The night was quiet for most of you. Perhaps the elves conversing while you were still trying to sleep was a bit disruptive, but generally the night passed uneventfully. For all of you except Hutch.
You see Sophie stricken with disease, in her last breaths she tells you she loves you. Then as her eyes close you get pulled away from her and the hooded man appears standing over her lifeless form.
The last thing you notice in the distance, it seems her hand twitches. Suddenly you hear roaring and cries of alarm: Wake up, dragon attack!"
Hutch wakes scrambling. It is as if he had lost all his composure from the night before, whether from fear of the ruse or something else, no one can twll. Grabbing his Halberd, which he had laid next to him before falling asleep, he leaped up, spinning it twice, an act which seemed to bring him back to himself. Still half asleep his eyes narrow at Vorrak.
I don't have my armor on. And I doubt I have the strength to fight a red yet, buy...
Take a step near me and die dragon Hutch screams out, brining his Halberd to the ready.
Vorrak let's out a deep chuckle. And raises his hands in front. your bravery is commendable. But I must inform you I am not a true dragon. Besides,it was her idea he points a claw to Zilyana.
Coming to his senses, Hutch scowls. He walks up to the Dragonborn, placing the blade of his Halberd gently on the man's neck. How about next time you don't do that. Just cause she is a Drow doesn't mean you have to do as she says. And here I thought you were strong.
Hutch pulls the blade away, and begins to pack his things as if nothing happened. Grabbing his chainmail, he looks at the group. If you are going to insure we stick together, let me change into my armor. Wait here.
Hutch grabs his armor, and ducks behind some trees for a few minutes. He comes back looking the same as he did last night, and packs his uniform. You happy?
Vorrak stares at hutch unflinching. you're right, but I won't say I wasn't intruiged as to where it would lead. If you can't learn to laugh at things, this world will only just beat you down. he shrugs. at least that's what I was told as a child, and I've started to see the truth in it.
He looks up from his flute once hutch returns. happy? I suppose as one can be.
Zilyana giggled a bit at the human's reaction, then shook her head when he returned and commented. "You have to take a joke sometimes. Before the joke takes you." She grins just a bit longer before looking around.
"It seems we may be as ready as we're going to be..."
Evendur takes the blasphemy of suggesting that the Lord of Death is some how responsible for a minor gambling debt with a degree of silent shock but sighs in something akin to relief when he hears the bickering and potential violence - it fits perfectly with how he thinks things would go with so many disparate travellers... especially with what sounded like one of the Faithless or worse yet, even one of the False.
It is only a matter of time really. It would likely be soon that he would need to conduct funerary rites or heal they dying.
Venali's face takes on a slightly darker blue hue as he turns away and faces the fire when Zilyana started recounting the story about the noble. While he may not have been out of Evereska much, he does understand where her story is going, and the implication there in. Perhaps I don't stand the chance I thought, but far be it from an Auondril to give up so easily. "Perhaps you could recount the tale later, I'd be interested in knowing how you got out of, and into, that situation."
At the suggestion of pretending there is a dragon Venali stands up, stomping, and feeling more than a little foolish, along with the others.
Venali gives a slight chuckle at Hutch's reaction before asking, once the man is calmed down and has put on his armor, "So, when humans sleep... their soul drifts and they glimpse what awaits them beyond life? And you were riding upon a nightmare? I fear your soul might be bound for the hell's."
Seeing that everyone is getting ready to leave, he quickly toasts a bit of bread on the fire before putting it out, assuming no one else cared to use it for breakfast. He then slides his thinblade back onto his belt and grabs his pack from the ground.
"Shall we?"
Frilly asks alot of questions.
A dream is something you never want to experience. It is a lie and nothing more. A night without a dream, or a dream of slaying ones enemies are the only nights worth having. As for your question, what happens in my head, stays in my head. No "god" or mortal will get a say in that.
Even with that Hutch seems calm, as if he had simply forgotten his reaction the "dragon attack". For a while he acts as if his mind is in another place.
Damn dream. Sophie is dead, and if I run into a guy matching the look of the man in the dream, I'll kill him for appearing in it. No one screws with my dreams. Granted, it's probably all just in my head.
Drow you are clever, I will admit if you had met me several years back I would have simply laughed it off. But dragon attacks are serious, if rare things. You got my hopes up that there would be a huge payday for me.
