Brother Seamus's page

Oh, by the way, I am keeping an eye out for raven familiars.

Brother Seamus' Hide roll: d20 + 15 = 27.

I (and Kael, I hope) move forward, hiding as the terrain allows.

Of course, I could always be a distraction if you want.

Struck by his selflessness, I look kindly down at the gnome. "Pray, good Priapus, that such a sacrifice should not be needed. But if it shouldst indeed come to pass, when rescuing the captured, that thou must take the attention of a score of slavers and unruly orcs unto thyself, knowest thou that we shalt sing of thy courage and valor."

I turn to Merian. "Of our company, Kael and I might approach yon walls direct and unperceived. By thy leave?"

"Our first goal must be to see the captives to safety. We must not let alarums rise till we know where they are and can make good their escape.

"Reconnaissance, then rescue, then revenge. Alphabetical order."

Did we get a message through to the girl? Did she give us any clue as to where we need to go? Is it the castle or somewhere near?"

"Aye, wee one. She didst warn us of a score of orcs, coming anon to purchase her and some half-a-dozen fellow bondsmen."

I turn to Merian. "I am well-made for hiding. Let us be far enough from the roadway that the group as a whole is safely out of sight, but let me stray such that I might see both thee and the pathway."

Avoid being seen? Outlined against the daylight sky? I nod numbly and comply. Something like that would have never occurred to me.

(Brother Seamus cannot make a DC 20 Spot check in the sunlight).

Yes; condolences and prayers.

"Our destination! It is certainly ... in better repair than I had suspected."

"As I say, a most excellent scout.

Good morning, gentlemen. I believe you've met everyone, with the possible exception of Brother Arien here. All signs pointeth t'wards the castle grounds. Lyssa is alive, but soon to be sold to orcs.

"We've brought your breakfast, but we fear to be on a tight schedule, so ye may needs eat as we go."

"With no tracks... towards the castle seems our best course, unless someone else has a better idea."

"The only other options I imagine are to return to town; to wait here until we, too, are taken; or to shout loudly.

"Choosing 'mongst those, I too think us best served by advancing towards the castle.

"I recommend Kael to you all as a most excellent scout, keen of eye and subtle. I would ask him to lead the way, should there be no objection."

"Giant bats would only come out at night, surely? And they wouldn't think to extinguish the fire." She points to the cold embers that Merian just pointed out.

I shield my eyes from the harsh sun as I turn towards the woman, but I'm clearly grinning as I reply quietly, "Why, thy answer is clear as good water. The giant bat must haveth flaming breath, and burnt the poor gnome to cinders. Good Vaitro, ever mindful of duty, did ask leave to extinguish the gnome before being carried off.

"And if fire-breathing giant bats are the strangest things we see on our quests to this Castle, we shall call ourselves blest."

You do realize that there was no fight here. Perhaps they just went for a walk?[/ooc]

"I theorize giant bats.

"Unless anyone hath a keen wit such to find our comrades, I bid we continue on to the castle."

Any indication which direction they left?

"If a giant bat has absconded with our friends, I fear tracking may be difficult."

Are there any signs of a struggle? Perhaps another dead cultist?

"Oh, and Merian, I prithee, call me Brother Seamus, or simply Seamus. I'm no more than a simple friar, called to the service of the Lord Kurgess."

I turn to Kael and sigh. "Part of me hopeth they be safe. But a little sliver remaineth to hope the universe is just, and the gnome was eaten by a music-hating grue."

I attempt to assist Merian. 1d20 = 15.

By the way, Sharoth, can I determine what Lord Granger Flitwick actually does in the city? Is he part of the governing nobility?

I agree with Merian.

"Lady Chauntessa, rather than a scroll, might thou obtain a good cleric for the spell, tonight, if it be possible?"

"Brother Arien, art thou equipped?"

I think to myself: Arien and Merian. Well, won't the gnome be pleased that we've gathered a cohort with rhyming names.

And we are away.

...But that information is out there, not here; moreover, an assault on the slavers in the day would keep the orcs from interfering with the battle."

