"We may as well take a look at what they have at market," Fianna suggests. "If I recall my childhood horror stories, haunted houses are never really active til dark anyway..."
The six of you say goodbye to Weasel, who will watch the shrine for Katernin today. The morning is cold and grimly overcast. A brisk breeze blows from the west.
Next door is the Temple of Procan, where Kelnan stops to make a brief inquiry of Brinehanded, the peg-legged head priest.
The old man, whom you find drinking tea in his robes in front of the temple, is dismissive of the house. "Let the abandoned edifice rot in obscurity so long as the dead leave it alone," he pronounces. He does finally provide a little helpful information: "It's on the old coast road to Seaton, up along the cliff toward the Mine. About five miles up the road you'll see an old cherry tree and a bit o' wall across from an overgrown path. Follow it in about two hundred feet and you'll see it. Th' only structure up that way. Th' old alchemist was a hermit, but I've been told he had a grand library. Maybe you'll find somethin' to read. Bring me back a good book if ye' find one!"
Continuing your way back through town, you find the Weekly Market crowded with buyers and sellers. Fish, mostly. Lots and lots of fish, some of which is being auctioned in vast quantities. (A tall, robed tiefling - the only one you've seen in town - is overheard purchasing a massive lot of salted fish at one auction. The locals seem to give her wide berth.) But there are other merchants - halfling farmers selling pumpkins and squash, weapons and armor vendors, general suppliers. The center area of the square contains a dozen long tables where throngs of locals eat communally. (All items from the Player’s Handbook costing up to 150 gp are available for purchase here.)
Katernin finds Lucky, "Um... I didn't find the money you were looking for,"she says with a sad smile, "but I did find this,"she hands him the belt pouch of 10 gold, the lizard and the signal lanturn.
Reed accepts all of the delays with annoyance, but accepts them nonetheless. "Fine, fine. Let's just get on with it. This place isn't going to loot itself, you know."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Ready to DM and chew bubblegum. And I'm alllll outta bubblegum.
Kellen Rivian(Level 12 Lore Bard)- Ghosts of Saltmarsh (cbaer8)
Ruven Gilrel (Level 4 Bladesinger)- The Shattered Obelisk
Lucky takes the pouch of coins, carved wooden lizard and signal lantern from Katernin with a wide smile. "Thank you so much, miss." He decides he wants to get out of his old clothes and takes a stroll through the market. Being particularly choosy and careful he picks out a selection of new items of apparel and slowly builds himself a half-decent wardrobe. He keeps his hooded robe with the deep pockets, as it's just too useful and anyway, he's very fond of it. If the clothes are particularly smelly, he'll approach Fianna and ask her, "Do you think you could do your smell-removing magic on my new clothes, please?"
Once in his new clothing, he's ready for anything and will join the others in whatever endeavour they select as our first mission together.
Fianna will of course do Prestidigitation on any and all who ask to clean their clothes, refresh their scent. She may even do on one or two slyly if they need it.
She’ll shop merrily through the market looking at this, that and everything but not spend much coin at all. She will spend about 2 gold on several pieces of chalk, a couple sacks, about 4 pouches...she’ll also pick up a nice, untorn cloak if she can find one in a nice green she likes. Otherwise maybe a snack and a drink but mainly window shopping...
Desiring very much to get out of these worn shipboard clothes, Kelnan picks out a new outfit, including a sturdy but well-fitting blue-gray vest (Traveler's Clothes). A few days rations and a waterskin should also prove handy. Waiting for the others, he sits and polishes his spellcasting rod's silver horsehead ornament and tries to keep an eye on the tiefling. What a curious person.
(Go ahead and make any purchases you need to - be sure to update your inventory and gold on your sheet. Prices are as listed in PHB. Everything in the PHB costing up to 150 gp are available for purchase here.)
Weekly Market is clearly the principal venue for Saltmarsh's fishermen and fish processors to sell their products, including to out-of-town buyers. The smell of salted, fermented fish is overpowering. The market also attracts farmers from outside Saltmarsh, and even some vendors from neighboring cities to sell their wares. A wild-haired musician plays his fiddle while an elderly toy merchant barks patter and comically dances a marionette to the fiddler's tune. There's also a worrying amount of alcohol consumption for this time of the morning.
Kelnan watches the tiefling as she successfully bids on vast amounts of dried fish at auction. She's all business, and no humor. She wears a long leather coat and gold jewelry etched with grim designs. While the crowd is mostly human, there are plenty halflings and dwarves, a small handful of elves, and even a couple of half-orcs and gnomes. But only one tiefling. Only one kobold, too; Molo is met with looks ranging from surprise to laughter to horror.
