The Undying Dragons - Campaign Thread

Ethel doesn’t see anything that blatantly indicates sign of wards or spells in use. Godrick does look steadily at here with equal parts curiosity and disdain.

Perception to take a better look around.
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Marrin does little but spook the axe beaks with her attempt at corralling them, which causes Jisthelek to burst out laughing.

This causes the beasts to start moving away from the group.

But luckily, Avaria has positioned herself on the other side and manages to lasso one of the big birds as it runs from Marrin and Jisthelek. On top of that, there’s a calm about her that the axe beak finds comforting. It submits to Avaria and lets itself be led towards the doorway.

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One of the hobgoblin guards looks seriously at Jan for a moment before turning to look at the Rose Marie coming up to the dock.

“That figures. Nothing more than pirates that lot.” The guard says then he turns and leads you up on to the deck of the ship your next to. Six casks sit together on deck. The hobgoblin guard taps one of the casks on the deck. “But this wine is shite. It’s perfect for most of the guests tonight.”

He gestures for you to each grab one.

Hammerdasher picks up the first one, and staggers a little but shakes his head when Ula offers to help.

“You and Jan should work together to carry one,” Ula says. She can’t help but flex her own muscles as she easily lifts up one cask. She contemplates picking up another but her arms aren’t quite long enough to hold one under each arm.

"Might be better if I just try to roll one, I know I'm not lifting one, and I think I'd just throw you off." Jan will attempt to roll a cask along.

((If the Rose Marie was at dock, Jan would have said it loud enough for the crew to hear.))

Seeing she will quickly wear out her welcome if she doesn't answer, Ethel replies, "Not yet enough."

"I came only lately to the study of magic," she continues, not elaborating on the reasons why.  She moves slowly along a bookcase, trying not to get much closer to Godrick than she already is.  She runs a finger along the books, eyeing their titles.  

Perception: 15

"I hired some of the best tutors my money could buy.  But when they learned where my interests were directed, they turned me out."  She turns now toward Godrick, meeting disdain with disdain.  "I was on my way to visit some of the great libraries in the west, to continue my studies independently... when you abducted me."

Marrin watches Ava's smooth work and says,

"Well, I was always better with people."

Then to Jistelek,

"If you think you can do better than me, please have at it."

She will work together with Ava, helping her get an axe beak ready to be lassoed by moving to block its path.

Avaria winks back at Marrin, "And I have always been better with animals."

She walks the beast over to one of the hobgoblins and hands it over a bit regretfully.  Then taking the rope from Marrin, she works with her friend to attempt to get the next one.

Animal Handling w/adv  18

Jan’s words do carry across the water to the Rose Marie as is ties up a pier down the docks. For a moment the big half-orc, Tammer, looks down at Slick and a frown crosses her face. Words are exchanged but those don’t carry. Slick does look offended by something Tammer says but they quickly separate and get the ship secure and the gangway down.

You can make out most of the crew you were familiar with. The captain heads off into the main tunnel. But there’s no sign of Quartermaster Bigge.

Ula easily carries a barrel off the ship and finds a pushcart waiting that she can load it into. Hammer dasher works with Jan to roll barrels down the ramp, mostly letting Ula do the heavy lifting.

The guards keep an eye on your work but don’t get too close.

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Godrick lets Ethel look at the books. There’s a mix of basic texts you suspect any wizard who has ever taken their studies seriously have read at one time or another. A shelf is full of parchment, and hand bound tomes without titles. From the look of the uneven paper inside, these appear to be notebooks. On Godrick’s desk you make out one book, “Chronicle of Years to Come.”

Godrick waves a dismissive hand when Ethel mentions abduction.

“Our meeting might be the greatest gift you were ever given,” Godrick finally says. “You showed a deft mind and good instincts in the arena.”

He gestures to the scars on Ethel’s face. “You’ve suffered too.”

Godrick pauses before continuing. “My work has reached a point where I need an assistant. You would learn much.”

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Avaria appears to have had beginners luck with her first axe beak and looks to have completely spooked the next one she tries to get a hold of. But Marrin times her intervention perfectly and shifts just enough to send the large bird straight back into Avaria’s looped rope.

Jisthelek claps his hands together, offering no more help than that of being an amused audience.

He wanders a little in the field looking around, enjoying the sunlight.

Avaria is able to get control of the second axe beak.

"Well. That's working for us so I guess we keep at it. There's a straggler over there, let me get in position and let's get this done. Oh, and Jis? Glad to have you along, the moral support is doing wonders."

The words are annoyed but Marrin isn't, she is just happy Ava knows her business.

Marrin again helps Avaria by blocking an axebeak's means of escape, holding her arms wide and looking menacing.

Ethel is prepared to offer a retort of Godrick's idea of a gift, but bites her tongue.

