends and whispers something that you can't understand. Its leaves rustle above your head. The fireflies dash in a pattern. A square, then a triangle, followed by a pattern too quick for you to follow. They seem to beg you to follow. Are they going to lead you astray or help you?
Your characters may take two each of the following:
1. A mummified hand
2. A gold coin minted in an unknown land
3. A pipe that blows bubbles
4. a black pearl
As you return, one of your group points out a rune engraved on the Oak and lit by some stationary fireflies.
Hlin identifies it as the rune "e". [Edit: Sorry about the rune mixup!]
Hlin examines the rune. "D-e-a.." she murmurs, then adds, "...d? Dead."
Her mouth sets in a hard line. "I hope so. I have the feeling we're halfway there. Four more runes. Just four more," she says. "Then we can make sure it never comes back."
Expeditions now have a 50% chance to find the final four runes.
(Reminds me very much of the bugs in Seasons after Fall.)
Sin would take the pipe for his daughter and the pearl for his boyfriend. But most of all, he would be interested in the runes, especially after hearing there is Death involved. Since Death follows wherever he goes.
The forest seems the same here. Perhaps that's what feels so wrong about it. It's as if someone took a snapshot of the Forest on a perfect day and planted it here, forever frozen in time.
You soon notice that much like the forest, it loops. Unlike the forest, however, it loops around a single clearing. Everything about it is an exact copy of the forest, save for a single, strange statue. A hunched man in a hood points northwest.
Can you even go northwest? Will the loop let you? The statue continues to point.
Your character may take two of the following:
1. A potato
2. a traveller's journal
3.a palm-sized glass sphere
4. A piece of crystal
Each has a mundane but interesting property, which I can generate or you can choose.
Artemis finds no runes, but no trouble either.
RP is welcome.
She may re-enter the Reaches when you feel she's rested enough.
It's a mushroom. More than that, it's a very, very big mushroom. While you can't see the stalk, you can see its cap, which expands in front of you like a glossy red lake. You're pretty sure it's poisonous too.
Something catches your attention and you look away for a moment. When you look back, the cap is a few inches off the ground. You blink. It happens again. Now you can see the barest fragment of stem poking out from the ground. You notice a strange bag clinging to the stem.
Maybe you should get out of here. Though, you could take the bag first. What's the harm?
Your character may take the following items:
1. a box of candles
2. A thin brass key.
Each has a small property which I can roll for or you can decide for your character.
The mushroom moves far more violently. In an astonishing and frankly horrifying display of something completely unlike a fungus, the vast mushroom rips itself from the ground and stands before you. It has legs. It has LEGS.
In spite of Ajokoira's best attempts, he can't beat the leggy mushroom. As he goes to retreat, he catches sight of a strange symbol engraved on the mushroom's 'stomach'.
Hlin identifies it as the rune 'w'.
RP is welcome.
Your character may return to the Reaches when you feel he's rested enough.
The box of candles is filled with candles of every kind. At first, they don't seem to share any similarities past the fact that they're candles. However, if you light one, you'll find that it will never burn low or melt at all. The heat they give off is cool to the touch. This item has five candles of various sizes inside. At least one is scented.
The key is ancient. You can tell by the rust in the divots of its ornamental head. When you hold it, you feel your heart soar. Whatever was weighing on you is temporarily relieved. This key is enchanted with a mild euphoria spell, which soothes and calms whoever's skin it's touching. It will also be harder to feel fear when holding this key, but not impossible.
I love the way you write the Reaches, it's so atmospheric and unsettling!
Artemis will take the glass sphere and the journal, you can choose the properties.
Ikuisuus -- You're welcome! Hope Ajo finds some use for them. <:
wyldflower -- Thank you! I appreciate it.
Here are the properties.
You don't think about the sphere again until night has fallen. Perhaps out of boredom, you pick it up and roll it around. Something in the movement activates it. A strange sort of greyish light bursts from its core. You realize that you can see in the dark, though the light the orb gives off is not visible to anyone else. It's activated by rolling the sphere in a figure eight motion and lasts until you roll it in the same pattern again.
