Act 1, Scene 1: "Together in Harmony" (Game Thread)

[spyguy1503]

Cal starts reading over Cross's shoulder.

[TristenC]

Artanis, Cal, Cross and Pyros: Toad's Toe
Cross flips meticulously through the text, finding that it resembles a well-known work on the planes he had come across on Krynn. The Krynn text considered the existence of planes fact, proven through the use of many very common spells that access the Astral, Ethereal or other planes such as Blink or Dimension Door and most summoning spells… This book, however, treated the planes like a theoretical proposition with no true evidence. No mentions are made of the success of such spells except for those that summon creatures, and these were always presented with arguments that the summoned beings need not be from another plane even when the intelligent summons insist quite profusely that they are. A side note about madness in summoning is made as a weak explanation for the later insistence.

As the Elf delves into the text, the Kender naturally grows impatient. "Well this turned out to be much less interesting than our last visit. Uuunlesss, you know some riddles!" Rautant smirks in spite of himself and thinks a moment. Yes, I can see where you would need something to occupy your ever-active mind… let me see… he glances at the vial behind with the blood test in it. Feeling the flask tentatively with the back of his fingers he nods to himself. See if you can puzzle this one out:

I have a heart that never beats, I have a home but I never sleep. I can take a man’s house and build another’s, and I love to play games with my many brothers. I am a king among fools. Who am I?

As he finishes he retrieves a much larger ball-shaped flask from the back room and adds the powdered blood from the paper packet into it. Once again applying heat to the smaller vial he waits for it to begin bubbling slowly before grasping it by the neck with a strip of leather so as not to burn his fingers. Carefully he pours the steaming liquid into the larger vessel and swirls it around. Immediately the mixture foams prodigiously, producing a white acrid smoke and a unique stench. Corking it, he holds the head-sized glass to one side and looks to the Ranger. We have our proof. he says with finality. The creature you met didn’t injure you in any way, did it? The last is said with an almost too-quiet calm, merely seeking information.


Elsa, Merrick, Mira and Yasir: Wayfarer's Rest
Mira and Yasir speak quietly in the relative privacy of the bar, since hardly anyone aside from Merrick and the rest of the party speaks common. As the Warrior and the Bard chat, Mira notices that Elsa and Merrick are deep in a conversation of their own.


[OOC: Rivi, if you like I can put some descriptions about the planes in general in the character knowledge thread for you. These will be from the DMG, let me know.

Several minutes for Mira and Yasir’s private conversation (to be handled in the hidden thread). Jen we can move along this part of the main thread whenever you’re ready.]

[spyguy1503]

Cal chuckles. "Too easy. A king of hearts from a deck of cards."

[kerap]

Artanis Auir

At Rautant's question, Artanis shakes his head no. "I never received a scratch from it. My companion, Erodth, wasn't so lucky, and it bit him fairly deeply. He became very disoriented and was sweating quite profusely after that. We gave chase to the beast, but Erodth disappeared into the dense fog that shrouded the woods. I was no more than a few paces behind him, yet could not find him or any trace or tracks of him. Never saw such fog there in Neverwinter Wood like that. Suspicions confirmed?"

Artanis gives cal a look of admiration for figuring out the riddle so quickly.

[Nocturno]

"OOOoooo that was on the tip of my tongue!" Pyros will say with a slight whine.

[OoC: I just heard that somewhere in the last week or so..]

[Jenara]

Mira walks back to the table with a slight grin on her face, "Men." She giggles slipping down beside Elsa, "Less of the Lovebirds please." She adds with a stern expression grabbing more food.

"It will get chilly out there I suspect, jackets and the like will be a good idea. I'm all out of magic to keep you warm. Trap you for ages yes.. Keep you warm.. No." Smiling once more she scoops a mouthful of food and eats with more vigour.

"I'm still a little.." She raises her hand, as it shakes slightly. "We need to talk later Elsa. For now, could you both stop me making a fool of myself?"

[TristenC]

Artanis, Cal, Cross and Pyros: Toad's Toe
Troubling... most troubling... Yes, this reaction would only happen for one of the wolf-men... Artanis was it? You must be most wary if you cross paths with your friend again... Mist is quite common here, and it can be very easy to become disoriented... although... a far-away look of thoughtfulness comes over his heavily lined face. Tannis did mention a fog... The old man rousts himself from his reverie.

Too easy a puzzle, eh? Well, I should have figured you two for gamblers, he says to the small folk with a wink. Perhaps this one will exercise your mind more:

You have twelve coins. You know that one is fake. The only thing that distinguishes the fake coin from the real coins is that its weight is imperceptibly different. You have a perfectly balanced scale which only tells you which side weighs more than the other side.

