Madness, Blood and Thunder in Ravens Bluff IC

[Sallera]

"Yes. Well." Aya has at least the grace to look mildly embarrassed, although it is perhaps difficult to tell under the hood. "You'd call it a bad dream, I suppose, if it happened to you. But elves don't dream. We remember."

"The day we first properly met... none of you went topside, so you didn't see the depth of that black storm that chased us down the Reach. Something about that night has been bothering me since, and I've finally been allowed to see it truly. I don't know whether it was a mental block, or if Mystra removed a veil, but what was following us was... something more than weather."

She looks over at the horizon, then shakes her head and turns back. "But I don't know who or what it was, and I'm hoping you do. The form of a human skeleton. A cape of grey mud, flowing from its shoulders without end. All the sun's brilliance, contained in its chest. A voice that could crack stone and level forests without rising above a whisper." She shrugs helplessly. "I pick up a lot of trivia, but I've never heard of any power with a such an appearance."

[Jeff the Green]

"Huh. Well, I don't have the right spells memorized to help me out right now, but I can at least try it the mundane way first and try again tomorrow evening. Give me a minute to get my glasses and my notes." Mirielle returns to her tent and returns shortly with a heavy leather-bound book. She sits down crosslegged and sets the book on her lap. She looks up at the two that woke her up.

"Hmmm. Why don't you go get dressed, Magnus. Your muscles are very impressive, but that village girl isn't here, Aya's the wrong species, and I'm too old for you." She opens the book and begins pouring over the pages and wracking her brain.

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Let's try arcana, history, and religion, plus a Lore roll, and then the next evening I'll use lore of the gods and guidance of the avatar to reroll them with higher bonuses.
Knowledge (arcana): (1d20+9)[24]
Knowledge (history): (1d20+8)[24]
Knowledge (religion): (1d20+10)[16]
Lore: (1d20+7)[11]

[candycorn]

Magnus sighs, any hope of a full night's sleep lost. Really, they were in town. This wake up in the middle of the night stuff is well and good when there are watches that need standing, but in town!? "Fine, since this will obviously take a while... But I am NOT getting in my armor, unless you're expecting something to jump out of those books and bite you."

At this, Magnus heads back to his tent, muttering something about someone owing him a drink with more kick than a mule.

[Jeff the Green]

After an hour or so, Mirielle looks up at Aya with a discontented sigh. "Sorry, I've got nothing. Tomorrow night I'll see if I can use a bit of divine power to learn something, but until then is there anything I can do for you?"

[Sallera]

Aya shakes her head, slowly retreating. "I'll just have to wonder the day away. Think about what it might mean instead of who it is. Someone's trying to tell me something." She turns and pads away, heading for the top of a nearby rise to watch the last of the stars disappear.

An hour later, she is still restless, and little more enlightened. Something had been set in motion, or was approaching its target. Its destination might be the Bluff, or somewhere nearby; it would have been nice if she'd paid more attention to the weather on the Sea of Fallen Stars, but she'd had no intention of setting out again any time soon. Certainly it was a force of a magnitude too great to be concerned with a mere individual. Bone and mud, fire and light; the symbolism of its form was too vague and contradictory to be of much help without knowing its identity. And she had seen it truly; of that much she was sure.

Dreams were an abstract understanding to her, something that happened to other people. What she remembered was sometimes... more than she had seen at first. Enhanced, perhaps. But it was never different, and she was not yet willing to believe that anything other than her Lady's intervention could change that. If it had, well, that was all the more reason to pay attention. She briefly considers casting a message, but dismisses the thought as the product of restlessness. A vague warning sent blindly would do no one any good. Better to wait until she knew more, and could hold the discussion directly.

[Jeff the Green]

Mirielle stows her book and glasses and returns to her bedroll to catch a few more hours of sleep before morning.

[TheFallenOne]

The rest of the night passes without interruption, and on the day of Highharvestide the inhabitants of the villages gather to hold a large celebration. There is a huge feast lasting into the late evening, and while the food isn't as fancy as what Asam's halfling cook had produced, it is plenty and certainly tasty. In a joined prayer they say thanks to Chauntea for the harvest, though this year they include your patrons in their devotions as well, provided you care to volunteer that information.

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In the case of Umberlee I think the situation could get a little awkward

Your host holds a long speech retelling their past hardships and praising your valiant fight against the goblins, though it's obious Orman isn't a remarkable orator and his words of a hopeful future ring hollow in many after he painfully reminded them of the people they lost, and there's a mournful, uncomfortable silence for a while.
"Anyway", Orman continues after a while. "There is some other happy news to share. Magnus here has accepted Taryn's invitation to settle down here. I don't think I need to remind anyone to be welcoming towards him, rather warn not to get into too much hero worship. So, on behalf of all of us, welcome. When you set up your smithy we're sure to give any assistance you don't turn down ephatically."

