The Birth Of A New Species: IC.

[ReaderAt2046]

For Marius, Seric, and *Korney’s character* this adventure begins when the Spymistress gives them a mission. The briefing is as follows:
“A couple of weeks ago, we began to get reports of hauntings in the Starkspear mines, up north in the Frostwall mountains. There have been tales of skeletons and ghosts and demons invading the mines, and strange lights and sounds coming from the caves at night. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t worry too much, but these rumors have been a lot stronger and more persistent than usual, to the point of a lot of miners refusing to go up or dropping work early. Also, we just recently uncovered a large vein of black onyx in those mines, so it’s marginally more probable that there’s a necromancer just moved in. All I want you to do for now is head up, investigate the mines yourselves, and send me a report. The Quartermaster will give you a Ring of Sending so you can report your findings back in. If it’s only rumors or some low-key ghoulcaller you can try to clear it out with the miners’ help, but if you find anything major get out of there and call for reinforcements.”
 

[hoverfrog]

"Tsk! It is their duty to work in the mines. Refusal is intolerable, especially as they have no firm evidence of anything amiss," Von Pinn would like to have some of the miners beaten as an example to the other slackers but such harsh measures are outside of her legal remit. "We will investigate as you command and report back. Who is it that is in charge of the mines, your grace? I'm sure that questioning the man closely would be the best place to begin."

[ToySoldierCPlus]

"No firm evidence? Whatever they have seen has clearly spooked them enough for them to refuse to work. I'd say that's evidence enough." Turning to the Spymistress, Marius offers a small bow. "Rest assured, we will find out what has spooked the miners, and we will assess the situation to see if we can handle it. We should be able to have the mines up and running again in no time."

[ReaderAt2046]

The Spymistress smiles slightly at the two. "Lord Tyrion Stark is in charge of the mining operations. Loyal man, but very little imagination. He doesn't know what to make of these rumors either, which is why I'm sending you."

[Korney]

"Miners are usually brave enough to confront such spooky creatures by themselves. It's not easy to scare a man who works mostly on the darkness." sais Flowdy while scratching his beard.
"I hope we solve this matter with haste. Nothing worth of contemplation in such a vulgar place." points Flowdy while waving his hand with desdain.

[ReaderAt2046]

The Spymistress smiles beneficently. "I hope you solve it quickly too. Now, unless you have any further questions I suggest you report to the quartermaster for the Ring of Sending and get on your way."

[Korney]

Flowdy bows and leads the way to quartermaster's depot while thinking how could he make the trip worth it. Maybe I could as for some onyx for a new fountain pen...

While diverted in his own toughts he finds himself in front of the quartermaster while his partners are already talking to him.
"If you happen to have a map of the place that would be helpful."

[ReaderAt2046]

"Yes, of course, just a moment...Ah, here you go."

The quartermaster presents Flowdy with a slightly battered map. [OOC]I'll draw up the actual map and post it in the OOC thread sometime tomorrow.[/OOC]

[hoverfrog]

Furious at herself for using the wrong title, Von Pinn pales even further than normal, a sharp contrast to her black breastplate and cloak. She salutes sharply at the dismissal and then stops as the old court conjurer dithers and asks about a map. Why didn't she think of that?

Without further comment she turns on her heal and marches away to the quartermaster to collect the ring.

[ReaderAt2046]

"Here you go, Madam!"

The quartermaster drops the golden ring into your palm.

"Now, I Think that should be it... Oh, silly, what am I thinking? Carter!"

A young blond boy comes running in.

"Take these three to the stables. They're going on a mission up north and they'll need horses."

He turns to the party. "Unless you'd rather take the boats? It's upriver, so it'll be a longer trip, but it's a lot easier if you aren't good with animals."

[ToySoldierCPlus]

Marius pauses. I never did learn to ride. He clears his throat. "I'd prefer the boat, personally. Assuming my companions are amenable to that."

[Korney]

"Well, I never managed to learn to swim, so in case of a fall, I preffer getting by butt hurt than my lungs drowned." estates Flowdy looking at his comrades.
"How hard can it be to ride a horse? All we need is a carrot and a pole."

