Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="jayoungr" data-source="post: 6903756" data-attributes="member: 6702445">Adventuring LifeIn the morning, Landin sneaked into the room he was supposed to be sharing with Oyn Evenmoor without waking his employer.  But he wasn't able to keep himself from grinning broadly and humming happy little songs.  It was perhaps fortunate that a distraction arose to keep the others from noticing.As the caravan was making ready to set out for the day, Orvustia came to Landin in tears. She explained that she had just been fired and asked if she could ride the rest of the way as a passenger in his wagon. When Landin asked what had happened, she explained that Lai Angesstun had said he could get a whole party of more experienced adventurers--the well-dressed man from the night before and his companions--for less than he was paying Orvustia and Eldkin.  Eldkin was busy trying to find them a new position, but Landin quickly stepped in and arranged with Oyn Evenmoor to share his bodyguard duties with Orvustia.  This suited Landin in more ways than one because now he didn't have to be by Oyn's side all the time, freeing him to hang around Ariana more.Bane of the MountainsThe day's journey took them through a flat stretch of land winding between high hills. The PCs were clustered close together in the driving order, with Aric's wagon furthest back of the group. Just behind him, he could hear Samardag the Hoper talking to his driver about some large, odd-looking shapes flying overhead.  The driver thought they might be vultures, while Samardag insisted they were eagles.  Radecere, riding on the back of Aric's cart as usual, piped up, "I'll give you two to one they're eagles!"Aric took the bet and talked Radecere into stakes of fifty gold pieces.  Although Radecere admitted that he didn't have that much on him, he decided that he was sure enough to risk it.  Aric grinned at the thought of getting his revenge on Radecere, because he was equally sure that they weren't eagles.  "Those are flying surprise lizards if I ever saw them," he muttered.Meanwhile, Atex was staring at the sky in growing consternation.  "They aren't eagles--it's much worse," he announced.  He explained that the flying figures were perytons, monstrous winged stags that enjoyed feasting on human flesh.  As he spoke, they folded their wings and went into a dive, straight toward the party!Landin raised a hand and cast a firebolt, missing one of the perytons.  It was the first time he'd cast a spell since he'd begun secretly studying Atex's spellbooks, but everyone else was too focused on the creatures to notice. Orvustia hit one with an arrow, but this didn't slow their attack.  Aric quickly blessed the party before ducking beneath the wagon, while Atex shot off a magic missile.One of the perytons dived straight for Ariana, screeching, with its head down and its talons open. She held her sword ready and raked it along its side as it arced down, but it caught her as well with its sharp horns and gashed her deeply.  Meanwhile, the other one pounced on Orvustia, instantly knocking her unconscious, and began raking her savagely with its talons. Aric cast a spell to stabilize her, but he knew it would only last until the creature's next attack.As the first peryton came back for another pass, Ariana drove her sword deep into its body.  It snarled at her through foamy teeth, rolled over, twitched, and then lay still.  She immediately spun around and ran to attack the second peryton.  It threw back its head with a horrible cry as she struck it, but then it knocked her weapon aside with one wing and resumed trying to rip out Orvustia's heart.Attacking from the other side, Landin just managed to wound it in the neck, severing an important artery.  The peryton squawked one last time and collapsed, trapping Orvustia beneath its heavy body.  Atex and Landin rolled it aside so that Aric could slide in to heal both Ariana and Orvustia.The whole fight was over so quickly that none of the other travelers had even had time to react.  Now everyone clustered around, slapping the PCs on the back and expressing concern for the injured.  Eldkin thanked them for saving Orvustia and regretted that she hadn't been able to help, since she felt responsible for the girl.The well-dressed party were also present, loudly congratulating the PCs and declaring that they would have helped out if only they hadn't been so far back in the line."You shouldn't have taken that shortcut under the wagons," Atex said sarcastically, having seen them crawling out of their hiding places when the fight was over."It's a shame your employer saw fit to fire a true hero who actually fought and nearly died for this," added Landin, gesturing toward Orvustia.  One of the well-dressed party had the grace to look ashamed at that.Meanwhile, Radecere looked at Aric with a horrifed expression.  "I don't have fifty gold," he said in a small voice."Well, you'd better start finding it," growled Aric.Radecere promised to pay before the trip was over.Musical Chairs AgainThe caravan decided to stop for the midday meal and recover from the attack before trying to continue onward.  During the break, Landin suggested to Oyn Evenmoor that Orvustia take over his position as Oyn's bodyguard."So you want to be released from your contract--is that what you're saying?" asked Oyn."Well ... it's not that I don't want the contract, but ... you see, there's this girl working on another wagon ..."Oyn held up a hand.  "Stop--say no more.  I don't want a bodyguard who's distracted.  I'll take her."Landin then went to introduce himself to Edhelri Lewel and offered to fill Sulesdeg's vacant position as her second guard.  Favorably impressed by the skills he displayed in the peryton fight, she agreed to hire him. Meanwhile, Eldkin was hired by Achenry Ulyeltin, taking over the position formerly held by Aric.DM Notes:  This brings the thread back up to date from before the data loss.If you've enjoyed this recap, check out the <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?490558-quot-Fall-of-Magic-quot-Replay-from-GenCon" target="_blank">"Fall of Magic" Replay Thread</a> as well!  Don't worry, it's just a short diversion from this one.</blockquote>

Verification