Chronicles of the Accursed Campaign Thread (Group 1)

Even before Zander can answer, Snicker in a loud voice says "Yes! I accept the task to slay the dragon."

Zander says "Yes. I feel that is the best plan. I'm in. "

"Of course you're in, boy." Snicker adds. 

"To be clear. We are not trying to slay the dragon. That's a death sentence. We just need to draw it into a fight so that Mina and Milly can get the sword safely."

Quote from groverbloom >>

"One to get back to the rest of us, one to get away, and a spare in case the plan goes wrong."

...

“No, Delvindra, honey, I must correct you” Duwamilly interjects. "If Yasmina and I were to get back to you all using the cube, we would have to use two charges, because the Gate must be opened on a different dimension than the starting one. Like when we arrived here, remember? I took you through the sacred grove of Mount Celestia. Employing two charges of the cube".

Delvindra furrows her brow and begins chewing on her lower lip.

"Can you open a gate but not come through? One to escape the lair, one to 'open the door' for Cal, Zander, and I, and then one at our destination?"

"Yes, smart kid!" Duwamilly confirms, smiling "That can be done. I can only keep one Gate open at a time, but I can very well open a Gate without going through it. And your idea doesn't require multiple Gates open at the same time. By using the cube to its full potential, we can use three gates one after the other and escape in much less than half a minute".

Yasmina simply shakes her head in disbelief. "If the dragon even comes near you it will kill you all in one breath, just being near it would be suicide. Also, if you die to the dragon we will just have another artefact to retrieve from it's lair so don't even think about sacrificing yourself." She says angrily to the Tiefling. "If we really need a distraction my master will handle that." 

"That's why I don't intend to let it get close. We'll just stir up the kobolds a bit. Make a fuss. Then hide somewhere Glethegar won't find us. Besides, I need Lord Amir to keep you...Lord Amir needs to keep you and Milly safe for the plan to work."

As she speaks, she places a hand on the Half-Elf's shoulder and locks eyes with her, "Don't worry, I have no intention of becoming a martyr today. But if you're really that worried about the artifacts ending up in Glethegar's hoard, take Zander and Cal with you. Worst case is one artifact ends up in a dragon's hoard where Firion can't get to it. Once you destroy the rest of them my ring shouldn't matter."

"Besides, I'm sure WE can start enough fires to convince the kobolds that there's more than one of me," she says with a slightly sinister smile.

Duwamilly leaves the tender couple to define the details of the plan of action; she is an ex-Preceptor, after all, not a gnome of action... And it is nice to see two kid so concerned from the mutual safety.

But at Delvindra's last words (and sinister smile to boot) the gnome cleric can't help but sigh slightly and remember the words that the tiefling had spoken just the day before... 'Bit of a casual attitude towards taking lives, don't you think?'... But perhaps, now, knowing that the Kobolds are actually in cahoots with the Dragon, she has changed her mind. However, the ex-Preceptor would have preferred the original plan, perhaps less elaborate, but in which bloodshed was not expressly contemplated...

"No, Millys plan is sound as it is, don't go and try to complicate it..." Yasmina argues with the Tiefling. "...there is nothing to suggest the blade will be anywhere near the dragon anyway in it's immense lair but we need to stick together to deafeat the other monsters and traps we are likely to run into there. If there is a point where we would really need a distraction for the dragon, Lord Amir will summon an elemental servant to at least delay the dragon, or if we already have the blade he can simply plane shift us out of there."

Delvindra scrutinizes Yasmina's face; looking for any crack in her resolve and, finding none, turns to Duwamilly...quickly realizing it's a lost cause.

"Fine. We stick with the original plan. But you may as well hold on to this," she removes the ring of mind shielding and offers it to Yasmina, "if things go badly it's only going to get in my way."

"For greater safety, let us remember to drink the potions that Lord Matic Akkron has kindly provided us with, just before starting;" Duwamilly recalls "they will help us in case we have bad unexpected encounters. For the rest, kids, let's show what we're made of and we'll get through this time too".

If all decisions are made, the ex-preceptor, while waiting for Lord Amir to be summoned again, asks a small favor from Sulba, the kobold who introduced them (and who should be among the kobolds best disposed towards our... 'dragon-cultist -gnome'): she asks the kobold to leave a copy of the lyrics of her song, meant as a votive offering to Kurtulmak, on her behalf, on the god's altar... or wherever kobolds usually leave votive offerings. "You know," she explains "on the one hand, I'm keen to demonstrate a bit of devotion to your god, who has been at our side during the Trial... but on the other hand, going in person, I'm afraid, as the Great Wyrm Zolgu feared, that some kobold who hates gnomes too much might try to harm me. So... will you do me this small favor?"

Yasmina hestitantly accepts the ring, placing it on her own finger for now, offering the Tiefling a small smile in return.
"I think one of the potions only had short effect so maybe wait with that one until absolutely needed." She comments to the ex-preceptor.

(Ready to proceed with the story I think.)

[[ OOC: yes, whether kobold favor granted or not, Duwamilly ready as soon as Lord Amir is ]]

(Delvindra's ready to move on as well)

(Cal is ready)

(Zander is ready)

Sulba agrees to deliver Duwamilly's offering for her.

It is nearly nightfall when Yasmina's master is able to emerge from the ring again. The kobolds bid the 'dragon devotees' goodbye, and the plan is in motion... it's time to enter the dragon's lair...



Do you summon Lord Amir and begin wind walking right away, or are you going to try to sneak in the good ol' fashioned way?

Duwamilly thanks Sulba, happy with what she managed to do... but she will return to this in her thoughts later. Now it's Dragon's Lair time! Before leaving, she drinks the Potion of Heroism kindly provided by Lord Akkron (since its effect lasts an hour) and advises the others to do the same (so as to be better prepared in case of unexpected encounters... either with the 'host' - hopefully not - or with some guardian or magical effect).

I would say 'wind walking right away'... breezing at high speed, following the Orb's directions, aiming to reach the objective in the shortest time possible (hoping that any guardians we encounter either don't understand what we are as we zoom past them, or in any case aren't fast enough to reach us).

Delvindra opts to save her potion for the time being, but otherwise agrees with Duwamilly's plan.

Yasmina would summon her master Lord Amir and inform him on the plan to retrieve the Luck Blade. She would then drink her potion of Heroism before the djinni transforms the team to wisps of cloud that swiftly (300 feet per round) flies through the ancient ruins in search for the blade.

Yasmina
Stealth: 24
Perception: 5

Lord Amir
Stealth: 19
Perception: 9