Bhoors despite clearing and avoiding obstacles seems to still struggle with managing forward momentum with Apple Candy he could be heard yelling, "If you were a horse we'd name you glue."
Seeing Davin in position to win Bhoors shakes off disappointment with his own performance and hollers out, "Go Davin go."
Sensing they are about to lose, the Green Vipers make one last rally...
Their leader GV1 ends up going nowhere, stepping right into a pothole you could swear you heard the dinosaur's shin bone shatter...GV2 sprints up to join him. Meanshile GV3 finally pathetically crosses the starting line...having the worst day of his career.
Order:
GV1, GV2
Nella, Dwalar <--UP
GV4
Bhoors, Shal, Davin, Bjorn
GV3
Cheered at the success of her companions in front of her, Nella eases her mount along and concentrates on the green viper who is threatening to take the lead from her companions.
While she focuses on slowing her opponents, twisting vines come from nowhere to slow her but she sees the vines in time to nimbly duck past them as she guides her mount.
Nella's vines blend artfully with the real Matabo vines in front of her, when veteran rider Dwalar streams across the finish line, winning the race!
A variety of fireworks and streamers erupt as the crowd, already crazy, goes completely hyper as losers and winners pass money through hands, smirking prophets are made and humbled ones die, and some others are just having the time of their lives.
Nella enjoys the thrill of riding her mount up to the finish line, at which point she slides gracefully off and nods gravely at Dwalar. But she can't keep the grin from spreading across her face with the joy of victory inside of her.
As her teammates gather at the finish line, she looks to them. The arena may prove less easy. Are we prepared?
The crowd rushes in and, if you let them, carries the team up on their shoulders to a staging area. The party catches a glimpse of the Green Viper boys punching each other in the shoulders and faces out of anger. You are led up stone steps covered with a colorful glass mosaic and up farther to a sunny patio overlooking the city...
Luxury.
Fresh cool grapes, soft sofas, wines and whiskeys worth a decade of a farmer's toils, all are yours as the officials explain you have a little more than an hour before the next phase of the competition. As you take your position in the winners circle, the servants begin fanning you off with perfumed palm fronds and pampering to your every need.
As you settle in there is a moment where only one servant remains, and as she pulls closer to offer you a shoulder massage she speaks in a hushed tone behind her colorful veil "Just act natural and listen to what I have to say...my name is Nerissa. The Oracle's Eye is a powerful artifact and greatly needed for a noble cause. I need but the metallic bezel setting...the prongs clasping the gem...not the gem itself. I could give you 30 gp for the setting, but you could keep the gem...and still fulfill your bargain with Po..." she rubs at just the right spot.
The other servants seem to be chatting and enjoying the view not noticing.
Nella listens carefully to Nerissa, weighing her words thoughtfully.
She speaks silently into Nerissa's mind.
What is your noble cause and how would you use it?
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Dwalar’s mount dashes across the finish line, and a resounding cheer from the crowd tells the dwarf he’s won. ”Yeah!” He tosses his stick up into the air in celebration— then quickly leans to one side to avoid its fall. Chants of Halfbeard! Halfbeard! fill his ears, and he never bothers to wonder whether they’re real or imagined. He allows himself to be carried off with his team to the luxury box.
* * * * *
His brows furl at the veiled servant’s request. Plots within plots. Too much fer a simple dwarf. ”What d’yeh think?” he asks the others in a low voice, in a tone indicating his suspicion.
Shaldinari rides across the finish line breathing a small sigh of relief, and giving her trusty mount a pat on its feathered shoulder. Once the handlers have the big dinosaur in hand she dismounts and joins the others in the rush to the luxury box.
When the servant makes her quiet request, Shaldinari furrows her brow, but holds her tongue until Nella's question is answered.
Making it across right after Dwalar, Duncan smiles to the winner and dismounts, only to be swept up with the others.
Later...
Relaxing and listening to the proposal from the 'servant', Duncan also attempts to divine any further information from her words.
Insight:
To Nella's question she startles and looks right at her outloud in a whisper "...a Chondalwood halfling?? ...lets just say I despise dark magic and am willing to put my life at risk to eradicate necromancy tied to the dead. If this artifact leaves the port it may never be found again..."
She seems to be telling the truth, but is obviously being evasive.
Bhoors frowns when Halfbeard crosses the line, "They'll be no living with him now."
Later Bhoors enjoys the spoils of being on the winning team. He eats the grapes and enjoys the company. His eyes follow after a moment the massage turn to a whispered message. Gee lady we hadn't even broached if our plan was to hold out on the Zents in the first place as crazy as that sounds. But risk upsetting them for strangers. He listens.
Nella looks intently at the woman.
If we are to make a decision regarding a thing of such power, we must know more. Tell us.
We will have the artifact either way. You must trust us whether or not you wish to do so.
Bhoors notes the eye contact from Bjorn and stands thanking his near by grape feeder. He moves over near to the woman speaking to Nella. "I've a sore spot too." He points to a spot on his shoulder. After a moment he thanks her, "Thank you that has been straining me." He turns and smiles as he looks her way, "You are a pleasant one aren't you." He leans in as if his flirting continues. One of many men celebrating shamelessly hitting on the ladies. He whispers, "What's all this about now. Something about our hard earned . . . well frivolously earned prize. It seems your offer is indeed intriguing but such business requires information."
She still seems reluctant but in the end gives "Alright. Alright, I'll be up front but you should know its a risk for me. I work as a shadow for a Harper agent named Soggy Wren. We've not had contact since I arrived here, but our efforts have been coordinated by a third party within our faction. We seek pieces of the Dreamer's Amulet, this gem setting is but one. It is a cursed thing that only brings horror to people like us, but in the hands of one with snakeblood we believe it may have power over death itself..."
Death is no more to be controlled than the moon. What you speak bodes ill.
"It does indeed, and I hope that you plan to destroy this item, if possible. We could never allow such an evil item out where it might cause harm...perhaps we should look at destroying it ourselves??"
Davin watcher the woman's reaction closely.
"It would seem we are aligned, I agree. Powerful artifacts are hard to destroy but not impossible...surely there must be a way. But we should seek understanding first, its source its purpose...one must know the snake's fang to craft the antidote. It may be our only chance at stopping this Death Curse..."
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A mask of fury comes over Shaldinari's face when the woman reveals herself to be a harper. Her knuckles whiten as they clench tightly to her robes while her nostrils flare with each rapid breath.
"So...." she says quietly threw clenched teeth. "The harpers wish to waltz in, pat us on the head and have us hand over the big bad artifact because they are the only ones....trusted...enough to do what is right?"
Stepping toward the woman, Shaldinari's eyes blaze with anger and a wildness tinted with a dangerous purple light. Her voice drips with anger and hatred with no hint of this being deception or her dark humor."You say we are aligned? But what have you done to help the people? What have you and your mighty organization done to recover this dangerous, world threatening relic?" She spits at the woman's feet. "Nothing...that is what. But now you come here and demand the relic? Not to destroy, not to use to solve the crisis, but simply to hand over to another unknown agent for...study."
"Harpers are nothing but spies, cowards, and drunks who leave a trail of blood and broken lives in their wake all in the name of what? Justice? Secrets? Protecting the world? Bah! Gathering power to protect themselves and their own worthless hides more like!"
She steps up nearly nose to nose with the woman. Her voices drops back to a deadly, calm, quiet. "You may convince these other good and decent people to work with you and that is their right and choice. But I'll not take your gold. I'd like nothing more than to send you and your...friends...to the very pits of the Abyss, but lucky for you that choice isn't mine to make."
She stares at the woman for another second, briefly closes her eyes as she breathes deeply once, then spins and walks to the other side of the room.
Nella listens intently to what Shal has to say then watches the elf as she walks away. She then turns to Nerissa and states quietly.
We have fought and risked life with Shal. Why should we listen to you rather than her?
Obviously jostled, she tries to keep her composure "Without a past, no being can appreciate what they have, and where they may be going. Even knowing how to destroy it may take years of study...destroying an artifact is to solve a riddle of the gods: a kiss from the daughter of a barren woman, bath it the glow of sunlight on the darkest night of the year, brake it for the love of a man who has killed all he has loved...history has shown it to be no small undertaking."
"You wish to instead ally with the Zhentarim, who would likely sell it off to the highest bidder? Or worse, trade it for an even greater power? It was we who opposed Tiamat and saved the Realm. It is we that Azuth, Deneir, Eldath, Lliira, Mielikki, Milil, Mystra, Oghma, Selûne, Shaundakul, Shiallia, Silvanus, Tymora and the entire Seldarine choose to smile upon." she shakes her head, trying to shake off a laugh.
"Yes, you are free walk a path you think is your own. I wont spend any more time trying to convince you, it was just an offer: plain and simple. You may yet lose." she shrugs her shoulders and starts to leave.
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From across the room, Shaldinari's voice calls out, this time more tired but still filled with pain and anger. "You name many gods who favor you and your people. But it was a harper who caused my father to lose his livelihood. Convinced him it would be harmless if he passed on information here and there and that they would support and protect him if any trouble came around. He made these promises and then left us to pick up the pieces and survive when his enemies came for their pound of flesh." She releases a deep, heavy sigh. "It took two weeks for my father to die. Months for my mother who was nothing more than a zombie after what happened to her."
