[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/t8YXS9P.png[/img][/center][columns][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/BbSpvzVw/Headpiece-header-200x80.png[/img]
[i]a casual [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3137937#post_3137937]travelocke[/url][/i]
[emoji=arcane rune size=1]
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/4yW5H5C4/hanging-top-175x80.png[/img][/center][nextcol][color=transparent]__[/color][nextcol][b]A caravan sets out from the Tourmaline Archives; a trader, a traveler, and a traitor are all along for the ride. Will they make it to the Hewn City alive? Or will the mysterious cargo held in the belly of the wagon prove more trouble than it's worth?[/b]
Welcome to my silly little Travelocke, [i]The Trail and the Traitor[/i]! I can't resist starting a shiny new project whenever a 'locke ruleset catches my eye XD This is going to be a VERY low-key challenge with minimal lore for me to enjoy over the summer alongside my (soon to be revived) Kingdomlocke and BoTU challenges. None of these three projects are related, so don't feel the need to go read through any of the others before starting this one!
Thanks for stopping by :D Now, on to the actual challenge![/columns]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/vFgyRO9.png[/img][/center]
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A caravan sets out from the Tourmaline Archives; a trader, a traveler, and a traitor are all along for the ride. Will they make it to the Hewn City alive? Or will the mysterious cargo held in the belly of the wagon prove more trouble than it's worth?
Welcome to my silly little Travelocke, The Trail and the Traitor! I can't resist starting a shiny new project whenever a 'locke ruleset catches my eye XD This is going to be a VERY low-key challenge with minimal lore for me to enjoy over the summer alongside my (soon to be revived) Kingdomlocke and BoTU challenges. None of these three projects are related, so don't feel the need to go read through any of the others before starting this one!
Thanks for stopping by :D Now, on to the actual challenge!
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« Mew »
|| 2+ FR Time | She/Her | The Calm Before the Storm |   ||
• { Lockedown } - Chill Biolocke + Necrolocke
• { Thunder Hollow } - Clan Lore [WIP]
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[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/vFgyRO9.png[/img]
[emoji=trade size=1]
[font=mistral][size=6][b]Challenge Rules[/b][/size][/font]
[size=2][i]travelocke rules created by [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3137937#post_3137937]Folktale[/url]![/i][/size]
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/qvhLgy10/Hor-divider-400.png[/img][/center]
[columns][color=transparent]____[nextcol][center][i]This is just a summary of the challenge rules! Please check out the original ruleset for the full rules & dice tables![/i][/center][nextcol][color=transparent]____[/columns]
[quote name="Starting Out »"]The Travelocke begins with 3 Level 1 dragons, of which one is the [b]caravan leader[/b] and the other two are passengers. These dragons are on a journey comprised of a certain number of [b]stops[/b] depending on the difficulty.
[LIST]
[*][b]Custom Difficulty[/b] - Roll a 1d4 for every Flight Territory the caravan is passing through. The sum is the number of stops the caravan must make along the way to its destination.
[/LIST]
Roll a 1d10 to determine how much [b]distance[/b] must be covered on the way to the first stop in the caravan's journey.
To determine the supplies your caravan starts with, muster resources at Arlo's.
[LIST]
[*]Pickaxe (rugged work) - Supplies, multiply by 5
[*]Magnifying Glass (precise work) - Rations, multiply by 5
[*]Research Notes - Trade goods
[/LIST]
Every day, pull from Pinkerton to determine the caravan's [b]fate[/b]. Certain [b]jobs[/b] will interact with the daily pull, so keep an eye out for that![/quote]
[quote name="The Basics »"]Every dragon consumes 1 ration every day. If you don't have enough rations, you must choose who to feed. Dragons who go hungry for one day can't perform their jobs; dragons who go hungry for two days leave the caravan/die.
If the caravan needs supplies to repair damage but has no supplies, it can only move 0.5 distance units in a day instead of the usual 1 distance unit.
If a dragon dies in the Coli and doesn't have an extra life, it gets removed from the challenge.
