The Threefold Deaths of the Venerable Theseus

Game Master Mervikoth

"I do not need to conform to any societal standards; society should conform to logic and honesty instead of hiding behind veneers of decency or propriety," she says to Arbaro, getting angry.

At Bragoleb's words, Roccavisk sighs and looks out at the horizon. "Before all this," she says, weary, her veneer of confidence down. She gathers herself, preparing to go against her natural instincts. "I was called... Quashishilb'p'p."

She is too focused on herself to notice any reactions (it sounds just like it looks in English; i.e., incomprehensible/hilarious/stupid) from the party.

After her reverie she takes a deep breath and hears Lem's words. She slaps him on the shoulder and says, "I too have learned to appreciate you. Your anger is out of concern for your friends, not from deep-seated father issues as I secretly feared."

"So should we call you Quash?

The eleven day journey upriver is uneventful. There is the settlement of Mzali on the southern coast, a moderately sized town that serves as a hub of civilization in the area. The population is mostly human and halfling, and they speak Polyglot. You can stop and buy items or sell items and whatnot there if you want. I'll assume your PCs spend a day or two there.

Another week after Mzali, you find your boats scraping the bottom of the river and find your hands carrying the canoes over land more often than rowing. The Shattered Range lies before you, its long, unbroken wall stretching across the horizon as far as you can see. The foothills before you are rocky and rugged. The valleys are packed with snow from the first snowfall of the fall, and the rest of the hilltops are bare rock and scraggly trees.

After some navigational orientation, you determine that there are two ways toward the Swaying Lantern: A snow-packed valley or a rocky ridge. The valley would be cold and wet, as the sun's rays do not reach easily down there, but the rocky ridge would require climbing and balancing. Fort saves and Acrobatics in the cold, or Reflex saves and Climb on the ridge. This will just affect your stats for the next encounter.

Fort +9, Acro +1, Climb +2, Reflex +6, Comfort armor protects from cold effects.

To Arbaro's relief:
"Well, it looks like this is the end of our time with the boats, for now. Thank Deadeye!"

Arbaro looks to the way ahead and breathes in the crisp air, ignoring the rocky ridge path.
"Looks like we'll be hitting some cold. I hope everyone packed their cold weather gear."
As Arbaro speaks, his chainmail shirt sprouts fur lining and he smiles.

Outfit, Cold-Weather
8GP each

This outfit includes a wool coat, linen shirt, wool cap, heavy cloak, thick pants or skirt, and boots. This outfit grants a +5 circumstance bonus on Fortitude saving throws against exposure to cold weather.

Thurl pulls out his journal when they decide to abandon the boats and says, ”Let’s hide these boats so that they aren’t take.” as he marks their position on his map. He surveys their 2 options.

I figure a wisdom check to see if he remembers to get cold weather gear, DC 10?
Wisdom: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Nope

Thurl gathers his robes around himself and says, ”It makes no difference to me. I will go which ever way you wish.”

Lem ponders getting cold weather gear...

wisdom: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (18) - 1 = 17

Thurl is usually knows stuff... but I think I'll pick some up.

Lem shrugs and looks for the nearest halfling vendors selling it.

Lem exchanges pleasantries and purchases some cold weather gear and asks for any advice they have traversing the mountain.

"Arbaro your idea for cold weather gear was a good one."

Fortitude +14 (9+5), Acrobatics +6, Climb +0, Reflex +9

Brag's endurance feat grants a +4 bonus on saves to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold among other things.

While shopping in town, Arbaro cast Ears of the City to see what is going on and if they need any side quest help. Also, he ask around to get any info on their path ahead to the Swaying Lantern and learns that there is a very cold path to take. He informs the others that the locals recommends getting some cold weather gear, plus whatever the locals recommend.

Brag, during the stay over at Mzali replenishes his arrows and acquires cold weather gear.

He seeks out information about what types of things they might encounter on the way to the Swaying Lantern. He will use this information to determine what spells to prepare each day.

