Storm Lord's Wrath - RP Thread

Tor agrees that there is nothing more to learn here and we should get back to the inn.

(Sorry, not much time to post.)

(Sigi, Ace, ready to head back to the inn? Or do you have different ideas?)

(Ready)

(ready)

The trip back to the inn takes less time than the trip out, as you know where you're going, you're not trying to be stealthy, and you're not trying to follow tracks in the dark. So, around 30 minutes later, you arrive back at the Wayside Inn. You've been gone a little over 2 hours total. 

The patrons and workers, exhausted from the stress and ordeal of the attack, have already gone to bed or, in the case of locals, headed back home. The only people still awake in the common room are Tyrel and Nikita and, seated behind the bar, Backes. 

As you enter, Tyrel and Nikita stand. "Did you find anything?" asks Tyrel.

"Aye, we learned a little.  But our quarry departed long before we arrived and we had to give up the chase."

Tyrel nods, "It's too bad it couldn't be ended here. But perhaps fortunate, anyone-- or anything that could control as much undead as we dealt with here is not someone to be dealt with lightly."

He shakes his head. "But, Nikita here has news that may change our plans." He turns and looks at her expectantly.

She seems a little embarrassed as she says, "Well, I've been talking to Martisha, we had actually met briefly when... when we passed this way before. She and Gallina had talked briefly and Martisha had bought some lower quality wine, appropriate for the local farmers, but not much else. Anyways, when I was talking to her, I noticed how she has no real wine selection if she wants to expand and draw travelers on their way from Waterdeep to Neverwinter. I got to talking to her about my experience, and she offered me a job. She has a cellar full of old wine. Nothing too special that I've seen yet, but a good base to start with that I can help her turn into something. She's also worried about being taken advantage of by the merchants who bring her wine. Gallina was mostly on the up and up, but even she wasn't above some...tricks if it was worth a lot of gold. There's many far worse. I reckon here I can do some good and earn some gold. Far better than begging from my cousin."

Tor props his weapons against a table, and begins the process of doffing his breastplate, undoing the straps at his sides. He clearly has no intention of venturing beyond the inn again tonight.

"That's good. We can continue on to Leilon. Best of luck to you. Just keep your head down, try not to talk about genies, I'm sure you'll be fine."

He turns to the group. "I'm sure some of you want to carry on to Phandalin tomorrow, track down this necromancer. But Tyrel's right, we don't know what they're capable of. We should get to Leilon and regroup. Restock. We need a home base. There's homes waiting for you in Leilon. Families." He looks at Oloven specifically for a second. "We can figure things out from there."

"Phandalin is my home village. I have several places we can go, but in the end, its up to ya'll"

Brother Siegfried thinks long and hard, stepping outside to walk the road outside the inn and pray.  After half an hour he returns.  

"I agree with Tor.  Our duty calls us to Leilon.  As long as Nikita feels safe here, we have done right by her."

He does set down and pen a long letter to the Temple in Neverwinter, explaining the events involving the large group of undead and his suspicions of a powerful necromancer operating in the Phandalin area, and that the woman he mentioned in a previous sending is at the Wayside Inn instead of Phandalin.  He then seals the letter and hands it to Martisha, along with 5gp.  "Please, give this to the next respectable looking batch of travelers heading Neverwinter way.  Ask them to deliver it to the Temple of Chauntea.  Tell them they will receive the Earthmother's blessing in return."

[Assuming we catch a night's rest here in any case?]

Assuming you all spend the night in the Inn, you can complete a long rest, as the night passes uneventfully.

The beds are comfortable, the inn is decorated in a simple but tasteful style. Breakfast is spiced porridge and sausages. You can hear Teega already at the forge, though inside it's relatively muffled.

Let me know if there's anything else you'd like to do before heading on, there's still 20 or so miles to Leilon.

Tor struggled to get comfortable in the bed. It's a perfectly normal bed, and it's been a long time since he slept on a mat on the ground surrounded by his whole squad. But that was his way of life for so long, and old habits die hard, and beds all felt too soft these days. Still it was nothing compared to the decadence in which he'd spent his early years, thank the gods. He huffed at the memories, and eventually fell asleep.

In the morning he made the bed, tucking the sheets down tightly. He took a silver coin from his pouch and threw it edge-down towards the bed. It bounced slightly, and Tor smiled. Pocketing the coin again, he made his way downstairs. 

The spiced porridge was tasty and filling. It reminded him of mornings while out on manoeuvres, his squad gathered around a pot over a campfire, spooning thick oatmeal into their wooden bowls. Afterwards he walks a quick perimeter check around the Inn. He isn't expecting to see much, but it's always worth checking.

Perception: 16

(It's possible he was the first of the group up, but if anyone else is up early or joins him later I'm happy with a bit of RP.)

As Tor does his early perimeter check, he would find Brother Siegfried hard at work with a chisel on a medium sized stone.  

Rising before the dawn, Sigi had set out to find an appropriately sized rock and began carving holy signs of Chauntea into it, to place near the front entrance of the inn.  The rock would have no actual power... but symbolism has a certain power all its own.  Perhaps seeing such signage and knowing that this place is looked after by the faithful of the Earthmother would be enough to turn evildoers away in search of safer targets.  It also allowed him to feel like he was doing something to quell the wildness and darkness in the region.  Their discoveries so far on this journey had left him unsettled and anxious.  Working with his hands always helped to calm his nerves.

"Blessed morning," Sigi says once he sees Tor draw near.

"Mornin'," Tor rumbles. He notes the stone and the runes which the Brother is carving, and can guess at their use. He'd known plenty of religious sorts over the years, even in the Griffons, and had nothing against it. Whatever got you through. And the power used by ones like the Brother here was proof enough of the gods' existence. But Tor had learned long, long ago to only rely on his own strength, and that of the trusted people around you. He wasn't sure he trusted this group yet, but he knew most of what they could do now, and that would have to be good enough.

Realising that more conversation was probably expected of him, he continued. "Should get to Leilon by nightfall, assuming no more obstacles. Looking forward to your new life?"

"Ooooh yeah. Imagine all the money I... er... we'll make there."

Siegfried looks up with a serious expression.  "Indeed, I am excited about the future.  This will be the culmination of years of travel, research and experimentation.  I will have the honor not only of founding a new temple dedicated to Chauntea, but also a new brewhaus.  May they both stand proudly for a hundred lifetimes."

"What about you two?  Is it only about duty or is there some thrill yet in this new chapter unfolding before you?"

Tor scratches his chin a little.

"Just doing what I've always done, I suppose. Fighting, taking orders. It's a job. But I guess at least here I'll be part of building something." He pauses, choosing his words. "It'll make a nice change. And I'll be my own man."

Turning to the younger man who had joined them he asks "What is your business, Ace? What life are you starting in Leilon?"

"I have a new merchant's post waiting for me there. I'm going there for the money."

Tor nods in agreement. "Sure. A man's gotta eat. Have a roof over his head. Those don't come for free. I'd be lying if I said Lord Neverember wasn't offering me a pretty good packet for this job."

He looks around. "Anyone seen Oloven this morning? I took him as the type to be up and about early. Greeting the sun, all that monk stuff."

Oloven comes into the common room and approaches Tor. "Just scouting around a little. The road ahead looks pretty clear, I think we're good."

Tyrel also joins the others, having slept a little late. He is ready whenever everyone else is.