Looking at Bobie with a shocked look, Turngut glances at his feet and then worriedly grasps his throat while smacking his tongue. Turngut does feel dry, Wrinkebutt. Still can’t understand Hoppo. Turngut better go!! Without hesitation, Turngut bolts out the door to find the nearest pub. Jabbbing a finger in one ear, he calls over his shoulder, Turngut grab strong drink for Wrinklebutt. And Woman and Hoppo too!!
Poppo looks at BobE, Seems like to good a chance to make a great use of this Frostfang. Once we leave Ark, I doubt we'll have another chance to give Turngut something so lethal.
He pauses, We definitely owe you my friend. What do you say we make this deal, then leave them to get some ale, while we do a little investigative work and see if we can find out anything about Dettlaff.
He hands the blade and the cash to Elohim,
Mae'n fargen
It's a deal.
The pair head out.
Let's stop by and let them know what we are up too.
Heading to the Hairy Halfling, he sees Turngut and Nalia enjoying a beverage.
The deal is done, looks like we have a week in Ark. BobE and I are going to take care of another errand. We'll meet you back at the Nomad later.
Poppo leads BobE to a few shady corners of the city where he knows people will know things.
Go ahead (BobE) tell them about who you are looking for.
The Hairy Halfling is squat little establisment clearly made for those of the smaller variety. Those who stand above five feet tall have to uncomfortably crouch to not bang their head on the ceiling. The tavern serves generally weak drinks but Turngut and Nalia both get the strongest drink they have The Furtive Pygmy". A drink probably a little too sweet for both Nalia's and Turngut's palate but very strong. One or two sips for an ordinary person would leave them quite inebriated.
BobE what sort of questions are you asking the passersby? Give me a diplomacy check to gather info.
By the time Nalia gets to the Hairy Halfling (I'm assuming she took the time to actually tell everyone where she was going and didn't just run out), Turngut has already finished 2 of the Furitive Pygmy drinks, glass and all. The timid halfling woman behind the bar is shakily pouring several more of the drinks for Turngut as he leans over the bar, his knees on the ground. With a panicked look in his yellow eyes, he looks around for water and grabs some pitchers and glasses from nearby, ignoring the protests of their previous owners. Not caring what he's shoving in his mouth, he downs everything that he can.
Seeing Nalia enter the tiny pub: Woman have ear worm too!? Need drink! Fast! Get drink in mouth or, er, ear worm do... do...ah..do something! Wrinklebutt say ear worm do bad things and need to have strong drink. Turngut not taking chances and having lots of strong drinks. No time, Woman! No time to go to other pub! His panicked rambling is cut off when the barkeep sets the 4 Furitive Pygmy's on the table. Turngut swipes all 4 easily up at once in his massive paw and downs them without pause. Sheepishly looking at the now empty glasses, he bangs them on the bar and barks out an order More! MORE!! Must have many, many strong drinks or Turngut will be very sick with ear worms. Get more for Woman too! He finishes his demands with pounding on the bar and a not-unkind imploring look at the halfling.
Before heading out with BobE, as Poppo checks in, and gets a good chuckle at his larger friends cramped into the halfling ale house.
I'll have to remember this place. He thinks.
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BobE smiles at the sight of the half orc in the small bar and whispers over to Poppo I may have overdone that a little. And then crouches over and walks to the bar next to Turngut. Barkeep, my friend and I are plagued by earworms, only your ale can save us. Send another round this way. Our boss is paying anyways, He says nodding over at Poppo. I have got to say, halflings are just the best people to work for. An acquaintance of mine, fellow name Dettlaff if you know of him, was telling me how lucky we were to work for a halfing. bobE tries to find information while giving poppo and nalia a wink, and shoves another drink at Turngut before he can say anything else.
The halfling man talks in a relative high pitched voice Don't know any man named Dettlaff but I can tell who probably does know something about him. Guy by the name of Trusty Patches, bald as the day I was born bandage always on his right arm, can't miss him! He frequents the Crowned Toad here in the Trade District.
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Sounding a fair bit more sluggish than normal, Nalia says, Well, I'm sure we've killed off any earworms we might have had. And probably killed off a few more things as well......I think we should order a few snacks....I'm not sure I can walk a straight line at the moment. What sort of halfling specialties are there? Then we head back to the room for a nap and a job well done!
So you guys wanted to diplomacy gather information which will also get you guys a few local rumors. As you talk to various halflings in the tavern and other people on the street you hear a few things.
Did you hear that the war in Nehrim is over? Taranor Coarek is the new king calling his army the Free Peoples or Nehrim.
I heard the King Slayer Letho of Gulet has made his way to Enderal.
