Not Another Lost Mine of Phandelver Campaign!

soo..undead blight, orcs, or those bandana fellows   .....decisions decisions

Kor considered the man's words, noting the difference Berrus seemed to pay to the half-elf, Kor thought the man to be genuine. Fighting undead and orcs was outside of the work that Kor normally took, but coin was one of the primary reasons he was out here. Plus, he did need to lie low for a bit after his last big con went south and no-one would think to look for Kor, or any of his monikers, in a podunk mining town fighting goblins and unquiet dead. Lastly, this man also seemed to be a source of information that could aid their hunt for Gundren and he probably had a number of resources on his side that could help them in their other endeavors.

Coming to a decision, he turns to the others, "What do you all think? We can spend the rest of the day asking around like I mentioned earlier, then head out tomorrow morning to take care of one of these jobs to cut our teeth and pad our pockets."

i fer one perfer some action  as opposed to this mucking around

ooc:  i know im mispelling stuff--im trying to type an accent as it were   think of it as a kind of low scottish :)

"I don't think there's much coin to be ... procured in this town, so these jobs seem to be our best bet," AB agrees.

"Agreed. Putting undead back into the earth sounds much more nobel than murder, if we can avoid it. I think heading up to Old Owl Well is a good idea. But I think Kor is right, before we leave I'd like to follow up with the Sisters. Asking about Sildar should be cover enough so as to not draw attention to ourselves any further. I'll go now, and meet you all back here for the night as soon as I'm done. If we're going, we should leave at first light. If any of you would join me, let's go. It's been a pleasure Daran, and I look forward to hearing more from you when we're back!"

Valathar stands from the table, pushing away the tray of food before him, after having eaten his fill. Picking up his bag and staff, he waits a moment for any of his companions to join him, and makes for the door.

"I think that the orcs or undead are a good start, orcs can be nasty beings. We had a few camps up in the mountains near the monastery. They would attempt to raid us every now and again but werent always successful in that."

AB licks his fingers, standing from the table. "Ho, Dragonborn. I'll accompany you." He bounds out the door after Val.

Berrus tags with Kor

(Okay so the current groups are Val, Ab, and Mav visiting the Sister, and Kor and Berrus doing something else right?)

The group heading towards the shrine finds one of the few buuldings in town that seems to be made mostly of stone work. The Shrine Of Luck as the locales call it is a patchwork of several different types of stones taken from other ruins and haphazardly put togeather. It looks stable enough, just kind of ugly in a extremely untalented architecht sort of way. Once you go inside, the main room of the building is a large nondenominational type of worship place with pews on one side, and a series of floor mats on the other. The Alter up front has a feminine figure draped in heavy robes kneeling , head bowed in prayer.

Valathar approaches slowly, being sure to make enough noise to make their presence known. As he approaches, he starts "Hello. Are you the 'Sister' I've heard about around town? My name is Valathar. I'm friend to the man stricken by evil magiks near the well this afternoon. I was wondering if you could help us."

AB says out of the side of his mouth to Val and Mav, "Not even the church makes any money in this town." Marching forward toward the kneeling figure, he looks around for anything of value.

Investigation: 7 (-2 if it should have been perception)

Mav gives AB some side eye at that remark, "We are in a place of worship, this is not the time AB." As he walks toward the robed figure he bows his head, when he reached the dais, he kneels head still bowed.

Kor nods to Berrus and waves off the others as they leave. "First stop, Qelline's place," he says to the dwarf, "we need to see what her and her son know of the Reds."

Ab: Aside from a few taperstries that are really nothing more then blocks of color, the room is pretty barebones. There isn’t even any carpeting on the harsh stone floor, making the mats seem like a good idea for those who want to kneel. The alter has a few ceremonial bowls of varying precious metals and incenses, and that’s really all there is besides a stained glass window behind the altar, depicting a sun like symbol surrounded by a sea of Little bits and pieces of rainbow. 

Val and Mav: The figure turns her head at your approach, and slowly lowers the hood of the heavy robe, allowing you all a good look at the sister. She’s an rather attractive female elf, smaller facial features, tanner skin, and lighter hair indicating the probability of her being some type of forest elf then high-born, at least from what you all know. Her blonde hair is tied in a tight, long pony tail that vanished into the back of her robe. She noticeably has no makeup applied, yet she still posses an ethereal serenity, beauty, and grace, about her that could turn heads. Emerald eyes, and a small pink smile shyly creeps up as she takes you all in and when she speaks it’s like soothing honey that takes any anxiety or bad feelings away. 

“Peace Friends. I am Sister Garaele. Your friend, the human male, is under the power of a powerful venom, combined with a deadly curse. It seems like whatever toxins used were magical in nature, and resist most physical and magical attempts to heal. I may know of the location of an old spell book from an witch that was famous for her potions and brews, but alas, the ruins of her hut is guarded by her banshee, a particularly malovolent spirit that gave me this wound and banished me from her location because I showed pity for her state in the afterlife.”

She exposes her neck, which has a nasty burn mark, in the shape of a hand, like the spirit was trying to choke the Elf. 

AB unconsciously puts his hand to his own neck and rubs, making a face of sympathy.

Sister Garaele continues- “I cannot guarantee success, but this spell book of the famous witch of the wild is what I believe to be the best chance for your friend, barring divine intervention, or one of the kingdoms best cleric. I cannot leave my shrine here at the town, I’ve been away too many days, and need to help the townspeople, but if you can retrieve the book I would gladly prepare a ritual for your friend. My estimates say he should probably be fine in his suspended state for a week to a week and a half.

Qelline’s farm: A modest farm with a few fields of various vegetables surrounds what looks like a mound of raised earth with a door in it. When you approach, a small child, barely a foot tall, bursts out the door with a cat nearly his own size, and a woman who you assume to be his mother chasing him. The woman is relatively young, late twenties, and probably is under 4 feet tall. You can easily tell this is a family of Halflings, a jolly human like species that like leisure activities and lots of meals per day, but do generally work hard to earn their keep.  

"That's a very generous offer. I'd be glad to help you acquire this book. Where is this hut located? We're headed north of town in the morning to try and clear an undead scourge from Old Owl Well, maybe we can stop on our way. Also, do you have any idea who could have cursed our friend? I imagine the magic used isn't commonly practiced around these parts. Has anyone new come to town in the last few days?" Valathar has kneeled down during their conversation, to be closer to her eye line. Speaking in a low voice, he continues.

"We've also been asked to handle the Reds here in town. Our friend was working for a dwarf named Gundren who's since gone missing. A women named Halia has asked us to remove their leader, Glassstaff, and promised us information about Gundren and Wave Echo Cave in return. Do you know anything about either of them? Halia gave me an uneasy feeling, and I don't like the blazen way she was asking strangers to murder another person. Any guidance you have would be deeply appreciated." 

Sister Garaele spends a few moments in silent contemplation before answering your question. 

"I do not believe the toxin to have any common root or other plant components. My best guess would it be derived from some sort of animal or beast, but I cannot think of any animals in the surrounding lands to have any make up quite this potent. And the strong magical aspect also leaves me baffled. There is the probability of it being imported, but forgive me for saying this, it would be quite expensive and not have a long shelf life. I cannot imagine your friend Sildar having an enemy that would go to quite so lengths for a poisoning. There is much faster and less obvious meathods. I believe it to be more as sending a message. I can think of no one outside of your party who has entered the township in the past few days, although I was also out, so I may not be the best person to answer the question. The townspeople say Sildar stumbled into town by himself, coming from the North, the direction of the woods. Can you think of any common enemies, who would have access to these poisons and able to do the deed to your friend?"

"The hut is a few hours north of town. Slightly inside the Neverwinter Woods, there is the possibility of being attacked by wild life and possible ruffians. I was extremely fortunate in that regard, thanks to the blessing of Tymora, who this Shrine of Luck is dedicated to. If you would like, you could gather your friends before heading out, and I could lead you all in prayer in hopes of garnering her favor for your endeavors?"

When you ask her about the Redbrands, her ethereal face is graced with a slight frown, and her brilliant Emerald Eyes seem to be getting somewhat watery. 

"The Redbrands have killed two great members of our community, Mr's Dendrar and Alderleaf. Both their families are also great danger. The Dendrar’s have been kidnapped, and I fear Quelline and her son will soon follow. I have been praying for salvation and a easy passing for the Dendrar family, who have been rumored to be held up in the abandon Manor-house and are being tortured as an example for other towns people. If I had the power, I would have stormed up that hill and burned the damned house to the ground." Silent tears start spilling down her face, but she refuses to make a noise, or even move her head from it's place, bowed down in prayer. 

"I'm sorry my friends, I do not know what came over me. I have been in this town for many a year, I knew both families grandparents when they were children, it feels like losing members of my own family. Halia came to town one day a few years ago, and took charge of the run down Miner's Exchange, and has been genuinely helping the town in her own forceful way. She refuses to take no for an answer, and squeezes out-of-town prospectors, merchants, and business men down for all gold they owe us in some way or another. I think she cares about the town and its people. She tried running for mayor many a time, campaign's based around elevating the town to the economic powerhouse it once was, but she's not the best with people as you all seem to know. I know nothing about Gundren or his endeavors, however I know that Halia will honor whatever agreements you have all laid out. She is a woman of her word, and a woman of strong convictions, for better or for worse" 

OOC: If she wouldn't let him do all this, just say so and we'll strike it from the record!

AB appears out of nowhere, taking up one of Sister Garaele's slender hands in his two large ones. His normally jovial or passive features are now hard and concerned. "Sister, no one should have to lose loved ones like you have. Like the two families have. I promise you — we will make this right, even if it does mean burning that manor to the ground." Still holding her hand, he catches Mav's and Val's eyes with a look of determination they haven't seen AD display before.

After Ab’s empowering speech, Sister Garaele finally breaks down, and starts audibly sobbing in the middle of the Shrine. It’s the most heart wrentching sound any of you have ever heard, thousands of years worth of sorrows breaking through a damn. 

Suddenly the entire shrine takes on a golden glow, like sun had suddenly outside, even though it was still 18:00 or 5 P.M on a summer, where the sun wasn’t supposed to start setting for another half hour at the very least. The smell of flowers permeate your noises, and vines of ivy suddenly bursts from the walls all around you. Flowers of all shades under the rainbow bloom from the ivy vines, and high pitched michivious laughter comes from the flowers themselves. Dark animal like shapes pass behind the stained glass window, and a sense of giddyness overpowers any other feelings you may be having at the moment. 

As suddenly as it started, it stops, and you all stand in a throughly normal shrine with no signs of anything happening in it, aside from Sister Garaele herself. Her feyish features are highly accented now, with sharp cheekbones, ears and nose pointy enough to poke your eyes out, and her eyes practically glowing with barely contained arcane power. Her skin is a deep bronze color, and her hair shimmers like gold. She had also gained a few inches, towering even over Mav. 

“Oh my, it seems my glamour has fallen. That hasn’t happened in a few hundred years. Friends, I am Sister Garaele Lamperouge, exiled child of the Summer Court of the Feywild.”