Triphylla watches Diana take to flight. "Well that's handy."
Keen to avoid melee, Valeria, Triphylla and Cyrene withdraw to a safer distance, sensibly scattering in different directions.
Lope and Diana concentrate on calling their balls of fire which tumble towards the Ooze, hissing and spluttering as they roll across the marshy ground. Once more they scorch the gigantic ameboid!
<--- FAIL
<--- FAIL
However they'd both allowed it to get dangerously close and the marshy ground quickly put paid to any fancy footwork. When Lope tried to rush away, he was in for a nasty surprise. An ochre colored pseudopod shot out, clubbing him on the back, it tried to wrap around him to pull him in but somehow at the last moment he was able to tear free!
<---HIT
<--- FAIL
As fate would have it, Diana's withdrawal was uncontested - the Ooze was fixated upon Lope! It's color had darkened considerably as it was getting increasingly burned (and wow, the stench of burnt ooze was indescribable), but it was still very dangerous. It rolled after Lope, almost matching him for speed but not quite getting close enough to attack.
Environment: Normal lighting, difficult terrain, so half movement and no 5' steps
Buffs and Debuffs:
Valeria
Lope
Triphylla Various
Cyrene
Diana
Ooze
Valeria
Lope
Triphylla Various
Cyrene
Diana
Ooze
Damage Log:Round: Triphylla
Ooze was hit by 1 for 4 (total damage taken 4)Round: Diana
Ooze was hit by 1 for 10 (total damage taken 14)Round: Lope
Ooze was hit by 1 for 11 (total damage taken 25)
Ooze was hit by 2 for 8 (total damage taken 33)Round: Diana
Ooze was hit by 2 for 15 (total damage taken 48)Round: Ooze
Lope was hit by 2 for 9 (total damage taken 9)Totals:
Ooze: 48 damage
Lope: 9 damage
COMBAT ORDER:
Valeria <----- WE ARE HERE
Lope
Triphylla
Cyrene
Diana
Ooze
Valeria, Lope, Triphylla, Cyrene and Diana are up.
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Lope's ablative barrier partially softens the nasty strike of the ooze "Ouch, you sure I should not cut the thing?! It wants to eat me badly!"
Hesitant to slash the ooze for what Triphylla fears can happen, Lope instead says a few magic words with care.
As he completes the spell, three missiles of pure force fly over and strike true at the creature.
Then, Lope makes another gesture and the fire ball jumps over the ooze once more "Let's keep frying it Diana!"
Impressed with the effectiveness of Diana and Lope's magic, Triphylla pulls another vial of alchemist's fire and lobs it at the monstrous ooze.
+1 Adaptable Luck = 22
It seems that Cyrene won't have to get her hands dirty here and the assassin is devoutly thankful for that fact. Instead she takes a moment to study the ooze and then lobs a vial at it.
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Lope and Diana's balls of fire continued to chase the Ooze which was was turning almost black from the charring. Again the Ooze single mindedly focused on Lope but it was staggered by the volley of arcane missiles he unleashed. Then to finish it off Triphylla and Cyrene threw vials of alchemist's fire which burst with dull whoomphs! Soon it was entirely wreathed in flames which grew brighter and brighter before dying down after a while. All that was left was a charred ruin and a vast swathe of discolored vegetation.
Slowly your heart rates went back to normal and you began to relax when suddenly Atratus appeared from a cloud of winking motes of whitish-green light. She curtseyed as she said to Triphylla, "Thou have kept thy word and have slain the count's monstrosity! I see it took fire, rather than strength at arms."
She wandered around the blackened area before muttering softly, "This ravaged area shall recover in time." Speaking to Triphylla once more, "Thy spoke of alliance, I accept. Here, take these things, mortals hast discarded in the lake. I believe thou might make better use of them than I."
She points to several chests behind some of the lake vegetation you could have sworn wasn't there before. Inside you find a curious assortment of gears, mechanisms, oils, and tools.
She then presents you with something else, a dainty porcelain mask, the sort nobles might wear to a masquerade ball, inset with blue and green gems and decorated with golden filigree. She explains, "Long hast I guarded thi, I deem it now time for it's return. Once long ago it was worn by a singer whose voice left kings weeping and mountains low."
