Dragon's Egg - Act V

[Legendary Sidekick]

Nissa

I reply to Dalla, "A body lives as long as there's a soul in it. Maybe Tommen's body had a soul in it during that fight, but not his. Or there's the simpler explanation—that he used Tommen's name and had his letter, but it wasn't Tommen at all."

After Dalla points out the others heading out, I get up, but I don't rush out right away. I face Dalla and say, "Your problems are not trivial, Dalla. I would like to talk to you about this before we part ways, but only if you want to. I mean… if you would like to tell me about the Tommen that you knew.

"And if you'd rather not, just know that I believe you."

 

[tbgg]

"I am not using the room to change," I say firmly, my jaw squaring. "I do not have to say I was checking on Llucheden if you think there are enough of you doing that already. How about we say Sigrid arrived in town from camp and then went to the horse to calm herself because she really does not like towns and she does like horses?"

((Sorry, Ireth; I made an edit to my last response which included Cali's objection to changing in the room, and I know that's adding to the confusion here. Can we just say Cali puts her foot down about changing in the room and leave it at that?))

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Baldhart

I say to Cali and Cadell, "I see you both have very different ideas as to what will arouse more suspicion. This is not my area of expertise, so I won't comment on this. What I will do is hang back with eyes on the prison.

"Cali, when you're in disguise, will I still recognize your voice? Just in case not, address me as Baldy. It's a stupid nickname, but it's grown on me."

 

[Ireth]

((I wasn't confused until I read your last post, tbgg. But I do see your/Cali's point now.))

Cadell

"You have a point about the rooms. Do what you think is best, I suppose." I refrain from raising the question of why "Sigrid" would come into town at all if she dislikes it so much, even with a horse here in the stables.

 

[tbgg]

I tell Baldhart, "The magic of my spell is not strong enough to disguise my voice; that is why I recommend that Sigrid not be much of one for talking. Have you seen a half-elf before? Their ears are more pointed than a human's and less so than an elf's. Sigrid will have coloring appropriate for a northerner, with strawberry blonde hair and ice-blue eyes. Between that and the ears, she should be easy enough to recognize. But I can maybe throw out a hesitant greeting as well."

I tell Cadell, my tone softening, "I wish I could use the room to change."


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[Legendary Sidekick]

Baldhart

"If a strawberry blonde northerner happens to approach me in twenty minutes, I suppose it's a safe assumption it's Sigrid. I'll keep watch on the prison until 'she' arrives."

Is Conal even alive? That would be more than a loss of life. His death would bring instability, and the orcs would take advantage of that.

When Nissa comes out, I tell her of my concern.

Nissa replies to me…



Nissa

"I'll go get Tumi."

 

[Ireth]

Cadell

I nod at Cali's question. "We had a half-elven cleric and a half-elven druid traveling with us for a while. The cleric bequeathed his shield to me before he left, and the druid gave me some sewing lessons." I wonder what Hiljikki and Rydh are doing these days?

 

[tbgg]

I nod to Cadell, glad that the party has some familiarity with half-elves, then ask Baldhart, "Where will you be watching from?"

((Ireth: Rydh was a cleric of Betula, not a knight, though Betula is the Elven god of battles. Guess who's spent WAY too much time trolling the early acts of this adventure? XP))


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[Legendary Sidekick]

Baldhart

I ask Callan where the best place to keep watch is while we wait for Cali. If the armor shop is nearby, maybe I can sell Alin's as he requested.




((@tbgg, I think when you ask our characters any Act I-III information, you should provide the answer in double parentheses.))

 

[SeverinR]

Aliron;
Hearing the noise, Aliron motions at Branwen and slips into a strategic place to hide, able to use his bow if needed.Heis in a position to see who was approaching, so he could announce if they were friendly.
Bressel:
cheerfully calls Branwen to bring her out of sight, and casually brings his crossbow to ready, with Baldhart's sword leaning next to the tree he stood by, in a position to bring into action after he fired the crossbow.
"This might be part of our group, but it could be a hostile force." Bressel warns Brok."Branwen, stay close my little songbird."

 

[Steerpike]

Ballara

Dalla gives Nissa's hand a squeeze, then lets go. "We will talk more about this at a better time. I think everyone needs you." She motions toward the door. "I'll take the kids upstairs."

Dalla rises and bids the children to do likewise. Burnbright, who clearly doesn't consider herself to be one of "the kids," follows Nissa.

Rik describes how to get to Tumi's place, if asked.

"That's probably the best place to watch from," Callan says. "You'll be able to watch the guardhouse from inside." Those who go to Tumi's house (which is a charitable word for the tiny dwelling he lives in) roust the man from sleep, but he gets his wits about him quick enough once told what is going on. He lives among a number of small dwellings, and looking at an angle through his front window one gets an inconspicuous view of the front of the guardhouse, where Big Sam is still standing his watch.

There is an armory of sorts in Ballara, though according to Callan the village has no need of a full time armorer and the smith who runs the armory is currently on pallisade-building duty.

The stables outside of Badger's Place are currently empty, except for equines, and there are both empty stalls and a pile of hay that could provide cover for her to change.

Camp

Branwen crouches down beside Bressel to wait. Brok adjusts the grip on his staff. The crunching through the undergrowth grows nearer and a moment later Biorn's plaintive voice is heard. "Aliron! Bressel! Where...I don't see you! Something's goin' on in town and Cadell sent me to get you! Aliron! Bressel!"

The lad appears to have got turned around in the woods, for one moment the voice and the sounds of his stamping around grow nearer, and then the next they start to fade away.

Brok looks to Bressel, eyebrow raised.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Nissa

"You're likely the target," I tell Burnbright. "You know I would rather you don't come. And I'm sure my father would rather I did not fight that orc.

"So if you follow me, you do so as a shield maiden." If she doesn't have her shield fastened to her forearm, we'll take care of that at Tumi's. I carry my scimitar in its scabbard.

...

Once at Tumi's, I apologize to the man for waking him. I watch Big Sam. Is there anything unnatural about his stance?

 

[SeverinR]

Bressel:
"Over here." Bressel steps into view. "what's going on? Aliron can hear you."

Aliron":
Remains hidden watching for anyone that might be following Biorn.

(If there is someone that Aliron trusts with Branwen, he will go. If not just Bressel will go.)

 

[tbgg]

I make note of the instructions to Tumi's, then head out to the stables.

Quickly checking all of the stalls to make sure no one is in them, I find Llucheden, then move into the closest empty stall next to her and begin working. I spend 20 minutes (per my previously posted roll) on the physical aspects of the disguise (Illusionist Disguise Ability), and then begin my cast for Change Self, imagining the strawberry-blonde northern-looking half-elf with ice-blue eyes that I previously described to Baldhart.

Calinniel:1D20+3+2 → 12(7 + 3 + 2)#spell check for Change Self
((INT is prime, but I think this is still a fail. I'm pretty sure this spell requires a 14 for success))

Unfortunately, I feel the magic crackle chaotically around me, and I try desperately to keep it under control.

Calinniel:1D20+3+2 → 8(3 + 3 + 2)#saving throw for runaway magic
Again, I find myself failing to control the magic, and give my everything to fighting against the corruption.

Calinniel:1D20+3+2 → 18(13 + 3 + 2)#saving throw against corruption

((SP: Your section on Magic needs some additional instruction about how to build the throws for saving against runaway magic and corruption, and also what rolls are needed for successful saves. I have no idea if I did it properly or not, or if I saved successfully.))

This being the first time I've failed to control runaway magic, I can't quite tell, but I think I avoided corruption.

Taking a few deep breaths, I meditate for a few moments to clear the fear and anxiety from my mind, and again begin the cast for Change Self, again imagining the form of the half-elf Sigrid wearing a dress with skirts divided for riding, boots, and a shawl.

Calinniel:1D20+3+2 → 16(11 + 3 + 2)#spell check 2 for Change Self

There. This time, I feel the magic take hold, and I know I have somewhere around 30 minutes in this form.
((Cali is down to 6 MP))

Sticking my head out the stall door, I check to see if the coast is still clear.

If I see any people, I step over to Llucheden's stall, offering my hand for the mare to smell and patting her soft nose and forehead if she'll let me. Once the people leave, I head on over to Tumi's.

If I don't see any people, I make my way out and follow the directions to Tumi's.

((LS, your post doesn't specify Baldhart's location, so I don't know whether to have Cali knock, or simply greet Baldhart, if, say, she is out front or something.))

If I see Baldhart out front, I lower my head a bit diffidently and say in low tones, "Bal-dy", putting the name in two distinct syllables.

If I don't, I knock on Tumi's door.

 

[Steerpike]

((tbgg--I'm on the road for the long weekend and I don't have my runaway magic table with me, so we're going to give Cali a pass on that this time. No ill effects. There's no corruption point because the initial check didn't miss by five or more...

...oh, I see the confusion. Yes, I added in a save against corruption. It is the same check a third time, with the difficultly being the same (baseline 12 plus the spell's level). Use to be if you missed by 5 or more you got corruption, no save, but that ended up being too onerous to casters)).

Ballara

Cali finds no one scrutinizing her as she leaves the stables in her disguise. The village is pretty well empty, with all free hands engaged in the pallisade-building project. It is not hard to find Tumi's home based on the directions indicated.

Burnbright has her shield with her, though it hangs over her back. She nods to Nissa. "I know you want me to hide, but I keep putting everyone in danger just by being with you. It's not right for me to hide from it. I'll go to Tumi's place with you and stay there in case you need me. I can stay out of sight but still see what's going on. Mostly."

She follows Nissa out of the inn.

Tumi is not angered at being awakened, though still a bit groggy.

"Getting your beauty sleep, Tumi?" Callan asks. "It didn't take."

Tumi grunts, but otherwise ignores her and comes alert when he finds out what the party is up to. He watches Big Sam though the window for a few minutes, then says to Baldhart. "Don't seem out of the ordinary. The man looks half asleep on his feet, though." Indeed, Big Sam is leaning against the wall of the guard compound. "Don't know what Conal's thinking keeping him out there like that. Give me a second..."

With that, Tumi exits his home and strolls in the direction of the guardhouse. Burnbright tries to squeeze her head in by the window so she can see. Callan looks impatient, but doesn't say anything.

Tumi adopts a casual sort of walk and within a few minutes is talking to Big Sam. They exchange a few words and Tumi reaches up to pat the large man on the shoulder, then saunters back toward the house. Big Sam doesn't pay him any special attention as he walks away.

When Tumi gets back to the house he says "That's Big Sam alright. Tired as hell. Says the last thing Conal told him before going in with the prisoner was 'keep guard here until I tell you otherwise.' Big Sam's a literal-minded fellow. His relief came at the right time this mornin' but Sam wouldn't have it, so the guard who would normally be there this time o' day is helping out on the walls."

Camp

Biorn follows the sounds of Bressel's voice and finds the group camped outside of town.

"They told me to come get you," he says. "Sir Cadell did, I mean. There's somethin' funny going on in town, best I can tell. Dalla and the children were attacked last night and they got the man locked up in jail. They need you."

Biorn pauses to catch his breath. Brok looks at the lad for a moment, then turns his attention toward the village. "If there's trouble, Angrim and Rukh will find their way into it too, I think."

He looks back toward Branwen, then at Bressel. "We can't all go, it seems. My use to you is chiefly in my magic, which won't go over well in a human village. If you want to go I can watch the lad and your harpy girl. No harm'll come to 'em, you have my word as a dwarf."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Nissa

"I don't want you to hide."

I smile at the girl. She's too young, so my words aren' exactly truthful, are they?

"I mean, of course I kinda do. But I won't tell you to hide. Sir Matthew told you to hide once. You defied him and leapt over the table, and he kept on hiding. Both of you made choices in that moment.

"I'm glad that Cali met Matthew and gave us the news on him. He's taking care of the children and helping with the rebuilding of Srilkind, and that's a fine task for him. I don't hold his choice against him. He's another innocent that people like us will defend.

"Just do us both a favor…" I place my hand on Burnbright's cheek. "…have the face of an adult before you try to get yourself a pair of wings."


Baldhart

I reply to Tumi, "I'm glad you told me he's literal. Maybe we can use that to get in the door. I mean, if Conal told me to meet him at this time and told Sam not to let anyone in to see Conal. Then you, uh… can't have both ways…"

((censored by auto-correct))

I turn to Callan, somehow able to contain my embarrassment. Still, I feel I owe her an explanation.

"That wasn't one of my better ideas, but it's a better idea than throwing Big Sam through the door. In some ways."

 

[tbgg]

The house I am at fits the description I was given, and a few minutes after I knock, a man who looks like he was woken out of a sound sleep walks by me and enters the house, completely ignoring the stranger on his front doorstep. While it seems reasonable to me that perhaps Baldhart forgot to mention that I was coming, I have to admit I find his ignoring me to be rather odd.

I try to peek inside the house when he opens the front door for a glimpse of Baldhart or any of the others she introduced me to, but I see no one. After the man enters, I rap my knuckles on the door again, more sharply this time.

KNOCK KNOCK


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[SeverinR]

Bressel:
"I will go. If anything happens to the winged girl, you better not be alive to tell us what happened . Aliron, do what you must."
Bressel picks up his weapons and begins to walk slowly towards town. Bressel will wait at the gate to see if Aliron follows.

Aliron:
Waits several minutes after Bressel walks away, to watch what happens in the group.
If uneventful he will follow Bressel in the shadows, at his fastest quiet pace.

 

[Steerpike]

Camp

Brok frowns at Bressel's comment but says nothing in response. When Bressel leaves, he turns his attention toward Biorn and Branwen. Biorn approaches Branwen and helps her break up some of the ice around the puddle she is playing with. As Aliron watches, Brok merely stands back, leaning on his stick. He watches the children for a moment, then scans the sky and the area around the camp. With a grunt, he moves toward the edge of the camp and takes up a position on a log, keeping Branwen and Biorn in view.

Ballara

Burnbright nods, and puts a grasps the hand Nissa put against her face. "I promise to try my best," she says. "And, I have a valkyrie to protect me."

She follows Nissa toward Tumi's place.

Inside Tumi's, Callan is telling Baldhart: "It might work. Sam's a good man, and loyal. Not necessarily the smartest you'll ever come across."

Tumi opens his mouth to say something to that when there is a series of knocks on the door. He opens the door to find a half-elf stranger before him. Tumi raises a questioning eyebrow and looks back over his shoulder at Baldhart and Callan.

Bressel, meanwhile, finds two guards eyeing him carefully as he approaches the gates of Ballara.

 

[SeverinR]

Bressel:
"Good day to you." Bressel greets the guards, "Just waiting for a friend to catch up. My comrades are in the city and summoned us to join them."


Aliron:
(without word to the people in camp, so they don't know if he is there or not)
Moves silently and quickly, when the town comes into view he slips his bow over his shoulder and steps out into the road, then waves at Bressel.