To the girls: "that's an interesting song, who is it about?"
You reach the town square-a simple wooden gazebo at the center of a grassy circular plaza wich serves as the hub for Ravengro's major festivals and gatherings. Underneath the gazebo you can see a old weathered hound wagging its tail in the shade, watching you contentedly. Kendra steers you to the East side of the square and an all-purpose building that she tells you serves as the town hall. You enter through the simple double doors and approach a clerk behind a desk, who Kendra introduces to you as the City Clerk-Ned Dethsrek. Behind him you can Councilmen Vashian and Gharen, whom you recognize from the funeral processsion. They are talking to a third person, a very good looking and well dressed woman.
Ned-Good morning Kendra, and er, guests. How can I help you this morning?
To the girls: "that's an interesting song, who is it about?"
Seeing you notice them, the kids all stop and tense up.
Looking at you nervously the largest girl says, Momma says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers...
Give me a diplomacy DC 15 check.
You know, you could almost skip ropes with us. I've always loved halflings; they seem so fun and mysterious, and they aren't so big like adults. Why do you hang out with such a scary looking guy with pointy teeth; and Ms. Lorrimor. My mom says her dad worships devils! The girl giggles at being so pert in front of adults, but you sense that your size and charm has won her over.
I smile at the girls.
"Put her body on the bed. Take a knife and lop her head. Watch the blood come out the pipe. Feeds the stirge, so nice and ripe. Drops of red so sparkly bright. Splatters spell her name just right. With a hammer killed his wife. Now he wants to claim your life. Tricksy father tells a lie. Listen close or you will die."
"Did I get it right? Can you tell me about the people in the song?"
Yah, that's it! Boy, you're good! Wanna skip rope with us?
"I wish I could but I have to go to town hall, see you around."
~advance to present at town hall~
You reach the town square-a simple wooden gazebo at the center of a grassy circular plaza wich serves as the hub for Ravengro's major festivals and gatherings. Underneath the gazebo you can see a old weathered hound wagging its tail in the shade, watching you contentedly. Kendra steers you to the East side of the square and an all-purpose building that she tells you serves as the town hall. You enter through the simple double doors and approach a clerk behind a desk, who Kendra introduces to you as the City Clerk-Ned Dethsrek. Behind him you can Councilmen Vashian and Gharen, whom you recognize from the funeral processsion. They are talking to a third person, a very good looking and well dressed woman.
Ned-Good morning Kendra, and er, guests. How can I help you this morning?
I give Kendra an encouraging look.
Ooh, encouraging look. I should've thought of that. Dang.
Ooh, LEERING look. I should have thought of that. Dang
Kendra looking a little demure-Good morning Ned. I was wondering if we could get access to the Town records room for some research we are doing?
Ned frowning slightly with a disapproving look on his face-Sorry Kendra, you know the rules and it takes a majority of the Council to approve that. Even your father, lords rest the Professor's kind soul, was required to submit a request and get it approved. Why don't you fill out this petion form and the Council will take it up for review at their meeting next week? Pushes a form towards Kendra and indicates a pen and table off to the side.
What information am I finding in Lorrimar's study? I comb through everything and think like him. He would have left me some sort of keen insight about the Way.
Do I find the names of the warden and his wife?
The information in the Professor's journals is going to give you a +2 to your upcoming knowledge checks on the Whispering Way. Alamin will take 3 days to get the Pharasmite cleric's blessing to use their libraries which will you an additional +4 to research Harrowstone, its prioners, and the Whispering Way; and if the PCs can get the OK for the Town Hall you will get another +2 to research Harrowstone and its prisoners.
The knowledge checks will be in:
Arcana
History
Local
Religion
And will range from DC 10 to DC 25. You can roll 1x per day and YOU have already unlocked two of the DC checks for the Harrowstone prison (10 and 15).
Kendra looking a little demure-Good morning Ned. I was wondering if we could get access to the Town records room for some research we are doing?
