Strange Aeons: The Thrushmoor Terror, Part 2 [IC]

[lostsole31]

Dorn will guard the prisoners, and Kris will go with Brother Jaume.

Flair, will you be interrogating prisoners, or going with Kris and Brother Jaume?

Vilma, what will you do?

[silphael]

Vilma will go to the potential kitchen with Jaume and Kris.

[digiman619]

Flair seems genuinely insulted that Jaume would think that he would torture the prisoners. "I would never stoop so low. How dare-" He stops himself; tamping down his outrage for the time being. Once they were done with this stupid mission, he'd have a long talk with the cleric, but right now that won't help anything.

After taking a deep breath, he told the part of the party that was venturing forth to wait. "Let me try my thing before you go." He then goes to one of the prisoners and places him hand on their shoulder, asking in a slightly authoritarian voice "How do we get to the kitchens from here?" Those of you looking at Flair see worry lines spread across his brow.

Spoiler: OOC

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Using *Milo's Truthtelling* to get an answer from one of the prisoners. Probably the lowest ranking looking male, moving up the apparent chain of command until someone fails their save.

[lostsole31]

Spoiler: Flair

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Normally, YOU need to determine who is where on the totem pole, not me. But honestly, it doesn't matter, because ...

The second person that Flair attempts to affect with Milo's truthtelling shows that further questioning won't matter: he/she simply refuses to answer any questions.

[digiman619]

Flair balled his fists. Of course there wouldn't be an easy way. Of course. He felt Flavio, the man he once was, in the back of his mind once more; all he had to do to release this frustration bubbling within him was to take it out on the prisoners. They were the cause of it, after all. Hell, that might also loosen their tongues. It was a win/win!

Except to do that would be to surrender himself to the madness; to abandon the foundation of his being and the ethos of his choices mattering. To let that stronzo win. So he instead excused himself grabbing one of the books strewn across the floor before stepping past the barricade that Kris and Jaume were about to venture forth from, hoping to break line of sight for a bit, at least to the prisoners.

He left his frustration out, slamming it against the wall as he grunted, not really caring that he was likely audible to the other room. He wanted something bigger, stronger to smash, but there was nothing as helpful as a spare plank to pick up, so he made do with what he could. After thoroughly wrecking the book's spine, he began tearing pages from it, until soon its loose pages covered the floor.

All in all, this process didn't take more than a minute or two, and it left him panting. After another deep, calming breath, he returned to the party. "Okay, let's get searching."

Spoiler: OOC

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Flair won't move more than 10 feet from the door, and if he sees anything approach, he will snap out of it and will call the rest of the party.

[lostsole31]

The party reaches the second floor of the manor via this flight of wooden stairs, which creak ominously as they make their way up.

It is dark up here, and you need light. The assumption is that, per usual, Brother Jaume casts light on his quarterstaff. The stairwell ends at a door (to the east).

Vilma, because of the tight corners of the stair well, and an unknown layout up here, will you also cast light on something of yours?

[silphael]

Waiting to advance, Vilma casts Light on her weapon.

[lostsole31]

Plenty of light right now in this cramped landing/ hallway.

Without even needing to try to listen, Brother Jaume, Kris, Vilma ... and even Flair (though he is 15' away ... and down the stairs by the door) all hear a strange noise from the other side of the door. It is not quiet, and it is an inhuman sound that somehow expresses or characterizes half-suppressed laughter or amusement.

What do you (plural) do?

[Blackhawk101]

Brother Jaume motions for the others to back down the stairs.

[lostsole31]

The party backs down the stairs, pushing Flair as they do so into the dining room.

[Blackhawk101]

“I don’t know what that is but we should rest first before taking on any new threats. Do we have any rations left?”

[lostsole31]

Out of al five of you, only one person has any food whatsoever .... Vilma has a half-ration of food.

[digiman619]

Flair sighed. "Yeah. At least one of us gonna have to head back into town to pick up supplies. Which is going to be risky; pending our successful investigation, we're technically kidnapping these people, so we have to be subtle about this. If we tip off the constabulary before we get the evidence we need, everything falls apart."

[silphael]

Vilma nods.

"I can go get food for everyone and come back, I just need to know where would the shop for it be. Wouldn't be the first time I'm lying to authorities, if that's what you're worried about."

[lostsole31]

Dorn says, "I'm just used to eating at one of the two taverns."

Kris says, "I don't need to eat."

[Blackhawk101]

Brother Jaume speaks up.
“ I can run to town and back carrying food and make good time. I know it may not look like it, but I was always good in the races at the monastery. Kris can fly so she is a good choice if she wants to go. Anyone else?”

[lostsole31]

"Sure," says Kris.

"No more to go, though," warns Dorn. "That is just myself, Vilma, and Flair remaining."

[silphael]

"Are you sure you'll be okay ? We need food for all of us, and the prisoners, preferably for a few days. That's a lot, even with fresh food."

She asks Jaume.

[lostsole31]

"Let's find the food first," says Kris, her peabrain a little overwhelmed at trying to think what the end result would be. "One problem at a time."