Dreams are worthless huh? Maybe so, didn't save mother...but she was always so happy. And seemed to make others happy to. How did she do it?
He ponders before looking to the elves.
if humans and dragonborns are similar in their sleep. A dream is, untamed imagination. Sometimes, it shows us our hopes, things we want, at other times a dream is as strange as the fey, following whims of thought that have no reason or order. Other times, a nightmare, as it were, shows us something that we fear, or a terrible memory from the past. In all cases however the one similarity is that while asleep, you have no control over what you dream. Quite often most dreams are forgotten, or at least partially so, when you awaken. Some however are not.
He hefts his pack over his shoulder.
I'm going to start heading towards the city, I suppose I could use some more supplies. You are welcome to walk with me if you wish.
Might as well, your idealism will be the death of you. But it should help me prove my strength. I take it the rest of you will join. I hope the Drow does, I could use a reputation like that to help me out.
Honesty, the best policy since killing ones enemies.
Hutch smiles darkly after speaking. This could be "fun"
Zilyana sighed, before looking to Evendur. "Has your god indicated when he'll pay me yet?" Well, if she was going to joke about blasphemy...
She picked up her pack and slipped the shoulder straps on. Then she tilted her head forward, so that she could keep the hood over her eyes and the sunlight from bothering her. And reminded herself that she'll have to put up with this for quite some time.
"I may, sometime," she said to Venali, before looking to Hutch. "It does us better to journey together. And, no worries... Next time, it'll be a stampede. I'll leave 'of what' to your imagination."
She grinned as she turned toward the road.
Venali looks a bit disappointed at their explanations of dreams, "So no flaming horse of the hells then? But still," he perks up a bit, "being able to go on little adventures in your mind, never knowing what will happen next sounds like fun. Even if it is boring to watch..." He starts walking down the road next to Zilyana, stopping for a moment to turn and hold a hand out to Anna, "Come and walk with me, tell me of your experiences living outside the isolation of Evereska."
Death is a natural a part of life as breathing... Except that's when you stop breathing... Even as I am saying this I realise the metaphor isn't working, but that's not the point I was trying to make. The point I AM trying to make is that while Death is nothing to be feared, blaspheming against the God that will stand in judgement over your immortal soul is something even the long lived elves should reconsider Drow.
The priest dresses in his armour, preparing for the road ahead.
Death is a natural a part of life as breathing... Except that's when you stop breathing... Even as I am saying this I realise the metaphor isn't working, but that's not the point I was trying to make. The point I AM trying to make is that while Death is nothing to be feared, blaspheming against the God that will stand in judgement over your immortal soul is something even the long lived elves should reconsider Drow.
The priest dresses in his armour, preparing for the road ahead.
Forgive me but, your God screwed up. Actually don't forgive me. He screwed up big time. I don't care if he was God of all creation, he did something wrong so his "judgement" on anyone is worthless.
Zilyana frowned and looked to Evendur. "Does your god know the difference between blasphemy and humor? And if he does, can he teach you?"
ah, herm, now, one should not mock another's religion or views, or gods help us, their God. I say, how about a fine tune to travel too? I know a few more songs on my flute, learned them from a bard or two. Anyone here capable of singing?
A slightly flustered dragonborn attempts to change the topic.
Vorrak begins playing a tune hoping to relieve the tension in the air as the group sets off westward toward Greenest. With the sun at their back visibility is good, but the town is yet past the horizon.
-----------------------
For the entirety of the day you have been traveling the road from your campsite which winds lazily across the rolling grasslands of the Greenfields. Sundown is approaching when you top a rise and see the town of Greenest just a few short miles away. But instead of the pleasant, welcoming town you expected, you see columns of black smoke rising from burning buildings, running figures that are little more than dots at this distance, and a dark, winged shape wheeling low over the keep that rises above the center of the town.
Greenest is being attacked by a dragon!
Finally! Hutch pulls out his Halberd, giving it a quick spin.
Well, am I going to charge off alone? This is a chance for you to prove your worth. And for me a chance to prove my strength. Let Kill it!
Hutch leaps from his position, charging to the town. His chainmail rattled, his boots dashing a handful of rocks.
As the smoke comes into view Vorrak's tune stops abruptly. When hutch turns back to shout towards the group, he sees a red dragonborn run past him.
Help get the people to safety!
a dragon? Please don't be a red.. actually, I'd prefer a red to a white...either way, I don't think we can stop it.
