As Lyra gets 55' E the ground begins to give way, revealing a pit covered by no more than a cursory layer of dirt, leaves, and tarp. Fortunately it's not too deep (5ft) so no falling damage. Unfortunately there are spikes in the ground that pierce Lyra.
Lyra takes 11 piercing damage.
[[ Got a black circle under Lyra that'll indicate where the trap is later on when Lyra's token is moved. Just hidden by her token right now.
This little interruption takes place before the action. So, if expeditious retreat stays up, still have 15ft of movement there. Would say you need to get out of the hole to get an eldritch blast off. (Can use the normal climbing rules; so essentially 10ft movement to get out. No further athletics checks or so.) ]]
Initiative Rider 1 (mount is restrained) Fenric, Lyra (prone, concentrating on expeditious retreat, 15ft movement remaining if exp retreat stays up; still has action), Zephyr (z = +20, concentrating on web) <----------- currently up Longbow (63 damage), Panflute's Giant Lizard YugJug (sanctuary, 12thp)
Wait a just a moment, the ground there doesn't look quite...
Lyra recalls an instant too late that the woodcarvers had spoken of the bandits digging holes in the ground along the forest path. She moves to swerve south to avoid it, but not in time to avoid skidding into the edge of the spiked pit. (11 damage taken, down to 1 Temp HP from Protector Cannon.)
The grin gone from her face, Lyra hauls herself out from the mess of tarp and leaves covering the pit (clambering out with 10' movement) and steps 5' further east before grimly firing off her Eldritch Blast beams (as posted previously), the first at Mr. Longbow and the second at Rider 1.
(Edited to add: per our ensuing OOC discussion, Lyra is NOT prone after her fall into the pit as she took no falling damage, only spike damage.)
[[ I hadn't explicitly mentioned it in the part where I talked about the 10' to get out. (Should've on my part.) Though did list it in conditions that from falling Lyra would be prone. Since being prone only adds 1ft for crawling IIRC could still crawl out. But would have disadvantage from being prone. ]]
Following his threat with action, Zephyr flies out from behind the tree and hovers near the edge of the the web-covered area to get a clear shot at the lizardman. He points his arcane rod at the the rider and says magic words tracing a symbol on the rod -- a different one than usual. Suddenly, a long cord whips out from the end of the rod, similar to a raspberry cane but more flexible (like a vine) and with longer spikes. Zephyr tries to use the thorn whip to yank the lizardman from his mount and drag him into the webs. Then Zephyr flits away, triggering his Eldritch Cannon as he hides again behind a different tree.
Movement: 30-ft of movement. 1 square SE (also descending 5-ft), 1 square W, and then 2 squares NW (descending 5-ft). z Altitude: +5-ft Action: Cast spell Thorn Whip, 12, Damage: 12 (magical piercing), including extra damage from using his Arcane Firearm. Bonus Action: trigger the Protector Eldritch Cannon to replenish his own THP. The cannon and all allies within 10-ft (including Zephyr) gain 7Temporary Hit Points Free Action: Talking
Concentration: Web, round 3 of 600 Each creature that starts its turn in the webs or that enters them on its turn must succeed on a DC 16 DEX saving throw or be restrained by the webs.
No Concentration: Sanctuary on YugJug, round 5 of 10 Until the spell ends, any creature who targets YugJug with an attack or a harmful spell must first make a WIS 16 DC saving throw. On a failed save, the creature must choose a new target or lose the attack or spell.
--- Eldritch Cannon (Protector), carried by YugJug
AC 18, HP 30 (12 THP) Immune to poison and psychic damage
Lyra's blast from streaks across, not only knocking the Longbow lizardman off his mount but also off of life.
Zephyr's thorn whip strikes harmlessly against Rider 1's scales, but bereft of javelins and in the thick of the thickets, he is an easy target.
[[ Gonna end initiative here. For Rider 1 he's easy shooting with a plan to kill him. On his mind right now is "run run run" but if your goal is to capture him, willing to do that as an out-of-initiative thing. Plus this'll get Komus in quicker. ]]
Lyra, who typically manages somehow to look poised and stylish even when roughing it through the wilderness, appears far more disheveled than you've seen her, dirt and leaves covering her from her tumble into the spiked pit. Though thankfully no blood thanks to the Protector Cannon. Her melodious voice carries an annoyed tinge as she calls out in Elvish to Zephyr, Fenric and Yugjug. She points to anywhere else nearby where she sees the forest floor look "wrong," indicating the possible presence of any other similar traps (Passive Perception: 17)
"Beware these gods-forsaken hidden holes in the ground. I had forgotten what the woodcarvers told us. Never were logic and memory my strong suits."
Recomposing herself, she continues, still in Elivsh so that (hopefully) Rider 1 cannot understand. "We should gather, search and hide the corpses. And their mounts may help us bear Yug's liqueur back if Fen can convince them. Yet what to do with the surviving rider?"
