CB's The Sunless Citadel v3.5

[CanadienneBacon]

Good spot, TS. I edited my post to reflect that Karl did not take full dmg. I'll give Boddynock another day to post, and same with hafrogman. If I don't hear from them by tomorrow, I'll NPC them, having them do the most reasonable thing I can think, given the situation.

 

[Boddynock]

"Calcryx? Everyone, wait!" The bard holds out a warning hand, then addresses the little dragon.

[sblock=Draconic]"Calcryx, scion of ice, stay your fierce wrath! We come, not seeking your harm but rather your return. The leader of the kobold clans seeks your repatriation, hoping to restore you to an honoured place in her halls. Stay, fierce warrior - speak with us ere you strike again."[/sblock]

 

[CanadienneBacon]

At Elyan's words, the small dragon lowers the taloned wing it had been holding aloft and speaks soft hissing words in draconic that seem full of haunting beauty despite the dragon's cruel inflection. "Human! Thinkest thou that I shall return to bars to be the mere pet of runtlings whose grandest achievement in their shallow ill-gotten life is to live out their petty days as imitators of true nobility?" The dragon expands its petite though considerable chest and extends its wings. Thusly extended, the dragon's wingspan nearly fills the entire room, reaching from wall to opposite wall. Calcryx rakes a claw through a small heap of gold and coveted items piled beneath a table in the room nearby. "Though reduced to quarters that barely hold my might and to a geldbed not worthy of the rats which feed on the bones of your ancestors, in time I shall rise through this mire to greater power and glory in the world beyond." The white dragon preens its wintered scales and huffs frost from a nostril, but narrows an eye to a slit and stares hard at Elyan. "Leave, Human, and tell my tale to the world. You are no good to me dead." The dragon fixes Meepo with an ire-filled glare. "But the ratling stays. His kind has done me enough dishonor; besides, I am hungry and wish to break my midday fast."

Karl, who holds his short sword high overhead in preparation to bring the blade down atop Calcryx's maw, stays his hand for the moment.

Kaeleen drops down to tend to Meepo. Channeling a minor restorative spell into the fallen kobold so that he remains unconscious on the flagstone floor, Kaeleen staves off Meepo's immediate death.

Pause here to let Strahd adjust Grotz's action this round, if he wants. Just to be clear, Elyan cried out for everyone to wait, then Elyan and the dragon spoke in a language unknown to Grotzkoshter. The dragon, while haughty, does not currently look like it is readying an attack. The dragon has lowered the talons it was about to use to swipe at Karl. We'll get an action for Grotz, which I will resolve, and then we'll start on a new round.

 

[Strahd_Von_Zarovich]

Grotzkoshter

Still shaken, Grotz pause and shakes the cold feeling from his bones.
He waits for the appropriate chance to bring his axe down on the wyrm.
He is evil Elyan, let me take the lizard and decorate my helmet with his skin and use his claws for a necklace

 

[Boddynock]

"He says he will not go back - but he directs us to return, so that we can cry his glory to the world. All except Meepo, who will be his midday meal."

"Evil? I would guess that you are right - but are we sure? And can you be sure that we will not fall to his icy breath? Still, I will tell him that kobold is not on the menu today. So be ready, for he may not take it well."

[sblock=Draconic]"Truly, sweet-songed one, you are too magnificent by far for such bleak surroundings, and I can understand that you would not want to return to the caverns of the ratlings - but this little one has placed himself under my protection, and I know that one as great-souled as yourself will understand that I cannot abandon him to his death so easily."

"May I offer my services as your herald, proud Calcryx? I would sing of you to the world at large, so that it may understand the nature of true nobility. Let the little one serve as my witness in this, and by your grace give him a chance to redeem his people's fault. For, as you say, we cannot well serve you if we are dead."[/sblock]

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Grotz stays his hand but keeps his greataxe aloft in the air, ready to strike should the small dragon end its parlay and attack.

