PartyOfRouges ICewind Dale

[Lord of Gifts]

Alaric Stormborn AC: 17 | HP: 16 | Current: 16 | Hit Dice: 1d12 Passive Perception: 14 | Passive Insight: 12 Rage: 2/2 Active Effects: None Conditions: None

Alaric nodded at Hiln’s comment. If the authorities weren’t interested, he wasn’t opposed to serving his own justice. He didn’t voice that thought though, not knowing how his new companions would react.

The bat, Barbara, approached him as they left, and expressed concern about the journey. "Shouldn’t be a problem," he reassured her. "I’m quick enough, and you don’t look very heavy."

[JNAProductions]

Barbara smiles. It's an odd expression on her bat face, but she's worked to get it close enough to normal humanoid smiles to make it more reassuring and less uncanny. Thank you.

[PartyOfRogues]

After concluding your business, you start on the Eastway, the most traveled road in Ten-Towns, headed from Bryn-Shander to Easthaven. The trip takes most of the day, and it is slipping into evening as you arrive in Easthaven. As you head towards the center of the town, you see that a large crowd has gathered in front of the town hall, you see a tall human in simple robes bound to a stake and gagged. Two members of the town’s militia approach with torches, lighting bundles of straw tucked around his feet. Fanned by the wind, the fire catches quickly, and the man does not struggle or scream as he is engulfed in the flames. Bundled up spectators move closer to the bonfire, warmed by its intense heat.

[JRKlein]

Forest Wind [Sheet] Tabaxi Warlock 1 Initiative: +2 | AC: 12 | P.Perception: 12 HP: 10/10 Wind cringes as he witnesses the execution. "Oh, yikes. What did that guy do...?"

[Drakeburn]

The young bard stayed quiet as he went along with the group. The sight of the man bound and gagged at the stake made him feel uneasy, making him wonder if a time will come that the same would happen to him. The young bard just pulled down his hood and averted his eyes from what was happening.

[JNAProductions]

Barbara stays towards the middle of the group when she sees this. She doesn't know why he's there, but she does know she can't help him now, and is worried alongside Taman about being there herself.

[Wooloo]

Poem of the Drum Tabaxi Fighter 1 AC: 15 | HP: 12/12 | HD: 1/1d10 Quiver: 20 arrows Second Wind: 1/1 PP: 12 PInv: 9 PIns: 12 Conditions: none

“NOOO!!!”

Without a second thought, Drum rushes to the fire, pushing aside spectators and whoever might be on the way.
The young tabaxi tries his best to put out the flames, desperately grabbing chunks of ice and snow from the ground and throwing it at the fire, then removing his cloak and trying to use it to reduce the flames.

When all fails, the frantic hero will use his bare hands to untie the man, regardless of how hot or dangerous the fire has grown.

[Ramsus]

Adrie Ilphelnodel Snow Elf Cleric of Silvanus AC: 18 HP: 11/11 PP: 17 PIv: 15 PIs: 22 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- Adrie utters a curse word in elvish and a few other words under her breath and tries to pull Poem of the Drum away from the fire by the time he's aiming to untie the burning man with his hands. "No young one, we do not interfere with their ways." she says, in her panic to prevent Poem from hurting himself, accidentally reverting to acting like he's a child in her tribe who doesn't yet understand the consequences for the tribe as a whole for interfering in their forms of justice or religious practices. But she might as well be trying to uproot a tree for all the good her attempt does. Spoiler Show Athletics: (1d20-1)[2] + (1d4)[3] from Guidance

[Drakeburn]

The young bard's eyes widen with shock horror as he sees one of his acquaintances rush to the robed man's rescue while another tries to stop him. The bard then follows the pursuit of the foolish tabaxi, pulling out his lute so that he can use his magic to hopefully avoid provoking an angry mob to come after his acquaintances.

Spoiler

Show

I'm going to cast Sleep on the crowd and the militiamen.

(5d8)[24] for the total number of hit points of creatures this spell will affect.

[Lord of Gifts]

Alaric Stormborn AC: 17 | HP: 16 | Current: 16 | Hit Dice: 1d12 Passive Perception: 14 | Passive Insight: 12 Rage: 2/2 Active Effects: None Conditions: None

Public executions said nothing good about the state of affairs in Easthaven. The group didn’t know what crimes the man might have committed, but given the tensions in region, it was doubtful he had received much of a trial. Still, it was too late to save him, so there was no point interfering.

