Gameplay!
The trip from Oppara has been rather easy so far, almost too easy by your standards, and especially with the rumors of hobgoblin raids along the trail. Except for a broken wheel early on, your journey north has been pretty uneventful, and it is just about at its end!
You all signed up for this job little over a week ago in Oppara. The head of a caravan train, a slender man by the name of Silas Gribb, has hired you on as guards to protect some merchandise he is bringing north to Belhaim before continuing on to Wispil to resupply and eventually head up into Galt. Silas has promised to pay you all handsomely upon the completion of the trip, which would appear to only be about a mile or two away!
A sweet summer breeze blows up from the Verduran River as your caravan train finally exits the plains and enters the Verduran Forest which the river runs through. After about an hour of lazily winding through the forest trails, you all finally cross the wooden bridge leading into the sleepy little town of Belhaim!
However... entering the town does not hold the cheery reception that you were perhaps expecting. The town sheriff, a gruff man by the name of Benhovy, and his deputies are waiting on the other side of the bridge. Several guards on horseback immediately close in behind you, effectively trapping the caravans on the bridge! Sheriff Benhovy steps up the side of the driver's cart, a light crossbow held ready in his hands and pointed up at Silas Gribb. The sheriff shouts up at him:
"Silas Gribb! You are hereby under arrest for crimes against the great nation of Taldor! I have here a warrant to arrest you for known smuggling of illegal goods in and out of our country, as long as selling national secrets to Galt, putting your nation and your nation's citizens in danger! If you try to escape, I am authorized to take you in dead or alive!"
Seeing as there is little to be done, Silas quietly raises his heads and gives you all a weak and mouths the words 'sorry mates' to you all. It does not take much convincing to explain to the sheriff that you were all simple hired on recently and had no knowledge or involvement with any of this, and you are all set free to go. Within the hour Silas is in shackles and on his way to the prisons to the south in Cassomir. Unfortunately, this essentially leaves you all trapped in Belhaim, and needless to say, Silas did not pay you before he was arrested...
Lucky for you though, Talia Orem, the young (and sexy) proprietor of the Wise Piper's Inn, takes pity of you all and offers you free room and board for a few days; at least long enough to figure out what the hell you are all going to do next.
As the sun begins to set, you all find yourselves in the Wise Piper's common room, enjoying a meal of watered down mead and fresh bread and cheese. Talia sits down to join you all after making sure the other guests are taken care of. She turns to you all and asks:
"So, crazy business with that Silas, eh? Where is it you are all from? What were your plans before this mess? I imagine you didn't intend to stay here in our sleepy little town?
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"Unbeliveable!" Galen thought with chagrin. After signing on to guard the caravan with hopes of earning enough money for a proper war-horse, the young paladin only found himself party to smuggling and in trouble with very law he'd sworn to uphold. "My association with that crooked man has tainted me. I must find a way to absolve me sin of association. If only there were some great good, I could do in this little town, but it seems so sleepy, I'm guessing nothing happens here.".
He looks at the lady, admiring the turn of her leg, her bustline, and her pretty smile as much as any young man. "I was hoping to earn a little coin to buy a warhorse, but now..." he spreads his hands in frustration. "Now I'll be lucky to afford passage back home. In addition, I do some penance to cleanse my name with the Inheritor. I don't suppose there is a lady needs rescuing, or a wrong that needs righting, here in Belhaim is there?"
The rat man sitting at the far end of the table squints hectically. He shakes his head and clearly the rodent man is unhappy about something. Then he begins to sputter for the first time since they have entered the inn his speech is quick and his voice squeekie.
When I came into town I saw big tower. Looks like might be interesting. This here is crap. I looked for good work. Barz always reliable do good job. But no one you can trust! Can't trust Army! Can't trust stinkin Silas. Only big man here! He keep word he I trust!
The rodent concludes before continuing to chew away at his bread.
"Thank you for taking us in in our hour of need, miss." Dylan shrugs, "As for what I'll do, I suppose I'll have to sing for my supper. Would you be opposed to a business arrangement? If you can provide me with a room for a week or so I can entertain your patrons. Given time, I should be able to make enough in tips to pay my way home."
