"Well met, Keth," Jenya says with a wink and a smile. "Now, how about some rest. Keth and Alexi, if you come with me I will show to the dormitories. I will see the rest of you tomorrow."
Freeday, Coldeven the 21st, CY 593, 8:00 am
You awake to a dreary overcast morning. The drizzle from the night before has not yet completely petered out. After making your morning preparations, you go to meet with Jenya, who is only too happy to see you. She once again speaks with you in her office.
"It's good to see you this morning. As promised, I've put together a list of all the kidnapping victims. I do not know how helpful it will be, but here it is." She hands Simon a rolled up parchment tied with a string.
The kidnapping victims
Tiervan Wispwort (male gnome, age 91): A local alchemist, Tiervan lived with two cats and ran a marginally successful business. He disappeared on Sunsebb 23rd, CY 592. Jorl Seerkin (male gnome, age 72): A law clerk who worked for a local gnome barrister named Aeryk Gylbar, he disappeared from his home on the 28th of Sunsebb, CY 592. Azmi Dresker (female human, age 19): She worked at a local brothel and disappeared from her residence on the 2nd of Needfest, CY 592. She and a coworker, Shellen Rycah, rented the house from an old woman named Martira Hathaway, who was asleep in the house that night and didn’t hear or see anything. Shellen Rycah (female human, age 20): She worked at a local brothel and shared a house with coworker, Azmi Dresker, and their landlord. Shellen vanished on the 2nd of Needfest*, CY 592. Krylscar Endercott (male human, age 24): Kicked out of the local militia for drunk and disorderly conduct, Krylscar vanished from his parents’ home on Fireseek 2nd, CY 593. Neither parent heard or saw anything suspicious, but they believe Krylscar may have robbed them and fled town in disgrace. Callum Sunnyrush (male halfling, age 37): He groomed horses and ponies for the Thantari noble family. He vanished from his room at a cozy local inn on the 7th of Fireseek, CY 593. Gryffon Malek (male human, age 33): He worked as a barkeep at The Tipped Tankard tavern. He disappeared on Fireseek 10th, CY 593, three days before his planned wedding to a tavern barmaid. Szordra Callagher (female human, age 35): A self-proclaimed sage, she ran her own small bookstore. She was last seen on Fireseek 16th, CY 593 by her 18-year-old son Leagan, a mason’s apprentice. Tembor Kalavan (male human, age 25): A local minstrel of some repute, he vanished on the 24th of Fireseek, CY 593 from his room in The Laughing Horse Inn. Irruth Mercadi (female human, age 36): A local chandler who disappeared from the apartment above her shop Readying 1st, CY 593. Deven Myrzal (male human, age 18): A lamplighter who vanished on Readying 3rd, CY 593. Guards found the pole Deven used to unhook hanging lanterns in the street a few blocks from his home (which was not robbed). Jeneer Everdawn (female halfling, age 42): A jeweler’s apprentice who did volunteer work at local schools, she disappeared Readying 8th, CY 593. Lorthan Ironfold (male dwarf, age 125): A skilled cartwright. He and his wife, Sondor, vanished from their home Readying 13th, CY 593. Sondor Ironfold (female dwarf, age 127): Wife of Lorthan Ironfold, she and her husband disappeared Readying 13th, CY 593. Rikaldo Veskar (male human, age 34): His ransacked home contained blood droplets and blood-encrusted knives—not surprising, since Rikaldo worked as askinner. He disappeared Readying 17th, CY 593. Lestor Coldwater (male human, age 22): A trained scribe and struggling poet. He and his girlfriend, Jelluth, vanished from her home on the 22nd of Readying, CY 593. Jelluth Sirlana (female half-elf, age 33): A struggling shoemaker who inherited her father’s failing business, she vanished (along with her boyfriend, Lestor) Readying 22nd, CY 593. Elethor Ashstaff (male half-elf, age 58): A wizard and trickster who occasionally performed minor feats of prestidigitation at birthday parties for upper-class children. A dead rat—possibly Elethor’s familiar—was found in his home. He vanished Readying 26th, CY 593. Maple (female halfling, age 32): Last name unknown, Maple was rumored to be associated with one or more of the local thieves’ guilds. She disappeared on Coldeven 2nd, CY 593. Corystan Pike (female human, age 35): A retired adventurer who was living on stolen loot, she walked with a cane. She disappeared from her modest abode Coldeven 4th, CY 593. Jasper Drundlesput (male gnome, age 74): A reclusive and eccentric mathematician, he is believed to have vanished on the 11th of Coldeven, CY 593. Pieces of parchment covered with numbers and symbols littered