As Ulric glances around he notices something of importance. The ice-castle is lifting up off of the ground. There is enough woods and buildings between you and it that the fact is not obvious at first glance, but Ulric keeps his eyes on it for a bit and can tell that it is rising upwards.
Alhorn slips into a woman's drink, just to play for best odds of it working, statistically.
He touches a hand then as they sit and drink. "Ya know... No one seems to know anything about the castle there. Maybe the people here just don't care about things like I care about them. Or maybe it's a secret. I love secrets. Don't you? It gives such a... A bond."
Germain slowly starts to move further into the building, listening for any sign of movement and looking for any indication of a hidden door or anything.
"Shush..." The woman says, gripping your hand a bit tighter. "We can't let too many people know about that." She says in a soft voice. "They won't pay us if we go spilling the beans..." Her eyes move around the room, making sure she was not overheard.
Germain
There is nothing in the back room other than a broken wagon looking to be the current project for repairs, tools, and the door to the front section. There are no hidden doors you can see, nor do you feel it is likely there would be any here to find.
You are blocked from the view of the castle it seems, as you don't notice anything, so likely a building is in the way.
Ulric
You would already know that, unless you can fly, you will not be able to get onto the castle now. It is likely some distance above the ground already, so there is no chance of running up and just getting aboard.
"Shush..." The woman says, gripping your hand a bit tighter. "We can't let too many people know about that." She says in a soft voice. "They won't pay us if we go spilling the beans..." Her eyes move around the room, making sure she was not overheard.
Alhorn's gaze alights on her, intrigued.
"Oh my... Pay not to talk about it? So then there must be something fabulously interesting about its goings on, if they are paying. Come on now, I won't tell, it wouldn't do to get a whole town angry at me for spilling the tea. But I'm sure a secret like that must be burning a hole in your pocket."
Moving to the door you ease it open quietly, and find the man you followed sitting at the counter inside, his back to you. He appears to be going over the business books for the moment.
Germain draws his dagger and quickly steps up behind the man, pressing his dagger to his throat, "Quietly now. Something scared you back at the tavern, you will tell me what."
Naroth shakes his head to clear the cobwebs and looks around at Ulric's urging. Seeing the castle start to move away he slaps his head asking Ulric, "Where are the others, we need to figure something out quickly."
The woman puts a shushing finger to Alhorn's lips, then leans in. "The cult has controlled Parnast for more than a year now, and it basically brought in a company of thugs to take over. Some of us villagers were already cult infiltrators, and others signed up when it became clear that the cultists are rich and have a private army." She shrugged as her eyes scan the room, making sure no one else overhears her speaking with you. "The castle is only here long enough to gather the treasure being brought from all over the area, then it will leave." She gives a smirk as she looks to Alhorn. "I would bet it is either lifting off now, or shortly will be, as I know Captain Othelstan gave orders for word to come if strangers entered town. Likely he will have heard some time ago about you and your friends, and have sent word on to those on the castle."
Germain
"Oh my..." The elderly man says with a near squeek in his voice. He remains very still, craining his head to lookk down at the knife you hold to his throat. "What was that? How I acted in the tavern?" He looks non-plussed. "The entire town is owned by the cultists, curse the lot of them, and I just want to get rid of them all. I had seen you strangers, and knew that I could not speak with you, so I left the tavern. Most of the town knows I care nothing for this cult of the dragon, and only put up with me due to my ability to fix their gods-cursed wagons."
Alhorn draws his finger across his nose, conspiratorially.
"Ah, but we aren't precisely strangers. We are friends of Tanis the White. She has given us her marker. I think if you would rather this incident of indiscretion- of telling a stranger all this- go unnoticed, you should now escort me and my friends to the castle. I would like to arrive unannounced, so you will find us a discreet entrance. It is my pleasure to know such things and how such proceeds here."
Germain holds the blade tight, fighting the usual temptation to quickly draw it across his target's throat, "What can you tell me of this cult?? The more you tell, the more likely we can help you. Who are their agents in town, how do they communicate with the castle, are there others who resist their control?"
