Iron Gods Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Daniel Penfold 351

Poshment scowls at the man. "Don't you like the stars? The space? Inn rooms can just get so cramped!" As discreetly as he can, he tries to look sideways at his friends. Damn, the opening line is always supposed to be the only line! Can we even tell him about spies? WHAT IF HE IS THE SPY?! HELP HELP HELP!

'Truth be told, our small friend here has a bit of an issue with his drink. We thought setting up here for the night might keep him dry and out of trouble.' Alldur flashes his most convincing smile.

Bluff: 1d20 ⇒ 5 Oh, this will go well...

"Yeah right, I'll let you stay here I guess on two conditions:

2) You don't disturb the other guests."

Are you going to take up his offer?

"I, er, ok then," Poshment says before shrugging to the others and handing over the gold. He then clutches Alldur's robes and gives him puppy-dog eyes. "Do I have a drinking problem? I, I, always thought you were supposed to tilt the mug towards your mouth, but I could try it another way...?"
________
Poshment being silly aside, I say we move in and eavesdrop on people!

Zimdoz will perk his rat ears up and try to listen. Is it 20 gp per person or total?

Zimdoz hands over a share from their party money for the fee. He’ll put his finger to his nose conspiratorially and nod at Poshment. When they get into a common area, he takes a swig of heightened awareness and listens in on any conversations that he can pick up.

Perception, Heightened Awareness: 1d20 + 16 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 16 + 2 = 27

20gp total

Inside the compound you see a small collection of brightly coloured tents and caravans. A group of six Varisians are sitting talking around a small cooking fire, being careful to ensure no sparks hit the timber in the yard. Sid you notice that as you enter the yard one of the Varisians seems to be watching your group intently before ducking inside one of the caravans as you approach.

Alldur watches to make sure the foreman is out of earshot and he pats Poshment on the shoulder. 'Not more so than I do. It's just another classic 'Alldur master deception'.'

Poshment nods his head sagely. "Ahhhhhhh, I see..."

"What should we do about that one?" he asks after Zimdoz points out the Varisian acting suspiciously. He starts to point, but manages to get his other arm around fast enough to pull it down. That's a close one!

'If I were a spy, I'd like to think I'd play it a little cooler than ducking out at the first sign of strangers. I suggest we pay attention to the one's NOT leaving right away! It's a classic red haddock!' Alldur absentmindedly strokes his beard as he speaks, clearly enjoying the cat and mouse game of espionage.

Zimdoz shrugs, "I think Alldur is right. But we're not the most subtle group. I don't know what the best course is, but I know listening is probably a good step. Let's head over and I guess, share some stories with these Varisians? Then we can see what we can pick up."

The Varisians look up as approach, they eye you warily for a moment.

"Road's greeting to you strangers."

Poshment looks over both of his shoulders before whispering to the group. "Are we 'disturbing' you?" he asks. "Like, not bothering, or annoying, but 'disturbing'?"

"Yes, you are disturbing us".

Looking inside the caravan you can see there is a Varisian who appears to be smoking.

'And to you, I was hoping to get the lay of the land, as it were. We're new in town.' Alldur beams a wide smile at the group.

Diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 17

"We can see that! If you need guidance I suggest you speak to Heddick, we're new in town too!"

Seated, Poshment falls over with a thump so that his face barely protrudes into the caravan's entrance. "Hello there, can I join you in your smoking? I'll pay for it, if that's what you want," he asks, sullenly.

"Very well, come in!"

Poshment pops up and heads on in. Putting some coins down, he sits across from the Varisian and joins in. "Who are you? I'm Poshment! What brings you and your friends here?"
________
Diplomacy?: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33
Sense Motive?: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (9) + 15 = 24
What's everyone else doing?

Zimdoz peeks inside, then stands outside awkwardly. He doesn't know much about Varisians.

He watches for danger.

"My name is Vas. We're here trying to make some money odd jobs and things, we're all from Varisia, Magnimar to be exact...well all except for Ilarris, we picked her up only a few days ago north of here. She's Varisian but there's something off about her."

Poshment you think that Vas, although somewhat unfriendly, is telling you the truth.

"Yeah? Why don't you tell her to," Poshment pauses to take another puff. "To shove off then, yeah? What's so off about her?" Feeling pretty good about life right now, the Gnome rests his head comfortable against a crate of food. And just like that, my de-stressing routine has been expanded!

Alldur stands just outside the door, listening to the conversation with a friendly smile.

"It's not our way to just tell her to go just because she's odd.

