Hello, everyone. WaterDragonMaverick here again with a new chapter of "Your Turn To Roll", my Owl House Dungeons and Dragons fanfic. When we last left off, our heroes managed to sign up for the Mountain Bird Brawl, a tournament hosted by the Order of the Mountain Bird on Indahm Isle. When they managed to reach the inn, they learned that Percival Scalnoir, a bounty hunter who they previously fought entered the tournament himself for unknown reasons. Just what is Scalnoir planning if he's in the tournament? Is he still after Philomena? Is he recruiting new help? Or is he simply after the prizes of the tournament? In any case, the party needs to figure out what to do as they compete in the tournament qualifier preliminaries.
The Owl House is owned by Disney and was created by Dana Terrace
Dungeons and Dragons is published by Wizards of the Coast and was created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson
Heaven or Hell? Let's Rock!
After the players enjoyed their meal thanks to Eda, they returned to their game. "Okay, so we reached the island, we're level 5, and we're signed up for the tournament. But we also found out that an enemy we fought before showed up for the tournament too," King said to his mom, recapping the basics of what she needed to know.
"Got it. And you're now just getting ready for the tournament," Eda said, asking the teens about their game.
"Yup. After everyone's rested and gotten themselves ready for the tournament, we have the team gathered for a quick breakfast at the inn's tavern," Vee explained as she started to narrate again. "After you eat your meals, you hear the sound of somebody clearing their throat to get your attention."
"Is it Jachun," Hunter asked.
"It is. He gets your attention before speaking to everyone in the room," Vee confirmed before voicing Jachun. "Hello, everyone. I'm sure that you're all ready to participate in the Mountain Bird Brawl. I am Jachun, the Grand Roshi of the Order of the Mountain Bird. I'm here to explain the rules for the preliminaries. Everyone, please gather your belongings and meet me outside."
"I guess we do like he says," Gus remarked.
"As you get your stuff, you then head outside of the Turtle Shell Inn with about 100 others," Vee stated. "If you'd like, give me a Perception check to see who else is around," she told everyone.
Gathering their dice, the party rolled to see if they noticed anybody of importance. "I have a 7 for 14," Luz declared.
"11 total," Amity said.
"17 plus 1 is 18 for me," Hunter declared.
"I got an 18 too," Willow said.
"I have a 9," Gus told everyone.
"13 for me," King said.
"Philomena and Wrenn are able to see some people with magical items such as books or wands, Carmen sees a few pirates from rival crews during her time on the Strix, Caleb and Sariel notice Percival Scalnoir in the distance speaking with some people, and Reverence sees a Tiefling in studded leather armor talking with what looks like his own team that includes an actual bear," Vee says as she listed what everyone saw.
"Scalnoir's up to something," Hunter remarked.
"Yeah, it seems like he's recruiting," Willow agreed.
"I'm wondering about that Tiefling guy," King says.
"As you look around, Jachun taps a staff against his shell to get everyone's attention. Around him are several other monks in orange robes carrying boxes. When you look inside, you see they're full of jewels of different colors," Vee told everyone.
"Steal 'em, kids," Eda exclaimed with a huge grin on her face.
Vee and the others rolled their eyes at the suggestion before the DM continued by speaking in the Tortle's voice. "Your task for this trial is simple. You have until dusk to reach the temple at the mountain to the west. Whoever enters through the front gates before the sun sets will be able to participate in the tournament."
"Sounds easy enough," King said as Reverence.
"However, entry into the temple requires these jewels my students will be passing around to each of you," Vee said as Jachun. "As he says this, you see several of the monks walking close by, telling you to select one jewel out of the box while also giving groups a map of the island."
"Do we see anybody try and take more than one out," Amity asked.
"Everyone, roll me a Perception check if you'd be so kind," Vee requested.
"7 for 14. Again," Luz said.
"9 for 11," Amity said.
"I got a natural 1," Willow groaned.
"18 to make 19," Gus told everyone.
"11 for 12," Hunter said.
"Oh, that was nearly a nat 20. I got an 8," King said.
Vee then rolled her own dice to get the results for the scene. "As you look around, you all watch as a Tiefling wearing studded leather armor attempts to swipe a handful of jewels instead of one. The monk easily sees this and with a simple jab to his neck, the martial artist makes the tiefling drop the gems," Vee said after looking at the results of her dice.
"Guess that guy's no Rogue," Luz remarked.
"As for Willow, maybe she ended up seeing another elven pretty boy and got distracted like I did," Amity joked, making everyone laugh.
"Jachun continues to explain the rules after everyone has been given a jewel," Vee said before voicing the Tortle. "You'll find more of these jewels throughout the journey up to the mountain temple. They can be obtained by locating them in chests we placed around the areas toward the temple, worn by creatures native to this island, and even by getting them from your fellow competitors. You'll be able to enter the gates of the temple by gathering all seven and presenting them where the dismal may turn vibrant."
"This sounds interesting," Eda remarked.
"However, you're not allowed to kill each other to gain the jewels. This is a contest of skill, strength, and honor. If my students or any of the elders discover somebody has been killed by a competitor, you will be swiftly punished," Vee warned in Jachun's voice.
"At least we'll have a chance if nobody's allowed to kill," Hunter stated.
"I just hope we can find what we need," Luz said.
"After hearing the instructions, the tiefling who failed to sneak out some extra jewels starts to cackle like a supervillain as he spreads his wings out like he was flourishing a cape," Vee said before going with a new voice. "AHAHAHAHA! You fools won't be able to defeat me and my minions if you can't kill us! I, Valafar Orphic, shall defeat all of you. We shall claim victory over all of you and take the coolest treasures for ourselves! TREMBLE BEFORE ME!"
Everyone at the table blinked as they heard what Vee did for the new character. "I like this guy," King exclaimed with a smile and starry eyes.
"After he says this, an elven girl with a bear by her side sighs," Vee said before voicing the other character. "He's always saying stuff like this when he's heated up. Let's just get the tournament started," she said in a voice that sounded like she was tired of the world.
"I think this girl's been working retail since she was 10 with that voice," Willow remarked.
"Maybe. In any case, let's do what she said and get ready," Amity declared.
"Jachun then speaks up once again," Vee said before doing the monk's voice. "You may compete as a team or by yourself. Just be aware of what jewels you possess. The preliminaries begin within 5 minutes. Take this time to figure out your strategy, then head for where you believe you can best approach Mount Sajinya. Be warned that dangerous beasts live around the plains and forest near the mountain itself."
"After he says this, I say we take a look at what jewels we have," Gus said.
"Everyone, roll a d8 and let me see the results," Vee told the group. With everyone taking their dice and rolling in front of Vee, the party waited to see what the intention behind the results meant. "3, 2, 6, 1, 4, and 6. Okay, that means the jewels you have are as follows. Carmen has a yellow topaz, Philomena has a green emerald, Wrenn has an orange carnelian, Reverence has a blood-red ruby, and Sariel and Caleb share a pair of pink diamonds," Vee told them.
Immediately when Hunter and Willow were told their characters had matching diamonds, Luz hummed the Bridal Chorus with Amity and Gus to tease their friends. Eda and King began to laugh themselves to the floor while Hunter and Willow blushed like mad until Hunter threw a d20 at Luz's forehead, ironically resulting in a natural 1 when it landed back next to him. "Okay, we'll stop," Luz said as she rubbed her forehead.
"Moving on from teasing Hunter and Willow, you all see that others are checking their jewels as well, strategizing where to go, and what to do so they can gather the rest of what they need," Vee told everyone. "What do you do?"
