Merrick wakes at first light, rising with the sun. Taking his time he goes through his pack, emptying and repacking it a couple of times until he's happy before taking breakfast. Finally ready for the day ahead, he makes his way to the notice board, only to find Minraker already stood there waiting. He smiles at the Minotaur and goes to inspect the board more closely.
"Fine morning for a jaunt into the hills", he says conversationally. "Did you sleep well? I've got to say, best nights sleep I've had in a month", and he looks back towards the inn appreciatively. "I guess we should find this Wester fella, find out what's really going on." He cranes his neck to try and read some of the posters located higher up on the board. "He seems to have signed off on all of these." With a thoughtful look he glances at the door of the Townmasters Hall.
"Marvello," he mutters, and waggles his fingers at the door to the hall, and a loud knocking sound erupts from it for a few seconds. Suddenly looking a little embarrassed, he clears his throat. "Sorry!" He holds a fist up. "I'm not very good at knocking, and it skins my knuckles so. I find that way far more effective." He gives Minraker a sheepish grin.
"Hey, that's pretty cool!" Minrakar exclaims. Scrunching up his face in thought, he asks, "That one was 'Prestidigitation,' right? My brother really liked using that one."
"Anyways, we should probably go up to the door you knocked on so they know it was us." He trudges over to stand expectantly in front of the door Merrick knocked on with his little magic trick. "Hope we didn't wake them up."
Merrick follows Minrakar to the door. "It's a bit like Prestidigitation, I think," he says, happily. "Thaumaturgy, it's called. Lets me do all kinds of fun things," and as he says that, his eyes turn from their vibrant blue to black marbles filled with roiling flames. "Your brother was a wizard then?" he asks, unable to keeping the surprise from his voice.
Stepping out into the morning, Roven finds his companions by the notice board. He chuckles at Merrick's magical knock, remarking, "A creative approach, Merrick. It’s good to have such resourcefulness with us." Acknowledging Colember's comment on the day's potential, Roven agrees, "Indeed, a perfect day for action." He quickly suggests aligning their questions for Harbin Wester to maximize their inquiry's effectiveness. "Let’s consolidate our queries before meeting Wester. We need comprehensive insights." Roven is prepared to tackle the day's agenda and uncover the details of their task. "To the Hall, then. Let's uncover what awaits."
"A very fine morning, Colember," Merrick grins. "Perfect for a jaunt to the hills to rescue a damsel in distress." He waits patiently at the door for it to open. "I had an idea last night, but I'd like to hear what Mr Wester has to say first before talking it through."
He runs a hand through his red hair. "I'm not so sure about dragons, I kinda get the feeling the innkeeper was exaggerating a bit, but," and he turns to look at a passing villager, "the locals all seem to be carrying weapons." He taps his mace which swings gently on his belt. "Not much use against a dragon, but pretty good in a pinch against a band of brigands. I wouldn't be surprised if Phandalin's troubles are a bit more down to earth, so to speak."
As you all collectively make your way to the town hall, you see that it's made up of some sturdy stone walls, a pitched wooden roof, and a bell tower at the back. Of course, it wasn't a very far journey. It was right next to the job board, after all. As one of you knocks, you hear the frantic stomping of leather boots on a wooden floor come from inside, followed by a moment of silence. Then a voice, "Be you a dragon, know well that I'm far too thin and bony to make a good meal! State your business!"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Like many of you, I love playing D&D. Although I tend to prefer hosting 1x1 campaigns, less scheduling conflict involved.
If you want a DM who will try his damndest to play with your characters in mind, feel free to contact me. I have too many stories circulating in my head and I want to tell them all to someone in a way they can interact with the worlds I make.
"I am the townmaster, last *I* checked, and no, I will not be opening this door, nor will you unless you want whatever rewards you want to be forfeit." The man's voice stated very loudly in annoyance to that answer. "If you're here about a job, slip whatever you have to prove you did it under the door. Unless it's too big, in which case I'll open it just enough to take it from you and give you your rewards in turn."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Like many of you, I love playing D&D. Although I tend to prefer hosting 1x1 campaigns, less scheduling conflict involved.
If you want a DM who will try his damndest to play with your characters in mind, feel free to contact me. I have too many stories circulating in my head and I want to tell them all to someone in a way they can interact with the worlds I make.
