Greenest? The thief looks confused. I don't... I mean I guess the others... are you... You know what, it doesn't matter. Fine. He snatches the dagger and backs away, holding it up as if to ward you off. He seems about to snap something unpleasant, but he just continues to back way. When he's thirty feet away he looks at you both, and stands up straight. My name is Larion Keenblade. Remember it. He turns and starts running, and you notice that he has his backpack on his back; you don't think the cultists will be seeing him again.
Nate breathes a huge sigh of relief as the thief runs away. His eyes still wide with amazement that there was no confrontation. "Yeah... no kidding. Although I have no concern for the life long enemy part. And now we have confirmation that there is a castle somewhere in the Mere.... full of them... wait... how the hell did he know about the castle if he wasn't A CULTIST HIMSELF.... f uck. I should've killed him right here. Well, at least he's leaving them on his own accord. Hopefully he turns himself around. Larion Keenblade, indeed I won't forget your name."
Nate starts to walk back to the room with Nub, and/or to meet back up with Soar, Jalt and Jamna. "Well... he confirmed our suspicions of a base in the Mere. Well, a castle to be exact. I bet we will be able to find it quite easily when we go back to the tunnel entrance. They've been using the tunnel to transport their wares to this said castle. And, I think you all were right. It seems he was part of the cult or he wouldn't have known this information... I think. Anyhow, he's gone now, and at the least, we can now put those jewels in their rightful owners hands, when the time comes."
Nate's quite exhausted. "Are we going back to the swamp tonight?"
Soar's impressed that the interaction avoided bloodshed or alarm. She nods to have the conversation in the room with Jamna, asking for Jalt to check for any additional attention or eavesdroppers. She still speaks very quietly. "Wow, so you were able to de-convert a recent convert to the cult. That's impressive, Nate and Nub. It also tells us that whatever it is they're preaching is not a surefire bet for everyone. Aside from the people actively trying to kill us, or staring daggers at us, it's worth trying to see if everyone who seems to be with the cult can be pulled away. I'd suggest we rest tonight and set off in the morning for the other end of the passage, take a look and listen. Jamna, what are your plans?"
After the conversation with Jamna, and she departed, Soar would insist on taking watches again in case the cultists try anything, and then heading out in the morning for the tunnel exit.
Jamna thinks for a moment. If you are following the loot, then I should follow the leaders. I suspect we will end up in the same place, but who can say. In any case, perhaps we will meet at this mysterious castle, or perhaps not. If I don't see you again, then good luck against these fools. She looks as if she might say something more, but instead turns to open the door and leaves silently.
Nate is relieved when Soar suggests the party takes tonight to rest and head out tomorrow to explore the tunnel surroundings. Nate would also take a watch, although it would be touch to not fall asleep during his watch.
Jamna leaves, and you settle down for rest. You don't need to roll for your overnight watches, as you are not disturbed. You wake in the morning having completed a long rest.
[I think everyone was in agreement to go out to the Mere tunnel exit/entrance early in the morning, if not, I'll update this post.]
Nub wakes up as early as possible (just enough time to have got a full long rest) and pulls out his spell book and spends a minute reminding himself of the incantations and gestures to cast Alarm faster, before joining the rest of the party on their adventure to go back to the Mere tunnel exit/entrance.
[OOC: Nub is dropping having Absorb Elements prepared, so it only takes 1 minute to cast Alarm rather than 11 minutes as a ritual.]
Jamba’s offer is fine with Soar. She is eager to get out into the swamp in the morning and duck back into the tunnel from the other end - looking for any sign that the lizard creatures are/were there. She might even want to look at the loot in the strong room after tracking back through the tunnel, though she’d want to hear what the rest of the group thinks. Then she’d want to try to see if there are any tracks to follow from the end of the tunnel to this castle in the daytime.
Okay, so it's morning. You rise and see no evidence of anything wrong at the Roadhouse. You head back out into the Mere, in the daylight this time although there is definitely something weird about the light here, and it's gloomier than you might expect.
One of you will need to make a Survival check to try to find the place; you can roll with advantage as I assume you're all helping as best you can on this.
It's still slow going, but you make a direct line, following Nate who seems to recall the last night's journey in great detail, guiding you to the places where your footing is surest, and avoiding any water that's too deep. After less than an hour, you stand upon the small rise in the ground where the tunnel emerges. Nate, with your high Survival check, you can see clear signs of the passage of the lizardfolk the night before - and the trail that leads deeper into the Mere.
