The Undying Dragons - Campaign Thread

     Vonth catches Solomona's eyes and understands.  He in turn raises his eyes skyward to the flying beasts to point out the numbers aren't as close as they seem.  Still, he gives a slight shrug and then directs his eyes to Avaria.  Vonth figures it is her team most at risk out there all alone and all.  He figures it is her call for when they make their strike.

SEARCH PARTY IN THE WOODS:

Avaria finds signs of animals using the path the group finds themselves on. But unfortunately no sign of Marrin or Jan - Jan indeed did go airborne immediately, and Marrin climbed through the trees in the exact opposite direction.

She does spot a couple of large reptilian looking prints from time to time. She’d guess they’re too big to belong to the ambush drakes.

Talis smiles at Vonth, though the warmth of the gesture doesn’t seem to reach all the way to her eyes.

“Queen Tiamat is not just some dragon,” Talis says. “She is the greatest of all. She is a god of great power.”

Talis pushes some low branches out of her way. They snap back and come close to smacking Solomona in the face, but the monk’s natural rolling gait has him bobbing to the side before contact can be made.

“But the Osiris Sect would seek to prevent her return so they can foist their foul darkness on the world.”

She stops and looks at each of the three, Vonth, then Avaria, and then Solomona.

“If you help stop them and help pave the way for the Queen’s arrival, you will be greatly rewarded.”

At that moment, as Vonth has been keeping an eye on the two perytons overhead, he notices them drive their wings powerfully against the air and race forward, soon disappearing from sight through the trees.

TOWARDS THE MOUNTAINS:

Jan confidently heads back closer to the mountains, certain she is not going towards the lodge. But she’s still exposed to those with sharp vision. When she casts a glance backwards, she can see two enormous birds heading her way. They’re miles and miles and miles away but they definitely seem to be coming this way.

The forest thins as it rises up the mountains, but there are still trees and brush below.

ALONE IN THE WOODS:

Marrin continues in the direction of the lodge, or more accurately in the direction she hopes is towards the lodge, doing her best to avoid dry leaves and dead branches as she does so.

Afterawhile, just when the buzzing of insects is about to lull her to sleep, she hears noises in front of where she’s headed. 

Or are the noises from the sides? Or all three directions?

Something is moving in the woods and brush; several somethings if she had to guess.

Solomona listens passively to the conversation. How strange the world was, outside his home village! There's always someone wanting to rule the world. Sol can think of nothing worse than having such immense responsibility. It was enough effort learning to rule one's self. 

While they walk, Solomona takes note of the plants that live in this forest. Perhaps there are some that might make good additions to the picnic lunch. Or perhaps some with other useful properties. (Sol doesn't currently possess a herbalism kit, but he does have proficiency, if that counts for anything)

When the perytons fly away, Sol glances once more at Vonth and smiles...

Marrin casts invisibility and attempts to be as sneaky as possible, taking great care with her steps to leave no trace of make noise.

Stealth: 22

((Jan is disguise-selfed to blend in with the color tone of the sky, she also has limited flying window on her own, as that first use expires, she'd transfer to the ring and be carried by the invisible K.))

((Stealth for Jan with advantage please))

IN THE WOODS:

Marrin slows her pace to almost a crawl, slipping between thick tree trunks and blending herself in with the shadows cast by the high trees. She does so just in time as she sees that four headed troll pop his head out from behind some bushes, scanning his surroundings but while he looks in Marrin's direction, there's no indication he's seen her.

The cause of the other rustling becomes apparent soon after as she sees the familiar faces of Hammerdasher, Geffroi, and Ula step through the bushes. No sign of the ambush drakes she assumes are with the troll, but the trio of companions don't appear to be here against their will.

Hammerdasher shrugs and then swats at several insects buzzing about his bear.

"That was one nice thing about the prison and the ice," Hammerdasher says. "No bloody insects."

Avaria's head starts aching as she tries to put things together.  How she wishes her friends were here to quiz this fanatic, this was NOT her cup of tea.  She squints a bit as she thinks, making it look like she is looking at the unhelpful prints she had found.

"So the Osiris Sect does NOT want to bring Tiamat back?  What do they want with the chest?  And how would we be rewarded if we helped?  That can mean a lot of things."

As the perytons take off, Ava takes in a quick breath.  She notes the eye glances from and between her new companions and she appreciates the fact that one, they are completely on alert even with the strange remarks, and two, they are waiting on her.  This brings a slight smile to her face.

She turns to Talis.  "Your flying creatures.  I want to follow them, lets go."  she knows they can't go as fast, but so far?  She's found nothing and wonders what they are after.

((Did Marrin use her invisibility or no?))

((Marrin had a good enough stealth roll to be hidden for now but if she wants to move with all these people looking around she can have cast invisibility too))

She does so just in time as she sees that four headed troll pop his head out from behind some bushes

((Errr, is it a 4 headed troll or 4 armed troll??))

___

     Vonth, seeing Avaria is aware of Solomona and his readiness but giving no go sign, relaxes just a bit and continues to follow as the group is led.

((I know which I'd prefer in the given situation between four heads and four arms!

Happy not to cast invisibility if not needed))

Gauging the situation and that her friends appear to be free and only in the company of one well armed troll Marrin calls out,

"You must be even more stinky than most trolls with all those armpits."