"I'd say that we'd all talk it over for the time we're given," Amity said. "We need seven jewels to open the gate, right? Does that mean we need to get one more jewel somehow?"
"But what about the others in the tournament? What sort of jewels do they have," Hunter questioned.
"And are these real enough to keep if we decide to grab spares," King wondered out loud.
"Roll me an Investigation check if any of you want," Vee told them.
Picking up their d20s, Luz and King rolled to inspect the gems alongside Gus. "I have another 7, but that makes it 11 this time," Luz said.
"I have a 3 to make 6," King grumbled.
"I have 17 for a 25," Gus told everyone.
"While Carmen and Reverence try to look at their gems, Wrenn can see that these gems aren't worth much. They're only worth about 50 gold each," Vee explains.
"Maybe you could sneak some spares out when you get the chance," Eda suggested.
"If they're not worth the highest, then that might be a way to determine if anybody sneaks in their own and claims they found them," Gus theorized. "But do I notice anything else?"
"With your roll, you see a faint image in your jewel of a bird surrounded by seven stars. You're able to tell that it was placed in there with magic," Vee states.
"Interesting. If that's the case, maybe the other jewels have their own image in them," Amity theorized.
"Looking at the other jewels you were given, you see the same bird emblem within them," Vee stated.
"I say that we search for some of the ones he said were hidden around," Luz stated.
"But what if we just take some off the other guys? We'd have less competition later on," King added.
"Good points from you two," Willow said. "I say we at least figure out our path to the mountain, then handle the jewels however we can."
"With a minute left before the task begins, I'd like everyone to make one more Perception check," Vee told the group.
Rolling their dice, everyone checked to see what happened. "I have a 5. That makes it 12," Luz said.
"4 to make 6," Amity said.
"Natural 19," Willow told the table with a smile.
"16 total," Gus said.
"17 total," Hunter added.
"I got a 3," King groaned.
After hearing the results and checking her own roll for something, Vee smiled as she looked at everyone. "You see that several other participants are going about their business, but Sariel notices one of the members of the winged Tiefling's group is walking away from Caleb. They're a short goblin-like girl, but you get the feeling this might not be their true appearance."
"If there's time, then I'd confront them," Willow said.
"You attempt to do so, but Jachun speaks up once again," Vee told the group before voicing the Tortle elder. "Everyone, prepare yourselves. The challenge to reach the temple begins in 10 seconds."
Willow groaned as she couldn't get to figure out what the other contestant was doing. "I'll make sure to join my friends," Willow said as she narrated Sariel's action.
"We'll all get ready," Luz said.
"I'll be sure to have the map on my person," Amity added.
"Good idea," Gus agreed.
"One of the monks raises their hand to the sky and listens for Jachun's count to finish," Vee said before voicing Jachun again. "3… 2… 1… Begin the trial," she said in an elderly voice. "At that declaration of the preliminaries starting, the monk fires a sort of energy blast from their hand and signals the start of the contest. Immediately, the competitors rush off in different directions outside of town, ready to search for the jewels they need. Where do you all go according to the map," Vee described before asking the party of their choice as she showed them all a map of the island she made.
Looking over the handmade map of the area, the players hummed in thought before Hunter spoke up first. "Okay, so in order to reach Mount Sajinya, we'll need to go through the Forest of Eternal Bloom. And to reach that, we have several options. There's a river that comes from there and heads to another side of the island, a number of hills, and a large grassland area," he said.
"I think we should try the grassland. What's it called," Gus asked.
Amity took a look at the map before she decided to respond as Philomena. "I think out of the possible routes, Pellucidar Plains would be the shortest," she said.
"If that's the case, wouldn't it also be the most dangerous? I don't like the name of that," Luz said as Carmen. "What does Pellucidar even mean?"
"Anybody speak Dwarvish," Vee asked.
"Oh, I have Sariel knowing it because of the people she grew up with," Willow exclaimed.
"The word 'Pellucidar' in this world is Dwarvish for 'scaled beast'. Thinking it over with the encounter you had before coming to port, you realize what this means," Vee explained.
"Sariel will explain it to the others as we head in that direction," Willow said before speaking as her druid. "It means we'll be seeing dinosaurs. I vote we head in that direction. Not only will others probably avoid it, but we can probably find the jewels we need somewhere there as well."
"I like that idea," King exclaimed as Reverence. "I vote dinosaur land!"
"I could keep us from getting eaten with illusions," Gus said as Wrenn.
"Then it looks like we're heading for Pellucidar Plains," Luz said as Carmen.
"Tell me what pace you're traveling at," Vee requested.
"I think it's obvious we'd want to go at a fast pace. We have until dusk, but we at least want to reach the area we want as soon as we can," Hunter said.
"Plus, we can fight off anybody or anything we come across," King added.
"Or scare them away," Gus added as well.
"Good to know," Vee said before checking her notes and fiddling with her dice. "Going at a fast pace, you spend an hour rushing toward your destination and soon reach Pellucidar Plains. The vast open landscape lets you get a good view of the terrain, so I'd like everyone to roll me a Perception check."
Everyone began to roll their dice, but King was the first to speak up. "Ugh, a 3. I guess the sun's in my eyes."
"6 to make 7 total," Gus said.
"17 total," Hunter said, happy with his roll.
"18 total," Amity chirped with a grin.
"Nearly a natural 20, but that's a 14 to make 22," Willow smiled.
"I have a 19 to make 26," Luz cheered.
Nodding as she heard the results, Vee narrated what they saw. "As the sun shines over the grasslands, the light gets in Rev's eyes and he can't see much until his eyes adjust. As for Wrenn, the gnome doesn't see much due to his short stature and the grass blowing in his view. As for Caleb and Philomena, you take note of some large creatures in the distance and see a few different types of dinosaurs. Ankylosaurs, a tyrannosaurus, allosauruses, a triceratops, and even some pteranodons flying overhead."
"Cool," King exclaimed.
"Sariel is able to see all of these creatures as well as a bit of light getting in her eye until she sees it's coming from a jewel. She sees it inside the nest of triceratops, which is guarding its eggs," Vee states.
"Can I see what color it is," Willow asked.
"No, but Carmen does thanks to her spyglass and high roll. You see it's a vibrant blue sapphire and one of the jewels you don't have on you," Vee told the others. "However, because of Carmen's high roll, she also manages to get a glance at somebody ducking behind a pillar nearby which is part of a circle of standing stones. When you notice the grass blowing the wind, the grass inside of the circle doesn't seem to be blowing."
"Is that important? Because that sounds like a druid thing to me," Luz asked.
"You don't know for certain, but you at least know somebody's in that stone circle and likely checking on you," Vee states. "With the triceratops nest nearby, what do you all do to try and get the jewel," she asked.
"Should we fight it? I could use one of my Smites to scare it into avoiding me," Hunter suggested.
"Oh, that reminds me, Hunter. I think you used Thunderous Smite wrong back in the graveyard fight," Amity said.
"What do you mean," Hunter asked.
"It says the first time you attack, it adds the damage, but you used it on each attack you made since," Amity explained.
"Isn't it a concentration spell? Then that means it would stay active," Hunter replied.
"But that would make it really overpowered for an early Smite," Amity continued.
"It's probably the strange wording that makes it confusing," Luz said.
"Yeah, it should at least say the damage boost ends after hitting the foe," Gus said. "Then the concentration is just for any added effects that can happen."
"They need to state that in the rules," Hunter said, frustrated with the wording of Smite spells.
"I agree. Either it needs to say it clearly or it can be abused maliciously," Eda said. "Like not saying how many free samples you can get at the supermarket or getting refunds for busted items. That's why my shop has that listed clear as day."
