Ghosts of Saltmarsh (cbaer8) - Campaign Thread

Dwal nods and uses his will to alter the illusion to reshape it to a bit larger and in the middle of the room.
"Any you lad's know who she is?" Dwal asks. "There's coin fer anyone that can tell me!"

Dwal keeps his axe close just in case. 

Gerrard:

Gerrard’s focus is on Kei, who has said nothing about the results of his magics.  The young noble isn’t surprised that he himself didn’t detect any signs of possession or charming magic, but he hopes the bard can figure it out.

Kei 

Realising that their leader is waiting on him, he reports his findings. "Nothing abnormal that I can see" he shrugs. 

The blatant show of magic concerns him. The citizens here seems to not be quite so accepting of magic users and here was Dwal shoving it in their face. He takes the dwarf by the shoulder and asks in a whisper "You are yourself yes? It's not like you to be this brash." He listens carefully to his friends response.

Insight 9

A puzzled look comes over Dwal's face. He shrugs Kei's hand away. 

"What in tha Nine Hells are ya talkin' about?" he asks, not too quietly. 

Gerrard:

A look of intense sadness, perhaps loss, passes over Gerrard's face, then it is suddenly replaced by a determined mask.

"So be it," replies Gerrard to Kei, adding with a a sly smile, "Tell me Master Kei, should I aid in Dwal's investigation? Or perhaps I should just stand up and leave, telling no one where I am going.  I could head off to parts unknown, maybe even directly sabotage his efforts, then act like he is the addled one when he brings up the betrayal...Or is that too on the nose?"

Dwal looks at Gerrard and the Kei.
"Oh, its fine fer this one an tha halfling ta go trapsin' off followin' Aubreck ta who knows were but if'n tha dwarf does somethin' akin to it yer panties are in a bunch?"
 Dwal asks loudly. 
"I did what I did ta get an idea what we was up against. Now if that gives ya heartburn, that's on you."

With that Dwal head for the door. 

The tavern regulars gawk at Dwal and Boko's magic show, but offer little in the way of helpful tips. "Make it spin around!" shouts one. "Make 'em fight each other!" shouts another.

(With a 9, Kei detects nothing arcanely out-of-whack with Dwal.) 

With Gerrard threatening to leave, and Dwal heading for the door, the tavern's manager smiles and opens it for both of them. "Have a good evening, Master Feldren and fine friends."  He's clearly had a long day and is ready for it to end.

Gerrard:

”Indeed, it does appear our welcome here has been worn out…in more ways than one,” says the young noble, heading out into the night.

Boko watches Dwal leave, again. She blinks. Shakes her head in momentary exasperation. Walks over to the tavern manager. "Apologies for the show. I don't usually stick around town long, but I have business here with Master Feldren and his compatriots. Regarding the images he created in the middle of your bar. Have you seen them around? Live a couple doors down? If you don't recognize them," and she describes the door Dwal went into, specific directions of where it is. Asks him if he knows anything at all about it.

Kei 

It appears to the usually self absorbed bard that this thing between Gerrard and Dwal has taken on a life of its own. The sarcasm that came dripping off the nobles words were not lost on Kei. He jogs to catch-up to his friend and in an out of character moment asks "Is everything ok Gerrard? I mean, I never thought I'd hear that kind of cynicism fall.from your lips". He continues to walk alongside his friend, not saying anything further, hoping that his presence is reassuring enough. Afterall, this was a position completely unknown to him.

Gerrard:

     “I appreciate your concern, Master Kei,” responds Gerrard.  Opening up, he says, “I am worried for Dwal.  He walked off from our group without telling anyone where he was going, went into a building linked to an ancient mind-controlling evil and its mind slaves and the door locked behind him. If he had but mentioned this plan to us, we could have supported him, but as it was he is fortunate not to have been captured or killed.”

”He endangered himself and has blown Boko’s cover since she is the only one who knew where the door was.  Even worse, the fact that he doesn’t see anything wrong with his behavior means it will happen again, and may well get some of us killed.  Our missions are dangerous enough with us working together,” he continues.

”Speaking of working together, I have found out what happened to Master Fenwader, though I am unsure what to do about it except visit his place of incarceration and attempt to understand the charges against him,” Gerrard finishes.

Dwal walks out into the cold and storm and goes straight to the door in question. Standing outside, he looks it over. 

Kei 

Walking beside his friend he loses track of where they are. He continues to talk seriously to Gerrard "You know once our priest gets a bee in his beard he won't stop till he's satisfied. Perhaps that's all it is - he ants to get to the bottom of this. Quickly." He kicks at the snow as they trudge on. "We should follow his lead. He may be crabby sometimes, but if you ask me we're better off with him than without. But don't you dare tell him that, I'll deny I said anything." He smirks as he says the last part. "Anyway, where are we headed?" 

Gerrard trudges out into the black, swirling snow, close to a foot deep now. Kei soon joins him. (Where to?)

Dwal wanders back into the alley system, toward the door. He absentmindedly notices that the strange triton is gone.

Boko grills the black-eyed manager about the building's inhabitants. He sighs heavily and thinks for a moment (Int check: 16)

"I don't know," he finally admits. "A lot of people live back there. Transients, squatters, cutthroats. Not a place for good folks to wander into unless you know how. We keep on good terms with our immediate neighbors, but you get a couple blocks back in those old buildings and you don't know who you might find. Or might find you. Ratmen, for one. And things that don't ever come out into the daylight. I'd stick to the main roads if you're from out of town. Safer." He continues to hold the door open, as the remaining customers file out. "Have a good night."

Gerrard:

”indeed, he has given us little choice if we want to help keep him alive.  Let us hope this sudden obsession is transitory,” responds Gerrard.  Seeing Boko come out of the door, he calls, “Let us hurry and follow the impulsive dwarf before he disappears from sight again,” as he turns to continue moving with Kei after Dwal’s receding form.

Gerrard briefly looks around and asks, “Where did Lilyn go?  Has she abandoned us?”

Boko nods and follows the group after the dwarf, to the door, once again. Eyes open for anything different, anything observing, anything on the rooftops.

Perception: 25

Dwal finds the door as he left it, closed, locked, and marked. Boko, likewise, spies no new dangers.
Boko does, however, spot a note in the alley just behind the tavern, on a fresh scrap of parchment, not yet covered with snow.

She approaches the note, and looks for any odd tracks around it, before picking it up and looking at it.

There are a number of tracks in the area, but Boko would see that the most recent set of footprints leads directly up to the wall of a building, then stops abruptly. Looking up, she might notice some odd smudges of snow on the brickwork, indicating somebody rather hastily climbed up to the rooftop.

The note is written in delicate cursive and reads,

Dear Boko, Dwal, Gerrard, and Kei,

I attempted to return to the hotel and write this note for you there, but the doorman didn't recognize me and wouldn't let me in, so I hope that you find it wherever I end up leaving it. I would like to thank you all for your kindness and hospitality during my brief time in Seaton, and apologize for departing so abruptly. This city has shown me little of either, and I am grateful to have found at least a few good people. Unfortunately, I don't believe it is safe for me to stay here any longer. I see the way the guards tense up when I pass by, and I fear it is only a matter of time before another incident occurs. I wish you all luck in your endeavors, and hope we will meet again under better circumstances.

-Lilyn

Kei 

Attempting to recall the location of the door, Kei walks side by side with Gerrard through the snow. The apparent disappearance of Lilyn is a little disturbing considering the nights events but he shrugs it off as perhaps being normal for her.