Whilst looking around the market, Lucky will keep his ears open for any gossip, especially where the haunted house is concerned. He'll also run point for the party, in as much as he'll keep on the look out for thieves and pickpockets, keeping us safe from their types if he can.
Lucky hears plenty of gossip, but little that's helpful. One of the Oweland family's fishing boats has gone missing. The Dwarven mine is having financial problems. Goblins were spotted on the road to Burle. But nothing about haunted houses.
There are some suspicious characters around – Lucky mentally identifies them as potential pickpockets to watch. But there are also two pairs of town guards stationed nearby, old men wearing studded leather armor marked with a town guard’s badge — the green reed of Saltmarsh — and armed with a club. But their inattention and frequent pulls from concealed flasks makes you confident that they are ill prepared to stop much.
Reed attempts to make a few contacts while he's here. He'll hit up a few of the halfling shop owners in thieve's cant: Nice place you've got here. Sure is a lot of fish around, is there any place one can find fresher than this? Looking to make some good purchases possibly.
Translation: New to the area, and looking for some under the table work. You know of anything?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Ready to DM and chew bubblegum. And I'm alllll outta bubblegum.
Kellen Rivian(Level 12 Lore Bard)- Ghosts of Saltmarsh (cbaer8)
Ruven Gilrel (Level 4 Bladesinger)- The Shattered Obelisk
Reed attempts to make a few contacts while he's here. He'll hit up a few of the halfling shop owners in thieve's cant: Nice place you've got here. Sure is a lot of fish around, is there any place one can find fresher than this? Looking to make some good purchases possibly.
Reed's conversations mostly elicit a lot of boring conversations about fish. But one, waxing poetic about the delights of fresh flounder, responds in kind.
It's late morning by the time the party finishes shopping. From the information you've gathered, you understand you'll need to head west over the bridge, then hike north through the city gate and out the single road from Saltmarsh before turning east along the coast toward Seaton. You expect your walk will take at least a couple of hours. This will probably eat up most of your day to get to the house and back, depending on how long you stay.
Does anyone have further business before attempting the hike?
Just past the Snapping Line, you cross an ancient bridge which spans a wide, slow-moving river. Shops and homes are crowded along its length. Both Fianna and Kelnan feel vaguely nauseated as they cross; something about this bridge, or the river, disturbs them slightly.
Heading to the northwest edge of town, you pass a substantial-looking barracks (#2 on the map) and another tavern (#3-The Wicker Goat). You arrive at the city gate (#1) - a small stretch of wall and a single gate secured by three guards. The wall is old, crumbling, and badly worn by centuries of weather. The garrison at the gate consists of a trio of old men, gossiping and pulling drinks from a shared flask. They barely acknowledge you.
Outside the gate is a wide expanse of marshy, sandy grasslands. You smell that acrid smoke smell again, and see faint smoke to the northwest. Moving forward, the road north soon splits east and west. A newish-looking wooden sign orients you: East is Seaton; West is Burle. You're headed East toward Seaton. The road is well-used, but currently empty of any traffic.
A couple of miles from Saltmarsh, the road forks; you choose the right fork, the "old coast road." It's uphill, deeply rutted and full of soft sand.
At one point a pair of guards on horseback pass you, headed west, wearing the green reed of Saltmarsh. They are more heavily-armored than the guards in town; they wear chain mail and wield longswords and heavy crossbows. They don't bother even greeting you.
At another point, you spot disturbing, claw-like footprints in a patch of dried mud on the side of the road. While there is evidence of recent travel along the road - both boot and wheel prints - you meet no other travelers. It takes a couple of long hours to get to your destination.
Finally, across from an old cherry tree and a bit of wall, you spot an overgrown path, just as Brinehanded described. There are once-cultivated fields nearby, prime agricultural land by the looks of it, but long untended and rank with weeds.
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Fianna
"We may as well take a look at what they have at market," Fianna suggests. "If I recall my childhood horror stories, haunted houses are never really active til dark anyway..."
Kelnan
"Fine then. We'll check out the market, and see if anyone can help us find the place. But let's do see if the old priest has any advice to offer."
The six of you say goodbye to Weasel, who will watch the shrine for Katernin today. The morning is cold and grimly overcast. A brisk breeze blows from the west.
Next door is the Temple of Procan, where Kelnan stops to make a brief inquiry of Brinehanded, the peg-legged head priest.
