RHoD: Thunder in Elsir Vale IC

[Steckie]

Sulevia

Sulevia follows Elymas exploring the keep. As soon as they find the map she loses interest in the rest of the keep and she'll let the Halfling explore the rest on his own. "Interesting map here, Elymas. I'll take it to the others. Might be usefull in interrogating Koth. The Bugbear is even mentioned on the map."

She walks over to where Koth is sleeping and studies the map until he regains conciousness.
She pulls out her surgeon's tools. Without saying a word to Koth she starts taking some very strange pieces of equipment out of her pack. Several scalpels, a little hammer, a saw and a pair of scissors are the most recognizable of the lot.
She tests each of the scalpels on her own arm, making sure they're sharp enough. Finally she looks up towards Koth.
"I'm ready, shall we begin? We've got quite a few questions.
First of all: the map. What is it all about? What's with the day notifications?
Why are you here? Are there more of you around? What were your plans?

And remember, if you don't answer my questions i'm going to have to cause you some pain. I'm a trained medicus, i know where your muscles are located. I know every nerve in your body. I know more ways to cause you pain than you could possibly imagine.
You've probably noticed my scars. I've been practicing on myself, to make sure i get things right. So for your own sake, answer our questions."

Spoiler

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Intimidate: (1d20+7)[19]

[QuidEst]

<I will act as an intermediary, relaying your answers,> Auvin thought to the leader. <It's tidier this way.> No spells, no calling for help.

It wouldn't hurt to double-check his answers, of course, and see if anything else came to mind first. It was tricky peering into the mind, but not impossible.

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Read Thoughts with DC boosted to third-level, expending focus. DC 20.

[stack]

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will (1d20+6)[20]

Koth's mind remains impervious to Auvin's probing. He sneers at Sulevia. "Little ugly girl cuts at herself and I am supposed to be frightened? HAH! I can taste your fear. Your nightmares are a sweet wine, your trembling a feast. Even now, bound here, I can see your spirit quake before me."

[ProudGrognard]

Elymas

Elymas' eyes change again and start to shift. Again, in his pupils Chaos stares back, whole planes ablazing.

"You think you know nightmares, little goblin? I have walked in your nightmares. I have danced in the shadows of your failure. We will break you, mind, spirit and body. We will leave a broken shell behind and send you back to your troops, to be used as an example.

Your every step will be pain. Your thoughts will be of shame, incompetence, weakness. You will want to take your own life but you will not have the strength even for that.

Talk or do not talk. Either way, we will find out."

[Steckie]

Sulevia

Sulevia gently shakes her head. "That's not an answer to one of our questions. Don't worry, i'll start things easy for you."
She takes a medium sized surgical pick, holds it up to the light and nods. Next she takes the small surgical hammer.
Coldly she looks him straight in the eye, holding her pick in front of his nose. She puts the pick into his left nostril, holds still and gives a little tap with her hammer shoving it through the Bugbear's septum. She uses a rag to clean away some of the blood.
"There, now all you need is a nice little ring through it and you'll be all pretty.
Do try to answer the questions, if i have to start removing body parts my knives tend to get a bit blunt. And i never sharpen them while working."

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Evil Eye on Koth for -2 on saving throws.

[stack]

Koth's eyes burn, his mind reaching out and touching Sulevia. Her hand trembles as she tries to put the pick to him.

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Will save 20 or you cannot attack him. I think piercing counts as an attack. Anyone else trying to attack has to make the save as well, though it goes down to 16 if further than 10' away

[Steckie]

Sulevia

"Stop trying to get into my head, you imbecile. You made my hand tremble, now the wound isn't nice and straight. That means you'll probably get an infection.
Oh, and it also means i'm going to have to punish you. Prisoners need to learn how to behave."
She grabs a scalpel and cuts the top of his ear off.
"Now answer our bloody questions."

[QuidEst]

Auvin sighed inwardly. He didn't really think Seluvia's tactics were likely to work. He was getting tired after the extended fight, and the bugbear's unexpected resistance to intrusion wasn't helping. One more go, then.

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Read Thoughts, regaining and expending focus. DC 19, but it's following Evil Eye.

[stack]

Koth only sneers at the witch.

Auvin, however, begins to pick up on something.

Spoiler: Thoughts, in Goblin

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Blasted wench, like that is going to get anything out of me. Hah, like I would gave to the likes of her. Trying to scare the master of fear, pathetic. Now bribes, that would have been something else. Not like I'll be heading back to Azar Kul after this disaster. Lost the forward outpost to a bunch of wandering do-gooders. Pah.

