"Still, the significance of the time between the attacks is gnawing at me. They strike every four nights and no variation... It's as if these attacks are on a schedule. Do you suppose they are waiting for something in between assaults?"
Aleyd responds to Graxx's comment first: "Exactly. Not only should it occur in two days, or a bit less than that now that this day is already halfway done, but if the pattern persists the next attack should take place a day's ride from Phlan somewhere along the coast. There are no villages there, but maybe there is some cottage or farm I am unaware of. Then, six days from now, the next target may be Phlan itself."
She then looks at Utar: "I know a bit more. I investigated the last site personally, the one the madman Yip supposedly came from. Regarding the other sites, I could only interview travelers in Phlan that passed through the first, second and third locations. In all cases, the villages appear to have been ransacked and burned. Not much seemed to have been taken, if anything, but it was impossible to tell for certain due to the fire and lack of survivors. For the nearby village that I visited personally, I found several old bones that I took to a local healer by the name of Fillistrom Wunderkundoodle. The aging gnome said they appeared to be human 'filla-something.' It would seem my fate includes gnomes left and right these days... At any rate, there's something else too. I found many tracks in that village. Oddly, most of them, whether skeletal or booted, seemed to be small sized, like that of a child."
Turning to Neya, she adds: "You may be getting to something. I cannot be sure of whatever significance this time interval has... at least not yet. I thought I was getting somewhere with my theory of the attacks happening only at night, but I can't tell just yet. Perhaps a few fresh pairs of eyes is what I need."
She pauses for a moment, letting her gaze pass through Doozey as well. "Very well, I am convinced by the truth you speak. You are guilty of nothing except being careless. I'll admit not many within the Black Fist ranks are willing to investigate this, so your eyes may be the ones I need." She begins to open the cell door and calls a couple of guards to come closer, so they can hear what she says next. "I hereby declare the four of you innocent of any planned and deliberate attempted attack against me. The four of your are free to go as long as you agree to follow my command in investigating the matter of the shoreline attacks. Follow me back upstairs to my chamber. I'll show you what I have and perhaps we can come to a conclusion. After that, I'll task you to go out there and investigate with your own eyes. Do you all agree?"
(OOC: You guys are still under the effects of Zone of Truth for another couple of minutes of so.)
"Doesn't look like we got much of a choice in the matter, if'n we want to be aid to the people in need. Not without -- how does that human saying go?" Doozey thumbs his chin a few times, and then with a snap of his fingers, he looks up to Aleyd with dispassionate eyes. "Cutting off our noses, just our spite the faces. So sure. So long as our things are returned. And if ya can toss in there being a chance of working out a lessened sentence fer our friend in the other cell, it'd be appreciated... Tho' I imagine that last one to be more a dream than a hope."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
"So we're back to this already? Could of sworn I stopped taking orders from you a while ago... If I remember rightly, I was around the time I took orders."
Utar gestures to the hand of Torm on his tabbard to illustrate his point, then shrugs,
"But before our little sojurn here, our next stop was to try and investigate this ship, so if it means I get out of here and it means you can look into whoever is hunting or old unit down... Well I can live with that. I agree."
Before pushing the matter further with Captain Burral, Utar tries to get a read on whether his and Doozey's pleading on Villonah's behalf has had any effect or whether the gnome is in for a hard time.
"Interesting arrangement, I've never had anyone give an assignment that within another one that was the exact same order. But I suppose there's a first time for everything. Still, we will leave with more information than when we came in, thank you."
Doozey somewhat jokingly mentions a reduced sentenced for their "friend in the other cell," to which the captain responds: "You can take the dog with you." This is the first time Captain Alyed shows some semblance of a sense of humor. Utar listens closely to her tiny and perhaps inappropriate jest. A thought comes to him: now that the captain is formally recruiting CRAP, it'd be silly to do anything to undermine them, such us killing their acquaintance. This might be wishful thinking from the half-orc, but he would guess Captain Aleyd Burral may postpone Villonah's sentencing at least until CRAP is back. That said, the captain he remembers prizes duty above all else.