You begin reading the journal to see if you can find anything. It's in a language you recognize, but the subject matter is strange. There are descriptions of what seems to be the author's lucid dreams alongside basic everyday interactions. The dreams grow more and more fantastic as you read further on. When you come to the last page, you suddenly awaken. This journal will allow your character to get a full night's sleep in a few hours and awaken feeling refreshed.
For the next three days, Hlin will enter the forest and find one rune if nobody else has.
Brother has recovered from their dormancy and will be especially active for the next two days.
This stage of the plot will end when Hlin or another adventurer finds the final rune.
Whichever character has the most progress on their bar will prevail and change the ending.
Neither ending is strictly good or bad. Both have pros and cons.
Hlin will gain 6% progress per day.
Brother will gain 1% progress per character fought, plus 3% for anything specific taken (by player's permission).
@Kotodama: Got you noted down! If nobody else shows up for a random group before the plot finishes up, I'll still roll a single-player round for you. <:
Interesting~~ If anyone would
If anyone would like to party up with one of my characters, HMU!
Rohit
Sedirea
Laurel
I would love to offer my
I can offer Abilene and
Thank you all for your
I've added an option for random matching, if anyone's anxious about finding a group or just doesn't feel like it. I'll match up groups randomly (up to 5, oc numbers permitting) and you'll have the same odds as any other group.
As always, if you don't have an oc, you're welcome to participate as yourself or an ooc and we'll fudge the details.
Hati's up for adventure with
Bulky dog lady Ola is up for
Alrighty, Munkwon is in!
Hati, Ola and Munkwon set out
You find yourself in what looks to be a completely normal clearing. That is, until the clearing itself begins moving. Beneath your feet, the loam and soil shift from the back of a massive creature. When its head pops out from the soil, you can clearly see that it's an ancient tortoise. It looks at you blandly.
There must be something interesting around here somewhere...Well, aside from the massive buried tortoise.
If you squint, you can just make out something glimmering beneath the tortoise's massive shelled underbelly. It watches you carefully, suspecting your intentions.
Your characters may take two each of the following:
1. an invitation to a wedding that happened a few weeks ago
2. A tiny music boxTaken by Hati.3. A small, battered silver braceletTaken by Ola.4. a pair of bloodstained gloves
5. A 1-pound egg with a bright red shell (which you hope is not the tortoise's)Taken by Munkwon.6. a knot of silk ribbons
Each of these objects has a small, interesting property, which you may ask about or discover on your own.
Hati, Ola and Munkwon do not find any magical items or runes, but they do find a pegasus. Well, you think it's a pegasus. Its teeth sure are sharp.
Contrary to popular belief, this pegasus is neither graceful or pleasant. In fact, it's very, very angry at having been disturbed from its slumber by the massive tortoise awakening in the clearing, and you make excellent targets to take its wrath out on.
Despite your best efforts, you can't defeat the furious pegasus and are forced to retreat without loot.
If you're all interested, you are welcome to RP out this encounter if you like, either here or via DM with me.
Your characters may set out into the Reaches again when you feel they're rested enough.
Hati wants to take the music
Ola would probably go for the
Salty woman wanted to get that pegasusShe will definitely be back for more...
This egg interested Munk,
Llyr and Rohit have been
You find yourself in what looks identical to the mushroom ring closest to the pond. When you look closer, however, you find that the mushrooms are a soft pink versus the normal white. Additionally, the ring hums with power. You can feel it from up to five feet away.
The trees behind you sway gently in a breeze you can't feel. You could swear that you're being watched. But aside from the eerie feeling, nothing appears from the trees or otherwise.
Inside the ring, the air flickers. For an instant you see something that most definitely isn't a forest. when it flickers again, you can make it out. It looks like some sort of cave. You can just make out something shining on a small plinth.
Your characters may take one each of the following:
1. An old chess piece made of glass; it is imbued with the ability to see a minor glimpse of a target's future or past. The effect will expire after 5 uses.
2. An emerald feather; you may speak any language while holding it, but you may or may not understand any responses in a language you don't know.Taken by Rohit.Your characters may also take one each of the following:
1. 1 sizable amount of currency from your character's home world. If they're from the forest, it's a rare herb.