She taps a customary finger to her dark harmonica-stained lips. "With the one escaping us, we will not easily surprise the bandit camp. I could convincingly propose a suggestion to the survivor that the other lizardfolk are on the verge of betraying him. That Sess'inek has decreed that he seize this opportunity to gain dominion and found his own band rather than forever following orders from those who have been so easily defeated. Cooperate fully (for now) with we fey and elven fools to destroy the rest of the bandits, and then use our help to move the stolen assets to a more secure location."
He looks around to her companions to check what they think, and whether they would rather just slay the rider, or take some other approach.
As Lyra speaks, she lopes back within the range of the Protector Cannon borne by Yugjug, gaining 10 Temp HP.
"Beware these gods-forsaken hidden holes in the ground. I had forgotten what the woodcarvers told us...."
At this comment, Zephyr looks to Fenric and says, "See? I told you so! I was expecting something like that. That's why the bandits kept having their Giant Lizards leap onto the road: they were avoiding the spiked pits."
Recomposing herself, she continues, still in Elivsh so that (hopefully) Rider 1 cannot understand. "We should gather, search and hide the corpses. And their mounts may help us bear Yug's liqueur back if Fen can convince them. Yet what to do with the surviving rider?"
Zephyr shrugs in an unconcerned way and replies (in Elvish): "Prisoners, interrogation, and treaties were never in my department."
She taps a customary finger to her dark harmonica-stained lips. "With the one escaping us, we will not easily surprise the bandit camp.
Zephyr looks surprised at this and says (in Elvish), "Oh! Didn't you see? Fenric was able to stop the one who tried to flee to the northeast." He holds up his fingers one at a time, counting as he continues:
"We started with the lizardman with the pan flute."
"As long as you killed the one with the longbow, Lyra,..."
"...that just leaves this one who got caught in my Web."
The only creatures who escaped the party's attack were a couple of the giant lizards.
As Lyra speaks, she lopes back within the range of the Protector Cannon borne by Yugjug, gaining 10 Temp HP.
[[ OOC: FYI - the Protector Cannon doesn't do that automatically. Zephyr has to be close enough to use a bonus action to trigger it. The cannon lasts for a full hour, so now that we're out of combat, Zephyr can keep triggering it until we all have 12 THP again. ]]
With combat over, Zephyr can maintain concentration on the Web until we're ready for it to dissolve. (The duration is 1 hour.) The Sanctuary on YugJug will also expire shortly.
Concentration: Web, round 4 of 600 Each creature that starts its turn in the webs or that enters them on its turn must succeed on a DC 16 DEX saving throw or be restrained by the webs.
No Concentration: Sanctuary on YugJug, round 6 of 10 Until the spell ends, any creature who targets YugJug with an attack or a harmful spell must first make a WIS 16 DC saving throw. On a failed save, the creature must choose a new target or lose the attack or spell.
--- Eldritch Cannon (Protector), carried by YugJug
AC 18, HP 30 (12 THP) Immune to poison and psychic damage
With the battle won, Fenric stows his bow and checks himself for any injuries. Finding himself mostly unscathed, he meets up with the rest of the group. "A keen eye you've got Zephyr, but it's much easier to avoid pit traps when you can fly. As for our hostage, we should at least try to get some information before killing him. Lyra, I believe you were the one who wanted to talk to them? I think getting the location of the liqueur would be the best place to start. In the meantime, I'll try and talk to this lizard over here and get him to cooperate."
Fenric walks over to the calm giant lizard (The flutist's mount), and casts Speak with Animals. "Hello friend. I'm sorry those other folk were riding you. Say, do you think you could help me out? Do you remember seeing any barrels recently? Maybe some other people had them, and then your rider took them?"
In truth, in the vigorous course of pursuit of (and verbal sparring with) the fleeing longbowman, Lyra hadn't fully registered the warning in Sylvan from Zephyr, and to the extent she had, she had trusted rather in her own Perception to notice any such pit before tumbling in. Oops.
Pulling away twigs and leaves entangled with both her loose dirty blonde hair and long, thick braid, she sounds a dissonant chord on her dark harmonica as she approaches the abandoned lizardfolk who remains, his mount ensnared in Zephyr'sWeb. Not rushing, nor going slow, as her remaining thirty seconds or so of Expeditious Retreat allow her to navigate the overgrown section of road without excessive delay.
As Fenric begins making odd, reptilian sounds at the riderless giant lizard, Lyra meets Rider 1's eye, meaning first to instill doubt in his heart. In Draconic:
"Your kinfolk have betrayed you. Left you to rescue a doomed sentry in the trees whilst they ran for their miserable lives. You know deep down you cannot trust them. To be worthy of Sess'inek's favor, you yourself must succeed, without them, as you did just now with your javelins. Did a single one of them manage to injure us in the slightest? No, may the hungry jaws take them. Only you showed strength, who were ordered to advance as they fled."
