"I'd be not much surprised if the loot is brought to some black dragon den..." Khessa reflects, partly excited, for she really is eager to find the final destination of all the loot, partly worried, for an ancient dragon could pose too much of a challenge even for her and her tough friends "This might be an environment such creatures like!"
"Well, Calvin, not that I'm eager to meet one but... We're dealing with the Cult of the Dragon..." Khessa starts explaining "Who brings a hoard, which dragons usually appreciate... And we're in a terribly swampy environment , which, if I remember correctly, is loved by the Black Dragons... That's why I'm thinking about the possibility that the final destination could be the lair of one of these specimens".
After the battle, Zale looks particularly worse for ware...but her spirit seems to have returned since she actually managed to strike down a few foes. Wiping the blood off her sword, she sheaths the blade.
Trudging forward behind the others, she bares her teeth at the mushy ground. "Gah! I like water, but I don't be likin' dirt in it. Marshes be bloody disgustin'. This better be worth the trouble. Heh, I sure wouldn't mind fightin a bloody black beast." She grins at Khessa."
[[OOC: I'd say we stop, when we risk losing our way or when we feel tired. I was hoping loot final destination was near, but if it is not, we'll camp for the night, looking for a dry (or not too wet) position. We'll also take shifts keeping watch, I'd say, since we are following trails of potential enemies ]]
"Since everyone dislike muddy water and swaps, myself in particular" mumbles the dwarf, looking the level of the mud growing above his boots "there is a trick, a bless, that could help with that and speed up our journey" Eric casts Water Walkas ritual spell, over all party members.
OCC: Eric is up for long rest taking guard shift, not pursuing through the swamps at night
DM: Eric would use water walk ritual during their journey into the swamps every day, or at least every time the party would benefit from it, without declaring it explicitly every time; is that ok?
“I been thinking. That lizard that attacked the wagons listened to us. You think the ones hauling this stuff will be willing to listen?” Kriv asks while toying with a random twig he picked up.
Zale grins at Khessa, "Heh, I do be likein the way ye think!"Then she nods to the group, "Eye, a break would be welcome. Heheh, to be honest I coulda used one a long time ago."
When they find a relatively dry place to camp, she drops her knapsack and plops down next to it. "I do be sorry, but I sure ain't takin first watch tonight, or second fer that matter. I may be able to take the last one though."
“You are truly resourceful!” exclaims Khessa, when Eric gives the group members the power to walk on water - whereupon she begins to try to run and jump on the liquid surface into which she would normally sink... and giggles like a child playing "It's fun!" she returns to him and hugs him "And also helpful, of course".
The blonde arcane warrior then remembers that she is participating in a mission on whose outcome the fate of Faerûn may depend, so she resumes a more attentive and cautious attitude. When Calvin confirms the possibility of possible black darghi, she asks him: "If we encountered any... do you happen to know of any weak points of theirs that we could exploit?"
When Kriv hypothesizes the dialogue with the Lizardfolk, the tall adventuress says: "I would have liked it... I had tried to convince the last survivor to surrender, but he continued to fight as if nothing had happened... Maybe he didn't understand the Common tongue".
When the party camps for the night and Zale talks about his watch, Khessa puts a hand on her shoulder: "Don't worry... we are so many, that I think it won't be a problem if for once you just think about resting. We'll just split the shifts among ourselves! By the way, we can also count on my brother," she gently scratches Anator "who is in his element during the night... We'll be fine!"
"Since everyone dislike muddy water and swaps, myself in particular" mumbles the dwarf, looking the level of the mud growing above his boots "there is a trick, a bless, that could help with that and speed up our journey" Eric casts Water Walkas ritual spell, over all party members.
OCC: Eric is up for long rest taking guard shift, not pursuing through the swamps at night
DM: Eric would use water walk ritual during their journey into the swamps every day, or at least every time the party would benefit from it, without declaring it explicitly every time; is that ok?
That's ok. Just don't forget to mark your spell slots when I tell you.
