S@squ@tch's N1: Against the Cult of the Reptile God IC

[s@squ@tch]

First Group:

Stonefist and Ari agree that the best course of action will be to speak with the religious leaders of the town first. They remember seeing the large temple on their way into town, so they know that they need to head North-East as the crow flies.

However, before they leave the Inn, Krager turns to them and says,"Ach, sorry lads, but I think I'm more in line with what Gideon has done, I'm going to take a short nap and then catch up with ye." He turns towards Bertram and asks for his room. Before you leave, you see Derek leading the dwarf upstairs.

Once out of the Inn, you head North, following the road that leads to the bridge, that crosses the river. You notice an unused trail leading into a dense copse of trees on your left hand side as you cross the bridge, and continue northwards.

You can see the temple off to the east (#21 on the second map), and take the next road that heads that ways. The building at the crossroads, (#25) looks to be another Inn, with a sign that looks like some sort of sleeping lizard.

Along the way, you see a large lake that appears to be the center of the small village on your right.

As you make your way around the large lake, you notice a tree lined road leading to the quite large temple. Stonefist notices that it appears to be constructed from large granite blocks, with a very prominent 20' high granite wall surrounding the main building. The wall around the entrance has been ornately carved with a depiction of a comely maiden - with long flowing hair and a ripe bosom. The temple building beyond is also made of the solid granite, with no visible windows.

The gates to the temple stand open, and after you pass through them, you notice a gardener working one of the many flower beds against the wall.

A set of large double doors lead to the temple itself. You enter a large room with a tile floor decorated with an abstract mosaic pattern in orange, tan, brown, and blue. Several tapestries decorate the walls, all depicting scenes of lush farmland and crops in various stages of maturity. Five huge elm trunks serve as columns in the room, and a statue of Merikka, carved from a solid piece of jade, is mounted on a low dais at the north end of the room.

You notice a striking young woman, slender and attractive, near the dais. As she notices your group, she stops what she is doing and walks over to you.

"Welcome to the Temple of Merikka - how may I serve you?"

[sblock=maps]

The road leading to the north then heads east, near a large lake, towards the Temple of Merikka. The second map is the continuation of the road that leaves the first map in the NE area. If you aren't clear, let me know and I'll draw some arrows on the map to make it easier -- damn these two page module maps!!!

[/sblock]

[sblock=Gideon]
After an hour or so of hanging around in your room, you depart the Inn via the 2nd floor window. You follow the bridge across the river, but are unsure of where the two elves and dwarf went.
[/sblock]

Actions?

 

[Phoenix8008]

"Welcome to the Temple of Merikka - how may I serve you?"

"Greetings to ya, ma'am." Stonefist begins. "We be new here in Orlane and have come here seeking the parents of two children who found their way to Hochoch a week or so ago. They barged into the Inn we were eating at shouting for help and nearly passing out from exertion. Before we could even ask them what they needed help with, a half dozen vile lizard creatures burst in the door behind them and slew the poor children! We managed to defeat the foul beasts and have come here where the children said the danger was to inform their parents and to track down any other murderous creatures associated with those we dispatched already. Can ye help us, milady?" Stonefist finishes, nearly gulping for air after such an unacustomedly long speech.

 

[s@squ@tch]

Misha Devi

The lithe priestess gasps at the story of the two children. "That sounds positively dreadful -- they travelled all the way to Hochoch before they were cruelly slaughtered? My heart goes out to them, the poor dears."

"I will do anything I can to help you find the parents of these children. Once I have their general descriptions, I can talk with the head priest, Abramo, and see if he knows anything as well."

"Let me know where you are staying in town and I will send a courier with any news."

After the three of you give the description of the two children to Misha, she bids you adieu and heads out of the room through the large door to the west.


OOC: Alessin doesn't trust this woman. Something about her doesn't add up.

 

[airwalkrr]

Ari looks around the temple for a donation box while the dwarf and priestess are talking. Assuming he finds one, he drops a gold piece inside.

After the priestess departs, he says, A little something to help spread good will around here I hope. Anyway, that was fairly unceremonious. What ought we to do now? I suppose we could speak with the constable as you hinted earlier, Stonefist, if he will speak to us that is.

 

[Phoenix8008]

Stonefist nods to Ari. "Yes, let us see what the Constable has to say, if anything." the dwarf agrees as they turn to walk out of the temple.

