Adalet Bladeseeker - AC: 16 Fort: +7 Ref: +4 Will: +5 HP: 24/24 Hero Points: 1/3 | Perception: +3 | ConditionsNone Adalet's jaw drops. This is the most spectacular display of comedically bad timing she's ever seen. If she didn't know better, she'd think she was watching one of the holiday skits the little ones put on in Yamonji. She strides forward, but there's a loose cobble, and she trips. The net goes flying out of her hands and somehow hits the pugwampis.

- LG Tiny Poppet (Toy) Cleric of Mazludeh 1 HP 16/16 | FP 1/1 | Fort +4 | Ref +5 | Will +9 | Perception +7 (Darkvision) | Speed 25' Status Effects: None | Spell Effects: None | Spells Prepared: 1st Rank: Heal, Bless, Sanctuary Nyoka, holding her bell overhead and ringing it for all she's worth, charges into the fray beside Ras. With surprising acumen, she scrambles up the shelves to close the distance with the pugwampis above. "Shoo!" she cries with all the viciousness and ferocity a foot-and-a-half tall wooden doll can muster. "Skedaddle!" OOC Dashing twice to move 35' northwest. (Done on Roll20.) Ringing her bell in the pugwampi's face.

Szastuhastah AC: 17 | Fort: +4 | Ref: +5 | Will: +6 HP: 19 / 19 | Hero Points: 1 / 3 | Perception: +6 Focus Pool: 2 / 2 | CantripsInspire Courage (Composition) Forbidding Ward Message Musical Accompaniment Needle Darts Read the Air Shield Choice of Daze, Detect Magic, or Mage Hand | Spells1st Level: Counter Performance (Composition) Lingering Composition (Composition) Fear Liberating Command Soothe | ConditionsNone Partway across the room, Szastuhastah stops ringing the silver bell long enough to take hold of Xhokan's net in both hands. She is trailing just behind Cecilia toward the closest dog-faced gremlin, her path weaving to and fro with the quickened slither. Unfortunately, she is thoroughly distracted by the Taldane's biffed leap. "Oh! Missss Cecilia!" she reflexively gasps, her arms already thrown back to toss the net. As unluck would have it, she throws the expanse of net at the nasty little thing, but it hooks on the silver bell she was still grasping in one of those hands, snagging and falling to the ground before her. "What isss... happening?" she murmurs, coiling herself low to try to retrieve the net for another attempt. Szas Crit Fails the Will save. Go low or go home? And fails the throw to capture the lower pugwampi

Cecilia - AC: 18 Fort: +3 Ref: +8 Will: +5 HP: 17/17 Hero Points: 2/3 | Perception: +5 Ammunition: 30/30 | CantripsMessage Draw Moisture Stabilize | ConditionsNone The first breach into the storeroom felt confident. They had the tools. They had a plan. The plan was enacted. The distraction went off without a hitch. Moving with confidence, the Taldane went the opposite direction of Ras, hoping to snap up more of the gremlins before they recovered. As she leapt up to grab at the southernmost, she hopped up, intending to spring off a barrel on the way for more height. However, it seemed the barrel was about a few inches off from where she observed, and her foot slipped off the edge of it as she pressed her weight down. "Ack!" Pitching forward, the human smacked her head forward onto the shelf, scrambling to right herself. Show Mechanics Action 1: Stride per roll20 Action 2: Interact (ring bells) Action 3: Strike at enemy 4, misses.

Rasalhague - KAC: 18 Fort: +9 Ref: +8 Will: +3 HP: 20/20 Hero: 1/3 | Perception: +3 Rushing into the room, Ras immediately went to try and grab the nearest of the awful little gremlins and ran headlong into perhaps the simplest and most pernicious curse on the material plane. As he snatched at the pugwampi, his foot came down on a bottle that had been knocked to the floor. He could have sworn it had not been there a moment before. The bottle rolled out from under him and Ras fell into the table, hands closing on empty air. "Shit!" Ras managed around some bruised ribs. Quickly, he threw up a hand and called upon the spell he had been gifted on the first day. A shimmering plane of seemingly insubstantial force manifested between him and the vicious dog-thing. Action 1: Stride Action 2: Try to grapple, missing with an 8 Action 3: Cast Shield as an innate cantrip

