"Who knows about dragons, before we sneak into its lair?"
Indrick raised his hand. "I know a bit about dragons," he offered.
"Can they see invisible creatures?"
"Anyone else know about dragons?" Baris will walk around the room looking for shineys and what he can find around the room, secret doors, levers, weapons, etc. Perception Check
Indrick frowned, trying to remember the information he had either heard or read about regarding dragons. "Well," he began. "I'm pretty sure they can't see an invisible person, unless they have some kind of see invisibility spell on them... which is unlikely." Another pause, as he bit his lip and furrowed his brow in concentration. "That scribble had something about its breath bringing death. I know that dragons come in different colors, and they have different kinds of breath... I think black dragons had acid breath of some kind? That's pretty deadly and horribly nasty even in not-deadly situations."
Sefyr creeps down to the bottom of the stairs, carefully poking her head around the corner...
"Before I down the potion let's wait for Sefyr to get back here, I think I will tail her hoping nothing happens, but I wouldn't want to be alone."
Stealth Check.
"And don't forget the wyrm's weakness," Wilhelmina reminded them, pointing at the Dragonbane sword hanging on Tochi's belt. "We'll need to get it to expose its belly so Tochi can drive that sword home." She directed her next comment mainly toward Baris and Bladecatcher. "Attacking its head and forelegs should do the trick and force it to rear up, assuming it can feel pain in those spots."
The winding passageway at the end of the staircase in the back of an ancient warren set inside the hillside. Open to the sky above, this crumbling ruin is littered with debris. On the far side of the chamber, a pile of glittering gold and sparkling trinkets is piled up into a sizable horde.
Sefyr carefully looks around the room, trying to see if there is a dragon guarding this hoard.
Tochi listened to the others and made mental notes on their information concerning dragons. He nodded and laid a hand on the hilt of the sword, his face set in a stony stare at the ground; he was going over possible tactics in his mind for how he, one of the most likely to be hit with the dragon's breath, could avoid it. In the end he nodded in agreement to Mina's proposed strategy.
Bladecatcher moves in behind Baris, curious as well about what he can see.
Which is a whole lot of nothing. But at least he sees nothing quietly.
MAP 10
The winding passageway at the end of the staircase in the back of an ancient warren set inside the hillside. Open to the sky above, this crumbling ruin is littered with debris. On the far side of the chamber, a pile of glittering gold and sparkling trinkets is piled up into a sizeable horde.
After Baris sees the shineys he quietly goes over to Sefyr and motions to back up, also motioning Bladecatcher to follow. Once they are all together up above the staircase Baris whispers, "So we have a cave, did anyone see the dragon? So it must be out, up hiding on the wall or on that lip of the ceiling. Any suggestions on strategy?"
Sefyr motions the others back. Once the group has reconvened, she will relay to them what she has learned. Pulling out the Energy Heart, Okay. My thought is to give this to Tochi, have you drink the invisibility potion, creep up to the dragon, and commence with the dragon slaying. The rest of us ready to charge once the fighting starts. Unfortunately, we haven't actually seen the dragon. It would be a shame to drink the potion only to find out it isn't there. Still, it's the best idea I have.
"Could we persuade the goblins to lend us one of their kind to help collect the treasure...live bait? Baris winks at his own comment.
"That's a rather impolite notion, don't you think?" Indrick frowned, the humor of the joke utterly lost on him. "After all, they've been quite hospitable. I know you dislike goblins, but..." he let the sentence trail off with a frown and shrug.
"I think that plan could work," Indrick added, hastily switching his focus from the monk's joke to Sefyr's plan. "It might be better if someone quieter went up to it, though. Maybe. Just because he'll be invisible doesn't mean he'll be silent." A pause. "Althouuuuugh.... I could perhaps conjure up a few distractions... I know a few magic tricks for that sort of thing."
Tochi nods in thanks as Sefyr hands him the large ruby. He carefully tucks it into his belt pouch where it'll be safe but within easy reach.
"I agree." he says to Sefyr. "I wouldn't want to begin using such valuable resources until we've spotted our quarry." he tries to stifle a grin at Baris' idea, but the ghost of a smirk still plays over his face.
"Oh okay, just a suggestion. So the sneaky ones go in and try to get places to hide while the invisible Tochi moves in through the center front?" Baris suggests.
Bladecatcher will hang back with the less sneaky group, his sneak is not that awesome.