Nub starts asking about who Ontharr is, then decides to focus on the task at hand first "Should we check out the tunnel during the early morning, then come back and follow the tracks after we have done that? We know that the hissing noises have been at night time so far, so now might be an opportune time to check out the tunnel. We can possibly also have a good look through whatever the cultists are storing in the roadhouse locked room. That is unless you think the tracks will degrade and you think that we should follow them now?"
(Also Soar had made chalk marks on trees from the roadhouse to the exit last night!)
Soar waits to hear about the permanence of the trail before advocating checking out the strong room. She’d love to check out what the cult is hiding away and perhaps recover a bit more evidence or smaller valuables to be able to return to Greenest.
”Also, that thief disappeared last night, we are disappearing this morning - at least, I settled my tab and have my stuff - and we aren’t sure if the cultists have realized that the pouch of jewels is gone. So they might start to realize something is up.”
"Also, Nate, I think that Ontharr could have sent us here with some way of contacting him if he wanted us to. I asked him directly, but he didn't have anything for us. I care, and wish they would have given us a way to coordinate, but they didn't. So that ship's sailed. We're kind of on our own.
If there is a wait while they decide what to do, Nub will cast alarm as a ritual, taking 11 minutes. If this is a quick conversation, he will cast it as a 1st level spell (still 1 minute to cast).
Nate looks at Soar "I suppose your right about Ontharr."
Then to everyone: "I am not sure if it would be worth going back into the tunnel, unless we want to get to the strong room. I went through the complete tunnel last night, and it seemed to only be the one way. I am guessing here but I bet that trail that leads deeper into the Mere will lead us right to the castle. I think we should follow it before we loose it to rain or the like."
"The thief also said that there was another way into the castle - perhaps once we find it we should investigate if there is more than one."
"I'd just think it'd be useful to deprive the cultists of some of their stolen goods, for whatever reason they need it. If it's a quick walk there and back, seems worth it. If it's a long slog and we're risking losing the trail, then it's not."She looks to the group expectantly.
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Greenest? The thief looks confused. I don't... I mean I guess the others... are you... You know what, it doesn't matter. Fine. He snatches the dagger and backs away, holding it up as if to ward you off. He seems about to snap something unpleasant, but he just continues to back way. When he's thirty feet away he looks at you both, and stands up straight. My name is Larion Keenblade. Remember it. He turns and starts running, and you notice that he has his backpack on his back; you don't think the cultists will be seeing him again.
Nub turns to Nate and says "Well that went better than I thought it would, though I think we might have made a lifelong enemy."
Nate breathes a huge sigh of relief as the thief runs away. His eyes still wide with amazement that there was no confrontation. "Yeah... no kidding. Although I have no concern for the life long enemy part. And now we have confirmation that there is a castle somewhere in the Mere.... full of them... wait... how the hell did he know about the castle if he wasn't A CULTIST HIMSELF.... f uck. I should've killed him right here. Well, at least he's leaving them on his own accord. Hopefully he turns himself around. Larion Keenblade, indeed I won't forget your name."
Nate starts to walk back to the room with Nub, and/or to meet back up with Soar, Jalt and Jamna. "Well... he confirmed our suspicions of a base in the Mere. Well, a castle to be exact. I bet we will be able to find it quite easily when we go back to the tunnel entrance. They've been using the tunnel to transport their wares to this said castle. And, I think you all were right. It seems he was part of the cult or he wouldn't have known this information... I think. Anyhow, he's gone now, and at the least, we can now put those jewels in their rightful owners hands, when the time comes."
Nate's quite exhausted. "Are we going back to the swamp tonight?"
If you are all happy with this, you meet up back in your room at the Roadhouse for this discussion. Jamna will join you if invited.
Soar's impressed that the interaction avoided bloodshed or alarm. She nods to have the conversation in the room with Jamna, asking for Jalt to check for any additional attention or eavesdroppers. She still speaks very quietly. "Wow, so you were able to de-convert a recent convert to the cult. That's impressive, Nate and Nub. It also tells us that whatever it is they're preaching is not a surefire bet for everyone. Aside from the people actively trying to kill us, or staring daggers at us, it's worth trying to see if everyone who seems to be with the cult can be pulled away. I'd suggest we rest tonight and set off in the morning for the other end of the passage, take a look and listen. Jamna, what are your plans?"
After the conversation with Jamna, and she departed, Soar would insist on taking watches again in case the cultists try anything, and then heading out in the morning for the tunnel exit.
Nub agrees with Soar and offers to take the first watch.
