You get back to Sanctuary and meet again with the High Priestess.
"How does your investigation go?"
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As the group leaves Brinya, Mouser has an observation he shares with the others.
"If he didn't have a hopeknife on him and someone came to kill him, that means whoever came had an extra hopeknife. This looks like an inside job," he adds ominously.
Once at the Sanctuary, Mouser says "The investigation keeps leading to more questions than answers. For now, we're hoping to meet up with Katrezra here...do you know this half-orc? Also, did Rodrick do any poetry here? We're looking for a journal, possibly. AAANNND...we're hoping you could heal some of our wounded. Might we get some healing here?"
Somer will try and leave the room last for one final exchange.
"I am truely sorry for your loss. I have lived for quite a while by most races standards and have experienced great loss."
"I have one further question for you if you don't mind. Had Rodrik been investigating anything outside of town recently? It would seen an engraved hope knife lost in town would be returned quickly. Maybe he dropped it during the course of his work?"
Regardless of what the answer is -
"I appreciate your help. When this is settled if you need an ear to talk to I am sure I will be around town."
"High priestess who is it that Rodrik came to visit her often? Brinya didn't know who it was and suspected he could be running around on her. I don't feel that but we have to investigate all leads."
As you leave Brinya, Somer surprises her. "I don't know what he was investigating, but... you know, we sometimes would secretly meet in the abandoned Plague House just outside town. I suppose it is possible he dropped it there while we were... well..."
The Plague House (H on the map), also known as the Burned Church, was Trunau’s original church of Iomedae. When orc raiders burned the building down and killed the priests within, the church of Iomedae decided to build a new chapel inside the city walls. The ruined church became known as the Plague House following a tragedy 50 years ago, when Trunau was afflicted with a plague. The town’s authorities hastily rebuilt the structure and used it to quarantine the plague victims, but a mysterious fire consumed the building a few days later, killing everyone inside—patients and healers— and leaving the infamous site once again in ruins. None have attempted to rebuild it since.
Back at Sanctuary, the priests try to answer all of the questions. You discover:
- Katrezra is a long-time half-orc resident of the Sanctuary, known to all of the priests, and well respected.
- The Sanctuary’s high priestess, Tyari Varvatos, a young woman from Lastwall, says she doesn’t know anything about Rodrik keeping a journal, but she did notice the Patrol Captain meeting with Katrezra, frequently in recent weeks. She occasionally overheard the two muttering about ghosts, half-orcs, hopeknives, and white swords, but she wasn’t able to parse any of the information into more meaningful details.
- Tyari mentions that Katrezra claims to have visions, and though she can’t vouch for their prophetic accuracy, the priestess does believe they are more than just hallucinations.
- She reasons that the half-orc seer can’t have gone far, since his crippling condition causes him considerable physical pain and drastically limits his mobility. In addition, she believes he would be unlikely to leave Trunau (to return to his orc tribe, for example), since he sought sanctuary in the church long ago, and has become a devout follower of the Inheritor.
- Brantos Calderon, a paladin who accompanied High Priestess Varvatos from Lastwall’s Castile Firrine to Trunau, was often helping care for Katrezra. Brantos knows that Katrezra’s past was painful, and that while the half-orc has no love for his full-blooded kin, the seer is a benevolent man who has a soft spot for fellow half-orcs. According to Brantos, Katrezra has proved himself a loyal defender of Trunau on multiple occasions and has many friends in town, but Brantos does not know where the seer has vanished to.
“Unfortunately,” Tyari says, “I have no more insight into your investigation. Iomedae’s light shines on those who seek the truth, however, and you are always welcome at this Sanctuary should you need healing or other assistance from the church.”
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Mouser thanks Tyari for the helpful information. "This gives us some good leads. Do you know where Katrezra lives? It sounds like he may know something..."
He puts a finger in the air. "This reminds me of a time I had to fight off a pair of ghosts fighting over which was going to eat me first. Hopefully, we don't find more ghosts. Awfully hard to hit."
