Tangle, the elf moves past you, back into the tunnel where you know the other cultists are. Soar, you wait as the elves stand around, nervously watching you, trying to be deferential but also clearly not keen to talk further. Bazavur and Jalt, you can hear what has been said, but are not able to see clearly where the other guard elf has gone.
After a minute, the other guard returns, with three cultists in tow. One, a male human, steps forward and bows. My lady, I am Correth, servant of Lord Neronvain, under the Great Queen's gaze. Do you wish to meet with him?
“It would be good to have eyes on him, yes,” Soar as Talis says perfunctorily. “Unless he was on his way out tonight already…” she says, folding the banner into a neat package. She takes a full action to look around the chamber. Anyone hiding, anything on the ceiling, any passages, what’s in the middle…
No-one hiding, that you can see. There's a lake with a little island in the middle. There are exits to the north-east, where the cultists came from, and another to the south-west. You think you see something high up on the walls in the south-western corner, perhaps a room or other area that overlooks the cavern, but you cannot see what is upon it. Nothing on the ceiling, especially no invisible dragons (that you know of).
Soar-as-Talis takes a quiet deep breath to calm herself.
Didn't I once (or thrice) kindly, helpfully, offer Jalt some constructive feedback on making a similar move back on a previous adventure? Barging ahead, endangering myself and potentially others? Oh man, if I did the same thing, he was really going to give me a piece of his mind, and deserve to!
She closes her eyes and centers herself.
Then again, I did give him and Bazavur a chance to object before I stepped forward, so maybe I and the boys were on the same page! Being on the same page is my favorite thing. Then there's Tangle. Tangle's probably not on the same page. Tangle is... where is Tangle? This chamber's pretty empty, and there's this pool in the middle. Don't see any obvious dragons hiding. Maybe he's somewhere else, or even out hunting. But Tangle, Tangle's in here somewhere. She's pretty good at that. Hopefully she's not too mad. She didn't know what I'm doing but also our main plan was surprise attack, which, Tangle can still do! That's her favorite thing. While she waits to attack, I can just go meet this Neronvain person and find out what's going on. Talis must have really done well for herself, after she sent us to take out her rivals and that nice giant's flying castle. She said a disaster for them was good for her. If Neronvain knows Talis, this will get tricky and I'll have to keep sharp and roll with it, but assuming he doesn't, my version of Talis can be a messenger for Severin, the leader. A, what's it called, a representative! Yeah! With a message that says... hmm. What would Severin want to say. 'Stop attacking the elves!' Yeah, that would solve things! But he might not believe that kind of thing. Maybe... "Attack the elves more!" Or "Attack the elves faster?" That's probably more likely. They want to raise Tiamat. They probably want to do it soon. So something like "Wyrmspeaker Severin"... they all call themselves Wyrmspeakers, right? Severin probably has a more fancy title. Not sure we know that. Maybe just "High Wyrmspeaker? Lord Wyrmspeaker? First Wyrmspeaker? Supreme Wyrmspeaker?" I'll figure it out. "Fancypants Wyrmspeaker Severin has a message for you, Neronvain: It is time." Maybe he has been waiting for this signal, but probably not. If he hasn't, then he'll ask time for what, and then I say something like "time to complete your task here" or finish the raids, or something. Hmm. The goal here is to learn things. Maybe I open with a question. Small talk! Ask him how things are going here. What's up. A check-in! But, probably, less happy. Talis wasn't happy. Status report. Then hope he says some things. Then come in with the message from Fancypants Wyrmspeaker. I shouldn't do anything with the banner, right? Yeah that would be stupid. Okay. That's a plan. You got this. Then you can just make your goodbyes and leave. And then we proceed with the surprise attack. Surely everything doesn't fall to pieces while I'm in there but if they do, then the fight starts in there. Oh, and the Warden! The warden's here, hmm. Maybe I'll find him.
She proceeds forward in her best Talis impression after her brief glance around the cavern. Where is Correth indicating her to go?
Not getting the sense that Soars ruse has put her in any sort of imminent danger. Bazavur releases a fraction of the tension he’s been holding on to. His rage bubbling just beneath the surface, he waits and listens…
The cultist nods, not quite a bow, not quite the absence of a bow. I shall inform him at once, and turns to head back to the northeast passageway.