Zilyana sighed. "Next time, I'm not saying dragon. I'm saying it's people who want to give us money."
She looked to the others, specifically the ones who can't sneak. "You guys draw their attention, I'll shoot them in the back."
She grins. "And stab them when I run out of arrows."
Venali stood still for a moment, the awe of seeing a real live dragon completely overriding the rest of his brain. I things go well I might not need to ask Vorrak for some scales.
He quickly shakes the feeling off however and moves forward with Zilyana, "I'm sure the odds of people showing up wanting to shower us in coin are actually much lower than the odds of a dragon attack, but I agree. We should hurry to help, but rushing in with no tactic is likely to... well, require the good cleric's services." He starts moving towards the town.
I knew that something worse would come! May Kelemvor strengthen my arm, I am called to help those who may die before their time.
Unlike the so called mercenary and the dragonborn, he starts moving towards the town at a fast walk... running in mail is a good way to reach the enemy exhausted. When he was closer to the town there would be the opportunity to run. In the interim he stops to load his crossbow - at the least he might be able to get off a shot if a target presented itself.
As Vorrak plays tunes on his flute, Zillyanna claps and sings a few sailor's songs, some of which sound very inappropriate for a young elven lady.
---
As she sees what happens in Greenest, the girl stops and stares at the smoke columns and the silhouette of the dragon in the distance. As every single one of her companions charges into the city. "We're advancing into a mighty beast that can sink armadas with its breath?", she shrugs, "Ok.", and follows them, with the smile of a kid who has just been invited to play a game. Taking the time to have bow and arrow in hands.
Zilyana grins. "If we must die today and give our final accounting to the gods, then I can name no better way to die than trying to save villagers from a dragon."
And with that, she started toward the settlement as well.
As you make your approach you notice more than just panicked villagers running across town. There are creatures chasing after some of them, humans in grey cloaks, as well as small reptilian humanoids with vestigial horns and thin tails, mostly clad in loin cloths or other ragged clothing, carrying slings and daggers.
The architecture in this town is simple, brick houses with thick thatch roofs. The buildings are scattered fairly openly along dirt roads. It becomes apparent that most of the fires in town are not burning homes or shops but haystacks and barns.
You draw near the first houses when without warning, fice humans dash out from between two buildings on your left. A limping man and three young children, one girl and two younger boys, race across the street into more shadows, and a woman carrying a round shield and a broken spear turns and faces back in the direction from which they came. Eight of the reptilian creatures stream out of the alley on the family's heels and fan out around the woman, who looks determined to delay the creatures for as long as possible.
As you approach, the woman looks toward you, moving her shield in your direction before pointing it back at the yapping creatures about to surround her. The reptilians seem to have noticed you as well but are ignoring you, focussing their attention on the woman, who looks more and more desparate by the moment.
Initiative order:
- Vorrak and Zillyanna D, Evendur, Venali and the Family
- Enemies
- Zilyana E and Hutch
Venali recoils back as the reptilian humanoids rush out of the alley after the humans, "Just what exactly are those?" Whatever they are, I'm sure I'll have ample time later to collect samples. His shock is short lived however as he pulls out his thinblade with one hand, while reaching into his coat's inner pocket with his other, pulling out a small piece of cured leather. His demeanor changes almost instantly after he arms himself, becoming much more serious, "Whatever they are, we can't just let them run amok. Miss, you should get your family to safety."
As he says this he presses the leather to his chest, muttering under his breath. Any watching will notice the leather seem to fade out of existence as a shimmer courses over his body. The shimmering light coalesces into a thin armor, seemingly made from glass, trimmed in silver. "I wouldn't worry too much about the houses, they only smolder. It would take more than these lot to burn down this village."
Vorrak runs up as close as possible to the kobolds before letting out a puff of smoke and a much more convincing roar than that morning. While brandishing his blade
Cretin! You dare to stand before a direct son of dragons and not show respect!? Now Kneel, flee, or suffer my wrath. Vorrak stands up to his full nearly 7 foot height in a menacing pose.
Zillyana was about to shoot one of the reptilians in the face when she sees that Vorrak appeared to have a plan. She lowers her bow and starts circling the kobolds from the right, trying to get closer to the family and getting a better angle for a clear shot. She moves slowly, ready to shoot any kobold that gets closer to the family.
