Gratefully gobbling down another pastry, Thurodim lumbers after Ghurr to the statue at the center of the square, balancing a virtual tower of pies and pastries in his arms. "Who's this then? Founder of Soft's Rest?"He asks the gentle bugbear.
Mala swiftly picks one of the pastries from those that Thurodim was carrying - an apple one. "Thanks for getting these Ghurr. I'm not sure we can finish all of these before we get to the mayor though!"She continues to head along towards the mayor's house as she slowly eats.
The statue is of a halfling woman, posed ready for combat. A dagger is drawn back ready to strike, and the woman's face stares intently.
There is a plaque on the base of the statue which reads
TARWEN SOFT
In 294 ATK she defeated the wizard Caelus Valleron by removing his heart, ending his reign of cruel enchantments.
She made this place her home. Our town, our cliffs and our hills are named for her. May she live forever in our memory.
The plaque bears a symbol, a circle bisected by a deep groove which disappears down into the metal of the plaque - an image of a skull above, an image of a hand below.
When you are all ready to go to the Mayor's house, the directions are easy to follow. The shall temple of Chauntea stands at the opposite end of the town square facing the statue of Tarwen. To its left as you face it is a road, while to the right is a house. A little larger than the other rustic houses you have seen in the town, but its two chimney stacks produce no smoke, and behind the tightly closed shutters you can see no light.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"He lived long time ago but maybe the wizard is back for his heart."Thurodim suggests with a shrug as he studies the plaque. "Or little Tarwen got a taste for hearts. Should look more into that. Can help us find killer."The massive half-orc rumbles as he turns to follow along to the Mayor's house, still carryong the tower of pies. Thurodim had seen many strange things and heard of even stranger things during his years at sea so he readily accepted there was a lot of things he couldn't explain or understand. One thing he didn't believe in though was coincidences. The mention of taking the wizards heart and current events was no coinciodent.
As they reach the Mayor's house, Thurodim puts down the pies and steps up to the front door, knocking three times on the door. "Mayor, we have been sent by Commander Landgrave to help you with your problem."He calls out in a fairly polite tone.
Knowledge check to know anything about local story or the symbol on the plaque: 4
Thurodim, the symbol doesn't mean anything to you, and the name Tarwen Soft resides in your memory only as a sort of folk hero - the little woman who saved Immawold! The basic story, the only one you know, is that there was once an evil wizard who used his powers to control people's minds. Tarwen, a travelling adventurer, eventually confronted him in his tower, and killed him with her magic dagger. But this is the first time you have ever seen or heard the wizard's name, or mention of her removing his heart.
At your announcement at the door, there is a surprised, strangled "Agh!" and the scrape of a chair. "Landgrave? Prove it! Or perhaps you're a monster trying to trick me!"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Faera listens to the big guys talk about the statue and checks out the plaque herself.
History check on what she might know 21
She stands to the side as Thurodim knocks on the door and as the one inside starts panicking, she can't help but stifle a giggle. When the half-orc mentions the letter, she adds, "Yep, we're from Fort Imma, adventurers that have come to help with your apparently monster problem. We do have a letter from Landgrave to prove it."
Faera, your knowledge of these events is more in depth - you were born closer to the time, for a start, and just one generation before you would have been alive during them.
Interestingly thanks to your background, your perspective on events is more focussed on Caelus Valleron, the villain of the story, than the hero Tarwen. For around 20 years Caelus had been operating in Immawold, a known enchanter who had quit the Hanging Tower after a falling out with their ruling Governors. The Council knew of his activities in Imma, gaining a following based on mind control and the threat of mind control. What they didn't know was the extent of his ambition. One day in 294 ATK, dozens of people in mid to high ranks of ruling houses across Lindost, Osmial, Scobaria and even Talith, all started claiming they had suddenly been freed of a charm which had them influencing important figures and events, entirely against their will. It was soon discovered that this was the day Caelus Valleron had died. He had unwilling agents across the whole of the continent, a conspiracy run by one man from the comfort of his own head. He had been ignored by most with the power to intervene, viewed as a local issue, and not worth the trouble. From that day the approach of the Council and its Vigilants changed - no issue was too small to be overlooked - it could be hiding something dark, terrible, and huge.
"A letter?" calls the voice from within. "Let me see it, put it in the box." On the front of the door is a small metal parcel box. It can be unlatched and smaller items for delivery placed inside - the back is a hatch which opens into the house.
Faera takes a moment to rustle in her large bag, a few items falling out as she does.. a quill, a scarf, couple wrinkled up pieces of paper.. "Ah ha!" she utters when she finds it. She quickly picks up her fallen items and throws them haphazardly back into her bag.
Folding up the letter, she shrugs and looks at her friends. If no one stops her, she goes ahead and places it in the box the man is referring to.
