Mandra mumbles her slurring speech, wording out a strange language. Eventually the thing responds to her, his musical language dancing in your ears.
"It thayth that it wath all jutht a bit of fun. No harm no foul. It hopeth we weren't offended, brave thir knight. For your quethtion Mr. Badger, it knowth of no unuthual dangerth athide from the uthual jungle predatorth. The grave of an ancient green dragon ith on the way if we'd like it to thhow uth where. It thayth it was at Omu many weekth ago. Evil gargoyleth and thnake people watch over the city tho it didn't thtay long. Also, it thayth it will only anthwer one more quethtion, ath a gift for thuch good thportth."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
What's the difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer? Class.
Sir Darak Darkhall: The Knight runs his fingers through his short black hair as he considers the creature's offer. Stroking the stubble on his cheeks, Darak chastises himself for neglecting his grooming. Finally, he turns to the more learned of the party and suggests, "Word your question carefully, my friends and remember our mission."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Not all those who wander are lost." - J.R.R. Tolkien
Badger nods at Darak's suggestion, aware that although he asked the creature about the location of Omu, it instead replied merely with details of its last trip there. Perhaps the question got lost in the translation from Common to Sylvan and back again, or perhaps it was part of the creature's chicanery. But at least they have found someone that has been there! Badger turns to Azaka and Sickle, who have a better understanding of wilderness navigation, and suggests:
Urgh, perhaps you could inquire about directions to Omu. Perhaps ask if the creature can indicate the location on a map, or tell us nearby landmarks...
Just before the question is asked, Badger will cast Detect Thoughts again, hoping to detect any useful information that the creature may think but choose to withhold or neglect to mention. If Badger is not satisfied with the answer, he has no compunction about probing deeper into the creature's thoughts.
Mandra asks a question, her lisping voice from her broken mouth mangling the beautiful Sylvan language. The creature responds, its voice light and musical. Badger sees a visual image in the mind of the creature. It's a view from the sky. To the left is a massive mountain range, with three distinct volcano's rising from it's range, a dark haze streaming from their maws. To the right, jungle encroaches upon the acidic broken ground at the foot of the mountains and stretches across to more distant mountains. The view changes, circling you see behind you, more distant mountains with a single volcano reaching up. The view descends into the jungle in rapid an unnatural ways that thoughts tend to travel. The jungle parts beneath you to reveal a dead city enclosed by sheer cliffs. Ruined buildings and stone boulevards rise like ghosts from the floor of the misty basin. Colorful birds glide nearby. A waterfall pours into the basin, creating a swollen river that floods much of the city before draining into a deep rift filled with molten lava. A ruined palace lies a few hundred feet from the edge of the steaming abyss. The thoughts quickly shift, a deep pit in the midst of dark jungle. A dragon skull peaks out of the rift below.
Mandra, "The creature thayth it is weth't of the triple volcanoth, near the thouth of the penin'th'ula, perhapth thirty mileth into the jungle. Now it thay'th to follow it, it hath a gift for uth."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
What's the difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer? Class.
"I'll stay here, be ready just in case," Silas continues with his nightly routine.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Kirin - Level 15 High Elf Wizard (Evocation) - Zorg's Lost Souls - Overchannel Steel Wind Strike for the Win against Demogorgon Silas - Level 11 Human Cleric (War Domain) - Tomb of Annihilation Done
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Sir Darak Darkhall: Hand still lingering on the hilt of his sword, the Paladin eyes the winged cat suspiciously. He says, "You're coming too, und... Mandra. After you, Master Feline. " Cautiously, Darak leads the party into the jungle, following close behind the creature. When they arrive at their destination or should anything unusual present itself along the way, Darak will activate Divine Sense.
Azaka, Boris, and Sedrik stay behind at camp, Azaka nodding to the group as they head out, says in her flat unconcerned demeanour, "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on them."
Lighting a lantern, the group picks their way through the jungle, following the butterfly dragon. Sickle notes landmarks as you go, sure he can find his way back in what will soon be pitch black.
