Once Sera's magic feeds into the invisible line, you all feel a powerful presence, like the graveyard itself is getting darker. Sera feels resistance from the magical line... like it's pushing back against you.
Larskolstad please make an Ability check using your spellcasting ability.
At the Laughing Dwarf...
Namuya shrugs, their head lolling a bit. "Who knowsss mate? I seen a ton a wonders in this world and in my homeland. I *pffffbt* I never seen anything like that scythe. Brother... that thing's ancient though. An' look at it... not a scratch on it. Looks like it was forged this mornin. Even dragonlances get old... burnt, scuffed, pommels worn out. That thing never gets tired of battle."
The next song ends and Namuya's band mates are getting tired of holding the line. "I gotta relieve the band. First I gotta releive myself though." They stumble off to the restroom, then comes out to relieve Kaylan. She bounces up to you and smiles. "Namuya looks wasted!" She says with a laugh. She looks at your furrowed brow and nods with understanding. "Don't mind Namuya... they get political when they drink. But they're alright. Sweet person. Just passionate. You look like you could use some food." She orders two kebabs, one for herself, and one for you. The meal looks enticing and smells incredible. Kaylan looks so different without her guard uniform. Her hair drapes down to the middle of her back, and her tight skirt and midriff top reveal an atheltic and muscular body. A lacy red choker compliments her slim neck, and her dramatic stage make-up highlights her eyes and lips. Peircings on her eyebrow and ears finish off the edgy look, but her bubbly, friendly demeanor reveals that underneath all the stage attire, she's a gentle spirit at heart... never really cut out for guard duty. She knows it, and is excited to be stepping down from the role soon.
Sera had never used this ability before and as something pushed back...it caught her by suprise " rats and fould armpit stink of Thakisis...something resist.." ...she blurt out. it was like getting on a horse first time and the feel of loosing ...slipping off..."unsure I make this...."
Hastos that’s her for the food. “That snake venom shit is serious stuff.” He says to Kaylan. “So what brought you to be a guard? You don’t seem like the guard type.”
Merkas's protection spell washes over Sera, but seems to offer no benefit to the spell Sera is casting. It would seem the resistance is from the magic itself, and not from any creature.
Sera can feel that the spell has failed, implying that whatever enchantment is on the tombstone is at least above level 3.
At the Lauching Dwarf...
Kaylan laughs. "I'm a homemaker. My husband works with the Hachakee on raids against the dragon armies, so I'm usually just home by myself. Not much to cook or clean that way. The town needed guards, and I have the time. I know a little about combat. Not enough to be a soldier, but my husband taught me the basics. I agreed to stand watch at night until the position could be filled by a permanent guard. Their training is complete now, so I'm stepping down from my post. Believe me, the council is releived. I sort of bungled the investigation with that cultist and the investigation died out before it got anywhere." She picks at her kebab. In her light-hearted tone, there's a hint of shame. "It's back to the quiet life for me, I guess. But I've got Vix-Sin. Namuya takes great care of us and defends our value to the council as sources of morale, so we don't have to engage on the battlefield. My husband is a warrior, through and through. I'm a musician. I have no business being out there..."
She orders some coffee and has a sip. "And yeah, Habushu is strong stuff. It's the venom more than the alcohol. It can't hurt you when ingested, but there's a mild hallucinagenic and sedative in the venom. We use it as medicine for the badly injured... especially if they're too far gone to save. It takes you to a happy place, and you spend your final moments seeing beautiful colors. Not a bad way to go, all things considered."
She changes subjects. "So what's your story? I never said anything, but I've noticed your armor. We take them off the corpses of our fallen enemies and polish off the markings to use for our own armor, unless we want to repurpose them for spy missions. I've polished so many breastplates, my fingers are going to be sore forever." She laughs, looking past her painted nails to the calloused fingertips. "You a deserter? Not judging you if you are. We're glad to have you on the right side of history. But no one leaves the Dragon Army while they still draw breath. There's worse things than dying, and the soldiers know that."
Almost tumbling back after the failure...she kicks at the dirt " #¥~€**<>...." uttering more foul language displaying her street upbringing. Sera walk over at looks at the text. " we missing something....I could not dispel it... Paladine..." she hesitate as it feels embarresing ask for this " please make me wiser". With a feel of clarity And a bit of shame Sera try figure out the tombstone text ( insight 18+4 guidance for 22)
“It’s a portal with a key,” Sera says, her voice low with frustration. “You need something—an item, a word, a symbol—to pass through. And we don’t have it…”
She trails off, eyes flicking toward the distant sounds of music and laughter drifting from the tavern. Faces flash through her mind: Amber’s bright eyes, Hastos in his deerhide vest, the warmth of the dance, the taste of good ale and sweeter moments.
