Greenest, still a few short miles away, is being attacked by a dragon!
Greenest in Flames.jpg (138.24 KiB) Viewed 5650 times
Clang!
Warning bells.
The attacks on Keep Scatterheart urge on Oskar, whose reason for traveling to Greenest was to inspect the craftsmanship of the master halfling architects and engineers responsible for its construction.
The keep can not fall!
Bren's father, from his deathbed, urged the young dragonborn to investigate a group called the Cult of the Dragon... and to begin his search in a town called Greenest.
The town can not fall!
Strega, cursed with apocalyptic dreams, has been driven to Greenest.
No town. No answers!
Tannaris' life was once saved by a wandering monk. This monk sent urgent word for the elf to meet him in a small town called Greenest.
Is it time to repay the favor to Leosin?!
Rumble, many years ago, was briefly taken in by the Swift family of Greenest after his own family was driven from their home during an orc raid.
Save the Swift's!
Seeing the dragon looming overhead is enough to drive Quaalxor, the newcomer still finding his place in the group.
"To Greenest!"
Hurrying along the Uldoon Trail past the outlying structures leading up to the town proper, the group rushes to the defense of the town, which is just north of the road you've been following.
As you continue your approach, you notice flickering torches in the streets below, flowing towards the keep in the center of town.
Overhead, a massive blue dragon dives at a barracks and slaughters a hoard of emerging guardsmen with its terrifying lightning breath. Its latest bout of damage inflicted, the climbs out of harm's way, and begins a large circle over the town, seemingly surveying the area for its next target.
Throughout the burning town, invaders hunt and, when met with resistance, slaughter.
Greenest, now within yards, not miles, is without walls or a palisade and allows easy access. If there were any guards positioned at this southern entrance, they've been pulled away to deal with the many pressing issues.
This southern section, at least for now, seems largely unaffected by the ongoing raid, but it's only a matter of time based upon the activity seen during your approach.
Suddenly, without warning, five humans dash out from between two wooden buildings on your left. A limping man leading three young children race to a four-way intersection and lumber left, heading into town. A woman, carrying a round shield and a broken spear, stops before the intersection and turns back to face the direction from which she came.
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What looks like nine kobolds stream out of the alley on the family’s heels and fan out around the woman, encircling her.
The woman grips her spear tightly, seemingly determined to delay the creatures for as long as possible.
---
Actions!
If those actions involve combat, please also include your initiative roll plus any action/movement.
Notes:
It's just after sunset, resulting in a dim light condition. If you don't have darkvision, you will suffer disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight;
Where there are multiple creatures using the same token (e.g. dagger, spear, sword), I am adding a different colored circle next to each unique marker. Please use these color/weapon combinations to identify your target, if needed (e.g. red dagger, blue spear, green sword);
Monster names appear below the token; their color will appear on the bottom left-hand side of the token (when a token is rotated, the color also rotates its position;
Here is the map scale:
Scale.jpg (33.37 KiB) Viewed 5650 times
However, for combat purposes, assume each square is 5-feet.
Daisy and the wagon are just off the map, behind Rumble.
You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Stonecunning:
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check.
Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon.
You don’t need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn’t incapacitated, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
During your rogue training you learned thieves’ cant, a secret mix of dialect, jargon, and code that allows you to hide messages in seemingly normal conversation.
Only another creature that knows thieves’ cant understands such messages.
It takes four times longer to convey such a message than it does to speak the same idea plainly.
In addition, you understand a set of secret signs and symbols used to convey short, simple messages, such as whether an area is dangerous or the territory of a thieves’ guild, whether loot is nearby, or whether the people in an area are easy marks or will provide a safe house for thieves on the run.
As well respected as clan crafters are among outsiders, no one esteems them quite so highly as dwarves do. You always have free room and board in any place where shield dwarves or gold dwarves dwell, and the individuals in such a settlement might vie among themselves to determine who can offer you (and possibly your compatriots) the finest accommodations and assistance.
Breath Weapon: 1 ( DC: 12 | AoE: 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save) | Damage: 2d6 ( Half on successful save) | Recovery: Short )
Draconic Resilience
As magic flows through your body, it causes physical traits of your dragon ancestors to emerge. At 1st level, your hit point maximum increases by 1 and increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level in this class.
Additionally, parts of your skin are covered by a thin sheen of dragon-like scales. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier.
