Kirthfinder - Sovalles

Game Master Kirth Gersen

As soon as he enters the house through the portal...

Correction: there's no portal. Eshkeval touches you, chants for what seems like a fairly long time, and points. You re-appear where he's pointing. He has to do that one at a time, with each person.

Kolmac also has Knowledge (warfare), let's give that a try. 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

Kolmac listens carefully to Aemur's observations. After a moment's consideration, he responds, "So the question then is whether this boot belongs to Oleg, or to Officer Coward. In either case, it would appear the constabulary prefers a narrative of their own choosing."

"So the question then is whether this boot belongs to Oleg, or to Officer Coward."

Oleg's boot prints are all over his backyard. They in no way resemble the one with the nicked heel. Officer Coward's boots, however, are a pretty good match for the nicked ones, except minus the nick. So it seems as if Coward and someone else had similar boots, but the other fellow's have seen a bit more wear and tear.

sorry for being so quiet for so long, and short post mostly because it's 1 am

Cayden, quick to recognize this, felt... Rather nervous, but relayed it anyway, "um.. I just sold this weapon last week, and if it hit anything it probably would've made a pretty nasty wound going in and coming out".

I know about the fact that there's no "Door" with Dimensional Skip. I just wanted to flavor it like that since it's an easier concept to draw, and that's how I want to represent my magic casting.

Eshkeval will take out his sketchbook and begin sketching simulacrums of all of the clues that the group manages to find. This way, they can go over them later if they have to leave, without interfering with any official investigations.

Aemur nods to Kolmac. Their own narrative, certainly. I dare say they will not allow many questions, either. I wonder if they have uniform footwear... Officer Coward's boots are not the nicked ones, but another member of the group might be identifiable. I wonder how high the rot goes...

Kirth, do I need to make a check to try and remember if the hole I saw in the ghoul would roughly match the crossbow? Or could I least attempt to describe it to Cayden?

Related to Dair's point, would I be able to make any recollection of who the customer is? I understand if that's a bit metagamey or otherwise not okay, but I thought it was worth asking.

Kirth, do I need to make a check to try and remember if the hole I saw in the ghoul would roughly match the crossbow? Or could I least attempt to describe it to Cayden?

Normally I'd have you roll a Perception check, but this was your first big fight with an undead menace and it made an impression on you. You Take 10 and immediately realize that Cayden is making sense -- you saw something more like a dagger wound than a gaping siege crossbow hole.

Related to Dair's point, would I be able to make any recollection of who the customer is? I understand if that's a bit metagamey or otherwise not okay, but I thought it was worth asking.

Oleg mostly kept to himself, so he'd be one of the very few locals that Cayden wouldn't immediately recognize by sight.

So... where to next?

My vote is to go to the Baron, if there was an undead abomination in his city he'd probably want to know it. (And there's still the issue of whether there may be an innocent main in chains right now).

I agree with Cayden. Aemur is not going to lead the charge in accusing the Baron of ill intentions, but he will keep his eyes open for evidence of such.

I doubt you'd get very far in accusing the Baron without hard proof. Hell, given the Baron's astronomical Charisma, I sincerely doubt that you'd get very far in accusing the Baron with proof.

That said, I'm all for going to see what the Baron says. If we're lucky, he might make our group "official," so to speak.

Kolmac is noticeably uneasy with the prospect of troubling the Baron over what seems a relatively minor matter of law enforcement. He would rather see the group investigate the constabulary more directly and avoid even the slightest suggestion of wrongdoing on the Baron's part. Thank you 32-point Diplomacy margin...though as a player I'll also note that if we sort the matter ourselves we may avoid potential interference on the Baron's part if he is in fact guilty of something.

Kolmac and Eshkeval make inquiries and hear back after much less time than you'd expect. "The baron is out looking at the new build site, southeast of town. He would be pleased for you to join him there."

"Well, we were planning on looking at the new build site anyway, so we can head over there and speak to him in the meantime."

Eshkeval is almost anxious to get back to work on his negative 3D space image, and perhaps share with the Baron more of his architectural designs. He does the imaginative work, while Kolmac endeavors to keep them in the realm of reality.

