This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
DM's Screen:
18
Between Moneus and Utar (and I'll assume Neya is helping as well), the two Grick corpses are disposed of in an expeditious manner, though all three are breathing heavily after the haul.
Then, once Graxx breaks the news, Moneus says: "Utar, save your brown raven for later. We go outside now. This type of news travels fast."
Moving outside, Moneus wastes no time talking to some shady figures or dockworkers. Then a commotion is heard (but not seen) coming from the west. The clanking of the Black Fist chain shirts can be heard moving in that direction as well. Moneus looks at the group and says: "The Plaza. It happened right in the middle of Podol Plaza."
(OOC: Any preparations or is the group rushing to the Plaza?)
The colour drains from Utar's face as Graxx reads the note. Stopping stone dead as Moneus confers with his contacts. As soon as he says it occurred at Podol Plaza, he breaks off in a run heading toward it.
(@Grx: I am more than happy to let Graxx heal for 18 HP, your original potion roll, instead of the 14 you just rolled.)
Utar is the first to storm towards the plaza, and he is closely followed by the others. Expecting a fight, both Graxx and Neya chug a healing potion while running. (Neya heals for 7 HP.)
The docks and the plaza are on opposite sides of town, but the track is made faster by the lack of people on the streets relative to daytime. Nonetheless, each step towards the plaza feels like tenday, each corner a year. Time even seems to stop upon arrival. Blood smears and pools in the eastern and central part of the public square, some of it already dried. A mess of red footsteps and paw-prints signals a convoluted dance shared by many individuals. Yet, a single corpse lies on the ground. A large lump of white and brown fur is tinted in red. Bite marks claim most of the neck and shoulder areas of the victim, whose own fangs are also covered in crimson. A cruel fate for one who had just recently been brought back from the afterlife. It seems death was not done with Biscuit just yet.
Some curious townsfolk have made their way back to the scene, but are now either gossiping among themselves or being questioned by a few Black Fist guards here and there. There are no apparent signs of Doozey or the attackers.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Slowing to a walk, Utar takes a moment to take in the scene. His heart breaks just a little seeing Biscuit left alone like that. Running an eye over the Black Fist guards, he tries to recollect their faces, see if he recognises them.
In taking in the scene, he looks for anything that might point to where Doozey has been taken, trying to scout likely witnesses, blood trails or suspicious animals.
@Utar: You set your eyes upon the general scene, scanning widely for anything that might be a lead. Blood is everywhere, so there is no obvious trail going off in a specific direction, at least not that your quick analysis can tell you. As for animals, you manage to spot a house cat on a roof, likely on its nightly escapades, as well as hear the low screeches of bats from a nearby fruit tree. Some of the townsfolk seem quite distraught, though there is no telling which one of them might have been an actual witness just by looking briefly from a distance. Finally, in terms of guards, there are a total of five of them. That includes the familiar faces of the two guards that had approached you at the arson scene earlier in the day. They are all busy questioning bystanders.
@Graxx: Focusing on just one possible lead pays off. While most look in the directions leading deeper into town for answers, you manage to spot some faint but bloody paw-prints leading to the nearby gate. There are several of them, some canine and others feline in nature. You know that the gate they lead towards sits right in front of the bridge that links the Valhingen Graveyard to the rest of Phlan.
@Neya: Your intention is to look at peoples' faces, trying to gauge their own intentions, but you find yourself looking back at Biscuit repeatedly. It is such a gruesome scene that you find it hard to focus on anything else at this exact moment. Perhaps after you take a breather you'll be able to focus again.
@All: Seeing Black Fist guards in the area, Moneus makes sure that his hair is covering his missing left year and stays back in the shadows a bit.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Being distracted by Biscuit's mutilated body, Neya thinks to make the most of it and looking at his wounds to will try and estimate how long ago this attack took place.
(@Ori: Please roll a CON check, not a saving throw.)
Utarsends a message into the ether and hopes for an immediate response... Nothing. There are a number of reasons that could be the case. Worst case scenario is that Doozey's fate is no different than Biscuit's. Best case scenario is that the halfling simply chose not to respond at this time. Either way, the cleric only hears mental silence for now. Focusing on another matter, Utar then quietly asks Moneus for assistance with Biscuit. Before stepping into an alleyway, the tielfling whispers back: "Don't get used to this type of service, old friend." Moments later, he returns and is slowly followed by two figures. A third joins from within the small crowd talking to guards. All of them hide the left side of their heads behind hair, headgear, or bandages. For now they hover around the body, presumably waiting for the right opportunity to transport it. Moneus nods to confirm.
