The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
The Reaches, or the Deeps as Brother knows them, are a strange and dangerous place. Perhaps an extension of the forest or perhaps something else altogether, one thing is certain: they are not safe for the likes of you.
Still, the records of those who do find their way back provide two certainties: while there is danger in the Reaches, so too are there many treasures and adventures to be had. Whatever you're seeking, the Reaches will provide.
Aren't you hungry for something...interesting?
How this works:
Post here or DM me (wurm#2359) that your oc(s) are going into the deeper reaches of the forest. You can rp it out or not, your choice. If you don't have an oc, you can post ooc.
I’ll reply with what they find. Most expeditions will find useful or odd little trinkets, but occasionally an oc might find something more special/interesting. Magical and enchanted objects are most likely.
If the group involves multiple players, the chance to find something good doubles. If one player finds something neat, everyone will get something equally interesting to keep it fair.
You may submit your oc to be randomly matched with another for a group. You'll get the same odds as another group of two and are welcome to RP with each other or not as you prefer. If enough players submit their ocs to be randomly matched, groups of up to 5 may be formed.
Bigger groups (up to 5) have better chances of finding something useful to the plot or otherwise interesting. They also have a better chance of defending themselves against monsters, which will earn them more loot.
It is also very possible that your oc will run into some sort of enemy or complication (75% chance). It’s your choice as a player what damage they take, if any. I’ll also describe the monster or complication, should your character run into one. The bigger the group, the more likely you are to beat the monster and gain some extra items + another roll for a unique drop.
Simplified odds of unique/interesting drops:
5% (1/20) for single-player groups
10% (1/10) for multiple-player groups
Simplified odds of beating a monster:
10% (1/10) for single-player groups
Odds will increase by 20% for each new participant, up to 90%.
Donations
You may keep your items. Whatever your character finds is theirs to do with as they like. Most items will have some minor unique or interesting property.
However, your character may also donate them to Brother or Hlin.
Depending on who you donate to, you will change the ending of this plot.
Brother has an offer for future groups going into the Reaches.
If you bring them your magical objects, they will grant you a wish based on the object's potency.
They are capable of impressive feats of magic; whatever you want may well be within their grasp.
I am only trying to escape, they assure.
Magical items from this forest or the Reaches will progress either bar by 5%.
Magical items from other realms or minor items from The Reaches will progress either bar by 3%.
Non-magical items will progress either bar by 1%.
-- 64%
-- 66%
LFG:
Please check the comments below!
Available for random groups: Last updated 3/7
0 participants
A huge thank you to the creators of donjon.bin.sh, dndspeak and kassoon for their generators. I'm using them here to easily generate encounters and loot.
The tree in front of you looks like it burned from the inside out. Its branches scrape at the sky, as if it is trying to escape from where it's buried deep in the earth. As you look, you realize you can make out a face, twisted in an expression that could be fear, agony or grief. The grasping claws of its roots and branches suddenly seem all too real.
In the center of the trunk is a hefty broadsword. You can only see the hilt; the rest of the blade has been stabbed deep into the tree's 'heart'.
The sensation of being watched is nearly unbearable here. While milder in some parts of the Reaches, here you expect to see something leap out at you at any moment. Only it doesn't.
Your characters do not encounter any resistance, save for the eerie sensation of being seen. Scattered around the clearing are a handful of interesting objects.
Your characters may take two each of the following list:
1. the deed to a small property
2. pocket sand
3. thirteen mouse teeth
4. Playing cards
5. a wooden comb
6. A tooth from an unknown beast
All of these objects have a minor interesting property, which I can generate or your can choose for your characters.
The keenest among you spots a strange carving around the broadsword and transcribes it.
Hlin translates it as the letter 'o'.
There is one rune remaining.
Your characters find no magical objects, but encounter no further troubles.
As always, RP is welcome and your characters may re-enter the Reaches when you feel they've rested enough.
Interesting. Adoette will take object two and object six. They will be donated to Hlin. Would like to know what kind of property these objects had, generate please.
#2. As you hold the pocket sand, an errant gust of wind blows some back in your face. You cough and sputter, only managing to spit out a portion of it. It tastes as horrible as you'd imagine. When you finally get it out of your eyes, you blink. Before you is a beautiful vista of an alien world.
