Aldaroth - Children of Ruin

[Barbarian MD]

As the others gather, Kore greets them casually but maintains his relaxed pose on the barrels. In answer to Katarina's question, however, he responds, "Hang on a few minutes. I need to take a @#$& before we ride across the desert for hours but I couldn't just walk away from my barrels earlier," and walks into the house, looking for what must be a very nice toilet. After a perhaps awkward amount of time, he rejoins the group without apology.

He grins. "Ready."

Spoiler

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He comes back in 10-15(?) minutes, concluding a Short Rest.

[Irish Musician]

Barden Vedarian, Cleric of the Raven Queen Level 3 Monk/Cleric | AC:16 | HP: 24/24 | Ki: 3/3 | Slots: Lvl1: 4/4, Lvl 2: 2/2 One eyebrow, with a ring through it, raises as Barden waits for the "elf" to get ready. With a swift hand, Garden jabs the earring through Elamghar's ear, oddly with not as much pain as he was expecting. Barden nods to the elf, and studies him for a moment, "My eyes can't seem to place your heritage. You skin says one thing, but your hair and eyes say another...."

[miinstrel]

Elamghar Mizzroveae Lvl 3 Rogue Mastermind / Bard of Whispers As Barden pulls their hands back Elamghar reaches up to feel and activate his new accessory, drawing a small mirror from his pack to view it in his peripheral vision. "Not bad, almost matches the jacket even, though I'd call this more cherry than scarlet," he comments. "In truth I'm surprised you even noticed the hair and eyes, most of our brethren don't pay either any mind and judge solely based on the skin... which has its advantages at times. Though you're a bit pale for a Drow yourself," he shoots back, a cocked eyebrow contorting the barely visible tattoos across his brow. "Vesgorat is home for me. And you, Dakeme perhaps? A shame we didn't meet on the road."

[Jormengand]

"Just what I needed, more elves comparing family ancestries." Katarina would have sworn that Master Archmage Voth got more respect for being related to some mythical elven hero than for his title or his power. "Shall we do that thing that humans and elves and hobgoblins do with their legs and movement? As in, towards the place we're going, as in now, please?"

Katarina started walking, not taking much notice of whether or not the others were following. They would catch up - they'd have to, if they wanted to maintain the most competent member of their little group (even if she did say so herself).

[Barbarian MD]

"You're walking? No, no, you'll slow us down. Take the horse."

[Jormengand]

"You're walking? No, no, you'll slow us down. Take the horse."

Katarina smirked. "Don't mind if I do." She took the horse and, with a decent amount of skill for someone who preferred to travel on foot, mounted herself onto it. "Thanks, friend," she said, not insincerely.

[Barbarian MD]

"If everybody's ready, let move out."

He walks out into a clear area in the street and turns back around to face the group. Then, with an absolutely enormous $#+@-eating grin on his face, he snaps his fingers.

There is an enormous banging and chuffing noise, as a strange mechanical abomination rolls up the street as if from nowhere directly behind him. It seems to be powered by steam, and there is an innumberable number of moving parts doing only gods-knew what. The whole thing rattles and shakes as if it might explode at any moment.

Without a word, Kore loads up his two barrels and other supplies into the back and actually climbs on top of the contraption. The hobgoblin takes a pair of goggles that are dangling from a mirror that seems to be pointing towards the rear of the thing, slides them over his face, and sits down on a chair. In front of him is a large wheel, which he takes with both hands.

He shouts over the din, "Let's go!" and puts his steam car into gear with a clack.

Spoiler

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For those curious, this is "find vehicle" from UA. It seats 4, has a move of 60, and can carry 300 pounds of additional weight. Lasts 8 hours. You're welcome to ditch your horses and ride, or tie them along and have them follow behind us.

There is a 2 seat variant that's faster, and a 1 person version that's faster still.

