The guard captain looks at you and unemotionally states, "Fine. The Duke has entrusted her to you thus far and we will follow his treaties. Please remain behind the procession. No harm can come to us in here. What sort of nuisances or ambushes did you encounter?"
He turns and each guard around him turns quickly on his heels and keeps a barrier down the passageway. Walking three abreast with the guard in the rear of their procession next to Lady Rhea, they make an impressive sight. Their well-wrought and well cared for chain shines orange in the torchlight, but the guard captain has a plate breast piece with gold filigree and, now that you are walking in with them, a large, embossed 'A', in gold, on the back of his armor. The man has a very dark complexion and only part of his face and his neck can be seen beneath the shining metal. Lady Rhea keeps her head down, but seems content, as you walk forward.
The path winds for about 100 feet before becoming a perfectly rectangular hallway. The naturally occurring stone gives way to cut bricks and stonework that feels an abrupt change to the cave-like entrance tunnel. The path only takes 90 degree turns now, and the footsteps of your procession echo loudly off the tan bricks. Another 200 feet of labyrinthine stone halls leads you to a set of stairs that culminate in a large, wooden double door. It has 4 locks (2 to each door) on it in black iron and the banding of the door, though also black iron, appears to be gleaming off the torches. A large, silver chain runs from wall to wall, taught against the door and the Guard Captain strides forward and murmurs something before it unlatches. He is standing with his back to you all, the chain about chest height, and holds it while he speaks. You could not see in what way or how he removed it.
"Through here is the family quarters of the castle. Please be courteous of the Duke's family and enter only where indicated," the Guard Captain states, turning back to you. He opens the door to a large, grey stonework hall, with a vaulted ceiling and doors lining both sides. He takes a step in and the procession clanks on behind him, militantly. At the end of the hall is a single stone door, which he opens to reveal a simple room, lit by a fireplace and with basic seating arranged about it. There appear to be no other exits, and the Duke and Duchess are sitting in front of the fire, holding hands, and chatting quietly. The guards enter the room and fan out, with the Captain nearest the door. The couple look up and see them, and their eyes dart to Lady Rhea and they both heave heavy sighs and stand.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM "Journey Unto Chaos!" DM "Hoard of the Dragon Queen" Roondar Stumbleduck Ningel - Gnome Bard lv 1 "Scourge of the North"
Kynortas walks forward, "My Lord, your Ladyship, we have returned your daughter here to you as requested. Unfortunately, with some difficulty. We were assailed in several places on our road to recovering her. Assaulted by undead, assassins on the road here, and magical fiends of some sort on the cliffside path. Despite all of that we are here and happy to have done our duty in returning the Lady Rhea unharmed." As he speaks he attempts to read the reactions of the Duke and Duchess. Hearing of undead and magical fiends would normally raise anyone's eyebrows in surprise.
Fizzbang watches the budding conflict in front of him. Pelor’s flaming phalanges, he wasn’t about to let Jalud and his thugs bully and intimidate any longer!
and, Fizzbang thought with glee, he had just the right trick for the job. Reaching into his cloak, Fizzbang closed his hands around the Deck of Illusions that Eyani had gifted him. “Time to see if this works.” He whispered. Fizzbang pulled a card, the King of Hearts. Perfect.
Fizzbang tossed the card to the ground. Instantly, an illusion springs to life! A Knight and four guards, clad in the Duke’s livery.
Aracynth stood to one side, between Tharin and the Guards and watched the reunion. He tapped into his Divine Sense once more to verify the safety of this room.
Fizzbang: Jalud glances over and sees, suddenly, a knight, four guards, and a dwarf on a pony bearing down at him. He stammers several half words before finally saying “I told ya, Merck, that we already got apples this morning and you can’t have any more!” As he blurts this he slugs the man next to him and pushes the other away, leading them down the nearest alleyway and out of sight.
”Well, Master Dwarf, that was quite the trick! I’m impressed and thankful you dropped by!” Eyani giggles. “May I have your name, good knight?” She asks and mockingly passes her right hand through the arm of your illusion.
The app,e salesman is thoroughly confused at the whole ordeal.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM "Journey Unto Chaos!" DM "Hoard of the Dragon Queen" Roondar Stumbleduck Ningel - Gnome Bard lv 1 "Scourge of the North"
The Duchess suddenly bursts into tears and rushes to her daughter as the Duke breathes a deep sigh and slumps back into his chair. You can hear mixed sentences from the two women of ‘missed you’, ‘thought the worst’, and ‘so scared’. The Duke turns to you and regards you all with wet eyes saying, “Thank you, so much, for returning our daughter. How came you about her whereabouts? Did you learn anything of her disappearance?”
Aracynth: You glean a faint blue sense about the two women and no distinct color from the Duke. The guards all appear as a dull grey as well as Bartimus Oglethorn III.
