Inside the carriage, Serge winces when he hears the question from the lizardfolk.
Of course she recognizes Krackle Junior, he thinks as rolls his eyes. He wonders, briefly, if lizardfolk can speak with giant lizards, and if Krackle Junior might disclose their secret... but then he dismisses the thought before panic can rise in his throat. He goes back to trying his best to remain silent.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Krackle will help Zeds by nodding along. "Yes. We have been taking good care of both the egg and mount. We slaughtered those that would harm our eggs and steal from us." He adds... hoping to help sell the story.
The caretaker cocks her head to the side as she brushes a hand against Krackle Jr.'s hide.
"Yes, go ahead and once you reach the front of the castle, I will take this giant lizard so it may be fed are cared for as that is my duty"
The carriage continues onward to the from the castle and a cultist raises his hand to stop the carriage. He looks to Zeds. "The carriage cannot continue beyond this point. Best leave it here. Now dear brother what brings you here this day?"
A second cultist begins walking to the carriage door to open it.
"oh... Uh, well... Yeah ok..." Krackle says hesitantly. "I've grown pretty attached to this lizard here... He has been a great help in getting here to deliver this egg... and I know you will take good care of him." He then looks back towards Zeds and his carriage. "I acquired this carriage as a way to protect the egg as we travel... I hope that it will be well taken care of as well." The kobold says as looks towards the man making his way towards the carriage door.
OOC: So we mentioned that we were all either cultists or mercenaries working for the cultists right? I don't think we have anything bad inside the carriage that they cannot see...
[Inside the carriage, Serge probably can't see that they are approaching? If not, he is still just hunkered down inside, listening to the conversation and wondering if he should step out or not...]
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
((I don't believe we've yet explained who we are, other than Zeds wearing the Dragon Mask and daggers. We got those after we tracked the attackers of Greenest to their temporary staging area? I think we killed someone as we were leaving and got them? Anyway, so we haven't divulged our "backstory" quite yet besides saying we liberated the lizard and the egg from a mercenary band. Nobody asked how many of us were in the cart yet... And I would guess we don't have anything that would give us away? If anything our lack of having stuff may? I ASSUME Serge and Ixsas can hear everything even if not see everything?))
"As I told this one here," Zeds says with a motion to indicate the caretaker who wants to claim the lizard, "We liberated the giant lizard from a band of mercenaries. After Greenest some from the town followed and counter-attacked later after most had vacated. That is where they got the lizard and the egg... Or so they claimed when we interrogated them. We had gotten separated from the main group heading for Baldur's Gate with the spoils, we ran across the mercenaries heading there to try to catch up with the others. We had a few bad turns after Greenest and were trying to keep a low profile but the little one here," indicating Krackle, "spotted a band with a dragon egg. We obviously needed to recover it. We did and questioned them before killing them. I'm afraid we got nothing useful from them besides what I have already told you..."
"This did, however, slow us down further and we missed the rendezvous at Baldur's Gate so have since just been making our way best we can until we find suitable care for the egg... We are wondering if this may be a safer place for it than with ourselves..."
((....I ASSUME Serge and Ixsas can hear everything even if not see everything?))
(OOC: I assumed that "carriage" implied that it was at least partially-enclosed but that it also had a way to see out. Maybe just open windows that have a curtain or maybe a shutter to cover them instead of glass. Sort of like this image from a movie set but with a flat roof since Krackle has talked about storing stuff "on top" of the carriage. If that's roughly accurate, then yes, Serge and Ixsas can definitely hear the conversation happening outside the carriage.)
With glass windows. Krackle was hoping to use this as a house.
(OOC: I assumed that they at least had wooden shutters. For historical comparison, it looks like carriages with glass windows didn't exist in Europe until the very end of the Renaissance period, and they weren't common until the early 1700s. Of course, Toril is not Earth, and D&D usually plays pretty loose with the tech level, so that doesn't mean much. I just wasn't sure how common glass panes are for windows in houses, much less for windows in a carriage.)
