Leralt looks over to the paladin.
"Now that the matter is settled I will take my leave. As for the matter of where his hammer is, that is not my area of expertise. I suggest in the future, anything of value be marked by the owner. Or kept a better eye on."
Unless asked otherwise Leralt returns to the library to keep studying the statuette and letter in case he missed anything.
Wilds
"I think something may have recently been released. That may be a little bad."
Orin looks around to see if he can find any tracks to determine where the beastie headed after it was 'birthed'.
|
Songan accompanies Orin and Catila as they look for more of the strange creatures in the ground...and find some. With each new discovery, his ears seem to flatten more against his skull; were his flesh showing, it would certainly be pale as a ghost.
After Orin makes known his intention to search for tracks, Songan seems to again find his courage, vowing to himself that no one would be calling him a fraidy-cat! He helps Orin look for tracks or any other sign that may indicate where the creature birthed from the stony womb may have gone.
As they search, he remarks that they need to ask Tarquin about this strange grove at the earliest opportunity to do so. If anyone will know what this place is and what it is for, it would be him or another of the People.
Krupt shows no signs of hiding his fear, his eyes dart hither and yon looking for signs of danger. He's obviously upset that the party is dithering, but chooses to stay close, sidling up close to Lena and Orin. He pulls a hollow wooden tube from his apron and loads a small dart into it.
At the horryifying discoveries Catila's companions for the first time see the Gnome begin to emit signs of fear. Based on various comments she makes though, her fear seems to be entirely more for the colonists than for herself. The detective in her is still fascinated, and, as always, intrigued by their discoveries, but the caring heart of her is terrified by the danger the discoveries mean to the colonists.
Also accompanying Songan and Orin, she stays more on the lookout for any trials or paths other than the one they came by. For she is quite convinced not that the formations and aberrations are anything but natural, and as such, she surmises that whoever is responsible must have had some way of getting to, and leaving from the clearing.
Take 20 on perception, so, 30.
Wilds
Tracks are sought in the moss and beyond, but aside from a single spot where the stone is scored lightly at what appears to be a quarter of large clawed feet, no tracks are found. The claw marks appear to be avian in the front, but feline in the back, set apart about the same proportions as a horse.
Apart from those marks, near the base of one of the stone monoliths, there are no other signs of passage. Still, with the time frame of how long it takes one of these horrors to 'hatch', this area seems a time bomb.
As the group explores the stone, there is a sudden distance screech from the mountains on the horizon. A moment later a large flock of winged creatures takes flight from the mountain, as if startled by the noise. They seem to form a dark cloud over the mountain for a few minutes before gradually settling back to roost.
Fort
Leralt's bluntness of speech earn him a dark glower from the man in the argument. The woman seems overjoyed to be returned her prized hammer and does not seem to hear his words.
Wilds
Seeing as the rest of the group has the tracking under control, Lena instead focusses on the strange leonine/avian scratch marks on the stone trying to figure out what kind of creature to expect:
Survival
Lena jumps at the sound of the distant screech, aiming her crossbow as it pulls her from the close inspection of the rock.
"What was that?" she asks to no-one in particular.
Knowledge (Arcana)
Knowledge (Dungeoneering)
Knowledge (Local)
Knowledge (Planes)
Knowledge (Religion)
Perception
"I think that we should return to the fort to tell the others. We might want to get some back up before we go looking for the owner of that screech."
Wilds
Examining the tracks, the creature would seem to be a griffon. However, the screech was deeper and more angry that you've ever heard a griffon make...
Catila nods in silent agreement with Orin as she looks towards the mountains, her mind clearly spinning as she tries to put togetherall the puzzle pieces she currently has.
|
|
Songan nods his agreement with Orin as well, visibly starting at the loud screech that echoed over the mountains, eyes warily on the flock of birds as they descend.
"I am in agreement with this also. I also want to try and get in touch with Tarquin and see if he knows something of what this place is. If anyone on this island knows anything about what is going on, it will likely be him or another of the People."
Only pausing further long enough to capture in detail on her map everything about this strange and dangerous area, when the party begins it's trek back to the colony the Gnome detective moves right along with them.
"Finally, the voice of reason resounds..." Krupt stays close to the others as they move, keeping his eyes fixed on the treetops and skies above in case any other beasts decide to drop on him.
"Yes, I think we should regroup back in town. Seeking out Tarquin and The People is also a good idea Songan"
Lena covers the group as they walk back towards town, eager to find out what in the hells is happening on this island. What was birthing monsters? And what was that awful screech from the mountains?
