Grace accepts the knife and does not bother to clean it. She simply slices into her hand and squeezes her fist, adding her blood to the bowl.
Taking the bowl back, Yavenee adds her own blood to the bowl, stirring it with the knife. Picking up a small pitch black stone etched with runes she looks at each t=of the participants. "Whisper the word that matters most to you, then pass it on.' she says before handing the stone to Delendir.
Delendir receives the stone and looking absent-mindedly to it he pronounces "Father"
Then, the ranger passes the stone to Daud.
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As the word is spoken the stone glows briefly, seeming to suck in the breath on which it is spoken, leaving Delendir momentarily breathless as the runes etched in it pulse softly.
Eyeing the bowl suspiciously Sunday takes it and simply stares at the eldritch item for awhile. "I don't really have an important word..." he mumbles with a bemused look on his. He was almost to the point of just smashing the bowl and being done with it.
Shrugging he'll raise the bowl up to him, a rather pleasant yet pungent aroma filling his nostrils, only marred by a bit of muskiness of which he could only assume that Delendir contributed, and, with another shrug and eyes going about in thought and confusion he'll finally say "... Nair?... Kiley?... you tell me."
Shrugging one last time he'll then hold the bowl off for the next person.
Jessica took the bowl and said quietly, "Family. As the bowl glowed brighter she passed it on.
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"Rage" Elisai announces fairly casually as the bowl continues its circuit.
Having wrapped up with Yavenee's revealing bowl of blood ceremony, the party is ready to depart for the mill. Delendir mentions he tried to survive the place before the blood letting, but he didn't see much other than a few people arriving and walking around the side of the building out of sight.
Built over the mouth of the Yondabakari River, this wood building sits on massive wooden pilings driven into the riverbed below. A wooden boardwalk wraps around the northern rim of the building, and a flight of stairs leads down to a door on the east side just above the water level. The churning of four large waterwheels under the mill fills the air with sound and mist.
Upon finishing the ceremony Delendir approaches Yavenee "You have become very powerful and sage. With some of our friends occupied with burocracy, it would be great if you could help us visiting that sawmill. You already know it is going to be dangerous, but you know the place better than us"
At the sawmill Delendir tries to approach the windows without being seen and have a look inside.
Being late morning and full daylight, there is not an awful lot of dark places to conceal himself as he approaches. What Delendir thought were windows from a distance are actually nothing more than glare spots on some metal leaning against the wall. Unusually he notes there are no windows anywhere visible on the front or sides of the mill. It looks like there are openings in a rookery at the top of the building however. From his estimation there is an undermill, ground floor, first story, second story, third story and rookery in this roughly 50x30 building.
The noise coming from inside the building is extremely loud, the grinding and creaking of several waterwheels is easily heard outside and will likely overpower the hearing senses inside.
As you approach a tree to get a closer look, you notice a spyglass laying haphazardly on the ground of the three. The spyglass is shiny and obviously quite expensive, quite out of place just laying about like this. Closer inspection of the spyglass reveals an inscription: Glissande
Delendir picks up the spyglass and returns to the group "There are no obvious windows and the noise is terrible inside." looking at Jessica he reveals the spyglass "I have found this. An inscription reads Glissande was that not the priest in your temple Jessica?"
Observing at the mill the half-elf adds "Perhaps we could talk with them, but that will reveal our intentions most probably and they will be suspicious of a large armed group as us" and looking up at the rookery openings "The noise inside might cover our approach, and one of us might be able to climb up there and set a rope for the rest of us. Daud or myself, we can do it, what do you say?"
"If you think surprise is not needed, or climbing is too complicated, I can just close to the river door and attempt to force it" finishes the ranger.
"She's already told the priest what we were doing so our intentions are already revealed."
Yavenee nods as Delendir approaches asking her assistance. "Yes, in fact I feel a....pull to join your investigation, the kind I do not question. There are dark days ahead and each of you has some part to play in them though I know not what. Let me gather a few things and I will join you."
Feeling the new connection with his companions but yet not fully understanding it he vows to Yavenee and the others "I never expected to find someone so close to go through all this business"
He then walks out of the room and slowly dresses himself. It seems Delendir will and confidence has been strengthen by this experience.
"You mean Jessica by the 'she'?" asks Delendir "If our enemies got Glissande, things are going just worst than we thought, and we need to hurry up in our decision. Do you see other solution or shall we try the climb up?"