2. a pouch full of dried berries
3. playing cards
4. faintly blue sandTaken by Rohit.All of the above objects have some minor interesting property, which your character may decide on their own or I can choose for you.
Llyr and Rohit also find a rune.
Hlin identifies it as the rune 'd'.
Llyr and Rohit do not encounter any monsters or obstacles and make it out of The Reaches safely.
If you're interested, you are welcome to RP out this encounter if you like, either here or via DM with me.
Your characters may set out into the Reaches again when you feel they're rested enough.
Rohit would like to take the
Llyr takes the glass chess
She also takes the playing cards, and whatever enchantment they have (if any), she donates to Hlin.
Everyone's noted down to this
[Sorry this took so
There was a sense of something wrong in the forest, a thing that had only just started to cause a crawling sensation beneath one's skin.
Davian had been sleeping, letting the gentle warmth of the sun lull him to peace when it started and he found himself wide awake and trying to find where the odd feeling was coming from. His thoughts turned to before, a thing he had started to think a dream, with the paper and the odd doe mentioning runes and a tear... He must have been close to it, as the once pleasant sounds of birds and other wildlife had utterly ceased.
This entire affair seemed immediately unsafe, but far be it for him to turn away from something so interesting out of a need for safety.
He found himself on his hooves, moving with some care, letting the growing unease guide him past the ruins. And there, on the hill, as she had said, he saw the obvious cause. A ripple, no, a tear shimmered before him in the air, beckoning him forward. He didn't even bother to try and stay back. This was possibly the most interesting anomaly he had yet seen among these endless trees.
He did take the one caution of moving around it, keeping his steps light in case something should be waiting inside. She had spoken of a creature...
His curiosity won. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward, knowing he was completely unprepared for whatever waited on the other side.
[I'm going to give you all
Davian enters the Reaches.
You step into the middle of an ancient forest. Massive trees arch high above you in all directions. The moss grows thick on both the trees and the ground. Lush plant life gives the forest a distinct green smell--the scent of things growing, even thriving.
In spite of the foliage, you can't miss the even more massive tree in front of you. The other trees cluster around it as if they're its guardians. Carved into the base of the tree is an opening. You can just make out a set of stairs leading up through the trunk.
Your character make take two of the following:
1. A simple cotton handkerchief.
2. a bottle of honeyTaken by Davian3. A scrap of paper or parchment with an unintelligible note scribbled on it.
4. Rabbit's foot
5. a bottle of honeyTaken by Davian6. Broken weapon
Each of these items has a mundane but interesting property, which your character can choose or I can choose for them.
Davian does not find any magical items or runes, but neither does he encounter any monsters or challenges in the Reaches and makes it out safely.
Your character may set out into the Reaches again when you feel they're rested enough.
Jahangir enters the Reaches.
You find yourself in a clearing of oaks. Tall and stentorian, they tower above you like watchful guardians. One of them creaks and you are instantly reminded of the Old Oak from the forest proper. There's a strange sense of being watched, but unlike in other areas of the Reaches, this watching seems less malicious.
In the center of the clearing is a small pool of water. You could call it a pond if you're being generous, but a puddle is more accurate. However, what you might expect to be sludgy rainwater instead looks like the most glacial and pure water you've ever seen. You could easily drink some.
Your character may take two of the following:
1. A spindly iron key.Taken by Jahangir2. spectacles that look fancyTaken by Jahangir3. A hair clasp
4. a lock of hair
5. a palm-sized glass sphere
6. A piece of crystal
Each of these items has a mundane but interesting property, which your character can choose or I can choose for them.
Jahangir finds no magical items or runes, but he doesn't find a monster either. He makes it out of the reaches safely.
Your character may set out into the Reaches again when you feel they're rested enough.
[He will take a bottle of
Stepping through the tear was both anticlimactic and exhilarating. Instantly the air changed, lush and rich and the scene before him was one of exquisite beauty. He could only stand in awe, gaze moving slowly about, trying to take everything in before the centerpiece of it all drew his eye.