Under the canopy of the trees, a wide sinkhole yawns before you, the earth around it littered with goblin bones. The opening is 90 feet across and roughly circular, and the stone walls are nearly vertical. Thirty feet down, as you hold the lantern over the edge, you see the sinkhole is filled with murky green water. Hundreds of frogs hop from one floating plant to another. The massive rib cage and fine wing bones of a dragon rise above the murk. Vines, moss, and lichen hang from the bones. judging from how much of the skeleton is exposed, the water can't be more than 3 or 4 feet deep. It seems it will be easy enough to climb up and down.
The butterfly dragon says something musical, then vanishes.
Mandra, "We're welcome."
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What's the difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer? Class.
“Well...this is unexpected. Darak, sense anything from your god? I could explore this as some kind of animal that can breathe in water, but there’s a lot that screams trap here.”
He pauses, smiling softly as he continues, “Of course, I could see if these frogs are as helpful as the monkeys were.”
Darak extends his senses out, but senses nothing unusual. There's an undead nearby. Mandra stands there, rotting and stinking, unable to make eye contact because of her blood clot filled eyes.
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What's the difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer? Class.
Sir Darak Darkhall: By far the strangest Solstice gift he's ever received, Darak stands uneasy at the edge of the pit as he surveys the area. Suspicious of the dragon's "gift" and sensing nothing, he answers, "Indeed. Ask the frogs what danger lurks below these murky waters. Badger, can you detect anything magical beneath the surface?"
Darkness quickly descending upon them, Darak suggests, "This is dangerous enough work, without fumbling around in the dark. Let us be away from this accursed place and return in light of day."
Sickle leads the group back through the darkness of the wicked Chultan jungle. The sounds of night in this place are different than the sounds of day. Bright chirps become sinister guttural noises, hanging vines transform into a grasping touch of a serpent. The lantern light casts shadows that dance and taunt the group, each swing of the light putting the jungle into motion as shadows sweep back and forth. Your eyes peer out into the dark shadows, imagining the glimmer of light bouncing off of a pair of hunters eyes, but it's a wet leaf, water droplets glowing in the light as everyone continues trying to shake the feeling. Not soon enough, but eventually you emerge from the darkness of the jungle into the circle of light of the camp. Azaka doesn't look up as you approach. Boris and Sedrik stop eating and look up, gladness on their face for you unscathed return. Azaka just mutters, "You are like a herd of clanking baby Allosaurus' stomping through the woods." The evening in the dark jungle is slightly less dark thanks to the glow of fire and ring of allies around you.
The next morning the group packs up and Sickle leads the group back. In the light, the jungle is a transformed place, and he loses the track a couple times, but such a large feature isn't lost for long and eventually you again emerge to the edge of the massive pit, the trees reaching up overhead hiding even this massive pit from the prying eyes of the sky.
Sickle looks down into the pit, and begins to issue strange deep belches and tongue filled noises as he speaks down to the frogs. The frogs begin to echo back up, croaking and making noises. The extremely odd exchange goes on for a few minutes before the frogs and Sickle quiet down. Sickle looks to the group, "They say there are lots of tiny fish in the water that eat anything that goes into it. The fish swarm whenever anything, even a frog, ends up in the water. Otherwise, they're quite fond of their little pond."
The group looks around the inside of the pit in the daylight.
As the group peers about, Boris of all people raises his voice. "Hey. How come that patch of rock over there doesn't have as many vines on it?"
The group looks to the wall he points out. It suddenly becomes clear that there is a ten foot wide patch of wall at the bottom, reaching five feet above the water line, that has no plants on it, a few vines hanging over it. Upon a closer inspection, you can see the cracks and grooves form a fine line around section.
Sickle says, “I can make one of us walk as I did when I was a spider, up and down the smooth walls as if it were the ground. Badger or Kasaaptu, why don’t one of you go down and take a look?”
Sickle will cast Spider Climb on whichever goes down.
