CollectorOfMyst

(D&D 5E) The Tyranny of Dragons, Part 1; Hoard of the Dragon Queen

Your pieces said, and your determination renewed, you set out into the night, keeping to shadows and alleyways. There is a collective flinch every once in a while, when Magdar stumbles into a barrel, or when Vaal stubs his toe on an uneven flagstone, but you draw no attention.

Linan is leading the way, Cuth, Magdar and Cassandra on her heels. She is about to turn a corner when Magdar's hand shoots out and grabs her.

"Careful." he mutters.

He points out onto the street, where two taller figures and one shorter one are emerging from a house ahead. It could be a family but for the gleaming scimitars, one held by each of the taller two. The third has a curiously humped back, and it is carrying some sort of bag or sack with it. They pass a burning oil lamp, and their faces are illuminated for a brief moment.

New Enemy!

A human man and an elven woman, both garbed in leather armour. Behind them is a kobold... or, as Vaal would call them, an Urd. Winged Kobold.

They do not seem to be aware of your presence but they are in your way.

(D&D 5E) The Tyranny of Dragons, Part 1; Hoard of the Dragon Queen

@Tangletail@Vertigo@Eleven Since I'm assuming that you're all going to say yes, please could each of you roll a stealth check.

Cassandra - 21
Sebastian - 9
Surina, Tarya and Artus - 16
Magdar, Linan and Cuth - 4
Rhaeyla - 11
Caw - 18
Vaal - 5

(D&D 5E) The Tyranny of Dragons, Part 1; Hoard of the Dragon Queen

Sebastian looks over at his sister and then back at Magdar. The dwarf nods, before walking outside. He straightens, before turning to the room at large.

"Well, our course of action is clear, then. We have to reach the keep before they close the gates."

"What about the other townsfolk?" Linan asks.

"If we come across a group, we'll bring them with us, but that's not a priority." His eyebrows meet. "There might be an entire company between here and there. We can't afford to be spotted, and if we are, we can't afford to engage."

"Coast is clear!" Magdar calls, despite having walked back to the door.

Cassandra walks over to her twin and hugs him. He whispers something in her ear, and she whispers back. The druid then looks over at Rhaeyla, Caw, Surina, Magdar and Vaal. "We... we appreciate all you've done, but truly, if you do not wish to stay, then you must go now. We have reached Greenrest; your job is complete."

Surina shakes her head. "Maybe it is, but it isn't safe, here. I would bring shame to my clan if I left you now."

Magdar reaches to his belt and takes out his axe. "And if you don't mind my saying, but there's going to be a lot of fighting tonight, inside a castle or not. That's a speciality of mine."

Cuth stands up, testing how much weight he can put on his injured leg. It seems stable. "Will we be able to keep up with you?" he says, looking at his children.

"I can carry them." Surina offers. She looks down at them with a smile - somewhat reptilian, but comforting nonetheless.

"And I'll stick with mom and pop." Magdar adds.

Eyes turn to Rhaeyla, Vaal, and Caw.

(D&D 5E) The Tyranny of Dragons, Part 1; Hoard of the Dragon Queen

@Tangletail @Vertigo @Eleven Any of you got a post planned, or should I move on?

(D&D 5E) The Tyranny of Dragons, Part 1; Hoard of the Dragon Queen

@Lucius Cypher@Tangletail Let it not be said that I restrict my players too harshly ;P

(D&D 5E) The Tyranny of Dragons, Part 1; Hoard of the Dragon Queen

@Lucius Cypher Hello there.

Let me start by saying that UA is not allowed.

Hmm... well, while I'm not opposed to the idea of a winged tiefling, there is the standard ol' thing of 'unlimited fly speed at early levels' especially since there may be a few characters who want to fly themselves. However, the winged tiefling is a valid option in most cases (and I'd love to see what comes of the aasimar-tiefling interaction. You are, after all, opposites. And I am a sucker for those dynamics). Maybe replace the 5th level darkness with the fly spell? Let's talk about it. I might just decide not to make changes anyway.

Hexblade is allowed - but it's got to stay relatively within the canon. We're playing in the Forgotten Realms, so your patron will be a Shadowfell entity. What their pact is with you? We'll talk. For gear, I guess there's no harm in letting you start with an axe - this will cost you the default light crossbow. Presuming you take Pact of the Blade, you'd get it at third level free of charge anyway.

I do allow monster races, and yes, the orc will have the intelligence penalty. If the spell specifies that a melee weapon attack must be made against the target, then yes, reach will apply for the purposes of determining the first target - you could not cast flame blade on someone ten feet away from your original target.

(D&D 5E) The Tyranny of Dragons, Part 1; Hoard of the Dragon Queen

@Vertigo Never said they were warriors, did I? ;D

(D&D 5E) The Tyranny of Dragons - Closed

Bumping, I guess?

(D&D 5E) The Tyranny of Dragons, Part 1; Hoard of the Dragon Queen

@Vertigo@Eleven@Tangletail

The Swift Family has now joined your party. The Allies section in the Character Tab has been updated.

(D&D 5E) The Tyranny of Dragons, Part 1; Hoard of the Dragon Queen

Inside the little house, Cassandra has been gently binding the wounds of the two adults with strips of cloth and a sweet-smelling tonic. The two children look on nervously, the girl holding her arms around her brother. The woman stirs, and she opens a bleary eye. She nods at Cassandra.

"Thank you, my lady." She spots Vaal entering, and for a moment, her hand twitches, as though reaching for a spear - but it relaxes in the next. "And thank you, master kobold."

Eventually, everyone sidles into the room. Linan introduces herself and her family - her husband Cuth, and her children, Tarya and Arthus. Tarya looks wary, but the boy smiles shyly and waves at Vaal.

Cassandra is standing at the window now, her eyes set on the horizon, occasionally flinching as the dragon flies overhead. Surina is just behind the door, her axe at the ready. Sebastian and Magdar are conversing in low tones in one corner of the room.

"So..." begins Cuth. "What are our plans now?"

Linan hesitates, before looking at the people around her. "I think we should make for the keep. It's not far from here."

"We will encounter resistance," Cassandra says, not moving from her post. "Not just kobolds, but men and elves, among others."

Action Summary

Cassandra spends 2 minutes to heal Cuth and Linan. She heals Linan for 4+4 hit points, and Cuth for 3+4 hit points. They both cap out at their maximum HP of 8/8. Tarya and Arthus are physically unharmed, at their maximum HP of 4/4.