The Undying Dragons - Campaign Thread

Jan ponders what these not quite dragons are. 

Nature: 17

She files that info away, even peaceful villages may be dragon lover outposts... and while she could use her connection to K to sow chaos in the village, it may blow back on her, and the villagers themselves seem innocent enough in all this. 

She'll recall K, and setting them firm directions, will direct their route to further distance them from the lodge. 

K will take invisible raven form, Jan will pop into the ring and have them fly away from the lodge for 6 more hours, which should put her another ~34 miles from the lodge.

Jan is not fully sure what the creatures are but from descriptions she's heard, and given the general 'dragonness' of everything around here, she's going with these are wyverns.

With that to ponder over and why there would be saddles in a stable with wyverns, she and K continue on their merry way, flying further down the valley away from the lodge. Perhaps after 6 more hours of flying she will have a better sense of where she is in the world.

(Do the saddles look like standard horse saddles, or more exotic?)

Quote from Thoradin_Orcbender >>

((Will suggest initiative for everyone then))

 Vonth initiative:  17

At Soren's parting words about a shifter hater, Ava looks over her shoulder at him, "Good." is all she says as she continues out the door.

She settles herself in next to Sol and sighs.  What a mess they found themselves in.  But she is more than relieved to have Marrin back... just wish she knew where Jan was.  "Soren?  No, he started spouting off about some Din and Mulhorand and mentioned that two of the enemies for that necromancer guy we met in the forest are now rising in power.  So yay!" she says dripping with sarcasm.

As Sol asks his questions, she turns and really looks at him.  Sol and his friend really dropped everything and just came with them.  They didn't have to, it was chaos at the prison and they could have escaped with the others.  She smiles and says, "Thank you for sticking with us, even though you have no idea what we're doing.  Soren was supposed to take us to Hammerdasher's home where there is a key.  As to what the key is for.. I'm the wrong person to ask.  But Korda stole something a long time ago from Hammerdasher's family.  Something really important and we were trying to figure out where it is.  Hargroves probably know now that they have her and are probably going to beat us to get the key now that we have had this fun little side quest.  Oh and there's the chest.  That is what Talis wants.  No idea what is in it, the one and only time we tried to open it, we couldn't.  Jan has it and because of this, I'm worried when we'll see her again."

When she's finished, she kind of shrugs and wonders how he will react.

(And in case needed, though she obviously isn't expecting this - initiative: 3)

Jan would guess the saddles could be used for the wyverns themselves.

((Will give Marrin a chance to roll initiative / weigh in on the imminent threat Vonth poses for Soren))

Init: 18

Marrin gives Soren a tight smile on his calling her a friend, but otherwise just sighs on hearing the state of the world with all the cults.

On his last response she does look like she wants to ask a follow-up as Vonth interposes himself in the conversation and starts pulling his weapon. With a polite and not especially concerned tone she requests,

"Vonth, I agree he is being rather oblique in his responses, but let's decide on the stabbing after a few more questions, please."

She is certainly not going to throw herself in front of Soren to protect him, though.

If Vonth delays his stabbing, Marrin will turn back to Soren and say,

"What, exactly, did you tell Talis about us and our plans and the plans of Godrick and his cronies?"

She doesn't try to be intimidating, nor does she reference the very large man wanting to stab the half-elf, feeling that the threat is fairly evident.

Solomona offers Avaria some of his limited lunch as he listens and tries to understand what she says. The truth is, that facts and details tend to slide off him like water under the bridge. But he gets the general idea, and he ponders for a moment before asking:

So... you're doing all this because... you're helping Hammerdasher get back the thing that was stolen. And Soren has delayed you because you have a chest that Talis... But you don't know what's in the chest. So then... why not just give it to Talis and let her help you to help Hammerdasher?

He scrunches his face up a bit in thought and then concludes: It sounds to me like you want too many things...

(If sounds of violence are heard from indoors, Solomona will run in to investigate. Initiative 13. Otherwise he will continue talking with Avaria, and then go keep watch on the other side of the house.)

Quote from Rodgeir>>

...

"Vonth, I agree he is being rather oblique in his responses, but let's decide on the stabbing after a few more questions, please."

She is certainly not going to throw herself in front of Soren to protect him, though.

If Vonth delays his stabbing...

((Vonth delays the attack, I had said he was willing to be stopped physically or verbally...)) 

     Vonth pauses with a noise somewhere between a grunt and a growl.  His eyes flash back to Marrin but then immediately back to Soren.  Vonth stands there, blade bared, and waits at the ready.

IN THE RING:

Jan lolls against the side of her inner sanctum in the ring as it gently rocks while K’ flies. Thinking about what K’ saw, Jan can picture the bridle and saddle fitting the wyverns she saw.

IN THE KITCHEN:

Vonth holds his attack now that Marrin has expressed interest in questioning Soren further.

While he listens to the questions and answers, Vonth notices something he had missed about MDK earlier. Despite the kobold’s small size, Vonth recognizes the way MDK holds himself and the way he moved ever so slightly to allow for quick movement if needed when Vonth drew his sword. Vonth suspects that MDK has seen more than his share of combat and his confident manner is not just bravado. The little kobold would likely be a formidable adversary.

Soren smiles at Marrin.

“There’s nothing for me to tell her about you,” Soren says. “She already knew who you were. She went on about a prophecy of some sort that you lot might be wrapped up in, and she already knew your resourcefulness. She’s been in contact with some mayor where you had been before. Spandeliyon.”

Soren raises an eyebrow at Vonth and his continuous threat of violence. 

“But I did tell her Godrick knows about the djed. And that they’re after it in Lord Hammerdasher’s stronghold.”

At mention of the prophecy, Marrin notices MDK frown.

“The Wyrmspeaker will likely want to talk to you,” MDK says to Marrin.

ON THE STEPS:

While Avaria and Solomona talk, they don’t hear any fighting from inside, and the sounds of the perytons quiets on the roof.

Kobolds peek around corners from the side of the lodge to watch the pair but none approach.

One does look to the woods and nudges a second. The second darts across the clearing and heads into the woods down the path that Avaria and Solomona had come back to the lodge along.

Marrin rubs her eyes on the additional shared information.

"All that is... unfortunate."

She looks over at MDK when he speaks, and puts on a 'this happens to me all the time look',

"Right, let me head you off right there. We aren't involved in any prophecies, that is a misreading of the stones, bones or stars and we certainly don't want to waste anyone's time. Especially not a worm-speaker."

Then back to Soren, she asks, with only a bit of annoyance,

"Well, thanks for nothing I guess Soren. Anything else you'd like to share, out of the goodness of your heart?"

After that she just waves him off, looking to Vonth and the others,

"I don't have any more use for him, but I am fine just letting him wander off keep being a half-rate performer that needs to do spy work that owes us one."

Quote from Rodgeir >>

"I don't have any more use for him, but I am fine...

     Vonth swings his blade.  He keeps more of an eye for the MDK's response than he would have a minute ago but traitors are put to death.  It is simply what is done.  During the attack Vonth attempts to shove Soren backwards hoping to put the turncoat off balance for the next attack.

_____

Action - Attack Soren with Culver's Longsword using Maneuvers (pushing attack) if it hits - 19 to hit for 8 slashing damage plus 8 to the damage from Pushing Attack plus they must make a DC 16 STR saving throw or be pushed up to 15 feet away...
((As Soren is seated Vonth would more be hoping to knock him prone more than back, both because it seems more "realistic" but also for the tactical advantage of them being prone, but the feature doesn't give that as an option so *shrug*))
Movement - Move back into melee with Soren
Bonus Action - via War Priest make a weapon attack as a BA after having used the Attack Option - so again Attack Soren w/Culver's Longsword - 25 to hit for 5 slashing damage...

Avaria shrugs, she can see Sol's point from where he sat.  "It's hard to explain the chest.  We acquired it by defeating this lich, I think, and then these wyverns showed up, drawn to it and we had already hidden it, luckily and were able to talk our way away from them.  Well, Marrin and Jan did.  There is something evil about it or evil wants this chest.  And I don't know about you, but we are trying to keep it out of the hands of people that worship Tiamat.  Or bringing the dead back to life.  Understand?"

She waits a bit for a response and as she does, sees the kobold run off towards the path they came and stands up.  "Guess they didn't kill each other off.  My guess with those flying beasts back is Talis is on her way.  C'mon"  And she heads back in to let the others know.

IN THE KITCHEN

Even as Vonth begins to swing his blade, MDK is up and on the table, a sword in one hand slashing at Vonth's chest, with his readied attack. It cuts deep, but as soon as it connects, radiant light bursts forth from MDK, burning Vonth's exposed skin with its searing energy (sword - 30 to hit for 12 slashing; plus 17 radiant damage).

"Said bads to kills him," MDK mutters.

Soren, who was waiting and ready for an attack still shows surprise at how quickly MDK jumps into action.

As the big goliath stumbles and slumps down under the kobold's attack, the cooks raise cleavers and knives, looking to see what happens next.

ON THE STEPS:

While watching the kobold dart off into the woods, Avaria and Solomona now hear the distinctive sound of blade against armor from inside.

((As a reminder to Avaria and Solomona, to go back through the front doors to the kitchen will require they pass through the main hall with the 'statues'. They did see another door to the rear of the lodge when they were in the kitchen, though that route will be about 200' vs the 45' or so to get to the kitchen through the front doors))

(Guess I'll reclaim my Superiority Die and War Priest BA use as I didn't get to use them and instead make a Death Saving Throw...)

Vonth Death Saving Throw:  12 - One Success!

((Yes, they didn't get used))