As Utar points to his tabbard, his former captain responds: "If you are insinuating that I am not loyal to my allegiances, perhaps you should ask Gruumsh how he feels about you first, Hammerhand."
With Graxx and Neya also agreeing to the proposed terms, Captain Aleyd finishes opening the cell's gate. Following her orders, the two guards that approached bring back all of your equipment (except weapons) and they all wait for you to gear back up. She then opens the other cell and lets Biscuit out while the guards make sure Villonah does not attempt anything. She doesn't. Instead, the gnome waits until Doozey's gaze meet her own and says: "I am sorry for what I dragged you and your group into... Still, may I ask you to bring back the proof I seek, if it is indeed out there? I'm afraid have my hands tied at the moment..."
After locking that door again, the captain leads you all back to her chamber. On the way up the stairs, she addresses some logistics and waits to hear your response: "Once we are done upstairs, I can provide you with riding horses for your trip down the coast. You'll be responsible for these loaned horses; they are not yours to keep. If lost or stolen, you'll have to repay their costs. Understood?"
(OOC: You are no longer under the effects of Zone of Truth).
At the mention of Gruumsh's name, Utar's face grows dark.
"YOU DARE SPEAK OF THAT ONE EYED..."
He spits the words with venom, grimace of disgust darkening his face.
Pulling back from his anger, he closes his eyes, mumbling an assertion to Torm, seeking clarity. Opening his eyes, he seems calmer, but there is still a snap to his words.
"I meant nothing by my comments, Aleyd. I only found it odd how quick we are to resume old roles. You the officer, me the grunt."
Pausing, he continues, his voice calmer now, measured.
"I would not be so fast to discard a former comrade, especially when we seem to dropping all too quickly. I will be returning and when I do, you and me will have further words, Captain. I am not so hard hearted so as to let their deaths go unpunished. Those names have weight with me still and I would see them avenged. You would either have me a strong left hand as old times or a shadow on your trail. The choice is yours."
Having half-way expected the good captain's response, there wasn't much more than a quiet huff of mild annoyance for it. But with something akin to a start, Doozey eyes Utar for a long moment after his outburst, hands absently reaching for his treasure crossbow. Finding only empty space, and realizing in time the anger to be fleeting, the halfling shook his head and muttered something or other in halfling prior to their eventual release.
It takes some coaxing, and even some physical dragging on Doozey's part. But Biscuit would eventually come out after giving Villonah a comforting lick alongside her head on the way out. "I know, brother. I know.. Everything is gonna be okay. Promise." Doozey said to a still whimpering Biscuit, patting him on the side. For a tense moment, it looked as if Doozey might not at all look at Villonah prior to leaving out with the rest; only to sigh in what might've been disappointment prior to meeting her gaze.
"... That's just the thing, Ville. Friends don't need to ask 'alf the time if another friend's gonna do somethin' fer 'em. Just comes with the territory." He replied, giving her a stern-eyed look. "'nd sore as I am things turned this way... Biscuit here sees ya still as a friend. So... ya know." He frowns, and then in halfling adds, "Just try not to get into any more trouble now. I'll -- We'll work something out with this captain." He hardly lingers on, knowing the guard to be rather spear happy.
Back with the captain...
"Sound simply enough. Though poor Biscuit here might have some trouble keeping up in a dead sprint, I think I'll stick to me brother over any horses or pony ya might have in stock." He commented to the captain.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Graxx lights up at the mention of having a steed for the first time in his life.
”A horse for me you say? How much would it cost if I feel a connection with it? I’ve heard tales of my tribe of warriors forming a bond with their mount. If that happens to me I don’t want to lose that!”
Graxx calms down and tries to get more serious.
”Actually don’t worry about that right now. Times a wastin’ we need to be on the road right now if we want to find this next target.”
Graxx walks over to Utar.
”Friend. I know you’re going through a lot right now. We’ll talk once we get on the road.”
Neya is taken aback from Utar's sudden explosion of emotion, but quickly recovers and turns her attention to Graxx.
"We first need to know where they're likely going to strike next, Graxx. It won't serve anyone well to be in the wrong place. Granted, we know the direction they are coming from and where they struck last. Those, alone, narrow down the search area considerably."