"Didn't you only add that after King ended up dropping those snap-together models by accident," Luz asked.
"The point still stands," Eda said, ending the conversation.
"First, I say that the damage boost for the Smite concentration stays until a successful hit instead of 'first' or 'next', but addition effects can happen as long as the concentration is still up of the spell effect says it ends after something specific," Vee said. "Second, back to the game. What's everyone else's ideas for getting the jewel besides Caleb using a Smite?"
"I could turn somebody invisible and they can go get it," Gus suggested.
"I could grab it with that or my Cloak of Elvenkind," King said.
"I could try putting it to sleep," Amity voiced.
"How about I use something to distract the triceratops or I turn into an animal to grab it myself," Willow said as a suggestion.
"I say go in without fighting," Luz said. "Let's roll a d6 and whoever's highest, we go with their idea. Agreed?"
Everyone nodded before they rolled their dice to see which plan they started with. Every player selected a different color for their six-sided die, then rolled it in the center of the table for Vee to keep track. "Okay… Willow, Hunter, and Amity all got 3, Gus is a 4, and King and Luz got 5. You two want to roll again to see who gets to choose what plan," Vee said as she tallied up the results.
"Nah, I'll let King have his fun," Luz said.
"Sweet! I'll go over and use my Cloak to give me a Stealth advantage, then grab the jewel," King declared before rolling his d20. "That's an 8 on the first one and a 2 on the second. That makes my total 14."
Checking her notes, Vee nodded before narrating the scene. "With your cloak helping you blend in with the tall grass around the nest, you manage to sneak your way around the triceratops and get to the nest where you see a few eggs and the sapphire."
"I'll take that jewel and get back to the others," King declared.
"Roll me Stealth with advantage," Vee requested.
"That's a 5 and a 4," King said as he grimaced. "That makes my exit total 11," he told Vee.
Rolling her own die, Vee looked at the result before turning to King. "As you try to leave the nest with the sapphire in your hand, you hear an angry snort behind you. The triceratops got a 15 on Perception, so it manages to see you leaving its nest and believes you to be a threat to its unhatched children."
"I bolt for it and immediately warn the others," King said before voicing Reverence. "BIG LIZARD WANTS TO SKEWER ME!"
"Ow, my ears," Hunter exclaimed as King shouted at the top of his lungs when voicing his character.
"I'll get ready to keep that thing from harming our friend," Luz says.
"Same here," everyone agreed.
"Roll for initiative, everyone," Vee said.
At the Dungeon Master's instruction, the players rolled their dice to see what order they'd be dealing with the triceratops. "3 for an 11," King said.
"4 to make 8," Gus told everyone.
"Natural 20," Willow declared.
"9 for 12," Amity declared.
"I got a 19," Hunter said with a smile.
"And I have a 4 to make 11," Luz said. "I'm acting at the same time as King."
"And for the triceratops, it gets 15 total," Vee said. "Willow, Sariel's up first."
"I'll see if I can end this immediately with one spell. I'll get within 30 feet of it to cast Animal Friendship and convince the triceratops we mean no harm," Willow declared. "My spell save DC is 16."
"Good to know," Vee said before rolling her d20. "That's a 3, so you succeed. The Triceratops is charging at Reverance, so what do you say to it?"
"We didn't mean harm to your nest. We only wished to remove something we saw might attract predators to your family," Willow declared in Sariel's voice.
"The dinosaur hears your words and immediately understands. It then turns around and goes back to protecting its nest, letting you pass by without issue," Vee said.
"Wow! Easiest battle ever," Gus said with a giant grin.
"Guess the initiative was just in case that move failed," Luz remarked.
"In any case, I think we have enough jewels. Let's get out of the way as fast as we can and check again," Amity said. "We still don't know if the jewels we already have are enough if each is different."
"As you head to another area of Pellucidar Plains, you spend an hour getting to the edge of the grassland. As you do, you can see a few other contestants in other areas either fighting the creatures that call this place home or looking for the jewels they need," Vee said. "As you reach a river, you stop to catch your breath and check your inventory."
"Good. We can also get some water if we need it," Hunter said. But after he said this, Vee gave her brother a look that made him suspicious. "Is the water dangerous?"
Vee kept smirking before she spoke up. "Caleb soon reaches into his coin purse to find the jewel he received at the start of the preliminary round, but to his surprise, it's missing."
"Wait, what," Hunter exclaimed as the others were surprised.
"How does Caleb react to this," Vee asked.
Thinking it over, Hunter then spoke as his Paladin. "Huh? Where is it? Where's my jewel the monks gave me!?"
"Did you lose it," Gus asked as Wrenn.
"We were rushing. Maybe it fell as we were running," Luz said in Carmen's voice.
"Or somebody stole it. That Valefar guy had a goblin with him that seemed to be walking away from Caleb. They must have swiped your jewel from you," Willow said as Sariel.
"This isn't good. We'll need to look around for a new one," Amity said as Philomena.
"As you're all wondering what to do, you soon hear the sound of splashing getting faster and louder as something is coming your way," Vee told them. "You turn to see the monk you saw with Jachun the previous day, Kondai. The Aasimar seems to be running through the water as fast as he can, but doesn't seem satisfied with his speed despite going much faster than anybody you've seen before. When the orange-clad angel man leaps out of the water, he soon lands next to you and shows a determined expression," she said before speaking as Kondai. "Still not fast enough to run on water. I've gotta step up my training and this tournament's the best way to do it."
"If he's talking to himself, I'll speak up," Hunter said. "Hey, isn't it illegal to steal the jewels from another participant?"
"He turns around to look at you all before answering," Vee replied. "Hmm, no. It's only illegal to hurt them in this preliminary round. You can get the jewels if you're quick enough to do so without a fight," she said in Kondai's voice. "He then reveals his own collection of four jewels to show his point. He currently has an orange gem, a ruby, an emerald, and a topaz," Vee added before speaking as the NPC again. "I managed to get three of my own without hurting the others. Can't say the same for dinosaurs, though. On the bright side, their meat is delicious! I've done this tournament before, so I know."
"I think we'd all give him strange looks when he said he ate dinosaur meat," Amity says.
"I bet some could taste good," King remarked.
"Give me Korean barbecue any day," Willow retorted.
"Oh, I could kill for some good beef from that new place in town," Eda said, getting hungry for barbecue.
"Same," the teenagers all said as Willow was the one to introduce them to the BBQ restaurant.
"In any case, I think I know what to ask Kondai next," Luz said before voicing Carmen. "Hey, if you've done this tournament, can you tell us if we needed a spare of a color we already have?"
"No, it's different every year, but Master Jachun always prefers to have the challenge focus on a person's unique and individual skills. The requirements to enter are the same way. A spare won't do," Vee said as Kondai.
"Then that means we needed another different one from the start. We need that second new jewel," King said as Reverence.
"Since you were kind enough to tell us that information, may we offer a trade of knowledge? We know the location of a sapphire you could get for your own entry," Amity said as Philomena. "In exchange, all we ask is to know if there are any other gems nearby."
"Give me a Persuasion check, Amity," Vee asked.
Rolling her d20, Amity counted up her total. "I got 11."
"Kondai thinks it over for a second before giving you a big innocent grin," Vee said. "Thanks! You're a good sport if you'd do that. I remember one of the monks being tasked with hiding a few amethysts in the Forest of Eternal Bloom. If you can find them in there, you'll be able to reach the temple in time and join the main tournament. I was saving it for last, so I don't mind telling you guys now," she said as Kondai.