the floor of his ransacked house. Deakon Stormshield (male dwarf, age 12): A bright dwarf, Deakon was taken from the Lantern Street Orphanage on the 17th of Coldeven, CY 593. The orphanage took him in when he was six years old, after his parents failed to return from an adventure. Evelyn Radavec (female human, age 9): A quiet, sullen girl, she was taken from the Lantern Street Orphanage Coldeven 17th, CY 593. Her father and mother succumbed to filth fever, which spread through Cauldron seven years ago. Lucinda Aldreen (female human, age 8): A gregarious but superstitious child given to the Lantern Street Orphanage at age four by her poverty-stricken mother, Lucinda was abducted from the orphanage Coldeven 17th, CY 593. Terrem Kharatys (male human, age 9): This orphan, taken from the Lantern Street Orphanage Coldeven 17th, CY 593, is a dour and temperamental lad. His parents died shortly after his birth (circumstances unknown).
*Needfest is one of four festivals held every four months in the Greyhawk calendar. Unlike a typical month, which lasts 28 days, Needfest only lasts 7 days, so this is not indicative of a huge gap in the kidnappings.
"After you are through looking at that, if you don't have any other ideas, I suggest you begin your investigation at the orphanage. I'm sure Floch can show you the way. Oh, and I almost forgot. I did promise to give you the names of some local places you can stay. The Drunken Morkoth Inn is on the northwest side of town on Obsidian Avenue. They have several private rooms available, and despite the name, it is actually a fairly decent place to stay, so I've been told. Your other option is not as enticing, but it's there if you are strapped for cash. It's called Minuta's Board, and it is on Ash Avenue on the southwest part of town. I hear prices are pretty cheap, but then, you get what you pay for."
OOC
Those of you who choosing standard living conditions will stay at the Drunken Morkoth Inn while those who choose poor living conditions will stay at Minuta's Board.
XP
180 XP apiece for defeating the thugs and rescuing Ruphus
Listening intently as the High Priestess finished telling all she knew of the orphanage and of the tunnels beneath the city, Goran wondered if his brothers would know anything of them that would assist their efforts. While he would be the first to admit that his faith was not known for being proactive in the search of those who broke the law, he knew that they would not deny him the chance to bring Kord's wrath on those who did prey upon the weak.
Taking the potion and nodding his head in thanks, Goran was impressed that the Cudgels would give these out based on good faith alone. Although, given their doctrine, Goran did not doubt that the High Priestess would have been able to dectect if any of them sought to mislead her.
"I will take my leave of you now and go back to my Temple, but I'll meet you here in the morning."
Covering the distance quickly, Goran entered the comfortable confines of the Temple of Lordly Might and immediately sought out his senior brothers and told them of the events of the evening and asked if they knew anything of the kidnapping and the tunnels beneath the city.
ooc
Any info from the Kordites?
Freeday, Coldeven the 21st, CY 593, 8:05 am
Nodding in greetings to the others, Goran waited until Simon lowered the list and quickly scanned the list himself.
Three of the kin...and one of the children is a dwarf...by Kord's calloused knuckles we will get these bastards.
"Thank you again for your assistance Priestess Urikas, we will not stop until the children, all of them, are returned safely."
High Priest Asfelkir greets you warmly when you come to visit him, although he has that persistent sneer-like grin on his face. His brow is beaded in sweat, and he smells as if he has just been exercising, a common evening practice in devotion to The Brawler. "Goran my brother, tell me to what do I owe the visit tonight?" he asks.
He invites you to accompany him to the bathhouse as you tell him your story. "Don't worry, it's on me," he tells you with another toothy sneer-like grin.
As he leads you down to Lava Avenue on the southside, you begin to tell him of coming across the priest of St. Cuthbert in the alley and his assailants. You then tell him of how he was being accosted by the Last Laugh thugs because they wanted him away from the orphanage. Around this time, you arrive at Orak's Bathhouse, a steamy place run a dwarf with one eye. Despite the late hour, it is still open and there are several other patrons. The dwarf merely grunts as he hands you each a towel and some soap, taking a few shekels from Asfelkir in return.
