current chapter Chapter 1: Greenest

[Colin]

With Kai in the lead, the party, two villagers, and their kids moved quietly towards the keep, sticking to the shadows as often as possible and dashing across spots of illumination in ones and twos. Drawing closer to the keep meant the dragon overhead grew louder, and occasional blasts of lighting ripped at the keep’s walls but seemed to be doing little damage to the old, stout stonework. 

 

A force of guards holds the gate, dead attackers around them from quadrupedal lizard creatures to a couple of the bipedal races with what looks at a glance to be bits of metal bolted to their bodies. When the group came into view moving towards the gate the guards tensed until they caught sight of Cuth, Linan, and their children. “Quickly, into the keep before more of these lunatics arrive!” One of the guards shouted, and the group could hear shouts and bestial roars behind them as they made a run for the gate.

 

“Too many, close the gates!” A shout is heard from above, and any that turn towards the gate as the portcullis drops across the entrance can see a couple dozen humans and dragonborn rushing forward, strips of metal bound to their flesh in no discernible pattern or deformities visible on their arms or chests. Several jam rods crackling with electrical energy in the ground across the entrance to the keep’s gate as the heavy doors are heaved shut and barred, and it seems like the attacking force is pinning down the guards as much as the guards are keeping out the attackers.

 

“Linan, Cuth, glad to see you two and your children are safe,” A voice says behind the group, and turning shows the speaker to be an older human man, with a braided white beard and clad in what was probably once rather well kept, inlaid plate armor. Now it is charred, dented in places, and has definite signs of a couple hours of hard battle. His right arm hangs in a sling and the right side of his head and face are bandaged and a touch bloody, with white tufts of hair poking up through the bandage wraps. “Go see the healers, Cuth, and then the two of you take your kids inside. There’s a bit of food and we’re sheltering the villagers as much as possible. Now then…”

 

The man’s attention turns to the mismatched party, and his eyes are sharp despite his wounds as he looks them over. When he speaks, his voice is calm and steady. “I am Governor Nighthill, leader of this town or what’s left of it. I thank you for getting Cuth and Linan here with their children, no thanks to these attackers who crawled out of the ass of the abyss to besiege my town. I do not know any of you, however, thus introductions seem in order. I may have use for a group willing to traverse dangerous ground this night, if you all are willing.”

 

 

[Vladim]

Alexandra -- HP: 18/18 -- AC: 15 -- Wild Shape uses: 1/2 -- Guiding Bolt uses: 1/2 -- Spell slots: 3/3 -- Sorcery points: 2/2 -- Current form: Normal

 

She looks about her with mounting concern. The brief lull in the fighting is quickly over, and as the guards surge forward to repel the attackers, Alexandra knows that this is far from over. She seems unsure; should she help them, or continue towards the keep, hoping to find her parents there? She is no soldier, and others sheltering behind the safety of walls might be in need of healing. The battle for the gate appears to hang in the balance, and presently she thinks that it could go either way.

 

This train of thought is suddenly interrupted by the governor's appearance. She listens, but there is nothing that he says that she doesn't know already. Perhaps the defenders are as ignorant about the happenings here as they are. They certainly seem confused.

 

"I am Alexandra of Neverwinter," she says, stepping forth to speak for herself, and adds: "...these are my companions, and we were all members of a trade caravan sent to your town until not long ago. When we saw the smoke and the fire, we thought we could help, so we came... though the rest of the caravan turned back. I think the master will seek help, but it will probably take time. But help will come-I am sure of it!"

 

She pauses, hoping that her last few words will instill some hope into the battered garrison and this sir Nighthill. In truth, she knows that it could take days or weeks for the authorities to respond. But no matter. They need all the help and hope she can give them.

[Colin]

The governor focuses on Alexandra as she steps forward and speaks, and the man’s face softens ever so slightly at her words. “We got riders out when this motley army first attacked, to take word. Help will come, yes, but by the time it arrives this night will have already been decided.” As he finishes speaking, there is a roar up in the clouds from the dragon they had seen earlier. At the roar Governor Nighthill’s face firms again, and he surveys the party before speaking again.

 

“You brought some of my people to safety already, and have done more than enough. If you are willing though… Greenest could use more help from able bodies, ones willing to venture back out into the town. Are you and yours willing to aid us further?”

