Watching the captives swim by, the young knight firmly ties the rope around his waist to prepare his own ascent, but just as he is about to give the rope a yank he notices the person still down in the cage, and without hesitation he steps into the opening and sinks down to them, drawing his blade once more, for light and to hopefully free this last prisoner.
Watching the captives swim by, the young knight firmly ties the rope around his waist to prepare his own ascent, but just as he is about to give the rope a yank he notices the person still down in the cage, and without hesitation he steps into the opening and sinks down to them, drawing his blade once more, for light and to hopefully free this last prisoner.
Cyriel, The last captive is an unresponsive man. His arm and shoulder are wedged awkwardly underneath a bent and damaged part of the caged carriage side that is resting on the river bed. He does not look easy to release and you are aware that you will soon need to breathe.
The young knight feels bound by duty and honour to not leave anyone behind, giving the rope a yank before trying to pull the man free with a firm hold around him, hoping to soon get much needed help from above, calling upon his newfound powers to strengthen his resolve.
(Use Guidance, then athletics to pull the man free: 9 + 3 )
The young knight feels bound by duty and honour to not leave anyone behind, giving the rope a yank before trying to pull the man free with a firm hold around him, hoping to soon get much needed help from above, calling upon his newfound powers to strengthen his resolve.
(Use Guidance, then athletics to pull the man free: 9 + 3 )
You pull the man free of his binds. He is limp and lifeless.
Aislingfeels a rush of energy and newfound pride as she unlocks the door, watching the people inside the cage hurriedly swim toward the surface. What a day! She’s met new people, she’s been able to help those in need, and all of this within just a day of escaping home! For a moment, she allows herself to bask in this bliss as she swims upward, the weight of her troubles completely forgotten.
But the feeling vanishes in an instant. As if lying in wait for the perfect moment, the dark presence coils around her thoughts. A voice she hasn’t heard in days whispers in her mind, its words like frost against her euphoria. Don’t trust them. Don’t get close. They will forget you. They always do. And then, a final promise that sends a chill through her bones—Only I will remain.
Breaking through the water’s surface, the fake half-elf gasps for air only for panic to take hold. Frantically, she pulls herself out of the water, sitting down on the floor and hugging her knees as she mutters under her breath, "Leave me alone... please... just leave me alone..."
Yanking the rope again, a bit more desperately now, the young knight places his hand on the lifeless man's chest, hoping his newfound power would revive him.
Yanking the rope again, a bit more desperately now, the young knight places his hand on the lifeless man's chest, hoping his newfound power would revive him.
(Cast Cure wounds for: 10 )
The man jerks. His eyes open and look directly into yours, as he takes in a gasp of water and you see him choking and coughing in the water.
Cleo continues to hold onto the bowsprit with Joy, although she doesn't think she's actually helping all that much. She stares at the water with increasing anxiety. It feels as if they've been down there for ages. What if they run out of air?
As Leif resurfaces, he takes in a much-appreciated breath of fresh air. He swims to the jetty and then walks back onto the dock before sitting beside Aisling. "I tried... I tried, but I could... I couldn't see."Leif is clearly frustrated at failing. Those people would likely have drowned if it hadn't been for Aisling bringing the key. As Aisling mutters under her breath, Leif is oblivious to what she says.
Perception: Crit fail 1+2=3
Miserable, cold, and wet, Leif watches as the group resurfaces and is helped back onto the dock. He pulls his hood up, hoping he doesn't get in trouble for getting in the way of the real heroes. For a moment, he thinks it would be a good idea to slink away before anyone can address him but decides against it, too miserable to move.
As Leif resurfaces, he takes in a much-appreciated breath of fresh air. He swims to the jetty and then walks back onto the dock before sitting beside Aisling. "I tried... I tried, but I could... I couldn't see."Leif is clearly frustrated at failing. Those people would likely have drowned if it hadn't been for Aisling bringing the key. As Aisling mutters under her breath, Leif is oblivious to what she says.
Feeling a presence sit next to her, Aisling lets go of her knees and turns her head. It's the halfling—Leif, right? His frustration shakes her from her own thoughts, and shyly, she extends an arm around his shoulders. "You did what you could, Leif. The important thing now is that these people have been saved from an awful fate. And you did your best. Next time, things will be better."
She lets the halfling go almost right away, afraid that she might have just been too close. She was almost a stranger after all.
Comforted by Aisling's touch across his shoulders, Leiflets himself relax into her arm just before she withdraws it. His soul is warmed at her sentiment and wishes it lasted longer as a flood of memories of his mother flows into his mind. 'She was... is,' he corrects himself in his thoughts, 'an amazing halfling and I wish she was here right now.' At the same time, a chill runs through him, and he shivers. He wipes away some snot running down from his nose and sniffles. "Thank goodness you found that key." Leif's mind turns back to current events. "Hey, has Cyriel come back up yet?"