"Is there any way to tell who made this blank hopeknife that was found with Rodrik?" Tam asks the half-orc smith. "A forgemark or something? Some way to track it back to its owner?"
Anabella suggests "If Katrezra has a soft-spot for other half-orcs, perhaps he has sought one or more of them out?"
"It does not seem there are many more people to talk to. How about we have sanctuary cure our remaining wounds and check out this "Plague House"?"
"Might be nice to suspect something other then my neighbors as well."
"I would like to see the Plague House, seems like it has interesting history and a tragedy that follows it as well."
On the map, the Plague House is H (southern area outside of the walls).
So it is close by. Lets head over, Derrik if you want to hit us with a channel just role it while we are in transit.
"So do we have agreement on checking the Plague House, I am ready to head over."
"Yeah, let's go to the Plague House and see what we can find out, find out. This is certainly becoming more complex than I would have ever thought." Balmir follows along with the group. He is still trying to puzzle out what is going on but he feels like they are just on the brink of figuring it out.
"Is there any reason this Plague house was abandoned a second time? or Not demolished for safety sake?" Derrik asks as they walk.
"Thank you Derrik. My wounds feel much relieved."
Speaking about the Plague House
"Beyond the fire I don't know of any real problems coming from the place. Maybe it is known as a place for lovers to meet as Brinya implied."
When they exit the wall around the town Somer will draw his rapier simply to be prepared. The recent attacks have him a bit on edge.
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As they leave town toward the Plague House, Mouser looks up at his new companions.
"Don't take this the wrong way, but maybe I should scout ahead, at least a little bit. The too-tall races are--how to put this nicely--not very quiet, for the most part. All that armor is probably not helping, either. I'll move ahead a bit and see what I can see."
"You'd think having a structure outside the walls would just leave it prone to constant orc attacks," muses Tam.
"Do they attack that often? Is the place haunted?"
The Plague House’s front doors sit three feet above the ground. Charred wooden beams and ash are all that remains of a small porch and stairs that once led to the entrance. The small windows flanking either side of the doorframe are broken, but a large stained glass window dominating the face of the building to the right remains in fine shape, and shows a varicolored image of Iomedae holding her sword aloft.
"We've done a lot of running around today, today. I think it's time for us to rest for the day." Balmir seems to be coming out of his previous dark mood. "Maybe we can all eat at the Ramblehouse and then find a place to stay, together this time, then go to the plague house tomorrow."
Balmir looks to the others to see if they agree.
"I agree. While I am anxious to get this behind us our lives have been put in danger twice. Lets try and operate at our best."
Pausing for a moment.
"My offer stands for a place to sleep, meager as it will be for this many, but I am happy to go anyplace we can keep the safety of number."
"I agree to food, I am starving and need to restore my energies. Somer I will take up your offer of staying at your house, I just have to gather my things from the Sanctuary."
Derrik will make a quick detour on their way back to gather his supplies and thank the High priestess for her kind hospitality.
Ok, so you all stay together, and I will assume you post a few guards now. Sleep comes easier knowing there is a watch, and the night is uneventful.
The next day, you head out and find yourselves standing in front of the Plague House.
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Mouser looks up at the decrepit building.
"I wonder...that stained glass window may have some value, should anyone bother to disassemble it," he says thoughtfully. "Anyone know where one might sell a stained glass window?"
Mouser climbs up where the steps once were.
"You were going to make me do the hard stuff, anyway," he says.
"Hang tight...I'm going to see if this is the best way in."
Mouser looks through the broken windows to either side of the entrance.
"Just because you are smaller doesn't mean we are going to make you do things, if you want us to try I will. You have an advantage over us tall people."
Derrike will assist Mouser up if he will allow it.
"Well, I wouldn't object to eating applesauce," says Tam. "Can't pretend to be a baby unless it's a carnival baby with a beard, though." Refreshed on the new day, he seems to have completely recovered his quirky sense of mirth.
"Apple sauce is the weakness of all halflings? I might have to pass this to headquarters so that way if there is ever a threat from the halflings of the world we will know their weakness."
Derrik says with a big smile on his face, He will help anyone else up on the front porch as needed.
"Mouser, you seem to have a problem with full-sized people. Not sure why that is. But in my experience, no matter what the size, if you treat people with respect, they will treat you the same. Especially your friends. And I think we're all trying to be friends here."
Balmir walks over to the other broken out window and peers inside.
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Mouser smiles broadly. "Surely you jest, my good dwarf! What would make you think I have a problem with alternately-sized people. First, I like all of you plenty! But, I know some halflings might object to being called 'halflings.' 'Half' of what? Oh, a human. Why aren't humans called 'double-lings?' Oh, and dwarves...they're members of a race of short, stocky human-like creatures. But humans calling them dwarves makes them seem small or insignificant in comparison. Half-elves, half-orcs are...oh yeah...half human!"
Realizing he is getting fairly animated, he looks back through the window.
"Now, of course, these are things that bother other people, but certainly not me..." he trails off.
"Double-lings, I do like that, you can call me that if you wish. Milani knows that we are an odd race us Humans, other than Mouser what is that you wish to be referred to as?"
A big smile coming to Derrik's face.
"Also what do you see up there my non-doubleling friend?"
"The door might not even be locked," says Tam. "Fortunately," he ruminates, "I am neither half-human nor half of a human, so I get to continue to be unique! Like every other gnome!"
Somer makes a mental note to look into what halflings would rather be called. Is halfling simply adopted slang?
Sometimes I think long life has allowed me to learn a lot and others I feel I have learned nothing.
"Lets go for the easiest rout in. If folks are having trysts here, I doubt we need to sneak in. If something has been sent for us, well it will find us soon enough."
Mouser makes the climb up easily, and it is dark inside. The doors are charred and weather-beaten heavy oak, but they open easily enough.
Balmir climbs up and over the threshold into the room. He nods briefly at Mouser and his suggestion to scout ahead. He turns to offer a hand to anyone else who needs help climbing up and into the room.
Somer will position himself to be second thought the door after Balmir.
He makes a hand single to Mouser that he hopes conveys to give a single but may just be a flutter of the hangs as he doesn't really know any singles.
Please make a Fort save for me.
The support walls and pillars that once connected the Plague House to the huge boulder behind it have burnt and crumbled in this ruined chamber, revealing nearly the entire face of the monolithic stone as well as much of the sky above. Jagged red runes have been painted onto the rock in long, broad strokes that reach from top to bottom. A cabinet on the southeast wall and a tall bookcase against the northeastern wall are all that remain of the room’s furnishings.
You cannot understand the runes, but maybe someone else in the group will (DC 15 Knowledge (local) or Linguistics check, or speaks Orc).
You also spot “R + B” carved on a support beam near the bookshelf.
Unfortunately, you did not notice a threat in the NE corner, and a glob of sticky mass comes flying at you.
You are now entangled in webbing as a giant spider starts clicking toward you.
The giant spider comes crawling out of the corner to bite you.
Being the last in Derrik has difficulty getting to Balmirs aide,
"someone cut him free, I will interced the spider
Derrik moves towards the spider shield in 1 hand Morning Star in the other.
As soon as Balmir sees the giant spider he reacts. He unslings his waraxe and starts moving towards Mouser.
"Screams mean time to go!" says Tam, and pushes forward to enter the room.
Somer will attempt to move up behind Balmir, hoping room will be cleared for him to get into melee in the future.
Having only one ranged attack he casts Ray of Frost
"This seems less and less like an ideal lovers retreat." ]
vs Touch
The spider, seeing fresh meat, tries to bite Derrik. It finds the meal to be a little hard, chomping only on armor.
Balmir steps past Mouser to where he can get a solid hit on the spider. He swings his waraxe at the spider.
Tam moves up and draws his small dagger and starts trying to help cut Mouser loose.