You and your adventuring companions can expect to receive free healing and care at a temple, shrine, or other established presence of your faith, though you must provide any material components needed for spells.
When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. Recovery: Long
Savage Attacks:
When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.
While you are transformed, the following rules apply:
Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature’s bonus instead of yours. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can’t use them.
When you transform, you assume the beast’s hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. For example, if you take 10 damage in animal form and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage. As long as the excess damage doesn’t reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren’t knocked unconscious.
You can’t cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form. Transforming doesn’t break your concentration on a spell you’ve already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you’ve already cast.
You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can’t use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.
You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature’s shape and size. Your equipment doesn’t change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can’t wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.
As a bonus action, you can choose one creature you can see within 120 feet of you and spend a number of those dice equal to half your druid level or less.
Roll the spent dice and add them together.
The target regains a number of hit points equal to the total.
The target also gains 1 temporary hit point per die spent. Recovery: Long
The quiet seclusion of your extended hermitage gave you access to a unique and powerful discovery. The exact nature of this revelation depends on the nature of your seclusion. It might be a great truth about the cosmos, the deities, the powerful beings of the outer planes, or the forces of nature. It could be a site that no one else has ever seen. You might have uncovered a fact that has long been forgotten, or unearthed some relic of the past that could rewrite history. It might be information that would be damaging to the people who or consigned you to exile, and hence the reason for your return to society.
You have advantage on saves against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
Trance
You don't need to sleep, but meditate semiconsciously for 4 hours a day. While meditating, you can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.
Once per day when you finish a short rest, you can choose expended spell slots to recover.
The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than half your wizard level (rounded up), and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher.
Your accent, mannerisms, figures of speech, and perhaps even your appearance all mark you as foreign. Curious glances are directed your way wherever you go, which can be a nuisance, but you also gain the friendly interest of scholars and others intrigued by far-off lands, to say nothing of everyday folk who are eager to hear stories of your homeland.
You can parley this attention into access to people and places you might not otherwise have, for you and your traveling companions. Noble lords, scholars, and merchant princes, to name a few, might be interested in hearing about your distant homeland and peopl
When you move on your turn in combat, you can double your speed until the end of the turn. Recovery: Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you move 0 feet on one of your turns.
On your turn, you can enter a rage as a bonus action.
While raging, you gain the following benefits if you aren’t wearing heavy armor:
You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
When you make a melee weapon attack using Strength, you gain a bonus to the damage roll that increases as you gain levels as a barbarian, as shown in the Rage Damage column of the Barbarian table.
You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
If you are able to cast spells, you can’t cast them or concentrate on them while raging.
Your rage lasts for 1 minute.
It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or if your turn ends and you haven’t attacked a hostile creature since your last turn or taken damage since then.
You can also end your rage on your turn as a bonus action. Recovery: Long
When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly.
Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn.
You can always find a place to perform in any place that features combat for entertainment — perhaps a gladiatorial arena or secret pit fighting club. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food of a modest or comfortable standard (depending on the quality of the establishment), as long as you perform each night. In addition, your performance makes you something of a local figure. When strangers recognize you in a town where you have performed, they typically take a liking to you.
You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Stonecunning:
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check.
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2.
The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
On your turn, you can take one additional action. Recovery: Short
3rd: --
Background: Guild Artisan / Guild Merchant
Feature: Guild Membership
As an established and respected member of a guild, you can rely on certain benefits that membership provides. Your fellow guild members will provide you with lodging and food if necessary, and pay for your funeral if needed. In some cities and towns, a guildhall offers a central place to meet other members of your profession, which can be a good place to meet potential patrons, allies, or hirelings.
Guilds often wield tremendous political power. If you are accused of a crime, your guild will support you if a good case can be made for your innocence or the crime is justifiable. You can also gain access to powerful political figures through the guild, if you are a member in good standing. Such connections might require the donation of money or magic items to the guild’s coffers.
You must pay dues of 5 gp per month to the guild. If you miss payments, you must make up back dues to remain in the guild’s good graces.
Seeing the danger to the family, Oskar around the building to try to help the mother. He calls out "Scatter them!" then sneaks around the house and takes out the red spear- wielding kobold.
Hide bonus action, skirting clockwise around the house, it should be possible to get there... not sure if the spaces count as difficult terrain...