"Your work," she says instead.  "Tell me about this work.  I have to imagine your ambitions go beyond forging monsters for your father's games."

"What is it you are studying?"

Avaria nods to Marrin and grabs the rope from Jisthelek, going for a third axebeak.  As Marrin tries to head it off, she starts murmuring to it.. hoping to calm it so she can slip the rope over like the first one.  No need to hurry, as soon as this job was over they'd be heading back into the dark.  She wondered, as she walked toward the beast, if these animals were going to try and kill them before they attempted their escape tonight.

Animal Handling w/adv 10

Jan keeps assisting as she's able, in moving barrels.

Marrin moves to cut off an axe beak, but Avaria doesn't need the help this time. She's able to corral the creature quickly. It comes along quietly, perhaps seeing the other two already roped has calmed it down. In any event it's calm enough that Jisthelek runs quickly up a boulder and leaps onto its back, riding it back to the entrance.

"Pretty bleak place up here," Jisthelek says, indicating the plateau they find themselves on. "Whole lot a grass and not much else."

He gestures off in the distance. You're not quite sure what he's pointing at, but as you look closer, you see what seems to be an edge to the grassland.

"If you weren't careful you'd walk right off the edge over there," Jisthelek says. "Right down to the arena would be my guess."

Once the three axebeak have been gathered, the guards unlock the main gate and move to guide you and the creatures back into the wide tunnel.

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As Ula, Hammedasher and Jan get the push cart loaded with barrels of wine, you get a sense of a festive air around the docks. The sailors, pirates, and traders aren't drunk but several are well on their way. The better dressed, likely the captains, first mates, and senior traders are making their way or already have made their way through the main tunnel entrance towards the heart of the stronghold.

You can see large doorways to what look like several warehouse caverns being locked up.

Your guards indicate you've got a full load and gesture for you to head towards the main tunnel.

Ula's muscles bulge as she lifts up the handles of the cart and begins slowly moving it along. Hammerdasher stays close beside it to ensure no casks roll off.

Your path takes you past the dock the Rose Marie is tied up at.

"It's riding high," Ula notes "must have an empty hold."

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Godrick's lip curls up in a sneer at the mention of his father's games.

"This is pedestrian nonsense." Godrick says. "It's idle entertainment. But it does provide excess to plenty of research subjects."

He looks closely at Ethel and she can feel his gaze lingering over her scars.

"I seek control of the very essence of life. Control over the difference between skin being alive or dead. With that power, there's no end to what I can accomplish. Imagine the dead returned to the living." Godrick says. "There's not a ruler around who wouldn't give me anything I ask for to bring someone back for them."

He then laughs, a joyless laugh.

"And if they don't, an army of the dead risen is a formidable force."

Marrin places a hand on Ava's shoulder was the job is done,

"Impressive work!"

To Jisthelek's comment she just nods in consideration, looking out and then to the edge.

As the guards lead them out she comments then asks,

"Let's get back to our hole. What are these three bound for?"

Jan nods at Ula's observation, trusting in her water-wise friend's expertise. She'll move to ahead of the cart, to try to keep the path clear of crowds so Ula doesn't have to slow down or stop.

Ethel listens to Godrick's explanation.

"Good," she says at last.  "You don't lack for ambition.  And you obviously have funding at a level that is at least 'adequate.' "  The gestures toward the many books and thinks back on the lab downstairs.

"I am not really in a position to refuse, am I?  Forced gladiatorial matches versus practical study of the very subjects I was already working on?  It isn't a choice."

She doesn't flinch from his gaze, letting him look at the ruin of her face.  "Assuming I agree, where would I begin?  What are you working on right now?"

[Ethel will keep Godrick talking as long as she can, hoping to tease secrets from him without given away her intentions.  She has no interest in working for this man. 

Though, she does wonder what she would have said were escape not already at her fingertips?  The mage was studying exactly the same secrets she was plumbing.  She finds it impossible to resist talking 'shop' with him, hoping to learn something while she had the chance.  Its possible she could waste hours here talking as long as he is willing.]

One of the hobgoblin guards looks over Marrin when she asks about the fate of the axe beaks.

He laughs and pats his stomach. "Ship captains like to smell roast meat and watch it get cooked," he says. "Can't have big spit on a ship."

The three of you help guide the axe beaks down the wide corridor towards the center of the stronghold. As you go, you pass an open doorway you didn't notice on the way up. From a quick look inside, you can make out a candle-lit room that appears to serve as a small, multi-faith, temple. Centred on the far wall, opposite the entry way, sits a large shrine. You don't have time to look too closely, but you recognize a crashing wave emblem; the same as you've seen on Ula's amulet. There appear to be other, smaller shrines off to the side with different carvings and emblems.  

