Adran will target number 3 with an eldritch blast.
A green crackling beam of energy flies from Adran's hand and strikes the whatever it is in the chest.
Adran searches his memory to see if he has heard of these things before.
I unleash a whir of feet and steel.
Thanks of the reminder #3 also attacked Grimm
but missed.., and then dies horribly to bolts of arcane might.
Gusteelus runs after the fleeing one and is unable to strike it. It is standing the edge of the marshes.
Gustav runs into the fog.
Just 1 left facing Grimm at the moment... Looking lonely.
Grimm slams his warhammer at the last remaining snakeman.
Attack-melee:
Damage:
The war hammer thunders home and staggers the creature but it is still up and ready to fight!
Mala?
"Gustav, come back! You are much safer here with us. The lizardmen are dead!" Mala calls out to the fleeing merchant. "My Dawnflower, my light, give me the strength to find this lost little sheep."
Beckett - does he chase Gustav or the fleeing serpent man or help the Dwarf Grimm?
The remaining serpent man hurls himself into the brackish water and starts swimming away.
Assuming that the monk does not kill the creature with a spear/shuriken or something he disappears underwater the next round and is gone. No one else will be in a position to get there quick enough.
The encounter comes to a close.
You recover Gustav who now is very motivated not to continue to Faubough but you settle in for the night and finish your resting a few hours after dawn enjoying a small lie in to allow aching muscles to ease their way back into feeling less strained.
Look, I don't want to go - I've had enough of weirdness to last a lifetime, says Gustav. I just want to get out of here. You start now you can be in Faubough in the afternoon.
The morning allows you to view the bodies in better light. They are a gruesome amalgamation of man and snake but there is no grace or beauty of symmetry to their form. They may be degenerate forms of another creature, or maybe they are the spawn of some foul alchemical experiment.
The ones who closed with clubs left two spears in the tree line and each bears a curious wax sealed shealth that would `be about the same size as the spear heads. The other ones that attacked you with spears? Their special wax sealed sheathes are opened.
You think you've recovered two single use doses of the poison they used.
Their weapons are of poor make and likely not worth much apart for personal use if you so desire. The creatures carry no coin and the few that have any ornaments at all, the ornaments are merely bits of bone secured by leather.
Gustav requires a DC18 to persaude him to come along otherwise he insists on heading to the nearest town and then back to the capital. If he leaves he thanks you all for your efforts, gives you a silver coin each by way of scant material reward and says he'll mention you as heros to any he meets.
Pushing on...
Heading further away down the road and away the town of Hochoch, the Realstream is quickly crossed at a shallow ford, and you follow a wagon track that winds along the south side of a narrow creek. The plains here are flat and grassy. Occasionally, large cottonwood trees grow along the stream, but in general the plain is unforested.
Finally, staying always to the right of the creek, the track enters a region of prosperous farms surrounded by fields of grain or pastures for cows and goats. Early in the afternoon a cluster of buildings and trees becomes visible ahead, with the stone walls of a temple beyond — Faubough.
At the outskirts of Faubough, a large grove of elms is visible to the left, while several wooden buildings border the road to the right. The township seems a bit quiet but these could be because the farmers are in the fields.
Mala rises again just before sunrise and prepares herself for her morning prayers. She invites anyone who is interested to join her as she recites her daily invocations to Sarenrae as the sun crosses the horizon. "May the blessings of the Dawnflower shed light
on the dark corners of Golarion"
Mala will try to convince Gustav to continue with them to Faubough, invoking Sarenrae's blessing first. "Wise Light, please give guidance to those in need of Your wisdom."
"I do not wish to frighten you Gustav, but these roads are not safe for you to travel alone. Please, come with us to Faubough that we may protect you under Sarenrae's light and find your companion, Stephain."
After Gustav leaves, Mala seems melancholy about the situation. "Well this certainly is an ill omen."
Upon arriving in Faubough, she asks the others "Shall we begin at the Golden Grain Inn, look for the mayor, or something else?"
Grimm packs his belongings and looks at the merchant.
If ye leave now, we take the wagon. We may need it to carry back supplies. Now we would like to help you out, and just think how much a wagon full of foodstuffs will fetch back in the city! We protected you lastnight..and I did not even have me armor on. Yer safe with us...out on the road alone, well thats a different story."
Persuade:
Bye, try to let some beast kill you. It will be better then freezing, starving, or winding up as a sacrifice to some dark god.
A combination of intimidation and persuasion has the merchant stay but he is none too happy with the situation. Thus it is when you roll into town his whining about his safety is beginning to grate on your nerves.
You roll into town with Gustav moaning and complaining.
To one side is a pleasant house surrounded by a flower garden. It is fenced off internally from the main area which houses a small barn. A teenage girl is churning butter on the porch but hurriedly goes inside. From within you can see shadowy figures behind the houses windowed curtains
.
I let out a deep sigh. I keep up with Rex in case things go wrong.
I'm not surprised that they are hiding... If not for me and my wagon they'd like as not think you bandits. Even with me along you look like a rough crew, the merchant calls out as Rex steps on to the property.
Mala calls out to the house, "Hello there! We are friends, you have nothing to fear from us. We are here to help, if we can. We are looking for some missing people."
A boy step on to the porch with a farm hoe and holds his hand out signalling you to stop.
Grimm stays by the wagon and Gustav. He watches the street to make sure no one is trying to sneak up on them.
I sheath my sword. Look kid,seriously we are here to help. I mean do you think that we would just announce our selves like this if we weren't?
A man steps on to the porch with an old mace on hand.
Name's Hewitt. No closer now, you're making my family nervous
He steps off the porch and moves closer but stands about 10 feet away.
What can I do fer ya?
"Hello there Hewitt, my name is Mala. This is my friend Gusteelus. We'd are looking for some missing friends. Or if you could tell us where the Mayor lives?" Mala says in her sweetest tone.
Mala changes her approach as the man, most likely the father closes.
Mayors is it? That's all you want?
"Unless you happen to know men by the names Ryan, Lleweyn, Benjan, or Stephain?" Mala says with a smile.
We keep ourselves to ourselves 'round here, he says quietly.
They new comers or something?
|
"Well, friend, that and we are a bit new around these parts. Heard there was a bit of trouble, and well, we are offerin' to help. My name's Chaplin Beckett. We mean you no harm. I wouldn't have it if they did, but I've travelled with my friends here long enough to trust 'em with my life, so you have my word."
The farmer lowers his mace so that its no longer threatening, instead dangling down past his leg, held on the tips of his fingers and reaches out to shake Beckett hand.
Well then, that's fine by me Chaplin... fine by me. But we'll talk here now if'n its all the same.
Lessee... don' know anyone with those names but we have the odd merchant come through. That one up there on the wagon was ere a day or two ago unless my memory is failin'. There was a pair of fellas came through 'bout a week ago. They's bought a house up near the Mayors place, but I've seen nothin' of em' since. If you want old Zak's place, he'd be the Mayor, just head up the road 'till you see a place with a pair of elms out front. Tis the biggest house here, can't miss it.
Anything else folks? The town constable is right next to here ifn' yer want to talk to Constable Ruskadal.
"Thank you for your help Hewitt. Blessings on you and your family." Mala says bowing her head slightly in respect.
I pat Rex on the back reassuringly.
|
|
Placing a hand on the Rex's shoulder as they walk away, "Don' you worry about it. It takes time for most folks to learn to trust. I encountered it a bunch, back, well back in Mendev. You really cant blame 'em. There is a lot of bad folk out, too many willing to do anything to get what they want, regardless of who it hurts."
"But that's what's gonna set us apart. We can walk the harder road, and earn their respect, and trust. It takes time, and it takes work. It may never even happen, but if it does, it will be worth it, I promise you. Just keep at it."
Grimm shakes his head at the mans attitudes.
"A strange place that does not welcome commerce. Our clan, while dwarves, were still welcome to most towns just because we carried supplies, and news. This is very odd indeed. Lets go see their mayor and find out what is happening!"
You trundle down the center of town and see that any heyday the town may have enjoyed is past. You can see on building, a tavern maybe, is closed and decrepit, while others stand apparently empty.
You can see the mayors house - an impressive structure with White washed walls and a new shingle roof just past a smaller building, a small house, also recently white washed.
Not a lot of people on the street and those that see you either scurry inside or pull back and gawk.
Past the mayoral home and further away past the towns center is an impressive temple. While stone is uncommon in smaller communities, this temple has much stone in its construction - a sign of piety perhaps. Beckett recognises it as being a temple to Erastil.
You note two inns - the sign of The Golden Sheaf and the other is The Slumbering Serpent.
Where do you head to? The Counstables, the Mayors, the Temple or one of the two inns? The Golden Sheaf or Sign of the Slumbering Serpent? The house next to the Mayors was mentioned as being bought by outsiders if you want to try that.
Adran says, "Let's check out the temple. Depending on just what is going on it could be our best source of information."
The temple lies on the far side of town but well and truly is part of it. This is the only stone structure in Faubough. A wall of granite blocks surrounds the temple, and sturdy wooden gates give access to the courtyard. The temple is on the highest piece of land in town, a full twenty feet above the stream and pond.
The granite wall around the temple is twenty feet high and the open gates are strong and of solid oak with iron reinforcement. Carved
into them, with great skill, are trees and sheaves of wheat held by children. The temple building is windowless, an edifice of light colored granite. The doors are marred somewhat by old scars and dents which have been mitigated somewhat by some carpenter trying to conceal the damage.
A man in a plain smock sees you as he carries firewood across the courtyard, and looks confused.
Stop. You aren't from our village, who are you?