Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil (IC): Thread 2

[Toliudar]

Meggido

"I'm certain that your talents would brighten the place immensely."

Given Meggido's flat delivery, it's hard to tell whether he speaks in earnest. Nodding, he makes sure that the bill for their drinks is paid, and a respectful but not extravagant gratuity is added. Once the others are ready, he heads back into the mountain sunshine, hoping to button-hole the same craggy oldester who had given them advice about Tal.

"Excuse me. I require a bit of direction. Where do those two roads up the mountainside lead to?"

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Rastor: Planting 26, Afternoon

“Eh? Well, the western path goes up Mt. Stalagos. Used to be an old dwarf-mine up there. Not many folks use it much, though I suspect you’d be interested, eh?” At this the old man winks at Megiddo, again as if he is in on some great secret. “Anyway, it’s probably best you stay away from the southern route for now. Them that are at the end of that take a while to warm up to strange elves ‘n’ humans.”

[Toliudar]

Meggido

Baffled by the old man's allusions, Meggido nonetheless nods knowingly and decides that saying less would serve him more.

"Indeed. That is most helpful. Thank you."

He turns to his colleagues to see if there are any other questions before they begin their surveillance stroll.

[Swami Monsoon]

Tom makes sure that the hood of his cloak is hiding most of his face before he approaches the entrance of the tavern. He stops and stares at the bulletin board next to the door, where months worth of wanted posters cover the cork like shingles... Damn, that's a lot of robbing, stabbing and shooting... and forcible sodomy? They must not have much else to do with their time in this nasty little town. But, amazingly enough, nobody's trying to blame me for any of it... He'd traveled for two weeks and over a hundred miles without seeing any of his posters. Maybe, finally, he had run far enough...

He had really thought Silver Mound would be it... a nice quiet place, deep in the mountains... a hot claim... incurious locals... Then the hard-faced men showed up. Again. Dressed up as wandering priests of Pelor this time. Oh so clever. Even if the dead eyes didn't give them away, Tom never forgot a scent. Same f%@#rs that jumped him in Glass Valley. By the time the tall one got his crossbow free from the satchel of religious tracts and the short, nasty one fumbled the katana out of his monk's robes, Tom was sprinting for the treeline behind a conjured cloud of mist...

So now, Rastor... and what a godforsaken s%$t hole it was. The only thing they mined here was turnips. But maybe, just maybe, this place was so far out in the boondocks that the Greenstones and their goons had never heard of it. Of course he'd told himself that before... Still, this place made Silver Mound look like lost Manhattan. The bad news was that there was probably no work here. No honest work, at least...

As he ponders, his keen ears pick up a conversation in the street behind him... A mine? Here? Tom walks over to the small group... "Uh, sorry to interrupt, but if you're looking to check out an old Dwarven mine, that's something I might be able to help with..."

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

Surprised by the sudden appearance of the stranger, Grigor can just stop himself in time from reflexively reaching for his sword. He shoots Megiddo a short glance. What if that is Tal already?

"Is that so, stranger? And what might be your trade, pray tell, that makes you so well-suited for the exploration of old dwarven mines?"

[Quakes]

Can't say I would turn down help navigating the mine. Men are meant to walk under the sky, not below the ground. But I agree that we need to know your credentials before we entrust ourselves to your guidance.

[herrhauptmann]

Halgrim. Road to Rastor. (Journal entry Planting 24)

I still can't believe Mr Jaroo is a traitor to th' Faith. Well, I guess I can, with what all they found, but I don't want to. Mr Jaroo was there for my initiation, and he did the baptizing for all my cousins. And he gave away Aunt Morwen to Uncle Halder at their marriage.
I thought he was a good man. But he's a traitor, and crazy to boot!
I owe them fellers a lot, finding out what they done. Who knows exactly how many suffer'd from Mr Jaroo?