Gripping his Battle Axe, he rumbles to the intersection (25'), and will attack the Kobold there. Yelling as he goes "Death to the small dragon friends".
The sight of the dragon in the sky above draws Strega's hatred for their kind to the surface and she focuses to a singular purpose. The kobald allies of the dragon simply give her something to target that hatred on for the moment. She attacks the green/spear kobold with produce flame.
Rumble turns back to the wagon and hops on, spurring Daisy to race forward towards the melee. He hopes to run some kobolds over. "Watch out! I'm scattering kobolds!"
He aims for driving down the left side of the path, going north. He hopes to stop somewhere near that cart above blue dagger.
Round 1 "Death to the small dragon friends,"Quaalxor roars as he rushes towards the intersection and immediately cleaves the nearest kobold with his great battle axe, definitely drawing some attention to himself, and filling the significantly outnumbered woman with a glimmer of home.
The dragon, gliding effortlessly overhead, is an ominous sight for sure, and definitely has Bren's attention, but the sorcerer re-focuses and begins incanting some arcane tones and gesturing with his right hand. Then, the dragonborn flicks his clawed fingers forward and produces three glowing darts of magical force which he hurls in the direction of the kobold cluster directly in front of him. The darts unerringly strike the unsuspecting targets in the back, one per target, and illicit sharp, pained yelps from the small, lizard-like creatures as they quickly spin to locate the source of their attacker.
"Scatter them!"Oskar calls as he rushes, sneakily, around the wooden building and runs his narrow rapier blade through the nearest spear-toting kobold -- its dead form sliding off the dwarf's blade. The rogue quickly spins back around the corner, hoping to keep his presence undetected.
The father leading the escape reaches a stream, and slows there as he prepares his children for the crossing. The mother, inspired by the success of the rescue attempt so far, waves the broken spear in her hands like a staff, and cracks the kobold with a spear -- and its back turned to her -- in the back, and watches in relief as the tiny, bipedal dragon-like creature collapses.
Nearest the intersection, the spear-wielding kobold spins around and pokes it weapon at Quaalxor, but its weak attempt is easily struck aside.
The rest of the cowardly kobolds, seeing how quickly their numbers have been reduced, turn and flee! A trio dart deeper into the town, also reaching the stream. Another pair hurries off to the east, following the trail between two small farmhouses, reaching the stream in that direction.
Rumble, hopping onto Daisy's back and spurs her towards the intersection. "Watch out! I'm scattering kobolds!" he cheers as his mount tramples the spear kobold that foolishly remained to attack, ending its life in a horrible scream of pain. The front axle of the wagon rolls over the fallen corpse, then completes its path over the now-crushed kobold as the wagon thuds to a stop, with the crushed form beneath it.
Strega, angles to her right, hoping to get a visual on one of the eastward fleeing menaces. Sure enough, as the first comes into view, the druid sends the flickering flame that had been simmering in her hand at the already wounded creature, ending its miserable life.
In similar fashion, Tannaris drifts to his left, lining up one of the fleeing goblins to the north, and watches excitedly as a mote of flame sizzles on its path, striking the dagger-toting pest, causing it to fall face-forward into the stream.
Family.jpg (243.04 KiB) Viewed 5594 times
With the immediate threat seemingly alleviated, the group is able to take a quick breath and survey the situation.
The town, while small, feels quite large when you're standing within it.
Just north of you, beyond the immediate row of buildings -- the row consisting of a mixture of homes and shops -- is a winding stream, with sections of heavy brush.
It appears as if the cultists tried to set buildings ablaze as they moved through town, but thatch isn’t as flammable as it looks and most of the flames which sprout out in places throughout town appear to come from haystacks and barns, not from homes or shops.
From seemingly all sides except for behind you, the sounds of revelry from raiders and looters ring out. The attackers are very present, and in large numbers.
Most of the activity seems like it's coming from beyond the stream, with Keep Scatterheart looming not far in the distnace off to the right.
"Cuth! Cuth!" the recently saved woman calls out, attempting to hail her fleeing and heavily wounded husband... to no avail. "The keep! We must reach the keep --" she cries, beginning to rush off in that direction. "Cuth will be heading there. It will be safe; maybe the safest place right now!"
---
Quaalxor is entitled to one opportunity attack against any of the fleeing opponents, if you choose.