I grimmace a bit at that; it may keep me from interfering with the battle, as well.

She looks up again, her level gaze meeting Seamus' with neither challenge nor fear.

I hold her gaze for a minute, and then break into a steel-eyed grin. "Then we are agreed!"

Shisumo, nice job. I really have an idea about how Merian thinks.

"Days, Lady Chauntessa, perhaps not, but if the time be rather hours, aye. No orc makest purchase of slaves in the daylight.

"Merian, thou hast the esteem of wise, and so I hold thee. These are not mere kidnappers and traders of slaves and coins. This is a cult. It was beaten back once before, and then renewed itself.

"Of course we want to rescue Lyssa, and while she's this side of the grave, although by my trowth, I think her not in danger of her life. She will, awaiting succor, aver any grim-odds escape attempts. The Iron Manacle dost not wish her dead, and even the orcs be unlikely to eat her.

"But a simple, bloody raid would be a disaster: not only wouldst such a strike panic the guards and indeed put the prisoners' lives at risk, mayhap as hostages, but it may scatter the Iron Manacle.

"This needs must go quietly and smoothly. All the captives must be loosed. The orcs, taught their lesson. And amongst the Iron Manacle there must be not a single survivor.

"They suspect not our coming. We have some small window of time to reconnoiter and find our best tactics.

"See to the lessons of your patroness. Is Iomedae often surprised or taken at disadvantage, or dost she visit those indignites upon her foes?"

And Seamus is used to a world where mis-steps are fatal. But he's also used to being a member of a tightly-knit community. If everyone in the party decides to tromp right off to the castle, he'll follow along and do his best.

If that is what you all think is best, then I will support you.

"Woudst Your Ladyship play the patron, then, for the purchase of such a scroll?"

Brother Seamus,

~Lady Chauntessa thinks for a minute and then replies~ I think I have hear about it. They call themselves the Slavers of the Iron Mantacle. They have been crushed before, only to rise again, since not all of their members were brought to justice.

~Arien nods~ She is right. That is what I remember some of them saying.

"Manticle" Or "manacle"?

"I find that more than passing strange! A name, a vow of continuity, and a large and painious tattoo! Certes, this seemest more like a cabal of deranged cultists, than a mere venture for the traffic of human lives!

"By my troth, our goals grow clearer. Simple making the slave trade unprofitable will avail us naught. These folk sound to be devoted.

"What next?

"We know where to of their bodies are buried, and their heads bore no signs of disfigurement. If we could pool our moneys" I look around the room, particularly at Lady Chauntessa, "we might obtain a scroll for speaking with the newly dead, and obtain more intelligence from them, such as names of the leaders, the schedule of daily routine, or long-term goals."

I nod to Merian. "We must find our comrades in the woods. And, I should think, we should bring them their breakfasts. Perhaps they have found out something more.

"And then, it seems," with a gesture acknowledging Idiah, "we must find this underground compound."

I describe the elaborate tattoo to the rest of the party and to Quintus and Lady Chauntessa. Does anyone find it familiar?

"It may not be possible to rescue her afore the orcs arrive and buy her. It may be preferable to wait for the orcs to leave with her.

"Good lady, were you able to find out anything about Ankiel?"

I recall that her familiar's name is Avros. "And who is Grrrmandius?"

"Magister Quintus, what other words didst thine apprentice impart?"

"We cannot wait, if she's going to be traded soon," Merian says urgently. "Do we know where she is yet?"

"We have an idea. We did explore the area here she was taken, and found that the lass had been most industrious, leaving a quiet trail of scraps behind her as she might. Priapus and that other fellow --Valtiro?-- chose to stay the night on the villains' trail.

"Many of ye knowest Brother Arien here. He has himself been bound prisoner of these men, taken with his family.

Brother Seamus,

~You and Arien head to the Inn. Tess greets the both of you~ Lady Chauntessa is talking to your friends. Shall I go tell them that you are back?

"It would be appreciated."

May I presume that Arien and I arrive at the Slumbering Drake? We ask the barkeep after Lady Chauntessa.

