GM Foxy's Carrion Crown

Game Master Foxy Quickpaw

"A nasty creature named a phase spider. As big as a wagon, and magical no less."

"Now I know what I forgot. I wanted to break off a leg of the spider as a souvenir." Jominda tells.

Kaleb is shocked by Kendra's description. "Are you heading to Lepidstadt too? Because you could travel together with us. S’jeer makes a delicious stew." Besides being really thankful that you retrieved Aleece and spared other members of his group the same fate it is obvious that he would like you to travel with them in case other bad things cross their way.

"I wouldn't mind at all. It would be nice to have even more new people to talk to" Kendra says to the troupe leader. "My name is Kendra Lorrimor" and she extends a hand.

After shaking hands, she says to Jominda: "Perhaps Herm will escort you back to the corpse. If you need it for your alchemical things, I'm sure this is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

Herm will lay the body of the deceased girl down, stepping back to allow her sisters to see her and to mourn.

After the conversation is had and Kendra has agreed to more travelling companions, Herm will look at Jominda.

"DO you wish to go now? I think it best before it gets to late in the day and we don't want to be on the open road with out shelter before nightfall."

"Nah. It would have been nice but I don't need one. And I'm not fond of walking another mile through the swamp to get it." Jominda refuses the offer. "Do you have that spell prepared to clean us? Having everything wet is really unpleasant." she asks Kendra.

The bearded woman and the large man of the troupe take Aleece and put her in one of the wagons. As the trek slowly starts moving and the wagons are pulled back on the road Kaleb asks Kendra - as she asked for conversation - "Are you too going to Lepidstadt to visit the trial?"

Kendra quickly cleans everyone off with a cast of predistigation.

At Kaleb's question, Kendra replies "Trial? No, we have not heard of it. What's the story?"

"The city of Lepidstadt is currently the scene of intense local excitement. The dreaded Beast of Lepidstadt - a terrifying abomination that has terrorized the people of Vieland for years - has been captured. Hundreds of people have flocked to the city hoping to catch a glimpse of the horror and watch it burn for its crimes. And we hope to get our share from the purses of these large crowds." Kaleb tells.

Jominda takes interest in S’jeer, as she wants to find out if it is convenient or debilitating to have additional arms. Because with the complex processes in her alchemical lab she had wished for some additional arms more often than not. And so she approaches the woman in her disarming nonchalant way and engages her in a conversation.

"Trial of a beast? I must witness this beast, We were just hoping to get to Lepidstadt complete our task and leave." Herm walks along side Kendra as she talks with Kaleb.

Know: Local: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

"The beast? I've heard of that, but... I can't quite remember. Can you tell us more about it?"

"You haven't heard? The beast lurks around Lepidstadt and kills people wherever it finds them. The people must really be looking forward to a peaceful time, once the beast is burnt. You know the burning man? The special method the town of Lepidstadt executes the perpetrators of mayor crimes?" Kaleb tells.

"What kind of beast was it?" Kendra inquires

"I have no clue. So far noone who saw it lived to tell the story." Kaleb explains.

Herm listens carefully to Kaleb's descriptions.

"You said it has roamed all over the country side? Not so far as Ravengro though."

"I guess it has to stay true to it's reputation as beast of Lepidstadt. So it isn't allowed to wander too far off." Kaleb jokes.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
"quite gruesome. But if they have caught it now, surely word has spread on what it is?"

"I've heard a lot, from it being a giant, a troll, an oger, a mix of all that... if you really want to know you'll have to see it yourself. I'm sure a lot of the people who tell what it is have seen neither the beast nor the things they tell it is." Kaleb replies. "But it will make for some interesting dramas for sure."

Kendra grins. "I would imagine so." She ponders a moment before stating "Well, we are heading to Lepidtstad, so I guess we will see for ourselves." She looks at Kaleb. "Do you often base your dramas on real events?"

"We take what we get. And people seem to be more fascinated by things they have heard of and that they can relate to. We prepared some plays with the beast already."

Kendra's voice turns to a more sombre note as she continues. "How about the events surrounding the little one, Aleece?"

"We have done similar things. Little girls dying in dark alleys, murdered in the shadows. But now that Aleece is dead we need to pause that dramas for a while. And as good a horror story this would make - I don't think it would be worth the effort to create such a large spider. We try to work with what we have here." Kaleb replies pointing at hi companions.

"Would you mind if I asked where you've travelled? Where have you come from most recently?"

"We were in Chastel as we heard of the rumours and travelled through Tamrivena and Courtaud. But we have travelled all over Ustalav over the years. We have never been beyond that as the people of Lastwall don't seem to appreciate our art and we don't dare to go to Belkzen." Kaleb tells.

"But enough of me. Why are you on your way to Lepidstadt?"

"My father had a number of books from the university there, and we are to return them. I'll also be looking for a new place to settle down." Kendra replies in earnest.
"I never quite felt at home in Ravengro, and I don't expect I ever will, even after recent events. Maybe particularly because of recent events."

"What happened?" Kaleb asks concerned.

"There was an uprising of undead. A few of the townspeople stood up and found the source, and stopped it." Kendra answers.
"Jominda there was one of them." she says as she points at Jominda.

"So fleeing bad memories?" Kaleb inquires.

"Myself and the others here attempted but the evil overwhelmed us, thanks to Ms. Lorrimor here she saves us and her town." Herm keeps a lookout along the road.

"Not so much bad memories... but since my father died, just before the unrest, I have not much reason in the town to stay. And undead rising up doesn't make me more inclined to do so."

"You do me too much credit, Herm."

"It is due to you that myself and some of the others aren't dead as well." Herm nods his thanks to Kendra

"If you don't mind I would like to hear about the undead in more detail later. Maybe we can make a drama out of that too." Kaleb tells and you see the gears in his head starting to turn how such a thing could play out already.

"Don't believe Kendra on that one. She is the real hero in all of this" Jominda talks back over her shoulder. Turning to S’jeer again she continues "She can do wonders with her sandwiches alone. And she knows magic. I'm really excited to see what she can do with that once she uses that to the fullest. But back to our topic. Can you make sandwices faster than people with only two arms?" And so the talk between Jominda and S’jeer goes back to the benefits of additional limbs.

"Have you heard no other tales of undead rising up? Or a cult worshipping undead?" Kendra inquires, having Kaleb on the topic of stories on the undead.

"I've heard almost all. But most of the time it is on account of the telling of the friend of a cousin who got it from the butcher's wife. When do I get the chance to ask a real life adventurer how it really is?" encouraged by Jominda Kaleb starts spinning a story around Kendra that is a bit bigger than she sees herself.

Lepidstadt is a small city on the banks of the Lesser Moutray River, most famous for its university and the strange standing stones outside the city called the Spiral Cromlech. Recently renovated, Lepidstadt is a bustling, lively city of students and academics, with newly bricked streets, wide plazas, and grandiose structures built from imported wood and stone. Away from the university and city center, however, the narrow, winding streets of Lepidstadt show the signs of its age, with dilapidated hovels, crumbling stone walls, and cramped courtyards.

Upon your arrival in Lepidstadt, you find an almost carnival atmosphere in the city. The trial of the Beast of Lepidstadt has already commenced, and things don’t look good for the creature. A huge pyre in the shape of a man—Lepidstadt’s famous Punishing Man—has been erected in the main circle outside the courthouse, and locals eagerly add fuel to the effigy in preparation for the Beast’s execution.

The Crooked Kin park their wagons in a park like neighbourhood close to the Spiral Cromlech. Only one of the wagons they drive directly onto the place in fron of the court. In the face of the court building and the Punishing Man.

Kaleb immediately starts inviting the people to their shows. He praises the Crooked Kin introducing every one of them with backstories that are rather far fetched, but raise the attraction of the exotic. The clowns do some acrobatics and juggling, the strongest man of the world lifts some weights. The human caterpillar moves strangely on the ground. For anyone with some intellect it is embarrassing how the Crooked Kin act like strange animals in a zoo that everyone can gawk at. But it is impressing to see how they do it with their heads held high and manage to keep their dignity.

But first things first.

Before leaving the Crooked Kin, Kendra asks Kaleb "Until we find some other lodgings, would you mind if we stayed with you?" Thinking more of the fact that they would be a potent source of rumors and information rather than an easy place to sleep.

"First things first," She says to Herm, Jominda, Harrold, and the rest of the original visitors of her father's funeral. "Let us return these books to the university.
That will finish your official business here.

She turns to the other member of the party. "And you, Dina, what will you do here in Lepidtstad?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
As Kendra starts making her way to the university, the festivities everywhere overpower her usual calm demeanor and she cannot make herself heard to anyone, most ignoring her, preferring to celebrate.
Arriving at the university, she is flabbergasted by the damage done to the buildings, having no idea what happened there.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

"As Ms. Kendra asked would you the Kin allow us to remain with you till we find some suitable lodging?"

Once they get to the University.

"Can you point us to Dr. Montagnie Crowl?"

"Of course you can stay with us. What little comfort we can offer we'll share with you."

An eccentric but likeable man, Dr. Montagne Crowl is prone to waving his arms about enthusiastically. You find him in the department’s combination library and workshop. The workshop is slowly being cleaned up, but it is still a mess. "Good, day Madams and Sirs." he greets you as he notices the group that doesn't look like students.
Perception DC10: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
On second thought he asks "Miss Kendra, is that you?"

well Kendra, I'm going to look at the university there.
And find out what i need to know to get my degree. So i would like to come with you all
Dina is over excited to see an other university in the hope she can stay there.

Kendra is blindsided by being recognized. "I eh... well. Yes. That would be me. I wou- eh... Sorry?"

"I don't blame you for not recognizing me anymore. You were that big when I last saw you." Dr. Crowl replies holding his hand at about 4 feet height. He shakes her hand and is really excited to meet her after all these years. "How are you and how is your father? I haven't heard from him in a while?" Recognizing that he didn't ask he adds "And what leads you here to visit me?"

Kendra regains her wits, somewhat. Before answering the man's questions, she first has some of her own. "I'm sorry, would I know you?"

"Your father Professor Lorrimor brought you with him to the university on several occasions. For you I was probably just one of the many old people here. But you were one of a kind." Dr. Crowl replies.

"We are here to return the books that Professor Lorrimor borrowed, I am also to inform you that Professor Lorrimor has passed away." Herm says with a sorrowful nod

Kendra nods in acknowledgement of Herm's statement. "I'm sorry to tell you that Herm here is correct. Professor Lorrimor has left this realm. I'm glad you remember him and me with kindness." Kendra says.
"One of a kind..." she mumbles to herself, but then remembers she was talking to someone and in automatism just repeats what Herm said. "And we're here to return some books he borrowed from the university. It was in his will."

"That is grave news." Dr. Crowl replies, the joy vanishing from his face. "My condolences Miss Kendra."

"Thank you." is all Kendra can think of to say.