OOC: Sylyra's sheet has been updated with the hit die.

I'll move us forward once the party has declared their destination - if Uragum and Briny have more RP to complete we can do that in the same post to keep us moving.

Once Uragum and Briny are ready to move on, Hex will lead the group to the spot marked on the map.

Uragum begins wrapping himself up and snorts as he replies to Briny, "Wizards are a strange lot, and I'm a strange Goliath.  I like read, most my tribe didn't even know how and it pushed me out in a way.  But that's fine, I've seen a fair share with this adventuring life.  Including a fair amount of dragon related tasks, some evil mages, an island controlled by strange witches."  He pauses a moment.  "I bet at the end of this we will find some misguided wizard."

"Sounds like you've run across plenty of people who find power and use it... selfishly. I suppose we might find a wizard, I've got my eye out for a warlock. Or maybe just a politician." Not everyone who seeks out power uses the magic kind." Briny seems ready to move on when Uragum is satisfied that he has recovered enough from the fight.

The map leads you east along the Phlan Path, and before long, the Twilight Marsh lays before you--dark and foreboding.

It is a gray and joyless marsh overshadowed by tall, foreboding trees. Buzzing, biting insects fill the air as you traverse knee-deep water (considered difficult terrain) and numerous patches of dry, albeit somewhat soggy, land. Despite the thick tree growth in the swamp, the area is well-lit. Most of the day's travel is filled with the sounds of croaking frogs, splashing water, and buzzing insects.

The acidic tang of stagnant water hangs in the air as a large mound rises from the swamp on the horizon, a gaping black hole in its side. In front of the hole, a small campfire dances in the gloom.

Through the rolling patches of fog (lightly obscured), a man sits by the fire beside what you assume is a large black dog curled up at his feet. Those assumptions quickly melt away as the form unfurls a pair of leathery black wings and cranes its neck towards you before muttering something in a strange, guttural tongue, in a deep, gravelly voice.

For Briny, Hex, and Uragum:

Upon seeing the dragon, Hex sighs and mutters to herself. "I had a feeling Rythnax might be the name of a dragon. A least it's a small one... and seems somewhat friendly." She takes a few steps forward towards the fire, raising both her hands up to show that the party means no harm. "Hey there, we don't want any trouble. We're just looking for Ellison. I'm guessing that's you?"

@DM: While Sylyra might not be able to speak the language the dragon is speaking, because a dragon is a beast, he would still be able to "decipher their noises and motions" because of Speech of the Woods. I'm not saying the words and what he understands are exactly the same, but he should be able to get some kind of empathetic understanding, perhaps. Unless you rule differently, of course.

OOC: Dragons actually have their own monster type, so this dragon would be a "dragon" type creature, as opposed to a "beast" type creature.

The man is visibly distraught at your arrival. He looks beyond tired, as if he hasn't slept in many days, and appears to be ill. His left leg appears to be freshly bandaged, but blood has already soaked through. He has extensive burns on his hands and arms as well his face, as if something he was holding caught fire or exploded in his grasp.

"Yes," Ellison answers simply, his head drooping. Next to him, Rythnax puffs out his chest in an obvious attempt to draw attention to a gaudy bronze amulet hanging around his neck.

Hex raises a brow at the dragon, slightly amused at how child like it acts, but continues to focus on Ellison. "You look like you've been through quite a bit. We can help you out. I know a bit of healing magic. In return, we just want the books back and, well, I personally want to know why and for who you took them."

Sylyra's wide eyes are fixed on the dragon. The elf is still as stone.

Uragum, standing tall but in the back, casts mage armor, upon seeing the dragon.  Just a precaution.  Then, when hearing it speak, his interest peaked and so did his caution.  It did not help that they were likely standing in it's territory.

Ellison hesitates, looking slightly away from the party. "...I was sent to find information about the Pool of Radiance from the Library. The books from Marten Foss contained first-hand accounts of Pools of Radiance; nothing else in the Library's possession did. Aya Glenmiir's books was more practical observation, and more importantly, theory on the Pools' properties and functions. As for Lords and Lineages...that was purely personal. I was hoping to find proof that I belonged to a noble house of Phlan."

He sighs, "Does that sate your curiosities?"

Before anyone can answer, Rythnax speaks again in a deep Draconic rumble. "Ellison ui banprivi vi pothoc miulkar. Si mi wer kihlna aivl wer tiamo nadot!"

For Briny, Hex, and Uragum:

Hex finally turns her attention to Rythnax and feigns an impressed expression, widening her eyes and clasping her hands together in an attempt to appease the dragon's apparent arrogance. She responds in draconic, "Oh really? Well, may I ask what exactly your interest in the Pools of Radiance is, oh genius mastermind of theft?" 

