The Dragon Of Icespire Peak

[Ellya]

Chapter I
WELCOME TO PHANDALIN

Nestled in the rocky foothills of the snow-capped Sword Mountains is the mining town of Phandalin, which consists of forty or fifty simple log buildings. Crumbling stone ruins surround the newer houses and shops, showing how this must have been a much larger town centuries past. Phandalin's residents are quiet, hard-working folk who came from distant cities to eke out a life amid the harsh wilderness. They are farmers, stonecutters, blacksmiths, traders, prospectors and children.

The town has no walls and no garrison, but most of the adults keep weapons within easy reach in case the need for arms should arise. Visitors are welcome here, particularly if they have coin to spend or news to share. The Stonehill Inn at the center of town offers modest lodging and meals. A couple of doors down from the inn, posted outside the townmaster's hall, is a job board for adventurers.

- - - - -

Perhaps you are a prospector, enticed by the promise and stories of gold and platinum in the foothills of the Sword Mountains nearby.

Are you a mercenary, eager to earn your share of coin helping guard the current denizens from frequent Orc attacks?

You could be a noble, visiting the town for interesting investment opportunities.

Or you might simply be an adventurer that has heard the stories of a dragon threatening the region.


No matter what you are, you now arrive in the town of Phandalin. A man leads a cart pulled by two horses southward down the main road. A human man and what seems to be his wife stand talking in front of their home, turning their head as you pass by.

OOC

You decide how you would like to start off your adventure. The town is yours to explore, locations of note are marked on the map above!

BarrenThin2 Celestial Speck DapperDogman Lazaro1505 QizPizza​

 

[BarrenThin2]

Zulgur Storm-Herald
HP 50/50
STR 20
DEX 8
CON 16
INT 10
WIS 16
CHA 12

The hood of his large cloak pulled well over the towering Goliath's head, Zulgur walked into the town in uneasy silence. The crunch of the unfamiliar Triboar trail beneath his heavy boots echoed across his skull like cracks of thunder across the mountain ranges of his home. The human couple that watched him and Hope walked by only reasserted Zulgur's trepidation. It would be difficult for the largely human, very small town not to notice the Goliath and Albino Tiefling newcomers. It was good, as such, that he had long since learned not to openly display the symbols of Talos in their travels. His shield's face rested against his back, and the telltale holy symbol was tucked away beneath his armor, though the chain still rested visibly around Zulgur's neck. His gait faltered slightly, only to pick up in stride, though the Goliath was careful not to leave his companion behind. The longer they were out here, the more eyes would be on them.

Glancing down at Hope, Zulgur spoke, his voice a low rumble full of caution. "Be careful, Tiefling. New eyes, curious of strange men in their town." His right hand never strayed far from where the massive warhammer, large enough to be a maul for a normal man, rested at his side as they walked. The two had been traveling together for quite some time now; long enough that he at least understood they may have completely separate motivations for coming to this place. Their partnership was one of necessity, a professional duo to survive in a hostile world full of monsters (supernatural and otherwise). In Zulgur's own case, the steady lightening of the coin purse at his side was primarily what led the Goliath to this place.

Any place so beset by so many threats would likely need quite a bit of help, and would similarly be willing to part with a fair amount of coin for it. As such, he shook his head. It was no use worrying about the attention their arrival would bring. There was coin to be earned "I will see if the local leadership has work. You are free to accompany if you wish, Tiefling." So, whether or not Hope came along, Zulgur continued on to the townmaster's hall. His walk became the cleric's more typically purposeful gait. Upon arriving, he stopped at the entrance, seeing the notice board. Convenient. Not so convenient was the fact that it was a notice board built for people two or three feet shorter than him. Almost comically, with a deep frown, Zulgur stooped down to check for anything of particular interest.

Celestial Speck Ellya @Any body bro​

 

[Celestial Speck]

Ellya | BarrenThin2
​

The cloak of the aforementioned albino Tiefling moved and flew gently against the wind as the massively smaller man with demonic heritage walked by alongside the Goliath giant. The sound of the birds and the appearance of a new town were always enough to make the rogue feel a sense of simple-minded nostalgia- the fresh and simple air, the people, the small size- they all came with memories of a better time, memories that made that nostalgia he felt always give him a sense of weight in his chest. His face, hidden away by the cloak, didn't show it, and even if it did, it would have been barely noticeable. But even with his dark cloak hiding away his body, eyes still landed on him- the couple's eyes almost feeling like the gaze of guards as they watched him and Zulgur, principally him, with his tail moving ever so slowly in the air, doing its best not to be dragged down on the ground due to its size.

Tieflings and Goliaths...Weren't exactly seen as the most friendly or well-thought-of races of the realm. A massive and muscular being, skin white as snow, resembling the tribal Giants people fear, and a man with horns and tail, no pupils in their red, burning eyes, born from the blood of fiends...Deep down, a part of Hope could understand where these feelings came from. Most of it he simply ignored it, though. Simply shrugging the stares away- keeping his eyes away from them, and not speaking unless spoken to, generally worked.

Maybe that was why he and Zulgur were able to speak on...Relatively easy terms. Hope could understand most people didn't hate Tieflings, but racism in these realms was still a sight to be used to. The albino simply offered a nod as the goliath spoke- understanding in his eyes and body language. "...Inhuman men too, at that. And given the rumors we heard about dragons..." Hope shook his head- and Zulgur, in his relatively short time traveling with the Tiefling, could pick up enough of his habits to know what he meant. When it came to Zulgur, Hope was perhaps a bit warier when it came to how people viewed him and his race, but the implications were still clear- people feared monsters. And it was hard for humans or other races not to associate monsters with certain races.

"...I'll come with. Better not to stay separated- even if the town seems friendly enough." It was unlikely, of course, but even small towns like these had their dangers. Petty thieves, muggers- generally things he and Zulgur could deal with ease, but years in the road, and his own experience, sharpened the Tiefling's senses- with making his sense of trust blunt. Zulgur had gotten a sharper blade in that sense, but Hope's habits still stood. Maybe the Tiefling was too distrustful, maybe too violent- but those thoughts never came to mind. Because either way, he followed along with Zulgur, and so too did he read the notice board, cloak still hiding his face in shadow, and only the small pair of his red eyes could be seen shining from it, alongside a comedically long, white-purple tail.

Hope Lupingus

HP: 50/50
STR: 12
DEX: 18
CON: 15
INT: 12
WIS: 8
CHA: 17 ​

 

[DapperDogman]

Heron 14

Sitting on the edge of the wagon he'd rode into town on, Heron kept his eyes down, ignoring the eyes of the townsfolk around him. He'd been to small towns like this before, unfamiliar with men made of steel and wood. It didn't bother him, if anyone wanted to start trouble, they could meet the business end of his gun. He did notice the heavy steps of a lumbering figure, however, causing him to lift his perpetual downward gaze. It had been some time since he'd seen anyone quite so big. Of course, the last time he had, he blew a hole through their chest with his Decimator.

He exhales a simple "Huh" and follows the man with his eyes, noticing his much shorter companion. Whatever the pair were up to, it wasn't his business. Not unless someone decided to pay him to make it his business, that is. He simply sat where he was, holding his axe in one of his hands as the other runs a sharpening stone along the blade, returning the edge to the dulled weapon.
Life was simple, and there was absolutely no reason to complicate things now by rushing off to find trouble. The wagon would be able to get back on the road in a few days, and when it did, these strangers wouldn't be much more than a memory. He just had to keep his head down and make use of the downtime to maintain his gear and contemplate his next move from the wagon's final destination.

STATS
HP: 50
STR: 14 DEX: 20 CON: 18 INT: 11 WIS: 10 CHA: 8

Ellya​

 

[Lazaro1505]

Timmothy Wahnabe Jr.

HP:
50/50

Stats:

STR:
10

DEX:
16

CON:
12

WIS:
16

INT:
20

CHA:
8

Log Start:​

Another day, another opportunity, something that Timmothy always told himself, and truth be told, he knew that he would have to stay here in Phadalin, one of the closest towns on his map, in order to get more needed traveling supplies not only for his alchemist set, but also things such as needed rations and repairing his worn down equipment and restore them back to tip-top shape.

Still, he couldn’t help but feel.... like an total and complete stranger, not only due to the fact that there were many of the townsfolk who already lived here, but the rat was pretty sure some of them haven’t seen a Ratfolk species in most of their life before, considering some of the natural stares of curiosity and confusion..... but he tried his best to ignore it for now, after all, being paranoid of first impressions in a town you wouldn’t stay long in this town afterwards.

