D&D 5E [IC] hafrogman's Hoard of the Dragon Queen

[hafrogman]

It has been nearly a week since Jeni arrived in Scornubel and met with the survivors of the Black Tide company, bearing a message from Leosin Erlanthar. The message was vague at best, but it was a chance to find information regarding Rezmir, and your best hope to gain vengeance for their fallen comrades. You have been traveling together for days, down through Berdusk on the way south to your goal.

A long day draws to a close and travel dust lies thick upon you and your companions as you draw near Greenest. But as the road crests the ridge in front of you, there is a sinister glow where you expected the welcoming warmth of Greenest's lanterns and hearths. Fire dances among the town, and thick columns of smoke rise up to the clouds above, filtering and dulling the setting sun. Something large moves among the clouds, and lightning flashes down. Framed against the dying light, you can see figures running through the town, the glint of metal barely discernable at this distance. Still, it is obvious - Greenest is under attack!

 

[kuey1975]

With a silent mental command, Carad sends Scree up into the air. The owl takes off, and hovers about 100 feet up in the sky, looking down at the chaos of the town, keeping away from the dark shape in the sky.

"Lend me your eyes, my friend," Carad sends to his familiar. He turns his eyes inwards, and as the world around him fades away, he links his vision to that of Scree.

OOC: Anything interesting he sees from a bird's eye view?

Nocking an arrow to his bow, Carad makes to dash towards the town, but he catches himself and turns to Morgan. "Lieutenant, do we engage?" Nodding towards Hunter, he continues,"We can scout ahead."

 

[Forged Fury]

"Black Tide! Form up!" Morgan shouted out of instinct. A bit presumptuous, she thought, considering there's barely a Black Wave left here. She hoped the instincts of the former Black Tide men were still honed sharp; Greenest looked like an absolute battlefield and whatever was flying in the sky was an evil portent.

"While we're under no contract, the people of this town look like they could use help. Plus, Leosin is here. Ready your weapons and let's move out." Nodding to Carad, she continued, "Good idea. Scout's out... take point by 30 feet but don't engage unless life is at risk. With the close quarters, I don't want you two ranging ahead too far. We have no idea what's going on yet."

Morgan checked her shield and prepared a javelin, her trusted flail ready at her side.

 

[kuey1975]

"Good idea. Scout's out... take point by 30 feet but don't engage unless life is at risk. With the close quarters, I don't want you two ranging ahead too far. We have no idea what's going on yet."

Nodding silently in reply, Carad sets forth, trusting Hunter would take his flank. He deftly flits forward from shadow to shadow, cover to cover, and the way he flickers in and out of sight seems almost magical. As he moves, he keeps an eye on his team behind him, on Scree flying above, and on the town ahead.

 

[Skarsgard]

Hunter dipped his head slightly at Morgan's command. It was good to have the commander back! he thought to himself. Order and discipline of the Black Tide had been missing since the rout and it was good to have purpose once again.

He glances to where Carad starts melting into the shadows and draws a javelin as his dark face is split by a feral grin. He lopes off as directed.
The wolf hunts tonight! and offering a silent prayer to the Wolf Spirits he fades into the gloom.

[sblock=StealtPercep]

Rolls if required.
[roll0]
[roll1]
Passive Perception = 20
[/sblock]

 

[Spartain104]

Venn steps up behind Morgan and places a hand on her shoulder. With his staff he points past into the smoke.

"Unnatural, shapes in the smoke. We must be wary. Whatever It is, we must steel ourselves. After his brief word Venn fell back behind the Lieutenant. Although he had no need for titles or names he knew how the combat worked. He had spent enough time among the company to understand his place and the place of others. As he watched Hunter and Carad lope off to scout ahead he muttered a curse of gibberish and followed the Morgan. His staff was gripped tightly in both hands as it steadied his walk. Feeble as he may have appeared his hand glowed with a bluish light, betraying the pent up magic.

As they moved forward Venn turned and gestured to Jeni as a mother would beckon a child. "Come. We must stick close. Do as the Lieutenant says. Stay low." There wasn't much too it. His sentences always seemed short and cutting. Although in reality he probably just didn't care much.

 

[kuey1975]

OOC: Adding the dice roll for Carad and Scree, if needed...

[sblock=StealthPerception]
Carad
[roll0]
[roll1]
Passive Perception = 15

Scree
[roll2]
[roll=Perception(adv)]1d20+3[/roll]
(Keen Sight and Hearing)
Passive Perception = 13, 18 (advantage)

edit: Oops, look like I messed up Scree's 2nd roll. Looks like it doesn't like parenthesis in the title. Will just leave it.
[/sblock]

 

[Steve Gorak]

Jeni stood frozen for a moment, horrified at the thought that her kin were once more under attack. The commander's words were as the wind, and flowed across her without her realizing their meaning. Some of her comrades moved, but she was fixated on the fire and the smoke. Only one word echoed in her mind Why?.
Still in shock, the magician's words finally reached her, and she prepared her bow as she got closer to Venn and was ready to follow Morgan.

 

[hafrogman]

The Town of Greenest

Hunter and Carad split off to either side of the road, ranging ahead as the group approaches the town proper. The final approach takes a while longer, especially moving cautiously, and sunset has fully arrived by the time you reach the first buildings.

It is night, but the moonlight and burning fires combine to provide eerie lighting. Closing in, you notice that the fires mostly appear to be set in haystacks and shacks. The homes themselves are proving harder to burn and appear scorched at best.

You have arrived from the northeast (K3), and make your way along the main road. Scree is able to provide a rough outline of the town, but the smoke and distances involved prevent any great amount of detail. There is a keep on a hill in the middle of town, and most of the movement seems to be around there.

 

[hafrogman]

Seek the Keep

Without warning, five humans dash out from between two buildings on your left. A limping man and three young children race across the street into more shadows, and a woman carrying a round shield and a broken spear turns and faces back in the direction from which they came. Eight kobolds stream out of the alley on the family's heels and fan out around the woman, who looks determined to delay the creatures for as long as possible.

OOC: The kobolds are intent on their prey and do not seem to paying any attention to your group. The father looks badly injured, probably from an earlier fight. Initiative: Family: 20 Kobolds: 18 <------------- we are here Jeni: 17 Hunter: 17 Carad: 14 Morgan: 9 Venn: 7 Please go ahead an post your actions. As mentioned in recruitment, I'm new to running combat in PbP, so let me know if I missed something obvious.