dragonbane ... secret of the dragon emperor part 9!

picking up right where we left off ...

GM Elle: The great abandoned hall is just as you left it, right down to the huge manticorpse in the middle. So which way are you going? There's the low iron door to the south, rusted over; the half-open iron door to the west, and the iron gate to the northwest, bearing the graven flame embossed in purple.
MSG: I'm thinking we should check out the half-open door and make sure there's nothing beyond it that might sneak up on us.
Claire: Personally, I'm thinking the great big gate with the fancy decorations looks like the ideal place to search for treasure and knowledge.
Ariel: Well, my treasure hunting instincts did bring us down here and did point kinda northeast and northwest from where I was standing at the time, so I'm betting there's treasure down here. But I don't have a clue which exact direction.
Sasha: I'm with the dwarf. We should check that open door for monsters before doing anything else. I'm heading that direction.
Akane: Wait! Zedeja has not been consulted!
GM Elle: It's a pretty brief walk across the dark, vaulted hall. Who's going with Dolora?
MSG: Considering it was my idea, I'll go.
Ariel: I'll go too so they have a light.
Hettie: Dilfriida asks Filvius if he wants to go check that flaming gate. Not open it up just yet, but search and see if we find anything interesting about it. I've got my own lamp.
Claire: Sure, why not? But you guys come back and get us if there's anything interesting behind the open door.
Sasha: "Interesting" means the same thing as "monster" to Quackers, so he says he's pretty sure you'll know if we do.
Hettie: I'll lead the way to the big iron gate with my lamp, then.
Akane: Bah. If that direction is halfling-lit, Zedeja accompanies the other three.
GM Elle: The iron door opens outward, and will have to be pulled further open for you to get a good look through. Otherwise, someone with a lamp could poke one hand through with the light and stick their head in to see what's there.
MSG: I like the idea of pulling it open. Dolora volunteers to do that while Sir Q gets his sword and shield ready and Fidu holds the light.
Ariel: I'll be just a little behind Sir Q.
Sasha: Ready when you are, then.
Akane: Zedeja issues the command: now!
GM Elle: The door is a little stiff, but yields to Dolora's strength. Beyond, there's a two-meter stretch of hallway that opens up into a room that looks about eight meters wide. The far side is only dimly visible at the edge of your lamp's 10-meter glow. Do you enter?
Sasha: Sure. I tell Fidu to stick close behind me so I have light to fight by.
Ariel: Can do.
GM Elle: When you enter the chamber, you find that the corridor continues on the far side, again for about two meters. There, it ends at a narrow door not unlike the one between the spiral staircase and the vaulted hall. The room is wider north-south than east-west, about 12 meters. To the north, you see an iron bracket set into the stone wall, with old, rusty chains hanging from it. They're mostly broken, with only one manacle intact lying on the floor. To the south you see thick vines that appear to have grown through cracks in the wall and ceiling.
Sasha: I'm still waiting for you to describe the monster.
GM Elle: No monster just yet.
Ariel: I'm going to use my Treasure Hunter ability again, then. Which way seems the most treasury?
GM Elle: Something about those vines to the south seems to tickle at your imagination, for some reason.
MSG: Can I see if they're the murdery kind?
GM Elle: Make a Bushcraft roll.
MSG: Nope. 17.
Ariel: I check too ...  made it with a 4.
GM Elle: They just look like normal vines as far as you can tell.
Ariel: I'll go over and look closer then.
GM Elle: Hidden behind them you see what looks like a concealed door.
Ariel: Yes! Treasure, here we come!
Akane: Be careful when opening!
Ariel: Fidu's got his mind set on treasure, so he's going to skimp on the carefulness. I open the door.
Akane: This unruly group!
GM Elle: Inside is a chamber with a low ceiling. Part of the ceiling has collapsed, and the floor is covered with stones and gravel.
MSG: I don't like the looks of the partly collapsed ceiling, but I do want to know what's in there, so Dolora will go in if Fidu is going.
Ariel: You bet I am. Does it look like there's anything buried in the rocks and gravel?
