GM_Runecat |
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This one-person bedroom shows many signs of having been lived in. The bed itself is rumpled and unmade, and a half-eaten meal of bread and smoked salmon sits on the nightstand. A few articles of dirty clothing sit at the foot of the bed.
Crouched in a defensive posture across from the door is a human man, dressed in a suit of well-polished banded mail and bearing a well-crafted steel shield with an image of a lion's head engraved on it. His bastard sword is held above his head. The man releases a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Oh--you're not one of them. Thank heavens--who are the lot of you?" He asks, sounding more timid than his hulking bearing would suggest.
Eostre Roldheim |
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Eostre steps forward and curtsies a bit.
"We're adventurers, here from Sandpoint to clear out Thistletop to prevent this lot's impending invasion. I am Eostre Roldheim, of the Order of Cyphers. Who might you be?"
Eostre Roldheim |
"Vankaskerkin, hmm? Think I've heard that name before. You got family in Riddleport?"
She nods at his question.
"The yeth hounds? Yeah, we killed them. One of them took a good chunk of my shoulder too after scaring two thirds of our gang away. And scaring Bruthazmus so much he ran off buck naked and got himself killed by our elf-friend. You're one of those mercenary types like Chuffy and his lot, then?"
GM_Runecat |
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"Vankaskerkin, hmm? Think I've heard that name before. You got family in Riddleport?"
Orik narrows his eyes at Eostre. "Yeah. Why?"
"The yeth hounds? Yeah, we killed them. One of them took a good chunk of my shoulder too after scaring two thirds of our gang away. And scaring Bruthazmus so much he ran off buck naked and got himself killed by our elf-friend. You're one of those mercenary types like Chuffy and his lot, then?"
Orik sighs in relief before bursting out laughing. "AHAHAHAHA! Seriously? Wow."
"But, yes. I'm a mercenary. Just a mercenary who's made yet ANOTHER bad decision."
Eostre Roldheim |
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Eostre wrote:"Vankaskerkin, hmm? Think I've heard that name before. You got family in Riddleport?"Orik narrows his eyes at Eostre. "Yeah. Why?"
Eostre wrote:"The yeth hounds? Yeah, we killed them. One of them took a good chunk of my shoulder too after scaring two thirds of our gang away. And scaring Bruthazmus so much he ran off buck naked and got himself killed by our elf-friend. You're one of those mercenary types like Chuffy and his lot, then?"Orik sighs in relief before bursting out laughing. "AHAHAHAHA! Seriously? Wow."
"But, yes. I'm a mercenary. Just a mercenary who's made yet ANOTHER bad decision."
"Cause I got family there too. My dad runs the Gas Forges in the city. Nice to meet a fellow Riddleporter!"
When he mentions making ANOTHER big mistake, Eostre nods.
"I can probably relate. I wouldn't even BE out here if my mentor hadn't robbed the wrong wizard and got himself killed!"
Eostre Roldheim |
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"Hey now, Conner, I don't think we should treat him like he's a goblin. He may know more about what's going on here, especially if he's bright enough to have already been planning to bail before we arrived. Besides, I'm willing to bet some of that platinum we found was his pay...maybe he's still willing to earn it from us instead of Tsuto and his ilk."
Eostre looks at Orik for a response.
And it doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eyes. In a...scruffy naive lug kinda way... she thinks to herself.
GM_Runecat |
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"Cause I got family there too. My dad runs the Gas Forges in the city. Nice to meet a fellow Riddleporter!"
Orik's frown immediately turns half-circle. "Oh. Phew, I thought you were one of Zincher's. Never mind then."
"I can probably relate. I wouldn't even BE out here if my mentor hadn't robbed the wrong wizard and got himself killed!"
"Ouch. Yeeeah, I think you've got me beat on that front."
"Hey now, Conner, I don't think we should treat him like he's a goblin. He may know more about what's going on here, especially if he's bright enough to have already been planning to bail before we arrived. Besides, I'm willing to bet some of that platinum we found was his pay...maybe he's still willing to earn it from us instead of Tsuto and his ilk."
Orik wrinkles his nose and stands up.
"...alright. Can't say I know too much about this place, but if it'll get me outta here, I'll talk. What do you want to know?"
Nicat Brightluck |
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
Love potion? What's he talking about?
Nicat listens to Eostre chat with the hired blade for a while, pauses a moment so Conner can threaten the man, and then responds to Orik's question. "What do we want to know? Everything you know about this place! Who's here, what do they do here, how many bleeding levels are there to these dungeons?" Looking out the door they came in, he adds, "And does anyone else live in the other rooms off this hall?"
Conner of Cambent |
"Hey now, Conner, I don't think we should treat him like he's a goblin. He may know more about what's going on here, especially if he's bright enough to have already been planning to bail before we arrived. Besides, I'm willing to bet some of that platinum we found was his pay...maybe he's still willing to earn it from us instead of Tsuto and his ilk."
Eostre looks at Orik for a response.
And it doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eyes. In a...scruffy naive lug kinda way... she thinks to herself.
