The Black Flight [3.5] Game Thread

[IonDragon]

Mudvayne

To an Avoral:
Excuse me, A quick little bow but might I recieve a small amount of healing from you?

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Kn. The Planes (1d20+1)[12](Untrained, max 15) for information regarding Avorals

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Mud casts Mage Armor (10 hour duration) and if no buffs are currently up, Glyph Seal Arcane Fusion: Scintillating Scales, Shield to one spell pouch and Glyph Seal Dragon Skin to the other. Then request healing from an Avoral.

[PhoenixRivers]

Skill checks:

Mead:

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Search results: You've located fragments of unscorched dragon bone. The runes on it are much clearer.

Solares:

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There are signs of inhabitants in a set of caves right at the shoreline. It doesn't appear entirely easy to get to; the surf is crashing pretty hard against the entrance. Still, you're relatively sure that there is light coming from the cave.

Mudvayne:

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No new avoral information with a 12. Healing is provided as needed.

[Superglucose]

Solares will then elect to return to the party, land, turn back into a good old human, and say, There are some people living in the caves. It might be worth out time to go check them out, but just in case they are hostiles (and did cause the attack on the town) I would rather not face them alone. After all, pride goeth before a fall, and I have too many people to help and things to see to fall quite yet.

[Toliudar]

Mead

Mead nods at Solares' news that the caves are occupied. She shows the bone fragment to the others. She speaks softly.

"I'll turn this over to the knights once we've had a look.

"These marks and runes are not new. I'm no expert in such things, but it looks like the red dragon was a zombie, or some other such mindless form of undead. This is not reassuring. Not only does it show that the true perpetrator is willing to use the walking dead as a tool, but that they are powerful enough to acquire the body of an ancient dragon. Presumably, by killing it."

[IonDragon]

Mudvayne

Shrilly peepsPerhaps not so disturbing. It answers more questions than if this was some sort of intelligent creature. Though it does raise more questions than it answers. Might I have a closer look?

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Kn. Arcana (1d20+6)[24]
Spellcraft (1d20+15)[22]

To identify what type of undead this was.

[Superglucose]

Solares muses, If they had the capacity to slay a red dragon, then animate it, and then command it to attack this town, specifically the tavern, why not simply command the dragon to attack the town? It cuts out two steps of the process and is much more likely to destroy the town.

[PhoenixRivers]

@Skill checks:

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Religion handles undead knowledge.

Heal may also be of use.

[Saph]

Ignis

Having finished with his spells, Ignis ambles over sporting a snazzy new tattoo. "Hard to believe something that powerful would be hanging around in a nearby cave. Still, let's have a look. Might be interesting, eh?"

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Knowledge: Religion: (1d20+16)[24] to try to identify what type of undead it was.

[PhoenixRivers]

@Skill check:

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Smooth bone fragments seem to indicate that it wasn't meat covered when it came in. That rules out zombie. You're not sure exactly what it was, but one thing is clear. It wasn't a skeleton either. Scuttlebutt is that it flew in. Skeleton dragons don't fly.

[Saph]

"Huh. Not a skeleton or a zombie. Haven't fought anything exactly like that before."

[IonDragon]

Are we certain we should leave at haste? I am not seeing anything I can do to assist the triage efforts, but if there is anything we can do we should do so... But if you could be quick about it all the better. As he taps his foot impatiently. Hasty action can not be taken back, but there is no worse action than inaction.

[Toliudar]

Mead

The gnome process Mudvayne's comments, her head tilted to one side. Her mouth opens and closes experimentally for a moment before she's able to actually respond.

"I'm sorry. My mind must still be muddled from having a roof dropped on it. Are you saying that we should go, or stay?"

[Keld Denar]

Denaru

If something is camped along the shore, and its still there, its unlikely that it will depart in the immediate future. I suggest we talk to any witnesses while the memory is still fresh in their heads. We can leave in an hour or so for the cliffs.

Phoenix

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Denaru questions anyone around who may have seen the events, making sense motive checks at +20 against each to make sure he gets the whole truth while asking if any around have been more forthcoming in telling the tail. Best to ask the people who want to talk first. Denaru makes SURE that his holy symbol is in plain sight of anyone he talks to while using his best "calming" voice.

Do you want any other checks? I figure you can roll as many sense motives as needed.

[Superglucose]

Solares smiles at the canny response of his once-companion.

He's saying that if we have things we need to do here, then we should do them quickly because while it is important that we investigate the caves, it may not be as urgent as other matters.

[IonDragon]

I should be doing something to help, but I have no skills which would be of any great assistance in this situation. I will find out what people saw, if I can.

Mud walks off, kicking a rock as he goes, to find out what people saw from different angles of the attack. Looking in particular for relevant details such as what direction the dragon came from, a more clear physical description of said dragon, and any other persons of note who may have evaded capture.

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Gather info: (1d20+6)[16]
Diplomacy (if necessary, else ignore)(1d20+12)[29]

[PhoenixRivers]

@Denaru:

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I'm going to start people's attitudes at friendly, for you, provided they recognize your rank, and are a fan of good deities.

Basically, the same accounts are told. Most people didn't see a lot, as almost everyone that was outside wound up dead. However, there were a dozen or so half dragons of various types that landed with the dragon. All were red, though the base races varied between orcs, humans, lizardfolk, and one ogre. From a description of their fighting, you don't doubt that you could have taken them one on one, though it'd have been a good fight.

@Ion:

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Your diplomacy gets people helpful, and your gather information assists you in finding someone inside a house across the street from the inn. According to him, a great bone dragon flew in and landed on the inn. From its mouth came a green caustic spray, and wherever it touched, things melted away. It seems that the inn became a victim of the dragon's bulk, and it got caught up in the rubble. It was at that point that several casters appeared in the sky, and the resulting waves of magic energy destroyed the creature.

[Saph]

Ignis

Ignis will accompany Denaru, listening with interest to the accounts.

[Toliudar]

Mead accompanies Mudvayne, scribbling notes furiously as people talk about their experiences the night before. It was always fascinating to see people in crises. It brought out the best, and the worst.

[IonDragon]

Mudvayne

I am so very confused right now. So here's what we know: Some form of SKELETAL undead, formerly RED dragon FLEW into town, landed on top of the inn and began to breathe ACID, presumably just for kicks. Then some casters showed up, with whom I am unfamiliar, but I think it's safe to assume they are not agents of our enemies.

We can speculate on the way. We have to travel over water to get to these caves? I have no method of flight...

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Kn. Arcana (1d20+6)[13]
Is there some manner of transforming a Dragon's breath weapon type in a manner similar to Energy Substitution?

[PhoenixRivers]

@Skill checks:

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Spellcraft would be the appropriate skill.

[IonDragon]

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Spellcraft:(1d20+15)[26]

[Superglucose]

We can speculate on the way. We have to travel over water to get to these caves? I have no method of flight...

Solares smiles, and points to his eagle flying overhead. Sure you do!

[PhoenixRivers]

@Spellcraft:

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There are spells that are available to change breath weapons from one element to another. Breath Weapon Substitution is the most obvious, though incredibly powerful dragons can access Breath Weapon Admixture. The former would allow a red dragon to breath acid. The latter would allow a red dragon to breathe Acid and Fire at the same time.

[PhoenixRivers]

Sooo.... Actions?

[Superglucose]

Solares signals down his eagle. Come with me, Mud. The others will follow behind us. Let's go check out the caves. With that, Solares will mount the eagle and stick Mud in front of him like a little kid on a horse, and guide his eagle up into the air.

(Working on a good name for the eagle)

[Toliudar]

Mead raises her hand.

"If there's room for one more modest passenger on your, ah, eagle, Solares, then I would be delighted to join you as well. I think it would be an exceptional way to become familiar with the territory. Might that be possible?"

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If it helps, Mead and all of her gear works out to about 55 pounds.

[Superglucose]

What, no fly effect?

That should work fine, Solares says, smiling. You'll have to ride in back; however, I need to be able to reach her shoulders to guide her properly, and while I can reach around Mud, I'm not sure I can get past you both.

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Carrying capacity of this eagle is >300 lbs and I'm only about 220. Mud counts as size tiny iirc so I'll have to cast Bull's Strength on him, but that shouldn't be too big of a deal. Bull's Strength == best fly spell ever.

[Toliudar]

Mead smiles.

"Behind you would be just fine. I suspect that I'll spend the trip looking down anyway."

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Why use a spell slot when you can ride in style - and keep chatting along the way?

[Superglucose]

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Well, 2nd level spell slot at least. I *do* have to Bull's Strength to get off the ground. Solares is; however, very glad for the company. He likes people!

Solares gives a warm smile. Usually I tell passengers of your size that they should avoid looking down! Something about the dizzying height and realizing that they are putting their trust in an eagle that likes to have a bit of fun...

[Toliudar]

Mead stiffens slightly.

"Perhaps it's specific to my Lantaana culture, but it is often considered unwise to comment on a woman's size. And I assure you that I am very much looking forward to your eagle's careering.

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I don't have a good sense of how far away these caves are. If the flight's going to take more than a few minutes, you could always just wildshape into a large-sized flyer, and then that one of our big-uns could ride you!