You have completed your search of the tree and the various rooms, and find no other items of interest
[[OOC: @Aaggie - there's still a question for you about the hourglass below. Otherwise, I'm just reposting the list of treasures with updates based on responses. Let me know if anyone disagrees with the disposition of these items. I've already added the indicated items to Vrox's and Tyek's inventory.]]
Spellguard Shield from the statue in the armory (post #3272) -> Offer it to an ally, like Sir Sparhawk or Yôht.
No one wants to swap out our current items for this shield.
Chest #1: (post #3282)
gems: assorted rubies, sapphires, and emeralds -> since Vrox is interested in taking as much of his share of the treasure in gems, he offers to carry them in his backpack until the party is ready to divid the treasure.
Magical inks for scribing scrolls and spell books -> split between Khessa and Lord Akkron. Presumably, these supplies help defray the cost of copying any spells to their spellbooks.
An Obsidian hourglass - @Aaggie - did we ever find out if this item is magical?
A Painting of Vairae in his prime -> Bag of Holding for later
An "Archdevil’s quill" -> Vrox
Chest #3: (post #3287)
Spear of Gael Wode -> Offer it to an ally, like Brother Maynard
No one wants to swap out our current items for this spear.
The hourglass is not magical; it only flows in moonlight. Brother Maynard accepts the spear if no one else will. Yoht will accept the shield.
Sparhawk and Yoht also make sure you rest undisturbed. You may count it as a long rest. As the sun rises, you notice something unique about the tree. Small green shoots, light shades of green returning, like the tree is starting to heal. There is nothing to eat in the tree, as its former occupants didn't require the same nourishment as you.
Khessa feels a satisfaction that surprises herself first of all, in noting that already the day after the defeat of the undeath, life is taking possession of the plant again!
The blonde arcane warrior loses herself for several moments in the contemplation of the new shoots. When the desire for breakfast grows, if no party member is able to provide otherwise, the blonde arcane warrior uses her magic to create a gigantic pile of boiled cabbage pulp, offering it to everyone (and finding it personally delicious).
Brother Maynard had been busy taking notes and descriptions of everything that was inside of the tree, taking some of the tomes from the library and placing them in his saddle bags, making a sketch of the map in the war room.
Sparhawk was checking on Faran his horse, when the soft sound of a flute began playing, and looking up, there sat Flute.
"Good morning, I hope you rested well. This tree is very appreciative for the healing you have done, the removing of the rot, the cancer that had changed it from the inside. Now, it will slowly heal. I have sent a message to some good Dryads I know who will come and occupy the tree, and help with its healing, and make it a place of good to remove the dark stain of its past."
When the desire for breakfast grows, if no party member is able to provide otherwise
Vrox would have cast Goodberry before the Long Rest and can give everyone a berry in the morning. It might not be a very satisfying meal, but it "provides enough nourishment to sustain a creature for one day."
"Well done, Flute!" Khessa compliments the child-goddess, playfully ruffling her hair and surrounding her with fleeting streaks of rainbow"You have masterfully completed what we began. Now all that remains is for us to go and ruin your 'dear' Kaine's plans!"
She crinkles her nose when you mention her cousin's name, "Too many dark entities in one area, its bad enough those two are around, then Kaine shows up. He's like a bad wart you can't get rid of," then there is an evil glint to her eye, and she produces a small dagger in her hand, "unless its surgically removed." She sighs and makes the dagger disappear. "In either case, your way should be clear now, I don't think there is anything between here and that old ugly city. Sorry Yoht, but your wayward cousins were no artisans"
Yoht snorts and shakes his head. "No lass, no insult. They are as about as bright as a box of rocks. Good at digging, good at siege work, not good at artistry. Don't have the genes for it."
Khessa smiles at the sight of the child-goddess's small dagger: "About 'surgery', you're probably right, Flute, my dear... But I think you'd better leave the choice of 'surgical instruments' to Tyekanik, here." She pats the Angry Giant on the back - and winks while pointing her thumb at his massive axe.
The blonde arcane warrior then brings the conversation back to the journey: "Well, if the way is clear... is it time to 'bend the rules' a little again, so we can quickly get to admire this old ugly city?"
