Lucius Cypher

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

“Nah, me and the lads came a bit late last night actually. Cide’s, no way we’d start this attack with out ya lassie.” Shor says as he greets you with a smile. Aisha cleared her throat and raised lantern over the map so everyone could see it clearly. “Let us get straight to business. This is the most updated map of the sewers beneath the city. We have sent out our scouts and shared information with the kobolds to find out the numbers and locations of the troglodytes.”

On the map, there was one large circle in green. “This is Underhaven, the only area under Kobold control.” Than there were four other red circles. “These are troglodyte territory that we know is under their control. There may be more that we are not aware of, but these are the important ones. Each of these locations are where major troglodytes nests are located at, and each have a chief among them to try and control their tribe. This one in particular however has the heaviest defenses, and we believe that is where we will find the warlord of these Trogs, Red Stain.” Red Stain’s circle was uncomfortably close to Underhaven; it would be easy to go over to his base first.

“You may think we should try to attack their base head on, but I can assure you even if we had the support of actual guardsmen, there would be no garuntee we would succeed, and even if we do it will be at a heavy loss. Red Stain is protected by a veritable fortress, making a direct assault near impossible while it is fully manned. However, there is ways we can weaken their defenses.” Aisha took a few small figures out and put them at each red circle. “By taking out their leaders we will route the trog’s forces, causing them to spread throughout the sewers. Though this will initially make travel between tunnels dangerous, it will force other tribes to act to either secure their fortifications or attempt to control the runaway trogs. This will ensure they cannot provide aid to defend Red Stain’s fortress when we attack. There are also other o jectives we can accomplish that can aid us in the battle ahead.”

Aisha pointed towards a tribe furthest to the north. “This is the trog tribe of Toxin Croak. As their name implies they specialize in toxins and poisons. Trogs are already disgusting creatures who’s very presence is sickening, and this tribe has learned to harvest that strength. However we can turn their power into our power as well. If we can take this tribe out, we can convert many of their toxins into medicine to help aid our troops in the coming battle, or at least use their toxins against other tribes, who don’t have the same level of resistance to poison as the Toxin Croak do.”

Then Aisha points towards a tribe north east, the furtherest away in terms of distance. “This one we feel is a high priority target. This is the Black Claw tribe, and they seem to have somehow gotten their hands on well made weapons and armor. I’d look into any discrepancies in military shipments but I have no time to do so, however we may be able to find some proof if we take out this tribe. Naturally, we will redistribute these weapons and armor to our allies so that they can fight more effectively.”

Lastly Aisha points towards a tribe that is just a little bit east of the Red Stain circle, and notable small. “This is a minor tribe called the Jebrani. They have taken the most losses as of late thanks to our efforts here. There is a good chance that they will not fully commit to the war while their numbers are low, however we do fear that if left alone they may attempt to ambush us in between traveling the sewers or while we attack Red Stain’s fortress. They have no strategic value for us to take, but their small numbers and desperate tactics will make them a Wiley foe.”

After Aisha had explained this information Shor looked over to you. “I’ll be leading my team to attack one of the tribes and take out their leader. I’ll need you and yours to pick a different tribe and do the same. If possible, try and take out two. The more damage we do the easier it’ll be to take out Red Stain’s fortress and the blighter himself. Already their forces are faltering due to the three big old beasts outside and our presence here. If we strike hard and fast, we’ll end this war tonight.”

