The summer sun is low on the horizon. The evening air is cool and dry, there are clouds in the sky with the smell of a summer storm rapidly approaching. The sound of birds and crickets fill the air along with the gentle sound of footsteps falling on the pristine cobblestones of the Court of Air. Your feet take you to the location of your summons, the Hearth. You’ve been here many times, a grand hall of food, song and the occasional heated scholarly debate.
But today is different, Matreous, a senior Avowed of the Keep has called you for a meeting and it seems he has a job offer. To your knowledge this is a highly unusual request but then these are highly unusual times. How you gained his attention is a bit of an unsettling mystery but it seemed to be in your best interest to at least hear what he has to say.
From the outside the Hearth is a rather nondescript structure of a cozy size but the inside is absolutely massive. The main hall is cluttered with fine wooden tables and chairs. People of all shapes, sizes and races are drinking, talking and even dancing as the dinner hour has arrived. Across the room is a long, fine wooden bar with seats for at least 50. Behind the bar is a large clockwork device that is emitting a pleasant blue light. Two dozen soft, cushy armchairs encircle a very large fireplace in the center of the room. There are staircases that ascend the periphery of the room extending 5 floors to balconies that over look the main hall. The balconies on each floor are lined by doors at least ten along each wall on each floor. The layout makes no sense as there is no apparent room for these doors to lead to.
Which of you will enter first? Please introduce your PC as you see fit.
And off we go!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM -- The Candlekeep Mysteries 1 & 2Discord PCs -- Christian Dembele Forum PCs -- Edryd Breckon, Fizzlebit Forton Thornberry the Fourth
With Sallah's help in getting the books cleaned and repaired, Calwin takes some time to create a magical book cart and stacks them carefully before departing the House of the Binder to deliver the books to the Pillars of Pedagogy. Once the books have been safely transferred, he dismisses the cart. If Sallah had no other business to attend to before answering the summons to the Hearth, he would be welcome to walk with Calwin, otherwise he would have wished his fellow gnome well, as they would see one another later.
Entering the bustling chaos of the Hearth, the rock gnome adjusts his hat and looks around. Passing a hand over his robes, Calwin makes sure that he's clean and presentable, before making his way across to a set of stairs heading up to the second floor in search of room 617.
((If Sallah accompanies him, he'd be chatting with him, but leaving any small talk out until Sallah posts.))
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM:Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Sallah's armor doesn't clank like normal scale mail, but it still lets out a soft hum of static electricity. Besides the arcane armor, he is also garbed in dusty, well worn traveler's clothes.
Sallah is definitely walking in with Calwin. Sallah would normally stand out for his height and weight (for a gnome), but next to the burly Calwin, Sallah seems ordinary.
He can be heard apologizing over and over about the hours of repair work. He also asks Calwin about wine, mayonnaise, and poison, but without more context, people nearby won't know what that means.
After settling down at the table, he will murmur a reminder: "It was written Matreous, not Mattress. Abacus, not abacuo."
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM) Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy) DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Agar entered the Hearth and headed directly for the room that interested him, its door really, that he saw in his... dream? Vision? The people around him did not seem out of the ordinary so he passed them by, although in the back of his mind he knew he should have taken a closer look at them. Not now.
He didn't know what to expect, given how the dream ended, so he prepared for the worst. Tonight, the voice said. He retraced the steps he took in the dream, trying to remember which door it was. The doors all look a like, unfortunately. Abacus - the code word he'd used to make it open in the dream - came to him easily but he wondered if it would really be necessary. It seemed... symbolic... rather than actually magical. Once out of the main room, he drew his sword and held it at the ready, balancing it lightly on his shoulder as he put his shield in front of his body. Seem rather silly or alarming to someone else, depending on their view of such things, but he didn't want to take any chances. The shadows might protect him but a surprise attach could still take him down.