[dice=Diplomacy]1d20+4
Ned frowning slightly with a disapproving look on his face-Sorry Kendra, you know the rules and it takes a majority of the Council to approve that. Even your father, lords rest the Professor's kind soul, was required to submit a request and get it approved. Why don't you fill out this petion form and the Council will take it up for review at their meeting next week? Pushes a form towards Kendra and indicates a pen and table off to the side.
Seeing that she has been thorougly rebuffed by Ned the clerk, Kendra looks at Uuranx and Vraxel "encouragingly".
Whisper to Ned:
"Ned, you hit the nail on the head, her father's research has already been approved by the council, we are merely continuing that research as it was clearly his desire that we do so as laid out in his Will. Because we are not starting some new project there should be no need for additional paperwork and delay. Do you really want to inflict additional pain on Kendra, hasn't she suffered enough?" Giving a meaningful glance over my shoulder towards Kendra.
Give me a diplomacy check +3 for RP brilliance. ~DM gives you a knowing look~
Ned looking guilty and whispering back-I know sir, but I could lose my job if I do that and I feel bad for Kendra and everything. Heck, I loved the Professor like a second father, but I just can't risk it.
Councilman Gharen in a good natured ribbing voiceWhat are you plotting now Ned, and overthrow of the Council? Ha! No but seriously, is there a problem? Gharen walks over to the group with the other two Councilpersons in tow. Is there something you need...Vraxel, isn't it?
If I am through studying in Lorrimar's study (no secret caches?, cause I looked carefully) then I wish to move on to the town's library to study more.
What have I learned about the. Whispering Way
If I am through studying in Lorrimar's study (no secret caches?, cause I looked carefully) then I wish to move on to the town's library to study more.
You won't be "through" until you unlock the DC 25 WW secrets. You can't use the town's library until the party gets permission to use it. Each roll is a full day of study. I'm assuming you have ranks in either arcana or religion?
organization of necromancers that has been active in the
Inner Sea region for thousands of years.
Agents of the Whispering Way often
seek alliances with undead creatures, or are themselves
undead. The Whispering Way’s most notorious member
was Tar-Baphon, the Whispering Tyrant, although the
society itself has existed much longer than even that
mighty necromancer.
The Whispering Way itself is a series of
philosophies that can only be transferred via whispers—
the philosophies are never written or spoken of loudly,
making the exact goals and nature of the secretive
philosophy difficult for outsiders to learn much about.
I have ranks shown on my character page. Arcana, religion, nature, planes, history.
Then you sir are going to be the keystone of research!
You won't be able to research the prisoners until you make a DC 25 history check on the prison. So you can make another check for the prison (today) against your history skill: +8; +2 for the Professor's records.
You have already learned the DC 10/15 secrets; only the DC 20/25 secrets remain!
"Councilman Gharen, hello, we were just talking to Ned about access to the town records, the Professor expressed the desire to see his research finished in his Last Will and Testament. We are assisting Kendra in carrying out those desires."
Show me that diplomacy roll...+4 for guilt over his inaction at the funeral.
Gharen-Hmmph, umm, well now. This is certainly something to consider. I'll put it on the agenda for next week's meeting. Why don't you come back then and make your case then.
I want to know all the secrets...
I want to know all the secrets...
[dice=history]1d20 + 8 + 2
Exact details on the society are difficult
to discern, but chief among the Whispering Way’s goals are
discovering formulae for creating liches and engineering
the release of the Whispering Tyrant. Agents often travel
to remote sites or areas plagued by notorious haunts
or undead menaces to perform field research or even to
capture unique monsters. Their symbol is a gagged skull,
and those who learn too many of the Way’s secrets are
often murdered, and their mouths mutilated to prevent
their bodies from divulging secrets via speak with dead.
Whispered to Uuranx and Kendra:
"Pompous bureaucrats, I have half a mind to...well that's probably better left unsaid. I am sorry Kendra that I could not win them over with common sense, do you have any other ideas or should we depart and try again another day."
Kendra-That's OK, I understand. My father had to deal with such foolishness as well, but they are really just simple townsfolk and don't always see what moves around beyond their sight....sighs...We'll just come back tomorrow and try again.