A dragon gains an extra life at levels 10, 15, and 20. Any caravan member who reaches level 25 "retires" and can no longer die; however, they also cannot breed or fight in the Coli.
Any eggs that hatch on the road must survive a coin flip with a heads in order to join the journey. Hatchlings must also roll a d6 for survival every day until they mature; a roll of a 1 means they die/leave the caravan.
Dragons gain a job at level 5. Any lives granted by a dragon's job stick around even if they change jobs.[/quote]
[quote name="Pinkerton »"]If you pull [b]food[/b] from Pinkerton, you're headed to the Coli for a certain number of rounds depending on the type of food! The team must be composed of randomly selected dragons unless a job allows you to pick, and the venue battled in depends on the lowest-leveled dragon in the party unless a job states otherwise. You may stay in the same venue all day even if the lowest-leveled dragon levels up. There are no penalties for fleeing or quitting the battle streak.
[LIST]
[*]Meat = 40-50 matches
[*]Seafood = 30-40 matches
[*]Insects = 20-30 matches
[*]Plants = 10-20 matches
[/LIST]
[b]Materials & Trinkets[/b] from Pinkerton result in an encounter on the road. This encounter is determined by rolling a d20 and selecting the matching result from the table in [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3137937#post_51305093]this post[/url].
[list]
* NOTE: For this challenge, a roll of 3 (Romance on the Road) will result in adding a random number (1-5) of hatchlings from the appropriate Flight to the caravan instead of breeding unless the caravan is in the Shifting Expanse.
[/list]
[b]Apparel[/b] from Pinkerton results in adding a new dragon to the caravan! Roll a d4 (modified from flipping a coin), adding the cheapest hatchling of a randomly-determined breed on the AH to the caravan on a 1 and the cheapest adult of a randomly-selected on the AH to the caravan on a 2, 3, or 4.
[b]Familiars[/b] from Pinkerton lead to a fork in the road. Roll a d4 to see how many alternative stops lie ahead, and roll a d10 to determine how far away each stop is. You must pick one of these alternative stops and change your distance tracker accordingly.
[b]Battle Stones[/b] from Pinkerton send the group out foraging in the Coliseum for 50 rounds (modified from 40-50). Gain no distance this day, but gain a number of rations equal to the number of food items you get divided by 5 (modified from a 1:1 ratio), supplies equal to the number of material/trinket items you get divided by 5 (modified from a 1:1 ratio), and trade goods equal to the number of familiars/battle stones/apparel you get. If you get any special drops (genes, eggs, etc.), give a random dragon 3 extra lives.[/quote]
[quote name="Stops »"]Once a caravan has fulfilled the amount of distance separating them from the next stop, they arrive at that stop and may perform further actions. The caravan is also resupplied by mustering at Arlo's, with pickaxes equalling supplies, magnifying glasses equalling rations, and trade goods equalling research notes.
You may trade 1 trade good for 5 rations or 5 supplies, and this trade may be reversed to gain trade goods instead. Supplies and rations can be exchanged with one another at a 1:1 ratio (modification).
You may hire any amount of new dragons to your caravan for 2 trade goods each, and you may dismiss existing caravan members to gain a number of rations OR supplies equal to their level.
While stopped, roll a d10 to determine how far away the next stop is.[/quote]
[color=transparent].
[/color]
[quote][columns][emoji=gold crown size=1][nextcol][color=transparent]____[/color][nextcol][size=4][b]Winning[/b][/size]
The challenge is won when [b]all[/b] the required stops have been reached and the final destination is attained.[/columns][/quote]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/vFgyRO9.png[/img][/center]
Challenge Rules
travelocke rules created by Folktale!
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This is just a summary of the challenge rules! Please check out the original ruleset for the full rules & dice tables!
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Starting Out » wrote:
The Travelocke begins with 3 Level 1 dragons, of which one is the
caravan leader and the other two are passengers. These dragons are on a journey comprised of a certain number of
stops depending on the difficulty.
