Sources and Dragons (IC)

[Cows Go Rawr]

Vvaren calmly strolled up to Ashlee and asked "Can you please direct me to the house of the most recently missing person. I would like to look around for some clues."

[MechaKingGhidra]

Hiding his scaly hide, most prominently his face, and also his clawed hands, Vyn goes to work disguising himself so as to not be recognized so much as a being to be feared by his immediate appearance. ((Disguise check 25 http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=730650))

"I presume it would do no harm to lessen immediate fear by attempting to hide my guise and perhaps stay conscious through the night, if necessary, to see if anyone else goes missing, despite the fact I have noted my concerns. The things one must do to ensure safety............."

As his common speech trails off, he starts to mutter in a quiet serpentine hissing voice of an unrecognizable language while he starts walking towards the fort.

[Wraithkin]

Dano

Dano jumps at the sudden appearance of Vvaren, wondering how the man covered the half mile so quickly and evaded his perception. His eyes narrow behind his sunglasses, as he looks Vvaren up and down. "It might be best if you listened to Garath and my wishes, and waited for her to answer my question."

[Knight13]

Drak'tek turns to Kaliand'r.

"You are a servant of the wilds as well, are you not?"

[Cows Go Rawr]

Vvaren's face changed quickly to a more angular and angry look and he snapped " Dano shut your mouth and pay attention to what is happening, if what is going on is some kind of mental dominance we don't know who may be afflicted so the information you will receive will be incomplete or flawed, so i suggest that we take the searching into our own capable hands. Even if they are not afflicted with some mental ailment we don't know how thorough they searched the evidence so we should only depend on them for what we cant get ourselves." With that Vvaren calmed him self and waited for a reply.

[Fuzzball]

Ashlee looks at Vvaren with surprise that slowly turns to grim detemination as the two argue. The sun on the front of her robe begins to glow with a fierce light that bursts forth, enveloping the two men. There is a horrible shriek. When the light fades all that remains in the spot Vvaren was occupying is a translucent cloud.

[Wraithkin]

Dano

A smirk plays across his lips as he sees the results of the pelorian might. "I would apologize for his behavior, but I do not normally associate myself with people like himself. I will let the others deal with him. As for you, let me help you out... " He leaves the ending open, letting her be the one to guide him and lead the line of the conversation.

"Garath, send someone with a pot or bag or something to scoop up whatever is left of Vvaren. He overstepped his boundaries and was punished by Pelor for his actions."

[Gradius]

"Listen up, you guys. Apparently a certain...person was a little too ambitionous. We need someone to cleanup his remains. I hope someone has an old waterskin."

[Fuzzball]

Ashlee narrows her eyes at the gaseous cloud floating away, "He was your associate?" She looks at Dano questioningly. "Why would you associate with the undead?"

[Wraithkin]

Dano

"He is a member of a party hired by Gent to resolve this issue of disappearing townfolk. I also am a member of the party, but I personally hail from a church of Athena, as does my friend in the sky." He jerks a thumb at the large hulking form flying their way. "But let's not focus on those that I travel with. I want to focus on helping you."

[Fuzzball]

She doesn't appear pleased with the explanation, but she does seem to understand that there is little she can do about the situation. She turns to lead Dano into to fort, "The last person to disappear was Captain Laratus. He was the leader of the guards who reside in the fort. I'll take you to his quarters."

[Wraithkin]

Dano

"Thank you. Have most of the people that have disappeared been part of the guard, or was it just any random person in the town?" He memorizes the area and layout of the houses, wall designs, anything he lays his eyes upon.

[Fuzzball]

"No sir," she leads Dano into a simple room. "Several miners and guards have gone missing. So far, only one woman, and no children have been taken. Several weeks ago an elf came through. He said he was sent by the king. After a few days he just vanished. The mayor disappeared right after that. The captain, yesterday."

She looks around, "He was a replacement for the second man to disappear. I don't think Laratus was expecting to be here long."

[Wraithkin]

Dano

Nodding, he takes it all in. "Did anyone see them leave, or did they just turn up missing?" He speaks as he looks around the room, expanding his consciousness to encompass the entire room. He also moves his hand quickly and speaks a word in the celestial tongue.

[Fuzzball]

"There is no wall surrounding the town. People are free to wander as they choose. No one noticed anything unusual until a person couldn't be found." She backs up a bit as Dano casts his spell. "I think that's what worries people the most. One moment someone they love is fine. Without a word the person is gone."

[Wraithkin]

Dano

Nodding, he furrows his brow and removes his glasses, his too-blue eyes pouring over the room. "You're right. The fear of the unknown is often worse than what that unknown really is. Did the disappearances happen prior to or after the elf's arrival?" He hmm's to himself, picking over pieces of clothing that have been neatly left behind. "No magic, no trace..." he whispers to himself. "It would appear that there has been no sign of struggle, no form of magic was used in this room... at least not in the immediate past. What I would like to do, if it is alright with you and your fellow townsfolk, is erect a permanent wall tonight. There will be no construction, no noise that will disrupt their slumber. It will cost you nothing, and I will require no help.

I understand it may be an inconvenience, but if we have intruders catching people unaware, or we have people wandering off, we need to know about it. The wall with two gates will serve as a guage as to who's coming and going. I will want no fewer than four people stationed at each gate, with two or more in each watch tower I will set up over the walls. With over two-hundred inhabitants, I trust that won't be difficult to come up with that number of people."

He looks around the room, and then his eyes come to rest on Ashlee. "If we can't solve the disappearances right away, I want to at least stem the loss of future people. That way, it will give us more time to work with. I will also be the only one constructing the wall, so the others inside my party will be able to help search the surrounding woods for clues."

"Garath, I need anyone with knowledge of nature to search the surrounding areas for clues. The residence of the most recent victim is perfectly organized and clean; the home of a military man. I am going to be erecting a barrier wall with gates around the town itself. I will need that much lumber and as much stone as you can find. If our nature-loving friends have any suggestions on which trees to take and how to take them so they grow back, that would be greatly appreciated. I want to have minimal impact on the surrounding wildlife, got it?

The town is really shaken up about this. We need to do this as quickly as possible, not only for their sake, but the longer we wait, the harder it will be to track these people down. Also, see if you can find out if Gent's friend was an elf. There was an elven man who passed through here 'several' weeks back, who similarly disappeared."

[Fuzzball]

"The elf was the thirteenth to disappear. I don't see any harm in building a wall, but I'll have to speak with the soldiers. They may want post the guards, or share the load with the town." Ashlee pauses. "Are you sure you don't want any help? I know the people would be willing to do their part."

[Wraithkin]

Dano

Dano smiles at the offer. "No, thank you. If they want to help, the best thing they can do is keep an eye on each other. Travel in fours, with two always awake. If they are still dead-set on helping me, I merely need raw materials: wood, stone, and some basic metals. I do not want anything that they already own, merely scraps or things laying around the woods. I can manufacture the wall itself with the powers that reside within me."

He looks at the priestess and sighs. "I need you to be with the townsfolk. They clearly trust you, and they need you, now more than ever. I want you to also travel with three of your trusted friends or family members. If you disappear, our job here will be made that much more difficult. Besides, I can't have one of Pelor's blessed taken away from this town."

[Gradius]

"Tree huggers! I need one of you to search for clues, and another one to help me search for lumber. Ifdon't have your aid, I'll just have to tear entire trees out of this forest. You lot are against that, right? That means we need another to clean up the remains of the vampire. These aren't orders, they are commands. Now let's hurry up. If we want to solve the problem, we will need to hold off on the missing folk. Dano is bright in all, but he just isn't suited for manual labor."

(Spot Check for a place of good stone. Something that could be ripped out of the ground.

Result: 16+15= 31)

[Knight13]

Drak'tek shakes a fist in Garath's direction.

"I will search the forest. Kaliand'r, you should work with that destructive ruffian, make sure he doesn't burn the forest down."

Drak'tek will search the forest around the town, looking for signs of people coming or going.

Use Track
Survival check: (1d20+20=36)

[Fuzzball]

Dano:

Ashlee nods, "Very well. I will pass your suggestion along. When I have finished I will be at the church should you need anything."

[Wraithkin]

Dano

"Thank you. May Pelor's light shine upon you." He nods, and escorts her to the guardhouse, ensuring her saftey. Once she is there, he walks out to meet with the group, looking down at where Vvaren's remains sat. Shaking his head, he walks past the hanging mist and seeks out the others. "Who knows about reconstituting a discorporated vampire?" He asks very drily. He didn't feel bad for Vvaren; the man had brought it upon himself. He just hopes Vvaren learned his lesson and will be a bit more prudent with his actions.

