conversations: human
conversations:  You both awaken completely naked laying face up in soft wet grass, a gentle warm sun shining down on you. Almost lulling you back to sleep.
  You remember going to sleep (or meditating) the night before and then.. this now. Nothing else comes to you no matter how hard you try.
  
  Worse you then realize the presence of one another. Neither of you knows the other. Both of you are naked and alone in the middle of a vast field of grass, with no memory of how you got there.
  All you can see is the occasional sheep wandering about the field.
  
   
conversations: Gaiyamato:
conversations: human
conversations:  Cerwyn simply lies there.  Enjoying the beautiful morning.  His lack of clothing bothered him not a wit for they were only a thing of necessity.  An impermanent thing to keep him warm on the chilly peaks.  Now with the sun high over head he was as warmed as he needed to be.
  
  " Hello Sister.  The day is made more joyous by your companionship.  How are you feeling? "
conversations: Denomar:
conversations: human
conversations:  The very strong but willowy woman (taut musculature, but no mutant-anime-strength of a little girl in a school costume that lifts a tank ... also, athletic build, not fantasy-game voluptuous) turns on the grass to the speaker.
  
  That is when, if he glances over at her, he sees the hair fall away from her pointed ears and her featureless opalescent eyes. 
   Spoiler 
  With no K: Planes, you don't have any concept of what she is ... let alone an outsider.  With no K: Local, you have no idea what she is ... elven features, but without any lore in that arena, you don't know if she does or does not fit the description of any known type of elf or other humanoid.
  
  She is a complete enigma.
  
  On an unrelated note, she's obviously the brains in this outfit.  🙂
   
  
   "Lazy,"  she says simply, almost playfully.   "This sky, this land, your body ... this would make an incredible painting.  I would love to write of this, but it would be a life's work to be able to describe it in my meager mastery of poetry." 
  
  She props herself up on her elbows.  She studies you for a minute ... looking you up and down with a mix of admiration, but just as much or more appraisal.  Whether that appraisal is like a woman to a man or a breeder to a horse is unknown.   "Your face is not bad-looking, but your musculature is sleek like a hunting cat.  I daresay you are smaller and lighter than I, yet you look like a lion basking in the sun.
  
  "My name is Garlel'thaswen.  I am a writer and a lover of all arts written and painted.  What is your name, and what do you identify yourself with, as I do so with art?" 
conversations: PSinger:
conversations: human
conversations:  Cerwyn does not seem to be bothered by the woman's inhuman appearance.  " I have not met many Lions" he admits.  "I imagine they would enjoy a peaceful day as much as anyone though ."
  
  A thought strikes him.  " Is that what you call your order?  I confess to knowing little beyond the walls of Monastery of the Rising Sun.  I am Cerwyn.  And I suppose I identify with myself ."
  
  Without a further word Cerwyn smoothly takes his feet and after a moment begins walking eastwards.  Or what he thinks is eastward.
  
  " Come on sister.  It would not do for father Pelor to smite us for overexposure ."
  
   
   Spoiler 
  Cerwyn will take ten on a survival check to try and determine which direction is roughly equivalent to east.  The check shouldn't have any immediate dangerous consequences so the result is a 12.
   
conversations: Denomar:
conversations: human
conversations:  "They sure, do,"  she Garlel'thaswen says with a smile.   "Meanwhile the lionesses are the ones out hunting for the lazy male since the latter are too busy sunning themselves." 
  *********************
  
   "My ... order?"  she laughs.   "What do you mean by that?" 
   
   Spoiler 
   Gai , Has she ever heard of the Monastery of the Rising Sun?
  K: Arcana  (1d20+8)[ 21 ]  for general monastic traditions and the like.
  K: Religion  (1d20+8)[ 20 ]  for similar, but mainly for affiliated religion or philosophy.
   
  
  **********************
   
   Spoiler 
  I don't know how Gai does it ... but things what you know or don't Take 10, like Knowledge checks.  Taking 10 assumes that somehow if you take longer to do a task, you do it better.  Same with a lot of interaction skills and such.
  
  Still, Gai needs to rule on this.  However, Taking 10 does take time, so to get things moving....
  
  For her, Survival to determine direction  (1d20+8)[ 27 ] 
  K: Nature if that can be used as a backup - one is feel, the other knowledge -  (1d20+10)[ 27 ] 
   
  
  She sees the man pondering the sun. and looking towards it.
  
   "Thinking of heading east to the rising sun?  I wouldn't recommend it.  On one hand, heading to the sun increases dehydration in the morning whereas the sweat on your hair going west actually helps.  We need to look into finding food and water for you, and clothing if just to keep you safe from the sun.  The next thing is that facing the sun is deceptive and you rarely keep a straight-line and the position changes.  If we head westwards, we have a better chance of keeping a straight-line for overland progress and you won't be dazzled.  The third thing ... and this definitely is of importance to you ... is the last thing you want to do is face the sun most of the day.  Because a chapped bum might be hard going, but you don't want to burn that beautiful bellringer you have on the front, do you?" 
conversations: PSinger:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler 
  
  Cerwyn easily find his direction from the orientation of the sun. To make it easy every world will just work like earth. Else it might get crazy.
  Finding direction and when you have a clear line of sight to the sun is so quick and easy for someone who is experienced with it that taking 10 would still be a swift action IMO. So both you easily work out the direction.
  
