Legal Discussion, Bump in the Night
Subject: Re: The Inn at the End of the World
Erk smiles flatly back at him. "That is all very mysterious and poetic, but meaningless. We have a lawfully ordained mission to find and possibly rescure the lost expedition. You 'seek answers'."
He turns to Holn and Telwyn. "Unless one of you can think of something I am missing, there seems little reason to waste time here. I am going to find our barbarian and make sure the guards are not mistreating him."
From: Raja
Subject: Re: The Inn at the End of the World
"I wouldn't expect a priest to understand," Elotai says to Erk's back. "And particularly not a dwarf." He looks at Holn before continuing, seeming almost resigned. He doesn't pay any attention to Erk's departure. "Like you, I work magics. But do you know the source from which your power springs? I do not. For more than half a century, I have been plagued by visions and dreams. Mysterious and poetic to the red-beard, but troubling and troublesome to me. Before the visions, I was a warrior. Now I don't know WHAT I am."
"I said you matched descriptions I was given. True enough, for I have seen you and your companions in my dreams. I have also seen the grasslands to the east, and some of what may lie beyond them. I have seen things happen to some of you. I know I have to see these things in person."
"I don't expect you to believe me, of course." The ghost of a smile flickers across Elotai's face.
From: Erik
Subject: Re: The Inn at the End of the World
"I too am on this mission to learn. It is a fine ideal.
"And this elf seems to have knowledge of the grasses, and surviving there. I say we should use him."
Holn finishes his ale, and calls the barmaid for the damages.
"But I also think we have tarried here too long, Erk."
From: Mike
Subject: Re: The Inn at the End of the World
Telwyn frowns. He's not sure he likes this elf, but there's something compelling about him...
He looks at Elotai and speaks in elven. "I'll speak with you again. But if you want to join us I'd watch the 'stupid dwarf' talk."
Telwyn turns and follows Erk and Holn out. When they are out of earshot of Elotai, he says to Erk. "I don't know where you're getting any of this 'lawfully ordained mission' stuff. We wanted to go, and we had only to say so and we were in. In fact, as far as I know, our group makes up everyone who volunteered. And you know we need all the help we can get.
"Besides, if that one has got it in mind to go east I don't see how we can do much about it. It's a big country, and no one around to stop him. We might as well keep him close so we can keep an eye on him."
Telwyn raises an eyebrow. "Would it make you feel better if we consulted with Bermid about this?"
From: Erik
Subject: Re: The Inn at the End of the World
Holn glances over at Telwyn. "I do believe that would be the proper thing to do. After all, it is his expedition."
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The Inn at the End of the World
"Indeed. Bermid should be consulted on any such decision. If he wishes to allow the elf to join, I have no objections."
He grins at Telwyn, "Though, of course, that seriously degrades our ratio of stout dwarven blood versus the percentage of elven blood. That can't be a good thing, eh?" He slaps Telwyn on the back to assure the man it is in jest.
From: Mike
Subject: Re: The Inn at the End of the World
Telwyn turns to Holn. "How do you figure? Snylledd said nothing about this being a military expedition, and even if he had, I'm not in the military and neither are either of you. Once we're on the plains, we're outside of the realm of Segreda's law." He smirks. "Oh, I'm sure anyone so inclined could hash out the legal points with whatever tribe he ran into."
Turning back to Erk, he smiles at the dwarf's jest. "Look, I'm not saying I trust this newcomer, especially not with all this talk of visions and what not. I think we all need to be in on this decision, us, Bermid, Kayla, and Buchek."
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The Inn at the End of the World
Erk says, "When one is farthest from the administrators of law is when one must hold all the more closely to it. We must not degenerate into a loose band, each one following his own dictates and agenda, or we will accomplish nothing. This may not be a military expedition, but Bermid is the closest thing to actual authority in our group. His leadership will be important. You may not be a military man, but surely you agree that in any enterprise, someone must lead?"
From: Erik
Subject: Re: The Inn at the End of the World
"I went with the good graces of the organizers. I guess you are right about us travelling beyond the law, however." Holn whistles shortley, Fa jumps easily onto his shoulder.
"And now, I will go check on our friend."
From: Matt
Subject: Caro 5; Bump in the Night
Buchek is placed in a cell that he assumed had held animal feed of some sort before him. The smell of grain mixed with mold fills his nose, and two worthless moldy bags sit in the corner. He assumes this was at the bottom of a larger pile and that water had somehow gotten in from outside - possibly the last of the winter stores.
The iron gates latch into place, and the guards seem to pay him little to no mind. One is stationed nearby, within eyesight, but has little interest in staring at the prisoner. The cell is 8ft by 10ft, with a small barred window.
