Rescue Mission, Part 4
Log Info
- Title: Rescue Mission, part 4
- Emitter: Cryosanthia
- Characters: Dax, Jinks, Aryia, Seyardu
- Place: The forests of Alexandros
- Time: Sunday, July 25, 2021, 1:44 PM
- Summary: Most of the party re-groups south of the Kobold training camp. Seyardu catches up and Aryia arrives as reinforcements, as they have been out a day, and lost at least three members to the woods so far. They discuss what to do next, possibly employing their local Kobold guide to do some reconnaissance for them. As they are working this out, an immense cloud of possibly pollen falls from some nearby trees as they hear wings and a roar overhead. The roar of a Dragon! Followed by the the cloud exploding, sending shrapnel through the forest as it strips trees and sets them on fire. Everyone is injured, Seyardu heals Loci and assures her she doesn't have to stay. Thusly informed, Loci takes off running. Jinks suggests a random direction, and another cloud appears where he is pointing. Everyone runs the opposite way as there is a second explosion. Dax, trail-blazes like a master, crashing hither and yon. However everything in the forest is moving away from the blasts, so it's not as if they're conspicuous. They debate where to go, eventually working around the eastern side of the training camp and heading north, where they reach cliffs. Descending, Jinks falling, they all make it to the bottom and struggle along the broken shoreline, backtracking. Eventually tracks are found, north west of the training camp. A kobold seems to spot the party, staring directly at them, but doesn't raise the alarm for some reason. At that moment, there a wings, a great creature flying over. It is, without doubt, absolutely a dragon.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing, in Order =-=-=-=-=-=-= Dax 5'0" 110 Lb Human Female A 5' tall red haired human with piercings and tats. Aryia 4'8" 110 Lb Shadow Elf Female A heavily scarred mul with a tired look about her. Jinks 3'4" 39 Lb Gnome Male A gnomish fellow in fancy garb and jewelry. Seyardu 5'6" 150 Lb Sith-Makar Female A friendly silver sith-makar with a perpetual squint. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= NPCs of Note =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Loci Kobold Female A competent road guard leader -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As the GM -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Cryosanthia 6'9" 291 Lb Sith-Makar Female A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
The adventures lose the pursuing kobolds in the forest. Except for the one riding on Dax.
Then the adventurers get lost in the forest. Scattering to all directions will do that. After hiding out and seeking each other all morning and some of the afternoon, most of them have managed to regroup.
A few reinforcements, and original members were lost, a new reinforcement was found.
The local Kobold guide, Loci, seems content to ride around on Dax as long she's allowed. Beats walking, and she can snicker when people walk into traps... or point out traps, if she's asked. Once there is somewhat of a group, she asks, "Where next?"
Getting on the same page could help.
Aryia had ran far and long, with her eventually running back into the group completely drenched in sweat. She gives a massive shrug and flops onto the ground into a seat.
It's been a bit of an adventure thus far, Dax carrying people, tossing others, running with a few, and slogging through the woods. She's pretty good about finding tracks, not traps, and after some walking around she finds some tracks of those she had been with to group back up. She carries Loci about with her, it is one of those things, strong human does as strong human is told to do or implied to do.
"Well, I figure'n if the kobolds were waitin' fer something. Then I'd wager the fellas we're after probably headed in that there same direction?" She shrugs and looks around a bit, quirking her mouth to the side, "Maybe we gotta move ourselves past the camp and pick up on tracks from there? Unless ya all wanna go in, antagonize a few, then we kill'em then do it over an' over again till the camp be empty... figure that'll take too long." Not that it's just a terrible idea, it's a time-suck.
"Theys..." Loci hisses something, then shuts up.
The Kobold females and younglings were happy to see Seyardu. They did keep asking if you were going to take over, when the three kobolds in charge weren't around. Inquiring why they feel that way, she got a variety of answers but mostly that Seyardu was a big and shiny Sith'Makar. Clearly she'd want to take over and be in charge. She's not a dragon, but getting there. Much better for someone besides a Kobold to be in charge.
Seyardu had finished with her tasks in the small, unfinished village. Clearing out the new, water filled cave had made a few of the Kobolds sick, and it was only compounded by a lack of steady food supply as everyone was working to reinforce the place. So it took a while before she showed up again in the forest.
"Apologies, I could not leave them in such a state." She says, pausing as she sees the hissing Kobold, and Aryia covered in sweat. "... Is everything alright?"