With heads full of questions and a hearts full of fear of the answers, the group heads back to the Fort, arriving just as the dinner bell sounds. A lively debate is in full roar as they arrive, over the location of a missing hammer and a custody battle that apparently was settled today. There seems to be sneaking suspicion that there is a thief among the colonists and everyone seems to have their own idea who it is and what should be done with them. This discussion seems to be dividing the colonists along lines, with each group accusing a different suspect. Dissension is definitely rising in the colony.
Dinner is a stew of vegetables and coarse bread. During the meal, you hear the sound of a dry, raspy cough a few times, from different colonists.
Tired from their trek and the emotional and intellectual challenges involved, Catila nevertheless, using her maps and notes to aid her, makes sure that Leralt and Mevakh are fully briefed on all that those who went exploring found.
During their private meeting she also shows the mage the items the group had found, explaining what those they could identify were, but presenting the strange weapon and saying "This one we couldn't seem to make heads nor tales of. We know it's magical but that's about it, perhaps you'll have better luck Leralt."
She also presents the fragments from the circle saying "With Songan's help, we were able to retrieve most of the rest of the fragments you and I found the other day. When we have time, I'd very much like to go over them with you. Perhaps Songan would care to join us as well?"
When she learns of the talk of a thief being amongst the colonists she perks up considerably. Now this was a mystery right up her alley and something she felt confidant about being able to solve. She'd get started right after dinner. She takes the time though to congratulate both Leralt and Mevakh on their excellent handling of the situation and solving the argument of ownership.
She eats heartily at dinner, having worked up a considerable appetite, and tries her best to be cheery and spread positivity to those around her, spontaneously making up a ballad about the party's brave adventures of the day, purposefully leaving out any parts which might scare or alarm the populace. She also makes light of the thief, confidently assuring everyone that the perpetrator will be found in short order. She pays very close attention to the reactions of those she can see as she does this, looking for any reaction that seems out of place.
She also takes the time to interview the two smiths individually, trying to get the full scope of their stories and looking for anything which might help her solve the case. After dinner, she asks to investigate both their personal and work areas.
The sounds of coughing disturb her greatly, but she chooses to ignore it for the moment, focusing on the task at hand.
Actions:
Performance-Careful Teamwork 2(or 3?)/7 for the day, +1 to Perception etc.
Perform Skill-Sing Ballad (not to gain money, but more as Diplomacy, to improve the mood of the colonists):
Diplomacy:
K local:
Profession, Detective:
Sense Motive:
Perception:
(all used to gather clues to try and find the thief!)
Sense Motive:
Perception:
(for interviewing male smith and his work & personal areas)
Sense Motive:
Perception:
(for interviewing female smith and his work & personal areas)
When they bring the items they found to him, he shows them the item he came across along with the note in private as not to get the townsfolk in yet another panic.
"I will study them tonight but will have my spells ready for tomarrow to get some answers thru magical means."
He studies the weapon ahead of time to see if he can get some handle on it so to speak before he puts it under greater magical probing.
Cast Detect Magic
Spellcraft and Knowledge (Arcana/History/Nature/Planes)
Krupt sets his samples of vegetation aside in his newly claimed lab and places the body of the grick in a preservative solution for later vivisection. Upon noting the coughing during dinner, he visually identifies individuals showing the symptom and approaches them after the meal, asking them to submit to examination under the pretense of the general health and welfare of the community. He'll cross-reference this with his earlier examinations and see if any of those that exhibited the sulfurous smell are now coughing. Afterwards he offers them some tea, saying it should relieve the cough.
|
|
The trek back to the camp was done mostly in silence, the general apprehension of the party definitely ratcheted up a few notches after what they had seen in the field that day.
When they finally arrived back at the settlement, Songan made sure to go with Catila to inform Mevakh and Leralt of what they had discovered in the field that day, filling in details with his own perceptions of the events where he feels that they would be helpful.
After their group meeting is over and they go to sup, he notices the way that Catila perks up considerably at mention of the thief and chuckles to himself, musing that she was probably the only person in the entire colony that got excited at the idea of someone thieving when the (current) colony was only a few days old.
The sounds of the coughing around the fire sends pricks of concern down his spine, the fur on the back of his neck slightly standing on end. Still, he does his best to ignore it and behave as if everything was hunky-dory. He even joins Catila as she sings an epic of the day's events, himself putting on a performance of acting to give a visual representation of the battle with the gricks and the other fun had that day to attempt to further lift everyone's spirits.
After the meal, when the quiet of the night has begun to settle a bit, Songan takes a few minutes alone in deep thought, trying his best to recall any mention of an undead-creating disease that began with similar symptoms to a raspy, dry cough and had a relatively lengthy gestational period.
