Ruins of Azlant: The Lost Outpost [IC]

[Espeon55]

"That's ominous." Eirina quietly approaches the door and gestures to Ambyr. "Okay boy growl once if it's safe and growl twice if you smell Prey."
Eirina herself is also trying to get a sense of if there is any danger beyond the door.

[lostsole31]

Ambyr doesn't seem to react to any smells.

[5ColouredWalker]

"No more than the rest of this quiet village. It'd be a relief if there was more noise, at least we could know others were using the settlement."

Thickness leans his lance against one of the walls and adjusts his shield to be worn properly, taking a bit of a stance near the door before entering.

Spoiler: Stance

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Taking Running Hunters stance and using a spending a round using Scent to see if anything unusual is there expecting just dust. If there's anything unusual Thickness will relay it before entering.

[lostsole31]

Simple wooden furniture is in disarray throughout this residence. Tables and chairs are knocked over and pushed aside, though none appear willfully broken. Articles of clothing and household items are scattered across the floor as if they were examined briefly and discarded. A large pallet bed is visible in a separate room through an open interior door. A third room with no windows is next to the bedroom but is completely empty.

[Espeon55]

Eirina stares around in stunned silence and only manages to speak after taking everything in. "The heck happened in here?! I am no expert in the case of robbery or the like but this looks like a crime scene. We better search this place thoroughly."

[digiman619]

Kaen nods. "Clearly, someone was willing to tear this place apart to find something. I wonder if they did." He shook his head. "The completely empty room is somehow more confusing than the mess. Why build a room into a home and leave it completely empty? If it was being saved for someone, one would think that there would at least be furnishings of some kind."

[5ColouredWalker]

"More likely a storeroom. But if you want to be thorough we can be."
After a quick glance around, Thickness pays the house no more attention, looking outside instead.

[Diavolo]

Arsenne shakes his head slowly and says: "I don't know. From the clues available, the mess in the first room could just as well have been the result of someone having to pack lightly for a very urgent departure. And if they were in a hurry, they may have missed something that could be useful to us in understanding what's going on here. Do you all mind if we search this place thoroughly before moving on?"

[lostsole31]

With all hands on deck, it only takes 10 minutes to search through everything on a deep search.

Although the home has been ransacked, there is no evidence of foul play or personal violence. A casual search reveals any number of common domestic items, such as boots, spare cloaks hung on pegs, cookware, and plates and mugs—sundries that one might find in any dwelling. A search of the main room finds a gold wedding band left sitting on a windowsill. “My dearest Livvy” is engraved on the ring’s interior. There are no other direct clues as to who lived here, but there is only one “Livvy” listed on the town charter.

Searching the empty room, the group discovers a few large circles on the floor where no dust has accumulated. The bare circles correspond to the size of an average wooden barrel, if set upright on end. No barrels can be found in the house, although there is a clear path to the door.

A search of the bedroom spots a small metal chest shoved far under the bed and against the wall.

Due to wind, rain, and the passage of time, only the most significant or fresh tracks are still visible in Talmandor’s Bounty. Just outside this building, the PCs spot a strange set of tracks that appear to be about a week old. A very easy check is required to follow this odd set of tracks as they lead northeast and then south through the gate in the palisade fence. One trail is 3-1/2 feet wide, heavy and flat, and corresponds to no natural creature. The other is a set of odd, starfish-shaped footprints running down the center of the flattened trail. The trackers can surmise that something large and heavy was rolled away from the house, and that the footprints belong to whoever or whatever was pushing the object. The tracks lead due south down the road between houses. Those tracks could be continued, but here is where it stops right now to keep people from walking all over the place when A7 is the focus.

So, several things going on here, what do you do?

[Espeon55]

"I want to try and open the chest in under the bed if no one objects to this before we follow the tracks. There may be a clue left inside. I'll try not to take so long this time I swear." Eirina tells the group.

Spoiler: OOC

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MA: If no one objects she will pull the Chest out from under the bed and check the lock for traps before attempting to pick the lock.

