Assault on Dragonspear (5e PBP) IC

[FitzTheRuke]

Assault on Dragonspear (5e PBP) OOC
Daggerfordians (Assault on Dragonspear) RG

Assault on Dragonspear
A sequel & finale to FitzTheRuke's Scourge of Daggerford 5e PBP Campaign

Spoiler: Daggerford Immediate Area Map

Dandin Applebane

Dandin arrived in Daggerford by the Farmer's Gate. It was the same gate as he had used for most of his life, trading with the farmers north of Daggerford and selling what he had acquired in the marketplace at a "moderate" mark-up. It was the same gate he'd left through, only six weeks ago. So why did it feel so different?

Dandin tipped his hat to the guard at the gate, a youth he knew, but had forgotten her name. The wide-eyed look on her face answered his earlier idle question: It was he who had changed. Instead of pulling his old donkey, loaded with various goods, he was riding a rather large, old, and battle-worn brown bear. And he had nothing whatsoever to sell at market.

The weeks he had trained with the Druidic Circle at Old King's Hill had changed how he thought of magic. He'd always been a dabbler in spells, but mostly as tricks. Now magic facilitated a deep connection between him and Ol'Sooty. He knew the bear perhaps better than he knew anyone. Better than he'd known himself, when he was last in Daggerford. He shifted in the saddle that had been generously given to him as a gift by a sun-elf named Shashenha, and the bear stood up on its hind legs. He and the saddle folded forward, and he was comfortably sitting, still upright, right behind the bear's head. The trick astonished and delighted the onlookers, many of whom hand known Dandin for years.

They clapped and called his name, congratulating him on his successful transition from moderate merchant to lofty Adventurer. Secretly, many of them thought that he would have been killed for sure, but they had been humbled. One called, "What's next for you, Dandin? Off to slay a dragon?"

In fact, Dandin didn't entirely know. He'd been asked to return to Daggerford by Talynen, the Elf Lord Darfin Floshin's aide. All he knew was that a group was gathering to share information on the schemes of the Red Wizards, and to answer questions that had been left unanswered.

* * *

Lionel Hardcheese

"Lionel!" called his mother, Wilhelmina Hardcheese, "I hope you're not too important now to help your old mother with a few dishes!"

His mother was short, even for a halfling, and she was nearly as wide as she was tall, but she made up for her stature with a personality to rival any ten taller folk. She was loud and hard-headed, but she was also generous and kind. She loved her son, but she had high expectations for him. She had never approved of him going off on an adventure, but she was secretly very proud of her son, and he knew it.

Since he'd returned to Daggerford a few weeks ago, she had stubbornly chosen to act like he would return to his job at the Happy Cow Tavern, cooking and performing no end of small tasks. If Lionel had decided which way he'd go, he hadn't yet shared that decision with his mother.

Later, his sister Hermione found him in the cellar, practicing with his strange new knives on a hanging piece of cheese-cloth. "Show me again how you can make them appear and disappear!" she demanded.

He did, and she gasped as the blood-red blades flashed out and into existence. The effort was small, but it still left a strange buzzing feeling in Lionel's head. He didn't know what to make of it.

"You're so weird, Lionel!" said his sister, as siblings do, before adding, "Oh, right! I almost forgot - I'm to tell you that a note came for you. From the castle, of all places! Apparently they want YOU, of all people, to go to a meeting with the Duke! And not just the Duke, but Lady Morwyn, Sir Isteval, Lord Darfin, and a whole bunch of wizards! And I bet your friends will be there, too!

Her tone shifted from her usual mocking to something closer to serious, if astonished, "You're so important, Lionel!"

OOC: More to come...

 

[Leatherhead]

"A dragon? That would be a grand adventure!" Dandin smirked while giving the bear a generous petting for putting up with the gathered crowd. "But Me and Ol' Sooty just got back, it would be rude to leave again without checking up on a few friends."

Dandin let his mind wander into his memories as he wandered to his old haunts. Everything looked just a bit different from his new vantage point, but not unrecognizably so. A few new potted plants here and there, a fresh coat of paint on that corner house, a new window to replace a broken one. He couldn't help but grin from ear to ear, wondering how everyone would react to the new him, and Ol' Sooty too, of course.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Tommi Guttertake

Tommi sat across the table from Sherlen Miller. When they were young sweethearts - children, really - Tommi had promised her that someday, he'd take her for dinner at the River Shining. It was a bold promise, as the Inn catered to visiting nobles and served dinners to local notables, such as Lady Belinda Anteos of the Sword Coast Trader's Bank. In other words - it was expensive. But its reputation was such that the food and service was worth the price.

Tommi had acquired enough gold on his recent adventures that he could finally afford it. So he made the offer, and she accepted. His mother (who had been overjoyed to see him return, she had been so worried) had stopped him three times as he had set out that evening, telling him, "You must clean that dirty face." and "You can't wear that to the 'Shining!" and "Tuck that shirt in, Tommi!"

But he'd only been a little late when he picked Sherlen up at the constable's office. She wasn't ready, either - she'd just locked up two drunks, and took a moment to oversee a last-minute change in the guard roster on the River Gate. And though she had found herself a very pretty dress, she looked like she felt more comfortable in her familiar leather armor, training the city militia. This fact was underscored when they went to step out onto the street, and she'd absently grabbed her spear (which was both her weapon of choice, and her badge of office as constable).

Now that they'd finally made it to the River Shining, with an open bottle of wine and a roast duck between them, they sat awkwardly wondering what to say to each other.

