You sneak up to the burrow and carefully examine it. You're able to catch a glimpse of its maker: a large white mole. It dives back down its burrow as it senses your approach.
You sneak up to the burrow and carefully examine it. You're able to catch a glimpse of its maker: a large white mole. It dives back down its burrow as it senses your approach.
It's about 3:30 PM.
Olwer walks off quietly, to report to Erevan what he has heard and seen. If his fellow 'brewer' is busy talking with someone, he will wait to whisper the information.
OOC
I don't want to get to far ahead of my fellow player, so I'll likely hold off from posting for a bit. When is the scheduled meeting with Petunia?
I believe Petunia was going to check with you hourly at the big tent.
Erevan, with your lingering religion check, still contemplating the occurrence at the eel-eating contest, something tickles your memory from Olwer’s report. Urdlen has sometimes been represented by a white mole. What an odd coincidence.
Erevan listens carefully to the report from Olwer. After a moment, he raises an eyebrow. He then speaks quietly. "Urdlen, that banished gnome god we heard tell of at the eel-eating contest, sometimes has an avatar that is a white mole. Seems like something worth keeping an eye on. Think of all the little misfortunes at this fair that we have stumbled upon in just a few hours..."
He lowers his voice still further. "I am thinking it might be wise to pay another visit to Nanny Cowslip or perhaps the herbalist. They seem like the sort who might know about the history of this place, any curses or things like that."
With that, he heads back over to locate Nanny Cowslip once again.
Erevan listens carefully to the report from Olwer. After a moment, he raises an eyebrow. He then speaks quietly. "Urdlen, that banished gnome god we heard tell of at the eel-eating contest, sometimes has an avatar that is a white mole. Seems like something worth keeping an eye on. Think of all the little misfortunes at this fair that we have stumbled upon in just a few hours..."
He lowers his voice still further. "I am thinking it might be wise to pay another visit to Nanny Cowslip or perhaps the herbalist. They seem like the sort who might know about the history of this place, any curses or things like that."
With that, he heads back over to locate Nanny Cowslip once again.
''Good idea, Erevan, While you are doing that, I will do some sneaking and peaking about the fairgrounds. I'll see you in a little while at the big tent."
Olwer goes to the large pavilion first, to grab some free lunch. He tries to lift the food quickly and quietly, so that nobody notices. The food may be free, but a ghostly voice asking for a griddle cake would attract unwanted attention.
sleight of hand
11
After a hasty luncheon, Olwer sets out to invisibly investigate the Yard Sale. Money changing hands, perhaps curios and antiques of unexpected value...Even what he expects to be a smallcoin affair might attract the larcenous Elsie Rumknuckle.
When he arrives, he sets about looking for any thievery or similar suspicious activity.
Erevan: Nanny Cowslip is gone. You arrive at her wagon to see a small group of people, among them the mayor’s wife, still clutching her new toad husband. She’s crying.
Inquiring reveals they had shown Nanny Cowslip that the spell had not worn off yet, and the old halfling had become concerned, and stomped off without another word, out of the Faire and to the west.
Olwer: The yard sale is just as you suspected, a “smallcoin affair”. The yard sale is set up on a lawn that backs to a small apple orchard. An old halfling gaffer presides over several tables covered in various bric-a-brac, and everything is being sold for 1 GP. Halflings and gnomes browse the goods, picking up this and that for closer examination. The gaffer eyes them all closely. That is, until one of them points out to him that some gnome kids are stealing apples from his orchard. He whirls around and starts yelling at the youngsters, who dance about, teasing him. Then he takes up a nearby sack and starts hurling turnips out of it, at the kids. They yelp and scatter, but one of the turnips smashes through the side of a neighbor’s greenhouse.
Olwer closely watches the one who alerted the gaffer to the apple-thieves.
Probably, this person is just a helpful potential customer, but it could be he or shea clever thief using the kids as a distraction. Any suspicious body language, hints of a disguise...
Your instincts are finely honed from being in big cities, but there appears to be less conniving in this quaint backwoods community. The customer was merely being helpful.
Your instincts are finely honed from being in big cities, but there appears to be less conniving in this quaint backwoods community. The customer was merely being helpful.
Smiling ruefully at his own overly suspicious attitude, Olwer crosses the yard, going north under the hanging streamers, to the pond where the Stone-Skipping Contest will be held.
Gnomes and halflings picnicking around the village pond are playing a game of stone-skipping to see who can skip a stone with the most bounces. It appears to be a casual, light-hearted affair, but there are a trio of "official judges" who observe the skipping, and the young children do seem to be in earnest about it. Overall a peaceful scene.
As you turn to leave, something tickles your mind and you turn back. One of the halflings is sitting by herself, leaning against a tree trunk, a bit apart from the rest, munching on a sandwich. It's a small thing that caught your eye, it's just that she's alone and everyone else here is clustered in family groups. She's barefoot, wearing blue overalls and her hair is tied up under a kerchief, with a straw hat over that.
At this point, a youngster makes a particularly good throw with a skipping stone, getting dozens of bounces on the pond. She jumps up and down excitedly, but the judges had been distracted at that exact moment by a fluttering group of butterflies in the opposite direction, and they did not see the throw. The youngster starts to make a bit of a scene, crying and gesturing wildly at the pond, while the judges look around embarrassedly and shrug.
As you turn to leave, something tickles your mind and you turn back. One of the halflings is sitting by herself, leaning against a tree trunk, a bit apart from the rest, munching on a sandwich. It's a small thing that caught your eye, it's just that she's alone and everyone else here is clustered in family groups. She's barefoot, wearing blue overalls and her hair is tied up under a kerchief, with a straw hat over that.
At this point, a youngster makes a particularly good throw with a skipping stone, getting dozens of bounces on the pond. She jumps up and down excitedly, but the judges had been distracted at that exact moment by a fluttering group of butterflies in the opposite direction, and they did not see the throw. The youngster starts to make a bit of a scene, crying and gesturing wildly at the pond, while the judges look around embarrassedly and shrug.
Hair covered...it might mean nothing.
Olwer doubles back, approaching as quietly as he may for a closer look at the Halfling sitting alone. If he gets close enough without her seeming to realize she's no longer alone, he surreptitiously lifts her kerchief and hat to peek at her hair.
She claps a hand to her head as you lift the kerchief and she spins around, peering around with suspicion and confusion. She has red hair. Her eyes are green. She has a distinctive blush of freckles across her nose and cheeks. She does not detect you, who were able to lightly spring back and avoid a collision.
She claps a hand to her head as you lift the kerchief and she spins around, peering around with suspicion and confusion. She has red hair. Her eyes are green. She has a distinctive blush of freckles across her nose and cheeks. She does not detect you, who were able to lightly spring back and avoid a collision.
Olwer grins.
He says nothing, but waits and watches.
If the suspect leaves, he follows. If not, he sits and rests, eyes on her.
Erevan considers going after Nanny Cowslip but decides first to stop by the herbalist's cart once more. If the gnome woman is there, he'll strike up another conversation.
"So, it seems that the eel-eating contest is in a way dedicated to that unsavory god Urden," he observes. "And that there's been a fair share of mischief and calamity at the fair today--a lad nearly choked on an eel, they say the archery target machine broke down mysteriously, all sorts of things, including that stolen pig. Do you think the old white mole himself may be coming to call today? Anything you can tell me about Urden, or the history of the fair, would be greatly appreciated. It's really been a pleasure doing business with you today, and I would just hope that the fair could be free of such problems."
The herbalist Arabella considers your words thoughtfully. "Hmm, it has been quite a mischevious faire this year, of that there is no doubt. Little mishaps seem to be happening everywhere you turn. But maybe it's just because there are so many people and so many things happening all of a sudden. We're all used to a much sleepier pace of living, usually, so I'm sure it's just a coincidence of so many folk being together at once."
"The faire has been going on for longer than I remember, hundreds of years, I suppose. Nanny Cowslip could tell you best, she's definitely the oldest halfling around here. She was old when I was coming here as a young child!"
