Kurst Grath's page

"Thank you for your advice. For now we will leave guards here to make sure nothing comes out," Kurst begins the climb up to the Inner Quarter.

The town's Inner Quarter is in ruin. Only a couple of buildings remain standing. The town portion on top of Bloodmarch Hill faired much better. The Longhouse is intact. Jagrin, Kurst's Father is there. High Defender Halgara is there. Tyari Varvatos, the Priestess, is there too. She cast a healing spell on the bound Blonde Half-Orc. It comes too.

Does anyone want to lead the interogation?

"You are done here. We will send another team in to clear any other hostiles. Take this Half-Orc to the Longhouse and Councilor Halgra right away. She will want to question him. I am coming with you. I may have some questions for him too," Kurst looks tired but relieved.

"Report?" Kurst Graft comes along the Hopespring's Pond. "What have you found?"

I think we can finish this up.

Haskyll prepares to fire another bolt, but he holds off seeing the fighters engaged.

Kaos nearly finishes off the Giant with a mighty swing of his over-sized axe.

But it was Ulfgard in full rage, that deals the final blow. The Cave Giant stumbles and falls face first in the shallow shores of this small lake, dead.

The party will then see several Orcs near the front gates of the city turn and run toward the woods and the Belkzen wilderness.

Victory!

The raid on Trunau is essentially over.

Kurst Grath and several of the town guards witnessed the heroic feat from the nearby fallen tower in the Inner Quarter.

It is not long before he picks his way through the rubble and toward the Hopesprings Pond. He approaches the party, "We were heading this way when we saw you engage the Cave Giant. It killed several of the guards this day. Thank you for ridding Trunau of this threat. Your services today have been invaluable. Without your efforts, I am not sure we would have survived this raid. This has been one of the worst in recent memory."

He pause for a moment then continues, "One of the sentries on the wall saw a blonde-haired Half-Orc with a pack of large wolves and shortly thereafter another humanoid enter through this gash is hillside. You have proven yourself worthy and capable. Will you go enter the tunnel, secure whatever’s inside, and apprehend or flush out whoever’s hiding within? I know you are exhausted. Go back to the aid station and rest. I will set up guards here to make sure nothing goes out or comes in until you are ready. Thanks again!"

Level Four

There are supplies to reprovision at or near the aid station. Arrows and bolts are available without cost. A few of the Barterstone merchants have set up booths to help with resupplying the town. Agrit Staginsdar has salvaged many of her scrolls and spells from her spellbook as well. Remember, you can reroll a "1." But if you roll it again, it is fate. Congratulations! Job well done.

Kurst shows up a few rounds after the last Orc falls.

"Good job holding the line while we retook control of the walls and towers to the inner quarter." the Patrol Captain honors your efforts. "But the Hopespring Beacon is still not lit. I need you to get down to the lower quarter and light that beacon. It will demonstrate to the rest of the town that we are winning this fight. You have proven yourselves this day. We thank you."

You have about three rounds to regroup. Let me know when you are ready to move forward. The first issue will be how to get down to the lower quarter, as the way is currently blocked. You can scale down the walls or down the rubble from the fallen tower. (Around X9 on the Inner Quarter map.)

in the morning Kurst approaches the party, "We held out through the night. We managed to close one of the inner gate portcullises and have erected a barricade. Several Orc stragglers are still in the Inner Quarter. Find and deal with them, then report to the inner gate barricade."

The areas unsecured are to the right beyond the Tower and through the smoky burning region in the center. To the left has been cleared, but you will want to double check this area as well. Where do you go?

Moments after the party secures the Tower, Kurst with a couple of Trunauan Guards calls up from below, "Good! You stopped their Drummer. They seem to be regrouping. Take a rest at the medical station, then head to the Inner Quarter gates. We need you fresh before the next assault."

The Orc Drummer will have a number of things on him, scrolls of cause fear, scroll of charm person, scrolls of grease, scroll of remove fear, scrolls of summon monster I, a wand, plus other Gear, mwk chainmail, mwk light steel shield, mwk battleaxe, throwing axes (5), antitoxin and the war drums.

After your rest, you will all be third level. Congratulations!

@Anga - At the Medical Station, Agrit will be able to provide you with a second level spell to add to your spellbook.

Listening to Kurst, he gets a look in his eye, "Wha' thin' are ye talkin' about lad? If'n there be a giant, jus' be pointin' me in the righ' direction, and ye'll see what a Brightaxe can be doin'."

Kurst with a concerned look upon his face says, "They have a Cave Giant. Secure this area first though. Find any survivors and get them help here with the Acolytes. Those that can walk should head to the Longhouse." He marches his stalwart band to battle. The Battle of Blood March Hill is fully involved.

I don't know why this reminds me of Lord of the Rings: Fellowhsip of the Rings.

"You found Rodrik's Hopeknife!" Kurst is excited about this news. "My Father needs to hear of this. That proves he did not kill himself. May I have his hopeknife? As a Trunau tradition, it is customary that the decease's hopeknife be with the body at the Flame of the Fallen."

"Yes. I need to talk to Othdan. The guards told me he was with you when you returned," Kurst says this almost without thinking, as his mind was elsewhere thinking about his lost brother.

"What kind of curious things?" Kurst looks back at Anga.

"There are lots of half-orcs about. What did he look like? Did you find anything else?" Kurst continues, anxious to learn as much as he can.

Kurst Grath, notified by the watchmen that you have returned, meets with the party as they make their way to the Ramblehouse, "Have you found anything more about what happened with Rodrik?" He then adds, "This evening we will be cremating Rodrik's body at the Flame of the Fallen. I would like you all to join me. You have time to rest before this evening."