Then Drum rushed through the crowd, up to the fire. Maybe it was brave, but it seemed futile, and a good way to alienate townsfolk that were already wary of strangers. Evendur lashed out with magic, ensorcelling the crowd, and risking further escalation. Worried the situation was spiralling out of control, Alaric instinctively grasped the haft of his axe. He didn’t want to cut down these townsfolk, but he wouldn’t end up on a pyre while he still drew breath.

[PartyOfRogues]

As you run up to the pyre, the crowd moves out of the way as you shove past them, however one of the militiamen attempts to grab you as you get close.

Spoiler: Grappling

Show

(1d20+1)[7]

Three of the crowd as well as one of the militiamen fall to the ground, enchanted by your spell. Seeing them collapse, the crowd starts to exit quickly in a state of mild panic. Hearing the commotion, two more militiamen come out of the town hall, calling back inside for some help.
Roll Initiative

Spoiler: Initiative

Show

Militiamen: (1d20)[17]

[Wooloo]

Poem of the Drum Tabaxi Fighter 1 AC: 15 | HP: 12/12 | HD: 1/1d10 Quiver: 20 arrows Second Wind: 1/1 PP: 12 PInv: 9 PIns: 12 Conditions: none

“What did he do?? Why are you burning a person alive?!?”

Spoiler: Initiative and Combat Actions

Show

initiative: (1d20+4)[13]
Actions: Dodge action. Drum will not draw any weapons.
He has no interest in fighting the militiamen.

[Ramsus]

Adrie Ilphelnodel Snow Elf Cleric of Silvanus AC: 18 HP: 11/11 PP: 17 PIv: 15 PIs: 22 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- Adrie realizes she's just being dragged along and lets go of Poem. Then she sees the militiamen and throws her hands out wide to show she's not wielding any weapons and says, "We apologize for the sensitive one's offense. He doesn't know any better." Spoiler Show Not making a persuasion check here. Just doing the Help action to give advantage to the first person who does. Or something similar enough.

[JNAProductions]

Barbara shifts nervously. She understands why Drum is doing what he's doing-but at the same time, she's worried that one of her friends will end up on there with the man. She stays near Alaric, clutching her druidic focus and staying behind him.

[PartyOfRogues]

A woman in a tailored coat and a fur hat comes out of the town hall, followed by another guard, shouting slightly to make sure she is heard, ”Lay does your weapons, what are you doing here!”

[Wooloo]

Poem of the Drum Tabaxi Fighter 1 AC: 15 | HP: 12/12 | HD: 1/1d10 Quiver: 20 arrows Second Wind: 1/1 PP: 12 PInv: 9 PIns: 12 Conditions: none

“We came to track down a killer. Little did I know we’d find a whole town of killers! What madness is this?”

[Ramsus]

Adrie Ilphelnodel Snow Elf Cleric of Silvanus AC: 18 HP: 11/11 PP: 17 PIv: 15 PIs: 22 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- "Please stop making it worse." Adried says to Poem in a somewhat quiet defeated tone.

[Lord of Gifts]

Alaric Stormborn AC: 17 | HP: 16 | Current: 16 | Hit Dice: 1d12 Passive Perception: 14 | Passive Insight: 12 Rage: 2/2 Active Effects: None Conditions: None

As the woman approached from the town hall, Alaric made a decision. Nobody was dead yet, save the man in the fire, so maybe they could recover. If he started killing they would have to flee town, and would likely be pursued. Even if they all escaped, they would never be able to find the murderer like that.

So, he cast down his axe, and held out his hands in a gesture of peace. "We come from Bryn Shander, to find a murderer. Some of my companions are a little nervous, but we have no quarrel with you."

[JNAProductions]

Barbara mutters Yeah, nervous indeed... She's still behind Alaric, her knuckles white with their grip.

[PartyOfRogues]

”He killed a group of adventurers that had helped us before, this is meant to deter anyone from doing it again. Now I heard you saying something about looking for another murderer?”

