D&D 5E EB's ToEE and RttToEE Campaign - IC

[EarlyBird]

The Temple of Elemental Evil
By Gary Gygax w/ Frank Mentzer


-23rd of Goodmonth, 579 CY
-just off the High Road (one day north of Enstad) in the Viscounty of Verbobonc
-8:15 pm

​

The crackling fire was all the noise that could be heard coming from the small camp area nestled between a huge boulder and a thick copse of trees. Evidence that this area had been used for such a purpose before was evident, and a good spot it was indeed. Not only did it hide the light of the fire from evil eyes, but blocked the wind should it turn cold at night. But it was not any of the outside elements that worried the merchant Javin this night, it was the other people that he and his cart driver (now sound asleep) shared the fire with. An odd group to be sure, and how all of them came to be together an even odder tale none he would tell it to would believe.

It started when the dwarf Emmyr Anvilforge sought the merchant out looking for passage for him and his mistress, the Lady Rebekah and her companion... Gwylla. Javin had heard Lady Rebekah address the other half-elf as Gwylla during their trip north. The dwarf was a stubborn one (as they all are), not taking no for an answer even when Javin insisted he had no room on his cart for three passengers and their luggage. But the dwarf suggested he just by a second cart, that his lady wanted to leave as soon as possible, and Javin was the only merchant who was leaving quickly enough and heading in the right direction. The money he offered was to good to pass up, doubling the profit for the entire trip.

Well the cart was a good ideal as Javin was already thinking of leaving some things behind in the one overloaded cart he owned at the time. The buying of a new cart and the addition of added passengers for whom he didn't know led to the hiring of two more people of this strange group that sat around the low burning campfire.

Templeton was the only person to volunteer when Javin inquired after a man capable of handling a wagon and team. Although not someone he would have chosen, had he been given a choice, the man handled his team well and never complained or hinted at working harder than what he was being paid for, as long as Javin slept upwind from the former ratcatcher he was fine with the man. And then there was the dragonborn, a blue dragonman at that! Javin was worried about maybe needing some added protection during the journey, and of course he saw the weapons before he saw who was carrying them when he approach Hexrios Verad about employment. The dragonman was planning on leaving Enstad and had no particular preference as to which direction to travel, so Javin convinced him to sign on for half of the journey and if Hexiros wanted to continue on with him from there he could. But without the money from Lady Rebekah neither of those two would even be here right now.

And then the strangest of all strange things happened just an hour ago.

Javin was about to pull off the road and head to his favorite rest spot (where they all sat now), when he noticed three people, and a giant frog?!, standing in the middle of the road as if they were waiting for the merchant train. An old crone lifted a gnarled cane aloft and spoke loudly, "Turn back! turn back Javin Mertall! For only capture and death await you and your company upon the road ahead!"

An absurd notion if ever Javin had heard one he thought remembering the encounter. And indeed he had told the old woman that many times over as she stood absolute to block the road with her two companions, and giant frog?! It was the level headedness of the Lady Rebekah that won through as she suggested they weren't traveling anymore today anyway, and could discuss the dangers ahead over dinner, at the very least.

And so they had "discussed" all through dinner, although Javin would have called it an argument for sure. It seemed the old crone Rana the Green had traveled far with the half-elf sailor Captain Blackpearl (thee Captian Blackpearl), and a human wildling girl named Aridha to stop Javin's caravan all based on a dream!

He was hardly sure what was going on, but Rana was sure that somewhere along the trip tomorrow the caravan would be attacked and everyone either captured or killed outright. But she was so vague on everything but the fact it would happen tomorrow that again the poise of Lady Rebekah won through.

"Then travel with us," she said setting down her plate barely touched. (You'd think the beans were cooked insects by the way her face paled when she looked at them.) "It would only be for a day and if we are attacked, your swords would strengthen ours, thus bringing a chance of changing the outcome of this... vision."

Rana had excepted, and so three more strangers (and a giant frog?!) were added to the five strangers already in Javin Mertall's company headed towards... Wait?!