The storeroom has two sets of shelves, one 3 feet off the ground and one 7 feet off the ground. Though the room has no windows, a trio of sunrods have spilled out of a gnawed barrel, illuminating the chamber with bright light. Several broken jars and a great deal of trash litter the floor. As the sign warned, there are gremlins. Four pugwampis, small, stout, and rather ugly doglike creatures with lolling tongues and short black fur, hide on the top shelves of the storage room, cowering behind the clutter on the shelves to shield themselves from Ras's column of flame. They are armed, with short swords and small bows, but make no moves to use them in the face of the terrible magics, and they wince at the sound of the bells. They chatter animatedly between themselves, but none of the students can make sense of the trills and barks. For the moment, it is a strange stand-off. OOC Map (and your tokens) up on roll20. The pugwampis are hiding behind clutter on the shelves and have partial cover right now (+2 AC). The pugwampis can speak, but only speak Gnoll and Undercommon, which I don't believe any PC has. They are currently 2.

Rasalhague - KAC: 18 Fort: +9 Ref: +8 Will: +3 HP: 20/20 Hero: 1/3 | Perception: +3 Ras drew in a steadying breath, his unreal flames flaring to life with the fresh air before he pulled the broom out of the door and threw it open. Immediately, he threw a hand out, fingers upwards in a claw shape. A spot on the storeroom's floor rippled with sudden heat distortion before long tongues of fire began to lick upwards. A wave of heat poured off the sudden column of flame as it crackled and roared with the insatiable hunger of raw combustion and threw everything in the room into harsh illumination. Seeing Ras sheepishly light a torch paled in comparison to the twisting spike that he called forth now to reach up for the timbers of the ceiling. Demonstrating a surprising amount of fine control, Ras' hand snapped into a closed fist and the fires guttered out before it could light anything important on fire. "Get 'em!" Ras shouted. Area of scorching column marked in red. Previous Channel Elements spent.

- LG Tiny Poppet (Toy) Cleric of Mazludeh 1 HP 16/16 | FP 1/1 | Fort +4 | Ref +5 | Will +9 | Perception +7 (Darkvision) | Speed 25' Status Effects: None | Spell Effects: None | Spells Prepared: 1st Rank: Heal, Bless, Sanctuary Nyoka clings to Szasz's shawl for dear life as she dips into a deep bow towards Xhokan. She tries very hard not to give the snake-girl an offended look, reminding herself that Szasz is being very nice by letting Nyoka ride around on her shoulder and it's understandable if she forgets about the poppet's presence every now and then. As they position themselves at the door, ready to breach and clear, Nyoka prepares to scramble down off of Szasz so that she can position herself more effectively to herd the pugwampis. She hangs off Szasz's sleeve like a Red Mantis assassin about to strike from above, a bell the size of her head hanging from her hand. "Ready," she announces in a tiny, determined voice.

Szastuhastah AC: 17 | Fort: +4 | Ref: +5 | Will: +6 HP: 19 / 19 | Hero Points: 1 / 3 | Perception: +6 Focus Pool: 2 / 2 | CantripsInspire Courage (Composition) Forbidding Ward Message Musical Accompaniment Needle Darts Read the Air Shield Choice of Daze, Detect Magic, or Mage Hand | Spells1st Level: Counter Performance (Composition) Lingering Composition (Composition) Fear Liberating Command Soothe | ConditionsNone "It is greatly appreciated, Master Xhokan," Szastuhastah replies to the generous kobold, bending deeply at the 'waist' once more as they are given permission to arm themselves for the banishment of the storage room squatters. They then depart for the afflicted space quickly. Upon arrival, Szas holds both a corner of a net and the handle of a silver bell in one hand while the other is ready to manage the second part of the net. Looking up to Nyoka on her shoulder, her own little bell at the ready, she murmurs, "Disscordant ringing would certainly vex my own ssensess, sso I can only assssume it will do the ssame for them." With that free hand, she reaches out to the broom handle and slides it out of the latch, hearing the commotion inside. She wonders if they noticed the soft scraping. Then looking to Ras, she nods her head. While they may not be entering the room for a 'fight' exactly, their rules of engagement are very different from the gremlins. "On three... two... one..." Taking hold of one of the doors, the nagaji heaves while slithering back a bit to clear its swing. As soon the flaming burst follows from Ras, she slides in along the southern wall and starts ringing her bell as loud as possible.

