What? The World needs saving AGAIN? IC Thread 6

[Xihirli]

Mávro recited a short poem about the Shadowfell:
"It is the toxic plane of darkness and power.
It is the hidden place that hates the light.
It is the frontier of worlds unknown." She then elaborated: "We are an echo plane, a hollow reflection of your world." She looked at her own wrist, and the black tattoos over it. "Yes, the Shadow Weave is a crude, weak copy of your magic. My people are there because we were deemed unfit for the Feywild, and could only find protection with the Raven Queen."

[Valmark]

"I see- I did hear about how a temple on Toril has a copy in the Shadowfell, it makes sense now" Sirthis said, looking at the tattoos "What meaning do those have? And... Mh. Not even many of the feys are welcome in parts of Feywilds. When you say unfit do you mean somebody else decided arbitraly that your people couldn't stay?" he thought of the Seelies.

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Yeah, luck point to get an higher roll on Sirthis' check (1d20+9)[17]

[Xihirli]

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Right!

As they traveled, they spotted in the distance a cluster of palm trees - an Oasis. It was still over a mile out, however.
"They are... marks of dishonor," Mávro answered. "I come from a family of guardians, and my charge died. I had no honorable path forward but that provided by the Raven Queen." Outcast among outcasts, she rode for a time before answering again: "When the elves were dividing, the Raven Queen brought knowledge to your other half - humans. Art and sciences, and she shared with the elves as well. Correllion put her on trial for doing so, and she was burned. But she lived, and led the Shadar-Kai in our exile in the Shadowfell."

[Valmark]

"I... See. I guess I'm adding another god to the list of those I dislike- I happen to like having been given art" Sirthis noted, and before he could add anything else he spotted the oasis and switched to Common "Say, that's shelter- but what are the chances of it being a mirage, and how do we discover if it is one?" he asked the group for ideas.

---

"Don't look at me- but if we lack a better solution, let's head there"

[Xihirli]

"I will send my raven ahead to see if it is a mirage," Mávro said in Infernal, and her raven extended her wings and began to fly.

[Valmark]

"Thanks" Eris nodded.

---

"Burned" Sirthis repeated, thinking about Malyanna's question at the Arena "...how where Gloriana's -the Raven Queen's- wings before getting burned? Do you know if they changed somehow?"

[Xihirli]

"Long before my time," Mávro said. Then the raven returned. "The Oasis is real, but occupied. Dragonborn, Water and Earth Genasi, and a young blue dragon. Breaking into the territory, I believe."

[Valmark]

"Are we breaking into its territory you mean? Or are the humanoids there? We can deal with a young blue dragon and allies if they turn hostile- but let's try not to provoke anybody either way" Eris said, heading there.

---

"If Takadox and Carapar are anything to go by, it won't be keen on attacking us. We looked dangerous enough before our group included a wyvern dressed in dead dragons"

[Xihirli]

"No, they are settling the oasis just now. They have tents, and are building permanent structures," Mávro clarified. She led her horse to follow Eris's and recast Comprehend Languages again.

[Valmark]

"I see- plan doesn't change. Might even be better" in truth that hadn't explained who was breaking into whose territory, but she'd discover it soon enough.

[Xihirli]

They approached, and the Oasis grew nearer. Eventually, they could hear chattering from behind the trees, though could not make out any of the words.

[Valmark]

Eris opened her mouth to speak, but realized her languages probably were no good and Tongues was unlikely to stick.
"There should be dragonborns and genasis in addition to the dragon- since one of them is a Water one let's avoid Ignan" she mentioned.

---

Sirthis advanced in the lead.
"Hello?" he called in Aquan "We are travelers seeking shelter to rest, we mean no harm to any of you" he repeated the same thing in Draconic.

---

"Watch out for the ground, the blue dragon might have hidden to ambush us"

[Xihirli]

A water genasi man emerged from the trees and slowly approached. "What is that?" he asked in Aquan, indicating Aklah.

[Valmark]

"A wyvern- she's a creature made to fight dragons, but she knows not to attack anybody without permission" Sirthis replied in Aquan nodding to Eris and Leflabah "She'll obey those two. The genasi can assure you the wyvern won't be a danger, if we aren't threatened. Correct, Leflabah?"