Loaded crossbow in hand Evendur shoots
for
Vorrak towers over the smaller reptilians bellowing his threats, and the creatures begin squeaking with fright. Just as one of them begins to howl, a bolt impacts inside its open mouth and plants itself firmly in the back of its throat. Half of the bolt sticking out the back of its head the creature drops its weapons and slumps to its knees before toppling over backwards.
The woman, confused as one of the new arrivals tells her to bring her family to safety while the other seems to assume authority over the attackers, backs up slowsly, spear and shield trained on the small creatures: "Go, I'll be right behind you!" she shouts over her shoulder. The man behind her drives the children on: "Go, go, go!"
While she backs slowly into the alleyway the others run ahead of her.
The reptilians begin to scatter, most seeking cover, their panick while hard to read on their expressionless faces still very much audible.
Zillyanna releases an arrow at a closer kobold trying to make for cover near the building on the right.
The arrow hits the creature right between the shoulder blades just as it dives for cover, and the reptilian slams to the ground face first and slides a few more inches before coming to a stop, lifeless. Another follows it to the same corner and takes cover, the last one, directly in front of Vorrak, simply drops to its knees, whimpering.
The raiders begin loading stones into their slings and take hurried pot shots at the party.
at Vorrak
at Zillyanna
at Evendur
Two stones zip past Zillyanna and Evendur, and a third klangs against Vorrak's armor. Still shaken from Vorrak's display, the attackers fail to aim true.
Zilyana frowned as soon as she saw the reptilian things and sighed. She didn't even hesitate, pulling out her bow and looking around. She doesn't hesitate, taking aim at a kobold in cover near them (#4) and unleashing an arrow at it.
"Where would be the closest safe spot for these people? We may need to clear a path for them."
Zillyanna's arrow lodges itself in her target's neck. Gurgling and spitting blood, the creature collapses across its already dead companion.
Venali, thinblade in hand, rushes toward the reptilian in front of Vorrak. His blade awash in green flame as he darts around the dragonborn, thrusting it at the chest of the smaller creature.
Slinging his crossbow over his shoulder, Evendur strides forward bringing his shield around and into use while drawing his sword.
Zillyanna runs foward, taking one second to confirm the family was safely on the run before turning to the other direction and letting an arrow loose on one of the Kobolds (#5).
Vorrak walks past the kneeling goblin, keeping its stare locked until past him, and closes with the closest kobold past that.
Hutch rushes forward, his halberd held aloft, he comes up behind the others and the weapon's axe-head arcs downward.
Cutting deep into the shoulder of the reptilian crouching behind the corner of the house on the left, but as he dislodges the weapon fron the deep wound it caused, the creature staggers, bleeding profusely, but still standing. He then brings his weapon around to whack the creature near him with the end of the shaft.
But adjusting the weapon so quickly causes the swing to go wide.
Zillyanna advances toward the scattered enemies to get a better shot at the wounded crature, she brings her bow up, taking aim and loosing an arrow, but the target notices and ducks the shot.
Vorrak calmly walks around his companions and the kneeling enemy before him toward the now wounded one. He raises his sword arm, and swings, clean through its neck. The elongated head flies off a few feet behind it, while the body collapses, and blood quickly begins to stain the grass red.
Venali charges forward as well, his thinblade pointing at the kneeling raider, as he closes the distance he thrusts but in the last moment the squawking thing manages to raise its dagger and deflect the blow so it narrowly misses its face.
Evendur shoulders his crossbow and, readying his shield, walks toward the kneeling foe.
"The keep, it's the only safe place from these Kobolds!" the woman shouts. While the man and the children press up against the wall of a building she continues to stand her ground, determined not to let anything past.
The Kobolds begin to regain their -albeit still cowardly- composure. The closest one gets off its knees as it thrusts its dagger up at Venali.
But the attack does not even get close to the elf.
The other Kobolds reload their slings and cntinue hurling rocks.
At Zillyanna
At Vorrak
At Zillyanna
One rock hits the ground at Vorrak's feet. Another zips past Zillyanna but a third shot hits her right side and a Kobold hiding to the right side of the party yaps triumphantly.
Zilyana kept quiet at first as she walked up to join the line that was forming, while the other elf rogue went on ahead. It seemed to her that they were developing an attack line of some sort... But, that was just her. While Zillyanna focused on one kobold, Zilyana focused on his buddy across the way (#6).
"It sounds like we have to get these people to the keep," she says. "Maybe we can pick up others along the way."