- Custom Difficulty - Roll a 1d4 for every Flight Territory the caravan is passing through. The sum is the number of stops the caravan must make along the way to its destination.
Roll a 1d10 to determine how much
distance must be covered on the way to the first stop in the caravan's journey.
To determine the supplies your caravan starts with, muster resources at Arlo's.
- Pickaxe (rugged work) - Supplies, multiply by 5
- Magnifying Glass (precise work) - Rations, multiply by 5
- Research Notes - Trade goods
Every day, pull from Pinkerton to determine the caravan's
fate. Certain
jobs will interact with the daily pull, so keep an eye out for that!
The Basics » wrote:
Every dragon consumes 1 ration every day. If you don't have enough rations, you must choose who to feed. Dragons who go hungry for one day can't perform their jobs; dragons who go hungry for two days leave the caravan/die.
If the caravan needs supplies to repair damage but has no supplies, it can only move 0.5 distance units in a day instead of the usual 1 distance unit.
If a dragon dies in the Coli and doesn't have an extra life, it gets removed from the challenge.
A dragon gains an extra life at levels 10, 15, and 20. Any caravan member who reaches level 25 "retires" and can no longer die; however, they also cannot breed or fight in the Coli.
Any eggs that hatch on the road must survive a coin flip with a heads in order to join the journey. Hatchlings must also roll a d6 for survival every day until they mature; a roll of a 1 means they die/leave the caravan.
Dragons gain a job at level 5. Any lives granted by a dragon's job stick around even if they change jobs.
Pinkerton » wrote:
If you pull
food from Pinkerton, you're headed to the Coli for a certain number of rounds depending on the type of food! The team must be composed of randomly selected dragons unless a job allows you to pick, and the venue battled in depends on the lowest-leveled dragon in the party unless a job states otherwise. You may stay in the same venue all day even if the lowest-leveled dragon levels up. There are no penalties for fleeing or quitting the battle streak.
- Meat = 40-50 matches
- Seafood = 30-40 matches
- Insects = 20-30 matches
- Plants = 10-20 matches
Materials & Trinkets from Pinkerton result in an encounter on the road. This encounter is determined by rolling a d20 and selecting the matching result from the table in
this post.
* NOTE: For this challenge, a roll of 3 (Romance on the Road) will result in adding a random number (1-5) of hatchlings from the appropriate Flight to the caravan instead of breeding unless the caravan is in the Shifting Expanse.
Apparel from Pinkerton results in adding a new dragon to the caravan! Roll a d4 (modified from flipping a coin), adding the cheapest hatchling of a randomly-determined breed on the AH to the caravan on a 1 and the cheapest adult of a randomly-selected on the AH to the caravan on a 2, 3, or 4.
Familiars from Pinkerton lead to a fork in the road. Roll a d4 to see how many alternative stops lie ahead, and roll a d10 to determine how far away each stop is. You must pick one of these alternative stops and change your distance tracker accordingly.
Battle Stones from Pinkerton send the group out foraging in the Coliseum for 50 rounds (modified from 40-50). Gain no distance this day, but gain a number of rations equal to the number of food items you get divided by 5 (modified from a 1:1 ratio), supplies equal to the number of material/trinket items you get divided by 5 (modified from a 1:1 ratio), and trade goods equal to the number of familiars/battle stones/apparel you get. If you get any special drops (genes, eggs, etc.), give a random dragon 3 extra lives.
Stops » wrote:
Once a caravan has fulfilled the amount of distance separating them from the next stop, they arrive at that stop and may perform further actions. The caravan is also resupplied by mustering at Arlo's, with pickaxes equalling supplies, magnifying glasses equalling rations, and trade goods equalling research notes.
You may trade 1 trade good for 5 rations or 5 supplies, and this trade may be reversed to gain trade goods instead. Supplies and rations can be exchanged with one another at a 1:1 ratio (modification).
You may hire any amount of new dragons to your caravan for 2 trade goods each, and you may dismiss existing caravan members to gain a number of rations OR supplies equal to their level.