News is a bunch of undead have been pouring out of Anor Colair in the mountains more than usual.
Did you know that the Nehrimese Mages were allowed to enter the Sun Temple of Ark?
Did you hear about Castle Croft on the Suncoast has been taken back by House Featherwill?
Nalia, Poppo, and BobE who only had a few Furtive Pygmy's are just a little bit tipsy but Turngut despite his Consitution is very much hammered. Also your tab in total is about three gold if you could deduct that. When you arrive back at the Nomad you notice that MacGuire, Pearson, and Thraduik are not there.
But you do see Jespar having a heated discussion with a short haired beautiful blonde woman. She wears a very open white shirt with blue padded armor. They aren't talking for long before Ves stands up and storms toward tavern exit leaving Jespar behind with a glum look on his face. He hangs his head for a moment before looking up seeing you all About time you showed, was begining to worry you all got lost in the big city! Jespar looks at Ves still standing by the door who shares the gaze. Ves looks at the group of you, you can tell she has had a tears in her eyes even though she tries hard to hide them. She wipes her wet face with her hand before walking sadly into the street.
Jespar clearly in a poor emotional mood glances again at the door before continuing. Umm, well... he pauses again I made contact with my employer Constantine Firespark and he is planning on coming to the Nomad tomorrow morning to get you your pay and to meet you. Jespar stands up trying badly to hide his emotional state I'll see you tomorrow... If not interrupted Jespar heads up to his quarters and you do not see him for the rest of night.
Before you can go to bed though the bartender calls Poppo over and hands him a letter addressed to the "Heroes of the Suncoast". The letter is formally written clearly by a noble and addresses the party with much respect. The letter from Belis Ormaris invites the party to dinner tomorrow at his estate in the noble district.
Thank you friend, but I'm not sure swords and spells will help this situation. Jespar responds.
While still at the Hairy Halfling, Poppo remarks to BobE. Trusty Patches, I think I've heard that name before..we must try to find him tomorrow.
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Seeing the condition Jespar is in, Poppo whispers to Nalia; Affairs of the heart are often fraught with peril.
He then addresses, the heart broken hero. Sorry for you lady trouble Jespar, yes we'll be glad to meet up with this Firespark fellow, tomorrow.
He then tells the others about the the letter, Well apparently someone named Belis Ormaris, has invited us to dinner tomorrow at his estate in the noble district. Apparently, we just got real busy tomorrow. He looks around to see if anyone recalls the name Ormaris.
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Nalia whispers back, I don't have much knowledge of those affairs, unfortunately, but it seems from my reading of many stories of romance that it is always, without exception, the mans fault. And, it seemed to me that she was pretty enough to try and figure out what he did wrong and if we can fix it. Want to ask him about it?
Then, when appropriate, she answers Poppo's question with, That's the person we dropped the letter of introduction to at the post office. Wasn't that the letter Mayor Featherwill gave us?
Turngut stumbles along with the group as they return to Nomad. Once there, he slumps in a chair while the exchange between Jespar and Ves occurs. As the woman walks to the door, Turngut openly leers at her cleavage, the alcohol clearly removing any modicum of restraint.
Perhaps the sight of the alluring Ves, or perhaps his strong orc constitution metabolizing the drink, Turngut seems to return to the present (although still with considerable haziness). Hearing Poppo talk to Jespar, Turngut's bleary eyes brighten. Turngut heresh Hoppo talking! Wrinklebutts! Turngut heresh Hoppo shpeaking. Ssshtrong drinksh healsh Turngut'shh ear wormsh!
Still looking over at Ves with a wistful, dopey grin, Turngut half listens to the conversation. Haw-haw. Pretty wooo-man. Turngut liiike woooman with soft, perky breashts. Pretty!
Right, right, Belis Ormaris is the noble. Yes, I wonder if we should buy some nicer clothes to have dinner with a noble. He looks around at his fellow shabby adventures.
Poppo looks at Turngut's condition, Oh boy, he'll be feeling it tomorrow.
Poppo will ask around for an alchemist's shop nearby and run out and pick up a couple of Alchemist's Kindness.
Poppo arranges for new outfits for the group. For Nalia, Turngut, and BobE, a sturdy new set of traveling clothes. When the clothes arrive Poppo's seems just a little bit nicer, not so fancy as a noble's garb, but a little fancier than the rest. If the others inquire, he's just replies...What! This is all they had in halfling sizes. And gives them all that goofy grin of his.
Besides one of you, you have a restful night.
BobE as you dream you have a vision, a town inside of a mountain destroyed and enveloped in an eerie yellow fog. You see the four of you enter the massive dwarven city, but then horror follows. You watch as one by one your friends are ripped apart by undead that fall and rise again when struck down. Your vision goes blurry as you are also consumed by the dead.
