“My people,” begins the padre again. “Do not pay heed to this outlander. Arton offers you guidance now. Will you turn against the judgement of the Church? And indeed the Empire’s justice?” His voice sounds harsh and ugly compared to the bard, and although he gets a few ragged cheers from members of the crowd, few are swayed by him.
"If the Empire's Justice is to burn the innocent without proof of their crimes, if the church no longer serves the people, and if Arton insists that we treat each other barbarically, then yes, the people must resist the edicts of the church! Let all bear witness that I offered compromise!"
Keildrithe beats his beldach more forcefully and with increasingly complex rythms, intoning verses in an odd, yet strangely familiar and disarming pattern. He fixes his intense gaze and directs his words -- thus far spoken in Atuscan -- at Padre Jalun:
Hear me, o hear the voice of wisdom
Hear me, voice of this dying kingdom
Your eyes see only me...
Your eyes see only me...
Gosia must go free...
Arton set her free...
Attempts to use fascinate against Padre Jalun... Perform (oratory) check = 15 + 6 + 1 (for songbird spell) = 22.
Sorry for the confusion. A map would be good, but I don't really have access to a scanner!
My take was this: Alton slipped behind the priest and soldiers as they made their way from the church (in the east) to the platform (in the north) and turned to face the crowd (facing south) - therefore Alton slipped behind them (At the north edge of the square, near the town hall).
He then hid, the nearest good hiding place to his location being a narrow alley at the west side of the town hall (but still near the centre of the north edge of the square).
I know, its easy for me, much harder for you guys. Feel free to keep asking for clarifications on things.
No worries, you're doing a great job... thanks for the clarification!
I begin to slowly move closer to the priest from behind, trying not to attract attention to myself.
I am in the shadows of the town hall, directly behind the priest, 15ft away.
I must confess that I'm a bit confused about your movements/positioning. First, you moved in behind the priests, as they were emerging from the church, which is on the east side of the square (according to the discussion thread). Now, the priests are moving toward the platform, which is 15' in front of the town hall/constabulary, which in turn is on the north side of the square. Mothman recently indicated that Alton was located on the west side of the town hall/constabulary, and that the priests had their backs turned to you (even though you are now located north/west, and they are advancing from the east)... did I miss something??? It's pretty hard keeping track of things without a good map!
My understanding is that Troy (and Jirkin, but he hasn't met him yet) stand between Keildrithe and the pyre, perhaps 30' away from Keildrithe... would this be a reasonable estimate?
Keildrithe steps confidently out of the shadow of the Crow's Call, stares with contempt at the approaching procession, and then scans the square for a spot near the back of the crowd that is furthest from the constabulary and the holy guard (not more than 90' away from the pyre, and which...
Layout of square posted to discussion thread. Based on that, let me know where you position yourself. Who do you propose to target with fascinate?
Keildrithe walks, ghostlike, toward the back of the crowd, near the southwest corner of the square (perhaps 15' from the outer edge of the square, near the spot where the southwest street emerges onto the square). He tries to position himself in such a way that the buildings on the south side of the square will shield him from the archer in the south tower.
As he advances, Keildrithe calls out: "Good people, what the stranger says is true! We must have sympathy for poor Miss Gosia! Turn your backs on her... and who will come to your aid when it is your turn to be found guilty of sin or witchcraft? Mark my words, that day will come if you do nothing today to prevent her buring! Devout father, the people of Barg beg for Arton's mercy... I myself pledge to find the evil that stalks our woods and slays our children, so that Miss Gosia's life may be spared... for she is guilty of no such crime... Should I fail in this task, I shall forfeit my life to Arton, if it be his will that somebody die... But the people wish for peace, not bloodshed and divisiveness... what say you, people of Barg? What say you, obedient father?"
Mothman, you ain't gonna believe this... I rolled a natural 20 + 4 = 24 on my Diplomacy check. No lie!
Keildrithe starts beating his drum very gently, in such a way that it is barely audible. While he keeps his stare fixed on the priest, he glances out of the corners of his eyes to ensure that no one is sneaking up on him from behind.
