Gregor nods. "Ale goes with just about anything if you ask me, including fish. Maybe we could travel together to Illmarsh, then? Unless you'd rather go on your own, it's fine either way." Gregor wants to be helpful, but isn't going to push the issue with the paranoid inventor.
Well, if the fish isn't good, at least you can drown the taste in ale.
Horrace Croon regales you with one long story to Illmarsh - or was it a jumble of stories with lots of observations thrown in for good measure? You are not sure. As you approach the town, your nostrils are assaulted by a dank mildewey odor. Eh? The smell? Yep! You get used to it.
On the outskirts of town, you see a rock cropping that Horace will tell you is called The Tern Rocks. The rocks rise 10 feet above the waves at their highest and support only a few stunted trees. On the northernmost edge of the rocks, a low stone shelf sits 3 feet below the waterline. A pair of rusty but solid manacles are bolted to the rock above the water. The manacles currently hold a half-starved man who looks like he has spent some days exposed to the elements. He curses you all profusely as you pass. Horace will explain that here is where the condemned of Illmarsh are shackled to await their fates at the hands of the elements or the skum of Avalon Bay.
As you enter the town Horace will depart. Thanks for the company! Now I have to recruit a new crew of scallywags and hooligans! I hope to see you around again!
Niculaie shakes Horace's hand with genuine fondness after their brief acquaintance. "It was a pleasure to meet you, sir! Do you have any recommendations for an inn where we could stay while in town? Or any that you would warn us away from?"
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Gregor looks to be more indifferent than caring about Horace and his inventions. He is troubled by the chained, half-starved man, though. "What was his crime that he's now bound to await being frozen to death?"
Sophie watches the inventor with a bemused expression throughout the trip. On arriving in town she says "Come find us if you can't find a better crew, old man."
In response to Niculaie, Horace says, of course! How rude of me! Here is the Town Square. Over there is the Bountiful Catch Inn . It is the only Inn in town. The Innkeeper is Rube Dreely. Not much of a talkative fellow that one!
In response to Gregor, Oh that fellow? Don't rightly know. Anything from rape and murder to looking at someone croos-eyed, I'd imagine. The mayor would know, he's in the town hall . I try to not get involved with things like that.
Horace smiles at Sophie, Will do pretty lady, will do! Nothing but hooligans and scallywags I tell you! Hooligans and scallywags! he sighs as he walks off.
Pontia shakes her head. No one questions unreasonable punishment...it's like Cheliax. "Shall we see if there are rooms available?"
We should take a room or two in the inn. I'm not sure they have plenty of visitors. Maybe Gregor wants to test his theory about ale and fishes..
Gregor nods in agreement. "May as well try the local fare while we're here."
He leads the way toward the town square and decrepit inn, keeping an eye out for the reaction of locals.
"It's likely to be some kind of fish stew, hm?"
You enter the inn and it does not look much better from the inside as it did from the outside (and it doesn't smell much better either!) A small, balding man is at the warped desk tapping his fingers on a musty ledger. the winkles on his face form a permeant scowl.
Yeah! We got fish stew and if you don't like it, there is the Walleyed Kracken ! Now do ya want some rooms or to eat?
The smell of fish indoors does not exactly inspire confidence, but options sure seemed limited. "Real question is, do you have ale? If so, I'll take it with your fish stew!"
Course I got ale! What kind of establishment do you think this is? Take a seat in that room and Pretty Betty will be with you in a moment.
The 'dining room' is filled with mismatched chairs and mismatched tables. Pretty Betty is anything but pretty. It looks like she has lived a hard life - a very hard life. She brings Gregor a tankard of ale and a bowl of fish stew. Rube said you be wanting that. That takes care of him, what about the rest of you?
Sophie opts for a cup of soup, no ale.
Niculaie looks at the fish stew in Gregor's bowl and slumps a little. "Thank you, madam. I'll have what he's having, please." While waiting for their food, Niculaie looks around the room to see what types of people - if any - might be staying at the inn with them.
"Your ale tastes pretty much like your fish stew!" complains Gregor. He sighs and drinks it anyway. He was hungry enough to make it work.