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DM "Journey Unto Chaos!" DM "Hoard of the Dragon Queen" Roondar Stumbleduck Ningel - Gnome Bard lv 1 "Scourge of the North"
"We spoke kindly with the Duke Armitage and asked for his assistance. He recognized the plight as a fellow father and also shared concern. He led us to his son, where the Lady Rhea was firmly entrenched in his arms by what seemed to be her own accord. Upon closer inspection it was revealed that the Lady was under a powerful curse making her behave against her will, to what end we are still unsure. Maybe to drive a wedge between yourself Duke Oglethorn, and your old companion Duke Armitage. I would like to relay that the Duke was both outraged at what happened to the Lady Rhea and also saddened at what has happened to your friendship. I witnessed his feelings for the Lady myself, and I can tell you honestly I do not think him capable of hurting her. Both the Duke Armitage and his son care for the Lady Rhea in their own way. They entrusted the Lady's safe return to us, which turned out to be more complicated a task than we anticipated. During our effort to cure her of the curse we were beset upon by undead creatures, one of them appeared to be a risen horse lord of old. On our return trip we were attacked by assassins. Lastly on our route up the cliff we were attacked by magical imp like creatures that tried to stop our return. One of those imp creatures mentioned something about a master. My Lord I am unsure what is going on here, but someone here worked hard to ensure the Lady would not be able to return, possibly attempted to start a fight between you and Duke Armitage, and most likely destabilize the area. Whomever they are, they are intelligent, working with foul creatures, and very cleverly manipulating everyone involved with this entire debacle." Kynortas finished his report while standing at ease. He again kept a cool look around the room. His shield still in his hand, it's eye working in conjunction with his. He looked around the room attempting to see if there were any reactions to any of his story anywhere around the room, hoping to see something of a betrayal of intent on someone's face.
Fizzbang grinned at Eyani and dismissed the illusion around himself and of the knights, picking the card up from the ground and returning it to the deck. “Happy to assist! It’s been a strange few days and I haven’t had the chance to pull nearly as many tricks! Did you see Jalud run? His pants looked as spiked as the fourth layer of the abyss!”
”how have things been in the city since I’ve been away? Secret mission for the Duke and all that, no big deal. I’ve seen a few strange things on the road, dangerous things, and I don’t completely trust any of what’s been going on.”
The Duke stares at Kynortas intently, listening carefully to his story. A single eyebrow rises at the mention of the undead Horse Lord, but his face belies little other than frustration, worry, and some anger at the mention of his relationship with the Duke Armitage. After the report is finished he squints at Kynortas and nods slowly. His eyes seem to pierce further than one would expect from someone so calm on the outside. "Yes. Someone certainly wanted to take my daughter from me... Parts of your story worry me, soldier. And not just the fiends and undead you encountered... You said the Duke knew where she was and readily led you to her? Why you? Why not my guards when they ventured forth? Why did the Marquess not lead her home? This concerns me greatly. You have no idea what that barbarian is capable of, young man. I've seen him rip foes in half while in a rage; I've seen him demolish one platoon of armored soldiers with his greatsword... He is indeed capable of harm, despite his amiable nature. Do not be deceived by niceties, he has a powerful rage building that could destroy much." He looks away briefly and locks eyes with the Duchess, still clutching Rhea, but nearer the fireside now.
"That is an old feud, my friends. Do not trouble yourself with it. Now, about these fiends and monsters you encountered... The bandits are somewhat normal on the roadside. They try to raid merchant vessels and caravans traveling the road and loot what they can. I take it they were dispatched? Please, explain your encounters in some more detail. Otherwise, I cannot express my gratitude properly for returning the Lady Rhea to us! This curse is concerning as well... could you not discern its nature? What clues do you have? I have some arcane knowledge and may be able to deduce its origin if I recognize the signs."
The guards do not twitch, move, or speak. They are rigid and staring at the door or straight ahead of their positions. The Lady and Duchess seem to be calming, but are still embracing tightly in front of the fire. The Duke is standing taught beside them, his hands clenched into fists, which is the only outward sign you can see of his frustration, fear, and anger.
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DM "Journey Unto Chaos!" DM "Hoard of the Dragon Queen" Roondar Stumbleduck Ningel - Gnome Bard lv 1 "Scourge of the North"
Eyani looks up at you, her eyes widening, "Fizzbang?! Holy harpy feathers that was amazing!" She laughs heartily and strides over to your pony, stroking its nose and looking up at you. "Of course I saw that! Jalud has never run so fast in his life! I'm surprised he even had the ability to say something he was sweating so badly!" She laughs.
"Secret mission, huh?" she smirks, one eyebrow raised in curiosity. "Well, if you left after the tournament the only things that've changed would be that I haven't seen you or your odd friends lately. People didn't really miss you... sorry to say... Well... maybe some of us did, but that's beside the point!" She hastily finishes. "Anyway," she looks down and shakes her head, "I think the only thing I've noticed is there have been odd rumors. I haven't seen anything personally, but some say the shadows move at night... Silly talk if you ask me. Probably a new illusionist moving in on your turf! Oh, and the Duke was seen in town again yesterday. Nobody had seen him around much, except the tourney. But yesterday he wandered right into Roderick's Inn and chatted with him for a while. All I know, friend!"
