DrK Giantslayer (PF) IC

[DrK]

GiantSlayer

http://i61.tinypic.com/m8zgx4.jpg

Jubilation fills the cool evening air in the normally staid community of Trunau as nearly all of its eight hundred-odd residents pile into the overflowing amphitheater at the heart of the fortress town. Even those who might prefer a solitary meal or a drink in one of the settlement's taverns find themselves forced to attend, as all homes and business are closed and locked for the duration as everyone who isn't deathly ill or on active guard duty is swept up into the feast celebrating Chief Defender Halgra's daughter, Ruby, as the girl passes into her twelfth year.

But it's not all spitted boar, sweet potato bread, and honeyed ale--which are consumed in massive quantities, as the locals take their feasting as seriously as they do their defense. In Trunau the passage into adulthood is not a marker of freedom from parental rule or a signal of marriageable age, both of which are years away for young Ruby. The twelfth year is instead when each citizen accepts responsibility for his or her own life and death, and takes the Standing Vow embraced by all Trunauans since the initial mob of stubborn refugees claimed the cliff-ringed crown of Bloodmarch Hill and held it, even as the orcish hordes of Belkzen devoured the surrounding lands until the nearest civilized settlement was nearly a week's march distant.

The buzz of the crowd subsides as Helgra of the Black Blades, tonight both Chief Defender of the town and proud mother, leads Ruby up onto the amphitheater's stage for the ceremony. She raises her hard to signal for quiet and addresses the crowd with booming voice of a veteran commander used to shouting over the cacophony of battle.

"Thank you all for joining us this night. I take immense pride in my responsibility as Chief Defender, especially when it comes to the honor of the hopeknife ceremony. It is always a great privilege to bequeath Trunauan youths their hopeknives as they come of age.” Halgra stops speaking long enough to open an ornamental case and retrieve a slender, ornately decorated dagger hanging from a silver chain. She pulls off the tooled leather sheath to reveal that the petite weapon is no simple adornment, but a scalpel-sharp blade of watered steel with a deadly serious purpose.

“But tonight is a special occasion, for the recipient of this hopeknife is none other than my youngest daughter.” Once again, Halgra pauses, but this time she turns to talk to the child beside her. “Ruby, by the traditions of our town, you have come of age. This hopeknife represents your responsibilities as an adult and defender of Trunau. You must be willing to use it on yourself, your fellow Trunauans, and your family—even me, should it come to that. It will be a far quicker death than that which the orcs will offer, and providing it is your duty. Do you swear to guard Trunau from all comers, and to use your hopeknife only for its intended purpose?”

Ruby—dusky skinned, black haired, and painfully shy—nods her head in response to her mother’s question before offering up a squeaky "Yes!" Just loud enough to carry out past the first few rows of the hushed crowd. Halga nods solemnly in response, and continues in a lower, graver tone. “If the orcs come, and there is no other option, this is where you cut—here, here, and here.” Halgra demonstrates which arteries to sever while Ruby watches. When she is finished, Halgra sheathes the hopeknife and places the necklace around Ruby’s neck before turning back to address the crowd. “Tonight, Ruby becomes a full member of our community! Let us welcome her, and celebrate her passage into adulthood! Trunau forever!” The crowd echoes Halgra’s last words in unison, signaling the end of the ceremony and the beginning of the real festivities.

A contingent of the town guard, five in all, storm the stage with a coil of rope as thick as a grown man's arm. Their leader is Rodrik Grath, Patrol Captain and rising star in the Trunau militia. He drops the rope at Ruby's feet and issues the traditional challenge with a wink and grin. "Hold everything!" He shouts jovially. "The people of Trunau can't accept the word of a tiny whelp like you until she proves herself worthy! We, the strong right arm of Turnau, challenge you and a team of your choosing to prove your strength in a traditional Trunauan tug of war!"

Ruby must have been expecting this, but the shy girl looks flustered as she scans the crowd for likely-looking teammates. Perhaps that explains some of her odder choices as she points to each of her champions: please add a small description of yourself and what has brought you to the ceremony....

The crowd respects her selections, though, gently but insistently pushing each of you towards the stage.

[Archmage1]

Having only just finished getting her new store fitted out, and prepared, after selling off her stock, and jubilation still singing in her veins, from the feeling of being accepted somewhere, Lirin was extremely nervous about attending the celebration, but also quite excited, as she had never seen one before. It had taken her a couple of hours of waffling before she decided to risk it, and come, and she definitely didn't want to attract attention to herself. Her tail was helpfully concealed down her left leg, helped by the loose nature of her dark green garments. However, aided by the green of her clothing, her red hair and eyes seemed to almost glow, especially in the fading light. She was wearing her special boots, the ones that concealed her hooves, and she was sticking to the edges of the crowd, hoping to pass almost unnoticed in the crowds.
So many people! I'm glad that I came, I think everyone's here, but still, so many people, and none of them are afraid of me! It's still so strange, but so wonderful. Coming here... I was hoping that the places on the frontiers would be more accepting of outsiders, but to experience it...
She almost seemed to be in a daze, looking around distractedly as Helgra gave her speech, but at the sudden intrusion of the guards, she tensed up again.
Have they changed their minds? Or is something wrong?
As they spote of challenging Ruby and her team, she felt a twinge of worry, but nothing serious, until Ruby starts looking around, and Lirin feels a bolt of dread surge through her as the girl's finger points to her, and her neighbors start pushing her towards the stage.
Uh oh...
As she reaches the stage, the rather plain looking woman, wearing green, loose garmets, but marked by brilliant red hair and eyes pauses, and looks around nervously. Her skin seems to look almost red in the flickering firelight, and she appears to have a pair of small curved horns on her forehead.
"Um... hi?"
Her words are soft, kind, but also clearly worried.

[The Hellbug]

Though the halflings of the ramblehouse have reputation for clannishness even among the people of Trunau, they take the same Standing Vow as the rest of its sons and daughters and, as such, are almost all represented in the crowd today (excepting the one or two helping man the walls). Elida Larringfass, however, is not among them. A celebration such as this would be the perfect time for her aunt to make another attempt at inserting herself into Elida's personal business, and she just doesn't have the patience for that at the moment. Instead, Elida and her fox, Medea, find themselves on the opposite side of the crowd and, unfortunately, right on the edge of a louder-than-Elida-would-appreciate gaggle of the town's children, perhaps the only spot she can get a good view of the ceremony itself.

Though she has seen the ceremony many times, and, in fact, experienced it herself more than a decade ago, the halfling still smiles at the young girl's sheepishness on the stage. Honestly, she probably hadn't been any better, herself, but Elida can still remember the pride she felt when she was presented her hopeknife, despite the tool's deadly purpose.

When the members of the town watch challenge Ruby, though, and she points her finger at Elida, the halfling is honestly surprised. She hasn't participated in this kind of event since her own hopeknife ceremony--her people are not known for their strength, and Elida is small even for a halfling. She still knows how this business goes, though, so as soon as the initial shock wears off at a convenient prompting from Medea, Elida makes her way up to the stage, familiar trotting at her heels.

Elida looks up at Ruby (who would stand a good chance at trouncing the halfling if she were on the other team) with a smile of encouragement. "Don't worry, Ruby, you chose well. We'll show Rodrik and his goons what you're made of!"

[Neil Crow]

Abbi Fairstrike a elven girl with wild sandy blond hair stood in the back of the crowd near leaning on her spear as a pitch black cat that looks near ferial lays at her feet as she watches the passage of age ceremony that seem to be a interesting local custom of Trunau. Abbi herself had gone through a coming of age ceremony of course, but it had been a private affair held only by her adopt dwarven mother, and the elder woman of the clan. When the young girl is challenged Abbi smiled and wondered if that shy demeanor held some steel. Abbi says out loud to herself and to no one in particular to those around her, "I see some steel behind those still waters, I would bet she picks just the right champions."

Abbi smiled to herself, she found this all so interesting, ever since she had arrived at this village she had seen and discovered more new things near every moment, of course none of these new things had anything to do with why she was here. She was here to find out any information of a long ago destroyed human village that was three-day walk from here, but was also the sight of her elven mother's death. Abbi has found that for the most part the people of Trunau were welcoming to those they didn't see as a threat, but they will still guarded against anyone who was a outside, not one of them, and she in the two days since her arrival in the village she had yet to discover any information and people have been slow to open up to her about the history of the village, other than is glorious tradition of defiance.

As Abbi is mussing to herself she is surprised when the girl points at her to come up to the stage, which the elven girl does her own shyness coming to bear as she finds herself standing before the crowd on the stage. Once she had made her very long walk through the crowd and up onto stage, Abbi gives a slight bow to the young girl who is about to become a young adult saying quietly so maybe only those on stage and the first few rows of people of the crowd can hear, "Greetings I am Abbi Fairstrike, and on my clan's honor I will serve as one of your champions."

With that said Abbi steps back to join the other champions on stage saying quietly again so that only those around her can hear, "Well meet and greeting fellow champions, may be bring honor to young Ruby and ourselves in this coming contest."

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron always enjoyed the coming of age ceremony. While he was not the most social of people, he did enjoy everyone coming together and of course the food.
Byron was not a large man, but he was all wiry muscle. His blonde hair was long and wild looking as were his blue eyes. his horse Quicksilver was unusually nowhere to be seen. He is smiling when Ruby begins to select people, but his smile grows when she selects him.
Immediately he walks towards Ruby and undoes his belt, dropping his long sword and dagger to the ground. "Lets beat these bastard's shall we?"

[Starbin]

Janras Kandalkan stood in the middle of the crowd, watching the ceremony distractedly. He had been in Trunau long enough to know these people took the hopeknife ceremony seriously, but he had yet to see one. Unfortunately, since his friends had been killed, he had been more and more distracted of late. Work in the company had lost its luster, earning him a leave of absence. He had arrived in Trunau to reflect on what he should do next. Find another company, or return to his old one? Seek revenge, or find a new path? While Janras had come here to figure out his next move, most nights he spent drinking and eating; watching the door, waiting for ... something.

The call for this ceremony at least was a distraction, something to keep him occupied. But even here, Janras constantly looked about, checking the exits and eyes drawn to odd movements from any around him. As it was, he carried a tension that was palpable, and it caused those around him to give wide birth - even in a crowd, he appeared to be standing alone. When the Captain rushed the stage to call for a mock test of strength, his first reaction was to reach for the longblade across his back ... but he stopped before it was pulled free, visibly relaxing his muscles. It must have said something about him; or maybe it was his chiseled physique; maybe it was the way he did not smirk or flinch when the girl's eyes met his. Whatever it was, Ruby sensed something in him and her small, quivering arm pointed in his direction.

After barely a moment's consideration, he reached down to grab his gear and stalked towards the stage. Climbing up to join her, he dropped to one knee and put his arm across his chest in a salute. "I am honored to serve."

Turning to stand behind her, he nodded to the others she had selected, then gazed at the guards across from them. He was a tall man, solidly built, with blond hair and blue eyes. He probably would have been handsome if not for his crooked, broken nose and an old knife scar on his left cheek. He was currently clad in simple pants and a sleeveless vest, but had a number of weapons tied to his pack, along with his traveling gear and armor. If nothing else, he was obviously ready for action.

