Search Posts
I also want to say that it's been a lot of fun playing in your game, GM SpiderBeard. The game was fantastic all around and I'd be happy to play in any other game you run. Thanks for all the fun! The group as a whole had some really great roleplay and I'm glad to have played with all of you. Best of luck and take care!
GM Spiderbeard: Eyes flashing with bright colors, Zoresk staggers a step in disorientation. He doesn't trust the flashing vision, but is similarly untrusting of what is truly around him. He tries to take a step, but a burst of white reveals him to be bound in place. His breath comes in sharp, ragged gasps as he begins to focus on his surrounds. The chanting throngs around him, a grim reminder of days long since past, elicit a startled yell from the Kellid. Eyes wild, he struggles at his bonds and tries to break free.
Will sapped by futility of his situation, Zoresk slumps in the chains. I've failed and been recaptured. The cave and all the rest merely ruses. Sarkoris will never recover from the blight covering her. Struggling feebly, he casts a glance around the room, eyes straining to find the oddly shaped blade that he'd claimed as his own.
Zoresk is caught off guard as the sudden darkness descends on the group. Alarmed, his eyes strain against the darkness but as he finds them unable to pierce the mystical blackness before him, he begins listening carefully for any hint of movement between his companions words. "If we can't dispel this blasted dark, maybe we ought to regroup and try to find our way down the passage until we can see again."
Just an FYI, I will be travelling this weekend as well. My ability to post will be spotty and somewhat limited.
Zoresk hears the patter of feet, undoubtedly the same feet that had trampled the fungus he had been studying a moment before, only a moment after Koriko does. He nods silently to her, hefting his blade and prepares to fight against whatever comes down the hallway.
Zoresk nods his assent to Irina, taking up the position she indicates as they begin to make their way through the pitch black tunnels. Zoresk's eyes strain against the darkness, hoping to pick out any shapes as they begin their exploration. As their eyes adjust and the shape of the room begins to come into focus, Zoresk shrugs in reply to the sorceress. "I don't think any of us know. Maybe their will be some tracks or something to gives us an idea of which way to go. Irina, bring that torch closer to the ground here and let's see if I can figure out which way we ought to go."
The long descent through the dark and gloom did little to settle Zoresk's nerves. As the strange platform comes to its abrupt halt, Zoresk eyes strain to look down the long hall into darkness. The garish status outline the darkness with their absurdity. "Right, I wasn't expecting anything quite this deep. I think Irina or I ought to take point now, Father. Got the nagging feeling that this place hasn't been seen by too many human eyes. Best be on our guard."
Zoresk shrugs as his nimble fingered friend finishes looking over the plate, "I suppose that's good enough for me. Stand back and off that circle and let's see what this does." Zoresk waits a moment until the others are clear, then presses on the pressure plate firmly.
"Something that I suspect will open the door, but I'm worried that it's almost too easily found." He replies, still eyeing the pressure plate warily. "Hence I was hoping someone with keener eyes then mine would take a look and make sure I didn't miss anything. I suppose we can give it a try though. Shall we?"
Zoresk eyes the pressure plate like he would a particularly vile and venomous serpent. "It might just be that I'm paranoid anymore, but maybe you want to have a look at this Fingers."
Zoresk watches Serunda, scowling, as she begins her casting. I must try to learn what all that hand wiggling actually means so I'm not caught off guard again. His mood doesn't greatly improve when the spell finally goes off, but he gives the woman a grudging nod, "Well at least we know there is something there." He nods, "Trying to search the edge of the circle carefully and doing some clearing around it seems like a solid start. If this is some sort of door, then the obvious place to open it is right here somewhere."
As the group finishes circling the odd break in the ground, Zoresk thinks over the cause of such an unnatural formation. "It's damned odd, for sure. One thing I'd like to know though, Miss Wigguns, you said you saw him getting dragged underground. Was that here within this circle? Some hole in the ground or something?"
Feeling sick to his stomach from the events of the day and the lingering scent of brimstone, Zoresk merely shakes his head in bewilderment as Serunda relates her story. He adds, voice tight with anger, "I trust the Father, but if you want to make amends, it seems that helping against this Silversleeves might be a start to a penance. All we've learned paints the man as a viper coiled tightly around this city's neck. I've never cared for snakes, personally. Let's go find where Jerend fell as a start." As they prepare to leave, Zoresk approaches Bobarth Wigguns, finally speaking after an awkwardly long silence, "I'm sorry for this mess we've dropped at your feet, for what that's worth. Your help was appreciated before."
