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You have been traveling for two full days, heading to the keep of the Bourne of Candles. As you approach the Castle, which you have since learned is called Castle Casrob, named after the Bourne, Jerrold Casrob, the strong smell of salt sea air assails your nostrils.
An old woman, gathering seaweed on the rocks using a short rake, tugs a tangle free before collecting it into a wicker basket at her feet. She stops her labor as you pass and calls out with a wave, He'll not see you. He don't see no one, he don't. Poor thing.
She pauses a moment to blow her nose on a rag of cloth she pulls from her sleeve. The years have not been kind to her. Bent double with age, and skin leathered by constant exposure to the harsh Moonsea weather, she seems as much a part of the landscape as the seaweed she is gathering.
"Why is he a poor thing?"
Where...?! Io looks around. Where did you come from, sir dwarf?
Io files away that lovely weasel insult for another time.
Before the appearance of the dwarf, Gorum with Mender’s question, simply adds ”Here we go again.” The half orc does not hide his Orcish features from the woman. Studying the woman with his seeping eye, she seems experienced enough to know what a real threat looks like. Although, now that he comes to think about it, the older people are usually the most racist. He shrugs and waits for her reply to Mender.
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Ain't proper to converse, without introductions, is it? Names Madge, who're you? the old lady almost scolds, before looking at you all with interest.
Assuming introductions are exchanged, the elderly woman goes on to explain that tragedy struck the lord, --nigh on a decade and half ago. 'Twas on his wedding night when his new bride was spirited away in the dead of night!
Madge is somber, then clucks her tongue, I've got ta get this seaweeds in 'afore the tides come in. Back ta work fer me! Best o' luck to ya, my new friends, maybe yer business is enough ta get him ta see youse all, but if I were a bettin' one, I'd lay odds against you...
EDIT: The old lady jumps with a start, when the dwarf appears suddenly in the road! Cripes almighty! What sorcery is this?!? and paints a sign across her face, in the fashion of some old superstition.
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"Well, that was quaint." says Mender, who then turns towards the castle proper.
Io does one of those stare-and-blinks for a few seconds at the dwarf and the gang, grunts You all hush a minute then asks Madge, Would you be able to tell us any more about this kidnapped bride of his? We do desperately need to speak with sir Casrob.
Gorum, also suprised by the appearance of the dwarf now levels his gaze on the newcomer. Where did you say you were from? Is it common for people to pop out of no where there? Cause that ain’t so around here. “
Yeah, I'm following Madge if that's cool.
as is normal for the half elf he is quiet as he follows the party.
Gorum offers to carry the old woman’s basket, but also agrees to follow along.
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Why thank you, dearie, the elderly seaweed gatherer smiles at the half-orc as he hefts her wicker basket.
As you start heading toward the hut, Madge starts her tale, If there is ever a man needed help it's him in that castle. Poor Jerrold, my heart breaks for him, so it does. Such a tragic tale.
He lost his wife, so he did. Vanished, right after their wedding.
She gestures at the other end of the beach toward the foot of Castle Cosrob, Right there: on the shore of the Moonsea.
And he refuses to believe she's dead, so he does. Each night he lights his candles and sets them in the windows.
Look, see! Madge point up at the castle, in a window a candle alights as the sun starts to dip low into the Moonsea, then another and another. Poor dear. There he goes! That's why he's called Candles. Bourne of Candles. 10 and 5 winters he's done it. Every night, for all these years. Hurricane lanterns filled with candles to light her way home. I don't think he'll ever be right... well, not until someone finds out what happened to his wife.
You arrive at her hut and she gestures for Gorum to set down the basket.
Madge’s home is a cramped, ramshackle hut nestled against the base of a sandstone cliff. Driftwood, rope, and other items of flotsam and jetsam decorate the interior, which reeks from the salt ivy seaweed suspended in bunches from the rafters. A large hearth surrounded by pots, pans, bottles, and even a distillation still occupies much of the back wall.
Madge sets on a kettle, lighting the fire, Are ya hungry? I make a mean seaweed soup!
Her countenance narrows and she asks, What business do ya got that is so serious that ya needs ta talk to the Bourne, eh?
Mender listened to the woman's story, with the sort of vague interest you might pay attention to someone's story at a party. At the offer of food, he will demur, and he allowed the others to speak explain their reasons to her.
Io smirks at the joke. We're here to report on the village . A curse has been lifted, but there...might be complications. So we need to talk with him.