Above - Bonus Action: Unsettling Words, one use of Bardic Inspiration to subtract 1d6 from Rider 1's next saving throw.
Lyra continues in Draconic, somehow interspersing and weaving whispery chords from her dark harmonica into the harsh language:
"Seize your destiny as a true scion of mighty Sess'inek and lay plans now to slay ALL your so-called comrades so you may begin anew, recruiting a new band with YOU in command, not as a weakling follower, cooperating in FULL now with these fey and elven fools to work together and destroy the other lizardfolk raiders and secure your hard-won assets. The perils of the great Silverwood itself shall then take care of these newcomers in good time."
Above - Action: Suggestion targeting Rider 1, DC 15 WIS Save (subtracting 1d6 from roll due to Unsettling Words). Concentration up to 8 hours.
If Rider 1 succeeds on his save, Lyra will use her reaction to cast Silvery Barbs and force a re-roll.
As Lyra speaks, she lopes back within the range of the Protector Cannon borne by Yugjug, gaining 10 Temp HP.
[[ OOC: FYI - the Protector Cannon doesn't do that automatically. Zephyr has to be close enough to use a bonus action to trigger it. The cannon lasts for a full hour, so now that we're out of combat, Zephyr can keep triggering it until we all have 12 THP again. ]]
[[ OOC:
I rolled in the game log to see how long it would take to get the max THP allocation.
8, 3, 4, 3, 2, 6, 5, 2, 7, 7
The first roll was an 8, so everyone has 12 THP again. 🙂
Also gonna do a little history for the giant lizard on barrels DC 10: -3 (happened long ago enough that for a giant lizard, wouldn't exactly be a notable thing on its mind as the specific instance)
[[ xD I'm not sure I've seen the negative numbers before although it makes sense. ]]
While the lizard isn't able to specifically recall an incident with barrels it is able to respond to general queries on the bandits. "Me no know. Walky lizards hunt many walky apes. Me haul many thing to home den." It has a happy tone as it adds, "Walky lizards give me meat chunks. You have meat chunk, walky ape?"
//to add in advance a response to a presumed question
It continues to talk about home den, "Many walky lizards and fellow lizards. Sleep under wood den. Big walky lizard lead walky lizards."
As Lyra's suggestions slip into the lizardfolk's mind he begins to grin a toothy smile with asperations of grandeur. As he begins to walk around to recover his javelins [[ assuming y'all let him ]] he looks at them in glee. "Indeed, it was only standing by myself, not with them, that Sess'innek's favor blessed me." he looks at Zephyr with a devious wink. As the thoughts of creating his own band fill him he continues, "Very well, minions, to arms! Though your fleshy skin lacks the greatness of scales you are suitable instruments indeed. And the usurpation of Izzo Gruut shall be nigh!" After a little more work from his lizard he frees it from the web and holds out a club with an aura of leadership as he kicks his mount onto its hind legs in a dramatic pose. "But first I must deal with Vintu. No doubt he is already on his way to the hunting party to bring them here."
Zephyr finds a spot in between the other two. That way, he can keep his arcane rod ready and aimed toward the surviving lizardman whom Lyra is trying to persuade to betray the other bandits, and he can still be close enough to help Fenric in case the Wood Elf offends the Giant Lizard, and the beast tries to eat them!
Also gonna do a little history for the giant lizard on barrels DC 10: -3
If Fenric seems to be having trouble getting on in his conversation with the Giant Lizard, Zephyr suggests (in Elvish), "Remember: even if the Giant Lizard can understand you, it's still a simple beast with simple motivations. Offer it some food if you have anything it likes. Ask it whether it can lead us back to its 'den', wherever it normally eats and sleeps. And where there are probably more Giant Lizards and more of the scaly ones who walk on 2 legs (i.e., lizardfolk). It's not going to draw you a map, but if the bandits are going back and forth between these ambushes along the road and their home base in the woods, I bet the Giant Lizards can take us right back there."
Zephyr also suggests, "And see whether you can get that one to help with rounding up the Giant Lizard that the longbow-lizardman was riding. And maybe convincing this other one that's been stuck in my Web to help us too!"
Lyra stares, a bit nonplussed, at the charmed lizardfolk for a moment, explaining what she's done (in Elvish) to Fenric and Yugjug, since they likely do not know Draconic. In truth, she had not intended the target to think of the party themselves as his new band to lead, only as temporary allies with whom to cooperate "IN FULL," to destroy the other raiders and secure their ill-gotten goods. Yet she supposes this will have to do...
"But first I must deal with Vintu. No doubt he is already on his way to the hunting party to bring them here."
