Gryfford turns towards Taltōsh.
"Perhaps we could talk to Adrien Bellgrave, this farmer you mentioned earlier. And inspect his fields for clues."
"Just a suggestion." he adds, a bit unsure.
What do I know about the undead ? he thinks. They wander around instead of staying in their comfy graves. They like to gnaw at the living... And they probably stink a lot.
Yeah, I am clueless... he sighs.
"Thank you so very much. You do not know what this means to me. I promise that this will not be a waste of time." He takes another great swig of ale and slams the mug down on the table, and for the first time since meeting him you see a full smile on his face. He gestures again to Alia and she disappears out the door you came through initially.
"Alia will make up guest accommodations for you. We shall prepare and set out in the morning. I know that you all been through quite alot coming here, so relax and slep well." He stands up from the table and crosses to the door,"I must attend to my evening prayers, but if you need anything do not hesitate to ask Alia and she will be able to help you." He shakes his head and leaves the room allowing you to disperse as you wish.
but if you need anything do not hesitate to ask Alia and she will be able to help you.
"Behave" mouths Arasmes with a cheeky smile.
"It is... terrible to lose all his family. I know. You have my sincere condolences for your loss."
He pauses.
"When all this undead tragedy is resolved - and assuming you and myself are still alive - I am willing to assist you in wiping this goblin tribe for its heinous crime against your kin."
He places his hand on the hilt of the falchion strapped on his back in a mixture of casualness and reverence.
"This I swear on my blade." he says with the final tone of a man used to live by his sword.
"I would like to have your opinion on a serious matter."
"You heard what Jean said about Arasmes, something about being able to see him as part of the living and unliving world - if I even understood him correctly." He shrugs.
Gryfford chooses his next words carefully.
"Jean is a rough bastard, no doubt" he has an appeasing gesture to indicate no slight to the red-eyed man is intended "but he knows his stuff, and he seems straightforward enough... when he deigns to speak at all, that is."
"Taltōsh, what do you think about Arasmes ?" he finally inquires .
Suddenly the Elf's voice.takes on a far more menacing edge. I had Chatterbeak here drop there eyes at the entrance to our hut the cheiftan had taken for his own. I will return when I have sufficient power to destroy the lot of them. Goblins are a constant menace to this town. One I intend to remove, reguardless. Feel free to come along.
"Well Alia, I've just realised that I've drunk this entire glass of very nice ale having skipped my last two meals. I, for one, think we should eat now while we wait for the room to stop spinning."
"Behave" mouths Arasmes with a cheeky smile.
"But of course" answers Gryfford in an all too cheerful manner, his eyes wide and innocent.
Bluff
That man is a terrible liar :-).
"Yes !" approves Gryfford. "We should have an hearty meal all together."
He eyes Arasmes with a pleasant smile and murmures something.
Arasmes grins at Gryfford.
Taltōsh likewise stands. "That would be fine Master McDarrow."
That evening after he has settled in, Gryfford approached him with a question, and Talto-sh did his best to answer him.
"I am a little uncomfortable discussing this, but as we must work together, I shall attempt to put your concerns to rest." Taltōsh said to Gryfford.
"Jean has been touched by the grave. That is, he has keen senses that allow him to more easily perceive the undead."
"As for Arasmes: He is known as a dhampir--half human and half vampire. As he claimed that his mother is a vampire hunter, I would surmise that his father was a vampire.
"He has 'one foot in the grave' as my grandfather would say. It would be a hard life, but unlike a vampire, he can survive in daylight and doesn't actually need blood to survive."
"Alia, could you show me to my room, i am exhausted. See you all in the morning."
Yolk says getting up from the table and following Alia.
As Gryfford comes to see Adriel in his room, he notes there is now a raven comfortably perched on the elf's shoulder.
"Those goblins directly responsible for my parents death are already slain by my hand."Suddenly the Elf's voice takes on a far more menacing edge.
"I had Chatterbeak here drop there eyes at the entrance to our hut the cheiftan had taken for his own. I will return when I have sufficient power to destroy the lot of them. Goblins are a constant menace to this town. One I intend to remove, reguardless. Feel free to come along.
Gryfford nods.
"I will come when the time's right for you, Adriel."He looks the gloom witch Elf in the eyes.
"I am glad for you that you've taken the lives of the goblin murderers." His jaw clenches. "Revenge is a serious business. I know that too."
"Well, I'll let you now. See you tomorrow."