  Garlel has never heard of that monastery. OOC: You are both from different worlds and can assume most things like that.
   
  
  
  To the east - indeed in any direction - there is a rise, like the start of a hill. It would take you no more than 10 minutes to casually walk there.
  Both of you are astute enough to notice however that the sheep wear no bells, carry no marks and appear to be grazing wild. No one has challenged either of you so far either which infers no shepherd.
conversations: Gaiyamato:
conversations: human
conversations:  "Come!"  she says with joy and vivacity.   "I'll race you to that rise!" 
  
  She speeds up the hill, enjoying the feel of the sun on her naked body and the grass and loam under her feet.
conversations: PSinger:
conversations: human
conversations:  " East is as good a direction as any.  My order always seeks the sun.  It is the endless path of enlightenment. "  As Garel'Thaswen bolts up the hill he trails off.
  
  Making no move to quicken his pace Cerwyn crests the hill and calls out.  " It appears you have won.  Your prize is telling me what a Lion is. "
conversations: Denomar:
conversations: human
conversations:  You both crest the hill and stop in shock. The other side of the hill drops off in a sheer cliff into infinite blackness broken only by the twinkling of distant stars.
  Looking up again level with your location, you can see dozens of "islands" like inverted mountains with tiny pockets of trees or buildings with magical artificial sunlight lighting each one.
  Crude ships sail the darkness between one or two of them as if it were water. And some of those that appear to be filled entirely will walled cities, have smaller islands tethered to them by large iron chains which seem to have rusted away over a very long period of time.
  
  The spectacle of a literally broken and shattered world is both awe inspiring in it's beauty and mind numbingly terrifying at the same time as you both stand on the edge of an abyss.
  
  Looking around from your location your entire "island" appears to be nothing but a nice grassy plain filled with lazily grazing sheep. Only to the north, obscured by hills are a collection of tiny mud huts.
conversations: Gaiyamato:
conversations: human
conversations:  Garlel'thaswen says,  "A lion is an animal that is fierce, strong, and proud.  It is often called the King of the Forest.  A lot of kingdoms use lions on banners and coats of arms ... though don't ask me which ones.  I'd love to see a real lion, as long as it didn't want to eat me.  Every rendering I vaguely remember seeing makes them both wild and beautiful - male and female both." 
  
  After this sight that we gaze on (likely quietly for several minutes as we absorb it), she says,  "Curioser and curioser.  I guess, Cerwyn, there is no east.  I'm sorry that your god doesn't really exist here, though.
  
  "But there are habitations over there.  Shall we?  " 
  
  She doesn't really wait for the answer, but doesn't try to entirely outpace him, either.
conversations: PSinger:
conversations: human
conversations:  Cerwyn nods and silently follows in the outsider's wake.  His smile subdued but not altogether gone.
conversations: Denomar:
conversations: human
conversations:  OOC:
  Roll a spot check each as you approach the village. 
conversations: Gaiyamato:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler 
  How small is small?  Give me a unit of measure on how small these huts are .... are we simply talking like, halfling size, or are we talking Lilliputian dollhouse?
   
  
   "This is interesting,"  says Garlel'thaswen.   "Hello-oooo?  Anyone home?" 
conversations: PSinger:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler 
  
  We are talking halfling size.
  small as in for a small sized creature.
   
  
  
  You walk into the "entrance" to the village, which really was simple the most convenient dirt path nearest you.
  You count twenty houses in all, though house is stretching it. They all appear to be a single room round mud hut with a mud roof. The fibers holding the mud together appear to be grass.. or perhaps sheep dung.
  
  The village is extremely quiet. No response comes to your request.
  You do however notice that at the far side of the village is two of the huts joined together to form a very large building.
conversations: Gaiyamato:
conversations: human
conversations:  She goes over to the big building.
  
   "Keep an eye out, big boy,"  she says to Cerwyn.
  
  She then knocks on the building's door.   "Hello?  Is anyone here?" 
conversations: PSinger:
conversations: human
conversations:  Cerwyn's eyes see nothing beyond the livestock roaming the green hills.  Mercifully the broken landscape was also hidden behind the horizon.
  
  " I see the sheep.  But where is the Shepard? "
  
  Closing his eyes Cerwyn abandons himself to the senses beyond sight and seeks to be one with the stillness.
  
   
   Spoiler 
  He rolls a listen check  (1d20+8)[ 10 ] 
   
conversations: Denomar:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler 
  
   (1D20)[ 1 ] +5 Move Silently
   (1D20)[ 1 ] +8 Hide
  
  OOC: Oh wow.. epic fail...
  There goes their surprise round....
   
