(D&D 5e) The Plague of Nightmares IC

[Jrpergande78]

From outside the barn Jynx hears the declaration that "Mr. Snakey" was being attacked caused her and Mand to look around for someone dumb enough to try to attck Manda, she forgets momentarily about Yaotl.

[Requilac]

"Mr. Snakey is under attack!" Zuzu declares as he scans around looking for enemies to flambe.

Initiative: [roll0]
Perception: [roll1]

You don't really see anything around that could really attack Yaotl. No animals larger than a squirrel are about, and the only humans here is the party and the courier, neither of which are close enough to stab him. And looking at Yaot, you see no sign of injury other than his reaction. Either he is having another plague delusion, or he is being bitten by insects, the latter of which you cannot see either.

[Zergrinch]

Zuzu goes to the squirrel and tries to talk to it, asking if some evil person is lurking around.

Animal Handling [roll0]

[Requilac]

Riding atop your valiant steeds of Eyor the gray horse, Horsey the maroon pony, and Manda the serpent you all head out on the road. It is snowing outside at a decent pace, one which isn't enough to restrict your horse's movement too much but does restrict your sight quite a bit. It doesn't take very long for the dirt road to be so covered in snow that it cannot be seen, but luckily cairns have been placed all along the roads so that you know where to go. So far the sun is managing to shine through the snow clouds well, making it so that things are well lit outside even if the mist obscures your vision.

Those of you who are used to snow expect a sort of quiet to come with it because many of the animals hibernate or migrate from the frigid areas; this is absolutely not the case here. A chorus of frantic frogs and cicadas are madly sounding off as if it were in the middle of mating season, despite the conditions outside being absolutely impracticle for it. Bats, Owls and other night predators are out and about during the light of day and feasting upon the many insects which are about. Squirrels and rabbits are frantically rushing about as if it were a forest fire, and you can see several of their corpses buried in the snow. There is something incredibly disturbing by how active this forest is in conditions like this.

For hours on this path you didn't pass a single soul, but as you look ahead you see the first sign of people on this road. A small caravan of what you assume to be 16 or so people is up ahead. A legion of llamas can be seen herding around four different tube-shaped wooden covered wagons, with four llamas per wagon. Around this caravan you can see what appears to be a troop of seven or so soldiers, all dressed in winter clothing made from tough fleece that would blend perfectly in with the snow if they actually tried to conceal themselves. It is difficult to identify any distinguishing features through the full winter clothing and matching uniforms. Each of them are equipped with a greenish tinted arming sword, a quiver of darts and some strange but thin device for throwing them

The closest three soldier towards you rides out towards in your direction at a nonthreatening canter and stops in front of the party. Trailing close to them is some strange canine creature with brownish fur and black spots that looks like so lean that it almost reminds you of more of a cat than a dog. Its lips are pulled back in a sort of cruel smile and it delivers an odd yip at you that sounds almost like an impossibly deep throated cat yowling, mixed like almost a bird call. One of the soldiers dismounts from their llama and stands before you, with weapons clearly visible but not willing to draw them.

The cavalry person speaks in a sonorous and rolling accent,where the pronunciation of words which don't place emphasis on the vowels are completely butchered. For once though you can actually tell that the speaker is a woman, which marks the first time ever since you entered Senckried when you could successfully asks someone's gender. "We are here acting under the orders of High Captain Barakathe of the Army of Tloclix Empire to maintain peace in immediate area. We have evidence that the Order of Umbra is active on this road. What is your reason for trying to go down this path, and do you have any involvement in the Order of Umbra?"

This is completely blindsiding most of you. The Tloclix Empire has never once had any sort of presence in Braughlmark, and now here they are saying that they have authority to harass travellers like this in its grounds. Most people in Braughlmark don't even know what the Tloclix Empire is, and even then you all know very little about it other than the fact that it is some sort of Elvish Empire in the Jungles to the South. You haven't heard much about them at all, much less of them having any involvement in Senckried. Actually, wait a second... didn't the guerillas say something about the Tloclix before (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23168950&postcount=446)?



Jynx: This probably isn't your first time dealing with the Tloclix Empire. You are well acquainted with the fact that elves are simply a race of humanoids that where given special powers by the Fey Wardens of Sylwyth, of whom Yig is one, and that most of their race belongs to the Tloclix Empire. Of all the humanoid countries, they are the most receptive to fey coming into their lands, and often times elves will deliver sacrifices or worship to higher ranking fey. You don't really view them as any different than normal humans who are just generally more tolerant of druidic magic.

