THE JOURNEY TO RED LARCH

Following your orders, you begin the journey to the largest main settlement where the delegate caravan was presumed lost. The journey to the town of Red Larch was largely uneventful. It gave you all a chance to get to know each other a bit better, and not to mention it was a beautiful day in the Realms as the coach carried you all to the settlement. That path you took is highlighted in blue.

Red Larch is a little town on the Long Road, a few days’ travel north of Waterdeep and past the town of Amphail. Red Larch is a way station for caravans coming to or from the cities of the North, with only one inn, the Swinging Sword. When you arrive, the whole town is also abuzz with news and rumors of fierce raiders, roaming monsters, suspicious strangers, and unseasonable weather. In Red Larch, there are three places you could visit: the town tavern (The Helm At Highsun), the common room of the town inn (The Swinging Sword), or the store (Gaelkur’s).

Here is an opportunity to spend the rest of the day at any or all of these places to see if you guys can overhear and find out some rumors about what exactly might be going on. After all, you're gonna need a lead or two. This will require an WIS Insight Check of DC15. Between all of you, we’ll need a total of THREE successes. I'll count the first three and post what you guys overhear. Feel free to RP what you guys do, and say.

Strife: You replay your orders in your mind as your travel with your companions on their search for the missing delegation. But..your orders were a little different: "The Zhentarim aren’t particularly concerned about the delegation for its own sake, but they see an interesting opportunity here to rescue the missing delegates and win the gratitude of the leaders of Mirabar. Accordingly, you were told, a Zhentarim operative wants to prove the good faith of the Black Network by lending a helping hand." Smiling, you seem to be fitting in PERFECTLY. Doing something good for the Zhents would definately improve your favor. You chuckle slightly knowing this'll be a simple operation. You even like your rank, "FANG".

Insight: 9

During the trip to Red Larch, Mercy begged off riding inside the coach with the others. Instead, she sat up front with the driver, giving the excuse that she'd gotten ill the last time she'd traveled blind. The truth, of course, was that the fact every last official member of the search party was a jingling mass of noise had her wondering how she would fare should she split off from the group and go her own way. The fact that her gut told her she would need those noisy targets at her side disturbed her and gave her pause. In almost total silence, she sat by the driver and mulled it over.

When they finally reached their destination, she climbed down from her perch and walked around the coach to open the door for the rest of the party. "I'm going to take a walk around town to stretch my legs. I'll meet you at the tavern before dark." With that, Mercy set off to find out where the local urchins and beggars gathered. People always forgot the eyes and ears of the hungry and desperate were focused on them when they went about their business, and the rogue was willing to wager that this town was no exception.

Carrhae leaves her weapons and armor with the rest of the party and changes into a red tunic that reveals a fair bit of her cleavage. She walks into the tavern, knowing that the natural gifts that the gods gave her will attract multiple suitors who will try to occupy her with drinks and conversation. Hopefully over the course of the afternoon, she'll be able to converse with someone that has useful information in regards to where the missing delegates are and not just a bunch of horny drunks that will say anything to get with her.

Insight:14

As the caravan approached the town of Red Larch, Daewen clamped her eyes shut, and tried to close out the world, concentrating on the mission ahead of her.  Two missions, she reminder herself.  The Raven Queen, and the Harpers.  Relaxing somewhat, she tunes her senses towards the town and surrounding areas, trying to get a sense of what lay ahead (casting Primeval Awareness). 

Upon alighting from the carriage, she notices the brooding Tiefling slinking off alone, apart from the group.  Finding her the most curious one of the group, and possibly holding the most unique tragedy she can record and bring back to her beloved Raven Queen, she follows suit from a distance in the shadows (Stealth: 7).

OOC: Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap.  I think Daewen forgot to take off her florescent pink traveling cloak and replace it with her black adventuring garb...

The town was unusually quiet at midday, a fact which put Mercy on edge. Something was obviously wrong, and there wasn't anyone on the streets she would typically ask. No urchin who'd talk for some free food, no beggar who'd run errands for a coin. Nobody. Gradually, she became aware of a faint tinkling behind her. At first, she thought her mind was playing tricks on her, that the jingling fools were simply driving her mad. Then, she realized, one of them was following her.

Rolling her eyes, the Tiefling stopped at the door of a shop called Gaelkur's and turned her head slightly toward her unwelcome shadow. "You really ought to get rid of those bells. They make it impossible to sneak up on anything." Having voiced her opinion on the matter, she stepped inside and began to peruse the shopkeep's wares.

After Mercy had split off from the group to query the destitute, Strife whispered her concern to Trini using their native Infernal language. "It really seems like she doesn't want to be around us. I don't get it. Who could be more entertaining than us? We've got songs, stories, music, and hello? Your bells are adorable and festive! I suppose we should make more of an effort to include her - I don't want her to feel we're ignoring her, or that we wouldn't welcome her company. I hope she's not jealous or something just. because.. we..."