As the blazing ooze hisses and crackles, Triphylla dares to get a little closer, just to warm herself of the oppressive dampness of this ancient swamp. Any thought she had about rehabilitating the Count dissipated with with his alchemical abomination; he must be deposed by any means.
Atratus' reappearance soon after the conflict gives the halfling a start. She hadn't expected the alliance to come so readily.
Bowing in return to the spirit's curtsy, Triphylla steps forward. "Our work is just beginning, but I thank you all the same. I pledged to also restore this lake as a sanctuary for the fey, and that will mean removing the Count from power and installing a new line to keep the alliance that was forged in fire today."
She's surprised at the loot and wonders if the previous attempts to buy Atratus' favor were horribly misguided.
"There's at least 1000 gold worth of valuables here. Perhaps thrice as much if used for town improvements."
Accepting the mask on behalf of the group, Triphylla steps back to firmer ground and looks at it in the dwindling light.
She looks back at Atratus with genuine shock, then turns to the group: "This is a relic of old Taldor, the Subtle Mask. Said to hold mysterious powers, endowing the wearer with charm and even mind-reading ability." She stops herself from asking how Atratus came into possession of such a relic, but perhaps she already knows the answer.
"This is a generous gift. Thank you, Atratus," Triphylla replies humbly.
Valeria was quite relieved they managed to take the slime down with such relative ease and was a bit surprised when Atratus suddenly appeared. She gave the fey woman a curtsy and said, "I am glad we could help you and reach an accord all at once."
Lope recovers his composure as the adrenaline fades off "Well, the prior investigation and preparation payed off. This really worked out thanks to your scouting and research work Triphylla"
Lope let's Triphylla lead the talk with Atratus, happy to remain in the background, but when there is chance, he studies the mask's magics "Does it mean she will stop trying to kill the Count?"
As the group gathers to decide what to do next, he points to the east "What do you think if we make it back to Stachys through the eastern road instead of the Palace of the Birdsong? We might have a lunch at Pensaris and find out how is our neighboring town doing. Maybe we can even visit Baron Okerra if he is available."
Cyrene waits her turn, but once the mask reaches her hands she grins and steps forward to place it on Val's face.
"It suits you." She says simply. "She would approve."
With that she turns to the chest, already wincing at the labor that is going to be required to move the chests. Lope's suggestion of taking it to Pensaris - a much shorter journey, is met with approval.
"Hopefully the baron will lend us a cart and horse!" She says. "No way we're getting all of these back any other way."
The elation of victory turns to surprise as yet another unique piece of treasure slips out of Triphylla's hands and into someone else's.
"Use it well," she says to Valeria.
Then, turning to Lope she says, "A visit to the Baron is a good idea. A warm meal would be divine right now, and as soon as we can get there."
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You got talking and he told you of a tragedy that befell his old employers the Ralthorns. The Ralthorns were minor nobles hailing from Cassomir who made their money by investing in the shipbuilding industry in the port city, and they built this estate only a little more than one hundred years ago. They built their manor house a ways south of Stachys as a summer home. Construction was swift as the family had plenty of gold to hire a large crew of stonemasons and carpenters, and they used their trade contacts in Cassomir to ship the materials and workforce to the remote estate for a fraction of the usual cost.
However, just 40 years after the estate's completion, tragedy struck the family while they were vacationing at the estate. An uncharacteristic earthquake shook this portion of the county one warm summer night. Its quick and violent tremor spared all other buildings in the region, but half of Ralthorn Manor collapsed, crushing the sleeping family beneath a pile of stone and timber. The family wasn’t discovered for nearly 6 weeks when a business partner rode out to the estate after Berlan Ralthorn didn’t attend an important meeting with her investors.
Although the remains of the unfortunate family was removed from the rubble and properly buried in Cassomir, some say that their spirits still haunt the site. Hunters seeking shelter in the still-standing parts of the manor for the night or from a passing storm claim that their horses start and act panicky when they draw near, and others report that ghostly figures play in the overgrown orchards and a stern woman watches them, manifesting partially from a tangle of collapsed stone.