While stopped, roll a d10 to determine how far away the next stop is.
.
Quote:
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Winning
The challenge is won when all the required stops have been reached and the final destination is attained.
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« Mew »
|| 2+ FR Time | She/Her | The Calm Before the Storm | ||
• { Lockedown } - Chill Biolocke + Necrolocke
• { Thunder Hollow } - Clan Lore [WIP]
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[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/vFgyRO9.png[/img]
[emoji=trade size=1]
[font=mistral][size=6][b]Credits & Pinglist[/b][/size][/font]
[size=2][i]just what it says on the tin![/i][/size]
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/qvhLgy10/Hor-divider-400.png[/img]
[b]GRAPHICS[/b]
[url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2257922/1]Poisonedpaper[/url] & [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2103505]Tochiro[/url]
[i]Some edits by me![/i]
[b]RULESET & FORMATTING INSPO[/b]
[url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3138071]Folktale[/url]
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/qvhLgy10/Hor-divider-400.png[/img][/center]
[quote name=Pinglist][columns][emoji=ping size=1][nextcol][color=transparent]____[/color][nextcol][b]@[/b]Folktale [b]@[/b]Korozo [b]@[/b]Wintersphoenix [b]@[/b]Cartographic[/columns][/quote]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/vFgyRO9.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/vFgyRO9.png[/img]
[emoji=trade size=1]
[font=mistral][size=6][b]DAY 0[/b][/size][/font]
[size=2][i]in which we set up our caravan[/i][/size]
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/qvhLgy10/Hor-divider-400.png[/img]
[columns][color=transparent]____[nextcol][quote][size=4]Welp, guess who decided to reuse an old thread and start a Travelocke!
I mean...you're reading this. You know who it is XD
Anyways, I thought it would be fun to kick off the summer with a casual challenge! There will probably be a bit more lore than usual these first few days, but, once I get back into my other writing projects (*looks guiltily at kingdomlocke*), that will slow down quite a bit. There also might not even be lore every day, depending on how I feel! I'm just getting that out there right now so I don't disappoint anyone :0
Anyways, let's get our caravan set up![/quote]
So I'm going to go against the grain a little bit as I get set up by starting my caravan off with a dragon I already own! Meet Sundry:
[center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/71412145][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/714122/71412145_350.png[/img][/url][/center]
This lad has been sitting in my lair for a hot minute, and I haven't been 100% sure about keeping him. I bought him with the intention in mind that he'd be a traveling merchant who helped supply my clan, but I didn't really get any inspiration for his lore so he just kind-of sat in my hibden without a purpose. Lo and behold a new challenge arrives, one that is absolutely perfect for testing his mettle and making me care about him in a totally new way! He'll be our [b]caravan leader[/b].
Now, we're finally off to the Auction House for the first of our passengers. And what do we get but an absolutely stunning skydancer lass!
[center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/78331957][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/783320/78331957_350.png[/img][/url][/center]
I am in love with this dragon already, and our journey hasn't even started yet! I rolled the name Anessa for her--I think I'll call her Nessa for short :D Does the removal of one letter even count as "for short"?
The nickname is made worthwhile by our prenamed second passenger, Ameria:
[center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/77852849][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/778529/77852849_350.png[/img][/url][/center]
Another looker! Can't believe I got lucky enough to find these two in the same price bracket. I let myself shop around since there were multiple dragons listed for the same price, and I'm shocked both of these two were just chilling around for so cheap! What a nice start :D
For lore reasons that will soon be revealed, I've decided that their journey will begin at the Tourmaline Archives and end at the Hewn City. That leaves us with a few intervening territories to pass through. Instead of selecting a set difficulty, I've decided to roll a d4 for every elemental region the caravan needs to pass through and use that to determine how many stops our caravan has to travel. Either route to the Hewn City will take about 4 territories' worth of land to travel to based on the comparative location of the Archives and the City in their respective territories, so that gives us 4d4s to work with. A minimum roll would be 4, just a little under the benchmark for an easy journey, and a maximum roll would be 16, just a little over the benchmark for a difficult journey. I like those odds! Let's get rolling.