While the tiefling's companions gather around Biscuit, Neya examines his wounds from not too far. She gathers that getting too close to the body might garner the attention of the guards, and thus stays a few feet away. From what she can see, the wounds have caked blood around them but the pool beneath the mastiff is still thick and gooey. She guesses the group was no more than 20 or 30 minutes too late to the fight.
DM's Screen:
4
At this point, Graxx calls for his compatriots. A couple of the bystanders hear the call too, but luckily, none of the guards do. Graxx shows the paw-prints he found and directs to group west. Upon arriving at the gates leading out of town towards the Valhingen Graveyard, the party stops. They are closed and protected by three guards, who don't seem particularly keen on opening the gates at night, especially not with a violent crime scene located right there on the plaza. They begin to look suspiciously toward the party.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Graxx looks up and sees the guards. Graxx is frantic.
"Guards! Have you seen anyone or anything come through here besides us in the last hour? We believe a friend of ours was injured and taken this way. He is a little halfling fellow. Please you must help us!"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Unsure how to take Doozey's lack of response, Utar decides not to dwell on it, hoping that the stoutling is merely biding his time.
Patting Moneus on the shoulder, he smiles at the tiefling, "Hence the debt I owe, besides what did you always say? True friends are one that help you move a body?"
Noticing Graxx's panic with the guards, Utar points towards him, "Now, if you'll excuse me."
Crossing the plaza, Utar clutches his amulet, casting guidance, thinking that persuading these guards will take a silver tongue and a golden handshake.
"Apologies sirs, my friend is understandably upset. We think our injured friend had been taken to the priests of Kelemvor up this way, we would very much like to find him as soon as possible. If you could help us at all, we'd be grateful."
With his final words, Utar lets his hand rest on his gold pouch, rattling the coins inside.
Yours is a state of nothingness. You are not fully conscious and is unaware of where you may be. Perhaps it is even the afterlife. In the midst of this ethereal pool of existence, you hear in your head: "We're at the plaza. You've been taken. We're coming to get you. Do you know where? Describe it? Anything? Stay strong. We've got Biscuit." You recognize it as being a friend's voice. It is Utar's. You try to respond but you are not able to. The words are simply not forming in your head at the moment.
Moneus simply smiles at Utar and nods in a way to say "go ahead" once Graxx starts yelling at the guards. Before the cleric can reach his barbarian friend, he can already tell the guards are getting more defensive seeing this large man demanding answers from them. One of them points a spear toward Graxx, and none of them are answering his questions.
Before things escalate, Utar arrives with a soothing voice and a calm delivery. One of the guards slowly pushes the other's spear down and says: "Aye, some folk took some injured friends through the gate a few moments before we closed it for the night. I guess it is them you are looking for." He looks at the clearly closed gate and adds: "9 gold pieces to each of us says the gate is not fully closed yet..."
Assuming the sum is indeed paid up to each of the three guards on gate watch, CRAP then finds themselves in the bridge where once they successfully avoided a fight with a giant toad. The group (including Moneus) is able to continue following the bloody paw-prints on the road parallel to the graveyard's fence. They are leading north now, and soon deliver you to the edges of a wooded area just past the graveyard. The prints are very faint now and are unlikely to be visible for much longer. It looks like the blood that made the prints might have dried up by the time they got his far.
(OOC: Feel free to pay the "gate fee" in silver or copper pieces if you prefer.)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Graxx looks into the wood.
"They must have gone this way..."
Graxx walks along the side of the wood looking for a trail entrance.
"Man... Orc... Beast.... No matter what is most creatures stick to using trails rather than crashing through brush... Especially if this is there home. There has to be trail somewhere nearby."
Graxxy will search for a worn trail.
Survival: 8
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
DM's Screen:
18
Between Moneus and Utar (and I'll assume Neya is helping as well), the two Grick corpses are disposed of in an expeditious manner, though all three are breathing heavily after the haul.
Then, once Graxx breaks the news, Moneus says: "Utar, save your brown raven for later. We go outside now. This type of news travels fast."
Moving outside, Moneus wastes no time talking to some shady figures or dockworkers. Then a commotion is heard (but not seen) coming from the west. The clanking of the Black Fist chain shirts can be heard moving in that direction as well. Moneus looks at the group and says: "The Plaza. It happened right in the middle of Podol Plaza."
(OOC: Any preparations or is the group rushing to the Plaza?)
