Aerdeth watches and listens as the Iron Dragon gives his succinct briefing, but remains mounted for now. Magical barriers were not a specialty of his. But perhaps Lia and Emma would be able to dispel the ward. He pats his horse and maintains a casual vigil. It was unlikely such a reclusive lich would send assassins in broad daylight, but that was no reason to grow complacent.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Another medical problem. Indefinite hiatus. Sorry, all.
Aden throws his hands up in a halting manner and speaks up as Ferik begins to be bombarded with questions from both groups, "Whoa, folks, let's give him a moment to take it all in. Plus, where are my manners? I was so concerned with my brother and his group that i failed to introduce a fellow adventurer. This is Ferik Bhadrin, member of The Iron Dragons and the sneakiest son of a ***** you'll ever meet from Cormyr or it's surrounding lands. Anyone who can sneak into the midst of a bunch of undead and not be sniffed out is amazing indeed!"
Ferik's face begins to turn red as Aden heaps on the praise and he quickly interjects, "Well... i was almost caught though..."
"Almost? Almost only counts in horseshoe pitching and tanglefoot bags! You got in and out of there safely and risked your neck so that we might all have a better shot of dealing with this problem!" Aden laughs heartily, the knowledge that his brother and the rest being safe obviously putting him in a much better mood.
Ferik laughs this time, his face returning back to it's original color. "So to answer your questions, I don't know why the lich is here, as for what might have lured it to Fort Helm, there is no info on that either. The fort has been there for as long as i can remember. From what I have been able to gather, it began to decline almost a century ago when the gods were cast down and walked the land. Many of the other god's followers were in direct opposition with Helm's followers after he killed Mystra and threw magic into more chaos than it already was at the time. I have never visited Fort Helm before now, but the word was that it had been taken back by Helm's followers and was thriving again."
"I'll be honest though, I didn't get to see much in there, the place stank of decay and death. There were skeletons and zombies, but i saw wisps of shadows flitting around as well. There is more than likely all manner of undead under the lich's command."
Hrothgar places his right hand on his chin as he thinks of the halflings words. He says to nobody specific. We will need to exersize caution and assume the lich knows someone is near.
He looks back at the halfling, Are you well enough to travel? We need your aid to find the rest of the Iron Dragons.
We will discuss how to proceed with the keep once they are safe.
Hrothgar carefully manouvers his horse walking 15 feet away from them. Noticing Zogar getting eager to fight the undead. Knowing how he feels about such vile creatures he slows his horse near Zogar. Speaking only loud enough for Zogar and those very close to him to hear: Patience, you will get your chance at them soon enough.
Having moved past another 10 feet he stops. Patting Argento on the side of his neck, whipering What do you say old friend, shall we go into the fray once more.
"When you are ready." Lia says to the halfling, giving him a friendly smile. She then rises to her own feet, dusting the dirt from her tunic and nodding to the others. She moves back to her horse, taking the reigns from Emma with a smile of thanks.
As Hastings hears the halfling being called the sneakiest around he takes it as a bit of a personal challenge even if he is the only one that knows it as such. With quick movements he will begin to lead his horse forward so that they can begin to discuss a plan to deal with the lich.
"It is good that we all have magic of a kind be it from an item or otherwise. I for one think that it would be the wisest course of action for us to begin planning our next move as you have said. The sooner we deal with this undead menace we shall be able to know are families and friends are safe."
As they begin to move forward, Zogar quietly pulls Aerdeth and Lia in around him and mumbles a quick incantation with which they are familiar. A slight shimmer surrounds the three of them briefly.
(OOC: Zogar casts Aid at 4th level on himself, Aerdeth and Lia, granting them 15 additional hp and max hp for the next 8 hours. These are NOT temp HP and would stack with the Heroes' Feast HP.)
"My thanks, Zogar. I trust the Raven Queen to grant me her boon against this lich and it's minions, but I appreciate your aegis and blessing as well."
One slender hand runs over his shorn scalp. It had taken weeks, but stubble was starting to grow back in. The feel of the short, soft but stiff hairs against his palm was always pleasant to him. A tiny reminder of how lovely this world could be, even when his life was soon to be in such danger. I am truly blessed, and if there Queen deigns to draw me to her side, I shall go gratefully. But for now, there is still work.
"I imagine it's twisted arcana will overwhelm my own spells, so I shall reserve my magic for the minions. As for the lich itself," Aerdeth makes a motion, as if drawing an imaginary bowstring. Then, in a unpretentious moment, the bow is in his hands, a stave of beautifully carved ebon wood, with a string of gleaming silver. It is, of course, not the first time he has drawn the weapon among the Mithril Blades. "I think it is safe to say Obliviation knows it's next target. We bring no small number of magical weapons to bear against it. Our odds are fair."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Another medical problem. Indefinite hiatus. Sorry, all.
Ferik nods at Hrothgar, "I'm feeling fine, just a long night with little rest, but I'll be OK. I'm ready to get back to my friends as well."
Aden takes his friend by the hand and pulls him to his feet and shortly after hoists him up behind him on his horse. "Let's ride then and make haste, I won't have my brother getting impatient and trying to take this gods damned lich down all by himself. We shall all share in the glory of his defeat."
You all ride out of Proskur, and Ferik has everyone avoid the path leading up to the fort for obvious reasons, heading back along the northeast route you took to get here. A quarter of an hour down the path you are directed off to the north, traveling through lush green fields that turn into a light forest before ending at a tall hill at the base of the Sunset Mountains. Minutes later you arrive at a path that leads between breaks in the hill wide enough for several horses and at the back of the path is a large cave filled with darkness. You dismount and leave your horses to walk into the darkness of the cave. Everything goes pitch black for a moment before light flares up in front of you, and you realize a sphere of darkness had been placed right inside the cave to block out the light.
"Well, it's about damn time!", you hear as a man that looks very similar to Aden steps up and give him a spine cracking bear hug. Aden hugs the man back with a fierceness and then turns to all of you and begins to introduce you to The Iron Dragons.
Edward Dendar - Human Male - Plate mail - two long swords
Nevkulm Clawoak - Dwarven Male - Chain Mail - mace & shield
Hrothgar sets Argento aside near the wall of the cave to approach the group. He waits as Aden introduces the groups, making a bow with his head in courtesy.
Greetings to you all, we are glad to see your all safe. First of all, is anyone in need of medical attention or food?
If not Hrothgar will proceed.
We should discuss on how to proceed with the keep. Ferik has informed us some form of magic obstructs our vision inside. Perhaps our mages can combine their abilities to investigate this matter from the outside.
He turns to Lia, Emma and those from the other groups that look like mages (Tezi and Yuriel) as he mentions the previous. Then turns back to Edward.
I assume you have scouted the outside to check possible ways of entry and any defenses or watches set in place?
Hrothgar looks to his belt, looking at the small griffon statue attached to a loop on his belt. If required we have means to scout from the sky or allow entry from above.
He will hold his tongue after that, feeling he has said enough for now and await responses.
Zogar stands quietly near the back of the group. He'll make eye-contact acknowledgements to the Iron Dragons, but he doesn't make any effort at formal introductions.
Lia dismounts, as does Emma, who takes the reigns of both her phantom steed and Lia's dark-chocolate mount. Emma gives Lia a nod and walks the horses off to the side of the cave.
Lia moves up, sizing up the two with robes. "What have you tried so far to scry the place?" She asks. "Scrying is not my speciality, at all for that matter, so I doubt I can do much you have not."
Aerdeth too, dismounts Horse. He lodges a piton into a crevice in the cavern wall, then loops Horse's reins around it. It would not hold in a pinch, but Horse understood the command. As he rejoins his friends, takes a moment to process names, and faces, he adds to Lia's question.
"Perhaps a simple map or diagram of what you know? We are not a small band of warriors, and I fear the quarters may be too cramped for us all to fight effectively."
Hastings carefully takes his horse to the side and hobbles him properly so that it will not run. With that done he reaches into his pack and pulls out an apple to feed it. He then goes to join the group, his hands resting comfortably on the handle of his weapons.
"It is good to meet you all. I am Hastings Dirgeblade, fencer and sneak expert of my group. And yes I am of the noble house Dirgeblade."
Edward thanks Hrothgar for his hospitality but declines, "Thank you good sir for the offer, but we are not currently injured nor in need of food. Tezi here has been trying to break through the damn lich's spells and divination IS her specialty. Nevkulm has been helping, and I have been trying, but i fear my abilities are not nearly as strong as theirs."
Tezi steps forward to address everyone at that moment, the torch light reflecting off her smooth red skin. "Well met newcomers, we have heard great stories of your deeds in Cormyr and elsewhere as well. It is an honor to share our space with you this day." She walks over to a large rock near one of the cave walls and takes something out of her bag, placing it on the rock and using it as a makeshift table. Moving closer you can see it is what looks like a black bowl made out of carved obsidian with small runes delicately chiseled into the base and a large round piece of some type of crystal with white streaks inside creating delicate patterns that seem to very slowly move around and take on different shapes. Placing the ball into the bowl, she closes her eyes and concentrates drawing arcane symbols into the air above it. "Surge amica mea" The crystal ball begins to glow with a pulsing light as it begins to float up about a foot over the bowl it was in. She turns back to all of you and says, "Alone, i can not break through to see inside the fort, so i need a magical boost. If each of you that uses arcane magic can feed some into this item, we may all be able to collectively push through for a time."
He nods respectfully to the rest of the adventurers, then steps up to Tezi's ritual space, wordlessly reaching within himself. There was a deep well beyond him, a power that wasn't truly his own. Perhaps it would suffice.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Another medical problem. Indefinite hiatus. Sorry, all.
Aerdeth watches and listens as the Iron Dragon gives his succinct briefing, but remains mounted for now. Magical barriers were not a specialty of his. But perhaps Lia and Emma would be able to dispel the ward. He pats his horse and maintains a casual vigil. It was unlikely such a reclusive lich would send assassins in broad daylight, but that was no reason to grow complacent.
Another medical problem. Indefinite hiatus. Sorry, all.
Aden throws his hands up in a halting manner and speaks up as Ferik begins to be bombarded with questions from both groups, "Whoa, folks, let's give him a moment to take it all in. Plus, where are my manners? I was so concerned with my brother and his group that i failed to introduce a fellow adventurer. This is Ferik Bhadrin, member of The Iron Dragons and the sneakiest son of a ***** you'll ever meet from Cormyr or it's surrounding lands. Anyone who can sneak into the midst of a bunch of undead and not be sniffed out is amazing indeed!"
Ferik's face begins to turn red as Aden heaps on the praise and he quickly interjects, "Well... i was almost caught though..."
"Almost? Almost only counts in horseshoe pitching and tanglefoot bags! You got in and out of there safely and risked your neck so that we might all have a better shot of dealing with this problem!" Aden laughs heartily, the knowledge that his brother and the rest being safe obviously putting him in a much better mood.
Ferik laughs this time, his face returning back to it's original color. "So to answer your questions, I don't know why the lich is here, as for what might have lured it to Fort Helm, there is no info on that either. The fort has been there for as long as i can remember. From what I have been able to gather, it began to decline almost a century ago when the gods were cast down and walked the land. Many of the other god's followers were in direct opposition with Helm's followers after he killed Mystra and threw magic into more chaos than it already was at the time. I have never visited Fort Helm before now, but the word was that it had been taken back by Helm's followers and was thriving again."
"I'll be honest though, I didn't get to see much in there, the place stank of decay and death. There were skeletons and zombies, but i saw wisps of shadows flitting around as well. There is more than likely all manner of undead under the lich's command."
As he listens to Ferik speak of legions of undead, Zogar slowly and deliberately begins to crack the knuckles of his fingers, one at a time.
Hrothgar places his right hand on his chin as he thinks of the halflings words. He says to nobody specific. We will need to exersize caution and assume the lich knows someone is near.
He looks back at the halfling, Are you well enough to travel? We need your aid to find the rest of the Iron Dragons.
We will discuss how to proceed with the keep once they are safe.
Hrothgar carefully manouvers his horse walking 15 feet away from them. Noticing Zogar getting eager to fight the undead. Knowing how he feels about such vile creatures he slows his horse near Zogar. Speaking only loud enough for Zogar and those very close to him to hear: Patience, you will get your chance at them soon enough.
Having moved past another 10 feet he stops. Patting Argento on the side of his neck, whipering What do you say old friend, shall we go into the fray once more.
"When you are ready." Lia says to the halfling, giving him a friendly smile. She then rises to her own feet, dusting the dirt from her tunic and nodding to the others. She moves back to her horse, taking the reigns from Emma with a smile of thanks.
As Hastings hears the halfling being called the sneakiest around he takes it as a bit of a personal challenge even if he is the only one that knows it as such. With quick movements he will begin to lead his horse forward so that they can begin to discuss a plan to deal with the lich.
"It is good that we all have magic of a kind be it from an item or otherwise. I for one think that it would be the wisest course of action for us to begin planning our next move as you have said. The sooner we deal with this undead menace we shall be able to know are families and friends are safe."
As they begin to move forward, Zogar quietly pulls Aerdeth and Lia in around him and mumbles a quick incantation with which they are familiar. A slight shimmer surrounds the three of them briefly.
(OOC: Zogar casts Aid at 4th level on himself, Aerdeth and Lia, granting them 15 additional hp and max hp for the next 8 hours. These are NOT temp HP and would stack with the Heroes' Feast HP.)
"My thanks, Zogar. I trust the Raven Queen to grant me her boon against this lich and it's minions, but I appreciate your aegis and blessing as well."
One slender hand runs over his shorn scalp. It had taken weeks, but stubble was starting to grow back in. The feel of the short, soft but stiff hairs against his palm was always pleasant to him. A tiny reminder of how lovely this world could be, even when his life was soon to be in such danger. I am truly blessed, and if there Queen deigns to draw me to her side, I shall go gratefully. But for now, there is still work.
"I imagine it's twisted arcana will overwhelm my own spells, so I shall reserve my magic for the minions. As for the lich itself," Aerdeth makes a motion, as if drawing an imaginary bowstring. Then, in a unpretentious moment, the bow is in his hands, a stave of beautifully carved ebon wood, with a string of gleaming silver. It is, of course, not the first time he has drawn the weapon among the Mithril Blades. "I think it is safe to say Obliviation knows it's next target. We bring no small number of magical weapons to bear against it. Our odds are fair."
Another medical problem. Indefinite hiatus. Sorry, all.
Ferik nods at Hrothgar, "I'm feeling fine, just a long night with little rest, but I'll be OK. I'm ready to get back to my friends as well."
Aden takes his friend by the hand and pulls him to his feet and shortly after hoists him up behind him on his horse. "Let's ride then and make haste, I won't have my brother getting impatient and trying to take this gods damned lich down all by himself. We shall all share in the glory of his defeat."
You all ride out of Proskur, and Ferik has everyone avoid the path leading up to the fort for obvious reasons, heading back along the northeast route you took to get here. A quarter of an hour down the path you are directed off to the north, traveling through lush green fields that turn into a light forest before ending at a tall hill at the base of the Sunset Mountains. Minutes later you arrive at a path that leads between breaks in the hill wide enough for several horses and at the back of the path is a large cave filled with darkness. You dismount and leave your horses to walk into the darkness of the cave. Everything goes pitch black for a moment before light flares up in front of you, and you realize a sphere of darkness had been placed right inside the cave to block out the light.
"Well, it's about damn time!", you hear as a man that looks very similar to Aden steps up and give him a spine cracking bear hug. Aden hugs the man back with a fierceness and then turns to all of you and begins to introduce you to The Iron Dragons.
Hrothgar sets Argento aside near the wall of the cave to approach the group. He waits as Aden introduces the groups, making a bow with his head in courtesy.
Greetings to you all, we are glad to see your all safe. First of all, is anyone in need of medical attention or food?
If not Hrothgar will proceed.
We should discuss on how to proceed with the keep. Ferik has informed us some form of magic obstructs our vision inside. Perhaps our mages can combine their abilities to investigate this matter from the outside.
He turns to Lia, Emma and those from the other groups that look like mages (Tezi and Yuriel) as he mentions the previous. Then turns back to Edward.
I assume you have scouted the outside to check possible ways of entry and any defenses or watches set in place?
Hrothgar looks to his belt, looking at the small griffon statue attached to a loop on his belt. If required we have means to scout from the sky or allow entry from above.
He will hold his tongue after that, feeling he has said enough for now and await responses.
Zogar stands quietly near the back of the group. He'll make eye-contact acknowledgements to the Iron Dragons, but he doesn't make any effort at formal introductions.
Lia dismounts, as does Emma, who takes the reigns of both her phantom steed and Lia's dark-chocolate mount. Emma gives Lia a nod and walks the horses off to the side of the cave.
Lia moves up, sizing up the two with robes. "What have you tried so far to scry the place?" She asks. "Scrying is not my speciality, at all for that matter, so I doubt I can do much you have not."
Aerdeth too, dismounts Horse. He lodges a piton into a crevice in the cavern wall, then loops Horse's reins around it. It would not hold in a pinch, but Horse understood the command. As he rejoins his friends, takes a moment to process names, and faces, he adds to Lia's question.
"Perhaps a simple map or diagram of what you know? We are not a small band of warriors, and I fear the quarters may be too cramped for us all to fight effectively."
Another medical problem. Indefinite hiatus. Sorry, all.
Hastings carefully takes his horse to the side and hobbles him properly so that it will not run. With that done he reaches into his pack and pulls out an apple to feed it. He then goes to join the group, his hands resting comfortably on the handle of his weapons.
"It is good to meet you all. I am Hastings Dirgeblade, fencer and sneak expert of my group. And yes I am of the noble house Dirgeblade."
Edward thanks Hrothgar for his hospitality but declines, "Thank you good sir for the offer, but we are not currently injured nor in need of food. Tezi here has been trying to break through the damn lich's spells and divination IS her specialty. Nevkulm has been helping, and I have been trying, but i fear my abilities are not nearly as strong as theirs."
Tezi steps forward to address everyone at that moment, the torch light reflecting off her smooth red skin. "Well met newcomers, we have heard great stories of your deeds in Cormyr and elsewhere as well. It is an honor to share our space with you this day." She walks over to a large rock near one of the cave walls and takes something out of her bag, placing it on the rock and using it as a makeshift table. Moving closer you can see it is what looks like a black bowl made out of carved obsidian with small runes delicately chiseled into the base and a large round piece of some type of crystal with white streaks inside creating delicate patterns that seem to very slowly move around and take on different shapes. Placing the ball into the bowl, she closes her eyes and concentrates drawing arcane symbols into the air above it. "Surge amica mea" The crystal ball begins to glow with a pulsing light as it begins to float up about a foot over the bowl it was in. She turns back to all of you and says, "Alone, i can not break through to see inside the fort, so i need a magical boost. If each of you that uses arcane magic can feed some into this item, we may all be able to collectively push through for a time."
"I can help out." Lia says stepping forward. She waves Emma back though. "Save your magic, you can not get it back as I can."
Zogar nods toward the holy emblem on his shield and sort of shrugs.
"Ah yes, manners. Aerdeth Amastacia."
He nods respectfully to the rest of the adventurers, then steps up to Tezi's ritual space, wordlessly reaching within himself. There was a deep well beyond him, a power that wasn't truly his own. Perhaps it would suffice.
Another medical problem. Indefinite hiatus. Sorry, all.
Hrothgar will take a step back as the mages gather around the bowl. He will stand between the group and the horses.
He will not take his eyes of the mages since he knows magic this powerfull is never without danger.
Hrothgar never likes these things, he feels powerless to aid them but trusts in the abilities of his companions.
Zogar steps over to Tezi and places a hand on her shoulder.
"I have no arcane magic to assist you, but perhaps Mythrien Sarath can guide you in your time of need."