"Good. But I have others things to do right now. It seems that, either to the forest, the mines or even the castle, we should go out. It's better if we prepared ourselves to the journey."
Diplomacy (gather information) check:
@River: Dangrio gladly accepts your help, doing his best to find a quiet spot for you to help out.
@Marcus, yea a 20 is no problem, you'll have to give me a bit for answers, though.
If Marcus doesn't want me to join him, I spend the rest of the afternoon evening helping Dangrio with the cleaning, serving and washing up.
Ulrik steps back and allows Urtar to work.
What are you doing to her?, Vironus asks out of curiosity.
Rogar remains quiet and tries to stay out of everyone's way.
The acolyte holding the box of scrolls speaks up. "Since the halfling refuses to speak where none but a scholar can understand her, Master Urtar is using a spell prepared for getting information another way. Through her blood. Not a spell often employed, but rather potent, if you are wanting to know how it was shed. Rather, in this case he is simply trying to figure out why she cannot speak her native tongue, since this bastardization of Aklo is the only thing it chooses to speak."
Urtar, continuing his chant, places the tip of the knife upon the ground, and the blood flows from the knife, forming into words.
Cindi
Female Scrathae Priest
A priest's knife
2 minutes ago
Urtar looks at the words, mumbling to himself. "Explains much, and nothing."
Well we know she's one of the Triumvir from Desnal, with Cindi being her name, but your spell only seems to reveal mostly the obvious. No doubt the knife these words refer to, is the knife that Urtar used against her. Still, is the word Scrathae familiar to any of us? I'm not from these lands, and as such have not heard of such a name.
Vironus thinks deeply to himself.
Perhaps something is blocking us from extracting further information. This woman may be possessed by some kind of force or entity, though I know not of magic.
Speaking out loud, Vironus asks Is it at all possible that an entity of some sort could have a hold over this woman's mind, and perhaps be strong enough to prevent us from extracting further information?
Urtar sighs. "Scrathae is her race, friend warrior. What that means, I have no idea. Somehow, she infiltrated Desnal, becoming a leader in a city. Does not bode well. She is not possessed, of that I am sure."
Back to Desnal for further investigation then? We'll be meeting up with our other companions a little later this evening.
"That is certainly an option. I suggest tonight, you stay in town. It gets colder after dark. We can contain her here. A priest..." Urtar shakes his head, and instructs one of the acolytes to clean up the blood.
"Scrathae... Sounds Fey... Is there some place we might research fey?"
"Dangrio is the keeper of the library in town."
"Very well then. Can someone figure out where the other 2 of our group went? We have research to do."
We needn't worry about that, as the arrangement was that we'd all meet tonight within the Burning Tavern. Let's head there and wait for them to arrive.
RDR:MH
-they should run off, arrest, or kill (depending on who you talk to) all the short folk.
-of undead encased in ice
-demons haunting Castle Sengir
-a couple new religions secretly forming in town
-Yangrit locking herself in at night
-Standard wolves, plants, in the plains/forest other than this new witch
-Nothing about what lies in the mines other than dead dwarves. (some dwarves tell you of creatures that lurk in the dark, strike from the shadows)
-Some rumours Baron Sengir is still alive, but jailed.
"Agreed. It's late, we've had a busy day, and we definitely need to inform River and Marcus of our findings."
Having spent the afternoon and part of the evening wandering Ecland, Marcus finally returns to the Burning Tavern. He looks happy, but a closer look reveals that he occasionally stumbles...
At arrival, he will walk to the bar, towards Dangrio.
"Hello Dangrio, how's the bussiness?. Please, give me something warm. The townfolk seems to be quite fond of strong drinks... I'm afraid tomorrow's morning won't be satisfying..."
Ulrik heads to the Tavern ahead of the other 2. Leaving a standard order with Urtar that should anything more be learned he is to be informed.
Ulrik walks into the Tavern the Mysteries flowing about this town bugging him more and more as he ponders what is going on around him. He inadvertently sits next to Marcus and slams his head onto his arms laying on the Bar."Why can't I ever find a good woman to settle down with... I am getting to old for this crap."
Rogar waits until Vironus is ready to leave before heading back to the tavern. He smiles when he sees Marcus and River and sits down with them. "Whew! What a day! Did you learn anything?"
Dangrio greets Marcus as he sits down. Dangrio hands him a drink and dish. "They like warm drinks, my friend. It just happens that they are strong, too. Why wont the morrow be good?"
Dangrio greets the others as they come in, and indicates to River that they returned.
As Ulrik rushes out, Vironus is a little surprised, as his intention was to leave first, following his suggested action of returning to the Tavern with the two travelling with him.
Vi looks at Rogar and laughs.
What's up with him? He didn't give me a chance to finish before rushing off, when I was only making suggestion so we could get moving. Ah well, it looks like it's just us two for a little while. Ulrik hasn't seemed himself today. He's been so impulsive lately that it's as if he asks for trouble.
As Vironus reaches The Burning Tavern, he sits at the corner of the bar in his usual spot and asks Dangrio for an Ale.
