The Undying Dragons - Campaign Thread

Marrin continues with Haguur, not worried yet,

"So you've got more to get after the Hargroves."

She looks back to the water,

"Any of your band sailors?"

Avaria creeps up to the bend in the tunnel and sticks her head around to see what's further along. She's greeted with more tunnel. But near the edge of her darkvision she can see that the tunnel opens up into a larger chamber.

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"Hargroves, yes," Haguur begins. "Guards, yes. Collaborators, yes. Audience, yes. All have to go."

He then looks over at the other five orcs and shakes his head.

"No. No sailors."

Avaria takes a quick look behind her to make sure nothing has changed, and if so she continues down to just peek into the larger chamber.

The water looks calm to Avaria with no sign of anything moving in the tunnel behind her.

2  

Avaria moves ahead to the entrance to the larger chamber.

This cavern is as rough as the last one but about twice the size. There's no pool of water. Instead it looks to have been a camp site. Avaria can see a few extinguished cooking fires, black soot still marring the rock, a half-dozen unfurled sleeping mats, and small piles of provisions and equipment.

Avaria's heart begins to race when she realizes there are humanoids here; three of them, maybe sleeping. But when she gets closer, she realizes that they're not sleeping. They're dead. 

There are three skeletal corpses of what were likely dwarves here. One lays curled up on a sleeping mat. Another is slumped against a wall, a mining pick lodged into its skull, the blow right between the eyes. The pick’s handle is banded with loops of twine. An iron crowbar lies on the floor by this corpse’s hand. The third and final corpse lays face-down on the floor in
an awkward pose, a flat-headed shovel still gripped in its bony fingers.

A layer of dust and filth coats everything here; and as Avaria takes it all in, it is apparent that this room has not been disturbed for many years.

As Avaria takes in the years old carnage, she finally notices that there are three additional tunnels leading out of this room; one on each of the east, west and southern walls (with the northern behind her leading back to the pool of water).

Marrin's eyes narrow,

"Who are the collaborators? They might need go first. Can't have tongues flapping."

She gives a small shrug to the lack of sailors, she wasn't expecting any from the orcs but didn't hurt to ask.

Her eyes track back to the still waters of the pond then over to Jan with a raised eyebrow, keeping her expression neutral.

Avaria, reeling from the shock of the discovery, takes quick note of everything in front of her.  Wanting to take the weapons makes her pause a moment, but at least she knows where to get them.

She runs back to the large pool in the other cavern and dives into the water, her mind racing with all that she found.  Where were the other three?  Did they escape?  What happened to make them turn on each other?  Three tunnels is a lot to explore...

She swims back to the orc cave..

Haguur looks up from the water and to Marrin.

"Your hairy friend either drowned or found the other side of the tunnel," Haguur says. Then he nods back at the entrance to the hobgoblin cavern. "They're as bad as the guards. They think this is some noble punishment bull crap."

Just as he finishes speaking, Avaria's soaking wet head breaks the surface of the water.

Back in the Amorous Octopus:

The two drunken pirates push Geffroi a few times more back and forth while looking directly at Ethel.

Ula eventually notices what's happened and walks over to stand behind Ethel, arms crossed.

(Ethel can try an intimidation check with advantage if she likes).

So far Gertrude is just watching, one hand resting on the massive arm of the bartender.

Ethel takes a look at Gertrude before making her next move.  If necessary she is prepared to escalate with these thugs.  Her only concern is if Gertrude will have any sort of “Oh no!  You mustn’t upset our customers!” reaction.  If that looks probable, she’ll look for a more tactful approach.

Jan chews on her lower lip as Marrin gives her a look, and Haguur suggests that Ava might have drowned, before giving a sigh of relief as she surfaces.

As far as Ethel can tell, these two customers have drank so much that they're not likely to remember this incident one way or the other. As for Gertrude, Ethel's not completely sure, but she seems to be holding the bartender back in order to see what happens next. The hobgoblin guards in the tavern don't seem to be taking too much interest either.

This isn't the Broken Ore Inn and Tavern back in Spandeliyon, who's dwarven owners and bouncer don't even put up with rudeness. A little shoving among drunks in a blackmarket port tavern doesn't seem to get anyone too bothered.

"And here she is."

She gives Jan a nod and a smile.

"Avaria, what's the word?"

Ethel weighs her options and decides on a direct approach.  She pushes herself in between Geffroi and the pirates.  

“Hey,” she says with her imagining of the best port town working girl affect she can muster.  “If it’s physicality you’re looking for…” she makes an audible kiss …”Try giving me a shove.”  She runs a finger sensually down the scarred side of her face.  “I promise… it will only burn until all the nerves in your flesh die.”

intimidation: 22

The drunks look more closely at Ethel. They seem to finally take in the extent of her old wounds and back up.

"Just a little fun, you know," Drunk One says. "We's pals, right?"

He directs the last at Geffroi.

"No need to get the missus involved," Drunk Two says. "Always ruining a blokes fun?"

They both turn and look for easier prey. They spot Harry Dodds drinking alone and make their way towards him, but before they get within 10' of Dodds' table, one of the hobgoblin guards steps in front of the drunks. He doesn't say a word, but his hand on his longsword seems to be message enough for the two drunks and they move off out of the bar and head down the main tunnel. Their drunken shouts can be heard for several moments after they leave.

Geffroi raises an eyebrow at Ethel.

"Thank you," he says.

A loud slam from the bar draws attention in that direction. It looks like the big bartender has slammed his hand down on the top of the bar.

"Get back to, um, cleaning," Gertrude says.

Harry Dodd's raises his cup in salute to Ethel, and then opens his hands, palms outwards, indicating he's still willing to chat if she is.

Avaria pulls herself out of the Orc's pool and shakes off, sending water droplets over anyone near her.  When she realizes what she's done she looks a little abashed, "Oh, sorry."

Hearing Marrin's question and seeing Haguur and not being privy to the conversation they had been having she isn't sure if she should share in front of the orc.  "Made it through a tunnel to another empty cavern, good thing too so I could take another breath to get back." she smiles wanly at this.  "I'm starving though, can we head back so I can get a bite and sit?  I haven't swam in ages."

Marrin ignores the water and looks consideringly at Ava,

"Another cavern? That sounds promising, any tunnels leading off that?"

To Haguur she asks,

"Speaking of eating, how serious are you and yours about killing some spiders today?"

Haguur looks into the tunnel leading to the eventual web filled cave. He looks at it for a moment then back at Marrin.

"They can do what they want?" Haguur says nodding at the other orcs. "But if there are really spiders big enough to make a meal of, I don't feel like fighting them without a weapon."

He pushes the now empty food bin with his foot.

"Now that we're fed, the guards will be coming soon for the afternoon arena battle."

"We'll see after the fight. The lack of weapons is problematic."

Marrin glares back at the tunnel,

"Ava let's get you some food. Either way, we'll be back later. See if we can get a goblin or halfling to check that too narrow tunnel."

Ethel goes back to cleaning.  Getting close to Harry Dodd again, she will speak to him.

"We fight for our survival each day in the arena.  If you're asking whether we have some crowd-pleasing secret weapon we are just waiting to pull out for the most dramatic moment - of course not.  We're using everything at our disposal and then making up more on the fly as necessary.  Though I wouldn't advertise such a thing, even if we possessed it."

"With that said, I recall the girls saying something about taking a few punches in the next fight before rallying to victory.  So whatever idea you put in their head, they look to carry it out."

"As for me, I'm not a gambler.  When it comes time for violence, I plan to make things quick, and there won't be any time for doubt or regret or deal-making."