Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil (IC): Thread 2

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

"So what have you found out?" Grigor inquires after a while.

[Quakes]

nothing useful, except the sun on the floor makes me dizzy.

[CaylynEsuzam]

"This place makes me uneasy. Did anything happen in here?" Cade asked.

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

Grigor just shrugs "There was a hostile cleric in here. He did battle with Tell here and lost. But that is his tale to tell."

[Quakes]

(for the sake of getting the train moving, going to assume someone produces the note)

Well it looks as if there's nothing left for us here. Perhaps we should investigate the contact in Rastor. Maybe he could direct us to the leader of these cultists...

[Shhalahr Windrider]

(( Rastor is roughly a two week journey from Hommlet. See the map on the first post of the OC. If there’s any last thing you want to do in Hommlet, now is the time to let me know. ))

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Chapter 2: Elemental Consumption

Rastor: Planting 26, Early Afternoon

After two hard weeks of travel through the Kron Hills, any sign of civilization should be welcoming. But then calling Rastor civilized would be generous. It’s a small mud-hole of a town, barely a tenth the size of Hommlet. Located where foothills give way to the Lortmil Mountains, the ground is rocky and barely arable. It is surprising that anything more than weeds could grow there.

One main road runs through Rastor then abruptly ends. There are a few smaller roads spurring off of it. Two of these roads give way to rough paths up the nearby mountains.The smattering of buildings are rough and practical in their construction.

The folk of the town, at least the few the party sees, don’t seem to be particularly friendly. They don’t seem to be particularly mean, either, maintaining a respectable and safe distance from the newcomers. It is possible the drizzling rain may have some influence over their decisions here, but it doesn’t seem likely.

[Quakes]

Spoiler

Gather information to find Tal Chamish
(1d20+3)[15]

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Rastor: Planting 26, Afternoon

It takes a little while to find someone willing to talk about much anything. However a craggy-faced human man sitting outside what appears to be the town’s one tavern does stay long enough to respond. With a suspicious squint he growls, “Yeah, what do you need ‘im for?”

[Quakes]

I was told that he would sell me a wagon. Where can I find him?

[CaylynEsuzam]

Cade looks around the city as Moonshadow talks to the man. He sighs, realizing they might be at a dead end for treasure.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Rastor: Planting 26, Afternoon

“Huh, I don’t recognize you. You must be from out of town,” the man replies, “Kinda out of your way for a wagon.”

[Quakes]

Out of the way, in the way, it all depends on where you're coming from. A friend recommended that we come here, as it was closer to our destination than we previously were. So here we are. Can you help me?

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Rastor: Planting 26, Afternoon

“Ah, I see,” the old man says with a strange grin as if had just been let in on a special secret. “Well, I can’t tell ya where Tal is right now, but, ah, he does usually spend his evenings in the Rusty Axe here.” He gestures to the tavern before suddenly twitching his head in the manner of one clearing out an odd thought or two.

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

"Ha! How fortunate! Then let us get inside and give the innkeeper some business while we wait. I can certainly do with a mug of beer or ale. And I bet I'm not the only one who wants to wash the dust out of his throat."

Grigor seems genuinely happy to have found a good excuse to spend some time drinking. And maybe even eating some food. Travelling sure makes hungry.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Rastor: Planting 26, Afternoon

Being the middle of the afternoon, the tavern is not very busy. There is a human conversing with a halfling in one corner and another and another person keeping to himself in another. The number of closely-packed tables seems to promise that nighttime business should be good, however.

The tavern doesn’t quite feel clean. Everything is a bit dingy and thoroughly stained. The smell of spilled ale lingers in the air.

A burly dwarf is behind the serving bar giving the party an expectant stare as they walk in.

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

Grigor looks around a bit. The place is a bit 'rustic', so what? You come to an inn to drink and socialize, not to admire the decor. So the cleric approaches the bar and nods at the dwarf.

"Greetings barkeep, what beer do you have to wash the dust from my throat. Any dwarven stout available by any chance?"

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Rastor: Planting 26, Afternoon

“Ah. Indeed.” The barkeep immediately grabs a bottle from the shelf behind him and brings out several glasses. “You’re not from around here,” he observes as he fills them up.

