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Post by Randall Grim on Feb 1, 2022 10:12:20 GMT
“I guess the element of surprise is already lost, our fellow will send another raven the moment we make our next move unless he is stopped” says Randall, visibly disappointed “we have an opportunity in our hand to proceed without a blindfold, this organization seems powerful, the more information we have the better” he sights “I will keep the watch and see what he is up to”
Randall turns to Hope senses to resume the watch on the man. he will whisper whatever he sees to his companions.
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Post by PotA Dungeon Master on Feb 4, 2022 1:18:01 GMT
Randall Switching back to the vision of Hope's, who remains onto of the inn you currently reside in and keeping watch on the stableman, you pop back just in time to watch the stableman now moving to the window with a raven that has a new scrolled parchment attached to its leg. When at the window, he wastes no time in letting the bird fly free and into the morning air of Red Larch. The raven flaps its wings a few times before rising above the stable and starting to move in a Northeastern direction.
Heide,Wakathas As Randall's eyes glaze over in returning his sight to Hope's, he begins whispering the details of what he sees to involve the stableman and the raven with scrolled parchment attached. "I would guess this man will pass along our details to this Thurl character, no matter how many barriers we throw his way. I say we head around and investigate these other potential leads here in Red Larch before getting out." Rix adds in a moment when Randall gives pause to his whispering.
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Post by Heide Many-Sheaf on Feb 4, 2022 7:03:35 GMT
"Don't need to say a word more," Heide says to Rix's advice. She stands from her place at the table and collects her belongings. "Better they have to find us than we wait right here for 'em. Shall we?"
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Post by Randall Grim on Feb 4, 2022 15:27:14 GMT
“Right before you m’lady. Lead the way” says Randall while grabbing his belongings and carefully accommodating and gently peering Hope on his shoulder after she appeared out of nowhere in his hand.
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Post by Wakathas on Feb 5, 2022 4:01:08 GMT
"While y'all investigate the cairns, I shall drop by to my contact, to find out whatever I can about this mysterious Thurl," Wakathas says as he makes his way toward the door, "where shall we reunite?" (Once he gets a destination from his companion, he shall head toward his contact, to find out whatever information he can about Thurl).
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Post by Heide Many-Sheaf on Feb 5, 2022 18:17:04 GMT
Heide's brow furrows with concern. "You sure you want to do that? Our friend out there is catchin' on quick, and we don't know what sorta connections he has. We're gonna be vulnerable if we split." She relents, though, with a shrug. "I'm not gonna tell you what to do, but if you think you might get somethin' important out of it, at least take Rix with you. Randall and I can pop across the street and meet that shepherd. We'll bounce back over here and tell Kaylessa where we're going. You can check with her and meet us at whatever edge of town we're headed to."
Suddenly, Heide frowns. "Actually," she says, keeping her voice a lot lower, "she was pretty chummy with our stable friend. Might be innocent, but if she's in on it..." Heide grunts once as she mulls this new thought over. "...whatever way we tell Kaylessa, you go to the opposite end of town. She says 'east,' you come to the west. You follow me?"
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Post by PotA Dungeon Master on Feb 13, 2022 19:52:03 GMT
Wakathas While Heide and Randall depart the inn to pursue leads upon the rumor of new graves being found just outside Red Larch and possibly having some connection to the recent events you have all come upon, you choose to make your way to Vallivoes Sundries, with Rix in tow, to have a conversation with Endrith and see if he knows any more about this 'Thurl' name that the scrolled parchment was addressed to. "Oh, good to see you again, and quite quickly might I say." Endrith chuckles as you both enter and perches himself upon the counter while you begin asking about 'Thurl'.
"Can't say that I am familiar with the name. I can look some into it though if you like?" He asks with a raised eyebrows before remembering something. "Oh, how'd that book go? Find anything interesting in it yet?" His face lights up with a curious smile. "Geanelogical history on the dwarven clans of Mirabar." Rix adds subtly. Endrith's smile turns to one of confusion before he shrugs his shoulders. "Ah well. If you're interested in more, the peddler I bought it from, bought it from some shady feller who ran a keelboat, down in Womford. Might be something alot more useful if you are passing through there. Well, sorry I couldn't help any more with any of it all." Endrith smiles and nods his head before opening a ledger and starting to work from it.
