This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Insight: 14
Bpthb..
The storm giant looks at his two ogres, who return his insightful gaze with a dumb vacant look. He stands slowly and walks over to you all, lowering his voice.
"PERHAPS."he admits. "YOU UNDERSTAND YOU ALL RISK DEATH BY THE HANDS OF YOUR SUPERIORS WITH TALK LIKE THIS - IF YOU ARE ALL CULTISTS, INDEED. PERHAPS THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR. WHAT ARE YOUR INTENTIONS?"
A staircase of ice leads from the tower’s ground floor to a higher chamber, the walls and ceiling of which gleam and glitter: Jewels are everywhere in the room. You see glowing moonstones, thumb-sized emeralds, shining silvery mithral wands, and strange spheres covered in turquoise and gold, as well as dozens of copper levers and golden spheres embedded in the walls. After a moment, the walls themselves seem to disappear, providing a perfect aerial view in all directions, as if there were no castle and no cloudstuff around. More than a dozen glowing white runes wink into existence, drifting about the room like snowflakes.
A ghostly apparition of a female cloud giant is hovering by the controls. Her voice echoes throughout the chamber. "WELCOME BACK, MY LOVE."she says.
"ESCARLOTTA, MY WIFE."Blagothkus introduces. "SHE DIED YEARS AGO TO THE DRAGONS. HER SOUL IS NOW THE FORCE THAT PILOTS THE CASTLE. TRUTH BE TOLD, I HAD MY DOUBTS ABOUT THIS AGREEMENT WITH THE CULT AND THE GIANTS, AND MY CASTLE, BUT YOU HAVE CONVINCED ME TO FORCE MY HAND."
He walks over to the controls and faces you all.
"THIS IS WHAT I KNOW: THE CULT OF THE DRAGON IS AMASSING A GREAT AMOUNT OF TREASURE AND USING ME TO TAKE IT TO THE WELL OF DRAGONS. THERE, THE WIZARDS OF THAY WILL BEGIN A RITUAL TO RETURN TIAMAT BACK INTO THE MATERIAL PLANE FROM AVERNUS, AND A NEW AGE OF DRAGONS WILL BEGIN. THE TREASURE IS AN OFFERING, HOPING TO APPEASE THE QUEEN OF DRAGONS. I ALSO KNOW THAT A NUMBER OF CULT LEADERS ARE HEADING THIS ENDEAVOR - THE HALF BLACK DRAGON CULT LEADER NAMED REZMIR, ONE OF THE LEADERS, HAS A MASK THAT SHE IS ABLE TO..INFLUENCE.. DRAGONS - SHE HAS A BLACK DRAGON MASK. I'VE SEEN IT. I IMAGINE THERE IS ONE FOR EACH COLOR, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, OR WHAT ALL OF THEM WOULD DO. WITH THE CASTLE'S CONTROLS, THERE ARE A FEW OPTIONS OPEN TO US.."
OPTION 1: Blagothkus crashes Skyreach Castle. This option has the highest chance of killing nearly all of the enemies (and allies) on the floating castle as the Cult is not expecting the cloud giant to do this. This would deal a serious blow to the Cult, and would cause the loss of the treasure amassed, the black dragon mask. The adventure would end here at this point.
OPTION 2: Blagothkus pilots Skyreach Castle far to the north, where an army of giants he has been amassing secretly will fight and overwhelm the Cult and it's allies - resulting in the giants keeping the treasure, but you all obtaining the black dragon mask. He would teleport you all back to Waterdeep before the fight, and the adventure would end here at this point.
OPTION 3: Keep exploring and return to Blagothkus with any change of plans.
"Obviously, I am against the idea of crashing into this castle and killing us all, but I do like the idea of your people delivering justice to these cultists. However, I would like to find the other dragon masks and we won't get a better chance than now. I'm sure that Rezmir must have a map or something that tells her where the other dragonmasks are."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
(The dragon masks play a bigger role in Rise of Tiamat. Right now, the only one on board is the black dragon mask. The search for the others is part of the next adventure.)
"REZMIR IS TOO DEVOUT AND WOULD RATHER DIE THAN REVEAL ANYTHING SHE KNOWS. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME. SHE IS A POWERFUL SPELLCASTER WHO IS GUARDED BY THE RED WIZARDS. HOWEVER, IF YOU DO DECIDE TO BATTLE HER, WE ARE NOT CLOSE TO MY GIANT ALLIES AND WILL BE FORCED TO CRASH THE SHIP."
