reaching out, you grasp the scroll and proceed to open it up. insides is writing.
"after the sun has set, meet me at the old family house outside the town. we must talk as a family." His tusk mark is shown in place of his name.
"adventurer, bored? looking for some excitement? want to make some easy money? if so, meet up at caves outside of town after sunset.
Old house?? Hmm What old house could he mean? I better ask someone
Drhek goes to find other Ghawn members...
Reading through the scroll for a second time, Glawng wishes he would have paid much more attention to his Ma and Pa when they were talking about family history and of the region in stead of just being focused on his immediate needs.
I'll take this to Grand, she has a good knowledge of history. Maybe she can tell me what this means.
With that he rolls the parchment up carefully and heads for home.
I admit this is an intriguing offer, but I have no knowledge of the local area or of the area's geography, Right Eva.
sighs
I should have asked master, if she had any maps before I left to explore the world.
Oh well, it is all in hindsight.
[See continues to walk in the direction of the constant smoke in the distance]
Hopefully that smoke is coming from Karcau.
After reading the partchment, Gromor shakes his head and says "Well this isn't very helpful, they should have put some directions to the place. You wouldn't happen to know where this place is, would you Fang?"
Gromor looks over to the giant rat, who only looks back and just tilts it's head. "Didn't think so, well better find some one who knows where this place is."
Gromor leaves to locate another family member who could tell him.
Jamroar reads the scroll with a frown on his face.
I didn't know any of us could do something like this. How did it even find me; I don't see any scrying sensors around.
The wizard takes a quick look around to make sure he's not being watched.
Well, I'd best head off. I haven't been back in a while. I'm not even sure if I remember the quickest way there. I wonder what this is all about.
Jamroar rubs his toad lightly for luck and heads off.
Grandma scowled at the note before plucking it from the air. She unfurled it, then unceremoniously discarded it onto the floor.
"Damn show off," she grumbled beneath her breath. As one of the oldest Ghawns, she knew where the old house was but she wasn't sure why the patriarch would have called a meeting there.
"Aw, C'mon," Jangis thought aloud, "This is almost elfy. You hear that?" he shouts out, thinking it might reach whatever might be sending this info out, "ELFY!!!"
Knowledge (Local):
He looks over the scroll. "Old family house? Which one?"
He shakes his head. "Whatever. I'll check with Grandma, she'll know."
Rushing home with anticipation, Glawng walked into the home with a purpose. He spotted Grandma Ghawn in her favorite chair, an old rocking chair made out of deer antlers, whether she was in deep thought or asleep was a little harder to discern these days.
“Grand. Grand. You’ll never guess what happened to me today. I was in the middle of a snatch..er, uh.. I was just there minding my business when “BAM” this appeared right in front of me.” He pulled out the scroll and handed it to her. “It’s obvious who it came from, but I don’t have a clue about this old house. Do you have any idea what this is about or what it means?”
As the scroll appears before him Groltsch he grabs his weapon searching wildly around him. "How did these bastards find me already, I figured I might have more time before they came for me." He yells out to the emptiness around him "Bring it on you cowards! Come and get me!".
After a minute of nothing appearing he grabs the floating scroll now visibly relaxing after realizing that it comes from the family.
"Well it has been a few years since I was around, I can't remember which way to the old place. I hope some of my brothers can remember where the hell this place is."
Groltsch heads off to find his family.
Walking out of a local bar after being accused(falsely) of cheating at arm-wrestling and breaking the accusers nose with his own flagon, Dric is a bit surprised by the scroll floating in front of him.
"The old home, huh? Haven't been there in a while..." Wondering who sent him the letter, Dric heads for his childhood home.
Zierka had just left the temple about to head to her family home to wish them a final fairwell before setting out in the world, when a scroll appeared before her. She read the scroll with interest.
Hmmm. It's been years since I've been home, I barely remember how to get there. Hopefully one of the others remembers how to get to the old home.
With that she sets off.
[As she gets closer to the source of the smoke, she smells a meat of some kind cooking on a spit, and or a hearty stew]
"Well Eva, looks like I will find someone, but will they be able to give me directions?"
"Of course I do, you bonehead," Grandma said, snatching the note from Glawng. She read the note regardless before growling and handing it back to the youngster.
"It appears he is up to his old tricks again," she continued, although it sounded more like a monologue than being directed at Glawng, "You can come with me and we'll see what he's after this time."