So now with his newfound courage, he continued on his way on the path towards the town, ignoring any look headed in his direction, still holding the same map that he read earlier in his hands, he appeared to be entering from the north entrance due to the structures and landscape on the map.... but he wasn’t completely sure where it would be. Still, he continued in the path, making sure to keep his eyes straight at the road, because staring at the other individuals on this path as well would only make him more nervous of this entire situation, making him most likely seem like a maniac due to his fidgety nature, and seem less trustworthy and sane if this behavior keeps up. But good news, he could at least see the entrance of the entire village, just gotta, go a couple of more feet and he will reach it.

Ellya

 

[Ellya]

Zulgur Storm-Herald
HP 50/50
STR 20
DEX 8
CON 16
INT 10
WIS 16
CHA 12

The hood of his large cloak pulled well over the towering Goliath's head, Zulgur walked into the town in uneasy silence. The crunch of the unfamiliar Triboar trail beneath his heavy boots echoed across his skull like cracks of thunder across the mountain ranges of his home. The human couple that watched him and Hope walked by only reasserted Zulgur's trepidation. It would be difficult for the largely human, very small town not to notice the Goliath and Albino Tiefling newcomers. It was good, as such, that he had long since learned not to openly display the symbols of Talos in their travels. His shield's face rested against his back, and the telltale holy symbol was tucked away beneath his armor, though the chain still rested visibly around Zulgur's neck. His gait faltered slightly, only to pick up in stride, though the Goliath was careful not to leave his companion behind. The longer they were out here, the more eyes would be on them.

Glancing down at Hope, Zulgur spoke, his voice a low rumble full of caution. "Be careful, Tiefling. New eyes, curious of strange men in their town." His right hand never strayed far from where the massive warhammer, large enough to be a maul for a normal man, rested at his side as they walked. The two had been traveling together for quite some time now; long enough that he at least understood they may have completely separate motivations for coming to this place. Their partnership was one of necessity, a professional duo to survive in a hostile world full of monsters (supernatural and otherwise). In Zulgur's own case, the steady lightening of the coin purse at his side was primarily what led the Goliath to this place.

Any place so beset by so many threats would likely need quite a bit of help, and would similarly be willing to part with a fair amount of coin for it. As such, he shook his head. It was no use worrying about the attention their arrival would bring. There was coin to be earned "I will see if the local leadership has work. You are free to accompany if you wish, Tiefling." So, whether or not Hope came along, Zulgur continued on to the townmaster's hall. His walk became the cleric's more typically purposeful gait. Upon arriving, he stopped at the entrance, seeing the notice board. Convenient. Not so convenient was the fact that it was a notice board built for people two or three feet shorter than him. Almost comically, with a deep frown, Zulgur stooped down to check for anything of particular interest.

Celestial Speck Ellya @Any body bro​

Ellya | BarrenThin2
​

The cloak of the aforementioned albino Tiefling moved and flew gently against the wind as the massively smaller man with demonic heritage walked by alongside the Goliath giant. The sound of the birds and the appearance of a new town were always enough to make the rogue feel a sense of simple-minded nostalgia- the fresh and simple air, the people, the small size- they all came with memories of a better time, memories that made that nostalgia he felt always give him a sense of weight in his chest. His face, hidden away by the cloak, didn't show it, and even if it did, it would have been barely noticeable. But even with his dark cloak hiding away his body, eyes still landed on him- the couple's eyes almost feeling like the gaze of guards as they watched him and Zulgur, principally him, with his tail moving ever so slowly in the air, doing its best not to be dragged down on the ground due to its size.

Tieflings and Goliaths...Weren't exactly seen as the most friendly or well-thought-of races of the realm. A massive and muscular being, skin white as snow, resembling the tribal Giants people fear, and a man with horns and tail, no pupils in their red, burning eyes, born from the blood of fiends...Deep down, a part of Hope could understand where these feelings came from. Most of it he simply ignored it, though. Simply shrugging the stares away- keeping his eyes away from them, and not speaking unless spoken to, generally worked.

Maybe that was why he and Zulgur were able to speak on...Relatively easy terms. Hope could understand most people didn't hate Tieflings, but racism in these realms was still a sight to be used to. The albino simply offered a nod as the goliath spoke- understanding in his eyes and body language. "...Inhuman men too, at that. And given the rumors we heard about dragons..." Hope shook his head- and Zulgur, in his relatively short time traveling with the Tiefling, could pick up enough of his habits to know what he meant. When it came to Zulgur, Hope was perhaps a bit warier when it came to how people viewed him and his race, but the implications were still clear- people feared monsters. And it was hard for humans or other races not to associate monsters with certain races.

"...I'll come with. Better not to stay separated- even if the town seems friendly enough." It was unlikely, of course, but even small towns like these had their dangers. Petty thieves, muggers- generally things he and Zulgur could deal with ease, but years in the road, and his own experience, sharpened the Tiefling's senses- with making his sense of trust blunt. Zulgur had gotten a sharper blade in that sense, but Hope's habits still stood. Maybe the Tiefling was too distrustful, maybe too violent- but those thoughts never came to mind. Because either way, he followed along with Zulgur, and so too did he read the notice board, cloak still hiding his face in shadow, and only the small pair of his red eyes could be seen shining from it, alongside a comedically long, white-purple tail.

Hope Lupingus

HP: 50/50
STR: 12
DEX: 18
CON: 15
INT: 12
WIS: 8
CHA: 17 ​

The couple only stared, mostly. The man had a furrowed brow and had taken a cautious step forward, essentially shielding his wife as the two passed by. HIs eyes fell nervously on the awesome hammer the Goliath carried with him. As the pair of nonhumans walked on without stirring up any trouble, the man's confidence grew and he shook his head. Hope was completely unaware, but Zulgur could hear the man's voice behind him, muttering under his breath "Last thing this town fuckin' needs..." before turning his back to the pair and walking away with his wife.

As the two made their way further into town, they would eventually pass by the square. It was relatively busy, but the general atmosphere was grim. The clouds were dark but no rain fell, and the people's moods seemed to match the weather. A short distance ahead, the man leading the cart turned into a street and in order to get to the Townmaster, Hope and Zulgur followed his trail.

The townmaster's hall had sturdy stone walls, a pitched wooden roof and a bell tower at the back. The job board next to the front door features a sparse number of notices, all written in Common and in the same hand.

Glancing to the left at the townmaster's hall, you see a pair of eyes looking through the window from inside, which quickly disappear again.​

 

[Ellya]

Heron 14

Sitting on the edge of the wagon he'd rode into town on, Heron kept his eyes down, ignoring the eyes of the townsfolk around him. He'd been to small towns like this before, unfamiliar with men made of steel and wood. It didn't bother him, if anyone wanted to start trouble, they could meet the business end of his gun. He did notice the heavy steps of a lumbering figure, however, causing him to lift his perpetual downward gaze. It had been some time since he'd seen anyone quite so big. Of course, the last time he had, he blew a hole through their chest with his Decimator.

He exhales a simple "Huh" and follows the man with his eyes, noticing his much shorter companion. Whatever the pair were up to, it wasn't his business. Not unless someone decided to pay him to make it his business, that is. He simply sat where he was, holding his axe in one of his hands as the other runs a sharpening stone along the blade, returning the edge to the dulled weapon.
Life was simple, and there was absolutely no reason to complicate things now by rushing off to find trouble. The wagon would be able to get back on the road in a few days, and when it did, these strangers wouldn't be much more than a memory. He just had to keep his head down and make use of the downtime to maintain his gear and contemplate his next move from the wagon's final destination.

STATS
HP: 50
STR: 14 DEX: 20 CON: 18 INT: 11 WIS: 10 CHA: 8

Ellya​

Heron had definitely seen a large share of the population of Phandalin's eyes fixed on him. Some stares lingered longer than others, but not all of those out of courage. Some folk were fearful of him. In the small amount of time Heron had been here, he'd seen parents pull their curious child back, miners ending their shift making a large arc around his location and even youngsters throwing small rocks at him before running away and snickering nervously.

And it didn't seem like it was to end any time soon. A man approached the warforged, seeming in his late fourties with long white hair brushed back neatly and tied into a bun, face cleanly shaven but with a streak of blackish soot on his cheek. "Pardon me, milord..." he said sheepishly, even giving a slight bow. "Have ye been sent ta aid us wiv the d... drag'n threat, sire?" He swallowed, seemingly not sure of how to carry himself in front of Heron. "Ye and yer... special weap'nry look plenty capable of blastin' the rasc'l back to bein' a tiny liz'rd, as it were..." He gave a soft chuckle, then cleared his throat.

 

[Ellya]

Timmothy Wahnabe Jr.

HP:
50/50

Stats:

STR:
10

DEX:
16

CON:
12

WIS:
16

INT:
20

CHA:
8

Log Start:​

Another day, another opportunity, something that Timmothy always told himself, and truth be told, he knew that he would have to stay here in Phadalin, one of the closest towns on his map, in order to get more needed traveling supplies not only for his alchemist set, but also things such as needed rations and repairing his worn down equipment and restore them back to tip-top shape.