As you begin to warm yourselves in the refreshing steam of the hot bath, you tell your patron the rest of the story, how you met with Jenya, the missing children, and your desire to help them. "Hmm," the enormous, sweaty half-orc says, stroking his tusks, "that is quite a mission for one such as you, and rewarding as well. You accepted of course! The Brawler seeks challenge and competition always, especially when championing the causes of the weak."
After this you are both quiet a while, the half-orc's deep breath the only sound echoing throughout the bathhouse. Finally, Asfelkir speaks again, "You have my support, and the support of our brothers and sisters at the Temple of Lordly Might obviously. However, I regret I cannot provide you any specific guidance. I know nothing of these tunnels you speak of other than rumor and hearsay, things that the old bards and legends speak of. As for the kidnappings, though I empathize with the plight of the weak, the temple has not looked into it. Clearly, this is a battle The Brawler has chosen for you!"
OOC
You may add Orak's Bathhouse to the list of places you may visit. Your character may also receive healing and spells at cost, meaning they are essentially free unless there is an expensive material component. The highest level caster at the Temple of Lordly Might is 6th-level.
"I should think you are free to go visit whenever you like. Ask for the headmistress when you get there. Floch should be able to help you find your way there."
"No rhyme, no reason," Simon says as he reads through the list of the missing. "Nothing to tie them all together, at least not that I can see. Were they victims of opportunity, I wonder?
"We'll discover the truth soon enough," he decides, rolling the scroll back up. "And bring them all back, gods willing. Shall we set off, gentlemen and lady?"
Wow didn’t know there are so many kidnapping.
Floch sighed as he goes over the list. then he say I will show you the orphanage but I tell you again. I searched and searched and nothing was found, if you will find something, by Istus's name, I'll buy you a drink and bang the empty bottle on my head.
ooc
Floch will ask for permission from Gretchyn, the headmistress of the Lantern Street Orphanage before letting the group into the orphanage.
__________________
Spoiler:
Zirat Igruf, Gladiator (Rhun's ToEE): OOC ; IC ; RG
“Indeed, it seems like something big is going on with all those kidnappings. As for the orphanage... sometimes another pair of eyes can see things you would never have noticed, even if they are in plain view. It's just like it is, besides it won't hurt to take a look. We don't have a better place to start, as it stands.”
__________________
“In our world, immortality is not for the living. The legend lives on!”
In Memoriam Dave Arneson († April 7th, 2009) & Gary Gygax († March 4th, 2008).
Wondering what the Dungeon Tiles are like? Take a look here (up to DU5 Sinister Woods).
Knowledge (religion) DC 10; this is untrained so anyone can make this check
It is generally considered improper or rude to utter the name or title of another god while under the roof of another god's place of worship or holy ground. In some cases it is acceptable, such as when churches ally with each other. However, in the worst cases, it is considered obscene blasphemy and grounds for expulsion from the church or worse.
In addition, many people, even priests and priestesses, on Oerth refer to the gods by their title, such as The Archpaladin instead of Heironeous or Lady of Fate instead of Istus. Part of this is superstition, as it is widely rumored that uttering a deity's name invokes that deity's presence and many people do not wish the gods to be poking around in their business all the time. The other reason is that tradition simply dictates it to be a vulgar and a means of taking the deity's name in vain. So unless one is seriously intending to attract the attention of the deity or swear an oath, the title is usually used.
Jenya glares at Floch disapprovingly but regains her composure before seeing you out. "Good luck with your quest. May the Cudgel guide you!"
*****
Freeday, Coldeven the 21st, CY 593, 9:00 am
You arrive at the Lantern Street Orphanage just as the bells are about to toll nine. Floch knocks on the door and a stout old halfling woman answers. "Oh, Floch, my dear, come in. These must be the people you told me about last night. Come in, all of you. So kind of you to take time out of your busy lives to help a poor children's home like this. Can I get you anything? Tea perhaps?"
