Burning Heretics (IC)

Jack of Tales · Feb 25, 2008

You all sit around one of the two large tables in the guild’s main room. Piles of crates and broken furniture litter two of the corners while the two back rooms are full of various junk left behind by the previous owners. It has been a week and you have all been slowly clearing the place out but there really is a lot of random stuff and you don’t feel like going through it all. Four days ago Wyce contacted you and told you that you’d be meeting up with a client. He had already discussed the issue of price but had to be away for a recruiting mission on the day the client wanted to meet. He figured since you were all the ones doing it, you could take care of the client. All he told you was that it was a woman from the Hospitaler guild. Since you’re currently rooming upstairs its not all that difficult to
meet with her so you more or less agreed to it. Sandy is seated at the bar with her heads in her hands--passed out cold.

The lady comes in exactly on time and steps onto the new carpet Wyce had bought to make the place look a bit more like a home and less like a tavern. She is dressed in long white robes with gold and blue embroidery on the sleeves. Her face is old and wrinkled and she has a long, silver braid hanging down her back. She rests on a staff crested with a silver version of the symbol on her robe: an open hand with a symmetrical cross on the palm. When she sees you gathered at the table she smiles with a large grin and walks toward you. “Greetings, I am Lady Sasha Henwiel of the Hospitaler Guild. I spoke to a Mr. Wyce a few days ago about a job we needed attending too. I do hope you can help me.” As she hobbles over to the table you cannot help but notice the large sack clinking at her side.

Edit: Here's a picture of what the inside of the headquarters looks like.

renau1g · Feb 25, 2008

OOC I'm not sure if we should start posting here yet or wait for the others to be ready, but if so seeing Sandy passed out on the bar Xavier would carry her up to one of the spare bedrooms, or if none are available, lay her down in his bed before the client arrived. Xavier would hope it would look a little more professional.

Jack of Tales · Feb 25, 2008

At your insistence, Sandy allows herself to be dragged upstairs.

[sblock] OOC: Feel free to wait for the others if you want. I just wanted to have an intro up. We have three players with ready characters and one other who has changes to make/background to elaborate upon. If any others join up later it won't be difficult to squeeze them in or just have them wait for the next game.[/sblock]

moritheil · Feb 25, 2008

Alatheil Dawnmist, wiz 3, uninjured

"Greetings, Lady Sasha," Alatheil responds, automatically rising from her seat. "I do hope we can help each other." Upon reflection, it's not the most diplomatic thing to say, but it's out before she can take it back.

The elf is plainly dressed in clothing suitable for travel, but a careful eye would note the quality of the filigreed rapier hilt at her belt and signet ring on her hand as perhaps setting her apart from a normal traveler. Apart from the ring, she wears no visible jewelry. An abnormal number of bulging pouches hang from her belt, and a few more have been sewn into her jacket.

covaithe · Feb 26, 2008

"Well met, Lady Sasha," Geraint says, also rising and offering his hand in greeting, his voice deep and confident. "Welcome to the home of the Redtol Wyverns. I hope you'll pardon the decor; we have only recently taken possession of the building, and Vincent made it clear that your request was important enough that we should see you immediately. Please, sit down. Now, what can we do for the Hospitalers?"

renau1g · Feb 26, 2008

Xavier the Bold - Rogue2/Fighter1 - HP: 24/24

While returning downstairs and seeing their client already there, Xavier will feel embarrassed and disappointed in what he perceives as unprofessional behaviour and attempt to move as discreetly as possible to avoid interrupting (Move Silently (1d20+8=28) ). If/When their patron looks at Xavier, he'll say "My deepest apologies for the lateness of my arrival milady, I hope this doesn't reflect on your opinion of either myself or the Wyverns" (Diplomacy (1d20+3=17) )

Jack of Tales · Feb 26, 2008

The woman looks at each person in turn. She looks you in the eyes and you can see the smile behind them match the one on her face. Her gentle brown eyes hold only worry and it does not seem as if the shoddy surroundings offend her. “Mr. Wyce and I have known one another for years. I’d be surprised if this place was cleaner then it currently is. Although where is that young lass, Sandra, I believe her name is? She was so kind to me last time I was here.

But anyway, we should get down to business. I have already arranged the payment with Vincent unless any one of you feels the need to renegotiate? A sum of two thousand gold crowns will be paid upon the completion of the task we require completed.

You see, a Church of Rivka has recently been burned to the ground. The priestess, a woman by the name of Elizabeth Barnum, was murdered. Her internal organs were scooped out and tossed about the church’s small cemetery while her head was removed and staked to a nearby tree. Several local farmers who are worshippers at the church have also been found dead. We would send out a patrol to deal with the issue but the current border clashes with both Oor and Dormithar force us to gain outside help. I do hope you understand. I would like you to investigate the matter, prevent more of the local farmers from being killed and bring those responsible to justice.

I do not need to know how you plan to achieve this. Wexen’s Crossing, the small village where the church was, does not have a local constabulary or judge of any kind. It is more a loose collection of spread out farms with an inn and marketplace in the center. The only problems they ever have are goblins looting barn houses or a farmer or two who tries to sell outside the local guild’s rules.

There will be no need to bring proof of your investigation or subsequent...elimination of the problem. I trust Wyce and can trust that any friend of his would be competent enough to know not to cheat one of Keldon’s Orders. If you have any questions, please ask them now. I would like for you to leave come morning so that no one else is killed."

After finishing her long-winded speech the lady sits back in the chair and looks at the assembled party. She seems pleased to get the words out and to a one you can tell that the issue is of great worry to her. She shuts her eyes briefly, showing a brief sign of tiredness.

moritheil · Feb 26, 2008

Alatheil's eyes harden and she grows grave at the description of the murder. She is quiet for now, letting others ask the first question while she thinks of possible reasons.

OOC : Knowledge checks - can she think of any significance to the details?

Know religion, arcana, nobility (1d20 10=14, 1d20 10=27, 1d20 9=11)

covaithe · Feb 26, 2008

Geraint Beldarane, Favored Soul 3, 24/24 hp

Geraint's face is somber as the lady relates the details of the slaughter. "Dreamer guard their rest," he says solemnly when she finishes. "This is a terrible tale you bear, my lady, and my comrades and I will waste no time doing our utmost to see the survivors protected and the culprits... dealt with, but... Truly, this is shocking. Can you think of any reason that anyone would bear ill will towards the followers of Rivka? Was there no explanation, no threats against the rest of the populace?"

[sblock=ooc]Would we have any idea where Wexen's Crossing is? If not, Geraint will want to inquire about its location, of course.[/sblock]

renau1g · Feb 26, 2008

While he awaits the response from Geraint's questions, Xavier will lean back in his chair and try to digest the news. He'll also attempt to recall anything he might have heard locally about the town and rumblings of trouble (Knowledge(local) (1d20+5=9) ).