Pretty Betty nods a Sophie.
"Thank you, madam. I'll have what he's having, please."
Sure thing Toots! She says with a smile that is missing quite a few teeth.
"Your ale tastes pretty much like your fish stew!"
Pretty Betty smile disappears. Eh? What are you talking about? I had a bowl of it myself and a few tankards of ale this morning and they all tasted fine!
She looks at the rest. And what will the rest of you be having. I ain't got all day!
"Bowl of the stew, thanks. Do you have anything to drink besides the ale?"
Ale and stew for me too!
Pretty Betty brings you your meals and drinks (even the water tastes fishy!)
"Do you have any rooms for the night?"
Rube says, I got three rooms to rent for 3gp a night. The innkeeper says matter-of-factly.
Would that I could cast mage's magnificent mansion, and didn't have to stay here. The wizard passes over nine gold pieces. "All three for us for the night."
Thanks, Pontia, for paying for everyone. It's much appreciated.
Pontia smiles impishly. "Just don't trash the room."
The rooms are rented and you find them clean but fish-smelling. In fact everything in this town seems to smell or taste like fish. You spend the night without incident.
Gregor feels extremely disappointed at this town and his decision to go to it. "Might want to keep watch overnight, just in case. We can start askin' around about the riders in the morning."
"I'm going to look around the town a little. Not in person, though." Pontia prepares her arcane eye spell and uses it to scout the area around the inn.
“That’s an excellent idea, Pontia! I will check on the horses, and see if I can enlist some assistance to learn the whereabouts of our quarry while I am out.”
Niculaie steps out of the inn and walks to the stables and checks to make sure they have been properly fed and have adequate water. Once that task is complete, he casts heightened awareness, before walking slowly around the inside and outside of the structure, head bent slow, looking for signs of rats.
If he finds any recent spoor or other sign of rat traffic, Niculaie pulls some dried fruit, jerky, and crackers from the road rations in his handy haversack and scatters them along the rodent trail, then settles himself against a nearby wall to wait.
If the rat is willing to listen, Niculaie asks it if it has seen or heard about any other recent arrivals to town other than himself and his friends (“The people who rode in today on these horses”), and describes who they are looking for. I don’t think we have a very good description of the cultist we’re trailing, but he adds a description of the Seasage Effigy. “We are looking for this object and the man who brought it. If you or your friends can find either of them, I will give you more of this jerky — or something else, if that’s what you want. Meet me here in the hour before dawn either way.”
Source Advanced Race Guide pg. 97
Though dhampirs often relate poorly to humanoids, some share an affinity with baser creatures. These dhampirs gain the ability to communicate with bats, rats, and wolves as if under the effects of a _speak with animals _spell (caster level equal to 1/2 the dhampir's Hit Dice). In addition, they gain a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy checks when dealing with these animals. Whenever these dhampirs initiate an exchange, animals begin with a starting attitude of indifferent. This is a supernatural ability. This racial trait replaces manipulative.
The mouse nods his head in assent. If you keep bringing us food, we will bring you information. I will tell you this, I have a cousin who lives in the Mayor's office and he said the mayor has seemed upset of late. He then takes the food and scurries back into his hole in the wall.
Gregor starts trying to figure out where people might stable their horses in this town. He's curious about pale horses matching the description of their quarry.
Niculaie tilts his head in a slight bow, and leans to talk into the r. "Thank you for this information. I will return shortly before the next sunrise with more food."
Niculaie returns to their rooms and updates the group. "We don't have any reason to think that the mayor is involved with the Whispering Way or knows anything about the Seasage Effigy, but do we have any reason to think he is not? We could pay him a visit, maybe we'll find out that his problem and ours overlap."
Let's hope we don't find out the mayor's problem is us. The Whispering Way acts secretly, usually. They still might have spies and servants around the town, so we must proceed cautiously.
"It's worth talking to him, at least."
Surprisingly as you walk to find the mayor, Sheriff Rill Anders approaches and says that the Mayor wants to see all of you! It is obvious from his demeanor that the Sheriff does not like you all, and as he accompanies you to the Mayor he will ask you pointedly what your business is in Illmarsh.
He escorts you to the Town Hall and ushers you into the Mayor's office on the first floor. He will remain outside scowling.
Mayor Early Greedle is a scrawny man with oily skin and red-splotched cheeks, dressed in a formal, though somewhat shabby, coat and top hat. He appears slightly out of breath and has a gasping manner of speaking. He introduces himself and formally welcomes you all to town. Mayor Greedle is friendly and effusive.
Now you have come to our town for a reason, suppose I help you with that reason. Please ask any questions you may have.
He seems troubled... but why? Who gots the real power here, the mayor or the sheriff? No need to say the whole truth here and now. I smell a fish. Well, in this town, you ALWAYS smell a fish.
The red headed woman giggles for herself, then say more seriously
Thank you for welcoming us in the town, Mayor, but I'm a little bit surprised myself. What have we done to get this honor?
as [the sheriff] accompanies you to the Mayor he will ask you pointedly what your business is in Illmarsh.
Sophie appraises the sheriff, but lets the others answer him.
Sophie waits to hear the Mayors answer.
The Mayor smiles a sad smile. Here in Illmarsh we are not known for culture or a vacation spot. Most visitors are merchants to buy and sell goods, and I doubt you are a merchant party. Therefore you have a propose to your visit and I am trying to determine if that purpose is for good or evil.
"We were rescuing one of your citizens from drowning themselves in a storm," responds Gregor. "Horace Croon. Strange fellow." Takes one to know one, he thinks, considering his own identity.
The mayor smiles, Croon the Crackpot, you mean? Why, you can’t believe a word he says! Everything’s a conspiracy to him, whether you’re talking about the weather or the latest grand invention he’s got his head caught up in. It’s a wonder he hasn’t blown up himself yet. Or worse, the town! Good-natured fella, though, as long as you don’t take him too seriously. He laughs and it seems to you all that it is the first time he has genuinely laughed in some time.
I hope Vivian can get a read on these two when I drop this in their laps. Pontia smiles in response to the mayor's laugh. "He is, isn't he?" Then she turns serious. "The fact is, we're here looking for a piece of art that was stolen from Lepidstadt University. The thieves' trail led here, and--well."
The mayor turns serious, Thieves? Stolen art? Here in Illmarsh? I and the sheriff would know about such things and who would try to sell stolen art here? Not a blight on anyone here but I don't think our fisherman could appreciate or even afford stolen art!
"I found it hard to believe myself...no insult meant to your town. Perhaps it's just a stop on the way to their real destination, or they planned to meet a buyer here. Have there been any strangers in town? Besides us, of course."
Gregor wonders what might be behind the mayor's troubled demeanor. Though he's glad that the mayor seems to be getting along well enough with the party.
Do ships travel from here, and to where,if you don't mind me asking the question? Maybe the thieves wanted to travel by sea...
Sophie keeps watching and waiting, biding her time.
Do ships travel from here, and to where,if you don't mind me asking the question? Maybe the thieves wanted to travel by sea...
"Lake Encarthan isn't quite the ocean, but there's still substantial trade on it. Perhaps they wanted to take it to Caliphas but needed to avoid a mountain route."
Have there been any strangers in town? Besides us, of course.
No sma’am, no one has come to town lately. In fact, you’re the first foreigners we’ve had through here in some time.
Do ships travel from here, and to where,if you don't mind me asking the question? Maybe the thieves wanted to travel by sea...
We are mainly a fishing town. He then frowns and lowers his voice, We’ve had a turn of bad luck lately. The fishing boats haven’t been coming in full for the last few weeks, and folks are starting to get nervous. I wouldn’t say it’s a crisis yet, but I expect folks’ll look anywhere to blame something. The Vizier of the Order says there’s nothing to worry about—the lake has always provided for us, and it always will, provided we respect it and keep to the old ways. Things’ll turn around; they always do.
Despite the ending words of optimism, It is obvious that Mayor Greedle is worried.
"The Order? I've heard of a lot of organizations that call themselves something like that--what's this one, if you don't mind me asking?"