The halfling's eyes widen as she sees Hurmfar's bulk come into view, but she beams in delight as he compliments her work.
"Course they are." She says with a chortle. "Make the paint myself out o' fruit and syrups. They may not taste great, but you can still eat 'em. I save my REALLY nasty ones for them what deserve it. There are few real crackers in this town, I'll tell ya that."
She pushes her wide brimmed hat back and extends a dirty hand. "Ain't seen you folks before. Why'd y'all come looking for old Gredda? Y'interested in the Traveler? He's the God that talks back to you, after all. I got some pamphlets here somewhere."
She drops her bindle to the ground and unties it quickly sorting through it, before pulling out a soiled, hand-drawn pamphlet. It's decorated with an ornately drawn doorway or archway on the cover that is shaped suspiciously like a phallus.
"Eh?" She raises her eyebrows excitedly. "He tells me I'm number three of his evangelists. I convert you folks, I might be able to climb the ranks soon enough!"
She taps the pamphlet. "I...err... I am gonna need that back when you're done!"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Gredda, tell us more about the Traveler, and why does he come through a doorway that looks like a penis? What "ranks" are you climbing? Do you know where the Traveler is right now? Is there any way we can speak to him?" Erbert smiles at Gredda in a friendly way.
Insight into whether she truly believes this or if she has been too long on the dark side of the moon : 8
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Gredda, wipes her face with the back of her hand, leaving a purple streak across her cheek. "Where to begin, really? The Traveler is really cool. He's the only god I've ever heard of in all Exandria that actually talks back.Not only to clerics, but to all his people. Even folks like me. I'm a cook by trade, servin' in the Imperial Army until not that long ago. I was scared all the time, worried about following the rules, trying my best to keep my hand attached to my neck. Then, I found that pamphlet." She nods at the document Hurmfar is looking through.
"Let go...have fun.... cause a little trouble. And give back -- keep it in balance. Make sure when you let loose its them that look down their noses at you are the ones that suffer. The rude, the mean, the boring." She smiles. "The Traveler's symbol is a doorway with a road going through it. And the penises? Peni? Sorry, I ain't educated like you mister, I don't know the plural. Well, they're just funny. Proof if nothing else those what created us have got a sense o' humor."
She spits and looks closely at Erbert. "Course you can talk to the Traveler. He was just here with me. He's got to want to talk to you though. He likes them that appreciate things that ain't so serious." She guffaws, covering her mouth with her wrist. "Sssh! I'm trying to get you some more followers. Ain't right to say that about them. They can't hear ya. Now, hush!" She composes herself then continues."There ain't many o' us right now. Worshipping someone not approved by the Assembly ain't exactly legal, but he IS a God. 'Least I seen him do some pretty amazing stuff. Saved my life more than once. Hells, he kept me safe a few nights ago when all them fires was burning."
She starts to pack up her bindle. "That being said, this town ain't safe for folks like us. Outsiders. I'm on my way to the next little town. If'n you had any sense, you'd do the same."
Owin follows the rest till he reaches the halfling.
Assessing the situation, he speaks up after Erbert "Gredda, listen. I'm going to just be direct. You don't seem like an arsonist." Owin then looks down, picking up a painted plant leaf and tasting it, then dropping it to the earth below... "At least not someone destructive, let's put it that way. There's someone catching the fields aflame here. Ruining crops. Burning property. Is it you? Do you know anything about it? "
"Would the Traveler find this funny? What can we do to speak with him?" Erbert casts minor illusion just behind Gredda, letting out the sound of a long, drawn out, squeaky fart. "Gredda, how could you!?! What's in those beans?" Erbert smiles and tries to lighten the mood, encouraging her to elaborate further.
After this Erbert casts a second illusion to change all the stalks red and all the beans green in a 5 ft square. “Like this?”
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Owin Persuasion (with advantage from Erbert's pranks): 21
Gredda laughs a rich, earthy laugh as Erbert uses minor illusion to create his harmless illusions. "I can't speak for the Traveler, but I think that's fecking hilarious. Not a bad one, gnomey. You got potential, you do. The Traveler will talk to you if he needs something from you or if you genuinely believe in his power."