The old man, whom you find drinking tea in his robes in front of the temple, is dismissive of the house. "Let the abandoned edifice rot in obscurity so long as the dead leave it alone," he pronounces. He does finally provide a little helpful information: "It's on the old coast road to Seaton, up along the cliff toward the Mine. About five miles up the road you'll see an old cherry tree and a bit o' wall across from an overgrown path. Follow it in about two hundred feet and you'll see it. Th' only structure up that way. Th' old alchemist was a hermit, but I've been told he had a grand library. Maybe you'll find somethin' to read. Bring me back a good book if ye' find one!"
Continuing your way back through town, you find the Weekly Market crowded with buyers and sellers. Fish, mostly. Lots and lots of fish, some of which is being auctioned in vast quantities. (A tall, robed tiefling - the only one you've seen in town - is overheard purchasing a massive lot of salted fish at one auction. The locals seem to give her wide berth.) But there are other merchants - halfling farmers selling pumpkins and squash, weapons and armor vendors, general suppliers. The center area of the square contains a dozen long tables where throngs of locals eat communally. (All items from the Player’s Handbook costing up to 150 gp are available for purchase here.)
Katernin:
Katernin finds Lucky, "Um... I didn't find the money you were looking for," she says with a sad smile, "but I did find this," she hands him the belt pouch of 10 gold, the lizard and the signal lanturn.
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
Reed accepts all of the delays with annoyance, but accepts them nonetheless. "Fine, fine. Let's just get on with it. This place isn't going to loot itself, you know."
Ready to DM and chew bubblegum. And I'm alllll outta bubblegum.
Kellen Rivian (Level 12 Lore Bard)- Ghosts of Saltmarsh (cbaer8)
Ruven Gilrel (Level 4 Bladesinger)- The Shattered Obelisk
Lucky takes the pouch of coins, carved wooden lizard and signal lantern from Katernin with a wide smile. "Thank you so much, miss." He decides he wants to get out of his old clothes and takes a stroll through the market. Being particularly choosy and careful he picks out a selection of new items of apparel and slowly builds himself a half-decent wardrobe. He keeps his hooded robe with the deep pockets, as it's just too useful and anyway, he's very fond of it. If the clothes are particularly smelly, he'll approach Fianna and ask her, "Do you think you could do your smell-removing magic on my new clothes, please?"
Once in his new clothing, he's ready for anything and will join the others in whatever endeavour they select as our first mission together.
(OOC: paid for Clothes, Traveler's out of the 10gp Katernin gave me)
My Author Page: www.peterjblake.com
Novels Published: Reynard's Fate, Kita's Honour, Okoth's War and Callindrill
Fianna
Fianna will of course do Prestidigitation on any and all who ask to clean their clothes, refresh their scent. She may even do on one or two slyly if they need it.
She’ll shop merrily through the market looking at this, that and everything but not spend much coin at all. She will spend about 2 gold on several pieces of chalk, a couple sacks, about 4 pouches...she’ll also pick up a nice, untorn cloak if she can find one in a nice green she likes. Otherwise maybe a snack and a drink but mainly window shopping...
Kelnan
Desiring very much to get out of these worn shipboard clothes, Kelnan picks out a new outfit, including a sturdy but well-fitting blue-gray vest (Traveler's Clothes). A few days rations and a waterskin should also prove handy. Waiting for the others, he sits and polishes his spellcasting rod's silver horsehead ornament and tries to keep an eye on the tiefling. What a curious person.
(Go ahead and make any purchases you need to - be sure to update your inventory and gold on your sheet. Prices are as listed in PHB. Everything in the PHB costing up to 150 gp are available for purchase here.)
Weekly Market is clearly the principal venue for Saltmarsh's fishermen and fish processors to sell their products, including to out-of-town buyers. The smell of salted, fermented fish is overpowering. The market also attracts farmers from outside Saltmarsh, and even some vendors from neighboring cities to sell their wares. A wild-haired musician plays his fiddle while an elderly toy merchant barks patter and comically dances a marionette to the fiddler's tune. There's also a worrying amount of alcohol consumption for this time of the morning.
Kelnan watches the tiefling as she successfully bids on vast amounts of dried fish at auction. She's all business, and no humor. She wears a long leather coat and gold jewelry etched with grim designs. While the crowd is mostly human, there are plenty halflings and dwarves, a small handful of elves, and even a couple of half-orcs and gnomes. But only one tiefling. Only one kobold, too; Molo is met with looks ranging from surprise to laughter to horror.