Diplomacy | Information Gathering: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
Knowledge | Geography: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

Brag encourages Thurl to reconsider the cold weather gear. "Thurl, no disrespect, but I think you won't regret getting cold weather gear. You wouldn't want to be a hindrance unnecessarily would you?"

"Thank you for the recommendation Bragoleb. I just hadn't thought of it." says Thurl as they are out shopping. Thurl picks up a very plain set of winter gear. As they are shopping, Thurl asks about for information on yetis, stone giants, and remorhaz, as he had heard that they were possible hazards in the Shattered Range.

diplomacy-gather information: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30

-24 gold for gear

The path through the snowy valley it is, then.

The snow is thick and the air is thin. You have felt the elevation rise all day and night, and on your second day you feel the bitter cold is not going away anytime soon.

The path through the snow is slippery, ice having formed on what bare rocks are visible, and your footing is tested.

Roccavisk is fatigued. Bragoleb has his movement speed reduced by 1/2.

As you walk through the blinding white wilderness, you hear a deep rumble from above. Something as white as the snow takes flight form a crag above you, and you hear the roar of a dragon.

The white dragon soars down cools the air around you. He casts fog cloud. All vision within 5' have concealment (20% miss chance), and any creatures further away have total concealment (50% miss chance). The fog surrounds you on 20' on all sides. Ground is snow, so difficult terrain.

Round 1, AC 23, Total Concealment

Round 1 | HP 35/35 | Advice 17/17 | Awaken Divinity 6/6 | Ki Pool 10/10

At the sound of the roar, Thurl starts with alertness and when the cloud of fog envelops them, he knows he has to act. Knowing that Bragoleb had been having trouble moving in the snow so he groped about and touches him with his hand and Bragoleb feels a warmth transfer to him. Awaken Divinity-Recipient gains 1 Temporary Ki: Use as normal Ki, use as Swift Action to get +4 dodge AC for one round, OR use as Swift Action to gain +20ft movement for one round

Thurl then moves toward the east edge of the cloud using the powers of his shirt to speed his legs [/ooc](1/day use a swift action to gain an extra move action so Thurl can move 20ft and then move again for 20 ft but only net 20 because of difficult terrain)[/ooc].

The path through the snowy valley it is, then.

From now on during the adventure, I will wonder if we made the right choice, or if we missed the railroad altogether and went the wrong way... LOL

Round 1 | HP 49/49 | Lay on Hands 5/6 | Smite Evil 2/2 | Arrows 40/40 | Spells 2/2

As the dragon swooped down, Brag detects evil.

If evil, Brag calls on Iomedae to smite the evil monster. SE | +3 Attack; +6 Damage; bypass DR; +3 AC deflection bonus

Brag lays a hand on Roccavisk and removes her fatigue. He pulls his Goz mask on and instantly sees through the fog. He pulls his hood up on his cloak and goes into stealth mode as he readies the wand of flaming sphere for the dragon's return.

"Spread out so the dragon can't hit all of us at once. It is about 70 feet to the north east on the ridge/cliff/rock-wall. Anyone know if it can see through the fog?"

Stealth: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (12) + 16 = 28
Knowledge | White Dragon sight through fog: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19

Not sure what bonus to use on this check. The DC is 10 + the dragon's CR.

"Shadow, hide but track the dragon."

Brag will use Thurl's ki to dodge as a swift action on the next attack.

{edited}

GM Mervikoth wrote:

The path through the snowy valley it is, then.

From now on during the adventure, I will wonder if we made the right choice, or if we missed the railroad altogether and went the wrong way... LOL

I can tell you this: Your choices will *always* have an impact. I can also tell you this: You're still going to get the whole story.

For example, in the intro fight at the beach, choosing to sit at the table with Ood and Stonewall didn't really have an impact other than roleplaying conversations. That's an insignificant choice that I don't count as a "choice," if you know what I mean. But choosing to move closer/farther to/from the draugr in relation to other patrons (like Count Narsus) *did* have an impact, because the enemy attacked the count instead of you.