She considers Owin's questions carefully, and still chuckling from the farting sounds, she sighs. "I ain't one to tell on folks, but...the night of the fire on that mean old lady's farm, Valentino....Virillo...whatever, I saw something pretty disturbing.That boy, Stump, the kid who's always strung out on that skein shite, he was there making a fuss, trying to get people to notice him, acting all sorts o' dodgy. I thought it was pretty odd, so I kept some eyes on him. When the boy thought no one was looking, he changed completely. I mean, his whole body, face, all o' it. Turned hisself to the muckety-muck in charge of town, he did.. Walked right into the crowd, bold as he pleases. I kin't say whatever that...thing was started the fire, but it sure as hells spooked me. The Traveler told me to get out o' town right quick. Nothing good comes from having that kind o' knowledge."
Hurmfar, as you read the pamphlet, you recognize the apparent "religion" of the Traveler seems to have much of its core tenets cobbled together from the other faiths of Exandria -- it's certainly not very coherent. Judging from the tone of the pamphlet and Gredda's own statements, you'd be shocked if the Traveler had more than a few dozen followers.
Gredda packs up her bindle and begins walking away. "People in this town has too many secrets. Not good for them like me who stir things up. Not for folks like you who like to ask questions neither. If you wanna come, I'm on my way to Zadash. The Traveler is organizing a little get together for his faithful way down south on a tropical island or summat. Imma make my way down there...eventually."
Hurmfar looks up from the pamphlet at the mention of 'skein', realizing they may now know what's going on in the back room of the Golden Lure.
"Nae, lassie," Hurmfar says. 'Tropical islands and dwarves are not a good mix. Sand gets into every nook and cranny and you're arse feels like sandpaper for weeks and you even gets flecks of it in your toalie."
He looks back down at the pamphlet then back over at Gredda.
"So you seen the boy turn into the Starosta. But are you sure it was the Stump lad to begin with?"
"Gredda thank you, that really helps. We may look you up in Zadash or down south, perhaps we will bump into each other again. I appreciate you. Maybe we can just get silly together again. Maybe the Traveler will speak to me one day or not, but I thank you for your help. Good luck to you."
Erbert turns to his companions. "I think we have what we need. We need to pay Whisperthin a visit again. I think he is not being truthful to us and knows a great deal more about this than he is letting on. Or perhaps, he is the cause of this. If you all agree, I think that is where we should head next. It would be good to try to catch him unawares and see what we can find out." Erbert stops and looks at each of you. "We don't have much time. Back to the beginning? Shall we?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
DM Screen
16
All of you see Gredda very clumsily try and slip a small, wriggling centipede into Noachi's pockets while the elf is distracted. Obviously caught, Gredda chuckles that earthy laugh again, before the centipede bites into her hand.
"Oh, gods damn it!" Rubbing her hand, she sort of shrugs at Noachi. "Sorry, love. Can't help meself. Part of my faith, it is. Nothing personal."
Keeping one eye on Noachi, Gredda bobs her head at Hurmfar. "Yeah, it definitely was the kid. One of the first people I met in town. Real piece o' work that one. Both arrogant and unbelievably stupid. Exactly the type of combination I love to mess with. If you see the boy at some point today, take a good look at him and you'll see ol' Gredda's handiwork."
Hearing Erbert and Hurmfar declnie her offer on behalf of the group, Gredda sighs and shrugs. "Suit yerselves. Jes' be careful. This whole town is rotten. Normally, there's only a few folks in a place I'd really like to give a taste o' chaos to, but nearly everyone I interacted with in this 'burg has tried to kick me up the backside or make me miserable. This pilgrim's life ain't for the faint o' heart, that's for sure."
With that, the halfling ambles her way back to the road and wanders off, further and further from town
Hurmfar nods a farewell to Gredda then turns and continues down the roadway, following after Erbert. He looks up at the sky and then begins to hum to himself as he walks. Eventually he breaks into song and sings as he walks.
We dig dig dig dig dig dig dig in our mine the Whole day through To dig dig dig dig dig dig dig is what we really like to do It ain't no trick to get rich quick If you dig dig dig with a shovel or a pick In a mine! In a mine! In a mine! In a mine! Where a million diamonds shine!
"So, if our new friend Gredda isn't having another one on us, we're dealing with a shape-changing arsonist. Now, is the boy changing into the Starosta? Or the Starosta changing into the boy? Or ... quite possibly, are we dealing with an unknown person?" Owin remarks outloud as they walk...
"Fancy, we thought it was an obnoxious youth. A simple town matter. Now we're dealing with someone who can change themselves into whoever they'd like, it seems."
Sorry, Holidays and then yesterday was my Birthday... it's always a time consuming part of the year... let's roll!
As you walk further into the Tillage, and the afternoon opens up. Its fairly warm for how late in the fall it is. So much so that the mud that had formed the previous night has dried out to such an extent that the piles of mud that have formed have a pretty fine layer of dust on them, and you yourselves are pretty dusty by the time you end up in front of the abandoned Wesprem farm. Surprisingly, you are not the only people interested in the farm. Noachi -- you see a familiar carriage nearby well before you get to the farm, with Henk the half-orc driver/bodyguard huddled atop the carriage seemingly dozing.
It doesn't seem like Henk has noticed you yet approaching the house. What do you want to do?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Hurmfar, hearing that the halfling has spotted everyone but doesn't appear to be hostile, steps forward until he can see her as well.
He gives her a deep bow in greeting.
"A fine artist you are," he says. "I do like the colours. Are they safe to eat still?"
The halfling's eyes widen as she sees Hurmfar's bulk come into view, but she beams in delight as he compliments her work.
"Course they are." She says with a chortle. "Make the paint myself out o' fruit and syrups. They may not taste great, but you can still eat 'em. I save my REALLY nasty ones for them what deserve it. There are few real crackers in this town, I'll tell ya that."
She pushes her wide brimmed hat back and extends a dirty hand. "Ain't seen you folks before. Why'd y'all come looking for old Gredda? Y'interested in the Traveler? He's the God that talks back to you, after all. I got some pamphlets here somewhere."
She drops her bindle to the ground and unties it quickly sorting through it, before pulling out a soiled, hand-drawn pamphlet. It's decorated with an ornately drawn doorway or archway on the cover that is shaped suspiciously like a phallus.
"Eh?" She raises her eyebrows excitedly. "He tells me I'm number three of his evangelists. I convert you folks, I might be able to climb the ranks soon enough!"
She taps the pamphlet. "I...err... I am gonna need that back when you're done!"
"Gredda, tell us more about the Traveler, and why does he come through a doorway that looks like a penis? What "ranks" are you climbing? Do you know where the Traveler is right now? Is there any way we can speak to him?" Erbert smiles at Gredda in a friendly way.
Insight into whether she truly believes this or if she has been too long on the dark side of the moon : 8
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Hurmfar takes the offered pamphlet and looks it over while Erbert questions Gredda.
Hurmfar -- make a Religion check.
Gredda, wipes her face with the back of her hand, leaving a purple streak across her cheek. "Where to begin, really? The Traveler is really cool. He's the only god I've ever heard of in all Exandria that actually talks back.Not only to clerics, but to all his people. Even folks like me. I'm a cook by trade, servin' in the Imperial Army until not that long ago. I was scared all the time, worried about following the rules, trying my best to keep my hand attached to my neck. Then, I found that pamphlet." She nods at the document Hurmfar is looking through.
"Let go...have fun.... cause a little trouble. And give back -- keep it in balance. Make sure when you let loose its them that look down their noses at you are the ones that suffer. The rude, the mean, the boring." She smiles. "The Traveler's symbol is a doorway with a road going through it. And the penises? Peni? Sorry, I ain't educated like you mister, I don't know the plural. Well, they're just funny. Proof if nothing else those what created us have got a sense o' humor."
