The Harbinger of Ferocity

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

Moving low and along the edge of the streambed, erring toward the treeline for cover and concealment and avoiding the depression, while approaching the temple from the south would makes the most sense in my opinion. Given the stream is still moving with some water, I would rather avoid splashing about in it or having us get ambushed while lower than the enemy, where we'd have to fight up and out. Sticking to the edge of the treeline on its southern side should allow us to avoid almost any detection if the enemy is rooted in the town, namely on the other side as you said, and all is obscured by foliage.

We could even advance through the trees when drawing closer on our approach, hopefully avoiding detection that way as well.

DnD 5e - Beginner's Game

Rolls

Lorenthar's rolled Wisdom (Perception) check is 12. His passive Perception 15, is higher.

"Eir oth enth h'lon..."

The feline lips mouthed, not even uttering the words themselves and leaving them only in ghostly tongue. It remained in body just as still as that grave comparison, not so much as flinching even in slight or adjusting a muscle further, having but moments prior been rifling through the kills in search of whatever little evidence the had to offer. All prior, it seemed nothing of interest had turned up, these deviants having come here with a specific purpose as they had previously thought. The drake proved to know more despite this however, something about a "House of Fiends" or similar like, all in addition to a name the great cat hadn't heard of prior but sounded like any other doing of civilized men. Not that it had been listening in on Drajhan or his apparent company much, no...

... not until the air became odd, as though for a moment the bridge of worlds had been restored once more and thus the entire present calm spun into descent instead as unfriendly ambiance. Faint shifts of movement at the edges of the woods suggested that whatever was present, was not a friend in just the way it moved and hid. Why it was here and whatever it wanted, who knew? If it were the fey folk, unquestionably would they be furious at such intrusion and more so the destruction, but whatever it was, it was not right. It was all too off, even for them.

Slowly and methodically the sizable beast stalked toward the mass of others, attempting to close the ranks. With an obvious motion of its tremendous, furred head, it suggested they take what they had and move on. There was no time to tarry and certainly no further time to investigate. The dragonborne had a start, which was all they needed for this one moment All the beast could hope was that they were just as swift to uptake its gestures and follow its lead.

Until then, it remained wary in its senses, vibrant eyes watching, soft nose scenting and keen ears tracking.

Translation

Druidic
"We are not alone..."

@Ermine@JBRam2002@Landaus Five-One@Ms Ravenwinter@Big Dread

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

Welcome back then, @Lucius Cypher.

DnD 5e - Beginner's Game

As typical to be expected of any cat, cooperation was not forthcoming.

The added company was not so welcome, the skepticism not to receive any fanfare or revelation and even less so under the initial threat of a smoothly bored barrel of a musket that only for a time remained seated. The outsiders were as demanding as they were perhaps clueless why anyone would even seek out this place for what importance it truly had. Regularly a Gate was no easily accessible thing, a relic that required tremendous strength of magic to so much as even will into action. After all, it had to breach the boundaries of the Planes, connecting unfathomably distant realms. However, such a portal into a divine realm was easily denied by that host if they wished not its presence. What the invaders had done was managed to contact something that had been willing to permit this bridge between worlds.

Alas, they were more concerned with the earthen beast's motives, as transparent as they might be. What did it matter who or what it was in this involvement? The only matter was that these other outsiders had corrupted and inadvertently destroyed the object. Whatever dark ritual they had invoked sputtered out of life, almost certainly because their concentration was disrupted and their servants slain. These warlocks were not as numerous or well prepared as they should have been, almost as though they did not expect any resistance at all, but they fought devilishly and with spiteful abandon; some fell a lot sooner, a lot more expediently than others.

It was not until the comprehending woman struck the blue drake as hard as her hand could carry, shaking a bit more out of frustration rather than pain. Uniquely, she revealed something unto the tiger-esque company, that the Raven Queen appeared to have a stake in this twist of fate... but what and why?