Can't be stupid tho', Uncle Halder told me that last time the temple fought aginst itself almost as much as it did aginst men like Uncle Halder. And Uncle Halders friend ended up serving the temple itself last time. If decent men can be tricked into serving it, or the foul men who serve it are able to appear as good men, then there's no telling with these fellers neither. They could just have been rivals to Mr Jaroo, and needed to reveal him to seem more believable to everyone. Still, got to be careful, these fellers and a few friends did kill a dragon not too long ago.

Almost caught up to them today I think, just got stuck waiting for the ferry to come back and get me. Sure wasn't gonna swim that river myself. If I can't catch them tomorrow, I'll get'em the day after in Rastor. Remember, careful.

[Swami Monsoon]

Tom pulls back the hood of his cloak. He appears to be a young human man, very short and stocky with light brown skin, prematurely white hair and eyes of an odd amber color. He is dressed in loose fitting traveling clothes of Eastern style, and a practiced eye might notice that he's wearing some sort of armor under his outfit... but when he speaks up, he talks with a Northern accent.

"I'm Tom Stone. I've never been in that particular mine, but I've spent time in plenty of others. I'm a miner and prospector by trade. I could help you figure out if there's still anything in there worth working and point out any hazards. Unattended mines are pretty dangerous places. Hidden pits, cave-ins, gas and such... maybe even the odd critter waiting around to eat some nosy traveler's face..." He motions slightly to the sword at his hip and the crossbow slung across his back. "I could even help out with that kind of stuff."
The mention of mine critters prompted some unpleasant thoughts. That's apparently just what Daddy Dearest and his people did, hanging out in abandoned mineshafts and coming out at night to snack on tasty faces and eyeballs... Well, Tom assumed they must be tasty to people like him, but he had never indulged. Anyways, that was a story for another day...

Tom glances around at the threadbare street. "It's not like there's much else to do in this place. I take it you're not from here either?"

[Toliudar]

Meggido

The elf nods at the little man's story. Based on the codger's cryptic comments, it seemed more than possible that those mines would be in their future. Meggido's terse words and austere clothing suggest that he hails from Celene to the southeast.

"We are indeed recently arrived frm the east. If you don't mind me saying, you don't seem much like a local either. Hmm. I don't think we could pay for your services as a guide, but perhaps, well, would a share of whatever we find be appropriate?"

[Swami Monsoon]

"Yes, a share would certainly be fair..."

Who knows, might be something useful in there. Taking a few pennies up front just buys me a couple of more days in this rathole. So why not gamble?

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

Grigor seems to find this amusing for some reason.

"And what do you think is there to find in an abandoned mine? Riches beyond our wildest dreams? A dragon's hoard? What do you know, I wonder, that we don't that makes you so sure gambling on a find is worth it?"

[Swami Monsoon]

OOC:

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Sorry, the italics without quotes is meant to indicate thoughts. (This was a convention in several other threads.)

[Toliudar]

Meggido

The elf's eyebrow arches upward sharply at Grigor, who seemed to be arguing against a bargain that got them a free guide should they go to the mines.

"Living space underground is, in my experience, hotly contested. Perhaps Mister Stone is simply assuming that whoever might have moved in when the dwarves left have acquired items of interest. Or perhaps that the dwarves left something of interest there.

"Mister Stone, I don't know how long you've been here, but it would seem prudent for us to familiarize ourselves with the place. Will you walk with us a while?"

Not really waiting for an answer, Meggido rested a hand on his almost-but-not-quite-symbolic sword's hilt and began to head down one of the side streets.

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

Grigor looks at the stranger expectantly for a few seconds, then just shrugs and joins Meggido on his way.

"When you get your tongue back from that cat, come and join us."

[Quakes]

Moonshadow quietly follows along with his companions, being ever alert of their surroundings, as he does not quite trust the townspeople, or this new stranger who offers help after eavesdropping on their conversation.

[Swami Monsoon]

"I have no idea what's in there. But... Tom nods over at the wanted posters. ..."I'm not sure it's any worse than what's out here. Taking a risk is fine if the sure thing only buys me a few more days in this place."

