Sparlock's Hoard of the Dragon Queen

Hit die: 4

Darvin startles awake at the sound of horns, feeling only mildly refreshed. "What the..."

OoC: Forgot about a bard feature that grants an extra d6 healing (to everyone) when spending hit dice (Song of Rest: During a short rest, friendly creatures who can hear your performance regain an additional 1d6 hit points when they spend Hit Dice)

Bonus heals: 3 

After taking a moment to fully wake up, Darvin says, "I suppose we should go see what that's about, no?" tossing the dragon mask in his bag and grabbing Miri's shortbow.

(Yep, Darvin can take this mask. Valji isn't possessive! Add it to your equipment and I'll delete it from mine. Also, I may have already clicked on the Long Rest button on my character sheet...)

Valji was in the middle of one of his haunting dreams, and the horns sounding in reality were mixed into his unconscious...

You think I'm playing at some game? You think iron will keep you safe? Hear my words, manling. Do not mistake me for my mask. You see light dappling on the water and forget the deep, cold dark beneath. Listen. You cannot hurt me. You cannot run or hide. In this I will not be defied.

I swear by all the salt in me: if you run counter to my desire, the remainder of your brief mortal span will be an orchestra of misery.

I swear by stone and oak and elm: I'll make a game of you. I'll follow you unseen and smother any spark of joy you find. You'll never know a woman's touch, a breath of rest, a moment's peace of mind.

And I swear by the night sky and the ever-moving moon: if you lead my master to despair, I will slit you open and splash around like a child in a muddy puddle. I'll string a fiddle with your guts and make you play it while I dance. You are an educated man. You know there are no such things as demons. There is only my kind. You are not wise enough to fear me as I should be feared. You do not know the first note of the music that moves me.

When the others shake him awake to go check the warning call, Valji's face is tight and fearful. After a few moments, he settles down but his haunted look has returned with a vengeance!

Hit Dice: 7

Skiaceq’s sleep had been troubled. After waking a second time, he had given up and quietly meditated. Eyes closed, he performs a rhythmic series of impromptu combat maneuvers atop the battlements. The strikes, spins and kicks are non-aggressive, more dancing than attacking. His breathing is neutral, deep, blood swift but not rushing. The questions begin.

’Why am I ashamed?’ He strikes the air forcefully and turns ninety degrees, one leg crossing the other to carry a fluid second strike. It is not criticism, but an honest query. As Valji said, the choices he and the group made would likely lift the siege, saving many lives. Would any loss trouble him? He kicks into the air and brings an outstretched foot down, landing and ducking into an underhand jab. It is not terrible to feel the weight of lost life, of even small misfortune wrought by your choices; he knows this. It is another thing to be cowed by that weight. His heart is indecisive. Leosin was right to caution against impatience.

’Why am I afraid?’ A low sweep follows into a rapid spin ending in a windmill kick. Skiaceq, now in his twilight years, has never experienced disaster like this siege. The fearful child in him desires guidance. With his father in captivity, and his stronger Aarakocra family members far away, he feels trepidation. He vaults to the adjacent battlement, striking upward from below with both hands. Far from home, yet not alone. Has he been keeping others at arm’s length? Perhaps it is time to put more faith in his companions.

’Accept these feelings.’ To overcome is a process beginning with this. Skiaceq winds up to a standing position, hands clasped at chest-level, and exhales long. Serenity, to face the difficult times ahead.

As his eyes open, he hears the horns.

Valji and Skiaceq get inspiration. Everyone can go ahead and regain all their spell slots and ki, but spend your hit dice for any healing (Valji).

Valji and Darvin make their way up to the top of the keep.From the darkness, a creature strides into the dim light of the dying fires around the keep. Although it is shaped roughly like a human, it is at least seven feet tall, its skin is covered in blue scales, its fingers bear wicked claws, and its face has the muzzle and reptilian eyes of a dragon. The creature stops about eighty yards from the main gate of the keep and scans the walls. A line of kobolds fans out behind it. With their spears, they prod three humanoid prisoners into the dim light. You can make out a woman, a teenage boy in a blood-soaked tunic, and a familiar looking half-elven monk, looking even more worse for wear than when he was last seen. The half-dragon creature hails the keep. “Defenders of Greenest! We know that you and that... tiefling have taken the relic. Return it to it's rightful owners, and we'll return these prisoners to you alive.”

OoC: Man, Skiaceq is definitely a monk! And Valji is definitely haunted! I take it we don't recognize the other two prisoners?

Darvin sets his bag down behind a pillar and steps forward from the group to address the half-dragon. "We are the defenders you are looking for. We did go in search of an artifact in some caves south of here, along with the man who turned out to be the tiefling you mention, though he was not in his natural form at the time. Before we discovered his identity, we found a chest that the tiefling seemed to think ought to have contained the artifact, but it seemed to have been cleaned out prior to our arrival. The tiefling then attacked us and after defeating him we fled here. So perhaps your relic is still in the caves; or perhaps someone else got to it first. In any case, we have no interest in standing in the way of your plans, as long as the city of Greenest is safe. Release these prisoners as a show of good faith on your part, and I will offer myself in their place as a show of good faith on mine, and then perhaps we can come to some arrangement to our mutual benefit."