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err, not really sure what else to write about the whole big celebration thing, and I have the impression you want to be back in the city anyway. So I guess we say goodbyes to Magnus and then be off.

[Sallera]

Aya sits quietly through most of the feast; she doesn't mind celebration, and she has endured far duller meals and speeches, but the weight of her various tasks presses on her. At least this would be the last night of sitting around, and she could learn what knowledge Mirielle had been granted afterward. She lets the villagers include Mystra in their prayers, her glove's crest revealing her patron without any need for her to mention it; a few more words of devotion sent to her Lady wouldn't be a bad thing.

The news of Magnus's decision to settle down in a backwater village surprises her, given the armoursmith's strong sense of justice, but she doesn't mind; she has long been in the habit of treating all of her attachments to other mortals as transitory, and this one hadn't been especially close. Still, she seeks him out after the meal; it served no one to let threads unravel.

"So, settling for the sedentary life, are you? Going to keep the goblins away with your fearsome visage?" ...which is not to say that she always chose a knot over a knife. "Well, the farmers certainly can't complain, with what they're getting. I don't expect to be back this way, but it wasn't bad working with you. Don't get bored too fast."

[candycorn]

Magnus chuckles, replying, "I wouldn't call it sedentary. Ravens Bluff doesn't quite suit me. Every day I was there, I was forced to compromise my principles to deal with an infestation of corruption that I was ultimately powerless to change."

Magnus stares off into the distance, continuing, "Here is... different. It reminds me of my old home, in many ways. How long were they powerless against those goblins? How much did they sacrifice? Ravens Bluff is two days, by horse, and it did nothing to assist them. They are too wrapped up in their petty squabbles and quests for gold and power to give a damn about anything but that gold, and that power. No, I'm close enough to Ravens Bluff to trade what I need, and to continue my research into what I came here for. But I am no longer going to be surrounded by that rot, that corruption. If you need armor crafted, or anything else that I can help with, look me up. I may even run into you in the city, when I am bringing things for sale. But I prefer to be a visitor to that city, rather than a resident."

[Cardea]

Keeva

Keeva looks up from her book, no longer reviewing the architecture books they acquired, when Magnus' news comes up. She closes it, getting up and making her way to him. She flicks him behind the ear, joining his and Aya's conversation. "Breakin' my heart here, Magnus. That's one less person to stand in front of me and Aya when people try and stab us. I guess getting a wife and protectin' a village is a fine enough excuse, though."

[candycorn]

Magnus almost chokes on his drink in surprise. "Wife!? I think you may misunderstand my intentions here. Either that, or rumors have truly run wild! I've got no designs on matrimony right now. Hell, I haven't even properly gone on a date, unless you count a conversation whilst shoveling manure. Still, I am sure you will find a way to avoid the slings and arrows of the foes you face. You're a very resourceful person."

[Jeff the Green]

"I thought conversations over compost were what passes for courting in the countryside," Mirielle teases Magnus between mouthfuls of pear. "Of course, I'm from the city, and cloistered besides, so I might be wrong."

She smiles. "It's been good traveling with you, Magnus. Do get a hold of us if there are any problems, won't you? If that thing is after you as well as the four of us, I don't want you facing it alone." Mirielle blinks and glances at the sky. "Actually, it's nearly time for my prayers, and then maybe we can learn what it is."

[candycorn]

Magnus sighs, resigned to the ribbing.... though a hint of a smile does creep out from the corner of his mouth. "I'll look you up if there's anything I can't handle on my own. I wouldn't be too terribly worried. Whatever it is, it didn't pursue us into the city, or on land even. Perhaps whatever it is, it is tied to the water. Regardless, if it comes here, I'll make sure to send word...

...and... It has been good to travel with you too. All of you, actually. I shall miss your direct forthright nature, Jorran.

And Aya, I hope that your practical side continues to serve you, as well as it has served us all these past weeks.

Keeva, it made me smile to see your eyes light up whenever you found something to interest you. Your inquisitive nature is a boon. I shall pray that you remain safe.

And Mirielle... What to say? Your sense of what is good is an example to me. Your voice has been the one to keep us thinking of what is RIGHT, rather than just what is Just.

If you ever need anything, you know where to find me. I'll be right here... Either smithing, or... well, courting, if we are to believe Mirielle's knowledge of rural customs."

[Sallera]

"Heh, I guess I might take you up on that. Bring you a few bricks of mithral to break in your new smithy. But there's work to do for all of us, and maybe a lot more if this storm turns out to be something we need to take a hand in."