At Utar's sudden reaction, Captain Aleyd says: "There it is... wrath. Proof that part of you is still loyal to Gruumsh after all. It matters little, though." She then turns and continues to lead the group upstairs. While moving, she responds to her old companion's follow up comment: "Once you are back, we can turn our attention to the murders... together."
Doozey misses part of that conversation, daydreaming a bit about the half smirk and the nod Villonah gave him in response to his comments about friendship. Luckily, he did hear the talk about loaned horses, as well as the captain's confirmation that the halfling won't be needing one. Graxx's burst of excitement does not go unnoticed either. Captain Aleyd opens her mouth, starting an answer to the barbarian's question about buying a mount, but chooses not to answer once Graxx tells her not to.
Finally arriving back at her chamber/office, she pushes the door open and agrees with Neya: "Yes, let us narrow our search even further." Inside the room, she then points to three objects. They are a bit scattered now since the kerfuffle that happened here recently, but can be easily spotted nonetheless: "That piece of parchment there contains my notes on the brief interview I conducted with Seranolla the Whisperer, a strange gnomish woman that lives in the woods just outside Phaln." She shivers a bit: "Again.. more gnomes in my path..." Moving onward, she then says: "Anyhow, over there on the wall you'll also find a map scribbled on by Delacrae Gentleblossom, a female half-elf sage for hire here in the city." Finally, turning to a set of papers on a table, she adds: "And here are the notes donated to the investigation efforts by one called Fillistrom Wunderkundoodle, the other gnome I had mentioned. He is the healer that supports the Black Fist, for a price, of course. He examined some of the bones I brought from the village that was most recently attacked."
(OOC: Interpreting the parchment will require a nature check; interpreting the map will require a survival check, and interpreting the notes will require a medicine check. Different characters are welcome to try multiple checks, or help, as one person studying a piece of evidence does not preclude another from doing the same. However, the more checks you roll, the more time you'll spend studying the evidence.)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Utar bristles, but doesn't rise to the bait. He can't quite put his finger on it, but Aleyd isn't quite how he remembers her. There's more spite, more venom in her words. Maybe the years have changed her, they've changed him. Still, she was a little too quick to protest when she felt he questioned her faith. He wonders if she hasn't changed more than she lets on.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Doozey had to bite his lips, but otherwise managed to suppress a smirk over the captain's remark about gnomes. "Quite a bit here. Hm... Let's just see what we can do about all this then, yah?" Seeing as Utar gravitated to the map first, the halfling respectfully gave the half-Orc space to examine it. With Graxx's assistance however, he sets to work on the parchment. After at least giving it a shot, he will offers at least to help whoever wished to tackle interpeting the notes next.
Following that, seeing that Utar has finished looking at the map, she also takes a look to try and discern a possible next target for the ship. She breaks out her cartographer's tools (specifically, the measurement tools) to try and be more precise.
Utar's best guess is that his old captain might feel a bit insecure about her own faith. Without asking her directly, however, he can't be sure. Putting a pin on that thought, the cleric approaches the map and begins to examine it. He notices that the upper portion of this large map depicts the eastern portion of the Moonsea Region. The bottom portion shows instead a schedule of the lunar phases. Ignoring the astrological half, Utar notices some crosses etched on the canvas, likely by the sage Delacrae Gentleblossom as indicated by Captain Aleyd. They mark the four locations that were attacked. Unfortunately, while focusing on the notches, the half-orc does not uncover anything beyond the basic features of the map. He determines that all of the attacks happened between the coast and the Iron Route as opposed to between the road and further inland areas. He notices that the old major trading road goes from Zhentil Keep to Phlan and beyond, as Neya had shared earlier. Finally, he estimates that Captain Aleyd's suggestion that the travel time on the road between the location of each attack is indeed approximately one day.