Merrick follows Minrakar to the door. "It's a bit like Prestidigitation, I think," he says, happily. "Thaumaturgy, it's called. Lets me do all kinds of fun things," and as he says that, his eyes turn from their vibrant blue to black marbles filled with roiling flames. "Your brother was a wizard then?" he asks, unable to keeping the surprise from his voice.
"Yeah," Minrakar replies glumly, his ears lowering and his posture slouching a little. "He still is, actually. He's a pretty good one too." I was too, he thinks to himself. Merrick notices the sense of melancholy that seemed to settle on Minrakar at the subject of his brother. There was clearly something more to the subject that he wasn't saying, but Minrakar doesn't talk more about whatever it is.
"I am the townmaster, last *I* checked, and no, I will not be opening this door, nor will you unless you want whatever rewards you want to be forfeit." The man's voice stated very loudly in annoyance to that answer. "If you're here about a job, slip whatever you have to prove you did it under the door. Unless it's too big, in which case I'll open it just enough to take it from you and give you your rewards in turn."
Hmm, it seemed the Townsmaster was a timid fellow. Minrakar supposed he didn't blame him, though the Townmaster's actions seemed a bit extreme to him, even there was a dragon flying around.
Scratching the back of his head, he looks down at Merrick and shrugs. He didn't have any question for the Townmaster, though he would be the first person to admit that he wasn't smart enough to think about things too deeply. Not anymore. Minraker wasn't the sharpest sword in the armory so-to-speak, at least when compared to how he used to be. While not stupid, he did have a hard time thinking too hard about things, and he often found himself feeling frustrated at how slow his thoughts here.
"Well, ask away I guess," he rumbles as he folds his burly arms. The halfling would probably end up getting some useful information out of the Townmaster, and Minrakar was sure at least some of it would come in handy later on.
Merrick frowns at Minraker’s reaction to his question. He goes to say something, then thinks better of it only to have his thoughts interrupted by the townmaster’s mufflrd voice through the door.
The halfling stares at the door open mouthed, then bursts out laughing, just managing to stifle it with a cough, then points at the building.
“Is he for real?” He asked incredulously.
Taking a deep breath he begins to speak to the closed door.
“Mr Wester. Please open the door. I’m only small and not a dragon, and I do so prefer to talk face to face.” He rolls his eyes.
“Though in this case it’ll probably be face to chest for me!” Sighing.
“In any case, it would be good to know why you’re so scared. Has this dragon you speak of attacked the town?” He pauses for a moment.
“We’re off to see Adabra Gwynn this morning, to see if we can bring her back. Is there anything else we need to know about. Bandits? Rampaging Owlbears? Charlatans, even? Any help in knowing what to expect, you understand?”
“We’re off to see Adabra Gwynn this morning, to see if we can bring her back. Is there anything else we need to know about. Bandits? Rampaging Owlbears? Charlatans, even? Any help in knowing what to expect, you understand?”
"You might encounter some creatures that've been driven off the mountain by the dragon. But that's such a low chance, I doubt it." He seemed to ignore the other parts of what you had asked, seemingly not wanting to speak on it at this time.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Like many of you, I love playing D&D. Although I tend to prefer hosting 1x1 campaigns, less scheduling conflict involved.
If you want a DM who will try his damndest to play with your characters in mind, feel free to contact me. I have too many stories circulating in my head and I want to tell them all to someone in a way they can interact with the worlds I make.
Roven addresses the Townmaster with a respectful tone, "We appreciate your caution with the dragon threat and aim to assist, starting with Adabra Gwynn's safety. Any information on creatures displaced by the dragon is useful to us."
He reassures, "We value your leadership and will proceed with care." Agreeing with Colember, Roven concludes, "Our mission extends beyond this conversation. We'll remain vigilant for any potential dangers." His words convey understanding and readiness to face the challenges ahead. With a nod to his companions, Roven indicates it's time to move on, embodying a spirit of collective resolve as they embark on their quest.
Minrakar finds himself nodding at the Townmaster's words. That was certainly some helpful information to know. Looking to the others, it seemed like they were all ready to head out towards the windmill that Adabra had sequestered herself in. Shifting the weight of his pack from one shoulder to the other, he asks, "We all good to head out?"