I head over to Rogar and smile when I see him, I then sit myself next to him and Marcus. Arirai awake and gives a little squeak (in what can only be happiness) and then falls asleep again. "We learned many things, not as much as we would have liked from Urtar at the temple, do you remember Urtar? We then came back here as per his recommendations, where we were given use of Dangrio's library. We found out a little of the local history, maybe we can share it all once everyone has eaten? Did you learn anything?"
"We went to the Villa to see what information we could get from the Triumvir. Instead, she attacked us with strange magics. Fortunately, we were able to subdue her and bring her back here for questioning. She's currently in the local temple, being watched over by the priests. Vironus or Ulrik can explain better."
"You had to fight? I hope nobody was hurt."
I glance over at Vironus and then look back at Rogar quickly,
"So she is ready for questioning then? We also uncovered some information about the local area, such as it appears the Baron from Castle Sengir went to the witches in the Nox'mater forest for aid in a war, that both started and ended quickly. It was a war over riches as the baron thought the Dwarves were holding out on him and it was a war that he couldn't have won without the aid of the witches. But no-one knows what aid they gave, after the war both the baron and the witches were not heard of again. I am guessing the baron is either hiding at the castle, or in the mines of Grazilplitz. The mines is my best bet as it is after people go there that the spread of the curse stops for a while. Also the victims of the Curse have been saying things like, Arrest the Short People, She is coming or they even scream about an Eye. As far as we have discovered the first person who contracted the curse, used to work in the mines."
"The Triumvir had a talisman shaped like an Eye inside a Star. Maybe it's related?"
I look a little thoughtful, "That is definitely worth looking into. Maybe we should question them?"
Ulrik joins the rest of the group. Seeming uneasy as he finds a seat."So what was learned today?"
Vironus just sits at the bar listening as he drinks, knowing that River isn't comfortable with his presence.
"That's what we were planning on doing tomorrow."
From the corner of the bar, Vironus speaks up.
Tomorrow, we shall head back to Desnal at the break of dawn. I suspect the Triumvir who helped us escape, only did so because he wanted us out of the picture. This is something I've just thought to be a possibility, but I advise we all get some good rest for the night as we'll no doubt be prime targets for trouble on our return.
Vi looks at Ulrik and throws out one last comment before finishing up his drink.
Oh and Ulrik....NO SHOUTING OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING TO POWERFUL TOWN FIGURES TOMORROW! he says, before laughing cockily.
Ulrik laughs."Sometimes the stupidest tactics are the only ones you can succeed with."
Vironus stands and then heads over to the others.
I'm yet to see the truth in that statement he smirks, before stretching.
Anyway, I wish to catch some sleep. Goodnight all!
Vironus places his hand on the shoulder of both Rogar and Ulrik, then heads upstairs to his room for the night.
"Vironus it is cercumstancial that is for sure. Goodnight..."He then moves to follow suit to go to bed.
Marcus tries to listen carefully to the conversation, struggling with the dizzines that it seems had made camp in his head.
An assault at the Triumvirate? What? And who are these Triumvirate after all?
"Listen folks, it's not convenient to yell out our plans in places like this... I've... I have gathered some clues and uh... maybe we should discuss this tomorrow?"
And then, looking towards River, Marcus takes two not-too-graceful steps and bow:
"I'm sorry milady. This is no state to show up before you, I beg your pardon but I need to rest by now..."
Then, he leaves towards his room... mumbling to himself.
What a nice girl... a little unwary, but nice nonetheless...
Rogar leans closer to River and lowers his voice.
Another sun has risen and fallen across the sky. Another moon rises high above the mountains, mocking the sun. Sleep finds you well rested for another day. Tinious sits in the main room, whistling to himself as he fixes some kind of breakfast.
Vironus wakes up early, and as he does, he gets dressed, putting on his boots and armour as usual.
Grabbing his swords, he sheath's them as he heads out of his room and down the stairs, stumbling slightly, mid yawn, as he heads for the table closest to the stairs, where he sits on it, waiting for the others to come down.
Feeling hungry, Vironus asks the small halfling what's for breakfast, still missing Lou's cooking and conversations.
Marcus tries to wake up with the first lights...
and after less than half an hour, he is ready and going downstairs, looking for breakfast.
When he arrives, he sees Vironus.
"Vironus! I'm glad to see you awake so early. Did you see any of the others? It seems we have a lot to do today."
Vi looks up to Marcus, as he notices the man walking down the stairs.
Marcus! Good morning, and the same to you also! I guess we're pretty prepared this morning. Hopefully the others will join us shortly, but no, it is just I and yourself. I'm looking forward to breakfast, and hopefully today will shed some more light on the situations at present! He says, as he kicks a chair out for Marcus to sit down.
Ulrik wakes up before the dawn but spends the morning in Prayer and Contemplation. Not to long after the light has shown through his window he gets completely dressed and heads down to the Commons. There he sees Vironus and Marcus. He simply Nods to them and then heads toward the door. Something is obviously weighing on him.
Something up Ulrik?
Ulrik sighs."Meh, I am just bothered by the events so far. I want to go check up on our only living lead right now."
Vi understands Ulrik's frustration.
I know where the Temple is, so if you wish to go there, go and I will meet with you when the rest have awoken. He says, and then smiles.
Smiling Ulrik Nods then walks to the Temple and searches for someone to help him check up on "Cindi".