Rise of the Runelords [The Skinsaw Murders] (IC)

[lostsole31]

"That's still a minimum of two days," says Draegra. "So, the fewer that go with Martin to Magnimar, the better. That way, the rest of us can stay behind and work the case. I know that the enemy isn't going to stop whatever they're doing to courteously allow us to tend to our blinded."

[digiman619]

Zada nodded thoughtfully. "I would be more comfortable if Martin himself was among those heading to Magnimar; our enemy strikes me as the sort that would specifically go for Martin if he knew of his disability."

[lostsole31]

Draegra looks at Martin, directing his voice so the bind ranger can hear him. "I figured it went without saying that he would have to go along, honestly. But in the meantime, we can't just not continue the investigation, because if we can stop whatever's happening before more people are killed, great. If we let other people die because we all step away because one of our fellow investigators has been blinded, we haven't solved anything.

"Martin, what are your feelings on this?"

[DrK]

Martin Bevuk

Martin listened to the others, hearing them vow to help him and silent tears slipped out of his useless eyes. ”My thanks to you all. By the Gods thanks to you all. If I can be placed on a cart now to the city I would scramble up blindly.”

He looks at the area where Father Zantus’s voice had been coming from. “Would you pass word to Hayliss and my brother Father. But maybe wait till we have left town, I couldn’t face either at the moment, not without knowing I can be healed or not.

[lostsole31]

Father Zantus answers, "Desna says we must all find our own path. But sometimes in life, we want to find someone with which to forge a new path together. If Hayliss is such a person for you, your male pride must stand aside that she may be there for you when you are vulnerable. Your brother, too, should be notified."

[DrK]

Martin Bevuk

Martin listened to the Father before nodding. "You are right, perhaps someone can take me to my house and send for Hayliss?" he asks and whilst an inititae is being fetched he turns to where he thinks the rest of the party is. "You are welcome to visit at the butchers, I stay there normally with my brother Chod. I'm sorry to be such a burden on us all." Still clearly distressed by the loss of his sight and his new crippling curse he is soon led away.

Reaching the butchers he smells the fresh blood, the meat and the pies even as he enters. The familiar smells reassuring as he calls out "Chod, where do you be? I've been cursed and will need your help." His brother appears by his side, a rough (and smelly) embrace. "Oh Martin, what have they done to you, come, come upstairs, lie down. Lad, get Hayliss, run to her shop now." Chod tells the initiate who had led Martin across.

Led upstairs to his room Chod see's Martin settled in his bed before Martin is able to tell him of the battle at the Sanitarium and the curse that his stolen his sight. "Aye, well, the others, Dragera and Zada especially, have said there will be scrolls and the like to lift the curse, but only in the city. I'll be leaving shortly with some of them." At that Chod exclaims a protest and (unseen) shakes his head. "No, I'll do it. I'll no have strangers sorting you out." With a soft swishing of silks and a whiff of floral perfume Hayliss's voice arrives and Martin turns to where she must be. "Martin, your brother is right. Let us help you." Chod grunts in agreement and pats Martin on the back. "Aye, I'll go to the city. I know the Meat Guild there and have friends in the city. I'll take some stuff to trade and be back as soon as possible. You stay here, hayliss will nurse you, I'll be as quick as possible."

Martin looks blindly around the room, but the support of his brother and the presence of Hayliss reassure him as he nods. "Very well, will you tell the others that I'll stay here and they must continue the search for the ghouls and the murderer? Please brother, be careful, the road is dangerous. " He reaches to his bracers on his arms and fumbles for his bow. "Take the bow and the bracers, they are both enchanted trinkets, but should cover the cist for a scroll to lift this curse."