[candycorn]

"Well, I shall likely accompany you back to Ravens Bluff... After all, I need to fetch the supplies needed to build a smithy. I think a couple thousand gold should be plenty to handle it. So we'll have a few days more to hammer out the details of that mithral, pun intended."

[Cardea]

Keeva

Keeva spits her drink on the ground at Mirielle's words, and just... stares, at the woman. "Wait... what? Something's following us? Why isn't it someone? Something is following us? How long have you known? Why wasn't I told? I feel like this is something that Keeva should have known about."

[Frog Dragon]

Jorran gulps down the rest of his mug. "Yeah. We got things done in this group." He says, mostly to Magnus. He seems to be about to say more when Keeva interrupts. He hadn't actually heard what Mirielle said before. He turns his gaze towards Keeva. "What are you talking about?"

[Sallera]

Aya rolls her eyes, waving the question off. "Later, and elsewhere. It's new information, vague, and soon to be clarified. Don't waste our breath on it around here."

[TheFallenOne]

The trip back to the city is uneventful; dark thunderclouds can be seen over the Earthfast Mountains on the horizon to the east, but you departed soon enough to avoid the worsening autumn weather.

At the city gates, an unexpected sight you hadn't noticed when leaving in the other direction greets you: a large red sign with the inscription SPELLCASTERS REGISTER and a longer text in smaller letters beneath, and when you pay the the one silver toll for non-citizens the officers on duty say mechanically "Are you a caster? If so it is reccommended you visit the city hall and fill out the registration form. Any use of innate magical or quasimagical ability is illegal without registration."

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technically one of you would've seen this when going to the city to buy the scroll, but it's better for the narrative and flow of the story this way

[Jeff the Green]

"Curious," Mirielle says. "Give me a moment, I want to read this more closely." She adjusts her glasses and scans the text.

[Frog Dragon]

Jorran slowly reads the sign before frowning. "Arg." Jorran grumbles. "Does any of us not count for that?" He says.

[TheFallenOne]

The sign tells the location of the city hall and goes into more details what exactly constitutes spellcasting; it's pretty legalese, but what it seems to boil down to is that magic stored in items doesn't count if it is universally usable by anyone. Some more unusual abilities like meldshaping and psionics are included in the list, as well as anything that is affected by magic-suppressing effects.

Using any of these abilities without registration inside the city walls constitutes a crime, and it literally says that the sentence is at the discretion of the judge.

[Jeff the Green]

Where a normal person's face might turn red or purple when incensed, Mirielle's silver skin runs a more spectacular gamut of copper, gold, and the incandescent cherry of hot iron. "At the discretion of the judge?" she mutters "Why not just say 'rich and powerful wizards get off, and everyone else is clapped in irons.' I don't know about you, Aya, but I'm contacting my hierarchy. This is not acceptable."

[Frog Dragon]

"The law favors the rich. Shock and horror." Jorran mutters under his breath. "This is nothing new." He says, turning to Mirielle. "I'm not going to lose any sleep over it."

[candycorn]

Magnus will elect to remain outside the city until the next day, so as to be able to enter without melds shaped.

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...and that is my last decision for Magnus.

[Sallera]

Aya is more thoughtful than angry as she reads the details on the sign, Mirielle's words reminding her of one of her mentor's political lessons. If you want to know the reason behind a law, start by looking at whom it most benefits. "Maybe so," she murmurs.

"Rich and powerful? I doubt that's all there is to it, Miri. I'll have to see what information they ask for on these registration forms, but I assume they're going to ask what spheres of power you can access, and to what depth, your patron, your training... enough to give them an instant list of suspects when things burn down or unwanted information gets out. Anything less than full disclosure's probably listed as a crime somewhere in here too..." She scans the sign again, more intently, then shakes her head and enters the city, waving the others along.

"Anyway, my point is, we've got merchants and lords at each other's throats around here, and one of the two camps probably managed to pocket a majority of the judiciary. People like Ambrath and Blacktree will use this to constrain their opponents' activities, try and put their operatives out of commission. Yeah, I'm not happy about it, and my church probably won't be either. But if you want to do anything about that... well, you said your church doesn't have much of a presence here, right? It's a question of local politics, so finding out who pushed this through would be the best place to start. I'll talk to Dalair, see what he knows, but you and I have no influence here as we are. I don't expect it to happen, given what my Lady thinks about restricting the valid practice of the Art, but... my job is what it is, and I might even end up enforcing this law, rather than thwarting it."

[Jeff the Green]

Previously, on the road to Ravens Bluff

At sundown, Mirielle goes off for a while to pray and study her notes again. She sits almost perfectly still, only moving to turn the page. Some while later she rejoins her companions.