 

[scranford]

Gideon Novak - Human Mercenary

Everyone's seeming indifference makes Gideon suspicious. He will try to find a good tree to hide in that allows him to keep an eye on as much of the town as possible. If nothing is available to allow this, he will head to the other inn, to see if he can stir up anything there. IF he spots his companions he will try to get their attention to let them know what he is up to.

 

[s@squ@tch]

As the group leaves the temple, Alessin stops the others just outside.

"I don't trust that woman -- something about her didn't ring true to me."

You feel like you are being watched, and notice that the gardener has stopped what he was doing and is staring at you disapprovingly.

[D],,[/D]

Your group retraces its steps out of the granite walled temple complex, and walk down the tree lined path leading up to the temple proper.

You stop at the intersection of the temple's road with the road of the town, and take a view across the lake, taking in the whole village. (Updated map for this side of town below)

Stonefist nods to Ari. "Yes, let us see what the Constable has to say, if anything."

The group makes its way back toward the Golden Grain Inn along the way it came.

[D]b[/D]

As they near the bridge, the group fails to notice the barbarian, Gideon watching them from the one of the trees.

The barbarian watches them travel over the bridge and then onward to the Constable's building (#2 on map).

This nondescript square wooden building has heavy shutter closed over he windows. The door looks tout, but stands open. No people are visible. Behind this building is another long, low structure.

You enter the structure through the open door, and quickly notice three men inside -- two are seated around a desk, while the third was watching you from behind the shuttered window.

Two are wearing banded mail, while the third is wearing a set of well-crafted full plate. They appear to be well armed and armored.

The one that was watching you through the window approaches your group.

"Ah, you must be the newcomers to town that we've heard mention of."

"My name is Grover, Grover Ruskadal, and I am the constable of Orlane. We do not tolerate troublemakers, so I will ask you to not make my job difficult. So, what brings you to our fine town?"

The other two remain seated, and remain silent, watching the group.

[D]j[/D]

OOC: Gideon's observations while in his tree revealed nothing out of the ordinary, a few farmers walking some cattle through town, a child running errands, and a mother carrying a crying child.

 

[airwalkrr]

You needn't worry about trouble from us, Ari says, his eyebrow cocked in suspicion, but if you don't mind, might I ask what it is that has this whole town so spooked to see us here? Obviously this is a town of men and we are not men. But surely you have seen elves and dwarves before, and while dwarves do have a tendency for drunkenness and occasionally brash behavior, elves are merry folk indeed who bring good faith wherever they go. In short, we mean your town no harm and are simply here on an investigation concerning two of your juvenile citizens.

 

[s@squ@tch]

Grover Ruskadal

"The town is not spooked, let me assure you of that. We just don't see many people with ears such as yours."

"We are a simple town, filled with simple people, we farm, that is all. What happens outside of our town is really of no concern to us."

"As for your investigation into the two children, rest assured that we," He says as he gestures to the other two seated men,"will see to it that it gets solved."

"So, this is your cue to go back to what you were doing, outside of our little village."

"Thanks for visiting."

He walks across the room and takes a seat next to his two companions.

 

[Phoenix8008]

Stonefist looks slowly between Ari and Grover, back and forth as Ari speaks then the Constable answers. After the man finishes and sits down, the dwarf stares at him, then blinks twice slowly before speaking. "Excuse me, but what investigation? You tell us to leave your town without even asking the details needed to start or continue any investigation. We may be strangers here, but if there were two children missing for the past week I would think their parents would be looking for them. I would also think that they would have enlisted your help is searching for them." Stonefist continues, building up a head of steam as he continues. "So when somebody walks in mentioning two missing children, a normal person in your job would act surprised, relieved, sad, or something and start asking questions so that the grieving parents could be informed or comforted. But you, YOU, ask no questions, and only want the outsiders gone. Without even finding out what has befallen the two children of your community!" The dwarf is nearly shouting now, and threatening to get louder still as he continues. "Well I shall tell you what happened to them! They were slaughtered by reptilian monsters because they stopped running long enough to ask for our help for their village! They died to ask for help for YOU! And we killed those beasts dead and I swore a vow that I would avenge those children and help their village! So I may just be a troublemaker to you then, because I tell you this now - I shall not be leaving this village till I am sure it is safe, and until I have spoken with the parents of those poor dead children to tell them how heroic their offspring were!!" Breathing hard like a bull that's about to charge, Stonefist leans forward at an almost impossible angle. His fists quiver and his legs are nearly shaking with the force of his willpower holding them still to keep from taking that fateful step forward that will lead to a bad scene. It's obvious that he is at the limits of his control.