Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer Creatures
Frozen Sick
D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Basic Rules (2014)
Sign in to view your library & saved favorites.
Sign in- Marketplace
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer CreaturesFrozen SickD&D Beyond Basic RulesBasic Rules (2014)Sign in to view your library & saved favorites.
Sign in
"Yes, yes," the guardinal whispers. "Pull around to the back alley. I'll unlock the gate."
He disappears for a moment, then Bits hears the jangling of keys from a dark alley nearby. A thin spiked gate swings open and the man beckons Bits into the narrow passageway, shadowed by ornate gargoyles.
Sada squints at the map and tilts her head. "Hmm, yeah, looks like some kinda cipher. Haha, maybe it was meant to fall into the hands of a Transcendent Order 'cipher' like yourself. But it's certainly no language I've ever seen. I hear Ekthus is good at things like this, they might be able to take a look at it? I think they're leading a training session in the exercise field ahead."
Ismaelar is able to rustle up 8gp worth of coins, rings, and trinkets from the bodies, as he speaks: "I can't imagine this brawl has attracted the sort of interest we'd like to be associated with. It rarely does."
Raskival nods along, "Our dragonborn friend speaks wisely. Perhaps we should take this conversation elsewhere?"
Their warning is apt. As Habel starts to continue towards the Grand Bazaar, he finds the road ahead blocked by a squad of eight mounted Harmonium guards trotting around the corner, riding various steeds.
"What's going on here then?" the lead guard squints at Habel, Raskival, and Ismaelar, who stand suspiciously close the the fresh corpses bleeding out on the cobblestones.
“I’ll go take a look for them. It did seem to be surprisingly underguarded… odd for the Doomguard. Thanks, Sada!” Jules begins moving towards the exercise field.
Hiya! You can call me Link. Here’s a bit about me:
Roomba Knight, Architect of the Cataclysm, Kitsumiho! Dubbed The Fluffy Bowman by Golden. He/They
Theatre Kid, Ravenclaw, bookworm, DM, Lego fanatic, flautist, mythology nerd, pedantic about spelling. I also love foxes, cats, otters, and red pandas!
I love Korean Mythology. If you want to ask me about something, send me a PM!
Aig amannan bidh mi air mo ghlacadh ro mhòr an-dràsta...BITS
-----------------------------------
"Yes, yes," the guardinal whispers. "Pull around to the back alley. I'll unlock the gate."
He disappears for a moment, then Bits hears the jangling of keys from a dark alley nearby. A thin spiked gate swings open and the man beckons Bits into the narrow passageway, shadowed by ornate gargoyles.
-------------------------------
Bits will try to pull his cart into the alleyway if it will fit, otherwise leave it blocking the entrance to the alleyway. Bits will glance at the gargoyles as he passes, and also discretely take a look at the gate as he passes. He is quiet as he heads in, wondering at what the secrecy is for. He remains cautious making sure his blades are convenient.
Raskival steps in front of Habel and Ismaelar, holding his empty hands up for the approaching guards.
"Goodsirs! We were but minding our own business, enjoying this wonderful day, when we were suddenly waylaid by these fearsome bandits! The fiends, who act with such blatant disregard for the law, must surely be known to the steadfast guards of the city. Come, look upon their faces, and see that we were the victims this day, only defending ourselves as any upstanding citizen would."
Jules steps through the marble archway and into the vast courtyard that dominates most of the Great Gymnasium. The calming smell of incense wafts through the yards, where groups of people stretch, meditate, and run laps around the three grand pools, where more practitioners swim, bathe, or relax. Doors line the covered walkways that surround the yard, leading to baths, gyms, and art rooms.
But Jules' attention is drawn to Ekthus, a withered animated corpse leading a circle of people stretching in the corner of the yard.
Bits is able to just barely fit the cart through the gate. He looks up at the gargoyles, which depict fantastical varieties of dragons, gaping their mouths at the alley below and snarling at one another, each sticking out about two feet from the steeply sloped roofs on either side. A glance at the gate reveals it is rather flimsy, made of twisted copper bars that were probably repurposed from something else. Quietly, he follows the guardinal into a small dark courtyard.
There's another alley across from him that leads out into the other street, a few high windows, and a two doors on opposite walls. The guardinal steps into the door to his right, and reappears a moment later with a large coffin. Some kind of rickety humanoid automaton helps him carry it into the street, and drop it on the dusty ground with a THUD.
The guardian opens it, revealing five tightly packed humanoid bodies, all wrapped in sheets. Herbs packed between them fail to mask the scent of decay.
"Well, here they are. All yours, my friend."
The lead guard squints at the dead bodies. "I'm an accomplished man, but I can't say that can tell if whose an enemy to order just by looking at the faces of their corpses. Still, wouldn't want to punish upstanding citizens. Unless you're liars..."
A few people in the crowd protest the innocence of Raskival, Habel, and Ismaelar, but most of the rest of them have vanished at the sight of the Harmonium.
Another guard spurs some kind a giant lizard a few paces toward Raskival. "What faction you all with?" she grunts.