"'Twas stupid to split up, and let others know what we were doing."
Ignoring Daud's mumblings Delendir focuses at the task at hand "Mmm... a closer inspection tells me perhaps forcing the door will have better options than attempting to climb up. The downside is we will be seen as attackers from the moment we force the door. I am still preferring this than trying to look for an excuse to go in disguised. But if you want to attempt a diplomatic approach, go ahead"
"The door could be trapped."
When Delendir handed her the spyglass she looked at it carefully as she replied, "Yes, Glissande is one of the priestesses."
Jessica carefully put the looking glass into her pack after wrapping it in a spare cloak and said, "This is definitely Glissande's, I've seen it in her office before, she keeps it in a display case so that it won't get damaged." Her expression was worried as she said, "I don't know why it's out here but we should keep our eyes open." She looked at Sunday and said, "And if we see anyone from the temple do not assume they're those shape shifters."
She looked at Sunday and said, "And if we see anyone from the temple do not assume they're those shape shifters."
Sunday slightly narrows his eyes at the priestess. "That will get us killed... or worse."
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Jessica glared at Sunday and said, "It's also the right thing to do, I won't allow us to kill innocents because we're paranoid Sunday." Her expression turned sad then as she continued, "I've already lost so much Sunday, I won't lose anymore if I don't have to."
"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean someone isn't out to get you." Sunday replies while returning her glare. "And I didn't say we should kill them on sight. But, if you don't want to lose any more people you care about, don't trust someone just because they have a familiar face."
Yavenee shook her head looking over at the vicious warrior. She'd know men like him before, large powerful, violent men who took great pride in their ability to hurt things. Men like that were the reason she hadn't seen her mother in years. But she knew the secret of men such at that. They were afraid. Afraid of those who couldn't be simply overcome with violence and aggression. those to whom size did not equal power. Men like him preferred to attack any and everything out of fear that something might pose a threat they could not simply snuff out with brute force.
She smiles as Jessica stands boldly, asserting her own ideal. There were many kinds of strength among them and that more than anything told her thee people were what were needed.
"Ok, I guess we will look at context. If Glissande appears here captured we probably can have a fair doubt, if she appears in front of us trying to charm us, you can directly stab the shifter Daud." Delendir looks at Jessica "I kind of trust you can distinguish her Jessica" nodding also to Yavenee.
"Well, as we seem to have no alternative plan, I will go ahead with those doors" says the half-elf unpacking his masterwork thieve tools and silently approaching the double doors behind the building.
After a first careful inspection to make sure the doors are not trapped, he quickly attempts to force open the door if locked.
If successful, Delendir makes a sign for the others to approach and only when the others are there, he slowly opens the doors trying to make as little noise as possible. Once inside, he quickly tries to understand the situation.
Delendir spots no traps and surprisingly the door to the mill is unlocked. Pushing he in he sees that the room is empty of creatures.
The entirety of the first floor consists of a loading area. An opening in the ceiling into the floor above is filled with a tangle of ropes and slings for lowering timber. Nearby, stairs ascend to the next floor. Two sturdy wagons sit to the south, next to a bank of machinery accessed by four low doors; the grinding and creaking of the machinery fills the room.
The partially walled-off alcove in the northeast section of this room contains several large mounds of filthy hay.
Delendir enters the first room with his bow at the ready, checking behind the wall to the filthy hay to make sure no one is hiding there. Turning to the rest of the group he whispers "Something big slept here"
He then closes by the wagons and gives them a look to inspect them.
If the area is secure he makes a sign to the group then points to the stairs up.
Jessica entered the building after Delendir though she made sure to wait til the others had gotten through before moving any further. Her glaive was ready as she watched for any difficulties that might arise.
As Jess and Daud enter the Sawmill, Delendir starts climbing the stairs to the upper floor if nothing is found here.
The group determines the area is secure and senses no immiedate presence of any creatures. They move up the stairs into a smaller 20x20 room. There is another staircase continuing up, a closed door to the south and a hole in the ceiling that leads up at least two more flights. There are ropes hanging down through the opening and it's likely meant to be used to transfer lumber between floors. The sounds of cutting and wood working tools can be heard beyond the door.
Daud picks up on the sounds of men talking on the other side of the door. Delendir clarifies that it's likely more than four men, perhaps more than a half dozen.