Cecilia - AC: 18 Fort: +3 Ref: +8 Will: +5 HP: 17/17 Hero Points: 2/3 | Perception: +5 Ammunition: 30/30 | CantripsMessage Draw Moisture Stabilize | ConditionsNone Finishing her meal as they moved, Cecilia took her own set of supplies, nodding her head as she stepped closer to the door. "I think if I can slip beside them I can knock a couple up if needed. Depends on how crazy things get. What are we waiting for?" At least the Taldane isn't lacking for confidence. Show Mechanics Action 1: Action 2: Action 3:

Rasalhague - KAC: 18 Fort: +9 Ref: +8 Will: +3 HP: 20/20 Hero: 1/3 | Perception: +3 "Okay, I... can do something big and flashy to maybe scare them for a moment while we rush in with the bells going," Ras offered, tucking the net and bell into his belt to free up his hands. His particular gifts were far from subtle and that was without him pushing himself to his limits. Lighting torches and keeping chickies warm was hardly much of a challenge. He was still not certain he could really contribute anything to this challenge of his cohort's wizardly abilities and that was dragging on him slightly. The others had already demonstrated their cunning or gifts with words and he had been the walking equivalent of a fireplace. Taking a deep breath and flexing his hands as though grasping for something intangible, he reached into the part of himself that led elsewhere, tapping into the raw elemental matter that lay just beyond the gate. The temperature around him rose a few degrees as the ghostly flames slithered out of his core and began to wick up his body. He winced as elemental matter scattered into his body and lodged there, shrapnel from the imperfect connection.

"Oh no, not the storage barn! I thought the charms were kept up to date! This is terrible news! We'll need to have a serious discussion with some of the lore-speakers about this!" Xhokan responds to the news of gremlins in the school's precious supplies with immediate and predictable alarm, and quite favorably, for Szas's angle. "Of course, of course. Sacks we have aplenty, you may take all you need. A net, I have some, meant for games and training, but perhaps they will serve your purpose. And bells, yes, we have those. Bells of silver... let's see..." Xhokan makes careful marks of what's handed out, supplying a small silver bell with a simple wooden handle for everyone who will be braving the infested storage room. "These are, as Ms. Szastuhastah said, a loan, ideally to be returned as they are. Do be careful! Gremlins are a nuisance, but they enjoy watching others suffer. Do not take them lightly." The gremlin‑infested storage room is one of six rooms in a large storage barn on the west side of campus. The main door to the barn is open, but with the mix of distressingly casual and genuinely clever that seems to be the Magaambya's hallmark, someone's stuck a broom handle through the storage room’s latch to keep it jammed shut. A hastily scratched note of "Do Not Open: Gremlins" on a scrap of parchment warns the overly curious away. Raucous laughter and the shattering of glass echo from within. OOC Xhokan supplies and as needed, as well as a silver bell for each member of the cohort, at no cost, provided they are returned when no longer needed. The storage room is semi‑circular in shape, with a 10‑foot‑high ceiling and regular lighting. The map is up on roll20. is the invite link for roll20. I have everyone assigned a token except for Adalet.

- LG Tiny Poppet (Toy) Cleric of Mazludeh 1 HP 16/16 | FP 1/1 | Fort +4 | Ref +5 | Will +9 | Perception +7 (Darkvision) | Speed 25' Status Effects: None | Spell Effects: None | Spells Prepared: 1st Rank: Heal, Bless, Sanctuary Nyoka enjoys being carried around on Szasz's shoulder quite a bit. Though she doesn't really get tired of walking, she always does feel a bit ridiculous having to take six steps for each of her classmates' one. Not to mention having to look up everyone's noses all the time. Following up on Szasz' words and Adalet's suggestion about nets, Nyoka adds: "Most importantly, silver bells. Pugwampis hate the sound. We may be able to drive them away from the school without hurting them. One for each of us should do nicely, o?"

