Standing alone atop a rocky crag overlooking the Sea of Swords, Candlekeep makes for an eye-catching silhouette. With towers of varying heights surrounded by high walls, the edifice looks from a distance like a cake decorated with an overabundance of candles. The only road to Candlekeep is the Way of the Lion, a lonely road stretching across the peninsula on which Candlekeep stands and its only access to the outside world. It is on this road that Kara Lyonsbane travels now.
Candlekeep has the largest repository of written lore in Faerûn, including the collected prophesies of an an ancient sage named Alaundo the Seer, but also thousands upon thousands of lost recipes, songs, collections of folklore, and journals written by authors long dead. Each year, Candlekeep releases a small book stamped with the sigil of the library and credited to "The Avowed of Candlekeep", containing short essays, excerpts, and other writings relevant to a particular theme or subject. The theme of last year's release was the relationship between location and magic, and included an essay on the effects of planar convergence on an area and the life born there. Kara, coming across a copy of the book, recognized in herself many aspects of "the infusion of chaos magic". This led to a long-distance correspondence between herself and the author - Reader Matreous - culminating an invitation to Candlekeep for one-on-one study, research, and if she's lucky, the discovery of a means to control her magic.
The day is giving way to dusk and the Kara has been traveling for hours, but the end is in sight. Candlekeep, previously a seemingly immovable shape on the horizon, now grows visibly closer with every step. The yellow-orange of the western sky behind its towers makes their similarity to candles even more apparent. As she approaches, however, two figures step out of the trees lining the road, both human males in cheap leather armour. One, clearly leading the show, is a lean, gray-haired man with a long nose, days of stubble, and noticeable scars running from his left cheekbone to his jaw. His companion is taller, heavier, and older, with a shaved head and a maul gripped in both hands.
"Hail, stranger!" shouts the scarred man, raising a hand to wave. "Welcome to Candlekeep, yeah?"
Kara strolls down the Way of the Lion with a bright smile on her face, the expression turning to a positively jubilant grin as she spots Candlekeep in the distance. It has been a long road for the young sorceress, both figuratively and quite literally, as she has spent some time traveling the land in search of answers about her particularly chaotic form of magic. It had been sheer chance that a recent copy of the 'Book of the Avowed' had come into her possession with an essay that had been eerily familiar to Kara's condition. After reading it, though not fully grasping all the intricacies of the arcane theory, she eagerly sent a letter to the author which had led to the invitation.
She is so lost in her thoughts that she almost doesn't take notice of the two men emerging from the treeline until they speak. Kara offers the pair a smile, at first, but when she gets a better look at them, it becomes clear to the sorceress that these supposedly friendly strangers are not guards. She regards them warily, one hand hanging near where her knife is sheathed at her belt while she prepares to open herself to the wild magic within her. Still, the girl answers them in kind with a wave of her own. "Greetings, friends, and thank you for the warm welcome. Are you heading to Candlekeep as well? Perhaps we can travel the rest of the way together?"
The men step closer. At Kara's greeting and offer, they glance at each other, the scarred man smirking.
"No, no, we're not travelers," the scarred man says. "We're watching the road, you see. Keep it nice and maintained and clear. After all, you don't want to get hurt tripping on a rock or something, right?"
"Yeah," adds the other man. "Rock." His eyes move past Kara, glancing at something past her shoulder. While Kara is not terribly perceptive of her surroundings, she is better at reading people, and she realizes without looking that he's coordinating his movements with someone - perhaps multiple someones - behind her. She is surrounded.
"Not to mention dangerous creatures. Animals get pretty big around here. Don't want them carrying you off, right?"
"Yeah. Rock."
The scarred man shoots the other an annoyed glance, but smiles at Kara again. "You could say we're people of the road. Maybe...highwaymen would be the right word. Anyway, I'm sure you'll agree a modest toll is fair for all that work. How about...five gold for each of us, twenty in all? That's more than fair, wouldn't you say?"
Kara sighs as her worst fears are confirmed and she realizes that she is being robbed. Candlekeep is so close and yet so far away in this moment. The sorceress trembles with frustration, feeling tempted to unleash her magic upon these highwaymen and punish them for attempting to target the wrong person. Undoubtedly, these thugs see a mere girl, poorly armed and foolishly traveling alone, utterly unaware of the power within her. While the idea is appealing, Kara reminds herself that she is surrounded and these bandits may not be fearful enough to simply run if she begins slinging spells. If they choose to stand their ground and fight, she can't hope to dispatch all of them.
Having come to that reasonable conclusion, Kara then decides her best bet is to talk her way out of this unpleasant situation. She puts on her most disarming smile and answers, "I am glad that such kind and thoughtful individuals are keeping the roads safe from cutthroats, beasts, and other villains. While I would be more than happy to pay a toll for your services, I'm afraid I only have ten gold pieces."
She holds up her coinpurse, giving it a shake and letting the coins within clink together as she looks to the scarred man with those big, hopeful, blue eyes. "Could you see your way to forgiving my lack of funds this time and accepting a smaller donation?"
The scarred man glances and smirks at the other thugs, including ones behind Kara. From this, she can confidently infer there are two thugs behind her and that the scarred one is definitely in charge.
"Ten doesn't go very far between the lot of us," he says, shaking his head with exaggerated regret. "That's alright, though. I'm sure we can negotiate."
His eyes go hard, as does his voice. "Take everything you've got off your person and put it on the ground." He has no obvious weapon on him, but he raises his hands and cracks his knuckles. "Everything."
"Yeah," growls the larger man, but he looks agitated. While the scarred man is confident, the large man is so anxious he can't stand still. "Rock!"
"Yeah, rock!" The scarred man whirls on the larger man, snarling. "I get it! Can you shut - "
"ROOOOOOC!"
The large man dives for the ground as a truly enormous bird, its body dozens of feet from end to end and its wings hundreds, swoops past in a roar of wind and a blur of red, blue, and white plumage. In the blink of an eye, it passes, its gargantuan form ascending into the sky, the leather-clad scar man clutched in one claw and his scream swiftly fading into the distance.
Everyone else remains. The bald man looks up from the ground cautiously, blinking away the shock. The course of the next few seconds will depend on who regains their senses first.
Please roll initiative! Because Kara is used to bizarre and dramatic surprises, she rolls this with advantage.
Kara's brow furrows and her smile vanishes. Her attempts at charming her way past these highwaymen have failed and now she's faced with two unappealing choices: surrender and face all manner of humiliation and degradation at the hands of these thugs or fight and potentially risk even worse. The sorceress decides on the latter, preparing to gather her magic and unleash it upon these unsuspecting thugs.
And then a giant bird swoops down out of the sky and snatches up the leader of their little bandit gang.
A fringe benefit of being a wild mage is that one quickly becomes used to bizarre and unexpected events taking place. While Kara is very surprised by the sudden appearance of the roc, her instincts are already making her feet move while others might still be staring dumbfounded. Pushing herself, focusing past her aching feet and weary body, Kara runs as hard and as fast as she can straight towards Candlekeep.
The bandits react quickly, but they are not as accustomed to the unexpected as Kara. The large thug ahead of her is still pushing himself to his feet when she runs past, and while she can hear the footsteps of the thugs behind her, she is well out of reach. But even a moment's pause or stumble may change all that.
Candlekeep is so close and yet so far. The road leading to the keep snakes from side to side in order to make the incline easier, but Kara must run in a straight line, which will take her over rougher, uncleared terrain.
For this, we'll use the chase rules from the Dungeon Master's Guide. During a chase, every participant can use the Dash action a number of times equal to 3 + their Constitution modifier. Each additional Dash will require a DC 10 Constitution check at the end of the turn or gain 1 level of exhaustion. Unlike most exhaustion, this exhaustion can be removed with a short or long rest.
Normally, Kara and her pursuers each move 60 feet per round when Dashing, but at the end of each turn, each participant rolls a d20 to determine if a complication occurs. Complications may slow you or your pursuers down. The chase to end after traveling 200 feet, at which point Kara will be too close to Candlekeep for her pursuers to grab her.
Normally, participants in a chase can try to slip away with Stealth checks, but visibility to too good for that unless Kara does something very creative.
While I'm assuming Kara will just Dash, she can use her turns to do whatever she wants. Feel free to turn this into a combat encounter or do something more innovative if you want. Participants in a chase cannot make attacks of opportunity against each other for as long as they're all running at the same time, but Kara might be in trouble if the thugs can cut her off.
Kara, at the very least, was no stranger to a hard day's work. She didn't want to fight if she could help it. All she had to do was get close enough to Candlekeep for the thugs to decide against pursuing her. So, she kept running. Even when it became clear she would have to go off the path, she hurried along as fast as she felt was safe. However, it was possible that she was only putting herself in greater danger by doing so.
Well, I'm going to guess there's a complication because I just got a natural 1 on the d20 roll
Kara encounters trouble immediately as she runs into a rough patch of brush. Quick action will be required to avoid it, or not insignificant strength to push through it.
Roll Athletics or Acrobatics (your choice). If you fail to meet a DC of 10, the brush counts as 5 feet of difficult terrain (basically meaning it subtracts 5 feet from the distance you cover with your dash this turn).
"Oh damn!" Kara breathes as she rushes off the road right towards a thick patch of brush. Unable to run around it, the sorceress instinctively leaps, tossing herself over the brush and landing in a roll. Without slowing down, Kara uses the roll to get back to her feet in one smooth motion and keeps running.
Got a 21 on the Acrobatics roll so Kara keeps dashing without slowing down!
Kara's leap clears the bush without so much as quivering a bramble. The thugs chasing her are not so graceful. Of the three thugs chasing her, one - who had been behind her during the negotiation - unwisely charges through a flower bush and earns a face full of pollen for his trouble. He cries out in surprise, then coughs uncontrollably and zigzags blindly while wiping at his face.
The thugs keep up the chase. The large thug that had been ahead of her is closest, only slowed temporarily by the need to stand up, and is barely ten feet behind Kara. Next is one of the thugs that had been behind her, at twenty feet, followed by the one blinded by the pollen, at fifty feet.
Since the start of the chase, Kara has moved 60 feet. The large thug is 10 feet behind her, and the others are 20 and 50 feet behind her.
Upon hearing coughing and sputtering, Kara spares a glance behind her to see one of the thugs trying to blindly chase her with a face full of pollen. She giggles at the sight, but the laugh fades as swiftly as it starts when she sees the large thug following close behind her. Seeing that her pursuers aren't so far away, the sorceress turns her attention forward and keeps racing towards the safety of Candlekeep.
Rolling for the next few complications: 18, 9, 8, and 9
As she sprints towards Candlekeep, Kara nears another batch of brush. It looks like any other, but as Kara nears, a lynx rears up from a hidden position with a snarl. It's clearly as surprised to see Kara as she is to see it, and she blows past before it can respond. It manages to swipe at the large thug behind her, but he nimbly sidesteps its claws before continuing the chase. The two other thugs split up, giving the cat a wider berth, and attempt to push through brush in their way. One is fortunate enough to pass through a sparse patch, but brambles catch at the other's clothes, slowing him further.
Since the start of the chase, Kara has moved 120 feet. The large thug is 10 feet behind her, and the others are 30 and 65 feet behind her.
Running uphill, Kara sees a copse of trees. The road snakes around it, but she doesn't have the choice of following it if she wants to stay out of the thugs' hands. As she gets closer, she sees razorvine hanging from the trees' branches. Negotiating the razorvine will either require agility and no small amount of luck, or enough care to put herself in arm's reach of the large thug chasing her.
To avoid the razorvine, Kara must pass either a DC 15 Dexterity save or use 10 feet of movement (your choice, but you have to make it before you roll). If Kara spends 10 feet of movement, that means she'll only be able to Dash 50 feet this round. If Kara rolls the Dexterity save and fails, she'll move the full 60 feet for her Dash, but she'll suffer damage.
"Woah!" Kara shouts as the lynx pops up from the brush. Under normal circumstances, might have stumbled back upon seeing the large cat, but now she has too much momentum and simply bolts right by. She spares another glance back, cursing when the big thug manages to avoid a swipe from the annoyed lynx, and then focuses on the hill ahead of her. Racing up it, the sorceress winces in expectation when she catches sight of the razorvine, preparing for a potentially painful passage. Hoping to buy herself some time, as Kara races towards the trees, she thrusts her hand back behind her, unleashing a wave of force towards the large thug in hopes of shoving him back a few steps.
Then she turns, sidesteps, and somehow rather gracefully negotiates around the sharp leaves of the plant. With a victorious laugh, heart hammering in her chest, she continues her desperate race for the gates.
Got a 19 on the Dex Save!
As a Bonus Action, Kara is going to use her Telekinetic Feat to attempt shoving the Large Thug. He needs to make a DC 14 Strength Save or get pushed 5 feet away from Kara.
The thug clearly does not expect Kara's telekinetic shove, but owing to his size and strength, pushes through it before he even realizes what is happening. Kara only sees the surprise on his face after he has already resisted the effect. Shrugging it off, he follows her into the thicket of trees, ducking around the razorvine by following her footsteps, snapping an errant branch as he forces himself through a gap that was better sized for Kara. One of the thugs follows, but the one blinded by pollen trips on something and falls flat on his face.
Kara is mere feet from the far edge of the copse of trees. From there, it is a straight shot to Candlekeep. As she runs through the trees, however, she surprises a bird of prey as it feasts on a kill. In panic and confusion, it launches into the air, swiping at her face with its claws.
Since the start of the chase, Kara has moved 180 feet. The large thug is 10 feet behind her, while another thug is 30 feet behind her, and the last is out of the chase.
Kara must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw to dodge the bird, or take 2 points of piercing damage and 2 points of bludgeoning damage as it collides with her head.
Kara's lungs are burning, her feet are hurting, but she doesn't slow down. She's so close to Candlekeep, she just has to hang in there! The sorceress hurries through the trees, moving deftly as she navigates the obstacles in her path. Still, Kara can't quite stop herself from letting out a shocked cry when the bird flies at her face. On pure reflex, the amateur spellslinger ducks and darts to the side, narrowly avoiding the angry avian as it swipes at her. Making it past the copse of trees, she waves her hands above her head, trying to get the attention of any guards near the walls, "Help! I'm being chased by bandits!"
Kara gets a 17, evading the bird's talons! Wow, I'm rolling really well! I'm glad I'm burning all my luck here at the start!
Kara bursts from the trees into open land, with nothing but grass, an occasional shrub, and the curving path between her and Candlekeep. Its walls and towers rise up above her, silhouetted against the brilliant orange sunset sky. The large thug bursts out of the trees just behind her, but Kara sees a streak of fire leap from Candlekeep's walls, soar towards her, and pass over her head. The large thug ducks and swears, narrowly missed by the bolt of fire, and immediately retreats to the edge of the trees.
"That was a warning shot, miscreant!" shouts a voice from the walls. A glance upward reveals a robed figure standing atop one low wall, one hand extended, the other held at the ready to perform somatic movements. "You'll be swallowing the next one!"
The large thug flips a middle finger at the mage and is about to shout something when the bird Kara evaded lunges at his head with its claws. He cries out and tries to fend it off as he disappears deeper into the trees.
The robed figure lowers their arms, but even from a distance, Kara can see they are ready for more violence at a moment's notice. They beckon Kara with a quick wave of one hand. "Approach in peace, seeker," they call, slightly breathlessly. "Quickly, now. The gates shut at sunset."
The Way of the Lion ends at a massive gate of black metal, three times a human's height and emblazoned with the sigil of Candlekeep. It's currently open far enough to admit visitors, and through it, Kara can see another gate, which is closed. As she watches, more robed figures - these ones in purple vestments - step into view at the gates, watching her.
For a moment, Kara is sure the flaming bolt streaking from the walls of Candlekeep is meant for her. She closes her eyes and shields her face, only for the fire to scorch past her towards the thug still on her heels. She lets out a shaky, if relieved, breath at seeing the bandit retreat to the treeline, looking up towards the robed figure on the wall. When they motion for her to approach, the sorceress doesn't hesitate. Kara hurries the rest of the way, though not as quickly as she had run before, the fatigue of the chase becoming impossible to ignore once the adrenaline rush fades. "Thank you! Thank you very much!"
She slips through the still open gate, feeling significantly more secure on the other side of that massive structure. The girl approaches the robed figures seemingly waiting for her at the other gate, clearing her throat and running her hands through her wind tousled hair to smooth it out as she offers them a warm smile. "I'm Kara Lyonsbane. I was invited to come to Candlekeep by Reader Matreous."
By now, Candlekeep's high walls and towers block out the setting sun completely, and Kara runs through cool shadow towards the gates. The robed figures wait patiently for her to arrive, then pull the gate closed behind her. Now that she's closer, Kara notices religious symbology stitched into their purple vestments, but can't identify the specific holy symbol - something involving eyes and candles. One of the robed figures - a human woman with a mace at her side, a chain shirt poking out from under her robes, and unfortunate hair - steps forward and hands Kara a waterskin.
"Greetings, Kara Lyonsbane," the woman says, bowing her head with a polite smile. "Usually, guests must donate a new and notable written work to Candlekeep's collection to pass these gates. Reader Matreous, however, has been granted permission to admit you as a guest."
She looks at the other priests. "Someone should retrieve Matreous. I'm sure he will want to greet his guest and introduce her to Candlekeep himself."
The other priests exchange glances, but no one steps forward. After a few seconds, the woman rolls her eyes and sighs in annoyance. "Fine, I'll do it." She turns to Kara. "Wait here. I shall return within the half hour."
As the priestess leaves, another robed figure descends from the walls. This one does not wear vestments, and as they come closer, Kara realizes it's the one that fired the fire bolt at the thug pursuing her. "I was watching you come up the road! I'm glad you made it. I'm sorry I could help you earlier, but my magic has only so much range."
They pull down their hood to reveal a human man, his hair and beard just a bit scruffy. "Thank the gods. Aerdrie Faenya in particular, I think. I've seen the roc around, but I've never seen it pluck anyone out of a crowd before. It's usually only interested in deer."
Kara accepts the offered waterskin, her throat feeling rather parched after running to Candlekeep. She takes a deep swig from it, letting out a sigh of relief as she hands the waterskin back. She nods in response to the priestess' remarks, having heard about the price for entry. The sorceress chuckles, "Well, if its any consolation, I'm sure Reader Matreous will likely write a book about me."
She nods to the woman, letting her go on to find Matreous. Turning her attention to the other robed figure who approaches her, Kara smiles, "You helped when you could. That's all I can hope for. As for the roc... well, odd things do tend to happen around me. Comes with my condition."
After a brief pause, with a tilt of her head, Kara asks, "Aerdrie Faenya? I'm not familiar with that deity."
"Really?" The man gives a smile that is just a bit nervous. "Not too odd, I hope. The library contains a lot of rare, even irreplaceable works. it would be...tragic, if your condition were to harm any of them."
He raises his hands. "Begging your pardon, of course - I don't want to be rude. But all of us are devoted to preserving the works in this library. It's the only one like it in the world - that I know of, anyway.
"Now, as for Aerdrie Faenya?" He chuckles. "She's one of the Seldarine - the elven pantheon serving Corellon Larethian. She's considered the goddess of the avariel, specifically, but she's also associated with trickery and other avian races - which doesn't actually include rocs. It...seemed appropriate at the time." He shrugs sheepishly.
After nearly an hour of waiting, the priestess returns - alone. She engages in hushed conversation with the other priests, but while Kara can't hear her words, it's obvious they're not telling her what she wants. Finally, disappointed and befuddled, she approaches Kara.
"I apologize, Ms. Lyonsbane," the priestess says with a sigh. "I can't seem to find Reader Matreous anywhere."
It's a long wait before the priestess returns, so if you want to continue the conversation with the man or talk to any of the other priests, we can do so before moving on.
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