Obviously not expecting a swath of plans and a ready explanation, the baron is caught off-guard and unable to reply at first. He stutters a moment, then regains his composure.
"I like to hire the right people, and I don't like them to think I'll micromanage things. By all means, let's follow your plan, then."
The normally happy-go-lucky halfling turns serious as he talks things over with Aemur and Cayden. "I seem to be a bit in the dark here about what else is going on. Care to fill me in on this project and wrecked camp?" He asks his companions.
"Well... Basically what had set me off in the first place had bee that there have been a number of disappearances recently, including one of my neighbor's child, and alongside those one of the baron's projects. I think it was a lumber mill?.. Either way, it was shut down after complications, though I don't remember exactly what they were."
He looked over in its direction, wherever that may be, "But it's as good a place as any to start trying to find anything on what's going on".
Eshkeval asks the baron, "Does that mean we have the authority to buy more hands for this venture? More hands should lead to faster work, I think."
After Cayden finishes his account, Aemur recounts the specifics he recalls for Dairkal, especially the distinctive boot print. Basically, we have no proof of wrongdoing but it's very suspicious that the same individual shows up at both crime scenes, and that it seems to be a uniform boot. I want to find something more definite before bringing it to the attention of the officers... who happen to wear the same style of boot.
Eshkeval asks the baron, "Does that mean we have the authority to buy more hands for this venture? More hands should lead to faster work, I think."
The baron chuckles. "Buying hands shouldn't be necessary. Don't forget, I'm a construction magnate; I can get any number of crews of almost any size. Aside from that, I'm also baron, which gives me access to... let's say, other personnel resources. Tell me what you need and I can probably make it happen."
The tension in the back of Kolmac's neck releases. "Your trust is not misplaced. Eshkeval, let's head back to the inn and polish up some of our ideas. Baron, I assume you have someone in charge of the more mundane aspects of architecture and engineering on this project--if you could point us in their direction, we'll plan to meet with them later today, or perhaps tomorrow, at their convenience."
"Well, that's super interesting. I'm here as an official representative of Countess d'Ansac specifically to investigate the disappearance of two children. Which is what lead Aemur and I into Oleg's house last night, along with the subsequent fight with the ghoul." Dair replies after Cayden and Aemur help fill in him on what's going on.
Baron Garstang nods at Kolmac. "I think we'll use Syrell Forwith for that; he's the fellow I was seeing right before you two arrived at the Bengal Palace."
Baron Garstang nods at Kolmac. "I think we'll use Syrell Forwith for that; he's the fellow I was seeing right before you two arrived at the Bengal Palace."
"I'm sure that Syrell Forwith will be swell for it.
"Come on, Eshkeval, let's head back to the inn, I have some notes I'll need to reference."
Kolmac heads back towards town at a brisk pace, hoping to catch up to the others before they get too far.
Eshkeval will return with Kolmac to the inn, and attempt to get ready a portfolio of his ideas for the meeting with Syrell, which should make the meeting go well. How swell!
Aemur keeps an eye out for trouble as the three travelers walk towards the old construction site, unsure whether he is more concerned about being attacked by wild beasts or by corrupt town guardsmen...
Cayden probably was more concerned about beasts than guards, mentioning Aemur's fears. Perhaps he was naive, but he still thought that this must've been some kind of misunderstanding or a horrid infection that they just had to clean out.
Though that wouldn't explain what Aemur saw, so perhaps that fear was justified.
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Aemur looks at Dairkal in interest. Countess d'Ansac, eh? What is her interest in the area? I'm not a native so maybe I'm missing something, but it seems a very small area for a lady of her means to take notice.
Before long, Kolmac and Eshkeval catch up to the others. "Hello again good sirs, where are you all off to?"
Aemur looks over to the newcomers, then shrugs. It's no secret. We are off to look at the abandoned construction site, to try and see if anything connects to the wrecked camp, missing children, or the ghoul and suspicious guardsmen... There seems to be a lot of suspicious happenings recently.
