The Wandering Archipelago (D&D 5e)

[thinkslogically]

What does Kal know about coming into contact with dragon blood?

((Not much more than he's seeing right now, and what he does know was probably from fragments of stories told to him by a clan elder. As far as he knows, dragons are extinct.))

[thinkslogically]

Korrik's hand still aches and throbs, but not so badly that it'll stop him using his staff or anything like that. Thanks to Kal's healing it does stop bleeding fairly quickly, but the skin around the burn is tinged purple and black.

Artho has gone completely pale.

"Dragon blood...! But... how-....?"

Merric sits down and goes through his morning ritual, letting the discussion and all the sounds of the insects and birds of the forest float away as he plunges his face into his bowl of water.

► Show Spoiler

...and the world tumbles away beneath him and he is tumbling down into the crushing depths. As he falls, the rushing water pounds in his ears as his lungs burn. At the very last moment, a consciousness finds his and it's voice is all Merric feels.

"Ooooooooog! Og! Emit etsaw uoy!"

He sits up with a splutter, gasping for breath.

[spiderwrangler]

((Is it tinged purple and black like bruised and broken blood vessels, or some nefarious corruption?))

Medicine: 1D20+2 = [4]+2 = 6

"Oh geeze, I'm gonna die aren't I? Ooooh no!"

[thinkslogically]

Korrik is pretty sure it'll be fine once it stops hurting.

Outside, a bird starts singing.

[spiderwrangler]

"It's fine, I'm fine... thanks for helping guys."

[Dlover]

"Your peoples assumed the Dragons were gone. It was an act no different than if you were to assume all of the gods were gone. It is an impossible thing, and the ones present simply don't want to bother with mortals. Now, I believe Gwen's message may have arrive. Since you're fine, I'm going to go retrieve it." Mehr steps outside and holds his hand out for the messenger bird to land on.

[thinkslogically]

"It's not an assumption, friend. The Long Histories tell us-", he stops short.

"If you learn any more of this business, seek out Master Tyburn Bellarno in Blackwater Cove. He will know what to do, and may be able to help you."

----------------------

Mehriv steps outside and holds his hand out. The messenger bird flutters down to him looking somewhat grumpy. It is missing a couple of tail feathers. It speaks in a bird-voice:

"Found Varsk. In feylands. Will rest for the night here. Stay put, if not back in 12 hours, head southeast. See you soon."

It's message delivered, the bird reverts to being a silver statuette in his palm.

[Dlover]

Mehr heads back to the others, "They found Varsk. Gwen will be able to lead them back to us, so she's asked us to wait here for twelve hours before heading southeast. When this was sent, though, I'm not sure. She said they would rest the night there, so we should likely only wait a couple of hours."

[thinkslogically]

((I'm also not sure what direction Gwen intended to send you in. I'll assume Gwen would have got it correct, but I'll need Burns to confirm where he meant)).

[Arch Lich Burns]

(I meant the correct direction and I thought it was, but I am apparently wrong. Gwen would have gotten it correct even though I didn't)

[thinkslogically]

(oops)

[Dlover]

((Did you post in the wrong thread Thinks?))

[thinkslogically]

(yup)

[Theis2]

"Ooohh, you touched the blood? This should help if you are worried you'll be transformed like the scaled ones."

Merric will offer a few drops of his ritual water on Korriks thumb.
Merric grimaces with disappointment with Mehrivs judgement of waiting for the others

"Shouldn't we just go towards them? While the blood is interesting, we really are doing nothing useful. We've got an ancient city to explore for a potential relic to the true god and you have that thing with the scaled ones that might also have found something of vast importance to the true god. We don't have the luxury of waiting around, the scaled ones will just by strengthened and emboldened as time passes."

[spiderwrangler]

"Oh no! What if that's what caused their infected spots?"

I check my thumb again, pondering whether I could stand amputation...

[Theis2]

"They don't seem smart enough to worship the true god, guess they worship some inferior dragon thing instead. But if it is the work of the true god, then you should be grateful that he will grant you a gift!"

[Dlover]

"They have said that they don't care about the Dragons. And we're not going to head out yet. We would only get lost."

[spiderwrangler]

"So time to hurry up and wait then..."

[thinkslogically]

((Sorry, still at a conference and also sick ))

After a couple of hours, Artho has packed his gear and has taken some time to scout the nearby area. He seems troubled, and tells you that a fairly large group of at least 10 more lizardfolk came by in the night, apparently searching the area. They don't appear to have spent long searching this particular area tho and moved on quite quickly. Kal and Korrik are both impressed by the care and precision of the man's movements as he moves through the trees, hardly leaving a trace behind him.

Just as the group are about to head onwards, Gwen, Syli, and Varsk reappear from the south east, apparently none the worse for their overnight camp.

[spiderwrangler]

"They're back! Hey guys! This is Artho, he spent the night here with us. How was your night?"

[Rodgeir]

Varsk will glance at Artho.

"We survived."

He will gesture with his head towards Syli,

"Met a giant cat that Syli thinks was a druid. Left her a message."

Looking back to Artho,

"Ya with Trip's crew? He like my offer and decide to join up with us in clearin' out some lizards?"

[thinkslogically]

"hmmm? I'm sorry, I don't know anyone named Trip."

[Rodgeir]

"Well ain't this place just crawling with folks."

Speaking mostly to Mehriv but talking loud enough for those nearby to hear,

"Yesterday I caught up with the woman we saved. She wasn't as grateful as ya'd expect. She is from a group here that's havin' problems with the lizards too. Kidnapping their folks and the like. They aren't big on city folk and really aren't big on the families that run town. Generally not keen on nobles. I downplayed our workin' for the families and I managed to talk her into maybe broachin' an alliance with her group's leader, man called Trip. Told them to meet us at the ruins by the fight if they were interested it discussin' it. Anyone show up before ya left?

"Oh and she also said the lizard camp was pretty fortified and there was another less aggressive group of lizards to the south somewhere."

Back at Artho,

"You know anything bout a group of non- lizards camped out nearby?"

[thinkslogically]

Artho busies himself while Varsk talks, trying not to be obtrusive. When he is addressed, he looks up and replies:

"There are many people who call this place home, for whatever reason. Until quite recently, there was a large camp to the north-east that House Morley used as their principle staging area, but they had several other camps scattered throughout what they called their "claim". I'm not certain who they claimed it from I must admit. It certainly didn't seem like they had the man-power to enforce it, but I am hardly a military man. Other than that, I'm not certain. There certainly used to be camps and small settlements in this area, but they have been so heavily raided in recent months that they're all but gone now. Most of the people I've met who were willing to talk are simply moving on until things calm down."

[Dlover]

"Good job bringing him back, you two. Varsk, nice work catching up to the woman, even if it didn't achieve much. It at least confirmed she wasn't the one we're here for. So, we know there's a camp with defences set up. Any thoughts on how to proceed?"