He turns and follows the others...

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

Grigor looks up at the sky to judge the sun's distance to the horizon.

"We still have some time till noon." he declares, "How about we check out the village? Maybe walk the trail a bit, see how good the going is there?"

[Toliudar]

Meggido

Turning back to listen to Grigor, Meggido simply nods. He rather thought that that was what he'd been doing.

[Swami Monsoon]

"That will do for a start..."

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Rastor: Planting 26, Late Afternoon

It is fortunate in one way that the trail up the side of the mountain has been unused for so many years; grass grows over most of it, preventing the drizzle in the chilly air from turning the ground underfoot to slippery mud. The disuse remains a disadvantage in the way that the trail occasionally disappears, choked by underbrush.

Interestingly, though the path appears abandoned, it is not completely so. There are signs of passage here and there. Broken branches. What may be a footprint. Some bits of junk. Even a wheel rut in one place.

After a few hours, the sun nears the mountain peak, and it becomes prudent to return to town.


Early Evening

By the time the group reaches Rastor, the sun—though it has not truly set— has drifted behind the mountains, casting everything in a dim shadow. The drizzle has subsided, though an uncomfortable mist yet hangs in the air.

Business has clearly picked up at The Rusty Axe as people show up for a meal and a chance to wind down at the end of a hard day. The small tavern is now playing host to over thirty folks, mostly humans and dwarves. What catches the eye, however, are two individuals that are clearly full-blooded orcs engaged in what appears to be an entertaining conversation with a long haired human man. No one else seems to be paying the orcs any mind, so it is clear such visitors are normal around here.

[Quakes]

Moonshadow looks around, trying to identify the man that was described when he asked of Tal Chamish.

[herrhauptmann]

Halgrim,

Having finally arrived in Rastor, Halgrim has taken a seat at a table for two in the tavern and is struggling to eat a shepherds pie that by all rights, should be very tasty. Unfortunately, even with this small and overpriced pie, not only does Halgrim feel like his eyes are too big for his stomach; but he feels as though he's trying to eat a meal on a full stomach.
Feeling the gust of wind as the door opens, he looks over to see a brown haired man standing in the doorway. Is he one of them? he asks himself. Seems to fit the description at least.

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Spot: (1d20+14)[21]

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

Grigor looks forward to returning to the inn. Both to get ahead with their quest of finding that Tal fellow and to get some food into his rumbling belly. The dwarf had told them to come back when the inn is more busy and it seems, that is about now.

"Right then folks, let's get some food on the table, I'm hungry."

And thus Grigor's first way leads right to the bar where he asks the dwarven innkeeper what' on the menu, beaming.

"Hey there, we are back. What's on the menu today, my fine man?"

[Toliudar]

Meggido

On the walk back down the mountainside, Meggido again attempts to raise the topic of what they would actually say to Chammish.

"It seems like this man was going to provide supplies to the cultists, so either he's a member or friendly to them. He's not going to tell outsiders anything. I say we present ourselves as new members of the cult - "

He glances at the laughing mask drawn onto Grigor's breastplate.

"- in disguise. If need be, we can discreetly show him the robes we've taken. We need information from him on where to pick up more supplies, and need to know where to go to report in. Does that make sense?"

Meggido glances down at Tom, realizing that none of this would make sense to the halfling, but having no clear sense of how to summarize all of the events of recent weeks.

"Um. Follow our lead."

--

Back at the inn, Meggido simply slides into the same table that they sat at the last time. The presence of orcs didn't particularly distress him. Compared to the mind-numbing threats posed by extraplanar interlopers, a few muscled-up gorillas with the lifespans of mayflies were hardly worthy of their attention. Not a popular opinion back home of course, and the source of many long discussions that Meggido had had with Taldiidan Heartsflower, who had lost a leg and two fingers in battle with orcs. Clearly, therefore, the man was biased.

[Swami Monsoon]

Tom is now more worried by his new companions than the boisterous Orcs across the room...