Title Adalet Bladeseeker - AC: 16 Fort: +7 Ref: +4 Will: +5 HP: 24/24 Hero Points: 1/3 | Perception: +3 | ConditionsNone Adalet nods. "We could also use some way of keeping them restrained. Nets, perhaps, or some form of strongly woven sack." Show Mechanics Action 1: Action 2: Action 3: Show OOC

Szastuhastah AC: 17 | Fort: +4 | Ref: +5 | Will: +6 HP: 19 / 19 | Hero Points: 1 / 3 | Perception: +6 Focus Pool: 2 / 2 | CantripsInspire Courage (Composition) Forbidding Ward Message Musical Accompaniment Needle Darts Read the Air Shield Choice of Daze, Detect Magic, or Mage Hand | Spells1st Level: Counter Performance (Composition) Lingering Composition (Composition) Fear Liberating Command Soothe | ConditionsNone Carving a shallow, muddy, serpentine furrow through the schluckier parts of the Mgaambya campus, Szastuhastah leads the group to the Powderpile through the drizzle. The pretty shawl she bought does little to shield her from the ever-present wetness but it at least seems to keep her hair from going completely flat. She wears it slightly off-center to provide the extra fabric to the poppet passenger on her shoulder - an arrangement the nagaji is beginning to enjoy, even after only two instances. Getting to know Nyoka has been a true joy to the inquisitive Szas. Just inside the entry to Xhokan's meticulously managed danger-emporium, Szas slowly runs her long coils over one another and across the mat at the threshold to rid as much muck from her person as possible before pulling back the shawl and continuing inside. With a bright cherubic smile, she slides closer to the place where the kobold works before offering a small bend at the 'waist'. "Master Xhokan, a pleasant day to you, even if a damp one," she greets, glancing over her shoulder in silent indication to the presence of her companions. "As you know, we are embarking upon our Perquisite experiences and have been asked, on behalf of the Tempest Sun branch, to procure the necessary tools to humanely remove a gremlin menace from a storage room on campus. They have, quite understandably, created quite an upheaval in the inventory and management for those responsible for it - I imagine you can feel their distinct pain, Master. It is a fear that if inappropriately wrangled, they might bright their flavor of mayhem to yet more storage spaces, like your own... Would you perhaps be willing to provide - loan, perhaps? - implements that may be used to bait or capture such creatures?"

Xhokan is at work in the Powderpile, carefully inventorying a stack of new crates, when the small group of students arrives to entreat with him. The fastidious kobold finishes marking his account books before standing up and greeting his visitors with a bow and a curious look. "Welcome, young ones! What is it I can help you with today?" OOC I leave the specifics of this deal in your capable hands.

Cecilia - AC: 18 Fort: +3 Ref: +8 Will: +5 HP: 17/17 Hero Points: 2/3 | Perception: +5 Ammunition: 30/30 | CantripsMessage Draw Moisture Stabilize | ConditionsNone Pensively munching on her bready breakfast, Cecilia glanced between the others as she chewed. The thought of having to fight is not something she expected out of the school, but if it's part of their service requirements, then she supposes that's how it is. Besides, how hard can some gremlins be? "mmph...want me to come with? If we can't convince the keeper, there are undoubtably other options to pursue." Show Mechanics Action 1: Action 2: Action 3:

Szastuhastah AC: 17 | Fort: +4 | Ref: +5 | Will: +6 HP: 19 / 19 | Hero Points: 1 / 3 | Perception: +6 Focus Pool: 2 / 2 | CantripsInspire Courage (Composition) Forbidding Ward Message Musical Accompaniment Needle Darts Read the Air Shield Choice of Daze, Detect Magic, or Mage Hand | Spells1st Level: Counter Performance (Composition) Lingering Composition (Composition) Fear Liberating Command Soothe | ConditionsNone Quietly lingering behind the others of her cohort, a newly acquired shawl draped over her head to protect her hair from the soppiest of the rainfall, Szastuhastah listens with her hands clasped politely before her within deep sleeves of another, differently-colored outfit. The Tempest Sun does not appeal to her and the hesitance she shows with engaging the tactics behind defending the school and the greater city probably hint at that. It's not that she isn't capable, of course. A few of the proficiencies she brought with her from the jungles might be very valuable in clear out a pest without harming them. But the thought of battle, is worrying. "Of coursse, Rasss," Szas answers, straightening from her slowly-slouching coil and attending the others thoughts once more. "What iss promissed iss not forgotten." A genteel smile finds her lips, which she turns toward Nyoka as she, too, volunteers. As a known party to the Magaambyans, the little poppet has a good chance at swaying the shrewd shopkeeper. And perhaps a little honey-tongue would sell it if he is resistant. It was clear he was very particular about his inventories and accountabilities. "I will go with you, if you wissh, Nyoka. Lesss to deceive thiss time, but rather entreat?" Turning to Esi and the others, the nagaji adds, "Perhapss we parley with Xh...Zho...kin-" She frowns at the failure of her translation, but presses on. "- while otherss sseek possssible weaknesssesss for the creaturess?"

