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I was in the last, second group as Kieran, the blind Life Oracle, before it stopped. If there is a spot in the other group and it continued, I could level him to level 2? I always kind of regretted it stopped, with the now uncommon small village setting and so much detail to the npc's. Obviously, his background was made to be the stranger back then, so if Golden Child is a hard requirement then something else would have to be designed or the background redone.
Kind of saw this coming, and shame to see you go. I really liked the setting and the idea :( Still, thanks for running it for us this far at least. Could you perhaps put the campaign on inactive so that it doesnt show on the overview tab anymore?
Kieran chuckles. "If Varian were here right now, he'd tease me mercilessly over this." He says, and accepts the ride back to the others.
"Hm. Good point. Though someone should try to get Grahm..." He glances at Elipho as the other tracker. "Maybe you could follow Thomas' trail and lead the others while I get Grahm? You're probably better at it, and I can't see that well regardless." Should Elipho agree, he goes to get Grahm, excusing himself before Sir Thomas. He would inform him briefly of the situation and that they're going to try following just in case this is related to one of the strange happenings, as they currently have no other leads. Then, he would head to the north road and attempt to follow the trails of Elipho and the two half-orcs.
"Okay... so, I'd like to investigate this. It might be related, it might not. But the timing is unusual, and he WAS very nervous," Kieran muses. He then glances at Thraag. "Could you get Grahm at Sir Eustus' mansion and follow us? We'll leave a trail for you to follow back to us. Meanwhile, Elipho, Marcus and I will attempt to either follow his tracks so we don't lose him." Unless someone objects to the suggested teams and roles, he sets off to follow the man at a distance, trying not to reveal himself and mostly tracking his tracks out of sight rather than keeping him in field of view.
Kieran nods at Marcus and Thraag. "You have a point. We have no real mandate to question him, and the link to the strange events is just guesswork. Though... we could always see what he says or does if we just ask him." Thus, Kieran knocks on the door. Should the carpenter open, he speaks to him. "Excuse me, sir, but we'd like to ask you something. I'm Kieran, and I'm part of a group of concerned citizens looking into a number of strange things happening here lately. Animals have gone missing, there was a near-fatal accident with the carriage in town just now, and that's even aside from these rumors about an escaped convict. We heard you seemed rather upset or nervous about something and were planning on leaving town in a hurry. Is there, by any chance, anything you might know about any of this or any way we could assist you with whatever troubles you? You might be the only one who can repair the carriage of the town's guests, for one, and I doubt anyone would want to lose you."
This information stops Kieran dead in his tracks, and he looks up with rapt attention. "The town carpenter is acting off and tries leaving the village just as we're both starting to investigate the missing animals AND there's just been a dangerous accident with the carriage, which is in his line of work?" He shakes his head. "I think we should investigate before he leaves." The vision-impaired youth turns his milky eyes to Elipho. "I know most townsfolk of note are missing, but maybe you can try getting the mayor or whomever is in charge during his absense? To notify him something is off here." If everyone agrees, he's walk back to the carpenter's house, knock and if no one answers, try to open the door.
"Hey there, Thraag. How did things go on our hand? Anything interesting happen?" Kieran asks as he, Marcus and Elipho should he wish it return from the selling at the butcher's shop, 50 gold richer than they used to be.
Marcus grins at Kieran's acceptance. "Absolutely. But remember that i don't need protection from any of the locals." "And I wouldn't ever dream of implying such. Just know that you'll have a friend in me should you wish to." The half-elf grins. "Now let's see if Grahm and Varian had some luck, shall we?"
A Quick message to my PBP groups: I have an important deadline to meet for tomorrow and will/have been working the entire weekend to meet it. As such I will probably only post very short messages or not at all until tomorrow night, or the day after tomorrow once I’ve taken a bit of rest.
"Sounds like you've had it rough, and only for trying to be a decent person. If I were in your position, I might have done the same," The half-elf shoots the monk a grin. "I was raised to honor traditions too. But, I don't think I could keep looking the other way if everyone kept lying to pretend to be better than they were." He halts a moment and waves his hands, and a large splash of water forms that he uses to clean his hands of the bits of blood and boar carcass. Then, he extends it to the orc. "You know, you seem like a decent sort of folk to me, no matter what the people say. How about it? As far as I'm concerned, I'd gladly have you as a friend. Can't be that bad to have someone at your back who can punch out an enraged boar. Hah! I'm sure Elipho would agree, too."
