Ruvarra nods, considering. "We have some capable parishioners. Deadeye favors those with hunting skills. I'll also speak with the Watch. They may have men ready to support the church on their off-duty days... for coin, if not for love of Erastil." The priest smiles, knowing that food and cash are far stronger motivations for most people.
Nerissia wrote:
"Ideally having someone set up outside his room or some other system to ensure he is not leaving during the night is a good start... We have to make sure he doesn't cause real harm to anyone else, or himself."
If Ruvarra is ruffled by the Asmodean's presence, it doesn't show. "At night, we have one or two people keeping an eye on the corridor outside Constantine's chamber. They also periodically peek in on him to make sure he hasn't gone wandering. That's why I thought the prankster had to be someone here who picked a moment when the corridor was unwatched to go in. And he's shown no signs of harming anyone or himself. But we can certainly keep a closer eye on him."
Ruvarra thinks for a moment both concerned and angered. "The temple is supposed to be a refuge from such matters - idealistic as that may sound. I didn't like it when I thought novitiates were involved. I like this less... So, how should we proceed? I haven't had people staying in Constantine's chamber all night but perhaps I should. Maybe in pairs to keep each other awake and discourage any visitors."
Emma's statement earns a raised eyebrow. The priest nods and leads you all to a small gathering room with mismatched chairs and a table that has seen better days. "What's all this about?"
The Seekers finish breaking their fast and head to the temple of Erastil. No assassins’ daggers, arrows, or anything else threaten our heroes. And if there are efforts to follow or watch them, they go unnoticed. Really, aside from the vague disquiet and watchful looks of many locals, matters seem adjacent to normal in the Isgerian town.
At the temple, the team is delayed only briefly by a novitiate before Father Ruvarra comes rushing over from the rectory. His look is sheepish. ”I’m sorry about all this. We’ve been keeping a vigilant eye on Constantine, I swear. I can’t explain how someone got into his room to play this cruel trick but I assure you I’m looking into the matter. It may have been novitiate against novitiate hijinks. Periodically there are jealousies, rivalries, and such.”
"What is your name? And I'm sorry to hear the town guard had more losses to-day. Or to-night. A busy night for you, between that, and this. There must have been a proper colony of the damned skulks."
The sergeant escorts Majara to the Witch’s End at a leisurely pace, always steering her to the center of the road, eyes alert. ”It’s Swan, ma’am. You know, like the bird?” He chews on her dangled bait for a moment before taking a nibble. ”Hard to say how many they had and how many they got left. At least a few escaped the net – even without the fire proving that. A prepared enemy is the worst kind.”
Majara, please make a PER check.
PER DC12:
As you two begin walking toward the Witch’s End, you notice the sergeant make a subtle gesture. You see two ‘civilians’ (judging by their clothing) roughly paralleling your course.
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Majara and Swan make it to the Witch’s End without incident. The sergeant waits for her to make arrangements and then escorts her to her room. He glances into the room as she opens the door. ”Be sure to lock your windows, ma’am.”
~ Hannelia ~
Hannelia wrote:
”You don’t remember it happening? Or anything else?” she asks.
Her father is as puzzled by how he got makeup on his neck as he is by Hannelia’s questions. ”I’m old but my mind isn’t gone, yet. No, I don’t recall anything. I went to bed, like usual. And I woke up, same as any other day. What’s going on here?”
Hannelia wrote:
”Shel,” she calls softly, ”are you awake?”
There is a long moment before Hannelia receives an answer, ”I am now. Are you and your Da fighting or something?”
Hannelia comes up with some pretense to see Shel face-to-face. She is relieved to see no marks on Shel’s neck. She is also acting normally and recalls nothing unusual from the evening before. It seems the skulks have left Shel alone… for now. >:)
I’m gonna waive the conversation where you explain what’s happening to Shel and your dad.
Timelines:
Majara – wraps up her convo with Swan at about 5AM.
Hannelia – wraps up her conversations at about 8AM.
Emma & Nerissia – can be arriving in town about 9:30AM.
Roger – gets to sleep in! (until he wants to get up)
For anyone arriving in town in the morning, there is a strong whiff of wood smoke in the southern end of town and there is plenty of open talk (everywhere) about the fire that ravaged Pricknettle’s Potions last night. While no one knows where Majara is, many people know she is alive… and some people are talking about what potion or two they are looking forward to receiving from her.
Only Majara, the sergeant, and the fire marshall are in the house because of the safety risk from the damaged upper floor, so you have privacy.
In terms of average power levels… a new ‘probationary’ guard on the street might be a 1st level Warrior. After training and working the streets for a bit, the average guard will have a legitimate class level (Fighter, etc.). An experienced Guard will be 1st to 3rd level. The average Sergeant will be 3rd to 5th level. Lieutenants are 4th to 7th, etc. At least that is my rule of thumb.
The sergeant listens silently as Majara lays out her thoughts. He jots only a couple notes.
”Ma’am, seeing you to safety is the job. It doesn’t matter if I’m overmatched.” He puts the notebook away, taking a moment to think through the rest of his response. ”I know about the skulks and what you did in the sewers. It’s all in the Watch Log… except that bit about one of them threatening you. As to my experience with skulks… I’ve had plenty since sunset. We took it to them. We got a couple casualties; they lost more. I shouldn’t tell you that but since you had a piece of it, I figure you oughta know. Now, where am I taking you? If you don’t have a place, we can set you up at the station until you find something better.”
~ Hannelia ~
Hannelia wrote:
As she takes in his appearance - the bold red line across his neck jumping out - her eyes widen in alarm and she rushes over to him. ”Dad! Are you ok? What’s happened?”
Hannelia’s father is confused by his daughter’s sudden onslaught of attention. He takes a step back. ”What?! I’m fine. I’ve got the usual crick in my neck. Pretty sure I need a new pillow… or to wake up 20 years younger. What are you on about?” As she pokes at his neck, the older man tries to half-heartedly bat her hands away. ”What is up with you this morning?”
Hannelia sees no evidence her father is behaving oddly or that he is injured. He is totally unaware of the stuff on his neck until she brings attention to it. In that regard, after a brief examination, it looks like a thin line of crimson lip paint was drawn across his neck. Most women in Saringallow don’t use such makeup on a daily basis. It is limited to special occasions (if even then), elegant out-of-towners passing through, or doxies (male or female) trying to look striking, elegant, younger… or all three.