Approaching the side of Evyrless, it methodically reached out with a paw that could have threatened to encompass her altogether and instead eased her hand back to her side; the gesture being overt and obvious in an attempt to defuse their own quarrels, at least for the time being. It returned its attention to Drajhan there after and looked him over again before shooting the remaining women a glance. With a motion of its head, beckoning in gesture, it then set off and away from them at a calm stride to the nearest fiend-servant and began rummaging through their person in an attempt to find any evidence or clue as to what exactly transpired.

Perhaps they would follow suit.

Rolls

Lorenthar begins searching a body for any evidence of the trespassers and what happened here. He rolls a 3 on an Intelligence (Investigation) check.

@Ermine@JBRam2002@Landaus Five-One@Ms Ravenwinter@Big Dread

DnD 5e - Beginner's Game

No, not in that sense, just more that I imagine your person and character to be the sort who could pull off the act as you did here, @Big Dread. Not all can do so.

DnD 5e - Beginner's Game

It is about time you make your return, @Big Dread. I suppose it is not out of character for you to be fashionably late, so I am unsure why I was so surprised. Either way, it is welcome to see you return.

DnD 5e - Beginner's Game

“I suppose Common is beyond your grasp...”

As closely played to heart as its reaction truly was, the pantherine creature responded all the same with a low, snarled huff; each ear drew back in slight, letting the jaws quiver with underlying displeasure. The predominantly non-verbal rebuke did not last long however, being no more than a tense second as it otherwise turned in head to acknowledge the presence of the grim woman who seemed to understand it. Warily it looked her over, not to size her up as a threat, but more so to understand whatever relation she had to the rest of them. Whatever connection there was, it was unclear at this moment, but she did know the root of its being here.

Withdrawing a step, settling the bristled fur upon it narrowly mane crested shoulders to rest, it relaxed only some. It postured defensively, but made it clear it had greater intentions of understanding their presence than it did prior. They were not welcome, but thus far they hadn't been untruthful and they were forthcoming as it could have hoped. There was some promise yet that they were to be of use against whoever had put these events into motion.

"Harn wos e'th nor? Wuth e'th ken ein?"

The left most corner of the beast's jowls that rest upon an elongated, deathly fang curled slightly at the scaled one's remarks, unsure of the sincerity that he spoke with. There came a delay a moment after, where it drew back its tremendous head some and narrowed its animal glare; its mind away in thought. When it returned, it raised a brow and almost seemed to smile a predatory smile. After all, this "Caerziros Drajhan" and his accompanying entourage seemed to have a score to settle with these now most dead men and their diabolical ends.

"In suth..."

The change of its demeanor spoke volumes more than the words its hungering jaws did, suggesting that just perhaps, it understood in part what they meant beyond the spoken as well.

Translation

Druidic
"Then why is it gone? What is it they did?"
"I see..."

@Ermine@JBRam2002@Landaus Five-One@Ms Ravenwinter@Big Dread

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

I am assuming Perception checks? As well as any other special sensory abilities or benefits the raven might have.

DnD 5e - Beginner's Game

The jowls flexed, shifting the whiskers forward some as the great beast mulled over the company before it. As careful and calm as the dragon's scales flexed to rest upon the hilt of a blade, they did not go unnoticed; the very tip of the dark tawny tail again twitched, the entire length as a whole in a fairly rigid curve. Truthfully it betrayed the immense cat's thoughts, though for the time being it remained mostly within its control. It kept watch of Caerziros Drajhan during the course of his introduction, right down to the manner in which he bowed, attempting to feel out his person.

“I humbly thank you for your assistance in that battle. We may have not survived if it were not for you.”

All that made up the draconic heir suggested someone of station, be it the titles, the dress, the mannerisms, the speech. To the great cat, this amounted to little understanding beyond the obvious.

With a drawn out, husky snarl that petered off thereafter, the formidable company lifted its head to pay heed to one of the women who managed herself back to her feet; one of the cupped ears turned to her, attuned to her speech for a moment before it returned to the scaled one and his questioning, the rest of itself kept forward and toward the nearest, seemingly greatest threat. The situation both tense and unexplained, it paused for a few moments as it thought out its reply, none pleased that they seemed so unconcerned with this outcome.

"Har Gathun e'nor, heman... thar e'wos mallun." The beast said, its vibrant eyes blinking poignantly before their harshness returned the very moment after.