[Tavarokk]

The half-elf raised an eyebrow incredulously when she was pointed out. It was, perhaps, understandable that Ruby did not have presence of mind to consider the choices' suitability for the task, but even then, why would she single out Amaya of all people?

While not exactly a recluse, she wasn't a fan of such big gatherings either. The only reason she wasn't lurking around somewhere at the back was Eleria's stubborn insistence to get as close as possible. Again, understandable seeing how that overexitable pixie was due for her own coming of age in three months and some, but couldn't she be just a little conciderate of her big sister?

All in all, Amaya was a good deal shorter and leaner than the surrounding townsfolk, wore simple dark clothing that blended in and had a rather uninspired expression on her face. In all honesty, between glum demeanor, pale skin and white hair she looked a little like a lingering ghost. Given that her familiarity with Ruby was limited to a rare greeting, usually when she went out to retrieve Eleria or supervise her training, the scout hadn't even considered the possibility of being chosen. As Amaya contemplated that she was pushed to the front by her sister who was now cheering obnoxiously.

"Ruby. Captain," she greeted them with a nod upon getting on the stage and stood next to her unexpected teammates, doing her best to ignore the crowd.

[Archmage1]

Looking over at the crowd, and her companions, Lirin continues to feel quite worried. If she'd known this was going to happen, she wouldn't have came. But, too late for regrets now.
Ruby seems nice enough, but I think I've maybe seen her once? The halfling woman seems to be familiar with this ritual, and she seems to think we're going to win, so maybe this is fixed, just to show that Ruby can fight? The elf seems rather like a tribeswoman, and she seems new? I don't know. The first blond fellow, he seems like a sensible choice, he's not big, but he moves like someone with muscle, and the second... he seems much better, and ready for a war. Does he really expect someone to attack here? This is one of the most defensible spots I've seen in my travels, and that's saying quite a bit. True, they don't have a lot of trained soldiers, but they train everyone. Like the last of my fellow champions? The... half elf? Yes, I think she is. She seems almost like a ghost. How did Ruby pick us, and why?

[The Hellbug]

Stealing a glance at Ruby's other champions, Elida realizes she only recognizes a few of them. There was Amaya, to be sure, (another interesting choice beside Elida) and the brash young man--his name is on the tip of Elida's tongue, but she can't quite remember it. The other three seem like outsiders, though Elida can swear she's seen the horned woman before, and it's not a face anyone would soon forget! The mountain of a man and the elf, though? Nothing, though it's a relief that they both look like they can carry more than their share of the weight in the coming competition.

"Elida. Happy to meet you all," the halfling finally greets the rest of the champioins, still somewhat annoyed that she can't remember that damned name. Next, she turns to Ruby, though her question is merely a formality. "And what would you have us do, young Ruby?"

[DrK]

Ruby cracks a mischievous smile as you gather. You notice that she's wearing surprisingly sensible footwear for a such an occasion; her scuffed boots stand in stark contrast to her vibrantly dyed and lace-splashed birthday dress. The reason for the fashion faux pas becomes apparent when she produces a set of wickedly sharpened metal cleats from a sack stashed near the stage, the kind used to keep a hiker from slipping on an icy trail or help a lumberjack find purchase while climbing a tree. She quickly straps them over her boots and stamps hard, driving the spikes deep into the weather-beaten planks of the stage. If you'd confused her fear of public speaking for a lack of intelligence, you were clearly mistaken. She gives Abi, Elida and Amaya a big smile "Thank you all, thank you for honouring my ceremony. I shall do my best. Come now, lets give them a bath in the scraps and," she finishes dropping her voice "Don't be afraid of cheating eh..."

Looking around at the others she has picked she smiles "Thank you for helping me. Some of you I know -here she grins at Elida and Amaya, "Others welcome to our town. Please be welcome and help me celebrate my adulthood." She ties the end of the rope around her waist while the rest of you stand on one side. The guards take a bit longer to get ready. One of their number, a particularly muscular fellow, seems to have developed a case of cold feet. Finally Rodrik Grath wraps the frightened man up in a bear hug long enough for the remaining three guards to tie him to the end of the rope.


http://www.endlessrpg.com/pathfinder/images/7/79/Rodrik.png

Rodrik Garth

While the guards are busy getting their squad in order, buckets of table scraps from the feast filter forward through the crowd to be dumped in between the opposing teams. By the time you've started there's a respectable pile of refuse to greet the losing side.



Centuries of experience in fighting a larger, stronger, more monstrous foe has taught Trunauans that fair play is for suckers, and this attitude is reflected in the 'rules' of the traditional Trunauan tug of war. Anyone who has seen or heard of this game before knows that all manner of subterfuge and chicanery is allowed, even encouraged, so long as no one gets hurt. They also know that it's traditional for the guards' side in this little display to play fair and, eventually, lose. Though it's considered a sign of good fortune if the birthday girl's side wins outright before the guards throw the game.

Please make a strength check, plus your plan if you decide to engage in some creative gamesmanship (ie: cheating). Feel free to describe it

[Neil Crow]

Abbi smiles as she's what Ruby is doing and nods in approval, she had known it, this little girl had steel inside her. Not wanting to disappoint, Abbi set her spear down along with her pack and crossbow, she looked to her cat before stepping over to the rope, the little over five and a half foot tall elven girl looked into the eyes of her cat for a second as she pulls something out from a pouch and said words barely heard by those around her as if she is speaking to the cat itself, then all the sudden the five foot elf girl grew to over ten feet tall. The now enlarged elf walks up to the rope with a smile on her face as the takes the spot nearest to the water and give a look of triumph to the guards across the water on the other side of the rope.

Abbi smiles and turns back to the group gathering on the rope, "This is the most fun I've hand is some time, this seem as fun as the bolder toss game my clan likes to play."

Cast Enlarge person on self, STR roll [roll0]

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron notices the trickery being attempted, grabs the rope and digs in his feet. At the same time he lets out a loud and shrill whistle.

[Archmage1]

Lirin considers the game for a few moments, trying to devise a strategy, but not much comes to her.
I could get some grease, slicken the ends of their rope... no, too obvious, same for... Wait... Grip? Improving mine, and making theirs worse...
Having an idea, and knowing that she didn't have much time, she moves to pick up the rope, ostensibly to have a look at it, only for her to stumble, and slip off of the stage, still holding the rope... dragging the guards end of the rope through the early scraps, slickening it, and hopefully, encouraging them to hold onto it very carefully, and lightly. Landing chest first, with an "Oof!", Lirin also takes the opportunity to get some of the dirt on her hands, hopefully improving her grip, before she stands, blushing a fiery red, clearly very embarrassed. Her expression is quite clearly horrified, but she bravely clambers back onto the stage, still looking very, very embarrassed as she tries to toss the now dirty end of the rope back to the guards, to take. Her voice is rather sheepish.
"Sorry! I'm not used to these boots yet, and, well..."
She looks down, clearly still very embarrassed.
"Sorry."


Since I think she's going to need a bluff check at the minimum...
[roll0] Bluff, hoping to succeed.

[roll1] Strength of the mighty clumsy tiefling!

[The Hellbug]

Elida would grin at Ruby's suggestion, for she normally relishes at an opportunity to show off her magical talents, but she is already deep in thought about how to apply said talents. She finally settles on something that won't be as obvious as she would want, deciding it better to not try to steal the show on Ruby's day. With Lirin's antics giving a solid distraction, Elida whispers her arcane words and weaves an enchantment over Kellig, the reluctant anchorman on the other side of the rope--hopefully enough to ensure his cooperation with her plan once the competition is under way. Before taking her place at the rope, though, the halfling has one other trick, touching Ruby and gifting the girl with some of her diviner's insight which will hopefully help her hold down the rope.

Once the pulling finally begins, Elida waits for a few seconds of struggling to find out if her spell has borne fruit. "Kellig!" she calls out, hoping to distract the big man from his duty at the end of the rope, "you might have a better time over there if your boots were on properly!"

Casting charm person on the anchorman (sorry if he actually has a name, I just made one up and can change it if need be) before the competition begins, hopefully making him more vulnerable to a 'helpful' suggestion later (friendly people are easier to bluff, right?) Save DC is 14. Then using diviner's fortune to give a +1 to Ruby's next round's worth of ability checks.

strength (sorry in advance, guys): [roll0]
bluff (for poor Kellig): [roll1]

[Starbin]

Janras watched in silence as the girl spoke to each of them whispering to the ones she knew, while being a little more formal with the strangers. He nodded to the halfling lass that introduced herself, responding with, "Janras."

He could see how this battle was going to go. Shrugging, he pulled a spike out of his pack, walked over to the end of the rope, and pounded the spike into the floor with a huge hammer. With no look of smugness, he moved to grab his section of rope.

Subtle? Not his style ...
Iron spike to secure Ruby's rope. Str roll [roll0]

EDIT: Par for the course ...

[DrK]

While the guards are busy getting their squad in order, buckets of table scraps from the feast filter forward through the crowd to be dumped in between the opposing teams. Lirin sneaking forward dumping the guard's rope in the slops as they roll their eyes. Abbi giving a great roar of suprise as she swells up to twice her height and almost 6 times her weight. The crowd and Ruby included giving a round of applause. Rordrik smiling and clapping even as he puts on his thick leather gloves (after looking at the rope) and getting ready to compete against you.

By the time you've started there's a respectable pile of refuse to greet the losing side. Finally all is ready, and Halgra signals the start with a clap. Janras and Buron throw their weight into the rope with a prodigious tug that nearly beats the Chief Defender's start signal. It's enough to pull the guards onto the balls of their feet and give your team the momentum. You force the guards to advance a step, then another, each time Ruby anchors her cleats securely in the sun-beaten boards to prevent any retreat. Sadly then the weight difference begins to show as Janras's pike slips out the guards start to edge you forwards. Seeing is young sister starting to lose Rodrik starts to bellowing to the corwd and soon your team is joined by half a dozen more from the crowd who all join in. Rodrik lets the rope slip throuh his hands but the rest of his team are less forutuante. Three of them fly forward, arms flailing, to land in the heap of table scraps with a loud squelch and a tsunami of creamed spinach (not a favorite in Trunau, apparently, as there was plenty left over for the refuse pile).

Rodrick hauls one of his guards' out of the mess, carefully wiping the mashed parsnip from his hands before declaring: "Brute strength was no match for you, Ruby! You and your champions have proven clever and resourceful in the face of overwhelming odds, like any good Trunauans. We accept and confirm your vow! Trunau Forever!"

The crowd roars rushes forward, bearing Ruby up on their shoulders for a celebratory round of crowd surfing. You're left on the stage when they retreat, with three very messy militiamen who all grin at you. Rodrik and his fellows shamble over, gleefully clapping each of you on the shoulder with creamed spinach-y hands.

"What do you say to a drink, eh? I know some of you but oters you must be new to the town. I'd thought Ruby had a gone a little crazy when she picked you two," He nods toward and Elida and Lirin, "but I see know that she's got her mother's eye for talent. Maybe I should trust her judgement on this. Something that needs looking into...well, we'll talk about it more later. How about that drink?

