"It depends on how good you are at disguising yourself, Zale..." Khessa smiles "Obviously, I would also prefer to be able to have company, but the spell I know, unfortunately, only changes the appearance of the caster... I cannot change that of others. As a contribution from all of you, I was thinking of having you massacre the Cultists or Bullywugs that I manage to lure into a trap".
Snapjaw is excited about your plan. However, you get the feeling that every plan to tackle the Bullywugs is well received by him. He does give you some useful information: Only a handful of true Cult of the Dragon initiates and officers resides at the castle. The number of Bullywugs in and around the castle fluctuates. They come and go as they please, but they are numerous, possibly hundreds of them.
Mid-afternoon you reach a place where Lizardfolk pickets are posted. Snapjaw knows about this (it's about half a mile out from the castle) and approaches them. He tells the guards that you are great warriors come to destroy the Cult of the Dragon, and that now is the time to make their move against the Bullywugs. However they are not impressed at the moment. They won’t take action against the Bullywugs now, but they won’t interfere with your actions, either.
Moving on, Snapjaw explains that most Lizardfolk are hesitant to act against the Bullywugs as long as Pharblex Spattergoo still lives. He also thinks most are half-hearted when facing Cultists—not because they fear the Cultists but because they don’t hate them, and they have a harder time mentally turning against that alliance.
Eventually you reach the semi dry place where the castle stands.
Snapjaw directs the canoes to the the southern bank of the waterway (west). A half-dozen dugout canoes are already pulled up onto land here. Three to five paddles lie in the bottom of each. Snapjaw asks if you want to join him in one of the Lizardfolk's longhouses to discuss your plan of action.
"Sounds good, Snapjaw," Khessa agrees "lead the way".
'Snapjaw will probably be able to suggest some sabotage action at the castle that I, as a Bullywug, might get caught trying...' the blonde arcane warrior thinks, confidently 'Following him and discussing it in private seems like a good thing to do'.
Snapjaw and the other Lizardfolk with him guide you past what looks like an animal stockade (the fenced are in the SW) to the biggest longhouse (E centre). The longhouses are made from reeds bound into long, thick bundles and bent into upside-down, U-shaped ribs. The spaces between the ribs are latticed and thatched with more reeds. Each longhouse has a single, woven door in the center of one end wall. The construction technique used in the longhouses is ingenious.
Inside, longhouses are roomy and well ventilated. The ground is covered with reed mats, and the interior is dry and airy. Gear hangs from pegs on the walls to keep it off the ground. Each of these longhouses could house twenty-five lizardfolk comfortably, and more with some crowding. Judging solely from the longhouses you could estimate conservatively that over a hundred lizardfolk live at the castle. However, you have seen far fewer Lizardfolk so far.
Khessa is favorably impressed by the ingenious construction technique used in the longhouses.
'What all in all comfortable homes that these people manage to create, in such an unfavorable environment and with so little available...' the blonde arcane warrior thinks 'These buildings are spacious and well ventilated, the interior is dry and airy... I seen common folk homes in officially more 'civilized' cultures which are much more uncomfortable and less healthy... It would be worth having the construction technique explained in detail and trying if it can also be adapted in other areas of the Sword Coast as well...'
“Is this where we can discuss the details?” the tall adventuress asks.
It is! The Lizardfolk replies. When the Half-Dragon first negotiated with us, we intended to move the entire village here, and built accordingly. As more Bullywugs also flocked to the castle and the real situation became apparent, our warriors instructed their families to stay behind. Thus, we have far more longhouse space at the castle than we need.
Snapjaw lets out a sigh and continues: The Bullywugs live in huts, which are crudely built. They never come here. Neither do the Dragon kneelers.
I have had some time to think about your plan. The Lizardfolk says as he guides your group to a small stone oven with coals for heat. (There are no open fireplaces; the danger from sparks is too great.) It could work, but you need to make sure you destroy something really important or valuable. Furthermore you need a Dragon kneeler of some importance to notice and, most importantly, you need to make sure they blame it on all the Bullywugs and not just you. Snapjaw obeserves all of you with a penetrating gaze. Do any of you even speak Bullywug?