Considering the logistics of the plan, Wilhelmina liked where it was going. She would definitely need to hang back with the less stealthy half of the party and run in when the enemy appeared. she just had one more question. "Who should carry the healing potion? I can still channel energy but if the wyrm is in its range it will heal him too, so I may not always be able to get in the right position when you need it."
"I would like the potion, for I will be trying to get flanking after the initial assault and I will be out of your range." Baris states with confidence.
Wilhelmina nodded her agreement at Baris's logic, and would give him the healing potion if no one else objected.
"I'll wait to Bless the group until the wyrm shows himself and I can put everyone in the spell's range. Then, depending on how it goes at first, I can either cast Bane on the wyrm or go straight to healing if needed."
Looking out into the warren and seeing a whole lot of nothing except the pile of treasure amidst the rubble, Wilhelmina pondered the dilemma of drawing out Black Fang without using one of the group as bait. "I get the feeling that he won't come out until someone commits to going after the treasure. What tricks do you have, Indrick, that could fool the wyrm into thinking we are? I'd hate for any of us to actually have to be the live bait."
Indrick shrugged. "Got a couple things, actually. I can make images and sounds... Making a ghost Tochi shouldn't be too hard to draw its attention. So! I suppose I'll get things started then!"
Without waiting for any encouragement or further input for the party, Indrick whispered a few arcane words, and along the southern end of the room the sounds of armor and the heavy trod of boots sprung to echo around the large room. Moments later, an illusion of Tochi came to life, walking down the room with an almost careless swagger, as if unconcerned of the threat of danger.
Baris now will wait to get bless from Mina before he sets out to get behind the dragon, with the potion in his belt pouch.
His eyebrows rose in surprise upon seeing his illusionary self walk into the room before them. I don't really walk like that do I? he thought to himself. It was truly unsettling to see oneself from such a perspective.
He waited to see if his magical twin would be attacked, holding the potion of invisibility in his hand and ready to drink.
When Indrick released the sound, nothing happened.
But as the swaggering Tochi (who seemed a little too close to the real thing with his pomp and carelessness), elicited a screeching roar as you see from the opening of the cave a black dragon come swooping down at him. After about one second of looking he chomps down on the image, only to find that there is nothing there!
Out of the corner of it's eyes it sees the three party members and lets out another screech and chomps at the air in your direction. As it snarls, its black fangs drip with green acid that burns the floor wherever it lands.
Baris will delay his action to act after Mina.
Unless someone manages to hurt themselves within an inch if their life on their turn before Wilhelmina, her turn will be to cast Bless and then move out of the line of fire of the dragon's breath.
Sefyr shoots a beam of light at the dragon's eyes, hoping to blind it. Here we go! Before running across the room to take shelter behind a wall. If it appears to have worked, Now! Now! Now!
Black Fang is unfazed by the beam of light.
Bladecatcher lets out an Orcish growl, causing him to rage! He then runs up to the dragon, and lets down a mighty swing with is axe. Unfortunately it deflects off the thick skin of the dragon!
Even though he knew that they were to face a dragon, Indrick couldn't help by pale when the thing launched itself into view. Poor fake-Tochi never had a chance!
"A dragon!" Indrick half-laughed, half-sang despite his fear. "This will make a heck of a tale!"
With the sacred power of the blessing from Mina, Baris goes to work, he moves into the room once within 10 feet of the beast he tumbles, starting to attempt to get around it.
Acrobatics Check to avoid AoO DC 15 (plus any additional modifiers)
Double Move, done...
After completing the Bless incantation, Wilhelmina ducked just behind the cave wall to avoid the dragon's breath. Once the space in front got a little clearer, maybe then she would run in and join the attack if they needed more help harrying the dragon. But for now, her best bet was to stay out of the way.
Baris manages to get by the beast without provoking an attack because it's unable to see this round.
Black Fang, crazed because it cannot see, backs away from the group of adventurers.
Bladecatcher AoO -
46/54
"What, yes, it is on the run!" Baris quickly kicks the beast as it tries to move away. Unarmed Damage.
Baris's foot doesn't quite connect as Black Fang backs into a corner.
46/54
Tochi was surprised and felt a little sick to his stomach as he saw the dragon swoop in and immediately chomp on him. Er, his illusion that is.
But he quickly steeled himself; the group was depending on him to bring about the killing blow to this beast.
Quickly he quaffed the invisibility potion. Even as Black Fang was backing into the corner he moved forward while raising the sword they'd found. He grit his teeth while saying a silent prayer to whatever Gods were listening that the dragon would give him the opening he needed.