Rise of Tiamat - Intro

[Skarsgard]

"Well on the plus side, we are already packed." Ashur laughs.

 

[Envisioner]

The party soon reconvenes at the stables outside of town, Hartleigh having said he'd catch up with them shortly. They mention his involvement and the groom agrees to defray payment for the horses and tack; he seems to think that being fondly remembered by adventurers, and clients of a businessman who makes more than the entire rest of the town put together, will put their village on the map and get him far more new custom than he could possibly ask you for anyway.

You've completely finished selecting your mounts, getting them properly tacked and harnessed, and are ready to ride out when Hartleigh shows up, aback a creature that is the right size and shape to be a horse, but seems to be made entirely of interlocking plates of metal over a frame of black wood, with tiny jets of steam shooting out of one or another of its joints every so often. The mage has traded his forge-cladding for a tough traveler's jerkin and a utility belt full of potions and wands and scrolls; you also recognize a few tools of the thief's trade which seem a trifle incongruous, but then you know that the forgemaster has come quite a long way from whatever his origins were. "Well, as Qwyn always used to say, destiny never waits on our pleasure; shall we follow its call?"

 

[mips42]

Dumos looks at the mount chosen for him with a look you've likely never seen before: care. He slowly and gently walks up to the beast and begins stroking the horse and whispering lightly to it to ensure that the horse knows him, knows his smell, and knows that he will not hurt the animal. "Fate and Destiny are words used when people try to face what they feel they cannot control. They use these words to try to tame the world, as they do its' creatures. I do not know this animals' name. So, I shall call it Destiny and I shall ride it where I choose." With that, Dumos leads the horse out into the yard and deftly hoist himself atop it. "Lead on, Smith."

 

[Envisioner]

OOC: Great post, Mips. Still waiting on the other three.

 

[jmucchiello]

"Everyone have their horse?" Ana says. "Let's go."

 

[Envisioner]

OOC: Lowkey! If the fact that your posts are now showing you as a Guest means that you've reconsidered your departure, I would very much welcome you coming back. At least long enough to drop me a PM with some contact info for you, so we can speak elswhere.

 

[billd91]

"Your choice is fitting, Dumos. I believe I shall name mine Wayward," Robyn says as he mounts up. "It will remind me of my past and how it shapes the person I have become."

 

[Skarsgard]

Ashur looks at the mount with suspicion and a little fear, the others had mounted so confidently that it seemed silly to hang on to his childhood fear. He looks the creature in the eye, noting it's malevolent, baleful glare. Its teeth chomp down with anticipation and the deadly hooves paw at the ground.

Bile rises to the back of his throat and his stomach clenches. Turning to the others, "I will proceed on foot, horses can't run all day where as I can. I'll scout ahead."

With that he whispers some phrases as he picks up a handful of dirt from the ground. His hand flicks out and the dirt seems to hang in the air a moment before settling to the ground at his feet. As it does he sets off at a blistering pace, unerringly travelling to the site of the chains.

Spoiler: OOC

Casting Longstrider spell to boost speed and using wanderer background feature to navigate to site.
Longstrider only lasts an hour so let me know how many I need to cast to keep pace with the horses.
When the horses need to rest, he'll keep going, leaving a trail for the others to follow.

 

[jmucchiello]

"I'll lead his horse, just in case," Ana says, grabbing hold of the reins and tying her horse together with Ashur's.

 

[Envisioner]

OOC: Was Ashur's fear of horses mentioned in his backstory at all? If so, I missed it. it's not like this is a half-green-dragon horse or anything...no, that was going to show up in a MUCH later chapter....