While the lich works his magic, Bridgette discreetly pulls Milly aside.
"Duwamilly, was it?" the half-orc says uncertainly. "Hey... um... I just wanted to say 'thanks' real quick... not many people treat my Master like... well... a person. Sometimes it's easy to forget that he was once a man just like any other... even I can fall into that trap of seeing him as something completely different from us."
The spell takes approximately 10 minutes to cast, and when it is done you are all able to see the image of a fort in the lich's silver mirror... one arguably even less inviting than Lord Akkron's. It is clearly designed to repel attacks from all sides, including above, and you cannot imagine how much effort it must have taken to build what was presumably once an ordinary town into an impenetrable dragon-proof stronghold.
Be wary of the people there, Lord Akkron warns. It has been hundreds of years since I last set foot in that town; it is entirely possible that some of its people may serve the dragon.
"Well, no one should have to be a martyr, least of all you..." The red-haired Half-Elf whispers back with a somewhat stern look to the Tiefling beside her. "...so don't you even entertain such thoughts."
Yasmina watches the cold and desolate snowy plain with the ominous fortress shown in the Lich's silvery mirror with a small shudder, donning her newly acquired white winter fur cloak, hoping the inside of the fortress would be warmer than the outside at least. "Thank you for all your help Lord Akkron, we will return with the blade with haste." She says with a graceful curtsy to the Lich, then ready to journey to the cold lands beyond the mirror.
"You're welcome!" Duwamilly replies to the friendly half-orc and she is about to unleash much more of her gnomish words' flows... but the vision in the mirror forces her to focus on their destination... the few informations given... the place where she can open a Gate discreetely...
As soon as she thinks she is ready, she opens a first Gate to a thick forest on one side of an imposing mountain: "Come on kids! A quick trip to Mount Celestia, then all to the frozen land! See you soon, My Lord! And you too Bridgette! Choose a place for the future Garl Glittergold's temple, in the meantime, will you?" she winks "It's high time for the Shaded Isle to start laughing, every now and then..."
As soon as all the accursed are in the forest, the ex-Preceptor eners as well, lets the Gate disappear and promptly opens the new one, on a discreet place of the frozen land, near the stronghold, but out of immediate sight from there: "Let's go kids! Time for winter holidays!"
This time too, as soon as her fellow adventurers set foot on the snow, the gnome cleric enters and lets the Gate vanish into nothingness: "Well..." she sugfests "Let's approach the stronghold and ask for hospitality".
Delvindra starts to whisper something back to Yasmina but, noting her serious tone, thinks better of it...
Still finding herself at a loss for words when facing the Lich directly, Delvindra merely bows her gratitude and offers an Ilmateri gesture of benediction before stepping through Duwamilly's gate.
This time too, as soon as her fellow adventurers set foot on the snow, the gnome cleric enters and lets the Gate vanish into nothingness: "Well..." she sugfests "Let's approach the stronghold and ask for hospitality".
"Yes, let's hope we don't get a cold reception," the Tiefling quips, looking from Yasmina to Duwamilly in the hopes that at least one of them appreciates her painful attempt at humor.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Yasmina freezes up and cringes at Delvindra's and Milly's exchange. She did appreciate and did want to encourage the Tiefling to loosen up, but unfortunately word puns were not quite her cup of ice tea. She decides to stay silent on the matter though, pulling her white fur cloak closer and follow the others, the invisible Al-Asfeh fluttering up and ahead, keeping a way eye out for threats.
Al-Asfeh doesn't notice anything out of the ordinary...
Meanwhile... 16
Zander looks around, and notices little tracks in the snow, as if something scurried away as the gate opened. There are some rocks and pine trees nearby, which the creatures presumably scurried behind when you appeared. It isn't unlikely that they are watching you now...
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Duwamilly, not having noticed the traces of possible spies at the moment, is instead preparing for the 'reception'... and, in the hope of making it less 'cold', she mutters a short oration to Garl Glittergold to make the already usually convincing Yasmina even more convincing. She also stands by her, ready to lend her support during the upcoming conversation with the Stronghold guards.
[[ OOC: Aiming to give Yasmina Help and a +1d4 to boot in her upcoming interaction with the guards ]]
Yasmina sends the invisible Al-Asfeh to take a closer look at what is hiding behind the rocks and pine trees.