Flute nods. When everyone is ready and mounted, she begins her soft melody, and you begin to travel forward. it is not a long trip, even in the void that Flute takes you before you come out into the end of the valley, and before the ruined city.
Uhubreen is tumbled rock, the devastation from so long ago still evident. The main entrance into the side of the mountain, has no decorations or adornments, or if there had been, had been removed during the purge. You see three openings that go into the mountain.
Khessa turns her blue eyes to the party's trusty pair of scouts, Vrox and Tyekanik: "Care to scout ahead along the first part of each of those passages? Or, if you're worried it might be too dangerous, I'll send Anator. No one should be suspicious of a bat in an underground environment."
Yoht appears perplexed. "Where are the bloody guards at the door? There should be someone guarding the front doors, or at least a watchman even for these blasted fools. Maybe we need to get their bloody attention."
"Perhaps Kaine protects them with surveillance spells that make guards unneeded" Khessa shrugs. "Anyway, we'll find out soon enough."
The blonde arcane warrior shares the expert dwarf leader's concern... but sees little else the party can do other than begin a furtive reconnaissance to better understand the situation. After all, war is the art of deception. And how better to defend against deception... than with knowledge?
Taking a deep breath, and blowing out a deep sigh, he ruffles his moustache. "Right! Let's find out shall we?"
Yoht boldly steps forward towards the door and plants himself, drawing his battle axe, placing the head on the ground and resting his hands on the handle.
"Come out and bloody speak to me you bloody rock for heads, or all these years hiding made you lose your bloody manners as well!"
Not long, from the left opening, Golgari Dwarves appear, and 1 does approach Yoht. From the right opening, 1 Drukhari appears with a Cultist, and from the center door, a blood demon soldier and a cultist.
The Golgari who stands before Yoht states, "Go away, you're not welcome here."
Yoht slowly shakes his head. "No, I don't think so Buck-O. I've come on behalf of my King to speak to your leader, and it bloody better happen."
The Golgori bristles, "Oh, and what will you do if I say no?"
Yoht smiles, "Oh well now, that's easy. We can do this the easy way." Then he hefts his battle axe. "Or the hard way, your choice."
Khessa smiles at the sight of the child-goddess's small dagger: "About 'surgery', you're probably right, Flute, my dear... But I think you'd better leave the choice of 'surgical instruments' to Tyekanik, here." She pats the Angry Giant on the back - and winks while pointing her thumb at his massive axe.
Tyekanik chuckles darkly and says, "Yes, I can perform any surgery you want...as long as it's an amputation! Ho ho ho!"
Khessa turns her blue eyes to the party's trusty pair of scouts, Vrox and Tyekanik: "Care to scout ahead along the first part of each of those passages? Or, if you're worried it might be too dangerous, I'll send Anator. No one should be suspicious of a bat in an underground environment."
[[OOC: Sorry. Busy week. But it looks like events have moved past reconnaissance now...]]
[[OOC: @Aaggie - Based on the map so far, I'm going to assume that Yôht currently stands alone, ahead of the rest of the group. I might have to change the rest of this if that's not accurate.]]
Tyekanik was getting ready to scout when Yôht steps forward to call out the Golgari. Seeing cultists and a fiend emerge from the tunnels to the east, Tyek hefts Annam's Greataxe and, as he strides forward to stand on Yôht's right side, the Angry Giant gestures toward the fiend with his weapon to ensure that it knows who it will face if it tries to attack. He glares down at the Golgari and growls a question: "You tolerate that thing in your halls?"
Vrox, standing near the back of the party, sees that this "conversation" is getting off to a terrible start, and now that cultists have appeared with a fiend in tow, he figures that he has just one chance if the party wants to do anything other than fight their way through the Golgari's halls one chamber at a time. He quickly stows his shield so that he'll be ready to draw his bow. But first, he tries to cast a spell without drawing to much attention to himself. As soon as he casts the spell, he says, "Peace! These are rough words to start. If Yôht will set aside old grudges, will you not welcome the emissaries of King Uthar into the great halls of Uhubreen so that we may talk?"
Movement: Up to 40-ft of movement to position himself behind his companions but within 30-ft of the Golgari who iss talking to Yôht. Action: Cast spell (LVL 1 slot) Charm Person on the Golgari who is speaking to Yôht The Golgari must make a DC 19 WIS saving throw, or he is charmed by Vrox until the spell ends or until the party does anything harmful to him. Free Action: Stow his shield. Talking.
Vrox - Stealth: 22, advantage from Shadowfell Brand Tattoo. Trying to be subtle / remain hidden behind his companions as he casts the spell so that it's not obvious to the Golgari and their allies that he's enchanting their spokesman.
If Vrox successfully charmed the Golgari without being spotted casting a spell, then he'll continue talking, trying to persuade the Golgari to bring them into Uhubreen. Vrox - Persuasion28, with advantage from the charmed.
If not, then I imagine that a fight will break out right away. Vrox is trying to avoid an immediate fight, but I guess attempting to charm the interlocutor of an opposing kingdom is probably viewed as an overtly hostile action.
If Vrox successfully charmed the Golgari without being spotted casting a spell, then he'll continue talking, trying to persuade the Golgari to bring them into Uhubreen. Vrox - Persuasion29, with advantage from the charmed.
Something like this: "Come now! Send away these zealots and their followers: you have no need of them. This is a conversation between the great dwarves of Eosia: the Voltans and the Golgari. The Drukhari and these others will only stir up trouble between your two peoples. Will you not welcome us to your home under-mountain? Yôht has spoken of the works of the Golgari, and I would love to see the great halls of Uhubreen."
[[OOC: The fey are good at lying. Vrox does not mention what Yôht has said about the works of the Golgari, only that he spoke about them. 😉]]
[[OOC: @Aaggie - Based on the map so far, I'm going to assume that Yôht currently stands alone, ahead of the rest of the group. I might have to change the rest of this if that's not accurate.]]
Tyekanik was getting ready to scout when Yôht steps forward to call out the Golgari. Seeing cultists and a fiend emerge from the tunnels to the east, Tyek hefts Annam's Greataxe and, as he strides forward to stand on Yôht's right side, the Angry Giant gestures toward the fiend with his weapon to ensure that it knows who it will face if it tries to attack. He glares down at the Golgari and growls a question: "You tolerate that thing in your halls?"
Vrox, standing near the back of the party, sees that this "conversation" is getting off to a terrible start, and now that cultists have appeared with a fiend in tow, he figures that he has just one chance if the party wants to do anything other than fight their way through the Golgari's halls one chamber at a time. He quickly stows his shield so that he'll be ready to draw his bow. But first, he tries to cast a spell without drawing to much attention to himself. As soon as he casts the spell, he says, "Peace! These are rough words to start. If Yôht will set aside old grudges, will you not welcome the emissaries of King Uthar into the great halls of Uhubreen so that we may talk?"
Movement: Up to 40-ft of movement to position himself behind his companions but within 30-ft of the Golgari who iss talking to Yôht. Action: Cast spell (LVL 1 slot) Charm Person on the Golgari who is speaking to Yôht The Golgari must make a DC 19 WIS saving throw, or he is charmed by Vrox until the spell ends or until the party does anything harmful to him. Free Action: Stow his shield. Talking.
Vrox - Stealth: 35, advantage from Shadowfell Brand Tattoo. Trying to be subtle / remain hidden behind his companions as he casts the spell so that it's not obvious to the Golgari and their allies that he's enchanting their spokesman.
If Vrox successfully charmed the Golgari without being spotted casting a spell, then he'll continue talking, trying to persuade the Golgari to bring them into Uhubreen. Vrox - Persuasion29, with advantage from the charmed.
If not, then I imagine that a fight will break out right away. Vrox is trying to avoid an immediate fight, but I guess attempting to charm the interlocutor of an opposing kingdom is probably viewed as an overtly hostile action.
Khessa has moved close to Tyekanik, expecting the worst, but then Vrox's honeyed words seem to avert the outbreak of immediate hostility...
