Please roll for me.
Sorry folks work hit me sideways I'll get an update tomorrow morning.
[ooc]Okay, I need to look back over my notes and get myself back in the game, I should have a nice tidy up post for you tomorrow. Sorry for the delay.
The group goes back through the house with a critical eye, continuing to experience, from time to time, strange supernatural occurences that seem to tel small parts of the story of why Foxglove Manor is in the state its in. With a wary sense Rullis realizes he can stave off the worst of the haunting effects with judicious application of positive energy and the group is able to move with little effort.
So guided by what reading he has gotten through to this point Vidar is able to take note of the images and icons throughout the home, something that will dramitcally aid his effort to puzzle together the various strings of information that is on interest to the group.
A number of oddities litter the house, items of art, interest or magic. Once certain that the haunting presence of the house is at least being kept at bay the group acquires a number of interesting objects...
The haunting screaming woman is nowhere to be found. No sign of violence and the mirror is intact.
There are a handful of texts and books that Vidar can take though they seem to do more to inform what happened in the house, most of what happened with Aldern must be within the miserly amount of correspondence you have. There is not hidden cache that you can determine in the third floor of this house so it must be the townhouse in Magnimar that the note refers to.
It goes realtively unnoticed until the group is ready to leave that Rullis seems to be feeling weary and sick but as the group makes way to wrap up its business he experiences an intense fever for about 15 minutes before reporting that he feels much better.
"Let us return to Sandpoint, I feel we should report what we have learned, spend an as yet undetermined time perusing the files that we have here and then simply rest for some time.
I would assume that after that...we might travel to Magnimar and explore the townhouse mentioned."
"OK, let's go, but we still need to find that necromancer, don't we? Or was that Aldern all along? My head is starting to ache and I haven't had nearly enough ale. Let's go."
"No, Foxglove and the Necromancer are two different entities altogether, but according to the journal, they experienced a falling out.
It is unlikely that he remains in the building, and hopefully, we will have retrieved anything of serious worth here, reducing the temptation he may feel to sneak in behind us, once we leave."
Kithian relieves himself over Foxglove's corpse of the water and ale he had drunken previously. "I'm done her. Lets make like a tree and blow this place."
Sayniek shakes her head at Kithian's antics.
Yes. While I would like to burn this unholy place to the ground, I believe that it would be more prudent to report it to the authorities in Sandpoint, and they can send clerics and investigators to determine the right way to assure that whatever evil has been spawned here is sent to a final resting place.
"Not to disparage the people of Sandpoint, but I have an inkling that they may not be capable of addressing this...
We may need to seek assistance in Magnimar for this as well.
But how to do that...?"
Kithian shrugs as he checks his kit and begins to head out. "Let the Sheriff and Mayor figure that out. I got a serving wench to chase."
The group works through the night and arrives at Sandpoint a couple of hours before sunrise well and truly spent from the last couple of days. Like always a small contingent treks to and fro from the docks and the Dragon and the warm smell of ever present ale and cooking waft down the streets as you close in.
Inside are only a handful of patrons, the truly late settlers or very early risers. Two sailors lie on the floor sound asleep and it is unclear if they passed out from drink or paid the "copper piece rate" to sleep in the common room.
As the group pushes in the door there is a mighty Oh no you don't! Not looking like that you don't! Bethana, the halfling meaid and confidant of Ameiko, rushes the lot of you and promptly shoos you out of the building with a broom in hand, corralling the lot of you to the offset bathhouse intended for just such occasions.
You have the god's own stink of you and I just cleaned up after the lot last night. Smell of death, vomit and something I can't rightly place but I don't think its good. Look at ya! Covered in mud, blood and...I don't care to think about what these other substance on ya are.
Shooing you in to the small building there are four tubs and a number of benches along with two shower stalls. The halfling points aggressively at each of you based on her assessment of your dirtiness...you there, you there, YOU ya big galut in the big tub and FAR away from me! What do you do BATHE in them when you cut them down? Bethana gestures at Kithian with quite a bit of emphasis before wheeling on the wizard, The bird stay outside!
Digging through a chest near the entrance to the room Bethana hums to herself inbetween instructions. Strip down. Clothes there. Armor THERE. Weapons THERE. Everything else in a pile... The halfling pulls out a variety of vials, sponges, brushes and a series of four small wax laden stick figures which she snaps in half and tosses to the ground.
Looking to Cam the halfling chuckles, You'll need to pay her back for all this I wager... before she wheels to the empty air, pointing to the group and giving instructions. Unseen hands begin to aid with armor and making the piles the small innkeeper has specified as she fetches a sleepy looking youth to aid in drawing hot water, providing supplies for cleaning and finally running to get another slightly older boy who she puts to work cleaning the groups gear while she looks after cleaning you.
