[Lakelands] Six For Adventure

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

The window latches on the inside; it is not currently latched. Fellan can affirm that Amalric left via the window, then headed directly to the southeast.

OOC: Ah. The original description said that the window was 'secured', which I took to mean that it was locked.

Horsom stood after sliding the bed to one side with a might shove, and did a double-take as he caught the window latch out of the corner of his eye: it wasn't locked as he had first suspected. He sheepishly moved the bed back to its original position.

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At one point, Brother Hengist leans toward Horsom and says: "The fey are interested in the earth, and in their own ends. Mortal men should be wary to lean upon them overmuch."

"I hear your words, Brother Hengist. I am respectful of the Seven Gods, but my people have revered Celene and Herne since ancient times. We know that the gifts of the fey can be gilt with poison, and their anger can be terrible, but we know that there is a generous and kind-hearted side to them as well."

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OOC: Yeah, it's somewhat common slang where I live.

OOC: Here also. Now I'm wondering if we'll find the remnants of a cultist tailgate party in the mill. Maybe some BBQ briquettes and a few empties rolling around on the floor.

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"You're right, Fellan", spoke Horsom, "one of us should warn the Baron." He clasped the older man's arm in a warrior's grip. "I had only known you by reputation before this adventure, but now I'd be glad to call you friend. Farewell." Fellan smiled. "I as well." Fellan turned to the group: "There is still a short amount of daylight left. I will return with any news of Amalric.". With that, he headed for the door.

After Fellan departed, Horsom addressed the companions. "It seems obvious that Amalric is in league with this manticore. What do you think? Are we walking into a trap if we head directly for the manticore's lair? On the other hand, we'll have to move on the Dwarfie Run eventually, so maybe sooner better than later. It is also possible that Amalric is summoning other minions, or possibly the manticore itself, to attack us in the church tonight. My strongest feeling, though, is that the mill has more secrets to reveal to us. If Amalric is tied in to this devilry, why not other villagers? The miller's manner indicated that he knew more than he was letting on." He turned to spear-wielding elf.

Selanil, did your.. sponsors.. have any advice as to how to proceed?" Again, a look passed betweeen Hengist and Horsom. "In any case, a simple vote as to our course of action is the best way to resolve this in my opinion." Horsom paused. "My vote is to wait for Fellan's report, then sneak into the mill after dark."

 

[Samuel Leming]

Finishing his search of the paniced priest's bedroom, Maldordo procedes to Amalric's larder to take stock of what foodstuffs are available.

If there's a door blocking his entrance to whatever serves as a pantry, Maldordo will meow until somebody lets him in.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Selanil, did your.. sponsors.. have any advice as to how to proceed?" Again, a look passed betweeen Hengist and Horsom. "In any case, a simple vote as to our course of action is the best way to resolve this in my opinion." Horsom paused. "My vote is to wait for Fellan's report, then sneak into the mill after dark."

OUT OF GAME: Just a reminder that, at the moment, you don't have access to Maldordo's observations. When he returns to humanoid form, though, you (presumably) will. Right now you're stuck with the old "What's the matter, boy? Did Jimmy fall down the well?" level of communication known to fans of Lassie and B-Movies.

Finishing his search of the paniced priest's bedroom, Maldordo procedes to Amalric's larder to take stock of what foodstuffs are available.

If there's a door blocking his entrance to whatever serves as a pantry, Maldordo will meow until somebody lets him in.

There was even more evidence of mice in the larder than in Amalric's room. The place was, however, somewhat better kept, as though Amalric understood that food equates with survival. Still, it offered no more than springtime provender...which meant that supplies were sparse. There were preserved or dried vegetables (mostly rootstock), a much-depleted bag of buckwheat flour, fat saved from cooking, and a small amount of salted pork that has seen better days. There were also various cooking utensils. Oddly enough, these seemed to be fairly clean, as though Amalric took pride in his cooking if in nothing else.

 

[wolfheart]

Dain says to Fellan, "I understand your desire to protect your kin, and I for one will not think any the worse of you for going. I would greatly appreciate you scouting out the road up to the Dwarfie Run before you take tour leave, though."

Turning to the rest of the group, Dain says, "I second the idea of someone checking out that soup. If anyone is versed in herblore, I would have them check it." looking about Dain asks, "Has anyone seen Maldordo? I thought I saw a cat running around under foot, but I am not sure if it is our feline friend."

Dain shrugs and starts to rummage around in the cart for his short bow. "If we stay here tonight, I have a feeling we will need all the firepower we can summon. And I think we had better worry about the manticore before we go snooping around the local mill. It may be that the miller is just not a accomodating sort, we don't know if he has done anything, but we do know there is a beastie out there that has more than likely been alerted to our presence."

 

[Samuel Leming]

Maldordo scratches at the salted pork and caterwauls until he gets somebody's attention.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

OUT OF GAME: Just a reminder that, at the moment, you don't have access to Maldordo's observations. When he returns to humanoid form, though, you (presumably) will. Right now you're stuck with the old "What's the matter, boy? Did Jimmy fall down the well?" level of communication known to fans of Lassie and B-Movies.

