"We are here to destroy those who imprisoned you. Any information you can share will help us avenge you and your families." Dealuri's eyes are bright with emotion as she seeks to reassure the rightfully fearful goblins.
Vakas side eyes Dealuri, his face forming into a grim smile, Well, I don't know that I would go that far... He waits to hear the response from the other questions. "Yeah, we gotta find where these guys are located and who they are torturing, preparing for this demon, gonna let 'em free. Anything you could do to help would be nice."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Rachus (with a 23) The goblin nods slowly, “I have not walked beyond these caverns,” she murmurs, voice thin and wary. “But the kobolds speak. They use this place because it lies close to the Northlands, close enough to raid the roads and the soft human villages. They drag their captives back here first, to break them. After that... they take them south, to the dead place.”
Her eyes flick between you all. “Even the kobolds fear that place. They say a demon dwells there. Something old, clever, and cruel. It commands them, drives them to gather more slaves.” She closes her eyes for a moment, jaw clenched tight. “I pray your friend has not been taken there. If he is still here... he will be deeper in. Past the river. There is a bridge, but it is trapped, cursed, bound in magic. I heard them laughing once... about an elf who tried to flee. They said he burned. Screamed like a kettle.”
She falls silent, the firelight catching a glint of sympathy in her yellow eyes. Then she speaks again, voice lower now, as if each word costs her. “The kobolds have captured other things too. Beasts. A manticore, cruel and chained. An ogre who eats only in the dark. And... they spoke of a dragon. One that is dead—or perhaps not. Perhaps it only rots.”
She lets the words hang heavily between you. Then at last, she shakes her head. “That is all I know. I am sorry.”
"Thank you for sharing what you know. As my companion has said the exit is not far. Now go and flee this dreadful place" says Rachus with an encouraging smile.
At your words Rachus she gives orders to the other goblins and they begin to flee their prison, steaming out toward the exit. Many of them pause to offer their thanks as they pass by. At last only the female remains, seemingly reluctant to leave.
"I will go with you." she announces, "I will help."
"Yes, lets investigate the eastern path." then he turns to the female goblin. "I welcome you then to our quest. Ah where are my manners I am Rachus and who might you be?"
"I am called Ember." she replies with a grim smile, and then to you Thanadol, "I will be careful."
You turn your backs on the chamber, now choosing the eastern passage. It is no grand passage, but a tight, pinching gut of a tunnel that admits you only in single file. The descent is a slow one, the rock close enough to scrape a shoulders as you shuffle into the deep.
It opens into a cavern, a great bowl carved from the rock, no other exits visible. Above, stalactites like daggers of stone weep in the gloom, their bases lost in the high darkness. A soft, phosphorescent blue light clings to the walls, emanating from a creeping moss. At the cavern's centre, a pool of water sits dark and undisturbed, its surface a mirror for the eerie light of the cavern.
The air should be stale here, with the smell of old stone and endless damp. Instead, it is possessed of a clean, fresh scent, the aroma of a sudden spring shower and the sharp perfume of crushed meadowsweet. A contradiction that pricks at the senses and whispers of things that are not as they should be.
Skritch will want to check the entrance to this space (as well as the passage leading to it) for any sort of warnings or advice in Druidic, which I think he's supposed to spot automatically. It's a long shot, but who knows with nature, right...?
If he doesn't see any intentional messaging from other Druids, can he do a nature checkto see if he can figure out what's going on? (rolled in campaign log) Nature: 2+4=6
Skritch you see no obvious druidic markers or symbols though the sweet fragrance of this caverns does call to your druidic spirit and (with a 6) you are quite confident that the water in the pool is indeed wet.
Vakas looks overhead, in the dark ceiling, looking for anything that may not be illuminated by the glowing blue light from the moss. He looks as far as he can see into the water, without getting close to the edge, peers within to see if any sign of movement, anything lurking beneath. "Something about this... seems off. Curious to hear what you see, Thanadol.."
Perception : 18
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
The last word of the ritual dies on your lips Thanadol. A cold, eldritch fire ignites in your eyes. The air grows thick, thrumming with energy that prickles the skin. Before you, the pool is a roiling cauldron of liquid light. The power within writhes and coils, its aspect shifting from the cold azure of the deep sea to the violent purple of a fresh bruise. It is a treacherous and untamed magic, and it is awake.
(With an 18) The water before you Vakas is a sheet of murky, unbroken glass. No ripple disturbs its surface, no shadow hints at what stirs in the cold depths.
Still, a cold weight settles between your shoulders. The hairs on your neck prickle—an old, familiar warning that screams while your eyes see nothing. You are being watched. The certainty of it settles in your bones, a chilling truth in the deep silence. Something patient waits.
"We are here to destroy those who imprisoned you. Any information you can share will help us avenge you and your families." Dealuri's eyes are bright with emotion as she seeks to reassure the rightfully fearful goblins.
Rachus roll for persuasion with advantage with the support of your party.
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain
Vakas side eyes Dealuri, his face forming into a grim smile, Well, I don't know that I would go that far... He waits to hear the response from the other questions. "Yeah, we gotta find where these guys are located and who they are torturing, preparing for this demon, gonna let 'em free. Anything you could do to help would be nice."
