Kip shakes his head as yet another less than good fey race makes an appearance. Given the circumstances... blame is surely to fall upon the wild races once again.
With the body removed, Casimir volunteers to go down into the well to see if there is anything interesting down there.
I'll go down to see if there is anything else of interest down there. Why don't you search this fellow in the mean time, see if there is some clue to where he came from and how he died.
Ricter picks up the small corpse and roughly searches it. Once he is sure he's found everything of note he throws the body back onto the floor like a sack of refuse.
It looks as though the Spriggan was stabbed in the back by a slashing weapon, likely a longsword or something close to it. It has no possessions.
Casimir spends a few minutes searching in the well but doesn't find anything of interest.
Do Spriggan's see in the dark? If so we are at a big disadvantage. We should find a house to hold up in until the morning. If they can't see at night we should cast Fly on Kalev and have him scout the town and look for sources of light. Maybe they are the source of the town's disappearance. Could be some kind of Fey army. Their light would give them away.
In response to the information, Well then we should look for the light.
If everyone is okay with his pplan we cast Fly on Kalev and have him do a circuit of the town to look for any light sources. What is the moonlight level?
Kip looks to Kalev for his approval before casting the spell upon him...
"A single body disposed of down a well doesn't suggest an army to me, but there certainly does seem to be some fey involvement in the disappearance."
Kip smiles in the darkness at Fenna's comment. He whispers back in his best sarcastic voice, My dear Fenna, don't you know that one found dead fey means there must be thousands more yet undiscovered? And they are automatically to blame for any and all problems or misfortunes?
Many of the houses nearby would struggle to fit your large group comfortably. However, the inn nearby the well Kalev identified looks like it would have more than enough space inside.
"Quit bickering and stay sharp. Fey or not, this fellow didn't end up in the well by accident," Casimir snaps, as he hauls himself back out of the well. Using a quick prestidigitation to clean himself off, he grips Brightclaw and peers out into the darkness as the group debates whether or not to send Kalev on a round of airborne recon.
I am not assuming a Fey army but the facts seem odd. A town disappears and the only clue so far is a dead Fey. It would take more than a few Fey to take out Varn and his men. Quite a few of them were professional soldiers.
Do you even realize what you are saying? We find one dead fey and the suspicion immediately falls to them... "there must be an army"... "they must be responsible". Yet we actually fought and defeated an actual army of undead that came out of this region but mere days ago...
Why are you so quick to shift the blame?
Kip looks at the Spriggan. This one is dead. Perhaps he was killed by whatever took the Varnlanders. And it is hardly the "only clue". Just back there we were ready to blame the centaurs... or are you lumping them in with the fey as "wild" creatures?
I think we need more actual evidence and less unfounded bigotry... I am beginning to question objectivity and am liable to start taking it personally if this keep up.
I agree with Kip, Kalev says, placing a big hand reassuringly on the small halfling's shoulder. Undoubtedly, there is a connection between the fey in the well and what else has happened here, but we do not know whether the fey were with or against the Varnlanders. We should be alert, but not immediately jump to conclusions.
Kalev looks around for a moment or two, then continues Though I'm not comfortable with flying through the air, the gods would have granted us wings if we were meant to fly kalev thinks, I'll go with whatever the group thinks wise. I don't think we will find any lights or armies of faeries camping in these ruins, but there's no harm in taking a good look around.
Kip casts his spell upon the reluctant ranger...
Be on your guard, while I'm gone. If I need assistance, I'll make the signal.
Kalev takes to the air, trying to climb to a height approximately 50 ft. above the ground and start exploring the ruins from above.
Kip watches as Kalev takes off into the night sky less than gracefully. And you be careful as well my friend!
Casimir-
Malthir-
Fenna- (GM reminder- + 19 at night)
Ricter-
Kip-
Kalev flies over the rest of the centre of the city for a time, noting in particular a Church of Erastil and a large barn. Eventually, he flew towards a thin column of smoke, coming from inside Varn's triangular stockade.
Perched atop a low hill, the triangular fortification loomed over the town. A palisade of sharpened stakes left enough gaps for archers within to fire out upon the surrounding hillsides. The two southern corners of the fort both had twin watch platforms, and the northern corner was anchored by a solid-looking blockhouse of sturdy timbers.
Kalev did a circuit of the compound, keeping his distance from the light sources. He noted that in addition to the column of smoke indicating a fire alight inside of the compound, the west gate-tower had a torch hung in a sconce, with a Spriggan peeping over the top of the stake wall, keeping watch. The Ranger was not fooled by the six helmets propped up on the east gate-house; positioned to give the appearance of sentries. In fact, as far as Kalev could see, the eastern gate-house was entirely undefended.
Meanwhile, waiting anxiously near the well, Fenna suddenly jumped as she heard a soft sound from the nearby inn; a faint crash as though a bar stool or table had fallen over inside...
Kalev takes note of the general layout of the fortification and then flies closer to the church to get a better look, making sure to have enough time to get back.
Fenna straightens in the darkness, her head turning sharply towards the large nearby inn. "Did you hear that?" she whispers, "I think there is something moving inside the inn... from the sound, it was likely too large to just be a cat."
Kip uses the magical connection to Kalev to ask, How far out are you? We have possible movement in the inn near the well.
He whispers, We can let Kalev finish his sweep while we check this out.
Malthir motions them forward towards the Inn, he pushes the door open, stepping in as he pulls out Liberator, lighting up the room!
Who goes there!
Casimir shakes his head at Malthir's rash approach.
"Best tell Kalev to head back - I have a feeling we had better stick together if we are going to cause a ruckus." he mutters to Kip as he moves in after Malthir.
Kip nods in understanding as he moves up with his comrades. Kalev, head back to us as soon as you can. We are going to investigate the noise in the inn.
"It may be a survivor," Fenna speaks, moving forward to peer into the room.
Ricter too falls in behind the baron, eager to strike down the vile Outsider he has no doubt is sneaking up on the Guardians.
The church of Erastil is a small and humble building, with an enclosed cemetery adjoining to it. Unfortunately, Kalev finds that someone has already looted this building; but he finds with his keen perception that they missed a hidden drawer in the altar marked Emergencies. Inside it, he finds ten magical scrolls, each clearly labelled by function-
Cure Serious Wounds x3
Remove Paralysis x3
Restoration
Break Enchantment
Breath of Life
Raise Dead
Meanwhile, Malthir led the way to the inn- but before entering the group could not help but see the word NOMEN crudely carved into the wall by the door, as though hastily etched with a knife. Strangely, as the group entered the inn they found it largely unspoiled and unlooted. Even stranger was the sole occupant of the common room- a giant-sized Spriggan, that stands, silent and perfectly still, facing a paper-strewn table and clutching a book. The Spriggan is surrounded by a faint Amber glow and inspecting the motionless Fey reveals a horrific wound to the back of the Spriggan's skull; it is a mess of shattered bone and blood, although the Spriggan's expression seems quite content, as though frozen in stasis.
"What the...!?" Casimir exclaims as he spots the paralyzed spriggan.
After gathering up the scrolls, Kalev heads the call from Kip and heads back towards his comrades.
Well... that is a curious sight!
Kip focuses his mind and concentrates upon the Spriggan, trying to determine if magic is at play, and if so, what type.
Between the spellcasters of the group, the group determined that an active spell of conjuration was at work. Closer examination of the Spriggan's state and the magical aura upon him, combined with the book the Fey had been holding, concluded that the Spriggan triggered a Sepia Snake Sigil spell; freezing the Spriggan in stasis. The book in question was Secrets of the Rashalka Mounds, by Ernst Gavinport.
On the desk in front of the Spriggan lay more books; Iobarian Prehistory, The Centaur Skyles of Central Casmaron and The Untold Heritage of the Taldan Armies of Exploration, and stacks of notes and papers.
By this point, Kalev had caught up with the group once more, his flight spell having almost expired.
Obviously someone found this book to be worth protecting... Kip remarks as he removes it from the Spriggan's grip. Kip then moves to gather up the rest of the books and notes. Perhaps a clue to what happened here lies within these pages.
Kip rifles through papers and skims the notes, looking for anything that might pop out at him before placing all that he can into his trusty backpack for examination later.
"Indeed," Fenna nods, casting her gaze over the remaining books on the desk while maintaining her magically sensitive sight, "and we should be cautious with these other books, in case of similar precautions."
No, I don't think I will risk the books right now.
Perhaps I'll let Zordion read them first! Kip adds with a mischievous smile.
We should search the rest of the inn...
Yeah, let's have a look around - and be careful. The magic that this guy triggered just froze him in place. Something else bashed in his skull.
Casimir directs his unseen servant to carry a light up the stairs and open up any doors.
Ricter is wary of being humiliated by magical traps and of enemies approaching whilst the Guardians focus on their investigation. He keeps watch out of the windows of the inn as the magically-skilled members of the party search the structure and it's contents, though he does move with them when they go upstairs.
After ensuring (and confirming) that the other books were not magical in nature, Kip perused the notes on the table. Of particular interest was an incomplete ethnography of the indigenous tribes of the Iobarian steppes; recent notations on the parchment speculate that the local tribe of centaurs known as the Nomen are an off-shoot of the greater Rashalka population, that broke away and relocated to the Stolen Lands some time in the distant past. Scattered amongst the books are charcoal sketches of a heavy jade bracelet bearing peculiar markings; whoever was doing this research seemed to be under the impression that this bracelet was attributed to the pre-migration Nomen centaurs.
At the bottom of the stack of papers, sat a letter dated some two months ago; from Maegar Varn and addressed to Professor Ervil Pendrod. The letter described a strange bracelet found by one of Varn's men, a certain Willas Gunderson, a self-titled treasure hunter. Apparently, Willas discovered the bracelet on "a river of local provenance" and Varn had requested the Professor's expertise, expecting that he would be interested in further study of it.
Professor Ervil Pendrod is an old, famous human scholar who is the continent's foremost expert on ancient Iobaria; a land located east of the nation of Brevoy, north of the Castrovin Sea. He is well-known for having been a professor at Oppara, the capitol of Taldor, for over two decades.
A search of the guest rooms of the Inn reveals that only one of them was in use before whatever happened to Varnhold, happened. The group found some personal effects and items of clothing that are neatly labelled Ervil Pendrod in the unlooted upstairs section of the inn. Among the mundane possessions is a small library of further tomes. Cross-referencing them against the works found at the desk downstairs found one match in theme; a centuries old geography book created by one Carmyn e'Brothasa, chronicler of Taldor's Third Army of Exploration into the north. One passage is distinctly marked in a well-thumbed section-
"And so it was, high upon the Torres and well above the Vale's stairs, where rises from the high water a stony island of dire report. Known as Vordakai's island to those that do live thereabout, some legend of its name doth come down through the locals. For they speak of a guardian that doth destroy all who would set foot upon its accursed shores. They did name no fewer than a twelvecount of their hero-knights who had left their bones upon its rocky shores over the years after having tested their mettle against its dread warden, 'til none would any longer go there for fear of its hidden terrors. And the name of this terror was given unto this island..."
In the margin by this section of the book, a small handwritten script reads- "Vordakai- perhaps a Nomen centaur god?".
The collection of books, all included, is very valuable (although they are clearly marked as the property of the Kitharodian Academy of Oppara). In addition, the group found an extremely well-crafted viola hidden underneath the bed of Pendrod's guest room. It was extremely strange to the group that the inn seemed almost entirely untouched by whoever had looted or damaged many of the other buildings, especially the second floor.
As Kip finishes his perusal of the notes he lets out a long hmmmmmmm....
A recently discovered historical artifact of some interest. A summoned expert from a faraway land, presumably poking around for answers to some unsolved question of antiquity... involving an island of ill repute and an entity of unknown terror named Vordakai....
The disappearance of an entire city's population and an undead army of unimaginable size rampaging the countryside... Surely it can't all be a coincidence!
Kip turns to Malthir, Perhaps you could message Vaysh and have her send some riders to retrieve these books? I should think that they should be closely examined at the earliest opportunity. Clues may lie within these pages that may shed some additional insight into this puzzling turn of events. I can have Zordion and Doritian set to researching their contents immediately.
"So there is a local centaur tribe called Nomen, just like the carving on the door, centaur hides in the tannery, and no destruction in places where someone with four legs have a hard time getting into. It certainly looks like things point towards this tribe of centaurs."
Casimir moves to the window and peers out towards the palisades of the fort.
"I don't think we will find any more answers here - but it looks like there are someone alive up in the fort who might be able to tell us more, if we can grab some of them alive. I say we go pay them a visit - now, the question is, do we hide out here until it is light enough to see, or do we go by cover of darkness?"
Are Centaurs the type to ally with Evil Fey? Maybe an alliance of some type...
Seems there is a group of the Fey in the keep, we should pay them a visit. It's not like Rictor and I can sneak up on anything.
Maybe if one of you can sneak over the unguarded gate and open it we can rush in from that side on horseback and take them unware before they can gather any defenses? Or Fenna can you create a bridge over the gate and we can ride in?
"Between Kip and myself, we can make a couple of us invisible for a short while and flying, which should be enough to get over the walls and get the unguarded gate open. We can also create a diversion in another part of the fort to draw attention away from where we enter."
Casimir wanders behind the bar looking for something to drink before moving over to the table to grab a few sheets of paper and something to sketch with.
"Kalev, can you draw a map of the fort for us? Mark off where you spotted the sentry and anything else of note. Also, we need to figure out how to grab some of them alive. Fenna, perhaps you should try to hit some of them with colorspray before we finish off the rest."
Maybe Kalev and Kip can hold the gate and you use the wand of haste on our horses, we can be there before they can even react? Kalev can hold them at bay with his reach until we get in there, what do you think? We can stay in contact via message...
"I would be unable to call a bridge over the gatehouse, but so long as it is not too tall, a bridge up to top of the the palisade may be possible."