But the vision shatters—trampled under the cold heel of duty. Her shoulders square.
“We could lose the whole party just waiting for them to return,” she says aloud, not quite to Sharn or Merkas, but maybe to herself.
She lets out a breath, steadying. “Then we wait.”
Her fingers tighten around the hilt of her weapon as she moves to take position beside the tombstone—silent and resolute. The knight’s path was never meant to be easy. Duty before pleasure. Always.
She plants her feet, shield ready, eyes scanning the graves. “If they come back through that portal… they’ll find me waiting.”
Looking over the writing and crack again before moving to stand with Sera “I was sure gold was the answer, y’know, cause it’s pretty plentiful here and anyone would have it but not everyone would be willing to part with it. And because noone would suspect you of being cultish just cause you were carrying gold around. But lets stay here for now. Should one of us go back and get some snacks?”
Hastos chuckles. “The trick to leaving the Dragon army is making sure no one’s drawing breath when you leave.” He shoots her a wink.
“Long story short”, he continues, “We were tricked. Lied to, and used to weaken the defenses of Sylvanesti. When they finally showed their true colors and invaded, it was too late. When I realized the treachery, I killed everyone in my squad and left. I’ve been hunting the devils since. The armor makes it easy to move through the territory, the Dragon army ignore you, the bandits fear you, and everyone else just… does what you tell them. Keeps everything simple . At least until the day someone gets lucky. Atonement either way.”
Hastos pushes the Habushua away across the bar and orders a coffee as well. “I appreciate your discretion with the armor. I plan on getting the markings removed tomorrow.”
If you are hiding, please roll Stealth Checks. No Stealth check required if you are just standing there.
At the Laughing Dwarf...
Kaylan lets out a low whistle. "Grim. You always came across as the brooding type, Hastos. Now I know why." Not having a toast for your tale, she simply clinks your coffee cup and takes another sip. "I could polish that armor for you, if you want. It looks pretty rough. I'm no blacksmith, but I know how to hammer out dents, and buff out scratches, if you like. Free of charge. Consider it my way of thanking Dawnbownd. Just bring it by my home tomorrow, and I'll have it back to you the next day."
The party is still going strong. There's gambling going on in one corner, and a group of people are practicing darts for the upcoming competition. It's Vanthanor's turn for a break, so Kaylan excuses herself. Vanthanor heads to the far end of the bar and orders an ale. He's a slender, fidgety half-elf, covered in tattoos, wearing traditional Khurish festive clothing. He seems nervous, and he pounds the drink quickly, scanning the dance floor. You quickly realize why he seems nervous as he crosses the dance floor and starts to dance with Ororana. Smiling, she plays along. Twisting around and dipping low, she presses her butt against him and slowly rises back up, carressing him as she rises. He seems flustered by the display, but genuinely happy and throws his hands in the air. Apparently, he has a sort of crush on Ororana.
Buckeran calls attention to the stage and the music stops briefly, much to Vanthanor's obvious disappointment. "Alright, everyone! It's time for the dart throwing competition! The winner gets this, in honor of the coming Spring!" He hoists a giant, golden faberge egg, ornately decorated. "It's value is great by itself, but legend has it, there's a marvelous treasure inside. But no one has dared to open it, due to its rare beauty. I leave it to the new owner of this egg to determine for themselves if they'll shatter the egg, or treasure it."
The crowd cheers and some of the more confident, and less inebriated, audience members form several lines in front of 9 targets. Kaylan smiles at you and tilts her head, encouraging you to join in.
Sera find a nice big tombstone to sit behind. Feeling she got guardduty. In the distance it is music and cheering from the dancing Dwarf. ...she stary check her items.all is ready....and she really hope they not underestimated their opponents. ( stealth 18. Since she just hide not move I not rolled with disadvantage. If I still need to roll with disadvantage it be 16)
“Oh, what the hell!” Hastos says as he stands and heads over to join the competition. He shakes his head to try and clear his mind. He shakes several hands along the way, several woman hold on just a little longer than necessary, broad smiles met his. While most smoothly slid their hands out of his, one he had to practically forcibly remove. She didn’t seem to care.