Strife's voice trailed off and faded into silence as she observed Carrhae walk by in her social armor. The metallic rattle of her plates gradually diminished with each sway of her hips as she headed away from the carriage and toward the tavern. "Well... Um. What was I saying? -She shoulda been a bard. -Carrhae, that is. Not Mercy. Anyway, let's go check out the tavern! Whaddya say? Spin a few yarns, maybe get some free drinks, and we can chronicle the exploits of the armored pulchritude. There's bound to be at least one memorable tale to tell. Incidentally, do you think there's any possibility they have a library here someplace?"

Insight (+1): 11

It's probably a good thing that Mercy avoided the coach for the most part because Trini would have entertained the party for at least part of their travels, pulling out her tambourine and playing a few melodies. If she could she would endeavor to get Strife involved. Nothing like a joint tiefling bard party to liven things up. 

Watching Mercy go her own way once they reached the town, Trini will nod along with Strife. "Oh absolutely. You think maybe if we give her some bells she'll feel more included?" It's very much a tongue in cheek response and she grins. "Seems like a small place for a library I think. I traveled to a lot of small towns before hitting bigger ones, but it couldn't hurt to look around on our way to the tavern."

She'll head with Strife to the tavern keeping an eye out for a library or book store as they go. Otherwise she'll entertain folks at the tavern trying to glean any information by asking about local tales and stories wide-eyed and curious. 

Insight 9

Stunned that her cover was burned, Daewen will quickly shoot off into a nearby alleyway, in shame.  Quickly recovering, she casts Disguise Self on herself, and changes into a mirror image of Mercy.

Oozing out of the alley in Mercy's characteristic way, she walks into Gaelkur's shop and walks right up to the shelf where Mercy was currently browsing, looks over at her, and winks and grins.

Turning, DaeMercy will walk over to the counter where the shop keeper is, and attempt to listen in to the conversation that he/she is having with one of the townspeople (Perception: 22).

She'd been trying to see if there was anything in the way of writing supplies when the door opened..and she walked in. Mercy arched an eyebrow at her doppelganger, watching her in mild confusion. Who and why...? Shrugging, she went back to her browsing for a minute, before tossing over her shoulder "Ask the shopkeep if there's any way we can buy a map of the area, since you're over there." And she moved over to the next shelf, keeping an eye on her twin out of the corner of her eye. 

Zephyr attempted to protest Mercy's sudden want to split up the group until they saw Daewen stalk behind her. That's one way to make sure she's safe... Okay--! He would be the one to set aside Carrhae's armor in the coach and as he did so, he would eavesdrop in Trini and Strife's conversation and just as he turned around to join them, the pair had set off behind the Paladin. Zephyr stood silent a moment, finally alone, and double checking to make sure no one could see them.

"Oh, thank the Traveler," He sighed, dropping his mask and fumbling with their bag. "I'll just ask some people questions with a different face, then show up with whatever I find as Barry. Got it? Got it."

They would then shift into a a form that closely resembled Carrhae's only with skin tone a shade darker and fiery red hair. Firstly, she goes about changing clothes, leaving her armor behind but keeping her weapons, then adjusts her 'gifts'.

"Perfect!"

Zephyr goes to visit populated areas to see what they could find, making sure to pry further if needed and using her beautiful visage as an advantage.

Insight: 12

RED LARCH RUMORS!

Zephyr: No one saw you dopple into another form. Your temporary new form was sultry, and beautiful. You take a stroll through the marketplace in the afternoon and easily manage to pick up something rather important by having a somewhat flirtatious conversation with a caravan guard. Here's what you learn: The Mirabar delegation was last seen in the town of Beliard. 

Trini / Strife:  The tavern was more than happy to have two very good looking women entertain them. You guys even found a local bookstore. Most importantly however, two bits of information were revealed while you two were performing and schmoozing:  A dozen beautiful old books written in Dwarvish showed up in the cargo of a shady keelboat skipper in Womford. Endrith Vallivoe, a local shopkeeper, who bought one of the books from a merchant recently arrived from Womford. And, Four new graves — simple rock cairns, really — have appeared on a windswept hilltop in the Sumber Hills, a few miles outside of town. Larmon Greenboot found them, and he has no idea who would have been buried out there in the last few days. He offers to guide you both to the site where he found the graves, but he insists on waiting until morning.

Carrhae: You were so close to getting some information, but the men, the gnome, and a dwarven woman with the beard you attracted with your beautiful looks, were just a tad more interested in your cleavage than in sharing with you anything they may or may not have known with you that afternoon. The good news was you didn't pay for a single meal or drink and you come out of the experience buzzed because it would have been rude not to drink. As you left the tavern, you also discovered about 5 gold pieces down between your twins.

Mercy: Finding the slums of town was easy, but it was oddly quiet. Starting to REALLY hate bells, you find Daewen following you. Stepping into Gaelkur's, it seems to be a typical general store that sells anything you can find in the PHB at listed prices. He gives you a strange look as his eyes dart back and forth from DaeMercywen to you.