[rypt]

Roran searches his memory of the charter for any other colonists with the same last name as Livvy.

He nods to Eirina. "Yes, of course." He then looks to the circular imprints left in the dust. "I wonder what was being stored in those barrels. And what manner of creature took them away."

Spoiler: >>>Elyich

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"Did you ever encounter a creature that could have left footprints like this?"

[5ColouredWalker]

"We're it not for the odd feet, I'd guess survivors came back, used the forge as a fireplace, then left with abandoned supplies. I think we should finish searching the town first. Quickly or in depth. They've got quite the head start. I doubt searching will make it much harder."

Thickness looks to the chest.

"But as for the chest, opening it for whats of immidiate use, not trinkets like the ring, I consider acceptable."

[lostsole31]

Despite it being a difficult lock, Eirina pops it on the first try. The small chest contains five bags, each of which holds 5 pounds of powdered silver (worth 25 gp each), four blocks of incense (worth 25 gp each), and a pouch with 100 gp worth of diamond dust. These are expensive material components for bless water, augury, and restoration, respectively. They also serve as a clue as to the house’s original residents. The gold wedding band is worth 125 gp.

What do you intend to do with these items?

Meanwhile, Roran, there is only one "Livvy" listed on the town charter. Livvy Felton is the wife of Father Adrian Felton. This makes sense as this home - presumably the Feltons - was built next to the chapel so he'd have easy access to the colony's place of worship. As a priest of Cayden Cailean, Father Felton was entrusted to watch over the colony’s only kegs of beer that were transported from Almas aboard Liberty’s Herald.

[5ColouredWalker]

Hearing the contents Thickness's voice drops to a rumble.
"I believe the reagents and ring should go in the box, and back in it's hiding place for safe keeping.I daresay none of us are here to loot the village."

[Espeon55]

"Yeah am not looking to loot someone's wedding ring. However it is strange that they are here and not with their respective owners. My parents never left the house without their wedding bands." Eirina states as she puts the contents back into the chest. "And I cannot make use of the spell components in here either. But we shouldn't steal from a Priest no matter if we can use them or not."

[lostsole31]

"Let's be moving. Check those tracks," rumbles Mr. Arvodair.

[5ColouredWalker]

"Very well, tracks before the rest. Just a moment to resort my pack."

With that Thickness will put his torch back not expecting to need it. He'll also put his hide armor in the storeroom just out of sight around the door, before joining the group outside. He takes a moment to examine the tracks, leaning low and giving them a sniff with his wide stance.

Spoiler: Actions

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Torch in bag, now weilding lance/shield properly.
Also not carrying around hide armor so not encumbered. I should have left it in the smithy.

Survival of +8 for tracking While Scent/Running Hunter's Stance is active which I'm doing. Probably not enough to track, but as or with aid another it should do well.

[lostsole31]

Which set of tracks does the party wish to explore:

1. The odd set of tracks that head northeast and then south through the palisade fence, or
2. the tracks that lead south down the road between houses?

[Espeon55]

"I vote in favour of continuing to explore the village so I saw we follow the tracks that head south toward the road. We can study the starfish tracks afterwards." Eirina states.

[digiman619]

Kaen nods in agreement. "Finishing one task before moving towards the second seems wise here"

[lostsole31]

Mr. Arvodair simply shrugs.

Everyone else good to continue building sweep?

[5ColouredWalker]

"It's been a week. I imagine the 10 minutes to at least look through the Village will harm things much. Or longer if we do thorough searches. Though I do agree once we set off following the Barrel tracks would be better."

[Diavolo]

Arnesse says: "We still have a couple of buildings to check right? Let's fully explore the compound before heading off."

He looks toward the bed where the small lock-box was re-hidden and says: "You know, once I grow more confident in my role as a Sacred Attendant for the Eternal Rose, I will be able to put those spell components to good use for all of us. I of course abhor the idea of stealing from a fellow colonist, but if something has happened to them, or a certain lapse of time goes by without us finding anybody, we should eventually be prepared to declare some of these items, including the spell components, to be subject to the rules of salvage."