What is the smallest number of times you must use the scale in order to always find the fake coin?

Elsa, Merrick, Mira and Yasir: Wayfarer's Rest
The halfling smirks at her joke, I heard some lovebirds by the bar just now, but let's call it a truce. she says with a laugh. Oh, I don't have any ver warm clothes though... I wasn't really expecting this kind of weather...

I'll fetch us some things from where I live. Mira, may I bring something for you as well? I have some coats that might fit and a cloak or two.

Thank you, Merrick! Elsa says happily. I'm glad we've made some friends here. And we'll watch after each other, won't we Mira. the halfling says to the bard with a reassuring look.


[Ooc: Wow, this week Nocturno? Timing is everything ]

[Nocturno]

Pyros will starting counting on his fingers."7?!?"

[spyguy1503]

Cal smirks. "3"

[Rivi]

OCC: sure any info on the planes i can keep in his back pocket as known would be handy

once cross has all the info he thinks he can get out of the book he hands it back and says "thank you that's an interesting read" then he puts a hand out for gar

[Jenara]

"Yes Merrick that would be lovely. Thank you Merrick." Mira gives is hand little squeeze. "And yes we'll look after each other. Its nice to know someone is..." She glances at the spot Yasir had occupied (shall we assume he's gone for a few minutes? His room or elsewhere?)

[TristenC]

Elsa, Merrick, Mira and Yasir: Wayfarer's Rest
If you three would like to wait here I can fetch them from where I'm staying and return. the half-elf offers.

Artanis, Cal, Cross and Pyros: Toad's Toe
Three it is, the old alchemist nods in affirmation, Care to share with your friend how you arrived at that number?

I'm glad you enjoyed it, young Elf. Rautant replies, placing the volume on the shelf behind him. As I said, you are welcome to read the journal as well, so long as it remains here. He sets Gar down, who immediately leaps to Cross' hand, soliciting a single raised eyebrow from the shopkeep. Most interesting...

[Ooc: it took Cross about 20 mins to skim the volume since much of it was familiar to him and the book wasn't terribly long]

[spyguy1503]

" Simple. Just number the coins 1 through 12. Weigh coins 1,2,3,4 against coins 5,6,7,8. If they balance, then weigh coins 9 and 10 against coins 11 and 8 (we know from the first weighing that 8 is a good coin). If the second weighing also balances, we know coin 12 (the only one not yet weighed) is the counterfeit. The third weighing indicates whether it is heavy or light. If (at the second weighing) coins 11 and 8 are heavier than coins 9 and 10, either 11 is heavy or 9 is light or 10 is light. Weigh 9 against 10. If they balance, 11 is heavy. If they don’t balance, you know that either 9 or 10 is light, so the top coin is the fake. If (at the second weighing) coins 11 and 8 are lighter than coins 9 and 10, either 11 is light or 9 is heavy or 10 is heavy. Weigh 9 against 10. If they balance, 11 is light. If they don’t balance, you know that either 9 or 10 is heavy, so the bottom coin is the fake. Now if (at first weighing) the side with coins 5,6,7,8 are heavier than the side with coins 1,2,3,4." He pauses to take a breath "This means that either 1,2,3,4 is light or 5,6,7,8 is heavy. Weigh 1,2, and 5 against 3,6, and 9. If (when we weigh 1,2, and 5 against 3,6 and 9) they balance, it means that either 7 or 8 is heavy or 4 is light. By weighing 7 and 8 we obtain the answer, because if they balance, then 4 has to be light. If 7 and 8 do not balance, then the heavier coin is the counterfeit. If (when we weigh 1,2, and 5 against 3,6 and 9) the right side is heavier, then either 6 is heavy or 1 is light or 2 is light. By weighing 1 against 2 the solution is obtained. If (when we weigh 1,2, and 5 against 3, 6 and 9) the right side is lighter, then either 3 is light or 5 is heavy. By weighing 3 against a good coin the solution is easily arrived at. If (at the first weighing) coins 1,2,3,4 are heavier than coins 5,6,7,8 then repeat the previous steps 1.2 through 1.2.3 but switch the numbers of coins 1,2,3,4 with 5,6,7,8." he finishes with a flourish. "Child's play, really."

[Nocturno]

Pyros will stop listening half way through. "Wow, that seems a little complex for this poor Kender. Anyone want a try at this?" he will pull out the puzzle from the Blacksmith.


[OoC: He will continue the puzzles until Cross is done reading, once he hears Cross is done with the book]

"Should we go see if the others are ready to go listen to the Masters?"

[Rivi]

coss sheaths gar and nods to pyros "yes after a long read im good for a walk and some music"