Sleeping Giants Game 15

The gang heads back to Oakhurst. Jordan looks for answers, Ana tends her boop-a-groots, and everyone else gets drunk!

Intro

Nil's Justice

Before you left the citadel, you had to make sure that orders were communicated properly and that the kobolds knew what to do in your absence. It is your citadel now, after all, and it won’t repair itself. You were speaking with Zelda directly, informing her that the citadel needs repairs and the Underdark access should be removed. It was then that Resk approached you, and reminded you about their one remaining prisoner: the goblin that your party forced to watch his friends and family die slowly in front of him.

It wasn’t long before the kobolds gathered to witness the coming spectacle, the din of excited barking filling the ceremony chamber. A hastily constructed pile of stones in the center of the room affixes a large wooden beam salvaged from debris from elsewhere in the citadel. Tied to the beam is the last remaining goblin, looking indignant, if a little desperate. Ordinarily, he’d take this opportunity to curse and spit at his captors, but a large ball of soiled cloth is stuffed into his mouth, gagging him. Finally Nil steps forward from the crowd, accompanied by Zelda and Resk.

“Esteemed denizens of the Sunless Citadel, I have gathered you here today, for today is a scarlet day. Today marks the day when the rightful and true heirs of this remarkable place come together and at last inherit the legacy so cruelly cast aside by lesser men.”

Most of the kobolds looked around to each other, a bit confounded; they weren’t used to such flowery pomp and were trying to work out what she was on about.

“This goblin, this thing, has befouled this fortress, your home, with its disgusting presence. The crimes the goblins have committed against you all are too numerous to name, but now the time for justice and honor to be restored is upon us.”

Nil turns to the goblin and holds out her hand.

“I sentence you to death by immolation, effective immediately.”

Flames erupt from her hand, engulfing the base of the pile. As the flames climb the wooden beam the the goblin’s flesh, his muffled cries of agony are barely heard over the elated barking and whoops from the crowd. The acrid smell of boiling fat and burnt hair fills the room. The cacophony dies down as Nil speaks once more, gesturing to the crowd.

“Rulers of the Sunless Citadel, I have pledged to be your protectorate. All who serve me will find themselves richly rewarded. All who raise sword or spell against me, our enemies, will find themselves in the same, inescapable fate as this goblin. This I promise you, for this the promise of House Nile, the heirs of Nileraxxemon!”

Sparks explode from the pyre like fireworks. Some of the sparks rearrange themselves and seem to hover in mid air, forming the crest of House Nile, a fierce red dragon. The kobolds erupt in ecstasy.

Recap

• ~8:00 pm. Journey back to Oakhurst goes uneventfully.
• Ford properly makes memorials for the dead girl, boy, and Caracas.
• Ford also helps the Kobolds to dispose of the goblin and hobgoblin remains in the Citadel.
• Nil also sticks around to help.
• Stratton isn't interested in helping, but plays some music to help pass the time.
• Lyla stays to read a book while Elliot also helps. (It all takes about 2 hours.)
• Jordan, Ana, and Erki return to town immediately. They arrive at 8pm.
• The rest of us that stayed arrive at Oakurst at 10pm.

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• Ana introduces the boop-a-groops (Boop-a-groot and Two-a-groot).
• Jordan interrupts by casting a shadow on these proceedings; wants to talk with Ana. She says she's busy... what?

Jordan: "It's about Elliot..."

Ana: What of him?

J: I'm asking you the same.

Ana says both should be dead so Elliot was brought back by unnatural means.

J: What magic and how do you know this?

A: You have your gods and I have mine... and mine actually answers...

J: You know this for certain?

A: Yes. Confident.

J: What kind of magic?

A: Call it divine intervention. Not sure who intervened - question the boy and girl about who they serve.

J: I appreciate the info... (walks away)

• Ana returns to boop-a-groot introductions. Seems to go well - they bond over a worm.
• Ana checks into the inn after this - still free thanks to the mayor. Some rooms appears to be closed. She asks the bartender what's going on? States some rooms are being refurbished due to a bad review (Nil's)
• Jordan goes to the church after this interaction. Erki is already there, praying. no one else is there as it's pretty late.
• Jordan lights a candle. Erki doesn't register his presence due to being deep in prayer.
• Jordan bars the front door from the inside (locks it) so no one can get it.
• Erki is no longer in prayer and asks if something's wrong? Jordan asks her what he should know? Erki says she can't discuss details of her mission - ordered by "a cardinal".

J: Who is Ana?

E: I don't know anyone by that name.

J: Who is Caras?

