The Undying Dragons - Campaign Thread

Jan moves closer, and draws a dagger, ready to throw if a snake pops out.

The sound of snakes hissing can be heard from the platform above, but to your highly trained ears you're sure it sounds like four not five now.

The crowd boos as Marrin slips back down, but manages to keep a grip on the pole, a steadily growing chant of 'go snakes go" builds.

In the viewing area those on the ground not under the platform can make out the elder Hargrove returning and again having angry words with Godrick.

Harry Dodds still appears to be making and taking bets but whether he's happy or not about how things are progressing is hard to see from the arena floor.

With no sign of the snakes coming over the side, the party is up.

Avaria looks to Ula as she lays on the ground, "You ok?"

She then follows suit, nodding to Hammerdasher as she runs at him and uses his interlocked hands to try and boost herself to the first platform.

Athletics (w/adv) 11

Avaria gets firm support from Hammerdasher but somewhere between reaching up and making contact with anything, she manages to slip on the pole and not get a firm grip on the ledge above. Avaria lands on her feet but on the ground not on the platform.

Ula smiles as Avaria lands next to her.

"Well, this is quite the predicament.  I'm sure Marrin and Jan can handle those snakes, don't you think?  Though I do wonder when Festan and the other are going to wake.  I suppose it would be beneficial for us to at least get to the first platform to wait for that to happen."  she shrugs as she smiles at her friend.

Marrin looks up at the snake platform and then to the napping hobs.

"Too bad we can't just hoist one of them up to distract the snakes. I'm sure the crowd would love that. That said, I am not going up there just to get bitten. Anyone got any ideas?"

From the ground Avaria looks up to Marrin as she questions the next plan.  "Well, if I could actually get up there, I could use my trident to push them off the platform."  She looks to Hammerdasher, "we got this next time, right?  when my foot hits your palms, push me up with a little boost, hopefully that'll help.  I mean, this is embarrassing that I can't get up there."

She thinks a bit as to what Marrin said, "How far up is the second platform from the first?  I mean, using a hobgoblin would be entertaining..."

((@Thor, Marrin relays all the relevant details for Ava via DM explanation!))

Each platform is about 12’ above the other platform. The greasy pile runs between with support beams between each to keep the platforms up.

The platforms are a few inches thick and there are no railings or barriers on the edges. While more precarious to go up the outside, it might be possible as long as you don’t lose your grip.

The rope and pulley system is about 10’ long with a clip for attaching the banner.

Essentially no time has really passed yet while you’re figuring out next steps (we’ll say still in the 6 seconds after the snakes were discovered).

(Is Avaria the only one that has done an action so far?  So I'm waiting until next turn...)

Jan will move towards the base of the structure, and create the yowl of a cat up near where the snakes are to try to startle them off their perch.

Perhaps the snakes have been inured to the sound of cats having so recently been in the presence of two very large lions or they just aren't the startling kind, but Jan doesn't notice any movement from the snakes.

Ula moves over next to Hammerdasher to provide extra assistance to stabilize Avaria for her next attempt to get up onto the first platform.

Adelysia pulls herself even further back against the portcullis, hoping to be invisible to anything that comes next.

The elder Hargrove still angrily chastises Godrick Hargrove on the Editor's platform. The crowd noise has gotten louder, but it's mostly talking among themselves. Several can be seen to be getting up and heading out of view.

Finally, Hargrove senior storms off again and Godrick looks down at the arena floor then over to the audience remaining.

"I will leave it to you," he says to the audience. "Call this a draw or increase the stakes? What say you to just ending this now?"

The crowd boos loudly.

"More blood?" he asks.

The crowd roars its approval.

Godrick Hargrove signals to someone out of sight of those in the arena.

"More blood it shall be."

-------------------------------------------

Party's up before whatever Godrick has planned happens.

Avaria starts grinning as she watches Hammerdasher and Ula work together to help her up to the platform.  She starts rubbing her hands on her thighs, making sure the fur isn't getting wet from sweat and make it difficult to find purchase on the platform.

She then overhears Godrick from above and it makes her pause.  She looks around the arena, wondering what he might have in store.  But decides to go for it, hoping the flag will still get them extra rations they can share with the weak group and who knows, whatever it is might be tall or flying.  And if all else fails, she can just jump down again.

Ok, enough thinking.. and she runs for the handmade step..

Athletics (w/adv) 20

After a few practice tries, this time Avaria times her step and jump just right, and before she can lose her balance, Ula gives her an extra push up. Avaria finds herself standing next to Marrin and the two sleeping hobgoblins.

While it's not blood and gore and fighting, Avaria's leap still generates some polite applause from the crowd.

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Jan, Marrin, and Ethel are up.

"You best get over here if you don't want whatever comes through to go after you.", Jan calls to the woman cowering by the gate.

"We better off on the platform, or the ground?"

Marrin grumbles and scooch up the pool until she can just see a snake and yells up at it,

"The culmination of your life is to be a minor inconvenience!"

VM: 2 (DC 14 wisdom save)

((Roll for the scooching?))

Ethel looks up at the platform, then up at Hargrove the younger.  She sighs.  

She snaps her fingers at Adelysia.  "Best group up with us," waving a hand at Hammerdasher.  "No telling what's coming."

Then she kicks one of the cats to confirm it's good and deceased, then takes a seat on its ribs to catch a breather and prepare for whatever it is the 'Editor' has in store for them now.

Ethel having made a decision not to try to clamber up, or perhaps, her body making that decision for her, Jan will remain on the ground as well, a pair of daggers held at the ready.