After about an hour everything is just about done as the first hints of light becoming obvious as Ameiko Kaijutsu comes into the room,dressed in an outfit of silken pants, slippers and button shirt clearly having come from home and not dressed for a day's work yet, lazily eating an apple and looking over the hustle and bustle with an amused air as Bethana drags you through the final steps of the vigorous decontamination protocol. Ameiko winks at Cam and eats her apple propped in the door, Busy couple of days then?
The normly quite irritable Wizard decides to take no umbrage with Bethana this time, mostly because he is tired and sore, and because Ameiko might become upset if he were to make Bethana's skull pop like a ripe blood melon.
However, he cannot resist muttering a not-so-veiled comment about "Sleep lightly, task master..." before complying.
Summoning a pair of dire badgers in her room perhaps? They can roam around, and afterwards they will disappear, a crime with no perpetrator...
Allowing the warm water to soothe his aching flesh and muscles, the Ulfen wizard soon allow his thoughts to drift from cold murder to hot meals and beds.
Still, being irritable and acerbic is too ingrained in Vidars nature to be fully pushed aside, which is why he begins to mutter to himself again.
"A fine heroes welcome this is, yes, ghoul blood most likely do not smell well, but when fighting for your life and to protect the lift of certain towns, you do sometimes have to "get it on you" as they say.
And there are not always any properly placed bath houses to visit afterwards.
Most inconsiderate, we really need to fight a better class of villains from now on, people who understands the etiquette and delicate sensibilities of the common folk."
Sayniek finds a tub away from the brutes she is traveling with and there works to carefully remove her suit of armor. Before she bathes, she takes out a cloth and wipes off the various smudges caused by the former Foxgloves failed attempts to harm her.
Yeh, that ghastly Foxglove left some ugly streaks of goo on my armor. Its gonna take a good half-hour to get this suit cleaned up again.
When Bethana reminds the tin can warrior that it is she, and not her armor, that is supposed to be being cleaned, Sayniek apologizes and climbs into the warm tub of water. Unlike her fellow companions, the bathing for Sayniek is more about relaxation, and less about actual cleaning, due to the majority of all the dirt and grime being on her armor, and not on the delicate not-quite-a-halfling beneath. Thus, she washes off the accumulated sweat, but is otherwise able to enjoy a bath lacking in ghoul and ghast gore.
"I will take that debt gratefully, ma'am."
Camillo makes a point of not peeking at the females in the group, looking to see if there's a curtain to allow them some privacy, but forgets everything else when Ameiko shows up. With a towel around his hips, he gives the most formal bow his attire allows, "M'lady, you would not believe half of the truths I must share with you after these past two days. Gods, you are a sight for sore eyes." Clean but still damp, he rushes over and tries to sweep her up in a big hug, but she is too quick and he's not quite willing to run outside, so he's left in the doorway for a moment enjoying her smirk before he retreats.
"Bethana, do you think the lad is done with our clothes yet?"
Kithian shakes his he sits on the tub. "Just a little dirt and blood. Gorum teaches us to relish the signs of combat. Be proud that we have crushed our enemies. Though sometimes I would be willing to trade places with them. They do not have to listen to our mage.
The group departs the bathhouse well cleaned and in fresh clothes mostly relieved of non essential armor and gear for proper cleaning save for Sayniek who's armor is cleaned first and put back on her with Ameiko offering that no paladin she has ever known would consider their armor "non-essential" even when in town.
The group is able to track down both the mayor and the sheriff who have the foresight to invite Father Zantus from the church as well. The group meets in the mayor's office and begins to detail its various findings and the issues both at the sanatorium along with evidence that Adern Foxglove had devloved into some sort of undead lunatic. Positive highlights include resolving the issue of what crimes happened in the sawmill (Foxglove murdered folk and got other folks blamed) and the end to at least the immediate scourge of ghouls attacking townsfolk.
Negatives that arise are of course the substantial issues of who and or what Foxglove was up to, the now missing necromancer and the issue of the haunting of Foxglove manor. Zantus offers that he might have the right tools for the job but not the physical fortitude that younger more robust adventurers might have. On the other topics the mayor and sheriff are mute for a good minute until finally the mayor breaks the silence,
What do you think is the next step?
"Well, it seems unlikely that the necromancer (where did I put that name of his?) would emerge at the scene anytime soon.
From what I could gather, the parting was not on the most pleasant terms, so we do not know what kind of resources he could have scrounged up.
I would lay low odds that he either left the area for some time, or even for good, or that he headed toward Magnimar.
It is after all possible that he expected us to possibly defeat Foxglove and so went ahead to plunder what he could from the townhouse.
Assuming of course that he is indeed aware of it existing in the first place.
Be that as it may, I would suggest we too head towards Magnimar so we can see if more clues can be found at said townhouse."
The mayor looks at the rest of you to see if you have anything to add or a different opinion...
