Here be Dragones! A full Tyranny of Dragons Play-Through (Game Thread)

Cass catches the ring of keys without looking away from the castellan, their weight settling into his palm with a familiar clink. He turns them over once before slipping them beneath his cloak and allows himself the faintest trace of a smile. "Knew a sapper named Loras Finch who insisted the loudest man in any infiltration was usually the one telling everyone else to be quiet," he says. "Let us see if we can honor his memory by making less noise than that."

JoJo rummages through his rucksack to repack it and ensure that everything is where he thinks it should be.

While watching everyone prepare themselves for the task ahead, Fuzzpaw tries to make himself look busy, so as to fit in. He looks his staff once over, then twice over. He shuffles in the pockets of his robes and in his pouches, mimicking JoJo. Finally, he walks over to Cass and Escobar and listens in on their conversation, nodding as if he had been following it the whole time.

Cass glances toward Fuzzpaw with the easy assumption that the bear-like traveler has been following every word exchanged. “You have been listening as carefully as anyone here,” he says, resting both hands on the head of his mace. “Tell me, have you seen or heard anything the rest of us have missed, or do you have an idea that might help us bring these people home safely?”

"Oh yes... Mmhmm," Fuzzpaw shuffles nervously under the sudden attention placed upon him, "Well... I can cast a fog cloud to cover the escape of the townspeople, if we need it. And... those keys are certainly a good idea," he nods to Escobar, "Yes, the keys, mmhmm... I can also prepare a ritual to set alarms around the keep or the tunnels, to warn of intruders, if that would be helpful. I'm..."

He straightens his back in an attempt to look confident, "I'm ready when you are!" He says loudly while gripping his staff in both hands.

Cass listens without interruption and gives a slow nod as Fuzzpaw finishes speaking. “Knew an engineer named Silas Mere who used to say that a locked door, an early warning, and a little fog had saved more lives than a dozen heroes with swords.” A faint smile crosses the old cleric’s face as he rests a reassuring hand on Fuzzpaw’s shoulder. “Keep those spells in reserve until the moment they matter most, because the best tool is often the one your enemy never expects you to have, and the fact that you are thinking about how to bring people home instead of how to make yourself look brave tells me you are already acting like an adventurer.” 

*I take it the group is going to sneak out the back and start beating up raiders?*

JoJo hearing a voice from the unwashed masses saying, 

*I take it the group is going to sneak out the back and start beating up raiders?*

JoJo turns to the governor, "are we doing that as are primary job, or is there something more pressing we should focus on?"

Fuzzpaw has a beaming smile on his face after hearing Cass' encouraging words. He watches and waits for the rest of the group to gather round so that they can all set out together.

Quote from Character77006 >>

JoJo hearing a voice from the unwashed masses saying, 

*I take it the group is going to sneak out the back and start beating up raiders?*

JoJo turns to the governor, "are we doing that as are primary job, or is there something more pressing we should focus on?"

 He puts his good hand on Jojo’s shoulder. “You, my friends, are the best-qualified for these excursions. Your footwork has already gained some repute among the survivors.” He looks at his bedraggled soldiers. “If I could send reinforcements with you, I would, but these men can’t stand a running fight for long, and my first responsibility is to the people in this keep. Be brave, and fight for valor and right; we must survive to the dawn, and with your help (speaking of the entire party), I believe that we will.”

Neega watches the keys pass to Cass, but she does not move for the tunnel yet. The governor’s words about blind valor feel empty to her without more information. Her jaw works once, then she takes two heavy steps toward Nighthill. When she speaks, the first sound is almost a growl as her storm-gray eyes flick toward the tired soldiers, then back to the governor.

“Brave speeches do not make a plan. We would all have a better chance reaching dawn if we stayed here, yet you ask us to forge back into your raider-filled town for what? A temple is just a building and can be rebuilt.  The mill matters, yes, but if we drive raiders off it and you have no one who can hold it after we leave, then it burns the moment our backs are turned and the risk to our lives will be for nothing. You mention townsfolk, but you do not know where they are or would likely be.”

She leans closer, voice low and rough, clearly trying to intimidate the governor.

“You are the governor. These are your streets, your people, your fires... your enemies. Tell us where the townsfolk are most likely trapped, tell us where that tunnel opens and which routes get people back alive. Then we will risk our lives saving your people. If you have a plan to save the mill that does not rely on the enemy being fools then share it and we may decide to help.”

 Intimidation Check: 9

(OOC: Neega is trying to get specific answers before the group leaves: where the tunnel exits relative to the temple and mill, whether civilians are confirmed or likely at either location, if there are any other locations where civilians would be, and whether anyone can secure the mill if we clear it.)