A minute passes. Another minute passes. The elf guards look uncertain of what to do, but they stand at attention and try to avoid Soar's notice.
Tangle, with your very high passive perception, you hear, above the sound of running water in this cavern, a sound like a large splash, coming from not too far away to the southeast, definitely too faint for anyone else to have noticed.
Tangle peers in the direction of the splash, looking for any sign of something coming. She puts the arrow she had loosely nocked back in the quiver, letting her fingers touch the fletching of one of the Arrows of Dragon Slaying, instead.
Perception (IGL): 24
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
While the first minute stretches into the second, Soar-as-Talis feigns impatience and boredom, pacing around in ever-larger circles. She looks around, trying to see anything of note inside. What's the lighting situation? When she passes closer to the pool, she looks at the thing high up on the walls in the SW corner. Is it a room or something else? She also looks at the pool. Is the water clear or opaque? Is it moving? Swimmable? She's looking at the room like she's either going to have to run back through it, or fight in it.
Then during the second minute she turns back to the guards, analyzing them. "So, how long have you been here? Why did Neronvain accept you?"
(Confirming here, from discord, that she and Bazavur have protection from poison on them.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Hearing the loud noise of the dragon bursting up from the water and sensing that their ruse is up. Bazavur rushes forward near Soar, greatsword in one and and javelin in the other. He hurls the javelin in the direction of the sound.
Attack: 8 Damage: 8
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Tangle, the elf moves past you, back into the tunnel where you know the other cultists are. Soar, you wait as the elves stand around, nervously watching you, trying to be deferential but also clearly not keen to talk further. Bazavur and Jalt, you can hear what has been said, but are not able to see clearly where the other guard elf has gone.
After a minute, the other guard returns, with three cultists in tow. One, a male human, steps forward and bows. My lady, I am Correth, servant of Lord Neronvain, under the Great Queen's gaze. Do you wish to meet with him?
Tangle has thoughts, but she keeps them to herself.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
“It would be good to have eyes on him, yes,” Soar as Talis says perfunctorily. “Unless he was on his way out tonight already…” she says, folding the banner into a neat package. She takes a full action to look around the chamber. Anyone hiding, anything on the ceiling, any passages, what’s in the middle…
Soar, make a Perception check.
Soar perception: 22
No-one hiding, that you can see. There's a lake with a little island in the middle. There are exits to the north-east, where the cultists came from, and another to the south-west. You think you see something high up on the walls in the south-western corner, perhaps a room or other area that overlooks the cavern, but you cannot see what is upon it. Nothing on the ceiling, especially no invisible dragons (that you know of).
("Especially no invisible dragons" riiiiight.)
Soar-as-Talis takes a quiet deep breath to calm herself.
Didn't I once (or thrice) kindly, helpfully, offer Jalt some constructive feedback on making a similar move back on a previous adventure? Barging ahead, endangering myself and potentially others? Oh man, if I did the same thing, he was really going to give me a piece of his mind, and deserve to!
She closes her eyes and centers herself.
