Hoard Of The Dragon Queen

Quote from Stormbringer4729 >>

The Tabaxi, with her greater speed, catches up to the elf and nearly trips on him, but still doesn't see him.

 OOC: XD That's hilarious.

The mysterious figure casts the 2nd level spell Pass without Trace, and disappears into the night.

Kissa sits on her haunches as her quarry disappears.....well, that was embarrassing....hopefully the Ancestors didn't catch that.....

She turns and begins walking back towards camp to tell them that their friend is likely a traitor.

Those in the Lady Luck Tavern hear the doors bursting open, quite loudly.

As you turn to look for the culprit, you have a sense of confusion, as you see no one at the door.

Suddenly, a mysterious man, cloaked in a black-as-night robe, suddenly appears at the bar.

"A bottle of your lightest liquor. Need the alcohol but can't afford falling asleep."

You are stricken with confusion as to how this person got from the door to the bar, without being noticed.

As Kissa returns Yanda, a winged monkey with a dark fur and a blue fez, is the first to take notice and waves to her, before then slapping his tiefling "familiar" a couple of times upside the head to get his attention as well. "Wha-wha?! Yanda, c'mon! We've talked about this! Use your -- O-oh! You're back! Welcome! U-uhm.. h-how did things go?" Nobody asks as he sets aside his makeshift fire poker to wave the tabaxi closer and offer her a seat at his side. Yanda, meanwhile, clamors his way down just to take over fire keeping duties using the poker. 

Kissa looks saddened, " Our friendly cook went straight to the Cult folk.....just so you know."

A black-haired dwarf in the Lady Luck Tavern shouts, "More ale, I say! And bring some up from your stores.  The road ahead is long and I need to drink of lost companions for days to come!" 

Fargen slams his mug on the bar with great enthusiasm to get the bartenders attention.  The gauntlets of dwarven might imbue him with enough strength to leave an circular impression of the mugs base.  The dwarf is momentarily self-conscious, then looks about with a raised eyebrow to see who noticed.

Jathas, as you sit at the bar you note a dwarf sitting and drinking at the bar, he seems close to the description of one of the allies already shadowing the cult, in a caravan heading northward, the letter you received from Mirt, specified a group, consisting of a Dwarf Cleric, A tabaxi rogue, Dragonborn paladin and a teethling of arcane power, that you're to join.  

Jathas approaches the rowdy dwarf in the Lady Luck Tavern.

"Hello sir." Jathas pauses, as if reconsidering the sir part. "Do you so happen to be a cleric?"

Nobody's eyes practically bug out of their socket at the news. "Th-that's news!" The tiefling exclaimed. "A-a-and would go a long way how she f-figured there was something off with meals. Th-though... why warn us then?" He looked thoughtfully towards the fire for a bit, then shook his head. "I-I don't get it. Maybe she's...but we never really discussed those sort of things that much around...... hmmmm.... Fargen, what do you-" He stops after looking about and shakes his head. "By Azuth's beard, I-I'm losing track. F-fargen went back into town I bet to try and find Thufir. A-and I'm gonna be honest, without at least one of'em here, I-I'm a bit leery of trying anything more." He admits.

"B-b-but! I-If just to confirm that there's more going on, and if you're up for it, w-we could try to ghost our way over?I-I still got enough, uh, reserves for the day to make us less noticeable. B-but totally up to you! No pressure."

" Sure, why not."

Nobody flinches. "O-oh! U-uh, I was kind of expecting a bit more resistance there, but, u-uhm... okay, let's do this then. Come with me." Nobody rises up from his seat and had Kissa sat down when delivering her news, he'd offer her a hand up as well. He then briefly shares a look with Yanda, before the latter appears to sigh and wave him off. Looking back to Kissa he sheepishly whispers, "Marching orders" by way of explanation before for motioning for her to follow him out of immediate line of sight of any campfire, wagon, and people in general as best as they can be, even if it takes a couple of minutes.

Once out sight, he puts one hand on her shoulder and the other grips the hilt of rapier as he speaks a word of power for his spell(at 3rd level). "Th-that aughta do it. U-uh, do keep in mind that we can't see each other like this, w-we can still leave things like tracks 'n all that, a-and getting too aggressive can, uhm... u-undo the spell. S-so be careful, I guess?" He warns. "Uhhh... yea, that's it. W-well, unless you want to h-h-hold hands on the way there, that should do it."

" I can still smell you....I think it'll be fine."

“I am a smith in the Moradin’s Great Forge. Who’s asking?  Some call me ‘Weld’.”

The dwarf eyes the stranger suspiciously. 

"I've been sent to by the Harpers to shadow the Cult of the Dragon, and to assist you and your party."

“And you’ve proof of allegiance, do you?” Fargen questions. 

Jathas pulls the letter out of his robe's pocket, handing it to the dwarf.

"I-I beg your pardon! I don't--" Nobody stops for a second. Then there's the distinct sound of someone/thing smelling at something before the tiefling says, "W-well, I didn' think it got that bad. I will n-need to remember to use prestidigitation a bit liberally after this. A-and maybe buy more soap before the caravan parts tomorrow." He makes a frustrated sounding noise. "I-I-I any event. Lets get going to their wagon." On that note, he pads back to the caravan, then adjusts his course to begin stealthy making his way closer to the cultist campsite to confirm Kissa's findings.

Stealth: 17.

As Nobody, quietly sneaks towards the cultist campground, he hears a wailful scream, imamate from that direction. 

Fargen sees a note with his friends descriptions, and a broken wax seal with a harp upon it. With that is a pass phrase that was given to the group (which I forgot, but its there.) 

Kissa shadowed Nobody-

Stealth-29

Perception' - 17

"Welcome to the mission.  What is your name, friend?  On this trip you can call me 'Weld' as you know we are supposed to be laying low.  Don't know if it worked much, pretty sure the cultists know we're here."  Fargen extends his hand.

"Suppose I ought to bring you back to camp and offer introductions as a replacement guard."