Jinks was happy to find space under a knotwork of tree roots and hole up until the worst of the pursuit broke off and he could skulk past to find the rest of the group. So he's a little muddy and be-mossed with bits of leaves and twigs tangled in the chaotic mess of his hair. The mithral tip of his rapier leads the way as he comes slow around the base of a tree trunk, brow furrowing as he's sure he heard voices and... Oh, there they are. He relaxes visibly and immediately with a short, sharp sigh. "Where did the big one come from? The river? Or was there a cave?" He slides the blade back into his scabbard and walks over to plop down closer the rest.
Dax looking over to Sey, she mentions, "Oh, well, there was a lil' lizard camp we found. An' then someone made too much noise, not sure who, but they started lookin' our way. Then... came chargin' towards us. I had ta carry this one..." Pointing to Loci, "An' that one." Pointing over to Jinks, "Good thing too, else they'd all be lizard food I'd guess." A few nods of her head, and she smacks her lips a little, "Speakin' of eating things... bit hungry after all tha' runnin' and climbing."
"Rider? Rider came up the cliff, from the lakeshore." Loci says, hissing. She had been watching, "big lake after cliff. Uskvutha's Lake."
The garter-Kobold looks around some more, they seem to have lost the goblin. "Other, your four, not there. The gobbo checked."
Aryia gives Dax a pointed 'really?' look, but letting the others explain the situation.
"Another camp of Kobolds, which attacked nigh immediately." Seyardu nods. "The other group with the dragon and witch?" she asks. "Apologies, I have no foodnleft, what I had left was distributed to those in the camp. They seemed to need it more."
She gave a look to Aryia at the expression, but let them carry on.
"The gobber said the tent was just a barracks, bunks and the like. We'd gone down to have a look after... one of you tallmen," he waves a finger back and forth tiredly (they all look alike), "found tracks leading into the camp but not coming back. The kobolds were being set to training before the noise drew their attention." He frowns and looks at his hand when something tickles only to start and begin shaking it violently to loose the spider crawling down off of his sleeve. A sworn oath and a deep breath before he continues, "Ahem. Then the bigger lizard on another lizard came into view and set the whole damned camp on us."
"If the cliffs lead down to the beach that might be where the missing mercenaries went. We didn't have any view of it from where we were," Jinks adds. He's busying himself now with craning his neck and inspecting his sleeves and the shoulders of his coat, brushing away webbing he picked up somewhere along the way.
Loci stands on Dax's pack, looking over Dax's head. It lets her stare downwards towards Seyardu. This is pleasing to her. She shakes her head, points, "Rider one of you people. Green scales. Ridess BigRawrr."
A BigRawrr, also known as a Swiftclaw.
"The Rider serves the Dragon and the Witch-Queen. The Queen stays in the Djupr." 'Djupr sounds like an odd chirp. The Kobold nods along with Jinks' explanation. "There's a shore, on the lake."
The three leaders remained at camp. People spoke when they weren't in earshot. Originally, they were going with the group, then Rekki got upset at something and they turned back to deal with her. After, they somewhat assisted Seyardu.
With a grimace on her face as Loci climbs upward, Dax just grumbles some and pulls some jerky out to chew on. She looks up a bit to hear the explanation, "So, is there a way to go around the camp an' get to that there shore? Or do we need to draw them one way an' then 'ave another group go to the shore? I guess I'm askin' as I ain't too... sneaky. I know I know, I kind of look it cause I ain't too big an' all, but I'm not."
The mention of a lizard being the rider made the silverscale pause, bowing her head for a moment. It was clearly troubling news. "So the rider is coming up, are they getting closer, Loci?" She asks, looking up to the Kobold. It seemed she did not mind the difference in height, or thought nothing of it. "It is not common for one of my kin to do such a thing. There are many possibilities, all troubling. They may have simply lost their way... Or they may be working with Charn, or the Teacher."
The silverscale hasn't heard much about 'The Teacher', but she has heard some rumours.
Jinks has given up the honest work of brushing off his clothes and taken to a bit of hedge magic to loose the dirt, leaves, and moisture. It's taking time but slowly his appearance is restored and the debris falls away somewhere between sparkling glitter and dull ash as he hums and moves his hand slowly. "Why don't we throw the little blue one in the water and have it swim over to the lake looking for caves?" He cants his head up towards Loci, "They can swim well enough. It's small. It's also one of them so maybe it doesn't raise the eyebrows the rest of us would if spotted."