Just before exiting, he looks at the raven: "Nice bird."
And then he leaves.
Adriel watches the warrior depart.
He seems to have a brain, but that one volunteers aid so quickly. What could motivate him so...
Adriel wondered at what life must be like for a gladiator. Fighting and sometimes dying for the pleasure of those too rich to care and too fat to fight themselves. How could a man possess a heart after that. Adriel's motivations were not nearly so deep. He could see he'd wasted so many childish decades in his haze, that he'd squanderd his opportunities to become a true druid or a proper mage. How his parents must have been dissapointed.
They died together, but he'd never be able to make ammends for his failings.as.a son.
Now all he could do is hunt and maybe a dissapointing son could do something so the children in this town would be able to keep what families they still had.
"I am a little uncomfortable discussing this, but as we must work together, I shall attempt to put your concerns to rest." Taltōsh said to Gryfford.
"Jean has been touched by the grave. That is, he has keen senses that allow him to more easily perceive the undead."
"As for Arasmes: He is known as a dhampir--half human and half vampire. As he claimed that his mother is a vampire hunter, I would surmise that his father was a vampire.
"He has 'one foot in the grave' as my grandfather would say. It would be a hard life, but unlike a vampire, he can survive in daylight and doesn't actually need blood to survive."
Gryfford looks puzzled.
"You mean Arasmes is an half-blood ?"
He scratches his head.
"Like in: half-alive, half-dead ?"
"How is that even possible ?"
He makes a gesture to Taltōsh indicating that his question was merely rethorical.
"It's a strange world, I suppose... and it's ours for the taking." he muses.
"That's what a friend of mine back in Tymon used to say. He was a good bloke : he fought with a flail-blade (you don't want to know) and would never kill you before you had the chance to put on a good show for the audience."
He laughs.
"Arnabian, that was his name. He looked like a normal human, but would insist he was the scion of a centaur and a were-horse... Yeah, I never figured that one either. And I never thought he was serious about his lineage, until one night at the bordello I fortuitously had a good look at his peck..."
Gryfford abruptly stops his ramblings and clears his throat.
"But I digress."
"So, Arasmes is a dhampir. His pa is a blood-sucking fiend who can never take a sun tan (unless it's his last)."
Gryfford thinks for a moment.
"But, on the other hand, Arasmes himself likes his meals well-cooked and is partial to red wines. He is friendly enough...and accomodating enough to his allies that he did not ravage our good friend Jean."
Gryfford laughs heartily. He looks a little mad doing that.
"Ha, but we are truly a merry band of adventurers ! And I will sleep soundly tonight surrounded by men such as you !"
He slaps good-naturedly on Taltōsh's shoulder.
"Hey, if you ever want to get laid one day, you should come with me to the whorehouse: I have a natural instinct for picking the smuttiest pros."
Gryfford has a hiccup. Perhaps he did drink a little too much that night.
"Good night, bro !" he says jovially, before leaving Taltōsh.
Arasmes grins at Gryfford.
Bluff = 11
This one is not so easily cowed... Good ! thinks Gryfford.
He laughs, sincerely and with abandon.
"Alia, I'm starving and would like this hearty meal I talked about ... and goodly beverages to boot !
For the rest of the evening, Gryfford enjoys the meal. He talks a lot, and with and more animation as the night grows old.
He is happy not to be alone on this night, and to have found perhaps some company for some time along this road he hitherto walked alone, and doesn't care to hide his feelings.
He doesn't speak of his family anymore.
Finally, he retires to his bedroom, a little unsteady on his feet.
Aluar remains at the tavern for most of the evening. He takes his meal with his companions but is quiet, if approached he quietly replies that he is full of thoughts this night and few words.
When you awake the next morning, the sun has just risen over the horizon. Pale beams of light flicker down through the curtains and you hear Alia in the hallway knocking on doors announcing that breakfast is ready.
When you exit the living quarters you walk down the hall and see Angus waiting to greet you in a small dining room/kitchen. On the table are a variety of pastries, meats, and fruits. As you enter Angus smiles warmly and says, "Good morning! I trust you slept well. Please eat up, we have much to do if we are going to solve this puzzle."
"Breakfast !" exclaims Gryfford.
He then proceeds to eat with obvious delight.
"Hoo, pastries !"
"Thank you Alia, I haven't had a breakfast like that in years ! I so like sugar... and you're a sweetie !"