Satisfied her father is healthy, Hannelia looks around the house… and finds the front door is unlocked. While they don’t always remember to lock up at night, it is the norm nine times out of ten. Just to be sure, she checks both her father and the house with her occult powers – and finds nothing abnormal.
Majara joins the already formed bucket brigade and pitches in. (pun intended) From the outset, the fire is slowly winning. Having started in the workroom of the shop, the fire fighters have to cope with the smoke and encroaching flames in the front of the shop to bring their buckets to the source of hottest flames. Other teams throw water through the now empty window frames of the workroom or sloshing water on the walls of the building, hoping to prevent the fire from spreading to other buildings. Nevertheless, again and again the brigade members rush into the smoke-shrouded doorway trying to save the building.
It all seems a slowly losing campaign for the brigade… but it does give their and the guard’s casters time to arrive. Then the buckets are one-upped by spells like Create Water cast by half a dozen arcanists. A steady, heavy rain begins to fall in each room of Majara’s business and home. Other casters create rain on the exterior of the building – snuffing out any sparks or hot ash before they can spread.
A woman hesitantly offers Majara a set of her youngest daughter’s shoes. They fit the gnome well… but their style stands in stark contrast to Majara’s mien. While donning the footwear, Majara looks for local strays – dogs or cats – but it seems the fire and noise have likely scared them off.
In an hour, the fire is well and truly out. The streets around Pricknettle’s Potions are a network of puddles. The building still stands and Majara along with the fire marshall and the guard sergeant enter the building and assess the damage. The workroom still has walls, and a couple tables are still recognizable, but otherwise it is a charred (and soaked) wreck. Credit to the bucket brigade, the front room of the shop is largely in one piece. There’s smoke damage and a few spots where the fire took hold, but it is workable. They proceed carefully up the stairs to Majara’s personal space. Again, smoke and water have done some damage, and roughly half the floorboards are charred and will need to be replaced. On a good note, one of her chests with clothing is untouched and the smoke didn’t penetrate it badly. So she has more than nightclothes to her name.
I think analysis of accelerants, etc. would have to wait until the fire is fully out and the location can be investigated. Your rolls will not go to waste.
The trio returns to the workroom at Majara’s request. She wants to look for signs of arson… and finds them. Between the marshall’s knowledge of how fire behaves, the damage pattern and origin point, and the traces of alchemical ingredients that Majara examines, the results seem clear. Someone set a chemical fire on a central table and added some of Majara’s own chemicals and combustible materials on the table to make sure it burned well. The chemical used was similar to alchemist’s fire but it was less reactive… taking longer to heat up and ignite. The brigade had to break her locked door to enter the building. So, the arsonist had the time to release the chemicals and lock the building before the fire started. The sergeant dutifully notes the conclusions for his report.
As they head toward the front door, one of the remaining panes of intact glass in the store draws their attention. Some sort of greasy substance has been wiped on the window. It feels like bee’s wax or something similar. Naturally, smoke particles are sticking to it, even after being washed with rain. It’s a finger-painted figure of a… [check out the Images tab]
The fingerprint’s shape is odd, like a human fingerprint but stretched, reminiscent of the gangly fingers of the skulks.
The sergeant scribbles more notes before looking at Majara. ”Got a place to stay Miss Pricknettle? I'll escort ya there... looks like you have a fan. ”
The Truth About Cats & Dogs:
Animal witness?:1d20 ⇒ 4 no
Still Around?:1d20 ⇒ 11 no
Cat or Dog:1d2 ⇒ 2
Sarini Manor is something like a mile outside of town. Majara (and Glory) are on their own… unless Nerissia can make a triple-digit PER check.
Majara tests the floorboards with her toes. They aren’t hot, yet. It seems the poor chinking between the boards is a benefit, providing her with a smoky wake-up before her store is a raging inferno. The gnome quickly throws her window open, casts a spell into the sky, choking only a little on the accumulating smoke. Then she shouts ”FIRE!” a few time before turning back to collect Glory and her most treasured belongings while maintaining her fire mantra.
BTW, I love the ‘Bat Signal’ Dancing Lights spell, very creative.
The shouting has its intended effect. Sleepy heads poke out of nearby windows, candlelight starts to appear in windows sporadically around the square, and the calls of ”FIRE!” are parroted by others.
By the time Majara is climbing down the outside of the building in her thin nightgown (warmed only by the backpack and bjorn carrying Glory) a few bystanders and a couple guardsmen are arriving on the scene. As the wall grows a bit too hot for climbing, Majara drops the final five feet to the ground. No skulk blades comes out of the darkness to take her life.
Within five minutes, more guardsmen and the volunteer fire brigade are on-site, breaking through the front door, and attempting to combat the fire. A sergeant comes trotting up. ”Miss Pricknettle, are you alright? Is there anyone else in the building… a cat, anything?” Regardless of her answer, he looks her over for injuries. Noticing her bare feet and state of relative undress, he adds, ”Do you need a blanket or something?”
Anyone see Verno on the morning of his disappearance?
Despite their fatigue from the battles, our heroes press on to question as many of the ‘early birds’ as they can find between the Witch’s End and the docks. They have some success… but the absence of certain successes is even more telling. And, thankfully, Verno cut enough of a figure that folks remember a traveler that passed through nearly two months before. What might not have been learned if he had a forgettable face?
A fishmonger carting in her early morning catch to the market square spotted Verno. He walked past Pricknettle’s Potions, on the eastern side of the square, and exited the market by the road that leads directly down to the central part of the docks. From there, he would have had to turn right, as his boat was at the north end of the docks.
The docks are the busiest area of Saringallow on any morning – with fisherfolk coming and going, hauls of fish and goods being handled by stevedors, and passengers coming to board for early morning journeys. So, after an hour of questioning folks, the team learns that no one recalls seeing Verno at the docks that morning. It seems he disappeared before making it to the waterfront.
