Post by Fernleaf on Oct 9, 2024 7:21:52 GMT
It would have been nice to explore further afield, but I needed to stay in Daring Heights for my Smithing lessons. So, once again, I went to the largest patch of green in the city. The graveyard was always peaceful, a perfect place to study.
Or at least the location was usually quiet. On this morning I was hearing a commotion and splashing from the area near the fountain. As the water feature came into view I came across an odd scene. In the fountain were two individuals, one frog-like and the other with tentacles that seemed to be alternating between a jovial conversation in a language I was not familiar with and peering over the edge to ask questions in common. As I got closer I found there to be a very tiny, and very frustrated, individual at the base of the fountain. Lugging a coin and demanding assistance in reaching the fountain. I offered my hand for the little humanoid to step onto with their burden and raised them to the water’s edge. We introduce ourselves, and then They tossed the coin as I turn to head back into the graveyard propper.
—
The next thing we know all four of us are on the ground outside the fountain and are the same size as They, mere centimeters tall! In front of us there is a figure in a column of water, our size with a broad-brimmed hat obscuring their features, the smoke from their long pipe curling around them. They calls him a con-wizard. The figure, called Diarachi, says we need to go to the Magna Reus Tree (described as a “place of monsters”) in the Summer Court and retrieve an acorn. Ever so helpfully, this acorn is identical to a real one except that it will rattle. We are not to try to open it.
The wizard in the water says we “just” have to go get a portal to the location we are to search, and disappears. Portal Plaza would have been a short walk away mere minutes ago, but at our current scale it could take us days! The blades of grass tower over our heads, and there are insects large enough to be either mounts or monsters. They has experience with life at this scale though, and tries to make friends with a rat we could ride to the city center. That doesn’t work. My Mage Hand is frustratingly the size of my current hand. I remember my Unseen Servant spell can carry things, and manage to cast it at a scale it is capable of carrying us. It is very disconcerting to float through the city carried by an invisible force. At the portal we run into our next challenge - getting where we need to go.
They jumps down and kicks the dwarf running the portal. I doubt he felt anything, but does notice They, and then the rest of us. He mutters to himself, asks if any of us know Sending (none of us do) and then confirms his assumption that our money is equally miniscule. He says to pay on our return and opens the portal. We pass through into the feywild.
—
We find ourselves in a dimly lit world. Our party stands within a ring of giant trees, their branches stretching high overhead, studded with glowing crystals. The afternoon sun filters through small gaps in the canopy. The ground undulates under our feet as Shway’Shway strikes his gong. The noise startles birds, bats and insects into a dizzying dance around us. A bat, as big as a dragon to our current forms, dives towards us. We scatter and see the bat neatly catch an insect snack that is a similar size to the smaller members of our party! In moving to escape the bat we realize we are in a lily pad, one of many in the middle of a vast pond. As we start to discuss swimming to reach the shore I notice that if we backtrack a bit we might be able to make it by jumping, thus avoiding any water dwellers who might consider us a snack. They and Bwop! get wet in the attempt, but we all reach land and I use Predigitation to dry They off. We then navigate through a veritable jungle of mushrooms, roots and grass, managing to stay quiet enough to not draw untoward attention.
After a quick discussion we decide to just ask at the light in the tree and take it from there. We are met by a furry blue creature, considerably larger than our current height and a bit like a monkey with leaf shaped ears and tail tip. We ask about acorns, and being told they have lots, They comes up with the explanation that we are acorn inspectors, here to make sure their stockpile isn’t hollow. I’m impressed with the speed at which They creates the lie, quickly backed up by a paper with druidic and an embossed acorn seal that Bwop! adds with Prestidigitation. Sapphire leads us deeper into the tree, pops back to introduce themselves, and then leaves quickly after Shway’Shway shakes their hand. Looking at his brightly colored skin, I wonder if its poisonous like some of the frogs back home?
