"Shall we get some drinks and discuss our plans?"
The party makes their way back to Athens where the festival is winding down. People still congratulate Amphitryon on his victory but most of the goers have left. As you enter the inn you notice there are a few new notes on the job board. The one about the boar is missing, either it was already taken or it does not matter anymore.
For who this may concern, the Apollonia Academy of War has need of a few prime investigators. Will pay good money, please respond ASAP.
The directions point you to the southernmost point of Crete which is a short ferry trip.
Please help! Trolls have been raiding and pillaging our village. We have need of strong men and women to stop this threat!
There are directions to the village which is 3 day journey south of here.
”Trolls, or a mystery? That boat idea is looking even better to me about now!”
"What a dilemma! If we investigate first, then people may perish to the troll threat! I say we prioritize that."
”Trolls? We will need to procure fire or acid to permanently deal with them. But we should hurry. People might die if we are tardy. And if they die, then we won’t be paid.”
Kyronai runs his hand through his hair as he considers.
"As much as I'd really like to know why the Academy of War needs external investigators, the troll threat does seem more pressing. But I also worry about getting in over our head fighting trolls. Spending some of our earnings on Greek fire seems prudent."
Polyoinos mulls the notes, then chuckles;
"Ho-ho! Perhaps my friends we could pursue both? Surely the Academy of War would have a supply of Greek Fire... We could... procure some, deal with the trolls, then solve the mystery!"
With a wry smile he taps his head as he slakes his thirst.
"We could find out what they need investigating, at least. Maybe the two tasks aren't incompatible," Kyronai muses.
”Alright, if we must.”
"If we are going to do it, then let's do it."
The party makes their way to Apollonia after a short walk and trip on a ferry. The Academy grounds are hard to miss after another short walk. You are stopped at the gates by a pair of guards. "Halt right there and state your business." They both raise their halberds defensively.
"Apollo himself has guided us here to woo your women and drain your cellars of wine. Or..." he hands over the posting. "We saw that you are plagued by mysteries, and we're here to help."
"Right this way." The guard replies opening up the gates and leading you in. The view is much improved as you are greeted by a large campus with sprawling buildings and trees. Uniformed students are all talking amongst themselves as they take notice of the newcomers. Most of them are slightly older teenagers though a few younger students are among them. You are finally taken the the headmaster's office. The headmaster is an older woman possibly in her mid forties sitting at her desk. The name plate reads Dean Rheas. "I assume you are here for the job. I will need your discretion on this but it will be worth it. Tell me, what do you know of ghosts?"
"I've had my share of encounters with ghosts on ships before, but usually it's just some bit of dunnage improperly stowed, so it rubs and squeaks, making noises and fooling sailors into believing Usually."
The only thing Amphitryon knew of ghosts was the story that Elthaeron, one of the spearelves of the company, had told. But as that had involved *seducing* a ghost, he decided that any information from it was suspect at best. He shrugged.
"Hmm. I know little of ghosts. I suspect I'll be learning of them soon."
Kyronia cocks his head to the side.
"I know a fair bit about most undead," he says confidently. "Please go on."
Rheas nods at Varocle's words. "Normally that is what we would be thinking. But there are too many coincidences. Things going missing, students finding mysterious scratch marks on themselves when they wake. There have been sightings of a blur darting through campus at night. Not to mention the birds and small animals getting unusually agitated to the point of attacking some students. It may very well not be a ghost, but it is most certainly a problem. So can you help?"
Polyoinos listens with uncharacteristic silence, then chimes in his usual bombastic aplomb with both observation and question...
"Ho-ho! Things go missing you say? I hope the wine cellars have been spared eh? Perhaps to check on them would be prudent?"
The heavy-set skald becomes aware of the hard looks from his companions, and switches his thirst for the grape to thirst for answers;
"Hummm. Ghost. Perhaps we deal with a Shade of some description Dean Rheas... Have there been any notables connected to the Academy that have passed to the afterlife perhaps? Souls who might be at unrest..?"
"Not that I'm aware of. At least none that would warrant their specter haunting these halls. So does that mean you can help?"
Let’s hit everyone once...
30' radius
And then just P...
"Not that I'm aware of. At least none that would warrant their specter haunting these halls. So does that mean you can help?"
Kyronai meets each of his party members' eyes with a questioning gaze. He's looking for confirmation that everyone wants to commit to investigating this.