A tree, far more enormous than anything he had witnessed in all of his long years of life. It was exquisite and he found himself stepping with care through all of the foliage to make his way to the base of the massive trunk. Where there was a clear and completely out of place opening, carved into the living wood itself. He could help but journey within, his curiosity winning out over caution.
He isn't sure where the trip itself sent him, but he did find a fascinating little hoard of trinkets and such. Without a thought he took from it a simple bottle of honey and the curious remains of a once fine weapon.
Not long after he was making his way through the opening and back into the green paradise beyond. With a sigh and one last forlorn gaze back, he took his leave through tear and returned to the forest proper.
[Noted. Hlin appreciates the
If it's of interest--
Davian would have found his trinkets on a lovely little stone circle at the very top of the tree. It looked as if the tree had grown around it; a sturdy vista from which to overlook the forest. There was a small table with the objects set on it, perhaps as an offering to some unknown force or perhaps a sort of take-a-penny-give-a-penny of small objects. Whatever it was, taking the objects didn't seem to cause any trouble. Perhaps they were meant for him all along.
Either way, quite a nice place to spend a few peaceful minutes before heading back down.
There will be a random participants group setting out tonight once I get confirmation from another lil group so I can avoid spamming this topic with multiple posts. :') Just in case anyone who'd entered their characters was wondering why there's only one random participant atm!]
Very much so! I thank you.
Sedirea, Maddox & Everly and
You find yourselves in the center of a clearing of trees. At its center is an abandoned shack. Perhaps this is too generous a name for the broken-down bones of the structure in front of you, but it does still have walls and the barest outline of having been a home, once. An overgrown flowerbed has gone wild out front. A broken-down pile of wood nearby could have been a wheelbarrow. There is a path to the front door, which hangs open and drooping to the side of its entrance.
This part of the Reaches is quiet. There is no birdsong or sound of any animal life. The trees that surround the clearing are clustered close together, as if hiding something from view. The spaces between them are dark and shadowed.
Drawn by TrueGryffon!
Your party finds the lost pendant that Hlin was seeking. As a reward, Hlin will offer to read your pictograms and tell your fortune. However, you could slip the pendant to Brother if you're feeling more ambitious--they would certainly grant each of you a better reward.
The amulet has no use outside donating to either party. Please cast your vote when you post to claim your items. The amulet will go to whoever gets the most votes between Brother or Hlin.
Sedirea, Maddox & Everly and Stria encounter a monster. Unluckily, it happens to be Brother, who has been lost in the Reaches for several days. They are quite unhappy and proceed to batter your party, both out of frustration and a desire to steal the amulet.
Fortunately, your party just barely succeeds in beating Brother. They retreat. Your party follows them for a short ways and finds a strange hoard in the bowl of a tree. Perhaps it's theirs, or perhaps it belonged to someone else. Either way, the amount of moss covering each item implies that its owner no longer cares.
Your characters may take two each of the following:
1. gold coin minted in an unknown land
2. a Copper chalice with silver filigree
3. a Gold locket with a painted portrait inside
4. Silver ewer
5. Pair of engraved bone dice
6. a Small gold bracelet
When you make your way back to the clearing, you spot something glimmering in the bones of the old shack.
Your characters may also take two of the following:
1. A pair of knucklebone dice
2. A 1-ounce block made from an unknown material
3. A rope necklace
4. an explosive rune
5. Broken weapon
6. A small glass jar
Just as you are about to leave, one of your party spots a rune that looks like one that Hlin is looking for.
Hlin identifies it as the rune 'a'.
Unfortunately, Brother also follows your party out after they are certain your characters have left the area.
If you're interested, you are welcome to RP out this encounter if you like, either here or via DM with me.
Your characters may set out into the Reaches again when you feel they're rested enough.
Everly votes for Brother,
Everly would take the copper chalice and silver ewer, and then the small glass jar as well as the explosive rune. She donates the jar and rune to Hlin after some prompting by Maddox, but she keeps the chalice and ewer.
Maddox would take the small gold bracelet and engraved dice, and then the rope necklace and broken weapon. She donates everything but the small gold bracelet to Hlin.
