New Threads - 25/04/2023 - A Kavel Perspective

A Timor Perspective

My little Golden-headed lion tamarin, Timor, was leaping from one building to the next, and was heading to Portal Plaza.

Timor was coming with me on an adventure. I often leave Timor in Mendal and Archie’s care if I depart directly from Daring Heights to go on an adventure. If I’m in Fort Ettin, I leave Timor with Kruger. Last adventure though, I took my little buddy with me to the Feywild, and he got to hang out with a really nice Deer-centaur man.

I was combing Timor’s hair with the tamarin comb, and thanks to my ability to naturally speak with animals, I asked Timor; if he enjoyed his time in the Court of Rebirth? Timor said he should accompany me on more adventures, because tamarin groups should do things together. Timor thinks of the household as his tamarin family. Timor began checking my beard and hair for lice when he finished talking. I told him I could take him on more adventures. But if he’s ever faced with a hostile person; ritual tamarin scolding, or chasing or scent marking isn’t going to make the hostile person go away. I had to make it clear to Timor that tamarin tactics don't work in adventures. Timor did not seem entirely convinced, but he is a good little man and accepted the condition that I’ll always decide if he has to wait with a friend during parts of an adventure.

Timor asked, “why don’t Mendal and Archie come with us on adventures, in a big family group?” I told him that, “Archie is busy with his own adventures”. I then pointed to Mendal who was tinkering on something with a small hammer, and told him what Timor had asked. Mendal said to tell Timor that, “Clan Crafters like me are in too high demand to go on adventures as often as people who get away with either lifting weights all day or reading all day, instead of being productive to society”. Timor then asked, “if Mendal was a better adventurer, would he feel he could work out or read all day, too?” With a big smile on my face, I put Timor’s new question to Mendal. Mendel stopped what he was doing and pointed the small hammer at Timor, “not you as well, monkey! Bloody cheek!”

It’s great being able to speak with animals. I’ve learned that tamarins have a great sense of humour.


The Job Offer and the Other Job Offer

I saw comrade Glade partially standing in the middle of the road disturbing the passing movement of merchants on their daily chores. I wondered if this was some kind of protest, but it wasn’t. Glade was also here for the job in Kundar to help the upholstery shop owner, Curtis Robinson, acquire a new silk-spider.

Glade is a young Earth Genasi Druid. She can speak to animals like me, but she can do lots of big nature magic stuff too, such as; grow a whole field of pumpkins in less than a day. I hear she does lightning spells too, and makes the surrounding land aggress enemies. I was certain she would have some magic for finding spiders, she has magic for everything. Case in point, when she saw Timor was with me, she magic’d up an orange for him. Timor liked that.

A new comrade joined us on this mission, comrade Thurghor, a very tall, but very skinny Bugbear. He was taller than me! But, that skinny frame squandered his height. Thurghor wore a threadbare shirt and I could see skin where I thought I’d see fur. There were a lot of multi-coloured paint-like splashes all over his body too. It looked like some kind of artistic mange. Thurghor wanted to pet Timor. I was a little apprehensive about that. I had no idea if what Thurghor had was infectious. The poor guy looked blind too, his pupils lacked colour. But, he could focus his eyes on things, and didn’t seem troubled when moving.

Another new comrade joined us, called Forfeit. Forfeit, also, wasn’t wearing much in the way of clothing. I saw a lot of his gold-tiefling skin. He only appeared to be carrying an umbrella, too. He wanted to hire me as a bodyguard. No other adventurer has ever asked to hire me as protection before. It was an interesting proposition - I am always the strongest and toughest in a party, so I feel it’s on me to protect everyone. But, if someone in the party specifically hired me to protect them, then professionally I am obliged to favour them before all others, no matter what. But, what if Sorrel was in my party and in danger?

I didn’t think I could accept the offer to be a bodyguard full time. But, I was interested in knowing my worth. However, comrade Glade intervened in the negotiation, she felt Forfeit was a bit presumptuous in his manner. I didn’t mind. The final new comrade to the party did mind though, as Forfeit was late arriving at Portal Plaza and was delaying departure further with talk about hiring me.

Velek, the third new comrade I met that day, is a Half-Orc, who was better dressed than both Thurghor and Forfeit, although not by much. I was getting the impression that the newer adventurers I was meeting had problems dressing themselves, or had taken up adventuring as a risky way out of poverty. I think Velek is a wizard like Archie. Although, I’m not entirely sure. You may be asking yourself, “but Kavel, and comrades Ivan and Toothy barely wear much clothing. Is that wrong?” This is true, but we all look amazing, because we are thicc-bois..

We walked over to the teleportation circle. Bob was on duty! I had a feeling Bob would be working that day. Bob’s a Goliath too, and another person who has let his great height go to waste by allowing such a meagre frame to hang off of it. Bob’s a good guy though, good wizard. But, he needs to go visit my new Strength Corner in the Thicc Bois Compound, as soon as he’s finished teleportation duty, immediately.