Flowdy turns to the quartermaster "I assume you will provide us with food enough for the travel too." sais smiling as he knows he is abusing his authority, even if it is for a trivial matter... it is one he doens't want to do himself.

"Worse case scenario..." Flowdy sais back to Marius "...if the horses escape we could walk. It could take longer but I will make it lighter for you reciting the 1000 verses of Apoquenom, the Farmer King, and his love for potatoes. It's fascinating, one can't believe that he managed to find 1000 rhymes for potato"

[ReaderAt2046]

The quartermaster makes a half-bow to Marius.

"Boats it is then," he says. "Charter, please take these adventurers down to the docks. There should be (he starts flipping through some kind of ledger) a runner-boat going up to Frostcove in a few hours. (he's found whatever he was looking for.) Make sure they get on their way fine."

He addresses himself to the party. "And apart from that, all I can do is wish you good luck."

[hoverfrog]

"Whatever is fastest, I suppose, " Seric wasn't particularly comfortable on horseback or travelling by boat. They were simply tools to make use of to her. "As we are gong to be underground we will need lanterns, flint and steel, sunrods, rope, pitons, that kind of thing."

[ReaderAt2046]

The quartermaster seems slightly amused. "Now, now, let's not get too greedy here!" Nevertheless he presents everyone with a sunstick, a couple of torches, and a set of flint and steel before bustling them out of the door and (vicariously via Charter) down to the docks.

[ReaderAt2046]

About a week later.

You disembark from the boat onto the Frostcove docks. The air is thick with the oily smell of fish and the rude chants of the fishers. You are politely but definitely pushed further into town as the docks fill up with workers unloading crates of supplies and trade goods from the south and refilling the boats with fish and crates of gems(under the watchful eyes of several guards).

"Those frost-headed miners had better sort of whatever's wrong with em," remarks one of the dockworkers to a stevedore. "This is the last of the shipments that came in afore they went all loco."

[Korney]

"It seems things are starting to get noticed in town. Maybe it got worse while we were traveling." sais Flowdy to his partners.
"Do you want to spend some time asking the townsmen about the rumours and whatever incredibly useless informatio they might have heard? Or can we head to the mines already?" sais Flowdy. His partners knew him well enough to know that he was not mocking the townsmen intelligence, it was a real and scientific observation about their commoner knoweledge. Flowdy believes that if you want to knoe the truth about something, you better see it with your own eyes.
Oddly enough, he could spend hours listening to old tales, legends and myths told by any old granny or drunken bastard.

[hoverfrog]

"Ah yes, listening to the peasants prattle endlessly about their dull little lives. What could be more interesting?" Seric has a great deal of disdain for those unable to raise themselves out of such menial lives and has no interest in them, "If you wish to listen to them, be my guest. I will seek out those in charge and question them." She looks around for a guard or an indication of where the town lord\mayor might live and work.

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OOC I think it's a great idea to speak to the common folk.

[ReaderAt2046]

"Ah yes, listening to the peasants prattle endlessly about their dull little lives. What could be more interesting?" Seric has a great deal of disdain for those unable to raise themselves out of such menial lives and has no interest in them, "If you wish to listen to them, be my guest. I will seek out those in charge and question them." She looks around for a guard or an indication of where the town lord\mayor might live and work.

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OOC I think it's a great idea to speak to the common folk.

Well, there are several guards right next to you on the docks, keeping an eye on the loading of the gem shipments. The governor's house is up on the northern end of the town, because that's the part that smells the least like fish. (You'd be able to see it coming up, it has its own private dock.)

[hoverfrog]

"Ah, I see where I shall be heading," indicating the manor to the north, "we should secure rooms before scouting the land and planning our attack. I mean our plan of action."

Keeping an eye out for a reasonable inn on the way north she begins to walk away from the stink of fish. "Check in, secure out gear and then head out again. We will cover more ground if we split up."

[Korney]

Flowdy raises his voice a little as he sees Seric walk away. "Don't make any trouble!"
He turns to Marius and sais "She always want to split up, and it's always a bad signal."