Aemur is unsure about having the newcomers tag along, but doesn't see the harm in having a larger group for the investigation.
"Well I'd certainly want to know if our new employer was up to anything shady. Shall we?"
The trip to the goblin camp is uneventful. Pushing west from there, you pass Aemur's cave, and then the forest gets thicker, with the trail that once led to the abandoned job site starting to get quite overgrown.
As you near to where Cayden indicates the construction site was, you notice a lack of bird song, although the whining of the cicadas doesn't let up.
Annoyed by the crowding branches, Kolmac has his axe in hand and has been using it, machete-like, to hack through anything in his way. Noting the sudden silence, he frowns in concern, then takes a moment to cast mage armor. Can't hurt to be cautious...
Aside from the lack of bird songs, no one notices anything amiss.
Seeing Kolmac casting something on himself, Aemur looks around nervously and draws his glaive, taking a step closer to the party. I wonder where the birds have gone... It seems strange that there isn't any bird song.
Eshkeval would have been drawing a map chronicling their travels, annotated with images of any interesting landmarks along the way. Upon seeing Kolmac's unease, he will trade out one of his decoy writing utensils for his magical spell-writer/holy symbol pen. As always, he'd be drawing in his sketchbook/prayer book, so he should be ready to respond to any surprise ambushes at the drop of a hat.
Noting the sudden lack of birdsong, Dair slips a dagger into his hand, "That can't be a good thing." He says, looking around for any signs of danger.
A pair of the tree branches ahead are not tree branches. When they move, you can see they're human-sized, demonic figures with hides like wood and scales that look like leaves. They are thoroughly unwholesome, causing you to feel a nearly physical cold sensation in the pits of your stomachs. And they're mean...
So, Aemur is hit twice, for 9 total (heavily wounded)
Dairkal is hit once, for 3.
Initiative, please.
Initiative
Aemur staggers back, head ringing and already struggling to stay upright. He still holds on to his glaive... but he isn't even sure what hit him, that's how much his head hurts.
Hero points, if any remaining, can be used to force a reroll or retroactively apply a +/-1d6 + Cha modifier bonus or penalty to initiative roll, attack roll, damage, or Endurance check; or to auto-stabilize.
Seeing the trees viciously attack his allies, Eshkeval will snap to attention and attempt to aid them. Seeing Aemur and Dairkal go down so quickly, Eshkeval will channel every once of energy he has into his holy symbol pen, attempting to rewrite his fallen friends back into fighting condition on pure will power alone!
Full Round Action: Channel Positive Energy w/ Hero Point boost.
Kolmac gasps as the unnatural sensation hits him and is unable to react in time to shout a warning to the unlucky companions in front of him. Steeling himself, a wand of red wood appears in his left hand and begins to glow with silvery energy. He takes aim at the monstrosity looming over Aemur and unleashes a torrent of force.
Argent Bolt (Eldritch Blast) +4 touch
Damage
He'll then back away from the unnatural creatures, not wanting to overtax his protective magics unless absolutely necessary.
Concentration check from Kolmac to defeat SR, please.
Anyone trained in Knowledge (planes) can check to ID the monsters, learn their abilities, etc.
Agree on both of these.
Concentration check from Kolmac to defeat SR, please.
Anyone trained in Knowledge (planes) can check to ID the monsters, learn their abilities, etc.
Concentration
Eshkeval puts everything he has into his channeling. Something responds -- whether a deity or force of the universe is uncertain, but he rides the connection and invokes a far mightier effect than he would normally be capable of, and even then, he nails it.
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Eshkeval puts everything he has into his channeling. Something responds -- whether a deity or force of the universe is uncertain, but he rides the connection and invokes a far mightier effect than he would normally be capable of, and even then, he nails it.
One of the tree-monsters is instantly torn to oblivion, taking the form of part of an actual tree; it is of no further threat to anyone. The other, reeling from the blast of holy energy, is struck by Kolmac's missile and wails, heavily wounded.