Lokilia glances at Dev. "You sure?" she asks as he mentioned his folks. "With an hour just to get there it's gonna be a long night."
She smiles, thinking being out in the fields at night really want so bad. If it weren't for those undead.
"I really should drop by my room on the way out. Grab my pack and a few things. Wasn't planning on a trek when I got the note from Hook. Really won't take any time at all."
Jasper shakes their head. This whole situation is even more complicated than they anticipated. At the very least, everyone seemed to be on board, so they weren't about to plunge into this metaphorical dragon's den alone.
"Alright, sounds like it's decided. Let me grab a few things as well, should just be a few minutes like Lokilia said. Then we can regroup and get to the bottom of this necrotic mystery."
"Even in town while we gather our things we should go in groups, I will accompany anyone to their place to pick up stuff and then we can swing by my office. Then all meet back here in like 30 or so?" Magnus suggests.
“I’ll stay here and wait for you all, I don’t need to collect anything and I want to examine this pouch of soil and the pin a little more”, Normont says and once again takes out his tinkers tools, busily adjusting one that looks like a ratchet and muttering some arcane words in Gnomish.
If nobody interrupts him, this goes on for ten minutes, at the end of which he sweeps the ratchet he had adjusted over the soil and the pin. It starts to glow slightly if it detects any magic. The colour of the glow determines the school.
Dev stays with Normont and watches him work with fascination.
"Have you always been able to do magic?," He asks him when the ritual is complete, his voice as relaxed as Normont has heard it, but still possessing the indescribably supple tone the gnome will have first heard in their earlier meeting with Hook Korat.
"Magic?", Normont repeats. "I am not sure I would class what I do as magic. It is more the science of artifice. I guess it can have similar effects though", he continues pondering the question.
"And no, I had to learn my craft. I have learnt to use many tools in my time, not that I am old for a gnome. Quite the opposite in fact. But yes, I know carpentry, smithing, tinkering, locksmithing and I even know how to cook! Artifice is the most exciting though. But what about you? You definitely have a gift for magic, has it always been that way".
“Me?,” Dev asks, “magic??,” he scoffs, a little wild-eyed before continuing nervously.
“No, I don’t do magic. I would never. How even could I?,” but he’s merely repeating things he’s said before which even he knows are not entirely true.
“I mean… my boots.” His voice lowers to a conspiratorial whisper. “They’re magical. I found them washed up on the lake shore, and ever since then I… sometimes, I can…, well you saw…” he trails off, then finds his voice again.
“And my magic pipes. I made them myself. That is, I found them and painted them. Sometimes I just see things, and there was a pattern I saw – in my head – that I thought I should paint on my pipes. So I did. And they, when I play them, things happen. Sometimes. It’s just, I’m not always sure what will happen.”
He seems utterly unable to make more sense of the situation than he has just let on.
“My, my goodness, you’re so smart. You’ve learned carpentry, smithing, tinkering, locksmithing and cooking. I can barely fashion a fishing fly. It’s what my parents do… did. They had a business on the docks.” Dev falls silent again. It’s what took their eyesight, fashioning flies in dim light, hour after hour, day after day, year after year. They still do, by touch. But slowly. Very slowly.
When the others left to gather their things about town Hook also took his leave leaving another purse on the table containing 140 gp.
As the others moved about town they were able to collect their belongings easily enough though both Lokilia and Jasper felt eyes on them at times they were unable to spot any pursuers or watchers.
Dev and Normont talked, Normont was able to glean a little Necromantic magical sheen off of the Whitestone gravedirt....not enough he thought to be of much use but perhaps as a physical component it could do something.......certainly there must be trace elements of residuum or similar along with the echoes of Delilahs spells.....
Just under an hour later everyone had returned.....it was just before 3AM as the clocktower in Whitestone would reckon it.
Lokilia makes it back, though now keeping a cautious look over her shoulder. She's now wearing a sturdy leather coat and has a small round wooden shield at her back along with a small pack. "Ready to go? We all made it back ok? Felt like someone might have been keeping tabs on me."
She stretches a bit as she waits, eager to get moving.
