The tiefling dude from Emberwood Village. Old friend of Heiboros's.

((yeah Cosmos is the tiefling boyo))

Cosmos chirps. Maybe it was because of the sight of two birds hitting it up or he was just plain excited. He leans against the door and wipes his hair from his face. "Old- old sport!" He leaps up with open arms then scrunches back.

"Haha yeah... I was chatting it up with them again. Those Arcane Agents- Arcane Ancients! They were really sending me," he makes some sort of gesture, wiggling his fingers towards his forehead like 'reading your mind.'  "Long time no see... for a day."

"They were really talking to me. All about the space and the planes. My ear off. They were talking," Cosmos continues on the with the bit, dragging it longer than needs be. "I was like haha how are you talking with me? You're a god!" He doubles over laughing. "Haha!" He snorts in the middle of this fit. He then purses his lips when he realizes it is awkward. "Yep."

Nyx brings his attention towards Heiboros, acknowledging their kind. “Unfortunately my knowledge of this city is as good as yours. I’ve recently arrived.” In a similar manner, Nyx returns the act, narrowing his eyes and uttering a caw. 

“Funny you ask that,” Nyx glances at his own shoulder to reveal a previously concealed spectral hand floating on top of it. “I’m quite nimble-fingered, but I prefer letting March** do more of the inconspicuous tasks. Not to say that I don’t have a few other tricks up my sleeves.” His eyes make another gesture, signaling the group to direct their attention to his deep black plumage.

** March is the name of Nyx’s spectral hand

Nyx directs his attention to Tendilius. “Drakkenheim’s a wasteland no doubt, but there’s some things here worth the trouble. I seek those valuables hiding amid the piles of rubble” he explains.

[[ Oooo! An Arcane Trickster I presume? ]]

Tendilius smiles at Nyx's reply. "Indeed, valuable knowledge within." he agrees. With quick invocation he extends a spectral hand of his own to shake March. "How fortuitous we should meet on this road. We're heading in right now ourselves."

"Hey Cosmos, you heard anything about River? I mean, last I checked she was getting in really tight with Eldrick Runeweaver. But then there's Sebastian... anyway. You heard anything?"

"River?" Cosmos just shrugs. "Nah not really. Nothing much. Last time I heard she was at the Red Lion where she usually is. Well, now since the Fall." His face starts turning a shade of red, even more so than it already is. You remember that he may or may not have had a crush on her (he would never say) when she was your dorm RA. He always admired her air of confidence. He even tried to mimic her laugh (a heavy and hearty guffaw), especially whenever around her. 

"I heard her imp's missing. Something like everybody's pets. I thought it had already died... like way back in school." He kicks a pebble down the sidewalk. 

"Sebastian? That dude who made that girl disappear?! He's here? No wayyy," he slaps his forehead in an awkward facepalm. "Aw man. No, I didn't know. I only just got here about a week ago and most of the time I've been at the tent." He rolls his shoulders just to flap his wings. "Me and Nyx were looking for delerium though if you wanted to join?"

While traveling through Drakkenheim, the city streets itself is difficult terrain. You may choose how fast you want your pace to be:

• Fast. At this pace, characters advance one mile per hour. They take the most direct route to their destination and move openly on major streets. Characters cannot use stealth, and make Perception checks with disadvantage. 
• Normal. At this pace, characters advance one-half mile per hour. They proceed carefully through the ruins staying vigilant for threats and landmarks. Characters cannot use stealth, but may make Investigation and Perception checks with advantage.
• Slow. At this pace, characters advance one-quarter mile per hour to evade hostile threats. They sneak down back alleys and avoid major streets. Characters may use stealth, and make Perception checks normally.

Characters can see normally through the mist up to 150 feet. Vision beyond is lightly obscured, but vision past 300 feet is totally obscured.

If you guys are searching the ruins for something specific then conducting a good search takes at least one hour; during which the characters may survey an area with up to a ¼ mile diameter. After one hour of searching, each character makes an Investigation or Wisdom (Survival) check (DC 10 for the Outer City, DC 15 for the Inner City). Exceeding the DC by 5 or more grants an additional success. 

Alternatively, characters might use special skills when searching for something specific:

• Arcana. Delerium deposits or magical phenomena.
• Cartographer’s Tools. Searching an area the characters have visited at least once before themselves, or for which they have a map.
• History. Specific and notable monuments, buildings, or residences.
• Nature. Exploring natural environments such as Queen’s Park.
• Survival. Tracking monsters or people.
• Stealth and Perception checks do not contribute to successes, but may be used to evade or detect hostile threats while the characters search the ruins.

You cannot stay in the Haze for more than 24 hours (after that of which you need a long rest). If you do then you risk gaining one level of contamination. 

“Hadrian Darlington. A pleasure,” Hadrian says as he extends his hand to greet Nyx. You see a human, standing around 6’5. His striking, well-sculpted face is framed by dark, wavy hair pulled back into a low, somewhat messy ponytail. Several scars mark his features, and a flame-serpent tattoo coils from his muscular chest up to his neck and jawline. Dark fur cloak draped over his shoulders.

“Speaking of delirium,” With a lift of his eyebrow, he says, "I've heard whispers that there’s a treasure trove of the stuff over in the dwarven clan from the Glimmer Mountains."

"Glimmer Mountains? Now that's far!" Cosmos exclaims. "Remember we climbed all the way up the Spire and nearly got-" The teifling snorts, slapping his knee. "caught! Oh man. Anders nearly ripped his pants on the needle." He nudges Heiboros. You remember this incident. Though mostly just roomies, you were given instructions from the dorm RA (not River) to pick a spot to meet up and hang up a flag there as some sort of team building exercise. You guys both picked the Illusions and Mystics Department. Cosmos had brought his partner from his Ethics class with him, Anders, talking him up to be a 'grand master' of pranks (his words not yours). Except he wasn't. The best he did was accidentally break a glass window during a skateboarding incident, and even then rapidly apologized.

He had chickened out halfway through on in the excursion, but it was actually Cosmos who nearly got stuck up on there, having his tacky bell-bottoms caught on a spike on the spire. He had climbed the whole way up the tower only to lose his grip last second and get snagged in the magical trap that befell the both of you. Except for you, you can fly out. He could not.

"Yeah that was so stupid. But remember the faces on them!" he chuckles. You two had rigged the flag to display something stupid. A mild offense, hardly obscene, but it sure... just got overshadowed by an even more elaborate prank: stealing the head (just the head) of the Detachedable Goat, your team mascot. "I think here's a good spot."

You find yourselves (after an hour or so of walking) a half mile away from where you started. You face the outstretch of an ornate courtyard, one you believe had once been entrance to  a noble's estate. Its wiry towers, untrimmed hedges, and rusted statues all speak to the once elegance of this place. The whole thing is made out of multiple buildings. You can see there is one large manor at the end of it. The ones nearest, though just as elaborate, seem to be more for the servants. A marble trench in the middle suggests there must have been a pool. You walk through the estate, taking in its expanse. All these dried leaves and vines. You walk through it. You find scorch marks along the walks. You walk through it. There is the faint smell of honey in the air. You walk through it.

Wait. Is this the same place? 

With each turn you find yourselves facing the same cobblestone bricks and stained glass windows. Have you even gotten closer? The manor looks just the same as it did far away.

((Please give me either a Investigation or Wisdom (Survival) check depending on what you want to find!))

The moment the suspiciouns arise in the back of Heiboros's mind, he stops and thinks. Looking around, examining the ground, scanning with his sorcerous instincts. All trace of the mirth that was once there disapears. As an Aarakokra, he had learned to listen to his instincts, As a sorcerer, it was almost involuntary at this point. He examines the houses around him carefully, he looks for the marble trench again. He focuses on a landmark, such as a tree, in the distance, and walks forward slowly, measuring his progress against that landmark. "Something isn't right here," He murmurs, his feathers ruffling.

Investigation: 19.

Is there something keeping us from getting any closer to this manor, or is it constantly getting further away, or is some strange beast captivating our minds?

With Heiboros focusing on the manor, Tendilius could help Ka-Cha Khan with scouting the area (survival) for any clues.

Ka-Cha looks around and throws a Chat-Kcha.  It SHOULD travel in a circle back to his hand.  Does it?

(K-C has +5 survival.  Who should roll the check?)

[[ Pretty sure you have the highest mod. Tendilius' is only +1. ]]

"You're right. We are walking in circles." Hadrian says, agreeing with Heiboros. While Heiboros stops and looks for clues, his fingers brush against his sword hilt instinctively, and he reaches out with his Divine Sense, searching for any trace of the unholy or undead around him. 

17  Survival

Quote from Arthuropodd >>

14  Survival

 Ka-Cha throws it to maximum range, so 120 ft 

Quote from Arthuropodd >>

14  Survival

 This is actually an 18 if you mouse-over it.

((cool I'll use the 18))

You feel a great amount of energy coming from within the manor, beckoning you closer. Suddenly, the aroma of backed goods fill the air. The gas lamps are lit and shadows dance across the pavement. You can almost hear the chatter in the streets of what once was. Your vision is clouded with memories of the past days when you were little. It calls to you: it's home. 

Ka-Cha's chat-kcha zooms out his hand and whips past a streetlight. It clatters to your feet near seconds latter, coming from the left side. The weapon sends some sparks flying off the floor. It came from an area over that way.

You find yourselves walking towards a great big fountain. The water sprays down from it, giving a cool refreshing splash from the hot humidity of this haze. The cooper figure has oxidized way long before the comet. It depicts a young women coming out from the mouth of a fish, her hair a cluster of stars. Tendilius recognizes it as Nauda, a figure from mythology way long ago, back during the time of the Old Faiths. You wonder why it is still here. Cosmos goes and sticks his hand out into the fountain, letting the water trickle down from his claws. He sniffs it. 

"Smells like turmeric?" he suggests.

Heiboros immediately squawks as soon as he realizes what is happening here. "There's ghastly mages, warped witches. These things can possess you if you're not careful." He raises his voice, "SHOW YOURSELVES, MONSTERS! FACE US IF YOU CAN!"

When you try to cry out their name, you find your voice halted by some unknown force. Instead what comes out is all garbled.

"A what?" Cosmos questions. Suddenly whispered voices begin to surround the area. You start to see faint lights illuminate the base of the fountain and around the other brass statues.

They call out to you by name.

'Heiboros.' 'Tendilius.' 'Ka-Cha.' 'Cosmos.' 'Hadrian.' 'Nyx.'

Tendilius had begun to make a drawing of the Nadua fountain, wondering perhaps if there might be a way to bring back such a unique find to Ember Village. He sighs remorsefully figuring probably not, at least without special gear.

"Turmeric? Nice spice. Great for coloring rice." he says before Heiboros' worry and the lights start glowing. "Oh." he sighs, "Willy Wispies? How quaint. Wonder how similar you are to the ones in the Elvenmire Vetlands that harried me during an expedition to the elven ruins there." A look of interesting appears on his face, "Or perhaps you're something unique which would be exciting! Show yourselves!" he shouts with anticipation.

[[
Got a feeling we'll probably have to make saves against being charmed so here's a WIS save in advance.
max(18,15) + 3 = 21
//advantage from Half-Elf
]]