Sharn wasn't the stealthiest, massive girth considered, but he was a dwarf. He leaned down, almost prone, behind one of the other tombstones and it seemed to cover most of his mass. (21 for stealth)
Merkas stands firm, arms crossed, striking a pose of defiance that, if it weren’t for his stature, could almost be called intimidating (Intimidation/performance +3 for both = 14, for lack of a better roll based upon standing there looking grim) “Gunna stand here and make em slow up if they come out, I bet the shock we got and your attempt at dispelling this thing warned someone and they’re on their way already”
With everyone but Merkas well tucked away, the graveyard is notably still and quiet. There's a nervous tension in the air as the stakeout begins. The moments turn into minutes and the minutes feel like hours. It's almost like the people on the other side are waiting for you to leave because they still see Merkas standing there.
At the Laughing Dwarf...
When it's your turn, you're handed three darts. The objective is fairly obvious: you have three chances to hit the bullseye. Your combined three shots determine your score.
Equip three darts, and roll your attack. You have Heroic Inspiration, because everyone's been bolstering your morale all night.
AC 10 Hits the Dartboard for 10 points, with an additional point for each number above that.
AC 20 Hits the bullseye for 50 points.
A Crit Hits the bullseye for 100 points.
If you hit the bullseye all three times (whether you crit or not) you automatically win, as no one else in town will be able to match your prowess.
Sera wonders why them not show up...Merkas in full display stops them? If so have they been watched? "Merkas....maybe they can see you...maybe they have been observing us all along?...then this is not such a big surprise as I hoped"
Hastos takes the darts as handed to him and steps to the line, he focuses in on the bullseye and throws the dart (19 -Improved Critical), the dart sails throught the air and lodges itself firmly in the bullseye.
The crowd cheers and Hastos readies the second dart. He throws and the dart lands on the 17. The crowd cheers, but noticeably less than before.the last dart in his hand, Hastos takes his time readying for the throw the third dart.
”Aaawww!” The crowd erupts as the dart lands on the 9. clapping continues as Hastos returns to his sea.
Mumbling under his breath as he stands there getting bored, “They can see me? Well that’s a neat trick” he looks back towards Kasi’s place as the time drags on. He points towards her house and casts message, says in a very low whisper “Granny, you up? I wonder if you happened to see people coming and going alot from the graveyard here and maybe know who they are? You can respond to me, only I can hear you”
As he waits he starts pacing, glancing back and forth between the tombstone and the light in Kasis window
Sera let out a long, measured sigh, the kind that bore the weight of disappointment and duty alike. “It seems… whoever stepped through that portal isn’t planning to return,” she muttered, eyes narrowed at the silent gravestone.
She took a step forward, the hem of her cloak brushing the cold grass as she moved. Her hand wrapped tightly around her holy symbol—an engraved silver medallion glowing faintly in the moonlight. Her gaze sharpened, jaw set with determination.
“Well… then it falls to me to seal this.”
She planted her boots firmly in the earth, lifting the symbol high above her head. Her voice rang out—strong, clear, and full of conviction.
“Paladine! Platinum Father of Light, Guardian of Balance, hear your servant now!” The air seemed to still around her as her words echoed through the graveyard.
“Lend me your strength. Unravel this foul weave of shadow! Let this breach upon sacred ground—BEGONE!”
As she thrust the symbol forward with both hands, a radiant surge of divine energy erupted from her core, channeling through her arms into the holy emblem. A brilliant wave of bluish-silver light exploded outward like a shockwave, rippling across the air with a thunderous hum.
The gravestone pulsed—faint lines of magical script flaring for a heartbeat—then cracked with a spiderweb fracture of radiant energy. The very air shimmered with a clash of forces: light and shadow colliding. For a moment, it felt as though the world held its breath.
Then, silence.
Sera remained still, her chest rising and falling, as she watched to see if the divine will had been enough to sever the arcane thread tying this place to something dark and unseen.
(used heroic inspiration and my second 3rd level slot...got nat 20 so 22 on my wisdom test)
The crowd claps generously for your performance, and many clap you on the back. But there are some good dart throwers in the crowd. When the scores are tallied, Buckeran announces the winners.