[QuidEst]

Ugh. He'd forgotten how much of a nuisance it was to read minds thinking in the wrong language. He mentally repeated everything he heard to Lucius to get a translation. <Lucius, I have a lot to keep track of. Translate, and send it through your link to Lienos so we have two people remembering it.>

<Sulevia, I'm in. You can keep up an act, but now I just need guiding questions. So long as he thinks the answer- actually consciously thinks it- we're good.>

[Steckie]

Sulevia

It's hard not to smile when Auvin delivers his message. It worked, the Bugbear was focused on her. Now it's just a matter of keeping him annoyed, but now without cutting up parts of his body.
Toying with her scalpel she starts talking again.
"You know, you look better this way. One ear shorter than the other gives you a bit of a 'tough guy' appearance. You'll need to get out of those girly clothes obviously. And maybe start talking like a real man.
If you do that you might even get some respect from your underlings. Maybe the manticore wouldn't have sat on the side laughing about what happened if you were more of a real man.

Anyway, that's not why we're here. Before i got sidetracked by your lack of manliness i was going to repeat my questions. Don't worry, i'll go slow.
What is the map about?
Why are there day notifications about and when is the start date?
Why are you in the keep?
Are there more of your allies in the surrounding area?
Who are your leaders and what are their plans?"

[ProudGrognard]

Elymas

... waits, the map in. His mind is in the vault he has uncovered.

[stack]

More man than (long and lurid train of thoughts. Apparently they don't get many woman at the keep.)

So they found the map. Bah. No matter. Nothing they could do can stop the horde. Less than a week before march. A few days from now and the vale will be overrun.

Don't know a forward outpost when they see it. These morons beat me?

They'll kill me. But they will be crushed. Need to get far away from here. Minkai maybe?

[QuidEst]

Auvin passed on the Goblin as quickly as he could. <Do we need anything else?> he mentally asked Lucius.

[stack]

Elymas, in the vault, sees that the skeletons sword is magic, as is its belt.

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someone will make the checks easily enough, so I'll just tell you its a bastard sword +1 frost and a belt of strength +2

Once you pick all the locks or break down the bars, you find the entire treasure of the keep.

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3550 GP in coins, several expired letters of credit, a journal detailing the history of Vraath keep, including a triumphant final entry about the final defeat of the giants, +1 mithral chain shirt, +1 giant spiked gauntlet, an unusual staff and the DEED TO VRAATH KEEP!

spellcraft 21 on the staff

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its a staff of life, but something is unusual about it DC 26

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it holds 7 charges currently, but seems to be unable to be recharged. 1 charge for heal, 5 for raise dead

[stack]

Final inspection of the tower reveals a tattered set of rags over a wooden frame next to the window, apparently the 'ghost' that the locals feared. Scrolls of ghost sound are set next to it. There appears to be nothing else of note in the ruins.

Spoiler: So...

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executing the prisoner or taking him? Resting in the keep, heading back to Jorr's (be past dark when you got there)? Eventually to town or moving north to check out whats on the map?

[Steckie]

Sulevia

"I have a few more questions about the map.
Who is this 'Ozzurendion' mentioned to the east? Who is the Ghostlord to the south?
Tell us more about this 'Kharm'."

Over the mind link she asks the others: "The map is interesting and there's a lot of information about their plans on it. Do you want to go back to town to set up defenses or do we explore the area?
We could send Jorr back with the map, tell him to pass on the message while we explore the area. If we stay here tonight we'll have plenty of time to copy the map.

We probably wont get much more out of this guy, want me to slit his throat?"

[stack]

Hah, fools don't even know about the dragons or that...thing down south. They won't last long.

"Be done with it, ugly wench."

[QuidEst]

Auvin was only glad enough to be done with the unwitting interrogation. <Yes, let's get this over with before any unexpected cavalry shows up and rescues him. He's just starting to ignore the questions now. We can stay here for the night- I don't particularly fancy running into that hydra again.>

[Steckie]

Sulevia

"What, no last words or prayer to your god? Meh, fine with me. Please close your eyes and i'll make it fast. I wish you the best of luck in the afterlife." Once Koth closes his eyes Sulevia puts one hand on the back of his head for support and quickly jams her dagger through one of his eyes and into his brain. No need to make him suffer.

"Alright, let's spend the night in my new keep. Don't worry, i wont charge rent.
What are we going to do in the morning? We could head back to Drelin's Ferry, but apart from the map we don't have much information to offer them.
Maybe it's better to just send Jorr back with the map and have him tell them there's trouble brewing here and that they should prepare themselves. Oh, and that we cleared out Vraath Keep so they should put our money aside.
We can take a few days to try and find more information. See who Koth's bosses are. Maybe we can take a look at the dragon and that ghostlord?"

[ProudGrognard]

Elymas

Elymas puts his feet up and lights his pipe.

"I do not know if you are going to stay in another keep, Sulevia. But I will stay here, in our common keep. After all, I found the papers.

And I think you are not seeing the whole picture. In a very few days, this whole area will be invaded by an organized, powerful army. Just warning the towns will do nothing. They will be swarmed. So will we.

Tomorrow morning, we must run to the town and warn them. And then start coordinating defenses. We do not have the time to go scouting for the big guys.By the time we find out, it will be too late.

Now, some of the stronger people, could you be so kind as to move the bodies? It is disgusting to eat among all the bodies, no?"

[stack]

The prisoner dies quietly, bleeding in the dirt.