We are left in the company of the highly suspicious Tris, (trident tailed, looking a bit like a maroon seahorse) and Thunder, an older sounding blue iguana-like being that reminded me strongly of one of my uncles. Thunder obviously thought I looked like them, since they addressed questions about our business to me! I did my best to continue the story They had created, and said there was a blight of empty acorns that we were inspecting to ensure it didn't spread. Remarkably, Thunder believed me. Tris was still sure we were squirrels, despite Shway’Shway pointing out that he eats squirrels. Tris and Thunder were joined by a third individual who suggested we prove we are friends, and they decided we needed to bring them some of their favorite sunflower seeds from a nearby field. We are unsure why this is seen as difficult, and agree to seek these seeds out.
—
Emerging from the canopy, blinking in the blinding afternoon light, we find ourselves atop a slight rise with a field of sunflowers unlike any I have seen spread out below. Their petals are more glass-like than normal, and glitter as they reflect the light. Observing further we notice scorch marks at their base. A mouse enters the field and with uncanny swiftness a nearby sunflower swivels its head, a beam of energy shoots forth and the rodent is killed with precision. The sunflower then consumes the mouse.
Realizing why these particular seeds are viewed as a delicacy, we discuss options. Smoke bombs and storms, but will that work to hide from a flower? The plan, my plan, is far riskier and more spontaneous than I like. I once again cast Unseen Servant ritually. Once it lifts me to a more normal height I cast invisibility on myself and we go down to the field's edge. My practice with mage hand pays off as I cast the spell in silence and the invisible hand carefully begins to pluck seeds. While the hand is small, it’s still big enough to pull a seed and bring it back to me, where it gets tucked into the sack I pull from my pack. I was afraid the flower would instantly notice my intrusion, but it does not. As the sack gets fuller I think we might get away unscathed. Then the head swivels and a beam of light shoots out past my ear! I’ve tempted fate enough and immediately retreat to the hill where we review the haul. Nineteen seeds in total! They suggest we each keep a seed, and with these distributed we carry the sack with its fifteen remaining seeds back to the tree.
—
Nearly everyone is thrilled at the seeds (Tris is still suspicious) and we are led to the acornary to perform our inspection. Our escort, Sapphire, watches intently as we begin to search through the collection. As I work I ritually cast Detect Magic, since I figure that any acorn sought by a water wizard might show a gleam of power. Eventually we isolate three hollow sounding acorns, two of which are magical. The non-magical one seems to simply be a bad acorn. Bwop! finds that the second is made of wood, has straps like a backpack, and a clasp. It opens to reveal a bit of food and a tiny tent. The last one looks exactly like a real acorn, but the cap appears to screw on. Remembering the warning from the beginning I do not try to open the lid. We assure Sapphire we will take all three “bad” acorns. When Thunder asks when the next acorn inspection will occur They tells them to expect one in seven years time. Bwop! puts on the acorn backpack. It doesn’t look particularly comfortable.
As we exit the tree Diarachi appears from the pond surrounded by a watery dragon and reaches out for the acorn. I ask that we be taken back to Daring Heights and resized before the exchange. Diarachi thinks we might keep the acorn, and says that his promise is a fey one. I don’t know much about such promises, and give the acorn to They to make the decision. They gives it to Diarachi who holds the acorn tenderly, and says our business is concluded. Instantly we are returned to our normal size (including Bwop!’s new backpack) and the clearing explodes in noise as animals scatter at the sudden appearance of four humanoids.
Adding to the confusion Shway’Shway now tries to eat Diarachi. The illusion of the wizard disappears as the warrior frog’s tongue makes contact, but the very real acorn gets pulled into his mouth. The wizard reappears, growing to a foot tall and says the acorn holds an engagement ring for Queen Titania! He is willing to bargain. Shway’Shway agrees, spits out the acorn, wipes it off and gives it back to the wizard. The water of the lake shimmers and we are told to jump in. Upon doing so we find ourselves back at the Lassitude fountain in Daring Heights. We find we have gained the interesting ability to occasionally modify our size, a feature with which I’ll need to experiment. However, I doubt we’ll be able to make ourselves as small as we were on this adventure. It was both disconcerting and wondrous to experience the world at such a scale!
