The Ruin on The Stream

[Marc]

I'm thinking of using this scenario in my game, but I'm having some trouble with part of it.

 

 

SPOILERS!!!!!

 

 

 

 

Mainly, not sure how to deal with the communication between the party and Eyes-Shut-Ears-Open.  None of the party have any skill in Auld Wyrmish.  I could just give Eyes-Shut-Ears-Open a minor skill in TradeTalk, but not sure about that. The scenario notes that he "needs only three final students" to complete his task, and move on to his next iteration.  That implies to me that he has probably had prior students, so why has he not already figured out how to communicate with the locals? Kinda frustrating that the scenario, which sounds really interesting, has this road block in it, with no suggestions on how to get past it.  There's a mention of augmenting a Communitations based skill with the Earth Rune, to help with the Speak Auld Wyrmish skill, but I've always assumed you have to have SOME level of skill to augment.

 

Suggestions, anyone?

Marc

[Stephen L]

I'd agree you couldn't have zero skill and hope for an augment.

Could there be a magical item, a matrix carved in a dinosaur tooth (jawbone?), that has a speak Auld Wyrmish spell?

You could work it into the scenario hook, however you were planning that. 

Or if it's a few adventures away, in the loot of a current adventure.

Or you could add an NPC into the scenario who speaks it, who has their own interest and agenda, that they might be accompanying the PCs (perhaps betraying them at the end), or it might someone the PCs think to go get when they need a translator.

[Psullie]

I think giving ESEO basic trade talk would be fine. as the GM you could have some fun with mixing up words etc, Man Friday meets Yoda

[Jason D]

If it's a problem, then just give him a minimal skill in Tradetalk.

Communication is mean to be a roleplaying challenge, not impossible. 

I'm currently doing a sweep for corrections for the reprint and will just add Tradetalk to his skills just to make that explicit.