A moment later Jorr returns, the severed head of a goblin in his hand and his rifle over his shoulder. "Looks like you lot made out alright, then. All the racket drew this scout back." He tosses the head to the ground at your feet. A single hole sits between the eyes, a much larger one in the back of the head. "Got the worg too. Hid them off the path a ways. Waited a bit to see if any more where around, didn't see anything after a loop about the place."

"So this is Vraath, eh? Ain't been inside before. Hmm, probably shouldn't risk a fire...but then if it was all dark others coming back might be suspicious."

The night passes quietly. No sign of other patrols returning is seen.

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Feel free to ask Jorr questions. I am presuming you give him a general sketch of what happened and what you found, but you don't have too. Otherwise I'll have you start back to town.

[Steckie]

Sulevia

Sulevia checks out the hole in the Goblin's head. "Nice shot, very accurate." She compliments the hunter. "Let me fill you in on what happened here and tell you about this map we've found...." She says and tells him the whole story.

"Back to town then? I would have preferred some more information, but helping them defend is important as well.
Jorr, the road back might get dangerous and your house in the woods is probably going to get overrun very quickly. Why don't we swing by your house on the way back, collect your stuff and head to town together? The people there can probably use a man of your skill.
Oh, and we have some spare weapons and armor we've liberated from a few Hobbo's on the way into town. Let's see, here's a longsword, a shortsword, a crossbow, some leather armor, a musket, a scimitar, a chain shirt aaaaaand that's about it.
Want any of that stuff? It's free."

[stack]

Jorr shakes his head. "I can manage just fine. They won't be marching through the back trails, thems that do won't come back. As for weapons, I've got what I need, though I may take a bit of that powder. Let's get you back to town then."

-------

You return to town late in the day, your travels untroubled. A guard politely requests your presence at the inn.

Town Speaker Wiston, steps into the inn's common room. Captain Soranna follows him, along with another tall, brand-shouldered woman with blonde-gray hair, Delorn Zann, the master of the town's livery stable. The speaker ushers the rest of the townsfolk out of the room; Kellin, the halfling who runs the Old Bridge, helps him. Then the four townsfolk sit down across from you. The speaker wastes little time on pleasantries, worry evident on his face "Well?" asks Wiston. "What happened? What sort of trouble are we in for?"

SOranna remains passive, unreadable, while the other two are as on edge as the speaker. Jorr sits back and helps himself to a stiff drink.

[Steckie]

Sulevia

"At best you're looking at a huge pile of crap. At worst.....well i'd start sending the people that don't want to fight out of town."
Sulevia quickly makes room on the table and opens the map for the four townspeople to see.
"I'll translate. See here in the west? It says that all tribes gather there under Kharm. And here around Drelin's Ferry it says 'attack day 5'.
Soon you'll be facing an attack of a horde of Goblins. And they're planning to sack the town and use the ferry as a way into the lands over the river. They had a base at Vraath Keep, but we cleared that place out. We own the place now apparently.

That's why i'd start sending the non-combatants out of town. And start preparing for a fight. And we'll need a way to quickly disable the ferry in case the town falls. That could buy us time to escape and warn everyone about the horde.
Oh, and we'll be needing that money you promised us."

[ProudGrognard]

Elymas

Elymas, his feet on the chair and his pipe in his mouth nods assent at what Sulevia said.

"Exactly right. Not only this town, but the area in general is about to be invaded by a very well organized army. Evacuate the town. Send messengers to the other towns, today. Prepare for an assault. Seek help.

There is no way to say this casually, but you are at war. And you just found out."

[stack]

"But you can stop them, can't you? I mean, when you say a horde, you mean a hundred or so, right? We could help. They won't surprise us now that we know they are coming in force."

[Steckie]

Sulevia

"We have no bloody idea how many Hobbo's there are, let alone how many allies they have. Or mercenaries.
If i were you i wouldn't prepare for a hundred or so, but for several thousands. You should hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
First, start by bringing all supplies across the river. Food, weapons, clothing, if you can carry it you should ferry it across the river. Everything you don't leave for that horde is something they can't use. If they're large enough maybe we can get lucky and starve them.
Second, prepare your houses so they can get burned down easily. No sense in giving them a base. Scorched earth tactics. But don't burn them down until we know a bit more about them.
Third, the whole town moves across the river. And prepare for the ropes of the ferry to be cut so they don't have a way across. If we're play our cards right we can sneak small groups across the river to harass their supply lines.
Oh, and today we need to send out messengers to warn other towns and villages. And hopefully we can get some reinforcements that way.

Most of all i think we're going to need more information."

[stack]

"We can hardly go abandoning the town . I mean, you dealt with the ones in the keep, maybe that will change their plans."

"Of course a report will be made to Lord Jarmaath, with warnings to the nearby villages." Soranna interjects coolly.

"But all this talk of abandoning the village and cutting the ferry...we would lose everything!"

[Steckie]

Sulevia

Sulevia shrugs. "You wouldn't lose your lives. All the rest can be rebuilt."