As the sun sets, the hunters return. They've collected a small bear and a half dozen wolves, but they no longer care about declaring a winner. In addition to the animals, the hunters carry the bodies of Brougha and Onog. The men were taken from behind by a large wolf. The men drop the animals off near the centre of the village. Yahigig, one of the older men in the hunting party, walks to the river and speaks at length with Olaghig. After a time, he returns, collects the others, and they construct two new pyres in the darkness. Brougha and Onog are laid out. The men return to the village and go to sleep. Olaghig continues to keep guard over the bodies.

Night passes.

The camp rises before the sun does. Brougha and his son Varthurg attend the cookpot. Breakfast is bear and carrot stew. The villagers take a quick breakfast and filter down toward the pyres at the river.

The injured are up and walking, although not quickly. Many use stout branches as a crutch, cane, or walking stick. The injured children are carried by their elders. The injured elders are carried by their children.

A drum, softly at first, then growing in power and urgency, beats through the forest. The drum plays Aldridge a song in three parts. The first is a quiet, almost playful, beat about innocence, joy and play. But the first movement ends early, interrupted by the second, a bombastic and violent affair. But as quickly as the violence begins, it ends. The drum's third movement quells the violence and bespeaks sadness, grief, and mourning. But even as the third ends, it returns with a reprise from the first: innocence and joy. The song ends as it began. (Inspiring Leader: +9 thp for the party.)

Borgakha returns from the forest near the camp. A tiny chickadee sits on her hand, chirping cheerfully at her. Borgakha chirps back at the bird and the two converse until she arrives back at the camp. The druid walks directly to the party and speaks gravely. “[Language unknown: Ioisnt pane innoar p loie.]”

Without waiting for a reply, Borgakha walks down toward the river and pyres.

(The party is now level 5. Please level your characters. Alwanzatar and Westra's penalty to max hp is reduced by 5. Airdsgainne regains 5 points of dexterity. Flutterwing regains all three points of dexterity. Ethic regains 6 points of deterity. Ryudo loses one level of exhaustion.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:11, Wed 29 July 2015.

"Borgakha just said the funeral is at dawn," Westra translates for the group. "We should make our way over there soon." She rises and stretches, pointedly ignoring Aldridge, even if his dirge was a cathartic balm to her sorrow over what had happened. He's still an ass, she thinks to herself, who cares about nothing but his own agenda.

Aldridge returns from relieving himself just as Westra gives instruction to the group. Without a word, he finishes tying Saphira back up and readies himself to head down to the river.  If it makes the druid feel better about herself, he was fine with her feeling in charge so long as death wasn't on the line.

He gives the bird an odd look.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:40, Thu 30 July 2015.

Ryudo hops down from the tree and heads over to the pyres.  He offers his staff to one of the injured using a branch.

Alwan also moves toward the pyres in somber silence.

Ethic stands in towering silence at the back of the group near the pyre.

Just before dawn, the Terrorclaw gather with the party at the pyres. The sky is clear and caught between night and day, lit with no observable source. The only sounds are the chirping of the birds and the occasional crack of a twig as the Terrorclaw shift in place.

Borgakha stands on a rock near the river and begins the ritual. To the party's surprise, each person understands Borgakha perfectly.

“We stand here to bear witness to the land and to the people. I speak now so that every spirit of land, water, beast and sky may understand. These are our people! We give them now to you.”

Borgakha walks to the first pyre. “This is Shagar Yahigig. She is a mother to many and a very fine warrior. Perhaps she will now guard our berry bushes from blight.

“This is her daughter, Durgat Yahigig. Durgat is but eleven summers on the land and still one of the finest bow-hunters of the tribe. Our cookfire will mourn the loss of her kills. The spirit of Durgat is not done with her bear hunting.

“This is her blood-mother and namesake of her daughter, Durgat Yahigig the Elder. We will miss her songs, a light in the darkness that so often surrounds us. Durgat, teach now the birds their songs. When we hear the cheerful voice of the robin, we will think of you.”

Borgakha turns to the Terrorclaw before her and says, “Yahigig, Kirþ, Winug and little Orbul. You have given much. Be at peace.”

She walks to the second pyre. “This is Homraz Buomaugh. She knows every flower by name, purpose, and scent. The pixies of the meadow will find no truer friend than she. Spirits of the field, set Homraz about the task of painting flowers in the spring. We will know her work and think of her fondly.

“This is Buomaugh Buomaugh, name of his family and husband to Homraz. Buomaugh is a fearless hunter. Many nights we have eaten meat brought by his staff, the weapon he favoured. He will surely guard us in the night, driving the wolves from our tents.

“And this is Kegigoth Buomaugh. A boy of only seven summers, not yet ripe for the hunt. We already miss his cheerful chuckle. Let the spirit of Kegigoth stay with us, whispering jokes in our ears and songs in our hearts.”

She turns once more to the family nearby. “Lurbuk Lurbuk, name of your family. Care for Mazoga, Ragash, and Ugor. You have given much. Be at peace.”

She walks to the third pyre. “This is Yotul Duma, seedkeeper. To her are given the secrets of the wild rice. Whisper those secrets in the dreams of your daughter Mor. She will need your wisdom as she inherits your seeds.

“This is her eldest daughter, Burub. Burub is a mighty skulker. She once stole a full nest of raptor eggs while their mother sat nearby keeping a watchful eye. We will see her in the twilight, halfway between the day and night.”

And to the family, she says, “Duma Duma, Duma Duma the Elder, Mor, Aughan, and little Opeghat. You have given much. Be at peace.”

She walks to the fourth pyre. “This Bogdub Nofhug. Only thirteen summers on land, she is our clan's finest stoneworker. Our sharpest spears are tipped with the fruits of her knapping. Bogdub, pick the choicest stones and lay them out for us to find.”

To Bogdub's family she says, “Shagar, Nofhug, Burul, Vagan, Rulfim, Xugagug, and little Dubok. You have given much. Be at peace.”

She walks to the fifth pyre. “This is Onog Onog, name of his family. He will surely guard Bulfim, his wife and carrier of his child. Onog is a great hunter, a master with the bow and axe. Onog will guard us and protect us now as he ever has.

“Take comfort, Onog. You have no heir, but your family will now belong to Inkathurg. He will guard it well.” Inkathurg has a surprised look on his face, but says nothing. “Durz has long been a good friend of Bulfim and will make a fine sister-wife.”

She turns to Bulfim and her sons, “Bulfim, little Zarfu and little Krugorim. You have given much. Be at peace.”

She walks to the sixth and penultimate pyre. “This is Grat Brougha. May her gentle spirit always season our fire. She is a marvellous cook and a devoted mother.

“This is her husband Brougha Brougha. It is a mercy that neither knew the loss of the other. Brougha is a skilled bowmaker. Perhaps his spirit will guide our bows and make our arrows true.”

She turns to their children. “Varthurg Brougha—”

“Varthurg Varthurg!” the boy interrupts. Borgakha raises her eyebrows and looks the boy up and down. He is tall and strong, but of only four summers. Borgakha lets out a wry smile at the boy and turns back to the pyre, “Spirits lend us aid, but you have raised a mighty boy. Few children would run toward danger with the alacrity that he did, and to save Burul, his infant brother.”

