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Princes of the Apocalypse (Chapter 1)


Rilbur

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After everyone, including the dwarf who was just standing around, finally got aboard the wagon, Zerris immediately cracks the reins and instructs the horses to proceed North with due haste.

 

Zozo, meanwhile, amuses himself by pointing at the nearest cloud, and shooting off a sickly-green bolt at it.  Because of the extreme distance, a hit would be rather implausible - much less damage.  

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After a mile's travel, a loud boom erupts across the plains, and Orsik begins laughing and slapping his knees.  "Got'em!" he chortled.

 

"All those fake wooden buildings sure knocked over easy, and it was child's play hiding a lit candle suspended over an oil flask," he explains.

 

Zerris, with his sharp eyes, is able to tell that the bandits seem more angry than injured, but the booby trap still appears to have achieved it's purpose.  Where a minute ago they had been forming up to charge after the group, now they were milling around and didn't appear interested in pressing the matter further.

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Zerris shakes his head at the sheer immaturity of the dwarf.  "Booby trap," he mutters under his breath, "I expect from him. But the cleric? Silvanus, give me strength."

 

Zozo.jpg

Hey Orsik, what did you just do, huh, huh?  Why was there an explosion?  What do you mean by hiding a lit flame suspended over a lit candle?  What candle are you talking about?  I didn't see you light any candle?  How did a candle make that kind of boom?  Where did you get such a candle?  Can I get one of them?  Pleaseeee?

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The party safely reaches town before the bandits can form up and chase after them.  The guards at the gate merely crack the gates open enough to slip through them, and carefully investigate the wagon and your papers before allowing you in.

 

Orsik leads the party straight to the nearby temple, where the supply wagon is taken off your hands, and a small purse (25 GP each) is handed over for the safe escort of the wagon.  You also gain 100 xp each for defeating the bandit ambush and safely reaching town with the supplies.

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While Zozo relaxed in the inn, attempting to woo the waitress, Zerris looked up the local Emerald Enclave representative.  The large man was quite glad to hear about the arrival of the relief wagon.  While it doesn't contain enough supplies to solve everything, the extra supplies will help the population survive longer than would otherwise be possible.  More important than that, it represents hope -- hope that outside aid will help them survive this disaster.

 

"With the trade delegation from Mirabar overdue, we're grasping at straws," the representative sighed.  "We had an agent with them, carrying some magical seeds to help start a new grove with.  A grove of drought-resistant trees that..."  The man sighed.  "Well, they're overdue.  We'd expected to see them coming up the south road sometime last week, but the only news I've heard is about some shallow graves outside of town."

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"That sounds grim. We were in fact ambushed by a dozen bandits on the way here. We beat them back, but there were more... Perhaps three or four dozen more, forcing us to flee. The bandits claimed they did this to survive, but judging from the numbers, I suspect more sinister intentions. What do you make of this?"

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"That sounds grim. We were in fact ambushed by a dozen bandits on the way here. We beat them back, but there were more... Perhaps three or four dozen more, forcing us to flee. The bandits claimed they did this to survive, but judging from the numbers, I suspect more sinister intentions. What do you make of this?"

 

The representative's eyes flicker at the news.  "A three or four dozen more?" he asked.  "That is..."  he shook his head sadly.  "Survival is probably what drove most of them to banditry, unfortunately.  Many of the local farms have failed, and for the farmers who have lost everything, I imagine banditry does look like the only option for survival.  But the numbers..."

 

The representative pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.  "With numbers like that, I suddenly find myself worried for the trade delegation.  Those seeds are important.  To us, and to the region.  And it was hardly the only important cargo the delegation was responsible for."

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"We should investigate this. As much as it pains me to say this, the band I came with are quite capable, and stand the best chance of succeeding, not to mention surviving any foul play. The problem is motivating them. The cleric and paladin seem to be fine, but I've serious doubts about the half elf and the boy. One seems to delight in burning things with fire, while the other is outright ruthless."

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Myles chooses to remain at the temple for awhile to rest and relax. He also checks with Orsik to see if he needed any more healing.

 

Ignaciden knows rest would the smart thing to do but he was still too agitated from the fight so instead he strolls around the town taking in the 'sights.'

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"We should investigate this. As much as it pains me to say this, the band I came with are quite capable, and stand the best chance of succeeding, not to mention surviving any foul play. The problem is motivating them. The cleric and paladin seem to be fine, but I've serious doubts about the half elf and the boy. One seems to delight in burning things with fire, while the other is outright ruthless."

The Emerald Enclave representative nodded.  "If you think you're capable of the challenge, it would definitely be of use."

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Myles chooses to remain at the temple for awhile to rest and relax. He also checks with Orsik to see if he needed any more healing.

 

Orsik grunts at the query.  "You'd think I was a weakling!" the cleric snorts.  "I've taken worse hits in my day, and -- to be honest -- I expect to take worse hits in the future.  Just need a bit to bandage and rest up."

 

{{ Note:  Orsik is taking what the mechanics refer to as a short rest.  As none of the characters have significantly exerted themselves to this point, you may now take the benefits of a short rest before I continue the story.  And thank you, Jeikor; Ignaciden just gave me the hook I needed for something!  I'll resume with his prompt after you guys have states what you want to do with your rest.  }}

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The Emerald Enclave representative nodded.  "If you think you're capable of the challenge, it would definitely be of use."

 

"Oh, I am, but I'm not fool enough to do it on my own.  Especially if the foe is organized.  Pack tactics win every time.  Come with me, it's better for them to hear it from the horse's mouth, so to speak."

 

Motioning to the representative to accompany him, the druid seeks out the rest of the delegation to recruit for the new mission.

 

Most resources used by my characters (1x Wild Shape and 1x Pact Slot) refresh on a Short Rest.  Zozo has not taken any damage, and Zerris was not hit in his druid form, so both of them are now good as new. Exception is Zerris' level 1 spell slot, which was used on Faerie Fire.

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As Ignaciden is strolling through the town, he approaches the market only to hear a loud, resounding 'boom'.  The sound echoes throughout the entire town, as a massive cloud of dust jumps into the sky.  The entire party hears the noise, but Ignaciden is the only one to hear the screams in the immediate aftermath.

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Ignaciden's head snapped up at the sound of a huge boom followed by screams. He unslung his crossbow and placed a bolt in it before hurrying (can he use City Secrets here?) as quietly as possible to see what happened.

 

Myles was startled out of his rest when the boom sounded. His first thought was, 'Hope that wasn't one of the brats with us.' Shaking the cobwebs away he grabbed his gear and headed toward the sound.

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Zozo.jpg

HOLY CARP!  WHAT WAS THAT?!!! WASN'T ME, SWEET CHEEKS, I SWEAR!

Don't you worry, darling.  I'll protect you, or my name isn't Zozo!

Now, you just stay right here, okay?  I'll go out and take a look-see.  Be back in a flash!

 

======================

 

Zerris, who was out walking with the representative when the boom occurred, quickly makes haste to its locus while muttering all the way.

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Ignaciden quickly finds the source of the disturbance, as a large sinkhole has opened in the middle of the town plaza.

 

The screams turn out to consist of a woman, shrieking at the top of her lungs about her children, and the cries of at least two kids down in the pit.

 

Many town citizens are streaming into the area, some shouting warnings about staying back because the edge of the hole may not be stable.  Another shouts that 'this is not for outsiders!  Stay back, do not anger the Delvers!'

 

Ignaciden, you are in the area quickly enough to react immediately.  What do you do?

 

Everyone else will be directly behind him.  The town isn't large enough to take you very long to arrive.

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At first Ignaciden is at a lost as to what to do; he has never faced an emergency before. Suddenly he remembers he has rope in his pack. Ignaciden pulls off everything but his quarterstaff, digs the rope out and ties it around a nearby post(or something?). He tosses the free end into the pit towards the children then slides down holding onto the rope. He helps one of the kids to grab the rope and start pulling themselves out while he pushes from behind.

"Don't worry! I'll be right back for you! Could someone grab this kid and help them out?"

 

After getting the first kid out Ignaciden slides back into the pit and does the same with this kid. By this time he is really getting tired and drops next to his stuff.

 

 

[OOC: feel free to edit as necessary for whatever circumstances you have arranged)

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Ignaciden is able to find a sturdy place to tie the rope off, and easily slides into the pit before anyone can stop him.

 

At the bottom of the pit, he finds the broken remnants of a wagon resting on a large pile of dirt.  The edges of the cavern have smooth stone floors, and the walls actually look like they may have been built with quarried stone.

 

To the north is a dark tunnel, with a five year old, crying and bawling, crawling up it.  To the east is a closed iron door.

 

There is a crying three year old near the wagon, and what looks like an arm caught underneath the edge of the wagon.

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After retrieving the very young children practically carrying the 3 year old out  while he had the 5 year old wait by the wagon after calling him back from the tunnel. Ignaciden was slumped next to his gear. "There is a wagon down there and someone trapped. All I could see was an arm. Also a tunnel and an iron door; I don't know where either go."

 

Myles arrived in time to hear Ignaciden's statement. After checking to make sure Ignaciden was not harmed Myles looked to see if anyone else from their group had arrived. He didn't know who would be in charge of checking the pit further.

Edited by Jeikor
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