That Evening…
While our heroes sit down to dinner, they notice a slightly elevated level of vigilant intensity in the city watch as they go about their duties. And there are more pairs of watchmen patrolling the streets and far fewer triads than normal. Any attempt to chat up the watchmen is greeted with a brief stare and a clipped, ”Go about your business, citizen.” which is pretty much the watch’s way of saying: F+%@ off and mind your own business.
As true darkness falls over Saringallow, exhaustion finally wins and all our heroes return to their various residences and head to bed…
The Next Day…
3AM
Majara dreams about fun alchemical experiments. Glory watches and nods her approval as the gnome is perfecting a potion of Speak with Plants. But the potion suddenly goes wrong and a choking, acrid smoke starts billowing from the vial!
Majara wakes up in her dark bedroom, coughing on the smoke beginning to flow in from the cracks in the floorboards. Between the floorboards, she sees the flickering light of a fire coming from her shop below!
What do you do?
7AM
Hannelia gets up and pads to the kitchen where her disheveled and grumbling father is making a spartan breakfast of eggs and toast. He turns around and Hannelia is instantly startled. For a moment, she thinks his throat has been cut because there is a bright crimson line of something crossing his throat from ear to ear.
What do you do?
9AM
Errand boys arrive at Sarini Manor and Emma’s home bearing identical notes from Father Ruvarra. They read:
Constantine is fine. But someone thought it would be funny to scare one of my novitiates half to death by drawing a red line across his throat with… lip paint I think? She thought he’d killed himself for a moment. Thankfully, he is no worse from this prank.
Regards,
Father Ruvarra
Sophi is confused by the talk of ‘witch marks’ and has to ask for clarification on what they are. Her privileged life in the capital of Elidir has limited her exposure to such ‘quaint habits’. Witch marks are generally found in rural areas where superstitious practices are a substitute for clerical presence.
Sophi knows nothing about them and hasn’t ever seen one that she recalls.
RE: Anybody Seen Skulks?
Emma and Nerissia question a cross-section of locals in a number of taverns. The results are mixed, at best. Has anyone definitively seen some nearly invisible or gray-skinned and bald creatures creeping around? No. Has anyone felt watched, possibly followed, or felt they weren’t alone when they should be? Yes. Are some of these folks possibly a touch paranoid due to Saringallow’s checkered past and the shadow of the Sarini legacy? Yes, some people have over-active imaginations. But others seem like sober individuals who genuinely felt ill-at-ease at some point.
RE: Missing Persons?
The team hits the local spots trying to track down the identities of any missing persons… and finds none. While a few locals have died, vanished for a time (one having gone on a two-week bender), or been murdered in lovers’ quarrels… they have all turned up eventually, one way or another. Currently, there are no open missing persons cases in town. Locals have not been disappearing, with any frequency, since the old days of the Sarini.
Having pursued their latest leads as far as they can, our heroes take some time to wash the stink (they assume) and grime from the sewers off themselves, eat, and attend to whatever other tasks they need to accomplish in Saringallow this day.
OK, any other specific plans or tasks before I move things forward to the next day?
”I suppose we should ask if she has a preference. Glory, would you prefer us to fix your pot with a spell,”
The plant considers for a moment before: :)
Hannelia wrote:
she leaves time for the plant to reply, ”or some alchemist’s glue?”
She takes less time before replying: :)
You come to believe that Glory is a pragmatic plant who would be happy with either solution... assuming she understands exactly what you are asking.
Sophi watches the orchid carefully and realises it is communicating. She blinks in wonder. She stares, fascinated by the intelligent plant. It seems like a good distraction from her personal woes at the moment.
I'm assuming we did get a clue that will let us tell him where we fought them, right? The map of the sewers combined with the map of the town should do it. I'll just summarize where on the map we fought them.
The battlemap shows you were NE of Gunty’s and slightly north of the Witch’s End. Since that question was addressed to Emma, I’ll give her a chance to respond to it (or not) as she chooses. If she doesn’t post, I’ll assume Emma answered him.
Nerissia wrote:
Then I think I'm done here, and want to ask around some of the more popular 'watering holes', as it were, to see if anyone has seen any of the skulks or other various suspicious figures loping about.
Nerissia leaves the guard station and is back on the streets.
What bar are you headed to? Willita’s? Witch’s End? Something not on the map – if so, how rough of a place are you looking for?
Team Sophi (Hannelia, Majara, and Roger)
Hannelia wrote:
"…we're still working on things but we don't currently have any strong theories or evidence to back them up." She reaches into her pocket and offers Sophi a handkerchief. "Therefore I don't want to add to your worries with wild speculation that I can't support.”
Sophi is about to retort that she wants to hear any theories they have because she’s convinced her imagination is far worse. But Hannelia’s point is strong. Any theory would simply send her down a spiral of new anxieties. She clutches at, almost strangling, the offered handkerchief. She nods. ”I see, yes. But I would like to hear immediately when you have a theory that seems likely – evidence or no.”
Hannelia wrote:
"I hope you don't mind me asking but do you have any friends or family in Saringallow?" she asks. "Going through something like this is always going to be hard, but that much harder if you're doing it alone."
She shakes her head emphatically. ”My family is in Elidir. Papa wouldn’t be… helpful… here. He would be, what’s the phrase…” A ghost of a smile crosses her face, ”…’up the mayor’s ass’ even more than he is already. The mayor has sworn, and I believe her, that her office is doing everything possible to find Verno.”
I’m assuming you guys mentioned the gate from which the mastiff and shae originated.
The commander brushes aside the insults and the errant assumptions. ”So, your theory is that someone up here, in a position of authority I assume – since you targeted me – must somehow be connected with either the skulks, the shae and mastiff, or a combination of both. What evidence do you have that one of us is in league with either group?”
Emma wrote:
She pauses, then looks first at Nerissia, then at the watch commander. "Is that sufficient?"
”We can work with that. Thanks. One thing more, do you know where you were in the sewers when you fought them? Did you hear something from street level or see something in the sewers that could give us a rough position.”
Team Sophi (Hannelia, Majara, and Roger)
Majara wrote:
The gnome clambers up onto a stool, mindful of Glory in the bjorn. "We've reconstructed a rough timeline of his presence in town and we know he was last... well, here, really. This inn is the last sure location we have for him. He set off, the day that he planned to leave, in the morning, towards the docks. And never reached them, apparently."
