GM Rat Sass's Age of Worms

Game Master Governayle

Mortimer uses a chainsaw used blade of some sort to try to hew the head off the blue dragon. After struggling with it for a while, he asks Sol to just do it. ”How many can we carry?”

After Gazzilfek has gone off with his journal, Mortimer agrees with Ascaria. ”Which do you think would be more useful to him? I’m guessing the one that bolsters his defense. He’s probably picked on a lot because – because some people do not like oration. Or whatever it is he does.”

"”Hey, Gazzilfek has been really helpful. We should offer him one of the ioun stones."

Solrisa claps her hands in agreement, thinking that giving gifts is the best things one can do.

"That's two very good plans in a row, Ascaria! Very good thinking! You're a very good thinking and gifter too," Solrisa cheers happily, and hopes that Gazzilfek can pick out the prettiest stone.

* * *

"Oh! This is fun Mort! We should always spend time to chop off dragon's heads! Can we do more?!" She will happily hack off dragon's head, and won't even feel weird about it. Headless evil dragons are very dead evil dragons and all bad dragons should be dead dragons.

Mortimer will collect every dragon head Sol "produces" that can be carried.

"Gazzilfek, you’ve been enormously helpful, thank you. While you’re out letting them know what we know, see if you can find out what the king wants to let us into the deepest vault. We need to see if the phylactery is there. I don’t want to ask the king directly, until we have some sense of what he might want in return.”

Gazzilfek takes on a touched look, as the gnome addresses him. "I am very glad you think so!! I want to be more asset than in debt to you!! You are on the verge of even greater greatness, and you can't call many spriggans lucky in their lives, like you can myself." The smaller version of the Ominous Fabler looks ready to puff up to large, but the tale-teller restrains himself, preparing to be off and do Ascaria's bidding.

The spriggan doesn't return as you turn in for the night's rest.

...

The Outcasts awaken to their first dawn rising across Kongen Thulnir. It is a thing of natural beauty, as the clear skies blend into darkening mists, the light of the sun barely cutting into through the shallows of the upper fogs. The cliffs cast yawning shadows, which obscure and illuminate in staggered effect, giving you cloak one moment, then stripping away all shadow to reveal your presence the next.

Your keen eyes are enough forewarning to track distant dragonsign. It seems in proportion to the very few giants and bugbears which flit about Northern Kongen Thulnir. You expect that in another few hours, the siege will resume at fuller strength.

Before full crack of dawn arrives a very tired looking Gazzilfek. "They still don't trust you lot. Spent most of the wee hours doing my utmost, my big boast, proud host, and all I got from the Captain is my life he tells me, because he didn't rip me in two." Gazzilfek pauses. "Slow." Then he rolls his eyes.

"Now. He did say something I think he didn't mean to say out loud, but he really does enjoy the sound of his own voice, like Ascaria here, and he sounds like he doesn't like Kagro Thundersmiter very much. Sounds like he's jealous, because good ole' Kag is a Keyholder, sounds important to the Captain that he gets to hold onto a Key. One of two, he says, and he ain't either. Didn't hurt that Bagg was blitzed on moonshine at the time. Loosens the tongue, doesn't it?" Gazzilfek sticks his own tongue out, and it's surprisingly long when he wants it to be.

His luck holds, as he is present for each and every preparation laid out by Ascaria.

As the beheadings mount, Mortimer and Solrisa quite literally weigh the fruits of their labor. Every younger dragon head weighs roughly 150lbs, while more ancient heads begin to tip the scale at greater than 250lbs. Between the two decapitators, your capacity is roughly four dragon heads of varying age.

How do you proceed in your return to the Citadel?

Solrisa awakens with the sunrise, and takes her time to make herself pleasing and presentable to her Dragon Betrothed (should he be watching). She is a cheery and happy morning person (the best kind of time for joy, in her humble opinion, along with afternoon, evening, and night, which are all equally perfect times for cheer).

Her cheeriness continues (and grows) as she prepares many, many evil, flower-color-stealing dragon heads for transport. After all, how can one not be really happy when there is so many dead evil dragons? It's the perfect time for extra joy and big smiles.

"I think I'm ready to go," Solrisa says as she takes another apricot scone from the morning heroic feast. "I wish we could get more dragon heads, and maybe we can come back later and get more. That might be nice. Or go hunting for more, that might be fun too. It's *so* good when evil dragons die. I think Apsu smiles ever more when that happens."

Ascaria enjoys the dawn in this alien land, standing firmly planted and watching its glorious color display. Then he gets down to business.