For convenience, I assume that you will start this night with a long rest. The five of you take turns keeping watch and the next morning you wake up rested and strengthened. It is a drizzly day, gray clouds threaten with rain that only falls sporadically. Soon after following the trail you enter the tangled marsh. [[Eric casts Water Walk]] Thanks to Eric you make good time through what would have been cold, muddy, difficult miles. However the spell only last an hour. And then you have to go through mucky, cold, knee-deep water. Just before it starts to get dark again you reach what looks like a campsite. [[Eric can use more spell slots to reacht the campsite earlier]]
[[You can all make a History check if you are curious where you are going]]
It isn’t much of a camp—just a clearing that’s slightly drier than the muck you’ve been wading through—but four wicker lean-tos and a stone platform (for lighting a fire above the soggy ground) command attention in this wilderness. Three dugout canoes are drawn up near one of the lean-tos. A few dozen yards beyond the campsite in the direction you’ve been traveling, dry land ends. Other than moss-covered trees, fallen logs, and thick clumps of reeds, nothing rises above the still, black water.
After the night's rest, Khessa feels increasingly confident in her and her teammates' abilities. By now, together, they must have crossed half of Faerûn, on the trail of the loot (and plans) of the Cult and Tiamat! Our heroine realizes that her fighting and spellcasting skills are now increasingly starting to merge into a single whole (OOC: Taking level - Fighter level, Eldritch Knight archetype). Taken by arcane inspiration, she performs a magical ritual in the morning that intimately binds her Greatsword to herself (OOC: Weapon Bond).
Once she reaches the useful but somewhat mysterious place, the blonde arcane warrior tries to rummage through her memories and see if she can understand or intuit what could be about her.
You remember a story about a Half-Elf Wizard that built a castle at the edge of a swamp. He wanted some alone time, but supposedly when the growing swamp flowed past the castle on all sides it made the location too remote for even his taste. Could that have been this "Mere of Dead Men"? It was decades ago... maybe even over a century ago...
You think Khessa might be correct. Over a century ago, a half-elf wizard built a castle at the edge of the Mere of Dead Men. He lived there a relatively short time before the growing swamp flowed past the castle on all sides. After the structure sat abandoned for years, a group of astrologers called the Academy of Stargazers claimed it. They built an observatory into the top level of the keep, where they installed a piece of magic equipment [[a high arcana check is needed to know more about this]]. But the astrologers vanished mysteriously after a few years.
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Player: Any Good Alignment // DM: Lawful Evil
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"I'd be not much surprised if the loot is brought to some black dragon den..." Khessa reflects, partly excited, for she really is eager to find the final destination of all the loot, partly worried, for an ancient dragon could pose too much of a challenge even for her and her tough friends "This might be an environment such creatures like!"
Calvin turns to Khessa, "A black dragon, you say?"
A look of wonder spreads across his face once more as he thinks of the black dragons.
"They are certainly not the most powerful, but meer beast either."
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
"Well, Calvin, not that I'm eager to meet one but... We're dealing with the Cult of the Dragon..." Khessa starts explaining "Who brings a hoard, which dragons usually appreciate... And we're in a terribly swampy environment , which, if I remember correctly, is loved by the Black Dragons... That's why I'm thinking about the possibility that the final destination could be the lair of one of these specimens".
After the battle, Zale looks particularly worse for ware...but her spirit seems to have returned since she actually managed to strike down a few foes. Wiping the blood off her sword, she sheaths the blade.
Trudging forward behind the others, she bares her teeth at the mushy ground. "Gah! I like water, but I don't be likin' dirt in it. Marshes be bloody disgustin'. This better be worth the trouble. Heh, I sure wouldn't mind fightin a bloody black beast." She grins at Khessa."
"It could be great training" Khessa winks at Zale, pleased by her friend's fighting spirit "for when we have to face a bloody blue beast!"
[[Are you pushing on through the night?]]
Player: Any Good Alignment // DM: Lawful Evil
[[OOC: I'd say we stop, when we risk losing our way or when we feel tired. I was hoping loot final destination was near, but if it is not, we'll camp for the night, looking for a dry (or not too wet) position. We'll also take shifts keeping watch, I'd say, since we are following trails of potential enemies ]]
"Since everyone dislike muddy water and swaps, myself in particular" mumbles the dwarf, looking the level of the mud growing above his boots "there is a trick, a bless, that could help with that and speed up our journey" Eric casts Water Walk as ritual spell, over all party members.
OCC: Eric is up for long rest taking guard shift, not pursuing through the swamps at night
DM: Eric would use water walk ritual during their journey into the swamps every day, or at least every time the party would benefit from it, without declaring it explicitly every time; is that ok?
"Yeah," Calvin replies to Khessa. "I think you are correct black dragons."
(4 +3 for Arcana, +6 for History/Nature)
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
“I been thinking. That lizard that attacked the wagons listened to us. You think the ones hauling this stuff will be willing to listen?” Kriv asks while toying with a random twig he picked up.