The gnome's tone is brusque. She makes a conscious effort to soften it. "I'm sorry. I suppose that's not a whole lot more information than you had to start with. We are still continuing to look."
Sophi’s eyes go damp. She barely dares to utter the question, ”What do you think might have happened to him?”
For reference, this is the previous chat with the Watch Commander.
Team Constables (Emma, Nerissia, Alocer)
Nerissia wrote:
She looks at the man dryly, not entirely convinced with his skills or usefulness. "Found skulks hiding in the sewers, killed this one, some got away. Wanted you to know they were down there." she says plainly, wanting to see his reaction to the news.
WC Sense Motive vs DC20:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (14) + 15 = 29
Emma wrote:
"We were following up a lead on something," Emma adds more earnestly, not quite picking up on Nerissia's intentions or suspicions. "Hence why we were down there in the first place. Better to have the watch know of their presence as well, just in case."
The watch commander has led a number of interrogations, so the Asmodean’s ‘surprise revelation’ approach is old hat... and irritating, as is the arrogant subtext of her attempt. His gaze turns piercing, insightful, and then icy. His cold glance rakes both women, as neither of their responses is useful by his yardstick. He doesn’t bother to conceal his pique. ”I said give me details not what I already know, or was able to correctly surmise. Venator told me you were going into the sewers and why. As there is a dead skulk on my table and it reeks of sewer, I know what you fought and where. What I don’t know is: how many skulks you fought, where in the sewer this happened, how did they fight, what tactics they used (if any), their skillset (if you know), were there any other creatures down there, and anything useful that can arm my men with an advantage when we go after them.”
”Now, you can provide a full account of what happened or get out. Either way, you’ll stop wasting my time.”
Watchful, Nerissia doesn’t need a crystal ball to perceive his anger. She also detects concern about the skulk threat. She doesn’t sense outright surprise… but then again, he saw the body and identified the creature before she could hit him with the revelation about the skulks. So maybe expecting surprise wasn’t entirely realistic. She doesn’t see any signs of ‘play acting’ in him.
Ball is in your court. You can do RP responses, or an OOC summary of what you tell him, storm out, or something else.
Team Sophi (Hannelia, Majara, and Roger)
Hannelia wrote:
”Good day to you too. You heard correctly - I hope you were safely elsewhere and unharmed during the turmoil?”
”Good day. I was here, actually. I didn’t know what was happening until all sorts of people came running down the road. I thought it was safer to hide here.”
Hannelia wrote:
”We hadn’t been intending to make one at this point,” she continues, ”but while following up on some leads we came across something that we wanted to ask you about. I’m sorry to have to ask,” she says gently, producing the scarf and offering it to Sophi, ”but we found this and were wondering if Verno owned a scarf like this?”
Sophi’s hands shake a bit as she takes the cloth. She looks at it closely. ”This is a feminine pattern. I wouldn’t mind a man wearing it… but Verno is a traditionalist. I’ve never seen him wear anything like this. I suppose it could be a gift.” She rubs at the fabric then looks at her fingertips. ”This is expensive, but it’s wool. I don’t wear wool, it itches my skin. If this was a gift from Verno, it isn’t meant for me. Is it possible it isn’t his?”
After a bit of healing, cleaning, tracking, and discussion, our heroes set their plans. They make their way slowly back toward the ‘entrance’. Their speed is limited by the difficulties of lugging a corpse while keeping eyes sharp for any hint of their nearly invisible opponents. Add to that, no one wants a misstep that sends them reeling into a river of sewage. As they move along, the sounds from the city streets filter down through the grates. There is an impressive amount of murmuring coming down from the market square area. After a moment, you recall the mayor planned to make some sort of calming announcement after the chaos this morning. And you do hear her distant voice periodically rising above the noise of the crowd but it is too indistinct to overcome the general hubbub that is echoing into the sewers.
The group continues on and emerges from the sewer without being ambushed again. If the skulks are stalking the team, they’ve gone unnoticed. Above ground, many locals (and a few visitors) are trickling away from the market square after the mayor’s speech.
Team Constables (Emma, Nerissia, Alocer)
The Watch Commander is a hard man to get a private word with… except when you (like our heroes) walk into the constable’s office carrying a corpse. The on-duty officers give the body a wide-eyed look then take it and the team into a meeting room of sorts. The body is placed on a table and covered with a thin blanket.
In a few minutes the Watch Commander arrives, looking more haggard than he did this morning. His gaze turns from the group to the shrouded form. He pulls the blanket back, exposing the creature’s upper body. His look is clinical. His nose wrinkles a bit. ”A skulk? Judging by the stink, you found him in the sewer.” He covers up the corpse again, turning his attention to the heroes. ”I need details. What happened?”
Meanwhile, the other half of the team navigate through the thinning crowd in the market square, heading toward the Witch’s End. It seems Sophi attended the mayor’s speech because the heroes encounter her returning to the inn. She looks at them hopefully. ”Good afternoon. I heard some of you were in the battle earlier… I wasn’t expecting an update today.”
I’ve added a rough map of the sewer overlay (courtesy of the town hall) in the Discord Images tab.
OK, some possible actions:
1. Explore more of the sewers.
2. Pursue the other skulks.
3. Leave the sewers and tell the constabulary about what is lurking beneath them.
4. Leave the sewers and visit city hall to see if there is a map of the sewers.
5. Leave the sewers and talk to Sophi about the scarf.
6. A combo of #3, #4, and #5.
7. ???
What’s your pleasure, folks? Rule of 2 decides it.
To be clear, you guys don’t need to step in the trough at all. I’m saying the skulk is using the troughs in the centers of the passages to obscure his footprints. You can still walk alongside it.
Despite her best efforts, Nerissia loses the skulk’s trail. She stops where the trail has gone cold. (end of the orange line) There is no way to tell which direction the skulk went – the main path, a side turning, or even up through the nearest grate.