Hearing Utar's comments, Neya approaches with cartographer's tools in hand. The monk silently observes it for a few minutes, measuring and making her own notes on it. After a while more, she points a few of her discoveries to Utar. First, she reminds the cleric of Alyed's theory that the attacks are happening at night. That plus the bad weather must add considerable hours to the attackers' travel time. She estimates a more realistic travel time to be nearly two days given current conditions. Next, she points to a speck on the shore between Phlan and the location of the most recent attack. That must be the only settlement between the two locations that is also near the coast and on the right side of the Iron Route. As far as she can tell, it must be a small fishing village on a tiny island just a short ferry ride into Stormy Bay. Last but not least, Neya notices a few markings on the bottom portion of the canvas, the lunar schedule. Selûne, the moon, has four main phases and four transitional ones. The full cycle from one main phase to the next takes approximately eight days to complete, meaning that each transitional phases between them peaks approximately half-way through that eight-day period. In other words, from one full phase to peak transitional phase to the next main phase, the moon changes approximately every four days.
MORE INFORMATION:
Selûne's main phases: Full Moon, Last Quarter, New Moon, First Quarter;
Meanwhile, Graxx and Doozey look over the parchment containing the notes of the interview with Seranolla the Whisperer. Graxx notices it smells of wet earth, likely confirming the captain's mention that the strange gnome lives in the woods. Unrolling the piece of parchment, Doozey skims over the long back-and-forth between the gnome and the captain, eventually zeroing in on the important portions. The Whisperer has determined that something unnatural is going on with the weather, and that storms seem to spring up every three or four days. Whatever is doing it is disrupting both ships and some of the sea life. She has been doing what she can with whatever little magic she knows, but urged Captain Alyed to end the cause of the inclement weather. At the margin of the document, Doozey notices a separate sentence in lighter ink as if the quill was not properly pressed against the parchment. It reads: "I suspect the Whisperer is part of the Emerald Enclave."
Leaving Utar to digest the information she highlighted on the map and lunar schedule, Neya then looks over Fillistrom Wunderkundoodle's notes. The gnome's handwriting is so awful that Neya has trouble believing the author himself can read it. Using the"filla-something"word Aleyd suggested earlier as a potential guide, the monk is able to extract some information from the pages: Fillistrom admits that the bones that the knight brought him appeared to be phalanges, or more specifically, toe bones from an adult human. They were quite old, and were stained from where muscle and skin rotted atop them. Steeping forward, Doozey points to another passage in the notes, which he is somehow able to decipher. Apparently, the gnome checked the bones for magic but found out that they do not radiate any. There are other passages that go unread. The handwriting only gets worse and it is starting to give Neya a headache.
A good two hours pass while all this studying is going on, and it is now mid to late afternoon. At some point, Captain Aleyd asks the group: "So, were you able to uncover more information? Do you require more study time?"
"We have the where and the when. All we need to do is get there before the vessel. Perhaps we'll find out what the phases of Selûne have to do with this situation, or if it's just coincidence."
"Additionally, we can give that village the others weren't afforded: a fighting chance."
"Very well, I shall take you to the stables then," the captain says, ready to send you on your way.
The walk downstairs and out of the west tower is mostly silent, at least as the captain is concerned. Once outside, she guides CRAP a few feet north towards a set of stables. A few orders and minutes later, some stable workers come out pulling three pre-saddled horses. The saddles are all black all the Black Fist symbol is etched on the leather, one on each side of each saddles. Your many weapons are also, already strapped to to horses.
(OOC: Other than this, you are welcome to describe your own horse).
"Remember. These horses are the property of the Black Fist. Treat them well and return them safely, otherwise you'll have to pay for them." Captain Aleyd then makes a different point: "If you leave now, you should have plenty of time to arrive at the spot you identified. Nonetheless, you'll only have a few more hours worth of sunlight today, and will have to be ready to camp out in the open in this worsening weather. Make sure you are well prepared."
If you did not know any better, you'd think there was a hint of worry in her voice.
(OOC: Villonah has left the party. Separately, I'll need a d100 roll from each of you).
"Still, the significance of the time between the attacks is gnawing at me. They strike every four nights and no variation... It's as if these attacks are on a schedule. Do you suppose they are waiting for something in between assaults?"
Extended Signature
Aleyd responds to Graxx's comment first: "Exactly. Not only should it occur in two days, or a bit less than that now that this day is already halfway done, but if the pattern persists the next attack should take place a day's ride from Phlan somewhere along the coast. There are no villages there, but maybe there is some cottage or farm I am unaware of. Then, six days from now, the next target may be Phlan itself."
