Beren rises the next morning. He heads down to the yard behind the inn and goes through some combat manuevers with his axe and does some exercises to get the knots out of his muscles. He then goes back in and washes up in a bowl of clean water. He makes his way back to the common room feeling ready for whatever the day might bring.
The party wakes up after having a good undisturbed rest. Arriving down to have breakfast they discuss on what to do next. There are several avenues that they might pursue.
- Tremain the gnome that attacked the goblin
- The forest to the southeast
- Being lead by a goblin to the mountainside door
- Try to pick up the trail of the adventurers to find Chara
- Investigate the cave
- Information in the note left to Sventon
- Other suggestions.
The group also has a few allies in the town now as well.
- Misha & Flint
- Varis
"There are two things out of all our options that must be done today. Chara's trail will grow cold if we don't follow it, and who knows if we'll ever find the goblin again if we don't meet him today. I've prepared magic to help us scout the door in the mountain."
"Agreed, Trogg. I'd like to make sure the rest of the goblins are holding true to their word, as well. I say we check Chara's trail and see if it leads us out of town, then circle around to the tower afterwards."
Rikaku spends the morning going through his fastidious personal hygiene routine, emerging only after he has double-checked that not a single grain of dirt or the slightest blemish remains. Afterwards he emerges out into the dining area to convene with the rest of the party - but only after bothering Beltzer for some leftover scraps of meat (or better yet, crackling!) from last night's dinner.
"Rikaku see no problem with plan," he chirps, rather much more interested in his food than the activities of the day. "We must keep eye for scary big-folk big-home, too!"
It is agreed... let us then try our fortunes. Chara then the goblins.
Beren nods at the party agreeing to the course of action, Variel points out where the Nosso Lar is in town. He spends a little while trying to track where Chara might have gone. Eventually tracking her leaving out of the west gate of town, which he says is strange as most of the adventurers left to the East gate. By the track markings she met with a group of people before heading west directly along the path. Further searching brings the group heading towards to old mansion towards the North West of town.
"Do we have enough time to get to the mansion, verify that Chara is safe, and still meet the goblin before he runs off? He's one of the few solid leads we've got."
Beren ponders though reckons it depends on how long they take at the mansion. Perhaps they can send a message towards the tower and get the goblin to wait at the inn odd as that sounds so the party can take their time in tracking down Chara.
Maybe we can use our new allies for that? They would know Varis at least - being simple creatures they'd not know much more that his look and smell I'd wager but that should be enough to delay them until our arrival.
"Hmmm... Varis might be up to it if we asked him. I don't know if the goblin would be willing or even allowed to come into town. Personally, I think the goblins will likely wait for our return even if it's later in the evening -- but if you are worried, let's ask Varis to deliver a quick message."
A message is dispatched to Varis, he assures the group that he will keep an eye on the goblins and send a message if something happens. The party then moves onto the mansion. Approaching it seems very derelict, the front door is busted in, Beren can spy fresh tracks entering the main doorway. The mansion is made of a ground floor and a first floor. Most of the windows have been boarded up with wood, not many of the windows seem whole behind the wood. Many windows have cracks or shattered glass. As the party approaches the main area they hear the scream of a male from inside the house.
Perception
Variel starts moving towards the house and readies his rapier.
Perception
"A man..." Jazz stops and considers, listening, "not the girl we're looking for, but somebody who probably needs some help anyway." He pushes on for the house -- not necessarily in a hurry, but with not a moment wasted.
Clarence finds the human structure entirely uninteresting.
"Aye. Let's come to his aid." Trogg hustles forward with the rest of the party.
Having been particularly quiet through the journey, Rikaku perks up with a look of distress as the man's scream shatters his reverie. "Big-folk stabbed through chest I think, breathe is hard for him... might be dead, might not... also I hear outside something, somewhere nearby, be aware!" The kobold clutches his spear nervously and peers around, searching for signs of movement. He follows the group towards the building as he chants a spell in draconic, causing a translucent sheen of icy-white dragon scales to materialise across his body like a mass-less suit of dragonscale armor.
As the party walks towards the house the air seems to go still. Rikaku doesn't hear anything more from around the house.
The wind stops for a second before the house blinks from existence. The wind returns a moment later and so too does the house. Looking at the house it almost seems like it is somewhat different, though you can't place what. It isn't the shape or design of the structure as that is still the same. Instead it feels like the house shouldn't be here at all, like it doesn't exist. One of the group inspects the house physically by reaching out and touching it. The house is truly there but it doesn't stop it from being off putting.
