Dragon of Icespire Peak ***CLOSED***

Minsys stares at the old orc as he walks away and then stares back into the fire.  He watches it burn, lost in his own thoughts.  Finally, he sighs.  "If I wanted a sign on what to do, I got it...  Anyone want to kill some cultists?"

The sound thornbushes clawing at the old orc's ragged tunic and dead leaves crunching under his unshorn feet slowly recedes as the mysterious visitor makes his way further from the campsite and into the abyss of the Neverwinter Wood. These sounds give way to the crackling of the campfire, which by now has started to burn low, barely illuminating Minsys' and Vaxis grim faces.

(OOC: barring any further conversation/RP, this marks the end of the adventuring day. Please take a long rest on your character sheets, if needed, and spellcasters prepare your spells for the next day.)

(Vaxis will share what he knows in the morning as they pack up to take care of these cultists)

" Hum. So this is what we knoweth sofar," Tabesha'l recapitulates, as the group slowly gets up and gathers around a sober breakfast fare,

"One: yonder orcs are eager to overthrow said-White Wyrm named Cryovain, who amongst other things pushed them away from their territories and notably ate their Leader.

" Two: to do so, they have sought and obtained an alliance with a tribe of zealous cultists named the Anchorites, half-breeds also of orcish descent - no offense intended here, Friend Minsys ! - who worship a being named Gorthok, alias The Thunder Boar - a grizzly albeit unoriginal monicker, if thou asketh of my opinion on this.

" Three: a blind orc following another god named Shargaas, a.k.a. 'The Night Lord', somehow erupted upon us to warn us about this... or maybe threaten us with our impending doom ? As to why, that remains a mystery.

" Finally... Four: a mysterious shaman-type gentleman - obviously also an orc from the same tribe or maybe another follower of Shargaas, that is also unclear - is said to know the exact time and place - we hear of a 'Circle of Thunder'... obviously, it had  to be Thunder ! - the sacrifice needed to be performed by yon Anchorites is to take place. Said shaman resides in the 'Old Manse', a place we as a valiant group of adventuring souls were already planning on visiting, which is quite convenient of course... Did I leave anything out ?"

One finely arched eyebrow raised, the elven wizard looks around at the rolling eyes and dazed faces of her companions, seemingly oblivious to anyone's annoyance or confusion at this early morning verbal onslaught. Eventually, she turns her attention towards Vaxis, abruptly asking:

" Oh, I didst notice thy disturbance at my Familiar's demonic nature. Yet I was considering operating the ritual to call Arvi forth, once again. After all, its capacities may prove useful in a number of ways on our travels. Doest thee mind , Dear Bahamut-Worshipping Friend ?"

Connak gives his insight after Tabesha'l's monologue, "I don't think the Shaman at the manse will tell us what we want to know.  I got the impression we will have to capture him and force him to tell us.  So not a follower of Shargaas."

Turning to Vaxis, Connak warns him, "Friend Vaxis, her question is not a question.  She will do it regardless of what you say.  Answering wrong will just reward you with a lot more talking."

Tabesha'l says nothing, but she gives Connak a mock curtsy, her azure-blue eyes sparkling with a mixture of defiance and aloof amusement.

DATE: 15 Mirtul, 1482 DR
TIME: 7am
TEMP: 55˚F
PRECIP: none
WIND: none
LIGHT: dawn (dim)
LOC: Neverwinter Wood (Forest)

UNDISCLOSED ROLL:

The dawn light had just begun to poke through the heavy tree canopy when the party extinguished their fire and set off for the woodland manse, which they judged was about 10 miles from their campsite. As they begun to move through the brush, Connak noticed some ragged red strings hanging from a few of the thorn bushes, seemingly left by a creature that had been moving in the opposite direction of their travel.

A little over three hours later, they come to a foggy clearing, in the midst of which stands a crumbling two-story manse all but hidden beneath thorny ivy. The large house is set atop a six-foot-high stone foundation, and the main entrance has a balcony above it. Pumpkins grow wild in patches around the manse, with several wild boars feeding among them. The windows along the bottom floor are 2½-foot wide, 5-foot-high apertures with wooden shutters but no glass, which are chocked with thick, thorny ivy.

