Thalion watched with an amused smirk as Alden spoke so bluntly to Graddor. It didn't last long, as usual, and turned to a bitter, sour frown as the conversation turned towards the witches.
"If they can control beasts and the like that might explain all of the monsters that have been infesting my home in the Redwood Forest. Their corruption has deep roots," he says.
Yoric turns to Thalion with his first real personal interest. “What’s this about monsters back home? I’m sorry, Thalion, I feel like I haven’t really ever asked much about you. You always seem so... like you’d prefer to distance yourself from the world I live in.”
"The Redwood Forest has always been fairly dangerous, but for a long while now I've had to help cull the beasts running rampant there. I gained a reputation for it there as some sort of protector among the commonfolk there," Thalion says with a forlorn shrug.
"Yet all along while I was slaying rabid wolves and scrawny goblins the real threat was right under my nose. Damn these hags!"
Nevlav reddens a little at the Engineer's attention and stays shyly quiet. As they walk back to town and the group discusses the events, "I want to say, the Doctor seemed to insinuate that the current plague is the fault of our King. Though the outcome was tragic for these misguided citizens, they aligned with the Cult and had a direct line to a hag.
"Seems to me that the cults are working unknowingly with the evil that plagues us."
"A lot of this seems awfully convenient to me." he finally says."King is supposed to be dying. His minions send us to someone the crown views as an outlaw because the outlaw has the only cure. Outlaw says the disease is the King's doing because of some bargain he made with 3 hags, which I have never heard any rumors of in the city. And abruptly we run into something that makes us think its one of the hags." Alden pauses.
"I'm always suspicious, I know but" he pauses "things are not adding up in my mind."
Alden hesitates then says "If we were to succeed and bring down these hags, it would, according to the druid, probably destroy the kingdom itself, the very act the Cult of the Knife wants to accomplish."
Pausing for a moment once more Alden will say the next sentence with a bit of sadness: " And the ones that pay the most will be the people of the kingdom."
Alden falls quiet, wrapped in his own thoughts for the rest of the hike back to the barracks.
As the group enters the barracks, you hear the sounds of raised voices coming from the billet where you all stayed a few nights ago.
"...and for that matter, what proof do you have of any of this? This sounds to me like you're simply trying to improve the legacy of your benefactor."
"See here, Graddor. Do you deny that there is something sick within this kingdom? Ever since the war? I remember a conversation with you when you first arrived when said almost the same thing to me. "
"That's because people are shits, druid. The war loosed their worst impulses things haven't been the same since. Its got nothing to do with supernatural forces. People are plenty lousy on their own"
As you all enter, both men fall silent. Graddor coolly looks you all over and says "So if it isn't the heroes of the hour. I suppose I should thank you all. I'm preparing a report for the home office now. I'll be sure to include your very prominent role in all of this." From the frosty way he says it, it sounds like a threat.
Alden walks in and goes to the nearest chair away from the two arguing and takes a seat. When Graddor makes his threat Alden has nothing but a bored look on his face.
"If you're about done with all the bluster?" Alden says to Graddor.
"It appears that 1 of the hags is here locally." Alden says to the druid. "She and the local cult have some sort of relationship. We met her while rescuing the war hero here."
Alden pauses for a moment then says: "She said something about marking us, could you be a good doctor and check us to see if we have been touched by the curse?" Alden asks.
“I can’t say I disagree with you Graddor,” Yoric says with an aloof shrug. “This business of cults and the king’s uh... troubles. Well, it’s a bit far fetched. And harder to believe that this Druid won’t confront the hags himself. Even Brightaxe tried, at least. It’s all sorts of fishy. All the more reason that we need your help.”
Doctor Aleksei scratches his chin as you describe the events in the mine. "It doesn't sound like the way those creatures typically behave. They feed on misery and they rarely act so directly. Perhaps they deceived those believers into worshipping her as a God? With everyone dead, it doesn't seem like we'll get answers from them now"Looking at Yoric incredulously, the druid simply says. "Yes, I am sure an accused traitor with a price on his head can singlehandedly find and destroy three hags scattered throughout the kingdom. I collected information on them for a group like you. Believe me, once I heal King Brocc, then we should certainly talk about what I can and cannot do.
Graddor's eyes widen as the druid (perhaps) inadvertently reveals your purpose. "So the old man is ill?" He whistles briefly, "You lot do need help, even putting aside this tommyrot about hags and mystical powers. And I can promise you we have no hags anywhere near Yellow Creek. Except perhaps the McCalister woman." He chuckles, then grows more somber. "Clearly, those fanatics simply just summoned something they couldn't control.Hearing Yoric's comment, and Graddor considers. "What exactly are you asking for?