[miinstrel]

Elamghar Mizzroveae Lvl 3 Rogue Mastermind / Bard of Whispers "I'd share my human line with you if I knew it," Elamghar offers, knowing full well that wasn't what she meant in the slightest. As the car rolls into existence from nowhere the half-Drow just stares for a moment. "It's... beautiful..." Elamghar gawks. Far more advanced than the simple steamworks he tried to implement back in Vesgorat. "Did you study in Navel? How'd you learn to produce such advanced concepts with a snap of the fingers? Gods i love magic... There's a whole engine in here, that's amazing!" Tying his horse to the rear bumper, Elamghar hops in to the front passenger seat and dips his head below deck, intimately inspecting the workings of the car as they ride northeast toward the obelisk.

[Irish Musician]

Barden Vedarian, Cleric of the Raven Queen Level 3 Monk/Cleric | AC:16 | HP: 24/24 | Ki: 3/3 | Slots: Lvl1: 4/4, Lvl 2: 2/2 It was Barden's turn to crack the tiniest of smirks. "That is what most guess, or some elf from a barbaric tribe, or a demon. I've been called many things. None of it correct. I am a Shader-Kai of the Shadowfel, devotee of the Raven Queen, her cleric and servant in the material plane." Katrina made her fussy declaration, amd then started marching off, but Barden did not move. If she wanted to march alone, so be it. He cared not. The contraption that came clunking into sight was....very odd. Barden did not like it and stayed away from it. Instead he put away his Whitestone, straped his sword to his hip, and mounted his horse. He unstrapped his long bow from his saddle and put hos quiver on his back. He'd be prepared for anything on the road.

[Barbarian MD]

To all of Elamghar's questions, Kore simply smiles and winks. He revs the engine and starts driving.

[Hypersmith]

Between the car and the horses, the four of you make your way out of the north gate, drawing some attention from a few squealing kids who chase your vehicle for a few steps before being outpaced, then through into the heat outside, bearing northeast, off the commercial roads. The brush is dominated by waxy bushes and thin, scraggly fauna, and the father you get, the thinner the soil becomes. Eventually, it gives away to rough sand, laying atop a layer of rocky dirt. This dry mixture continues to trend towards its sandy side, and as the hours roll by and the sun peaks, the heat begins to set in. For those of you in the car, the seats feel unpleasantly warm, especially where the sun beats down on them unhindered by your behinds. For those of you on horses, your legs prickle with the mixture of fatigue, sweat, and heat. Your water skins quickly become your best friends.

Eventually, you crest a last hill. The ground begins to slope downwards, and you can see remarkably far. The sky is clear, the sun is bright, and the scar of the Fera stretches out before you, it's previous marker clear - the black obelisk is striking against the yellow grounds that surround it, but it is only a few miles away. You continue your march. The thicker sand underneath the vehicle causes it to slip occasionally, but it's hardly noticeable. The same goes for the horses. They work harder to cover the same amount of ground. As you near the obelisk, you realize how huge it really is, standing at what looks to be about 200 feet. This close up, it' clear that it isn't truly black - the stone seems to be a dark Gneiss, with the majority of the coloration dark, but flecked with greys and whites. There is no sign of what it was ever built for, or who built it. It's been about 5 hours, and it is mid afternoon. You face eastwards, with the sun to your backs.

Another twenty miles of travel to go till you reach the oasis. You still have about 4 hours of daylight remaining, so if you continue, you'll expect to be in the area right around dusk. If you push yourself for this last leg, you can make it with time to spare. You suspect that it'll be harder to spot any circling birds to indicate water the darker it gets.

Spoiler: ooc

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Wanna set fast pace to get there faster, or normal to get there at dusk?

[miinstrel]

Elamghar Mizzroveae Lvl 3 Rogue Mastermind / Bard of Whispers As they pull to a stop in the welcome shade of the obelisk's eastern side, Elamghar hops out the side of the car and stretches his stiff legs. "For a marvel of engineering you'd think the seats would be more plush," he teases mid-lunge with his hands on his hips. "Arriving at dusk, our shadows wreathed in fire as the sun sets behind us... sounds positively picturesque, don't you think? *I* would certainly be interested in a dialogue with someone who knew how to make an entrance like that. Hopefully our fey friend feels the same. Just a couple minutes to break and then onward?" he suggests. As the group pauses for a moment to water the horses and loosen the muscles, Elamghar saunters toward the base of the obelisk. Looking up at its powerful frame from just a few feet away strained his neck... but his curiosity lie much further down than its lofty peak. Running his fingers along the ancient stone, Elamghar takes a quick look for any chalk or carved messages around its base - perhaps tidbits of knowledge from those who came before... or about those who never came back. "What secrets do you hold?" he asks of the rock as his fingers bobble along its rough exterior. Spoiler: OOC Show Investigation if desired: (1d20+3)[20]

[Barbarian MD]

Pulling to a stop at the obelisk, Kore lifts his goggles off his face and admires the impressive structure. It appears to be a marvel of engineering.

Spoiler

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Perception (d20+2)[6]
Insight or knowledge (d20+1)[11]

[Jormengand]

Katarina glowed ominously, especially around her brow and back, as she sweated out conjured water. "Well, that's certainly a huge obelisk. Let's have a look at you, shall we."

She put her hands on the stone, and started chanting the first few words of a ritual. "Tiyen Eivi Ariess! Enii Essenu!" She then pulled back from the stone, not intending to complete the ritual. Then, she had a look around the base of the obelisk, and also tried to have a look at it, examining it carefully.

Spoiler: OOC

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Starts attempting to cast Unseen Servant as a ritual using the obelisk as a focus. Presumably, you know whether you're casting a spell or just speaking mumbo jumbo and waving your arms around, so essentially she's checking to see if the obelisk is, or at least if it can be, an arcane focus.

Irrespective, attempts (1d20+4)[13] Perception and (1d20+3)[10] whatever INT skill is relevant. One-eye helps look around, and if able helps with the int skill, for advantage (1d20+4)[6] and (1d20+3)[7]

[Irish Musician]

Barden Vedarian, Cleric of the Raven Queen Level 3 Monk/Cleric | AC:16 | HP: 24/24 | Ki: 3/3 | Slots: Lvl1: 4/4, Lvl 2: 2/2 Barden looked up at the Obelisk, once they stopped. He'd seen it before, in his travels, but never really paid it any mind. It was interesting, to be sure, but it never really spoke to him before, so he kind of just ignored it. Instead, he scrounged for food and water, even the desert had them if you knew where to look. Spoiler Show Wanderer. You have an excellent memory for maps and geography, and you can always recall the general layout of terrain, settlements, and other features around you. In addition, you can find food and fresh water for yourself and up to five other people each day, provided that the land offers berries, small game, water, and so forth.

[Hypersmith]

While you all take a brief break in the shade of the obelisk and pursue your interests, you happen across a few interesting things.

Spoiler: Barden

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Your familiarity with finding water and food in odd places is finding the desert itself a strangely unforgiving place. You are forced to backtrack a bit into land a bit more along the lines of scrub to find water and food for the day.

Spoiler: Nature, DC 13

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Something you notice when checking the sands of the desert is that they are thoroughly unnatural. It isn't formed of natural soil erosion - rather, it's closer to the sands you'd find on the beach, strangely fine.

Spoiler: Katarina and Kord

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Unfortunately, the obelisk only appears to be a big building. Katarina don't seem to be able to channel her magic through it, and her familiar, even in the air, doesn't spot anything of note. Perhaps the speckled surface is confusing their normally sharp eyes?

Spoiler: Elamghar

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You run your fingers over the surface of the stone, their tips accustomed to the fine tuning and playing of instruments. You pick out a pattern that you can't really see, despite feeling that the worn down letters that are engraved in the stone.