"I have good news and bad news about that skeleton thing," she says, taking a seat by the fire. "Good news first. That skeleton thing you saw, Aya, was almost certainly not after us. The ooze and the skeleton and the cape are really only a sort of armor, or shell produced by whomever wants its services; the real thing is that fire inside. You can't just call it up with a spell. It requires some number of human sacrifices to raise and the patronage of a god, presumably an evil one. I don't know how many, but note the plural. I can't think of anyone who hates me enough to go to that lengths to kill me when a dagger in the back would serve just as well.

Mirielle takes a deep breath and adjusts her glasses before continuing. "Bad news is, it probably doesn't matter whether it's after us or not. I'm not sure, but my gut is telling me that this might be a thing the orcs of Vastar called the 'Demon Storm.' Supposedly on one of their trips across the Dragonreach to raid Cormanthyr, their ships were wrecked by this thing. I haven't heard anything particular about it, so it might not be related, but it's something to keep in mind. If I'm right, this is the sort of thing that you raise to level a city, not kill a few adventurers. I really hope I'm not."

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"I have good news and bad news about that skeleton thing," she says, taking a seat by the fire. "Good news first. That skeleton thing you saw, Aya, was almost certainly not after us. Bad news, it probably won't matter much whether it's after us in particular. Nineteen or twenty thousand years ago, a Vastar orc fleet was destroyed in the Dragonreach on the way to raid Cormanthyr. The thing they say destroyed it was the 'demon storm,' a mass of darkness in the form of a human skeleton, containing fire within it."

Mirielle takes a deep breath and adjusts her glasses before continuing. "The reason I say it's almost certainly not after us is that you can't just call it up with a spell. It requires some number of human sacrifices to raise and the patronage of a god, presumably an evil one. I don't know how many, but note the plural. This is the sort of thing you raise to level a city, not to kill a few adventurers."

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Knowledge (religion) to figure out what god(s) worshipped in Cormanthyr might have been likely to be the patron of whoever raised it last time: (1d20+13)[15] (includes +5 from lore of the gods)

And, the good luck ends. Actually, that should be two higher, for 17, since I forgot the masterwork tool.

At the Gates of Ravens Bluff

"Oh, I don't have a problem with the law," Mirielle replies to Aya. "In fact I was a little surprised something like that hadn't been put in place before now. It's the penalty that's the problem. The only reason it would be written that way is if it isn't supposed to regulate magic users for the good of the city, but to give someone a hammer to use against their enemies.

"In any case, I have no intention of violating the law. I merely want to know whether my church has an official position on the law or whether I must use my own judgment in deciding how to approach it. I think that because the Kelemvorites have little official presence here we should be concerned."

[Sallera]

Previously

"Yeah, I didn't think it was after us personally." Aya shakes her head, expression bleak. "So, 'raise'... you're saying that was some kind of divine construct? I'd been thinking of it as an extant power... warp and weft, I wish I'd paid more attention to the weather. If there's someone out there capable of raising that storm, where was it going? Something capable of destroying an entire fleet - which I don't doubt it is - well, you'd think if whatever it was summoned for got hit, that's the sort of news that would get around. We might want to look into that when we get back. I don't suppose you got any idea of how long it might stick around?"

Present

"Well, it's kind of the same thing, isn't it? The law is what it is; whether you want it removed or just modified, you've got to follow the same process. And it's a hammer I don't like the spikes on, so we ought to find out who's got the other end. Anyway." Aya taps the larger pieces of loot that wouldn't fit into storage. "Let's get this stuff to your contacts, see what kind of price we can get, and then we can be about our business. Meet up again in a few days to compare notes."

[Jeff the Green]

Previously
"You've basically got it," Mirielle says ruefully. "A god created it at the behest of a worshipper, and it's essentially permanent. Presumably it can be destroyed, or at least the thing inside it can be, which would leave it just an empty shell."

Present
"That works for me. I'm going to see about finding a more permanent residence as soon as I talk to my business contacts; if anyone wants I can inquire for them as well."

[Cardea]

Keeva

Road

"That's... pretty damn fascinating, to be honest. I know this is pretty damn bad, and that I should be far more concerned about my well being, but... a humanoid shell. A... a sort of construct. Or something similar, at least. That's... this could help me out. I'm going to look this thing up. Mirelle, Aya, if you find anything else on this, or anything that sounds similar, could you tell me right away?" Keeva stammers out, her mind racing on potential discoveries on this possible lead.

Thunder Bluff

"I don't like this. My talent comes from bolstering equipment and items. Not irresponsible ignorance of the weight of power. The fact that I'm put in the same category is demeaning. I came here to learn about magic, not to be lumped with every teenage sorcerer who plays too much with fire and hormones." Keeva says, visibly angry. She clenches her jaw, before calming down, the red on her face turning to an intense pink. "Mirelle, if you'd be willing, would you mind letting me share a place with you? I'm wary of living alone in this city."