Dreams Into Journey

Lia has a feeling of tip-of-the-tongue familiarity of with what is on the pendant. Though she seems to remember something similar someone in the party has on their person.

After finishing her investigation. Lia steps aside to allow Gark to decapitate the corpse with a few hacks of his corroded sword before beckoning everyone in the room.

Looking around, Oswin takes note of the general shape of the room of the arrangement of the stalagmites and stalactites. There is only one conclusion he can come to. This is no mere underground cavern. It's a gigantic dragon's skull!

"Oth sees it in your eyes. You know what emperor was. The only proof of Empire of Wings. We no longer know true name, but titles remain. We prefer 'The Sleeper." Many other call it "One-Become-Two."

After sharing his rather alarming discovery, Oswin will examine the room a little more carefully specifically looking for a way to break off a piece, preferably a tooth, to take with him, with SD's help of course.
Investigation: 16.

(What do we know about the Empire of Wings and the Sleeper?)
History: 15

Gark raises an eyebrow at the mention of one become two "One become two?  We've heard that before from a kobold at the mines in town.  This ritual the bandit was doing, is that supposed to bring back one become two?" Gark asks

"What do you know about a demon with the body of a horse?  We saw him at another of these rituals"

Oswin seems to remembers some people around Kohmstead talking about the Empire of Wings as a kind of myth. But, he has not picked up on the details of the myth. If the Sleeper is indeed involved, this is the first anyone outside of this lizardfolk village has heard of it as far as he's concerned. But Gark's recognition of the One-Become-Two title does lend credence to such a notion.

Looking at the teeth to try to get a sample, Oswin notices one tooth that looks like it had been damaged from some ancient battle. The is a crack about halfway up the four-foot (from the apparent ground) that looks to go pretty deep. With the right amount of leverage the section above the crack should come off.

Oth responds to Gark's question, "As far as Oth knows, Gray One only part right. Two circles call two parts. Both hide in world within sleep. More circles inactive but exist, they are said to take to world within sleep, there it is said Sleeper reawakens. This one supposed to call the Rider. Activated many years ago, but Rider never came."

Confusion hits the lizardfolk, "Wait, you know what the Rider looks like and see it at different circle? Why was he there?"

Oswin will try and use his hammer and some pitons to widen the crack and then his crowbar to break it the rest of the way loose.

Athletics: 11 With Guidance + 2

Talking while working, "Found him near another magic circle which was magically preventing travel from a region. Oddly enough, he seemed to want that ritual disrupted as much as we did."

If that roll isn't enough to break it loose he'd ask Gark to please help him out.

Athletics advantage roll 11

Turning to Andivus “Andi, didn’t you say some kids in town also saw him in their dreams?”

As the others chat up the lizard man, Lia looks around the skull area for anything that might be of interest.

perception: 17

Gark and Oswin work together to pry off a piece of the tooth. The crack spreads wider as the apply greater and greater effort. Finally, the crack forms around the tooth which then breaks off with a thud. It is not a stroght break from one side to the other, the edge slopes down from the side of the leverage, yielding a larger piece than you were expecting.Upon lifting it, It is also a bit heavier than you expected as well, you estimate it to be around 70 pounds. With the current conditions, you cannot make out any other details.

Andivus replies to Gark, "Yes, that fiend was talking about the coming of an overseer. Do you know what it was talking about, lizardman?"

"Odd, Rider breaking circles...?" Oth muses, getting more confused. "Why does Rider sabotage...?

Andivus' question give a welcome distraction for Oth from overthinking, "No, as far as Oth knows, none hear of overseer."

As this conversation with Oth continues, Lia takes a look around and sees a number of what looked to be rocks in one corner of the room, but upon further inspection, they are in fact, burlap sacks.

DM screen:

Inside Lia finds only coin:

Oswin, preferably with Gark’s help, will lift the piece onto SD’s back and secure it with ropes, “Who knows, maybe it’ll be useful for something.”

If she can do so Lia would take the coins, putting the bags into her pack.

Gark helps Oswin load the dragon tooth and then helps Lia gather up the heavy sacks she was investigating in the corner, then looks around to see if anyone has additional questions for the lizardman

If not, then he'll start hauling whatever is left for him to carry from the overflow sacks toward the exit.

"SD can help carry some of that if you want." Oswin will offer before heading out. Looking at Oth, "Would you like to come with us?"

"Ill meet you upstairs outside the tree" Gark says to the others as he heads up to retrieve the beast

He carries the heaviest bag with him upstairs and walks toward the bush where the wolf pup is hiding with a whistle to call him.  After the pup joins him, he'll regroup with the others at the mouth of the giant tree trunk.

"Shinies aren't ours, we have no interest." He says as he sees most of the group gathering the bags of coins in the corner.

"Oth will need to how tribe is doing, so Oth will come up with." The lizardfolk says.

The group returns to the surface and notice that the remaining bandits that were on the walls are no longer there. Although, there are quite a number of ripples radiating from several directions. At the entrance to the stump, three reptilian figures are waiting with spears lowered. But as soon as they see Oth, they relax.

"Marshreader Oth! You live!" One of them says with a hint of relief. "Saw outsiders fight guards and hairy ones! Fleshy and slime gone?

"Yes, outsiders help kill both." Oth looks around for a moment. "I smell blood..."

"Other guards... Taste was bad.."

As this conversation is going on Gark goes to retrieve his wolf pup. He foes to the hill where he left it before and gives a sharp whistle. A little ball of fur comes scampering down to him.

Oswin will look around at the deserted walls and the lizardfolk, "Good work, glad we could help out and get this done together. Hey guys, does anyone have a way of letting the main force know we've taken the town and killed the leader?"

"I think the best way to do that is to go back and tell them directly. Sending them a message beforehand sounded like a good idea, but it's not quite within the scope of things I can do right now..." Valentia replies, having from memory the knowledge of the existence of a few spells that'd allow her to do that, but that she hadn't grown experienced enough to know how to use.

"Weren't they attacking the front gate, while we went in the back?"  Lia asks.  She glances around, biting a lip as she tries to figure out which way is towards the front of the village.  "We should be able to just walk over to where they were going to be fighting, and tell them straight away."

Gark arrives at the tree as the rest of the group is discussing what to do next.  He chips in "Yeah, let's show them the head and get paid"

"Outsiders leave?" Oth asks, hearing the conversation, "Oth say friends of tribe, always welcome. Safe travels."

The group makes their way out of the village and back toward where they split from the main force. As they approach, a number of bodies, a mix of bandits and soldiers from Kohmstead, are seen, trending heavily to bandit casualties. The sounds of battle seem to be diminishing as a smattering of humans and orcs are retreating back toward the lizardfolk village.

Sargeant Forscal recognizes you as he's chasing the retreating bandits off, "You're back! Got some good news?"

Gark nods and holds up the bandit leader's head to show him