He looks in the direction of the tracks that his friends were following and says: "That's really convenient of our little starfish-footed friend to flatten the ground by rolling the barrel before giving us his very clear prints. I definitely look forward to seeing where that leads to once we we have cleared the compound."

[lostsole31]

The party continues to the southwest to the large corner building. This large building is durably built in a log cabin–style construction with a thatched pitched roof and three gables. Its several open windows are uncovered, and the sole entrance on the east side of the building is bereft of a door. A small porch covered by a gable shelters this door, though the porch has not been swept and dirt and dust have started to accumulate, while one end of the gable is starting to sag from neglect.

[Espeon55]

"Looks as abandoned as the other buildings still possible to hold some clues however so let's get investigating!" Eirina declares as she enters the building with Ambyr.

[Diavolo]

Arsenne replies, "With Pleasure!" and holds his Glaive firmly as he follows them in. If there is space, he will try to be right behind Ambyr. If not, he'll be behind both Ambyr and Eirina.

Spoiler: Cantrip

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The light spell on the blade of his Glaive should still be in effect. If not, he renews it before going in.

[lostsole31]

The party heads inside ... The interior of this building suggests a modest place of worship—not quite a temple but more than a mere shrine. A table near the center of the west wall appears to serve as an altar, draped in a white but dusty cloth. Behind the table, a large wood carving of a humanoid figure with a stag’s head leans against the wall. Two rows of benches face the altar, although some have been knocked over and two piles of ashes are visible in the aisle between them. Scattered throughout the room are assorted objects related to public worship, such as a chalice and a ceremonial rod. An ornately carved longbow hangs on the wall near the altar, as if on display. Against the north wall is a smaller shrine. Nearby is a wooden statue roughly three feet tall that depicts a male half-human and half-avian creature. One carved wing hangs partially broken from the statue.

[Espeon55]

Eirina looks at the scene completely perplexed. Whilst she is a follower of Ketephys, God of the Hunt she is not at all familiar with any of the objects of worship in this room and looks to Arsenne for answers. "Uh Arsenne you are the one most familiar with deity worship correct? Can you make any sense of....well....any of this?"

[Diavolo]

Arsenne looks around, pausing a bit longer in front of the statue of the elk-headed man and the ornate bow, and responds:

"Indeed, this looks very much like a shrine to Erastil, also known as "Old Deadeye". He is an older god, from before the age of Darkness. As a god of hunting, farming, family and trade, I presume he must have a lot in common with your own revered 'Ketephys', may his hunts be ever fruitful. He would seem to be a reasonable choice as the patron deity for a remote wilderness colony such as this one. You know -- self-reliance and all that...."

He smiles a bit, focused on nothing in particular, then adds: "I always had a soft spot for his followers because they were so often at odds with the followers of Abadar. But I found them far too uncouth and ragged-looking for my tastes."

He looks at Thikh'ness and then the others and says: "The ability to detect magic auras is something that my own goddess will readily grant me should I request it during my morning meditations. This morning, however, I did not make such a request, not knowing beforehand that we would arrive at this island today. If one of you has that ability available now, I am very curious about this longbow, the large wooden carving, the statuette, the shrine and the altar. I would even ask you to check if there is any residual magic on those two piles of ash."

He looks at the Statuette of the half-human and half-avian and says with a determined tone: "If you all do not object, I am going to mend this wing. It might not be a master-piece, but I simply cannot stand by and ignore a broken piece of artwork."

Spoiler: Orison

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If nobody objects or moves to prevent him, Arsenne casts the orison 'mending' to fix the wing on the 3'foot tall statuette of a half-human half-avian.

[lostsole31]

Roran can second Arsenne's understanding that the wood carving represents Erastil. The wing that Arsenne is trying to fix near the smaller shrine is a depiction of the agathion patron of Andoran, Talmandor.

While Arsenne is focused on the carving of Talmandor, the rest of the PCs immediately recognize (no time spent on search) that there was a struggle in this area and it was never straightened up afterward.

Does the party do a search in here? If so ... quick or deep?