"If no one needed to rest up I believe we are all good to go..uhh..shit." Nerak snapped his fingers and looked at Lokilia. "I'm so sorry, I know we just fought for our lives together but I'm not great at names what was it again?" He started scratching his arm, obviously embarrassed he forgot her name. "But yes let's go. We planning on just taking a road up there or did you all have something more sly in mind?"
Magnus makes his way back to his 2nd story office and tidies up a bit grabbing odds and ends he thinks he will need on the trip. After a little bit he sits down and takes most of what he packed way back out as he has no idea what he may or may not need and does not want to over pack. He then jots down all that he knows and what his friends have discovered and places the notes in the top drawer, just in case he does not come back from his adventure.
He then pulls out more official letterhead and describes the heroic actions of Theron and wants to make sure his superiors knows of Theron's actions. Hoping the Order can track down some of this family if he has any and make some type of offer for his sacrifice for the greater good of this town.
Then he finishes tiding up his desk and heads back out the door, locking it behind him, as he heads back to the Red Trout and his friends, walking and chatting about really nothing to anyone that joins him.
"Oh, you are all back", Normont says starting to tidy away his tools. "Are we all ready to go? Or did someone already ask that?".
"Hook left this pouch, seems to be 20 gold apiece in it", he adds, starting to count out coins for everyone. Once he is done, he jumps down from his chair. "Right, ready when you all are. I expect the road won't be too busy at this time of night".
Jasper heads off with a thousand thoughts running through their head. Today was just an ordinary day, then all of a sudden undead are in Drynna, a citizen is dead, and some necromantic soil from Whitestone has to do with it. What does all this have to do with Drynna, though? And who in the Wildmother's name was keeping such a close eye on them? Jasper's good at picking up when folks are staring, but they are troubled that they cannot detect the source. They keep a hand on their scimitar the whole way home and thank the Lawbearer that their father is sleeping instead of seeing his child walk into the house wounded.
Once they're alone, Jasper inspects the wound he suffered from the zombies. Hopefully this wasn't a situation like one of those copper dreadful stories and they were infected. As they touch their hand to the site of the wound, they let out a hiss - it's still sensitive. They touch it again, gritting their teeth.
"Oh, come on, damn you, work!"Jasper whispers as they press their hand to the wound one more time. A soft glow emits from the palm, then they press it to the wound. Instead of the sting, a comforting sensation flows through them. When they pull their hand away, the wound is gone. The half-elf looks down at their hand in curiosity.
"One of these days, I'm gonna figure out where the Hells that comes from... and why I can do it."
Jasper returns to the group ready to roll in their usual chain mail, though notably they do not have their Militia badge pinned to their chest. A dark cloak lined with fur hangs over their shoulders and they hold a lantern in their hand. "Good evening, folks. Sorry I'm a little late,"Jasper says with a weary smile to everyone. They then turn to Lokilia. "You felt eyes on you, too? Don't like this one bit. We'd best be cautious. What's that? Oh, coin from Hook. Much obliged, Fizzlepeak."
The companions set out in the early hours of the morning on the Parchwood Way, a well used trade road, they pass outlying homes and grazing meadows as well as plowed fields and more removed homesteads.
About half an hour into their walk the more observant ( Passive Perception 12) note a winged form high above tracking their passage but it soon veers off south disappearing over the trees.
A while later they are walking among vineyards on both sides of the road and see an entry road signposted with the Galador family crest. A lantern lit carriage is turning off the road into the estate from the west and there seem to be a number of wagons and the like arrayed about the manor.
It is a good 200' off the road to a large manor surrounded by a series of warehouses, cellar entries and other outbuildings.
The sky is starting to ever so slightly lighten in the east...
Lokilia takes her share of the coins and stashes it away. She nods to Jasper at his question. "Yea. Really felt like someone was watching, but never could see anyone or anything." Later, seeing the bird fly off, Lokilia looks up into the sky, a little disappointed. "Might have tried to talk to it if it hadn't gone. Though, if it's a spy it probably wouldn't reply."
As they approach the entry road, Lokilia speaks, keeping her voice quiet. "Is it strange for so many carriage to be here at this hour? I suppose from this point we probably want to keep out of sight?"
Lokilia glances at Dev. "You sure?" she asks as he mentioned his folks. "With an hour just to get there it's gonna be a long night."
She smiles, thinking being out in the fields at night really want so bad. If it weren't for those undead.