GM Elle: It will take you a stretch to search it. Are Sir Q and Zedeja helping?
Sasha: Our light's in there now, right? So I don't know what else we'd do.
Akane: Zedeja does not search, but oversees the searchers. Look there! Now there! That rock -- possibly a treasure is under it.
GM Elle: Okay, while you four are doing that, Filvius and Dilfriida are at the big iron gate. What's your plan?
Claire: To be honest, I was sort of thinking I'd go ahead and straight-up open it. But I just double-checked my character sheet and realized I still have the Scared condition, so instead I think I'm going to carefully search it and see if there are any secret symbols or buttons or anything.
Hettie: I was most likely going to run if she preemptively rushed to open the gate, but if she's just searching, I'll hold the light and look as closely as I can also.
GM Elle: You can both roll to Spot Hidden.
Claire: Ooh, made it with a 5!
Hettie: A 5 for me as well.
GM Elle: Other than noting that this gate, while made of iron, shows no signs of rust, I'm afraid you don't see anything special. However, during your examination, you think you hear sounds of fighting coming from the other side of the gate.
MSG: Don't do it.
Claire: Don't worry, I'm scared, so I'm not going to open it to find out who's fighting. But I am going to put my ear to the gate and see if I can hear anything.
Hettie: I suppose I will too when I see her doing it.
GM Elle: Both of you can roll Awareness with a Bane because the gate is solid iron.
Claire: Awareness, huh? That's 8 and 18, neither of which gets me there.
Hettie: 6 and 16 for Dilfriida. The 6 would have succeeded, but the 16 doesn't.
GM Elle: All right, back to the other four. The three who are searching should make three Spot Hidden checks ... winner finds something.
MSG: Cool. "Winner" means low roll, right?
Claire: Low roll as long as it's a success, I'm pretty sure.
Ariel: Boo! I roll a Demon for my first roll.
Sasha: I fail with a 15.
GM Elle: The Demon means you sit the rest of the rolls out, Aers.
MSG: 9 for Dolora, also a failure.
Akane: What! This failure of finding is too much for Zedeja. "You underlings can't be trusted to search correctly!" I roll also. Roll is a 19, which causes Zedeja to become Angry and push her roll. Failure again! 16.
MSG: I guess that makes Zedeja the blind leading the blind.
Ariel: You said roll three times, right? My next roll is -- oh wait, I lost those rolls is why you're looking at me like that, isn't it.
Sasha: Quackers' second roll is 17.
Akane: Zedeja's roll number two now has a Bane from Angry. 9 succeeds ... but 16! No! More outrage of unsuccessful! I become Disheartened to push this roll. Finally! 9 and 7!
GM Elle: Dolora still might beat you by rolling under your 7.
MSG: No, I roll a 9.
Akane: Yes!
GM Elle: All right, you get to draw a treasure card from the treasure deck.
Akane: Gemstone! It says to roll d6 ... 3 is an emerald worth 10 gold!
GM Elle: Okay, third roll each.
MSG: 13 fails.
Claire: You guys are the pits at this.
Ariel: I can't believe this is where the best treasure is and we're not seeing any of it!
Sasha: Got something! 2!
Akane: Zedeja's Baned third rolls are a failure and a success, so, nothing.
GM Elle: Pick a card, Sash.
Sasha: Hmm. "Bottle" ... it says a Healing roll reveals the contents.
Akane: Zedeja insists she is best at this.
MSG: Even with your Bane? Oh, yeah, probably. I've got a 6 skill in Healing.
Ariel: Me too.
Sasha: 4 here. I'm fine with Zedeja checking it.
Akane: Rolls are 6 and 11, so it's accomplished.
GM Elle: Looks like it's booze.
MSG: Fancy booze worth selling, I hope.
Ariel: Can I roll Bartering to see if I can figure out what it's worth? Boo, 19 even if you let me.
GM Elle: It was a nice idea, but all you know is that it smells like alcohol. Now, that stretch has passed, so what are Filvius and Dilfriida doing?