The portly little halfling leads you inside to a small sitting room that is cramped even by short person standards. After making mugs of tea for everyone, she sits down and explains, "It all happened four nights ago you see. I was sound asleep and don't remember a thing. Neither do any of my staff. Of course you've already met Floch. There's also Jaromir, the gardener, Neva, our nurse, Temar, the cook, Willow, the schoolteacher, and Patch, the janitor. None of them seem to recall so much as a hiccup. A little boy named Andro claims he had a nightmare the night of the kidnapping, but that's not so strange. Of course you aren't the only ones investigating this. The town guard came by the day after to take statements from my staff. They also questioned several of the children. The day after that, a pair of half-elves working for the Lord Mayor came and questioned me again, but they didn't care to talk to anyone else in the facility. I tell you, it has me worried sick. Evelyn, Luci, Terrem, and Deaky have got to be so frightened, wherever they are. I promise I'll do whatever I can to help you find whoever is responsible."
“Well met, I'm called Alexi. Do you remember what Andro said about the nightmare? What did he dream about? And what kind of questions were asked by the guard and these two half-elves you mentioned?”
__________________
“In our world, immortality is not for the living. The legend lives on!”
In Memoriam Dave Arneson († April 7th, 2009) & Gary Gygax († March 4th, 2008).
Wondering what the Dungeon Tiles are like? Take a look here (up to DU5 Sinister Woods).
Simon, as is his wont, bows to the woman, smiling a broad and genuine smile that still manages to be a little...disturbing for some elusive reason.
"Indeed," he says, echoing Alexi's words, "Dreams often convey greater truths than the waking mind can know. We...." He pauses uncomfortably for a moment, and then continues in a faintly melancholy tone, "...rather, one of you should certainly speak to the boy. And we should interview the rest of the staff as well; no telling what clues their memories might hold, all unknowing."
OOC
Can everyone read that color against the dark background? I'm a little colorblind, so it's harder than it should be for me, but if it's no trouble for anyone else I shall keep it. I like reds.
These people sure did a lot of sitting around and sipping tea. Keth looked around the room ackwardly, he felt out of place here and the old halfling woman only made that feeling worse. Even though they were the same race she was as foreign to him as the rest of it. He could only hope they would get on with the searching before too long.
Keth spoke, perhaps more gruffly than he meant to,Can we see the rooms they were taken from?
Bohemian Ear-Spork
I can read it just fine.
__________________ Oni
"Each man, one way.
Each horse, one stance.
Each church, one buddha.
Each master to his own technique."
"Oh yes, Alexi, my dear," the old halfling says, blushing, "I did forget to introduce myself as well. Call me Gretchyn. As for Andro, it's not so unusual for children to have nightmares. Hardly a night goes by when one of them doesn't complain of it, but you are welcome to ask him about it if you wish. Something about a little man with crooked teeth I think, but I hardly pay much attention to such things.
"The town guards' questions were pretty straightforward. Asked if we saw anything or heard anything. Of course none of us had. They looked around for signs of forced entry or anything the kidnappers might have left behind and came up empty. They did a pretty good look-see. Then they shrugged and told me they'd be in touch if they heard anything. I don't want to give you the impression that they were lax in their duties because they weren't, but at least one or two of them seemed to be of the mind that the children simply ran away and would turn up again as soon as they got hungry. The half-elves were a simpler affair. They asked some of the same questions as the guards but didn't do any looking around, nor did they ask to speak with anyone 'sides meself.
I'll be happy to let you see their rooms, and you can talk to Andro as well. Come with me."
Gretchyn leads you upstairs to two dormitories opposite each other. Each bedchamber is about thirty feet by twenty feet and is packed with bunks. The doors to each room have a lock built into the door with a keyhole that is accessible from either side of the door. There are open-air windows built into the walls with shutters, but they are much too small for even a halfling to fit through anyway. Most of the beds have already been neatly made--Gretchyn explains the children don't get breakfast until they do so--but there is little else of interest in the rooms.
