D&D 5E [IC] Creamsteak's Princes of Elemental Evil II

Upon returning to Red Larch the town was in recovery from an attack. While the party had been away, cultists of the air temple exacted an unfair retribution against the town triggering a tornado with many casualties. The cultists were defeated, and reinforcements and supplies have been sourced for the town.

The outpost known as Feathergale Spire has supposedly shut its doors to newcomers. Water cultists now openly pirate the Dessarin River, aided by monsters and lead by barbarians. Rumors of attacks by fire cultists on Triboar to the north have been heard, as well as a story of a great massacre committed and a giant fiery golem.

Sedina Wolfpaw, a half-elf scout from Triboar speaks openly in the town of other calamities.

"Westbridge was badly damaged by earthquakes. I was down that way, and I found half the town gathered in front of the Harvest Inn. Most of them were listening to a priest in stony armor. He was preaching about how destruction was coming, and only the chosen would be spared, and they were listening to him!"

She shakes her head.

"When I tried to speak up, the priest told the townies to seize me, but I managed to escape. I had not known these lunatics were here as well."

Strangely, friends and companions have split from the party. Some not for the first time. Perhaps they seek some other way to deal with this calamity, but now you stand mostly alone as the cults still attack and cause devastation in all directions around the Dessarin Valley.

Envoys from Waterdeep from the local adventuring guild show up with wagons full of goods and armed and armored adventurers. They have largely been contracted to protect the town and property, as well as fight off banditry along the roads. Rumors among them spread that there exists a contract, one for a thousand mithral coins to whomever can put an end to these attacks once and for all.

Kubeba listens to the tales of woe flooding in from the surrounding region, the hornets nest had been stirred and people were suffering. Looking at his remaining companions.

"It looks like it is getting bad here, we have lost some friends and others have lost heart. But what do we plan to do? Back down there?"

Thaliss had been enjoying these last few days. Yes, there was destruction around, and yes, people were suffering. However, he had grown in arcane understanding and therefore in power, and this gave him a sence of euphoria that somewhat blinded his empathy, not that he had much unless it was self-serving! Indeed, the time had come to go back to the business of being an adventurer, and his share of a potential 80 thousand mithril coins was inspiration indeed.

River Song said:

"It looks like it is getting bad here, we have lost some friends and others have lost heart. But what do we plan to do? Back down there?"

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Telepathically, he answered Well, that is one of our options. We can go to back to the water or the earth temples, and finish the job. We could also go to back underground and wrap things up there. Unless we can find a way to fly back into the spire, that option is out for the moment This last part was conveyed with a sence of irritation; and an image of regretting selling the windwears was conveyed telepathically.

Stroking his new webbed cloak Kubeba smiles.

"We might have a way to climb it."

"Aye, we have options," affirms Carradoc. "The question for me is, Where can we upset the balance of power most? We've done well..." (as he says this he shifts his new haversack, marvelling at how little he needs to carry now) "...but we have no stake in this elemental fight. We shouldn't play favourites, and put someone into supreme power. Besides, we have a collection of motes we need to complete."

Telepathically, Thaliss responds So that means Air or Water. I personally would enjoy throwing the lieutenant commander off the spire, or more realistically, watch Kubeba do it, but we have already killed the Air queen, so perhaps we should take the equalitarian approach, and strike the water temple. This of course, is assuming the queen hasn't been resurected. So off to river guard keep?

"Well water it is then!" Kubeba laughs.

"Shall we drown our sorrows?" he grins and rolls his eyes.

Thaliss sends out the telepathic equivalent of him hitting his forehead with his hand! To rivergard keep it is!, he says, whith a rush of excitement.

Carradoc grunts approval.

Maighan nods in agreement, having followed the conversation with typical reserve. As the others had been moving in precisely the direction she herself had wanted them to, there was no need to intervene.

She'd commissioned something for the motes, in fact...a small disc of gold inlaid with elven characters for the elements that could be put on a chain to wear around one's neck. There were settings for four stones in it; two of which were now occupied.

The fire cult of course was still the primary focus of her personal investigation...but something told her it was in their best interest to try to make sure these 'motes' were out of cult hands as soon as possible. Their power seemed small at first, but that was how the elements worked, yes? Every storm was once a stiff breeze...every avalanche once a tumble of pebbles.