Henric struggles in the straightjacket's grip, attempting to tear it off of him.
Includes +2 from Valiard's aid
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Sorry, been dealing with work and the High Holidays. Can post more regularly again now.
Do I need to wait until my turn to try breaking out?
Suspecting his crossbow won't be of much use, Henric takes out his dagger and slashes at the straighjacket.
Henric helps search the laundry and, although he's starting to find this place to be eerily unnerving. Peering through the infirmary, he finds a hidden case and opens it. "Jackpot!" he exclaims, as he collects the various alchemical mixtures he finds within.
I've come down with covid, so I' a bit behind on things. Will try to post later today.
The semester just started for me, and preparing always takes more time than I think it will, so no rush on my part.
"The gray-skinned human, ma'am. Do you know why he was here, or where he went?"
After hearing her account, he thinks we should look for items associated with criminals. "I like to have every possible tool at my disposal when dealing with the unknown. The lady mentioned a curse. Any of ya'll know how to handle cursed items properly?"
Following Tatyana's lead, Henric replies: "Shall we try our luck on the left, see if we can ignore the wailing?"
Henric follows behind, crossbow at the ready. He suspects it won't be of much use.
Henric examines the warden's house, but doesn't notice anything out of the ordinary.
Updated my vitals. Did I end up firing any bolts, or did Tatyana finish them off before then?
As the party descends further into the crypt, he loses sight of the tracks. "Folks, I'm not sure we're still going the right way. Anyone else see a sign of those footprints we were following?"
Henric stoically accompanies Tatyana and Valiard. He doesn't want to risk a fight by going to the tavern again, but he doesn't say anything about his feelings.
My SM is too low to possibly get a 23.
"Bad dreams, eh?" When he has a chance to talk to Kendra, he asks her as well. "Seems that a couple of the other people here have been having bad dreams that keep them awake. You been havin' the same problem?"
"What you said about the warden makes a lot of sense. Are his records stored anywhere nearby?" His tone darkens. "Where'd you find out about this mage? Seems like something only an insider could know about. Did you find some records after all? Noticing that so many of the other members of the group are tired, Henric brings it up at the next meal. "I'm the one spending my evenings at the tavern, yet here all of you are looking like you haven't had a wink of sleep. Is there something goin' on I should know about? Something keeping you folks up at night?"
Henric wakes up for his watch and prepares himself a breakfast of cold bread and beer. When the others wake up, he'll ask if anyone's interested in his help researching today. Nightmare: +1 bonus vs. fear I'm using up all my good rolls early on!
Henric could use some time away from the tavern, and he knows a little bit.
Henric stands up and pushes away the table. "I'm damned tired of the way this town treats strangers. Accusing every passerby of practicin' necromancy or cheatin' at cards. Any of you wants to call me a cheater, come right over here and do it to my face. See where it gets ya!"
"If anyone needs any help, just let me know. Otherwise, I'll be down at the tavern." He's not trying to clean out the locals of all their money, but sometimes he just can't help himself.
"We should do some more digging, maybe some reconnaissance, before going into the remains of the prison," Henric responds to Lectrum's suggestion of exploring the ruins. "I'd like to have a better sense of who in the nine hells we're dealing with."
Henric will do 6am to 2pm. He's used to an early schedule, and then he can hit the tavern when it's busiest.
If the prisoners are connected to whoever was hunting the Professor," Henric wonders in response to Kimberly's remarks, "maybe those prisoners knew something about the Whispering Way themselves." "Could be that's their significance, and we should be looking into any more records on them at the prison." He turns to Tatyana. "Why don't you tell us what the guard's wife had to say? Maybe there's some hidden mystery in there."
Henric will sleep either in a bed in a guest room or on the floor with his bedroll. Since he's expected an attack, he'd like to set up a watch. He'll take whenever, but if anyone has darkvision, he'd prefer them to take a night watch.
That sounds good for me.
At dinner, Henric will tell the group that he thinks Professor Lorrimor was concerned that a group called the Whispering Way was after him. "They're a group of necromancers that the Whispering Tyrant belonged to. Seems it's hard to find out too much about 'em 'cause they pass down all their knowledge through word of mouth, rather than writin' things down." During the day, he'll play cards at the tavern. Of course he'll win most of the time, but he'll try to contain himself and not take anyone for all they've got.
Henric is looking for any information on the Whispering Way in the Professor's library. He wants to know who he's potentially dealing with.