"Thank you very much," Amity said in Philomena's voice. "We found our sapphire in the nest of a triceratops, but it's guarding its eggs in there. Be careful."
"Nothing I can't handle. Thanks again," Vee said as Kondai. "And with that, he goes off in the direction you guys came from in hopes of getting his next jewel."
"That was lucky for us," Luz said.
"To be fair, I was giving a low enough DC since Kondai's a kind and trusting guy," Vee said.
"Good to know. But he still eats like a pig," Gus remarked.
"In any case, I think we'd follow the map and the river to reach the Forest of Eternal Bloom," Hunter said.
"Very well," Vee said before returning to her narration. "As you follow the map, it takes you another 15 minutes on foot to reach the Forest of Eternal Bloom. When you get there, you immediately see how it got its name as hundreds of trees have blossoms instead of leaves. Pinks, whites, and all sorts of colors of flowers decorate the branches you pass under."
"Much prettier than our other time in a forest for something important," Gus remarked.
"Sariel's loving everything she's seeing," Willow added.
"Everyone, I'd like you to roll a Perception check. But first, are you going through the forest at a swift pace or more of a stealthy one," Vee requested.
"I'd say we'd be going at a regular pace," Luz said. "Since we're in here and close to the mountain, no need to try and hide from the other contestants."
"Good to know. With this, you won't take any penalties in your Perception checks," Vee told the others. "Now go ahead and roll them."
Listening to Vee, the players began to roll their dice to see if they could find any signs of their next and final jewel. "I have a 19 to make 21," Amity exclaimed.
"14 total," Hunter said.
"9 for a 10," Gus said.
"I got a 5," King groaned.
"22," Willow smiled.
"Natural 20," Luz exclaimed, earning cheers from the table.
"Just like before, Carmen's scouting abilities allow her to spot the next jewel within minutes of searching," Vee narrated. "As you explore the forest, Carmen uses her spyglass to peek further ahead and soon finds a glittering purple amethyst around the neck of a creature. You see that it resembles a large black-furred jungle cat with six legs and a pair of tentacles coming out of its shoulders."
"Would I know what that is," Luz asked.
"Roll me a Nature or Survival check," Vee told her sister.
Taking her d20, Luz rolled to see if she got anything. "I got a 6 for 7 on either skill. I doubt that's enough, so I'll make sure to tell the others what I see."
"If that's the case, can I try with advantage," Willow asked.
"Sure, go ahead," Vee allowed.
Rolling her own twenty-sided die, Willow checked to see if her druid knew what the party had to deal with. "I have a 5 on the first roll and a 9 on the second. Plus 8 from my Wisdom and Survival skill, I've got a 17."
"After hearing Luz's description and looking through the telescope yourself, you know the two creatures with the collars are Displacer Beasts," Vee informed Willow.
"I'd be sure to tell the others what I know of them," Willow said.
"After you do so, what do all of you plan to do," Vee asked, allowing the others to brainstorm.
"Okay, let's think this over a little. Displacer Beasts are ambush predators that don't only kill for food, but sport as well. And since they can make it seem like they aren't actually where they appear to be, we'll be in for a tricky fight to get at least one of those collars," Willow said as Sariel.
"Perhaps if we use some magic and stealth? I'll turn Rev invisible so he'll have an advantage getting the collar's jewel," Gus voiced as Wrenn.
"Considering my close call with that triceratops, maybe. What else can we do," King said in Reverence's voice.
"How about we try using one of the magic items we have," Luz suggested as Carmen.
While the players talked, Vee rolled a pair of d20s and checked the results. "As you debate what sort of plan to do, the Displacer Beasts you see begin to stalk towards you," Vee stated.
"Maybe we should have done a group Stealth check instead of talking in the middle of the woods," Amity remarked.
"Live and learn," Hunter said in agreement.
"Everyone, roll for initiative," Vee told the group.
With everyone rolling their dice, they began to figure out the turn order for combat. "I got a 16. That makes my initiative 24," King declared, happy with his roll.
"I got a natural 1 this time. My number is 8 total," Luz said with a groan.
"13 for 14," Willow said.
"Modified 20," Gus told everyone.
"I got 11 total," Amity said.
"I have a 7," Hunter said.
"As for the Displacer Beasts, both ended up getting 17 total," Vee declared. "King, Reverence is up first."
"Okay, I'll start by hiding and going with a Sneak Attack with my hand crossbow," King declared before rolling his d20 a few times. "Okay, Stealth check with advantage is 5 and 1… I don't think I hide well enough. So I'll attack and get I got… a 4. Even with my bonuses, I don't think I do well here."
"As Reverence sees the Displacer Beasts approaching, he panics and fails to hide well. When he attempts to fire a bolt, he misses and the projectile ends up in a tree trunk," Vee narrated. "Gus, it's Wrenn's turn."
"Okay, with these things coming after us, I think I'll try and deal with them with a spell I prepared for the day," Gus declared as he looked through the cards he had for his magic choices. "I'll use Tasha's Mind Whip at 3rd-level to affect both."
"Okay, let me roll the Intelligence saving throws," Vee said as she picked up her d20s. "8 total on the first and the second got a natural 20," she told Gus. "Roll for the damage as one takes the full effect of your mental spell and the other manages to resist it. And thanks to their Avoidance, the half damage is negated and the full damage is halved."
"Dang, no wonder these things are dangerous if they can avoid full damage from magic," King remarked.
"I deal 9 psychic damage, but that might be reduced to 5," Gus says after rolling his dice.
"You'd be right. After unleashing psychic energy, the first Displacer Beast feels the blast harm it despite being able to avoid the full damage. Meanwhile, the second avoids the spell altogether," Vee narrated. "While the first Displacer Beast moves toward Reverence, the second stalks toward Wrenn and will attack twice with its tentacles. The first attack is 19 total and the second is 11 total," she told the boy.
"The first hits, but the second misses," Gus informed.
"The Displacer Beast strikes with the first tentacle and the spikes on the end of it dig into your shoulder, but you pull back and avoid the second strike. You end up taking 5 bludgeoning damage and 5 piercing damage," she tells everyone. "Sariel's turn, Willow."
"Since we're dealing with monster cats, I'll turn myself into a Dire Wolf with flowers decorating my back, then move to get within 5 feet of Wrenn and attack," Willow declared.
"Okay. Normally, the Displacer Beast imposes disadvantage on anybody trying to fight it, but since you have Pack Tactics, it gives you advantage and the two cancel each other out," Vee explained. "Go ahead and roll a regular attack on the second Displacer Beast for me."
Doing as Vee instructed, Willow rolled her green d20. "I got a 21 total," she said.
"That hits. Roll me the 2d6 of damage while I roll for the Strength saving throw," Vee said as she picked up her dice.
Rolling the six-sided dice, Willow went to see what she was able to do to her opponent. "I got two 4s. That's 11 points of piercing damage," she declared.
"And the second Displacer Beast ends up prone on the ground as you bite into it and throw it to the forest floor, scattering fallen petals into the air," Vee narrated. "Amity, it's your turn."
"Okay, Philomena will start by activating her Bladesong, helping her out in battle," Amity declared. "After that, I'll try out a new spell. I'll cast Haste on Carmen to give her doubled speed, an AC boost of 2, and she can make an extra action with some limits," she said.
"Cool! I'm the fastest pirate ever," Luz cheered before kissing Amity on the lips to thank her.
"Hehehehe, it's no trouble. I just wanted to test the spell out," Amity said as her face was as red as a tomato.
"With an elegant dance with her sword twirling around her and a point of it like a magic wand as her crystal pendant glowed, Philomena sends a wave of energy into Carmen and the world around her seems to slow down," Vee narrated. "Your mind and body feel much faster, so while the spell lasts, you are now hasted. And just in time too because it's Carmen's turn."