Noting that down, thank
Apparently I add terribly so here is some extra loot to pick from for Sedirea and Stria.
Your characters may also take one each of the following for defeating the monster in addition to the posted list above:
1. a Small gold idol
2. a Silver and gold brooch
Your characters may also take one each of the following in addition to the posted list above:
1. A brass orb etched with strange runes
2. Whetstone
I'd like to offer up Cernoban
Sedir would like the locket
The whetstone she donated to Hlin. She votes to give the pendant to Hlin (Brother was a jerk after all
Stria takes what remains -
Hlin acquires the
After examining it, she says, “Yes, this is it.” She hesitates. “Thanks. That was a big risk you took. I hope I can make it worth it.”
Sedirea's picto she reads as "genesis". "Like two hands reaching out for each other. You're going to make an important connection. Maybe a lot of them, more than you have already. Don't be scared to reach out, because someone's reaching back to you."
Everly's picto she reads as "encapsulate". "Like a small bottle filled with just a bit of liquid. You're hiding something, even from yourself. When it gets too big to keep inside, it's going to burst out. Be careful. You deserve to be seen."
Maddox's picto she reads as "reticence". "Like a resting deer. It's okay to relax sometimes. This forest is really beautiful. And magical too. You're going to be happy here, even if you aren't right now."
Stria's picto she reads as "shelter". "Like a sturdy barn. You have people who rely on you, like bats nesting in the eaves. Your shoulders are strong. You're a foundation for others. I hope they help keep you upright too."
Brother has an offer for future groups going into the Reaches.
If you bring them your magical objects, they will grant you a wish based on the object's potency.
They are capable of impressive feats of magic; whatever you want may well be within their grasp.
I am only trying to escape, they assure.
Laurel, Howlan and Cernoban
The first thing you see is a massive ribcage. That overrides the second thing you see, which is that you've found yourselves in a field of petunias. Upon investigating, it's clear that this is a whale ribcage -- mainly thanks to the odd little sign next to it which reads just that.
In the middle of the bones, you can see a gorgeously engraved box with a lock on it. It looks tempting. Though you have to wonder: why would someone leave a box in the middle of a bunch of old whale bones with just a lock on it?
Your characters solve the challenge of the strange little box in the whale bones. As a reward, you may each take two of the following:
a Silver-plated steel longsword with jet set in hilt
a Bottle stopper cork embossed with gold leaf and set with amethysts
a Obsidian statuette with gold fittings and inlay
a Bronze crown
a Box of turquoise animal figurines
a Large gold bracelet
After solving the challenge, the member with the keenest eyes spots some interesting objects tied to the whale's bones. There's no harm in taking them. Probably.
Your characters may also take two each of the following:
1. A simple cotton handkerchief.
2. a smoking pipe
3. 1pp wrapped in a crude map
4. a ring of iron keys
5. a broken buckle
6. Scissors
As always, RP is welcome if you're interested.
Your characters may enter the Reaches when you feel they've rested enough.
Chitz, Ramsus, Melrakki and
You step through the portal to find what you think is a tree. You can't be sure, because the tree is completely composed of crystalline leaves. It looks like a massive chandelier, if chandeliers grew in the middle of the plains.
Past the tree are vast grasslands. There are no other trees or landmarks in sight. As far as the eye can see is waving green.
The tree itself has strange markings on it. They look almost runic in nature, but not like the ones Hlin is looking for. You find yourself getting drowsy if you look at them for too long. You get the feeling you should take a nap.
Your characters manage to solve the challenge before them. If you choose not to roleplay this out, you may decide what the challenge/puzzle was and how they solved it. They may each take two of the following:
1. An old divination card
2. a pouch of ruby powder
3. A creature's scale
4. A small wooden statuette of a smug halfling
5. A pipe that blows bubbles
6. a signet ring for a noble house
7. A necklace string of small pink pearls
8. Fine gold chain set with a fire opal
After solving the challenge, your party finds an extra stash of objects conveniently placed in the roots of the tree. Was someone watching you?
