The elven druid howled in pain as her skin was burnt from her face before the singing of a curved blade cut through her neck and her body fell to the floor. Thalia fell to her knees breathing heavily, her flame blade spell dispersing as Rath approached her.
"Thalia... Halsin was right to welcome you... you saved our grove from the shadows. As the new acting first Druid. I name you Faith Warden." Rath held out his hand as a pale wooden staff appeared in his palms as Karlach and the others burst into the chamber.
Thalia swallowed hard as her hand clossed around the haft of the staff. "Are you sure... there will be many within the grove that object." Thalia looks around the chamber
"If Halsin were here, he wouldn't have chosen anyone else. You protected the sanctuary and the refugees when we failed, you have taken a active roll in purifing these lands, you follow the Tree fathers words." Rath encouraged
Thalia took the staff, and stood on shakey legs as she used it to stand straight. "May Silvanus protect us."
Chapter 20: Dreams
As the party arrived at their camp on the river bank later than usual, the sun already dipping below the horizon, and they stumbled towards their tents. It was a long day, between the long trecks to and from the swamp, the many battles, and the reorganization of the refugee camp with the survivors from the hags lair. Ruby wiped the sweat from her forehead as she sat by the river.
The soft crunch of sand caught her ear. "The hunt continues." Withers voice was like wind on forgotten parchment, "Ever closer to thine goal."
"Why do you even follow us?" Ruby asked.
"To observe and offer my services for a pittance of coin." The dried corpse responded.
"Services that can be used for me... Why didn't you bring back Astarion?" Ruby asked. "Was his dark urge the fact that he was a vampire?" She ran her hand through the sandy silt of the river bank.
"No."
Ruby was frozen to the spot as the cold sweat intensity grew, pain in her jaw as her guts rolled in something other than hunger. "What do you mean?"
"The Dark Urge is not Astarion, but a hunter of mortals." Withers said as he waved his hand, directing her vision towards the camp.
As Ruby looked at the others suffeling around camp to prepare supper Ruby saw Durge sitting on a rock as the dragonborn calmly sliced apart chickens for supper, the small blade resting too comfortably in the scaled dragonborns large hands. Yet his eyes weren't on his work, but those predatory eyes... despite the exhaustion of the whole group flicked from one person to the next as they walk by.
She had seen that look before, an ancient grimm that had learned and grew strong. That could plan to kill. Where and when to show their claws. Ruby pulled back as she took in a deep breath. "Durge... The Dark Urge..."
"Correct." Withers said calmly.
"Are all dragonborn like that?" Ruby asked.
"No, The Dark Urge has a unique past, one he must face . Yet I sense his fate has begun to shift. For now, keep silent for only a hunteress may stop a predator should thou be needed." Withers turned and left her on the shore.
Ruby let out a few breaths when a new set ofootstepsps caught her ear. Gale sat next to her with some books and floating mugs of ales. "Something to wet our pallets before supper." He sat next to her, handing her an open book. "I think it's important that you continue your education even while stuck here. You can understand us, so we at least speak the same language. I'm hoping the tadpole implanted some knowledge of our writing system in your own cranium."
Ruby hadn't considered that there could be a language barrier. But even as she look at the script in the book. "No I cant..." She said shaking her head.
"Ah thought that might be the case, so i have enchanted this electrum coin with comprehend languages. So long as you keep it on you you should be fine."
As soon as ruby too the coin she could read the book. "Wow... magic is..."
"Ah yes, its a mystical thing, bards, clerics, druids, Sorcerers, warlocks, all powerful magical weilders, but wizards, oh while they channel magics, a wizard understands the weave, and serves the goddess of magic... Mystra..." Gale tapped a fist to his chest as he culrf inward for a second. "Give me... a moment." He pulled a talismen from the hags lair as he pulled the magic from the item, drinking it in as it passed over his lips. It turned to dust in his hands. "Ugh... sorry, the magic items I've been accustomed to absorbing for my condition are more substantial. Though there is no need to fret, I'll be fine." Gale patted Ruby's head.
The two sat together as the bore through their discomfort in the dying light of the sun, As Gale taught Ruby of the gods. "I suggest you find one to follow, I'm Faithful to the Lady of Magic Mystra. Wyll follows the teachins of Torm Helm and Tyr as best he can, The druids follow Silvanus."
"What of Shadowheart? Who does she follow?" Ruby asked. "I heard the others call her a cleric, and she mentioned a Dark Lady before."
"Perhaps you should go ask her, it is strange she camps on the far side of the camp from us. I'll go see how supper is going."
Ruby walked across camp towards where the lone cleric slept. "Shadowheart?" Ruby called out as she saw the half elven woman holding a strange geometric object that glowed orange. The woman stopped and stowed the object in her tent as Ruby approached her.
"Ah, Ruby, sit. Is there an injury that wasn't healed?" Shadowheart asked.
"Um, well, I was having a lesson with Wyll about the pantheons, yet nothing... jumped out to me when he suggested i find a deity to pray to, for at least the time im in your world. And I wondered if you could help." Ruby sat inftont of the cleric.
"Ah, I see." Shadowheart almost seemed to... light up. "I can't share all the details of my faith right now as my Lady is one the prefers secrecy. I'm sure you wouldn't find her in the books Gale has brought to camp. Tell me Ruby, have you ever lost someone important?"
"Well... I lost my mother when I was young but I don't remember much of her. I feel like I've lost my team and friends since I've been here." Ruby admitted. "It's not the same, the killing, the monsters, the magic, this doesn't make sense to me... and that gods are real..."
"I see, you're at a crossroad in your life, yet as far as you can see, you're an outcast, not belonging to this world. You want to feel safe." Shadowheart said as she stepped around Ruby.
"I guess... I just never thought of it like that." Ruby admitted.
Kneeling in front of Ruby, Shadowheart looked deep into her eyes. "I'll say a prayer to the Dark Lady for you, too, seek guidance. Perhaps once we reach Baldur's Gate, I'll introduce you to more of my faith."
"I'd... like that... alot." Ruby smiled as the older woman patted her cheek.
After their talk, it was time for supper. There wasn't a lot of talking as everyone ate their food. Compared to Thalia and Alfira, everyone seemed to be exhausted today. Chewing their food slowly like their jaws ached.
It wasn't long before everyone put down for bed, Ruby laying a top her mat as her cold sweat continued into the night as she tossed and turned, feeling like her skeleton was... her eyes snapped open as a bright light glowed in front of her eyes. "I got to you just in time. You are transforming." A woman voiced called out, close and distant, old and young. Ruby blinked her eyes clear as she made eye contact with a fair skined woman in a set of golden armor under red cloth, sort black hair with red tips
A pair of Silver Eyes locking with Ruby as the pang of recognition rang in her mind. from photos in her home back on Remnant.
"M-mother..." Ruby said, reaching out to the woman.
Summer Rose reached out to her daughters out streched hand, pulling the girl to her feet. "Yes... my daughter, I'm sorry I left you behind. And I'm so sorry you befell the same fate as me."
"The same fate... wait... you've been..." Ruby started.
"Yes, like you and your friends, I've been infected with a mindflayer tadpole. Ive been at war with those that would seek to do darm to this world and ours since I left." Summer explained. "You've grown so much since I last saw you." Summer ran her hand across Ruby's cheek. Ruby finnally looked around, taking in the ruined gardens and the flaonting sone islands in the sea of stars and purple miasma.
"I can't stay long... the enemy approaches but so long as I look over you, I will not let you turn into a mindflayer. But you must learn to use your tadpoles... they hold the secret to crushing the absolute." Summer looked over her shoulder then back to Ruby. "I must go. Please listen to what I told you..." The dream faded away.
Ruby awoke with a start as Durge leaned over her open tent, a knife in hand. As she jumped back with a yell she saw the others as wyll held out his hand Sweat still dripping down his own face. "Sorry for the scare, you were thrashing and kicking in your tent, your skin was grey and lips cold. Seems outlr dream visitor just managed to save you." Wyll waved off Durge and the others as Shadowheart handed his a bucket of water with a cloth.
Ruby breathed in heavily as she wasjlhed her face. "Yeah... visitor? What did they look like to you?" Ruby asked.
"Well... a id have to say a fair bit like you actually." Shadowheart said.
"When I talked to them... it was her... i thought... I barely ... it is my mother."
"I hate to rain on that thought, but were going to need more proof of that then that, their suggesting we use the tadpoles. That dangerous, not to mention their in our head. We need to see if helping us is their frue intention." Wyll said. "But if it truly is your mother... then we'll do everything we can do to help her."
Ruby Rose stats, class, and racial abilities
Class Fighter lv 5
Subclass Champion
Great weapon fighting style (rerolls one's and twos on damage)
Hp: 45 (3 d12 plus 0)
Strength: 18 (base 17)
Dexterity: 16 (base 15)
Constitution: 10
Wisdom: 8
Intelligence:12
Charisma: 10
Race Human Variant (Remnant)
Feats:
Ability score improvement: plus 1 str plus 1 Dex
Savage Attacker : Reroll damage once take highest
Base Speed: 45 ft Total speed: 55 ft
Aura: 10 temp hit points per level (50 Thp) (resets on long rest)
Semblance: Petal Dash; Dash action is now a bonus action
Improved Critical: reduces critical requirements by 1 (18-20)
Action Surge: Gain an extra action
Extra attack x1
Gear:
Infernal Crescent Rose: plus 2 to damage and rolls to hit, 2 d 12 slashing an fire damage plus strength. 2 d 8 Piercing plus Dex when firing.
Infernal Critical, Reduces critical by 1, and on a critical hit target auto fails save against burn condition.
Searing Petal Smite: While Dashing from at least 60 ft away, auto cast searing smite at lv 2. 2d6 fire damage. Once per short rest.
All but Ruby Rose have disadvantage with this weapon.
Elemental bullets: 2d4 elemental damage added to ranged attacks.
Two-handed, heavy, extra reach
Cleave lacerate trip enemies, peircing shot
1 Half plate armor: Ac 18 (16 plus 2 dex) Medium armor. Reduces piercing damage by 1.
Haste Helm: Plus 10 ft to movement first three turns of combat (Effectively just 10 ft because I'm not drawing out combat for more then 3 rounds except for major bosses) plus one dex save
Speedy Light Feet: Gain three lightning charges when Dashing. Lightning charges deal additional damage on weapon and spell attacks.
Gale's coin of Language, Money Talks to all.
Ruby's Explossive bag:
7 Alchemist fire bottles
5 smoke powder bombs
2 smoke powder bags