Portia laughed. "I'm not racist. I'm just the acolyte that will always be a pain in your arse, Zina. And if I hadn't asked for horses, you would be walking." She did a slight shift in the saddle putting a heel lightly against the side of the horse and it started walking toward Beregost. "At least Hellriders know how to have well trained horses. He probably could learn tricks and fancy stepping."
Once moving she quietly says in gnomish, "I'm thinking you'll do just fine checking things out, but I'd miss seeing how you two interact if I didn't come along." She smiles at Zina. "You both are adorably irritating, but if you were different I would be worried. The three of us are the originals of this fine and crazy team. I'd really miss you if we went separate ways."
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PbP - Beregost Blues - Portia Starflower, Half Elf, Cleric, Life Domain PbP - Tome of Annhilation - Vistani Mocanu, Human, Bard
Pettilaen smiled widely as the shortsword was handed to him. "For.... me?"He looked down at the magical blade, holding it lightly in his hands as if it was the most precious thing in the world. It was so beautiful: the bright metal gleamed in the sun. And it was so thin. He could easily fit it between any creature's ribcages.
But what did it do? The possibilities were endless. "If the sergeant suspects magic, then we need to figure out what sort of magic it possesses!" He hopped onto Kanon's horse immediately, getting comfortable into the saddle and Kanon's lap, intently focused on the blade, carefully looking it over, trying to glean its magical nature. "Let's hope I figure this out before we get to Beregost."
"If you want to take the reins I might be able to inspect that blade a little closer for you. I might even know its history if its ever been written," Kanon says to Petti as he notices him staring down at the fine Elven craftsmanship. "A lot of blades have stories behind them, and I'd be surprised if that one didn't."
Pettilaen shakes his head, his voice barely audible as he looks over the blade and mutters, "No time for stories. Just what it does. I got this. You steer." It was as if he was in a trance, dazzled by the blade's beauty.
High atop their new warhorses, the group saunters toward Beregost, Pettilaen lost in thought and caressing his new shortsword. Cresting a hilltop, everyone gets a glimpse of the desolation that the southern Sword Coast has become - burnt farms and homesteads, trampled and muddy fields, and mutilated livestock... In the distance, Beregost its self lies broken and burnt, looking more like skeletal remains than a city. Still, the smoke of a few hearth fires rises, indicating some few still call Beregost home.
They reach the curtain wall and pass through an abandoned gate, the guards long since departed from their posts. Between the group on street level and Gaia flying above, everyone feels like this section of the city is completely empty. The shops are well looted and many of the buildings have been either burnt or vandalized. From the look of it, the remaining citizens of Beregost must be of the rougher variety...
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PBP "Beregost Blues" - Dungeon Master of Gnome Slaying +5
Pettilaen felt as if he was on the cusp of discovering the shortsword's capabilities. He knew it was magical, and that the blade would bite deeper and his strikes strike truer, but he felt that something else existed within the blade... and that he could only find it by testing it in battle.
He looked around at his allies. Mara could certainly take a stab from the blade... Wait.Pettilaen shook his head. No, just find something to kill in Beregost. Yes, that's a better idea. He looked up and sure enough, they were striding through Beregost's abandoned gate, revealing a desolate city. Making their way past the shops, Pettilaen frowned. Someone already beat me to it....
He quickly dismounted from Kanon's horse, landing on the ground lightly, his precious firmly grasped in his hands. "You guys will just draw attention, if we haven't already. Let me scout out the area ahead and make sure we aren't walking into an ambush." Not waiting for an answer, Pettilaen clung to the sides of the buildings, moving from barrel to barrel, box to box, into doors and out windows. All the while Gaia kept her vigilant gaze up above, perching on the tops of roofs to check alleyways and open areas for enemies before Pettilaen quickly made his way through and back into hiding.
"If we want to do anything, we can be super cautious checking things out. If we get too close to our sneaky gnome it might mess things up for him. I just don't want to be too far away if he does need us or wants to tell us something. No matter what we do, something is bound to show up since some of the still standing buildings have hearth fires." She frowned. "They might not be too found of an acolyte from the Song of the Morning either. After all, we deserted the place and most of the living members are in the Gate."
