Asley lifts his wine toward Graxx in acknowledgment, not wanting to seem overly eager. He resumes looking at Cato’s discoveries. “Asley Barestock, good sir. “
With introductions underway, Grelinda is back at your table-side holding seven fresh drinks. "I know you gents have already paid for all you've consumed so far, but for this next round, I'll expect a nicer tip." She passes the mugs and glasses around after carefully placing a large fancy tea cup in front of Utar, then grabs one of the morning ale mugs and sits next to Drazzim, placing his greataxe by the wall next to his other weapon. "I mean, with this kind of service and good company..." she winks at the dwarf "...I'd expect no less."
(Please go ahead and deduct the appropriate amount from your wallets, depending on your drink of choice There is no need to pay for Grelinda's ale).
House Red Wine (Glass) ................................... 8cp Morning White Ale (Mug) .................................. 6cp Chamomile Tea (Cup) ...................................... 4cp (Other drinks are available if you'd like something different)
Despite finally being ready for some good merriment (quite a risk-taking activity from her perspective), Grelinda does not get much of an opportunity to engage in conversation beyond this point. Before you can make a comment, the door of the Tea Kettle opens somewhat suddenly, and a cool draft travels through the room. A tall, dour-looking human glances around, and his sallow expression finally settles on your table, the most populated. He removes his tall black hat to reveal a balding pate. “I apologize for disturbing you,” he says in a deep, monotone voice. “I assume you are adventurers for hire? I was told this is the place to come with problems needing solutions. I seek your expertise for a small matter.” The man then introduces himself "I go by Brother Keefe, priest of Kelemvor and 'Keeper of the Dead' of Valhingen Graveyard in Phlan. I am charged with seeing to the interment of bodies and keeping records." With a somewhat sinister grin, he the calls himself “the overseer of all permanent residents of the Valhingen Graveyard."
He then pauses, his politeness allowing you a moment to offer feedback or asks questions if you deem appropriate (OOC: For instance, if you think your character would have interest in these matters, you are welcome to roll a history check on Valhingen Graveyard and/or a religion check on Kelemvor -- {DC 8} for both).
Cato gives Grelinda a silver piece for a cup of tea, asking her to keep the change, and apologizing for calling her by the wrong name earlier. Then I answer Brother Keefe. "What can we do for you, Brother Keefe?"
Grelinda pushes her untouched mug of ale towards Brother Keefe with a sigh "Guess it's back to work then..." She collects the coins thrown on the table, stands back up, and heads back to the bar to get Graxx another serving: "Anyone else wants a refill?"
(For those of you who succeed the {DC 8} history check on Valhingen Graveyard, feel free to take a peek inside, even retroactively):
Valhingen Graveyard is located on the west-most shore of the Stojanow, the river that divides the city of Phlan and its immediate surroundings into three distinct sections. Phlan’s graveyard is a statuesque garden of flowering plants and trees. One of Cvaal Daoran’s (The Lord Protector of Phlan more than 100 years ago) first acts was appointing a small contingent of Kelemvor faithful to clear the graveyard of undead. They perform mortuary and interment services for the city. Since falling under their care, there has been no undead activity in the graveyard, although it served as the well-known resting place of Miltiades; an undead paladin of legend.
Lord Protector Cvaal Daoran gave the graveyard to a small contingent of Kelemvor faithful shortly after his assumption of power in 1380 DR. With some assistance from local druids, the once-overgrown cemetery is now a meticulously groomed--albeit somber--resting place for the people of Phlan. Though small, the clergy work dutifully and efficiently, providing interment services for the city and are consulted in any dealings with undead in the general area of Phlan. The members of the Order remain impartial to the city’s conflicts that have arisen in the last year, and provide their services for free. They are beholden only to their Order and operate independent of financial assistance from the Cinnabar Throne (the sit of power in Phlan). They tend their own garden and livestock, so are seldom seen in town; save for the rare trip to obtain supplies they are not able to provide themselves.
Typical Cleric of Kelemvor: There are only a dozen clerics of Kelemvor in the graveyard. For the most part, the lower-ranking clerics are reserved as would be expected and dress in simple, rough-spun grey robes. Despite the name of their order, they do not swear a vow of silence, but are typically too busy for casual conversation.