((Unsettling words, -8 on his saving throw))

"You should probably head to that town down the way and check to see if they have a tavern with a warm bath to clean yourself."

Suggestion DC 16 wisdom save.

THE SEARCH PARTY IN THE WOODS:

The group continues in the direction that the perytons flew off in.

Talis looks at Avaria after she asks her question.

"There is a weapon of great power in that chest. If they get a hold of it they will be much stronger and a step closer to reshaping this world the way they want to" Talis says and then visibly shudders. "Surely you have already heard rumors of the wasting disease in the desert lands."

She continues on for a few steps, while her three retainers continually scan the woods around them, their hands never far from the hilts of their weapons.

"Soren told me that you were on your way to your Lord Hammerdasher's home to stop Godrick Hargrove from finding a key hidden amidst stolen treasure." Talis says. "I can help you get there ahead of him. And I should be able to arm you with magic to help you in your task. He can not be allowed to get that key. It could lead to another weapon."

IN THE OTHER PART OF THE WOODS:

((Four arms and only one head - for now))

Trepsin the four-armed troll pauses in his walking when he hears the words from the woods. He sniffs for a moment, then sniffs his own armpits and nods.

"We should go to Parnast," Trepsin says. "Your friend might be there and they have baths."

The troll heads off towards the river.

Ula, Geffroi, and Hammerdasher don't say anything but they also don't follow the troll. Instead, they take a greater interest in the woods around them.

Marrin doesn't have much time to enjoy her success. While Trepsin the troll has wandered off towards the river, and Parnast, presumably the name of the village, she can hear other beings moving in the brush.

IN THE AIR AROUND THE MOUNTAINS:

Jan still needs to provide a stealth roll at advantage.

Jan Stealth: 24

Marrin keeps her hidden spot but does ask the three, in Hammerdasher's voice,

"More trolls?"

     “You don’t trust them with the weapon in the chest,” Vonth says, eyes narrowing slightly.

     “But you’ll trust them, help them even, in finding the key to another one?” His tone stays even. Perhaps a bit curious.

     “How does that make sense?” He adds quietly as an aside to Solomona.

I think she means she'll help us get the weapon, as long as she gets the weapon. Solomona replies quietly, simplifying. And dealing with us is better than dealing with the other mob.

     "So we're, what?  Lackeys?  Henchmen?" Vonth asks, his tone obviously one of displeasure.

     "Minions??"

IN THE SKY

While heading back closer to the mountains, Jan keeps an eye on the flying perytons. They don’t seem to have spotted her but are instead soaring much like a raptor looking for prey. 

She doubts her luck will hold up though if they come closer to where she and K are now. 

NO LONGER ALONE IN THE WOODS

All three heads snap around to where Marrin is when she speaks in Hammerdasher’s voice.

“Is that you lass?” Hammerdasher says, peering into the brush. “That hopped-up goblin was the only troll here. But those drakes are slinking through the woods around here somewhere.”

Marrin can hear Trepsin still moving through the forest towards the river, the sounds of his travel getting quieter with each step the troll takes in search of a bath.

THE MAIN SEARCH PARTY:

Talis, her gaze shifting from the sky to Vonth and back a few times eventually stops and looks over at the goliath.

“Your companion here,” she says gesturing at Solomona, “has the gist of it. And no, you would not be minions. You would become valued soldiers in the new world; honored and rewarded.”

She looks to the sky again.

“There are stories that tell of powerful weapons, created by Osiris that will let him rule the world. He was separated from them eons ago, but his followers are seeking to reclaim them. The legend holds that with these weapons, this Osiris will be all but unstoppable. But if used against him, they can be his demise.”

Talis’ three retainers look from their mistress to the group when she speaks, their expressions stoney. 

Talis then laughs.

“It could all just be a bunch of tales embellished by bards to earn their suppers but we can’t risk that.”

Avaria is glad to hear that her new companions are asking questions and trying to get a feel for the situation as well.  She just doesn't know if they should take out this group before they find Jan or after?  The woman Talis looks like she could really hold her own, and could probably call those flying beasts and worsen their odds.  She hates this spot they are in, but can't find a way out of it.

"Who is this Osiris?"

((Avaria remembers some talk of a cult of Osiris in Unthalass, and that the key that was in Hammerdasher's Clan's treasure, the Dark One's Djed was related to the cult))

Talis is quiet for a moment as she continues walking in a direction that seems to be leading towards the nearest mountains, though they look likely to be a day's hike away if they have to go through this forest the whole time.

Eventually she speaks again.

"There's a lot of guesswork around that," Talis says. "The Order of Osiris themselves claim he's a god that once walked among the people Unthalass and held the power of death in his hands."

Vonth has never heard of Osiris, but he does have a recollection of a deity of death named Osriant hat some in Thay worship. The names are similar.

"Some think he was just a powerful necromancer that was killed by the undead he raised up."

She goes quiet again for several moments. 

"But the same stories that talk of the weapons, hint at something much darker. Whatever Osiris is, he may be darkness and death itself. Travelers in the desert lands have told tales of a plague of rot and pestilence and a swarming of undead."

Avaria can't help but remember Geffroi's account of why he fled Gheldaneth and the undead on the streets, as well as the story Ula's parents told about the dark evil they fought on the River of Spears, and then there was Ethelhyn and the wasting disease that scarred her for life and killed her family. 

Suddenly the two men leading the group stop, one holding a hand up to signal for silence.