Speaking up Edward says, “We made friends and allies with some of the Kobolds here. Can we get them teleported out of here as well before the castle reaches its destination?”
"Okay. If we can't kill Rezmir, then teleport us out of here so that your friends can kill all these cultists. But when you and your people kill Rezmir, tell her that Messalina sends her regards."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
Blagothkus smiles and pushes a button on the castle's navigational control panel. Looking to the spirit of his dead wife, he gives her a knowing smile, as if both of them have finally a chance to rethink the arrangement they made with the Cult, but now THEY had the upper hand.
"FAREWELL MY STRANGE FRIENDS."Blagothkus nods, and with a wave of his hand, you feel the tingle of magic envelope you. "I WILL HONOR OUR AGREEMENT."With a burst of arcane magic, you can feel the warmth of the sun on your skin, and the grasslands of the Sword Coast against your legs. In the distance is Waterdeep, the City of Splendors.
A few days later, news traveled fast of a battle that raged far to the north in the mountains - giants against dragons. But, you all knew there was more work to do. You had all caused a major setback, but that wouldn't be enough to stop the Cult. But that would be a story for another day.
Astrid: "See? I toldja those giants wound be friendly folk. That Blagothkus was a real looker, amirite?! Whew, my heart was all aflutter there."
As they return back to Waterdeep, Astrid quickly alights to the local Harper Headquarters, and reports back to the higher-ups all that transpired. In a glorious and secret ceremony, they promote her to Harper 4th Class (Wise Owl). Returning back to the adventuring group, she's sporting a shiny new metallic pin on her lapel of an owl, which she proudly shows off to everyone.
"Right. Sooooooooooooo, who's with me? We still need to find those other masks and thwart those cultists!"
Insight: 14
Bpthb..
The storm giant looks at his two ogres, who return his insightful gaze with a dumb vacant look. He stands slowly and walks over to you all, lowering his voice.
"PERHAPS." he admits. "YOU UNDERSTAND YOU ALL RISK DEATH BY THE HANDS OF YOUR SUPERIORS WITH TALK LIKE THIS - IF YOU ARE ALL CULTISTS, INDEED. PERHAPS THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR. WHAT ARE YOUR INTENTIONS?"
"To have you re-take what is yours, my lord."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
Blagothkus leads you all to the control room.
AREA 19 - THE STEERING TOWER
A staircase of ice leads from the tower’s ground floor to a higher chamber, the walls and ceiling of which gleam and glitter: Jewels are everywhere in the room. You see glowing moonstones, thumb-sized emeralds, shining silvery mithral wands, and strange spheres covered in turquoise and gold, as well as dozens of copper levers and golden spheres embedded in the walls. After a moment, the walls themselves seem to disappear, providing a perfect aerial view in all directions, as if there were no castle and no cloudstuff around. More than a dozen glowing white runes wink into existence, drifting about the room like snowflakes.
A ghostly apparition of a female cloud giant is hovering by the controls. Her voice echoes throughout the chamber. "WELCOME BACK, MY LOVE." she says.
"ESCARLOTTA, MY WIFE." Blagothkus introduces. "SHE DIED YEARS AGO TO THE DRAGONS. HER SOUL IS NOW THE FORCE THAT PILOTS THE CASTLE. TRUTH BE TOLD, I HAD MY DOUBTS ABOUT THIS AGREEMENT WITH THE CULT AND THE GIANTS, AND MY CASTLE, BUT YOU HAVE CONVINCED ME TO FORCE MY HAND."
He walks over to the controls and faces you all.
