S1: The Strange Case of Aif Jenkins' Farm (E13 judge) - Concluded

[Boddynock]

"Yes," says Eusebius, smiling and nodding, "Verbotem is both venerable and revered."

"We cannot, of course, force you to tell us anything. I wonder, however, just what you intend to do, wounded as you are. If we can be of assistance to you, we will be. But there are matters here that are disturbing and confusing - and I, for one, am of no mind to relinquish command to even such a one as yourself, without a clearer indication of what is at stake."

"To answer your other question, we have defeated some members of the Curved Blades, and a number of orcs, but I suspect not all of them. We have not yet explored the full extent of this place. Can you tell us anything about it?"

"And another thing. One of the orcs turned on his erstwhile allies and exhorted us to rescue you. Do you know why that might have been, or who the orc was?"

 

[SlagMortar]

Beamer is getting tired of people not talking to him or his companions. When traveling with only Banion, he'd blamed it on their size and stature, but apparently the larger peoples weren't getting any more respect. So far he had done a fairly good job of figuring out why people wanted to kill him and he wanted some answers on this time as well. Still, the best way seemed to be to let Father Eusebius continue talking, so he contents himself to grit his teeth in the background.

 

[Manzanita]

"This complex was created long ago by the Curved blades and their orc allies. It was then retaken by the elvish forces of the Vastermarch ages ago. Why the blades and orcs attacked, and retook it just yesterday.... They must know something. But how?"

Arkenthrasher shakes his head, and puts a hand to his forehead. "I have no orc allies. I know not of the one you speak. But where is Jenkins and his farm hands? They were working with me. We had taken over this complex. It contained some items of great danger. Tell me... have you found anything of interest in here?"

He eyes the pile of weapons and treasure you've made. He limps over and begins pushing it around. He arms himself with an orc falcion.

 

[Bront]

"Aif was acting oddly, and seemed to disapear when we when we took care of the orcs and approached the complex. I had suspected he might be working with them somehow, or otherwise controling his farm hands."

 

[Manzanita]

"Let's search the complex more, before we leave. My weapons and armor may be here. And I want to see the dead bodies. And there might be more in here. Something important..." says Torvin.

 

[Boddynock]

He turns to Boog and, while the paladin is searching the booty, says quietly in his ear, "Can you reinstate the mind-speech we were using last night but not include Torvin in it? There are things we need to discuss ... privately."

At the paladin's suggestion that they search further he replies, "By all means."

 

[Manzanita]

Let's assume Boog is willing and able to do as Eusebius requests.

 

[Patlin]

So, I see you don't trust this man overly much... what's the plan?

 

[Boddynock]

"I trust him as far as I have heard report of him. I am uncertain what may have happened to him since he has dropped out of sight, and his own reticence to speak of it - while it is perhaps understandable (after all, he knows no more of us than what we have told him, either) - nevertheless does not inspire confidence."

"For now, I think, we will keep silent about the weapon those cultists were fighting over. It is clearly important ... but until such time as we know a little more about the situation, I am unwilling to reveal that we have it. Beamer, keep it well hidden, won't you!"

Speaking to the group in general, Eusebius says, "What was that creature whose corpse we saw last night? I have never seen anything like it."

 

[Manzanita]

Torvin kicks the dead grey, featureless body, and takes its longsword, dropping the falchion he had picked up earlier. He doesn't say anything about it. After looking at the bodies and accumulated treasure, he says, "There was a scythe in here. Before we were attacked, we'd found a scythe. It is an evil artifact that the Curved Blades had kept here. I must find it and destroy it. Have you seen it?"