The rest of this corridor is dotted with closed doors on either side. Outside of one of them a hobgoblin guard stands. One of the axe beaks squawks loudly at the guard as you pass.

You finally turn the corner to the main arena viewing area. Before you get to the Amorous Octopus tavern, the guards stop you in a wide open space, where three large spits with coals have been set up. The arena seating area can be seen to the west, and to the east is what you think is a large open chamber, but it's hard to be sure.

Rounded metal loops have been affixed to the ceiling of this chamber at regular intervals. From these hooks hang makeshift walls, made of scrap fabric like old sailcloth, which imperfectly partition the chamber into smaller “rooms”. In addition, various other things hang from the ceiling, including equipment, short lengths of rope, rudimentary candle holders, decorations made from bones and cheap beads, and even drying laundry. All this clutter makes it impossible to gauge exactly how big this chamber is. But you're sure it's a general travelers common room - an inn of sorts.

Once the axe beaks are turned over to kitchen staff, the guards guide you back to your hole below - the usual barrage of stairs, door unlocking and locking, until you're back in your 'home'.

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Apart from a close call when some drunken sailors stumble past and almost overturn the cart, only to be stopped at the last second from Jan who gives them a helpful trip on their way, Ula, with Hammerdasher's help, manages to get the wine barrels back to the arena viewing area.

You see three axe beaks tied up, squawking loudly, between the arena and the travelers common room. The guards have you leave the wine near there and lead you back to the cavern below.

As you leave the arena, you can't help but notice how empty the stands are. No one appears to be anticipating any games this afternoon.

At the guardpost, the one guard there grumbles "Open and close, open and close."

You arrive back in the cavern and from first guesses, you'd say only a minute or two after Marrin, Avaria, and Jisthelek.

Ethel is no where to be seen.

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Ethel can't tell how much Godrick is actually listening to her, though he does seem to be at least paying attention.

"I need someone who can handle elementary spells to help keep certain organs and such in place." Godrick says. "Tools keep failing and make too much of a mess. No one wants to pay for their lost loved one to be returned to them if they're missing half of their guts. And unfortunately I can concentrate on only so much at once."

He looks around for a book.

"Now, when -" before he can say more, a loud squawk cuts through the air from the hallway outside. Ethel has heard that sound before; recently in the arena.

The sound seems to take some of the energy from Godrick.

He shakes his head then looks at Ethel.

"You're a clever one. I'm sure you have plans to try and escape,' Godrick says. "None have succeeded you know."

He waves his hand and calls to the door for the guard.

"We'll talk again after this tedious gala."

The guard leads you out into the hallway, and you're led down the corridor, and through the main passage just like the rest of the party had been, passing by three axe-beaks and a stack of wine barrels, down the other corridors and finally to your home cavern.

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The party is back together in the cavern. As best you can tell there won't be a call to the arena. You have a moment or two for any final preparations before the three who will be acting as extra serving staff are called up (please confirm again who those are).

Marrin would have tried to get a look at the guard the axebeak squawked at to see why they attracted it's ire.

Animal handling (?): 11

((Marrin was one of the staff))

As far as Marrin can tell the axe beaks are erratic wild animals that don't like being brought inside. If there was something unusual about the guard she didn't notice.

Avaria reluctantly follows the group back inside, taking one last longing look outside before the door is closed behind her.  With a heavy sigh she follows the rest through the area, wondering about the shrine but doesn't mention anything to the hobs.  Seeing that the axebeaks were just taken in to slaughter doesn't do much for her current mood and as they are lead back into their 'home' she plops down against the wall.

She looks around as she does, trying to get a read on the others that have stayed behind as she and her friends went about their duties.

Insight  13

(she's going as serving staff)

Avaria is too distracted by the mood the axe beak wrangling has put her in to get a good feel on the cavern residents. As far as she can tell everything is as it usually is. There's no indication that Xanthe has told anyone about what's going on.

(Ethel was one of the staff).

First thing back in lockup, Ethel will retrieve her book from Xanthe.  "Thank you for protecting this for me."  She will confirm the key is still pressed inside and deliver it back to Jan.

[If the key is not still inside... well....]

She will then gather Ula, Marin, Jan and Avaria.  None of this was urgent, so she saw no need to involve the Orc or Goblin.  But she wanted these women to know.  "Godrick offered me a job," she says once they are together and have a chance to speak semi-privately.  "Apprenticeship, working in his lab, etcetera."  She holds up a finger.  "He also made a threat about escape attempts.  It was meant to intimidate, and though the timing certainly is enough to raise an eyebrow, I didn't get the impression he knew something was imminent.  Just bluster about 'others have tried; none have succeeded.'  Coercion and fear based manipulation... meant to sap our morale and control us.  Make us doubt ourselves."

"I don't think he knows what's coming."