Grotz has a readied action to attack the dragon if it becomes aggressive.

Switching to common, Calcryx the White huffs yet another frosty nostril of frozen air at Elyan. "Whether or no you claim the Right of Wing and shall endeavor to protect the ratling kobold," the dragon eyes Meepo before continuing, "is of little accord when matched in competition with my unerring jaws, Human." Calcryx idly claws the ice at his feet and shifts his petite girth. "Whether for geld or flesh, the hunger of a White has no companion." The little dragon folds its wings. By its inflection and the set of its stance, the creature belies interest. "A herald of my doings across the realm, sayeth thee? Ashardalon the Great had his bardling, as did Vorcinerex Black-Talon. Your offer intrigueth me, Human. Continue..." Calcryx purrs at Elyan, eyeing Karl and Grotzkoshter all the while.

[sblock=Kaeleen]Kaeleen gets the strong sense that Calcryx is not interested in the least in Elyan's offer and that the dragon only delays so that it can breathe more cold on the party. The dragon's mannerisms and occasional flitting glances at Meepo and the two half-orcs betray the creature's true intent; Calcryx is stalling for time. Based on what Kaeleen knows of dragons, they can use their breath weapon every so often and like to catch their prey by surprise. Like any wild animal, dragons are particularly frightful when cornered.[/sblock]

Karl, like Grotz, holds his blade. A short growl escapes from between Karl's tusks. Neither half-orc is pleased at the prospect of waiting.

Kaeleen's up.

Initiative:
Elyan 20
Karl 18
Kaeleen 12
Calcryx 11
Grotzkoshter 8

 

[Guest 11456]

Kaeleen : Female Elf Cleric of Corellon Larethian 2

Kaeleen's eyes go wide as she realizes what is happening. She moves forward and to the left of the white dragon as she speaks. "The dragon is only stalling for time so it can use its cold breath again. Attack!" Then she attacks with her dagger trying to inflict nonlethal damage.

 

[Strahd_Von_Zarovich]

Grotzkoshter

"The dragon is only stalling for time so it can use its cold breath again. Attack!"

That was all he waited for, a trigger to let the axe fall on its prey.
Die wyrm

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Kaeleen turns her dagger to the side and tries to thwack the dragon with the flat of her blade but narrowly misses. Karl, who had earlier crept up and around to the side of the dragon, lunges in like a flash and attempts to strike Calcryx in the side with his short sword but misses. Grotzkoshter, hearing Kaeleen cry a warning, brings the full brunt of his great axe to bear atop Calcryx's small body. The sharpened side of the great axe slices through the dragon's hide, dealing 14 points of damage and exposing flesh and the white of bone.

That was Grotz's and Karl's readied actions. Both have moved up in initiative order.

Calcryx hisses and Grotzkoshter and lays into the half-orc with venemous fury. The dragon claws twice at Grotz, missing once but hitting the second time for 2 points of damage. Not satisfied, Calcryx extends his lizard neck at lightening speed and snaps at Grotzkoshter, catching Grotz in the groin for 5 points of damage. The miniature dragon releases Grotz and tries to swing its white tail at Karl, but the tail isn't yet fully developed and the dragon struggles to swing the girth of his appendage around.


Initiative:
Elyan 20
Kaeleen 12
Karl 12
Grotzkoshter 12
Calcryx 11

Start of a new round. Elyan up first!

 

[Boddynock]

Elyan curses at the unexpected turn of events but doesn't waste any time. A strident song of fire and flame fills the air. His allies are buoyed up by the power of his music.

[sblock=OOC]Inspire Courage: +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls.

Initiating a bardic music effect is a standard action, so that's Elyan's first round taken care of. Can a bard maintain Inspire Courage in subsequent rounds and also attack?

BTW, if Elyan is struck down (goes unconscious) his last words are, "Rogue, kill!"[/sblock]