Regardless of which path we choose, we'll be passing through the Scarred Wasteland first. I roll a nice middling 3, which means that our journey from the Archives and through the Wasteland will take [b]3 stops[/b].
Next, I think I'll route us through the Windswept Plateau. That way, the caravan will pass through the Shifting Expanse and I'll have a chance to actually breed my dragons at some point XD The dice say we'll be making [b]2 stops[/b] in the Plateau!
After that comes the Ashfall Waste. The dice say we'll be making only [b]1 stop[/b] in the Waste--which is probably a good thing for our flammable wagon!
Finally, we'll stop by the Shifting Expanse. The dice say that we're in for [b]4 stops[/b] through the Shifting Expanse, with the final one taking us over the border and into the Hewn City!
That leaves us with a total of [b]10 stops[/b]--a completely average journey!
Now, we need to hit up Arlo for some supplies. He's generous, designating the following supplies for our caravan:
[emoji=pick axe size=1] = [b]5[/b] x 5 = 25 supplies
[emoji=magnifying glass size=1] = [b]6[/b] x 5 = 30 rations
[emoji=scroll 2 size=1] = [b]4[/b] trade goods
Finally, let's toss the dice one last time to see how far my dragons need to travel to get to their first stop! The result is a 6, so we'll need to travel for [b]6 days[/b] at a minimum before we reach our first destination--let's say, a little town on the border of Arcane and Plague named Starmeadow. I'll note these down so I can add them to tomorrow's post!
Finally, since I've got nothing but time on my hands, I suppose it's only fitting if I write a little lore prologue :D Enjoy![nextcol][color=transparent]____[/columns]
[center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/qvhLgy10/Hor-divider-400.png[/img][/center][/center]
[quote name="From the Desk of the ARCHIVIST..."][font=times new roman]Dear CARVER,
I sincerely hope my messenger will be able to find you. You’ve been awfully difficult to locate ever since you lot abandoned the INFINITAS Facility. I’m not writing to shame you, or even to rub the failure of Project NULL in your face. However, I [i]am[/i] writing to inform you that, where you have failed, I have succeeded. Project OUROBOROS was ultimately a success, and the resulting specimen has been outfitted with suppression equipment for proper shipment to your location. I was able to source a suitably gullible and trustworthy merchant by the name of SUNDRY to deliver the specimen to you, and he should arrive in the following months if the weather is fair. Worry not for its safety; the spell of binding was a thorough success and the OUROBOROS has taken on the immortal quality of a phoenix. Furthermore, I have assigned a trustworthy spy to join SUNDRY'S company and escort it all the way to you. She will keep SUNDRY ignorant of exactly what it is he is delivering, by force if necessary, and deter any threats that approach the caravan. My spies will additionally keep tabs on the procession and step in to reclaim the specimen should anything go awry. Rest assured—it will reach you eventually, and, when it does, I will send further instructions for how best to employ it in the battle against LUMINAX. When that particular threat is dealt with, I will leave it in your reasonably capable claws for the purposes of eliminating what Shade still remains here on Sornieth. Despite your best efforts to ensure otherwise, evil will not prevail on our beloved planet.
I must give you some credit, though—that suppression helmet design of yours is most excellent for subduing OUROBOROS through the long transit. Perhaps your science is not entirely inferior to our magic, after all.
Take care.