You open your eyes and find yourself in a bright white room the light so strong it hurts your eyes just before they adjust to it. In the center of the room is a desk, made out of a dark almost black wood on it a vast tapestry. And perched on a chair nearby the desk is a dove who stares at you. The dove speaks without moving its beak and its voice is that of both a male and a female You are so close to your goal BobE son of Harry. The man called Dettlaff is nearby, find him and he will tell you all you need to know about me. The dove pauses for a moment and closes its eyes You wish to go to Fogville, I can see this. The time will come for that but if you go there now, you and your friends will surely parish and your mission to stop Carsis will be for not. Wait, bide your time, we will stop the crow. A swirl of feathers envelopes you and you awaken.
However everyone is awoken by the sound of a large explosion coming from downstairs followed by loud shouts and screaming! you hear a man loudly proclaim even though you are on the second floor.
Poppo leaps up and grabs his boarding axe, he doesn't take the time to don his studded leather and rushes toward the stairs, as he reaches them, he retreats to the shadows and moves down stealthily.
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I'm too old for this crap. Why can't it ever be easy. Beatrip, stay hidden but go check stuff out.
BobE groans and his bones creak and pop as he slides out of bed. He eases out of his room and sees poppo making for the stairs and follows him.
about time I get to have some fun. Your dreams are scary bossman.
Turngut bolts awake at the screaming and then grabs his head as it feels like something is trying to tear its way out of his skull. Unngghh. Turngut not good. Turngut not good! he mutters as he sees Poppo, BobE and Beatrip rush past. As Poppo goes by, the halfling shoves a mug of fizzing water into his hands and commands Drink!
Turngut chugs the Alchemist's Kindness and then stumbles after the party strapping on his bracers and wearing nothing else but a loincloth.
You all rush down stairs and very quickly hear the sounds of a fight. Bursting through the doors into the large bar area you can see many patrons fleeing or hiding. Jespar and fights alongside an old man with a wild look in his eyes. His hair and beard are long and graying. His clothes are old and raggedy with singe marks all over it. Alongside the quarterstaff he wields he casts evocation spells at the assailants, incinerating a large number of them with a cone of fire.
The enemies that Jespar and who you would assume to be Constantine Firespark fight are strange. Their armor is made from an almost black metal and is molded in a way that makes them look like metal bones. They expertly wield a war hammer and a shield.
Kill him quickly! a woman calls out. You can see on the stage a woman with shoulder length light brown hair with a streak of unnatural grey. She suddenly moves her hands in a strange motion opening a void and crack out of thin air. The reinforcements to the strange knights walk from the portal clad in the same armor and armaments. They are followed by a hooded dark skinned elf, a scar over the entirety of his neck. He doesn't look like a grey elf but something different and alien to what you may have seen before. With the entrance of the elf the woman disappears through the portal.
Initiative Order Round 1
Mute Assassin
Mysterious Knights
Bobie
Turngut
Nalia
Poppo
Friendly NPC's
The assassin pulls from his cloak a light crossbow the bolt of the crossbow covered in a mossy green viscous liquid. He fires the bolt at the old sorcerer, and it plunks into his side. The four knights on the stage move closer to Constantine. Jespar manages to dodge the attack from the yellow knight, but the blue knight is able to hit Constantine with his hammer.
Everyone can go!
Crabby about being awoken early in the morning, but somehow not hungover, Turngut glares at the woman, the obvious leader and moves as quickly as possible, bellowing as he goes. Why you here!? Why you wake Turngut!?!! Now I smash you flat!
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In his efforts to be subtle, BobE trips on the steps and titters down in an almost somersault but somehow lands on his feet with a bang, but the momentum carries him 30 ft forward. Beatrip almost falls over in laughter but keeps up with him. Bone's jaunt is enough to wake him up and size up the situation. And cast summons2, 30 ft in front of him to protect the sorcerer.
Poppo darts through the shadows, running behind the bar, he activates his quick runner's shirt, and then hops over the bar.
I have no idea! Jespar shouts to Nalia They just appeared out of thin air! Jespar gives a smirk to BobE as the skeleton appears.
Jespar immediately moves into the flank with BobE's skeleton and strikes the knight once with his dual daggers. Constantine Firespark five foot steps back from the warriors I'll turn you all to cinders! One of the warriors is able to avoid most of the fire but the other two take the full damage. You notice that Constantine looks to be growing more gaunt perhaps from the affects of the poison.