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DM "Journey Unto Chaos!" DM "Hoard of the Dragon Queen" Roondar Stumbleduck Ningel - Gnome Bard lv 1 "Scourge of the North"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Duke Oglethorn, et al.,
Aracynth stepped forward a pace to address the Duke, "While it is not my business how you and Duke Armitage grew distant, I can assure you, he absolutely never intended the Lady harm. He only insisted that she remain in his care until he could relieve her of the curse. As to that matter, the curse appeared to be some incredibly powerful charm that made the Lady enamored with the Marquess. In fact, I doubt that any of us could have separated them without inflicting severe emotional trauma upon her. Duke Armitage was able to lift the curse with a tincture he crafted from the Mane's Braid root, which we retrieved from Ysmir's Rest deep within the Huntsman's Dream.
The Duke Armitage was also deeply concerned by this string of events, and claims to have issued forth his own guard several days prior to our arrival to notify you of the Lady's whereabouts and condition, though he never received a return message. Is it possible that some other Evil force is at work here? One that seeks to undermine your trust, and divide you further against the Duke Armitage?
You sent guards to reclaim your daughter before us, yes? Did they ever return?
Furthermore," Aracynth turns to the Lady Rhea and her mother, "the Lady told us before we returned here, that the last memory she could recall was of drinking some wine before setting out to ride with the Marquess. Isn't that correct, My Lady? If we could perhaps interview the steward who served her that morning, they may be able to offer further leads in this very troubling matter.
I also vaguely recall you mentioned something of blackmail the morning we left Ibben," the Dragonborn addresses the Duke once more, "is that messenger still available as well? It seems very out of character for either the Duke or his son to have issued such an ultimatum."
The Duke cocks his head to the left while listening to Aracynth, showing little emotion. He nods at the mention of the curse, and huffs at the mention of interviewing his stewards. "Well, my presumptuous Dragonborn, do not forget it was myself who hired you to investigate! Do you not think I asked my own staff what they had seen?! She had been missing two weeks when your arrogant band arrived!" The Duke retorts, his voice rising slightly.
"Bart," the Duchess chimes easily, "Forgive the man. You hired him, as you said, to investigate. They are investigating..."
The Duke closes his eyes and lets out a slow, heavy breath. "Yes. My apologies. My temper is short these days, but you have been true to your word. My server, Jorace, will be in shortly. You can ask him questions when he arrives, or meet him privately if you so choose. He has been in my employ for nigh on 12 season cycles, so we know him well. We did have wine with brunch that morning, as is our occasional whim. None of the rest of us were effected, however, by this... love potion, so to speak... If you so choose you may interview the guards that brought you here. They were the small group I sent to Cloverdown. They returned with word that Duke Reznik Armitage knew NOT of the Lady Rhea's whereabouts... Again, they are men I trust, elsewise they would not be in my employ so close to my family...
"As for blackmail and my enemies that could, as you say, play both sides? There are few. The machinations of Ptolemos, our capital city to the south, are many, though, and it's possible there are some connections that are less than friendly. I do not know of any public necromancers, however, that would use summons or undead to do their bidding and drive a wedge into our thin ties to Cloverdown. I ask that you investigate that if and when you get the chance as well. Do what you must, but know that if you accuse myself or the Duchess directly or indirectly again I will not take so Kindly and will not heed my wife's kind words." The Duke finishes and looks all three of you in the eyes briefly. "Jorace will also have your reward. Please, leave us be for a time. I would like to spend time with my family," he states and turns toward the fire and his wife and daughter.
The guards turn toward you and clack their heels, forming a short corridor of six men that lead to the door. The captain looks back at you and says, "Once Jorace arrives we will escort you to the main hall. You may remain there to conduct your interviews and the Duke will send for you if necessary, or we can relay messages to him in turn."
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DM "Journey Unto Chaos!" DM "Hoard of the Dragon Queen" Roondar Stumbleduck Ningel - Gnome Bard lv 1 "Scourge of the North"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"My apologies if I have offended you, My Lord." The Paladin bowed deeply to the nobles before him. "We will do our utmost to discover the truth of this matter. Thank you for your hospitality and patience with us." He bowed slightly once more, considering the emphasis the Duchess had spoken with, "My Ladies." As he lifted his head, he scanned the room around him surreptitiously, before turning and following the Captain out of of the chambers.
"Good Captain," he began as they walked, "Could you please tell us of your encounter with Duke Armitage when you were sent to retrieve the Lady Rhea? I mean you no dishonor by asking, and doubtless you acted with the utmost courtesy and fealty to your Lord, but still I wish to hear all sides of the matter. Please tell us."