Kurst will look at Ulfgard, "Omast may not further your investigation, but he was Rodrik's best friend."

Kurst will ask the party if you have met Omast?

When the party figures out that one of the potions is Cure Light Wounds, you determine that all five are the same.

Day Four

First the body of the dead Assassin is given to other Town Guardsmen when you near the Longhouse. The body will be thrown over the wall to be devoured by the wild. Honored dead are cremated at the 'Flame of the Fallen' funeral pyre. This Assassin is truly not honored dead.

After you deliver the remaining half-naked Assassins over to the Longhouse jailer, Kurst invites everyone to breakfast. The cook was just starting breakfast when you first arrive. Mounds of scrambled eggs, sizzling bacon, a gruel made from dried ground corn with loads of whipped butter melted on top (grits), and various fresh sliced fruits and vegetables are served. You have a choice of the brewed Black Wine (coffee), the Local Stout, or fresh water from the Hopespring.

During breakfast Kurst suggest resting during the day, and tackle the Plaguehouse tonight.

This could be an advantage for the Dwarves.

Kurst will turn to Haskyll, "That was a very specific description. I have not seen a Half-Orc in Trunau that fits that description. But I agree someone has gotten wind of your investigation and is trying to stop it.

Kurst will then look at Mordea, "I don't take kindly to your type in our town. I know that the Freedom Town folk think differently. They see your caste as just one of many. But we frown on paid Assassins here. I will take the survivors of your group before the council. I will let them know that you have cooperated with questioning. But for now, remove your weapons, armor and possessions. You can keep your undergarments for now. You will be searched more thoroughly at the Longhouse. "

Kurst will look at the party, "To the Victor, goes the spoils." He gives the party their possessions. "Can you all help me with taking these Assassins to the lock up at the Longhouse?"

He will then look at Cham, "These five just took out a like number of Assassins that had managed to enter the Ramblehouse. Are you sure you want to lose the protection they can provide your establishment? "

You will get five potions, five antitoxins, five liquid blades, five small vials containing Small centipede poison (5 doses), a smokestick; five suits of leather armor, five light crossbows with 50 bolts, five short swords, five sets of thieves’ tools, five beryls worth 50 gp each, 20 gp, 45 sp, 60 cp.

Kurst will look at Cham, "Let's first get to the bottom of this before you start kicking people out of their rooms."

He turns toward Haskyll, "If there were only one, I would think you may have had a disgruntled lover, but these women are clearly something different."

Longsword in hand, Kurst will then turn his attention to the Human Females similarly dressed. The exotic blades, one by one, begins to vanish, leaving only a hollow hilt. "If you answer our questions you will live. If you don't before the end of this week, you will swing on the gallows." He will look at the two conscious women. "We will start easy. I have never seen any of you before. So, where are you from?"

Kurst arrives a few minutes later, "What is going on here? Is everyone alright? And who are these?" The Watch Captain looks at the group of similarly dressed females.

"Brinya Kelver is staying in the boarding house (#17 on Trunau map) west of the Commons. Omast Frum can typically be found around the South Towers (Either side of the Longhouse (#9). Now I don't know this Urnsul. You will need to ask the smithy about that," Kurst will respond as best he can to the inquiry knowing it may help solve Rodrik's murder.

"It was the knife he had in his hand when we found the body. I thought it was Rodrik's knife. I had no idea that it wasn't his knife. I too am puzzled why Rodrik would have another knife made." Kurst shakes his head in disbelief of all that has taken place. "You should talk to Brinya and our friend Omast. Omast has been like an uncle to us. Rodrik would often go out on patrols with Omast. Maybe they found something."

Kurst will look at the knife again, "This was not Rodrik's knife? That is very odd. Maybe Brinya Kelver will know more. She stays at the boarding house west of the Commons"

It is the same boarding house that Urnsul falsely claimed she was staying at.

In response to Agna, "It appears he bled to death. I don't believe he killed himself. Either way it is not a noble way to die. My brother deserved better."

Any questions for Kurst while he is here?

Tyari leads the party to the basement where Rodrik's body is kept. Kurst is there applying oils to the body. "What have you found so far?"

When you look over Rodrik's body you notice that he died from significant blood loss.

"Oh! One more thing. Take this," Kurst gives the party the hopeknife found on Rodrik's body.

"Thank you for your assistance. I will authorize your group access to whatever you need. You can see his room. Chat with Cham, who found the body. He has a long time friend Omast Frum. And them there is Brayina Kelver. He was in a relationship with her. She is a Half-Orc, around here that can be a problem. Our Father objected to it," the last part was particularly difficult for Kurst to convey.

Only a little later Kurst, Rodrik's brother gathers Ruby's Defenders, “I’m sure you’ve heard by now that my brother, Rodrik—some of you met him last night—was found dead this morning, and I’ve had my hands full since. Right now, the official cause of death is suicide, but I just can’t believe that. Something else has to be going on.

Unfortunately, Rodrik was the best investigator in Trunau; if he were on the case, solving the mystery of his death wouldn’t take long, but with just me left, we might never know what really happened.” Kurst sighs heavily. “I simply can’t handle the investigation and tend to my family duties at the same time. I may be a patrol captain, but right now, I feel my responsibilities as a brother outweigh my other duties. Still, I can’t just let this lie. I’m afraid I’ve exhausted all my other options—the members of Trunau’s militia are competent defenders during siege times, but they’re not sleuths by any means. I need your help. Will you investigate my brother’s death?”