Chapter 20: Coming Dawn

[Darren]

"All of us, it seems," Kal responds. "Except Adamant, I suppose." Kal grins at the warforged. "Adamant has offered to conjure sustenance for us, though it seems we are having trouble locating a proper vessel for water. I don't suppose you can, ummm...." Kal wiggles his fingers at the trees, "talk...to them?"

[Ken]

"Oh, there's quite a bit in here," says Belarin as he mentally sorts through the different auras. "Too many overlapping to make sense of it all -- let's spread some of these out." He takes off his shirt and begins to pull out anything that isn't clearly a coin or a gem of some sort. He then places the cloth bags, the potion, the weapon, and other items on his shirt, so he can better distinguish their individual auras.

[Brian]

Melethos nudges Belarin with his elbow. "Aren't you the one who always cautions me about indiscriminately touching magical items?"

[Dave W.]

Feb 18, 2021 15:52:58 GMT -4 Jeff said:

She smiles as Adamant approaches. She strides over to him and takes one of his metal hands. "Lucatrent is exceptional. You will have to tell me more about how he came to be here. Will he journey with us on the river?"

His eye-gems glow brightly, "He is, isn't he?" Adamant admires the horse for a moment.

"I was about to summon food, bland though it be, I will tell the tale while we eat."

[Dave W.]

Adamant, who has largely ignored the chest, notices Belarin taking things out of it, "OH! The chest is a container! We can dump out what's in it, rinse it quickly and let it hold the water!"

[Joe]

"A brilliant idea!!" Streko will stand near the chest and supervise.

[Jeff]

Calirataia leaves everyone by the chest and starts to walk among the first trees. "I will provide some food," she calls back.

Belarin places his shirt on the sand and begins to fish through the coins, hundreds and hundreds of coins, to find the larger objects within. When he pulls the first item out—an iron hammer, light enough for throwing, wrapped in black leather at the handle—down onto his shirt, he suddenly stops.

For a voice none of you are familiar with speaks suddenly, and not in the Common tongue, and you're not sure where it's coming from. It's loud enough to be coming from any of you, but it's not anyone's voice you know. The words, which sound Draconic, then shift into the Common tongue. There is an accent, and the words seem to slide into one another as though somehow made slick. The voice is possibly male, but it's not obvious.

"Thhhhhannnnk you for delivering thissss treasurrrre," says the disembodied voice. "It is lonnnng exxxpected. I will take charge of this now, for I know where it must go. Do place the weapon back inside, human, and ssstep kindly away."

Histra freezes, eyes meeting Belarin's. He sees a look of concern.

All of you heard this clearly. Even Calirataia, sitting on the ground a little bit further away, sits up as if aware of something going on.

[Brian]

The eerie voice echoes around them, raising a chill up Melethos's spine. His sword is suddenly in his hand.

"The Green Watcher," Melethos says. "Are we addressing the Green Watcher?"

[Ken]

Belarin stops and waits to see if the voice responds to Melethos.

[Jeff]

The immediate response is something of a short laugh. "Nnnnno. I will not deceive you. But I know where lies the domain of the Green Watcher, and I am the rightful receiver. I knew of the quest of Relwalyn Aarland. I see she has passed away now. Therefore the charge is mine. Do you relinquish the chest and its contents peacefully? Pease say yessss."

Calirataia rises to her feet slowly. She holds out an empty hand, looking ready.

Histra straights as well, renewing her grip on the staff.

[Brian]

Melethos throws a sideways glance at Belarin, then Kal. "What say you?"

[Dave W.]

While the leaders make decisions, Adamant says, “May we know your name? At least some sense of who you are?”

Trying to ponder the etiquette of the situation, he hastily adds, “I am called Adamant, a simple warrior of the Host.”

[Ken]

"There's a saying back in Sharn," says Belarin, "about possession being nine-tenths of the law. Something like that - I don't pay much attention to legalities. The matter is, though, that you're not the intended recipient of the chest and you're not the deliverer, either. That would seem to leave you out of the decision-making process."

_____________________

Belarin resumes looking around with his Eldritch Sight.

[Darren]

"We fought too damn hard for this thing," Kal mutters to Melethos, wondering if the voice can hear, too. He hopes not. "We're nearly paupers. We've earned this. And I'm guessing that voice belongs to Relawyn's snake creature.

Kal clears his throat. "If you want to speak with us, it's customary to show yourself. We can't just turn this chest over to a disembodied voice, can we?"

[Dave B.]

"Okay." Shorak says, as Belarin starts removing items from the chest. He does not hesitate to help. He has just removed and started to look over the coffer when the voice is heard. Shorak puts down the coffer and draws his boomerang. "We are sick and tired of people constantly telling us what to do. If you want this treasure, then I suggest you try to take it from us. It won't be as easy as you might think." Shorak calls out.

[Brian]

Melethos listens to his friends and tightens the grip on his sword.

"The black dragon took a chance sending the chest through the jungle," Melethos says. "Like some chances, it failed. The chest is now ours. My people also have a saying--shit happens. If you want the chest, you need to come for it."

[Jeff]

There is a long silence. Belarin looks around but sees nothing magical in his sight except the chest and its contents. But he also knows that his arcane sight can only identify visible objects or creatures. And this creature, if it is physically here, is surely invisible.

