Together you gather up the three eggs, as gently as you can, and begin the job of carrying them from the cave. It's slow going, with one of you taking the lead, unburdened, keeping watch and clearing the path. You take a long time to ascend the ladder up to Mondath's room, with the eggs balanced precariously, but with no time pressure you're able to manage it successfully. It takes about an hour, but you are able to get the three eggs safely outside into the area where the raiders made their camp.
You spend some time putting together three makeshift sleds to carry the eggs, packing them with grass and leaves and surrounding them with your bedrolls to try to make the journey possible without destroying your cargo. I think it takes most of the rest of the day. If there's anything else you'd like to add to the construction effort, let me know.
As you are working, one of the hunters you met previously wanders over to take a look at what you're doing. He seems curious, but not enough actually to say anything to you.
Are you going to rest here in the former raider camp, or set off before sunset? The journey back to Greenest is likely to take at least two days.
You spend a peaceful night in the strange and rather eerie surroundings of the deserted raider camp. The eggs lie waiting on their sleds, packed with all manner of padding to secure them for the journey, they actually look rather cute - despite containing likely evil black dragons. Though you keep watch, it seems nothing from the cave ventures out to investigate the force that invaded their space so decisively. The hunters keep their distance, and generally don't seem to move or do much during the night.
The morning comes, and you have all completed a long rest. If you want to add in any adjustments to the egg transportation arrangements, let me know, otherwise you can set off for Greenest at daybreak.
Soar would try the key in the lock in the chest in Mondath's room, and do one more look around for anything they missed, and she'll also check out that storage room with the tied-up drunk guard to see if she can grab any loot that the cult left behind that might actually mean something to the people in Greenest it belongs to (investigation: 15). Is the guard still there? If so, she'll try to get him moving, still tied up and on a lead, and frog march him with the intention to bring him back to Greenest for questioning and justice.
She'll help with all of the egg-carrying, and she will do her best to keep them from getting cracked, but if one cracks, she will not be upset. She's not sure what happens when they get to Greenest. Her sense of law and justice, and her personal observations, places faith in the sense and goodwill of Governor Nighthill to pass judgment. Her main priority was getting them away from the cult, and Tiamat's plans.
When they make the little sleds for the eggs, she will again suggest they try attaching them to a druid wildshaped into a large spider with webbing, which might speed things up for an hour at a time, and certainly get them out and away from the camp quickly. With one large spider carrying three eggs at a time in a little papoose, that means four hours of easy walking before rest is needed.
"We should probably get out of here," Soar says once the eggs are ready to be packaged up for transport. "We have no idea what their plans were to get these eggs. Maybe Cyanwrath was just going to sit here and guard them for a long time, but probably not. Maybe he was going to carry them north with the warriors and kobolds and that drake. Maybe Mondath is still around here. Maybe there are still cultists expecting to come get them. Whatever the case, staying here probably isn't a good idea. I'd suggest we get going as far as we can, and camp a few hours away to let us rest. Then, with our adorable spiders carrying the eggs, we should get back outside Greenest by the end of tomorrow. Warn the governor, and maybe we suggest that Leosin can safekeep them if the governor doesn't want to pass judgment. Does that sound like a good plan?"
Soar would try the key in the lock in the chest in Mondath's room, and do one more look around for anything they missed, and she'll also check out that storage room with the tied-up drunk guard to see if she can grab any loot that the cult left behind that might actually mean something to the people in Greenest it belongs to (investigation: 17). Is the guard still there? If so, she'll try to get him moving, still tied up and on a lead, and frog march him with the intention to bring him back to Greenest for questioning and justice.
She'll help with all of the egg-carrying, and she will do her best to keep them from getting cracked, but if one cracks, she will not be upset. She's not sure what happens when they get to Greenest. Her sense of law and justice, and her personal observations, places faith in the sense and goodwill of Governor Nighthill to pass judgment. Her main priority was getting them away from the cult, and Tiamat's plans.
When they make the little sleds for the eggs, she will again suggest they try attaching them to a druid wildshaped into a large spider with webbing, which might speed things up for an hour at a time, and certainly get them out and away from the camp quickly. With one large spider carrying three eggs at a time in a little papoose, that means four hours of easy walking before rest is needed.