— from the desk of the ARCHIVIST[/size][/quote]
[center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/qvhLgy10/Hor-divider-400.png[/img]
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=78331957][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/783320/78331957.png[/img][/url][/center]
[quote name="Mission Assessment..."][font=times new roman]I have located and joined the caravan, as instructed. Its leader, Sundry, was just as described in the missive—gregarious and gullible. I wandered around the market square for some time before approaching him and fed him a story about going to fetch some scrolls from the Hewn City for the benefit of the Archives. He very cheerily offered that the City was his destination and welcomed me to join him on his journey, as the ARCHIVIST supposed he might. This is good—it means I will have constant, easy access to the cargo at all times. He directed me to settle my belongings in the back of the wagon and rest. Apparently, he intends to travel primarily at night for the safety of the caravan. Though gullible, it thankfully would appear as though he is not stupid. He expressed to me that this is his first mercantile venture outside the Isles; he is doing all he can to ensure it will go off without a hitch. Please send my thanks to the ARCHIVIST—in all regards, Sundry is the perfect choice for this mission. Archival assessment of Sundry and the caravan:
SUNDRY - male Snapper dragon, apparently a young-to-middle age adult. Arcane Flight. Black with distinct orange and pink patches. He is equipped with some pelt armor and wears a halberd and spear—proficiency unknown. Best emergency dispatch option? Poison on account of bulk and tough scales. He is voluble and charismatic, the sort who doesn't keep anything to himself. Any knowledge of the cargo is especially dangerous on account of his personality—I recommend classification as high-risk for his file.
CARAVAN - large covered wagon pulled by a team of four Redtail Gryphons. These beasts appear to be well-trained and respond excellently to their names—Tomato, Pepper, Strawberry, and Apple. All four are female. Should Sundry need to be dispatched, it is likely they would respond to guidance from me or another passenger. The wagon is new and appears to have been customized with the addition of a small rooftop garden to the space between the ribs of the cart. The cargo is loaded into the belly of the wagon, alongside other trading supplies. The full extent of these is as-yet unknown, as most have been contained in sturdy crates. A few cages, tanks, and pots inside or attached to the outside of the wagon contain organisms native to the Isles; I assume these are merchandise intended for regions along the way. Repair materials and a substantial quantity of travel-ready rations are included in the caravan's inventory.
Furthermore, Sundry recruited another passenger before the day was out. Archival assessment included below:
AMERIA - female Guardian dragon, apparently a young adult. Arcane Flight. Tan and orange coloration, with a capsuled underbelly of unknown chemical contents. I was able to ascertain the nature of her Charge from some brief conversation—it is, by her admission, "the journey," so there is no way to manipulate her with it if necessary. She is equipped with a shovel and pickaxe—proficiency unknown. She wears a wooden mask but no other bodily protection beyond her scales; a knife should be sufficient for dispatch if necessary. She appears to have sustained recent wounds to the rear legs, though she walks without a limp, so bone injury is unlikely. She carries several animal and mechanical companions on her person; an Ember Mouse (apparently named "Kindling"), a gecko, and some sort of lizard-like automaton. These should not pose any threat to myself or the cargo.
We will set out at midnight, heading for a town named Starmeadow near the border of the Scarred Wasteland. It appears as though our journey will route through the Windswept Plateau instead of the Tangled Wood for safety's sake. Further updates will follow as soon as the journey halts tomorrow.
— ANESSA, mission dispatch under command of the ARCHIVIST[/quote]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/vFgyRO9.png[/img][/center]
DAY 0
in which we set up our caravan
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Quote:
Welp, guess who decided to reuse an old thread and start a Travelocke!
I mean...you're reading this. You know who it is XD
Anyways, I thought it would be fun to kick off the summer with a casual challenge! There will probably be a bit more lore than usual these first few days, but, once I get back into my other writing projects (*looks guiltily at kingdomlocke*), that will slow down quite a bit. There also might not even be lore every day, depending on how I feel! I'm just getting that out there right now so I don't disappoint anyone :0
Anyways, let's get our caravan set up!
So I'm going to go against the grain a little bit as I get set up by starting my caravan off with a dragon I already own! Meet Sundry:
This lad has been sitting in my lair for a hot minute, and I haven't been 100% sure about keeping him. I bought him with the intention in mind that he'd be a traveling merchant who helped supply my clan, but I didn't really get any inspiration for his lore so he just kind-of sat in my hibden without a purpose. Lo and behold a new challenge arrives, one that is absolutely perfect for testing his mettle and making me care about him in a totally new way! He'll be our caravan leader.
