The Ballad of Bloodmarch Hill

Game Master Joana

The half-orc answers in a deep, slow, gravelly voice, heavy with phlegm. "'N mooi kind. Is sy praat Orkse, ek vra?"

Alicia feigns ignorance, as she does, in fact, speak Orcish. "Speak Common, please," she says.

He breaks into a labored chuckle. "Nee, nee Orkse. N jammerte." His chuckle stumbles into a raspy, wet cough, and he takes a moment to cough into a blood-stained handkerchief before beginning again. "Your Common tongue," he attempts, "is not being good of me."

Alicia sighs. "Goed, Orkse dan. Weet jy waar Daktani is? Ons moet hom nou juis aantref. Hy is in gevaar."

There is a sudden bang from the hallway outside Urnsul's closed door. The half-orc jumps, startled at the sound.

Marikel rubs his temples.

Alicia sighs. "Goed, Orkse dan. Weet jy waar Daktani is? Ons moet hom nou juis aantref. Hy is in gevaar."

The half-orc roars with delight. "Sy praat Orkse! Om die tong van die een so mooi hoor, dit is 'n plesier, mooi kind." Then his face collapses into a frown. "Daktani het 'n vriend vir my. Wie sit my vriend Daktani in gevaar?"

"It's all right. Nothing to... Did you say it raises the dead?"

She shrugs. "It's what Daktani said. There was an old journal with the maps. Sawyer wrote that the miners killed a dog that came into the workings and let its corpse lie. While they were digging, it got back on its feet and attacked. Killed a man before his companions could club it off. Then his corpse got up and attacked them. Anything that died there became undead. Sawyer had to shut down the mine, close off the tunnel, and pay off the workers not to tell anyone what had happened. That's what Daktani said."

She shrugs. "That's what Daktani said."

Marikel frowns. "Daktani seems to say a lot. That's why we need to find him fast."

"Tae pleasore is alles myne. Daktanys groef ontbreek die ná soma kommution John en my buite-thauvenay. Voor de k nuwe vnere nie IP?"

Katrezra scoffs ... or perhaps coughs; it's hard to interpret. "Daktani se myn. Hy is seker dit sal ons almal ryk maak. Daar was 'n ongeluk? Hy verloor?"

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Inside the room across the hall, Urnsul somewhat reluctantly sits on the narrow bed, taking care to keep as much distance as possible from the priest. She rearranges her wrap over her thighs for the most modesty with a reproachful glance at the watchful halfling.

"Some Freedom Town people approached Daktani with these maps. I don't know where they got them from, but they said if he could arrange for local labor, we'd all get a share of the proceeds. They provided the tools and the black powder. Once we blasted around the haunted tunnel and laid claim to the ore, they were going to contact us, make arrangements for selling it, all the business side. That's really all I know. I never saw any trolls."

Alicia shakes her head. "Geen ineenstorting, maar iemand gesterf het. Niemand kan Daktari vind, en ons hoop hy kan help om die geheim van die hoe en waarom iemand gesterf het in die myn. Weet jy waar hy is"

Vhailor's eyes glaze over slightly as Orkish becomes the flavor of conversation through the opposing door. Shrugging slightly he muses "Really should get my lips round that one..."

"Some Freedom Town people approached Daktani with these maps. I don't know where they got them from, but they said if he could arrange for local labor, we'd all get a share of the proceeds. They provided the tools and the black powder. Once we blasted around the haunted tunnel and laid claim to the ore, they were going to contact us, make arrangements for selling it, all the business side. That's really all I know. I never saw any trolls."

Marikel nods.

"Where's Daktani now? Did you see him last night?"

She nods slowly. "He's not here anymore. He slipped out before dawn. He knows the Patrol are looking for him."

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Katrezra nods in response to Alicia's words. "Myne kan wees gevaarlike plekke, veral vir mense wat dwaal in waar hulle hoort nie," he remarks soberly. "Is dit nie Daktani in sy kamer?"

She nods slowly. "He's not here anymore. He slipped out before dawn. He knows the Patrol are looking for him."

Marikel's eyes narrow.

Alicia arches an eyebrow, feeling her eyebrow twitch slightly as her anger at the half-orc's evasiveness begins to climb. "Geen hy is nie. Ek sal dit haat om iets met hom gebeur nie, want jy iets van ons weerhou. Ons kan helpsch, maar net as ons weet waar hy is."