"I don't think they get lost." Loci says, watching Seyardu, but mostly watching for an opportunity to take some jerky from Dax. She reaches her hand out and hold it where the pirate can see it, in case she's feeling charitable.
"West, the cliffs meet a stream, they're small. Can follow the stream to the lake. Not hard." The Kobold says, confident in her navigation abilities, or at least being able to find a stream by walking towards it.
Then she glares at Jinks. His suggestion sounds like work, and that she'd be doing all of it.
>>WWRRROOAAAAAARRRR<<
The glare is interrupted by an unsettling bellow from above. Something large. Something flying. Obscured by the canopy, but up there. It's followed by a loud hiss. Followed by an immense cloud of pollen falling from the trees to the north east. Or, something like pollen.
"dragon." Loci whispers, crouching against Dax's neck. "Run. Hide."
Aryia, dealing with a pesky wasp that decided now was the time to bother her only way of speaking, finally swats the bugger from the air. Her attention finally returns to conversation at hand.
Then there's the roar. She had never seen a dragon in her time, but has heard tales. And without further prompting she was already halfway up the nearest tree, dangling under a branch to hide from the view above, her face ashy pale and eyes wide.
GAME: Jinks rolls Knowledge/Dungeoneering: (9)+7: 16
It's a really convincing dragon roar. Still, not enough to be a dragon for certain. It could be a large dinosaur roar, like a Tyrannosaurus Rex. T-Rexes usually don't fly. It could be dragon-kin, there are a bunch of dragon-like things... they also don't tend to fly. Dragon is a good bet.
With the hissing and the roaring, Dax pauses and looks up, to see. Loci. She then angles her head out, straining her neck some to look past the kobold on her shoulders and pack, "Fer cryin' aloud. What was that?!" And then the answer, a dragon. "A drag'uhn? Why we all jus' standing about? Maybe we should head to a cave or somethin'?" A shrug of her shoulders as she quiets down some, chewing on her jerky a bit more, she will -NOT- die on an empty stomach, nor does she get the idea that Loci wants her to share. Instead, she reaches out and grabs the hand being offered, to give 'balance' or comfort, or whatever, but she holds onto it for now as she chews on her jerky solo. Zoom, goes Ayria, though and Dax starts moving hunkered down, and quite a bit slower, in the same direction to get out of any sort of view she might be in.
"Putting Loci at risk on their own should be avoided unless absolutely necessary." Seyardu replies with a glance down from Loci to Dax. "And if we are split up, it becomes more dangerous for the person on their own."
Further thoughts were cut off by the noises in the sky, and the strange cloud of something. Quickly she too did her best to hide from sight, though it was much harder for the bright silver Makari.
Jinks simply frowns and stays seated near the brush. Still. The spell stops its work when his concentration is broken and his scowls up through the trees in an attempt to catch sight of the monster. He's dubious the creature is a true dragon but has no doubt whatever it is can fly faster than he can run. So he hunkers in place and hopes he'll go unnoticed. "Huh," he muses, quietly.
Something very unexpected happens. The distant cloud of pollen ignites, becoming a particulate explosion.
>>>BOOOOM<<
A shockwave spreads out in all directions, stripping trees and flinging bark, small branches and pine needles. Nearby trees rock, their own little clouds shaken loose. The air is hazy.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Reflex saves everyone. +2 if you climbed a tree or took cover. DC22" GAME: Jinks rolls Reflex+2: (7)+6+2: 15 GAME: Aryia rolls reflex: (9)+9: 18 GAME: Dax rolls ref: (13)+7: 20 GAME: Seyardu rolls reflex+2: (10)+1+2: 13 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 2d4: (5): 5
The boom, and explosion, and heat wave hits Dax just like it might just do for everyone else despite her taking cover. Then she looks around, "Is everyone okay?" She calls, not trying to be loud but definitely wanting to check in on everyone. With that though she stands up, "We need'ta decide quick on runnin' or going after whatever that was else I'd wager it will keep on happenin'." She reaches up to make sure Loci is still there and alive, else she'd be better off dumping the body.
