"That seems like a reasonable course of action. Our knowledge is clearly not strong in this area." The only thing Kathra knows for certain is that she's not going to touch any strange magical artifacts more than she has to. It's a relief to her when Mirabel picks it up himself.
Having all decided that maybe checking in with Elder Merrik is a better idea than standing outside in the ruins of a temple wracking your collective brains, the party bids goodbye to the three workers and heads back down the hill towards the center of town. It doesn't take long before you find yourselves grouped in front a large set of intricately carved wooden doors at the front of the manor house. A tentative knock is quickly responded to by a younger looking half-elf who introduces himself as Grassly. "Welcome to my father's home. I assume you are the group I heard about who has responded to our call for assistance. What did they say you were called...the Something Hand? Anyway, if you'll follow me to the library, my father will be along shortly"
And with that he leads you through the large house to a wing cordoned off by another set of very fine double doors. Inside the room beyond are rather decent chairs and couches, a writing desk, which dominates the area, and walls of various books, mostly agricultural and mining related, though there is a somewhat impressive fiction section, and a small amount of rudimentary magical texts as well.
It doesn't take long before and older human gentleman enters the room. "I am the town's Elder, Merrik. I hear you have come to answer our call?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
Mirabel nods. "That's precisely why we have come here. Lights from the sky? Unexplained destruction? How could anyone turn down the chance to investigate such strange occurrences!" He bows low. "We, the members of, uh..." His snout wrinkles. "Well, that's not important, but we offer our services to you and this town."
((Just a heads up, I'll be getting off of work soon and my weekend is going to be sorta busy so while I'll be checking up on the thread from time to time, my posting will be a bit more sporadic until Monday.
Gavin exchanges pleasantries with the Elder and introduces everyone. “We are known as the Band of the Hand <smiles at Maribel>. We are here to offer our assistance in any way we can. Whatever is causing this, we are sure to get to the bottom of it for you and your people. Our goal is to return your town to being safe so you can harvest your crops in peace. What can you tell us about the happenings?”
((For sake of limited posts, here are some questions I will ask if he doesn’t provide it in his general explanation))
Can we have your permission to speak to everyone in the town, including inspecting the Flatfoot boy’s body? Anyone we should speak to that might have additional information?
Any other religions practiced other than the temple’s?
Go over the map of the town and get info on landmarks, especially the cave and quarry.
Was there anything that changed in the town prior to the events occurring?
Any new faces recently come to town?
Where can we stay in town during our time here?
What compensation are you offering for our services?
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
((I’m enjoying it! A little worried that I won’t be able to go at the constant-all-day speeds, even without my hospital visit I’m more of a couple-times a day poster, but enjoying it!))
Thont scams the room and the Elder from a purely anthropological angle, but with a small smile. Does he live alone? How old does he seem? Is he nervous? Tired? Happy?
((I agree that this is fun, if I am coming off too strong don’t be afraid to RP a lil conflict w Gavin. He’s just a headstrong, opinionated fellow. Almost like he has dwarfblood in him :)
Mirabel produces the seal from his pack. "We found this in the ruins, and I confess it confounds my attempts to understand it. What do you know of it?"