[Blackhawk101]

​“I can buy a backpack and the load shouldn’t be a problem…no armor and just a stick. Everyone pitch in some money for the provisions .”

[digiman619]

Flair bites his lip throughout this exchange. He didn't want to stand around doing nothing. If they brought in unwanted attention, there was nothing he could do until it was too late. On the other hand, he had to agree that he wasn't particularly useful as far as being a pack mule went, and they needed it to be quick. "Okay. I'll stay here." He paused, arguing with himself for a few seconds before adding, "You might want to check in with Ms. Wretz.If anyone will know how to surreptitiously get supplies up here, it'll be her."

[lostsole31]

Kris is going with Brother Jaume, but she is completely broke.

Dorn coughs up three gold for his part.

[silphael]

"We'll probably need as much as you can carry, with the prisoners. Take this."

She hands him her last platinum coin, and 4 gold coins.

[Blackhawk101]

“I have 30 gold pieces and a platinum piece. All together it should be more than enough.”He scratches his beard thoughtfully.
“What should I say to Ms. Wrentz about what we are doing?”

[silphael]

"I'd say 'We are investigating near the town, and can't come back right now. Once it bears fruit, we'll be back. It shouldn't take too long from now on.' If she asks for more details and you think you cannot hide it from her, add where we are, and 'What we have found so far is highly suspicious, but wouldn't yet constitute proof in front of a jury, so if the inhabitants come back, the best way you could help would be by delaying them without taking risk for yourself.'. You think you'll need the details ?"

[Blackhawk101]

Brother Jaume grins sheepishly.
“Well I prefer the direct approach; I am not comfortable with subterfuge. I think we can trust her and that she has the town’s best interest at heart. I will do my best and we will see how it goes. Come on Kris! Stick with me and keep an eye out.”
He will remove the barricade from the exterior entrance and head out moving quickly but on alert.

Spoiler: crunch

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Double moves at 40’ each until outside the gatehouse where he will open up to full run speed back to the Sleepless Detective agency.

[lostsole31]

Kris has no problem keeping up, and you both get to the Sleepless Detective Agency, whereafter you knock, enter, are offered warm tea (oh, so warm) and only sit for a few minutes before Ms. Wrentz comes to greet you.

[Blackhawk101]

Brother Jaume stands and bows slightly at the waist.
“Good day to you Ms. Wentz.”

[lostsole31]

"Ms. .... Wrentz," she corrects Brother Jaume. "It's an older Varisian name, and you don't look Varisian, so I suppose it's forgivable. How may I help you? The Silver Wagon says that you and your friends didn't show up last night. You can bet that all sorts of worries abound in the rumor mill right now. And where are the rest of your friends?"

[Blackhawk101]

The portly friar blushes as he scratches his beard.
"My apologies, Ms. Wrentz. I am not so good with names!"
"As to your question, we have been following up on some leads and we went to visit Ivy Hill. The day before yesterday (in the rain), we walked to the manor and inquired to see the count. At the gatehouse, we were told unceremoniously through the door that we were to leave or there would be trouble. We insisted and we were attacked by several rough men; two cannibal barbarians called Kuru from Garund and a roguish gentleman. We defeated and captured all three alive. Upon inspection of his person, we learned that the rogue was some sort of follower of "The King in Yellow" by the holy symbol he carried. The King in Yellow an ancient god and not a good one. We ran into some of his followers during our time in the asylum."
"As we pushed further into the compound, we were attacked by some animated shrubs; protectors of some sort. We were able to destroy or drive them off eventually. We sought shelter in a near-by guest house and were met by two well dressed gentry. They called themselves Asa Lalith and Daelene Spence of Caliphas. The gentleman was a rogue or assassin of some skill and the woman used evil sorcery. St. Dorn and I could sense the evil in them and they attacked us. We managed to overcome them and captured the woman but her consort was killed in the exchange. We rested overnight in the guest house and continued our investigation in the morning."
"We are running low on supplies, so we headed around back of the main manor building to seek the kitchens. Trying a likely entrance, we were again accosted by three evil cultist that attacked us using channeled negative energy! They were dressed in yellow robes and were holding silver holy symbols that look like a three-armed triskelion. After a fierce battle, we were able to overcome and subdue the cultists. We moved on into the dining room and finding little of interest, we moved into an adjacent hallway. It is there that we were attacked by a horrifying creature of nightmare! We managed to drive it off and it disappeared but not before it killed our brother Jens. Flair called it a Hound of Tindalos. It seemed like if was after us specifically and was not necessarily part of the household."
"We explored the next room which housed a collection of Lowls family artworks and strangely a well dressed man in some sort of stasis spell. At that point we decided to move the captured folks to the main house and hunker down there. I was sent back with Kris to gather supplies and report in."
Brother Jaume sits down and takes a sip of tea.
"Something evil has taken root at Ivy Hill. We must get to the bottom of what is happening there for the good of the town! Do you have any advice or support to provide? Otherwise, I must gather supplies."