As I'm sure you've noticed, there is a large number of combatants in this encounter. To help reduce clutter on the map, I am going to immediately remove any non-PC that gets killed in the main combat area instead of leaving their body lying around. I will leave any outliers on the map, at least temporarily, as long as it isn't too disruptive.
You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Stonecunning:
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check.
Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon.
You don’t need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn’t incapacitated, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
During your rogue training you learned thieves’ cant, a secret mix of dialect, jargon, and code that allows you to hide messages in seemingly normal conversation.
Only another creature that knows thieves’ cant understands such messages.
It takes four times longer to convey such a message than it does to speak the same idea plainly.
In addition, you understand a set of secret signs and symbols used to convey short, simple messages, such as whether an area is dangerous or the territory of a thieves’ guild, whether loot is nearby, or whether the people in an area are easy marks or will provide a safe house for thieves on the run.
As well respected as clan crafters are among outsiders, no one esteems them quite so highly as dwarves do. You always have free room and board in any place where shield dwarves or gold dwarves dwell, and the individuals in such a settlement might vie among themselves to determine who can offer you (and possibly your compatriots) the finest accommodations and assistance.
Breath Weapon: 1 ( DC: 12 | AoE: 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save) | Damage: 2d6 ( Half on successful save) | Recovery: Short )
Draconic Resilience
As magic flows through your body, it causes physical traits of your dragon ancestors to emerge. At 1st level, your hit point maximum increases by 1 and increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level in this class.
Additionally, parts of your skin are covered by a thin sheen of dragon-like scales. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier.
You and your adventuring companions can expect to receive free healing and care at a temple, shrine, or other established presence of your faith, though you must provide any material components needed for spells.
When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. Recovery: Long
Savage Attacks:
When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.
While you are transformed, the following rules apply:
Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature’s bonus instead of yours. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can’t use them.
When you transform, you assume the beast’s hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. For example, if you take 10 damage in animal form and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage. As long as the excess damage doesn’t reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren’t knocked unconscious.
You can’t cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form. Transforming doesn’t break your concentration on a spell you’ve already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you’ve already cast.
You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can’t use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.
You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature’s shape and size. Your equipment doesn’t change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can’t wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.
As a bonus action, you can choose one creature you can see within 120 feet of you and spend a number of those dice equal to half your druid level or less.
Roll the spent dice and add them together.
The target regains a number of hit points equal to the total.
The target also gains 1 temporary hit point per die spent. Recovery: Long
The quiet seclusion of your extended hermitage gave you access to a unique and powerful discovery. The exact nature of this revelation depends on the nature of your seclusion. It might be a great truth about the cosmos, the deities, the powerful beings of the outer planes, or the forces of nature. It could be a site that no one else has ever seen. You might have uncovered a fact that has long been forgotten, or unearthed some relic of the past that could rewrite history. It might be information that would be damaging to the people who or consigned you to exile, and hence the reason for your return to society.
You have advantage on saves against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
Trance
You don't need to sleep, but meditate semiconsciously for 4 hours a day. While meditating, you can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.
Once per day when you finish a short rest, you can choose expended spell slots to recover.
The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than half your wizard level (rounded up), and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher.
Your accent, mannerisms, figures of speech, and perhaps even your appearance all mark you as foreign. Curious glances are directed your way wherever you go, which can be a nuisance, but you also gain the friendly interest of scholars and others intrigued by far-off lands, to say nothing of everyday folk who are eager to hear stories of your homeland.
You can parley this attention into access to people and places you might not otherwise have, for you and your traveling companions. Noble lords, scholars, and merchant princes, to name a few, might be interested in hearing about your distant homeland and peopl
When you move on your turn in combat, you can double your speed until the end of the turn. Recovery: Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you move 0 feet on one of your turns.
On your turn, you can enter a rage as a bonus action.
While raging, you gain the following benefits if you aren’t wearing heavy armor:
You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
When you make a melee weapon attack using Strength, you gain a bonus to the damage roll that increases as you gain levels as a barbarian, as shown in the Rage Damage column of the Barbarian table.
You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
If you are able to cast spells, you can’t cast them or concentrate on them while raging.
Your rage lasts for 1 minute.
It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or if your turn ends and you haven’t attacked a hostile creature since your last turn or taken damage since then.
