Tara frowns. "This is a highly unlikely location for a dragon's nest. For one, it is too near elves, so unless the dragon was specifically assigned or has the specific goal of observing elves, a dragon would be unlikely to choose this location. In addition, we have found no guardians or those trying to dissuade us from the location, which argues against this being the lair of a loner, solitary scholar, or a dragon banished from Argonnessen. Finally, the location is too remote for a dragon who wishes to study Khorvairans. Also, if it is a dragon, we are likely going to die for disturbing its seclusion. A portal to the prison plane of Baator has some possibility, however, and the heat indicates that, should the presence of a planar portal exist, it will likely be to one of the hotter planes, such as Fernia or Baator. A goblin clan feels the most likely out of your proposed theories though, although in that case we have likely not found their usual entrance." She gives this speech while carefully descending the rope, her tone scholarly and matter-of-fact, and growing especially confident when speaking about dragons.
"After the fall of the Dhakaani Empire, goblinoids were quite scattered. It is possible, though unlikely, that a clan has made their home here and managed to avoid both Brelish and Valenar patrols. In addition, there may still be a clan with some connection to the daelkyr, who created doppelgangers, which could explain the connection. However, there are still a great deal of other possibilities just as or more likely, and I am hesitant to make any final conclusions as of right now."
The rope secured at the top makes it easy enough for everyone to make their way down the hole. The hot gaseous air is ripe with sulfur as it continually blasts upwards out through this natural formed vent. Jax’s light illuminating the descent until you reach ground. The tunnel long enough above you to envelop any light coming down.
Looking around the walls are smooth and shine reflectively like black mirrors. Volcanic rock naturally formed and shaped to a smooth tunnel. The same footsteps leading to the hole to begin with lead off to the left before the sand fades out into just the stone floor. The walls hot enough to almost sizzle the skin on contact.
You follow the tunnel for 10-15 minutes, you begin to hear something making sound up ahead. A lot of sound..... drumming? The drumming gets louder and louder as you follow the tunnel until you emerge, crouching down behind a high wall, peaking over edge as the tunnel opens up to a large cavern. Glowing in reds and oranges with heat that seems inexplicable until you see the lava pools surround the ground in the cavern below you. Squall’s hand submerged into a sticky residue as you watch.
You see down below a large ceremony of black and red scaled lizard folk, no tails. Adorned with bones and war paint as they drum and chant. All facing an altar of a female lizard, large headdress chanting as she walks around another lizard folk that’s tied and bound. The bound lizard is calm and reserved. He is connected to a giant hook hanging from a rope, solemnly looking at the Giant obsidian statue of a large black dragon with a snarling expression. Giant blue Khyber crystals lodged where the eyes should be.
The priestess continues to chant as the drumming and singing crescendos into a roar as she rips the heart out of the bound lizard. Seemingly still alive as his heart is beating in the priestess’s hand l, the bound lizard is lifted and lowered into the lava. As his body burns and melts so does the heart. The blue Khyber crystals glow a bright red and the ceremony erupts into cheers and dancing.
What would you like to do? There’s the tunnel back behind you, the tunnel also continues the other direction into the darkness. You’re overlooking about 30 feet down a huge cavernous auditorium holding at least 100 lizardfolk.
Squall pulls her hand from the goo. Whispering in a panicked voice to the others "What is this stuff? What is going on here? We need to get out of here before something sees us!' She tries to HELP Tara get a good look at the goo.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Tara scowls, looking personally affronted by the ritual, but not really intimidated (yet). "A rogue. Unacceptable. Idol worship is an affront to the Thir and dancing too close to the kurash Ourelonastrix. If the Conclave knew of this, they would-" She cuts herself off abruptly, glancing at the others like she's said too much, and turns her full attention to investigation. She examines the goo to see if she can figure out what it is, as well as trying to place the ritual and/or the statue.
Those who speak Draconic:
Kurash Ourelonastrix translates roughly to "Aureon's Folly".
OOC: Gonna toss out several rolls that miiight be relevant? Take what you wish.
(In the future, just roll once of what you think it should be, I’ll change the modifier if need be, or roll again of advantage is given)
The Statue resembles Rhashaak the Ancient half fiend Dragon responsible for warring against the Dhakaani Empire thousands of years ago. Having several Dragonborn and Lizardfolk minions and followers. Eventually Rhashaak was Bound by the Silver Flame to be prisoner of/guardian against the Cold Sun some thousands of years ago. One would expect that this was one such cult following of the dragon, secluded and accidentally exiled in the subterranean domicile. While these Lizardfolk are speaking Draconic, it’s a different dialect. Much like anyone trying to listen to Latin today.
Lucky continues to gesture to the others to back away, while also looking hard down the passage behind them, hoping that their escape route to the surface has not been cut off. Perception8
"Rhashaak," Tara growls, eyes bright with anger. She narrows her eyes at the scene. "The goo is the same stuff as we found on the ship, likely from the same doppelganger. If this is connected to the Lords of the Dust, it just became much more dangerous and much more relevant to my research." There's an undercurrent of fury in her words that none of you have heard yet while speaking to her. "I suggest we continue into the tunnel. Quietly. The doppelganger is likely down that tunnel, and will be far easier to question than the many lizardfolk. Also, we are far more likely to survive that." Her hand is clenched into a tight fist, her lips pressed into a thin line to match the ire in her eyes.
With the help of Lucky, he would secure the pitons into the rock slab and quickly slide down the rope with no fear of burning his metalic hands. Upon witnessing the sacrifice, the red lens of the warforged would dim as if focusing and processing what was happening in front of him. "I don't think you want to hear the odds of us successfully defeating a force of that number." Jax would say very matter of fact. As Tara mentions quietly heading down the tunnel, Jax would nod in agreement. His reflection off the glass-like walls would mimic his movements and he begins moving away. With his revolver still drawn, he would head down the tunnel. The warforged would lower himself into a crouch as he makes his way into the darkness.
Her instinct pulling her to return to the rope and climb out of this hellish place, Squall lags behind the others slightly. Finally steeling her resolve to press forward and find out who is behind the attack on her kin. She follows the others lead in moving quietly down the tunnel. Checking behind from time to time to see if they are being followed.
Everyone backs away from the ledge after the somewhat terrifying sight. To begin to head down the mysterious dark tunnel.
(Unknown to the group - As Vernin gets up, some rocks get disturbed and get kicked over the edge to “bloop” I to the lava below.... alerting some Lizardfolk below.)
You follow down the pitch black tunnel as the red and orange hue fades behind you. After following the winding hallway you begin to hear banging and clanging in the distance. You find yourself on another ledge overlooking an expansive mining operation as the same looking lizardfolk can be seen slamming axes and hammers into the walls. Other lizards can be seen wearing thick metal gauntlets as they scoop up the magma from the rivers below and begin to shape and form it on the rock. It looks as though they are caving out the rock, melting it down in the lava and then taking it out to shape it into walls, buildings etc. there are rows of small canoe shaped boats sitting i. The lava as they bring supplies back and forth to the minors. (Think like Frogger.... but lava)
You are in a brief moment of awe while looking at the work and think of how much work has been done over thousands of years to be able to shape liquid hot magma. That’s when the group hears coming from behind them from both directions of the tunnel. The trudging footsteps of people coming... they sound like they are in a full run!
Looking down on the boats, you do see some tarps that are covering the supplies in the boat. You know it would be a challenge to hide all of you there, but it’s possible.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Tara frowns. "This is a highly unlikely location for a dragon's nest. For one, it is too near elves, so unless the dragon was specifically assigned or has the specific goal of observing elves, a dragon would be unlikely to choose this location. In addition, we have found no guardians or those trying to dissuade us from the location, which argues against this being the lair of a loner, solitary scholar, or a dragon banished from Argonnessen. Finally, the location is too remote for a dragon who wishes to study Khorvairans. Also, if it is a dragon, we are likely going to die for disturbing its seclusion. A portal to the prison plane of Baator has some possibility, however, and the heat indicates that, should the presence of a planar portal exist, it will likely be to one of the hotter planes, such as Fernia or Baator. A goblin clan feels the most likely out of your proposed theories though, although in that case we have likely not found their usual entrance." She gives this speech while carefully descending the rope, her tone scholarly and matter-of-fact, and growing especially confident when speaking about dragons.
Stella Diamant, Human Rogue 17 (Swashbuckler), The Exploits of Misfit Company
Kat, Medtech, Cyberpunk: Red
Shi, Changeling Bard 4 (College of Spirits), Tyrant's Grasp
Dani, Human Artificer 9 (Armorer), Skulls and Starships
DM, Project Point (Teams Scimitar and Longsword)
Everything Else!
Salqwyn "Squall" d'Lyrandar / Half-elf Sorcerer
"Goblins? This far from Darguun? And what would a bunch of goblins want with a doppelganger who stole information about airships?"
Salqwyn follows Tara and the others down the rope ladder.
"After the fall of the Dhakaani Empire, goblinoids were quite scattered. It is possible, though unlikely, that a clan has made their home here and managed to avoid both Brelish and Valenar patrols. In addition, there may still be a clan with some connection to the daelkyr, who created doppelgangers, which could explain the connection. However, there are still a great deal of other possibilities just as or more likely, and I am hesitant to make any final conclusions as of right now."
Stella Diamant, Human Rogue 17 (Swashbuckler), The Exploits of Misfit Company
Kat, Medtech, Cyberpunk: Red
Shi, Changeling Bard 4 (College of Spirits), Tyrant's Grasp
Dani, Human Artificer 9 (Armorer), Skulls and Starships
DM, Project Point (Teams Scimitar and Longsword)
Everything Else!
The rope secured at the top makes it easy enough for everyone to make their way down the hole. The hot gaseous air is ripe with sulfur as it continually blasts upwards out through this natural formed vent. Jax’s light illuminating the descent until you reach ground. The tunnel long enough above you to envelop any light coming down.
Looking around the walls are smooth and shine reflectively like black mirrors. Volcanic rock naturally formed and shaped to a smooth tunnel. The same footsteps leading to the hole to begin with lead off to the left before the sand fades out into just the stone floor. The walls hot enough to almost sizzle the skin on contact.
You follow the tunnel for 10-15 minutes, you begin to hear something making sound up ahead. A lot of sound..... drumming? The drumming gets louder and louder as you follow the tunnel until you emerge, crouching down behind a high wall, peaking over edge as the tunnel opens up to a large cavern. Glowing in reds and oranges with heat that seems inexplicable until you see the lava pools surround the ground in the cavern below you. Squall’s hand submerged into a sticky residue as you watch.
You see down below a large ceremony of black and red scaled lizard folk, no tails. Adorned with bones and war paint as they drum and chant. All facing an altar of a female lizard, large headdress chanting as she walks around another lizard folk that’s tied and bound. The bound lizard is calm and reserved. He is connected to a giant hook hanging from a rope, solemnly looking at the Giant obsidian statue of a large black dragon with a snarling expression. Giant blue Khyber crystals lodged where the eyes should be.
The priestess continues to chant as the drumming and singing crescendos into a roar as she rips the heart out of the bound lizard. Seemingly still alive as his heart is beating in the priestess’s hand l, the bound lizard is lifted and lowered into the lava. As his body burns and melts so does the heart. The blue Khyber crystals glow a bright red and the ceremony erupts into cheers and dancing.
What would you like to do? There’s the tunnel back behind you, the tunnel also continues the other direction into the darkness. You’re overlooking about 30 feet down a huge cavernous auditorium holding at least 100 lizardfolk.
Salqwyn "Squall" d'Lyrandar / Half-elf Sorcerer
Squall pulls her hand from the goo. Whispering in a panicked voice to the others "What is this stuff? What is going on here? We need to get out of here before something sees us!' She tries to HELP Tara get a good look at the goo.
Lucky Dale, Shifter Bard
Lucky is backing away as quietly as he can and frantically gesturing for the others to follow.
Tara scowls, looking personally affronted by the ritual, but not really intimidated (yet). "A rogue. Unacceptable. Idol worship is an affront to the Thir and dancing too close to the kurash Ourelonastrix. If the Conclave knew of this, they would-" She cuts herself off abruptly, glancing at the others like she's said too much, and turns her full attention to investigation. She examines the goo to see if she can figure out what it is, as well as trying to place the ritual and/or the statue.
Those who speak Draconic:
Kurash Ourelonastrix translates roughly to "Aureon's Folly".
OOC: Gonna toss out several rolls that miiight be relevant? Take what you wish.
Arcana: 21
Religion: 7
History: 19
Perception (just in case): 25
OOC: Dammit, forgot adv. So here's another set of rolls, use the first set if adv doesn't apply to any of them.
Arcana: 22
Religion: 16
History: 17
Perception: 10
Stella Diamant, Human Rogue 17 (Swashbuckler), The Exploits of Misfit Company
Kat, Medtech, Cyberpunk: Red
Shi, Changeling Bard 4 (College of Spirits), Tyrant's Grasp
Dani, Human Artificer 9 (Armorer), Skulls and Starships
DM, Project Point (Teams Scimitar and Longsword)
Everything Else!
(The goop that Squall touches very closely resembles the matter found on the ship, from the doppelgänger changing forms.)
(In the future, just roll once of what you think it should be, I’ll change the modifier if need be, or roll again of advantage is given)
The Statue resembles Rhashaak the Ancient half fiend Dragon responsible for warring against the Dhakaani Empire thousands of years ago. Having several Dragonborn and Lizardfolk minions and followers. Eventually Rhashaak was Bound by the Silver Flame to be prisoner of/guardian against the Cold Sun some thousands of years ago. One would expect that this was one such cult following of the dragon, secluded and accidentally exiled in the subterranean domicile. While these Lizardfolk are speaking Draconic, it’s a different dialect. Much like anyone trying to listen to Latin today.
Lucky continues to gesture to the others to back away, while also looking hard down the passage behind them, hoping that their escape route to the surface has not been cut off. Perception 8
OOC: Ack! Sorry about that, will do
"Rhashaak," Tara growls, eyes bright with anger. She narrows her eyes at the scene. "The goo is the same stuff as we found on the ship, likely from the same doppelganger. If this is connected to the Lords of the Dust, it just became much more dangerous and much more relevant to my research." There's an undercurrent of fury in her words that none of you have heard yet while speaking to her. "I suggest we continue into the tunnel. Quietly. The doppelganger is likely down that tunnel, and will be far easier to question than the many lizardfolk. Also, we are far more likely to survive that." Her hand is clenched into a tight fist, her lips pressed into a thin line to match the ire in her eyes.
Stella Diamant, Human Rogue 17 (Swashbuckler), The Exploits of Misfit Company
Kat, Medtech, Cyberpunk: Red
Shi, Changeling Bard 4 (College of Spirits), Tyrant's Grasp
Dani, Human Artificer 9 (Armorer), Skulls and Starships
DM, Project Point (Teams Scimitar and Longsword)
Everything Else!
Virnen attempts to prioritize the task at hand after what he just saw. “Let’s get going then.”
Fortune's Founders - An Eberron Tale: Virnen Palaris, Wood Elf Ranger (2)
With the help of Lucky, he would secure the pitons into the rock slab and quickly slide down the rope with no fear of burning his metalic hands. Upon witnessing the sacrifice, the red lens of the warforged would dim as if focusing and processing what was happening in front of him. "I don't think you want to hear the odds of us successfully defeating a force of that number." Jax would say very matter of fact. As Tara mentions quietly heading down the tunnel, Jax would nod in agreement. His reflection off the glass-like walls would mimic his movements and he begins moving away. With his revolver still drawn, he would head down the tunnel. The warforged would lower himself into a crouch as he makes his way into the darkness.
Stealth12
Perception!9
Lucky sighs quietly and miserably as he follow the others towards their inevitable lizardy deaths. Stealth 13
Virnen will move quietly own the tunnel , his light weight shifted to the front of his feet.
Stealth: 22
Fortune's Founders - An Eberron Tale: Virnen Palaris, Wood Elf Ranger (2)
Tara also heads down the tunnel quietly, keeping eyes and ears open for anything that might be sharing the tunnel with them.
Stealth: 10
Perception: 9
Stella Diamant, Human Rogue 17 (Swashbuckler), The Exploits of Misfit Company
Kat, Medtech, Cyberpunk: Red
Shi, Changeling Bard 4 (College of Spirits), Tyrant's Grasp
Dani, Human Artificer 9 (Armorer), Skulls and Starships
DM, Project Point (Teams Scimitar and Longsword)
Everything Else!
Salqwyn "Squall" d'Lyrandar / Half-elf Sorcerer
Her instinct pulling her to return to the rope and climb out of this hellish place, Squall lags behind the others slightly. Finally steeling her resolve to press forward and find out who is behind the attack on her kin. She follows the others lead in moving quietly down the tunnel. Checking behind from time to time to see if they are being followed.
Stealth : 9
Perception : 20
Everyone backs away from the ledge after the somewhat terrifying sight. To begin to head down the mysterious dark tunnel.
(Unknown to the group - As Vernin gets up, some rocks get disturbed and get kicked over the edge to “bloop” I to the lava below.... alerting some Lizardfolk below.)
You follow down the pitch black tunnel as the red and orange hue fades behind you. After following the winding hallway you begin to hear banging and clanging in the distance. You find yourself on another ledge overlooking an expansive mining operation as the same looking lizardfolk can be seen slamming axes and hammers into the walls. Other lizards can be seen wearing thick metal gauntlets as they scoop up the magma from the rivers below and begin to shape and form it on the rock. It looks as though they are caving out the rock, melting it down in the lava and then taking it out to shape it into walls, buildings etc. there are rows of small canoe shaped boats sitting i. The lava as they bring supplies back and forth to the minors. (Think like Frogger.... but lava)
You are in a brief moment of awe while looking at the work and think of how much work has been done over thousands of years to be able to shape liquid hot magma. That’s when the group hears coming from behind them from both directions of the tunnel. The trudging footsteps of people coming... they sound like they are in a full run!
What would you like to do?
Salqwyn "Squall" d'Lyrandar / Half-elf Sorcerer
"We should hide!" She starts looking around frantically for a place to hide.
Looking down on the boats, you do see some tarps that are covering the supplies in the boat. You know it would be a challenge to hide all of you there, but it’s possible.