Cultists of Aventus

[Gildedragon]

The date is 25 Aboleth and you each sit on small mats around a low table in a converted storage room in the vaulted basement of "The Prismatic Osprey", the makeshift shrine of Aventus. The floor is covered with sand, combating the moisture that seeps in from the canal surrounding you and the room bears the scent of fish, seaweed, and humanoidity that pervades the city, barely masked by the cheap incense cones and lamps burning on the floor and walls, and the spices mulling the wine you share.
It is spacious, at least compared to the previous shrine, and there is enough room for all of you to kick back and relax in praise of the divine. Aventus's symbol looks upon you from between the stone ribbing: a plain bone horn hanging off the wall, where amphorae once hung.

There is a knock on the door: it is one of the sons of Aude (the proprietress), bringing in a piping hot pitcher of peppered wine, the perfect remedy for the chill that the year's end has, and a basket of miscellaneous savory-sweet pies. "Compliments of the house" says the lad.

[Umbranar]

Marcus looks up at the young lad entering the shrine.

"Thank you lad, although Aventus has blessed us with his protection against this cold, we gladly accept the beverage. Tell me, is there any news or rumors that might interest us?"

Marcus stands up to replace a burned out incense cone and then walks to the boy to take the wine.

[rpgZenMaster]

Jerry looks at the shrine of Aventus and smiles. He thinks on it briefly and answers Marcus' question before the boy can. "Well, what would Aventus do? Probably go out and find the news and rumours himself. That aside .. what say you, boy? Any happenings in town?"

Jerry grabs a sweetpie and waits expectantly.

[HearTheRequiem]

Taking a sweetpie from the boy bearing the basket and the pitcher of wine, Visaerre curls up on one of the mats and starts eating, holding the pie in both hands.

[Umbranar]

Marcus pours himself some wine and sits down, smiling at Jerry`s comment.

"Your probably right Jerry. Although even i do not know his much about him, i know that Aventus must be watching us and that we must act soon to appease him in other ways than merely praising his name in our prayers."

He again looks at the boy, awaiting news.

[Katasi]

"What do you suggest we do?" Kalan asks. "Perhaps we could go hunting for a relic." He remains on his knees, unperturbed as his knees are padded by his thicken trousers. He is out of his armor, wearing a rough spun wool shirt. He has a large dagger on his belt, a simple piece with a basic oak handle and a single edged blade about half the length of his forearm. His morningstar is set by the stairs, ready to grab as he leaves this sacred place. His armor and other weapons remain at home. He runs a hand idly through his short cropped brown hair as he waits for an answer, stopping momentarily at an old scar.

[Gildedragon]

The pies are stuffed with a thick stew of fish, berries, and spices; or a blend of sharp cheese with honey-pickled pears. The wine is poor quality, but then again why would one spice good wine, and mulling hides it well enough; ultimately the alcohol and peppers warm the body just as well.

Jaq looks at you, and shakes his head. "Mistress Aude has not heard anything that would interest you. If you want I can ask if she wishes to talk to you when the crowd dies down." Through the still open door you can hear strains of music and thumping of feet from upstairs. With the New Year coming, taverns have been full nearly around the clock. The boy holds his palm outstretched to take a tip (for both the refreshments and for the service he is offering).
SoH[roll0]vs Spot(Kalon)[roll1]

After the lad has left, Kalon notices a piece of paper slipped into his sleeve.

[Katasi]

Kalon pulls the paper out and reads what is written to himself. He frowns to himself. "Odd" he mutters to himself. He goes over to take up his morningstar and slip it into it's place on his belt.

[Gildedragon]

It is well over an hour before there's another knock on the door. This time it is Aude who brings you refreshments. For her to be down here it must mean that the crowd must have thinned out significantly. "So my son says you all are itching for work, of the adventuring sort" says the elf sitting between Jerry and Visaerre. She serves herself a mug of the wine and cupping her hands around it, raises it to her lips, blowing to not scald herself. "Is it true? Or is Jaq making up stories about you all again?"

[HearTheRequiem]

Visaerre uncurls, and props himself up on one elbow, looking at Aude.

"True indeed! We're worshippers of a god of adventurers, so we have to go adventurrrrrring!"
The last word seems to catch in his throat, the `r` rolling, almost like a cat's purr, before he clears his throat to stop it.

Bringing out a flute, Visaerre brings it to his mouth and begins to play a simple, jaunty tune.

[Umbranar]

Marcus sits on the ground cross legged, unaffected by the cold thanks to Aventus` blessing.

"Indeed we are, in order to spread our great deity and honor his name, we must be sitting around as little as possible and assist people and adventure as is his way. Do you know of such a thing?"

[Gildedragon]

She chuckles lightly at your zeal. "I know" says the elf, she has heard your ceremonies, and asked a fair number of questions before, just to make sure you weren't some dark-cult like the Nerulites, or Vecnans. "Anyway, adventure. I had some storm-crest patrons, and they were saying how a village on the shore, Colifort's the name, has reported some sort of incident. They would not say what, but it is interesting enough that the Prefect is sending a handfull of Hieroberts over thataway to check it out. It would be worth a fair bit if someone had fixed whatever was wrong before the berts got there. Even better if things were done and back before they left. It would spare the Prefect some trouble." said she winking. "I can get you on a ferry out to Colifort before sunrise, and three days worth of rations for..." she pauses to count on her fingers "17 silver a head. It shouldn't take you longer than that. It's likely a dire wolf, or a small cadre of necromancers. Otherwise the berts would have been sailing over, rather than drinking their gold away."

[Umbranar]

"No time to waste then, we pack our things and leave as soon as possible." New found energy seems to surge through the middle-aged man. He walks up to the shrine of Aventus and smiles. "May our path be littered with challenges and our efforts rewarded, for people need heroes and Aventus will guide us to where we are needed most..."
After that short prayer Marcus lift the horn from its resting place and hangs it around his neck.

[Gildedragon]

"You should go get anything you might need" she says standing up. "Meet me by the southwest docks in an hour. The boat should be ready then." She takes the money and heads upstairs to begin preparations.

Outside the tavern the city is dark, lit by the dying torches, the stars and the moon, and their ghostly reflections upon the waters of the canals. You can see, not too far away across the water, the golden glow of Elum, the wealthiest island of the city, and floating so far as to barely be part of Euvie, the etheral gleam of Ildemais, the fortified island that holds the Arcane College.

[Katasi]

Kalon gives Aude a roguish smile as she leaves. "We'll be there." he says. He takes up his morningstar and slips it into it's loop on his right hip as he leaves the basement.

Out in the night he sets forth toward his home to gather his halberd, sword, and remaining daggers and equipment.

[HearTheRequiem]

Visaerre smiles at Aude as he leaves the basement, and, not having anything else to do, goes straight to the docks, playing his flute while he waits for Aude and the others.

[Umbranar]

Marcus joins Visaerre on the walk to the docks, planning the journey ahead and thinking about the future.

[Gildedragon]

The ferry sways gently over the fog covered lake, following the weak beam of light the lantern at the bow casts. "Aude told me you are headed to Colifort" says the ferryman, an aged dwarf, with a voice hoarse like the creaking of the piers. "I'll be dropping you off somewhat north of the town. It's closer to the fortress; helpful if you want to solve the town's problem"

[Umbranar]

Marcus seems to be disconnected from the world, staring at the sky. When the Dwarf speaks he seems to snap out of it, thinks about what is said for a moment.

"Alas, we do not have any information about what is going on within Colifort. Could you inform us, so we may be able to plan our course of action?"

[Katasi]

Kalon shows up just as the ferry arrives.

[Kalon has no ranks in any knowledge applicable here, so can't know anything more than DC 10, as such, he will take 10 on his check for local and history]

[HearTheRequiem]

Visaerre furrows his brow, trying to remember if he's heard anything about Colifort, or what may be happening there.

Bardic Knowledge : [roll0]

[#Raptor]

Adam speaks up "Indeed Markus, a plan would be useful."


Let me see what I know about Colifort... :smallsmile:
[roll0] Depending on whether you'll allow KnowledgeLocal to be a general chance to have some in-deep knowledge of a particular Area (similar to how KnowledgePlanes can provide information about all planes) or if we need to take individual KnowledgeLocal's for each place my roll may only have a +5 and be capped at 10.
[roll1] Same thing. Just wondering whats the recent history of Colifort.
[roll2] Ditto. Any woods around it? Farmlands? etc.

[Gildedragon]

The ferryman nods at you, and begins to talk, looking into the distance. "The trouble started, in a sense, two weeks ago. My godson, Emel, and two of his friends went off into the wilds. There wasn't much for them to do in the village, being winter an' all, and they're young and like hunting. So there was nothing odd. Then when they didn't come back in three days we began to get worried, we were getting a search party ready on the fifth when Emel came running from the hills, looking badly beat up and with a harrowed look to him. Turns out that the boys had gone into the woods near the fort" he says the last word with a shudder, and you notice he makes a gesture with his hands emulating Pelor's sunburst. "He wouldn't say what happened there, just that they were ambushed and his friends were taken to... that place. The Prefect suspects brigands, and I wish it's just that. But my boy, he looked shaken out of his wits, bandits don't get people that scared, and that place is bad." he lets out a sigh. "And then, we've been hearing noises coming from its direction for weeks now. We thought them just animals, but with this. It can't be beasts. Must be work of Nerull" he says. "But nothing too bad against seasoned adventurers like yourselves" says the ferryman, trying to shift the mood. "Just a few undead I bet, nothing you can't eradicate easily. If the church isn't sending men right away it can't be too bad. But it keeps folk up at night, the noises." He smiles suddenly. "We're getting close to the shore now." says he and points through the fog up to a wooded hill a few miles away. "There's Colifort hill, and ontop, hidden in the trees, is the... place you're headed to" The boat lurches to a stop as the dwarf gets it wedged among some rocks. "Don't forget your rations" he says handing the party's rations-bag over to Adam. "And I can ferry you back over by the village; it's two miles south, along the shore"


KnLocal/History 10-14The the village and the surrounding area were named after the hill-fort you are headed to. This fort is about 1000 years old, and was a military outpost of the Danian Empire. More recently it was used to defend Euvie against its neighbors. It, however, has been held to be a "bad place" by the locals for quite some time, and the monster that lives there is a regional bogeyman for bad boys

Bardic KnowledgeThere are stories around the fort that justify or explain its bad reputation. Generally they are set during the late Danian Empire (about 800 years ago). The manager of the province, a Duke (and cousin to the emperor) by the name Aram or Othran, was a cruel and vain man, obsessed with his mortality and the possibility of becoming emperor. To preserve his youth and virility it is said he would conscript men from the surrounding villages into his army, up in the fort. He would train them relentless and mercilessly. Many died in the process. Of those that survived, he would take the fittest and best looking and invite them to his rooms in the palace for a sumptuous dinner. Unbeknownst to them, the dinner was poisoned so as to make them fall unconscious. He would then sacrifice them to old and vile spirits, and eat some part of their bodies (stories often change which part precisely) so as to devour their essence. Somehow his crimes went unnoticed for nearly a century, and his army was one of the best in the land. However, it came to pass that the brother of one of his victims became aware of the deed and informed the men, presenting them with irrefutable proof of his cannibalism (usually a thighbone got from the duke's garbage) and the army turned on him, killing him. But the Duke did not die easy, and in his final hour had his dark masters turn the soldiers to ash.
The story, while dramatic, has been declared patently false by academics: the Colifort fortress has never had a residence befitting a provincial manager, there were no male cousins to emperor Felmar (ruler during the period the story takes place), and the title of duke was not used in this region until 600 years ago. It is known, however, that the manager of the region, an Othus Veram, was an extremely exploitative ruler and sought to militarize the area.

[Katasi]

Kalon nods, checking the edge of his halberd with his finger. "What makes you think it's Nerull?" he asks.

[Gildedragon]

The ferryman shrugs. "Its just what people around here say." says the dwarf. "needn't be him, needn't be a god's work at all, it'll just be brigands, nevermind my ramblings kid" says the feryman, pushing his boat out from the rocky beach. "I'll see you soon and well, Gods willing"

[Katasi]

Kalon watches him leave and looks towards the direction of the fort. "Are we ready?" he asks.

[HearTheRequiem]

Visaerre shifts from one foot to the other, looking quite uneasy.

"I mislike this... They say that there was once a Duke of Colifort, who would ritualistically sacrifice and eat young men, to prolong his life, and now there's talk of undead...We must be carrrrrrrrrrrrreful."

[Umbranar]

"Better have this at hand then." Marcus takes his holy symbol of Aventus in his left hand. "Never tried to turn while in Aventus his service, but given the fact he grants me divine spells each day, im confident this will work aswell."

[Katasi]

Kalon laughs. "And if that fails my friend I will simply have to destroy them the hard way." he says, fingering his halberd.

[Gildedragon]

After nearly two hours of walking inland, past the clear-cut shores and into the wooded hills, you see the sky beginning to lighten. Up ahead, less than ten minutes away if you hustle, you can see the fortress, abutted to a cliff face. It stands alone in a clearing, it's walls of hewn stone stand untouched by ivy or moss.

[#Raptor]

Adam starts handing everyone their ration bags, as they close in to the fortress of Colifort. "Ah, the fortress. Seems it stood strong in the last war, I don't see any damages. Locals are afraid of it, say a monster lives here." He bites his lip slightly with one of two small fangs. "Hard to say what to make of it though, some would also consider me a monster. Maybe just scared townsfolk. Anyways, if Aventus is with us, perhaps we will learn more about the nature of this so-called monster."

[Katasi]

Kalan nods casually, continuing walking, looking for an entrance.

[Umbranar]

Marcus pats his holy symbol as he stares to the sky. "He is with us and we will be rewarded."

[Gildedragon]

From this distance you can see the portcullis is down, and the scent of cooking food and woodsmoke wafts down to you on a fortuitous current, since the undead do not eat, living beings must be making their homes up on the fortress. There's living folk there, making their breakfast even as your priestly-folk pray to Aventus with the coming dawn. Their musical horns glow faintly, as your god bestows them with their magics. Under the broad canopy of the oaks and pines those that strive to attain magic from Aventus Hero's-God feel his might resonate through their bodies and their weapons.

The woods are remarkably quiet for this time of the day, but likewise nothing, that you can tell, gives away your presence. Even the wind blows in your favor, downhill, giving you scent of the fortress, but none of yours to those that are within.

Those who abide by the hour-long service in Aventus's name consume 1/9th of their rations thereafter. Eating voraciously the cheese and dried fruits and meat that Aude has packed you feel restored. The meditations upon the hero-god and eating food consecrated by the prayers has removed your weariness from the day before. The rest go off from the group either to hunt or gather more food, perhaps increasing your portion.

From this brief interlude you can tell someone or someones are at the castle, living folk, needing food. Likewise you can tell that either the front gate is better taken care of than you can immediately tell, or there must be an alternate route available to those that live inside.

[HearTheRequiem]

Visaerre

"Hrrrrrrrrrrrrrrm, it seems that there are people living here...but I cannot see any way inside. If there are no objections, I could scout ahead and look for such an entrance...I pride myself on my ability to remain undetected, and if Aventus wills it, I'm sure I can do so without any sort of prrrrrrrrrrrroblem...any objections?

[Umbranar]

Marcus looks around. "Can`t hurt to have a alternate route, but if friendly people live there the front door would suffice. Then again, we still have the rumors of trouble... go ahead and scout, the less subtle should stay here."

[Katasi]

Kalon nods and stays with the cleric, his fingers playing with the haft of his halberd as if waiting for trouble.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[HearTheRequiem]

Visaerre slinks off into the forest, then, when he's sure that nobody can see, crouches down on all fours, arching his back and purring, taking on a decidedly more...feline form.

Once his transformation is over, he makes his way through the forest as best he can, doing his best to remain undetected.

Shapeshifting into Housecat form : +10ft. land speed, Tiny size, +8 to Hide checks, +2 to Dexterity, -8 to Strength.

Going to scout around the fortress, looking around for entrances, open windows, that sort of thing.
Hide : [roll0]
Move Silently : [roll1]

[Gildedragon]

As you move around the woods you see a couple of guards get up onto the walls, looking around. From where you are you can hear them speak.
"Hey Renard" says one. "S'at a cat?" "Where?" replies the other, as the first, apparently a female human or half elf, points at you. "Yeah" says the other, Renard. "What of it?" "First animal round here in weeks, hunt it?" you see the female draw her bow. "Nah, poor eating for all eight. Sides, You caught that dire deer..." "yah, sides its kinda cute ain't it?"
and with that they dismiss your appearance.

[HearTheRequiem]

Breathing a sigh of relief, Visaerre slinks back into the woods, and continues scouting.

New checks, if I need them.
Hide : [roll0]
Move Silently : [roll1]

[Gildedragon]

As you look around the fort you see a number of options to get into the fort. You could go around the fort and rappel down the adjacent cliff face; you figure you can manage that easily, though you don't know if your companions would be able to.
Or you could try to scale the walls, though some discretion would be necessary, with the guards posted around the walls.
There is, of course, storming the portcullis and trying to raise it; you might even fit between the lattice of bars if you squeeze.
Lastly, you believe that this sort of keep has underground tunnels. It should, it's old an ominous after all.

[#Raptor]

Adam leans against the next tree, scratching his chin while he eyes the castle, trying to remember any specific weaknesses castles of this era would have... secret entrances, areas that usually got breached first during sieges...

[roll0]

[Katasi]

Kalon finally leans against a tree as well, seeming more relaxed.

[HearTheRequiem]

Slinking back to the group, and transforming back just out of view, Visaerre begins to tell them of what he saw.

I guess we could scale the walls, or the cliff, or we could charge the gate...I might be able to slip through the gate and rrrrrrraise it, to let you in, or we could look for tunnels, castles like this always have some...at least in the storrrrries!"

Not a cat anymore, d'awwww.

[Umbranar]

I vote for tunnels if you would have any idea where those are supposed to be. I could a spell to get at least one guard out of the fight, i am not entirely sure these guards are our enemy though.

[Katasi]

Kalon nods. "I agree, the tunnels sounds best if you know where they are." He says "Otherwise I think we should see about sneaking in some other way."

[HearTheRequiem]

"I don't know where the tunnels would be, just that it's more likely than not that there are some...What would you have us do now?"

[Umbranar]

"Thinks it is best if we circle the place first to try and find an entrance to the tunnels, if we can not find one we may need to split up, the subtle scale the walls while the armored go front gate as either distraction or bait."

[HearTheRequiem]

"Reasonably sure I could scale the walls, so that's fine with me."