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The people of Sandpoint, Light of the Lost Coast, have had more than their fair share of troubles over the past decade. In 4702, a serial killer dubbed "The Chopper" ran rampant through the town until his identity was discovered and his island retreat burned to the ground. The grand cathedral of Sandpoint later suffered the same fate, and at the Swallowtail festival to commemorate the building of a new house of worship in 4707, Sandpoint suffered a mass attack by the local goblin tribes. Though these murderous shortshanks were driven off by heroes, the anniversary of the event brought even more dangerous predators to Sandpoint: giants, aided by nothing less than a dragon. Sandpoint almost fell to boulder and fire. Again, however, heroes rose to stop this onslaught.
In the past few years, Sandpoint has rebuilt stronger than ever, albeit reduced in prestige as the last remaining member of the noble house Kaijitsu took her leave of the village a year ago, leaving a bit of a power struggle and uncertain leadership in the famous Sandpoint Glassworks.
The imbalance of the nobility in Sandpoint was headed somewhere dark as Scarnetti and Valdemar argued over the fate of the glassworks with Deverin trying unsuccessfully to play middlewoman. The arrival of Teldiyan Indros, a young scion of House Indros in Magnimar, arrived at the behest of Lord-Mayor Haldmeer Grobaras, to, as he put it Put to bed this unpleasantness in our Vassal.
Teldiyan has not proven himself too popular with the other nobles, immediately setting about to claim the Kaijitsu estate and glassworks with the authorization of Magnimar's government in full force behind the move. In particular, his youthful brashness has Titus Scarnetti threatening to pack his family up and leave Sandpoint on an almost weekly basis.
As if monstrous attacks and political upheaval were not enough stress on Mayor Deverin, a series of bizarre murders have begun to plague the town, on the tenth anniversary of the Chopper's demise. The full details have not been released to the public, but rumors float around the town, and the people have been stressed nearly to its breaking point.
Teldiyan Indros has no intention of letting this town fall back into darkness. He has contacted you, people with a reputation of bizarre dealings and insights to the mysterious, to deal with the situation. A busy man, he has asked you to meet him at the Indros Estate, formerly the Kaijitsu Estate, after sunset.
Medvidi clomps into town around midday, his strange tribal outfit (and the blade slung across his back) drawing the attention of those around. He almost immediately heads to one of Sandpoint's inns to rest after his trek.
Arris arrives in town in human shape, bow slung across his back and smoked goggles pulled up to rest on his forehead. He takes a moment to study the geometry of the town square, running around to look down the streets from different vantage points, before looking for an inn to get some supper.
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In the afternoon, Sandpoint is filled with the sounds and smells of labor, from the smoke pouring from the glassworks chimneys to the smells and sounds of the Scarnetti Sawmill and the local blacksmith's toil. Children run about here and there, mostly in small gangs of three or four.
The first Inn Medvidi Medyom sees is called the White Deer, but Medvidi notices immediately that it is staffed almost entirely of Shoanti, all of whom greet him with the stinkeye.
Medvidi takes the hint quickly, the voice in the back of his mind demanding he flee from their harsh looks. Without any fuss, he simply turns and exits the premises, looking for another inn to rest at until the evening.
Darin trots into town at roughly noon, whistling merrily, and stands in the town square preaching the gospel of Creus to whoever will listen. Unsurprisingly, almost no one wants to get near the creepy smiling man spouting gibberish about a god none of them have ever heard of.
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The closest Sandpoint seems to have to a town square is the market square downtown. It's wide area seems to be the focus of a local child's game of whistleball. However, surrounding it are the fish market, meat market, and grocer's hall. From these places where fresh foodstuffs can be bought, Arris is easily directed to The Hagfish (a tavern) or The Rusty Dragon (an inn). A bit more out of the way are Cracktooth's Tavern and The Fatman's Feedbag.
Medvidi finds that the town slopes downhill towards the coastline, and following its main streets, he easily discovers the Rusty Dragon downtown.
Darin's speech is mostly skirted, although shortly before the kids try to pick up their game (about three in the afternoon), a young man with a goatee approaches, listening with a smile. After a few minutes of listening, he approaches closer with an affectionate nod, saying Good day, friend. I am Abstalar Zanthus. While I consider myself familiar with most of the gods, I am afraid I do not recognize the name you keep repeating... Creus, is it?
Augustus arrives in town and gravitates towards the market, one never knows where the next the artifact may be discovered, he muses to himself while exploring the wares on sale.