Calwin and Sallah enter the hustle and bustle of the Hearth. Initially, chatting and make their way through the crowd they head in the same direction, toward the stairs that lead up to the second floor. Abruptly, Sallah stops and sits at a table perhaps catching his companion off guard. As the two look at each other over the divergent plan a figure moves past them (ikarbino -- Can you describe Agar for us? What does he look like?)You watch the figure moves up the stairs with clear purpose. He stands outside the door on the second level and draws his sword. This is highly unusual and very very disturbing, thankfully, no one else as noticed. Fighting and violence in Candlekeep is abhorred and can lead to the immediate dismissal and banishment from the grounds.
You watch with intrigue as the figure (Agar) attempts to open the door but it appears locked. The door glows purple ever so slightly as Agar presses on it.
At this point a rather peppy human barmaid comes round to the table Sallah has sat at, "Aye! Welcome back to the Heath. Can I get you something to drink? Ale, wine whatever you have a taste for I can bring round right quick. We are a bit low on stew tonight but we have a wonderful eggplant and tomato dish."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM -- The Candlekeep Mysteries 1 & 2Discord PCs -- Christian Dembele Forum PCs -- Edryd Breckon, Fizzlebit Forton Thornberry the Fourth
Lu enters the Hearth curiously looking around the room with Cornelius, a male sprite, flitting around their shoulder before perching on the young ranger's shoulder and leaning in to whisper in their ear. Lu stiffles a chuckle then moves into the room just observing the space.
Passive preception is 15; would they notice Agar?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
Yes I think he would stand out to anyone that is looking to the second level. You see him just as he tries to push the door open and it glows faintly purple.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM -- The Candlekeep Mysteries 1 & 2Discord PCs -- Christian Dembele Forum PCs -- Edryd Breckon, Fizzlebit Forton Thornberry the Fourth
"Thank you miss, but we've got an appointment, right Sallah? One we probably ought not be tipsy for?", Calwin thanks the server, not joining his friend at the table as he watches someone on the second floor struggle with a door.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM:Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Entering the Hearth as he has done a few times before. This time he has his trench coat on his arm still cleaning the cat hair off from an earlier encounter frowning he thinks "Quite a hairy situation, darn cats" As usual the brown haired kept short, with a well kept Goatee. Blue eyed 6ft tall medium build human is dressed in his fine clothes though with the things as they are his wearing his studded leather and pack and has hidden his weapons in the coat. Though distracted he has an air of a performer about him.
He stands there and looks for the entry, stairway to meet his appointment.
Jon enters the Hearth and is greeted by the familiar sounds of laughter and song. Taking in the scene you quickly see the stairs along the northern wall that lead up to the second floor landing and the row of doors where you would expect to find room 617. If your gaze were to wander along the second floor you would see a figure standing in front of a door with a sword and shield drawn. Standing nearby you also see Lu, who met earlier during your cat-tastrophe, and her sprite taking in the sights and sounds.
The young women looks back at Calwin, "Ah! Here for work and not pleasure, eh sweety. Well when yer done with your business come on back down and I'll get you something to drink." She then kicks Sallah's chair, "Till then the seats are for paying costumers! Up you go!" She start shooing the heavy set gnome out of his chair.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM -- The Candlekeep Mysteries 1 & 2Discord PCs -- Christian Dembele Forum PCs -- Edryd Breckon, Fizzlebit Forton Thornberry the Fourth
Agar is unusually pale for a southerner, but otherwise of unremarkable appearance. There seems to have been something drawn on his shield but has been recently scrubbed off. He's focused on the door and unaware that he is being observed. Since his initial efforts to enter did not bear fruit, he scowls at the closed door and says "Abacus".
As you say the words the door glows faintly green and opens. Anyone looking in that direction would see the glow and door open.
Agar:
As you look inside you see a rather plain meeting room. There are three long tables. The tables to the left and right have five people sitting at them the table in the middle has five empty chairs. Two figure stand at the front of the room. They all look at you curiously as they see your weapons. The older elf in the front of the room calls out to you, "Now now put that away. Hard to have a conversation with weapons drawn."
nodding to the server "I'm sure we'll have fun." He says absentmindedly as Jon approaches the new acquaintances. He nods to Lu and the gnomes and quietly says to the armed one "Sheath your weapon if you've been invited here. Violence will send you... far away."
Calwin will head upstairs when Sallah is ready, presumably converging with some of the others on the way or near the door. Once there, he'll speak 'Abacus' if one of the others doesn't first.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM:Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Agar didn't move a muscle except to speak. "If there's violence it won't come from me. If all you want is to have a conversation, I'm happy to oblige. On the other hand, I have no special reason to believe I am safe from you lot." The way his dream ended, left a definite bad impression about what was inside this room. "Would any of you care to explain, for starters, why I am here? I did not receive any invitation. I was never told the password. And yet..." He advanced slowly into the room as he continued. "... I have been here. I have heard the word. Was that your idea of an invitation? Magically invading my dreams and planting it there?" He stopped in front of the old elf. "This seems like an odd place for an innocent conversation. No? Magically sealed away from everyone else? What are you planning?"
Sallah was hoping for a moment to unwind, after all that tedious book repair, but seeing Calwin and the others moving to the door on the second floor, he pushes away from the table and follows.
Noticing Jonathan: "Aren't you the fellow who tried to get people to sing during quarantine, when the staff were trying to protect against a magical curse that made people sing until they went insane?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM) Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy) DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Jonathan shrugs "The names Jonathan, things have been strange here lately." He says "Relax sometimes wizards send invites in dreams whatever your name is." then with a whisper "We've all been given I suspect the same password, Abacus"
He can't think that a device for counting was a such a strange password. As he enters
Sallah was hoping for a moment to unwind, after all that tedious book repair, but seeing Calwin and the others moving to the door on the second floor, he pushes away from the table and follows.
Noticing Jonathan: "Aren't you the fellow who tried to get people to sing during quarantine, when the staff were trying to protect against a magical curse that made people sing until they went insane?"
He laughs "I guess that was folly. But I still haven't got my drum back."
Lu jogs upstairs to where the others have gathered. Nodding at Jon she looks to the gnomes.
"Lu Sidhe," the ranger says with a curt nod to the wee folk, they're not tall by any means.
Lu stands about 5'8" with strawberry blonde hair cropped short and poking out in all directions beneath a finely made, well-worn leather hood. They smile softly bearing no teeth, a smile of curiosity and restraint. Their features are androgynous, not quite male or female, not quite human or elven. There is an obvious otherness about Lu besides her youth and uncertainty.
"Seems we've all been gathered again," they add gesturing at the open door and seeing some others from quarantine inside as well as the older elf gathered in the once closed room. "Is this room 617," they asked next curiously raising an eyebrow.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
The four of you enter just after Agar finishes speaking. The older elf's eyes glaze over for just a moment as he takes measure of Agar. He responds in a firm voice, "We did not intrude on your dreams or invite you to this meeting. Perhaps you should make sure there are no faulty lines of reasoning before you start throwing out baseless accusations." He scowls a bit but continues, "The actual facts of the matter are that you knew the password and we have a fifth seat at the table. You appear to have some, brutish skill. So you may stay perhaps you will find a role in this adventure. Please sit."
He then beckons to the rest of you to enter the room, "The rest of you come have a seat. We have much to discuss and I am sure you have questions. Everyone in Candlekeep has questions of some sort..."He trails off a bit but before gathering his thoughts again, "I am Matreous and I have summoned you here for a simple purpose. To lead and guard an expedition. The details of this I will have my dear friend Gehir explain to you."He motions to the other, older human that joins in the front of the room.
Gehir is old but sturdy looking human male. He has thick, long grey hair and a matching long beard that falls to his neck line. He wears expensive looking green robes with a gold embroidered trimming. His eyes are a pleasant, pale blue that are deep set in a tan, weathered face.
Before he speaks you have just a moment to take in the rest of the room. At the table to the left of yours you see a pristine and meticulously dressed female half-orc. Next to her is a female half-elf sitting back a bit from the table. Her hand rests gracefully on her knee and you see she is missing her pinky finger. There is also a tielfling female with deep purple skin. Finally, there is a kobold... they sit at the end of the table closet to yours fidgeting restlessly in their chair. Finally, a cocky appearing man with full bushy mustache and long broken nose sits playing with a knife.
The table to your right is equally full. The first to catch your eye is a beautiful tall man with long, flowing blond hair. He wears heavy armor that is yellow and orange. He carries a sword and shield. He smiles widely as you all enter the room. Next to him is a dwarf whose orange hair matches the tall man. A slight halfling and a second dwarf, this one with dark hair sit close to each other eyeing you carefully. Finally a tall human male with dark hair sits with his feet on the table. He has pristine white robes and is drinking deeply from a mug of ale.
(Yes I know this is a lot of NPCs, 12, to throw at you all at once. I will place some notes on them in the campaign page to help keep them straight for you. I have zero intention of dominating this game with NPCs but there is a reason each one exists. It's a big and complicated world. Bear with me as we lay the ground work for the game :) I am going to pause here as I have to get some actual work done. Gehir will give you more details later today)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM -- The Candlekeep Mysteries 1 & 2Discord PCs -- Christian Dembele Forum PCs -- Edryd Breckon, Fizzlebit Forton Thornberry the Fourth
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Chapter 1 A Sticky Situation
The summer sun is low on the horizon. The evening air is cool and dry, there are clouds in the sky with the smell of a summer storm rapidly approaching. The sound of birds and crickets fill the air along with the gentle sound of footsteps falling on the pristine cobblestones of the Court of Air. Your feet take you to the location of your summons, the Hearth. You’ve been here many times, a grand hall of food, song and the occasional heated scholarly debate.
But today is different, Matreous, a senior Avowed of the Keep has called you for a meeting and it seems he has a job offer. To your knowledge this is a highly unusual request but then these are highly unusual times. How you gained his attention is a bit of an unsettling mystery but it seemed to be in your best interest to at least hear what he has to say.
From the outside the Hearth is a rather nondescript structure of a cozy size but the inside is absolutely massive. The main hall is cluttered with fine wooden tables and chairs. People of all shapes, sizes and races are drinking, talking and even dancing as the dinner hour has arrived. Across the room is a long, fine wooden bar with seats for at least 50. Behind the bar is a large clockwork device that is emitting a pleasant blue light. Two dozen soft, cushy armchairs encircle a very large fireplace in the center of the room. There are staircases that ascend the periphery of the room extending 5 floors to balconies that over look the main hall. The balconies on each floor are lined by doors at least ten along each wall on each floor. The layout makes no sense as there is no apparent room for these doors to lead to.
Which of you will enter first? Please introduce your PC as you see fit.
And off we go!
DM -- The Candlekeep Mysteries 1 & 2 Discord PCs -- Christian Dembele Forum PCs -- Edryd Breckon, Fizzlebit Forton Thornberry the Fourth
With Sallah's help in getting the books cleaned and repaired, Calwin takes some time to create a magical book cart and stacks them carefully before departing the House of the Binder to deliver the books to the Pillars of Pedagogy. Once the books have been safely transferred, he dismisses the cart. If Sallah had no other business to attend to before answering the summons to the Hearth, he would be welcome to walk with Calwin, otherwise he would have wished his fellow gnome well, as they would see one another later.
Entering the bustling chaos of the Hearth, the rock gnome adjusts his hat and looks around. Passing a hand over his robes, Calwin makes sure that he's clean and presentable, before making his way across to a set of stairs heading up to the second floor in search of room 617.
