Rise of the Runelords - Atessia

[Mirior]

The Fiefdom of Magnimar

Built around ruins left by a long-forgotten civilization, Magnimar is the largest port on Atessia’s southeastern coast. Ever since throwing off the rule of the city-state of Korvosa to the north, Magnimar has enjoyed economic and cultural prosperity on a scale that some say rivals the Elven Republic at its best (specifically, the citizens of Magnimar. No one who’s actually seen elven cities says this.)

Magnimar is an independent city-state ruled by a three-man council, with the Lord Mayor at the top; the city receives taxes and provides military protection to a good number of villages along the southern coast, and claims land all the way to the Teyn Mountains in the east. On paper, Korvosa hotly contests this claim; the two fiefdoms haven’t been at open war since Magnimar’s successful insurrection, but tensions certainly simmer. In practice, most of the villages in the foothills manage themselves, paying tribute to neither distant city.

Merchant fleets, fishing vessels, naval juggernauts – Magnimar’s deep harbor teems with ships and commerce, the source of the city’s wealth. Wizards and scholars from across Atessia use Magnimar as a base for exploratory expeditions; the southeastern coastline and the foothills of the Teyn Mountains conceal a plethora of ruined stone buildings, ancient statues, and mysterious catacombs, relics from an age long past.

The region is not entirely peaceful. Goblin tribes are scattered throughout the region, escapees hiding from the hobgoblin and giant dominions in the Teyn. Tensions with Korvosa have stayed under control so far, but resentment still runs high on both sides. On very rare occasions orc raiders send ships down the coast, from gods-know-where; rumor plants a transplanted orc tribe in the Derratrak desert on the far side of the Teyn, although the gods know rumor doesn’t know what she’s talking about. But Magnimar’s high walls keep the city safe from any threats, and its standing army does an admirable job of maintaining safe villages and clear roads. As almost anyone living there would tell you, Magnimar is a beacon of civilization in the Fiefdoms.

Sandpoint

Forty years ago, four wealthy families from Magnimar pooled their resources to found a settlement. After scouting the coastline for optimal locations, they agreed on a small cove fifty miles to the east, and after persuading a group of farmers and merchants to move out to the location, the town of Sandpoint was born. Today, over a thousand people call Sandpoint or the immediately surrounding regions home.

Sandpoint has prospered ever since its founding. Easy access to the ocean has encouraged fishing, while the cove shelters the town from the worst of the southern storms. As a bonus, Sandpoint’s position makes it the last safe port for any mercantile ships looking to swing around the Derratrak desert and the southeastern corner of Atessia. Rich farmland and forests to the north have led to strong farming, hunting, tanning, and lumber industries. The original founders have easily made back their investment, and Sandpoint is poised to continue its growth, maybe becoming a full-fledged city given enough time.

The four founders, or their descendants, still live and hold power in Sandpoint. Kendra Deverin (the youngest, but only surviving member of the Deverin family) serves as town mayor; the Valdemars manage Sandpoint’s harbor; the Scarnettis run a lumberyard and a brewery (despite constant rumors of connection to organized crime back in Magnimar); Lonjiku Kaijitsu, an elven exile, operates a glassworks outside of town.

Like many of the villages in the area, Sandpoint is only a stone’s throw away from the past, which here takes the form of the Old Light – a tower (well, half of a tower, the top broke off at some point) at the mouth of the cove, presumably a lighthouse. The oddity is the first thing most ships see as they approach the village, and has become something of a symbol for the town in the eyes of merchants. For the most part, Sandpoint’s residents don’t pay the tower much mind.

The Late Unpleasantness

Sandpoint’s growth hasn’t been all sunshine and butterflies; in fact, the town is still recovering from dark days. Five years ago, a madman began stalking Sandpoint’s streets at nights, murdering and mutilating seemingly at random. Over the course of a month, Chopper (as the killer was christened) claimed twenty-five lives, including as his final victim Sandpoint’s sheriff. After the sheriff’s death, one of the deputies managed to track Chopper to his lair, revealing the killer to be none other than Jervis Stoot, a widely loved woodcutter and artist who turned out to have a shrine to the Rough Beast, Rovagug, in his basement.

Jervis killed himself before he could be arrested, and the killings stopped, but the town’s troubles continued. Two weeks later, a horrific fire started in the Sandpoint Chapel, quickly spreading to nearby buildings. By the time the fire could be stopped, the Chapel, the White Deer Inn, and four houses had burned to the ground, and many other buildings took heavy damage. Ezekien Tobyn, Sandpoint’s spiritual leader, died in the blaze, along with his heaven-touched daughter Nualia.

Sandpoint has repaired most of the damage, but psychological scars remain from what has come to be called the Late Unpleasantness (the townsfolk don’t talk about it often, but when they do you can hear the capital letters). Belor Hemlock, the deputy who put an end to Chopper’s killings, has taken over as Sandpoint’s sheriff, serving admirably for the past five years. A new priest, Father Abstalar Zantus, relocated to Sandpoint from Magnimar, holding outdoor services while a new chapel was constructed. The Late Unpleasantness has passed out of general conversation, but it will still be a long time before it passes out of immediate memory.


The Swallowtail Festival

But that’s the past. Today is a day of rejoicing! It is the autumnal equinox, a holy day to the goddess Desna (who presides over dreams, luck, travelers, and the stars). Holy days aside, today is a special day; the new Sandpoint Chapel has just been finished, the last of the buildings destroyed in the Late Unpleasantness to be rebuilt, and today it is being consecrated. Of course there’s a festival, the whole town’s on hold, everyone’s coming in to celebrate, to talk and laugh and worship and remember how wonderful life can be.

Our story begins at this Swallowtail Festival (the swallowtail butterfly is a symbol of Desna, hence the name); each of you, for whatever reason, is attending the celebrations. It’s an all-day affair – the town square in front of the chapel has been busy with preparations all morning, and festivities proper begin shortly before noon, continuing well past sunset. Come, join the festivities!

This thread is where out-of-combat roleplaying will take place; combat will take place on either Roll20 or MapTools, I'll pick one and provide links before the first combat. Before we get started, everyone should post a link to their character sheet and your character's background information (including why they're in Sandpoint). Ask away if you have any questions about the setting, let me know if you have ideas for bringing backstory elements into the campaign (I'll try to do that regardless), talk to me about anything.

I'd also like to get an idea of when people are available to gather for combat; if necessary we can run combat asynchronously but it'll go a lot smoother/quicker if we can all meet at the same time. Let me know your schedule, and what time zone you're in.

You can get in touch with me here, on the Pox forums, or over Skype; my username is rz.howell, full name is Robert Z. Howell, be sure to put your Pox name in the chat request so I know who you are.

[calisk]

k fixed up, didn't think it sent a confirmation mail.

as for times I can play if it's just for a combat I'm pretty much okay most days of the week. 6-12 atlantic time.

I have other pathfinder games on saturday and wednesday though so those are the days I won't be able to.

[Molosse]

A common practise among the Grishund is to send the young adults of their species out into the wider world, to learn of other cultures first hand and take from them lessons that will eventually benefit the Grishund as a whole.
Emgann Dukark is like many of these wandering scholars and warriors; he left the Cadre at a young age to venture out into the wider-world, an Infiltrator and disciple of the Ar Feiz or “The Faith” in common, an old movement within the Grishund that concentrates on pursuing knowledge for the sake of control, just as their progenitor once did.
Finding no support in the greater elven lands and being cast out of the furthest fiefdoms due to his heritage, he decided to search closer to home and, upon hearing about both the independence and development of a northern fiefdom, Magnimar, decided to venture northwards from his homeland, hoping that the fiefdom’s libraries would be unsullied by the same level of bias and corruption found within the Elven lands. Eventually he stopped at the bustling town of Sandpoint to rest and take on supplies just as the Autumn Equinox passed by.

http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=459431

Emgann will speak and think in Grey, thoughts will be in italics whilst speech will be presented normally

Btw, to get things in a spoiler box just highlight what you want to set as a spoiler and click the little bubble with spoil in on the top right, we may want to put OoC stuff in here, or we can create a separate thread, your call Mirior.

[calisk]

Slithir was Raised in the slums of the human city Highhelm, he was looked after by the head of a small branch of the black fangs, an underground crime syndicate spread out over most of the land.

He was raised from a young age to dance to earn his keep and to fight other children to toughen him up for his adult life as a potential assassin for the larger branches.

His dancing was intended to be his in into the aristocracy of the cities, and he was going to be a perfect assassin, the exotic nature of his race would be an even bigger draw to the bored nobles of the city.

Fortunately just before his 11th birthday the local guards did a raid on the black fang hideout he was a member of and due to his age was spared an execution, he was reluctantly put into the protection of the temple of toraq, over the years he managed to over come some of his past, learning the enjoyment of dance for more then just a way to survive, he also learned combat from the paladins and monks of toraq, althouh his frame was to fragile to handle the heavy weapons and armor that was typical of his trainer Silverbeard, he managed to develop his own style of fighting.

He fell in love with the tales of adventuring, and would devour any new tales he could hear from the paladins when they'd return from a cleansing or mission.

It wasn't long before he demanded to go out on a mission with the paladins, and was assigned to accompany commander Silverbeard and his squad of paladin on a mission to cleanse a Rovagug cult north of the five kings mountains, his job was to simply watch and tell the tale of what happened after the adventure was complete.

The mission went well up till they faced the leader of the cult, he sprung a magical trap, causing the spirit of rovagug to posses commander Silverbeard, in the confusion to come Silverbeard killed 4 of his men, leaving only slithir and Silverbeard's second in command, bloodied and about to die the young lieutenant gave slithir his "ring of Toraq" which was broken in the battle as a sign of their defeat and ordered him to return to Highhelm and tell them of their defeat and the info they had learned when investigating the cult.

Leaving commander Silverbeard and the lieutenant behind he ran as quickly as he could fighting his way out of the cult underground temple, and manged to return to deliver the news to the temple. They dispatched 4 other squads of paladins to cleanse the cult and retrieve the bodies but they never found the body of Silverbeard or his lieutenant, though the rest of the squad was still where they fell, the leader had escaped.

Slithir began to focus on his ability to fight regretting not being able to help silverbeard, he intends to find out what happened to him and the lieutenant that gave his life to save him.

Unable to progress any further within the confines of the city he decided it was time to venture out, and headed towards the only lead he had, a town called sandpoint, the name kept coming up when he asked about the cult, and it was time he checked it out for himself.

[Tarth]

So..sorry its super long.

Tarth Gramalian was born a slave. His parents were members of a gypsie band traveling through the western fiefdoms on their annual trek where they sell, perform and steal to get them through the coming year. In this family, blood was second only to loyalty to the clan.

They had done this for generations, moving into an area, running scams, tricking the towns folk into parting with their gold and rolling out before they were missed. Only as time went on, people started to notice them. Mummers of what they are made it harder and harder to get by.

The Thad of their clan chose to strike out east in search of new land and marks in which to take what was needed. Their wagon trains cutting through the prairie like a knife through a coin purse. Always greedy for more.

half way through their travel as they were setting out into a golden valley the Thad's wagons burst into flames. Gnolls were screaming down the hills sending arrows and spears into the wagons from both sides. More were jumping from under the tall grass throwing nets and cutting down any fool trying to fight back. His father and mother were no fools. They and what was left of their clan were taken north to be sold in the slave markets of some unremembered fiefdom.

His first memories are of his childhood growing up not knowing that there was something other then servitude. He lived every moment of his life with the chains cutting into his wrists, with the lash of the whips cuttings his back, and the words of his "betters" crushing his spirit. He was blessed though, his father and mother were kept together as bed slaves for their masters.

When he was 9 his merchant master was leading a caravan down some road he didn't know, for some profit he would never see. He was forced to carry the wine skins and make sure the mistress and her friends were never with out drink or knew boredom.

Fate seemed to smile on him that day. When the war broke out between the fiefs as it always did no one thought much about it. They were safe, miles away from the conflict and had seals of protection from both sides. Yet the fighting spilled into the northern lands, fires and death were common sight on the road. A group of outriders came upon the merchants caravan and requested their toll. In the conflict that followed Tarth was able to make a run for it as his mistress was gutted in front of him.

He ran for hours through the harsh prairie, over streams, through hills, nearly falling over himself with hurry. As he passed out at he base of a pine tree, half hidden in the branches and needles he prayed that his parents, safe back in the walled city of Torenth, The slavers bloody jewel, would be ok and find him some day. If he lived long enough to see it he would be blessed.

A village woodcarver found him 3 days later trying to steal bread from his stove. Tarth was sure he would of gotten away with it if he didnt have the chains around his hands still. Upon being found Tarth tried to fight the woodcarver who broke out in laughter as the boy hardly able to lift his hands was screaming taunts and insults at him.

Over the next few days he learned he had crossed into Kite Oran a small fiefdom to the east which had stayed out of the slave war. That the man, named Gunther had a wife and a daughter who was a few years younger then Tarth. Gunther let Tarth stay with them taking pity on the boy letting him earn his keep by hunting, fishing, and taking care of the small pack of hounds they kept out in the yard.

Over the next few years Tarth and Gunthers daughter, Lyra became best friends, the first friend Tarth ever had. After about 6 years, Gunther died of a pox out break. Lyra and her mother tried to keep the cabin from going under but the strain of feeding 3 with out Gunther to help work was too much. Debt and taxes kept stacking up till they couldnt see hope anymore. Tarth kept food on the table but wasnt able to help pay the bills. Tarth sold all that he owned making a few gold, a fortune to him.

He wrote a note, begging them for forgiveness and thanking them for all they had done. He left all the gold on the table, hoping it would help. He took some cloths, tools, food, stole a lantern from the wood shop and crept away in the middle of the night. Unable to say good bye he hoped they would understand.

One of the pups he was training followed him out into the yard, trying to keep up with him only to fall further behind. A quick whimper was all he could do. Tarth unable to abandon the pup took it with him, thanking the heavens for the reminder of his home. He has wondered for many years with Ajax by his side. Staying in one place only long enough to make some gold selling his skins and meat or to act as a guide. He tried to work as a scout for some kingdoms war a few times but they were all the same. Just greedy or opportunistic fools, so one blurred into the other. He never stayed on in one spot for very long. Not sure why but he felt pulled forever onward as if searching for something.

He found himself just drifting into sandpoint one day. He had never been this way before and came just because he could. Seems they are having some festival, who knows what he can find here.


http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=460721
I can play whenever too
Going to use brown for my speach

[Mirior]

Molosse, Tarth, everything looks good. Calisk - mostly looks good, but there's a conflict between your background and the setting info Comissar typed out (it's on page 1 of the Pox thread, if you haven't seen it). The dwarves haven't been seen on the surface of Atessia for several centuries, long enough that their very existence has passed into the hazy realms of myth and folklore. Would Highhelm work just as well as a gnomish city or one of the fiefdoms? If not, let me know and we'll figure something out.