Not trusting himself to be able to speak to a woman who would consort with demons, Zoresk remains silent as the others speak to the woman. He tries to keep his mind focused on the events of the day and to avoid having it slip back to unpleasant thoughts.
"There's always a chance that there's someone else involved that we don't know about. Let's see what she has to say though. Father, would you be so kind as to wake her from her slumber?"
Zoresk straightens, finally able to take a breath, he adds in a voice raspy from coughing, "There's also the matter of the summoning of the hound of Hell. That was no mere firey dog, it was from the Lower Planes." There is a hard edge to Zoresk's voice as he mentions the demonic creature.
Zoresk is caught off balance when Serunda casts her spell. He inhales deeply and immediately begins gagging and coughing at the foul stench. Torn between coughing fits and struggling to avoid losing his lunch, he moves back and out of the way of the others.
Zoresk clenches his jaws as the jarring feedback from his blow rattles up the blade and through him. As the hellhound dissipates, he looks around the room, searching for more enemies. Hearing Koriko calling, he dashes through the door and into the other room. He drops his glaive and attempts to grab and hold the old woman. She's just an old lady, this can't be the right way to go about this.
Zoresk, off balance from his dash up the stairs and his fierce swing, isn't able to dodge aside from the hellish beast's flaming breath. Singed, he ignores the pain and swings his soot-covered blade in a fierce overhand blow at the creature.
Zoresk rounds the corner to look into the room and yelps in alarm as he sees the demon dog. Fighting back a sense of dread as he recalls his homeland's fate, he draws his glaive and moves to hack into the beast. "It's a hell hound and a demon of the abyss. How it came to be here I don't know..."
Zoresk watches with interest as the wizard casts his spell. I might need to take the time to try to understand what's he's doing. Might come in handy in the future. He nods in reply, "I suppose we might be able to. We wanted to ask her about a matter of some urgency, though, with possible implications for our and the the town's safety. A young man we spoke to assured us she would be interested in what we had to say."
Zoresk enters the room and steps the side, leaning casually against a wall, "No cults for the moment, thanks. We were hoping to have a word with Serunda."
As the boy prepares to leave, Zoresk says, "My apologies for knocking you on your ass, lad, but we can't be too careful. Things are still dangerous in town, so keep an eye on your brother and stay out of trouble, understood?" He reaches into a belt pouch and slips a few silver coins free to hand to the youth. "Perhaps she is only trying to stay informed, but there's not telling what she'll do with what she learns. I think Trestleblade will keep for now and -forgive me- I doubt... strongly... that'll he'll start objecting to your company any time soon." Zoresk shrugs apologetically at the lovely Tien woman. "I'd say we should go see what Serunda is about. Perhaps our luck will change and we'll stop stepping from disaster to disaster and find her to be an ally. Maybe..." Zoresk doesn't sound like he finds the idea likely.
Helping Irina wrestle the youth into the room, Zoresk immediately leans against the wall facing the panicking youth and listens intently. Hiding a chuckle in his hand as the Father applies the metaphorical thumbscrews, Zoresk carefully watches the boy's reaction, looking for indications that he's lying.
He replies after the boy finishes speaking, "I'm sure you didn't, lad. We're just here to help, aren't we? Can you tell us why Serunda wanted us followed? Is she involved in anything that's hurting people? I'm no priest, but if you're party to that, then I wouldn't feel comfortable about my life in the hereafter in your shoes. I'm sure the Father can elaborate."
Zoresk watches, perplexed, as Irina creeps towards the door as Fingers replies. He opens his mouth to ask what she's doing, just as she slams open the door to reveal the youth listening at the door. His surprise lasts only a moment as he dashes out to the youth and sweeps his leg out in a swift arc to knock him from his feat.
"I don't think so, Father. The woman, Nalla, who started our search is the Mayor's wife. He seems too suspicious at this point to involve in the search. I agree we need to learn more first though. I'd be fine trying to track down some of those mystical creatures Jerend was talking about, but I'm no woodsman." Growing frustrated, Zoresk begins pacing in the cramped quarters, narrowly avoiding stepping on Kurohyo's tail. "Maybe we should approach this from a different angle. If there is some criminal enterprise at work here, then they must be a source for this flayleaf. Either they're shipping it in or they're growing it. Given the siege, they are likely running low. Perhaps we can take a look at the docks? Or maybe do some subtle checking in warehouses?"
Zoresk gives Kumyo a sidelong look, surprised, then says evenly, "I'm not sure that any of us should be alone with someone tied up in something very wrong. At this point, I agree we need more info. That said, I'm not sure what to make of Jerend. I don't trust the reports making accusations, but Ysania seemed to have some uncertainty surrounding him. What are your thoughts?" He addresses the group, trying to make head or tails of the situation he found himself in. "It seems like talking to Silversleeves would be a good way to tip him off that someone is studying the town's secrets. I wonder if there's any evidence at any of the crime scenes? Would that be worth a look?"
"The way you describe him in those last few months, it sounds like he was guilty. Or perhaps ashamed. There is something rotten going on here, but it still isn't entirely clear what Jerend's role in it was. He may well have been an innocent and framed victim. We'll see soon enough." Zoresk sighs, suddenly weary, as he thinks over what his companions had learned. "I think we ought to find a quiet place to sit for a moment so we can talk over what we know."
"It all seems to point to something corrupt and criminal going on. If you don't mind, what was your impression of Jerend? He was accused of a number of crimes in the ledgers, but did you ever know him to be a man to commit them?" Zoresk inquires, still thinking over everything they've learned.
Zoresk lays a sympathetic hand on Ysania's shoulder, "I understand that you're scared of whoever is behind all this, but we're here to help. We've helped with the hobbers and we're here to help with any other form of monster, even if in human guise."
Zoresk draws a deep breath as Ysania explains the situation with the sheriff and her home. The sheriff told her that? But the notes... unless the notes were faked later? They grew so different. Terse. Maybe they were doctored? Or perhaps there's just a corruption that Jerend got dragged into and they blackened his name? He looks at Ysania, quietly saying, "I'm sorry for your loss, Ysania." His throat closes a moment as he thinks back to his father's death, but bull's threw the discomfort, "You mentioned that you thought the fire might have been arson. Was there a reason for that? Someone who might have had it in for you, maybe?"
Zoresk stands to the side, letting Fingers speak, as he mulls over Irina and Kumyo's observations. It might just be that he's a superstitious wastral. On the other, with this new-found information... he thinks us a threat. But a threat to what? Scratching at his beard distractedly, he continues his thoughts. The change in the sheriff's notes and the reduced punishments... maybe there's some tie there? We threaten something criminal that's he part of? Might even think we're some form of lawmen. Huffing as he piles speculation on speculation, Zoresk resigns himself to listening and paying attention to the baker's response.
Zoresk thinks back to the fighting and its aftermath, mulling over Fingers' question. "I seem to recall that the new Mayor appointed him as a temporary Sheriff. As for the old one, I'd guess he died in the fighting against the hobbers, but I don't remember that ever being said."
"Sounds reasonable to me. Let's go see what we can learn." Zoresk tidies the notes they'd been poring over and takes a moment to lock up the door as they leave.
Waiting to see if anyone else has something they want to look at. :)
Grinning with the thrill of discovery, Zoresk glances between the organized before and after piles, as he has begun to think of them. He taps the left pile, containing the older reports, "The details here are more thorough and punishments more forthcoming. Keep this in mind. We then have a period without record, odd after such meticulous records had been kept." He taps the second pile excitedly, "And then we see more troublesome behavior, but lighter punishment. What happened two years ago that shook up this Hinl so that he stopped doing his job so thoroughly. Trestleblade is clearly lying, but why? My suspicion, with only circumstantial evidence, is that we're seeing a government corrupted. Jerend runs into a few disputes, the nature of which we aren't aware, and then disappears after some mysterious mystical embodiment of Erastil. The timing seems too convenient to me, but I can't say more until we learn what we can of these incidents." Standing and cracking his back, he asks the others, "Can you think of anything else I might have missed? I've been assuming Jerend is relatively straight shooting, but I might be wrong there."
Zoresk frowns down at the report, uncertainty welling up as he reads more entries. He runs a hand through his stubble, "Well this doesn't paint our missing person in the best light. I suppose these could be doctored, but they're private files. Why bother then? Have we heard of these Baker people? Or the others: Yun, Soreden or Rak? That missing file... I suspect it has information that we want." Zoresk takes a moment to compare the journals before and after the missing journal (from two years ago) looking for discrepancies. He'll also take a look through entries around that time concerning either Jerend or any other recognizable names.
Seeing his chance, Zoresk drops back and whispers in Finger's ear as they walk, "The good sheriff is lying through his teeth at every turn. I'm positive. He knows something about our friend's disappearance and these notes hold a key. If you could subtly let the others know, that might help." As they arrive at the office, Zoresk asks, "I'm not interested in a drink, nor do I care about dirt, but anything unusual recently might be of interest. Who knows what might have a darker explanation that was written off as a minor oddity. Also anything you have relating to Jerend's observations would be helpful, wouldn't you say, Kumyo, Irina?"
"Ah, Hinl, of course. I'm glad to know his name at last. I'd appreciate it if you'd show us these notes you mentioned. Is that possible?" Zoresk looks at the man inquisitively, still scrutinizing the proven liar for further lies.
Zoresk simply arcs an eyebrow, then smiles disarmingly at the man and says, "Well, that's a criminal shame now isn't it. It's almost too much for me to believe that he didn't keep notes, but I suppose being a sheriff is a busy job. We're a bit worried about a few of the beasts Jerend mentioned, you know, and we were hoping to prevent anyone else being hurt like Jerend. You saw him at the end, right? Mind broken and scared of everything. It certainly would seem a shame if that happened to anyone else, don't you agree? Anyhow, can you direct us to the old sheriff's next of kin? You never did mention his name, by the way. One last thing, you'd mentioned that Jerend like to warn people about beasts and such. Did he ever warn you about the hydras and such we mentioned. When was the last you saw him... before he reappeared raving of course."
Are we waiting on me IC? I can post something, but I was hoping to get an answer to my question about notes/journal. If this is just you being busy right now, Gm Spiderbeard, then no worries. :)
Was doing an audit of my character sheet and noticed I still have the half-plate we found up the mountain. Did you include that in the sale that yielded 590 gp per person, Fingers/Doc? If not, how do we want to handle? Assume it was sold at the same time?
Zoresk looks skeptically at the would-be guard captain, eyes searching for some hint he's not being truthful as he replies, "Sad business indeed. I'm just worried that he might run into something nasty enough to cause issues. We read through his notes and he mentioned reporting some of the beasts he saw to your predecessor. We were hoping you might shed some light on what they talked about. Did the old sheriff, ah... I don't recall his name, sorry, have a journal or notes or such?"
"We'll have to see if he has any next of kin. Don't want to run into trouble with the law, so we'll need to be a bit discreet." He looks over the scarf, frowning in concentration as he does so. "This seems oddly subdued based on what I'd heard about the nobles hereabouts. Not a native though, so that might just be the embellishment that miles add. Still, if it isn't Nalla then that raises some questions. The wealth as well."
Zoresk scratches at his stubble, looking around the room a moment longer. "Something seems off about this whole business, though I can't put my finger on it. I think talking to the sheriff sounds good, though we should take a moment to see if there's anything else we can learn here. It might be this White Stag business is all a ruse left to throw us off our tracks. Another look for a hint of kidnapping or otherwise might be worthwhile."
"'Bless her heart'? Who does he refer to? The Stag doesn't seem to make any sense. Nalla perhaps? Or someone else?" While puzzling over the oddity, Zoresk runs over what he knows of each of the creatures. He idly suggests, "An illusion or some other trickery might work, though it doesn't necessarily have to be a monster. Might just be some human with a grudge who can cast a spell."
"Out in the wild I'd guess he locked it by rote. Might mean he was attacked outside his home. Might also mean any attacks locked it behind them. Finger, you want to have a try at the door's lock?" Zoresk stands idly to the side, waiting for his companion to go to work.
Wincing slightly as cracked bone knits under Nilan's healing touch, Zoresk nods his thanks, "Much obliged, Father. I don't know where we'd be without you." Eying the cabin, Zoresk hefts his glaive and asks, "Shall we continue our exploration?"
|