"Personally, I do not, but there is a way. A bless, through which Moradin the wise may grant to his servants the ability to understand and speak all the languages on this land" Eric waves his hand while explaining (he is talking about Tonguesspell)
"Let's think about it together" Khessa suggests. "Speaking of something really important or valuable, do you already have something in mind, Snapjaw? Otherwise we can try to identify a target ourselves these days, simply pretending to be new Dragon kneelers who have just arrived. Either way, we should be able to designate a target".
"Once we designate the target and hit..." the blonde arcane warrior continues "Why should it be essential for me to be seen by a Dragon kneeler of some importance? If common Dragon kneelers see me, they will report them to whoever is more important, right? Wouldn't it be the same thing?"
"To make sure they blame it on all the Bullywugs and not just me, I might take on the appearance of a Bullywug of some importance" the tall adventurer reasons. "If I can see them, I can replicate their appearance perfectly. Unfortunately, with magic, I can only change my appearance, not that of others. So I cannot bring others with me... Or I could carry out several attacks on several days, each time taking on the appearance of a different Bullywug. If the first time they blamed the single Bullywug... the second or third time they might as well blame all the Bullywugs. Do you think either of these two ideas would work?"
"I definitely don't speak Bullywug - but it's Dragon kneelers I'll be dealing with, not other Bullywugs" Khessa finally addresses the issue of language. "Have the Dragon kneelers bothered to learn the Bullywug language? Or do they speak to them in Common? If we don't know for sure, then again we could find out by pretending to be new Dragon kneelers and paying attention to when they speak to the Bullywugs... If the Dragon kneelers speak to Bullywugs in a language I know, I shouldn't have any problems. Otherwise... my 'Living Shield' Eric" she winks at him "just proposed the perfect solution: he can use his sacred powers to give me linguistic skills".
“We have these too.” Kriv pulls out a dragon themed scabbard. “We could make it look like cultists are killing billywhatevers. Just like what happened to Zale.”
Snapjaw pinches the bridge of his nose, or what looks like the Lizorfolk equivalent of this gesture.
Look, I just think your plan is unnecessarily complex. I would just take a few trusted warriors, kill the Bullywugs at the barbican before they can raise the alarm, drop the portcullis so no help from outside can get in and take the castle by storm. Other Lizardfolk will help us once the fighting breaks out.
But if you insist there are a few things that could be targets. The telescope-like contraption on the thrird floor seems to be important. Borngray and the Half-Dragon check it out frequently. I believe the Half-Dragon has a statuette of a Black Dragon, made from actual Black Dragon scales and claws in her sleeping room. I've never seen the statuette, but I know there are also 2 onyx carvings of Black Dragons there. And then there is whatever they are hiding in the tunnels beneath the castle.
Most of the Dragon kneelers are dedicated but not fanatics, and they are laborers, not soldiers. I don't think they'd dare to speak up when it's their word against that of the Bullywugs. Some Bullywugs speak Pidgin Common, that's how they speak with the Kneelers.
Snapjaw takes a look at Kriv's scabbard.
Yes! Infiltrating the castle as newly recruited Kneelers should be easy enough. I can get you in and you can decide what you'll do when you know more of the castle.
“Okay, unnecessary complexity doesn't do anyone any good” Khessa agrees. "I didn't know the situation, but if it's as you describe it, yes, your plan is preferable. Simpler and faster. Let's infiltrate it, and figure out when to put it into action".
Great! Let's go! Snapjaw guides you to the main gate. He'll try to answer any questions you have along the way.
Muddy water laps against the castle walls, at a glance it's indistinguishable from the puddles and hip-deep water standing throughout the area. The main gate is the only entrance into the castle that’s used. When the castle was built, a pair of stout wooden gates and an iron portcullis closed off this 12-foot-wide, 10-foot-high gateway. The gates are never closed; they now sag on their hinges so badly that it’s not worth the effort of levering them into place.