[calisk]

Molosse, Tarth, everything looks good. Calisk - mostly looks good, but there's a conflict between your background and the setting info Comissar typed out (it's on page 1 of the Pox thread, if you haven't seen it). The dwarves haven't been seen on the surface of Atessia for several centuries, long enough that their very existence has passed into the hazy realms of myth and folklore. Would Highhelm work just as well as a gnomish city or one of the fiefdoms? If not, let me know and we'll figure something out.

hmmmm....well torag is normally a dwarven god, and in the pathfidner setting highhelm is the location of their head temple. he is worshipped by multiple races though so in this setting if dwarves are lost I could see it being taken over by humans to worship the old god and we could just say high helm is a human city, which would be better fittin for a tengu which live in human cities more often. I could switch the trait, and re-write his back story though, if that's better for the setting.

[Tarth]

hmmmm....well torag is normally a dwarven god, and in the pathfidner setting highhelm is the location of their head temple. he is worshipped by multiple races though so in this setting if dwarves are lost I could see it being taken over by humans to worship the old god and we could just say high helm is a human city, which would be better fittin for a tengu which live in human cities more often. I could switch the trait, and re-write his back story though, if that's better for the setting.


Why not just assume dwrfs are there still but rarely seen? isolationists if you will. Comissars story could support that since their are a lot of stories about what happened. Might be simpler to not have them exist/be in the world but could be interesting if hes frm some hidden conclave or a lone/last outpost of the dwarves.

[Mirior]

hmmmm....well torag is normally a dwarven god, and in the pathfidner setting highhelm is the location of their head temple. he is worshipped by multiple races though so in this setting if dwarves are lost I could see it being taken over by humans to worship the old god and we could just say high helm is a human city, which would be better fittin for a tengu which live in human cities more often. I could switch the trait, and re-write his back story though, if that's better for the setting.


Switching Highhelm and the worshippers of Torag to human sounds like a good solution; I don't see a need to switch traits or rewrite the backstory beyond that.

[Comissar]

Telra wandered through the streets of Sandpoint, enjoying the music and exhibition of the festival that was all around. The timing of his arrival had been good, there was a certain quaint charm to the celebrations. It had been some time since he'd last stopped to relax, his lifestyle meant that he was on the move a lot.

This might even be a nice place to settle...

He naturally caused a stir as he walked around. His clothing was unusually flamboyant, his attire suggesting that he may be a nobleman. Pointed boots gave way to linen trousers. At his belt hung a sheathed sword with an unusually ornate crossguard, which he rested one hand on the hilt of as he walked. A doublet was visible underneath a chestguard made of studded leather. Finally, the outfit was completed by a broad rimmed hat.

A beach house, maybe a part time shipping business?

He'd certainly come a long way from his homeland. This far from the Republic, people had even mistaken him for an Elf sometimes. It was unusual, to say the least. He wasn't entirely sure how comfortable he was with the comparison.

Telra smiled slightly, the idea of settling down amusing him. He knew full well that staying in one place for too long just wasn't something he would do.

I'll stay for the festival though, it certainly sounds like fun.

Telra Thandhel's sheet (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=460998) is there. Telra will speak and think in Orange, thoughts will be in italics whilst speech will be presented "Like this"

[Oneiros]

The ratling was born with an inquisitive mind, which is no great shock so far as Ratfolk go. What produced the shock was that he refused to barter with the races on the surface, preferring instead to stay forever in the tunnels of his people, fumigating them heavily with his alchemical research.

It got to be too much for them. He just wasn't right. Managing to convince themselves that they were doing him a favor by turning him out, by making him face the real world, making him grow into a better rat, they effectively locked the door and barred the gate.

Alone now, Tavi (our Ratling's name, taken from a hero of rodents everywhere) had no idea what to do. He drifted, city to city, using what he could remember of the lessons in trade the folk gave him to get by (not that he ever listened, he had to dredge the words from out of the chemical smog of his mind).

Eventually, fed up with his barter-based life, he stole the makings of an alchemy lab. With that he began working as a makeshift apothecary, but still having to flee cities every so often. He did, after all, never receive proper training. For all that Tavi did right, he made countless errors before he got there, and he learned swiftly that few appreciate going to an apothecary for anything other than a surefire remedy.

His city-to-city roaming brought him back, eventually, to Magnimar. He couldn't remember when he'd ever been, but given the reaction his landlord had at the sight of him he assumed he must have done.

Maybe this is a place to stay. For a while, at least.



And with that, and with some time allotted between there and now, we come to the present.



Tavi was stumped and homeless. Stumped because he was sure he had it right that time, and homeless because a pinch of the wrong stuff in the wrong place is enough to, quite literally, blow the roof off. The walls went with. Whoever built this house had a very easy time of it, apparently. As construction jobs went, Tavi would give it a 4, maybe a 5 with better nails or less flammable wood.

The neighbors were beginning to grumble anyhow. About the smell, about the medical bills, about the windows blasting out every so often. About him being, not to put too fine a point on it, a larger kind of the vermin they killed almost daily in their little slum in Magnimar.

It was time to go. He had heard someone talking the other day of a glassblower over in some podunk town. A nearby glassblower is something any alchemist needs, but especially any alchemist with such a propensity for blowing up or having smashed his glassware.

What was that heap? Shaletip? Eh, I'll find out soon enough


All the other kids were putting their backstories in this thread so I figured I would too. Here's my sheet, feel free to have a look over it and point out any inconsistencies etc
http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=461295

I'm going to go ahead and take whatever color it is I decided upon for my speech and thought. Doing the spoiler first. Probably a shade of green, though.

Also, I've prepared one extract of Cure-Light Wounds, my Plague Vial, and 8 catalyst vials for the day, if you please.

[Mirior]

The sun pierces your eyes from a cloudless sky, the autumn air is delightfully crisp, and the open square in the center of town is already crowded as you arrive, townsfolk and farmers milling in the middle, merchant stalls selling clothes, crafts, and baked goods to the left of the new chapel, a row of tables to the right of the chapel where the local taverns are still laying out what looks to be a delicious lunch. There's a wooden podium in front of the chapel, a brown-haired woman is standing behind it delivering an opening speech; two more speakers are waiting their turn on a row of four chairs behind the podium, a tanned man with a sword by his belt sitting in the middle and an older man in priestly robes on the end.

Two small children run past you, laughing. They're heading towards the games set up along the back of the square - tug-of-war, sack races, a balancing beam. Most everyone else is paying attention to the speaker, the mayor of this town, as she welcomes everyone to the Swallowtail Festival, to the joyous day.

[Tarth]

Standing off to the side of a booth selling "flowers and spice", I lean against the cool shadowed wall of the church, escaping the harsh sun thanks to height of the new bell tower. My golden brown hide shirt and darker fur covered pants stand out against the wool and cloth dyed outfits of my hosts. Thankfully my dusty tan cloak hides my pack and gear and no one seems to care about outsiders today, in fact I seem almost welcomed by the people passing by.

My eyes quickly moving from person to person, face to face, taking all the smiles and laughter in. "Does the soul good to be around such happiness, tis been too long"
I say to myself as I reach my left hand down groping at the thin air next to me. "Wonder what hes up to?" Smiling that I forgot, as I lay my hands against the rough stone and push off the wall.

Before I can take more then a few steps a group of kids rush by nearly falling over themselves in their hurry. I just stepped back in time to avoid them trampling over me to take part in a "tug o war".

I pass the time watching these people hurry about, buying and selling, loving and laughing, even a tavern girl tried to ask me to dance. I take a seat at a table and order some water, the walk to town was a long one. Time flows by with me making small talk with the tavern girl, listening to soft music and just getting lost in thought. " Todays a good day. Lass a round on me"


Do I need to make not of when/where/if I have weapons/gear with me or is it just assumed?

[calisk]

after arriving in town I take a look around to see the opening ceremony taking place.

I take my place among the crowd and begin to listen to what the mayor and the others have to say

[Molosse]

Dukark levered himself out of the poorly constructed bed, marveling as he did that any night could have been as uncomfortable the one he'd just have to put up with.

Shaking his head he swung his legs onto the teak floor before grabbing his boots and pulling them on, wondering if the Inn sold a decent breakfast and if so whether his pittance of coins left after renting the room for the night would allow him to enjoy it.

Sighing deeply he pushes himself up from the bed and begins to pull on his varied accouterments, first his rough shirt, his well-maintained Studded Leather armour over that and finally his belt with his families sword attached securely to his side.

Walking through the door he paused to exchange a few pleasantries with the Inn-keeper, the high-backed neck of his armour serving to subtly mask his less than human features, before making his way purposefully towards the inns entrance. Opening the door Dukark was exposed to a plethora of light and sound, the sun was truly shining and the marketplace was abustle with stalls and a dominating central plaza whereupon a podium was placed for would be orators to try their hand at wowing the crowd. Deciding he had time for a morning walk to warm up his stiff muscles Dukark set off for the plaza wondering what the day could hold.

I'm walking from the Rusty Dragon mate.

[Mirior]

The mayor's speech goes quickly. She's an exuberant speaker, eagerly welcoming visitors to Sandpoint (her eyes dancing from Tarth to Slithir to Dukark, among others), cracking good-hearted jokes about people whose names you don't recognize but that send chuckles through the crowd, and soon stepping back to cede the podium to the next speaker.

Sheriff Hemlock, the tanned man with the sword at his side, stands and moves to the podium next. After the mayor's sparkling grin, Hemlock's dour face looks carved in stone. He calls for a moment of silence, in memory of those whose live were lost five years ago.

Sitting at the tables, Tarth has an excellent view of the food preparations. Sandpoint has three taverns, and each seems to be trying to feed the whole town. An elven women walks over with a glass of water for Tarth and a glass of mead for the lass, whose name is Bethana. "Don't keep him too long," the elf says to Bethana with a smile.

Molosse - which inn is Dukark staying at? There's the White Deer, the fanciest (and priciest) in town; the Hagfish, down by the waterfront and a hangout for local sailors and fisher; and the Rusty Dragon, closest to the edge of town and the most frequented by travelers.

Tarth - I'm assuming you're all armed/prepared for combat unless there's a reason not to be, I'll ask explicitly if such a reason comes up. For now, noone's going to look askance at travelers being armed, the roads are fairly safe but not completely.

[calisk]

I say a silent prayer for the fallen and pay my respects, I remain silent for the time and make a mental note of the sheriff, I'll need to talk to him later.

[Molosse]

Dukark bows his head slightly in response to the silence, taking the opportunity to scan the crowd as he did, drifting his eyes forwards and backwards across the the crowded plaza.

Would I need to make a perception check here mate? Feel free to contact over Skype, i'll just update this spoiler.

[Mirior]

I'll roll passive Perception checks myself, unless anyone objects. If you're specifically looking for something, roll an active check, but general awareness of surroundings will be checked backstage to avoid spoiling when there's something to notice.

[Tarth]

Lowering my head with a slight smile I return to talking with Bethana. She seems very interested in my stories from my wandering. We laugh and joke with each other, only taking a break to join the silence for the lost.

I whisper so she has to lean in close So, do you have any good stories from this place? hoping for some information about the locals or the area.

[Mirior]

Sheriff Hemlock raises his head, continues his speech. He asks everyone to stay safe, especially around the bonfire tonight - it's fun, he knows it's fun, but burns are not fun. He closes by commenting that the man scheduled to speak after him, Lonjiku Kaijitsu, has taken a sudden illness and won't be speaking, which means the podium is passing straight to Father Zantus.

The man in the priestly robes rises, moves to the podium; his speech is in many ways a repeat of the mayor's speech, welcoming everyone, musing on how wonderful it is that the damage of the past has been repaired, that Sandpoint can come together and celebrate in peace. He'll be officially consecrating the new chapel - he's seen the inside, it's marvelous - an hour after noon, after everyone's had a chance to fill their stomachs on the wonderful food provided. On that note, he steps aside, and the festival proper begins!

Bethana, leaning in quite close, is stuffed to the bursting with juicy tidbits of gossip. One of the lumber mills north of town caught fire last month, the third mill to burn in the last year. The Vinder sisters have been vexing their father (Ven Vinder, he runs the general store) something fierce with all them men they keep sneaking off to see. This wizard from Magnimar's set up home in the Old Light (pointing to the half of a tower you can see at the far end of Sandpoint Cove). "Small town stuff, nothing like the stories you tell. Where's Kite Oran?"

[calisk]

after the opening ceremony I decide to get a drink at one of the local taverns, it's been a long trip from five mountains and rations have grown quite tiresome. A good drink would go down quite well.

As I enter the tavern I happen to over hear the bar maid talking about her gossip, I sit down where I can hear her talking and order a strong drink.

the bartender brings me some mead and says it's on the house curtousy of the man talking to the waitress.

I decide to take a seat at his table and thank him for mead.

[Comissar]

Telra applauds politely and keeps quiet out of respect when appropriate during the Mayors speech. In truth, it hadn't felt all that impressive. Lengthy political speeches weren't what he'd travelled to the place for, instead he was looking for the excitement the celebrations had promised. Realising that there wasn't going to be anything happening for a little while, he headed towards the local Tavern to pass the time.

Once inside, he found himself an empty table and, leaving his coat on a chair, went up to the bar. Pulling his coin purse out, he asked the barman "How much for some wine?"

Are we really meeting in the local Tavern? :smalltongue:

[Tarth]

Well someone took so long we had to do something!

[Oneiros]

Having packed his few belongings onto his somewhat flatulent packrat Arugula some time ago, and off for Shaletip even more recently, Tavi arrived rather dusty, lost and pawsore in Sandpoint in time for some great communal event that involved a bunch of people that tended to take time in getting used to not eradicating the folk.

He was not enthused, as this seemed an unnecessary diversion in his journey to Shaletip, where he dreamed of glassblowers growing from bushes (though he did understand the concept of, well, conception, Tavi was rather shaky on the finer details of such things as they happened within other species), and various alchemical reagents for tea.

In any case, he hung around the outskirts of the crowd for long enough to realize that nothing being said was to the useful effect of "And what about our fine neighboring town of Shaletip, located for your convenience just x direction of here?", and resolved to find someone that might know where his promised land was.

Casting around for a likely target, he notices a ragged looking human sitting at a table. Surely someone that worn would know the area?

Working his way through and around the crowd with a no-longer flatulent Arugula in tow, Tavi approached the man.

Hello, sir. Please, do you know of a town in the area by the name of Shaletip? It shouldn't be too far now

Yes, the guy in question is Tarth in case my description wasn't, you know, descriptive (and Tarth, if you don't like being called ragged or worn, put it down to me being a rat).

[Molosse]

Dukark nodded slightly as the Sheriff finished his speech and the villagers around him began to chatter and gossip among themselves. Sometimes it's nice to be reminded of home he thought, though no doubt the banality of the conversations would be lacking among his race, their position in the world has left himself and his race with a rather more dark approach to humour and companionship. Still it's always good to digest how the different fiefdoms converse and interact, the people of Magnimar had a much more lilting approach to the language that reminded him happily of his own family.

The sun beating down upon him was becoming stifling and thus he decided a drink would be in order, glancing around before locating the nearest tavern he moved towards the entrance, pausing as he saw the common area full to bursting point. Luckily however there was a chair going free at a table currently occupied by a sole tall human. Seeing no other free tables Dukark began to make his way over.

My apologies, but would you mind if I sat here? Damn hard to find anywhere else in the building.

What do I notice about Comi's char?

[Mirior]

You aren't the only ones gravitating towards the tables; the siren call of food draws many a soul. The elven woman, who seems to be directing things around the tables near you, calls Bethana away to help keep food moving, trays of smoked salmon, lobster chowder, and roast boar replaced as the hungry crowd empties them. All of the food is delicious (brought to you by the Rusty Dragon, stay for the night!)

The tavern buildings are closed for the afternoon, since everyone's outside; I'm assuming Dukark and Telra are sitting down at the outside tables near where Tarth/Slithir/Tavi are. I'll let Comi answer the question about what Dukark notices.

Also, we should schedule a time to all get on Maptools and play in real time. I'm available at any point today, I know that's short notice for people, I'll also be available anytime after 4pm EST tomorrow. I'm on Skype, let me know when you'll be able to stay on for a 3-5 hour chunk over that time.

[Comissar]

Glancing up, Telra gestures to the empty chair at the table.

"By all means, I imagine it'll get fairly crowded in here before too long."

Picking at the food in front of him, Telra racks his brains trying to think of a conversation topic.

"You don't look like a local, what's brought you here?"

[Molosse]

Grinning gratefully Dukark lowers himself onto the free chair, but not before motioning to a nearby maid to bring over a hunk of boar and a mug of schnaps.

"You have my thanks"

Dukark pauses briefly to roll his shoulders and shift his weapon out of the way of the scurrying townsfolk.

"As to why I am here? A stop on the road, I'm heading towards Magnimar to examine a few old maps for my rulers, the State-Library is meant to have vast works from across the continent."

By this time the maid had returned with his plate of roasted boar and a large draught of northern peach scnaps, thanking her briefly and taking a contemplative taste he continued.

And yourself friend? Your clothes seem somewhat less restrained than the other townsfolk.

[Comissar]

Telra glanced down at his clothing. His coat was still hung on the back of the chair, leaving him in his armour and doublet.

"It is the fashion in the land I am from, amongst some of us anyway."

He pauses to eat before continuing, "As to why I am here, I've been travelling for a little while now. My aim is to craft my own future through my own deeds."

Telra gives the man opposite him a short smile and then returns to his food.

[calisk]

"thanks for the drink" I say to the man sitting at the table "the names slithir, and by the sounds of the convesation you were just having with the waitress your about as new as I am around here"

[Mirior]

The group gathered around a table, introducing themselves, talking about their pasts and plans. Bethana and her employer, the elf Ameiko Kaijitsu joined in on the conversation, until it was interrupted by Father Zantus taking the podium to deliver a speech consecrating the new chapel. This speech was more long-winded than the previous speeches, culminating in the release of a swarm of bright blue swallowtail butterflies, a delightful scene.

At that moment, the goblins attacked. Heralded by the yelps of a dying dog, the goblins leapt from hiding places in back alleys, armed with torches and pieces of scrap metal. The group leapt into action, taking down over a dozen goblins, including one of the magic-using drummers and the goblin commander atop his ratlike “dog,” as the townsfolk fled and Sheriff Hemlock gathered the guard. The goblins fled, doing relatively little damage to Sandpoint or its people, but ending the festival prematurely and setting everyone on edge – never before had the goblin tribes attacked Sandpoint, this new aggression bodes ill.

After the battle, the party conferred with Sheriff Hemlock, who asked for their assistance in keeping Sandpoint safe. Ameiko offered the group free room and board at the Rusty Dragon, Father Zantus healed their wounds. Aldern Foxglove, a noble from Magnimar whom the group rescued from goblins invited them to visit him at the White Deer the next day, falling over himself with praise for the group (especially for Telra, who stood between him and danger and then slew the goblin leader). Sheriff Hemlock informed the group that his guards had captured one goblin alive, and promised to let them know when the goblin awoke so they could be present for an interrogation.

Most of the group went to their new rooms to rest and recover; Tarth set off for the edge of town to try to pick up the goblins’ tracks.

Gains (let me know if I missed something):
20gp, 4 to everyone
potion of cure moderate wounds (to Tarth)
shortbow with 18 arrows (to Slithir)
whip (to Tarth)

484 xp to everyone (we’re using the fast track)

[Tarth]

So....when do I find out if I found anything?

[Oneiros]

Thinking on the efficacy of his firebombs, Tavi resolved to experiment and improve or alter his design. If goblins were to be a threat, he was determined to exterminate them. A nearby glassblower doesn't happen just anywhere, after all. As well, one of them had almost killed him. A rat could just about take that personal.

With that in mind, Tavi retired to his room, Arugula in tow, and unpacked his makeshift laboratory from the bags on her back, eyes already distant, focusing on a possibility no one else in town was likely to see.

[roll0]

[Molosse]

Dukark spits the remnants of blood in his mouth onto the street, tensing as he feels the healing potion re-knit the ragged hole in his side, a wound caused by a lucky arrow sent from the blasted Goblin leader.

In any case, Ar Feiz had taken another three souls into the fold for little in the way of permanent damage. A good result he thought, as he wiped his blade clean on the ragged apparel of the Goblin chief.

He grins briefly, exposing his bloodied teeth, the little ratfolk certainly caused a mess, those explosives of his... Very effective, but then again... Maybe that was just Goblins being damn stupid.

Last he saw of him he was scurrying off to his room, muttering about casing size and powder burn, should be fun to see the results.

Again, he grins, broadly this time. He was out in the greater world, he'd already met one companion with skills that the cadre would find useful and he was about to go searching for the Sheriff to sort out payment... It was a good day. And it's going to get better.

[calisk]

upon waking up the next day Slithir decides to begin his morning ritual of praying to torag by meditating on the battle and probing for weaknesses in the goblins attack.

once satisfied he reaches for the whet stone in his pack, but realises it's missing, it must of fallen out during the battle yesterday, he says a minor curse in tengu under his breath and decides he'll need to grab another one later today.

with that he heads out to find the shops within this town, and buy some new supplies.

updated my sheet - I purchased a weapon cord, a whetstone, and sold some of my weapons, since I hadn't used them yet or referenced them I just sold them for full price, I didn't realize how few weapon I need since I have natural attacks.

after completing his shopping he spends some time honing his weapons with his new whet stone, and returns to the inn to meet the others he met yesterday.

[Mirior]

The next day dawns quietly; the townsfolk are still somewhat subdued after the events of yesterday. After everyone was accounted for, Sandpoint lost two citizens yesterday, with a dozen more wounded to various degrees. It's a bad situation, but everyone in town knows it could've gone much worse, and everyone in town knows the five of you were instrumental in stopping the raid from being worse. Your names spread around the town astonishingly fast, and soon people you've never seen before are walking up to you to thank you by name.

Ameiko greets you in the morning with a fresh-cooked breakfast, eggs and biscuits and fresh milk, and with a message from Sheriff Hemlock - the goblin prisoner's awake. It's (he's? Hard to tell with goblins) chained and under guard, and Hemlock is waiting for you to arrive before he starts the interrogation.

We're going to be in roleplay mode for the next week; looking at schedules it appears that Sundays and Mondays are the only days everyone can gather for any substantive amounts of time. I'll be on Skype as often as I can to run individual scenes (already gone through a couple); scenes where the group is staying together will go through the thread.

[calisk]

Slithir steps up to listen to what the goblin has to say, whether he wants to say it or not

[Comissar]

Telra basked in the adoration of the crowd, happily taking on the role of being one of the towns heroes. He'd been wandering around the town for a little while now, doing little more than greeting people and shaking hands. Before too long he heard that the Sheriff wanted to see him.

When he arrives, Slithir is already there. He gives the Tengu a warm smile and a nod before turning his attention to the Goblin before them.

[Molosse]

Dukark stepped into the Inn just as the sun sets across the horizon, he had just spoken to the Sheriff concerning to the Goblin issue and made himself a decent stipend while doing so, he would have to inform the rest of the party about that at some point.

Shrugging his shoulder's he approached the Inn-Keeper, somewhat gratified to note that his board was free for the night, glancing around the abandoned main-room he set off towards his bed for the night.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The small amount of light filtering through the banded shuttered wakes Dukark from his sleep, that and the continued loud scratching and muttering coming from the adjacent wall, obviously where the Rat-folk was still tinkering.

Levering himself from bed following his daily devotions and only stopping only to thank the Inn-keeper and receive Hemlock's message to meet him at the Guardhouse, Dukark set off into the dusty plaza, which was, again, filling with the people of Sandpoint.

He turned into the Guardhouse shortly after Noon, being waved in by the Militaman at the door and being immediately greeted with a constant barrage of profanity.

Again Dukark grins. It's going to be a good day.

[Tarth]

Tarth crawls into his apartment through the door that opens to the outside near the stables with Ajax close behind. He was waiting for Tarth at the entrance to the town, back from where ever he went the other day.

Its been months since they slept in a bed, and Tarth quickly throws himself on top of the bed. Ajax Climbs in as well taking up as much or more space then Tarth, but he is use to the giant hounds presence and quickly falls asleep tired from the days events.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Near noon Tarth is rocked out of sleep by Ajax forcing open the side door. Tarth smiles as he sees the hound push outside and wandering off again. I have to figure out where hes going lately" he says to himself as the beast rushes off.

Gathering his equipment he unpacks his bag looking for his coin. He moves out to take part in some of the inns services and joins some other guests at a meal. He is quickly aware that the town has been talking about him and the other outsiders as town heros. Not use to this many people in a long time he doesnt quit know what to do and simply smiles while eating.

He heads out to find the sheriff since he was unable to talk to him the night before about what he found on his trip around town. Entering into the his office he sees a group of the others waiting to hear from the goblin prisoner.

He says before they know he was even there. [COLOR="Sienna"]The attack on the village seems to have been only part of their plan. I was able to track the group back east a ways. It seems the goblins were summoned by someone or thing able to call goblins from multiple places to the east and north. They were also brought by wagon, one far to big for mere goblins, which makes me believe someone was guiding them with a purpose here. Looking at the sheriff, he tries to sense the motive of the man before he goes on. Is there anything you can think of as to why the village was a target? Anything here that we dont know about?
waiting on the reply before going on

[Mirior]

[roll0]

^Tarth's sense motive check, and also me making sure I know how the site roller works.

[Oneiros]

Upon waking up, Tavi resolves to try to find the rest of the group from the other day, that they can call upon the frowning human the prancing swordsman saved.

After casting around for the rest of the party, though, it became clear that they did not have the same goal in mind, as they all seemed to be heading towards the gaol to find what the goblin had to say. With a sigh, Tavi too heads for the worthless use of incarcerated flesh.

[Tarth]

Unable to figure out if the sheriff knew anything, tarth went on to explain how part of the goblin horde passed the town and went into the cemetery. There were tracks to large for goblins mixed in with this group. He doesnt know what they were after or did once over the walls but they left the same way they got in and headed back east.

[Mirior]

Sandpoint's guardhouse is a stocky, lowset wooden building; the door's unlocked. A guard welcomes you in, thanks you for your help with the raid, points you towards Sheriff Hemlock.

Hemlock listens to Tarth's report, concerned. "We found a wagon in one of the back alleys, almost certainly the same one you're describing; you're right that something other than goblins must be going on here. I have no idea what they're after, but if there's goblins coming from multiple tribes, we may be in a heap of trouble."

Tarth doesn't sense anything off in the sheriff's reaction; his concern seems genuine, as does his ignorance of anything specific the goblins could want.

"You say they went to the cemetary? That's just bizarre. I'll have to check it out after we talk to the goblin."

[Mirior]

Hemlock leads you down a set of stairs to a basement jail cell. Inside, a single goblin is trying desparately to squeeze between a set of iron bars - his hands are bound behind his back, and he's nowhere near small enough to slip through. As soon as the goblin catches sight of you, he jumps away from the bars and starts shrieking in an ear-splitting high voice.

"Lets me out! I bes a good goblin! I didn't do nuttin bad, I's always good, let me goes home!"

[calisk]

"you want to be a good goblin, then tell us everything we want to know, if you cooperate I might go find a nice shiney sword for you to take back to your village" sltihir spins one of his weapons around on his fingers to entice the goblin as he speaks.


trying to figure out the roller fora bluff/diplomacy check check...

1d6 I see you can't do it in an edit

[calisk]

[roll0]bluff

[Mirior]

The goblin's eyes go wide at Slithir's blade. He starts to reach for it, despite the distance and bars in the way, then catches himself.

"Yes yes yes! I knows lots of stuff! I tells you all the things, you gives me stabby and let me go home!"

[calisk]

slithir smiles pulls a chair up and sits 5 feet in front of the bars facing the goblin taking note to sit where the light best illuminates his face. he then places the blade on the ground beside the chair.

"so first why'd the other goblins attack the village yesterday?"

slithir stares at the goblin to see how he responds.

[Mirior]

"Ooh I know this! Big goblin said we gets to stab all the things! Burn all the things!"

The goblin suddenly lowers his voice. "I mean, other goblins were gonna do that. I didn't wanna, I just wanna be a good goblin and not hurts anybody."

Hemlock chuckles. "He was chewing on Alma's cat when we caught him."

[calisk]

"ah so, these big goblins brought you here then?" slithir asks the goblin

[Mirior]

"No, no, big goblin just show up and kills chief and tells us we gets to smash stuff. Longshanks brings us to the wagon and makes the sneaky plans."

The sheriff leans over and whispers, "Longshanks means someone tall and not-goblin, like us."

[Molosse]

At this Dukark turns his head to stare directly into the goblins eyes.

"You say that a "Long-Shanks" let you into the town? Where did you find the wagon? Had you ever seen the Long-Shanks before? What did he or she look like?"

[Tarth]

Standing near the back of the room, just watching the goblin spill its info for a knife Tarth cant help but smile. Feeling blessed for the stupidity of goblins is something hes done a lot the last two days.

"Tell us more about this Longshanks" speaking over Slithir. Interested in who or what would be able to control groups of goblins from different tribes and focus them on a town miles away.

[Mirior]

The goblin turns towards Dukark. "That's what I says, inn't it? Longshanks leads us through the trees to this big wagon, tells us all to cram inside and be super-super-sneaky-quiet, we stays in the wagon until it stops moving and then we stays beside the wagon until we sees the butterflies. We all crams in wagon, well not all we the longshanks takes a couple of we on a super-secret mission, but most of we gets in wagon and it takes us into town and then I gets to stab a dog, I mean, other mean goblins gets to stab a dog."

Pause for breath. The goblin's eyes keep drifting back to Slithir's blade, and his hands are opening and closing slowly.

"I never sees this longshanks before today, he tall and smelly and his ears are pointy -" he points at Telra's ears "- and he always writing in his book, which is stupid dangerous, everyone knows when you writes words from your head you can't never get them back."

[Tarth]

" Why am I not surprised its an Elf"

You would think they would get tired of messing with the fiefs when their own lands are supposedly so perfect.

[Molosse]

Dukark nods slightly, an elf? Maybe, not definite by any means, but a starting point none the less.

"Goblin, when you say "We", other than the group that left with the "Long-Shanks" would that be your entire group? If so are there any other groups of goblins within the area? Do you know if the "Long-Shanks" met any other groups?"

A slight pause.

"Finally. How many goblins left with the "Long-Shanks"?"

[Tarth]

" you expect him to be able to count? I saw multiple groups meeting up with the wagons trail. They came in bands of 4-5 so I would think we fought the bulk of the horde. As far as other group sin the area, I saw only the tracks from the east and those that headed back"

Looking back at the goblin, Whats your name little one. Taking out a copper coin he flips it to the goblin threw the bars. Not gold, but its shiny, and all yours. Might have more for you too if you keep being such a good little one.

[Molosse]

Lifting his eyes roofward, Dukark begins to speak again

"Tarth, the Goblin doesn't need to count, it simply needs to make a decent guess, if we need to follow this "Long-Shanks" do you not think it would be best to know what sort of force he has brought with him?"

Again he turns back to the Goblin

"Now, how many of your group left with the Long-Shanks? Was there anyone else with him?"

[Oneiros]

Stepping forward from his spot near the back of the room,

Sheriff, what elves have you seen in the area recently? How many are settled near here? Would they have any reason that you know of for harming Sandpoint?

And on an unrelated note, why are both you and Foxglove named for toxic plants? Is there a human naming convention I am unaware of? Please forgive this question if it offends, I am just naturally curious of such things.

[Tarth]

" Of course we need to know more about our foe, but dont you think you might be asking a bit much of the goblin? I dont know about you but on my travels, Ive never known a goblin able to explain his masters plans.

Turning to stand between the goblin and Dukark, his eyes narrow as he gives him a once over. " We should stick to gathering info he might actually know. Like where HE is from, if he was told anything other then to loot and kill, or if he heard any of his masters plans." No point in asking the impossible unless....you are looking for something...or some reason to kill him. heh, that's what you inquisitors do isn't it though? Push and probe looking for anything that you can use to burn your captive with. What kind of dark god demands their followers to go out and make slaves of men?

Tarths anger flashes for a moment, then his face loses all emotion as he looks away, biting his tongue. "We shouldnt fight, we are suppose to be on the same side, for now at least, if you doubt my claims or skill at tracking I suggest you go see for yourself. "

[calisk]

"I don't think we really need to track the goblins or find out much of anything about why they attacked" he slides in his chair to look at the others and particularly the bickering pair.


"since to goblin reconfirmed what tarth has discovered, it seems like the true problem of this town is this elf and maybe this goblinoid king that's taken over his tribe. we need to figure out what they came for, and what they took away, with their distraction"

"who ever they are they definitely didn't care very much in sacrificing an entire goblin army or the lives of the villagers of this town to get what they came for, so what ever it is, it must be worth more then an army"

"we should take a look around that graveyard once we're done here" he shifts his attention back to the goblin expecting little from the grunt and picking up his blade again "why were the goblins so eager to trust an elf? he must of done something to convince your new chief to attack the village?"

[Mirior]

The goblin catches the coin, puts it to its mouth, bites down, makes a sour face, and tosses the coin aside.

"Big goblin says only part of tribe goes with longshanks, other part goes east with big goblin. Other part bigger. Tribe draws straws to see who gets to go burn stuff, I dinn't wants to go but the mean goblins makes me, I'm not a mean goblin, I just wants to go home and not hurts even a yummy fly. Longshanks says only four goblins get to go with him on secret mission."

Tarth, four goblins and an elf more or less matches up with the number of footprints you saw heading into the cemetary.

The sheriff turns to Tavi. "Only elves I know of around here are the Kaijitsus, but old Lonjiku's been here since the beginning of the town, and his daughter grew up here. No reason either of them would want to see this place come to ruin. As for your other question, who do you mean Foxglove? I don't know anyone by that name."

[Mirior]

The goblin turns back to Slithir. "Big goblin tells chief to tells tribe to work with longshanks elf, promises lots of burning, chief says no, so big goblin tears chief's head off and now we listens to big goblin. Big goblin says longshanks is friend, and we gets to burns and stabs stuff, so longshanks is friend."

[calisk]

"very well, their isn't much else I need to ask, we should check out this graveyard and find out where these tracks tarth found lead." with that slithir stands up and sheathes his blade.

"when we return you have my word that we'll set you free, and you'll have a blade to take with you." with that slithir steps away from the cage and speaks to quietly to his companions and the sheriff.


"if we stop this elf and kill this chief the goblins should leave this village alone, and if I understand their culture correctly all we need to do is say this goblin is our leader they'd name him the new chief and if we give him a big enough weapon they might just believe it, shouldn't be hard to convince him that he wants to be in charge . I doubt he'd cause much trouble for your village sheriff either way, regardless if we need to find their village we can release this goblin with some kind of scented weapon and tarth can use his tracking ability he's so proud of to track him back to his home, assuming he doesn't lead us their of his own free will so he can be chief"

"traps and ambushes are likely so we'll need to tread carefully if we follow them through their own territories"

followers of torag are supposed to be planners, strategists, perfectionists one of the reasons why I liked this god so much and why I wouldn't let myself have a 9 in wisdom, anyway this will mean i'll be trying to lay plans down alot.

[Oneiros]

Surely, Sheriff, the man that our pointy-eared companion saved just the other day was named Aldern Foxglove? Perhaps he was just passing through, I will admit I wasn't paying too much attention to his words.


Tavi is clearly a little unsettled by the Sheriff's lack of recognition of a, he is told, quite prominent name. Even if the man in question is maybe just passing through this relatively small town.

Sense Motive

[roll0]

Knowledge-Nobility

[roll1]

[Mirior]

"Oh, that guy. I know who you mean," Hemlock says. "He just showed up the day before the festival, I haven't spoken with him before. Aldern Foxglove, got it. Can't say I know of any connection with the name."

As far as Tavi can tell, the sheriff's confusion is genuine. He doesn't seem to recognize the name of Foxglove - then again, Tavi hasn't heard it before either, except from the lips of the man you saved.

The goblin's face contorts at Slithir's words, and he starts to shriek again. "You says stabby and goes home now! Want to goes home now!"

The sheriff, speaking quietly, turns to Slithir. "If you think it'll help, I don't see this guy causing much more trouble if we let him out, once you're done investigating."

[calisk]

ignoring the goblins comments slithir continues to speak with the sheriff, looking far more stern then he did when speaking with the goblin. "he's of little threat on his own, if not for the fact that we might need him I'd say let him go now, toss him a chicken or something for his help till we return".

slithir turns to the group "as for the rest of you, keep your wits about you, I intend to clear up this towns problems as quickly as possible, this elf..." slithir shakes his head "something feels off about this" with that slithir heads outside while looking at the broken ring on his finger contemplating what our next step will be.

[Tarth]

"We gave him our word. We must see it through"

Was making a general statement about letting him go in the talk with the sheriff. you just posted while I was typing. Im only in a fight with Dukurk since im fairly sure hes evil as all get out. he doesnt HEAL!!! Clearly hes evil if gods and spells cant heal him.

[calisk]

"I said he'd get a weapon and we'd release him if he helped us and he will get both, but I never said when, he's safer in this cell then out their right now, obviously the goblins are being controlled, and the ones in charge don't care how many goblins die to accomplish their task, besides if he returns to the village and attacks us later, will you be the one to kill him?"

if you weren't talking to me or about releasing the goblin then ignore this comment

[Comissar]

Telra had been standing in silence up until the Tengu commented about planning on honouring his agreement with the Goblin.

He leaned close to Slithir and, in a lowered voice so as the Goblin didn't overhear him, said "I'm sorry? This Goblin is clearly lying, but you're going to release it with a weapon?"

[Mirior]

With the goblin's shrieks in the background, the group fell into bickering over what to do with the goblin prisoner. Dukark and Tavi were strongly against the idea of releasing the goblin, certain any attempt to make use of him would backfire; Tarth was strongly opposed to killing the helpless prisoner, which was Dukark and Tavi's suggestion.

The sheriff ducked out to write something up, telling the group to let him know when they were ready to investigate the graveyard. The group continued debating, and nearly came to violence; Tarth revealed that he had scant trust for Dukark, viewing his inability to be healed by the grace of the gods as a clear sign of malignancy, and prepared to strike Dukark down if he moved against the goblin.

Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed; Slithir and Telra proposed the compromise of leaving the goblin to Sandpoint's justice system. Dukark agreed, deciding the goblin wasn't his problem and just wanting to move on; Tarth and Tavi agreed as well. The group left the basement jail, resolved to leave the goblin to the people of Sandpoint, and returned to Hemlock ready to investigate the cemetary.

[Mirior]

Sheriff Hemlock nods when he hears your decision to leave the goblin in jail. "We'll figure out what to do with him, don't worry."

The five of you, and the sheriff, leave the guardhouse. While you were debating, Hemlock sent a guard over to the chapel to fetch Father Zantus; the priest is waiting at the cemetary's rusting iron gates when you arrive.

"Good morning to you all," the priest says when he catches sight of you. He's holding a keyring, and as he speaks he's unlocking the cemetary gates. "I'd just finished the chapel's first ceremony when your guard showed up; it was supposed to happen last night, but as you can imagine noone was in a fit state to worship then. Can you tell me anything about what sort of disturbance you're investigating?"

[Molosse]

Following Tart's emotional, if somewhat misguided outburst, Dukark had remained mostly silent, why question the prisoner further when, despite certain interruptions,the Goblin had furnished him with the information he required.

He fails to see how why the Goblin was needed after this juncture, if released it would simply attempt to preform other atrocities upon other villages and travelers, it was amusing to see the human ranger seethe so after he suggested simply killing the Goblin, it was almost like he wished to strike him for pointing out the option. He grins slightly, it would be fun to watch him try.

Seeking to end the arguments put across by the various parties and noting the lack of logical thought among his compatriots, he decided that whatever the result, the issues of the town where only linked with his own while the group fulfilled the agreed upon contract, thus he put the issue to a vote and simply cast his upon whatever option would prevent a tie, in this case leaving the Goblin to the townsfolk.

While the discussion culminated the attending Priest from the previous days encounter arrived, bedecked in the ceremonial garb following the consecration of the chapel and its first service.

The first question out of the priests mouth, that concerning the nature of the disturbance, gave Dukark pause, truly the nature of the disturbance was still unknown, the captive had given little true information on the subject of why or who pushed for the attack, other than this mysterious "Long-Shanks"...

Shaking his head slightly and lowering his eyes to match that of the priest he responded calmly.

"Good Afternoon Father, the investigation, sadly, continues... We have however linked the goblins to movement within the nearby cemetery and we will, in all likely-hood, be turning our attention that way shortly"

He pauses slightly, it couldn't hurt to question the priest.

"Father... Is there a chance that the opening of the chapel could in some be associated with the Goblin attack? Or perhaps you have received threats towards yourself in recent days?"

Oh Tarth mate since you have the whole racial thing going on, for future reference, I resemble a human, but have flattened ears, sharpened teeth, greyer skin, completely bald head (Never any growth to begin with) and slightly slanted eyes, the highbacked collar of my armour and my hooded cloak help to mask this. Just in case you want to use it at all.

[calisk]

"Tarth has discovered tracks leading into the graveyard, this coincides to well with the goblins story before we begin tracking them, we hope to see what they were after, I hope we aren't dealing with a necromancer, but since the only thing normally kept in a graveyard is bodies I can only assume, that is what they came for"

[Mirior]

"Good heavens! The nerve of those foul creatures!"

Zantus pushes the cemetary gates open with a creak, leading the five of you and Sheriff Hemlock inside. As his eyes dart from side to side, surveying the graves, he speaks to Dukark.

"I should hope not; to intentionally try to destroy a holy celebration is a level of vileness quite beyond those savages, I would think. I certainly heard nothing leading up to the attack, I would've brought it to the sheriff's attention at once.

Also, I have prayed to Desna for enlightenment and aid regarding your... condition. I am certain the goddess has the power and will to aid you."

[calisk]

"Well tarth where are these tracks it was your comments that brought us here"

[Mirior]

Sandpoint's cemetary is a round grassy plot, a few thin trees casting shade on the rows of graves. Four mausoleums break the profiles, rising above the gravestones - each bears a surname carved in large letters. Deverin, Scarnetti, Valdemar, Tobyn.

The graves appear undisturbed, but a trained eye can see relatively fresh goblin-sized footprints crisscrossing the cemetary. The sheriff starts walking up and down the graves, looking for signs of disturbances; Father Zantus is heading towards one the mausoleums, although he stays close enough to anyone talking to him to continue the conversation.

Anyone actively searching the area, gimme a Perception check. Also, as a general point of reference, call out if I'm moving too fast; I'm assuming everyone's staying together, but let me know if your character is doing something different.

[calisk]

[roll0]perception

[Tarth]

After what seemed like hours of bashing his head against psychopathic dribble and emotional terror the goblin is allowed to face the town for his crimes. A victory over the absurd notion of one of the party members of murdering him simply because he was done with him.

But what could one expect from a inquisitor. Tarth has traveled with enough of them to know them by their very smell. Self righteous and ruthless. Seeing enemies of their gods any anything that doesn't bow to him. Hes only ever meat one who was different and it was not this Dukark. Illogical..Whats the logic in throwing away a tool you can use against your enemy!? Wheres the logic in murdering a prisoner just because you can? Are you really that blood thirsty that you cant see how useful he could of been? Blind fool!

After leaving the guard room Lead the group through the trail the goblins had made over the wall using a ladder left by the horde. Once inside the walls Tarth lets the priest explain the layout of the land. Tarth simply points to where the tracks seem to go.

[Tarth]

ignore this

[Tarth]

Perception roll
[roll0]

[calisk]

hope someone rolls better perceptions then we did

[Comissar]

Telra was pleased that the Goblin had been left to the locals, it really had not been their place to decide its fate in his opinion. Now they were wandering around a graveyard though, something that made him a little uncomfortable. Graveyards had always felt a little creepy to him. The Goblins had been here though, so they needed to search thoroughly.


Perception Roll - [roll0]

[Molosse]

Dukark smiles gently at the Fathers comment.

"My thanks father, though I doubt a...Cure would be so easily found"

During the whole exchange Dukark had kept his head on a swivel, turning backwards and forwards, looking to confirm the words of the Ranger, it was obvious there had been activity here, but how much?

I can never bloody work these dice rolls, also Tarth was your bit in speech or a thought? It seems your responding to my post, which wouldn't make sense because I hadn't been saying any of that :) 1D20+8 If this dosn't work Mirior could you take it for me?

[calisk]

molose be the smart one of us and just take 20, theirs no threat or time restraint so we all can take 20, also you did the roll correctly but you can't put a roll in an edit, that's the only thing stopping it from working, you'd need to create a new post to roll, also I'm not sure but the capital D might be messing it up

[calisk]

slithir unsatisfied with a quick glance around decides to redouble his efforts, checking every inch of the graveyard for sign of what the goblins did here.

I looked it up and your allowed to reroll perception so i'm just going to take 20 on it. my 20 roll would result in 27 and it takes 20 minutes

[Oneiros]

Feeling that, as the majority of the group is searching around the graveyard, one Rat's nose isn't going to do much, Tavi starts instead asking questions of Zantus, hoping to find more about these recent events he'd missed out on.

So, Father, have there been many travelers through Sandpoint recently? More than usual, if so? And any that really stuck out?

Also, Father, what do you know of the glassblower outside of town? I ask out of professional curiosity, the glassblower is what drew me out this way. I appreciate that this may not be the best time to ask, but really there's not much else that we're doing here.

[Mirior]

As he walks from mausoleum to mausoleum, Zantus speaks with Tavi. "There have been travelers, of course, but no more so than usual for this time of year. Noone exceptional, although I suppose Mr. Foxglove might stand out a bit - it's not every day we have nobility visiting.

The glassblower draws a lot of people out here. Lonjiku built it shortly after Sandpoint's founding, it attracted most of our initial merchant traffic, a great boon to the town. I've heard it's closed down today, Lonjiku's still sick, but I'm sure it'll reopen soon. If his illness was anything serious, I'm sure he'd send for me to help."

Slithir notices something. One of the mausoleums, the one titled with the name of Tobyn, has a arc of disturbed earth just in front of the door, as though the door had been opened recently and scraped against the ground.

[calisk]

looking at tavi's and addressing him after his question to the father "excuse me tavi, but I have a question for the father, it seems I might of found something" looking to the father "father, who is this Tobyn, seems someone has been inside here recently, do you know anything about it? I think we will need to see inside here"

[Comissar]

Telra, overhearing Slithir's conversation, walked over to examine what he'd found.

"Doesn't look very encouraging," He turned to the priest, "was Tobyn an important person?"


Get your own colour, calisk :smalltongue:

[Mirior]

Zantus comes over to the Tobyn mausoleum. "Oh my," he says as he pulls the door open. "Ezekias Tobyn was my predecessor, he ran the old chapel until it burned down, taking him and his daughter with it. The townsfolk built this mausoleum to remember him by."

There are two coffins inside, each with a name-bearing inscription in the stone above. One coffin for Ezekias Tobyn, one slightly smaller for Nualia Tobyn. Ezekias's coffin has been pulled from its slot, and lies open on the ground, completely empty.

"Desna preserve," Zantus murmurs.

[calisk]

hey my serious orange is definitely better then your lemon pansy orange

[calisk]

"hmmmm...well, it's as I feared they did come for a body, a single body though is a bit odd, a necromancer wouldn't exactly be raising an army with one body, perhaps this elf needed him for a ritual or maybe he was buried with something." playing with his broken ring pondering for a moment "have you had any trouble with cults before? perhaps this elf is linked to them"

[Molosse]

Dukark raises his hand towards the upturned coffin.

"A moment Slithir, allow me to preform a simple... Test"

With that Dukarks hand began to shimmer, almost appearing to be dissolve and reform in a thick grey smoke, the tendrils of which began to wrap around the entirety of the tomb, silently shifting across the walls, ceiling and floor.

Detect Magic

[Mirior]

Dukark finds no sign of magic inside the mausoleum, either currently active or lingering from a recent casting.

Sheriff Hemlock enters the mausoleum as Slithir asks his queston. "There was Chopper, but he's been dead for years. Nothing recent."

[calisk]

"well just in case can you spare any holy water father, if we're going to track these people down and find your predecessors body we might been in need of some divine assistance especially with the potential of a necromancer being involved" slithir shifts around the room examining the place to see if their are any clues to what they might of been after.

[calisk]

[roll0] diplo if needed

[Mirior]

Zantus's voice shakes from the audacity of stealing a priest's bones. "I, yes, of course I can make some holy water. I'll do that tonight. Do you really think the goblins are practicing necromancy? That seems so, well, beyond them."

Searching the interior of the mausoleum, Slithir notices that the second coffin, the one for Ezekias's coffin, is also empty. Hemlock speaks up as he opens it. "That one's been empty; we couldn't recover her body from the ashes. No goblin work there."

[calisk]

"theirs small chance that goblins are the necromancers, but theirs very little chance that a normal goblin was the one that wanted this body, it's the one that did that worries me" with that Slithir stands up and heads out having seen all their is to see.

[Molosse]

Betraying little outgoing emotion at the failure of his original spell Dukark attempts a slight variation, dispersing the misty strands into a fine rain of grey motes.

Casting Sift

Turning his head while doing so, Dukark began to address the floundering priest

"It would be better to be prepared than to regret a course of action Father, most likely we will find no necromantic influences when we eventually find the missing body".

[Molosse]

[roll0] Requires a perception check

[Mirior]

"I hope not. Necromancy is a foul art indeed, to think of it in the hands of goblins is most disconcerting."

Dukark's questing magic uncovers nothing that hadn't already been noticed.

[Oneiros]

Sheriff, you mentioned a "Chopper"? Who was that?

[calisk]

"well we shouldn't waste much time, or the tracks will go cold, bring us what you can father and we'll head out immediately to track these creatures down."

[Tarth]

Tarth is still standing outside waiting for the group to come out. He has been trying to study the land getting ready to track the the trail back out east if needed.

I want to spend then 20 mins getting a 20 in my tracking/perception roll to follow the trail please.

[Mirior]

"Chopper was a madman, hit the town five years back," Hemlock says to Tavi. "Killed a couple dozen people in a month before Casp Avertin nicked him and I tracked him down. The man had a shrine to the Rough Beast set up in his basement, stuff I wish I could unsee. But he's certifiably dead, and we ain't had trouble of that sort since."

While they speak, Father Zantus speaks with Slithir. "Now? I don't have any holy water available now, but I can have some first thing tomorrow morning, as much as I can make. Even a small chance of necromancy is no laughing matter."

Outside at the head of the goblin trail, Tarth can see Bethana, the tavernmaid he spoke with the day before. She's hurriedly walking down the street, head pivoting to look inside storefronts and windows, looking for something or someone - she doesn't seem to have noticed you.

[Tarth]

Tarth sees Bethana moving though the streets. She seems to be frantic in her search. " Hey Bethana! Everything ok you look a little lost" Tarth says as he walks over to her.

I want to do a sense motive check on her just in case. [roll0]

[Mirior]

"Tarth!" She starts running towards you, words tumbling out of her mouth, frantic, near-panicking, slightly relieved to see you. "She didn't come back and I can't find the sheriff and she said it might be dangerous and help!"

[Tarth]

Tarth catches Bethana as she nearly stumbles in her hurry. " Calm down lass! Tell me what happened. Did something happen in town?"

Whats the elf ladies name again?

[Mirior]

"It's Ameiko! She got a note, and she said she had to leave, and she said if she wasn't back two hours after lunch to fetch the sheriff, and it's been two and a half hours and she hasn't come back and I don't know what to do!"

Bethana's words tumble out in a heap. Hemlock, hearing the shouting, heads out the mausoleum door and starts walking towards Tarth and the barmaid.

Ameiko Kaijitsu is the elven woman who runs the Rusty Dragon. Also, are people available for a live session around 5pm eastern time on Monday? I've been asked to work Sunday. The time is flexible, to an extent; I can go somewhat earlier, or plenty later.

[calisk]

should be able to, also my saturday game was cancelled this week if that's a better time for everyone.

[Oneiros]

Still somewhat curious about Chopper, Tavi follows the Sheriff out of the mausoleum, quickly noticing Tarth and Bethana and forgetting his half-formed questions.

What is going on? Why is the barmaid here?

And why are you holding her? This hardly seems the time for that

[Tarth]

Im not holding her she fell little guy, Shes saying Ameiko has gone missing. I think we need to go and search the Inn to find some clues. Turning to Bethana tarth asks if she has any idea what this might be about.

[Mirior]

"She left the note, but I can't read it, and I don't know where she went, and..." Bethana seems to be in no hurry to climb out of Tarth's arms; leaning against him, she pulls a piece of paper out of her pocket.

The writing on the note is in Elven script, quickly scrawled with sloppy handwriting.

[calisk]

Slithir heads out to wait for the group outside the graveyard, and to see how Tarth's search for the trail is going. he comes upon the scene with Bethana and overhears tarth's explaining the situation to Tavi, and calls for the others.

[Tarth]

Awkward....

[Molosse]

Wait, why do I get instant suspicion because I have slightly different features, grey skin and can't be healed. But the Rat-Man hybrid that bleeds disease is completely fine? Inconsistent for a racist character Tarth!.

Shrugging his shoulder and enjoying the ply of wind across his face after the stuffy tomb, Dukark follows Slithir into the overcast day, taking note of the Rat-folk and the Ranger conversing with the barmaid from the day before.

[Tarth]

I have been calling dagda ratman, rabbies, and ugly the whole time. we just had a moment in the last fight where he was on fire and I helped. Plus hes nice, unlike you.

[Oneiros]

Tavi's ears, visible due to the hood of his robe being down, smooth back out from their raised position.

Ah, my apologies, companion. And to you of course, Bethana. Can anyone read this scribble? It looks familiar to me, but not enough so that I would be too confident in anything I derived from it.

[Comissar]

Telra takes a look at the note. As part of his upbringing, he'd studied the Elven language and, whilst not as proficient as a native Elf, was fluent in it.

"Yes, I can read it. Pass it here please?"

When passed the note, he quickly reads through it before reading it aloud to the party around him.

[Mirior]

Telra quickly translates the note, reading it aloud as follows.

"Hello, sis!

I hope this letter finds you well, and with some free time on your hands, because we've got something of a problem. It's to do with father. Seems that he might have had something to do with the goblin attack, but I don't want to bring the matter to the authorities because we both know he'd just weasel out of it. You've got some pull here in town, though. If you can meet me at the Glassworks, maybe we can figure out how to make sure he faces the punishment he deserves.

In any case, I don't have to impress on you the delicate nature of the situation. If news got out, you know these local rubes would assume that you and I were in on the whole thing too, don't you? They've got no honor at all around these parts, I still don't understand how you can stand to stay here.

Anyway, don't tell anyone about this. There are other complications as well, ones I'd rather tell you about in person. Come soon.

- Tsuto."

Bethana gasps at several points during the reading; Hemlock raises an eyebrow.

[Tarth]

Tarth listens to the letters translation and suggest the group mhead out for the glassblowers as soon as they are able. He also tells Bethana to go back home and that they will take care of this.

[Oneiros]

Upon hearing a mention of the glassblower, Tavi perks up considerably.


Yes, yes I agree. We must hie to the glass-maker at once. No interruptions. More haste and speed.

[calisk]

Slithir hesitates for a moment, pondering momentarily and looking impatient and annoyed.

"(tengu curse word)...very well...we'll save this women that helped us, but we must hurry, every moment is another moment their plans are coming closer to fruition, it seems the rumour i heard in five kings may have had merit after all, and I will not be robbed of this chance" Slithir hesitates a moment then regains some of his composure "let's head to the glass works, and get this over with" slithir seems to be looking past the moment his eyes not really focusing while deep in thought, he turns and begins to head towards the glass works.

[Molosse]

I have been calling dagda ratman, rabbies, and ugly the whole time. we just had a moment in the last fight where he was on fire and I helped. Plus hes nice, unlike you.

He wanted to kill the bloody goblin as well!

[Molosse]

Dukark tilts his head slightly

Mhm, I wouldn't worry Bard, the missing woman could just as likely be related to the missing corpse, in any case..

He pauses to turn towards the Sheriff

Sheriff, the issue of payment now comes to the fore, before we make way to find the missing girl, I would like the payment we spoke of confirmed and most importantly I, and I'm sure my companions, would like to see what you can offer from the Militia's armory.

[calisk]

We're probably better equipped the town militia I suppose they might have a masterwork weapon or two

[Molosse]

It's part of an agreement I made with the Sheriff, we are allowed access to whatever passes for an armory, may not turn up much but anything is better than nothing.

[Tarth]

He wanted to kill the bloody goblin as well!

Holy cow! Get over it. You were wrong for wanting to kill it. You did it because you were taking the easy way out and making sweeping generalizations. No one gives a flying fig about it. You were being super emotional and wasting perfectly good opportunities since you couldn't get over his alignment issues. Drop it before you make it more then a in game argument geez.

[Tarth]

Tarth looks around and asks if we are all ready to go to the glass foundry?

[Mirior]

"Tsuto's back in town," Hemlock mutters. "Well I'll be."

He looks up at Dukark's words. "Yes, right. I talked to Kendra last night, she agreed to give you this."

Hemlock hands each of you a heavy pouch of gold coins. "That's sixty for each of you, as a thank-you for what you did in the plaza. There's still another hundred each once the goblins aren't a threat, and the armory's open to you, I'll take you by if you want to check it out."

The armory contains non-masterwork versions of any simple/martial weapon or light/medium armor you guys would like (it doesn't have one of everything, it's schrodinger's armory). There's also a single potion of cure light wounds.

My posting's going to be somewhat scattered over the weekend, I'm working today and tomorrow. I've talked with everyone, 5pm est on Monday is our definite meet-time for a live session.

[calisk]

Slihir thanks him for the coins.

I'm ready for the glass works when everyone else is

[Tarth]

Tarth accepts the coin and thinks it might be time to swap his xbow and bolts for a long bow and arrows.

[Oneiros]

Tavi tilts his head

Tsuto is, we can infer, the sister of Ameiko. But why would you react to her coming home like this, Sheriff? Was she not well liked?

Also I think I would like to take a peek at the armory. I've been curious of the utility of crossbows, but never have I managed to find both a vendor that suited me and one that fit my size.

And thank you, I suppose, for the coins. They shall come in handy for furthering my experiments.


I originally had a synonym for plural male roosters in for tilts, which was censored due to another meaning of the word I suppose. Hence the edit.

Also I'm going for a light xbow and about 20 bolts. Will go ahead and add to char sheet I spose.

[Molosse]

Tarth-
Tarth, for the last time, chill out, I've been nothing but playful with you EVERY time you've gotten worked up, again, in this instance, I was joking around about how your character latched onto mine when there's a filthy aberant walking around. Now I don't know if you're not into banter where you're from or maybe you're not getting the play of words right since it's all typed but for the last time I'm not arguing with you, I'm messing around all right? Now stop getting all upset aye? I'm not aiming to upset your arse.

Mirior-
Going to grab a chain shirt and a longbow and I guess I'll grab the potion since I can't heal myself any other way. Updating inventory now but may not be posting as out tonight, does a Composite weapon count as mastercrafted? If not then I'll grab a Composite +3 Longbow, if not I've already updated by inventory.

[calisk]

the strength requirement add ons cost more then master craft, a +3 str comp long bow would be 400gp

[Tarth]

Geez. you are the one bringing it up all the time. Im the calm one you need to chill about it. its over.

Ive been calling him ratman the whole game and making jokes about him having rabies the whole time we played. Im not even upset. Just tired of it. To me YOU are the one getting worked up not me. use smiles or something if you are playing otherwise its you looking hurt/taking it too serious. I was about to make a health code joke about a giant rat being in a dinning room but the goblins attacked. I even watched him suspiciously while he tried to get his mount under control.

Just let it go. I am. You are a nice guy but it really looks like you are taking it personally. I have no problem playing around such as calling you a mean guy/the rat a nice one, but it just needs to be let go though. Dont have to reference it all the time. or claim im treating him different. Its a game.

Tarth puts his xbow and bolts back in his room and thanks the sheriff for the new long bow and arrows.

Long bow and 20 arrows. Ill make the change on the sheet too. Is there a composite longbow in the armory? if so does it have any mod on it?

[Molosse]

Alright, agree to disagree I intendened it as banter, you saw it as otherwise, won't be mentioned again.

[Tarth]

Alright, agree to disagree I intendened it as banter, you saw it as otherwise, won't be mentioned again.

I dont mind banter, its just even calisk didnt think you were playing around. Its type. its very hard to get context or intent out of it with out some sort of clue.

Character wise I bonded with the rat enough to trust his motives, during the fight when we had a few lines back and forth. Your guy was pushing to kill a captive( my guy has a anti slave/captive slant) and I am playing off the cultural miss understanding humans are prone to in this game (advanced/core race books). Ill be happy to have banter with you but do it so its clear and not just " you are treating him different!" which is how it seemed to be. Feel fre to make fun of my guys lack of tact if you want. Call him a racist and what not. Thats great, just put a smile or clue me in other wise its just a band type insult thats sometimes hard to see the playfulness.

Ill tell you right now I'm sure our guys can get along and be friends. Its just I have never seen one of your kind before, and I dont understand why you cant be healed when other normal ones can. Makes you stand out as much as the rat, only less overtly. Like its a dark secrete. Add to it the faith hunter stigma and I dont think a drifter who doesnt follow the rules would be best buds with you off the bat.

edit: also way to try and get a 400gold bow! Greedy grey man. ( this is a playful jest)

[Mirior]

"Tsuto's her brother. Well, half-brother. Didn't expect him to come back here after the last time, he and Lonjiku damn near killed each other after his mother's funeral. They never got on well; Lonjiku's an elf, the kid's mother's an elf, the kid's a half-elf. You see how it is."

The armory doesn't have any composite bows; other than that, everything looks good. Tarth, Molosse, relax. Noone is angry at anyone, everyone is happy, it's only the limitations of text that's conveying anything different, no need to keep talking about it.

We'll pick up Monday with the trip to the glassblower's, I'll be on a bit tomorrow to answer questions.

[Molosse]

Dukark adjusts the new chain-shirt underneath his cloak and armour, it would not do to reveal one's true-visage upon his companions just yet, the Tengu, the Ratfolk and perhaps the Half-Breed would be accepting...

Here he grinned momentarily, pausing in his train of thought as he slid his new bow into it's holster upon his back, grabbing the lone potion he glimpsed earlier.

Yes, perhaps not quite yet.

I take it we walked to the armoury off-screen? In any case I should be good for monday

"So, payment, equipment and now a path to follow. I think we're ready to go Sheriff"

[Tarth]

So no composite bows at all or just none with a mod? If there is none at all me and Dukak cant have one. Ill go with a normal longbow if there is none.

[Mirior]

None with a mod, apologies for not being clearer.

[Mirior]

The group departed Sandpoint for the Glassworks, an hour north by foot. When they arrived, the building was closed and locked up; after scouting around the building, hearing ominous giggles from inside, Dukark and Tarth hammered down the back door.

This alerted the goblins inside, who took time away from their mutilation of dead glassworks to rush the party at the doorway. The fight didn't last long; after Tavi blew up a half-dozen of the little buggers, the remaining four panicked, and were cut down as they tried to flee (mostly by Tarth).

The group searched the glassworks, finding the bodies of the glassworkers, most notably an older elven male who had molten glass poured over his head. Nothing else of interest turned up, so the group descended into the basement.

The basement held more storage, a tunnel leading off into the darkness behind busted-down brick walls, and most notably two Kaijisu siblings. Tarth found Ameiko tied down with rope, quickly freeing her, while Dukark found Tsuto sleeping off several bottles of booze. Ameiko's shouts of relief at her rescue woke the half-elf, though, and he sprang to his feet, bow in hand, asking who the **** these people were. Dukark started off "we're with the Sandpoint Guard," and as soon as the words left his lips Tsuto started loosing arrows.

Dukark was down with two arrows in him before anyone could react, and a third arrow nearly felled Tavi before Telra and Tarth rushed into the room. Tsuto, dropping the bow, revealed a staggering talent for hand-to-hand combat, slamming Telra into a wall, nearly killing him, then turning to face Tarth. Slithir stablized the two fallen, then joined Tarth, who was taking a beating but holding his own against the half-elf's blows. The two warriors, with Tavi supporting with his crossbow, dealt blow after blow to Tsuto until he turned to flee; he ran past the group into the basement, but Tavi caught him with a well-thrown bomb, bringing the half-elf to the brink of death.

The group quickly recuperated, with Dukark using his magic to keep Tsuto in the land of the living for questioning. Ameiko explained what had happened; she had received the note from Tsuto and rushed to the glassworks, only to find her father (the man in the glass) dead, the glassworks wrecked, and Tsuto giving orders to the goblins responsible. Tsuto explained that he (and others, apparently) was taking his revenge on Sandpoint, and asked Ameiko to join him; when she called him crazy, he had the goblins tie her up and throw her in the basement.

Slithir found a book near where Tsuto had been sleeping; it was damaged by Tavi's bombs, but a few pages were still readable, enough to make clear that it was Tsuto's journal. The book was passed around, and the readable pages are reproduced below. Now the group rests, preparing to awaken Tsuto, interrogate him, then return to Sandpoint.

"The raid went about as planned. Few Thistletop goblins perished, and we were able to secure the father's bones with ease while the rubes were distracted by the rest. I can't wait until the real raid. This town deserves a burning, that's for sure." - Tsuto's journal, page 1

"Ripnugget seems to favor the overwhelming land approach, but I don't think it's the best plan. We should get the quasit's aid. Send her freaks up from below via the smuggling tunnel, then invade from the river and the glassworks in smaller but more focused strikes. The rest except Bruthazmus agree, and I'm pretty sure the bugbear's just being contrary to annoy me. My love's too distracted with the lower chambers to make a decision. Says that once Malfeshnekor's released, we won't need to worry about being subtle. I hope she's right." - Tsuto's journal, page 2


"My love seems bent on going through with it - nothing I can say convinces her of her beauty. She remains obsessed with removing her "celestial taint" and replacing it with the Beast's fury. Burning her father's remains at the Thistletop shrine seems to have started the transformation, but I can't say her new hand is pleasing to me. Hopefully when she offers Sandpoints to Rovagug's fires, her new body won't be as hideous." - Tsuto's journal, page 3

100 gp each
composite shortbow to Tarth
masterwork thieves' tools to ??
ring of protection +1 to Dukark?

470 xp, which puts everyone to level 2
- loot

[Mirior]

After you finish recuperating, it's time to see what you can learn from Tsuto. Ameiko's gone upstairs; she doesn't want to overhear the interrogation, and as long she stays out of the workroom she thinks she'll be okay up there.

A slight touch of healing magic, and Tsuto's eyes flicker open. He's on the ground, the five of you surrounding him, let me know of any other security measures you're taking; for the moment, at least, his response is subdued.

"I have nothing to say to you," he says, as calmly as possible considering the situation.

[calisk]

Slithir is holding his scimitar admiring the blade, when he begins to speak in a direct voice to the monk "Let's get right to it then shall we, we know your planning to attack the city, we know what you plan to do with tobyns bones and we know your in love with his daughter Nualia Tobyn, your attack on the city is coming and we're going to stop that as well".

Slithir shifts his attention form the blade and looks the monk right in his eyes.

"so why did we keep you alive? well tell us what we want to know, and maybe we can spare Nualia from a similar fate as your own"

[calisk]

failed to type the roll properly

[calisk]

[roll0] intim roll, please work this time T_T

[Molosse]

To note: We'll be using Tarths' grappling hook with the attached rope to tie him to the chair he was seated upon, the ropes are further secured with the chains we found keeping Ameiko(?) captive, he is then placed within the room we found the captive and stripped of all armour, his weapon is given to Tarth for keeping.

I would also request if I can question the victim privately? If ,of course, Calisk' intimidate fails.

[Tarth]

Make sure hes tied up people! dont want to have to save you and him again! Did we head back to town yet?

[Mirior]

Tsuto opens and closes his mouth a few times before speaking. "How do you know that?" he finally asks, incredulous.

As I understand it you guys are still in the glassworks basement, correct me if I'm wrong. Tsuto didn't have any weapons or armor to remove other than his bow, Tarth's bow now. :D

[calisk]

Slithir shrugs "we aren't looking for questions, what I want to hear from you is answers, tell me exactly what your group is after?"

Slithir waves his hand around as he speaks and looks a little bored "yes I get your little group is trying to bring forth a demon, and I get your personal enjoyment in hurting those of the village, but could you really be so simple? I actually would of thought the reject of glass maker would of tried harder to impress"

[Comissar]

Telra nursed his injuries, he had a pounding headache after that last fight. Healing magic helped but always left a bizarre tingling sensation. He leaned against one of the tunnel walls, eager to be getting back to the surface.


HP roll (minimum of 1, here's hoping the forum roller is kinder to me than the Roll20 one) - [roll0]

[Mirior]

"**** you, bird!" Tsuto lunges against his binds, face contorted. The ropes hold, however, and the half-elf only succeeds in toppling his chair over, hitting the ground with an undignified thud, cutting his curses short.

Bookkeeping!

I have everyone's current hp as...
Dukark: 6/10
Slithir: 14/14
Tarth: 21/22
Telra: 5/11
Tavi: 17/17

Slithir and Tarth have 1 hero point, the rest of you now have 2 hero points.

[calisk]

Slithir looks more unimpressed "you done? you better start talking or my friend here is going to take over" Slithir points to Dukark "he looks eager to break you, and he's as angry as I am bored".



Slithir sheathes his blade, stands up and waits for his reply


I had hoped he'd be the kind of egotistical villain eager to spill his plan, oh well still pretty funny

[Mirior]

Tsuto stares up at Dukark from his position on the floor. "Do what you will," he spits, "I'll never betray her."

[calisk]

Slithir reaches down and grabs the monk by the throat, showing his restrained anger "Look you little piss ant, you listen to me, you listen really closely, and hopefully you'll learn something, we know where she's going to be, and we know what she's after, we will find her, and it's all thanks to you, so think about this during the events to come, your stupidity has already betrayed her more then anyone else in your little group, I could of protected her, I could of made sure she was taken care of, but apparently you don't know a good deal when you see one"

With that Slithir drops his head hard into the ground taking care to leave his claw mark on the monks neck and backs away watching tsuto.

With that Slithir turns and leave the monk to his fate.

[Molosse]

Dukark smiles. Just once.

Leave us, we will be finished shortly

He moves himself to the recently vacated desk and seats himself, drawing the journal to his fore, refraining from glancing upwards as the rest of the party leaves the room, lifting the captive from his squirming position to reveal a bloodied nose.

He opens the journal to a fresh page and retrieving the quill-tip from where it had fallen against the floor he begins to write. Not once glancing at the now bloodied half-elf.

[Mirior]

Tsuto's eyes go wide as he recognizes his journal, but he doesn't break the silence, his look of surprise slowly changing into a sullen glare.

[Molosse]

Dukark continues to read, scratching a small note along the border every now and again, pointedly ignoring the captive for the most part.

You understand you will not be walking away today alive.

[calisk]

you should do it over skype so it'll be done quicker, and also so nobody has any idea what you did

[Oneiros]

Walking out of containment room, Tavi decides to finish up with his current, simplistic project. Beckoning Arugula over to him, he looks around for a likely spot to set up his equipment and soon begins, with beakers bubbling, flasks fizzing, and other alliterative combinations combusting away.


The odor of his endeavors soon permeates the basement area, though he went off to a storage room.


Flask o' acid, boyyyyyyyyyy

[Molosse]

Dukark leaves the room, a scrap of the late-captives jacket serving as a cloth to clean his recently bloodied blade, he turns to his waiting companions.

"We have arrayed against us the remnants of the goblin tribe we have been encountering a bugbear, the girl herself who is apparently a cleric of some kind, a few mercenaries and..."

He pauses to motion down the tunnel

"A horde of creatures down the tunnel-way, Molocks by the description, apparently with a leader of some sort along with a forgotten beast, finally the timing of the attack is unknown, though we should have time to return to town for rest and supplies before venturing down"

He turns back to the party

"Our enemy has been communing with demons, lost-creatures and goblinkinde, they have the support of infernal forces and posses a convoluted and tactical plan... We will need the full support of the town and the fiefdom as a whole, as of now we should leave with all haste to gather allies and power"

With that Dukark sweeps past the stunned party and heads upstairs.


Transcript of the convo for any major details:

There are ruins directly underneath Sandpoint - the glassworks tunnel connects to them. A quasit rules the ruins, controlling her "freaks;" they're clearing rubble from a staircase that'll open on the town square, the freaks will come up during the attack.
Nualia's paid several visits to the quasit, and has been learning some of her magic from the demon.
The goblin attack is less settled, Tsuto's been arguing for splitting the forces, have half attack from the coast, half come up through the glassworks tunnel and attack from the north.
Bruzthamus has been pushing for an immediate attack, but Nualia's delaying; there's something underneath the Thistletop goblins' lair, and she's thinks that if she can free it it'll join them and blow Sandpoint's defenders away.

[calisk]

Unfolding his arms, Slithir is a bit unsurprised with Dukarks return but is satisfied with the results.

"Good we will head into town to prepare, let's do this quickly time doesn't seem to be on our side".

[Comissar]

Telra pushes up from against the wall, standing straight again. A pained expression crossed his face, "We're going further underground?"

[Molosse]

Dukark pauses abruptly to turn to the struggling half-elf

"For now? No, we return to town, soon after? Yes. This issue of yours will need to be dealt with"

Dukark turns bodily to the half-elf

"We shall be beset from all sides Telra, we will need your skill, do not fail us in this"

Again, he moves to the stairway, moving upwards to the wrecked interior of the glass-works.

[Mirior]

At the top of the stairs, Ameiko gasps at the sight of Dukark's blooded blade. "Is he..." She can't finish the sentence.

[Molosse]

Dukark glances at the tearful woman

"He is dead yes, there was no pain and the time he was granted has given us opportunity to prevent future atrocities. We have little opportunity to dawdle, collect what you need. We set off within the minute."

[Tarth]

Bookkeeping!

I have everyone's current hp as...
Dukark: 6/10
Slithir: 14/14
Tarth: 21/22
Telra: 5/11
Tavi: 17/17

Slithir and Tarth have 1 hero point, the rest of you now have 2 hero points.


Thats because I was already a hero. Got to keep up boys!

[Mirior]

Ameiko nods. "He deserved it," she says, although her voice lacks conviction. She needs no urging to join the group as you leave the glassworks behind and return to Sandpoint.

Pausing for a bit before moving ahead with your return, to make sure everyone has a chance to speak up if they're doing something before they leave. Tavi finishes the flask of acid during Dukark's interrogation.

For our next live session, I'm working on finding out my availability on Sunday; I'll definitely be available at the same time or earlier Monday, I'll let you know about Sunday as soon as I find out.

[Oneiros]

Arugula, I have to confess that I don't quite know how this happened. This certainly is not any sort of "elixir of life", quite the opposite. Were you to try drinking it I fear the worst. Best to keep it, I suppose. As an example to myself, if nothing else.

Disappointed, Tavi packs up and trundles off back to town 'longside the group with his trusty packrat Arugula in tow.

[Tarth]

Would anyone else be interested in doing both sunday and monday this week?

[Mirior]

If my schedule allows for it, I'm willing to do both Sun/Mon

[calisk]

3 days of dnd will be a tough one for me, we'll see though, my saturday game barely requires me to be their thanks to the legendary party split, i'll see what I can do for monday, but i'm good for sunday anyway.

[calisk]

well I think we waited long enough for every ones input, can we skip to when we get back to town and inform the city of the coming attack.

[Mirior]

The sun is setting as you head towards Sandpoint, light skipping across the waves; by the time you reach the town, night has fallen. The autumn chill's sets in, a slight gust with the smell of salt rolls over you from the sea. The town streets are empty, the townsfolk huddled inside with their lamps and lanterns and warm fires; noone wants to be caught outside if something worse than yesterday's raid is coming.

One of Hemlock's guards is patrolling the edge of town with a torch as you approach; he recognizes you straight away, and rushes over. "Ameiko! Are you alright?"

"Lonjiku's dead," Ameiko says. Her voice has steadied since leaving the glassworks. "And there are more goblins coming. They know what's going to happen," nodding at you.

The guard takes a moment to take this in, then turns towards the group. "Belor'll want to hear this straight away. He should still be at the guardhouse. Ameiko, I'm sorry for your loss. You should go see Father Zantus, he'll know what to say."

It's looking like Sunday is a go; everyone get on Skype when you're able, we'll start once everyone's on (if you know it won't be until after a certain point, let us know). We'll figure out whether we're meeting Monday at the end of Sunday's session.

[Molosse]

Dukark nods softly at both the guard and Ameiko before turning to the rest of his party.

"I will be able to inform the guard of what information we have gathered, as well as organize our payment, I suggest we meet at the Inns common room the following morning, we shall collect whatever equipment we need and head back to the glass-works. Is this acceptable?"

[Oneiros]

Tavi nods distractedly and begins moving away from the group, back to the room, off to his tomes and burners and well-ventilated spaces. Arugula plods after him, ready for rest.

As soon as he attains his room once more, Tavi immediately unpacks and begins preparing to experiment

Preparing Plague Vial, Targeted Bomb Admixture, Bomber's Eye. CLW is still infused.

Preparing 5 more catalyst vials (had 4, takes me to 9)

Beginning craft work on Drow Poison (DC 13, 750 sp market value)

heh forgot the roll go team

[Oneiros]

... garrammit

tenletter system kicked in, canceled roll. knew i should've re-inputted

[Oneiros]

maybe this will work

[roll0]

[Comissar]

Telra watches as Ameiko leaves. He stands silently for a moment before turning to his companions.

"I'll leave you to make the report, I have other business to attend to."

He follows the grief stricken elf, jogging slightly to catch her up.

[Tarth]

Telra watches as Ameiko leaves. He stands silently for a moment before turning to his companions.

"I'll leave you to make the report, I have other business to attend to."

He follows the grief stricken elf, jogging slightly to catch her up.


Go Comi! You go get her!

[Mirior]

Current plans are to start a bit after 1pm EST tomorrow. Mol, I'll be on Skype before then if you want to roleplay your report to Sheriff Hemlock.

[Mirior]

If possible, we're going to pick back up on Monday, same time as last week. I'll post a summary of today's session after Monday (whether we meet or not, but if we meet it'll be easier to blend the two sessions into one summary).

[Mirior]

After a night's rest, the group gathered to tackle the first of the threats facing Sandpoint - the tunnels beneath the town, and the forces said to wait within. The tunnel beneath the glassworks led them first to the ocean, opening on a nestled cove, but a passageway that used to bricked over led to chambers of worked stone.

Slithir, scouting ahead, quickly encountered the first of the "freaks" Tsuto had mentioned, savage humanoid figures with split jaws and grasping claws. It was alone, and fell quickly, despite its skill with the masterwork ranseur it wielded. Behind the beast, the group found a red marble statue of a furious woman, carved in robes and holding a similar ranseur.

The first passage the group took led to a slab of black stone supporting a basin of water, permeated with magic. Dukark, unable to determine the water's effects any other way, gulped down a sip, then promptly convulsed vomiting it back up. Tavi, investigating the liquid, was able to determine that Dukark was quite lucky his body had rejected it; the liquid had some sort of transmutative properties. Tavi pocketed a flask for later study; the basin refilled itself.

The next room, the largest in the chambers, was home to a minor demon, the quasit Tsuto had mentioned. Telra was able to sneak up on the quasit, but it vanished as soon as it saw him, reappearing above a strange artifact, a pool of bubbling liquid that gave off an orange glow. The quasit cut itself with a dagger, dropping blood into the pool to summon another of the freaks, then started casting spells at the group. Over a tough fight, the group slew the summoned freak and a summoned wolf, but were unable to deal lasting damage to the demon, who proved nigh-impervious to Tavi's bombs and resistant to most other damage, healing its wounds. Eventually, the demon returned to invisibility, fleeing into the outer chambers.

The party spent time recovering and debating their next move, whether to return to Sandpoint to rest and resupply or to press on in the hopes of finding and finishing the wounded demon; in the end, pressing on won out, although the party planned to return to deal with the orange glowing pool.

Moving through the rest of the chambers, the party easily dealt with an attempted ambush by another pair of the freaks, followed up by a goblin mutated by the water from before. The quasit's voice made an appearance beside the goblin, but after the party slew the goblin mutant mid-charge the demon never appeared.

Further exploration uncovered a torture chamber, several prison cells with skeletons still inside, a set of 11 covered pits containing zombies helpless to reach the party above, and finally a spherical room covered in flickering runes. Anyone who entered the room began floating into the air, and their entrance triggered the runes to a flurry of activity. Using rope to pull Dukark and Tavi back in, the party gathered the items in the room, leaving before the runes could possibly cause any ill effect.

The final passage in the chambers led up flights of stairs. The group encountered and quickly slew a vargouille, a strain of wildlife from the fiendish planes, then found an upwards-leading spiral staircase, blocked by rubble. Some of the rubble, however, had been moved; someone was working on clearing the staircase, and the path to whatever lay above.

The entirety of the chambers explored, save for whatever lay above the rubble-filled staircase and below a similarly-blocked staircase found near the spherical floaty room, the party returned to the orange pool. Experimenting with how to destroy the pool and end the threat it and the still-unaccounted for quasit posed, Dukark dropped a droplet of his blood into the pool, spawning another freak which promptly attacked the party, and was quickly slain. The pool's glow dimmed noticeably as the creature emerged, and in fact was now barely visible; Tavi believed that, were the pool to be drained of all its energy, it would be damaged, perhaps destroyed.

+1 longsword to Tarth
scroll of flaming sphere to Slithir
scroll of burning hands to Slithir
wand of shocking grasp to Tavi
masterwork ranseur to Tarth
masterwork handaxe to Telra
silver dagger to Telra

720 XP to everyone - Rewards

Those who left early, read the last paragraph, it's what happened after you left. The group is currently in the room with the pool.

[calisk]

"well, it seems we've neared the end of this exploration, let's return up the tunnel, and get some rest inside the manor, then we can clear the final passage and see what's beyond."

[Oneiros]

Seeing the reduced glow, Tavi is left wondering whether or not the power of the pool was at all affected by the spawning of the creature.


[roll0] knowledge arcana for pool energy levels, see if I can tell if they were higher or lower than before

[Molosse]

Dukark finishes cleaning the point of his blade from the Creatures black blood, he glances back to watch the Rat-Folk standing by the portal.

Speaking without looking he answers Slithir

"Two passageways my friend, one down to the beast the elf spoke of and one up. Something to think on, if their objective was the beast below the catacomb then why did they feel the need to clear the higher portions first?"

He walks over to the Rat-Folk

"Notice anything?"

[Mirior]

Tavi's results - Tavi can tell that the pool has less arcane energy than it did before; indeed, there isn't much left.

[Tarth]

Tarth gives the pool a little kick.

[Oneiros]

It appears to me that this pool's energy is almost diminished. I would assume, therefore, that there is a limit to how many creatures it can produce. If we continue producing creatures, I believe the pool will be damaged. I can't say what effects that would have, or how many creatures are left before the pool is finished.

I would hazard a guess that there are few creatures left available to it at present. I couldn't say when or how it would be replenished, so really were we to try to deplete the pool, now is the best time.

Also a thing to keep in mind may be that, thus far, only blood that is more than passably strange has gone into this portal and summoned a creature.

Having said this, Tavi silences himself again and moves slightly further back from the pool.

[Mirior]

Tarth kicks the pool's rim; the liquid inside shows no change, continuing to faintly glow orange with a bubble popping up every now and then. Tarth's foot hurts, but that passes.

[Mirior]

Does meeting Sunday at 1pm EST work for everyone? Tarth, let me know if you can do an earlier time.

[Molosse]

Dukarks nods once in answer to Tavi, pausing for a moment longer as he stared into the slowly curling liquid.
He rises and turns to the group.

"I suggest we stay here tonight, it will allow me the opportunity to examine the tome we found more closely and it will save us the most time to continue our search of the upper sections of this... chapel."

With that Dukark seats himself at the edge of the stairway and, facing the door, begins to read the tome he recovered from the enchanted room.

[calisk]

1 might be a bit early for me, i'll do what I can though

my comps gone on life support, trying to fix it now, but it's being a pain in the ass, honestly the worst i've ever seen a computer

[Molosse]

So are we on for today?

[Mirior]

We're starting as soon as everyone is on (sans Comissar, who isn't able to make it today)

[Mirior]

The group decided to rest and recover in the chapel; Slithir barricaded the doors with rope, a watch schedule was established, but nothing disturbed the group's slumber.

Upon waking, the first order of business (after Slithir checked to make sure there wasn't an ambush outside) was to deal with the monster-summoning pool. Tavi theorized that continued summonings would drain and damage the pool; but before anyone could test the theory, the quasit reappeared, throwing spells at the party to stop them from activating the pool. Mid-fight, Dukark did exactly that, creating another creature which nearly killed Telra, but depleting the pool of the last of its energy, killing its glow; it no longer reacted when blood (or Telra's unconscious body) fell into it.

The quasit raged, but was no more able to stop the party than in their previous encounter. Likewise, the party was unable to harm the quasit; until Slithir grabbed hold of the demon when it tried to flee, eventually with the aid of Tarth and Tavi binding it in rope.

Dukark, threatening to immolate the demon in holy water, convinced it to talk, for what worth its ravings had. It repeatedly referred to some She who had restored the pool until the party re-broke it, who had reigned over all long ago and whose armies would rise again, mixed in with praises to the Rough Beast Rovagug, infuriating Slithir. After extracting info, Dukark impaled the demon, and Tarth beheaded it; it was well and truly dead.

The group took a quick detour to kill the zombies they had found earlier, doing so without taking too much time, then cleared a path through the rubble on the upwards-spiraling staircase. It opened, after breaking down a weak wall, on the basement of the Old Light, which was quite the shock to the lighthouse's resident, Brodert Quink. The group spoke with Brodert, who after the initial shock was fascinated by the discovery of further chambers below the lighthouse, as any scholar who had moved to Sandpoint specifically to study the Old Light and similar ruins along the coast would be. Fearing for his safety, the group told him not to head down until they could spare the time to escort him.

At the end of the session, the group split. Slithir, Tarth, and Telra left the Old Light to find Sheriff Hemlock and report their discoveries, while Dukark and Tavi remained with Brodert to study from his spellbook and share knowledge. The plan (as I understand it) is to reconvene at the White Stag Inn in a few hours to meet with Aldern Foxglove, the noble who the group saved during the initial goblin attack.


Rewards - +1 Tiny cold iron returning dagger to Tavi
Obsidian holy symbol of Rovagug to Dukark

950 xp to everyone

[Mirior]

I'm not able to get on tonight, and I may be busy next Sunday as well; if so, I should be able to have a session next Monday.

[calisk]

Slithir and tarth head towards the sheriffes building, wasting little time with pleasantries to the townsfolks. "we must inform the sheriff at once. who knows what will happen, if we dawdle"

do we make it their without any trouble?

[Mirior]

Sandpoint's streets are mostly empty; the sun has set, and the townsfolk are keeping indoors. There's a light on at the guardhouse - Sheriff Hemlock is waiting for you.

I think the best way to run the split groups is over Skype, if peopel can be on at the same time. I'm busy today, but starting tomorrow I should have more time to catch people online. Also, I will be available to play this Sunday, it's Monday I'll be busy for.

[calisk]

when will the scrubs learn to not split the party =)

[calisk]

you weren't on, my bard made a sad face =(

[calisk]

no recap? did we find anything on the bodies after the combat?I rolled hp on the site and got crap again =/

[Mirior]

The next day, the party reconvened, sharing notes of what they'd learned from the sheriff and from Brodert Quink. After a few hours, they were joined by Shalelu Androsani, a ranger who patrolled the area and had noticed signs of goblin activity. She told the group that the Thistletop tribe, led by Chief Ripnugget, was calling the shots, aided by a bugbear who was intimidating the other tribes into falling in line. After resupplying, getting holy water from Father Zantus, the party set out on an eight-mile journey to Thistletop.

The journey was soggy, but uneventful, Tarth leading the group through fields and forests; after three hours of travel, the group reached Thistletop, a wooden fort built atop a near-shore island, connected to the mainland's cliffs by a swaying rope bridge. The mainland side was blocked by briars and vines, overgrown but - as Dukark discovered - shaped into goblin-sized tunnels, a maze of passageways between the hidden entrance and the bridge.

The party entered the tunnels, finding clearings where they could stand upright (although Tavi had no problems squeezing through). They ambushed a large group of goblins, Tavi's bombs killing them en masse, with only one survivor escaping. They could hear goblin dogs yipping deeper in the maze, but they weren't coming closer, and fell silent shortly after the last goblin fled.

The group moved on, finding the top end of a shaft in the ground, a hole leading to waters below. Past there, they found the dogs, and the dogs' owner - a goblin druid, hands wreathed in flame, who controlled the vines, opening passageways for the dogs and himself, entangling half the group in grasping thorns. The dogs were easy to slay, but the firepelt cougar that accompanied them proved much more difficult; Telra and Slithir were both laying flat by the time Tarth brought it down. The druid struggled with Dukark, sword of mist facing sword of flame, before falling back, vines covering his retreat.

Everyone earned 751 XP, putting them to lvl 3; no treasure found this session.

[calisk]

slithir decides to skin the cougar with the intention to sell it's rare pelt back in town.

after finishing that up he grabs the ropes that the goblin had the dogs leashed up with, and stores it in his bag unless others want some. ( how much rope was there? )

he wipes his kukri clean and sheathes it.

"shall we camp out in the nearby forest? it seems these goblins are more prepared for us then we expected and it's hard to say how our next battle will turn out if we press on in our condition"

[Tarth]

Tarth quickly heads to the edge of the tunnels in hopes of seeing if anyone from the fort saw their fight. Keeping the group with in sight he sets up a watch on the bridge swinging in the wind and rain.

[Mirior]

Once the grasping vines fall quiet, Tarth quickly explores the rest of the tunnels. He finds the path to the bridge quickly, as well as a rolled-up bedroll down another fork, tucked away in a dark nook. The bridge sways, hairy rope supporting wooden planks; the construction doesn't look reassuring, but it's apparently held so far. On the island, you can see the thick wooden stockade, but no goblins as of yet.

Slithir finds ten ropes in the dogs' clearing, each ten feet long and badly frayed, half of them tied at one end to wooden stakes. Skinning the cougar takes time, we'll see if such time is available.

[calisk]

slithir continue skinning the couerl


we waiting on anything or can we continue?

[Mirior]

I was seeing if anyone else was doing something while Slithir was skinning, looks like no - Slithir finishes skinning the cougar uninterrupted.

I won't be available on Sunday, will be available all day on Monday, whatever time works for other people.

[Mirior]

After exploring the rest of the vine tunnels, the group decided to rest before pushing over the bridge to Thistletop proper. They fell back into a back chamber, one that had already been used by someone goblin-sized for sleeping, and Tarth set up near the bridge for the first watch.

Near the end of Tarth's watch, Thistletop's doors opened, and goblins mounted on their dogs started crossing the bridge. Tarth slipped back to the group, waking the others as the goblins reached the near side; hiding, the group watched five mounted goblins approach, followed by a human in heavy armor, a sword and long shield, and a red cloak. Dukark stepped on a twig, the crack shot through the moonlit air, and the goblins were charging.

Not that a few goblins could faze the party, even with their dogs in tow and the party's resources depleted. Tavi tossed a couple of bombs, Telra decapitated a few riders, and in moments the goblins were dead and the surviving dogs were fleeing into the brambles. The swordsman kept coming, slowly walking, unconcerned.

Telra and Dukark offered him a chance to leave unharmed; he was outnumbered 5-to-1, after all. But he said he wasn't getting paid to turn tail, and the fight began, the swordsman falling back through the narrow passages to keep from being surrounded, blocking nearly every attack that came at him with his shield, nearly killing Dukark in a single stroke and laying Slithir low before Telra poked holes in his armor and knocked his shield out of his hands; seeing where the fight was going, the swordsman dropped his weapon and yielded to the party.

Tarth had him strip off his armor and weapons, tossing them to the group, and he currently stands in his undergarments, waiting for you to let him leave in peace; he's agreed to answer your questions about what waits in Thistletop first.


+1 banded mail
masterwork bastard sword
masterwork heavy steel shield
composite longbow
30 gp

695 xp Rewards - noone has claimed anything from the guy's gear that I saw

[calisk]

while breathing heavily through his wounds, Slithir manages to pull himself up into a standing position.

"we need to head back to town and rest before more of them show up, tie him up, and we'll let the sheriff do what he wants with him"

Slithir grabs some of the worn ropes that had been tethering the dogs up and tosses them to the group.

[Mirior]

"Is that really necessary?" The swordsman watches Slithir grab rope. "You have my arms and my word that I'm leaving this area behind; I'm not a threat to you."

[calisk]

"it's easy to find another sword, and even easier to warn the people that paid you, be happy we're heading back to town, or it could of been a lot worse."

"you're a fine warrior, I really don't have any interest in fighting you again."

[Oneiros]

As her bags are being hastily loaded, Arugula's snout twitches briefly, and she considers trundling off to the castle. She still is owed by Tavi, however, and is determined to stay around him until he figures out how to make good his promise. In the meantime, if nothing else, he's a reliable source of food.


Tavi, meanwhile, is doing the loading, and the grumbling, and the sorting out of things. Once done, he looks up at the captive swordsman.

I believe, sir, that our interest in you is only our own safety. And to that end, there is no reason we should not ensure that you are at the least restrained while we finish your employer. Understand, I don't doubt you. But that's no reason to put myself at risk.

So unless you have a good reason we should not bring you back to town, it seems the best course for us.

Also, have you any idea what powers Nualia has?

I have no interest in the loot beyond gold from anything sold etc. Assuming 6gp from his plat pieces.

[Mirior]

"I suppose I would do the same in your position. Doesn't mean I like this," he says, holding his hands out for Slithir to bind.

I'll go through the questioning regarding Nualia/defenses at the start of tomorrow's session, when everyone's gathered to respond.

[Mirior]

The party resumed their rest, Telra keeping a close eye on the mercenary, then awoke to plan their attack. The mercenary, Orik, asked again to be released, swearing that he would return to Magnimar, and this time he got his wish; after thanking the group, he left.

The only approach to Thistletop the group could find was the swaying rope bridge, which a quick inspection revealed couldn't hold the weight of the full party. Dukark, using a dead goblin as a shield, led the charge, Tavi close behind, the others waiting close behind so as not to overload the bridge. As they reached the far side, Thistletop's gates opened, and the goblins sallied forth, over a dozen led by the druid and his sword of flame.

Dukark took the brunt of the charge and quickly fell to druid's fire and goblin knives, leaving Tavi alone; he fell back onto the bridge, but the goblins poured onto it as Slithir scrambled back and Telra rushed to Tavi's aid; before either could reach their goals, the added weight of the goblins snapped one of the bridge ropes, cutting the link between the mainland and the island, sending one goblin into the sea, leaving Telra dangling from the last remaining rope and Tavi alone against the goblin horde.

Two extracts later, and Tavi was seemingly immobile, protected from attacks by an invisible shield, and ready to face the horde. With the rest of the group pincushioning the goblins with arrows, Tavi threw bomb after bomb, sending goblins flying off the cliff and into piece. The druid took an arrow to the foot, lost his balance, and tumbled into the ocean. When the smoke from the last bomb cleared, Tavi was near death, woozy, but alive; the fifteen goblins that charged out of Thistletop were dead, as was Dukark.

Slithir, Telra, and Tarth made it to the island side of the single rope left of the bridge; after stripping it of gear and a moment of silence, Tarth threw Dukark's body over the edge, giving him a burial at sea. But there was no time for mourning; now the four press on into Thistletop, to put an end to the goblin threat.

Masterwork longsword
100 gp

Dukark's stuff:
Estoc
Longbow
20 arrows
Chain Shirt
Buckler
+1 Ring of Protection to Slithir
108 gp

821 xp ^Rewards

[Mirior]

I'm afraid I won't be able to play today; I should be available starting 6pm for the rest of the week, but as I understand it other people's schedules don't line up until Sunday.

[Oneiros]

Tavi silently picks up his share of the gold, his head hooded and his movements slow. Learning again that regret is something you can't just wish away.

So 52gp. Was going to take buckler, but it'd be too big for small me

[Tarth]

Im free any day but thursday. I have PT. Want to shoot for tomorrow? 6 robs time?

[Comissar]

Telra watched Dukark's body for some time before turning away.

"Come on, let's search this place and get it over with. It reeks of death here."

Telra will take 20 to search the Goblin camp, giving a total score of 27

[calisk]

we don't know there aren't more goblins, or that their aren't untriggered traps setup among the camp, you may want to be careful trouncing around with a take 20 search. also take 20 searches of a whol camp would take alot longer then 20 minutes, in case time was a worry for you.

[Mirior]

After a moment for silence for Dukark, the four remaining members of the group pressed into Thistletop, weapons ready and senses alert. They found the halls empty, sleeping quarters and storerooms abandoned, most of the goblins killed at the gates; nothing challenged them until they reached the fort's largest chamber, where the chieftain and his personal guard were waiting.

The goblin chief seemed friendly, offering to speak with Telra about peace, but his smile was clearly forced, and his guards were clearly preparing to attack. Before they could, Tavi struck first, tossing a smoke bomb into the midst of the goblins, and the fight began. Telra slipped into the smoke, picking off the chief's guard one by one, as Tavi threw out more smoke before getting hit on the head by a brick and collapsing. Tarth, who had been scouting alone for a flanking entrance but failing to find one, took matters into his own hands, charging a wall and breaking the shoddy construction down to emerge beside a drummer; the chief, mounted on a giant gecko, came to the drummer's rescue, beating Tarth down with a jagged shortsword. Slithir took his mount out from under him, but the fight looked grim until Telra caught the chief unaware, beheading him from behind.

After killing the chief and his guards (save for one who fled), Slithir and Tavi used the last of their healing to get everyone back on their feet, including Telra who went through the fight unscathed only to be slashed by a rusty blade trap on a chest full of riches and pass out from shock. But still the group pressed on, optimistic that the goblin threat had been eliminated.

As indeed it had been; descending to the lower levels, which appeared to be a previously-existing installation the goblins had built their fort atop of, the party found the last five goblins, one heavily wounded, guarding the tribe's infants. In exchange for their weapons, a promise to never attack the longshanks again, and info about the instigators of the goblin raid, Tavi agreed to let them and their children live. There were three enemies left in Thistletop, according to the goblins; the bugbear who'd been threatening other tribes into line, a mean woman who had let a goblin be eaten by a tentacled monster that dwelt somewhere beneath the fort, and the woman in charge who spent most of her time on the bottom levels "speaking with the whispers."

The group's further exploration came to an end when they opened a door to find a grey stone slab, a hideous statue of a monster ripping free of a woman's stomach, and two fiendish hounds whose terrifying howls sent everyone except Slithir (who undertook a more organized retreat) fleeing in panic. And I do mean everyone; the fleeing party passed the last goblins, who were equally terrified, on their way back upstairs, and were intercepted at Thistletop's gates by a woman in a red dress, also fleeing (and turning invisible through magic as soon as her sense returned), and the bugbear, who was not at all terrified and there for blood. He nearly had it, thrashing Tavi before Slithir used a wand of illusions to create the image of the rat over the cliff's edge; the bugbear fell for the trick, catching himself on the cliffside but pushed off by Slithir before he could climb up, plunging to a watery grave.

At this point, exhausted and drained, the group decided to return to Sandpoint, leaving behind Tarth's magic blade (dropped in fear near where the hounds were seen) and the chest full of gold. Back in Sandpoint, they rested and restocked supplies as Caen arrived in town, purchasing a room at the Rusty Dragon and quickly meeting the group in his investigation of Aldern Foxglove, who had led him and the merchants he was protecting into an ambush by an undead horror. Caen and the others shared stories, and decided to work together to achieve both ends, defeating Nuala and the goblins permanently and taking revenge on Foxglove. Meanwhile, Hemlock learned of a murder at the Scarnetti Mill, but told the group to focus on the goblins; he and the guard would investigate, and let them know if they were needed.

Returning to Thistletop, the group found that the rope bridge had been cut from the other side. Caen wanted to lower Tavi into a shaft on their side to see if it lead to a way across, but that plan was vetoed after Telra saw something move in the water below. Instead, Tarth threw a grappling hook across, Telra was able to get across to stabilize the rope, and shortly the entire group was on the far side; even Tarth's dog Ajax, shrunk down to a carryable size by a potion from Tavi.


Small +1 shortsword (sold)
Small +1 leather armor (sold)
Small masterwork dagger to Tavi
everburning torch (left behind)
potion of cure light wounds to Tavi
wand of silent image (5 charges) to Slithir
jade necklace (sold)
golden holy symbol of Sarenrae (sold)
646.32 gp (left behind)

1185 XP rewards, I feel like I'm missing something

[Tarth]

We still using this?