"I think we need to try to find what they were trading the Effigy for, if that's what happened." She looks around at the others with a small smile. "That's not what I'm best at, so I'll leave it to Nic and Vivian. Though...." Her voice trails off as she taps her chin meditatively. "I have a thought. We could leave here for Illmarsh openly, and then I could teleport us back here to watch for any reaction to our departure--anyone coming out of hiding with us gone. What do you think?"
Sophie rolls her eyes. "Don't be so melodramatic, boy. We're really not going to kill you. What else can you tell us?"
"Shut up, fool!" Offended by the insults of this defeated man, Varian stabs him through the heart with his rapier.
He wipes his blade clean with a rag and sheathes it. "The followers of the Whispering Way deserve no mercy, only imprisonment or death." He goes to look for the horses that the man had mentioned.
Sophie glares at Varian. "I don't like you making a liar of me, boy."
After he leaves, she spits on the ground in disugst.
Before the body is disposed of, Sophie kneels near it and uses her ability to speak with the dead to talk to the dead cultist. If she overcomes its opposition, she asks it where the other rider was headed, what kind of presence the Way has in Illmarsh, and what the rider is doing in Illmarsh.
After that, she agrees to Pontia's proposed plan.
Sophie is able to overcome the corpses hostility. I was a loyal devotee of the Whispering Way and a skilled assassin. I killed who I was directed to kill and that included all of you. One rider went to Illmarsh and the other didn't say where he was headed. Those are some rough fellows so I know better to pry. I only knew that the one was heading to Illmarsh because he asked for directions. That is all I know.
Pontia frowns. "Then I don't think it's worth trying to track down the other rider now. We know one rider is moving on to Ilmarsh, and if we find that one we'll get answers from him."
So the path leads to Illmarsh... do we have magical ways to foresee what could happen? I know Pharasma is the ultimate master of our Fate, but maybe we can get a glimpse of the threads she used in the great tapestry of destiny?
The wizard shakes her head. "None of the divinations I know would help. That's more in the realm of the gods, though if Sophie can't I may be able to summon a creature that can."
The corpse will say that Illmarsh is a horrible place and as such the people are inhospitable. So trying to find about a secret organization in a secretive town? Good luck with that!
You all set off for Illmarsh when not far from the town, you see a figure who appears to be driving off a few wounded brigands. The Mother and son on an ox-cart look at the stranger with gratitude.
Pontia smiles. "Well, well. It's good to see you again, sir."
The towering man with an unusually thin waist spins around with his wicked polearm to see some familiar friends approaching. He returns Pontia's smile with a nod, and looks to the others. "Desna blesses me. I regretted leaving you so suddenly--I thought I'd put my desire for vengeance behind me, but for a time it led me astray. Yet we cross paths again. Will you have me again?"
As long as you pay the first round of drinks in the next tavern, I don't see why not.
jest the quick witted redhead.
It would be nice to have you by our side again, Gregor. A man of your skill would greatly help in our quest.
Gregor brightens as Vivian too looks on him favorably. "I'll buy a round of their finest Ustalav wine," he insists. "Where do your travels take you? I hope it will mean we can escort this ox-cart a bit longer." He nods his head toward the mother and son.
Sophie gives the man a brusque nod, "It's good to see you again, boy."
Niculaie makes a slight bow in the warrior's direction. "Good to have you back with us, Gregor."
"Thank you, all. When I travel on my own, I'm prone to wander off course, but my path is set straight when I follow you.". Gregor then gestures toward the fleeing brigands. "And hopefully we won't have more of those pestering us, now that we're in greater numbers."
"Have you learned more of the plans of the Whispering Way?" Gregor talks over the last days that he's missed to understand their current mission.
After being reunited with Gregor, you fill him in on what has transpired since he left your company - After all, it is a long road to Illmarsh. Even though Illmarsh township lies only about 30 miles down the coast road from Thrushmoor, but the road is in poor repair and frequently washed out by floods.
A couple of miles outside of Illmarsh, a stormy sky hangs over the bay, reducing the light to a burning autumn dusk. A single stone quay extends out into the lake’s wind-tossed surf, forming a quiet landing for boats far from any signs of settlement.
Out on the water, about 50 yards from shore, a single-masted trawler fights the whitecaps. The name Isinglass can just be made out on the boat’s prow. A lone figure scurries about among several large tarp-covered objects lashed to the deck. He is apparently attempting to manage both the sail and the tiller to right the vessel and bring it safely in to shore, but seems to be failing in the task.
Gregor looks out over the water uneasily, worried about the safety of the man out there alone on the water. "I think he could use our help," he says, wondering if he was strong enough to swim out there even in his heavy armor.
"I prepared that spell today. If we need to put a few people on the deck, I can also do what I did when we attacked the werewolf tower."
"Do any of you know how to handle a boat like that? I'm hardly an expert."
Not really. But that never really stopped me.
"Not I. I'm afraid all of my experience on ships has been as a passenger, and not a very comfortable one."
"Vivian, Gregor--hold on." The wizard puts a hand on each of her named companions and intones the words of a spell , and the trio appears on the vessel's deck.
"We're here to help, sir!" announces the powerful man as he takes a hold of the tiller from the man they were rescuing.
Gregor's muscles strain against the tiller, but he's able to keep a steady grip on it--a good firs step. "I got ahold of this. Anyone know what to do next?"
Niculaie calms his horse after the wizard, warrior, and rogue disappear, then ties it with the others to a tree near the quay. "Let's go meet them on the dock, Sophie. We can at least help tie the mooring lines when the ship gets close enough." Once the horses are secure, he heads to end of the wharf.
Vivian proves her adaptability once again, using her head wisely more than raw skill to guide the boat. Her calm in the tempest-litterally-must come from her upbringing in a Pharasman temple, working with the dying and the women delivering babies...
It seems I do, Gregor. It's not that easy, but I'm managing it. Pontia, can you summon an elemental to calm the waters? You'd be a lamb.
Pontia nods. "That was the next option if this one failed, but you and Gregor seem to have things in hand."
Sophie follows Niculaie's lead.
Becaause of Vivian's knowledge and Gregor's strength, the vessel is saved! The boat’s passenger is Illmarsh’s resident inventor, Horace Croon. He wears a leather apron smock bearing unidentifiable stains and burns and set of goggles with multiple colored lenses pulled up on his forehead. His white hair is spiky from the wind and water and sticks out in tangles in all directions. Croon has an almost manic look, with
red-rimmed, sleep-deprived eyes.
Thank you for... He pauses as in deep thought for a few moments. For...eh..saving me! That's right! Saving me! I wonder if it was too warm to conduct this experiment. Do you think it was too warm or maybe too cold?
Pontia bows in greeting. "I don't know...it depends, I suppose, on what you were trying to do."
With Vivian's sage advice, Gregor brings the ship back to the dock. He ties the boat up tightly. "Maybe just too stormy," he offers. "But I'm no alchemist."
"I don't know...it depends, I suppose, on what you were trying to do."
Isn't obvious! I built a subaqueous exploration and research vessel! He says proudly.
Maybe just too stormy," he offers. "But I'm no alchemist."
Aye! That storm did come suddenly!!
He then begins to fuss with securing the tarps over his invention.
And where is the crew of that vessel, if you don't mind me asking?
The question was obvious, and Vivian was surprised no one asked it before
Crew? So they can steal my invention and claim it as their own? No, No, No! It is my invention! No one else's!
What I meant was.. you didn't manage to pilot this ship all by yourself so far, no? Or else you wouldn't have been in so much trouble in that stormy weather. Are you the captain of the ship?
Vivian green eyes seems cold and hard as steel as she studies the man's face, ready to shred into potential lies
Gregor approaches and silently offers to help with the tarps. His desire to help is genuine and he doesn't really care what this invention might be.
I had a crew of local fisherman to sail the boat, but as soon as the storm hit, they dived overboard and swam to shore. He stops for a moment, deep in thought. Do you think they were only interested in stealing my invention? I bet they were! I conducted my experiments here because those at the wharves in Illmarsh are always vandalizing my equipment. Hooligans in Illmarsh and thieves here! Can I experiment in peace? Is it too much too ask?
He looks at Vivian like he is expecting her to answer.
He says to Gregor, No need, no need! I can handle it. He pulls down the tarp closest to Gregor and secures it. Hmmm...I wonder if a tarp is the best thing to keep my invention safe. I wonder if some spell might be better? Bah! Then I will have to hire a mage and they might be a hooligan and a thief!
He pauses as he tries to come up with a solution to his problem.
So, what brings you out this way? Heading to Illmarsh?
Gregor shrugs and steps aside as the inventor handles the tarp himself. "Whatever your invention is, I bet it's clever enough that average folk like us wouldn't understand it just by seeing it," he offers.
He nods in agreement with the inventor's last question. "Yes, to Illmarsh. Is that where you're returning also?"
Pontia restrains her curiosity and pointedly avoids looking at the vehicle. Fascinating...travel underwater without magic? That could be quite useful. Then the inventor's last words register. She smiles somewhat indulgently at the man. "Sir, I am a mage, and no hooligan. A hooligan wouldn't have transported your rescuers here, hm? What could I do to help you further?"
Niculaie has been waiting for the inventor, Gregor, Pontia, and Vivian to disembark, but it looks like they're going to stay on board for a while. Once the lines are tied and the ship is secure, he suggests to Sophie that they join the others and clambers aboard.
The dhampir eyes the tarp with frank curiosity. "Were you able to test it before the storm hit, sir? Did you see anything of interest under the surface?"
"Whatever your invention is, I bet it's clever enough that average folk like us wouldn't understand it just by seeing it,"
Ah! Don't count yourselves short. Unless you are thinking that if I think that you think that you wouldn't understand my...Ah...Where was I?
Yes, to Illmarsh. Is that where you're returning also.
I am afraid I must. I must recruit a crew made up of a better caliber than hooligans.[/b]
Sir, I am a mage, and no hooligan. A hooligan wouldn't have transported your rescuers here, hm? What could I do to help you further?"
Tut! Tut! Child! I didn't mean to imply that you were a hooligan! That sorry excuse for a crew was made up of a bunch of hooligans! Hooligans...hmmm...where do you think that word comes from. Do you think it is Varisian? It dosen't sound Varisian, it doesn't sound Tian or even dwarven! Such a funny word hooligan. Hoooolllligaaan.
Were you able to test it before the storm hit, sir? Did you see anything of interest under the surface?
Unfortunately, no. I was just about to launch it when the storm hit. But imagine if it works! There's a whole new world under there. Maybe I will discover a new fish and it will be named after me. Croon fish! Sounds delicious don't you think? I can hear people now! 'Ale and Coon Fish my dear wrench! I hope it tastes good with ale. I don't drink ale myself, but I imagine it pairs well with fish. Do you know if it does? Have you had ale and fish? Was it good?