The old timer added, "I was traveling to see my Grandpappe when all this happened. It was a right shock I can tell you. Hardly anything was retrieved apart from the bodies. I always fancied that a large portion of their wealth wealth might still be buried beneath the ruined manor, but you know I never got around to checking, didn't feel right as a rule they were good to me you know."
Cyrene engages in eavesdropping and what less charitable folk might call 'spying' almost automatically. Part of it is due to her playing the role of a servant - those are the people who tend to hear the most, largely because they aren't themselves speaking and filling the world with hot air. Another part is because she's on the look-out for information and finally, she genuinely enjoys people. Not all, by any means, but people with stories to tell do interest her and they often respond to that in turn.
So when an old man turns to her at a wayside crossroads and begins talking Cyrene decides that her 'noble lords and ladies' can go on without her and stays to listen.
And it turns out to be a most excellent story indeed.
She walks another hour with the old man until he reaches his destination and only then departs to catch up with the rest of the group. A subtle shifting to lengthen her legs and redistribute muscle eats the miles easily enough as the assassin enjoys the peace and alone-ness that she relishes.
"Apparently there's an old manor south of Stachys." She informs Valeria later that night. "Well, not so old, but a family died there and there might be lost wealth. Or ghosts." The second part seems to please the assassin more than the first. "Want to come with me and look once we make it back?"
"A ghosts manor?" Lope activates his pearl of power to recover magic missile "Yes. Why not. It sounds like another mission for the team Bad Rumor Cleansing"
The Aldori is happy to accompany Cyrene on this endeavor. Whether this is done before or after visiting Okerra will of course depend on what is closer.
The next few and a half pass peacefully as you travel back the way you came and travel along Lake Pensaris towards the fishing town of the same name. The lake itself is rather deeper than Lake Laughlain and is very picturesque with hills in the distance and dotted with fishing boats. Pensaris town itself is small, with perhaps 200 residents, nestling around the nearby Okerra estate.
All of the time Triphylla has spent in the local watering holes of Merratt County has paid off. Any number of rumors appear to be true, including the one about Baron Okerra being furious with Count Lotheed over his oppressive taxation. Too bad the old military man is too much of a gentleman to make his feelings known. Perhaps the group can help with that.
Meanwhile, Lope seems to have picked up on something concerning Cyrene's absence from the procession for a few days. Normally Triphylla would concern herself not at all with the tiefling's comings and goings, but it appears she's stumbled onto some bit of information. The halfling decides to wait to see if that goes anywhere.
"As much as I'd like to get to the Baron's estate soon, I think a stop in Pensaris to establish ourselves would be a good idea. Greeting his lordship on an empty stomach is a disaster waiting to happen. At least for me. To the nearest pub?"
Lope takes point of Triphylla knowledge about the taxation issues. The Aldori looks around the village and smiles nodding to the halfling about her idea "Yes, let's them know we casually passed by and we asked if the Baron is at town, so he has the chance for an invitation without feeling forced to it."
Making it into the pub, Lope will order one fish specialty from the lake "Ah, this place is so picturesque that makes one feel there are no problems running along in Taldor. It is a nice place to grow here"
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"I agree with you both. Giving the Baron the choice of inviting us seems the better option, rather than just showing up at the estate as if demanding an audience."
Diana smiles at Lope's comment on the town. "It's a cozy place, to be sure. But it's also one of the most successful town's of the county - second only to Lotheedar, really. And much of that comes from the way the Baron treats his residents. His fury at my cousin's disastrous taxation policies is pretty understandable, as they run counter to the fairness the Baron tries to uphold."
"That would make him a natural ally towards our goals, but he'll probably be reserved in sharing those concerns due to his military nature, like Triphylla said. Maybe we can work on that angle, though. Remind him that his duty should be towards his people first and not towards my cousin."
Valeria accepted the mask carefully and said, "Thank you," before she carefully put it on her face. "Hmm, it might be a little awkward to wear around all the time but how do I look?" She spun around once, her skirt flaring out, and came to a stop facing everyone again while canting her head to the right and touching her chin with her right index finger.