"We should probably get out of here," Soar says once the eggs are ready to be packaged up for transport. "We have no idea what their plans were to get these eggs. Maybe Cyanwrath was just going to sit here and guard them for a long time, but probably not. Maybe he was going to carry them north with the warriors and kobolds and that drake. Maybe Mondath is still around here. Maybe there are still cultists expecting to come get them. Whatever the case, staying here probably isn't a good idea. I'd suggest we get going as far as we can, and camp a few hours away to let us rest. Then, with our adorable spiders carrying the eggs, we should get back outside Greenest by the end of tomorrow. Warn the governor, and maybe we suggest that Leosin can safekeep them if the governor doesn't want to pass judgment. Does that sound like a good plan?"
Soar, the iron key doesn't fit the open chest next to the dragon statue, though it is clearly of a similar make and style. In the former treasure room are several discarded items, copper rings, wooden ornaments, things of clearly little value; you can gather these up, about ten pounds' worth, and carry them in your backpack.
You find the guard but cannot wake him; you can carry him out of the cave though. He will awake during the night - have you gagged him?
He's been gagged all this time - Soar wouldn't have taken it out. "I think the governor would like to hear from Mister Drunkpants once he's sobered up. I'll watch over him and keep him tied up. Better than leaving him in there tied up, or setting him free to do whatever, or killing him. Not ideal but it's the best option."
She checks his bindings several times and gives him some water when he wakes. Then she'll just frogmarch him the whole way, and if he won't walk, she'll knock him on the head again and carry him (unless a giant spider can carry him as well as three dragon eggs). Assuming there's no spare horses standing around...
Nate feels amazing after the rest and is ready to head back! He will keep an eye on the captive guard as well... helping Soar with whatever she might need with respect to getting him back with us. He will also use Wildshape if need be to morph into a Giant Wolf Spider if any webbing is needed for the sled as Soar suggested.
Those of you keeping watch were aware that your prisoner woke in the night, and you heard some muffled shouts coming from him - in the dead of night, even his muffled voice no doubt carried to where the hunters are keeping their camp, but they don't respond.
You wake, and the prisoner, exhausted and hungover, has gone quiet but is clearly still awake. Soar gives him some water, and his bindings seem secure. As you loosen his gag he says nothing, but accepts the water while somehow maintaining an angry glare at you.
You could attempt to strap the eggs onto a Giant Spider (Elspeth) if you wish. Nate's Giant Wolf Spider is still only a medium creature, so that's less likely to be successful. Whoever wants to attach the eggs, make a straight DEX check, with advantage as I'm sure someone will be helping.
After spending a night in the abandoned camp, Elspeth is quite eager to leave and make for Greenest immediately. Elspeth with also raise the possibility of transforming into a horse that could plausibly pull a larger cart if they can find one, or at least carry one more person. Elspeth is happy to transform into a giant spider to transport the eggs, and will wait patiently in place for the others to start attaching the eggs.
Soar will help someone else attach the eggs, and nods at Elspeth's suggestion of a horse. "It must be really weird to be a spider! A horse could work great if you want. It's your body, so your decision. Well, it's really an animal's body. That you're imitating. Or something. I never really understood how that worked. Anyhow, it's up to you, Elspeth!"
Turning to the guard, she adopts a very large smile. "Mister Drunkpants! It's nice to meet you again. You had a very, very fun night, didn't you. So did we!"She pulls out Cyanwrath's head. "Better than some others' at least. Anyhow, if you want to start giving us helpful information about how you got to where you did, what you know about the cult, things we might want to know as we leave this abandoned camp, we might be able to tell the people we're bringing you to that you've been very helpful. But if not... we won't be able to tell them that. Or you can be quiet and compliant. It's a long walk. Be helpful. If you're not, I'll put you back to sleep, either for a little while, or a long time. Up to you!"
You do not find any kind of cart in the camp. So, it's decision time - how exactly are you transporting these eggs. Bearing in mind the equipment you have and the limitations on wildshape...
Soar, the cultist stares at you, then turns away. When you offer the water, he mutters a very quite Thank you. Other than that, he says nothing.
"Ok so no cart... hmmm... I guess we will have to build one."
Would there be a lot of pieces of wood around in the destroyed camp? If so, Nate will gather a few longer more solid pieces for a makeshift frame. Say 3 beams. Then he'll grab some smaller pieces of wood for the ribs. He will construct a makeshift drag-cart.
"So now I think we just have to web this sucker up, then put the eggs on it, then web them up to it, then tie a few ropes and we can pull it. These eggs are not heavy, it won't be hard. We can take turns. I'm happy to web this up Elspeth!"
