The Reaping of Theras (IC Thread)

[Whiplord]

As soon as the useful talk died away, Veritas excuses himslef and goes off to bed.

[blkhawk26281]

The night passes quietly once the revelry from the drunks diminishes. {all studies and prayers required are completed for those who need them} The morning dawns clear and bright, the sounds of the kitchen drifting up through the floorboards tell you breakfast is being prepared and served. Several voices drift up from the common room discussing the days activities and the weather. You each wake fully rested from a very deep and dreamless sleep, an after effect of the spell cast on you by the messenger.

[Bronz]

Silv awakes expecting one of the worst hangovers he has ever experienced...only to wake feeling refreshed, and invigorated.

This serving the empire thing is really working out so far. Guess it's time for a new day.

The smell of breakfast slowly invigorates him, and soon enough Silv is downstairs, sharing a meal with anyone that will forgive his foul mouth.

[Whiplord]

Veritas awakens, looking around disoriented for a minute, not recognizing his surroundings. Then it comes to him. The empire... Rictans......Dead wall... I remember now. An adventure!

And with that thought, he springs out of bed, hurriedly gets dressed and puts on his armor, and heads downstairs.

[iamkoolerthanu]

Mikt'

"Urrrg"

Mikt' stumbles out of bed, throws on his clothes, puts on his armor, and goes downstairs.

"Foood."

He sits down at a table and waits for the foood.

[blkhawk26281]

There are few occupied tables, and as Silv walks downstairs the waitress leads him to a large rectangle table in the front corner, near a large picture window. The curtains are thrown back and open out onto the main street. She takes each of your orders and moves back to prepare them, leaving a basket of bread on the table and a pitcher of cool water with a mug for each of you.

[Bronz]

So..*chomp*...what direction do you think the mage'll want to take *burrrrp*
The escapee or follow the troops?

Silv then cuts off all discussion, as he drains the glass next to him, with liquids pouring out the sides and everywhere else.

[13_CBS]

Feeling refreshed, Aemos tidies himself up, dresses in his usual traveling clothes, and walks downstairs, reading a thick book.

I see you are all awake, he says, while helping himself to some fresh bread. Did the locals happen to mention anything during the night? I went directly to my quarters, so I was unable to glean any information from the boozehounds.

[Bronz]

Silv enters a lengthy exposition, giving the details of the useful information gleaned from the gathering last night.

However, it is fairly hard to understand him, as fresh bread is being chewed at the same time, and new bread enters when his mouth is empty.

The words escapee and following seem to stand out the most.

[blkhawk26281]

The waitress returns, bearing plates of food to order. She serves them out quickly and deftly, replacing the water pitcher with a fresh pitcher of cold milk, she returns a moment later with a smaller pitcher with an aromatic steaming black liquid in it, she lays out 4 small cups with it and says off-handedly. "oh, your tall young friend...the barbarian...he left last night, something about fresh air and he'd catch up to you down the road or not." Finished with the message she turns and moves back to the bar, watching for anyone needing her and sipping a small cup filled with the black liquid.

[iamkoolerthanu]

"*Munch Yeah, that's it. *Munch What should we do, wizard which I do not know the name of? In fact,* I don't know anyone's name really.*Munch What are they? I'm *Munch Mikt'."

[13_CBS]

Ah, yes, I have not introduced myself to you yet. I am Aemos, Imperial field wizard.

As for our barbarian friend...if he is confident that we will meet him later down the road, then that is what we shall do.

But what of this "escapee"? Did someone flee a prison caravan?

[iamkoolerthanu]

"Hello Aemos"

He holds out a greasy, sticky hand, presumably for you to shake.

[13_CBS]

Aemos merely looks at the hand, covers his own in a hankerchief, and shakes it.

[Bronz]

Silv looks at Aemos like he is a bit slow, and repeats his stories, this time the word cave is prominent.

Silv continues to eat the bread, hoping that it will absorb all of the alcohol from the night before.