Now, we're finally off to the Auction House for the first of our passengers. And what do we get but an absolutely stunning skydancer lass!
I am in love with this dragon already, and our journey hasn't even started yet! I rolled the name Anessa for her--I think I'll call her Nessa for short :D Does the removal of one letter even count as "for short"?
The nickname is made worthwhile by our prenamed second passenger, Ameria:
Another looker! Can't believe I got lucky enough to find these two in the same price bracket. I let myself shop around since there were multiple dragons listed for the same price, and I'm shocked both of these two were just chilling around for so cheap! What a nice start :D
For lore reasons that will soon be revealed, I've decided that their journey will begin at the Tourmaline Archives and end at the Hewn City. That leaves us with a few intervening territories to pass through. Instead of selecting a set difficulty, I've decided to roll a d4 for every elemental region the caravan needs to pass through and use that to determine how many stops our caravan has to travel. Either route to the Hewn City will take about 4 territories' worth of land to travel to based on the comparative location of the Archives and the City in their respective territories, so that gives us 4d4s to work with. A minimum roll would be 4, just a little under the benchmark for an easy journey, and a maximum roll would be 16, just a little over the benchmark for a difficult journey. I like those odds! Let's get rolling.
Regardless of which path we choose, we'll be passing through the Scarred Wasteland first. I roll a nice middling 3, which means that our journey from the Archives and through the Wasteland will take 3 stops.
Next, I think I'll route us through the Windswept Plateau. That way, the caravan will pass through the Shifting Expanse and I'll have a chance to actually breed my dragons at some point XD The dice say we'll be making 2 stops in the Plateau!
After that comes the Ashfall Waste. The dice say we'll be making only 1 stop in the Waste--which is probably a good thing for our flammable wagon!
Finally, we'll stop by the Shifting Expanse. The dice say that we're in for 4 stops through the Shifting Expanse, with the final one taking us over the border and into the Hewn City!
That leaves us with a total of 10 stops--a completely average journey!
Now, we need to hit up Arlo for some supplies. He's generous, designating the following supplies for our caravan:
 = 5 x 5 = 25 supplies
 = 6 x 5 = 30 rations
 = 4 trade goods
Finally, let's toss the dice one last time to see how far my dragons need to travel to get to their first stop! The result is a 6, so we'll need to travel for 6 days at a minimum before we reach our first destination--let's say, a little town on the border of Arcane and Plague named Starmeadow. I'll note these down so I can add them to tomorrow's post!
Finally, since I've got nothing but time on my hands, I suppose it's only fitting if I write a little lore prologue :D Enjoy!
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From the Desk of the ARCHIVIST... wrote:
Dear CARVER,
I sincerely hope my messenger will be able to find you. You’ve been awfully difficult to locate ever since you lot abandoned the INFINITAS Facility. I’m not writing to shame you, or even to rub the failure of Project NULL in your face. However, I am writing to inform you that, where you have failed, I have succeeded. Project OUROBOROS was ultimately a success, and the resulting specimen has been outfitted with suppression equipment for proper shipment to your location. I was able to source a suitably gullible and trustworthy merchant by the name of SUNDRY to deliver the specimen to you, and he should arrive in the following months if the weather is fair. Worry not for its safety; the spell of binding was a thorough success and the OUROBOROS has taken on the immortal quality of a phoenix. Furthermore, I have assigned a trustworthy spy to join SUNDRY'S company and escort it all the way to you. She will keep SUNDRY ignorant of exactly what it is he is delivering, by force if necessary, and deter any threats that approach the caravan. My spies will additionally keep tabs on the procession and step in to reclaim the specimen should anything go awry. Rest assured—it will reach you eventually, and, when it does, I will send further instructions for how best to employ it in the battle against LUMINAX. When that particular threat is dealt with, I will leave it in your reasonably capable claws for the purposes of eliminating what Shade still remains here on Sornieth. Despite your best efforts to ensure otherwise, evil will not prevail on our beloved planet.