While he wanders the stalls he keeps an eye to his surroundings as any amateur investigator would, taking in sights and sounds, noting who seems to be local and who outsider, and what rumors about the murders and political intrigue may be circulating.
Arris watches the children play for a few minutes, then follows the directions he was given to The Hagfish to get a hearty meal.
Darin's smile grows even bigger as the man walks up to him. No wonder, friend! The faith of the Shattered Smile isn't very widespread. In fact, I haven't come across another of the faithful in the nine years I've been travelling! It seems the people of this area think of Desna and Cayden alone when they hear the word 'freedom'.
Nathaniel adjusted his pack as he passed into the town. The whispers had been silent on the road and he had made good time. Passing into Sandpoint though, the ever present pressure in his mind grew. He knew there had been a lot of trouble over the past few years, and he had expected this to happen. The spirits he currently held within his mind aided in blocking the worst of it, but it was still more than it had been on the road. He had his own remedies for times like these and he reached for his flask.
Unfortunately, as he brought the flask to his lips, only a small trickle came out. Empty, damn. He put the flask back on his belt and continued into town. He'd have to find a tavern or a general store soon. The day was young and the voices would only get worse. He shouldered his pack once more and began walking further into town.
When Medvidi comes upon the Rusty Dragon, he smiles contentedly, eager to drag his weary bones to find a nice seat and some good grub. He enters the inn, the calm smile still playing on his lips. "Greetings, comrades," he says to those gathered inside, his accent heavy and unusual for a half-orc.
Arris wolfs down his meal, then inquires for directions to the Indros estate, aiming to arrive just at sunset. As he travels, he concentrates on his eyes until he feels his vision change.
After the market Augustus heads to the Rusty Dragon for a meal and a pint. Spotting Medvidi as he enters the inn, an obvious outsider in his tribal attire, Augustus pulls up a bar stool nearby and offers the half-orc an ale.
"Greetins, my good man. I see I'm not the only one new to Sandpoint," he says in a friendly manner with a Ulstalavic accent.
While drinking his pint, Augustus will ask Medvidi about any tales or legends he may know (always searching for new artifacts). He'll tell Medvidi about his reason for being in Sandpoint and if Medvidi tells him he's here for same reason, Augustus will invite him to travel together to the Indros/Kaijatsu Estate.
Nathaniel eventually makes his way into the Rusty Dragon. A tavern was usually filled with the constant murmuring of live folk, another sort of home remedy for the strange affliction that ailed him. He seemed more at ease as he made his way to the bar.
Pulling out a stool beside a half-orc and a rather strange looking man. He paid them no mind for the moment, he had more important things to worry about. He flagged down the bartender, "Give me a tall glass of the strongest stuff you've got. Then fill my flask with the same." He paused, trying to think of what he had forgotten, then hastily added, "Thank you, kindly."
Once the glass was filled then emptied, twice over, Nathaniel wiped his mouth and sighed in relief. A dull buzz pervaded his mind and he was at peace for the first time since setting foot in town. Finally, he considered the two men to his side. Neither seemed from around here, judging by their garb and accent. At least I look like I might be from the city, Nate thought to himself.
Realizing that he had been staring, Nate stuck his hand out to the man and the half-orc, "Hello there, I'm Nate. You here for the Indros Job, too?"
After Nathaniel takes a seat and quenches his thirst, Augustus says, "Welcome chap, my name is Augustus Poe."
When the bartender returns with Nathaniel's second drink and filled flask, Augustus comments appreciatively, "My word, you've got quite a thirst. And, that is quite a flask you have there."
If Nathaniel seems agreeable, Augustus will ask to take a closer look at the flask and if allowed he will use his Object Reading skill to examine the flask and buy Nathaniel another round. Augustus isn't trying to be invasive, he just can't help himself when sees interesting people with interesting objects...
Finally Augustus responds to Nathaniel's question, "Why yes, we are heading to the Indros estate. You're not psychic are you?" he says jokingly. "Please join us on our way there after we've sated our appetites."
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Arris finds business brisk at the Hagfish; plenty of local fishermen telling tales of the morning's catch. The seafood smells fresh and tasty, and tastes much the same. One item in particular catches his eye, a slimy fish tank with a hagfish in it, a coinpurse fat with silver nailed above it. He also notices 28 names carved in the ceiling beam above the bar.
Zanthus smiles at Darin's mention of Desna and Cayden. Indeed, although young Cayden is new to these parts, Desna has been a part of the region's beliefs since well before written histories. Tell me, is this Creus a young god like Cayden, or perhaps an older one whose words have fallen out of common circulation?
