Heart of Stone

[PeacefulOak]

"It is sad that your appreciation for killing those wolves that were so tormenting you has earned so little appreciation. Perhaps I SHOULD go to those fools of the city to have the job done. Then again," I pause, considering. "I prefer to have a talented and experienced craftsman such as yourself work these hides. Perhaps 5 gold for both the tanning and the working, and I shall offer you divine blessings to guide and speed the work."

(1d20+9)[27] Diplomacy

[KhornetheGrim]

He narrows his eyes at you slightly. "Whose blessing?"

[PeacefulOak]

"I come from the faith of Ireal, so I believe that is who has granted me the divine touch. However, the source of the blessing has little impact on its effect, which is to guide your hands in the hopes of bettering your craft."

[KhornetheGrim]

He nods, satisfied with your answer. "Alright son, you got yerself a deal. 5 gold pieces and the blessing of Ireal."

Steb spits in the palm of his hand and holds it out in front of him.

[PeacefulOak]

I do the same, gripping his hand firmly.

Stepping back, I pull out my holy symbol and chant a brief prayer, extending a hand to touch his shoulder and instill him with the Guidance of Ireal.

As I bring down the two perfect skins, and the two fresh wolf corpses (I have no other use for them), I speak. "In truth, I came here because I heard of this woman prophet speaking in the town. I heard people are gifting her with their life savings, and I wanted to be certain that she is legitimately giving divine blessings. Have you seen or heard her yourself?"

[KhornetheGrim]

Steb's grip is surprisingly strong for such an old man. You imagine he was quite the powerful man in his youth.

"Fah! Bunch of fools. The old Gods ain't never done me wrong and I'll not turn me back on them now. But if you want give away all your valuables for snake oil, don't expect me to try and stop you. But these nitwits round here all seem pretty taken with her. Ain't never been out to listen to her talk meself. I'm a simple man. Never had much use for fancy things, so I got nothing to give to her anyway, but that I would if I had. But from what I kin see, she's all talk and no walk."

He takes the pelts from you and turns back to his tanning shed.

"Come back in a few days and I'll have yer cloak for ya."

[PeacefulOak]

"Thank you again, and the grace of Ireal be with you."

With that, I take my leave and head back to the town proper to bide time until the Voice of Angels is to speak.

[KhornetheGrim]

You try to wait out the day quietly, but you get restless after not very long and spend the rest of the day wandering the village and seeing if anyone can make use of your services. You do a few odd jobs for people just to pass the time and round about dinner time Urlis finds you and invites you to share dinner with he and his family before the sermon. It is a simple but hearty meal. Urlis refuses to answer any of your questions about the Voice, replying each time with "You will see soon enough".

After dinner, Urlis and his family get ready and they lead you out into one of the fields. It's a fair walk and eventually you reach an area trampled by foot traffic. There are a few people there already and as time passes more and more of the villagers arrive.

Did you want to do anything while you are waiting for the sermon to start?

[PeacefulOak]

From a quiet place out of sight of people if possible, I chant a brief prayer to Ireal and take a look around to see if there are any strong magic auras around (other than those I carry with me).

I hold the concentration as long as I can as I find a seat near the front of the area, as I want a good view of the Voice.

[KhornetheGrim]

Roll a Diplomacy check to see if you can make a convincing excuse to step aside and cast your spell.

[PeacefulOak]

(1d20+9)[21]

I'm off to use the bushes.

[KhornetheGrim]

You try to think of an excuse to get away for long enough to cast Detect Magic when you remember the rings you found. You tell Urlis that you have an offering, but you have it... tucked away for safe keeping after that run-in with the bandits. You move off somewhere you won't be seen, pull out the cheapest-looking of the rings you found and cast your spell.

You return and look around, but see nothing giving off a magical aura.

[If you are not ok with giving up one of those rings for this, just say so and we'll say you gave a different excuse.]

[PeacefulOak]

I'm fine with it. Can't remember the duration on detect magic, but keeping concentration as long as I can.

[KhornetheGrim]

You pull one of the plain silver wedding bands to offer.

You return and take a seat up front and wait for the sermon to begin. Everyone is sitting in a semi-circle around an open space in the middle of which is a small wooden bowl.

You sit for several minutes, waiting patiently for something to happen, senses straining for any sense of magic. After a while a mist begins to rise slowly from the ground, coalescing into the form of a beautiful woman. Still you sense no magic.

"My beloved people," the ghostly image smiles radiantly, speaking in a voice that is clear, strong, and full of caring. "It warms my heart to see you again. As I look out over you, I feel the pride of a mother for her children, for we are a family and we can find all that we need in each other. We must remember to share what we can freely with those who need it and they in turn will share with us when we are in need. If we all love and care for one another we shall never want. We need not the Gods and their churches, hording their wealth. We must be free from such greed. We must shed ourselves of useless of useless trinkets and shiny baubles whose only purpose is to show that you are someone's better. We are all the same. As revealed to me by the angels Ailacanti, Frauwashak, Vabivua, and Kakigg, if we all join together in support of one another, we will form a bond that cannot be broken! A bond that will see us all reunited in our own realm in the infinite Celestial Plane!"

The Voice of Angels pauses while many people in the crowd voice their thanks or say short prayers to her.

"I believe I see some new faces today. Does anyone have any signs of wealth and greed they wish to be rid of? It is the first step toward joining our family and ensuring your place in our afterlife, where there will always be someone to love and comfort you."

