"There's a chasm back there that would serve as a good place to dispose of these bodies. I'll help dump them in there, but it might take all of us to properly dispose of the bulette." Once Carrhae has finished disposing of the corpses and helping Mercy with the bulette, she thanks Strife for her healing and then comforts her when she begins sobbing, using her scarf to clean off Strife's face. Carrhae herself felt like the battle had pushed her to the limits of her physical and spiritual endurance, but she felt that she had to remain strong to see her friends through.
While Strife was suffering the aftershocks of battle, Mercy was laying out the bedrolls beside the bulette’s corpse. She had to go back and get another armload to finish making a large enough sheet of material to roll it onto. She thanked Carrhae for her help in getting the beast on the sheet and turned her attention to dragging the smaller creatures into the hall that lead to the chasm. She left them in a pile just out of sight of the gargoyles. After that, she gathered the others and they pushed the great beast through the hall, using it's bulk as a natural shield against any gargoyle that might take interest as they shoved the whole lot over the edge into the chasm and beat a hasty retreat to the dwarven guards' room. When all were accounted for, the tired and bruised Tiefling barred the door.
She looked down at her armor, seeing the sleeve of her shirt gathering at her wrist. Muttering under her breath in frustration, she used Mending to fix her torn clothes and offered to do the same for anyone having similar troubles.
After being consoled by Carrhae and witnessing the concerted effort by her companions to remove the corpses, Strife was able to collect herself and focus on using Prestidigitation to clean away the evidence of the deadly struggle that took place.
Tell her. Tell her now. You were fortunate to have gotten a second chance with the bulette, don't count on being brought back from the jaws of death again. If you don't let her know how you feel now that you have a moment's peace, you never will.
Carrhae walks up to Strife, with her usual upbeat confident expression replaced by a nervousness that she's rarely, if ever shown to the other members of the party. "Can I speak with you alone? It won't take very long, I just have this one thing I need to say." And Carrhae will lead Strife off to the other end of the room the party is currently staying in. She's quiet for a few minutes, contemplating everything that she's about to say, before deciding that it's just time to let it out.
"I love you. I imagine that you weren't expecting to hear a confession of love in these circumstances, with us down here, bloodied from battle. *she chuckles nervously* This isn't where I thought that I would have this conversation either, but my encounter with the bulette made me see that if I continued to keep these feelings a secret for much longer, I might never get the chance to let them out. At least this way, if I fall, I do so having shared my heart with you, even if it was for the briefest of moments. I know that you have told me before that there are things about you that might lessen the love I have for you if I knew them. I want you to know that as far as I'm concerned, the things you've done don't take away from the person you are right now. It doesn't invalidate all of the kind things you've done for us, the fact that you were able to get past whatever fears you had and come down here because we needed you, and it doesn't change the fact that you ran into danger and saved my life. I'd be dead if it wasn't for you. Remember that. I can't change the way you think about yourself and the things that you've done, but I want you to know that the feelings that I have for you are feelings that I haven't had for a few years now." After saying all that, Carrhae lets out a deep breath and she looks like a great burden was just lifted off of her shoulders.
"I've said all that I have to say. I can't force you to accept my feelings, but at least they are out in the open and not trapped inside me where they're burning a hole in my heart."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
After Mercy barred the door to their room, Daewen scrounged through her backpack and pulled out her bell and rope and rigged up a trap. If someone attempted to open the door, the bell would ring out a warning for those inside.
She’ll then slink off to the far corner of the room, slump down to the floor in the shadows (Stealth: 18) and quickly fall into a meditative state, exhausted.
With everything cleaned, you all feel safe to rest in the dark dwarf common room. I'm still going to roll on the random encounter table but I will be MERCYful.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Long rest attempt:
You all huddle together, more or less, and attempt to clear your mind about, possibly, the roughest fight you've had to date in your lives. A long rest is at least 8 hours long, so I imagine it'll be daytime when you are finished. I will be rolling twice on the random encounter table, and if I trigger a result, i'll describe what happens. If there IS a random encounter triggered, you will be considered woken up and not be able to benefit from the long rest.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Upon waking, Mercy waited for Daewen to undo the trap she'd set, not wanting to damage it in case they needed to set it some other time. She stepped into the room that had nearly killed them and crossed to the other door, setting her ear to it.