To keep things moving, I’m rolling for Roger and Emma…
Emma INT:1d20 + 0 ⇒ (19) + 0 = 19 Winner! Roger INT:1d20 + 0 ⇒ (1) + 0 = 1
Taking a liberty to add something you guys may have relayed to each other…
Hindsight always comes with perfect vision thinks Emma as a connection is made. They passed below Gunty’s shop which reminds Emma of the kerfuffle. Perhaps Constantine’s somnambulistic ramblings outside the shop weren’t just a dreaming mind. He looked at the wall and said, ”Dammit. It’s not staring anymore.”
Our indefatigable heroes stalk the fleeing skulk northward through the thoroughly unpleasant sewer. Nerissia has to admit she is having a very difficult time tracking this elusive game and more than a few times she loses the trail (dashed orange line) and has to search to find it again.
Fun Skulk Facts:
Skulks have Camouflaged Step (Ex): Skulks can pass through forest and subterranean settings almost without a trace. Add +10 to the DC to track a skulk in these environments.
The team reaches a fork in the corridor, (red arrows) both paths seem like ‘main sewer lines’ and likely service the northeast and northwest sections of the town. Curiously, the general scuff marks that you now know indicate skulk routes go in both directions relatively evenly. But neither trail is as densely packed with scuff marks as what you saw in the southern end of Saringallow. There is perhaps a quarter or less ‘foot traffic’ here. That said, Nerissia finds fresh evidence that the team’s quarry took the northwestern passage.
The inquisitor leads the team past several narrower sewer passages as the main route meanders a bit. She stops a couple times when it appears the skulk moved out of the main passage but then returned to the main passage. The realization is cold in her belly. The skulk wasn’t fleeing. He was taking up ambush and wait positions every so often, expecting pursuit. He isn’t rushing, he’s moving with purpose. She continues to lead the team in pursuit, albeit more carefully. Then the skulk pulls an old hunter’s trick… with a disgusting new turn. He attempts to erase his trail by walking in a river. In this case, it is a river of flowing excrement.
Nerissia, I’ll need another Tracking check from you.
I'll allow you to reverse them, if you wish. Just let me know.
Majara's search turns up a small pouch of spell casting ingredients, a fine masterwork dagger and two normal daggers attached to the back of the dead spellcaster's loin-cloth. His 'shoes' are barely that. They are woven and tight-fitting hemp sandals speckled with filth like the surroundings. You imagine they wouldn't clash with the creature's camouflage. A comparison to nearby scuff-marks do reveal a similar tread (generously) pattern.
OK, so it sounds like 'North' is the decision, unless I’m reading that wrong. FWIW, the north one isn’t injured and the woman is lightly injured as she was never the principle target of Majara’s bombs which (if I’m reading the rules right) means Evasion applies to the Reflex Save to avoid splash damage. Also, you guys never searched the dead skulk. Just saying.
I’ll try to get a post up tonight about trailing the skulk. In the meantime, I need an INT roll from Emma, Majara, and Roger.
As a seaman, Roger knows knots and it only takes a few moments for him to make an easily climbable rope. Quickly (as the filth level is rising) Nerissia rejoins the team at the surface level.
Nerissia plunges into the pit even as Roger avoids it. She hits the bottom 20’ down. As she scrambles to climb out, gravity plays another foul trick on her… the three trenches of filth that feed into the main trough start to drain into the pit instead, raining ‘debris’ down around her. Nerissia isn’t in danger of drowning – yet - but dying of disgust is a real possibility.
Above, Alocer races around to block the retreating spellcaster, drawing attacks from both of the skulks. The fox’s movement is so quick, however, both daggers miss their target. Alocer bites into the skulk’s leg, tearing open an artery – the spellcaster bleeds out almost instantly. (light blue is dead)
Using the distraction, the other skulk tumbles past the fox and retreats back up the corridor.
Acrobatics vs DC:21:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (14) + 15 = 29Withdraw with acro to avoid Roger’s and Alocer’s AoOs. Orange skulk is still on the map.
Meanwhile, Majara continues her pursuit of the southern pair. She lobs another bomb that hammers the male skulk. He is clearly showing his multiple stab and burn wounds. The woman is also caught in the blast. While her partner continues south, vanishing around a corner in the tunnel, the female skulk takes a moment to stare at Majara, pointing her blade at the gnome. Then she turns and races after her ally.
Pink Reflex vs DC:16:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14
Initiative
------------
Skulk Spellcaster
Nerissia
Majara
Skulk Rogues Roger
Hannelia
Emma
The skulk woman dodges the worst of Majara’s chemical explosion.
Alocer puts two impressive bites on the spellcasting skulk but doesn’t manage to drop the man. Unfortunately, Nerissia swings wide, missing her target, and backs away. Into the gap she leaves, the other skulk steps in. He moves menacingly toward Nerissia, then suddenly shifts and drives his dagger into the fox’s exposed back before returning his attention to the Inquisitor.
The badly injured skulk confronting Roger and Majara makes a rapid series of hand gestures to his female partner. Curiously, the underside of their weaponless hands have some sort of white ink or chalk on them – presumably to facilitate silent communication from a distance. Economical gestures done, the woman extricates herself from combat and sprints south. The man follows her lead, avoiding Roger and skirting past the unarmed gnome to also escape.
Pink withdraws.
Blue withdraws, Roger doesn’t get an AoO due to the withdrawal and neither does Majara because she doesn’t have a melee weapon in hand. The pink and blue arrows show their course. They are still in visual range (for those with low light vision), you can see them on Slide 4.
Initiative
------------
Skulk Spellcaster
Nerissia
Majara
Skulk Rogues Roger
Hannelia
Emma
In the shock of the moment, Nerissia thinks maybe she hears some noise – maybe whispering? – further up the corridor, past Alocer. Then her mind turns to the gaping wound in her belly and the amplified spattering of her own blood.
Initiative
------------
S Nerissia
Majara
R
Roger
Hannelia
Emma
The pirate stops at the entrance to the tunnel, turns around, and slowly moves in the other direction - scanning for hidden threats with his superior vision. He deftly leaps over the river of filth and pauses to check the other corridor. To the far range of his vision, he sees nothing.
Meanwhile, the majority of the team moving through the opposing tunnel begins to display a note of caution as well... with the exception of Majara who boldly pushes forward as far as her shorter legs allow.