Her eyes stayed on the route Petti had taken even if he had already moved out of sight.
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PbP - Beregost Blues - Portia Starflower, Half Elf, Cleric, Life Domain PbP - Tome of Annhilation - Vistani Mocanu, Human, Bard
Mara looked around, her heart aching. Her once beautiful town, now reduced to rubble. She wondered if her family home was even still standing. The temptation to go charging through Beregost, killing anything in her way, was great, but she remained still.
Kanon dismounts and ties his horse's lead on one of the gate's posts. Afterwards he says, "I say we look around. We can't let Pettilaen do all the investigating. At the very least we need to let the people here know that they are not forgotten. If there are any orcs or hobgoblins left, we could liberate them of those monsters."
Mara also dismounted, looking at the destruction around her. "Investigate," she said, staring off into the distance. "Yes, that sounds like a good idea." She began walking in a very specific direction, along the wall. Her intentions were purely selfish, but she had to know. She walked stiffly, almost as if she didn't see anything in front of her. The shock of it all was finally setting in.
Seeing Mara already begin moving, Kanon unties the tether of his horse and leads it with them. "Is there someplace you want to check?" He asks. He's only passed through Beregost a few times, so he'd hardly consider himself a profession of the town. He keeps his eyes peeled for any danger anyway. He's always just enjoyed being along for the ride!
Mara jumps slightly at the sound of Zina's voice. She blinks a moment, slowing her pace. Responding to both Zina and Kanon, she said, "We're heading south, and looking for survivors. We'll follow the wall around. We'll avoid the fires this way, and hopefully any remaining enemies."
"Sounds good to me. Not sure who is squatting on my home but it's in the middle of everything." She leads her horse as they follow the wall. "You lived near the southern barracks, didn't you?" She keeps her voice hushed while keeping an eye on their surroundings.
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PbP - Beregost Blues - Portia Starflower, Half Elf, Cleric, Life Domain PbP - Tome of Annhilation - Vistani Mocanu, Human, Bard
Mara kept her eyes forward, pushing on. "Yes," she simply said. She continued on. "There were plenty of families that lived out in this area. We can't help all of them, obviously, but we can send them to Candlekeep."
"Alright Mar-Mar, but are we specifically searching for your's?" Zina continued to prod. The gnome had a hard time understanding people, but she could always understand family.That was how she had gotten herself mixed up in this insanity, after all. The illusionist shuddered at the thought of what she would be capable of doing if it meant getting her father back. "Tell us, what do we need to look for?"
Mara sighed. "Yes, we are heading to my family home. I... I know it's selfish. There are so many people who need help, and all I can think about are my parents." She paused, staring at a house where a family once lived, but now sat empty. "There are orphans in Candlekeep. They'll never see their parents again, and all I can do is think of my own. They never showed up at Candlekeep. I don't know where they are, and I'm hoping to find... something."
"A lot of people also went to Baldur's Gate," Kanon said, hoping to ease her worry. Maybe if she described her parents he might be able to remember if they saw them. He helped out and entertained a lot of refugees as they were travelling.
"We'll find them, we'll find your dad," Zina reached up and grabbed Mara's hand to give it a reassuring squeeze. "It's not selfish at all. We're going to save all of the Sword Coast from whatever the farji' is doing this. Do your parents count as part of the Sword Coast? Then it's our job to make sure they're safe."
Following the wall to the south end of the city, the group catches occasional glimpses of the fires near the center of town. While some do, indeed, appear to be hearth fires, others are... something else.
As you draw within sight of the Windrunner family home, you note the city is as desolate and decrepit on this end as it was near the west gate where you entered. There's no sign of a single living soul anywhere.
You notice most of the homes have been burned out, including Mara's...
Portia laughed. "I'm not racist. I'm just the acolyte that will always be a pain in your arse, Zina. And if I hadn't asked for horses, you would be walking." She did a slight shift in the saddle putting a heel lightly against the side of the horse and it started walking toward Beregost. "At least Hellriders know how to have well trained horses. He probably could learn tricks and fancy stepping."
