Barty's "Hoard of the Dragon Queen" (Tyranny of Dragons Part 1)

"Well that was disappointing, I thought there woukd have been a tad more excitement in the tunnel after listening to the chatter in there." Hono stares out at the pathway. "Well shall we? At least at this point we coukd make tracks go any direction to through off any pursuit if you are still concerned with such."

"Does anyone know what language that is and maybe understand what they're saying?" Rogram asks. "Should we head toward them or ... " he trails off, looking from face to face, hoping someone will make a decision.

"Which way are the voice even coming from?" Rachael asks. (Perception: 16, to try to tell direction) "Did they come through the tunnel and are somewhere ahead?" she asks, trying to keep her voice down since if they could hear others, they were likely able to hear them as well. "Any tracks?" (If she can also look for tracks near at hand she will. (Survival: 22, Perception would be same.) 

As Rogram suggests, Karib strains to make out the words as they move forward, at least to identify the language.

Unlike Hono, he is relieved at the disappointing result. He sighs then shrugs, "Something tells me that you won't be disappointed for long."

He looks around warily, trying to discern any tracks that might be associated with the voices.

Merric blinks in the light as they emerge from the tunnel, looking around to get his bearings. He frowns, “Interesting, I thought the tunnel would be longer. We should have just searched around the outskirts of the camp.”

He looks at Rogram and shakes his head “I did not recognize the language,  could not understand anything.”  He bends down, putting one hand into the mud, searching for tracks. “There is a clear trail though, right through to the marsh. Dare we follow? It’s a good bet those voices are going that way.”

There are indeed tracks that do not prove very difficult to find. Humanoid prints dominate the path that winds its way through the muck ahead, but animal prints criss-cross the path in places, the most alarming of which is a reptilian print that doubles the size of any of the other boots and claws preserved by the swamp.

While the voices carried in the tunnel from ahead of you, you can no longer detect them now that you are in the open air.

“Yes, I think we follow the trail into the marsh," Rachael agrees. “Any tracks seem to go that way. Between any humanoids and those really large reptillian print, we'd best be cautious."

She moves to follow the path, trying to stay alert. 

Rogram falls in closely behind Rachael. After only a short time, he asks her, "How long have you been with the Lords' Alliance?"

"Perhaps we will meet our dragon tounged friends let us catch up! Perhaps we are not as far behind the shipment as we had feared." Hono pushes on into the swamp following the prints.

"I have worked with the Lord's Alliance for a couple years now," Rachael says to Rogram as they move along. "I mostly delivered messages and ran a few errands here and there. My family is in Waterdeep, I grew up there, but we've always had an affinity for the outdoors. So, I'm not unfamiliar with the wilderness." 

Rogram nods as Rachael talks. "When we were in Elturel, and they were asking if we wanted to join the Order of the Gauntlet or the Harpers, I didn't know enough about them to say. The only group I knew much about was the Lords' Alliance because they helped keep the peace in Greenest, and my Pa talked well of them. This whole time, I've been trying to warn them about the Cult and what they're up to in order to get help." He smiles. "I'm glad you've finally come."

Rachael smiles. "I'm glad they finally responded. I can't say that I know why they decided to send me at this time. But it seemed important and they wanted to make sure you had help." She looks at Rogram a moment. "You didn't end up joining either of these other organizations yourself? We have representatives of these other groups with us, don't we?"  

Rogram thinks for a moment. "Yes," he finally says, drawing out the word. "I think Karib joined the Order. He and I were the only ones in Elturel. We met up with Merric, Carlon and Jamna after Baldur's Gate. Carlon's a Harper. Or, at least he has the symbol tattooed on his arm. I'm not sure about Merric and Jamna."

"I know that Hono is part of the Emerald Enclave," Rachael says. "And I think Lady Silverhand had told me only the Harpers and Order were part of the taskforce before we were sent."  She looks around at the others. "Seems like a good group. I just hope that this path we've barreled onto will prove fruitful." 

"I suppose that's mostly true," he says to Rachael.

Rogram pulls off his leather cap and rubs the black stubble that shadows the top of his head. "I don't guess there's any reason to keep up the disguise," he says. He glances at Rachael. "We donned disguises before leaving Elturel so the cult wouldn't recognize us if they had been at the camp near Greenest when we snuck in. I don't know that that matters anymore. They're trying to kill us anyway. Well, me, anyway." He plods along, looking at the ground. "I was so ready to leave — to be on my own — and now that my Pa's been taken, I can't wait to be by his side again. I don't care if I have to be an apprentice for the rest of my life. I just want to save my Pa."

"We should have just searched around the outskirts of the camp"

Karib nods slowly, "Aye" he says, as he follows along.

When Rogram says he's a member of the Lord's Alliance he smiles and lets the mistake pass, pleased that Rogram is not giving away all of his secrets...at least not yet. The Harpers liked to keep to themselves.

"We'll get to him, lad. Save him if we can, avenge him if we can't. Old Mathon's a tough one; bluster aside, he's no idiot."

He wonders what the older smith is doing, and resolves to contact him again when next they camp. 

"I'll ask him how often shipments arrive and if any have arrived recently."

Rachael agrees with Karib. "Yes, I'm sure we'll find him Rogram. We just have to keep looking."  She then turns to Karib. "You're part of the Order of the Gauntlet?  Does that mean you are a follower of Helm, Torm, or Tyr? Or all of them?"  

Karib frowns, glancing at Rogram then focusing on Rachael, "My first loyalty is to Gond, but I have worked with both the Harpers, and the Order from time to time. It is they who sent us on this journey."

"And what of you?", his gaze alternates between Hono and Racheal, "I think you mentioned the Lords' Alliance sent you? Rogram was trying to contact them before we left, but there was no time."

Hono, only half hearing his name and Emerald Enclave say, " What? Oh ya, Emerald Enclave, you'll love it. I will put a word in for you." Clearly he hadn't been listening and simply assumed he had recruited another follower, if only they knew ot wasn't so simple.

Hono continues to try and follow the tracks with a little flame rolling around his knuckles as he walked.

Rachael nods to Karib as they travel. "Yes, I've served the Lords' Alliance for a couple of years. I was sent to join with you to lend aid in your pursuit of these cultists." Trying not to get too distracted by the conversations, she also keeps an eye on the path they are following and any tracks she might see.