Nate will wildshape into a wolf spider and web up the makeshift drag cart. Then he will wildshape back into human form.
Also, when Nate watches Soar use Cyanwrath's head to try and get information, he sends her a dark grin of approval. He adds "I think that is going to start to smell soon."
(so, 2 of us can drag the cart, one of us can watch the captured guard, and one of us can scout ahead. We can rotate this every hour as we travel the two days, taking short rests along the way if needed. When possible, Nate/Elspeth can wildshape into hauling animals for the hour, etc.)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
It takes the better part of the morning to assemble the required materials and build the kind of sled that Nate has dreamed up. In spider form, Nate manages to secure the eggs to the cart, and they are padded with materials and your bedrolls, so you think they are secure. (Interestingly, wolf spiders are not web spinners, but they do still produce silk, so that all works.)
You find a battered old saddle and are able to hitch your druids securely. The prisoner looks on sullenly, but makes no attempt to escape. And you set off. The cart proves quite successful. With Horspeth and Neight providing most of the pulling, at least for three hours of the day, it makes the journey easier, and the eggs safer because the rest of the party is able to focus their attention on avoiding bumps and knocks. However, it doesn't make the trip faster - the eggs are very delicate, and the spider silk loses effectiveness as the day goes on.
(Also interestingly, there is little agreement on whether a druid's wildshaped spider silk remains after they revert to humanoid form - some DMs argue that the silk vanishes, others that it remains permanently, so I'm going with a compromise. It lasts about a day, but decays quickly and becomes unusable after that.)
16
So you make good progress, and you reckon you're about half way to Greenest when the sun is setting. There's no way you can spot and avoid the hazards you need to at night, as even those of you with darkvision will have limited perception. So you stop and make camp.
7
I'm going to need a watch order and Perception rolls from each of you.
Together you gather up the three eggs, as gently as you can, and begin the job of carrying them from the cave. It's slow going, with one of you taking the lead, unburdened, keeping watch and clearing the path. You take a long time to ascend the ladder up to Mondath's room, with the eggs balanced precariously, but with no time pressure you're able to manage it successfully. It takes about an hour, but you are able to get the three eggs safely outside into the area where the raiders made their camp.
You spend some time putting together three makeshift sleds to carry the eggs, packing them with grass and leaves and surrounding them with your bedrolls to try to make the journey possible without destroying your cargo. I think it takes most of the rest of the day. If there's anything else you'd like to add to the construction effort, let me know.
As you are working, one of the hunters you met previously wanders over to take a look at what you're doing. He seems curious, but not enough actually to say anything to you.
Are you going to rest here in the former raider camp, or set off before sunset? The journey back to Greenest is likely to take at least two days.
Jalt is in dire need of rest and would suggest them resting here since they seem to not be drawing the ire or interest of the hunters still there.
Hoard of the Dragon Queen - Jalt Rhogar - Dragonborn Cleric (9)
"Ive heard it both ways."
11
You spend a peaceful night in the strange and rather eerie surroundings of the deserted raider camp. The eggs lie waiting on their sleds, packed with all manner of padding to secure them for the journey, they actually look rather cute - despite containing likely evil black dragons. Though you keep watch, it seems nothing from the cave ventures out to investigate the force that invaded their space so decisively. The hunters keep their distance, and generally don't seem to move or do much during the night.
The morning comes, and you have all completed a long rest. If you want to add in any adjustments to the egg transportation arrangements, let me know, otherwise you can set off for Greenest at daybreak.
Soar would try the key in the lock in the chest in Mondath's room, and do one more look around for anything they missed, and she'll also check out that storage room with the tied-up drunk guard to see if she can grab any loot that the cult left behind that might actually mean something to the people in Greenest it belongs to (investigation: 15). Is the guard still there? If so, she'll try to get him moving, still tied up and on a lead, and frog march him with the intention to bring him back to Greenest for questioning and justice.
She'll help with all of the egg-carrying, and she will do her best to keep them from getting cracked, but if one cracks, she will not be upset. She's not sure what happens when they get to Greenest. Her sense of law and justice, and her personal observations, places faith in the sense and goodwill of Governor Nighthill to pass judgment. Her main priority was getting them away from the cult, and Tiamat's plans.
When they make the little sleds for the eggs, she will again suggest they try attaching them to a druid wildshaped into a large spider with webbing, which might speed things up for an hour at a time, and certainly get them out and away from the camp quickly. With one large spider carrying three eggs at a time in a little papoose, that means four hours of easy walking before rest is needed.