As soon as you blink again, it's gone.
You mess with the sand some more and discover that if you can bear the taste, it will allow you to see into a place of your choosing for two minutes. There are probably easier ways to scry than eating sand, though.
#6. The beast tooth is strange to look at. Engraved in its enamel are swirling, intricate designs. You could almost be hypnotized by them. Almost. You close your eyes for just a moment.
When you open your eyes again, you're surrounded by four pulsing blue lights. Wherever you move, they follow you exactly, as if they're rooted to you. It's only when you put the tooth down again that they disappear.
You swear you picked up some mouse teeth. Thirteen of them. You can picture them-- and suddenly they're back where you left them. You would put this down to a strange lapse of memory, save for the fact that when you look for them, they're gone once more.
You experiment. Every time you think about the mice teeth, they appear. Every time you forget about them--which is oddly easy to do--they disappear. Perhaps grinding them up and adding them to something else might allow you to control the effect...
There are only four playing cards left in the pack: an ace, a 4 of Hearts, a queen and a 3 of Spades. You draw out the ace. It immediately disappears in a cloud of silvery smoke. You start in surprise, running into a nearby object, only to realize you can't feel it. With some experimenting, you find that the card has granted you a temporary ward around your body. The effect lasts for five minutes before wearing off. This item has three cards remaining that will all cast the same spell.
@Baal The deed is...harmless? Or so you hope. It is absolutely gorgeous, though. It looks as if it was illuminated in the style of an ancient manuscript. Upon close inspection, you realize the words are definitely not any language that you speak. Wherever this language is from, you now own a plot of land there. Your name is signed on the bottom line in what you hope is not blood.
The comb makes you look great. You check out your reflection in the nearest reflective surface. Your eyes look brighter, your clothes are perfectly fitted and your hair is perfectly styled. Nice. This comb is imbued with a minor illusory spell which allows you to look your best if you pass it through your hair. The effect will wear off within two hours. Make sure you dip into the bathroom occasionally if you're going out.
Hlin breathes in deeply, looking at the runes assembled before her.
D e a d w o o d.
"Deadwood," she breathes, her voice barely audible. Then again, stronger. "Deadwood?"
The trees above her rustle as if they are listening. Hlin looks at them and smiles knowingly.
"That's it. That's its name. Now we can end this."
Nearby, Brother shifts, unrooting themself in an act of desperation.
They dive through the portal and disappear into the Reaches.
Hlin smiles knowingly. She doesn't seem bothered by this turn of events.
"Thank you all. I couldn't--I wouldn't have done it without you. Thank you."
The next part will require some community participation and should be posted around next Saturday (3/14).
I'll be posting some more information soon!
In the meantime, feel free to continue exploring the Reaches.
The post will be open until the final.
And again-- a big thank you to everyone who participated or simply read along.
You've all made this a pleasure to run.
Melrakki will take the sizeable amount of currency from his most recent world.
Sebastian will take the vial of quicksilver, a pouch of ruby powder, a pipe that blows bubbles, and an old divination card.
The black doe (chitz) will take the small wooden statuette of a smug halfling, a fine gold chain set with a fire opal, a necklace of animal teeth, and the string of wooden prayer beads.
Ramsus will take the black velvet mask stitched with silver thread and the roll of twine.
^ Rohit should still be in
Edit: Hello new page that makes my little arrow point to the wrong thing
@Aivilo -- Aha! I thought I
I'll wait and see if anyone else wants to join in for a bit.
Can throw Davian back in if
Adoette, Rohit and Davian
The tree in front of you looks like it burned from the inside out. Its branches scrape at the sky, as if it is trying to escape from where it's buried deep in the earth. As you look, you realize you can make out a face, twisted in an expression that could be fear, agony or grief. The grasping claws of its roots and branches suddenly seem all too real.
In the center of the trunk is a hefty broadsword. You can only see the hilt; the rest of the blade has been stabbed deep into the tree's 'heart'.
The sensation of being watched is nearly unbearable here. While milder in some parts of the Reaches, here you expect to see something leap out at you at any moment. Only it doesn't.
Your characters do not encounter any resistance, save for the eerie sensation of being seen. Scattered around the clearing are a handful of interesting objects.
Your characters may take two each of the following list:
1. the deed to a small property
2. pocket sand
3. thirteen mouse teeth
4. Playing cards
5. a wooden comb
6. A tooth from an unknown beast
All of these objects have a minor interesting property, which I can generate or your can choose for your characters.
The keenest among you spots a strange carving around the broadsword and transcribes it.
Hlin translates it as the letter 'o'.
There is one rune remaining.
Your characters find no magical objects, but encounter no further troubles.
As always, RP is welcome and your characters may re-enter the Reaches when you feel they've rested enough.
Interesting. Adoette will
#2. As you hold the pocket
As soon as you blink again, it's gone.
You mess with the sand some more and discover that if you can bear the taste, it will allow you to see into a place of your choosing for two minutes. There are probably easier ways to scry than eating sand, though.
#6. The beast tooth is strange to look at. Engraved in its enamel are swirling, intricate designs. You could almost be hypnotized by them. Almost. You close your eyes for just a moment.
When you open your eyes again, you're surrounded by four pulsing blue lights. Wherever you move, they follow you exactly, as if they're rooted to you. It's only when you put the tooth down again that they disappear.
Rohit will take the mouse
Davian will take the comb and
Roll for properties please?
@Aivilo You swear you picked
You swear you picked up some mouse teeth. Thirteen of them. You can picture them-- and suddenly they're back where you left them. You would put this down to a strange lapse of memory, save for the fact that when you look for them, they're gone once more.
You experiment. Every time you think about the mice teeth, they appear. Every time you forget about them--which is oddly easy to do--they disappear. Perhaps grinding them up and adding them to something else might allow you to control the effect...
There are only four playing cards left in the pack: an ace, a 4 of Hearts, a queen and a 3 of Spades. You draw out the ace. It immediately disappears in a cloud of silvery smoke. You start in surprise, running into a nearby object, only to realize you can't feel it. With some experimenting, you find that the card has granted you a temporary ward around your body. The effect lasts for five minutes before wearing off. This item has three cards remaining that will all cast the same spell.
@Baal
The deed is...harmless? Or so you hope. It is absolutely gorgeous, though. It looks as if it was illuminated in the style of an ancient manuscript. Upon close inspection, you realize the words are definitely not any language that you speak. Wherever this language is from, you now own a plot of land there. Your name is signed on the bottom line in what you hope is not blood.
The comb makes you look great. You check out your reflection in the nearest reflective surface. Your eyes look brighter, your clothes are perfectly fitted and your hair is perfectly styled. Nice. This comb is imbued with a minor illusory spell which allows you to look your best if you pass it through your hair. The effect will wear off within two hours. Make sure you dip into the bathroom occasionally if you're going out.
Sindile has found the final
Hlin breathes in deeply, looking at the runes assembled before her.
D e a d w o o d.
"Deadwood," she breathes, her voice barely audible. Then again, stronger. "Deadwood?"
The trees above her rustle as if they are listening. Hlin looks at them and smiles knowingly.
"That's it. That's its name. Now we can end this."
Nearby, Brother shifts, unrooting themself in an act of desperation.
They dive through the portal and disappear into the Reaches.
Hlin smiles knowingly. She doesn't seem bothered by this turn of events.
"Thank you all. I couldn't--I wouldn't have done it without you. Thank you."
The next part will require some community participation and should be posted around next Saturday (3/14).
I'll be posting some more information soon!
In the meantime, feel free to continue exploring the Reaches.
The post will be open until the final.
And again-- a big thank you to everyone who participated or simply read along.
You've all made this a pleasure to run.
Melrakki will take the
Sebastian will take the vial of quicksilver, a pouch of ruby powder, a pipe that blows bubbles, and an old divination card.
The black doe (chitz) will take the small wooden statuette of a smug halfling, a fine gold chain set with a fire opal, a necklace of animal teeth, and the string of wooden prayer beads.
Ramsus will take the black velvet mask stitched with silver thread and the roll of twine.
and they'll keep all of the items. :}
All theirs! Let me know if