DM: Andy
Participants: Bwop!, Shway’Shway, They
Or at least the location was usually quiet. On this morning I was hearing a commotion and splashing from the area near the fountain. As the water feature came into view I came across an odd scene. In the fountain were two individuals, one frog-like and the other with tentacles that seemed to be alternating between a jovial conversation in a language I was not familiar with and peering over the edge to ask questions in common. As I got closer I found there to be a very tiny, and very frustrated, individual at the base of the fountain. Lugging a coin and demanding assistance in reaching the fountain. I offered my hand for the little humanoid to step onto with their burden and raised them to the water’s edge. We introduce ourselves, and then They tossed the coin as I turn to head back into the graveyard propper.
—
The next thing we know all four of us are on the ground outside the fountain and are the same size as They, mere centimeters tall! In front of us there is a figure in a column of water, our size with a broad-brimmed hat obscuring their features, the smoke from their long pipe curling around them. They calls him a con-wizard. The figure, called Diarachi, says we need to go to the Magna Reus Tree (described as a “place of monsters”) in the Summer Court and retrieve an acorn. Ever so helpfully, this acorn is identical to a real one except that it will rattle. We are not to try to open it.
The wizard in the water says we “just” have to go get a portal to the location we are to search, and disappears. Portal Plaza would have been a short walk away mere minutes ago, but at our current scale it could take us days! The blades of grass tower over our heads, and there are insects large enough to be either mounts or monsters. They has experience with life at this scale though, and tries to make friends with a rat we could ride to the city center. That doesn’t work. My Mage Hand is frustratingly the size of my current hand. I remember my Unseen Servant spell can carry things, and manage to cast it at a scale it is capable of carrying us. It is very disconcerting to float through the city carried by an invisible force. At the portal we run into our next challenge - getting where we need to go.
They jumps down and kicks the dwarf running the portal. I doubt he felt anything, but does notice They, and then the rest of us. He mutters to himself, asks if any of us know Sending (none of us do) and then confirms his assumption that our money is equally miniscule. He says to pay on our return and opens the portal. We pass through into the feywild.
—
We find ourselves in a dimly lit world. Our party stands within a ring of giant trees, their branches stretching high overhead, studded with glowing crystals. The afternoon sun filters through small gaps in the canopy. The ground undulates under our feet as Shway’Shway strikes his gong. The noise startles birds, bats and insects into a dizzying dance around us. A bat, as big as a dragon to our current forms, dives towards us. We scatter and see the bat neatly catch an insect snack that is a similar size to the smaller members of our party! In moving to escape the bat we realize we are in a lily pad, one of many in the middle of a vast pond. As we start to discuss swimming to reach the shore I notice that if we backtrack a bit we might be able to make it by jumping, thus avoiding any water dwellers who might consider us a snack. They and Bwop! get wet in the attempt, but we all reach land and I use Predigitation to dry They off. We then navigate through a veritable jungle of mushrooms, roots and grass, managing to stay quiet enough to not draw untoward attention.
After a quick discussion we decide to just ask at the light in the tree and take it from there. We are met by a furry blue creature, considerably larger than our current height and a bit like a monkey with leaf shaped ears and tail tip. We ask about acorns, and being told they have lots, They comes up with the explanation that we are acorn inspectors, here to make sure their stockpile isn’t hollow. I’m impressed with the speed at which They creates the lie, quickly backed up by a paper with druidic and an embossed acorn seal that Bwop! adds with Prestidigitation. Sapphire leads us deeper into the tree, pops back to introduce themselves, and then leaves quickly after Shway’Shway shakes their hand. Looking at his brightly colored skin, I wonder if its poisonous like some of the frogs back home?