Moving back out into the morning air, you and Rix then make your way back to the Swinging Sword Inn and follow Heide's plan of telling Kaylessa to pass onto Heide and Randall should she see them, that you intend on heading south of Red Larch, when you are really going north to wait. Kaylessa smiles and wishes you a pleasant day, asking you to come back anytime to tell her of your adventures outside of Red Larch. Bidding her farewell, you both head out into the morning air once more and make your way north towards the outer edge of town. As you make your way through the main street, you can see the efforts to repair the sinkhole are well underway and has made steady progress so far. Men's voices can be heard within the sinkhole and the sound of dirt being shifted.
After ten minutes of walking, the rain has completely gone and you and Rix both find yourselves on the northern route from Red Larch on the Long Road.
Heide,Randall You leave the inn ahead of Rix and Wakathas and make your way across the street and directly into the Helm at Highsun tavern. The inside is a large, dimly lit, wood-panelled taproom where an open-tread wooden staircase climbs to the upper floor. Across the back of the taproom is a long bar with three copper candle lanterns hanging over it. There aren't many people drinking on his morning, but those that are do look your way before sinking back into their cups as you are greeted by a jovial barkeep, who upon hearing you ask for the shepard that father Imdarr to you of, he looks around the taproom and gives a shrug. "Sorry, lady. Not seen him this morning, Larmon Greenboot that is, but I could take a hazard he'd be hanging in Gaelkur's, the shopkeep and barbers. Before you go looking, can I get you both a drink?" He asks with a smile and a wince almost knowing the answer.
Politely declining and gaining directions to Gaelkurs, you both leave and up the main street of Red Larch where you can see the efforts to repair the sinkhole are well underway and has made steady progress so far. Men's voices can be heard within the sinkhole and the sound of dirt being shifted. You continue on and take a right where you find a seedy wooden building that has a sign depicting it to serve as a used tools and goods shop, a barbers, and an unnoficialxsecond tavern for the town. You make your way inside to a cluttered shop full of lounging customers, most of them men looking in no particular hurry to be waited on, with old hair clippings trodden underfoot on the sagging floorboards. Heide openly asks for Larmon Greenboot and a bearded human, looking to be in his fifties, looks up and responds. Asking him to tell you what he knows about the fresh graves of unknown origin, a few of the men sat around roll their eyes with one calling to Larmon in a mocking tone. "Oh, someone wants to hear about your tall tale! Maybe now you'll finally stop talking about it!"
Larmon shoots a glare before agreeing to talk and leading you both outside where he cannot be mocked. "Well I've found four freshly dug graves, I swear they're definitely graves, out I nthe hills nearby. I know these hills like the back of my hand. I need to when I've worked them for the past forty years! I can take you to them if you like? Only a few miles out!" He eagerly asks, looking ready to leave now.
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Post by Heide Many-Sheaf on Feb 15, 2022 16:50:15 GMT
Heide nods. "Sooner the better, I'm thinkin'. Which way is it outta town? We have to leave a message at the Sword so our friends can meet us.”
Once the group is properly on its way, Heide tries for a little more information. “You notice anything else strange happening around there lately?"
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Post by PotA Dungeon Master on Feb 20, 2022 0:22:33 GMT
Heide,Randall The sheperd blinks as if double taking in response to Heide's answer but doesn't choose to question it. "Fantastic. We'll leave on the Larch Path, which will take us towards the edge of the Sumber Hills. That's where we'll find the cairns I'm talking about. If you get everything you need and I'll wait towards the end of Larch Path for you. See you soon." Larmon gives a nod before turning and moving towards the end of the street where Larch Path starts.
With the sheperd agreeing to take you to the cairns, you both immediately make your way back to the Swinging Sword Inn. Upon greeting Kaylessa, she greets you in her usual pleasant manner before listening to the message you give to pass along to Rix and Wakathas. "Oh? Well it seems your paths are always in flow. They told me to pass onto you that they would meet you towards the south of the town too. So I guess there is no need for me to keep hold of this, unless they pass back through obviously. If I'm understanding correctly, you are leaving town today. Well, please do come back and let me know of all the nasties you kill out there in the dangerous wilds. Good luck now." She bids you farewell in a pleasant manner once more before continuing to tend to her responsibilities as an inn owner as you both leave and make your way to the north of the Long Road where you manage to find Rix and Wakathas waiting patiently for you to arrive.