Still, he couldn’t help but feel.... like an total and complete stranger, not only due to the fact that there were many of the townsfolk who already lived here, but the rat was pretty sure some of them haven’t seen a Ratfolk species in most of their life before, considering some of the natural stares of curiosity and confusion..... but he tried his best to ignore it for now, after all, being paranoid of first impressions in a town you wouldn’t stay long in this town afterwards.

So now with his newfound courage, he continued on his way on the path towards the town, ignoring any look headed in his direction, still holding the same map that he read earlier in his hands, he appeared to be entering from the north entrance due to the structures and landscape on the map.... but he wasn’t completely sure where it would be. Still, he continued in the path, making sure to keep his eyes straight at the road, because staring at the other individuals on this path as well would only make him more nervous of this entire situation, making him most likely seem like a maniac due to his fidgety nature, and seem less trustworthy and sane if this behavior keeps up. But good news, he could at least see the entrance of the entire village, just gotta, go a couple of more feet and he will reach it.

Ellya

As Timmothy approached the town, it became obvious that the entrance wasn't exactly as fortified as it used to be. There were remnants of a stone wall that once encircled the town, but was now reduced to mere rubble and an occasional few feet of well that looked like it could be toppled by a strong sneeze. He made his way into the town, encountering no guards on the way. The first person he saw was a woman, an exceptionally tall human with long blonde hair and light blue eyes, which widened when seeing the rat.

"A... ATTACK! IT'S AN ATTACK!"​

The woman screamed, pointing at the calmly approaching rat and running back into her house. Nevertheless, her scream was heard by most of the surrounding townsfolk and soon enough, a handful of men came running at him, two with a shortsword in hand, one armed with a pickaxe, and one bringing a broom to the fight.

 

[BarrenThin2]

Zulgur Storm-Herald
HP 50/50
STR 20
DEX 8
CON 16
INT 10
WIS 16
CHA 12

While the man's remark didn't earn anything violent, Zulgur did stop and glance behind him at the pair, his white, pupil-less eyes peering from under the hood of his cloak against the slate grey of his skin. For the briefest moment, he considered addressing the man directly. After all, why not call out someone behaving so aggressively to newcomers? Instead, Zulgur shook his head with a friendly smile and a wave. In Giant, Zulgur said, "[You are a weak, tiny man. Not worth my time.]" With that, he continued on his way.

Hope's remark drew Zulgur's attention back to his companion. It was something he had become familiar with by now, to be sure. In much the same way people tended to balk at his symbols of Talos, the common folk tended to rear away at Hope's appearance. The line between Tieflings and fiends wasn't a hard one to draw for the ignorant. Admittedly, even Zulgur wasn't sure how much he distinguished between the two, but at the end of the day, he didn't really care, either. The Tiefling had been a steadfast and reliable companion for this long, whatever in the Abyss he was. "Inhuman men here to solve their problems, yes. Even if it is for a fee. You'd think we'd come in threatening to eat their children."

Ahead of them, on the cart, a figure not too discreetly looked at both of them, though now that Zulgur's eyes alighted on it the creature would have been difficult to miss regardless. A large man that almost seemed to be made of metal. The goliath's knowledge of constructs was barebones at best. Was this some sort of Golem? If so, where was its master? The people on the cart certainly didn't strike him as powerful archmages, capable of wringing men from iron. For a few moments, he stopped in the road, his own eyes narrowing in suspicion at the thing. Eventually, Zulgur waved, resumed their walk.

At the townmaster's hall, things were, for once, seeming fairly simple. None of the jobs inherently called for violence or putting themselves directly in harm's way, which was always a positive. "They are all to the south. Perhaps we should take all of them, go in an arc from southeast to west, and then come back to town." As usual, he was almost monotone in voice, delivering the plan with a reserved, dry candor. That was about when he noticed someone in the window looking at them. Probably just the townmaster, but they needed more information than just 'to the southeast/west,' so Zulgur was pretty sure he was who they needed to talk to anyways. As such, the Goliath walked over, moving to open the door of the building.

Ellya Celestial Speck DapperDogman​

 

[DapperDogman]

Heron 14

Lifting his eyes slowly, the Warforged lifts his axe, planting the blade into the wooden cart next to his leg with a sturdy 'THWACK' before pushing himself onto his feet, looking the man up and down "Dragon huh?" he pauses for a second, looking around the town "Town doesn't look like much. You sure you can afford a team for that?" he turns as he hears a woman screaming about an attack "I'm in, if there's pay, and as long as I'm not the only one bringing it down."

Grabbing his axe and slinging it over his shoulder, he begins approaching the gate to the town, quietly watching the villagers defend against the 'attack' by the furry little man who seemed to be approaching the town unarmed. "This oughta be good" he murmurs, one hand holding his axe over his shoulder, and the other resting on the grip of his pistol. This place had been mostly uneventful up until now, these 'attacks' where about as exciting as it got around here.

STATS
HP: 50
STR: 14 DEX: 20 CON: 18 INT: 11 WIS: 10 CHA: 8

Ellya​

 

[Ellya]

Zulgur Storm-Herald
HP 50/50
STR 20
DEX 8
CON 16
INT 10
WIS 16
CHA 12

While the man's remark didn't earn anything violent, Zulgur did stop and glance behind him at the pair, his white, pupil-less eyes peering from under the hood of his cloak against the slate grey of his skin. For the briefest moment, he considered addressing the man directly. After all, why not call out someone behaving so aggressively to newcomers? Instead, Zulgur shook his head with a friendly smile and a wave. In Giant, Zulgur said, "[You are a weak, tiny man. Not worth my time.]" With that, he continued on his way.

Hope's remark drew Zulgur's attention back to his companion. It was something he had become familiar with by now, to be sure. In much the same way people tended to balk at his symbols of Talos, the common folk tended to rear away at Hope's appearance. The line between Tieflings and fiends wasn't a hard one to draw for the ignorant. Admittedly, even Zulgur wasn't sure how much he distinguished between the two, but at the end of the day, he didn't really care, either. The Tiefling had been a steadfast and reliable companion for this long, whatever in the Abyss he was. "Inhuman men here to solve their problems, yes. Even if it is for a fee. You'd think we'd come in threatening to eat their children."

Ahead of them, on the cart, a figure not too discreetly looked at both of them, though now that Zulgur's eyes alighted on it the creature would have been difficult to miss regardless. A large man that almost seemed to be made of metal. The goliath's knowledge of constructs was barebones at best. Was this some sort of Golem? If so, where was its master? The people on the cart certainly didn't strike him as powerful archmages, capable of wringing men from iron. For a few moments, he stopped in the road, his own eyes narrowing in suspicion at the thing. Eventually, Zulgur waved, resumed their walk.

At the townmaster's hall, things were, for once, seeming fairly simple. None of the jobs inherently called for violence or putting themselves directly in harm's way, which was always a positive. "They are all to the south. Perhaps we should take all of them, go in an arc from southeast to west, and then come back to town." As usual, he was almost monotone in voice, delivering the plan with a reserved, dry candor. That was about when he noticed someone in the window looking at them. Probably just the townmaster, but they needed more information than just 'to the southeast/west,' so Zulgur was pretty sure he was who they needed to talk to anyways. As such, the Goliath walked over, moving to open the door of the building.

Ellya Celestial Speck DapperDogman​

Zulgur would find himself pushing against a locked door. From inside, a trembling voice was heard calling out to him after a few seconds of silence. "If you're a dragon, know that I'm far too thin and bony to make a good meal!" The man's voice was soft and weak, but he pronounced his words clearly and with intent. Another short silence. "... Fine! What brings you here?" the voice then called out again from behind the locked door.

Celestial Speck

 

[Ellya]

Heron 14

Lifting his eyes slowly, the Warforged lifts his axe, planting the blade into the wooden cart next to his leg with a sturdy 'THWACK' before pushing himself onto his feet, looking the man up and down "Dragon huh?" he pauses for a second, looking around the town "Town doesn't look like much. You sure you can afford a team for that?" he turns as he hears a woman screaming about an attack "I'm in, if there's pay, and as long as I'm not the only one bringing it down."

Grabbing his axe and slinging it over his shoulder, he begins approaching the gate to the town, quietly watching the villagers defend against the 'attack' by the furry little man who seemed to be approaching the town unarmed. "This oughta be good" he murmurs, one hand holding his axe over his shoulder, and the other resting on the grip of his pistol. This place had been mostly uneventful up until now, these 'attacks' where about as exciting as it got around here.

