Dragon of Icespire Peak ***CLOSED***

Brutus is able to determine that the storm is about 30 miles to the west, moving slowly inland towards the party. He expects thundershowers at their current location in about 6-8 hours. The current local time is 5pm.

Connak is going to try and find tracks made by the two dwarves to figure out which cave is most likely where they can be found.

Survival: 21

And Connak will proceed forward, hiding in shadows where possible, while searching for dangers.

Stealth: 24

Perception: 7

Connak easily spots the tracks of several humanoids leading into and out of the area beyond the large gate. Following the tracks, he discovers what appears to be the ruins of an old settlement. He can hear two voices further ahead, involved in what sounds like it might be an argument.

OOC: I don’t want to move your token unless you specify exactly where you want to move to

Barric is keeping an eye out behind and above the group. He does not like the look of this canyon, and motions everyone to keep close to the wall.

Moving 6U. Perception 9

Brutus follows the orders and begins crouching down to not give anything away.  Moving up as far as he can without breaking out of the walking order.

Tabesha'l follows Connak at a leasurely pace, her robes billowing around her elegant frame. The old ruins looming above her awaken some faint memories of some colorful dwarven legends she heard from her family maid as a young child. She wonders who were those who built this, and for how long this place had laid buried and forgotten... until now.

** Moving 4R2U - History check on the old ruins: 18 **

Quote from fightingcrow60 >>

Connak easily spots the tracks of several humanoids leading into and out of the area beyond the large gate. Following the tracks, he discovers what appears to be the ruins of an old settlement. He can hear two voices further ahead, involved in what sounds like it might be an argument.

OOC: I don’t want to move your token unless you specify exactly where you want to move to

 Moving 2R, 6U to be up against the wall just past the gate.  I will try to listen to understand what the argument is about (if it's not in dwarvish).

(Tabesha’l History check: Based on what she has observed so far, Tabesha’l is not able to recall any knowledge of this area including its name, which vanished along with its original inhabitants, decades or perhaps even centuries ago, presumably due to natural disasters or the will of the gods.)

Connak moves through the heavy gate to find the ruins of an old settlement. The rubble that once buried the settlement has been hauled away, leaving the outlines of stone buildings visible as collapsed walls. A stone well sits on the far side of the ruins, but from his vantage point, Connak cannot tell whether it is functional or not. Beyond the small settlement, Connak sees a partially collapsed, ten-foot-high wall separating the settlement from whatever lies beyond. Through a gap in the wall, he can see a large heap of rubble, and the sounds of a dwarvish arguement in full swing are clearly audible, if not understandable.

Connak will poke his head back out of the gate and say loudly enough for the party to hear, "I think we found the dwarves.  Sounds like they're out of ale..."

Barric motions the others to follow Connak inside.

"I will keep an eye on this side of the wall."

Once the rest of the group has moved through, Barric will take up position in the gate, where the stone door is missing, watching behind into the canyon.

Hewn from the canyon’s back wall, a thirty-foot-high temple facade features steps rising to a stone platform. Cut into this facade is a ten-foot-high open doorway flanked by crumbling, life-sized granite statues of cloaked dwarves. Evil grins can be seen on their weatherworn faces.

Three heaps of rubble are piled high in this area. Behind the easternmost rubble pile, two dwarves are eating rations and bantering back and forth like an old married couple as they keep an eye on the temple entrance.

Connak doesn't really want to talk to dwarves on behalf of the group.  He looks back, seeing Tabesha'l and imagining her flowery noble snobby speech turning the dwarves off.  So he looks around for Vaxis, motioning him to move up.  Once Vaxis catches up, Connak points up to the temple platform, where the dwarves are arguing and waits for Vaxis to go.

Vaxis looks as if he wasn't paying attention to all that has transpired. Snapping back from his reverie, he sees Connak motioning him forward. Straightening his armor and adjusting his shield. He walks to the two bickering dwarves.

"Hail, friends. I am Vaxis, Vassal of Bahamut. We come with peace in our hearts. My friends here are Connak, Barric, Brutus, and Tabesha'l. Perhaps we could be having words with you?"

The dwarves leap to their feet, alarmed. “Well then, best state yer business....Vaxis, Vassal of Bahamut...and be quick about it,” says the dark-haired, seemingly younger of the two.

The pair appears to be unarmed but they brandish their mining picks in such a manner that communicates a willingness to defend themselves if necessary.

The two exchange a couple of quiet comments to one another in dwarvish without taking their eyes off of the armor-clad dragon kin and his very serious-looking elven companion.

Connak will sling his bow in a show of non-aggression.

As the conversation progresses, Tabesha'l discreetly approaches. Even though the dwarves do not seem to represent an immediate threat, she stands ready to protect her party in case things go sour: both miners can see her cloaked silhouette hovering a little ways behind Connak,  gleaming blue eyes calmly observant, her entire face obscured by the hood, the long dark staff held up casually but firmly.

** Moving 2U 2R 2U, Readied Action: spell casting if any of the dwarves should attack or attempt to flee. **

“How many more of ye are there? One elf stows away his bow while another comes forward wagglin’ her magic fingers?! What is this? We be mindin’ our own business and ye creep up on us outta nowhere’s with weapons drawn and cast’n spells?!?! Ye better start wagglin’ yer tongues NOW or prepare to get dealt with by a whole heap of angry dwarves!”

The dwarves clearly feel very threatened by the party’s surprise arrival and offensive posturing. They keep glancing back at the ruins behind them as if they are ready to call forth an unknown number of allies to come to their defense.

Vaxis bristles a bit, annoyed at the smaller peoples threatening the party.

"Be at ease, friend. We only came to bring you news of Phadalin. Will you not rest for a spell and have talk with us? Tabasha'l shall cease whatever magic is floating around, for we mean you no harm. She is just having overprotecting of us. Tell me friends, what are your names?"

 On cue to Vaxis' words, the blue witch stops her incantation and lowers her hood to show her face plainly, before slowly making her way towards the dwarves. She stops just behind the white dragonborn and nods towards them, her right palm raised as a sign of appeasement: 

 " Vaxis has the right of it: we mean no harm, but these are dangerous times and it is wise to remain ready. I am Tabesha'l, of House Pananthyr. Please accept my Greetings, as well as an Apology, if my actions did seem threatening to thee... We were sent here by the good folks of Phandalin to warn thee of an imminent danger, and 'tis not of us I speak..."