Sometimes skepticism is healthy. Other times it explodes in a gigantic fireball that uproots the shrub you're hiding behind and sends both you and it tumbling. Jinks wraps a hand around his head and curls into a ball just before the shockwave hits, bouncing a short distance across the forest's earthen floor before he bumps into a tree and stops with a quiet 'oof.'
Aryia, hanging from her spot, was probably not in one of the best locations for such a detonation. There was only a brief moment to move, and she dropped, aiming to be behind the tree. Instead the shockwave came too quick, and she was blown off course, the shadow elf crashing and sliding down the tree. She silently groans, staggering to her feet and rubbing her side.
She huffs, looking off towards fire. Aryia jabs a thumb over her shoulder, hoping someone can translate, "Maybe we need to run. If there's a dragon around we might need to warn the city." <Handspeech>
Pulling herself out from behind the tree, Seyardu brushes off some of the bits of wood that had been lodged into her arms where she braced herself. "Is everyone alright?" She asks quickly, looking around. "The forest is on fire, a dragon is likely out. It may spread, or the dragon may be heading out elsewhere. But the fire, for certain, will spread. It could be a distraction for us, or it could have been directed at us, and they are prepared. What do you think we should do?"
Loci is, remarkably, still alive and conscious, making her tougher than the average Kobold. Her armour may have helped, although she is battered and frightened. She holds tight to her spear, and makes a whining, hissing noise. She isn't a source of suggestions currently.
Jinks collects himself up off the ground and wiggles a finger in his ear, opening and closing his mouth. "At this point I say we-- I-- lie and say we found concrete sign the adventurers are in a cave on the cliffs or in the water at this lake. That should be enough to narrow it down and get us paid. We throw in the juicy additional tidbit of a fire-breathing dragon so they can work on rallying idiots willing to fight such a thing while they also rally a force up to squelching this idiot lizard uprising." He's grumpy now. Well, more-grumpy.
Jinks also offers a quick gesture to Aryia indicating she was understood and he agrees.
"I figure we don't have a different plan. We should make our way to the shore, look fer them caves, and then find the last party before heading back to the city. I'm not inclined to ..." Dax pauses when Jinks is talking about lying to the guard. "Lie, an' get paid? That doesn't seem like a thing that works. I mean, ya start talkin' and I don't believe a thing ya say. Better if we find some remnants of them even if we don't find them exactly."
Aryia drags a hand down her face, pulling her features down before she sneezes and rubs her nose. "Fucking.... fine. I'd rather come out of this with some kind of proof." <Handspeech>
GAME: Seyardu casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 4 DC: 14 GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d8+4: (3)+4: 7 <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "roll diplomacy DC20 Seyardu" GAME: Seyardu rolls diplomacy: (1)+9: 10 (EPIC FAIL)
"No, we should not lie about doing what we came out to do. And stretching the truth to fit our needs would put us on the same level as that guard from before." Seyardu sighs. "We should do what we came out to do, as long as it is safe to do so for the most part. Going directly against a dragon is certainly not."
The silverscale stretches up next to Dax, placing a hand on one of the Kobold's arms. "Peace, Loci, it is alright." She says slowly. "Celestial mother, please mend this ones wounds through your power, and my hands." She offers in prayer with a hand on her breastplate, mending the wounds from the explosion the best she could. "You do not need to stay with us here if you do not wish, and it may be best for someone to warn the village of a fire, so they are prepared. We will not think less of you, whichever decision you make." <Draconic>
The garter-Kobold is shivering with fear. The pain tells her, this is bad. Pollen is falling all around, and while she doesn't understand how it all works, the other trees made it, then it exploded.
Maybe trees randomly explode when dragons are around.
The Silverscale's healing soothes her injuries, but not her fears. She's told she doesn't have to stay. The village needs to be warned! Or her camp! Someone, somewhere needs to be told about a fire!
With a hiss, she leaps off Dax's shoulder and takes off running into the bush. Within a few steps the little lizard is lost in the underbrush, though signs of her passage continue to be obvious for a while.
Obvious enough it might call attention.
Dax takes a half-step backwards when the kobold leaps from her shoulders and she looks after the small one storming off into the wilderness... alone. Looking to the others, "That might distract the other kobolds and dragon long enough fer us ta all find the adventurin' folk..." She points off after Loci is who is running off into the distance. Though she does listen again, and looking around, peering up into the sky a bit, "I thought Dragon's were all big, enormous creatures, what with their fire an' wings an' all. I'd of thought they'd be easier ta spot."
