Of Torches, Pitchforks, and Treasure. IC.

[Lentrax]

It is another hot day in a long span of hot days in the Aelguin Valley. Even for the high heat of summer, the temperature is high. Reports of fires are increasingly common, and in the city of Aelguin proper, vast cauldrons of water have been placed throughout the city in case a fire begins among the closely packed buildings of the residential quarters. Tensions are high as tempers boil over, and soldiers find themselves increasingly busy just keeping order in the streets.

And to make things worse, families all across the valley are claiming that something has been stealing thier womenfolk. Mothers, daughters, sisters, all are being reported missing, with no clues left as to where they are, or who is behind the disappearances.

And so it is that a group of brave adventurers hear the call of a crier in the Market.

"All who desire good pay, and good food, are requested to attend the Duke! The Duke offers good pay to any who take up the search for the missing women! All able bodies asked to attend!"

[J-H]

Ogon

One of the group, a devilishly handsome young man, complains to the others. "He could have stopped at 'good pay' and I think I'd have been there. This summer has been dragging on and on. It's not even safe to use some of my battle magic half the time!


Not that that stops me from using it." He smiles slightly, revealing pointed teeth.

[UrsusArctos]

"Sir Kip Yip! This would be a perfect opportunity to act heroically and spread word of your greatness to the people!" The kobold bard excitedly spoke to the paladin he had sworn himself to, cradling his horn in his hands. "I could write epic poems about your heroism!"

[Blinkbear]

"True, my friend!" Alec responds to Ogon-Feu. "it's so warm, everyone has a big mouth but is too lazy to back it up with a good fight. And whoever is abducting them probably isn't." The half-drow looks around to see if there are many other applicants. Then he marches over to the announcer in order to get more details of where they could get briefed.

His half drow heritage is visible for whoever knows of the existence of drow. For others, he is more of a half elf with a rather strange skin and hair complexion. Armor and weapons are worn openly and are apparently clean and in a good state.

[stanleyindraven]

"Aye, Vex my friend. Adventure awaits and we shall not make it wait. No one shall take the freedom of another whilst I am around!" Kip Yip lets out. He then makes his way toward the cryer, intent on discovering the location of the Duke.

[Lentrax]

"Ah... yes." The crier looks a little baffled by the odd collection of... people, his announcement has gathered, but he sends you off toward the keep. The keep is one of the largest buildings in the city, and has the distinction of being all stone, and not just wood.

As you approach, the guards at the gate cross their pikes, and demand to know your business.

[UrsusArctos]

"Hello, good sirs! We are responding to the Duke's call for noble heroes to rescue the women who have been kidnapped throughout the village! I am Vex-Vex, the squire and herald to the noble Sir Kip Yip, servant of the ideal of freedom itself! Vex-Vex proudly jumped in front of the others, and launched into introducing his master.

[J-H]

Ogon-Feu

Ogon-Feu's mouth twists in a half-smile. "What he said. We were told that anybody who was willing and able would be accepted to help."

[Blinkbear]

Alec felt the urge to also introduce the two of them properly, but swallowed it down for the moment, waiting for the right moment in front of the duke.

[Lentrax]

First one guard raises his pike, and then the other.

"Gods. They must really be desperate if they're taking on the likes of you. Go on in, I won't stop you, but don't be surprised if your welcome is less than friendly."

The guards give you directions to where the Duke may be found. As you walk through the keep, you see the staff moving into doorways or turning down side passages to avoid you. But at least you don't see any of the guards following behind you. It seems they believe you are just here to help after all.

The directions lead you into an audience hall. The room apparently, from the tables stacked against the walls, also doubles as a banquet hall. On the main platform at the end of the hall, sits a table with a map of the region currently rolled out upon it. You can see notes of some kind scrawled on it, along with circles and X's made at quite a few locations. Behind the table is a reasonably handsome man, approaching middle age. His auburn hair is only just starting to grey, and there are not many creases on his brow. From his clothing, which is quite expensive, but tasteful and not gaudy, you would judge him to be the duke. Along with him are several men, who look like officials of some kind. One of them is likely a military advisor, and some kind of other staff members. They all stop their conversation as you enter the chamber.

"I see we have visitors," the duke begins. "May I ask what brings an odd collection of people to my hall?"

[Blinkbear]

Alec sends the guards at the gate a rather displeased glance, but decides to follows their directions. "Pff... People today, no manners..." he mumbles while walking to the audience hall.

In the audience hall, he shows some manners himself by slightly bowing in the presence of the duke.