He prepares as usual. Ascaria ensorcels the himself and his friends, including a few on Gazzlfek:
Magic Vestment (17h, +4 on Ascaria, Mort, and Sol)
Status (17h, Eidi, Mort, Sol, & Gazzilfek)
Wind Walk (17h, everyone & Gazzilfek)
Brightest Light (17h) on his hat band.
Heroes' Feast (temporary hp: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9 - everyone including Gazzilfek)
Detect Poison (Everyone including Gazzilfek.)
Diagnose Disease (Everyone including Gazzilfek.)
Lastly he’ll refresh everyone’s Life Link, including Gazzlfek.

”Gazzilfek, you’ve been so enormously helpful, we want to reward you. Just a small token of our appreciation for your help.” He takes out a Dusty Rose Prism and hands it over, explaining how it works, and that it’ll make him slightly harder to hit (+1 AC).

Then, when the short ceremony is over, he’ll turn to the group, ”So the Captain wants a key.” He turns to Gazzilfek, ”You said Kagro Thundersmiter has a key. Who has the other key? Also, can there be a third key, or are there only ever two? Who decides who gets them?”

Group effects
Heroes' Feast (+1 att & will saves, +4 vs poison & fear (morale); temp hp) (everyone)
Wind Walk (everyone + Gazzilfek)

Eidi enjoys Ascaria's daily breakfast with fruition as he rereads a few scrolls and books in preparation for the continuation of the assault "Did you know that dragons can actually yawn fire if they are not careful? Imagine that, burning your own pillow in your sleep. I suppose even the mighty need flame-proof bedding"

When Gazzilfek stumbles in, the elder half-elf greets him with a warm smile and a nod, as though the spriggan's very presence brightened the morning "So tell us, my friend, what key does this captain truly crave? Is it any old key he longs to rattle on his belt, or must it be one most particular? Maybe he only needs to say 'please', and the vault will open out of courtesy"

”It's *so* good when evil dragons die. I think Apsu smiles ever more when that happens."

”Yea – maybe if we could take out this entire squadron he’d be even more impressed, but maybe there is a faster way besides decapitating them all. Take out the biggest one, and the rest will scatter and nature will take care of itself. The biggest one counts for all.”

”So the Captain wants a key.”

”Yea, – yea! That might just be the way to the biggest guy!”

Mortimer helps himself to a couple of figs. ”Here, have some goat cheese,” he offers everyone.

...

Don’t dragons sleep on diamonds or something? He ingests some biscuits and waits to hear the spriggan’s response to Ascaria and Eid’s questions.

Mortimer helps himself to a couple of figs. ”Here, have some goat cheese,” he offers everyone.

"Oh, cheese! I *love* cheese," Solrisa is happy to embrace Mort's very good idea of marrying the figs with the goat cheese. This knowledge would have also made Prometheus' sacrifice worth it, if it had also been stolen from the gods.

She munches happily, as fresh fig season was a good season, third only to fresh stonefruit season and hunting evil dragons season.

"Gazzilfek, you’ve been so enormously helpful, we want to reward you. Just a small token of our appreciation for your help.”

Gazzilfek looks upon the ioun stone, at first warily. "You want to give me that? On top of your deep deep patience having me tag along?" The spriggan reaches his hand out slowly, taking the ioun stone, and bidding it take its place about his noggin. He spends several seconds appreciating it from his personal vantage, before nodding to the gnome. "I will treasure it, place it on a special shelf when I finally own one."

"You said Kagro Thundersmiter has a key. Who has the other key? Also, can there be a third key, or are there only ever two? Who decides who gets them?”

Gazzilfek shakes his head. "I didn't get that outta bawl Bagg. When you talked with the King, and the King talked back at you, it sounded like Kag might be the one to let you into the Vault. Of the Citadel. The one the King didn't even enter. Because he didn't want to. Enter it, that is. If Kag has a key, you suppose it opens the Vault up in his 'del? I don't get why there's more than one key. Feels like that's not my privilege to know."

"So tell us, my friend, what key does this captain truly crave? Is it any old key he longs to rattle on his belt, or must it be one most particular? Maybe he only needs to say 'please', and the vault will open out of courtesy"

Gazzilfek smiles. "I like how you think, then how you speak, after you've thunk. The way he said it, sounds like the Kag Key is what he kraves. Or something like it. Like its brother, said second key. For all the talk, Bagg didn't think the second key was in the Palace. He never said he went looking everywhere he could, but you don't have to come right out and say that, if your way of speaking makes it sound like you already have, and you're really disappointed."