[sblock=The Current Party]- KahlessNestor: Emmyr Anvilforge, dwarven male fighter
- Binder Fred: Rana the Green, human female warlock
- industrygothica Hexiros Verad, dragonborn(blue) male fighter
- Shayuri: Aridha, human female druid
- Charwoman Gene: Gwylla, half-elf(high) female wizard
- hero4hire: Templeton, human male rogue
- River Song: Lady Rebekah, half-elf female bard
- Neurotic: Captain Blackpearl, half-elf male paladin[/sblock]
[sblock=Experience]
2,800xp each - Level 4[/sblock]

OOC Thread
Inn of the Welcome Wench

 

[EarlyBird]

"How did you know my name?" Javin asks looking over at Rana. He notices a small triumphant gleam in her eyes even though it would seem she lost the argument a moment ago.

The old crone turns her frown towards the merchant at being addressed, and he holds up his hands. "Never... nevermind. I don't think I really wish to know more."

OOC: Disposition: Indifferent Bond: Never breaks a contract or agreement (no matter how bad someone smells lol)

 

[River Song]

Lady Rebekah's face was serene as she sat, stirring the unappetising mess on her plate, but she studied the newcomers with distaste. 'They were so dirty!' But the old woman had mentioned a possible attack and Lady Rebekah definitely believe in safety in numbers. However, she would really need to ensure better meals were on offer the next day, beans were something fed to beasts of burden; whether the four legged or two legged variety.

"Welcome and thank you for the warning, you must be weary from your travels in this inhospitable clime," she waved an imperious hand at Javin. "Javin, would you be a dear and organise some refreshments for our new friends here. Surely their timely warning is worthy of your fine fare." Whilst a casual observer may have mistaken the last two statements as questions, nothing in her tone or inflection had suggested anything less than her expectation that her 'requests' would be met.

Without waiting to see if the merchant had complied he stood regally and inclined her head slightly, emphasising her natural superiority over the other women of the group. Her clothing was immaculate, despite the horrid dust of the days travels, she knew the importance of appearance; especially to commoners. Her perfection would give them hope to face the next dreary day of their existence. She almost half smiled as she noticed the predictable sidelong stares of the male members of the group but a withering glare at the more bold put them back in their place; it was vital to make herself the pinnacle of desire and simultaneously as unobtainable as the most chaste goddess.

"Please tell us more of the nature of this threat."

 

[Shayuri]

Aridha snorted and threw a bit of wadded-up bread at the frog. Quick as a snake the amphibian's tongue shot out, nicked the treat in midair, and thwipped back into its mouth. Its eyes flattened down a little into its head as it swallowed. Aridha giggled in spite of herself.

She thought it was howling daft of them to go anywhere with this bunch...especially if Old Rana had had some kind of vision of doom upon them...but there was no arguing with the hag once she'd made up her mind. Not from lack of trying had Aridha reached that conclusion.

When the girl picked up her bread again, the frog immediately perked up, but this time the bite was Aridha's. She poked her tongue out at the beast, but perhaps predictably it didn't seem impressed. It was...easier to look at it, Aridha found. Almost everyone else at the table she'd just have to stare at, and then everyone would think she was some kind of stone-blind simpleton or something.

The Lady was one of the Fair Folk by her ears, and was so beautiful it almost hurt to look at her. Ari was short and scrawny; a toothpick of a girl next to her. All freckled and her flaming scarlet hair all afloof...she might be young yet, but Aridha knew the mere passage of years wouldn't close the gap between her and the Lady. Even the leathers that she'd paid the journeyman Upton to make before leaving didn't fill out her figure much.

Then there was the dragon man! Tall and huge, with a crocadile head and blue-scaled with teeth and claws and tail...but wearing clothes like a man! Aridha longed to ask him all the questions she had, but Rana had kept too close with her gimlet eyes and cane. Ari knew exactly how fast that cane could move to thwak someone's knuckles if the old bag thought they were being too pert.

Way. Too. Fast.

The dwarf was an imposing figure too. Not tall, which was kind of a relief. Even Aridha was a cut or two taller, though perhaps less than a full head. But he was WIDE. And she'd rarely seen armor like that on anyone. The stories said dwarves were wrapped iron when born, because dwarves didn't have cloth, and they made their own armor as they grew up...shedding it like snakeskin, practically.

