Jiro Kasai the Bold Strider |
Jiro bows to the priest. "Thank you for your gracious boon and for the aid to our investigation."
With a nod to the rest of the clergy, Jiro tells the party that he is ready to venture to Amenira's house. "I believe that it is time to examine her housing for any signs or indications of her whereabouts."
EndlessForms |
"Thank you friend. If you don't mind my asking, what are your thoughts on Sheriff Molume?"
"He is a good man and he helps keep our town safe and secure."
---
You head across town to Amenira's house with a few quick directions from the priest. The well-kept wooden building is painted in festive shades of orange and is the only painted structure you have seen in the town so far. A pair of cashew trees flanks its front entrance.
The door has no lock and the inside is a mess of workbenches, tools, toys, and dolls in variation stages of completion.
A search of her bedroom reveals her spellbook and journal. She has not written in the journal for some time but the bed is messy as if slept in and even has a few twigs sitting atop it.
The people of Mercy are rather secretive, even about their social norms. I have deduced the following unspoken rules.
1) No meat. Everyone in Mercy is strictly vegetarian, but the opposition to the presence of meat goes beyond dietary choices and seems to have a religious significance.
2) No cursing. They have a broad sense of what constitutes a curse word, and even polite words said in a rude tone are taboo.
3) No blue clothing.
4) No unleashed dogs.
5) No gambling. This includes benign references such as, “I bet” as an affirmative.
6) No spreading of false gospel. The townsfolk refuse to even acknowledge the existence of deities other than their own.
She has also left tucked inside a scroll of make whole (CL 12) and nearby a a jar of defoliant polish.
Jiro Kasai the Bold Strider |
Perceptions: 2d20 ⇒ (19, 9) = 28
"Well, she appears to have vacated the premises quite quickly. Perhaps she was in trouble here at the town or maybe she was on to the gnolls?" he says as he pulls a doll from the cave out of his pack and compares it to the ones in the room.
"This can't be a coincidence, can it?" he asks of everyone.
Old Iron Tyr |
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Old Iron nods with a grumble at Jiro's assessment, but doesn't say anything.
The nagaji absent-mindedly flips through her journal. His eyes pop as he spies something.
"What in Kurgess' name...."
He turns the book around, holding it up with one hand and pointing at a list of six items with his other.
"Looks like worshipping a tree ain't the only crazy thing these people do."
Other people can read the "Perception or Linguistics" spoiler now
Jasmine Halowell |
No cursing, meat or gambling?! Damn, strict crazy people
She looks to Old Iron, Gnolls working in tandem with human, let alone a smart one would be very problematic. I hope she is not working with them.
per: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
Tin Futola |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Tin dons his gloves and begins to rummage through the house like a man on a mission.
Know Engineering DC10: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Perception DC15: 1d20 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (12) + 10 + (6) = 28
Perception DC15: 1d20 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 10 + (6) = 24
Perception DC23: 1d20 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (10) + 10 + (2) = 22
Tin grunts as he flips through the rules of Mercy.
"Son of a b****... no cursing? What kind of crazy a$$ town is this?"
Closing the book, he passes it along.
"What are the odds our girl broke some of these laws? ... 'course the sheriff would've probably sweat a little more when we shook him down..."
EndlessForms |
As you examine the house, you note that the sun is getting quite low in the sky and it would behoove you to abide by the town's curfew. You had best search for lodging but luckily there are a few places with rooms available to choose from.
And you can let me know what you want to do the next morning if you have any ideas.
Cade Greenleaf |
"We should search for an inn. No need to break the curfew our first day here when everyone is watching."
I assume we head to a respectable lodge. Out of a sense of paranoia, Cade will check under their beds upon arrival for twig dolls.
Old Iron Tyr |
"Good call, kid."
Old Iron goes for his hammer, then remember it's not there.
"Maybe somebody'll try to kill us in the night. Might be fun. Wouldn't be the first go-around for this old lizard."
Old Iron is fine letting the detective determine where we go next
Tin Futola |
Know Nature: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
It takes all of Tin's concentration to exercise the self-restraint he requires to not swear as they make their way through the town.
Not sure if it matters which inn we select, or we can take the easiest one to keep things moving along.
Once Tin is certain they aren't being watched.
"Yea... sometimes when a lizard like us goes around turnin' up rocks, a big bird takes notice and swoops in t' eat the lizard."
Tin adjusts his collar and gestures awkwardly before realizing his spear isn't in his hand. Reaching into his pocket, he finds comfort in the brass within.
"So... everyone keep their eyes open for angry birds."
Perception (anyone interested in us?): 1d20 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 10 + (1) = 17
EndlessForms |
The night is uneventful and you wake the next morning to another sunny day in Mercy where the people are starting to bustle about, some heading out to harvest a few crops and others strolling towards the market to buy new food and wares for their families.
What next?
Jiro Kasai the Bold Strider |
Kn.(Nature): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Jiro will follow the people to market after a relaxing evening, choosing to leave his armor and blue tunic packed away, opting for something a bit more colorful. "Perhaps my red one will do for today."
Once in the market, Jiro will search for some foodstuffs fit to satisfy his hunger.
As a heads up, I have already GMed this, so I don't want to take the lead on this part of the scenario as it is heavy investigation.
EndlessForms |
No random twig dolls under your beds.
Jiro heads to the square where much of the business is done. As he approaches, he hears a heated argument between two groups.
A representative from the first group says, "We're your best customers, no sense or decency in driving the prices up like you've been for the past few months. You don't have any competitors, we buy every nail you make."
A strong burly blacksmith from the second group calls back, "But that's just the point. We can't make enough nails to keep you happy. If you're going to strain us that hard so that we're working through the night to keep up, we're going to charge extra. That's our right."
The man from the first group responds, "Without us the walls don't get repaired and the homes don't get built. This town relies on its carpenters."
"And the carpenters rely on the blacksmiths!" The second man shouts to applause from his group.
----
Meanwhile at the temple there are still a few priests praying quietly around the tree or doing some minor cleaning chores nearby.
Tin Futola |
Tin sorts through his notebook the next morning, going over all the facts he's recorded thus far.
Gnolls. Azathoth. Twig-dolls. Mercy. Tree God. Sheriff seems reliable enough, although not really worshipping the Tree God. Bunch of weird a$$ rules and regulations. Trail growing colder every day.
As the group readies themselves, he reports the most likely outcome.
"Chances are Amenira ain't gonna be found. Once someone disappears, you get like maybe forty-eight hours before a trail goes cold... course them's the rules for a big city like Absalom."
Tin follows along as the others seem interested in the market and the tree, but he does go down his list of other potential leads.
"So we know Amenira was checkin' into the town weaver's home for some ointment and that our girl was gettin' sick. We should go check out this weaver, could be she got wise on our girl and decided to strike back. Could be she was one of these twig-peeps... if we go back to the church, we should ask if anyone there knew Amenira was sick..."
Jiro Kasai the Bold Strider |
Having heard about this in the missive, Jiro moves closer to see if he can gain any information on the blacksmith and carpenter feud, knowing that his compatriots will be glad that he stumbled upon such a lucky outburst.
As he moves closer, a few fruit stands catch his eye. "Hmm... perhaps a couple kiwis for a breakfast will go with whatever else I can find..." he thinks aloud.
Necress Nyx |
Necress watches the tree carefully to see if there's anything she can tell about it.
perception (deaf) take 20: 20 + 4 = 24Plus detect magic
knowledge religion: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Old Iron Tyr |
Sorry, midterms this week and I'm swamped
Old Iron lingers at the sight of the carpenters and blacksmiths.
"That doesn't look good. Labor disputes have got a tendency to turn into riots. Ain't interested in fighting a buncha working men."
Old Iron pats Tin on the shoulder, while pointing with his thumb back towarss the crowd.
"Yo, smart guy! You think this mess got anything to do with our missing person?"
EndlessForms |
Over at the temple, the tree certainly still looks like a tree.
----
Meanwhile, things are heating up in the Artisan's Square. "You raise your prices one more time and maybe we'll have to ship our nails in! What'll you do then?"
"Good luck transporting nails all this way or finding someone to put up with your s+!$! We might just have to go on strike after all!" the blacksmith yells back.
Necress Nyx |
Okay, so the tree didn't detect as magical, and I got nothing else from knowledge religion?
Necress snorts in derision as she looks at the tree. This deity appeared nothing more than a typical tree.
EndlessForms |
No magic. It's a local cult you wouldn't have known anything about.
A man nearby responds to Cade, "All sorts! Houses need repairing and rebuilding and of course there's the wall, that's one hell of a construction project, I'd say!"
Try to calm them down? [nudge, nudge]
Old Iron Tyr |
I was trying to nudge Tin to take the lead, but I can go for it
Old Iron's fist clenches tighter as the argument continues. He looks at Tin, and back at the crowd again, then at his ohter companions, then back again. He finally grits his teeth.
"STOP YOUR WHINING."
Old Iron pushes forward into the crowd.
"Where I grew up, we didn't have the luxury of setting prices for each other. You made what the matrons wanted, when they wanted it, or you lose a body part. You lot have this nice village all to yourselves, living free with your--" he twists his mouth as he tries to force out the word "'god' right there to look out for ya. And you all are fightin over the stupidest sh--" he chokes down the word "Anyways, you keep up like this and someone is gonna do something stupid and draw. Fights between neighbors are the worst. I've been hired for a few of them. Trust this old lizard: you don't want that."
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Tin Futola |
Tin's more of the shake someone-down-for-information type rather than a mediate-the-guilds type. :)
Tin, anxious to give the weaver's the "glove treatment", taps his foot impatiently as the other members of the party chat it up with the carpenters and smiths.
He scowls, sizing up each person, looking for someone who seems suspicious or ready to bolt when they realize Tin is observing them.
"Yea... you alls need to knock this shhh.. "
Tin struggles with the next word.
"...shhtuff off before it comes to blows."
Diplomacy (aid): 1d20 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (12) + 3 + (1) = 16
Jiro Kasai the Bold Strider |
Jiro stands to the side before spying an apple cart. "How much for an apple?" he asks the woman manning the fruit stand before flipping her the coin and biting down into the juicy fruit, watching the events unfold and keeping his eyes open.
Jasmine Halowell |
Jasmine, as been okay with words, but that is more to get out of trouble than to diffuse a potential fist-fight. She steps in trying to chose her words to have the best impact possible.
Gentleman, gentleman. I am an outsider and visitor. Why don't the two of you calm down, and take a few deep breaths. You wouldn't want me to think of your quaint little town here as nothing than hospitable and a nice place, would you?
diplo: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
EndlessForms |
The men are a bit too brusque to effect any change in the guilds' attitudes but Jasmine then steps up to save the day and calms the crowds down so they can discuss a reasonable price and terms without causing a strike or material shortage.
Jiro Kasai the Bold Strider |
Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 1
"Hmm... this apple is quite tasty. *CRUNCH*" says Jiro offhandedly as he smiles at the fruit stand woman. "You guys have great food here!" he compliments, completely oblivious to the goings-on around the market.
Old Iron Tyr |
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25
Old Iron's brow scrunches tight as he tries to confirm he saw what he thinks he saw.
"Hmm...I see it, too, Tin."
He scratches along his jawline at the edge of the scar across his face. He uses the motion to disguise the movement of his mouth as he turns and discretely speaks to Tin.
"Come to think of it, have we seen any kids since we got here?"
Necress Nyx |
Necress stops one of the tree cultists.
"What can you tell me of this tree?" she asks. "How was it discovered it was divine?" she asks. "What does it do for its followers?" she adds.
'
diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
EndlessForms |
Necress stops one of the tree cultists.
"What can you tell me of this tree?" she asks. "How was it discovered it was divine?" she asks. "What does it do for its followers?" she adds.
"You will have to talk to High Priestess Zuri if you want to learn more." The follower then goes into the temple to find the High Priestess, who does her best to answer Necress' questions. "It was grandfather," Zuri begins, "who discovered the divinity of Robori and his protecting powers. Robori is selective in his blessings but he grants our town protection and has given me the highest among blessings, the ability to weaves magics. I save these for times of dire need though."
Old Iron Tyr |
Old Iron makes eye contact each with Tin, Jasmine, and Jiro, the nods to follow him.
He starts making his way to get a closer look at the strange bandaged children.
Does anyone try to get in his way?
Jiro Kasai the Bold Strider |
Jiro nods at the lizard man and moves to follow him, crunching down on his apple, smiling at the townsfolk as he passes.
Tin Futola |
Tin puts a hand on Old Iron's shoulder.
"Let's do this discretely. We don't want the whole town taking up pitchforks tonight and hanging us up like some dirty clothes."
Is there a way to get a beat on the bandaged children that is non-conspicuous? An alleyway that seems like it follows the same route?
EndlessForms |
The children have gone but a few of the adult villagers still linger about and don't immediately turn away as you approach. "I'm sorry about that," one man says, clearly not referencing the guild fight but the children. "It's our fault for letting them linger outside for too long. Don't worry though, we've moved them back inside and you don't need to worry."
Necress Nyx |
still at the temple...
"What is the protection that Robori offers the town?" Necress asks.
Once her curiosity has been satisfied about the tree, Necress asks "There has been an outsider that has gone missing...do you know anything that might be useful in helping me find her?" The oracle goes on to explain everything they know to the priestess.
EndlessForms |
@Cade: sure, you could try it.
The high priestess evades answering Necress' questions by responding, "Robori protections all of the citizens of Mercy from whatever ails them. I have not heard of any missing person but if they were an outsider like yourself they must not have had the protection of Robori or something like that would not have happened."
Old Iron Tyr |
Old Iron snorts, folding his arms. He leers over the man, though not quite enough to appear openly aggressive. Just enough to make him uncomfortable.
"So what's their deal? They sick or something."
EndlessForms |
"Yes, exactly," the man says before breaking off the conversation and moving away.
Any other investigations or things you'd like to look into today?
Tin Futola |
The weaver's that our missing friend mentioned infiltrating back in her original note?
Jiro Kasai the Bold Strider |
"Perhaps we should check the Weaver's house to see if they know of anything that might be of assistance to our cause?" asks Jiro before blithely heading in that direction, still munching on his apple.