Sleight of Hand (to conceal the bag): 10

Deception (about the mask): 12

Persuasion (about the prisoner exchange): 19

Skiaceq swoops down as Darvin and Valji are emerging from the stairway. "There's no rest for heroes, is there?" Cold streaks down Skiaceq's spine. The calm he carried becomes a hard stone, boring its way through his chest. A scream works its way up his throat, but he catches it not a moment too soon. Leosin would never give up his family ties under torture, especially to the Cult of the Dragon. If that loathsome lizard discovers who their captive is to their enemies, it will create greater danger.

Submission is Skiaceq's first instinct, but Darvin makes his move first. Real or not, the man moves with clear-headed care. Breathing deeply, Skiaceq regains his composure, but not so much that he can form a plan. He will have to thank Darvin for being Darvin later. He holds still and watches, eyes shifting between the half-dragon, his father, and his companion.

Looking up at the half elf from below, the blue half-dragon snorts, lightning curling around his nostrils as he gazes piercingly at the bard, his experienced eyes judging the man. "Fine, then... we shall play it your way, half-breed. You for the prisoners. Come to the front gate and we can make the exchange. Don't tarry too long... my patience has grown thin these past few days."

Short Rest healing: 7 + Additional Short Rest healing if needed: 5

Valji watches with amazement as Darvin offers himself up for the three prisoners, then whispers to the man when he steps away from the wall, "We're going to attack them when you get the others safe, right?! We can take the kobolds easy, and the dragonborn with some luck and skill..."

On the way down to the main gate, Valji will cast mage armor on himself, causing a protective magical force to surround the wizard. He will stand just to the side of the door, out of sight but able to step around the edge to cast a spell!

Darvin calls down to the half-dragon, "Alright, I'm on my way!" As he starts down toward the gate, he looks at Valji and says, quietly, "Hell if I know. I didn't plan any further ahead than this. You'd better get me out of there somehow though! The mask is in my bag. Keep it out of sight."

He leaves Miri's bow with the wizard and makes his way down, arms in the air showing that he is unarmed and not about to try anything funny.

Skiaceq takes Valji's shoulder, trying to stomach his panic. "After seeing what they have done, there is no doubt they will kill hostages if we provoke them. We need a plan." He wracks his mind, thinking of any leverage at their disposal. "Darvin is buying us time and getting close, but we don't know if they will make good on their word. They have no reason to take Darvin if they don't believe he has the mask... They lose hostages that way, and gain nothing." Skiaceq retrieves the bag from the battlements and hands it to Valji, then hooks the bow over his own shoulder. If things go south, he can rearm Darvin quickly. "They may intend to kill him as an example. Be ready, but let's not fight if we can avoid it."

Suddenly, a thought occurs to him. "Wait... Valji, Darvin has attuned to the mask, hasn't he?"

Leaning over the battlements, Skiaceq cups his hands to his beak and cries, "Darvin! Take off your clothes!"

OoC: Darvin took his armor off back at the barracks so he'd be ready to equip the mask, if that's what you're getting at...

Having reached the ground, Darvin hears the squawk of an aarakocra urging him to disrobe. He turns his head to look back up at Skiaceq with a quizzical expression on his face. "You have a sick sense of humor, my friend." He continues walking.

Valji had walked down with Darvin, and stood just inside the main gate so that he could motion the prisoners inside. And zap the dragonborn.

(When Darvin gives "the signal," Valji will cast his spell at the big scaly one!)

The gate to the keep opens, but the kobolds and dragonborn don't advance, except for a small contingent slowly prodding forward their prisoners, before waiting for the half elf to approach.

Darvin continues forward with his hands in the air until he is just out of reach of the cultists holding the prisoners. "How shall we do this? Count of three?"

As Darvin walks forward towards the middle of the field, the half dragon nods to the kobolds escorting the prisoners. They prod them forward, taking them just past Darvin before setting them free. As the prisoners enter the keep, the kobolds turn around and encircle Darvin to prevent his escape, leading him forward. "You are either very brave or very stupid. What is your name, half-elf?"

"Can't it be both? Darvin Rein. Of the Cormyr Reins. And who might I have the pleasure of being taken hostage by? Or is it whom do I have the pleasure of being captured by? Never could get those straight."

"Ah snap. Not how I pictured this happening..." the gnome says out loud. He looks around, guestimating the distance between himself, Darvin and his escort, the dragonborn, and the buildings around them. Were the buildings within 60 feet of his current position? If he moved to any of them, would the buildings block the dragonborn's line of sight?

(The distances and answer to line of sight will determine if Valji does what he's thinking of doing... =)

The keep sits atop a small hill, with the nearest house approximately 100 ft away. Directly down the path from the entrance at a distance of 80 ft from the front gate, you can see the kobolds, Darvin, and the half-dragon leader. Above, 4 archers with shortbows wearily watch the situation. As one set of prisoners escapes, another makes his way into captivity. 

"Held hostage might be more accurate." he says, pausing dramatically and glaring at Darvin. "You're a terrible liar, Darvin, so why don't you tell me what really happened down there with your friends and that spider?:

OoC: Thanks for your patience. Between the holiday and showcase week for the Sitar Center, things have been hectic.