Vitre smiles at Kaluma as he hands the mask over.  "As you like.  You...um missed a spot." He circles his hand in front of his face to indicate the extent of the blood.

He bends down and pulls a second mask off and whispers quietly, "I have many plans..."  Lord Vitre's stands up and starts jogging to join the others.

"It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter anymore"

Kaluma says with clenched teeth. Her eyes are wild. There are many beads of sweat standing on her brow. The very idea of what she has to do makes Kaluma want to vomit. This is not the same mask that the murder of her father wears . They share the same design but……

Slowly she raises the mask to her face. The girl hears every part of body and soul make a creaky scream. But she is determined and she keeps pushing. And then…… suddenly the burdens disappear. 

Kaluma feels something was broken in her soul and another thing was born. (There is no right or wrong about vengeance. No justice or evil)The new Kaluma said. (Only hunter and hunted)She takes off the mask. Now it is just an object made from animal bone. (I will cry)  Kaluma thinks.(But not now…) Turning her back on the deads, the Tiefling girl follows Vitre and runs toward the keep.

Thanks to the familiar, it doesn't take long before Kaluma and Vitre find the other adventurers and the family. It was only a few minutes but Kaluma feels days have passed since the party split.She sneaks to the other and says.

"I'm glad to see you are all safe. There is no time to waste so listen carefully. I have a plan to distract these raiders…"

She shows everyone the dragon mask which she took from the dead man. 

"I will tell them that there are dozens of adventurers killing other cultists and heading in their direction. Can you use magic to help my deception?"

Lord Vitre stares intently at Kaluma, "And if they see through your ruse?  What then?  Surely you will be taken prisoner or killed.  I would not take those chances to go alone."

Lord Vitre raises an eyebrow, "I say we divide the sentries.  Kaluma, beseech them for aid and lead them off the road.  If they all pursue, we head for the keep and Kaluma takes flight and joins us.  If most of them stay behind, I pose as a cultist and three of us act out a fight near those house.  Surely, this will draw more. The rest wait to ambush while the family hides. Kaluma can use her flight to keep her distance and easily pick off those that pursued.  By the time they can regroup, their numbers will be dwindled.  Let's make sure the winged kobold goes down first."

Lord Vitre pauses to await the party's reaction.  This is one move, but there are many to consider....  He puts on the cultist's leather armor and leaves it unbuckled so it can do removed with an action.  He pulls the cultist's mask down and pulls out the scimitar to showcase his disguise.  "What do you think?  Sound like a plan?  I'd rather make a strong move while we have the advantage than try to stealth past and get caught."

Pardot nods, and looks to the family, saying, “Stay close, and prepare to run.” He will then follow along with the plan but try to keep his distance, hoping to pass by the sentries and make haste for the keep when possible.

Gavoi simply nods to the wizard, gripping his staff tightly and staying focused on the winged kobold.

Kaluma opens her mouth and tries to say something. But she just cannot find what to say,the Tiefling shuts her mouth and looks down her feet. 

" No … I mean. You are right. I have not considered much about what to do when my plan fails." 

She sighs and gives Vitre a wan smile.

"Lord Vitre, your plan sounds more likely to success than mine. I will follow it… if no one objects. I'm going to prepare the disguise and pull those raiders away from the keep" 

Kaluma's eyes are fixed on the Kobold with wings. As an one who also has the ability of flying, she knows very well about how dangerous the little creature would be in a siege war. Because of this the winged Kobold is the one who must die first. 

"Fine if that is the plan then go about it. But if your ruse fails you will end up by yourselves and we will be in the same situation of deciding whether or not to continue on without you." Galdrum says, his eyes returning to the family once more.

Kaluma climbs up the hill in the disguise of a cultist. The smell of themakes her sick. But it's tolerable. She carefully positions herself between shadow and light. Making sure that she can be seen but not be seen clearly by the raiders. Kaluml icks her dried lip. She can taste her fear. But the Tiefling swallows it and calls out to the cultists.

"Heeelp! We were attacked! It's the adventurers! One of us is down! Others are in danger! Come Quickly! Come to aid us!"

Seeing the distraction begin, Pardot looks back towards the family and gestures for them to follow as he attempts to sneak past once he sees an opportunity to do so.

(Welp looks like this campaign has died... Good luck with future games everyone.)

Lord Vitre stares in horror as two of his companions drop lifelessly to the ground, the spark of life fading before his eyes.  He turns to Linan and Cuth in anger, "Who are you really?  They were protecting you and now they're dead."  He grimaces under the damp mask and eyes his two remaining companions.    "Let's get on with the act now, how about it?" 

Lord Vitre quickly snatches Linan by the hair to drag her forward.  "Here's a little motivation to fight a cultist."

There is a moment of silence, and then chaos breaks loose. Lord Vitre struggles with the family, helped as much as Pardot can, while Kaluma drags the attention of the cultists onto her. It is fairly obvious from the start that the ruse fails. The cultists turn to attack and quickly the fight becomes a mad scramble. The children scream, and both their father and Linan struggle to run toward the keep and stay out of the way of any stray attacks or magic. Everyone begins to run for the keep as Kaluma struggles against both cultists and kobolds. There is a moments pause before there is a scream, and a burst of sickly eldritch light--and two of the cultists follow Kaluma down to the ground.

The kobolds yell, and bolts fly through the air. Quickly in the chaos Gavoi and Galdrum are lost, and soon it is just Vitre, Pardot and Baerdin that usher the family toward the keep. The world grows quiet, the land dark even as it lights intermittently with flashes from the dragon. There is a cut off curse and Baerdin tumbles to the ground, another two of the raiding group following him moments later. Linan lets out a sharp curse as a stray bolt nearly hits her and her children. It bounces off of a piece of stone. Another bolt whizzes by Vitre, and another past Pardot before one makes its home in the small druid's back.

The gates to the keep loom above you, and there are shouts from the ramparts to open the doors. Guardsman take arms atop and aim down with bows and crossbows and there is a burst of arrows down as the gate clanks open. The moment is tense, but relatively unscathed does Vitre and the family make it safely inside with the doors slamming shut behind them. Pardot not among the group.

Just inside the gate, a tall, bronze Dragonborn in chainmail with a sword, is shouting orders for the gates to be closed and for guards to get the family to safety. Looking at the well dressed Yuan-Ti come through he says in a commanding voice, "You're lucky to make it in! Those cultists are everywhere! I think I saw the little one crawl away..." Looking to the guards he yells, lightning flashing behind his eyes, "Has that accursed dragon gone?"

The half orc Steven was one of the few adventurers that fought the kobolds and cultists the same day he arrived to Greenest and saw the family and adventurers run towards the keep. He walk to the group concerned for their wellbeing.

-Is everyone alright?- asked a tall and very muscular half orc man that despite his imposing figure, had a gentle look in his eyes.

(Don't pay attention to his clothes and weapon)

Linan looked up from where she and Cuth were wrapped around their children, and then glanced back to Vitre.

"Somehow...we are," she murmured, and then gave a nod of thanks to Vitre. I was largely upon his decision to grab and run that had ultimately saved her families life. She glanced back toward the gate, lips pulled into a frown when she noticed the lack of Pardot. She hoped the little guy was well--he kept her family hidden throughout most of the journey and she owned him her thanks.

"Quite a day, I'll say."  Lord Vitre slumps his head down and then pulls out the dragon mask he's taken from one of the cultists.  He lifts it up and holds it before any of those who have gathered to listen.

"We questioned one of them before we made it here, before Kaluma fell...  He called themselves the 'Cult of the Dragon'.  I do not know truth from lie, but he boasted of a stronger force in the foothills.  Is there a force who would strike back against the marauders?  Let us talk to the lord of the keep and what value is placed on the health and safety of these people."

Lord Vitre offers a courteous bow to the towering half-orc and eyes the burly warriors surrounding him.  This lot looks to be useful in a fight. 

As Lord Vitre mentions the force in the hills, a towering grey skinned humanoid steps forward. Dressed in loose robes of a shaman, she kneels down to look over the family. "Is any among you hurt?" Turning to Lord Vitre, "I would join you in striking back against this cult. For the name of clan Ogolakanu and their memory."

Wolfstine sheaths his sword having helped in defense of the Keep he approaches the Dragonborn who seems to be somewhat in charge

"What now? I'm tired of shooting kobolds from a distance. I want to take it too them."

Having arrive just before the family, Thufir stands tall and looks at the group of refugees around him. Acknowledging the Goliath and wild looking human he says, in his powerful, deep voice, "I like the two of you! Taking the fight to them is just what they wouldn't expect. But he's right," gesturing towards Vitre, "if there are more outside of town ready to back them up, we'd be walking into an ambush." Sheathing his well used sword behind his back, he gives an upward nod to those around and says, "Name's Thufir. We're all safe for now, so let's see what forces this keep has to lend eh?" He pauses only briefly for the others to introduce themselves, walks into the keep towards a guard and says, "Who's in charge here soldier?"