Forgotten Realms Tales

Logan sees among the bubbles of the mildly warm bath a white pearl at the bottom of it. 

Logan:

Pulling up his sleeve, Logan reaches into the bath and retrieves the pearl.  "I wonder what significance this has?" he says, holding it up to the light so everyone can get a good look at it.

     "He didn't seem wealthy, seems odd he would leave such a thing behind...  Then again, seems odd to be in the bath to begin with," Gorm suggests, leaning in to get a closer look but totally baffled.  "We could question those in nearby rooms, see if they saw him leave..."

For what its worth here is Dr A's perception roll 15

"Ahbut that is indeed interesting" Dr A says looking at the pearl in Logan's hand "as to questioning those in nearby rooms, to see if they saw him leave, that is a good idea. Shall we ..." as he leaves the room to knock on the door of a nearby room.

As Dr. A takes one step to go outside the pearl hums with a vibrating sound and it illuminates with a blue light. An image of the face of Karvian in a blue hue, as if he was underwater or he was a ghost, appears and looks above Logan's left shoulder.

"So I just speak then? " he seems to hear someone for a second "Oh ok ok, oh! it is working already? " he seems to focus his sight on them " Well I do hope you find this soon. I am terribly sorry but I wouldn't be able to go with you in the journey. It all seems very interesting, and... and dangerous, but... the most incredibly thing just happened. My mother had found me!" in this point he looks again to the same point as he was looking before. "Oh they cannot see you.. I understand " he focuses again " You cannot see her but she is awesome! She needs my help so, I hope you understand, I must go with her. We are in a hurry but at least I can leave you this message. Do not worry for me I am with my mom!! So excited.... well, anyway I wish you the best in your quest and that we meet again in the future. I..." he looks up again and nods " I have to go now. Bye!!" 

With that the pearl becomes inert again in Logan's palm.

Logan:

Taken aback by the magical effect, Logan listens quietly, then says, "Well, I suppose that is it.  I wish Karvian well in his new adventure.  Let's get back to the others and prepare to depart."  With a mixture of sadness at his new friend's departure and hopefulness that Karvian is finding his calling in this world, Logan heads back to prepare for the journey.

Once they realize that Karvian is out of their reach, even with some concerns about this, obviously really powerful "mother",  they gather their things and are finally out of the inn and headed to the meeting point. 

Talgred and Chara are there, with a covered cart pulled by a horse. Talgred informs Logan that he also had let the Knights know what they are going to do so, with no more pressing business in the city, they left it by the northen gate. 

As they cross the country, filled with rolling hills and farming fields, which helps feed the city, they begin to feel more and more comfortable and secure. Fearing that everyone could be a Cult member following them in the crowded city has been, for sure, stressful. But even that the sky is almost filled with grey clouds, the wind is gentle and the temperature is not to low, so it helps them to walk and chat among them. 

They make a stop when the fields are turning more and more into a terrain filled with woods, and under the shadow of a grove they eat, resting and gathering forces for the next step of their journey.

     Gorm is chagrined at the departure of Karvian.  Doubly so by he doing it so quickly and without a word besides the... note, for lack of a better word.  She had felt alone since leaving her tribe and entering the world of Al-Hadhar.  Then she had stumbled across Karvian, almost literally.  It had been such a short time she knew him but it had been such a long time since she had shared the company with another of her kind...  But still, in the end Karvian has baked his bread and so he must eat it.

     Traveling was more comfortable to Gorm than the city dwelling.  While the environment was not what she was used to it was still nature and wide open and largely lacking of others rushing here and there all hurried about finishing tasks that mean nothing.  The quiet was nice and welcome.  So was the lack of noxious smells which seemed everywhere in a city.  She felt as if they likely did not have the eyes upon them that they did but she still refused to fully relax.  She ensure someones task was always to watch their backs,, and they skies since their opponents seemed to have such capabilities.  While the rest slept, of course, but even during they day when all should be aware.  It is a difficult thing for one to always be on edge so it was best to break it into shifts...

(OOC Because I can)

Dr A looks at the pearl as it transmits the image and the voice of Karvian "ahbut that is fascinating a gem that allows one to transmit both image and voice, I've heard of these but never seen them. His mother must either be a powerful mage or know one!"

Dr A spends the time whilst travelling telling Gorm what he knows of the history and cultures of the region they're travelling through.

When the party is ready to resume their path they feel a great vibration in the ground as it shakes just a moment before they hear a great "THUMP!" somewhere ahead of where they are going to head. 

Then they hear some screams. The voices are deep and raspy. They are suddenly cut by a loud roar. Sounds of fighting can clearly be heard ahead, perhaps a few hundred feet ahead. Another great roar and then silence. 

Logan:

Grabbing his shield and sword and hustling forward, Logan looks for a place he can get a clear line of sight to the battle but not expose himself too much to whatever made that loud thump.

Perception:  7

     Gorm too is rushing ahead, curious as to what battle is ahead.  She aims to get close enough to see what is happening before charging in, but she expects she’ll end up charging in anyway…

"Ahbut whatever happened to the cautious approach" Dr A mutters before exclaiming "ahbut wait for me, you may never know when an older wiser head is needed" as he follows the other two

The two fighters rushes forward, followed by the slower tortle while Chara remains behind, as a lookout of the cart. 

They cross over two hundred feet of bushes and trees and they stop just at the edge of the scene of a battle. Ahead of them lies a small portion of the forest in waste. Broken trees, broken in half by a brutal force, lie here and there. Some trunks have been clearly burnt. Small fires still burning here and there. The road they are traveling is almost in the center of this destroyed patch of the forest so they would have come here anyway. 

Then they see the corpses. Not least than a dozen corpses lay broken and burnt over the place. It's hard to tell from here but most of them seemed to wear metal armor, now almost melted with they charred flesh. The smell of burned flesh is heavy in the air. There is another corpse that draw their attention. The broken and mauled body of a great ogre rests in a pool of its own blood, near the path. 

They do see movement. A gnome, dressed with a black studded leather and a brown cloak, is looking over the carnage at their left, at the edge of the unnatural clearing too, with an amazed look in his eyes, as they probably have. He looks at them, and takes a precautionary step back, looking for something, probably a weapon, on his back. 

Logan:

With the evidence in front of them of a titanic struggle but no sign of the massive creature who must be responsible, Logan quickly scans the clearing’s edge for the evidence of the direction it went, or failing that, he looks to the skies.

Perception:  11

if he sees nothing, he will tentatively move forward to see the battlefield better, maybe learning who the figures in armor might have been.

     "You there," Gorm calls out while slowly approaching the gnome.  "What caused all this?  Is this all the doing of the ogre?"

     Gorm stays prepared despite it looking like they missed the brouhaha and approaches the gnome cautiously.  She finds it add that such a little one seems to be the lone survivor but she has learned that size isn't everything, herself having taken down much larger opponents on occasion.  "We heard the commotion...  We have just come to investigate.  And lend a hand if we can..."

"Uh? Oh! Wellmet!!" says the gnome noticing them "You heard it too? I have no idea what happened here! What can do that to an ogre? The doing of the ogre? I doubt it. Did he killed himself after causing an explosion of gas that make all this? Good Gods!! I do not want to eat whatever he has eaten if this are the results!! No I do ot think the ogre has done nothing but die screaming and crying" says the gnome from the distance. He seems friendly enough but he doesn't approach, feeling that he can retreat to the woods in case the party is hostile towards him. 

Logan approaches the charred corpses and he has no difficulty in recognize, the ones that are less burnt, them as hobgoblins. He looks around. A group of hobgoblins, an ogre, in a bent of the road covered by trees and bushes... it seems that, whatever did this has prevented an ambush on the road. A very dangerous one indeed. 

He keeps walking towards the corpse of the ogre and sees a great, reptilian footprint in the dirt just at the ogre's side. The body seems mauled by a great claw and its right shoulder and arm are missing, chopped away by a great bite. The missing limb is nowhere to be found. 

Logan:

Pointing at the huge reptilian footprint, Logan says, "I am no expert tracker, but it appears something enormous and reptilian swooped in here and incinerated these hobgoblins while eviscerating the ogre, then vanished again--either into the skies or by magic, for there are no other footprints here indicating it entered or left on the ground.  And I would say it did us a service as well, for this ambush could well have killed us had we come by earlier."

As gruesome as it is, Logan learned from many tales at the Old Skull Inn that adventurers found much of the tools needed to fight their foes from the corpses of the defeated.  However, it seems unlikely given the devastation here there will be much useful remaining.  Still, he starts looking around for anything intact that could be helpful in upgrading their equipment--or perhaps any coin or other treasure.

Perception:  14

     "Are dragons reptiles?" Gorm asks as she pauses to put a hand up to shield her eyes as she scans the skies.  "I mean, technically?"

     "Anyway, if it was that... Or whatever it was... We may not want to be here if it comes back," she suggests.  Turning to the Gnome she smiles and says "I am Gorm of the DIabhal.  There you have Logan Flameheart.  And I believe our wiser, brainier companion is still catching up - Doctor Arbutaveyu.  We are heading towards Candlekeep.  If you are going that direction as well you are welcome to accompany us..."