Jinks swallows the argument he was ready to double-down on when the little lizard scampers away, glancing back at Seyardu. He couldn't make sense of all the scrabble rainbow hissy-yap but he's tired of being this close to a raging forest fire. "If we're going we should go. But now we've lost our guide. We wait any longer and it'll turn out the lizards have a lich and dark avatar to go with the witch and dragon..."
Before Seyardu could say anything further, the kobold was already tearing off through the forest. Though she turns to Dax immediately after she spoke, glaring slightly. "Distract the Kobolds and dragon while terrified?" She asks, despite the glare, as neutral as ever. "It is a sidetrack, but it is not safe to let her run off so loudly. We should try to reach them before she are too far, or make sure she are not followed. If they go back to camp followed, it could be disastrous, and if caught, it will still be bad for them."
At this, Aryia snaps her fingers to cut in. "And what about us, Seyardu? Do you really think we can take on a dragon should they come? That sounds like a really quick way to die." <Handspeech>
Seyardu looks back to the brush where they dissappeared, and the noise that was through the air. She sighs. "You are asking me if I am okay risking one life for yours, and that is true. I do not wish for any of you to get hurt. I do not wish more blood on my hands, and fear my attempts to soothe only made them focus more on the panic."
"I will follow through with what you all think the best course of action is, though I feel everyone has differing opinions."
With the comments from Seyardu and Jinks, Dax looks over after the path where their 'guide' headed and she sighs, "Fine, I'll - " She cuts off, and smiles big, "Great. Let's go see if we can't find these caves. Who knows where to go? "
She looks around, then to Jinks, "Yer small, I bet ya got a good sense of where the water and shore would be." A few nods, I mean, the kobolds are short, Jinks is short, it must make them equally good guides... right? "Don't the lil' lizard folk have all them traps an' all that, anywho?" To Sey, as she waits for someone to start 'leading'.
"Shut the fuck up with that shit, no blood on your hands anyways. A fucking bird would have spooked them. This is a dragon we're talking about, not some stupid demon goat. Anything we do after this isn't your fault. Now quit being a sour puss and focus, alright?" Aryia rudely pep talks the silverscale, finishing with a light slap on the arm. <Handspeech>
She nods towards Dax. A good suggestion.
"I have no talent for pathfinding, scouting, or wilderness survival." Jinks frowns at Dax, twisting a ring on his finger. "And I'm not two months out of the grave or particularly eager to return. I'll echo the mute tallman's sentiment," he adds for Seyardu's benefit. "We need to be about this business and done quickly. The little lizard stands a better chance without us drawing further attention to it." He draws the rapier once more and motions for someone-- anyone-- to take the lead (hoping it's in the right direction (but it probably isn't)).
It's not the right direction.
Almost as if he was an orchestra conductor, there's another roar in the distant skies and a sudden cloud of pollen visible far away through the trees.
Directly where Jinks is pointing.
Jinks says,
Seyardu reacted flatly to the slap to her arm, and just bowed her head after Aryia finished signing. "Very well." Is all she says, and follows along with the group as Jinks attempts to lead them properly.
She wasn't very focused.
Aryia rolls her eyes and steps forward. She didn't have the time or the energy to be gentle. Or very empathetic. If the kobolds die, the kobolds die. Can't stop a dragon on a warpath. No sense or use dwelling on it.
What's the goal? Which way? The party is confused. Getting away from the dragon and coming explosion seems a good idea. Getting away as fast as possible. After, find the bodies of the previous adventuring party, recover them if possible, or bring back details. Finding legitimate proof probably involves determining where the Sith'Cav came from.
Immediately though. Explosion coming!
Southeast is the most direct route away from the booms.
Jinks' eyes go wide as the dragon buffets the next copse to conjure the cloying cloud of particulate matter. "Alright. New plan. Tame the dragon so I can call down airstrikes!" He's fairly certain he knows what's coming next and follows Dax lead to the south and east, away from the oncoming explosion, and hopes he can find cover before the ensuing blast.
To the SE, for now, as fast as Dax can trail blaze. She's not quiet, so she's just pushing through things, cutting at trees as she needs, she's not even bothering covering their tracks as she goes. She's just headed in a direction, "This'a'way... fer now. I think." And then will try and see if she can find signs of water, shores, sandy ground, whatever the case may be that might indicate a direction or close proximity to the described place from Loci. If only she had a map... and could read it.