"Huh? Oh, um, r-right, Roddy." Stutters a second guard. Kurst Grath, Rodrik's slightly younger fraternal twin. He's not as strapping or quick-witted as his (minutes) older brother, but everyone around town knows he's a better rider and murderous with a bow. Both serve under their father in the patrol wing of the Trunau militia, a position that many seek to have as serving in Rodrik's rangers is a position of honour in the town.

"See, he knows you've got potential in the militia, even if my Pa can't see it. The way the old man prattles on about push-ups and chin-ups you'd think we were having an arm-wrestling competition with the orcs." Rodrik chuckles as he leads you to the nearest tapped barrel. "He should take a lesson from the tug of war. Not every battle is about crushing skulls the fastest. Even the orcs can be tricky if they put their minds to it. They're not as dumb as we like to tell ourselves, don't you think so?" He glances at Yuhana noticing her ancestry with a blush. As he speaks he looks around. Especially at the foreigners to Truanu. "Have a drink - then we must speak. There are things afoot here in Trunau. Even things you don't know little brother.

[Archmage1]

Once she gets recovers, her face still blazing red with embarrassment, and excitement, Lirin takes her position, and pulls the rope for all she's worth.
Of course, that isn't much, but it helps a bit. It doesn't take long before she's sweating fairly heavily, and they're clearly losing.
I... I think that now's about the time...
Almost as she had the thought, Rodrik calls on the crowd, and they assist, leading to a rapid defeat for the guard. At the end, Lirin just stands there panting, clearly quite drained by the ordeal. When Rodrik slaps her, she stumbles forward, clearly not ready, although, luckily, her position near the back saves her from some of the worst of the creamed spinach.
Ew... I suppose we had that coming, but still... not something I wanted to be cleaning out of my clothing...
Her thoughts continue on, wondering about what set of chemicals might clean her clothing the fastest, before Rodrik's words bring her out of her reverie.
She nods in agreement at his comment, clearly agreeing with his assessment of them as tug of warers.
"Well, it wouldn't do to call the birthday girl crazy, but... I'm not exactly prime tug of war material. I'll take a drink, though. Ah, names, well, call me Lirin. I'm new here. This is the first place that would let me stay, for fairly obvious reasons, so I'm opening up a shop, here. It's... different."
As she speaks, Lirin follows Rodrik towards the barrels, which she looks at for a moment, before she acquires a tankard, and takes some of the ale to half fill a tankard, still listening to Rodik.
"I've always found that the best battles are the ones that you avoid. Making it so they can't track you, or so that they fight among themselves first, or even that they're so drunk they can't follow... that's always worked best for me. But orcs... orcs can be quite cunning, and intelligent. And they work together."
She shakes her head.
"Not the best enemy. But, well... I've been on my own, and running away, well, for a trader, running away is often the best strategy. It's a bit harder to run away with a whole town. Or a store, now."
She moves to take a drink, before a thought occurs to her, and the looks back at Rodrik.
"Although... I do have about 30 hangover cures for sale... I'm thinking that they might sell fairly well, tomorrow morning?"

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Just after the tug of war begins, a large silver grey horse gallops towards Byron, who grabs the horse's mane with one hand and the rope with the other and with a yip from Byron the horse starts to pull, just as members of the crowd charge forward to help.

Byron slaps Rodrik and his fellows on the back as well, a big grin on hos face. He seems to pay no notice to the messy hands. Quicksilver stays near Byron, seeking his attention, as the game is over.
"A drink or maybe more is good!"

[Starbin]

Janras stood slightly apart, giving a quick smile to the girl after her victory, even if he was disappointed it couldn't have been a straight out victory. He nodded respectfully to the Captain and his brother, but seemed distracted once more, eyes scanning the crowd as Rodrik spoke. Fists clenching and unclenching, he finally acknowledged the offer of a drink. "Aye, a drink would be good.."

It seemed the discussion of 'thing afoot' had caught his interest ...
Grab gear and follow

[The Hellbug]

Elida's performance during the tug-of-war can be most generously described as futile. With her jibe not having it's intended effect, all she can do is tug at the rope in front of Byron, whose size makes the very prospect of holding onto it, let alone make any headway in pulling it, a fruitless proposition. As expected, though, the tide eventually turns towards the birthday girl by design, and it is the guards who end up splattered with refuse.

As the losers offer their congratulations, Elida winces back from their back-patting--her clothes may not be fancy, but she still can't stand to have them dirtied so nonchalantly. Slightly embarrassed by her inability to affect the outcome of the competition, the halfling merely fades into the back of the group of Ruby's champions as Rodrick introduces himself to the newcomers, only giving a slight nod when the ranger acknowledges her.

Sparing a glance to the celebrating Ruby, Elida follows along as Rodrick leads them on about 'troubles in Trunau' as they fetch something to drink, her pride at being potentially selected for some sort of secretive inspiration spurring her onward. When the tiefling speaks up, Elida's memory finally clicks. "I knew I'd seen you somewhere--the new alchemist in town!" she speaks up, finding small talk that could interest her, "Lirin, you said? I'd been meaning to make my way to your place. I work down at Agrit's store."

[Archmage1]

Lirin smiles as the halfling recognizes her, turning away from Rodrik for a few moments.
"Lirin indeed! The House of Wonders has quite a few interesting things, and Agrit was quite helpful, in helping me getting everything I needed to get set up! I must have seen you a few times, there, although I never did get your name then, Elida. You're welcome to visit, although my stock is a bit lacking, at the moment. Reagents are expensive, and, well... most of my money went into getting the equipment. I do, however, have hopes that the hangover cures will sell fairly well tomorrow, even if I do need to sell them at guild prices."

[Tavarokk]

Amaya evaded the guards' dirty hands and trailed after the group, getting a cup of fruit wine as she listened to the conversation. She considered asking the alchemist about the possibility of making poisons, but it wasn't something she was skilled in using, and it would be fairly embarassing to end up poisoning herself in the field due to lack of experience. In the end she just settled down and waited for the captain to get to the point. 'Things afoot' sounded like something she needed to know.

[Neil Crow]

As Abbi shrunk down to her normal size she noticed that one of the guard's dirty hands was about to be placed on her shoulder, Abbi turns quickly not dodge the hand to take it into her own. It seemed that the losing side were allowed to get the winner dirty, if they were really the losing side as Abbi knew despite her allowed cheating that her performance had not been helpful. So as to not upset tradition, but also save the armor her father had forged for her, Abbi took the guards hand and shook it with a large smile on her face. "Good showing and a beer or ale would be lovely, let me just collect my cat and things."

[DrK]

The two twin brothers, the confident eloquent Rodrik (who is even a noted playwright!) and the stuttering and quiet Kurt soon manage to move away from the centre of the commons to the edge. The two brothers dragging the 6 of you with them. A few locals looking with interest at them, the sons of the Chief Defender who had dragged a jubilant Ruby away with a lot of the women.

I know things look good but we are in trouble. We in the militia see it more, and we are always looking for more members". He nods at Bryon and Janras and smiles at Amaya as he knows her parents well.
We've a problem recently. More orcs raiding closer, we're losing men and even more half orcs in the town. We don't know if they are what they seem orva prelude to something else. , I know others like Sara Morninghawk are loyal and vital but we've had graffiti in various its in town and trouble of late. I'm investigating and am close to something, I can feel it!
Kurt looks at his elder (by minutes) brother Rodrik is right. Lots more greenskins, its more dangerous now. As some of you well know from the roads

Before more can be said Chief Defender Halgra strides over arms around her sons and smile for her youngest. She is a towering women with arms as thick as most men's legs and long wold hair plaited down her back. Even dressed in a long pleated woollen dress she moves like a warrior, the intricate tattooing peeking from her wrists and shoulders describing the orcs and giants she has slain. "The brave champions who welcomed Ruby into adulthood. I thank you all. Come boys, mingle, speak with the young ladies." She grins at the newcomers. "Are the boys trying to recruit you? We are welcoming to those willing to risk their lives for the town. Think on it. Until then enjoy the rest if the ceremony. The Mindspin Ram is almost ready and the mead is free flowing " she points at the centre of the commons where the long trestle tables are laden with food, a small but very loud halfling women organising it - Cham Larringfass- who runs the Ramblehouse, Trunau's only lodging house. By the tables a large 450lb goat turns on a spit, its massive and sharp antlers that make so feared on display.

Before you can really speak much more Halgra drags the boys away, both are well known in the town. Rodrik widely expected to join the council whilst quieter brother expected to become patrol leader - he is the better with a blade.



Feel free to RP any party stuff. Its a night of drinking and eating with games of boulder throwing, boxing, belching and wrestling.

Then let me know when you all return to the Ramblehouse or your own house to sleep.

[Archmage1]

Lirin follows the others towards the edge, relieved to be away from so many people. She listrens to the further explanation on orcs, and thinks.
Orc raids? And people dying? Maybe this wasn't such a great idea... But abandoning this... I'll probably never find another home. Maybe... maybe a lifetime spent running coming to an end, but getting a home needs to be balenced by fighting, instead of running.
As she thinks, Halgra moves on, Lirin heads over to Ruby, and smiles at her.
"I'm sure you've heard this about a thousand times tonight, but Congratulations, Ruby. I'm glad you picked me as one of your champions. It was... different."
After Ruby moves on, she heads over to the other champions, looking somewhat nervous..
"That was quite interesting. And worrisome. Have any of you done that before?"

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron nodded along about the threats. There were always threats at Turnau and likely always would be. He had been part of the Militia and Rodrik knew he was there if they ever needed him. He was just not great at following orders.

Mingle with the young women? That sounded like a good idea and right here were two beauties, Amaya and Abbi to mingle with. If only Byron had a good idea how to do that. He reached out to stroke Abbi's cat. "I hope he, she? does not bite."

[The Hellbug]

Graffiti? More orcs on the roads. Haven't heard anything about that, though they could be keeping it quiet to keep noses out of Rodrick's 'investigation'. Though if they're telling us, he must be sure he's close...

Elida's thoughts are interrupted by the Chief Defender's congratulations. To be honest, the halfling has considered lending herself to the militia in a more permanent way in the past, though she has always thought better of it--she has always been adequate at contributing to the defense of Trunau in her own way. Elida can barely keep a smirk off her face, though, when Halgra finishes with a pointed recommendation to her sons.

A mental tug by Medea, though, reminds Elida that she, too, is rather hungry, but she frowns when she follows the fox's gaze to the table spread with food--and the halfling organizing it. The wizard bites her lip, not exactly enjoying the juxtaposition of the Chief Defender's request of her sons with her own situation. No, now is not the time to deal with you. Maybe if I'm careful and wait for someone else to distract her...

She ignores a whine from Medea (she'll just have to wait if she wants accompaniment to the table) and turns to answer Lirin while biding her time on dinner. "I have," Elida nods, "though I admit not since my own hopeknife ceremony. I'm not exactly what most teams are looking for when the other side isn't going to throw the competition-that and I've never understood the appeal of being covered in grime when you lose." She mocks flexing a muscle to illustrate her point.