"Ahem! In third place with 125 points, is Adel! Let's give him a big round of applause!" A tall, lanky young gentleman in colorful and tight-fitting Khurish festival garb steps to the front to receive a small trophy made of silver. He holds it high for the applause and shakes hands with Buckeran, who congratulates him warmly.
"In second place with 141 points is Nazanin! Well done!" Nazanin, a curvy middle-aged woman in soft, breathable dancing clothes steps up to the front and bows, taking her small golden trophy. The crowd applauds warmly. Buckeran shakes her hand vigorously.
"And the grand prize, winning with a staggering 189 points, is Mahsa! Mahsa everyone!" Buckeran holds the golden egg high and the crowd goes wild as a viibrant young woman, whom you recognize as one of the new guards that just finished her training walks up to the front and claims her prize, beaming with pride. "What are you going to do with this rare relic?" Buckeran asks, shaking her hand. "I intend to treasure it, and it will become a family heirloom!" The crowd gives mixed reactions as some of them were curious to see what was inside. Buckeran laughs. "I would do the exact same." He waves his hands to calm the audience. "Ok, everyone else who competed will be getting a consolation prize of one very special chocolate covered coffee bean egg. Thank you so much for competing, and I hope you enjoyed the game!"
Ororana swaggers up to you. "So close..." she nudges you in the ribs with her elbow. "You'll get 'em next year, champ." The music picks back up for a final song, and a server brings you your chocolate egg wrapped in a thin, edible paper.
At the Graveyard...
As you cast the spell, feel the ground quake around you, as if the entire graveyard is resisting you. Then there's a loud rumbling sound as the magic gives way to your mighty intrusions. Frantically, five robed figures dive through the portal, but the portal snaps shut as the fifth one is trying to get out, severing him in half. The crack on the tombstone widens, and the invisible thin line flashes brightly and then vanishes.
One of the robed figures scrambles to his feet. "You fool! Infidel defiler!! What have you done?!" The others grab him and start to drag him away as they attempt to disappear into the dark of the graveyard, leaving the severed cultist to cough up the last of their lifeblood.
You may give chase if you wish. Dragging a pissed off cultist is slowing them down.
At the Graveyard...
Once Sera's magic feeds into the invisible line, you all feel a powerful presence, like the graveyard itself is getting darker. Sera feels resistance from the magical line... like it's pushing back against you.
Larskolstad please make an Ability check using your spellcasting ability.
At the Laughing Dwarf...
Namuya shrugs, their head lolling a bit. "Who knowsss mate? I seen a ton a wonders in this world and in my homeland. I *pffffbt* I never seen anything like that scythe. Brother... that thing's ancient though. An' look at it... not a scratch on it. Looks like it was forged this mornin. Even dragonlances get old... burnt, scuffed, pommels worn out. That thing never gets tired of battle."
The next song ends and Namuya's band mates are getting tired of holding the line. "I gotta relieve the band. First I gotta releive myself though." They stumble off to the restroom, then comes out to relieve Kaylan. She bounces up to you and smiles. "Namuya looks wasted!" She says with a laugh. She looks at your furrowed brow and nods with understanding. "Don't mind Namuya... they get political when they drink. But they're alright. Sweet person. Just passionate. You look like you could use some food." She orders two kebabs, one for herself, and one for you. The meal looks enticing and smells incredible. Kaylan looks so different without her guard uniform. Her hair drapes down to the middle of her back, and her tight skirt and midriff top reveal an atheltic and muscular body. A lacy red choker compliments her slim neck, and her dramatic stage make-up highlights her eyes and lips. Peircings on her eyebrow and ears finish off the edgy look, but her bubbly, friendly demeanor reveals that underneath all the stage attire, she's a gentle spirit at heart... never really cut out for guard duty. She knows it, and is excited to be stepping down from the role soon.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin
With the ominous feeling growing, Merkas rests a hand on Sera. “Be careful girl, don’t want you getting another one of them nasty nose bleeds”
(Cast Protection from Evil and Good on Sera)
Loyalty Begets Honour
Sera had never used this ability before and as something pushed back...it caught her by suprise " rats and fould armpit stink of Thakisis...something resist.." ...she blurt out. it was like getting on a horse first time and the feel of loosing ...slipping off..."unsure I make this...."
(got 6 on my wisdom roll)
Hastos that’s her for the food. “That snake venom shit is serious stuff.” He says to Kaylan. “So what brought you to be a guard? You don’t seem like the guard type.”
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
At the Graveyard...
