#meadow the tabaxi druid

[hyperobsession]

Today was another great session. Only con of the session was that Faeryl/her player did not have time si we played without her.

We stepped out of the magic fog and first thing Astarion tried to do was to open the chest with money and take it. It did not work.

Then we came upon a three way for in road. Astarion kicked one of the adventurers to determine where to go by the way they will stumble into. In the end they went right first.

Three little cottages lied before them. Every player went into one of them each (plus one that stayed outside). What ensued was a fight with shadowy beings resistant to physical damage. Astarion survived without scratch.

We came back to the fork and chose the left path.

On the meadow we came to was a small shed. After a bit of struggle we opened it and found a dead person with a shovel.

Our tabaxi druid smelled something funky in the center of the meadow so paladin dug a hole there.

It was a grave. He opened the coffin and thought right after that I shouldn't do this it's disrespectful. Cleric and tabaxi found some info through investigating the mummified corpse. Then Astarion came down and checked it for valuables. After that cleric said that the body should be wrapped back in the bandages and buried.

He insisted that Astarion should wrap it as he was the one that unwrapped it when checking it. Argument ensued where both sides were adamant about their stance but Astarion prevailed at the end.

Back to the fork and centre path it is. A small fight ensues where Astarion sucks a hog dry in first turn. Now they know he is dhampir.

Cleric through his mind powers talked to Astarion as if he was some divine entity that disliked Astarion's interaction with the mummy. But Astarion quickly found out that it was him and berated him.

Long rest was needed so they camped and agreed on a guard duty. Astarion had nothing interesting to steal when he guarded the camp but when cleric was guarding he fell asleep and something stole his gold.

Next day we came to a some kind of underground hiding place. We managed to get into it and met some player character from the campaign before this one. Lots of talking mainly from Astarion as nobody else wanted to roleplay so much as me. We found out about our main quest and some side activities.

That was all, a very fun and productive session.

[0-dnd-things-0]

So first things first. The characters of the memes

Deathsbane campaign

Pc’s:

Lowkey, Drow Bard

Lirael, Human Paladin

Verno, Aasimar Monk

Meadow, Tabaxi Druid

Newest addition: Oddo, Infernal Elf Rogue

Party NPC’s

(Left to right)

Gideon, Human Paladin

Edith, High Elf Necromancer

Sven, Human artificer

Circadian, Dragonborn Barbarian

[dnd-low-key]

(this totally wasn't. Some fanfiction of our party I wrote as an excuse to draw Low key in a sexy dress singing like Jessica rabbit))

[coveofmadness]

Rolled up some random characters as options to design, and I knew immediately I had to choose the Tabaxi Druid. His body type may or may not be based on my fat cat, Sable Bagel. I very much love him already. So, design sketch pass. On to color comps and more detailed design work for props.

[thedollardm]

1st Campaign session

Oh man, I cannot express how much I recommend having a group planning session BEFORE starting a campaign! So many good ideas came out, lore nailed down, backstories that enriched the story and open the door for some epic reveals later! Totally worth it!

I'll just give an overview of our group dynamic for now, but later will go more in depth on each of our cast of players.

A 21 yr old half-halfling rogue (a quarterling if you will), named Ravenna. A foundling adopted by a local shepherd after finding her as a baby under a myrtle bush in a mountain meadow. She has a reputation for being a bit of a troublemaker, and is most often found wandering the woods on her own.

A 20 yr old human rogue named Siobhann MacConail. Born and raised in Taichenbirk, she's the village Jack-of-all-trades, she divides her time between assisting in the smithy, helping at the local tavern when it's busy, and her apprenticeship at the local herbalists.

A human ranger named Adam age 32, a newcomer to the village of Taichenbirk, ostensibly he showed up after leaving his hometown, ended up helping a local farmer clear up after a windstorm, and just ended up staying, but the locals aren't quite sure of him yet. He can usualay be found on the edge of town, sketching the local fauna when he's not out hunting or helping on the farm.

A human life cleric who follows the Song of Water, originally hails from one of the larger cities to the north, named Irina Karashnakov. A 26 year old woman of the cloth, and former soldier, she was sent to the small town of Taichenbirk due to her refusal to engage in the politics of the church and to act as the assistant to the local priest, who is in his dotage and a chronic alchoholic.

