Into the Gray

Session Summary

We spend the night in a building without incident and cook a delicious owlbear meal for a temporary +2 hit points. The next day we find the bones of an old dragon, and I try to perform a ritual to respect its life. Star finds 11 arrows buried near the bones, and three light up with detect magic. We take some dragon teeth as loot and continue our journey, encountering sand sharks two hours later. We prepare for battle, and Arachne casts Blink to evade the sand sharks, while Star sets up a trap and I prepare a firebolt.

Log

Throughout the night, we don’t notice anything and we stay inside the building the whole night. Star isn’t able to catch any fish but I cook up the owlbear really well and everyone who eats it gains a temporary +2 hitpoints. #cooking #tempboons

We carry on traveling.

After about an hour we see portions of giant bones sticking out of the ground. Elzira is quite certain that these bones are from a very old, adult dragon. We are looking at the ribcage. #dragons #clues

I give a nod of respect towards the bones.

Star runs over to the bones and looks around, where he sees something sticking out of the dirt. It’s the backside of a normal sized arrow. He also sees contours in the sand suggesting there are other things buried beneath the ground. #clues

He tells us what he’s found and begins to pick up arrows and try to unbury arrows.

I attempt to unbury the skull to perform a ritual to respect this dragon. I’m able to get towards the skull but no further. 

Star finds 11 arrows. 3 are a bit further from the corpse than the others. 

Star asks why I’m digging up a skull, and I explain that I want to unbury the dragon so I can respect its life with our rituals of passage from back home, because it was clearly shot and killed here without any honor. #characterlore

Dragon lore: Star asks whether taking dragon bones is disrespectful. I explain that once the death ritual / passage rites have been performed, making use of whatever remains is not disrespectful. The ritual uses a pyre where the body or part of the body is placed on top while repeating last rites verbally over the flames. I speak the last rites for this dragon in draconic.  #lore #dragons #characterlore

Star casts Detect Magic as a ritual and sees that three arrows are lighting up. They were the three arrows that were further away from the body. #clues

I take a tooth in hopes of using it as an offering of good faith to any dragon we meet in the future. #items

Elzira knows that there are circles that exist that might find it useful. Both he and Star take some teeth. #items

We carry on. Another two hours later.

Star is scouting ahead, with his bird in front of him. I am chanting Draconic to myself while caressing the tooth in the middle of the group.

In the distance we see the ground being disturbed. Imagine a shark swimming through the water but the water is dirt. Sand Sharks

10:25am

Initiative

#encounters/sandsharks

Note: Counting up for rounds on Concentration Spells now.

Round 1

I run off to the side and prepare a firebolt. 

Twinkletoes also runs to the side and prepares a firebolt. 

Elzira holds Flaming Sphere for when they come into range. 

Star starts to set up a trap. 

Elzara moves towards Twinkletoes and uses the Dodge action.

Arachne moves to the center of the group and yells at everyone to move to her so she can boost them. She prepares her booster spell.

Star’s owl senses DANGER DANGER DANGER.

The cloud of dust moves extremely quickly and moves closer to us. 

Round 2

I wait for Arachne to cast her spell and plan to dash off to the side (up). 

Twinkletoes moves and preps Firebolt again. 

Elzira dashes to catch this sweet wave Arachne is serving. 

Star finishes setting up his trap and races towards Arachne. 

Arachne’s Beacon of Hope goes off. BEACON - 1

Elzara sticks near Twinkletoes and uses the dodge action again. 

Arachne casts Mirror Image on herself. I think that is so fun. She prepares Spiritual Weapon as a bonus action. BEACON - SUSTAIN | MIRROR - 1

Owl perceives and communicates to Star, it sees a few gray heads popping out of the ground in the dust. 

Round 3

I move over as if to get around the creature and take the Dodge action.

Twinkletoes can kind of make out the multiple heads since Star has pointed them out. She prepares a Firebolt for if she sees a head clearly.

Elzira moves back south and holds the Flaming Sphere spell.

Star prepares Minor Illusion into the ground and casts a Dragon’s roar.

Elzara moves up and takes the Dodge action. 

Arachne steps up and casts Blink. She will prepare the Spiritual Weapon to cast if the creature comes in range if she’s not in the ethereal plane. However, she jumps into the ethereal plane! BEACON - 2 | MIRROR - 2 | BLINK - 1

The owl flies back using its dash.

The creature(s) move up right in front of the trap. Twinkletoes’ action sets off and she sends off a fire bolt. As it surfaces, she sees two beady yellow eyes to take aim at. She strikes for 8 fire damage.

Star’s Minor Illusion sets off below the ground. The creatures seem unperturbed by the noise. Several of them turn their heads to look for the source of the noise.