Still, she does keep disappearing and muttering to herself. I swear that she seems to be looking for something about the town."

"Just weird man. Weeeeird. Ok, well, it's been swell, but I think my own friends are probably worried about me. Usually, it only a minute or two for trouble to find me, and then a split second beyond that for me to exacerbate the issue. Probably best for the both of us if I split before it finds me. Carry on, wish you safe travels!" Poshment says as he slowly rolls over, pushes himself up onto his feet, and wanders out the opening.
________
Poshment would head to a place they could all talk and share what he's learned (for anyone who might not have caught all that).

"Safe travels, friend."

What do you want to do next?

If everyone agrees, I say we find a reason to talk to that Varisian woman! Any other thoughts?

Perhaps its time for Vivianne to do something diplomatic!

Vivianne goes off to find this woman, shooing the rest of the team away with the excuse of needing some 'girl time' to herself.

Zimdoz nods, "I'm gonna see if I can find any valuable scrap, then. Stay safe."

Zimdoz literally looks around the camp for anything shiny or valuable, lying on the ground, that he could repurpose into something useful.

perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (13) + 16 = 29

Vivianne, you look around the camp but there is no sign of Ilarris.

Zimdoz, you do not find any scrap but you do find several discarded finger-cymbals. The other Varisians tell you that these instruments were only used by Ilarris.

Waiting for the "girl time" to end, Poshment does his best to sate his curiosity about the yard while trying not to bother anyone. After several aborted conversations just as he is about to speak, he settles for cartwheeling around until he eventually collapses from dizziness. Girl time takes foreeeeever! My head is like a merry-go-round, but all slow and fast at the same time. What was I even smoking?

She blinks a bit and looks around, before going over to one of the Varisians. "Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to know where Ilarris has gone off to?"

"She headed north towards an old farm."

Nodding along, she went off to go round up the group to head out to said farm. After all, no point in being secretive if the target is out of town.

"More farms? Come ooooooon!" Poshment whines, rubbing his face with both hands.

Eventually, resigned to his fate of farm-hopping, he inhales deeply. "ONWARDS!" he cries pointing where he hopes his north.

Old Skelton's farm is located at the northern edge of Badwater and consists of a small cottage and sturdy barn. The yard is badly overgrown with weeds that nearly obscure a crumbling well. It looks as if it once had a capstone over it which looks as if it was recently removed. There is a faint glow coming from the well.

Cautiously, Poshment creeps up to the well and pokes his head over. "Hellllloooooo!" he calls into it. "Probably wise to look the whole place over," he says while pushing himself off of the well and back on his feet.

The farm has clearly been abandoned a long time. The well appears to be about 30 feet deep and at the bottom you can see it opens out into what you think is a larger chamber, with a faint glow coming from it.

Alldur looks from the run-down abandoned farm house to the strangely glowing well and back. He thinks for a second and begins striding towards the farm house. 'Clearly another misdirection! Our quarry awaits!'

Zimdoz listens at the well and then follows Alldur. "I'd like to check out the glowing well after we see the farmhouse... just so you know..." he whispers to Alldur, conspiratorially.

Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 16 = 24

The farmhouse has been long abandoned, or so it seems. There are signs that someone camped out here recently and slim tracks seem to lead from the farmhouse to the well.

"I'll watch the well, someone check the campground!" Poshment says, leaping back upon the well. He strains his eyes to open as wide as they can, keen on doing the best job he can at staring at the bottom of this well that isn't really a well.

Poshment you can hear the sound of electricity crackling at the bottom of the well.

"It's the well - electricity again. Can we protect ourself from that?" He looks through his vials, "I didn't prepare an infusion for that." He looks at Poshment and Alldur, "any chance either of you did?"

To be safe, he pulls out his mutagen, and drinks it, speeding up considerably. He gestures at the infusions he'd provided earlier "we're infor a fight I think, drink up, Viv!"

"I can get one of those spells up, but I've already asked Milani for quite a lot today... Supposed I jumped the gun, huh?" Poshment admits.
________
Can prepare one Resist Energy, sorry -_- Who wants it?

'Aside from a very, very basic protection I can't be of much help. I'm more about electric output.' Alldur shrugs.

resistance is the best I can manage

She blinks a bit as Zimzdoz gestures to her. Nodding along, she takes out her own infusion and downs the thing in one go, shuddering slightly and making a face at the taste.

Are you climbing down the well shaft?

Estimate on the distance? Poshment is willing to just "test it" and falling in if it is 30ft or less.