Strathdon Hollow [3.5]

[Barsoom]

This thread is for my solo game with Ducklord, aka Cedric Renner (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=511360)

Stuff copied over from the recruitment thread
Important figures in the village:
Garet, male human - village elder, and head of the Village Council
Other council members are:
Maroin, female human - village apothecary
Taggard, male Dwarf - general store owner
Quimble, male Gnome - priest of St. Cuthbert (the religion followed by most of the villagers)
Cedric Renner (PC) - village Sheriff

Deputies:
Lanyss is a male Elf, a gruff former hunter. He's an expert in scouting and tracking. When not employed as your deputy, he trains animals to do tricks.
T'rumzat is a female Half-Orc, a 6'2" brute, an expert in beating people up. When not employed as your deputy, she works in the local tavern as a bouncer.

********************************

It was a cold and cloudy morning in Strathdon Hollow, and the northern winds raced down Wagonrun Street with such haste as if they, too, could not wait to leave this place and go south, where it's warm. It was a quiet time, the half-hour between the morning prayer and the time when the owners of the few businesses along the street would get their doors unlocked and their signs switched from CLOSED to OPEN, when Cedric strode on his morning round of the town - all three furlongs of it. The few passerbys recognized the sheriff and greeted him with a varied measure of politeness. There were Lanny, the hardworking tavern girl, then Marcus, the good-for-nothing son of an affluent farmer, and the Bixby twins, arguing between themselves as usual.

A noise from the center of the town drew Cedric's attention. It seems like there was some commotion by the temple doors. Several voices were yelling loudly, and he saw a group of people waving their hands in anger.

[Ducklord]

"Better see what's going on.." Cedric thought to himself as he made his way to the temple. He never was a morning person and saw getting up early as the biggest downside to being the sheriff.

[Barsoom]

As you push your way throught the angry crowd and get to the source of this excitement, you find it to be a Halfling, unfamiliar to you. He has a long dark hair and is wearing a similarly dark robe, embroided with a star pattern. The little guy is standing on an overturned apple crate and holds up his hands, trying to hush the villagers. He says something about sins and redemption. The crowd, on the other hand, would not be so easily hushed. They shout things like "we don't want your kind here!" and "burn him!". Quimble the priest is also nearby; he's not interfering, and just glares at the halfling with dislike. One club-wielding peasant advances toward the halfling. With the corner of your eye you see some others picking up rocks from the ground.

[Ducklord]

"Hold it right there!" Cedric pushes his way to the front and places himself between the crowd and the halfling. "Someone cares to explain just what's going on here?"

[Barsoom]

Ah, finally some sanity in this madness. The halfling seems unperturbed by the surrounding hostile crowd. I mean no harm, guvn'r, I was merely pointing out to these kind folks the error of their ways. Bowing their heads to this - he points at the depiction of St. Cuthbert above the church's door - is not the answer.

He's a heretic! fuming with anger, Quimble makes his way to the front. Such blasphemous speech cannot be left unanswered. Carrying out Saint Lord's name in vain... Sheriff, I demand to have this blasphemer out of town!

[Ducklord]

"Calm down Quimble, he has just as much right to preach as you. Now you then.." Cedric turns over to the halfling "If you want to tell people what they should or shouldn't do, get yourself a temple, the streets are for walking. And if anyone here tries to start any further trouble, I'll bring T'rumzat around to help me sort things out. Are we clear, gentlemen?"

[Barsoom]

"Calm down Quimble, he has just as much right to preach as you. The Gnome almost chokes at this proclamation. Giving his fellow-smallfolk - and fellow man of the cloth, so it seems - one last hateful glare, he disappears back into the temple, mumbling something like "Garet will hear about this".


"If you want to tell people what they should or shouldn't do, get yourself a temple, the streets are for walking.The halfling bows politely. Now, that's a capital idea, Mr. Sheriff. In fact, don't mind if I do. Would you know of any, um, buildings for rent in the area?

[In case you wish to answer truthfully, the Wiester widow died last month, and her children were looking to wring some coin out of the old hut.]

[Ducklord]

"Oh, I'm sorry, I must have put on my temple finder badge, it should say sheriff. No, wait, it does say sheriff!" Cedric smirks a bit, pleased by his own pun. "You can ask around, I think the Wiesters have an empty hut they'd like to put to use. As you have guessed I'm the law here, name's Cedric Renner. Who are you and what's your business in our village?"

[Barsoom]

My name is Suok Grimbledoon, stargazer and astrologist. Unlike those folk - he points at the crowd, rapdily dwindling since the moment you mentioned T'rumzat - who choose to take the word of their priests on faith and bend the knee to a so-called god they will never see, I take signs from what is readily avialable for viewing in the night's sky. Some call it blasphemy, I call it common sense.
Knowledge (Religion) DC 15 (You are on honor here)
It's not an actual religious faith, as far as you know.

[Ducklord]

"Well, no matter what or who you worship and how you do it, you can't force people to listen to it. Not in my village. Take care now." Cedric curtly nods and resumes his round of the town.

[Barsoom]

And a good day to you, Mister Renner. The gnome goes off, presumably to search for the Wiesters. The rest of the morning round, all three hundred paces of it, passes uneventfully, until Cedric reaches the door of the tavern.

T'rumzat stands on the threshold, stooping slightly to fit her massive frame in the doorway. Upon seeing you, she announces, we have no mutton, chief, with a grave concern in her voice.

[Ducklord]

"Why not, what's the problem?"

[Barsoom]

I dunno, the half-Orc says, words escaping her fat lips with difficulty. It's Wednesday. Joer the sheep farmer always brings a crate of salted mutton at dawn on Wednesday. Leaves it right here by the door. So we open up this morning, and no crate, no mutton. She chews on her lip for a while, staring blankly into space, then adds, I guess it'll be leftover ham today.

[Ducklord]

"Well, my morning round is over, I could check up on Joer. But keep an eye on the village for me while I'm gone. There's some new halfling priest in town and his preaching is rubbing people the wrong way, especially Quimble. Just make sure nobody starts a fight or anything, alright?"

[Barsoom]

T'rumzat beams at this assignment. No patrons 'neways, I guess might as well. You head toward the sheep farm, located behind a small grove of maple trees, and across a stream. As you come round the bend and Joer's farmhouse comes into view, you see a huge gnarled tree growing right through the middle of the building. Most unnatural place for a tree to grow, and you're certain that wasn't there the last time you came around this place.

(are you on foot or on a horse? you can use your rank to commandeer a horse if you want)

[Ducklord]

[I]What the.. how did that get there? Cedric dismounts his horse and ties it to the nearest tree. He cups his hands to his mouth and shouts "Hey Joer, you there? It's the sheriff. Everything alright?" while waiting for a response he starts approaching the house.

[Barsoom]

Sorry, I was away for a few daysOld Missus Joer comes out of the house to greet you. Hullo Sheriff! Nice of you to visit us! Will you come in for a slice of apple pie?

DM mystery roll [roll0]

[Ducklord]

"Morning ma'am. No pie for me, thanks. I'm looking for your husband, his mutton never got to the tavern. Is he in?"

[Barsoom]

Me old man? That lazybones? He just overslept, is all. Sleeping so hard I'm just afraid to wake 'im.

Whatever epithets could be used to refer to farmer Jeor, 'lazy' is definitely not one of them.

[Ducklord]

"That doesn't really sound like Joer.. If you don't mind me asking, ma'am, what's with the tree?"