She then looks at Utar: "I know a bit more. I investigated the last site personally, the one the madman Yip supposedly came from. Regarding the other sites, I could only interview travelers in Phlan that passed through the first, second and third locations. In all cases, the villages appear to have been ransacked and burned. Not much seemed to have been taken, if anything, but it was impossible to tell for certain due to the fire and lack of survivors. For the nearby village that I visited personally, I found several old bones that I took to a local healer by the name of Fillistrom Wunderkundoodle. The aging gnome said they appeared to be human 'filla-something.' It would seem my fate includes gnomes left and right these days... At any rate, there's something else too. I found many tracks in that village. Oddly, most of them, whether skeletal or booted, seemed to be small sized, like that of a child."
Turning to Neya, she adds: "You may be getting to something. I cannot be sure of whatever significance this time interval has... at least not yet. I thought I was getting somewhere with my theory of the attacks happening only at night, but I can't tell just yet. Perhaps a few fresh pairs of eyes is what I need."
She pauses for a moment, letting her gaze pass through Doozey as well. "Very well, I am convinced by the truth you speak. You are guilty of nothing except being careless. I'll admit not many within the Black Fist ranks are willing to investigate this, so your eyes may be the ones I need." She begins to open the cell door and calls a couple of guards to come closer, so they can hear what she says next. "I hereby declare the four of you innocent of any planned and deliberate attempted attack against me. The four of your are free to go as long as you agree to follow my command in investigating the matter of the shoreline attacks. Follow me back upstairs to my chamber. I'll show you what I have and perhaps we can come to a conclusion. After that, I'll task you to go out there and investigate with your own eyes. Do you all agree?"
(OOC: You guys are still under the effects of Zone of Truth for another couple of minutes of so.)
"Doesn't look like we got much of a choice in the matter, if'n we want to be aid to the people in need. Not without -- how does that human saying go?" Doozey thumbs his chin a few times, and then with a snap of his fingers, he looks up to Aleyd with dispassionate eyes. "Cutting off our noses, just our spite the faces. So sure. So long as our things are returned. And if ya can toss in there being a chance of working out a lessened sentence fer our friend in the other cell, it'd be appreciated... Tho' I imagine that last one to be more a dream than a hope."
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
"So we're back to this already? Could of sworn I stopped taking orders from you a while ago... If I remember rightly, I was around the time I took orders."
Utar gestures to the hand of Torm on his tabbard to illustrate his point, then shrugs,
"But before our little sojurn here, our next stop was to try and investigate this ship, so if it means I get out of here and it means you can look into whoever is hunting or old unit down... Well I can live with that. I agree."
Before pushing the matter further with Captain Burral, Utar tries to get a read on whether his and Doozey's pleading on Villonah's behalf has had any effect or whether the gnome is in for a hard time.
Insight - 13
Graxx has many questions for Utar and is ready to get out of here.
“Yes, I’m ready to see this ship with my own eyes.” says Graxx
"Interesting arrangement, I've never had anyone give an assignment that within another one that was the exact same order. But I suppose there's a first time for everything. Still, we will leave with more information than when we came in, thank you."
Extended Signature
Doozey somewhat jokingly mentions a reduced sentenced for their "friend in the other cell," to which the captain responds: "You can take the dog with you." This is the first time Captain Alyed shows some semblance of a sense of humor. Utar listens closely to her tiny and perhaps inappropriate jest. A thought comes to him: now that the captain is formally recruiting CRAP, it'd be silly to do anything to undermine them, such us killing their acquaintance. This might be wishful thinking from the half-orc, but he would guess Captain Aleyd Burral may postpone Villonah's sentencing at least until CRAP is back. That said, the captain he remembers prizes duty above all else.
As Utar points to his tabbard, his former captain responds: "If you are insinuating that I am not loyal to my allegiances, perhaps you should ask Gruumsh how he feels about you first, Hammerhand."
With Graxx and Neya also agreeing to the proposed terms, Captain Aleyd finishes opening the cell's gate. Following her orders, the two guards that approached bring back all of your equipment (except weapons) and they all wait for you to gear back up. She then opens the other cell and lets Biscuit out while the guards make sure Villonah does not attempt anything. She doesn't. Instead, the gnome waits until Doozey's gaze meet her own and says: "I am sorry for what I dragged you and your group into... Still, may I ask you to bring back the proof I seek, if it is indeed out there? I'm afraid have my hands tied at the moment..."
After locking that door again, the captain leads you all back to her chamber. On the way up the stairs, she addresses some logistics and waits to hear your response: "Once we are done upstairs, I can provide you with riding horses for your trip down the coast. You'll be responsible for these loaned horses; they are not yours to keep. If lost or stolen, you'll have to repay their costs. Understood?"
(OOC: You are no longer under the effects of Zone of Truth).
At the mention of Gruumsh's name, Utar's face grows dark.
"YOU DARE SPEAK OF THAT ONE EYED..."
He spits the words with venom, grimace of disgust darkening his face.
Pulling back from his anger, he closes his eyes, mumbling an assertion to Torm, seeking clarity. Opening his eyes, he seems calmer, but there is still a snap to his words.
"I meant nothing by my comments, Aleyd. I only found it odd how quick we are to resume old roles. You the officer, me the grunt."
Pausing, he continues, his voice calmer now, measured.
"I would not be so fast to discard a former comrade, especially when we seem to dropping all too quickly. I will be returning and when I do, you and me will have further words, Captain. I am not so hard hearted so as to let their deaths go unpunished. Those names have weight with me still and I would see them avenged. You would either have me a strong left hand as old times or a shadow on your trail. The choice is yours."
Having half-way expected the good captain's response, there wasn't much more than a quiet huff of mild annoyance for it. But with something akin to a start, Doozey eyes Utar for a long moment after his outburst, hands absently reaching for his treasure crossbow. Finding only empty space, and realizing in time the anger to be fleeting, the halfling shook his head and muttered something or other in halfling prior to their eventual release.
It takes some coaxing, and even some physical dragging on Doozey's part. But Biscuit would eventually come out after giving Villonah a comforting lick alongside her head on the way out. "I know, brother. I know.. Everything is gonna be okay. Promise." Doozey said to a still whimpering Biscuit, patting him on the side. For a tense moment, it looked as if Doozey might not at all look at Villonah prior to leaving out with the rest; only to sigh in what might've been disappointment prior to meeting her gaze.
"... That's just the thing, Ville. Friends don't need to ask 'alf the time if another friend's gonna do somethin' fer 'em. Just comes with the territory." He replied, giving her a stern-eyed look. "'nd sore as I am things turned this way... Biscuit here sees ya still as a friend. So... ya know." He frowns, and then in halfling adds, "Just try not to get into any more trouble now. I'll -- We'll work something out with this captain." He hardly lingers on, knowing the guard to be rather spear happy.
Back with the captain...
"Sound simply enough. Though poor Biscuit here might have some trouble keeping up in a dead sprint, I think I'll stick to me brother over any horses or pony ya might have in stock." He commented to the captain.
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Graxx lights up at the mention of having a steed for the first time in his life.
”A horse for me you say? How much would it cost if I feel a connection with it? I’ve heard tales of my tribe of warriors forming a bond with their mount. If that happens to me I don’t want to lose that!”
Graxx calms down and tries to get more serious.
”Actually don’t worry about that right now. Times a wastin’ we need to be on the road right now if we want to find this next target.”
Graxx walks over to Utar.
”Friend. I know you’re going through a lot right now. We’ll talk once we get on the road.”
Neya is taken aback from Utar's sudden explosion of emotion, but quickly recovers and turns her attention to Graxx.
"We first need to know where they're likely going to strike next, Graxx. It won't serve anyone well to be in the wrong place. Granted, we know the direction they are coming from and where they struck last. Those, alone, narrow down the search area considerably."
Extended Signature
At Utar's sudden reaction, Captain Aleyd says: "There it is... wrath. Proof that part of you is still loyal to Gruumsh after all. It matters little, though." She then turns and continues to lead the group upstairs. While moving, she responds to her old companion's follow up comment: "Once you are back, we can turn our attention to the murders... together."
Doozey misses part of that conversation, daydreaming a bit about the half smirk and the nod Villonah gave him in response to his comments about friendship. Luckily, he did hear the talk about loaned horses, as well as the captain's confirmation that the halfling won't be needing one. Graxx's burst of excitement does not go unnoticed either. Captain Aleyd opens her mouth, starting an answer to the barbarian's question about buying a mount, but chooses not to answer once Graxx tells her not to.
Finally arriving back at her chamber/office, she pushes the door open and agrees with Neya: "Yes, let us narrow our search even further." Inside the room, she then points to three objects. They are a bit scattered now since the kerfuffle that happened here recently, but can be easily spotted nonetheless: "That piece of parchment there contains my notes on the brief interview I conducted with Seranolla the Whisperer, a strange gnomish woman that lives in the woods just outside Phaln." She shivers a bit: "Again.. more gnomes in my path..." Moving onward, she then says: "Anyhow, over there on the wall you'll also find a map scribbled on by Delacrae Gentleblossom, a female half-elf sage for hire here in the city." Finally, turning to a set of papers on a table, she adds: "And here are the notes donated to the investigation efforts by one called Fillistrom Wunderkundoodle, the other gnome I had mentioned. He is the healer that supports the Black Fist, for a price, of course. He examined some of the bones I brought from the village that was most recently attacked."
(OOC: Interpreting the parchment will require a nature check; interpreting the map will require a survival check, and interpreting the notes will require a medicine check. Different characters are welcome to try multiple checks, or help, as one person studying a piece of evidence does not preclude another from doing the same. However, the more checks you roll, the more time you'll spend studying the evidence.)
Utar bristles, but doesn't rise to the bait. He can't quite put his finger on it, but Aleyd isn't quite how he remembers her. There's more spite, more venom in her words. Maybe the years have changed her, they've changed him. Still, she was a little too quick to protest when she felt he questioned her faith. He wonders if she hasn't changed more than she lets on.
Insight 8
Stepping around the room, he peers down at the map, examine it's contents.
Survival 8
Graxx will approach the parchment and sniff it but does not check himself but instead will help whomever makes the nature check.
Doozey had to bite his lips, but otherwise managed to suppress a smirk over the captain's remark about gnomes. "Quite a bit here. Hm... Let's just see what we can do about all this then, yah?" Seeing as Utar gravitated to the map first, the halfling respectfully gave the half-Orc space to examine it. With Graxx's assistance however, he sets to work on the parchment. After at least giving it a shot, he will offers at least to help whoever wished to tackle interpeting the notes next.
Nature: 15.
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Neya picks up the notes from Fillistrom and starts to look through them in an effort to make any sense of them, accetping Doozey's help in doing so.
Medicine: 19
Following that, seeing that Utar has finished looking at the map, she also takes a look to try and discern a possible next target for the ship. She breaks out her cartographer's tools (specifically, the measurement tools) to try and be more precise.
Survival (w/ cartographer's tools): 7
Extended Signature
Utar's best guess is that his old captain might feel a bit insecure about her own faith. Without asking her directly, however, he can't be sure. Putting a pin on that thought, the cleric approaches the map and begins to examine it. He notices that the upper portion of this large map depicts the eastern portion of the Moonsea Region. The bottom portion shows instead a schedule of the lunar phases. Ignoring the astrological half, Utar notices some crosses etched on the canvas, likely by the sage Delacrae Gentleblossom as indicated by Captain Aleyd. They mark the four locations that were attacked. Unfortunately, while focusing on the notches, the half-orc does not uncover anything beyond the basic features of the map. He determines that all of the attacks happened between the coast and the Iron Route as opposed to between the road and further inland areas. He notices that the old major trading road goes from Zhentil Keep to Phlan and beyond, as Neya had shared earlier. Finally, he estimates that Captain Aleyd's suggestion that the travel time on the road between the location of each attack is indeed approximately one day.