Aleksei snorts but doesn't respond. Instead, he busies himself examining each of you briefly, while Graddor watches on.
"I don't think she infected you with the foul plague, but -- I wouldn't be surprised if there is some other means of keeping an eye upon you. These witches have many tricks up their sleeves. Graddor, these men are stable -- I've done all I can for them." He looks to all of you. "Now what? I assume you have some solid plan to return to Valance?"
“We were considering that you may assist in our travel. Perhaps pilot the airship to Valance? We’d avoid any outside interference that way.” Yoric pleads with Graddor.
As usual when the brighter minds were busy with their ideas and conversation Thalion was quiet. He shot narrow-eyed glances at both Graddor and Aleksei as they spoke, not exactly liking the tone from either of them. But when they mentioned the hags and their potential means of spying on them something began to itch in the back of his mind.
For the first time since leaving the mine he pulls out the amulet from one of the dead acolytes and idly brushes his thumb over the eye emblem. He clears his throat to try and get the others' attention while holding out the amulet in his open palm.
"Um, perhaps you could examine this, Doctor? I found it on one of the dead acolytes in the mine."
"Now why would you ever think to grab one of them garrish tokens Thallion? Those things only speak of foul deeds," Nevlav says as he double takes at the amulet. The gnome does however step closer and peers at it intently.
"As for travel, I think the airship will do nicely. Especially now knowing the king himself is in dire straights, right Graddor?"
Graddor looks at you, seemingly still irritated. "I'm not opposed to you taking Folna up, but it is a fairly bad time for me right now. The only thing that matters in this town has been irrevocably damaged by those idiots and I need to explain what happened to those in the capital and..." His face drops and he buries his head in his hand. "Oh gods, Lady Raskiel. I've got to explain this to her."
From the bunk he occupies you hear Chief Brightaxe say. "I could fly 'er, sir. I took Folna's Grace around a few times before, if you remember. I could get 'er to the capital. I'm sure of it." He stands up, and you see that while he still looks a little shaky, he seems a lot better than he was in the mines when you last saw him.
Graddor looks at Brightaxe with some degree of concern. "Are you sure, lad? Its hardly been more than an hour since we were both at the mercy of that...thing."
Brightaxe nods stubbornly. "I can do it, sir. It will take a bit of time to get the ship, ready, and...we should probably send a radiogram ahead to let them know we're coming.
Meanwhile, after Thalion reveals the amulet, Aleksei's jaw drops as he stares at it. "Drop that...thing. Now." He draws his sickle, and reaches it out to hook the amulet with the point of the sickle.
While Aleksei reaches for it, Thalion, you hear a voice, one that somehow reminds you of the great tall Redwoods of your home whispering in the back of your skull. You don't trust this half-elf. Don't let him take it. This thing can help you save your home from this corruption.
(Since you've only had the amulet a little while, I'm going to let you make a WIS saving throw, Thalion).
You are absolutely convinced that giving the amulet to the druid is a bad idea -- after all, YOU are the ones potentially going into the Redwood Forest, and if this could help you find the hag, you need to keep it. Besides, as ill-tempered and secretive as Aleksei has been, you're not sure if this is some other secret he's trying to keep from the rest of you.
Brightaxe looks to all of you. "I need one or two of you to come up to the roof to help me get the ship, er....ship-shape, I do. And if someone could send a radiogram to one of bigwigs in Valance, they won't shoot us down." The amiable dwarf speaks quickly, and moves with an authority that you would have found unimaginable two hours ago -- it seems like if the task has given him something to keep his brain occupied for his previous embarrassment.
Graddor meanwhile, seems to have forgotten all about you as he reflects on his own future. "I err...need to see Lady Raskiel. If I can explain things to her, perhaps she can intercede with the Ministry. Come, Porkins, she always liked you, old boy." The half-orc's eye twitches as he realizes the metallic boar isn't coming along, but otherwise he remains silent, spinning on his heel and abruptly leaving the room.
Alden
"This happened because you failed to act and formed a cooperative agreement with enemies of the state." Alden says flatly to Graddor.
Alden thanks McCalister. As the party makes it's way back to town he will ask.
"Is it just me or does anyone else get the feeling one of these 3 witches is associated with this local cult?"
Yoric gives Alden a stern look. “I think these witches take advantage of the downtrodden and desperate.”
