Oh I don't know sir I'm sorry. He patrols the town and the hinterlands so could be anywhere really.
He nods at the girl "Thanks.". He turns towards the group "Should we wait? The sheriff seems like our best shot at some info"
He nods at the girl "Thank you, you have been most helpful. I think we'll go ask around town and then head to the jail see if any of his deputies are around." He bows to the girl again and then turns walking out of the town hall. "Let's not waste any time, lets stick to two teams Me, Morbar and Jon. Then Seb, Cara and Davos. We meet back here at the town hall." He then reaches around in his pocket taking out two rings.
"Cara please take this ring.. its the same as i used before it will link us, if you are ever in trouble you can take the ring off and we will come looking for you or the same for me." He puts the ring on her remembering the last person he gave this ring to it didn't help them and then as the two rings touch a flash of light radiates from them linking them with divine power. "Any problems with that plan?"
"Sounds good, but what we gonna do just wander around asking random people if they have seen the rider? Or do you have somewhere in mind for each group to head too?" Morbar turns to the other group "Seb and cara keep the elf safe you know he's an assassin magnet" the dwarf jests "
In all seriousness though I know you can handle yourselves but if you take the ring off we will be there as soon as possible even if you only suspect danger take it off better safe than sorry"
Before the group leaves the town hall Davis approaches the clerk "Good day I'm Davos Bixby, may I ask what kind of records are kept here ?"
Markus catches the eye of a few townsfolk while most have no interest talking to him he does get some information out of them.
Umm... well.. town records... I guess? I don't know I just take appointments really. The Sheriffs office is upstairs, so is the Mayor's and down the hall are the council chambers. the girl replies somewhat hesitantly.
The three hang around the town square, looking over the tall statue of the sea captain whilst they wait for citizens that they might engage in conversation. However, some of the men from the bar earlier spot you and they cross the square deliberately away from you. A woman with three squalling children enters the square and the men approach her, point at you and with a shake of her head she turns away and heads the way she came. The three men meanwhile, shuffle off toward the wharves.
The monk smiles at the girl in the town hall. "Would you mind telling us if you have heard any rumours or seen any strangers other than ourselves in town recently? You would really be helping us."
Diplomacy
For now, Sebastian, Davos and Cara try to make small talk with the girl who shuffles papers and files a few things away but largely, is only too happy to chat since she seems to have precious little else to do.
The girl cranes her neck left and right as if trying to make sure no one can hear her and then answers;
Mr, I couldn't tell you who was strange around here and who wasn't! Like I said I only work here part time, my family is actually from Thurshmoor and I ride here at the start of each week. Every Wealday I ride back and work the rest of the week at my Dad's fish market. He's out fishing for a few days you see and I can't just sit about and not work whilst he's out in the Bay and work is scarce in 'Moor these days so I had to come all the way here to find something.
She casts another look.
My family's been in fish for years an' years but even I can't get used to the smell around here! Heehee! she giggles.
You folks look like strangers though. Where are you from?
The monk smiles. "Most recently, we are from Thrushmoor ourselves. Before that Lepistadt. What is making the smell do you think? I find it curious that someone used to fishermen would find this place particularly odourous."
Swamps I reckon. The fish part is fine, I always liked the smell of the bay, but there's all these bogs and they stink something awful. In the 'Moor we call them musties.
"Someone has to find them Morbar" he says back to the dwarf
"Thank you for your time, I'm sure we'll be back later on" He says politely and smiles to the clerk. As the rest of them outside Davos turns to the others, "Perhaps the rider may have taken a ship from the dock, be worth a try and gather information down there what you two reckon?"
Morbar leans against a wall as Markus and Jon try to get the attention of some locals. " Real friendly round here anit they?" he says to Jon as the locals actively avoid them. "Maybe we should try somewhere else? They aren't helping things much" he points to the men from the inn turning the woman and her children the other way.
"It seems no ones in the talking mood, let's move on he to that big building over there."
thanks for the help Jon smiles at the young receptionist and nodding to Markus he replies
I'm fine with that Markus, let's head out? But where to? I say we make for the docks and have a talk with the fishermen he suggests we need to start somewhere he says and they head out into the bleak town once more.after they ask around a little in the town Jon suggests again they try the fishermen.
As they approach the docks Jon makes his way over to a group of men mending nets
long days and pleasant nights, what's the catch like on the lake? The fish biting much? he asks them I met a baker in thrushmore swore that their part of the lake had the best fishing by far. Then again she was a baker and a woman to boot I'm sure she couldn't tell one end of a fishing pole from the other he says with a laugh she made a damn fine cheese and ham popkin though I'll give her that. Names Moulton, Jon Moulton. me and my friends are just passing through but we are looking for some other folk, a rider all dressed in black maybe you've seen someone around like that ? he asks after the small talk has died down.