"It was another harper who later convinced my sister the gods favored him and that she should serve your great cause, despite her being little more than a child. Where was the harper and her cause, and where were the gods, when Val was carved up and left in pieces, all because she carried some secret package that your agent was to scared or drunk to deliver himself."
"Where were the harpers when I needed food, a roof, protection? No help came from your people, despite my pleas and all I had lost for your cause. None. I was on my own. Had to earn my keep in the bars and inns of the realms. Get coin in the only way possible for a young unskilled girl with no family and no home...." She trails off for a second, then pours a glass of the strongest liquor she can find. Her shaking hand barely able to bring the glass to her lips before drinking it all in one gulp and pouring another. "It was a kindly dwarven smith and crafter who eventually helped me, taught me a trade, showed me there was still beauty in the natural world. Him and...another...who saved my mind and soul. Not a harper."
She waives her hand dismissively toward the woman at the door. "So as I said, I will not decide for the others. Zhentarim or Harpers it matters little, but if they wish to pass the relic to you, so be it, they are free to choose and I would trust their judgement and honor and thousand times over."
She turns to look the woman in the eyes. "But from you and your cause, I will take nothing....and I owe nothing." She pours and downs another drink and then sets the glass gently down on the table.
Nella considers Shal's words carefully, her brow furrowed.
Nella speaks into Shal's mind.
I hear your pain...
May I ask, if your voice spoke for all, what would you have us do with the artifact? You have earned my trust and the item will go where you say.
Bhoors sees there no slowing Shaldinari down and instinctively looks about the room for who might be listening in with interest verses surprise. No doubt Po has eyes on all this.
Bhoors, the other servants are wholly uninterested and seem to just be happy to get to work up here for the day. You spot a small flock of colorful cacaw birds in a potted palm, but otherwise nothing but an expansive, clear, blue sky above...which might be hiding any number of invisible flying creatures or magical sensors. ;)
Shaldinari's eyes pop open as her alcohol hazed thoughts are interrupted by a voice in her mind. It takes a few heartbeats, but then she recognizes the voice as Nella's and smiles warmly at the druid.
Rubbing her fingers at her eyes, she says with a shake of her head. "Honestly, I do not know what is best. My...thoughts are scattered. at the moment. Perhaps bouncing around on the back of that dinosaur jostled something loose." She says with a small smile and bit of her humor returning.
"But it seems to be a local artifact, perhaps there is a priest, scholar, wise one who knows more of Chult's history and legends who could provide some insight? It's secret likely sits in this land somewhere."
Her eyes narrow in thought for a few seconds, "One thing, it slipped my mind in the rush to get to the races, but I saw an item in Po's room. Radiated some form of divination magic. So if we do decide to make a switch or otherwise go back on the deal, he may know about it unless we take precautions."
Bhoors is shaken from his survey of the room by Shaldinari purposely following after the Harper. He watches on and listens he is visibly moved. Streets can be rough place. Taverns even worse.
He moves close to Shaldinari and reaches out to help her put the glass down but pulls his hand back knowing she has the situation handled. He looks her in the eyes a mask of cavalier removed from his face. "I had no idea luv."
He looks up at the Harper, "Well this occasion for discreet moments has passed." He continues softer, "We know how to pluck a harp string if we need to." He nods slightly knowing the woman caught the colloquialism for contacting a Harper.
He motions Shaldinari back toward the others. "If I know Nella she has already told you we trust your judgement too." He winks at the halfling.
Shaldinari's eyes pop open as her alcohol hazed thoughts are interrupted by a voice in her mind. It takes a few heartbeats, but then she recognizes the voice as Nella's and smiles warmly at the druid.
Rubbing her fingers at her eyes, she says with a shake of her head. "Honestly, I do not know what is best. My...thoughts are scattered. at the moment. Perhaps bouncing around on the back of that dinosaur jostled something loose." She says with a small smile and bit of her humor returning.
"But it seems to be a local artifact, perhaps there is a priest, scholar, wise one who knows more of Chult's history and legends who could provide some insight? It's secret likely sits in this land somewhere."
Her eyes narrow in thought for a few seconds, "One thing, it slipped my mind in the rush to get to the races, but I saw an item in Po's room. Radiated some form of divination magic. So if we do decide to make a switch or otherwise go back on the deal, he may know about it unless we take precautions."
"We'll get it sorted out."
"Maybe the Lord's Alliance might be able to help us out and take control of this artifact?"
Nella considers carefully, unsure of the proper course of action. Finally, she speaks
Perhaps we should win the prize first then make our decision.
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Dwalar stays quiet during Shaldinari's emotional outburst against the Harper agent. I'm beginnin' ta see why she hates Harpers so much. Inwardly, though, he smiles at the mention of a kindly dwarf helping her in her lowest hour. Me kin! Doin' us proud in the eyes of an elf-- wish I knew who 'e was.
"And my axe! I agree. We should win the thing first, it's no good talkin' about it until then."
Shaldinari finishes another drink followed by a quick hiccup that results in several small purple elephants drifting from her lips and floating gently up to the ceiling before they burst in a flurry of colors.
Blinking at the unconscious illusion, the elf shakes her head and follows Bhoors' guiding hand back to a nearby chair. Nodding her head at his word, she sits and another hiccup escapes her lips. This time a series of floating dandelion blooms circle around her head before fading away.
"Oh dear." She whispers to herself. "I've never had that happen...before. What was in that ....hiccup....bottle?" Her question is followed, by a group of tiny green and purple dancing tortles that drift across the room circles Bhoors and then spin away into nothing.
She giggles at the site of the tortles, but then frowns. "Well this will never do...hiccup." A flurry of rose petals drift around Dwalar, form a simple lay around his neck and then drift apart to fall at the floor and fade.
Blushing a dark red, she takes a deep breath holding it for over a minute. After finally letting her breath out, the hiccups and illusions appeared to have stopped.
Turning to Nella, she tries to recover her composure and bring things back around to what they will do. "Nella and Dwalar are right, we should actually get the prize before we try to figure out what to do next."
A large drum with an oiled dinosaur leather stretched tightly across is beaten at a rising tempo amidst the crowd below...the gladiatorial combat is about to begin.
Chests are oiled and weapons are sharpened, servants quickly dress you in what might be considered frivolous garb purely for show. When they reach Bhoors, however, they shrug their shoulders...he was already dressed for show enough apparently.
You are led into the ancient stone Coliseum, looked down on by greatly detailed statues of the Merchant Princes. The crowd is raucous and packed, they toss the petals of bright tropical flowers at your feet before you while shouting blessings and curses in Chultan.
Then you see it.
A great iron cage overgrown with the strange semi-sentient plants known as Matabo vines, no doubt they lash out with long tendril arms any combatant getting near.
You also see your opponents, a kenku mercenary known as Slicer and his two companions...a velociraptor and a deinonychus trained to go for the throat.
The official quickly explains that under no circumstances is this a battle to the death. Of course with the Death Curse certain traditions must be altered...
"...any questions, Bladefangs?"
Nella stands still, staring at the beasts before them, ready to charge. She is not new to battles of the wild.
Davin stands as far back from the others as possible, his bow at the ready to fire, or to be cast aside and his two blades to be drawn, as needed.
Init:
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Dwalar smiles when his battle clothing-- what amounts to a stage costume-- is brought to him, although the dwarven runes and forge-themed drawings seem a bit much. Then he looks closer at the runes themselves. "Dwarf... Hammer... Dwarf... I not eating"? "Makes me metal"? "Ah come on," he protests when he puts it on. Did they pull words at random and slap them on?
* * * * *
He straps on his shield, but leaves his other hand free for now. "Yeaaaah!" he shouts enthusiastically to the crowd. "Yer racin' champion has returned! An' yeh know I'm a dwarf, cause it says so all over me costume. Yeeaaaaaah!'
Bhoors sets up where he can intercept anything that rushes Davin or Shaldinari. He puts his hands up inviting cheers from the crowd.
His sidelong glances at the dinosaurs loose his normal swagger. He goes through the motions but he looks to lack heart at the moment.
He drops a sling stone in his sling and readies for the coming fight.
Squinting at the bright sunlight, Shaldinari flinches as the roar of these crowd rattles in her skull. Why did the blasted Harper have to show up before the fight?
Smiling when Dwalar rallies the crowd, she takes a few deep breathes to center her still swirling thoughts. When their opponents appear she sets her jaw and taps some of her earlier anger as a familiar nimbus of purple energy begins to form in her palm.
A beautiful merchant prince dressed in the most exotic and ethereal fabric you've ever seen approaches a balcony high above.
The crowd goes completely silent.
She holds out a single red handkerchief and lets go; it slowly floats down towards the battle cage, fluttering in the wind. As it nears touchdown, one of the vines on the iron bars reflexively reaches out to snatch it and tear it apart, and simultaneously the crowd roars as your enemy lunges...
Round 1:
Bjorn, Davin <--UP
Enemies
Dwalar, Nella, Bhoors, Shal
With a swift motion, Davin sends two arrows sailing across the arena into the velociraptor.
Attack:
Damage:
Attack:
Damage:
Davin precisely punctures just the right artery on the predator's neck to send it flapping down on the ground, bleeding out into a deep sleep instantly...