This may not be the fires of my vision, but I definitely can't resist this call to adventure!
"I had planned on heeding the call this month, and this sounds right up my alley! I'll stand by you, Warbal."
Rizz is so excited and single-minded she forgets all about being nervous. She is ready to help her community.
Feeling a bit better now, he tries not to think about his current state as he makes his way toward the front, rubbing his hands in anticipation. As he nears the front, he can't help but overhear the goblin and the gnome speaking. Remaining nonchalant, he glances a few times towards them before looking the other way - thereby aiming his right ear towards them - and scratching his face.
Once he notices they leave, he looks around discreetly and follows. One way or another, I've got to get that Call. I sure could use a nap first though, he thinks as he follows several steps behind.
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"It looks like an...adequate...group has gathered this morning," she says, surveying the gathered group. "Come with me into the meeting and listen to my petition. If you are up for my task, I beg you to offer your services to the council. You might be my tribe’s only hope!”
"Of course! Of course, if the tribe is in danger I must help."
As noon strikes, the children begin to scatter and the group files into the council chamber. Once inside the chamber, you see that the room is set up as an auditorium, with a carpeted walkway separating several rows of benches into two sections. The carpet leads to a small set of steps and a raised dais. On the dais is a large desk separated into five parts, where the Breachill Town Council’s five members are seated, talking quietly with one another as they wait for the meeting to start. On the desk, situated in front of each chair, are tarnished bronze plaques bearing the names of the council members. From east to west, the names are Jorsk Hinterclaw, Melma Ann Sendari, Greta Gardania, Trini Sprizzlegig, and Quentino Posandi. Melma, Greta, and Quentino are humans, Jorsk is a dwarf, and Trini is a gnome.
With a sharp rap from her gavel onto the desk, a stern, dark-haired woman with a deeply furrowed forehead and kind eyes brings the assembled crowd to a hush.
Rizz rushes in and quickly takes a seat at the front, nearly directly in front of the seat of Trini Sprizzlegig, hoping that she might be partial to a gnomish adventurer. The druid is almost bouncing in her seat, sending Pumpkaboo bouncing around her lap.
Joran looks around at the empty place - save himself, the judges, and the few others that are in here with him. He then takes a seat several benches back of the colorful gnome. This ought to be interesting.
Nokfijit takes a seat by Rizz.
Aerel takes a seat far to the West side of the room, roughly midway down the rows of benches.
“Welcome, neighbors and friends...” the dark-haired woman begins, her rich voice washing over the room, “...to the Breachill Town Council’s monthly Call for Heroes. I am Council President Greta Gardania, at your service. On behalf of my colleagues beside me, I promise you all that we will hear and consider today’s petition with the utmost discretion and care. There is no existence without community, as our town charter says.
“Today, our agenda includes only one petition. Miss Warbal, our very own ambassador to the Bumblebrashers of Hellknight Hill, requests the help of heroes for a matter of utmost importance. Let’s hear her concerns in her own words, shall we? Miss Warbal?”
At this summons, Warbal emerges from the front row of benches. The well-dressed goblin woman makes her way to the foot of the dais’s steps. She clears her throat and begins her address to the council. “Esteemed councilors,” Warbal says, with a frazzled tone to her voice. “It has been more than a month since I’ve been able to contact the Bumblebrashers. I fear that something terrible has befallen them. What’s more, I have seen my people’s distress signal coming from the top of Citadel Altaerein—”
Before the goblin can continue her petition, the door on the western side of the room flies open, as a young man, his eyes wide with panic, runs in shouting and waving his ink-stained hands. Billowing black smoke and flames follow him into the room: “Fire! There’s a fire! Everyone flee!”
Immediately, the councilors begin moving down off the dais. Greta shouts for the crowd not to panic, but the spectators are terrified; they scream, jump up from their benches, and try to jostle toward and exit.
In the unfolding chaos of the fire, as dozens of frightened townsfolk begin to panic, a snickering little creature slips through the chamber’s western door. This small humanoid creature has thin, leathery wings, small horns, and a mischievous smile, and its body seems to be partially composed of flames. It cackles gleefully as it watches the fire spreading...
Initiative
- Players
- Fire
- Creature
- NPCs
"Ranzak! Would you help me help these people?"
Rizz scrambles to her feet and begins helping people on the left side of the room, pulling them out from under benches that were overturned in the panic.
In her panic, only after she's helped the first set of spectators does she notice the creature. "What is that thing?"
Joran jumps up and looks to the firey creature through narrowed eyes. Tempted to head straight for it and crush the thing, he realizes getting the people out of here is his utmost priority. His attention is quickly drawn to the gnome yelling for assistance. As the goblin she was talking to decides on attempting to take down the arsonist, "I'll help you, small friend! Here I come!" The large man then runs to help, hoping between the two of them, they can save everybody.
It seemed like Rory had just settled down in his seat before suddenly the room was on fire. Taking a quick glance around, it appeared that more of the able-bodied adventurers were aiding the non-combatants than not, so he opts to rush towards the creature that seemed to have started the panic to attempt to keep it from starting more fire.
He shouts as he approaches, "Little miscreant! Your fire is little compared to the fury of a dragon!"
Aerel springs into action as the fire spreads into the room. His first instinct is to help the civilians, so he tries to escort most of the remaining spectators remaining on the side of the room nearest the fire.
Fuzbizle leaps into action, helping the others corral the townsfolk remaining on the western side of the room out the door.
Once the final townsperson from the western side of the room is out of the door, you hear the door to the north slam open as flames burst through. The fire is apparently much bigger than you first realized - and continues to get larger, as the fire quickly ignites the wooden floor and dais near the western door.
The strange, fiery creature cackles gleefully as it moves towards the councilor desks sitting on the dais. Flames emit from its mouth as it ignites the desk on fire. Ranzak sees the creature through the newly formed flames - it appears to be smiling widely at him.
The councilors all move to the eastern side of the room and attempt to help the townsfolk there.
Round 2
Sweating profusely, "Alright, my little friend, we're almost there," he says to Rizz, drawing his shirt sleeve across his forehead to wipe the sweat as he heads toward the townsfolk still left in the building.
Joran moves to the other side of the room, and begins to extract some of the townsfolk who were trapped under the fallen pews.
The creature moves down the row of desks, looks at Ranzak, cackles wildly, and emits another stream of fire from its mouth.
Meanwhile, the existing fire continues to spread across the dais, the dry wood igniting almost instantly.
Rizz moves over towards the benches. Seeing the creature spreading fire, she has a mild panic attack and a flashback to her dreams of Breachill burning. Her skin begins to turn red of its own accord, and she seeths with anger. She chants an incantation, moves her arms, and points a finger at the creature.
A ray of icy blue energy launches forth from her finger at the creature.
Rory sighs as the creature goes up to the dias, glaring slightly. "Come on. That's not fair."
As the fire spreads, Aerel moves to help Joran get some of the remaining spectators out of the burning building.
Rizz and Ranzak strike the fire creature with their cold attacks. Rizz's ray hits first - a satisfying sound of releasing steam and what you think is a yelp of pain from the creature indicate that it was quite hurt by the attack. The bomb and its splash damage confirm that, as the creature screams in pain. It looks as if it's about to open its mouth to spew more fire, but nothing comes out. The creature looks as if it's on its last legs, but it remains floating in the air.
Aerel moves across the aisle to assist with the other townsfolk.
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With a 'Hup' Rory jumps up onto the Dias, catching up with the creature and hoping to give it more to think about than starting more fire
His punches swing wild however, possibly due to increasingly smoke filled room.
The creature cackles madly as Rory’s attacks swing wide.
Fuzbizle leaps into action, helping the others corral the townsfolk remaining on the eastern side of the room out the door.
The town councilors, as a group manage, to free one of the townsfolk and lead her out the door. They continue to help the remaining townsfolk on the eastern side of the room, happy to have your help.
"Will do Ranzak!" Rizz has a satisfied smirk on her face after the creature's yowl in pain, and prepares to help more townsfolk.
As the fire spreads, Aerel moves to help Joran get some of the remaining spectators out of the burning building.
Joran nods, "Thanks, friend." He then continues to work on getting everybody out.
Thanks to the combined efforts of the group and town councilors, all of the spectators who were trapped in the room are dislodged from their pews and escorted safely out without any additional harm.
The creature, reeling from the cold attacks it just sustained, flies towards Ranzak and smiles cruelly. It bares its firy teeth before flying in to snap at her.
After the attack it moves back over the fire it created on the desk. Hovering above the burning wood, it seems to be rejuvenated by the growing flames. It turns to Ranzak and smiles cruelly.
At that moment, the flames ignite further, spreading deeper into the chambers.
Upon seeing all the townsfolk cleared out, Rizz strides towards the creature and lets loose another blast of cold. "Leave her alone!"
Aerel finishes leading a group of spectators to the exit. His eyes sweep the room, and finding no spectators left in the building, they fall on the creature that seems to have started the fire. Aerel's hands move to his bow, and he fires a shot at the grinning monster.
Finally able to clear out the people, Joran turns his attention to the fire starter. Noticing those that have remained to take down the creature, "We've got to kill this thing and get out before we become the main menu for the local buzzards, folks!" Joran warns as he heads straight for the creature.
Fuzbizzle draws his shortbow, strides closer to the creature, and strikes at it with an arrow.
Rory moves towards the creature once more, yelling. "Hey, little pest! How about time for a nap?" He think moves into a Dragon Stance, bringing his leg up ominously as he prepares to kick the creature in the face.
Rizz's ray flies past the cackling creature. It turns to Rizz to laugh at her, but is immediately interrupted the flask of cold splashing against its body. It shudders and screams in pain. Its scream is cut short almost immediately, as Aerel's and Fuz's arrows sinks into its chest. The creature falls to the ground amidst the flames, its glow completely out.
The creature is dead, but the flames continue to rage around you, threatening to bring the entire building down.
Discouraged about losing the building, "Dang. Well alright, let's move, people! The goblin's got it right! We need to go before we're toast!"