Merkas's protection spell washes over Sera, but seems to offer no benefit to the spell Sera is casting. It would seem the resistance is from the magic itself, and not from any creature.
Sera can feel that the spell has failed, implying that whatever enchantment is on the tombstone is at least above level 3.
At the Lauching Dwarf...
Kaylan laughs. "I'm a homemaker. My husband works with the Hachakee on raids against the dragon armies, so I'm usually just home by myself. Not much to cook or clean that way. The town needed guards, and I have the time. I know a little about combat. Not enough to be a soldier, but my husband taught me the basics. I agreed to stand watch at night until the position could be filled by a permanent guard. Their training is complete now, so I'm stepping down from my post. Believe me, the council is releived. I sort of bungled the investigation with that cultist and the investigation died out before it got anywhere." She picks at her kebab. In her light-hearted tone, there's a hint of shame. "It's back to the quiet life for me, I guess. But I've got Vix-Sin. Namuya takes great care of us and defends our value to the council as sources of morale, so we don't have to engage on the battlefield. My husband is a warrior, through and through. I'm a musician. I have no business being out there..."
She orders some coffee and has a sip. "And yeah, Habushu is strong stuff. It's the venom more than the alcohol. It can't hurt you when ingested, but there's a mild hallucinagenic and sedative in the venom. We use it as medicine for the badly injured... especially if they're too far gone to save. It takes you to a happy place, and you spend your final moments seeing beautiful colors. Not a bad way to go, all things considered."
She changes subjects. "So what's your story? I never said anything, but I've noticed your armor. We take them off the corpses of our fallen enemies and polish off the markings to use for our own armor, unless we want to repurpose them for spy missions. I've polished so many breastplates, my fingers are going to be sore forever." She laughs, looking past her painted nails to the calloused fingertips. "You a deserter? Not judging you if you are. We're glad to have you on the right side of history. But no one leaves the Dragon Army while they still draw breath. There's worse things than dying, and the soldiers know that."
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin
Almost tumbling back after the failure...she kicks at the dirt " #¥~€**<>...." uttering more foul language displaying her street upbringing. Sera walk over at looks at the text. " we missing something....I could not dispel it... Paladine..." she hesitate as it feels embarresing ask for this " please make me wiser". With a feel of clarity And a bit of shame Sera try figure out the tombstone text ( insight 18+4 guidance for 22)
“It’s a portal with a key,” Sera says, her voice low with frustration. “You need something—an item, a word, a symbol—to pass through. And we don’t have it…”
She trails off, eyes flicking toward the distant sounds of music and laughter drifting from the tavern. Faces flash through her mind: Amber’s bright eyes, Hastos in his deerhide vest, the warmth of the dance, the taste of good ale and sweeter moments.
But the vision shatters—trampled under the cold heel of duty. Her shoulders square.
“We could lose the whole party just waiting for them to return,” she says aloud, not quite to Sharn or Merkas, but maybe to herself.
She lets out a breath, steadying. “Then we wait.”
Her fingers tighten around the hilt of her weapon as she moves to take position beside the tombstone—silent and resolute. The knight’s path was never meant to be easy. Duty before pleasure. Always.
She plants her feet, shield ready, eyes scanning the graves. “If they come back through that portal… they’ll find me waiting.”
Looking over the writing and crack again before moving to stand with Sera “I was sure gold was the answer, y’know, cause it’s pretty plentiful here and anyone would have it but not everyone would be willing to part with it. And because noone would suspect you of being cultish just cause you were carrying gold around. But lets stay here for now. Should one of us go back and get some snacks?”
Loyalty Begets Honour
Hastos chuckles. “The trick to leaving the Dragon army is making sure no one’s drawing breath when you leave.” He shoots her a wink.
“Long story short”, he continues, “We were tricked. Lied to, and used to weaken the defenses of Sylvanesti. When they finally showed their true colors and invaded, it was too late. When I realized the treachery, I killed everyone in my squad and left. I’ve been hunting the devils since. The armor makes it easy to move through the territory, the Dragon army ignore you, the bandits fear you, and everyone else just… does what you tell them. Keeps everything simple . At least until the day someone gets lucky. Atonement either way.”
Hastos pushes the Habushua away across the bar and orders a coffee as well. “I appreciate your discretion with the armor. I plan on getting the markings removed tomorrow.”
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
At the Graveyard...
If you are hiding, please roll Stealth Checks. No Stealth check required if you are just standing there.