STATS
HP: 50
STR: 14 DEX: 20 CON: 18 INT: 11 WIS: 10 CHA: 8

Ellya​

The man in front of him gave a quick step backwards at Heron 14's axe movement. "Ah! Well cahlm it down there lad, I was only bloody askin'..." The man's tone got defensive but he seemed to be avoiding eye contact, not wanting to incite any actual trouble. His skin was rough and leathery, his hands strong and bruised from definitely a fair share of manual labor in his life. "I'm sure Townmaster Wester can offer ye some coin, if that's what yer after... If tha bloody coward wud get his arse out of his home, that is..." he added in a mumble. After the sudden scream, the man perked up a bit. "Oh! Trouble, 't seems! Go 'n then, make sum bodies, lad!"

Heron 14 made his way back northwards down the road as two men came running up from behind him, moving towards this supposed threat, all armed in their own special ways. "Oi you!" A third man called out, coming into view as Heron 14 approached. The man stood about twenty feet away from what looked to be a humanoid rat-like creature with a crossbow slung across his back. "Step away from this town! We've fought off bigger beasts than you!" The two men flanked the third and the three made a stand against Timmothy, the man with the broom holding it in front of him with both hands.

Lazaro1505

 

[BarrenThin2]

Zulgur Storm-Herald
HP 50/50
STR 20
DEX 8
CON 16
INT 10
WIS 16
CHA 12

Zulgur stood there in stunned silence as the man's terrified voice came from the other side of the door. This was the person in charge of Phandalin? A coward, holed up and jumping at his own shadow? Zulgur tried the door again. Yep, still locked. His eyes turned down to Hope, an incredulous look breaking the Goliath's otherwise stony demeanor. "Well... we aren't dragons," His answer was about as confused as it was convinced. It wasn't often that he had to defend the non-existent draconic part of his nature. Did the townmaster just see two vaguely snow-colored figures and go 'Ah, white dragon?'

No, this wouldn't work. He had no intention of dealing with this coward while he hid behind the door of the hall. "We're here for work. Maybe with the dragon problem, definitely with the bounties on the board. Open the door." The Goliath insistently tried the door again, handling the comparatively tiny handle gently for the time being.

Ellya Celestial Speck​

 

[dr xenon]

STATS: STR: 9 -- DEX: 16 -- CON: 15 -- INT: 20 -- WIS: 12 -- CHA: 10 -- HP: 50
============================================================
Looking up from the rations options in Barthen's Provisions, May'falla tilted her head to one side and closed her eyes for a moment. Her shopping could wait a few minutes, and she shot the shopkeeper a friendly smile on her way out the door.

"I'll be back later," she said. "Count on it!"

Stepping to the "road" that led down from the Triboar trail she looked north at what had caught her attention - a group of three locals squaring off against a furred-humanoid she'd only heard of from her Clansfolk, but then did a double-take at the mechanical creation that had also joined in.

"Wot's this then?" she called out to those squaring off against Timmothy. "This town don't have enough trouble already wifout you lot picking fights wif every one wot comes in?"

Without a seeming word, a raven flies down from the Provisioner's roof and lands on her left shoulder.

( Lazaro1505 , DapperDogman )

 

[Lazaro1505]

Timmothy Wahnabe Jr.

HP:
50/50

Stats:
STR:
10
DEX:
16
CON:
12
WIS:
16
INT:
20
CHA:
8

Log Start:​

Well, the walls seem to be a great state of disrepair, probably due to something that may have damaged it in the first place such as armed bandits or an natural disaster such as a earthquake, but not much can be examined closely when out of the sudden, a tall blonde stereotype type homo-sapien or known as ‘Human’ in other words with the female genome looked upon Timmothy, before screaming of an attack like something that brought grave danger to the entire town has arrived, causing the rat to look around for said danger, but then, turning his eyes back at the town, multiple armed Individuals came running at them, with a wide variety of tools. Two had actual weapons, that being of the short sword variant, while the other had a pick axe, which with the right amount of strength backing it, could make a good improvised weapon, but the broom is something that had him very confused behind the reasoning of using it, other than just hitting someone hard with it.... it’s probably not like useful at all, even as an blunt weapon.

But what made him widen his eyes was that their fury was instead, directed towards himself, which in reflex, caused the rat to raise his arms into the air, before saying loudly “W-w-wait, I’m not an hostile, and I’m no beast! I am but a mere wandering alchemist, arriving to this town to restock my supplies to continue my travels on the roads!” as he tried his best to not make any sudden movements, don’t want to accidentally make them think he has any ill intent towards them.

But hearing a voice near him, turning to face it, it was a another humanoid, which could be mistake for that of the human species, if it weren’t for the pointed tips of the ears of the person. Instead of joining the side of the others, she instead, tried to vouch for him, based on what he could tell, and he as trying to stop the situation from becoming worse, as the Ratfolk then turned to face the armed group and said “I mean it, I have no Ill intent towards any individual of this town.. I’m a living, breathing sentient being from the Ratfolk species, and I know how you feel, wanting to protect your friends and families from any threat that may arise and enter this town, but I assure you, that I’m innocent, and even if I was hostile, I wouldn’t dare take on an entire town by myself. So listen to my words, maybe you haven’t seen my kind around these parts, or you have a bad history with them in the past, but I’m not the bad guy here, and even if you attack me, I will run away without even putting a scratch on your flesh.... So please let’s put down our arms, and speak like actual sentient beings here....” as the Ratfolk continued to have his arms in the air, waiting for this entire situation be calmed down by his words..... hopefully.

Ellya dr xenon DapperDogman

 

[Celestial Speck]

BarrenThin2 | Ellya
​

The town's news board was largely empty, strangely enough. For a town in the situation that it was, seeing a board with so few requests were...Strange. Although it made sense when it came to it- the town couldn't ask random adventurers to return their sweet rolls or something. It'd be a waste of money, resources, and good men for the job...Even though the folk was untrustworthy as always to them. Hope sighed meekly under his breath, but his eyes eventually once more looked at Zulgur. "Some of these jobs seem risky, though, principally since one of them mentions this so-called dragon roaming the area." Hope was confident in his abilities, he knew he could take on multiple men by himself- but a dragon was a whole other level. Being cowardly was one thing, but being stupid is the other. "I'm not against it, but maybe we should get used to the land first before going to areas where this thing was seen."

Even so, they couldn't just do the job without letting someone know. The least they could do is pull one of the papers from the board, of course, but let the people who put them up know they took the job was a good thing...Even though they didn't really put their names there. Although, Hope had a feeling it was the town's leaders, or just an overall town effort, these jobs. As such, Zulgur's choice to try and speak to one of the townsfolk about it was a good idea.

...Even though they said something really incredulous. Hope's own eyes met with Zulgur's, his face sharing just the same expression as an awkward silence filled the air before the barbarian reassured that, no, the two weren't dragons. Mentally, Hope couldn't help but sigh- he had a feeling that if they were a dragon, they wouldn't have 'knocked' on the door. Just how afraid these people were to deny basic logic like that? He understood that dragons were smart, cunning, and powerful beasts capable of even spells in some of the stories he heard, but this was...Both worrying, and also quite...Disappointing. He has a feeling these townsfolk really won't like Inhumans.

"What he said. We're adventurers. Like some of the others coming to this town. We're interested in offering our services." Hope said, his words a bit smoother and sharper then Zulgur's- mostly because he was more used to talking to people. It was largely cold and still demanding like the giant's, but his charisma had a bit more finesse to it, just like the giant's own strength could probably break the Tiefling in half if he wanted to. He was glad he didn't.

Hope Lupingus

HP: 50/50
STR: 12
DEX: 18
CON: 15
INT: 12
WIS: 8
CHA: 17 ​

 

[QizPizza]

Viscount Jean-Paul Pierre of Stellata
Link to CS
Ellya Lazaro1505 dr xenon​

Viscount Jean-Paul Pierre road into the town of Phandalin with his head held high and his spirits brighter than the sun. The nobleman was undeterred by the crumbling ruins that surrounded the mining town. No, rather, he was captivated by them. The scholar in him marveled at the prospect of the history buried beneath this town, just waiting to be unearthed, and at the same time, the adventurer in him indulged in the aesthetic of a town on the edge of the dangerous wild. The town was small and weathered, hardly comparable to his family’s estate, but that was the appeal! There was a promise of thrills, danger, and adventure that called for him!

The nobleman’s horse trotted slowly past the first couple of buildings, including a trading post and the sole inn within miles, stopping only when they reached the town square. The only notable attractions here were a trading post of Lionshield Coster and a sturdy stone building adorned with a bell tower that could only be a town hall. Jean-Paul quickly dismounted his steed and enthusiastically approached the notice board beside the door and smile after reading the notices.

Jean-Paul didn’t even look at the rewards offered by the bounties as he read the mentions of a dragon that he’d heard so much about coming to this tiny mining town. But that wasn’t it! Ancient dwarven ruins and rock gnomes with fantastical magical devices were sights to be seen! The young viscount had chosen the perfect place to spend the next couple of weeks. He gleefully deliberated to himself about what task to tackle first as he headed to the inn to rent out a room.