Augustus, Medvidi, and Nathaniel also find the Rusty Dragon to be pretty busy, although with tradesmen rather than fishermen; glassblowers, carpenters, and millers. It is an old building with a tarnished iron dragonesque lightning rod/decoration looming over its roof. Exotic spices fill the air with their crisp scents. When Nathaniel orders their strongest drink, a bottle with a foreign stamp is brought out. Dragon's Breath Brandy the bartender offers by way of translation.
Arris eyes the slimy fish and the coinpurse, surmising it to be some sort of gastronomical challenge, but orders some mundane seafood with fried potatoes instead. He has no intention of vomiting in front of a potential client later tonight.
From what the priests told us, Creus was forgotten for centuries. Luckily, Our Father has the gift of prophecy, and was able to speak his tenants anew! Darin's smile stretches his face in a slightly unsettling manner. Would you like an informative pamphlet? I've been trying to pass them out, but I have yet to have any takers.
Medvidi grins at Nathaniel and Augustus. "Am Medvidi Medyom. But you can calling me 'Bear.' Of nice to be meeting you," he greets them in the same unusual accent, raising his mug to them. "Yes, come of with us to meet Teldiyan fellow," he states, taking a drought from his mug.
However, his calm face and warm tone seem to evaporate when a bowl of stew is set down in front of the half-orc man. As his eyes seem to cloud over, he practically dives face-first into it, messily eating with abandon. Once the bowl is emptied, and he wipes his face off with a meaty paw, Medvidi's eyes seem to clear and he looks around as if nothing had happened. "You will come with, yes?" he continues.
Once Augustus and his new friends have finished their meal and drinks he'll suggest they begin making their way to estate. On the way, once any passerby is out of earshot he will begin to fill them in on what he learned today.
“As you know, we’ve been called here to investigate the recent murders that have transpired in Sandpoint on the anniversary of the horrible crimes of the Chopper. The original murder spree by the Chopper years ago, followed by the burning of the Cathedral, and the recent giant attacks have all been attributed to the influence of an ancient Thassilonian artifact known as the Runewell. Fortunately, the artifact was discovered under the foundation of Sandpoint itself and neutralized by a group of adventurers.”
Augustus pauses as a young couple with a small child pass the trio on the road. “I don’t know any of the details of the Choppers victims but I can tell you that current victims have all been female and between the ages of 15 to 25. But that’s not the worst of it,” Augustus says while shaking his head.
"The local Sheriff, a Belor Hemlock, has restricted most details of the murders from getting out, but rumors around town are that at least two of the five murdered women were pregnant.” He pauses and lets a few moments go by in silence before continuing, “One of the murdered women was Andrealla Scarnetti, only 17 years old and one of the two rumored to have been pregnant. The Scarnetti’s are one of the noble families here and are feuding with Valdemar’s over the fate of the glassworks. We’ve been handed a right mess to sort out, we have.”
Medvidi winces slightly at Augustus' explanation. "Big mess, indeed," he agrees, nodding as he walks with his arms crossed over his broad chest. "Spirits will aid us," the half-orc says, determination glittering in his eyes.
Nate cast a sidelong glance at the orc as they walked. "Aid us, huh? I don't know what you've been hearing from them, but this town is practically drenched in blood. Generally, spirits that come from a place like this don't end up being much 'help'."
Realizing he was getting worked up, he tried to calm himself. He was sure the orc had his own demons to work through and that was nothing to hold against him. He had to remind himself that being so mercurial would gain him no friends.
His calm demeanor restored, he considered Augustus' information. "A right mess indeed. Was the Chopper ever caught? I can't imagine he's still alive. We could be dealing with a copycat or . . . " He stopped for a moment, pondering a terrible idea. "Or this is no copycat but the same man, only his spirit is possessing another man's body to continue his horrific work."
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You are greeted at the manor by servants, who show you to a large den/library. There are seats enough to comfortably fit everyone, as well as a large, silk-bound-in-leather chair behind a desk of Minkain design. You are given hot tea or coffee, as well as bisket-like cookies.
After everyone (or everyone who is going to, at any rate) arrives, Lord Indros enters. He moves over to the table silently, and spreads a map out upon the table. The map shows lightly sketched buildings laid over several underground complexes. Lord Indros places five markers on the map, all of which correspond to a building, but only one of which corresponds to any of the underground areas. Thank you for agreeing to come. I am Teldiyan Indros, as most of you know, or have guessed. I've requested your presence here to investigate a series of murders. Our dear mayor and her sheriff are not equipped to deal with this sort of thing.
