Not With a Bang, II: Life and Undeath Situation

[LazarusLong42]

OOC: Grunlor detects not the slightest bit of evil. Calemon, however, shoots him a look when he starts to concentrate; he may have been slightly offended.

Calemon looks at Baril, and then over the rest of you. "Yes, I've been expecting you; Arnis sent a message wending my way. Come, come in! Have a seat or two. Can I get you some tea--or perhaps something stronger? The gods know you might need it with what's going on out there."

You get the very fast impression that Calemon is rather talkative.

"And of course, we're still not certain if these undead are related to Melian's old undead army; thankfully, we know how to find out. Would you be interested in taking up the cause for us? Most of our people here are involved in fighting the undead directly, but as long as their controllers are alive, they'll simply keep spawning more. What d'you say? Oh, yes... and where's the gem? I think I owe you some money for it."

 

[Manzanita]

Arkan

"Hot tea would be nice, thank you." Says Arkan, though she remains standing until her tea is served. She then sits on the floor, unless there are sufficient chairs for everyone.

"Yes. We have the gem and would appreciate prompt payment for that service. I don't think I speak only for myself when I say we are very interested in ridding the town of the undead. If you have a plan for that, we would be happy to provide the muscle."

 

[Zerth]

Baril smiles. "Now, this is something I like to hear. Pour me something little stronger, Master Calemon. Our visit at the Hog's Back was rather short and all these undead do seem to make me very thirsty."

The bard opens his belt pouch and takes out the leather pouch containing the real gem. He hands it to Calemon. "Here's the jewel. Glad to be rid of it, if you know what I mean."

To answer Calemon's question: "I'm certainly interested in wiping out the undead from this town. I prefer the Hog's Back like it was before the undead. Not a very good show right now, is it," he adds with a grin.

 

[Argent Silvermage]

Selene sits in a corner watching and listening but says nothing except T'anks I'm Surah

 

[Sam]

Grunlor

Grunlor is agitated. He notes Camelon's response but pays it no mind.

"What are we doing sitting around here drinking tea? We need to put an end to the unholy offense that is taking place around us. Why are we waiting? Let's go!"

 

[Rybaer]

Grinder takes the nearest seat and kicks back. Trinket flies to a convenient perch. The more he sees and hears of this Irregulars organization...and about Melian...the more comfortable he is becoming that their little band made the correct choice in who to back.

"Sure," he says, "I'll take one of the strongest of whatever beverage you have on hand."

The staff is a suspicious tip to Grinder, but he'll look around the office for any other signs that Calemon might be a wizard. If so, he'll try hitting up the gnome to see if he knows his old master Bristlebrock Hogensock.

 

[LazarusLong42]

OOC: Grinder notices a half-dozen scrolls on a workbench, and the gnome is carrying three wands. You're pretty certain he's a wizard. In fact, as you listen to his voice, you realize you've heard he and Bristlebrock talking before--you and Keros have probably met him, in passing, though you would never have guessed that he was in such an organization.

Calemon smiles at Grunlor's burst of emotion. "No offense, chap, but if nothing else you probably want to know what I'm about to tell you. No good rushing out with no idea what's happening out there." The gnome heads over to a bar and pours whisky into three glasses, and tea out of a pot, handing the tea to Arkan, passing a whisky to Grinder and Baril, and keeping one for himself. He says, hesitantly, "Just how long were you in the Hog's Back?"

"Perhaps five minutes. We wanted to assess the town's general situation, but there seemed little we could do there, with the gem weighing us down," says Arkan.

Calemon nods. "Then you probably noticed that people were a bit glum... but you likely didn't see why. Please, all of you, sit." He takes another sip of his drink. "Two days ago, Kelta Sannis was killed, late in the night. Her body was intact, and no one knows what killed her, but everyone in town heard her scream. Right after that, the undead started attacking."

OOC: Go ahead and respond to this, if you wish. Had you forgotten that scream at the beginning of chapter 2?

"I know it's not the most... pleasant of information, but it's important. Kelta was one of the town councillors, and her loss is being felt rather hard around here. But the city guard has their hands full with the undead alone, and so vengeance is not easy to come by.

"That's where we come in. The Irregulars here have been doing a bit of snooping around, doing their best to stay out of the paths of the undead, but we're pretty certain they've found the source. There are several priests who have holed up out near the town graveyard, in the southwest--and they're spending all their time, and quite a few of their spells, creating the zombies and skeletons.

"Why are they doing it? We don't know. But that's the source. We don't have enough of a fighting force to take them on... but adding you all to that force, we might be able to take them on."

He fiddles inside the folds of his robes for a moment, and comes up with two things: a pouch which, just by its jingling, you can tell is full of money; and a handful of small pins. The pins, rather than a standard head, have an elaborate design on them; a small blue-green gem, surrounded by five curving gold points. "The insigne of the Irregulars. You've probably seen people around town wearing them, and simply thought they were just decoration. Like the one on your halfling friend." Selene's eyes light up, embarrassed a bit. "You have already preformed a service for the Irregulars; I offer you now the chance to join us for further service. Are you interested?"

 

[Manzanita]

Arkan

Arkan sips her tea as Calemon speaks. "Kelta...was she the innkeeper? Why would they kill her?"

"Yes. I would be interested in joining you for further service. No payment is necessary for a task such as this. Innocent people are being killed. I need no further incentive to act."

 

[Zerth]

Baril is visibly shocked. "Kelta's dead... That's horrible news. Now I know the Hog's back will never be the same. We heard her scream, I think. Dreadful." The bard takes a big sip of his whisky. Kelta was not one his closest friends, but being a sort of regular at all of the major taverns around, he feels a loss.

Baril grabs a pin from Calemon. "I never thought myself joining in any organizations, but at least for the moment I'm your man."

 

[Rybaer]

Grinder takes a long pull on his whiskey, savoring the flavor.

"Unlike the lady here," he says to Calemon, with a nod Arkan's way, "I'll be happy to take your offer and your coin. Spells don't research themselves on good intentions and honorable deeds. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course."