It's a long slog in the steady rain. You're grateful, at least, to be riding and not walking. The ruts in the dirt road become muddy, although eventually sandier as you slowly climb onto higher ground.
Seth is sullen, grumbling occasionally. He leads the way. Farley is silent and vacant. Butter, driving the cart, sips from his waterskin and begins to sing.
"As me an' me marra was puttin' the tram, The lowe it went oot, and me marra went wrang; Ye wad ha' laughed had ye seen the gam, The De'Il tyeuk me marra, but aw gat the tram."
"I'm not quite sure what he is singing about. Not a language I understand." Dwal says frankly. "But, he is a human so..." Dwal lets the last trail off.
It's a dreary day, and you meet no one on the road. At one point, Seth squints far into the scrubby moors and asks Farley, "Are those orcs?" ...But they're not, they're boulders. Butter continues his song.
You finally arrive at the field where Onald lay, not far from the house. His body lies face-down where you left him yesterday. A trio of crows fly away as you approach the field.
Butter and Farley approach the body. Seth climbs into the wagon and stands on the seat, shading his eyes as he surveys the landscape. Butter stumbles and falls in the overgrown field, and Farley helps him up.
You see the distant shape of the house, on the peak of the hill, silhouetted against the heavily overcast morning sky.
Dwal will dismount and move to where the corpse lay. He will take out his hammer, clean it off a bit to make sure then will say:
"Stay clear for a moments lads and ladies. The dead must be guided a bit before we move their body."
With that Dwal will start chanting. As he chants he takes out his water skin, pouring a bit of water over his hammer. Then he will pour a bit of water over the head of the corpse. Putting his water skin away he will continue chanting as he raises his hammer high over his head. He then brings the hammer down gently touching the head of the corpse and finishes the spell.
While the guardsmen collect Onald's body, Peri will attempt to answer some of Missy's questions. "I don't really know anything about the ethereal plane, other than that it's there. While we were in the blob it was like being underwater, only we could breathe and there was no sense of up and down. Just a big expanse of nothing. There was a vast shiny wall by us, that looked like the blob only it seemed to go on forever, and then we got sucked through it and ended up back in this world. I have no idea if it really was the ethereal plane, that's just the first thing I thought of."
"You're not armored up like the other guards. What is it you do for the Town Guard?"
"That doesn't exactly fit what I know of the ethereal plane... then again none of that really fits what I know." She tilts her head thoughtfully, still facing Peri but her eyes distant, she doesn't react to his question. "It certainly sounds like another plane..." There's a pause while she thinks before her eyes focus on Peri again and she asks, "You couldn't even see the ship while inside? And what about the creatures?" Then she finally seems to register his question.
"Oh! Well, I just do what the other guards do. They're a bit short on hands right now so they're happy to take any volunteers, even one's who don't know how to wear armour! Not that I need to, magics more my thing."She shrugs with a smile.
After Dwal finishes his rites, Butter and Farley each grab one booted foot, and drag Onald's stiffened, face-down figure back to the road. Onald's head drags and bounces a bit on the tufts of yellowed grass. Huffing and puffing, they load the body into the wagon, face down. A thin rain continues to fall.
Climbing down from the wagon, Seth stands with his hands on his hips, watching carefully. Then he looks at Dwal, Peri, and Qivys and announces, "Okay. We're going to clear this house out now. Stay quiet, stay back, and don't get involved unless I tell you to. You're only here as guides."
"You." He says to Qivys. "You've been inside. There's what - one magician and one other guy?" He pats his longsword and smiles confidently.
Answering Seth, his voice quivers a little at the start. "Sanbalet - that's the mage. There were at least a dozen cots in the one room. We lay a few down, so at least a half dozen guys left, if not more. Plus there was a hobgoblin"he spits on the ground in disgust "so I guess there's a chance of more. They were quite deadly with their bows, but not overly handy with a blade."The memories are painful, but Qiv tries his hardest to recall any details that may help. "Oh, and watch out for the first step when we go down into the cellar. It screeches, magically. It'll tip 'em off that we're coming."
He composes himself and asks of Seth "Can we secure my friends before we head to the house? I need to know they're taken care of. After that, I'm yours to command. I'm fairly handy on the front line and I have a score to settle, but I'll defer to your lead"The last words said through gritted teeth, almost as if he was forced to say as much.