Paladin - warforged - orange
Thalion watched with an amused smirk as Alden spoke so bluntly to Graddor. It didn't last long, as usual, and turned to a bitter, sour frown as the conversation turned towards the witches.
"If they can control beasts and the like that might explain all of the monsters that have been infesting my home in the Redwood Forest. Their corruption has deep roots," he says.
Yoric turns to Thalion with his first real personal interest. “What’s this about monsters back home? I’m sorry, Thalion, I feel like I haven’t really ever asked much about you. You always seem so... like you’d prefer to distance yourself from the world I live in.”
Paladin - warforged - orange
"The Redwood Forest has always been fairly dangerous, but for a long while now I've had to help cull the beasts running rampant there. I gained a reputation for it there as some sort of protector among the commonfolk there," Thalion says with a forlorn shrug.
"Yet all along while I was slaying rabid wolves and scrawny goblins the real threat was right under my nose. Damn these hags!"
Nevlav reddens a little at the Engineer's attention and stays shyly quiet. As they walk back to town and the group discusses the events, "I want to say, the Doctor seemed to insinuate that the current plague is the fault of our King. Though the outcome was tragic for these misguided citizens, they aligned with the Cult and had a direct line to a hag.
"Seems to me that the cults are working unknowingly with the evil that plagues us."
Alden
Alden ponders as the group walks a bit.
"A lot of this seems awfully convenient to me." he finally says."King is supposed to be dying. His minions send us to someone the crown views as an outlaw because the outlaw has the only cure. Outlaw says the disease is the King's doing because of some bargain he made with 3 hags, which I have never heard any rumors of in the city. And abruptly we run into something that makes us think its one of the hags." Alden pauses.
"I'm always suspicious, I know but" he pauses "things are not adding up in my mind."
Alden hesitates then says "If we were to succeed and bring down these hags, it would, according to the druid, probably destroy the kingdom itself, the very act the Cult of the Knife wants to accomplish."
Pausing for a moment once more Alden will say the next sentence with a bit of sadness: " And the ones that pay the most will be the people of the kingdom."
Alden falls quiet, wrapped in his own thoughts for the rest of the hike back to the barracks.
Nevlav nods along, "I agree. It is a bewildering situation but I do think the hags need to be stopped."
As the group enters the barracks, you hear the sounds of raised voices coming from the billet where you all stayed a few nights ago.
"...and for that matter, what proof do you have of any of this? This sounds to me like you're simply trying to improve the legacy of your benefactor."
"See here, Graddor. Do you deny that there is something sick within this kingdom? Ever since the war? I remember a conversation with you when you first arrived when said almost the same thing to me. "
"That's because people are shits, druid. The war loosed their worst impulses things haven't been the same since. Its got nothing to do with supernatural forces. People are plenty lousy on their own"
As you all enter, both men fall silent. Graddor coolly looks you all over and says "So if it isn't the heroes of the hour. I suppose I should thank you all. I'm preparing a report for the home office now. I'll be sure to include your very prominent role in all of this." From the frosty way he says it, it sounds like a threat.
Alden
Alden walks in and goes to the nearest chair away from the two arguing and takes a seat. When Graddor makes his threat Alden has nothing but a bored look on his face.
"If you're about done with all the bluster?" Alden says to Graddor.
"It appears that 1 of the hags is here locally." Alden says to the druid. "She and the local cult have some sort of relationship. We met her while rescuing the war hero here."
Alden pauses for a moment then says: "She said something about marking us, could you be a good doctor and check us to see if we have been touched by the curse?" Alden asks.
At the mention of the curse Grin does her little superstition's dance again.
“I can’t say I disagree with you Graddor,” Yoric says with an aloof shrug. “This business of cults and the king’s uh... troubles. Well, it’s a bit far fetched. And harder to believe that this Druid won’t confront the hags himself. Even Brightaxe tried, at least. It’s all sorts of fishy. All the more reason that we need your help.”
Persuasion 12
Paladin - warforged - orange
Doctor Aleksei scratches his chin as you describe the events in the mine. "It doesn't sound like the way those creatures typically behave. They feed on misery and they rarely act so directly. Perhaps they deceived those believers into worshipping her as a God? With everyone dead, it doesn't seem like we'll get answers from them now" Looking at Yoric incredulously, the druid simply says. "Yes, I am sure an accused traitor with a price on his head can singlehandedly find and destroy three hags scattered throughout the kingdom. I collected information on them for a group like you. Believe me, once I heal King Brocc, then we should certainly talk about what I can and cannot do.