Then again, I did give him and Bazavur a chance to object before I stepped forward, so maybe I and the boys were on the same page! Being on the same page is my favorite thing. Then there's Tangle. Tangle's probably not on the same page. Tangle is... where is Tangle? This chamber's pretty empty, and there's this pool in the middle. Don't see any obvious dragons hiding. Maybe he's somewhere else, or even out hunting. But Tangle, Tangle's in here somewhere. She's pretty good at that. Hopefully she's not too mad. She didn't know what I'm doing but also our main plan was surprise attack, which, Tangle can still do! That's her favorite thing. While she waits to attack, I can just go meet this Neronvain person and find out what's going on. Talis must have really done well for herself, after she sent us to take out her rivals and that nice giant's flying castle. She said a disaster for them was good for her. If Neronvain knows Talis, this will get tricky and I'll have to keep sharp and roll with it, but assuming he doesn't, my version of Talis can be a messenger for Severin, the leader. A, what's it called, a representative! Yeah! With a message that says... hmm. What would Severin want to say. 'Stop attacking the elves!' Yeah, that would solve things! But he might not believe that kind of thing. Maybe... "Attack the elves more!" Or "Attack the elves faster?" That's probably more likely. They want to raise Tiamat. They probably want to do it soon. So something like "Wyrmspeaker Severin"... they all call themselves Wyrmspeakers, right? Severin probably has a more fancy title. Not sure we know that. Maybe just "High Wyrmspeaker? Lord Wyrmspeaker? First Wyrmspeaker? Supreme Wyrmspeaker?" I'll figure it out. "Fancypants Wyrmspeaker Severin has a message for you, Neronvain: It is time." Maybe he has been waiting for this signal, but probably not. If he hasn't, then he'll ask time for what, and then I say something like "time to complete your task here" or finish the raids, or something. Hmm. The goal here is to learn things. Maybe I open with a question. Small talk! Ask him how things are going here. What's up. A check-in! But, probably, less happy. Talis wasn't happy. Status report. Then hope he says some things. Then come in with the message from Fancypants Wyrmspeaker. I shouldn't do anything with the banner, right? Yeah that would be stupid. Okay. That's a plan. You got this. Then you can just make your goodbyes and leave. And then we proceed with the surprise attack. Surely everything doesn't fall to pieces while I'm in there but if they do, then the fight starts in there. Oh, and the Warden! The warden's here, hmm. Maybe I'll find him.
She proceeds forward in her best Talis impression after her brief glance around the cavern. Where is Correth indicating her to go?
Not getting the sense that Soars ruse has put her in any sort of imminent danger. Bazavur releases a fraction of the tension he’s been holding on to. His rage bubbling just beneath the surface, he waits and listens…
The cultist nods, not quite a bow, not quite the absence of a bow. I shall inform him at once, and turns to head back to the northeast passageway.
A minute passes. Another minute passes. The elf guards look uncertain of what to do, but they stand at attention and try to avoid Soar's notice.
Tangle, with your very high passive perception, you hear, above the sound of running water in this cavern, a sound like a large splash, coming from not too far away to the southeast, definitely too faint for anyone else to have noticed.
Tangle peers in the direction of the splash, looking for any sign of something coming. She puts the arrow she had loosely nocked back in the quiver, letting her fingers touch the fletching of one of the Arrows of Dragon Slaying, instead.
Perception (IGL): 24
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
While the first minute stretches into the second, Soar-as-Talis feigns impatience and boredom, pacing around in ever-larger circles. She looks around, trying to see anything of note inside. What's the lighting situation? When she passes closer to the pool, she looks at the thing high up on the walls in the SW corner. Is it a room or something else? She also looks at the pool. Is the water clear or opaque? Is it moving? Swimmable? She's looking at the room like she's either going to have to run back through it, or fight in it.
Then during the second minute she turns back to the guards, analyzing them. "So, how long have you been here? Why did Neronvain accept you?"
(Confirming here, from discord, that she and Bazavur have protection from poison on them.
The guards look at each other nervously, seemingly unsure how to respond. One opens her mouth to speak...
There's a sound as loud as an explosion as a large green dragon erupts from the lake, a purple-clad rider on its back.
Roll initiative please.
Soar initiative: 18
Tangle, who should have had an action Ready, dang it, rolled Initiative (IGL): 7
(Also, note to self and others, must remember to account for Elven Accuracy this time..!)
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Initiative: 13
Hoard of the Dragon Queen - Jalt Rhogar - Dragonborn Cleric (9)
"Ive heard it both ways."
Initiative: 12
10 19 11 6 9
13
Round One:
Cultist Leader
Bazavur
Cultists 1, 2 and 3
Jalt and Soar
Dragon and Rider
Tangle
Cultists 4, 5 and 6
Guards 1, 2, 3 and 4
Tangle would hear footsteps approaching from the northern passageway, though no-one arrives just yet.
The dragon is in mid-flight, 40 feet up in the air; it's not clear what its intentions are, if any, as it's not the dragon's turn yet.
Bazavur is up.
Hearing the loud noise of the dragon bursting up from the water and sensing that their ruse is up. Bazavur rushes forward near Soar, greatsword in one and and javelin in the other. He hurls the javelin in the direction of the sound.
Attack: 8 Damage: 8