Each of your characters may also take two of the following:
1. a sizeable amount of currency from your character's most recent world
2. a necklace of animal teeth
3. a string of wooden prayer beads
4. a vial of quicksilver
5. a Black velvet mask stitched with silver thread
6. Roll of twine
7. A black button with a bit of string hanging from it
8. A small wooden statuette of a smug humanoid figure
All of these objects have a small interesting property which your character may choose or I can choose for them.
Chitz, Ramsus, Melrakki and Sebastian do not find any runes or magical items, but they also do not encounter any further issues and make it out of the Reaches without harm.
Your characters may re-enter the Reaches when you feel they've rested enough.
Laurel takes: a Box of
a Box of turquoise animal figurines
a Large gold bracelet
A simple cotton handkerchief.
a broken buckle
The handkerchief and buckle are donated to Hlin.
Howlan nabs the obsidian
He doesn't seem interested in the second pile of items, but then decides the ring of iron keys are interesting enough aswell as the smoking pipe.
He leaves the bronze crown by the first best person they stumble upon, which is Hlin
Could Dappled Sunshine have a
Updated up to here! Hlin
Nesrin -- Sure can! Here's his roll.
Dappled Sunshine steps into the Reaches.
In front of you is the remains of a vast quarry, flooded centuries ago. You can see the paths leading down, down into a dark pit at its very center. The sleet grey walls are covered in waving fronds of underwater weeds. If you squint, you can see a fish dart past as its scales glimmer and flash.
Below the water, you can make out a carved statue. It must be massive; its head is just below the water line. It appears to be a human man, a crown upon its head. Its face is fixed in a permanent furious snarl. How strange to see what must have been an imposing figure left to drown here.
Upon the shores of the quarry are a small assortment of items, perhaps having bubbled up from the depths and pushed here to wait for their new owner.
Your character may take two of the following:
1. a worn leather strap
2. a list of people in a nearby city
3. a small amount of red thread
4. A tiny silver icon of a raven
5. a vial of ink
6. a hand mirror
Each of these has a small interesting property which I can choose or you can choose for your oc.
Dappled Sunshine meets no enemies and faces no challenges, save for a vague and unnerving sense of being watched. Perhaps it's the statue, or perhaps it's something else.
RP is welcome.
Your character may return to the Reaches when you feel they've rested enough.
He would definitely take the
Sure! The list, when
The list, when examined closely, is not a list of names. You can't be sure exactly what it's a list of. All you know is that when you look up from the paper, your surroundings are much clearer. The paper seems to sharpen your faculties for a small amount of time when it's read over.
When you pick up the raven icon, you immediately notice a corvid in the trees above you. It doesn't come any closer, but you could swear it nods at you. Seems the idol makes corvids just a little bit friendlier. Perhaps you could make some new friends with a bit of bribery?
Sindile and Rohit enter the
You arrive from broad daylight into a warm summer night. In front of you is a massive oak, though not so large as the oak from the main forest. Around it, beautiful blue lights dart and dash. You quickly realize they're fireflies. A few of them drift past you. The afterglow they leave is a beautiful turquoise that you're unlikely to forget any time soon.
As you approach the Oak, it bends and whispers something that you can't understand. Its leaves rustle above your head. The fireflies dash in a pattern. A square, then a triangle, followed by a pattern too quick for you to follow. They seem to beg you to follow. Are they going to lead you astray or help you?
Your characters may take two each of the following:
1. A mummified hand
2. A gold coin minted in an unknown land
3. A pipe that blows bubbles
4. a black pearl
As you return, one of your group points out a rune engraved on the Oak and lit by some stationary fireflies.
Hlin identifies it as the rune "e". [Edit: Sorry about the rune mixup!]
Hlin examines the rune. "D-e-a.." she murmurs, then adds, "...d? Dead."
Her mouth sets in a hard line. "I hope so. I have the feeling we're halfway there. Four more runes. Just four more," she says. "Then we can make sure it never comes back."
Expeditions now have a 50% chance to find the final four runes.
