Seeing the giant now, Flouncy tries to recognize him.
Being the one on duty, Koldur looks up as he observes the beast coming in.
He watches the beast to see if it harbored any ill intentions and if it does he wouldn't hesitate to wake the others while charging into battle first.
He does glances towards Soarwing and his fellow pegasi to see if the beast startles them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----
"Whoever that is, he's just standing there. He could be that giant or someone else. Doesn't seem hostile if he's just standing there." Koldur remarks as he too spots the individual.
Koldur you are not sure of its intentions. It is moving slowly. It is not threatening. You move a little and it bounds away. You can tell there was more than one. They were quadrapeds and move rather quietly. The pegasus did not seem to mind the creatures.
----
Your group is pretty sure it is your giant friend. Though he seems to be standing rather straight and his disguise is gone. He is for sure uncomfortable and in pain.
Getting closer or even landing near the giant you see that he is tied to a post and his arms are lashed to something akin to a cross.
---
Walking through the gates you see that there is a lot of workers about, setting up the roads, not just cobblestone but nicely laid stones. There is also small canals along the sides of the street. Upon entering the capital proper you see that the streets are nicely laid with stones.
Seeing your group land before him he chuckles a bit and asks, "Can I free myself now?"
"Is this how the townsfolk greeted you? And yes, if you can free yourself, please do." Beorn asks.
How long did they have you like that?
Zod breaks the confines that hold him to the cross and his runes shoot out sparks.
He then tells you, "I have been there for a few hours. Apparently they thought I was the thing killing livestock. I was taking a bath outside of town and apparently some common folk saw me. I didn't resist, I didn't want to hurt them."
"Something was killing the livestock? Didn't anybody identify them?" Koldur asked.
"Well not hurting anyone else would be in your favor. Perhaps we should go in and clear this up."
"Thanks, it is typical behavior of common humans. Or really anything that thinks and is smaller than us." He says simply obviously a bit down.
Heading into town,
Well, we know Zod isn't killing livestock, but something is. Maybe we should find out about that.
"Does this place have a constable or sheriff? I think we should clear Zod's name or at least vouch for him before we check on the livestock issue. The townsfolk don't really know Flouncy and me yet but I'm sure they'll listen to you guys (Rognar and Koldur)." Beorn says.
I would think so, Beorn.
Flouncy can't suppress a giggle, thinking about how this will all look, but it'll work.
Come with us, Zod. The dwarves will straighten this right out, he says to the giant.
You might make some gold, too, to get you on your way!
"Let us first clear Zod's name and ensure that he doesn't get trobled over this sort of thing. Then we should head over and find out any recent things happening around the kingdom while re supplying. I know I have to go pick up Moonshine if they have finished enhancing her. From there after we have completed our business then we should reconvene and plan our next steps. I'm sure some of us will have to meet up with the Council as well."
Koldur suggests.
"The Pegasi will have to rest as well and I'm sure they would want to frolic with the herd." He thinks about a certain pegasi who want want that.
There is likely a captain of the guard, it could also be a captain in the army or even the general. Though more likely it would have been the Warden or the Marshal. Since Koldur is the Warden. Toki the Marshall is likely the one who doled out the punishment if there is no captain of the guard.
You can use Diplomacy to gather information about a specific topic or individual. To do this, you must spend at least 1d4 hours canvassing people at local taverns, markets, and gathering places. The DC of this check depends on the obscurity of the information sought, but for most commonly known facts or rumors it is 10. For obscure or secret knowledge, the DC might increase to 20 or higher. The GM might rule that some topics are simply unknown to common folk.
Koldur marches towards the first townguard he sees.
"Where is the captain of the guard? I be seeking words with him."
The guard salutes Koldur and then offers a bit startled, "The captain of the guard should be stationed at the front gate of the castle or at his house. But he should be at the gate... ummm, sir... the black skinned one is with you?"
Koldur gives the guard a smile.
"At ease. I be not be reprimanding you. I seek the Captain to clear this one." he Indicates Zod.
"Of any charges brought upon him and yes he is with us though he has yet to find his place proper. I do thank you for your directions. I shall go be speaking with the Captain. Keep up the good work!" Koldur pats the guard on his shoulder, a rather difficult task since the guard towers over the dwarf. Somehow Koldur manages to dignify the hop he had to do to reach the shoulder.
At hearing Koldur's words he lets out a sigh of relief.
Going to the castle gate you see the gate open and several guards milling about outside. As you get close, they make a line and salute Koldur.
Flouncy strolls along with the dwarves, giddy, but not speaking.
Once within the gate you see another dozen or so guards milling about and listening to their captain. He seems rather frustrated and his nearly yelling at them, "What do you mean by you don't know. There was two killings last night and one the previous night. Then we add that to the livestock that has been killed we have a major problem!"
He then takes a steadying breath as his guards try not to have eye contact with their captain but one of them points behind him. He turns and sees Koldur and salutes. "Attention Master Koldur has returned!" The guards quickly stand and salute Koldur as well. Several of them have their eyes nearly bug out when they see Zod follow your group past the gate. Most of them had their hands on their weapon when they saluted, though after seeing the black figure follow you, they seem almost ready to pull them.
Beorn follows along silently, intrigued. He's never known someone so high in the ranks.
Flouncy knew that Koldur had some sway here, but this is impressive.
He wants to laugh, but he won't. Apparently, people are getting killed, along with livestock. That's not funny, and Zod isn't why it happened.
"At Ease all of you." Koldur commands.