We are left in the company of the highly suspicious Tris, (trident tailed, looking a bit like a maroon seahorse) and Thunder, an older sounding blue iguana-like being that reminded me strongly of one of my uncles. Thunder obviously thought I looked like them, since they addressed questions about our business to me! I did my best to continue the story They had created, and said there was a blight of empty acorns that we were inspecting to ensure it didn't spread. Remarkably, Thunder believed me. Tris was still sure we were squirrels, despite Shway’Shway pointing out that he eats squirrels. Tris and Thunder were joined by a third individual who suggested we prove we are friends, and they decided we needed to bring them some of their favorite sunflower seeds from a nearby field. We are unsure why this is seen as difficult, and agree to seek these seeds out.
—
Emerging from the canopy, blinking in the blinding afternoon light, we find ourselves atop a slight rise with a field of sunflowers unlike any I have seen spread out below. Their petals are more glass-like than normal, and glitter as they reflect the light. Observing further we notice scorch marks at their base. A mouse enters the field and with uncanny swiftness a nearby sunflower swivels its head, a beam of energy shoots forth and the rodent is killed with precision. The sunflower then consumes the mouse.
Realizing why these particular seeds are viewed as a delicacy, we discuss options. Smoke bombs and storms, but will that work to hide from a flower? The plan, my plan, is far riskier and more spontaneous than I like. I once again cast Unseen Servant ritually. Once it lifts me to a more normal height I cast invisibility on myself and we go down to the field's edge. My practice with mage hand pays off as I cast the spell in silence and the invisible hand carefully begins to pluck seeds. While the hand is small, it’s still big enough to pull a seed and bring it back to me, where it gets tucked into the sack I pull from my pack. I was afraid the flower would instantly notice my intrusion, but it does not. As the sack gets fuller I think we might get away unscathed. Then the head swivels and a beam of light shoots out past my ear! I’ve tempted fate enough and immediately retreat to the hill where we review the haul. Nineteen seeds in total! They suggest we each keep a seed, and with these distributed we carry the sack with its fifteen remaining seeds back to the tree.
—
Nearly everyone is thrilled at the seeds (Tris is still suspicious) and we are led to the acornary to perform our inspection. Our escort, Sapphire, watches intently as we begin to search through the collection. As I work I ritually cast Detect Magic, since I figure that any acorn sought by a water wizard might show a gleam of power. Eventually we isolate three hollow sounding acorns, two of which are magical. The non-magical one seems to simply be a bad acorn. Bwop! finds that the second is made of wood, has straps like a backpack, and a clasp. It opens to reveal a bit of food and a tiny tent. The last one looks exactly like a real acorn, but the cap appears to screw on. Remembering the warning from the beginning I do not try to open the lid. We assure Sapphire we will take all three “bad” acorns. When Thunder asks when the next acorn inspection will occur They tells them to expect one in seven years time. Bwop! puts on the acorn backpack. It doesn’t look particularly comfortable.
As we exit the tree Diarachi appears from the pond surrounded by a watery dragon and reaches out for the acorn. I ask that we be taken back to Daring Heights and resized before the exchange. Diarachi thinks we might keep the acorn, and says that his promise is a fey one. I don’t know much about such promises, and give the acorn to They to make the decision. They gives it to Diarachi who holds the acorn tenderly, and says our business is concluded. Instantly we are returned to our normal size (including Bwop!’s new backpack) and the clearing explodes in noise as animals scatter at the sudden appearance of four humanoids.
Adding to the confusion Shway’Shway now tries to eat Diarachi. The illusion of the wizard disappears as the warrior frog’s tongue makes contact, but the very real acorn gets pulled into his mouth. The wizard reappears, growing to a foot tall and says the acorn holds an engagement ring for Queen Titania! He is willing to bargain. Shway’Shway agrees, spits out the acorn, wipes it off and gives it back to the wizard. The water of the lake shimmers and we are told to jump in. Upon doing so we find ourselves back at the Lassitude fountain in Daring Heights. We find we have gained the interesting ability to occasionally modify our size, a feature with which I’ll need to experiment. However, I doubt we’ll be able to make ourselves as small as we were on this adventure. It was both disconcerting and wondrous to experience the world at such a scale!
DM: Andy
Participants: Bwop!, Shway’Shway, They