The spriggan rubs his tired eyes, then blinks slowly, returning his gaze to the light flickers tinged dusty rose.

Mortimer ponders as banter bounces.

"Oohhhh... so Bagg looked everywhere that he had access to in the Palace, did he?" says Mortimer, as if everything has become transparent. "So, Kagro Thundersmiter only has one key, and the second keys lies beyond the door the first key unlocks."

He ponders a bit more.

"So, maybe we knock out Kag and take his key."

Ascaria is pleased that Gazzilfek is pleased.

"So, maybe we knock out Kag and take his key."

”Sounds like a good plan. Maybe we can challenge him or something, so it’s not misunderstood that we’re attacking giants generally. Just this guy.”

"Maybe there is another way to bypass the door? Mort is very strong and could kick it down, probably with one good kick," Solrisa mimics are choppy-chop, but with her foot. "And Eidi is very wise, and he could find a way to make the door not there, or us not-there, but inside," Solrisa makes a gesture like a mouse casting a powerful magic spell to summon a good cookie.

"I suppose I could try to enter the vault ethereally. See if I can find a key and leave the same way. Then we could give him that key so we can get into the vault 'officially'. I still like the image of one of you beating him up though." He grins.

Ascaria clearly doesn't think like a thief. Getting a key seems a fair use of his ability, but somehow just taking the reliquary isn't.

Eidi chuckles warmly at the exchange, leaning a little heavier on his staff pondering how many doors he has opened in his lifetime "Well, vaults and keys have a curious history, don't they? Dragons, for instance, were said to hoard not just gold, but the keys to ancient cities they had razed, though I suspect they liked the idea of owning the city more than the usefulness of the key itself. Can you imagine a wyrm trying to fit a tiny iron key between those claws?"

He clears his throat, eyes glinting with amusement as he looks between his companions "I rather like Ascaria's thought, walk through as mist, I can try make us all through, take the key, and then return with honor intact. Or, if our giant friend proves less than cooperative, perhaps Mortimer's direct method may serve. But whichever way we choose, it seems plain the second key lies beyond Kag's grasp, or beyond his honesty"

Solrisa looks from Ascaria to Eidi and then back to Ascaria, and then is ready to become mist, or just be missed, or fight.

"Okay...soooooo....what should I do? If you want, I can go kill more dragons while you guys get the key or I can keep guard, I'm very good at keeping guard. I almost never get distracted by pretty butterflies or lady bugs or anything too pretty, unless there is a rainbow, then I might move to see that, that's for sure, but there probably won't be rainbows here, right?" Solrisa looks around for a rainbow that might be nearby.

"Let's see how close we can get to the vault, and then see if I can get in. Some spaces are guarded against such things. We'll see if theirs is. If that doesn't work, we can try Eidi's method. If that doesn't work, we beat him up and take the key."

Ascaria stops to think a minute, "These giants live violent lives."

He goes off to see if he can get into the vault ethereally.

Eidi jiggles amused listening to Solrisa "Ah, but what fun would it be, to see the rainbows here under the earth itself. I would totally get distracted too"

He then nods "Ok, let's go. Do you know where exactly that entrance is, Gazzilfek? Please lead us"

Gazzilfek shakes his head, shrugs his shoulders, then scratches his left buttock. "You got yourselves plenty of dragon heads, so that might give the Citadel citizens a reason to listen to you, before you challenge 'em." The spriggan looks thoughtful for a moment, then slow nods, almost as if his rather long nose has begun to nudge an idea high enough for it catch the light.

"I've been 'round the lummoxes long enough... see the younger ones show up in Kongen Thulnir out of curiosity, then remain cliffside like they've always been here... They got more pride in this place than you'd think, given the thickness of their skulls."

Gazzilfek frowns lightly. "Like, they get angry when you suggest they abandon the city to find recruits in the brother mountains about. They just seem pretty set in their old ways, in a haze. I think you want a key a giant holds, you're gonna thump 'em dead, and rob the corpse. Like Mortimer over here suggests. I have see you talk pretty, though, and that trick of yours, Ascaria, I'd like to see that. I haven't got a single clue as to where the vault is, and I don't see them holding your hands and skipping you through the halls to show you."

The Outcasts have a general sense of the upper floors of the Citadel, for their first infiltration-turned-negotiation-turned-away. Floors Three, Two and One, and possibly lower floors, are left to your imagination for now...

Solrisa readies her blade and board, maybe, if she's feeling shieldy. She's not sure yet. But she sure is ready to move.