[Archmage1]

Lirin nods at Elida's words, slowly starting to understand this ritual.
"That makes sense. Neither of us are likely to be a strong choice, and getting covered in that mess would be rather less than fun, but it's a way for the militia to show their dedication, since they're supposed to always lose? Does Trunau have any other rituals like that one?"

[Starbin]

Janras followed the brothers, eyes still scanning the room. At the mention of joining, he caught Rodrik's smile towards him and a few others. He smiled faintly in response, with a slight shrug. Since he had lost his friends, he felt like he was at a crossroads. While having a mission, some meaning to his life, was desirable, he wasn't sure being part of a standing military organization was the answer to his questions. The last time he had been part of an organization, things hadn't turned out so good ...

Aloud, he simply grunted, "Sumthin' to keep in mind ..."

As the Kurt continued, Janras caught sight of the Chief herself wandering over. In swift fashion, she congratulated the group, offered beer and wine, and took her two boys aside. Raising an eyebrow, Janras glanced at Ruby. "Well, I guess that's that. Food and drink, anyone?" With a short bow to the young lady, Janras moved over to find a nice cut of meat from the goat, as well as a tankard of something stout. He nodded his thanks to the Halfling woman running the show, then found himself a seat to drop his gear and eat.

A seat with it's back to the wall of course ...


RP ... RP ... RP ... :smallsmile:

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: None

[The Hellbug]

"That's not how I see it," Elida replies concerning the nature of the hopeknife ceremony tug-of-war, "they let the candidate win because they've already shown the most important quality to holding the Standing Vow: a willingness and desire to stand and fight for that place."

Medea looks wistfully after Janras as the big man piles meat on his plate, and finally Elida relents. With a sigh, she turns to Lirin. "You mind doing me a favor?"-she points to the halfling maintining the spread at the table-"that's my Aunt Cham over there, real friendly, she can probably answer all your questions better than I can. Anyway, I'm trying to stay out-of-sight-out-of-mind with regard to her tonight, so I was wondering if you might introduce yourself and cover for me while I grab some food. Apparently someone"-she glances at Medea-"can't wait a moment longer."

[Archmage1]

Lirin nods understandingly at Elida's explanation.
"That does make sense, I think."
Before she can really continue, however, Elida asks her to act as a distraction, and Lirin, figuring that she could learn a little more about the town, nods her agreement, collects some food, before she approaches Aunt Cham.

[Tavarokk]

Amaya frowned when Chief interrupted the conversation. That sounded like something she wanted to know, preferably now. Still, discussing work in the middle of the celebration would be an excercise in futility. Perhaps she would turn in early and come by the Longhouse first thing in the morning, annoyingly awake and fresh.

Checking on Eleria, she saw the girl with their mother, so without further delay Amaya disappeared into the shadows, leaving the noisy gathering behind.

[Archmage1]

After spending a minute or so trying to get Aunt Cham's attention, and failing, Lirin shrugs, and gets some food, targeting things she hasn't tasted before.(Fortunately, alchemists tend to have iron stomachs)
I've never seen some of this stuff... I wonder what it tastes like?

Having collected a variety of strange foods, Lirin looks around once more, noting that most of her fellow champions were occupied, once seemed to be standing alone, the giant of a man, with a giant sword on his back.
Well... talk to him? He doesn't seem to mind me.
Her mind made up, she heads over to the big fellow, and looks up to him, looking almost like a child beside him.
"Hi, You seemed like you knew what you were doing, up there."
She nods at the stage.
"You've been here a while? I'm fairly new here, so I'm hoping to make some friends. My name's Lirin."

[Starbin]

Janras turned around, gazing down at the small demonic woman, swallowing hard to force the chunk of bread in his mouth. Taking a pull of his ale, he wiped the wet and crumbs off with his forearm. "Oh, hey. Not sure I knew more than what I was told 'grab rope and pull.'"

To her second question, he shook his head. "I'm new. Just here to figure out my next move. Name's Janras." He glanced around the room at the celebration, but his gaze was too swift to linger on anyone person. "They seem big on ceremony for a bunch of borderlander. What brings you around these parts? Besides looking for friends?"


sorry for the delay - still here!

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: None

[Archmage1]

As Janras speaks, Lirin quickly takes a bite out of something called "haggis", before a moment of unhappiness flows through her face.
Ok. Note to self. Never get that again
After she recovers, she replies, quite calm.
"It's nice to meet you, Janras. It is quite the celebration, but it was the chief's daughter's ceremony. I have the feeling that most of them are rather less ornate. As for me, well, I was a traveling trader, which is not the easiest life, especially when you're different from everyone else. Here... here everyone seems to be more accepting of me, so I'm opening a store here."
She smiles slightly.
"I think I might be able to do fairly well for myself, at least tomorrow. One of the things I've made is a hangover cure, which I suspect is going to sell quite well. Which is good, because I need the money to put togeather a portable kit, so I can find ingredients outside of town. Much cheaper that way."

[Starbin]

Janras nodded to the woman's statements. "No offense, but I'm guessing 'welcomes' aren't always easy to come by. Glad the town is treating you right.

You make hangover cures? Might make a killing tonight. What else do you sell?"

Janras had an odd habit of looking around ... almost as if he wasn't fully invested in the conversation. Yet, he asked pertinent questions, so perhaps it was a nervous habit.

Chat, chat, chatting!

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: None

[Archmage1]

Lirin's response is somewhat wry.
"You can say that again. Sometimes, when they really needed something I was ok, but other times..."
Her voice trails off, into bad memories, before she flashes him a smile, although happy wouldn't be a good description for it. More forced.
"Luckily, I'm quite good at running. Which has saved my life quite a few times."
After another few moments, to regain her composure, she seems more balenced.
"I sell mostly alchemical things, although my stock's a little low at the moment. I've only just finished getting set up, and I haven't really had a chance to make much since. If you'd like something specific, I could probably make it for you, if you'd like."

[The Hellbug]

Elida surreptitiously helps herself to a plate of food when she sees her aunt distracted, grabbing an extra dish and loading her plate high enough that there's enough for her and her familiar. She spots Janras and Lirin easily enough (neither of them exactly blend into a crowd) and takes a seat at their side.

"Can't thank you enough, Lirin," the halfling says with a nod to the tiefling before getting distracted by a familiar presence at her side. "You'd think I don't feed you at all," Elida mutters to her fox as she separates a portion of the food on her plate into the extra dish, which she places on the ground, "how did you ever get along without me?"

However, despite her mockery of Medea, Elida is, in truth, rather hungry as well, and she gets to work on her plate, content to merely listen to the outsiders for now, as, at their feet, her fox wolfs down her own portion.

[Archmage1]

Lirin smiles at Elida once more.
"No worries, Elida. I don't know many people here, so a chance to make friends isn't something I like to pass up."
Observing the ritual between Elida and the fox, Lirin looks at the fox.
"And who's your friend?"

[Starbin]

Janras ate a few more bites as Lirin continued to talk, nodding periodically. "Thanks for the offer - not sure I need anything just yet ... but maybe you have a few suggestions."

At the halfling's arrival Janras nodded, eyeing her for a moment, before letting the two women talk as his gaze continued to sweep the room.

Hamgomg hanging out

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: None

[The Hellbug]

"Oh, this is Medea!" Elida replies enthusiastically, "you'll have to excuse her; she'd usually say 'hi' but..." a quick glance at the fox is all the halfling needs to confirm this "...she's a little busy right now. She's my...assistant--if you just want the basics." It is clear from Elida's tone that the 'basics' is not all she would like to share.

Janras's silence, however, soon makes the halfling uncomfortable. Looking around the square to try to see what the big man is looking at, Elida finally asks, "what're you looking at? Something bothering you?"

[DrK]

The evening passes happily as the citizens of Trunau are busy dancing, wrestling and feasting. Eventually however you are invited back to the Ramblehouse by Rodrik and Kurt, the two happy to continue drinking with their sister and Andrezi their brother. The "victors of Ruby" also invited back. The Ramblehouse is packed to its relatively short rafters. Halflings - all working for Cham - darting about with trays filled with pitchers of ale and beer. The party is racaous and evantually ends in a rousing rendition of the now famed Ballad of the Bloodmarch. Rodrik wrote his hit poem “Ballad of the Bloodmarch” after Trunauans held off the orcs of the Legbreaker tribe for 6 days before finally routing them. The epic piece is not as somber as its name might indicate, and it is practically synonymous with Trunauan pride and the iconic militaristic fervor of the townsfolk. While the poem does manage to capture much of the solemn reverence that accompanies the trials and horrors of warfare, those sobering themes are contrasted by emotionally powerful scenes of wartime heroism and examples of holding one’s own. Chief Defender Halgra declared “Ballad of the Bloodmarch” to be Trunau’s official anthem...

As the ballad passes you can all see Rodrik staring at a young and pretty half orc woman across the room and for the locals to Trunau it seemsthe rumours of Rodrik being involved with a green skin are true....




Please feel free to describe your party stuff then we can move on. Please arrange your PC to be in the ramblehouse or just hearing the commotion in the street and wander down

-----------------------

The morning dawns in a painful haze. The cramped rooms of the Ramblehouse packed with many sleeping on blankets on the beer soaked floor boards. However the most chilling is screaming coming from the top most floor.......

[Archmage1]

Lirin talks cheerfully with her new friends for another hour or so, giving the games a go, before she retires, to her shop, to sleep on the wooden floor in the back. She wakes up, bright and early, before she gets dressed and collects her cures, hoping to sell them, as well as a few of her extracts, if they prove to be needed.
Once she's ready, she heads out, smiling brightly, and offering to sell them to those who seem to be suffering from overindulgence the previous night. Seeking customers, she heads out, knowing that many people had just gotten to the ramblehouse. However, when she arrives, and hears screaming, she hesitates for a moment.
Screaming... usually, I'd run in the opposite direction, but... here, maybe I can help? If not, I think that might need to be something that I work on.
Her mind made up, she heads inside, wincing as she breathes the ale soaked room, and starts climbing the stairs, clearly concerned.

[Starbin]

At the halfling woman's question, he turned back with a raised eyebrow. "Hmmm? Oh, ah, nothing. Rather I'm making sure it's nothing. Sorry, didn't want to interrupt you two. Names Janras. Nice fox."

He joined the 'after party' with Ruby's family. He spoke with anyone interested, although he would spend some time chatting with the brothers about local military matters. Eventually, once the others had retired or fallen asleep Janras found a corner spot where he could sit propped up.


The scream woke Janras up from a restless sleep. Leaping up, he reached for the long blade nearby, drawing it in one fluid motion. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he looked for his new friends but didn't see them. Fearing it might be one of them, he took off ...

Grab nodachi, rush upstairs

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: None

[The Hellbug]

The rest of the evening is best described as a blur for Elida. While that afternoon she had planned on taking it fairly slow at the celebration that night, the insistence of the other celebrants proves impossible to turn down. She ends up back at the continued party at the ramblehouse where she imbibes perhaps a bit more ale than she had originally planned--after all, it would be unseeming for Ruby's champions to not make an appearance. So, while Medea finds a quiet spot in the corner to not be trod upon, Elida even spiritedly joins in the singing of Trunau's anthem. It is after this that she staggers her way to her room (a plus when most of the guests end up on the floor).

