The man replies to Ash "No safe house in this back water town. The closest safe house was in Odaigo but I'm sure you have heard what has happened there." The man then hands him his coin.
"Thank you kindly, sir. Now can I get you a drink? Maybe it could help you to forget your troubles for awhile." Ash rings down the waitress and orders a house special and beers.
The man turns around to grab his belongings and join Ash at the table when hee realizes his book is gone. He looks around briefly for the book before hearing him say "Eh, I'm sure that book will turn up somewhere." He sits next to Ash and continues to enjoy the festivities.
Laurentia reaches into her pockets and discovers very little that could be described as money. She makes her way over to Darmius and his barrel of pickles as the bar maid takes the glasses away. "What a fine barrel of pickles! " She breathes deep the aroma. " These herbal notes, these are certainly of quality. Good job sir. " She says as she gives a nice approving motion to the pickle maker. She leans closer to Darimus and whispers, " I might have found a little information on our business here, and our fine haired silver maiden even remembers good Krush. Seems he had a good reputation in these parts. Problem is, as barmaids do, she is now asking for coin, and after picking up that bag of holding, I'm finding little but spores in my pockets."
“still got it!” stilgar says to himself highfiving his magehand.
feeling the need to stretch his legs the rogue walks around the tavern (inside and out) subtly looking for any signs of thieves cant and other secret symbols left by scoundrels
Stilgar looks around the tavern, both inside and out looking for any signs of secret guild markings but can only really find miscellaneous names and symbols carved in the random tables and walls. They might have some association with a local gang or guild but their notoriety is not well known and are most likely petty activist.
The group continues to enjoy their night at the tavern but looking at the clock it is beginning run late and they have still not secured a room.
Laurentia goes back to the bar maid and tries to slip her some gold to hear more details. "I was also wondering if there were any rooms available here. I don't think my companions have thought about where we are staying tonight yet."
Laurentia slips 2 gold coins to the barmaid and she says "We got 2 rooms for 1gp each a night. I am sure this won't be a problem." Laurentia then slips her another 2 gp for the rooms. She goes away and gives you two keys to rooms and says "Up on the top floor down the hall. The room number is on the key." She then flips around and grabs another glass and starts cleaning it close to Laurentia. She slowly eyes around the room before she begins talking in a quiet voice "Now like I was sayin' theres' a rumor of a single witch that came here about 2 weeks ago. She doesn't go out much but it would be hard to miss her. I think she is stayin' near Butcher Street somewhere near the alchemist shop 'The Mossy Mortar'. Now, if I was uns' I would talk to Naome, she owns that alchemist shop and get some more details about her. Now, since you such a generous tipper and have such an old cute face, I'll be sure to let you know if I hear anything else."
" I do appreciate all the help you are giving me darling, but don't put yourself too far out. We can take care of the dangerous parts ourselves, unless you have been wishing for some adventure. " Laurentia gives a warm smile. " I really do appreciate your help, I don't think I ever got your name sadly. Would be a shame for that to go on. " Laurentia will probably make some more small talk and well wishes before returning to the group and trying to quietly update them on the situation with the witches and room.
stilgar bids his party adieu and heads up to his room where he reads his newly acquired book sifting through the content for cryptic messages, faction notes, and thieves cant symbols
Ash finishes conversing with the faction agent and prepares to rest. "What are your bathing facilities like? I'd like to freshen up a bit before retiring for the night." he asks the nearest staff.
Laurentia retires to her room quickly followed by the rest of the group.
Ash ask for a bathing facility and is informed that their is a wash house out back.. Heading out there, he is quickly disgusted by the surroundings. This place has not been fully clean in a while, and the spiders and bugs from the waters below have now started calling this place their home.
Stilgar retires to his room and examines the book. There appears to be no secret markings or cryptic messages. Just a short story that is 5 sections long. He reads the first section out of curiosity.
Chapter 1 - There, where Sunlight brightly gleams
I remember very vividly the last day father and I went to visit my Godmother. We were invited to see the new temple complex. Down below our beloved capital, a path leads through the realm of Chaos, where her reign once began and, ever since the thick air was set ablaze, her most grotesque spawn wandered aimlessly.