Entering the front door the party enters a small atrium, it is a small semi circular room with a spiral staircase in the center and two corridors. One left and one right. Rikaku hears a couple of quick brushing sounds. Swiftly turning around the sounds stops. What would the party like to do?
knowledge: Arcana DC15:
knowledge: History DC15:
knowledge: Local DC15:
knowledge: The planes DC15:
knowledge: Nature DC15
This house... seems strange, perhaps it was in part constructed or aided in its construction by a magical being. Its wood and stone almost seem to have once been 'living' the way a treant would be but it feels dead to me now. Historically as far as I know there was a mansion mentioned in the area though not in this specific area. History, such as it is, say a rich traveler clothed in white passed through town just before the owner of the mansion died.
Very curious.
Arcana
Dungeoneering
Engineering
Local
"There was once a time when the house was smaller. The old owner upgraded it, though he never hired a construction crew."
Rikaku jumps almost a foot off the ground, nervously looking over his shoulder. "Did anyone hear too?" He asks timidly, both regarding the strange brushing noises and the single word whispered in his ears alone. The rest of the group discusses all kinds of facts about the house, none of which mean very much to the kobold, and he clutches his spear tightly in obvious fear. "We go look around, not stay here. I sense danger."
Left Variel says decisively then casts mage armour.
There isn't much magic around the place, there does seem to be slight echos of magic once being there though. It is so faint that it feels like a trick in your mind.
The corridors don't look that distinct from each other, the right one has a broken frame of a painting in the corridor where the left has a painting of the coloured earths of the region. The party walks on through the left corridor slowly wary of the dangers ahead.
Midway between the rooms the party hears something stampeding from the corridor they have just come from, to their surprise a large bipedal creature with horns comes charging through and attacks clarence. The creatures large fist comes down at lands a blow with a sickening crack onto Clarences head. Some scuttling is heard inside some rooms up ahead and two lizard like creatures with multicoloured scales come out brandishing weapons. A small goblinoid creature rushes out as well but is running further down the corridor.
Variel craises his blade against the creature to his side.
Badly mauled, Clarence retreats to lick his wounds.
Trogg rummages in a pocket, pulls out a wand, steps up to Beren and taps him with it.
Growling, Rikaku utters a couple of arcane words in draconic, gesticulating wildly at the great horned beast. The floor beneath it suddenly turns cold and slippery, a thin sheet of ice spontaneously forming beneath its cloven feet.
Jazz dances forward at the big horned beast, his rapier flashing out viciously like a scorpion's stinger.
Attack
Damage
Acrobatics
Horned creature: AC 14
Lizards: AC 15
goblin: AC 13
Variel swishes his new rapier about and lands a critical blow straight between the lizard's eyes and it falls over crumpled in a heap on the ground.
Jazz darts around the horned creatures reach and he lands a good strike to the creatures abdomen. His battle brother Beren now invigorated by Trogg charges head first into the creature.
He cleaves through the opening that Jazz left and stands shoulder to shoulder with his old friend, nodding at him to show Jazz that he's got his back.
Sventon draws his Curveblade and goes after the other lizard, catching it as it reels from the surprise battle. The lizard had no idea what hit him as Sventon plunges his sword deep into the creature's chest. It breathes it's last and falls over.
The goblin who was previously running has seen two of his allies just get mauled and falls over terrified from the onslaught.
The horned creature maintains its footing on the Greasy floor trying not to move anywhere.
Trogg pulls a wand out of his sleeve and taps Clarence with it.
Rikaku lets out a squeak of frustration at the beast not succumbing to his ice trick. "How it resist great dragon magic?!" He demands, stomping his foot on the ground. He tries to fire off a blast of cold energy at it, but his frustration plus the difficulty of avoiding everyone in front of him makes it an impossible task. The kobold screeches in annoyance again, steam coming out of his nostrils as he rants in draconic.
Sventon charges the goblin at the end of the corridor, his face perfectly calm and letting of no sound whatsoever. The curve blade rises in a searing arc at the hapless creature.
Sventon charges for the goblin slicing through the creature, he won't be getting up again.
Variel let's out an evil eye to let the others be able to hit the creature easier.
Jazz and Beren both attack with their weapons trying to finish the creature off.
The creature is lurching but is still intent to fight. He swings an attack with each fist, one against each of those adjacent to him.
Both attacks land with satisfying crunches that the creature seems happy about.
Trogg and Clarence switch places, and Trogg begins an incantation.
Wincing at the meaty smacks delivered, Variel prepares to use his healing hex on Beren next round and cackle to continue the hex on the creature.
Unable to aim through the big-folk in the way, and yet not wanting them to suffer any more of those sickening crunches, Rikaku summons his draconic cunning to think of a more creative solution...
"BANG!" He shouts, but no sound comes from his mouth! Instead, a rumbling explosion seems to come from behind the horned beast, as if a small bomb had gone off.
Sventon will walk towards the horned beast while taking out his dagger and try to hit it with a throw.