Assuming Uuranx doesn't want to make a go of it, make a list of diplomacy rolls, +1 each day, until you make a DC 25 check. At that point they will let you start using the library. Randtam, you are welcome to try your skills as well.
Randtam can start using the Temple library in 4 days to make checks against Harrowstone. Once he hits DC 25 he can then start making checks against individual prisoners.
Questions?
Rolls for next 5 days:
The Lady understands good Gharen. The sooner we get to examine the records though, the sooner we shall be out of your way.
ha, he got progessively tired of my orcish face...
OK, so research will have to wait for three more days. Randtam has uncovered all you will be able to about the WW. Alamin takes another few days to get access to the church's records, BUT they do give her (and the party) permisson to investigate the crypt mentioned in the Professor's notes.
What actions do you take during the 3 days?
On to the crypt!
~meeting everyone back at Kendra's house after her failed first day foray at the church of Pharasma If only it had been a church of Sarenrae! We would be looking at those tomes right now and finding out more about the ruined prison of Harrowstone and its inhabitants. What did the Professor find there I wonder that cost him his life? Searing suns! Well I suppose they did grant us leave to investigat the crypt. The blessings of small favors... Looking at Vraxel and Uuranx, How did it go at the Town Hall; Vraxel? You have glum faces yourselves....jokingly...And for you Uuranx that's quite a feat! Smiles warmly. Also, what did the studies of the learned Randtam reveal? Come, come; share the secrets of your findings! Muttering to herself, Bah! I can't wait to get back and convince those Pharasmite priests that we MUST see those books.
"The fools at the town hall did not let us see the records, they want us to submit a written request or some such nonsense, human bureaucracy baffles me!"
Agreed. For a race that is so short lived they do insist on their tedium sometimes. I think the following of rules makes them believe in the patterns of the world and that things are acting as they should in an otherwise uncertain reality. Of course I am also a big respecter of rules, but much more those of the divine than those of the mundane. You will have to try again tomorrow as will I. In the meantime, Randtam what news?
On to the crypt!
Everyone else ready for the crypt? I assume Randtam will share his findings with the group so they can read his spoilers (if they haven't already).
To Group
The Whispering Way is a fiendish organization of necromancers who's chief goals are to find a formulae for creating lichens and engineering the release of the Whispering Tyrant. AKA Tar-Baphon. Agents of the Way travel far to find undead menaces to perform research. They destroy the mouths of those they kill so they are unable to speak when dead. Their symbol is a jagged skull. Those who get to close are murdered. They have no written communication they only communicate by voice commands.
One evil nasty group. The whispering Way is a series of philosophies only spoken orally. They have been around the Inner Sea Region for over a thousand years.
We must tread lightly here!
"The fools at the town hall did not let us see the records, they want us to submit a written request or some such nonsense, human bureaucracy baffles me!"
Vraxel
I have known you for only a short time but maybe you can speak more kindly with human folk to get what you need. We actually do listen when spoken to in a nice manner.
Sorry friend. I am sure you were polite. I am just annoyed we do not have any information from town hall before we leave.
Indeed Randtam. Courtesy is the soul of diplomacy, as they say. Of course the right hand of diplomacy is usually holding a scimitar... Tomorrow we will try for the reputed treasures of the crypt, yes?
Did I find any information in Lorrimar's study concerning the crypt? I want to be prepared for what awaits us.
To Alamin: And maybe the left hand of diplomacy is open wide in a show of peace not force.
Did I find any information in Lorrimar's study concerning the crypt? I want to be prepared for what awaits us.
From his journal, it appears that he visited the crypt (without church approval) prior to his death at Harrowstone. He vaguely describes picking up some artifacts there that he though would be useful in his research, but nothing of the kind was found when his corpse was discovered.
Did I find any information in Lorrimar's study concerning the crypt? I want to be prepared for what awaits us.
To Alamin: And maybe the left hand of diplomacy is open wide in a show of peace not force.
That a nice thought Randtam, but my left hand is usually filled with a heavy steel shield. It's a little more certain than what you propose.
Then the artifacts he found are at his estate or lost to those we shall not talk about. Damn Lorrimar give me a sign!
Wish I knew more before we start our trek.