As for getting the whole story, I don't prep pages and pages of stuff and plan on throwing out Option A or B if you pick the other one. They're usually... variations on a single thing. Or, I'll just repurpose what I was going to use for later (like switching the shipwreck with the troll river encounter. Same thing no matter which one you did first.) Adjustments in average party level may affect the number of monsters but not the core idea. I honestly don't even pick how many monsters til I know you're about to enter an area (I research encounters months beforehand, and I leave some stuff undetermined so I can get inspired when setting up the combat instead of just going through the motions of copying and pasting.) My notes are just: River encounter: Canopy trolls! Flood trolls! Tidepool dragon! Scrag troll, 1 or 2? And then I piece it together later.

Round 1 | HP: 55/55 | Judgements 1/1 | Spells 5/5 | Perfect Strike 3/3 | Gravity Bow Wand charges 24 | True Strike 1/1 | Blood Scarab 1/1

Knowledge Arcana Dragon Weakness and Abilities+monster lore: 1d20 + 3 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 5 = 17

Arbaro cast Gravity Bow on his bow and steps back to the south a bit, Dewayne coming with him.

Arbaro is ready to draw whatever arrow seems right to fight the dragon.

"I've got something that will help light him up a bit!"

Round 1
AC 22+2 for larger foe
HP 65/65
Rage 16/16 – not currently enraged

Lem looks at his companions and unable to tell where the dragon is will pick a random direction to travel away from the group in effort to try to spread out a little bit.

move direction, 1=N, 2=NE, 3=E: 1d3 ⇒ 1

30 feet of movement on rough if that’s all I do this round, I’d adjust direction toward the dragon if I get out of the fog and see him, I don’t think I can move my guy on the map until I get home. If someone else can, feel free

If Lem sees the dragon he will call out the direction.

The dragon swoops over to the south and exhales a blast of freezing cold over all but Lem. Ref DC 18
A: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
B: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
T: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 2 = 22
R: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Cold damage: 8d4 ⇒ (1, 3, 4, 1, 4, 1, 2, 4) = 20
Arb, Brag, and Rocca take 20 cold damage. Thurl takes 10 cold damage (unless he has evasion).

The dragon continues to soar on by to the southwest, though the fog cloud persists in blocking vision. It babbles in Draconic.

Round 2, AC 23, concealment

"Hey, what about me?!" Roccavisk shouts. She slithers through the snow to barely get out of the fog.

AC 21, hp 16/36
Spells: 1st 6/6; 2nd 2/3; Mental Focus 10/10

Thurl does not have evasion

Hearing the sound of the dragon inhaling for an attack, Thurl yells to Roccavisk ”Duck now!” with his Ki infused voice. Mystic Insight (immediate action)-One ally within 30 ft gets to reroll one saving throw.

Round 2 | HP 25/35 | Advice 16/17 | Awaken Divinity 5/6 | Ki Pool 7/10

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (17) + 16 = 33

Thurl yells in a worried voice, ”It doesn’t have to land to attack us (Fly by attack) and it can see through this fog!” Inspire courage activated-Allies within earshot of Thurl: +2 competence bonus to attack/damage, +2 Morale bonus on saves vs Charm or Fear effects

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

Using all of his senses, Thurl tries to stay between his allies so they all benefit from his Advice.

By the way, Looks like flaming sphere can only move along the ground, so it probably wouldn’t do much good against this thing.

Brag had Thurl's Ki +4 dodge. So I'm thinking that the Ref DC 18 save was 21 rather than 17. Therefore, Brag takes no damage. Please correct if I'm wrong.

Round 2 | AC (SE+3) 21 | HP 49/49 | Lay on Hands 5/6 | Smite Evil 1/2 | Arrows 37/40 | Spells 2/2

Realizing that this dragon is evil, Brag is infused with power from Iomedae. Realizing that the flaming sphere is useless against air attacks, he rapidly releases three arrows at the dragon as it turns to fly away after the cold blast. Brag is thankful the Goz mask allows him to see clearly.