Zale grins at Khessa, "Heh, I do be likein the way ye think!" Then she nods to the group, "Eye, a break would be welcome. Heheh, to be honest I coulda used one a long time ago."
When they find a relatively dry place to camp, she drops her knapsack and plops down next to it. "I do be sorry, but I sure ain't takin first watch tonight, or second fer that matter. I may be able to take the last one though."
(Should we take the long rest and level up now?)
“You are truly resourceful!” exclaims Khessa, when Eric gives the group members the power to walk on water - whereupon she begins to try to run and jump on the liquid surface into which she would normally sink... and giggles like a child playing "It's fun!" she returns to him and hugs him "And also helpful, of course".
The blonde arcane warrior then remembers that she is participating in a mission on whose outcome the fate of Faerûn may depend, so she resumes a more attentive and cautious attitude. When Calvin confirms the possibility of possible black darghi, she asks him: "If we encountered any... do you happen to know of any weak points of theirs that we could exploit?"
When Kriv hypothesizes the dialogue with the Lizardfolk, the tall adventuress says: "I would have liked it... I had tried to convince the last survivor to surrender, but he continued to fight as if nothing had happened... Maybe he didn't understand the Common tongue".
When the party camps for the night and Zale talks about his watch, Khessa puts a hand on her shoulder: "Don't worry... we are so many, that I think it won't be a problem if for once you just think about resting. We'll just split the shifts among ourselves! By the way, we can also count on my brother," she gently scratches Anator "who is in his element during the night... We'll be fine!"
Yes, you think her assumption is correct. However, you have no useful information to add to this.
Player: Any Good Alignment // DM: Lawful Evil
That's ok. Just don't forget to mark your spell slots when I tell you.
For convenience, I assume that you will start this night with a long rest. The five of you take turns keeping watch and the next morning you wake up rested and strengthened. It is a drizzly day, gray clouds threaten with rain that only falls sporadically. Soon after following the trail you enter the tangled marsh. [[Eric casts Water Walk]] Thanks to Eric you make good time through what would have been cold, muddy, difficult miles. However the spell only last an hour. And then you have to go through mucky, cold, knee-deep water. Just before it starts to get dark again you reach what looks like a campsite. [[Eric can use more spell slots to reacht the campsite earlier]]
[[You can all make a History check if you are curious where you are going]]
It isn’t much of a camp—just a clearing that’s slightly drier than the muck you’ve been wading through—but four wicker lean-tos and a stone platform (for lighting a fire above the soggy ground) command attention in this wilderness. Three dugout canoes are drawn up near one of the lean-tos. A few dozen yards beyond the campsite in the direction you’ve been traveling, dry land ends. Other than moss-covered trees, fallen logs, and thick clumps of reeds, nothing rises above the still, black water.
Player: Any Good Alignment // DM: Lawful Evil
After the night's rest, Khessa feels increasingly confident in her and her teammates' abilities. By now, together, they must have crossed half of Faerûn, on the trail of the loot (and plans) of the Cult and Tiamat! Our heroine realizes that her fighting and spellcasting skills are now increasingly starting to merge into a single whole (OOC: Taking level - Fighter level, Eldritch Knight archetype). Taken by arcane inspiration, she performs a magical ritual in the morning that intimately binds her Greatsword to herself (OOC: Weapon Bond).
Once she reaches the useful but somewhat mysterious place, the blonde arcane warrior tries to rummage through her memories and see if she can understand or intuit what could be about her.
Khessa's History: 20
You remember a story about a Half-Elf Wizard that built a castle at the edge of a swamp. He wanted some alone time, but supposedly when the growing swamp flowed past the castle on all sides it made the location too remote for even his taste. Could that have been this "Mere of Dead Men"? It was decades ago... maybe even over a century ago...
Player: Any Good Alignment // DM: Lawful Evil
Khessa reports this, while thinking aloud... maybe some of her friends remember something more?
History check: 19
You think Khessa might be correct. Over a century ago, a half-elf wizard built a castle at the edge of the Mere of Dead Men. He lived there a relatively short time before the growing swamp flowed past the castle on all sides. After the structure sat abandoned for years, a group of astrologers called the Academy of Stargazers claimed it. They built an observatory into the top level of the keep, where they installed a piece of magic equipment [[a high arcana check is needed to know more about this]]. But the astrologers vanished mysteriously after a few years.
Player: Any Good Alignment // DM: Lawful Evil