- LG Tiny Poppet (Toy) Cleric of Mazludeh 1 HP 16/16 | FP 1/1 | Fort +4 | Ref +5 | Will +9 | Perception +7 (Darkvision) | Speed 25' Status Effects: None | Spell Effects: None | Spells Prepared: 1st Rank: Heal, Bless, Sanctuary "I could go," Nyoka volunteers. "I'm sure if we explain the situation to Xhokan, he'll agree to lend us the bells. No reasonable person would demand money for such a thing, especially if it's for the good of the school." If the tiny poppet is being even the tiniest bit sarcastic, there's not a trace of it on her sincere little face.

Rasalhague - KAC: 18 Fort: +9 Ref: +8 Will: +3 HP: 20/20 Hero: 1/3 | Perception: +3 He was not about to ask Anchor Root to suffer the indignity of the fawning attentions of a bunch of gremlins but Ras paled a little at the prospect of needing to go back to the Powderpile. Images of the alchemical dusts and oils going up like a stack of fireworks played out in his mind's eye. He did not know which prospect would be worse, dying in such a conflagration or needing to live with the embarrassment. "If, um, if someone else were to go pick some of those bells up, I'll help pay for them," it was a not so subtle request for Szas to make good on her earlier offer to handle the the Powderpile for him. Besides, she was good at talking to people, and if there was anyone who could convince Xhokan that chasing off the pugwampis was in everyone's best interest, it was Szas.

"I think these are... what was it? Pugwampis?" Esi, surprisingly, isn’t entirely clear on the distinction between gremlin types, but Ras's long travels serve him well here. The name does ring a bell. "Nets... ehh, you could go get some from town, there are always fisher-folk working the canals. Okoro might have some. He's got enough sports equipment to supply the whole school. Or you could ask Tzeniwe. I think she's still here. She could make you some!" Pugwampis are fey creatures, like all gremlins. Mean, dog-faced, and craven, pugwampis take disproportionate enjoyment from the accidents and missteps of other creatures—something that happens often, due to the supernatural aura of ill fortune they project. They enjoy preparing pranks, the mean-spirited, dangerous kind that involve things like spike traps or tumbles into latrine pits, so forth and whatnot. Ras recalls two other quirks that might serve a band of novice gremlin hunters. One, pugwampis, being small and doggish creatures, have an obsessive love of gnolls, much as kobolds adore and follow dragons. The feeling is not usually mutual. Two, almost all gremlins, not just pugwampis, have an extreme aversion to bells made of precious metal. "O', gremlin bells, yes!" Esi knows this one, at least. "There are chimes and bells hung up all around campus - their magic keeps out all sorts of pests, not just gremlins. Nantambu's peace-keepers and guards are called the chime-ringers, but they don't come deal with campus problems unless it's much more dire than some pests. Xhokan sells little silver bells at the Powderpile. They're cheap, little things for class rituals. He might even give you some for free, if you explain why you need them."

Cecilia - AC: 18 Fort: +3 Ref: +8 Will: +5 HP: 17/17 Hero Points: 2/3 | Perception: +5 Ammunition: 30/30 | CantripsMessage Draw Moisture Stabilize | ConditionsNone Looking very much like the cat whom ate the canary on the way back to the University, Cecilia found herself filled with pride at her impromptu and clever means of ensuring that their mission was a success. So much so that she didn't mind the myriad bags of trinkets, decorations, and numerous indulgences that she had procured for herself and had to carry the whole way back. Dropping such off, the Taldan spent much of the evening cavorting with her fellow classmates, making a middling show of cards until finally retiring fairly late into the night. The following morning, Cecilia overslept, again, making her late to the meeting, again. A sweetroll was dangling from her lips as she rushed to the meeting spot, another in hand as she regained her breath, catching up on what the assignment was this particular time. "Gremlins, hm? Shouldn't be too difficult to rein them in. Which storage room do we -mmph- have to go to?" Show Mechanics Action 1: Action 2: Action 3:

Rasalhague - KAC: 18 Fort: +9 Ref: +8 Will: +3 HP: 20/20 Hero: 1/3 | Perception: +3 "Uh, my tricks don't really let me pull my punches," Ras noted sheepishly around a mouthful of breakfast pastry. Fire is not much know for letting itself be easily controlled. Something was either on fire or it was not. It did not escape Ras that this was the second of the tasks he was mostly just going to be a warm body for. "Do we have anything like gremlin catching supplies? Really big nets or something?" This was a school, surely they had equipment for capturing and subduing specimens for study. The university in Ustalav had stuff meant for wrangling trolls... but there was a distinct difference in ethos between the University of Lepidstadt and Magaambya. Ras did not think the University much cared about what kind of state the trolls were in once they had been wrangled. He vaguely remembered one of the tools being a very big saw that had seen use.

"Yeah, yeah, that's fair." Haibram is trying so hard not to burst out laughing at Nyoka's stern pronouncement, and he almost succeeds. Anchor Root is sorely tempted by the realization that the extra chicks could be hers, but the poppet's words are ruthlessly sensible. "Th-they should probably go with Bisola, yes. A farm is a better place for them... Maybe one? Maybe just one? No, no, they need friends to grow up with..." In the end, all the chicks get to go to their new home, despite a great deal of cooing and fussing when the rest of the students get back to the dorm and discover their temporary guests, and Haibram's attempt to use them as poker chips later that night as the game night hits its disreputable dregs. Okoro takes the pot, and returns his confused winnings to Anchor Root and Esi, who are trusted to deliver the chicks where they belong. “Morning, o!” Esi bobs her umbrella in greeting as you reassemble after breakfast the next morning. It's a drizzly, exceedingly humid morning for your second assignment. Ras is a column of steam, and the frogs in the pond outside are in full throat, so loud that Esi has to raise her voice to be heard. “It’s only me today, I’m the only one of us who plans to join the Tempest-Sun Mages. That’s the branch that defends Nantambu and the people around the city from outside threats, big and small. Today, you’re going to help us with a very small threat. Some gremlins have gotten into one of the school’s storage rooms. I want you to get them out without harming them." “I mean it,” Esi adds with emphasis. “They’re sour little pests, but they haven’t done anything except throw some jars around and be obnoxious. The Magaambya doesn’t approve of killing anyone just because of who they are. A student was even expelled because of it. That was back before I came here, but they're serious about such things." “Between you and me, I don’t think anyone will mind much if you gave one or two a whack to the head - defend yourselves, if you have to. Don't be stupid. But get them out of the storage room and release them off the grounds—really, it’s probably best to release them outside of Nantambu entirely.” OOC A general note that I may have forgotten to mention, but might be relevant here, since I'm sure someone's got questions about this assignment: When you're on campus and want to roll to Recall Knowledge, you can go to the library and research your topic. This means that the Recall Knowledge attempt takes 1 hour, but you get an extra +2 bonus to the roll, regardless of topic.

- LG Tiny Poppet (Toy) Cleric of Mazludeh 1 HP 16/16 | FP 1/1 | Fort +4 | Ref +5 | Will +9 | Perception +7 (Darkvision) | Speed 25' Status Effects: None | Spell Effects: None | Spells Prepared: 1st Rank: Heal, Bless, Sanctuary "Well, wait, if the chickens lay so few eggs, wouldn't it be better to give them all to Miss Bisola?" Nyoka asks. She's been silent for awhile, content to ride along on Szasz's shoulder and take in the sights. The world is so much easier to navigate from up high! So enjoyable was the experience of actually being able to see peoples' faces instead of up their noses, the little poppet didn't want to remind anyone of her presence in case they asked her to go back to walking on her own two legs. Now that they're back in their dormitory, though, Nyoka feels safe asserting herself again. "After all, if she has more chickens, they can lay more eggs. If they lay more eggs, she can have more chickens. And that way, future students won't end up having to break school rules to go illegally buy more chickens." She puts her tiny fists on her hips and glares disapprovingly up at Haibram.