The Sword in the Teleportation Circle’s Stone

“Up top Bob!” I greeted Bob with a high-five that only a fellow Goliath could reach - oh and Thurghor too I guess.

“Is that sword going spare?” Forfeit asked, pointing at a sword that has been embedded in Portal Plaza’s Teleportation Circle’s floor for many months now - it belongs to the archangel Je’Sathriel also known as The Jackal. He is like a grumpy yet good, asskicking grandad with angel wings. And he doesn’t seem to need his sword. So, I decided to get it for comrade Forfeit. At least I tried. I could swear it budged, but as soon as it did I was hit by a mighty whack of psychic pain - and I hate psychic magic! I guess Je’Sathriel intended to leave his sword there? I don’t know. I did not retrieve the sword for comrade Forfeit. This did not leave a good impression on him. I felt my bodyguard price had decreased.


Kundarian Frosty Welcome

The party almost clashed with a simultaneously arriving group from K’ul Goran. We were rushed off of the teleportation circle and out of the way. We had arrived later than expected.

We were met by Ambassador Patricia Panbas, a tiefling, the ambassador for the Dawnlands in Kundar. Patricia led us to Curtis Robinson’s shop. On the way, we passed by buildings with their windows smashed, and graffiti of the letters PTC painted on the walls. Most damage seemed to be done on the higher parts of the building, which I remembered were the parts of the building the Earth Golems were instructed to increase in height for the Dragonborn population.

Glade felt the locals were staring at us in a not too welcoming way. I asked the ambassador about that, she decided a walk through an alternative path was best, as she explained that Mathias Prideborn, head of the Pridebron Trading Company, a very philanthropic individual in Kundar, was growing in popularity with things he had been saying. Mathias has been stating alarmist views on the Dawnlands and its adventurers over the last few months. Mathias holds the view that the Aegis Accords bind neighbouring cities to the Dawnlands in a way that make the neighbouring allied cities too dependent on the Dawnlands and its adventurer community. This sentiment along with a general worry about rapid change to Kundarian society (the Kobolds being more accommodating to the Dragonborns) has combined together to produce a growing resentment focused on the Dawnlands. The ambassador revealed that it was vandals banding together under the banner, PTC, that vandalised Mr. Robinson’s upholstery shop.


Curtis Robinson’s Upholstery Shop

The rather small Kobold, Mr. Robinson had lovely embroidered silk carpets in his store - although many of them had been cut up in the vandalising. The mob, in the process of vandalising, also killed Mr. Robinson’s prize silk spider! Curtis deserved justice, but it would be unlikely we could find the culprits amongst a mob, and we were not hired for justice, we were hired to find a replacement spider.

Mr. Robinson did not blame the mob entirely. Silk spiders look like crystal ornaments. It is possible the mob just thought they were smashing a decorative piece, even though it was housed in a cage. The shop was recently altered by the Earth Golems, so that was why it was targeted (the Earth Golems are too strong to go after).

We needed to go to the Underdark to find a silk spider. Ambassador Patricia offered us 300gp each for this mission. Forfeit managed to negotiate 50gp extra for us all to buy provisions. Forfeit seems to have a gift for negotiation, even when he also displays a lack of understanding for how money and transactions are done. Forfeit first opened by asking for 1,000gp daily, a rider and for a first time mission he would waive the retainer. Forfeit’s suggestion for a rapid solution to the resentment stirred up by Mathias Prideborn was rejected by the ambassador. To be clear, Forfeit was surprised that Mathias hadn’t been quietly killed.

Timor, who had come with me, was looking forward to the Underdark, where we could find a silk spider, he thought he might see more people like my fellow thicc-bro Toothy, or Lord Vandree. But, Curtis then told us about the one hour drop from a cave hole into the Underdark that has to be timed with the appearance of the moon, which will cushion the landing otherwise you will just fall for an hour until you eventually paint the floor of the Underdark red. To be fair, without even wishing to boast, I could probably survive the fall, stand up, and start doing squats - no problem. Better still though, I had a Ring of Feather Fall.

I made plans with the Ambassador to look after Timor while I was gone. At first the ambassador was reluctant, but sat on her shoulder; behaving well and cute; Timor charmed her.


Leap of Faith Cave

We had to wait for a bit for night to appear and the moon to rise. Thurghor accompanied Forfeit for a good meal, which from Forfeit’s account was a foreign experience for Thurghor. And from Thurghor’s account I learned he made sure Forfeit didn’t underpay or overpay for the meal.

Velek took the time to buy and copy a spell, while Glade tried to help Curtis with some repairs. I helped by moving heavy furniture and showing Ambassador Patricia some of the tricks Timor can do.

Curtis gave us a small cage to house the silk spider in. Curtis mentioned that silk spiders have phenomenal psychic abilities… Curtis, I feel, left this piece of information to the last minute! He also mentioned that it is likely silk spiders will control other spiders to protect them. But, if we get the silk spider into the cage, it will calm down, and its psychic control of other spiders will stop.