[MechaKingGhidra]

Finally having strolled in just in time to hear Dano's remark, Vyn replies:

"Oh. So that is what this strange mist is? In any case, I certainly have no idea. But seeing as I just got here, clearly I have missed some details. I presume you have more or less diplomatically solved any possibly serious disputes about our presence? Also, I had in mind that I would attempt to keep an eye on anyone that may seem to come under a trance of some sort and follow them to the possible source of the problem. If I suspect they may be harmed, I of course have at least a few methods in mind from said person or people coming under endangerment."

[Wraithkin]

Dano

Dano nods at the man's comments. "Yes, I have basically resolved any conflict that we might have with the townsfolk. Here's the situation, so far. The townsfolk have been going about their business, and then several weeks ago someone went missing. Then another, and another. All told, there's just over twenty missing, mostly miners and guards, but a woman has been taken as well. I searched the room of the captain, who was apparently a temporary fill-in, and it was pristine. No furniture overturned, no hint of magic in the entire place. It was as if he went to work and never came home.

By all accounts, that's exactly what's been happening. The inhabitants go about their business, and wander off into the woods, never to return. That's why I want at least one person to talk to the local woodland creatures to see if they saw anything, or any direction they took. Perhaps there's a teleportation circle hidden somewhere, or something like that. A wizard's cruel joke, or something like that.

At any rate, I have offered to wall up the entire town tonight. That is why Garath is searching for suitable trees and rocks. I have also told them to travel in sets of four, never fewer than that, with instructions that no more than two per set sleep at any one time. Once the walls are in place, we'll have them man the gates, towers, and walls with sets of guards and locals. That way, we'll be able to keep track of who is leaving and entering.

If you have some way of overseeing the entire town, I would greatly appreciate that. I know my plan is far from fool-proof, and the disappearances may still occur. I need every one of us to keep a close eye on this entire town. I have a feeling that whomever or whatever is doing that isn't going to stop just because we put up a wall."

He sighs and looks at the rest of the group. "I am only one man. If any of you have any ideas, no matter how insignificant, let's air them out now so we can evaluate them and possibly enact something that will help us track down these lost villagers."

[MechaKingGhidra]

"Unfortunately, what I have prepared in my arsenal of magic is applicable only to immediate situations and do not help with long-lasting results such as your idea of a barricade. Only if, for example, I could locate would-be missing villagers by mundane means a relatively short time before they would fall victim could I apply my resources to any true effect such as preventing them from going anywhere else, so as to not have as much to be concerned about while I hypothetically dealt with the source of these people's problems."

[Wraithkin]

Dano

He nods, absorbing the information. "Anyone else?"

Something ticks in his mind and he remembers something. "Garath, I just realized something. Forget the trees, for now. We won't need them right away. This is a mining town... look for the mine and get me enough rock to surround this town with a twelve-foot high, five-foot deep wall. Bring extras for towers and two gates, then I will need enough lumber for the doors to the gates. The doors will be about twelve feet tall and six feet wide each. I know that's a lot of rock, but I'm going to make this a real wall for them."

[MechaKingGhidra]

"Although I cannot help the people directly through my own means for the time being, is there anything you need of me for right now?"

[Wraithkin]

Dano

"If you can provide security and overwatch for these people, do so. Make sure the priestess Ashlee is safe. Above all, she is the leader of the town and they trust her. If anything happens to her, it could seriously compromise our investigation, as well as turn the townsfolk against us. We are here to help, so I want you to protect her with every means possible."

He looks at the others individually (aside from the treehuggers), and affirms it to the rest. "That goes for all of you. I want you to keep a close eye on her. Nothing happens to her, got it? Just remember, be discreet. I don't want her to get irritated with the security situation we are providing."

[MechaKingGhidra]

"Another sleepless night," Vyn thought. "I hope I'm not accused to be the cause of their woes. I have enough problems as it is."

After his brief pause of thought, Vyn starts to walk about the town, attempting to be casual but in reality, keeping as close an eye on the woman known as Ashlee as possible without arousing too much suspicion, trying to not so much as for a moment let her out of sight unless she entered a building in which case he would see if there was any exit besides the entrance and "wing it" from there.

[Fuzzball]

Ashlee does a good bit of wandering through the town. She does as Dano requested, keeping one soldier and two town'sfolk with her at all times. Though the others don't notice Vyn, Ashlee begins to give him a nod every time she exits a building.




Rocks are easy enough to get. The people give Garath strange looks at first, but after a while a large burly man approaches and offers to assist him, if not with the collecting and hauling, then at least lending him a cart to help with the transport.