Whilst looking around the market, Lucky will keep his ears open for any gossip, especially where the haunted house is concerned. He'll also run point for the party, in as much as he'll keep on the look out for thieves and pickpockets, keeping us safe from their types if he can.
Perception (+4): 13
My Author Page: www.peterjblake.com
Novels Published: Reynard's Fate, Kita's Honour, Okoth's War and Callindrill
Lucky hears plenty of gossip, but little that's helpful. One of the Oweland family's fishing boats has gone missing. The Dwarven mine is having financial problems. Goblins were spotted on the road to Burle. But nothing about haunted houses.
There are some suspicious characters around – Lucky mentally identifies them as potential pickpockets to watch. But there are also two pairs of town guards stationed nearby, old men wearing studded leather armor marked with a town guard’s badge — the green reed of Saltmarsh — and armed with a club. But their inattention and frequent pulls from concealed flasks makes you confident that they are ill prepared to stop much.
Reed attempts to make a few contacts while he's here. He'll hit up a few of the halfling shop owners in thieve's cant: Nice place you've got here. Sure is a lot of fish around, is there any place one can find fresher than this? Looking to make some good purchases possibly.
Translation: New to the area, and looking for some under the table work. You know of anything?
Ready to DM and chew bubblegum. And I'm alllll outta bubblegum.
Kellen Rivian (Level 12 Lore Bard)- Ghosts of Saltmarsh (cbaer8)
Ruven Gilrel (Level 4 Bladesinger)- The Shattered Obelisk
(Lucky wasn't intentionally following or listening to Reed, but should he notice he'll watch the conversation and listen in, subtly).
My Author Page: www.peterjblake.com
Novels Published: Reynard's Fate, Kita's Honour, Okoth's War and Callindrill
Reed's conversations mostly elicit a lot of boring conversations about fish. But one, waxing poetic about the delights of fresh flounder, responds in kind.
Talk to Kreb Shenker at the Empty Net for work.
It's late morning by the time the party finishes shopping. From the information you've gathered, you understand you'll need to head west over the bridge, then hike north through the city gate and out the single road from Saltmarsh before turning east along the coast toward Seaton. You expect your walk will take at least a couple of hours. This will probably eat up most of your day to get to the house and back, depending on how long you stay.
Does anyone have further business before attempting the hike?
Lucky is ready to go.
My Author Page: www.peterjblake.com
Novels Published: Reynard's Fate, Kita's Honour, Okoth's War and Callindrill
Reed thanks the merchant for the flounder advice and makes a mental note about Kreb.
Ready to DM and chew bubblegum. And I'm alllll outta bubblegum.
Kellen Rivian (Level 12 Lore Bard)- Ghosts of Saltmarsh (cbaer8)
Ruven Gilrel (Level 4 Bladesinger)- The Shattered Obelisk
Fianna is bored with fish and ready for a nice hike...
The party is ready to head out.
Just past the Snapping Line, you cross an ancient bridge which spans a wide, slow-moving river. Shops and homes are crowded along its length. Both Fianna and Kelnan feel vaguely nauseated as they cross; something about this bridge, or the river, disturbs them slightly.
Heading to the northwest edge of town, you pass a substantial-looking barracks (#2 on the map) and another tavern (#3-The Wicker Goat). You arrive at the city gate (#1) - a small stretch of wall and a single gate secured by three guards. The wall is old, crumbling, and badly worn by centuries of weather. The garrison at the gate consists of a trio of old men, gossiping and pulling drinks from a shared flask. They barely acknowledge you.
Outside the gate is a wide expanse of marshy, sandy grasslands. You smell that acrid smoke smell again, and see faint smoke to the northwest. Moving forward, the road north soon splits east and west. A newish-looking wooden sign orients you: East is Seaton; West is Burle. You're headed East toward Seaton. The road is well-used, but currently empty of any traffic.
A couple of miles from Saltmarsh, the road forks; you choose the right fork, the "old coast road." It's uphill, deeply rutted and full of soft sand.
At one point a pair of guards on horseback pass you, headed west, wearing the green reed of Saltmarsh. They are more heavily-armored than the guards in town; they wear chain mail and wield longswords and heavy crossbows. They don't bother even greeting you.
At another point, you spot disturbing, claw-like footprints in a patch of dried mud on the side of the road. While there is evidence of recent travel along the road - both boot and wheel prints - you meet no other travelers. It takes a couple of long hours to get to your destination.
Finally, across from an old cherry tree and a bit of wall, you spot an overgrown path, just as Brinehanded described. There are once-cultivated fields nearby, prime agricultural land by the looks of it, but long untended and rank with weeds.