A slow, purposeful stomping comes from the hall as Arasmes, dressed now in intricate plates of interlocking bronze, strides down the hall and into the kitchen, a bronze helmet under his arm, stakes attached to bandoliers and a crossbow on his back.
"You are a Prince among dwarves, Angus! This is a veritable cornucopia. I've thought of some things I want to try, but I'd like to wait till the others are here to discuss them."
With that Arasmes tucks in with a vengeance, favouring fruits.
Adriel comes in looking ragged. He never slept well of late. The is a Large Raven quietly perched on his shoulder, seemingly staring at everybody.
Morning.
He absently picks at the food and feeds his bird but says little.
Waking up early in the day, Yolk leaves the temple momentairly, going to the backside of the temple he places removes his wooden warhammer from around his neck and places it before him. For an hour, Yolk sits, head bowed while praying to Torag.
Yolk finishes his prayer and stands up, he gazes towards the sky with a benevolent look on his face.
Returning to the temple, Yolk notices Gryfford is already up and at 'em.
Smiling, Yolk says, "I never would've pegged you for an early riser." Pulling up a chair next to Gryfford, he begins to eat.
"Has anyone seen the" pause "Jean?"
"I have not, Arasmes. I am sure that he'll be along shortly," said Taltōsh as he entered the room, spear strapped across his back.
The man ate carefully, still without removing his gloves.
"I am here." Aluar announces walking through the open temple doors, his broad-brimmed hat pulled low to guard from the morning sun. Grabbing a handful of fruits he stuffs a couple in his coat pocket while proceeding to bite in to one. He then pours himself a cup of water, throws a piece of meat on a pastry, and takes a seat at the table.
"Jean," nods Arasmes "Yesterday we talked of swearing peace while we quest to save this place. Are you still willing?"
Smiling, Yolk says, "I never would've pegged you for an early riser." Pulling up a chair next to Gryfford, he begins to eat.
"Old habit ! answers Gryfford between two mouthfuls (the man really looks voracious this morning !).
"I find early in the morning is the best time to train at fencing, and do some gym." he explains.
It is to note that Gryfford wears his falchion on his back, even though he's just eating breakfast.
Gryfford greets everyone who comes into the kitchen.
He then watches how things unfold between Arasmes and Jean.
When you are finished eating, Angus stands up and begins speaking again,"Nothing like a good meal to begin the day!" He pats Arasmes on the shoulder, " And I see that some of you brought your appetites." He smiles at first, but then his tone becomes serious.
"Now, let us decide what our first move is..." pulls a map out of a bag on the ground next to the table and makes room for it on the table. "It seems to me that we have several possible routes of investigation to discern this vision better. The Bellgrave vineyard and farm lies just outside of town to the south." He gestures to a point on the map.
"If we want more information on the amulet or the magic that it holds, the best place to begin our search would be in the Great Library of the Capitol. They have the greatest collection of tomes in the area, and certainly someone there could point us in the right direction."
"And if memory serves..." He trails off puzzled for a moment. "Here," he points to a spot on the map, "Here is Westwood Abbey, it is where my grandfather took refuge when he first arrived in Varisia. I suspect that there might be more information about Alastair there."
He looks around,"I will leave it up to your judgement, seeing as how you've offered to help me. If you can think of any other place, please don't hesitate to give ideas."
"I vote for the Bellgrave Vineyard. But any other location is good to me, though I won't be of much use in the library."
"Hey, I can read !... but I'm not the bookish type - am I, Sharpest ?".
He makes a beautifully fluid falchion-like slashing gesture in the air as if to illustrate his point.
What does Sharpest mean ? Beats you...
Personally, I would begin the hunt where the trail is freshest. Should we investigate at the latest death site?
"I agree with Gryfford and Adriel. The Bellgrave Vineyard is the most recent site. We should start there," said Taltōsh.
"The longer we wait, the colder the trail gets" Arasmes agrees with Taltosh
Sense Motive check
"we might be unprepared for the investigation, i say we venture to the abbey first. I know this might sound strange but since we started with the last thing first, perhaps we should work our way to the present and start from the least recent location."
Yolk says, giving his opinion.
"Jean," nods Arasmes "Yesterday we talked of swearing peace while we quest to save this place. Are you still willing?"
"To require peace we must first be enemies. I do not recall naming you so. Let us be to work, if you are a hunter of the undead as you say, then we require no peace, companion."
"The vineyards then?
"To the vineyards !"
Gryfford drains one last glass of fruit juice in one gulp (no alcohol in the morning !), brushes the crumbs off his chain shirt and goes to his room to fetch his backpack.
Then he goes out of the temple to join his fellow adventurers en route for their first stop on the road to (Sandpoint's) salvation.
During the trip, he breathes in the fresh morning air tinged with salt and salutes the screeching gulls overhead.
He takes in the sights of the Lost Coast and throw pebbles at the brushes along the way.
He is in quite a good mood.
"The vineyards it is then!" Angus rolls up the map and stows it in his bag again.
"Alia will stay here and keep track of anything you don't want to take with you." She nods quietly and leaves the room momentarily.
When you do set forth, Angus leads you out of town to the south, and you follow the road as it winds its way for a few miles. The sun is bright and there are few clouds in the sky. After a few miles you see a large house coming up in the distance. As you approach you see a sign posted BELLGRAVE VINEYARD
Out in front of the house is a middle aged man wearing patched clothes talking very animatedly to a younger man in similar garb.
As Gryfford leaves Arasmes grabs a few apples and heads off to his room, tossing over his shoulder
"I'll just get my tracker"
A minute later he comes out carrying what appears to be a taxidermied dog. The dog is an excellent example of the art, save for its eyes, which are just dark holes.
"My apologies, Yolk, but it appears that we shall investigate the vineyard first."
When Arasmes returned from his room with the dog, Taltōsh cocked his head to the side. "Are you going to animate that? Interesting."
Taltōsh arranged his meager gear and drew his spear, to use as an improvised walking stick during the trek to the vineyard. Strangely, he had what looked to be a carved walking stick tucked into his belt (though one could easily imagine it being used as a cudgel).
Aluar hastens to catch up with Gryfford as he leaves the temple. Reaching down as he passes through the doorway he grabs a longbow which he had left leaning against the door frame. Picking up his pace to a jog, it isn't long before he is striding up beside the large gladiator.
Falling in to step Aluar says matter-of-factly, "No one should go alone in to what we face. I will watch your back."
Arasmes answers Taltosh happily
"Oh no - my grandfather helped me animate it years ago! I know it's only a construct, but it always makes me think of how proud he was when I decided to dedicate myself to preserving society and the law."
His voice drops so only Taltosh can hear it easily, and his pale skin shows a faint blush
"I know it sounds silly, but I actually named it."
Arasmes puts his taxidermied dog down, says some strange words and strides directly towards the old man.
Arasmes cast Guidance
"Adrien Belgrave?"
he holds out a hand to shake
"My companions and I have heard about what happened here. I can imagine how much harder running this place must be now this has happened."
His eyes meet the old man's in a direct and honest gaze and he does not look away as he continues.
"I'm not here to offer sympathy though. I'm here because there is a chance this was not the work of an animal, but of a person. If so, someone has put you in this situation. You deserve Justice, or at least Revenge, on this person. And we're here to see that that someone is punished for doing this to you."
Falling in to step Aluar says matter-of-factly, "No one should go alone in to what we face. I will watch your back."
Gryffords nods in return.
"Yes, better to stand united. I'm glad you and Arasmes sorted things out."
Gryfford looks at the taxidermied dog with squinted eyes and some suspicion.
Then he looks at Arasmes talking to the man in patched clothes in front of the house, and says mezzo voce (not intending to be heard by the dhampir):
"It's a peculiar thing to be travelling with one's furniture."
Adriel stands in the centre of the party, unashamedly planning on hanging back while he casts.
Gryfford has an urge to pat the dead dog on its back or pull one of its ears, but he resists it.
He's feeling impish, must be the sea air.
Upon seeing your party approach the older man whispers something, and the younger man takes off at a fast walk toward the house.
"Aye, I'm Bellgrave... and who are you?", his voice is firm.
He sees Arasmes outstretched hand, but ignores it, and replies, "You know who kilt my animals? You don't need ta worry bout vengeance, you just point me in the right direction, and I'll do it for ya!" You can tell he is getting heated.
"At the moment all I have is suspicions." Arasmes apologises, then waves a hand to indicate the others
"My friends here think that this may be related to some other crimes. We need your permission - and your help - in looking at the evidence to see if we can get some proof."
"Will we have it?
Gryfford stands a few paces behind Arasmes, hands on his belt, doing his best to look all reliable, while Arasmes works his conversational smoothness on the irritated peasant.