Camillo hangs his head for a moment, then looks up, nodding. "Much as I would like to remain in Sandpoint for a time, if the immediate threat to the town has truly been removed, I think Magnimar and the townhouse are the most logical next step."
"Caizarlu! THAT was the name!" Vidar snaps his fingers and looks quite smug.
"Decent Necromancer, average mage, inept battler, skilled coward and horrible judge of character.!
Not having been part of the group for an extended period, and unaware of exactly how the rest of the party and the town officials interact, Sayniek remains mostly silent. After Vidar and Cam have had their chance, she adds.
I agree. While there may still be threats here in Sandpoint, it seems that the trail we are following tends to go south toward Magnimar. Whether Vidar's favorite inept necromancer is the ring leader or someone else remains to be seen.
She recalls that there was another name, Xanesha, among Alden's belongings, but does not know what the relationship is and decides that discretion is the wiser choice at this point.
The sheriff nods slowly, My patrols are reporting a sharp decrease in incidents. We even look like we might have gotten lucky and saved a couple people before they turned to ghouls... The dark skinned man looks over at Father Zantus who nods in response. The sheriff continues, I think we will be fine as things stand. Shalelu has sent word that the goblin tribes remain at minimal size and are in-fighting, it will be a season or more before they become a nuisance. My men are guarding the sanitarium and the council has made arrangements for a group of laborers to come and tear it down and destroy everything inside. Although there is the issue of the shrine...
Zantus makes gesture to indicate it will be taken care of, The shrine beneath the sanitarium is no issue. The priest and acolytes of the church are prepared to go there tomorrow to deal with THAT issue. On the matter of the house though I was wondering if I gave you the resources, Zantus gestures at the group, Most of us are not clerics but lesser skilled practitioners. For my part I am honestly too frail to resist or rebuff the assaults of that house from what you say. I can provide you the tools to destroy this possession I believe and perhaps even leave the house...
Destroy it. The mayor sighs heavily as she leans forward from her chair. The sanitarium is being torn apart brick by brick but I want Foxglove manner reduced to ash, unless you think there is a reason to keep it standing?
"Not in so many words no, to be quite fair, the only property of any interest to me is already claimed by us in the form of Thistlethorp."
Vidar rubs his hands in anticipation and glee at the thought of the wealth of information that could still be found there.
"And in Magnimar we can look into signing any documents needing to be signed to make our claim official.
But as far as the manor goes, I think we can oblige in the reduction of said structure."
"There are a lot of questions, answers might be in the manor, but I don't know how many of those questions are pertinent today. A lot of history that might or might not inform today's events."
He shrugs. "If we can remove the possession, we can look for the answers. At the very least, put that woman to rest once and for all. Then we burn it down."
Slowly stroking his beard, Vidar nods.
"Yes, on second thoughts, reduction to ash IS the best solution, I may not have expressed any reluctance just now, but something occurs to me that makes me change my mind and support that plant completely."
"Nothing that contains the knowledge, flawed as it may or may not be, to transform oneself into a Lich should be allowed to remain.
Necromancy Is a foul art, and I study it only to better combat the undead myself."
Kithian grunts and looks at the others. "See! I told you we should have burnt that fargin place down! Would have saved us alot of time."
"True, I can vouch for the validity of his statement, and no mistake.
And had it not been for needing to find out more information, I would have seconded it at the time as well.
Mind you, if we HAD burned it down, the smoke might have travelled on the wind here to Sandpoint and infected that plump barmaid you have become so fond of..."
The barbarian shifts in his seat and grins at the passable wizard. "Hmmm, may have a point there. Good call."
The mayor nods, Get what you need from Zantus and stop by the house on your way to Magnimar. If you need some time to rest I understand that. Apparently Foxglove's efforts were meant to take days or weeks to complete so it doesn't seem, based on your description, that you need to leave this instant. Is there anything else we haven't covered you would like to discuss?
Camillo looks thoughtful for a moment - it's an unusual expression for him - but just shakes his head.
[b]"Well, you can cross Redshiv off your list of wanted men Sherriff. We found about half of him, the other half is no doubt enjoying a tour through a ghouls digestive tracks at the moment."[7b]
The sheriff frowns at the mention of Redshi then nods at the notion, I'll wrangle up the reward and see its run to you.
With that the dark skinned man rises which signals the end of the meeting. The group is free to go about its business...
Standing and stretching, "I will be at the Dragon. Probably conscious, but not necessarily."
"I am going to reacquaint myself with my bed, that is the very first order of the day, or perchance the last, depending on your point of view.
I suggest we meet up at breakfast and make plans for our next move.
And with that, I bid you all a good night."
Hearing Vidar speak of bed, the tin can warrior suddenly realizes that she too is rather tired. Deciding that sleep would be good, she turns to Ameiko and inquires about a good bed, preferably as far from the wizard and the barbarian's rooms as possible, as the last thing that she wants is either their snoring, or their arguing, to awaken her.