Portia rides up to the cart. "So we can finally go to Amn which is what we had planned before Beregost go razed. I'm assuming Neiklot isn't far from Baldur's Gate or even hiding within it if we are to go there after we get what we need in Amn. We probably could have been there by now if not delayed by the enemy already attacking so hard."
She looks at Zina. "I'm guessing a spell you learned is helping hide the item you've been carrying since I met you. At least, it wasn't a beacon on our last expedition." She smiles.
She starts riding south at a walk.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PbP - Beregost Blues - Portia Starflower, Half Elf, Cleric, Life Domain PbP - Tome of Annhilation - Vistani Mocanu, Human, Bard
Mara gazed at Kanon, considering his offer. After a moment, she finally spoke. "It's true I'm desperate to get to Baldur's Gate. But it seems this has all been caused by these scrolls, whatever they are. If my parents are alive, they won't be safe as long as those scrolls are the target." She paused, sighing deeply. "I'll go with you. I'll get to Baldur's Gate, eventually."
Kanon smiles at Mara. He hopes everything will be alright, but he can't promise it. "Very well," he says. "Unhitch my horse so that we may be on our way." He gives a grand gesture to indicate the two lovely steeds that have been hitched to the wagon. Horses are pretty dirty animals and he didn't want to get his shirt puffs dirty.
Passing through the gate, Pettilaen let out a sigh of relief. He really didn't want to use his invisibility potion unless absolutely necessary. Rounding the crest of the hill, he waited until given the clear, and then lept from the cart onto the ground. "We did it!" he exclaimed enthusiastically. "You were born to lie and deceive, Kanon!" He beamed a smile at him before turning his attention to the discussion of their destination.
Chiming in, he adds, "Yes, we need to get to Amn, and we'll be going through some pretty rough terrain: the Cloud Peaks. I've never been there, but from what I've heard, their tall, scary, and now we know the most powerful dragon on the Sword Coast resides in them... so this'll be interesting. Likewise, I'm sure that their swarming with hobgoblins too, so we either need to move fast or stealthily through them." He taps his fingers against the side of his head as his eyeballs roll to the corner of their sockets, deep in strained thought. "However, at the base of the Cloud Peaks rests a small town called Nashenkill or something. My guess is the place is probably razed too, if Beregost is, and it could be a converted stronghold or foothold for these New Dawners and their hobgoblin and orc armies. So we might want to swing wide of the place."
"But," he hops onto Kanon's horse, ignoring the bard's request to unhitch the other horses, "all of this will be a few days away, so we might as well saddle up and get going!"
"Lord Pettilaen Brookebrewer - such a wise assessment of our current predicament," as he says this his gaze sweeps wide across the companions. They rest on Mara, who seems to be staring daggers at him. "I'll... I'll unhitch. Uh, no worries!"
The illusion of grandiose shattered, Kanon sets upon unhitching and saddling the horses. "She's always so serious, Petti," he whispers to the gnome. Once all is set, the group finally begins making their way to Amn.
Travel southward is quiet and uneventful as you push toward the Coast Way road, bypass Beregost, then bend southeast toward Nashkel. The first day passes, then the second, with only a bit of smoke on the southern horizon to ponder on. On the morning of the third day, illuminated by the sunrise in the eastern sky, you see the spine of the Cloud Peaks silhouetted in the smoke like the tail of some humongous dragon. The line of mountains continues as far as you can see eastward, mirroring the road for at least the next day's travel.
The third day is quiet as well, though many of you find yourselves coughing sporadically from the thick, yellow smoke in the air. The longer you're exposed to it, the more you think it has a distinct sulfur smell to it.
By the morning of the fourth day, the horses are struggling and each of you notice your lungs beginning to burn...
(META: To be continued after Con saves from everyone...)
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PBP "Beregost Blues" - Dungeon Master of Gnome Slaying +5
By afternoon on the fourth day, Pettilaen's cough worsens to a hack and he's barely able to sit the saddle. Thankfully, Kanon is there to stabilize him and keep him from tumbling off during the really bad bouts. When Mara begins to cough hard as well, the group decides shelter must be sought. Who knows what the town of Nashkel holds in store and they can't afford travel into the mountains with important members (and Pettilaen) incapacitated.
Coincidentally, Portia spotted a small creek cutting a large hole through a hill some three miles back and recommends the group may be able to find shelter.
"The water will help with the smoke, as well," she says, surprising herself that she remembered such a detail.
The group doubles back to find the location Portia had spotted and, upon arrival, sees a surprisingly comfortable combination of fresh water running along a bed of fine gravel. The tallest of the group have to stoop somewhat as they venture inward, but the further in they go, the thinner the smoke gets, until finally they're nestled in comfortably and able to breathe crisp, fresh air smelling of earth and greenery.
By the time they get comfortable, however, Zina's coughing gets as bad as Pettilaen's... There is definitely something unhealthy in that smoke.
(META: Natural 20 from Portia for a Survival check....)
Pettilaen's coughing, starting out as minor, increasingly worsened as time went on. "Guys, I think someth..." he coughed awfully, starting the wheeze soon after. The day progressed without Pettilaen's sing-song voice: replaced by a hoarse cough and wheezing. The sulfurous smoke was thick and began to burn his eyes, forcing him to keep them closed. This is awful.
When they reached the small creek hidden in the hill, he was overjoyed. He tumbled off of Kanon's horse, his eyes still squinted from the thick smoke, and made his way over to the creek, tripping over twice before reaching it. He dunked his head into the water, letting it wash away any filth which had accumulated on his head. Taking deep gulps of water, he gargled for over a minute, trying to get as much of the filth out of his mouth as he could. Wheezing hoarsely, he gets out with a forced whisper, "That feels.... nice." He coughs some more, though not as seriously, and collapses onto the cool gravel, burying his hands in it for comfort.
Mara grew concerned with Petti's coughing, but was a little scared when she began coughing as well. Once inside the tiny cave, Mara sat on a rock, and struggled to breathe. She was starting to question why she'd come with the group. Why hadn't she just gone to Baldur's Gate? "What... what's causing... all this smoke," she wheezed.
The smoke had gotten so bad that Kanon had to prop Petti up just to keep him straight. He could tell the horse was no better off, as every agitated step it would twist from under him and attempt to turn away. This was bad. When the reached the creek, Petti stumbled forward and nearly drowned himself in water. He was under so long that Kanon grew a bit concerned. When his head lifted back up, Kanon sighed in relief.
He took care of the horses while the others rested, trying to give them as much fresh water and attention as he could. The sulfurous fog was annoying for sure, but the others acted as if they swallowed a load of it. He wets his scarf and wraps it around his face, noting the ruffles on his collar seemed to have naturally filtered out a lot of the bad air. He was amazed and slightly shocked to see his fancy wardrobe also had a mechanical effect on the quality of air he breathed!
He rushed into the cave to show the others, but they were fast asleep. Instead he decided to fashion a few more scarves for his friends and dipped them in the water. His noble ruffles would just have be used for the greater good. They didn't really look all that great, but he was certain it would prevent the pollution from entering their lungs. He left them tied in the small stream so that he could present it to them in the morning. It was a masterful invention!
Portia before rolling into her bedroll in the cleaner air of the cave they found casts lesser restoration on Pettilaen, Zina and Mara. It would at least keep them from exhaustion, but they obviously had more issues with the smoke than she or Kanon did. Hopefully they could get away from this nasty stuff soon, but doubted it would be soon enough.
"I can take the last watch since I get up by dawn anyway."
After saying that, she is asleep.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PbP - Beregost Blues - Portia Starflower, Half Elf, Cleric, Life Domain PbP - Tome of Annhilation - Vistani Mocanu, Human, Bard
The following morning seems pretty quiet... an odd trait, given Pettilaen's usual constant chatter and rambling throughout the day. As the morning slowly progresses, the faintest squeal can be heard coming from deep within the cave. Seconds later, the flapping of wings and Gaia's signature banshee wail echoes down the cavern as she emerges. She's frantic: flying around the heads of the group and then back deeper into the cave, for some unknown reason. Looking around, you notice that Pettilaen is absent.
Gaia's banshee wail echoes throughout the small cave everyone had been sleeping in. Kanon was outfitting the horses. For some reason the filter masks he'd given them weren't as effective as he'd hoped. The screech sets them off and they try to rise. It takes him a moment but he settles them down.
Zina runs right past Kanon and the horses, gazing deeper into the cave. "Do you see anything?" He asks her. In response, she *pops* out of existence. He can see the dirt shuffling as something invisible begins crawling in.
Mara rushes up as well. She sticks her head in the hole and tries to go in, but quickly comes back out. "I need light!" She yells at Kanon. Startled, he pokes her in the forehead after a quick incantation and it lights up like a tree on Shieldmeet.
Mara, now a lamp for everyone, begins crawling after Zina, not that she could see the gnome. "Who's brilliant idea was it to go into this damned tiny space? Going to have to polish my armor after this. I think I'm going to rust. Should make Petti polish my armor. This is all his fault." More grumbling, a lot of cursing, and a grumpy Mara.
Kanon turns toward the direction he last saw Portia headed, "Portia! We're going spelunking!" After making sure the horses are secure, he crawls on his hands and knees after Pettilaen, Zina, and Mara. This is going to be exciting!
"Hey, might need a rope to pull you guys back out." Portia pulls one out and tosses an end to Kanon before he disappears. "Of course, it is only fifty feet, but I think we have a couple more."
Spelunking without a rope. Stupid gnomes and humans. She chuckles, but hopes they find Pettilaen okay because Gaia was having a fit. She just might put a leash on him like she thought of doing what seemed like ages ago, but was only a few tenday or so.
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PbP - Beregost Blues - Portia Starflower, Half Elf, Cleric, Life Domain PbP - Tome of Annhilation - Vistani Mocanu, Human, Bard
About fifty feet into the tunnel, Kanon yells back to Portia, "The rope's not long enough! Just let go and I'll take it with us!" After she releases it, Kanon and Mara continue crawling down the tunnel until they reach an area with Petti's rope and grappling hook. The hook is barely secure in the water, so he takes it and attaches it to a large group of roots that look secure. He then pulls the rest of the rope up and ties off the fifty feet he got from Portia.
"Ok, Mara. Ready?" He watches as she ties the rope around herself and continues down. He keeps his eyes on the anchor as she does.
Mara inched her way down, careful of where she was crawling. Everything was wet and slippery while sloping downward, and she suspected Petti went sliding. It was highly possible Zina had met the same fate. A little further along, and something caught her eye. Wedged between a couple of rocks was Petti's hand crossbow. "Looks like things didn't go well for Petti." She grabbed the crossbow, and clipped it to her belt. She was sure Petti would want that back.
As soon as she clipped the crossbow to her belt, a familiar voice infiltrated her mind. MarMar, its Z. I found Pettilaen, who has apparently gotten us trapped down here with an elemental crab lord. Anyway, stay quiet, and don't come into the lake.
Mara froze, and turned back to Kanon, who was getting a nice view of her ass. She gave him a look, then put a finger to her lips, indicating he should remain silent. She tapped her head and whispered, "Zina. They're below. We wait for their signal."
Kanon nods to Mara. Whatever the gnomes had got in to, he hoped there was a lot of treasure involved. Fort the time being he sat put, shivering a bit from the cold water running past them.