He can hear the Segreda guards dicing in the main common room, which draws much of the cell guard's attention. Taking a closer look at the grain sacks, [take 10, DC 10, success], he sees what appears to be the edge of a metal grate - possibly a sewage drain.
...
"Bilfin Merriman? I heard him speak in Segreda only days ago. Why did he leave?"
The boy looks at her quizzically. "If you heard him speak, then you know why he left. He was part of the Spring Rites for Segreda's Spring Festival, aiding Grev Steelhammer, warmaster of Clangeddin, and Manuuv Brightstar, high priest of St. Cuthbert. It is a great honor for him - and this was only the second year he has helped perform the rites."
Kayla smiles at his eagerness to talk with her, and she sees his face flush. "He sure does have nice chimes, though... you say he accompanied a fiddler? Who was that?"
"I don't rightly know, actually. He was a very private person, but he played some of the most beautiful and painful melodies. He would sit in this temple and play haunting music of loss and pain... I saw him crying once, but when I asked master about...."
Valni is cut off by a loud thump that sounded like something hitting the roof, a rubbing sound, and then a softer thud just outside the front door.
...
The last rays of sunlight faded from the sky while the group met with Elotai, and the roadway is dimly light by the far purple sky and a thin crescent moon. Two torches beside the door to the inn sputter and cast chaotic shadows, matched by a second pair on the door to the guardhouse across the road.
In the distance, they hear the end of some fiddle tune they assume is Kayla, some fifty or sixty yards off toward the wall - but in the near total darkness, it is impossible to tell where the sounds are coming from. The music stops, leaving the road in silence other than crickets and the whooping of a bird that seems very out of place to Holn... a morning bird, if he remembers correctly. [Survival check 22, DC 15, success].
As they appraoch the guardhouse, something like a dull thump makes Telwyn stop and peer into the darkness, back toward where the music had come from. [Listen Cheks v. DC 15... Holn, 12, fail. Telwyn, 17, success. Erk, 3, fail.] He can't see anything clearly, but in the low light he can make out what seems to be movement near one of the buildings by the wall. Two figures, it seemed like, moving cautiously.
Holn and Erk, walking slightly in front, don't notice Telwyn hold up a pace before the door and continue in to the guardhouse common room to see the guards dicing on the floor.
...
Elotai watches them go, watching the off duty guards grow more loud and inebriated. He notices that the local commander of the guard, the paladin Dohn, only makes a show of drinking, instead nursing one ale while his men drink several.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Caro 5; Bump in the Night
Erk continues walking blithely into the horrors that wait, accompanied only by his inability to perceive anything of any kind, apparently lacking any sensory apparatus known to man.
From: Erik
Subject: Re: Caro 5; Bump in the Night
Holn stops, staring into the dimness. "Something is not right out there."
[OOC: (reffering to the bird.) Another listen check, spot for anything unusual. This would have been enough for him to check a little more carefully.]
From: Clara
Subject: bump in the night
Kayla hears the sequence of sounds, and quickly thinks to herself, "it sounds large, all right, like a sack of flour or maybe a thrown person. Canna be a person! Whate're it was, it musta hit the roof an' slid off." She glances at the young boy, and sees a perplexed look on his face.
"Boy," she whispers, "Are ther' any back exits?"
The boy shakes his head, no. Kayla persists, "Well, how 'bout a window?"
"One, through there," he whispers back, and points.
"Good. C'n yah take me to it?" Kayla carefully drops her fiddle to the ground and starts moving toward the door, keeping an eye on the front door of the temple. She tries to keep to the side, hoping to blend in with the wall.
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Caro 5; Bump in the Night
OOC: I'm a little unclear on positions. It sounds like Erk and Holn are just inside the door of the guardhouse and Telwyn is just outside. Given that, I assume that the door is open and they are within a few steps. This response based on that.
The hairs on the back of Telwyn's neck stand up. Villagers and guardsmen don't bumble about in the dark, especially not out on the frontier. Whoever the two figures are, they are probably up to no good. Telwyn keeps an eye on the figures and steps up and taps Erk on the shoulder.
He keeps his voice low. "There are two men out there in the dark. I'm going to check it out."
With that, he steps out of the light in the doorway and into the shadows [Hide]. He pauses a moment to unlimber his bow and nock an arrow, then approaches the two men, moving as silently as he can [Move Silently]. He will only get as close as he needs to in order to get a better look, and definitely no closer than 30 feet.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Caro 5; Bump in the Night
Erk barely has time to turn around at Telwyn's whispered words before the Ranger has disappeared. "Dammit, it's too dark to see anyone before they're gripping my beard."
He says a quick prayer and his shield begins to glow with holy light.
[light cast on shield]