Adamantine Longbow Rapid-Shot Point-Blank Smite-Evil Thurl-enhanced Attack
Attack | Bow: 1d20 + 15 + 1 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 15 + 1 + 3 + 2 = 29
Attack | Bow: 1d20 + 15 + 1 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 15 + 1 + 3 + 2 = 29
Attack | Bow: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 10 + 1 + 3 + 2 = 31
Damage | Arrow, Regular: 1d8 + 6 + 1 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 1 + 6 + 2 = 16
Damage | Arrow, Regular: 1d8 + 6 + 1 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 1 + 6 + 2 = 17
Damage | Arrow, Regular: 1d8 + 6 + 1 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 1 + 6 + 2 = 22

"Thank you for the assistance, Thurl. Much appreciated."

Round 2 | HP: 35/55 | Judgements 0/1 | Spells 4/5 | Perfect Strike 3/3 | Gravity Bow Wand charges 23 | True Strike 0/1 | Blood Scarab 1/1

Arbaro calls on his ring for True Strike. +20 to hit, lolol
And as a swift action, Arbaro cast Judgement Destruction on himself. Damage+2

Arbaro casts Tracer Fire as he fires a single shot at the dragon.
+1 Longbow, composite(+2) Tracer Fire, Deadly Aim, blah Attack: 1d20 + 10 + 20 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 10 + 20 + 2 - 2 = 46
Piercing Damage: 2d6 + 7 + 2 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (1, 2) + 7 + 2 + 4 + 2 = 18

Tracer Fire: an arrow imbued with a magical light effect. If the attack hits its target, attacks against the same target gain a +2 circumstance bonus for 1 round, so long as those attacks originate in dim light or darker areas. The target counts as being in bright light until the projectile is removed or extinguished. Removing the projectile is a move action that provokes an attack of opportunity.

Sorry, I edited this like 9 times...

Brag had Thurl's Ki +4 dodge. So I'm thinking that the Ref DC 18 save was 21 rather than 17. Therefore, Brag takes no damage. Please correct if I'm wrong.

Alas, it’s only to AC (and CMD I think).

Ref: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Roccavisk looks up before the dragon's breath, "What? Where? This sound much larger than a duck, Thurl."

Round 2, because I forgot to give her a turn earlier...

She pulls at the compass on her person and points it at the dragon, an arrow of acid flinging from her arm. Casts acid arrow.
Touch Attack+Thurl+Arbaro: 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 2 + 2 = 172d4 ⇒ (1, 3) = 4

"He's almost dead, one more shot Lem!"

AC 21, hp 16/36
Spells: 1st 6/6; 2nd 1/3; Mental Focus 10/10

"Lem, throw a rock (not our roc, of course) or something at it."

Round 2

Lem looks around not sure where the dragon is and more confused than anything.

1 clockwise, 2 counter clockwise: 1d2 ⇒ 1
Lem runs around the mist clockwise, "Where is he Quash, I can't see through the mist."

Round 2

The dragon swoops down at
ABLTR, 1-5: 1d5 ⇒ 1
Arbaro and snaps at him, white teeth like icicles clenching around the inquisitor. Power Attack -3/+9.

Bite: 1d20 + 15 - 3 ⇒ (10) + 15 - 3 = 22

Bite: 1d8 + 7 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 9 = 22

The dragon swoops on by flyby attack to return to the air far above the cliffs on the east.

Round 3, AC 23

Round 3 | HP: 9/55 | Judgements 0/1 | Spells 4/5 | Perfect Strike 2/3 | Gravity Bow Wand charges 24 | True Strike 0/1 | Blood Scarab 0/1

Arbaro yells in pain at his new bite marks.

"He's to the East, Lem! He's lit up like a beacon!"

+1 Longbow, composite(+2) Deadly Aim, Rapid Shot Attack: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 8 + 2 + 2 = 32
+1 Longbow, composite(+2) Deadly Aim, Rapid Shot Attack: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 8 + 2 + 2 = 18
Perfect Stike:
+1 Longbow, composite(+2) Deadly Aim, Rapid Shot Attack: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 8 + 2 + 2 = 15
+1 Longbow, composite(+2) Deadly Aim, Rapid Shot Attack: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 8 + 2 + 2 = 17

Arbaro screams again as his scarab digs into his chest, confirming his critical hit but damaging himself.
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Piercing Damage: 1d6 + 6 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 7 + 2 = 16
2d6, converts to 6+1d6 right?
Piercing Damage: 2d6 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (4, 5) + 7 + 2 = 18
And the non-critical attack does more damage but doesn't hit...