(Same goes for the {DC 8} religion check on Kelemvor):
Kelemvor is also know as The Lord of the Dead or the Judge of the Damned. Kelemvor is seen as a just, fair, and comforting god of death. Death comes to all, and when it occurs Kelemvor is there to take each soul by the hand and lead it to the proper afterlife. Kelemvor’s priests teach that those who revere the gods according to the rites of their religion have done their proper service and will be offered the afterlife they seek. This god's symbol is an skeletal arm holding scales in balance.
The faithful of Kelemvor provide people with peaceful transitions into the care of the Lord of the Dead. They help the dying put their affairs in order, and they officiate at funeral rites for those who can’t afford the lavish ceremonies of their faith. The tenets of Kelemvor’s faithful compel them to forestall or prevent untimely deaths whenever possible. Different sects and worshipers define “untimely” in different ways. One group might concentrate on stopping the spread of disease, another on the prevention of murder, and yet another on eliminating the scourge of the undead. In fact, all the faithful of Kelemvor despise the undead and work to some degree to eliminate them, for undead of any sort are seen as an abomination of the natural order. This belief obviously puts Kelemvor’s faithful at odds with necromancers, priests of Myrkul, and others who promote the creation of the undead, and it also causes conflict from unexpected sources. For instance, priests of Kelemvor routinely destroy any writings about the creation of the undead that they find — an act that offends those who value knowledge for its own sake, such as the faithful of Oghma and Deneir. And there also exist undead that aren’t evil, such as the baelnorn, which the elves consider holy. Kelemvor’s devotees seek the end of such beings regardless of that fact.
After taking a couple of sips from the mug of ale Grelinda left him, Brother Keefe continues his explanation: "You see, I am also in charge of disinterment at the graveyard, and that is why I am looking for assistance this afternoon. Evidence has been brought forth to the clerics of Kelemvor that one of the long-standing residents of the cemetery, Xandria Welltran, was not in fact human, but a green dragon that had somehow been polymorphed. As the responsible party for this sort of task, I must now enter the crypt and inspect the body to confirm or disprove these claims. I fear that there may be more to this than meets the eye, but the other priests of Kelemvor laughed at me when I tried to seek their help. Hence, here I am."
The Kelemvor devout then addresses the matter of payment, something you can all tell he does not feel knowledgeable about. "I understand that such ventures come with their own perils and a recompense is expected. I can offer you all the contents of my personal coin purse plus a couple of interesting articles to help in case these perils materialize. I'm willing to provide these articles before we go into the crypt, but payment will have to wait until after the fact. Are these terms acceptable to the group?"
Grelinda reappears as Brother Keefe finishes making his request, placing a fresh mug of ale in front of Graxx and any other drink refills others might have ordered (please deduct the proper amounts from your wallets). This time, the young halfling girl does not entertain the possibility of sitting down, seemingly back to her wordless mood. She turns back towards the kitchen and begins leaving your immediate presence.
Listening intently to the words of the Kelemvorite, Utar's eyes go wide at the mention of a dragon. "Do you suspect the involvement of dragon cultists in all this, Brother?"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Asley looks around at the rest of the adventurers. "I know that I have yet to join this group in battle, but I would be most honored to join you on this quest. I would be more than happy to assist, Brother. Now, what can you tell us about these interesting articles."
While saying all this Asley does a quick insight check into the Brother to see if everything he's been saying has seemed to be forthright and true and that he's not hiding anything.
In response to Utar, Brother Keefe says "They are usually secretive, but I take it from your question that you've had the misfortune of dealing with them before... Yes, it is a possibility, but we can't be sure until we investigate."
Turning to Drazzim, "Yes, I'm afraid so. This specific crypt has been sealed for many years. There is no telling what you may find inside, especially if the rumors about Xandria are true."
Finally, to Asley "Oh, those would be minor magical articles issued to me when I first became a cleric of the Most Solemn Order of the Silent Shroud. I did so to spread the teachings of Kelemvor and prevent the spread of disease, so I'm afraid I never learned the proper use of articles of war. But I do not want to get your expectations up. At best they can offer you some minor enchantments, and I certainly do not have enough for all of you. I was simply trying to offer all I can in order to help you complete this task I request of you. We can stop by my abode on the way to the crypt. It's at the graveyard, within the temple of Kelemvor."
Brother Keefe seems pretty forthright with the information he has shared so far, as well as with his concern, but you get a sense that he has chosen not to delve too deep into the exact source of his information.
Utar leans back in his seat, his cup of tea held in both hands. "What exactly are the rumours about Xandria? Other than she's a polymorphed green dragon who's been sealed in tomb for Torm knows how long."