((If Sallah accompanies him, he'd be chatting with him, but leaving any small talk out until Sallah posts.))
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
Sallah's armor doesn't clank like normal scale mail, but it still lets out a soft hum of static electricity. Besides the arcane armor, he is also garbed in dusty, well worn traveler's clothes.
Sallah is definitely walking in with Calwin. Sallah would normally stand out for his height and weight (for a gnome), but next to the burly Calwin, Sallah seems ordinary.
He can be heard apologizing over and over about the hours of repair work.
He also asks Calwin about wine, mayonnaise, and poison, but without more context, people nearby won't know what that means.
After settling down at the table, he will murmur a reminder: "It was written Matreous, not Mattress. Abacus, not abacuo."
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec
Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM)
Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Agar entered the Hearth and headed directly for the room that interested him, its door really, that he saw in his... dream? Vision? The people around him did not seem out of the ordinary so he passed them by, although in the back of his mind he knew he should have taken a closer look at them. Not now.
He didn't know what to expect, given how the dream ended, so he prepared for the worst. Tonight, the voice said. He retraced the steps he took in the dream, trying to remember which door it was. The doors all look a like, unfortunately. Abacus - the code word he'd used to make it open in the dream - came to him easily but he wondered if it would really be necessary. It seemed... symbolic... rather than actually magical. Once out of the main room, he drew his sword and held it at the ready, balancing it lightly on his shoulder as he put his shield in front of his body. Seem rather silly or alarming to someone else, depending on their view of such things, but he didn't want to take any chances. The shadows might protect him but a surprise attach could still take him down.
Calwin and Sallah enter the hustle and bustle of the Hearth. Initially, chatting and make their way through the crowd they head in the same direction, toward the stairs that lead up to the second floor. Abruptly, Sallah stops and sits at a table perhaps catching his companion off guard. As the two look at each other over the divergent plan a figure moves past them (ikarbino -- Can you describe Agar for us? What does he look like?) You watch the figure moves up the stairs with clear purpose. He stands outside the door on the second level and draws his sword. This is highly unusual and very very disturbing, thankfully, no one else as noticed. Fighting and violence in Candlekeep is abhorred and can lead to the immediate dismissal and banishment from the grounds.
You watch with intrigue as the figure (Agar) attempts to open the door but it appears locked. The door glows purple ever so slightly as Agar presses on it.
At this point a rather peppy human barmaid comes round to the table Sallah has sat at, "Aye! Welcome back to the Heath. Can I get you something to drink? Ale, wine whatever you have a taste for I can bring round right quick. We are a bit low on stew tonight but we have a wonderful eggplant and tomato dish."
DM -- The Candlekeep Mysteries 1 & 2 Discord PCs -- Christian Dembele Forum PCs -- Edryd Breckon, Fizzlebit Forton Thornberry the Fourth
Lu enters the Hearth curiously looking around the room with Cornelius, a male sprite, flitting around their shoulder before perching on the young ranger's shoulder and leaning in to whisper in their ear. Lu stiffles a chuckle then moves into the room just observing the space.
Passive preception is 15; would they notice Agar?
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
Yes I think he would stand out to anyone that is looking to the second level. You see him just as he tries to push the door open and it glows faintly purple.
DM -- The Candlekeep Mysteries 1 & 2 Discord PCs -- Christian Dembele Forum PCs -- Edryd Breckon, Fizzlebit Forton Thornberry the Fourth
"Thank you miss, but we've got an appointment, right Sallah? One we probably ought not be tipsy for?", Calwin thanks the server, not joining his friend at the table as he watches someone on the second floor struggle with a door.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
Entering the Hearth as he has done a few times before. This time he has his trench coat on his arm still cleaning the cat hair off from an earlier encounter frowning he thinks "Quite a hairy situation, darn cats" As usual the brown haired kept short, with a well kept Goatee. Blue eyed 6ft tall medium build human is dressed in his fine clothes though with the things as they are his wearing his studded leather and pack and has hidden his weapons in the coat. Though distracted he has an air of a performer about him.
