This is much, much more than a couple of reckless kids...I hope we are in time to put a stop to this plan... Meraina says as she gets serious for once.
Torgen gathered up the supplies at the house and made sure they were distributed before they moved on. "Better that this villain doesn't have these I think" he had said.
To Kiliuk's suggestion he agrees, and he echoes Merainas dark words. "If there's a monster in that cave, we'd best arm ourselves with what knowledge we can before facing it"
He draws his axe and hammer at this point, the safety of the town miscreants no longer his greatest concern.
The marks scrawled in the dirt are crude drawings of a two-headed stick figure that's shown emerging from a cave and running toward some houses.
These drawings seem to indicate sketching out some sort of plan involving a monster in the cave to the west and Highdelve.
Brialla considers the drawings, trying to discern what manner of monster they face.
Unsure, she follows the others through the rest of the campsite .
This patch of white and gold flowers presents a lovely scene marred by two jarring elements. Beside the flowers is a lopsided wooden cart with one wheel broken and no cargo. Near the cart are deep scuffle marks as well as a few drops of a dark liquid.
You are all invited to make perception, knowledge:nature, and heal checks. Each character can attempt all three checks.
Please also move your token to the appropriate area.
Brialla takes in the scene relying drawing on her senses and training.
Lacking in most appropriate skills, Kiliuk resorts to sniffing the ground around the liquid.
Torgen gets down on one knee to examine the ground, wishing it were more the rock and stone he was used to.
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Brialla and Torgen notice some humans hiding behind the rocks. Two of them fit the descriptions of the missing naughty villagers, and the other looks older and strangely pale.
The stains on the ground are blood.
bold may post (note this is a surprise round)
surprise round:
Brialla
Torgen
mystery bad guy
teens
round 1:
Brialla
Meraina
Torgen
mystery bad guy
Kiliuk
teens
Torgen rushes to the hiding folks, and addresses the pale one.
"What have you done to these youths, villain?"
Brialla emerges from behind the rocks, her bow trained on the trio.
She considers the pale one.
"Richelle and Tolwin, I presume," she says to the teens, before looking at the pale one. "And you are?"
Brialla, this is surprise round, so you can move and see what you know, but not ready that attack. You can keep those rolls for your first chance to attack, though.
Brialla sees that the older attacker is a tiefling. He is wearing light armor and a sword and crossbow.
During the surprise round, the tiefling (the pacman) and one of the teenagers attack Torgren.
The other teen shoots an arrow at Brialla.
bold may post:
round 1:
Brialla
Meraina
Torgen
mystery bad guy
Kiliuk
teens
Realizing that she shouldn't try to hurt any of them until the party has some answers, Brialla fires her bow at the teen who fired at here.
She then takes cover.
Meraina moves to get both teens in her sight line and motions with her hands.
Surrender... she says softly.
Torgen defends himself against the attack, using the two-handed style he's practiced
Torgen snorts in disapproval at the choices of these youngsters, even as he regrets having to hurt them.
Brialla's arrow goes right over the shoulder of her target.
The teens drop their weapons at Meraina's suggestion.
The tiefling snarls about the uselessness of these weak kids, and shakes off the effect, only to almost fall over from the impact of Torgen's second blow.
The tiefling retaliates, slashing at Torgen with his sword.
The entire party is up now.
Meraina summons a dart of mystical force and flings it at the tiefling.
You'll not be using these kids for your twisted ends, fool!
The tiefling falls over.
As he falls, the teens begin shouting. The tiefling, they explain, wanted to unleash an ettin on the jubilee to distract the townsfolk so that he could steal from them unhindered. The bullies went along with the plan to get back at the townspeople who banned them from the celebration. When they saw Kameer and Kara heading toward the brightbloom patch, they couldn't resist the jealous urge to beat them up and steal Aurelliax's beloved amulet.
They were taunting the ettin where it's restrained in a nearby cave, and the creature stole the amulet. The ettin is likely to break its restraints soon and rampage into Highdelve.
pausing for a second for any reactions or questions before we move into the cave
edit: please place your tokens in the yellow box on the map. I'll narrate getting to that point soon.