As Carrhae wakes up, she says a prayer for Mercy, Trini, and Strife. "Dear Sune, I thank you for our continued survival as we do battle against our enemies. Please bestow your strength upon my allies once more today and lead us to victory."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
Mercy flinched at the sound and quietly retreated to the room where the others waited. "More guards in the room to the West. We may be able to lock them in..." She smirked at Strife. "That little trick with that bastard's armor work on smaller bits of metal?"
"Carrhae, I'm flattered, and honored, and I accept your feelings, and though I love you too, I don't know that it will lead us where you want to go. I understand why our precarious position might help spur you to make such a declaration, but for me, my terror is such that I can't think clearly about much of anything apart from my desire to get out of here at the earliest opportunity. I don't have any spare courage with which to offer my heart.
"But I did what I did because I had to, and not with any expectation of fostering an imaginary debt. In fact, I could argue I would be dead had you not stopped that enormous monstrosity from biting me, so at best, we're even. You don't owe me anything, Carrhae. No transactions, remember? There are some people who can actually love out of a sense of honor or duty. I think that's misguided, and whoever you choose to be with, it would be my wish that they make your heart sing, as opposed to merely sparing you guilt or something.
"I'm glad you told me, but I don't want to mess up and indulge in any romantic reverie when my focus ought to be on the mission before us. I was lucky to have you with me on our first visit, because otherwise, had Mercy and Daewen needed us... well, you know. I nearly got us all killed here, and that responsibility is weighing very heavily right now. But I do feel much safer by your side. When it was bad, I did think about just turning invisible and fleeing. I know that's horrible and I am ashamed by that, but I am inspired by your example. I don't really want to be a fighter, though I fear my dreams may ultimately require that from me. I know there is much you can teach me about courage and sacrifice.
"However, the things that I think may shift your view of me are not part of some closed chapter in the past, but ongoing. And I am sure this is not the time nor the place to examine that issue. I regret that my response is but a frail withered leaf in contrast to the lovely flower of your sentiment, for I know you deserve better. I can say that if we die down here, I would be very remorseful that we never got to share more of ourselves."
Strife stared at Carrhae for a long moment, but concluded a kiss would only undermine her signals of distress, and introduce greater temptation than she wished to contend with.
Later:
"I can warm smaller quantities of metal, to be sure. Why? What are you thinking?"
"If you could melt the hinges and lock on their door, they would have difficulty leaving the room to attack us as we press forward." Mercy felt a bit proud of herself for that one. It was a clever use of magic, which she'd only recently begun to understand.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
After waking up after four hours of meditation, Daewen spends rest of the day scribing notes of the days occurences in her journal. Although the rest of the group cannot see her hidden in the corner shadows, they can hear her quill scribbling and squeaking away.
After cleaning and reorganizing all of her equipment, she lazily relaxes and eats a ration, waiting for the rest of the group to awaken.
When Mercy wakes up, Dae joins her friend in scoping out the door to the west. Hurriedly returning back to the room after Mercy heard the muffled voices, she readies herself to resume her usual stealthed position within the group (Stealth: 11).
Apparently her ration didn’t agree with her, as she let out a large fart when attempting to stealth behind the group still in their break room.
As you walk towards the group, out of nowhere, you have no idea how, you step on a typical mallard duck who lost it's way, and it lets out a loud QUACK!!!!It flies away in annoyance towards the cave, and you're sure the people in the next room heard you. You have 15 seconds to make a move thinking someone heard you.
Third roll to account for the Advantage of seeking to avoid both Mercy's inimitable wrath and the responsibility for probably getting everyone killed again.
"There's a chasm back there that would serve as a good place to dispose of these bodies. I'll help dump them in there, but it might take all of us to properly dispose of the bulette." Once Carrhae has finished disposing of the corpses and helping Mercy with the bulette, she thanks Strife for her healing and then comforts her when she begins sobbing, using her scarf to clean off Strife's face. Carrhae herself felt like the battle had pushed her to the limits of her physical and spiritual endurance, but she felt that she had to remain strong to see her friends through.