Hearing Utar's comments, Neya approaches with cartographer's tools in hand. The monk silently observes it for a few minutes, measuring and making her own notes on it. After a while more, she points a few of her discoveries to Utar. First, she reminds the cleric of Alyed's theory that the attacks are happening at night. That plus the bad weather must add considerable hours to the attackers' travel time. She estimates a more realistic travel time to be nearly two days given current conditions. Next, she points to a speck on the shore between Phlan and the location of the most recent attack. That must be the only settlement between the two locations that is also near the coast and on the right side of the Iron Route. As far as she can tell, it must be a small fishing village on a tiny island just a short ferry ride into Stormy Bay. Last but not least, Neya notices a few markings on the bottom portion of the canvas, the lunar schedule. Selûne, the moon, has four main phases and four transitional ones. The full cycle from one main phase to the next takes approximately eight days to complete, meaning that each transitional phases between them peaks approximately half-way through that eight-day period. In other words, from one full phase to peak transitional phase to the next main phase, the moon changes approximately every four days.
MORE INFORMATION:
Meanwhile, Graxx and Doozey look over the parchment containing the notes of the interview with Seranolla the Whisperer. Graxx notices it smells of wet earth, likely confirming the captain's mention that the strange gnome lives in the woods. Unrolling the piece of parchment, Doozey skims over the long back-and-forth between the gnome and the captain, eventually zeroing in on the important portions. The Whisperer has determined that something unnatural is going on with the weather, and that storms seem to spring up every three or four days. Whatever is doing it is disrupting both ships and some of the sea life. She has been doing what she can with whatever little magic she knows, but urged Captain Alyed to end the cause of the inclement weather. At the margin of the document, Doozey notices a separate sentence in lighter ink as if the quill was not properly pressed against the parchment. It reads: "I suspect the Whisperer is part of the Emerald Enclave."
Leaving Utar to digest the information she highlighted on the map and lunar schedule, Neya then looks over Fillistrom Wunderkundoodle's notes. The gnome's handwriting is so awful that Neya has trouble believing the author himself can read it. Using the "filla-something" word Aleyd suggested earlier as a potential guide, the monk is able to extract some information from the pages: Fillistrom admits that the bones that the knight brought him appeared to be phalanges, or more specifically, toe bones from an adult human. They were quite old, and were stained from where muscle and skin rotted atop them. Steeping forward, Doozey points to another passage in the notes, which he is somehow able to decipher. Apparently, the gnome checked the bones for magic but found out that they do not radiate any. There are other passages that go unread. The handwriting only gets worse and it is starting to give Neya a headache.
A good two hours pass while all this studying is going on, and it is now mid to late afternoon. At some point, Captain Aleyd asks the group: "So, were you able to uncover more information? Do you require more study time?"
Utar looks round to the rest of CRAP, he's spent enough time here at the pleasure of his former captain.
"I think I've seen enough to head out. Do the of you have anything else to do before we saddle up?"
"We have the where and the when. All we need to do is get there before the vessel. Perhaps we'll find out what the phases of Selûne have to do with this situation, or if it's just coincidence."
"Additionally, we can give that village the others weren't afforded: a fighting chance."
Extended Signature
"Very well, I shall take you to the stables then," the captain says, ready to send you on your way.
The walk downstairs and out of the west tower is mostly silent, at least as the captain is concerned. Once outside, she guides CRAP a few feet north towards a set of stables. A few orders and minutes later, some stable workers come out pulling three pre-saddled horses. The saddles are all black all the Black Fist symbol is etched on the leather, one on each side of each saddles. Your many weapons are also, already strapped to to horses.
(OOC: Other than this, you are welcome to describe your own horse).
"Remember. These horses are the property of the Black Fist. Treat them well and return them safely, otherwise you'll have to pay for them." Captain Aleyd then makes a different point: "If you leave now, you should have plenty of time to arrive at the spot you identified. Nonetheless, you'll only have a few more hours worth of sunlight today, and will have to be ready to camp out in the open in this worsening weather. Make sure you are well prepared."
If you did not know any better, you'd think there was a hint of worry in her voice.
(OOC: Villonah has left the party. Separately, I'll need a d100 roll from each of you).