Sskith concentrated, and sent his spirit out into the world to find his prey. The strangeness of the fact that his prey was one of the Vutha did not escape him.

As an action, you can expend one ranger spell slot (1 minute per level of spell slot) to sense whether any
aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, or undead are present within 1 mile of you (or
within up to 6 miles if you are in your favored terrain). This feature doesn’t reveal the creatures’
location or number.

Simon climbed to his feet. "Nimbus, go see if there is anything around." The raven squawks and then flies out of the structure.

"How do you know when you are ready to face a dragon?

Personally, I am ready to cast a line into the River Al-Zalim and while away the day until I go home to join my family for a meal. But that will have to wait, I suppose."

Looking at Seth, he asks, "Do you know where the caustic bitch is?"

Tara had prepared the same set of spells; the reasoning was the same.  She just hoped that they could locate the dragon before it hit them from surprise... she draped herself in Mage Armor for safety, of course.

When Seth tapped into the natural magic of The Flow, he sensed the denizens of Deadwater’s swamp within a one to four mile radius. His mystically enhanced senses detected the presence of aberration, elemental, Fey, and the coldness of the grace that signaled the Undead. Seth sensed the faintest trace of Celestial hovering at the periphery of his awareness.

The Dragon lurked at the limit of the spell’s radius, no doubt awaiting them all. Hungry for the final confrontation.

"If we sssstarted walking assss the sun rosssse, accross ground that isssss clear and dry, we would find the Vutha at midday."

Sskith answered.

"I had thought he would come closssser, I wassss wrong. I do not know why he waitsssss. I can feel him, feel hisss intent, I cannot feel where."

He didn't like it.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:15, Sat 23 July 2022.

In reply to Seth Sskith (msg # 253):

"No doubt he wants to fight us out in the open, where his wings can carry him away once more when he gets too hurt. And he would be beyond our reach." Telric points out. "We need to choose the battleground. One with a roof to keep his mobility limited."

"He knows we come, and he knows to go far away. Seems is more to a situation."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:15, Tue 26 July 2022.

Sskith let out a string of curses in Draconic, mostly involving inventive places where eggs could be shoved. To those few who understood him, it was not pleasant to listen to.

"The snakessss were emptying the nesssst."

He let out at last, when he had calmed down.

"We will track them, but it meanssss the Vutha is waiting for us in hissss new lair. He will be ready. He will have hissss servantssss about him."

He snorted once, the sound derisive. Those who had listened to him speak before might have put meaning to the sound, for he had uttered it before when faced with an answer he did not like.

"We have losssst what advantage we had. We should search this place to sssssssee if anything can be of ussssse."

He kept his own dark thoughts about their chances of success to himself.

Lenelle listened to Seth's uninterpretable exclamations, and then his explanation, in silence and with a deepening frown.

The party had set out from Deadwater with such optimism, such zeal, to be embarking on this task.  But they weren't characters in a fable or a lay, and a real dragon was one of the very worst of foes; and not only for its capacity to maim and kill.   She sighed.

"Well, this is nothing less than we should've expected."

She was grateful for the respite provided by Tara's amazing spell;  she couldn't change her own, as some of the other magic-workers.  But her power had replenished itself, and she was now prepared as possible.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:30, Wed 27 July 2022.

“*Pfagh*! We sent that Dragon running with his tail between his legs when he ambushed us! If we pull our heads out of our asses, how will he beat us when we’re actually ready for him?”
This message was last edited by the player at 23:09, Tue 26 July 2022.

"...There would be risks attacking him in his nest, but if that stops him from just flying away, it might be worth it," said Tara, thoughtfully.

"Agreed. We finish this today. No easy escapes for the creature." Telric nodded.

Simon shoulders his pack, and looks around, "Shall we? There's a dragon waiting to say hello."

Once Nimbus has confirmed there is nothing untoward in the immediate vicinity, the warlock moves to exit the magical structure.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:59, Thu 28 July 2022.

Tara’s magical hut dissipated, leaving the party exposed once more to the swamp. Nimbus sensed no immediate danger, and perched on a tree branch just over Simon’s head. Gwyl hid in the upper limbs of a taller oak oak tree. The sky overhead looked cloudy, occasionally exposing a few stars in a night sky. Seth figured they had just under three hours left til sunrise. A Black Dragon awaited them in the lands of the Lizardfolk.

"Well, we'd best get a move on," said Tara.  "No telling what that beast may do if left alone."

In reply to Tara Inkfingers (msg # 263):

"Indeed. I have many...well wishes...that I failed to deliver the last time we met the beast." He spun his staff and smirked.

Sskith tried to find the Yuan-Ti's tracks, but they were already eight hours old, and his chances of finding them in the dark were slim. He rubbed some carrot under his eyes to grant him Nighteyes, but it was going to be difficult nevertheless.

Spending a 2nd level spell slot (1/2) to cast Darkvision

19:09, Today: Seth Sskith rolled 10 using 1d20+8.  Tracking in the Swamp.

Upon leaving the hut, she immediately wished she could go back.

And was again reminded that, compared to her comrades, she was just sort of that normal girl who happened to know some spells. 

In combating the Hags and their minions, the part of her that touched and entwined with the upper-planes had come to the fore.  Stirring and rising to resist that unhallowed threat.

But though Baleful was certainly evil, it wasn't the same; and she found it difficult to contact that part of herself.   Her spells would work, just the same; but her heart wasn't in this, in the same way, and it opened the door for doubt.   Okay, for fear, if she had to be honest...

But wasn't real bravery only possible in the face of fear?  She found solace in that notion, and resolved she would be brave.   She watched Seth bemusedly, as the reptilian smeared carrots under his eyes.

As for her, the eyesight bequeathed by the father she never met served the same purpose, though she lacked the knowledge and skill of a tracker.

As Seth smears vegetable scrapings under his eyes, Simon hides a smile. He has become so used to his gifted sight, that he forgets that not everyone can see in the darkness as if it were daylight.

As the lizardman starts hunting for tracks to follow, Simon stops dead. "Hang on a moment," he calls out. "I know we are not planning on going underwater, but we are in a swamp, so we should take no chances. Aqua Respiratio."

"And I've had another thought..." The warlock pulls off his pack and rummages around before pulling out the shrunken head he took from the hags' lair.

"What do you know of the Yuan-Ti that ally themselves with Baleful Blackfang?"

---

Cast Water Breathing on all of the characters (max of 10 people).

The withered lips of the shrunken Hag’s head answered in a thin voice scarcely more than a raspy whisper. ”The Yuan-Ti lived in the jungles of this continent. They worshiped a great and terrible Serpent God. They strive for their sleeping god’s awakening.”

While the others made their preparations, Tara looked around to see if anything else was sneaking up on them.

Tara didn’t see anyone except a dragonfly, and a flock of birds flying too quickly overhead. As far as she could tell, they were alone. Seth would be able to lead the group through Lizardfolk terrain over the next four hours if they moved quickly.

"Not much help! Although I expect that the Yuan-Ti god will be worse to deal with than the Bullywugs'!"

Simon returns the head to his pack and prepares to follow Seth through the swamp.

In reply to Simon (msg # 271):

"Did you really expect it to help? It's not here voluntarily, after all..."

Telric shrugged and followed along.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:09, Wed 31 Aug 2022.

”The Yuan-Ti seek to manipulate the young Dragon. They hope It will help them rebuild their empire, and that the blood spilt by Baleful will help stir their God from millenia of sleep.”