(In Common) "Is Vintu the strong-looking lizard who fled?" Lyra will have to get used to referring to giant lizards as one would to people. "Yes, unless my companions disagree, go now quickly and intercept him before he can alert those who have betrayed you. Then return here. We must work together and make battle plans to deal with your traitorous former companions. Remember, you are no leader yet. Actions make a leader, starting now."
Lyra also gestures for the charmed lizardfolk to swing past Zephyr'sProtector Cannon on his way after the tough lizard so Zephyr can grant him Temp HP. She certainly does not interfere with his gathering his thrown javelins as she continues to concentrate on Suggestion.
She leaves Fenric to deal with the riderless lizards and begins piling corpses, hidden among the trees, being careful to avoid further pit-related mishaps. She then searches the corpses for their belongings, in particular inspecting the pan flute and longbow with its poisoned (?) arrows,
Fenric pulls some more jerky from his rations and feeds it to the lizard. "Good, isn't it? I've got plenty more if you and your fellow lizards would be willing to help me and my friends. It'll be real easy too, just follow us around and carry some things!" He did not, in fact, have plenty more, and would likely have to hunt something to follow through on his promise. But he'd cross that bridge when he got to it. For now, he was just hoping the lizards would stick around with them long enough to get to the lizards' hideout.
Komus walks up to the party, bow in hand. "Ah, my comrades! I was wondering when you would need my assistance. It looks to me, however, like you handled all too well. My stay, I regret to inform you, was neither informing nor long lived. I felt that my assistance was needed by you, and though it hasn't yet been required, I fear it may soon in the journey ahead."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I'm just your everyday dungeon master. Ignore that jar full of souls. And those bones in the corner are just props, don't worry. I'm definitely NOT a lich. Definitely.
Yes, I like beholders. Yes, I curated an exquisite personality for commoner #2864. Yes, my catchphrase is "are you sure?"
[[ OOC: Zephyr's activity, assuming that the group has at least 10 minutes before the arrival Vintu and before "Rydairwyn" wants us to head out on his glorious conquest... ]]
She leaves Fenric to deal with the riderless lizards and begins piling corpses, hidden among the trees, being careful to avoid further pit-related mishaps. She then searches the corpses for their belongings, in particular inspecting the pan flute and longbow with its poisoned (?) arrows,
While Lyra(and Fenric and YugJug) gather the corpses and/or wrangle the two riderless Giant Lizards, Zephyrbusies himself with a simple alchemical preparation. It takes him about 10 minutes, but at the end of it, he has produced a few few milliliters of a pale green chemical. He uses his All-Purpose Tool, currently operating as an eye-dropper, to put a few drops in each eye. He says, "Now I can scan for any enchantments," as he wipes the excess liquid off his cheeks. He doubts that the lizardfolk carried any magical gear, but he always like to check. After all, even if they're rare, he thinks that there are lizardfolk shaman or sorcerers of some sort. And perhaps the pan flute lizardman was a bard.
[[ Take 10 minutes to perform a ritual casting of Detect magic. Then scan the ambush site and the lizardfolk's gear to see whether anything is magical. ]]
After that, Zephyr is ready to go wherever Lyraand the charmed lizardman say that they should go next. He sounds excited when he asks Fenric, "What did the Giant Lizards say? Oooh! Do I get to ride one?"
Komus walks up to the party, bow in hand. "Ah, my comrades! I was wondering when you would need my assistance. It looks to me, however, like you handled all too well. My stay, I regret to inform you, was neither informing nor long lived. I felt that my assistance was needed by you, and though it hasn't yet been required, I fear it may soon in the journey ahead."
Zephyr cries out to the others, "Hey, look! It's Komus." To Komus, he responds, "Yeah, you missed all of the 'excitement,' but this is just the first raiding party of bandits. We still need to go find their base in the meadow off to the east somewhere." He waves his arm vaguely in that direction.
(If there time...) Zephyr suddenly realizes that Komus missed the previous day's travel. He asks, "Did you run into an owlbear on your way here? We did. Oh! And did you see the Faerie Dragons just outside of Birakruut? They made the funniest illusion..." Zephyr is happy to share every encounter that they had along the road, but since he tends to jump around from one story to another as new details occur to him, Komusmight not get the clearest picture of the events.
As Lyra gets 55' E the ground begins to give way, revealing a pit covered by no more than a cursory layer of dirt, leaves, and tarp. Fortunately it's not too deep (5ft) so no falling damage. Unfortunately there are spikes in the ground that pierce Lyra.
Lyra takes 11 piercing damage.
[[
Got a black circle under Lyra that'll indicate where the trap is later on when Lyra's token is moved. Just hidden by her token right now.
