( There are no direct signs of flows of black liquid into the river but given the proximity, it is almost certain that with any amount of rainfall then at least some of the substance would have joined the runoff into the river....)
The two-story log raft with several simple rooms on it is hung with a red flag marked with a rust-brown badger paw in the center. When you’re brought into the main room — the throne room — you are surrounded by nearly fifty bugbears and various humans, orcs and others with some bugbear heritage. They’re all gathered around a large open space in front of a fur-covered throne crafted from bear bones. On the throne sits the individual you deduce must be the Great Ugart.
Brought forward, you’re face-to-face with this imposing leader of the Scarlet Badger. He wears a leather jerkin made of bearskin, and a necklace of long bear claws. His face is a mess of scars where he was raked by those same claws. His mouth is set in a broad, bored grin, though his eyes are calculating and intelligent.
The female bugbear walks up beside him and whispers in his ear, he looks thoughtful and his eyes take in the group.
He smiles widely, revealing sharp teeth. “ Strangers! Speak! Now!”
Normont stands before the Great Ugart, dwarfed by the size of the Bugbear leader, but not cowed. He was a member of the Pale Guard of Whitestone, a noble institution, and proud of it. But Ugart really is rather big and imposing.
"Hello", he says, his voice sounding childlike even to himself at this moment. "It's Ugart right? Nice to meet you. I am Normont, and this is Amber", he adds trying to lower his voice a little, as he points to Amber who is sat on his shoulder.
He then waits for the others to introduce themselves.
Dev unexpectedly steps forward, and he speaks, his soothing voice – not unlike the black liquid soaking into the grounds nearby – inexorably filling every open space in the room with its mysterious, arching timbre. It is bolstered by Thaumaturgy, and although he speaks calmly, magic gives his words great depth and presence.
“We are travelers seeking to peacefully pass through your lands, Great Ugart. Some of our members are scholars, but I am not. I did not know of the Scarlet Badger, but… but I am honored to speak to its leader. I can entertain you with stories and songs. If they bring laughs or… or, soothe your heart, then we ask for just a friendly goodbye and to allow us to keep on our way upriver.”
Suddenly uncertain of himself, and again wondering what devil made him open his mouth among strangers, the tiefling's eyes dart to his companions, seeking moral support (OOC: and a help on a persuasion roll if one is needed).
"I'm Lokilia and we are honored to meet you!" the druid says. "We are hoping to simply travel across your lands. We also have a little news of this black goo arond here - we think we have stopped any more from coming. Although that doesn't fix all that is already here."
"Of course it's true", Normont exclaims. "I mean, with all due respect, we aren't lying", he adds.
He steps forward and holds up his shield, "We found a pool of the black ichor when we were corralled by some mutated chamois towards it". He touches one of his tools to the shield and uses his magical tinkering to make the image of one of the chamois appear on it. "We found that the pool was being filled by a trickle from within a cave system", he adds and changes the image to show the pool and rocks and the gap they went through.
"We followed the trickle, and broke the ceiling, but there was a beast in there", he then says, showing a picture of the mutated Grey Hunter. "But found it wasn't a beast at all, just a mutated person. We freed him in the only way we knew how, and explored further, finding a portal to the Far Realm". He now shows the image of the Far Gate portal, and what he remembers was through it, although possibly more child friendly.
"The gate was malfunctioning letting the black ichor to leak out, because one of the glyphs was scratched, and when I fixed it, the gate closed", he shows the final picture of the gate now closed.
He then takes out the selection of tentacles and claws he collected to show.
"The person who became the beast was studying the portal I think. But he got mutated by the black ichor. It was very sad really. He was happy to die in the end, to be free".
He then looks to the others, realising he had got carried away with his report, and that he probably shouldn't have spoken so much.
He uses magical tinkering repeatedly to use the feature below to illustrate the story:
A static visual effect appears on one of the object’s surfaces. This effect can be a picture, up to 25 words of text, lines and shapes, or a mixture of these elements, as you like.