"You can put your weapons at rest too. This man here." he gestures at Zod.
"Is one of us. So whatever charges he's got against him, it should be properly accounted for."
He eyes the frustrated Captain.
"Well Captain, it seems that trouble be coming to give everyone feeling ill at ease. I be interested in hearing of this killing and livestock deaths. Tell us everything. Since I be back here, I might as be helping out to keep our people safe!" He seeks out a chair and a table and maps if he could get a hold of it.
"How many deaths? Who are the ones dying? Any clues on how they be done in or any tracks left behind as well as the locations where their bodies were found. Tell me everything."
When Koldur asks several of the guards go and collect the items he requests.
While waiting the captain and several of the guards tell you about the going ons:
"Rumors fly that a secret mystery cult dedicated to the hag-goddess Gyronna has taken root in the town. As goddess of hatred, extortion, and spite, Gyronna’s cult represents a threat to any community, and tales abound of isolated communities throughout the River Kingdoms that tore themselves apart from within due to the machinations of the Angry Hag’s priestesses. If the cult has indeed infiltrated the town, it must be found and eliminated before it can set the townspeople at one another’s throats."
"There have been two cow calves, and four goats been slaughtered in the Reed's farm and Rowan's farm. There have been a total of three killings that we have found. All of them are commoner males. They seem to not have many friends, or their friends aren't talking." He says where each of them was found, in an alley way. One near the tavern, one near his own house, and the third in the slums.
Those attracted to Gyronna’s cult are often adulterous wives, embittered prostitutes, and spurned lovers.
has a cumulative 25% chance of actually being a
cultist, and each interrogation must be handled
delicately with a DC 20 Diplomacy check—each
failure results in rumors of “unfounded and
cruel interrogations” spreading through the
nation and causes Unrest to increase by 1.
Searching suspected cultists’ houses for
religious paraphernalia can turn up
evidence of the cult’s practices (shabbles
and unholy symbols) with a successful
DC 20 Perception check, but hunches and
circumstantial evidence are not proof, so the PCs
will likely have to catch the women in the act, especially
if they want to expose their leader.
Surveillance of suspected cultists (using Stealth,
Perception, or Survival checks) can lead the PCs to the cult’s
secret rendezvous. Alternatively, female PCs can use Bluff,
Disguise, or Perform skills to infiltrate the cult, procuring an
invitation to the next meeting.
"I'm not much good in a town but if someone can show me where they found the dead animals, I can look around for clues there." Beorn chimes in.
Those attracted to Gyronna’s cult are often adulterous wives, embittered prostitutes, and spurned lovers. Does anyone around here fit that description?
If these victims aren't already interred, We should examine them and determine how they died.
While there, Flouncy looks for produce the pegasi might enjoy; carrots, apples, and the like.
The captain offers, "The three bodies are in the wood hut, over there." Then points to a small structure within the walls of the courtyard. Then he continues, "Does anyone else want to join Beorn, I will have several of my guards guide you to the farms."
"I'll be joining Beorn in this Captain. The sooner we can gather clues on this killer, the faster we can collar this killer."
"These guards are the ones who found the corpses. May you have better luck than us!" The captain offers and sends you on your way.
Once they arrive at the first farm Beorn gets to work. First he will ask the guards and then the farmers where exactly they found the animals. With a location he begins to scour the area for clues.
the extra +1 is for tracking
Koldur examines the bodies.
Seeking clues in the manner they died and if there's any traces of the killers on them.
"Beorn." the old dwarf calls.
"Are you able to tell how these people were killed?"
With the guards and farmer's help, you soon find a trail. They even have a fresh one for you, it left half of the goat behind.
Looking at the goat you think it may have been bitten or clawed apart.
Beorn tells the group that it is something huge! It could be a dire animal, boar, bear, something huge and quadraped.
Through a field of corn Beorn can see the trail but the rest of you have troubles seeing it, the creature must be agile too...
Looking to Beorn.
"Be thinking it be that wolf we were hunting."
"It seems likely. Let's close in on it. You farmers may want to head back. I'd recommend you send back the soldiers as well." Beorn waits a moment and then begins to move forward as silently as he can to try and get a view of the thing before it sees him.
The farmers nod and the guards escort them back.
[ooc]Who if anyone is going with Beorn? Then you need to make a stealth check too. Otherwise you are 30 feet away from Beorn... you think as he disappears in the tall grass.
Koldur tries his best to keep up with the ranger but finds himself falling behind as he tries to keep as silent as possible.
Flouncy casts Message, to include all the party, then follows the big man.
Flouncy has little trouble keeping quiet, until he almost screams in fear after spotting the scary beast.
He doesn't scream, though. He instead tries to identify what it is.
We've got company, guys, he whispers.
Beorn draws his bow back, two arrows on the bowstring and lets fly. He figures the others will notice when this thing howls in pain.
Zod opts to follow the group ever so slowly,
Surprise Round
Beorn shoots off one arrow that sinks deep into the flesh of the canine.
I guess there is no penalty for manyshot, but there is no way to the RaW that you would get to use it during surprise round.
Round 1
As he heard the wail of the beast he double moves forward, finding Beorn and standing behind him.
Koldur charges out with his long handled axe swinging hard at the beast!!
Flouncy finds cover in the bushes.
He casts an intensified snowball at the beast.
Your group quickly pick up on Beorn's intent. With an arrow, snowball, and a charging dwarf you take down the panther like creature before it can even react.
"Alright. Anybody knows what this is? Is surely not be a house cat."