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

"Haha, no, we are just passing through on our way. But some guy told us to sample your beer, so here we are. Do you also serve food here? We certainly wouldn't mind a hearty meal either." the celeric declares with a boisterous voice.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Rastor: Planting 26, Afternoon

The bartender gives Grigor a bit of a funny look as he says the party is just passing through. However, the moment passes as the cleric changes the subject to food. “If you want something filling, you best come back at dinner time. Right now, just got the drinks.”

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

"Haha, that is quite alright, after all one does need a good base of drinks before a hearty meal. Or was that the other way around? No matter, thirst is worse then homesickness and I'm a long way from home."

And with that Grigor puts a solver coin on the counter and pushes it towards the barkeep.

[Quakes]

I'm not much for beer, but mead or wine would be most welcome.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Rastor: Planting 26, Afternoon

The barkeep pours Moonshadow’s drink. “Anything else?” he asks, looking at the other newcomers.

[Lycar]

Grigor

Grigor looks between his companions and, seeing that most of them don't seem to be either thirsty or hungry, just shrugs.

"Well then, a stout for me and ale or wine for my friend here then." he orders and heads for an empty table to make himself comfortable.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

(( Gonna be looking for anything else to do while drinking and waiting for Tal? ))

[Toliudar]

Meggido

The dour elf looked around the inn and promptly abandoned any hope that they'd have a proper elven berrywine. Ordering an ale, he settled with the others at a table. For a while, after the long journey into the hills, he simply soaks up the warmth of the room. After a moment's consideration, though, he turns to murmur to Grigor and Moonshadow.

"We haven't really talked about what we're going to do when we meet this Tal fellow. Based on the nature of the miscreants who were going to speak with him, are you thinking that we'd present ourselves as members of this same organization?"

Meggido's eyes slid around the room nervously. It occurred to him that Tal, or a friend of his, could already be in the room, checking them out. He nervously withdrew the pendant they had taken from a robed cultist in the moathouse and clutched it tightly under the table.

[Quakes]

Whispering

I don't think that we or he would advertise affiliations. Once we meet the man, we can discuss our mutual employers and how we can help each other.

[Lycar]

"I'm not sure if hiding my affiliation is really an option." says Grigor with a slight grimace, pointing out the holy symbol (crudely) painted onto his breastplate (which, for those in the know, seems to be of a design usually worn by paladins of Heironeous. Minus the armour spikes that is).

"Then again, this could be a clever ruse to hide my true colours, so to speak. After all, there aren't only good gods who are into guile and trickery." he adds in a low voice and with a wink.

Spoiler

Maybe some description:



Grigor looks like a human male in his mid-twenties, although his beard tends to add a few years to this. With his broad back he looks more like a smith or maybe a warrior then a man of the faith although the symbol of the Laughing Rogue painted on the breastplate of his suit of full plate armour denotes him as a cleric.

Armour spikes seem to have been added as an afterthought, rather then an inherent part of the design, also the miner's lamp with a Permanent Light enchanted coin in it certainly didn't come with the original version. Seems like there's some story behind that particular set of armour.

While his face with his light brown hair and brown eyes looks fairly unremarkable, his eyes do have the sparkle of an alert mind.

His gear, apart from the plate armour, consists of a bastard sword, usually worn on his back along with his short bow and quiver, a buckler on his left arm and both a mace and a dagger in a sheath dangling from his belt. Where he apparently also keeps an harp in a belt pouch.

[Toliudar]

Meggido nods hesitantly as he looks at the crudely-drawn fist.

"Quite. But you don't have to wear your breastplate tonight, right?

"Although, I suppose, if we've got some time before evening, we could also do a little walking around town, get a better sense of why the locals are so tight-lipped. Perhaps they have been frightened into silence by some sort of insidious infernal interference."

His fist clenches all the tighter under the table.

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

"I'd rather take the walk then leave of my armour. As far as being tight-lipped goes. It doesn't take any fiendish conspiracies. Just look at us: We are a bunch of heavily armed people who may or may not mean trouble. Better to avoid eye contact..." Grigor says with a smirk.

"Then again, it would go against my chosen faith not to lighten up the mood of the people a bit. I may not be much of a lute player but I don't see much competition around here. So maybe a little song and story routine later today. But yes, going to get a feel for the place sounds good."