Whisper in the Mists Epic 6 (Inactive)

Game Master Davachido

Hi Dav' - I never even considered the cup, my thing was the tracking though I can't track :). I'll let the others respond but we could take the cup for later analysis

Later analysis meaning either Trogg or Variel stares at it for a few seconds tomorrow and tells you if it's poisoned. Isn't detect poison wonderful?

You can carry it in a vial till the next day then when you can do detect poison. The DC 20 check is rather odd, as since you can keep casting detect poison you can just take 20 in it. I guess it matters if a ranger or paladin does it since it takes up a spell slot.

So as long as one of you memorizes detect poison after the rest then you'll know what's in it.

For those in the house

Looking around the house, beren finds a vial to put the waer in from the glass and puts it in his pack. He then walks back out the front door and crouches, examining the ground to find a trail to follow.

Survival (track) Take 20 + 7 = 27

Taking great care to not miss anything, Beren finds a track to follow. "This way everyone." He follows the tracks to the edge of town.

Once there he tells the others, "Varis's tracks meet up with other people as there are more tracks from more creatures. They then head off towards the tower to the west. There is at least 4 people, the weight of the markings suggest they are either armed or carrying a lot. We should gather the others and investigate."

"It's just Varis in these tracks out of town? Why would he interrupt his own letter to go meet some heavily-armed friends?" Jazz rests his hand on the hilt of his large, curved blade, his face expressing someone deep in thought. "Even if he was attacked by an invisible assailant and forced on this trek, someone or something invisible still leaves tracks."

"Let's find the others, then."

What time is it, GM?

Variel attempts to help him.

Survival 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0

It takes a little while to follow the tracks so it is getting late. The sun went down about an hour or two ago. You can either push on during the night and resting early morning to prevent fatigue or rest now and investigate when you wake up.

Its late but if we leave the tracking late... we may have the tracks disturbed - I say we need to follow these... if we are able, he says peering at the ground in the totally wrong direction.

"Let's check back at the inn."

Jazz turns and heads back toward town, heading for the Rum Runner first and then to their rooms.

"I think we will be able to take up the trail in the morning, this many armored people cannot hope to pass without leaving a trace. Plus, it appears they have gone off to the tower their in the distance. We can start looking there in the morning when we are at full strength and with all our companions."

With that, Beren heads back to the inn. and waits in the taproom until everyone has returned so he can tell them what they found and they can prepare for moving out in the morning.

Variel shrugs and heads home, soundly securing his door before he sleeps.

Sventon looks at the girls expectantly, hoping for a favorable answer.

Arriving at the inn the pair see that their friends aren't there currently. Beltzer is cleaning mugs and the tavern has died down a bit, perhaps the adventurers were planning on a early night.

"Greetings again, back for that tale or just for a rest?"

As soon as the ghost sound goes off both of you hear more shuffling inside the house. Suddenly a human pops his head outside the door way and looks around. He spots the hiding place where Trogg is hiding though hasn't quite noticed him yet, if he walks over to investigate you can guess that he'll find Trogg.

Rikaku sighs silently as the human seems to notice the bigger dwarf. This was why the bigger races were so annoying...! Can't even make a tricksy plan and hide afterwards! He tries to snatch a good look at the person heading in their direction, his mind ticking through possible solutions to this problem. Ah! I know!

Rikaku quietly chants another spell beneath his breath. A strange, glowing, vaguely humanoid figure suddenly materialises near some nearby sugar cane, in the opposite direction from where Trogg and Rikaku are hiding. In the darkness, the bluish-white light stands out quite a lot; Rikaku crosses his fingers, hoping the human would be dumb enough to fall for another one of his simple magic tricks. Casting dancing lights

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 Trying to get a good look at this human, what does he look like? Does he look dangerous?

Jazz sticks around the bar as well with Beren. He sits at the bar and spends some time talking to the Half Orc bartender, trying to make a friend out of him.

Diplomacy 1d20 ⇒ 14

"What's your name, barkeep?" he asks, after ordering his ale. "My name's Jazz, and I've a few questions I was hoping to ask you, but I'm not one to push someone to do me a favor." Jazz offers his hand to the Half Orc, as a true man of business would.