((This has been fun, I have never got a chance to play d&d at work before, so thumbs up. I will be out of town tomorrow. We play d&d at a game store from 12-4pm and then from 5pm-10pm, EST. we play adventurers league content every other staturday. I will try to check the post in between sessions and will be on Sunday for part of the day))
After pleasantries, Grassly helps his father, the Elder Merrik, over to the desk and offers you all a pick of the couches and chairs surrounding it. Taking in your questions, Merrik begins his answers. "Where to begin with our 'happenings', as you say." One of his hands reaches out to rest on what looks to be a journal or logbook of some kind, and he opens it expertly to a page filled with various notes. "Let's see. It was about three months back, just at the turn of summer, when some of our local folks reported strange lights in the night sky. The report from Sheriff Harken here says those asked saw two or three shooting star-like things that twisted and twirled about in the sky above the mountain peak. There were also reports of strange aurora-like displays that night as well. But then everything went pretty much back to normal for a time. About a month later, the first travelers started going missing. According to our local shopkeeper, Helpington, a pair of mountain traders that had been visiting the town every month for the last few years for supplies missed their order pick-up. No one in town really new much about the two of them like where they camped or where they were from, just that they came down about once a month to buy supplies. Without anywhere to look, we just sort of waited....that's when the avalanches started. We're normally past the time of year where the snow breaks on the upper ridges you see, so it was odd when some travels came back reporting normally safe trails wiped out. Some folks who needed to cross the Storm Horn before the season changed hired some locals as guides. A few weeks back one of our guide groups didn't return. We sent a search party and found what was left of them about two days from town, half buried in an avalanche and broken and bloodied by some creatures with tusks like a boars, but inverted. There were no survivors. During that time some of the livestock had also gone missing from our communal farm. No bodies left, just splashes of blood here and there. The Farfoot brothers offered to go have a look up the mountain. They were good trackers and pretty sneaky when needed, so we let them run off up to look around. From what I was told later, Tommin returned in the night three days ago, and went straight to the temple to speak with Aria. That night....well, you see what happened." With that he closes the journal.
Taking in some more questions, he answers as earnestly as he can. "Tommin's body is with our local witch, Nana Ironeye. She's looking into the strange nature of his death and I'm sure would welcome a second pair of arcane eyes." Merrik gestures over to Mirabel. "As for the cave north of what is left of our temple, that is the tunnel pass that leads northward up the mountain. If you plan on heading up there, that is how you will leave town. If you plan on staying a while, The Davy Lamp is the best we have to offer. As to your fee, we can spare a hundred gold to reward an expedition that offers proof that our problems are at an end. You are free to speak with any of my townsfolk, but please be kind. They have been through a lot these past few months."
When Mirabel produces the disk, Merrik looks over it with some interest. "I've not seen its like ever. This metal it is composed of is rather foreign to me, and I must confess that my rudimentary arcane knowledge is not enough to decipher its symbolism. I can guarantee you though, that such a relic has never been in Refuge before. I would have known if one of my villagers had found something like this. Maybe Tommin brought it back with him?"
For Thont:
Scanning the room, you get a sense of how well kept the place is. Surely Elder Merrik has a servant or two to keep things tidy. It is also likely that his son, Grassly lives here as well. Merrik, a human, seems to be in his late 70's while his half-elf son seems to be maybe in his early 20's, though it is hard to guess ages among those with fey ancestry. Merrik seems tired, both from age and from the weight of responsibility to his people. Much of the decor in this room has little flourishes of elven artistry here and there.
Answering what he can, Merrik sits back to see if there is anything else. Grassly reappears with drink pitcher filled to the brim with a reddish juice that has a spicy aroma similar to the fruit that some of you had for dinner and a few glasses.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
((Anyone else feel 20gp apiece is too low, esp when a meal costs 2gp? Risking our lives for 3 days room and board seems kinda low. I think we need better compensation))
”Thank you for those details, they will prove useful I am sure” replies Gavin as he gives a gracious nod to Grassly as he takes one of the drinks. As he takes a long sip he gives a smile approving of the flavor. “Any new residents move in the past few months? Is there anything in your journal prior to the lights that you would consider...unique or a maybe a one time event?”
Kathra listens to all these goings-on quietly. The description of the dead guides raises her interest. "The site where the guards were found... were there any markings to indicate what manner of creature beyond their wounds? Tracks, or fur, or anything else that could help with identification?" After a moment, she adds, "Who led the search party? I would like to speak with them as well."
((Anyone else feel 20gp apiece is too low, esp when a meal costs 2gp? Risking our lives for 3 days room and board seems kinda low. I think we need better compensation))
((Eh, initial adventure pay-outs are always pretty paltry for these kinds of things. It's generally assumed that the big money is hiding in the adventure location itself. Of course, if you want to bargain for more, you are more than welcome to try Persuading or Intimidating your way into a higher payout.))