Once moving she quietly says in gnomish, "I'm thinking you'll do just fine checking things out, but I'd miss seeing how you two interact if I didn't come along." She smiles at Zina. "You both are adorably irritating, but if you were different I would be worried. The three of us are the originals of this fine and crazy team. I'd really miss you if we went separate ways."
PbP - Beregost Blues - Portia Starflower, Half Elf, Cleric, Life Domain
PbP - Tome of Annhilation - Vistani Mocanu, Human, Bard
Pettilaen smiled widely as the shortsword was handed to him. "For.... me?" He looked down at the magical blade, holding it lightly in his hands as if it was the most precious thing in the world. It was so beautiful: the bright metal gleamed in the sun. And it was so thin. He could easily fit it between any creature's ribcages.
But what did it do? The possibilities were endless. "If the sergeant suspects magic, then we need to figure out what sort of magic it possesses!" He hopped onto Kanon's horse immediately, getting comfortable into the saddle and Kanon's lap, intently focused on the blade, carefully looking it over, trying to glean its magical nature. "Let's hope I figure this out before we get to Beregost."
"If you want to take the reins I might be able to inspect that blade a little closer for you. I might even know its history if its ever been written," Kanon says to Petti as he notices him staring down at the fine Elven craftsmanship. "A lot of blades have stories behind them, and I'd be surprised if that one didn't."
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Pettilaen shakes his head, his voice barely audible as he looks over the blade and mutters, "No time for stories. Just what it does. I got this. You steer." It was as if he was in a trance, dazzled by the blade's beauty.
High atop their new warhorses, the group saunters toward Beregost, Pettilaen lost in thought and caressing his new shortsword. Cresting a hilltop, everyone gets a glimpse of the desolation that the southern Sword Coast has become - burnt farms and homesteads, trampled and muddy fields, and mutilated livestock... In the distance, Beregost its self lies broken and burnt, looking more like skeletal remains than a city. Still, the smoke of a few hearth fires rises, indicating some few still call Beregost home.
They reach the curtain wall and pass through an abandoned gate, the guards long since departed from their posts. Between the group on street level and Gaia flying above, everyone feels like this section of the city is completely empty. The shops are well looted and many of the buildings have been either burnt or vandalized. From the look of it, the remaining citizens of Beregost must be of the rougher variety...
Pettilaen felt as if he was on the cusp of discovering the shortsword's capabilities. He knew it was magical, and that the blade would bite deeper and his strikes strike truer, but he felt that something else existed within the blade... and that he could only find it by testing it in battle.
He looked around at his allies. Mara could certainly take a stab from the blade... Wait. Pettilaen shook his head. No, just find something to kill in Beregost. Yes, that's a better idea. He looked up and sure enough, they were striding through Beregost's abandoned gate, revealing a desolate city. Making their way past the shops, Pettilaen frowned. Someone already beat me to it....
He quickly dismounted from Kanon's horse, landing on the ground lightly, his precious firmly grasped in his hands. "You guys will just draw attention, if we haven't already. Let me scout out the area ahead and make sure we aren't walking into an ambush." Not waiting for an answer, Pettilaen clung to the sides of the buildings, moving from barrel to barrel, box to box, into doors and out windows. All the while Gaia kept her vigilant gaze up above, perching on the tops of roofs to check alleyways and open areas for enemies before Pettilaen quickly made his way through and back into hiding.
"If we want to do anything, we can be super cautious checking things out. If we get too close to our sneaky gnome it might mess things up for him. I just don't want to be too far away if he does need us or wants to tell us something. No matter what we do, something is bound to show up since some of the still standing buildings have hearth fires." She frowned. "They might not be too found of an acolyte from the Song of the Morning either. After all, we deserted the place and most of the living members are in the Gate."
Her eyes stayed on the route Petti had taken even if he had already moved out of sight.
PbP - Beregost Blues - Portia Starflower, Half Elf, Cleric, Life Domain
PbP - Tome of Annhilation - Vistani Mocanu, Human, Bard
Mara looked around, her heart aching. Her once beautiful town, now reduced to rubble. She wondered if her family home was even still standing. The temptation to go charging through Beregost, killing anything in her way, was great, but she remained still.
