II.13: Dragonshards Revealed

Xemdaresh, Q’barra
Dravago 7, 997 YK

Are the lizardfolk friendly or hostile to the party?

Parley(Anaya): 2D6(6 3) +1 = 10 Success!
Get what you want.

There has been no occasion to roll loot so far, as the party has generally been having non-lethal battles or handing people over to the authorities. This time, let’s roll loot. The leader got eaten by the shambling mound, but let’s say Vaalyun gets to loot 6 enemies. For my 6d6 I rolled 1 1 2 4 5 6, which gets them 24 gold coins, a useful item, a valuable item (small tapestry worth 140 coin), a magical trinket, and a clue.

The clue and the useful item can be a note saying what the cultists were to do here. The magical trinket I decided to roll randomly from the minor wondrous items from the Eberron Pathfinder supplement; I got a Fuel Shard; I rolled for which dragonmarked house it would be for, and got House Ghallanda. Okay then, they can sell that in town.

And we can jump cut to the arrival in the village.

Cast a Spell(Cure Moderate Wounds)(Anaya): 2D6(4 1) +2 = 7 Partial success.
-1 ongoing, 2d8=9 healed

Anaya is at full health.

Tied to a post near the communal fire, Nyseris could only sit and hope that the fight would go well and that their companions—Nyseris was thinking mainly of Anaya and Esthana, those that wielded the silver fire—would survive. Captivity ill suited the ranger, who was used to roaming freely in the jungle, but it was in the hands of their own people; Nyseris had acquiesced calmly to being bound. Lizardfolk of the tribe would stop from time to time to look at the ranger, but Nyseris was lost in their own thoughts and waited quietly.

After an hour—which seemed interminable to Nyseris—the tribe’s warriors returned. Nyseris stood up, and saw that Anaya, Vaalyun and Esthana were with them. Anaya looked exhausted by the battle, but otherwise the humankin and the tribe’s warriors seemed to have sustained few injuries.

Nyseris alone can understand the lizardfolk’s chatter.

Discern Realities(Nyseris): 2D6(6 1) +1 = 8 Partial success.
What here is useful or valuable to me?

I also rolled random 5e swamp encounters to get a suitable creature for the chieftain’s headdress.

Many of the tribe gathered to meet the returning warriors, and there was much anxious talk—in Draconic—as warriors rejoined their friends and families and related what had happened. Nyseris overhead talk of the humankin in the woods; the warriors also spoke in awe of how the cleric and templar wielded the silver fire.

Anaya and the others were brought to the communal fire, to stand before the chieftain. The chieftain was tall and muscular, carried a longspear with an ornate silver head, and wore a headdress of black ravens’ feathers.

Seenicin, the leader of the warriors, gave their report in Draconic. They described the battle that they had found, and were keen to emphasise that the humankin warband were carrying weapons of Blackscale manufacture. Then they got to Anaya’s group.

“Most remarkable of all, these two humans”—gesturing to Anaya and Esthana—“wielded the silver fire during the battle.”

The chieftain turned to Anaya, who had set herself at the front of the group. She had waited patiently as the warrior had delivered his report.

“What brings–s you to Xemdaresh, human?” asked the chieftain in Common, though they struggled a little with the words; even this close to Newthrone, the lizardfolk did not normally trade with the humankin, and so Common was rarely needed.

Anaya spoke slowly and clearly. “We tracked cultists of the Dragon Below, that your warriors saw, from Newthrone. Nyseris”—pointing to the imprisoned ranger—“tracked them with us, and left us to warn you before they attacked. Release our friend.”

Parley(Anaya): 2D6(4 5) +1 = 10 Success!
Get what you want.

The chieftain gestured to two warriors nearby, and they cut Nyseris’ bonds. Nyseris had seen the lizardfolk struggle to understand one of Anaya’s words, so she repeated in Draconic, “She said cultists of the Dragon Below.” There were gasps in the gathered crowd at the mention of Khyber.

“What brought them here?” asked the chieftain.

Anaya said “We do not know.”

“Why do you fight these cultis–sts?”

“We”—gesturing to Esthana—“are Templars of the Silver Flame. We fight those that spread evil and corruption in the world.” Nyseris moved to stand with the Templar cleric, and translated her words; the mention of the Silver Flame produced more gasps.

Anaya wants to convince the tribe of the party’s intentions; leverage is the truth.

Parley(Anaya): 2D6(4 5) +1 = 10 Success!
Get what you want.

“We have heard of human serving the orn ixen”—the chieftain used the Draconic for silver fire—“and my warriors saw you draw upon it. I am Teegwul. You are all welcome here.”

Make Camp(party): Heal

Level Up(Anaya): Wis +1; Devoted Healer: Add your level to the amount of damage healed by any healing ability

Anaya is working on getting her wisdom to 18, which would give her the best chance of successfully casting spells.

Commune(Anaya): Cure Light Wounds, Bless, Darkness

---

They sat near the communal fire that evening as the lizardfolk took their evening meal. Teegwul had invited them to sit with him—a rare honour for Nyseris, who had only once been invited to join the chieftain of their own tribe. The food, a stew of venison and root vegetables, was a welcome change from their rations.

Anaya had just rejoined them, having communed with the Flame after the day’s exertions. Nyseris had been answering the chieftain’s questions about their tribe, but fell silent when the cleric sat down. A few other lizardfolk sat with them, including the tribe’s elder wise one, Derkrkaza.

“We thank you for your action against these cultists,” said the chieftain; he spoke in Draconic, addressing himself to Anaya, and Nyseris translated. “It is troubling if the humankin have made a pact with the Blackscales.”

Investigate(Vaalyun): 2D6(5 1) +2 = 8 Partial success.
Incomplete information

“The weapons do not prove a pact,” said Vaalyun. “Count Zuokas is a wealthy man, and has the resources to arm his own men.”

“Blackscale weapons used against us is an act of aggression,” Teegwul protested loudly. “This violence must be answered.”

Vaalyun wants to convince Teegwul that the Blackscales are not directly involved.

Aid(Anaya): 2D6(3 4) +1 = 8 Partial success.
Cost

Parley(Aided)(Vaalyun): 2D6(3 1) +2+1 = 7 Partial success.
Needs proof

Fortunately, they got that clue earlier.

“The Count wanted to make it look like the Blackscales attacked the village,” said Anaya. “Perhaps it was a way to divert suspicion after the attack away from his men.”

“Can you prove this?” asked Teegwul. “The humankin want our lands, that much I know; and the Blackscales wish us ill. Perhaps our enemies make common cause.”

“Yes,” said Vaalyun, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a folded paper. “I examined the bodies of several of the cultists, and found this note on one of them.”

Teegwul took the paper, glanced at it, then passed it to Derkrkaza. They examined it briefly, and said “It is as the outlanders say, Teegwul. Their instructions were to use only bows and the spears to kill us, and leave some spears behind.”

“We must pay Count Zuokas a visit, I think,” said Vaalyun.

“If you do not, then we will,” said Teegwul. “But if we go, it may mean war with the humans—our agreement with the humankin forbids us from attacking their land.

“We will go,” said Anaya, ”and make the Count answer for his crime here. You have my word on it. But we still do not know why the cultists would attack the village in the first place.”

“The humankin have been pushing into the jungle again recently,” said Teegwul. “They seek the sacred shards that can be found in our lands.”

“Sacred shards?”

“Yes,” said Derkrkaza. “They are part of our land, the gifts of Eberron.” Derkrkaza was marked out as a wise one by a necklace of dragonshard fragments the colour of frosted pink; they held one of the shards out before them. “We are bound to protect them from outsiders.”

Spout Lore(Vaalyun): 2D6(6 5) +2 = 13 Success!
Full information

“Eberron Dragonshards,” said Vaalyun. “They are much sought after by the Twelve for use in the creation of magic items; they are suitable for a wider range of uses than other types of dragonshard. The colouring is unusual though.”

“May I see one?” said Anaya. Derkrkaza nodded and handed the neckace over to the cleric.

Discern Realities(Anaya): 2D6(6 1) +2 = 9 Partial success.
What here is not what it appears to be?

Anaya held one of the pink crystals in her hands, turning it over and examining it, as it flickered slightly in the firelight. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she stood up, holding the crystal out before her. The flickering grew stronger, and then the shard burst into brilliant silver light, and silver fire surrounded the crystal and Anaya, outshining the camp fire and dazzling everyone present.

“By the Flame!” exclaimed Esthana, looking in wonder at the spectacle; and many of the lizardfolk jumped up with exclamations of “orn ixen” (the silver fire).

Derkrkaza stood up, and reached out to take the necklace from Anaya. The lizardfolk was illuminated with silver fire as well as they touched it; once Anaya released the necklace, the light gradually subsided.

Aid(Esthana): 2D6(4 3) +1 = 8 Partial success.
Reveal an unwelcome truth

Spout Lore(Anaya): 2D6(5 3) +1+1 = 10 Success!

“They are truly sacred. Dragonshards infused with the Silver Flame!” There was wonder in Anaya’s voice as she sat again. “But how did this come about? The Flame’s energy can be bound to sacred items—or to a place, like a church.”

“Did not the Cardinal say that the Flame in Flamekeep was used to bind an Overlord?” asked Esthana.

“Yes, you are right.” Anaya nodded. “If the Flame is bound to this jungle, through the dragonshards, it could be because an Overlord is imprisoned here.”

“Masvirik, the Cold One,” said Derkrkaza. “A creature of great evil, imprisoned within Haka’torvhak long ago. Thousands of years ago the dragons came here, and taught us that the dragonshards keep this evil at bay—and that if it was ever to come loose, it would destroy our land. We have guarded the dragonshards since that time.”

“And then,” Vaalyun said, “House Tharashk arrived, and started to harvest the dragonshards.” He steepled his fingers thoughtfully. “What danger would be unleashed if they take too many?”

“Could we persuade them to stop, now that we know the purpose of the shards here?” asked Esthana.

Tell them the requirements or consequences and ask

I rolled here, since I had a couple of plausible plans that Vaalyun could put forward: they could either get proof and go to the Twelve, or they could try to sabotage Tharashk’s operation. I rolled the second.

“Not directly,” said Vaalyun. “House Tharashk is a commercial operation, and their base of operation in the Shadow Marches is far from here. They have little reason to care what befalls a land so far away. And certainly not on the word of the lizardfolk, who have an interest in keeping strangers away from their lands.”

“Then what can we do?”

“House Tharashk has the support of the government in Newthrone. If we cause that support to be withdrawn, it would be much harder for them to organise the extraction of the dragonshards.”

Anaya frowned. “What you propose is no small thing. Tharashk has mercenary soldiers in the city. The government in Newthrone may rule Q’barra, but it does not have the wealth and connections of Tharashk throughout Khorvaire.”

Vaalyun smiled. “Games are always more interesting when you play for high stakes.”

---

Remember that I set up the cultists as an adventure front when we arrived in Q’barra. It is now revealed that their first Grim Portent was to attack a village and make it look like the Blackscales, and the next portent was for the Cold Sun lizardfolk to go to war with the Blackscales. The party has, by acting, managed to break that potential chain of events. This is how DungeonWorld fronts are meant to work.

The danger behind the Tharashk front, which I took straight from the Eberron setting, is also revealed: their harvesting of the dragonshards is weakening the prison of an Overlord.

Heading back through the jungle is certainly Make a Perilous Journey.

Scout Ahead(Nyseris): 2D6(2 5) +1 = 8 Partial success.
You notice sign of a nearby Danger

Navigate(Vaalyun): 2D6(6 4) +2 = 12 Success!
You avoid dangers and distractions and make good time

The party set out for Newthrone on the next morning. Some of the lizardfolk turned out to see them off; Nyseris received many thanks for warning them of the attack on the previous day, and good wishes for the travel ahead. Derkrkaza was there also and spoke to Anaya, wishing her good luck with the dangerous task ahead of her.

The sky was cloudy and it was darker, but cooler, as they made their way through the jungle towards Newthrone. Once again it was Nyseris and Vaalyun that led the way, with the Templars following behind. Only an hour from the village, Vaalyun brought them to a halt.

“I see movement in a clearing up ahead,” the elf said. “We should circle around to the east, where there is high ground; the Templars can stay out of sight.”

Nyseris agreed, and led them through some thicker undergrowth to the east. Vaalyun scouted for them and, once they were safely south of the clearing, he rejoined them.

“I got close enough to see them. It was a group of humans, half-orcs and gnolls, and looked well organised. In other words, House Tharashk.”

“Harvesting dragonshards,” said Anaya, grimacing.

“That seems likely.”

Khyber cultists are evil and Anaya has no problem with killing them, but killing Tharashk mining expeditions—well, it would be a last resort.

“We should continue south. There is no way to stop them short of killing them, and I hope there is a solution that avoids that. In any case, murdering one group does not stop them from sending others. We must deal with Count Zuokas first.”

“I hope s–so,” said Nyseris. “If we find no other way, my people will kill them.”

---

Make Camp(party): 2D6(3 2) +0 = 5 Failure!
A Danger manifests

Stay Sharp(Anaya): 2D6(3 1) +2 = 6 Failure!
They get the drop on you

Okay, so what’s the threat? We have some established threats: Blackscales, Tharashk, cultists, jungle creatures; or it could be something new. So I rolled a d5 between those options, and got a 4: jungle creatures. I rolled between forest and swamp, and got forest. Then I rolled a random 5e forest encounter, and had to convert the monster for DungeonWorld .

They travelled all day, and made camp that evening only an hour from the jungle’s edge. Once darkness fell, and the sounds of the jungle had shifted from the noise of daytime to the quieter chirpings and eerie cries of nighttime, the group settled down for the night.

Anaya took the first watch, tending the remains of the campfire while thinking over the events since they arrived in Q’barra. Defeating a cult was one thing: Count Zuokas might be a noble in these parts, but he would likely get no support from Newthrone once unmasked as a Dragon cultist. But House Tharashk was another thing entirely; its influence and power rivalled that of the Church itself.

She heard a noise that seemed closer to the camp, and stood up. Her shield was leaning against a tree behind her, but Anaya lifted her sword, preparing to draw on the Flame to light her surroundings, when suddenly something large crashed into her from behind.

The last two party rolls were failures, so two hard moves here. Use up their resources: Anaya loses her shield and her bow breaks on impact. Deal damage: 3+2d6 keep highest = 3 + (1 1) = 4 damage, 3 after armour. Lucky—the GM rolled snakes-eyes.

Anaya did not hit the ground; instead, she found herself held off of the ground in the creature’s tentacles. Then she cried out in pain, as the creature’s powerful jaws closed on her side, fangs driving through her chainmail.

Displacer Beast: group, large. 2d6dl1+3 damage (large, skill in offense, vicious armaments, dangerous due to stealth), 10HP, 1 armour (thick hide); close, reach, stealthy. Moves: displace image, grasp with tentacles, darkvision.

Monster move(Displace Image)

Defy Danger(Wis)(Nyseris): 2D6(6 5) +1 = 12 Success!
Deal damage: d8=6

Nyseris woke immediately, the experience of many dangerous journeys through this jungle having taught them to sleep lightly. Standing over them was a dark, sleek creature with fangs bared; but Nyseris saw the slight flickering of the creature’s silhouette agains the jungle canopy above, and instead rolled away and up to the left, collecting their spear. The image flickered out, and the real creature pounced from the right, closing its jaws on the empty space that Nyseris had just escaped. Nyseris stabbed with their spear, driving it into the creature’s chest.

I rolled to see who the third beast attacked; it went for Esthana.

Defy Danger(Wis)(Esthana): 2D6(3 4) +1 = 8 Partial success.
Worse outcome

Esthana woke to find one of the beasts readying to strike. She went to grab her sword, but the creature was too close and she had to scramble away. There were, it appeared, at least four of the beasts in the camp; they were like large hounds, the size of a horse but with six powerful legs and two long tentacles tipped with razor-sharp spikes.

“Displacer beasts!” Nyseris shouted; the creature in front of her snarled in return. “They project fals–se images!”

Hack and Slash(Anaya): 2D6(5 6) +0 = 11 Success!
d6=6 damage

The three (for that’s the real number) displacer beasts are at 5, 5, 10 HP.

The creature had gripped her around the waist, but Anaya still had her sword and her arm was free. The creature has loosed its bite and snarled at her, the smell of its sweat and its hot breath pouring over her. She struggled in its grip to face the creature and, as it moved to bite again, she slashed down with the blade, cutting into the side of its head and damaging one its eyes. The creature howled in pain, and lowered her to the ground, preparing to strike with its foreclaws.

Hack and Slash(Nyseris): 2D6(1 1) +2 = 4 Failure!
Deal damage: 3+2d6dl1 = 3 + (6 4) = 9 damage

Nyseris is at 12/20 HP.

Nyseris and their beast circled one another for some seconds, the creature padding softly amidst the undergrowth, its teeth bared threateningly. Nyseris lunged with the spear, but the nimble creature sidestepped on its back four legs, while slashing with one of its forepaws, inflicting severe cuts to Nyseris’ chest.

Standing by the campfire, Esthana had one beast in front of her—standing over her bedroll, where her bow and sword still lay—and another to her right, advancing from where Nyseris’ bedroll lay. The latter moved as if to jump on her, but Esthana dived towards it anyway, rolling right through the dark creature’s false image and coming up again at the edge of the clearing, Nyseris’ bow and quiver in her hands.

Esthana has +1 for Discern in combat from Seeing Red (taken as her most recent level up).

Discern Realities(Esthana): 2D6(5 1) +1+1 = 8 What here is not what it appears to be?

All the displacer beast are projecting these false images so Vaalyun, skulking out of sight now, needs to pick the right targets.

Discern Realities(Vaalyun): 2D6(1 4) +0 = 5 Failure!
Show a downside to their class, race or equipment

Faced with a large vicious predator, he panics and tries to climb a tree. He is no warrior.

Defy Danger(STR)(Vaalyun): 2D6(1 5) -1 = 5 Failure!
Put someone in a spot

Well the thing facing him is a false image, so it cannot damage him, so let’s make him a liability instead. I’ll give Esthana her +1, as she can use her previous Discern to tell which image is real.

Defend(Esthana): 2D6(6 1) +2+1 = 10 Success!
Halve damage to the target, deal level=3 damage to target, hold 1

So the real beast can now Deal damage: 3+2d6dl1 = 3 + (6 1) = 9 damage, 8 after armour, halved to 4.

As she slung the quiver over her shoulder, silently praying to the Silver Flame that they would get out of this alive, she saw Vaalyun stumble backwards into the clearing. He had his armour at least, but had lost his weapons, and was scrambling away from one of false displacer beast images—towards the real beast that had been stalking Esthana. She drew an arrow and loosed at the real creature, catching it in the shoulder just as it struck at Vaalyun; the blow still dealt him a nasty cut to the side, but he managed to roll away. The beast grunted in pain.

Well, Esthana is too busy helping Vaalyun, so Anaya is still struggling alone against one of the beasts. I rolled randomly to determine if she struggles, tries to stab it as it crushes her, or casts a spell to dazzle it. I rolled a 2.

Hack and Slash(Anaya): 2D6(5 3) +0 = 8 Partial success.
Deals d6=6 damage, takes 3+2d6dl1 = 3 + (2 5) = 8 damage. Both reduced 1 by armour.

The beast over Anaya reared up on its hind legs, and then came down with its front and middle claws slashing at Anaya. Held below the beast by its tentacles, she grasped her sword with both hands and pushed it out above her as the creature came down. She felt the shock of the impact, and the pain as the creature’s claws drove through the chainmail into her chest and legs. The creature did not stop pressing down, and she realised that the blade was driven all the way through the creature’s torso by its own weight; it shuddered and went limp, its body sprawled across Anaya as she lay on the ground. She was pinned under the creature’s dead weight, covered in its blood and her own.

Discern Realities(Nyseris): 2D6(6 1) +1 = 8 Partial success.
What here is not what it appears to be?

Hack and Slash(Nyseris): 2D6(3 1) +2 = 6 Failure!
Deal damage: 3 + 2d6dl1 = 3 + (3 5) = 8 damage, 7 after armour

Nyseris was locked in her own fight with a beast. The creature kept using its flickering shadow image of itself to try to distract the lizardfolk, but Nyseris had faced such a creature before and stayed focused on the real beast. But even one-on-one, the creature was more than a match for the ranger; its tentacles kept grasping for their spear, and it would stand on its back four legs while lashing out with its foreclaws. The creature was bleeding from the earlier chest wound, but Nyseris was not landing any more hits, and was not able to fend away those powerful clawed strikes.

Spend hold(Esthana): Divert attacks to self

Volley(Esthana): 2D6(2 3) +2 = 7 Partial success.
Put yourself in danger, deal damage d10=8 damage, 7 after armour

Anaya is at 7/17 HP, Nyseris is at 5/20. Displacer beasts are at 5 and 1 HP.

“Ignore the creature’s false images”, Esthana shouted at Vaalyun. She loosed another arrow into the side of the creature facing him, to draw its attention; it let out a growl of pain. “I have this one, go get a weapon!”. It turned towards Esthana and charged, showing a strength and grace surprising for such a large creature. Esthana managed to let loose one more arrow, hitting the creature in the chest, before it crashed into her, knocking her to the ground and under its many legs.

Above her, she saw the arrow stuck in its chest, and heard the beast howl in pain. The creature stomped and slashed with its many clawed feet, but Esthana managed to dodge its blows, rolling away as it lifted a leg. But as she came out of the roll, she found herself grabbed by its tentacles instead.

Defy Danger(DEX)(Esthana): 2D6(1 4) +2 = 7 Partial success.
Worse outcome

Defy Danger(WIS)(Vaalyun): 2D6(1 1) +0 = 2 Failure!

What GM move to make here? Think dangerously: it is a rather critical moment. What could happen here:

• A Front move offscreen.
• A hostile Front arrives right now.
• More creatures show up.
• Vaalyun panics, tries to help, gets injured.
• A status effect.
• Vaalyun runs and gets lost in the jungle (I nearly did this the last time he failed).

I rolled a 1; then I rolled for which front. Front(Blackscales): Cast a spell over time and space. It begins!

Defy Danger(STR)(Anaya): 2D6(6 2) +0 = 8 Partial success.
Use up their resources

Anaya was able to drag herself out from under the dead beast above her; but she had to leave her sword, which was stuck right through the beast, hilt buried beneath its weighty form. Looking around, she saw Nyseris engaged with one beast and bleeding heavily. Anaya ran over to help, but as she approached, the beast struck out with its many claws; Nyseris dodged to one side but Anaya, already limping with many wounds, took a gash to the side that ripped through her chainmail and tore the flesh beneath. She fell to the ground, bleeding.

Her alignment move is to endanger herself to heal another, so that choice was automatic for Anaya.

Cast a spell(Cure Light Wounds)(Anaya): 2D6(2 1) +2 = 5 Failure!
Deal damage: 3+2d6dl1 = 3 + (4 5) = 8 damage, 7 after armour.

Anaya is at 0 HP, out of the fight. We will find out if she lives later.

Hack and Slash(Nyseris): 2D6(5 6) +2 = 13 Success!
d8=2 damage, 1 after armour

The displacer beasts are at 4 and 1 HP. Nyseris could die to the next bad roll, and she is the only person with a weapon in hand now. Vaalyun is panicked and no use.

Defy Danger(STR)(Esthana): 2D6(5 6) +1 = 12 Success!

Esthana grabbed one of the tentacles that was holding her, pulling it over her head. While the beast was still distracted by the arrow in its chest, she managed to unwrap the tentacle somewhat and then wriggle free, falling to the ground and scrambling away from the creature. Damn that elf, she thought—Vaalyun was nowhere to be seen.

But Esthana was free, so she ran to her own bedroll and grabbed up her sword, the weapon lighting up with silver fire and illuminating the clearing with divine light. She turned to face the beast following her—it was advancing slowly, clearly in pain with several of her arrows stuck in its torso. Then it made a quick lunge for her, claws flashing in the silver light from the sword. Esthana sidestepped the blow and dealt a slash to its neck, blood spraying out from the cut. The beast staggered and collapsed.

Hack and Slash(Esthana): 2D6(4 2) +2 = 8 Partial success.
Deals d10=4 damage, takes 3+2d6dl1 = 3 + (3 4) = 7 damage.

Defy Danger(DEX)(Nyseris): 2D6(1 5) +1 = 7 Partial success.
Put someone in a spot

Defend(Esthana): 2D6(3 5) +2 = 10 Success!
Open up for attack by an ally, hold 2

Hack and Slash(Nyseris): 2D6(4 1) +2+1 = 8 Partial success.
Deals d8=7 damage, takes 9 damage

Spend hold(Esthana): Divert attack to self Spend hold(Esthana): Halve damage

So Esthana takes 4 damage; she is at 13/26 HP.

Esthana turned to see Nyseris giving ground before the last remaining beast, dodging slashes from its tentacles. Esthana moved in front of the beast, slashing at the tentacles with her sword; she took several lacerations from their barbed ends. But it bought Nyseris the distraction that they needed; with a sharp thrust, the lizardfolk drove their spear through the neck of the beast. It thrashed around in pain for a moment, its growls silenced, and then collapsed to the jungle floor.

Without the noise of battle, the noises of the jungle became noticable again; the distant cry of some nocturnal creature made Esthana start. But Nyseris was looking past her at something; she turned to see Anaya lying on the ground in a pool of blood.

Anaya’s Scales of Life and Death does not apply to herself, I think; it is about the cleric’s presence helping others to cling to life.

Last Breath(Anaya): 2D6(6 6) +0 = 12 Success!
You’ve cheated Death

Cast a spell(Cure Light Wounds)(Anaya): 2D6(5 4) +2 = 11 Success!
Heal d8+4=9 HP

Heart still racing, Esthana ran over to the cleric, desperate and afraid of what she might find. She rolled Anaya over, and a wave of relief washed over her as she saw the cleric’s eyes open and heard her gasp for air. Anaya was clasping her holy symbol, the small silver flame pendant that normally wore under her armour, which shone with silver light.

“I will be alright,” said Anaya. Esthana saw that her wounds were already closed, and she looked in better shape than Nyseris, though the extensive damage to her chainmail was testimony to the injuries that she had sustained.

Cast a spell(Cure Light Wounds)(Anaya): 2D6(2 4) +2 = 8 Partial success.
Lose the spell, heals d8+4=12 HP

Damn, Anaya has rolled really well this session. She failed badly at a couple of crucial Wis rolls even though that is her best stat, but all the unskilled rolls she did really well at, including rolling max damage a lot of times. She should not have survived 1v1 when surprised by a displacer beast.

“Taking down a displacer beast on your own—that is a feat worthy of a Templar”, said Esthana.

Nyseris joined them, and Anaya was able to heal the ranger as well, the silver Flame flowing over their wounds and closing all of the serious cuts.

While she was doing that, Vaalyun sheepishly emerged from the shadows around the camp. He was armed with his shortbow, and had a gash in his shoulder that went through his leathers, but he did not ask for healing. He said, “Good work, Templars. You have stronger nerves than I do. Rest now; I can take the remaining watches.” He turned away, his head lowered in regret.

End of Session(party): We learned something new about the world, +1 XP for everyone; Anaya and Esthana met their alignment goals in the fight

XP:
Anaya: 2 failures, alignment goal; at 4XP.
Esthana: 0 failures, alignment goal; now at 9XP.
Nyseris: 2 failures, takes a level up; at 0XP.
Vaalyun: 3 failures, takes a level up; at 1XP.

It occurred to me, as I was thinking about what moves to take, that I could just roll randomly for the level up moves for characters where there is no obvious story thing to take. For Nyseris I was thinking of taking God Amidst the Wastes as it seems mechanically best to take that early, and it might make sense given the strong Silver Flame attachment here. I rolled instead, and got the same one anyway.

Level Up(Nyseris): +1 Dex; God Amidst the Wastes: gain level 1 cleric spells; every level gained from now counts as one more cleric level

Level Up(Vaalyun): +1 Wis; Dragonmarked Prodigy: gains Concealment as another area of influence with his dragonmark

Commune(Nyseris): Cure Light Wounds, Magic Weapon