"Well, as far as what creatures I've been told live up in the mountains, you can expect goblinoids, kobolds, and I was told there was a breeding pair of manticores up that way." The nervousness of the townmaster had dissipated, and was replaced by a matter-of-fact tone, one could only gain through years of town leadership. Clearly, the dragon threat had made this man a recluse, not wanting to get eaten. But, that wasn't stopping him from providing details as they appeared to be necessary for adventurers, travelers, and the townsfolk living in Phandalin. "But, as I said. They're nothing to worry about. They don't like getting too close to civilization, I wouldn't be too concerned by any of this."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Like many of you, I love playing D&D. Although I tend to prefer hosting 1x1 campaigns, less scheduling conflict involved.
If you want a DM who will try his damndest to play with your characters in mind, feel free to contact me. I have too many stories circulating in my head and I want to tell them all to someone in a way they can interact with the worlds I make.
Merrick shakes his head. "I don't think we'll get much else from him." He makes a face at the hall. "Fancy being a Townmaster and hiding behind a door." He looks round each of the others in turn.
"I think you're right. Not much point wasting any more time here I guess. I'd like to find out a little more about Harbin in there, but that can wait until we get back." He looks at the hall thoughtfully then shakes his head again. "Let's get going!"
As the group walks away from the hall and Harbin Wester, Merrick runs a hand through his hair.
“We could give her a bit of a scare,” he says with a grin.
“Not threaten her or anything like that, but make her think that’s there’s goblins or a Manticore nearby.”
Suddenly the air is filled with the sound of unintelligible goblin chatter, which lasts a few seconds then vanishes just as quickly.
“That kind of thing ….er….any of you guys know what a Manticore is?” He scratches his head again. “I’ve no idea what one looks like, let alone sounds like!”
As the goblin chatter passes, you notice a few townsfolk give uneasy looks in your direction, as though they were wondering if you had some goblins in a bag of holding or something along those lines.
As for your travel, to travel at a normal rate you would spend about two and a half hours, assuming you don't get lost along the way, traveling to Umbrage Hill (I'm still trying to figure out how to get a map posted here for everyone to check back on), given that your directions weren't the most clear.
This time, and this time only, unless it makes sense for the plot, you'll also get to know roughly where the dragon went for this travel, as you see the faint shape of a dragon lift off from one of the nearby mountain peaks, and travel in a direction. Though you're unable to tell exactly where, you do know it's roughly 40 miles to the northwest of Phandalin. Feel free to roll a DC 20 history or general wisdom check to see if you know exactly where the dragon went. Details will be PMed to the characters who made the check, and you are free to do with the details as you wish after you are given them.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Like many of you, I love playing D&D. Although I tend to prefer hosting 1x1 campaigns, less scheduling conflict involved.
If you want a DM who will try his damndest to play with your characters in mind, feel free to contact me. I have too many stories circulating in my head and I want to tell them all to someone in a way they can interact with the worlds I make.
Merrick wakes at first light, rising with the sun. Taking his time he goes through his pack, emptying and repacking it a couple of times until he's happy before taking breakfast. Finally ready for the day ahead, he makes his way to the notice board, only to find Minraker already stood there waiting. He smiles at the Minotaur and goes to inspect the board more closely.
"Fine morning for a jaunt into the hills", he says conversationally. "Did you sleep well? I've got to say, best nights sleep I've had in a month", and he looks back towards the inn appreciatively. "I guess we should find this Wester fella, find out what's really going on." He cranes his neck to try and read some of the posters located higher up on the board. "He seems to have signed off on all of these." With a thoughtful look he glances at the door of the Townmasters Hall.
"Marvello," he mutters, and waggles his fingers at the door to the hall, and a loud knocking sound erupts from it for a few seconds. Suddenly looking a little embarrassed, he clears his throat. "Sorry!" He holds a fist up. "I'm not very good at knocking, and it skins my knuckles so. I find that way far more effective." He gives Minraker a sheepish grin.
"Hey, that's pretty cool!" Minrakar exclaims. Scrunching up his face in thought, he asks, "That one was 'Prestidigitation,' right? My brother really liked using that one."
"Anyways, we should probably go up to the door you knocked on so they know it was us." He trudges over to stand expectantly in front of the door Merrick knocked on with his little magic trick. "Hope we didn't wake them up."
DM- Azalin's Doom
DM- Surviving the Unsurvivable
Merrick follows Minrakar to the door. "It's a bit like Prestidigitation, I think," he says, happily. "Thaumaturgy, it's called. Lets me do all kinds of fun things," and as he says that, his eyes turn from their vibrant blue to black marbles filled with roiling flames. "Your brother was a wizard then?" he asks, unable to keeping the surprise from his voice.
