Rise of Tiamat - Intro

Envisioner · Mar 9, 2020

OOC:

(Sorry, I keep forgetting that you had those eyes that Horus misplaced in the movie "God of Egypt" - which I recommend by the way, it's very D&D-ish.)

Analiese can see that the gleaming objects on the rock are the links of a chain, very sturdily-forged from the look of it, with little occasional flecks of red here and there along the gleaming silvery metal, whose nature isn't apparent from any distance. The chain is fastened to the rock with spikes driven through the links, thus that anything short of a frost giant wouldn't be able to pull them apart. Ana can also tell that the cloud obscuring the dark object is a mass of flies swarming over some kind of carrion or offal, but someone would have to get pretty close and/or drive away most of the bugs before they could see what exactly it is.

Envisioner · Mar 9, 2020

Dumos/Robyn
After a few moments of reading, Captain Garwynn looks up at Dumos with an eyebrow raised. "A personal request from Grand Marshal Ravengard of Baldur's Gate? That is high praise indeed for any soldier, let alone one with such....controversial ancestry, if you'll forgive me being so gauche as to mention it. I'm intensely curious, though of course you don't owe me an answer; still, I can't help but wonder what exploits could have made the Flaming Fist himself esteem you so highly. You can't be just anybody, if he's asking you to meet him in Waterdeep 'with all reasonable haste', instead of simply having you await his return to his usual seat of power. Just what have you done to earn such honors?"

(Feel free to invent some exploit that your character might have undergone, which is vaguely feasible for a 6th-level fighter who dabbles in spellcasting, and would have been impressive enough that one of the highest-ranking fighters in Faerun would not only know who you are, but would give you a summons of this level of importance. If you describe something which I agree is really neat but in no way implausible, you'll get Inspiration out of it; if you yourself are not feeling inspired, your character won't be either, but I can come up with something appropriately impressive, if you don't mind me taking a few minor liberties with your backstory.)

jmucchiello · Mar 9, 2020

"Look at those thick chains, embedded in the stone with thick spikes," Ana says as if they can see what she can. "Something big and strong, like the legendary giants of the great North, tore them apart like they were nothing."

"I wish I could make out what was in the darkness. Flies or other carrion are covering whatever is there."

lowkey13 · Mar 9, 2020

*Deleted by user*

Envisioner · Mar 9, 2020

OOC:

There are no shadows of any relevance, just an object covered in bugs.
Analiese knows this, even if Bannor does not.

jmucchiello · Mar 9, 2020

"Those aren't shadows. Those are bugs." Ana says. "Sorry if I mischaracterized it before.

"It seems we three are all adept at stalking quietly through this terrain. We can all approach together. Probably circle along that line using the bolder for cover as we approach whatever is possibly being devoured by the insects."

Skarsgard · Mar 9, 2020

"Those chains sound like they are designed for a pretty serious job," Ashur agrees. "However, it could also be bait for a trap for something large."

He ponders for a moment, "If you would indulge me, I will check the area to see if anything..... odd.. is nearby."

He sits on the ground with his glaive across his lap, closing his eyes he extends his senses out into the wild, searching, feeling for the presence of those creatures that are unnatural.

Using

Primeval Awareness
Beginning at 3rd Level, you can use your action and expend one Ranger spell slot to focus your awareness on the region around you. For 1 minute per level of the spell slot you expend, you can sense whether the following types of creatures are present within 1 mile of you (or within up to 6 miles if you are in your favored terrain): Aberrations, Celestials, Dragons, Elementals, fey, Fiends, and Undead. This feature doesn't reveal the creatures' location or number.

To see if any of the above creatures are within a mile of them.

Envisioner · Mar 10, 2020

Ashur:

OOC:

This is a case where a strict reading of the rules indicates that I should tell you nothing whatsoever, but I kinda want to give you a hint, without tipping my hat too far. I think I'll let the dice decide; rather than spending your spell slot, please make simultaneous Nature and Arcana checks to understand what your mystical senses are telling you. In the meantime, the sense in question is definitely active, so please proceed with your physical actions.

All three of you:

OOC:

Everyone make your Stealth checks for your approach to the boulder; you won't be attacked immediately regardless of the result, so as soon as you all say you're approaching, I'm going to move forward with what you find in the short term, and then your Stealth check will govern what happens once initiative is rolled. Don't take these checks as proof that you're about to be ambushed; we have a 1-mile radius to deal with here, so you might be safe for the next minute or the next four hours, you don't know which, so by adventurer standards, you feel completely safe.