She frowns, looking put out. "If you know The White Lady, then you should have said so before." She informs you, her voice a bit louder. "As for getting you into the castle, I doubt if that is even possible now, the castle is likely lifting off by now, if not already airborn already." She stands up and moves to a window. "Yep, it is already going up. Only way you can reach it now is on wyvern back." She returns and takes a seat next to Alhorn again.
Germain
"The rest of the town is in the cult's pockets." The man says with a shrug of his shoulders. "I'm about the only one, at least that I am aware of, who has not thrown their lot in with the cult. I only stay here because I fear they would simply kill me if I tried to leave." He nods to the dagger. "Can you remove that..." He will continue, regardless if the blade is removed... "The highest-ranking member of the cult to frequent Parnast is the half-dragon, Wyrmspeaker Rezmir. As far as I know, Rezmir has gone into hiding. No one in the village knows where she is, although they claim that Skyreach Castle is the most likely place to find her. Rezmir’s deputy is a cult veteran and dragonsoul name Captain Othelstan. He commands the cult forces in Parnast, and he monitors all visitors and merchandise passing through the village. I'd bet he knows you are here by now, and has gotten word to the castle. If so, then the castle will be leaving as quickly as it can, that is how they deal with visitors, get the castle up and away, then send the visitors on or kill them." He looks over his shoulders into Germain's eyes and holds them for a long moment. "The cult has controlled Parnast for more than a year, and it basically brought in a company of thugs to take over. From what I can tell, some villagers were already cult infiltrators, and others signed up when it became clear that the cultists are rich and have a private army."
Germain reluctantly withdraws the dagger and nods, “Thank you.” He then goes back the way he came to rejoin his companions and let them know what he has learned, particularly about the departing castle.
Alhorn leans back. "And you shouldn't be spilling beans to every stranger who comes to town. Now where might I find some wyverns to get us aboard? Quickly, please."
Ulric's perception results...
As Ulric glances around he notices something of importance. The ice-castle is lifting up off of the ground. There is enough woods and buildings between you and it that the fact is not obvious at first glance, but Ulric keeps his eyes on it for a bit and can tell that it is rising upwards.
Perception: 14
Alhorn slips into a woman's drink, just to play for best odds of it working, statistically.
He touches a hand then as they sit and drink. "Ya know... No one seems to know anything about the castle there. Maybe the people here just don't care about things like I care about them. Or maybe it's a secret. I love secrets. Don't you? It gives such a... A bond."
Paladin - warforged - orange
Germain slowly starts to move further into the building, listening for any sign of movement and looking for any indication of a hidden door or anything.
Alhorn
"Shush..." The woman says, gripping your hand a bit tighter. "We can't let too many people know about that." She says in a soft voice. "They won't pay us if we go spilling the beans..." Her eyes move around the room, making sure she was not overheard.
Germain
There is nothing in the back room other than a broken wagon looking to be the current project for repairs, tools, and the door to the front section. There are no hidden doors you can see, nor do you feel it is likely there would be any here to find.
Ulric nudges Naroth, "It appears our ride may be leaving. I'm not sure how long we have. Whatever else we intend to do, we must do it quickly."
Shei
You are blocked from the view of the castle it seems, as you don't notice anything, so likely a building is in the way.
Ulric
You would already know that, unless you can fly, you will not be able to get onto the castle now. It is likely some distance above the ground already, so there is no chance of running up and just getting aboard.
Germain moves to the door to the front area and listens for a moment, if he doesn't hear anything, he'll try and slip inside.
Alhorn's gaze alights on her, intrigued.
"Oh my... Pay not to talk about it? So then there must be something fabulously interesting about its goings on, if they are paying. Come on now, I won't tell, it wouldn't do to get a whole town angry at me for spilling the tea. But I'm sure a secret like that must be burning a hole in your pocket."
Paladin - warforged - orange
Germain
Moving to the door you ease it open quietly, and find the man you followed sitting at the counter inside, his back to you. He appears to be going over the business books for the moment.
Alhorn
Give me a persuasion roll with advantage...
Germain draws his dagger and quickly steps up behind the man, pressing his dagger to his throat, "Quietly now. Something scared you back at the tavern, you will tell me what."