Aemur looks amused at the sudden enthusiasm. This guy made a big impression on you, didn't he? Well, it won't hurt to look at this project of his. And maybe see what else there is to be seen...

Who said we were accusing the Baron? We're trying to uncover the mystery and stop an innocent victim from being put on the block... Also sorry for being just not here for a while.

Cayden grew rather uneasy about the whole thing, though he was also rather excited for a real adventure out in the world for once... And taking the impromptu leader role he'd set off to the Southeast.

With Cayden leading the way, you have no trouble finding the place. The new build site is far enough outside of town to be peaceful and have the air of a country estate, but close enough that the new downtown area is an easy carriage ride (or longer walk) away. Most of the trees have been cleared away, with a few stately elms remaining on the rolling landscape. The extent of the plot is about ten acres, staked off. The location for the actual building is already enclosed inside a wooden fence, to keep out curious passers-by.

As you walk up, you see Baron Garstang walking around the outside of the fence, looking at the location against the backdrop of the property. He smiles and hails Kolmac and Eshkeval, "Good morning, gentlemen! I think the front windows should face east, this way, don't you agree?"

Seeing the halflings and Cayden with you, he frowns slightly. "Hello Cayden. Pleasant morning. Who are your friends?"

Cayden was a bit nervous at that frown, wondering if it meant something... But he kept his chin up and focused on what was important.
"Aemur, Dairkal Eshkeval, and Kolmac are their names, and the former two found something rather worrying last night. They ended up having to fight a Ghoul!"

He looked back at his companions for them to confirm the story...
"Granted I'm sure that Officer Coward would have told you by now"

Dairkal bows respectfully to the baron after his introduction. "As Cayden said, myself and Aemur battled a ghoul last night during my investigation on behalf of Countess Mathilde d'Ansac into the disappearance of two children. It led me to one Oleg's house, which is where we encountered the undead."

"Yes, I heard from the Chief of Police last night. Horrible business."

He turns slightly, to more fully face the two halflings, and he positively radiates respect. "But well done, indeed, Sir Dairkal and Mr. Aemur -- we are very grateful for your assistance. If there is anything you need while in town, please don't hesitate to let me know."

"The front windows facing east? No no no no no! We are on the South Province of Avonia, we must put our best foot forward; the front of the house should face to the North. That is the direction from which visitors will arrive, and as they do, they will be able to marvel in the house's splendor long before they ever step foot inside."

Eshkeval will continue on a tirade about all of the little aesthetic details he came up with concerning the house. For a man as magnanimous as the Baron, only the best will do.

Paillard is at the far northwest corner of South Province (where it says "Almoraine" on the campaign map in Chapter 1 - that's the duchy of which South Province is one county) -- I'll try to put up a more detailed map soon. Major population centers in Aviona are (a) the whole river valley that feeds the estuary on which the City of Hylore is situated; (b) the non-forested areas of South Province, around Sovalles and Vayonnes; and (c) around Oceanbrook, on Talvar's Bay. Directly north and west of Paillard are sections of the large forest that covers most of West Province -- the Forest of Trevallaine, which has an unsavory reputation owing to remnants from the Days of Darkness.

However, if Eshkeval's ambition is equal to the Baron's, he might be thinking of converting that area to civilization, thereby expanding the baron's prestige considerably, not to mention his lands?

Paillard is at the far northwest corner of South Province (where it says "Almoraine" on the campaign map in Chapter 1 - that's the duchy of which South Province is one county) -- I'll try to put up a more detailed map soon. Major population centers in Aviona are (a) the whole river valley that feeds the estuary on which the City of Hylore is situated; (b) the non-forested areas of South Province, around Sovalles and Vayonnes; and (c) around Oceanbrook, on Talvar's Bay. Directly north and west of Paillard are sections of the large forest that covers most of West Province -- the Forest of Trevallaine, which has an unsavory reputation owing to remnants from the Days of Darkness.

However, if Eshkeval's ambition is equal to the Baron's, he might be thinking of converting that area to civilization, thereby expanding the baron's prestige considerably, not to mention his lands?

Woops, I made a mistake. Just replace everything I said about South with North and vice versa. Eshkeval isn't high on ambition yet, except where it comes to art.