If his shift in uneventful, he casts alarm and pops into his shell at the end of it.
Jamna thinks for a moment. If you are following the loot, then I should follow the leaders. I suspect we will end up in the same place, but who can say. In any case, perhaps we will meet at this mysterious castle, or perhaps not. If I don't see you again, then good luck against these fools. She looks as if she might say something more, but instead turns to open the door and leaves silently.
Nate is relieved when Soar suggests the party takes tonight to rest and head out tomorrow to explore the tunnel surroundings. Nate would also take a watch, although it would be touch to not fall asleep during his watch.
Nate would nod at Jamna when she leaves.
Jamna leaves, and you settle down for rest. You don't need to roll for your overnight watches, as you are not disturbed. You wake in the morning having completed a long rest.
What would you like to do?
[I think everyone was in agreement to go out to the Mere tunnel exit/entrance early in the morning, if not, I'll update this post.]
Nub wakes up as early as possible (just enough time to have got a full long rest) and pulls out his spell book and spends a minute reminding himself of the incantations and gestures to cast Alarm faster, before joining the rest of the party on their adventure to go back to the Mere tunnel exit/entrance.
[OOC: Nub is dropping having Absorb Elements prepared, so it only takes 1 minute to cast Alarm rather than 11 minutes as a ritual.]
Jamba’s offer is fine with Soar. She is eager to get out into the swamp in the morning and duck back into the tunnel from the other end - looking for any sign that the lizard creatures are/were there. She might even want to look at the loot in the strong room after tracking back through the tunnel, though she’d want to hear what the rest of the group thinks. Then she’d want to try to see if there are any tracks to follow from the end of the tunnel to this castle in the daytime.
Okay, so it's morning. You rise and see no evidence of anything wrong at the Roadhouse. You head back out into the Mere, in the daylight this time although there is definitely something weird about the light here, and it's gloomier than you might expect.
One of you will need to make a Survival check to try to find the place; you can roll with advantage as I assume you're all helping as best you can on this.
Nate had been out of the tunnel for a bit before he started walking last night, so might know the surrounding area a touch better.
Survival 25
"I wonder if there's a way to notify Ontharr of our progress... or do we really even care at this point?"
It's still slow going, but you make a direct line, following Nate who seems to recall the last night's journey in great detail, guiding you to the places where your footing is surest, and avoiding any water that's too deep. After less than an hour, you stand upon the small rise in the ground where the tunnel emerges. Nate, with your high Survival check, you can see clear signs of the passage of the lizardfolk the night before - and the trail that leads deeper into the Mere.
Nub starts asking about who Ontharr is, then decides to focus on the task at hand first "Should we check out the tunnel during the early morning, then come back and follow the tracks after we have done that? We know that the hissing noises have been at night time so far, so now might be an opportune time to check out the tunnel. We can possibly also have a good look through whatever the cultists are storing in the roadhouse locked room. That is unless you think the tracks will degrade and you think that we should follow them now?"
(Also Soar had made chalk marks on trees from the roadhouse to the exit last night!)
Soar waits to hear about the permanence of the trail before advocating checking out the strong room. She’d love to check out what the cult is hiding away and perhaps recover a bit more evidence or smaller valuables to be able to return to Greenest.
”Also, that thief disappeared last night, we are disappearing this morning - at least, I settled my tab and have my stuff - and we aren’t sure if the cultists have realized that the pouch of jewels is gone. So they might start to realize something is up.”
"Also, Nate, I think that Ontharr could have sent us here with some way of contacting him if he wanted us to. I asked him directly, but he didn't have anything for us. I care, and wish they would have given us a way to coordinate, but they didn't. So that ship's sailed. We're kind of on our own.
If there is a wait while they decide what to do, Nub will cast alarm as a ritual, taking 11 minutes. If this is a quick conversation, he will cast it as a 1st level spell (still 1 minute to cast).
Nate looks at Soar "I suppose your right about Ontharr."
Then to everyone: "I am not sure if it would be worth going back into the tunnel, unless we want to get to the strong room. I went through the complete tunnel last night, and it seemed to only be the one way. I am guessing here but I bet that trail that leads deeper into the Mere will lead us right to the castle. I think we should follow it before we loose it to rain or the like."
"The thief also said that there was another way into the castle - perhaps once we find it we should investigate if there is more than one."
"I'd just think it'd be useful to deprive the cultists of some of their stolen goods, for whatever reason they need it. If it's a quick walk there and back, seems worth it. If it's a long slog and we're risking losing the trail, then it's not." She looks to the group expectantly.