Moving shadows? Another illusionist? Normally Fizzbang wouldn’t think too much of it, but he’d seen too many strange things recently. Still, the city seemed to be in a decent sorts. Best meet back up with the others, hopefully they had seen a little difficulty as he had.
As you turn to leave Eyani holds out her hand, a halting signal. "Wait, Fizzbang," she says, "Please don't think I'm just passing off rumors... There is the Assassin's Guild, which we're both aware of. I'm sure they'd have magic users. If you can't tell me what the Duke is having you do, at least let me give you a spell book on your way back through. I don't have it on me, but stop by and I'll sell you one for half price if what you are doing helps the town."
The apple merchant, rather shocked by the whole ordeal, smiles and waves at you and hastily packs up his wares and leaves in a rush.
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DM "Journey Unto Chaos!" DM "Hoard of the Dragon Queen" Roondar Stumbleduck Ningel - Gnome Bard lv 1 "Scourge of the North"
Tharin watches and listens closely. He bristles at the mention of Ptolemos, but agrees that the criminal underworld there has many ties, and it is more than likely that their tendrils have made it this far north. As he is dismissed, Tharin bows shortly to the assembled nobles, then waits for Jorace to arrive.
"My lord, I thank you for your candidness. Accusing you is beyond reproach, and I assure you that these good men have had but a minor dialect difficulty. I'll see to it that they are accustomed to the language of this region. If you have further need of our services, we are your faithful servants."
Once the servant arrives to take the party to the main hall, Tharin stays at the back of the group, keeping an eye on the other two, to make sure he can intercept any further possible slights against the duke. His task done, he awaits for his reward; a way to Ptolemos in secret.
As the guards leave the room with you, closing the door, Jorace stands just outside. He is an older man, with only a halo of hair on his scalp marked heavily with blemishes and freckles. He stands slightly stooped, his shoulders and neck hunched forward from age and extensive bending. His arms are cradling a large, wooden box, which seems to be well laden, at least for the old man. He nods slowly and smiles at you all, his voice barely above a whisper. "Good evening, gentlemen. My Duke has said these are to be presented to you upon your return with Lady Rhea." He stretches out his small, frail arms and hands the box to whomever plucks it first. "Inside are your treasures as thanks," he smiles and turns away.
The guards and Jorace walk you to the main yard, speaking with Aracynth along the way. Night is just falling and the shadows in the courtyard are long in the dusk. The captain glances about the night sky, remembering, "Good dragon, we did as we were instructed. We mounted and rode hard to Cloverdown as soon as Duke Oglethorn heard of Lady Rhea's supposed whereabouts. We were met well, the Duke Armitage greeting us warmly as always. We inquired about our Lady and he stated he had no information for us. When pressed further he became agitated and asked us, very kindly, to leave. We left knowing no more than when we arrived."
Fizzbang:
Heading up to the castle as night begins to fall, a watchmen lets you in (only on account: "Oi, aren't you that squatter what won in the tournament?") and you sit atop the pony in the center of the courtyard. Just before a guard comes over to ask your business and escort you in or out depending on your answer, you see 6 guards, a small, hunched old man, and your companions exit the front door of the castle and walk into the courtyard a bit before stopping and chatting.
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DM "Journey Unto Chaos!" DM "Hoard of the Dragon Queen" Roondar Stumbleduck Ningel - Gnome Bard lv 1 "Scourge of the North"
"Thank you, Captain. That sounds indeed like Duke Reznik Armitage as we met him. Please maintain a vigilant watch, and send for us if you should need. This has been a trying ordeal for everyone, though I fear whomever is truly behind these events has only just begun to play their hand. We shall return when we have news or business otherwise."
The Paladin then turns to address the servant Jorace, retrieving the laden box as he does so. "Thank you, Jorace. Would you be able to meet with us again tomorrow? I would like you to recount the morning of the Lady Rhea's departure, but the night is growing fast, and we have had a long day already. What time tomorrow might you be available to talk?"
Aracynth, Kynortas, and Tharin:
The guard captain looks at you and unemotionally states, "Fine. The Duke has entrusted her to you thus far and we will follow his treaties. Please remain behind the procession. No harm can come to us in here. What sort of nuisances or ambushes did you encounter?"
He turns and each guard around him turns quickly on his heels and keeps a barrier down the passageway. Walking three abreast with the guard in the rear of their procession next to Lady Rhea, they make an impressive sight. Their well-wrought and well cared for chain shines orange in the torchlight, but the guard captain has a plate breast piece with gold filigree and, now that you are walking in with them, a large, embossed 'A', in gold, on the back of his armor. The man has a very dark complexion and only part of his face and his neck can be seen beneath the shining metal. Lady Rhea keeps her head down, but seems content, as you walk forward.