Looking at Brother Keefe "This dragon sounds interesting to say the least" stopping and looking at the group "But, I've just received a message from the sis, I have to get going boys. I'm sorry I won't be spending time with you all this time. Stay safe, we'll catch up again soon."
Utar finishes his tea, returning the cup to the saucer onthe table. As Darrius stands to leave he gives him a nod goodbye. "See that you both stay safe."
"There is not much to go by, to be honest" Brother Keefe answers Utar. "All I've heard is what I have already shared with you, and, well, that a bunch of lousy thieves might be interested in this as well. Have you heard of the Welcomers, the thieves’ guild of Phlan? They have apparently been investigating various dragon-themed leads in the last month. The Welcomers may be involved in this as well, but I hope the rumors of Xandria have not reached their ears just yet."
"I understand that this is quite a request I have placed on your lap, and that some of you might not be up for it..." the Kelemvorite, looks briefly at Darrius' back as he leaves The Kettle "...most wouldn't... but I assure you that if this was a mere rumor as my fellow devout followers of Kelemvor believe, I would not be here right now." He then turns to Cato "And it seems I've picked the right group to investigate the matter, judging by that beautiful dragon-scale shield you are carrying."
Graxx seems conflicted as he wants to offer his help to Darrius but knows his duty is to continue with his band. Graxx stands and says, “I’ll be there if something needs killing.”
Graxx takes his Greataxe and waits by the door. Peeking out to see if he catches a glimpse of his Darrius’s sister.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Cato smiles at his new acquaintance. "As do I my friend, as do I. Cato Vandebar, at your service."
IRL: Dungeon Master--Adventures in the Cassitana Islands
PbP: Player--Esvaris Liadon, Wood Elf Monk 2/Cleric 2--Clerical Heirs: A Divine Mystery
Asley lifts his wine toward Graxx in acknowledgment, not wanting to seem overly eager. He resumes looking at Cato’s discoveries. “Asley Barestock, good sir. “
With introductions underway, Grelinda is back at your table-side holding seven fresh drinks. "I know you gents have already paid for all you've consumed so far, but for this next round, I'll expect a nicer tip." She passes the mugs and glasses around after carefully placing a large fancy tea cup in front of Utar, then grabs one of the morning ale mugs and sits next to Drazzim, placing his greataxe by the wall next to his other weapon. "I mean, with this kind of service and good company..." she winks at the dwarf "...I'd expect no less."
(Please go ahead and deduct the appropriate amount from your wallets, depending on your drink of choice There is no need to pay for Grelinda's ale).
Despite finally being ready for some good merriment (quite a risk-taking activity from her perspective), Grelinda does not get much of an opportunity to engage in conversation beyond this point. Before you can make a comment, the door of the Tea Kettle opens somewhat suddenly, and a cool draft travels through the room. A tall, dour-looking human glances around, and his sallow expression finally settles on your table, the most populated. He removes his tall black hat to reveal a balding pate. “I apologize for disturbing you,” he says in a deep, monotone voice. “I assume you are adventurers for hire? I was told this is the place to come with problems needing solutions. I seek your expertise for a small matter.” The man then introduces himself "I go by Brother Keefe, priest of Kelemvor and 'Keeper of the Dead' of Valhingen Graveyard in Phlan. I am charged with seeing to the interment of bodies and keeping records." With a somewhat sinister grin, he the calls himself “the overseer of all permanent residents of the Valhingen Graveyard."
He then pauses, his politeness allowing you a moment to offer feedback or asks questions if you deem appropriate (OOC: For instance, if you think your character would have interest in these matters, you are welcome to roll a history check on Valhingen Graveyard and/or a religion check on Kelemvor -- {DC 8} for both).
Cato gives Grelinda a silver piece for a cup of tea, asking her to keep the change, and apologizing for calling her by the wrong name earlier. Then I answer Brother Keefe. "What can we do for you, Brother Keefe?"
History check: 14
IRL: Dungeon Master--Adventures in the Cassitana Islands
PbP: Player--Esvaris Liadon, Wood Elf Monk 2/Cleric 2--Clerical Heirs: A Divine Mystery
”Yes Brother, please pull up a chair. Let us grab you an ale.” He throws down 14 cp to pay for wine and an ale for the brother.
Asley racks his brain to see if any of the things Brother Keefe has mentioned sound familiar.
Religion 5
Graxx gives Grelinda a silver as well and says, "I'll have one more ale. Gotta feeling its gonna be the last one for a while."
