Session 1: Dragon Keep

[C. Steven Ross]

Adventure Description:
Dragon Keep is an imposing structure built into the defensible hillside during the Age of Dhakaan by the long-gone empire of Tiamat-worshipping Hobgoblins. Before its fall, it served as a sanctuary and meeting place of the once-wealthy priesthood. Dragon Keep was said to be a focal point for divine power and direct connection with the torturous realms of the Five-Headed Goddess. It was here that unholy texts of dark power were stored. Legend tells that the final fall of the Keep was from an incursion of Dunmer Dark Elves boiling up from the lightless depths below to attack the Hobgoblin defenders who had grown soft and disorganized in their hubris. The Lost Crown of Tesh-Naga is said to still be hidden in these ruins; a fabled silver crown bearing the nine shining jewels of the conquered nations of Skyrim and magical power to bend the will of the weak-minded.

You four have traveled to this remote dungeon and see its form breaking the horizon: a carved marble dragon's maw yawning out of the sheer granite cliff side.

[Enoch]

Norgrim shades his eyes with one hand as he studies the distant formation. "Well, lads, there she is: Urkhas-gund, the Dragon Keep. Wonder what's left in there, eh? More to the point, how do we get up there?" He scans the horizon, looking for any paths or staircases that may lead to the dragon's maw.

[C. Steven Ross]

You can see no obvious paths, stairs, or other means of ascending. The cliff is quite steep and quite tall.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Rand's taller, more slender form emerges from the trees at the dwarf's side. "Indeed Norgrim. But that dragon maw doesn't look too large from this distance, so I am guessing we still have some distance to climb. At least one of the scrolls I read through prior to leaving suggest there may be an alter by the dragon's mouth. That was Rigil the Elder, though, so it might just be guesswork..." Rand bit his lip thinking further. "All the same, perhaps we ought to try and climb up there, eh?" The, taking a cue from his stout companion, Rand scanned the area looking for likely areas to camp out in case they did not find an easy entry to the Keep.

[drpete]

Tilcar looks up at the maw, trying to get a good sense of what we're looking at. An entrance, I understand, but how high above the trees? Is it close to the top of the cliff (suggesting it'll be easier to descend, if we can get up there)? Is there any sign of life up there?

Thinking it's possible that someone up there might toss garbage from the maw, Tilcar will see if it's possible to reach the base of the cliff below the maw, and if there's anything there.

Are we in a canyon with a river/stream in it, so there is a cliff face on each side of us, or does the cliff look out at open ground?

[C. Steven Ross]

Rand: The landscape is hard, dry, and cold. The soil is thin and there are many boulders clustered around the ground. You are in the foothills of a frosty mountain range.

Tandir: The cliff, from th looks of the image, is about 40 ft. off the ground and the treetops are about 10 ft.

Are you going to wait in the cold winds for any signs of life?

[Rusty Tincanne]

"Seems to be little to do other than take a closer look. Shall we?" Rand readjusted his backpack to decrease a bit of the pressure on his shoulders before crossing the open ground. He kept a mental note of the larger features so he could try his hand at making his first map later. He had certainly copied maps and read about making them, but practical experience was lacking.

When they reached the bottom of the cliff he addressed the group again. "Should we start right up or search the cliff base first?"

OOC: what is the lighting like? Full daylight? Also, will there be an out of character conversation thread or should we just do table talk here but be sure to differentiate it?

[Enoch]

Norgrim rubs his hands over his upper arms and tucks his chin against his chest. "I say we make for that treeline at the base of the cliffs. It will break the wind, at least, while we decide what to do."

He seems to consider his own words for a moment. He removes his hands from his arms and rubs them together briskly as he hunches his shoulders. "Weren't there hobgoblins there once? Unless my sigin's stories were nothing more than elf-tales, hobgoblins have no wings. So how did they gain the entrance? Come; once we reach the trees we can see if there are perhaps caves at the base of the cliff, or some other entrance."

With that, he begins hurrying toward the treeline.

Can we see any sort of caves or other entrances, inclusions, etc., anywhere along the base of the cliff?

[C. Steven Ross]

I'm not a fan of OOC threads, I don't like jumping back and forth between posts. Writing on a phone, please excuse the curt responses.

There aren't any caves or anything at the base of the cave, but moving up you do see that on the floor of the cave is a basket, very large, tied to a rope that is looped through a steel pulley on the cave ceiling.

[C. Steven Ross]

The skies are gray clouded and brooding, but the sunlight that filters through is enough to be considered Brigh Light while outside.

[thesniperknight1]

Garen comes out of the trees, "Sorry I was late, nature called", he looks at the basket and the rope tied to it and see if they are still durable to take them all up

[C. Steven Ross]

It's hard to tell the rope's condition from so far away. All of that contraption is up at the cave.

[Enoch]

I'm a little confused--it sounds like there is a cave, but I'm not clear on where it's located. On re-reading, it sounds like there's a basket in the cave entrance forty feet or so up? Assuming that's correct:

Norgrim gazes up at the cave entrance, then studies the cliff-face, looking for handholds, crevices and the like. "Looks defensible enough. Unless anyone has any better ideas, I suppose I could try scaling it, then anchor a rope for you folk." He sets down his crossbow and sack, then unties the thongs holding his quiver to his belt. "Anyone want to loan me a weapon, in case there's trouble at the top?"

[C. Steven Ross]

You've got it. There's a cave forty feet up a sheer cliff. At the floor of the cave, there is the rope, pulley and basket.

[Rusty Tincanne]

The cleric looked up the sheer face of rock and let out a low whistle. He had no doubt the Norgrim could make the climb, particularly with Garen nearby to offer assistance, but it seemed like it wouldn't hurt to do a bit of bushwhacking around the base of the cliff in search of an easier entrance first. He related his idea to the group, adding, "It isn't likely to waste too much time to just poke around a bit, right?"

I am just thinking that our first skill test will (at best) start the grind, and (at worst) leave two of you with conditions. Maybe we could poke around a bit first to see if we uncover anything. Unless something happens, it won't burn a turn just to look around, right?

[Enoch]

Norgrim nods in agreement. "Well! I will climb it if necessary; but no need to make like a billy-goat just yet, eh?"

[C. Steven Ross]

Correct, looking around doesn't advance a turn. Time passes only when I call for a test.

[thesniperknight1]

Garen, standing where he is, simply looks around quickly with his eyes to see if there are any sort of really visible tracks that has been used often, "Surely they don't use the basket every time they want to enter the cave...do they?"

[C. Steven Ross]

There ARE some tracks! They lead from the wilderness and right up to the base of the cliff about where the cave is.... but they stop dead at the sheer stone wall.

Do you try and figure out who/what made these?

[thesniperknight1]

Garen doesn't put his focus to what the tracks are but to where they went. He looks back at his companions, "There are tracks here!", he approaches the stone wall where the tracks stopped and examines it lightly, just running his fingers along the wall and try to sense if there is anything unusual about it, then he tries to give the wall a quick push at different places, thinking it might be a secret entrance.

I feel that checking the tracks would lead to a scout check, and because the group is trying hard to avoid them I am gonna pass on that