Wakathas You wait for a little amount of time on the edge of town for Heide and Randall to finish their questioning to the sheperd before you finally see the pair walking towards you both. You and Rix head to join them and Heide shanks you for meeting them halfway as you have to walk back through Red Larch slightly to go and meet the sheperd, Lermon, who has agreed to personally show your group where he had found the newly formed cairns.
Everyone As you all approach Larmon the sheperd, he smiles and greets the two new additions in Rix and Wakathas before gesturing and leading the way onto Larch Path, the view of Red Larch Town slowly fading behind you. As the walking gets underway, Heide asks Larmon about any other odd going on around the area and Larmon responds while still traversing the man-made path towards the Sumber Hills. "Strange happenings? I mean I assume you don't mean the extreme weather we been having all around the area the last month or so, as everyone been noticing that." Larmon then strokes his chin as he continues to walk and think. "I have noticed the Feathergake Knights been getting alot more active on their flying mounts that they got out there at the spire, but nothing that would indicate anything to do with these cairns." Larmon finishes as he now begins guiding you off path for another mile or so.
Moving up and hilltops, you are graced with the view of the Sumber Hills stretching out for a few miles, lit by the overcast sky. You have a good view of the surrounding hills from this vantage point. Several miles to the west you can make out the tiny outline of Red Larch, and the thin dark line marking the Long Road. Several miles to the north, you see a slender old tower circled by large birds. Nothing else is around here. At the top of the hill, Larmon is quick to point to the four graves atop the hill. The earth scraped out for the holes are piled nearby, although hastily gathered stones cover the graves. The faint stench of death lingers in the air and several vultures fly overhead. "I graze my sheep in a nearby vale, just over there." Larmon points towards the northwest while continuing. "I passed this spot no more than a month ago, and it wasn't here then, I can sure as shit tell you that. Passed by again a few days ago, and here they were. No idea who would be in them, though. No Red Larchers gone missing recently, and no-one lives out here in these hills. I ain't gonna go digging up possible graves anytime soon either." Larmon runs his hand through his balding hair while staring at the unmarked cairns.
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Post by Randall Grim on Feb 20, 2022 0:53:48 GMT
As they approaches the place indicated by Larmon, Randall brings forth his spellbook and, without saying a word to his companions, starts to mumble and making weird gestures to enhance his sensibility to magic (cast Detect Magic as a ritual).
Once the ritual is done he will carefully examine the area for both mundane and magical clues or traps (investigation + 5, arcana +5)
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Post by Heide Many-Sheaf on Feb 20, 2022 18:44:03 GMT
Heide stands back as Randall probes the area and sets her focus on the cairns themselves. Could she call a religion or sect that buried their dead this way? Or, perhaps even their victims? (Religion +4)
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Post by Wakathas on Feb 22, 2022 5:50:57 GMT
Wakathas takes flight and circles around the graves, checking for anything outside of the ordinary in the surrounding area from his vantage. Once he gives it a quick round, he descends and hovers atop of the graves to get a closer inspection of the graves to see if he can locate and marking or headstones that indicate the identities of the deceased. (Investigation +1, Perception +3)
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Post by PotA Dungeon Master on Feb 23, 2022 22:54:59 GMT
Heide As Randall begins a ritual casting to further investigate, you hold position and think on cairns and their use in ritualistic ways. You are not all too familiar with their use in a funeral ritual, but more as markers for adventurers in more wilder locations to help guide as waypoints. The only grouping you know would be that of some certain sections of the Uthgardt barbarian clans that roam the wilderness near the Spine of the World, and alot less commonly around the Sumber Hills.
Wakathas As Randall begins ritually casting to further investigate, you immediately take to the skies to gain another viewpoint to see if anything is clearer to notice from up here rather than on the floor. You do notice a set of confused collection of tracks that walk all around the area, to and from the cairns, but do not seem to lead anywhere from the hilltop. You also find, a few feet away from the cairns and lying in a seemingly random position, a few broken arrows along with a discarded javelin that is bundled in a tattered grey cloak. You take all of this close to the cairns and begin looking for any markings of identification on the cairns but fail do so.