”Sounds likes your business is a bit more important than ours. We’re here to let him know we killed a hag on his lands. Figured he’s want to know that.”
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Madge makes a sign warding off evil and then spits on the floor, Bad news, those blackheart hags are, don't ya know. May be, he may see yeh, but a broken heart is a powerful curse in its own right...
She seems to come to a revelation, Mayhap you might lift the curse on him?!? Would ya? Would ya help?!?
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Hopeful, Madge continues, You know, the Bourne's men, they all searched the area to no avail... even his visits to the priests and diviners revealed nothing, as if she vanished into thin air!
Some of the villagers, superstitious lot that we are, thought that she mighta been swallowed whole by some monster of the deep. The Bourne, he wouldn't believe such nonsense, though... the elderly woman takes a breath before speaking further, I was livin' here back then, with me husband, old Willard, gods rest his soul, but we ain't seen a whit. I think that them elf wizards, what lived in the Cormanthor centuries 'afore, left doors ta their secret hidey-holes and mayhap she stumbled through. But what do I know, I'm just a batty ol' bag o' bones.
Either that, or she found 'er way inta the ruins of Northkeep! Madge points to the East wall, Out there, near the East Rocks, a ruin swallowed by the sea. The waters weres different back then. On the low Spring tides, you could walk out ta those rocks. When did she go missin' again? I think it might have been Spring!
The half elf listens with interest
Io would assure Madge that they will try to help. Breaking curses is starting to become our thing.
He inquires about these doors from the elves, and if there's anything more about the East Rocks, and if you can get there now. After all, it would be sad if she simply drowned and he's been pining away all these years.
And he complements her soup.
“A missing persons case? Too bad Shae headed back to town. Could’ve used her on this one.” Gorum thought to himself. ”I’m sure we can look into the missing woman. If it will get the Lord back to doin his job, I’m all for helping.”
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Madge is talkative and cheerful through the night. She tells you about her husband Willem and asks you all about yourselves in turn. She laughs at the funny stories, and cries at the sad ones... As it gets later and later, she begins to nod off, and you realize that she is fast asleep while you are in the middle of the story.
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You are all awoken with a start as the old woman's shriek shatters the early morning silence!
Initiative - Round 1
Gorum -> Mender -> Giant Crabs -> Zdravko -> Quen -> Ionnis -> Madge
As you get to the door, you see Madge trying to run away from four giant crabs with a basket of clothes and a washboard in her arms! One of the crabs has a pincer-full of her ragged dress...
Sacred fire erupted down on the giant crab attempting to draw the old woman away.
Cursing his luck for not having armor on, Gorum grabs his axe and runs out the door toward Madge.
for
Ac 13 unarmored.
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Seeing the flame come down on the first one, Io speaks the words he is so happy finally do something, and three streams of magic each find a crab to explode in.
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Madge is running back toward you all, so the one on Madge is the closest.
Gorum charges forward, swinging his heavy axe down upon the crab on Madge's skirts! The blade cracks its shell, causing the crab to release its grip and the crab's eye stalks turn to regard the paladin!
Mender steps out of the hut and calls down the fury of the heavens on the crab that has just been cracked! But the crab skitters to the side, barely dodging the burst of holy flame!
Crab 1 snaps at Gorum with its claws!
Gorum swipes the claw aside!
The remaining 3 crabs skitter up from the water and two of them attempt to skitter past the half-orc, one heading for Madge and one for Mender!
Again, the half-orc side-steps the crab's claw!
Crab 3 snaps at Madge and begins pulling her back toward the water!
Crab 4 dashes right up to Mender and readies a claw to snap at the aasimar!
Io draws arcane symbols in the air and points his finger at the crab pulling at Madge! The three silvery bolts that zip out hammer into the crab, each punching a fist-sized hole into the creature!
Initiative - Round 1
Gorum -> Mender -> Giant Crabs -> Zdravko -> Quen -> Ionnis -> Madge
Zdravko & Quen are up.
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Crab 1 skitters to the side, just as the mass of webbing spreads across the beach! Crab 2 is almost completely enveloped though and struggles against the webs!
Madge starts swinging her basket at Crab 1 and shouts, Go back ta the depths where ya belong!!!
Initiative - Round 1
Gorum -> Mender -> Giant Crabs -> Zdravko -> Quen -> Ionnis -> Madge