Rubbing her hands together, Luz figured out her next move. "Okay, I'll use my boosted speed to run over to that downed Displacer Beast without anybody else around me and strike at it with my cutlass for a Sneak Attack," she declared.
"Roll me a regular attack," Vee requested.
"That's a 14 on my die to make 21 total," Luz declared.
"That'll hit. Roll me your 3d6," Vee replied.
Taking the dice she needed, Luz rolled to see if her Sneak Attack did big damage on the second Displacer Beast. "I got two 1s and a 3. That's 9 total slashing damage. Wait, make that 11 thanks to Dueling," Luz said. "But thanks to my awesome girlfriend, I have Haste on me and I'll make one more attack to try and get another slash in," she added before rolling her d20 again. "My second attack is a 12 for 19."
"That hits, Luz. Roll the damage," Vee said.
"I got a 3 to make it 9 more slashing damage on that second Displacer Beast," Luz declared.
"With your increased speed, you run up to the Displacer Beast that Sariel threw to the ground. With two well-aimed slashes, you managed to cut into the monster's body to deal a grand total of 16 damage it couldn't avoid," Vee narrated. "Hunter, it's time for Caleb to make his move."
"Okay, I'll try and focus on dealing with that downed Displacer Beast like the others," Hunter said, thinking it would be smarter to gang up on the dangerous creature the team had on the floor. "I'll swing my sword twice with two hands," he added before rolling his d20. "That's 2 for 8 total on the first attack attempt and my second attack is a 15 for 21."
"The Displacer Beast's tentacle deflects the first swing of your sword, but you manage to hit it on the second attack," Vee said.
"If that's the only one that hits, I'll expend a 2nd-level spell slot to increase the damage with a Divine Smite," Hunter told everyone. "That's going to be a d10 and 3d8."
"Let's see what the blondie gets," Eda smirked as she watched Hunter gather the dice and roll them all.
"Okay, I got a 6 to make 9 slashing damage and the radiant damage is 8 total. That deals 17 damage together," Hunter said after counting up everything.
"With a powerful swing enhanced by divine energy, you carve into the Displacer Beast and injure it further. It lets out a pained roar as the radiant energy surges through its body," Vee narrated. "By the way, you could have done the attacks with advantage because Sariel and Carmen hit it before," she added, making Hunter facepalm. "Top of the round, we'll go back to King. What does Reverence do this time?"
"I'll try hiding again, then attack that one that's still standing," King declared before rolling his dice.
"Just so you know, you were meant to roll with disadvantage before. The bad rolls must have made it slip my mind earlier," Vee mentioned.
King nodded before checking to see if he was able to hide better. "Okay, my first Stealth roll is an 18 for 24. My second is 3 to make 9," King stated. "If I'm hiding, then I get a regular attack rather than a disadvantage?"
"Yup. Go ahead and roll me an attack," Vee replied.
Rolling his red d20, King made his attack and chuckled as he saw the result. "19 for 25 total! I know that'll hit since Luz was able to get it with lower numbers," he exclaimed before picking up the d6s he needed. "Okay, time for my Sneak Attack."
"Actually, the Sneak Attack that way would only happen if we were near it. We aren't yet," Hunter said, checking the rules.
"Dang it. Guess it's just a regular attack then," King said before rolling his d6. "2 for a total of 5 piercing damage."
"Successfully hiding behind a tree, Reverence aims with his crossbow and lands a bolt into the Displacer Beast's neck, hitting the collar slightly. As you fired, you also saw what seemed to be a second Displacer Beast in front of the first you aimed at," Vee said.
"What? Does that mean these things can make holograms," King questioned.
"They're called Displacer Beasts because they can displace light to hide where they actually are in battle," Amity informed. "Player knowledge, not character."
"My turn," Gus said. "I'll move back as far as I can, then aim with a Fire Bolt at the Displacer Beast that took a bolt to the neck."
"Since the Displacement ability was disrupted thanks to that hit, go ahead and roll normally," Vee told Gus.
"I got an 8 for 16," Gus said.
"That hits," Vee confirmed.
"Okay, at Level 5, cantrips get boosted. Let's roll my 2d10 and see if I can get over 10 damage," Gus said as he shook his dice. "Score! That's 13 points of fire damage as I send a mote of flame into the Displacer Beast's tentacle."
"Good to know. Especially since the Displacer Beasts go together again," Vee said with a grin.
"Uh-oh," everyone muttered as they realized any of them would be the next target of the monstrous cats.
"The first one will stalk toward Wrenn, but it doesn't make it close enough to do anything. The second one will pick itself up and strike," Vee said before rolling a d4 twice to see who was hit. "The second Displacer Beast will strike at Sariel and Caleb. The first one is at Caleb with a 3 for 9, so that misses. As for the second tentacle attack, that's a 15 for 21 on Sariel. Her dire wolf form takes 5 bludgeoning damage and 3 piercing damage."
"Guess it's time I pay it back for that by biting at it," Willow declared as she knew it was her turn next. "With my Pack Tactics, I'll turn this into a regular attack. I managed to get 15 total."
"That hits. Roll me damage while I see if you throw it to the ground again," Vee said as she rolled her d20. "With a 17 on the die, that means the Displacer Beast pushes you back before you can throw it to the floor again," she told Willow.
"But even with that, it still takes 8 piercing damage," Willow retorted.
"Amity, it's Philomena's turn," Vee said.
"Since I spent the last turn giving Carmen that Haste boost, I'll take the time to go in for an attack myself," Amity declared before rolling her die. "That's a 19 on my die, so no need to add anything. I know that hits. With my +1 rapier, I manage to deal 9 total piercing damage to it," she said.
"With a precise thrust of your sword, you stab into the Displacer Beast's tentacle and injure it more," Vee said. "Luz, time for Carmen to fight again."
"Sweet! I'll get another Sneak Attack in thanks to my position. And since I'm flanking it, I'll have advantage just in case," Luz said.
"You'd be right," Vee acknowledged.
Rolling her dice, Luz went to see what she got. "A 9 for 16 total on the first. But the second is a 12 for 18. I know that will hit, so let's see if this first attack does big damage," she said before rolling her six-sided dice. "That's a 3, 5, and 3. Add in an extra 6… 17 total slashing damage for this one. Let's see if I can get another good strike in with my Haste attack," Luz said before rolling her d20 again. "4 to make 11 on the first and 3 on the second for 10."
"After you deal a devastating slash to the Displacer Beast that manages to cut into its back, it gets wise to your next attack and blocks the second slash with its tentacle," Vee narrated. "Caleb's turn, Hunter."
"I'll attack the Displacer Beast that hit me with my sword," Hunter declared.
"Roll with advantage because you have it flanked," Vee said.
"First roll is a 3 and the second is an 18 on my die," Hunter said. "That makes it 24 to hit. As for the damage, this first attack is one-handed and I'll aim for the neck," he declared before rolling a d8. "3 for 6 slashing damage."
"How do you want to do this," Vee asked, confirming the death of the weakened Displacer Beast as the table cheered.
"I'll slash the head clean off and catch the collar on my sword so we have the jewel," Hunter decided.
"With a swing of your sword, you cleave the Displacer Beast's head from its neck, catching the collar on your blade and letting it fall down your weapon and onto your arm," Vee narrated. "Top of the round, it's King's turn again."
"Since it was hit before, I'll try and get another hidden Sneak Attack on that Displacer Beast I fought since it went after Wrenn and couldn't hit him yet," King declared. "First roll on my attack with advantage is 8 for 14. The second is 2 for 8."