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

With your newfound reward, the party goes back to the Sewer Dragons, taking the secret entrance for a speedier and safer trip. When you arrive, it looked like the kobolds were also very active, and this time they looked like they were about to go to war. Many of the older kobolds were gearing up with stone swords, wooden shields, and even shortbows. You could see Shor and his guardsmen here training the kobolds. Yorik was teaching them how to use their swords and shields while Kor taught them how to use their bows. Cera was teaching them how to make the bows, ones small enough for the kobolds to use. Aisha and Shor seemed to be looking over a table when Aisha spots you and waves you over.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

"It's going fine so far. Uncle has been very understanding, though he's still in shock over the lost of mom... Nonetheless he and my father are working something out. They left just this morning to report to the guard about the bandits." Not long after, Andras arrived alongside a taller bearded man. "Ah, Sylvia and friends. Glad to see you, I was just about to find Ferric and ask for you all. This saves me a lot of time." Andras motioned towards the man standing beside him who smiles and nods. "This is my step-brother, Thurson. He runs a produce shop here as well as a fodder farm, to make animal feed and such." Thurson steps forward and bows deeply. "I heard how you all helped my family. I'm... I'm still in shock over what happened to my sister, but I know she's also grateful for what you've done. She's always known about the risks of traveling these roads, and she was smart enough to have something prepared if... When something happens to her. She would've wanted you to have this." Thuson goes inside of the shop for a moment, coming back out with a small satchel bag. It was made of fine leather and very good embroidery, with a leaf emblem stitched onto the top flap. It was held down by bronze buttons.

"This is an heirloom from our father, back when he was a soldier in the army. He gifted it to my sister when she married and had me hold onto it, in case something happened to her that we would need it. This is a magic item called a handy haversack, very popular among adventurers. I don't know the magical details, but basically you can put things into this bag that is actually bigger than the bag itself, but you won't feel the weight at all." To demonstrate, Thurson asked for the broom from Elena, and after she gave it to him he proceeded to put the five-foot long broom into the less than one foot long bag. However the broom didn't end up poking into the bag but going right into it and vanishing. "As long as you know what you're looking for you can reach into the bag and take it out, no digging or fuss necessary." Thurson proceeded to do this, pulling the broom out from the bag before dropping it back in. "If you don't know what's inside or just need to make a lot of space, you can dump everything out too." Finally Thurson flipped the bag over and opened the flap, causing the broom to clatter onto the floor.

"It's a very sturdy bag, even a sword won't cut it, but try not to get it too damaged anyways. Though it's never happened my father warned me that if you break the bag, everything inside will come bursting out and the bag will lose it's magic. But that's not entirely unlike what'll happen to a normal bag if you tear it open, so I'm sure it won't be a problem. Anyways... We'd like you to take it. Leena worried that... If she and her family dies, I should sell this to recoup the loss. But you've saved Andras, Elena, and Andrews, and we've discussed it among ourselves. We don't have enough money to possibly pay you, but we hope that this bag will be enough for saving their lives." The family seemed somewhat solemn, but it was Elena who tried to brighten things up.

"Not all is lost uncle. Andrews... Andrews is a strong young man, and I think after what had happened, he'll become stronger too, so that this won't happen again." Elena looked over to you with a nod. "As soon as you left, Andrews told us that he was going to train and become a knight. He's gone to the monastery to begin his training as a squire, vowing to fight for the people after seeing you all save us. He may be young but I think after seeing how courageous you all were to save us, complete and total strangers, it gave him a certain... Fire, to do more. He's not the only one to try and make things better of course." Elena looks over to her father who simply sighed. "Aye aye... Well, let's not keep our friend here for too long now. From the looks of things Sylvia is off on another adventure, aren't you?"

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

I think we were waiting for you, @Hekazu.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

With the wrapping paper you were given, you were able to secure the sandwiches. A bit greasy, but that was the risk about such things. Shortfang would soon return fully geared, and once you were ready the whole group would be ready to leave. It was still breakfast time so there was some time before you should head down to the sewers, allowing the group to take a detour to find Andras and his family. Going back to their shop you could see some decorative corn, gourds, and other produce. There was even a scare crow of some sort though he seemed more jolly than intimidating. Elena just stepped out with a broom when she spotted the party and waved. “Why hello there! You’re up early. What brings you over here?”