Dev, at first, stands ready to launch into a song, pan pipes poised. Instead, Normont launches into his story, complete with magic illustrations.
Dev’s shoulders slowly slump, while the hand holding his pan pipes falls away from his lips to hang loosely by his side. The teenager quietly retreats to the back of the group, and once there, noiselessly pulls up his cowl.
’No one wants to hear you sing. Not these bug bears, at least. This is about that black goo, not light entertainment. Wake up, Dev.’
Ugart listened to Normonts story but it seemed by the curl of his lip that much of it was either displeasing or did not sound believable based on his own experiences, he rose up from the throne with an exasperated roar but then stopped suddenly as a hand curled about his arm.
Beside him, seemingly slipping out from behind the throne itself was an elven woman in her later years, her left side was a tangle of mangled limbs and scarred flesh but her right was sound and her long silver hair and grey-pearl complexion gave her an almost regal look, " My love. He speaks true. An astounding tale but one which is without embellishment or falsehood."
The bugbears woman who had escorted them here had been on the verge of stepping between her Lord and her charges....though her face betrayed that she wasn't quite sure on her actions past that point.
" Ugart Bear-Slayer. Brother of my Father and Lord of the River Run. I believe he speaks true. They are honourable folk, especially the horned one and the one who smells of the wilds."
Ugart looked confused for a moment he still scowled at Normont but it seemed he was wavering when a small figure moved forward from where she had been hidden by the larger figures in the crowd.
" Papa!! Why are you angry at the nice little man? It was a good story!", the tiny bugbear was of a height with Normont but her fur was sparse and of a silvery colour and her ears were long and tapered but untufted. She waved shyly at Normont and Dev but her enraptured gaze was quite obviously fixed on Amber.
Ugarts face went through a series of expressions before it collapsed into a goofy grin, and he fell to one knee, " Sorry, Lum-lum. Papas just grumpy because he forgot to eat today......shall we join our new friends at the tables?"
" Forgive me.", he said as he rose to his full height dwarfing everyone else in the room, his eyes meeting the companions. " Sit with me. Do you have any ideas regarding a cure? For those already affected?"
" And.....where are you bound for and how can we make sure you get there?"
Magnus found himself being handed a wooden cup of what smelled like incredibly potent mead and someone else had placed a warm charcoal bread roll in his pocket. A grizzled looking orc in a reed-woven hat patted the seat next to him.
Normont was still face to face with the child who was gasping at Ambers every move.
Lokilia nods in agreement with Normont's tale of how they closed the portal. She's enjoying a one of the drinks that had been offered when she notices Dev retreating and pulling up his cowl. She grabs another drink and heads over to him, offering him the drink. "Hey, what's up with you?"
Normont takes a couple of involuntary steps back as Ugart stands and lets out a roar, looking from side to side at his companions wondering what they would do. He breathes a sigh of relief as the elf, bugbear female and then the child intervene on their behalf and Ugart calms down.
He puts away the tentacle and claw samples he was still holding, and looks up at the now full height bugbear leader who towers over him particularly.
"We had one idea, to try and purify the ichor, but there seems to be far too much", he says uncertainly, and then notices the child, Lum-Lum staring at Amber.
"Her name is Amber", he says to her softly. "Would you like her to come to you? I think she is grateful that you helped convince your papa that we are telling the truth. I am grateful too", he offers, forgetting about Ugart's other question.
Dev suddenly found his hand grasped by the scarred elven woman, " Thank you for what you have done for us."
“Oh, ummm, thank you,” Dev fumbles in response, then hearing his own words, grimaces and tries to keep from shaking his head morosely. ‘What am I thanking her for?’.
“I didn’t really do very much…,” he starts again, after she has already turned away.
[Lokilia] grabs another drink and heads over to him, offering him the drink. "Hey, what's up with you?"
At first, Dev colors -- his usually dull red cheeks now bright as apples -- hearing an accusation in the words, and his eyes flash fearfully to Lokilia’s. But he finds only concern in the elven woman’s eyes (I presume;). ‘She’s trying to be a friend.’
“I just… sometimes I wonder what I’m doing here. Not here, here… I mean why wouldn’t I be in a bugbear encampment hundreds of miles from home.” He tries an ironic grin but the attempt is half-hearted and he gives up, sighing. When he continues, he speaks quietly, from the heart.
“I mean, everyone here is so brave and strong, or super-smart and… capable. And then there’s me. I wonder, sometimes. Why did Hook Korat invite me to be part of the group to begin with? It’s obvious what you and Quinn, and Magnus, and especially, Normont, can do. You’re heroes. I mean, that’s what I think. And they do too,” Dev says, motioning toward the people of the Scarlet Badger breaking fast around them.
Normont takes a couple of involuntary steps back as Ugart stands and lets out a roar, looking from side to side at his companions wondering what they would do. He breathes a sigh of relief as the elf, bugbear female and then the child intervene on their behalf and Ugart calms down.
He puts away the tentacle and claw samples he was still holding, and looks up at the now full height bugbear leader who towers over him particularly.
"We had one idea, to try and purify the ichor, but there seems to be far too much", he says uncertainly, and then notices the child, Lum-Lum staring at Amber.
"Her name is Amber", he says to her softly. "Would you like her to come to you? I think she is grateful that you helped convince your papa that we are telling the truth. I am grateful too", he offers, forgetting about Ugart's other question.
Lumina nodded eagerly holding out her arm as she smiled at Normont.
" You said too much....does that mean you can't help my brother?"
"You are more than your situation, and you are the most valuable member of our team because you are our heart. Hook sees in you what all of us see in you, great potential!"
Quinn said this while padding the young teifling on the shoulder.
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( There are no direct signs of flows of black liquid into the river but given the proximity, it is almost certain that with any amount of rainfall then at least some of the substance would have joined the runoff into the river....)
The two-story log raft with several simple rooms on it is hung with a red flag marked with a rust-brown badger paw in the center. When you’re brought into the main room — the throne room — you are surrounded by nearly fifty bugbears and various humans, orcs and others with some bugbear heritage. They’re all gathered around a large open space in front of a fur-covered throne crafted from bear bones. On the throne sits the individual you deduce must be the Great Ugart.
Brought forward, you’re face-to-face with this imposing leader of the Scarlet Badger. He wears a leather jerkin made of bearskin, and a necklace of long bear claws. His face is a mess of scars where he was raked by those same claws. His mouth is set in a broad, bored grin, though his eyes are calculating and intelligent.
The female bugbear walks up beside him and whispers in his ear, he looks thoughtful and his eyes take in the group.
He smiles widely, revealing sharp teeth. “ Strangers! Speak! Now!”
Normont stands before the Great Ugart, dwarfed by the size of the Bugbear leader, but not cowed. He was a member of the Pale Guard of Whitestone, a noble institution, and proud of it. But Ugart really is rather big and imposing.
"Hello", he says, his voice sounding childlike even to himself at this moment. "It's Ugart right? Nice to meet you. I am Normont, and this is Amber", he adds trying to lower his voice a little, as he points to Amber who is sat on his shoulder.
He then waits for the others to introduce themselves.
Dev unexpectedly steps forward, and he speaks, his soothing voice – not unlike the black liquid soaking into the grounds nearby – inexorably filling every open space in the room with its mysterious, arching timbre. It is bolstered by Thaumaturgy, and although he speaks calmly, magic gives his words great depth and presence.
“We are travelers seeking to peacefully pass through your lands, Great Ugart. Some of our members are scholars, but I am not. I did not know of the Scarlet Badger, but… but I am honored to speak to its leader. I can entertain you with stories and songs. If they bring laughs or… or, soothe your heart, then we ask for just a friendly goodbye and to allow us to keep on our way upriver.”
Suddenly uncertain of himself, and again wondering what devil made him open his mouth among strangers, the tiefling's eyes dart to his companions, seeking moral support (OOC: and a help on a persuasion roll if one is needed).
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
"I'm Lokilia and we are honored to meet you!" the druid says. "We are hoping to simply travel across your lands. We also have a little news of this black goo arond here - we think we have stopped any more from coming. Although that doesn't fix all that is already here."
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Magnus will of course provide any Guidance that Dev might need.
[OOC: Sorry for being a bit absent the past couple of days, work is being annoying, they actually want me to DO stuff, how rude. :) ]
(Dev Persuasion, assuming Help and with Guidance. Desired effect: the Great Ugart takes a liking to the kid and by extension, his friends. 24 + 1)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
(OOC - I'd meant Lokilia's words to be in support of Dev. Hopfully that will count as HELP!)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Ugart examined each of the companions in turn and listened carefully as Lokilia and Dev spoke.
" If true...a great service has been done for Scarlet Badger and all her children."
" How have you done this? Where did you find the source?"
He turned to those around him, " Bring food and drink, we will honour these strangers if their tale is judged true....."
A series of round tables was hastily constructed and set out ready for you piled high with winter preserves and various liquors.
"Of course it's true", Normont exclaims. "I mean, with all due respect, we aren't lying", he adds.
He steps forward and holds up his shield, "We found a pool of the black ichor when we were corralled by some mutated chamois towards it". He touches one of his tools to the shield and uses his magical tinkering to make the image of one of the chamois appear on it. "We found that the pool was being filled by a trickle from within a cave system", he adds and changes the image to show the pool and rocks and the gap they went through.
"We followed the trickle, and broke the ceiling, but there was a beast in there", he then says, showing a picture of the mutated Grey Hunter. "But found it wasn't a beast at all, just a mutated person. We freed him in the only way we knew how, and explored further, finding a portal to the Far Realm". He now shows the image of the Far Gate portal, and what he remembers was through it, although possibly more child friendly.
"The gate was malfunctioning letting the black ichor to leak out, because one of the glyphs was scratched, and when I fixed it, the gate closed", he shows the final picture of the gate now closed.
He then takes out the selection of tentacles and claws he collected to show.
"The person who became the beast was studying the portal I think. But he got mutated by the black ichor. It was very sad really. He was happy to die in the end, to be free".
He then looks to the others, realising he had got carried away with his report, and that he probably shouldn't have spoken so much.
He uses magical tinkering repeatedly to use the feature below to illustrate the story:
Dev, at first, stands ready to launch into a song, pan pipes poised. Instead, Normont launches into his story, complete with magic illustrations.
Dev’s shoulders slowly slump, while the hand holding his pan pipes falls away from his lips to hang loosely by his side. The teenager quietly retreats to the back of the group, and once there, noiselessly pulls up his cowl.
’No one wants to hear you sing. Not these bug bears, at least. This is about that black goo, not light entertainment. Wake up, Dev.’
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Insight Ugart-12
Insight Greycrow-18
Insight Kiln-7
Insight Lumina-11
Ugart listened to Normonts story but it seemed by the curl of his lip that much of it was either displeasing or did not sound believable based on his own experiences, he rose up from the throne with an exasperated roar but then stopped suddenly as a hand curled about his arm.
Beside him, seemingly slipping out from behind the throne itself was an elven woman in her later years, her left side was a tangle of mangled limbs and scarred flesh but her right was sound and her long silver hair and grey-pearl complexion gave her an almost regal look, " My love. He speaks true. An astounding tale but one which is without embellishment or falsehood."
The bugbears woman who had escorted them here had been on the verge of stepping between her Lord and her charges....though her face betrayed that she wasn't quite sure on her actions past that point.
" Ugart Bear-Slayer. Brother of my Father and Lord of the River Run. I believe he speaks true. They are honourable folk, especially the horned one and the one who smells of the wilds."
