3.5 Monk Campaign: A Boot to the Head (IC)

[inexorabletruth]

In the Cellar:

Spoiler

Upon closer inspection, you can tell that they too are dead, though there are no marks on them. Most likely they died from suffocation during the fire. Perhaps the priest of the temple thought this would be a safe place to hide them from the attack. The youngest of the three, a little boy, can be no older than five. Based on their looks, they appear to have been related to the woman. Most likely, she was their mother.

In the Temple:

Spoiler

Li and Han move out of sight... not much else to report.

[Azoth]

Li curses under his breath, as he realizes the sad truth of their situation. Turning to Han, he makes a grim face that says it all...they are dead. His somber moment is interrupted by the yells of the others.
We are fine. The floor gave, and we have found even more death. Those these were not touched by blade. This room remained hidden.

[Man on Fire]

"Do you want me to come down to you?!" Vir-Sashi yells in response. He is shocked to hear that even more innocents have been slaughtered by whatever monster did this. He is sitll haunted by the image of nightmare they have found inside the hall, image that makes him feel like every drop of blodd in his body had been turned into ice.

[Azoth]

Li turns to looks at Vir as he sets down the sun rod. His hands move to his rope as he uncoils a length of it. He then proceeds to try and throw it up to Vir.

See if you can find something sturdy to tie it to. We don't all want to get stuck down here if rubble blocks the exit."

[Man on Fire]

Vir-Sashi catches the rope and tries to find something he can tie it to.

[inexorabletruth]

After careful examination, Vir-Sashi realizes that many of the support beams in the room are very fragile right now. However, the pews have heavy iron bases that didn't melt away in the fire. After tying the rope to one of them and giving it a tug, you believe that it could support your weight.

[PSinger]

Necahual mutters under her breath, "What the hell is keeping that guy from answering my brother?"

[Man on Fire]

"I think we're good! Do you want me to do anything else?" Vir-Sashi yells to Han and Li. "If not, I'm coming down to you!"

[Azoth]

As long as we have a means of escape, we should be alright. I just hope that we don't find anything too disturbing down here.

[zever]

Meanwhile, Han starts looking around through the shelves, to see if there is anything useful for them.

[Man on Fire]

"In that case I'll wait here, to secure escape route. And, honestly, I doubt that my face is very high on the list of things any terrified survivor might want to see."

[lostsole31]

Coanacoch returns a friendly smile, but still sizes him up.

Spoiler

Sense Motive (1d20+4)[9] - See Complete Adventurer, Skill Usages, for sizing people up.

Also, if it matters:
Listen/ Spot (1d20+5)[18]

"Hello, peddler. I regret to tell you that if you seek to sell at this next town, you will be met by a baleful sight. The town was attacked - we have brothers there now - and we go to the monastery now to report this horror. Not a single rustic lives."

[inexorabletruth]

In the Cellar:

Spoiler

While Han checks out the storage, he sees that a lot of this stuff is for donations. Clothing, food, money, tools. Some of them even have shipping labels on them as if they were about to be sent out to various settlements throughout the region. One chest is full of religious literature and holy accouterments of Pelor. It's all clearly labelled and neatly packed. One thick, locked chest with iron straps and a heavy lock reads:
"Volatile: Handle with Extreme Care!"

Li finds no sign of struggle or conflict, nor does he find any survivors. You notice a tiny door at the furthest end of the room, roughly half the height of a normal door, that has been barred by a heavy post.

In the Temple:

Spoiler

Not much is happening since you aren't moving, so I'll describe the setting.

The charred remains of the walls crumble at the slightest touch. The sky above is easily visible through the massive gaping hole in the roof, and as a bird perches on one of the ceiling's support beams, small pieces of rubble break loose and fall to the ground, exploding into ash on impact. What few tapestries still cling to the walls of the temple are reduced to a black, paper thin sheet of coal that disintegrates at your touch. You can once again see the shriveled, severely burnt severed arm on the ground near the altar holding a melted holy symbol of Pelor. The only things that seemed to have survived the fire was an offering bowl, the bases of the pews, and the holy symbol. A third of the stairs that lead up to a second floor are missing.

On the Road:

Spoiler

The old man's smile fades and his lip trembles for just a moment. "Wha-... what do you mean?" He shakes his head in denial and waves a slender-wrist hand at you, "This can't be true. Surely you are mistaken. My son is there now, and he is stronger than any ox. It would take more than a goblin raid to sack the village while he's there running the militia."

[Azoth]

Li groans a bit in exasperation.
No survivors! Plenty of supplies though. Might have something useful for us to take though.

[zever]

Han agrees: Indeed so, come and check this out, this looks like something important. he says, looking at the locked chest.