The blonde arcane warrior therefore limits herself to waiting for developments. Will the party be invited in and talk? Or will it still come down to the 'hard way'?
Under the charmed influence, the Golgari turns, motions for you to follow. You get halfway towards the entrance, when the Blood Demon Soldier (Kishi) and the Cultist intercepts the group. The cultists hold her hand up.
"What is the meaning of this? They are not to be permitted entrance! You have your orders; these are the ones the masters spoke of. They are to be turned away or destroyed."
Under the charmed influence, the Golgari turns, motions for you to follow.
Vrox says, "Thank you. Let's go, everyone," and gestures for the rest of the party to follow the Golgari toward the tunnel on the left, but as he looks at his party, his eyes glance with concern toward the cultists on their right. He tries to ensure that the party is walking 2 or 3-abreast with Tyekanik, Khessa, Clarac, and Sir Sparhawk on the right. That way, if the cultists attack, there will already be a line of fighters between the cultists and Lord Akkron, Brother Maynard, Yôht, and Vrox.
Vrox springs forward to be closer to the Golgari whom he has charmed, just behind Yôht and Tyekanik. He is trying to at least get the party into the tunnel where Golgari (duergar/dwarves) came out. He wants to avoid a fight with the Golgari, cultists, and Drukhari out here where the enemies' reinforcements could arrive from all three tunnels and where the party has no cover or advantage in the terrain.
You get halfway towards the entrance, when the Blood Demon Soldier (Kishi) and the Cultist intercepts the group. The cultists hold her hand up. "What is the meaning of this? They are not to be permitted entrance! You have your orders; these are the ones the masters spoke of. They are to be turned away or destroyed." She levels a dark look at the group.
Vrox responds with polite surprise, talking to the charmed Golgari and not the cultist, "You have very strange 'guests' in Uhubreen! Do they always question your judgement and decisions? Or have they made the Golgari servants in their own home?" Here, he turns to look at the cultist. "Your bold words haved crossed the line into disrespect! Do the Golgari not still rule here in Uhubreen? They may speak with us if they think that there is benefit in conversation."
In case this is a contested ability check between Vrox and the cultist to persuade the Golgari duergar: Vrox - Persuasion29, advantage from the charmed condition
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The hourglass is not magical; it only flows in moonlight. Brother Maynard accepts the spear if no one else will. Yoht will accept the shield.
Sparhawk and Yoht also make sure you rest undisturbed. You may count it as a long rest. As the sun rises, you notice something unique about the tree. Small green shoots, light shades of green returning, like the tree is starting to heal. There is nothing to eat in the tree, as its former occupants didn't require the same nourishment as you.
Khessa feels a satisfaction that surprises herself first of all, in noting that already the day after the defeat of the undeath, life is taking possession of the plant again!
The blonde arcane warrior loses herself for several moments in the contemplation of the new shoots. When the desire for breakfast grows, if no party member is able to provide otherwise, the blonde arcane warrior uses her magic to create a gigantic pile of boiled cabbage pulp, offering it to everyone (and finding it personally delicious).
Brother Maynard had been busy taking notes and descriptions of everything that was inside of the tree, taking some of the tomes from the library and placing them in his saddle bags, making a sketch of the map in the war room.
Sparhawk was checking on Faran his horse, when the soft sound of a flute began playing, and looking up, there sat Flute.
"Good morning, I hope you rested well. This tree is very appreciative for the healing you have done, the removing of the rot, the cancer that had changed it from the inside. Now, it will slowly heal. I have sent a message to some good Dryads I know who will come and occupy the tree, and help with its healing, and make it a place of good to remove the dark stain of its past."
Vrox would have cast Goodberry before the Long Rest and can give everyone a berry in the morning. It might not be a very satisfying meal, but it "provides enough nourishment to sustain a creature for one day."
"Well done, Flute!" Khessa compliments the child-goddess, playfully ruffling her hair and surrounding her with fleeting streaks of rainbow "You have masterfully completed what we began. Now all that remains is for us to go and ruin your 'dear' Kaine's plans!"