Neega is also watching the governor’s response to see if he seems to be telling the party the truth or if he has ulterior motives. 

Insight Check: 1

Quote from cndnd >>

This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.

Neega watches the keys pass to Cass, but she does not move for the tunnel yet. The governor’s words about blind valor feel empty to her without more information. Her jaw works once, then she takes two heavy steps toward Nighthill. When she speaks, the first sound is almost a growl as her storm-gray eyes flick toward the tired soldiers, then back to the governor.

“Brave speeches do not make a plan. We would all have a better chance reaching dawn if we stayed here, yet you ask us to forge back into your raider-filled town for what? A temple is just a building and can be rebuilt.  The mill matters, yes, but if we drive raiders off it and you have no one who can hold it after we leave, then it burns the moment our backs are turned and the risk to our lives will be for nothing. You mention townsfolk, but you do not know where they are or would likely be.”

She leans closer, voice low and rough, clearly trying to intimidate the governor.

“You are the governor. These are your streets, your people, your fires... your enemies. Tell us where the townsfolk are most likely trapped, tell us where that tunnel opens and which routes get people back alive. Then we will risk our lives saving your people. If you have a plan to save the mill that does not rely on the enemy being fools then share it and we may decide to help.”

 Intimidation Check: 9

(OOC: Neega is trying to get specific answers before the group leaves: where the tunnel exits relative to the temple and mill, whether civilians are confirmed or likely at either location, if there are any other locations where civilians would be, and whether anyone can secure the mill if we clear it.)

 The governor says that there are people in the temple, but honestly doesn’t know if there’s also people trapped in the mill.  He remains stoically unfazed by the sharp words of the barbarian, clearly used to such emotional outbursts.

Quote from cndnd >>

Neega is also watching the governor’s response to see if he seems to be telling the party the truth or if he has ulterior motives. 

Insight Check: 1

 As far as she can tell, he is telling what he knows, and suspects that the issue of the trapped townspeople and his own limited capabilities (partly from his own injuries) weigh heavily on his mind.

“The tunnel opens to the south side of town, in a dry riverbed,” he answers levelly. “From there, you can get close to both buildings with less difficulty than in the streets. The mill is only about 60 feet from the riverbanks; the temple may be trickier, as it’s 140 feet inwards.”

Fuzzpaw looks back and forth between Neega and the governor, eyes wide and shuffling uncomfortably from side to side. When the two finish talking, he points to Neega.

"I think she might be right," hey says, "We can't stay at the mill if we also have to save the townspeople at the temple. Mills are replaceable, but people aren't. Maybe we should focus on saving the people?"

The governor sighs, then says, “Very well. You do what seems best.”

Cass remains silent while the others speak, listening to the governor, Neega, and Fuzzpaw in turn before giving a thoughtful nod. “Knew a priest named Aldren Holt who once spent an entire winter rebuilding a chapel after a fire, but he could never rebuild the families who froze because no one brought them in from the cold first.” His eyes settle on the governor before drifting toward the tunnel entrance. “Stone can be laid again, timber can be cut again, and grain can be grown again, but the dead rarely grant us a second opportunity.”

He rests a hand on the ring of keys beneath his cloak and looks to the rest of the volunteers. “We have a location, a route, and people who are known to be in need, so I believe our course is clear. Let us bring them home, and if fortune favors us afterward, we can see what remains to be saved.”

Neega’s glare lingers on the governor a long moment as he remains unfazed by her words. Slowly her glare loosens as his words change the shape of her anger. It does not seem to soften her, but it gives her something to direct it at.

“Okay… Temple first,” she says turning to Cass, JoJo, Fuzzpaw, and the others, then nods toward the keys, “Cass is right, if there are people trapped there, we get them out and bring them back here. The tunnel should get us close without drawing all the raiders down on us, but the surprise will not last long.”

Her eyes shift back toward the burning town and then back to Nighthill as she says, “When we get back, make sure there are enough guards on the tunnel in case they manage to follow us back.”  Then after a pause, “If the mill still stands when we get back then maybe we can make a stand there until morning.”

She turns and starts walking toward the cellar as she adjusts the shield on her arm.

JoJo looks around, following the verbal tennis match, then as his new friends begin to move he follows.  However, his mind is uneasy, the governor said "gained some repute among the survivors"...does that mean the cultist know as well?  Could the cultist be laying an ambush against them?

Probably just paranoia and the cultist are planning ambushes for the government forces period...need to be vilagent against ambushes.  Not for them specifically, but for the group(s) out to stop the cultist and there vandalism.

The crew manages to unlock the doors without difficulty. 

*What is the marching order?*