Delendir seems hesitant about how to proceed with the current situation "Shall we assume this people have been causing the problems at Sandpoint and Magnimar and enter there like a blast reducing everybody? Or is there something we want to talk first?"
He readies his bow, like suggesting there is nothing he wants to talk with them though. If someone else seems pro entering and see what happens, the half-elf opens the door and aims with his bow at the men.
"Keep your weapons out, but open with questions I suppose."
Hanging back a bit from the door, Yavenee begins a whispered chant, shadows creeping across the ground toward her, slowly climbing her body to create a flickering, shadowy field of force around her, barely visible to the eye.
"I can create a distraction if you wish" she whispers.
Sunday shrugs without turning around. "If it'll be more distracting than the saw."
Jessica nodded, "I believe words are the best first step, but being ready is a necessity." With that said she chanted a prayer and took on a more angelic bearing. She then touched the amulet and said the trigger word gaining an extra buffer of life.
With her glaive in hand she began to go up the stairs, "I'll go an talk to them first, be ready in case of trouble." She slipped to the front and then stepped aside so Delendir could open the door before moving into the room.
Wednesday arches a brow as the priestess steps up but doesn't otherwise say anything as he steps up behind her.
Delendir pushes open the door and let's Jessica talk to the men at the other side, but quickly placing himself in front protecting the cleric.
The door on this second-floor landing is unlocked and when you head inside you see a large storeroom filled with stacks of timber, firewood, and other finished lumber products waiting for shipment. A network of pulleys on tracks covers the ceiling, ropes dangling here and there to aid in the shifting of inventory as needed. Machinery churns along the south wall while nearby two chutes fitted with winches allow lumber to be hauled up from the holding pools below. Four openings in the ceiling lead to the upper floor; chutes extend through each of these from the log splitters in the room above. Under each opening is a collection bin.
Six human men work in this room, shifting inventory around and getting it ready move up and down the building for further processing or shipping. They are all working diligently on their tasks and do not notice as Jessica pushes in.
Jessica waited a moment to see if any of the men noticed her standing there but they all seemed to preoccupied with their work. Finally she watched for one to be close enough and not in a position to be hurt and reached out with the but of her glaive to tap him on the shoulder. With the man's attention grabbed she said, "I need to speak with you men, would you take a break for a few minutes so that we can?"
The men didn't notice her at first, diligently working on cutting, stacking, pulling, placing the various lumber piles. When she tapes one of the men, he turns to look at her and then drops the lumber in his hands to the ground when he shouts in surprise, "What the -!"
As the lumber clatters to the ground the other men all quickly stop what they are doing to pay attention to the glaive-wielding cleric or the ranger beside her. The man she tapped holds his hands up and takes a step away as he says, "Look lady, we don't have any money here. If you leave now we won't call the watch about this. Ok?"
One of the men holding a piece of lumber in his hands raises it vertically and bangs on the ceiling above him three times. His eyes shoot up towards one of the holes in the ceiling expectantly.
"We here to ask questions apparently, not take your coins. So stop that." Sunday growls out, the last part to the man tapping the ceiling.
As the man starts to mumble Delendir tells them a simple and clear question "Where is Xanesha?"
When the man starts tapping the ceiling, the half-elf's muscles tense around the bow F~&!! raising his bow and aiming towards him, the rangers tells him quietly but commanding over the room's noise "You stop that now or consider yourself dead"
Delendir shots at the offender with the bow before him can complete his action.
"We are serious here, tell us where is Xanesha and we will leave"
When the man see Delendir tighten his grip on the bow, the man he is pointing it at holds up his hands. "Whoa WHOA You just break into our mill and threaten us with weapons, relax! Let's put the weapons down and talk about this. Zanesa or whatever doesn't work here! I've never heard of him.
All of the men shuffle uneasily, looking between Jessica and Delendir anxiiously. One man shuffles towards Delendir and the other to Jessica, no weapons visible.
"Someone's sending the message on up. The whole place knows we're here." Sunday grumbles as his eyes go to the ceiling. Coming back down he says the men shuffling about, particularly shuffling closer.
"Oi! Stay the bloody f$*# back there." he grows out while pointing with his sword.
"I warned you." says the half-elf as he releases the string of the bow and readies himself against the approach of the men towards Jessica.