Aemur hangs back after being introduced. He is well-used to the nobility, but that does not mean he is comfortable pushing into their sphere. He mainly came along to get a feel for the man, not to push him into action.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14

Baron passive: 10 + 13 = 23

You get a sense that the Baron isn't particularly trying to be opaque; it's just that his damnable personal magnetism is so intense that it's hard not to accept everything he says uncritically. When he speaks to you directly, it's like standing in front of a spotlight and trying to look into it.

"Sorry if we seemed to be bothering you a lot, it just really seems like something major is going on, but we don't know what..."

He loked over at Kolmac and Eshkeval, unsure as to whether they should make any mention of any of the evidence they had found yet, or wait for a better cue.

The baron turns his attention more fully to Cayden. "I understand you're upset -- we expected to arrest a more mundane criminal, and these two" (motioning to the halflings) "destroyed a monster instead. But the thing is dead now, lad, and the threat is gone."

Kolmac steps into the conversation. "I believe it is that last point that is a matter of concern. It is my understanding," he looks to Eshkeval for correction or clarification if needed, "that such creatures have a tendency to propagate, and the...being...that these two encountered appeared to have suffered an injury from an earlier, unknown altercation. If it slew or injured someone else in town, then the danger it posed still remains."

Aemur nods at Kolmac's words. I do not doubt the might of your guardsmen, but if they are caught unprepared they may not be able to prevail. If there is any chance of other creatures like this existing in the area, they must be brought down - or else pose serious risk to the townspeople and to the encampments in the area.

Eshkeval will back up Kolmac, unfurling one of his ready-made flyers/artistic renditions of the creature Aemur and Cayden described.

"Yes, from my research a bite or a claw attack from one of these ghouls can easily spread a most virulent disease. People who succumb to this, 'ghoul fever' lose their humanity and become ghouls themselves, only to go on and spread the virus ever further. If we rest our laurels on the assumption that there are no more ghouls, only for such an assumption to be false, there may yet be hell to pay. I suggest magical support. Surely the constabulary has a higher level mage or cleric who may yet divine the method of the beast's creation? If it were the first, then crisis averted. However if this curse was bestowed by another, then..."

...and with that, Eshkeval trails off.

The baron nods understanding. "I agree this is valuable information -- maybe vital. As soon as we conclude our business here, I'll meet with the head of the Watch and make sure it's being acted on."

"Is there anything we can do to assist the investigation? Aemur and I fared decently against the one ghoul, and I am willing to bet we would do even better alongside our new allies."

"We are indebted to you for your assistance, and of course welcome any further involvement. If you would be so good as to work with Chief Robles, that will help make sure we're not duplicating our efforts. Of course, you have my full support."

Turning back to Eshkeval and Kolmac, he says, more quietly, "Meanwhile, we three have a great deal of work to do..."

Aemur shrugs off the Baron's dismissal, and turns to speak quietly to Dairkal. Dairkal, shall we go see this Chief Robles? I confess to wondering what the shape of his boot may be...

Kolmac responds with a respectful nod to the Baron. "Yes, of course." Turning to the others (and with a mind to allaying any suspicions aroused by the disparate group arriving here all together), he says, "Go on, friends; you will have to tell us how the investigation fares tonight back at the inn. My thanks again for your guidance this morning, wouldn't do to be getting lost on my second day in town!"

He'll then turn his full attention to the Baron and begin discussing some of his initial concepts. "One of the most basic applications we can consider is replacing windows or other openings with walls of invisible force; this offers significant advantages in physical security, not to mention flexibility in shape and size. You could have wide open balconies and verandas that are nevertheless impenetrable..."

Eshkeval will use this moment to discuss with Baron his new idea: a house with no windows. Or rather, a house where the walls themselves are the windows. If they put in a few beams and pillars, then they can take the load off from the walls. That could allow for a huge amount of artistic freedom in how the walls look. And it greatly increases the amount of light inside the house...

He's gonna continue to go off about this idea for a while, probably long after everyone else has gone.

