Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="drnuncheon" data-source="post: 427244" data-attributes="member: 96">The mayor's office is a few blocks away, and just outside, Lucius and Phillippa take their leave of you. The mayor leads you into the building - a combination city hall and courthouse, but largely deserted at this time of night - and sits down at his desk."First, I'd like to thank you for volunteering to help us," he says. "Few people would be so kind - most would just flee to a different town."Ahoke shrugs, and says gruffly, "Oh, that's alright. I haven't been able to fight enemies for many weeks, ever since those orcs tried to ambush me... I look forward to the opportunity to do it again."Mayor Waterman looks aghast. "Orcs? I'm sure we don't have those around here." He swallows. "I hope."The Harvester laughs softly. "It's no matter, Mayor Waterman... Why run in fear, when the Master is ever near?" He shrugs. 'Besides, we've nowhere else to go at the moment, and I've got business to conduct later..."For some reason, the Mayor looks faintly disturbed at the Harvester's words, his eyes falling on the holy symbol that rests around the cleric's neck. "I...I see. Well, if there is anything that I can do to, ah, to help speed you on your w...er, your search, please, tell me."Ahoke grins at the mayor. "Even if there were, we would ensure that the streets would run red with their blood. Don't worry yourself about it." She changes the subject abruptly. "Where did the heroes go to look for the children?"The Harvester notices the mayor's attention on his holy symbol and allows it to spin hypnotically, from grinning skull face to the engraved tree spreading its limbs across."I'm not certain," the mayor admits. "I imagine that they searched the area where the children went missing from - the woods, down by the river - but nobody knows where they went from there, and nobody else has found anything."Bowing in response, Sen-Jyu replies after some thought, "If... if I may speak in earnest." His mind is already made up, however, so whatever the Mayor's hopes for tact, Sen-Jyu has overriden them."You are the mayor of a people plagued by a number of horrific events. Even one of these would be enough to question a malignance in your midst, but with so many, it seems a certainty. I spoke up because... I cannot abide despair, and it is a poison spreading through this town." Sen-Jyu's honest expression is enough to convey his sincerity."But to help your people, we will also need your help... your trust and your forthrightness."The Harvester remains quiet, allowing Sen-Jyu to act as Voice for the trio.Mayor Waterman looks a bit confused. "Well...of course you may have it."Ahoke hmms. "So did the children frequently play together? The ones that disappeared?"Mayor Waterman looks doubtful. "They were only a few years apart...but they didn't all disappear at the same time."Sen-Jyu waits for the mayor to answer Ahoke's question before beginning his own.The Harvester looks around the office, then helps himself to a chair. He sits casually while listening to his companions grill the mayor.Sen-Jyu draws a deep breath, and inquires, "Let me ask these questions of you altogether, so maybe you can understand what it is that I seek: what could have caused the townsfolk to believe the mines to be dangerous or affiliated with the troubles that have been afflicting them, and what assurances and measures have the Krekkets made to disprove this belief?"Mayor Waterman shakes his head. "The people are desperate. They're looking for something - anything - to explain what's going on. A few of them have heard Cobble's rantings, a few of them have had dreams with the mine in them, and, well..." He shrugs, and sighs. "The Krekkets are concerned because the mines aren't just their livelihood - they're the entire town's. Without the copper and the bells, we have nothing."Ahoke frowns. "Are people worried enough that they aren't going to the mines every day?""Some of them," Waterman admits to the dwarf. "And all the missed sleep hasn't done anything for the production either." Looking to the Harvester, he sighs. "Yes, you're right - and it /is/ troubling. But," he brightens. "Utrish has never been wrong before, and she told Phillippa that all of that would stop within the week. So really, it's the children I'm most worried about."The Harvester murmurs, his deep voice resonating throughout the small room, "And yet, the town is in ill health. Whatever the reason, it is highly unusual, improbable and unlikely that each and every person in the village would suffer from a plague of nightmares and headaches..."Ahoke says, "Would it be possible for us to meet this Utrish?"The Harvester laughs aloud, "The end of this may prove to be a VERY bad thing, mayor.... Depending on your views, of course."Mayor Waterman looks concerned at the Harvester's words, but chooses to answer Ahoke instead. "I imagine so. She lives to the south of town, off of the foundry road."Ahoke nods. "I imagine that we should pay her a visit in the morning.""We may need more than that," says Sen-Jyu. "For example, if despite the assurances of the Krekkets our investigations should lead to the mines, I would like your pledge to help us gain the support of the Krekkets in exploring the mines freely.""Well...I'm sure that they'd have no problem with that. But really, the children were nowhere near Krekket's mines when they vanished - and if they were in them now, they'd have been found," says Waterman.Sen-Jyu nods in agreement, "But while your concerns for the children are appreciated, it still seems that there is much more at work here than simply their disappearance. I am asking only for utmost cooperation when it is necessary."The Harvester uncrosses and recrosses his legs, slowly. "Never say never..." A shrug. "Where _were_ they when they disappeared?""The children were in the woods, down by the river - as I said," snaps Waterman. He appears to be a little testy at having to repeat himself, but his expression clears again. "I'm sorry," he says, sitting back. "/Everyone/ in town is having a hard time sleeping, including me.""I think you," Sen-Jyu nods to the Harvester, "were interested in seeing Cobble, and I was interested in the bell-tower. Could we be given access to them? Accompanied, of course."The Harvester allows his brows to rise with amusement. A nod, then, to Sen-Jyu.Mayor Waterman nods. "I don't see why not..." He pulls a paper from his desk and scribbles a quick note, which he hands to the Harvester. "Give that to Capain Haldik, or whoever is on duty at the guardhouse." To Sen-Jyu, he says, "I could show you the tower now, if you like."The Harvester accepts the paper and gives it a cursory glance before nodding once.Ahoke nods once, and then stands up. "I'm going to head out now. I'll meet the two of you back at the inn later."Sen-Jyu shakes his head with a smile, holding up one hand in polite deference. "No, that is fine -- I would rather make sure that you at least can make the attempt at sleep rather than follow our whims all night. I speak of the coming days, Mayor; my curiosity is sparked by a journal that we had been permitted to read at the Bell and Clapper. I think that the bell has something to do with some of the odd occurrences."The Harvester rises, also, "See you at the inn later, Kay."Ahoke waves, nods once to the Mayor, and then leaves.Mayor Waterman looks relieved that the strange ones seem to be going, and he's left with the (relatively) normal Sen-Jyu.</blockquote>

Verification