Brialla considers what she knows about ettins.
"In for a penny, in for a pound." The ranger sighs. "We should recover the amulet and make sure the ettin doesn't pose a threat to the village."
"But, first thing's first," she says, turning to Richelle. "Do you still have the ring designs made by the jeweler Carth Garenth?"
Kiliuk addresses the boy. "Tolwin, Yarla said you keep records of people who she's worked with. What's Gilda from Greyhaven's family name?"
The teens tell you the records you are interested in are all located back in town.
You make your way into the darkened cave, moving through musty smelling passages until you find what is clearly the ettin's lair. Haphazard piles of rags and bones dot this gaping cave chamber, and a greasy tent is propped against one wall.
As you enter, an ettin roars in anger and bursts its chains. You see the glimmer of a golden amulet around one of its necks.
The party is now up. (all your special abilities against giants or orcs/goblins apply here)
Meraina gets out a scroll and mumbles a few words in an archaic language. Sh moves forward and shoots a jet of fire at the beast, hoping to soften it up a bit for the more martially inclined types.
Not wanting to allow the ettin to close on his other party members, Torgen charges!
The fire and warhammer slam noticably damage the ettin, but it still looks pretty health.
Brialla and Killiuk?
Roaring his defiance, the half-orc springs forward in a rage and swings at the ettin.
Brialla moves forward and swings her longsword at the giant.
The giant swings angrily at Brialla, since she hurt him the worst.
The party is up again. The ettin is clearly very badly hurt, but is not backing down.
The ettin falls over, dead.
Torgen looks at Brialla, impressed and relieved that he's unharmed in equal measure.
"Well struck Brialla!"
He reaches down to unclasp the golden amulent from around the ettin's neck.
"Now we've saved the town we ought to return this I suppose? And have Tolwin find those records we're after before he gets into any more trouble"
The amulet in Torgen's hand does indeed match the description of Aurelax's amulet.
As you exit the cave, you find Aureliax waiting for you. She thanks you for finding her amulet, and asks you to describe what you have found and done.
"Well struck Brialla!"
"I've learned that I've got to strike hard and quick with giants." Brialla notes as she bends down and goes about cleaning her sword.
""Now we've saved the town we ought to return this I suppose? And have Tolwin find those records we're after before he gets into any more trouble""
"Right idea, I think. And we get to be heroes." Brialla smiles. "And if I can get ahold of those ring designs, I'll be a hero twice over."
As you exit the cave, you find Aureliax waiting for you. She thanks you for finding her amulet, and asks you to describe what you have found and done.
"Wow! That was quick." Brialla notes upon spying Aureliax. "We were just on our way back to town."
"We are happy to give you back your amulet and to let you know that your ettin troubles are over--although I don't know if you knew that you had any." She ponders. "In any event, I don't suppose a dragon like you could give us all a lift back to the village? I have some designs I need to pick up."
Anything from everyone else?
"Well, we found the diary of a tiefling who wanted to release the ettin against the town and rob whatever was left--I don't think they knew about you, though. The tiefling had gotten Tolwin and Richelle to go along with the plan because the two of them wanted to get revenge for having been barred from the festival." Still panting from his brief foray into rage, he eyes Aurelliax speculatively. "Did the kids know about you? Or did they think you weren't able to defend the town, for some reason?"
And we made sure the foolish kids weren't harmed either...they gave up, thankfully. We were hoping they could be reasoned with...that tiefling had some sort of power or sway over them...
To add to the other's explanation, Torgen takes out the amulet.
"The ettin had this amulet-" he says, while offering it to Aureliax.
"The tiefling seemed to think it important they had it for some reason."
Aureliax takes back the amulet, and then right in front of you transforms from a human form to her dragon form. She does inteed give you a ride back to town; you are on her back, and the rebellious teens are held firmly but gently in her front claws.
The townsfolk thank you for your help, and make sure you get the answers you need to your quests that brought you here.
--------------THE END-------------------
Meraina is absolutely awestruck on her ride back to the village.
They're never going to believe this back home... she says still giddy after getting back.