"THIS IS WHAT I KNOW: THE CULT OF THE DRAGON IS AMASSING A GREAT AMOUNT OF TREASURE AND USING ME TO TAKE IT TO THE WELL OF DRAGONS. THERE, THE WIZARDS OF THAY WILL BEGIN A RITUAL TO RETURN TIAMAT BACK INTO THE MATERIAL PLANE FROM AVERNUS, AND A NEW AGE OF DRAGONS WILL BEGIN. THE TREASURE IS AN OFFERING, HOPING TO APPEASE THE QUEEN OF DRAGONS. I ALSO KNOW THAT A NUMBER OF CULT LEADERS ARE HEADING THIS ENDEAVOR - THE HALF BLACK DRAGON CULT LEADER NAMED REZMIR, ONE OF THE LEADERS, HAS A MASK THAT SHE IS ABLE TO..INFLUENCE.. DRAGONS - SHE HAS A BLACK DRAGON MASK. I'VE SEEN IT. I IMAGINE THERE IS ONE FOR EACH COLOR, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, OR WHAT ALL OF THEM WOULD DO. WITH THE CASTLE'S CONTROLS, THERE ARE A FEW OPTIONS OPEN TO US.."
OPTION 1: Blagothkus crashes Skyreach Castle. This option has the highest chance of killing nearly all of the enemies (and allies) on the floating castle as the Cult is not expecting the cloud giant to do this. This would deal a serious blow to the Cult, and would cause the loss of the treasure amassed, the black dragon mask. The adventure would end here at this point.
OPTION 2: Blagothkus pilots Skyreach Castle far to the north, where an army of giants he has been amassing secretly will fight and overwhelm the Cult and it's allies - resulting in the giants keeping the treasure, but you all obtaining the black dragon mask. He would teleport you all back to Waterdeep before the fight, and the adventure would end here at this point.
OPTION 3: Keep exploring and return to Blagothkus with any change of plans.
Pick one.
"Obviously, I am against the idea of crashing into this castle and killing us all, but I do like the idea of your people delivering justice to these cultists. However, I would like to find the other dragon masks and we won't get a better chance than now. I'm sure that Rezmir must have a map or something that tells her where the other dragonmasks are."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
(The dragon masks play a bigger role in Rise of Tiamat. Right now, the only one on board is the black dragon mask. The search for the others is part of the next adventure.)
"REZMIR IS TOO DEVOUT AND WOULD RATHER DIE THAN REVEAL ANYTHING SHE KNOWS. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME. SHE IS A POWERFUL SPELLCASTER WHO IS GUARDED BY THE RED WIZARDS. HOWEVER, IF YOU DO DECIDE TO BATTLE HER, WE ARE NOT CLOSE TO MY GIANT ALLIES AND WILL BE FORCED TO CRASH THE SHIP."
Speaking up Edward says, “We made friends and allies with some of the Kobolds here. Can we get them teleported out of here as well before the castle reaches its destination?”
"I SUPPOSE SO." Blagothkus admits. "I DON'T CARE MUCH FOR KOBOLDS ANYWAYS."
"Okay. If we can't kill Rezmir, then teleport us out of here so that your friends can kill all these cultists. But when you and your people kill Rezmir, tell her that Messalina sends her regards."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
Blagothkus smiles and pushes a button on the castle's navigational control panel. Looking to the spirit of his dead wife, he gives her a knowing smile, as if both of them have finally a chance to rethink the arrangement they made with the Cult, but now THEY had the upper hand.
"FAREWELL MY STRANGE FRIENDS." Blagothkus nods, and with a wave of his hand, you feel the tingle of magic envelope you. "I WILL HONOR OUR AGREEMENT." With a burst of arcane magic, you can feel the warmth of the sun on your skin, and the grasslands of the Sword Coast against your legs. In the distance is Waterdeep, the City of Splendors.
A few days later, news traveled fast of a battle that raged far to the north in the mountains - giants against dragons. But, you all knew there was more work to do. You had all caused a major setback, but that wouldn't be enough to stop the Cult. But that would be a story for another day.
THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES IN THE RISE OF TIAMAT.
Astrid: "See? I toldja those giants wound be friendly folk. That Blagothkus was a real looker, amirite?! Whew, my heart was all aflutter there."
As they return back to Waterdeep, Astrid quickly alights to the local Harper Headquarters, and reports back to the higher-ups all that transpired. In a glorious and secret ceremony, they promote her to Harper 4th Class (Wise Owl). Returning back to the adventuring group, she's sporting a shiny new metallic pin on her lapel of an owl, which she proudly shows off to everyone.
"Right. Sooooooooooooo, who's with me? We still need to find those other masks and thwart those cultists!"
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
(go ahead and post in the Rise of Tiamat thread now)