Rhanloi's Romp Through the Sword Coast

Manfred moves to the new door and listens intently...

(Perception: 5)

’Nothing. I think the door must be quite thick...’

Wakka will carefully open the door and see what's behind it

Wakka cautiously opens the secret door, revealing a large 40'x40' room. This room is the north-west corner of the fortress, with rounded battlements making up three of the four corners. (NE, NW, SW) There are arrow slits opening to the frigid outside - similar to the rest of the defensive structures. 

Based on the filth in the room, the orcs that overran this fortress years ago must have laired in here for quite a while, although none are here anymore. The furnishings that were once here have all been burned in the fireplace. Based on the damage to the doors, from the southwest side into the room and to the east, you can chart the dragon’s rampage through the fortress. It looks like it went up the circular staircase to the roof at some point - although not recently. You can see a great piles of rubble through the broken door in the southern wall - what used to be the defensive walls on the south side of the faortress. This looks like the result of an earthquake. (Map)

DC13 Investigation:

Manfred takes a careful look around... (Investigation: 26)

Finding the spyglass and leather sack he shows the others what he’s found, and tucks the spyglass into his pack for later, and quickly gives everyone 45silver pieces. He leaves the copper where it is...

• Investigation - 8 (natural 1)

"Hmm what do you make of all this?  Think this was the work of the orcs or those bandits from yesterday?"  Wakka pondered out loud as he gave the room a cursory glance.  The thought that the dragon could've done this did not remotely cross his mind!

(With a nat 1, I don't think he's going to have much insight on this room lol XD)

Penumbra gladly accepts the silver and scoops up the copper as well.

"Looks like we found our way up. Any preparations anyone wants to make before we try and make a new friend?" Penumbra says moving towards the stairs.

‘Just one thing for me. It’ll just take a few minutes...’ says Manfred, who then takes a few minutes to ritually cast Comprehend Languages on himself.

The group creeps up the spiral staircase and emerges into what was once the orc chieftain's lair. All that remains of the orc is a severed right hand still clutching the haft of an elegant-looking greataxe. The room is decorated with the spoils of war, including impressive-looking furniture that was mostly destroyed - likely by the dragon when he ate the war-chief! Also heaped about the room are furs, antlers, the rotting heads of the chief's enemies (dwarves, humans, and rival orcs mostly), as well as other trophies.

Along the western wall is an ornate wooden chair missing one of its arms. Crafted by sea elves as a gift to their land-dwelling cousins, it has six branches of red coral worked into its design. The branches can be detached and are worth 25 gp each.

Looking out through the arrowslits  or the destroyed wooden door to the east, you see a young white dragon sleeping on the ice-covered rooftop. The rooftop is enclosed by a 3-foot-high battlement, except in the corners where the wall has collapsed. Cylindrical stone chimneys jut 5 feet above the rooftop but are too narrow for even Small characters to squeeze through. These chimneys connect to the fireplaces below.

Roll initiative - the dragon is asleep but we'll go in initiative order once you wake it! Dragon init: 8
Slippery ice covers the rooftop. The ice is difficult terrain. When you move on the ice for the first time on a turn, you must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall prone.)

Perkas takes the silver and puts it in her pouch. Looking around the room, She sheathes Lil'Bess over her shoulder, makes a gesture from her neck to her heart and mutters something in halfling to herself. Casting Speak with Animals 

With her favorite weapon sheathed for the moment, perkas takes a moment to time how quick she can grab her swords, but knows the best way to start a new relationship is unthreateningly. And stands by the stairs waiting for everyone. (She'll go last)

Manfred Initiative: 20

Manfred looks around to check everyone is ready - trying to make sure they’re not all stood *right* next to each other, for example. He then clears his throat loudly to draw the attention of the dragon to him... He has his lute in-hand, but no weapons.

Following the others lead, Wakka left his sword and shield sheathed waited to see how all of this would turn out.

• Initiative - 9

Init- 4 (epic fail with a 1)

Init order: Manfred(20) -- Wakka(9) -- Dragon(8) -- Perkas(4) -- Penumbra(?)

Despite the halfling bard's clearing of his throat from the busted doorway to the open roof, the dragon does not wake. It could be that the howling winds drowned out the cough at this distance. (The dragon is about 40' away from you...)

Manfred starts playing his lute, starting quietly but building in intensity as his confidence grows.. 'There once was a dragon, the colour of snow.. Intense was their cold, and the winds, they did blow...' he begins to weave together the story of a mighty white dragon, building it up in stature...

(Performance: 26)

The music works to rouse the dragon, and the bard's excellent performance works to hold off his ire at being awakened! You hear it stand, and then see it walk into your view, apparently listening to the music and lyrics. The large dragon stands about 25 feet away from you when Manfred finishes his song. "So - you've come to pay tribute to me, hmmm? Excellent. The vermin previously inhabiting this fortress were not so wise..." he rumbles. Based on his size and features, the dragon has not reached adulthood yet. He is big enough to carry off a horse, but not a big one like a Clydesdale or Percheron. "Why should I not just eat you all?"

Manfred clears his throat, but doesn’t stop playing. ‘Almighty dragon, oh paragon of winter. I bring warning that you must need set forth for quieter climes. Your munificence is too much for these parts, with farmers and their bland domesticated livestock. They, rightly, fear your appetites, and would send forth heroes to seek to vanquish you. I know full well the taste of free deer though, and can imagine it be much more to your taste. And so I bid you, fly free to the north, where herds of wild deer roam, the better to sate your grand hungers!’

(Performance: 20, Persuasion: 13)

initiative: 17

Penumbra stands behind Manfred, keeping her big mouth shut and her weapons sheathed she let's a genuine look of awe come over her face as she gazes at the beautiful but deadly creature.

Perkas peers around the corner to catch sight of the dragon and her jaw seems to loose it's hinge as she stares at it's size compared to her. She quickly shuts her jaw and gives a gulpish swallow as shr watches the creature wide-eyed while Manny performs his song.

"I like you, little one. I may keep you. And what about the rest of these slack-jaws? Did you bring me snacks, little one? Is it dinner and a show, as you mortals like to call it? And did you bring some trinkets and treasure, too?" The dragon's deep laugh rumbles through its frame, and you feel the frigid breath of the large creature. 

‘Might we know your name, great wyrm? I would like to compose a song celebrating your many victories.. Alas, however, these are my friends, not food. They’re here to help make sure I don’t miss any details of your magnificence in the ballads to come.’

he continues, improvising desperately, still strumming a backing tune on his lute...

‘But as I said, mighty drake, we’re here to warn you to flee North to the wilds, where herds of wild deer roam the landscape, and the winters are long and glorious, not like the brief seasons here...’

Persuasion: 17

Performance: 12