Then, from the dark the mortals came crawling out of the woodwork in search for light. And although most of the giant creatures were barely able to subsist, they quickened the most primordial fear of the mortals. And out of fear they worshipped them. Each one beared the name of another fear, but there was one name that would title their entirety… demons.
Throughout their coexistence the wildest architecture emerged, built without order, one upon the other, never lasting, ever changing. I stayed close to father’s gar for he was my guiding light through this maze of absurdity. And for every step that echoed through the hallways’ ceilings, stretching high as the sky’s vault, another thousand eyes started back from the dark. I could tell by their dazzled glance, that they had never seen the sun rice upon their dusty land. And although they were not fortunate enough to know the order of an everyday life they all seemed to share a common goal.
From afar whispered a promise to end their miserable frailty. And so the new temple too becomes the destination of their pilgrimage.
Stilgar is not sure what to make of the book so far and there are four more sections left.. (OOC Let me know if you want to keep reading or if you want to close it)
Laurentia will wake from her trance in the wee hours of the morning and crack the window. She will then wild shape into a cat or rat if that seems more ocmmon, and go exploring for the area she was told the witch is staying in starting with just trying to get the general layout of the area, but keeping her eyes open for anyone witch like.
Stilgar nods his head and continue reading the book.
Chapter 2 - The inner sanctum of Pyromania
No one understood the nature of the flame a well as my Godmother did. When we climbed the world she stayed behind, so she could conduct research where fire first sprout. Wither her bare hands she digged deep down all the way to the tips of the realms, where she believed to find the spark of life. And so it was here that she built her kingdom, to become one with it. Over time, her cult of followers grew abysmally for they all strove godhood. She taught her wealth of knowledge to her scholars and thus, her academy of fire arts became one of the three great flames of power.
We entered the new temple that was still under construction. But already an uncountable amount of kneeling aspirants gathered before the structure to solicit their favors, all seeking the flame like moths, ready to burn themselves in the process. Their soft murmur was interrupted by the welcoming ceremonies.
We were received in the audience by the first high priest to ever learn the eloquence of chaos. In honor of our arrival, we were to witness a play of tribal fire arts. With the understanding of their most primal emotions they move flamelets to firestorms and back in again in most rhythmic fervor. It almost looked like they ardently fought one another. With my yet young eyes I did not see the most obvious demonstration of power that took place right before me.
The priests guided us. We descended further and entered a chamber that they called the womb.
I was eager to see the kingdom she built. But soon I would find all my fantasies of lustrous banquets with new cousins to make friends with dwindle, for she would never be the same after she dared looking behind the curtain of our existence. But for the first time I got to see her infamous son. He was a cripple, but nowhere close to the malformed abomination the rumors of badmouthed uncles had it.
Her face was set and grim. She must have known father did not come in good faith. He stood before her, his bright presence unveiling all her darkest deeds. He pointed his finger, starting on his left, swaying across the whole room to his right questioning everything in its path. Why did the archpriest’ skin bear scales? Why would she bestow the gift of fire upon the mortals? And how did she not see the impurity of her son-
Suddenly, her voice rose and burned like fire. Bystanders who did not yet ascend the immortality inflamed just through the sheer impact of her insensate fury over what she just witnessed. Her words seared the air and hall turned torrid. For a moment, father’s light looked like a spark swallowed by a sea of wildfire. She prompted us to leave at once.
Father stood silent for a moment. Never did someone dare question him. He left, not saying another word. It didn’t matter how misfigured and atrocious her son was, she loved him nonetheless. He was proof of the resilient miracle that life is. To her, he was perfect. Never in her dreams would she abandon her child. And this my father did not understand.
We went outside. The air still trembled from the uproar and the ashfall got stronger. Still addled with a ringing in my ear, I tried keeping up the father’s pace, until suddenly strange lights caught my attention.
My curiosity led me off track to a few scorched souls. I remember one of them approached me carefully with an oddly familiar stare as if he recognized me. He lifted a strange creature from his head and called it his sun.