You can also end your rage on your turn as a bonus action. Recovery: Long
When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly.
Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn.
You can always find a place to perform in any place that features combat for entertainment — perhaps a gladiatorial arena or secret pit fighting club. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food of a modest or comfortable standard (depending on the quality of the establishment), as long as you perform each night. In addition, your performance makes you something of a local figure. When strangers recognize you in a town where you have performed, they typically take a liking to you.
You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Stonecunning:
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check.
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2.
The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
On your turn, you can take one additional action. Recovery: Short
3rd: --
Background: Guild Artisan / Guild Merchant
Feature: Guild Membership
As an established and respected member of a guild, you can rely on certain benefits that membership provides. Your fellow guild members will provide you with lodging and food if necessary, and pay for your funeral if needed. In some cities and towns, a guildhall offers a central place to meet other members of your profession, which can be a good place to meet potential patrons, allies, or hirelings.
Guilds often wield tremendous political power. If you are accused of a crime, your guild will support you if a good case can be made for your innocence or the crime is justifiable. You can also gain access to powerful political figures through the guild, if you are a member in good standing. Such connections might require the donation of money or magic items to the guild’s coffers.
You must pay dues of 5 gp per month to the guild. If you miss payments, you must make up back dues to remain in the guild’s good graces.
Seeing the group of kobolds he was fighting go north in a direction that would lead them to the father, Oskar pursues them... He sneaks up behind them and spits the red sword wielder on his rapier.
"Lady I will help you and yours reach the keep" Quaalxor takes off after the Man and Children. After his 25 feet if no targets are near he will do another 25 feet.
Rumble takes the reins once more and points Daisy towards the north path and the stream. He yells at the mother and the group. "Hop on, I'll chase them down."
Does Rumble remember where the Swift family lives, in relation to where he is now?
Across the Stream
In a battle frenzy, Quaalxor manages to cut through one of the eastward fleeing kobolds before it was able to escape, leaving no fleeing enemies in that direction with Strega striking down the other moments earlier with her Produce Flame strike.
"Lady, I will help you and yours reach the keep," the dwarven fighter says. "Follow me." With that, he turns and begins cautiously moving north along the trail, in the direction of the stone fortress, following the course taken by the man and the children.
Bren, gripping his quarterstaff, follows behind, remaining alert.
Oskar heads north as well, but takes a bit of a different route as he pursues the pair of fleeing kobolds that left in that direction. Moving stealthily, he catches the pair unaware, and effortlessly runs the nearest through with his rapier.
The woman dutifully follows after Quaalxor and Bren, continuing to call out her husband's name: "Cuth! Cuth!"
It takes some effort, as the water rises almost to the creatures neck, but the kobold that managed to survive Oskar's ambush is able to successfully ford the stream.
Rumble, with Daisy and the wagon at a full stop, is able to get a closer look at the woman, and the call of 'Cuth' registers in his ears. "Linan...?" he asks. The woman, hearing her name being called, looks up at the tabaxi and there's a moment of instant recognition.
"Rumbling Mountain?" she cries, moving over to the mounted barbarian. "I never thought we'd see you again.... what..."
It now registers with Rumble that the woman is Linan Swift, the matriarch of the family that took him in many, many years go. "Hop on," he says after a moment, reaching down a hand to assist her up into the cart. "Let's chase them down."
"Let's try to help the locals get to the keep,"Strega says. "We will rally there." The half-orc keeps an eye out for the husband and children, but is unable to spot them amidst the chaos of the escalating raid.
Tannaris jogs, attempting to keep up with the horse-drawn wagon, keeping a vigilant look out for anything that might be following the group. While not following the group, the elf spots what looks like three more kobold-shaped creatures perched upon the roof of one of the nearby wooden buildings... watching the group as they leave.
Only, these kobolds appear to have wings.
The group begins to make their way north, towards the stream, beyond which lies the interior of town proper and the keep. Bren and Quaalxor hop aside as Rumble drives Daisy and the wagon past, but stops just shy of the stream. This is a well-traveled section, and is probably one of the most shallow areas of the stream with maybe a foot of water flowing over a gravel bottom. It normally would not present a problem, but the wagon may present a bit of difficulty.
The stream where you're attempting to cross is maybe 20-feet across, but, traveling slowly and cautiously, you manage to cross it without incident.