Claire: I'm going to hurry back to where our fighting folks are if there's a fight going on on the other side of the gate. Assuming my light source is coming.
Hettie: Indeed I am.
Akane: Good! Two more searchers! You must make rolls for finding things at once!
GM Elle: Three opposed rolls to search, Filvius and Dilfriida.
Claire: 15.
Hettie: Me too.
Akane: The inefficiency of this searching!
Claire: Second roll is a 12, also a failure for me.
Hettie: Demon. Guess I don't get a third roll.
GM Elle: Last shot, Claire.
Claire: 7, and I needed a 6. Okay, heck, I'll get Disheartened to push it. And that was worthless because I roll a 14.
Ariel: Argh. This totally can't be the greatest treasures in the place -- one emerald and a bottle of hooch? I'm spending more WP and using my Treasure Hunger ability again. I mean, "Hunter." But maybe "Hunger" is even better.
GM Elle: All right, then, you find a worn old grimoire under a slab of rock you hadn't checked before, along with one card.
Ariel: Oh boy. d6 copper coins. I roll 3.
Hettie: Looking in the manual, there's literally one thing available for 3 or fewer coppers: a road toll.
Akane: What an offensive card to have in a treasure deck!
GM Elle: I'm going to say I agree. Hand me two more cards, Aers, and I'll tell you which one you get.
Ariel: Sure! Thanks for the break!
GM Elle: You also find a dagger.
MSG: At least that's worth like, 5 silver.
Claire: What I want to know is what's in that grimoire.
Akane: Zedeja the Mind must also know.
GM Elle: It contains the following spells: Fetch, Flick, Dispel, Magic Shield, Ignite, Heat/Chill, Gust of Wind, Fire Blast, Tidal Wave, and Salamander.
MSG: That's a lot of spells.
Claire: Uh-huh. And I notice most of them are Elementalist spells, which means neither one of our mages knows how to use them.
Akane: Some sound General, though. Dispel and Magic Shield, I think. 
GM Elle: Correct. Learning a spell from a grimoire takes a shift and an advancement mark, and you roll against Languages to succeed.
Claire: Oh, great, my Languages skill is dookey.
Akane: It's very feasible for Zedeja, though. 14 in Languages!
GM Elle: Unless the party wants to break for a Shift Rest now, though, there are still several parts of the temple you haven't gotten to.
Claire: Whoops, that's right. I forgot all about telling the group we heard fighting on the other side of the flaming iron gate.
Sasha: What kind of fighting? Any monster sounds?
Hettie: No, I'm afraid it was very generalized combative noise, nothing distinct.
Sasha: Whatever. I'm still heading that direction in case it's monsters.
Akane: Zedeja orders others to follow.
MSG: I don't see why not.
Claire: Great, let's go.
Ariel: I'll bring my light along.
Hettie: Mine as well.
GM Elle: You quickly find yourselves outside the iron gate. Whatever disturbance was happening before, all is once again still in the darkness of the vaulted hall.
MSG: Same door routine as before, Sash and Aers?
Ariel: Fidu's got his lamp ready.
Sasha: Quackers is loaded for monster bear.
MSG: I'll try to pull the gate open, then.
GM Elle: It's heavy ... go ahead and check Strength.
MSG: 9. Easy success.
GM Elle: In that case, you get it open quickly enough that anyone inside won't have time to prepare an ambush, though not so quickly that they'll be taken by surprise. Beyond the gate lies an ornate chamber with murals and lavishly decorated columns along the walls. The rock seems half-molten, semi-organic, like the inside of a fossil monster.
Ariel: Ew.
GM Elle: On a marble altar burns a violet fire. Two tall figures with axes are standing at the altar. The west wall, behind the altar, vibrates like a mirror of water, shimmering and now and then showing the image of some semi-organic city under a purple sky that moves with the observer, projected at skewed angles. Ornaments of bone, like the spinal column of some great beast, frame the view.
Sasha: Let's cut to the part where the figures with axes are monsters.
GM Elle: Both figures are over two meters tall, their elongated bodies covered with iron armor that appears fused to their flesh. A purple aura surrounds each one. They look over at you as the gate creaks wide, showing their eyes to be completely black. One asks in a raspy voice, "Who approaches? Have you too been summoned by Sathmog? To go through the portal and see its sights, as we have?"
MSG: I'll say --
Sasha: "Die, monsters!" I'm charging.
GM Elle: I guess that's initiative, then.
MSG: Great. Can I have the deck? I draw the 6.
Claire: 10 for me.
Ariel: 4.
Sasha: 7, dang it.
Hettie: 8.
Akane: 9. This is very poor initiating for everyone but the wolfkin.
GM Elle: The axe-wielding figures draw the 3. You know what? They're going to trade cards with Sir Quackenscrump.
Sasha: Woohoo! I run straight up at this guy here.
Hettie: You're not going to be able to attack if you move that far, though.
Sasha: No, but I'll scare the crap out of them.
Akane: They do not look very frightenable.
GM Elle: Ariel, you're up next.
Ariel: I guess I'll set my lamp down and use my bow to shoot that one there. 13 misses though.
Sasha: Nice try anyway.
GM Elle: Dolora's next on 6.
MSG: I'll move to here, switch to my shortbow, and shoot. There's another 13. Our luck's not looking so great.
GM Elle: Their turn. First, this guy chops at you with his axe, Sash. He misses with a 19.
MSG: You heard that, right Sash? He rolled and missed. Which means they're not monsters.
Sasha: Nah, that's just how scared I have them.
GM Elle: Second guy moves here and also misses.
Hettie: Dilfriida's joining the shortbow brigade on 8. I move up and fire ... 7 hits. Only 5 points of damage, though.
GM Elle: It barely gets through his armor. Zedeja?
Akane: It's a sling attack for the Mind. Oh. A Demon.
GM Elle: You break your weapon. That will get you a Bane until it's fixed by an artisan.
Claire: I guess that leaves me. I don't have a ranged weapon, so I'll just move to here and be ready to heal somebody next round or move in and staff them.
GM Elle: New initiative, then.
MSG: Again with the 6.
Claire: 9. I guess that's okay if I'm planning on healing.
Ariel: 4 again!
Sasha: 5 this time.
Hettie: Dilfriida goes on 3.
Akane: Zedeja: 1!
GM Elle: Bad guys are on 8. Zedeja, you're up.
Akane: A Bane with the sling ... I think still it's worth trying. 2 and 10! Hit!
GM Elle: These guys aren't too worried about a sling stone. He doesn't evade.
Akane: Damage ... only 5.
GM Elle: It's going to take you a long time at this rate. Hettie?
Hettie: I'll move to here, switch to my dagger, and Backstab. That's a hit, for 16 points of damage.
GM Elle: That got his attention. Aers?
Ariel: Shortbow again on that same guy! But I miss again.
Sasha: I"m next, right? Lemme show you how this is done. Broadsword on the dude who hasn't been hit yet.
Hettie: But ...
Sasha: Doggone Bane. I rolled a Dragon but also 17. I really need to get un-Exhausted.
MSG: Dolora will switch to her club and move up to strike at the injured guy. I miss with a 16, but I'll push it and become Angry. Oh, come on. 19.
Claire: We're not having much luck with these push rolls.
GM Elle: Their turn. Injured guy attacks Dilfriida, since she seems to be the only one who can hurt them.
Hettie: I'd take that as a compliment, but ...
GM Elle: You're in luck. He misses with a 19. The other guy attacks Quackers. 14 is barely a miss. Claire?
Claire: Guess I'll go in for a staff hit ... hey, got it with a 7! 11 points of damage.
GM Elle: He's looking pretty bad off. New initiative.
MSG: 9 this time.
Claire: Don't worry, I got the 2 so I'll probably trade you.
Ariel: 5 for Fidu.
Sasha: Yaaassss, the 1!
Hettie: Dilfriida is on 8
Akane: 6 this time.
GM Elle: And the axe guys are on 7.
Sasha: Damn it, Bane-blocked again.
Claire: Here's the 2, MSG.
MSG: Thanks. 6 with my greatclub this time, is he dodging?
GM Elle: Tries and fails.
MSG: 14 points, then.
GM Elle: He's down.
MSG: One more to go, guys ...
Ariel: I'll move here and shoot my shortbow again. But I miss.
Akane: Zedeja moves here and tries her Baned sling. It's no good.
GM Elle: Their turn. The one left standing attacks Quackers ... and misses.
Hettie: Dilfriida will move in to backstab him. Hit! 16 points.
Claire: Stepping up to staff the guy ... a hit for 9.
GM Elle: New initiative again.
MSG: 10.
Claire: 8.
Ariel: 9.
Sasha: 7. We're really tearing it up.
Hettie: 2, so that's better at least.
Akane: Zedeja also, on 3.
GM Elle: Cultists on 6.
MSG: You mean "Cultist."
GM Elle: Maybe.
MSG: I don't like the sound of that ...
Hettie: Dilfriida is out of WP, so she does a normal dagger attack. It's a hit if he doesn't dodge.
GM Elle: He does not.
Hettie: Ten points, then. Over to you, Akane.
Akane: Hmm. Probably better for a clubbing dwarf to go before a Baning sling mage. Here is the 3 card, MSG.
MSG: Thanks! Swinging ...  that's a hit with a 2.
GM Elle: Still not dodging.
MSG: Okay ... 18 points, then.
GM Elle: He falls. But now, on the Cultists' turn, you see the purple aura around the fallen bodies flare up, and they both rise, ready to fight on. With a cry of, "Sathmog's glory is beyond death!" this one attacks you, MSG. Hit.
MSG: I'll use my heroic ability to dodge. 4 makes it.
GM Elle: The other one attacks you, Sash. That's a hit if you don't dodge or parry.
Sasha: Bring it. I haven't hit anything this combat, so I'm not giving up my attack on one lousy axe swipe.
GM Elle: 11 points.
Sasha: Also known as 3 points when you're a tank. My turn. Stay down this time, you axe-swipe! What. The. Heck. 19 and 17.
Claire: I'll try my staff again ... noop.
Ariel: Well I'm super tired of missing with this bow, so I'll switch to my dagger and stab at this dude. Woohoo, 10 is a hit! And it wouldn't have been if I'd stuck with the bow. 8 points of damage!
GM Elle: He drops again.
MSG: So much for the glory of Sathmog.
Akane: Seeing the better luck of striking than slinging, Zedeja switches to staff and proceeds here to attack. This time, a hit with 12. Damage of 9.
GM Elle: That one goes down also. This time, they don't seem to get up.
Claire: I'll immediately go check this new altar to see if it has sun-buttons on the sides like the other one did.
Ariel: I'm going to look and see if the bodies have anything to loot.
GM Elle: Just the battleaxes, and no, Claire, no sun buttons.
MSG: I want to take a better look around now that we're not fighting for our lives.
GM Elle: You see that one of the murals portrays demons and demonic priests in pitched battle with dragons, whom they appear to be slaughtering. In the other, dragons are chained to altars, being sacrificed by priests with dark auras and demonic beasts.
MSG: I'll try to Myths & Legends it and see if it rings any bells. 7 is a success.
GM Elle: It would seem that if this temple dates to the time of the Dragon Emperor, the altar room above ground must have been a cover for this one down here, because whoever painted these murals would certainly not have been welcome in the Dragon Emperor's territory.
MSG: Interesting.
Claire: I'm looking at this watery-mirrory thing and thinking about what that cultist said about going through a portal and seeing its sights. 
Ariel: Uh-oh.
Sasha: I'm poking at the bodies and making sure they have plenty of holes in them to guarantee they won't pull that reviving stunt again.
Hettie: I'm searching the altar for any hidden compartments.
GM Elle: Sash, you easily make more holes. Hettie, roll Spot Hidden. Claire, you find that the angles and geometries of this city scene appear entirely wrong -- distorted, and uncomfortable to look at.
Claire: Well, nobody said gaining knowledge would be comfortable. I'll try stepping through it.
Ariel: Oh no!
Sasha: Hey, characters are pretty quick to roll up in this game.
Hettie: My Spot Hidden is a 3.
Akane: Zedeja orders everyone else to not pass through a demonic portal! Except thievery halflings. They can go if they want.
GM Elle: This altar does not seem to have any hidden compartments or activation mechanisms. You also don't see any apparent source for the violet flame. Claire, an oily black maze of semi-organic shapes surrounds you. Violet and purple suns shine in an orange sky, casting their light on towering structures without exterior walls. Too many dimensions, too many angles and corners. A cacophony of voices, too faint to make out what is being said. The pungent smell of blood and decay fills your head. Make a WIL roll, with a Boon. 
Claire: Oh, with a Boon, huh, nice! Of course, I'm Scared, so the Bane from that cancels it out. 18 is a miss, though.
GM Elle: You seem to be lost in the shifting miasma of the maze. Make another roll.
Claire: 2. Made it.
GM Elle: You feel like the mask is providing you some protection from the ghastly strangeness of this place. Suddenly, you round a corner and almost stumble over a small, broken piece of statuary.
Claire: I totally check it out.
GM Elle: It looks like another piece of the broken statue from your map.
Claire: Sweet. I'm taking it.
GM Elle: Make another WIL roll.
Claire: I'm good. 6.
GM Elle: Suddenly, ahead you see a shimmering surface like the reverse of the one you entered through. You can't make out a clear image through it, but the angles and hints of shapes that you see appear comforting and normal after this nightmarish landscape you've been moving through. Write down a note and hand it to me telling me what you do.
Claire: Okay ... here you go.
GM Elle: Hmm. All right. Meanwhile, everyone else sees Filvius step through the portal and disappear. What do you do?
Akane: Mourn. But only briefly, to match our brief association.
MSG: I'll go look closely at the image and see if I can see her in the cityscape.
GM Elle: No. It's too alien and distorted.
Ariel: Oh, dang. I just had a bad idea.
Sasha: What's that?
Ariel: There might be treasure on the other side of that portal. Maybe I should try my Treasure Hunter ability again.
Sasha: Are you sure going into an alien demon dimension searching for treasure doesn't sound like a little too much work for your character to do?
Ariel: Yeah, that's a good point.
Sasha: Holy crap, though -- on the other hand, if it's a demon dimension, maybe there are monsters to fight! Quackers goes in.
Hettie: Oh, this is ...
Akane: Zedeja insists! No more portalling!
GM Elle: Sash, you see the same freakish environment I described to Claire. It's deeply unnerving, and your sensory perceptions are so distorted, you're not even sure you'd recognize a monster if you came across one. Make a WIL roll.
Sasha: Oh, I'd recognize it, all right. And my roll's a Dragon.
GM Elle: As you wander the maze, you find something.
Sasha: Another statue piece?
GM Elle: No, draw a treasure card. 
Sasha: Poison dagger. Great. It says I have to roll evade or cut myself and get poisoned. Whoa-ho, though, another Dragon! Looks like I scoop it up without a problem.
GM Elle: Not only that, but in the process, you see what looks like another portal, this one with the comfortable appearance of your world.
Sasha: I'm trucking for it. If there's no monsters and just a bunch of poisonous shit to trip over, I don't need this place.
GM Elle: You exit through it, and everyone else sees Sir Q emerge from the portal. That is, unless anyone followed him through immediately.
MSG: Definitely not me.
Claire: Wait, Sash didn't even have to write you a note?
GM Elle: Nope. Anyone else go through?
Ariel: I would definitely wait and see if the other folks came back.
Hettie: For once I'm okay minding Zedeja.
Akane: It's unthinkable for one as smart as Zedeja to wander through such a portal of madness.
GM Elle: Quackers is back, then.
MSG: What happened? What did you see? Was Filvius in there?
Sasha: It's some crazy maze shit place. Made my feathers stand on end. I did find this poison dagger, though, if anybody wants it.
Hettie: I'll take it if you're offering.
GM Elle: So what is the group going to do? Still no sign of the elf.
MSG: Damn it. Quackers proved that it's survivable, and apparently there are no monsters or he definitely wouldn't be back yet. The idea of Filvius finding a bunch of other-dimensional knowledge over there and me not is even more aggravating and disheartening than my already Angry and Disheartened conditions. I guess I say I'll go through to try to find him.
Ariel: Okay, well ... I'll go through with you and try my Treasure Hunter ability in the maze, since there's obviously treasure over there.
Akane: So. Only the halfling of burglary obeys Zedeja's wisdom. The exact opposite of what is desired.
GM Elle: You two are really going through?
MSG: Yes, and I think we should hold hands and step through at exactly the same time.
Ariel: Let's do it!
GM Elle: Your plan immediately appears not to have worked. Each of you finds yourself alone in the same twisted maze Sir Q described. 
Ariel: I'll immediately use my ability. Which way to the greatest treasures?
GM Elle: Make a WIL roll to navigate. You too, MSG.
Ariel: That's a 16, but it makes me Angry because I'm pushing it. 3!
GM Elle: Draw 3 treasure cards and pick the one Fidu would think is the greatest one.
MSG: My roll's a 13, which succeeds.
Ariel: Okay, I'm taking this Gold Bracelet card, obviously! It's worth 2d6 x 10 gold coins! I roll 6, so that's 60!
GM Elle: MSG, draw one card.
MSG: Silver coins ... 3d6 x 10, and I roll 11, so 110.
GM Elle: Another WIL roll each, please.
MSG: 11.
Ariel: Dragon!
GM Elle: Wow. I'll let you choose between another treasure card or an extra advancement mark.
Ariel: Always treasure. Boo! This time it's only 1 gold coin.
Sasha: Should have taken the mark.
GM Elle: After only a brief time, Fidu and Dolora both show back up, separately.
MSG: I ask if there's any sign of Filvius yet.
GM Elle: The group has not seen him.
MSG: Damn. Well, do we want to close the gate and just kind of camp out in here and wait to see if he finds his way out?
Ariel: Yes, I could definitely use the rest. That place was exhausting.
Sasha: Works for me.
Hettie: Sure.
Akane: Zedeja agrees this seems sensible. "Dwarf, go use your strength to close the gate!"
GM Elle: Anyone going to stand watch?
MSG: I could definitely use the rest.
Ariel: Me too!
Sasha: Quackers has a couple of conditions, but he's still good to go. You guys get some shuteye.
Hettie: Thank you, noble mallard knight.
Akane: Zedeja also can use rest.
GM Elle: Seems like this was a good choice of place to rest, then, because the shift passes without any disturbance. And toward the end of it, Filvius shows back up.
Sasha: Quackers waves. "Yo, Filv."
Claire: I say, "Wow, you guys didn't waste any time setting camp, did you?"
Sasha: It's been hours, bud.
Claire: Really? Just a couple of minutes for me. And look, I found another piece of that statue.
Sasha: Nice work.
Ariel: When I eventually wake up, I say, "Oh no, our donkey! We left him again, didn't we?"
Hettie: I didn't lead him through the courtyard.
GM Elle: Well, he definitely didn't climb over the gap in the wall with Dolora and Dilfriida.
MSG: Damn it, I'm going to be mad if we have to pull that cart all the way back to Outskirt ourselves.
GM Elle: If you do, I think that's a task for another day. Let's break here for the night. This was a long session, and a ton happened -- I'm just going to say everyone gets all 5 marks for the evening.
MSG: Nice.
Claire: Thanks!
Ariel: Good job gamemastering, Elle!
Sasha: Yeah, super!
Hettie: I'm enjoying this campaign a great deal.
Akane: Dragonbane -- it's a new favorite, I think.
GM Elle: All right. Next time we'll see what the herbalist has been up to while you've been poking around down here.

thanks for reading, everybody!