Past the gate you are "greeted" by 10 Bullywugs and a Giant Frog in the barbican. It looks like they are responsible for guarding the barbican. Sloppy mud covers the stone floor of this large chamber. Planks have been laid from the gateway to the causeway entrance to create a 10-foot-wide raised boardwalk for the Cultists, (who don’t enjoy walking through mud the way Bullywugs do). The slippery mud makes everywhere off the planks difficult terrain. A few tables have been thrown together from planks laid across barrels, with crudely made benches for seats. The tables and benches are nearly as muddy as the floor. The barbican has no windows or arrow slits at ground level. Bright light is within 20 feet of the open gateway and the open doorway to the causeway (east). Everywhere else, oil lamps cast only dim light.
[ each square is 20 ft ]
One of the Bullywugs walks up to Snapjaw and asks in Common: Who they?
Snapjaw replies (in Common): New Kneelers.
Wait here! Replies the Bullywug before he wanders off.
A few minutes later the Bullywug returns with a male High-Elf with purple robes. Oh great! They have Humans. The Elf says sarcastically. As if that Wizard wasn't enough. A small grin forms on his face. Snapjaw? Bring our new recruits to the unused chamber near the great hall. They can use that as their quarters. Instruct them that their first task is clearing out the centipedes, chinking leaks, and generally making the room livable. With that the Elf leaves without giving the adventurers a second glance
Calvin watches in earnest as Snapjaw talks with the bullywug, before he returns with the half-elf. The idea of clearing out centipedes, fixing leaks and performing other maintenance tasks is not of any appeal to him. Hopefully, they wouldn't actually have to do any of those tasks once they made it inside the castle. However, he would hold back and play along along the rest of the group feels it important to do so.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
'Fear not, Cultist...' Khessa smiles as she thinks 'We'll clean up well... When we're done, there won't be neither centipedes, nor other bigger vermins left... either in the room... or in the rest of the castle!'
The blonde arcane warrior nods her head and is ready to follow Snapjaw into the 'unused chamber'. Perhaps, with magic it will be possible to make the room livable early and then become familiar with the rest of the castle.
You follow Snapjaw past the causeway (which provides a visual clue that the water may be deeper than it appears). It has no roof and there's a small defensive bulge along the southern wall of the causeway isn't manned:
The causeway brings you to the outer ward where the ground here was once hard-packed earth, but the area in front of the door to the east has been churned into mud by flapping Bullywug feet. At the moment there are 2 Bullywugs and 4 Lizardfolk there. Lizardfolk are training their Giant Lizards, while 1 Bullywug is loafing around and the other is giving orders to the Lizardfolk. Snapjaw puts a claw on his weapon and turns to look at the party. Now? He whipsers in Common.
If the first person to respond nods: Roll Initiative!
If not: Snapjaw continues to open a door to a high, wide hall. The southern end of the hall seems to be used for dining and socializing. The northern half is where contraband hauled in from the Carnath Roadhouse is inspected, sorted, and repacked. The tables in that half of the hall are covered with valuables. There are 16 "Kneelers" around. Most of the Cultists are human, but are 3 Dragonsborn, 2 Dwarves and an Elf around. The NW corner of the room is a makeshift carpentry shop, where Cultists build new chests and boxes to hold the plunder.
Snapjaw brings you to a tower. Once you enter you see a chamber with sagging stone floor and the air is filled with a cloying, moldy stink. The Cultists laid a walkway of planks across the floor so they can walk between the two doorways without soaking their feet. The door on the left leads to your room. Snapjaw says. Come and meet me tonight, at the Arsenal in the northeasterly tower tonight. And with that he slips away.
Whit a firm gesture of one hand Eric prevents Snapjaw to attack recklessly. Then he follows him until they found their room. Once he is sure he can't be heard he says "better not fighting recklessly, we just arrived, there are too many things in this castle we don't know, it would be easy for our enemies to caught us by surprise, unveiling our intentions" thereafter he says back to Snapjaw. "Yes, we'll meet each other tonight"
DM: Is Eric able to craft a glass eye by using his Artisan Blessing? the ability includes non-metal component of an object worth up to 100gp...
Also, if nothing else happens; before leaving the room for meeting Snapjaw Eric casts Motivational Speechit affect everyone for the next hour (5 temporary hit points and advantage on Wisdom saving throws!)
Khessa notes Eric who prevents Snapjaw's impulsive attack and addresses his beloved dwarf a look at approval. Attaching without planning anything before and without knowing anything about the complex would have seemed unnecessarily risky move.
After she sees the 16 'Kneelers', the blonde Arcane Warrior tries to recognize if there is one who seems to have authority on others (someone who says to do, instead of doing, for example) and if she tries to observe this cultist well to remember their features (and be able to possibly replicate them in the future with magic). If she cannot identify a Cultist who seems to have greater authority, she studies the features of one at random.
Once she is in the Quarters assigned to her and the party, after Snapjaw left and has been agreed on them and has agreed on where and how to meet again, the high adventuress recapitulates: "Well... We have time until tonight to look for useful information. Since we were assigned to make the room livable here, we could devote ourselves for some time to do this actually - just to avoid getting out of here only to be noticed by those who had assigned us a task. I should be able to get rid in no time of the centipedes that had the bad idea of nesting here, by chopping them with continuous blade circles. Then we could go out to look around... getting a better idea of the organization of rooms and people. Unless we prefer to stay in the room, instead, to be as inconspicuous as possible".
"Conquer this castle" smiles Khessa "should be an important blow... if all the loot passes from here and the castle falls, the cult not only loses a lot of loot (all that is currently here), but also the possibility of receiving more, at least as long as it does not discovers that the castle has been taken and does not manage to do something about it".
[Eric can use AB to make glass eyes (they're 100 gp in my book). Khessa doesn't recognise any Cultists]
You talk about your plans as you leave the tower's antechamber and enter your new "quarters". It's is wet and moldy, though not flooded. However Giant Centipedes have moved in and made a nest. They attack you the moment you enter.
Roll initiative!
Giant Centipedes (10x) init: 13 + 2 = 15
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Player: Any Good Alignment // DM: Lawful Evil
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"It depends on how good you are at disguising yourself, Zale..." Khessa smiles "Obviously, I would also prefer to be able to have company, but the spell I know, unfortunately, only changes the appearance of the caster... I cannot change that of others. As a contribution from all of you, I was thinking of having you massacre the Cultists or Bullywugs that I manage to lure into a trap".
Snapjaw is excited about your plan. However, you get the feeling that every plan to tackle the Bullywugs is well received by him. He does give you some useful information: Only a handful of true Cult of the Dragon initiates and officers resides at the castle. The number of Bullywugs in and around the castle fluctuates. They come and go as they please, but they are numerous, possibly hundreds of them.
Mid-afternoon you reach a place where Lizardfolk pickets are posted. Snapjaw knows about this (it's about half a mile out from the castle) and approaches them. He tells the guards that you are great warriors come to destroy the Cult of the Dragon, and that now is the time to make their move against the Bullywugs. However they are not impressed at the moment. They won’t take action against the Bullywugs now, but they won’t interfere with your actions, either.
Moving on, Snapjaw explains that most Lizardfolk are hesitant to act against the Bullywugs as long as Pharblex Spattergoo still lives. He also thinks most are half-hearted when facing Cultists—not because they fear the Cultists but because they don’t hate them, and they have a harder time mentally turning against that alliance.
Eventually you reach the semi dry place where the castle stands.
Snapjaw directs the canoes to the the southern bank of the waterway (west). A half-dozen dugout canoes are already pulled up onto land here. Three to five paddles lie in the bottom of each. Snapjaw asks if you want to join him in one of the Lizardfolk's longhouses to discuss your plan of action.
Player: Any Good Alignment // DM: Lawful Evil
"Sounds good, Snapjaw," Khessa agrees "lead the way".
'Snapjaw will probably be able to suggest some sabotage action at the castle that I, as a Bullywug, might get caught trying...' the blonde arcane warrior thinks, confidently 'Following him and discussing it in private seems like a good thing to do'.
Snapjaw and the other Lizardfolk with him guide you past what looks like an animal stockade (the fenced are in the SW) to the biggest longhouse (E centre). The longhouses are made from reeds bound into long, thick bundles and bent into upside-down, U-shaped ribs. The spaces between the ribs are latticed and thatched with more reeds. Each longhouse has a single, woven door in the center of one end wall. The construction technique used in the longhouses is ingenious.