With a thoughtful look, Elder Merrik turns to answer Gavin. "Other than the two northern traders that started visiting regularly a few years back, we haven't had any new permanent residents. Of course we have farm hands that come up from Arabel for the harvest season, but none of them tend to stick around very long. As to any other previous odd events, none that I can think of. Things here in Refuge are generally quiet and keeping with a pretty predictable cycle."
At Kathra's question he reopens the journal and skims back a few pages. "The search party leader, who I'm sure you've already met, was the proprietor of the Davy Lamp, Armond. From his reports the snows had obscured much trace of what had happened to the expedition. A few of the dead had wounds consistent with cutting weapons like swords or axes, but a some also had deep tusk wounds, like a boars, but reversed. There was a theory that it was bandits, and a young sabertooth might have come to scavenge afterwards, but there were no claw marks or other signs of predation and nothing was really eaten. None of the gear or money the expedition would have been carrying was recovered."
For Gavin:
Grassly seems very attentive of his father. You get the feeling that he is both the primary caregiver in this household and also a pupil in the ways of governance. It's very likely that Eldership in this town is more of a hereditary position that Grassly will be coming into once his father dies, so he is trying to absorb as much knowledge as he can at every opportunity. He's definitely got basic pleasantries mastered, but seems to favor formality over empathy. You get the feeling that maybe he didn't grow up in Refuge originally and is still trying to find his place here. His emotional displays when deaths are mentioned are more mechanical than the real emotions of his father, like Grassy feels them as a loss to the workings of the town more than friends or neighbors he might have grown up with if he were born here.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
((Oh, I added some notes to the campaign page so we don't have to keep looking up people's names that I keep having to make up on the spot and then check back to make sure I reference correctly later.))
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
“How long have you overseen this town? I’m assuming nothing like this has ever happened, but is there any major history we should know about?”
Thont would also like to take a mental note about the number of non-humans we’ve met, thinking of who might have longer memories... and who Grassly’s elven mother might be in a town so small.
“Elder Merric, the 100 gp that we are sure to earn will be appreciated for sure. However I see this as an undertaking that may cost us some out of pocket expenses that we may need some ‘asssistance’ with. Would you be willing to help cover the cost of any room and board and special equipment we may need from Helpingtons to get up the mountain? Nothing extravagant, of course. Just basic meals, bare essentials.”
((Anyone want to help with my persuasion? Meta would you give us advantage on the roll?))
"That seems like a reasonable course of action. Our knowledge is clearly not strong in this area." The only thing Kathra knows for certain is that she's not going to touch any strange magical artifacts more than she has to. It's a relief to her when Mirabel picks it up himself.
Having all decided that maybe checking in with Elder Merrik is a better idea than standing outside in the ruins of a temple wracking your collective brains, the party bids goodbye to the three workers and heads back down the hill towards the center of town. It doesn't take long before you find yourselves grouped in front a large set of intricately carved wooden doors at the front of the manor house. A tentative knock is quickly responded to by a younger looking half-elf who introduces himself as Grassly. "Welcome to my father's home. I assume you are the group I heard about who has responded to our call for assistance. What did they say you were called...the Something Hand? Anyway, if you'll follow me to the library, my father will be along shortly"
And with that he leads you through the large house to a wing cordoned off by another set of very fine double doors. Inside the room beyond are rather decent chairs and couches, a writing desk, which dominates the area, and walls of various books, mostly agricultural and mining related, though there is a somewhat impressive fiction section, and a small amount of rudimentary magical texts as well.
It doesn't take long before and older human gentleman enters the room. "I am the town's Elder, Merrik. I hear you have come to answer our call?"
Mirabel nods. "That's precisely why we have come here. Lights from the sky? Unexplained destruction? How could anyone turn down the chance to investigate such strange occurrences!" He bows low. "We, the members of, uh..." His snout wrinkles. "Well, that's not important, but we offer our services to you and this town."
((Just a heads up, I'll be getting off of work soon and my weekend is going to be sorta busy so while I'll be checking up on the thread from time to time, my posting will be a bit more sporadic until Monday.