Jon leads Morbar and Markus passed the Whistler's Place and across the town square. To the south another large building stands, this one with a crooked steeple and large double doors, ostensibly a church.
To the west are a series of small buildings, possibly residential, what appears to be a tavern and a small store.
The trio continue toward the bay, the smell of fish and salt water growing ever stronger. Most of the fishermen you saw from the road appear to be packing away most of their gear and you stand and watch them for a time, hoping to catch some when they aren't in great numbers and also when you wouldn't be disturbing them too greatly.
They also take the time to explore the wharf area.
The warehouse you saw from the road is in fact a boat-builder. A large shed with huge double doors stands with a launching ramp running up to it. A boat, currently on runners, looks as if it is about to launch. As you pass you see a burly man with strong arms and a bare chest, patches of which carry that dry greyish skin you have seen so often here, step on board. There is some commotion on the boat and when you look closer you can see he has a struggling chicken held by it's feet in his left hand. With his right, he raises a short-bladed knife and slits the bird's throat before dousing the deck of the boat in blood.
It is at that moment that you see a pair of fishermen hauling lobster pots from beside one of the jetties and Jon approaches to make conversation.
The pair, hard-looking, rough skinned men, look at Jon with a mixture of suspicion and distrust. But apparently one of them must think the bearded man looks at least somewhat ok as he slowly says:
Yeah well she's probly right. the man admits in a slow drawl. Fishin's been poor of late, and the Neighbours h'ain't been seen fer a while. Mayhaps they got fed up with all the foreigners hereabouts lately and just up and left. Things is so bad folks have even seen the Watcher in the Bay near to town. That can't mean no good.
what other strangers have you seen about town? Any that match the description of the man in black we are looking for ? Jon asks the fisherman what is the watcher in the bay? Never heard of it to be honest but then I'm new to these parts he says with an easy smile.
Markus wanting to help Jon speaks up. [b]"Please would you help me and my friends? What is all this talk of the Watcher on the Bay?
The man looks back down to his lobster pots and hauls them up on a line over his shoulder. With a dismissive grumble and a shuffling gait, he makes his way back into town.
"Well that went just as well" Morbar says as he watches the fisherman walk away " At least we got a little info though" Morbar looks out across the water "Wonder what this watcher is though? It can't be conicidence it comes back just as the ways rider turns up"
"Thank you for your time. We may return to see the Sheriff. My friend here will want to ask for permission to cjew the records.
Sebastian, Cara and Davos leave the town hall. The monk spots the others heading for the docks so he points in another direcrion. "let us try the church."
The three head across the square, nodding in greeting and smiling at the locals. Their efforts are met with indifference and on occasion hostility. They stop before the door to the large building that resembles a church and Sebastian knocks loudly on the door before slowly turning the handle and opening the door.
He leads the others inside the simple cestry and calls out. "Hello. Is anyone here?"
"Some local legend of sea monsters... but there is always some truth in legend. As you said Morbar could this be what the way is after here? We need to keep asking around." Let's head over here there has to be someone in the town that will speak with us.
Markus waves down some passerby hoping to get there attention to ask a few questions. "Hello, we're new in town and wanted to ask if you had seen a rider all in black pass through the town recently? We'd also like to know what all this talk is over the watcher? is it true he's been seen?"
Sebastian knocks on the door of the church and steps inside.
As he does so he grimaces, wishing he hadn't banged so loudly. He steps into an open, colonnaded portico that he can see faces the dark waters of Lake Encarthan down toward the wharves and beyond. A stone statue of a mermaid with long, flowing green hair holding a trident and a conch
shell stands in the middle of the portico, also looking out to sea.
An open archway to the east leads inside through which two leaded stained-glass windows to the north and south display images of the same mermaid depicted by the statue and beyond which he can see rows and rows of pews within a central meeting hall, decorated with a decidedly nautical theme. A wooden statue of the same mermaid depicted elsewhere in the temple stands at the front of the hall, though she holds a strange octopoid creature in one hand rather than a conch shell.
Many of the pews are occupied and you guess there are perhaps twenty people in attendance of a service being held by a priest at the far end of the hall. He is dressed in elaborate sea green robes, with silver trim and a motif of fish leaping through the surf.
You notice that with some curiosity that the shoes of the worshippers line the initial entrance hall. It is a practice Sebastian is familiar with though it is the first time he has seen it away from his homeland.
You wait patiently for the service to end which takes considerably longer than you expect.
At the end, the parishioners file out gossipping among themselves as they see the strange outsiders, offering you openly hostile glances. The priest approaches after he has seen the others out. He looks barely more accommodating than any of the citizens, but he at least engages you in conversation.
Strangers. You upset the parishioners with your presence. Why have you come to this Church? he asks pointedly.