Inside, longhouses are roomy and well ventilated. The ground is covered with reed mats, and the interior is dry and airy. Gear hangs from pegs on the walls to keep it off the ground. Each of these longhouses could house twenty-five lizardfolk comfortably, and more with some crowding. Judging solely from the longhouses you could estimate conservatively that over a hundred lizardfolk live at the castle. However, you have seen far fewer Lizardfolk so far.
Player: Any Good Alignment // DM: Lawful Evil
Khessa is favorably impressed by the ingenious construction technique used in the longhouses.
'What all in all comfortable homes that these people manage to create, in such an unfavorable environment and with so little available...' the blonde arcane warrior thinks 'These buildings are spacious and well ventilated, the interior is dry and airy... I seen common folk homes in officially more 'civilized' cultures which are much more uncomfortable and less healthy... It would be worth having the construction technique explained in detail and trying if it can also be adapted in other areas of the Sword Coast as well...'
“Is this where we can discuss the details?” the tall adventuress asks.
It is! The Lizardfolk replies. When the Half-Dragon first negotiated with us, we intended to move the entire village here, and built accordingly. As more Bullywugs also flocked to the castle and the real situation became apparent, our warriors instructed their families to stay behind. Thus, we have far more longhouse space at the castle than we need.
Snapjaw lets out a sigh and continues: The Bullywugs live in huts, which are crudely built. They never come here. Neither do the Dragon kneelers.
I have had some time to think about your plan. The Lizardfolk says as he guides your group to a small stone oven with coals for heat. (There are no open fireplaces; the danger from sparks is too great.) It could work, but you need to make sure you destroy something really important or valuable. Furthermore you need a Dragon kneeler of some importance to notice and, most importantly, you need to make sure they blame it on all the Bullywugs and not just you. Snapjaw obeserves all of you with a penetrating gaze. Do any of you even speak Bullywug?
Player: Any Good Alignment // DM: Lawful Evil
"Personally, I do not, but there is a way. A bless, through which Moradin the wise may grant to his servants the ability to understand and speak all the languages on this land" Eric waves his hand while explaining (he is talking about Tongues spell)
"Let's think about it together" Khessa suggests. "Speaking of something really important or valuable, do you already have something in mind, Snapjaw? Otherwise we can try to identify a target ourselves these days, simply pretending to be new Dragon kneelers who have just arrived. Either way, we should be able to designate a target".
"Once we designate the target and hit..." the blonde arcane warrior continues "Why should it be essential for me to be seen by a Dragon kneeler of some importance? If common Dragon kneelers see me, they will report them to whoever is more important, right? Wouldn't it be the same thing?"
"To make sure they blame it on all the Bullywugs and not just me, I might take on the appearance of a Bullywug of some importance" the tall adventurer reasons. "If I can see them, I can replicate their appearance perfectly. Unfortunately, with magic, I can only change my appearance, not that of others. So I cannot bring others with me... Or I could carry out several attacks on several days, each time taking on the appearance of a different Bullywug. If the first time they blamed the single Bullywug... the second or third time they might as well blame all the Bullywugs. Do you think either of these two ideas would work?"
"I definitely don't speak Bullywug - but it's Dragon kneelers I'll be dealing with, not other Bullywugs" Khessa finally addresses the issue of language. "Have the Dragon kneelers bothered to learn the Bullywug language? Or do they speak to them in Common? If we don't know for sure, then again we could find out by pretending to be new Dragon kneelers and paying attention to when they speak to the Bullywugs... If the Dragon kneelers speak to Bullywugs in a language I know, I shouldn't have any problems. Otherwise... my 'Living Shield' Eric" she winks at him "just proposed the perfect solution: he can use his sacred powers to give me linguistic skills".
“We have these too.” Kriv pulls out a dragon themed scabbard. “We could make it look like cultists are killing billywhatevers. Just like what happened to Zale.”
Snapjaw pinches the bridge of his nose, or what looks like the Lizorfolk equivalent of this gesture.