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
Kanon dismounts and ties his horse's lead on one of the gate's posts. Afterwards he says, "I say we look around. We can't let Pettilaen do all the investigating. At the very least we need to let the people here know that they are not forgotten. If there are any orcs or hobgoblins left, we could liberate them of those monsters."
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Mara also dismounted, looking at the destruction around her. "Investigate," she said, staring off into the distance. "Yes, that sounds like a good idea." She began walking in a very specific direction, along the wall. Her intentions were purely selfish, but she had to know. She walked stiffly, almost as if she didn't see anything in front of her. The shock of it all was finally setting in.
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
"Where are we going?" Zina pestered Mara, having to half-run to keep pace with the tall human. "Should I be looking for something in particular?"
PBP: DM of Titans of Tomorrow
PBP: Lera Zahuv in Whispers of Dissent
PBP: Evaine Brae in Innistrad: Dark Ascension
PBP: Cor'avin in Tomb of Annihilation
Seeing Mara already begin moving, Kanon unties the tether of his horse and leads it with them. "Is there someplace you want to check?" He asks. He's only passed through Beregost a few times, so he'd hardly consider himself a profession of the town. He keeps his eyes peeled for any danger anyway. He's always just enjoyed being along for the ride!
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Mara jumps slightly at the sound of Zina's voice. She blinks a moment, slowing her pace. Responding to both Zina and Kanon, she said, "We're heading south, and looking for survivors. We'll follow the wall around. We'll avoid the fires this way, and hopefully any remaining enemies."
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
"Sounds good to me. Not sure who is squatting on my home but it's in the middle of everything." She leads her horse as they follow the wall. "You lived near the southern barracks, didn't you?" She keeps her voice hushed while keeping an eye on their surroundings.
PbP - Beregost Blues - Portia Starflower, Half Elf, Cleric, Life Domain
PbP - Tome of Annhilation - Vistani Mocanu, Human, Bard
Mara kept her eyes forward, pushing on. "Yes," she simply said. She continued on. "There were plenty of families that lived out in this area. We can't help all of them, obviously, but we can send them to Candlekeep."
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
"Alright Mar-Mar, but are we specifically searching for your's?" Zina continued to prod. The gnome had a hard time understanding people, but she could always understand family.That was how she had gotten herself mixed up in this insanity, after all. The illusionist shuddered at the thought of what she would be capable of doing if it meant getting her father back. "Tell us, what do we need to look for?"
PBP: DM of Titans of Tomorrow
PBP: Lera Zahuv in Whispers of Dissent
PBP: Evaine Brae in Innistrad: Dark Ascension
PBP: Cor'avin in Tomb of Annihilation
Mara sighed. "Yes, we are heading to my family home. I... I know it's selfish. There are so many people who need help, and all I can think about are my parents." She paused, staring at a house where a family once lived, but now sat empty. "There are orphans in Candlekeep. They'll never see their parents again, and all I can do is think of my own. They never showed up at Candlekeep. I don't know where they are, and I'm hoping to find... something."
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
"A lot of people also went to Baldur's Gate," Kanon said, hoping to ease her worry. Maybe if she described her parents he might be able to remember if they saw them. He helped out and entertained a lot of refugees as they were travelling.
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Please feel free to message either Sorce or another moderator if you have any concerns.
"We'll find them, we'll find your dad," Zina reached up and grabbed Mara's hand to give it a reassuring squeeze. "It's not selfish at all. We're going to save all of the Sword Coast from whatever the farji' is doing this. Do your parents count as part of the Sword Coast? Then it's our job to make sure they're safe."
PBP: DM of Titans of Tomorrow
PBP: Lera Zahuv in Whispers of Dissent
PBP: Evaine Brae in Innistrad: Dark Ascension
PBP: Cor'avin in Tomb of Annihilation
Following the wall to the south end of the city, the group catches occasional glimpses of the fires near the center of town. While some do, indeed, appear to be hearth fires, others are... something else.
As you draw within sight of the Windrunner family home, you note the city is as desolate and decrepit on this end as it was near the west gate where you entered. There's no sign of a single living soul anywhere.
You notice most of the homes have been burned out, including Mara's...