The Dragon Of Icespire Peak

[Ellya]

Faynorae
Glancing out of the cave for a second, you do notice the shape of a large winged creature taking into the air. It is far, far away though, and seems to be traveling away from where you currently are, going northward.

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As the gnome with the pipe walked ahead, he kept glancing over his shoulder to see the group following. With a grumpy mumble, he sped up his pace to almost a jog, but his legs were nowhere near long enough to really outrun any of them.

You were all led past a room with two long tables in it and a stout wooden cabinet against the east wall. Each table had five gnome-sized chairs on each long end, and one at the head of it, making for a total of 22 chairs. You continued into the next hallway however, and as Jean-Paul asked his question, the gnome pocketed his pipe and tied his apron more tightly around his waist. "Pfheh!" He scoffed. "'The king'... Good luck with that crazy fool. Anyway, I've taken you here since I do not wish to speak with any of you! Tervaround is the blabbermouth here, she's right over there..."

The first thing everyone notices in the kitchen is that it's definitely built with gnomes in mind. Everything is either close to the ground, or reachable by some overly complicated rope and pulley mechanism. A total of five gnomes are in this room, all busy doing their own things.

• At the east wall, a female gnome uses a poker to stoke the fire of a hot iron stove standing against the wall.
• Another female gnome stands atop a low table and uses a mechanical rolling pin contraption to knead green bread dough. The severed caps of several big green mushrooms are set around her.
• A male gnome forms said dough into loaves of green bread, his tongue sticking out as he carefully shapes each loaf ike a master sculptor.
• Where the gnome with the pipe pointed you though, a female gnome teeters on a stool as she stuffs a big purple mushroom into a barrel, wearing an apron of her own that's covered in various purple splotches.
• The gnome you first met says nothing more and walks over to a wheelbarrow where he lifts up a big red mushroom, carries it to a complicated looking press-like contraption in a corner, and starts to squeeze oil out of the mushroom, filtering the liquid into four oil flasks.

None of the gnomes seem to take particular notice of you just yet, until the gnome that was pointed out turns her head and offers a big smile. "Oh! Dimble's brought visitors! How wonderful!" her joyful, melodic voice calls out, after which every gnome except the one with the pipe, now introduced as Dimble, stops their work and looks toward you all.

(she looks kind of like this but with an apron, I'm sure you can imagine that)

 

[BarrenThin2]

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

Unfortunately for Zulgur, the cave's seven foot high ceilings were far from accommodating to his almost eight foot tall frame. Even ducking his head, the metal of his armor scraped noisily against the ceiling. Much further and he's be practically folding himself in half. Crawling would probably have been more effective, but the prideful Zulgur had absolutely no intention of doing that. When they did arrive at the kitchen, finding it full of currently working gnome cooks and with a long dining table set for at least twenty people, the Goliath's brow furrowed further still. This wasn't a small group of gnomes, and they had just stepped into their home territory. He made a mental note to be on his guard. More on his guard than usual, anyways. In other words, he was ready to fight at a moment's notice. Was that really out of the normal for him? No, not really.

Watching the gnomes work, they mostly seemed to be handling mushrooms. Large mushrooms, especially for creatures their size. Otherwise, they were making bread, with the kneading being done by a sort of machine. It all seemed rather intricate just for making food, but maybe it was what was necessary for the smaller folk to keep so many mouths fed. When their guide passed them off, his eyes swiveled towards a gnomish woman with a bright, cheerful voice. His scowl didn't waver, though as it often had recently, her upbeat demeanor immediately made him feel deeply uncomfortable. What was she hiding? Still hunched over, he cleared his throat and finally just sat down in the middle of the floor. He wouldn't crawl, but that didn't mean he needed to stand. Even while seated, his head rose high above the gnomes.

Shifting his weight, he finally spoke. "I take it you are Tervaround," The cleric said with barely-hidden distrust. "We are adventurers hired by the Townmaster of Phandalin to deal with the dragon that has recently moved into the area. One of the suggestions made was to check with you all to see if you had anything of value towards that goal." His unwaveringly serious expression didn't move from the smaller gnome's face. "I am unfamiliar with what you may offer, but know that we do not ask for this for free. If our assistance is required here as well, I will gladly lend my hammer in aid." Resting his massive warhammer on the ground next to him, he added, "Keeping in mind that the dragon's death is in Gnomengarde's best interest regardless."

Ellya dr xenon QizPizza Faynorae​

 

[Ellya]

The gnome now known as Tervaround nods with a smile and nimbly hops off of the stool she was standing on. As she approached, she sucks the mushroom juice off her fingers one by one. "Her I am, pleasure to meet you all!" She then continued to wipe her hands off on her apron while listening to Zulgur and carefully looking over the rest of you.

"Well, you couldn't have arrived at a better or a worse time, honestly..." She gave a chuckle, but expression darkened quickly enough. "Look, first of all, we'd be happy to negotiate the purchase of some magical items with you, but... All business needs to be conducted with one of the kings present. And that's where the trouble is, you see..." She put her hands on her sides and sighed, looking around and leaning in closer, motioning the Goliath to lean down. "I heard King Korboz lost his damn mind. I've no clue what or why it happened, but that's the word going around here..."

Tervaround sighed and looked at the ground, shaking her head. "Now don't misunderstand, I wouldn't wish any harm on either of our kings, but... I don't know..." She looked over the party again. "Perhaps you best speak with Fibblestib or Dabbledop, over in the workshop. They always know what's going on around here. Just keep going south 'til you can't anymore, cross the bridge at the waterfall and you'll be there in a jiff!" (G11)

With a smile, the gnome hopped back onto the stool she was standing on and continued stuffing whatever it was deeper into the barrel.

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[dr xenon]

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

"Roight!" says May'falla as she somehow poked her head in the space between Tervaround and Zulgur while the Gnome spoke to the Goliath. After Tervaround returned to her work the Wood Elf turned to Zulgur, rolled her eyes and whispered conspiratorily. "This could take a while. Like sorting out who's whose first cousin at a Spring courtship dance in a small mountain village packed away from all civilization for dozens of centuries."

She sighs.

"But I bet it'll be worth it. Let's go!"

Then she heads off to the south to follow Tervaround's directions, snagging something tasty on her past if anything's handy.
BarrenThin2 , Faynorae , QizPizza

 

[Faynorae]

Irene "Hikolionem" Von Lumiere​

HP: 50/50
STR: 14(+2)
DEX: 20(+5)
CON: 11(+0)
INT: 10(+0)
WIS: 8(-1)
CHA: 17(+3)​

What even was that.. Irene questioned to herself. Something with large wings flying into the distance. It seemed somewhat... sad? or even lonely. Irene brushed it off as nothing much and continued into the cave. Irene was perplexed. There were all sorts of things all around the cave. Everything was just so... Wow, to her at least. Though all of it looked so simple, it could all be so complicated as well. Irene couldn't keep her eyes on one thing, but her focus finally goes back on topic once the giant person began to speak.

Of course, the gnome was quick to reply, almost as if she was expecting this anytime by now... king huh? Irene was a bit surprised when she heard the mentioning of the king, due to the fact that this was still a small town, but whatever the case may be, Irene would be happy to comply in any case. The "adventurers" were directed to a different place, and Irene was going to follow. She was lesser here to help the town with a dragon, but since she got herself caught in the situation, she wanted to help in any way she could.

Irene follows the Elf person in the same direction, keeping in mind to not get lost.

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[Ellya]

As your party travels southward within the complex of Gnomengarde, you are met with a few interesting and less interesting rooms that give a nice idea of what would keep a gnome busy in their general routine.

As you go south and decide to take the more scenic route to your left, you followed a longer curved hallway and eventually walk past an open door (G6). Glancing inside, you can see two... contraptions, basically. They resemble crabs with a barrel for a shell, six articulated metal legs and a pair of forward-facing pincer claws. Just as you look in, you see a small hatch opening up on the top of one of them, and a gnome's head poking up through it to just stare at you strangely as you all pass by (or you may stop to have a word, just let me know!).




- - -

You follow the hallway further south, May'falla leading the pack, until a crossbow bolt suddenly *WHOOSH*es past her Elven head and clatters into the wall to her right. (( This happens when you step foot into the vertical hallway north of G7 )). Glancing quickly inside the room you almost entered, you see another feat of technological prowess.

Bolted to the floor of this room is a rotating platform equipped with four heavy crossbows. Mounted on top, above the crossbows, at a height of about 5-6 feet is a chair equipped with pedals, on top of which sits another Rock Gnome. As it wildly pedals, you hear metallic clanking and clattering while the entire contraption spins counterclockwise, a second crossbow slowly but surely coming to point down the hallway you're all in. The gnome is smiling widely, giggling, its light blonde hair shaved, singed and just destroyed on one side of its head while a pair of wide open eyes stare down at you all.

"Eheh, heheh, eheheheh... FIRE IN THE HOOOOOLE!"

The creature pulls two levers on the sides of its chair and with a *SHHLLICK*, yet another bolt is loosened.

(( Everyone please make a Dexterity saving throw with a DC of 15. If it fails, you fail to dodge in time and take 6 piercing damage as well as a crossbow bolt to the knee shoulder ))

"Ahahah! Yes yes, no! Stand still, yes! NO! No! Yes, I must see!"

Faynorae dr xenon BarrenThin2

 

[dr xenon]

STR: 9 (-1)
DEX: 16 (+3)
CON: 15 (+2)
INT: 20 (+5)
WIS: 12 (+1)
CHA: 10 (+0)
HP: (50) 44

"Pitch and pine tar!" May'falla shouts as she attempts to dive out of the way, but a bolt catches her in the shoulder. "GAH!"

BarrenThin2 , Faynorae , QizPizza

OOC: Dex save attempt: 6+3 = 9

 

[Faynorae]

Irene "Hikolionem" Von Lumiere​

HP: 41/50
STR: 14(+2)
DEX: 20(+5)
CON: 11(+0)
INT: 10(+0)
WIS: 8(-1)
CHA: 17(+3)​

"huh, what the-" Irene's cut off as she almost dodged the bolt but slipped and fell over, getting hit by the arrow in the process. "Augh.." Irene faceplanted into the floor and got hit by an arrow. What a bad day. Can we have an extra 3 bludgeoning damage over here?

dr xenon BarrenThin2 QizPizza ​

OOC: Dexterity save : 9 + 5= 14

 

[Ellya]

The gnome on top of the contraption laughs loudly after firing the third bolt, pulling the levers once again. "Ahahahah! Yes, yes! Works! GOOD!" he yells out.

While the rest find cover in the adjacent hallways, Irene stumbles and falls to the ground, a fourth crossbow bolt quickly whooshing right over her head. The gnome grumbles. "Hmmrrghh... Get up! Up up up, girl! Yes! Can't hit you there! UP! Someone COME HERE! Show yourselves!"

Faynorae dr xenon BarrenThin2

 

[dr xenon]

STR: 9 (-1)
DEX: 16 (+3)
CON: 15 (+2)
INT: 20 (+5)
WIS: 12 (+1)
CHA: 10 (+0)
HP: (50) 44

"Show myself?" May'falla shouts back. "Pull the other one, mate, it's got bells on it! You fink I'm going to stick my head up for you to get some target practice yer mad as a squirrel chewing lead."

She blinks for a second as she remembers what the Gnome in the kitchen said.

"Oy! Are you King Korboz then?"

Faynorae , QizPizza , BarrenThin2

 

[Ellya]

With Irene still lying low on the ground and the rest having taken cover by now, you could hear the mad gnome's voice calling out. "Aarrgghhhh! UP, GIRL, UP!"

It then snickered. "Ahah! Hmmm... Hmmmmmmmmmmm... Aha, YES! Yes, king! King is me! Hahahaha!" As the gnome laughed wildly, it pulled its lever again and another crossbow bolt went flying right over top of Irene, clanging into the wall at the end of the hallway. "Yes, king! KNEEEEL FOR KING! AHAHAHAHAAAAAH!"

Now that Irene Faynorae could have a look in relative safety, she could see that the gnome had a lever on either side of his chair. One seemed to be to fire the crossbow pointing forward from his position, and as he pulled the other, a clanking and clattering was heard from the machine as it spun, reloading the empty crossbow and pointing the next one forward.

dr xenon BarrenThin2