The trio approach, the red-robed mage clearing his throat loudly.

“Greetings and good morning,” the sour faced man begins, his voice suggesting that he does not really think it a good morning at all. “I am Khellek, my companions are Auric and Tirra. We are adventurers from Greyhawk. We are here exploring some of the cairns in the area, searching for archaeological remnants and wall carvings and such. I admit, we have so far had little luck in finding any cairn in the area that has not already been thoroughly explored and documented by others.”

“Yes,” interjects the elf Tirra cheerfully. “the information we had seems to have been slightly off.”

Khellek shoots her a sour look, then continues. “A colleague of mine, a man by the name of Nicolai, arrived here several days ahead of us, following up on a lead he had involving a cairn known as The Whispering Cairn. I believe his plan was to speak to any adventurous locals who might happen to know the location of such a place. Well, hrmm, you have the look of adventurous sorts,” he visually takes note of your weapons, armour, and half healed cuts and bruises. “Perhaps my colleague spoke to you? Or you may have heard tell of the location of this cairn? If so, we would like to invite you to explore it with us. We could agree to an equal share of any valuables that might be found, and credit for archaeological discoveries. We all three are experienced adventurers, and are well versed in facing the dangers sometimes found in these old tombs and cairns – which are obvious significant; deadly traps, guardian constructs, summoned fiends and the like.”

Khellek shoots her a sour look, then continues. “A colleague of mine, a man by the name of Nicolai, arrived here several days ahead of us, following up on a lead he had involving a cairn known as The Whispering Cairn. I believe his plan was to speak to any adventurous locals who might happen to know the location of such a place. Well, hrmm, you have the look of adventurous sorts,” he visually takes note of your weapons, armour, and half healed cuts and bruises. “Perhaps my colleague spoke to you? Or you may have heard tell of the location of this cairn? If so, we would like to invite you to explore it with us. We could agree to an equal share of any valuables that might be found, and credit for archaeological discoveries. We all three are experienced adventurers, and are well versed in facing the dangers sometimes found in these old tombs and cairns – which are obvious significant; deadly traps, guardian constructs, summoned fiends and the like.”

Sense Motive 5 + 1 = 6. *Sigh*

Actually, sorry, he said Nikola, not Nicolai - I am getting my games confused.

Brash regards the trio in a slightly amused manner. 'Haha, thank you for your offer, but an equal share of nothing is still nothing. Everyone knows the cairns have long ago been cleared out of anything remotely valuable. Its a waste of time.'
bluff check 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

Khellek glances at Tirra, who just looks back at him with one delicate eyebrow raised. Auric stands, arms folded, rolls his eyes.

Khellek looks back at Brashen coldly. “What everyone knows is not always the truth,” he says.

"Why is the Whispering Cairn of such great interest?" asks Andolphas, also trying to gauge the intentions of Khellek and his associates via their non-verbal cues. "As my associate said, all of the cairns in the area were looted long ago... you're only a few decades late in beginning your search..."

7 + 1 = 8... cripes...

Brash snorts. 'As you say,but true or not, I didnt speak to your friend and I dont know where the cairn is, so we cannot help you.'

Khellek looks between Andolphas and Brashen with narrowed eyes for a moment, then snorts. “Very well,” is all he says, before stalking away. Auric follows, with barely a glance in your direction, muttering “I told you so…”

Tirra lingers for a moment more. She looks at Brashen, gives a quick, subtle nod and wink, silently mouths well played, then skips after her companions, leaving you once again to your own devices.

Khellek looks between Andolphas and Brashen with narrowed eyes for a moment, then snorts. “Very well,” is all he says, before stalking away. Auric follows, with barely a glance in your direction, muttering “I told you so…”

Tirra lingers for a moment more. She looks at Brashen, gives a quick, subtle nod and wink, silently mouths well played, then skips after her companions, leaving you once again to your own devices.

Once they are out of earshot, he steps from behind Andolphas and Brashen and says quietly "They know, or at least suspect we have the location of the cairn. If we want to keep it from them we will need to tread carefully. I would love to know if they have heard from Nikola though..."

Looking around he adds "Still no sign of Da'gret or Mythalas. Should we seek them out?"

Tirra lingers for a moment more. She looks at Brashen, gives a quick, subtle nod and wink, silently mouths well played, then skips after her companions, leaving you once again to your own devices.

"On another note... where did Da'gret and Mythalas spend the night, anyway?"

"What do you think Tirra meant? Does she know that we have been to the Whispering Cairn? And should we now keep tabs on their band, or turn our attention elsewhere (such as to the grave robbers), both of which run the risk of allowing them to locate the cairn by their own means...???

"On another note... where did Da'gret and Mythalas spend the night, anyway?"

"I don't know that it is necessary to keep tabs on them, though I might hazard a guess that they will be watching us, and probably following the next time we leave town."

"If they do happen to find the Cairn on their own, we do have some security in that we carry one of the lanterns. Technically they cannot pass the wind trap without it. I would say we continue on our current course, only heading back to the Cairn when we have laid the boy to rest."

"I don't believe Mythalas mentioned where he was staying, though we might enquire at the hotels in town?" Boland looks to Brashen for any idea on where Da'gret typically stays.

"If they do happen to find the Cairn on their own, we do have some security in that we carry one of the lanterns. Technically they cannot pass the wind trap without it. I would say we continue on our current course, only heading back to the Cairn when we have laid the boy to rest."

"I don't believe Mythalas mentioned where he was staying, though we might enquire at the hotels in town?" Boland looks to Brashen for any idea on where Da'gret typically stays.

"As for our missing companions, let's start with the local hotels, since they're closer than Da'gret's resting place likely is..."

Gather information roll to find out if someone has seen or knows of Mythalas's present whereabouts: 13 + 3 = 16. Despite that decent roll, I'm really starting to think that Mythalas has vanished and will not return...??? Moth, any word from him?

'I agree that we continue with the grave robbers, hopefully they'll get board of watching us. The Cairn wont be easily found, and I doubt to many people know of its where abouts.'

'De'grats as likely to have slept in the forrest as in an inn, probably more so'

'I agree that we continue with the grave robbers, hopefully they'll get board of watching us. The Cairn wont be easily found, and I doubt to many people know of its where abouts.'

'De'grats as likely to have slept in the forrest as in an inn, probably more so'

Gather information roll to find out if someone has seen or knows of Mythalas's present whereabouts: 13 + 3 = 16. Despite that decent roll, I'm really starting to think that Mythalas has vanished and will not return...??? Moth, any word from him?

No sooner has Andolphas mentioned searching the hostels, than the errant elf comes hurrying down the street towards you. He quietly and calmly apologises for being late. "But there is a reason," he adds. "On my way here I noticed Kullen and some of his fellows lounging about in a street not far from here. I watched them for a short while, and it appears they will be staying where they are for at least a while longer. If we hurry - and if you consider it a good idea - we can probably still find them there."

No sooner has Andolphas mentioned searching the hostels, than the errant elf comes hurrying down the street towards you. He quietly and calmly apologises for being late. "But there is a reason," he adds. "On my way here I noticed Kullen and some of his fellows lounging about in a street not far from here. I watched them for a short while, and it appears they will be staying where they are for at least a while longer. If we hurry - and if you consider it a good idea - we can probably still find them there."

'Lets just go and see what can be seen. I dont think where ready to take them on just yet,' Brash puts a hand to one of his many wounds that havn't yet fully healed. 'Though I doubt we four will be able to stay incognito for long.'

'Lets just go and see what can be seen. I dont think where ready to take them on just yet,' Brash puts a hand to one of his many wounds that havn't yet fully healed. 'Though I doubt we four will be able to stay incognito for long.'

He makes ready to move.

"It's a shame Strevlik has deserted us... he might have made it possible for us to track them from afar. I don't think we all need to walk past them... Boland would probably be the least suspicious or recognizable of our lot, and could walk past them on his way to a shop or watering hole, if only to see if he could pick up a word or two from their conversation..."

"It's a shame Strevlik has deserted us... he might have made it possible for us to track them from afar. I don't think we all need to walk past them... Boland would probably be the least suspicious or recognizable of our lot, and could walk past them on his way to a shop or watering hole, if only to see if he could pick up a word or two from their conversation..."

Oops, sorry... I meant to say Brashen, not Boland! A rough and tumble guy would draw less attention than a wizardly type!

Brash agrees to gather what information he can and heads in the direction Mythalas has pointed out.
'Stay close, I certainly dont want a fight but if they move out we may need to follow.'

Brash agrees to gather what information he can and heads in the direction Mythalas has pointed out.
'Stay close, I certainly dont want a fight but if they move out we may need to follow.'

Brashen heads down the Vein to check out the group, Mythalas beside him pointing the way, the others a little way behind.

As it heads west, the Vein rises, climbing to the ridge of one of the hills that make of the topography of Diamond Lake. Just before reaching the top of the rise, Mythalas points out a side street that drops steeply back down the hill, heading north. The street is crowded with close packed buildings on both sides, homes and a few businesses.

There, about thirty yards down the street, sit Kullen and some of his gang (of those last night at the Dog, the Bird Man and the gnome are absent), lounging about on some old crates and half barrels stacked against the walls of buildings on both sides of the street. The albino half-orc sits, leaning against the wall, hands behind his head, eyes half closed, his great axe leaning against the wall beside him. Bask sits near him, head buried in a thick book. On the other side of the narrow street, the long haired goon and crew-cut sit rolling knucklebones. It’s unclear whether the group is here just passing time, or whether there is a specific reason why they might be in this location.

Brashen, do you want to approach any closer?

Brash will turn down into the side street, walking not so slow as to appear to be dawdling, but slow enough to try to hear some snaps of conversation. [ooc] local knowledge check on what shops are in this street, spot check for the same. Local knowledge 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
spot 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Brashen, you can see or know of a pawn shop, a grocer, a cheap bakery, a cobbler, a mining equipment store, a junk shop.

Brash will head to the bakery

Brash, none of Kullen’s gang are talking, so you don’t hear any conversation. They look up as you begin heading down the street, then appear to lose interest when you turn into the bakery.

Within, the halfling proprietor greets you, apparently surprised at having a customer, and invites you to peruse his wares of pebbled scones, rye bread and dog pies.

Brash, none of Kullen’s gang are talking, so you don’t hear any conversation. They look up as you begin heading down the street, then appear to lose interest when you turn into the bakery.

Within, the halfling proprietor greets you, apparently surprised at having a customer, and invites you to peruse his wares of pebbled scones, rye bread and dog pies.

"I wonder..." says Andolphas to Boland, as they wait for Brashen to return. "If we really want to know what Kullen and his band are up to, perhaps we should lure them somewhere. I could always bump into them, inquire as to whether they've been honouring the Dark-Eyed Lady, and to suggest that they might wish to reconsider else end up in "fresh unmarked graves such as those we just came across a few hours from the edge of town," their souls doomed to linger in limbo as a result of their lack of devotion. The fresh graves, of course, do not exist (we could fashion some quickly), but by setting things up this way, we might at least get to see whether Kullen and his thugs would be drawn to the graves to dig them up (as we spy on them from cover). I might even be able to get some assistance from my Order in this matter... what do you think?"

"I wonder..." says Andolphas to Boland, as they wait for Brashen to return. "If we really want to know what Kullen and his band are up to, perhaps we should lure them somewhere. I could always bump into them, inquire as to whether they've been honouring the Dark-Eyed Lady, and to suggest that they might wish to reconsider else end up in "fresh unmarked graves such as those we just came across a few hours from the edge of town," their souls doomed to linger in limbo as a result of their lack of devotion. The fresh graves, of course, do not exist (we could fashion some quickly), but by setting things up this way, we might at least get to see whether Kullen and his thugs would be drawn to the graves to dig them up (as we spy on them from cover). I might even be able to get some assistance from my Order in this matter... what do you think?"

Boland watches Brashen's progress nervously. He listens to Andolphas' suggestion and gives it some thought. "It could work - being a clergyman they are not too likely to view your approach as suspicious, nor your knoweldge of graves and things concerning the dead. And assuming they are the ones who we're looking for, it seems likely they check out the possiblity of fresh graves."

He considers the plan a moment longer while Brashen makes his way slowly back up the road. "We'd have to pick our place carefully" he adds. "Somewhere that it is plausible you would have come across them in your day-to-day travels but not so common as to attract too much traffic. It should also be somewhere where we can set up under cover to watch and be ready if they do approach."

Boland attempts to think of a suitable spot. Local Knowledge 15 + 4 = 19, knowldege geography 17 + 4 = 21.

Sorry guys, I have had a busy couple of weeks and other priorities, and have let this game lag. I will try to catch up shortly.

Sorry guys, I have had a busy couple of weeks and other priorities, and have let this game lag. I will try to catch up shortly.

Brashen, you don’t notice any sign on the door of the building that Kullen and his boys seem to be waiting outside. It appears to be a private residence.

Boland, any of the streets that run directly off the Vein might fit this bill – they’re reasonably well traveled but not near so busy as the Vein itself, and there are numerous smaller streets and alleys branching off them. However, you’re not really sure enough of the typical movements of Kullen and his gang to know exactly which street would be best … perhaps the one that runs along the side of the Feral Dog.

Alright, sorry for the delay, but I think I’m back now – what is the plan?

Brashen, you don’t notice any sign on the door of the building that Kullen and his boys seem to be waiting outside. It appears to be a private residence.

Boland, any of the streets that run directly off the Vein might fit this bill – they’re reasonably well traveled but not near so busy as the Vein itself, and there are numerous smaller streets and alleys branching off them. However, you’re not really sure enough of the typical movements of Kullen and his gang to know exactly which street would be best … perhaps the one that runs along the side of the Feral Dog.

Sorry, I completely mis-understood the question on second reading. Yes, Boland can probably think of several such places, either on the outskirts of a number of outlying farmsteads, or even along one of the main roads out of town (which tend to be quiet for most of the day and all but deserted at night). Given the terrain hereabouts – hills, scattered boulders, scrubland and small woods, there would be plenty of opportunity to set up an ambush or remain hidden.