Initiative Order Round 2
Mute Assassin
Mysterious Knights (Green: 12 Damage, Red: 6 Damage, Purple: 13 Damage, Blue: 13 Damage)
Bobie
Turngut
Nalia
Poppo
Friendly NPC's (Constantine Firespark: 11 Damage)
The mute assassin retrieves a potion from one of his pouches, drinks it, and disappears. Two more of the knights burst through from the kitchen door but they do not notice the halfling. The green knight five foot steps out of the flank of Jespar and the skeleton and clobbers Jespar wounding the dashing rogue heavily . The red knight is able to strike Constantine but the purple misses . The blue knight branches off and strikes the skeleton, nearly crumbling it . The yellow knight moves up to Nalia and hits her with his warhammer . The Cyan knight does a similar thing attacking Turngut
Everyone can go!
Poppo circles around behind the foes facing Turngut and Nalia.
Turngut is caught off guard as the woman disappears into the portal. He's confused enough to not notice Cyan attack from his left and feels the sting slice through his bare shoulder. Turngut glares at the "knight" and a low rumble escapes from his chest. Taking advantage of the distraction caused by his little friend, he unleashes his pent up anger with a blur of violent motion, pummeling the creatures face to a pulp with his fists.
Rage
Before the creature hits the ground, Turngut's senses go up and he scans the room seeking any errant sounds and looking to see if any furniture moves. Can't see bad man! Help Turngut see bad man!!
Poppo moves around getting into a flank with Turngut. Nalia misses her attack on the heavily armored knight. Turngut lands both strikes on the fighter before him, caving in the chest piece of him as he falls to the ground dead. Midst all the chaos Turngut has no idea where the elf is. BobE heals his friends selective channeling out three of the most damaged guys but healing the red knight back to full. The conjured skeleton is able to claw the knight once and Beatrip misses both of her attacks.
Jespar moves into a flank and strikes the green warrior once with his two daggers. Constantine moves back once more, motioning with hands a pit suddenly appears beneath the two assailants. They both try to leap out of the way of the pit but do not do so in time plummeting 40ft into a pit of Acid, they dissolve instantly.
Initiative Order Round 3
Mute Assassin
Mysterious Knights (Green: 21 Damage, Red: Dead, Purple: Dead, Blue: 18 Damage, Cyan: Dead)
Bobie
Turngut (4 Damage)
Nalia (9 Damage)
Poppo
Friendly NPC's (Jespar: 2 Damage, Constantine Firespark: 9 Damage)
Something happens... Both the white and black mysterious knights move up to Turngut. The yellow knight five foot steps to Nalia side and strikes her once again despite her holy shield The green knight misses his attack on Jespar. The blue knight once again strikes the skeleton destroying it as the bones vanish out of thin air.
Everyone can go!
Not seeing the assassin, Turngut's rage-addled mind is brought back to the present as the 2 knights come up to him. Spinning, he launches an attack at each one and then shifts to the side to allow Poppo an opening.
Poppo darts under the table and pops up, flanking with Nalia.
Arcane energy crackles into his boarding axe; he takes a swing at the yellow knight.
Turngut goes to strike out against both the white and black knight, the white knight is just able to get his shield up but Turngut is able to strike the black knight. BobE summons even more skeletons. Beatrip is able to finish the green knight with a mighty slam. The bloody skeleton misses both of its attacks. The combined strikes from both Poppo and Nalia leave the yellow knight barely standing.
Jespar is able to finish off the yellow knight after the two strikes from Nalia and Poppo. From the hands of the old sorcerer come several bolts of arcane energy. The first two strike the nearby blue knight killing him as his armor caves in and the other three thud into the previously injured black knight killing him as well. It looks as if the poison is no longer affecting the mage.
Initiative Order Round 4
Mute Assassin
Mysterious Knights (Green: Dead, Red: Dead, Purple: Dead, Blue: Dead Damage, Cyan: Dead, Yellow: Dead)
Bobie
Turngut (4 Damage)
Nalia (13 Damage)
Poppo
Friendly NPC's (Jespar: 2 Damage, Constantine Firespark: 9 Damage, 5 Con Damage)
Despite all the other knights lying dead on the floor the final one moves forward and attacks with a fanatical craze! Striking at Turngut he connects with orcs head with a critical strike Everyone make me a perception check DC:20.
You see the front door to Nomad open but do not see anyone enter or exit.
Everyone can go!
Turngut stumbles back a step after taking the massive clobber to his head. Thankfully, his rage-filled mind doesn't register nearly half of the hit. With a growl, he swings wildly with both meaty fists, but apparently his bell was rung more than he realized.
Someone just opened the door! Poppo shouts out.
Suspecting the assassin retreating he decides to race to the door to investigate.