EDIT: Are we all having fun so far?))
Kathra nods, as if to confirm everything Mirabel just said. Then she nudges him and says. "The coin, Mirabel. Ask about the coin."
((I'm having a great time, bad dice rolls and all. D&D is more fun when you've got bad dice rolls anyway.))
((Totally understand Meta))
Gavin exchanges pleasantries with the Elder and introduces everyone. “We are known as the Band of the Hand <smiles at Maribel>. We are here to offer our assistance in any way we can. Whatever is causing this, we are sure to get to the bottom of it for you and your people. Our goal is to return your town to being safe so you can harvest your crops in peace. What can you tell us about the happenings?”
((For sake of limited posts, here are some questions I will ask if he doesn’t provide it in his general explanation))
Can we have your permission to speak to everyone in the town, including inspecting the Flatfoot boy’s body? Anyone we should speak to that might have additional information?
Any other religions practiced other than the temple’s?
Go over the map of the town and get info on landmarks, especially the cave and quarry.
Was there anything that changed in the town prior to the events occurring?
Any new faces recently come to town?
Where can we stay in town during our time here?
What compensation are you offering for our services?
((I’m enjoying it! A little worried that I won’t be able to go at the constant-all-day speeds, even without my hospital visit I’m more of a couple-times a day poster, but enjoying it!))
Thont scams the room and the Elder from a purely anthropological angle, but with a small smile. Does he live alone? How old does he seem? Is he nervous? Tired? Happy?
Perception: 5
((I agree that this is fun, if I am coming off too strong don’t be afraid to RP a lil conflict w Gavin. He’s just a headstrong, opinionated fellow. Almost like he has dwarfblood in him :)
heres to better rolls in our future!))
((The dice DO go higher than 10!))
Mirabel produces the seal from his pack. "We found this in the ruins, and I confess it confounds my attempts to understand it. What do you know of it?"
((This has been fun, I have never got a chance to play d&d at work before, so thumbs up. I will be out of town tomorrow. We play d&d at a game store from 12-4pm and then from 5pm-10pm, EST. we play adventurers league content every other staturday. I will try to check the post in between sessions and will be on Sunday for part of the day))
After pleasantries, Grassly helps his father, the Elder Merrik, over to the desk and offers you all a pick of the couches and chairs surrounding it. Taking in your questions, Merrik begins his answers. "Where to begin with our 'happenings', as you say." One of his hands reaches out to rest on what looks to be a journal or logbook of some kind, and he opens it expertly to a page filled with various notes. "Let's see. It was about three months back, just at the turn of summer, when some of our local folks reported strange lights in the night sky. The report from Sheriff Harken here says those asked saw two or three shooting star-like things that twisted and twirled about in the sky above the mountain peak. There were also reports of strange aurora-like displays that night as well. But then everything went pretty much back to normal for a time. About a month later, the first travelers started going missing. According to our local shopkeeper, Helpington, a pair of mountain traders that had been visiting the town every month for the last few years for supplies missed their order pick-up. No one in town really new much about the two of them like where they camped or where they were from, just that they came down about once a month to buy supplies. Without anywhere to look, we just sort of waited....that's when the avalanches started. We're normally past the time of year where the snow breaks on the upper ridges you see, so it was odd when some travels came back reporting normally safe trails wiped out. Some folks who needed to cross the Storm Horn before the season changed hired some locals as guides. A few weeks back one of our guide groups didn't return. We sent a search party and found what was left of them about two days from town, half buried in an avalanche and broken and bloodied by some creatures with tusks like a boars, but inverted. There were no survivors. During that time some of the livestock had also gone missing from our communal farm. No bodies left, just splashes of blood here and there. The Farfoot brothers offered to go have a look up the mountain. They were good trackers and pretty sneaky when needed, so we let them run off up to look around. From what I was told later, Tommin returned in the night three days ago, and went straight to the temple to speak with Aria. That night....well, you see what happened." With that he closes the journal.