And so, it is groggily that Elida wakes to the scream the next morning. Medea is practically smirking at the door as the halfling woman stumbles over to the door and peeks her head out, just in time to see Janras running by. Medea slips out the door to follow the big man, but Elida hurries her way back to her desk, only pausing to grab the pouch of components for her spells, and takes off after the sound from above.

[Tavarokk]

Having dined at her usual spot at the edge of the cliff, Amaya returned home to find that her parents and sister were still out. Old man Valern could be heard rummaging around in his workshop, apparently busy tinkering with another trap. Great-grandfather almost never ventured outside the town gates nowadays, but the fruits of his hobby sold to the rangers at cost made many an orc's life miserable since his retirement.

Normally she would've joined him, but the idea that there may be orc collaborators in town was too distracting. In the end, Amaya went along with her original plan and turned in, intending to demand details come the morning.

***

As it turned out, neither of the brothers returned to the Longhouse for the night. Given that the second most probable location was the Ramblehouse, all the way on the other side of the town, that was rather irritating. The rogue nodded to Patrol Leader, excusing herself, and strode back towards the gate.

She'd just stepped into the lower quarter and was taking a shortcut through the backyards that would lead her to the inn when the screaming started. Drawing her dagger, Amaya rushed towards the inn.

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron spent the rest of the evening eating and drinking more than he should. He spoke with many pretty girls or so he recalled it that way when he woke up the next morning alone.

[Neil Crow]

Abbi will take part in the festivities, most likely surprising a few of the local men as she will primarily drink strong ales, like those her dwarven adopted family favors. It does come apparent that although she prefers the stronger drinks, she really can't handle them and she will spend the night passed out in the tavern sleeping in a corner and if anyone tries to move her after she is out cold they quickly discover that the cat she treats like a kitten is anything but and defends his passed out other half with ferocity. It is clear that Abbi would have stayed that way the whole night through if not for the scream and commotion out in the street that wakes her. Jumping to her feet, she knocks Night off of her lap and grabs her spear still not knowing what is going on as she dashes out the door of the tavern running towards the sound of distress, it all very instinctual and her ability to think clearly is still not awake.

[DrK]

The various new comrades from the day before bound upstairs towards the top of the house where a few other guests are running upstairs. It soon becomes clear why. Cham, the halfling proprietress sits on the landing screaming. A few other servants see you as well and you can just make out the scene in the room beyond. It is a sparse room containing only a single cot and a writing desk. The cot is a cheap affair with a straw-stuffed mattress, now stained red with blood and stripped of its linens, while the desk is a slightly nicer piece of furniture that has nonetheless been chipped and worn by time. A cracked window in the southern wall is the only exit other than the room’s door. On the chair facing the window you can see Rodrik's body, sat upright, head slumped and pale in the death. Blood dried and pooled around the base of the chair from where he has apparently slit his own wrists...

There is a commotion as Kurt races up the stairs. A howl in anguish as he sees his twin and pushes through the assembled crowd who all step back to let Kurt in to see his brother one last time.

[Starbin]

Standing at the door to the room with sword drawn, wearing naught but loose pants, Janras glances around for signs of anyone. However, upon noticing Rodrik's wrists, he lowers his sword slowly. Kurt rushed forward, howling in anguish, which broke Janras' hesitation. Looking around, he leaned over to the group and whispered, "Elida, innkeeper's your aunt, yeah? Can you calm her down? Gotta control this area, keep the masses from coming in and panicking. One of you locals, can you get the Chief? Quiet like, so as not to make more of an issue.

The rest of us need to check on what happened. Not sure why this guy would take his own life ... must be pretty bad."

With that, Janras slipped into the room and closed the door after anyone else entered, then started looking around.

Set the nodachi down, check the room for 'clues' [roll0]

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: None

[Archmage1]

Her hooves clunking on the wooden stairs, Lirin dashes up them, swiftly reaching the source of the screaming, gently pushing through, to get a look.
Not good, but is this what it seems...

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Hearing the commotion, Byron rushes up the stairs to the source. He sees the dead Rodrick, his brother and Cham. His eyes seek clues to make sense of it all. Death is not a stranger here, but death like this? It seems like murder or something foul.

Unsure what to do Byron stand and looks for a moment and then rushes down the stairs whistling for Quicksilver. Exiting the building he mounts Quicksilver bare back and heads to the Chief.

[The Hellbug]

Elida arrives only moments behind Janras, still in her nightgown, though Medea is right on his heels. She is confused at first by the fox's staring into the room. "Aunt Cham, what's..."

And then gets a peek into the room. Elida's hand shoots to her mouth to suppress a shriek (much like her aunt), and her legs feel wobbly as the shock of the situation hits her. Rodrik? No...impossible. He seemed so happy last night...and all the nights, really. This is impossible; no, it must be a dream.

There are tears forming in her eyes when Janras makes his request. She wipes her eyes and nods before approaching Cham, arms outstretched to embrace the wailing halfling. "Aunt Cham?" she asks, trying to be reassuring, "I need you to be strong for me, we'll get to the bottom of this." Despite her words, though, Elida can't help but let her aunt's hysteria get to her, and she starts to silently sob alongside her kin.

[Tavarokk]

Amaya slipped by the onlookers and examined the scene, face utterly blank. After a moment she walked up to the surviving brother, gripping his shoulder.

"Kurt," she called for attention. "First, we must hunt. I do not believe he did this himself, or at least without... assistance. Who saw him leave? Who was with him last?"

She raised her voice a notch, directing the questions to everyone present.


[roll0] for Perception (general inspection for notable details)

[DrK]

In Town

Byron leaps astride the horse and races upwards through the town and in the inner town he meets Defender Halgra storming down with a posse of guards alongside her. Seeing Byron she skids to a halt. "You, you are looking for me. Is it true? Is my eldest son dead? Has someone murdered Trunau's finest?" She seems angry, filled with rage and rising grief.... The guards at her side looking around warily, hands tight on bows or resting on axe and sword hilts.

In the Ramblehouse



Searching around the room Amaya and Janras both find a small note jammed between 2 planks. The small piece of paper is a receipt from Morninghawks smithy for a new hope knife with an engraving for Rodrik my love. Look around further Amaya finds something else, a few spots on the floor that smell strange and also a few bits of cloth that that are dirty and smell of something familiar that they can't quite place yet The only other things are dusty outlines of a pair of books on the desk. Taken recently you'd guess.


Please make appropriate skill checks as yous see



Rodrik is definitely dead and as Elida comforts Cham dowsntairs she can also see a half orc woman with flowing ginger hair sobbing in the corner. Upstairs as Janras, Lirin and Amaya search Kurt stumbles in. Tear stricken and with a bottle in hand. "My brother would never kill himself. It is not the Trunau way and he was one of the bravest men I knew. Someone has done this. Who ever did it.... they must be found and punished." At the last he tenses his fist crumpling the metal tankard to pulp

[Archmage1]

Gently entering the room, but keeping to the edges, Lirin looks around carefully, hoping to put her expertise to work (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21087074&postcount=66), her tail flitting back and fourth as she examines the scene.
Well... this is not good. But no one seems to be blaming me so far, so that's good. Now... what happened here...
When Kurt enters, clearly drinking still, Lirin shakes her head sadly at him, but doesn't try to comfort him, knowing that she would have little success.

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron lowers his head in the presence of Defender Halgra. He is unsure how to respond, how to reassure her.
"I am sorry. He is dead, I am unsure how. I did not stop to ask questions, I came immediately to get you."

[Starbin]

Turning to the others, Janras pointed to the note he and Amaya found. "Looks like a receipt for a hopeknife. Anyone know who's sweet on Rodrik? And what books did he keep over here? Anything important like maps of the town or battle plans?"

The man didn't seem exactly insensitive, but he wasn't the coddling type ...

[roll0] for tracking and/or checking the dust. He didn't see the liquid, so he can't point it out.

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: None

[DrK]

Searching further the alchemist Lirin quickly finds the patch of oily wet on the floor. Sniffing and tasting it she recognises it as some sort of sleeping draught. The sudden horrible thought that Rodrik may have been drugged and then someone slashed his wrists whilst he was unconscious...
Kurt looks about at you all. Recognising you eventually through his grief. "Can you help? Find my brother's killer. It must be something he was doing, if his journal is in the room it may help. He was looking into the graffiti and the holes dug around the town. That and all the newcomers and orcs in the city..."

The Ramblehouse quietens downstairs quietens as Defender Halgra enters, her guards and Byron in tow, the massive woman screaning in grief as she orders everyone out save her son. Kurt looks at you all. "Find who did this and we will be grateful. You will all be welcome in the town for as long as you like"...

[Archmage1]

Well, well... well... do we have here. A wet patch on the floor?
Lirin, spotting something, promptly crouches and leans down, to... smell?
This smell... usually used in relaxing concoctions...
That thought in mind, she delicately reaches out one finger, and taps a wet spot on the floor, before bringing it back to her mouth, and tapping the tip of her tongue on her finger.
Definitely a sleeping draught. But from where...
Reaching down to her pocket, she pulls out a small vial, and tries to gather some of the liquid into it, before she seals it. Still not speaking, she moves over, and smells Rodrik's mouth, hoping to get confirmation of what she suspected. After she finishes, she turns to Kurt.
"I think so, yes. I don't believe this was suicide. I don't suppose you'd know who brought him his drinks? And graffiti, and holes? Is that a new thing?"
However, before she can hear an answer, Halgra arrives, and tosses her out. She nods at Kurt's comment, and after the door shuts, she looks at the crowd, her gaze questioning, her somewhat diffident manner gone.
"Who was the last one to see him alive?"

[The Hellbug]

Elida finally breaks away from her aunt for a moment downstairs once she has gotten the halfling woman somewhat under control. As she is setting a kettle of hot water for tea on the fire, though, she notices the sobbing half-orc. Oh no...

There were rumors (oh gods, there were rumors for Elida with family like hers) that Rodrik had eyes for this pretty half-orc, Brynda--scandalous rumors, even. Now, Elida didn't know either of them particularly well, but anyone with eyes could have told you those rumors were true after the way the two were looking at each other last night. Elida pours two cups after bringing the water to a boil, and, after dropping one off with Cham, Elida makes her way over to Brynda.

"Brynda?" the halfling asks to get her attention while holding out the second cup of tea, "just want you to know we're all in this together. Rodrik was important to everyone in Trunau."

[Starbin]

At Kurt's comments, Janras looked around for signs of a journal, but the empty spot on the desk mocked his efforts. When Rodrik's mother arrived, they were all shooed out, leaving them to consider Kurt's pleas. Looking around, Janras shrugged at Lirin's question. "Not me. If I was a betting man, I'd lay money his sweetheart was. Anyone know who that is?"

One of the locals had to know something ...

I'm presuming we're all upstairs outside the room right now and Elida is downstairs with Brynda ...

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: None

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron follows Defender Halgra up stairs and then waits looking around feeling a bit out of place. Give him an enemy to fight and he is good, but in a situation like this what does he do. His quick eyes search for any clues to went on.