As she does, she takes a glimpse at the bronze amulet it showed off before.

Rythnax sneers, "Si tir ti doege ir vren zahae astahi. Wer klahik xikinic ve algbo ekess qe vi trivkutaz kagh arytiss tagoa astahii re tesantamaso di ve. Si mi ahfvenir wer fuhajic ekess astahi, kagh mobi ui ehis wux shilta tir ekess wolius ve."

For Hex:

For Briny, Hex, and Uragum:

Hex furrows her brow. "Is that so? Well, that is... unfortunate." She looks back towards Ellison, observing his injured and exhausted form. "Look, I'd rather we not have to fight either of you. Maybe we can come to a deal of some sort? I mean, you really look like you need some rest, Ellison. There's no way you're gonna be able to take all four of us on in your condition, dragon or no. Is this really worth your life?"

Sylyra's brow furrows as he hears Hex's words. Fight ... a dragon?! Can she be serious? He reflexively adjusts his grip on his staff, and two tiny motes of light drift down from the mistletoe tied to the end. Get it together, he thinks to himself. You're acting like a fool! The elf's lip curls as he struggles to tamp down the fear clouding his thoughts. It's just a small dragon, he chastises himself. I can be brave. I'm not going to embarrass him again. Inexplicably, a childhood memory flashes in front of Sylyra's mind's eye.

Waterdeep. A traveling menagerie. His father holding his hand as they walk from cage to cage. The sights were beautiful and curious, and the father-son duo laughed and talked. Noble horses with stripes, and lithe cats with wings. Long necks and slender tails. Fur ... and scales. Sylyra remembers screaming his child's scream at the sight of the monster — taller than his father, covered in green and black scales, opening a huge mouth full of sharp teeth. Claws and a menacing hiss. It blinked its yellow eyes and darted its head at the murmuring crowd gathered around. Sylyra pulled backward on his father's hand, trying to coax him away. His father smiled down at him, gently jerked his arm forward to encourage Sylyra closer. But the more Sylyra fought and screamed and cried, the darker his father's face became. The gentle jerking became a more insistent pulling. Finally, in a graceful turn, Sylyra was off the ground, in his father's grasp, and moving closer to the creature! Sylyra began hitting his father with his tiny fists and screaming and crying all the more. He doesn't remember what, exactly, happened next, but he finally opened his eyes again as he realized his father was putting him back on the ground. They were outside of the circle of people now. He could only see the top of the monster's cage above their heads. The people were smiling, laughing and pointing ... at them. As he turned his red and burning eyes up to look at his father's face, he saw only outrage. He had seen this face before, but never aimed at him. Tears began to fall again. This only served to darken his father's countenance even more. The auburn-haired elf took Sylyra's hand again, this time not gently, and walked swiftly toward the exit.

Without pausing to consider his actions, Sylyra grasps his staff in both hands and quietly says a few words in Druidic. As he finishes, a ghostly green fire flows from his palms along the wood, engulfing the weapon in transparent flames and causing a shower of small motes of light to fall from the leaves of the mistletoe. Scowling, he bends forward slightly, clearly ready to engage.

Ellison sits with his hands on his knees, head still slumped and staring down at the marsh. His only response to Hex is to sigh deeply.

Rythnax, chest still puffed out, unfurls his wings to their full length and cackles as Sylyra readies his weapon.

Hex steps back as Rythnax unfurls his wings and moves her hand behind her back to grip her bow. "Come on, Ellison. This isn't worth it. The Cult doesn't care about you, not really. Don't throw your life away for them. I mean, the dragon literally just called you a mindless lackey!"

"Wux re drivir ve!"

Rythnax shouts and lifts his body off of the ground with a powerful flap of his wings. A strange buzzing sound fills the air as swarming insects cover the party around a 20-foot radius, thick enough to lightly obscure the area. Painful stings nag at you; Sylyra seems to be struggling the most, blood very quickly pouring over his eyes from a dozen stings.

For Briny, Hex, and Uragum:

Round 1 Order:
Players <=====
Enemies

Placement:
Rythnax and Ellison are 50 feet away from the party. There is 25 feet of difficult terrain between you.

Health:
Sylyra is wounded.
Briny is lightly wounded.
Hex is lightly wounded.
Uragum is lightly wounded.

OOC: As always, we aren't truly on a grid but including a map here for reference of what the area looks like. The party would be standing upon the solid ground at the bottom of the map, while Rythnax and Ellison are near the cave and campfire. The swarming insects are essentially covering that small island that the party is standing on. All of the water is considered difficult terrain.