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


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Dent nodded. He offered a hand in greeting to the dwarf. "Lieutenant Dent. Well met, Bruldenthar. This way, Captain Hightower awaits you."

Dent frowned at the rest of the freed captives. "The rest of you are free to leave, but I offer you no quarter. You should be able to make your way of your own accord from this place."

Dent shepherded Bruldenthar from the cell, careful to keep him at his side. He ignored the rest of the prisoners.
 

Aridha glanced at Dent, frowning.

"I'll lead you out," she said to the other prisoners. "The path out of this place is clear. Follow me closely, and try not to make any noise until you can see the sky again."
 

Damien glanced around, fairly ambivalent about the whole thing. Archandros on the other hand...

You fool! Sacrifices to me gift-wrapped and ready made to order! Where did I go wrong in choosing you?!?

Shrugging, the warlock made ready to leave the stupid monastery and hoped they might be headed back to town for a chance to rest up and purchase gear.
 

Passing through the rough caverns back the way you came, you lead the large number of slaves back up into the monastery. The hardest part is climbing back out of the monster's pit, but you manage. Backtracking, the noisiest thing along the path is the shambling of the prisoner train in tow. Upon breaching the surface, find your way back outside of the monastery. The air is clean and the sky is still somewhat bright, though it is well past noon now.

Along the way, it's easy enough to find basic provisions in the kitchen and larder for the captives. The Knight Captain seems quite happy to see that you somehow managed to rescue everyone without garnering much additional notice.

As you now stand on the steps of the entrance to the monastery, you feel something. A very soft rumbling of the earth. The tremor is barely noticable and subsides after only a few seconds.

[sblock=Aridha]As the earth shakes, it is almost like a rumbling gravel-like voice echos through the ground. "All must return to the earth."[/sblock]

[sblock=Carradoc]A vision temporarily clouds the back of your mind, not even for a moment. Sand. Endless sand... falling like a waterfall... or like an hourglass. A large female figure, strong and pristine, made of rock, with gems for eyes stands behind the sands. "Beware the mountain that lives."[/sblock]

[sblock=Damien]During a single blink of your eyes, you see a thousand thousand eyes staring back in the darkness. It is instant and then gone. They take a million sizes and shapes, squirming and shimmering in the darkest black. This intrusion may or may not be noticed by your existing patron.
[/sblock]

[sblock=Dent]The Knight Captain seems changed, if only a bit, by his experience. He seems just as eager to lead and give commands, but he also seems quite a bit distracted in between moments of clarity.
[/sblock]

[sblock=Thaliss]As you surface, you see what appears to be one of the vulture-riding partisans off in the distance to the west, heading towards a tower in the clouds on a ridge.[/sblock]

[sblock=Tolan]Your wounds still ache, but the experience seems to have worked out in your favor. You feel even more hardy and tolerant today than you had at any point in the past.[/sblock]
 

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Damien shivered.

What was that? he thought to his patron.

No idea, I was hoping you would know, Archandros replied in uncustomary candor. Apparently remembering his position, he thundered, What does it matter? Billions of eyes with no hands to tear and rend? Stop being a maiden.

With the memories of the squirming multitude of eyes still fresh, the warlock sighed and spoke up, "We should probably head back to Red Larch to secure the members of the caravan that we've located so far."
 

Dent nodded absentmindedly at Damien's suggestion to return to Red Larch. The warlock had been suggesting that for a while now. The additional prisoners the group found themselves saddled with were baggage that irritated Dent. He wanted to be free of them, rather than charged with their care and safety. Though, truth be told, and here Dent shot a worried glance at Romon, the Captain could probably use some time in a hospice. Romon seemed not himself. Dent resolved to stick close to his side wherever it was the party headed next; the Captain needed minding. It seemed best not to take Romon back to Mirabar just yet. If the Commander got wind of Romon's unfitness for duty, Dent's career would likely be sunk. He'd put all his eggs in Romon Hightower's basket, a choice he now privately began to regret.
 

Getting out of the monster pit, Thaliss used misty step to avoid climbing on a rope. He was encouraging and telepatically guided the prisonners out, to avoid giving verbal commands and regularly reminding them to remain quiet.

As he surfaced, Thaliss' attention was drawn to the horizon. He stared for a few seconds and telepathically said to his companions look to the west! those that look see what appears to be one of the vulture-riding partisans off in the distance, heading towards a tower in the clouds on a ridge.

That should be our next destination, after some well deserved rest and recreation, of course! he adds telepathically.
 

Carradoc was getting used to Thaliss's thoughts in his head, and so the appearance (if appearance be the right word) of another voice (if voice be the right word), along with a vision of a monster (perhaps a god?) behind falling sand was received with caution. He know what this was not, but not what this was.

They were free of the monastery. Inside remained a lich, and perhaps a few other occupants. In time, this place too would be re-inhabited. There would be chance in the future, perhaps to rescue some of the lich's magics; now was not that time. The prisoners had been rescued; more than we'd expected. Dent should be pleased, but he didn't seem to be.

It was clear there was a desire to press on to Red Larch. Carradoc shrugged. That was as good a place as any.
 

The trek across unmarked trails to reach the Cairn Road and then into Red Larch takes the rest of your day's efforts. You cross the hills within the valley and arrive back in town at nightfall. The moon is bright, but shrouded in part by quickly moving clouds. The stars are visible and there is a chill in the air.

The guild hall is still open (17), as is The Swinging Sword (a tavern, 2) and The Helm at Highsun (an inn, 3). See post 1 for the map.

Among the 17 commoners with the party, 5 have families in and around Red Larch, and they wish to return to them. Six more come from Beliard far to the north, and they don't have provisions or money with which to procure travel. Three are from Womford, and they seem like they may be scoundrels of sorts, but they claim they can make it on their own on the morrow. Then there is one poor girl claiming to be from Mirabar, a young gentleman from Neverwinter, and Bruldenthar the sage.

Lastly, you have the Knight Captain in tow. He seems smiling, if a bit manically at his fortune. He seems eager to find horse and saddle.
 

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