The Phandalin Chronicles

"Well.." Chip would say as he composes himself a bit. "Good job everyone... looks like the king wasn't crazy after all." 

"Indeed, Chip, the king was not crazy.", says Krom to the dragonborn. He gives a sad look at the beer spilled on the floor, "What a waste of good beer..."

The dwarf says to the rest of the group, "We have defeated the shapeshifter, but we haven't found the missing gnomes yet. We should keep searching, I believe that we have a couple of other rooms to search."

He walks towards Rhogar and says "Well aimed my friend, I am glad that I am not tall as our lad or I would have been also been burned by the lightning."

Chill reaches down and collects his dropped rapier and slides it back into its sheath.

"Maybe the creature ate them?   We'd never find the bodies if it did."  Chill wondered out loud. 

"Let's hope not my friend. Let us hope that we may yet find the missing gnomes." Says Kazri as she cleans the Dragon Slayer Sword.

"I am not familiar with that kind of monster, it is possible that they have been eaten, but as our lass just said, I hope not." replies Krom.

As everyone is discussing a plan of action, Rhogar sits in the back, rubbing his chin in deep thought of the creature. He even quietly discusses with Vixix, his Brother and Patron, as if they were in the room in Draconic, before eventually nodding to himself and following along with the others. If anything did come  to mind, he shares it with the others.

Arcana: 9. (if nature, subtract 3 off current number).

Rekuberk lowers his sword before slowly returning it to the sheathe on his back as he considers whether or not they should check the rest of the kegs. "I agree with you Krom. That is a waste... If anymore of these are such creatures let us out them to the sword."

Rhogar can recall nothing specific about the mimic as a creature.

As you deal with the aftermath of the fight Dabbledob comes running into the room.  Seeing you she stops short at the door.

"Its you guys!  What's going on, I heard shouting and maybe fighting.  I heard a large demon dragon was spotted earlier.  Did you find and kill it?"

"Clam down Dabbledob, it looks like that the king was right after all." Krom says to the gnome pointing to the remains of the mimic "We just killed the shapechanger."

"Have you checked the entire place for the missing gnomes?   Has anyone been in this room since those 2 gnomes went missing?   The shapechanger was disguised as a keg of beer.   You can see which one.  It was here hiding,  or living.  Was it waiting for its next victim,  waiting until it was hungry again?"

Chill asks

Chip would hum to himself as though deep in thought... trying to think if he had ever heard any songs about shape changers.... how they eat.. if they travel in packs... do they poop..

history? 4

Dabbledob wakls over and looks at the amorphous shape of the dead creature. 

"It was disguised as a keg?" She asks as she shudders.  "I've been in this room several times over the last few days.  I was in here late last night.  To think that creature was here and I didn't know it.  I will send gnomes to poke and prod anything and everything to be sure there isn't another.  As for the search for the missing gnomes, we have searched high and low and all nooks and crannies.  They are not to be found.  I wonder if this creature ate them."

She ponders for a moment.

"I wonder if it eats and then hides in disguise until it hungers again.  It might have been weeks before we got to tapping that keg.  They generally don't get touched once they are filled and stored here."

Looking up from her pondering she looks at the group,

"Thank your aid!  We must go tell the king.  Please come with me, I am not sure he will believe me without you to tell him what has happened."

"It would be our most sincere pleasure. As it has been in providing your people such assistance." Rhogar finally chimes in. "I can hope that with it, your people do not suffer any further loses to such a fiendish creature." He adds alongside a firm nod. And then, he makes a sweeping motion, directing Dab's to lead the way.

Kazri will be the last to leave the room.

Heading out of the room Chip still has a look of concentration as he tries to recall stories or songs about shape changers but he just can't seem to come up with anything.

15

Rhogar gets a funny feeling as they leave the room, his back sort of itches and he feels something growing.  Kazri, who is behind him , speaks up.

"Uh, Mr Rhogar, I believe you just grew some wings"

And sure enough, looking over his shoulder, Rhogar can see that he has grown a set of butterfly wings.  And he finds that he can control them as he sets them to flapping and he lifts off of the ground.

Dabbledob stops and suppressing a smile she asks "Did you cast a spell in there?  Magic does some funny stuff in these caves.  I've seen others sprout butterfly wings before."

(OCC: Red Bull?? It gives you wings...)

Rhogar lets out the heartest chuckle. Even when he nearly flies into a wall accidentally in the process, in recovering quickly, he goes right back to laughing his butt off. He alights back on the ground after a few moments, and wipes tears of happiness from his eyes. "Brother Vixix! I have finally done it! I, Rhogar Nimbatuul, son of Ogarus Nimbatuul, have taken the next step to my full AWAKENING!" He beats his chest a few times, and then unleashes one last triumphant roar and sparks dancing over exposed fangs!

"Ahhh.... Though, I must admit I had half expected my wings to come in more leathery, or at least slightly different shade." He admits, calming dramitcally as he spends as he continued to examine his wings. "Ah, I cannot wait to truly embrace the skies with these! We must hurry to the king, so that we may finish up here!"

(@All: Not even gonna analyze this. Even if the wings eventually go away, Rhogar is in too good a mood to try. XD)

Rekuberk raises an eyebrow but only shrugs as he moves to follow after the gnome as quickly as he can. "If he does not open up the door we may have to force it open this time. Although with his current behavior that will be the final and drastic option."

Krom gives a perplexed look at Rhogar's wings and whispers to Karzi "No wings on me right lass?".

The dwarf then addresses again the gnome "I fear too that this shapechanger ate the missings gnomes. After we inform the king of what happened, we can search further the remaining rooms we did not explore to be sure that there are no more of those monsters living in your home."

Krom walks next to Rekuberk and says "Let's hope he will open the door this time. I wonder what kind of magical items the king will give us, hopefully not some strange gnomish invention...", he then pauses for a while and speaks again "Before leaving this place I would really like to have a keg or two of their beer."

"Uh, no wings Mr Krom.  But, uh well..." Kazri stutters a bit as tiny, insubstantial motes of light circle start to circle Krom, shedding bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.

 You pass through the guard room and out across the bridge that crosses the river in front of the waterfall.  Rhogar can freely test his new wings.

Perhaps he joins the others or not.  As you make your way into the other side Dabbledob comes across the group that was hunting for the large menacing demon that was let loose.  They listen to her story and quickly set out to check the caverns for anything they can poke and prod.

Soon you are at the locked door of the king's room.