[Cha Check]1d20+4[/dice]
Valeria noticed how disappointed Triphylla seemed at Valeria getting the mask and would take a moment when they were able to talk alone to talk to her about it."[/b]
When they discussed what to do next Valeria agreed with stopping in the town for lunch. Once they began to discuss future plans and the mention of the haunted house came up Valeria nodded in agreement and said, "If it is haunted, we should not pass it by. It is best to deal with such things quickly, so they do not become larger problems later on. As for the Baron I think leaving a message of our presence passing through and letting him send an invitation is a good thing. As far as getting him on our side I think I built a decent rapport with him previously, and I think he would appreciate if we could do something to show our good intentions so he can see we are not like your cousin."
Lope makes good note of Diana and Valeria's cautions "Mmmm... was not this ill faced Guisarme do something about the taxes of the county? I wonder to what extend this overtaxing is a product of the Count's own decision or the ill advise of this Guisarme..."
The Aldori ponders while taking a piece of mashed potatoes from the main shared dish in the tavern.
Pensaris was a one inn village, but it's inn The Ship was actually really nice. It was a two story thatched, white washed affair with a wide tap room and several cosy wrought iron fireplaces, with a sleepy old dog curled up next to the closed one to your table. The food was simple but surprisingly tasty.
Towards the end of your meal, a smartly dressed boy of perhaps ten summers rushed in and was directed to your table. He took his cap off and he bowed respectfully to Lope before saying, "Lord Bentony, Baron Okerra cordially invites you to supper this evening. Please m'lord, the baron would be most obliged if I could pass on your reply."
The boy waits expectantly for your reply.
Lope nods to the boy, and invites him to a glass "Are you thirsty, take a sit and drink whatever you wish while we wrote down a reply"
The stay at The Ship has been a reviving change of step, but the business shall continue, and Lope writes down a response We would love to share a meal with the Baron. Be warned, we arrive all covered in mud, but it will compensate with a good story on itself from our foray.
Lope gives the note to the boy and enjoys the rest of the stay at the inn, until it is time for the evening meal.
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You enjoy a spell of good weather and spend the afternoon by the side of the lake before heading over to visit Baron Okerra. It's clear from talking to the locals that Nicolaus Okerra is popular, with locals proudly saying that their Baron served much of his line in the Taldan Horse and that he treats them fairly.
The Okerra mansion is a charming red brick affair with set on a low rise with an excellent view over Lake Pensaris. As your carriage pulls up surrounded by the small but well tended formal garden, you are greeted by the Baron himself who said, "Lord Betony and company, welcome one and all! I was hoping you'd drop by. I've heard you are renovating and as your neighbour I'd be delighted to lend a helping hand! I'm told Stachys used to be such a nice little village in my father's time, perhaps it will be again."
Valeria was relieved when their effort to give the Baron time to invite them bore fruit as the young messenger appeared. They had at least a little while to prepare themselves so Valeria went to the effort of taking a bath and dressed in fresh clothing for their dinner with the baron. When they were met by the baron Valeria gave her most graceful curtsy and said, "It is an honor to dine with you m'lord."
Lope smiles joyfully seeing the welcoming done by the noble "Baron. It is definitely an honor. We are trying to do our best, and we really can enjoy on some guidance on improving Stachys, we have seen how prosper and beautiful Pensaris is by your rule. You have to teach me also how to get the citizens to love you so much"
The Aldori tries to maintain an open but respectful interaction with the noble, posing questions of real interest to try learn from him about the management of the state.
"Excuse our sudden appearance and state, we had to deal with some unpleasant business at the lake, an alchemical monstrosity that apparently the Count liberated to avoid having to deal with the local fey community" Lope will explain, while they visit the manor or prepare to have dinner.
"We are trying to do our best, and we really can enjoy on some guidance on improving Stachys, we have seen how prosper and beautiful Pensaris is by your rule. You have to teach me also how to get the citizens to love you so much"
Baron Okerra nodded, "It's quite straightforward really, if you genuinely look out for the people then they'll look out for you. You've instigated a number of civic improvements, repairing potholes, leveling the streets, repainting buildings, and patching roofs, all good stuff but Stachys hasn't had a proper market or a working mill in a generation. Tell you what I'll be happy to sort the mill out for you, I reckon you'll have some happy farmers who are glad they don't need to come all the way here to get their flour!"