Most people: Hmmn. That is a reasonable looking carriage.
Krackle: Wow! What a mansion! ]
If Serge can see out of the carriage, then I presume those outside can also see him. So in either case (seen or unseen) he will remain inside until circumstances prompt him to take action or leave.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
The cultist nods knowingly and looks to the egg "Your deeds are indeed bears merit. Come inside and one of the faithful will come for the egg. The carriage and giant lizard will be cared for."
The cultist opens the door and sees Serge hunkered down and Ixsas. They give both of them a hard look and then he looks to the lead cultist. The lead cultist nods to let them through without the carriage and Krackle Jr.
If anyone wishes to somehow bring Krackle Jr. through the gate then please roll Persuasion, Intimidation, or Deception DC 15
Sloppy mud covers the stone floor of this large chamber. Planks have been laid from the gateway to the causeway entrance to create a 10-foot-wide raised boardwalk for the cultists. A few tables have been thrown together from planks laid across barrels, with crudely made benches for seats. The tables and benches are nearly as muddy as the floor. The barbican has no windows or arrow slits at ground level. During daytime, bright light is within 20 feet of the open gateway and the open doorway to the causeway. Everywhere else, oil lamps cast only dim light
On the far side of the Barbicon there are stairs that lead up to somewhere.
Here at the Barbicon there is 10 Bullywugs and 2 giant frogs guarding this area.
If the party decides against going up the stairs, then B is a 180 ft open causeway that crosses the mote. There is a small bulge on the south side of the causeway that can be used for defensive purposes.
The causeway has no windows and no roof. It does have a few arrow slits. Looking up you see large stones placed on the second floor ready to release should there be attackers on the causeway.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
((OOC: @weathervision - It sounds like the cultists let us in the castle, but after we leave the carriage, we're proceeding without an escort. That is, we can choose where we want to go once we get to area A, right?
@all - This is mostly just some role play for Ixsas. He's very much "following the lead" of the others.))
The cultist opens the door and sees Serge hunkered down and Ixsas. They give both of them a hard look and then he looks to the lead cultist. The lead cultist nods to let them through without the carriage and Krackle Jr.
Ixsas doesn't mind tricking these cultists, but he is not a tricky or subtle cleric. He doesn't want to give up the ruse, so he just stares silently when the cultist opens the carriage door. He keeps his headscarf wrapped around his head and covering his face up to his bright green eyes so that his scaly skin is not visible. Despite the similarities between lizards and snakes, the Yuan-Ti are said to be genocidal fanatics who slaughter or enslave other creatures, including Lizardfolk. He doesn't want to reveal his heritage when they're around.
When they are taken out of the carriage, Ixsas realizes that the cultists are taking charge of the carriage and Krackle Jr. He looks to Krackle, wondering whether there's going to be trouble. The amulet of Kossuth is visible on Ixsas's chest. This is not a time for proselytizing, but he is unwilling to "hide" his faith. Ixsas figures that these heathens probably wouldn't recognize Kossuth's symbol, or they'd just assume that Kossuth has debased himself to ally with the dragons for some reason.
The characters are at number 6. Continuing on to A The Barbicon
During daytime, bright light is within 20 feet of the open gateway and the open doorway to the causeway. Everywhere else, oil lamps cast only dim light
The dim light is bright enough for Ixsas's darkvision, but the muddy bullywugs look filthy to him. He supposes that the bullywugs could be deadly in large numbers, but it would be a humiliating if the party were defeated by such rabble after besting trolls and wyvern and a lizardfolk sorcerer! As he waits for Zeds and Krackle to lead the way, he looks around to see whether the party is drawing any special attention from the bullywugs.
Ixsas Insight reveals the party gets some passing looks and that the bullywugs feel confident enough to take care of a trouble nearby due to how many bullywugs are here.