Then:

"Remember this moment, little thieves. Remember that I gave you this chance in peace," the voice says. "It will be a shame to see you share the fate of Relwalyn's crew. The lady's friends brought doom upon her."

From the sound and realness of the voice, Adamant, Belarin, Melethos, and Shorak suspect that the words are issuing from something real nearby. Magic may be conveying it elsehwere, and increasing the volum, like a prestidigitation or thaumaturgy cast with ease.

The lapping water on the shore smothers soft sounds, but you all think you can hear some new movement amid the water—in the direction Adamant and Melethos walked back onto the beach from.

Arcana checks:

• Adamant 17
• Belarin 17
• Kal 12
• Melethos 16
• Shorak 18
• Streko 9

[Brian]

Melethos snaps into action.

"Arrow formation!" he calls out. "I'm out front, Kal, Adamant, and Shorak behind me. Belarin, Streko, and Histra stand behind the chest. Cali behind them. Prepare whatever defensive spells you have. Adamant, Streko, any protection spells you have, now would be a good time. Kal, keep your Counterspell at the ready!"

Knowing the enemy has to approach, he changes his sword for his javelin. Maybe make them eat some lightning.

___________________________________________________________________________

Okay, we'll form around the chest. I'm going to try show the placement, but I don't know how to draw stuff.

Melethos

Kal Adamant Shorak

[chest]

Belarin Histra Streko

Cali

We're facing the water, in the general direction of those wrecked ships.

DM's Edit: Brian is invoking this, though of course the particular roles are different.

Attachments:

[Ken]

Belarin pulls out his dagger and takes position behind the chest next to Histra. "Armor of ice, I won't be nice." His body is again covered with a sheen of frost, which forms into sharp barbs of ice at the joints.

____________________________

Belarin moves into the rear and casts Soulsorrow's armor.

[Darren]

"Well, I don't like that," Kal mutters. He takes up his position behind Melethos and next to Adamant, feeling secure between the two larger men. Electricity crackles along his forearm and up the length of his staff as he turns his shoulder slightly towards the direction of his perceived enemy, just as his teachers taught him back in Sentinel Tower. "I'm ready, Melethos."

________________
Kal will take his position behind Melethos and be ready with Counterspell should anything appear and try to cast at us.

[Dave W.]

Adamant, despite his reservations regarding the need for this, moves to position.
Lucatrent. Gaurd Calirataia , if needed take her from the beach.

---

I won't get another post in today… sorry but Adamant will follow orders for now.
Bless level 2 on the tip of the spear: Melethos, Kal, Adamant, Shorak.
If he has time, Divine Sense (pick up celestial, fiend, or undead within 60 feet) and report what he senses to the gorup… /font]

[Joe]

Streko takes his place in the center of the rear formation, Belarin and Histra on each side of him. He asks for Olladra's blessing and the tell-tale orange warmth of Olladra's magic slips over all three of them.
_________________________________________________________

Streko casts Bless on Belarin, Histra and himself.

[Jeff]

Each person moves into the agreed-upon formation, and Shorak finds that all he has to do is turn around to look in the direction the others are.

Belarin feels a little bit silly with the gleaming "armor" of ice that sheathes his body, while he wears no shirt. It's chill, but he feels much more protected now.

Calirataia moves a few paces closer, and a flaming scimitar suddenly springs into being in one hand. Daystorm marches closer and turns around, placing his body as one barrier to Calirataia.

Adamant and Streko enact spells of blessing.

The mysterious speaker does not appear, or attack. In fact, you hear some splashing a bit further away. Among the "ribs" of the shipwreck frame.

Adamant casts his senses outward, but they fall upon nothing fiendish or undead. He is pleased to see the bright glow of Daystorm as celestial, in any case.

Attachments:

[Brian]

As the seconds pass, Melethos feels they are caught in a game of waiting and wonders who will react first.

"I guess," he calls out, "our unseen enemy is nothing but a gnome with a shouting spell. Hardly a danger."

[Ken]

Belarin calls out, "You know, if you're just pretending to be a ridiculously powerful being, I commend your trickery! That's an impressive menacing voice! But the fun is over. Stop splashing around and show yourself - or eat my fireball!" A fiery red orb appears in his hand, and he seems ready to throw it.

________________________________

Belarin uses minor illusion to create an image of a fiery orb in his hand, and then he makes a Charisma (Deception) check to convince the mystery person that it is indeed a fireball!
Charisma (Deception) check: 1d20(5) + 12 = 17. EDIIT: Simul-posted with Brian, but it still works.

[Darren]

Kal maintains his defensive posture, waiting to see if there is any reaction to Belarin's display.

[Jeff]

Belarin's silent but dramatic fire-sphere spins in his hands...

There is no response.

"It knows her name," Histra says quietly. "It is surely the Serpent, as Kal says."

[Brian]

“This is stupid,” Melethos mutters. “Belarin, put our treasure back in the chest, then you and Streko pick it up. We’re leaving and taking it with us. Everyone else, welcome to the jungle. We’re heading inland.”

[Jeff]

"If we're to find the Dragonfly," Calirataia says, warily looking around, "we won't find it inland. I have a way of searching, but we need to be able to keep an eye on the river."

[Dave B.]

Shorak changes back to his preferred half-dtow form as he draws his boomerang, waiting for anything. "Is it toying with us or is it just bluffing?" He asks. "I wonder if it is some magical protection from the chest that we missed." He adds, musing aloud.