Walking into the church the others take an empty pew just by the doorway looking at the statue he whispers to the others "I'm not sure who that statue depicts" and waits for the service to be over "Cara and Sebastian your up, make a good impression let's not have similar indecent as we did in the inn"
After the fishermen move away, Markus, Morbar and Jon continue searching the wharf for anyone else who might enter into conversation with them, but feeling like pariah's the fishermen ignore them and move on.
Eventually Markus approaches the man in the boat shed.
The Watcher. the man says. Big as life and twice as ugly I reckon. he adds cryptically. You seen it? It's close to town and that ain't good. No one knows what it is but I seen it. Just a shadow beneath the surface, a tentacle breaking a wave. Probly already done for that feller chained to the rocks. Who are you lot anyway?
He moves about on the blood-smeared deck as he talks to you, loading nets and lanterns, chains and barrels onto the small boat.
I can see why people would be afraid of it Jon says as he listens to the description of the leviathan. who is this man you mentioned? Why would he be chained to the rocks? Jon asks wondering if it is a sacrifice or a punishment.
The monk removes his boots and steps forward. "Sebastian Skarsol. Good sir, we are travelers passing through. You have my humble apologies for disturbing your sermon. I meant no offence."
He looks around at the church. "This place is truly a testament to your faith. Though in my ignorance you will forgive me for not recognising your god. I am not a learned man."
Diplomacy
I wonder if you could help us. We are seeking someone. Another traveller, dressed in black. Would you be able to help?"
"I remember something about a monster in the water.. I can't place it though." He looks to Morbar and Jon.
"The tower" Morbar snaps his fingers "Desnas vision of that horrible tentacle beast" he looks out at the lake "It's was about this lake not the sea. It must be why the way is here. We have to stop them before they unleash that horrible thing"
Wait Morbar double glances in retaliation at the words "There's a man chained to the rocks? We should help him. We can't leave him to die and for all we know that maybe what wakes the beast"
The priest looks only slightly easier at the monk. It seems he appreciates his words on the decorations within the church and replies.
This is the Recondite Order of the Indomitable Sea. That, he points to the mermaid. ...is the Wind and the Sea - Gozreh. She watches over us and our men at sea.
I'm afraid I've seen no riders lately. There is that Lucas chap who showed up a while back. He mainly keeps to himself and doesn't cause trouble. the last is spoken pointedly, almost like an accusation.
Skrint his name is I think. Done killed someone from what I heard. You never answered me. he says irritably. Who are you lot?
The monk looks around the church and motions to the stained glass windows. "They are beautiful. "
Diplomacy
"Who is this Lucas? He may be the very man we seek. Do you know where we would find him?"
I don't know him. But when strangers come to town we hear about it. If he's staying anywhere I would imagine it would be the Whistlers Place. Now please, if you'll excuse me I have morning preparations for morning prayers to attend to before I retire.
"I'm Markus Valon priest of Desna, this is Morbar and Jon. We've come from Thrushmoor we are friends looking for this dark rider he carries a dark meaning about him. We only seek rumors of where he could be or where he was going, but this talk of the watcher intrigues us."
Nope, no riders been through town lately that I seen. P'raps they went to see the Neighbors down bay.
Morbar stares blankly at Markus as he casually carries on his conversation with te fisherman "F!#+ Markus! How messed up are you. He doesn't even bat an eye lid at a man being tied up and left to creature. We will make Adivion pay!"
The dwarf turns back to the sailor
"I'm sorry friend I was distracted by the tales of the beast as my friend said my names Morbar, is being tied To a rock the standard punishment for murder round here then?"
Jasper Stane. he says by way of introduction. Aye, it serves well enough. Most of 'em will bash their own brains out on the rocks before letting the crabs and fish have 'em. the man replies casually.
"Thank you father, for your time" he watches the father leave and turns to the others "So it seems we manage to get some useful information, good job just a pity we need to go back to the inn where we're not welcome"
"Thank you sir. You have been helpful."
They leave and he turns to Davos. "You are right but there is nothing to stop us watching the place to see if he comes out. We could follow him."
Jon shudders as Morbar speaks about the vision from the shudder wood.
you may be right Morbar, I hope you aren't but it's too much of a coincidence he says to the dwarf.
thank you jasper. We would like to know more about this watcher. Is there anyone else we can ask in town about it?
Everyone knows something about the Watcher I suppose. That crackpot Croon has always been obsessed with the bay though, you might try him I guess
Anyway, I got to get on, best you find lodgings at the Whistlers Place, lest you want to sleep in the bog.
They leave the docks and Jon says
maybe we should find that strange sailor , he may be able to put us up for the night. We did save him and his precious cargo after all.
I'd rather sleep on his floor than out in this stinking bog
They find the others soon enough and discuss what they are going to do about finding a roof for the night.
"So it seems everyone got some useful information today, just a shame that the guy Lucas we not sure what he looks like, so we better try our luck with the inn keeper again." he says to everyone