This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Hearing Chrys' clever pitch about dealing with the kobold's, Nym's eyebrows shot up to nearly join her hairline. "That...might actually work. Assuming they don't try to kill us without listening." Glancing between the dwarf and half-orc, the white haired woman stares at the river before her eyes flick up to the tree branches. "I think Lumen has a point. As far as I know, Kobolds prefer dark caves and won't be likely to scale the trees. No fire tonight. But about trying to be allies or ambushers..."The drow sighed with a shrug, tugging on one of the straps of her pack to be more comfortable.
"We would be lying if we tried to tell them that we wanted to help their dragon. Even though she is truly being led astray by Valarken's spirit, it's not as if what Duskbringer is doing would be out of character for any other black dragon. Even if Eilistraee truly smiled on us and we managed to convince the kobolds that we were allies trying to help and then somehow actually managed to rid Duskbringer of Valarken's spirit, there's no reason for her not to dissolve us all into a pile of acid simply because she feels like it." The longer that Nym spoke, the more wild and exasperated her hand and arm expressions became, looking like she felt: thoroughly in over her head. Letting out a deep sigh she then countered, "Not that I have any good ideas for an ambush either though...sorry."
The cleric would be open to any other possible ideas, even bad ones to get the creative juices flowing as they set up tentative camp in the tree branches, opening up her small journal and glancing up at the sky between the foliage to sketch what clouds she could see, ever captivated by their varied natural beauty. Even though Vesper and Lumen could only make their food only warm rather than hot, it was still better than just cold rations. Nym would volunteer to take first watch like usual, enjoying the encroaching twilight and making sure to bestow the Eyes of Night to the next person to take watch. In the quiet lull just as the group was settling, Nym stared at the green and brown bracelet on her left wrist that the only Kobold she knew personally had made and couldn't help but whisper to anyone still awake, "What do you think your friend Krackle would want to do if he were here?"
Moving away from the more traveled river bank, you head a short way into the sparse forest. It doesn't take long before you find a stand of large weeping willows that provide suitable refuge up in the long thick limbs, and cover from wandering eyes inside the canopy of drooping foliage. With a little effort, Lumen helps everyone set up sleeping hammocks about 6-8 feet off the ground, which seems to be the best height for comfort and accessibility. It's hardly the most luxurious sleeping arrangement you've had, but it's certainly not the worst, at at least you're off the ground, and out of the way of whatever creatures might move through the forest towards the river during the night hours.
Prestidigation magic from both Vesper and Lumen add at least some heat to your cold food, which brings out enough flavor to make the nutrition a little bit more satisfying. As you eat dinner, you visit a little bit, thinking about kobolds, Krackle, Duskbringer, and of course the children that you are tasked to rescue from Ravensglade keep, which now lies only two and a half more days of travel down the river.
Quite a bit has happened to you since you accepted Aelar's quest and begun heading into this deep, very remote part of the High Forest. Your strength and resolve has been tested by difficult terrain, harsh weather, challenging navigation, and nighttime attacks by wolves and trolls, and a curious encounter with the blue spectral fox, who gave you a gift of some kind of elixir, that Kess believes to be magical oil for weapons.
Sleep comes quickly for the rest of you while Nym takes the first watch. She lies in her hammock, peering out into the darkness with her exceptional night vision. She hears and sees movement by a steady array of small nocturnal forest creatures, like possums, a skunk, a porcupine and a few deer that wander through, but none of them seem to take notice of you. When her shift ends, she wakes Lumen for the middle watch and enjoys a few hours of restful trance in her arboreal bedding until the sky begins to lighten with the impending arrival of dawn.
The rest of you wake with the daybreak as Kess finishes her watch shift. A light mist surrounds the trees, so visibility is limited as you climb down from the trees and begin readying yourselves for another day of travel.
Lumen, happy that the kobolds didn't make an appearance, continues on the path, quietly whistling to himself. Two and a half days of travel wouldn't just happen on their own...
(during the night) Sleep comes with difficulty to any dwarf suspended 6-8 feet off of the ground in a tree, and so Chrys easily hears Nym's whisper as she tries her best not to toss and turn, against her instincts. Tilting her head cautiously so as not to provoke any movement that would send her flying out of her hammock, she whispers back to Nym. "He'd be excited. An' scared, I think. He knows most other kobolds are meaner than he were. But I think he'd be at least a lil' excited ta see more fellas like himself. An' I hope, not disappointed afterwards, though I fear that'd be the case."
(in the morning) Chrys rolls onto the ground with an awkward thump. Groaning, she gives her shoulders a roll. "I ain't never been made for tree beds. Adventurin' brings ya a lil' bit o' everything, don't it," she grunts, rubbing her eyes. Taking a look around, she turns to Nym and Vesper. "How far 'ways d'ya think the keep is? I dunno how much more o' this wilderness livin' I got in me," she says ruefully. "Almost would rather fight a dragon than spend another night in a tree, no offense ta them trees,"she adds quickly.
She does pause to take a quick look around, still highly suspicious of active kobolds in the area... (perception: 7) ... but the night in the trees was really just too much, and she even has a crick in her neck.
Doing her morning stretches along with the others that were prone to such things, Nym opened her mouth to answer Chrys when a yawn interrupted her, tears gathering at the corner of her eyes at the gesture before she rubbed them away tiredly. "Sorry. Let's see." Extracting the folded up sketched map from her pocket to hold it out between Vesper and herself, marking the sign for Eilistraee on her own forehead just before she does so, but briefly getting distracted at the dwarf's shenanigans. Trying to hide a smile as she stated, "I don't think that you can offend the trees so much that they would leap out at you."Mistaking her search for kobolds as wariness of the trees. Focusing back on the map and consulting with the sorcerer about trajectory and length, Nym tried to find an answer to Chrys' question.
With the river as a major navigational aid, Nym is confident about the route of travel, and by her estimation, you should reach Ravensglade Keep in two days and a half... if there are no delays.
After taking down your sleeping hammocks, readying your gear for the day, you down a quick breakfast and begin the day's travel. It's a short walk back to the riverbank, and from there, you turn south and continue walking alongside the flowing waterway.
As with yesterday, you move at a steady pace and make good time, hiking with quickness and purpose through open stretches of grasslands, reeds and occasionally patches of sand. Whenever you pass through these areas of soft ground, you see that these areas appear to be tracked up, as if another group of creatures has passed by nearby. You also see other signs of recent travelers, things like trampled bushes, broken twigs and a patch of toadstools with three of them obviously crushed by something stepping on them.
It's hard to tell exactly what kind of creatures made these tracks, but it's clearly apparent that you are not the only group to walk the route along the river in recent days.
"Who d'ya think is doin' all that walkin' here?" Chrys asks, uncomfortable about this many tracks. "If Duskbringer's been rampagin' like we thought she was, then how come this many folk got through? Or is this many folk what made her run off? Or is it all kobolds? Any way I slice it, I don't like it,"she grumbles, fingering the handle of Due Process uneasily.
Though she's no good at this, she tries to make heads or tails of who's been making the tracks (races, numbers): Survival 7
Head tilting in mild confusion at Chrys' reply, the cleric response, "Do you mean Phelannie? She isn't exactly a tree though...is she? Though I suppose she's the spirit of one...huh." Now Nym too began to eye the surrounding trees closely. Do all trees have spirits? How does a dryad come to be? So many questions now!
Noting with increased trepidation the agitation in foliage and soil, the drow made the sign of Eilistraee on her forehead as she gave herself Vigilant Blessing. "Kobolds is the most likely answer. Though we can't rule out those orcs you were mentioning before." Her left hand rested on the pommel of her longsword while her right held firmly to its grip as she walked, eyes constantly on the lookout for movement.
Perception: 18
((If it's really sunny out then disadvantage extra roll: 16))
You continue to walk along the riverbank. It's pretty peaceful this morning, although as you progress later towards the noon hour, you begin to hear and see fewer animals along this stretch, where you normally have been seeing a regularly collection of birds, small rodent and the occasional deer. At one point, you hear some loud grunts coming from inside the lightly forested brush about 100 feet away to the right.
Lumen
You easily recognize the grunts as orc speak, and you realize that you have just stumbled across a group of orcs. There seems to be some kind of argument going on between two more more of the creatures in the camp. From this vantage point, you can only hear the voices, and you cannot see any creatures yet.
“Foolish whelp. We must serve. We will be the army of the wyrm,” grunts a gruff voice from behind the trees.
"You have grown dumb, old man,” replies a younger voice “No child of Bahgtru will kneel before the beast. I have seen the omens; you make a mistake.”
Lumen signals a halt, and finds some cover to secure the group behind. He whispers, "Orcs. Seems there's an argument about whether they will serve Duskbringer or not."He takes in a deep breath, and lets it out in a long sigh.
"We could bypass them. I could... try... to help those who do not wish to serve the wyrm win the argument, and deprive it of another group of thralls. It might not go well, and they likely wouldn't listen to elves or dwarves. What do you think?"the half-orc says to the ladies, and he looks sincerely divided.
He peers over at the area where he heard the voices. Is there any place where he could get closer to observe the group from a concealed vantage point? It's brush, but are there any rocky formations, or fallen trees that would provide cover and a perch to count and listen in?
There are certainly patchy areas of brush, tree trunks and tall grass where you could try to remain hidden if you want to try and get closer. Stealth checks for anyone who wants to advance.
At Lumen's signal to stop, Nym froze immediately, eyes trained on his form and expression for any clue as to what he saw or heard before following his lead to find better cover. Listening to the information he relayed pensively, looking over his conflicted posture and manner of speech with careful thought. Glancing at the others, the drow voiced in a quiet whisper, "I'm not fond of the idea of you going out alone but you're right. If anyone could talk some of them out of it, it'd be you. How far away are they? I'm not the stealthiest, even compared to Chrys," Offering the heavily armored dwarf a quick smile before offering, "But I can give you a better reaction time if they try anything and give you Eilistraee's Guidance." ((The better reaction thing Nym is referring to is Vigilant Blessing.)) "I think the idea of theoretically drawing forces away from this Valarken's army is a good one but if you're not comfortable with possibly confronting these orcs, I understand." Knowing that the bard had some sort of history with their group, though not what kind. She would stay put until the others threw in their thoughts.
((If Lumen does go to approve the orcs, Nym will give him Vigilant's Blessing and cast Guidance on him))
Chrys draws Due Process in response to Lumen's warning. "I ain't one for diplomacy, lest not with orcs, considerin' how the last ones we met be tryin' ta kill us all," she whispers. "But I ain't no fool. If ya think we can get help 'gainst that dragon, you do your best. My hammer'll back up yer words no matter how it shakes out,"she promises Lumen.
Trading a glance with Nym, she nods firmly, and as the drow works her prayers, she sheaths her hammer again and pulls out a javelin instead, hunkering down and preparing to toss it at anything that might try to attack Lumen during his negotiations.
"Well, I'd be glad to have backup from you two,"Lumen says, smiling. He looks at Vesper and Kess. If they have no objections, he will accept whatever help he can get, and encourage the others to find places to watch and potentially intervene. He'll mention "pie" if things are going bad and he'll need cover getting out of there.
Then he'll approach quietly, and listen a bit more, and look around the site, to see how many orcs there are, what is there apart from trees, what they're doing, what they're saying. He's waiting for an appropriate entrance cue, listening for names, for how many agree with the older orc, how many agree with the younger, who's on the fence, and if they are referencing specific omens, etc.
He plans to walk in and make a showing, speaking in Orcish, that the omens are right, that following Duskbringer is folly, and this tribe would do better seeking glory elsewhere.
"Sorry, I don't have any spells or anything that can help you with this, but I think that I can toss spells at them if you need cover getting out of there."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
You all watch as Lumen begins to sneak closer and try to get a better feel for the situation.
Lumen
You manage to edge closer to the voices until you can see their masters. Two battle-scarred orcs are standing off against each other in a glade surrounded by bleached, sickly trees. The first voice comes from a hulking brute of an orc, with rippling musculature. The other orc, despite seeming younger and brandishing fewer scars appaers no less formidable. It's this one who is arguing against aligning with the wyrm. The rest of the orcs, all of whom have red crosses painted on their faces, watch the spat, grunting in affirmation or spitting in disagreement.
From his vantage point, Lumen figures that there are at least 8-10 orcs, plus the two who are arguing. Make an Insight check to see what else you can determine.
If Lumen or anyone else wants to get closer, I'll need a Stealth check.
Chry watches Lumen inching towards the orcs, her fingers twitching. Several times she makes a move as if to step forward, and then freezes, remembering her heavy chain armor. Her face is a mask of frustration as her fingers open and closer around her javelin nervously.
Nym stayed put, not wanting to risk endangering Lumen. Simply watching and praying silently to Eilistraee that these people would see reason and there wouldn't have to be a conflict. She knew that Eilistraee always taught to treat strangers as friends but her concern for her new found traveling companions was clouding her judgement. All she could do was wait to see if the orcs would choose to live in the favor of peace or death in the case of violence.
((If the orcs are within 120ft, Nym will be holding an action in the form of readying a spell (Moonbeam) centered on whomever might try to attack Lumen.))
Hearing Chrys' clever pitch about dealing with the kobold's, Nym's eyebrows shot up to nearly join her hairline. "That...might actually work. Assuming they don't try to kill us without listening." Glancing between the dwarf and half-orc, the white haired woman stares at the river before her eyes flick up to the tree branches. "I think Lumen has a point. As far as I know, Kobolds prefer dark caves and won't be likely to scale the trees. No fire tonight. But about trying to be allies or ambushers..." The drow sighed with a shrug, tugging on one of the straps of her pack to be more comfortable.
"We would be lying if we tried to tell them that we wanted to help their dragon. Even though she is truly being led astray by Valarken's spirit, it's not as if what Duskbringer is doing would be out of character for any other black dragon. Even if Eilistraee truly smiled on us and we managed to convince the kobolds that we were allies trying to help and then somehow actually managed to rid Duskbringer of Valarken's spirit, there's no reason for her not to dissolve us all into a pile of acid simply because she feels like it." The longer that Nym spoke, the more wild and exasperated her hand and arm expressions became, looking like she felt: thoroughly in over her head. Letting out a deep sigh she then countered, "Not that I have any good ideas for an ambush either though...sorry."
The cleric would be open to any other possible ideas, even bad ones to get the creative juices flowing as they set up tentative camp in the tree branches, opening up her small journal and glancing up at the sky between the foliage to sketch what clouds she could see, ever captivated by their varied natural beauty. Even though Vesper and Lumen could only make their food only warm rather than hot, it was still better than just cold rations. Nym would volunteer to take first watch like usual, enjoying the encroaching twilight and making sure to bestow the Eyes of Night to the next person to take watch. In the quiet lull just as the group was settling, Nym stared at the green and brown bracelet on her left wrist that the only Kobold she knew personally had made and couldn't help but whisper to anyone still awake, "What do you think your friend Krackle would want to do if he were here?"
Perception: 11
Nym Durnodel - Aspiring Heroes of Faerûn // Danica Amastacia - Red Dead Annihilation
Moving away from the more traveled river bank, you head a short way into the sparse forest. It doesn't take long before you find a stand of large weeping willows that provide suitable refuge up in the long thick limbs, and cover from wandering eyes inside the canopy of drooping foliage. With a little effort, Lumen helps everyone set up sleeping hammocks about 6-8 feet off the ground, which seems to be the best height for comfort and accessibility. It's hardly the most luxurious sleeping arrangement you've had, but it's certainly not the worst, at at least you're off the ground, and out of the way of whatever creatures might move through the forest towards the river during the night hours.
Prestidigation magic from both Vesper and Lumen add at least some heat to your cold food, which brings out enough flavor to make the nutrition a little bit more satisfying. As you eat dinner, you visit a little bit, thinking about kobolds, Krackle, Duskbringer, and of course the children that you are tasked to rescue from Ravensglade keep, which now lies only two and a half more days of travel down the river.
Quite a bit has happened to you since you accepted Aelar's quest and begun heading into this deep, very remote part of the High Forest. Your strength and resolve has been tested by difficult terrain, harsh weather, challenging navigation, and nighttime attacks by wolves and trolls, and a curious encounter with the blue spectral fox, who gave you a gift of some kind of elixir, that Kess believes to be magical oil for weapons.
Sleep comes quickly for the rest of you while Nym takes the first watch. She lies in her hammock, peering out into the darkness with her exceptional night vision. She hears and sees movement by a steady array of small nocturnal forest creatures, like possums, a skunk, a porcupine and a few deer that wander through, but none of them seem to take notice of you. When her shift ends, she wakes Lumen for the middle watch and enjoys a few hours of restful trance in her arboreal bedding until the sky begins to lighten with the impending arrival of dawn.
The rest of you wake with the daybreak as Kess finishes her watch shift. A light mist surrounds the trees, so visibility is limited as you climb down from the trees and begin readying yourselves for another day of travel.
Lumen, happy that the kobolds didn't make an appearance, continues on the path, quietly whistling to himself. Two and a half days of travel wouldn't just happen on their own...
(during the night)
Sleep comes with difficulty to any dwarf suspended 6-8 feet off of the ground in a tree, and so Chrys easily hears Nym's whisper as she tries her best not to toss and turn, against her instincts. Tilting her head cautiously so as not to provoke any movement that would send her flying out of her hammock, she whispers back to Nym. "He'd be excited. An' scared, I think. He knows most other kobolds are meaner than he were. But I think he'd be at least a lil' excited ta see more fellas like himself. An' I hope, not disappointed afterwards, though I fear that'd be the case."
(in the morning)
Chrys rolls onto the ground with an awkward thump. Groaning, she gives her shoulders a roll. "I ain't never been made for tree beds. Adventurin' brings ya a lil' bit o' everything, don't it," she grunts, rubbing her eyes. Taking a look around, she turns to Nym and Vesper. "How far 'ways d'ya think the keep is? I dunno how much more o' this wilderness livin' I got in me," she says ruefully. "Almost would rather fight a dragon than spend another night in a tree, no offense ta them trees," she adds quickly.
She does pause to take a quick look around, still highly suspicious of active kobolds in the area... (perception: 7) ... but the night in the trees was really just too much, and she even has a crick in her neck.
Doing her morning stretches along with the others that were prone to such things, Nym opened her mouth to answer Chrys when a yawn interrupted her, tears gathering at the corner of her eyes at the gesture before she rubbed them away tiredly. "Sorry. Let's see." Extracting the folded up sketched map from her pocket to hold it out between Vesper and herself, marking the sign for Eilistraee on her own forehead just before she does so, but briefly getting distracted at the dwarf's shenanigans. Trying to hide a smile as she stated, "I don't think that you can offend the trees so much that they would leap out at you." Mistaking her search for kobolds as wariness of the trees. Focusing back on the map and consulting with the sorcerer about trajectory and length, Nym tried to find an answer to Chrys' question.
Survival: 18
Guidance: 3
Nym Durnodel - Aspiring Heroes of Faerûn // Danica Amastacia - Red Dead Annihilation
"Ya'd think that, but we already met one talkin' tree, y'know," Chrys grumbles, now equally paranoid about the trees.
With the river as a major navigational aid, Nym is confident about the route of travel, and by her estimation, you should reach Ravensglade Keep in two days and a half... if there are no delays.
After taking down your sleeping hammocks, readying your gear for the day, you down a quick breakfast and begin the day's travel. It's a short walk back to the riverbank, and from there, you turn south and continue walking alongside the flowing waterway.
As with yesterday, you move at a steady pace and make good time, hiking with quickness and purpose through open stretches of grasslands, reeds and occasionally patches of sand. Whenever you pass through these areas of soft ground, you see that these areas appear to be tracked up, as if another group of creatures has passed by nearby. You also see other signs of recent travelers, things like trampled bushes, broken twigs and a patch of toadstools with three of them obviously crushed by something stepping on them.
It's hard to tell exactly what kind of creatures made these tracks, but it's clearly apparent that you are not the only group to walk the route along the river in recent days.
Lumen keeps a very close eye on the trees, wary of anyone following or shadowing them.
Perception: 13
"Who d'ya think is doin' all that walkin' here?" Chrys asks, uncomfortable about this many tracks. "If Duskbringer's been rampagin' like we thought she was, then how come this many folk got through? Or is this many folk what made her run off? Or is it all kobolds? Any way I slice it, I don't like it," she grumbles, fingering the handle of Due Process uneasily.
Though she's no good at this, she tries to make heads or tails of who's been making the tracks (races, numbers): Survival 7
Head tilting in mild confusion at Chrys' reply, the cleric response, "Do you mean Phelannie? She isn't exactly a tree though...is she? Though I suppose she's the spirit of one...huh." Now Nym too began to eye the surrounding trees closely. Do all trees have spirits? How does a dryad come to be? So many questions now!
Noting with increased trepidation the agitation in foliage and soil, the drow made the sign of Eilistraee on her forehead as she gave herself Vigilant Blessing. "Kobolds is the most likely answer. Though we can't rule out those orcs you were mentioning before." Her left hand rested on the pommel of her longsword while her right held firmly to its grip as she walked, eyes constantly on the lookout for movement.
Perception: 18
((If it's really sunny out then disadvantage extra roll: 16))
Nym Durnodel - Aspiring Heroes of Faerûn // Danica Amastacia - Red Dead Annihilation
You continue to walk along the riverbank. It's pretty peaceful this morning, although as you progress later towards the noon hour, you begin to hear and see fewer animals along this stretch, where you normally have been seeing a regularly collection of birds, small rodent and the occasional deer. At one point, you hear some loud grunts coming from inside the lightly forested brush about 100 feet away to the right.
You easily recognize the grunts as orc speak, and you realize that you have just stumbled across a group of orcs. There seems to be some kind of argument going on between two more more of the creatures in the camp. From this vantage point, you can only hear the voices, and you cannot see any creatures yet.
“Foolish whelp. We must serve. We will be the army of the wyrm,” grunts a gruff voice from behind the trees.
"You have grown dumb, old man,” replies a younger voice “No child of Bahgtru will kneel before the beast. I have seen the omens; you make a mistake.”
Lumen signals a halt, and finds some cover to secure the group behind. He whispers, "Orcs. Seems there's an argument about whether they will serve Duskbringer or not." He takes in a deep breath, and lets it out in a long sigh.
"We could bypass them. I could... try... to help those who do not wish to serve the wyrm win the argument, and deprive it of another group of thralls. It might not go well, and they likely wouldn't listen to elves or dwarves. What do you think?" the half-orc says to the ladies, and he looks sincerely divided.
He peers over at the area where he heard the voices. Is there any place where he could get closer to observe the group from a concealed vantage point? It's brush, but are there any rocky formations, or fallen trees that would provide cover and a perch to count and listen in?
There are certainly patchy areas of brush, tree trunks and tall grass where you could try to remain hidden if you want to try and get closer. Stealth checks for anyone who wants to advance.
At Lumen's signal to stop, Nym froze immediately, eyes trained on his form and expression for any clue as to what he saw or heard before following his lead to find better cover. Listening to the information he relayed pensively, looking over his conflicted posture and manner of speech with careful thought. Glancing at the others, the drow voiced in a quiet whisper, "I'm not fond of the idea of you going out alone but you're right. If anyone could talk some of them out of it, it'd be you. How far away are they? I'm not the stealthiest, even compared to Chrys," Offering the heavily armored dwarf a quick smile before offering, "But I can give you a better reaction time if they try anything and give you Eilistraee's Guidance." ((The better reaction thing Nym is referring to is Vigilant Blessing.)) "I think the idea of theoretically drawing forces away from this Valarken's army is a good one but if you're not comfortable with possibly confronting these orcs, I understand." Knowing that the bard had some sort of history with their group, though not what kind. She would stay put until the others threw in their thoughts.
((If Lumen does go to approve the orcs, Nym will give him Vigilant's Blessing and cast Guidance on him))
Nym Durnodel - Aspiring Heroes of Faerûn // Danica Amastacia - Red Dead Annihilation
Chrys draws Due Process in response to Lumen's warning. "I ain't one for diplomacy, lest not with orcs, considerin' how the last ones we met be tryin' ta kill us all," she whispers. "But I ain't no fool. If ya think we can get help 'gainst that dragon, you do your best. My hammer'll back up yer words no matter how it shakes out," she promises Lumen.
Trading a glance with Nym, she nods firmly, and as the drow works her prayers, she sheaths her hammer again and pulls out a javelin instead, hunkering down and preparing to toss it at anything that might try to attack Lumen during his negotiations.
"Well, I'd be glad to have backup from you two," Lumen says, smiling. He looks at Vesper and Kess. If they have no objections, he will accept whatever help he can get, and encourage the others to find places to watch and potentially intervene. He'll mention "pie" if things are going bad and he'll need cover getting out of there.
Then he'll approach quietly, and listen a bit more, and look around the site, to see how many orcs there are, what is there apart from trees, what they're doing, what they're saying. He's waiting for an appropriate entrance cue, listening for names, for how many agree with the older orc, how many agree with the younger, who's on the fence, and if they are referencing specific omens, etc.
He plans to walk in and make a showing, speaking in Orcish, that the omens are right, that following Duskbringer is folly, and this tribe would do better seeking glory elsewhere.
"Sorry, I don't have any spells or anything that can help you with this, but I think that I can toss spells at them if you need cover getting out of there."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
You all watch as Lumen begins to sneak closer and try to get a better feel for the situation.
Lumen
You manage to edge closer to the voices until you can see their masters. Two battle-scarred orcs are standing off against each other in a glade surrounded by bleached, sickly trees. The first voice comes from a hulking brute of an orc, with rippling musculature. The other orc, despite seeming younger and brandishing fewer scars appaers no less formidable. It's this one who is arguing against aligning with the wyrm. The rest of the orcs, all of whom have red crosses painted on their faces, watch the spat, grunting in affirmation or spitting in disagreement.
From his vantage point, Lumen figures that there are at least 8-10 orcs, plus the two who are arguing. Make an Insight check to see what else you can determine.
If Lumen or anyone else wants to get closer, I'll need a Stealth check.
Chry watches Lumen inching towards the orcs, her fingers twitching. Several times she makes a move as if to step forward, and then freezes, remembering her heavy chain armor. Her face is a mask of frustration as her fingers open and closer around her javelin nervously.
Nym stayed put, not wanting to risk endangering Lumen. Simply watching and praying silently to Eilistraee that these people would see reason and there wouldn't have to be a conflict. She knew that Eilistraee always taught to treat strangers as friends but her concern for her new found traveling companions was clouding her judgement. All she could do was wait to see if the orcs would choose to live in the favor of peace or death in the case of violence.
((If the orcs are within 120ft, Nym will be holding an action in the form of readying a spell (Moonbeam) centered on whomever might try to attack Lumen.))
Nym Durnodel - Aspiring Heroes of Faerûn // Danica Amastacia - Red Dead Annihilation