Grandma hauled herself to her feet, although she did so slowly as befitted her age. If Glawng had been given a letter, then so too would at least some of the others.
"We'll wait for the others to arrive, and go to this meeting together."
Walking home to find another family member, Gromor noticed Dric also walking home. Gromor yelled out to Dric, " Hey little Brother, wait up." Gromor then ran up to Dric.
Groltsch walks around a corner almost right into Gromor and almost right over Dric. "Brothers, did you receive this strange scroll as well?" He digs the scroll out and shows it to them. "I wonder what he has planned for us this time."
"Hello brothers!" Dric says heartily. "So it's not just me that got a floating piece of scrap paper? Ha, that means the rest of us must of got one too! It's been too long since I last picked one of you up!"
"Grandma? What's this elfy thing all about?" Jangis bellowed, only afterward the slam of the door registering. "I... oh, great, you guys got those pieces of paper too, huh?"
" Oh, hello Groltsch. I see you and Dric both have received the same scroll as I have, and I bet Dirc is right and others were delivered the same scroll. I suggest we head home and make sure the others know there way to the meeting place." Gromor says, then thinks to himself " And hopefully someone there does know were we are to meet."
Jamroar walks up toward the old house from the swamps, noticing that many members of the family seem to be on the way as well. He looks them over, wondering who has the power and knowledge to send the scroll to him and presumably to everyone else.
"Hello everyone. I didn't realize anyone in the family knew arcane magics besides me."
He falls in line with the rest of the family as the walk to the house.
"Let's make sure to avoid any guards along the way. The last time this many Ghawns were together in public, it took five hours to end the riot and two days to put out all the fires."
--OOC--I'm assuming the Ghawns are now walking to their destination.
[As she walks towards the smoke, she comes upon a group of half-orcs walking together]
[she picks up her pace, til she is about 50ft away she yells out]
"Excuse me, but do any of you have a map or can guide me to someone who knows this area?"
Dhrek sees his brethren heading to Grandmas, he wonders whats up? Going inside he ears of all them getting similar messages. He mentions the note, and sees nods. He will wait and go when the others leave.
Zierka arrives just as the others start to leave. Clearly they weren't expecting her. Easy to understand, since many hadn't seen her in years.
"Hello brothers, sisters, Grandma. I see you all got the same scroll as me. Mind if I join you?"
"Zierka!,"Glawng was jumping up and down with excitement. It was not often that he was able to see his oldest sister since she was at the temple. "Did it take a magic scroll to make you come home? How long you going to be here? Did you bring me anything?" He stopped talking suddenly, realizing he was prattling on.
Jamroar turns at the sound of the young half-elf behind them. He turns to face Anna Bridgette.
"I have no map and I am no guide. But we half-breeds should stick together. Where are you going?"
[She catches up to the group and replies to Jamroar]
"The caves near Karcau, as written on this scroll."
[she's breathing a little heavy]
"Since it promises excitment, I am curious."
"And thank you for offing to help."
Jamroar's eye narrow a bit at as looks at the scroll Anna mentions.
"We have a family meeting we need go to first, if you don't mind. Then we can show you the way to the caves. Or you could starting walking that way."
Jamroar points out of town, in the direction of the caves she mentioned.
"But it's not exactly the safest journey this late."
"Caves? did you say Caves?..how big are these caves? What kind of excitement? Do the caves lead to the underground lake?" pausing
"Umm oh by the way Hi I'm Dhrek."
"Aw, yeah, Zierka's back!" Jangis rumbles at his usual volume. "Oh, or is it The Rev now, huh? Hey, do we get a discount on midwives, now?"
Jangis lets out a belly laugh of good cheer, enjoying watching his whole family arrive at Grandma's.
Grandma's eyes softened as Zierka came into view. As one of the only other females in the family, it would eventually fall to her to become matriarch. That she showed such a level head at a young age was promising.
"Hello, my dear," Grandma said, beckoning the inquisitor over for a hug, "It has been too long. Have you found yourself a mate yet?" Grandma was never one to pull punches, especially where the future of the family was concerned. As one of the most human looking of the family, her prospects were better than most. Regardless, Grandma was of a mind to try and set her up with one of the Ulfen in the city. They displayed excellent qualities for breeding stock.
Talking amongst yourselves, you come to realize where the old homestead was. Grandma ghawn was most helpful, since she was the only one alive when the home was in use.