Lusia feels the pull on the rope and spurs into action. "Come on horse! Time to get moving!" She pats the hind quarters of the beast, seeing if that helps convey what she wants.
Barring that working, she'll look for a lead or reins that she could grab to urge the horse forward.
All wait with bated breath for Cyriel to resurface. Lusia feels the signal and gives Victor the instruction to move. Up comes the young knight with a weak and injured man in his arm.
Aisling comforts Leif while Joy and Cleo secure the spar.
The men who lost their cart help the humans you've just rescued from the sunken carriage, out of the water. Those men are seemingly grateful for your valiant efforts.
Cyriel, the man you saved from imminent death, looks up at you as you release him into the waiting arms of one of the men. He stares straight into your eyes, and with a hostility, you didn't think a man that weak could summon. He whispers, "You should have let me die!"
With the rescue a success, a couple of the guards start to clear up the crowd. "All right! Nothing more to see here. Go about your way!"
The men gather, and you notice that they bind the five prisoners, who all look glum and downtrodden.
One of the three men looks up. It is the one who gave you the key. "The boy!" he calls out. "Where's the boy?"
You hear the men as they start to curse and whisper desperately to each other as they look furiously about the area for an apparent missing captive.
Leif, Cyriel, Aisling, you are obviously soaked through.
Aislingjerked at Leif's warning that the knight hadn't surfaced yet, but let out a relieved breath when she finally saw him emerge carrying a man she definitely hadn’t seen underwater. The gods had surely smiled upon these people today, she thought—until she realized they were being bound again.
Shivering slightly from the night chill and her soaked clothes, she stood and approached the guard who had given her the key. "So they’re prisoners? What did they do to deserve this, if I may ask? And who is this boy you mentioned? I didn’t see anyone else down there."
When Lusiacalled to them, Aisling answered, "No, I didn’t see anyone else. Then again, I hadn’t even noticed the other man—the one Cyriel rescued."
Seeing Lusia looking around, Aisling redirected her dancing lights to illuminate her and anyone else searching. The four glowing orbs leave a trail of tiny snowflakes as they move around. With this, she hopes to help everyone see more clearly. (ooc: not sure this will give advantage in the roll, but I wanted to try just in case!) Meanwhile, she scanned the surroundings for any clues—perhaps wet footprints that might indicate another prisoner had somehow escaped. (Perception 13)
It is with a great sense of relief the young knight feels himself and the revived man being pulled upwards through the water, taking a deep breath as he breaks the surface of the water, then being helped back up onto the boardwalk, completely soaked as he looks around to make sure the halfling and the half-elf are back up, relieved to see them sitting side by side.
He looks at the man, first with disbelief, then with deep concern, as the man is taken back into custody. He is about to talk to the guards as one of them calls out about a missing boy, and he tries to recall if he saw a boy among those passing him out of the cage, ready to go back in with the rope still tied around his waist.
Relief washes over Leif as he sees the armored knight, Cyriel, rise from the water with the help of Victor, his horse. That relief turns to panic as he hears talk of the guards looking for a boy. 'Are they talking about me or that other boy who slipped away down the jetty?' he asks himself silently. "No... I don't want to be a slave again."Leif says to Aisling. "Please don't let them take me." He moves behind the half-elf and tries to hide. Leif isn't interested in helping anyone look for someone so that they can return them to chains. Especially not a young boy like himself. He positions himself in a way that allows him the best chance to dash away at the first sign the guards are talking about him.
As Cyriel and the last man break the surface of the water, Joy lets out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Relief floods through her, so intense that her arms almost give out then and there. She carefully releases the bowsprit, making sure it won’t come crashing down, and rolls out her shoulders, her muscles aching from holding it for so long. It had been close. Too close.
But they had done it. They had saved them!
Joy hurries toward the group. Aisling is already speaking with the guard who handed her the key, and Joy arrives just in time to catch the tail end of the conversation. A missing boy? Her gaze sharpens, and she immediately starts scanning the area, looking for anything out of place—movement in the crowd, a figure trying too hard to blend in. The rescued prisoners look defeated as they’re bound once more, and the sight does not sit right with her.
She steps closer to Aisling and the guard, making sure to block the guard's view of Lief as well to make the halfling feel more secure, her voice calm but firm. “Yes, I’d like to know exactly why they were locked in that cage before I start chasing anyone down.” She had spent too much time fighting for the downtrodden to blindly assume these people deserved their fate. Until she had answers, she wasn’t lifting a finger to drag anyone back to their captors.
Persuasion to get an honest answer from the guard: 23
Watching the captives swim by, the young knight firmly ties the rope around his waist to prepare his own ascent, but just as he is about to give the rope a yank he notices the person still down in the cage, and without hesitation he steps into the opening and sinks down to them, drawing his blade once more, for light and to hopefully free this last prisoner.