He then turns to the Half-Orc. *Shilv*, as he points to himself, with bread flying out of his mouth.

[13_CBS]

I see...so now we are given the choice of either chasing the escapee or following the caravan...

And next time, speak first, and then eat, or vice versa. I cannot understand you if your words are muffled by your attempts at gorging.

[Bronz]

Silv becomes suddenly still, and stops chewing for a moment. He looks very hard at the wizard.

"Mufadlfjasdf;ljafjfalejthalaeiadkektlal"

The words are very muffled, but the intent behind them seems clear enough.

Silv then pours a long glass of milk and drains it like before, finally clearing his throat of breakfast.


"Well, which is it then?"

[13_CBS]

Hmm...yes...that is the conundrum, is it not? On one hand we could chase down the escapee and see if we could collect valuable information from him. On the other hand, if it turns out to be a wild goose chase, we will probably not reach the caravan in time.

Are you a tracker, Silv? Perhaps you could estimate how long it would take to hunt down the escapee. As a field wizard I have little experience in these matters.

[iamkoolerthanu]

"Mikt' want's to fight. Mikt' will go the war where the battles are."

[Bronz]

I most certainly am multi-talented, but a tracker I'm not. Maybe you could hire one?

[blkhawk26281]

The waitress returns, shaking her head at Silv's display of gorging, she retrieves the empty plates and the enpty glasses. She returns to the back of the bar, dumping the dirty dishes, she then returns to her previous position of waiting.
The others in the common room have finished eating and have slowly filed out, grumbling about returning to work. A pair of Peraxian soldiers enter as the group leaves, they move to a table opposite the door of yours, they rub their eyes wearily, obviously here for their breakfast after getting off guard duty last night.
The waitress moves to them, taking their orders and moving along to prep them. The guards continue talking quietly to each other as they wait.

[iamkoolerthanu]

Listen Check:

(1d20+1)[15]

[13_CBS]

Aemos glances at the guards and tries to eavesdrop while pretending to be minding his own business.

Listen check: (1d20+2)[21]

[blkhawk26281]

{Success: Mikt and Aemos}

Guard 1 "....I have no intention of requesting to find the honorless bastard who shirked his duty."

Guard 2 "Aren't you the least bit curious as to why he fled? or why in the name of Pelor would he head into the mountains? He'll be strung up over a goblin cookfire before the sun is high."

Guard 1 "I couldn't care less...now...the tower of smoke to the north, now that piques my curiosity. The Rictans must've run across some of the goblins and tossed them in their own fires."

Guard 2 "I still say we owe it to the sap who fled to find and aid him"

The two continue laughing and arguing about the escapee and the tower of smoke.

[13_CBS]

Hmm...did any of you catch some of that?

[Whiplord]

Veritas has sat impartially, till now. Finally he shrugs. "I'll leave lit up to you people. I claim no expertise in decision making."

[13_CBS]

And I am no expert in tracking. I would prefer to follow our orders as they were given, but it may be unwise to give up an opportunity to gather additional information on the Ricta before we spy on them.

[blkhawk26281]

The waitress approaches your table again with a long slender sheet of parchment. "Forgive me sirs, I know this is an interruption unneeded but there is the matter of your bill...Now, let's see. 4 rooms at a silver apiece, 4 meals at breakfast, 5 wines, 6 mugs of ale, and 2 slivers of spirits....for a total of 9 silver pieces and 2 copper." She looks about the table, waiting for someone to accept the bill and pay the charges.

[Bronz]

It would also seem unwise to follow orders to the letter, as leaders are never ones to see every angle.

Speaking of leaders, seems like someone's waiting for you, Wizard.

At that, Silv gestures over to the waitress and gives a hearty laugh.

[iamkoolerthanu]

"Mikt' heard what they said. Mikt' not really understand, but Mikt' wants to save runaway."

"Here you go, nice lady. A tip for your..Niceness."

The Half-Orc hands over two gold peices, apparently not knowing the concept of math.