He stands there and looks for the entry, stairway to meet his appointment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reminder for myself. Work together or fail apart. Talk with each other when necessary. Describe how, where, if, your character moved.
The sign on the trail ahead reads "DONT FEED THE DRAGON!" "Working Together" Follow this link please
Jon enters the Hearth and is greeted by the familiar sounds of laughter and song. Taking in the scene you quickly see the stairs along the northern wall that lead up to the second floor landing and the row of doors where you would expect to find room 617. If your gaze were to wander along the second floor you would see a figure standing in front of a door with a sword and shield drawn. Standing nearby you also see Lu, who met earlier during your cat-tastrophe, and her sprite taking in the sights and sounds.
The young women looks back at Calwin, "Ah! Here for work and not pleasure, eh sweety. Well when yer done with your business come on back down and I'll get you something to drink." She then kicks Sallah's chair, "Till then the seats are for paying costumers! Up you go!" She start shooing the heavy set gnome out of his chair.
DM -- The Candlekeep Mysteries 1 & 2 Discord PCs -- Christian Dembele Forum PCs -- Edryd Breckon, Fizzlebit Forton Thornberry the Fourth
Agar is unusually pale for a southerner, but otherwise of unremarkable appearance. There seems to have been something drawn on his shield but has been recently scrubbed off. He's focused on the door and unaware that he is being observed. Since his initial efforts to enter did not bear fruit, he scowls at the closed door and says "Abacus".
As you say the words the door glows faintly green and opens. Anyone looking in that direction would see the glow and door open.
Agar:
As you look inside you see a rather plain meeting room. There are three long tables. The tables to the left and right have five people sitting at them the table in the middle has five empty chairs. Two figure stand at the front of the room. They all look at you curiously as they see your weapons. The older elf in the front of the room calls out to you, "Now now put that away. Hard to have a conversation with weapons drawn."
DM -- The Candlekeep Mysteries 1 & 2 Discord PCs -- Christian Dembele Forum PCs -- Edryd Breckon, Fizzlebit Forton Thornberry the Fourth
nodding to the server "I'm sure we'll have fun." He says absentmindedly as Jon approaches the new acquaintances. He nods to Lu and the gnomes and quietly says to the armed one "Sheath your weapon if you've been invited here. Violence will send you... far away."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reminder for myself. Work together or fail apart. Talk with each other when necessary. Describe how, where, if, your character moved.
The sign on the trail ahead reads "DONT FEED THE DRAGON!" "Working Together" Follow this link please
Calwin will head upstairs when Sallah is ready, presumably converging with some of the others on the way or near the door. Once there, he'll speak 'Abacus' if one of the others doesn't first.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
Agar didn't move a muscle except to speak. "If there's violence it won't come from me. If all you want is to have a conversation, I'm happy to oblige. On the other hand, I have no special reason to believe I am safe from you lot." The way his dream ended, left a definite bad impression about what was inside this room. "Would any of you care to explain, for starters, why I am here? I did not receive any invitation. I was never told the password. And yet..." He advanced slowly into the room as he continued. "... I have been here. I have heard the word. Was that your idea of an invitation? Magically invading my dreams and planting it there?" He stopped in front of the old elf. "This seems like an odd place for an innocent conversation. No? Magically sealed away from everyone else? What are you planning?"
Sallah was hoping for a moment to unwind, after all that tedious book repair, but seeing Calwin and the others moving to the door on the second floor, he pushes away from the table and follows.
Noticing Jonathan: "Aren't you the fellow who tried to get people to sing during quarantine, when the staff were trying to protect against a magical curse that made people sing until they went insane?"
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec
Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM)
Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Jonathan shrugs "The names Jonathan, things have been strange here lately." He says "Relax sometimes wizards send invites in dreams whatever your name is." then with a whisper "We've all been given I suspect the same password, Abacus"
He can't think that a device for counting was a such a strange password. As he enters
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reminder for myself. Work together or fail apart. Talk with each other when necessary. Describe how, where, if, your character moved.