Cyriel, The last captive is an unresponsive man. His arm and shoulder are wedged awkwardly underneath a bent and damaged part of the caged carriage side that is resting on the river bed. He does not look easy to release and you are aware that you will soon need to breathe.
The young knight feels bound by duty and honour to not leave anyone behind, giving the rope a yank before trying to pull the man free with a firm hold around him, hoping to soon get much needed help from above, calling upon his newfound powers to strengthen his resolve.
(Use Guidance, then athletics to pull the man free: 9 + 3 )
(Another athletics if advantage due to help: 25 )
You pull the man free of his binds. He is limp and lifeless.
Aisling feels a rush of energy and newfound pride as she unlocks the door, watching the people inside the cage hurriedly swim toward the surface. What a day! She’s met new people, she’s been able to help those in need, and all of this within just a day of escaping home! For a moment, she allows herself to bask in this bliss as she swims upward, the weight of her troubles completely forgotten.
But the feeling vanishes in an instant. As if lying in wait for the perfect moment, the dark presence coils around her thoughts. A voice she hasn’t heard in days whispers in her mind, its words like frost against her euphoria. Don’t trust them. Don’t get close. They will forget you. They always do. And then, a final promise that sends a chill through her bones—Only I will remain.
Breaking through the water’s surface, the fake half-elf gasps for air only for panic to take hold. Frantically, she pulls herself out of the water, sitting down on the floor and hugging her knees as she mutters under her breath, "Leave me alone... please... just leave me alone..."
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Nessa | Saxa | Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren
Yanking the rope again, a bit more desperately now, the young knight places his hand on the lifeless man's chest, hoping his newfound power would revive him.
(Cast Cure wounds for: 10 )
The man jerks. His eyes open and look directly into yours, as he takes in a gasp of water and you see him choking and coughing in the water.
(Editing post)
Cleo continues to hold onto the bowsprit with Joy, although she doesn't think she's actually helping all that much. She stares at the water with increasing anxiety. It feels as if they've been down there for ages. What if they run out of air?
Extended Signature
Characters: Bryony Alderleaf - Lvl. 4 Halfling Rogue (The Shattered Obelisk) ♦ Vesta Trevelyan - Lvl. 10 Half-Elf Sorcerer (Eve of Ruin) ♦ Ada Kendrick - Lvl. 4 Aasimar Paladin (Curse of Strahd) ♦ Selene Albion - Lvl. 12 Human Ranger (In-Person Homebrew Campaign) ♦ Phaerdra Tor'viir - Lvl. 3 Drow Wizard (Exandria Sandbox Campaign)
As Leif resurfaces, he takes in a much-appreciated breath of fresh air. He swims to the jetty and then walks back onto the dock before sitting beside Aisling. "I tried... I tried, but I could... I couldn't see." Leif is clearly frustrated at failing. Those people would likely have drowned if it hadn't been for Aisling bringing the key. As Aisling mutters under her breath, Leif is oblivious to what she says.
Perception: Crit fail 1+2=3
Miserable, cold, and wet, Leif watches as the group resurfaces and is helped back onto the dock. He pulls his hood up, hoping he doesn't get in trouble for getting in the way of the real heroes. For a moment, he thinks it would be a good idea to slink away before anyone can address him but decides against it, too miserable to move.
DM for Tyranny of Dragons and Phandelver and Below, two in-person campaigns that meet weekly on Friday and Saturday nights.
Feeling a presence sit next to her, Aisling lets go of her knees and turns her head. It's the halfling—Leif, right? His frustration shakes her from her own thoughts, and shyly, she extends an arm around his shoulders. "You did what you could, Leif. The important thing now is that these people have been saved from an awful fate. And you did your best. Next time, things will be better."
She lets the halfling go almost right away, afraid that she might have just been too close. She was almost a stranger after all.
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Nessa | Saxa | Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren
Comforted by Aisling's touch across his shoulders, Leif lets himself relax into her arm just before she withdraws it. His soul is warmed at her sentiment and wishes it lasted longer as a flood of memories of his mother flows into his mind. 'She was... is,' he corrects himself in his thoughts, 'an amazing halfling and I wish she was here right now.' At the same time, a chill runs through him, and he shivers. He wipes away some snot running down from his nose and sniffles. "Thank goodness you found that key." Leif's mind turns back to current events. "Hey, has Cyriel come back up yet?"
DM for Tyranny of Dragons and Phandelver and Below, two in-person campaigns that meet weekly on Friday and Saturday nights.
Lusia feels the pull on the rope and spurs into action. "Come on horse! Time to get moving!" She pats the hind quarters of the beast, seeing if that helps convey what she wants.