Naroth shakes his head to clear the cobwebs and looks around at Ulric's urging. Seeing the castle start to move away he slaps his head asking Ulric, "Where are the others, we need to figure something out quickly."
Alhorn persuasion adv 28
Paladin - warforged - orange
Alhorn
The woman puts a shushing finger to Alhorn's lips, then leans in. "The cult has controlled Parnast for more than a year now, and it basically brought in a company of thugs to take over. Some of us villagers were already cult infiltrators, and others signed up when it became clear that the cultists are rich and have a private army." She shrugged as her eyes scan the room, making sure no one else overhears her speaking with you. "The castle is only here long enough to gather the treasure being brought from all over the area, then it will leave." She gives a smirk as she looks to Alhorn. "I would bet it is either lifting off now, or shortly will be, as I know Captain Othelstan gave orders for word to come if strangers entered town. Likely he will have heard some time ago about you and your friends, and have sent word on to those on the castle."
Germain
"Oh my..." The elderly man says with a near squeek in his voice. He remains very still, craining his head to lookk down at the knife you hold to his throat. "What was that? How I acted in the tavern?" He looks non-plussed. "The entire town is owned by the cultists, curse the lot of them, and I just want to get rid of them all. I had seen you strangers, and knew that I could not speak with you, so I left the tavern. Most of the town knows I care nothing for this cult of the dragon, and only put up with me due to my ability to fix their gods-cursed wagons."
Alhorn draws his finger across his nose, conspiratorially.
"Ah, but we aren't precisely strangers. We are friends of Tanis the White. She has given us her marker. I think if you would rather this incident of indiscretion- of telling a stranger all this- go unnoticed, you should now escort me and my friends to the castle. I would like to arrive unannounced, so you will find us a discreet entrance. It is my pleasure to know such things and how such proceeds here."
Paladin - warforged - orange
Germain holds the blade tight, fighting the usual temptation to quickly draw it across his target's throat, "What can you tell me of this cult?? The more you tell, the more likely we can help you. Who are their agents in town, how do they communicate with the castle, are there others who resist their control?"
Alhorn
She frowns, looking put out. "If you know The White Lady, then you should have said so before." She informs you, her voice a bit louder. "As for getting you into the castle, I doubt if that is even possible now, the castle is likely lifting off by now, if not already airborn already." She stands up and moves to a window. "Yep, it is already going up. Only way you can reach it now is on wyvern back." She returns and takes a seat next to Alhorn again.
Germain
"The rest of the town is in the cult's pockets." The man says with a shrug of his shoulders. "I'm about the only one, at least that I am aware of, who has not thrown their lot in with the cult. I only stay here because I fear they would simply kill me if I tried to leave." He nods to the dagger. "Can you remove that..." He will continue, regardless if the blade is removed... "The highest-ranking member of the cult to frequent Parnast is the half-dragon, Wyrmspeaker Rezmir. As far as I know, Rezmir has gone into hiding. No one in the village knows where she is, although they claim that Skyreach Castle is the most likely place to find her. Rezmir’s deputy is a cult veteran and dragonsoul name Captain Othelstan. He commands the cult forces in Parnast, and he monitors all visitors and merchandise passing through the village. I'd bet he knows you are here by now, and has gotten word to the castle. If so, then the castle will be leaving as quickly as it can, that is how they deal with visitors, get the castle up and away, then send the visitors on or kill them." He looks over his shoulders into Germain's eyes and holds them for a long moment. "The cult has controlled Parnast for more than a year, and it basically brought in a company of thugs to take over. From what I can tell, some villagers were already cult infiltrators, and others signed up when it became clear that the cultists are rich and have a private army."
Germain reluctantly withdraws the dagger and nods, “Thank you.” He then goes back the way he came to rejoin his companions and let them know what he has learned, particularly about the departing castle.
Alhorn leans back. "And you shouldn't be spilling beans to every stranger who comes to town. Now where might I find some wyverns to get us aboard? Quickly, please."
Paladin - warforged - orange
Alhorn
Wyverns are kept in the stables." The woman says with a pout. "The cult keeps them there to reach the castle while it is in the air."