A half-dwarven druid, age 32, originally from another small village to the west, she moved to Taichenbirk after being exiled from her overly-puritanical village exiled her for "practicing dark magic", she quickly became a core member of the community by healing a boy with pox and now serves as the town doctor/herbalist for the past 10 years.

A half-tabaxi bard, age 28, everyone wrongly assumes she's a man due to the ginger sideburns, she conceals both her gender and tabaxi heritage and has a reputation for being quick with her fists and even quicker with her tongue, often the bane of the local preacher.

This group is going to be soooo much fun to play! The planning session helped me as the DM to embellish their initial backstory concepts so as to incorporate them in to both the Lore of the World of Es'Trahn, and set up story arcs that tie each of their characters to the overall narrative, so everyone is going to get some kind of cool reveal later in the game.

[vefanyar]

For Ivrun - 31, 42, 61, and 69? And 8 and 23 for Smoke?

Eeeee, thank you, Liebste! ♥

For Ivrun:

31 - they’re given a blank piece of paper–what do they do with it?

Lacking any other pressing matters, she’ll probably write something. Most likely a love-you note for Jazz that she’ll leave in a pocket of Jazz’s clothes or under her pillow for her to find at a random time. 

42 - what are three words they would use to describe themself?

Oh gosh. You know that Ivrun doesn’t have a high opinion of herself, though she’s getting to a point where she’s at least acknowledging how much of an effort it takes her to overcome certain issues. So: Volatile, struggling, healer.

61 - what kind of flower would they choose to pick from a meadow?

What flowers are growing in the meadow, she wants to know. Are there any with medical properties? (Probably.) If so, the one that appears most useful to her at the time. If it’s just flower-picking for sentimental reasons, then probably forget-me-nots. They’re blue, and the meaning is something that strikes pretty close to home for Ivrun. 

69 - how would they describe their party members?

She loves Jazz and thinks the world of her, and Jazz’s chaos and heart have given her so so so many new perspectives on life that it gave her an alignment shift away from Lawful Good. ♥ Respects Nor deeply, even though I don’t think she understands them too well for reasons of cultural differences (hey, they’re working on getting to know each other better), but they’re a fellow cleric and obviously have a supportive, hospitable, generous family who opened up Nrishpim house to the party even though they wouldn’t have had to, which says a lot about a person. Idolizes Min (maybe a bit too much), even more after their post-sparring talk when she understood how much they really have in common in terms of backstory and both being kinda marginalized by virtue of being a Tiefling and a Half-Orc respectively, and Min still maintaining her Lawful Good Paladin-ness. Also, yeah, Ivrun totally has a crush on her, and she’s this close to approaching Jazz to talk it out. And maybe invite Min over. She’s probably least attached to Moon, emotionally speaking, but she likes them a great deal, especially their little book club session lately, and is maybe a little bit intimidated both by their intelligence and their innate wizard powers? In a friendly way that’ll probably morph to something like starry eyes not too far in the future.

(Those are person-based rather than action-based. They all make her facepalm long and hard on a regular basis when we’re talking action-based descriptions, and they definitely also all bring out her judgy side, but it’s always with them being them in the back of her mind.)

In short, she’ll lay down her life for all and any of them in a heartbeat if she has to. I’m kinda afraid of Ivrun getting her 3rd-level spells, because Life Transference is something that she will take, and...  yeah. I hope she survives that. 

For Smoke:

8 - what are three songs that suit them?

LP - Into the Wild I’m actually still working on Smoke’s backstory, she hasn’t told me all of it yet, but she wasn’t always an asshole Tabaxi; she used to be a very scared and lonely outcast Tabaxi largely for circumstances outside of her control. The way she’s been interacted with Hexxat, Denetha and Zarra lately has given me some ideas.

Florence + the Machine - Heartlines The wandering mood in this one, and “just keep following / the heartlines on your hand” very much read like Smoke’s philosophy. She’s very much a creature of following her whims and emotions, and definitely a bit of a hedonist in that way, too.

AURORA - Running with the Wolves This one is definitely Smoke energy, even if it doesn’t really have any specific application to a situation she’s faced yet. Just. Feral Tabaxi Circle of the Moon Druid. <3 

23 - how do they feel about nicknames, titles, or labels that have been given to them? how do they feel about their name?