Silas sighs as he looks down into the pit, "So this is where the miscreant lead you to last night?" He'll pick up a stone and cast Light on it and toss it into the water in hopes of seeing the small fishes.
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Kirin - Level 15 High Elf Wizard (Evocation) - Zorg's Lost Souls - Overchannel Steel Wind Strike for the Win against Demogorgon Silas - Level 11 Human Cleric (War Domain) - Tomb of Annihilation Done
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Sir Darak Darkhall: Raising his hand, Darak steps forward and says, "Hold, friends. Let us first deal with these fish before we explore below."
Stroking his now smoothly shaven chin in thought, the Knight continues, "We need bait... Asaka, you seem a proficient hunter. Would you mind scaring up some small game? I will fashion a net from the insect netting from my tent and some rope. Boris, would you assist me? Sedrik and I will be bunking with you tonight."
The rock drops into the tepid water, sinking below the surface about 4 feet. The light is a dim green glow only. Shadows of tiny fish flash through the lit area.
Azaka returns a few minutes later with a monkey skewered on an arrow. By then a net has been fashioned from netting. The net is lowered into the water from above, using two ropes cut in half so that each corner can be gathered. The net sinks into water, the fronds and lilli pads making it settle irregularly, but good enough. Half the monkey carcass is tossed into the water. Within just a few moments the water around the carcass is suddenly frothing with activity. The net is pulled up a few moments later, bringing up part of the monkey, with above six fish attached to it, and about another fifty fish flopping crazily about the net. It's pulled up and emptied to one side, where the fish flop about on the ground helplessly until the suffocate.
Sir Darak, "Again."
The process is repeated a few times, each bringing up fewer and fewer fish until now only the occasional shadow passes by the glow in the water. You figure, some one may still get nipped, but they won't swarm and take anyone down, just a few nasty bites maybe.
Silas will cast Guidance for anyone who want to check out the door. can't have medic to be first.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Kirin - Level 15 High Elf Wizard (Evocation) - Zorg's Lost Souls - Overchannel Steel Wind Strike for the Win against Demogorgon Silas - Level 11 Human Cleric (War Domain) - Tomb of Annihilation Done
Sir Darak Darkhall: Silently volunteering to be first into the pit, Darak ties off another rope to a nearby tree. As he prepares to begin his descent, he says, "Yroc, would you accompany me? Everyone else will have vantage points above to cover us."
Spitting into his palms, the Knight begins to repel down the wall, landing in the stagnant water with a splash. He quickly turns, retrieving his kite shield from his back before drawing Onyx. Testing the water before him, he plunges and sweeps his blade in wide arcs as he moves forward, often tapping the ground beneath to avoid holes. The Paladin first activates Divine Sense before he begins to search the pit.
Yroc and Sir Darak descend into the pit together. Sir Darak occasionally feels something small bump into his leg, but the fish seem stymied by his outer shell. Frogs jump from pad to pad trying to escape the two giants who have invaded their home. Yroc also drops into the water. The climb is simple enough and the spider climb spell is not needed.
Sir Darak's divine sense doesn't reveal anything unusual.
Poking around the bottom, the obvious feature is the skeleton of a large dragon. Following it's skeletal form, your poking eventually locates the skull, which Yroc and Sir Darak pull out from under the water, the massive bone structure fierce. (Nature check DC 15 for anyone who wants to figure out the type of dragon.)
The only other feature here is the large concealed 10x10 door in the side of the pit wall. It is the only section that appears largely free of plants. The vines and growth around it's edges seem brown and dead for some reason. (Yroc, Sir Darak you both can make a DC 15 Intelligence (Medicine) check as you look at the dead plants.). The door appears to have no obvious way to open it. Yroc and Sir Darak push on it with all their strength but it doesn't budge.
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What's the difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer? Class.
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Mandra mumbles her slurring speech, wording out a strange language. Eventually the thing responds to her, his musical language dancing in your ears.
"It thayth that it wath all jutht a bit of fun. No harm no foul. It hopeth we weren't offended, brave thir knight. For your quethtion Mr. Badger, it knowth of no unuthual dangerth athide from the uthual jungle predatorth. The grave of an ancient green dragon ith on the way if we'd like it to thhow uth where. It thayth it was at Omu many weekth ago. Evil gargoyleth and thnake people watch over the city tho it didn't thtay long. Also, it thayth it will only anthwer one more quethtion, ath a gift for thuch good thportth."
What's the difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer?
Class.
Sir Darak Darkhall: The Knight runs his fingers through his short black hair as he considers the creature's offer. Stroking the stubble on his cheeks, Darak chastises himself for neglecting his grooming. Finally, he turns to the more learned of the party and suggests, "Word your question carefully, my friends and remember our mission."
"Not all those who wander are lost." - J.R.R. Tolkien
Badger nods at Darak's suggestion, aware that although he asked the creature about the location of Omu, it instead replied merely with details of its last trip there. Perhaps the question got lost in the translation from Common to Sylvan and back again, or perhaps it was part of the creature's chicanery. But at least they have found someone that has been there! Badger turns to Azaka and Sickle, who have a better understanding of wilderness navigation, and suggests:
Urgh, perhaps you could inquire about directions to Omu. Perhaps ask if the creature can indicate the location on a map, or tell us nearby landmarks...
Just before the question is asked, Badger will cast Detect Thoughts again, hoping to detect any useful information that the creature may think but choose to withhold or neglect to mention. If Badger is not satisfied with the answer, he has no compunction about probing deeper into the creature's thoughts.
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
Wisdom save: 19
What's the difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer?
Class.
Mandra asks a question, her lisping voice from her broken mouth mangling the beautiful Sylvan language. The creature responds, its voice light and musical. Badger sees a visual image in the mind of the creature. It's a view from the sky. To the left is a massive mountain range, with three distinct volcano's rising from it's range, a dark haze streaming from their maws. To the right, jungle encroaches upon the acidic broken ground at the foot of the mountains and stretches across to more distant mountains. The view changes, circling you see behind you, more distant mountains with a single volcano reaching up. The view descends into the jungle in rapid an unnatural ways that thoughts tend to travel. The jungle parts beneath you to reveal a dead city enclosed by sheer cliffs. Ruined buildings and stone boulevards rise like ghosts from the floor of the misty basin. Colorful birds glide nearby. A waterfall pours into the basin, creating a swollen river that floods much of the city before draining into a deep rift filled with molten lava. A ruined palace lies a few hundred feet from the edge of the steaming abyss. The thoughts quickly shift, a deep pit in the midst of dark jungle. A dragon skull peaks out of the rift below.
Mandra, "The creature thayth it is weth't of the triple volcanoth, near the thouth of the penin'th'ula, perhapth thirty mileth into the jungle. Now it thay'th to follow it, it hath a gift for uth."
What's the difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer?
Class.
"I'll stay here, be ready just in case," Silas continues with his nightly routine.
Kirin - Level 15 High Elf Wizard (Evocation) - Zorg's Lost Souls- Overchannel Steel Wind Strike for the Win against DemogorgonSilas - Level 11 Human Cleric (War Domain) - Tomb of AnnihilationDoneSir Darak Darkhall: Hand still lingering on the hilt of his sword, the Paladin eyes the winged cat suspiciously. He says, "You're coming too, und... Mandra. After you, Master Feline. " Cautiously, Darak leads the party into the jungle, following close behind the creature. When they arrive at their destination or should anything unusual present itself along the way, Darak will activate Divine Sense.
Perception: 5
"Not all those who wander are lost." - J.R.R. Tolkien
Badger follows along, absently watching the path as he tries to commit the visions to memory for later reference.
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
Azaka, Boris, and Sedrik stay behind at camp, Azaka nodding to the group as they head out, says in her flat unconcerned demeanour, "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on them."
Lighting a lantern, the group picks their way through the jungle, following the butterfly dragon. Sickle notes landmarks as you go, sure he can find his way back in what will soon be pitch black.
Under the canopy of the trees, a wide sinkhole yawns before you, the earth around it littered with goblin bones. The opening is 90 feet across and roughly circular, and the stone walls are nearly vertical. Thirty feet down, as you hold the lantern over the edge, you see the sinkhole is filled with murky green water. Hundreds of frogs hop from one floating plant to another. The massive rib cage and fine wing bones of a dragon rise above the murk. Vines, moss, and lichen hang from the bones. judging from how much of the skeleton is exposed, the water can't be more than 3 or 4 feet deep. It seems it will be easy enough to climb up and down.
The butterfly dragon says something musical, then vanishes.
Mandra, "We're welcome."
What's the difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer?
Class.
“Well...this is unexpected. Darak, sense anything from your god? I could explore this as some kind of animal that can breathe in water, but there’s a lot that screams trap here.”
He pauses, smiling softly as he continues, “Of course, I could see if these frogs are as helpful as the monkeys were.”
Darak extends his senses out, but senses nothing unusual. There's an undead nearby. Mandra stands there, rotting and stinking, unable to make eye contact because of her blood clot filled eyes.
What's the difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer?
Class.
Sir Darak Darkhall: By far the strangest Solstice gift he's ever received, Darak stands uneasy at the edge of the pit as he surveys the area. Suspicious of the dragon's "gift" and sensing nothing, he answers, "Indeed. Ask the frogs what danger lurks below these murky waters. Badger, can you detect anything magical beneath the surface?"
Darkness quickly descending upon them, Darak suggests, "This is dangerous enough work, without fumbling around in the dark. Let us be away from this accursed place and return in light of day."
"Not all those who wander are lost." - J.R.R. Tolkien
Sickle leads the group back through the darkness of the wicked Chultan jungle. The sounds of night in this place are different than the sounds of day. Bright chirps become sinister guttural noises, hanging vines transform into a grasping touch of a serpent. The lantern light casts shadows that dance and taunt the group, each swing of the light putting the jungle into motion as shadows sweep back and forth. Your eyes peer out into the dark shadows, imagining the glimmer of light bouncing off of a pair of hunters eyes, but it's a wet leaf, water droplets glowing in the light as everyone continues trying to shake the feeling. Not soon enough, but eventually you emerge from the darkness of the jungle into the circle of light of the camp. Azaka doesn't look up as you approach. Boris and Sedrik stop eating and look up, gladness on their face for you unscathed return. Azaka just mutters, "You are like a herd of clanking baby Allosaurus' stomping through the woods." The evening in the dark jungle is slightly less dark thanks to the glow of fire and ring of allies around you.
The next morning the group packs up and Sickle leads the group back. In the light, the jungle is a transformed place, and he loses the track a couple times, but such a large feature isn't lost for long and eventually you again emerge to the edge of the massive pit, the trees reaching up overhead hiding even this massive pit from the prying eyes of the sky.
Sickle looks down into the pit, and begins to issue strange deep belches and tongue filled noises as he speaks down to the frogs. The frogs begin to echo back up, croaking and making noises. The extremely odd exchange goes on for a few minutes before the frogs and Sickle quiet down. Sickle looks to the group, "They say there are lots of tiny fish in the water that eat anything that goes into it. The fish swarm whenever anything, even a frog, ends up in the water. Otherwise, they're quite fond of their little pond."
The group looks around the inside of the pit in the daylight.
As the group peers about, Boris of all people raises his voice. "Hey. How come that patch of rock over there doesn't have as many vines on it?"
The group looks to the wall he points out. It suddenly becomes clear that there is a ten foot wide patch of wall at the bottom, reaching five feet above the water line, that has no plants on it, a few vines hanging over it. Upon a closer inspection, you can see the cracks and grooves form a fine line around section.
What's the difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer?
Class.
Sickle says, “I can make one of us walk as I did when I was a spider, up and down the smooth walls as if it were the ground. Badger or Kasaaptu, why don’t one of you go down and take a look?”
Sickle will cast Spider Climb on whichever goes down.
Silas sighs as he looks down into the pit, "So this is where the miscreant lead you to last night?" He'll pick up a stone and cast Light on it and toss it into the water in hopes of seeing the small fishes.
Kirin - Level 15 High Elf Wizard (Evocation) - Zorg's Lost Souls- Overchannel Steel Wind Strike for the Win against DemogorgonSilas - Level 11 Human Cleric (War Domain) - Tomb of AnnihilationDoneSir Darak Darkhall: Raising his hand, Darak steps forward and says, "Hold, friends. Let us first deal with these fish before we explore below."
Stroking his now smoothly shaven chin in thought, the Knight continues, "We need bait... Asaka, you seem a proficient hunter. Would you mind scaring up some small game? I will fashion a net from the insect netting from my tent and some rope. Boris, would you assist me? Sedrik and I will be bunking with you tonight."
Survival: 21
Advantage(Help): 24
"Not all those who wander are lost." - J.R.R. Tolkien
The rock drops into the tepid water, sinking below the surface about 4 feet. The light is a dim green glow only. Shadows of tiny fish flash through the lit area.
Azaka returns a few minutes later with a monkey skewered on an arrow. By then a net has been fashioned from netting. The net is lowered into the water from above, using two ropes cut in half so that each corner can be gathered. The net sinks into water, the fronds and lilli pads making it settle irregularly, but good enough. Half the monkey carcass is tossed into the water. Within just a few moments the water around the carcass is suddenly frothing with activity. The net is pulled up a few moments later, bringing up part of the monkey, with above six fish attached to it, and about another fifty fish flopping crazily about the net. It's pulled up and emptied to one side, where the fish flop about on the ground helplessly until the suffocate.
Sir Darak, "Again."
The process is repeated a few times, each bringing up fewer and fewer fish until now only the occasional shadow passes by the glow in the water. You figure, some one may still get nipped, but they won't swarm and take anyone down, just a few nasty bites maybe.
Who descends to checkout the door?
What's the difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer?
Class.
Silas will cast Guidance for anyone who want to check out the door. can't have medic to be first.
Kirin - Level 15 High Elf Wizard (Evocation) - Zorg's Lost Souls- Overchannel Steel Wind Strike for the Win against DemogorgonSilas - Level 11 Human Cleric (War Domain) - Tomb of AnnihilationDoneSir Darak Darkhall: Silently volunteering to be first into the pit, Darak ties off another rope to a nearby tree. As he prepares to begin his descent, he says, "Yroc, would you accompany me? Everyone else will have vantage points above to cover us."
Spitting into his palms, the Knight begins to repel down the wall, landing in the stagnant water with a splash. He quickly turns, retrieving his kite shield from his back before drawing Onyx. Testing the water before him, he plunges and sweeps his blade in wide arcs as he moves forward, often tapping the ground beneath to avoid holes. The Paladin first activates Divine Sense before he begins to search the pit.
Perception: 16 + Guidance: 2 = 11
"Not all those who wander are lost." - J.R.R. Tolkien
Yroc and Sir Darak descend into the pit together. Sir Darak occasionally feels something small bump into his leg, but the fish seem stymied by his outer shell. Frogs jump from pad to pad trying to escape the two giants who have invaded their home. Yroc also drops into the water. The climb is simple enough and the spider climb spell is not needed.
Sir Darak's divine sense doesn't reveal anything unusual.
Poking around the bottom, the obvious feature is the skeleton of a large dragon. Following it's skeletal form, your poking eventually locates the skull, which Yroc and Sir Darak pull out from under the water, the massive bone structure fierce. (Nature check DC 15 for anyone who wants to figure out the type of dragon.)
The only other feature here is the large concealed 10x10 door in the side of the pit wall. It is the only section that appears largely free of plants. The vines and growth around it's edges seem brown and dead for some reason. (Yroc, Sir Darak you both can make a DC 15 Intelligence (Medicine) check as you look at the dead plants.). The door appears to have no obvious way to open it. Yroc and Sir Darak push on it with all their strength but it doesn't budge.
What's the difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer?
Class.