Grelinda pushes her untouched mug of ale towards Brother Keefe with a sigh "Guess it's back to work then..." She collects the coins thrown on the table, stands back up, and heads back to the bar to get Graxx another serving: "Anyone else wants a refill?"
(For those of you who succeed the {DC 8} history check on Valhingen Graveyard, feel free to take a peek inside, even retroactively):
Valhingen Graveyard is located on the west-most shore of the Stojanow, the river that divides the city of Phlan and its immediate surroundings into three distinct sections. Phlan’s graveyard is a statuesque garden of flowering plants and trees. One of Cvaal Daoran’s (The Lord Protector of Phlan more than 100 years ago) first acts was appointing a small contingent of Kelemvor faithful to clear the graveyard of undead. They perform mortuary and interment services for the city. Since falling under their care, there has been no undead activity in the graveyard, although it served as the well-known resting place of Miltiades; an undead paladin of legend.
Lord Protector Cvaal Daoran gave the graveyard to a small contingent of Kelemvor faithful shortly after his assumption of power in 1380 DR. With some assistance from local druids, the once-overgrown cemetery is now a meticulously groomed--albeit somber--resting place for the people of Phlan. Though small, the clergy work dutifully and efficiently, providing interment services for the city and are consulted in any dealings with undead in the general area of Phlan. The members of the Order remain impartial to the city’s conflicts that have arisen in the last year, and provide their services for free. They are beholden only to their Order and operate independent of financial assistance from the Cinnabar Throne (the sit of power in Phlan). They tend their own garden and livestock, so are seldom seen in town; save for the rare trip to obtain supplies they are not able to provide themselves.
Typical Cleric of Kelemvor: There are only a dozen clerics of Kelemvor in the graveyard. For the most part, the lower-ranking clerics are reserved as would be expected and dress in simple, rough-spun grey robes. Despite the name of their order, they do not swear a vow of silence, but are typically too busy for casual conversation.
(Same goes for the {DC 8} religion check on Kelemvor):
Kelemvor is also know as The Lord of the Dead or the Judge of the Damned. Kelemvor is seen as a just, fair, and comforting god of death. Death comes to all, and when it occurs Kelemvor is there to take each soul by the hand and lead it to the proper afterlife. Kelemvor’s priests teach that those who revere the gods according to the rites of their religion have done their proper service and will be offered the afterlife they seek. This god's symbol is an skeletal arm holding scales in balance.
The faithful of Kelemvor provide people with peaceful transitions into the care of the Lord of the Dead. They help the dying put their affairs in order, and they officiate at funeral rites for those who can’t afford the lavish ceremonies of their faith. The tenets of Kelemvor’s faithful compel them to forestall or prevent untimely deaths whenever possible. Different sects and worshipers define “untimely” in different ways. One group might concentrate on stopping the spread of disease, another on the prevention of murder, and yet another on eliminating the scourge of the undead. In fact, all the faithful of Kelemvor despise the undead and work to some degree to eliminate them, for undead of any sort are seen as an abomination of the natural order. This belief obviously puts Kelemvor’s faithful at odds with necromancers, priests of Myrkul, and others who promote the creation of the undead, and it also causes conflict from unexpected sources. For instance, priests of Kelemvor routinely destroy any writings about the creation of the undead that they find — an act that offends those who value knowledge for its own sake, such as the faithful of Oghma and Deneir. And there also exist undead that aren’t evil, such as the baelnorn, which the elves consider holy. Kelemvor’s devotees seek the end of such beings regardless of that fact.
After taking a couple of sips from the mug of ale Grelinda left him, Brother Keefe continues his explanation: "You see, I am also in charge of disinterment at the graveyard, and that is why I am looking for assistance this afternoon. Evidence has been brought forth to the clerics of Kelemvor that one of the long-standing residents of the cemetery, Xandria Welltran, was not in fact human, but a green dragon that had somehow been polymorphed. As the responsible party for this sort of task, I must now enter the crypt and inspect the body to confirm or disprove these claims. I fear that there may be more to this than meets the eye, but the other priests of Kelemvor laughed at me when I tried to seek their help. Hence, here I am."
The Kelemvor devout then addresses the matter of payment, something you can all tell he does not feel knowledgeable about. "I understand that such ventures come with their own perils and a recompense is expected. I can offer you all the contents of my personal coin purse plus a couple of interesting articles to help in case these perils materialize. I'm willing to provide these articles before we go into the crypt, but payment will have to wait until after the fact. Are these terms acceptable to the group?"
Grelinda reappears as Brother Keefe finishes making his request, placing a fresh mug of ale in front of Graxx and any other drink refills others might have ordered (please deduct the proper amounts from your wallets). This time, the young halfling girl does not entertain the possibility of sitting down, seemingly back to her wordless mood. She turns back towards the kitchen and begins leaving your immediate presence.
Utar's Religion Check - 16
Listening intently to the words of the Kelemvorite, Utar's eyes go wide at the mention of a dragon. "Do you suspect the involvement of dragon cultists in all this, Brother?"
(I'm just going to put another 1GP onto Drazzim's tab.)
Drazzim nods as he listens to them talk. "So go in, kick out any undead and other bad crap, an' come back to say it's all fine. Seems simple enough."
Asley looks around at the rest of the adventurers. "I know that I have yet to join this group in battle, but I would be most honored to join you on this quest. I would be more than happy to assist, Brother. Now, what can you tell us about these interesting articles."
While saying all this Asley does a quick insight check into the Brother to see if everything he's been saying has seemed to be forthright and true and that he's not hiding anything.
Insight 15
In response to Utar, Brother Keefe says "They are usually secretive, but I take it from your question that you've had the misfortune of dealing with them before... Yes, it is a possibility, but we can't be sure until we investigate."
Turning to Drazzim, "Yes, I'm afraid so. This specific crypt has been sealed for many years. There is no telling what you may find inside, especially if the rumors about Xandria are true."
Finally, to Asley "Oh, those would be minor magical articles issued to me when I first became a cleric of the Most Solemn Order of the Silent Shroud. I did so to spread the teachings of Kelemvor and prevent the spread of disease, so I'm afraid I never learned the proper use of articles of war. But I do not want to get your expectations up. At best they can offer you some minor enchantments, and I certainly do not have enough for all of you. I was simply trying to offer all I can in order to help you complete this task I request of you. We can stop by my abode on the way to the crypt. It's at the graveyard, within the temple of Kelemvor."
Asley's insight check:
Brother Keefe seems pretty forthright with the information he has shared so far, as well as with his concern, but you get a sense that he has chosen not to delve too deep into the exact source of his information.
Utar leans back in his seat, his cup of tea held in both hands. "What exactly are the rumours about Xandria? Other than she's a polymorphed green dragon who's been sealed in tomb for Torm knows how long."
Cato chimes in. "A dragon? Fascinating! I would love to help."
IRL: Dungeon Master--Adventures in the Cassitana Islands
PbP: Player--Esvaris Liadon, Wood Elf Monk 2/Cleric 2--Clerical Heirs: A Divine Mystery
Looking at Brother Keefe "This dragon sounds interesting to say the least" stopping and looking at the group "But, I've just received a message from the sis, I have to get going boys. I'm sorry I won't be spending time with you all this time. Stay safe, we'll catch up again soon."
Utar finishes his tea, returning the cup to the saucer onthe table. As Darrius stands to leave he gives him a nod goodbye. "See that you both stay safe."
"There is not much to go by, to be honest" Brother Keefe answers Utar. "All I've heard is what I have already shared with you, and, well, that a bunch of lousy thieves might be interested in this as well. Have you heard of the Welcomers, the thieves’ guild of Phlan? They have apparently been investigating various dragon-themed leads in the last month. The Welcomers may be involved in this as well, but I hope the rumors of Xandria have not reached their ears just yet."
"I understand that this is quite a request I have placed on your lap, and that some of you might not be up for it..." the Kelemvorite, looks briefly at Darrius' back as he leaves The Kettle "...most wouldn't... but I assure you that if this was a mere rumor as my fellow devout followers of Kelemvor believe, I would not be here right now." He then turns to Cato "And it seems I've picked the right group to investigate the matter, judging by that beautiful dragon-scale shield you are carrying."
“Well I have heard enough to be interested. I can be prepared to depart in minutes.”
Cato smiles, "Well, I cannot claim to have slain the beast whose scales surround my shield, but I do have some knowledge of the creatures."
IRL: Dungeon Master--Adventures in the Cassitana Islands
PbP: Player--Esvaris Liadon, Wood Elf Monk 2/Cleric 2--Clerical Heirs: A Divine Mystery
Graxx seems conflicted as he wants to offer his help to Darrius but knows his duty is to continue with his band. Graxx stands and says, “I’ll be there if something needs killing.”
Graxx takes his Greataxe and waits by the door. Peeking out to see if he catches a glimpse of his Darrius’s sister.