Barring that working, she'll look for a lead or reins that she could grab to urge the horse forward.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi ||
Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Lusia Varusk, Fighter || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue
All wait with bated breath for Cyriel to resurface. Lusia feels the signal and gives Victor the instruction to move. Up comes the young knight with a weak and injured man in his arm.
Aisling comforts Leif while Joy and Cleo secure the spar.
The men who lost their cart help the humans you've just rescued from the sunken carriage, out of the water. Those men are seemingly grateful for your valiant efforts.
Cyriel,
the man you saved from imminent death, looks up at you as you release him into the waiting arms of one of the men. He stares straight into your eyes, and with a hostility, you didn't think a man that weak could summon. He whispers, "You should have let me die!"
With the rescue a success, a couple of the guards start to clear up the crowd. "All right! Nothing more to see here. Go about your way!"
The men gather, and you notice that they bind the five prisoners, who all look glum and downtrodden.
One of the three men looks up. It is the one who gave you the key. "The boy!" he calls out. "Where's the boy?"
You hear the men as they start to curse and whisper desperately to each other as they look furiously about the area for an apparent missing captive.
Leif, Cyriel, Aisling, you are obviously soaked through.
As the one man calls out about a boy, Lusia quickly looks around to see if she can spot any likely subjects in the crowd. (Perception Check: 6)
"Could the boy still be in the water?" she calls out towards the trio that just emerged from the water.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi ||
Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Lusia Varusk, Fighter || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue
Aisling jerked at Leif's warning that the knight hadn't surfaced yet, but let out a relieved breath when she finally saw him emerge carrying a man she definitely hadn’t seen underwater. The gods had surely smiled upon these people today, she thought—until she realized they were being bound again.
Shivering slightly from the night chill and her soaked clothes, she stood and approached the guard who had given her the key. "So they’re prisoners? What did they do to deserve this, if I may ask? And who is this boy you mentioned? I didn’t see anyone else down there."
When Lusia called to them, Aisling answered, "No, I didn’t see anyone else. Then again, I hadn’t even noticed the other man—the one Cyriel rescued."
Seeing Lusia looking around, Aisling redirected her dancing lights to illuminate her and anyone else searching. The four glowing orbs leave a trail of tiny snowflakes as they move around. With this, she hopes to help everyone see more clearly. (ooc: not sure this will give advantage in the roll, but I wanted to try just in case!) Meanwhile, she scanned the surroundings for any clues—perhaps wet footprints that might indicate another prisoner had somehow escaped. (Perception 13)
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Nessa | Saxa | Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren
It is with a great sense of relief the young knight feels himself and the revived man being pulled upwards through the water, taking a deep breath as he breaks the surface of the water, then being helped back up onto the boardwalk, completely soaked as he looks around to make sure the halfling and the half-elf are back up, relieved to see them sitting side by side.
He looks at the man, first with disbelief, then with deep concern, as the man is taken back into custody. He is about to talk to the guards as one of them calls out about a missing boy, and he tries to recall if he saw a boy among those passing him out of the cage, ready to go back in with the rope still tied around his waist.
(A perception to notice a boy sneaking away from the scene: 14 )
Relief washes over Leif as he sees the armored knight, Cyriel, rise from the water with the help of Victor, his horse. That relief turns to panic as he hears talk of the guards looking for a boy. 'Are they talking about me or that other boy who slipped away down the jetty?' he asks himself silently. "No... I don't want to be a slave again." Leif says to Aisling. "Please don't let them take me." He moves behind the half-elf and tries to hide. Leif isn't interested in helping anyone look for someone so that they can return them to chains. Especially not a young boy like himself. He positions himself in a way that allows him the best chance to dash away at the first sign the guards are talking about him.
Steath: 10
DM for Tyranny of Dragons and Phandelver and Below, two in-person campaigns that meet weekly on Friday and Saturday nights.
As Cyriel and the last man break the surface of the water, Joy lets out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Relief floods through her, so intense that her arms almost give out then and there. She carefully releases the bowsprit, making sure it won’t come crashing down, and rolls out her shoulders, her muscles aching from holding it for so long. It had been close. Too close.
But they had done it. They had saved them!
Joy hurries toward the group. Aisling is already speaking with the guard who handed her the key, and Joy arrives just in time to catch the tail end of the conversation. A missing boy? Her gaze sharpens, and she immediately starts scanning the area, looking for anything out of place—movement in the crowd, a figure trying too hard to blend in. The rescued prisoners look defeated as they’re bound once more, and the sight does not sit right with her.
She steps closer to Aisling and the guard, making sure to block the guard's view of Lief as well to make the halfling feel more secure, her voice calm but firm. “Yes, I’d like to know exactly why they were locked in that cage before I start chasing anyone down.” She had spent too much time fighting for the downtrodden to blindly assume these people deserved their fate. Until she had answers, she wasn’t lifting a finger to drag anyone back to their captors.
Persuasion to get an honest answer from the guard: 23