OOC: Don't worry, I remember that Maldordo is in cat-form. I was basing my opinion on your writeup of our tour of the village. Metagaming is bad. Nice segue to the Lassie reference by the way

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Horsom nods at Dain's evaluation. "Odds are good that the church will be attacked tonight." Horsom removes the stone cube from his satchel. "Now I wonder where the best place for this is..", Horsom muses as he scratches his chin.
OOC: How many entrances (that we know of) are there to the church? I'd like to place the alarm against a window or side entrance that is sheltered from view from the outside of the church (i.e. behind some bushes or trees or in an alley).

As Horsom wanders around looking for a place to set his alarm, he happens upon Maldordo the cat meowling over a piece of dried pork at the pantry. He bends to scratch him behind the ears. "That looks disgusting. I hope that wasn't in our soup!"

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

Selanil, did your.. sponsors.. have any advice as to how to proceed?" Again, a look passed betweeen Hengist and Horsom. "In any case, a simple vote as to our course of action is the best way to resolve this in my opinion." Horsom paused. "My vote is to wait for Fellan's report, then sneak into the mill after dark."

Selanil laughs. "No advice beyond destroying the beast that they claim inhabits one of their barrows. As the child said, her mother gifted me with her favor," he said, hefting the spear for all to see, the lavender-hued piece of gossamer still attached near the spearhead. "My time with her people was somewhat...surreal and is difficult to put into words. I'm afraid I can't offer any further advice on how to proceed."

 

[Raven Crowking]

The Tale of Amalric

QUESTIONS ANSWERED:

There are two main doors -- the double doors at the front of the Church, and a smaller door in the back. The small door has a metal latch, and there is a place for a bar in the double doors, but no bar visible. There are also a few windows, at least large enough for a man, with latchable wooden shutters. The shutters would withstand a wolf, say, and even if something larger forced its way in, it would make a hell of a noise.

The soup had been pretty thin, and none of you believes that there was any pork in it.

MORE HAPPENS:

After a time, Fellan returned. Kregor and Glom, who were still waiting outside, were the first to hear the hoofbeats and look up. They were surprised to see Amalric riding on the horse behind Fellan.

"I found him, perhaps three-quarters of the way to the Dwarfie Run," Fellan said as he cantered up to the churchyard. Amalric slid off the horse as soon as it came to a halt. The priest was unable to meet anyone's eye. Fellan came off the horse after in a smooth motion. "Tell them what you told me."

"I am so sorry," the priest began. "This is all my fault. I was supposed to be the sheppard to these people, but I was too much a coward, too weak for what needed to be done. Too weak to keep them safe. I thought...I thought that if I killed the demon, then maybe I could somehow redeem myself. But I failed in that as well. I hadn't even the courage to approach its lair."

He looked up then, at the faces around him, his eyes red-rimmed.

"You ask how I know it is a demon. Oh, it is a demon. Sent for the sins of this place. For my sins."

He looked away again.

"It was a harsh winter. It seemed that it would never end. Some began to whisper about the old ways, that it wouldn't hurt to offer a log to the old gods. Then, perhaps, a log cut to look like a child....I wouldn't let them do it in the Church, but I didn't stop them either. I should have stopped them. The miller....I knew when they sacrificed the first one. On the millpond, that first one. It was frozen over. The miller said that, when the ice melted, all of the signs would be washed away. They did it in the mill, later. You have seen the graves, I imagine. Children. Burnt to the old gods of winter."

Amalric began to weep. "I should have stopped them. It was my duty to stop them. But I was a coward then, as I am now. Better that I had never been born." He choked back the tears. "And now this...a demon for our sins. The Seven Good Gods have turned their backs on Kell's Reach, and we shall never be forgiven. They have turned their backs on me. They are right to do so."

He stood straighter. Still unable to meet anyone's eyes, he looked up into the sky. "Slay me," he said. "It is what I deserve. Slay me, and perhaps the demon will go away."

 

[maddmic]

Kregor looked upon the babbling so-called priest with disgust. "Perhaps you are right about demons. Your demon will be the shame you live with for the rest of your life. These people who sacrificed children will have to deal with a demon a bit more physical in nature. Once we have disposed of this beast, I will deal with the miller."

He then turns to the group. "As for how to deal with the manticore, I would prefer a straight on fight. I don't much care for laying in wait, nor do I care for stealth. I will however, defer to possible better judgement."

 

[Samuel Leming]

Maldordo listens intently to Amalric's confessions. With this new information, the salted pork loses it's usefulness.

Maldordo trots over to the pathetic priest and gives his shoes a thorough sniffing to detect if there's any manticorish or dungeonie smell to them. He wants to be absolutely sure Amalric hasn't been in the Dwarfie Run to warn the demonticore.

If Amalric's feet smell only of the woods, Maldordo will go into the bedroom to retrieve the discarded prayer beads and drop them in front of the priest. If he smells anything treacherous, Maldordo will give the foul priest a sharp bite to the back of his ankle!