There was another woman too...awkward and fumbly, a little, which was definitely a relief. Not EVERYONE was a figure of legend striding out of the mists! Gwylla had a bit of the elves around her too, but hardly seemed to know it from how she acted. She was just a regular person! Aridha really wanted to know how she'd wound up with these others.

The manservant Templeton had an unhealthy air to him that Aridha didn't much care for. From a city, probably. Plagues ran wild there, or so she heard. Jumped at the first chance to escape. If he hadn't been so sinister, she might have had some sympathy for him. As it was, she simply resolved to keep her distance.

Aridha glanced from the frog to surreptitiously ogle the others at the table, then leaned over to nudge Captain Blackpearl...while still keeping half an eye on Rana.

"Oi. Ken we do summore training before turning in after supper?"

 

[Charwoman Gene]

*bump* *bump* Gwylla was having lots of trouble reading on this trip. This was not a smooth ride.

It's an interesting group though. From the dragonman to the human wilding... the old crone, the sailor, even the strange smelly human... after meeting up with Lady Rebekah and the dwarf.

What has brought so many disaparate people together? Is it truly happenstance? The whims of the gods perhaps.

Not sure what my place here is yet.

 

[Binder Fred]

When the girl picked up her bread again, the frog immediately perked up, but this time the bite was Aridha's. She poked her tongue out at the beast, but perhaps predictably it didn't seem impressed.

That’s not a tongue, it seemed to be saying, before demonstrating: this is a tongue: straight for her own open mouth too!

Smartly knocked aside by the cane. “Children...” A note of warning in Rana’s voice.


She hrm-ed and gave all due consideration to the young girl's - Rebekah's? - question, spotted hands thoughfully rubbing against the knob of her cane... "Does it really matter what kills you?" she finally inquired.

(There was a slight - a very slight but constant buzzing all around her; the dancing firelight sometimes catching on, insect wings?)

 

[Neurotic]

Zanword sat quietly, looking back at his life that brought him here. He always found himself melancholic when traversing the swamp, slow, difficult process at the best of times, vision enclosed by endless trees, vines, fog and other impediments. There was no freedom to go where you wanted, you had to respect existing paths or waste even more time looking for safe passage outside them. Still, the ruins, old civilization now forgotten held hidden knowledge and were the ancients legacy to all.

As they joined merchants group, he looked over mish-mash of types and races. Lady Rebecca of course immediately caught his eye.

Lady Rebekah's face was serene as she sat, stirring the unappetising mess on her plate,

Looking at her wasting perfectly good food and thinking on many less fortunate, he labeled her immediately as one of the spoiled nobles, not even aware of their lack of understanding of how the world really is.
Still, one couldn't argue with the results of such soft life, silky sheets, perfect skin, all the time in the world to make the hair just right. Occasional adventurous noble girl that went slumming he had pleasure to meet were just like this, unconscious of their demanding requests, uncaring on how many hours of common (wo)men work went into it.

He grinned at the memory, raising his eyes to look directly at the lady.

Without waiting to see if the merchant had complied he stood regally and inclined her head slightly, emphasising her natural superiority over the other women of the group. Her clothing was immaculate, despite the horrid dust of the days travels, she knew the importance of appearance; especially to commoners. Her perfection would give them hope to face the next dreary day of their existence. She almost half smiled as she noticed the predictable sidelong stares of the male members of the group but a withering glare at the more bold put them back in their place; it was vital to make herself the pinnacle of desire and simultaneously as unobtainable as the most chaste goddess.

Zanwords grin only widened when she glared at him. Luckily, the glares don't kill and he winked at her trying to provoke her. She would be too important to look at him, of course, at least here where her decorum was the only thing showing her noble. That doesn't mean he cannot enjoy himself. And besides, maybe she gets intrigued by boldness. But comparing her to the girl next to him, uncontrolled, wild, ALIVE - Lady Rebecca came out behind. As people often said, first love is the woman you compare all the others to. And he always subscribed to that opinion.

The girl accompanying the lady was quiet. Obviously half-elven, he wondered what her story is. Until now, he got several variations of the story: human father seducing or forcing itself on elven mother. Most of such children lived with the elves, growing up with prejudice of the old race toward 'newcomers'.

