"In no way, shape, or form did I know that this was going to happen! You said bandits were a possibility! Cultists were a possibility! Dragons were never listed under the possibility tree!" Rex sits down on the driving bench, "Fine, let me at least help." Rex points to the reigns, "You're holding them wrong, chock up on the hold.  Also you aren't giving the right commands.  We can get there much quicker if you deliver sharper snaps." [I would like to use Rex's land vehicle proficiency to assist Nydella in driving better, would I be able to do that?]

[we're already in the women are bad drivers mode...k]

Nydella to Rex wryly " did you think dragon cult was just a flashy name" handing over the reins. Then adds grinning "try not to kill us before the dragon can, I want a spectacular death at least not one being tossed from a cart!"

Rex squints at Nydella as he takes the reigns, "No, but, commonly, cults don't have the thing that they worship help them out!  Take those elemental guys, its not like they actually have elementals doing their bidding! It's a theme!" Rex cracks the reigns toward the town, "Got any ideas for what to do when we get there? I'm more of a deals guy, I don't really fight much."

Quote from JcAndD >>

Rex squints at Nydella as he takes the reigns, "No, but, commonly, cults don't have the thing that they worship help them out!  Take those elemental guys, its not like they actually have elementals doing their bidding! It's a theme!" Rex cracks the reigns toward the town, "Got any ideas for what to do when we get there? I'm more of a deals guy, I don't really fight much."

[deals, as in makes deals]

[Got it] 

"Same here! Ideas yes, big ones but they don't just involve us! Let's try to see if anyone else wants to kill this dragon or die trying with us!" replies Nydella with a smile pointing ahead to the people on the road nearing Valharris who they are now meeting on the road to Greenest. "Come on Valharris!" Nydella calls out to the cleric. "No need to tire yourself out before the real work starts," she adds gesturing for the cleric to get back on the cart. Looking to the other men on the road, "heading to Greenest? We have room," she adds smiling at them all especially the half-orc!

Fjordix turns to face Nydella, his face still stern, "Get us there quickly, people's lives are at stake!" Fjordix turns his stare back to the dragon as he climbs onto the side of the wagon and holds on, he wants to be able to depart quickly when they get into town.

Valharri gazed at the tiefling huffing under the weight of her heavy chainmail. "Alright but please make hast." She bounds into the back of the wagon. 

Rex raises a claw to the new passengers, "Good afternoon, if you look to your left, you'll see green pastures.  If you look to your right, you'll see village folk evacuating, and if you look straight ahead, you'll see a dragon that will most likely kill us all.  So, what's the plan.  You people got any skills?"

"Let's go Rex!" Nydella calls out to her dragonborn companion after making sure all their passengers are seated securely on the back of the cart! "There's not a moment to lose," she adds eyeing the bellowing black smoke in the distance. 

"Rex I think the skills can't wait! Gets us down to the people."

[DM: Can we see ppl feeling the town from here?]

As you get closer to, and enter,  the town, you notice that there are not as many people in the streets as you would have thought. In fact, the streets are empty. Without warning, five humans dash out from between two buildings on your left. A limping man and three young children race across the street into more shadows, and a woman carrying a round shield and a broken spear turns and faces back in the direction from which they came. Eight kobolds stream out of the alley on the family’s heels and fan out around the woman, who looks determined to delay the creatures for as long as possible. 

Rex sighs and hands the reigns to Nydella, "Hold these for a second..." Rex raises his hand as swirling stardust collects to a single point and then releases in a burning beam of force toward the kobold nearest to the woman. "Eldritch Blast!" [20 to hit. 3 force damage]

[Oh... awkward...]

Everyone, roll initiative. 

Rex shakes his claw and shouts back to the others, "I swear that normally works!" [9]

[*silence* Is it because I'm a DM? Is this my punishment?]

The woman needs to fight too. Valharri thinks to herself and leaps once again from the wagon and raced to the Kobolds. She takes her shield and knocks into one of the creatures to shove it. "Clear the way."

[Strength check: 12 ] [So does she like... make it stumble but doesn't move it?]

When Valharri reached the woman she latched onto the woman's spear and casts mending. 

[opse initiative: 1 ]

[Welp, My post will go whenever it gets around to me]

[I feel ya...]

Initiative: 9 

Initiative roll Unable to parse dice roll.

{ugh stupid tablet!!}

10

Initiative: 16

Edit: Meanwhile I am wasting crits on initiative lol