* * *

Escella Bok

Escella had found it difficult to return to her life in Daggerford. While many of those who had gone on an Adventure would find themselves changed by the things they had seen and done, Escella was nearly unrecognizable to her friends and family. Her parents, Ascor and Franceska Bok, had never fully understood their daughter, but now they found her distant and irritable, and not becoming of the young noblewoman that they'd raised (with the help of tutors). They quarrelled with her, understanding very little of where she'd been or what she'd gone through.

Her mentor, Kelson Darktreader, was more understanding, but he was not one for words. Instead, he took her hunting - not for food, but for screech-bats, dangerous predatory rodents that had been spotted not far downriver from the Tannery.

* * *

Aredhel Vairar Aina'carthin & Lunn Dornuk

Vairar and Lunn had only recently arrived in Daggerford. Unlike their adventuring companions, neither held deep roots in the city. When the group had disbanded, they both had returned to the Floshin Estate. They'd taken the job of being the personal guards for Sir Darfin Floshin, and his sister, Lady Shalendra. Shalendra was recovering from having been under the influence of Sing-Axe, where she'd very nearly betrayed her brother, her people, and all of the Sword Coast and had almost been responsible for opening the way for an invasion from Thay.

Vairar had known her on-and-off for over a century, and she'd always been something of a haughty elf princess. But she'd been greatly humbled by her experiences - in particular because she had been rescued by such a motley band. For the first time in her life, she began to see why her brother (and their father before him) saw so much in the potential of the good folk of Daggerford.

Together, the group had struck a powerful blow against the machinations of the Thayans, and this mysterious Titan (if that was what Sing-Axe truly was), but there were still many questions to be answered. When Shalendra was ready to travel, they left the Floshin Estate for Daggerford. Sir Darfin was determined that they would gather everyone together and solve these mysteries, once and for all.

OOC: More to come!

 

[Kobold Stew]

Tommi has been listening to Sheren talk about her new responsibilities. Her eyes danced and she spoke with her hands, and she was so proud of what she'd been able to do and it was beautiful; she was beautiful. And Tommi got to watch her, to be with her. In the short time he'd been away, she'd taken on a lot more authority, and now had little platoons of volunteers that she was training. Everyone listened to her; everyone respected her. And she had turned the volunteers into a constabulary. The north gate and the river gate were no longer kept closed after dusk... that was new, and Tommi laughed at thinking how often he had used the fact that they had been closed to sneak in and out of the city.

Sheren would never boast to others like this, he was sure, and that meant she was comfortable with him, and that she trusted him, and that maybe she loved him. He reached for her hand, to feel her warmth and her fingertips. In doing so, one of the buttons of his sleeve knocked over a glass and water had spolled on the table: the water had rolled in his direction, not hers, thankfully. He flushed, suggesting maybe he had meant to do that.

The food smelled good, and he wanted to start, but he wasn't sure what all the implements in front of him were intended for. And now he only had one hand free. He hesitated, and was almost thankful when the server appeared and started carving the duck for them. He let go of her fingers, and began to eat.

"Um, I've been thinking," he bagan.
"You are trying new things!" she teased.
"Yeah. I've been thinking... I'm going to have to go off again. Not right away, but, yeah, soon. Not have to, but want to. I want to help. But when I come back, I thought maybe you and me... we could..."

Tommi is barely breathing. "...go on a trip somewhere. Maybe to Waterdeep, and rent one of those houseboats they have there. Stay a couple of weeks, if you could get away. Just us two..."

She had just taken a bite, and it was her turn to talk. She put down her fork and looked him in the eyes, as she chewed her food, slowly, and swallowed.

 

[Neurotic]

Lunn came with Lady Shelendra and the mangled elf that only in the last few weeks mellowed toward him. Understandable after what he went through with other orcs.

But right now, Lunn was more elf than an orc except by his looks. And the warmth he felt constantly from the item he received, he felt the world around him in different way. Not through magic, at least not the kind Darfin wielded, he was resigned to the fact he will never know or understand magic as the wizard did. But his magic was more primal, primitive...more limited, but at the same time, infinite, not limited by his intellect, but only his physicality.

To those who got to know him, he was calmer, slower to react; still prone to exuberance, to explosion of emotion...but he was calmer and the lines of his face were more relaxed now.

 

[VLAD the Destroyer]

"Of course not Ma. I'll be right there."

Lionel sighed as he heads downstairs. He knew his mother was just worried about him. She didn't want him hurt and her way of doing that was to just go back to like it was before. The problem was that was impossible. Lionel had changed too much since he left on that initial adventure. He walked into the kitchen and gave his mom a kiss on the cheek and a big hug.

"I'll always have time for you ma."

He walks over to the sink and rolls up his sleeves and begins on the dishes. As he works his Wilhelmina walks over.

"Are you eatin' enough dear? You're becoming skin and bones.

Lionel shrugs.

"Yes ma you know I am."

Lionel had noticed that his clothes had gotten looser. He already had to have them taken in once and they were still a bit to large. He wasn't thin but he was no longer round like he used to be. That wasn't the only change, he felt the buzz come on in his head. He finished up the dishes and went outside to clear his head.

Later that night he smiles at his sister. He gave her a playful shove.

"And don't you forget it. He grinned at her in jest. "Thanks for the message. I wonder what they want with me."

He ponders on the invitation. It seems his adventures were not yet over. A knot of anxiety formed in the pit of his stomach. But he pushed it down. He would see his friends which made a smile spread across his face. He made the red blade appear in his hand once more. He didn't know where this strange new power came from but he'd use it to protect his friends if he must.