"All right, thanks anyway. We'll continue investigating on our own. And I have to say, this meat smells delicious! I'll definitely drop by here again when time allows." "Shall we go and check on the others now? Perhaps Grahm had some luck at Sir Eustus?"
Kieran glances between Elipho, Lusia and Marcus, noting the odd-seeming dislike for the half-orc yet again. What was it with him that the townsfolk disliked so much...? Regardless, he puts on a pleased smile and humble posture to keep the peace, if anything. "My thanks then, Master Clemis. Say, may I ask if either you or your wife have seen or heard anything strange happen around town lately? I mean, apart from the whole barbarian thing. We're looking into the disappearances of a number of dogs, but it might be other animals as well. If not, we'll be on our way."
"40 gold each? That seems a fair price. It was what Elipho assumed they would be bought for yesterday, and I'd defer to his experience in past honest dealings with an experienced craftsman such as yourself," Kieran says. He wasn't entirely sure if this offer was for one or both, but if the prior, it seemed like they were getting swindled. Based on... dislike for Marcus? Well, hopefully buttering them up slightly would help.
"Elipho, wasn't expecting you to be out hunting today. What have you brought?" Kieran shares a look with Elipho. "If you'll permit me, sir, we weren't exactly hunting, just following the trail of a supposed thief of dogs and perhaps other animals too. These boars, however, attacked us while we made camp. I'm Kieran, a traveler, and it's a pleasure to meet you. I have some skill with hunting game and preserved the kills as best I could. They're from last night, and should be decently fresh. Elipho seemed convinced you'd be interested in buying them."
Kieran looks to Elipho and shrugs. "Okay, so if Thraag gets the carpenter and the others report to Sir Eustus for his advice, shall we go and deliver the boars?" he asks the ranger, and waiting to hear if anyone objected to the idea. At this point, he just wanted to start getting things done.
Kieran looks to see if Thraag would take the coin and deliver the message to the carpenter. He had no idea where he was, himself. Plus, they still had the boars to deliver and ask Sir Eustus for advice, too.
"Ah, that makes sense," Kieran nods to Grahm. "Why this little town, though? Does he have similar reasons to mine?" Kieran can't help but wonder, but perhaps this was too early to pry into such private matters. He waits to see if the coachdriver was content with Thraag's suggestion, but also asks: "By the way, if I may ask, who did you drive here? Is the town currently hosting esteemed company of some sorts?" he asks the man, curious. Finally, when Macus offers to leave to inform the deputy, Kieran leans his head sideways slightly, in questioning manner. "A good suggestion. Though, do you want anyone to come with you? Earlier, you seemed to suggest people dislike you here, for some reason. Do you believe the deputy will listen to a warning from you?"
"You... live here, but haven't ever met her?" Kieran replies, surprised, his grey eyes shooting a questioning glance. "Anyway, she might still be out of town, given she was going with the search parties for this barbarian on the loose. Though, while I'd normally welcome such company, I'm afraid I'd like to speak with her in private first." He then looks at the couchman and the star-haired spheard accompanying them. "I don't suppose either of you know whether Elrithrathiel returned already, do you?"
"So it might not be just the dogs then, but animals in general...?" Kieran wonders. "Maybe we should ask around town for similar incidents these last few weeks, after asking Sir Eustus for advice."
Kieran picks himself up from the ground, having thrown himself out of the carriage's way along with the carried carcass. His mily eyes blink at the scene in front of him. "Wow. That... sure was something, Grahm! I didn't know you were that strong! For a moment there I figured the coach would run straight over you and that I'd be busy fixing your broken bones about now." "Or worse." " Hah, between you and Marcus, seems I have to step up my game." "Note to self, remember to ask Marcus what he meant about me not knowing something about him before we almost got run over." He shakes his head and joins the others at about the same time as the coach workers running at them. "Yeah, we're fine, thanks to some quick reflexes and Grahm over there," Kieran tells the driver. "That... was pretty dangerous, though. We're lucky no one got crushed by it. Is this your coach?"
Confused at the sudden noise coming their way, Kieran looks up, worried. "Can't see that far ahead. Please tell me it's nothing I have to worry about?"