"Regarding Urdlen, I'm no expert, but isn't that stuff just stories meant to teach kids to make good choices, that sort of thing?"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Erevan laughs at Arabella's conclusion regarding the tales of Urdlen. "I suppose that's true. It can be so, so hard to teach children those sorts of important lessons. You're a wise woman, Arabella." He gives her a charming smile and goes on his way.
Erevan hesitates before deciding his next move. He summons Fez to rejoin him and instructs his familiar to stay invisible and fly a good distance ahead of him, acting as a scout. He then heads out west of the fair, looking for signs of Nanny Cowslip's path.
Erevan, there has been so much foot traffic today that you can't track her on your own. More inquiries, however, indicate that she has gone into the forest at the west edge of town.
Rather than go a-wandering in the woods, Erevan quick steps it back to the designated point at the main tent to rendezvous with Petunia the psychic. He keeps an eye out for the halfling psychic.
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You sneak up to the burrow and carefully examine it. You're able to catch a glimpse of its maker: a large white mole. It dives back down its burrow as it senses your approach.
It's about 3:30 PM.
Olwer walks off quietly, to report to Erevan what he has heard and seen. If his fellow 'brewer' is busy talking with someone, he will wait to whisper the information.
OOC
I don't want to get to far ahead of my fellow player, so I'll likely hold off from posting for a bit. When is the scheduled meeting with Petunia?
I believe Petunia was going to check with you hourly at the big tent.
Erevan, with your lingering religion check, still contemplating the occurrence at the eel-eating contest, something tickles your memory from Olwer’s report. Urdlen has sometimes been represented by a white mole. What an odd coincidence.
Erevan listens carefully to the report from Olwer. After a moment, he raises an eyebrow. He then speaks quietly. "Urdlen, that banished gnome god we heard tell of at the eel-eating contest, sometimes has an avatar that is a white mole. Seems like something worth keeping an eye on. Think of all the little misfortunes at this fair that we have stumbled upon in just a few hours..."
He lowers his voice still further. "I am thinking it might be wise to pay another visit to Nanny Cowslip or perhaps the herbalist. They seem like the sort who might know about the history of this place, any curses or things like that."
With that, he heads back over to locate Nanny Cowslip once again.
''Good idea, Erevan, While you are doing that, I will do some sneaking and peaking about the fairgrounds. I'll see you in a little while at the big tent."
Olwer goes to the large pavilion first, to grab some free lunch. He tries to lift the food quickly and quietly, so that nobody notices. The food may be free, but a ghostly voice asking for a griddle cake would attract unwanted attention.
sleight of hand
11
After a hasty luncheon, Olwer sets out to invisibly investigate the Yard Sale. Money changing hands, perhaps curios and antiques of unexpected value...Even what he expects to be a smallcoin affair might attract the larcenous Elsie Rumknuckle.
When he arrives, he sets about looking for any thievery or similar suspicious activity.
investigation
6
Erevan: Nanny Cowslip is gone. You arrive at her wagon to see a small group of people, among them the mayor’s wife, still clutching her new toad husband. She’s crying.
Inquiring reveals they had shown Nanny Cowslip that the spell had not worn off yet, and the old halfling had become concerned, and stomped off without another word, out of the Faire and to the west.
Olwer: The yard sale is just as you suspected, a “smallcoin affair”. The yard sale is set up on a lawn that backs to a small apple orchard. An old halfling gaffer presides over several tables covered in various bric-a-brac, and everything is being sold for 1 GP. Halflings and gnomes browse the goods, picking up this and that for closer examination. The gaffer eyes them all closely. That is, until one of them points out to him that some gnome kids are stealing apples from his orchard. He whirls around and starts yelling at the youngsters, who dance about, teasing him. Then he takes up a nearby sack and starts hurling turnips out of it, at the kids. They yelp and scatter, but one of the turnips smashes through the side of a neighbor’s greenhouse.
Olwer closely watches the one who alerted the gaffer to the apple-thieves.
Probably, this person is just a helpful potential customer, but it could be he or she a clever thief using the kids as a distraction. Any suspicious body language, hints of a disguise...
insight10
Your instincts are finely honed from being in big cities, but there appears to be less conniving in this quaint backwoods community. The customer was merely being helpful.
Smiling ruefully at his own overly suspicious attitude, Olwer crosses the yard, going north under the hanging streamers, to the pond where the Stone-Skipping Contest will be held.
Gnomes and halflings picnicking around the village pond are playing a game of stone-skipping to see who can skip a stone with the most bounces. It appears to be a casual, light-hearted affair, but there are a trio of "official judges" who observe the skipping, and the young children do seem to be in earnest about it. Overall a peaceful scene.
Olwer skirts the edge of the pond and heads for the Oiled-Boar Contest next...
As you turn to leave, something tickles your mind and you turn back. One of the halflings is sitting by herself, leaning against a tree trunk, a bit apart from the rest, munching on a sandwich. It's a small thing that caught your eye, it's just that she's alone and everyone else here is clustered in family groups. She's barefoot, wearing blue overalls and her hair is tied up under a kerchief, with a straw hat over that.
At this point, a youngster makes a particularly good throw with a skipping stone, getting dozens of bounces on the pond. She jumps up and down excitedly, but the judges had been distracted at that exact moment by a fluttering group of butterflies in the opposite direction, and they did not see the throw. The youngster starts to make a bit of a scene, crying and gesturing wildly at the pond, while the judges look around embarrassedly and shrug.
Hair covered...it might mean nothing.
Olwer doubles back, approaching as quietly as he may for a closer look at the Halfling sitting alone. If he gets close enough without her seeming to realize she's no longer alone, he surreptitiously lifts her kerchief and hat to peek at her hair.
Is it red?
stealth
23
sleight of hand
15
She claps a hand to her head as you lift the kerchief and she spins around, peering around with suspicion and confusion. She has red hair. Her eyes are green. She has a distinctive blush of freckles across her nose and cheeks. She does not detect you, who were able to lightly spring back and avoid a collision.
Olwer grins.
He says nothing, but waits and watches.
If the suspect leaves, he follows. If not, he sits and rests, eyes on her.
Erevan considers going after Nanny Cowslip but decides first to stop by the herbalist's cart once more. If the gnome woman is there, he'll strike up another conversation.
"So, it seems that the eel-eating contest is in a way dedicated to that unsavory god Urden," he observes. "And that there's been a fair share of mischief and calamity at the fair today--a lad nearly choked on an eel, they say the archery target machine broke down mysteriously, all sorts of things, including that stolen pig. Do you think the old white mole himself may be coming to call today? Anything you can tell me about Urden, or the history of the fair, would be greatly appreciated. It's really been a pleasure doing business with you today, and I would just hope that the fair could be free of such problems."
Persuasion 23
The herbalist Arabella considers your words thoughtfully. "Hmm, it has been quite a mischevious faire this year, of that there is no doubt. Little mishaps seem to be happening everywhere you turn. But maybe it's just because there are so many people and so many things happening all of a sudden. We're all used to a much sleepier pace of living, usually, so I'm sure it's just a coincidence of so many folk being together at once."
"The faire has been going on for longer than I remember, hundreds of years, I suppose. Nanny Cowslip could tell you best, she's definitely the oldest halfling around here. She was old when I was coming here as a young child!"
"Regarding Urdlen, I'm no expert, but isn't that stuff just stories meant to teach kids to make good choices, that sort of thing?"
Erevan laughs at Arabella's conclusion regarding the tales of Urdlen. "I suppose that's true. It can be so, so hard to teach children those sorts of important lessons. You're a wise woman, Arabella." He gives her a charming smile and goes on his way.
Erevan hesitates before deciding his next move. He summons Fez to rejoin him and instructs his familiar to stay invisible and fly a good distance ahead of him, acting as a scout. He then heads out west of the fair, looking for signs of Nanny Cowslip's path.
15 Survival
Oh hell yeah, natural one baby.
Erevan, there has been so much foot traffic today that you can't track her on your own. More inquiries, however, indicate that she has gone into the forest at the west edge of town.
It's approaching 5 PM.
Rather than go a-wandering in the woods, Erevan quick steps it back to the designated point at the main tent to rendezvous with Petunia the psychic. He keeps an eye out for the halfling psychic.