"Where are you hiding him? If he's done nothing wrong, it's safe to tell us. If he has broken the law, you don't want to be an accessory to his crimes."

"I'm hiding him?" the woman snaps. "Where? Under the bed? In the wardrobe?" It's clear there is nowhere in the small room anyone could be hiding. "Look," she goes on more slowly, "if I find out where he is ... I'll get word to you. That's the best I can do."

----------------------

"As hy nie in hierdie huis, mooi kind, ek weet nie waar om hom te vind," Katrezra explains calmly. "Ek het nie uit te gaan. Mense reageer ... sleg vir my." He waves a scarred hand to encompass all of his disfigurement.

"I'm hiding him?" the woman snaps. "Where? Under the bed? In the wardrobe?"

"Look," she goes on more slowly, "if I find out where he is ... I'll get word to you. That's the best I can do."

"Of course Daktani isn't in this room. Neither were you last night. You were with him in the basement perhaps? One of the many tunnels under Trunau? If you tell me were you were last night, I'll trust your offer to contact us when you find him."

Vhailor is listening absent comprehension to the Orcish being spoken nearby, half forming the words... or at least attempting to. Despite the dexterity and range that his tongue generally shows in manners of language and the forming thereof... he doesn't seem to be able to appropriately grasp the harsh tones and phrase of the green skinned words.

"Of course Daktani isn't in this room. Neither were you last night. You were with him in the basement perhaps? One of the many tunnels under Trunau? If you tell me were you were last night, I'll trust your offer to contact us when you find him."

"I wasn't with Daktani last night. There's someone else. I don't want him to know."

Alicia grunts. "Hulle het nie reageer op my baie goed nie, maar ek kry steeds uit. Wat is in die kelder?"

[spoiler=Orcish]"They don't react to me very well either, but I still get out. What's down in the basement?"

"Die kelder? Broer Hond sit die dinge wat gegee word...," he searches for the word, "... die skenkings. Sommige dinge wat in die huis was toe hy dit gekoop het, ook."

"Ja? Wie het hy koop dit van?"

Katrezra shrugs. "Dit was voordat ek hierheen gekom het. Jy sal hê om Hom te vra, mooi kind."

"I wasn't with Daktani last night. There's someone else. I don't want him to know."

Marikel stands up and folds his arms.

The half-orc folds her own arms in return. "I've told you all I can. I'm not his keeper. I didn't kill anyone, I don't know anything about trolls, and I wasn't the one that removed the barricade to the haunted tunnel. Now I'd like to get dressed. Please leave."

Alicia grunts again. Trying a different tack, she continues,

Katrezra's face stretches into a new smile/grimace. "Urnsul, ja, sy is mooi. Hulle is jonk en verlief."

Marikel nods.
"Thank you for your assistance."
He opens the door for Kaleb and follows him out, closing the door behind them.

Seeing Alica talking at the opposite door, he pokes her back in the ribs and barely hides a smirk.
"Come on. We're leaving," he orders just a little bit too loudly.

Alicia glances over her shoulder toward Urnsul's door. "'Young and in love,' huh?" She barely acknowledges Marikel's return-poke and nods. She says farewell to Katrezra in Orcish, then closes the door behind them.

Once in the hallway again, she gives Marikel a sidelong glance. "Did you know they have a basement here? And that there's a lot of old maps there? Ones that look like they might be where the scraps I found in the Ramblehouse came from?" she asks. "Oh, and there was someone down there with me. Not sure who, but there's definitely something interesting down there.[/smaller]"

She says farewell to Katrezra in Orcish, then closes the door behind them.

"Dit was 'n plesier om te praat met jou, mooi kind. Ek kry min besoekers. So 'n mooi kind is altyd welkom."

"Did you know they have a basement here? And that there's a lot of old maps there? Ones that look like they might be where the scraps I found in the Ramblehouse came from?" she asks. "Oh, and there was someone down there with me. Not sure who, but there's definitely something interesting down there."

Marikel whispers urgently once they're aways down the corridor,

"I think we should go down and check," Alicia whispers in reply.

Kaleb had been growing quite irritated by Urnsul's responses but admired Marikel's quiet resolve as he questioned her.

"We may not have time to follow her and this building is too close-knit to do so inconspicuously. He is likely either hiding here or this basement route was his exit. Either way, we have little time to lose and much to gain."

The four go back down to the ground floor. As they reach the bottom of the stairs, Othdan Meriman pops out of the corridor from the bedrooms. "Did you find your friend?" he asks.