Each of the victims had two things in common. The first is an invisible birthmark on their left shoulder. He lays a sketch of a symbol on the table: a baboon's face with three eyes (
"I'm not familiar with this symbol. Do you know its significance? And how were the marks rendered invisible? For that matter, how were they discovered?"
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I convinced the mayor it would be in the town's best interest if I was given full access to the evidence. Magnimar's interests in Sandpoint must be protected. The Sheriff wasn't happy, but he complied. I was examining the bodies under a detect magic spell and saw that they each had an illusory aura on their left shoulder. It took more powerful magic to actually see the birthmarks.
Augustus examines the sketch of the birthmark and comments, "This is foul business. That mark represents a sect of Lamashtu that worships her as a pre-divine demon lord." Taking a sip of coffee he continues, "This information and the fact that two of the victims were confirmed to be pregnant combined with the knowledge that all of the victims were disembowled leads me to the grim suspicion that these women were unknowing victims of a diabolical plot to gestate some vile creature."
Turning back to Teldiyan Indros, Augustus asks, "Has this symbol been discovered anywhere else in Sandpoint?" "What is the nature of the underground complexes under these buildings?"
Medvidi shrugs. "Have not seen before," he admits, scratching his jaw. "But is not coincidence, no," the half-orc nods, trying to get a good understanding of how the map and how the locations may be relevant.
Hmm...demons and invisible monkeys. It seems this is going to be an interesting outing!
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Unfortunately, I have not been able to convince the mayor to allow me to examine the left shoulder of every woman in Sandpoint who fits the age bracket. He says, then turns to the map These are ancient Thassilonian passages dedicated to wrath magic he points at a few of the underground structures. This is where the runewell was discovered. he indicates a series of chambers connected to some tunnels under the Sandpoint glassworks. And the tunnels connecting to them are old smuggler tunnels. he indicates that some of the tunnels lead to the seashore by Chopper's Isle. And lastly, these seem to be part f an ancient sewer system or other complex for the old lighthouse.
He indicates a spot marked 'Runewell' on the map. The murders seem to have happened about equidistant from the Runewell. They all happened within one block of one of the accessways to one of Sandpoint's underground complexes or tunnels, but never the same one twice. From this information, I believe the next attack will take place somewhere within this area or this one. He indicates two areas that share similar characteristics: the same distance from the Runewell and within a block of a tunnel entry/exit.
Nate wrinkled his nose, "Wrath magic? Is that an actual school of magic?"
Giving his attention to the matter before him, he considered the map. After a moment of contemplation, he asked of their benefactor, "Can you convince the sheriff to post a few guards by each of the tunnel or sewer entrances in these areas? If the evidence suggests the killer is using the tunnels to move about the city unseen, I'd think it'd be easy to convince him."
"Posting guards seems like a good idea. In the meantime, I think we should investigate these tunnels ourselves, and see what is happening at the site of the runewell."
"Excellent ideas gentlemen. Hmm, but which of the two tunnels shall we explore first?"
"The runewell is at the center of these events, both figuratively and literally, so I suggest we start there."
"Fantastic, I like a bold plan. Let us make haste towards this Runewell. I must say that while these murders are an unfortunate and gruesome event I am quite excited to witness this Runewell object!
Medvidi begins to grin, nodding excitedly. "Yes, is good plan. Must stop killings before happens again," he agrees.
Darin claps in excitement. Excellent! We go in, cull some cultists and be back in time for dinner. This is the most fun I've had in ages!
Medvidi holds still, the evil chanting grating against his ears. "The Spirits tell me, this bad news," the half-orc whispers. "What should do?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
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There are seven distinct voices, doing round-robin style chants of:
Hail to the slayer of the born and unborn;
Hail to the murderer of mothers;
Hail to the eater and drinker of men;
Hail to the bringer of sleepless nights;
Hail to the bespoiler of nature;
Hail to the befouler of fresh waters;
Hail to the prolonged painful death;
"Someone's worshiping the 'slayer of born and unborn.' I think we've found the bad guys. Let's get in there."
"I agree, let us take the fight to these mad men and put a stop to their foul plans." Augustus says while drawing his sword and wand.
Medvidi nods, stretching his hands. Sharp nails appear from each finger, and the half-orc grins bestially.