This little interruption takes place before the action. So, if expeditious retreat stays up, still have 15ft of movement there. Would say you need to get out of the hole to get an eldritch blast off. (Can use the normal climbing rules; so essentially 10ft movement to get out. No further athletics checks or so.)
]]
Initiative
Rider 1 (mount is restrained)
Fenric, Lyra (prone, concentrating on expeditious retreat, 15ft movement remaining if exp retreat stays up; still has action), Zephyr (z = +20, concentrating on web) <----------- currently up
Longbow (63 damage), Panflute's Giant Lizard
YugJug (sanctuary, 12thp)
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny
Eggo Lass, Bone and Oblivion | Tendilius Mondhaven Paxaramus, Drakkenheim
Karl Erikson, No Guts No Glory | Chipper, Curse of Strahd
Silverwood Group 1 | Silverwood Group 2
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 51, 10/23/25, Viva La Vida
Wait a just a moment, the ground there doesn't look quite...
Lyra recalls an instant too late that the woodcarvers had spoken of the bandits digging holes in the ground along the forest path. She moves to swerve south to avoid it, but not in time to avoid skidding into the edge of the spiked pit. (11 damage taken, down to 1 Temp HP from Protector Cannon.)
DC10 CON Save to maintain concentration on Expeditious Retreat: 13
The grin gone from her face, Lyra hauls herself out from the mess of tarp and leaves covering the pit (clambering out with 10' movement) and steps 5' further east before grimly firing off her Eldritch Blast beams (as posted previously), the first at Mr. Longbow and the second at Rider 1.
(Edited to add: per our ensuing OOC discussion, Lyra is NOT prone after her fall into the pit as she took no falling damage, only spike damage.)
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons | Lyra(Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(Druid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(Sorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(Cleric3/Sorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
[[ I hadn't explicitly mentioned it in the part where I talked about the 10' to get out. (Should've on my part.) Though did list it in conditions that from falling Lyra would be prone. Since being prone only adds 1ft for crawling IIRC could still crawl out. But would have disadvantage from being prone. ]]
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny
Eggo Lass, Bone and Oblivion | Tendilius Mondhaven Paxaramus, Drakkenheim
Karl Erikson, No Guts No Glory | Chipper, Curse of Strahd
Silverwood Group 1 | Silverwood Group 2
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 51, 10/23/25, Viva La Vida
Round 5: Zephyr
Following his threat with action, Zephyr flies out from behind the tree and hovers near the edge of the the web-covered area to get a clear shot at the lizardman. He points his arcane rod at the the rider and says magic words tracing a symbol on the rod -- a different one than usual. Suddenly, a long cord whips out from the end of the rod, similar to a raspberry cane but more flexible (like a vine) and with longer spikes. Zephyr tries to use the thorn whip to yank the lizardman from his mount and drag him into the webs. Then Zephyr flits away, triggering his Eldritch Cannon as he hides again behind a different tree.
Movement: 30-ft of movement. 1 square SE (also descending 5-ft), 1 square W, and then 2 squares NW (descending 5-ft). z
Altitude: +5-ft
Action: Cast spell Thorn Whip, 12, Damage: 12 (magical piercing), including extra damage from using his Arcane Firearm.
Bonus Action: trigger the Protector Eldritch Cannon to replenish his own THP.
The cannon and all allies within 10-ft (including Zephyr) gain 7 Temporary Hit Points
Free Action: Talking
Concentration: Web, round 3 of 600
Each creature that starts its turn in the webs or that enters them on its turn must succeed on a DC 16 DEX saving throw or be restrained by the webs.
No Concentration: Sanctuary on YugJug, round 5 of 10
Until the spell ends, any creature who targets YugJug with an attack or a harmful spell must first make a WIS 16 DC saving throw.
On a failed save, the creature must choose a new target or lose the attack or spell.
---
Eldritch Cannon (Protector), carried by YugJug
AC 18, HP 30 (12 THP)
Immune to poison and psychic damage
Lyra's blast from streaks across, not only knocking the Longbow lizardman off his mount but also off of life.
Zephyr's thorn whip strikes harmlessly against Rider 1's scales, but bereft of javelins and in the thick of the thickets, he is an easy target.
[[ Gonna end initiative here. For Rider 1 he's easy shooting with a plan to kill him. On his mind right now is "run run run" but if your goal is to capture him, willing to do that as an out-of-initiative thing. Plus this'll get Komus in quicker. ]]
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny
Eggo Lass, Bone and Oblivion | Tendilius Mondhaven Paxaramus, Drakkenheim
Karl Erikson, No Guts No Glory | Chipper, Curse of Strahd
Silverwood Group 1 | Silverwood Group 2
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 51, 10/23/25, Viva La Vida
Lyra, who typically manages somehow to look poised and stylish even when roughing it through the wilderness, appears far more disheveled than you've seen her, dirt and leaves covering her from her tumble into the spiked pit. Though thankfully no blood thanks to the Protector Cannon. Her melodious voice carries an annoyed tinge as she calls out in Elvish to Zephyr, Fenric and Yugjug. She points to anywhere else nearby where she sees the forest floor look "wrong," indicating the possible presence of any other similar traps (Passive Perception: 17)
"Beware these gods-forsaken hidden holes in the ground. I had forgotten what the woodcarvers told us. Never were logic and memory my strong suits."