Inside the carriage, Serge winces when he hears the question from the lizardfolk.
Of course she recognizes Krackle Junior, he thinks as rolls his eyes. He wonders, briefly, if lizardfolk can speak with giant lizards, and if Krackle Junior might disclose their secret... but then he dismisses the thought before panic can rise in his throat. He goes back to trying his best to remain silent.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
(Always forgetting such! Plus 4 to that Performance then to seem a bit more authentic!)
Krackle will help Zeds by nodding along. "Yes. We have been taking good care of both the egg and mount. We slaughtered those that would harm our eggs and steal from us." He adds... hoping to help sell the story.
The caretaker cocks her head to the side as she brushes a hand against Krackle Jr.'s hide.
"Yes, go ahead and once you reach the front of the castle, I will take this giant lizard so it may be fed are cared for as that is my duty"
The carriage continues onward to the from the castle and a cultist raises his hand to stop the carriage. He looks to Zeds. "The carriage cannot continue beyond this point. Best leave it here. Now dear brother what brings you here this day?"
A second cultist begins walking to the carriage door to open it.
What do you do?
"oh... Uh, well... Yeah ok..." Krackle says hesitantly. "I've grown pretty attached to this lizard here... He has been a great help in getting here to deliver this egg... and I know you will take good care of him." He then looks back towards Zeds and his carriage. "I acquired this carriage as a way to protect the egg as we travel... I hope that it will be well taken care of as well." The kobold says as looks towards the man making his way towards the carriage door.
OOC: So we mentioned that we were all either cultists or mercenaries working for the cultists right? I don't think we have anything bad inside the carriage that they cannot see...
[Inside the carriage, Serge probably can't see that they are approaching? If not, he is still just hunkered down inside, listening to the conversation and wondering if he should step out or not...]
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
((I don't believe we've yet explained who we are, other than Zeds wearing the Dragon Mask and daggers. We got those after we tracked the attackers of Greenest to their temporary staging area? I think we killed someone as we were leaving and got them? Anyway, so we haven't divulged our "backstory" quite yet besides saying we liberated the lizard and the egg from a mercenary band. Nobody asked how many of us were in the cart yet... And I would guess we don't have anything that would give us away? If anything our lack of having stuff may? I ASSUME Serge and Ixsas can hear everything even if not see everything?))
"As I told this one here," Zeds says with a motion to indicate the caretaker who wants to claim the lizard, "We liberated the giant lizard from a band of mercenaries. After Greenest some from the town followed and counter-attacked later after most had vacated. That is where they got the lizard and the egg... Or so they claimed when we interrogated them. We had gotten separated from the main group heading for Baldur's Gate with the spoils, we ran across the mercenaries heading there to try to catch up with the others. We had a few bad turns after Greenest and were trying to keep a low profile but the little one here," indicating Krackle, "spotted a band with a dragon egg. We obviously needed to recover it. We did and questioned them before killing them. I'm afraid we got nothing useful from them besides what I have already told you..."
"This did, however, slow us down further and we missed the rendezvous at Baldur's Gate so have since just been making our way best we can until we find suitable care for the egg... We are wondering if this may be a safer place for it than with ourselves..."
(OOC: I assumed that "carriage" implied that it was at least partially-enclosed but that it also had a way to see out. Maybe just open windows that have a curtain or maybe a shutter to cover them instead of glass. Sort of like this image from a movie set but with a flat roof since Krackle has talked about storing stuff "on top" of the carriage. If that's roughly accurate, then yes, Serge and Ixsas can definitely hear the conversation happening outside the carriage.)
OOC: I assumed it was something like this... but beefier

With glass windows. Krackle was hoping to use this as a house.
(OOC: I assumed that they at least had wooden shutters. For historical comparison, it looks like carriages with glass windows didn't exist in Europe until the very end of the Renaissance period, and they weren't common until the early 1700s. Of course, Toril is not Earth, and D&D usually plays pretty loose with the tech level, so that doesn't mean much. I just wasn't sure how common glass panes are for windows in houses, much less for windows in a carriage.)