Mala the last bit of pastry she was eating as the group arrives at the mayor's house. "I guess we just wait out here?" she asks, somewhat rhetorically, after Faera places the letter in the box.
"Or I open the door."Thurodim says, flexing his muscles, winking at Mala. "No? I'll be patient then." He adds with a smile, picking up one of the pies and starts to eat it.
The letter placed in the box, Faera closes the lid. There is some scuffing on the other side, and a gentle creak as the hatch into the house is opened, then closed again. There is a good few seconds of silence, before Mayor Blackbarrel speaks again.
"This is my letter...my seal. Okay I'll let you in! But I warn you, no funny business! I have a crossbow, a big one!"
There is the sound of one lock being turned, then a bolt being pulled, then a latch being thrown back, then one final lock. Eventually the handle is turned, and the door swings open just a little as you hear the mayor scuttling back away from the door.
Pushing open the door, you see an unkempt halfling man with black hair and beard. He faces the door, and does indeed hold a crossbow nearly the same size as himself, the type that needs a crank on the side to wind the string back.
As Ghurr emerges through the doorway, ducking then stretching back to his full height, the Mayor lets out a yelp and his finger closes on the trigger. You all feel a sense of imminent danger for a split second, especially Illithir who knows that it comes from his sword. A bolt the length of Blackbarrel's arm seems to appear with a thunk in the doorframe next to Ghurr, where it judders for a second.
Ghurr standing there holding a pile of pies, clearly meaning no harm, the Mayor stammers "I, I'm sorry, I thought, I thought... You scared me," he finishes weakly.
"Oh, he's used to that."Thurodim chuckles as he too enters to house, putting down the pies he's carrying on a nearby table before giving the gentle bugbear a friendly pat on the back. "But having a bolt in your belly might just annoy him so put down your crossbow and tell us what you know of this thing killing people in Soft's Rest and we'll hunt it down for you." He continues, looking around for a chair that is not halfling-sized. "And tell us the story about Tarwen and that wizard who's heart she took. Where would they be buried now?"
Ghurr frowns a little at the sight of the crossbow bolt sticking out of the door frame near his head. He looks at it for a moment before taking another bite of pie. The taste quickly makes him forget about the bolt. He does still raise an eyebrow at the mayor in warning. Ghurr then finds somewhere to settle down to listen to whatever answers the diminutive town leader gives Thurodim.
Mala is clearly annoyed at the halfling for having nearly shot Ghurr. "Of all the STUPID people..." she starts off, though as she notes Thurodim's lighter remarks she abruptly quiets herself.
"I'm so sorry," repeats the Mayor. "I'm just so on edge right now. These killings... They're a terrible business, really terrible. This is a small community, everyone knows one of the victims."
In answer to Thurodim's questions the man throws up his hands. "I don't know anything! That's the trouble, it strikes in the darkness, when people are alone, that's why I've had to institute the curfew. And the way it kills..." He puts a hand up to his mouth, as if he is about to be sick. "I can hardly think about it. Perhaps it would be best if I showed you. You seem the type with strong stomachs."
He beckons you down a corridor through the house to a back door. Going through it you enter a vegetable and herb garden with a small patio. As you walk he answers your other question, confused. "Tarwen herself is buried in the cemetery behind the Temple. I assume Valleron's body was left to rot in his tower. What does that have to do with the... the current situation?"
To the left of the garden is the side of the Temple, and Blackbarrel leads you to a door where he knocks, and waits nervously, rocking on his heels, clasping his hands.
Ghurr looks down at his stomach, wondering if it's strong.
"Yes. Stomach strong. Holds Ghurr up all day," Ghurr says. He leaves any remaining pies behind as the group follows Blackbarrel to the temple but he does snag a pastry to munch on along the way.
He looks up at the temple then adds "We here people attacked to north of town and gashes from giant claws kill them."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Gratefully gobbling down another pastry, Thurodim lumbers after Ghurr to the statue at the center of the square, balancing a virtual tower of pies and pastries in his arms. "Who's this then? Founder of Soft's Rest?" He asks the gentle bugbear.
"Somebody named Tarwen," Ghurr says then pauses before adding. "Maybe."
Mala swiftly picks one of the pastries from those that Thurodim was carrying - an apple one. "Thanks for getting these Ghurr. I'm not sure we can finish all of these before we get to the mayor though!" She continues to head along towards the mayor's house as she slowly eats.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric
Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer || Bronnryn Hethgar, Cleric
The statue is of a halfling woman, posed ready for combat. A dagger is drawn back ready to strike, and the woman's face stares intently.
There is a plaque on the base of the statue which reads
TARWEN SOFT
In 294 ATK she defeated the wizard Caelus Valleron by removing his heart, ending his reign of cruel enchantments.