The caves are located just outside of town, about an hours walk to the northwest. the hills out in that area have had a mystic to them, legend saying that old ghosts and ghasts roam those hills, granny just guffs at that.
the only thing to fear out there is a voracious youthshe says, laughing at her own joke.
Still chuckling at her own joke, Grandma looked around at the assembled throng of Ghawns and associates. It had been a long time since they had been gathered like this; something was up and she meant to uncover what it was.
"We have a family meeting we need go to first, if you don't mind. Then we can show you the way to the caves. Or you could starting walking that way.""But it's not exactly the safest journey this late."
[she recalls an attack by a lone wolf the day before and replies]
"As they say, Their is safety in numbers."
Glawng looked at the assembled family. It had indeed been a long time since they were all gathered, Ma and Pa’s remembrance if he recalled correctly. Looking at his brethren it was amazing how far away from their orc heritage they were, and how diverse their interests were. Unlike Glawng, Zierka barely showed her orcish side. Grandma’s influence could easily be seen in all of the siblings. Her religious beliefs and embrace of magic are obvious examples, and there is no doubt what side of the family Jamroar got his intelligence.
An Old Homestead by the caves, he thought to himself Wonder why that never came up?
The only stories that Glawng remembered of the caves were those that Grand told of the ghasts and ghosts up there, obviously meant to keep the children away.
Looking at his siblings, Glawng couldn’t help but feel a little inferior. Each of them had found their purpose while he was just going through the motions of life. He thought about all that Jangis had taught him in seemingly short time that they got to spend together. Glawng was stealthy, and could find the right place to put his blade, but Jangis showed him how teamwork could make his movements even more effective. Glawng wondered how much more he could learn if he could stay with his family for a while. He looked forward to the family meeting and what it may entail.
As everyone talks and the family comes to remember that the "old homestead" is at the old caves, Jamroar apologizes to Anna for the confusion.
"I remembered a fine old house from my youth. We didn't stay there long and there were some angry words from the neighbors. Perhaps we were just ... visiting. So, do you know the Ghawn family well, then, since you've been invited home?"
[she replies]
"Actually, I don't know the Ghawn family. As I was orphaned when I was young, and raised by my master. The content of my scroll seems to be made to cover anyone, as in it calls for Adventurers, not a specific family."
Looking at the 1/2 elf "So who are you?"
"That's right, I have not introduced myself. I am Anna Bridgette. And This is Eva, my Raven."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Jamroar Ghawn. My toad is around here somewhere, but he likes to hide from people."
You briefly see a bit of color as a flash of green appears in some of the folds of Jamroar's clothing, but then it's gone again.
"Nice to meet you, Jamroar Ghawn as well as the rest of the family."
[She notices the spell book as well]
"Well, it seems I have run into some else whom is trained in the magical arts, though of a differing style, it's still from the same base family of the art."
Grandma looked at the half elf with a bit of suspicion, as she always did with newcomers. Nevertheless, it appeared that the patriarch had summoned her too.
"Come on," she grumbled, "Let's not keep his majesty waiting."
Jangis regards Anna Bridgette with an aura of suspicion and snorts.
"Toldja he was being elfy."
[she is taken back a bit by Jangis' racial poke at elves, Unlike Jamroar's more polite tone and wording.]
[She notes their suspicion, and puts her guard up a bit]
looking into the cave, you see it very dark and gloomy inside there. the stench of mold and dampness assaults your sense of smell. cobwebs and large spiders hang from outcroppings. (Survival check DC 15 everyone).
further down the tunnel, you can just barely make out a source of light. (perception DC 15)
"Well it looks like I won't be needing my torch!" Dric says as he strides into the cave, his small size making it seem much bigger than it really is.
--Survival:
--Perception:
[She casts light onto her Cestus and walks into the cave]
"That's much better."
Glawng moves toward the front, hiding in shadows, knowing that he has a better chance of spotting dangers or hidden passages than his brothers and sisters, and wanting to show off his special skills.
Groltsch heads into the cave, bardiche at the ready but he is distracted by the strong rumble in his belly. "The beast within is angry it seems, maybe I should have fed him some more before we left."
"Let's go Fang" Gromor and Fang walk into the cave.
"The beast within is angry it seems, maybe I should have fed him some more before we left."
[Anna hears this, and suddenly her own belly rumbles, she pauses for a second, her face blushes a bit, and in a low voice says]
"Well, isn't this a little embarrassing."