The people were the proof of what would eventually await those who play with the fire. On the receiving end of the experiments was a world of searing pain and darkness. The only soothing glimmer was an illusion of the sun induced by those fireflies, a local drug to those who sacrificed their humanity in vain to keep the new fire from fading. It wasn’t until I looked into his hollow eyes that I realized that those maggots are a parasite, et to find their host, t use their rail body as a vessel so they can hatch.
Suddenly, my curiosity was disturbed by a ghastly noise from below the temple’s surface that went right through me. It sounded like a tormented growl. And with it came a rotten stench of intestines. When I flinched I fell into the ash and burned my hands. It truly was an eerie place. I winced and hastily caught up with father.
The mortals who throve from the rebirth on the other hand became an autonomous plity, who swore to spend their eternity in allegiance to their mother as sentinels of her realm. They didn’t just build walls to fend off outsiders. They built labyrinth upon labyrinth so the unfamiliar would lose themselves in the spiraling babel.
We were guided all the way up to their outer trade post where their land converges with ours. It was the path my kin took so many years ago when they first learned to walk upright. The upper districts served to provide the underworld with water in exchange for liquid fire to heat their forges. They supplied the outer world with their most precious metals our royal blacksmith values so much. I remember hearing the clinking of the prospecting and clanking of smithery from all around the cave. They must have grown so big that they were able to forge whole archways just like horse shoes on their anvils.
The sun set. It was here that father decided a church must be built to bless these lands with his faith. And when whatever slumbers beneath awakens, ready to feast, and hell breaks loose again, only then the bell would be rung.
At this sombrest day, as I write these notes that time has now come. And father heeds the call Our legions, prepared ever since, have mobilized and will march off, not knowing what will await them. Alas, my Godmother. No matter what father hopes to find down there.
No god deserves to be consumed
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The man replies to Ash "No safe house in this back water town. The closest safe house was in Odaigo but I'm sure you have heard what has happened there." The man then hands him his coin.
"Thank you kindly, sir. Now can I get you a drink? Maybe it could help you to forget your troubles for awhile."
Ash rings down the waitress and orders a house special and beers.
The man turns around to grab his belongings and join Ash at the table when hee realizes his book is gone. He looks around briefly for the book before hearing him say "Eh, I'm sure that book will turn up somewhere." He sits next to Ash and continues to enjoy the festivities.
Laurentia reaches into her pockets and discovers very little that could be described as money. She makes her way over to Darmius and his barrel of pickles as the bar maid takes the glasses away. "What a fine barrel of pickles! " She breathes deep the aroma. " These herbal notes, these are certainly of quality. Good job sir. " She says as she gives a nice approving motion to the pickle maker. She leans closer to Darimus and whispers, " I might have found a little information on our business here, and our fine haired silver maiden even remembers good Krush. Seems he had a good reputation in these parts. Problem is, as barmaids do, she is now asking for coin, and after picking up that bag of holding, I'm finding little but spores in my pockets."
“still got it!” stilgar says to himself highfiving his magehand.
feeling the need to stretch his legs the rogue walks around the tavern (inside and out) subtly looking for any signs of thieves cant and other secret symbols left by scoundrels
investigation: 10
Stilgar looks around the tavern, both inside and out looking for any signs of secret guild markings but can only really find miscellaneous names and symbols carved in the random tables and walls. They might have some association with a local gang or guild but their notoriety is not well known and are most likely petty activist.
The group continues to enjoy their night at the tavern but looking at the clock it is beginning run late and they have still not secured a room.
“Sounds like a deal!” Says Darrimus as he hands over 2 Gp.
”I’ll need to put these in the bag. And you can have this. Says Darrimus as he hands over 7 GP to help Laurentia.
Laurentia goes back to the bar maid and tries to slip her some gold to hear more details. "I was also wondering if there were any rooms available here. I don't think my companions have thought about where we are staying tonight yet."
Laurentia slips 2 gold coins to the barmaid and she says "We got 2 rooms for 1gp each a night. I am sure this won't be a problem." Laurentia then slips her another 2 gp for the rooms. She goes away and gives you two keys to rooms and says "Up on the top floor down the hall. The room number is on the key." She then flips around and grabs another glass and starts cleaning it close to Laurentia. She slowly eyes around the room before she begins talking in a quiet voice "Now like I was sayin' theres' a rumor of a single witch that came here about 2 weeks ago. She doesn't go out much but it would be hard to miss her. I think she is stayin' near Butcher Street somewhere near the alchemist shop 'The Mossy Mortar'. Now, if I was uns' I would talk to Naome, she owns that alchemist shop and get some more details about her. Now, since you such a generous tipper and have such an old cute face, I'll be sure to let you know if I hear anything else."
" I do appreciate all the help you are giving me darling, but don't put yourself too far out. We can take care of the dangerous parts ourselves, unless you have been wishing for some adventure. " Laurentia gives a warm smile. " I really do appreciate your help, I don't think I ever got your name sadly. Would be a shame for that to go on. " Laurentia will probably make some more small talk and well wishes before returning to the group and trying to quietly update them on the situation with the witches and room.
“well gents im pooped...”
stilgar bids his party adieu and heads up to his room where he reads his newly acquired book sifting through the content for cryptic messages, faction notes, and thieves cant symbols
investigation: 11
Ash finishes conversing with the faction agent and prepares to rest.
"What are your bathing facilities like? I'd like to freshen up a bit before retiring for the night." he asks the nearest staff.
Laurentia retires to her room quickly followed by the rest of the group.
Ash ask for a bathing facility and is informed that their is a wash house out back.. Heading out there, he is quickly disgusted by the surroundings. This place has not been fully clean in a while, and the spiders and bugs from the waters below have now started calling this place their home.
Stilgar retires to his room and examines the book. There appears to be no secret markings or cryptic messages. Just a short story that is 5 sections long. He reads the first section out of curiosity.
Chapter 1 - There, where Sunlight brightly gleams
I remember very vividly the last day father and I went to visit my Godmother.
We were invited to see the new temple complex.
Down below our beloved capital, a path leads through the realm of Chaos,
where her reign once began and,
ever since the thick air was set ablaze,
her most grotesque spawn wandered aimlessly.
Then, from the dark the mortals came crawling out of the woodwork in search for light.
And although most of the giant creatures were barely able to subsist,
they quickened the most primordial fear of the mortals.
And out of fear they worshipped them.
Each one beared the name of another fear,
but there was one name that would title their entirety… demons.
Throughout their coexistence the wildest architecture emerged,
built without order, one upon the other, never lasting, ever changing.
I stayed close to father’s gar for he was my guiding light through this maze of absurdity.
And for every step that echoed through the hallways’ ceilings,
stretching high as the sky’s vault,
another thousand eyes started back from the dark.
I could tell by their dazzled glance,
that they had never seen the sun rice upon their dusty land.
And although they were not fortunate enough to know the order of an everyday life
they all seemed to share a common goal.
From afar whispered a promise to end their miserable frailty.
And so the new temple too becomes the destination of their pilgrimage.
Stilgar is not sure what to make of the book so far and there are four more sections left.. (OOC Let me know if you want to keep reading or if you want to close it)
"This will not do." Ash mutters upon seeing the surroundings.
He returns inside and enters the closest room reserved for the party.
Laurentia will wake from her trance in the wee hours of the morning and crack the window. She will then wild shape into a cat or rat if that seems more ocmmon, and go exploring for the area she was told the witch is staying in starting with just trying to get the general layout of the area, but keeping her eyes open for anyone witch like.
Investigation: 21
Perception: 22
Stealth if needed: 6
enjoying the novel, stilgar keeps reading on determined to finish it.
Stilgar nods his head and continue reading the book.
Chapter 2 - The inner sanctum of Pyromania
No one understood the nature of the flame a well as my Godmother did.
When we climbed the world she stayed behind,
so she could conduct research where fire first sprout.
Wither her bare hands she digged deep down
all the way to the tips of the realms,
where she believed to find the spark of life.
And so it was here that she built her kingdom, to become one with it.
Over time, her cult of followers grew abysmally for they all strove godhood.
She taught her wealth of knowledge to her scholars
and thus, her academy of fire arts became one of the three great flames of power.
We entered the new temple that was still under construction.
But already an uncountable amount of kneeling aspirants
gathered before the structure to solicit their favors,
all seeking the flame like moths, ready to burn themselves in the process.
Their soft murmur was interrupted by the welcoming ceremonies.
We were received in the audience by the first high priest to ever learn the eloquence of chaos.
In honor of our arrival, we were to witness a play of tribal fire arts.
With the understanding of their most primal emotions
they move flamelets to firestorms and back in again in most rhythmic fervor.
It almost looked like they ardently fought one another.
With my yet young eyes I did not see the most obvious demonstration of power
that took place right before me.
The priests guided us.
We descended further and entered a chamber that they called the womb.
Chapter 3- Inside the womb
I was eager to see the kingdom she built.
But soon I would find all my fantasies of lustrous banquets
with new cousins to make friends with dwindle,
for she would never be the same after she dared looking behind the curtain of our existence.
But for the first time I got to see her infamous son.
He was a cripple, but nowhere close to the malformed abomination
the rumors of badmouthed uncles had it.
Her face was set and grim. She must have known father did not come in good faith.
He stood before her, his bright presence unveiling all her darkest deeds.
He pointed his finger, starting on his left, swaying across the whole room to his right
questioning everything in its path.
Why did the archpriest’ skin bear scales?
Why would she bestow the gift of fire upon the mortals?
And how did she not see the impurity of her son-
Suddenly, her voice rose and burned like fire.
Bystanders who did not yet ascend the immortality inflamed
just through the sheer impact of her insensate fury over what she just witnessed.
Her words seared the air and hall turned torrid.
For a moment, father’s light looked like a spark swallowed by a sea of wildfire.
She prompted us to leave at once.
Father stood silent for a moment.
Never did someone dare question him.
He left, not saying another word.
It didn’t matter how misfigured and atrocious her son was, she loved him nonetheless.
He was proof of the resilient miracle that life is. To her, he was perfect.
Never in her dreams would she abandon her child. And this my father did not understand.
Chapter 4 - Dark Side of the Sun
We went outside. The air still trembled from the uproar and the ashfall got stronger.
Still addled with a ringing in my ear, I tried keeping up the father’s pace,
until suddenly strange lights caught my attention.
My curiosity led me off track to a few scorched souls.
I remember one of them approached me carefully
with an oddly familiar stare as if he recognized me.
He lifted a strange creature from his head and called it his sun.
The people were the proof of what would eventually await those who play with the fire.
On the receiving end of the experiments was a world of searing pain and darkness.
The only soothing glimmer was an illusion of the sun induced by those fireflies,
a local drug to those who sacrificed their humanity in vain to keep the new fire from fading.
It wasn’t until I looked into his hollow eyes
that I realized that those maggots are a parasite,
et to find their host, t use their rail body as a vessel so they can hatch.
Suddenly, my curiosity was disturbed by a ghastly noise
from below the temple’s surface that went right through me.
It sounded like a tormented growl.
And with it came a rotten stench of intestines.
When I flinched I fell into the ash and burned my hands.
It truly was an eerie place.
I winced and hastily caught up with father.
Chapter 5 - When the Bell Tolls
The mortals who throve from the rebirth on the other hand became an autonomous plity,
who swore to spend their eternity in allegiance to their mother as sentinels of her realm.
They didn’t just build walls to fend off outsiders.
They built labyrinth upon labyrinth so the unfamiliar would lose themselves in the spiraling babel.
We were guided all the way up to their outer trade post where their land converges with ours.
It was the path my kin took so many years ago when they first learned to walk upright.
The upper districts served to provide the underworld with water
in exchange for liquid fire to heat their forges.
They supplied the outer world with their most precious metals our royal blacksmith values so much.
I remember hearing the clinking of the prospecting and clanking of smithery from all around the cave.
They must have grown so big that they were able to forge
whole archways just like horse shoes on their anvils.
The sun set.
It was here that father decided a church must be built to bless these lands with his faith.
And when whatever slumbers beneath awakens, ready to feast,
and hell breaks loose again, only then the bell would be rung.
At this sombrest day, as I write these notes that time has now come. And father heeds the call
Our legions, prepared ever since, have mobilized and will march off, not knowing what will await them.
Alas, my Godmother. No matter what father hopes to find down there.
No god deserves to be consumed