She crinkles her nose when you mention her cousin's name, "Too many dark entities in one area, its bad enough those two are around, then Kaine shows up. He's like a bad wart you can't get rid of," then there is an evil glint to her eye, and she produces a small dagger in her hand, "unless its surgically removed." She sighs and makes the dagger disappear. "In either case, your way should be clear now, I don't think there is anything between here and that old ugly city. Sorry Yoht, but your wayward cousins were no artisans"
Yoht snorts and shakes his head. "No lass, no insult. They are as about as bright as a box of rocks. Good at digging, good at siege work, not good at artistry. Don't have the genes for it."
Khessa smiles at the sight of the child-goddess's small dagger: "About 'surgery', you're probably right, Flute, my dear... But I think you'd better leave the choice of 'surgical instruments' to Tyekanik, here." She pats the Angry Giant on the back - and winks while pointing her thumb at his massive axe.
The blonde arcane warrior then brings the conversation back to the journey: "Well, if the way is clear... is it time to 'bend the rules' a little again, so we can quickly get to admire this old ugly city?"
Flute nods. When everyone is ready and mounted, she begins her soft melody, and you begin to travel forward. it is not a long trip, even in the void that Flute takes you before you come out into the end of the valley, and before the ruined city.
Uhubreen is tumbled rock, the devastation from so long ago still evident. The main entrance into the side of the mountain, has no decorations or adornments, or if there had been, had been removed during the purge. You see three openings that go into the mountain.
Khessa turns her blue eyes to the party's trusty pair of scouts, Vrox and Tyekanik: "Care to scout ahead along the first part of each of those passages? Or, if you're worried it might be too dangerous, I'll send Anator. No one should be suspicious of a bat in an underground environment."
Yoht appears perplexed. "Where are the bloody guards at the door? There should be someone guarding the front doors, or at least a watchman even for these blasted fools. Maybe we need to get their bloody attention."
"Perhaps Kaine protects them with surveillance spells that make guards unneeded" Khessa shrugs. "Anyway, we'll find out soon enough."
The blonde arcane warrior shares the expert dwarf leader's concern... but sees little else the party can do other than begin a furtive reconnaissance to better understand the situation. After all, war is the art of deception. And how better to defend against deception... than with knowledge?
Taking a deep breath, and blowing out a deep sigh, he ruffles his moustache. "Right! Let's find out shall we?"
Yoht boldly steps forward towards the door and plants himself, drawing his battle axe, placing the head on the ground and resting his hands on the handle.
"Come out and bloody speak to me you bloody rock for heads, or all these years hiding made you lose your bloody manners as well!"
Not long, from the left opening, Golgari Dwarves appear, and 1 does approach Yoht. From the right opening, 1 Drukhari appears with a Cultist, and from the center door, a blood demon soldier and a cultist.
The Golgari who stands before Yoht states, "Go away, you're not welcome here."
Yoht slowly shakes his head. "No, I don't think so Buck-O. I've come on behalf of my King to speak to your leader, and it bloody better happen."
The Golgori bristles, "Oh, and what will you do if I say no?"
Yoht smiles, "Oh well now, that's easy. We can do this the easy way." Then he hefts his battle axe. "Or the hard way, your choice."
Tyekanik chuckles darkly and says, "Yes, I can perform any surgery you want...as long as it's an amputation! Ho ho ho!"
[[OOC: Sorry. Busy week. But it looks like events have moved past reconnaissance now...]]
[[OOC: @Aaggie - Based on the map so far, I'm going to assume that Yôht currently stands alone, ahead of the rest of the group. I might have to change the rest of this if that's not accurate.]]
Tyekanik was getting ready to scout when Yôht steps forward to call out the Golgari. Seeing cultists and a fiend emerge from the tunnels to the east, Tyek hefts Annam's Greataxe and, as he strides forward to stand on Yôht's right side, the Angry Giant gestures toward the fiend with his weapon to ensure that it knows who it will face if it tries to attack. He glares down at the Golgari and growls a question: "You tolerate that thing in your halls?"