Trogg also tries to get a good look at the man. Does he look like anyone he's seen before or like the sort of person who might use a scroll? Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29 He also prepares to cast entangle (DC 15 Ref, boosted to CL 3 using Place Magic) between him and the man if he doesn't fall for Rikaku's trick.

Sventon gets up and offers Ingrid his arm, asking Is there a place where people can dance, or do we have to wait for someone to start playing music?

In the bar Beltzer puts down the mug he is wiping and shakes the outstretched had that has been offered. "Pleasure to meet you Jazz, my name is Beltzer. Ask away, I'm a barkeep! Getting asked questions is part of the fun of my job. Hehe."

Back in time a little:
Ingrid smiles at Sventon. "Nah, let's just start dancing I'm sure people will make room and the music will follow for certain." Ingrid starts a dance swaying her hips to a non-existent tune then takes you by your hands and starts moving into the crowd backwards. As she does people start moving out the way. She continues to dance with Sventon in the centre of a small bit of floor space that has opened up.

At the storage building the man starts approaching the bush but quickly darts round as he sees the light out of the corner of his eye. The man is seemingly very jumpy at this point. He takes up a dagger and Trogg can see a spell being prepared in his other hand.

Since he can cast a spell Trogg suspects that this man could use a scroll too. The man is now currently looking away from the pair.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Trogg continues quietly waiting to see what he does.

"Pleased to meet you, Beltzer. I was hoping you might know something about someone in town -- my friend Variel was unsure about much more than a name, but we're concerned that he might be in trouble."

"Tell me, have you met the Half Elf named Varis? Has he been around long?"

Sventon joins the girl dancing, hoping that someone will start playing a tune. But for now he focuses on Ingrid.
Show me your moves he says smiling.

Rikaku gestures slightly, causing the glowing light figure to slowly "walk" even further away. He then furtively points at the warehouse, looking pointedly at Trogg. "Go!" He hisses as quietly as he can.

At the storage building the lights seem to be drawing the paranoid man out. He tries to stealthily follow the lights through the sugar cane closing the door behind him. The pair then run as quietly as they can towards the warehouse. Would you like to just open the door or would you like to do anything before entering?

Back at the inn Beltzer gives a hearty laugh. "Varis? Oh he's been around here for a while, used to be quite a light hearted charmer. Trying to bed any decent looking lady from any race that would grace this small tavern. He got in good with the richer people in town by doing jobs for them, never really told me what kind but I doubt they were malicious. Recently though he's been acting really jumpy, he's even been declining the company of beautiful women! It was unlike him. Something has him down, kept talking about a cave near the town. I've been here long and never seen such a cave, he kept insisting it was there though. I worry for him, hopefully he's alright." Beltzer scratches his rotund belly a bit, then pours himself a bit of water.

Once the crowd around the dancing pair has noticed them a nearby music player starts to give them a little something to dance to. Ingrid close to Sventon, sometimes ducking under his arm and twirling behind him before coming back and pressing her back against his chest. Keeping at least one hand continuously holding one of his. Every so often she makes eye contact and flashes a smile. After a little while of dancing she whispers "It's a pity that Diaz seems to have declared you a 'rival' group, you seem to be a lot of fun. I wouldn't mind if you joined us doubt the others would be too happy though... always afraid that someone will betray them." She sighs. "You trust your group right? Despite not being family? Her questions seem sincere.

Beren joins the conversation between Beltzer and Jazz, "Do you think Varis might have been the kind to double cross someone or get caught in something out of his depth? That would explain him being jumpy lately."

As Beren talks to the barkeep his eyes drift over to Sventon and Ingrid dancing and he cracks a smile.

I trust them with my life says Sventon grabbing Ingrid by her back and leaning hear almost to the ground, then lifting her back and giving her a twirl I've been through some hairy situations with most of them. They're a good bunch, even the kobold. he chuckles imagining Rikaku dancing with Ingrid and being mindful of his tail.
Spining her around holding her only by his arms he asks Why is your brother so suspicious? Is he afraid that people are out to get him, or does he think that he knows something that others don't? I can't join you, I'm afraid, my friends and i have made a pact. But i would help you in any way i can, that wouldn't impede my group. Can i do that somehow?

Sense Motive 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
Ooh a male picking up a clue from a female? Unheard of! Should have given a bigger DC :D

Sventon smiles warmly, as he can see that Ingrid likes him, a good thing, since he has taken a liking to her as well.

Trogg casts entangle (DC 15 Ref, boosted to CL 3 using Place Magic) on the sugar cane before entering the building. He'll try to place it so the man isn't in its area of effect, but will be once he starts back toward the warehouse. I assume that would require a perception check to guess how far he is. Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

Rikaku scampers after Trogg, keeping his illusory light show shuffling away from them as far away as he can maintain the magic, at which point the light winks out of existence. After the dwarf is inside, Rikaku hurriedly closes the door to the warehouse, locking it if possible and shoving anything he can find (a chair, table, etc) up against the door to reinforce it. Only then does he look around the warehouse, keeping a close eye out for anything resembling scrolls or spellbooks.

Taking 10 on Perception for 15.

Trogg and Rikaku run into the building with an entangle cast behind them. Entering the small building they both hear a relatively loud ringing sound. Quickly they shut the door behind them. Both of them having darkvision they can easily see what's in this small place. There is bundles of sugar can slightly burnt from the harvest, jars of unrefined sugar and rope for the bundles. In one corner there is a table with a plan of the town on it, several buildings have been circled. There is a girl lying on one of the sugar bundles. Her breathing is very deep and it's doubtful you could wake her. Spirit sense shows that there seems to be an absence of a spirit in her, it is a very odd sensation. Both of Trogg and Rikaku can see there is some sort of magic around the girl and it's a very strong aura. A few moments later they hear the man coming back through the sugar cane though is entangled by the trap. You can hear him struggling. His reflex is 2 so I'll say you have about 10 rounds to do something before he breaks free.

Beltzer taps his belly rhythmically while thinking. "No, I don't think he'd double cross someone. He did know a lot about dealings in the town, he might have found out something he wasn't supposed to. If he did he didn't tell me, but him meddling with the wrong people or things is entirely plausible. He had a knack for finding trouble." He shrugs. "Perhaps you could confront him about it?"

On the dance floor Ingrid smiles at the suggestion of help "I don't know yet, though I'll send you something if you could help us out. As for Diaz, we have trusted people before that weren't from our family and it got us into a lot of trouble. He tried to give people second chances but they kept trying to take advantage of us because of our family background. So he is afraid of ever trusting people beyond us three. We follow him though because he does his best to protect us much as he can be a bit brazen about it. He's not a bad person when you get on his good side, or I think so anyway." She sighs then stretches. [b] "I think we should get to bed, big day tomorrow. If I don't see you in the morning I hope we cross paths again soon." She ruffles your hair slightly "Though don't listen to my brother, I don't want you dying at there." She stifles a bit of laughter before turning to leave.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Trogg quickly tells Rikaku "You grab the map, I'll carry the girl." He glances around the room, trying to plan their next move. Any other doors except the one we entered by? Roughly how heavy is she? Could I use the sugar cane bundles or the table as a makeshift sled on which to drag her?

Sventon catches her hand and looks her in the eyes.
You be careful too, I'd like to see you again. Sweet dreams.
He smiles at her.

Rikaku cocks his head, looking confusedly at the unconscious girl. The magical aura around her was very strong, much stronger than he'd probably ever seen before, and it disturbed and unsettled him. "Bad-big-folk cast strong magic on her?" He wonders aloud, hurrying over towards the table and pilfering the map. The kobold quickly rolls it up and tucks it under his arm before assisting Trogg as best he can with the girl.

Not wanting to alarm the barkeep and start rumors flying that might hamper their investigation, Beren decides not to mention the disappearance of Varis. We will have to go see him in the morning. Now, while I am waiting for my friends, I could use an ale and one of them stories you mentioned earlier."