Randall Wordlessly you begin preparing a ritual to identify anything that would give of a magical essence while Heide and Wakathas begin their own investigating of the area and cairns. When the time passes for your ritual to be cast, and with a final flourish of fingers added alongside incantation, you open your eyes and look to the cairns to see no magical essence at all. You see no magical essence in the broken arrows, javelin, and tattered grey cloak that Wakathas dropped infront of you either. You do however noticea new magical essence coming from Heide that was not when you had last cast this spell within the sinkhole. There is an aura of transmutation coming from her longsword.
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Post by Wakathas on Feb 23, 2022 23:25:26 GMT
"I see tracks between the cairns, but leads nowhere else," Wakathas says, one hand ruffling his feathers, the other on his hip as he ponders, "do you think that there's passage underneath these cairns, perhaps they are markings for an entrace?"
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Post by Heide Many-Sheaf on Feb 24, 2022 17:35:35 GMT
"Far as I know, cairns like these are mostly used as waypoints, not grave markers. Can't hardly think of anyone that uses 'em except for members of the Uthgardt barbarians. And you don't see too many of them this far south."
Heide lets this thought linger to see if it elicits any response. In the mean time, inspired by the carrion smell, she opens her senses to the presence of good and (more likely) evil. She doubts she will pinpoint any undead, but perhaps she can catch a small sense of any involvement. (Use Divine Sense. 3/4 uses remaining.)
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Post by Randall Grim on Feb 26, 2022 1:09:09 GMT
“It seems to be a dead end.. I found nothing as well” Randall says disappointed and slightly worried “we must be careful, we can’t discard the possibility of those rumors have been planted to ambush foreigners” he then addresses Heide “your sword, it is now embedded with magical aura that was not present last time I looked… I hope this is your own doing… “
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Post by PotA Dungeon Master on Feb 27, 2022 19:13:54 GMT
Heide With your senses being heightened through your divine senses, you detect no immediate presence of any Undead, fiends, or celestials.
Everyone Larmon remains quiet for the meanwhile as he stands and listens to everything being suggested on the origin of the cairns, stroking his chin as if I thought. "If there is something under these hills, then someone must have gone to a far length to build anything under, unless there are ruins. It can't be possible though; Like I said, these weren't here about a month ago. I'm pretty sure there is nothing out here between Red Larch and Feathergale Spire." He offers towards Wakathas' suggestion on possible ruins below the cairns.
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Post by Heide Many-Sheaf on Feb 28, 2022 4:27:47 GMT
Heide grunts pensively. "Maybe the Feathergale Knights have seen something from atop their noble steeds," she says, with clear sarcasm. "And maybe we could beat that something out of them."
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Post by Wakathas on Feb 28, 2022 20:34:52 GMT
"Cairns aren't here a month ago doesn't necessarily mean the things underneath aren't, if there's anything underneath that is," Wakathas nods at Larmon's information, "but it doesn't hurt so make sure. If there's one underground tomb coming out of nowhere, I won't discount the idea that there can be another," he adds as he begins to search around each of the cairns for any sign of an entrance. "Or perhaps, we can try as per Randall's suggestion in the inn, and do a deep scrub of the underground tomb to see if we missed anything?" (Investigation +1, Perception +3)
"Also, I recall that lovely fella we met at the tomb says something along the line that they believe the 'Delvers are the one to control the stones' movement,' perhaps these cairns forming are their doings?"
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Post by Heide Many-Sheaf on Mar 1, 2022 17:26:43 GMT
Heide shifts uneasily. "There isn't any part of me that wants to stick around town or that underground mess another second if we don't have to. But it won't look good, us digging up graves."
She chews on this thought for a moment, then suddenly relents. "'Course, they aren't the nicest graves, are they? Whoever's buried here -- if there is anyone buried here -- deserves to be buried a little deeper. May as well exhume 'em and get 'em down where the wildlife won't bother digging."
She unstraps her shield and stakes it into the dirt nearby, its Tyrian scales emblem facing toward the road. "And I'm sure a blessing from a Knight of Samular wouldn't hurt their passage to the other side, assuming they're deserving of it." She moves toward Waka to assist in the digging. "Let's see that they get it."
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