Vrox, standing near the back of the party, sees that this "conversation" is getting off to a terrible start, and now that cultists have appeared with a fiend in tow, he figures that he has just one chance if the party wants to do anything other than fight their way through the Golgari's halls one chamber at a time. He quickly stows his shield so that he'll be ready to draw his bow. But first, he tries to cast a spell without drawing to much attention to himself. As soon as he casts the spell, he says, "Peace! These are rough words to start. If Yôht will set aside old grudges, will you not welcome the emissaries of King Uthar into the great halls of Uhubreen so that we may talk?"
Movement: Up to 40-ft of movement to position himself behind his companions but within 30-ft of the Golgari who iss talking to Yôht.
Action: Cast spell (LVL 1 slot) Charm Person on the Golgari who is speaking to Yôht
The Golgari must make a DC 19 WIS saving throw, or he is charmed by Vrox until the spell ends or until the party does anything harmful to him.
Free Action: Stow his shield. Talking.
Vrox - Stealth: 22, advantage from Shadowfell Brand Tattoo. Trying to be subtle / remain hidden behind his companions as he casts the spell so that it's not obvious to the Golgari and their allies that he's enchanting their spokesman.
If Vrox successfully charmed the Golgari without being spotted casting a spell,
then he'll continue talking, trying to persuade the Golgari to bring them into Uhubreen.
Vrox - Persuasion 28, with advantage from the charmed.
If not, then I imagine that a fight will break out right away. Vrox is trying to avoid an immediate fight, but I guess attempting to charm the interlocutor of an opposing kingdom is probably viewed as an overtly hostile action.
Something like this: "Come now! Send away these zealots and their followers: you have no need of them. This is a conversation between the great dwarves of Eosia: the Voltans and the Golgari. The Drukhari and these others will only stir up trouble between your two peoples. Will you not welcome us to your home under-mountain? Yôht has spoken of the works of the Golgari, and I would love to see the great halls of Uhubreen."
[[OOC: The fey are good at lying. Vrox does not mention what Yôht has said about the works of the Golgari, only that he spoke about them. 😉]]
Save vs charm: 1
The Golgari appears to be charmed
Khessa has moved close to Tyekanik, expecting the worst, but then Vrox's honeyed words seem to avert the outbreak of immediate hostility...
The blonde arcane warrior therefore limits herself to waiting for developments. Will the party be invited in and talk? Or will it still come down to the 'hard way'?
Under the charmed influence, the Golgari turns, motions for you to follow. You get halfway towards the entrance, when the Blood Demon Soldier (Kishi) and the Cultist intercepts the group. The cultists hold her hand up.
"What is the meaning of this? They are not to be permitted entrance! You have your orders; these are the ones the masters spoke of. They are to be turned away or destroyed."
She levels a dark look at the group.
Nice!
Vrox says, "Thank you. Let's go, everyone," and gestures for the rest of the party to follow the Golgari toward the tunnel on the left, but as he looks at his party, his eyes glance with concern toward the cultists on their right. He tries to ensure that the party is walking 2 or 3-abreast with Tyekanik, Khessa, Clarac, and Sir Sparhawk on the right. That way, if the cultists attack, there will already be a line of fighters between the cultists and Lord Akkron, Brother Maynard, Yôht, and Vrox.
Vrox springs forward to be closer to the Golgari whom he has charmed, just behind Yôht and Tyekanik. He is trying to at least get the party into the tunnel where Golgari (duergar/dwarves) came out. He wants to avoid a fight with the Golgari, cultists, and Drukhari out here where the enemies' reinforcements could arrive from all three tunnels and where the party has no cover or advantage in the terrain.
Vrox responds with polite surprise, talking to the charmed Golgari and not the cultist, "You have very strange 'guests' in Uhubreen! Do they always question your judgement and decisions? Or have they made the Golgari servants in their own home?" Here, he turns to look at the cultist. "Your bold words haved crossed the line into disrespect! Do the Golgari not still rule here in Uhubreen? They may speak with us if they think that there is benefit in conversation."
In case this is a contested ability check between Vrox and the cultist to persuade the Golgari duergar:
Vrox - Persuasion 29, advantage from the charmed condition