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
While Strife was suffering the aftershocks of battle, Mercy was laying out the bedrolls beside the bulette’s corpse. She had to go back and get another armload to finish making a large enough sheet of material to roll it onto. She thanked Carrhae for her help in getting the beast on the sheet and turned her attention to dragging the smaller creatures into the hall that lead to the chasm. She left them in a pile just out of sight of the gargoyles. After that, she gathered the others and they pushed the great beast through the hall, using it's bulk as a natural shield against any gargoyle that might take interest as they shoved the whole lot over the edge into the chasm and beat a hasty retreat to the dwarven guards' room. When all were accounted for, the tired and bruised Tiefling barred the door.
She looked down at her armor, seeing the sleeve of her shirt gathering at her wrist. Muttering under her breath in frustration, she used Mending to fix her torn clothes and offered to do the same for anyone having similar troubles.
After being consoled by Carrhae and witnessing the concerted effort by her companions to remove the corpses, Strife was able to collect herself and focus on using Prestidigitation to clean away the evidence of the deadly struggle that took place.
Tell her. Tell her now. You were fortunate to have gotten a second chance with the bulette, don't count on being brought back from the jaws of death again. If you don't let her know how you feel now that you have a moment's peace, you never will.
Carrhae walks up to Strife, with her usual upbeat confident expression replaced by a nervousness that she's rarely, if ever shown to the other members of the party. "Can I speak with you alone? It won't take very long, I just have this one thing I need to say." And Carrhae will lead Strife off to the other end of the room the party is currently staying in. She's quiet for a few minutes, contemplating everything that she's about to say, before deciding that it's just time to let it out.
"I love you. I imagine that you weren't expecting to hear a confession of love in these circumstances, with us down here, bloodied from battle. *she chuckles nervously* This isn't where I thought that I would have this conversation either, but my encounter with the bulette made me see that if I continued to keep these feelings a secret for much longer, I might never get the chance to let them out. At least this way, if I fall, I do so having shared my heart with you, even if it was for the briefest of moments. I know that you have told me before that there are things about you that might lessen the love I have for you if I knew them. I want you to know that as far as I'm concerned, the things you've done don't take away from the person you are right now. It doesn't invalidate all of the kind things you've done for us, the fact that you were able to get past whatever fears you had and come down here because we needed you, and it doesn't change the fact that you ran into danger and saved my life. I'd be dead if it wasn't for you. Remember that. I can't change the way you think about yourself and the things that you've done, but I want you to know that the feelings that I have for you are feelings that I haven't had for a few years now." After saying all that, Carrhae lets out a deep breath and she looks like a great burden was just lifted off of her shoulders.
"I've said all that I have to say. I can't force you to accept my feelings, but at least they are out in the open and not trapped inside me where they're burning a hole in my heart."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
After Mercy barred the door to their room, Daewen scrounged through her backpack and pulled out her bell and rope and rigged up a trap. If someone attempted to open the door, the bell would ring out a warning for those inside.
She’ll then slink off to the far corner of the room, slump down to the floor in the shadows (Stealth: 18) and quickly fall into a meditative state, exhausted.
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
With everything cleaned, you all feel safe to rest in the dark dwarf common room. I'm still going to roll on the random encounter table but I will be MERCYful.
(We'd like a long rest, please, DM, sir.)
OOC:Please sir, can I have some long rest?
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
Long rest attempt:
You all huddle together, more or less, and attempt to clear your mind about, possibly, the roughest fight you've had to date in your lives. A long rest is at least 8 hours long, so I imagine it'll be daytime when you are finished. I will be rolling twice on the random encounter table, and if I trigger a result, i'll describe what happens. If there IS a random encounter triggered, you will be considered woken up and not be able to benefit from the long rest.
10
17
No encounter.
Upon waking, Mercy waited for Daewen to undo the trap she'd set, not wanting to damage it in case they needed to set it some other time. She stepped into the room that had nearly killed them and crossed to the other door, setting her ear to it.