The girl isn't all that heavy, about 100-115lb. There is a couple of windows closed with wooden shutters. No other doors though. It should be easy enough to make a sled using the bundles and rope.

The man outside the building is struggling with the entangle spells, you can hear some expletives as he tries to get out of the mess. Map successfully tucked away and girl in hand Trogg plans what to do next.

Back in the tavern Ingrid smiles back at Sventon, then takes her sister with her upstairs to the rooms.

Beltzer laughs "Ah now that I can do." He pulls up a chair after serving Beren some ale. He sits down and starts using his belly almost like a drum set. It oddly enough does fit the mood and is a relatively peaceful drumming tune.

"Chamarel, a wonderfully small town. With coloured earth beneath its feet and the aroma of sugar to fill the air. A place filled with happiness and friendly townsfolk. A normal town you'd say, though its past is bleak and filled with sadness. Years ago nobles ruled over this town, driving workers to the bone for such riches that the sugar brings. Such fertile soil and a safe harvest would reap profits for the nobles, the weak would earn but a pittance." Beltzer changes the tone of his voice to a lower pitch while humming something at the back of his throat.

"The rich oppressing the weak, not unheard of. Though as farmers would tell you, any animal backed into a corner will be dangerous. These villagers, took it upon themselves to do something about their oppressors. Just before the very day that a mob had formed. A mob filled with pitchforks and alcohol ready to be burned. The nobles had vanished, never to be seen again. Their houses put to torch, though not one person saw the flames the night before. Some argue that a group got there before the rest. Some say it was something far more sinister. Regardless of what happened though, no-one from the time could remember the night the nobles disappeared." Beltzer exclaims something in Orcish.

"The regent sent men to find out what happened to the nobles, they found nought but ash. Villagers were lashed, some were buried in the earth to add red to the colours. Not one spoke of any news of these nobles. The regent's men gave up and let the villagers take over slowly. Nothing bad has befallen the town since." Beltzer laughs.

"Some of the townsfolk seem to think there might be a guardian angel, I'd like to say they should know better. Keeping your hope on something that protects you and your family is a inspiring thought. Don't you think?"

115 lb is "I can stagger 5 ft per round" for Trogg or Rikaku

Trogg quickly ties some bundles together, places the girl gently on them, and pulls her to the door. He then cracks the door slightly and casts Obscuring Mist, then hurries along the outside of the building away from the cursing man. Speed is probably better than stealth now, thinks Trogg as he pulls the girl toward the inn.

"That is amazing! Have you ever heard of a cave outside of town, up near the top of the mountain? I've heard some talk of it, but no one else in town seems to know anything about it. It seems to sound like the same effect that you describe about the night the nobles disappeared."

Still in... just letting others have the spotlight and some stuff has hit the fan at work too so its win-win

Rikaku helps Trogg drag the makeshift stretcher as best he can, but the physical weakness of the tiny reptile make it a heavy strain on his body. If anyone tries to stop them, he'll quickly make up a lie about a fellow adventurer who got attacked by terrible spiders and desperately needs medical attention and wave them off. He keeps a constant look over his shoulder, watching out for the spellcaster whose warehouse they'd busted into.

Bluff: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Noticed I accidentally used the wrong profile above. Mikal should be Beren

Brief change of character, eh, Beren? :P

"Intriguing story, Beltzer. Revolutions of the poor are often a bloody business, but I am glad to see that it's paid off for Chamarel citizens today." Jazz signals to have an ale brought to him, and then sits back to hear Beltzer's answer to Beren's question.

Was Beltzer's Orcish exclamation anything of importance? Jazz can speak Orc.

Beltzer thinks to himself for a little while. "There is a mountain north of here, part of the old volcano. I don't know anything about a cave. Interesting if this cave is as you say, under some sort of magical effect. Another tale I can spin to would be adventurers." He laughs a little.

The exclamation was effectively a battle shout or exclamation of joy.

A few moments later with a bit of luck, a bit of subterfuge and a bit of quick talking Trogg and Rikaku make it back to the inn where the other party members are. With them is a makeshift sledge carrying a girl. They don't think they were tailed by anyone.

Seeing the dwarf and kobold pulling a woman into the taproom on a sled, Beren can't help himself. "You know, there are easier ways of finding companionship." He then moves to the door and quickly closes it. Turning to his friends he asks, What have you two been up to?"

"Is long story. Magic-scroll and magic-dust found in room, and tracks coming away from. Followed, find bad-big-folk and sleepy-big-folk. Distract bad-big-folk with magic, take sleepy-big-folk back here."

Rikaku was never good at explaining things, especially in Common.

"Trogg idea to bring her back! Ask him!"

How crowded is the room at the moment?

After stopping to catch his breath and move the girl to somewhere reasonably quiet and private, Trogg examines her. Taking 20 on both Perception (29) and Heal (28). How old is she? What is she wearing? Anything out of the ordinary? Anything that might hint at who she is?

"Someone cast a spell using a scroll in one of our rooms, Beren. We tracked him to a sugar cane warehouse where Rikaku lured him out as we darted inside. She was lying there, much as you see her now. Something magical that I don't understand is the cause of her slumber. I spotted that right away and decided to take her with us. He may have had the best of motives, but I felt I couldn't risk it."

I'm getting way too jumpy recently. First I suspect the Devantes of trying to slit our throats, then grab this girl without first considering that that man may have been trying to help her. What's gotten into me? thinks Trogg.

He then recalls another piece of the night's events. "What was on the map you took, Rikaku? Perhaps it will tell us something."

"Oh! Right!" Rikaku pulls the scroll out of his sack and rolls it out on the floor for everyone to see. It's a map of the town with several buildings circled on it. The kobold frowns, pointing at one of the circles with a clawed finger. "Circles? What these?" His expression darkens. "Not... location of taken-child... I hope?"

"Maybe Beltzer knows," Jazz offers, pointing Rikaku with the map to the bartender. "He seems to know quite a bit about the goings-on in this town."

But first, he pulls Trogg and Rikaku aside and speaks lowly so other patrons would have to strain to hear. "We also found something," he then says. "A local has gone missing very recently, probably just a few hours ago. He is a Half-Elf named Varis. He seems to have just up and left his home, completely abandoned it, and did so in the middle of writing a letter. Whatever we're looking for seems to be invisible, based on what he'd been writing, but the letter was never finished."

I hope it's okay to assume that we took the letter as evidence...

Jazz produces the letter and shows it to the others.

"Beren followed his tracks to the north edge of town, and there he met up with a group of heavily-armed or at least heavily-weighted people, and together they went north. We stopped there, thinking it might be a good place to start in the morning."

"Is Varis's house one of the ones marked on the map?"

Sventon, after saying good-bye to Ingrid has sat with Jazz and listened while he talked to Beltzer.
After Trogg and Rikaku entered the inn, he listened to the exchange.
I have a bit of information to add, not very important i warrant, but may come in handy. While i danced with Ingrid, she told me that her brother doesn't trust anyone except his family, because they've been fooled before. Now i know that they consider us competition, but i don't think that they are capable of sabotaging us violently. The worst we can expect from them is that they might cut saddle straps on our horses and try to slow us down in some way that will not hurt us for real.
On the other hand, i have been wrong before, and I'm not really a great judge of character.

Beren takes in everything as Trogg and Rikaku relay what they have been up to. Let me take a look at the map, I might be able to tell if Varis' house is one of the circled ones. I think it would be best not to involve the barkeep in something that might be dangerous knowledge."

Knowledge geography take 20 + 5 + 2 circumstance from studying goblins map = 27

There are 4 houses circled on the map. One is just outside of town. The other 3 are near the centre of town mostly larger ones compared to the others around it. None of them seem to be Varis' house.

Yes it's fine to have taken the letter

Trogg inspects the girl, she looks to be in her 30s. Her clothing seems to be standard adventuring fare. She does have a pair of pistols around her waist though. She doesn't have anything on her that might denote her origin. She feels oddly still, it almost feels like there is nothing occupying the body and is just a living husk.

Should ask, would you like to wake the girl, or just let her wake up?

For the map