"I really should drop by my room on the way out. Grab my pack and a few things. Wasn't planning on a trek when I got the note from Hook. Really won't take any time at all."
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Jasper shakes their head. This whole situation is even more complicated than they anticipated. At the very least, everyone seemed to be on board, so they weren't about to plunge into this metaphorical dragon's den alone.
"Alright, sounds like it's decided. Let me grab a few things as well, should just be a few minutes like Lokilia said. Then we can regroup and get to the bottom of this necrotic mystery."
"Even in town while we gather our things we should go in groups, I will accompany anyone to their place to pick up stuff and then we can swing by my office. Then all meet back here in like 30 or so?" Magnus suggests.
"Sounds like a good idea, Magnus. Don't think it's a good idea for anyone of us to be alone right now."
Quinn will confirm the desire to stay together and protected.
“I’ll stay here and wait for you all, I don’t need to collect anything and I want to examine this pouch of soil and the pin a little more”, Normont says and once again takes out his tinkers tools, busily adjusting one that looks like a ratchet and muttering some arcane words in Gnomish.
If nobody interrupts him, this goes on for ten minutes, at the end of which he sweeps the ratchet he had adjusted over the soil and the pin. It starts to glow slightly if it detects any magic. The colour of the glow determines the school.
(OOC: Casts detect magic as a ritual)
Dev stays with Normont and watches him work with fascination.
"Have you always been able to do magic?," He asks him when the ritual is complete, his voice as relaxed as Normont has heard it, but still possessing the indescribably supple tone the gnome will have first heard in their earlier meeting with Hook Korat.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
"Magic?", Normont repeats. "I am not sure I would class what I do as magic. It is more the science of artifice. I guess it can have similar effects though", he continues pondering the question.
"And no, I had to learn my craft. I have learnt to use many tools in my time, not that I am old for a gnome. Quite the opposite in fact. But yes, I know carpentry, smithing, tinkering, locksmithing and I even know how to cook! Artifice is the most exciting though. But what about you? You definitely have a gift for magic, has it always been that way".
“Me?,” Dev asks, “magic??,” he scoffs, a little wild-eyed before continuing nervously.
“No, I don’t do magic. I would never. How even could I?,” but he’s merely repeating things he’s said before which even he knows are not entirely true.
“I mean… my boots.” His voice lowers to a conspiratorial whisper. “They’re magical. I found them washed up on the lake shore, and ever since then I… sometimes, I can…, well you saw…” he trails off, then finds his voice again.
“And my magic pipes. I made them myself. That is, I found them and painted them. Sometimes I just see things, and there was a pattern I saw – in my head – that I thought I should paint on my pipes. So I did. And they, when I play them, things happen. Sometimes. It’s just, I’m not always sure what will happen.”
He seems utterly unable to make more sense of the situation than he has just let on.
“My, my goodness, you’re so smart. You’ve learned carpentry, smithing, tinkering, locksmithing and cooking. I can barely fashion a fishing fly. It’s what my parents do… did. They had a business on the docks.” Dev falls silent again. It’s what took their eyesight, fashioning flies in dim light, hour after hour, day after day, year after year. They still do, by touch. But slowly. Very slowly.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
When the others left to gather their things about town Hook also took his leave leaving another purse on the table containing 140 gp.
As the others moved about town they were able to collect their belongings easily enough though both Lokilia and Jasper felt eyes on them at times they were unable to spot any pursuers or watchers.
Dev and Normont talked, Normont was able to glean a little Necromantic magical sheen off of the Whitestone gravedirt....not enough he thought to be of much use but perhaps as a physical component it could do something.......certainly there must be trace elements of residuum or similar along with the echoes of Delilahs spells.....
Just under an hour later everyone had returned.....it was just before 3AM as the clocktower in Whitestone would reckon it.
Lokilia makes it back, though now keeping a cautious look over her shoulder. She's now wearing a sturdy leather coat and has a small round wooden shield at her back along with a small pack. "Ready to go? We all made it back ok? Felt like someone might have been keeping tabs on me."
She stretches a bit as she waits, eager to get moving.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
"If no one needed to rest up I believe we are all good to go..uhh..shit." Nerak snapped his fingers and looked at Lokilia. "I'm so sorry, I know we just fought for our lives together but I'm not great at names what was it again?" He started scratching his arm, obviously embarrassed he forgot her name. "But yes let's go. We planning on just taking a road up there or did you all have something more sly in mind?"