"Don't worry. We'll leave one of 'em for you to kill, if you want. But I am in command of this operation," Seth says to Qivys, sternly. "Let's go."
The decrepit house sits on the highest ground in the area. Around it, the stone wall has crumbled in many places, exposing the interior grounds. The ornate metal gate lies open at the end of the road, swaying slightly in the wind. Wild flora grows throughout the inner yard, but all the years cannot hide the evidence of a well-tended garden that once sat here. Near the house, the rotted wooden roof of a water well rises out of the tall grass.
Without hesitation, Seth leads the seven of you down the old cobbled path, including Butter's cart. Its wheels clatter on the old stones. The cold rain seeps deeper into your bones.
He doesn't stop at the side door, but instead leads the group to the front of the house.
Even in the rain, the view is breathtaking. A sheer cliffs drops away near the edge of the path, perhaps a hundred feet or more straight down into the booming rocky ocean below. Clearly a lot of erosion has taken place since this house was built. It's not safe to get too close to the sodden edge.
Seth smiles at Dwal. "I'm a Sergeant and Watch Commander in the Saltmarsh City Guard, and so I AM the Crown here. I've kicked down the doors of more old houses like this than I can count. I once killed a man with a shovel! Now stand back and let us do our job."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Dwal
Dwal just nods.
He will say to speak to Qivys in Dwarven: "Mind that one, he's too over anxious and eager for war."
Dwal will position himself so he has a clear view of what transpires. Dwal will look the residence over, looking for movement inside the windows and doors he can see.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Peri will stay well back from the guardsmen, but will try to stealthily creep over to peek in the windows on the northeast wall (below the words "ground floor" on the map).
The party is currently on the south side of the house, near the end of the path and on the edge of the cliff, near the front door. (Very bottom of the map, middle.)
Peri slips around the side and peeks into several windows on the east side of the house. While once boarded up, there are plenty of gaps and holes allowing light to stream in (and curious halflings to peek in.)
The room in the southeast corner was once a living area of some sort. Aside from a large amount of plaster that has fallen from the ceiling, this room is bare.
Adjacent to the north is a long, featureless hallway, the walls adorned with patches of mold. Cobwebs and dust are thick, and rubbish is scattered everywhere.
Neither Dwal nor Peri see any signs of activity. The rain continues to patter the house (and yourselves.)
Seth climbs down from his horse and strides up to the front door. He bangs on it with his fist. "In the name of the Crown, open up!" He gestures for Missy, Butter, and Farley to prepare to enter. Butter staggers dangerously getting out of his wagon- he's evidently quite drunk. He still softly singing his song ("Oh marra, oh marra, what dost thou think? / I've broken me bottle and spilt a' me drink...")
Although the door is obviously unlocked and barely hanging on its frame, Seth kicks it in with a splintering crash. "Let's go!" he barks, waving his longsword in the air. Farley and Butter load their heavy crossbows, Butter rather sloppily.
"Yondalla's Horn," he mutters to himself, "these fools are going to get us all killed."
Turning to Qivys he asks, "Is it your intention to go toe-to-toe with the folks who last attacked you, or are you just wanting to retrieve the bodies of your mates? If it's the latter you're after, we can just creep in and grab them whilst these buffoons provide a distraction. But, if it's a fight you're lookin' for, I'm game as well."
"Steady your heart young halfling. The All Father wove the skein of your life a long time ago, your end will come no matter what. We are judged on how we live it." He says.
Dwal will dismount, tie his horse to a bush then unloose his war hammer and pull his shield.
(OCC: Blatant plagiarism I know but, I enjoy the line.)
Missy obediently climbs off her horse and ties it up before following the Guards inside. She wishes Peri had gotten a chance to answer her questions. She wishes she'd had a chance to question Qivys. Still it didn't sound like there was much magic going on here, apart from the magician, which was her main interest.
Stepping inside she glances around curiously, wishing she'd had the chance to peak in the windows. Standing in the foyer she grips the arcane focus around her neck and casts mage armor on herself.
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It's a long slog in the steady rain. You're grateful, at least, to be riding and not walking.
The ruts in the dirt road become muddy, although eventually sandier as you slowly climb onto higher ground.
Seth is sullen, grumbling occasionally. He leads the way. Farley is silent and vacant.
Butter, driving the cart, sips from his waterskin and begins to sing.
"As me an' me marra was puttin' the tram,
The lowe it went oot, and me marra went wrang;
Ye wad ha' laughed had ye seen the gam,
The De'Il tyeuk me marra, but aw gat the tram."
He's not a very good singer.
Dwal
Dwal leans near and says lowly:
"I'm not quite sure what he is singing about. Not a language I understand." Dwal says frankly. "But, he is a human so..." Dwal lets the last trail off.
Qivys
"Honestly, I don't think it's water in that skin" he snorts with a chuckle and wink.
It's a dreary day, and you meet no one on the road. At one point, Seth squints far into the scrubby moors and asks Farley, "Are those orcs?" ...But they're not, they're boulders. Butter continues his song.
You finally arrive at the field where Onald lay, not far from the house. His body lies face-down where you left him yesterday. A trio of crows fly away as you approach the field.
Butter and Farley approach the body. Seth climbs into the wagon and stands on the seat, shading his eyes as he surveys the landscape. Butter stumbles and falls in the overgrown field, and Farley helps him up.
You see the distant shape of the house, on the peak of the hill, silhouetted against the heavily overcast morning sky.
You sit on your mounts and wait.
Dwal
Dwal will dismount and move to where the corpse lay. He will take out his hammer, clean it off a bit to make sure then will say:
"Stay clear for a moments lads and ladies. The dead must be guided a bit before we move their body."
With that Dwal will start chanting. As he chants he takes out his water skin, pouring a bit of water over his hammer. Then he will pour a bit of water over the head of the corpse. Putting his water skin away he will continue chanting as he raises his hammer high over his head. He then brings the hammer down gently touching the head of the corpse and finishes the spell.
Cast: Ceremony-Funeral Rite
Peri:
While the guardsmen collect Onald's body, Peri will attempt to answer some of Missy's questions. "I don't really know anything about the ethereal plane, other than that it's there. While we were in the blob it was like being underwater, only we could breathe and there was no sense of up and down. Just a big expanse of nothing. There was a vast shiny wall by us, that looked like the blob only it seemed to go on forever, and then we got sucked through it and ended up back in this world. I have no idea if it really was the ethereal plane, that's just the first thing I thought of."
"You're not armored up like the other guards. What is it you do for the Town Guard?"
Missy
"That doesn't exactly fit what I know of the ethereal plane... then again none of that really fits what I know." She tilts her head thoughtfully, still facing Peri but her eyes distant, she doesn't react to his question. "It certainly sounds like another plane..." There's a pause while she thinks before her eyes focus on Peri again and she asks, "You couldn't even see the ship while inside? And what about the creatures?" Then she finally seems to register his question.
"Oh! Well, I just do what the other guards do. They're a bit short on hands right now so they're happy to take any volunteers, even one's who don't know how to wear armour! Not that I need to, magics more my thing." She shrugs with a smile.
After Dwal finishes his rites, Butter and Farley each grab one booted foot, and drag Onald's stiffened, face-down figure back to the road. Onald's head drags and bounces a bit on the tufts of yellowed grass. Huffing and puffing, they load the body into the wagon, face down. A thin rain continues to fall.
Climbing down from the wagon, Seth stands with his hands on his hips, watching carefully. Then he looks at Dwal, Peri, and Qivys and announces, "Okay. We're going to clear this house out now. Stay quiet, stay back, and don't get involved unless I tell you to. You're only here as guides."
"You." He says to Qivys. "You've been inside. There's what - one magician and one other guy?" He pats his longsword and smiles confidently.
Qivys
Answering Seth, his voice quivers a little at the start. "Sanbalet - that's the mage. There were at least a dozen cots in the one room. We lay a few down, so at least a half dozen guys left, if not more. Plus there was a hobgoblin" he spits on the ground in disgust "so I guess there's a chance of more. They were quite deadly with their bows, but not overly handy with a blade." The memories are painful, but Qiv tries his hardest to recall any details that may help. "Oh, and watch out for the first step when we go down into the cellar. It screeches, magically. It'll tip 'em off that we're coming."
He composes himself and asks of Seth "Can we secure my friends before we head to the house? I need to know they're taken care of. After that, I'm yours to command. I'm fairly handy on the front line and I have a score to settle, but I'll defer to your lead" The last words said through gritted teeth, almost as if he was forced to say as much.
(You left the remains of Omen and Kas on the floor of the kitchen, yesterday. Near the side door by the well.)
"Don't worry. We'll leave one of 'em for you to kill, if you want. But I am in command of this operation," Seth says to Qivys, sternly. "Let's go."
The decrepit house sits on the highest ground in the area. Around it, the stone wall has crumbled in many places, exposing the interior grounds. The ornate metal gate lies open at the end of the road, swaying slightly in the wind. Wild flora grows throughout the inner yard, but all the years cannot hide the evidence of a well-tended garden that once sat here. Near the house, the rotted wooden roof of a water well rises out of the tall grass.
Without hesitation, Seth leads the seven of you down the old cobbled path, including Butter's cart. Its wheels clatter on the old stones. The cold rain seeps deeper into your bones.
He doesn't stop at the side door, but instead leads the group to the front of the house.
Even in the rain, the view is breathtaking. A sheer cliffs drops away near the edge of the path, perhaps a hundred feet or more straight down into the booming rocky ocean below. Clearly a lot of erosion has taken place since this house was built. It's not safe to get too close to the sodden edge.
Dwal
Dwal watches the proceedings with some concern. "Seth" he asks, "Just how many conflicts have you been a part of?"
Seth smiles at Dwal. "I'm a Sergeant and Watch Commander in the Saltmarsh City Guard, and so I AM the Crown here. I've kicked down the doors of more old houses like this than I can count. I once killed a man with a shovel! Now stand back and let us do our job."
Dwal
Dwal just nods.
He will say to speak to Qivys in Dwarven: "Mind that one, he's too over anxious and eager for war."
Dwal will position himself so he has a clear view of what transpires. Dwal will look the residence over, looking for movement inside the windows and doors he can see.
Investigation: 12
Peri will stay well back from the guardsmen, but will try to stealthily creep over to peek in the windows on the northeast wall (below the words "ground floor" on the map).
Stealth 18
The party is currently on the south side of the house, near the end of the path and on the edge of the cliff, near the front door. (Very bottom of the map, middle.)
Peri slips around the side and peeks into several windows on the east side of the house. While once boarded up, there are plenty of gaps and holes allowing light to stream in (and curious halflings to peek in.)
The room in the southeast corner was once a living area of some sort. Aside from a large amount of plaster that has fallen from the ceiling, this room is bare.
Adjacent to the north is a long, featureless hallway, the walls adorned with patches of mold. Cobwebs and dust are thick, and rubbish is scattered everywhere.
Neither Dwal nor Peri see any signs of activity. The rain continues to patter the house (and yourselves.)
Seth climbs down from his horse and strides up to the front door. He bangs on it with his fist. "In the name of the Crown, open up!" He gestures for Missy, Butter, and Farley to prepare to enter. Butter staggers dangerously getting out of his wagon- he's evidently quite drunk. He still softly singing his song ("Oh marra, oh marra, what dost thou think? / I've broken me bottle and spilt a' me drink...")
Although the door is obviously unlocked and barely hanging on its frame, Seth kicks it in with a splintering crash. "Let's go!" he barks, waving his longsword in the air. Farley and Butter load their heavy crossbows, Butter rather sloppily.
Peri:
"Yondalla's Horn," he mutters to himself, "these fools are going to get us all killed."
Turning to Qivys he asks, "Is it your intention to go toe-to-toe with the folks who last attacked you, or are you just wanting to retrieve the bodies of your mates? If it's the latter you're after, we can just creep in and grab them whilst these buffoons provide a distraction. But, if it's a fight you're lookin' for, I'm game as well."
Dwal
Dwal looks around a bit:
"Steady your heart young halfling. The All Father wove the skein of your life a long time ago, your end will come no matter what. We are judged on how we live it." He says.
Dwal will dismount, tie his horse to a bush then unloose his war hammer and pull his shield.
(OCC: Blatant plagiarism I know but, I enjoy the line.)
Missy
Missy obediently climbs off her horse and ties it up before following the Guards inside. She wishes Peri had gotten a chance to answer her questions. She wishes she'd had a chance to question Qivys. Still it didn't sound like there was much magic going on here, apart from the magician, which was her main interest.
Stepping inside she glances around curiously, wishing she'd had the chance to peak in the windows. Standing in the foyer she grips the arcane focus around her neck and casts mage armor on herself.