The sign on the trail ahead reads "DONT FEED THE DRAGON!" "Working Together" Follow this link please
He laughs "I guess that was folly. But I still haven't got my drum back."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reminder for myself. Work together or fail apart. Talk with each other when necessary. Describe how, where, if, your character moved.
The sign on the trail ahead reads "DONT FEED THE DRAGON!" "Working Together" Follow this link please
Lu jogs upstairs to where the others have gathered. Nodding at Jon she looks to the gnomes.
"Lu Sidhe," the ranger says with a curt nod to the wee folk, they're not tall by any means.
Lu stands about 5'8" with strawberry blonde hair cropped short and poking out in all directions beneath a finely made, well-worn leather hood. They smile softly bearing no teeth, a smile of curiosity and restraint. Their features are androgynous, not quite male or female, not quite human or elven. There is an obvious otherness about Lu besides her youth and uncertainty.
"Seems we've all been gathered again," they add gesturing at the open door and seeing some others from quarantine inside as well as the older elf gathered in the once closed room. "Is this room 617," they asked next curiously raising an eyebrow.
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
The four of you enter just after Agar finishes speaking. The older elf's eyes glaze over for just a moment as he takes measure of Agar. He responds in a firm voice, "We did not intrude on your dreams or invite you to this meeting. Perhaps you should make sure there are no faulty lines of reasoning before you start throwing out baseless accusations." He scowls a bit but continues, "The actual facts of the matter are that you knew the password and we have a fifth seat at the table. You appear to have some, brutish skill. So you may stay perhaps you will find a role in this adventure. Please sit."
He then beckons to the rest of you to enter the room, "The rest of you come have a seat. We have much to discuss and I am sure you have questions. Everyone in Candlekeep has questions of some sort..." He trails off a bit but before gathering his thoughts again, "I am Matreous and I have summoned you here for a simple purpose. To lead and guard an expedition. The details of this I will have my dear friend Gehir explain to you." He motions to the other, older human that joins in the front of the room.
Gehir is old but sturdy looking human male. He has thick, long grey hair and a matching long beard that falls to his neck line. He wears expensive looking green robes with a gold embroidered trimming. His eyes are a pleasant, pale blue that are deep set in a tan, weathered face.
Before he speaks you have just a moment to take in the rest of the room. At the table to the left of yours you see a pristine and meticulously dressed female half-orc. Next to her is a female half-elf sitting back a bit from the table. Her hand rests gracefully on her knee and you see she is missing her pinky finger. There is also a tielfling female with deep purple skin. Finally, there is a kobold... they sit at the end of the table closet to yours fidgeting restlessly in their chair. Finally, a cocky appearing man with full bushy mustache and long broken nose sits playing with a knife.
The table to your right is equally full. The first to catch your eye is a beautiful tall man with long, flowing blond hair. He wears heavy armor that is yellow and orange. He carries a sword and shield. He smiles widely as you all enter the room. Next to him is a dwarf whose orange hair matches the tall man. A slight halfling and a second dwarf, this one with dark hair sit close to each other eyeing you carefully. Finally a tall human male with dark hair sits with his feet on the table. He has pristine white robes and is drinking deeply from a mug of ale.
(Yes I know this is a lot of NPCs, 12, to throw at you all at once. I will place some notes on them in the campaign page to help keep them straight for you. I have zero intention of dominating this game with NPCs but there is a reason each one exists. It's a big and complicated world. Bear with me as we lay the ground work for the game :) I am going to pause here as I have to get some actual work done. Gehir will give you more details later today)
DM -- The Candlekeep Mysteries 1 & 2 Discord PCs -- Christian Dembele Forum PCs -- Edryd Breckon, Fizzlebit Forton Thornberry the Fourth