At this point you stand, as instructed by Urlis before the sermon, alone with an elderly woman and a small boy who is being encourage by who you assume to be his parents.

Suddenly you sense the presence of a magical aura as the wooden bowl floats up and moves over to each of you. The boy drops a copper necklace set with roughly cut gemstones into the bowl. The old woman, after a moment's hesitation, drops in a heavy silver ring then the bowl floats to you and you deposit your recently acquired wedding band. [Roll me a Spot check.]

The bowl, which you can now see glowing with a faint magical aura, then floats back to its spot under the Voice of Angels. When the bowl lands, the magical aura disappears, then a moment later there is a brief flash of a slightly more powerful magical presence. [Feel free to roll a Spellcraft check to see if you can determine the school of the first aura you detected. The second was there and gone too quickly. You didn't even sense where it came from.]

The Voice of Angels looks over the crowd with a look of sad regret. "I'm afraid I must leave you now. But fret not. I will return soon to speak to you all again. For now I must rest and regain my strength."

And with that the form dissipates back into mist and sinks into the ground.

[Hope you don't mind me running that whole thing as a scene. Urlis would have instructed you beforehand not to interrupt.]

[PeacefulOak]

(1d20+7)[24] spot check
[roll[1d20[/roll] spellcraft

[PeacefulOak]

Edit: just roll for me, straight d20 unless you're using wisdom

[KhornetheGrim]

The silver ring placed in the bowl by the old woman is a Silver Aegis Captain's ring.

Unfortunately, you were not able to discern anything about the magic you saw. [I rolled you a 10.]

[KhornetheGrim]

Once the sermon is over people begin to slowly disperse in small groups.

[PeacefulOak]

(1d20+1)[16] Knowledge: Religion regarding the names the spirit/voice used. Also to see if I know what it might be.

I stand from where I was sitting and look around, rolling my shoulders and stretching. I nod to Urlis, but move towards the old woman who put the ring in the bowl.

"That was quite the treasure you gave up there. A captain of the Silver Aegis? That is quite the relic."

[KhornetheGrim]

None of the names you heard during the sermon ring any bells.

Urlis nods back and is soon in conversation with some of the others there.

The old woman smiles up at you. "Aye, my Haldin was captain of the Aegis up in Beldonvale." Her smile turns sad. "He died during the war, poor soul. Been struggling ever since. That ring was the last thing I had from my Haldin, but he would want me to be taken care of. Ireal abandoned me after my Haldon died, protecting the temple non-the-less. These kind people here took me in and cared for me."

You recognize the name Beldonvale. It was the site of one of the biggest battles of the war. The entire town was razed and everyone at the Temple of Beldonvale was butchered.

[PeacefulOak]

I nod and smile in commiseration for her hard times. "I am sorry to hear that you were so put out by the situation. The church of Ireal should have supported you. It is good, though," I continue, "that you had a community to turn to that would accept you."

Patting her shoulder gently, I move off with a reverent look on my face, stopping to stare pensively at the spot where the voice appeared.

(1d20+7)[19] Spot check.

[KhornetheGrim]

The old lady smiles up at you and moves off to join some people who appear to have been waiting for her.

As you walk by the spot where the Voice of Angels appeared you once again examine the area but notice nothing other than a mundane-seeming wooden bowl.

As you are doing so, Urlis walks up to you. "So Victor, what do you think? Was she what you were expecting?"

[PeacefulOak]

"Not at all, Urlis! I was expecting a human woman or the like, not some ghostly spirit! How did she first appear? What brought such a strange event to this small town?"

[KhornetheGrim]

Urlis laughs. "She is as human as you or I. But she appears for many people in many places, so she does so in spirit. She first came through our little village as a normal woman nearly a year ago. Once she started gathering more of a following, she started sending her spirit to us instead of coming in person so she could spread her word as far as possible."

[PeacefulOak]

"Truly she is a woman of spirit and power, to willingly inspire so many by her words and image! Truly wondrous indeed, particularly as those from the Capital who passed through were unable to locate her." I pause, then continue.

"I am truly inspired to action by her words. I wish to meet her in person, to witness her and see in her face the truth. Where can pilgrims seek her, if I might be so bold as to ask?"

(1d20+5)[6] Sense Motive... and the Natural 1 strikes! ><

[KhornetheGrim]

Urlis gives a snort of derision. "Those fools see her as nothing but a threat to their power. They didn't deserve to to find her."

Roll me a Diplomacy check to see how persuasive you are about wanting to meet the Voice.

[PeacefulOak]

(1d20+9)[13] Diplomacy!

[KhornetheGrim]

Urlis thinks for a moment. "I like you Victor, but I don't know that I am willing to extend that much trust to you just yet. I am willing to let her know that a new follower would like to speak to her. If you are lucky, she may choose to appear to you."

[KhornetheGrim]

You return to the inn with Urlis and spend a comfortable night in a warm bed. You spend the following day helping out around the village, most by assisting the older residents with their daily chores. As you are chopping and piling firewood for a kindly grandmother, Urlis' son, a lad of no more than 13 whom you had met the night before, runs up with a bundle in his arms.

"Hey Mister! Old Steb was just by the inn and said this was for you."

You open the bundle and see one of the finest wolf-skin cloaks you've ever seen. Steb even used the head of one of the wolves to make a hood and it even looks large enough to fit over a helmet.

Roll up a Spot check if you please.

[PeacefulOak]

"Thank you child! If you would, tell Steb how pleased I am with his amazing work!"

(1d20+7)[15] Spot