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Rachus Persuasion
23 - rolled in game log
Rachus (with a 23) The goblin nods slowly, “I have not walked beyond these caverns,” she murmurs, voice thin and wary. “But the kobolds speak. They use this place because it lies close to the Northlands, close enough to raid the roads and the soft human villages. They drag their captives back here first, to break them. After that... they take them south, to the dead place.”
Her eyes flick between you all. “Even the kobolds fear that place. They say a demon dwells there. Something old, clever, and cruel. It commands them, drives them to gather more slaves.” She closes her eyes for a moment, jaw clenched tight. “I pray your friend has not been taken there. If he is still here... he will be deeper in. Past the river. There is a bridge, but it is trapped, cursed, bound in magic. I heard them laughing once... about an elf who tried to flee. They said he burned. Screamed like a kettle.”
She falls silent, the firelight catching a glint of sympathy in her yellow eyes. Then she speaks again, voice lower now, as if each word costs her. “The kobolds have captured other things too. Beasts. A manticore, cruel and chained. An ogre who eats only in the dark. And... they spoke of a dragon. One that is dead—or perhaps not. Perhaps it only rots.”
She lets the words hang heavily between you. Then at last, she shakes her head. “That is all I know. I am sorry.”
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain
"Thank you for sharing what you know. As my companion has said the exit is not far. Now go and flee this dreadful place" says Rachus with an encouraging smile.
Skritch and Sunhill move to one side of the passage, indicating the way.
At your words Rachus she gives orders to the other goblins and they begin to flee their prison, steaming out toward the exit. Many of them pause to offer their thanks as they pass by. At last only the female remains, seemingly reluctant to leave.
"I will go with you." she announces, "I will help."
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain
Skritch watches the prisoners flee. Well, that’s some quality rescuing right there, he thinks.
He sends to the rest of the party, "Ooh, I like her pluck!
"Shall we try the opposite passage? The, er, the east one?"
"Yes, lets investigate the eastern path." then he turns to the female goblin. "I welcome you then to our quest. Ah where are my manners I am Rachus and who might you be?"
Skritch will also introduce himself and brave Sunhill.
I am Thanadol, we will be happy to let you acompany us but be careful.
"I am called Ember." she replies with a grim smile, and then to you Thanadol, "I will be careful."
You turn your backs on the chamber, now choosing the eastern passage. It is no grand passage, but a tight, pinching gut of a tunnel that admits you only in single file. The descent is a slow one, the rock close enough to scrape a shoulders as you shuffle into the deep.
It opens into a cavern, a great bowl carved from the rock, no other exits visible. Above, stalactites like daggers of stone weep in the gloom, their bases lost in the high darkness. A soft, phosphorescent blue light clings to the walls, emanating from a creeping moss. At the cavern's centre, a pool of water sits dark and undisturbed, its surface a mirror for the eerie light of the cavern.
The air should be stale here, with the smell of old stone and endless damp. Instead, it is possessed of a clean, fresh scent, the aroma of a sudden spring shower and the sharp perfume of crushed meadowsweet. A contradiction that pricks at the senses and whispers of things that are not as they should be.
What do you do?
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain
Skritch will want to check the entrance to this space (as well as the passage leading to it) for any sort of warnings or advice in Druidic, which I think he's supposed to spot automatically. It's a long shot, but who knows with nature, right...?
If he doesn't see any intentional messaging from other Druids, can he do a nature check to see if he can figure out what's going on? (rolled in campaign log) Nature: 2+4=6
(OOC: these rolls are killing me...!)
OOC: Ouch!
Skritch you see no obvious druidic markers or symbols though the sweet fragrance of this caverns does call to your druidic spirit and (with a 6) you are quite confident that the water in the pool is indeed wet.
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain
Thanadol looks thoughtfully at the pool and begins ritual casting Detect Magic
Vakas looks overhead, in the dark ceiling, looking for anything that may not be illuminated by the glowing blue light from the moss. He looks as far as he can see into the water, without getting close to the edge, peers within to see if any sign of movement, anything lurking beneath. "Something about this... seems off. Curious to hear what you see, Thanadol.."
Perception : 18
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Skritch has a 10' climbing speed. Are the cavern walls such that Skritch could climb up and investigate the ceiling from a bit closer?
The last word of the ritual dies on your lips Thanadol. A cold, eldritch fire ignites in your eyes. The air grows thick, thrumming with energy that prickles the skin. Before you, the pool is a roiling cauldron of liquid light. The power within writhes and coils, its aspect shifting from the cold azure of the deep sea to the violent purple of a fresh bruise. It is a treacherous and untamed magic, and it is awake.
(With an 18) The water before you Vakas is a sheet of murky, unbroken glass. No ripple disturbs its surface, no shadow hints at what stirs in the cold depths.
Still, a cold weight settles between your shoulders. The hairs on your neck prickle—an old, familiar warning that screams while your eyes see nothing. You are being watched. The certainty of it settles in your bones, a chilling truth in the deep silence. Something patient waits.
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain
Skritch you climb the wall and investigate the ceiling. You find nothing unusual up here, just slick stone and snaking moss, dank and dark.
DM - Warlock of Firetop Mountain