The colour drains from Utar's face as Graxx reads the note. Stopping stone dead as Moneus confers with his contacts. As soon as he says it occurred at Podol Plaza, he breaks off in a run heading toward it.
Graxx downs the Greater Healing Potion 14 and charges after Utar.
Neya quaffs one of her normal healing potions (regains 7) and makes her way toward the plaza as well.
Extended Signature
(@Grx: I am more than happy to let Graxx heal for 18 HP, your original potion roll, instead of the 14 you just rolled.)
Utar is the first to storm towards the plaza, and he is closely followed by the others. Expecting a fight, both Graxx and Neya chug a healing potion while running. (Neya heals for 7 HP.)
The docks and the plaza are on opposite sides of town, but the track is made faster by the lack of people on the streets relative to daytime. Nonetheless, each step towards the plaza feels like tenday, each corner a year. Time even seems to stop upon arrival. Blood smears and pools in the eastern and central part of the public square, some of it already dried. A mess of red footsteps and paw-prints signals a convoluted dance shared by many individuals. Yet, a single corpse lies on the ground. A large lump of white and brown fur is tinted in red. Bite marks claim most of the neck and shoulder areas of the victim, whose own fangs are also covered in crimson. A cruel fate for one who had just recently been brought back from the afterlife. It seems death was not done with Biscuit just yet.
Some curious townsfolk have made their way back to the scene, but are now either gossiping among themselves or being questioned by a few Black Fist guards here and there. There are no apparent signs of Doozey or the attackers.
Slowing to a walk, Utar takes a moment to take in the scene. His heart breaks just a little seeing Biscuit left alone like that. Running an eye over the Black Fist guards, he tries to recollect their faces, see if he recognises them.
In taking in the scene, he looks for anything that might point to where Doozey has been taken, trying to scout likely witnesses, blood trails or suspicious animals.
Perception 12
Graxx turns red with anger. He drops to the ground on all fours searching for bloody tracks to lead him to who is responsible.
Survival: 21
Neya looks around the crowd to gauge if anyone is acting strangely
Insight: 7
Extended Signature
@Utar: You set your eyes upon the general scene, scanning widely for anything that might be a lead. Blood is everywhere, so there is no obvious trail going off in a specific direction, at least not that your quick analysis can tell you. As for animals, you manage to spot a house cat on a roof, likely on its nightly escapades, as well as hear the low screeches of bats from a nearby fruit tree. Some of the townsfolk seem quite distraught, though there is no telling which one of them might have been an actual witness just by looking briefly from a distance. Finally, in terms of guards, there are a total of five of them. That includes the familiar faces of the two guards that had approached you at the arson scene earlier in the day. They are all busy questioning bystanders.
@Graxx: Focusing on just one possible lead pays off. While most look in the directions leading deeper into town for answers, you manage to spot some faint but bloody paw-prints leading to the nearby gate. There are several of them, some canine and others feline in nature. You know that the gate they lead towards sits right in front of the bridge that links the Valhingen Graveyard to the rest of Phlan.
@Neya: Your intention is to look at peoples' faces, trying to gauge their own intentions, but you find yourself looking back at Biscuit repeatedly. It is such a gruesome scene that you find it hard to focus on anything else at this exact moment. Perhaps after you take a breather you'll be able to focus again.
@All: Seeing Black Fist guards in the area, Moneus makes sure that his hair is covering his missing left year and stays back in the shadows a bit.
Taking a deep breath, Utar clutches his amulet and casts sending. He pushes the psychic message out from himself, trying to find Doozey.
We're at the plaza. You've been taken. We're coming to get you. Do you know where? Describe it? Anything? Stay strong. We've got Biscuit.
While waiting for a reply, he steps towards the edge of the crowd closer to Moneus.
"It is an odd request, but is there someone herechere take a friend of mine to the House of the Hand? I'd owe a debt if they could."
Graxx rises up.
"I've got a trail! This way!"
Graxx will charge toward the gate and see if it's open. If it is he will open it and continue to inside.
Being distracted by Biscuit's mutilated body, Neya thinks to make the most of it and looking at his wounds to will try and estimate how long ago this attack took place.
Medicine: 17
Extended Signature
(@Ori: Please roll a CON check, not a saving throw.)
