(Adventure) The Haunted Halls of Stonepike

[nimisgod]

[OOC: Times like these, I curse my 8 wisdom]

Lost in his own contemplations about the beast's true nature, it took the Halfling a minute or two to intuit the meaning behind Rurik's gesture. He glanced to his comrades to see if anyone else had inquiries to make. As for himself, he could no longer recount of what he was thinking ere his thoughts were disrupted.

If everyone else is done asking questions he says this: "My Lord, we are to continue our investigations. Should we discover signs of the beast, we shall report these to thee as soon as we are able. Likewise, if thine subjects find anything, anything at all, about the creature, please inform us."

Otherwise, he keeps silent to await the ending of the questions.

 

[dpdx]

[I think what we're waiting for here, then, is some sort of 'by your leave' from the Chamberlain, or Lord Stonepike, to let us know the adventure has begun.]

Rurik, hearing nothing in the way of further questions, bows to the assembled regents and turns for the door [we're in the audience room, right?]. As stated earlier, it is his intention to follow the map straightaway to the crypts in hopes of catching the beast napping, stopping of course to kill anything that stands in his way...

 

[Uriel]

OoC: OK, I was hoping that AMG would chime in, since he hasn't posted in a bit,but...


IC

The Chamberlain clears his throat and smiles at you all. 'Well, Goode Folk. Beast or no Beast, we have tedious business to attend to,and a Hold to run. You are excused, and I will be available come SUppertime, should you wish to speak again. I will leave you all to your own devices.'
The Chamberlain gestures towards the door, and the assembled Dwarves file out, except foer the Captain of the Guard, who stays and talks with the Chamberlain and Lord Stonepike.

*****************************************************


You find yourselves in the hallway, having been told that you have free run of the Hold (within reason, the treasury is off limits, obviously. As well, barging into someone's private quarters is in bad taste.), able to wander or move with purpose as you see fit.

OoC:Where to, folks?


Edit:Spelling

 

[nimisgod]

OOC: I guess that we're going to the crypts as Rurik wants to do.

 

[Keia]

OOC: I guess that we're going to the crypts as Rurik wants to do.

"I 'spose one place is as good as another . . . ," Thurgan mused.

 

[Aranel]

Glad it was mostly over, the talking that was, Aranel looked one way, then another, then scratched her head. There was only one place she really wanted to examine closly. But for now...
"I'm with Rurik, crypts sound delightful." she decided cheerfully. Seemed like the safest idea so far...there would probably be a chnace closer to the end of the job to more closely examine the treasury...

 

[Uriel]

Making your way down the stairs to the lower levels, you are quite impressed with the level of detail that the Stonepike Dwarves worked their home with. Torch Sconces are ornate with scenes of warriors,anvils, mining and everyday life of Chennet's Folk. Murals painted upon walls in the stairways show the history of the place.The flagstones of the floor are patterned in intricate and beautiful designs of pale blue, russet red and the most beautiful shade of pale green.

The Lower level is much cooler than the upper level, although there is an obvious clash of temperature, as the Forges to the South conflict with the river that travels into the Hold. Several Dwarfs are fishing in the water, glancing at you nervously, though not with alarm, as you are obviously not the beast. The Causeway leading to the Crypts is a low affair, the walkway a mere foot above the level of the water.One of the fishermen sees you looking at it and says 'Fear not thet ye'll ghit stranded, friends. The water never gits higher then the causeway. Fact is, we kin shut 'er off as well, with a small dam near where the river enters the Hold.' The Dwarf then turns his attention to his pole, where something is pulling strongly. After a moment, he whips the line up, sending a pale crustacean flyig up onto the walkway, a crayfish the size of a cat.
Quickly grabbing it with a pair of tongs, he plops it into a large bucket, where another smaller one can be seen. Smiling, the dwarf sets about baiting his line with a woung strip of bacon.'They likes bacon, as do th' catfish.Nothin gits em asking fer a dinner invite like a good strip o'bacon,I tell ye...'


OoC:My sister and I used to catch crayfish with bacon in the canals near our home. She once caught a tiny channel catfish with bacon as well, kept him for a oer for quite a few years.

 

[nimisgod]

Sir Ishmael peered at the dark waters with no small measure of caution (fear). It seemed to him that a halfling would easily fall victim to the river's flows. He made sure that his steps were surefooted now, lest he plunge to the water's cold depths.

"I hath never before tasted crayfish nor catfish." Sir Ishmael looked warily at the imprisoned crustracean, keeping his fingers to himself. "Do they taste good?"

 

[dpdx]

"Aye, 'ere not bad eatin' a' tall, tho' I ne'er seen one whut could take a rat like 'at one 'ere," Rurik replies to Ishmael, impressed as the group heads downward.

Rurik turns to the fisherman who spoke, addressing them all in his more comfortable Dwarven. "We appreciate the reassurance, friends. We descend to investigate the recent murders of many valuable citizens of Stonepike, and we hope to never hear you described as 'former fishermen'. So perhaps you might assist us with your knowledge - have you seen anything unusual in these parts, recently?"

[Can Rurik get a Gather Info check from the fishermen?]

 

[Uriel]

"I hath never before tasted crayfish nor catfish." Sir Ishmael looked warily at the imprisoned crustracean, keeping his fingers to himself. "Do they taste good?"

The Dwarf laughs and says 'Aye, good Halfling. They taste delicious, though, I bet they'd think the same of ye. SOme of em get's bigger than a man, the ones thet wash in from the lake rumoured ta be deeper ina the mountains...'

To Rurik the old Dwarf hesitates a moment, looking to his companion, who seems insistant that he say something that he's keeping back (with bulging eyes and an exasperated look) says 'Well, Master Rurik. I haint one ta make up stories, old Durgan there kin tell ye. But...'
He falters and goes quiet. The other fisherdwarf says 'Tell em, ye blasted old badger, they's 'ere ta right things and git this business done with!'

The first Dwarf nods nervously and continues 'Well, two days ago, me'an Durgan here wuz heading back up from the water here and we sees somethin big and covered in darkness go flyin' past us, heading back down into the depths. It wuz all wngs and such...though it's 2 green eyes'll haunt me fer my lasting days. Te thing passed by within 20 feet of us, and wuz gone. Later, we learned thet that young Buntil got slayed, the poor lad just a year in the guard an'all.' The Dwarfs both doff their caps at the mention of the dead young dwarf, then Durgan continues where his friend left off 'We di'nt git a good look at te thing, but those eyes...and it wuz bigger'n a dwarf,too. Sized as a Human, maybe as big's a Bainlunder even..'

<Bainlunders are fairly stock,if not overly tall>