Portia rides up to the cart. "So we can finally go to Amn which is what we had planned before Beregost go razed. I'm assuming Neiklot isn't far from Baldur's Gate or even hiding within it if we are to go there after we get what we need in Amn. We probably could have been there by now if not delayed by the enemy already attacking so hard."
She looks at Zina. "I'm guessing a spell you learned is helping hide the item you've been carrying since I met you. At least, it wasn't a beacon on our last expedition." She smiles.
She starts riding south at a walk.
PbP - Beregost Blues - Portia Starflower, Half Elf, Cleric, Life Domain
PbP - Tome of Annhilation - Vistani Mocanu, Human, Bard
Mara gazed at Kanon, considering his offer. After a moment, she finally spoke. "It's true I'm desperate to get to Baldur's Gate. But it seems this has all been caused by these scrolls, whatever they are. If my parents are alive, they won't be safe as long as those scrolls are the target." She paused, sighing deeply. "I'll go with you. I'll get to Baldur's Gate, eventually."
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
Kanon smiles at Mara. He hopes everything will be alright, but he can't promise it. "Very well," he says. "Unhitch my horse so that we may be on our way." He gives a grand gesture to indicate the two lovely steeds that have been hitched to the wagon. Horses are pretty dirty animals and he didn't want to get his shirt puffs dirty.
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Passing through the gate, Pettilaen let out a sigh of relief. He really didn't want to use his invisibility potion unless absolutely necessary. Rounding the crest of the hill, he waited until given the clear, and then lept from the cart onto the ground. "We did it!" he exclaimed enthusiastically. "You were born to lie and deceive, Kanon!" He beamed a smile at him before turning his attention to the discussion of their destination.
Chiming in, he adds, "Yes, we need to get to Amn, and we'll be going through some pretty rough terrain: the Cloud Peaks. I've never been there, but from what I've heard, their tall, scary, and now we know the most powerful dragon on the Sword Coast resides in them... so this'll be interesting. Likewise, I'm sure that their swarming with hobgoblins too, so we either need to move fast or stealthily through them." He taps his fingers against the side of his head as his eyeballs roll to the corner of their sockets, deep in strained thought. "However, at the base of the Cloud Peaks rests a small town called Nashenkill or something. My guess is the place is probably razed too, if Beregost is, and it could be a converted stronghold or foothold for these New Dawners and their hobgoblin and orc armies. So we might want to swing wide of the place."
"But," he hops onto Kanon's horse, ignoring the bard's request to unhitch the other horses, "all of this will be a few days away, so we might as well saddle up and get going!"
"Lord Pettilaen Brookebrewer - such a wise assessment of our current predicament," as he says this his gaze sweeps wide across the companions. They rest on Mara, who seems to be staring daggers at him. "I'll... I'll unhitch. Uh, no worries!"
The illusion of grandiose shattered, Kanon sets upon unhitching and saddling the horses. "She's always so serious, Petti," he whispers to the gnome. Once all is set, the group finally begins making their way to Amn.
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Travel southward is quiet and uneventful as you push toward the Coast Way road, bypass Beregost, then bend southeast toward Nashkel. The first day passes, then the second, with only a bit of smoke on the southern horizon to ponder on. On the morning of the third day, illuminated by the sunrise in the eastern sky, you see the spine of the Cloud Peaks silhouetted in the smoke like the tail of some humongous dragon. The line of mountains continues as far as you can see eastward, mirroring the road for at least the next day's travel.
The third day is quiet as well, though many of you find yourselves coughing sporadically from the thick, yellow smoke in the air. The longer you're exposed to it, the more you think it has a distinct sulfur smell to it.
By the morning of the fourth day, the horses are struggling and each of you notice your lungs beginning to burn...
(META: To be continued after Con saves from everyone...)
By afternoon on the fourth day, Pettilaen's cough worsens to a hack and he's barely able to sit the saddle. Thankfully, Kanon is there to stabilize him and keep him from tumbling off during the really bad bouts. When Mara begins to cough hard as well, the group decides shelter must be sought. Who knows what the town of Nashkel holds in store and they can't afford travel into the mountains with important members (and Pettilaen) incapacitated.
Coincidentally, Portia spotted a small creek cutting a large hole through a hill some three miles back and recommends the group may be able to find shelter.
"The water will help with the smoke, as well," she says, surprising herself that she remembered such a detail.
The group doubles back to find the location Portia had spotted and, upon arrival, sees a surprisingly comfortable combination of fresh water running along a bed of fine gravel. The tallest of the group have to stoop somewhat as they venture inward, but the further in they go, the thinner the smoke gets, until finally they're nestled in comfortably and able to breathe crisp, fresh air smelling of earth and greenery.
By the time they get comfortable, however, Zina's coughing gets as bad as Pettilaen's... There is definitely something unhealthy in that smoke.
(META: Natural 20 from Portia for a Survival check....)
Pettilaen's coughing, starting out as minor, increasingly worsened as time went on. "Guys, I think someth..." he coughed awfully, starting the wheeze soon after. The day progressed without Pettilaen's sing-song voice: replaced by a hoarse cough and wheezing. The sulfurous smoke was thick and began to burn his eyes, forcing him to keep them closed. This is awful.
When they reached the small creek hidden in the hill, he was overjoyed. He tumbled off of Kanon's horse, his eyes still squinted from the thick smoke, and made his way over to the creek, tripping over twice before reaching it. He dunked his head into the water, letting it wash away any filth which had accumulated on his head. Taking deep gulps of water, he gargled for over a minute, trying to get as much of the filth out of his mouth as he could. Wheezing hoarsely, he gets out with a forced whisper, "That feels.... nice." He coughs some more, though not as seriously, and collapses onto the cool gravel, burying his hands in it for comfort.
Mara grew concerned with Petti's coughing, but was a little scared when she began coughing as well. Once inside the tiny cave, Mara sat on a rock, and struggled to breathe. She was starting to question why she'd come with the group. Why hadn't she just gone to Baldur's Gate? "What... what's causing... all this smoke," she wheezed.
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
The smoke had gotten so bad that Kanon had to prop Petti up just to keep him straight. He could tell the horse was no better off, as every agitated step it would twist from under him and attempt to turn away. This was bad. When the reached the creek, Petti stumbled forward and nearly drowned himself in water. He was under so long that Kanon grew a bit concerned. When his head lifted back up, Kanon sighed in relief.
He took care of the horses while the others rested, trying to give them as much fresh water and attention as he could. The sulfurous fog was annoying for sure, but the others acted as if they swallowed a load of it. He wets his scarf and wraps it around his face, noting the ruffles on his collar seemed to have naturally filtered out a lot of the bad air. He was amazed and slightly shocked to see his fancy wardrobe also had a mechanical effect on the quality of air he breathed!
He rushed into the cave to show the others, but they were fast asleep. Instead he decided to fashion a few more scarves for his friends and dipped them in the water. His noble ruffles would just have be used for the greater good. They didn't really look all that great, but he was certain it would prevent the pollution from entering their lungs. He left them tied in the small stream so that he could present it to them in the morning. It was a masterful invention!
(Rolled a 3 for crafting scarves; 1st watch)
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Portia before rolling into her bedroll in the cleaner air of the cave they found casts lesser restoration on Pettilaen, Zina and Mara. It would at least keep them from exhaustion, but they obviously had more issues with the smoke than she or Kanon did. Hopefully they could get away from this nasty stuff soon, but doubted it would be soon enough.
"I can take the last watch since I get up by dawn anyway."
After saying that, she is asleep.
PbP - Beregost Blues - Portia Starflower, Half Elf, Cleric, Life Domain
PbP - Tome of Annhilation - Vistani Mocanu, Human, Bard
The following morning seems pretty quiet... an odd trait, given Pettilaen's usual constant chatter and rambling throughout the day. As the morning slowly progresses, the faintest squeal can be heard coming from deep within the cave. Seconds later, the flapping of wings and Gaia's signature banshee wail echoes down the cavern as she emerges. She's frantic: flying around the heads of the group and then back deeper into the cave, for some unknown reason. Looking around, you notice that Pettilaen is absent.
What has he done this time.
Gaia's banshee wail echoes throughout the small cave everyone had been sleeping in. Kanon was outfitting the horses. For some reason the filter masks he'd given them weren't as effective as he'd hoped. The screech sets them off and they try to rise. It takes him a moment but he settles them down.
Zina runs right past Kanon and the horses, gazing deeper into the cave. "Do you see anything?" He asks her. In response, she *pops* out of existence. He can see the dirt shuffling as something invisible begins crawling in.
Mara rushes up as well. She sticks her head in the hole and tries to go in, but quickly comes back out. "I need light!" She yells at Kanon. Startled, he pokes her in the forehead after a quick incantation and it lights up like a tree on Shieldmeet.
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Mara, now a lamp for everyone, begins crawling after Zina, not that she could see the gnome. "Who's brilliant idea was it to go into this damned tiny space? Going to have to polish my armor after this. I think I'm going to rust. Should make Petti polish my armor. This is all his fault." More grumbling, a lot of cursing, and a grumpy Mara.
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
Kanon turns toward the direction he last saw Portia headed, "Portia! We're going spelunking!" After making sure the horses are secure, he crawls on his hands and knees after Pettilaen, Zina, and Mara. This is going to be exciting!
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"Hey, might need a rope to pull you guys back out." Portia pulls one out and tosses an end to Kanon before he disappears. "Of course, it is only fifty feet, but I think we have a couple more."
Spelunking without a rope. Stupid gnomes and humans. She chuckles, but hopes they find Pettilaen okay because Gaia was having a fit. She just might put a leash on him like she thought of doing what seemed like ages ago, but was only a few tenday or so.
PbP - Beregost Blues - Portia Starflower, Half Elf, Cleric, Life Domain
PbP - Tome of Annhilation - Vistani Mocanu, Human, Bard
About fifty feet into the tunnel, Kanon yells back to Portia, "The rope's not long enough! Just let go and I'll take it with us!" After she releases it, Kanon and Mara continue crawling down the tunnel until they reach an area with Petti's rope and grappling hook. The hook is barely secure in the water, so he takes it and attaches it to a large group of roots that look secure. He then pulls the rest of the rope up and ties off the fifty feet he got from Portia.
"Ok, Mara. Ready?" He watches as she ties the rope around herself and continues down. He keeps his eyes on the anchor as she does.
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Mara inched her way down, careful of where she was crawling. Everything was wet and slippery while sloping downward, and she suspected Petti went sliding. It was highly possible Zina had met the same fate. A little further along, and something caught her eye. Wedged between a couple of rocks was Petti's hand crossbow. "Looks like things didn't go well for Petti." She grabbed the crossbow, and clipped it to her belt. She was sure Petti would want that back.
As soon as she clipped the crossbow to her belt, a familiar voice infiltrated her mind. MarMar, its Z. I found Pettilaen, who has apparently gotten us trapped down here with an elemental crab lord. Anyway, stay quiet, and don't come into the lake.
Mara froze, and turned back to Kanon, who was getting a nice view of her ass. She gave him a look, then put a finger to her lips, indicating he should remain silent. She tapped her head and whispered, "Zina. They're below. We wait for their signal."
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
Kanon nods to Mara. Whatever the gnomes had got in to, he hoped there was a lot of treasure involved. Fort the time being he sat put, shivering a bit from the cold water running past them.
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A few moments later, Mara heard Zina's voice again. Mara, can you hear me? Turn off that light.
Mara whipped her head back toward Kanon and covered her forehead with a hand. "Turn this off," she whispered.
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?