Before the Rise of Tiamat

[JustinCase]

Grimnir doesn’t know whether he feels good about getting old Walther to safety or not, but at least he wasn’t too stubborn to struggle much when the two dwarves practically dragged him to the ford.

The cleric gladly follows his new friend Mornok to whoever’s in charge.

 

[Envisioner]

Lyle gathers a list of people who are unaccounted for, updating it as he gathers new information. While most of the village's population made it into the keep, a significant percentage (something in the high single digits, let's say) are possibly stuck outside. They might well gather in the town's second-safest location, the temple of Chauntea, but a house of worship dedicated to the Farmers' Goddess is hardly a fortification; they'll be in trouble if the raiders aren't just following the path of least resistance, although it's a good bet that the kobolds at least will do just that.

Mornok locates a distincly nervous-looking guardswoman who directs him to check in with the town's Sherrif, one Tarbeck Reyne, who is conferring with Red Ascot, his castellan, on the second floor of the keep's main tower. (The town does have a Mayor by the name of Hillister MeKnight, who presides over trade agreements and acts as a justice of the peace, but in a crisis situation like this, the Sherrif's usually-ceremonial authority puts him in charge of the emergency response. In a larger town, an arrangement like that would be likely to result in the Sherrif being corrupt and possibly arranging just the emergency which justifies him seizing power, but talking to the folk of Greenest for five minutes will confirm that Lord Reyne is a lifetime resident, well-known to those in the know, and almost universally trusted.)

 

[gnarlygninja]

Lyle twirls one of his daggers in his fingers as he considers his options. These people will probably need help. I could sneak out myself but...no, I'd have to climb down the wall or fast talk my way out. These guards might not be worth much but even they know not to open the gates. Besides, I can't do much on my own. The dagger twirls faster as Lyle thinks harder. I guess there's no helping it, I'll have to talk to the sheriff about it.
Long years as a criminal have taught Lyle there's little good in talking to the authorities, but even Arvoreen and Brandobaris work together sometimes. He sheathes his dagger and heads to see the sheriff

 

[gargoyleking]

Mornok strides into the room with the Sherrif and Castellan and pulls up to a position of attention before giving a standard dwarven salute.

"Sherrif? Me name be Mornok o' the Storm'ammer clan. I jus' got intae town meself, but I'd like tae' help where'n I'm needed. I dinnae have me trusty armor, but I have a good 'ammer an' spells tae' sling. An' this 'ere be me gud friend Grimnir, a priest o' th' sea. But I'll let 'im introduce 'imself."

 

[JustinCase]

Grimnir nods politely as he’s being introduced, then continues, ”Grimnir Hammerdeep, from Luskan. I’m a priest of Umberlee passing through, when I spotted the army using the storm for cover. Glad to help in any way I can.”

 

[Envisioner]

OOC: For the record, the army wasn't really under the cover of the storm, so much as just the cover of darkness. Indeed, you almost certainly wouldn't have known about the dragon until it was right on top of you, had the lightning not picked it out well in advance.

 

[gargoyleking]

OOC: Maybe, but if the storm hadn't suddenly abated nobody would have seen them coming. Probably a coincidence of the story telling. But that's how it felt to me too.

 

[JustinCase]

OOC: Alright, I missed that. However... Personality Traits: I stretch the truth for the sake of a good story, ...it’s a better story in Grimnir’s mind.

 

[Envisioner]

OOC: Continue to roleplay that, and there's Inspiration coming your way.

The party finds Sherrif Reyne and Red Ascot (who proves to be a dwarf, by the way) poring over a hastily-sketched map of the town, with various small found objects being used to mark the observed positions of the invaders; as soldiers rotate in from guard posts atop the tower, they give brief dispatches and the map is updated accordingly. Ascot continues fiddling with the map, comparing it to a large metal plaque he's holding, but Reyne looks up as the three of you enter. "Ah, gentlemen, I'm told that you were helping to coordinate the evacuation out there; I'm thankful for your assistance. This keep has never actually been used before, and my proposal to conduct annual drills has been repeatedly denied by the city council. Somehow I suspect they will vote differently at the next meeting, assuming they remain among the survivors; this isn't some big city where the aristocrats get special treatment, so they continue to be answerable to the same civic responsibilities as any other citizen, including the same risks in this time of crisis.

"But I digress. Assuming you fellows are amenable to helping out more than you've already done, there are two immediate concerns I'd like you to see to, since I can't spare any of the town's defenders from the immediate protection of the keep. We believe that the survivors who couldn't reach the castle before it was sealed have regrouped at the Almanac House, the local temple to Shawnteeah; it's likely that the structure has already been besieged, and it was never designed to keep people out. Also, I'm interested in knowing the identity of our attackers, and what exactly motivates this invasion, beyond the fact that we're simply located on a significant trade route. There are other towns of comparable size not too far from here; I'd like to know why they chose to strike here, and for that we need to capture one of their commanders. If you're willing to take on either of these assignments, there are two ways of getting you outside; the keep has a sally port, although it's in poor repair and currently can't be gotten open, so it will have to be looked at by one or two workmen, and then I'll need to assign guards to protect it. Alternately, there's an emergency exit tunnel which leads from here to the streambed, which is unlikely to be detected as anything other than a sewer grate by the intruders, assuming they're even checking that area. So it's more safe from the attackers, but it's suffered over a decade of benign neglect due to our previous lack of actual emergencies; I'd imagine it's choked with vermin and other such impediments by now, so it will be difficult, unpleasant, and possibly slightly dangerous to traverse."

 

[JustinCase]

Grimnir nods as he takes in the information.

”Of course we can help,” he says after a brief glance at Mornok. ”That’s why we’re here. Perhaps there’s a townsman who can show us the way undetected? I’d rather not face that dragon, or an entire army.”

The dwarf winks, and adds, ”Done that once. Never again.”