Her name means a lot to her. Tabaxi names are generally very meaningful: “Each tabaxi has a single name, determined by clan and based on a complex formula that involves astrology, prophecy, clan history, and other esoteric factors.” She hasn’t quite figured out what hers is meant to mean, so it’s an enduring source of fascination and navelgazing to her. It’s also normal for a Tabaxi to go by a nickname, so she’s not Rainbow in the Smoke of the Faraway Fjords Clan to everyone at all times, she’s Smoke, period. She’s also had a bunch of nicknames during her travels, which she doesn’t mind, but also doesn’t feel strongly about in a positive way, they usually glance off her like water the moments she wanders on.

[thenekomancers]

Our “deathsbane” campaign is planning on  having beach day arc after we finish fighting the lich emperor! So, I drew a little anime style preview of our beach day. Lowkey, the Half-Drow Bard, Lirael, the Human Paladin, Verno, the Aasimar Monk, and Fire in the “Meadow”, Tabaxi Druid.

[firelight-tales-of-exandria]

Firelight Tales of Exandria, Ch.8 - “Mystery Meat”

Thank you all for coming, now let’s tell some stories...

“The party had decided to try their luck at the newly-posted bounty set up by Margrave Bradon Zimmerset, to address the growing concerns and unrest within the rural population of Westruun (specifically, those going into the Bramblewood and coming out with only parts of themselves). Several other adventurers have taken up this call as well, mounting expeditions and investigations into the Bramblewood, meeting with mixed success. One of the leads the party managed to follow up on was to investigate the whereabouts and motivations of a group of druids living in the Bramblewood, known as the Green Men, and they came across three of the Green Men having just fought off two other adventurers, supposedly wanting to take their heads as proof of expunging the corruption of the forest.

“One of the Green Men agreed to take the party deeper into the darker part of the forest, supposedly where the corrupting influence had been radiating out from. The closer they got to the foothills at the base of the colossal mountain of Gatshadow, the darker and danker the woods became. When the treeline ascended into the lower heights of the mountain, the forest indeed came alive as the lumberjacks claimed, and the party was beset by animated trees and twig blights. The escorting Green Man, unfortunately did not make it out, but having survived the attack, Ladryssa managed to rescue an injured pseudodragon which has taken a shine to her; having been upset by something else she saw in the forest, we now rejoin the party, regrouping and resting, before venturing further into the darkness of the forest around Gatshadow...”

With the sun creeping below the horizon, Shadow suggests the party find a place to camp. Nakiya says that there should be clearing in the forest further up the mountain if they wanted to camp, because it would long be dark before they got back to the city.

The group ventures further up the mountain, but the woods become denser and the safer paths between them become more winding and narrow. Nakiya leads the party on a serpentine path, but the route inevitably begins spacing the party out.

As the party tries to regroup once more, they lose track of Shadow and Cezika. Ladryssa has a hunch about the forest is magic (since it came alive and attacked them earlier, as well).

The party calls out to Shadow, but they don’t see or hear the rest of the group. Shadow finds themself alone, and as the sun begins dipping below the horizon they smell smoke and cooking meat from the north.

Cezika is also alone in the forest, after holding back a branch for Leaf. When she doesn’t see Leaf there, she rounds the tree but nobody is there and neither is the branch. The boggy, dense air from the forest is no longer there, but it is replaced by meat cooking from the south. Stealthily, she investigates.

Leaf speaks to the trees to ask what is going on. The trees respond in typical tree fashion.

Song tries to cast message but he receives no reply either.

As the sun finally winks out through the trees, Shadow picks out a secondary glow, like a campfire, along with some faint humming.

Cezika sees the forest open up into a small, circular clearing, sheltering a campfire, a man, and two large animals.

Shadow sees a man with a beard and mussy red hair beckoning him toward the campfire. The two steers with him moo at the Tabaxi. Shadow asks who the man is, and gets a cryptic reply.

Shadow: “Do you know what is going on in the forest? You are not safe here.”

Man: “’Safe.’ *scoff* Who’s safe? Who’s safe anywhere?”

Shadow: “Many people...?”

Man: “Aw, everyone thinks they’re safe someplace, then something happens to them and ‘Oh, how did this happen? I thought I would be so safe!’ Believe me, you’re as safe out in the wilds in the jaws of a beastie as you are on your mother’s teat.”

Shadow asks if the man has seen anyone else, and he flicks his thumb over towards Cezika, who is still in hiding in the opposite direction Shadow came from.

The man says people call him Bodb, and he asks for Shadow’s name in return, to which they reply “Moon.”

Shadow continues questioning Bodb, who continues to give nebulous answers. Cezika sits by the fire, but Shadow remains standing, hands behind their back.

Song receives no reply to his message spell, but does get a brief whiff of smoke from nowhere. Whispers and phantom giggling on the wind are starting to make Song hate the woods.

“I don’t wanna deal with this bullshit!” says Song, as the smell of fresh cow manure tickles his nose. “That’s not funny!” he shouts to the woods.

Nakiya says that there’s nothing they can do for their missing members now, and suggests they come back in the morning. Leaf rejects that notion on the spot.

Leaf: “I will not leave Cezika. Maybe we just need to get lost again, because when I got lost I found her, so if we get lost we will find them.”

Chaining their arms together, the scarecrow, tin man, lion, and the country girl with her pet Song, Nakiya, Leaf, Ladryssa, and her pseudodragon, trek through the dark forest.

Bodb offers Shadow and Cezika some meat carved from the spit, which they reject.

The pair tries to pry information about Bodb’s origin and goal, but he remains elusive.

Shadow starts to dismiss themself, saying they are looking for their friends, and Bodb asks what they look like. Cerzika describes them and Bodb motions toward the treeline of the clearing and the other four stumble into the campsite.

Ladryssa and Song are suspicious of Bodb, but neither are quite sure why.

Leaf, meanwhile, makes friends with the white cow (Finn).

Bodb offers a slice of fresh meat to Ladryssa, who "politely” declines, irritating Bodb.

Bodb: “Why is everyone so distrustful of me meat? No one’s ever taken umbrage to me meat before. Me meat is very popular in certain circles! You take good care of it, you marinate it properly, you slice it right, you make it nice and hot and very appetizing; and yet, when you decide to pass it around, no one wants to partake of yer meat!”

Song: “Bodb, I hate to tell you, but some people just aren’t into the sausage party, y’know.”

Bodb: “Not again! Once more, I am surrounded by people-- people I am trying to make friends with-- and I’m the only one enjoying me meat.”

When Bodb denies being responsible for bringing everyone to the campfire, Shadow refuses to take it as an answer.

Ladryssa asks Bodb if she can touch him, which he begrudgingly allows. After a moment, the rest of the group sees Ladryssa visibly shaken by whatever she had done. She says that she was able to see through Bodb’s eyes, and the campsite was a moonlit glade and the surrounding forest was a fetid bog.

He offers Nakiya a slice, to which responds by saying she’s a vegetarian.

“Bodb: “If you’re absolutely sure that you don’t eat meat, I’d agree to it.”

Nakiya: “I am certain I don’t want any.”

Bodb instead offers the slice to Leaf. Leaf accepts it and happily eats it. The rest of the group is wildly distrustful of the nature of Bodb’s meat.

Shadow: “What kind of magic are you using, if I may be so bold?”

Bodb: “Not that you were interested before, by this, my friend, is the magic of spices. Got a little sage on there, little bit of cinnamon, the honey is the key: the honey makes it tender.”

Shadow: “You brought everyone here. I am only curious because I also use some form of magic. I am not quite sure how, exactly, and I am curious to learn. Are willing to teach?”

Bodb: “Not entirely sure I can teach you anything you’d be willing to learn, but I can impart what knowledge I have.”

Song: “That would be helpful.”

Bodb: “Aright, so the first thing you need to do is make sure you get the proper cut. Not every part of the cow is gonna give you the same kind of meat, so you wanna make sure you getting the meat from the right part of the cow. From there you need to check its marbling, see what its fat content is versus the actual meat itself...”

Cezika: *soul leaves her body*

Song offers a “dumb suggestion”, saying they should rest at the campsite for the night. Bodb offers the space to them, but bemoans the distrustful nature of the people he meets. He speak on “following a star” as a person’s guide, and the party picks out a star in the night sky and makes note of it.

The party makes up a night watch schedule, but Bodb says he is going to sleep as well. Shadow says that if Bodb is willing to trust the party to keep watch, they are willing to partake of his meat, and tears a small piece off to eat and pockets the rest.

Song: “Careful, Shadow. That could be a mis-steak.”

Bodb then offers some to Song, who eats it after trading him some dried jerky.

Shadow and Cezika take the first watch, spotting shadowy forms in the darkness around the camp. When they try to wake others to change watch shifts, the two of them also fall asleep.

Upon waking, the party find themselves in an open meadow further up the mountain. Bodb and his cows are gone, but the party is safe and refreshed. Nearby, a massive tree looms over the grove nearby, nestled against the mountainside.

Song asks Ladryssa if she has a name for the pseudodragon. Ladryssa asks the creature what it calls itself, but all she gets back is a notion of confusion.

Shadow pulls Ladryssa aside for a private conversation. When they return, Ladryssa seems lost in thought.

Leaf points to the big, dead-looking, nightmarish, huge, mangled, and bare-bones redwood.

The group hears sweet humming coming from the direction of the tree, as the green lady from yesterday sings and disappears, but not before beckoning them to follow.

Leaf: “We need to eat breakfast first, but then we will come out and play.”

[ageeksnerdyworld]

could you give us some names of your OCS? I want to send some asks..

I’m so goddamn unorganized about my OCs (i keep meaning to make a masterpost listing them all but i keep forgetting to do so…) i’m so sorry nonner dude

But this is a better time than any right? So here we go…

DnD Characters:

–Cadenia Tealeaf (Female Halfling Rogue)

–Turnuroth Arjhan (Male Dragonborn Druid)

–Adran Larethian (Male High Elf Rogue)

–Arabella Greycastle (Female Human Wizard)

–Val’hannia “Nightbreeze” Nailo (Female Wood Elf Ranger)

–Satari (Female Tiefling Rogue)

–Chitter (Male Kenku Rogue)

–Tash (Female Goblin Rogue)

–Asaadi Loldatec (Female Dragonborn Rogue)

–Veil of Shadows (Male Tabaxi Rogue)

–Jericho (Male Human Rogue)

–Saryarus Soluras (Male Human Barbarian)

–Medsashi Ualdrec (Male Dragonborn Bard)

–Yakaria (Female Tiefling Fighter)

–Blaze (Agender Fire Genasi Ranger)

–Penthani “Friendkiller” Kananthi (Female Goliath Barbarian)

–Charinda Oussval (Female Half-Orc Bloodhunter)

–Malerius (Male Tiefling Rogue)

–Owen Winterdew (Male Human Paladin)

Virus OCs: (The Cyber World and its viruses belong to @voiceoflarka)

–Jett Leach (Male Litten Virus)

–Mazarin Leach (Female Marill Virus)

–Rowan Leach (Female Doe Virus)

–Amondre Leach (Male Bear Virus)

–Emery Becker (Male Human Virus)

–Avia Carstairs (Female Violet-Backed Starling Virus)

–Kelly Ronan O’Connor (Male Human Virus)

–Isabelle Lombardi (Female Skitty Virus)

–Holland (Non-Binary Human Virus)

–Walker (Agender Black Rabbit Virus)

–Scribe Jenkins (Female Seahorse Virus)

–Cordelia Nieves (Female Phoenix Virus)

–Khalid Asfour (Male Djinn Virus)

Maximum Security:

–Ryan Harding (Prisoner 13032)

–Dominic Weston (Prisoner 13025)

–Altair Abadhi (Prisoner 13031)

–Henry Cho (Prisoner 13030)

–Conor McLoughlin (Prisoner 13029)

–Malcolm King (Prisoner 13028)

–Garrett Solis (Prisoner 13027)

–Tyler Jacobs (Prisoner 13026)

–William Sheppard (The Warden)

A Grain of Salt:

–Jason Argus (Shapeshifter)

–Regina Aldridge (Mind Control)

–Aaron Sparks (Electrokinetic)

–Kai Kalawai’a (Hydrokinetic)

–Aiden Coleman (Pyrokinetic)

Blood of My Blood:

–Dr. Alan Hendrickson

–Ares

–Athena

–Stanley Williams

–Rebeka Young

The Clockmaker's Court:

--The Clockmaker

–Kaia Delacroix

–Baylee Meadows

–Molly Dearil

And there’s also a story I’m working on that is a retelling of Norse mythology called Lies We Live but its not very concrete as of right now so I think that’s everyone…

[a-d-n-d-journal]

Game Session #9

Characters:

Bakunawa, dragonborn paladin; copper scales, chainmail, a shortsword and shield

Zastu, dragonborn rogue; white scales almost completely covered in a hooded cape and mask, leather armor, short bow and shortsword + dagger

Rysiel, half-elf druid; simple clothing and leather armor, scimitar

Teir, tiefling warlock; vibrant gold skin and black hair w/silver highlights, horns, hooves, expensive-looking clothes and leather armor, carries a dagger as his only (physical) weapon

Introducing...

Mirri in the wind, Tabaxi;

Noteable NPCs...

Sydiri Haunlar, human (Chondathan) fighter; brunette, chain shirt, dagger, shortbow, wooden club

Alara Winterspell, human (Rashemi) fighter; deceptively light and warm head wrap, chain shirt, dagger, shortsword

Kaelen Zam, human (Illuskan) fighter; bald, small handlebar mustouche, chain shirt, dagger, greataxe

Torem Breck, human guard (fighter); spear and shield

Xolkin Alassandar, half-elf leader of the "Seven Snakes"; charismatic and handsome; scimitar and dagger

Kella Darkhope, human (Chondathan) spy for the "Seven Snakes"; crossbow, shortsword and dagger

Morak Ur'gray, dwarf innkeeper of the Nightstone Inn

Hiral Mystrum, human (Tethyrian) priest of Lathander (has no actual magic)

Zephyros, cloud giant; windswept white hair, wispy white bear, billow purple robe with gold stars

We had a short game this one, which is good because I was so tired... It was also our first game without any fights! (Probably because what we did was not explicitly part of the module.) I was able to address a few things I had been waiting for, and the players got some stuff done too.

When the party wakes, they've each gained a level and Rysiel's magic dragon skull provides him the ability to understand and speak the Giant language. Teir's brush with death leads him to become even more dedicated to the Raven Queen, and he takes a level in Cleric. As they prepare for the day, Rysiel, Bakunawa, and Teir find that their gold is missing. It comes out that Zastu did steal their money and they have a really good chat about that. Everybody's families are fucked up and they're all trying to prove themselves in their own way. Zastu ends up giving the money back. Teir gives Rysiel a token—an empty glass vial—for having a more messed-up family than his. Rysiel tries to share his magic dragon skull, but Teir declines (for more reasons than the fact that it won't fit over his horns), and Zastu is squiked-out (because dragon skull, dragonborn... yeah). Then Rysiel gives Zastu 5 gold (because he doesn't know what to do with it anyway). During the awkward silence that follows, Teir spends a moment in contemplation, checking for undead with one of his new abilities. Torem—the guard who stayed behind in the fort during the rescue—notices how acid-pocked their armor is, and offers to outfit them in some new leather or chainmail from the guard's supplies. Bakunawa gets a new Chain shirt, and Teir gets one as well (having been suddenly divinely inspired to wear heavier armor...), while Rysiel takes a set of Leather armor because his druid oath prevents him from wearing metal. Soon the party starts talking about what to do about their current situation. They can't just leave Xolkin and the Black Network in Nightstone, they're bad! But they also don't want to endanger the newly returned villagers—a valid concern. They discuss a few different ways they might isolate the bandits, including getting the villagers to act as a distraction. Morak enters the fort without knocking, showing how comfortable he is with the place. He looks preoccupied, but the first thing he says is how terrible the acid scarring is (and then asks how the party is doing with the related emotional trauma). They brush off his question, and ask what's going on. Morak has quite a bit to say, but first—a letter came back for Zastu from her contact. (She didn't share it with the group, but I posted to them publicly by accident already...)

"We're impressed you're still alive, and that you've managed to scrape together a few coins, but we think you can do better.

p.s. If you piss off the Zhentarim, we don't know you."

She's not happy with the response and it shows on her face, but she brushes it off. Morak starts off with a request... Several people died during the giant attack, and the subsequent capture by goblins. Many of them were his friends, and he's worried about notifying their loved ones.

The Tressym that has been following them around belonged to his friends—Melantha and Lathan Xelbrin—until a boulder crushed their house and them in it. Their son Miros lives in nearby Goldenfields—if they might take the creature to him and let him know of their passing.

Darthag Ulgar used to run the Lionshield trading post, until he was eaten by giant rats (the party interrupted that party with a fatal spell that killed everyone and splashed their guts all over the wall). His ex-wife runs a similar shop in Triboar—a little farther out from Goldenfields—and would want to know of her ex-husband's death.

Semile Southwell was a chicken and pig farmer until she was flattened by a rock. Her brother lives in far away Bryn Shander, Icewind Dale—if they might tell him of her death.

Morak segues into what he's learned of the happenings in the wider world. Xolkin received several messages back late the previous night, one of them reporting several giant attacks on frontier settlements like theirs. Something has stirred them all up, and they're starting to encroach on 'normal-sized people' lands. It's a scary time to live through, especially following that business with the dragons a couple years ago. He tells the party that Xolkin has offered the services of the Zhentarim mercenary group for free—well, in exchange for using their village as a base. He knows of their bad reputation, but he feels like they don't really have a choice. Without the support of a noble like the late Lady Velrosa Nandar, they wouldn't be able to afford any protection (and they've already been attacked once!). Teir fidgets as he resists offering his family's support—he's trying to distance himself from any of that responsibility. Morak continues to explain how much he doesn't want to accept the Zhentarim into his village (but they're already here). He mentions that Xolkin told them that there's a Sternhelm and several Stalwarts (ranks in the Zhentilar army) on their way—some of the best-trained fighters around—and they alone cost 20 gold/day. He seems to be pleading for the party to help with the situation (while cautioning them as to what they might be getting into)... At the same time, he suggests prudence. Seek allies. He tells them about the Harpers, a goodly group of spies and spellcasters who were instrumental in the recent struggle against the dragons. They're always looking for strong adventurers, and they're diametrically opposed to the Zhentarim. The other option is the Lords' Alliance, their allies. Teir's ears perk up—he's heard of them, or more specifically: Lady Laeral Silverhand of Waterdeep, one of their members.

The party discusses, thinking it might be a good idea to head to Waterdeep to seek the help of Lady Laeral, using Teir's connections to get an audience. How would they get ahold of the Harpers? Well, they're spies, so it's not easy, but they are everywhere... Morak tells them a little bit about Bryn Shander (part of a ten-town coalition in the cold, heavily fortified), Goldenfields (a walled farming settlement in the frontier, supplies the coast with almost all its soft fruit), and Triboar (a loosely laid-out trading town). They decide they might find more opportunities in Triboar. "One more thing..." The cloud tower with the wizard hat, the one that the elves mentioned to Zastu the previous night, it's show up again and it's making Morak really nervous. Would they mind checking it out?

It's at this point that Teir, Rysiel, and Zastu notice that Bakunawa has snuck out during the discussion. (Sneak roll: 16 without modifiers, passing the Passive Perception of everyone). The three of them panic and start searching. Teir goes outside and sends his raven flying around the fort, and then Nightstone. The Raven takes its time, eventually returning to communicate that it did not find "the big scaley one" (talking to a raven is difficult) He then goes in and checks the den and library, remembering to go up the ladder. Rysiel goes upstairs to search, eventually coming across the chest that Zastu had opened but not looted (due to a magic flying sword). Zastu checks the roof and the environs of the fort. Since they haven't found Bakunawa yet, they decide to surreptitiously search the village. Rysiel turns into a panther and starts tracking Bakunawa by scent. They're able to make their way up to the town square and across to the inn. Villagers give them alarming looks, and Teir tells them that this is his "seeing-eye panther". Despite the fact that he is not very convicing (roll:6), and not acting blind at all... It works concerningly well (rolls:3,4,17), except for one lady who gets up and leaves VERY QUICKLY.

Rysiel's nose detects that Bakunawa didn't go much farther, and that Xolkin and his crew were here (a fact they already knew). He leads them outside again, but loses the scent. During this time Teir's spectral raven is flying around outside. It sees the bandits (sans Xolkin) moving toward the drawbridge, but has no way to identify them or communicate back to Teir what's happening. Once outside, Teir does send his raven to do another round. Now the bandits are on the roof of the two towers flanking the bridge. Hiral, the Lathandar priest, sees them hiding outside his temple and comes to talk. Teir convinces him that they're just out for a walk(?) and manages to one-up him in religious history. Or something. He goes away. Teir looks through the raven's eyes and sees Bakunawa laying in a meadow with blood around him. Xolkin is walking across the bridge, wiping his sword. He goes up one of the towers and sends away the bandits posted there so he can speak to Kella alone.

Teir and Zastu sneak and follow panther-Rysiel back around the village and to the break in the bridge to the fort. They climb down and swim across the moat and then take the long way around the village to avoid the drawbridge. At the edge of the forest—where they camped briefly the night before—they formulate a quick plan. Teir edges closer to Bakunawa's body, pretending to be some rando with his cloak up (and fooling no one, but staying out of crossbow range), and casts Spare the Dying at range (normally a touch spell that causes a dying creature to become stable, but ranged due to his cleric grave domain). Nothing happens. Rysiel transforms back into a half-elf, and then into a warhorse in anticipation of carrying away Bakunawa. Teir approaches Bakunawa and casts a new spell (for him)—Cure Wounds—which would be maximized due to a cleric ability. Unfortunately, nothing happens. The warlock makes a medicine check (20) and realizes that their companion is dead-dead. Wasting no time, he investigates Bakunawa's pockets, ostensibly searching for some sort of personal effect to return to...? Well, they never did find out who's important in Bakunawa's life. It's around this time that Sydiri comes across the drawbridge riding Bobble. The bandits on the towers leave her alone. She joins up with Teir, and they meet with Rysiel and Zastu. Sydiri asks to join the party, saying that she never really planned on being a guard forever, and with the death of Lady Velrosa Nandar, well... Adventuring has some appeal. They discuss riding arrangements for a while, and Teir casts Guiding Hand to figure out how to get to Triboar. Unfortunately, the spell points the shortest distance in a straight line—north—which leads directly through the forest. They decide to follow the road south and loop around the forest until they follow the hand.

It's about this time that an ominous shadow appears above them—a great cloud with a great tower, topped with a whimsical wizard's hat in blue with stars. It follows them until they crest the hill south of the village, then a long incline of cloud stairs descends toward them, landing at the ground. The party is understandably very nervous. Minutes pass, until they hear the sound of music floating down. A medium-sized figure comes strutting down playing a lyre. As the figure gets closer, the party sees that they are a cat-like creature (Tabaxi) in robes. They introduce themselves as 'Mirri' and invite them up to the tower, assuring them safety and telling them that the owner of the tower would like to meet them. The party goes up the stairs... When they reach the top, a cloud giant appears from a landing high above them and floats down to greet them. He introduces himself as Zephyros, and the party members introduce themselves as well (Rysiel shifts back to half-elf form, and Mirri comments on his 'cleric' magic). Zephyros invites them inside, apologizing for his lack of accommodation for little people. A blue curtain hangs over the entrance wafting gently in the breeze, and when they cross through, the air stills and warms to a comfortable level. There's a small bed rool and unlit campfire with cooking pot in one corner of the massive one-room tower floor. Giant glass orbs hand from chains in each of the six corners, and a massive stone desk takes up one wall, and that's it. There are no stairs, but a hole in the ceiling reveals a second floor a hundred feet above them. This is high even for a giant, for Zephyros stands around 25 feet tall. Zephyros asks them not to go to the second floor or the aerie (as the grphyons are not well-trained), and then tells them how he's been so excited to meet them...

So, if you haven't figured it out... Bakunawa's player has decided to roll up a new character, and that is Mirri in the Wind!

Spells cast:

Bakunawa:

Paladin abilities: None used

Spells: None cast

Mirri:

Spells: None cast

Rysiel:

Druid abilities: Wildshape x2 (Panther, Warhorse)

Cantrips: None cast

Spells: None cast

Teir:

Cleric abilities: Eyes of the Grave

Cantrips: Spare the Dying

Spells: Cure Wounds

Rituals: Guiding Hand

Slots: 0/2 Warlock 1/2 1st Cleric

Killcount:

Xolkin (presumably) killed Bakunawa this game.

Treasure looted:

From Lady Velrosa Nandar's chest:

velvet sack containing 180 sp (money used to pay the guards)

a silk pouch containing four gemstones

and a silver jewelry box containing three beautiful gold necklaces

From Bakunawa's body:

Tinderbox

Lamp

Lantern

waterskin

4 rations

3 torches

hemp rope

dagger

[dnd-low-key]

Druid @thenekomancers