Spoiler: OOC

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Martin gives his brother a MW Comp(+4) Long bow +1 [Worth 2800gp ] and the brawler's armband (250gp) to cover any costs.
If possible he'll sell the bow, but a scroll or ideally apotion of Remove Blindness and then buy a regular MW comp (+4) Longbow to replace the magical one that he can trade in

Martin can stay in the butchers nursed by Hayliss until his brother returns and the party can avoid being split between Sandpoint and Magnimar

[lostsole31]

The initiate sent to guide Martin home returns to the church to Father Zantus (and the PCs), informing all that Martin's brother will be taking items of value to Magnimar and will seek out the means of healing Martin's sight.

Back to the PCs!

[rypt]

Al grunts approvingly at the initiates message. "Good," he says, doubly glad for Martin's refusal to accept his impairment and for pursuing a resolution that does not involve Al's coin.

He looks about the room. "And what of Grayst then? I take it his sickness is within your power to heal?" Assuming Zantus answers in the affirmative, Al follows up with, "I don't know much at all about ghoul fever. Does it affect the mind? Will he still be crazy once he's cured?"

[digiman619]

Zada shook their head. "If we can cure his disease, he should recover without too many lasting symptoms. He'll need several days rest or some more esoteric restorative magics to get his head back straight, but he should be fine after that. It's if we can cure it before it takes him is the concern."

[lostsole31]

Father Zantus nods, concurring with Zada.

[TooterfishPopkn]

"Not the most ideal of circumstances, but definitely the best we can hope for.
What say we regroup with the sheriff and see what his men dig up at there sanitarium?"

[meemaas]

Norton nods, not having anything more to add, and agreeing with the sentiment of moving on.

[DrK]

Draegra

Draegra after watching Martin leave with a wistful look of sadness nods to Zada and Norton. "I would agree. The sheriff may have had time for a more thorough search and we can also seek guidance on where next to patrol. With losing some of Marin's tracking skills we may need assistance in scouting where more of thses ghouls have been secretly watching the town."

Offering Father Zantus a curt nod of respect he heads out intent on finding the sheriff.

[lostsole31]

It is now early evening when the party makes its way back to Habe's Sanatorium to rendezvous with the Sheriff and his deputies.

[meemaas]

Once the party reconnects with the Sheriff, Norton will get the ball rolling. "Did your men find anything?" He asks the Sheriff, hoping that nothing went wrong because they left fast.

[lostsole31]

"No sign of Dr. Habe," says the sheriff. "Seems like his personal section was cleared out and he's on the run. Looked downstairs, and it seems that the 'house guest' was one Caizarlu Zerren, who was using the sanatorium for his own experiments, enticing Habe with briberies. But looking through his journals, it also seems that though Grayst was a key witness, it was just a fluke that you stumbled onto someone else's operation. Zerren was just here using the sanatorium for his own purposes. Doesn't seem to have been in correspondence with anyone, nothing about ghouls - just animation of zombies - and anything like what you've been asked to investigate would only do what actually happened ... bring unnecessary scrutiny. Seems like Habe's activities were related to getting kickbacks from Zerren, and likewise don't seem to have any connection to the real matter at hand."

[rypt]

Al mutters a lengthier-than-normal string of curses as the sheriff explains his findings.

"He called himself the 'peerless necromancer," he says with a sigh, "moments before he died. I guess it should have been obvious then that he was far too arrogant to do this any way but on his own."

He rubs his tired eyes with one hand then drags it down his face and through his beard. "No surprise about Habe. That spineless rat. If we had Martin's eyes, I'd wager his would be an easy trail to follow."

[lostsole31]

"I'm sorry for your man, but I amn't able to follow or spare men to. Best I can do is on next caravan to Magnimar, have them take a picture of Habe's likeness and description to the authorities, and since Chod is going anyway, I can give that task to him," says the Sheriff.

Okay, it is getting late, and it is ANOTHER two hour walk back to town.

[DrK]

Draegra

Draegra looks at the others and scowls at the sheriffs dismissive tone. ”Back to the Inn then? We can have a think on what we should do next? If not we’ll have to start patrolling the area looking for anymore ghouls.”