"That 14 will hit," Vee confirmed. "Roll for Sneak Attack."
"Sweet! With my crossbow, that'll be 4d6 total," King said before everyone handed their six-sided dice to him for what he needed. "Oh, those are good! I got a 5, a 3, a 4, and a 6. Together, that's 21 piercing damage."
"With a well-aimed shot, you fire your crossbow into the back of the Displacer Beast and hit it where the tentacle comes out from its body, injuring it as if somebody punched you in the armpit," Vee described.
"Ouch, that's gotta hurt," Luz said as everyone got their dice back.
"I'll hide as a bonus action," King declared as he rolled his d20. "12 for the first for 18 and 7 for 13 on the second. Looks like I'm hiding behind the tree again with that first one," he said.
"My turn," Gus said. "I'll cast Scorching Ray to try and hit it a couple of times," he told everyone before rolling his dice. "Ugh, the first is a natural 1. The second is 21 total and the third is 16 total."
Hearing that the first attack with the spell was a critical failure, Vee rolled some dice to see what the drawback would be. "As you try to blast the Displacer Beast with the first ray, it backfires and you end up taking the damage you would have inflicted on a hit with it," Vee told Gus, making the players cringe.
"Oof, that'll hurt," Luz said.
"Yeah, but it's fair," Gus said before rolling his two six-sided dice. "Okay, the first ray that explodes in my face deals me… only 3 fire damage, so that's good." He then picked the dice up again and rolled to see what damage the Displacer Beast took. "The monster now takes… 5 fire damage from the second ray and 8 from the third. After that, I'll Misty Step closer to Caleb and make sure I'm behind him."
"After the first ray backfired and literally blew up in your face, you focus and launch the other two with better aim. The rays hit the Displacer Beast in one of its tentacles and in the chest," Vee narrated. "As for the Displacer Beast's turn, it'll run toward the group that killed its companion and attack," she said.
"Let's see who gets hit this time," Eda said as she watched Vee roll a die to see who was attacked.
"The Displacer Beast will attack Carmen and Caleb," Vee declared before rolling for attacks. "Natural 1 on Carmen and a 2 on Caleb for 8. Neither is hitting, but let's see how bad of a failure that natural 1 makes," she said before rolling her d100. "Oh wow, that's a 3."
"Ooo, is this going to be like when that fish baron guy stabbed himself in the foot," King asked.
"Yup. Thanks to its anger clouding its judgement, I'll have it end up hitting its own tentacle, injuring it as it messed up so bad," Vee said before rolling her dice. "That's going to be… 7 bludgeoning and 6 piercing damage. 13 points total. It's looking pretty hurt now," she stated. "Willow, you're up."
"I'll make another attack as a Dire Wolf to try and get it to the ground," Willow declared.
"This will actually be at a disadvantage because it attacked you from 10 feet away instead of 5," Vee stated. "So your Pack Tactics won't work this turn."
"Dang it," Willow muttered before rolling her d20 twice. "Okay, that's an 8 for 13 and a 13 for 18."
"That attack just manages to hit," Vee said, getting the table to cheer as everyone was glad Willow managed to hit the Displacer Beast.
"I deal 9 piercing damage to it," Willow said after rolling her dice. "Now you have to roll to see if it becomes prone."
"The Displacer Beast just fails the Strength save, so you manage to throw it to the floor once again after digging your fangs into it," Vee said. "Philomena's up."
"I'll rush up and strike it with my rapier," Amity declared before rolling her d20 with advantage thanks to the monster being prone. "16 for 23 on the first. The second is 12 for 19. Either hits, so it's time to roll damage," she declared before rolling her d8. "2 on the die, plus 1 for the weapon, 2 for Dueling, and my Dexterity score makes it 8 damage."
"How do you want to do this," Vee asked, confirming the defeat of the Displacer Beast.
As the table cheered, Amity snapped her fingers as she knew what to do. "With the grace of a ballerina or figure skater, I'll jump in the air with a spin and thrust my rapier into the Displacer Beast's tentacles to rip them off as I land."
"With beauty and grace, Philomena manages to pierce into the monster's tentacles with a leaping twirl. When she lands on the ground, the tentacles are severed off the Displacer Beast and it begins to bleed out," Vee described.
"If Carmen is still under Haste, she'll use the speed to steal a quick kiss on the cheek from Philomena," Luz says before voicing her character. "A beautiful move, hermosa . I hope you show more in the tournament."
"Embarrassed by the kiss, she loses concentration on Haste. This ends the spell and Carmen's suddenly hit with a wave of lethargy," Amity says with a blush.
"Lethargy," King asked in confusion.
"She feels tired," Gus explained.
"When that happens, Carmen is running with her dash, but feels the spell end and she trips when she loses her energy. I'd say she hits a tree and blossoms fall on her, covering her entire body," Luz said, wanting to get more of a laugh after that battle.
Everybody chuckled at the mental image before Hunter spoke up as Caleb. "Okay, we have all the jewels we need. I say we head up to the temple now," he told everyone.
"Agreed. Let's bolt for it," Gus said.
"Yeah," everyone else agreed, making Vee smirk.
"After you spend a fast pace getting through the rest of the forest, you reach the foot of the mountain and see a perfectly carved set of stairs a bit of a distance away," Vee said. "If you're all rushing up the stairs, I'd like a Constitution check from everyone."
Feeling uneasy about this, everyone cautiously rolled their dice. "I got a 6 to make 8," Luz said.
"5 for 6," Amity groaned.
"5 for 8," Willow told everyone.
"3 to make 5," Gus whimpered.
"9 for 11," Hunter said, feeling okay with his roll.
"Modified 20," King cheered.
"As you all rush up the stairs, you do well enough. But about 30 minutes into it, Carmen, Philomena, Sariel, and especially Wrenn all start to get tired and slow down to a slow pace. Caleb's okay as this sort of thing was in his training and he manages to keep at a regular pace up the stairs. Reverence is still full of energy at the idea of being the first one to the temple gates, so he is the only one who keeps the fast pace up," Vee described.
Glad that nothing truly terrible was happening, the players began to roleplay. "Come on, guys! We'll be the first ones up," King shouted as Reverence.
"You might be okay, but everyone else seems tired," Hunter said as Caleb.
"Ugh… this isn't like the Strix at all," Luz said in Carmen's voice.
"Lungs… on… fire," Amity panted out as a tired Philomena.
"Should… be… cat," Willow said as Sariel. "But she's so tired, she doesn't do it just yet," she added.
As for Gus, he thought of the perfect lines for Wrenn to say as they were all still climbing. "Oh, Bahamut! So many stairs! I want to find whoever invented the stairs and push him down these stairs! Just to show him how stupid stairs are! Then his legs will be broken and he'll no longer be able to climb the stairs anymore! It'll be ironic. And then his wife will leave him and go be with the man who invented the elevator because everyone knows that elevators are much cooler than stairs. And, oh Bahamut, we're not even close to being at the top yet. WHY ARE THERE SO MANY STAIRS?!"
Everyone burst into laughter as Gus was voicing his gnome going on a rant. "Ha! I'd feel the same way, Goops," Eda remarked with a snorting laugh.
"Shouldn't the Wizards use the Broom of Flying? I can carry a lot, can't it," Luz asked.
"True, but it all depends on the weight of us," Amity said.
"Since when do we keep track of weight in this game? Besides, Sariel can turn into a small snake and ride on my shoulders," Luz added.
"Good point," Willow said. "I'll use my last Wild Shape of the day to turn into a small snake and slither up Carmen's leg to get to her shoulders," Willow said.