Everyone runs. They follow Dax.
Branches whip by, leaves are stripped, bushes crumpled as she breaks a trail and with preternatural sense finds paths and shortcuts that are seemingly invisible.
>>booom<<
The next explosion is more distant, left behind. There are the sounds of small projectiles whipping by, but enough trees are in the way to provide full cover.
Overhead, there's the flapping of wings. Circling.
There are a lot more noises in the wood, as large animals flee the explosions and the fires. They fan out in predictable directions, perhaps enough to cover the sound of the party.
The stream is westward. The cliffs are to the north.
The additional explosion gets Dax moving more quickly. She shakes her head, "Well, at least it is easy ta hear where it be?" She has a bit wider of eyes as she's moving, and she offers to the others, "It looks like there's a good bit of treeline up there to move with." She points and continues to head in the direction the others are suggesting and ideally around the dragon, and somewhere toward the place they suspect the adventurers to have been.
Out of immediate pollen-bomb danger, a few moments are taken to re-group. The local guide remains lost. There is some debate, head west and find the stream, or work around the problem and head north towards the lake that will be impossible to miss.
North and the lake is chosen.
There are a few more bombing runs by the dragon, directly south of the training camp, as if it was trying to build a box to trap the party in. It migth have worked if they were a little slower.
Also, it's been a humid and wet summer, the trees aren't that interested in burning. There is a lot of smoke, which helps, and might even be visible from Alexandria. So, there is a fire but it doesn't spread much, although it takes a while to clear out.
The cliffs are reached. Roughly fifty feet above the water, they are rugged with a lot of hand-holds, and there is even a few sloped sections that might not be as bad to fall down. In some places they go directly into the water, or a broken shoreline of semi-submerged boulders. In others, there are small pebbled beaches, sometimes even a strip of green.
Long distance to Aryia: Cryosanthia hugs, "No worries. I didn't think that part through well and I'm not doing great today."
Jinks, surprisingly, isn't entirely out of breath when he finally catches up with the tallmen. He shoves the rapier away (he's not going to be able to reach the dragon and he doubts it would do much good if he could) and nods in agreement with Dax. "Do any of you have any family you'd like notified of your death when this all goes to pot?" His stomach issues a low, grumbling whine and the gnome winces with a squint. He tries to distract himself back having a look down at the cliff descent. "Mulria's sideways smile..." Nothing can ever be easy.
With a quick look to Jinks, a bit of heavy breathing but not as bad as the gnome, for sure, Dax thinks a moment. "Why would ya start notifyin' peoples families of their death? We're all alive as far as I can see." She shakes her head and mutters, "Unnecessary worry, that's fer sure." Looking over to a particular area of the cliffs though she offers, "Over that way looks like a good way down."
The group runs, and Seyardu follows through the woods, away from the explosion. The attention turns as the group does, north to the cliffs. They reach the area, and Seyardu finally stops.
"So we are here. And we continue over. No, there is no one to notify in any case, though it should not come to that." They sigh. "I am not in the mood to hear death taken so lightly, regardless."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Okay, You can roll survival. DC15. You won't find tracks but you will find a +2 to climb" GAME: Dax rolls survival: (8)+9: 17 <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "ok, DC5, so crumbly slope that's slippery but not a big deal. Epic Fail, you will fall into the water." GAME: Jinks rolls Athletics: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Dax rolls athletics+: (12)+10+2: 24 GAME: Seyardu rolls athletics +4: (17)+2+4: 23 GAME: Aryia rolls athletics+2: (8)+9+2: 19
Aryia remains grim faced as they head through the forest, the smell of burnt wood and smoke a vague annoyance. She wanted out of here, as death didn't seem so grand a thing.
She grimaces at the question. "I have no family. And I refuse to die here," she signs towards Jinks, the gallows humor grating on her. She follows the direction indicated by Dax and clambers down. <Handspeech>
Jinks sniggers quietly at his own joke in spite of the general displeasure voiced by the tallmen. At least until his good humor is interrupted by the scrape of gravel, his loss of footing, and a quietly surprise "ope!" before he overcorrects and rolls ass-over-teakettle. The gnome finds his feet in a stumble and momentum pulls him further down the cliff, his arms cartwheeling. His shoulder finds the side of the descent and he manages to push off and jump just in time to avoid dashing his head on the rocks and instead flop bellywards into the waves below.