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

The burger was very well made. With your experience cooking, you can tell that compared to some of the food you've had so far, what this orc has made not only is better than what you've had elsewhere in Keratia, they were arguably better than some of the burgers you've had back at home. These were all beef patties, made with choice cuts with the right mixture of lean meat and fat. They were fried in high quality oil and mustard, and the cheese was some sort of cheddar, rich and creamy. The sauce tasted like an deluxe, which you know means a mixture of ketchup, mayo, and other spices. You could taste garlic powder, onion powder, salt, the spice of paprika, and the tangy of pickle juice from the sauce. The buns weren't the usual burger buns you're used to, but some form of texas toast, which is basically regular bread toasted on butter. It was a light toasting, but enough to give the bread a crisp outside, but a soft and warm inside. There was also thinly sliced tomato and shredded lettuce which were crisp and fresh. The tomatoes were very sweet and full of flavor. On top of those were caramelized onions, which may surprise you because you know that it takes at least an hour to caramelize onions fully, and you can tell this is freshly made caramelized onions. How this man managed to make fully caramelized onions in a minute while on fire can only be attributed to witchcraft. Finally topping all of that off is a rather ridiculous amount of pickles, almost as if he just sliced up a whole pickle and stacked the resulting chips right beneath the final bun.

Sufficient to say it was very delicious and quite a meal. It was somewhat difficult to eat with just your hands as the sandwich, thanks to how much is packed between the bread, is structually unstable but you're not a strange to such super stacked foods and eat it without spilling a drop. Pylia herself ate it less like a burger and more like a steak, simply cutting off small potions with her knife and form and eating it from a plate. You quickly finish your half of the burger before she could even finish half of her half, and you're almost certain you're close to being full. You and Pylia were both given a complementary cup of water as the business in the Silver Stag started to pick up, with many people coming in for breakfast. The orc and the scaled elf were hard at work making food, most of which consisted of eggs, potatoes, fish, pork, peas and bread. There was also cider and beer. Looking at the menu, you might come to a surprise that chilled water (5 Coppers) was more expensive than breakfast beer (2 Coppers) and apple cider (4 coppers). The menu here was quite expansive compared to Cassari, with a notable menu made for breakfast while there was other menu's for midday and supper.

Once Pylia finally finished her meal, she rinsed down with water. "Okay... That was delicious. But I am full. And we have three more sandwiches... Cripes."

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

"Please. I like meat as much as anyone else but... This monster... Scares me. Not to mention if you and I share one of these, that's still three more sandwiches. Buddy doesn't eat, remember?" That's when the scaled elf took out what appeared to be some form of waxed paper. "Don't worry, we can wrap it up for your to take with you. Just bake it inside a pot to reheat it." Shortfang licked his hands and lips as he finished his sandwich. "Delish! Gunna go now, bye!" Shortfang hopped off his stool and went back to his room to get geared up. Pylia just signed and sat down at the bar, asking for a plate and some utensils. "I guess we should eat breakfast. I'll... I'll try and finish one myself."

You are the Mon

"If you get lost um... Hmm..." Honey had to think about this one. The buneary has always known these forest and has never gotten lost before. "Oh! Because we're going south, check the trees if you get lost. Moss grows towards the south side here, so just go the opposite direction, north, and you should be able to reach our farm if you find yourself lost in the woods. If you go past a river though, you've head too far east and should try and follow that river to the north. If you find a lot of open field, you're too far west, so go north and you should find our farm somewhere north again." Honey motioned towards a tree. Sure enough one side was bare, but the other side had a small patch of green growing at the base of the tree.

Then Honey looked over to Celina. "Most of the fruit have fallen due to the storm or other pokemon, but if you're lucky you might be able to find some fresh nuts. If you find any flowers at the top of the trees, those are good for making tea, so you could take those too. They're called Hightop flowers, and they usually have yellow pedals but a white center. Oh! You might also be able to find honey! Because of the rain a lot of the combees left this area, including their hives, so their hives would be full of honey. Normally I could sniff them out easily, but all the rain makes everything smell damp, not to mention the hives are usually really high into the tree."