"Why's that? You seem like a dependable guy. Punched out a boar with your bare hands and all. Elipho said he loved you, even! So when are you guys getting married?" Kieran winks at the monk en route to the butcher. Once there, he knocks at the door if locked, otherwise he simply walks into the shop carrying the boar. "Excuse me, is there anyone here? We're here to sell from fresh game from a hunting trip with Elipho; he directed us here."
"Oh. Some of us should probably head back and sell the carcasses in the meantime? Probably not the best manners to enter the mansion of a knight carrying dead boars, I'd wager," Kieran remarks upon seeing it. "I can offer to carry one. Anyone willing to come with me for the other one while the rest stays here to report to Sir Eustus?" Having made the offer, he picks up the carcass with some difficulty and waits to see which of the locals could tell him where to find the local butcher.
Chuckling over the exchange, Kieran gives the young knight- to-be a consoling pat on the shoulder. "So, where do we find Sir Eustus, Grahm?" he then asks, glancing around. He had no clue whatsover, since even if there was a huge mansion only 40 feet away, that was still too far for him to see...
When no one steps up and an awkward silence threatens to ensue, Kieran says and looks at the hay-haired shephard. "Sorry, we tried and got pretty far, but we lost the trail when it led into a river. We think someone or something is deliberately taking the dogs and led them across. The rest is still speculation. we're hoping someone still in town with more experienced than us could share an opinion. We were heading to sir Eustus first, and with some luck we might have a plan for if something like this happens again."
"Yeah. That too. Best to especially not mention that." Kieran whispers back, nodding at the half-orc.
Kieran stands by momentarily, wondering what was wise to share publicly at this time. His glazed eyes go over the more local members of the group, as if to silently ask their advice. "We might have to inform the mayor first, I think. Or whomever passes for an elder here. Wouldn't want a panic if the dogs are so important to everyone." He whispers under his breath.
"Well, if we're all in agreement, I'd say it's time to head back, then?" To warn the townsfolk and consult sir Eustus, and sell the boars on the way. As the group (presumably) begins to head back, Kieran throws a look back over his shoulder. His colorless sight ended at the other end of the river, where the dogs had presumably gone. He hoped that breaking off this chase here didn't turn out to be a massive mistake.
Not knowing much about Sir Eustus other than that Grahm was staying with him, Kieran glances from one of his allies' face to the next, to see whether they agreed with this proposition.
"Yeah... it seems troubling. Why would this figure want the dogs away from the town? I seem to recall a story about Goblins and their infamous hatred for dogs... has there been goblin activity here, recently? I thought that was part of the reason Elrithrathiel became a celebrity, for fighting them back," Kieran wonders. "If so, I don't think whatever is 'kidnapping' the dogs here is a goblin. But if they're working together... it would weaken the town. I agree with Marcus that perhaps informing going them is a good idea. At the very least, we know the dogs are being kidnapped on purpose by a rather proficient entity."
"Looks like someone was keeping the dogs tied to this branch," Kieran concludes. "Good eye, guys," he continues, though his face falls slightly. "If I could still see properly, maybe I'd have noticed, too..."
If nothing is found in the cave or around the circle, the young half-elf glances across the lake. "Seems like we'll have to cross, anyway. Well, let's get to it, I'd say. Those crossings aren't going to find themselves, hm?" As the team move forwards he inhales the fresh scent of water mixed with wild woodlands. It was great, and reminded him of home. Even if they didn't find anything, it was already a nice adventure of sorts, and a good story to tell later. How a small group of village youths had teamed up with a complete stanger to investigate the mysteriously missing dogs, and wound up fighting wild boars in the dead of night while there was a dangerous barbarian on the loose! If that wasn't exciting, he didn't know what was. ...And the day was far from over. "So, no tracks again of whatever is causing this, but the dogs obviously didn't bind themselves to that pole, and this person or thing has been in the cave quite a few nights. So, a poacher then, maybe? Who clears his tracks on purpose...? Would the local sprites spend their nights in caves?" He wonders, and looks mostly at elipho, since he seemed to know a lot about the local forest inhabitants. "It *does* sound like someone on the run, or at the very least, constantly on the move. Then... Could it be...?"
"So what you're saying is that if we don't find them before we get to the Brook, we probably won't find them at all," the oracle states. "Actually... what is the Brook? is that a river? Anyway, if that's true, we have no choice. We have to push on, given how important these dogs are to the town." Taking his spear, he resumes his walk forward along the path and through the foilage.