He looks at the sheriff and the sheriff’s men, ”Aye sheriff, back to town. Odd that there is two undead related issues around our small town.” Then he hefts his bag and nods back down the river path back to Sandpoint

[lostsole31]

There is nothing else to do here, so I am going to assume that everyone gets back to Sandpoint, and it is now well into evening.

Do you have a meal and sleep and think about tomorrow, or have things to discuss tonight?

Spoiler: OOC

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Either way, say something, even if it is a non-post post, so I know you are still engaged.

[DrK]

Draegra

Draegra sits later in the chair in the Inn, enjoying the music in the Rusty Dragon and the sharp spicy taste of the Tien themed cooking that it does so well. Sipping on a dark ale he looks around the others. "A rough day. A rough day indeed, but we know more things. We found the ghoul nest so we know they can come in by river, we spoke with the poor lumberman and he doesn't seem involved and it seems from what we found and that the poor caravaner Grayst with his ghoul fever that there is a ghoul issue nearby."

Taking another long draw of the foamy ale he continues, "Also Habe appeared to be a very dead end. Aye, there may have been an necromancer there and it pains me what he did to poor Martin but he doesn't seem to be lined to the ghouls. That means there are ghouls in the town, or somewhere nearby, and that means there is something bigger and meaner most likley controlling them. Now... how do we find it and stop it?" He moves some of the spiced chicken around his plate thinking before shrugging, "At least we can see what that old sage has dug up tomorrow with that seven pointed star symbol. Now though, I reckon we get a good night's sleep and then can search out signs of trouble in the morning. Maybe sweep some of the outlying families and farms and the like and see if they have had any trouble? Or where Grayst and the other outlaws were attacked"

[rypt]

Al sits leaning forward, elbows on the table, staring down into his drink. "Aye, maybe we follow the banks of the river and see who else or what else is nearby. What worries me about Grayst's message is that it was an invitation, but one without a time or a place. That means it's likely this 'Lordship' still has more he wants to tell us. And that's gonna mean more bodies."

[digiman619]

Zada rubbed their eyes wearily, and not just from the late hour. "The sage is definitely our first stop in the morning, yes. Searching the outlying farms seems like it'd be a lengthy process, though." They then finished their cider before getting to their feet. "But right now, all I'm in the mood to search for is my room." They then excuse themselves to retire for the evening.

[meemaas]

Norton is quick to head to bed. It has been a long day for him, and he doesn't feel much like continuing to talk on it for the night.

[lostsole31]

Moonday, 26 Neth 4707 AR (Waning Gibbous)
Temp: 35/15 (Wind Chill: 20/0F). Precipitation: 4" snow. Winds N 10 mph. Humidity: Medium.

The winter weather has finally caught up with the party. When you get up in the morning, it is freezing out, winds are blowing, and snow is falling.

Everyone does their morning routine, but it is going to be a hard day of work with the snowfall and cold weather.

Does anyone take any special protections regarding the cold, or just head out as-is?

[meemaas]

Norton will do a little shopping around for a decent coat to help him withstand the cold, but otherwise doesn't do anything differently from normal.

Spoiler

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Go ahead and just deduct the cost for a Cold-Weather outfit from his cash, unless you really wanna roleplay the purchase.

[rypt]

Al groans at the sight of falling snow and reluctantly heads out to purchase some more appropriate attire. When he is eventually able to rejoin the others, they may notice him fussing with the fit of his new garments, muttering something about 'the old cloak' and cursing a pack of goblins.

Spoiler: OOC

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Al will likewise purchase a cold-weather outfit.

[lostsole31]

Norton and Al both get cold weather gear, storing their old outfits in their backpacks.

Anyone else?

[TooterfishPopkn]

Steingott purchases a cold weather outfit and suits up.

Before leaving he asks the shopkeeper, "Do you by chance carry snow shoes?"

[digiman619]

Zada wore their same attire, kept warm with a faint glimmer of protective magic. It was only once they met up with the rest of the party did they realize that they should have prepared the communal version instead.