Al-Asfeh perception: 6
I feel like, now that you know there's something there, it probably isn't necessary to roll Perception for an invisible familiar checking it out.
The familiar reports back that it saw six kobolds. One is cautiously watching the party while the others are slowly disappearing into a cleft in one of the rocks (and presumably from there into an underground cave).
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Al-Asfeh quickly reports back to Yasmina who in turn informs the team of what was seen. "Should we bother with some pesky kobolds or should we be on our way? How are you holding out Cal, would your rod be satiated with kobold souls?" The red-haired Half-Elf asks.
"Into what, the fortress? Or the dragon's lair?" The red-haired Half-Elf asks quizzically. "The kobolds could be servants of Glethegar though, maybe we should carch one for some questioning?" She suggests with a shrug.
"Bit of a casual attitude towards taking lives, don't you think? All they've done is take shelter from a few strangers who just showed up through a dimensional gate. I'd be cautious to, if the tables were turned."
She begins to stride calmly but confidently towards the look out, a friendly smile on her face.
"You two feel free to argue the merits of kidnapping versus slaughter. I'm going to go over and say hello," she calls back before casting a glance at Milly.
Duwamilly was so intent on thinking of a joke to cheer up the Stronghold guards and gain access more easily, that it took her a while to refocus her thoughts on the spies.
"Well, Delvindra, honey," the ex-preceptor sighs "I understand Yasmina and Cal's instinctive distrust... Kobolds are usually on good terms with dragons, so there's a really good chance that those who are spying on us... are doing it on behalf of the dragon Glethegar!"
"But you already know that I'm not particularly fond of violence, so yes," the gnome cleric smiles and steps beside her (though holding her teaching wand at the ready) "the way of dialogue should be our first attempt. Perhaps, if we prove ourselves friendly and if we don't explain what we really need it for, they could get us the dragon scale with which to play our little innocent prank..."
While the lich works his magic, Bridgette discreetly pulls Milly aside.
"Duwamilly, was it?" the half-orc says uncertainly. "Hey... um... I just wanted to say 'thanks' real quick... not many people treat my Master like... well... a person. Sometimes it's easy to forget that he was once a man just like any other... even I can fall into that trap of seeing him as something completely different from us."
The spell takes approximately 10 minutes to cast, and when it is done you are all able to see the image of a fort in the lich's silver mirror... one arguably even less inviting than Lord Akkron's. It is clearly designed to repel attacks from all sides, including above, and you cannot imagine how much effort it must have taken to build what was presumably once an ordinary town into an impenetrable dragon-proof stronghold.
Be wary of the people there, Lord Akkron warns. It has been hundreds of years since I last set foot in that town; it is entirely possible that some of its people may serve the dragon.
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"Well, no one should have to be a martyr, least of all you..." The red-haired Half-Elf whispers back with a somewhat stern look to the Tiefling beside her. "...so don't you even entertain such thoughts."
Yasmina watches the cold and desolate snowy plain with the ominous fortress shown in the Lich's silvery mirror with a small shudder, donning her newly acquired white winter fur cloak, hoping the inside of the fortress would be warmer than the outside at least. "Thank you for all your help Lord Akkron, we will return with the blade with haste." She says with a graceful curtsy to the Lich, then ready to journey to the cold lands beyond the mirror.
"You're welcome!" Duwamilly replies to the friendly half-orc and she is about to unleash much more of her gnomish words' flows... but the vision in the mirror forces her to focus on their destination... the few informations given... the place where she can open a Gate discreetely...
As soon as she thinks she is ready, she opens a first Gate to a thick forest on one side of an imposing mountain: "Come on kids! A quick trip to Mount Celestia, then all to the frozen land! See you soon, My Lord! And you too Bridgette! Choose a place for the future Garl Glittergold's temple, in the meantime, will you?" she winks "It's high time for the Shaded Isle to start laughing, every now and then..."
As soon as all the accursed are in the forest, the ex-Preceptor eners as well, lets the Gate disappear and promptly opens the new one, on a discreet place of the frozen land, near the stronghold, but out of immediate sight from there: "Let's go kids! Time for winter holidays!"
This time too, as soon as her fellow adventurers set foot on the snow, the gnome cleric enters and lets the Gate vanish into nothingness: "Well..." she sugfests "Let's approach the stronghold and ask for hospitality".