Alicia remains quiet, trying to remain inconspicuous.

"Did you find your friend?"

"I did thank you," Marikel responds.

He looks expectantly down to Kaleb.

Kaleb looked up at Marikel. The man clearly expected something from him, but the Halfling was obviously not getting the hint.

"Erm... I don't have any parchment on me to write it down, if that's what you mean..."

In truth, not even sure I myself understand the hint, let alone my character, sorry. But a nice chance to RP If it is something to do with keeping Othdan busy in some manner that takes me off-screen, can I OOC suggest we use Vhailor in this capacity instead?

"I'm sure our Brother will remember."

"We don't have time for this... Kaleb muttered under his breath as he caught on to the priest's thinking.

He straightened up to his full height, which was tall indeed for one of the small folk; and looked at Othdan dead in the eyes.

"You may leave a message for us at the Ramblehouse. Now, stand aside; your name has already been implicated by two within this building. I'm sure you'd rather clean house here and protect your good name, my brother, than give us any reason to look into these scandalous suggestions that you are involved in knowingly harbouring a person of interest?"

Take 10 on Bluff for 17 plus any modifiers to the bluff itself. Am hoping this falls under "lie is believable".

Meriman looks alarmed for a moment, then seems to summon his courage as he replies. "This house is open to all, sir. I'd not harbor any miscreants willingly, but neither would I turn away any person in need. There are those in this world who have good reason to fear and distrust those in positions of authority, as they have borne the brunt of unsubstantiated suspicions and accusations. If I err, I would rather err on the side of charity than of malice, sir," he concludes with dignity.

"In the spirit of the house being open to all then, we'll continue our search. If Daktani is innocent of wrongdoing, I will personally see that no malice comes to him. Now, step aside."

A clenched hand on the hilt of his rapier, Kaleb made to continue onwards.

Leaving a window for Othdan to attempt to prevent passage or fellow PC's to speak, but words from Othdan aren't going to cut it at this point to stop Kaleb again.

Alicia makes to follow after Kaleb, angling toward the store room in which she found the entrance to the basement.

Meriman makes no move to block the group's progress, but he does follow behind them to see what they intend to do. The corridor leading to the kitchen, storage room, and basement stairs exits from the back of the entry hall. The basement door is closed, as it was when Ali left it.

Marikel follows the others towards the store room and the basement.

"A noble sentiment, Brother," Marikel nods to Othdan as he passes, "unless another person gets killed."

Alicia takes another torch from her pack and opens the door, then slowly descends, a hand on the hilt of her dagger.

Meriman clucks with disapproval when Alicia produces her torch. "An open flame in all that clutter ... not a good idea." He ducks into the storage room and comes back with a lantern. "Take this instead." He offers it to the group.

Alicia practically sneers at Othdan, having already been down there with a lit torch. "Thanks," she says, accepting the lantern and replacing her unlit torch in her pack.

Marikel murmurs a quick prayer and draws his sword which glows as a torch.
"Iomedae can light our way," he explains, holding the weapon aloft.
Marikel avoids any obvious fighting stance but knows to keep the razor blade away from those around him... for now.

Alicia practically sneers at Othdan, having already been down there with a lit torch.

Actually, I talked you into a candle, but it's still an open flame, if a smaller one.

The basement is a very different place with Marikel's divine light than with a candle. With the feebler light, it seemed cavernous, but now that the walls are in view, Ali can see that the path she trod winds through a space no larger than Sara Morninghawk's crowded smithy.

There are shelves full of cracked dishes and glassware, an old-fashioned cast iron stove, its pipe disassembled, a leather couch with stuffing coming through the cracks in its hide, and a heap of soiled rugs. Benches and ink-stained desks are heaped up every which way, and the old maps are hanging in their iron frame. Past them, faded paintings in frames lean against the wall, so covered in dust that their subjects are indecipherable. In the corner is a rusty, seven-armed candelabrum, still holding the stumps of thick wax candles, bearded with drippings, where the path cleared through the clutter turns and heads back toward the area beneath the stairs -- the area where Ali saw a glimmer of moving light on her previous solo subterranean journey.

Pff, torch, candle, they all set things on fire. ;P

Alicia leads Marikel to the old maps first, pointing out how similar they look to the scraps of paper they had found in the Ramblehouse. After that, she makes for the area beneath the stairs.