Hero's Quest (Solo Eberron Campaign)

[Blackrat]

(I'll repost the end of last IG post to recap.)

The low humming sound of the wagon, and the smooth vibration it makes as it moves across the land is oddly relaxing and you feel the worries of world melting away, if only for a while. You have some small talk with Failin and learn to know him a bit better. The journey is uneventfull in itself as the wagon moves quite quicly and nothing bothers trying to chase it.

A couple of days later, as twilight is setting on northern Darguun your carriage is closing on Rose Quarry. The wall of dead-gray mist that forms the border of Mournland can be seen in the distance as Failin stops the carriage on a small rise in the land. "Were you expecting company?" A vast plateau, bounded to the west by a narrow canyon, stretches before you. The quarry extends for at least a mile, and the nearby village spreads across the plateau. At least what's left of it. Anything made of wood has burned to cinders, leaving a handfull of stone facades, rock foundations and chimneys behind. Everything glitters in the last rays of sun in a way that makes the village look like it was covered by a layer of ice. From Failin's earlier words you remember it is actually glass-like substance.

You also notice another source of light. In the southern part of the village, a fire burns in a large pit, surrounded by four tents. There are seven humanoid figures, moving around the campsite. You also see dozen or so horses on the edge of the light.

There can be heard a distinct ringing sound, like that of a pick striking to stone coming from the northern part of the town. You figure it could be coming from near the two large buildings that can just be seen in the dim twilight. The other looks to have been a two story building, a village-hall or somesuch and the other looks like remains of a temple.

OOC:
Map key:

R1: The camp. You see seven humanoids hanging around and taking time to count, 16 horses on the edge of the firelight.

R2: No need to consern these. They are marks on encounters that I'm not using.

R3: The village hall looking building.

R4: Temple.

 

[Kaodi]

" Not particularly, " replies the kalashtar in a low voice, eyes straining to see through the gloom.

Grabbing his gear and hopping out of the land cart, Valsamath says, " Try to keep out of sight, I am going in to take a look. "

Cloak wrapped tightly around him to hide anything that may reflect the dim light from the fire, he circles around to the east of the town, hoping to bypass the camp and sneak towards the two builds where the sounds were coming from. He carefully moves from shadow to shadow, cover to cover.

( In game terms, I guess, taking 10 on Move Silently and Hide while I head around towards the back end of the Temple. )

 

[Blackrat]

"Yeah, don't worry." Failin says and pulls the hatch closed behind you. Immediatily the carriage starts changing shape and in a few seconds all you see is a large natural-looking boulder. From insinde comes a muffled voice. "I'll see you when you come back."

Moving carefully outside earshot of the camp you circle around to the temple. The two full moons on the sky gives a shadowy illumination and the ringing sound comes louder as you approach the temple.

Hiding under a tree you finally stand next to a graveyard behind the temple. There you see two short and stocky figures, digging the ground with picks, obviously digging open the graves. The sound originates from their picks breaking the glassy layer. There is a pile of four corpses against the wall of the temple.

 

[Kaodi]

Appalled, but unwilling to break his cover, Valsamath skirts the area and heads around to the north to get closer to the other large building across the way.

 

[Blackrat]

Getting around the temple you arrive at a position where you can see the entrance of the large building. There is dim light coming inside, like a torch somewhere. Above the doorway you notice the keystone, which displays a head of a gorgon and an anvil, the symbol of house Cannith.

 

[Kaodi]

The kalashtar sniffs at the air slightly as he looks around for threats or sentries. Gathering himself, he slowly makes his way across the way and takes cover beside the Cannith building, hoping that he has not been seen.

After a few minutes, he begins creeping along the edge of the building, looking for windows or openings that he could get in through without getting caught.

Valsamath wipes a little sweat from his forehead. Things could get, interesting, if he is found out. With a little luck though, he might be able to retrieve what he came here for without having to shed any blood.

 

[Blackrat]

Gettin closer to the building you hear casual talking coming inside. It seems there are at least a couple males and a female inside. There are windows but they are very high, though with Val's psionic might it hasn't never stopped him before.

 

[Kaodi]

Valsamath tries to listen to what is being said, but if the sound is too muffled he moves up the wall and either gets up on the roof if it is within his range or grabs onto a window ledge. Again he will try to hear what is going on, and perhaps take a peak in the window if he can.

 

[Blackrat]

You get up to the windows and jump in, finding yourself in a small room on the second floor. From the looks of things, it seems the room served as office quarters. The voices are much clearer now and it is obvious they come from downstairs. Sneaking closer to the door of the room you see that there used to be a balcony that overlooked a hall downstairs. Most of the balcony is gone now, only the sturdiest wooden supports remain, in cinders, and you look straight down from the door. It seems the people inside were too busy arguing to have heard you. What you see is a bit surpricing. The whole floor of the hall seems to be a huge mosaic map of the central Khorvaire. It had been under the same glass as the whole village but it has been cleared mostly. On the walls there are three huge fireplaces and each fireplace is flanked by two statues of various creatures. Under one statue is a crate that serves as a table for three humans. The two males are wearing chainmails and their tabards boast a symbol of green hand with elongated claws. The dreaded Emerald Claw, once elite knights of Karrnath, now a criminal syndicate hunting relics across Khorvaire. Yes you've heard of them. It seems they are looking for something here too. The men are playing dice on the crate. There is also a female. She has a breastplate which has the same symbol and it seems she has come to hurry the men who are reluctant to continue working this late. They are having argument about orders and disobeying superior officer etc.

 

[Kaodi]

Wonderful, thinks Valsamath to himself as he withdraws back into the room. Even if he had mastered the new power he had been working on of late, it would likely avail him little in fighting alone as many soldiers as seemed to be lurking around.

Rather than worry about that too much for the moment, however, he begins to poke around the office he is in. Maybe, with some luck, he can find the records within this very office. Taking note of whatever other ways there might be to get up to this room, other than the window and the ruined balcony, he begins his search.