The baron is very enthusiastic about your ideas. "Gentlemen, I can see my instincts were correct about bringing you in on this! I'd like to get started building as soon as we have a preliminary design-- which of course we'll need some idea of the requisite spells to do. I'll arrange for the library at Sovalles to be opened to you -- there should be ample research material there. I'll arrange for a pair of fast horses as soon as we get back to town; and of course defer all costs of your meals and lodging to me. If the facilities at Sovalles aren't adequate, I'll fund a trip to the University of Hylore if need be. Let's get the spells nailed down this week if we're able!"

The...optimism...of the Baron's timeline sends Kolmac into an internal panic, which flashes briefly across his features before he jumps into damage control mode, not wanting to disappoint the Baron's faith in his and Eshkeval's abilities. "That will be an excellent resource, and should serve admirably for our research needs. With respect, though, sir, it may not be the most effective way to proceed. Spellwork of this scale and ambition will have to be tailored and crafted with a precise knowledge of the final structure." He pauses for a brief moment, considering what he knows of the Baron, and appeals to his desire for a unique and groundbreaking structure. "Simply walking into a library and pulling some old spell off the shelf will not do at all, we must build every piece of spellcraft from the ground up so it functions seamlessly in the final structure. We will need those references to serve as a basis for the final crafting, but for planning purposes my knowledge of the theory will be more than adequate. If we were to go now, in all likelihood we would end up having to make additional trips as the design evolved, it would simply be a waste of your time and money and delay the completion of the project."

He pauses again briefly, observing the Baron's face and hoping he's framed the issue in a way that speaks to the Baron's sensibilities. He continues cautiously, "May I suggest instead, let Eshkeval and I and anyone else you've hired to work on the design meet over the next few days. Then, with plans in hand, your craftsman can begin work on the physical aspects of the construction right away, while Eshkeval and I head to the library and craft the requisite spells. By the time we return, the framing work will be complete and we will be able to start binding the spells to the structure immediately."

There probably wasn't much else for Cayden to do here, he spoke his piece and so he moved off to his own next ambition.. He still felt rather uneasy about the whole thing, and finally that disquiet pushed him over the edge. And so he went off on his own for now, deciding that the best place to start an investigation into the possibility of undead propagating in the city would be the one place no human being has been in months. The Abandoned Construction Site.
and I can proudly say that I made this as an actual character choice rather than just kirth's telling me to

Dair nods at his new friend "Might as well, there's nothing more to be done here." He bids the baron and the others farewell, then motions for Aemur to head back to town.

To Kolmac, the baron says, "That approach might work, depending on what you'd had in mind. Let's look at your preliminary drawings there, Eshkeval."

You or Eshkeval is entitled to a Diplomacy check to get him to agree with you. Luckily, he's already Helpful (+5 to your check) and what you're asking is basically simple (+5 more, = +10 total). The other person can attempt to Aid Another (DC 10 for +2, DC 15 for +3, DC 20 for +4, etc. -- but if an attempt for +3 or more fails, it becomes a penalty instead).

That'll be a tough one. Eshkeval has the higher modifier; if he rolls primary and I successfully aid we can match the Baron's +15 modifier.

Diplomacy Aid for +2 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Seeing Cayden set off with a purpose, and being bored entirely on the concept of architectural "mine-is-bigger-than-yours" that the nobles all seem to pride themselves on, Aemur makes an unnoticed farewell and hurries off after Cayden. Cayden, my fine fellow, hold a moment! If you've any idea of what to do next, being familiar with the area and all, I would gladly accompany you.

"Oh, well here are a few of my preliminary ideas. I really like this one..."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

Add the +5 for helpful and the +5 for simple request. As you can see, I'm not particularly trained in Diplomacy.

He made sure to be well out of earshot of the others before finally answering Aemur. "Well... They're all just staking this without much concern. I'm going to see if I can find anything of significance. I'm starting with that abandoned building project... Seems like as good a place to start as any, right?"

Aemur shrugs at the question. I am not familiar with the area, so I will defer to your judgement. I wonder if this might somehow be related to the destroyed camp I found? It seemed to be attacked by humans, not shambling horrors, but maybe the acts of destruction are linked...

Eshkeval & Kolmac: 17 + 10 + 2 = 29.
Baron Diplomacy: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16