Yaotl: You distinctly remember that the elves were once a race of humans who, after being cursed by a fiend to forever be haunted by nightmares that prevent them from resting, employed the fey to help. The fey wardens aided this race of humans and granted them special supernatural abilities, the most signifigant of which is the fact that they do not actually need to sleep, just meditate to rest. You also remember that the clergy of the Tloclix empire has a habit of performing human sacrifices on felons and prisoners of war, which seems to be something you can recall very specifically. Their interaction certainly strikes you at odd, but seeing as how Yig and other fey where seen in the area, it isn't wholly something outside the realm of possibility.

Yvonne: You have heard the fact that there was Empire in the jungles across the sea mentioned before on rare occasion, but you never truly decided to focus much on the matter. In your history class you vaguely remember hearing a lesson about how they were once a race of people that somehow became close to the Fey, but you didn't particularly find that History lesson signifigant so you didn't listen very much and can remember very little about it. Almost all stories depict Elves as dishonorable thieves and cowards that aren't really all that dangerous but are incredibly untrustworthy and deceitful, likely to betray anybody for a profit. Yvonne probably believes this negative stereotype about them because this is the first time she has ever seen one before, but she couldn't really pinpoint where this belief comes from.

Zuzu: The elves of the Tloclix empire has made some very good strides in fey research and druidic magic, so they are pretty well known to you due to your stuides. Although the history on this matter is vague, it is clear that they are a race of humans who where imbued with the magic of the fey, giving them special capabilities. At first the Tloclix was just a tribe, but eventually they conquered so much land that they became one of the largest empires in the world. You don't remember ever hearing about the Tloclix being active in Braughlmark, but colonizing certainly isn't outside of their regular activities, so this isn't like hell has frozen over just yet.

[Awful]

Yvonne narrowed her eyes as the patrolwoman rode up. She pulled on the reins of her horse, bringing him to a halt, and she gazed imperiously down at the approaching warriors.
"I am Knightess Yvonne of Sonnenstahl, faithful of Vitay and noble of the kingdom of Braughlmurk." Her tone was strong and forceful. "This is not the Tloclix Empire, and you have no authority here. By what right do you dare bar our passage?"

[Zergrinch]

Zuzu the blabbermouth begins to talk unbidden.

"Oh hi there, lady, you are Tloclix right? I'm Zuzu and I have the Plague of Nightmares and I'm gonna die soon but before I die I want revenge on those stupid Order of Umbra people. We are on our way to see the Knightess' friend, and someone wrote us this very strange poem which says that there are gnolls nearly and that they are serving the undead. Oh, and there was something about lingering memories given some kind of life sublime. Oh it also ends with something saying madness comes for our souls, but I think it is just poetic license and nothing more than a attempt to impress us.

So now I told you about us can you tell me about you? Is it true you know some fey magic? I am looking for a way to summon a familiar which is a creature from the fey wild and I think it will be very helpful for our mission. I can trade this Wendigo collar for it if you like! What do you say?"

[Awful]

As Zuzu began to speak, and before he could get very far, Yvonne interrupted him and barked "Quiet!"

[Jrpergande78]

Not caring about the petty issues between the Empire, or other kingdoms, Jynx and Manda moves up.

While what Lady Yvonne says is harsh it's true, you have no right here, as for the Umbal, the only dealings with them we have is stopping the nightmarish plague that is taking over the land. As for where or why we are heading in this direction, well it's not of any concern to you. I have dealt with the Emmppire before, I'll not tell you, again as nicely. Please step aside, go back home and let us do what the gods have tasked us to.

[Requilac]

Yvonne narrowed her eyes as the patrolwoman rode up. She pulled on the reins of her horse, bringing him to a halt, and she gazed imperiously down at the approaching warriors.
"I am Knightess Yvonne of Sonnenstahl, faithful of Vitay and noble of the kingdom of Braughlmurk." Her tone was strong and forceful. "This is not the Tloclix Empire, and you have no authority here. By what right do you dare bar our passage?"

The winter clothed soldier regards you with a respectful bow but her tone of voice rings with a repressed frustration. "My lady, I am sorry, but you must understand, I am not an ambassador, I am a soldier. I do not know any of the minutia regarding foreign affairs or what country has authority to do what in this convoluted and ambiguous mess called "politics". I am simply following the orders given to me by my superior officers. I don't want to be here, I didn't choose to be here, and I don't fully understand what is happening here, but I have to carry out my duties here. If you are truly a knight as you say, then you have to understand the importance of following orders. If you have a complaint with the Tloclix Empire, then I am not the person you should bring it up with, because I am not in a position to do much of anything except for do what others tell me to."


Zuzu the blabbermouth begins to talk unbidden.

"Oh hi there, lady, you are Tloclix right? I'm Zuzu and I have the Plague of Nightmares and I'm gonna die soon but before I die I want revenge on those stupid Order of Umbra people. We are on our way to see the Knightess' friend, and someone wrote us this very strange poem which says that there are gnolls nearly and that they are serving the undead. Oh, and there was something about lingering memories given some kind of life sublime. Oh it also ends with something saying madness comes for our souls, but I think it is just poetic license and nothing more than a attempt to impress us.

So now I told you about us can you tell me about you? Is it true you know some fey magic? I am looking for a way to summon a familiar which is a creature from the fey wild and I think it will be very helpful for our mission. I can trade this Wendigo collar for it if you like! What do you say?"



Not caring about the petty issues between the Empire, or other kingdoms, Jynx and Manda moves up.

While what Lady Yvonne says is harsh it's true, you have no right here, as for the Umbal, the only dealings with them we have is stopping the nightmarish plague that is taking over the land. As for where or why we are heading in this direction, well it's not of any concern to you. I have dealt with the Emmppire before, I'll not tell you, again as nicely. Please step aside, go back home and let us do what the gods have tasked us to.

The patroller looks slightly surprised and amused by Zuzu's behavior, but doesn't really let that show in her tone. Instead she directs her attention towards Jynx, which is luckily much less awkward then it needs to be because you are on Manda's pack when she is not mounted, making your eye levels roughly equal. "So you are an enemy of the Order of Umbra then, is that correct? If so, all you have to do is present us with some proof that you have fought against the Order of Umbra or are otherwise affiliated with a group that is working against them and then we will let you go through. We will not take anything from you, but we will need to at least see something."

"I am sorry if this is inconvenient for you, and I don't personally have anything against you, but my orders are my orders. I would have gone back home months ago if I had the choice to. Please don't make this harder for either of us here by doing this."

Interestingly enough, neither of the two soldiers next to her are saying anything. While its true that usually one person in a group will be a lead speaker, the fact that the others have said absolutely nothing strikes you as off. There must be some odd procedures these foreign soldiers are accustomed to.

[Jrpergande78]

Why, my and my companion(pats Manda on his his head), are all the proof you need. Yig herself has brought us here to be with this group and to put a stop to the plague and those who try stop us is against Yig, and those against Yig pay dearly with their lives. Of course that's what she told me, anyways you are far beyond your borders and the fact that you will not allow us to pass makes me believe that perhaps you are involved with the order of Umbra. So, I present to you the very same proposition, show us proof you are the enemy of Umbra, and we'll show you ours.

[Zergrinch]

Zuzu fishes out the steel hula hoop he got (remnants of the Wendigo's collar). For good measure, he waves around the Sceptre of the Storm the Sorcerer dropped.

"Here's a control collar we got from a Wendigo that the Order was controlling and it was eating a lot of people. And so we got on a trip to kill the Wendigo, and actually while we thought to ambush it, we were the ones ambushed. It was a bloody fight and the Order was controlling the Wendigo through this collar by their evil Sorcerer representative. But we beat the bad guys up and the Sorcerer dropped his wand and now it is mine, and the Knightess chopped off its head with a single blow! And then we tracked them to their hideout and found it abandoned because the Nagaraja was killing them all. But we did find this mushroom thing whose spores are in this vial and this ration that we found when we first met on the way to Senkreid. But it's okay because we beat it so bad that it became invisible, and ran away in shame. I am sure it will never bother us again. So yes I hope this answers your question whether we are friends of Umbra or not."

[bc56]

Yaotl doesn't speak, because he's currently in the form of a snake, curled up in one of the horses' saddlebags with his head poking out. He hisses frustratedly, but doesn't act at the moment.

[Requilac]

Why, my and my companion(pats Manda on his his head), are all the proof you need. Yig herself has brought us here to be with this group and to put a stop to the plague and those who try stop us is against Yig, and those against Yig pay dearly with their lives. Of course that's what she told me, anyways you are far beyond your borders and the fact that you will not allow us to pass makes me believe that perhaps you are involved with the order of Umbra. So, I present to you the very same proposition, show us proof you are the enemy of Umbra, and we'll show you ours.


Zuzu fishes out the steel hula hoop he got (remnants of the Wendigo's collar). For good measure, he waves around the Sceptre of the Storm the Sorcerer dropped.

"Here's a control collar we got from a Wendigo that the Order was controlling and it was eating a lot of people. And so we got on a trip to kill the Wendigo, and actually while we thought to ambush it, we were the ones ambushed. It was a bloody fight and the Order was controlling the Wendigo through this collar by their evil Sorcerer representative. But we beat the bad guys up and the Sorcerer dropped his wand and now it is mine, and the Knightess chopped off its head with a single blow! And then we tracked them to their hideout and found it abandoned because the Nagaraja was killing them all. But we did find this mushroom thing whose spores are in this vial and this ration that we found when we first met on the way to Senkreid. But it's okay because we beat it so bad that it became invisible, and ran away in shame. I am sure it will never bother us again. So yes I hope this answers your question whether we are friends of Umbra or not."

The leading soldier manages to keep her composure pretty well, but the two next two her aren't so unemotive. One of them takes their hand off the hilt off their sword and seems to noticeably relax, and the other just sighs out of boredom and frustration. The yet to be unnamed women-at-arms nods at Jynx and clasps her hands together.

"So you will not give us any evidence that we are fighting against Umbra unless we show you proof that we are. That can be arranged for."

She then turns slightly to the side and yells, "Ey, Chaplain, faigh thairis an seo, agus na bràistean againn a thoirt seachad an seo cuideachd!"

A response is then delivered rather angrily by one of the men back at the caravan: "Tha an t-ùghdarras againn thairis orra an seo, agus chan eil ùine againn airson seo. Na leig leotha bacadh a chur air ar n-obair."

Another winter-clad figure steps out from the caravan and then responds back to the previous speaker in a much calmer voice: "Chan eil dad sam bith eile ri dhèanamh fad an latha, agus is dòcha gum bi sinn cuideachd a 'toirt beagan mhionaidean gus an socrachadh."

He then walks towards where the other trio of soldiers are standing, where he receives another request by the woman you have been speaking too. "Seall dhaibh gu bheil sinn càirdeach do Yig".

The new person responds to this by taking out the Holy Symbol of Yig: a jade snake wrapped around a holly branch. He then waves his hand over it and causes it to grow a green light. A Venus Fly Trap, another symbol closely related to Yig, then sprouts from the end of the branch and opens to reveal a dead beetle. Manda, almost as if acting on a well known custom, lowers her head into the trap and slowly pulls the insect out, the fly trap only shutting when Manda's head is taken out. The snake nods to Yynx, as if here expressing approval at this.

"That should give you proof we are aligned with Yig at the very least. If that isn't satisfactory enough for you, I had my friend here carry over my badge and papers if you needed to see them." The person who just made this display of druidic magic raises a stack of leather bound parchments and a token carved out of Jade. The token depicts a tree with five branches that has different animal heads deriving from each branch: owl, mouse, cat, moose and snake. Jynx and Yaotl can recognize that this an official badge given to enlisted soldiers by the Tloclix empire, but Yaotl isn't sure why he remembers that. It looks almost too familiar though.

[Zergrinch]

Now that their bona fides have been established, Zuzu turns to one of the more relaxed Tloxians.

Is it true you know some fey magic? I am looking for a way to summon a familiar which is a creature from the fey wild and I think it will be very helpful for our mission. I can trade this Wendigo collar for it if you like! What do you say?

[Awful]

Yvonne cast a glance at the forest to either side, looking for signs of Tloxy troops hiding for a potential ambush. She grunted, unimpressed at the basic magic with the symbol of Yig.
"Very well. I'll see those papers and the badge."
The noble held out her hand to demand the papers, which she would scrutinise.

"Well, you can consider my companion here enough evidence: I'd hardly consider the Umbra likely to ride a snake."
She stared at the wagon and the troops around it for a moment.
"Are we likely to encounter more of you on the road? Where are you based from, soldier?"