Once reaching the shore on the opposite side, the chaos of the raid becomes more evident, as looters and raiders move about town, almost without resistance except in areas where the drastically outnumbered town guards have gathered.
The keep is just off to the right beyond this stream, less than 500-feet from your current location.
Maybe 50-feet off to your right, a similar sized group of kobolds to the ones you just faced appear to be breaking into a shop that has been barricaded. Ahead, maybe 100-feet, another group -- this one of kobolds and a dog-like creature -- appear to be trying to break into another shop that's been barricaded.
The occasional scream is heard from various spots off in the distance.
Suddenly, a looming shadow of a large overhead object glides across your path but continues north. The shadow, created by the giant blue dragon, makes towards the keep -- then stops. Massive, leathery wings flap as the dragon hovers in position, maybe 50-feet in the air. It's frightful effect causes the few townsfolk still out to scream in panic and flee in the most convenient direction away from the giant attacking lizard. The keep guards atop the parapet, maybe 20 or so in total, largely seem to have weathered or overcome this fearful effect, and mount a meager defense.
A pair of guards wheel around a ballista, taking aim.
Then --
A flash, as a bolt of light streaks across the sky, targeting the keep. The stonework begins to weaken where the strike occurs, and rubble tumbles down below, scattering those just beneath it. The handful of guards in the targeted area attempt to dive out of the way of the blast, but two of them get struck -- their bodies sizzle, and their death is swift, and hopefully painless. One of electrocuted falls between a pair of crenelations and tumbles over the ledge face first, ending in a billowing cloud of dust as they contact the ground below.
Twang!
The ballista is fired, and the giant spear just misses as the hovering blue dragon dips out of the way -- then flaps its wings and ascending quickly, relocating out of harm's way and back into its circle pattern.
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The trail you're on continues straight to a four-way intersection, with the right turn leading to keep. A more direct route will have you deviating from the path, and crossing the mostly open courtyard.
---
Okay, using full time tokens on the map really obliterates the scale. Instead, I am going to use the blue circle to represent the PC; the red squares to represent groups of obvious bad guys, and green squares to represent larger groups of townsfolk.
You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Stonecunning:
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check.
Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon.
You don’t need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn’t incapacitated, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
During your rogue training you learned thieves’ cant, a secret mix of dialect, jargon, and code that allows you to hide messages in seemingly normal conversation.
Only another creature that knows thieves’ cant understands such messages.
It takes four times longer to convey such a message than it does to speak the same idea plainly.
In addition, you understand a set of secret signs and symbols used to convey short, simple messages, such as whether an area is dangerous or the territory of a thieves’ guild, whether loot is nearby, or whether the people in an area are easy marks or will provide a safe house for thieves on the run.
As well respected as clan crafters are among outsiders, no one esteems them quite so highly as dwarves do. You always have free room and board in any place where shield dwarves or gold dwarves dwell, and the individuals in such a settlement might vie among themselves to determine who can offer you (and possibly your compatriots) the finest accommodations and assistance.
Breath Weapon: 1 ( DC: 12 | AoE: 5 by 30 ft. line (Dex. save) | Damage: 2d6 ( Half on successful save) | Recovery: Short )
Draconic Resilience
As magic flows through your body, it causes physical traits of your dragon ancestors to emerge. At 1st level, your hit point maximum increases by 1 and increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level in this class.
Additionally, parts of your skin are covered by a thin sheen of dragon-like scales. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier.
You and your adventuring companions can expect to receive free healing and care at a temple, shrine, or other established presence of your faith, though you must provide any material components needed for spells.
When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. Recovery: Long
Savage Attacks:
When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.
While you are transformed, the following rules apply:
Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature’s bonus instead of yours. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can’t use them.
When you transform, you assume the beast’s hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. For example, if you take 10 damage in animal form and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage. As long as the excess damage doesn’t reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren’t knocked unconscious.
You can’t cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form. Transforming doesn’t break your concentration on a spell you’ve already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you’ve already cast.
You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can’t use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.
You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature’s shape and size. Your equipment doesn’t change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can’t wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.
As a bonus action, you can choose one creature you can see within 120 feet of you and spend a number of those dice equal to half your druid level or less.
Roll the spent dice and add them together.
The target regains a number of hit points equal to the total.
The target also gains 1 temporary hit point per die spent. Recovery: Long
The quiet seclusion of your extended hermitage gave you access to a unique and powerful discovery. The exact nature of this revelation depends on the nature of your seclusion. It might be a great truth about the cosmos, the deities, the powerful beings of the outer planes, or the forces of nature. It could be a site that no one else has ever seen. You might have uncovered a fact that has long been forgotten, or unearthed some relic of the past that could rewrite history. It might be information that would be damaging to the people who or consigned you to exile, and hence the reason for your return to society.
You have advantage on saves against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
Trance
You don't need to sleep, but meditate semiconsciously for 4 hours a day. While meditating, you can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.
Once per day when you finish a short rest, you can choose expended spell slots to recover.
The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than half your wizard level (rounded up), and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher.
Your accent, mannerisms, figures of speech, and perhaps even your appearance all mark you as foreign. Curious glances are directed your way wherever you go, which can be a nuisance, but you also gain the friendly interest of scholars and others intrigued by far-off lands, to say nothing of everyday folk who are eager to hear stories of your homeland.
You can parley this attention into access to people and places you might not otherwise have, for you and your traveling companions. Noble lords, scholars, and merchant princes, to name a few, might be interested in hearing about your distant homeland and peopl
When you move on your turn in combat, you can double your speed until the end of the turn. Recovery: Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you move 0 feet on one of your turns.
On your turn, you can enter a rage as a bonus action.
While raging, you gain the following benefits if you aren’t wearing heavy armor:
You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
When you make a melee weapon attack using Strength, you gain a bonus to the damage roll that increases as you gain levels as a barbarian, as shown in the Rage Damage column of the Barbarian table.
You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
If you are able to cast spells, you can’t cast them or concentrate on them while raging.
Your rage lasts for 1 minute.
It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or if your turn ends and you haven’t attacked a hostile creature since your last turn or taken damage since then.
You can also end your rage on your turn as a bonus action. Recovery: Long
When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly.
Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn.
You can always find a place to perform in any place that features combat for entertainment — perhaps a gladiatorial arena or secret pit fighting club. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food of a modest or comfortable standard (depending on the quality of the establishment), as long as you perform each night. In addition, your performance makes you something of a local figure. When strangers recognize you in a town where you have performed, they typically take a liking to you.
You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Stonecunning:
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check.
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2.
The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
On your turn, you can take one additional action. Recovery: Short
3rd: --
Background: Guild Artisan / Guild Merchant
Feature: Guild Membership
As an established and respected member of a guild, you can rely on certain benefits that membership provides. Your fellow guild members will provide you with lodging and food if necessary, and pay for your funeral if needed. In some cities and towns, a guildhall offers a central place to meet other members of your profession, which can be a good place to meet potential patrons, allies, or hirelings.
Guilds often wield tremendous political power. If you are accused of a crime, your guild will support you if a good case can be made for your innocence or the crime is justifiable. You can also gain access to powerful political figures through the guild, if you are a member in good standing. Such connections might require the donation of money or magic items to the guild’s coffers.
You must pay dues of 5 gp per month to the guild. If you miss payments, you must make up back dues to remain in the guild’s good graces.
Staring back and forth between the keep, and the enemy-packed road ahead, Oskar hesitates for a moment. Looking over at his comrades, he asks "Do you want to be heroes...?" as he points up toward the townspeople to the north.
Oskar proposes sneaking north past the kobolds breaking into buildings, and trying to rescue the villagers to the north, near the... bigger group?
"The Goddess sent me for a reason, I think it is obvious now. I join the battle. We can try sneaking past the near group and going after those nearest the townsfolk, but I fear we will just be attacked from behind by those we sneak past. Either way we must act now. Rumble, keep your friends safe. Lead the way Oskar."
Strega will give a quick look over the father, if he needs healing she will use Balm of the Summer Court on him since she didn't last round.
"Let us move to the right, so we're between the looters and the keep. They probably aren't looking for a fight right now so we should be able to make it to the road to the keep, and then we can assist those two groups moving there if they need help.".
Tannaris quickly casts mage armor on himself.
Looking at the assorted groups of raiders and the helpless townspeople trying to avoid being butchered, he grits his teeth in anger.
"I say let's scatter the vermin. They don't have the stomach to fight anyone but villagers it seems. We can make our way to the townspeople and get them to safety.