I guess I should have asked for money up front... he thought to himself. They seriously want to sneak into a cult? Cultists were worse than bounty hunters... That time in Feller's Mill, the Church of the Eyeless Lord had not bothered with wanted posters. They just sent a bunch of guys in the middle of the night with obsidian knives... Apparently shapeshifters' blood and bones were hot commodities for those into... alternative... religions. Who would have known? That's the kind of trouble these people are looking for?

What the hell have I gotten myself into?

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One note... my character looks more like a very short human than a halfling.

[herrhauptmann]

Halgrim

Seeing the brownhaired man and his friends take their place at a table, Halgrim abandons his own meal to approach them.
"Thar's plenty of bad connotations to th'word "Cult" y'know." He begins, having heard a few words stand out as the short man whispered to his friend. "Hi there fellas. M'names Halgrim, I used to know a feller y'all've dealins with recently, by name of Mr. Jaroo."
He reaches out a hand to Moonshadow while looking him in the eye. "By the by, I'd recommend against th' shepherds pie. It's right tasty, but I've been workin' mine for the last half-hour, and still cain't finish it."

double edit: Made a mistake

[Toliudar]

Meggido

At the word 'cult', Meggido tenses up and stares suspiciously up at Halgrim. He relaxes a bit at the mention of Jaroo, but given the ambiguities related to their experiences with Jaroo, he is not completely reassured.

"What makes you mention 'cults', sir?"

[herrhauptmann]

Halgrim,

"Why, I believe you did sir. When a new interpretation of an established religion appears, the threatened orthodox label it a cult or a heresy." His accent sounds noticeably different, as if he were reciting something learned a long time ago.
"When a new religion," you can almost hear the sarcasm dripping onto the floor when he says this. "tries to supplant an established religion, it is also referred to a cult until it has gained a measure of legitimacy. In cases like the Church of Iuz, this happens when the head of state is a member of the religion. However, the Church of Iuz is a bit of a corner case, in that the object of veneration is also the head of state."
"And then there are cases, where sane men hope it never gains legitimacy. Such as the Church of Iuz." His accent changes back to the rustic. "Bad as they are, it's easy to prove yer point with them, ain't it?"
edit: Made a mistake in reading a post.

[Toliudar]

Meggido

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Herrhauptmann, if you look back at my post, you'll see that that part of the conversation was meant to be on the walk back from the mountain, before entering. If you want, we can rewind and take this again, or continue onto this paranoia - inducing path...your call.

Meggido's face hardens into a mask of suspicion.

"That was a private conversation, and if you were somehow invisibly listening in us, I'd very much like an explanation. I have no idea who you are referring to when you speak of proving points. Perhaps you should make yours."

[herrhauptmann]

Halgrim

Seeing the brownhaired man with the spear and his friends take their place at a table, Halgrim abandons his own meal to approach them. "Ifin yer hungry, I'd recommend against th' shepherds pie." He states to the table. "It's tasty enough for the price, but I've been workin' mine for the last half-hour, and still cain't finish it."

"M'names Halgrim, I think I used to know a feller y'all've dealins with recently, by name of Mr. Jaroo." He starts to hold out his hand, then stops as he sees the caution in their eyes. "Now fellas, there's no need to be getting ornery at me, I promise I didn't come fer trouble wit ya."

"Right, back to Mr. Jaroo. Y'know, he used to be not such a bad sort once upon a time. Baptised m'cousins, all six of'em, even saw my intiation t'the Old Faith, but that was better'n ten years ago; who can guess what turns a mans life will take in that span of time."

"Anyways, I been trying to catch up to y'all for the last few weeks. Woulda spoken ta ya sooner, but I wanted to get my cousins safe in Verbobonc first."

edit:
Spelling and background info

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DC 10 religion should tell people a little about the old faith:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=lg/lgpg/20080122a
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Greyhawk_deities#O
http://www.canonfire.com/wiki/index.php?title=Old_Faith