Since Keth is focusing on sight, and Woolf is focusing on scent, Meila decides to help out with keen ears.
It is a fairly normal late summer day in Torch. Despite the current state of the Torch there are still people out and about performing work. The graveyard is silent and currently has no visitors. The graveyard seems well maintained and there doesn't appear to be anything out of place visually and there are no unusual smells.
Irizzle trots into the graveyard, whistling a jaunty tune complete out of place in this environment, trying to give the impression he is carefree, though still keeping an eye out for trouble.
Meila cocks her head to the side when Irizzle starts whistling. This jaunty tune is new to her, and soon she starts walking to its pace. A little skip, a sudden twirl, and soon enough Meila begins to laugh.
Keth looks at Meila skipping and scowls...thinking this is serious business. and he shakes his head.
Woolf stops sniffing and looks at the short one who smelled of burning things and cocked his head to the side listening intently to the whistle...then moves up to look Irizzle in the eyes....as if to say 'yes?'
when he sees Melia skipping he gets a happy expression on his face and starts running around...jumping along side her....much to keths Chagrin.
Sgrack lets the others go ahead in their investigation while he stays behind, apparently actively keeping his distance from the others.
He remains attentive, though.
After a moment Irizzle and Meila dancing and whistling around the graveyard and old man pokes his head out of the doors of the attached chapel.
Mylan:"Do any of you young people need help? Blessings of the Wanderer? If not could you not 'play' in the graveyard it is a place of honor not a field for frolicking." The old man says all this with a dour expression and tone.
Keth eyes the older man suspiciously looking for anything on his person that would indicate he had the capability of magic, particularly the pouch holding components that every caster might have on their belt.
Woolf immediately stopped frolicking and stood looking at the older man, sensing he was unhappy. The young wolf was visibly saddened that a person was upset with him...and tail fell between his legs and his ears flattened. to the side of his head.
Sron addressed the elderly caretaker and says: "We are a group of concerned citizens investiga-..., looking to learn about the recent goings-on here in Torch,".
Sron nodded to Meila to take up the lead on questions. Her likeability was a useful asset to the group.
"Yeah. We're just asking around town if anyone knows anything about why the torch went out. D'you have any guesses, suspicions, or rumours about it?"
Also I think I'm older than you, Mr. Get-Off-My-Lawn Geezer.
Mylan steps fully out of the door. He is wearing fairly typical simple clothing. There is a very basic wooden holy symbol at his hip.
Mylan:"I wish I has something useful to tell you but my work has no crossover with the Torch. The continued disappearance of folks looking into it is a shame. I've no doubt some will end up in my care and I take no solace in that fact."
A thought strikes Irizzle, which naturally bursts directly forth to his mouth almost instantaneously. ”Do you also prepare the dead Sir Mylan? I am most intrigued to learn if their are any alchemical agents you use for this task, it is not my area of speciality?”
Mylan:"I am not sure what that has to do with the conversation at hand. But being a Gravedigger has not been my lifelong work so my methods are quite simple. I clean and care for the deceased as best I can to prepare them for their interment."
”Curiousity is its own vital imperative. I shall think on this, it may be that I can provide you some assistance in the future for your tasks.”
[ooc]Hoping to turn this little discussion into an Aid Another for someone else’s Diplomacy.
"Darn, but what were you up to before gravedigging?"
Mylan cocks his eyebrow at the bothersome Gnome and than turns back to Meila.
Mylan:"I was a handyman of sorts mostly carpentry and construction, occasional barge work on the Sellen. While looking for a place to retire I heard of the passing of the gravedigger here. I didn't have any first hand experience but I figured it would be a dignified way to spend my golden years and not be completely sedentary."
"Oh okay, I've never been on the Sellen, but I wanna go some day. I hear it can be pretty dangerous with pirates, is that true? Were you a priest of the Lady back then too, and used it to protect yourself and your crew?"
Mylan:"Yah, river pirates can be an issue but I only traveled on well guarded vessels. I only came to the Lady of Graves when I took over here. Her holy texts explain much of the work and rights of preparing the dead for their journey to the river of souls. I think with some guidance I could become a cleric full and true but at my age I am happy just to live peacefully."
"You sound like a good soul, Mr. Mylan. I hope to see you again sometime, hopefully before I'm in the grave hahahahaa."
Mylan gives a smile and a wave.
Mylan:"Not this year, not yet."
Meila waves back and smiles genuinely before bidding farewell. She goes up to Sron and asks "Okay, where's next?"
Keth nods apparently satisfied the rumors were just rumors. and says simply.
Lets stroll up to the Torch then
and he turns and heads toward the road that curves its way up the side of the hill.
Woolf followed The Master still a litte saddened for the displeasure in the Gravediggers tone....but he quickly saw a butter fly and scampered after it...his eyes alight.
Irizzle absentmindedly resumes whistling as he leaves, thinking about any alchemical formulae he knows that might assist in the preservation of corpses.
Easily the most recognizable landmark in Torch, this bald escarpment rises at a steep slope in the middle of town. Until recently, the town’s namesake torch burned at the hill’s peak, emerging from a 5-foot-wide hole in the ground. Today, the flame is out, the hole caved in and filled with bubbling, foul-smelling sludge. The four specially-designed adamantine carts used to ferry ore to and from the fire now stand a short distance down the hill near the Black Hill Craneworks
Meila hops over to the carts to take a good look at them, then climbs up to overlook the sludge. "Ew! It smells worse than a... anything really!"
It is common knowledge that the carts are made of adamantine. One of the only metals that can stand up to constant close exposure to the high temperatures the Torch usually puts out. Normally there is a fee owed to the towns crafting guilds to come work with the Torch. But since it has been extinguished no one is manning the road and the guards and workers only lazily make sure no one is taking equipment.
While up here it seems as if the smell coming off the strange liquid changes at an instant you could swear you smelt fresh baked cookies followed almost immediately by raw sewage when you try and investigate.
Keth knelt by the foul smelling sludge and tried to determine if it was of natural origin and the effect it was having on the surroundings.
Woolf crinkled up his nose and sneezed as the foul smelling material assailed his nostrils. he shook his head and sneezed, staying further back away from the black sludge
Irizzle says “Hold on a second, I think I might be able to use this sludge to determine some things?”
He asks Sgrack for his pack, rummages around in it for a bit, then approaches the sludge with a tool and a tube. Taking a sample, he starts muttering to himself as he studies it.
Oh dear deity, with a roll that bad I feel compelled to make a will save against tasting it - going to self declare a DC of 15.
You see Irizzle puzzle at it for a while, before dipping a fingertip barely into the sludge, then putting it in his mouth to taste it.
As Irizzle tastes the sludge, Sgrack grabs the rest of the flask and drinks all of it before refilling it and passing it to Meila. "Meila drink."
Sgrack and Irrizle both feel a strong burn as they drink not unlike high proof alchohol before their vision and senses feel blurry
Irizzle:As the fluid coats your tongue and let some of it slide down your throat a number of components come to mind none of them good or intended for drinking. Your one saving though as your vision gets a bit blurry is that it seems like you would need to drink a sizeable ammount to get a full effect.
Irizzle:
Sgrack:Once the liquid hits your stomach as you rarely give things the chance to hit your tongue given your past you feel that this isn't much different than most pub drinks but your sample was fairly small.
Sgrack:
Meila unconsciously accepts the tube and gets ready to take a sip, but the awful smell makes her nearly retch even without consuming it. She drops to her knees and holds the tube as far away as possible while she dry heaves.
the frown is almost apparent on Woolfs face as he backs away looking at both the White Giant and the burny smelling short person as they both drink some of the fouls fluid...then when Mela accepts the vial...Woolf moves and nudges her leg and barks.
Keth sat watching dumbfounded as they began to taste the foul fluid...
This stuff is not natural and I would not partake. It most assuredly will have side effects.
Sron stopped himself from commenting on the actions of Irizzle and Sgrack. It is often better to allow people their mishaps that simply tell them that tasting random sludge is an unwise choice.
Irizzle spits a few times and says in a somewhat strained voice ”Yeah, that is not what I thought it was. Now, where were we off to next?”
He then starts walking in the wrong direction.
Meila dumps what's left of the tube back into the pit, then hands it back to Irizzle. She then guides him back to the group like a little kid.
Sgrack shruggs, even if he feels a slight buzz in his ears and his sight is a bit hazy. "Khonnir teach Sgrack all stuff have 'sidefects'. Sgrack not worry."
Keth shook his head and said Given the current state of our comrades Id say we need to go to the junkyard first and then to the Gambling Hall. I dont think we'd be best served meeting the ropefists til these effects are lessened. ...and the walk may help
He whistled at Woolf who followed him down the path
hearing the masters whistle, he turned and bounded down the road...stopping here and there to smell a bush, marking it as his then a few yards away he did the same to a rock...and then to a large boulder..these things were all his...He turned and looked back at the group...grinning and panting before moving to claim more territory.
"I agree said Sron," walking alongside Keth on their way to the Junkyard.
"Junkyard it is!" Meila responds enthusiastically. "I like the junkyard. It's nice. I like to look at all the doohickeys and whatchamacallits. The owner doesn't like me though." She skips down the path behind Keth, while holding Irizzle's hand.