After identifying the better path to go, Dax just climbs down that section not seeking to follow the trail that Jinks blazed. She finds herself near the ground much later and lands on her feet, though she will go off to find Jinks if he's still in need of being helped out of the water by that point. If not, she will stay on the shore and grip her oruch claws, "We kin hope the dragon doesn't come this way, not many easy ways out."
Seyardu began pulling supplies out of her bag. It looked like it would be easy enough to make her way upwards, but being safe about it was still important. A thought proven quickly to be the correct one as she sees the gnome go tumbling below into the water, thankfully avoiding the worst of the rocks. So with a sigh, she anchors off her rope again, and begins lowering back to the ground where she saw them go in. Looking to see if he would come up, and diving in if necessary.
The lake is big with somewhat murky water. The rocks near the shoreline have a brown scum on them, which is part decaying algae and other life forms. There are fish, presumably. There are birds floating around on it that occasionally dive down after something.
It's tranquil. The shoreline continues east and west, not easily passable without getting wet. In the distant west, there is a stream and a peninsula. Somewhere around the other side of that is the former town.
The gnome's entry causes nearby birds to flutter, glide a short distance, and land in the water again.
There are a few holes in the cliffs, some of which are deep enough to be considered caves. A few even have dry floors.
Jinks surfaces to expel an arc of lakewater from his purse lips, blinking his vision clear. "Never let anyone tell you the Harpist doesn't have a sense of humor." He's smiling in spite of himself and extends little hands so Dax and Seyardu can heft him from the water. He cautiously assesses his footing in the ankle-deep water before going over his person, assuring all his various adventuring accoutrements are still in place. "Let's see what we can find, then."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "DC is 24, to spot tracks or follow tracks" GAME: Aryia rolls acrobatics: (2)+11: 13 GAME: Jinks rolls Acrobatics: (5)+3: 8 GAME: Seyardu rolls acrobatics: (5)+-4: 1 <OOC> Follow Tracks: GAME: Aryia rolls survival: (16)+3: 19 GAME: Dax rolls survival: (9)+9: 18 GAME: Seyardu rolls Survival: (8)+3: 11 <OOC> Find Tracks: GAME: Jinks rolls Perception: (18)+6: 24 GAME: Aryia rolls perception: (2)+12: 14 GAME: Seyardu rolls perception: (7)+3: 10 GAME: Dax rolls perception: (8)+0: 8 <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "there is a +5 for distance, bonus to Stealth" GAME: Jinks rolls Stealth+5: (16)+11+5: 32 GAME: Aryia rolls stealth+5: (2)+10+5: 17 GAME: Dax rolls stealth+5: (19)+2+5: 26 GAME: Seyardu rolls stealth+5: (13)+-4+5: 14 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+2: (1)+2: 3 (EPIC FAIL) (Kobold Perception)
"I suggest we stick together, an' investigate these caves one by one till find somethin' of what we came for? Armor, equipment left behind, bones, whatever it may be." She looks around, after having helped to heft Jinks from the water. "I ain't going to be able ta keep things quiet or out of sight from up above too well, so I best stick ta leadin' once we're at the entrances."
"We look thoroughly, see what we can find." Seyardu nods. "And stay out of sight of the camp, or whatever dragon caused the flames down below will find us easily here."
Aryia takes it slow as they head westward, her attention fixed on the ground, trying to find something. Anything. It didn't help that she falls into the water a few times, her up to her elbows and knees in mud, hair plastered to her face. Her mood was dropping quick, just like her dropping into the water once more.
Though, she does land almost face first into some tracks. She tiredly snaps her fingers and points to them. "Might be getting close." <Handspeech>
There's a lot of lake shore and cliff base to search. It's broken ground, when it isn't wet, and there are enough slippery rocks almost everyone goes in, sooner or later.
The party sneaks very carefully along, with an eye on the top of the cliff, as well as features near the bottom. There are some tracks that are confusing. They are of a swift-claw, directly north of the Kobold's training camp, near the water. As if the Swift-claw swam up, and then climbed up the cliff. Climbing the cliff would match its sudden appearance. The water route is unexpected however.
Moving past that, further along the west shore after the inlet, some signs of the adventurers are found. Boot-prints, which aren't exactly informative but are signs of others.