Magnus makes his way back to his 2nd story office and tidies up a bit grabbing odds and ends he thinks he will need on the trip. After a little bit he sits down and takes most of what he packed way back out as he has no idea what he may or may not need and does not want to over pack. He then jots down all that he knows and what his friends have discovered and places the notes in the top drawer, just in case he does not come back from his adventure.
He then pulls out more official letterhead and describes the heroic actions of Theron and wants to make sure his superiors knows of Theron's actions. Hoping the Order can track down some of this family if he has any and make some type of offer for his sacrifice for the greater good of this town.
Then he finishes tiding up his desk and heads back out the door, locking it behind him, as he heads back to the Red Trout and his friends, walking and chatting about really nothing to anyone that joins him.
"Lokilia," the half elf says, seeming unconcerned about the dragonborn not remembering her name.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
"Oh, you are all back", Normont says starting to tidy away his tools. "Are we all ready to go? Or did someone already ask that?".
"Hook left this pouch, seems to be 20 gold apiece in it", he adds, starting to count out coins for everyone. Once he is done, he jumps down from his chair. "Right, ready when you all are. I expect the road won't be too busy at this time of night".
"I am ready to go and thank you." Magnus says as he puts the pouch of gold coin in his backpack.
( Amongst your original get together and food and relaxed collection of supplies we can call that a Short Rest.)
Jasper heads off with a thousand thoughts running through their head. Today was just an ordinary day, then all of a sudden undead are in Drynna, a citizen is dead, and some necromantic soil from Whitestone has to do with it. What does all this have to do with Drynna, though? And who in the Wildmother's name was keeping such a close eye on them? Jasper's good at picking up when folks are staring, but they are troubled that they cannot detect the source. They keep a hand on their scimitar the whole way home and thank the Lawbearer that their father is sleeping instead of seeing his child walk into the house wounded.
Once they're alone, Jasper inspects the wound he suffered from the zombies. Hopefully this wasn't a situation like one of those copper dreadful stories and they were infected. As they touch their hand to the site of the wound, they let out a hiss - it's still sensitive. They touch it again, gritting their teeth.
"Oh, come on, damn you, work!" Jasper whispers as they press their hand to the wound one more time. A soft glow emits from the palm, then they press it to the wound. Instead of the sting, a comforting sensation flows through them. When they pull their hand away, the wound is gone. The half-elf looks down at their hand in curiosity.
"One of these days, I'm gonna figure out where the Hells that comes from... and why I can do it."
Jasper returns to the group ready to roll in their usual chain mail, though notably they do not have their Militia badge pinned to their chest. A dark cloak lined with fur hangs over their shoulders and they hold a lantern in their hand. "Good evening, folks. Sorry I'm a little late," Jasper says with a weary smile to everyone. They then turn to Lokilia. "You felt eyes on you, too? Don't like this one bit. We'd best be cautious. What's that? Oh, coin from Hook. Much obliged, Fizzlepeak."
The companions set out in the early hours of the morning on the Parchwood Way, a well used trade road, they pass outlying homes and grazing meadows as well as plowed fields and more removed homesteads.
About half an hour into their walk the more observant ( Passive Perception 12) note a winged form high above tracking their passage but it soon veers off south disappearing over the trees.
A while later they are walking among vineyards on both sides of the road and see an entry road signposted with the Galador family crest. A lantern lit carriage is turning off the road into the estate from the west and there seem to be a number of wagons and the like arrayed about the manor.
It is a good 200' off the road to a large manor surrounded by a series of warehouses, cellar entries and other outbuildings.
The sky is starting to ever so slightly lighten in the east...
Lokilia takes her share of the coins and stashes it away. She nods to Jasper at his question. "Yea. Really felt like someone was watching, but never could see anyone or anything." Later, seeing the bird fly off, Lokilia looks up into the sky, a little disappointed. "Might have tried to talk to it if it hadn't gone. Though, if it's a spy it probably wouldn't reply."
As they approach the entry road, Lokilia speaks, keeping her voice quiet. "Is it strange for so many carriage to be here at this hour? I suppose from this point we probably want to keep out of sight?"
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer