Twin Suns [IC]

[Nad]

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Summary:

After finishing the battle with the gnolls, a black, tar-like substance was seen leaking from the gnoll leader’s ear. After gathering as much information as possible and scavenging the bodies for equipment, the group’s attention was turned to the hostage, the half-elf from Ebanus named Vassin. After some discussion it was agreed to escort him back to Ebanus and to spend a few days within the settlement.

The battle and the aftermath had taken half of the night and by sun-rise the walls of Ebanus were visible in the distance. After agreeing to surrender weapons longer than our arms, we were allowed into Ebanus’ guest quarters and given fresh food and water. Ebanus began to stir and the party decided to change from the night/day cycle back to day/night and spent the day waiting to meet with the mayor. Grapthar, who could wander his home town freely, met with friends and family. Cal, Mcgurk, Hank and Rendor passed the day in the guest quarters – Hank entertaining by practicing his juggling, Mcgurk by adding to the juggling difficulty by the factor of a hand axe and drinking, eating and abusing the only toilet. Cal assisted Rendor by using a flaming sphere to serve as a temporary forge while Rendor fashioned long bows for Grapthar, Kunu (-1 Shortbows) and one inlaid with silver and copper elven writing for Mcgurk (normal shortbow).

After briefly meeting with the Mayor, the party was given permission to freely wander the upper level of Ebanus and trade with the local merchants. Two of the three magical items found were identified. A magical helmet was taken by Hank and a magical ornament to Kunu (Ask Dan for the name/details). A magical leather belt was unidentified but Rendor needed a belt so he decided to wear it until its true nature is discovered. Grapthar was able to trade a majority of the looted items for ritual materials, rations, water, fuel rations and a few pieces of miscellaneous equipment. After this was finished, the party met and decided to get to the bottom of the recent events.

Three things were discussed:

1. What was that black fluid in the gnoll? Does it have to do with Vassin? Why was he out wandering around?
2. What happened to Gormon the dwarf who was shot in the back and half devoured by the manticore? What was the hollow he warned about?
3. What are the three clues in the note from our mysterious savior? Are we in the right place? What do we need to do?

After getting permission from the mayor, the group split into three groups. Cal and Grapthar proceeded to the mines to verify that a new vein of copper discovered recently had nothing to do with Gormon’s death or Vassin’s capture. It didn’t appear they were related.

Hank and Mcgurk attempted to follow up with Vassin but were not too successful. However, for saving the man’s life he seemed pretty ungrateful… but that may be our own fault for sending the rough edged and somewhat unfriendly dragonborn as our ambassador.

Rendor, Kunu and Steve went to speak with the local mason about the flint arrow that was used to kill Gormon. The mason was able to verify that the flint was probably local to the area and that more than likely, it wasn’t from Ebanus. When he compared the flint from the gnolls arrows to that in Gormon’s back, it seemed to be a match. The mason also mentioned that the mayor of Ebanus has access to maps of the surrounding area – Rendor mentioned this to Cal so he can use his magical book to copy the map.

After being unable to find any real clues to any of the questions, the party returns to the guest room for their final night of Ebanus’ hospitality. Freed from any of the normal responsibilities required by travelling… setting up tents, keeping watch or foraging, the group is able to sit around the sturdy palm wood table and relax. As a thank you for his fox fur gift from Hank, the mayor has provided a small barrel of fermented mushroom beer for the party and Cal’s magical hand is busy floating a mug of the beer to each of you. The beer is cold, smooth and tasty – a real luxury and almost unnatural – you’re used to a little bit of sand in your drinks.

As each of you sip your delightful treat, your eyes scan the room. The walls are a smooth, worked stone, carved from Ebanus’ stone by slave labor long ago. The dark stone has small veins of red that dimly reflect the magical light from Cal’s orb which lays in the middle of the table. The table is old, well used and warn. Some dwarven runes, possibly names of guests past, have been carved and worn from the table, barely legible. It’s palm wood planks are held together by large copper nails, driven to their resting place long ago and stained over the years. Mcgurk bellows a large burp after finishing his beer and grins obnoxiously, bearing his huge dragonborn teeth. As he beckons for a refill from Cal’s magical service, there is a soft knock at the door.

A dwarf enters carrying two baskets and only Grapthar stands from the table, slightly embarrassed that his companions don’t as they fail to realize a lady has entered the room; the beards always throw strangers off. She warmly greets Grapthar in dwarven, presents the two baskets to him and retires. The baskets contain hearty meals for everyone; baked fish stuffed with ground up mushroom and some sort of nut and freshly baked dinner rolls. A demonic growl echoes from Kunu’s belly and the delicious meal is distributed. As you each begin to eat, drink and relax, you almost forget about the weeks that have past.

The cold beer washes away the thoughts of wind blown wastelands, the burning heat of the day sun while you tried to sleep, sweating in your tents and eating Rendor’s horribly cooked meals. Each bite of the delicious baked fish distracts you from the scar tissue filling in nicely from the Once Men’s inflicted wounds. The safety of the walls and the settlement around you almost supplement the last time you had a quiet meal within the walls of White Stone. With a audible agreement, the meal fills you all in ways past your stomach and you burp, groan, fart and compliment the cooking. With a sigh, you give up your momentary sanctuary and tranquility as Rendor breaks the silence.

[Nad]

Rendor: That was delicious. Had we the time, I would ask to apprentice to that chef to learn how to make something like that.

Rendor looks at McGurk, expecting a smart ass remark.

OOC: OOC, is for out of character, if you're doing a non-RP discussion... IE pointing something out; Who has the note? Can we do X? Etc

[Stevieb123]

Kunu: I am afraid, my friend, that even if you were to learn how to make something like that, we would have quite a time scavenging such delicious fish out there

[Nad]

Rendor: Good point... maybe I could stuff lizards instead?

[Stevieb123]

Kunu: I think McGurk and I are already stuffed. (Ba da bing!). But seriously, Grapthar, please convey my gratitude to our hosts.

[Grapthar]

Grapthar: Well, speaking of food we have 9 days worth. I think we should continue West as the Gods commanded. I fear we bring strain and danger upon Ebanus the longer we remain.

[Nad]

Rendor: West would be directly into the heart of the mountain... unless you know of some tunnel or dwarven secret... if we were to go around, I think it would take far longer than nine days.

I have never been this far south but to the North, it is many days from the Northern pass where the Rarindi tribes roam to the settlement of Ferratrand... from my understand that is far to the North of your home here.

Perhaps we should try to discern exactly what it is we are seeking before we decide how to get there.


OOC: Does anyone have the 3 clues from the note?

[Stevieb123]

OOC: 1) Muscle and bone may drive the sword, but the mind bears the guilt
2) You can not close a door while the hand yet reaches through
3) When you find what the past was seeking, you will need what they all had

[Grapthar]

Grapthar: well said Rendor, but how? perhaps we should ask someone more wise than we are

[Stevieb123]

Kunu: Would it be worth to perhaps try again with Vassin? perhaps with a friendlier approach? Do we know if he was captured with Gorman? Was Gorman shot in the back trying to escape the gnolls, and did Vassin see this? If so, what was their relationship?

OOC: Sorry if these questions have already been answered

[narayanis]

Hank: I think it may be a good time to visit Mek's Crossroads. Being at the center of everything, news travels fastest there and we may find more information about the source of the 'hollow'.

[Stevieb123]

Kunu: I think it would be a bit hasty to just leave Ebanus before we are sure we have exhausted all of our investigative options here.

[Mcgirk]

McGirk: While I would love to travel back home it would pull us away from our journey west. As far as the half elf coward is concerned I am through with him. The little snot hides behind the laws of his land, and rather then help cowers in his home. Maybe Rendor would have more favor with him. Those fae folk tend to congregate around one another.

[Nad]

OOC: Answer to - Would it be worth to perhaps try again with Vassin? perhaps with a friendlier approach?

Rendor: I doubt it, he seemed to know little from what McGurk said and I think our rolls as savior mean very little to him.

OOC: Answer to - Do we know if he was captured with Gorman? Was Gorman shot in the back trying to escape the gnolls, and did Vassin see this? If so, what was their relationship?

Rendor: No, Gorman was captured but I believe we established that he was taken before Vassin. However, from what I can tell, it appears that he was shot in the back by one of the gnolls… perhaps he tried to escape, was shot and while fleeing was captured by the manticore?

Rendor glares at Mcgurk and has a stern face as he says…

Rendor: Dragonborn you tread on dangerous grounds unless you jest. You should not compare my company to a coward, it is an insult to my honor and I will fight to the death to defend my honor, it is not the way of my elf blood, it is the way of my people.

Rendor relaxes slightly.

Rendor: But I agree with what else McGurk says, let us exhaust our options here before moving on. Do the three clues mean anything to anyone? What else do we seek other than Ebanus that was to the west? What seems out of place of these things…. A dwarven moss farmer leaves town. A half-elf silversmith leaves town. Why were they chosen? As bait?

[narayanis]

Hank: I didn't mean that we should leave right away. I believe that checking out the "collapse" at the new copper vein is worthwhile. We may even want to consider speaking with the less upstanding citizens of town to see what kind of rumors we hear.

[DB-clevername]

DM: Bravo to everyone. Keep thinking through things. Love the RP.

[Stevieb123]

OOC: Did I miss something in the summary? I didn't see anything about a collapse, I just saw they discovered a new vein. If there was a collapse, I can see a connection between a "hollow" and a collapse. Sorry if I am forgetting something.

[Grapthar]

Grapthar: Perhaps we should find out where the gnolls came from; it could give us clues about who's behind the black magic goo.

[Nad]

OOC: Remember, Ebanus isn't that big... here's the town description.

Ebanus was originally built upon and has since expanded from a large rock formation in the middle of the wastelands. Offering shade from the Blood Sun, the large rock has a honeycomb of caves that served as cells and common spaces for slaves. After the revolution, lead by the Dragonborn Ebanus, from which the settlement takes its name, these carved areas were redesigned into homes and work spaces. Due to mined caverns and irrigated water, the survivors in Ebanus grow a few desert crops using fantastic methods. Their water source is not commonly known but is rumored to be a deep underground well. Ebanus is ruled by a democratic process for major decisions with elected leaders serving for day to day purposes. The village supports a population of roughly 400 and has taken measures to ensure the population does not grow further as their resources are already stretched.



Rendor: What would a mine collapse have in common with these events? Wasn't Vassin said to be friends with the miners? I thought that Grapthar said that they seemed to insult Gamon though... Also, these people you speak of Hank, where or how would we find them?

[Stevieb123]

Kunu: Perhaps we should also talk to Gorman's family or have a look around his home for any clues?

[Nad]

Rendor: He was a bachelor and considered to be crazy by some. We didn't search his home but from the fact that he was known to wander and encountered trouble outside of Ebanus, I would guess we won't find any clues but it is something to consider...

[narayanis]

Hank: If there's a prison or pillory one of us could get fake arrested and try to talk up any other people there. We could leave bait for a thief and then intimidate him to talk.

[FlyingCow]

Cal: While levitating himself a fresh ale: "Far too many strings have pulled us here for us to simply sever them and walk away. At best it would delay us, at worst it could anger the very being who set us on this course."

"Was it noted that the dwarf Gorman had friends in the taverns? Even the most reclusive loner finds companions with the help of ale. Perhaps some of his friends and fellow farmers..."

(eyeing McGirk) "if approached courteously..."

"..could be helpful in finding what drove him to madness. Like all towns everyone will know everyone's business, but they will remain tight-lipped to outsiders. We must prove ourselves worthy of help before we can expect it."

[Grapthar]

Grapthar: Maybe we should impress them with some magical music (looks at Cal).

[Nad]

Rendor: When you say things such as…

Rendor raises an eyebrow and does his best impression of a dwarf...

Rendor: The hollow. It's coming. Stay away from the hollow!

back to a normal voice...

Rendor: People are bound to think you are mad but if I tell you all that once I wrestled a ceremonial wedding camel to the ground you would think me mad till you heard the story… there is no way for us to hear Gamon’s story but perhaps we could use the ears of the tavern to reconstruct it?

As he speaks, Rendor looks to Cal…

Rendor: Or perhaps there is a way to magically reconstruct his story?

then to Grapthar…

Rendor: Or Moradin can tell us what he saw?

and to Steve…

Rendor: Or perhaps there is something within your mists that can whisper an answer?

[DB-clevername]

DM: Clarifying a couple points:

Gorman was not particularly well liked at least by the miner, since he is a dwarf who does farming when there are so many mines around. That doesn't mean he wasn't liked in general just that the one mine overseer you spoke with has a low opinion of him. Grapthar doesn't particularly have a negative opinion of him or perceive that he is generally disliked.

Vasin was somewhat sociable and being the town's silversmith he was known and liked among the dwarves. They still don't much care for the elvish blood in him and in that way make fun of him but in general he has some friends.

The cave-in was at the new vein site. To be more specific, when Grapthar and Cal went to check it out, the mine foreman/overseer said they couldn't go in to look around at the time. The ceiling of the cavern was unstable so they brought some of it down to prevent a future cave-in. He said that by tomorrow they should have the rubble cleared and some supports erected to make it a more stable work place for the miners. At that time he would be happy to show you around.

[Grapthar]

OOC: Speak with the dead is lvl 6

Grapthar: as a doctor i can say that ale looses lips.

[Nad]

Rendor: As someone who has observed you drink three of those beers, I say that your lips are loose. Does that make me a doctor?

Rendor smiles at Grapthar and strokes his imaginary elven beard.

[Grapthar]

Grapthar: heh...well, i can say for certain that your eyes work, but you appear to be coming down with some sort of annoying Elf disease. as YOUR primary physician i advise you to consume more ale before it spreads

[Nad]

Rendor laughs, raises his mug to Grapthar, then to the rest of the table and then takes several gulps. He then coughs, laughs and finishes his beer and leans back in his chair.