Then! There's a Kobold looking over the ridge. Seemingly straight at the party. It doesn't react, but does appear to be watching as they pick their way over the rocks. Perhaps the silverscales were too reflective of the light? The gnome's swan dives too graceful. The pirate's heavy metal jangling. Or the Mul'niessa's hand-signs. Yes, those are very loud gestures.
Moving along through the watery rocks, the muck, and other things get Dax stepping and slogging through most of it by sheer force of strength. She is getting her leathers and metals wet, and makes for an overall soggy time. The tracks of the Swiftclaw are noticed, and pointed out if no one else does, but she isn't so surprised. What does she know about swiftclaws? And she sees the kobold up the cliff, talking quietly, "Is that one of the good ones, or the bad ones? It's so hard ta tell, they all look the same ta me."
"'Good ones?'" Jinks mutters, incredulous. The gnome has entirely given up crawling out of the water and now wades through at waist-level using one of his hands to steady against the rocks. He pauses and looks up, wondering if they've been spotted or if the lizard is distracted by something else.
It was slow going for Seyardu. The movement was hard, the tracks difficult to pick out, and she lost her footing more than once into the water. At least they managed to get through, given enough time.
"The swiftclaw swam up from here. It is possible." Seyardu notes. "There may be something hidden beneath, but there is no guarantee that no one is around should we check."
And she looks up to the cliff, seeing the Kobold. "And it would not be safe to check when we have been seen. What should we do, now?"
Kobolds are dazzled by sunlight, the party might have been in the right location for mid-afternoon reflections on the water to blind it.
Aryia shakes her head, huffing a bit through her nose. "Keep going. Tracks pointed this way. And they're wet, so it must be somewhat new. If they see us, they see us. I do not want to be stuck here at nightfall." <Handspeech>
She slogs forward.
The distant Kobold continues to observe. Once in a while it shades its eyes. Mostly it continues to stare and hold a spear. It looks like any other Kobold seen so far, excepting their leaders, garter-snake patterned and a little fishy. They are easier to tell apart by equipment, it's not carrying Loci's.
The Kobold looks up. A dragon flies overhead, heading out towards the lake. It isn't very large, possibly a young adult. It is a brilliant emerald green. The dragon doesn't look down.
It flies on, diving into the middle of the lake.
The kobold isn't coming after them, but... wings?! Dax stops moving. She stands completely still as the winged monster flies past them, into the lake, and down into the water. She takes in a deep breath only after the dragon disappears from sight, "Well, I'm hoping it will be under fer a while. Maybe it lives down there or something? Anyone know much about... dragons? That is what I imagined dragons more look like, still, not as big as the legends, but ... dragon nonetheless." She rambles out as she stays standing, "So, best we find this evidence and then get ourselves back to the city."
And so Aryia drags herself forward, looking for the people they were supposed to find. A cautious gaze is kept on the kobold. Though she squints as a shadow rushes past.
She freezes. Never has she seen such a creature. Nor did she enjoy looking forward to having to deal with one, regardless of how big it was. The elf turns back to the group, pale faced and trembling a bit. She shakes her head at Dax's question before nodding quickly. "Yes. Let's try and find these people and get the fuck out of here.." <Handspeech>
Watching the Kobold up top was interrupted by suddenly watching the dragon that was flying overhead. Thankfully, it did not see them, and dived down beneath.
"Well, it seems that would explain the swiftclaw swimming upwards. There is something beneath, most likely." She speaks once they are gone. Another glance up to where the guard was shading their eyes. "We should continue on, quickly. They may not have been able to see us in the sunlight." She says suddenly, already heading along the shore. "Let us not linger until the light is not on our side."
Dragons love to eat gnomes! They're like dragon candy. They can smell gnomes from miles away!
Slosh, splash, slosh. As soon as the dragon's shadow passes over them Jinks is working to move as quickly as his little gnome legs can carry him through the water and uneven rocks beneath. So, really, he's stuck in one of those nightmares where you're trying to run but even with Herculean effort you don't really go anywhere. His teeth chatter together in spite of the day's warmth and the rapid-fire Gnomish spilling out of his mouth sounds like a staccato assault of foreign vulgarties tripping over each other to run out of his mouth.
Combatty
-5 HP to Dax, Aryia, Jinks, Seyardu
Map
https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=m6m7iosco82
Cloud reference
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/425248238887763970/865770950930726922/pollenhell.gif