Look, I just think your plan is unnecessarily complex. I would just take a few trusted warriors, kill the Bullywugs at the barbican before they can raise the alarm, drop the portcullis so no help from outside can get in and take the castle by storm. Other Lizardfolk will help us once the fighting breaks out.
But if you insist there are a few things that could be targets. The telescope-like contraption on the thrird floor seems to be important. Borngray and the Half-Dragon check it out frequently. I believe the Half-Dragon has a statuette of a Black Dragon, made from actual Black Dragon scales and claws in her sleeping room. I've never seen the statuette, but I know there are also 2 onyx carvings of Black Dragons there. And then there is whatever they are hiding in the tunnels beneath the castle.
Most of the Dragon kneelers are dedicated but not fanatics, and they are laborers, not soldiers. I don't think they'd dare to speak up when it's their word against that of the Bullywugs. Some Bullywugs speak Pidgin Common, that's how they speak with the Kneelers.
Snapjaw takes a look at Kriv's scabbard.
Yes! Infiltrating the castle as newly recruited Kneelers should be easy enough. I can get you in and you can decide what you'll do when you know more of the castle.
Player: Any Good Alignment // DM: Lawful Evil
“Okay, unnecessary complexity doesn't do anyone any good” Khessa agrees. "I didn't know the situation, but if it's as you describe it, yes, your plan is preferable. Simpler and faster. Let's infiltrate it, and figure out when to put it into action".
Great! Let's go! Snapjaw guides you to the main gate. He'll try to answer any questions you have along the way.
Muddy water laps against the castle walls, at a glance it's indistinguishable from the puddles and hip-deep water standing throughout the area. The main gate is the only entrance into the castle that’s used. When the castle was built, a pair of stout wooden gates and an iron portcullis closed off this 12-foot-wide, 10-foot-high gateway. The gates are never closed; they now sag on their hinges so badly that it’s not worth the effort of levering them into place.
Past the gate you are "greeted" by 10 Bullywugs and a Giant Frog in the barbican. It looks like they are responsible for guarding the barbican. Sloppy mud covers the stone floor of this large chamber. Planks have been laid from the gateway to the causeway entrance to create a 10-foot-wide raised boardwalk for the Cultists, (who don’t enjoy walking through mud the way Bullywugs do). The slippery mud makes everywhere off the planks difficult terrain. A few tables have been thrown together from planks laid across barrels, with crudely made benches for seats. The tables and benches are nearly as muddy as the floor. The barbican has no windows or arrow slits at ground level. Bright light is within 20 feet of the open gateway and the open doorway to the causeway (east). Everywhere else, oil lamps cast only dim light.
[ each square is 20 ft ]
One of the Bullywugs walks up to Snapjaw and asks in Common: Who they?
Snapjaw replies (in Common): New Kneelers.
Wait here! Replies the Bullywug before he wanders off.
A few minutes later the Bullywug returns with a male High-Elf with purple robes. Oh great! They have Humans. The Elf says sarcastically. As if that Wizard wasn't enough. A small grin forms on his face. Snapjaw? Bring our new recruits to the unused chamber near the great hall. They can use that as their quarters. Instruct them that their first task is clearing out the centipedes, chinking leaks, and generally making the room livable. With that the Elf leaves without giving the adventurers a second glance
Player: Any Good Alignment // DM: Lawful Evil
Calvin watches in earnest as Snapjaw talks with the bullywug, before he returns with the half-elf. The idea of clearing out centipedes, fixing leaks and performing other maintenance tasks is not of any appeal to him. Hopefully, they wouldn't actually have to do any of those tasks once they made it inside the castle. However, he would hold back and play along along the rest of the group feels it important to do so.
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
'Fear not, Cultist...' Khessa smiles as she thinks 'We'll clean up well... When we're done, there won't be neither centipedes, nor other bigger vermins left... either in the room... or in the rest of the castle!'
The blonde arcane warrior nods her head and is ready to follow Snapjaw into the 'unused chamber'. Perhaps, with magic it will be possible to make the room livable early and then become familiar with the rest of the castle.
