Tychris' Tomb of Annihilation IC

[Tychris1]

Orolunga
Day 27

Saja N’baza scrunched her face at Srirak’s comment on taste regarding snakes. She lowered her head to his chest and facing his heart with eyes forward she spoke a secret word. The Semuanyan acolyte felt his spirit stutter and move. An out of body experience processed surreally and in real time. His shunted spirit gazed at his soulless meat suit for a moment before realizing the reptilian before him was no longer his own but rather a hulking four legged one eyed form.

”No army, no. But I have an ally or two. I felt passst pain in you, Red Throat. May you mend your flesssh and ssspirit.”

Darion, Jack, and Secret

After playing a few hands of their game, Salida looked up to the Ziggurat with suspicion, and grumbled. "It's been an hour or so," She said "You think they're alright up there?" Her hand began to scratch at the gnarled underbrush surrounding the game. Agitation fueling manic motion.

[Jade_Tarem]

"Probably? They're pretty strong. Do you want to check? Because I still don't have a better way to follow them."

[Tychris1]

Orolunga
Day 27

Nodding her head, Salida moved as quickly as she could to follow in Srirak’s steps, and left her self at the edge of the snake pit. Cupping her hands together she shouted “HEY! ARE YOU GETTING MURDERED IN THERE? SCREAM ONCE FOR YES AND TWICE FOR NO.” She held her hand to her ear and shook her head glumly. “If the Odd Haired Oaf is chugging more snakes and going crazy scream three times!”

Still nothing.

She scratched her head and chucked a rock up to the ziggurats peak as best she could before idly poking at the snake pit. A few minutes pass and she comes back down nursing her throat and her head. “Why did it have to be snakes. I guess it’s really deep on the inside? I’ll get some wood for a fire assuming this takes a night.”

[TheDarkDM]

Siward

There was a rumble in Siward's chest at the talk of other worlds. The barbarian was brave, none could deny, but he was not so foolish as to treat witchcraft with any less than the utmost respect.

"So be it, proud Saja N'baza. We shall encamp at the base of your ziggurat, and await the return of our companion. For we shall doubtless need all our strength to topple this Ras Nsi from his effluent throne. But one thing pains me, and that is the knowledge that we shall never again behold this place."

[Tychris1]

Orolunga
Day 27

”Fair thee well, brave adventurer. You all will need the favor of fate indeed. Do not freely ssshare the knowledge of thisss place. Only the worthy may partake in my gift and curssse.” Saja N’baza drifted as she spoke, her voice slowly quieting as she began to rest, and observed the heroes leave her abode. Leading them once more Siward stepped beyond the archway of the temple but immediately needed to stop to hold his hand out. The sun pierced directly into his eyes, leveled with the horizon, and clearly in the wrong spot from when he had entered. Any notion of having simply walked out the opposite side by accident was quashed however as the rest of the party followed suit too...

Day 28

The sun dawning over the horizon illuminated the world around them creating the optical illusion of the forest being swept in a sea. Great blue beautiful tulips had grown overnight throughout the entire field (A process Secret was privy to behold as she tranced and observed the morning sun), sweeping through great patches of greenery, and obfuscating much of the scattered stonework off of the ziggurat’s main construct. Laying in a particularly lumpy pile of the tulips was the comatose body of Azaka Stormfang lightly groaning and stirring. To the explorers atop Orolunga the snakes were gone, the rocks below solid, and a clear path extended through the plants and thorns. To the three camped beyond it however its layers of obtrusions seemed readily apparent.

[PepperP.]

"How beautiful the jungle appears in the fresh morning light." Lyndal made her way down the side of the ziggurat gracefully, unimpeded by thorns or snakes. She bent over to gather an armful of tulips to share with the others.

"Shall we head to Vorn? It's what Wakanga wanted, isn't it? Something about a Shield Guardian?"

[Othniel]

Aleandrae

Aleandrae was overjoyed to see their long-suffering guide rejoin them, though she privately wondered why Azaka kept putting up with their antics.

The Bard perked up at the mention of the Shield Guardian. "Absolutely! I think that's a wonderful idea."

[Tychris1]

Shaking herself loose Azaka awoke with the demeanor of someone nursing the worst hangover in Faerun, quickly searched for her mask, and donned it as Salida cackled at the confused woman. Gathering your supplies you set forth in search of the Shield Guardian Vorn. Over the span of two days Aleandrae and Siward work together on a map to Orolunga, Siward's hands more used to sword than pen yet proficient nonetheless, and together they finish sketching a map the Nobleman believes to be of sufficient quality for his buyer. The extra set of hands is of particular reprieve for the cartographer as she expands on Gertrude's map in greater detail than ever before this month. A long swath of unmarked territory is plotted and detailed by the eager Tiefling as the rain beats hard upon her every other day before settling into a long and dripping downpour that lulls the explorers as they sleep and greets them instantly as they awake to the new day. So it goes into the last day when they would approach Vorn.