She spits and looks closely at Erbert. "Course you can talk to the Traveler. He was just here with me. He's got to want to talk to you though. He likes them that appreciate things that ain't so serious." She guffaws, covering her mouth with her wrist. "Sssh! I'm trying to get you some more followers. Ain't right to say that about them. They can't hear ya. Now, hush!" She composes herself then continues. "There ain't many o' us right now. Worshipping someone not approved by the Assembly ain't exactly legal, but he IS a God. 'Least I seen him do some pretty amazing stuff. Saved my life more than once. Hells, he kept me safe a few nights ago when all them fires was burning."
She starts to pack up her bindle. "That being said, this town ain't safe for folks like us. Outsiders. I'm on my way to the next little town. If'n you had any sense, you'd do the same."
Owin follows the rest till he reaches the halfling.
Assessing the situation, he speaks up after Erbert "Gredda, listen. I'm going to just be direct. You don't seem like an arsonist." Owin then looks down, picking up a painted plant leaf and tasting it, then dropping it to the earth below... "At least not someone destructive, let's put it that way. There's someone catching the fields aflame here. Ruining crops. Burning property. Is it you? Do you know anything about it? "
Hurmfar Religion Check: 16
Hurmfar keeps trying to make sense of the pamphlet but also keeps one ear open to the conversation.
”Och, he protected you now, did he?” Hurmfar says. “How did he manage that? Did he tell you where the fires would be?”
"Would the Traveler find this funny? What can we do to speak with him?" Erbert casts minor illusion just behind Gredda, letting out the sound of a long, drawn out, squeaky fart. "Gredda, how could you!?! What's in those beans?" Erbert smiles and tries to lighten the mood, encouraging her to elaborate further.
After this Erbert casts a second illusion to change all the stalks red and all the beans green in a 5 ft square. “Like this?”
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Owin Persuasion (with advantage from Erbert's pranks): 21
Gredda laughs a rich, earthy laugh as Erbert uses minor illusion to create his harmless illusions. "I can't speak for the Traveler, but I think that's fecking hilarious. Not a bad one, gnomey. You got potential, you do. The Traveler will talk to you if he needs something from you or if you genuinely believe in his power."
She considers Owin's questions carefully, and still chuckling from the farting sounds, she sighs. "I ain't one to tell on folks, but...the night of the fire on that mean old lady's farm, Valentino....Virillo...whatever, I saw something pretty disturbing.That boy, Stump, the kid who's always strung out on that skein shite, he was there making a fuss, trying to get people to notice him, acting all sorts o' dodgy. I thought it was pretty odd, so I kept some eyes on him. When the boy thought no one was looking, he changed completely. I mean, his whole body, face, all o' it. Turned hisself to the muckety-muck in charge of town, he did.. Walked right into the crowd, bold as he pleases. I kin't say whatever that...thing was started the fire, but it sure as hells spooked me. The Traveler told me to get out o' town right quick. Nothing good comes from having that kind o' knowledge."
Hurmfar, as you read the pamphlet, you recognize the apparent "religion" of the Traveler seems to have much of its core tenets cobbled together from the other faiths of Exandria -- it's certainly not very coherent. Judging from the tone of the pamphlet and Gredda's own statements, you'd be shocked if the Traveler had more than a few dozen followers.
Gredda packs up her bindle and begins walking away. "People in this town has too many secrets. Not good for them like me who stir things up. Not for folks like you who like to ask questions neither. If you wanna come, I'm on my way to Zadash. The Traveler is organizing a little get together for his faithful way down south on a tropical island or summat. Imma make my way down there...eventually."
Hurmfar looks up from the pamphlet at the mention of 'skein', realizing they may now know what's going on in the back room of the Golden Lure.
"Nae, lassie," Hurmfar says. 'Tropical islands and dwarves are not a good mix. Sand gets into every nook and cranny and you're arse feels like sandpaper for weeks and you even gets flecks of it in your toalie."
He looks back down at the pamphlet then back over at Gredda.
"So you seen the boy turn into the Starosta. But are you sure it was the Stump lad to begin with?"
"Gredda thank you, that really helps. We may look you up in Zadash or down south, perhaps we will bump into each other again. I appreciate you. Maybe we can just get silly together again. Maybe the Traveler will speak to me one day or not, but I thank you for your help. Good luck to you."
Erbert turns to his companions. "I think we have what we need. We need to pay Whisperthin a visit again. I think he is not being truthful to us and knows a great deal more about this than he is letting on. Or perhaps, he is the cause of this. If you all agree, I think that is where we should head next. It would be good to try to catch him unawares and see what we can find out." Erbert stops and looks at each of you. "We don't have much time. Back to the beginning? Shall we?"
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
DM Screen
16
All of you see Gredda very clumsily try and slip a small, wriggling centipede into Noachi's pockets while the elf is distracted. Obviously caught, Gredda chuckles that earthy laugh again, before the centipede bites into her hand.
"Oh, gods damn it!" Rubbing her hand, she sort of shrugs at Noachi. "Sorry, love. Can't help meself. Part of my faith, it is. Nothing personal."
Keeping one eye on Noachi, Gredda bobs her head at Hurmfar. "Yeah, it definitely was the kid. One of the first people I met in town. Real piece o' work that one. Both arrogant and unbelievably stupid. Exactly the type of combination I love to mess with. If you see the boy at some point today, take a good look at him and you'll see ol' Gredda's handiwork."
Hearing Erbert and Hurmfar declnie her offer on behalf of the group, Gredda sighs and shrugs. "Suit yerselves. Jes' be careful. This whole town is rotten. Normally, there's only a few folks in a place I'd really like to give a taste o' chaos to, but nearly everyone I interacted with in this 'burg has tried to kick me up the backside or make me miserable. This pilgrim's life ain't for the faint o' heart, that's for sure."
With that, the halfling ambles her way back to the road and wanders off, further and further from town
Hurmfar nods a farewell to Gredda then turns and continues down the roadway, following after Erbert. He looks up at the sky and then begins to hum to himself as he walks. Eventually he breaks into song and sings as he walks.
We dig dig dig dig dig dig dig in our mine the
Whole day through
To dig dig dig dig dig dig dig is what we really like to do
It ain't no trick to get rich quick
If you dig dig dig with a shovel or a pick
In a mine! In a mine! In a mine! In a mine!
Where a million diamonds shine!
Erbert bounces up and down to the tune, walking down the road, oddly happy again despite the madness surrounding them. "Good one Hurmfar!"
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Owin matches the others, thinking quietly.
"So, if our new friend Gredda isn't having another one on us, we're dealing with a shape-changing arsonist. Now, is the boy changing into the Starosta? Or the Starosta changing into the boy? Or ... quite possibly, are we dealing with an unknown person?" Owin remarks outloud as they walk...
"Fancy, we thought it was an obnoxious youth. A simple town matter. Now we're dealing with someone who can change themselves into whoever they'd like, it seems."
Sorry, Holidays and then yesterday was my Birthday... it's always a time consuming part of the year... let's roll!
"Aye," Hurmfar says to Noachi. "Without knowing its limits, we have no way of telling the wee shite from any one we meet. Even ourselves."
He walks along quietly for a moment, thinking.
"Mayhaps, only one of us has a blether with the Starosta, and the rest of us just keep mum and watch. Might give itself away."
As you walk further into the Tillage, and the afternoon opens up. Its fairly warm for how late in the fall it is. So much so that the mud that had formed the previous night has dried out to such an extent that the piles of mud that have formed have a pretty fine layer of dust on them, and you yourselves are pretty dusty by the time you end up in front of the abandoned Wesprem farm. Surprisingly, you are not the only people interested in the farm. Noachi -- you see a familiar carriage nearby well before you get to the farm, with Henk the half-orc driver/bodyguard huddled atop the carriage seemingly dozing.
It doesn't seem like Henk has noticed you yet approaching the house. What do you want to do?