"Ahemm....Yes, lets leave...by the mists."

Has Moonpate detected any magic in the room? Anything of interest on our dead hosts?

If we need a new recruit I can probably get my brother to sign up. Just let me know what character classes would be desired and I can get him up to speed on PFRPG (he's old school like me).

Has Moonpate detected any magic in the room? Anything of interest on our dead hosts?

If we need a new recruit I can probably get my brother to sign up. Just let me know what character classes would be desired and I can get him up to speed on PFRPG (he's old school like me).

Dreav:
All house rules are hidden in my profile now. I forgot to do it prior to this, sorry.

This is to move the plot along, at least for those still keeping track.

Moonpate:

The catacombs that loom within are filled with pieces of bone, as if the two horrid ones had worked the zombies and other undead they may have summoned into submission. At the end of the tunnels, you find a 10-foot deep pit that fills a whole room, essentially. There are people in various states of exhaustion in the pit, and there are two skeletons at the far side, lying on the ground (as in, not animated) next to a crude ladder.
Looking into the pit, you see the two you were supposed to be meeting, as well as a handful of ragged looking men and women. There are 8 people overall, and they don't notice you initially, murmoring among themselves, averting their eyes from the surface.

Tham calls down to the folk, to see how responsive they are.

"If anyone needs any water, I've got some for you," Tham says, and tries to toss his waterskins down to any of the people in the pit that might be paying attention.

"Of course, this is one time I didn't bring a rope. Did anyone else think to bring one? Mask's shadowparts, but this has been a long night."

"By the Mists."
Dreav casts detect magic looking for any auras on the pit or in it.

Moonpate shares his findings with the group, asking Dreav if he knows of any significance with the black gemstones. Will also examine the wands further to see if we can ascertain their function. If not he will use his scroll of identify on the wands when we are clear of danger.
He will use read magic (Insightful feat) to examine the spellbook when clear of danger as well.

In the pit room: "Ho there and fear not! Speak if ye be alive and wanting out!"

Moonpate shares his findings with the group, asking Dreav if he knows of any significance with the black gemstones. Will also examine the wands further to see if we can ascertain their function. If not he will use his scroll of identify on the wands when we are clear of danger.
He will use read magic (Insightful feat) to examine the spellbook when clear of danger as well.

In the pit room: "Ho there and fear not! Speak if ye be alive and wanting out!"

A few of the others begin fighting over the waterskins, spilling a great deal of water, but eventually calming down once each of them has a drink of water. On the whole, the group looks malnourished, dehydrated, and ragged, as if they have all been starved and haven't had a drop to drink in days.

Kysstaa quickly traverses the invisible walkway... strangely, it doesn't feel like stone... perhaps somethinge else altogether.

You quickly bring the humbled masses up to ground level, finding both of your contacts. The two of them suggest that you all beat a hasty retreat from this unholy place. There is much rejoicing as you all make it out of the dungeons, and quickly reach the Haeler, just before sunup.

Dreav and Moonpate: We will conclude the adventure there, and the next scene will be you arriving at the caravan, with sad news that the rumors for profit were all lies, fabricated by the false priest of Savras. The rest of the treasure found in the keep includes some small sculptures (four small figurines, one of an elf, a human, and a gnome or halfling), a journal of some sort, and a few letters. The Haeler is grateful that the evil has been rooted out, however the halfling proprieter at the bar is sad about Otis... not much you can do there.

Will you be filling us in on the contents of the journal and letters? Does we have an inkling as to the nature of the figurines or their purpose? Any bonus wages for rescuing the two business chaps we were supposed to meet on behalf of our current employer?
One thing I was hoping to examine further was Dolan's tower back near town where he acted as the false priest of Savras to see if there was further treasure and information.

Borden, exhausted after this seemingly fruitless mission, actually keeps quiet for once as Moonpate takes up the bulk of the talking. Helping when he can, we will offer his own waterskin as well to help alleviate the thirst that all the prisoners must have been feeling. Lowering the ladder down, he helps them out of the pit and follows behind as they all make a hasty retreat.

Upon arriving at the Haeler, he does his best to help out in wrapping up any loose ends and will make a trip to the church of Savras to make sure it is clear of any foul relics. Before heading back to the caravan with their contacts, Borden will spend more time getting their side of the story. Having met the people of this small Haeler, the investigator in him wants to make sure that nothing like this might happen again.

Wow, how life can keep you away from such interesting things. With the rush of the past month or so, somewhere in there I completely forgot about PbP. However, life has slowed down and I was hoping to take up Borden again. If you would rather have a more reliable poster I would understand. But I would also love to continue playing in this game.

Moonpate:

Borden:

Dreav would seem to be displeased with the fact that they received nothing. Lies.....illusions......What a grand crusade I have been on. May the Mists be praised. "I am enraged that this went so pourly!"

Dreav, Borden, Kysstaa, and Moonpate:

Your efforts at the Haeler provide little to the people, and they feel more invaded than anything. The worst of it is that the Tashalar tends to be a little on the paranoid side to begin with, and having a cult in the Haeler itself is rather jarring to everyone. And on top of it all, it was stopped by a scaled one and his companions! They all give you their thanks, and offer free shelter in the future if you come through the haeler's area again. They ask that you pass on the message to the next haeler, or along your travels, to the church of Savras and Chauntea that they are in need of new priests.

The letters and diary contain the following:

Getting back to the caravan, Balthasar greets you, and awards you your bonus as promised. Your presence is also handy to show the new employees hired in your stead the way to guard the caravan, and prepare for the most deadly trek in the wilderness. The caravan stops at an inn at the edge of the jungles, guarded by a haeler, and Kysstaa is rather uncomfortable within it, almost ill as he walks through the gates, only to have the feeling wash away once he is inside. The inn, guarded by the haeler like walls, is the Lucky Monkey. The only inn for the next 5 days on the Jungle Paths. Once inside, Balthasar procures a large common room for the members of the caravan. You begin showing the new recruits the ropes, noticing that there are several other new members on the caravan as well. The new PC's
In the main room, there is a burly half-orc, wearing a necklace of what appears to be some creatures jaws, a scarlet-haired woman, and a halfling. They seem to be talking quietly amongst themselves.
In another corner of the inn, there is a man wearing full plate armor, along with the red and white colors of a priest of Helm.
Each finding a table, there ends up being only one long table left, and you all sit down with some of the new help on the caravan, and have a chat.

At this point, the New PC's can start talking to the others, as well as introduce and describe themselves. On Friday, I will be opening this up further for the old and new characters.

XP for Borden, Kysstaa, Dreav, Moonpate, and Tham:

A young man with a tanned skin and dark, well groomed, hair is looking around excitedly. As he sits down he immediately starts introducing himself to the people around him. "Hello dear colleagues, I hope you're all somewhat allright as I've heard you've had a rough day already. My name is Feli B'urnan of the South. While I myself have plenty of stories to tell I would most definately like to hear stories from you too! Let me know what kind of strange folks you've met, what kind of miraculous creatures you've laid your eyes on and which fair maiden you've declared your love to. But first: let's drink!"
With that Feli looks around for a drink or someone to get a drink from.

Hello all!

A young man with a tanned skin and dark, well groomed, hair is looking around excitedly. As he sits down he immediately starts introducing himself to the people around him. "Hello dear colleagues, I hope you're all somewhat allright as I've heard you've had a rough day already. My name is Feli B'urnan of the South. While I myself have plenty of stories to tell I would most definately like to hear stories from you too! Let me know what kind of strange folks you've met, what kind of miraculous creatures you've laid your eyes on and which fair maiden you've declared your love to. But first: let's drink!"
With that Feli looks around for a drink or someone to get a drink from.

Hello all!

Note about Tham for all:

"Well lad, ya be quite the eager audience, and after this last week of travails I have developed such a powerful thirst it would be a travesty to pass up your offer. Moonpate's the name, on account of the fine shiny crown I wear. Order some ale and food and I'll tell ya a true tale of adventure that will set your soul to shiverin'. And if'n ya don't turn too pale to scare off the flagon maids I'll buy the next round an' test ya yarn spinnin'. But mind ya, I've heard most of the tellings 'round here so only ya best will do. An pardon my friend here if'n his sour looks unnerve ya an he starts spoutin' about mists an such."

For the DM:

"Aye, we've all had quite the adventure. Nothing like the grand monsters and fair maidens that you might have heard in tales of adventure, but plenty of scaly kobolds, decomposing corpses and corrupt clericry. But I will defer to my friend here to tell you of that tale, at least until I get an ale of my own to get this foul taste that has build up over the last couple of days off my palate." waiting a bit to get his ale, the leather clad half-elf will return to the table and take a seat between the rotund mage and the lizardfolk. Taking a drink, he continues, "I am Borden from the sandy paradise of Calimshan. My real work is as an investigator, but since there is no investigating to be done at the moment, here I am protecting the products of this here caravan and the backs of these here good folks." Finishing up with a few slaps on Kysstaa's and Moonpate's back, Borden also motions to the enigmatic Dreav before picking up his drink once more.

For the DM: ** spoiler omitted **

Dreav:

Feli quickly tries to order more drinks for the folks around him that want a drink, although he's quite forgetting about Moonpate's mention of food:

"Sir Moonpate, while I of all people find the word -crown- to be a slight bit too much of an understatement, shiny it is indeed! Your words sound promising though. Turning me pale literally would require more than a few scary stories but I invite you to do try so, for what Sir Borden here tells us is quite interesting indeed. Kobolds, corpses en corrupt clericry... that sounds like the stories I could use!"

Moonpate:

After silently watching the new caravan recruits for a while, the armored lizardman stirs and lumbers towards Feli. He bares his jagged saurian teeth and contorts his lips, attempting to approximate a humanoid smile.

"I am Kysstaa, priest-warrior of god Lendys. Yes, let us drink. Talking and drinking, this is a good custom."

Dreav:

** spoiler omitted **