Flowdy looks arround for the most vissible inn, assuming she will go there once she is finished.
"I will go there and check up for us four, see if you can find a trader caravan to the mines and we can avoid the walk, please. My bones are not happy with all this river moisture." sais as he walks towards the inn.

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OOC: I asume I will find a big and central Inn. Edited Ogodei out, WOOPS!

[ToySoldierCPlus]

Marius shrugs. "I guess that leaves me to speak with the common folk, then. Well, may was well start here." He turns and heads down the docks, looking for someone who seems to know something about the situation at the mines.

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I don't think Ogodei is with us yet. Aren't we meeting him between here and the mine?

[ReaderAt2046]

@Hoverfrog:

Unfortunately for Seric's refined nostrils, the inns all seem to be set along the waterfront and smell even more of fish than the rest of the town. A brief walk brings her to the governor's house, a large and well-bulit two-story erection at the northern end of town. It is surrounded by a heathery lawn dotted with numerous pine trees and with one corner given over to a small garden. The late afternoon sun is shining straight on the windows, so it's impoossible to see inside the house. The lawn itself is surrounded by a waist-high hedge of holly, nicely trimmed and showing a good crop of berries.

@Korney:

The town has at least a half-dozen inns, all of which seem to feature fish cuisine and a lot of ale, as well as serving women in low-cut dresses. (If you'd like to make a Spot check, you may notice more details about some of the inns.

@ToySoldier:

[OOC] Yes, he's not in yet.[/OOC]

Marius soon spots the worker who'd complained about the gems. He's now carrying a basket of fish, and is about to walk right past Marius.

[ToySoldierCPlus]

Marius holds up hand, palm out, toward the dockworker. "Excuse me, dockworker, I wonder if I might ask you a few questions about the situation in the mines?"

[Korney]

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Spot (1d20)[20]
Maybe for speed reasons, you could make this kind of no-risk rolls.
Listen, spot, initiative and the like. I thinks it's better in a PbP id the DM rolls them instead of waiting for the player to post the roll.

[ReaderAt2046]

@Toysoldier

The dockworker sets down his fishbasket. "I dunno nothin about the mines, but I'd be glad to answer any questions you got."

@Korney.

Three of the inns have various interesting quirks that Flowdy's keen eyes notice. The first, The Crimson Door, appears at first glance to be a regular inn, but Flowdy notices the subtle details in the carvings and lamps that mark it as a brothel.

The second, The Whirling Dervish, is notable for having a sizeable crowd and a small band already, at least an hour before dinner and well before inns ordinarily are that full.

The third is the Silver Dart. On the surface, there is nothing remarkable about this inn, but Flowdy spots a red-haired youth climbing in through the garret window. Something about his posture, even in such an incongruous position, makes Flowdy aware that here is a bard of exceptional skill.

[hoverfrog]

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OOC. I meant for us to find an inn before dashing off so I could meet up later.

Seric marches up to the front door, her red and black cloak billowing behind her. Knocking smartly she waits a moment for the doorman to admit her. "Good day. I am Seric von Pinn, Inquisitor of His Majesty the King. I wish to speak with the master of the house."

[ReaderAt2046]

The butler blinks a couple of times before disappearing back into the house. After a few minutes of waiting, he returns to the door. "The Governor is ready to see you. Right this way, please." He leads Seric in through the door and off to an office immediately to the right of the foyer. The Governor is sitting behind his desk, looking mildy bored and annoyed.

"Yes, what do you need to speak with me about?"

[ToySoldierCPlus]

Marius smiles, lowering his hand. 'Actually, most of my questions are about the mine. My companions and I have been sent to investigate the recent string of happenings that have left the miners spooked and refusing to work. Can you tell me anything you've heard about what's going on? And if there have been any strange happenings around this area?"

[hoverfrog]

"Greetings Governor," Seric salutes, "Thank you for seeing me without an appointment. I won't take much of your time." She spends a few minutes outlining the troubles at the mine and there reasons for being there, "So you see as part of the investigation it is important that I question those in authority to determine if there is any background information that may be pertinent. Even something that may seem unrelated may help us considerably."