  
  
  A loud crash accompanied by much swearing and cursing reveals a small halfling dressed in a sheep skin loincloth. He carries a tiny tube made from sheep bone in his hands and has a small bone knife tucked in his waist.
  
  The game revealed, the halflings attack. 10 Halflings launch from the shadows firing tiny darts in your direction.
  
    OOC: ROLL INITIATIVE!  
conversations: Gaiyamato:
conversations: human
conversations:  Garlel'thaswen positions herself to catch as many of the little guys as she can in a 15' cone, and tossing out a dazzling, coruscating cone of vivid colors. 
   Spoiler 
   MA:   Use her 50' speed to help her setup the most advantageous cone - not to include Cerywyn - that gets as many of these halflings in a 15' cone for ....
   SA:   SLA -  Color spray .
  *  Since it's the first round, they lost a surprise round, and she probably has initiative, she likely won't provoke an AOO on either the movement or the SLA (which she does not 'cast' defensively).
  *  Will DC 11 negates, failure means ...
   
   Spoiler 
  Each creature within the cone is affected according to its Hit Dice.
  
   2 HD or less 
  The creature is unconscious, blinded, and stunned for  (2d4)[ 5 ]  rounds, then blinded and stunned for  (1d4)[ 1 ]  rounds, and then stunned for 1 round. (Only living creatures are knocked unconscious.)
  
   3 or 4 HD 
  The creature is blinded and stunned for  (1d4)[ 2 ]  rounds, then stunned for 1 round.
  
   5 or more HD 
  The creature is stunned for 1 round.
   
  
   
conversations: PSinger:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler 
  Initiative:   (1d20+6)[ 12 ] 
   
  
  
  As Garlel swoops by him Cerwyn drops into a stance his fists rising into a guard position.  A moment of ironic humor passes through his mind.  The Stonefoot stance put him at an advantage versus the larger students from the temple.  Now the positions were reversed.  Moving to flank his ally of sorts Cerwyn calls out:  " Wait!  Harm us not!  We only seek knowledge...And clothes ."
  
   
   Spoiler 
  Swift Action: Stonefoot Stance.
  Move Action:  Move up beside Garel.
  Standard Action:  Ready an action to roundhouse kick the first halfling to come near if they continue to be hostile.  Functionally this would be the maneuver Stone Bones.
  Free Action:  Speak.  Note that Cerwyn is speaking in common.
   
conversations: Denomar:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler 
  
   (1D20+3)[ 22 ]  Initiative
  
   (1D20+5)[ 6 ]  Attack 1
   (1D20+5)[ 15 ]  Attack 2
   (1D20+5)[ 18 ]  Attack 3
   (1D20+5)[ 20 ]  Attack 4
   (1D20+5)[ 22 ]  Attack 5
   (1D20+5)[ 10 ]  Attack 6
   (1D20+5)[ 17 ]  Attack 7
   (1D20+5)[ 24 ]  Attack 8
   (1D20+5)[ 20 ]  Attack 9
   (1D20+5)[ 20 ]  Attack 10
  
   (2D3)[ 3 ]  How many are caught in the cone
   (1D20+1)[ 13 ]  Will Save
   (1D20+1)[ 15 ]  Will Save
   (1D20+1)[ 17 ]  Will Save
   (1D20+1)[ 3 ]  Will Save
   (1D20+1)[ 21 ]  Will Save
   (1D20+1)[ 11 ]  Will Save
   
  
   
   Spoiler 
  
   Init order: 
  Halflings
  Garlel
  Cerwyn
  
  Each hit by 4 darts dealing 0 damage each.
  DC 13 Fort save vs poison or fall immediately unconscious. (only one save needed for now)
   
  
  
  The Halflings get the drop on the pair, ten tiny little darts fly into the duo, mostly finding their targets. The darts are so tiny and fine shards of bone that they barely sting at all as they pierce your flesh.
  
  Reacting quickly Garlel gets off her gaze attack catching three of the halflings in it's area. But they are all very resilient and manage to ignore it's effects.
conversations: Gaiyamato:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler 
  Fort save vs poison  (1d20+10)[ 29 ] 
   
  
  Garlel'thaswen is not only a creature with a metabolism and nature whose form was not considered in the 'design phase' of this poison, but this toxin deals with putting its target to sleep.  Of course, what the halflings don't realize is that she is a creature that does not require sleep.
conversations: PSinger:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler 
  Fortitude Save:   (1d20+5)[ 25 ] 
   
  
  
  Cerwyn on the other hand, while not an outsider, simply ignores the effects of the poison.
conversations: Denomar:
conversations: human
conversations:  "He speaks true,"  she says,  "We found ourselves here naked not but a short while ago, and we walked to the closest habitation we could find." 
   
   Spoiler 
  Meanwhile, Round 1 of  detect evil .
   
conversations: PSinger: