This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(In case Gareth doesn't splatter 'im…)
Like a shadow, Lanarial darts in from behind Tex and takes a couple of swings at the last orc, leading with the shortsword at its neck and then bringing the dagger up into it's kidney.
Gareth-Wyn prepares a swing, but holds at the last minute, his face turning into a frown of sorts. He holds his action, only to watch Lanariel's blade flash in the light, taking the beast in the throat.
Gareth-Wyn lowers his weapon, his eyes flinty and cool, and nudges one of the dead dwarves with his boot.
The poor dwarves never stood a chance. You theorize the orcs came to this excavation site looking for a new home, thanks to Cryovain possibly driving them away since the dragons arrival. You have succeeded in completing the main story line for this quest: alerting the dwarves, and killing the orcs.
You can either return to Phandalin to collect your reward, take a long or short rest to heal up, head off to the next quest, or whatever else you'd like to do.
Iri stands up and dusting herself off says, "In the rush to get back here I didn't get a chance to mention it, but there were a few secret doors we ran past. I think we should check those out." Leaning down to the dwarves she grabs the promised scroll of aid and anything else that jumps out to her as she hurries down to the door."Ooh I wonder what cool secrets are behind this!" And she attempts to open it.
The secret door, which is easily opened now that you've noticed it, leads to an empty stone font juts out of the southwest wall. A stone wardrobe against the east wall holds the rotted remains of two suits of red leather armor (vestments worn by priests of Abbathor, now ruined and worthless). A door leads to a hallway which contains another visible door, leading to yet another room to the south. Half-buried in the rubble here is the skeleton of a dwarf priest wearing rotted red leather armor. It is very clear the dwarf was killed when part of the room collapsed. Around the skeleton’s neck hangs a holy symbol of Abbathor: a tiny jeweled dagger on a silver chain. The symbol is inscribed with Dwarvish runes. You could probably fetch about 50 gp for it.
"Careful. The dead are not resting so easy in this place." Gareth-Wyn gives the dwarve skeletons a cautious tap with the but of his glaive before following Iri across the hall.
When the orcs fall, Vi extinguishes the flames around her blade and cleans it briefly with a cloth it with a satisfied look, wiping a little blood off the corner of her mouth absentmindedly. Eyes glittering, the half-elf follows the others through the varied secret doors, frost forming around her blade in case something decides to attack.
Talav perches on her shoulder, silver eyes watching the area ahead unblinkingly.
The rogue cleans his blades on the dead orcs' clothes, sheathing them and then retrieving his bow. He will explore the ruins with the others, on the lookout for more secret doors and traps.(14 passive perception). Once the place is completely cleared, he says, "We should fortify the gates and stay here through the night. Tomorrow we can go to find the gnomes. I need to stitch up this gash in my side..."
"I can take a look at the gash if you want, I've got some training, and it can be hard to stitch up a side gash," Vi offers to Lanarial. If he agrees, she gives what help she can before attending to her own wound and then slipping quietly away from camp.
Once away from camp in a relatively open spot, Vi closes her eyes and summons her father's lessons to her mind. She unsheathes her blade, and silver fire ignites across it as she begins practicing the movements once more. As she moves through the practice, her movements become more and more fluid, until she flows through the air with a new grace and speed, fire whipping past in her shortsword's wake. The half-elf is completely focused on the practice, her mind thinking only of the blade's movements and her father's voice.
"No, smoother than that. The blade must become a part of your body." Cirion's voice was stern. "Merely waving it around is good enough for plenty of common guards, but not a bladesinger. Again now, Silvi. Slower. You cannot have speed until you have mastered the technique itself."
The young half-elf gritted her teeth and practiced the movement again, slower, despite the fact that it already felt like she was moving through honey. She couldn't help but voice one query, though. "But leopard's are not slow. They're fast, and pounce!"
Cirion tsked and shook his head, reaching out a hand to correct her stance. "When they pounce, certainly. But you forget, a leopard is a hunter. It knows when to attack lightning fast and when to be slow and patient. The patience part is something you're still working on, Silvi."
Silvi sighed and continued to practice the movement. "But I'm not an elf. I don't have centuries to get it right! Will I ever be good enough?"
"You're right, you're not an elf," Cirion agreed. "So you will have to work even harder. But one day, if you work hard and long enough, you will be a bladesinger. Now, try the movement again."
Gareth-Wyn watches appreciatively from a sizable boulder near camp, the gold flakes of his eyes catching brief flashes of light from Silvi's smooth blade-motion. He grunts wryly to himself.
"No, not very sleepy at all."
Jauntily hopping down from the rock, he lands and swiftly sits crosslegged next to Tex as he continues to nurse his scrapes and bruises. "I have just realized something." He announces, his eyes distant, but probably talking to Tex. "You are of the mountainborn, the stonekind, yes? But, you fight like the littler folk. Why is this?"
Dwarven Excavation Quest. - COMPLETE“Dwarf prospectors found ancient dwarven ruins in the mountains southwest of here, and have been working an archaeological dig seeking treasure and relics. They need to be warned that a white dragon has moved into the area. Take the warning to them, then return to Townmaster Harbin Wester to collect a reward of 50 gp.”
Gnomengarde Quest. - IN PROGRESS “A clan of reclusive rock gnomes resides in a small network of caves in the mountains to the southeast. The gnomes of Gnomengarde are known for their magical inventions, and they might have something with which to defeat the dragon. Get whatever you can from them. If you bring back something useful and don’t want to keep it for yourselves, Townmaster Harbin Wester will pay you 50 gp for it.”
Umbrage Hill Quest. - INCOMPLETE “The local midwife — an acolyte of Chauntea named Adabra Gwynn — lives by herself in a stone windmill on the side of a hill a few miles south of Phandalin. With dragon sightings becoming more common, it’s not safe for her to be alone. Urge Adabra to return to Phandalin. Once she’s safe, visit Townmaster Harbin Wester to claim a reward of 25 gp.”
You follow a stream uphill to the base of the mountain, where waterfall erosion has carved out a natural concavity. The roaring waterfall creates a cloud of mist as it plunges into a shallow pool of water, within which rise two small islands covered with two-foot-tall red, green, and purple mushrooms. Several cave openings overlook the pool from rocky ledges twenty to thirty feet above. The mountain blocks any sunlight from reaching this place.
Tex will lend a hand building up fortifications to the front entrance MENDING on the broken door hinges, before lighting a campfire and settling down beside it.
Memories of his mother weigh on his mind as he flips through his notebook of various inventions and projects he and his mother had been working on before he left. He eventually settles on 2 designs:
First, cringing about the performance of his crossbow, he makes a few adjustments to an upgraded design, using a combination of some springs in the winch system, a reinforced bow arm and some minor enchantments laid into bowstring, Tex begins work infusing his crossbow into a +1 repeating crossbow
Second, Tex is reminded of how difficult it was fighting in the ruins While having to also hold some kind of light source, Tex finishes some calculations on some enchanted green glass lens that will aid in seeing in the dark. Tex enchants some old glasses into Goggles of Night
Ah... it’s nice to have a moment to sit and rest for a bit. Hey Gareth, can you help me real quick? (Tex will hand Gareth the bow arms of the crossbow to hold still while Tex adheres metal supports to it) Much obliged Gareth. To answer your question, my large friend, I was not raised on the mountains. My mother found as a baby when my village was burned to the ground. She was on an expedition to study Goliath culture. I was raised by a gnome inventor out on a frontier town very much like Phandelin. I’ve always been the biggest person in town, and apart from my studies about Goliath culture and giant language, I’m more like the little folk than the mountain born.
Following Tex's instructions, Gareth-Wyn considers Tex's words.
He frowns. "It does not seem right that you should know nothing of the ways of your kind - but, you are not of the highpeaks clans. Do you know who did this to your parents?"
Tex finishes tightening the support and sets about restringing the crossbow. He smiles, taking solace in the conversation and working with his tools for a bit
“from what my sweet mother was able to piece together, it seems like it was an attack from a clan of Ogres, but it was years and years ago. What about you Gareth? What brings you down the mountain?”
Gareth-Wyn smiles broadly. "One day, we shall find those ogre's, and see them dead! You would like this, yes? For myself, but I have told you already? I am Clanless! Among the highpeak tribes, this means that I must go down among the lowlanders to seek glory and honor." The smile stiffens and fades a little. "But so far, only honor is bashing unruly heads in bad Neverwinter taverns. Still, we must go on. If I am the one to kill the dragon, my tribe will consider my quest ended, my name earned. We have not had a dragonslayer for a thousand years... What a glorious Name that would be." His eyes turn to his glaive, it's edge tattered and decayed by the slime's horrific oozings.
"I do not think I will be killing it with this thing, however." His eyes light up at a sudden thought. "But now I am Questbound! This means I can invoke the Great Runes, like my father and father's-father! Come, your hands are delicate, and familiar with the working of metal. Come!"
If Tex will help, Gareth-Wyn will spend an hour or so directing Tex in the carving of a few runes in giant, eventually etching a runic pattern along the blade of a two-handed greatsword, conspicuously carried on his back beneath his pack over their journey.
Tex will get out his smith’s tool and, with the help of enchantment, etch the runes as directed by Gareth, BUT will also use his magical tinkering to give it the magical effect of being able to glow bright light in a 5ft radius, and dim light for 5 ft beyond that from the runes, (activated on command)
END SCENE (?)
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Corinne Hemlock: Dhampir courtesan and dusk huntress Kraig Bronzeaxe: Dwarven archaeologist and guerilla archer
Lanarial accepts Silvi's offer of aid wit a grunt, but his eyes show that he was not expecting this type of kindness. He unstraps his leathers and carefully lifts his bloody shirt over his head. Vi can't help but notice that Lanarial's body is criss-crossed by scars, most fine and old, a few jagged from poor tending. He sits still as a stone as she stitches his side, barely breathing. "You have my thanks," he says softly when she finishes.
Through the night, he thinks about the day and their battles. How he could have moved, where he could have been better hidden, how he was a little too focused on the threat in front of him and not the space around him. The scenes replay over and over, each time he thinks about how he could have done better and perhaps avoided the strike that added a new scar...
At the gnome encampment, he sighs with relief to finally be getting out of the direct sun. Looking around at the cave entrances, he says, "It looks like a footpath leading up to one of the caves on the east side of the stream. Start there? I've heard it's not considered polite to sneak in to other people's houses via the back door or a second story window..."
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Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
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MOMENTUM: 3, CHAOS: 13
Lanarial20, Vi20, Iri21,Tex20, Orc1(AC13/HP2), Gareth4
19
MOMENTUM: 3, CHAOS: 13
Lanarial20, Vi20, Iri21,Tex20, Orc1(AC13/HP2), Gareth4
In a final act of definace, Orc1 attacks Tex!
No, you! Attack: 8 Damage: 9
MOMENTUM: 3, CHAOS: 13
Lanarial20, Vi20, Iri21,Tex20, Orc1(AC13/HP2), Gareth4
(In case Gareth doesn't splatter 'im…)
Like a shadow, Lanarial darts in from behind Tex and takes a couple of swings at the last orc, leading with the shortsword at its neck and then bringing the dagger up into it's kidney.
Shortsword Attack: 18 Damage: 6
Dagger Attack: 11 Damage: 1
Sneak attack damage: 1.
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
Gareth-Wyn prepares a swing, but holds at the last minute, his face turning into a frown of sorts. He holds his action, only to watch Lanariel's blade flash in the light, taking the beast in the throat.
Gareth-Wyn lowers his weapon, his eyes flinty and cool, and nudges one of the dead dwarves with his boot.
QUEST COMPLETE
The poor dwarves never stood a chance. You theorize the orcs came to this excavation site looking for a new home, thanks to Cryovain possibly driving them away since the dragons arrival. You have succeeded in completing the main story line for this quest: alerting the dwarves, and killing the orcs.
You can either return to Phandalin to collect your reward, take a long or short rest to heal up, head off to the next quest, or whatever else you'd like to do.
Iri stands up and dusting herself off says, "In the rush to get back here I didn't get a chance to mention it, but there were a few secret doors we ran past. I think we should check those out." Leaning down to the dwarves she grabs the promised scroll of aid and anything else that jumps out to her as she hurries down to the door. "Ooh I wonder what cool secrets are behind this!" And she attempts to open it.
Gareth-Wyn will accompany, retrieving and lighting a torch on the way.
The secret door, which is easily opened now that you've noticed it, leads to an empty stone font juts out of the southwest wall. A stone wardrobe against the east wall holds the rotted remains of two suits of red leather armor (vestments worn by priests of Abbathor, now ruined and worthless). A door leads to a hallway which contains another visible door, leading to yet another room to the south. Half-buried in the rubble here is the skeleton of a dwarf priest wearing rotted red leather armor. It is very clear the dwarf was killed when part of the room collapsed. Around the skeleton’s neck hangs a holy symbol of Abbathor: a tiny jeweled dagger on a silver chain. The symbol is inscribed with Dwarvish runes. You could probably fetch about 50 gp for it.
"OOH SHINY!" Iridansa giggles as she grabs the dagger. She keeps moving towards the door at the other end of the hall and tries to open it.
"Careful. The dead are not resting so easy in this place." Gareth-Wyn gives the dwarve skeletons a cautious tap with the but of his glaive before following Iri across the hall.
When the orcs fall, Vi extinguishes the flames around her blade and cleans it briefly with a cloth it with a satisfied look, wiping a little blood off the corner of her mouth absentmindedly. Eyes glittering, the half-elf follows the others through the varied secret doors, frost forming around her blade in case something decides to attack.
Talav perches on her shoulder, silver eyes watching the area ahead unblinkingly.
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 rogue cleans his blades on the dead orcs' clothes, sheathing them and then retrieving his bow. He will explore the ruins with the others, on the lookout for more secret doors and traps.(14 passive perception). Once the place is completely cleared, he says, "We should fortify the gates and stay here through the night. Tomorrow we can go to find the gnomes. I need to stitch up this gash in my side..."
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
"I can take a look at the gash if you want, I've got some training, and it can be hard to stitch up a side gash," Vi offers to Lanarial. If he agrees, she gives what help she can before attending to her own wound and then slipping quietly away from camp.
Once away from camp in a relatively open spot, Vi closes her eyes and summons her father's lessons to her mind. She unsheathes her blade, and silver fire ignites across it as she begins practicing the movements once more. As she moves through the practice, her movements become more and more fluid, until she flows through the air with a new grace and speed, fire whipping past in her shortsword's wake. The half-elf is completely focused on the practice, her mind thinking only of the blade's movements and her father's voice.
"No, smoother than that. The blade must become a part of your body." Cirion's voice was stern. "Merely waving it around is good enough for plenty of common guards, but not a bladesinger. Again now, Silvi. Slower. You cannot have speed until you have mastered the technique itself."
The young half-elf gritted her teeth and practiced the movement again, slower, despite the fact that it already felt like she was moving through honey. She couldn't help but voice one query, though. "But leopard's are not slow. They're fast, and pounce!"
Cirion tsked and shook his head, reaching out a hand to correct her stance. "When they pounce, certainly. But you forget, a leopard is a hunter. It knows when to attack lightning fast and when to be slow and patient. The patience part is something you're still working on, Silvi."
Silvi sighed and continued to practice the movement. "But I'm not an elf. I don't have centuries to get it right! Will I ever be good enough?"
"You're right, you're not an elf," Cirion agreed. "So you will have to work even harder. But one day, if you work hard and long enough, you will be a bladesinger. Now, try the movement again."
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!
Gareth-Wyn watches appreciatively from a sizable boulder near camp, the gold flakes of his eyes catching brief flashes of light from Silvi's smooth blade-motion. He grunts wryly to himself.
"No, not very sleepy at all."
Jauntily hopping down from the rock, he lands and swiftly sits crosslegged next to Tex as he continues to nurse his scrapes and bruises. "I have just realized something." He announces, his eyes distant, but probably talking to Tex. "You are of the mountainborn, the stonekind, yes? But, you fight like the littler folk. Why is this?"
Dwarven Excavation Quest. - COMPLETE “Dwarf prospectors found ancient dwarven ruins in the mountains southwest of here, and have been working an archaeological dig seeking treasure and relics. They need to be warned that a white dragon has moved into the area. Take the warning to them, then return to Townmaster Harbin Wester to collect a reward of 50 gp.”
Gnomengarde Quest. - IN PROGRESS “A clan of reclusive rock gnomes resides in a small network of caves in the mountains to the southeast. The gnomes of Gnomengarde are known for their magical inventions, and they might have something with which to defeat the dragon. Get whatever you can from them. If you bring back something useful and don’t want to keep it for yourselves, Townmaster Harbin Wester will pay you 50 gp for it.”
Umbrage Hill Quest. - INCOMPLETE “The local midwife — an acolyte of Chauntea named Adabra Gwynn — lives by herself in a stone windmill on the side of a hill a few miles south of Phandalin. With dragon sightings becoming more common, it’s not safe for her to be alone. Urge Adabra to return to Phandalin. Once she’s safe, visit Townmaster Harbin Wester to claim a reward of 25 gp.”
You follow a stream uphill to the base of the mountain, where waterfall erosion has carved out a natural concavity. The roaring waterfall creates a cloud of mist as it plunges into a shallow pool of water, within which rise two small islands covered with two-foot-tall red, green, and purple mushrooms. Several cave openings overlook the pool from rocky ledges twenty to thirty feet above. The mountain blocks any sunlight from reaching this place.
Tex will lend a hand building up fortifications to the front entrance MENDING on the broken door hinges, before lighting a campfire and settling down beside it.
Memories of his mother weigh on his mind as he flips through his notebook of various inventions and projects he and his mother had been working on before he left. He eventually settles on 2 designs:
First, cringing about the performance of his crossbow, he makes a few adjustments to an upgraded design, using a combination of some springs in the winch system, a reinforced bow arm and some minor enchantments laid into bowstring, Tex begins work infusing his crossbow into a +1 repeating crossbow
Second, Tex is reminded of how difficult it was fighting in the ruins While having to also hold some kind of light source, Tex finishes some calculations on some enchanted green glass lens that will aid in seeing in the dark. Tex enchants some old glasses into Goggles of Night
Ah... it’s nice to have a moment to sit and rest for a bit. Hey Gareth, can you help me real quick? (Tex will hand Gareth the bow arms of the crossbow to hold still while Tex adheres metal supports to it) Much obliged Gareth. To answer your question, my large friend, I was not raised on the mountains. My mother found as a baby when my village was burned to the ground. She was on an expedition to study Goliath culture. I was raised by a gnome inventor out on a frontier town very much like Phandelin. I’ve always been the biggest person in town, and apart from my studies about Goliath culture and giant language, I’m more like the little folk than the mountain born.
Corinne Hemlock: Dhampir courtesan and dusk huntress
Kraig Bronzeaxe: Dwarven archaeologist and guerilla archer
Following Tex's instructions, Gareth-Wyn considers Tex's words.
He frowns. "It does not seem right that you should know nothing of the ways of your kind - but, you are not of the highpeaks clans. Do you know who did this to your parents?"
Tex finishes tightening the support and sets about restringing the crossbow. He smiles, taking solace in the conversation and working with his tools for a bit
“from what my sweet mother was able to piece together, it seems like it was an attack from a clan of Ogres, but it was years and years ago. What about you Gareth? What brings you down the mountain?”
Corinne Hemlock: Dhampir courtesan and dusk huntress
Kraig Bronzeaxe: Dwarven archaeologist and guerilla archer
Gareth-Wyn smiles broadly. "One day, we shall find those ogre's, and see them dead! You would like this, yes? For myself, but I have told you already? I am Clanless! Among the highpeak tribes, this means that I must go down among the lowlanders to seek glory and honor." The smile stiffens and fades a little. "But so far, only honor is bashing unruly heads in bad Neverwinter taverns. Still, we must go on. If I am the one to kill the dragon, my tribe will consider my quest ended, my name earned. We have not had a dragonslayer for a thousand years... What a glorious Name that would be." His eyes turn to his glaive, it's edge tattered and decayed by the slime's horrific oozings.
"I do not think I will be killing it with this thing, however." His eyes light up at a sudden thought. "But now I am Questbound! This means I can invoke the Great Runes, like my father and father's-father! Come, your hands are delicate, and familiar with the working of metal. Come!"
If Tex will help, Gareth-Wyn will spend an hour or so directing Tex in the carving of a few runes in giant, eventually etching a runic pattern along the blade of a two-handed greatsword, conspicuously carried on his back beneath his pack over their journey.
Tex will get out his smith’s tool and, with the help of enchantment, etch the runes as directed by Gareth, BUT will also use his magical tinkering to give it the magical effect of being able to glow bright light in a 5ft radius, and dim light for 5 ft beyond that from the runes, (activated on command)
END SCENE (?)
Corinne Hemlock: Dhampir courtesan and dusk huntress
Kraig Bronzeaxe: Dwarven archaeologist and guerilla archer
Lanarial accepts Silvi's offer of aid wit a grunt, but his eyes show that he was not expecting this type of kindness. He unstraps his leathers and carefully lifts his bloody shirt over his head. Vi can't help but notice that Lanarial's body is criss-crossed by scars, most fine and old, a few jagged from poor tending. He sits still as a stone as she stitches his side, barely breathing. "You have my thanks," he says softly when she finishes.
Through the night, he thinks about the day and their battles. How he could have moved, where he could have been better hidden, how he was a little too focused on the threat in front of him and not the space around him. The scenes replay over and over, each time he thinks about how he could have done better and perhaps avoided the strike that added a new scar...
At the gnome encampment, he sighs with relief to finally be getting out of the direct sun. Looking around at the cave entrances, he says, "It looks like a footpath leading up to one of the caves on the east side of the stream. Start there? I've heard it's not considered polite to sneak in to other people's houses via the back door or a second story window..."
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?