Sorry to hear that, AGM. Take care and my condolances. Also, hope the two of you get better soon, Rorek and Kaz!
"Elipho, I forgot to ask earlier... but has anything like this ever happened here before, as far as you know? Any rumors or stories similar to certain types of animals vanishing?" Kieran asks, trying to follow the tracks as best he could.
"All right. Looks like we're going to keep on following the track. With some luck, it won't take that long, and we can return these before they go bad," Kieran reasons, then yawns. "I think that's about it for my shift, too. If no one has any objections, I think I'll go and sleep a bit now. Good night!" With that, he makes for his medium sized tent.
The spearman nods at the knight, seemingly relieved, or at least not pressing the issue. After the second boar is prepared in similar fashion (preferably not by him since he'd just cleaned his hands and knife again!), Kieran looks up at the others. "Okay, so come dawn, what do we do? Do we take these boars back to the butcher to sell them? Or do we push on to try and find the dogs, and risk the carcasses going bad?"
"Thank you for the lesson. By Irori's blessing I'll assist in cleaning up. And if you'd like to rinse your knife and hands?" "Ah, you know that spell too! How convenient; I'd certainly appreciate washing off the bits and blood, yes," the Oracle replies, and washes his hands and dagger when offered. Then he looks up at sir Eustus' ward. "Say, Grahm? Are you all right now? Managed to patch yourself up, did you?" he asks, giving the other young man an out if he needed it. Perhaps it was something he didn't want to discuss, after all.
"Well, I suppose we can always look on the bright side!" Kieran grins at the huntsman and tries not to be bothered by the smell of sweat and blood. Which, to be fair, was no more than expected given their day of tracking through the woods along with Elipho getting gored. He kneels at the boar carcass and turns it around, then draws his knife. "My mon taught me how to do this and I've done it a few times myself. Not exactly to sell later, but the principles should hold up. The trick is to cut off its member first and pull it all the way back to where you can cut it cleanly," As he talks, he performs the motions unless someone stops him. "Then, you work upward from the disection and go around the intestines and stomach until you reach the diaphraghm and sternum, and you cut them straight through the middle." It takes him a minute or two to get to that point. "Finally, with the larger cavity, you cut and take hold of the oesophagus near the top," - he yanks it out - "And cut out the entire intestinal tract on the way down along the edges, so nothing spills from within them to the meat outside." Once done, he wipes the sweat from his brow with his still clean elbow, pulls out the intestines and stomach with his gloves and throws them aside. The unspoiled, meaty contents of the boar are visible along the inner area. "There. That should do it! If you have any advice for keeping it fresh longer, I'm all ears. Maybe we can stitch the skin back together temporarily or such?"
Taking out a spare cloth to wipe the blood from his spear, Kieran slowly walks up to Marcus and Elipho. He kinda wished he'd gotten in more than just one hit, but he was more relieved that no one had gotten seriously hurt. Save, perhaps, Elipho. "Well done, everyone! Especially you, Elipho. I think I owe you an apology for assuming we had to keep you safe, when reality insists it was the other way around. Perhaps I can heal your wound there as penance?" If the ranger has no objections to it, he briefly closes his eyes to focus, and a weak, yet visible field of positive energy radiates from him, tending everyone's wounds. He takes care to direct it away from the boars so that neither of them receives any.
"There. It usually goes a bit better, just as my spearwork... mother would give me an earful if she saw that, that's for sure." He scratches the back of his head, slightly embarassed.
Merry Christmas from me as well!
"Grahm!? What happened! Are you injured? We're still in a fight!" Kieran calls out, and might have tried to reach the knight-mannerism'd man if not for Thraag, who seemed even less protected. Grunting, the near- blind spearman dashes over to get in front of him, and attempts to spear the boar from behind as it tries to attack Marcus!
Trying to stick to Elipho's strategy, Kieran withdraws his spear from the red boar's carcass and falls back, circling around the fire and trying to keep that between him and the boar. He strikes from that position at the living boar when Marcus moves to the side.
...Unfortunately, an ember from the fire strikes his somewhat okay eye just as he is about to lunge, and he misses.
I started d&d on fourth edition technically, where it was very, very hard to die. I'd say I was a stranger to such pains, if not for pathfinder, where my first character was pretty much blown up by an enemy knifemaster rogue in pfs play in my first ever adventure. Good times, looking back. Serves me right for making a gullible paladin I suppose :)
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