Arbaro, severely wounded, gasps.
"Did I get him? Is he down?"

Arbaro, your crit is a 3x. Did you account for that? The house rule states, "Critical damage is maxed first die, rolls the rest normally." So, your damage should be 12+6+7+2 for the first of the 3x. You can roll the other two. I think the evil white dragon is vanquished either way because your damage was 16 and its HP was 16.

Brag sees Arbaro strike the dragon in the heart and moves to heal the inquisitor with the wand of CMW.

Heal | Wand CMW: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (1, 5) + 3 = 9
Heal | Wand CMW: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (7, 4) + 3 = 14
Heal | Wand CMW: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (6, 5) + 3 = 14
Heal | Wand CMW: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (7, 5) + 3 = 15

Brag sends Shadow to investigate from the air the dragon's fallen body.
"Shadow, seek the dragon."

If the dragon is indeed down, Brag will move toward Roccavisk and then the others to heal them.

{edited for stupidity}

Yeah, because the mist was tall, I was working under the assumption that the only time Lem saw him was when he first got out of the mist. Can't solve every problem with an Earthshaker eh?

Lem sees the dragon fall from the sky from Arbaro's arrows and commends, "Well done archers! If only he had come down here and tried to fight me! Is everyone okay now?"

could we get that disarm protecting skin for hilts that we got from the dragon that Stonewall worked with?

3,200 XP.

The dragon flumphs into the snow, his scales pierced with arrows.

could we get that disarm protecting skin for hilts that we got from the dragon that Stonewall worked with?

Refresh my memory; I don't know what this is.

"Excellent, I'm glad I got it!"

"Brag, thanks for the healing. I do not remember the last time I was hurt that badly!"

Arbaro heads over to the body to skin it.
Survival?: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

After taking care of the hide, Arbaro checks the area for its nest and loot.
Perc: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (13) + 16 = 29

Using the wand of CLW, Brag heals Roccavisk (-20), Thurl (-10), and himself (-20).

Heal | W-CLW | Roccavisk: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Heal | W-CLW | Roccavisk: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Heal | W-CLW | Roccavisk: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Heal | W-CLW | Thurl: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Heal | W-CLW | Brag: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Heal | W-CLW | Brag: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Heal | W-CLW | Brag: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

"It seems Arbaro that you've become the party's dragon slayer. Well done!

Did we find anything of value for our quest to the Swinging Lamp?"

Thurl thanks Bragoleb for the healing then looks at the corpse of the dragon and says,"What direction did the dragon come from? We should try to find it's lair, there might be items of interest to us there if it has prowled the Range for any amount of time."

Survival: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Brag sends Shadow to seek the lair of the dragon.
"Shadow, seek the dragon's lair; track the dragon back to his home."

I didn't even get to hit the dragon once... maybe next time!

With the talk of tracking the dragon, Lem perks up, "maybe there are more dragons!"

The dragon's scaled hide comes off and with the cold weather, will stay even if you do not having any tanning or preservation materials. It would take a skilled leatherworker to craft hilts from the dragonhide, however. Perhaps there is one at the Swaying Lantern...

With your skills at tracking the party is able to locate the dragon's lair: in a cleft fifty feet up on a sheer cliff-face. The top of the cliff is only twenty feet above the dragon's lair, and the wall has enough of a slope to possibly be easier to descend. The amount of rocks and snow, however, all but guarantee that your presence would be known to anything inside the cave. You can Climb up DC 25, Climb down DC 20, use ropes to assist with either option (+5), Fly up (no check), or any other option I haven't thought about. Jumping maybe? LOL. Only one of you needs to pass the check.

Knowledge arcana: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19

As they look at this cave and try to determine how to get there, Thurl says, ”That was a juvenile Dragon. It must have just struck out on it's own because that lair is to small for a bigger dragon.” While the others discuss their options, Thurl sets down his pack and pulls out a rope. It appears like a 60 ft coil of thin rope but he grabs one end of it and appears to just be standing there. After a few moments, Thurl shifts his attention toward the cave above them and the now knotted rope snakes up the cliff at a rapid pace only taking half a minute to travel the whole way up and then tie itself onto the most stable outcropping or anchor available.

As the others look on in wonder, Thurl turns to the others and says, ”Ok, who will be making the climb? I can provide a small encouragement to anyone who wants to try.” Thurl can give a +2 with an inspirational pep talk.

Rope of climbing, I’ve been waiting I use this thing this whole time!

I do make a point to, on occasion, check your abilities/inventories to see if I can create fun scenarios that utilize lesser-used aspects of your character... but not this time. The Rope of Climbing is 100% serendipitous! I love it.

EDIT: It's a DC 5 to climb with a rope. Not a +5; a flat 5.

Roccavisk creates saltwater on herself and breathes a contented sigh.

"Ah, this chill is bracing. The temperature here is similar to the cold we get on the ocean floor. I almost feel at home again. Thank you for the healing, Bragoleb.

"As for the task at hand, I am already of diminished use on land. Scaling a wall would be a sight most unseemly."

”I can provide some divine Guidance from Deadeye for the climb.”
climb: 1d20 + 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 2 + 1 = 9
Arbaro climbs up and surveys the best, shouting down when he verifies that it is empty, then tossing down anything of value.

Shadow perches on the ledge and watches Arbaro curiously as he works through the cave/lair.

Ignoring the others, Brag speaks to Roccavisk, "You are most welcome. I'm glad I could be of assistance in healing you from the attack."

The cave is indeed quite small, and is really more of a deep ledge than a tunnel. Bones of local ibexes and feathers from various hornbills, guineafowl, and eagles are piled against the walls, as if the dragon were too lazy to throw the trash off the cliff, but still needed a space to walk. At the back of the cleft is a pile of coins with the indention of the dragon's body, still warm. The large shoulderblade of a giant humanoid lies against the back wall, the broad bone carved in massive Draconic runes. On top of the coins are a blown-glass vial with a chain, a full brass goblet laying on its side but not spilling, and an ornate paper lantern hanging from the ceiling, its cold red glow scintillating on the pile of coins in the slight breeze.

Perc: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (11) + 16 = 27
"I found some bones back here, let us see if we can make anything of them by piecing them back together."

"The cave isn't very big, you all should climb up. The Swaying Lanter is only two miles away, so no rush. There are a few things that might be interesting. Plus, I cannot read dragon."
Climbing Aid?: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Arbaro cast Guidance on anyone who is climbing up.

Heal Check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

After a couple tense minutes of waiting to hear from Arbaro, Thurl relaxes at his nonchalant tone and climbs up after him.

climb: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 = 8 We are rocking the climb checks!

Thurl manages to clamber up the slope and relaxes a few moments in the entrance while he recovers. On first entering the cave, Thurl goes over to the huge bone and reads the writing. He ponders over it, spending extra time on the words that he hasn't seen since he learned the language. He stands up and says, "This seems to be from another dragon to a Viburnulum, probably the dragon we killed. Might have been a parent. It says something about sending that is stressed strangely."

Thurl searches the cavern as well, using his Ki to try to pick up on any oddity evident, but detects nothing else of interest.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 9 + 4 = 24

Send is a spell. Link.

Also bonus points* if you can figure out what Viburnulum means.

*Not a real thing.

The dragon is named Viburnulum meaning a "small burning power".???

I'm going to go with "no Flowers!" or "No trees!" Not knowing anything about latin, I think it might be some kind of combination of Viburni which is actually a loan word from etruscan, and possibly Nullum

Thurl responds to Arbaro's comment on how far away the Swaying Lantern is with, "Well, who knows where this dragon got that lantern."

The dragon is named Viburnulum meaning a "small burning power".???

Or it could mean a vibrating (VIB), ashes of the dead container (URN), that is small (ULUM). So, a small, vibrating ash pot.