"I'm treating him like he's an unknown, because he is. We have no idea who paid him, or what he's here for, and he has every reason to lie about it if it would mean trouble for us, because he's cornered and outnumbered. If he's genuinely not hostile, we can all have a pint and a laugh when we meet him in Sandpoint when we finish here, I'll pay for his drink as an apology. But today has been full of demon dogs, goblins who climb walls, father-killing pricks and naked bugbears. We don't need more complications."
Eostre Roldheim |
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"Clegg Zincher. Runs a gladiatorial venue in Riddleport and the gambling that comes out of it, as well as much of the organized labor in the city. My dad's had to bargain with him a few times to prevent strikes. Not a man to cross, but has little influence outside Riddleport itself, kinda like Elias Tammerhawk. Running was probably the smart thing for Orik to do. Worked for me," Eostre says with a shrug.
Evelyn Grimley |
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18
Evelyn nods at Orik. "We'll get you out of here. Don't you worry about that."
"Sooo... care to answer my tiny friend's answers?" Evelyn asks Orik with a friendly smile.
GM_Runecat |
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"Er... *ahem* yes, of course." Orik clears his throat and turns to Nicat.
"There's about two levels to this place--that's not including the fort built on top. I haven't seen much of the second level, but that's where the boss tends to hang around." Orik scratches his chin. "The rooms down here are where we sleep when we're not on duty--Lyrie, Tsuto, Bruthazmus..." He stifles a snicker. "...and Nualia."
"There were also those four goblins from the Licktoad tribe--awfully shifty sorts, and I swear the one with all the boils on his face was plotting to kill me. Didn't make a point of hanging around them. And, of course, there's Malfeshnekor..."
Nicat Brightluck |
"Okay, if Lyrie is Tsuto's girlfriend," Nicat calculates, counting off his points on his fingers, completely unaware he's sticking his tongue out in concentration as he counts, "we've taken care of both of them and Bruthazmus. And the Licktoad gobbers are gone."
He lifts his head, looking up at the tall mercenary, and asks, "So, Nualia is really here, and not dead? And why do you laugh when you say her name? And who the heck is Malfishmaker? What a ridiculous name!"
Eostre Roldheim |
Eostre snorts at Nicat's statement in spite of herself.
"Anyone wanna bet he's the giant monstrosity hidden beneath the hill we saw painted in that mural back there? With a name like that he's bound to start going 'mwa-ha-ha-ha' at some point."
DRAGON AGE REFERENCE!!!
GM_Runecat |
"Who hired you, exactly? That's a lot of mercenaries for a bunch of goblins, where was all this gold coming from?"
"Nualia did." Orik shrugs. "Not sure where she got her cash from, but I wasn't exactly inclined to find out--she made it clear that she doesn't appreciate people snooping around in her business."
"Lyrie's that wizardess who was hanging on Tsuto, right?"
"Yeah." He grumbles. "Don't know why, though--the f@#+er never even gives her the time of day."
He sounds more than a little bitter about that.
"So, Nualia is really here, and not dead? And why do you laugh when you say her name? And who the heck is Malfishmaker? What a ridiculous name!"
"Firstly, I was laughing at Bruthazmus." Orik stifles a snicker again.
"Secondly..." His tone turns much more serious. "...Malfeshnekor is the name of the demon Nualia bound in the lower level of this place. I have no sodding idea what sort of demon it is or how she managed to pull it off, and believe me, I wasn't about to find out the hard way."
"Anyone wanna bet he's the giant monstrosity hidden beneath the hill we saw painted in that mural back there? With a name like that he's bound to start going 'mwa-ha-ha-ha' at some point."
"Oh, he's done that once or twice. Usually after munching on an idiot goblin who enters his room without Nualia at his back."
Eostre Roldheim |
Eostre nods.
"Considering the naughty pictures of Nualia Tsuto was drawing in his journal, probably fair to say he had his eyes elsewhere. Apparently the late Ripnugget was the same way."
Then she blinks when Orik describes Malfeshnekor and grimaces.
"Oh, by the scorched black hand I hate it when I'm right!"
Eostre Roldheim |
Eostre rubs her chin.
"That's helpful, but as our goal is to stop Nualia's plans, plans I assume she'll die to prevent being stopped, those bindings are likely temporary at best. We'll probably still need to fight this Malfeshnekor as well to prevent him getting loose one way or another."
Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Conner of Cambent |
"Yeah." He grumbles. "Don't know why, though--the f~~*er never even gives her the time of day."
He sounds more than a little bitter about that.
"I almost killed her today, if the authorities in Sandpoint let you see her once we're done here she might be done with Tsuto after what happened."
"Secondly..." His tone turns much more serious. "...Malfeshnekor is the name of the demon Nualia bound in the lower level of this place. I have no sodding idea what sort of demon it is or how she managed to pull it off, and believe me, I wasn't about to find out the hard way."
"Describe it as best you can then."
GM_Runecat |
"Describe it as best you can then."
"Okay..." Orik swallows. "...it was a four-legged, white-furred beast. It had piss-yellow eyes, a human-like nose, and teeth that could tear an ogre's leg off at the thigh. Its claws didn't look any less sharp--they looked like tiny, serrated knives."
They can inflict despair upon their foes, levitate, and even possess a very limited form of teleportation. It's unlikely Nualia was able to bind such a creature herself...
Eostre Roldheim |
Eostre rubs her chin and thinks, then she glowers.
"That sounds like no demon I've ever read about."
Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Nicat Brightluck |
Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Nicat listens to Orik's description of the demon, carefully crafting an image in his head, in order to match it to the snatches of songs and stories about such things he's managed to commit to memory. His eyes widen in recognition and he speaks! "It's a giant kitten with little, tiny-" he interrupts himself. "Never mind. I don't know what it is either. Guess we should just go take a look, once we've finished searching this floor, eh?"
He moves down the hall to the next doorway, gives it a quick inspection, and steps aside for Conner to do the honors.
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Eostre Roldheim |
Eostre watches as Nicat rushes off to explore, then turns back to Orik.
"So...Orik...you can go if you want. Introduce yourself to Shalelu, the elf upstairs so she doesn't pepper you with arrows like she did Bruthazmus. If you'd like some work, we're in good with Sandpoint's mayor and sheriff. We can vouch for ya so you can get a new job to get yourself back on your feet. Or...I could hire you later. I do need someone to guard my dig sites here in town and help transporting equipment."
Evelyn Grimley |
Evelyn covers her mouth with her hand and giggles.
"She likes him!" she whispers to Ekan and Conner, after which she quickly goes after Nicat to also share the news with him.
Conner of Cambent |
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Evelyn covers her mouth with her hand and giggles.
"She likes him!" she whispers to Ekan and Conner, after which she quickly goes after Nicat to also share the news with him.
"It'll be a real shame if he does something stupid and I have to kill him. I got enough on my plate already."
GM_Runecat |
"So...Orik...you can go if you want. Introduce yourself to Shalelu, the elf upstairs so she doesn't pepper you with arrows like she did Bruthazmus. If you'd like some work, we're in good with Sandpoint's mayor and sheriff. We can vouch for ya so you can get a new job to get yourself back on your feet. Or...I could hire you later. I do need someone to guard my dig sites here in town and help transporting equipment."
"Sure, I'll do that. I'm gonna need a new contract now, anyways--I'm smart enough to see the writing on the wall." Orik starts gathering up his things.
"She likes him!"
Orik's Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Orik appears to be too busy packing his gear to notice Evelyn's whispering.
Nicat
You don't hear anything beyond the door.
The door opens into a room that is clean and well organized. A low dresser to the southwest has a stack of papers sitting atop it, weighted down by a large chunk of obsidian, while to the northwest sits a well-made bed.
Nicat Brightluck |
Nicat sticks his head back out the door and calls out, "Eostre! Just be like me and stay focused, okay? When we're back home, you and Orik can go on a double date with me and Shay, but for now, we've got to stay sharp!" Blissfully unaware of the irony of his statement, he gestures to the dwarven wizard to come closer, saying, "There's a bunch of papers in here, and you read all the languages, thought you might want to take a look."
He moves to step back into the room, pauses, and calls down the hall again, "And ask your new boyfriend about that tentacle monster we saw, and what's in that room!"
Evelyn Grimley |
Evelyn motions for Nicat to be quiet, but is obviously very excited by the merry news. "Ssh! Ssssh! You're embarrassing them!"
Nicat Brightluck |
Nicat sticks his head back into the hall and replies to Eostre, "What? The papers, or the boyfriend thing?"
He shifts his gaze to Evelyn and says, "You think that's embarrassing? You ain't seen nothin'!"
Looking once again at Eostre, he says, "You coming in here or what? Your friend can come."
Eostre Roldheim |
Eostre storms into the room, her face almost as red as her hair.
"Give me those!" she barks as she snatches the papers from the table and looks them over.
GM_Runecat |
Eostre
The papers appear to be rough drafts of Tsuto's plans. Strangely enough, they include a section about blackmailing his own father... it appears he discovered evidence that Lonjiku Kaijitsu did indeed murder his own wife, and if he didn't leave a ladder in place near the town's walls on the day of the Swallowtail Festival, he'd make sure Sheriff Hemlock would find out about the crime.
The papers also include plans to use the Glassworks as a staging ground for the attack on Sandpoint--and a few notes proposing a further investigation into the catacombs beneath Jervis Stoot's home.
Conner
The bedroom to the south has a faint musty odour. The bed is covered with matted grey and black hair, and bloodstains mar the stone floor, while a morbid stack of birds' feet lies heaped on the floor by the side of the bed.
The large chamber to the west seems to serve a dual purpose. To the north is a fine bed with silk sheets, while to the south, a desk and chair under a hanging lantern make a comfortable-looking study.
Eostre Roldheim |
"Looks like Tsuto WAS looking to make contact with that quasit we fought under Chopper's Isle. Nualia must have some connection to Lamashtu and her brood, given what we know about her from Tsuto's diary. At any rate, this ought to seal Tsuto's fate in a court of law..." Eostre muses to no one in particular as she thumbs through the notes.