The path winds for about 100 feet before becoming a perfectly rectangular hallway. The naturally occurring stone gives way to cut bricks and stonework that feels an abrupt change to the cave-like entrance tunnel. The path only takes 90 degree turns now, and the footsteps of your procession echo loudly off the tan bricks. Another 200 feet of labyrinthine stone halls leads you to a set of stairs that culminate in a large, wooden double door. It has 4 locks (2 to each door) on it in black iron and the banding of the door, though also black iron, appears to be gleaming off the torches. A large, silver chain runs from wall to wall, taught against the door and the Guard Captain strides forward and murmurs something before it unlatches. He is standing with his back to you all, the chain about chest height, and holds it while he speaks. You could not see in what way or how he removed it.
"Through here is the family quarters of the castle. Please be courteous of the Duke's family and enter only where indicated," the Guard Captain states, turning back to you. He opens the door to a large, grey stonework hall, with a vaulted ceiling and doors lining both sides. He takes a step in and the procession clanks on behind him, militantly. At the end of the hall is a single stone door, which he opens to reveal a simple room, lit by a fireplace and with basic seating arranged about it. There appear to be no other exits, and the Duke and Duchess are sitting in front of the fire, holding hands, and chatting quietly. The guards enter the room and fan out, with the Captain nearest the door. The couple look up and see them, and their eyes dart to Lady Rhea and they both heave heavy sighs and stand.
DM "Journey Unto Chaos!"
DM "Hoard of the Dragon Queen"
Roondar Stumbleduck Ningel - Gnome Bard lv 1 "Scourge of the North"
Tharin moves into the room and takes up a spot so he can clearly see the exit and the others in the room.
Kynortas walks forward, "My Lord, your Ladyship, we have returned your daughter here to you as requested. Unfortunately, with some difficulty. We were assailed in several places on our road to recovering her. Assaulted by undead, assassins on the road here, and magical fiends of some sort on the cliffside path. Despite all of that we are here and happy to have done our duty in returning the Lady Rhea unharmed." As he speaks he attempts to read the reactions of the Duke and Duchess. Hearing of undead and magical fiends would normally raise anyone's eyebrows in surprise.
Insight: 8
By examining them you see that they are a rather obvious mix of relieved, concerned, and not intent on you or the other two, but their daughter.
Aracynth, Kynortas, and Tharin ^^
DM "Journey Unto Chaos!"
DM "Hoard of the Dragon Queen"
Roondar Stumbleduck Ningel - Gnome Bard lv 1 "Scourge of the North"
Fizzbang watches the budding conflict in front of him. Pelor’s flaming phalanges, he wasn’t about to let Jalud and his thugs bully and intimidate any longer!
and, Fizzbang thought with glee, he had just the right trick for the job. Reaching into his cloak, Fizzbang closed his hands around the Deck of Illusions that Eyani had gifted him. “Time to see if this works.” He whispered. Fizzbang pulled a card, the King of Hearts. Perfect.
Fizzbang tossed the card to the ground. Instantly, an illusion springs to life! A Knight and four guards, clad in the Duke’s livery.
Lets see Jalud deal with that!
Aracynth stood to one side, between Tharin and the Guards and watched the reunion. He tapped into his Divine Sense once more to verify the safety of this room.
Perception : 3
My Characters:
Aracynth - Level 2 Dragonborn Paladin - Wins : 4 - Journey Unto Chaos
Kyros - Level 1 Dragonborn Fighter - Wins : 9 - Unconscious : 1 - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
Fizzbang: Jalud glances over and sees, suddenly, a knight, four guards, and a dwarf on a pony bearing down at him. He stammers several half words before finally saying “I told ya, Merck, that we already got apples this morning and you can’t have any more!” As he blurts this he slugs the man next to him and pushes the other away, leading them down the nearest alleyway and out of sight.
”Well, Master Dwarf, that was quite the trick! I’m impressed and thankful you dropped by!” Eyani giggles. “May I have your name, good knight?” She asks and mockingly passes her right hand through the arm of your illusion.
The app,e salesman is thoroughly confused at the whole ordeal.
DM "Journey Unto Chaos!"
DM "Hoard of the Dragon Queen"
Roondar Stumbleduck Ningel - Gnome Bard lv 1 "Scourge of the North"
Aracynth, Kynortas, Tharin:
The Duchess suddenly bursts into tears and rushes to her daughter as the Duke breathes a deep sigh and slumps back into his chair. You can hear mixed sentences from the two women of ‘missed you’, ‘thought the worst’, and ‘so scared’. The Duke turns to you and regards you all with wet eyes saying, “Thank you, so much, for returning our daughter. How came you about her whereabouts? Did you learn anything of her disappearance?”
Aracynth: You glean a faint blue sense about the two women and no distinct color from the Duke. The guards all appear as a dull grey as well as Bartimus Oglethorn III.
DM "Journey Unto Chaos!"