With nothing else to be said, the group would head back into the forest. It got dark very quickly due to the thick canopy, but at the same time it was finally not pouring water onto the whole lot of them. The ground was damp and muddy, but traversable. The initial hour went by uneventfully as far as foraging or dangers went; there was no sign of any pokemon that you all could notice, nor any food. Honey assured you that this wasn't unusual. "This place got picked clean around the third day the rain continued to pour. A lot of pokemon panicked and started hording food, which naturally led to a lot of them fighting or running away. Occasionally I'd get lucky and find a stash from a pokemon who was hiding food, but sometimes I might run into some pokemon who also find it. I'm... Not really good at fighting, so I just leave them alone. But maybe we'll get lucky again?"

Eventually, Jeri would find the first bit of food. Feel around the ground she'd notice a familiar root growing at the base of a rock, and digging it up she'd find one of those strange brown carrots like what they had back at the cave. "Ah, wild carrots. Kinda small, but usually where there's one, a few more would grow. There's probably more underneath this rock." Sure enough with more digging, Jeri would be able to find more wild carrots, about five of them of moderate size. There wasn't much else here however.

As for Celina, after being informed of what to look for she would also be able to spot a few of the flowers Honey described. Honey recommends just plucking their petals since those will grow back, leaving the bud alone so they could come back and pick more from it. As for the nuts there was only one tree that had a small bundle, not really much for a meal but maybe it could spice up a meal. No sign of the honey though.

Sometime after getting some food, everyone would hear barking in the distance. This immediately caused Honey to turn and look scared. "Others. We gotta go... Not over there."

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

"They aren't too far, we could get to them on the way out." Pylia says. Looking over the group the orc smiled. "Looks like yer lot gotta go eh? Well... Normally da order would take quite a bit ol time, even wif some help. But it's early in da day and I need da warmup anyhow... We'll make dis fast food." Cracking his knuckles and taking out a vial of oil he turned back towards the kitchen. "Give me bout a minute. Oi Sereth! Open da windows! It's about ta get hot in 'ere!" With everything prepped the orc quickly started to cook Shortfang's order, which for some reason involved the orc being on fire and a lot of pained grunting and yelling. But sure enough after about one uninterrupted minute of cooking and some time getting the smoke out of the kitchen, Shortfang's two meals were brought out to him, ready to eat on the go. The strange scaled elf brought them over to you, looking over the two sheets of papers given to her.

"So... I have four beef patty sandwiches here, each with four stacks of patties with cheese on each patty, between lightly buttered toast, with a lot of cheese, sauce, and onions on them, and one four stack sandwich with Gouda cheese and a regular amount of cheese, sauce, and onions." Shortfang had essentially ordered five super huge burgers, two which he quickly took for himself. He paid ten gold for the massive burgers as he started to scarf them down as fast as he could. Pylia just looked at them. "I... I think I'm going to need a knife to cute these down into more manageable pieces.... That's a lot of meat too..."

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

"Aright, cherri, cherri. Let's see, if yer with him, den you must got ground five yeah? Be just another sovereign fer another night if all da bells an whistles. Ye want us ta change yer linens? I understand yer might be hesitant letting strangers in ya room, wot wif bein adventurin folk an all, but I swear to ye that my people won't touch a thing wifout yer askin. If nuthing else ye can just ask use for sum new sheets when we're open." Slowly the room began to brighten as the masked elf snapped his fingers, causing the braziers around the inn to light up. A few ladies came in, the tavern maids, handing the orc a small sheet of paper as they got to work cleaning and getting ready for the day. He simply took out a small stamp from his pocket and marked a box. Seems like they use some sort of time card system here.

It was around this time that Pylia and Buddy joined up with you and Shortfang. They seem ready to go, though you and Shortfang didn't have your weapons or gear with you at the time. Upon arriving Pylia remembered something. "Do you think we should head to Ardur's shop before we leave? He did say he'll have something for us today. I'm sure he and his family have awoken to get ready for work too."