Elven father seducing human mother; usually it would result in him leaving at some point, but as likely was that he waited out short human lifespan - those would be happiest half-elves, living in love for years. But they were the saddest too, where the difference between races was the most obvious. Rarely, it was the other way around, where elven mother would live among humans for half-a-century or so.

Finally, two half-elves meeting like normal humans do - and there was no way to guess how that would work out, given the usual baggage such pair brought in. But love conquers all and such unions could be long lasting and peaceful.

He didn't know his own story. There was a possibility that one of the crew was his father. Maybe even the captain himself. Whatever the reason, he was treated well on the ship and as far as he could remember, he WAS on the ship. There was no home in his mind beside it. Even now, wracked as it was, it was his home.

Thus, when Gwylla took her nose out of the book to look over the companions, he looked back all serious and nodded, without thought of seduction.

Aridha glanced from the frog to surreptitiously ogle the others at the table, then leaned over to nudge Captain Blackpearl...while still keeping half an eye on Rana.
"Oi. Ken we do summore training before turning in after supper?"

Coming back from his musings, Zanword looks at the young woman.
"I would like to, but given the threat of a dream, maybe we shouldn't raise that much noise here?" he also looks at the witch for confirmation.

 

[KahlessNestor]

Emmyr Anvilforge hunched over his bowl of beans and spooned some into his mouth. It was decent fare, well enough for a street thug like himself. He harrumphed and wiped some sauce from his beard. Must remember to mind his manners. Lady Rebekah didn’t like it when he was...what was her word? “Uncouth.” That was it.

Speaking of the lady, Emmyr’s hard eyes softened just slightly as he looked over at the half-elven noble. He saw her listlessly toying with her food. He knew it wasn’t the standard fare she usually enjoyed, and, frankly, he was coming to enjoy himself, when allowed to eat -- no, dine -- in her company. But the fact of the matter was he was still a hard-bitten fighter from the street and could subsist on less fine dining.

Emmyr turned slightly and dug around in his pack, pulling out a cloth-wrapped package. He had been saving it for later, but for now perhaps he could bring it out.

“Milady, if yeh prefer…” the rumbled in his thick dwarven accent, pulling back the cloth just enough to show her the fresh bread, cheese, and sausage he had bought in town before they left. The cheese had been especially pricey, the best found in Enstad. “I cuildnae get a bottle o’ tha’ wine yeh liked, though,” he admitted sheepishly, as if he had committed a grave affront to her honor. “But I got me some foine dwarven ale.” He pulled the flask out of his belt.

When she stood up to inquire about the threat, Emmyr sighed. Ah, but she would make a fine-looking lady dwarf if only she had a beard!

The dwarf turned his attention back to their fireside companions. The merchant Javin seemed honest enough. Emmyr had even had to make only one threat of breaking the man’s knees to get him to allow them to ride to Homlett. That had saved Lady Rebekah some gold, though they were still running low, given the expenses of a life Lady Rebekah was used to living. He would, unfortunately, need to have a talk with her about that. Maybe in Homlett he could roust up some coin from somewhere -- or someone.

Emmyr’s sharp eye caught the wild girl staring at them, trying not to look like she was staring. He knew the look all too well, having played bodyguard to merchants and criminal bosses. He studied her. Had he taken her for granted, not assessed her threat level correctly? He ran a new mental assessment.

His gaze next turned to the other half-elf in the party, Gwylla. He wasn’t quite sure why Lady Rebekah had taken the bookish girl under her wing. Was she trying to groom Gwylla into a lady like herself? Perhaps. but then there were those jobs he couldn’t do for Lady Rebekah, like helping her with her morning toilette.

“Gaein’ t’ ruin yer bluidy eyes if yeh keep readin’ in the dark, Gwylla,” he told her. “Eat.” He snatched the book from her hands and shoved her plate into them. “Sorry, Milday,” he apologized to Rebekah for swearing. That was something he needed to work on.

Now the old woman. She was the real enigma, preaching doom and destruction and giving very little insight. Pah! He wondered if it wasn’t all some con to get Lady Rebekah to pay their way with Javin. That might be another thing to talk with Milady about tonight.

“Stop wi’ the bluidy riddles, witch,” Emmyr growled. “O’ course it matters wot kills yeh. If they dunnae eat yer, we can retrieve yer body f’r the priests. An’ I’d like t’ bluidy well know -- sorry, Milady -- sae I can prepare f’r it.”

Speaking of trouble… Emmyr’s gaze hardened as he caught the bold look the sailor gave his lady. If looks could kill, Zanword would have been disembowled, strung up by his entrails, drawn, quarters, and hanged on a pike. Alas, such violence would be frowned upon by Lady Rebekah. So Emmyr would have to wait for a more opportune time to get the half-elf alone and show him the error of his wandering eyes. Pirates liked eye patches, right? And it wasn’t like they needed their man-bits on ship.

The blue dragon creature concerned Emmyr a bit as well. He hadn’t ever seen a creature like that before. From the way he held himself and moved, Emmyr could see it was a capable fighter. Was he a danger to Milady? He was ostensibly the caravan guard, but Emmyr knew all too well how easy it was to infiltrate a caravan as a guard. He had done it often enough with The Ravens, being an inside man for them when they hit the caravan.

And then there was the final employee of Javin, the human male. Emmyr made sure the smelly vagabond got nowhere near Lady Rebekah, lest he offend her sensitive olfactories. Seriously, did the man never bathe?

Emmyr stirred and finished his beans. He would wash up when Lady Rebekah was finished. “MIlady, where d’ye wish me t’ set up yuir bedroll?” he asked. “By the fire? Or in the wagon?” He’d unload the damn thing for her, build her a comfortable fort out of the crates, Javin be damned.

 

[industrygothica]

Hexiros didn't sit with the others, but instead took his meal standing several feet away. He was surprisingly neat while ate, taking small bites and not spilling even a crumb onto his polished armor. He took only a few bites, and finished his meal quickly before he began to walk the perimeter of the camp. His attention was focused on the surroundings, and if he paid any mind at all to the goings-on inside the camp, nobody could have noticed. Satisfied that all was secure for the moment, he stopped and posted up at the edge of camp. He planted the haft of his halberd on the ground and rested both hands near the axe-bladed head that came to his chest. He stood tall and erect, giving the illusion that his 6 foot frame is larger than he really is.

---

[B]AC:[/B] 16; [B]HP:[/B] [COLOR=#FF000]12[/COLOR]/12
[B]Initiative:[/B] -1
[B]Saves:[/B] STR +5, CON +4
[B]Passive Perception:[/B] 11
[B]Languages:[/B] Common, Draconian

[B]Skills:[/B] Animal Handling +3, Athletics +5, Intimidation +4, Survival +3
[B]Stats:[/B] Str 17 (+3), Dex 8 (-1), Con 14 (+2), Int 10 (+0), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 14 (+2)

-[B]Inspiration[/B]? [ ] Yes, [[COLOR=#FF0000]X[/COLOR]] No
-[B]Second Wind[/B]? [[COLOR=#FF0000]X[/COLOR]] Available, [ ] Used
-[B]Breath Weapon[/B]? [[COLOR=#FF0000]X[/COLOR]] Available, [ ]Used

 

[Binder Fred]

“Stop wi’ the bluidy riddles, witch,” Emmyr growled. “O’ course it matters wot kills yeh. If they dunnae eat yer, we can retrieve yer body f’r the priests. An’ I’d like t’ bluidy well know -- sorry, Milady -- sae I can prepare f’r it.”

Silence in the night, like a struck gong... And then the old lady grinned.

“You know they are coming.” A thump of the cane on the ground -- the muddy ground (Was it muddy before?). “You know the day, if not the hour,” another thump, the region of mud spreading out. “I would say Death is being positively *chatty* on your behalf, child.“ *THUMP*, a shallow wave of water sheathed out, spreading out below all their feet! “But if you insist....”

She squeezed her wrinkled eyes shut and bent over her cane.

The giant frog arched back its head and croaked.

And then the visions began!


OOC: Using Minor Illusion Cantrip to show the group the first part of the vision on the reflected water surface. (I know this is stretching its use a bit, but I figure at worst she should be able to spam it and show a series of still images on the ‘water’ below them?)

Tag EB!