DM "Hoard of the Dragon Queen"
Roondar Stumbleduck Ningel - Gnome Bard lv 1 "Scourge of the North"
"We spoke kindly with the Duke Armitage and asked for his assistance. He recognized the plight as a fellow father and also shared concern. He led us to his son, where the Lady Rhea was firmly entrenched in his arms by what seemed to be her own accord. Upon closer inspection it was revealed that the Lady was under a powerful curse making her behave against her will, to what end we are still unsure. Maybe to drive a wedge between yourself Duke Oglethorn, and your old companion Duke Armitage. I would like to relay that the Duke was both outraged at what happened to the Lady Rhea and also saddened at what has happened to your friendship. I witnessed his feelings for the Lady myself, and I can tell you honestly I do not think him capable of hurting her. Both the Duke Armitage and his son care for the Lady Rhea in their own way. They entrusted the Lady's safe return to us, which turned out to be more complicated a task than we anticipated. During our effort to cure her of the curse we were beset upon by undead creatures, one of them appeared to be a risen horse lord of old. On our return trip we were attacked by assassins. Lastly on our route up the cliff we were attacked by magical imp like creatures that tried to stop our return. One of those imp creatures mentioned something about a master. My Lord I am unsure what is going on here, but someone here worked hard to ensure the Lady would not be able to return, possibly attempted to start a fight between you and Duke Armitage, and most likely destabilize the area. Whomever they are, they are intelligent, working with foul creatures, and very cleverly manipulating everyone involved with this entire debacle." Kynortas finished his report while standing at ease. He again kept a cool look around the room. His shield still in his hand, it's eye working in conjunction with his. He looked around the room attempting to see if there were any reactions to any of his story anywhere around the room, hoping to see something of a betrayal of intent on someone's face.
Perception: 13
Fizzbang grinned at Eyani and dismissed the illusion around himself and of the knights, picking the card up from the ground and returning it to the deck. “Happy to assist! It’s been a strange few days and I haven’t had the chance to pull nearly as many tricks! Did you see Jalud run? His pants looked as spiked as the fourth layer of the abyss!”
”how have things been in the city since I’ve been away? Secret mission for the Duke and all that, no big deal. I’ve seen a few strange things on the road, dangerous things, and I don’t completely trust any of what’s been going on.”
Aracynth/Kynortas/Tharin:
The Duke stares at Kynortas intently, listening carefully to his story. A single eyebrow rises at the mention of the undead Horse Lord, but his face belies little other than frustration, worry, and some anger at the mention of his relationship with the Duke Armitage. After the report is finished he squints at Kynortas and nods slowly. His eyes seem to pierce further than one would expect from someone so calm on the outside. "Yes. Someone certainly wanted to take my daughter from me... Parts of your story worry me, soldier. And not just the fiends and undead you encountered... You said the Duke knew where she was and readily led you to her? Why you? Why not my guards when they ventured forth? Why did the Marquess not lead her home? This concerns me greatly. You have no idea what that barbarian is capable of, young man. I've seen him rip foes in half while in a rage; I've seen him demolish one platoon of armored soldiers with his greatsword... He is indeed capable of harm, despite his amiable nature. Do not be deceived by niceties, he has a powerful rage building that could destroy much." He looks away briefly and locks eyes with the Duchess, still clutching Rhea, but nearer the fireside now.
"That is an old feud, my friends. Do not trouble yourself with it. Now, about these fiends and monsters you encountered... The bandits are somewhat normal on the roadside. They try to raid merchant vessels and caravans traveling the road and loot what they can. I take it they were dispatched? Please, explain your encounters in some more detail. Otherwise, I cannot express my gratitude properly for returning the Lady Rhea to us! This curse is concerning as well... could you not discern its nature? What clues do you have? I have some arcane knowledge and may be able to deduce its origin if I recognize the signs."
The guards do not twitch, move, or speak. They are rigid and staring at the door or straight ahead of their positions. The Lady and Duchess seem to be calming, but are still embracing tightly in front of the fire. The Duke is standing taught beside them, his hands clenched into fists, which is the only outward sign you can see of his frustration, fear, and anger.
DM "Journey Unto Chaos!"
DM "Hoard of the Dragon Queen"
Roondar Stumbleduck Ningel - Gnome Bard lv 1 "Scourge of the North"
Fizzbang:
Eyani looks up at you, her eyes widening, "Fizzbang?! Holy harpy feathers that was amazing!" She laughs heartily and strides over to your pony, stroking its nose and looking up at you. "Of course I saw that! Jalud has never run so fast in his life! I'm surprised he even had the ability to say something he was sweating so badly!" She laughs.
