This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Letting out a small sigh of relief Liliana picks up the discarded backpack and starts walking back towards her companions, keeping to the cover of the forest and staying low to the ground to avoid detection.
Sora decides to wait, resting patiently against a fallen tree while the others head off to investigate the grove. The mornings walk had gone a long way to clearing her head, though she didn't quite feel up to unnecessary adventure just yet.
As she surveys the surroundings she smiles absentmindedly as she recognises the tune Sindrall is humming. She was about to wonder aloud what the others were up to when an eerie quiet smothers the area, quickly followed by a sickening buzz that Sora can't quite put her finger on.
She jumps to her feet, her hand automatically checking for the hilt of her yklwa, and is somewhat unsurprised to see Gorarel and Thialel careering towards them.
Where's Liliana? She calls over the ruckus, squinting past the pair to scan the beech trees beyond.
Liliana makes it back safely with all she found and you notice that the buzz above the grove dies down, in fact, you can tell it becomes more distant.
In the backpack you find some mundane items, but also a Pearl, a Potion of Healing and a strange key with a question mark designed into it's head (Arcana rolls from 2 characters to see if you know what it is). Also a pouch containing 10 GP.
"I'm back" Liliana sings, skipping towards her companions before noticing the grip Sora has on her weapon and Thilael and Gorarel looking a little out of breath "Jeeze whats up with everyone? I I said I would scream if I came across any trouble - were you all worried about me." winking cheekily.
"Anyway I found some stuff in that clearing. I think something weird and magic-y happened there. When I got there all this stuff was abandoned and there was a strange symbol on the ground along with a crystal and a notepad"
Looking at Thilael she hands over the notepad a questionable key "Dunno if you can figure out what this is for but if you can and there's coin in it then I call dibs"Taking the rope, pearl, healing potion and rations out of the backpack she adds it to her own. "If you want anything in there then take it - anything left I'll sell. Also happy to trade a quarterstaff that was lying in there too if anyone wants it"
"Good cat" she says to Jet before scratching his ears and tickling under both his chins "I'll make sure to buy you something warm for dinner tonight."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Thilael grabs the items from Liliana and absorbed by curiosity he started fiddling with them without asking any questions. He sat down on the grass and put the key on a rock in front of him tracing his fingers across the shapes of the key.
You don't recall anything about a key like that, but you could find its secret if you had more time (on a short rest).
The first thing that you notice, opening the notebook, is an intricate handwriting, rich and precise. Unfortunately, you do not understand the language, but you can tell the owner is or was well versed in the arcane. There are numerous arcane symbols throughout the notebook, including a more detailed drawing of the one Liliana saw scratched into dirt, which you recognized to be a basic Transmutation circle, meant to augment this school of magic.
(I'll give you some time to discuss your findings should you want to, otherwise just say you continue your journey and I'll take it forward. I'll also need to know who's carrying the extra backpack, or whether you take the contents and leave it behind, or fold it into another backpack)
Speaking to no one in particular, Thilael kept the key and notebook in both of his hands: This key is definitely arcane and I can discover its secrets, but I need more time with it. The notebook belonged to somebody well versed in the arcane, and this...this drawing over here is a Transmutation circle. I would like to study both of these more, I hope you don't mind Liliana.
Getting up, he walked towards the bag and got out the parchment and ink bottle: I'll also get these. I'm sure nobody really needs these, right? he said looking around to everybody.
Shrugging Liliana says to Thilael "Sure take your time, it's not like I have idea what any of it means anyway". She waits for everyone to take what they want before rolling up whatever's left into her own pack to be sold at a later date.
With that you get going and you follow the path for another 3 hours, the sun still strong but beginning to descend as you reach the mountains and enter a canyon. Its rocky walls rise to a height of eighty feet. At the end of the canyon, a twenty-foot-high wall of black stone has a broken gate carved into it, with one stone door hanging precariously by a hinge and the other door missing. Beyond this open gate, in the shadow of a great mountain to the east, lies a ruined settlement. All is quiet.
"So whats the plan? Will we stay in the slightly creepy abandoned place that probably covered in ghosts or will we stay in the forest full of flesh eating monsters?" Turning to Jet she addresses the right head "What do you think little guy?"
Gorarel: As you approach the gate you notice three tracks, two small, one big and fresh, leading in through the gate. Past it, you see rubble and collapsed walls describing the outlines of stone buildings. Near a wall to your left, you notice a chisel. As you go in, the canyon turns to the right, and you see a partially collapsed wall that used to separate this courtyard from the temple proper. No movement.
Thilael: Through the owl's eyes you see no movement in the settlement, but between the far wall and the temple face there in a brown tent, and a brown canvas stretched from the tent to the wall.
Liliana: Jet says "Meow", then starts cleaning a paw.
"We should see if there are any survivors in the settlement, they might be able to tell us what happened... though I think it's safe to assume that this could be due to the dragon"
"We should see if there are any signs of the dwarven archaeologists, they might be able to give us information on the area."
Refresher: This is an archeological site, you expect it to be empty of life, excepting the dwarven archeologists you are here to warn about the dragon.
Looking critically at her companions Liliana eventually grabs Sora's arm and drags her through the gate and onto the bigger path. "Sora and I are taking this path - yell if you find the archaeologists. If no-one finds them will we meet back in here at sunset to make camp?"
All: You start north on the path, then east, you see a partially collapsed, ten-foot-high wall that separates this courtyard from the settlement west of it. Three heaps of rubble are piled high in this area. 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.
Behind a pile of rubble you see a makeshift tent, more precisely, a red canvas stretched from the wall, and underneath a table and a few buckets with tools in them. Two dwarves stand next to the table, in the middle of a heated, but hushed, conversation. You hear:
"... think he's dead? ... " and "... others might come ... " and "... find your chisel ..." and "... I'm not giving you mine..." and "... bloody jellies!"
Letting out a small sigh of relief Liliana picks up the discarded backpack and starts walking back towards her companions, keeping to the cover of the forest and staying low to the ground to avoid detection.
Stealth: 16
Sora decides to wait, resting patiently against a fallen tree while the others head off to investigate the grove. The mornings walk had gone a long way to clearing her head, though she didn't quite feel up to unnecessary adventure just yet.
As she surveys the surroundings she smiles absentmindedly as she recognises the tune Sindrall is humming. She was about to wonder aloud what the others were up to when an eerie quiet smothers the area, quickly followed by a sickening buzz that Sora can't quite put her finger on.
She jumps to her feet, her hand automatically checking for the hilt of her yklwa, and is somewhat unsurprised to see Gorarel and Thialel careering towards them.
Where's Liliana? She calls over the ruckus, squinting past the pair to scan the beech trees beyond.
Liliana makes it back safely with all she found and you notice that the buzz above the grove dies down, in fact, you can tell it becomes more distant.
In the backpack you find some mundane items, but also a Pearl, a Potion of Healing and a strange key with a question mark designed into it's head (Arcana rolls from 2 characters to see if you know what it is). Also a pouch containing 10 GP.
(you can find the contents of the backpack here - https://ddb.ac/characters/21693562/XvJMVq check the Inventory and other possessions under the equipment tab)
"I'm back" Liliana sings, skipping towards her companions before noticing the grip Sora has on her weapon and Thilael and Gorarel looking a little out of breath "Jeeze whats up with everyone? I I said I would scream if I came across any trouble - were you all worried about me." winking cheekily.
"Anyway I found some stuff in that clearing. I think something weird and magic-y happened there. When I got there all this stuff was abandoned and there was a strange symbol on the ground along with a crystal and a notepad"
Looking at Thilael she hands over the notepad a questionable key "Dunno if you can figure out what this is for but if you can and there's coin in it then I call dibs" Taking the rope, pearl, healing potion and rations out of the backpack she adds it to her own. "If you want anything in there then take it - anything left I'll sell. Also happy to trade a quarterstaff that was lying in there too if anyone wants it"
"Good cat" she says to Jet before scratching his ears and tickling under both his chins "I'll make sure to buy you something warm for dinner tonight."
Thilael grabs the items from Liliana and absorbed by curiosity he started fiddling with them without asking any questions. He sat down on the grass and put the key on a rock in front of him tracing his fingers across the shapes of the key.
Arcana check: 14
Thilael:
You don't recall anything about a key like that, but you could find its secret if you had more time (on a short rest).
The first thing that you notice, opening the notebook, is an intricate handwriting, rich and precise. Unfortunately, you do not understand the language, but you can tell the owner is or was well versed in the arcane. There are numerous arcane symbols throughout the notebook, including a more detailed drawing of the one Liliana saw scratched into dirt, which you recognized to be a basic Transmutation circle, meant to augment this school of magic.
(I'll give you some time to discuss your findings should you want to, otherwise just say you continue your journey and I'll take it forward. I'll also need to know who's carrying the extra backpack, or whether you take the contents and leave it behind, or fold it into another backpack)
Speaking to no one in particular, Thilael kept the key and notebook in both of his hands: This key is definitely arcane and I can discover its secrets, but I need more time with it. The notebook belonged to somebody well versed in the arcane, and this...this drawing over here is a Transmutation circle. I would like to study both of these more, I hope you don't mind Liliana.
Getting up, he walked towards the bag and got out the parchment and ink bottle: I'll also get these. I'm sure nobody really needs these, right? he said looking around to everybody.
Shrugging Liliana says to Thilael "Sure take your time, it's not like I have idea what any of it means anyway". She waits for everyone to take what they want before rolling up whatever's left into her own pack to be sold at a later date.
With that you get going and you follow the path for another 3 hours, the sun still strong but beginning to descend as you reach the mountains and enter a canyon. Its rocky walls rise to a height of eighty feet. At the end of the canyon, a twenty-foot-high wall of black stone has a broken gate carved into it, with one stone door hanging precariously by a hinge and the other door missing. Beyond this open gate, in the shadow of a great mountain to the east, lies a ruined settlement. All is quiet.
What do you do?
Carefully inspecting the carving, and talking at Sindrall: "Is this a Dwarven trick?"Carefully Gorarel steps past the gate, keeping an eye out for any traps
Arcana Check:12Perception Check: 5
Thilael whispered something in the snowy owl's ear then the owl plonged in the air towards the settlement.
Snow owl perception check above the settlement: 5
"So whats the plan? Will we stay in the slightly creepy abandoned place that probably covered in ghosts or will we stay in the forest full of flesh eating monsters?" Turning to Jet she addresses the right head "What do you think little guy?"
Gorarel: As you approach the gate you notice three tracks, two small, one big and fresh, leading in through the gate. Past it, you see rubble and collapsed walls describing the outlines of stone buildings. Near a wall to your left, you notice a chisel. As you go in, the canyon turns to the right, and you see a partially collapsed wall that used to separate this courtyard from the temple proper. No movement.
Thilael: Through the owl's eyes you see no movement in the settlement, but between the far wall and the temple face there in a brown tent, and a brown canvas stretched from the tent to the wall.
Liliana: Jet says "Meow", then starts cleaning a paw.
"We should see if there are any survivors in the settlement, they might be able to tell us what happened... though I think it's safe to assume that this could be due to the dragon""We should see if there are any signs of the dwarven archaeologists, they might be able to give us information on the area."
Agreeing with Gorarel, Sindrall suggests to everyone that they spread out and see where the survivors are buried.
Refresher: This is an archeological site, you expect it to be empty of life, excepting the dwarven archeologists you are here to warn about the dragon.
Looking critically at her companions Liliana eventually grabs Sora's arm and drags her through the gate and onto the bigger path. "Sora and I are taking this path - yell if you find the archaeologists. If no-one finds them will we meet back in here at sunset to make camp?"
All: You start north on the path, then east, you see a partially collapsed, ten-foot-high wall that separates this courtyard from the settlement west of it. Three heaps of rubble are piled high in this area. 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.
Behind a pile of rubble you see a makeshift tent, more precisely, a red canvas stretched from the wall, and underneath a table and a few buckets with tools in them. Two dwarves stand next to the table, in the middle of a heated, but hushed, conversation. You hear:
"... think he's dead? ... " and "... others might come ... " and "... find your chisel ..." and "... I'm not giving you mine..." and "... bloody jellies!"
Gorarel, announcing himself to avoid startling them too much: "Hello, are you okay? We're aware that there may be some trouble around here..."