Preferring not to deal with an ornery magic user, Barra pulled a piece of trail bacon out of his back and knelt down to pet the cats. "Here, kitty-kitty-kitty."
With no apparent signs of foul magic, Ari relaxes a bit. The resigned tone of the woman's voice actually troubles Ari, though. Had the woman been unjustly persecuted? Perhaps Ari can comfort the woman in Ilmater's name.
Comfort would have to come later, though. Eloquence is not one of Ari's qualities. She hangs back and lets some of the others do the talking.
Before she does, Ari whispers to her companions, "I don't detect anything magical. I think she's going to prove to be harmless."
"What do you want?" a woman's voice said, resigned.
Marcus tried to set the right tone, curious but not accusatory, "Names Marcs Ma'ma. We've heard some alarming things, you see about headaches, dreams and omens... The folk look to you for wisdom, we were hoping you might share some with us too."
Ranek kneels down to skritch a cat on the head, smiling, while allowing Marcus to do the talking. He makes sure he seems completely at ease while he waits to see if the woman will speak to them.
The cats proved friendly indeed, happily taking the attention lavished on them.
"Wisdom is it, now? I'm a fraud, betimes. If you heard, then you heard what I know. It's done with in a tenday. There's no more to be said. Now leave an old woman to her peace."
Ari scratches her head at the woman's words. Having learned to deal with the strange accents of northlanders, she still found it difficult to understand the woman.
"Please!" Ari finds herself saying to the woman before she can stop herself. "We just want to talk for a minute. If there have been rumors about you, perhaps we can help spread the word that they're false. What do you say? A moment of your time?"
Before replying, Marcus ponders her words. She seemed exasperated, but was there more to it than that?
"You know all I know. Now off with you," she said, moving to close the shutters.
Marcus believes Utrish is being less than candid.
Before she can fully close the shutters, Aldon reaches out to her both verbally and mentally.
"Come now Utrish, surely you wish to unburden yourself of that which you know, especially to those who will not judge you. No?" He gives her his best smile.
.
Yes, Please. We mean only to help. That's all!
'She's holding something back, but what? Depending on how the land lies our presence may be decidedly unwelcome, either through fear of retaliation or due to her own malfeasance if any.'
With his mind a swirl of thoughts, Marcus followed up with a little less conviction than before, but he still sounded friendly enough, "Ma'am, surely there's something more that could be done other than just waiting... He's right, we'd like to help."
Ari tries to help with Hakon's diplomacy efforts. Instead of eloquently suggesting Utrish allow them to talk, Ari awkwardly says, "We're able to help... you should let us."
[dice=Diplomacy (aid another)]d20-2
Ari tries to help with Hakon's diplomacy efforts. Instead of eloquently suggesting Utrish allow them to talk, Ari awkwardly says, "We're able to help... you should let us."
"I don't have anything more t-" Utrish broke off for a moment as Aldondrick's mind struck and the others pleaded.
"You, come here," she said, her hand poking out of the window to beckon to Aldondrick. "I can trust you."
"Careful lad." He muttered. "This dunnae feel right." He watched carefully for any sign of spell casting.
Ari raises an eyebrow as the woman says she trusts Aldondrick.
What did he say or do to earn her trust? Ari wonders.
"We're here if you need us, Aldondrick."
With a little bit of trepidation, Marcus opened his senses. He wasn't interested in whatever petty sins the crone may have stacked up over a life time, but he didn't want Bolkvar to blunder into a trap.
With a little bit of trepidation, Marcus opened his senses. He wasn't interested in whatever petty sins the crone may have stacked up over a life time, but he didn't want Bolkvar to blunder into a trap.
"Don't you give me that stare! I know what it means!" Utrish snapped, pointing a gnarled finger at Marcus. He didn't sense any taint about her.
"Nay jus' an old woman then. Seems like she knows the art." He then muttered "She trusts mind tricks but nay divine gifts? Blasted bloody humans."
"If she knows the Art, then perhaps at a later time I will be able to talk with her. It is interesting to learn how others came to discover their gift and learned to control it."
Though he continues paying attention to the cats, his curiosity remains barely concealed.
Aldo approaches her all smiles and whispers, "Utrish. I and my companions believe something here is wrong. Terribly wrong. However, we do not know who to trust. BY virtue of being an outsider yourself but a local at the same time, we were hoping you could help us in identifying who may be behind these evil deeds, or those who support them within this village. Are we correct in thinking this?"
Aldo approaches her all smiles and whispers, "Utrish. I and my companions believe something here is wrong. Terribly wrong. However, we do not know who to trust. BY virtue of being an outsider yourself but a local at the same time, we were hoping you could help us in identifying who may be behind these evil deeds, or those who support them within this village. Are we correct in thinking this?"
Utrish's face came into view within the shadows. She must be past sixty winters, even seventy, every one of them marked on her. But her eyes were sharp.
"I'll tell you, then. This sleeplessness...the dreams... It's all over in a tenday because there's not going to be a single dreamer left. Mark me, this is the end of Auvandell. I'm just set to go myself. If you'd come two hours later, I'd be gone. You should be too."
Marcus felt his cheeks burning with chagrin, Softly he told her "Many pardons Ma'am, I'm sorry that was terribly rude of me, but the hand of evil is abroad. Although for what it's worth I sense nothing here."
Marcus felt his cheeks burning with chagrin, Softly he told her "Many pardons Ma'am, I'm sorry that was terribly rude of me, but the hand of evil is abroad. Although for what it's worth I sense nothing here."
"Keep your spells to yourself!" Utrish said sharply. "I don't like that one at all," she told Aldondrick.
Aldon turns back to Marcus and back to Utrish, "I see what you mean, shifty eyes. I'll watch out for him.
We have committed to aiding someone which is why we have come here. To recover something that was lost, an urn of a Saint. We must see that through despite the fact that I can see that your advice is sound.
Tell me Utrish, have you any idea who may be behind this or where they may have gone to ground? Do the town leaders have any suspects or are they too far in the dark to know anything"?
Despite the hushed tones with which Aldon and Utrish converse, Ari is able to listen in on their conversation from a distance.
The end of Auvandell? Has she gone crazy? Ari wonders.
The horses outside of town were certainly an ominous portent. But the end? That seems a bit far-fetched.
Ari stays quiet, though, as Aldon seems to be more than capable of reasoning with the woman. Perhaps he can get some useful information from her. Now might have also been a good time to be able to communicate via thoughts, but alas, that isn't an option at this point.
Bolkvar tried to listen in, but failed to pick up anything distinct. Getting impatient he waited...
Ranek continues petting the cats, oblivious to the subject of the conversation.
Seeing the frustration on Bolkvar's face, Thurvek just shrugs, and waits for the human to finish their conversation.
Leaning over, the cleric whispers to the dwarven monk, "You must admit, the old woman knows her wards. I bet not even the urban fey could get close to his hovel."
"Aye. But as mad as a bat. If she knows somethin' she should jus' say it." As he said this he crossed his arms and glared in the old woman's general direction.
Hakon's eyes narrow as Alondrick enters the woman's house. "Careful. We'll be here if you need."
"I don't know anything about no urns or saints," Utrish said. "I see what I see, when it comes. Sounds like the kind of thing a conjurer would want. One of them sorts. But there's no one new through Auvandell since the storm."
Aryiana thinks that Utrish is telling the truth, so far as she knows it. The old woman genuinely expects the village to be gone soon.
Aldon pats her withered hand on the sill, "A conjurer eh? One more question if you would entertain me, after all, soon you shall be gone. Know you of any locations in the area where such a Conjurer could hide? Caves? Mines? Abandoned ruins?"
Feeling more than a little chastened, Marcus waits outside feeling that his presence would be counterproductive. Still it wasn't a total loss, he'd be able to see if anyone took particular interest in this meeting.
Aldon pats her withered hand on the sill, "A conjurer eh? One more question if you would entertain me, after all, soon you shall be gone. Know you of any locations in the area where such a Conjurer could hide? Caves? Mines? Abandoned ruins?"
"Oh, I don't know. The old mines under the Spire? It would have to be in the mountains somewhere, with the beasts and the monsters. Thick with them bluescale dragons, you know."
Aldon smiles, "Thank you Utrish. Stay safe on your journey...
One more thing, is there a way you have defended yourself against these ah, dreams?"
Aldon smiles, "Thank you Utrish. Stay safe on your journey...
One more thing, is there a way you have defended yourself against these ah, dreams?"
"Nothing what's worked," Utrish said. "Tried every potion and charm I know. Twice."
Aldondrick believes she's telling the truth.
He pats her on the hand once more, "Good luck in your travels Utrish. Perhaps we shall see each other again one day".
Aldon steps away from her home and back to the group, "Something is indeed very wrong here". He moves away from the house at a slow pace and explains to the others all she relayed to Aldon. "If she is right, we have more pressing matters to solve. Perhaps along the way we will find the urn but first we must save this town else end up victims of the shadows of evil plaguing it".
"Hmmm...perhaps focus on saving the town, then try to find the urn? Regardless, we should gather more information. We'll check out the market and see what can be gleaned there, then figure out who it is we can talk to as an authority in town, with the Battlelady gone."
"Well, it's a minin' an' tradin' town - market seems good. See if anyone can point us toward th' mine owner or guildmaster. Odds are good most everyone reports to them anyway."
Ari nods in agreement with Ranek and Barra. "Find out what we can from the market, yes. But I think we should then see the town leaders. They need to be aware that the town could be in imminent danger."
Bolkvar opened his mouth, but stopped himself from grumbling. He wasn't happy with following advice from a witch that he thought to be insane, but he had learned long ago that that complaints without solutions were never welcome. Instead he just nodded his head and said "Aye, let's go then."
Glad that they where heading away from the old lady he'd inadvertently offended, Marcus replied, "Aye Barra, I think you're right. Still we must be cautious, a mine foreman is an an obvious target for the cult's cooption."
So long as the market is open, Bolkvar will also make his way around, looking to gather rumors. He will do this while looking to replenish his supplies.
Once in the market, Ranek will look about the area while trying to think if there are any merchants he might know that would be a good source of information.
[dice=Diplomacy: gather rumors]1d20+7
So long as the market is open, Bolkvar will also make his way around, looking to gather rumors. He will do this while looking to replenish his supplies.
A few hours about the market turn up the following rumors:
1) Three children, two boys and a girl, have gone missing in the past tenday. They vanished during the snowstorm.
2) The Silver Whatevers -no one can agree on what they were calling themselves last time around; it changed often- are also missing. They swore to find the children. Everyone thinks they left town on the kids' trail a few days ago.
3) Much complaining about headaches and bad dreams. Some people think it's the water, a theory the innkeeper is especially noisy about.
4) Most people in town work for the New Mine or one of the foundries. Krekket owns the mine and one of them. Most people loathe him, but don't think he's involved with any of the town's troubles beyond being a bit of a tyrant to those he employs.
5) Everyone has heard of Utrish's prophecy that soon the headache and dreams will end. Most believe her.
6) The bell up in the tower is forged from cooper mined right in Auvandell and was made at their foundries, right after the heroes of old ended the reign of darkness over the village. It has some of their might inside, enough that years ago a drunk passed out inside the tower. The orcs came and the bell rang to warn the town with no one the wiser. He died from its shaking, all his bones broken, and it shattered the wine bottle he had.
7) The Innkeeper is a direct descendant of the heroes who liberated Auvandell. Everyone knows she's got all kinds of magic and treasure hidden away somewhere, probably outside town. Why she stays is anyone's guess.
Once in the market, Ranek will look about the area while trying to think if there are any merchants he might know that would be a good source of information.
[dice=Knowledge (local)]1d20+11
Krekket does more trade outside the town than anyone. Some years he has agents go all the way to Waterdeep, at the bottom of the world. Everyone knows he's got friends in Sundabar, Silverymoon, and even up in the Dwarvenking's mountain. But Krekket isn't likely to share what he knows for free.
The rumor gathering exercise at the market had proved to be very interesting. After regrouping Marcus made a few observations, "It seems most folk in town work in the mines or the foundries, what if the runoff from the mine is responsible for these headaches? Who knows what they're digging up... That bell sounds very interesting, we should try and take a look. I think the main thing on my mind is - should we drop everything and try to find the missing kids? It's almost certainly a folorn hope to find them alive, but if we did I'm sure the townsfolk would be far more forthcoming with us than they might otherwise be. It would also be a righteous thing to do regardless."