Of course, Phandalin didn’t stop offering excitement, as he heard shots ring out through the otherwise quiet town. An attack! There was no way the young man would pass up the opportunity to engage in a little skirmish to properly get into the mood of adventuring! He quickly tied up his force and followed the townsfolk as they converged on the entrance of the town, cane in his hand as he ran with determination. What was it going to be? A pack of goblins? A bandit raid? Dare he even hope that it may be a young dragon?

The crowd made it difficult to see, so the young viscount was forced to slip his way through many dirty bodies until he got the front. Once he did, though, he wasted no time in pointing the weighted crook of his cane towards the “attacker” in question and shouted in a thick accent, “En garde, scélérat!”

However, there was no good reason for a skirmish, much to Jean-Pierre’s disappointment. The “attacker” was merely a ratfolk alchemist attempting to restock his supplies. Coming to his defense was an elvish woman with a pet raven from a nearby building. Judging by the sword she had, was she another adventurer? The nobleman lowered his cane and sighed as the alchemist gave a speech about his innocence.

The fault in the situation fell on the townsfolk with their caution of outsiders. Though unenlightened, it was understandable that a small town would be wary of outsiders, especially those who resembled hairy kobolds. “Pardon for ze ‘asty jugement, Monsieur.” The nobleman stepped forward to stand in between both parties involved and held up a hand like he was making a proclamation, “Good people of zis town and ze travellairs, I dare suggest we calm down. A ratman alchimiste is ‘ardly a problem compared to ze dragonne.”

STATS
(Parentheses for Argent Cavalier's Stats)
HP: 50/50
STR: 8 (8)
DEX: 10 (20)
CON: 10 (10)
INT: 16 (8)
WIS: 16 (8)
CHA: 12 (8)

PERK CHOICES
Ability increase: DEX/WIS
Advantage: CHA
​

 

[DapperDogman]

Heron 14

Having silently watched as the situation unfolded, Heron let out a short chuckle at the whole debacle "With a welcome that warm, I can't imagine why you're not drowning in volunteers to slay your dragon for you" his glassy eyes observe the motley collection of misfits that had gathered around to witness the terrifying attack on the town that was a single ratfolk. "Hospitality is truly a dying art" he murmurs, heading back to the wagon and retrieving his cannon, hooking his axe into a holster on his hip as he hoists the great weapon over his shoulder. With a final glance at his ride out of town, he shakes his head and walks back to the small crowd at the gate

"Now, if you're done soiling yourselves, there's a dragon that needs seeing to"

STATS
HP: 50
STR: 14 DEX: 20 CON: 18 INT: 11 WIS: 10 CHA: 8

Ellya Lazaro1505 QizPizza dr xenon​

 

[Ellya]

Zulgur Storm-Herald
HP 50/50
STR 20
DEX 8
CON 16
INT 10
WIS 16
CHA 12

Zulgur stood there in stunned silence as the man's terrified voice came from the other side of the door. This was the person in charge of Phandalin? A coward, holed up and jumping at his own shadow? Zulgur tried the door again. Yep, still locked. His eyes turned down to Hope, an incredulous look breaking the Goliath's otherwise stony demeanor. "Well... we aren't dragons," His answer was about as confused as it was convinced. It wasn't often that he had to defend the non-existent draconic part of his nature. Did the townmaster just see two vaguely snow-colored figures and go 'Ah, white dragon?'

No, this wouldn't work. He had no intention of dealing with this coward while he hid behind the door of the hall. "We're here for work. Maybe with the dragon problem, definitely with the bounties on the board. Open the door." The Goliath insistently tried the door again, handling the comparatively tiny handle gently for the time being.

Ellya Celestial Speck​

BarrenThin2 | Ellya
​

The town's news board was largely empty, strangely enough. For a town in the situation that it was, seeing a board with so few requests were...Strange. Although it made sense when it came to it- the town couldn't ask random adventurers to return their sweet rolls or something. It'd be a waste of money, resources, and good men for the job...Even though the folk was untrustworthy as always to them. Hope sighed meekly under his breath, but his eyes eventually once more looked at Zulgur. "Some of these jobs seem risky, though, principally since one of them mentions this so-called dragon roaming the area." Hope was confident in his abilities, he knew he could take on multiple men by himself- but a dragon was a whole other level. Being cowardly was one thing, but being stupid is the other. "I'm not against it, but maybe we should get used to the land first before going to areas where this thing was seen."

Even so, they couldn't just do the job without letting someone know. The least they could do is pull one of the papers from the board, of course, but let the people who put them up know they took the job was a good thing...Even though they didn't really put their names there. Although, Hope had a feeling it was the town's leaders, or just an overall town effort, these jobs. As such, Zulgur's choice to try and speak to one of the townsfolk about it was a good idea.

...Even though they said something really incredulous. Hope's own eyes met with Zulgur's, his face sharing just the same expression as an awkward silence filled the air before the barbarian reassured that, no, the two weren't dragons. Mentally, Hope couldn't help but sigh- he had a feeling that if they were a dragon, they wouldn't have 'knocked' on the door. Just how afraid these people were to deny basic logic like that? He understood that dragons were smart, cunning, and powerful beasts capable of even spells in some of the stories he heard, but this was...Both worrying, and also quite...Disappointing. He has a feeling these townsfolk really won't like Inhumans.

"What he said. We're adventurers. Like some of the others coming to this town. We're interested in offering our services." Hope said, his words a bit smoother and sharper then Zulgur's- mostly because he was more used to talking to people. It was largely cold and still demanding like the giant's, but his charisma had a bit more finesse to it, just like the giant's own strength could probably break the Tiefling in half if he wanted to. He was glad he didn't.

Hope Lupingus

HP: 50/50
STR: 12
DEX: 18
CON: 15
INT: 12
WIS: 8
CHA: 17 ​

"Good!" The man simply responded after the two clarified that they were in fact not dragons. "If you're looking to work, I sugg- AH AH AH HEY, NO NO!" He suddenly called out when hearing the Goliath try the door again. Stumbling was heard from inside as he continued speaking. "Leave that door alone, if you please, I'm perfectly comfortable in here! You'll break it down with the sheer size of you!" After a few more seconds of silence, he added in a much softer voice: "I-I mean no offense, of course!"

As Hope spoke up and explained the situation more as well, the man responded from behind the locked door. "Yes, yes, good! I'm glad adventurers are finally coming by our town, but if you're looking to help, then I suggest you go out and work on those jobs on the board there! They clearly say I will pay you when you come back, and I will! Now stop drawing attention to my house! ... Please!"

 

[Ellya]

STATS: STR: 9 -- DEX: 16 -- CON: 15 -- INT: 20 -- WIS: 12 -- CHA: 10 -- HP: 50
============================================================
Looking up from the rations options in Barthen's Provisions, May'falla tilted her head to one side and closed her eyes for a moment. Her shopping could wait a few minutes, and she shot the shopkeeper a friendly smile on her way out the door.

"I'll be back later," she said. "Count on it!"

Stepping to the "road" that led down from the Triboar trail she looked north at what had caught her attention - a group of three locals squaring off against a furred-humanoid she'd only heard of from her Clansfolk, but then did a double-take at the mechanical creation that had also joined in.

"Wot's this then?" she called out to those squaring off against Timmothy. "This town don't have enough trouble already wifout you lot picking fights wif every one wot comes in?"

Without a seeming word, a raven flies down from the Provisioner's roof and lands on her left shoulder.

( Lazaro1505 , DapperDogman )

Timmothy Wahnabe Jr.

HP:
50/50

Stats:
STR:
10
DEX:
16
CON:
12
WIS:
16
INT:
20
CHA:
8

Log Start:​

Well, the walls seem to be a great state of disrepair, probably due to something that may have damaged it in the first place such as armed bandits or an natural disaster such as a earthquake, but not much can be examined closely when out of the sudden, a tall blonde stereotype type homo-sapien or known as ‘Human’ in other words with the female genome looked upon Timmothy, before screaming of an attack like something that brought grave danger to the entire town has arrived, causing the rat to look around for said danger, but then, turning his eyes back at the town, multiple armed Individuals came running at them, with a wide variety of tools. Two had actual weapons, that being of the short sword variant, while the other had a pick axe, which with the right amount of strength backing it, could make a good improvised weapon, but the broom is something that had him very confused behind the reasoning of using it, other than just hitting someone hard with it.... it’s probably not like useful at all, even as an blunt weapon.

But what made him widen his eyes was that their fury was instead, directed towards himself, which in reflex, caused the rat to raise his arms into the air, before saying loudly “W-w-wait, I’m not an hostile, and I’m no beast! I am but a mere wandering alchemist, arriving to this town to restock my supplies to continue my travels on the roads!” as he tried his best to not make any sudden movements, don’t want to accidentally make them think he has any ill intent towards them.