"We should ask the evil giants nicely for the key first, then get messy if they refuse right? We should always ask nicely, that's always the right thing to do. Like when Rae would ask nicely if she could punch me before she did when I was just sitting quietly thinking to myself! And that made it alright," Solrisa explains perfectly.

"Let's tour the lower floors first. Maybe we learn something, maybe we don't, but we should get a feel for our surroundings in case we need to fall back somewhere." Ascaria can't imagine the giants suddenly turning on them, but he'd rather know more about them anyway.

Ascaria suggests investigating the structure a bit more before confronting the key-bearer.

Ready to go pick a fight, Mortimer beats his right fist a couple of times into his left palm. He then picks up the dragon heads and begins to walk back toward the palace.

Dex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

He nearly trips on the thin air when his foot doesn't catch. He looks at the gnome.

"So, are we airwalking back or what?"

”Sure thing Mort. Might as well!” Ascaria casts Air Walk Communal (60 minutes) adding Gazzilfek to the party so they’re all walking on air. He uses his rod of extend to boost the duration - which he often forgets to do.

Group effects
Air Walk Communal (everyone + Gazzilfek)
Heroes' Feast (+1 att & will saves, +4 vs poison & fear (morale); temp hp) (everyone + Gazzilfek)
Wind Walk (everyone + Gazzilfek)

Solrisa takes to the air, air-walking in the wrong direction until someone points her in the right one. She's very excited for whatever might be happening.

"Yes, a survey of the lower halls seems prudent. Knowledge of the ground beneath one's feet often proves as valuable as the strength in one's arm" Eidi straightens, leaning lightly on his staff as he starts after Mortimer and Solrisa once Ascaria's magics take effect "Lead on, my friends. Let us walk the air and the unknown with equal confidence"

"I have some tricks under my sleeve if we need to find direction in this tower" he adds as the Outcasts surge the air.

Returning to the Citadel is easy enough, if you consider the occasional black, green, and blue dragon fly-by not at all distracting. The dragons are returning to their assaults in various parts of the city, primarily the distant towers and the northern upper section of Kongen Thulnir.

Approaching the Citadel mid-air, you take in what you have become familiar about the fortress, and what you still have to investigate.

Overview of the Citadel

Circling the great structure on the floating mountain, you remember your first infiltration at the top floors, specifically wending your way down to the Third Floor, and encountering a rather petulant fire giant by the name of Bram and his pyrohydra Noggins.

Taking in the lower levels, you notice a singular large set of double doors on what must be the First Floor, with a ramp leading up to it.

There is a single door leading onto an outer platform housing a ballista on the Second Floor, and two fire giants currently watch the skies at the ready.

The Third Floor has a courtyard, with one door leading into the Citadel's main building, and another door allowing access to a severely damaged outer building.

The Fourth Floor has outer battlements surrounding a separate tower, and many arrow slits abound.

Many doors, many slits, many giants.

Where will you infiltrate the Citadel this time?

Ascaria can't see well from afar, but he has some sense of the structure from others. "I dunno where to start. My inclination is the main doors by the ramp, just for fun, but I doubt they'd let us in there. Still, shall we try?"

If the group agrees, he'll head in that direction, following others with better eyesight.

"Oh yes! But ramps can be fun or unfun, depending if we are walking up to, or down the ramp! I hope it's a down ramp! Because those are the most fun, like walking north!" Solrisa begins to move towards the ramp, hoping it's a down ramp.

Mortimer moves with the others, keeping an eye on the rear dragging along the dragon heads.

Eidi peers at the ramp, adjusting his grip on the staff as if measuring its incline "Ah, the grand ramp. Ascaria, I find myself sharing your curiosity. A fortress door tells more of its keepers than a hundred spyglasses. If they bar us, we will know their mood; if they open, we may learn their pride"

He takes a cursory look at the bottom of the door, for if there is enough space for the group maybe crossing in mist form.

Ramps... Spring... we dug them up, roasted them and ate them with some nice pepper sauce... Too bad it's not that kind of ramp.

Mortimer's stomach growls.

The ramp itself is level, but on approach to the first level of the Citadel, you observe two sets of stairs which march prospective visitors towards the very large set of double doors which appear to be the only way to enter the Citadel at ground level.

There are three fire giants, in two positions. One mans the ballista above the doors, while the other two stand outside the doors at ground level. They stand their ground, despite their obvious vulnerability to aerial approaches. Eyes to the skies, they don't immediately notice your smaller-statured approach along the ramp.

Roll20 Map has been updated. The Overview gives you a decent lay of the land. Solrisa's token represents the party en toto. Oh, you'll have to scroll down to see the revealed part of the page...