Recomposing herself, she continues, still in Elivsh so that (hopefully) Rider 1 cannot understand. "We should gather, search and hide the corpses. And their mounts may help us bear Yug's liqueur back if Fen can convince them. Yet what to do with the surviving rider?"
She taps a customary finger to her dark harmonica-stained lips. "With the one escaping us, we will not easily surprise the bandit camp. I could convincingly propose a suggestion to the survivor that the other lizardfolk are on the verge of betraying him. That Sess'inek has decreed that he seize this opportunity to gain dominion and found his own band rather than forever following orders from those who have been so easily defeated. Cooperate fully (for now) with we fey and elven fools to destroy the rest of the bandits, and then use our help to move the stolen assets to a more secure location."
He looks around to her companions to check what they think, and whether they would rather just slay the rider, or take some other approach.
As Lyra speaks, she lopes back within the range of the Protector Cannon borne by Yugjug, gaining 10 Temp HP.
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons | Lyra(Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(Druid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(Sorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(Cleric3/Sorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
As Lyra returns to the others, Zephyr finally lands back on the ground, but he keeps his arcane rod ready and aimed toward the surviving lizardman.
At this comment, Zephyr looks to Fenric and says, "See? I told you so! I was expecting something like that. That's why the bandits kept having their Giant Lizards leap onto the road: they were avoiding the spiked pits."
Zephyr shrugs in an unconcerned way and replies (in Elvish): "Prisoners, interrogation, and treaties were never in my department."
Zephyr looks surprised at this and says (in Elvish), "Oh! Didn't you see? Fenric was able to stop the one who tried to flee to the northeast." He holds up his fingers one at a time, counting as he continues:
The only creatures who escaped the party's attack were a couple of the giant lizards.
[[ OOC: FYI - the Protector Cannon doesn't do that automatically. Zephyr has to be close enough to use a bonus action to trigger it. The cannon lasts for a full hour, so now that we're out of combat, Zephyr can keep triggering it until we all have 12 THP again. ]]
With combat over, Zephyr can maintain concentration on the Web until we're ready for it to dissolve. (The duration is 1 hour.) The Sanctuary on YugJug will also expire shortly.
Concentration: Web, round 4 of 600
Each creature that starts its turn in the webs or that enters them on its turn must succeed on a DC 16 DEX saving throw or be restrained by the webs.
No Concentration: Sanctuary on YugJug, round 6 of 10
Until the spell ends, any creature who targets YugJug with an attack or a harmful spell must first make a WIS 16 DC saving throw.
On a failed save, the creature must choose a new target or lose the attack or spell.
---
Eldritch Cannon (Protector), carried by YugJug
AC 18, HP 30 (12 THP)
Immune to poison and psychic damage
With the battle won, Fenric stows his bow and checks himself for any injuries. Finding himself mostly unscathed, he meets up with the rest of the group. "A keen eye you've got Zephyr, but it's much easier to avoid pit traps when you can fly. As for our hostage, we should at least try to get some information before killing him. Lyra, I believe you were the one who wanted to talk to them? I think getting the location of the liqueur would be the best place to start. In the meantime, I'll try and talk to this lizard over here and get him to cooperate."
Fenric walks over to the calm giant lizard (The flutist's mount), and casts Speak with Animals. "Hello friend. I'm sorry those other folk were riding you. Say, do you think you could help me out? Do you remember seeing any barrels recently? Maybe some other people had them, and then your rider took them?"
In truth, in the vigorous course of pursuit of (and verbal sparring with) the fleeing longbowman, Lyra hadn't fully registered the warning in Sylvan from Zephyr, and to the extent she had, she had trusted rather in her own Perception to notice any such pit before tumbling in. Oops.
Pulling away twigs and leaves entangled with both her loose dirty blonde hair and long, thick braid, she sounds a dissonant chord on her dark harmonica as she approaches the abandoned lizardfolk who remains, his mount ensnared in Zephyr's Web. Not rushing, nor going slow, as her remaining thirty seconds or so of Expeditious Retreat allow her to navigate the overgrown section of road without excessive delay.
As Fenric begins making odd, reptilian sounds at the riderless giant lizard, Lyra meets Rider 1's eye, meaning first to instill doubt in his heart. In Draconic:
"Your kinfolk have betrayed you. Left you to rescue a doomed sentry in the trees whilst they ran for their miserable lives. You know deep down you cannot trust them. To be worthy of Sess'inek's favor, you yourself must succeed, without them, as you did just now with your javelins. Did a single one of them manage to injure us in the slightest? No, may the hungry jaws take them. Only you showed strength, who were ordered to advance as they fled."
Above - Bonus Action: Unsettling Words, one use of Bardic Inspiration to subtract 1d6 from Rider 1's next saving throw.
Lyra continues in Draconic, somehow interspersing and weaving whispery chords from her dark harmonica into the harsh language:
"Seize your destiny as a true scion of mighty Sess'inek and lay plans now to slay ALL your so-called comrades so you may begin anew, recruiting a new band with YOU in command, not as a weakling follower, cooperating in FULL now with these fey and elven fools to work together and destroy the other lizardfolk raiders and secure your hard-won assets. The perils of the great Silverwood itself shall then take care of these newcomers in good time."
Above - Action: Suggestion targeting Rider 1, DC 15 WIS Save (subtracting 1d6 from roll due to Unsettling Words). Concentration up to 8 hours.
If Rider 1 succeeds on his save, Lyra will use her reaction to cast Silvery Barbs and force a re-roll.
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons | Lyra(Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(Druid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(Sorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(Cleric3/Sorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
[[ OOC:
I rolled in the game log to see how long it would take to get the max THP allocation.
The first roll was an 8, so everyone has 12 THP again. 🙂
]]
Rider 1 WIS Save: 6
Unsettling Words mallus: 1
Silvery Barbs Reroll (if needed): 18
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny
Eggo Lass, Bone and Oblivion | Tendilius Mondhaven Paxaramus, Drakkenheim
Karl Erikson, No Guts No Glory | Chipper, Curse of Strahd
Silverwood Group 1 | Silverwood Group 2
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 51, 10/23/25, Viva La Vida
[[ Rolled that and then basically crashed. ;p ]]
Also gonna do a little history for the giant lizard on barrels DC 10: -3 (happened long ago enough that for a giant lizard, wouldn't exactly be a notable thing on its mind as the specific instance)
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny
Eggo Lass, Bone and Oblivion | Tendilius Mondhaven Paxaramus, Drakkenheim
Karl Erikson, No Guts No Glory | Chipper, Curse of Strahd
Silverwood Group 1 | Silverwood Group 2
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 51, 10/23/25, Viva La Vida
[[ xD I'm not sure I've seen the negative numbers before although it makes sense. ]]
While the lizard isn't able to specifically recall an incident with barrels it is able to respond to general queries on the bandits. "Me no know. Walky lizards hunt many walky apes. Me haul many thing to home den." It has a happy tone as it adds, "Walky lizards give me meat chunks. You have meat chunk, walky ape?"
//to add in advance a response to a presumed question
It continues to talk about home den, "Many walky lizards and fellow lizards. Sleep under wood den. Big walky lizard lead walky lizards."
As Lyra's suggestions slip into the lizardfolk's mind he begins to grin a toothy smile with asperations of grandeur. As he begins to walk around to recover his javelins [[ assuming y'all let him ]] he looks at them in glee. "Indeed, it was only standing by myself, not with them, that Sess'innek's favor blessed me." he looks at Zephyr with a devious wink. As the thoughts of creating his own band fill him he continues, "Very well, minions, to arms! Though your fleshy skin lacks the greatness of scales you are suitable instruments indeed. And the usurpation of Izzo Gruut shall be nigh!" After a little more work from his lizard he frees it from the web and holds out a club with an aura of leadership as he kicks his mount onto its hind legs in a dramatic pose. "But first I must deal with Vintu. No doubt he is already on his way to the hunting party to bring them here."
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny
Eggo Lass, Bone and Oblivion | Tendilius Mondhaven Paxaramus, Drakkenheim
Karl Erikson, No Guts No Glory | Chipper, Curse of Strahd
Silverwood Group 1 | Silverwood Group 2
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 51, 10/23/25, Viva La Vida
Zephyr finds a spot in between the other two. That way, he can keep his arcane rod ready and aimed toward the surviving lizardman whom Lyra is trying to persuade to betray the other bandits, and he can still be close enough to help Fenric in case the Wood Elf offends the Giant Lizard, and the beast tries to eat them!
If Fenric seems to be having trouble getting on in his conversation with the Giant Lizard, Zephyr suggests (in Elvish), "Remember: even if the Giant Lizard can understand you, it's still a simple beast with simple motivations. Offer it some food if you have anything it likes. Ask it whether it can lead us back to its 'den', wherever it normally eats and sleeps. And where there are probably more Giant Lizards and more of the scaly ones who walk on 2 legs (i.e., lizardfolk). It's not going to draw you a map, but if the bandits are going back and forth between these ambushes along the road and their home base in the woods, I bet the Giant Lizards can take us right back there."
Zephyr also suggests, "And see whether you can get that one to help with rounding up the Giant Lizard that the longbow-lizardman was riding. And maybe convincing this other one that's been stuck in my Web to help us too!"
[[ OOC: Oops. Cross-posted with @VitusW, but I guess Zephyr was on the right track with his suggestions! ]]
Lyra stares, a bit nonplussed, at the charmed lizardfolk for a moment, explaining what she's done (in Elvish) to Fenric and Yugjug, since they likely do not know Draconic. In truth, she had not intended the target to think of the party themselves as his new band to lead, only as temporary allies with whom to cooperate "IN FULL," to destroy the other raiders and secure their ill-gotten goods. Yet she supposes this will have to do...
(In Common) "Is Vintu the strong-looking lizard who fled?" Lyra will have to get used to referring to giant lizards as one would to people. "Yes, unless my companions disagree, go now quickly and intercept him before he can alert those who have betrayed you. Then return here. We must work together and make battle plans to deal with your traitorous former companions. Remember, you are no leader yet. Actions make a leader, starting now."
(If needed) Persuasion: 26
Lyra also gestures for the charmed lizardfolk to swing past Zephyr's Protector Cannon on his way after the tough lizard so Zephyr can grant him Temp HP. She certainly does not interfere with his gathering his thrown javelins as she continues to concentrate on Suggestion.
She leaves Fenric to deal with the riderless lizards and begins piling corpses, hidden among the trees, being careful to avoid further pit-related mishaps. She then searches the corpses for their belongings, in particular inspecting the pan flute and longbow with its poisoned (?) arrows,
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons | Lyra(Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(Druid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(Sorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(Cleric3/Sorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Fenric pulls some more jerky from his rations and feeds it to the lizard. "Good, isn't it? I've got plenty more if you and your fellow lizards would be willing to help me and my friends. It'll be real easy too, just follow us around and carry some things!" He did not, in fact, have plenty more, and would likely have to hunt something to follow through on his promise. But he'd cross that bridge when he got to it. For now, he was just hoping the lizards would stick around with them long enough to get to the lizards' hideout.
(Persuasion if necessary: 14
Animal Handling if that's more fitting: 24)
Komus walks up to the party, bow in hand. "Ah, my comrades! I was wondering when you would need my assistance. It looks to me, however, like you handled all too well. My stay, I regret to inform you, was neither informing nor long lived. I felt that my assistance was needed by you, and though it hasn't yet been required, I fear it may soon in the journey ahead."
I'm just your everyday dungeon master. Ignore that jar full of souls. And those bones in the corner are just props, don't worry. I'm definitely NOT a lich. Definitely.
Yes, I like beholders. Yes, I curated an exquisite personality for commoner #2864. Yes, my catchphrase is "are you sure?"
.-. .- -. -.. --- -- / -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. . .-.-.-
PM "Avocado" to Pug_With_Big_Weapons for a prize.
Don't touch the Jar
[[ OOC: Zephyr's activity, assuming that the group has at least 10 minutes before the arrival Vintu and before "Rydairwyn" wants us to head out on his glorious conquest... ]]
While Lyra (and Fenric and YugJug) gather the corpses and/or wrangle the two riderless Giant Lizards, Zephyr busies himself with a simple alchemical preparation. It takes him about 10 minutes, but at the end of it, he has produced a few few milliliters of a pale green chemical. He uses his All-Purpose Tool, currently operating as an eye-dropper, to put a few drops in each eye. He says, "Now I can scan for any enchantments," as he wipes the excess liquid off his cheeks. He doubts that the lizardfolk carried any magical gear, but he always like to check. After all, even if they're rare, he thinks that there are lizardfolk shaman or sorcerers of some sort. And perhaps the pan flute lizardman was a bard.
[[ Take 10 minutes to perform a ritual casting of Detect magic. Then scan the ambush site and the lizardfolk's gear to see whether anything is magical. ]]
After that, Zephyr is ready to go wherever Lyra and the charmed lizardman say that they should go next. He sounds excited when he asks Fenric, "What did the Giant Lizards say? Oooh! Do I get to ride one?"
Zephyr cries out to the others, "Hey, look! It's Komus." To Komus, he responds, "Yeah, you missed all of the 'excitement,' but this is just the first raiding party of bandits. We still need to go find their base in the meadow off to the east somewhere." He waves his arm vaguely in that direction.
(If there time...) Zephyr suddenly realizes that Komus missed the previous day's travel. He asks, "Did you run into an owlbear on your way here? We did. Oh! And did you see the Faerie Dragons just outside of Birakruut? They made the funniest illusion..." Zephyr is happy to share every encounter that they had along the road, but since he tends to jump around from one story to another as new details occur to him, Komus might not get the clearest picture of the events.