[Wooloo]

Poem of the Drum Tabaxi Fighter 1 AC: 15 | HP: 12/12 | HD: 1/1d10 Quiver: 20 arrows Second Wind: 1/1 PP: 12 PInv: 9 PIns: 12 Conditions: none

Drum calms down.
Enough so that the militiamen don’t have to restrain him any longer.
His eyes are heavy with tears and he looks at the bright fire burning the man a few feet away from him. “So I was trying to help a dangerous criminal, who killed a bunch of people.” This realization crushes him with regret.

Drum looks at the woman in the nice tailored coat and says with a voice loaded in regret and embarassment:
“I… I apologize for the comotion. Please don’t hold it against my companions, I acted out of my own witless impulses.”
The young tabaxi takes a few steps towards the woman and continues.
“Yes, we are in pursuit of a killer. Is there a place we could talk in private? If not me, at least grant an audience to my allies, they do come here with the most noble of intentions.”

[PartyOfRogues]

”Come with me to my office, we can discuss more there.” she says, leading you into the town hall, past a reception area and into a room lined with desks. Waiting for everyone to be seated before talking again, “So, you’re looking for a killer, tell me what you know, and I’ll help as best I can.”

[Wooloo]

Poem of the Drum Tabaxi Fighter 1 AC: 15 | HP: 12/12 | HD: 1/1d10 Quiver: 20 arrows Second Wind: 1/1 PP: 12 PInv: 9 PIns: 12 Conditions: none

“Well.. We were hoping to find more information here. I’m sure you are aware, in the past month three people were killed. A halfling trapper, right here in Easthaven, a human shipbuilder in Targos, and, three days ago, a dwarf glassblower back in Bryn Shander, where we came from. All three were wound with a dagger of ice through their chest.”

Drum thinks for a moment.

“The halfling trapper.. Where was he found? Could we take a look at the scene?”

[Lord of Gifts]

Alaric Stormborn AC: 17 | HP: 16 | Current: 16 | Hit Dice: 1d12 Passive Perception: 14 | Passive Insight: 12 Rage: 2/2 Active Effects: None Conditions: None

"We were hired to investigate by a friend of the victim in Bryn Shander. There were no clear answers there, but we were hoping to pick up a trail here."

[PartyOfRogues]

”The scene was cleaned up and he was buried about a week ago, though you’re welcome to head to his house and see what you can find, talk to anyone who might’ve known him.” She give you directions to his house, near the western edge of the town, telling one of the guards to head with you to help and keep an eye on you.

[Ramsus]

Adrie Ilphelnodel Snow Elf Cleric of Silvanus AC: 18 HP: 11/11 PP: 17 PIv: 15 PIs: 22 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- "Thank you." Adrie says and almost immediately begins heading the direction they were pointed, not that she's quite sure how much help she'll be in this.

[Wooloo]

Poem of the Drum Tabaxi Fighter 1 AC: 15 | HP: 12/12 | HD: 1/1d10 Quiver: 20 arrows Second Wind: 1/1 PP: 12 PInv: 9 PIns: 12 Conditions: none

Drum follows the party to the halfling’s home.
He approaches the elf, Adrie:
“Thank you for trying to help earlier. I’m sorry I lost my mind… Never had seen a person being burned alive before.”

[Ramsus]

Adrie Ilphelnodel Snow Elf Cleric of Silvanus AC: 18 HP: 11/11 PP: 17 PIv: 15 PIs: 22 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- "You are welcome and forgiven Poem of the Drum. It is a hard lesson to learn that sometimes we must let nature take its course, even in situations where it is ugly, so that the tribe might thrive." she replies and claps a hand on his shoulder with a very slight smile.

[JNAProductions]

"It's... It's hard," Barbara says. "Let's just... Move on to helping."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

(1d20+6)[19] Perception, Survival, whatever's needed. Adjust the mod as needed, if any check is called for.

[PartyOfRogues]

The guard leads you through the town to a small cabin, it is quite cold and dark as you enter, the fireplace on the left wall having been out for quite some time, although there is a pile of chopped firewood stacked next to it. There is a small table as well as a couple chairs and a large cabinet against the back wall. On your right is a doorway and a short bookcase with a small collection of books on it.