E: Caras is under the same amount of secrecy - I can't discuss that with an acolyte I'm afraid. We can discuss it in Skyhammer in a few days at our debriefings...

J: We won't both be present during that...

E: I mean... probably not. I understand wanting to know the mystery, but not everyone can know everything...

Jordan thinks of his brother, who left for reasons not well-known.

J: Ana follows another god, I don't understand why this would sit well with you or the cardinals.

E: I've never thought to question my orders. I'll work with others who don't believe in or worship Thalos.

J: Remember - our job is to keep the doors to Hell shut. Sorry to interrupt your prayer. We'll talk again in Skyhammer later I guess.

• Jordan is feeling like he didn't get the answers he wanted. Goes back to the inn.

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• Rest of the party return to town. Now 10pm.
• OSIS decide not to interrupt anyone's evenings...? Nil decides to go right to bed, but not before editing her review of the inn first - made it better.
• Ford goes to Lady Hucreals' house and knocks lightly... no response. Tries again slightly louder - no effect.
• Ford dramatically smokes a cigarette, then heads back to the inn - Stratton joins him.
• Nil meets the tavern owner/barkeep Leslie at the inn. She tells Nil they were making improvements based on her recommendations. Nil says she'll amend her review to be nicer...?

Leslie: What would you like the new Master Suite to be called?

Nil: I'm not sure...

L: Maybe we'll call it the Nil Suite?

N: Uhhh.. sure?

L: The usual food tonight?

N: Just a glass of wine then I'll call it a night. ... Actually, the suite should be called... "The Red Dragon Suite."

• Lyla enters and orders a beer. Elliot sits next to her at the bar - thinks it's "so cool" that Lyla is drinking?! and orders a beer with her.
• Convo continues with Elliot, Lyla, and Nil - Nil's a little bit catty towards Lyla.
• Leslie doesn't have anymore rooms available. Elliot doesn't have a room!
• Lyla offers the floor in her room. Elliot looks over at Nil... suggesting maybe there are alternative options? ... none seem available.
• Stratton and Ford enter - Stratton in fantastic acrobatic form. Stratton orders a bunch of shots - with Nil, Lyla, Elliot, Ford, and Stratton.
• Leslie sneaks upstairs and informs Jordan that Lyla arrived (as Jordan asked). He asks that she send Lyla up to his room. Leslie thinks it's kind of weird (as Lyla has been drinking) but says she'll suggest it to Lyla.
• Leslie returns downstairs and whispers to Lyla that Jordan wants to see her in his room.
• Lyla decides to go - is stopped by Nil who overhead and decides to go with her.
• Elliot asks what's happening - they say it's a girl thing - going to go powder their noses.
• Stratton is busy failing at card tricks with Ford at the bar.
• Elliot believes their story and stays at the bar.
• Ford and Stratton discuss what to give Lady Hukreal: the other signet ring (we already gave her her son's), the banded armor, and her daughter's necklace.
• Jordan meets Lyla and Nil at his door when Lyla knocks...
• They enter Jordan's room and close te door at his instructions and then he locks it. Nil is very apprehensive. Jordan looks at Lyla and asks...

J: What did you do?

L: ... what?

J: What did you do?

N: Jordan, what's this about.

L: I had some alcohol.. it's been a busy few days...

-> GAME CUT HERE DUE TO UNFORSEEN ILLNESS :'( <-

-> GAME RESUMED <-

• ~10 pm
• Start back at (shirtless) Jordan locking the door - ignores Nil and looks directly at Lyla.

J: What did you do?

L: (averts eyes) What'dya mean? (Lyla had come to the room giggling then sobers up when the door locks. Jordan is aware of Lyla being drunkish...)

J: What have you done?

L: 2 shots?

N: Drinking's not a crime, Jordan!

L: Stratton bought them for us...

J: Divine Magic didn't bring your brother back.

N: The apple?

J: The apple didn't either.

L: Yeah? No? I mean he's fine. Maybe the apple brought him back? I mean the apple brought him back. The apple *definitely* brought him back.

Nil can tell Lyla is withholding some info.

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• Back downstairs...
• Ford is playing "bloody knuckles".
• Stratton is trying to juggle the shot glasses. Elliot is very impressed. Leslie is EVEN MORE impressed. Stratton chats her up - does a very good job.
• Ana is trying to speak with her deity in her room. Finds out the power that brought Elliot back was powerful, not sure whether it was malicious or not.

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N: What the fuck did you do?

L: Well.. you know I have magic... it doesn't just come from nowhere.

N: Where's yours come from?