Daewen: Your Primeval Awareness spell did not detect anything within one mile, but good thinking. Your pink travelling cloak did indeed give you away that you were following Mercy. She gives you some valuable advice you'll probably never follow as you scurry into and out of that alley to morph into her. =P The shopkeeper is more confused/amazed/startled that there's two exact copies of DaewenMercy than to divulge in casual conversation. 

With three rolls passing, you guys "unlock" the next step of the campaign by opening up three side quests in your search of the exact location of the delegation members.

BELIARD: The Mirabar delegation was last seen in the town of Beliard.
SHALLOW GRAVES: Four new graves have appeared on a windswept hilltop in the Sumber Hills
WOMFORD RATS: A dozen beautiful old books written in Dwarvish showed up in the cargo of a shady keelboat skipper in Womford.

Pick one to start, and the quest continues!

I've circled Beliard, drawn some really bad grey gravemarkers LOL, and Womford is the next town down by purple arrow.

Carrhae is noticeably tipsy as she walks up to the table the rest of the group is sitting at. She begins rambling on about her day. "Sorry, I couldn't gain anything from the tavern. I mean, there were tons of people who were willing to talk to me because of *points to cans* but none of them had anything actually useful. But they bought me food! And drinks! I might have had one or two more than I should've. There were some humans, a gnome, and a Dwarf lady. At least, I think she was a lady. She had a beard. And boobs. Not as good as mine though. *finds gold in boobs* Thank you, horny bartenders for this! I swear that boobs are one of the best gifts that Sune ever gave to women.Or would it be two? Oh, I'm sorry, this is nonsense. Were any of you able to get anything useful? She says as she puts her armor back on.

Once she was certain there was no map to be had at this shop, Mercy took the arm of her doppleganger. "Alright, sister. Time to go. Maybe the others had better luck." She led her copy out of the shop and back toward the tavern. "Better pray they did. Something bad's going on here. It just isn't normal for the slums of a town to be so quiet." It was the most she'd spoken to any member of the group, but she'd come to terms that even the noisier members of the party had strengths she would need to find the answers she'd been hired to find.

When they reached the tavern, she glanced inside. "They seem to be enjoying themselves." The words were muttered as she slipped inside and joined the two Tiefling bards. "I hope you lot had better luck than we did. Let's go outside and compare notes."

Carrhae: A couple of patrons groan in sadness as you put your armor on. The bearded dwarven woman wiggles her fingers at you in her best saucy "see you later". 

SIDE QUEST: SHALLOW GRAVES

Here's the setup.

Larmon Greenboot, a shepard in Red Larch, leads you all to the site of the grave markers. On a barren hilltop a few miles from Red Larch, you find four freshly dug shallow graves. The earth scraped out for the holes is piled nearby, although hastily gathered stones cover the graves. The faint smell of death hangs in the air, and several vultures circle overhead.

Larmon drawls, "I let my sheep graze in a nearby vale, and I passed by this spot less than a month ago. There were no graves present on my previous visit. I found them just a couple of days ago and has no idea who might be buried here — none of the folk of Red Larch are missing, and I don’t know of anyone else out this way. The hills are mostly uninhabited."

Carrhae looks down at the crudely made graves and then to her sisters in arms. "You don't think that our missing delegates ran into a foul end and have been placed here, do you? I suppose there's only one way to find out. But give me a moment before you start digging." Carrhae closes her eyes and allows the material world to fade for a moment as she uses her Divine Sense to see whether or not these graves were consecrated.

Your divine sense does not reveal anything. (No undead, fiend, or celestial auras detected.)

Carrhae opens her eyes, turns back to the group and gives a thumbs up to indicate that everything is clear .

Mercy stared at the shallow graves, a proper frown drawing the corners of her lips down. She waited for the Paladin to do whatever it was she was doing and tell them it was safe, then cleared her throat. "Digging them up will take too much time, and there's the danger of harming their bodies. Not sure what their beliefs were, but I would rather avoid that, personally." She hesitated a moment, then lowered her hood, black horns glinting in the sunlight. "That being said...there's another way."

Nervous, she bit her bottom lip and refused to look at the others as she knelt between the two center graves and set her hands to the loosened earth. She closed her eyes, focusing on what she wanted to have happen. "Mother save me." The words left her lips as a whisper, the emotion tied to it calling a power within her. The earth around them trembled, the loosened earth shifting within the shallow graves, lifting the bodies within gently to the surface. The process took about a minute, though Mercy remained where she was, fingers now resting on the shoulders of two corpses. She didn't look at the others as she fought back her emotions.

Daewen, tranformed back to her normal dreary self, starts to walk circles around the area. While the rest of the group inspect the graves, she’s looking for tracks leading into and/or out of the grave area.

Perception: 9

Survival: 21