She made this place her home. Our town, our cliffs and our hills are named for her. May she live forever in our memory.
The plaque bears a symbol, a circle bisected by a deep groove which disappears down into the metal of the plaque - an image of a skull above, an image of a hand below.
When you are all ready to go to the Mayor's house, the directions are easy to follow. The shall temple of Chauntea stands at the opposite end of the town square facing the statue of Tarwen. To its left as you face it is a road, while to the right is a house. A little larger than the other rustic houses you have seen in the town, but its two chimney stacks produce no smoke, and behind the tightly closed shutters you can see no light.
DM - Storm King's Thunder
DM - Torosevia (WIP homebrew world)
Kelytha Meliamne - Matti Silverstorm - Silver - Star-Setting-In-The-East - Tor Baltos
"He lived long time ago but maybe the wizard is back for his heart." Thurodim suggests with a shrug as he studies the plaque. "Or little Tarwen got a taste for hearts. Should look more into that. Can help us find killer." The massive half-orc rumbles as he turns to follow along to the Mayor's house, still carryong the tower of pies. Thurodim had seen many strange things and heard of even stranger things during his years at sea so he readily accepted there was a lot of things he couldn't explain or understand. One thing he didn't believe in though was coincidences. The mention of taking the wizards heart and current events was no coinciodent.
As they reach the Mayor's house, Thurodim puts down the pies and steps up to the front door, knocking three times on the door. "Mayor, we have been sent by Commander Landgrave to help you with your problem." He calls out in a fairly polite tone.
Knowledge check to know anything about local story or the symbol on the plaque: 4
Thurodim, the symbol doesn't mean anything to you, and the name Tarwen Soft resides in your memory only as a sort of folk hero - the little woman who saved Immawold! The basic story, the only one you know, is that there was once an evil wizard who used his powers to control people's minds. Tarwen, a travelling adventurer, eventually confronted him in his tower, and killed him with her magic dagger. But this is the first time you have ever seen or heard the wizard's name, or mention of her removing his heart.
At your announcement at the door, there is a surprised, strangled "Agh!" and the scrape of a chair. "Landgrave? Prove it! Or perhaps you're a monster trying to trick me!"
DM - Storm King's Thunder
DM - Torosevia (WIP homebrew world)
Kelytha Meliamne - Matti Silverstorm - Silver - Star-Setting-In-The-East - Tor Baltos
"We have a letter from Landgrave." Thurodim answers, glancing over to Faera who, if he recalls correctly, carries this letter.
Ghurr sits on the stoop of the mayor’s house and eats one of the pies while he waits for the mayor to open the door.
”Never met monster pretend be from city guard. Does beast in woods talk?” He says around mouthfuls.
Faera listens to the big guys talk about the statue and checks out the plaque herself.
History check on what she might know 21
She stands to the side as Thurodim knocks on the door and as the one inside starts panicking, she can't help but stifle a giggle. When the half-orc mentions the letter, she adds, "Yep, we're from Fort Imma, adventurers that have come to help with your apparently monster problem. We do have a letter from Landgrave to prove it."
Faera, your knowledge of these events is more in depth - you were born closer to the time, for a start, and just one generation before you would have been alive during them.
Interestingly thanks to your background, your perspective on events is more focussed on Caelus Valleron, the villain of the story, than the hero Tarwen. For around 20 years Caelus had been operating in Immawold, a known enchanter who had quit the Hanging Tower after a falling out with their ruling Governors. The Council knew of his activities in Imma, gaining a following based on mind control and the threat of mind control. What they didn't know was the extent of his ambition. One day in 294 ATK, dozens of people in mid to high ranks of ruling houses across Lindost, Osmial, Scobaria and even Talith, all started claiming they had suddenly been freed of a charm which had them influencing important figures and events, entirely against their will. It was soon discovered that this was the day Caelus Valleron had died. He had unwilling agents across the whole of the continent, a conspiracy run by one man from the comfort of his own head. He had been ignored by most with the power to intervene, viewed as a local issue, and not worth the trouble. From that day the approach of the Council and its Vigilants changed - no issue was too small to be overlooked - it could be hiding something dark, terrible, and huge.
"A letter?" calls the voice from within. "Let me see it, put it in the box." On the front of the door is a small metal parcel box. It can be unlatched and smaller items for delivery placed inside - the back is a hatch which opens into the house.
DM - Storm King's Thunder
DM - Torosevia (WIP homebrew world)
Kelytha Meliamne - Matti Silverstorm - Silver - Star-Setting-In-The-East - Tor Baltos
Faera takes a moment to rustle in her large bag, a few items falling out as she does.. a quill, a scarf, couple wrinkled up pieces of paper.. "Ah ha!" she utters when she finds it. She quickly picks up her fallen items and throws them haphazardly back into her bag.