[Xihirli]

Leff nodded, avoiding saying anything in Ignan. The water genasi looked back. "Wait here," he said, and turned back into the foliage of the oasis.

[Valmark]

"Well, this went as good as possible" Sirthis noted to the others "Say, Leflabah, does everything you say in Ignan look bad to Aquan speakers? Or is it more like carefully avoiding specific words?" he asked waiting.

[Xihirli]

"Everything you've been saying to him has hurt my feelings," Leff answered. Soon, the genasi returned. "You may enter so long as you pay tribute to the great Keetonghu," he said in Aquan. Leff winced at the word "great."

[Valmark]

Now Sirthis felt guilty.
"Define 'tribute'" he said "As in, is it gold, entertaiment, how much, etc."

[Xihirli]

"Gold would be good," the genasi nodded. "Or perhaps any rare and exquisite items."

[Valmark]

Sirthis turned to the others "They ask for gold or rare stuff, what do we wanna do?" he asked in common.

---

"You do realize you're the only one carrying notable amount of gold? We aren't giving out material components nor magical items. In fact, if it wasn't for the mission we have I'd have barged in weapons out"

---

"I see. Then I'll refuse- last thing I want is give out stuff to someone that calls itself Great. I am still seething from the Oberon time" he turned back to the genasi and continued in Aquan "We'll be camping in the shade of the trees at the fringes of the oasis, then, without bothering you"

[Xihirli]

The genasi looked confused, and backed into the Oasis.

"I can make us a shelter again," Leff assured Eris. "From the sun. I propose we get out of vision of the dragon."

[Valmark]

"Very well- possibly something with a floor, to stop it from getting to us from underground" Eris said, resuming their movement as to get a bit farther from there "I was wondering... What do you think was the most morally good choice in this scenario? Good as in the absolute alignment. Angelic Good. Going in sword out to slaughter the dragon is a thought that bothers me, but knowing there is an evil -where, presumably evil- dragon maybe enslaving those people while riding away... That bothers me too" she shrugged asking Leff.
"Oh, I've already taken a decision, I'm just asking for an opinion"

---

"And here I thought that camping there and killing it when it would inevitably attack was the best choice possible, morality wise" Sirthis mused out loud. And was completely serious.

[Xihirli]

"I don't know," Leff said. "But where do these people have to go if the dragon they serve dies? Liberation doesn't immediately lead to a better life."

[Valmark]

"That's... Unfortunately true" Eris nodded "I guess a fight there would have served nobody- thanks" she kept riding until they were well away from the oasis, then called to a stop to camp.

[Xihirli]

"Sirthis, can you help me focus?" Leff asked, reaching for the weave. "Hadrackah."

[Valmark]

"Is it too late to say that I can do it as a druid if you give me the block of granite?" Sirthis asked nonetheless playing a few strings to inspire Leflabah.

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Yeah, get that d10. Also get Guidance.

[Xihirli]

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She already gave herself Guidance! (1d20+5)[6]+(1d10)[6]+(1d4)[2]

Leff lifted the granite and... nothing. She nodded, and handed it to Sirthis. "Here."

[Valmark]

"On it! Sirthis' Stony Shouse!" Sirthis chanted putting the block of granite into the ground and creating out of it a nice cozy (absolutely not, it's all hard rock) refuge for the group. There was also a table with a chair, by which Sirthis put paper and ink to write.

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He used Stone Shape in addition to Wall Of Stone to make the table and chair.

"Everybody, take these" he said distribuiting his goodberries "Mávro, maybe you don't know these- magical berries that will nourish you and ease up a little bit of fatigue. Go on, take it" he offered, eating his own first to show they were harmless. He had no idea how many druids there were in the Shadowfell.

---

"We gotta create food for Aklah too" Eris noted eating her goodberry.

[Xihirli]

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(1d20+5)[6]+(1d4)[1]

[Xihirli]

Leff nodded and lifted a hand, only for nothing to happen."Abeir is terrible," she said.
"Your wyvern has eaten well," Mâvro said. "From the dragon." She looked at the goodberry. "We do not have these," she confirmed.
They only had badberries.