"Secret mission, huh?" she smirks, one eyebrow raised in curiosity. "Well, if you left after the tournament the only things that've changed would be that I haven't seen you or your odd friends lately. People didn't really miss you... sorry to say... Well... maybe some of us did, but that's beside the point!" She hastily finishes. "Anyway," she looks down and shakes her head, "I think the only thing I've noticed is there have been odd rumors. I haven't seen anything personally, but some say the shadows move at night... Silly talk if you ask me. Probably a new illusionist moving in on your turf! Oh, and the Duke was seen in town again yesterday. Nobody had seen him around much, except the tourney. But yesterday he wandered right into Roderick's Inn and chatted with him for a while. All I know, friend!"
DM "Journey Unto Chaos!"
DM "Hoard of the Dragon Queen"
Roondar Stumbleduck Ningel - Gnome Bard lv 1 "Scourge of the North"
Duke Oglethorn, et al.,
Aracynth stepped forward a pace to address the Duke, "While it is not my business how you and Duke Armitage grew distant, I can assure you, he absolutely never intended the Lady harm. He only insisted that she remain in his care until he could relieve her of the curse. As to that matter, the curse appeared to be some incredibly powerful charm that made the Lady enamored with the Marquess. In fact, I doubt that any of us could have separated them without inflicting severe emotional trauma upon her. Duke Armitage was able to lift the curse with a tincture he crafted from the Mane's Braid root, which we retrieved from Ysmir's Rest deep within the Huntsman's Dream.
The Duke Armitage was also deeply concerned by this string of events, and claims to have issued forth his own guard several days prior to our arrival to notify you of the Lady's whereabouts and condition, though he never received a return message. Is it possible that some other Evil force is at work here? One that seeks to undermine your trust, and divide you further against the Duke Armitage?
You sent guards to reclaim your daughter before us, yes? Did they ever return?
Furthermore," Aracynth turns to the Lady Rhea and her mother, "the Lady told us before we returned here, that the last memory she could recall was of drinking some wine before setting out to ride with the Marquess. Isn't that correct, My Lady? If we could perhaps interview the steward who served her that morning, they may be able to offer further leads in this very troubling matter.
I also vaguely recall you mentioned something of blackmail the morning we left Ibben," the Dragonborn addresses the Duke once more, "is that messenger still available as well? It seems very out of character for either the Duke or his son to have issued such an ultimatum."
Persuasion : 20
My Characters:
Aracynth - Level 2 Dragonborn Paladin - Wins : 4 - Journey Unto Chaos
Kyros - Level 1 Dragonborn Fighter - Wins : 9 - Unconscious : 1 - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
Castle:
The Duke cocks his head to the left while listening to Aracynth, showing little emotion. He nods at the mention of the curse, and huffs at the mention of interviewing his stewards. "Well, my presumptuous Dragonborn, do not forget it was myself who hired you to investigate! Do you not think I asked my own staff what they had seen?! She had been missing two weeks when your arrogant band arrived!" The Duke retorts, his voice rising slightly.
"Bart," the Duchess chimes easily, "Forgive the man. You hired him, as you said, to investigate. They are investigating..."
The Duke closes his eyes and lets out a slow, heavy breath. "Yes. My apologies. My temper is short these days, but you have been true to your word. My server, Jorace, will be in shortly. You can ask him questions when he arrives, or meet him privately if you so choose. He has been in my employ for nigh on 12 season cycles, so we know him well. We did have wine with brunch that morning, as is our occasional whim. None of the rest of us were effected, however, by this... love potion, so to speak... If you so choose you may interview the guards that brought you here. They were the small group I sent to Cloverdown. They returned with word that Duke Reznik Armitage knew NOT of the Lady Rhea's whereabouts... Again, they are men I trust, elsewise they would not be in my employ so close to my family...
"As for blackmail and my enemies that could, as you say, play both sides? There are few. The machinations of Ptolemos, our capital city to the south, are many, though, and it's possible there are some connections that are less than friendly. I do not know of any public necromancers, however, that would use summons or undead to do their bidding and drive a wedge into our thin ties to Cloverdown. I ask that you investigate that if and when you get the chance as well. Do what you must, but know that if you accuse myself or the Duchess directly or indirectly again I will not take so Kindly and will not heed my wife's kind words." The Duke finishes and looks all three of you in the eyes briefly. "Jorace will also have your reward. Please, leave us be for a time. I would like to spend time with my family," he states and turns toward the fire and his wife and daughter.
The guards turn toward you and clack their heels, forming a short corridor of six men that lead to the door. The captain looks back at you and says, "Once Jorace arrives we will escort you to the main hall. You may remain there to conduct your interviews and the Duke will send for you if necessary, or we can relay messages to him in turn."
DM "Journey Unto Chaos!"
DM "Hoard of the Dragon Queen"
Roondar Stumbleduck Ningel - Gnome Bard lv 1 "Scourge of the North"
"My apologies if I have offended you, My Lord." The Paladin bowed deeply to the nobles before him. "We will do our utmost to discover the truth of this matter. Thank you for your hospitality and patience with us." He bowed slightly once more, considering the emphasis the Duchess had spoken with, "My Ladies." As he lifted his head, he scanned the room around him surreptitiously, before turning and following the Captain out of of the chambers.