After looking over the rooms, Gretchyn leads you downstairs again and down a long hall to the classroom where a female half-elf with brown hair and green eyes is teaching letters to about forty young children. Gretchyn asks Andro to be excused for a moment and a tawdry little blond boy gets up from his chair and comes to meet you. As the half-elf woman attempts to get the children to pay attention to their studies and ignore the obvious excitement of visitors to the orphanage, Gretchyn takes Andro into the hallway and explains that your group wishes to speak with him. He is bashful and takes some coaxing, but eventually he tells you about his dream. "There was an evil gnome chasin' me. He had crooked teeth and a tattered cloak. He kept tryin' to catch me so he could steal my breath. He was scary," the little boy says while looking fixedly at the floor and swiveling his foot.
OOC
Feel free to give me Search checks, or ask about details of the room or further questions for the boy or Gretchyn or what have you. I'm just trying to give enough information to move things along at a brisk pace.
As they were led around the orphanage, Goran could not believe that anyone was so cowardly as to come into this place and take innocent children from the only home they knew. The fact that one of the orphans had been a dwarven child did not help his temper either. While Redgorge would not exactly welcome him with open arms at the moment, the dwarven priest had every intention of taking him there once he was rescued and demand that a proper life be given to him.
While the others spoke to the child, Goran approached Gretchyn and spoke simply to her.
"Does anyone outside of the staff have access to the home Mother? Or is there any way, no matter how slim, that the children might have managed to leave? Any travelling bards or other visitors that might have struck a cord with them?"
"Well, I'm the only one with keys to the place, but I always lock the doors before I retire for the night. And I don't care what the guard thinks; there is absolutely no way the children could have escaped. Nor do I think they would have asked anyone outside the orphanage to help them. We don't often take field trips, so they rarely interact with anyone other than the staff and each other. Besides, I would hardly let them associate with bards," she recoils somewhat at the suggestion. "Sometimes prospective parents come by to adopt, but we haven't had any such visitors in a while."
Nodding his head, Goran did not want to press her further and leave her agitated after their departure. Looking over to see if Simon was finished speaking with the child, he waited until the man was done before speaking to him.
"So if she is the only one with keys to all the rooms, either someone gained access to her keys, or someone has gained access to a key that works on the doors here."
Floch takes a look at his new investigator friends and throws a question to the air for everyone to hear. Well, any of you ever seen a evil gnome with crooked teeth and a tattered cloak that might have keys to the orphanage?
If so, tell me, and I'll smack him to pieces.
__________________
Spoiler:
Zirat Igruf, Gladiator (Rhun's ToEE): OOC ; IC ; RG
Keth looked over the dormitory rooms with a critical eye. Where to start? It seemed that suddenly he had many questions. The locks! Turning his attention to the locks on the doors he looked them over very carefully.
This might seem odd, but can you tell us anything about the locks here. How old, where they're from, anything like that.
Keth thought for a moment, there were some other things he'd like to know as well.
Also, how many way in and out of this building. Oh, and do you have any kind of cellars?
Glancing around the room again.
By the way, which beds were theirs?
ooc
I'd like to take 20 on the search check if I can, especially in regards to the beds, locks, and at the risk of being overly literal curtains.
__________________ Oni
"Each man, one way.
Each horse, one stance.
Each church, one buddha.
Each master to his own technique."
Alexi then turns her attention to the locks as well. Maybe there was something about them, that the guards had missed, considering they had not been told about them specifically, as they had been... if it's the locks, the strange text was refering to, that is.
__________________
“In our world, immortality is not for the living. The legend lives on!”
In Memoriam Dave Arneson († April 7th, 2009) & Gary Gygax († March 4th, 2008).
Wondering what the Dungeon Tiles are like? Take a look here (up to DU5 Sinister Woods).
All of the locks in the orphanage are Good quality and worth 80 gp each. They would be fairly difficult to open, even for a skilled burglar.
"Keygan Ghelve, a local locksmith, fashioned those locks for me many years ago," Gretchyn says matter-of-factly, "and he charged a pretty coin, let me tell you," she adds.
"There's only the back door and the front door; and no cellars."
Examining the locks, you find nothing unusual. They have the typical scratches indicating the wear and tear of years of use but are otherwise in perfect working condition.
A careful search of the childrens' beds reveals nothing amiss. The beds are all neatly made. "It was like they were never even in the beds," Gretchyn explains.
A studied look at the shutters on the windows (there are no curtains) reveals nothing odd either. They are weather worn on the outside and some children have carved things such as "AN+KD" into the inside part, but they are otherwise in good repair.
Linear Mode
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