Vorn
Day 33

Rain and blistering temperature in equal measure assaults the party, a heat wave slowly sapping at the energy already depleted over days of marching, and with practiced weariness you take turns scything and working through the jungle. Thankfully as Aleandrae checks the map and the guides check physical markers to ensure proper direction the jungle gets progressively more forgiving, more pruned, and more unnaturally manicured as you approach the area where the Shield Guardian ostensibly resided. Breaching a line of trees you come upon an opening in the forest. Standing next to some rocks and ferns is an 8-foot-tall statue, humanoid in shape with bronze fists, iron joints, an adamantine breastplate, and an iron helm with slits for eyes. The rest of the statue is made of sculpted wood reinforced with bands and rivets of adamantine. Scattered around its feet are offerings of food, feathers, colored stones, and skulls. Aleandrae instantly identifies it as a Shield Guardian and presumably the one Wakanga desires. Goring Almiraj quickly runs to Vorn and prostrates herself before it, throwing what rations she possesses beneath its wood and adamantine boots between rushed prayers. To the north a small herd of Triceratops graze peacefully, the smallest but most scarred amongst them staring at the party suspiciously, and occasionally nudge younger more infantile members of their kin to the forest line where their nest and eggs reside.

[Othniel]

Aleandrae

Equal parts excited and trepidatious, Aleandrae took a few steps toward the statue until she was even with Goring Almiraj. She fished into her pack and withdrew the wizard's journal Wakanga had provided her with and turned to the page with the amulet sketch. "Goring Almiraj, does this picture look familiar?"

[Tychris1]

Vorn
Day 33
10 Days of Rations Left
33 Days of Bug Repellent Left

After wiping her running nose fervently the disoriented goblin woman looked up to Aleandrae with mild confusion. She was more used to eating books than reading them. Not that she would admit to eating books taken from her Goblin superiors dinner. Pulling her blood stained horned mask off to grant her full vision she proceeded to instinctively squint as she looked at the book before her eyes opened wide with recognition. "Queen Grabstabs skull smasher! Hnnnn" She quickly fell away from the book, her hands scrabbling to cover her skull, and frantically reaching for her mask to put back on. "No smash no smash!"

Stalking the perimeter of the "Holy Land" Azaka stopped periodically to check the ground for prints, the flora for disturbance, and the wind for strange smells as she slowly worked towards the scarred triceratops.

[Othniel]

Aleandrae

Elated by the goblin's revelation, Aleandrae turned to favor her companions with an avaricious smile. "Well, shall we?"

[PepperP.]

"Of course, we came all this way, might as well make the most of it." Lyndal grinned as she recognized the greedy glint in her friend's eyes.

[zabbarot]

"Shall what? You are wanting to steal from the goblin queen? How many goblins do you think you can be fighting? There are errands more bearing of fruit for us to be doing. I am not wanting any number of poorly made knives in my hide." Srirak was less impressed by this stereotypically human greed. He eyed Aleandre with curiosity. Maybe she was not human? He really wasn't sure.

[Tychris1]

Vorn
Day 33

As the members of Gertrude’s Quest debated the pros and cons of seeking the amulet of control Azaka finally neared the most scarred of triceratops and let loose a soft rumbling noise from her throat. Then again. And again. Three of the triceratops turned to her now with wide warm eyes and she began to playfully pet their armored crests before mounting the small veteran. Salida snorted at the lizardman’s worries “I’m not worried about goblins. It’s the ants those sweaty stacked up orange balls breed that worry me. Swarms of vicious little monsters tearing into you worse than spoiled children separated from their fat parents.” She shivered and scratched at her hand at the thought. Whether it was of the children or ants was unclear.

[Othniel]

Aleandrae

"I want to recover this beautiful construct for Wakanga." And maybe use it to stomp on Jobal while we're at it, she added mentally. "But I suppose if we don't precisely know where the goblins are, we can hope to run into them unless one of our guides is willing to lead a scouting expedition?"

[TheDarkDM]

Siward

Nodding in appreciation for Azaka's new friend, Siward eventually turned his attention to Goring Almiraj. Kneeling down to better look the small goblin in the eye, he gestured to the jungle surrounding them.

"Friend Almiraj, I have no desire to uncover old wounds. But if you and your erstwhile compatriots were refugees from Queen Grabstab's demesne, surely you have found your way to her city before? By what craft did you locate the moving city in the past?"

[Tychris1]

Vorn
Day 33

After several minutes of visibly sounding out and working through Siward’s sentence (Azaka’s playful tending of the Triceratops filling in the scenery) Goring Almiraj shook her head. "We no look for Yellyark after Yokka leave. We just follow after when still in tribe. But.... Yellyark leave lot of broken trees. Me see it fly once.” She began to audibly whistle and move her fist through the air in an ascendant arc before smashing it against her waiting palm.

[TheDarkDM]

Siward

In an act of karmic justice, it took several seconds of rapid blinking for Siward to process Goring Almiraj's response.

"How exactly does Yellyark move, friend Almiraj?"

[Tychris1]

Vorn
Day 33

The small goblin woman shrugged, her eyes betraying no more intelligence than the day they had met her, and she grumbled "Me not sure but when big honkers come or stinky bitey humans fight Queen Grabstab say we all leave tribe and then VWOOSH. Tribe go flying through air like...." She picked up a rock and threw it as far as her tiny hands could manage "Then we chase after and find Yellyark again.”

[zabbarot]

Srirak spent a few minutes fussing with the copy of the map he had received from Aleandre. "Devil-woman, be looking." He pointed to the map. "We are being here about. We are having many threads to pull at, yes? Crab men in the basin, lost cities, dragon's treasure. We can be working these while keeping eyes and ears open for Yellyark. The death curse grows, we must be careful not to waste time."

[Othniel]

Aleandrae

The Bard peered over Srirak's shoulder at her own handiwork. "What you say makes sense, I suppose," she allowed, though the urge welled up within her to simply pick a direction and go (though she knew this to be unwise). "If we must head that way, then...dragon's treasure?"

[TheDarkDM]

Siward

Slapping a hand against his thigh, Siward stood to his full height and gestured towards the horizon.

"Then let us away to this lost dragon's treasure! Surely, the gold shall be near as sweet as immortality in the great bard's pages!"

[Tychris1]

The Jungles of Chult
Day 33
10 Days of Rations Left
33 Days of Bug Repellent Left

Riding to the south on their newly requisitioned jungle friends the previous slog of the jungle is rendered a roughshod yet destructive trail of ease as the party hounds for the creatures Srirak detected. Atop the armored crest of a triceratops Darion and Srirak's keen eyes spot a band of Grung's hunting from the tree tops, nine of them sporting green vibrant skin, and one of them festooned in strange feathers and a head dress of carefully stained wood and carved wood. Their small lithe forms grip the tops of the jungles brances with disturbing preternatural grace, the sound of faint croaking and churring lilting through the air, and periodically overwhelmed by the sound of a grazing dinosaur skewered to death. Spotting the massive beasts in the distance, the red skinned Grung accelerates its churring noise, and begins to rapidly flee from the sight of such a thundering herd. Confused for a moment the remaining Grungs turn their heads to what their oddly colored kin had noticed and soon participate in the better part of valor alongside them.

[Tychris1]

The Jungles of Chult
Day 33
10 Days of Rations Left
33 Days of Bug Repellent Left

Parting ways into seperate parties, Darion, Srirak, and Jack lead their shanghaied or otherwise compensated laborers further north into the jungle in search of the party that Srirak occasionally checked in on with the divine forces of the land. Silently, gracefully, they moved as a continuous unit through the jungle covering almost every height and angle possible. That is until they stumbled upon a suddenly disarming and stark sight. White powder and visible air filling the air. Perfectly. Stretching out from some point further in the jungle. Snow, as would be recognized by those foreign members of the party, and the sight of frozen water and hardened trees. Gripped in the tight hand of winter this small perfect globe of Chult. This sudden and drastic change in terrain elicits a "What the fu-" from Azaka that silences from Salida's slamming palm. Quickly taking cover the scouting party finds biting temperatures that rip through the flesh and bone of the warm weathered attired here.

But not the Zhentarim group deeper within.

Lead by three figures Srirak instantly recalls from being spurned by Grandfather Zitembe. Two stark Tethyrian women and a man all clad in studded leather armor though now further reinforced with heavy wrappings and furs. They somatically and in short harsh barks verbally instruct the inspection and thorough digging of the inner frigid sanctum. Occasionally, Darion spies with his weary eyes, a wriggling form is present underneath their heavy wraps. Sixteen less fortunately coated humans of muttled ethnicity (with some unfortunately confused Chultans aswell) awkwardly cludgeon through the process of working sifting through this strange white landscape. A half-plate armored man coated in heavy black robes stalks between them, stopping occasionally to place a hand on one of the chultans, and casting a spell upon them.

[zabbarot]

Srirak moved quickly and quietly back to where they had left the rest of the party to inform them of the news.

"Hurry! There is being no time for filthy ape sex! We have found winter! The ring maybe? Zhentarim soldiers and maybe hirelings. We are not knowing yet. Hurry!"

Srirak flails in the direction of where they saw the snow.

"We can be charging in on trihorns. Ambush!"

[Tychris1]

Wintery Warscape

Donning clothes, unsheathing pointy bits (of many varieties), and mounting their giant companions you all prepare for the coming violence. Charging forward like thunder made raw and manifest you tear through the jungle with the fury of wild fire. Birds caw and screech, the air itself trembling at the coming onslaught, and with a great concerted effort you shatter the stark magical divide between summer and winter. Sliding on the hard-packed icy ground below the triceratops are instantly disoriented and confused as the rush of hot air they bring with them is instantly rendered frigid and cold. Their confusion only breeds further calamity as they attempt to adjust to this alien and preposterous sight. Fortunately for the explorers, the Zhentarim party is equally as baffled by the sight of a small herd of triceratops being ridden like cavalry. The heavily armored and robed man fumbling for his heavy mace as the Tethyrian Trio closes their ranks instantaneously and instinctually.

Spoiler: COMBAAAAAAAT

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First up is JACK. JACK ATTACK.

[BladeofObliviom]

Something about the Tethyran Trio unnerves Jack, and she almost instinctively picks them out as targets. The snow is oddly welcomed; though not exactly pleasant, it's a reprieve from the Chultan climate for an entirely different sort of awful. She lifts her crossbow and whips off a couple of shots at the one who looks most exposed.

Spoiler: Dice!

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hit: (1d20+5)[9]

dam: (1d6+3)[5]

hit: (1d20+5)[19]

dam: (1d6+3)[8]

[Tychris1]

Wintery Warscape

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Goring Almiraj screams at the top of her lungs as she rocks and buckles on top of the stubborn and confused Triceratops, snow blanketing her bloodstained mask, and causing her to fire wildly with her bow. By fate or fortune however the winds of winter push the maligned arrow from an awry course into a complimentary shot with Jack as the two of them sink their marks. Bolt and crude arrow disappear from sight as they bury into the mass of heavy furs and wrappings the Tethyrians use to combat the hostile alien environment. "AAAAAAAAHOh got one!" She exclaims in overeager delight soon silenced by a hail storm of an entirely different sort. Yklwas fly free through the air, half of them clattering harmlessly against the Guide Triceratop's armored crest but a few manage to sink into numb cold flesh, disturbing the great Honker, and drawing a fresh stream of blood that steams in the cold frigid air. Stumbling along the snow the Chultan Hunters scatter and seperate, the white blanketed air disorganizing their shuffling motion, and causing two to bump against each other in an awkward fashion.

Spoiler: OOC

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Goring strikes for 5 damage and the NPC Honker takes 15 damage.

Darion's Turn!

[Nefarion Xid]

Spoiler: Firebolt vs SW dude

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(1d20+3)[21] spell attack roll
(1d10)[4] fire damage

Triceratops surfing Indiana Jones, but with magic fire.

[Tychris1]

Wintery Warscape

Gracefully surfing along the back of the largest triceratops in the pack, Darion let loose a steaming beam, and filled the air before him with smoky tantalizing air as a whip crack of pure flame was let loose. Rending the air like a hot sweaty back from a wooden ships deck on a heat storming day the gout of flame erupted a patch of fur on the lead most heavily garbed woman. A roaring dismissal of winter's absolute domain on the immediate area however snuffed any chance of the heavy furs bursting further into flames. Raising his mace on high the armored man trudged forward, his free hand raised in a grasping manner towards Jack, and in Celestial he let loose a warrior's Kiya. Dark energy coalesced in the armored gauntlet of the man as his shuffling pace was quickly rendered to a mad dash when one misplaced foot lead to the man slipping and sliding forward several feat. Beam firing awry his warrior's decree is shattered into a grumbling profanity strewn effort to maintain balance on the long sheet of ice.

Spoiler: OOC

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Srirak, Siward, Lyndal, and Aleandrae are up!