"Guess I'll pull out the Broom and use it to fly the ones who aren't tired up the stairs," Amity said.
Nodding in response to that after she finished laughing at Gus ranting, Vee narrated the scene. "After all your stair climbing, the rest of you figure out a way to get up while Caleb and Reverence are further ahead of you," she said. "With Sariel turning into a snake and Wrenn not weighing much normally, the four of you hop onto the broom and continue at a leisurely ascent up the stairs. After you reach the end of the stairs, you encounter a large ornate temple gate that is decorated with a long serpentine dragon image and carvings of various birds."
"Looks like we made it to the top," Hunter said as Caleb.
"I'll turn back from my snake form as we do," Willow said.
"We'll probably land now that we're at the gate," Gus added.
"With all of you landing, what do you do now," Vee asked, seeing if they all figured out what to do.
"I'll see if I can open the door," Hunter said.
"As you attempt to push the door open, it refuses to budge. When you see the large knockers on the door, you try the same and are unable to move them that way," Vee narrated.
"We must be missing something," Willow remarked.
"Okay, what did Jachun say at the start after we collected all the jewels," King asked.
"He said to gather them where the dismal can turn vibrant," Amity said, looking at her notes.
"Is there anything special about the gate," Luz asked. "I'm pretty sure that if we're collecting gems, there has to be a lock or something that we can put them in. Like if they were keys."
"Everyone, give me an Investigation check," Vee requested.
Picking up their dice, everyone began to see if they managed to figure out what they needed to do to open the gates. "I got a 14 to make 17," King said.
"15 for 23," Gus said with a smug grin, happy to have a good roll.
"7 to make 9," Hunter muttered loud enough for the others to hear.
"8 for 9," Willow said.
"I got an 18 for 22," Luz said with a laugh.
"I have a 6 for 11," Amity told everyone.
Vee nodded as she looked over her details for the location, then turned back to the others. "Sariel and Caleb are unfamiliar with the way the door could be opened, but they continue looking," Vee stated. "As for Philomena, you feel as if you've seen this type of door previously while you look at all the details of the gate's design."
"Would that mean I could roll again with advantage," Amity asked.
"If nobody got over a 15, yes. But Reverence, Carmen, and Wrenn were all able to figure it out thanks to their previous experiences," Vee explained. "Reverence has figured out locks like this before when stealing items back on Kuugaw Island, Wrenn's studies in the past flash through his mind as he remembers a similar door in a school he went to, and Carmen recognizes several grooves in the door's ornate carvings to be just like a few treasure vaults she and her captain encountered."
"If that's the case, I'd relay this to the others," Luz said. "Guys, we need to put the gems in the right spots on the door's carvings. If the clue was 'dismal turns vibrant', then I think we need to put them in a cloud that looks gray," she said in Carmen's voice.
"I'd get on the broom again and see if there are any higher on the door," Amity said.
"Why not just use the broom to get over the walls? That seems easier," Eda remarked.
"They might tell us to use the door to qualify," Willow theorized.
"Fair enough," Eda shrugged.
"As you check the door again, you find all seven grooves needed inside the cloud carvings," Vee stated. "When you place your gems into the grooves, you hear several clicks and what sounds like gears moving. Getting back from the door, you see it opening inward as if you were pushing it open. After the door opens enough to allow you inside the temple walls, you're able to get a glimpse inside. What you can see seems like a pretty spacious courtyard and you see somebody sitting on the ground," she narrated.
"Let's all go in then," Hunter said.
"Alright," everyone agreed.
"When you enter through the gate, you see the figure is another Tiefling with white and orange robes, deep red skin, and short horns coming out of his bald head. He's currently sitting in a full lotus position as he's meditating. When he opens his catlike eyes, he smiles at you serenely," Vee narrated before voicing the new character. "Welcome to the Sajinya Monastery, travelers. I am Samadhi, a student under Grand Roshi Jachun," Vee said in a voice fitting a young teenager. "I've been tasked with seeing who successfully completes the preliminary round. As you've all managed to unlock the door, you pass with plenty of time to spare."
"Are we the first ones here," King asked as Reverence.
"A small handful of others managed to reach here at a swifter pace than you, but you are the first group to accomplish the task given," Vee said as Samadhi.
"That's better than nothing," Gus remarked.
"As you're all standing there, Samadhi gestures for you to come closer. As you do, the doors suddenly close behind you as he cast Thaumaturgy when you weren't in the way of the door," Vee said. "I must make sure the door's puzzle is reset for anybody else who reaches this gate," she said in Samadhi's voice.
"Then do you need the jewels back," Luz asked as Carmen.
"That would be kind of you, Miss," Vee says as Samadhi.
"If we have to give back the jewels, I make sure Reverence doesn't keep them," Willow says.
"Oh no, not the skunk smell again," King dreaded.
"After you return the jewels to Samadhi, he places them in a box next to himself before speaking to you," Vee says. "If you go to the largest building, there is a smaller one just before you turn to reach it. You may rest there until sunset if you wish."
"Thank you very much," Amity said in Philomena's voice.
"You're most welcome, esteemed guest," Vee replied as Samadhi once more.
"Okay, let's get going," Gus told the others.
After rolling her d20 a few times, Vee nodded before speaking up again in a new voice that sounded like a tough-sounding, but young female. "Oh, Bahamut! So many stairs! I want to find whoever invented the stairs and push him down these stairs! Just to show him how stupid stairs are! Then his legs will be broken and he'll no longer be able to climb the stairs anymore! It'll be ironic. And then his wife will leave him and go be with the man who invented the elevator because everyone knows that elevators are much cooler than stairs. And, oh Bahamut, we're not even close to being at the top yet. WHY ARE THERE SO MANY STAIRS?!"
"Huh… looks like we're not the only ones to hate that climb up," Willow said in Sariel's voice.
"Soon enough, you watch the doors open and you see Valafar Orphic and his group make it into the temple grounds," Vee told everyone. "You see that aside from the winged Tiefling with pink hair, there's that same goblin girl as before just as she seems to change into another Tiefling. She's shorter than Valafar, but has similar pink hair to him that covers one of her eyes. The elf girl with the bear gives a weary sigh as she slumps on the back of her animal companion. And rounding out their group is a human girl with blonde hair."
"Looks like the second group showed up," Hunter said in Caleb's voice.
"The group looks at you all and the Tiefling monk nearby, then they get the same talk you received," Vee narrates. "As they have to give their jewels back, the human girl has her hands on her hips as she looks at the two Tieflings, expecting them to do something if she wasn't there to stop it," she added.
"Guess she's the mom friend of the group," Eda chuckled.
"After they give their jewels back and turn to leave, Valafar notices you all and grins," Vee said before voicing the winged Tiefling. "So you managed to make it here before us? That doesn't matter. We shall be victorious in the end and get all that cool stuff," she said in his voice. " He shouts this out with a cackle before hearing a moaning coming from on top of the bear. Just then, his cocky attitude takes a turn and he starts acting like a concerned brother to the elf girl," she said before speaking as Valafar again. "Oh my gosh! Are you okay, Sumi?"
"Yeah… just… tired," Vee said in the elf girl's voice.
"It's okay, we're at the temple now. We can rest up, then get to fighting and win those treasures! I hope I can get a cool sword," Vee said as Valafar once again.
"That would be so cool! Oh! Or maybe even some sort of crossbow with infinite ammo," King exclaimed as Reverence.
"I like the way you think, little guy," Vee said as an excited Valafar. "I see you managed to beat us here first. But it doesn't matter as we were able to reach the top now and will soon take the tournament by storm," Vee continued as the character. "He then points to the sky and starts floating in the air by flapping his wings, laughing dramatically and maniacally as he does."
"I cast Druidcraft to skunk spray him," Willow declared.
"He reacts to the smell like anybody would and covers his nose, but he also uses his wings and falls to the floor with a dull thud," Vee said, getting a chuckle from the others.
"Ha! I really like this guy," King told the others. "I hope we get to know more about him."
"Oh, I have plans to share about him later," Vee admitted. "Back to the game, do you decide to go to get some rest or wait to see who else comes?"
"I think it would be smarter to get some rest now. Maybe even see who beat us here," Hunter suggested.
"Yeah, that would be better," Gus agreed.
"I'm with the boys," Amity said.
"Okay then, let's go with that," Luz told Vee.
The Game Master nodded her head as she looked over her notes, then started to narrate. "When you head for the building Samadhi told you about, you see two other people inside the common room as you enter the front door. The first is a half-elf of average height with dark hair, a pendant around his neck, and you see that he's got very handsome features," she says.
"Oh, if he's a pretty boy, I think Carmen would give a wink to him as she passes by," Luz said.
"Sariel would probably give a friendly wave," Willow added. "But she'd definitely be doing it in a flirty manner."
"Does his outfit stand out at all," Hunter asked. "I want to make Caleb start to seem jealous from an outside view, but he's wondering where the guy would be from," he explained.
"You do notice an emblem of sorts on his robe that rests over his traveling clothes of a black shirt, worn trousers, and boots," Vee stated. "Roll me a History check if you want to try figuring out the emblem."
Picking up his d20, Hunter rolled to see if he could get an answer to his question. "17 for 22 total on my History check."
"You recognize the emblem of a fairy surrounded by a cloud of stars as the royal crest of the island of Grinberryall," Vee told Hunter. "You recognize it as the kingdom has had a bitter relationship with the Alexandrian Empire for years, but nobody seems to know why. Because of this animosity, the Empire and Grinberryall haven't exactly been keen on helping each other."
"My kinda place," Eda remarked.
"The half-elf looks up and sees your group. His face is unreadable at the moment, but he gets up and decides to head for another section of the building," Vee said. "After that, you see that the other person in the room is Scalnoir. He's currently sharpening his sword, but sees you all and soon speaks up," she added before speaking in Scalnoir's voice. "I see that you survived that shark our first battle gained the attention of. I also heard of you delivering my bounty to the Empire back at Orphechelon Island. However, I see that she seems to still be with your motley crew."
"Are we going to have a problem? I already accomplished my task with that," Hunter said in Caleb's voice. "You're not going to be taking her with you."
"You're lucky that I was already paid before I ended up facing you on that ship. I have no quarrel with you at the moment, even if you did assist in the decimation of my men," she said in Scalnoir's voice.
"Why are you here? Something like this doesn't seem like a bounty hunter's type of competition," Luz asked in Carmen's voice.
"At first, I wasn't interested in participating when I heard of this months ago. But considering you and those sailors killed my forces, I've been in the market for new allies to aid in my hunts," Vee explained as Scalnoir while she mimed him sharpening his sword. "As I progress through the tournament, I'll speak with whoever catches my eye. You'd be surprised what types of characters you'd meet in tournaments like this."
"And what if you end up losing," Willow asked as Sariel.
"I won't lose. After all, you never truly beat me when we first met each other. You'll see exactly what I'll be like at my fullest potential," Vee replied as Scalnoir. "After that, he sheathes his sword into his shield and walks away."
"We're going to have trouble against him," Amity said.
"You forget that we're at a higher level now," Gus said. "We've got more chances to hurt him."
"Yeah, you're right," Amity replied as she remembered the first battle with Scalnoir.
"Let's see if we can fight against him later," Hunter told the others. "For now, let's wait for the other competitors to come," he added.
"As you wait until sunset, you rest up enough after your ordeal of the preliminaries. When you do, some monks come by with simple meals of rice, vegetables, and fish for you. After you finish your food, a bell sounds out and the monks gesture for you to follow them," Vee says. "When you reach the central courtyard, you see Jachun walking toward everyone with a staff in hand," she said before speaking as the Tortle. "Over 100 of you entered this tournament in hopes of proving yourselves or seeking the prizes we offer. Only 40 of you remain after the qualifying challenge. I must congratulate all of you who made it in time. Our main tournament, the Mountain Bird Brawl shall begin tomorrow," Vee said as Jachun.
"This will be awesome," Willow said, excited for the battles.
"We shall allow for solo entries or teams to battle. You may participate in both if you wish, but there's a maximum limit of 32 slots for the single-person tournament. As for team battles, there's a limit of 3 to 6 members to form a team. With 40 of you, you'd best find who is the best to work with if you choose to enter this way as we'll only have 8 slots for this part of the tournament," Vee stated in Jachun's voice. "You may speak with the tournament officials to select names for your groups. You have until we choose the brackets in the morning to decide. Until then, relax and prepare yourselves for combat throughout the island."
"We have to choose a team name," King asked as Reverence.
"How about we figure it out when an official is with us," Amity said as Philomena.
"As Jachun finished what he needed to say, the competitors all split up to handle their preparations for tomorrow. You see Kondai waving to you as he congratulates you on making it, the handsome half-elf from Grinberryall closes his eyes before he heads back to the guest dormitory, and Scalnoir simply walks away like he's already victorious," Vee narrated. "Soon, an official of the temple approaches and asks if you have any name ideas for your group of six."
"Okay, I've been thinking about it and I've narrowed it down to two choices," Luz said. "We can either be the 'Spellsword Pirates' or the 'Witch Blade Pirates'. Thoughts on it?"
"Both sound fun," Amity voiced. "But wouldn't that first one make us sound like mercenaries?"
"Witch Blade Pirates sounds cooler," Gus told everyone.
"Yeah, I kinda like that one more," Willow said.
"Okay, then we'll tell them our name is the Witch Blade Pirates," Luz says.
"Caleb would be against being called a pirate, but he's outvoted anyways," Hunter stated.
Vee snickered at that before she continued to narrate. "After giving your team name to the officials and signing up for both sections of the tournament, you make your way back to the guest dormitories and prepare for your matches tomorrow," she said. "And with that, we'll stop here. Next time, the Mountain Bird Brawl begins."
"Oh man, I'm excited. This will be fun," King said.
"I wonder what sort of teams we'll be facing," Gus asked.
"Let's wait and see," Amity said.
"I get the feeling we'll be going against a lot of different enemies," Willow voiced.
"At least when we start the next session, we can prepare more spells for combat," Amity added.
"I want to know more about Valafar and his team," Luz voiced. "And that elf boy from Grinberryall."
"Plus, we don't know all of the teams so far," Hunter said.
"In any case, you kids should clean up and get going," Eda told them. "Come back later, then you can play out that tournament."
Luz and her friends all nodded, then went to pick up all their character sheets and dice. "Hope that we get something out of this tournament," Luz muttered to herself.
With this, the heroes have reached the tournament and selected an official name for themselves, the Witch Blade Pirates! I've also got ideas for a personal flag they'd have with their own ship, but we'll wait for that. For now, the next chapter will be selecting the brackets for the players to be in for the solo matches and figuring out what teams they'll fight. I've got some ideas for enemies to battle against, but you'll have to wait and see who they'll be.
As for Valafar Orphic and his group, I'll say that they're based on one idea I had for an Epithet Erased D&D fic I haven't exactly started up yet. As such, testing them out here as a rival group.
Until next time, WaterDragonMaverick signing out.