Delvindra starts to whisper something back to Yasmina but, noting her serious tone, thinks better of it...
Still finding herself at a loss for words when facing the Lich directly, Delvindra merely bows her gratitude and offers an Ilmateri gesture of benediction before stepping through Duwamilly's gate.
"Yes, let's hope we don't get a cold reception," the Tiefling quips, looking from Yasmina to Duwamilly in the hopes that at least one of them appreciates her painful attempt at humor.
Duwamilly laugh surprised but wholeheartedly at the tiefling's first display of humor: "Indeed! I'd hate if we need draconian measures to enter!"
Delvindra smiles at the Preceptor's response, tries to think of a retort, and decides that she's simply not witty enough to banter with the Duwamilly.
Pulling the cloak more tightly around herself, Didi begins to trek towards the impressive stronghold.
Yasmina freezes up and cringes at Delvindra's and Milly's exchange. She did appreciate and did want to encourage the Tiefling to loosen up, but unfortunately word puns were not quite her cup of ice tea. She decides to stay silent on the matter though, pulling her white fur cloak closer and follow the others, the invisible Al-Asfeh fluttering up and ahead, keeping a way eye out for threats.
Al-Asfeh perception: 11
Zander scans the area
Perception: 18
D&D since 1984
Al-Asfeh doesn't notice anything out of the ordinary...
Meanwhile... 11
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Zander looks around, and notices little tracks in the snow, as if something scurried away as the gate opened. There are some rocks and pine trees nearby, which the creatures presumably scurried behind when you appeared. It isn't unlikely that they are watching you now...
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
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Duwamilly, not having noticed the traces of possible spies at the moment, is instead preparing for the 'reception'... and, in the hope of making it less 'cold', she mutters a short oration to Garl Glittergold to make the already usually convincing Yasmina even more convincing. She also stands by her, ready to lend her support during the upcoming conversation with the Stronghold guards.
[[ OOC: Aiming to give Yasmina Help and a +1d4 to boot in her upcoming interaction with the guards ]]
Zander points out the tracks and keeps an eye out for would-be attackers.
D&D since 1984
Yasmina sends the invisible Al-Asfeh to take a closer look at what is hiding behind the rocks and pine trees.
Al-Asfeh perception: 13
I feel like, now that you know there's something there, it probably isn't necessary to roll Perception for an invisible familiar checking it out.
The familiar reports back that it saw six kobolds. One is cautiously watching the party while the others are slowly disappearing into a cleft in one of the rocks (and presumably from there into an underground cave).
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Al-Asfeh quickly reports back to Yasmina who in turn informs the team of what was seen. "Should we bother with some pesky kobolds or should we be on our way? How are you holding out Cal, would your rod be satiated with kobold souls?" The red-haired Half-Elf asks.
Zander adds "That could be a way in."
D&D since 1984
"Into what, the fortress? Or the dragon's lair?" The red-haired Half-Elf asks quizzically. "The kobolds could be servants of Glethegar though, maybe we should carch one for some questioning?" She suggests with a shrug.
"I am doing well at the moment but I don't know how long it will last. I am willing to fight whatever is needed." Cal says calmly.
Delvindra scowls a bit at Yasmina and Cal.
"Bit of a casual attitude towards taking lives, don't you think? All they've done is take shelter from a few strangers who just showed up through a dimensional gate. I'd be cautious to, if the tables were turned."
She begins to stride calmly but confidently towards the look out, a friendly smile on her face.
"You two feel free to argue the merits of kidnapping versus slaughter. I'm going to go over and say hello," she calls back before casting a glance at Milly.
"Are you coming?"
Duwamilly was so intent on thinking of a joke to cheer up the Stronghold guards and gain access more easily, that it took her a while to refocus her thoughts on the spies.
"Well, Delvindra, honey," the ex-preceptor sighs "I understand Yasmina and Cal's instinctive distrust... Kobolds are usually on good terms with dragons, so there's a really good chance that those who are spying on us... are doing it on behalf of the dragon Glethegar!"
"But you already know that I'm not particularly fond of violence, so yes," the gnome cleric smiles and steps beside her (though holding her teaching wand at the ready) "the way of dialogue should be our first attempt. Perhaps, if we prove ourselves friendly and if we don't explain what we really need it for, they could get us the dragon scale with which to play our little innocent prank..."