I must give you some credit, though—that suppression helmet design of yours is most excellent for subduing OUROBOROS through the long transit. Perhaps your science is not entirely inferior to our magic, after all.
Take care.
— from the desk of the ARCHIVIST
Mission Assessment... wrote:
I have located and joined the caravan, as instructed. Its leader, Sundry, was just as described in the missive—gregarious and gullible. I wandered around the market square for some time before approaching him and fed him a story about going to fetch some scrolls from the Hewn City for the benefit of the Archives. He very cheerily offered that the City was his destination and welcomed me to join him on his journey, as the ARCHIVIST supposed he might. This is good—it means I will have constant, easy access to the cargo at all times. He directed me to settle my belongings in the back of the wagon and rest. Apparently, he intends to travel primarily at night for the safety of the caravan. Though gullible, it thankfully would appear as though he is not stupid. He expressed to me that this is his first mercantile venture outside the Isles; he is doing all he can to ensure it will go off without a hitch. Please send my thanks to the ARCHIVIST—in all regards, Sundry is the perfect choice for this mission. Archival assessment of Sundry and the caravan:
SUNDRY - male Snapper dragon, apparently a young-to-middle age adult. Arcane Flight. Black with distinct orange and pink patches. He is equipped with some pelt armor and wears a halberd and spear—proficiency unknown. Best emergency dispatch option? Poison on account of bulk and tough scales. He is voluble and charismatic, the sort who doesn't keep anything to himself. Any knowledge of the cargo is especially dangerous on account of his personality—I recommend classification as high-risk for his file.
CARAVAN - large covered wagon pulled by a team of four Redtail Gryphons. These beasts appear to be well-trained and respond excellently to their names—Tomato, Pepper, Strawberry, and Apple. All four are female. Should Sundry need to be dispatched, it is likely they would respond to guidance from me or another passenger. The wagon is new and appears to have been customized with the addition of a small rooftop garden to the space between the ribs of the cart. The cargo is loaded into the belly of the wagon, alongside other trading supplies. The full extent of these is as-yet unknown, as most have been contained in sturdy crates. A few cages, tanks, and pots inside or attached to the outside of the wagon contain organisms native to the Isles; I assume these are merchandise intended for regions along the way. Repair materials and a substantial quantity of travel-ready rations are included in the caravan's inventory.
Furthermore, Sundry recruited another passenger before the day was out. Archival assessment included below:
AMERIA - female Guardian dragon, apparently a young adult. Arcane Flight. Tan and orange coloration, with a capsuled underbelly of unknown chemical contents. I was able to ascertain the nature of her Charge from some brief conversation—it is, by her admission, "the journey," so there is no way to manipulate her with it if necessary. She is equipped with a shovel and pickaxe—proficiency unknown. She wears a wooden mask but no other bodily protection beyond her scales; a knife should be sufficient for dispatch if necessary. She appears to have sustained recent wounds to the rear legs, though she walks without a limp, so bone injury is unlikely. She carries several animal and mechanical companions on her person; an Ember Mouse (apparently named "Kindling"), a gecko, and some sort of lizard-like automaton. These should not pose any threat to myself or the cargo.
We will set out at midnight, heading for a town named Starmeadow near the border of the Scarred Wasteland. It appears as though our journey will route through the Windswept Plateau instead of the Tangled Wood for safety's sake. Further updates will follow as soon as the journey halts tomorrow.
— ANESSA, mission dispatch under command of the ARCHIVIST
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« Mew »
|| 2+ FR Time | She/Her | The Calm Before the Storm | ||
• { Lockedown } - Chill Biolocke + Necrolocke
• { Thunder Hollow } - Clan Lore [WIP]
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You know I want to be on your pinglist!!
[i]Also... psst looks like you may have tagged a different user under the name "Folklore" in a few posts instead of "Folktale"[/i] [emoji=coatl tongue size=2]
You know I want to be on your pinglist!!
Also... psst looks like you may have tagged a different user under the name "Folklore" in a few posts instead of "Folktale" 
