"And why would I want to speak with someone? Why do you think I wear this axe here, as a fashion accessory?"
"It's a very pretty axe, actually. Mahaffy jests - I do not try to speak with every potential foe, but I have lived to tell the tale once or twice because we gave those we encountered a chance for a peaceful parting of the ways. I'm sure you've lived long enough to realize that never everything can be resolved with an axe -- sometimes flight is appropriate, sometimes negotiation is appropriate."
Ka'kara:
"Dragons you say?" Tika asks Nyak her face lighting up "What kind? How big, How many of them?"
"Dragons you say?" Tika asks Nyak her face lighting up "What kind? How big, How many of them?"
Roylenna will nod solemnly, saying to Nyak, "No need to exaggerate how fearsome they are or how many there are, either. She's a bard - she will take care of that." Delivered, of course, with a twinkle in her eye.
Nyak shrugs. "Red and blue dragons, mostly. Actually the really big dragons are not to worry about. They sleep most of the time and won't bother with small prey like us. They wake up, eat a village and go back to sleep. It's the smaller ones that get aggressive. Old dragons are wise."
"We leave tomorrow. Bring everything you need."
Nyak shrugs. "Red and blue dragons, mostly. Actually the really big dragons are not to worry about. They sleep most of the time and won't bother with small prey like us. They wake up, eat a village and go back to sleep. It's the smaller ones that get aggressive. Old dragons are wise."
"We leave tomorrow. Bring everything you need."
"And what would that be? How many days' travel should we expect? Any unusual areas on the trail -- do we need ropes and such, or is it basically a good trail? If we encounter a dragon, what do you suggest? Hide? Run? Something else?"
Ka'kara pipes in, "We hit it lots til it gets smart and flies away. Just like we did last time, Lenna."
"Negotiating is for officers,and I am not an officer. I am an honest dwarf!"
Nyak shrugs. "Red and blue dragons, mostly. Actually the really big dragons are not to worry about. They sleep most of the time and won't bother with small prey like us. They wake up, eat a village and go back to sleep. It's the smaller ones that get aggressive. Old dragons are wise."
"We leave tomorrow. Bring everything you need."
Lyria snorts when hearing Nyak say this. "You can keep not worrying if that's what you want, but to me it seems dangerous enough. If such a creature flies above, I'll hide no matter what".
Lyria snorts when hearing Nyak say this. "You can keep not worrying if that's what you want, but to me it seems dangerous enough. If such a creature flies above, I'll hide no matter what".Nyak shrugs. "Red and blue dragons, mostly. Actually the really big dragons are not to worry about. They sleep most of the time and won't bother with small prey like us. They wake up, eat a village and go back to sleep. It's the smaller ones that get aggressive. Old dragons are wise."
"We leave tomorrow. Bring everything you need."
Nyak: "Of course. Dragon come, you hide. If you're lucky, it won't bother to eat your donkey."
Eventually you have finished your purchases and are enjoying your new magic trinkets. Nyak has brought a number of donkeys and porters, but he's clear that you will have to be the ones to defend your caravan if you are attacked.
The first few days of your travels are pretty uneventful. You kill and drive off some foolish goblins and even a particularly hungry wyvern , but on the third day trouble hits.
Roylenna will definitely take advantage of the opportunity to ride one of the donkeys, mostly likely toward the middle of the pack train.
Perception
Initiative
Lyria scans the path the group is walking through while her mind drifts away, thinking of dragons.
Perception
Initiative
Perception
Initiative
Mahaffy is at the rear
Ka'kara is in the front.
As you are busy pushing the donkeys uphill a narrow pass, trouble rears its ugly face in the shape of several (meaning four) ogres, poking their heads over the ridge on both sides of you. Ahead something that looks like an ogre sporting large leathery reddish wings and a draconic head points an unpleasantly large bow that seems to be on fire at you and screams something about demanding a toll of 10 gp for each head and 50 gp for each donkey. Nyak spits on the ground and curses, drawing his bow.
Will you pay the toll or shall we proceed with the initiatives?
"Draconic spawn," says Rhianna, unfazed. "Siginicantly stronger than is usual for his species, and likely resistant to flame as well."
"Nyak, are these business associates of yours, by any chance? Maybe they just do not recognize you with a group of strangers?"
She does not appear to be reaching for her coin purse.
"I don't know about the rest of ye, but that mongrel over there will only get the gold if he takes it from me cold dead hands!"
Initative
"oh my giant ogres and a draconic one as well............This is great." Tika exclaims before writing more notes into her journal
Nyak's face is stony as he responds: "It's worse than that. That... is my brother." He shrugs, shaking off his cloak and unfolds his wings, slowly rising into the air, an image of grim determination.
Rhianna, Artival, Roylenna and Bombur are up.
Knowing his friends the way he did, Artival suspected the group's answer. Without wanting to strike the blow beginning the brawl, he knew that it was coming. Therefore he casts his familiar protection spell, making him harder to be hit by the ogres.
Lyria hesitates: "Are you sure you want to fight and kill your own brother? Whoever does that is damned to eternity for gods and men".
Yeah, Roylenna would gain cover just by standing behind Bombur.
Seeing the dwarf take a defensive stance and look over his shoulder at her, the halfling slides down from the back of the donkey. Behind the provided cover, she begins casting a spell
"Get behind me, little one, and start ye blasting!"
"Get behind me, little one, and start ye blasting!"
"Rest assured, there will be blasting if they insist on fighting. You have not seen Rhianna and Artival in action yet."
Louder, "Nyak, is there anything we should know about the toll collectors? Other than they are family?"
Rhianna seems frustrated as she begins chanting.
Nyak snarls: "Watch out for my brother. He's more dangerous than he looks."
As if to prove it, the bow-wielding half-dragon lets fly a burning missile that hits Rhianna for 14 points of damage (4 fire). Another arrow bounces off Artival's protective field.
Mahaffy and Lyria are up (and Bombur, if he likes).
"This is really great better by the second." Tika shouts from the top of the donkey while furiously writing in her journal aparently not concernd (or not having noticed) the brawl that is beginning to unfold
"Lyria, will you be able to provide a blessing to our allies this day? Tika, can you sing of our old exploits while you record our new ones?"
"So much for diplomacy and sacred rules I guess...", Lyria says while positioning herself better. Undistracted by the arrows flying past her towards the magic-users, she begins to cast a spell. Her eyes turn blue as she looks towards one of the ogres, which's eyes start to turn blue at the same time.
One of the ogres looks momentarily befuddled but manages to shake off Lyria's magic.
Nyak rises into the air and roars, small blue flames emerging from his mouth: "These people are under my protection, Seeyak. You will regret this!". Two arrows from his bow strike Seeyak in the chest, but only seem to make him angrier.
Mahaffy, Ka'kara and Tika are up.
Mahaffy loads his heavy crossbow .
One of the ogres looks momentarily befuddled but manages to shake off Lyria's magic.
BT:
One of the ogres looks momentarily befuddled but manages to shake off Lyria's magic.
Tika slowly realising there is a fight going on slides off the donkey whilst simultaniously beginning an inspiring tune with her harmonica and drawing her crossbow.
Ka'kara delays her action until Roylenna's turn so as not to get out of range.
The ogres launch a barrage of javelins at you. Tika is hit for 9 points of damage, Lyria for 8 and Bombur for 12. Mahaffy is too quick for them, though.
Rhianna, Artival, Ka'kara, Bombur and Roylenna are up.