To Varthurg, she says, “Varthurg Varthurg, name of your family, Sham Varthurg and little Burul Varthurg. You have given much. Be at peace.

“Drutha Drutha, watch over Varthurg Varthurg and teach him as a brother.”

She walks to the final pyre, which holds only the shards of the shattered flameskull. “This is Lyðor Lyðor, name of his family, last of his family. Lyðor is a mighty spiritspeaker. And although he, at the end of his natural time on the land chose to speak with terrible spirits, he is an important member of our clan. His spirit is now cleansed and free from the terrible spirits he fell in with. We remember him and smile, knowing that he will drive drought away and bring rains when they are needful.”

Borgakha steps back up to the rock and shouts, “Spirits of the land, water, beast and sky, hear us! Take our clansmen to their new work.”

And with that, the druid shoots flames from her fingers and lights each pyre on fire. The Terrorclaw stand in silence for an hour while bodies burn.

When it is finished, the clan returns to the village and begins to go about their daily tasks.

After the funeral, Aldridge walks back to the village, saddling up alongside Flutterwing. "How are you handling all this?" he asks quietly. "Being... Well, here, and all." He nods in the direction of the clan members.

“If you're referring the the fact that these people killed mine, it's complex. Does one wolf hate another because each must kill to stay alive? No, I'll leave hate to others. This tribe is full of people, just as mine was. They are stronger and survived. That's one thing Stormcaller taught me.”

"That was another thing I was wondering about," Aldridge continues. "I don't believe that the bear is dead. Which probably served us well, none of us would have survived Mama's wrath. But, how is your grief concerning your mentor?"

“Stormcaller is dead whether the bear is or no. I wish I knew why the bear attacked, but I am glad that we retrieved his journal.”
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:35, Thu 30 July 2015.

"And that's yet another thing I wanted to ask you," Aldridge says. "I know you said that you couldn't read the tablets either, but I attempted to read them under the effects of a comprehension spell, and they were still mere gibberish to me. Do you know if he wrote them himself, or where he obtained them?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:51, Thu 30 July 2015.

“He wrote them himself. I saw him do it.”

"Curious and curiouser," Aldridge murmurs. "Perhaps the divine has its own fields that it does not share with the threads of the arcane. Well, they rightfully belong to you, so I will return them to your possession. But I won't deny that my curiosity of what they stand for is very high."

Ethic follows the party. "What on earth is going on here. Where did that bear come from and why were you hunting it?"

Westra stands beside the pyres for a while longer, asking the fallen for forgiveness for what she had taken part in, however unknowingly. "I am sorry I couldn't save all of you," she says softly into the breeze rushes past her, pushing the smoke from the embers away from camp.

Slowly, she returns to the place where the party had been staying near the camp. She hears Ethic's question as she walks up.

"What I told you before was not the entire truth," she says, pinching Aldridge's ear before he has a chance to speak. "But I was not sure if any of the tribe could understand us. In reality, it was Aldridge's idea that we let the bear attack the village instead of us. We did not mean to disturb it in the beginning, and as far as I know, none of us realized his plan until it was too late. However, I accept responsibility for hiding us from the bear. I should have realized where we were and what would happen."

"To answer the questions that you asked," Aldridge says, rubbing his ear, "We don't really know. To either question, really. We were hunting generic predators, but we got its attention."

Aldridge ties up the rest of his supplies. "Speaking of 'we,' I'm not sure what you all plan on doing, but I intend to find the tribe I was looking to trade with before we came here. I wouldn't object to a companion or two, but... Well, I'm sure we all have our own goals and means to accomplish them." He waggles his eyebrows with minimal amusement at the druids.

Westra turns to Airdsgainne, "[Language unknown: Terur wharel st pr whe esrote ntiv rom cacom tr tinev conlatmen u lenc ul. To o ons outillout? Oerus noriit p ei vor weleol.]"

Ethic laughs heartily. "You don't really look like fearsome hunters. You will need me to come with you if you wish to keep hunting game like that. I will come. I will keep you safe while you 'hunt.' You will help me learn from those we meet so I can return to my clan in triumph."

"Excellent, the Bear warrior is in," Aldridge says, pointing to Ethic. "I'm ready to go. Follow if you're coming, stay if you're not." He leads Saphira away from the group, not looking back.

Borgakha joins the party as they ready their things. She addresses Westra and Airdsgainne, “[Language unknown: Th sheur le red avema iveintnte entsa omof refo trllil. Walawh siio our indin p k ine e lo atce lifor oulias an whe ou ionma fiesal ek atstck. M ananwa, nebelo plno holost ine haisri.]” She hands Westra a pendant, a dried heart pierced by a thorn. “[Language unknown: Set k al Venbutove o nd Ivneil. I li an rutomeent, a whi prunst malat ur nceil caouic dinlesate a ou ect o wi adreer.]”

She hands Airsgainnea small knot of wood, small enough to clasp a hand around. “[Language unknown: In a ti andntiect e ti Fotifo Ive, oreastugh re u ereartconman a iv cemebe. Encithill o en li e ngol sheioured ntbe-hiei ioetfi. T reawi m th mo ck maut.]

“[Language unknown: Evnd wasdi P inll ear tatr liner nibetr. Day pasiou i si ekivom ntchpo ovewi. It ta beto er ndutto oeron ti Te po ofof serosi les wilpr nthoto ac omemenave la anee n k con ugh liai stasa ce leha nttic. N pe whi heoswi leie witlinard isceos virill'stamanure rutintwas staerawhe armiac e theovevorwilhasoer.]

“[Language unknown: I ou ivhat ndlanc ol tedhouwhi m caicilro eenortorecomous, ati Ho un ek nenot kor ectel ee tin esesfi erbe ee olitho. Fo poer il ai som ove ac ing icaicaareainrom. Fo has ierut, T wiom ul m sonthiera illsomeau k iv toer daysonres, ofwh anysonted ard ountrasanate. Of ughie ven neai m pllosa olek prelatwhi ev overomear ughereugh. E nc arngne te, ponofo men osilis stiverles ted ll p anesne p ntimi evemanant.]”



(The party should decide where they are heading next.)

Westra bows to Borgakha and accepts the pendant. "[Language unknown: T tinticous res ce estioutic ich eihe eauderday. T ie she san ri as thelo ovell ta leck virliniou ivive lin, yinto blere redwasany inatho ectthetha les n eimomo. P e wi om il latentnce to na ant tr o nteersfor.]"

Placing the pendant around her neck, she turns and walks over to Aldridge's mount, snagging the bag filled with salted saber-tooth meat. "[Language unknown: Hobefo tiotintio thoec acour pl vorineven osany ntore tiolatave'nteous aner il ul heetma, blendeoul heolncceca]," she says to Borgakha, giving her the bag. She bows again, then turns back to Aldridge. "I am coming with you, if only because your beast carries many of my things. However, don't think I'm not watching your every move."

Alwan loads his things onto his drake. "I suppose I'll continue...for a time. I will not appreciate further such surprises, however," he says in a mild tone, as if discussing the weather.

Aldridge glances at the gift exchange over his shoulder. "Trade without the trader," he whistles ironically.

"You're welcome to take what's yours at anytime," he smiles coyly at the super-serious druid. "You must have been able to live without a big, strong drake before now. Perhaps Alwan's drake would care to carry your burdens, instead."

Saphira groans at her master, as if to say, "Don't taunt them."

He continues leading southwest. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I feel like finding a big cave to rest in. To mountain hiking!"

After the group is a suitable distance from the city, Aldridge looks back once more to see Borgakha watching. "[Language unknown: Tanoilwa Teoslo'ngil: Airom oer, ectaretio of liecha. Ri eswe anhait wheectugh fiho elmo yin seerom. Ee enweun naee o ssaich a ate houithwil.]"
This message was last edited by the player at 22:41, Mon 03 Aug 2015.

"The old druid told Airdsgainne and myself of a tribe a few days south that they haven't seen a trader from in a few months," Westra says to the group. "We should go see what might be keeping the traders from traveling, and maybe you'll find some good trades to make, Aldridge. Agreed?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:45, Tue 04 Aug 2015.

Aldridge looks to Flutterwing, then looks to the south. It wouldn't be unwise to follow the river. A settlement of some kind would have to appear at some point. He shrugs wordlessly, changing his trajectory to the suggested course.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:39, Tue 04 Aug 2015.

Westra looks around for useful herbs as they walk south (Nature 16).

"South it is then." Ethic hoists his pack and starts walking while keeping an eye out for useful and interesting pieces of wood to carve. (Perception 19)

The party takes its leave of the Terrorclaw hospitality.

They wind their way southward, following the river up the mountainside. Following the river has its advantages, too. Around noontime, party happens upon a ripe blackberry bush. The blackberries are a welcome addition to lunch. There are plenty of berries to take, as well. (The party has blackberries, but they will spoil in a week at the most.)

Beside the blackberry bush, unnoticed by all except Westra, is a whitethorn bush. Westra collects the new growth from the plant. (Whitethorn growth, when brewed into a very thick tea, can provide a short term boost to concentration. For 10 minutes, the drinker has advantage on concentration checks. It will take about 4 hours to brew it into a stable potion.)

Flutterwing also picks a short plant and stows it. “This is useful for calling the most powerful of spirits.” (It serves as a material component in healing and necromancy spells. She has 1500gp worth, for spell purposes.)

Ethic picks up a straight shaft of wood, eaten through by thin worms of some kind. The worms make an interesting pattern without compromising the structure. Ethic decides it would make a fine base for something and stows it.

Refreshed, they continue along their way. Ryudo stops the party, “I think there's something in the water—”

Just then, an enormous tyrannosaur bursts from the water and grabs Alwanzatar with its teeth. (17 damage, grappled and in the maw of a terrifying beast) It slaps Ryudo with its tail. (21 damage, a little wet from having been tail slapped)

(Combat begins. Airdsgainne, Ryudo, and Westra act in the surprise round. The party is all in melee with the beast. The party that acts in the surprise round may go now.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:04, Wed 05 Aug 2015.

Westra quickly casts Shillelagh on her staff and takes a mighty swing at the dinosaur (attack 27 (crit), damage 17 bludgeoning).

Ryudo unleashes a flurry of attacks at the tyrannosaur, landing all of his blows.
24 vs AC, 9 damage
21 vs AC, 6 damage
20 vs AC, 7 damage
18 vs AC, 9 damage

Airdsgainne quickly gestures, and the tyrannosaur begins to glow an eerie green. (Faerie Fire, dex save or party has advantage).

The beast begins to glow. It continues to chew Alwanzatar, trying to break him up for easy swallowing. (49 damage) Alwanzatar falls limp in the beast's mouth.

It continues to slap at Ryudo with its tail. (20 damage)

(The entire party may go now, with the exception of those that have been chewed to the brink of death. The party has advantage.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:09, Wed 05 Aug 2015.

Aldridge leads Saphira away from the water (30') as he draws out his bow. He turns and takes a shot (AC 21, D 5).

"And now I come to yooooou, with healing worrrrds," Aldridge sings to Alwan (+7 HP for Alwanzatar)

Airdsgainne's wand continues glowing green as he waves the other hand, and the party suddenly finds themselves able to breathe underwater. With a fluid dive which he hopes escapes the dinosaur's attention, Airdsgainne disappears beneath the murky water. (Concentration maintaining Faerie Fire [advantage], Water Breathing on party, move 25 feet into the water.)
This message was last edited by the player at 23:37, Wed 05 Aug 2015.

Overcoming his shock, Ethic roars mightily (RAGE) and charges the great beast hammer and shield in hand. He slams his hammer into the beast's flank.  (22 to hit: 6 dmg)
This message was last edited by the player at 15:17, Thu 06 Aug 2015.

Westra casts Speak with Animals on herself and shouts "Drop it! That's a bad tyrannosaur! Drop it!" (Intimidation 2). However, the stress of the situation and the size of the beast makes her voice quaver uncertainly.

“Twin spirits of light and life!” Flutterwing begins her spell, formally and full of ritual.

“Each of you, pick one!” She finishes with frustration and urgency.

Flutterwing jumps to slap at Alwanzatar's hanging leg and then taps the nearby Ryudo on the shoulder. (16 healing to each.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:32, Thu 06 Aug 2015.

In another burst of speed, Ryudo makes 2 more quick attacks before disengaging 30 yards to put distance between him and the massive beast, ducking into the water.
23 vs AC, 8 damage
25 vs AC, 8 damage
This message was last edited by the player at 15:56, Thu 06 Aug 2015.

The tyrannosaur continues to masticate the unusually resilient morsel it its mouth. Unfortunately, the morsel brings up a shield at the last moment and it's jaw slips sideways uncomfortably. Alwanzatar manages to avoid being impaled by teeth for the time being. He is still held firm however.

It's tail comes down hard where Westra is standing, but Westra sidesteps it at the very last second.

(It is now the party's turn.)

Alwan looks mildly irritated. "Foolish beast, meals are best served hot." He points his palm with the malachite stone into the dinosaur's maw, and unleashes a burst of flame down its throat. (Burning Hands; 10 fire damage)
This message was last edited by the player at 18:24, Thu 06 Aug 2015.

"Hey, Tiny!" Aldridge shouts at the beast. "I think you skipped arm day!" (Vicious Mockery, Wis vs. 14 DC. On fail, 6 psychic damage and Disadvantage on next attack).

"Nice dodge, Formchanger," Aldridge shouts to Westra. "I don't know what you said to it, but it seems to have done some good!" (D8 inspiration for Westra)

Westra bears her teeth at Aldridge in a savage smile, then casts Cure Wounds at Alwan (+5 HP).

Confronted by the still standing mountain of carnivore in front of him, Ethic slips his shield to his back and hoists his hammer with both hands and now the air is shattered by the force of Ethic's blow. (28 to hit: 16 dmg)

Ryudo moves back in, delivers 2 more blows, then quickly moves back into the water.
20 vs AC, 8 damage
26 vs AC, 6 damage

Airdsgainne surfaces, throws a jet of flame at the tyrannosaur, and disappears again beneath the murky water. (Produce Flame, attack 10 damage 6; Concentration Faerie Fire [advantage])
This message was last edited by the player at 21:54, Thu 06 Aug 2015.

Flutterwing raises her arm and, almost instantly, a storm gathers and a bolt of lightning falls from the sky. (19 lightning damage) The lightning strikes the far side of the creature, away from the party.

Then, a moment later, it strikes again. (14 lightning damage)

It continues to chew its sorcerer, but Alwanzatar wedges a bit of his armour in the creature's teeth, preventing it from chomping down for just a moment longer. (Missed bite.)

However, Westra doesn't dodge the tail quickly enough this time. (19 damage)

Airdsgainne throws another lash of flame from the safety of the water. (Produce Flame, attack 14 damage 5; Concentration Faerie Fire [advantage])

Using a bit of the inspired feeling Aldridge had given her, Westra tries to yell at the tyrannosaur again. "You drop that right now!" (Intimidation 9)

"Alwan, get out of there, you don't know where it's been," Aldridge scolds. (Alwan: D8 inspiration. T-Rex: 6 psychic damage and disadvantage from Vicious Mockery on fail)

"Are you sure?" Alwan replies. "I've never had an opportunity to cook dinner from the inside-out before." As he comments, he continues said cooking. (Fire Bolt: 21 vs. AC, 20 fire damage)

Ryudo moves back in and attacks 4 times in quick succession
25 vs AC, 10 damage
17 vs AC, 7 damage
9 vs AC, 8 damage
12 vs AC, 10 damage

Again Ethic's hammer smashes into the side of the beast. (20 to hit: 8 dmg)

The entire group pummels it with exceptional vigor, bringing the creature down.

(The group is now out of combat.)

Aldridge helps Alwan out of the mouth of the dead behemoth. "Not sure if you're brave, or just plain crazy," he chuckles. The trader gawks inside, holding his breath as he looks at the roasted innards. The claws and teeth would make some fine weapons, if not fine wares for trade. "Westra, care to do the honors of relieving this beast of its teeth?"

"It will take me the rest of the day to break down the entire beast," Westra says as she begins to pop teeth out of the dinosaur's mouth. "How much time do you want to spend on this?"

"I could stand for a short rest," Aldridge says, pulling out his drum. "I've got plenty of reading material should we choose to stay longer. I'm honestly not in that big a hurry, provided the weather stays tolerable." He looks to the sky. "Take as much time as you need. If your work is the same as we've seen before, it should be quality." (D8 inspiration to Westra)

He taps a few notes of a song of rest (extra d6 for healing).
This message was last edited by the player at 17:08, Fri 07 Aug 2015.

Flutterwing looks the creature over. “The meat is a bit tough, but there's a lot of it. I don't see a compelling reason to waste it, especially as we're headed to a camp where it might fetch a solid price. And the bones are strong, long, and hard to come by.” Flutterwing giggles somewhat inexplicably. “And there are lots of things you can do with them.”

“I think we should break it down, even if it means we get to rest our feet for the remainder of the day.”

The sky is overcast, but shows no signs of immediate snow.

Ryudo sits down to take a short rest.  "No reason to hurry, we have plenty of meat to eat right here.  I think his tongue might already be cooked."

Aldridge kicks back with the tablets, pouring over them to discern the secrets they hold. After the first hour of rest, Aldridge begins humming mindlessly while he reads: "Look for the... bear necessities..." The uplifting tune is inspiring. (+9 temp to all, after healing from short rest)

A few hours later, he stands to stretch, rubbing his eyes. He asks Flutterwing a few questions about summoning the spirits, asking for her to demonstrate her techniques.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:36, Fri 07 Aug 2015.

Westra continues to work on the dinosaur, removing teeth and claws from the corpse. She cuts away at the meat from the legs and torso, pulling out leg and rib bones.

"I need more salt to preserve the meat, Aldridge," she says to the nearby trader. "May I?" she asks pointedly. At his raised eyebrow and nod, she walks over to Saphira and snags another bag to fill with salted tyrannosaur meat.

Once she finishes, she takes an hour to rest, tend to her bruises from the fight (1 hit die + extra d6 = +8 hp), and eat.

"Would anyone like any healing or bones, teeth, or claws from the dinosaur to fashion into weapons?" she asks the group at large.

Alwan looks innocently at Aldridge. "Brave? Crazy? I can't imagine what you mean."

Ethic offers his help in field dressing the carnivore.

(The party gains 1700xp from the beast.)

The sun is sinking nearer the horizon. The wind begins to pick up. It smells like snow may be coming, perhaps before morning.

Flutterwing remarks, “We should probably move and see if we can find a better place to camp. This is neither defensible nor sheltered.”

As they continue on, Westra keeps her eye out for a cave or other sheltered place in which to camp (Survival  20).

Westra locates a small overhang, barely large enough to be called a cave, not far from the river. It can accommodate the group, and will provide protection on one side.

"Let's go a little further south," Alridge says. "It's better than nothing, but I think we can afford to travel a little ways if it means a ceiling and three walls."

As the sky darkens, Aldridge mindlessly casts Dancing Lights around the party to light the way.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:14, Fri 07 Aug 2015.

As it gets darker, Ryudo starts to stay a bit ahead of the party, sneaking and keeping an eye out for danger.

They party travels for some time, but no sites more appealing than Westra's first pick reveal themselves. However, the party soon happens upon what appears to be a large cave. Airdsgainne picks it out.

It's not obvious initially, because the entrance is blocked by a cave in, long ago. However, runoff has reopened a small entrance at the top, just wide enough for a small creature, or a medium one squeezing. A few minutes of hard labour could open the hole to be large enough for even the drakes.

The sun is gone entirely from the sky and if there is a moon, it is sleeping soundly in a thick blanket of clouds. The party shivers as the frigid wind picks up.

Aldridge peers into the cave, leaving a light around the party while he wills the other three lights to dance around the cavern.

Westra starts trying to move the rocks out of the way (Strength 18).

Aldridge's lights trail into the cave as the party peers into the small opening.

The cave smells of mud and stone. There are no tracks or other markings on the smooth stone floor of the cave. Past the cave-in, it is round and smooth inside, with little in the way of dirt or detritus. The body of the cave is structurally sound and, truth be told, really quite pretty. The dim lights dance off the smooth stone walls, polished by an æons of water.

The interior of the cave is spacious. Past the entrance, it widens to at least eight paces, with plenty of headroom for standing.

The entrance itself is the trickiest part. The opening is at the very top, so the party will have to climb (DC 8, you can take 10 out of combat unless you're really, really bad at climbing) down into the cave proper. The opening is about thirty feet above the floor of the cave.

Flutterwing joins Westra's task. “Good thing these men have us around to do the heavy lifting, eh?” Flutterwing chuckles.

After a few minutes, the party clears out the hole. The drakes will fit, although it may take a steady hand and a few treats to cajole them out of the cold and into the hole.

"[Language unknown: Ssstng, ent ratcomlarearstrallsta manmanandhatect]," Aldridge coaxes Saphira. After a little bit of effort, the drake finds footing that she is comfortable with, dragging Aldridge behind her to the floor. He mutters a few curses in Stone Tongue while brushing himself off, then relights the cave as a whole.

"I think this should suffice for the evening," he says with a quick glance (perception 11). "Anyone see any reason to think otherwise?"

Westra has a look around the cave as well (perception 12).

The party takes a good look at the area near the front of the cave. The floor and walls are hard, with no trace of anything having been present in many, many years. However, a careful examination of the base of the cave-in reveals the remnants of a pair of boots, complete with the remnants of a pair of feet and legs inside them. The bones are broken and crushed, as though by falling stone. The owner of the legs was tall, perhaps an Ostrich or Eagle.

A deep booming THRUMMMMMM surrounds the party from time to time. It is not loud, but it is unnerving. Alwanzatar identifies it quickly, “The wind passing over the hole at the top of the cave can do that from time to time. If you have an empty dry gourd, I can demonstrate.” He smiles, but no one provides a gourd.

The cave continues farther than the light reaches.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:48, Mon 10 Aug 2015.

Aldridge inspects the sturdiness of the pile of rocks, as well to see if their source would have any more to offer. His human eyes are less than effective. (perception Nat1)

After bedding down Saphira, he casts Dancing Lights as far as it will reach into the cave. He turns to the rest of the party. "I think it'd be a good idea to see what else lives in here. Anyone want to come with me? It'd be good for at least a couple people to stay here and watch the entrance, prepare food, or do whatever. But I think it'd be a good idea for some of us to do the diligence before we call it a night."

Ethic rapidly scans the cave for signs of previous occupants. (Perception - 4) and then drops lightly into the cave. (Athletics 20)
This message was last edited by the player at 19:04, Mon 10 Aug 2015.

"I'm up for a bit of cave diving," says Alwan, "but we should probably bring along someone more perceptive than I am." Even so, he keeps his eyes open as he moves. (18 Perception)

(Aldridge is taking a look around the cave. So far, Alwanzatar has elected to join him. Others should indicate if they are joining (and roll Perception) or if they are staying.)

"I can see in there much better.  I will come as well."  Ryudo enters the cave and looks around, not being limited by the dancing lights. (Darkvision, Perception 17)

"Okay. Just... If we see a beholder, we all go BACK, okay? Just making sure we're all on the same tablet this time."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:49, Tue 11 Aug 2015.

"I'll come with you," Westra says, keeping close to the light from Aldridge's spell and looking closely at all she can see in the cave (Perception 14).

I'm up for making sure nothing in here is going to want to eat us. (Perception - 4)

“The rest of you are going, so I don't think I'll be staying here alone.” (12 Perception)

Aldridge shrugs. "Saphira, [Language unknown: beble oun Menastles te i hopoek il wapendpo aiwh minowa, ter? Cepro wi any of etnass noutstno orestatio a ivar vorallwer p ingereant thu weical.]"

The drake snorts before curling up. "Good to see you know how to listen to instructions," the bard grumbles facetiously. The party continues deeper into the cave, leaving the drakes resting near the entrance.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:10, Tue 11 Aug 2015.

The party travels for quite some time, looking for evidence of any sort of life, especially the kind of life that might eat them.

However, the cave appears to be completely vacant. There are large, open spaces inside, with tall columns joining floor to ceiling. All but the very front of the cave is dry.

Finally, the team is satisfied that the cave is and has been empty for a very long time.

As the party starts back toward the drakes, Aldridge volunteers to take first watch.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:02, Tue 11 Aug 2015.

“᛬ᛩᚢᛁ᛫ᛚᛟᚳᚢᛗ᛫ᚢᚫᛞᛁᛏ᛫ᛁᛚᛚᚢᚳ᛬” a voice whispers from the darkness. “᛬ᛗᛖ᛫ᚫ᛫ᛋᛟᛗᚾᛟ᛫ᛖᛣᛋᚢᛋᚳᛁᛏᚫᛏ᛬”

Aldridge immediately looks around, startled. He grabs a small clay model from his pocket as he hums a few notes (Tongues). "Who's there?"

“᛬ᚫ᛫ᚢᛟᚳᛖᛗ᛫ᛞᛖ᛫ᛗᛖᛞᛁᛟ᛫ᛏᛖᚾᛖᛒᚱᚫᚱᚢᛗ᛬ᛩᚢᛁᛋ᛫ᛖᛋ᛫ᛏᚢ᛫ᛖᛏ᛫ᛩᚢᛁᛞ᛫ᚫᚷᛁᛋ᛫ᚻᛁᚳ᛫ᚻᛖᛚᛁᚫ᛬”

The voice is coming from outside the range of the light. It's a soft, guttural sound.

"I can see that much," Aldridge replies. "I am a wanderer, I make my living through trade. My colleagues and I are merely seeking a place of shelter and rest."

“᛬ᛋᛖ᛫ᛗᛟᚢᛖᚱᛁᛏ᛫ᚾᛖᚷᚫᛏᛁᛋ᛬ᚫ᛫ᛏᚱᚫᛞᛖ᛫ᚠᛖᛟᛞᛟ᛫ᛗᛖᚱᚳᛖᛞᛖᛗ᛫ᛖᛏ᛫ᚳᚢᛗ᛫ᚢᛏᚱᚫᛩᚢᛖ᛫ᚠᚫᛒᚢᛚᚫ᛫ᚠᛁᛖᚾᛏ᛬ᚾᚢᚾᚳ᛫ᛈᚱᛖᛏᛁᚢᛗ᛫ᛋᛟᛚᚢᛖᚱᛖ᛫ᚢᚫᚷᚢᛋ᛬ᛋᛟᛗᚾᛁᚢᛗ᛫ᛗᛁᚻᛁ᛫ᚠᚫᛒᚢᛚᚫᛗ᛬”

Westra backs up until she is level with Aldridge. "What did it say?" she asks in a fervent whisper, looking around nervously.

"Pay you a story, you say?" Aldridge smiles toward the darkness. "You're speaking my language, friend. I don't suppose you would mind a little music to accompany it, would you? Musical tales are kind of my specialty. I will gladly pay the fee, though I would be curious to know what the fee is for before I begin."

“᛬ᛞᛖᛚᛁᚳᛏᛟ᛬”

"Very well. For trespassing and for lodging, I will pay you thusly." Aldridge begins humming and tapping his drum in a slow, almost hypnotic rhythm as he spins his tale.

"Many moons ago, a lone Wanderer traversed Cloudbreaker's Rise in search of an ancient tome. Over the course of travel, the Wanderer came across a village. Though most of the village refused to help the Wanderer find the tome out of fear, a Woodsmith eventually acquiesced. The Woodsmith lead the through a canyon to a mountain several miles away. They found the cave across a chasm. The Woodsmith assumed that was the end of their journey, but the Wanderer lifted a stone of sparkling blue. The cave entrance took form of a hideous monster with three antlers, sharp teeth, and long tongue that formed a bridge. The Woodsmith stayed on opposite side of the chasm out of fear, but the Wanderer crossed the bridge alone.”

The drum quiets and slows to an ominous beat.

“The Wanderer traveled through the cave with the guiding light of the blue stone. The Wanderer lept over hidden cracks in the floor and ducked under hazardous stalactites. Eventually the Wanderer found the Tome of the Ancients, sitting on a pedestal clasped by skeletal hands. With a wave of the stone, the Wanderer freed the tome from the grip of the hands. The tome’s removal also awoke the spirit guarding it, as the hands rose free to reclaim it.”

The drumbeat is rapid, starting quiet but rising as the chase is described.

“The Wanderer rushed back out of the chamber as the head of a beast with three antlers took its place above the hands. With a ghastly cry, the spirit doggedly pursued the thief. The spirit moved faster than the Wanderer, not encumbered by physical legs. The Wanderer sprinted to the cave exit, diving into the sunlight before the hands to lay claim to the thief. The Wanderer successfully escaped to the awaiting Woodsmith as the bridge dissipated with the guardian spirit. The exit itself returned to its original appearance before a cave-in filled whatever was remaining of the entrance. The Woodsmith and the Wanderer sprinted back to the village, arriving before nightfall to retire at the Woodsmith’s place of rest.”

Aldridge rubs his hands over the drum, drumming periodically with his fingertips as the tale continues.

“As night fell, a mighty thunderstorm followed the pair back from the mountain. The storm continued strongly throughout the night, and continued to thunder relentlessly without ease into the following day. A young Sheep Watcher attempted to calm the storm by summoning the spirits of the rain, but the spirits  were scattered by the raging storm. The Watcher pleaded with the Wanderer to speak to the spirits on her behalf. The Wanderer agreed, and trekked into the Rise in search of signs of the spirits. The Wanderer traveled over unstable stone and through treacherous wind and rain, and managed to find the spirits. The spirits indicated that the Wanderer must return to the mountain where the tome was to calm the thunder spirit. However, the stone spirits blocked the way, and only the spirits of the forest could intervene.”
“The Wanderer returned to the village and sought the help of the Woodsmith. The Woodsmith agreed to speak to the forest spirits, but said that the spirits would only respond to those who spoke to them directly through meditation. The Woodsmith showed the Wanderer the mental pathway to the forest spirits, and the Wanderer entered a trance to meet these spirits.”

The drum begins to make an oddly dissonant series of sounds as Aldridge tightens it.

“In the realm of dreams, the Wanderer saw a dancing boar. Approaching it, the boar ran away, leading the Wanderer to the shores of Greymir Lake. The forest spirits greeted the Wanderer here, and agreed to intervene with the stone spirits. As the pact was made with the Wanderer and the spirits of forest and stone, the thunder spirit also ceased its rage. In the material realm, the storm ceased. A mysterious light emanated at a meadow near the the village, placing all of its residents under a deep trance and introducing the presence of a glowing red stone from the tome.”

The drum takes on a slow, ominious march beat, before errupting into a war beat.

“Returning from the dream world, the Wanderer approached the red stone. The red stone emitted a wall of flame, scorching the Wanderer. The Wander dove behind rocks and into the Woodsmith’s tent, retrieving the Tome of the Ancients and the blue stone. The red stone attempted to scorch the Wanderer again, but the blue stone protected its holder. The Wanderer approached the aggressive gem, and trapped it inside the tomb with the blue stone. The Wanderer attempted to tend to the village, but was shocked to find that they were all still under a trance.”

“The Wanderer found the Watcher and the Woodsmith, and entered their dreams. Inside of them, the Wanderer found a green stone and a transparent stone. The Wanderer trapped them inside the tome as well. With all the stones united, the Wanderer awoke from the dream world in the heart of the mountain. The Wanderer’s eyes adjusted to show that the beast with three antlers had fully formed. Its face was that of a wolf with three eyes. It attempted to swallow the Wanderer whole, and destroy the tome and the stones. The Wanderer dashed around the small chamber, but the beast was significantly faster. The stones did appear to have a slowing effect on the creature, but the effect was temporary. In a fit of prayer, the Wanderer reached out to the forest spirits, the stone spirits, the rain spirits, and the lightning spirits for assistance.”

The drum beats faster and faster, crashing hard with each slash of the beast.

“The spirits told the Wanderer that it was possible to defeat the Beast of the Mountain, but it would be at a great cost. The Wanderer turned to the Beast and lifted the Tome of the Ancients to it. As the beast lashed out with a massive swipe at the Wanderer, the stones all emitted a bright light, engulfing the entire cavern in blinding, intense light.”

The drum beats harder and harder, faster and faster, increasing with the intensity of the story. Upon the final blast of light, the drumbeat stops entirely. Silence hangs in the air for a few moments.

“The villagers all awoke from their trance. None remembered the change in colors, as a spirit of darkness was replaced with more vibrant hues. None remembered the mighty storm that shook the trees and the stones. None remembered the Wanderer who had passed in their village. None realized the sacrifice she had made for their sakes. None, save the Watcher and the Woodsmith.”
This message was last edited by the player at 04:11, Wed 12 Aug 2015.

The voice seems well pleased. “᛬ᚢᛖᚱᛖ᛬ᛗᚢᛚᛏᚫ᛫ᚫᚢᛞᛁᚢᛁ᛫ᛏᚫᛗ᛫ᛚᛟᛝᚢᛗ᛫ᛏᛖᛗᛈᚢᛋ᛫ᛖᛚᛁᛏ᛬”

“᛬ᚾᛟᚳᛏᚢᚱᚾᚫᛖ᛫ᛩᚢᛁᛖᛏᛁᛋ᛫ᛒᛖᚾᛖ᛫ᛗᛖᚱᛁᛏᚢᛋ᛬ᚷᛟ᛫ᛒᛖᚾᛖ᛫ᛁᚾᛋᛏᚱᚢᚳᛏᚫ᛫ᛖᛏ᛬”

Aldridge bows deeply to the voice. "Thank you for your hospitality. It is much appreciated."

He turns to the rest of the party. "We may rest here for the night, with the blessings of..." He turns back to the darkness. "I'm terribly sorry, may I ask for your name? Mine is Aldridge Finley."

“᛬ᚢᛗᛒᚱᚫᛖᛋ᛬” (Spoken: 'ʌmbrɛɪs)

Aldridge bows once more to the unseen ᛬ᚢᛗᛒᚱᚫᛖᛋ᛬ before turning back to the campsite.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:53, Wed 12 Aug 2015.

Alwan raises a quizzical eyebrow. "Care to translate any of that?"

"I agree," Westra says. "What was that voice? Things kept from the party last time did not end so well, if you'll recall."

Aldridge smiles. "᛬ᚢᛗᛒᚱᚫᛖᛋ᛬ liked my story, said it's been a while since they've heard such a tale. They will forgive our trespassing and have said that we have earned a night of rest."
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:53, Wed 12 Aug 2015.

"What do you mean, 'they?' I heard one voice."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 16:47, Wed 12 Aug 2015.

Aldridge whispers that he used the gender-neutral 'they' since he didn't know the creature's gender, and figured it was rude to wait until now to ask.

Westra tries to glean anything she can about what the being could be from her remembrance of how the voice sounded (Arcana 18).
This message was last edited by the player at 18:08, Wed 12 Aug 2015.

"I don't want to alarm anyone, but I am fairly certain that the voice belongs to a dragon," Westra says to the group. "It's probably a small one!" she says quickly. "If it indeed is pleased by Aldridge's story, we should be fine, but dragons can be capricious, and I didn't want to keep this information from the group."
This message was lightly edited by the player at 18:09, Wed 12 Aug 2015.

"We're just here for rest," Aldridge yawns. "It'll be fine. And should our draconic host require another story, I shall be happy to oblige. But for now, I do believe we can all rest easy without requiring anyone keep watch."

"'It'll be fine'.  Last words of many dead men." Ryudo murmurs, then says more audibly,  "I'll take first watch."

"I feel reasonably certain about this as well, but I didn't want to leave anyone in the dark. You would know more about that than me, though," Westra says pointedly at Aldridge.

"Wake me for second watch, if you would, Ryudo," she continues. "I have some herbs I need to brew into a potion. It will take me about four hours."

“I will likewise take a watch.” Airdsgainne starts to lay out the bedrolls.

Ethic is visibly shaken by the news of their erstwhile companion in the cave. He lays his sleeping furs as close as possible to the entrance of the cave. [Language unknown: U e lat chil str sanresoreble ac ekma.]

"So, Ryudo can take the first two watches, since he doesn't need as much sleep as the rest of us. I would prefer to have a watch partner, so I can focus on my potion making. Airdsgainne could do that. Ethic, you can watch if you like, but it's not necessary. Aldridge, you feel free to be selfish." Westra says the last sentence with a wry grin.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:37, Wed 12 Aug 2015.

"I don't mind taking watch, if you're all truly worried," Aldridge breathes sleepily into his living pillow of a drake. "But any creature who is that satisfied with a good tale and has guarded this domain for as long as it has is really all the security we need." With that, Aldridge falls into pleasant unconsciousness, dreaming of the next tale to spin.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:41, Wed 12 Aug 2015.

The party goes to sleep while Ryudo keeps careful watch. (10 Perception)

Ryudo watches for several hours, but all is silent. Every few minutes, he gets up to pace about the small campsite, to ensure that nothing sneaks up… from any direction.

After four hours, in the briefest of moments as Ryudo's head turned toward mouth of the cave, Ryudo's ears pick up a faint scratching against the ground. As he turns around, he sees a dragon, about the size of a horse, flying low and silently through the air, carrying a body. The dragon's scales are dull and dark. The dragon slips out of view an instant later; it can't possibly be more than sixteen paces hence. Immediately thereafter, Ryudo notices that Aldridge is missing!

(Everyone is asleep except Ryudo. Ryudo may act.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:09, Wed 12 Aug 2015.

Ryudo, deciding that haste was better than subtlety, attempts to awaken everyone with a yell while shaking Westra.  "Wake, everyone! The dragon has taken Aldridge!  He is flying deeper into the cave!"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:51, Thu 13 Aug 2015.

Airdsgainne and Alwanzatar both wake up. Westra, Flutterwing, and Ethic remain asleep. (It takes an action to attempt to wake a sleeper by shaking them awake.)

Alwan shakes Flutterwing awake.

“Wake up!” Airdsgainne shakes Ethic. “A dragon is hauling Aldridge deep into the cave.”

The dragon glides even deeper into the cave, its wingtips even scraping the edges of the cave at times.

(The party may or may not be in “combat” depending what they do, but we'll act in turn. It is the party's turn. Everyone but Aldridge is awake.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:26, Thu 13 Aug 2015.

Aldridge sleeps peacefully as he floats weightlessly through the tale he spins through his dreams.

Alwan comments to the groggy Westra, "A dragon has abducted Aldridge. I sincerely apologize if you would have preferred to sleep and let the dragon have him, but I thought you should know."
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:27, Thu 13 Aug 2015.

"He's an ass, but he can be useful." Westra shakes her head to rid it of the cobwebs of sleep. "Furthermore, I don't want to wait around and just leave someone to die. Not anymore. I appreciate the concern, though."

"We need to be careful," she continues. "Maybe the dragon can be reasoned with. Maybe there's a perfectly good explanation for it taking the trader. Can anyone else speak with it besides Aldridge?"

"The fact that it declines to speak in a language we understand does not necessarily mean that it cannot do so. We lose nothing by trying, in any case," Alwan says quietly. Then, more loudly, "Dragon! You told Aldridge that his story would guarantee us safety! The dragons I have encountered were creatures of honor, that held to their word. I exhort you, return him!" (20 Persuasion)

No reply comes from the darkness.

Westra sighs after a while. "Well, we tried to reason with it. Time to rescue our trader in distress. Anyone have a spell for light? I think I might be the only one that needs it, actually, unless I transform into a beast that can see in the dark."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:28, Fri 14 Aug 2015.

Flutterwing speaks up, “Spirits of the watch! Attend!” With that, her armour lights up, shedding light as far as eight paces.

"Excellent," says Westra. "Weapons at the ready, everyone. We don't want to get caught unawares." She begins to creep forward, keeping within a few paces of Flutterwing, and looks out for anything dragon-like or dangerous (Perception 11).

Observing Westra's caution, Flutterwing says, “Perhaps we could move quickly? Unless you can follow dragon-prints through the air?”

"You're right. We should probably go faster, just in case the dragon is eating Aldridge by now." Westra begins to run in the direction the dragon went, hoping the others will follow.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:12, Mon 17 Aug 2015.

Ryudo runs ahead of Westra, listening for the sound of the dragon's wings. (Perception 9)

The party races after the bard and dragon, slowly losing distance, but managing to stay within earshot. Just as the party rounds a corner, there's a steep drop off. Airdsgainne, Ryudo and Westra halt immediately, but Flutterwing, Ethic, and Alwanzatar fly right off the edge. Alwanzatar's spellcasting is much faster than his feet, so with a word, the party begins to float gracefully to the floor, sixty feet below. (Airdgainne, Ryudo, and the fallers have Feather Fall.)

This section of the cave is large and open. The ceiling is higher than the party can see, as are the walls. The floor is smooth, worn by water æons ago.

Westra turns into a giant spider and begins to climb down the cave wall after everyone else (30 ft. climbing speed). (Note: Spiders can also climb difficult surfaces without needing to make an ability check.)

As Westra climbs, Airdsgainne and Ryudo hop safely to the ground under Alwanzatar's power. The team quickly turns to continue, but the sound of beating wings has stopped.

Westra surveys their surroundings with her new darkvision, trying to determine how many paths there are further into the cave (Perception 5 (Nat1 - gross)).

Alwan strains to try to hear any sign of their quarry -- perhaps the beat of a dragon's wings, or the scream of a half-eaten adventurer. (2 perception) After listening carefully for several moments, he concludes that they are in a cave. "Hmmph," he says. "Well, we could follow the wall in one direction until we either find something, or find our way back here." He uses the narrow edge of a sling stone to scratch a crude upward arrow in the wall to indicate where they came from.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:42, Tue 18 Aug 2015.

Ryudo listens as well. (Perception: 17)

Westra agrees with Alwan, though she can't say so, and begins to scuttle close to one wall, keeping an eye out for danger or openings in the rock (perception 20). She lifts a front leg and beckons at her companions to follow.

Aldridge frolicks after the flying rainbow unicorn in his dreams, the wind rushing pleasantly past his face.

Before the party can move very far, the telltale sound of wings flapping in the distance catch its attention.

(The party is now in “combat”. The map is on roll20.net. The party may all go. Aldridge, please post privately to me. Everyone else, just post as usual.)

Message contents private.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:37, Mon 31 Aug 2015.

Alwan quietly steps toward a nearby boulder (Stealth 22) and readies a spell in case something emerges from the gloom.

Ethic shifts his grip on his shield nervously and holds his hammer in a low guard ready to smash whatever comes at him.

Westra moves stealthily (stealth 25) toward the flapping sounds, trying to discern anything with her darkvision in the darkness (perception 19).

Flutterwing steps forward, off the rough rocks and onto smooth cave floor. Her light penetrates even farther into the cave, but reveals no creatures. She readies a firebolt, should something move toward her threateningly.

Ryudo moves forward toward the darkness as stealthily as possible, looking for the dragon. (stealth 23; perception 21, darkvision)

Airdsgainne steps forward with Westra, readying an attack into the darkness.

Ominously, the darkness approaches the party. This is a deeper darkness, impenetrable even to those with vision beyond light. (The new dark spots on the map are impenetrable to darkvision.) The darkness rolls right over Ryudo, blinding him! (Ryudo cannot see anything. He does, however, know where his party is, partly because he remembers, and partly because Flutterwing's armour-clatter can be heard three leagues away by a deaf man in his sleep.)

(It is now the party's turn. No force of darkness but the force of darkness itself has presented itself. The flapping stopped, so it's not clear where… whatever… might be. Mechanically, for map purposes, if you step into a zone of darkness, I'll adjust your light level appropriately.)

Alwan casts magic missile fire bolt on the darkness. 13 vs. AC, 8 fire damage on hit

Westra continues scuttling forward as stealthily as she can (stealth 17), going a few feet into the area of darkness to her left, but not too far, ready to back up if she needs to.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:48, Thu 03 Sept 2015.

Message contents private.

Ryudo moves west out of the first darkness, and then runs through the second as well.
He yells, "Looks clear past the western darkness!  No enemies in sight yet!"

Flutterwing charges into the darkness, following Ryudo.

Airdsgainne follows the rest through the darkness.

The voice of Aldrige calls out from the southwest, "Wait! Stop fighting! Let's talk about this! ᛬ᚢᛗᛒᚱᚫᛖᛋ᛬ understands Cloud Tongue, someone start the conversation!" His voice is coming almost from the ceiling.

Meanwhile, the darkness continues to close in toward Westra and Alwanzatar. As it gets closer, the sound of wing beats can be heard. Just then, the two of them are grabbed and lifted into the air. Ethic hears the approaching creature and swings. His hammer strikes something in the darkness, but it gets away with Westra in its grip. (7 damage)

(It is again the party's turn. Westra and Alwanzatar have been grabbed. Their feet are not on the ground and it feels as though they are flying through the air. The party can speak and hear each other fine, but many of the party members are blind in the darkness. Flutterwing's light did not return when she exited the darkness, so many party members have no light at all.)

"᛬ᚢᛗᛒᚱᚫᛖᛋ᛬! I ask that you not hurt anyone! Guys, that goes for you, too, let's talk about this!"

Aldridge shoots a stretch of Dancing Lights where he last heard wings. Their dim light reveals nothing to the bard. Frustrated, he centers the lights around himself to look at his current perch.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:11, Thu 03 Sept 2015.

Ryudo listens for the direction of the wings to be certain. (Perception: 7, nat 1)  Ryudo yells, [Language unknown: "Nce wa usca sich Sios'dier?  Pe m urom miver p thiticany, foou th eaune esswh fout at maome waugh."]

Westra bites at whatever is grabbing her (attack 12, damage 11).

[Language unknown: "Thiet t nt wibe ntmeei!"] Alwanzatar shouts, sounding truly indignant. [Language unknown: "Ll omeei e ecsom er se. Pro ro no arlaee e nt?"] [14 Persuasion]
This message was last edited by the player at 16:33, Fri 04 Sept 2015.

Ethic turns quickly toward the sound of Alwan's voice, picking his way carefully over the rocky ground.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 18:54, Mon 14 Sept 2015.

The dragon holding Alwanzatar replies, “[Language unknown: I adchin … hese sileis day, … toanstwe. … thoiou'undntintearters … saneenati. … eemicechma nc waioto. Eranc thaichwil ev hislatart … terlinwitugh … .]” The dragon's words are not quite of the Cloud-tongue, but near enough to understand some of the idea behind the teeth.

Airsdgainne steps toward the sound of Alwanzatar's voice. His spell outlines the dragon and Alwanzatar in the darkness with a crisp blue light. The effect is unnerving, since friend and foe appear as shapes in the darkness, with no background or frame of reference. (The party does not have disadvantage attacking the dragon (or Alwanzatar :P) and the dragon's location is easily discernable.)

The dragon moves back farther into the cave, biting and clawing at his victim as he moves. (15 damage claw, 13 damage claw, miss bite.) Alwanzatar's outline slumps limp in the dragon's claws.

The party hears scratching from farther back in the cave, the sound of insect flesh being shredded by spear-sharp claws. (11 claw, 11 claw, 22 bite.) The scratching gives way to yelping as the party hears Westra there.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:01, Wed 14 Oct 2015.

"Misappreh-- NOT USEFUL?" Aldridge shrieks indignantly. "The hell is that suppose to mean? WE annoy YOU?!" Aldridge fires an arrow wildly into the darkness in outrage (16 vs. AC, 8 piercing).

"Get back here right now and get me down! YOU OWE ME AN EXPLANATION!" He jumps over the side of the cliff, crawling down the side best he can (13 athletics).
This message was last edited by the player at 18:37, Wed 14 Oct 2015.

Westra casts Cure Wounds on herself (2nd level - 12 HP). "Little help over here!" she yells, wriggling to try and escape.

Alwan groans (1 failed death save)

Airdsgainne sprints until he has line of sight on the beast, casting Earthbind on it.

Ryudo moves back towards Westra and listens carefully to get her exact location (perception 15)

Ethic lights a torch and carefully picks his way toward the sounds of his struggling companions.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:01, Thu 22 Oct 2015.