 

[Ironblaze]

Gurruk had been quiet as the party made the run to the keep, a mix of being stealthy and beyond annoyed at having to be stealthy. "If aid mean fighting weakling horde, Gurruk like aid."

[AbsentWizard]

Tun Eraldishmuab -- HP 25/25 AC16

 

On the way up to the keep, Tun had looked and looked everywhere, but failed to find any sign of either his rolling pin or the thieving green goblin who'd taken it. This surely meant that they were not there along the way. Since (obviously) evil beings hang out together, this means that the green thief is with the rest of the kobolds. NOT that this means that all kobolds are evil. Some of the chefs that Tun respects are kobolds (they do these interesting things with cave lizards and sticks and the way it's presented - never mind, you had to be there).

 

It's just that MOST kobolds are evil. Particularly these specific ones. The green thief obviously was an agent of these specific kobolds. And they have some evil plans with his rolling pin. Maybe a summoning ritual, or even using it to bake the secret Dwarfish recipes!

 

These are the thoughts that had been brewing in Tun's head as he stumped along angrily at the back of the crowd, stumped along angrily through the gate, and stood there angrily while the governor explained that everything is lost.

 

"I Tun Eraldishmuab. E-rald-ish-muab." He corrects preemptively.

 

"I go to town. Seek stolen ancestral artifact. Thief, cocrystal with kobolds. THIEF!" Tun grabs at the end of his beard to control his own outburst. "You have flour? Water? Staying here, is choosing between death by hunger and death by knife?"

[SerakHawk]

Priest bopped his head to his strange fellow's agreements to help.

 

"Help will come. Willing to venture back out into the town."

 

Priest adjusts his feathers and moves around to look at the gate.

 

 

OCC

AC: 12 (I think) | HP: 13/13 | Spells L1: 2/3 | 2/2 SP

Yaaarrr

 

[Dmitri_Ravenoff]

Kai  --  HP: 17/17  --  AC: 16  --  Ki Points: 2

 

Kai looked to the governor and merely nodded.

 

"It is good to know there may be help on the way, but that does us little good in the short term."

 

"I will be helpful in any way I can Ken'i-sha (authority figure), and it appears that I would not be going alone."

 

"Aside from scaring out these desgra lizards, what more can we do to help?"

 

[Vladim]

Alexandra -- HP: 18/18 -- AC: 15 -- Wild Shape uses: 1/2 -- Guiding Bolt uses: 1/2 -- Spell slots: 3/3 -- Sorcery points: 2/2 -- Current form: Normal

 

Alexandra looks behind her as the others speak up. She is both glad and relieved that the rest of her group seems willing and eager to help, but she is worried about what is transpiring beyond the gate. It was not long ago that the portcullis was downed, and the doors sealed, and though she cannot see through them, she thinks she can make out the sounds of battle beyond, still raging. To return... is easier said than done, especially if the enemy is gaining the upper hand. But she must hope yet.

 

Turning back towards Sir Nighthill, Alexandra adds her voice to that of her comrades, explaining: "I too am willing... But what do you have in mind? We may be able and capable, but we are no soldiers, or... at least, not most of us. Well... I mean... I certainly am not. For the others, I cannot speak."

 

She quickly corrects herself, though it is done in a half-awkward manner. Slightly embarrassing, but she does not dwell on it, and hopes that the others will not either. Mistakes are to be expected under such stressful conditions, and she is exhausted already from the march and the battle.

[Veradux]

  

Kavene -- HP:16/16 -- AC: 16 -- AttacksDagger: +4, (1d4+2)
Light Crossbow: +4 (1d8+2)

Sneak Attack: +1d6 -- Active EffectsPassive Perception: 11 -- ResourcesSpell Slots:
1: 2/2

---

Kavene shrugs at Alexandra's nerves.

 

“You got me right. I'm not even combat-trained!”

 

With a rather odd smile mixing incredulous confidence and what seems to be a total lack of awareness, he stows his crossbow at his hip while rattling his reagent bandolier.
 

“But I'm probably more use on a night raid than I am playing with rocks here. Not enough lime for cement so I'm already out of ideas of how to fortify. Just tell me what I need to do and I'll go from there.”

OoC