Investigation : 10
"Good Captain," he began as they walked, "Could you please tell us of your encounter with Duke Armitage when you were sent to retrieve the Lady Rhea? I mean you no dishonor by asking, and doubtless you acted with the utmost courtesy and fealty to your Lord, but still I wish to hear all sides of the matter. Please tell us."
Persuasion : 19
My Characters:
Aracynth - Level 2 Dragonborn Paladin - Wins : 4 - Journey Unto Chaos
Kyros - Level 1 Dragonborn Fighter - Wins : 9 - Unconscious : 1 - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
Moving shadows? Another illusionist? Normally Fizzbang wouldn’t think too much of it, but he’d seen too many strange things recently. Still, the city seemed to be in a decent sorts. Best meet back up with the others, hopefully they had seen a little difficulty as he had.
Fizzbang:
As you turn to leave Eyani holds out her hand, a halting signal. "Wait, Fizzbang," she says, "Please don't think I'm just passing off rumors... There is the Assassin's Guild, which we're both aware of. I'm sure they'd have magic users. If you can't tell me what the Duke is having you do, at least let me give you a spell book on your way back through. I don't have it on me, but stop by and I'll sell you one for half price if what you are doing helps the town."
The apple merchant, rather shocked by the whole ordeal, smiles and waves at you and hastily packs up his wares and leaves in a rush.
DM "Journey Unto Chaos!"
DM "Hoard of the Dragon Queen"
Roondar Stumbleduck Ningel - Gnome Bard lv 1 "Scourge of the North"
Tharin watches and listens closely. He bristles at the mention of Ptolemos, but agrees that the criminal underworld there has many ties, and it is more than likely that their tendrils have made it this far north. As he is dismissed, Tharin bows shortly to the assembled nobles, then waits for Jorace to arrive.
"My lord, I thank you for your candidness. Accusing you is beyond reproach, and I assure you that these good men have had but a minor dialect difficulty. I'll see to it that they are accustomed to the language of this region. If you have further need of our services, we are your faithful servants."
Once the servant arrives to take the party to the main hall, Tharin stays at the back of the group, keeping an eye on the other two, to make sure he can intercept any further possible slights against the duke. His task done, he awaits for his reward; a way to Ptolemos in secret.
As the guards leave the room with you, closing the door, Jorace stands just outside. He is an older man, with only a halo of hair on his scalp marked heavily with blemishes and freckles. He stands slightly stooped, his shoulders and neck hunched forward from age and extensive bending. His arms are cradling a large, wooden box, which seems to be well laden, at least for the old man. He nods slowly and smiles at you all, his voice barely above a whisper. "Good evening, gentlemen. My Duke has said these are to be presented to you upon your return with Lady Rhea." He stretches out his small, frail arms and hands the box to whomever plucks it first. "Inside are your treasures as thanks," he smiles and turns away.
The guards and Jorace walk you to the main yard, speaking with Aracynth along the way. Night is just falling and the shadows in the courtyard are long in the dusk. The captain glances about the night sky, remembering, "Good dragon, we did as we were instructed. We mounted and rode hard to Cloverdown as soon as Duke Oglethorn heard of Lady Rhea's supposed whereabouts. We were met well, the Duke Armitage greeting us warmly as always. We inquired about our Lady and he stated he had no information for us. When pressed further he became agitated and asked us, very kindly, to leave. We left knowing no more than when we arrived."
Fizzbang:
Heading up to the castle as night begins to fall, a watchmen lets you in (only on account: "Oi, aren't you that squatter what won in the tournament?") and you sit atop the pony in the center of the courtyard. Just before a guard comes over to ask your business and escort you in or out depending on your answer, you see 6 guards, a small, hunched old man, and your companions exit the front door of the castle and walk into the courtyard a bit before stopping and chatting.
DM "Journey Unto Chaos!"
DM "Hoard of the Dragon Queen"
Roondar Stumbleduck Ningel - Gnome Bard lv 1 "Scourge of the North"
"Thank you, Captain. That sounds indeed like Duke Reznik Armitage as we met him. Please maintain a vigilant watch, and send for us if you should need. This has been a trying ordeal for everyone, though I fear whomever is truly behind these events has only just begun to play their hand. We shall return when we have news or business otherwise."
The Paladin then turns to address the servant Jorace, retrieving the laden box as he does so. "Thank you, Jorace. Would you be able to meet with us again tomorrow? I would like you to recount the morning of the Lady Rhea's departure, but the night is growing fast, and we have had a long day already. What time tomorrow might you be available to talk?"
My Characters:
Aracynth - Level 2 Dragonborn Paladin - Wins : 4 - Journey Unto Chaos
Kyros - Level 1 Dragonborn Fighter - Wins : 9 - Unconscious : 1 - Hoard of the Dragon Queen