L: A higher power? I talked to this higher power about Elliot... I didn't want Elliot to die - so it brought him back to life.

N: What does it do for you? What's it mean?

L: ...

Jordan rages out the door to go after Elliot. Lyla sees his intentions and runs after him.

L: Jordan, wait!

N: BOTH OF YOU WAIT!

• Elliot is still watching Stratton juggle.
• Ana would've heard the argument.
• Jordan goes directly to Elliot and grabs him by the throat and slams him into the wall.
• Ana comes down to watch what's going on and grabs the nearest entertainment snack.

Nil: Everyone calm down!

Stratton: Woah! What's going on?

• Lyla casts Shatter to try to disrupt the commotion - but does it at just Jordan and Elliot. Elliot takes half damage (6), Jordan takes full (13).
• It also damages some of the tavern's tables and glasses which shatter and explode.
• Jordan still keeps his hold on Elliot.
• Nil runs up to try to restrain Lyla (grapples)

J: You were brought here as a favor from the darkness! Who are you?!

E: Elliot Hellebore! Weren't you paying attention?

• Elliot punches Jordan for 7 damage and tries to break his grip, but isn't able to.
• Stratton defers to Ford - Ford shrugs, keep drinking, Stratton shrugs, keeps drinking.

Lyla: It's not darkness that brought him back! It's something else! (Struggles in Nil's grasp)

Nil (to Jordan): Can't you sense evil auras?! Do you sense anything on him? No you can't! So put him down!

• Jordan *barely* registers this fact and releases Elliot. Jordan then heals himself.
• Nil lets Lyla go and Lyla & Nil go to Elliot & Jordan.
• Ana heads towards Lyla and sees that Leslie was readying a crossbow then puts it down when she sees the violence de-escalate.

Ana to Lyla: Who do you serve?

Lyla: It is a Fey.

Ana: *BIGGEST SIGH* You can't trust the Fey.

Lyla: They gave me all my powers and brought my brother back!

Elliot: Wait, what?!

Ana: You can't trust the fey. They don't give, they only take.

Lyla to Elliot: The fey came to me and brought you back to life.

Ana: What have you give them?

Lyla: Nothing yet. They said they might ask for something some day...

Ana to Jordan: You need to be more worried for Lyla than for Elliot. (walks away)

• Jordan is having a hard time with this because Lyla needs to go to Skyhammer to be cleansed of the fey and "saved", and cares for Lyla, but knows that in Skyhammer they'll try to murder her.
• Nil grabs Lyla and Elliot and tells them they need to go to bed now and nudges them towards their rooms...
• Lyla to Elliot: We sould go home tomorrow.
• Nil to Lyla and Elliot: Sory about Jordan... just... sorry.
• Nil returns back to the bar and goes to Jordan.

Nil: What the heck?!

Jordan: We've discovered two open wounds here - the door to the underdark and the conduit to the fey - which is Lyla - Lyla needs to go to Skyhammer to be cleansed.

Stratton: Oh! A roadtrip!

Nil, gesturing to the mess: Is Skyhammer going to pay for all of this?

Leslie: I certainly hope so...

Jordan: How much is the damage Leslie?

Leslie: We're looking at upwards of 10-15 silver pieces!

Nil immediately pays silver pieces (20 silver).

Leslie: You can stay the night, but not beyond that. (gives some free drinks on the house)

• Stratton thanks Leslie - she still appears to like Stratton.
• Stratton and Ford take the free drinks and split them as no one else wanted them. Then Stratton heads upstairs and throws Leslie a drunk wink ;)
• Ford takes a walk outside?

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• Ana to Jordan: You can't take Lyla and Elliot with you to Skyhammer - they'll leave before then. I suggest going to Elliot and appealing to him that it'll be in their best interests.
• Jordan tries to get more info about the fey.
• Ana just says they're not to be trusted.
• Jordan goes to Elliot and Lyla's room - Jordan knocks, Elliot answers. Jordan asks ot talk to Elliot alone - Lyla protests - Elliot assures her he'll be okay and puts on his sword.
• Lyla waits for them to leave then tries to follow.
• Jordan and Elliot go to Jordan's room.

J: I fear your sister is in danger.

E: With you, I'd say so.

J: She's a conduit of the fey. They could ask anything of her. They are the ones giving her her powers, they could do much more than that.

E: What do you propose?

J: She come to Skyhammer to break the connection between her and the fey.

E: What if she does want that?

J: I must tell the people of Skyhammer about this - they might come after her - I can protect her from them...

E: I mean, it's up to her. She knows you longer than I have. I'll have to speak to my sister.

• Elliot leaves and sees Lyla, trying to listen outside (unsuccessfully). "Sis, let's go back to bed." They go back to their room and lock the door.

Elliot to Lyla: He wants to take you to Skyhammer and disconnect you from the fey.

L: No!

E: Right now, it's two against one, we can take Jordan!

L: (tries to figure this out logically - what does she know of the fey, is it different from Jordan's view? What options do they have?)

E: He says he can keep you safe, but I don't know what that means.

L: I don't want him to take the source of my power... where can we go?

• As she's thinking, Elliot freezes unnaturally. Green light...

• Fey: Skyhammer huh? I've always wanted to visit Skyhammer...

L: They said they'd try to separate me from my powers...

Fey: I'd like to see them try.

• Time resumes...

Lyla: Let's go to Skyhammer.

Elliot: Skyhammer it is then, I'm not going to let you go alone, especially with him. We'll send note to Kittiwake's Edge in the morning.

• Everyone goes to sleep. Private rooms except for Elliot
• LONG REST

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• DAY 5 - 1.7.513
• Ford wakes in the middle of the night when he senses something - notices a scroll is missing and da short piece of parchment is in its place.
• It was one of his divine scrolls - he reads the parchment. Ford smokes a cigarette and stays up for about an hour, then goes back to sleep.
• Rest of the night really uneventful.
• 5:00 am - knock at Jordan's door - who is already awake - he finds the messenger who gives him a very ornate scroll

Messenger: They wanted me to give you this right away!

Jordan: Who did you meet with?

M: Jam Bradford.

J: Dismissed (gave him 2 more gold pieces).

• Jordan recognizes it as a tamper proof case made for transporting very important letters. Skyhammer official business. SECRET! SECRET!
• Everyone slowly wakes up and comes downstairs.
• Stratton goes to pick flowers outside for Leslie.
• Elliot and Lyla are still here and saunter down to breakfast. Lyla apologizes to Leslie personally.
• Leslie appreciates this, but says she still can't stay another night. Lyla gives her two gold pieces.
• Stratton is eating breakfst. Talks about Lady Ukreal.
• Ford takes Elliot with him to Lady Ukreeal, Stratton goes, Nil stays.
• Stratton tells Jordan not to do anything crazy until we get back.
• Before this, Jordan said he was going to Skyhammer, who's going with?
• Ford to Lady Hucreal: Grave news - we found your children, they fought bravely, but were cut down."
• Elliot: It's true ma'am.
• Ford hands over the necklace, other signet ring, and the banded armor. Offers to show her their grave sights and paints them as heroes that got in over their heads. She asks for directions to their grave sights but doesn't want to go just now.
• Lady Hucreal gives Ford the money - 65 gps. Goes back inside and thanks us for our service.
• 20 gp to each member of OSIS and 8gp for the business funds in general (kept by Nil).

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• When we left Jordan left to find the same messenger and asked how quickly he could deliver another message to Skyhammer? He wants a message to arrive at Skyhammer before our group does. After this Jordan returns to the cavern.

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• Ford, Stratton, and Elliot returned to the bar, so does Erki. Jordan also returns. ~8:00 am.
• Jordan: I'll leave for Skyhammer in 2 hours - who's coming?
• Stratton: It makes sense for us to all stay together...
• We all look towards Ana - she slowly and begrudgingly agrees.
• Everyone grabs their things and starts heading out - Stratton is VERY happy we're all together.
• The mayor stops us as we're heading out of town
• Mayor: Uhhh, wait, are you leaving? What happened to the goblins? What happened to the golden apples?
• Nil explains the goblins were all murdered and that Bellock was also murdered. The evil tree was burned.
• Mayor thanks us and welcomes us back should we end up back here.
  • Given an OSIS card
• We all leave Oakhurst - traveling west on major roads - then at a cross road - take a major road south to Skyhammer. Travel by foot should take about 3 days.
• Before leaving Stratton buys 10 more days' rations at 10% off = 45 silver pieces.
• Ford has a wand of entangle - he uses this time to identify.
• Stratton keeps his Rick Roll music box going (tinker toys cost 10 gp each, 1 hour to keep up each 24 hours)
  • Stratton makes another clockwork toy - 1 - baby person, 2 - baby dragon
• Jordan attunes to his whistle "Night Crawler" - if blown in darkness or under night sky - animate dead spell - animated corpse does bidding.

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• ARRIVE AT SKYHAMMER!
• 2 guards see Jordan and warn him it's been particularly bad.