We came to the cave, which had a tunnel above it that allowed the moonlight to pour in and shine straight down the hole inside. One by one, we took a leap of faith. I went last. I probably should have gone first. If people landed awkwardly on each other, I’m sure the rest of the party would have preferred me, as the biggest, to have gone first.


The Leap of Faith - Big Drop

I should have brought a book. It really was a long hour of falling.

I thought about using my Immovable Rod to do some pull-ups to pass the time. Only problem is that that would mean halting the descent and slowing progress. I bet Velek could have copied another spell in the time it took to reach the ground?

The fall was enjoyable though for the most part. The moonlight reflected off of the pit walls enough for us to enjoy the passing earth and rock.

Two feet from the bottom, our descent was stopped by a cushion of air. “You timed it perfectly Mr. Curtis!” I shouted up, only to conclude that he probably returned to his shop an hour ago, and if he didn’t, he probably wouldn’t be able to hear us from miles above anyway.

The weird mushroom lights of the Underdark lit the way for us. I wouldn't say we needed the map Curtis gave us, since there was only one pathway to follow - cramped in parts, of course, like all tunnels for big people are!

We eventually arrived at a large cavern. There were spider webs all over the cave walls. Glade noticed large scratch marks that could belong to huge spiders. “Bigger than me?” I asked. Glade confirmed. Velek was not encouraged by this.

“Oh fantastic, food has come to us, we shall eat.” A creepy voice in Velek’s head said, which he relayed to the rest of us. Velek casted Mage Armour. We couldn’t see a silk spider at the time. But really huge spiders started to appear.


Incy Wincy Silk Spider?

Two huge spiders flanked us, and then another one appeared straight ahead. I said I’d handle the last arriving one. These were pretty huge beasts, so I downed one of my Potions of Growth, so I’d be able to get leverage on them. Forfeit followed me towards the northern spider, he decided to hug the wall as he followed. By hugging the wall, Forfeit got stuck in a bunch of webs. Forfeit’s predicament didn’t stop him from being able to use magic though, and it seems his umbrella focuses his magic, and might not be an entirely pointless thing to have carried into the Underdark where I imagine no rain penetrates.

Glade summoned a bunch of giant octopuses - I was not expecting octopuses. Octopuses seemed like an odd choice. Why not something strong like a bear or an ape? But then the octopuses showed some pretty decent grappling skills and tangled up the spiders. I was impressed.

As I put my hand on the northern spider, ready to punch it into oblivion, a thought popped into my head from the silk spider, “the webs to the side of you are very comfy. Go check them out.” And so I did. Forfeit, stuck in webs across from me yelled, “Goliath, you are so fired!” I wasn’t sure why, as I backed into the webs I realised that despite being very clingy, the webs were comfy. Surely Forfeit felt the same in his webs?

From my comfy vertical web chair, I saw Thurghor and Velek run around the many octopuses and spiders to further explore the cave.

One of Glade’s octopuses yanked Forfeit out of his webbing, and he rushed to join the others. Forfeit then took a curious step towards some other webs. “No, no, no!” I shouted. But it was too late. The silk spider had evidently entered Forfeit’s mind and made the same suggestion to him as it did to me.

I managed to force myself out of my sticky trap, as I shook off the sensation that it was actually comfy, and then moved towards the others and Forfeit. “Goliath! I take it back! I see what the problem was!” Forfeit said, agreeing that psychic magic is the worst.

Thurghor was down. It seemed though that he had made a good effort to try and capture the silk spider, who I could now see. Velek brought the mission home though, getting the silk spider into the cage Curtis provided us. When he achieved this, the other spiders scurried away. Glade ran over to heal Thurghor and got him back on his feet.


Silk Spider Attained - And a Lordly Visit

Glade didn’t have spider detecting magic like I had expected, but she had giant octopuses and giant eagles! Her eagles got us out of the Leap of Faith and back up above ground.

Curtis was very happy. We all received a 10% discount on future purchases, and we were welcomed to stay the night, which we did. The next morning, the ambassador brought us our reward, 300gp each.

As we left the shop to go find a tree for Glade to cast a plant based teleportation spell (she has a spell for everything. She must have a spider detection spell?) there was a tall dragonborn woman in a purple dress observing us. She was holding a clipboard and she seemed to be taking notes. She had a bird-like pin on her body.

The next day, back in the Dwarven Quarter of Daring Heights; Mendel, Archie and I were about to grab lunch, when Lord Vandree came over to visit us unexpectedly - and cook for us (the cayenne chicken was superb!)

Lord Vandree was intrigued by the dragonborn lady taking notes, and not particularly encouraged by how seemingly worse things had gotten in Kundar.

None of the political stuff bothered Timor. Thankfully Timor was not upset about missing the Leap of Faith. Timor didn’t think dodging stalagmites while falling for an hour would have been fun, and he feels he’d only like spiders if they are small enough for him to eat.