At the Laughing Dwarf...
Kaylan lets out a low whistle. "Grim. You always came across as the brooding type, Hastos. Now I know why." Not having a toast for your tale, she simply clinks your coffee cup and takes another sip. "I could polish that armor for you, if you want. It looks pretty rough. I'm no blacksmith, but I know how to hammer out dents, and buff out scratches, if you like. Free of charge. Consider it my way of thanking Dawnbownd. Just bring it by my home tomorrow, and I'll have it back to you the next day."
The party is still going strong. There's gambling going on in one corner, and a group of people are practicing darts for the upcoming competition. It's Vanthanor's turn for a break, so Kaylan excuses herself. Vanthanor heads to the far end of the bar and orders an ale. He's a slender, fidgety half-elf, covered in tattoos, wearing traditional Khurish festive clothing. He seems nervous, and he pounds the drink quickly, scanning the dance floor. You quickly realize why he seems nervous as he crosses the dance floor and starts to dance with Ororana. Smiling, she plays along. Twisting around and dipping low, she presses her butt against him and slowly rises back up, carressing him as she rises. He seems flustered by the display, but genuinely happy and throws his hands in the air. Apparently, he has a sort of crush on Ororana.
Buckeran calls attention to the stage and the music stops briefly, much to Vanthanor's obvious disappointment. "Alright, everyone! It's time for the dart throwing competition! The winner gets this, in honor of the coming Spring!" He hoists a giant, golden faberge egg, ornately decorated. "It's value is great by itself, but legend has it, there's a marvelous treasure inside. But no one has dared to open it, due to its rare beauty. I leave it to the new owner of this egg to determine for themselves if they'll shatter the egg, or treasure it."
The crowd cheers and some of the more confident, and less inebriated, audience members form several lines in front of 9 targets. Kaylan smiles at you and tilts her head, encouraging you to join in.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin
Sera find a nice big tombstone to sit behind. Feeling she got guardduty. In the distance it is music and cheering from the dancing Dwarf. ...she stary check her items.all is ready....and she really hope they not underestimated their opponents. ( stealth 18. Since she just hide not move I not rolled with disadvantage. If I still need to roll with disadvantage it be 16)
“Oh, what the hell!” Hastos says as he stands and heads over to join the competition. He shakes his head to try and clear his mind. He shakes several hands along the way, several woman hold on just a little longer than necessary, broad smiles met his. While most smoothly slid their hands out of his, one he had to practically forcibly remove. She didn’t seem to care.
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Sharn wasn't the stealthiest, massive girth considered, but he was a dwarf. He leaned down, almost prone, behind one of the other tombstones and it seemed to cover most of his mass. (21 for stealth)
Merkas stands firm, arms crossed, striking a pose of defiance that, if it weren’t for his stature, could almost be called intimidating (Intimidation/performance +3 for both = 14, for lack of a better roll based upon standing there looking grim) “Gunna stand here and make em slow up if they come out, I bet the shock we got and your attempt at dispelling this thing warned someone and they’re on their way already”
Loyalty Begets Honour
At the Graveyard...
With everyone but Merkas well tucked away, the graveyard is notably still and quiet. There's a nervous tension in the air as the stakeout begins. The moments turn into minutes and the minutes feel like hours. It's almost like the people on the other side are waiting for you to leave because they still see Merkas standing there.
At the Laughing Dwarf...
When it's your turn, you're handed three darts. The objective is fairly obvious: you have three chances to hit the bullseye. Your combined three shots determine your score.
Equip three darts, and roll your attack. You have Heroic Inspiration, because everyone's been bolstering your morale all night.
If you hit the bullseye all three times (whether you crit or not) you automatically win, as no one else in town will be able to match your prowess.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin
Sera wonders why them not show up...Merkas in full display stops them? If so have they been watched? "Merkas....maybe they can see you...maybe they have been observing us all along?...then this is not such a big surprise as I hoped"
Hastos takes the darts as handed to him and steps to the line, he focuses in on the bullseye and throws the dart (19 -Improved Critical), the dart sails throught the air and lodges itself firmly in the bullseye.
The crowd cheers and Hastos readies the second dart. He throws and the dart lands on the 17. The crowd cheers, but noticeably less than before.the last dart in his hand, Hastos takes his time readying for the throw the third dart.
”Aaawww!” The crowd erupts as the dart lands on the 9. clapping continues as Hastos returns to his sea.