Spoiler: Ignan

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The s.. .. R.in is ....ed ..... .h.y eat away .. all t..t g.ve. life, bringing fam... ... ....lence. Do .ot wa.der ....per.

[miinstrel]

Elamghar Mizzroveae Lvl 3 Rogue Mastermind / Bard of Whispers Elamghar stands at one side of the obelisk, feeling its side for a strangely long time. He closes his eyes and follows the sensation of dimpled stone to create a picture in his mind's eye. Definitely not Elvish. Draconic? No, too angular... Dwarvish alphabet? Hmm but what dialect... Feels... halting and sharp... but this isn't Orcish. Damn, why didn't I take Dwarvish in school? 'It's a root language, Elamghar - Orcish will be so much easier if you learn Dwarvish first'... shut up, mother. Frustrated at the lost translation Elamghar gives up and returns to the car. "I think Dwarves built it," he says, referring back to the obelisk. "There's an inscription near the base if anyone cares, but I can't read it. Seems odd though... I didn't think Dwarves settled this far across the Middling."

[Barbarian MD]

Kore shrugs. "We're wasting daylight!"

He puts the goggles back down and shifts into gear again.

Spoiler

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As far as speed goes, I vote for the slower speed if it puts us there before dark.

[Hypersmith]

As you all meet up again and start moving out, the hours bend quickly before you. You quickly come to learn that though the sun is at it's worst at noon, it's heat is at it's most intense in the afternoon. Even the wind that whistles around you is hot and dry, bringing little relief for burning necks and backs. You're well into the desert now, with it's sands spreading all around you.

It's Owl-eye who alerts you to the sight of other birds, wheeling off farther north than you were headed. It's a simple course correction before you find what you were looking for. Spreading before you is an oasis of palm trees, small plants, and clear water. Birds wheel overhead and wade along the reedy banks of the pond. A small tomb stands at the edge of the greenery. A second small building is nestled among the palms, on the opposite side of the oasis. The tomb appears to be in better shape than the small building. As far as you can see, you have the oasis to yourselves.
The large pool of clear, cool water is shaded by date palms and ringed by reeds that sway gently in the breeze. You even see a few small fish darting among the reeds and stones, implying that this restful pool never dries out—a marvelous thing in this arid land. The water is shallow around the edges, but it grows deep enough that you can't see what hides underneath the surface towards the center.

Spoiler: Tomb

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A tomb stands among the palm trees. Such structures are rare to find in the vast expanse of the desert. This one appears quite new; the dome is covered in clean, white plaster, and the doorway is edged with bright, unchipped paint. The small structure has no door, only an open doorway. As you pass by it, you get a good look inside-
Two stone sarcophagi dominate the room: one sealed, one standing open and unused. More alarming is the young woman crouching fearfully in the corner, where she is shackled to the wall. Even her ragged clothing, malnutrition, and sand flea bites can’t hide the woman’s beauty and courtly bearing.

Spoiler: Building

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This walled compound is small—literally. It appears it was built for a family of halflings or creatures of a similar size. Although the walls are solid, the plaster has fallen away in many places. The wooden main gate is unbarred and slightly ajar.

Spoiler: If approached

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Peering inside gives you a glance of tidy paving stones kept clear of sand, and a shaded veranda with cool, purple tiles and two benches - one human sized, appearing huge in the surroundings, and the other halfling sized, appearing normal given the size of everything else.

Spoiler: One-eye

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As the others gawk or hurry towards the water, the owl notices that large swaths of land near the oasis are not quite as they appear - the moisture is seeping into portions of the ground, turning it into a quicksand that would be unpleasant to step in at best.

Spoiler: ooc

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Feel free to explore or interact with whatever.
Here's a link to the area map.

[Barbarian MD]

Kore brings the car to a rolling stop as they crest the rise, watching for several minutes before rolling in slowly and eventually getting out on foot. He takes his time, working his way towards the tomb--and then he sees through the open door.

He says and does nothing at first, merely watching impassively from a distance, a frown on his face. He takes a long swig from his waterskin before conjuring his bow. Still a good 60 feet away, he shouts.

"You in there! What's going on?"

[Hypersmith]

The woman's head perks up at the sound of Kord's voice, a look of relief quickly crumples into sobs. "Thank goodness, help at last! I'm a prisoner of that fey thing, I-I can't bear it any more..." The chains that bind her to the wall clank as she pulls against them, and she winces.

[Irish Musician]

Barden Vedarian, Cleric of the Raven Queen Level 3 Monk/Cleric | AC:16 | HP: 24/24 | Ki: 3/3 | Slots: Lvl1: 4/4, Lvl 2: 2/2 Barden doesn't run towards the oasis at first, either, hanging back with Kore for a moment. He wasn't one to rush into a situation, really, and the desert being fairly unforgiving, he didn't want to give it any excuse to swallow him up. As soon as Kore conjures his crossbow, Barden, too, knocks and arrow and holds it at the ready. He isn't sure what to make of the woman chained up to the wall, but also does not seem too concerned about freeing the woman, but more concerned about upsetting the fey spirit that lives here. "We are here seeking an audience with Imsim, do you know where they are?" Barden yells across to the woman, not wanting to overstep his bounds if the fey is around. He looks to Kore, "We should be wary not to upset the owner here. The Fey can be temperamental and dangerous if offended. We do not want to be on the other end of that argument." Barden, being somewhat fey himself, knows how chaotic fey creatures can be. It is only their nature, but that doesn't mean you have to poke the badger.

[miinstrel]

Elamghar Mizzroveae Lvl 3 Rogue Mastermind / Bard of Whispers Elamghar hops out of the car and wanders toward the multitude of colors in the oasis, a welcome sight after so much yellow sand. His eyes are particularly interested in lilies, hoping he doesn't see the variety he brought along already in bloom here. Kore's announcement catches his attention as does the shadowed woman's reply. "Wait!" he commands in a stage whisper before anyone releases the woman. "We're here for information, right? We should at least talk to our host before we go disturbing things and releasing prisoners. If she survived this long she'll be fine a few more minutes." A prisoner suggested this fey may not be the most friendly of folks... or perhaps the social courtesies their patron mentioned simply weren't followed. Elamghar makes his way forward to the edge of the water scanning for any signs of intelligent life or movement in the building on the far side. Spoiler: OOC Show Perception?: (1d20+2)[18]

[Hypersmith]

The woman shudders at mention of Imsim's name. "It's a monster, in the house across from the oasis. Don't go there, it'll get you too!"

---------------------------------

As Elamghar peers across the water, he notices no movement in the house beyond - the one door he can see through from this angle is closed. He does, however, notice that the birds that were wading on the bank near them have all moved away - still, the water ripples gently, without breeze to stir it - a large dark spot is coalescing under the surface near the bank. You spot the bulette moments before it comes crashing to the surface, denying it the first move in combat.

[miinstrel]

Elamghar Mizzroveae Lvl 3 Rogue Mastermind / Bard of Whispers His keen ears pick up on the strange silence right away as his eyes trace the movements of the dark shape, the pupils going wide as the toothy maw nears the surface of the water just before it leaps. "HOLY $%&@!!!!" Elamghar shouts indelicately, dashing back toward the car, the behemoth landing in his bootprints moments later. A cloud of sand kicks up around the enormous armored body, and Elamghar weaves a few arcane words into them, causing them to shine like diamonds and stick to the creature's wet hide. Spoiler: OOC Show BA: Disengage if needed, otherwise used to draw rapier from my cane. Move: 30' to H15 Action: Cast Faerie Fire on the bulette. DEX save DC 13: (1d20)[2] +mod Faerie Fire: sheds 10' light. all attacks have advantage against it if it's visible

[Jormengand]

Katarina, the land near the water is going down. Danger.

One-eye showed Katarina visually as well, to make up for its limited intelligence and therefore explanatory ability. "Oh, watch out for that quicksand, people." Katarina pointed out a few areas of it. She stood a little north of Kore and west of Elamghar as he went to inspect the water.

Then, a giant monster appeared out of the water. Why did everything have to be difficult?

Spoiler: Initiative

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Katarina: (1d20+8)[25]
One-eye: (1d20+1)[18]

Katarina grabbed her rapier in her left hand, and rushed up to the creature, thrusting the rapier into it while also using her wrist-mounted blade to strike at it.

Spoiler: Actions

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Interaction: Draw rapier.
Move: To N14, just off the edge of the water in that square
Action: Attack with rapier. (Advantage from assassin)
Bonus action: Attack with short sword. (Advantage from assassin)

[Barbarian MD]

Kore's attention swivels immediately to the newcomer. With slow and precise movements he draws an arrow from the quiver at his hip and lines up a shot. Spectral energy swirls about the arrow, coalescing at the head and streams of ever-shimmering and twisting energy seem to connect the arrow directly to the heart of the monster.

He releases.

Spoiler

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Bonus: Hex the Bulette. Disadvantage on Dex saves.
Attack: (d20+7)[10]
If advantage applies from the faerie fire: (d20+7)[17]
(May utilize precision attack, let me see what the roll is)
Damage: (d8+3)[4] + (d6)[1] necrotic (Seriously?! Two natural ones?!)

"Imsim! If this is your pet know that we seek an audience!"

[Hypersmith]

Katarina's rapier slips into the gaps between the bulette's armor, though her shortsword finds no purchase. The glimmering sand sticks to the beasts wet body, guiding Kord's arrow to strike true. The monster, seeming more enraged than anything by the blows, lumbers into the nearby quicksand, dipping beneath the surface and swimming through it as it picks up speed. It dips deeper, out of sight for a split second, before resurfacing with enough momentum to send it -sailing is too graceful- through the air. Kord and Barden have a moment's time to react to the creature before it crushes them under it's weight.

If Imsim is here, or can hear you, there is no indication.

Spoiler: OOC

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Bulette failed dex save vs fairy fire
Elamghar used that bonus action for a disengage
Katarina gets an AOO against it.
Barden and Kord, dex OR str saves vs DC16 to half the damage of deadly leap and avoid being knocked prone [roll]36+4[/roll] 17 bludgeoning and [roll]36+4[/roll] 13 slashing

[Jormengand]

Weak point! The owl sent an image pointing out where the landshark had left itself exposed, and Katarina grinned as she drove her rapier towards the point. Who needed flanking when you had the perfect spotter for all the weak points?

Not that it mattered. Thanks to Elamghar, Katarina already had eyes on the faintly-glowing weak points of the monster, though One-eye would have other ways of helping in due course. She attacked (1d20+5)[20] viciously, using Elamghar's spell to her advantage (1d20+5)[11] in order to inflict some more damage (1d8+3)[9]+(2d6)[2] on the creature. With how powerful it was, it was critical (1d8)[8]+(2d6)[7] that it was taken down quickly.

[Barbarian MD]

There is an enormous crash, and Kore very nearly dies under the bloat of the creature. He throws himself out of the way, trips and lands flat, and then turns it into a roll as the monster lands with a crunch of sand.

Kore continues his roll, into a standing run, and gets the hell away from the Bulette.

Spoiler

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Disengage for 30 feet movement.
Action surge! for another 30 feet movement.
All movement is due south, avoiding the quicksand, in a straight line away from the monster. Is the car the green box on the map?
Bonus action second wind. (1d10+3)[11]

Sorry to run folks, but I've got 7 hp currently.