"An announcement at the market place, sire. it said that you were looking for helping hands in the cases of vanishing people. This fine man is Ogon-Feu, Tamer of the Eldritch Spark; next to him, Sir Kip Yip, the Scaled Knight, and Vex Vex his trustful herald, and my name is Alec Cirdan Redblade."

[UrsusArctos]

Vex-Vex marched down the hallway, oblivious to the disgust the guards had expressed towards himself and the others he had joined with.

Upon entering the hall and seeing Alec bow before the duke, he follows suit.

"As the brave Alec has said, we are here to respond to your call for warriors and heroes to find the missing women who have disappeared."

[stanleyindraven]

Kip Yip just stays silent and holds his head aloft regally. He passes the gate guards and into the hall with heavy booted steps. When Alec begins announcing them he nods at his name.

[J-H]

Ogon-Feu

Ogon gives a sharp-toothed smile at his name and title, and lets a small amount of fire dance across one hand.

[Lentrax]

"I... see," the duke says. "Well, I suppose any help is better than none. You are the first to respond to my public request. So, the first thing I need is for to sign a few documents stating you won't reveal the information we have to the public, as well as documents as to pay and reward rights."

One of the aides pulls sheets from piles on the table and sets them in front of each of you.

The terms are as follows:

Pay: 3 gp per day.
Food: 1 gp per day, plus an additional 5 silver for drink.
Combat pay: 5 gp for minor encounters, 10 for severe. 15 for life-threatening services.
Special: 100 gp for each woman returned to the kingdom. (With 20 women missing thus far)

[J-H]

Ogon-Feu

Ogon-Feu mutters to himself. "Bad pay, but I bet whoever doing this will have some money or magic items worth more than we'll make in a month...ehh, beats doing nothing."

He signs.

[Blinkbear]

Alec smirks at his companion's comments. "Beats modeling for the Scorching Sorcerer's Calendar, doesn't it?" He comments, grinning on the idea of this (likely invented) job idea for his friend. He signs as well.

[UrsusArctos]

Vex-Vex stands up on his toes to look at the documents placed on the table, and briefly scans the contents. Only a little over two feet tall, most tables are set as tall as he, if not taller. The bard then grabs a quill and scrawls his name onto to the documents.

[stanleyindraven]

Kip Yip scans the papers, then scrawls an 'X' next to the appropriate places.

[Lentrax]

"Excellent, excellent," the duke says. "Now that you are all signed on, there are a few things we need to discuss." The duke gestures for a group of servants to bring a table and chairs over. Once done, he invites you all to sit with him. They even have a few stools large enough for the smaller of the crew to join without looking comically overshadowed by the table. A few maidens hurry in, bearing food and drink. Cold meats and cheeses on platters are placed on the table, and the duke gestures at you to tuck in as wine is poured into goblets before each of you.

"As I said. There are things you must know. The first woman to disappear was my wife, the Duchess Ismeldra. When she was taken, a note was left behind attached to a set of blood-soaked nightclothes. Here is the letter."

"BRING THE CONTENTS OF YOUR COFFERS, CALUED AT JUST OVER ONE MILLION CROWNS, AND WE WILL RETURN YOUR DEAREST LOVE TO YOU. NO TRICKS. TATTERED TOWER. YOU HAVE THREE MOONS TO GET THE MONEY TO US, OR THE BLOOD OF YOUR BRIDE SHALL BEGIN THE CONFLAGRATION THAT CONSIMES YOUR CITY AND ITS PEOPLE."

"They also attached a proof that they have her, and that they can seemingly start these fires at thier own leisure. I do hope you will be willing to aid us in this."

[UrsusArctos]

Vex-Vex climbs onto the stool brought out for him and crouches down atop it. As food is brought out, he grabs some and messily bites into it, washing it down with the wine.

After hearing the ransom letter read by the duke, he thinks for a moment and then says, "So the fires are caused by the kidnappers? Then we shall be twice the heroes! What is this 'Tattered Tower' and where is it?"

[stanleyindraven]

Kip Yip jumps up on the stool and begins eating. When Vex opens his mouth, Kip's head tilts to the side, trying to listen for an answer.

[J-H]

Ogon Feu
Ogon picks up a piece of meat and tears a chunk off with his sharp teeth. After he swallows it, he asks:
"How long ago was this?"
"Did you or the guards or servants hear nothing?"
"Did you find out how they got into the room?"
"I assume you consulted your mage. Did he detect any lingering dweomers or traces of magic?"
"Where is this tattered tower?"
"What is known about how they are starting fires?"
"Are there any existing groups, possibly backed by foreign interests, who would be interested in this?"
"What did the temples" (Ogon sneers) "have to say about this? The priests of the sun and water and growing things must have something useful about a drought and things burning, right?"

[Lentrax]

Vex-Vex climbs onto the stool brought out for him and crouches down atop it. As food is brought out, he grabs some and messily bites into it, washing it down with the wine.

After hearing the ransom letter read by the duke, he thinks for a moment and then says, "So the fires are caused by the kidnappers? Then we shall be twice the heroes! What is this 'Tattered Tower' and where is it?"

"It would appear so, yes. The Tattered Tower is a long disused fort along the old Greselian border. But since the Griselians joined with our kingdom, the structure fell into disrepair, and was eventually abandoned after we found the Greselians to be sincere in their offer to join us."

Ogon picks up a piece of meat and tears a chunk off with his sharp teeth. After he swallows it, he asks:
"How long ago was this?"
"6 weeks ago. Today marks the halfway point to the third moon."

"Did you or the guards or servants hear nothing?"
"I am sure Gabrielle heard something, but she won't be easy to talk to."

"Did you find out how they got into the room?"
"Both sets of windows were open. I do not know if they used the windows to open, but they must have used them to depart."

"I assume you consulted your mage. Did he detect any lingering dweomers or traces of magic?"
"No, I did not."

"Where is this tattered tower?"
"The Greselian border."

"What is known about how they are starting fires?"
"With blood."

"Are there any existing groups, possibly backed by foreign interests, who would be interested in this?"
"I am certain. I am a political leader, many would be tempted to remove me by any means, but I doubt any of them would kidnap more women as well."

"What did the temples" (Ogon sneers) "have to say about this? The priests of the sun and water and growing things must have something useful about a drought and things burning, right?"
"If you wish to doubt that I have taken every action that I can, then you are sorely mistaken in your judgment of me."

[stanleyindraven]

"Right, sounds like time to check the room, and then be on our way to the old place." Kip Yip says with certainty. Though, his position does not budge as he continues to eat.

[J-H]

Ogon

Ogon Feu sits back with a scowl on his face, dissatisfied with the terse and uninformative responses the Duke is giving.

The Duke is evading answering reasonable questions, like what the priests found out.

Sense motive [roll0]

[UrsusArctos]

Vex-Vex eagerly listens to the answers offered by the Duke. "Ogon, what does it matter how the duchess was abducted? What we must concern ourselves with is getting her back! Sir Kip Yip, I say we leave immediately!" Vex-Vex stands up on his stool and points towards the nearest window.

[stanleyindraven]

Kip Yip looks at Vex Vex, "You are right, the Duke has tarried far too long on this to allow us to abait. We must leave at once to make up for this error in judgement." His demeanor has changed and he now drops his food back to the table. He then wipes his hands on the wood and jumps to the floor with a metallic thump. "But, we can use the door, it is safer."

[Lentrax]

Ogon

Ogon Feu sits back with a scowl on his face, dissatisfied with the terse and uninformative responses the Duke is giving.

The Duke is evading answering reasonable questions, like what the priests found out.

Sense motive [roll0]


Yiou can tell heis holding something back, but all the answers seem to be true.

[UrsusArctos]

"Oh, very well. We can use the door." Vex-Vex jumps down from his stool, and lands on the floor. He then looks back towards the duke. "I have but one final question. How do we get to the Griselian border?"

[Lentrax]

The duke waves one of his aides over to you with a smaller parchment. The aide, probably a cartographer's assistant, owing to the way he quickly drew a map with enough detail to make your directions plain. He placed a dot down in the lower right hand side of the parchment.

"Take the north gate, and travel by the main road for three hours. You should come to a farm with a large water wheel in the White River. Turn west and follow the river until you come to a logging mill. They should have a path or trail through the woods. This will bring you to the River Seypta. Once you cross the river, you will be on the old frontier, and you should see the tower to the northwest."

[J-H]

Ogon
"What else do we need to know about the tower and the area, friend?"

Diplomacy [roll0]

[Lentrax]

"Ordinarily, I would have said no, but, well, we just don't know. We don't know what is out there, and no one we have sent has so far returned to tell us. The only thing I can offer is the advice to be careful."

[Blinkbear]

Alec just sat still beside the others and enjoyed the meal -- still, after all those years in freedom and usually having enough money for food, he enjoyed the taste of a free and abundant meal. He silently wondered whether that would ever go away. He also felt like the others were asking enough questions already, and the duke seemed to want to see them on their way rather than hearing them asking questions. And if the job took them longer, it would not be his problem, as they were paid by day anyway. Additionally, he enjoyed just listening to those two kobolds, and he could not evade a smile when he listened to their blunt and at the same time stilted speech.

"The letter said clearly 'no tricks', and the tattered tower is actually the place where the money is supposed to be brought to, at some time in a rather large time window. Why would they actually spend any time there during the waiting time? I mean, sure, other than having carefully studying the place beforehand, and having someone waiting near the tower who would then quickly report to their actual location? And wouldn't it be actually kind of dangerous to send us there with empty hands? I mean, sending investigators instead of money-bringers kind of screams 'tricks', doesn't it?" He did not sound impolite saying it, rather like he was just observing obvious facts. "I'd rather say we act like we're adventurers who have heard of some hidden treasures in the tower or so."

[stanleyindraven]

Kip Yip speaks up. "We take a cart, horses, and what looks like payment, you know, chests and what not. They can be empty or have rocks. Then they come to us. Duke can make that happen."

[J-H]

Ogon
"Devious and cunning, I like it. Perhaps the wagon could even be trapped! Do we sneak along with the wagon, or all ride in it as though we are escorting the gold?

We would need official insignia. Hmmm..."

Ogon strokes his chin as he ponders with a sly grin on his face.

[UrsusArctos]

"Hmm... With no offense to any of you," Vex-Vex broadly gestured to Alec, Ogon-Feu and Kip Yip, "We are all what most think of as monsters! Those in wait at the tower may not believe our tale at first without gold to prove us. Perhaps we could pretend to be fierce, evil raiders, breaking into abandoned castles in the kingdom, happening upon the Tattered Tower?"

[stanleyindraven]

"Vex my boy, I believe you may be right." Kip Yip says as he puts a hand on Vex's shoulder.

[UrsusArctos]

"Thank you, Sir Kip Yip!" Vex-Vex turns to Ogon-Feu and Alec. "What do you think, noble heroes? This plan would remove connections to the duke, so the takers will not be angry with him if we fail or break into the tower. If we arrive with rocks instead of gold, they may be very angry and kill the women!"

[Blinkbear]

Alec shrugs. "Fine with me. So if we're not officially acting under the duke's banner. We can make up the rest of the plan later, anyway."

[Lentrax]

The road begins as a wide surface, with paving stones making for smooth travel, but after an hour or so, the quality of the road turns to tightly packed gravel. Three hours after leaving the city, you find the water wheel. Following your directions, you find yourselves travelling past the lumber camp, across the river, and eventually out onto the wide plains of the frontier.

As you travel, signs of any kind of civilization become fewer and fewer. The sun begins to set as you continue on. As you crest a hill, you spy a building built into the side of a nearby rocky outcropping. The building is worn down. Once high stone walls have been brought low in places. A high tower lies in ruins, and the stone keep has collapsed.

The Tattered Tower looms before you. You will likely just make it before nightfall.

[stanleyindraven]

"Let us press on, we shall camp their for the night." Kip Yip states.

[UrsusArctos]

"One of the forts along the abandoned border. A wise place to rest." Vex-Vex eagerly speaks with a sullenness to voice, unlike his typical eager and excited speech.

[J-H]

"Right, sounds good." Ogon-Feu takes a moment when they pass behind a copse of trees to cast Mage Armor on himself, and then grasps a Pearl of Power for a moment to recharge his magical energy.

Duration 5 hours

[Blinkbear]

Alec murmurs something when he sees the tower along the lines of "Tattering tower... How boring is that? The Desolate Warden? Maybe..."

To the proposal of the others, he thinks for a moment. "A dark tower in the midst of ruins, that no one returned from? That sounds cozy... Well, I guess it depends on how good we can see, eh? I mean, we might also consider curling up here in mother nature's thorny lap, and see if there is light in the tower at night." He shrugs. "Either way, I'm in."

[UrsusArctos]

"Given the choice between a roof over our heads that may have treasure and thorny brush, I'll take the ruins, even if there are already people there. You never know what the military may have left behind?" Vex-Vex continues toward the tower. "C'mon, we can't wait if we want to get there before nightfall."

[Blinkbear]

Alec nods. "Well then, let's go. I'm excited to see with whom we'll share our night-quarters." He winks and is on his way with the others.

[Lentrax]

You arrive in the remains of the Tattered Tower. Which is really more of a Rundown Fort. As you trundle into the courtyard, you find that there are three locations that look like they may prove viable locations for bedding down.

The first is in the keep. There is likely somewhere in there that may have actual beds.
The tower. It appears like it is still enclosed for the first third of its length.
And the third is a small wooden structure that sits in the rear of the courtyard. It appears to be more recent construction, but bears some decay to imply that it too has fallen out of use. So far, there are no signs that any of the abandoned fort has seen use for quite some time.

Except as a home for a cat, which appears before Kip-yip and expresses its displeasure at having company by mewing loudly at the kobold.

[Blinkbear]

Alec: "Uuuh, a nice little furball! Maybe it can lead us to the treasure?"

[UrsusArctos]

"Kip-Yip, let's look at that small building back there. Seem's the smallest to look through." Vex-Vex grabbed his crossbow and then walked to the building, looking through the windows to see what lay inside.

[J-H]

Ogon Feu

Ogon follows them over to the small building. "Sounds good, and then I want to check out that tower. Resting up there will be safer, and will let us see anything coming."

[Blinkbear]

"Madame Noire, Lisa and I will wait outside and guard the area." Alec winks at the cat and carefully pets the guisarme in his hand.

It is as obvious as it is estranging that he calls his guisarme "Lisa".

[Lentrax]

The building turns out to be little more than a three room shack. In one room are some mildewy blankets, in the second is a crude fire pit that must have been the cooking area, and the third room was little more than a storage area, with a few empty sacks and a broken box within. As to why the area has fallen into disuse, there is no sign, no hint of a struggle, no sign of blood to indicate a fight. It is as though whoever had decided to squat here had moved on. Though why they did so without taking all of their things with them makes the scene bizarre.

[UrsusArctos]

"Nothing here. Let's check the keep, possibly grab some beds and then sleep in the tower for the night." Vex-Vex leads the others to the keep.

[Blinkbear]

"Do you want to join us, Madame Noire?" He crouches down and reaches out to the cat with his left hand.

[J-H]

Ogon Feu

Ogon heads over to the tower and strides confidently up the stairs.

[Lentrax]

The tower is nearly as deserted as the shack, though there are signs that it was used less than a month ago as a shelter for at least one someone. But other than that lonely sign, this tower looks about as lived in as a ghost town. Great for a night or two, but not for a more permanent occupation.

[J-H]

Ogon Feu

"Well, the tower's a bust. Let's check the keep and see if it's got someplace better to sleep."

[Lentrax]

As you enter the keep, you are greeted by the scent of a recent fire. Then the cat scratches Alec's arm as it screeches, then it leaps up and behind you as it vanishes around the corner.

Further in the keep, you hear a loud POP!

[J-H]

Ogon
"What was that?" Ogon whispers.

K: Arcana [roll0]
Spellcraft [roll1]

[Blinkbear]

"Ouch. I guess that was me failing to convince -- ooh, you meant that pop sound, right? Dunno, you command the obscure power of the Arcane, not me -- and unless someone's making ridiculously huge soap bubbles..." He shrugs and briefly sucks on the spot where the cat had scratched him. Stupid cats and their ability to cause nearly no damage to your body but maximize damage output to your pride.

[Lentrax]

The pop does not seem to be a part or effect of any spell you know, but still, no sense being reckless right?

[Blinkbear]

"Alright, I'll go look."

Alec gets up from his crouching position, gives the cat a mean glance, and tightens the grip around Lisa, his guisarme, and walks towards the strange sound.

[UrsusArctos]

Vex-Vex follows behind Alec, with his crossbow in one hand and his horn in the other. "Careful. We don't want to take any unnecessary risks."

[Lentrax]

You begin moving down the corridor, and after passing several rooms that have collapsed under the weight of falling rock from above, you come to a stairwell leading down. The floor beneath the ground seems to be mostly storage rooms, and barracks. There is not much to the entire level, but off in the back corner, a sinkhole has opened and descends down past what even your monstrous eyes can see.

[UrsusArctos]

Vex-Vex looks around the level before beginning to chant a spell, holding his hands forward to the gaping hole and then rotating around the room slowly.

Casting Detect Magic on the room.

[Blinkbear]

Meanwhile, Alec kneels at the sinkhole and sniffs, trying to find out what it smells like down there. Looking at his tiefling comrade, he asks:

"Do we want to throw something down to see how deep this thing is? Maybe a burning piece of cloth or so?"

What are the (visible) dimensions of the hole? We know that it is more than 60ft deep, but what about diameter?

[J-H]

If there's an upstairs (beyond the two floors we've seen), Ogon goes up the steps to check it out.

[UrsusArctos]

Vex-Vex opens his eyes from his magical concentration and backs away from the hole. "There's something here. Powerful."