Folding up the letter, she shrugs and looks at her friends. If no one stops her, she goes ahead and places it in the box the man is referring to.
Mala the last bit of pastry she was eating as the group arrives at the mayor's house. "I guess we just wait out here?" she asks, somewhat rhetorically, after Faera places the letter in the box.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric
Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer || Bronnryn Hethgar, Cleric
"Or I open the door." Thurodim says, flexing his muscles, winking at Mala. "No? I'll be patient then." He adds with a smile, picking up one of the pies and starts to eat it.
Mala shakes her head at Thurodrim. He'd already stopped but she flatly tells him. "No."
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric
Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer || Bronnryn Hethgar, Cleric
The letter placed in the box, Faera closes the lid. There is some scuffing on the other side, and a gentle creak as the hatch into the house is opened, then closed again. There is a good few seconds of silence, before Mayor Blackbarrel speaks again.
"This is my letter...my seal. Okay I'll let you in! But I warn you, no funny business! I have a crossbow, a big one!"
There is the sound of one lock being turned, then a bolt being pulled, then a latch being thrown back, then one final lock. Eventually the handle is turned, and the door swings open just a little as you hear the mayor scuttling back away from the door.
Pushing open the door, you see an unkempt halfling man with black hair and beard. He faces the door, and does indeed hold a crossbow nearly the same size as himself, the type that needs a crank on the side to wind the string back.
As Ghurr emerges through the doorway, ducking then stretching back to his full height, the Mayor lets out a yelp and his finger closes on the trigger. You all feel a sense of imminent danger for a split second, especially Illithir who knows that it comes from his sword. A bolt the length of Blackbarrel's arm seems to appear with a thunk in the doorframe next to Ghurr, where it judders for a second.
Ghurr standing there holding a pile of pies, clearly meaning no harm, the Mayor stammers "I, I'm sorry, I thought, I thought... You scared me," he finishes weakly.
DM - Storm King's Thunder
DM - Torosevia (WIP homebrew world)
Kelytha Meliamne - Matti Silverstorm - Silver - Star-Setting-In-The-East - Tor Baltos
"Oh, he's used to that." Thurodim chuckles as he too enters to house, putting down the pies he's carrying on a nearby table before giving the gentle bugbear a friendly pat on the back. "But having a bolt in your belly might just annoy him so put down your crossbow and tell us what you know of this thing killing people in Soft's Rest and we'll hunt it down for you." He continues, looking around for a chair that is not halfling-sized. "And tell us the story about Tarwen and that wizard who's heart she took. Where would they be buried now?"
Ghurr frowns a little at the sight of the crossbow bolt sticking out of the door frame near his head. He looks at it for a moment before taking another bite of pie. The taste quickly makes him forget about the bolt. He does still raise an eyebrow at the mayor in warning. Ghurr then finds somewhere to settle down to listen to whatever answers the diminutive town leader gives Thurodim.
Mala is clearly annoyed at the halfling for having nearly shot Ghurr. "Of all the STUPID people..." she starts off, though as she notes Thurodim's lighter remarks she abruptly quiets herself.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric
Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer || Bronnryn Hethgar, Cleric
"I'm so sorry," repeats the Mayor. "I'm just so on edge right now. These killings... They're a terrible business, really terrible. This is a small community, everyone knows one of the victims."
In answer to Thurodim's questions the man throws up his hands. "I don't know anything! That's the trouble, it strikes in the darkness, when people are alone, that's why I've had to institute the curfew. And the way it kills..." He puts a hand up to his mouth, as if he is about to be sick. "I can hardly think about it. Perhaps it would be best if I showed you. You seem the type with strong stomachs."
He beckons you down a corridor through the house to a back door. Going through it you enter a vegetable and herb garden with a small patio. As you walk he answers your other question, confused. "Tarwen herself is buried in the cemetery behind the Temple. I assume Valleron's body was left to rot in his tower. What does that have to do with the... the current situation?"
To the left of the garden is the side of the Temple, and Blackbarrel leads you to a door where he knocks, and waits nervously, rocking on his heels, clasping his hands.
DM - Storm King's Thunder
DM - Torosevia (WIP homebrew world)
Kelytha Meliamne - Matti Silverstorm - Silver - Star-Setting-In-The-East - Tor Baltos
Ghurr looks down at his stomach, wondering if it's strong.
"Yes. Stomach strong. Holds Ghurr up all day," Ghurr says. He leaves any remaining pies behind as the group follows Blackbarrel to the temple but he does snag a pastry to munch on along the way.
He looks up at the temple then adds "We here people attacked to north of town and gashes from giant claws kill them."