Insight's Histhaven - IC

[Insight]

Carric

"Histhaven it is. Let's see if the people there are as fatalistic as the Prince." Carric says, ready to move on.

[sblock=OOC]
no problem with jumping to Histhaven.
This wasn't an encounter, right?
(Please remember that I can only try to get rid of my 'curse' after rolling good after 2 encounters. It persists during a long rest and I got to draw an additional one, with anyone else.)[/sblock]

OOC: This is not considered an encounter. If you had attacked the Prince, I suppose it could have been.

 

[Insight]

OOC: The consensus seems to be to move on to Histhaven. So be it.

THE ROAD TO HISTHAVEN
Aleksey, Carric, Markal, and Penny, making their way through a murky wood, easily find the road. It is a simple dirt road and does not appear to have seen much traffic in recent days. Given the Prince's directions, the companions travel north along this road.

The companions pass broken and worn road signs. They indicate that the travelers are indeed heading towards Histhaven and also that this road is known as "The Great Road". Along the way, the companions see evidence that farms were once located along this road, but that these farms have been abandoned and succumbed to overgrowth and signs of neglect. Few animals are seen in the wood; the companions occasionally spot a deer or squirrel that flees further into the forest.

The most important detail that each of the companions notice is that the woods, the road signs, the forgotten farms, all show signs of death and decay. This was clearly a peaceful, pastoral region at one time, but something has cast a shadowy pall over everything.

The companions cross a rotten bridge, just as the Prince described. It is a covered, wooden bridge, once painted some shade of red. The bridge is now barely serviceable, creaking and replete with cracked and worn planks. The bridge crosses a trickling stream that could easily be crossed by avoiding the bridge altogether. In the bridge, Aleksey thinks he sees a skull laying among some leaves, but it turns out to be a curious stone shaped like a skull.

Once past the rotten bridge, the companions exit the wood and find themselves on a bleak plain. In the distance, a large structure of some kind sits at the edge of a bluff. As the companions continue along the Great Road, they close in on this edifice, which looks like some sort of keep. The place is worn and dillapidated, as if ravaged by the wear of time. No guards are evident at the gate to this keep. The companions spot heraldry on weathered banners and tapestries that matches what they saw worn by the Prince.

Below the bluff is a small village of perhaps two dozen thatched-roof buildings. The place is depressingly vacant. Perhaps a few people are seen walking about, but the place does not seem alive in any sense of that term.

As the companions continue, they come upon a peddler, pulling a hand-cart full of spoiled cabbage and radishes. She perks up ever so slightly as she sees the travelers.

"Who are you, then, that come from the Night Wood?" the peddler asks in a crackled voice.

 

[tiornys]

Markal

"I am Markal von Bradmoor, goodlady, and these are companions, chance-met upon the road." Markal smiles as he speaks, tipping his helm briefly. "Have we come to Histhaven? Or need we travel onward to reach that destination?"

 

[Shayuri]

Penny edges around the cart away from the peddler and eyes the produce speculatively. It's been a fair little while since she'd eaten last after all, and a growing halfling like herself...well...they might not NEED so much as they ate, but you never knew for sure when or even IF your next meal was coming, so no harm in taking what you could get when you could get it.

 

[Cor Azer]

As the peddler nears, Aleksey pulls his cloak slightly tighter - no need to announced his vistani heritage to everyone before learning how superstitious the villagers are - but he realizes it's probably moot - his heeled boots and and coin-laced vest leave little doubt to any who've heard the tales.

He listens to Markal's greeting with interest, relieved at both brevity and honesty. His vistani instincts jump to the fore when he sees Penny circling the peddler's cart, and steps forward slightly to speak, possibly distracting the lady so she won't notice the halfling... or perhaps giving the same time to reconsider her actions.

"We're not from near lands, so we're unfamiliar with your geography - is there ill winds that drive through this Night Wood? Are visitors from there uncommon?"

 

[Insight]

ON THE GREAT ROAD - HISTHAVEN

"I am Markal von Bradmoor, goodlady, and these are companions, chance-met upon the road." Markal smiles as he speaks, tipping his helm briefly. "Have we come to Histhaven? Or need we travel onward to reach that destination?"

The peddler smirks at Markal. "I'd mind telling the Prince that you're some sort of noble. I mean, but your name... It speaks of a certain... nobility..." She throws down her hands, apparently disgusted at something unspoken.

The peddler looks at the others, then back to Markal. "The Prince brooks no interference with those who would undo his reign. Be forewarned."

 

[tiornys]

Markal

"While I do claim nobility, I am but a lesser son of a minor house. Nothing for the Prince to worry about! Truly, I have no desire," Markal shudders, "absolutely NO desire to rule anything, let alone lands that are claimed by another. Is the Prince so jealous of his rule that he fears any hint of other nobles?"

Markal pauses, then continues. "But I fear I have distracted you with my name. Please, is this Histhaven? And, what of my companion's query? Markal nods to indicate Aleksey as he speaks.

[sblock=Mechanics]Diplomacy to persuade the peddler to share information.[/sblock]

 

[Walking Dad]

Carric

Carric is content with just listening to the exchange... for now.

[sblock=OOC]
[MENTION=17633]tiornys[/MENTION] Had you included the hal-elf 'aura' diplomacy bonus?

will use passive Insight to determine if the peddler is saying the truth.

[sblock=Quick Sheet]
Carric
Perception: 21 Insight: 23 Low-lightl Vision
AC 23 (21) Fortitude 18 Reflex 18 Will 19
Initiative: +4
Hit Points: 44 / 44 Bloodied: 22
Temporary Hit Points: 0
Resist: 5 necrotic
Saving Throw: -
Action Points: 1 Second Wind: 1
Milestones: 0.0
Healing Surge: 11 Surges per day: 10 / 10
At-Will Powers: Death's Shadow, Tenebrous Blessing
Encounter Powers: Healing Word 2/2, Hand of Radiance, Shining Symbol, Smite Undead / Stay the Hand of Death, Inevitable Doom, Eye of the Vulture, Death Surge
Daily Powers: Moment of Glory, Blackened Soul, Iron to Glass

Condition:

[/sblock][/sblock]

 

[tiornys]

[sblock=OOC]Nope, forgot the bonus. So, that would be a 26 Diplomacy.[/sblock]

 

[Insight]

"While I do claim nobility, I am but a lesser son of a minor house. Nothing for the Prince to worry about! Truly, I have no desire," Markal shudders, "absolutely NO desire to rule anything, let alone lands that are claimed by another. Is the Prince so jealous of his rule that he fears any hint of other nobles?"

Markal pauses, then continues. "But I fear I have distracted you with my name. Please, is this Histhaven? And, what of my companion's query? Markal nods to indicate Aleksey as he speaks.

The female peddler coughs as she looks at Aleksey. "The Night Wood? Pray that nothing comes from there..." She lifts an eyebrow as she regards the gloomy forest in the distance. "Specially those druids. Mind yourself around those types."

She half-turns towards a collection of thatched-roof buildings down the hill. "That is indeed Histhaven. They are wary of strangers. Brings trouble." She coughs again. "I see that the Prince is away. His guards will be at the keep. You should be safe enough for now. When the Prince returns, he will learn of your arrival here and will be most displeased. My advice? Take care of whatever business you have in Histhaven and make haste out of this place... if you can."