"Morning, fellow adventurer's a fine day for getting things done, is it not?" says Colember, meeting the others by the board.
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
"A very fine morning, Colember," Merrick grins. "Perfect for a jaunt to the hills to rescue a damsel in distress." He waits patiently at the door for it to open. "I had an idea last night, but I'd like to hear what Mr Wester has to say first before talking it through."
He runs a hand through his red hair. "I'm not so sure about dragons, I kinda get the feeling the innkeeper was exaggerating a bit, but," and he turns to look at a passing villager, "the locals all seem to be carrying weapons." He taps his mace which swings gently on his belt. "Not much use against a dragon, but pretty good in a pinch against a band of brigands. I wouldn't be surprised if Phandalin's troubles are a bit more down to earth, so to speak."
As you all collectively make your way to the town hall, you see that it's made up of some sturdy stone walls, a pitched wooden roof, and a bell tower at the back. Of course, it wasn't a very far journey. It was right next to the job board, after all. As one of you knocks, you hear the frantic stomping of leather boots on a wooden floor come from inside, followed by a moment of silence. Then a voice, "Be you a dragon, know well that I'm far too thin and bony to make a good meal! State your business!"
Like many of you, I love playing D&D. Although I tend to prefer hosting 1x1 campaigns, less scheduling conflict involved.
If you want a DM who will try his damndest to play with your characters in mind, feel free to contact me. I have too many stories circulating in my head and I want to tell them all to someone in a way they can interact with the worlds I make.
"I wasn't a dragon last I checked, now open the door we have business with the Townmaster."
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
"I am the townmaster, last *I* checked, and no, I will not be opening this door, nor will you unless you want whatever rewards you want to be forfeit." The man's voice stated very loudly in annoyance to that answer. "If you're here about a job, slip whatever you have to prove you did it under the door. Unless it's too big, in which case I'll open it just enough to take it from you and give you your rewards in turn."
Like many of you, I love playing D&D. Although I tend to prefer hosting 1x1 campaigns, less scheduling conflict involved.
If you want a DM who will try his damndest to play with your characters in mind, feel free to contact me. I have too many stories circulating in my head and I want to tell them all to someone in a way they can interact with the worlds I make.
"Yeah," Minrakar replies glumly, his ears lowering and his posture slouching a little. "He still is, actually. He's a pretty good one too." I was too, he thinks to himself. Merrick notices the sense of melancholy that seemed to settle on Minrakar at the subject of his brother. There was clearly something more to the subject that he wasn't saying, but Minrakar doesn't talk more about whatever it is.
Hmm, it seemed the Townsmaster was a timid fellow. Minrakar supposed he didn't blame him, though the Townmaster's actions seemed a bit extreme to him, even there was a dragon flying around.
Scratching the back of his head, he looks down at Merrick and shrugs. He didn't have any question for the Townmaster, though he would be the first person to admit that he wasn't smart enough to think about things too deeply. Not anymore. Minraker wasn't the sharpest sword in the armory so-to-speak, at least when compared to how he used to be. While not stupid, he did have a hard time thinking too hard about things, and he often found himself feeling frustrated at how slow his thoughts here.
"Well, ask away I guess," he rumbles as he folds his burly arms. The halfling would probably end up getting some useful information out of the Townmaster, and Minrakar was sure at least some of it would come in handy later on.
DM- Azalin's Doom
DM- Surviving the Unsurvivable
Merrick frowns at Minraker’s reaction to his question. He goes to say something, then thinks better of it only to have his thoughts interrupted by the townmaster’s mufflrd voice through the door.
The halfling stares at the door open mouthed, then bursts out laughing, just managing to stifle it with a cough, then points at the building.
“Is he for real?” He asked incredulously.
Taking a deep breath he begins to speak to the closed door.
“Mr Wester. Please open the door. I’m only small and not a dragon, and I do so prefer to talk face to face.” He rolls his eyes.
“Though in this case it’ll probably be face to chest for me!” Sighing.
“In any case, it would be good to know why you’re so scared. Has this dragon you speak of attacked the town?” He pauses for a moment.
“We’re off to see Adabra Gwynn this morning, to see if we can bring her back. Is there anything else we need to know about. Bandits? Rampaging Owlbears? Charlatans, even? Any help in knowing what to expect, you understand?”