Graddor's eyes widen as the druid (perhaps) inadvertently reveals your purpose. "So the old man is ill?" He whistles briefly, "You lot do need help, even putting aside this tommyrot about hags and mystical powers. And I can promise you we have no hags anywhere near Yellow Creek. Except perhaps the McCalister woman." He chuckles, then grows more somber. "Clearly, those fanatics simply just summoned something they couldn't control. Hearing Yoric's comment, and Graddor considers. "What exactly are you asking for?
Aleksei snorts but doesn't respond. Instead, he busies himself examining each of you briefly, while Graddor watches on.
"I don't think she infected you with the foul plague, but -- I wouldn't be surprised if there is some other means of keeping an eye upon you. These witches have many tricks up their sleeves. Graddor, these men are stable -- I've done all I can for them." He looks to all of you. "Now what? I assume you have some solid plan to return to Valance?"
“We were considering that you may assist in our travel. Perhaps pilot the airship to Valance? We’d avoid any outside interference that way.” Yoric pleads with Graddor.
Paladin - warforged - orange
As usual when the brighter minds were busy with their ideas and conversation Thalion was quiet. He shot narrow-eyed glances at both Graddor and Aleksei as they spoke, not exactly liking the tone from either of them. But when they mentioned the hags and their potential means of spying on them something began to itch in the back of his mind.
For the first time since leaving the mine he pulls out the amulet from one of the dead acolytes and idly brushes his thumb over the eye emblem. He clears his throat to try and get the others' attention while holding out the amulet in his open palm.
"Um, perhaps you could examine this, Doctor? I found it on one of the dead acolytes in the mine."
"Now why would you ever think to grab one of them garrish tokens Thallion? Those things only speak of foul deeds," Nevlav says as he double takes at the amulet. The gnome does however step closer and peers at it intently.
"As for travel, I think the airship will do nicely. Especially now knowing the king himself is in dire straights, right Graddor?"
Graddor looks at you, seemingly still irritated. "I'm not opposed to you taking Folna up, but it is a fairly bad time for me right now. The only thing that matters in this town has been irrevocably damaged by those idiots and I need to explain what happened to those in the capital and..." His face drops and he buries his head in his hand. "Oh gods, Lady Raskiel. I've got to explain this to her."
From the bunk he occupies you hear Chief Brightaxe say. "I could fly 'er, sir. I took Folna's Grace around a few times before, if you remember. I could get 'er to the capital. I'm sure of it." He stands up, and you see that while he still looks a little shaky, he seems a lot better than he was in the mines when you last saw him.
Graddor looks at Brightaxe with some degree of concern. "Are you sure, lad? Its hardly been more than an hour since we were both at the mercy of that...thing."
Brightaxe nods stubbornly. "I can do it, sir. It will take a bit of time to get the ship, ready, and...we should probably send a radiogram ahead to let them know we're coming.
Meanwhile, after Thalion reveals the amulet, Aleksei's jaw drops as he stares at it. "Drop that...thing. Now." He draws his sickle, and reaches it out to hook the amulet with the point of the sickle.
While Aleksei reaches for it, Thalion, you hear a voice, one that somehow reminds you of the great tall Redwoods of your home whispering in the back of your skull. You don't trust this half-elf. Don't let him take it. This thing can help you save your home from this corruption.
(Since you've only had the amulet a little while, I'm going to let you make a WIS saving throw, Thalion).
Wisdom Save: 14
Thalion only
You are absolutely convinced that giving the amulet to the druid is a bad idea -- after all, YOU are the ones potentially going into the Redwood Forest, and if this could help you find the hag, you need to keep it. Besides, as ill-tempered and secretive as Aleksei has been, you're not sure if this is some other secret he's trying to keep from the rest of you.
Brightaxe looks to all of you. "I need one or two of you to come up to the roof to help me get the ship, er....ship-shape, I do. And if someone could send a radiogram to one of bigwigs in Valance, they won't shoot us down." The amiable dwarf speaks quickly, and moves with an authority that you would have found unimaginable two hours ago -- it seems like if the task has given him something to keep his brain occupied for his previous embarrassment.
Graddor meanwhile, seems to have forgotten all about you as he reflects on his own future. "I err...need to see Lady Raskiel. If I can explain things to her, perhaps she can intercede with the Ministry. Come, Porkins, she always liked you, old boy." The half-orc's eye twitches as he realizes the metallic boar isn't coming along, but otherwise he remains silent, spinning on his heel and abruptly leaving the room.
Alden
"I do not know a thing about flying ships but I will come and help the best I can." Alden says and he follows Brightaxe.