The stare was critical, perhaps too much so, but nothing else filled its mind for the time being. All there was to keep in thought, was the thought that the clearing's relic was no more.

Translation

Druidic
"The Gate is gone, outsider... that is what matters."

@Ermine@JBRam2002@Landaus Five-One@Ms Ravenwinter@Big Dread

DnD 5e - Beginner's Game

The settling of soot and brimstone in eerie silence was proof enough that the last servant of fiends had truly, for certain this time, fallen.

Usually this forest was calm, serene, untouched by outside influence since time immemorial, but this had all since changed in a single contest. The lively woods had echoed with a fight to the death, where pooling blood now set into the once lush, now charred earth. What was beautiful had become desolate, almost unrecognizable; a clearing pocked with now extinguished flames and seemingly lifeless silhouettes. There had been a tremendous shot of light that burned a perfect circle from where a tremendous pair of timeless marble pillars stood, yet now... nothing remained in its place. Only the absence of sound lingered and the fading of blindness.

A huge paw, as large as a man's chest was broad, stirred shakily as it flexed atop its quarry. Thick, curved knuckles grasping, the claws sunk further into motionless flesh, penetrating ever deeper through the sickly cloth that clung to it. The rest of the silhouette followed as it dragged itself forward, still reeling from the erupted swathe of planar power. Nothing else so much as moved, only the silent flight of dark feathered birds who dispersed into nothingness, leaving the trees that hedged the edge of the meadow; they became shadows, too difficult to follow in the ringing that filled ears and the haze that slowly lifted from eyes.

"Har Gathun..." Jaws parted some with hard fought words, otherwise still clenched.

It swallowed with a pant, the low, snarled voice a whisper initially, speaking only to itself and too distracted to notice the subtle motions of others who had survived. Only then, still struggling to speak, the clamping of the throat relaxed and the muzzle at last withdrew. Red, fresh and lively, covered the short brown hairs that surrounded its maw and stained the pearly, blade-like teeth, which again spoke now in disbelief rather than shock.

"Har Gathun e'nor..."

Standing to its fullest height, paw still atop the flayed chest of its kill, the other three remained a'rest on the vibrant blades of grass which calmly bent under its weight as though no great calamity transpired. The world paid this turn of events no mind it seemed, too simple and unspoiled to recognize what a fate befell this place. The Gate was no more, not even a trace left in its wake. What had become of it? How does such a tremendous structure - one of several that connects very planes of existence together - find itself utterly obliterated? Was that so much as possible?

At first the beast remained idle in standing, too shocked that it had not only succeeded in repelling the outsiders, but that something else had happened. Whatever these robed men had done failed horrifically, had the other outsiders been responsible? They had killed these evil hearts, hadn't they? That was what memory suggested, but this... how could this have happened? One moment these interlopers were meddling before the ancient structure and the next a battle ensued as a second, unrelated set led a startling ambush. Only after that had the animal joined the fray, preying upon the unsuspecting enemy who proved distracted.

Muscling itself some, the claws tore free of the flesh, having been caught within it as well as the remnants of what had been a dark robe. Carefully they too found themselves at rest as a step was at last taken, surveying the damage. The sensation of pain and injury, how portions of its pelt were now battered, was nothing compared to the feeling of loss - a sinking of emotions, as though the color of the spirit had all drained away. Again the enormous feline figure stepped, its ears drawn sleek to its skull while its emerald eyes washed over the casualties and it moved with all the subtlety of a phantasm, revealed only by the calm rays of the sun that hung above their heads and shown down on its earthy pelt.

It drew to the closest outsider, keeping a wide berth around the actually deceased, some of whom lay smoldering and others mangled, only to stand an arm and one half's length away where it peered down to them. The length of its tail moved none, but only the tip of it swayed in thought before it spoke, again in that deep, beastly voice.

"Ye, ein yev thurn?"

Translation

Druidic
"The Gate..."
"The Gate is gone..."
"You, did you do this?"

@Ermine@JBRam2002@Landaus Five-One@Ms Ravenwinter@Big Dread