When Lope mentioned the business with the alchemical monstrosity, a complex ripple of emotions went across Okerra's face and it was clear in the subsequent conversation that he'd cooled a little towards you.
Triphylla is oblivious to the political leanings of Okerra, having had no prior contact with the man. She assumes, as he is a military sort, that he has a fauchard lodged too far up his ass to attempt to remove. Anyways, she's already hungry again, having eaten lunch a full two hours earlier.
Lope takes the Baron's advice in high regard, and nods "A mill... yes that is a good idea." after a while discussing on how to improve the life of the people of Merrat, the Aldori also introduces the topic of taxation "We have an issue though over the topic of taxes. I would be interested into finding a legal way to push the County to reduce the taxes so commerce and entrepreneurship can thrive in the region."
"How do you think we can press the Count in this matter? Is he really behind the over taxation? I have the impression Sir Guisarme might have to do with this topic more than the count himself."
As always a canny observer of men Cyrene reads the baron's expression like an open book and slips unobtrusively behind Diana and Valeria.
"You should obscure our mission from him." She says softly. "If he finds out once it's done he'll accept it, but otherwise I think he'll tell Bartelby. His honor will demand it."
Warning done she slips back into the background. It's by far the best place to be.
"That's ... something of a sore point." sighed Okerra, "His grace has never been terribly interested in money, although he likes spending it all the same. For the most part he leaves matters of finance
and taxation to Sir Guisarme like you suspected. For his part Sir Guisarme likes this arrangement well, perhaps too well. Not all the tax collectors roaming the lands are strictly legal, you can do something about them I expect."
Diana nods slightly at Cyrene's words, letting the "maid" know her insight is appreciated.
"Can you tell us anything else about those tax collectors that might help us deal with them? We might not have much luck getting Sir Guisarme to agree on a more lenient tax policy, but we should at least try to put a stop to those placing an even greater burden on the county's citizens."
"Like Lope said, we hoped to make Stachys' commerce thrive. We might even have found a way to get the ferry system of old back up, bringing everyone much closer together - which is bound to help trade between each town to grow that much more. We hope to do as much as we can to bring prosperity to the county's citizens."
"Yeah, we have great plans" Lope reinforces Diana's statements "And with help of neighbors we can create pretty good synergies here"
Not wanting to overextend the visit, he adds "In fact, Baroness Vonium mentioned something about a deal to offer. I wonder if it is the moment to visit her next"
"It'll be harvest time soon, I'd advise you to keep a close eye on the proceedings, make sure any taxation is by the book." replied Okerra.
"Like Lope said, we hoped to make Stachys' commerce thrive. We might even have found a way to get the ferry system of old back up, bringing everyone much closer together - which is bound to help trade between each town to grow that much more. We hope to do as much as we can to bring prosperity to the county's citizens."
"It would be nice to get the ferries running once again." mused Okerra, "But to make it really worth while you'd need to have a proper market in Stachys like there used to be in my grandfather's time. I hear you're investing in the pump house, that'll help everyone particularly us here. We'll discuss the details later, but I think perhaps I can help you with that market and by doing so help the fisheries which are the lifeblood of Pensaris."
Lope takes note of Okerra's advise to look after the harvest tax collection.
"If you help finance the market, then it would be only fair that the fishermen of Pensaris can sell their fish freely and without fees in the new market" Lope offers his hand to seal the deal with the Baron.
Baron Okerra shakes Lopes hand and over the next few hours the details aer thrashed out. The main takeaway being that over the next few months, the Stachys market is getting some serious upgrades.
With the deal done and handshakes and backslaps and wars won and whatnot concluded, Triphylla inquires of Diana: "Before we ventured to the Lake you mentioned Cassomir. Do you intend to travel there? If so I would tag along; it's been many years but I would like to see that city again. Quite a vibrant population of halflings. And besides that, it's been near two months since we left Oppara and it would be good to learn any news beyond Merratt County."
Lope tries to negotiate for Stachys people a fair access to the lake's fish as part of the agreement, but does not push hard and settles in good mood with whatever the Baron is willing to, shaking his hand in agreement.
"Ah, yeah, I dream for some city soiree. I can't say the limited Merratt social life stands for my taste. But we shall remind our duty here" Lope points out while trying to mentally remember all the tasks the group still has pending "I would say we need to figure out what has happened in Telus State next, or otherwise visit the Baroness Vonium and listen what she has to offer us"
"Of course, we are in this on our free will, and I would understand if any of you have different plans or need some free time at the city."
"I would welcome the company, Tryphilla." Diana replies with a smile. "I wasn't thinking of staying long, though, just enough to buy all the supplies I need for the pump."
"It's not just a pleasure trip, Lope - I do need to procure some magical supplies if we are to fix the pump, and Cassomir is probably where we're most likely to find everything I need. Of course, I'm not saying it's the most pressing task - the ones you propose are also important."
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Given what they were here for Valeria allowed Lope and Diana to run the conversation without argument. It was part of her role as a Lady in Waiting after all so it did not bother her. It seemed they had gleaned useful information and made a good bargain as well. Overall this was a very worthwhile stop.
Once they began to discuss their next destination Valeria thought it all through and said, "Are any of those locations between here and Cassomir? If so it might be a good idea to stop at them on the way to Cassomir. Regardless I think it would be dangerous for us to split up."
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"I'll need to be back in Lotheedar soon." Cyrene says from the corner. "I'm getting close to a meeting with the Night Swan but if I stay away too long that good work will fall apart. What do you want me to do if I meet her? Recruit her? Remove her? Become her?"
She sort of hopes that she gets to be the vigilante for a while, but somehow that doesn't seem likely. Lope and Diana have too many morals for such a thing.
Lope ponders as part of the group presses the matter on the trip to Cassomir. The city sits at the mouth of the Sellen River, about 100 miles away from Stachys "Just try to not entertain yourselves for long, it is hard to pass without you two nowadays. Meanwhile I will try to organize Baron Okerra's resources on the new market. Maybe pay that visit to the Baroness should be safe enough too..."
When Cyrene talks, Lope is a bit unsettled "Become her? What do you mean? Have you perceived her opened to leave her public character in your hands? If so, it might be not a bad solution at all..."
Triphylla replies to Cyrene. "Yes, do that! The more chaos the better."
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"It's an interesting idea, to be sure." Diana replies with a mischievous smile as she ponders Cyrene's suggestions. "But you might want to get a better feel for her first before making a move. Find out her motives, what she thinks of us, see if she is someone who might be willing to work with us."
"That doesn't mean you can't start doing things in her name, though " Diana smile widens. "Her fame gives you the perfect cover for any action that might undermine my cousin, if it could reasonably be attributed to her. And I've seen enough of your skills to know you could do that and still get close to her without her suspecting anything."
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When Cyrene talks, Lope is a bit unsettled "Become her? What do you mean? Have you perceived her opened to leave her public character in your hands? If so, it might be not a bad solution at all..."
"Yes, that." Cyrene replies drily, although her face remains completely innocent!
Diana speaks sense, as women do and men do only rarely, and Cyrene nods her agreement. "If I meet her then I can get a sense of the details - her outfit, shape, the basics. Then I can start moving her persona. It will take time though - I'll send letters to Val when I can but you'll have to manage without me for a while if I'm going to do this properly."
After spending a pleasant evening with the Baron, Lope (and whoever travels with him) travels backs to Stachys just in time for the beginning of the harvest. The whole town had come together, the plan was to work one farm at a time as a group until everyone’s harvest has been brought in. Several villagers approached Lope and asked, "Lord Betony Sir, will you bless the harvest?"
Lope is caught off-guard by the petition.
"I suppose I can give my blessing to the harvest... I am no expert though, so perhaps I can charge someone with a strongest connection to the divine to lead the rite" Lope looks at Valeria.
"You know more than me about the passing of seasons and how blessings work. Could you do the honors to conduct the ritual Valeria? Just tell me what you need and I will try to help" he looks hopeful the Worldwound veteran can help him here.