Lost Lab of Kwalish

As the travelers continue through the mountains, they mourn the loss of their companion, until he is rebuilt.  The map shows their destination is nearby, and they anticipate arrival the next day.  <Take a long rest>

Upon passing the last bend in the rift between the peaks, light shines brightly on the adventurers, who find themselves at the edge of a cliff, overlooking their destination.  

The legendary lost city of Daoine Gloine spreads out within a narrow mountain vale. Ancient and intricate stone towers rise up from the valley floor, though many of those have toppled against one another to form dangerous-looking walkways extending between the ruins. The rooftops and upper levels of the towers are strewn with vines and foliage. But a strange gleam extends across the lower reaches of the city, resembling an almost-transparent barrier some thirty feet above the ground, visible only where it catches the light.

Below that strange barrier, the buildings of the city are unnaturally clean, showing no signs of vegetation or other life, and highlighting the glimmering crystal statuary that stands everywhere. Even at a distance, many of the statues appear to be humanoids of different races.

*Hey guys. I'm going to be joining you as Hondo Moonriver. The OOC thread at this moment is not working for me, says it's a 403 Forbidden. But I figured I could introduce myself here. Hondo is a High Elf Arcane Trickster.*

Leann stands atop the cliff, looking down at the city for a long moment. After a bit she starts to glance from side to side, looking for possible paths that might lead down to the city itself.

Perception: 12

Dorian prepares Sending in the morning, and sends a message home, only to discover his wife is very ill. "The university will arrange for someone to teleport in to retrieve me, I must go," he says, obviously concerned. "I can leave you the boat if you will need it on the way out, and the lantern if it will help."

Ctenmiir (dwarf vampire locked in a mechanomagical coffin) has some parting advice foe Dorian: "Should you think to head west on yiur journey back, mind you that the southern shores are home to smugglers and pirates.  Beware the hut the Eladrin mentioned. We passed nearby and that place when we reached the Foothills, you'll recall.  Those witches can be unpredictable, sweetand kindly one minute, ready to flay ye the next."

Shutorn stands next to Leann, scratching his head. “I wonder what that strange gleam is all about,” he says. 

Seeing Dorian about to depart he says, “So long my esteemed colleague. Best wishes to your wife. I hope she pulls through.”

Turning back to regard the city, he asks, “Does anyone remember why we came here?”

Ctenmiir, hearing Shutorn, holds out the map from the Cartophile, held by a mechanical claw that extends from a well concealed panel in the side of the box.  "We've followed the map through all of Chult, tracing the route marked by Kwalish's expedition. Now we're finally arrived at our destination and you forgot what you signed on for? You've got the memory of a goldfish."  Inside his coffin, Ctenmiir slaps his face in disbelief, then strokes his thick beard as a devious smile appears on his pale lips. "Now, let me out if here so I can get us down to the city."

Leann would have noticed the surface tension of the gleaming surface is higher than that of water.  Andi butts of stone age debris sit half submerged, sinking into the surface slower than tye eye can see.  When a slight breeze blues through the valley, the surface jiggles a bit like Jello.

Suddenly the party hears a male voice comes from the overgrown path to the right: "Ho there! Gods am I glad to see you all!" You see a tall, blond-haired, bearded man in seasoned chain mail and brown leather approaching, hands raised before him. He has a sword at his side and shield slung over his back.

“Well met.”  Leann says, turning to face the newcomer.  She has long blond hair, tied back in a braid, wears full plate, with a longsword at her side. The symbol of Torm can be seen on her shield.  “How come you to this place?” She asks, thinking of all of the trials they had to get through to get here.

The man turns to the blonde woman with a relieved look on his face, "I was paid to join a group led by a scholar, or some such thing, so that he could document a city hidden in this forsaken land. We were ambushed by a great black feline-creature and stood to defend ourselves. One of my allies fell to the beast, I turned to strike it, and the cowards fled, leaving me behind!

I've been traveling alone all day! If I hadn't come across you all, I would have surely died."

"Dyin's not so bad." Ctenmiir chimes in, "It's what you make of it."

OOC: Players who fought the Umber Hulk and xorn receive 1080xp.

As the group is talking, you see a High Elf hiding in the bushes not too far away. It’s hard to tell, but he looks like of the Moon Elf subrace. He’s long and slender and he’s wearing what looks like a ragged tunic.  

The blond man turns, shocked at the contraption speaking to him, and pulls his sword to defend himself.