Talia looks at the handsome elf and giggles a bit:
"Oh, darlin, you all can stay here for a little while without every payin' me back, now. I couldn't in good conscience allowed y'all to be on the street. But I would be more than happy to hear ya sing us a song! And you can certainly use my tavern as a stage any time you want"
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All the while Barz spoke, Milo sniggered uncontrollably. To the others around the table, the only visual to accompany his childish behaviour was his great mop of spiky hair, visible over the tables edge. "Pfffggghpfppfpfpfp HAHAHAHAHAHAAAA! I just cant get enough of this guy!" The mop of hair flicked in the direction of Barz. "He speaks so funny right!?"
The mop of hair moved vigorously for a few moments, before rising up to reveal its owner, a big eyed Halfling with a stupid grin on his face. "Damnable longshanks decorating. A man of my station shouldn't have to stand at the table!" He gestured accusingly at the chair he had previously been sat on, but was now standing on to see over the edge of the table. "There are plenty of well proportioned fellows like myself roaming the roads and paying good coin for tavern service. There should be a law about this! "A fitting selection of size appropriate furniture should be made available for those with more sensible dimensions!", thats what the law should say, YES!" He held up on finger as he quoted, nodding forcefully as he finished. "I mean the current arrangements border on intentional discrimination!"
Getting a good look at Talia for the first time, Milo calmed considerably, or, atleast he had stopped shaking with indignation. "Why, hello there beautiful." he said, voice suddenly silky and dripping with honey. He slicked back his unruly hair, which immediately flicked back to its usual posture. "Have I ever told you guys, I love tall women...there are so many of them!" He winked at Talia with a broad shiny grin.
Blinking suddenly, a puzzled look on his face, he looked around the table with questioning eyes. "Wait, back up, what were talking about again?" He paced back and forth on his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Wait, don't tell me..." He said insistently, holding up a finger. "Cmon Milo, you can do this, focus...the big ones were spouting more of their useless drivel, and then the foxy giantess asked a question...."
"AHA!!" He suddenly shouted, slamming one clenched fist into the others open palm. "Silas! Thats it, we were talking about Silas!" His elated smile quickly turned to a milk curdling scowl as the memories of the past few hours settled in. "That no good beanstalk. I should have known that worthless cretin wasnt worth his money. Bit too smooth that one, but nooooo, Milo thinks, "Heres a cool fellow, a real Halfling spirit in spite of his physical handicap, hes alright." That should have tipped me off right there, you cant trust a stinkin' Halfling, why should you trust a stretch who acts like one!? Double jeopardy!!"
He looked up from his rather vocal inner monologue. "Well, I guess that answers that now doesn't it?" He fidgeted with the low cut neckline of his gaudy robes, fuzzing with his sparse chest hair in an attempt to realign it in that perfect setting he liked. "As for why I'm here? Well, I'm not really supposed to talk about that..." He looked over his shoulders to either side, before leaning in conspiratorially. "...Im on the run from my bossy parents, and that Gods awful "teacher" of theirs. Think they can control the mighty Milo Quinn, Sorcerer extraordinaire!?" At this he struck a pose, flexing his rather unimpressive arms until his eyes bulged. "Milo don't grease up the loading ramp, Milo don't set the couch on fire." He squawked in a mocking parody. "Well I've had it. So now I'm off to be my own teacher. How hard could it be? Ill show em!"
He looked around the table again, clearly looking for everyone to back him up and tell him how awesome he was. "Silas was just the first and best ticket outa there...or atleast that's what I thought." He slumped down on his chair, once more becoming nothing but a great mop of hair. "I havnt got a damn clue what the Hells I'm gonna do now."
Talia chuckles at the little halfling mage. She is used to the occasional customer "flirting" with her, and has good enough humor to take it in stride. As she gets up to get everyone more ale, she makes sure to give him a nice little shake while she walks away, grinning to herself all the while.
You all continue to eat and talk among yourselves for a little while, when suddenly the walls of the Wise Piper rattle violently as if shaken by thunder!
Talia nearly drops the mugs of mead:
"Oh, dear heavens! It is much too late in the season for a thunder storm! What could that have been?"
Those of you who make your checks recognize this sound is really more akin to a landslide than to the sound of thunder. Also, it would appear the sound came from the northeast
Milo eyed Talia with a ravenous glint in his eyes as she walked away. "Well aint she just a treat gents? Swayin' and jigglin' in all the right places!" He smirked at the paladin at his side, then leapt at him and grabbed hold of his shirt. Having found purchase, he jabbed the stoic warrior in the side with his tiny elbow. "I know you agree Galen! Seen your eyes wanderin'. Tells me there is hope for you yet. If you work hard at it, some day you could be just like me! haha!" He then let go, dropping down to the floor and wandering around the main room, sparking up conversations that rarely lasted too long as patrons either tired of Milos company, or just as often, he of theirs.
He had just returned, remarking that he wasnt likely to find anyone more interesting than the present company, when the thunder struck.
"Yawzah! Did you hear that? I bet the lightning sploded a tree into a million peices!" He made extravagant explosive movements with his arms, adding saliva slinging sound effects. "Have I told you how I love splosions? What am I thinkin', course I have!"
Dylan will start telling a long involved story abouy a nearsighted farmers wife who mistook a bear for her husband before being interupted by the arthrattling sound outside.
"That didn't sound like thunder to me, more like a landslide. Is there a mountain range off that way?" He'll gesture to the north east.
Looking more than a little disappointed, Milo shrugged. "I dunno. Sounded like a good bit of thunder to me...You sure your ears didn't just hear wrong up there in that thin air?"
[ooc]Oh man, I grew up reading Calvin and Hobbes. I don't see why you couldn't have a tiger tattoo... maybe take advanced familiar? Or we could skin it as a cat and it will be a baby. Or a stuffed animal ;p[/occ]
Dylan, as you tell your story a few tavern goers toss some coins up. 7 copper to be exact.
Talia's brow wrinkles as if deep in thought:
"No no... no mountains that way just the tower..."
As if waiting for her to complete her thought, a young man bursts into the tavern, his brow damp with sweat. He catches his breathe for a moment before shouting, eyes wide:
"THE WITCH TOWER HAS COLLAPSED!!!"
"Which tower?" The tavern folk unanimously reply.
"THE WITCH TOWER!!!!!!"
This news sends everyone in the tavern hurrying outside. Sure enough, a dark plume of smoke rises up to the northeast, presumably where the tower once stood. (In fact, if you think real hard, you do remember a tower being there before).
Everyone, including the party, quickly shuffles their way across town to the site where the tower once stood. The young man who brought the news continues to ramble on as everyone gawks at the collapse. He mentions that the rumor is the bodies of dozens of kobolds have been found in the rubble. Two of the sheriff's deputies named Letha Mulle and Varyl Hodd, clearly out of their element with their boss out of town, sort of putter about trying to keep order.
Suddenly, someone from the crowd suggest that somebody go ask the wizard Hunclay if he knows what happened, after all, the wizard's house and observatory shares the hill that the tower is on.
Rumor around town is that Hunclay, an avid researcher of the Dark Tapestry and astronomer, as long been petitioning to demolish the tower so as to get a more unobstructed view of the sky from his observatory.
Mulle and Hodd walk over to the party and introduce themselves. Hodd, who has clearly decided himself in charge (though it is clear neither one of them have any idea what is going on), speaks up:
"Greetings, we are what's left of the Sheriff's Deputies while he is out of town, bringing that traitor Silas to the prisons down south. I wouldn't pay any heed to those rumors of the kobolds... truth is we only found two corpses so far. Two more than any of us expected but still..."
"We are going speak with Balthus Hunclay, you might as well come with us. Something about that old man don't sit right with me... I don't know you strangers but I'd hate to see anything... unnatural befall ya. Come now, I'll show you the way to that old curmudgeons place."
As you approach Hunclay's place, the first thing you all notice is a thir kobold corpse, this one terribly charred and burnt, lying upon the wizard's doorstep. Deputy Hodd steps up and bangs on his door. After a few moments, he bangs again, but no one answers.
"Hmm... how odd. It would appear nobody is home."
Mulle harrumphs and steps forward and reaches for the door, but Hodd quickly grabs her wrist:
"Are you crazy Mulle!? The place is clearly trapped, and whatever magics that burned up that kobold may very well still be active... we best leave this place alone for now. Come on, let's all head back to the rubble, the Baroness should be here shortly, and we best hear what she has to say on the matter."
The townsfolk, and the party for that matter, become rather curious at the wizard's absence, and wonder if perhaps he had something to do with the towers collapse...
Soon enough, the Baroness of Belhaim, Lady Origena Devy, arrives with her son Arnholde to take charge of the situation. They spend a few moments listening to misguided accounts from the locals gathered at the site, and then from the clearly overmatched deputies. Desperate for someone with some sense to assist her, her eyes scan the crowd, and then fall upon the party. Those eyes narrow as a smile creeps upon her face before she approaches you all.
"Today's your lucky day, stangers. Mulle and Hodd here can't handle this without the Sheriff to hold their hands, and I want to know what happened here. You seem to be a capable bunch. If you go in there and look through the rubble - find out what happened and why there are kobolds in my town - I'll pay the lot of you 500 gold pieces. While you're looking around in the ruins, keep an eye out for any signs of our local eccentric, Hunclay. It seems somewhat suspicious to me that he's not answering his door. Let me know what you find"
Those of you who make your checks notice a strain in her voice. If questioned about it, she sighs and says tersely:
"Yes... my fool of a husband, bless his soul, lost his life poking around that damned tower. I had honestly come to think of the place sort of as his memorial... I am not surprised the dangerous old place finally fell; Hunclay has been pestering me for permission to knock the thing down for years. Very suspicious he is not here..."
"Something else seems to be bothering you Baroness, if you don't mind me saying..."
After the Baroness' confession Dylan will nod, "I'm in, what about the rest of you?"
The rat man continues eating and disregarrds the crazy halfling much like he had during their travel here.
When Lady Devy offers them a job the otherwise so silent rodent pipes up. Standing straight and again sputtering out in it's odd voice and it's stacato speech.
Very good idea miss! We do this for you! You give us money! Barz do good work. Always have always will do good work! Should we look for your man too? We can find anything! Just say what he look like!
The baroness chuckles:
"Ah, a ratfolk. We do not see your kind much around here, though I have met some of your race before. Much cleverer than you lead on... but alas, we recovered my husband's remains many years ago, though I appreciate your offer. No, all I need at the moment is to find out what in the name of the gods is going on here... I would prefer if you all got to it as soon as possible. Is there anything else you need from me?"
Many of the towns people disperse, but a small crowd still remains gawking at the wreckage and the heroes who are about to investigate it.
You all walk over to the rubble of the collapsed tower. An enormous heap of cracked stone and splinted wood from the towers lies in a low mound here, tumbled partially down the hill to the southeast. The mound of rubble forms a natural ramp that leads up to the now-exposed second floor of the tower above.
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Earlier, used to the foolishness of Milo, Galen is not too taken aback by his behavior, but his face turns bright red when the halfling calls him out for admiring the tavern keeper. He sputters and fumbles over something to say, but is saved by the crash of the tower.
Galen, ever the picture of chivalry, bows to the baroness as she enters. "I pledge my sword to your service, milady. We will find out what misfortune befell the tower. Come fellows, let us explore these ruins and see what became of this place, and how evil kobolds came to be here."
Galen starts towards the ramp, drawing his sword as he goes.
"Alright!" Milo cheered, jumping up and down a few times. "Here I was, dreading the day that scumbag Silas offered me a job, and now look what opportunity his treachery has brought me!" He gave the Lady Origena an affectionate smile, eyes sparkling. "500 metal cheese wheels, oh boy. Well you can count on me madam. Gettin' paid to have fun, this is lookin' like its gonna be a good day, oh yes!"
He started sauntering up the makeshift ramp, waving the others forward. "Cmon then, lets get to it men, chop chop!"
Can Dylan tell what might have brought the tower down?
You cannot tell exactly why the tower fell from out here, but you can tell this:
First, it would appear that the bulk of this tower appears to have crumbled into a sinkhole, leading you to guess that the cause of collapse came from underground. Second, you can tell the rubble is very unstable and if you aren't careful, it could shift underneath you.
"Be carefull all, I think there's a sinkhole under there and the rubble is very unstable."
Hmm sound dangerous. Barz sputters. Barz not best climber but Barz try. with that the ratling scuttles off treading carefully.
Walking up next to Galen who was about to start climbing inside the rubble, Milo tugged at the big mans pant leg. "Oi, Galen, my man! Remember how I had you lift me onto the wagons all these past nights? Cause your such an upstanding, kind-hearted, muscular person, think I could trouble you for another piggyback?" He gave as disarming a smile as he could muster. "Id do it myself ofcourse, athletic fellow like me, easiest thing in the world. But I know how you like to help people, so hows about it?"
While Galen debates if he should piggy back or not piggy back... Milo grows impatient and runs up the rubble. He easily makes his way up the rubble to the second floor. Open to the sky above, this exposed upper floor contains only some smashed furniture and a sprinkling of rubble. A trap door is set in the floor against the northwest wall, but a stout and heavy timber has fallen across it.
"Maybe we should rope up? Anyone want to serve as an anchor?"
Jumping from one foot to the other, Milo shadow boxed vigorously for a few moments atop the rubble, before holding his clenched fists above his head. "Wuuuuh!!! You see, fit like a tigeeeeerrr!" he yelled, then wandered out of sigh as his curiosity was piqued. "Looks like there's a log in the way up here gents. You want me to lift it for you!"
Hearing Dylans question, Milos head popped over the edge of the rubble again. "Never fear, Milo is here! Just throw some rope up here and ill tie it off real good."
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Galen bends down to pick up the little fellow, just as scampers up the ramp effortlessly. Bogged down by his heavy armor, shield and blade, Galen only wishes it were that easy for him. But while the others wait on a rope assist, he chugs up the ramp on his own.
Arriving at the top, Galen notices the trap door with the timber over it. He sets down his shield, sheathes his blade and heaves against the beam for all his might. "It's possible I could use some help with this beam once the rest of you get up here." he mutters through his teeth straining against the fallen timber.
As he asks for help, Galen realizes that moving the timber is actually not as hard as it first seemed (it weights about 100 lbs.). With a little effort, he manages to drag it off of the trap door.
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Looking about for traps and the like, Galen will bend over and open the trap door, if the coast looks clear and there is no other way to explore from here.
"I'm guessing this is the way? Nice of them to leave us a door like this but it looks like it heads down into the rubble. From what the deputies said, I expect there to be kobolds or worse down here."
While Milo watches Galen move aside the timber, Barz tries to climb up the rubble. He makes it about halfway up before there is a slight rumble and the whole pile shifts underneath him and the pile of debris begins to slide! Barz slides back down to the bottom and takes points of damage being hit by various falling objects and debris. After that, the debris seems to settle in.
Dylan and Barz, being much more careful this time, slowly, slowly make their way up to the top and prepare to head down the trap door.
The trap door creaks open and you all notice a rickety ladder leading down 10' to the ground floor below (remember you climbed up to the second floor). It is easily climbed.
The tower's ground large ground floor has mostly collapsed under the rubble, but along the western portion of the room a section remains clear of debris. An iron trap door set in the floor is directly below a companion door in the ceiling above. Shattered wooden furniture lies scattered around the corpses of two small, green scaled creatures: more kobolds.
The only source of light here is waht sifts in through the open trap door above.
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"Can anyone provide a light?"Galen asks as the group finally gathers near the open hatch.
Once someone establishes a light of some kind, Galen volunteers to lead the group down, scaling the ladder nimbly for one so encumbered. He notices the second trap door, but figures a little poking around is in order. With his mailed boot, he turns over the kobolds looking for any obvious signs of death, or any gear or coin that might be of value.
It only takes a quick inspection to realize it is obvious that they must have perished in the collapse. They are outfitted fairly typically for kobold warriors. (all equipment is small sized)
- 2 leather armor
- 2 short spears
- 2 slings
- copper
- silver
- gold
Barz looks at the big man quizzically.
Barz not need light. We see good in dark we do! Very much. Bark has good ears good eyes and is good for hiding. You let Bartz go first you stay back and be quite. Barz find Kobolds before Kobold fins Barz! Barz dislikeee Kobolds. Kolbolds dumb and ugly and make mean traps. But Barz good with traps. Seargent always say Barz a lifesaver until he leveve Barz to die!
The rat man after monologing in his squeeky stakato seems truly brought up but will lead the way none the less.
The rest of this room is completely filled with impassable debris. Only ways out are up or down. Does Barz open the trap door and head down?
Dylan will light a torch
Barz hears nothing coming through the door below. He shrugs and opens up the trap door and climbs down, Dylan following with a torch for those who can't see in the dark.
The walls of this chamber have buckled precariously in several places, and masonry and dirt are scattered across the floor - the collapse above plainly caused this structural damage. The dry-rotted frames of five simple beds lie against the north and south walls. To the southwest, the room broadens into a larger chamber. A rusted, grinning iron statue stands in an alcove in the north wall between the two wings of the room itself, and in the wall to the south is an old iron door.
Milo let out a low whistle as they entered the new room, looking around wide-eyed. "Cor, looks like the whole place could come down on our heads if we look at anything the wrong way!" He said, before spotting the door. "Aha, I think I do see the way to more adventure gents. Follow me, into the breach once more!"
He then bolted to the iron door, jumping for the handle and trying to open it.
As Milo starts walking towards the door, there is a sudden rustling and very odd high pitched screeching sounds coming from the northeast corner of the room.
*IEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!*
Coming out from behind a pile of debris are two giant centipedes, making a b-line for the group of adventurers!