Perception: 8
Investigation: 1
Insight: 18
As Carrhae wakes up, she says a prayer for Mercy, Trini, and Strife. "Dear Sune, I thank you for our continued survival as we do battle against our enemies. Please bestow your strength upon my allies once more today and lead us to victory."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
Mercy, you can hear low muffled talking coming from the room.
Mercy flinched at the sound and quietly retreated to the room where the others waited. "More guards in the room to the West. We may be able to lock them in..." She smirked at Strife. "That little trick with that bastard's armor work on smaller bits of metal?"
Earlier:
"Carrhae, I'm flattered, and honored, and I accept your feelings, and though I love you too, I don't know that it will lead us where you want to go. I understand why our precarious position might help spur you to make such a declaration, but for me, my terror is such that I can't think clearly about much of anything apart from my desire to get out of here at the earliest opportunity. I don't have any spare courage with which to offer my heart.
"But I did what I did because I had to, and not with any expectation of fostering an imaginary debt. In fact, I could argue I would be dead had you not stopped that enormous monstrosity from biting me, so at best, we're even. You don't owe me anything, Carrhae. No transactions, remember? There are some people who can actually love out of a sense of honor or duty. I think that's misguided, and whoever you choose to be with, it would be my wish that they make your heart sing, as opposed to merely sparing you guilt or something.
"I'm glad you told me, but I don't want to mess up and indulge in any romantic reverie when my focus ought to be on the mission before us. I was lucky to have you with me on our first visit, because otherwise, had Mercy and Daewen needed us... well, you know. I nearly got us all killed here, and that responsibility is weighing very heavily right now. But I do feel much safer by your side. When it was bad, I did think about just turning invisible and fleeing. I know that's horrible and I am ashamed by that, but I am inspired by your example. I don't really want to be a fighter, though I fear my dreams may ultimately require that from me. I know there is much you can teach me about courage and sacrifice.
"However, the things that I think may shift your view of me are not part of some closed chapter in the past, but ongoing. And I am sure this is not the time nor the place to examine that issue. I regret that my response is but a frail withered leaf in contrast to the lovely flower of your sentiment, for I know you deserve better. I can say that if we die down here, I would be very remorseful that we never got to share more of ourselves."
Strife stared at Carrhae for a long moment, but concluded a kiss would only undermine her signals of distress, and introduce greater temptation than she wished to contend with.
Later:
"I can warm smaller quantities of metal, to be sure. Why? What are you thinking?"
"If you could melt the hinges and lock on their door, they would have difficulty leaving the room to attack us as we press forward." Mercy felt a bit proud of herself for that one. It was a clever use of magic, which she'd only recently begun to understand.
After waking up after four hours of meditation, Daewen spends rest of the day scribing notes of the days occurences in her journal. Although the rest of the group cannot see her hidden in the corner shadows, they can hear her quill scribbling and squeaking away.
After cleaning and reorganizing all of her equipment, she lazily relaxes and eats a ration, waiting for the rest of the group to awaken.
When Mercy wakes up, Dae joins her friend in scoping out the door to the west. Hurriedly returning back to the room after Mercy heard the muffled voices, she readies herself to resume her usual stealthed position within the group (Stealth: 11).
Apparently her ration didn’t agree with her, as she let out a large fart when attempting to stealth behind the group still in their break room.
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
As you walk towards the group, out of nowhere, you have no idea how, you step on a typical mallard duck who lost it's way, and it lets out a loud QUACK!!!! It flies away in annoyance towards the cave, and you're sure the people in the next room heard you. You have 15 seconds to make a move thinking someone heard you.
(or a fart, either way.)
Stealth: 27
Mercy takes point this time, granting Carrhae the Trickster's Blessing again as she quickly and quietly leads them into the Western Hall.
Stealth (+4): 7
Second attempt, using Daewen's duck avoidance skills.
Stealth again (+4): 12
Third roll to account for the Advantage of seeking to avoid both Mercy's inimitable wrath and the responsibility for probably getting everyone killed again.
Stealth with feeling (+4): 17