[lostsole31]

"The town is now secured in the hands of my brethren. We go now with these goblins to have the masters learn the truth of the attacks. You should be safe with my friends in town."

[PSinger]

Necahual strolls forth with the donkey in tow to see what is transpiring ...

[inexorabletruth]

On the Road:

Spoiler

The old man points at the goblins strapped to the donkey as Necahual approaches. "Are these the ones you claim attacked Cliffside?" He says with an edge of indignation in his voice.

[Azoth]

Li headed over and looked at the warning on the crate. He then looked at the lock and sighed in exasperation.
I think this means we have to explore a bit more, and hope to find the key on one of the bodies. Normally, I would suggest breaking it open, but...in this case...the key is best.

Li then heads back towards the hole and shouts up,
Vir...see if you can find a dead priest! Check his pockets for keys if you do! We need them down here!

[Man on Fire]

"Right, gimme a moment!" Vir-Sashi yells in response and runs to the altar, where he starts to look for anything resembling keys or rest of the preist's body. He even checks out severed hand, through he doubts he'll find anything there.

[lostsole31]

Coanoch says, "Right now, there seems to be some concern that it actually wasn't a goblin attack. But goblins were there when we finished. My brothers are in town conducting the on-site investigation. I and my sister here are returning to the monastery to interrogate the goblins. Even if they are stupid and worthy of being despatched by dint of their race alone, they may well have useful information about the leader if it was the goblins that attacked."

Coanoch says, "I hope a man with your years behind you can understand the need to keep these things alive. The danger seen is never nearly as bad as the danger unseen."

[Vixsor Lumin]

Tilmek helps Vir search for the keys. The horror of all that was around them was rendering him mute.

Spoiler

(1d20-1)[16]

[Man on Fire]

Vir-Sashi sees Timlek helping him and smiles friendly to him, to ease his mood, and then continoues looking with doubled effort.

Spoiler

Dunno what roll applies, so a bunch of them:
Search (1d20+3)[13]
Survival (1d20+3)[17]
Spot (1d20+8)[19]

[inexorabletruth]

On the Road:

Spoiler

The old man's eyes narrow as he listens to your words. "This... this can't be true..." he whispers himself. "I left him there. He wanted to come with me as a guard and I left my boy there. I told him to stay and man the shop... I..." The man's eyes water up and his lips quiver again.

In the Temple:

Spoiler

Most everything in the sanctuary is burnt to cinders. There isn't anything useful here on the ground floor. You still haven't searched upstairs yet, though.

[Vixsor Lumin]

Tilmek speaks up for the first time in what seems like days, saying "I didn't see anything, im gonna go upstairs and look. Do you want to stay here in case they need you?" He says this as he looks at the broken stairs trying to find a way up.

Spoiler

Spot to see a way up stairs (1d20+3)[17]

[PSinger]

Necahual says, "We did flush goblins out of a shop. It was ransacked. I don't know if it was your sons. We are sorry for your loss, but we can do nothing for --"

[lostsole31]

"Sir," Coanacoch interrupts emphatically. "My sister, bless her, is dedicated to duty. I would like to think I am more dedicated to compassion. She speaks aright, we must return to the monastery to tell them the news. Would it please you come with us, or will you yet travel alone to see the carnage for yourself? It would be a baleful sight to wound an old man's eyes."

[inexorabletruth]

In the Temple:

Spoiler

Tilmek can see that the higher up the stairs you look, the less fire damage there is. Jumping up would be a superhuman feat and unwise, considering the condition of the rest of the building's stability. However, the hallway in which the stairs reside provide a serviceable brace to wall climb up, and there do appear to be places to lasso a rope.

Roll Know: Arch/Eng to pick the safest path up to the stairs

On the Road:

Spoiler

"My... boy..." The old man's eyes are bloodshot in the strain against barely contained grief. A sheen of teary fluid gives a slick sparkle to the tiny red ribbons of his capillaries, yet still they refuse to dribble down his cheek in tears. He looks from Coanacoch to Necahual. His words come out as barely more than a whisper as they scrape past the lump in his throat, "You're from that monastery? Are they... are they gonna find who did this? Find them and kill them? That's your job, right? That's what your supposed to do... You're going to make them pay." He nods his head as if convinced of his own theory. "I'll go with you, if you do. I may be old, but I know a thing or two. There is room on the cart for two more passengers."

[Man on Fire]

"No, I think I'll go with you. They need those keys." Vir-Sashi says and follows Timlek, whatever road he chooses.

[lostsole31]

Coanacoch simply says, "Thank you," being sure not to offer any promises of action. He'll hitch up the donkey to the back of the wagon, and he and Necahual will sit in the wagon.

Coanacoch asks, "What is your name, elder?"