Alocer creeps swiftly into the main corridor. His head sweeps in both directions – pure animal wariness. Something definitely captures the fox’s attention northward (direction marked with the heart). From her spot in the passageway, Nerissia sees Alocer’s ears perk forward. His head bobs a bit, like he’s watching the erratic motion of game. His head cocks slightly to the side… listening, possibly curious, and somewhat confused. It’s clear the fox doesn’t see anything that registers as a recognizable threat. His stance says he’s willing to pursue… whatever he sees, it isn’t close enough to be an immediate danger.
Nerissia, do you want Alocer to take the rest of his move?
After that… the TEAM is up again! Another round of actions, please.
Sorry for the delay! I’ve added a zoomed in map and put you guys on it, showing your last moves. Let’s proceed as if we were in rounds just to keep it easy to manage.
Nerissia sprints forward along the filth-covered walkway around the pool of best-not-to-think-about-it. She rounds the corner and enters a close-to-claustrophobic corridor. Alocer is more sure-footed in this terrain, could possibly sprint past his mistress, but settles for dogging her footsteps instead. Seconds later, Roger’s piratey shadow eclipses the entrance of the side tunnel. And behind him, at varying distances, are the rest of the crew.
Nerissia, Alocer, and Roger see no one in front of them. They do hear what sounds like the echo of a footfall, possibly the slight splash of a running foot hitting a puddle. Sounds play tricks in hardened surroundings like this but given the distinct initial sound – before it is drowned in its echoes – they feel that the noise came from the larger corridor ahead… and a turn to the right, perhaps?
Give me a round’s worth of actions (or less) for each of you. You may as well include an init roll for each of you, too.
Majara can name a half dozen extra-planar creatures that are known to have a flaming bite… but there isn’t enough of a wound left to identify the creature’s type of teeth, maw, or what-have-you. Her best guess would be just that – a guess. The only thing she can say – for good or ill – is that the bite doesn’t indicate a creature any larger than a man and she saw no evidence of fang wounds in the remaining flesh… so probably not any sort of canine creature.
Hannelia casts a simple spell and regards the goods they’ve found and this area of the sewer in general. There are no traces of magic.
Standing to one side while the primary sleuths do some sleuthing, Nerissia and Roger try to pay attention but find their attentions wandering. Perhaps this is fortuitous… as their eyes are drawn to a hint of motion at the northern end of the room. Something, perhaps human-sized, like a blur against the backdrop of the chamber’s dirty wall, moved from east to west and seemed to have disappeared out the eastern exit.
The green arrow indicates where the ‘figure’ went.
Majara examines the gel, testing it with a variety of tinctures in her portable kit and observing the chemical reactions. Curiously, she identifies the majority of the ingredients as those found in Stinkblock.
The erosion is harder to comprehend as it is found in an older, and heavily decayed 4 pound ‘lump’ of material. Using arrows to hook and drag the lump out the cesspool, enables the team to view it more closely from all angles. After a minute, Hannelia identifies the lump as the remains of the back of a giant rat. Much of the body (that would make it easy to identify as a rat) are gone – destroyed in the vile soup of the sewers. Looking at the area of erosion, as well as the surrounding tissue, Roger determines that the creature’s spine appears to have been bitten through. Between the sewage that corrupted the wound and the time the body has been festering down here, it is impossible to say much more about the bite. Majara, upon far too close an examination, does find one area of the bite that is relatively uncorrupted. And there another mystery begins. The ‘erosion’ appears almost like a cauterized wound. The flesh bears the signs of some sort of localized searing. It’s almost as if whatever bit into the rat had teeth that were super-heated.
Hannelia looks at the motif on the scarf but she doesn’t recognize it, or rather, it appears to be decorative embroidery but nothing of particular note. Majara looks at the cleaned area of the scarf and comments on the quality of the wool, believing the scarf is probably worth as much as five gold crowns and certainly wasn’t made locally.
Alocer sneaks forward... Does he see anything obviously alive? No, definitely not obviously alive. What about animated? No, nothing is really moving at this moment.
Yesss, all things seem quiet, dead, and unmoving. :)
Alocer returns no worse for wear or at a pace that indicates a lack of concern. Someone risks going forward to see... and finds something that isn't exactly a corridor or a chamber, with an appropriately large filth pool running the length of the room. The filth is draining sluggishly but thankfully it hasn’t overflowed onto the crude walkways around it. There are several exits from this room, all of them navigable. As our heroes look around there are three things of notes:
1. There are some patches of luminous gel-like liquids floating languidly in the pool, following the currents.
2. There are some puddles of filth in the pool that appear to have been eroded in some fashion, as if from chemicals.
3. Roger, while circumnavigating the pool, finds a filthy but rather high quality woolen scarf with a stitched floral motif.
Map updated
used rolls:
PER Emma 1: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (9) + 0 = 9
PER Emma 2: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (20) + 0 = 20
PER Emma 3: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (10) + 0 = 10
This is where maps in Roll20 are better because you can scale it. The east passage to the ‘chamber’ is 5-7’ wide. You guys could travel in single file or just send a scout, if you prefer.
Our intrepid heroes wander a bit further guided by a flip of a coin... They encounter a curious ‘jog’ in the passageway. After a moment of thinking and a look at the differing wall materials, Hannelia poses a likely hypothesis – this is the location where two separately dug sewer systems were joined up, and the engineer in charged sucked at geometry (hence the rough connection).
The group also note, from the sounds filtering down into the sewer and the remnants of baked goods being washed along, they are close to Gunty’s. Finally, peeking down the eastern side tunnel in passing, there are hints of a wider passageway or chamber in that direction.
The corridor they stand in currently also continues on in a gentle curve that vanishes into the distance.
You continue along the (roughly) north passage and find several possible paths as the sewers spiderweb out. There is nothing of particular note. The scuff marks appear reasonably dense in both of the parallel northern paths. You also see scuffs (but not nearly as many) in the narrower passage heading west.
The west passage is about 5’ wide. The two northern ones are 10-15’ wide. Where would you like to go?
The Saringallow Seekers follow the sewer east until they reach a fork in the path. They can continue going east (which likely parallels the shoreline) or take a slightly smaller corridor that turns north and should – theoretically – take them below the market square and destinations beyond.