You follow Snapjaw past the causeway (which provides a visual clue that the water may be deeper than it appears). It has no roof and there's a small defensive bulge along the southern wall of the causeway isn't manned:
The causeway brings you to the outer ward where the ground here was once hard-packed earth, but the area in front of the door to the east has been churned into mud by flapping Bullywug feet. At the moment there are 2 Bullywugs and 4 Lizardfolk there. Lizardfolk are training their Giant Lizards, while 1 Bullywug is loafing around and the other is giving orders to the Lizardfolk. Snapjaw puts a claw on his weapon and turns to look at the party. Now? He whipsers in Common.
[squares are 20 ft]
Player: Any Good Alignment // DM: Lawful Evil
If the first person to respond nods: Roll Initiative!
If not: Snapjaw continues to open a door to a high, wide hall. The southern end of the hall seems to be used for dining and socializing. The northern half is where contraband hauled in from the Carnath Roadhouse is inspected, sorted, and repacked. The tables in that half of the hall are covered with valuables. There are 16 "Kneelers" around. Most of the Cultists are human, but are 3 Dragonsborn, 2 Dwarves and an Elf around. The NW corner of the room is a makeshift carpentry shop, where Cultists build new chests and boxes to hold the plunder.
Snapjaw brings you to a tower. Once you enter you see a chamber with sagging stone floor and the air is filled with a cloying, moldy stink. The Cultists laid a walkway of planks across the floor so they can walk between the two doorways without soaking their feet. The door on the left leads to your room. Snapjaw says. Come and meet me tonight, at the Arsenal in the northeasterly tower tonight. And with that he slips away.
Player: Any Good Alignment // DM: Lawful Evil
Whit a firm gesture of one hand Eric prevents Snapjaw to attack recklessly. Then he follows him until they found their room. Once he is sure he can't be heard he says "better not fighting recklessly, we just arrived, there are too many things in this castle we don't know, it would be easy for our enemies to caught us by surprise, unveiling our intentions" thereafter he says back to Snapjaw. "Yes, we'll meet each other tonight"
DM: Is Eric able to craft a glass eye by using his Artisan Blessing? the ability includes non-metal component of an object worth up to 100gp...
Also, if nothing else happens; before leaving the room for meeting Snapjaw Eric casts Motivational Speech it affect everyone for the next hour (5 temporary hit points and advantage on Wisdom saving throws!)
Khessa notes Eric who prevents Snapjaw's impulsive attack and addresses his beloved dwarf a look at approval. Attaching without planning anything before and without knowing anything about the complex would have seemed unnecessarily risky move.
After she sees the 16 'Kneelers', the blonde Arcane Warrior tries to recognize if there is one who seems to have authority on others (someone who says to do, instead of doing, for example) and if she tries to observe this cultist well to remember their features (and be able to possibly replicate them in the future with magic). If she cannot identify a Cultist who seems to have greater authority, she studies the features of one at random.
Once she is in the Quarters assigned to her and the party, after Snapjaw left and has been agreed on them and has agreed on where and how to meet again, the high adventuress recapitulates: "Well... We have time until tonight to look for useful information. Since we were assigned to make the room livable here, we could devote ourselves for some time to do this actually - just to avoid getting out of here only to be noticed by those who had assigned us a task. I should be able to get rid in no time of the centipedes that had the bad idea of nesting here, by chopping them with continuous blade circles. Then we could go out to look around... getting a better idea of the organization of rooms and people. Unless we prefer to stay in the room, instead, to be as inconspicuous as possible".
"Conquer this castle" smiles Khessa "should be an important blow... if all the loot passes from here and the castle falls, the cult not only loses a lot of loot (all that is currently here), but also the possibility of receiving more, at least as long as it does not discovers that the castle has been taken and does not manage to do something about it".
Kriv takes some time to survey their new “assignment.” “We could assist with the daily work around here. It could help us get a look around.”
[Eric can use AB to make glass eyes (they're 100 gp in my book). Khessa doesn't recognise any Cultists]
You talk about your plans as you leave the tower's antechamber and enter your new "quarters". It's is wet and moldy, though not flooded. However Giant Centipedes have moved in and made a nest. They attack you the moment you enter.
Roll initiative!
Giant Centipedes (10x) init: 13 + 2 = 15
Player: Any Good Alignment // DM: Lawful Evil