Is she unavailable, or are we shown into the locked room?

Fair enough. Let's join the others.

I do not have any of the Golarian books in front of me. Pick some LN good of Knowledge or something like that.

Abadar, LN god of cities, wealth, merchants, and law

Perhaps Ironi?

" I would be honored to join you, but my concern is that I am out of shape and might cave in to the drink at the wrong time. However, if you think that you can trust me, then I would be happy to join you. Let me clean up some and get some things together."

Brother Seamus nods. "The gods ask no more of us than we can give. I shall lend thee strength as thy needs demand. Know you, Brother, the name 'Ankiel'?"

You enter an unkept shanty. There is a place in the corner to do some cooking, but it apears to have not been used in a while and is in need of some cleaning.

I clean the kitchen before cooking.

In one corner you see three bottles that seem to have been thrown at the wall, perhaps in frustration.

As breakfast is cooking, I clean up the shards and dispose of them.

As I set eggs, sausages, and sweetcakes before him, I ask, "To which of the gods do we dedicate this day? To whom to we offer our prayers, works, sufferings, and joy?"

And as we eat, I offer, "Kael and I, and some allies, went out last e'en. And we did find evidence to butress thy claims, Brother. There are, strewth, bondsmen in the lands, hid 'midst the hills to the east. We found some of their bodies, slain in a recent struggle.

"But they stole away another yound woman, an apprentice wizardling. A small band goes a-hunt today, to rescue her and her fellows, and to avenge all who have died in that bondage.

"Dost thou wish to join the hunt?"

i would most likely have told Kael that I'd be breaking fast with Brother Arien.

Brother Seamus,

Ok. You head over to where Arien lives. After knocking on the door, you hear a groggy voice saying to wait a minute. After a bit, Arien opens the door. You notice that he is shaking a bit, but you do not smell any booze on him.

Oh, hello there. Come on in. Sorry about the mess.

Actually, Sharoth, I didn't knock on the door. I just entered (picking the lock if necessary) and started making breakfast for Arien with the foodstuff I'd either finagled from the Slumbering Drake's larder or puchased on the way. Once inside the house, I was not trying to be quiet.

However, I do enact a quiet search of the place, keeping track of how much alcohol he has here.

When Arien wakes up and comes into the kitchen, I greet him. "Well met, Brother. Forgive my familiarity, but I dearly wanted this morrow to start well for thee."

As I set sausages and sweetcakes before him, I ask, "To which of the gods do we dedicate this day? To whom to we offer our prayers, works, sufferings, and joy?"

And as we eat, I offer, "Kael and I, and some allies, went out last e'en. And we did find evidence to butress thy claims, Brother. There are, strewth, bondsmen in the lands, hid 'midst the hills to the east. We found some of their bodies, slain in a recent struggle.

"But they stole away another yound woman, an apprentice wizardling. A small band goes a-hunt today, to rescue her and her fellows, and to avenge all who have died in that bondage.

"Dost thou wish to join the hunt?"

Are you going to have breakfast with Arien?

Brother Seamus intends to. I don't think I've discussed the matter with Kael.

I think Brother Seamus will freak if I am singing when he finds us.

Not at all. He will just marvel at a surface world so benign as to not kill and eat something to bold and tasty as a gnome.

A Are you all heading back to Cillamar? B If you all do, what are your plans? I think everyone is ready to get to Castle Whiterock at this point.

A No. Valtiro and Priapus have elected to stay out and encamp for the night along the path we were following. I intend to bring them breakfast / lunch for when we meet them on the path tomorrow.

B Still gathering intelligence. We need to find out what Quintus has found out from Lyssa's returnsending, what Lady Chantessa may have discovered about Ankiel, and anyone else who might know something about the tattoo. For example:

I have a breakfast appointment with Arien.

Excellent, so I can get some sleep before waking up early enough to (a) buy groceries, or scavenge them from the Slumbering Drake kitchens, (b) pick the lock on Arien's front door, and (c) prepare him breakfast.

Seamus, you don't want to go to the Inn?

"Oh, I imagine I'll be retiring to my room shortly after breakfast with Arien, there to nap 'till noon.

"But if he desireth to come temperant, it would be the easier for him if he had a friend to support his resolve. And, too, I would ask him if the men who slew his wife and child and took him slave had that self-same tattoo 'cross their backs."

"As thou wishest. We'll return with the others. Do not get thyself captured."

Unless Kael objects, the two of us will head back to Cillamar. If I'm estimating right, we left town around 8 pm. We found the attack site around 10 pm, and it's now about 1 am. I'm imagining that it'll be faster on the return trip, since we're not trying to find clues or be particularly stealthy. How long will it take us to return to town?

(If possible, I'd like to be in Arien's kitchen, making him a hearty breakfast, when he wakes up.)

Brother Seamus is taken aback momentarily by the gnome's non-sequiturs but then grins and turns to the others.

"And what say you? I should like to turn back to Cillamar, myself, as I needs must shun the daystar's harsh light. Will ye press on to find more, or join with me?"

Other than seeing the usual night-time animals, nothing much occurs. It is plain that the trail heads towards Castle Whiterock. You can tell that it has been over 3 hours since you left the area where the attack took place. Since it is a good half-day trip to the castle, what did you want to do now?

I turn to my fellows. "We have still no sign of the slavers' camp. It mayst be just o'er the next rise, or perchance all the way to the foot of yon castle ruins. At least one of us shouldst return to Cillamar with what news as we have found. It might be possible for a reduced number to move ahead and find their encampment, mayhap to await a sending from Quintus on the morrow, or we might be prudent and all return to our beds tonight.

"What say you?"

We continue following the trail to the castle, finding things as we may, until something significant happens.

Did we notice any back tattoos or other marking from the thugs in town?

"At least not on the man we killed, my friend."

"Killed by magic," how? Fire, lightning? Set upon by summonned animals? I ask because I am unsure whether we've recovered Davros' spell book, so those dwoemers may be used against us.

We continue following the trail to the east, finding things as we may, until something significant happens.

Sharoth, I'm at a loss. I'm just repeating myself. I don't know what else to say, but this information doesn't seem to be what you're looking for, in order to get us to where the path leads.

Could we tell how the corpses died?

Barring any other information, we continue on to the east.

Can we tell how they died?

After a short while (10-15 minutes), the cat stops and looks around, giving a "meow?"[/ooc]

Take time to search here carefully. Then continue eastward towards the castle, taking our time to be quiet and on-the-lookout, for slavers lying in wait or for other objects Lyssa might have dropped.

How's our monk doing?

Sharoth, opening that page lit up my Virus protection like a Christmas tree. It was trying to access root information.

(The following isn't in a spoiler, because I assume we all notice Brother Seamus disinterring two dead human bodies.)

Sharoth, we searched the body of the assailant we killed in town. Did we think to check him for tattoos?

Are the bodies human? All bald? Significant in any other fashion?

We continue in the direction the spell book would indicate. I'm looking for other items she might have dropped. And again, following the cat's lead. It might smell something familiar we would otherwise miss.

Seamus assumes he's made it clear that the scouting party's not bringing light sources. If Valtiro is volunteering to come along, Seamus is assuming he can keep up. Maybe he can see in the dark, or fight blind.

By the way, Wandering Bard, i snuck a peek at your character's stats. How does Valtiro cast spells?

We head out to where Davros was killed, and investigate the area, following the lead of the cat.

Looking for Clues Roll

Brother Seamus has a poor Spot roll (just a d20, no modifiers) but a pretty good Search roll of 1d20 + 8.

If possible, (a)I'd like to take enough time to Take 20 on our rolls, and (b) if we're using Spot, I'd like to assist Kael.

If we can't Take 20, then Brother Seamus' rolls are:
Spot Rolls = 1d20 + 0 = 16, 7, 17.

Search Rolls = 1d20 + 8 = 28, 26, 9.

(Addition rolls after the first here.)