A quick look at the scuff marks show that both passages have seen quite a bit of travel. It would be difficult to say which path looks more used.
Map Updated. Because of the scale, I’m using a red diamond to indicate the team. If anything tactical happens I’ll provide a zoomed in map and put your icons on it.
Rolls for Later:
PER Emma 1:1d20 + 0 ⇒ (9) + 0 = 9 PER Emma 2:1d20 + 0 ⇒ (20) + 0 = 20 PER Emma 3:1d20 + 0 ⇒ (10) + 0 = 10
Hannelia detects no magic in the area and there is no obvious ‘flow’ to the scuff marks. With only a little effort, it’s possible to find spots in the sewer where voices from above are strangely amplified. The heroes can even make out bits of day-to-day conversation from people walking by – mostly outlandish speculation about the Market Square Battle, as it is now being called. Embarrassingly, there are at least a couple people who think a statue to the Saringallow Seekers should be erected in the square to commemorate your victory.
Carried as she is, on Roger’s shoulders, Majara takes a close look at the grates. Finding something odd, she has Roger carry her to two more grates for comparison. The grates are made of stout timbers supported by and nailed to thinner iron plates. The holes they fill are perhaps 3’ by 2’. A strong man could lift one with some effort. Two men could do so with relative ease. In the course of her snooping, Majara notices that some of the grates have areas where the dirt has been worn away, suggesting that the under sides of the grates have been handled. Further, she finds evidence that some of the grates have been skillfully cut in half. Even a person with average strength could move one of the half-grate pieces. Given how the grates are inset in the cobbled streets, the alchemist imagines they might move a bit more when stepped upon but would otherwise still be quite solid and support any passing weight.
Quick Factoids:
* No magic is detected.
* There is no obvious pattern of movement to the scuff marks, so you’d guess they come and go from both directions.
* One could eavesdrop somewhat on the street above – certainly enough to hear close voices and some portion of what they are saying. Sewers have some remarkable acoustics.
* The modified grates can be moved by someone with normal strength and the gaps are large enough to allow a slender human-sized or smaller creature to pass through.
Having come through the disconcertingly narrow passage, your group finds themselves in something of sewage thoroughfare – a wide central passage that extends in either direction as far as the eye can see and the light lasts. Given the southwest to northeast orientation of it and the sounds filtering down through the intermittent storm drains, you believe the passageway parallels the road running beside the docks. The central sluice here is relatively quick flowing and there are many small culverts carved into the walls. As filth is dripping or running out of them, you imagine they service latrines, out-houses, privvies, fish gutting stations, and the like. You are all very thankful for Majara’s noseblock spray.
Here again, you see a reasonably high volume of scuff marks that have worn away, or at least crushed down, some of the persistent filth. And, again, the most scuffed areas are below the storm drains.
Any offshoot less than 1 square wide is a steeply angled culvert, generally made of fire-hardened clay, and is largely impassible… in addition to just being foul. Majara or Alocer could potentially squeeze into some of the larger examples. I encourage you to suggest that to either of them. :)
You press on through the sewer, going the entire length of the east-west corridor. You find nothing specific, save the proliferation of scuff marks similar to the ones you noted before. The scuff marks do appear to increase near the periodic storm drains above you.
The corridor ends at a narrower north-south passageway.
A quick perusal of the surroundings reveals nothing of particular note except that there are more scuff marks going down the western branch of the sewer.
Hannelia scans the area with her eldritch vision. Given the hours long delay between the battle and now, there is virtually no chance of residual spell energy remaining. Rather, the bard has to hope there is some remnant of a magic object in the area that may hold clues to the magics involved.
Hannelia Only:
So, she is surprised, bordering on alarmed, when a dim and ghostly vertical circle of magic appears in her vision at the point where the paw prints begin. There is no object… just a trace of remaining magic – a single magical field.
Since you are two plus hours after the spell was cast, the only way a trace of it remains is if the original spell, spell effect, or caster were of an ‘Overwhelming’ power level.
A strong K:Arcana roll is needed to have a chance of determining the school of magic involved.
Our heroes walk down the wide southern corridor following the hound prints. After no more than 25 paces the tracks seem to end what becomes an elbow joint turn in the tunnel. The inflamed elbow could have been where the tunnel was going to be expanded and wasn’t… or perhaps it is simply caused by decades of neglect and erosion. Given the distance traveled and the persistent dripping coming between the brick and stone, you expect you are close to the docks. You see nothing of obvious note in the corridor around the turn.
The paw prints appear to originate at the red star on the map.
A couple clarifying notes… Given the sun is high at this time of day and there are storm drains scattered around the town, there is generally dim lighting (with some exceptions) in the sewers. Low light vision works normally at this time. Also, Alocer received nasal spray along with the team. Even if that hadn’t happened, the stink in the sewers is intense… so scent tracking or anything like that is not possible.
Our heroes look around the intersection. In short order they find splashes of fresh filth and the wettest prints (canine in appearance). Roger confirms the tracks are heading toward the ersatz ‘stairway’ out. They clearly come from the southern passage.
There are also some odd scuff marks on the rough stones of the floor. Scuffs that have knocked away some of the accumulated grime and mold. They can’t be called tracks, per se, as they are too numerous and overlaid to appear unblemished. The scuff marks appear in all three passages… while being a bit more dense in the passages heading south and east.
And so, just shy of noon, Majara completes her alchemical experiments and the rest of the group finish speaking with the constabulary. The team reunites at the collapsed, brick-lined hole in the ground near Willita’s. The autumn wind off the river is persistent and cold as it wraps between the building. Even so, it can’t overwhelm the fetid stink coming from the hole. Majara fires a sharp spray up the nostrils of each person there (including Alocer). In a moment, they smell absolutely nothing – not stink, trash, salt air, or even the delightful breads of Gunty. Ready as they will ever be, our heroes cautiously find their footing and descend into the sewers below Saringallow.
Like many towns, the dockside area of Saringallow is one of the oldest. It seems the sewer here is also old. The ceiling is rough-hewn and varies in height between 7’ and 8’. The sloping walls and ceiling are a mélange of brick, cobblestones, and uneven chunks of discarded masonry. There is a rough central ‘trough’ in each passage through which filth flows – or doesn’t – depending on how well the floor is sloped and gravity is enabled to do its work.