"What sort of devilry is this!?" He looks to the rest of the party questioningly.

After having a less then helpful time with the other Kenku that live near by, a single one travels behind the party, seeming to tail them from the shadows as much as possible. As he steps close he is revealed to be wearing a strange robe that is covered in eyes that seem to move as if they were real. Beneath this he wears studded leather armor over well kept traveling clothes, two shortswords resting on his belt.

"Cartophile? Hire you"?" He says in a mimicry of a female voice for the first word before it changes to the sound of someone with a very deep voice.

“Hey! Stop- Would you- You little- ” Swiftly darting through the air, a yellow shadow jumps out of the bushes. It is a cat, expect it has wings, and it obviously doesn’t help the girl catch up to him from behind. “Gosh, hi! HI! Would you grab him- ?” Omiy yells at the taller elf, whom the winged cat seems to be running into. Finally catching up, she stopped and bent over to catch her breath, hands bracing on her knees. “-Oh man, thank you. God. Ten gold definitely does not worth chasing this little bugger for a WHOLE WEEK, come here you little piece of - Ms. Springflow is worried sick. Wait - ”

She takes over the small cat, holds him tightly in her arms, and looks around, eyes wide, suddenly aware of her surroundings and clearly confused - “Where is this?” Catching the sight of the weird shadow in the vertical coffin, she immediately raises her greatsword with one hand, holding the cat in another, and questions loudly, “WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT?!”

Quote from WhiteByakko >>

“Hey! Stop- Would you- You little- ” Swiftly darting through the air, a yellow shadow jumps out of the bushes. It is a cat, expect it has wings, and it obviously doesn’t help the girl catch up to him from behind. “Gosh, hi! HI! Would you grab him- ?” Omiy yells at the taller elf, whom the winged cat seems to be running into. Finally catching up, she stopped and bent over to catch her breath, hands bracing on her knees. “-Oh man, thank you. God. Ten gold definitely does not worth chasing this little bugger for a WHOLE WEEK, come here you little piece of - Ms. Springflow is worried sick. Wait - ”

She takes over the small cat, holds him tightly in her arms, and looks around, eyes wide, suddenly aware of her surroundings and clearly confused - “Where is this?” Catching the sight of the weird shadow in the vertical coffin, she immediately raises her greatsword with one hand, holding the cat in another, and questions loudly, “WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT?!”

 The cat crashes onto the elf, knocking him down and out of his cover. After the girl takes the cat off of him, he looks up to see the metal coffins of the dwarf. He stands up and, trying to be polite, dusts off the dust from the ground. “Excuse my spying on you, I couldn’t determine whether you could be trusted yet.” He sticks out his hand and says, “Hondo’s the name, investigating’s my game.”

"Fancy that!" Ctenmiir huffs, "For a lost city, this place seems to be a bustling hub of activity.  I don't know what's brought all these folk here, but something is afoot and I don't like it."  

To the Kenku, Ctenmiir adds, "Stabby!?  I thought we'd seen the last of you for certain.  Anaxi (Cartophile [gnome]) sent you on your way months ago.  Guess its hard asking for directions when all you can do is repeat things.  Too bad the old cartophile hadn't found this yet." He shows him the map leading  to the spot where they now stand.  "Glad to see you still in one piece.  I thought for sure you'd been plucked.  Well, might as well join us and claim your pay from MR. Zephries when we all get back."

The blonde bearded man relaxes a bit, with the party seemingly ok with a walking coffin in their midst.

"Well, I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Sigurd Olafson. At this time I'm a sellsword, but who knows what I'll be doing once I get out of this place!" He laughs to himself.

"What brings you all here, if you don't mind my asking?"

The Kenku let's out several sounds of displeasure towards the trapped vampire. The sound of a hissing cat comes from his beak as he crosses his arms and moves to look at the map. "Pay Stabby." He says in the voice of Ctenmiir, nodding in agreement before turning to Sigurd. "Stabby Sellsword." He says moving the strange bribe to show an armband that had a stylized Owlbear on it.

The Elf looks at the group and says, “Y’all are looking for Kwalish, correct? So am I. He’s the only one, or the only one who made a device, that could send me back to my realm. I am not if this world. I was tricked by murderers to jump though a portal in which I ended up at a place called “The Monastery”, he shuddered as if remembering a horrible experience, “ but I escaped, but only with my life. Unfortunately, all my gear was left behind.”