"We should probably get out of here," Soar says once the eggs are ready to be packaged up for transport. "We have no idea what their plans were to get these eggs. Maybe Cyanwrath was just going to sit here and guard them for a long time, but probably not. Maybe he was going to carry them north with the warriors and kobolds and that drake. Maybe Mondath is still around here. Maybe there are still cultists expecting to come get them. Whatever the case, staying here probably isn't a good idea. I'd suggest we get going as far as we can, and camp a few hours away to let us rest. Then, with our adorable spiders carrying the eggs, we should get back outside Greenest by the end of tomorrow. Warn the governor, and maybe we suggest that Leosin can safekeep them if the governor doesn't want to pass judgment. Does that sound like a good plan?"
Soar would try the key in the lock in the chest in Mondath's room, and do one more look around for anything they missed, and she'll also check out that storage room with the tied-up drunk guard to see if she can grab any loot that the cult left behind that might actually mean something to the people in Greenest it belongs to (investigation: 17). Is the guard still there? If so, she'll try to get him moving, still tied up and on a lead, and frog march him with the intention to bring him back to Greenest for questioning and justice.
She'll help with all of the egg-carrying, and she will do her best to keep them from getting cracked, but if one cracks, she will not be upset. She's not sure what happens when they get to Greenest. Her sense of law and justice, and her personal observations, places faith in the sense and goodwill of Governor Nighthill to pass judgment. Her main priority was getting them away from the cult, and Tiamat's plans.
When they make the little sleds for the eggs, she will again suggest they try attaching them to a druid wildshaped into a large spider with webbing, which might speed things up for an hour at a time, and certainly get them out and away from the camp quickly. With one large spider carrying three eggs at a time in a little papoose, that means four hours of easy walking before rest is needed.
"We should probably get out of here," Soar says once the eggs are ready to be packaged up for transport. "We have no idea what their plans were to get these eggs. Maybe Cyanwrath was just going to sit here and guard them for a long time, but probably not. Maybe he was going to carry them north with the warriors and kobolds and that drake. Maybe Mondath is still around here. Maybe there are still cultists expecting to come get them. Whatever the case, staying here probably isn't a good idea. I'd suggest we get going as far as we can, and camp a few hours away to let us rest. Then, with our adorable spiders carrying the eggs, we should get back outside Greenest by the end of tomorrow. Warn the governor, and maybe we suggest that Leosin can safekeep them if the governor doesn't want to pass judgment. Does that sound like a good plan?"
(Not sure why this didn't post earlier, and posted twice! Ignore the second roll I suppose? Apologies.)
So, on the way out of the cave:
Soar, the iron key doesn't fit the open chest next to the dragon statue, though it is clearly of a similar make and style. In the former treasure room are several discarded items, copper rings, wooden ornaments, things of clearly little value; you can gather these up, about ten pounds' worth, and carry them in your backpack.
You find the guard but cannot wake him; you can carry him out of the cave though. He will awake during the night - have you gagged him?
He's been gagged all this time - Soar wouldn't have taken it out. "I think the governor would like to hear from Mister Drunkpants once he's sobered up. I'll watch over him and keep him tied up. Better than leaving him in there tied up, or setting him free to do whatever, or killing him. Not ideal but it's the best option."
She checks his bindings several times and gives him some water when he wakes. Then she'll just frogmarch him the whole way, and if he won't walk, she'll knock him on the head again and carry him (unless a giant spider can carry him as well as three dragon eggs). Assuming there's no spare horses standing around...
Nate feels amazing after the rest and is ready to head back! He will keep an eye on the captive guard as well... helping Soar with whatever she might need with respect to getting him back with us. He will also use Wildshape if need be to morph into a Giant Wolf Spider if any webbing is needed for the sled as Soar suggested.
There are no spare horses around.
Those of you keeping watch were aware that your prisoner woke in the night, and you heard some muffled shouts coming from him - in the dead of night, even his muffled voice no doubt carried to where the hunters are keeping their camp, but they don't respond.
You wake, and the prisoner, exhausted and hungover, has gone quiet but is clearly still awake. Soar gives him some water, and his bindings seem secure. As you loosen his gag he says nothing, but accepts the water while somehow maintaining an angry glare at you.