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Mumbling under his breath as he stands there getting bored, “They can see me? Well that’s a neat trick” he looks back towards Kasi’s place as the time drags on. He points towards her house and casts message, says in a very low whisper “Granny, you up? I wonder if you happened to see people coming and going alot from the graveyard here and maybe know who they are? You can respond to me, only I can hear you”
As he waits he starts pacing, glancing back and forth between the tombstone and the light in Kasis window
Loyalty Begets Honour
Sera let out a long, measured sigh, the kind that bore the weight of disappointment and duty alike. “It seems… whoever stepped through that portal isn’t planning to return,” she muttered, eyes narrowed at the silent gravestone.
She took a step forward, the hem of her cloak brushing the cold grass as she moved. Her hand wrapped tightly around her holy symbol—an engraved silver medallion glowing faintly in the moonlight. Her gaze sharpened, jaw set with determination.
“Well… then it falls to me to seal this.”
She planted her boots firmly in the earth, lifting the symbol high above her head. Her voice rang out—strong, clear, and full of conviction.
“Paladine! Platinum Father of Light, Guardian of Balance, hear your servant now!” The air seemed to still around her as her words echoed through the graveyard.
“Lend me your strength. Unravel this foul weave of shadow! Let this breach upon sacred ground—BEGONE!”
As she thrust the symbol forward with both hands, a radiant surge of divine energy erupted from her core, channeling through her arms into the holy emblem. A brilliant wave of bluish-silver light exploded outward like a shockwave, rippling across the air with a thunderous hum.
The gravestone pulsed—faint lines of magical script flaring for a heartbeat—then cracked with a spiderweb fracture of radiant energy. The very air shimmered with a clash of forces: light and shadow colliding. For a moment, it felt as though the world held its breath.
Then, silence.
Sera remained still, her chest rising and falling, as she watched to see if the divine will had been enough to sever the arcane thread tying this place to something dark and unseen.
(used heroic inspiration and my second 3rd level slot...got nat 20 so 22 on my wisdom test)
At the Laughing Dwarf...
The crowd claps generously for your performance, and many clap you on the back. But there are some good dart throwers in the crowd. When the scores are tallied, Buckeran announces the winners.
"Ahem! In third place with 125 points, is Adel! Let's give him a big round of applause!" A tall, lanky young gentleman in colorful and tight-fitting Khurish festival garb steps to the front to receive a small trophy made of silver. He holds it high for the applause and shakes hands with Buckeran, who congratulates him warmly.
"In second place with 141 points is Nazanin! Well done!" Nazanin, a curvy middle-aged woman in soft, breathable dancing clothes steps up to the front and bows, taking her small golden trophy. The crowd applauds warmly. Buckeran shakes her hand vigorously.
"And the grand prize, winning with a staggering 189 points, is Mahsa! Mahsa everyone!" Buckeran holds the golden egg high and the crowd goes wild as a viibrant young woman, whom you recognize as one of the new guards that just finished her training walks up to the front and claims her prize, beaming with pride. "What are you going to do with this rare relic?" Buckeran asks, shaking her hand. "I intend to treasure it, and it will become a family heirloom!" The crowd gives mixed reactions as some of them were curious to see what was inside. Buckeran laughs. "I would do the exact same." He waves his hands to calm the audience. "Ok, everyone else who competed will be getting a consolation prize of one very special chocolate covered coffee bean egg. Thank you so much for competing, and I hope you enjoyed the game!"
Ororana swaggers up to you. "So close..." she nudges you in the ribs with her elbow. "You'll get 'em next year, champ." The music picks back up for a final song, and a server brings you your chocolate egg wrapped in a thin, edible paper.
At the Graveyard...
As you cast the spell, feel the ground quake around you, as if the entire graveyard is resisting you. Then there's a loud rumbling sound as the magic gives way to your mighty intrusions. Frantically, five robed figures dive through the portal, but the portal snaps shut as the fifth one is trying to get out, severing him in half. The crack on the tombstone widens, and the invisible thin line flashes brightly and then vanishes.
One of the robed figures scrambles to his feet. "You fool! Infidel defiler!! What have you done?!" The others grab him and start to drag him away as they attempt to disappear into the dark of the graveyard, leaving the severed cultist to cough up the last of their lifeblood.
You may give chase if you wish. Dragging a pissed off cultist is slowing them down.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin