(Casual D&D III) The Man in Black
Guilt Puppy
First Post
Shavah wanders over to the monument, brushing her fingers through the leaves of the hedges.
"We heard of him as a fallen knight -- I don't think we should be surprised to find that he'd done good things in his past." She looks around, evaluating the place. "If this were a twelve-foot bronze statue, I'd be more worried. But this is far from grand... He can't be too great a local hero."
"We heard of him as a fallen knight -- I don't think we should be surprised to find that he'd done good things in his past." She looks around, evaluating the place. "If this were a twelve-foot bronze statue, I'd be more worried. But this is far from grand... He can't be too great a local hero."
dpdx
Explorer
Hiritus looks on with interest.
"They used to tell us when we were squires, that you couldn't be a dark knight without having been a knight. I'm not surprised he's got a plaque, at least."
Fendric reads a little further.
"Tournean Incursion... I hope the people there are not still hostile, May the Light Protect Us... We yet have that journey in front of us."
"At least that one's been over for a while. Still, it might be a good idea to drop off the letter and just leave, without too much proclamation of the author's fall..."
Hiritus looks around to make sure no one outside the group can hear him - despite his favorable impression of Despia, it's not too unimaginable that the City may have a rule against 'maligning great heroes of Despia,' however fairly (or unfairly) the accusations come.
"They used to tell us when we were squires, that you couldn't be a dark knight without having been a knight. I'm not surprised he's got a plaque, at least."
Fendric reads a little further.
"Tournean Incursion... I hope the people there are not still hostile, May the Light Protect Us... We yet have that journey in front of us."
"At least that one's been over for a while. Still, it might be a good idea to drop off the letter and just leave, without too much proclamation of the author's fall..."
Hiritus looks around to make sure no one outside the group can hear him - despite his favorable impression of Despia, it's not too unimaginable that the City may have a rule against 'maligning great heroes of Despia,' however fairly (or unfairly) the accusations come.
Festy_Dog
First Post
Nurthk dismounts so that he too can take a closer look.
"We need not mention anything of his current state if we're simply looking into his past. If he's had much of an effect here I'd wager we could find a few gems of knowledge if we try," he says, "I imagine stories of a heroic Thedoric would be pretty popular among the natives, though nonembelished ones would be preferred for our purposes. Any insight his past actions would give into his current ones would be handy."
"We need not mention anything of his current state if we're simply looking into his past. If he's had much of an effect here I'd wager we could find a few gems of knowledge if we try," he says, "I imagine stories of a heroic Thedoric would be pretty popular among the natives, though nonembelished ones would be preferred for our purposes. Any insight his past actions would give into his current ones would be handy."
Guilt Puppy
First Post
Shavah nods to Nurthk's sentiment. "Shall we start asking around the taverns, then? Or wait until morning?" The sun has only set recently, but given the number of days spent travelling of late, it does not seem too early to sleep.
(Once you decide how to go about probing the townsfolk, include some Gather Information check.)
(Once you decide how to go about probing the townsfolk, include some Gather Information check.)
Festy_Dog
First Post
Nurthk reaches for his coin purse and gives it a jingle.
"I'm willing to do my research now. Evening's probably the best, what with folks gathering at their favoured drinking holes about now and itching for a good yarn after the day's work. I bet if we're willing to shout people a drink or two they'd be content to share what they know of a city hero," he hypothesizes, "Anyone know a decent tavern we can all meet at once we're done?"
[ooc: Willing to spend any decent amount of coin to satisfy sources.
gather information - rolled 11]
"I'm willing to do my research now. Evening's probably the best, what with folks gathering at their favoured drinking holes about now and itching for a good yarn after the day's work. I bet if we're willing to shout people a drink or two they'd be content to share what they know of a city hero," he hypothesizes, "Anyone know a decent tavern we can all meet at once we're done?"
[ooc: Willing to spend any decent amount of coin to satisfy sources.
gather information - rolled 11]
Guilt Puppy
First Post
(I'll assume the following party split for information-gathering: Fendric & Hiritus, Nurthk & Shavah, Raven & Tatlock, Oliver & Xiao... For each group, I'll base results on the higher of the two checks, with a +2 bonus if the other check is above 10. If you'd prefer different groupings, feel free to state so.)
Nurthk & Shavah: For the most part, the commonfolk don't seem too sure about the history of Thedoric, but with a few drinks, Nurthk is able to get some to share what they do know. Lord Thedoric's name is known mostly as simply the name on the monument; the "Tournean incursion," it seems, happened roughly thirty years ago. It didn't concern the common population much, save for rumors of and early preparations for a war with Tourne. The war never materialized, and Thedoric was apparently credited for this. (Note: Mark off 10 gp.)
Shavah, for her part, can't get anyone to say much of anything on the subject. Dejected, she sits, drinks, and lets Nurthk do the talking. (Fumble.)
Raven & Tatlock: Initial results are discouraging, as much of the population appears ignorant of this bit of history, but Tatlock strikes gold with an older half-orc who seems impressed by what he must perceive as the boy's youthful curiosity.
"This all happened when I was a much younger man, working as a clerk in the Defense Armory, but I'll share what I can remember," he begins. "It started with rumors, first, and then a notice came to prepare for the possibility of battle -- that meant double-checking all the gear for defects and needed repairs, confirming the supply charts against the available Defensemen, and so forth. Tourne had starting building military ports along the North shore, understand, which was taken by the boots in charge as a fairly threatening action. Anyway, before we even had a complete soldier's sort ready word came down to resume normal peacetime activity, which meant of course we had to go back and sort everything back into by item, that's instead of by man. Short of it was, it was a big fuss about nothing: Tourne just sort of packed up and went back to Tourne. Far as I could tell, it was just a lot of foot-stamping, no real 'cause for concern. I do recall they had some ceremony for erecting that monument, but I didn't attend. Seemed over and done with already, as far as I was concerned." (However much more he knows or is willing to share will, of course, be dependent on Raven's check.)
Nurthk & Shavah: For the most part, the commonfolk don't seem too sure about the history of Thedoric, but with a few drinks, Nurthk is able to get some to share what they do know. Lord Thedoric's name is known mostly as simply the name on the monument; the "Tournean incursion," it seems, happened roughly thirty years ago. It didn't concern the common population much, save for rumors of and early preparations for a war with Tourne. The war never materialized, and Thedoric was apparently credited for this. (Note: Mark off 10 gp.)
Shavah, for her part, can't get anyone to say much of anything on the subject. Dejected, she sits, drinks, and lets Nurthk do the talking. (Fumble.)
Raven & Tatlock: Initial results are discouraging, as much of the population appears ignorant of this bit of history, but Tatlock strikes gold with an older half-orc who seems impressed by what he must perceive as the boy's youthful curiosity.
"This all happened when I was a much younger man, working as a clerk in the Defense Armory, but I'll share what I can remember," he begins. "It started with rumors, first, and then a notice came to prepare for the possibility of battle -- that meant double-checking all the gear for defects and needed repairs, confirming the supply charts against the available Defensemen, and so forth. Tourne had starting building military ports along the North shore, understand, which was taken by the boots in charge as a fairly threatening action. Anyway, before we even had a complete soldier's sort ready word came down to resume normal peacetime activity, which meant of course we had to go back and sort everything back into by item, that's instead of by man. Short of it was, it was a big fuss about nothing: Tourne just sort of packed up and went back to Tourne. Far as I could tell, it was just a lot of foot-stamping, no real 'cause for concern. I do recall they had some ceremony for erecting that monument, but I didn't attend. Seemed over and done with already, as far as I was concerned." (However much more he knows or is willing to share will, of course, be dependent on Raven's check.)
Festy_Dog
First Post
"Don't worry yourself over it," Nurthk says, bringing a drink over for Shavah and himself once he had finished getting around, "Asking the locals works as often as it doesn't for me. Half-breeds like myself aren't usually social sorts anyway, so it's mostly luck. I just happened to learn how to fake interest when I was younger. Guess it's just a matter of waiting for the others now."
dpdx
Explorer
Hiritus (Gather Info.): 9 +3 = 12;
Fendric (Gather Info.): 1 +4 = 5 (fumble).
Fendric, his holy symbol of Pelor dangling haphazardly from his neck, his humility stifled in his pocket, gets a cold, borderline hostile reception from the Despians he talks to. Hiritus, on the other hand, not only saves Fendric from several possible beatings and/or arrests, but also manages to smooth over enough locals to actually do the thing they set out to do.
Escaping the lynch mob, Hiritus and Fendric find themselves at the bar, where Nurthk and Shavah are returning from the bar.
"'In the Holy Name of the Radiant Light we request information on Thedoric?' Are you insane, Brother?"
Fendric, dejected and chastised, surrenders to Hiritus' berating. "I... apologize, and thank you for your intervention, Brother. I cannot justify my technique, so I will not."
"Fair enough. Your apology to me is accepted. But what were you doing casting at them?"
"I was casting Tongues on myself, so I could understand better. I thought it might help. It's a new spell..."
This seems to set the young knight off anew.
"WHY? It's the language of the Realm! Everyone we talked to speaks it here!"
"You don't say! Even that gnome we saw near the cobbler's?"
"Yes - in fact, that gnome was Bolo, a nice fellow, and he was happy to tell us what he knew, until he thought you were going to turn him into a squirrel!"
"But that was just Zone of Truth..."
"Don't mock me, Fendric!"
"I give my word of honor that's what it was, Brother!"
"ARGH! Next time we do this, YOU stay home!"
Fendric (Gather Info.): 1 +4 = 5 (fumble).
Fendric, his holy symbol of Pelor dangling haphazardly from his neck, his humility stifled in his pocket, gets a cold, borderline hostile reception from the Despians he talks to. Hiritus, on the other hand, not only saves Fendric from several possible beatings and/or arrests, but also manages to smooth over enough locals to actually do the thing they set out to do.
Escaping the lynch mob, Hiritus and Fendric find themselves at the bar, where Nurthk and Shavah are returning from the bar.
"'In the Holy Name of the Radiant Light we request information on Thedoric?' Are you insane, Brother?"
Fendric, dejected and chastised, surrenders to Hiritus' berating. "I... apologize, and thank you for your intervention, Brother. I cannot justify my technique, so I will not."
"Fair enough. Your apology to me is accepted. But what were you doing casting at them?"
"I was casting Tongues on myself, so I could understand better. I thought it might help. It's a new spell..."
This seems to set the young knight off anew.
"WHY? It's the language of the Realm! Everyone we talked to speaks it here!"
"You don't say! Even that gnome we saw near the cobbler's?"
"Yes - in fact, that gnome was Bolo, a nice fellow, and he was happy to tell us what he knew, until he thought you were going to turn him into a squirrel!"
"But that was just Zone of Truth..."
"Don't mock me, Fendric!"
"I give my word of honor that's what it was, Brother!"
"ARGH! Next time we do this, YOU stay home!"
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