Liches Lair - Part 2 - Grotto

This idea began at d20pfsrd where it says "A Grotto is a naturally or artificially shaped cave in which people can live. Compared to a standard cave, a Grotto will usually boast features that make habitation more pleasant, such as door-sized openings, access to neighboring caves or water, … ."


The idea for the Liches Lair being on the back of a sea turtle is so that the phylactery can be in the middle of the ocean without needing to be at the bottom of the ocean. After all trying to find a tiny object, even a magical one, in the vast ocean would be near impossible. The lich trying to do rebuild its spellbook, wardrobe, and magical accoutrements underwater is almost as difficult.


That is why having a mobile stronghold would be preferable. Having an obvious wizards tower on the back of a sea turtle sort of negates the phylactery being near impossible to find.


The idea of Zaratans having trees and rocks on their shells is not new nor uncommon. Most pictures of Zaratans show greenery upon its shell. In such an area of natural growth, the idea of an artificially created cave to contain the rooms is not unrealistic.


Also, the artificially created caves would provide a great way to camouflage the some of the rooms. Some things, like the dock, would not need to be camouflaged. The dock because it is going to be temporary and the others because... See Part 3!


The other reason for the grotto build is so that the rooms are water-tight if the Zaratan decides to submerge itself. Especially for the forge, repositories, storage, and woodworking station.

Note: I will do my best to post the Liches Lair every Thursday. 

Collard Greens

 so I went to Walmart and I couldn't find just baby kale. Basically everything else had baby spinach which he is not supposed to have. So I was looking at collard greens. I originally had no idea what they were but I looked them up online. Basically they're kale just at a different stage of growth. Rocky is enjoying.

Baby Kale

At the local grocery store I found baby kale for the same price and same size container as spring mix. So I bought it and gave some to Rocky, he is a very happy tortoise now.

Poop eating confirmed

So tonight when I go upstairs to do Rockys nightly feeding I find him munching on his own poop. I thought he might be because he had the black mark around his mouth again but I wasn't sure. I fed him his actual food then cleaned up all the poop. He was eating Spring Mix when I left.

Now Weekly Posts

At my husbands suggestion, plus with the way I've been writing this month, I am going to start doing weekly post instead of trying to do Daily Posts for Rocky. They will still be labeled. I will still try to do posts on the garden and Rocky and Worldbuilding. The Liches Lair is an offshoot of the Worldbuilding posts. Perhaps I will go to twice a week, one for Worldbuilding and one for the Garden and Rocky? 

Liches Lair - Part 1 - Rooms and Math

This will end up being multiple posts. It is just a rough idea, so far, of what type of rooms I could put into such a "building".

Originally, I was going to use the Stronghold Builders Guidebook but I could only find 4 rooms in that source that would be fitting.

With Pathfinder, via the d20pfsrd website, I was able to find thirteen rooms (one per scute) with a type of room too.

Unfortunately, Pathfinder does room sizes in five-foot squares whereas The Stronghold Builders Guidebook does room sizes by stronghold space. One stronghold space is the equivalent of 400 square feet which is 16 five-foot squares.

I want the Liches Lair to be on the back of a Gargantuan sized sea turtle, not a tortoise. Gargantuan is thirty-two to sixty-four feet long and since turtles are round that would be the diameter of their shell. Doing the math! Pi times 32 squared is three thousand two hundred plus square feet or one hundred twenty-eight five-foot squares. Pi times sixteen squared is only eight-hundred plus square feet for thirty-two five-foot squares minimum. This does allow the Stronghold Builders Guidebook four rooms to fit upon the Gargantuan shell.

Room	5 ft. Squares	Reason for the room
Grotto	--	Makes Lair look natural
Alter	2-8	To give thanks for rebirth
Book Repository	4-12	Hold journals, maps, and other non-magical writings
Crypt	8-30	An undead should have a crypt
Dock	10-30	Eventually will have to leave the Zaratan
Forge	8-16	Make metal weapons and nails to build a ship
Magical Repository	4-12	Magical writings and item crafting
Scriptorium	5-16	To write in
Scrying room	4-16	To Scry, usually on enemies
Sewing room	6-16	To make clothing and sails
Storage	4-8	Obvious reason
Summoning Chamber	6-16	To Summon assistants
Vault	4-8	Phylactery and reincarnation
Workstation	8-16	To build boat to return to the greater world

The totals of the 5 ft. Squares column has a range of seventy-three to two-hundred which fits within the Gargantuan size parameters of thirty-two to one-hundred twenty-eight.

Cucumber slices

 Today we are having the last of the Cucumber slices. I should definitely plant cucumbers in the garden as well. Tomorrow it's back to just spring mix unless I can get him something else. Perhaps Carrot Tops.

By the way, we are now up to four ladybugs.

Dolls Animal Companion

So among other things I am working on projects for a 1:12 size doll. My husband (and I both) want me to write more about Rocky.


I was wondering if I could combine the two? Possible answer is a Halcyon Druid with a tortoise animal companion.


But would Rocky work as a size 1:12 animal companion? Let me go over the numbers. Starting stats has the tortoise animal companion as a size medium. At 7th level the tortoise animal companion increases to a size large. This is per Pathfinder Bestiary 4. Now according to size chart the average medium sized monster is 4 to 8 feet and large is 8 to 16 feet.


Now for those that do not know, the 1:12 size equates one inch in doll/miniature size to one foot or twelve inches in equivalent size. Right now Rocky is six inches in lenght and four inches wide. Thus this could work.

Feeding Twice a day

Last night I sent my husband up to check on Rocky because as I was pulling out of the driveway the upstairs windows looked smoked. They were covered with condensation. Brian said thar Rocky was very active and eating leftovers from that morning. His bowl is always empty in the morning so I thought he was eating it all at one time. Tonight when I went up Rocky was active, deficating, and eating leftovers. I gave him some fresh salad and he was happy. Then I cleaned his mess. From now on I will feed him a bit less in the morning but some at night as well.

lettuce in water failed

So the lettuce in the water was growing pretty good. Then when I checked it today the entire bottom section was covered in a slime. There were two tiny roots. The outside layers were all drying out. I hope the seedlings do better.

Another Little Friend

The first ladybug of the season and I find it right on top of Rockys cage. Apparently my tortoise makes friends easily. Not sure how the ladybug got into the house but they bring good luck so it can stay.

Garden Update

Rocky got more peppers today.

Basil is sprouted already.

Lettuce is doing fine.

Rocky has 🐦 Friends

I come up to feed Rocky and this little guy is perched just outside the window.

I look at the feeder and there is a second.