Hearing Kendra describe the potential research options, Henric decides to start with the Professor's personal library. "Anything that requires less sweet-talk on my part is preferable. Let me see what I can learn from the Professor's library while the rest of you lot check out the other libraries in town."
Henric is visibly uneasy at seeing the others handle Professor Lorrimor's books, but he says nothing. He's no fool, but he's also seen enough people, including the Professor, handle dangerous tomes and spellbooks before. He also knows they carry risks he'd rather not deal with right now. Once someone mentions the final entry in the journal was made three months ago, he speaks up again. "So that tells us the most likely threat was on his mind three months ago." He turns to Kendra. "Any idea what the old man was working on - or who he was working with - that might have had him spooked?
Henric shivers a bit while watching Kim jostle her bag. "I can't say I don't understand wanting to bring your missus here, but I wouldn't bet on it being too safe if the old man is offering so much for us to stay here for a specified amount of time." He takes his deck of cards back out and begins shuffling them again. "The Professor was a smart man. He knows what our time's worth. He could have offered us a sum just a bit higher than we'd usually take for that length of service. There's only one thing he'd value more than Kendra's inheritance enough to dip into it so deeply, and that's Kendra herself." He turns to look at the young woman. "Ma'am, do you know of anyone who'd be interested in comin' after you here? Somebody who thinks they have a shot at gettin' to you, now that your father can't protect you no more?"
Henric remains seated as the will is read. He's expecting at most to receive a few trinkets, and it's clear from his face that he's ready to finish up here and move on. His jaw nearly drops to the floor at the mention of payment of 100 platinum coins. Once the reading of the will is complete, he regains his composure a bit. "Well, I guess I don't need to get going quite so soon," he mutters.
Henric is leaning against the wall, absent-mindedly shuffling a deck of cards. "I can't say I knew the Professor well, but he was an honest and generous employer. You don't forget that in the solder o' fortune business." "He was cool under fire, too. Somethin' else you don't see too often in my line of work. Made it a lot easier to get him out of a stitch all in one piece." Henric sighs and looks towards the door, then packs his cards away. "I can't imagine why he wanted me here for this. Maybe a man like him just can't keep many friends, as you see all the rumors the locals were spoutin' earlier. I'm honored he asked me to help send him off, but I gotta get back on the road soon, see if I can land a new score or two."
"No, damn!" Sweat beads down Henric's forehead. "A man who always kept his word, paid what he owed, and then some." After a few seconds of silence, he whispers, "Not a man I ever saw engage in any necromancy. Sorry you had to go out like this, old man."
Yep, Working on it.
Henric makes a slight bow to Kendra. "I was sorry to hear about your father. The Professor always did right by me."
"Which of you would like to serve as pallbearers?" Henric does not initially volunteer, but after recognizing that the procession will be short of six, he steps forward. "The Gray Lady only grants each of us a short time in this world. No reason a respectable man shouldn't go out with a full retinue."
From her hiding spot behind Kendra I don't think they want to hurt us, They are just scared. Yelling may make them even more afraid she advises "Yellin' and shootin' are about the only things I'm any damned good at. If one of ya'll wants to try sweet-talkin' these layabouts, be my guest."
Yes, it makes sense that Henric would have at least a working relationship with some of the other people who have worked with Lorrimor.
Henric speaks with an obvious Ustalavic peasant accent, albeit with a trace of educated diction. "Quite the odd bunch I see we have hear. I was sad to hear the Professor'd been called to the Boneyard. He was always good for a solid gold coin or two." "Now, let's see which of this motley collection of carnival freaks and weirdos I can recall working with before, and which I'll be heartbroken to see survived."
@GM Placeholder of Doom It's not exactly an archaic usage of the word, but less common than how it is often currently used, which is more synonymous with debauchery.
Deminus is hedonistic in an Epicurean sense. He doesn't regularly indulge in excess, but is focused on taking part in - and being seen at - every social and cultural event attended by the influential and well-to-do. His need to be seen as someone important and influential is a part of his hedonism, and also why he seeks to conceal his Elven ancestry, and why he wears a ring that appears to be worth more than it actually is.
The chances of any one person being selected are about 21%, which is closer to 1 in 5.
My submission is a cleric(cardinal) of Abadar. A half-elf who passes for human, Deminus wants to do what's best for Taldor and himself. The social reforms that an Empress Eutropia promises just happen to be both. |