Perception: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (20) + 24 = 44

”Is that discolored patch of stone work to the right of the main entrance – that looks like another way in.” How far from the main entrance? Can we sneak in without having to show off our dragon kill?

”Maybe if we have to, we can convince them we belong after showing them our bounty,” Mortimer states, holding up the dragon heads.

Mortimer's keen orbs manage to lock in on a secret door on the other side of the seven foot parapet. Now marked on the Roll20 Map as a red ellipse. The parapet is also affording you the time to discuss, as your smaller stature manages to remain partially covered even with the giants' higher ground...

"Oh, good eye there Mort! I say we try the front door, and should that fail, we try the secret. I want to see how they handle a direct approach. Likely with hostility, but we should try."

If the others agree, he'll alight on the ramp and walk up to the giants boldly with his glowing hat-band shining brightly.

"Good morning my good fellows. We're here to help you with your dragon problem, and have traveled many, many miles to do so. Might we be granted entrance?"

He gestures to Mort and his dragging pile of heads, "As you can see, we've already been busy, though these are just a reflection of what we've done. We couldn't find many heads in the mist you see, and some of the dragons fled before us so we couldn't actually kill them." He says proudly.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 32 ⇒ (5) + 32 = 37

Solrisa looks around and eventually settles on looking at her very nice blue booties.

"Yes, that's a good plan. I can also kill the evil giants if they are evil too, because sometimes you have to do that," Solrisa cheers, but keeps her swords sheaved until diplomacy has had a chance to succeed for fail.

She cheers on Ascaria's words with a smile of her own.

1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30 Diplo to aid

Mortimer shrugs and follows along albeit somewhat reluctantly, dragging the dragon heads behind him.

When Ascaria starts addressing the Giants, he stops and disinterestedly looks away and out over the mist rubbing the inside of his giant-facing nostril with his thumb.

The elder half-elf lets out a small, appreciative hum as Ascaria steps boldly forward "Ah, yes, diplomacy, the most dangerous spell of all"

He then turns to Mortimer and Solrisa "And if they do not open to kind words, well... I suppose we could always present them with your 'gift baskets', Mortimer. Nothing shows goodwill like a few dragon heads delivered personally"

With a quiet chuckle, he steps closer behind Ascaria, ready to back the gnome's speech with whatever quiet wisdom or timely enchantment might soon be required.
Diplomacy aid: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (13) + 14 = 27

Both fire giant guards snap their attention from the skies to the approach, where your diplomat gnome begins his work. One of them barks to the third fire giant, who looks over the embattlement above to see what's manifested at the entrance of the Citadel.

Gazzilfek calls out his contribution to the wordsmithing. "We've come from the Palace. The King encourages any and all slaughter, though he's in no shape to thump skulls. The other giants think that protecting the Palace is more important than lending troops to you, oh noble Tiamikal Nul-Shada!!"

Diplomacy, Aid Another: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30

The two fire giants positioned between you and the front doors remain silent. One of them looks at the other, then looks upwards, where the third fire giant awaits. The lower giant raises a very large hand, forming it into a fist. The upper giant nods, then disappears from the platform, as a door opens and closes loudly.

Both fire giants still in your presence cross their arms, and look down on you, silently waiting. The keener ears among you can hear voices somewhere within the Citadel exchanging muffled information.

At the same time, you can hear distant dragon roar, and the canyon begins to complain of battlefronts. The Citadel itself remains largely un-antagonized.

Do you continue to wait where you are?

Also, I assume Eidi has prepped for the day, say with magical enhancements like See Invisibility? Asking for no particular reason...

Roll20 Map has been updated.

"Thanks for the support Gazzilfek. You're quite good at this."

Ascaria waits, and suggests to the others to do the same. He says in common, quietly enough for only the party to hear if he can, "Remember, these are giants. It may take a while to think this through."

He grins and waits.

He takes the opportunity to do a charcoal sketch of the entry, with the three giants looking strong and brave at their posts. Heroic even.

Craft Drawing: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (6) + 23 = 29

If he has time enough to finish it, he'll walk up and hand it to one of the guards. "A gift." he says in giant as he returns to the group.

Yes, he has constant see invisibility thanks to a permanency spell!

Eidi waits patiently for the giant's deliberations, but when he hears the dragon roar, he cannot avoid tilting his head in that direction and stepping into the balcony area to have a look at what is going on "And you say those ballistas keep the large dragons away?"
Perception: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (7) + 27 = 34

Solrisa waits too, rocking back and forth on her bootied feets. They are a pretty shade of blue and make nice rocky sounds as she rocks. She's a good wait-er.