(Reminds me very much of the
Sin would take the pipe for his daughter and the pearl for his boyfriend. But most of all, he would be interested in the runes, especially after hearing there is Death involved. Since Death follows wherever he goes.
Artemis would love to have a
Artemis enters the
The forest seems the same here. Perhaps that's what feels so wrong about it. It's as if someone took a snapshot of the Forest on a perfect day and planted it here, forever frozen in time.
You soon notice that much like the forest, it loops. Unlike the forest, however, it loops around a single clearing. Everything about it is an exact copy of the forest, save for a single, strange statue. A hunched man in a hood points northwest.
Can you even go northwest? Will the loop let you? The statue continues to point.
Your character may take two of the following:
1. A potato
2. a traveller's journal
3.a palm-sized glass sphere
4. A piece of crystal
Each has a mundane but interesting property, which I can generate or you can choose.
Artemis finds no runes, but no trouble either.
RP is welcome.
She may re-enter the Reaches when you feel she's rested enough.
Rohit will take the coin and
Ajokoira would like to
Ajokoira steps into The
It's a mushroom. More than that, it's a very, very big mushroom. While you can't see the stalk, you can see its cap, which expands in front of you like a glossy red lake. You're pretty sure it's poisonous too.
Something catches your attention and you look away for a moment. When you look back, the cap is a few inches off the ground. You blink. It happens again. Now you can see the barest fragment of stem poking out from the ground. You notice a strange bag clinging to the stem.
Maybe you should get out of here. Though, you could take the bag first. What's the harm?
Your character may take the following items:
1. a box of candles
2. A thin brass key.
Each has a small property which I can roll for or you can decide for your character.
The mushroom moves far more violently. In an astonishing and frankly horrifying display of something completely unlike a fungus, the vast mushroom rips itself from the ground and stands before you. It has legs. It has LEGS.
In spite of Ajokoira's best attempts, he can't beat the leggy mushroom. As he goes to retreat, he catches sight of a strange symbol engraved on the mushroom's 'stomach'.
Hlin identifies it as the rune 'w'.
RP is welcome.
Your character may return to the Reaches when you feel he's rested enough.
Please roll for properties.
You got it! The box of
The box of candles is filled with candles of every kind. At first, they don't seem to share any similarities past the fact that they're candles. However, if you light one, you'll find that it will never burn low or melt at all. The heat they give off is cool to the touch. This item has five candles of various sizes inside. At least one is scented.
The key is ancient. You can tell by the rust in the divots of its ornamental head. When you hold it, you feel your heart soar. Whatever was weighing on you is temporarily relieved. This key is enchanted with a mild euphoria spell, which soothes and calms whoever's skin it's touching. It will also be harder to feel fear when holding this key, but not impossible.
Thank you!
I love the way you write the
Artemis will take the glass sphere and the journal, you can choose the properties.
Ikuisuus -- You're welcome!
wyldflower -- Thank you! I appreciate it.
Here are the properties.
You don't think about the sphere again until night has fallen. Perhaps out of boredom, you pick it up and roll it around. Something in the movement activates it. A strange sort of greyish light bursts from its core. You realize that you can see in the dark, though the light the orb gives off is not visible to anyone else. It's activated by rolling the sphere in a figure eight motion and lasts until you roll it in the same pattern again.
You begin reading the journal to see if you can find anything. It's in a language you recognize, but the subject matter is strange. There are descriptions of what seems to be the author's lucid dreams alongside basic everyday interactions. The dreams grow more and more fantastic as you read further on. When you come to the last page, you suddenly awaken. This journal will allow your character to get a full night's sleep in a few hours and awaken feeling refreshed.
Hlin enters the
What she finds there, she tells to no one.
Hlin discovers an 'o' rune.
Brother has recovered from their dormancy and will be especially active for the next two days.
This stage of the plot will end when Hlin or another adventurer finds the final rune.
Whichever character has the most progress on their bar will prevail and change the ending.
Neither ending is strictly good or bad. Both have pros and cons.
Hlin will gain 6% progress per day.
Brother will gain 1% progress per character fought, plus 3% for anything specific taken (by player's permission).
I like this plot idea. I do
@Kotodama: Got you noted