You could attempt to strap the eggs onto a Giant Spider (Elspeth) if you wish. Nate's Giant Wolf Spider is still only a medium creature, so that's less likely to be successful. Whoever wants to attach the eggs, make a straight DEX check, with advantage as I'm sure someone will be helping.
After spending a night in the abandoned camp, Elspeth is quite eager to leave and make for Greenest immediately. Elspeth with also raise the possibility of transforming into a horse that could plausibly pull a larger cart if they can find one, or at least carry one more person. Elspeth is happy to transform into a giant spider to transport the eggs, and will wait patiently in place for the others to start attaching the eggs.
Soar will help someone else attach the eggs, and nods at Elspeth's suggestion of a horse. "It must be really weird to be a spider! A horse could work great if you want. It's your body, so your decision. Well, it's really an animal's body. That you're imitating. Or something. I never really understood how that worked. Anyhow, it's up to you, Elspeth!"
Turning to the guard, she adopts a very large smile. "Mister Drunkpants! It's nice to meet you again. You had a very, very fun night, didn't you. So did we!" She pulls out Cyanwrath's head. "Better than some others' at least. Anyhow, if you want to start giving us helpful information about how you got to where you did, what you know about the cult, things we might want to know as we leave this abandoned camp, we might be able to tell the people we're bringing you to that you've been very helpful. But if not... we won't be able to tell them that. Or you can be quiet and compliant. It's a long walk. Be helpful. If you're not, I'll put you back to sleep, either for a little while, or a long time. Up to you!"
Jalt will place the eggs for storage and transport 12
Hoard of the Dragon Queen - Jalt Rhogar - Dragonborn Cleric (9)
"Ive heard it both ways."
You do not find any kind of cart in the camp. So, it's decision time - how exactly are you transporting these eggs. Bearing in mind the equipment you have and the limitations on wildshape...
Soar, the cultist stares at you, then turns away. When you offer the water, he mutters a very quite Thank you. Other than that, he says nothing.
"Ok so no cart... hmmm... I guess we will have to build one."
Would there be a lot of pieces of wood around in the destroyed camp? If so, Nate will gather a few longer more solid pieces for a makeshift frame. Say 3 beams. Then he'll grab some smaller pieces of wood for the ribs. He will construct a makeshift drag-cart.
"So now I think we just have to web this sucker up, then put the eggs on it, then web them up to it, then tie a few ropes and we can pull it. These eggs are not heavy, it won't be hard. We can take turns. I'm happy to web this up Elspeth!"
Nate will wildshape into a wolf spider and web up the makeshift drag cart. Then he will wildshape back into human form.
Also, when Nate watches Soar use Cyanwrath's head to try and get information, he sends her a dark grin of approval. He adds "I think that is going to start to smell soon."
(so, 2 of us can drag the cart, one of us can watch the captured guard, and one of us can scout ahead. We can rotate this every hour as we travel the two days, taking short rests along the way if needed. When possible, Nate/Elspeth can wildshape into hauling animals for the hour, etc.)
Soar excitedly approves of this plan!
Jalt agrees with the plan
Hoard of the Dragon Queen - Jalt Rhogar - Dragonborn Cleric (9)
"Ive heard it both ways."
It takes the better part of the morning to assemble the required materials and build the kind of sled that Nate has dreamed up. In spider form, Nate manages to secure the eggs to the cart, and they are padded with materials and your bedrolls, so you think they are secure. (Interestingly, wolf spiders are not web spinners, but they do still produce silk, so that all works.)
You find a battered old saddle and are able to hitch your druids securely. The prisoner looks on sullenly, but makes no attempt to escape. And you set off. The cart proves quite successful. With Horspeth and Neight providing most of the pulling, at least for three hours of the day, it makes the journey easier, and the eggs safer because the rest of the party is able to focus their attention on avoiding bumps and knocks. However, it doesn't make the trip faster - the eggs are very delicate, and the spider silk loses effectiveness as the day goes on.
(Also interestingly, there is little agreement on whether a druid's wildshaped spider silk remains after they revert to humanoid form - some DMs argue that the silk vanishes, others that it remains permanently, so I'm going with a compromise. It lasts about a day, but decays quickly and becomes unusable after that.)
16
So you make good progress, and you reckon you're about half way to Greenest when the sun is setting. There's no way you can spot and avoid the hazards you need to at night, as even those of you with darkvision will have limited perception. So you stop and make camp.
7
I'm going to need a watch order and Perception rolls from each of you.
13 3