Ugart looked confused for a moment he still scowled at Normont but it seemed he was wavering when a small figure moved forward from where she had been hidden by the larger figures in the crowd.
" Papa!! Why are you angry at the nice little man? It was a good story!", the tiny bugbear was of a height with Normont but her fur was sparse and of a silvery colour and her ears were long and tapered but untufted. She waved shyly at Normont and Dev but her enraptured gaze was quite obviously fixed on Amber.
Ugarts face went through a series of expressions before it collapsed into a goofy grin, and he fell to one knee, " Sorry, Lum-lum. Papas just grumpy because he forgot to eat today......shall we join our new friends at the tables?"
" Forgive me.", he said as he rose to his full height dwarfing everyone else in the room, his eyes meeting the companions. " Sit with me. Do you have any ideas regarding a cure? For those already affected?"
" And.....where are you bound for and how can we make sure you get there?"
Dev suddenly found his hand grasped by the scarred elven woman, " Thankyou for what you have done for us."
She looked across the crowd towards Lokilia and smiled.
Quinn found himself approached by their escort, " Are you eating? Sit."
Magnus found himself being handed a wooden cup of what smelled like incredibly potent mead and someone else had placed a warm charcoal bread roll in his pocket. A grizzled looking orc in a reed-woven hat patted the seat next to him.
Normont was still face to face with the child who was gasping at Ambers every move.
Lokilia nods in agreement with Normont's tale of how they closed the portal. She's enjoying a one of the drinks that had been offered when she notices Dev retreating and pulling up his cowl. She grabs another drink and heads over to him, offering him the drink. "Hey, what's up with you?"
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Normont takes a couple of involuntary steps back as Ugart stands and lets out a roar, looking from side to side at his companions wondering what they would do. He breathes a sigh of relief as the elf, bugbear female and then the child intervene on their behalf and Ugart calms down.
He puts away the tentacle and claw samples he was still holding, and looks up at the now full height bugbear leader who towers over him particularly.
"We had one idea, to try and purify the ichor, but there seems to be far too much", he says uncertainly, and then notices the child, Lum-Lum staring at Amber.
"Her name is Amber", he says to her softly. "Would you like her to come to you? I think she is grateful that you helped convince your papa that we are telling the truth. I am grateful too", he offers, forgetting about Ugart's other question.
Dev suddenly found his hand grasped by the scarred elven woman, " Thank you for what you have done for us."
“Oh, ummm, thank you,” Dev fumbles in response, then hearing his own words, grimaces and tries to keep from shaking his head morosely. ‘What am I thanking her for?’.
“I didn’t really do very much…,” he starts again, after she has already turned away.
[Lokilia] grabs another drink and heads over to him, offering him the drink. "Hey, what's up with you?"
At first, Dev colors -- his usually dull red cheeks now bright as apples -- hearing an accusation in the words, and his eyes flash fearfully to Lokilia’s. But he finds only concern in the elven woman’s eyes (I presume;). ‘She’s trying to be a friend.’
“I just… sometimes I wonder what I’m doing here. Not here, here… I mean why wouldn’t I be in a bugbear encampment hundreds of miles from home.” He tries an ironic grin but the attempt is half-hearted and he gives up, sighing. When he continues, he speaks quietly, from the heart.
“I mean, everyone here is so brave and strong, or super-smart and… capable. And then there’s me. I wonder, sometimes. Why did Hook Korat invite me to be part of the group to begin with? It’s obvious what you and Quinn, and Magnus, and especially, Normont, can do. You’re heroes. I mean, that’s what I think. And they do too,” Dev says, motioning toward the people of the Scarlet Badger breaking fast around them.
“And I’m not… I’m just… just a street urchin.”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Lumina nodded eagerly holding out her arm as she smiled at Normont.
" You said too much....does that mean you can't help my brother?"
"You are more than your situation, and you are the most valuable member of our team because you are our heart. Hook sees in you what all of us see in you, great potential!"
Quinn said this while padding the young teifling on the shoulder.