The Undying Dragons - Campaign Thread

     Vonth blinks. Then blinks again.

     When he finally opens his eyes properly, he discovers he is on the floor.

That is rarely a good sign. He curses and scrambles to his feet at once, eyes sweeping the room, taking stock of positions, exits, threats, and allies. 

     “The traitor has escaped. Again.” The words come through clenched teeth. His gaze settles on MDK. For a moment, Vonth is tempted.

     Tempted to act. To solve one problem before it can become another. But he says nothing. None of the others seem interested in defending themselves - or their allies - and Vonth is growing tired of being the only one who treats betrayal like a problem that should be dealt with.

     With visible reluctance, he slides his sword back into its sheath. For now.

     Then he waits. And thinks.

Marrin gives Vonth a pat on the shoulder and a smile to welcome him back then rises and returns to the table and the discussion with MDK.

She will confirm MDK's warning for Ava and Sol,

"Things are fine in here, don't put yourselves at risk rushing in please!"

She will turn her somewhat exasperated gaze to Vonth but does give a nod at his assessment of Soren,

"Ya, I'm not thrilled either Vonth but sometimes things like that need to wait, and I certainly won't be forgetting him."

Finally, once she sees Vonth has settled, she will lean in and say quietly in draconic to MDK,

"Well. Where does that put us? Talis, if she is alive, knows about the djed and where it can be found. I guess the question is would she have shared it with your companions in the desert or kept it to her self?"

Solomona hurries along with Ava, but stops at the entrance as is prudent. Hearing Marrin's warning, he calls back in reply:

I reckon Talis is on her way back. She might not be too thrilled with us after that blow-up in the forest... Just sayin'.

IN THE KITCHEN

Marrin, who doesn't appear to know that her companions turned on Talis in the woods and tried to kill her, hears some urgency in Avaria and Solomona's voices when they say Talis could be returning to the lodge.

MDK looks at Vonth for a moment, then nods at the Goliath before turning back to Marrin.

"We knew there was likely a hidden vault in the catacombs under Gheldaneth, but before we could search for it the undead overwhelmed the city. We had no idea about the Djed until Soren told us. Talis would likely have told the Wyrmspeaker about it to raise her standing in the order. But those in the desert aren't us. That's this damned death cult that your Godrick Hargrove is a member of. If he knows about the Djed then they do too." MDK replies in draconic.

He listens to what Avaria and Solomona have said before adding "Sounds like your friends had a bit of a dust up with Talis. Where does this leave us? I can get you close to Lord Hammerdasher's stronghold but only if Talis and her men are dealt with before they can send word onwards. 

AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE LODGE

Solomona and Avaria stop just at the entrance to the main hall and notice both demonic statues turn their heads towards them. They can't see the two suits of armor but they know they're there.

They do see a couple of kobolds move quickly across the hallway, giving the pair a searching look as they go. Upstairs, three kobolds look through the bars of the railing down at them.

Behind them, they can hear voices in the woods. They're still too far to make out but Avaria, with her keen senses, can definitely say voices are getting closer.

IN THE SKY

The gentle vibrations of the inner sanctum of the ring lull Jan into a sleeping-waking in-between state. She doesn't realize she's almost asleep until her vision changes.

     Vonth places a hand against the wound that only moments ago put him on the floor. When he pulls it away, his palm is sticky with blood he shed before he was healed.

     “Everything is fine,” he repeats quietly, his voice cold. The words sound less convincing the second time.

     He studies the blood for a moment before lifting his eyes to meet Marrin’s gaze. He listens as she scolds him, then watches her switch languages to confer privately with the very one who struck him down.

     Vonth says nothing.

     Vonth simply stands there, blood drying on his hand, and wonders. What exactly has he gotten himself involved in? Perhaps more importantly - Why is he still involved in it?

     He barely knows these people. One betrayed them. Others fled and abandoned them. Most seem content to argue while enemies walk away. Yet here he remains?

     The thought sits heavily in his mind as he quietly wipes the blood from his hand and waits to see what fresh madness comes next.

As Marrin's words pause the pair of them, Avaria stares at the demonic statues and thinks a moment.  "Sol, if things have settled in the kitchen, we have a much bigger problem outside.  I hear voices getting closer, and whoever they belong to aren't friends of ours.  C'mon, let's stand our ground this time." she sets her jaw and turns back towards the door they came in from.

Calling towards Marrin, "We have visitors!  Either Talis or the necromancer, my bet Talis and well... we aren't friends anymore, sorry!  Meet us outside!"  she then runs to go back out and meet whoever is coming towards the lodge.

As if on cue, Talis, accompanied by her two veteran henchmen, Maelgot and Sorvic, steps out of the trail and into the clearing. 

She eyes Avaria and Solomona on the stairs (about 60' away) and takes a breath. But she turns her head slightly to where three of the kobolds peek around the corner to see what's going on.

"You three," Talis bellows. Then when the three look behind them, she lets a hint of anger enter the volume. "Yes, you three idiots. Go collect Kusphia. He deserves a proper burial."

She turns back to face the lodge. She looks tired, but her wounds don't look as bad as they did when Avaria and Solomona last saw her. The same for the two warriors, Maelgot and Sorvic. They're battered and bruised but look to have gotten a second wind.

"Now, I did not expect to see you two still here," Talis says. "Have you come to you senses or did you make a foolish deal with the pathetic illusionist in the woods?"

Marrin looks into the middle distance at all the yelling as she processes after a night without sleep.

"Yes, well. I guess that means you're up for helping deal with Talis issue? Never even met the woman..."

She then looks to Vonth considering his own blood,

"Vonth, you up for another round with Talis? Ula, Hammerdasher maybe stay here to make sure the cooks don't get unruly."

She grabs another piece of cheese as she moves to the front door to introduce herself to the lady of the house.

Solomona smiles and waves enthusiastically to Talis. With his mouth half-full, he calls out:

Hi Talis! Lunch isn't ready yet, but you can share some of my cheese if you're hungry. How did the fight go?

INSIDE

MDK moves quickly, getting in front of Marrin before he steps into the hallway.

"These are not friendly to you," he says, pointing out the statues and suits of armor. He then leads the way through the main hall to the entry way, but then steps to the side so Talis cannot seem him yet.

OUTSIDE

Talis glances at Solomona and then shakes her head.

"I have no desire to discuss your appetite or whether or not you have eaten your lunch," she says, turning her attention to Avaria, waiting for an answer to her question.

     Vonth waits...  He allows Marrin to head to the front but he remains in the kitchen.  At least long enough to see what this MDK does.  If the kobold also heads out front, Vonth will follow a step or two behind.  If they remain in the kitchen then so will Vonth.  Vonth isn't sure what his play is yet and he figures he is best served waiting to see how the hand plays out a bit before committing himself.

(Didn't see DM post snuck in while I was posting...)

     But when MDK moves and then leads Marring through the main hall, Vonth follows.  

     "We don't want to join the party outside?" Vonth asks.  MDK, Marrin, it doesn't matter.  Vonth doesn't move to hide but neither does he move to a place to make his presence known to those outside.  He's just biding his time and waiting to see how it all plays out.

Marrin follows MDK and smiles a bit as she comes up along side Ava, giving her a friendly nudge and a smile.

She doesn't say anything, letting Ava lead the show.