Varocles shrugs his shoulders.
Polyoinos grins;
"If we are to investigate these spectral occurrences, perhaps speaking to those marked by the Shade would be a starting point? I would also seek to secure your wine stores... ensure they have not been tamped with by mischievous spirits!"
"I'd like to help but there are people being hunted by trolls on Crete and I feel that our priority should lie there. Unless this investigation equips us better to fight trolls, I think we should come back here once we get done out there. This spirit sounds more like a nuisance than a deadly threat."
”Agreed. If the spirits are not actively moving from their location, then the trolls should be our first priority. I have no issue with returning to deal with the haunts after the immediate danger has been dealt with.”
Kyronai says nothing.
Dean Rheas looks disappointed at your refusal to help. "It is your right to refuse. Let us hope the next persons to answer the summons will actually take the job offered." You are shown out by the guards as you leave the academy.
Traveling back onto the ferry and then it is another 3 days of walking south before you reach a small village in the middle of nowhere. As you enter it, you notice a lot of injured villagers trying to get through their day. Most are minor with a few bandages while some have arms in slings. One male villager notices you. "I am sorry travelers, but we have little extra provisions to spare. The trolls have taken much from us. I am afraid that you will have to get what you need elsewhere."
Kyronai looks at the others in the party, trying to guess which of them will be the first to say "we're here to help with the trolls" by using far more words than is necessary.
Polyoinos shares the look of disappointment, being left wondering what the win-cellar of the Academy would have looked like.
When they reach the village and are met with the news that the gluttonous trolls have left little fare for the weary travelers his ire is roused;
"Greetings friend... Trolls eh? A persistent problem, and one that leaves you without fare nor grape?! By the Gods this cannot do!"
The skald frowns, shaking his ruefully...
Teledoros helpfully adds, "Yes, we have come to assist you with these thieving scoundrels."
"Have any of you fought trolls before?"
"Oh, I did not think anyone would come to our aid. But we will repay you however we can. We are not soldiers. When the trolls came to raid us, we were no match. Thank you for your help."
"How many trolls are we talking about here? Is there a bridge involved? Trolls are notorious for living under bridges you know!"
"We saw 3 of them but there could be more. There are no bridges that we know of nearby. Alas, we also have no billy goats to aid you in this quest either."
Varocles snaps his fingers, "drat! No billy goats you say? I was just about to ask. We shall need a plan B then my friends."
”Distract them until the sun comes up and they turn to stone? Or is it fire that they are weak to?”
"I believe so yes.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
With a grave expression on his face, Teledoros muses, "Perhaps with a pair of horns, Polyoinos' satyr blood will make a passable billygoat? He certainly eats like one."
"If we can find a way to take them on one at a time, that would be ideal."
Kyronos asks the villager his name before grilling him about the trolls?
"Do the trolls come always together, or do they come solo? Do they always approach the village from the same direction? Do you ever encounter them elsewhere? Do you know where they lair?"
"I am Mateo. They usually come from the east and we dare not try to track them down. We have taken few forays outside of the village. At the very least here, we can have some sort of defense against them. Other than the direction they have come from, we do not know. Hopefully you have someone in your group who is a good tracker."
”I can handle following the tracks.” Amphitryon said confidently. ”Well. Probably.”
Polyoinos raises a bushy brow at the notion of him playing the Billy-goat;
"Friend Mateo. We are all agreed that we should help... We are however somewhat parched from our long, heroic journey to come to the village's aid. Would you perhaps have some simple fare... Cheese, bread, wine and wine... for us to fill our bellies and slake our thirsts before facing these trolls?"
He pats his wide belly with a grin;
"A wise sage* once said: Heroes cannot fight on empty stomachs, nor battle with dry throats!... Ho-ho! Wise words indeed!"
"Unfortunately we have no more wine here. What little we did have was taken by the trolls. But I suppose we can spare a meal for you if you are willing to help us..."
At news the trolls are also stealers of the holy grape, the bulky skald's mood darkens...
"No more wine..? No more wine!? "
Red-faced and black mooded he bellows an oath;
"I, Polyoinos - Scion of Scion of a Satyr, woo'er of Amazons and drainer of casks! I swear those savage, evil, heathen bdelyrós will pay for their terrible actions!"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Mateo is taken aback by the passion shown by the Bacchanal.