But hearing a voice near him, turning to face it, it was a another humanoid, which could be mistake for that of the human species, if it weren’t for the pointed tips of the ears of the person. Instead of joining the side of the others, she instead, tried to vouch for him, based on what he could tell, and he as trying to stop the situation from becoming worse, as the Ratfolk then turned to face the armed group and said “I mean it, I have no Ill intent towards any individual of this town.. I’m a living, breathing sentient being from the Ratfolk species, and I know how you feel, wanting to protect your friends and families from any threat that may arise and enter this town, but I assure you, that I’m innocent, and even if I was hostile, I wouldn’t dare take on an entire town by myself. So listen to my words, maybe you haven’t seen my kind around these parts, or you have a bad history with them in the past, but I’m not the bad guy here, and even if you attack me, I will run away without even putting a scratch on your flesh.... So please let’s put down our arms, and speak like actual sentient beings here....” as the Ratfolk continued to have his arms in the air, waiting for this entire situation be calmed down by his words..... hopefully.

Ellya dr xenon DapperDogman

Viscount Jean-Paul Pierre of Stellata
Link to CS
Ellya Lazaro1505 dr xenon​

Viscount Jean-Paul Pierre road into the town of Phandalin with his head held high and his spirits brighter than the sun. The nobleman was undeterred by the crumbling ruins that surrounded the mining town. No, rather, he was captivated by them. The scholar in him marveled at the prospect of the history buried beneath this town, just waiting to be unearthed, and at the same time, the adventurer in him indulged in the aesthetic of a town on the edge of the dangerous wild. The town was small and weathered, hardly comparable to his family’s estate, but that was the appeal! There was a promise of thrills, danger, and adventure that called for him!

The nobleman’s horse trotted slowly past the first couple of buildings, including a trading post and the sole inn within miles, stopping only when they reached the town square. The only notable attractions here were a trading post of Lionshield Coster and a sturdy stone building adorned with a bell tower that could only be a town hall. Jean-Paul quickly dismounted his steed and enthusiastically approached the notice board beside the door and smile after reading the notices.

Jean-Paul didn’t even look at the rewards offered by the bounties as he read the mentions of a dragon that he’d heard so much about coming to this tiny mining town. But that wasn’t it! Ancient dwarven ruins and rock gnomes with fantastical magical devices were sights to be seen! The young viscount had chosen the perfect place to spend the next couple of weeks. He gleefully deliberated to himself about what task to tackle first as he headed to the inn to rent out a room.

Of course, Phandalin didn’t stop offering excitement, as he heard shots ring out through the otherwise quiet town. An attack! There was no way the young man would pass up the opportunity to engage in a little skirmish to properly get into the mood of adventuring! He quickly tied up his force and followed the townsfolk as they converged on the entrance of the town, cane in his hand as he ran with determination. What was it going to be? A pack of goblins? A bandit raid? Dare he even hope that it may be a young dragon?

The crowd made it difficult to see, so the young viscount was forced to slip his way through many dirty bodies until he got the front. Once he did, though, he wasted no time in pointing the weighted crook of his cane towards the “attacker” in question and shouted in a thick accent, “En garde, scélérat!”

However, there was no good reason for a skirmish, much to Jean-Pierre’s disappointment. The “attacker” was merely a ratfolk alchemist attempting to restock his supplies. Coming to his defense was an elvish woman with a pet raven from a nearby building. Judging by the sword she had, was she another adventurer? The nobleman lowered his cane and sighed as the alchemist gave a speech about his innocence.

The fault in the situation fell on the townsfolk with their caution of outsiders. Though unenlightened, it was understandable that a small town would be wary of outsiders, especially those who resembled hairy kobolds. “Pardon for ze ‘asty jugement, Monsieur.” The nobleman stepped forward to stand in between both parties involved and held up a hand like he was making a proclamation, “Good people of zis town and ze travellairs, I dare suggest we calm down. A ratman alchimiste is ‘ardly a problem compared to ze dragonne.”

STATS
(Parentheses for Argent Cavalier's Stats)
HP: 50/50
STR: 8 (8)
DEX: 8 (20)
CON: 10 (10)
INT: 16 (8)
WIS: 16 (8)
CHA: 12 (8)

PERK CHOICES
Ability increase: DEX/WIS
Advantage: CHA
​

Heron 14

Having silently watched as the situation unfolded, Heron let out a short chuckle at the whole debacle "With a welcome that warm, I can't imagine why you're not drowning in volunteers to slay your dragon for you" his glassy eyes observe the motley collection of misfits that had gathered around to witness the terrifying attack on the town that was a single ratfolk. "Hospitality is truly a dying art" he murmurs, heading back to the wagon and retrieving his cannon, hooking his axe into a holster on his hip as he hoists the great weapon over his shoulder. With a final glance at his ride out of town, he shakes his head and walks back to the small crowd at the gate

"Now, if you're done soiling yourselves, there's a dragon that needs seeing to"

STATS
HP: 50
STR: 14 DEX: 20 CON: 18 INT: 11 WIS: 10 CHA: 8

Ellya Lazaro1505 QizPizza dr xenon​

dr xenon
As May'falla left the building, the shopkeep gave a polite nod and bowed his head. "I thank you for your interest in my wares, miss, safe travels!" After which both of the assistants he had, two young boys that looked similar to him, shouted out in unison. "We look forward to seeing you again, thank you!"

QizPizza
As the viscount came riding into Phandalin, he'd see quite a few heads turn. He did have the "advantage" of being human and looking relatively similar to the folk in this town, but it was obvious that these people had not seen any kind of nobility in a while, at least not anywhere near here. Some were completely unsure of how to carry themselves and gave a clumsy curtsy or at least bowed their heads.

BarrenThin2 Celestial Speck QizPizza
The nobleman came trotting up on his horse near the Townmaster's hall, behind Zulgur and Hope, and stepped off his horse. He didn't seem to pay much mind to the Goliath and the Tiefling at the door as he walked up to the noticeboard, read the requests, smiled mysteriously and then simply made his way north again. Zulgur did hear some signs of some kind of argument going on up there.

@ all at the conflict near the north side
The townsfolk kept their weapons and "weapons" pointed at Timmothy as their eyes darted around to all the newcomers. Even if they wanted to pick a fight here, they were clearly outnumbered, and as Heron 14 brought his other weapon out, it was clear they were out-armed as well. Nevertheless, all kept up their guard. They were in a state of panic and self-preservation, and a bunch of armed strangers approaching and defending the Ratfolk put them on edge even more, despite the stranger's calming words.

Timmothy himself made his case, which seemed to fall upon deaf ears. "Oh yeah? Wul why're you lookin' all rat-like then, huh?" The man holding the broom called out, pointing the bristle end forward now. By this point though, two more townsfolk had made their way over, one of whom stepped in between the bunch. "Silence, all of you!" he called out, his voice commanding and deep. The man was muscular and tall, his posture clearly disciplined and battle-ready, but not seeming to bear any ill intent. He had a large axe strapped across his back. "He's one of those Ratfolk!"

The man held his arms stretch out toward both sides of the conflict, then looked over Timmothy and slowly lowered them. "Must say I've never come across one of em though... Not quite sure how they're generally... aligned..." As he spoke, he walked up to Timmothy. The man's features were rough, like most men in this town, but he was more muscular and confident than most men in this town. He walked close to the Ratfolk, lowering his voice. "These halfwits are harmless. Just on edge with the recent attacks is all. Long as you mean us no harm or ill will, you'll be left alone..."

"That goes for all of you!" The man then turned around and adressed the other newcomers. "Forgive these folk for being so jumpy, most are inexperienced when it comes to combat, and they have seen more in the last few weeks than they will in the rest of their life. Please, take no offense from their... stupidity..." He said that last word slowly, looking at the man with the broom, who just seemed confused now, still holding his broom up as the rest slowly lowered their weapons.

 

[dr xenon]

STATS: STR: 9 -- DEX: 16 -- CON: 15 -- INT: 20 -- WIS: 12 -- CHA: 10 -- HP: 50
============================================================
With a nod to the bird on her shoulder the raven takes to the air and flies off over the town. The flutter of wings blows the elf's hair about and she takes a moment to run a hand through her black-tresses an flip them back over her left ear.

"I understand jumpy," she says to the tall man, approaching him and apparently disregarding the other Phandalan citizens now that they've been cowed. "I'm May'falla - from the High Forest - and my clan makes your folk look like a Waterdelven tea party by comparison wif they way they usually treat outsiders! All arrows and arse-kicking, like, my folk. Said you've had a bit of a dust-up the past week? Who've you been fighting then? Anyfing a body can do to help around here? I've got a few skills in that area could be put to use I don't mind saying."

