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She beckons to Grissm as she searches, looking up at him from where she is hunkered down. "The captives spoke of a black wagon with a green flame. Do you know of what they speak? I know nothing of sorcery."
He nods at her travel advice. "Yes, I am sure Ileum and I can manage one way or the other. Thank you for your time and assistance, it was invaluable."
While responding to your question, Grissm begins searching the other three orc’s. “I haven’t heard of these men until today. The green flame does sound unusual. It defiantly makes me think that witchery is involved.” While your conversation is taking place, the villagers begin preparing for the long track back to the Shoanti Village. After Grissm finishes with his search, he loads a pile of the orc’s armor onto one of the nearby wagons. While considering the direction that the black wagon headed, Grissm turns back to you. “If they are heading south, there is a good chance that they are passing through the Bloodsworn Vale. That is a dangerous trip if you don’t have enough strong warriors. ”
Perception: (DC 10) After searching the large orc you find the pouch the villagers spoke of. It contained one hundred gold. You also found an old looking, scrolled up parchment.
With a smile, ileum acknowledges the sight of the book being returned to Tiasar. “Well then, it sounds like an adventure. Before we set off I’d be interested in purchasing a book or two from you for the travels, if you don’t mind the trouble. I'd like one book about Caliphas and another of Ustalav." perhaps one about swimming? No... No… Retrieving his journal from Tiasar, he begins filling in the blank spaces with the missing name of Tiasar. "I’d also like to know your name for my records." he then continues writing finally putting a name to his mysterious creature.
"My last concern would be of the book." he says turning to Tiasar. "Do you have any family here you could leave it with? I imagine bringing such a priceless book on a journey may be a bad idea. One second it's a priceless piece of historical information, the next it could fall in water, or be vandalized by bandits… or fire?”
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She looks out again over the faces of those saved, and wonders if Ingra survived the assault. The old dwarf is a cripple, but she had been strong enough to train Berta in the martial arts. Perhaps she is alright. Perhaps she hasn't been taken.
Then again, she thinks, I thought Mother and Father were strong enough, as well. I should have been there. I should never have left.
She gently pulls aside one of the women from the group. "The other wagon," she mutters. "Was there an older dwarf woman with them?"
"Deal. I'm not much of a sailor, but I'll pitch in where I can, and I'm pretty good with my bow if needed." Haddek nods confidently and heads up the plank onto the ship. Stepping into his assigned quarters, he wrinkles his nose at the stench and tosses his pack at the foot of his bunk. Well, I guess this is home for a little while.
Caro enjoys the meal and heads downstairs with Spud. "Thank you very much, that was wonderful. Now let me see what I can do about earning my keep tonight." She gets to work cleaning up the mess left behind after the law took the body away, scrubbing until there is no trace of the incident. "That should do it. None of your patrons will have any idea that something happened here. It's been a long day traveling followed by that excitement, so if you don't mind I'll be heading to bed. I'd like to speak with you tomorrow about some things if you're free."
After resting and taking a minute to prepare one extract of Heightened Awareness, Caro comes downstairs in the morning and greets Spud warmly. "Thank you again, it's nice to find such good lodging so easily. I plan to be in town for at least a while while I explore some possibilities in the area, but as I'm not sure whether I will be staying in Caliphas long term I wanted to see if we could come to an arrangement about lodging here. The room is quite nice and I truly enjoyed the meal. My only issue is that I have a limited amount of funds unless I find some way to earn a living in town. I was thinking last night and I have a proposition for you."
when Spud is free, Caro sits down at the bar and takes out her journal, both checking on her notes and writing down anything of interest Spud tells her. "I have several talents, but one of my most useful is alchemy. I was wondering if you would be agreeable to me setting up shop upstairs for a while in my room, and then selling some of my wares out of the tavern. That would serve to both get me an income, and also hopefully bring customers in who would then eat and drink while we were doing business. I would not be able to start for a couple days, as I need to restock some of my materials first and also need to acquaint myself with the city a bit."
I will pay for the first several days of lodging, and, if you are ok with the arrangement, I'll start selling some goods. If this results in enough new traffic for the tavern, then hopefully that can cover my lodging, and if not then at least I'll be getting some profits that I can use to pay for the room and board. Would this be agreeable to you?"
Caro enjoys a light breakfast and heads out into town. The first place she would like to check out is the docks, looking for any merchants from whom she can obtain materials for her alchemy lab. After both almost having an incident several months ago involving slavers, and now the incident last night with slavers as well, she is alert to the possibility of encountering trouble. While on the dock she keeps an eye out for anything pointing towards the slave organization's activities, and scans the crowds for rings matching the one on the body in the tavern.
She also chats with both locals and sailors as she can, to gather information about local rumors and any new information about the abandoned temple NE of the city. She tries to identify the location of the new museum and any local researchers in biology, anatomy, or physiology that are in the area.
After spending the morning on the docks exploring and gathering information, she returns to the tavern for a midday snack and to check in with Spud.
Sustos sits and stares at his tea cup, then back to her, his mind racing. He takes a very small sip of tea out of respect.
“Well firstly, I would like to know who you are. What part do you play in all of this and how did you know I was coming?”
“Did you know my grandfather? Did you know of him?”
“Where did this… thing that I am come from?”
Grissm finishes loading the wagon with the help of the other three Shoanti warriors right about the time you ask about the Flycatcher. After considering the question for a moment he shakes his head no. “Never heard of him. Strange name. City folk have strange ways. They name their children weird things. Why do you ask?”
Within thirty minutes, what’s left of the Shoanti captives are ready to leave. After gathering their horses the four warriors saddle up and prepare to escort the group back to the settlement. “Come Berta. We need to leave. There could be others close by. I don’t want to endanger these people any longer than what’s necessary.” Grissm states while waiting for you to gather your mount.
After you finish up with the blood spill, Spud walks over and takes a look at your work. He seems genuinely pleased with your effort and ultimately wishes you a good night before securing the tavern’s main door. “By the way, if you need to go out during the night, you will need to wake me, so I can unlock the front door. My room is one room down the hall from yours, on the left hand side. That being said, I strongly don’t advise moving around the streets of Caliphas during the night. Ustalav can be a treacherous place when the moon rises.”
The following morning, Spud greats you with a smile and a warm cup of coffee. After considering your business offer, he agrees to give you the opportunity to prove its effectiveness.
Perception (DC 13): You don’t see anyone that meets the description of the slavers, nor do you spot anyone wearing the ring. You do get the feeling that someone is watching you the entire time you are moving about the docks.
Diplomacy (DC 2): For some reason, most the people that you have spoken to, seem to be from out of the area. After hours of gathering information, the only viable information you have is, “the temple is currently abounded” and, “the museum is closed due to unknown reasons.” To that end, no other information has been learned. The midday snack, on the other hand, ends up being quite success. Spud has prepared a variant of oven baked pigs in a blanket, which he markets as a finger food that goes well with just about any beverage.
The Widow’s Nest leaves port under strong winds that propel it into unbelievable speeds. At one point the bow of the ship comes crashing down with a thunderous crack as it drops from an unreasonably high wave. The crew scurry about shouting orders to one another in an attempt to fight the chaos created by the storm. Almost immediately after clearing the city’s breakwater, you are handed the end of a thick rope. The crewman, who handed you the rope, shouts across the deck something that you are unable to make out. The wind of the storm batters the side of the ship repeatedly with powerful waves that cascade over its railings. Soon another crewman quickly moves by you shouting something else that you can’t understand.
Looking back over your shoulder, you see Captain Flack standing on top of the poop deck, where he is clinched in a one arm wrestling match with the ship’s large, wooden wheel. From there he shouts down at you. “Abash ye land lobber, tether that rope to the ship’s mast before ya get pulled overboard.” After looking over at the ships rigging, you are able to discern which boot to tie the rope to.
After a day of extremely rough weather, you feel the ship make a hard starboard turn. After taking note of your heading, you realize that the Widow’s nest is no longer heading towards Cassomir.
“Well firstly, I would like to know who you are. What part do you play in all of this and how did you know I was coming?”
The woman mimics your dainty sip of the tea. “As I mentioned earlier, I am Darkwillow. I knew you were coming here because I am a VERRY old and VERRY skilled soothsayer. There are a lot of things about you that I know. The part that I play in “all of this” is exactly what you need me to play. I am here to answer your questions and give you some insight.” during your conversation you notice a holy symbol hanging around the woman’s neck. The object looks something like a white comet or fireball swirling into a circle.
She continues after sliding her empty tea cup back on the table. “As far as your grandfather is concerned, I knew him quite well. I have been keeping the proverbial eye on you for quite some time. It seems you are destined to walk a very important path.” After her last statement, she looks deep into your eyes and waits patiently.
The librarian smiles once Ileum askes her name. “I am Sobrena,” She states while looking down at the journal that Ileum is preparing. “Sobrena Queshtansonoble.” She clarifies after realizing that her name is likely going to be written in the journal. “I will see if we can make a copy of the text that you wish to take with you. I don’t think those books are as thick as the journal was. I believe we can have both of them done by tomorrow morning.” She says just before pulling the library cards from the two books and handing them to Ileum. “If you bring the cards back tomorrow morning, with the copy fee, you can trade them in for the copied books. I believe the copy fee for both books will be two gold.”
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That is selfish and cruel, a voice in her head said, sounding suspiciously like Ingra. This is not about you. This is about your family. Your kin need you. Stop whining like a petulant child and get to work.
Color rising to her cheeks, Berta takes a long breath to steady herself, then mounts up and follows the others away.
Realizing that she's a little too worn out from travel to be social today, Caro decides to push the exploration of town til tomorrow. After the ("outstanding, thank you Spud!") meal she inventories her alchemical materials and makes a list of what she might need to replenish them for commercial instead of personal use. She heads back out to the docks just to purchase supplies, and then returns to the tavern to rest, get herself organized, and to prepare some goods for sale.
After getting herself set up she heads downstairs and approaches Spud. "Spud, I had a rather disappointing morning trying to find information out on the docks. You might be able to help direct me for tomorrow. Do you have any advice as to where I could go tomorrow to find out any information about the temple northeast of here, the new museum which I've heard has already closed, or any person who might be a good contact for me in reference to biology and anatomy?"
During the afternoon and evening she relaxes in the tavern, again trying to gather more specific information about either the temple or other local rumors, as well as passing around news of the new materials that will be available in the tavern starting tomorrow afternoon. If the night starts to get busy, she offers to help out Spud by clearing tables or washing dishes, not for pay just to be helpful as he has already done so much for her.
Before he's even had time to process the fact that he's supposed to be helping, he's given the end of a rope and pointed across the deck. "Take this and- .... Over there!" Looking around helplessly, he just stands there, trying to guess what the hell he's supposed to do. Before he even has time to gather his wits to ask someone, he's pushed toward the center of the ship by another pair of rough hands. "Over there, you idiot, tie it off to th- ... we're all dead!"
He begins walking toward the middle of the deck, still unsure. Looking over his shoulder, he sees Captain Flack wrestling with the wheel. Locking eyes with the captain and shrugging finally gets an answer that isn't blown away by the roaring wind and crash of waves against the ship. "...-ope to the ship's mast before ya-...." Ah, tie it to the mast. No problem. Struggling against the wind, he manages to secure the rope to a boot at the base of the mast and stands back. Before he has the chance to get too proud of his accomplishment he's pulled in another direction to help tighten another line.
After a day of this, Haddek feels the deck list slightly to the side, and notices the ship is beginning a sharp turn to starboard. What's this? That bastard better not be screwing me over. Making his way up to the ship's wheel, he waves at Captain Flack as he approaches. "Good day, Captain. Quite a trip we've had so far. I noticed we've veered off course from Cassomir, where are we headed? I don't mean to cause any problems here, but we had a deal and I expect you to honor it."
Sustos hangs on every word the old woman says, listening intently. He was excited then puzzled when she spoke of his grandfather and subsequently of his future.
What things would I do that someone of such wisdom and possible power would consider so important? Why would I be made to play such a role?
As he pondered her words he didn't realize he was staring at her. That is, until he realized she was staring back at him, her eyes like pools into the abyss.
The trail back to the village seems much smoother than it did when you were rushing to catch the orcs. Many of the younger villagers walk along the side of the wagons, allowing the children and elderly to ride on the coach. Before long, you reach the perimeter of the village where many of the surviving villagers await your arrival. The reunification of loved ones becomes rampant, as tear soaked faces thank you and the other four warriors for safely returning their people home.
The village bustles, after your return, with crews of craftsmen working around the clock in order to rebuild some of the damage that had been done. Most of the chaos has settled into a workable relief effort. You find yourself somewhat distracted by some of the families that still remain broken.
After hours of shopping along the docks you manage to find a merchant ship that has a fair amount of alchemical supplies. Although he isn’t willing to talk much about the merchandise, he is willing to part with some of it at a competitive price. After securing a reasonable amount of supplies, you head back to the tavern. Using what extra tables, benches, and chairs the tavern has to offer you manage to set up your alchemy crafting kit in a manner that is somewhat manageable.
Later you approach Spud about the abandon temple. During a small downtime in the tavern's business, he attempts to recall what he heard about the place. “Let’s see. I seem to remember hearing something about that place. About two months ago, I had a couple of adventurers sign up on the recruitment board.” He points over at a large wooden bulletin board hanging off to the side of the room. The board is covered with large and small parchments. In the center of the board, hangs a list of names and places of preference. “I overheard them talking about heading out to that temple. They said it was setting on top of a dungeon full of treasure. After they gathered enough like-minded companions, they headed out and were never seen again.” After finishing his comment, Spud raises his eyebrows. “That sounds like a great place to go.” He says in the most condescending tone he can muster.
After all the talk about the abandoned temple, Spud pulls out a tankard and fills it halfway full of ale. “All this speculation about adventure has made me thirsty.” He says just before drinking down the ale. After wetting his whistle, he continues. "The new museum is located off to the side of the city. It has been drawing a lot of attention with its imported artifacts. I’m not sure exactly what all the commotion is about, but it has gotten quite a reputation in a quick amount of time. I would adventure to guess that its displays are quite unique.”
Diplomacy / Gather information (DC 16): You ask around during your time working in the tavern and manage to pinpoint the locations of a couple places of interest. The Quarterfaux Archives and the Havenguard Lunatic Asylum.
Craft alchemy (DC 19): I will need to know what specifically you are crafting with the intent to sell.
While looking down from the ship’s poop deck, Captain Flack responds to your comment. “Watch you tone with me boy. While we are at sea, I'm in charge of this floating bucket and all those in it. While I’m not of the mind to renege on our agreement, I’m not forsaking my calling to fulfill our deal. Earlier today my lookout spotted a Jolly Roger flying just over the horizon. I broke our course to engage the vessel. UNFORTUNATLY the ship is a smaller vessel with a much faster wind speed. From the looks of it, they don’t have the salt for a fight and appear to be making a run for it. I’m going to give pursuit just long enough to run the scow out of the shipping lane, then I’ll resume our course.” After voicing his intentions, the Captain assigns one of his crew to the ship’s wheel and then heads down to his room. “Alert me if that ship changes course!” He shouts from the ship’s lower deck.
”It seems you are unfamiliar with your heritage.” The old woman states as she leans comfortably back in her chair. “I find this to be puzzling. All these years and you don’t know why you are so profoundly different than all the other humans?” The woman scratches her head a few times and then begins twirling a small amount of her hair with her finger. “Well, our kind come from mixed blood. When a human falls in love with someone from the plane of earth then the bloodline can result in someone having unique features like us. We are known as OREAD. Our kind tend to have a stronger connection to the earth then the average human. In your particular case, the gene is recessive and comes from your great, great, great, great grandmother. My mother, so to speak, who fell in love with a Shaitan named Nimani Jaafkair.”
Once again the old woman looks deep into your eyes as if she is waiting for something. During her silence you begin to feel the room weave while everything else around you starts to bow and twist. “It seems the tea is starting to take effect. Come with me.” She states while standing up and moving to your side. After taking your hand, she leads you back out of the room and over to the stagnate pool of water. “Quick, while the herbs are active, look deeply into the pool.”
While staring into the pool you begin to see images emerge somewhere between the murky water’s edge and your mind’s eye.
Before long you hear the old woman’s voice from beside you. “Come with me. It is going to take a few minutes before the effects of the tea wear off.” You feel your hand being pulled as the woman leads you back to your chair. “Please take a moment to recover.” She says as she sits across from you and begins to poor herself another cup of the tea.
Much like the last few nights, last night was cool enough to provide a comfortable night’s sleep. Tiasar spent one last evening in the comfort of his family’s home, while Ileum enjoyed the comfort of the Sycamore. The following morning, the two of you meet at the library where you turn in the two library cards for the copied books.
After retrieving the two books, you both head down to Kyonin’s water front, where you manage to secure passage aboard an elven sloop called The Wisp. The ship is a smaller vessel that has been heavily loaded with crates full of antiquities. Passage directly to Caliphas wasn’t available, so you secured the next best option, which was a ship heading to Thornstep.
After arriving in Thornstep, you are able to secure passage to Caliphas aboard a caravel called The Nightingale.
I will need to know what specifically you are crafting with the intent to sell.
The miserable morning of being ignored on the docks had Caro down earlier in the day, but after a pretty successful night getting to know the tavern and its patrons, Caro feels a lot better. While chatting with Spud about the temple and museum she told him of the ale she was making, and informed him of some of the things she could make to try and guage interest for future products (Alchemist Kindness, glues and solvents, and splash weapons are brought up specifically, plus she is open to other suggestions.) At the same time, while talking to the patrons she brought up the same question, although she didn't mention splash weapons to them this first night.
I probably should get Spud's thoughts on acid and fire before I start selling it to his patrons, I'd hate to see them used in the tavern if there's a brawl.
After making some acquaintances and gathering some ideas for her "business plan", she prepares to head upstairs for the night with the intention of visiting the Havenguard Asylum in the morning and continuing to craft in the afternoon. She plans on paying for room and board again tomorrow, but depending on her crafting progress she might start selling wares the day after.
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She does not know if her word means anything to them in their grief, but she gives it willingly anyway. She returns to the ruins of her family home on the outskirts of the village, walking through the wreckage. She doesn't sob, but the tears flow openly. She is not someone used to fear, and right now she is afraid.
After some time, she dries her face and leaves her broken home to seek out Grissm again. Clasping his arm in solidarity, she says, "Thank you for finding me. I must return to the dwarven city in the morning. I must find someone who can lead me to this 'Flycatcher.' Surely one among that massive citadel understands the meaning of a wagon with a green-flamed lantern. If we do not meet again, may Desna guide your travels and bring you good game."
"Very well, Captain. I apologize for assuming the worst. Clearly if a pirate comes your way you must do your duty."
The matter settled, Haddek goes back to work on the deck. All of the small jobs that go into sailing a ship are new to him, and he clearly has fun with the experience. Even swabbing the deck doesn't erase the smile from his face. This isn't so bad. I could easily have been a sailor in another life. Fresh air, the wind on your face. Not bad at all.
The villagers show a great deal of appreciation for your reassurance and open their homes to you for the night. Many share in your sorrow and fear of never seeing their loved ones again. Your persistence in attempting to find the other Shoanti comforts most of the villagers and increases your reputation within the community.
After having successfully rescued his wife, Grissm seems to be in a bit more joyful mood. Realizing you still have family missing, he attempts to temper his joy in order to empathize with your loss. “Twice now you have mentioned that person with the strange name. You said he is some sort of slaver. How do you know this Flyperson?” he asks in a very even tone.
Daytime activity at the tavern is heavy, leaving little time for gossip, but you keep your ear open for anything that sounds remotely useful. Small to midsized ships dock continuously along the ports of Caliphas, leaving wayward crewmen with nothing to do but drink. Flanagan’s Grain and Grog quickly becomes a place of convenience where sailors, merchants and perspective adventurers gather to drink, gossip, and gather information. You find yourself overrun with business. Drinking and games quickly turns into bantering and groping, which makes you feel quite uncomfortable with the life of a barmaid.
Throughout your voyage, Captain Flack checks up on you from time to time. The adjustment to sea travel seems to agree with you, as many of the mundane tasks that you are asked to do seem to come with the added benefit of a unique perspective.
After perusing the small pirate craft for almost four hours, Captain Flack finally gives the order to bring the ship about. Upon his order, crewmen scurry about while adjusting the ships rigging in preparation for the change in course. Soon the Widow’s Nest makes a strong port turn and resumes its original course.
As the ship makes its way across the sea, the city of Absalom can be seen in the distance. Its harbors bustle with thriving business from all over the world. Banners rise high over the city’s breakwater creating an abstract wave of mixed color, while ships of various sizes compete to gain access to the city’s never ending barrage of commerce. On more than one occasion, a sister vessel passes your ship with loud hails of greeting and waves of friendship. Before long the magnificent city of Absalom fades from sight as it makes its way over the horizon and out of sight from the ships aft.
Travel along the lake seems smooth as glass. Unlike the sloop, the caravel’s additional size allows it to move through the calm waters virtually undisturbed by its environment. Like a mirror, the lake’s murky depths reflect the heavens above. Flickers of light sparkle off its surface just before the ship’s presence causes small ripples that eventually distort the magnificent image. Far off in the distance, an island sits quietly nestled with tick, daunting trees that outline its exterior. The caravel’s crew seem quiet, but work nonstop to keep the ship moving with the ever changing wind. Further in the distance, lights peer out over the horizon, identifying the lakes exterior and the presence of a natural breakwater.
As her mini-business starts to take off, Caro starts to get a little overwhelmed by both the business and the boorish clientele. In order to ensure that she keeps it to just helping out Spud and making some cash on the side, she ensures all the customers know she is only going to be selling there in the evenings. She heads to bed tired, prepared to do it better the next day.
On her way upstairs at the end of the night, she swings by Spud. "I want to make sure everyone knows this is not a permanent arrangement. As much as I like your tavern it's not the reason I'm in Caliphas. I'm headed to the Asylum in the morning and I'll be back in the afternoon to brew upstairs and then I'll be selling in the evening. Here's the lodging fee for the next week, I'm making enough to pay you and still make a profit." She places the gold on the counter. "I know this arrangement is good for you too, so when it's time for me to move on, I'll see if I can arrange someone to continue selling out of your place if you'd like. I don't want to let you down after what you've done for me."
She climbs the stairs and heads to bed, writing her thoughts in her journal as she falls asleep.
Once Berta shows Grissm the note, he takes a moment to look it over. “I see, now it makes sense. I have seen this before.” He states while pointing at the coat of arms displayed on the note. “Some of the large boats that frequent the city have this image on a long cloths that waves in the wind. This other image,” he says while pointing at the green flame at the bottom of the note, “I have never seen before. Maybe the city dwarves will know more.” Grissm looks at you with sorrowful eyes. “I truly hope you find your family. They are good people and don’t deserve this. Me and the others will stand watch here in case there are more orc raiding parties. You are always welcome here. My home is your home if ever you should need it.” The Shoanti warrior turns to his family and ushers them back into his home. "Take care Berta.”
Unlike Caro’s earlier experience with Calipha’s, the early morning streets of the city are bustling with activity. Where the darkest of windows once looked so unnerving, now they feature displays of elegance and wealth. While you meander down the cobblestone roads of the city, small chimes ring out announcing the arrival of new patrons frequenting some of the smaller businesses. You manage to cover a moderate amount of distance between you and the tavern when you get the feeling that someone is watching you.
En route to the Asylum, Caro was carefully mapping out the local businesses in case she needed to return to any of them in the future. While memorizing it all so that she could make a detailed map in her journal later, she began to feel like something was off. She tried to see what it was without being obvious about her concern.
Wandering through the bustle of the streets and still trying to make a mental map, she realized that she was too distracted to perceive much other than the shops. She kept looking, hoping that whatever was causing this feeling was obvious enough to be seen.
Sustos breaths heavy, he didn't realize he was holding his breath. He was full of emotion, there were so many different ones he couldn't place the feeling. He tries to focus on the old woman, even in the state he was in she looked like a statue among the wavering walls.
"I.. I've been told different things by many different people. Never have I met someone that could tell me with certainty who blood I bleed. Even my grandmother... I saw her in the pool, she didn't have the answers you do... How, do you? You're..."
Sustos briefly stares at the floor, suddenly deep in though.
"You're half Shaitan... Five generations between us. That would explain how you've lived all these years. What of the images I saw there was a . Does any of that have meaning to you?"
Sustos shoots up out of his chair, too fast. He becomes dizzy and wavers but catches himself. He takes a few steps and sits on the floor, crossing his legs.
"I always feel better sitting on the ground, I think better, I'm more relaxed. As I think on my past and all the thing I did differently from those around me; it seems so obvious in hind sight. Can you tell me about who Selthos was, I've heard of his prowess but who was he?"
It felt like Sustos had been in the cave for mere seconds... Or has it been days? He had no sense of time and his mind shot back to his companions.
"Darkwillow... uh... Grandmother? You've explained so much. My soul feels more at ease then it ever has... But this "path"... The beginning is here but I see no trail. I don't know where I'm going or what I'm even looking for, can you spare anymore of your wisdom?"
You makes a number of mental notes on different types of stores. Many of the shop’s display elegant dress and finery suited for well-ta-do patrons. When you reach one of the smaller shops a figure steps out of the shadows and attempts to stab you with a dagger that looks to be coated with a greenish looking substance.
Initiative Order (Bold may post)
Thug Blue
Caro
The blade barely misses you as it wishes just past your neck. You turn and feel your heart skip a beat as you realize that you are now standing face to face with the man who killed the stranger in the tavern. “Next time you will keep your mouth shut cow!” He exclaims as he lunges forward, taking another strike at you with his coated blade.
Once again the blade passes close to your neck, but comes up short.
The old lady sips her tea calmly as she waits for your senses to reorient. It is obvious that she knew the vision would be disturbing and likely open a floodgate of questions. “Slurrrrp”, the sound of her sipping the tea quickly becomes a focus as she sits otherwise quiet. After a long uncomfortable moment, she begins to speak. “Your path is not completely clear. Some of it I can understand, but other parts are completely obscure.”
She then pauses and gets a serious look on her face. “Your path takes you to a dark place. A place where the dead should not exist, but walk freely among the living. Your destiny begins in the province of Ustalav. There, in the capital city of Caliphas, you will find others that are tied to this destiny. Befriend them, protect them, and find the strength to face the darkness that threatens the cube. Only then will you understand the truth of your existence.
On the cusp of her last statement the environment begins to grow cold. The enduring walls of the room begin to fade. The table, tea cups, and chairs start to fade into an everlasting memory. Eventually the only thing left in the damp cave is you, alone, sitting on the earth with the environment’s rough naturally carved walls extending up into the mountain side.
As the man steps out of the alleyway and strikes, she glances around to see if he is alone, or if anyone has noticed the scuffle.
Caro quickly adjusts and steps in closer to the wall to minimize her profile as the thug's dagger swishes by. "I have spoken to no one of what happened!" She hisses as she pulls out a dagger and strikes back.
"But I doubt you'll listen to me. Idiot."
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Somewhere in there, Desna watches over the travelers in the world. She whispers to the sky, "Blessed Dream, please watch over my family until I can rescue them. Give them the strength to endure the depravities of their captors, and give me swift feet to reach them."
It does little to ease her conscience. She rolls over on her side and stares off into the stunted scrubs and cracked earth of the Cinderlands. She recalls her first steps into the unfathomably huge citadel of Janderhoff, how small and intimidated she'd felt, and does not relish the fact that she must return there. Ingra once told her Janderhoff is, in many ways, sacred to the dwarves; only five of their sky citadels remain in their hands, ancient relics of their "victory" in the Quest for Sky. Berta did not feel reverent when she entered Janderhoff; she'd felt confused and frightened. Fear is not an emotion she is particularly familiar with. Even among the bigger men of the Lyrune-Quah - of which there are many - Berta has often been the stronger, and very few can match her ferocity. But she could not fight the citadel; it was bigger than her in more ways than one, and an unkillable opponent was something she had no experience with. Until Janderhoff, that is.
Slavers can die, at least, she thinks. And they will. But Desna, please. Do not let me be consumed by bloodlust. Let me end their lives for the threat they pose, not my own petty vengeance. Give me the grace to know the difference.
At that, she does feel slightly better. She sits up and starts a small fire; sleeping outside, she realizes she must ward off critters or any particularly brave nocturnal predators. The warmth and soft light of the campfire calms her tumultuous mind and lets the Dreamer pull her into her realm for a few hours.
Once the dawn's rays split the night from day, she rises, eats a small portion of a ration tin, then saddles up awkwardly and rides off toward Janderhoff.
Your night under the stars becomes quite peaceful, as the small village begins to turn in for the night. The smell of freshly started fire invades the area while most of the village prepares for the evening. Your rations, although somewhat less than delightful, are filling. Throughout the night, your thoughts about family are unnerving, but eventually comfort you with warm memories.
The following morning you gather your things and head out. The ride from your village to Janderhoff is a clear one. The ground is between the two locations is only lightly traveled, leaving it broken with small sinkholes and wild shrubs. All in all, the trip is filled with thoughts about your family and is otherwise uneventful.
Soon the large sky citadel of Janderhoff comes into view. It’s looming, Dwarven craftsmanship is a wonder within itself. Stone artwork carved from existing rock formations riddle the approach to the citadels massive entrance. Large, billowing clouds spew forth from its internal furnaces while the sound of numerous forges ring out in secession, like a clanking drumline.
As you approach the citadels entrance, multiple Dwarves preparing for a large transport, raise a hand in greeting just before you enter the citadels large, cave-like entrance.
Ambushed while in rout
Startled, you quickly glance around to see if there are any other thugs. To your amazement you only spot the one in front of you.
Quickly, you pull out a dagger and try to de-escalate the situation by voicing your willingness to remain silent. Then you lunge forward and drive the blade of your dagger into the thug’s lower abdomen. He flinches with pain as the blade digs deep into his flesh. He then looks deep into your eyes with renewed resolve.
Initiative Order (Bold may post)
Thug Blue
Caro
“You rent-rumper! I will flay you and leave your corps to…….!” The thug’s statement gets cut off by a nearby scream. Shouts from local citizens sound out with vigorous cries of alarm. The thug quickly looks over his shoulder and then back at you.
After checking his six, the thug thrusts his dagger directly at your midsection.
Once again, the vile dagger swishes past you, leaving droplets of green fluid on the ground.
Caro starts to tunnel, focusing on nothing but the thug's weak points. She growls "If you insist on continuing this, let's dance. Let's see how well you hold up. I'm willing to bet I have a lot more experience cutting flesh than you do." She stabs quickly at what she perceives is a soft spot.
Sustos’ eye shoot open; he takes in his surroundings and in comforted by the earth. He feels it under him as he sits on the ground, he feels it around him as the dust fills the still air, and he feels it above him as the weight of the mountain looms overhead but never would it dream of faltering. The earth that makes up this land is truly the most selfless mother to all that live upon in.
“Thank you Torag, your guidance is always righteous. I hope to protect this land from those who wish to destroy it. Just as us did, just as my ancestors did. You put your trust in me by giving me your blessings and I will use every ounce of energy, down to my soul, to fight for the lands we’ve cultivated.”
Sustos makes sure he collects his belongings, straps his shield and bag to his back and takes his first step. A step he’s taken countless times before; now it seems this step might hold more significance than anything else done up to this point…
I guess we’ll find out!
Venturing back down the tunnels Sustos says a peaceful prayer for each burial present within the mountain. He checks around the bigger areas for anything left behind by creatures that might have found this needle in the Osirion hay. Upon seeing the light of day, he suddenly realizes how relaxed he was in the belly of a mountain, he already missed the feeling. He looks around for his companions and hails them happily as soon as he sees them.
Ambushed while in rout
I did take the move action to draw, last round was 5' step (free), draw (move), attack (standard). I just wasn't sure if you allowed perception to scan the battle as a free action or not. Now I know : D
A crowd starts to gather, keeping a safe distance from the fight. You begin to hear heavy armored footsteps running much farther down the road. In that moment, you catch the thug looking, once again, behind himself. Quickly you seize the moment and sink your blade deep into the side of his neck. You feel the membrane of his esophagus spit in two as blood spurts out covering your face. Almost instantly, the thug collapses to the ground. People from the local shops gasp in horror at the spectacle, while the voices of approaching guards can be heard in the distance. “Move aside, NOW!” one of the voices shouts in a commanding tone. You would estimate you have about 30 seconds before the guards can make their way through the spectators.
As you brake the cave’s entrance, you realize that the dry storm has now cleared. The overcast sky's have faded allowing the sun’s heat to looms in the storm’s wake. The four men stand patiently outside the cave and look over at you inquisitively. Almost instantly, Sokaro steps over and begins asking about your time in the cave. “Hay boss, I thought you were going into the cave? Did something change your mind?” He asks as if he had no recollection of the time that you spent in the cave.
Having no time to carefully search the body and not wanting the guards to automatically suspect her if she tries to run, Caro decides that the only
thing she can really do is investigate a few things as time allows. The easiest seems to be to investigate the poison that seemed to be on his blade. She quickly grabs the man's dagger and slides it into her belt pouch, dropping one of hers next to him so that it does not seem like he was unarmed.
She then searches as much of the body as she can, looking for a green flame ring or any documents, grabbing these and/or anything else that seems interesting
Lastly, she readies herself to speak with the guards and defend her actions.
As the guards push through the crowd, she waits patiently, prepared to represent herself as the attempted victim of a mugger who bit off more than he could chew.
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She lets the tumultuous clamor of the sky citadel ring through her ears and tries her best not to become overwhelmed by a thousand sights and smells: towering chapels to Torag, stone huts carved inch-by-inch with intricate runes, spiced meats of a dozen different animals cooking at once at the various food stalls. She swallows, hard, and begins the arduous task of finding someone with the information she seeks. She decides to try a tavern first, since that is a place she's heard dwarves tend to congregate.
Tethering her horse outside the first tavern she sees, she steps uncertainly through the threshold, suddenly feeling very, very out-of-place; battered hides treated to the vague semblance of clothing, dark blue Shoanti war-paint still adorning her cheeks from two nights ago, and a massive hammer on her back. Well, from what Ingra told me, she thinks with a gulp, at least the hammer isn't out of place.
She heads up to the bar and sits awkwardly on the stone stool, ordering warm food and cool water in halting Dwarven. She slides a gold piece onto the counter and tries not to look at anyone other than the bartender. Please don't let them be staring...
The barkeep, a thick dark bearded dwarf , turns around and then looks at you with a surprised look. Just as he starts to say something, the gold piece you slide across the bar catches his attention, causing him to stop short. “Um, what can I get for you?” He says in a tone that is obviously distracted by the gold on the counter. After forcing himself to look up from the gold piece, he reaches down for an empty glass and begins to fill it from a nearby tap. “We have mead, ale, stout, and…” he pauses for a moment and then looks back over at you, “wine.” It seemed like even mentioning wine was difficult for the old dwarf, but he obviously thought it should be included for some reason.
After placing an order for a meal, he heads through a door leading to the back of the establishment. Within moments he comes back out and begins taking an order from a couple of other soot covered dwarves that appear to be on a work brake.
After about twenty minutes the barkeep heads back into the back room again and comes out with a heavy plate of sausage, chicken, and beef. The three meats are served along with a baked potato and a small portion of carrots. The meal also includes a draft drink of your choice. Unsure what to poor you, the barkeep waits patiently for your preference.
Off to the side of you, the two soot covered dwarves sit quietly, drinking their preferred beverage, while staring at you with inquisitive expressions. You over hear one of them whisper to the other, “I’m telling you that is a female dwarf. She looks like one of those wild landers.”
Ambushed while in rout
You manage to grab the poisoned dagger and sheath it safely in your empty sheath. Its green coated blade leaves little doubt that it is coated with something drastically undesirable. You also manage to drop your blood covered dagger alongside the thug.
You begins to search the body while onlookers begin to talk among themselves about the fight. The sound of the guards also grows closer. During your search you find a ring that is just like the ring the dead man in the tavern was wearing. Dark with a green flame centered on it. The ring appears to be made of some sort of copper. You also find a small pouch containing a few coin, a small glass vial containing some sort of clear liquid, and two additional daggers that are also coated with the green colored coating.
You manage to stow away all the items just before the guards brake through the crowed.
On command the crowd separates just enough to allow the guards to pass. Leading the four man squad is a towering older man with thick shoulders . After making eye contact with the man, you realize that he is someone with more than a few years of experience. His grayish features distinguish a heavy brow that weighs heavily upon his serious expression. Almost immediately after reaching the scene, he looks down at the body and then begins to slowly inspect the crowd. When his eyes reach you, he stops. “You, with the blood on your face. What happened here?”
On the 28th day, the dark outline of land comes into view off the port side of the ship. Off in that direction, a busy elongated harbor brakes the horizon. The harbor seems moderately busier than any others you have recently seen. It appears that its success is heavily due to servicing both large sea faring ships and smaller riverboats. Beyond the dock, a slow moving current empties into the sea from the mouth of a wide river. The river makes its way through two large land masses and eventually vanishes into the thick overgrown countryside. Soon your ship’s crew begins to ring a medium sized bell, which initiates a ship wide preparation for docking. With a lot of effort, the crew drops the ship’s main sail and lowers drop lines for smaller boats to latch on and tow you into the harbor.
The dock bustles with a thriving dockside markets, which presents its wears to the newly docked ships. Anything from simple rope to more complex items, like a hand held scope, can be seen on presentation tables next to merchants. The ship’s crew seemed eager and was quick to lower the ship’s main plank and disembark. Among the plethora of merchants, you note a side harbor that looks to be accommodating riverboats. Most of the boats look to be unloading freight for the larger sea faring ships, but a few seem to be empty and prepared for the long trip back up the river.
Caro stands straight, ensuring that she shows deference to the man without seeming either too confident or suspicious. (This isn't the first time she's had a run in with the law)
"Hello sir. I am new in town and a mortician by trade. I was window shopping and on my way to the Asylum to see if I could speak with the doctors there on a professional topic when I was accosted by this man. He seemed to know me and was accusing me of something, I'm not sure what. He said that this would 'teach me to keep my mouth shut.' As it seemed that he he was trying to kill me with that dagger I defended myself. I'm not sure if he's unconscious or dead but as I am a doctor I could check if you'd like me to, and stabilize him if needed. I don't want to leave a dead body on your hands if I can avoid it."
"I should mention that although I did not know him, I have seen him before. My first night in town I was in Flagagan's Grain and Grog, which is also where I am currently staying. I saw him and three other men arguing, and not wishing to get involved in anything I took my meal upstairs. Spud did mention that there was some kind of unpleasantness after I left. Perhaps he thought that I had seen something that I did not?"
"After the fight I did not want anyone to be suspicious of my intentions, so I waited here for you in order to tell what happened. I should also admit that I did search his pockets looking for any reason why he would target me but I found nothing of interest." She looks around at the crowd with stern eyes while still remaining polite to the policeman. I'm sure these witnesses will attest that everything I say is true."
(don't want to get Spud in trouble for covering for me)
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She immediately begins devouring the food. She pauses momentarily in mid-chew at the sound of the two voices clearly talking about her, but decides to leave it be. She knew this would happen; it happened last time she came, why wouldn't it happen this time?
She does take note of the effect the gold piece had on the bartender. When he comes back around, she catches his attention. "I hope you can help me," she says in a low voice. "I hunt slavers. They are foreign to these parts, I think. Maybe... come from the south? Green lanterns on their wagons. If you do not know, perhaps you know who does?" She places another gold coin on the counter, but she keeps her thumb on it and gives him an inquisitive glance.
The barkeeper once again focuses heavily on the second piece of gold that you placed on the counter. He licks his lips slightly as he listens intently to your questions about the slaver and the green flame. “Nay mam, I haven’t seen or heard anything about a slaver with a green flame, but if they are not from around here you might ask someone down in the river docks or possibly someone working with the trade caravans. They seem to get around more than the rest of us.” After sharing what his knows, the old dwarf stands idly by with a hand on the counter and an eye on the coin.
After listening to your explanation the lead guard turns and begins to work his way through the crowed. Many of the locals hesitate on answering out of fear of reprisal from you. All but one child seems to cower from the guard’s presence. That child steps up and begins a very dramatic explanation of events that transpired from his point of view.
The young boy makes a jumping motion and then points at the thug lying on the ground. He then makes a stabbing motion with his hand, while pretending that he is holding a dagger. After that, he grabs his throat like he is choking. Soon after the choking motion, he points at the dagger on the ground and then points over at you. Once his narration is complete he looks at you and then runs down the street.
After speaking with the commoners in the area the guard moves back over to you. Using the tip of his boot, he slides the bloody dagger back over to you and then waves for his men to collect the thug’s body. “This ruffian meets the description of someone who has been involved in a number of incidents. We will care for the body from here. I suggest you get cleaned up before continuing through the city. If you are injured, I can fetch a healer for you. Just let me know where to send him.” After finishing his proclamation he turns and prepares to lead his men away.
Sustos stops in his tracks at this remarks and looks back at the cave, frowning.
That can't be right... Then again, I shouldn't be surprised. The power within that cave is far beyond my comprehension.
Sustos smiles again and replies.
"I can't explain to you what has transpired in the the seemingly short time I've been gone; only because I'm just as confused. All we need to know is that I have found what I sought and must leave at once. I am to set off across the Inner Sea and head to Ustalav."
He stands for a moment staring at the expression of the desert dweller and wonders how crazy he must sound. Perhaps not so crazy, these deserts are known to be filled with wonders far more unbelievable than this.
"Shall we?"
"I am in no need of a healer, but thank you." After the guards leave, Caro retrieves her dagger and also thanks the onlookers who remain present. "I honestly don't want to create any kind of chaos in the streets, and I did not intend to scare anyone I was just nervous as I'm new in town. I was just afraid that if the guard knew I'd emptied his pockets they might detain me."
"After my trip this morning I will be at Flanagan's by the docks. Any of you who would like to join me I'll buy an ale as thanks for not mentioning that part of the situation. I'll be there all evening if you want to take me up on it."
That might help keep me from being seen as the scary dagger lady who is new in town, and any new contacts or friends would be useful. Also, anyone who might know what is up with these green flame folks will now know where to find me. I'm sure Spud would appreciate the business as well.
After thanking the crowd Caro wipes down her dagger, finds some water to clean off the blood on her face, hands, and leather, and arranges her gear.
Once she is cleaned up a bit she will proceed to the Asylum to speak with the doctors there about random doctor things and autopsies, as long as there is still time to get there and back to the tavern in time for the daily afternoon/evening crafting and selling.
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When her plate is empty, she drinks her water in one steady gulp and stands up. She leaves the gold piece on the counter as she goes. "Thank you," she says, and slips out the door.
She gives a disgruntled sigh - whether at the thought of the task at hand, or at the fact that the delicious meal is already gone, she can't say for sure - and sets about looking for trade caravans to ask for the information she needs.
After asking around for hour, you are able to find a sectioned off area of Janderhoff that has been designated for transport. In the front of that area, metal, reinforced wagons sit lined up in rows of two and appear to be ready for loading. Off to the side of the wagons, a large fenced off area houses a number of thick looking horses. The entire places bustles with work as tradesmen groom and prepare their steeds for the day. In the distance you spot a handful of dwarves milling about with large carts filled with wooden crates. Among those dwarves, stands a well-dressed gnome, who appears to be running things from the top of a medium sized barrel.
As you approach the area you can hear the Gnome spouting work related orders. “Quick, take those crates over to wagon number two before the next load arrives.” He instructs one of the dwarves who is pushing a cart stacked with three heavy looking boxes.
@GM: I honestly am just going to head out every morning to check out anything in the area that might seem related to my research or useful as a lab location, and maybe to find a student to train since I'll need that if I ever establish my lab. I honestly don't expect to find too much as the group campaign really hasn't gotten fully going yet. If you don't want to have to come up with new NPCs every day for me feel free to just hand wave it and tell me that any given trip (or all of them) had no useful information. I don't want to burden you with having to create details that might not be a part of our story at all.
Upon mentioning your interest in heading to Ustalav, the men get a look on their face that resembles the expression they had when you approached the cave. Although all four of the men seem concerned about the concept; none of them are willing to mention the prospect any further.
The trip back across the dessert is much hotter than it was under the cover of the storm. The predatory howls seem to diminish as the distance between you and the mountain increases. After a half day of trudging through the sand, the sun sets, bringing with it a little cooler environment. The sight of Eto can be seen far off in the distance, which seems to calm the other four men that have been traveling with you.
Without provocation two of the four men draw short swords and turn on you, while the youngest of the four flees towards the city. Sokaro, on the other hand, turns to the two guards and tries to reason with them. “What are you doing? We are supposed to protect this man, not kill him!” He exclaims as the other two men begin to slowly walk in a circle around you.
The man replied in a very hostile tone. “You know he got something out of that cave. He was only in there for a few minutes. I’m not buying this hocus-pocus poppycock! I want to know exactly what in the hell he got out of that cave! I’m guessing it’s quite valuable and would likely feed our families for a long time. I don’t want to hurt you Sokaro, but I will if I have to. Now, get out of the way!”
Sokaro steps back with a look of confusion on his face. He appears to be divided between his loyalty to you and his friends. He looks over at you with pleading eyes. “Please, I don’t want to fight these men. They are good men who are out of their mind with desperation. Please give them what they want before this gets out of hand.”
Should I roll for identifying the poison and the oil or can we just assume that given a chance to identify once every 24 hours that I'll get it eventually?
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She swallows, takes a deep breath, and strides purposefully toward him.
"Excuse me," she says in Common. "I am looking for information. I hunt slavers having green flame on their wagons. Have you heard of them?"
In addition to the question above, I do want to continue working during downtime just to get some extra cash, but I'm not in the full fledged "create a business" mode.
Normally during downtime you can "Practice a Trade" like I did for my last week pre-downtime, and roll a craft/profession check earning 1/2 the roll in gold. This isn't in your downtime slides. Can I still do that?
I was thinking since that is a 5 day workweek per RAW, that I could take some of my downtime days in blocks of 5 and earn some cash, then use the remainder of the days for things like crafting or gathering information. Let me know if that's possible.
Also, I assume since I'm in place and not traveling that I'll have to subtract my weekly lodging cost as well?
For example, IF your estimate of 65 days ends up being accurate, that's 9 weeks and 2 days, so could I:
- Roll for practicing a trade 9 times, get gold = half the total of the roll
- Subtract 32.5 gold for lodging (5 silver * 65 days)
- Have 20 days left over for other things (9 weeks of 5 day workweeks = 45 days out of the 65 spent working with 20 days remaining)
Doing way too much posting today.
Since you mentioned I'm going into downtime, I thought I'd knock this out first and then do downtime activities once I know how many days. The below is assuming 60+ days of downtime would allow me to take 20 on a roll that I can do daily. This replaces my first post today asking about identifying, since I hadn't been thinking about the take 20 at that point.
In reference to the stuff I looted from the not very effective assassin thug man...
Still wondering how much coin I got from him so I can add it to my total
In terms of the items:
“Aaaah!” the gnome squeals just before falling off the barrel. “Where in the hell did you come from?” He asks in a squelching high pitched tone. After climbing back onto his feet, you can see that his smaller stature isn’t indicative to his age. A long, oversized noise drapes over the gnome's bright orange mustache. A thin line of chin whiskers, resembling a poorly grown beard, outlines his narrow pasty looking face. The gnome’s clothing, although custom tailored, is covered in dirt and stains. Before saying anything else, he retrieves a dust covered top hat and knocks off some of the filth before placing it back on his head.
“You sure know how to sneak up on a fella, don’t ya” He states in the same high pitched voice. After watching his expression, you can tell that he seems a little curious about your appearance. After giving you some consideration, he comments on your question. “I have heard about this group from a few of my drivers. More than one of them has mentioned that they were approached by members of emerald flame. They said the organization was interested in smuggling slaves out of Ustalav aboard some of our caravans. Of course the answer was no. I didn’t gave those blokes any more thought than that. If you’re looking to get in touch with them, then you have a long road ahead of you.”
Before she does go into downtime, I want to check out the stuff the thug had on him. There were coins (how many?) and the daggers/oil.
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The gnome rubs his sorry excuse of a beard a few times while he considers your request. “Well, I have six different caravans leaving this evening. One of them is heading to Ustalav. In fact, it’s heading to the nation’s capital city, Caliphas. The transport is heavily armed, so I don’t think we probably need any additional protection, but I suppose you can never tell. I am willing to grant you passage in exchange for guard service. The work detail requires an eight hour shift per day. It will require you to ride one of our war horses along the side of the transport up to the point that the caravan takes to the river. Once our cargo is loaded onto the river transport, then you will maintain a guard post on the ship for eight hours a day. The trip will include both land and water travel. Are you ok with this?”