After the period of time he has spent thinking, he realizes he isn't going to come up with any more ideas or answers than he's already come up with on his own. That in mind, he returns to the place where he and the others had gone underground...to where he'd first met Tarquin. Even with his feline vision, he knows he has little chance of seeing underground in the growing dark, so borrows a lantern to take down into the tunnel with him, the glowing orange light casting eerie shadows on the rocky walls. He walked forward, careful to keep an eye behind him and staying armed, even though he'd have little chance against anything that went *Bump* in the night by himself. Maybe I should've asked Mevakh to come down with me... he thinks, though quickly dismisses the idea. No. He was already down here. Drawing in a deep breath and steeling himself, he continued forward until he thought he was near where he'd first met Tarquin the day before.
He cleared his throat, then called into the darkness...
Your interviews, however, yield much less results. Both the male and female smiths believed the hammer was theirs, and each was sincere in this belief. As for the missing hammer, you know that it was last seen in the crafter's hall. Beyond that, no one knows where it went and searching the building reveals nothing out of the ordinary. Their personal living quarters reveal not much other than a particular interest in halfling pornography on the part of the man. All in all, your search is frustrating.
The statue reeks of abjuration, particularly in its use as containment. There is something else in the statue, something malevolent and brooding, but the statue's effect keeps it mostly contained. You could probably learn more, but it would involve destroying the statue and releasing whatever it holds...
After this fruitless thought, you head down into the tunnels and call forth in Sylvan. After a few long moments, you hear a huffing noise and a reply comes from the darkness.
"The night is young and the People awaken. The Council considers your offer and no decision is made. What task brings Songan into the earth?"
|
|
"Thank you for hearing me again, Tarquin. I hope you do not mind indulging my curiosity from yesterday further. My companions and I spent much of the day exploring this place, especially the moving stones you described to us, and were greatly disturbed by what we found there."
"Creatures known to us trapped beneath the rocks in some sort of strange womb, beset by some creation that seemed to be feeding the creatures in their slumber, a strange malevolence simply felt in the air. The other large folk and I had no idea what to make of the sight and were fearful of disturbing the location any more than we had, so we left."
"I thought to ask you if you knew of the thing I speak of...what they are doing trapped beneath the moss there and why they seem to be birthed from the moving rocks, the nature of the strange red things sustaining them. I and the others agreed that if any could help us understand, it would be the People."
"I also hoped you could tell us more of this disease of undeath that killed the large folk before us. Some in our camp have begun smelling of sulfur and coughing. How long does the disease take to kill? Are there any other signs of it that we should be aware of?"
"The rest of our people have agreed to the terms you and the People set forth. We will only take for ourselves the swine and the feathered ones. Are the swimming, finned ones we call fish also to be avoided? We wish to be sure to do nothing to offend the Council or any of the People."
Leralt informs the others of what he has learned about the items.
"I will try using magical probing to find out more on the statue but suggest we do not break it. I do not have the power to magically bind beings, so would not seek to undo something I could not correct. Not to mention it suggest the being is stronger by far then we are."
He prepares two spells to for the next day to help find out anything more from the statue.
The large shape in the darkness huffs again in a low voice. "Huff huff. The Tall Folk did not die quickly. There was much sickness, then death. The People fled this place when the sickness came. If it comes again, we must leave anew. This one cannot recall time as Tall Folk can, perhaps five sunrises? As for the People, those who swim are not of the People. The warm blooded ones have been approached, but they keep their own Covenants with the Deep Ones. The People do not interfere with them. It is best if Songan does not interfere either. The cold scaly ones are not of the People. They taste good." There's a series of tongue licking and satisfied huffing sounds.
"Three sunrises the Council will talk. Much must be said and heard before resolution is reached. This one will go upon the sunrise to speak." He seems to hesitate for a moment. "Beware the Land, Songan Not of the People. It is not forgiving. It slumbered for many turns of the earth, but it is awoken now and it is angered. Something angers it. Something not of the earth. Something not of the water. Not of the air. From elsewhere. Beware."
"Greetings Leralt Littlehorn. Welcome to my Library. Is it not pleasant? The accumulated knowledge of millenia, all here. Including books no mortal soul ever penned. Nor read, should I add. And you may have access to it. Freely and forever. All I require is one small service: break the statue, Leralt. Your comrades need never know it was intentional. An accident, of course. Not your fault at all. And this will be yours. Yours to ponder for as long as you wish. Forever, alone and unbothered by lesser intellects. Free of their stupid questions, their ignorant views. Free forever. Just break the statue."
Leralt takes all of a moment to think things over.
"Not even close, sorry but this is not that tempting to me. You have no idea what I desire and I doubt you ever will. Now if you would explain the nature of the statue and or why you wish me to release what ever is trapped with in. That may or may not sway me. But it would go off better then trying to bribe me. I know of fiends, they give no gifts. Ever."
He hoped this dream was a weak enough connection that whatever this thing was it could not lash out at him. At the very least it could not posses him or it would have already to break the statue, he hoped. None the less this was new information to consider and study.
Knowledge (Arcana/History/Planes)
Krupt finishes up his examinations and writes his findings into his notebook. He looks at the grick, idly toying with the idea of delving into the mysteries of its anatomy through the night, but the nagging pain of his remaining wounds and the long trek through the jungle have taken their toll. He turns in for the night, seeking out Elena, Sister Mara, and Mevakh in the morning, not caring if the other adventurers are present, but wanting the Abadarian representatives to hear his report. He'll take them aside into his lab for privacy.
"I examined several of the colonists and I'm certain they're infected. The disease presents similarly to devil chills, pointing to an extraplanar origin, but it resists attempts to quell it. I can provide some minor relief to the symptoms, but they will get worse. Also, the disease is spreading. Whatever it is, it must be rare to be outside my expertise. Clerical intervention seems the most likely way to neutralize it, unless I can find something on this island that leads to a cure."
Leralt woke up, interesting another part of the puzzle exposed. So their were already more of the creatures walking free on the island. They were also targeting others, even colonist, to influence and aid them. He would have to study the statue more and inform the others, everything had a weakness an anathema to work with. For evil it was the holy, for fey it was cold iron, and many other examples of such. That was the key he thought. Shaking off the night time visit he went back to sleep, his head adrift with knowledge.
|
|
Thank you for hearing me this evening, as well. We are doing all we can to discern the source of the troubles that plague the island. If we discover something else or have any other questions, may I come tomorrow to ask them of you? Your wisdom is invaluable to us."
Once he'd received an answer from Tarquin, he bid the giant badger farewell and good evening, then returned to the surface. He immediately sought out the others that were still awake, feeling that it was important he relay the information as soon as possible. Once he'd re-gathered those who hadn't yet turned in, he proceeded to tell them what Tarquin had said to him:
Regarding this...disease. To Tarquin's recollection, the first party experienced symptoms five days before they begin succumbing to the disease. If we start dying to it, the People are going to leave. They had to leave the first time, until the diseased were long gone."
"Clearly something bad happened here, beyond the obvious. The place with the stones was a lake before the first group of settlers came, but Tarquin referred to it as the place where 'stones birth monsters'. Then the colonists began to die, the water turned 'wrong' and 'gave birth to the stones.' The People sent some of their kind to investigate, but they never returned...so They do not go there any longer."
"He left me with this warning: 'Beware the Land, Songan Not of the People. It is not forgiving. It slumbered for many turns of the earth, but it is awoken now and it is angered. Something angers it. Something not of the earth. Something not of the water. Not of the air. From elsewhere. Beware.'"
Pouting in frustration at the lack of results in her investigation thus far, but not even remotely ready to give up yet, wanting to bounce some ideas off of Songan. She wasn't sure why, perhaps it was because they shared such a similar profession, but of all her fellow adventurers, she was growing the closest with the different looking but gentle hearted Cat-man. She wondered if he would have found the Halfling pornography as curious as she did. What would a Cat-person find attractive? Only other Cat-people? Perhaps she'd ask him some day.
As she looks for the feline bard, she considers other avenues of investigation. How's many smiths were there exactly in the colony? Would else might possibly have need for a blacksmith's hammer? Could it have been melted down into something else? Did the male smith have any enemies that might have stolen it out of spite or revenge? Has anything else been stolen from anyone in the colony?
Her mind wrapped up in solving the crime and catching the criminal, she nevertheless is, as always, very aware of her surrounding, always looking for anything out of the ordinary or that stands out.
Returning to the settlement, Lena eats her meal while warily listening to the sounds around her. The conversations of the colonists, the muffled coughs and the findings of her fellow companions.
Perception to overhear details during dinner
Speaking with Leralt about the terbujte which was found, Lena examines the carvings with interest:
Knowledge (Planes)
Knowledge (Religion) to identify the carvings (additional +1 to each roll if identifying creatures)
Finally, after the meal Lena will confer with Catila about her findings interviewing the civilians regarding the rumours of a thief. Lena will conduct an inquiry of her own based on the gnome's results to try and uncover some information about the subject:
Diplomacy
Diplomacy (use both results)
Mevakh seeks out Catila, knowing her talent for determining the truth in things. Hopefully she would not be as dismissive of his theory as Littlehorn was. He finds the gnomish detective speaking to the catfolk bard. "Pardon me for the interruption. I have a theory about what caused the conflict between the blacksmiths, and it is more than a mere misunderstanding. I believe that both truly believe the hammer to be theirs - but what smith mistakes their own hammer for another's? The hammer is the tool of their craft, as much a part of them as their own hand. Were you to take my shield, I would know it instantly on another man's arm, and know if it were not mine. I believe that the man may have had his memory tampered with, to truly believe that the hammer was his despite evidence to the contrary. The purpose would be to break our resolve and our unity, to sow dissension in our ranks. You can see that this has already occurred, and I do not believe it to be an accident."
Your inquiry seems to bear out the others' findings. Both smiths had hammers that looked quite similar. Both believed the hammer to be theirs. Both accused the other of lying. Neither had any history of larceny and were respected if not well liked. It's troubling.
As the evening wears on, the colonists settle back for conversation before bed. Watches are set and conversations continue, but something seems to be happening outside the walls. All animal noise, usually insects, but some birds as well, has stopped. A low wind blows and on it is the smell of strawberry.
From the stables come the low nickering of horses. Something on the wind has them nervous.
Having made his report to the powers that be, the good doctor considers his duties discharged in fine order and heads back to his lab, closing himself in. Over the course of the day and the evening he takes the grick apart, layer by layer, studying its structure and make-up, taking copious amounts of notes highlighted with sketches of his observations.
Having become hypersensitive to the night noises of the jungle, their abrupt absence draws Krupt's attention. He rises, absently wipes ichor from his hands onto his apron. He moves to a window, opening the shutter and gazing out into the night, alert for signs of trouble.
Sensing a shift in the natural order, Orin goes out to the wall to investigate.
|
|
Leading Catila back down the tunnel, Songan calls out for Tarquin, hoping that he hasn't yet departed from the tunnel. If he is still present, the Catfolk will take a few minutes to introduce Tarquin to the good Dr. Eyesquint, explaining to him that she is of the same people as the Pale Guardians, though she has not yet become pale.
A huffing in the darkness and a sudden musky smell indicates Tarquin hasn't gone far. He snuffles a bit, sniffing towards Catila.
"This one is not a Pale Guardian. This one is like the Bone Takers, the ones who steal the bones of the dead. The People do not deal with the Bone Takers. The Bone Takers are not to be trusted." He huffs at this last bit and shakes his head, sniffing the air. "A Pale Guardian is nearby, in the place above. I smell his scent. Like the ground and the water and the growing things."
Outside the walls, the strange humanoid in the shadows freezes. It raises something to its lips and blows. No sound is hear. From the trees around the fort, more forms emerge, carrying spears and bows. They move cautiously.
On the Wall
Seeing the advancing forces, Orin cries out and starts to raise the alarm.
Awake! Awake! Foes at the gate!
Krupt sighs, grabbing up his blowgun from the table next to the splayed and pinned aberration. He shakes his head as he heads for the door, but the thin fingers of his left hand play across the mother-of-pearl inlays of his favorite knife as he exits and heads for the gate.
Leralt gets up. His thoughts moving between some fool letting their mind play tricks on them. The other that someone mistook a unannouced meeting for a attack. It made no sense that a group who could kidnap a person in the middle of the colony in daylight would be spotted before they even caused any damage. He heads to the gate once properly dressed, fearing that being mistaken would be a bloody affair.
Outside the gate, the figures seem to stop at Orin's cries. They pull back slightly, forming a wall. As the cloud obscuring the moon moves away, moonlight pours down and shows the scene in better detail.
The figures are the size of halflings or gnomes, yet they are indeed pale. Their skin appears spongy and their hair, as it seemed, isn't hair at all, but something resembling roots. They wear simple tunics of leaves and are armed with spears that seem to have been created from stone and wood.
One figure steps forward toward the gate. He raises one empty hand, then the other. He turns around slowly, as if twirling. He carries no weapons and the only way you can distinguish him from the others is by a rust-colored dust that covers his 'hair'.
He seems to be waiting for something, but what?
Leralt cast detect magic to scan the pale ones. He then cast another spell to whsiper words to his allies.
"My guess is they are here to talk about something, important by the looks of things. I would hope no one gets skitish and does something like attack. Someone with reason and the sbility to escape should go have a face to face. While some of us keep an eye on the other pale ones as well as on the colonist. One shakey bow arm can turn a meeting into a battle."