( Lazaro1505 , QizPizza , DapperDogman )

 

[BarrenThin2]

Zulgur Storm-Herald
HP 50/50
STR 20
DEX 8
CON 16
INT 10
WIS 16
CHA 12

The chittering coward of a townmaster was quickly losing Zulgur's interest. It was difficult to want to listen to someone so clearly terrified. It was no wonder this place was in such dire straits; their leadership had absolutely no spine. In fact, he had half a mind to rip the door off its hinges just to make a point. After brief consideration, though, he relented, releasing the door handle with a frown. Hope took over the conversation, which Zulgur was more than alright with; if the Tiefling had shown he was capable of anything, and he had for many different things, one of them was a silver tongue. Off to the side, another approached the board just behind the pair, drawing Zulgur's eyes away from the door with a stern, suspicious stare. He made no effort to hide his scrutiny. The man was fairly small, but Zulgur realized shortly he was probably about average or even a little tall for a human. He was armed, and clearly not from around here; the fineries of his clothing and jewelry, even while comparatively tame, betrayed him against the roughshod attire of these frontiersmen. Could he be some sort of hunter or mercenary? The Eleven Hour didn't take kindly to runaways, Zulgur had long since learned.

Maybe he was just another adventurer, though. After all, surely they weren't the only people that heard of Phandalin's plight and reasoned that some coin was to be had. The Goliath seriously doubted anyone was here to help out of the goodness of their heart. He certainly wasn't, and he didn't think Hope was. Fortunately, the man cleared off without causing any trouble, and the townmaster finally stopped blabbering. Zulgur gave the man a few seconds to be certain he was done before he responded. "We wondered if there were more precise directions, but we'll find our way." Stepping back to the board, he pulled all three notices down and tucked them away. Looking down at Hope, he continued. "You are probably right. We should do the dwarf notice last. The windmill certainly seems easiest, anyways; how hard can it be to drag an old woman to town?" There was no malice in his voice, but neither did the stony expression on his face show any sign he was joking.

Off behind them, Zulgur started to pick up raised voices going back and forth. He turned to face the sound with a deep frown. It could just be a domestic dispute of some kind, or the town could be in danger. These people couldn't pay him if orcs sacked the place. The Goliath pulled his hammer from his side, wielding it in both hands for the time being. "Trouble brewing. Be careful, Tiefling." With that, the lumbering giant of a man started in the direction of the sound. What he found was not an orc raid, a dragon attack, or a lovers' quarrel. No, what he found was a far stranger sight. What more or less looked like a giant humanoid rat was standing there, hands raised in surrender, surrounded by three 'armed' locals. Two of them were wielding swords, and one had... a broom. The Goliath's mouth curled up into a bemused smile.

That wasn't all, though. The human form before was here, wielding his cane like a club. To Zulgur, he looked absolutely ridiculous, but he knew better than to underestimate the man. There was no telling what sort of magic he might fire through that cane. The man made of metal was here, as well. Surprisingly, he seemed to speak like any other person, which was almost as strange as the bizarre, long-barreled weapons the man had on his person. Zulgur had never seen anything quite like them, but he'd also never seen anything like Heron 14, so maybe that was just par for the course with the Warforged. Further on, a fairly petite elf with a bird perched on her shoulder stood by. As he had with each of these people, Zulgur made no effort not to stare, his forehead creasing in suspicion as he furrowed his gaze. So many strangers. So many people not from here. It certainly brought that uneasy sensation from when they first arrived back.

So, for the attacking rat. Well, from what the rat was saying, this seemed to be a misunderstanding. The creature certainly didn't seem hostile, as ugly as it might have been. The Goliath weighed whose side he would take if this came to blows as such, if any. Probably neither. Killing someone just because they weren't a human traveler made even his stomach churn, but neither did he want to slaughter frightened villagers just for being stupid. Fortunately, the others seemed to be trying to diffuse the situation, albeit with various levels of tact. The Warforged was perhaps the least delicate, though it was the one Zulgur ended up grunting in agreement with. The human said more or less the same thing as he lowered his cane, but something about him made Zulgur just trust him a bit less. Maybe it was the flamboyant delivery, or the nice clothes. The Goliath just felt like the Warforged, despite having a faceplate, was easier to read.

The elf's response drew another frown. Zulgur hadn't interacted with many elves. Physically, they just seemed to be skinnier, prettier, more breakable humans. It wasn't that she didn't seem earnest; on the contrary, she seemed fairly on the level. Almost too on the level. She was just so chipper and upbeat. Zulgur hadn't really ever seen anyone so verbally bouncy before. It was perhaps the most off-putting thing here for him, even more so than the Warforged or the strange rat person. His white eyes narrowed at her in that same suspicious look he gave her before, like she was a potential threat. In his mind, she was. To some extent, they all were, save Hope, who Zulgur made a point to stand somewhat in front of as things became more heated, almost protectively. The rat's pleas didn't seem to be making a difference, and neither did the reasoning or threats of the other adventurers. His grip on his hammer tightened. "Watch it. Weapons. Down." Zulgur probably wouldn't hurt them, and definitely wouldn't kill them unless given reason to, but they didn't know that.

It seemed someone was looking out for the poorly armed (and even more poorly thought) trio, however, when a battle-ready stranger stepped in and ordered them to stand down. His grip notably eased, though the weapon didn't leave his hands just yet. This man was heavily armed and had the bearing of a fighter; an actual threat if it came down to it. It wasn't until he addressed the group, asking for forgiveness on the trio's behalf, that the hammer returned to Zulgur's side. In truth, he could relate to their trouble; they weren't soldiers, yet had been attacked numerous times. Who knows if they had to kill someone to survive, or if they lost someone in the attacks? At least for Zulgur, who admittedly wasn't the one almost skewered for being a rat, that was enough to drop the matter.

The Goliath shot Hope a knowing look. "Apparently, we must tread even more lightly than usual, Tiefling. We might get mauled by a broom for not being human," Zulgur noted with a very slight, wry smile. His voice carried some, but he didn't particularly care. Turning to address the man, the elf beat him to it by just a bit. His frown returned once more. He couldn't even place her accent. At the mention of the High Forest, he looked at Hope once more, an almost inquisitive, if cautiously so, look in his eye. After all, Hope had seen far more of the realms than he; in their travels together, anything so high profile or dangerous as a wood filled with hostile elves would have certainly been avoided. It was difficult to imagine it being more hostile than the Spine of the World, though.

Still, he managed to get a word in. "Human. Are you the man responsible for defending this town, since your leader is cowering in his home like a sniveling child?" The question wasn't exactly framed as an insult; it was delivered in more matter-of-fact tone. The Goliath pulled the notices from his bag. "Maybe you have more information on these, then, if there's any more to be had. He wouldn't even open the door to talk to us."

Celestial Speck DapperDogman dr xenon QizPizza Ellya Lazaro1505​

 

[Celestial Speck]

BarrenThin2 | DapperDogman | dr xenon | QizPizza | Ellya | Lazaro1505
​

This man was an absolute coward. Hope didn't even need to spend a single second here to be able to tell that. If cowardice had a smell, then it would smell of something really, really sour and greasy, in his mind- the Tiefling could understand to some extent the reason as to why this man was acting...Like this for the most part, dragons weren't exactly pushovers. With scales that make steel bend when pressed against it, a bite capable of swallowing a human hole and chewing on bones like it was candy, and breaths so strong it can make someone transform into a pile of ashes, ice, acid, or anything else depending on the dragon's color- he could see why the man was scared, but there was a limit to it. If the leader is self quarantined on his home that certainly won't stop a force of nature like a dragon and refuse to help others who wish to help it...Then it wasn't worth the trouble.

Well, not worth the trouble of talking to them, that is.

Much like Zulgur though, Hope seemed to notice the strange man coming along- his regal robes and jewelry instantly sending alarms to every nerve in the Tiefling's body. Hope didn't react violently as he more flinched for a moment as if his entire body suddenly rusted like some old piece of machinery, and he couldn't quite move. It didn't last long before the men moved away without paying much mind to them, but his red eyes stared wide-eyed from behind his cloak at the other. Memories washed over his mind. Memories when he was small, wearing meek clothes in an unknown location, with various noble-looking people wearing masks. He was standing atop a wooden stage alongside other strange animals and species, the people with those fake, gentle smiles, looking at him like he was a cute little puppy...

Hope did his best not to do, say, or move, as he simply watched with utter silence as the nobleman trotted away, his upper teeth bitting fiercely against his lower one, his sharp fangs that showed his heritage in a more bestial nature revealing themselves for a moment under the shadow of his cloak, before with a deep sigh, Hope pulled his hoodie down even more to hide his face.