Perception [roll0]

[DrK]

In the common room the half orc collapses into a chair sobbing and embracing Elida. "I know they said he killed himself but he didn't. He didn't even have his hopeknife, someone left that one in his room to shame his memory. Look..."

She pulls her own out and Elida can see the inscription "To Brynda, the light of my soul - R". He gave me his and I gave him mine but he lost it two days ago. He was funny, so organised in something's but in others so careless". (Elida will know that swapping knives is common for " sweethearts".

---

In the room upstairs as you are all unceremoniously ordered out by Halgra one of the maids, her little eyes rimmed red with tears looks at Lirin. "If it weren't one of the maids it was that sleazy little stranger. He and Rodrik were both well into their drink and then started shouting and cursing at each other before the other patrons separated them and they went to bed. Not seen him this morning but he was in room 8." She points to a floor along the corridor, the door closed.

[Archmage1]

Lirin nods at the maid, and smiles.
"Thank you. Do you have a key to the door? Or maybe someone a bit bigger than me can knock, and see what happens? If he is a murderer, I'm afraid that he's all too likely to kill me as well."

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Without hesitation walks over and knocks on the door.

[DrK]

With a single solid boot Byron opens the door. With the events of the day no-one is concerned by the now splintered lock. The serving girl, while clearly upset still tries to helpful, trembling slightly at the sound of the Defender's grief stricken hoels from Rodrik's room.

The room is pretty bare, a bed that doesn't even look slept in and a desk that is left scuffed and with drawers partially open. The small halfling girl, barely waist high to Byron looks about. "He didn't sign a name into the guest book but some called him Skreed and he were talking with those half-green prospectors that wrote rude things on the walls and trashed the room.

[Archmage1]

Listening, Lirin migrates over, and peeks inside, rapidly noting the lack of people in the room.
"Well... I think we have a suspect? But we need to find him? Could you describe him? And maybe tell us more about the prospectors? Anything could help!"

[The Hellbug]

Considering how little she knows Brynda, the half-orc's embrace takes Elida by surprise. Her explanation of the hopeknife, though, absolutely confirms the rumors, though. She lets the embrace go until Brynda calms down enough to talk before posing a question. "Brynda, I understand if this is a little soon for you--I'm barely all here myself, and I obviously didn't know Rodrik like you did--but some people are are already looking into things. I'm sure they'd want to know what you know. You were with him last night, right?"

[Tavarokk]

Amaya studied Brynda as she listened, weighting the odds that the girl may know something of Rodrik's death or his work prior to that, when a commotion in the hallway caught her attention.

"I could have opened that, I believe," she sighed, eyeing the broken door. While Lirin was talking to the maid, the rogue searched the suspect's room as well. "We'll need to question all gate guards once we have a description. Backtracking Captain's movements before the celebration day may be prudent as well."

[roll0] for Sense Motive
Taking 20 for Perception (I forgot I could do that last time; should take a minute or two since searching is a move action)

[Starbin]

Janras followed the others to the room, shaking his head at the group's miscommunication. While he appreciated Byron's direct approach, he agreed with Brynda's assessment. Since there was nothing to be done about it now, Janras peered into the room over the others, waiting to see what they found. At the talk of half-green prospectors, he frowned. "Was this Skreed an Orc, too? Better keep any accusations against Orcish kind to a minimum, or you'll start a mob."

Letting the others search, but I suppose an aid another might help: [roll0] for perception

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: None

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron takes little notice of comments and frowns about his method of opening the door. He scans the room looking for anything seeming out of place or odd.

Perception [roll0]

[DrK]

THe room is quite empty as Byron searches around. Its almost as if the visitor spent almost no time in the room. As the questions begin quietly one of the serving girls gently tugs on Elida's arms as she comforts the distraught half orc. "Erm, cousin. I don't know if it helps but them other folk who look adventurer types are poking around upstairs. They are looking for a fellow named Skreed. But well, one things he and good Master Rodrik had argued about why he'd followed him to the Plauge House... I don't know if it helps though?" she pats Brynda on the arm and offers to look after her to free up Elida. A large tote of strong rum clearly part of the healing process...

Elida knows of the Plague house, an old abandonded and long burned church of Iodemae that lies outside the walls near the merchant rocks. Its a place that is rumoured to be haunted although children creep there from time to time.

[The Hellbug]

"Yes, I'll see what I can do for them," Elida replies as she steps beck from the half-orc and continues with a sideways glance at her fox companion, "I'm going to leave Medea here, though. If you all need anything, send her--she'll find me. Won't you, girl?"

Medea offers her assent in the form of curling up to lie in the corner of the room, and Elida takes her leave. She tries not to get in the way when she enters Skreed's room, instead dodging around whenever searchers get near. "I think I may have heard something important," she eventually begins to whoever looks least busy, "I just got done talking to Brynda, and rumors of her being Rodrik's lover were more than rumor, apparently. She said that knife wasn't his--he lost his days ago--and that means it couldn't have been a suicide. Any luck up here?"

[Starbin]

Janras looked up as Elida returned, listening intently. "So do you believe this girl? Or could she have something to do with this?". Janras didn't know anything about the half-Orc woman, but she was clearly involved in some way.

Asking the obvious ...

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: None

[The Hellbug]

Elida looks shocked for a moment before shaking her head vigorously. "Absolutely not. Not unless she's a very good liar, " the halfling explains to the big warrior, "you saw the way the two of them were at it last night, right? It goes a bit deeper than just that. Brynda was wearing Rodrik's hopeknife and claimed he'd be wearing hers if he hadn't lost it. It's a tradition some couples follow here in Trunau. It's easy enough to verify, too--Brynda said he'd put in an order for a new one at the blacksmith only days ago."

As she waits for a response, the wizard thinks, no, she was telling the truth. Her grief is true.

[Archmage1]

Lirin, listening, and noting that no one seemed to know what this Skreed looked like, looks down at Elida as she mentions a Brynda.
"If she was his lover, why don't we see about talking with her? Maybe she might know more about Skreed? Or the prospectors?"

[The Hellbug]

"I don't know if right now is a good time," Elida replies to the tiefling's suggestion with a shake of her head, "I left her with Medea and one of the serving girls, but she's in bad shape--I don't think she's ready for that kind of thing. On the other hand, that same serving girl gave us something to go off of. She said she overheard Rodrik and Skreed arguing about a trip to the Plague House. It's right outside of town, and it's probably worth a look-over."

[Archmage1]

Lirin looks worridly at Elida.
"Well... that seems like a good idea, but if they've already killed Rodik, then they could kill us too. I'm not a warrior, I'm an alchemist. I don't think us investigating is a good idea, but maybe the guard can? I don't even have my armor, or a field kit..."

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron listens in on the conversation and follows with, "Whatever you do I'm in and I am a warrior. If anyone attacks you, I'll protect you."

[Archmage1]

Surprised by Byron's words, Lirin can only stop, and look at him, clearly not expecting his comment.

[Starbin]

Janras pondered Elida's words for a moment, when Lirin and Byron responded ... in nearly opposite manners. Frowning, he gazed at Lirin as he nodded his head in Byron's direction. "Maybe I don't understand, but this was murder, not a fight. Second, Byron looke like he can handle himself; I'm not bad with a blade either. Third, no one's asking you to go unarmored.

As for the guards, I'm guessing they'll be busy with increased patrols. You don't have a man like Rodrik get killed without upping the security."

Janras will go!

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: None

[Archmage1]

Lirin quails under Janras's harsh words, her words sounding nervous, worried.
"I... I don't have a field kit yet; I'm afraid that putting together the store took most of what I had, but if I can sell my cure, I can buy a field kit, and I my armor is at my store, so if we can do that, I'll come along, and see what I can do to help, but... I'm not a swordswoman. I've got a crossbow, and a few bolts, and my potions..."

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron turns and heads off. "I'll get my gear ... and quicksilver." He whistles sharply as he hurries away.

[The Hellbug]

"Then we can go do that," Elida says reassuringly to the tiefling, "but you might have the wrong idea about the place. The Plague House is just outside the walls. It's the kind of place children go on dares, not one that's actually dangerous. Our patrols go out far further than that nearly every day, and with Byron and Janras and Amaya? You'll be fine."

[Archmage1]

Lirin shakes her head.
"No, no, I'm not worried about the plague house. I'm worried that we might encounter the murderers, and I don't want to be their next victim. But..."
She pauses, and looks worried for a few moments, before she nods.
"Perhaps we can meet at the gate? That should let everyone get their things?"

[DrK]

It doesn't take long to scatte around town to arm or equip yourselves and soon enough you meet back at the main gate. Everyone you meet or see has one toic, the death of Rodrik as the entire town seems to be in a state of shock. rumours already spreading ranging from suicide, orcs, a lovers TIFF to demons. The guards nof casually to Janras and Byrin, the two warriors known to the soldiers. The town walls loom high above as you walk the length of the walls heading to the southern tip of the town where the plague house was built hard up against a dramatic spire of rock.

Approaching the building you can see it broken and wrecked. The second story almost completely collapsed onto the lower floor. The Plague House’s front doors sit three feet above the ground. Charred wooden beams and ash are all that remains of a small porch and stairs that once led to the entrance. The small windows flanking either side of the doorframe are broken, but a large stained glass window dominating the face of the building to the right remains in fine shape, and shows a varicolored image of Iomedae holding her sword aloft.

http://img15.deviantart.net/b189/i/2015/095/d/d/pathfiner_giantslayer_plague_house___ground_floor_ by_bigrin42-d8ojf7f.jpg

The north side of the building is collapsed in rubble. Piles of rubble and broken beams and charred bits of wood jut out allowing an alternative route into the building if you were willing to climb up over the wreckage of the walls.


Choose you poison

* main door
* NE corner - requires some climbing
* NW corner - requires some climbing

[Archmage1]

Heading through the now awake ramblehouse, Lirin manages to relieve the hangovers of 30 individuals, before she heads to her store, to change into her worn brown leather armor, before she retrieves her crossbow, and her bandoliers. Stopping by That n Such, Lirin quickly picks up the things she needs for a field kit as well, before she makes her way to the main gate.

After everyone arrives, and the group departs, Lirin seems to relax a little, as if committing herself has removed much of her earlier nervousness. After the short walk to the Plague House is finished, Lirin looks it over.
I've never really looked this place over, but... it does seem rather well ruined. But... if we're looking for murderers, maybe going in through the main door is a bad idea? But if they're not, then surprising them doesn't seem like a good thing either...
She hesitates, clearly not sure how to proceed.

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron approaches the half collapsed building riding Quicksilver bareback. bringing QUicksilver to a halt he looks the building over for any dangers or things of note.

"How good are you at climbing?"

Byron's Perception[roll0]
Quicksilver's Perception[roll1]

[Archmage1]

Lirin shakes her head, sadly.
"Not very, I'm afraid."

[Starbin]

Janras was waiting for the others at the gate, having all of his equipment handy. He was fully armored and armed by the time they departed for the plague house.

Upon arrival, he looked around for a moment, eyes searching for signs of recent activity. At the questions, he nodded absently. Looking to the doors and the northern side of the building, he whispered, "Anyone see any tracks? Main door looks easier, but circling around might make more sense if this is a base of operations."

Looking around for tracks (or aiding another)
[roll0], [roll1]

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: None

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Upon Janras question Byron looks for tracks as well.

Survival [roll0]

[The Hellbug]

Elida clothes herself more appropriately, gathers her spellbook and materials, and picks up Medea on her way out of the Ramblehouse--her nose may be useful--stopping only to tell her aunt where she and the others are going in case anyone needs them. On the way out the door, though, her mother has no trouble convincing the halfling (with a quick nudge from Medea) to stay around for a quick breakfast. As a result, the only person she beats to the gate is Lirin.

Elida quickly leads the rest of the group to the burned-out temple, but she can't help but shiver when they approach--Elida had not been one of the Trunau youngsters who had ever taken this particular dare. "Medea, you know what to do," she reminds her fox as she tries to shake off the bad feeling. Medea puts her nose to the ground and tries to pick up some sort of scent.

Meanwhile, the halfling wizard looks up at the holes on the second story. "You all might be able to make it up there," she chimes in regretfully, "but that's a little high for me and Medea."

[Tavarokk]

On their way to the Plague House Amaya stopped at each gate to give the guards description of this Skreed she had got from the inn's staff, asking them whether they have seen that person before and to alert her or Kurt at once should they see Skreed again.

As they approached, the scout moved ahead, studying the surroundings and listening for movement within. Circling around the building she attempts to get in through the collapsed north-eastern corner.


[roll0] for Perception
Taking 10 for Survival (15), Climb (14) and Stealth (21)

[Archmage1]

As the group plans, Lirin looks around. After a few moments, she looks around again.
"Um..."
Her voice is somewhat diffident.
"Has anyone seen Amaya?"

[Starbin]

At Elida's comment, Janras nodded, turning to approach the main door. To Lirin's question, he pointed to the left. "Saw her head that way - probably checking the perimeter.

Sounds like the main door'll be easier. Keep your eyes open for any warning traps set up. Any of you know magic? One I worked with used this spell to protect the camp ... maybe someone could check for that?"

Janras is willing to take point - sorry I ignored responding for so long :smallredface: Hopefully we'll get some info from DrK before we advance ...

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: None

[Archmage1]

Lirin seems relieved at Janras's explanation of Amaya's disappearance, but as Janras continues, she looks worried once more.
"Well... I can keep an eye out, and if it's mundane, I might be able to disable it, but... I can't do too much about magic. Unless it's a potion? I know potions."
With that, she carefully and quietly approaches the door, to check to see if she can see anything, although she doesn't open it.


[roll0] perception
[roll1] stealth

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron shrugs. "I don't do magic."

[DrK]

Looking about nothing seems amiss and the cursory look at the hard packed earth shows no obvious signs of tracks. A firepit, cold but showing signs of recent use is found on the south of the house. The coals giving off a strange smell that Lirin recognises. She suspects that when heated they will glow blue.
Even as Amays creeps around towards the collapsed wall Janras approaches the main door...

The Plague House’s front doors sit three feet above the ground. Charred wooden beams and ash are all that remains of a small porch and stairs that once led to the entrance. The small windows flanking either side of the doorframe are broken but above the door lies a stained glass window of a valorous looking Iodomae.... All seems still and deserted

Pushing open the doors there is the smell of must and mould. The ten foot wide corridor leads up 50ft before vanishing into darkness splitting left and right. A few feet in the there is a large double door on the right and 30ft in a small door on the left...

-------

At the north eastern corner Amaya moves like a ghost scrabbling silently up the pike of rocks to peer into the wrecked building. As she crests the collapsed wall she ends up amongst the renains of a wooden staircase here that once led to the upper story but now has all but crumbled to ashes. The northern wall has collapsed, and the floor underneath has sunk entirely, leaving a dark, gaping hole in the ground surrounded by rubble. Around the edge she can see bits of wood and rock that would allow her access to the main house or with her well trained eyes she can see more options down into the cellar through the hole in the floor. She also sees hanging from the roof above her a pair of spiders, each one with a body the size of a child and large pincers!


Amaya [roll0] vs [roll1]

[Archmage1]

Spotting the coals in the firepit, and smelling them, Lirin carefully reaches into her pocket, to pull out a piece of rather abused cloth, which she uses to wrap a sample of the coals, before she puts them back into her pocket, turning around in time to see Janras opening the door to the plague house, which she starts to approach.

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron dismounts Quicksilver and heads towards the door, drawing his long sword as he walks. "Guard," he says curtly to Quicksilver.

He hops up the three feet into the front door, prodding with the blade and his foot to ensure the structure is sound enough to take his weight.

Perception [roll0]

[The Hellbug]

"Alright, up you go," Elida says reassuringly as she hoists Medea up into the doorway, setting her quarterstaff at the fox's side. Then, after a quick rub of her hands together, she tries to clamber on up into the building, grunting as her feet hit the ground again, her first attempt a failure. "Well, huh, I can take a look around for any magical auras," the halfling begins as she renews her efforts, "but, ugh, I'd be able to get to it faster if one of you can give me a hand here."

As she finishes, Elida finds herself groping at the top of the ledge as her feet scrabble for some sort of foothold below, hanging all the while. Medea, for her part, tries to appear useful, at least, even though she is in no real position to help her master.

[Starbin]

Janras moved to the main door, reaching down to assist anyone that needed help. Pushing open the door, he looked around, peering down the hall. "Anyone got a light? I say we move forward, check each of the rooms ..."

Helping the others up, taking point ... If we have light :)

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: None

[Archmage1]

Seeing Elida, Janras, and Byron crowded on the ledge, Lirin declines to jump up, not wanting to risk someone else falling off, although she does wave away Janras's helping hand.
At his question, she whispers quietly.
"I'm afraid not, but it is bright outside, and there are windows, so there should be plenty of light?"

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron walks in looking around. "I have no torch on me."
He looks around and heads to the double doors. "It is dark deeper in but we can look around where we can."

Perception [roll0]

[Archmage1]

As Byron moves in, Lirin hops casually up, easily clearing the 3 feet on her jump, looking around with a mixture of curiosity and caution.

[The Hellbug]

"Thank you," Elida says graciously to Janras, "I may not have mentioned it, but I never was quite the one for the kind of adventures I mentioned earlier."

After brushing herself of dirt from the doorstep, the halfling picks up her walking stick. "Light, though, I can handle."

With a quick utterance of an incantation, Elida touches the tip of her quarterstaff, from which a glow appears that shines as brightly as any torch. "See?" she smiles and begins to lead the way toward the closest door, "I can make up for it."

Casting light. I'd start doing some detect magic, as was requested, but I want to wait to see if Amaya's gonna call for help or something, first.

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron moves with Elida. "We all have our skills. Stick by me and I''l keep you safe."

[Archmage1]

Lirin quietly follows, pulling a small vial from her bandolier as she goes, holding it in her palm.

[Tavarokk]

Amaya hisses angrily upon seeing the spiders startle and turn in her direction as they look for the source of distubance in their webs. She unloads her crossbow at the nearest one before either can start moving and dashes across the hole, jumping between the few remaining fragments of the floor. Unable to launch a surprise attack, she preferrs to link up with others instead of risking needlessly.


[roll0] for ranged attack
[roll1] for Acrobatics

[DrK]

As the others gather in the doorway they hear a commotion from up ahead and from the around the T-junction 30ft away they suddenly see Amaya running towards them with crossbow cradled in her small arms. Seconds later a pair of spiders, each the size of a sizeable dog appear, both chasing your new hallfing friend as they try and sink their teeth into her back....


Scurry up and give chase
[roll0] dam [roll1] and DC 13 Fort [roll2] Str repeats 4 rounds, 1 round saves
[roll3] dam [roll4] and DC 13 Fort [roll5] Str repeats 4 rounds, 1 round saves



ALl players may now act.

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron charges forward, wielding his longsword in two hands, and slashes at the attacking vermin.

Charge Attack [roll0] AC is 14 for the round.
Damage [roll1]

[Archmage1]

Ew! Giant spiders, and they're after Amaya!
Looking rather disgusted, Lirin starts to draw her crossbow, but she soon decides to toss her bomb behind the spiders, so she doesn't hit Amaya and Byron with the effects. As it explodes, the temperature in the hall drops a bit.
With her hands empty, she readies the crossbow, her tail helpfully placing a bolt in the groove.


Standard action:
[roll0] Attacking a grid intersection(AC 5)
The spiders need to make a reflex save, DC 14 to take half of the 4 points of frost damage.
Move action: Drawing a crossbow.
Swift action(More for flavor): Using her tail to knock, but not load the crossbow.

[The Hellbug]

Two distinct thoughts flash through Elida's head as the spiders round the corner. Giant spiders? Makes sense that the vermin would move in after all these years. Maybe there was something to be afraid of, the more rational part of her says, but it is almost overshadowed by another voice: those things are bigger than I am and they have all those legs and all those eyes and look at the creepy way they move!

Instinct from her training has one hand reaching for her crossbow, but to use the weapon would necessitate dropping her walking stick, the best source of light in the dim passage. Therefore, following Bryon's advice, all she does is slowly and carefully move forward down the hallway, keeping the big people between her and the arachnids.

[Starbin]

Janras blinked in surprise when Amaya came running down the hall, two large spiders in tow. As it was, he was one of the last to move, pulling the spiked hammer off his back as he advanced and swung at the sort spider in a sweeping strike that could catch the second spider.

Move action forward, drawing the bec as he moves. Power attack cleave (w/furious focus)
[roll0], [roll1] vs less hurt spider
[roll2], [roll3] vs almost dead spider

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: -2 AC if cleaving

[Tavarokk]

Amaya grinds to a halt upon passing the men and turns around, putting away the crossbow and drawing her dagger.


[roll0] for Fortitude

[DrK]

Lirin's flask explodes in a crackling sheet of ice that partially freezes the carapace of the spiders before there is the solid thunk of steel upon flesh as Byron and Janras run forward to engage them. Byron smashes the nearest one severing half of its legs before Janras swoops in, blade sweeping left to right as he slashes both spiders across their tiny insectile heads killing both!

[Archmage1]

As the last spider dies under Janras's blade, Lirin feels the familiar rush of exhaustion strike at her, as the battle was over. Gritting her teeth, she tries to resist, knowing that now was not the time to give in.


[roll0] Fort vs Tainted soul, DC 11
failure means fatigued for 10 minutes.


After a few moments, the somewhat drained looking tiefling quietly approaches Amaya, her voice soft, worried, but sounding almost tired.
"Are you all right? I've got some potions, if you'd like? They should help."

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron sheaths his sword and returns back to Amaya. "You okay?"

[The Hellbug]

Dead though the oversized vermin may be, Elida still keeps Janras and Byron between herself and the still-twitching corpses. She looks at them with disgust, for, although she knows that they are dead, she can't shake the feeling that they'll just get back up and try to attack her and her friends again. "Guess it wasn't as empty as we thought," the halfling suggests sheepishly, "I think we should stick together if we can."

[Starbin]

Janras paused for a moment, listening for evidence that their fight had drawn attention. Moving forward slowly, he tapped the bodies with the point of his pole arm before cleaning off the end and hooking it across his back. "Aye, we should stick together. Let's finish sweeping the house and look for signs of this 'Skreed.'"

Move forward slowly ...

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: none

[Tavarokk]

"The bite is unpleasant, but I've had worse," Amaya scowls. "I'm more annoyed that we've ran into exactly the type of creature that made investigating this place quietly unfeasible. I'll stay close to check for traps, but one of the fighters will have to take point from now."

[Archmage1]

Lirin continues to look concerned, but she nods.
"If you're sure, Amaya."
She finishes loading her crossbow as she speaks, before she looks towards Janras and Byron, clearly wondering which way they would go.

[DrK]

No sooner had Amaya finished speaking then Janras and she both can hear the sounds of something big scuttling towards them as the larger "mummy" spider crawls out of the crevice that the two small spiders had crawled out. This one is much larger! The span of its legs meaning it can walk on both walls at once with the furry body the size of a small pony. It clatters and clicks it massive shortsword sized pincers at Janras as it's compound eyes sweep over the ground and you have a bad feeling that it recognises the broken bodies of the of the other two spiders no the ground at your feet!

Frmo the corner where the other two have fallen only Janras, Byron and Amaya can see the new arrival, the rest can only hear it!



Byron
Lirin
LARGE spider
the rest

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron takes his sword in two hands and charges the great beast.

Charge attack and challenge. +2 to hit, -2 ac & +1 damage. AC is 14.
Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1]

[Archmage1]

Seeing Byron charge off, towards the rather horrible sounds, the worried tiefling moves forward, until she can see the giant spider as well. After a moment or two of horror, she levels her crossbow at the creature, and fires, trying to not hit Byron.


[roll0] Attack(With the -4 for shooting into melee)
[roll1] Damage

[DrK]

Byron runs forward at the massive beast sword chopping down hard in a spray of chitin and blood. The beast shudders and lunges forward massive pincers looking to clamp down hard on Byron's chest, venom sacks bulging under its long maw! Luckily the warrior is lithe and fast able to slip sideways, pincers slipping off armour and not finding flesh.


Bite [roll0]
Dam [roll1] and poison DC16 or [roll2] Str for 6 rounds. Needs 2 saves to stop



go go rest of party then Bryon and Lirin

[The Hellbug]

...and Elida had thought the first spiders were bad. Only hearing the sounds of combat after Byron charges around the corner, Elida moves forward only until she can see the beast. The halfling lets out an involuntary shriek when she sheds light upon the monstrosity, conjuring up a sphere of force and hurling it at the spider without even thinking as Medea crouches at her ankle, hackles raised.

Magic missile for [roll0] damage.

[Starbin]

Janras growled at the sudden sight of another creature. Moving forward, he pulled free the bec de Corbin and attacked again, using the reach of the weapon to aid Byron. Seeing the venom sacs, he called out, "'Ware the bite - this thing looks poisonous!'"

Move and draw weapon, attack! Power attack and furious focus in play
[roll0], [roll1]

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: none

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron grins, "Then someone will have to suck it out."

[Tavarokk]

The giant spider blocks entire width of the corridor, preventing Amaya from flanking it. Swearing, she raises her crossbow again and attempts to shoot it from behind the fighters' backs.


[roll0] ranged attack, [roll1] damage if hits.

[Archmage1]

Standing near Amaya, Lirin reloads her crossbow, and tries shooting the spider again, being careful to not hit anyone as she does so.

[roll0] attack
[roll1] damage

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Seeing the danger inherent in the beast, pulls out his shield and again attacks the creature. "Hit it hard and put it down!"

Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1]
AC is now 18

[HappyMerecat]

Byron threatened a critical.

Confirm [roll0]
Extra damage[roll1]

[DrK]

As crossbow bolts fly from Lirin and Amaya the two big men wade forward into the slashing mass of mandibles and long chitinous legs. The blade hack down with resounding thunks as a force missile slams into the beast's thorax and as the weird oily gloop sprays updwards and the cmmotion dies down the spider now lies in 3 sections, neatly trisected by the skilled solidiers....



Will it be the rooms on the ground floor or down the pit?

[Archmage1]

As the battle ends, Lirin seems to be quite drained, her skin almost looking normal, and she is breathing quite rapidly.
"I... I hope that's the last of those things. Spiders..."
She then shakes her head.

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Noting Lirin's tired appearance Byron looks at her in a concerned manner. "Are you okay Lirin?"

[Archmage1]

Lirin smiles at Byron, although it is a somewhat forced smile.
"I'm fine, just a little tired. Fighting always takes it out of me. I'll be all right, once I get a chance to rest."

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron nods. "Then we will rest here a moment."

[Archmage1]

Lirin looks somewhat sheepish.
"I'd appreciate that, but I've felt like this before... it usually takes about 20 minutes before I start to feel better. It might make more sense to continue. I think we made quite a bit of noise."

[Starbin]

For the second time, Janras found himself poking a dead bug. Looking at Lirin, he nodded to the creature. "Maybe you want to take a look at those poison sacs ... might be useful or something."

He did say anything to Byron's offer to rest, more interested figuring out what was going on here. "Hmmm ... spiders could mean no one else has been here ... that or someone left them as a way to ward off visitors. Either way, let's finish searching this place. Maybe check and see if any other poor saps died to these things."

Recommend clearing the main floor and checkin the spider lairs.

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: none

[Archmage1]

Lirin nods at Janras's suggestion.
"I can try, but I'm not really an expert at poison extraction."
However, not wanting to be unhelpful, she gives it a go, using a beltknife, and her crafting kit to try to extract and store some of the poison.
She does her best to not get the ichor on herself.


I don't know if there are actually rules to allow this in PF, but...

My preferred skill, if I can use it. It also doesn't destroy components if I fail by 5 or more, due to a trait.
[roll0] Craft(Alchemy)
The not as preferred skill, since it isn't nearly as high.
[roll1] survival

[The Hellbug]

Elida tries to strike a fair balance between looking at the dead monstrosity to make sure it doesn't get up and keeping her eyes off of its unpleasant features. In the end, it just makes her appear fidgety. "Well, we're already here, and I doubt there's anything worse than that. I think we ran by a door back in that hallway, too."

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron looks around. "I would never assume that we found the worst yet and I don't think much will change in twenty minutes of rest."

[DrK]

After a short (20 minute) rest the party continue their explorations heading back to the door most of them came in with a door to the left and right of the corridor.

Janras pushes open the door on the right the rickety partially rotted doors crashing open easily with a single solid boot. Two rows of scorched, wrought-iron bedframes take up most of the space in this soaring chamber, resting between a fireblackened altar to the southwest and double doors to the northeast. A second set of double doors leads to the northwest, and a single iron door exits the chamber to the southeast. Brightly colored holy figures stare down from the stained-glass windows built into the blackened stone walls, their visages noticeably less damaged than the rest of the room. Looking around nothing move save a few motes of dust floating in the light disturbed by the doors swinging open...

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron looks around the rooms cautiously, giving more time to the stained glass windows. How are they so intact?

Perception [roll0]
What holy figures are depicted.

[Archmage1]

After the rest(For which she is quite grateful), Lirin seems to be feeling a lot better. After the door is opened into some sort of treatment ward, Lirin takes in he dust, and shakes her head.
"Um... with all the dust here... I don't think that anyone has been using this place? Maybe it makes more sense to check the pit first?"

[Starbin]

Janras looked around, somewhat distastefully. Nodding to the doors on the far side, he murmured, "Best watch yerselves. If this is the plague house, might be something left ... let's head to those doors over there ..." He pointed to the doors on the far side of the room. Barring any arguement, Janras took the lead with his polearm in hand, watching for any more giant bugs as he went.

Okay, all you nasties ... here comes lunch! [roll0]

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: none

[DrK]

Byron staring at the windows recognises some as scenes from the seven holy works of Iomedae. To be expected given the original purpose of the building.

With sharp eyes Janras notices a possible trapdoor underneath one of the beds. A rickety contraption of a few planks and a flattened handle. As the tough looking fighter walks into the room suddenly the air shimmers plague stricken victims rising from the beds. Decayed translucent figures of all ages moaning and shivering as they walk a few paces before fading away... The ghostly figures smell of death and decay and spread terror!



A plague haunt
Will DC 14 or shaken for 10 minutes

[Starbin]

When Janras stepped into the room, he felt a shiver run down his back as the ghostly figures appeared. "What in the nine hells!" He stumbled backwards, waving his Polearm at the specters, desperately trying to disperse or dismiss them.

I think Janras needs a moment :smallsmile:

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: shaken

[The Hellbug]

"This must be where they kept them before...you know..." Elida guesses, hesitantly standing in the door frame. After the incident with the spiders, it's best that one of the warriors lead the way.

As Janras steps into the room, though, there is no escape from the wailing specters of the dead. Rose gasps and closes her eyes, on hand reaching reassuringly for her hopeknife. This isn't happening. They're all dead. There's nothing you can do for them now

...and when she opens her eyes, they're gone, nothing to be afraid of. Not everyone was so lucky, though. With a nod to Medea, Elida takes a second to judge Janras's wild swings before dashing up to the big man, ducking under his flailing strikes. "Janras! They're just figments! There's nothing to fear!" she shouts as she reaches out to touch the warrior's leg, hoping that some sort of physical contact will help calm him.

[Archmage1]

Seeing the haunts, Lirin feels sad.
Those poor people... dead so long, but still suffering. But... I don't think there's anything that we can do.
Seeing Elida dart in, to try to calm Janras down, Lirin just stays near the door, looking sad.

[Tavarokk]

Amaya recoils back into the hallway violently, pupils wide and fixated on the ghosts.

"Spiders, now undead?! Gods, this place is messed up," she swears under her breath, shuddering in fright and disgust.

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron looks around. "And who knows what else we will find?"

[Archmage1]

Lirin frowns, clearly concerned.
"I'm not sure we're going to find anyone here. It seems like it would be too dangerous? Maybe this was a setup?"

[Starbin]

Janras shook his head a bit, then took a deep breath. "Yeah, I guess you're right ... just images. But last time I saw something like that, it proceeded to drain one of our group. Left him dead and withered in seconds! Not sure how to tell the difference, and not sure I really want to!"

With another deep breath, he moved over to the spot he had seen on the floor. "Okay, give me a minute to shake the quivers, but I think this might be our next option." He lifted the bed and carefully moved it away from the trap-door he had found.

Just to be certain, he walked over to the far doors and looked to see what was on the other side.

Doing some busy work while Janras waits for the frightened feeling to fade a bit ..

Status
AC: 16 (T 11/ FF 15) HPs: 20
F +5 R +1 W +0
Initiative +5, Perception +6
Effects: shaken

[HappyMerecat]

Byron

Byron looks at the trap door. "I think we need to explore this place to the end."

[The Hellbug]

Elida gives a worried look at Janras. "So do I," she agrees with Byron, "but let's give Janras a minute here. I'd heard this place was haunted, but I always thought that was just to keep people away from it and that the danger of collapse was the real problem. It'll pay to be careful."

[Archmage1]

Lirin seems to be willing to wait near the entrance, watching as Janras opens the far doors.