From the party's vantage point at the edge of the woods to the northwest of the structure, they can see stone steps climbing to a portico with a stone balcony overhanging it at a height of ten feet. Vines wrap around the balcony’s support pillars and its crumbling stone railing. The ground-floor entrance features a double door with a giant boar’s head crudely carved into it. An unmarred double door stands closed on the balcony above.

(OOC: the local time is now 10am)

Tabesha'l gives an affectionate tap on her demonic familiar's horned skull and chides it jokingly: " So, creature, I didst not bring thee back from limbo for thee to be merely loafing and playing more of thy nasty tricks. Do go forth, scan yon area in thy invisible form and report what thou seest to me."

As Arvi sticks his forked tongue out and leers at her, she smiles coldly. " I do promise thee there shall be fine preys to torture with thy customary cruelty, but for now simply do as I command."

Arvi had been hovering along in his innate, quasit form since Tabesha'l had re-summoned him just after breakfast that morning. Occassionally, during their travel towards the manse, Vaxis would notice the tiny fiend at the edge of his periphery, staring at him with those cold, emotionless black orbs that bulged out from its insectoid-looking head. In fact, in its current form, Arvi looked not unlike a large, wingless house fly.

"Torture? Cruelty? Are these the promised treats for being a well-behaved dog? Or perhaps just the worms at the end of a hook, hmm mistress? I assure you, there shall be much torture and cruelty to come, but for now I suppose I shall acquiesce to your bidding..."

The demon faded into nothingness and only the slight brush of limbs was heard as he flew skyward to reconnoiter the area. Through their shared sight, Tabesha'l observed a large, 2-story mansion, dilapidated but structurally intact, surrounded by several pumpkin patches. She could see a wild hog rooting through each one of the patches - nine in total, circumnavigating the house.

Vaxis, having heard Connaks and Tabesha'ls banter regarding him, sighs deep.

"I am well aware of the corruption that will nibble at her soul, friend Connak." He says, nodding to Tabesha'l. "Friend Tabesha'l, I shall not lecture you what awaits you at the end of the line should you continue this path. Although I DO have a few catchy ones, hellfire, brimstone...one even has lepers. You must make that decision yourself, and Connak and I shall assist you when you are ready to cleanse your sins." He says, volunteering Connak apparently. He then turns his attention to the hogs.

"What do you recommend, Connak?"

Connak stares intently at the nearest hog and speaks quietly to those nearby.  "I have a feeling those aren't hogs."

Connak hides behind the foliage of the nearby forest and nocks an arrow.  He signals to the others 'pay attention, be ready'.

Standing from behind cover to properly draw on his longbow, Connak shoots at the hog... (advantage for shooting from stealth?)

Longbow Attack: 20 Damage: 23

(Vaxis readies an action to cast Sacred Flame should it NOT be a real hog. DC 14 , 2d8 radiant damage)

Should the a boar decide to charge the group.  Minsys will step forward and prepare a good two handed grip with his maul to smash any charging animal.

UNDISCLOSED ROLL:

Connak's arrow strikes the boar in the vitals and the animal lets out a loud squeal before falling over dead where it stood. The other boars continue eating as if they had not noticed (or did not care) that one of their own had been shot with an arrow.

Vaxis shrugs towards Connak.

"Shall we having a closer look? I will watch your backside."

Meanwhile, Tabesha'l's eyes have rolled into their sockets, and only the white is showing as she keeps control on Arvi, flying overhead.

" The chimney, wretched creature ! Go down yon chimney ! Thou shall be mine eyes, and I will let thee play thy tricks as thou wishest on the denizens below... only be careful, lest thou reveal'st thy presence. I have good reason to believe some of the beings down yonder have some inkling of magic, so beware..."

When Vaxis shrugs and speaks of having a closer look, Connak shrugs towards Minsys and repeats, "Want to have a closer look?  We'll watch your backside."

Vaxis gives a soft chuckle, but quickly composes himself.

"What do you think, friend Tink? Does your mechanical friend have a stealth mode?"

While the others were busy talking, Minsys had sat down on the ground.  He got himself into a little trance and began casting his ritual to speak with animals.

At his master's command, Arvi dives towards the chimney near the eastern side of the old house. After working his way down the brick stack and past the flue, he emerges into a small dining room. The walls are covered with crude drawings in blood that depict boars chasing stick-figure humanoids and a smashed wooden dining table accompanied by six broken chairs lie in a heap in the eastern half of the room. On the mantle above the fireplace, five small figurines surround a tarnished silver candelabra.