"Hopefully not too hard," Hope half mumbled, still a bit out of it, but his voice quickly reaching a tone of confidence again. He just needed a moment, really- he felt weak that he reminded himself of his past life so much like this, but...It's like his mind has its own wills. He long learned not to fear others and go against them, but it was like his mind told him to attack the nobleman. He didn't like it one bit. " Twenty-five gold pieces sound decent enough to get us started. I wouldn't be surprised if there were bandits on the way there or back, though." Or wildlife. Wolves always roamed these roads, pinning down adventurers- making short work of them in seconds.

But regardless, before either of them could discuss the matter even further, wary and scared voices, now with a hint of aggressiveness rose up behind them. Hope blinked, as Zulgur noted that something was happening. Damn it- was someone already brewing trouble, or was this some sort of attack? Certainly didn't seem like a dragon, at the very least. Yet, he kept his hand over his shortsword just in case, quickly moving alongside Zulgur towards the area. Although unlike the goliath, Hope's reaction to what was the source of the trouble was a bit...Different. His eyes stared at what appeared to be a giant, anthropomorphic rat wearing clothes and usual adventurers gear, his fidgety, human-like hands waving around in fear and apprehension, trying his best to convince the population he wasn't, in fact, a danger.

"Ugh," Hope mumbled under his breath low enough so only Zulgur could hear it. "humans."

This time, Hope didn't bother hiding his scowl, principally at the populace. He could understand they were scared, he could understand the situation they were in, but from what he could tell, this rat's only crime was arriving here. While Hope wasn't some sort of progressivist for equality between races or anything of the sorts, his own background couldn't help him but make him look at the townsfolk like they were something he didn't particularly enjoy. He wasn't gonna fight the entire town and burn it to the ground if they attacked the ratfolk, but he wasn't gonna stand down to it, either. "What my companion here said. He's here to help as all of us."

Finally, the albino Tiefling hidden under the cloak seemed to calm down, and finally take note of the other people currently here. An elf, an...Machine(?), the same human from earlier with his cane, surprisingly defending the rat- although after assuming he was a threat. Good. This made him a bit calmer. And thankfully- not all townsfolk here were halfwits, as one of them, muscular, probably some sort of smithy or guard of sorts started to defend and berate the other folks. At this point, a part of Hope felt a tinge of relief, and if anything, a bit of regret for making that comment about humans. There were certainly...Decent folk here, his mind just seemed to shut off that thought unless he saw it. It's been this way ever since he was freed.

Still, Zulgur's question towards Hope was quickly read by the same. High Forest...Hm. "Doesn't sound any place I know of- but Elves are generally known for being closer and more connected to nature, I heard stories of them building their homes on great trees. Despite this, they all act like nobles for the most part- proficient in magic, too, I believe." If he had to guess, this High Forest was some sort of capital for the elven girl's clan. He could probably remember more in a given time, he didn't have any reason to, though.

Regardless, Hope's eyes kept staring at the man with the strange accent for a few seconds as Zulgur went to talk with the leader- then the ratfolk, the elf, and finally, the machine. All of them could only see the purple-white tail coming from under his cloak, who seemed to cover his entire body, the small outlines of horns under the shadow of his disguise to hide his appearance and red, pupilless eyes that seemed to almost shine in the dark, before he looked down at the ground, not saying a single word. A part of him certainly hoped they didn't try and speak to him. But his face was as stoic and as emotionless as Zulgur's, as always.

Hope Lupingus

HP: 50/50
STR: 12
DEX: 18
CON: 15
INT: 12
WIS: 8
CHA: 17 ​

 

[Ellya]

[skip to TLDR]​

The tall, muscular man gave a nod toward the new newcomers as well, sizing them up quickly. The sight of the massive Goliath did seem interesting to him, but he didn't seem too threatened or scared. His eyes also fell on the Tiefling's tail on the ground before he took a breath.

"I'm May'falla - from the High Forest - and my clan makes your folk look like a Waterdelven tea party by comparison wif they way they usually treat outsiders! All arrows and arse-kicking, like, my folk. Said you've had a bit of a dust-up the past week? Who've you been fighting then? Anyfing a body can do to help around here? I've got a few skills in that area could be put to use I don't mind saying."

"Welcome, May'falla... My name is Thorgen" the man responded calmly, giving a nod and crossing his arms. "Your skills will certainly prove helpful here... We've been attacked by all sorts of creature, though mainly Orc... They live- well, they used to live up in the Sword Mountains just southeast of here, but since the... damn dragon came and ruined everything, they've fled. Out of the mountains and into our lands." His face held a stern expression as he shook his head. "Tell you what though, they haven't taken this town yet, and they won't as long as it's got people breathing in it."

"Human. Are you the man responsible for defending this town, since your leader is cowering in his home like a sniveling child?" The question wasn't exactly framed as an insult; it was delivered in more matter-of-fact tone. The Goliath pulled the notices from his bag. "Maybe you have more information on these, then, if there's any more to be had. He wouldn't even open the door to talk to us."

Thorgen then looked to the Goliath, his head tilting upwards quite a bit to look him in the eye. His eyes squinted a bit at the mention of the townmaster. "Ah, Harbin... Don't be too hard on the man, he's done a fine job leading the rebuilding efforts... Just wasn't prepared for a bloody dragon showing up all of a sudden. Yes, he's a coward, but he's good for his word and a good man."

He watched Zulgur take out the notices from the board and gave an appreciative nod. The tall blonde man then turned toward the rest of the group as well.

"Everyone. I assume most are here for the promise or coin or adventure. Well, you'll find both here, though I must admit, more of the latter than the former. We desperately need all the help we can get. I am no leader, but just as all others in this town, I'm aware of what we need and what we can offer. You may direct your questions to me or Townmaster Wester, for all the help he'll be... In any case, allow me to calm our emotions with some drink..."

He then gestured his arm and turned around, walking southward down the road a bit. Just to the left before entering the town square stood a modest, two-story roadhouse with lettering in Common above the door spelling out "Stonehill Inn". Those who follow inside immediately felt a pleasant warmth surround them as they stepped in. No music played and the inn was relatively quiet save for a table with what looked to be four human men, a half-elf and a halfling sitting at it, throwing cards on the table. They turned their heads to check out the newcomers, but didn't engage in any conversation.

​

In a separate room to the right, a few more patrons could be seen. One young woman carrying drinks walked into that room as another young woman dressed similarly in a barmaid-like outfit stood on the other side of the inn, leaning against a wooden support beam. At the bar stood yet another figure, taller than most, and behind it stood a shorter human dressed in a white shirt and a tidy vest, smiling widely from the moment the door opened.

"Ah, Thorgen! And guests! Always a welcome sight!" The innkeep shouted, raising his hand in greeting, to which Thorgen responded with a nod and a smile. "Let's have ale for the table, Toblen." He led you to the right to another table, large enough for a group of about eight (conveniently). He took a seat with a heavy sigh, planted his arms on the table and looked around.

"So... What is it you all wish to know?"​

TLDR

The man that broke up the conflict introduced himself as Thorgen. He invites the party into the local inn/tavern for drinks and to answer any questions they may have about the notices that Zulgur has brought from the noticeboard.

Celestial Speck BarrenThin2 QizPizza dr xenon DapperDogman Lazaro1505

 

[dr xenon]

STR: 9 (-1)
DEX: 16 (+3)
CON: 15 (+2)
INT: 20 (+5)
WIS: 12 (+1)
CHA: 10 (+0)
HP: 50

"Don't mind if I do!" May'falla replied at the invitation to follow Thorgen to the roadhouse. She falls into stride next to the man, but makes no show of stealth as she gives appraising looks to the rest of the party. Her eyes fall on everyone repeatedly, except for the Viscount, as she appears to be literally sizing them up, watching their stride, even listening to their movements. When they enter the roadhouse she brightens at the sound of free ale and makes her way with a spring in her step to the table. She pulls a well-worn notebook and pencil from her backpack and plops into a seat.

"So... What is it you all wish to know?"​

Without waiting for the others to respond she launches into a stream of words.

"What're these papers this one here - " she gestures at Zulgur " -- is wavin' about? May'falla - by the way," this directed at Zulgur.
"Not sure you caught that before, chum. You a Goliath? What you go by?"

She switches back to Thorgen, "Seems like you know some'fin about these papers, Thorgen? Looked at 'em like you know what they was, sure enough. You know what tribe these orcs are what you been havin' trouble wif? Not that it matters all that much - really more a point of interest for study an' all. When did this dragon show up? Has it attacked? Been seen flyin' about? Who's seen it? Would like to meet them, I would. What color dragon you dealin' wif? Any changes in the local area? Would tell us how old the dragon is, I fink. Any time you want to start talkin', luv, I'm all ears."

She opens the notebook and poises the pencil above it.

"Go on then," she finishes with a smile, and an eager expression. Before he has a chance to answer she's already sketching Timmothy.