"You might encounter some creatures that've been driven off the mountain by the dragon. But that's such a low chance, I doubt it." He seemed to ignore the other parts of what you had asked, seemingly not wanting to speak on it at this time.
Like many of you, I love playing D&D. Although I tend to prefer hosting 1x1 campaigns, less scheduling conflict involved.
If you want a DM who will try his damndest to play with your characters in mind, feel free to contact me. I have too many stories circulating in my head and I want to tell them all to someone in a way they can interact with the worlds I make.
"This guy doesn't seem like a fit leader for a town, but no matter. I think we are done here, our quest awaits!"
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
Roven addresses the Townmaster with a respectful tone, "We appreciate your caution with the dragon threat and aim to assist, starting with Adabra Gwynn's safety. Any information on creatures displaced by the dragon is useful to us."
He reassures, "We value your leadership and will proceed with care." Agreeing with Colember, Roven concludes, "Our mission extends beyond this conversation. We'll remain vigilant for any potential dangers." His words convey understanding and readiness to face the challenges ahead. With a nod to his companions, Roven indicates it's time to move on, embodying a spirit of collective resolve as they embark on their quest.
Minrakar finds himself nodding at the Townmaster's words. That was certainly some helpful information to know. Looking to the others, it seemed like they were all ready to head out towards the windmill that Adabra had sequestered herself in. Shifting the weight of his pack from one shoulder to the other, he asks, "We all good to head out?"
DM- Azalin's Doom
DM- Surviving the Unsurvivable
"Well, as far as what creatures I've been told live up in the mountains, you can expect goblinoids, kobolds, and I was told there was a breeding pair of manticores up that way." The nervousness of the townmaster had dissipated, and was replaced by a matter-of-fact tone, one could only gain through years of town leadership. Clearly, the dragon threat had made this man a recluse, not wanting to get eaten. But, that wasn't stopping him from providing details as they appeared to be necessary for adventurers, travelers, and the townsfolk living in Phandalin. "But, as I said. They're nothing to worry about. They don't like getting too close to civilization, I wouldn't be too concerned by any of this."
Like many of you, I love playing D&D. Although I tend to prefer hosting 1x1 campaigns, less scheduling conflict involved.
If you want a DM who will try his damndest to play with your characters in mind, feel free to contact me. I have too many stories circulating in my head and I want to tell them all to someone in a way they can interact with the worlds I make.
Merrick shakes his head. "I don't think we'll get much else from him." He makes a face at the hall. "Fancy being a Townmaster and hiding behind a door." He looks round each of the others in turn.
"I think you're right. Not much point wasting any more time here I guess. I'd like to find out a little more about Harbin in there, but that can wait until we get back." He looks at the hall thoughtfully then shakes his head again. "Let's get going!"
As the group walks away from the hall and Harbin Wester, Merrick runs a hand through his hair.
“We could give her a bit of a scare,” he says with a grin.
“Not threaten her or anything like that, but make her think that’s there’s goblins or a Manticore nearby.”
Suddenly the air is filled with the sound of unintelligible goblin chatter, which lasts a few seconds then vanishes just as quickly.
“That kind of thing ….er….any of you guys know what a Manticore is?” He scratches his head again. “I’ve no idea what one looks like, let alone sounds like!”
As the goblin chatter passes, you notice a few townsfolk give uneasy looks in your direction, as though they were wondering if you had some goblins in a bag of holding or something along those lines.
As for your travel, to travel at a normal rate you would spend about two and a half hours, assuming you don't get lost along the way, traveling to Umbrage Hill (I'm still trying to figure out how to get a map posted here for everyone to check back on), given that your directions weren't the most clear.
This time, and this time only, unless it makes sense for the plot, you'll also get to know roughly where the dragon went for this travel, as you see the faint shape of a dragon lift off from one of the nearby mountain peaks, and travel in a direction. Though you're unable to tell exactly where, you do know it's roughly 40 miles to the northwest of Phandalin. Feel free to roll a DC 20 history or general wisdom check to see if you know exactly where the dragon went. Details will be PMed to the characters who made the check, and you are free to do with the details as you wish after you are given them.
Like many of you, I love playing D&D. Although I tend to prefer hosting 1x1 campaigns, less scheduling conflict involved.
If you want a DM who will try his damndest to play with your characters in mind, feel free to contact me. I have too many stories circulating in my head and I want to tell them all to someone in a way they can interact with the worlds I make.
(OOC: OK, I made an History check, result: 11)