Utar sends a message into the ether and hopes for an immediate response... Nothing. There are a number of reasons that could be the case. Worst case scenario is that Doozey's fate is no different than Biscuit's. Best case scenario is that the halfling simply chose not to respond at this time. Either way, the cleric only hears mental silence for now. Focusing on another matter, Utar then quietly asks Moneus for assistance with Biscuit. Before stepping into an alleyway, the tielfling whispers back: "Don't get used to this type of service, old friend." Moments later, he returns and is slowly followed by two figures. A third joins from within the small crowd talking to guards. All of them hide the left side of their heads behind hair, headgear, or bandages. For now they hover around the body, presumably waiting for the right opportunity to transport it. Moneus nods to confirm.
While the tiefling's companions gather around Biscuit, Neya examines his wounds from not too far. She gathers that getting too close to the body might garner the attention of the guards, and thus stays a few feet away. From what she can see, the wounds have caked blood around them but the pool beneath the mastiff is still thick and gooey. She guesses the group was no more than 20 or 30 minutes too late to the fight.
DM's Screen:
4
At this point, Graxx calls for his compatriots. A couple of the bystanders hear the call too, but luckily, none of the guards do. Graxx shows the paw-prints he found and directs to group west. Upon arriving at the gates leading out of town towards the Valhingen Graveyard, the party stops. They are closed and protected by three guards, who don't seem particularly keen on opening the gates at night, especially not with a violent crime scene located right there on the plaza. They begin to look suspiciously toward the party.
Moneus hangs back for now.
Doozey Con Check(DC ???): 13.
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Graxx looks up and sees the guards. Graxx is frantic.
"Guards! Have you seen anyone or anything come through here besides us in the last hour? We believe a friend of ours was injured and taken this way. He is a little halfling fellow. Please you must help us!"
Persuasion: 7
Unsure how to take Doozey's lack of response, Utar decides not to dwell on it, hoping that the stoutling is merely biding his time.
Patting Moneus on the shoulder, he smiles at the tiefling, "Hence the debt I owe, besides what did you always say? True friends are one that help you move a body?"
Noticing Graxx's panic with the guards, Utar points towards him, "Now, if you'll excuse me."
Crossing the plaza, Utar clutches his amulet, casting guidance, thinking that persuading these guards will take a silver tongue and a golden handshake.
"Apologies sirs, my friend is understandably upset. We think our injured friend had been taken to the priests of Kelemvor up this way, we would very much like to find him as soon as possible. If you could help us at all, we'd be grateful."
With his final words, Utar lets his hand rest on his gold pouch, rattling the coins inside.
Persuasion - 4 plus 4
@Ori:
Yours is a state of nothingness. You are not fully conscious and is unaware of where you may be. Perhaps it is even the afterlife. In the midst of this ethereal pool of existence, you hear in your head: "We're at the plaza. You've been taken. We're coming to get you. Do you know where? Describe it? Anything? Stay strong. We've got Biscuit." You recognize it as being a friend's voice. It is Utar's. You try to respond but you are not able to. The words are simply not forming in your head at the moment.
Moneus simply smiles at Utar and nods in a way to say "go ahead" once Graxx starts yelling at the guards. Before the cleric can reach his barbarian friend, he can already tell the guards are getting more defensive seeing this large man demanding answers from them. One of them points a spear toward Graxx, and none of them are answering his questions.
Before things escalate, Utar arrives with a soothing voice and a calm delivery. One of the guards slowly pushes the other's spear down and says: "Aye, some folk took some injured friends through the gate a few moments before we closed it for the night. I guess it is them you are looking for." He looks at the clearly closed gate and adds: "9 gold pieces to each of us says the gate is not fully closed yet..."
Assuming the sum is indeed paid up to each of the three guards on gate watch, CRAP then finds themselves in the bridge where once they successfully avoided a fight with a giant toad. The group (including Moneus) is able to continue following the bloody paw-prints on the road parallel to the graveyard's fence. They are leading north now, and soon deliver you to the edges of a wooded area just past the graveyard. The prints are very faint now and are unlikely to be visible for much longer. It looks like the blood that made the prints might have dried up by the time they got his far.
(OOC: Feel free to pay the "gate fee" in silver or copper pieces if you prefer.)
Utar slips his hand into coin pouch, counting out nine pieces of gold for each guard in turn, "Much obliged to each of you."
Walking through the gates, Utar beckons both Neya and Moneus to follow.
Graxx looks into the wood.
"They must have gone this way..."
Graxx walks along the side of the wood looking for a trail entrance.
"Man... Orc... Beast.... No matter what is most creatures stick to using trails rather than crashing through brush... Especially if this is there home. There has to be trail somewhere nearby."
Graxxy will search for a worn trail.
Survival: 8