Behind you is a rough tumble of collapsed brick, leaning against an eroding internal wall. It forms a motley stairway of sorts. (DC:8 Climb check – to get in or out, if you hurry) In front of you, there are three dark paths, none of them looks particularly promising…
Map updated. Let me know what you want to do and a marching order for 5’ and 10’ wide corridors. Also, who is carrying lights?
I've updated the Adventure Thread and put a link to it in my header above. The window is tighter than that based on what Alcie told you. To sum up, Verno paid for his ticket on Day 3. His boat was leaving early the next morning (Day 4). He had an early breakfast at the Witch's End (6AM), packed up, checked out, and left. Presumably, he headed straight for the docks... but never made it to the boat.
Majara estimates it will take her a couple hours to concoct a nasal spray to counteract the stink in the sewers. (I’ll need an Alchemy roll) In the meantime, our heroes pay a visit to the constabulary. As they walk the streets, the police are out in force – part of it is for security, part for information gathering, and a healthy chunk is to quiet the local nerves regarding the attack. The mayor has scheduled a town meeting for noon, presumably to update and reassure the populace.
The team has no problem getting to meet with the watch commander. He confirms that no bodies, parts of bodies, or anything of that sort have been found or reported. In return, he asks the team for an update on their progress in the search for Verno Aculla. It seems Sophi has been talking up the prominence of his family – planting the seed of Elidir officials taking a hand in the local matter.
So, what do you share with the police? If you aren’t telling them everything, what specifically are you leaving out? More generally, will you tell them about the witchmarks, Constantine’s role in them, or the sewer lead?
Majara and Nerissia are finished with their search well before Hannelia and the rest have conducted all of their time-consuming interviews. The two groups rejoin in time for questioning of the helpful barker.
You guys are all together on the dock. What's next? That steak for Alocer?
The Aromatic Adventures of Majara (and Glory), Nerissia, and Alocer…
Majara leads the way back to Willita’s where she and Roger had backtracked the hound prints from earlier. Here, again, the prints are obvious in the muddy alley but disappear on the cobblestone street. However, trusting Alocer’s nose and doing a wider sweep of the road, leads our heroes to an alley almost directly across from Willita’s. It is strewn with trash and bric-a-brac. It seems to be the neighborhood dump site. The adventurers carefully walk across the debris, deeper into the alley. Alocer stops and turns her head, repelled by the smell that eventually registers with her olfactorily-challenged companions. Human effluviant – like an open latrine – offends every nostril.
Whether they want it to or not, for Alocer the scent trail ends here. Her nose cannot sort the mastiff’s scent from this assault of persistent, fetid, stink. Nerissia imagines this must be close to the smell of an open sewer… then she notices the signs of collapse on one side of the debris field, a jagged hole in the ground, and the sight of old bricks and cobblestones, unevenly lining the hole like a beggar’s teeth. It seems this is the smell of a formerly closed (now open) sewer… While spotting prints atop the debris is a serious challenge, Nerissia sees enough scuff marks that she is reasonably confident that the mastiff emerged from the sewer.
The Aquatic Adventures of Roger, Emma, and Hannelia…
Meanwhile…
Emma, Hannelia, and Roger make the rounds along the docks. Given the still-jangled nerves of many locals from the howling, chaos, and carnage, added to the fact that the threesome were instrumental in ending the latest threat… the Saringallow Seekers find the relieved locals in a very cooperative mood. Even a couple of Roger’s erstwhile detractors offer to buy him a drink later!
Our heroes systematically move down the docks, speaking with barkers and boat captains. The single-boat operations barely keep passenger records. Those with books, gladly open them for the heroes of the day. Verno is on no one’s manifest (or memory) on the day he checked out of the Witch’s End. However, on the seventh such interview, the trio sees their luck change. They speak with a barker for one of the larger ferry services. He recollects – and the records confirm – that Verno booked passage on the River Empress (bound for Elidir) the day before she was scheduled to leave. She set sail the next morning and Verno wasn’t aboard. The barker adds, ”He even paid when he booked and never asked for it back. Wish I had that kind of money to throw away!”
How Many Licks?:1d8 ⇒ 7
This is where you’d note all the witch marks across from the docks.
Are we assuming that we (or more specifically, Alocer) have now sniffed around and found all the markings in line with your map?
No and yes. Alocer could only follow the most-recent path - the rough diagonal between #6 and the northern-most dot at #2, then up to #10. You spotted the one at #7 because you revisited the wall at Gunty’s where Constantine had his first ‘incident’. Now that you know what to look for… you spot the rest of the witch marks as you (presumably) roam around the southern end of town continuing your investigation into the disappearance of Verno Aculla. The plan, IIRC, now that you know what morning Verno checked-out of the Witch’s End was to speak with the dock barkers to see if he left by boat or at the southern gates.
Slowdrifter via Discord wrote:
Could we please get a list of the buildings/occupants that have been marked. Those we know, anyway…
Yep. As surmised, many of the dots are ‘residential’... some owned by locals you know. None are local luminaries or villains. However, here are some of the more notable locations where witch-marks appear…
Of the numbered locations:
#2 - various spots around the Old Gallows square (some in alleys, others on buildings facing the square)
#4 - Mother Willita’s House of Rapture
#5 - Pricknettle’s Potions and Poultices – definitely be suspicious of the odd proprietor!
#6 - Temple of Eristil
#7 - Gunty’s Hearty Breads
#8 - Dependable Dummady’s
#10 - Witch’s End Tavern
Of the unnumbered locations:
Some are homes, others are local businesses selling foods, goods (generally touristy), or services (like ‘tours’ that feature the town’s more gruesome history).
Several of the witch marks are located in alleys, not on the faces of the buildings.
I’m hand-waiving INT (which someone will certainly pass) to say that you notice all of the witch marks are scribed by the same hand – which is Constantine’s. While Alocer spotted the freshest witch marks, it’s clear that some of these are somewhat older, showing rainmarks or faint discoloration in the grooves. You’d estimate that some of these witchmarks could be a few weeks old. Constantine has been a busy boy.