Taking in some more questions, he answers as earnestly as he can. "Tommin's body is with our local witch, Nana Ironeye. She's looking into the strange nature of his death and I'm sure would welcome a second pair of arcane eyes." Merrik gestures over to Mirabel. "As for the cave north of what is left of our temple, that is the tunnel pass that leads northward up the mountain. If you plan on heading up there, that is how you will leave town. If you plan on staying a while, The Davy Lamp is the best we have to offer. As to your fee, we can spare a hundred gold to reward an expedition that offers proof that our problems are at an end. You are free to speak with any of my townsfolk, but please be kind. They have been through a lot these past few months."
When Mirabel produces the disk, Merrik looks over it with some interest. "I've not seen its like ever. This metal it is composed of is rather foreign to me, and I must confess that my rudimentary arcane knowledge is not enough to decipher its symbolism. I can guarantee you though, that such a relic has never been in Refuge before. I would have known if one of my villagers had found something like this. Maybe Tommin brought it back with him?"
For Thont:
Scanning the room, you get a sense of how well kept the place is. Surely Elder Merrik has a servant or two to keep things tidy. It is also likely that his son, Grassly lives here as well. Merrik, a human, seems to be in his late 70's while his half-elf son seems to be maybe in his early 20's, though it is hard to guess ages among those with fey ancestry. Merrik seems tired, both from age and from the weight of responsibility to his people. Much of the decor in this room has little flourishes of elven artistry here and there.
Answering what he can, Merrik sits back to see if there is anything else. Grassly reappears with drink pitcher filled to the brim with a reddish juice that has a spicy aroma similar to the fruit that some of you had for dinner and a few glasses.
((Anyone else feel 20gp apiece is too low, esp when a meal costs 2gp? Risking our lives for 3 days room and board seems kinda low. I think we need better compensation))
”Thank you for those details, they will prove useful I am sure” replies Gavin as he gives a gracious nod to Grassly as he takes one of the drinks. As he takes a long sip he gives a smile approving of the flavor. “Any new residents move in the past few months? Is there anything in your journal prior to the lights that you would consider...unique or a maybe a one time event?”
I would like to observe Grassly during all this. Insight: 17
((woohoo finally!))
Kathra listens to all these goings-on quietly. The description of the dead guides raises her interest. "The site where the guards were found... were there any markings to indicate what manner of creature beyond their wounds? Tracks, or fur, or anything else that could help with identification?" After a moment, she adds, "Who led the search party? I would like to speak with them as well."
Grassly seems very attentive of his father. You get the feeling that he is both the primary caregiver in this household and also a pupil in the ways of governance. It's very likely that Eldership in this town is more of a hereditary position that Grassly will be coming into once his father dies, so he is trying to absorb as much knowledge as he can at every opportunity. He's definitely got basic pleasantries mastered, but seems to favor formality over empathy. You get the feeling that maybe he didn't grow up in Refuge originally and is still trying to find his place here. His emotional displays when deaths are mentioned are more mechanical than the real emotions of his father, like Grassy feels them as a loss to the workings of the town more than friends or neighbors he might have grown up with if he were born here.
((Oh, I added some notes to the campaign page so we don't have to keep looking up people's names that I keep having to make up on the spot and then check back to make sure I reference correctly later.))
“How long have you overseen this town? I’m assuming nothing like this has ever happened, but is there any major history we should know about?”
Thont would also like to take a mental note about the number of non-humans we’ve met, thinking of who might have longer memories... and who Grassly’s elven mother might be in a town so small.
“Elder Merric, the 100 gp that we are sure to earn will be appreciated for sure. However I see this as an undertaking that may cost us some out of pocket expenses that we may need some ‘asssistance’ with. Would you be willing to help cover the cost of any room and board and special equipment we may need from Helpingtons to get up the mountain? Nothing extravagant, of course. Just basic meals, bare essentials.”
((Anyone want to help with my persuasion? Meta would you give us advantage on the roll?))
((Sure, as long as whoever helps tosses in their persuasion attempt as well.))
((Well here is mine, if anyone wants to give a shot as well))
Persuasion: 7