[LOL at Krackle.
Most people: Hmmn. That is a reasonable looking carriage.
Krackle: Wow! What a mansion! ]
If Serge can see out of the carriage, then I presume those outside can also see him. So in either case (seen or unseen) he will remain inside until circumstances prompt him to take action or leave.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
(Once again thanks for everyone's patience)
The cultist nods knowingly and looks to the egg "Your deeds are indeed bears merit. Come inside and one of the faithful will come for the egg. The carriage and giant lizard will be cared for."
The cultist opens the door and sees Serge hunkered down and Ixsas. They give both of them a hard look and then he looks to the lead cultist. The lead cultist nods to let them through without the carriage and Krackle Jr.
If anyone wishes to somehow bring Krackle Jr. through the gate then please roll Persuasion, Intimidation, or Deception DC 15
The characters are at number 6.
Continuing on to A
The Barbicon
Sloppy mud covers the stone floor of this large chamber. Planks have been laid from the gateway to the causeway entrance to create a 10-foot-wide raised boardwalk for the cultists. A few tables have been thrown together from planks laid across barrels, with crudely made benches for seats. The tables and benches are nearly as muddy as the floor. The barbican has no windows or arrow slits at ground level. During daytime, bright light is within 20 feet of the open gateway and the open doorway to the causeway. Everywhere else, oil lamps cast only dim light
On the far side of the Barbicon there are stairs that lead up to somewhere.
Here at the Barbicon there is 10 Bullywugs and 2 giant frogs guarding this area.
If the party decides against going up the stairs, then B is a 180 ft open causeway that crosses the mote. There is a small bulge on the south side of the causeway that can be used for defensive purposes.
The causeway has no windows and no roof. It does have a few arrow slits. Looking up you see large stones placed on the second floor ready to release should there be attackers on the causeway.
C The Outer Ward
The ground here was once hard packed earth but the area in front of G has been churned into mud. There are 3 Bullywugs present here
Let me know where the party would like to go?
((OOC: @weathervision - It sounds like the cultists let us in the castle, but after we leave the carriage, we're proceeding without an escort. That is, we can choose where we want to go once we get to area A, right?
@all - This is mostly just some role play for Ixsas. He's very much "following the lead" of the others.))
Ixsas doesn't mind tricking these cultists, but he is not a tricky or subtle cleric. He doesn't want to give up the ruse, so he just stares silently when the cultist opens the carriage door. He keeps his headscarf wrapped around his head and covering his face up to his bright green eyes so that his scaly skin is not visible. Despite the similarities between lizards and snakes, the Yuan-Ti are said to be genocidal fanatics who slaughter or enslave other creatures, including Lizardfolk. He doesn't want to reveal his heritage when they're around.
When they are taken out of the carriage, Ixsas realizes that the cultists are taking charge of the carriage and Krackle Jr. He looks to Krackle, wondering whether there's going to be trouble. The amulet of Kossuth is visible on Ixsas's chest. This is not a time for proselytizing, but he is unwilling to "hide" his faith. Ixsas figures that these heathens probably wouldn't recognize Kossuth's symbol, or they'd just assume that Kossuth has debased himself to ally with the dragons for some reason.
The dim light is bright enough for Ixsas's darkvision, but the muddy bullywugs look filthy to him. He supposes that the bullywugs could be deadly in large numbers, but it would be a humiliating if the party were defeated by such rabble after besting trolls and wyvern and a lizardfolk sorcerer! As he waits for Zeds and Krackle to lead the way, he looks around to see whether the party is drawing any special attention from the bullywugs.
Insight: 21
Yes, you are free to go wherever you want.
Ixsas Insight reveals the party gets some passing looks and that the bullywugs feel confident enough to take care of a trouble nearby due to how many bullywugs are here.