Keildrithe is ready to use fascinate on the priest... is he standing on the platform yet?
The square is about 70 feet across. The church is at the east side, the town hall and constabulary to the north and the Crow's Call at the west. Main streets lead away from the east, south, north west and south west edges of the square.
The platform is about 15 feet in front of the town hall, and the pyre is 10 feet in front of that.
Thanks. How far are the platform and pyre from the church and Crow's Call, respectively?
Is the square 70' north-south as well as east-west (it being a "square", I would assume this to be the case, but I thought it would be wise to double check)?
And is the south watch tower flush with the other buildings on the south side of the square (or does it "stick out" a bit)? Is it in the middle of the south side, slightly east or slightly west? I don't know if I'm asking my questions clearly... let me know if I need to clarify...
I'm just trying to get a good mental picture of where everything is...
“Gosia is a symbol of the old ways. That’s why she is being put to death. In some ways, you and I are similar symbols too…” He sighs again. “Whatever you choose Storyteller, I will help if I can. I have lived long, and I believe you will do the right thing.”
Old man Relyin’s thin voice is becoming hard to hear over the noises of the crowd.
Still holding the old man's hand, Keildrithe turns his head at the sound of the procession entering the square. He then turns his head to face the elder again, squeezing his gnarled hands harder. Keildrithe then leans in and quickly murmurs the following to old man Relyin:
"Though I pray to all the gods that we are wrong, I fear that what you say is true. Your faith and counsel mean everything to me, venerated elder. Now I beg you pray for me, for I am far less of a man than my father was, and Terror threatens to silence me. But I must speak... for the sake of Gosia, I must speak... for the sake of our people, I must speak... lest a deeper darkness be allowed to set its roots in Barg..."
Keildrithe releases the old man's hands and rises. He closes his eyes and hums a few rhymes in a tongue that was ancient when the Karands were yet to bloom upon the earth, words that conjure images of sparrows soaring through the dawn in full chorus, through the morning mists that caress a placid, aqueous mirror... As he hums his tune, his unruly hair straigtens somewhat and his face takes on a peaceful expression and healthy glow.
Casts "songbird"
His nerves steadied, Keildrithe unshoulders his pack, and pulls his cherished beldach out of it. He then hoists his pack again, over the sword that is sheathed on his back.
Keildrithe steps confidently out of the shadow of the Crow's Call, stares with contempt at the approaching procession, and then scans the square for a spot near the back of the crowd that is furthest from the constabulary and the holy guard (not more than 90' away from the pyre, and which ideally would provide him with easily accessible higher ground and an escape route).
Mothman, can you give us a better idea of distances across the square and of the layout/locations of specific buildings vis-a-vis the Crow's Call, Church of Arton, and the pyre... i.e., is the Crow's Call on the north side of the square, the Church and pyre on the west???? Thanks!
Beldach in one hand, double-headed mallet in the other, he starts moving discretely into position, ready to start beating his drum... He is ready to use his fascinate special ability...
I apologize for any snarkiness in my last ooc post, it was not intended.
If one of us goes to talk to the baron, one of us looks for the witch and one of us gets into a sniper's position over the square while I either skulk or attract the crowd's attention then we should be prepared for most of the outcomes that I can see. Does this Baron have a reputation for fairness/unfairness? Is there a good, accessable place in the square from which a sniper would be able to fire into most or all of the square?
These outcomes are:
1) Whoever is most likeley to succeed with the baron goes to talk to him, convinces him to either a)drop the charges or b) suspend the burning and give us some time to find evidence of the witch's innocence and/or the real killer
2)Scenerio 1 fails but we find out where the witch is being held and are able to sneak into the area and free her with little or no trouble from the guards.
3) Scenerio 1&2 fail and we are forced to act in the square. The sniper (who has the best ranged attack?) lays down cover fire while I and someone else tries to incapacitate (but not kill, that could cause future problems) the guards and free the witch.
4) All previous plans fail. This could go either of two ways
a) The witch is brought into the square. I distract the crowd and hopefully the guards with a performance of some sort while the witch is freed as quitley as possible.
b)The witch is brought into the square. I and possibly someone else (does anyone else have good stealth abilities?) skulk behind the guards and then strike quickly disabling as many guards as possible while the sniper keeps the rest of them under cover or disables a few of them. We then free the witch and run like hell before the guards are reinforced.
Does anyone see a problem with these plans and contingency plans? Does anyone have something to add?
I agree with your analysis of the situation, except that under scenario 1, I don't think it is absolutely necessary to speak directly to the Baron. One might speak to church officials instead, ideally with strong public outcry and a "counter-proposal" (see the in-character thread for my suggestion). If Keildrithe's attempts at diplomacy fail, then clearly we will need to fall back on one of your other scenarios!
At Keildrithe’s approach, the old man stands up slowly from his seat, narrowly missed by a younger man hurrying out of the inn beside him. “Who approaches?” he asks, his rheumy eyes squinting. “What is happening my son?”
Keildrithe gently takes one of the old man's hands between his and kneels before him:
"Respected elder, it is I, Keildrithe Oldsun. Please forgive me for troubling you in this time of turmoil. I do not know what new chaos has just erupted south of the town square... but I would appreciate your guidance and wisdom on the impending witch burning, before we allow something to happen that we all will regret. I have reason to believe that Gosia Troskie is not responsible for the slaying of young Feile, nor for the other deaths and disappearances that have occurred previously in the region, and therefore think it is wrong to condemn her to burn for those crimes. I fear that this so-called witch burning could create an even deeper rift between the peoples of Barg and the Church of Arton, deeper than that which already divides us...
In the interests of peace and justice, I propose to find those responsible for the unforgiveable slaying of maid Feile and the others before her, in exchange for the Baron and Church sparing the life of Gosia Troskie. Should I fail in this endeavour within an agreed upon period of time, I will forfeit my life in exchange of Missy Gosia's... What think you of this, wise and respected elder? I intend to make this proposal as the authorities bring Miss Gosia to the stake... but will you speak up and back my proposal in public? The people of Barg must know the truth, and for the Baron or the Church to listen, we must have our peoples speak out with one strong, united voice... Else I fear that many more in Barg will burn at the stake, while the slayer continues to roam free... The people of Barg know you and respect your counsel..."
"Friends, before we do anything rash, let me suggest the path of diplomacy. I have been a resident of these parts for many years, and think I have a few things to say that may enable us to prevent this so-called witch from being burned, without having to confront the Artonites... If we are lucky, the Baron and the priests might even be interested in my proposal..."
EDIT: "But first, I must speak with Dras Relyin, who is a well-respected elder in Barg..."
Keildrithe walks with a firm step towards the Crow's Call, a look of determination in his eyes. Then, his eyes widened, startled, as he recognizes Laithe. He flashes him a smile, which quickly fades into a look of concern, as he hears the screams coming from the southern edge of the square.
"Friend Greycoat, it is a relief to find you here. For several weeks have I sought to find you again. The words you spoke in Barg the last time you were here have changed my life... have awakened me, so to speak. But more on that later. It is good to see you again, and I am glad to see that you remember me, and that you have brought friends. There are many in this crowd who despise the Artonites, though more yet, even among the Karands, who side with them. I was on my way to speak with one of the town's respected Karand elders, who also happens to attend Artonite services, in the hope that he could help us sway the tide of hostility that is aimed at the witch... but???”
A look of confusion clouds his features, as he follows your gaze to the church…
1. Given that I have spent some years living among Atuscans, practically denying my own heritage... would I know any Atuscan songs or poems (or even a piece of Artonite scripture) that would be "pacifying" in tone, or that would express the values of peace, tolerance and/or non-violence?
2. Do most Karands in Barg also speak Atuscan?
3. Do the hedilye have any particular knowledge of and/or relationship with the sidhe/fey, whether direct or indirect? Would these murders sound like something the sidhe/fey might be responsible for?
“Oh hedilye, you have returned,” says the young woman. “If only you had been here – people listen to you. But perhaps it would not have mattered, as the trial – if there truly was one – happened up at the castle. Who? Missy Gosia who lives over by the wood. She delivered my Rolf, and you know it was a difficult birth. I know that she had nothing to do with the girl. Oh, you haven’t heard? Another two have gone missing, but they found the body of young Feile, torn and bloodied in the woods near Gosia’s cottage. And graves too, with more bodies they say.” She pauses to wipe her eyes. “And people talk of course. All the old rumours again, why she lives in the woods, the sidhe blood, the magic. But…” she trails off and shrugs, as if to ask “where is the crime?”
"Madness."
Would I know if Feile and the other missing people are Karand, Atuscan, or from different ethnic backgrounds? I'm assuming that I would would, but... if I don't, then I will ask Keira.
After she responds...
"Keira, you and young Rolf should not stay here--there is no telling what kind of unrest may come of this, and I would not want to see you or your babe hurt in a riot... A witch burning is a sight no eyes should ever have to witness, especially those of women and children. I give you my word that I will do everything I can to prevent that accursed Baron and his men from burning Missy Gosia. Now please, Keira, go find shelter from the crowd..."
Keildrithe scans the crowd for influntial community members (e.g., an elder?) who is of Karandic origin but also sympathetic toward the Atuscans and the Church of Arton.
If necessary, my spot check is 17 + 2 = 19 (wow, two 17s in a row! I'm going to pay for this soon, I think...)
Once/if he spots those influential community members, Keildrithe moves toward them through the crowd with determination, trying to reach the person he knows best and/or would have the best chance of influencing...
Here a young mother holds her bright eyed baby tightly to her, weeping quietly. There, two old farmers argue heatedly, looking about to come to blows. Here and there amongst the conversations and busyness are grim, set or sad faces.
Please describe where your characters are, what they are doing, and how they are reacting to events.
Keildrithe quickens his pace as he enters the town square. He approaches the young woman with the baby (assuming he knows her and that she is a Karand sympathetic to the old ways... if not, he'll approach someone else who would fit the bill).
"What is this I hear about a witch burning, [name of young woman]? I have been away from Barg the last few weeks, and return to find that some greater madness than usual has overtaken the town... Who is this witch they intend to burn, and why? She had better not be one of ours, or I swear..."
Gather information roll: 17 + 5 = 22
Keildrithe scans the scene, trying to spot others he might know, while also trying to determine the allegiance of those in the crowd: how many are pro-Atuscan, and how many show antipathy toward them?
Ah, man, I totally missed the implication of that line. My bad.
Yes, he can be a local. Shouldn't change the gist of what I wrote ... but feel free to ask questions here about what else you know about the place, you'll have a pretty good working knowledge of the village and its inhabitants.
Sorry again for not picking up on that rather important piece of information!
No worries. A few more questions, then:
Spoiler:
1. Does the constabulary/Baron have laws against locals (and Karands in particular) bearing arms?
2. As a local -- and a bard at that -- what would I already know of the upcoming witch burning? Has this kind of thing happened before in Barg? Do I know the person who is "scheduled" to be burned, and the reasons why she is being charged with witchery? If necessary, my Gather Information check = 15.
3. Do I, as a Karand, have a "reputation" with the local authorities?
4. How do different ethnic groups get along in Barg? Is there rivalry/distrust/dislike between Karands and others?
I’m just about to start the game thread under the Play by Post section of the messageboards.
We’ll retain this thread for out of character discussion etc.
Game on!
Mothman,
I saw your initial posts in the "Age of Darkness" play by post, and I'm getting ready to respond... One question, though:
Spoiler:
I just want to confirm that you noticed from his background that Keildrithe has been a resident of Barg for several years (see the reference to "my unintended home of Barg." If you did not notice this, I can change his background, if it will suit the story better. Keildrithe's first action/response will depend on whether he is considered "a local" or not...
Minor change to my character description. I'm wearing studded leather, not leather (wish I could edit the post). The character sheet is on its way to Mothman.
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