Six From Gate Pass - Chapter 3: Shelter From The Storm

[Gregor]

Day 5 in Seaquen (20 days until Wayfarer Performance)

Early the next morning, as you are breaking your fast in the main room of the Inn, a group of messengers and porters arrive to greet you. They wipe the drizzle from their cloaks and hats and warm themselves by the fire while they explain that your home has been set up and is ready to be inhabited. You settle your account with the Innkeep, who looks genuinely sad to see you go, but offers continued performance space for Kirio.

The porters carry your packs and spare gear and lead you through the empty streets of the early morning. In less than 10 minutes, you are brought to a tall narrow house that sits snugly between other houses and shops along a road near the market. The house has a stone and mortar first floor and a second floor built from wood. The front door is made from sturdy, heavy wood and a couple of glass pane windows look out from the second floor. You are brought inside and shown around: the first floor has 2 empty rooms for workspaces and storage, as well as a lavatory, kitchen, pantry and sitting/dining room with a large stone hearth that blazes away with freshly lit wood. One flight of wooden stairs takes you up to the second floor where there are 4 bedrooms, each with 2 beds, a desk and a pair of trunks. The 2 rooms closest to the street have windows that look out onto the street at the homes and shops across from you.

The porters wish you well on behalf of the Lyceum and begin to file out. They hand over a heavy iron key for the lock on the front door and remind you to visit the market for any items you may need for the home: linens, candles, food, water, and other sundries. They also state that the party may wish to invest in some domestic help, as there are plenty of people looking for employment these days. They smile, wave good bye and leave you to your new home.

GM: The house is yours to do with what you will as long as you continue to assist the Lyceum. The SRD has the prices for anything you may need or want to add to the house, so feel free to buy those. Your total bill at the Inn was 120gp, so don't forget to account for that on your character sheets.

 

[digimattic]

Arnir is quick to unpack his meagre possessions and claim a bed and a desk in a room facing the street. Having already eaten back at the Inn, he claps his hands together and exclaims "Now then, shall we pay this druid a visit?"

 

[Bannock]

OOC: Yikes, sorry for not posting lately, but what happened to the forum in the past couple of weeks? I want my dark background back!

Bannock hauls his things into the new house and commandeers a workspace near the hearth for his work on the repeating crossbow, glad that he doesn't have to keep working on his meager bench out in the camps.

As he lays out his tools and the partially finished heavy weapon, he says to no one in particular, "Y'know, I've been out in them camps for the past few days, and there are lots o' willing people out there. Willing to fight, they is. They don't have much in the way of weapons and armour, but we could do with wood training swords and quarterstaffs until we get that sorted. All they's really needs is some experienced people, you know, battle hardened, to help whip the able-bodied of 'em into proper men-at-arms. There's thousands here, we could have ourselves an army!"

He punctuates the last word by hammering a rivet into a piece of the loading mechanism. "So, I'd like to go see this dragon, I never seen a dragon until the Ragesians brought one down on Gate Pass, but after that, I think I'd like to start a training yard for those folks out there who want to fight. Hell, maybe we can convince this dragon to join our side! Wouldn't that be a sweet thing! To ride into battle at the head of an army, on our very own dragon!"

 

[The Bashar]

Hrimr takes a room on the main floor. He sets up his alchemy lab on a table near the stone wall. He speaks some words in Dwarven and begins to cast a spell. At the completetion of his spell his hands turn as grey as the stone of the wall. He moves his hands into the wall as easily as someone sliping their hands into water. He then pulls the stone out and fashions it into a small hood. He then gets on the table and pushes the stone out into a crude chimney. He steps outside and puts the finishing touches on the exhaust so it should vent any noxius fumes up the side of the house instead of out into the street.

He walks into his room again and surveys his newly fashioned lab and smiles to himself, proud of his work. He hears Arnir and Bannock and says:

"I am ready to go see the Druid now."

 

[funkmamagoat]

Kirio claims a bed in the other room facing the street upstairs, and stores his gear...

To ride into battle at the head of an army, on our very own dragon!"

Kirio smiles at the young fighter "I like your thinking on getting ourselves some... power; but power comes with responsibility and restrictions, and as far as riding into battle for a clash of armies, on a dragon or no sounds... unpleasant. I will let you do the riding and perhaps write a song about it yes?"

Kirio hums and his cape turns a light shade of green; he then puts his bow, which seems... shiny to you, across his back and looks to the others "I am ready as well, to try and find the druid that is..., but just so we are clear, I am not going into that swamp again without the entirety of of the group. Lars has expressed an interest in finding out more at the Inn in South Harbor, seems dangerous, but perfectly matched to his talents, and I would like more information. So... are we delaying in town for a couple of days, or heading off to the swamp? I will happily follow the majority opinion, with the afore mentioned stipulation.

 

[Adjuntive]

Alric, with lack of anything better to do in the meantime, helps Bannock setup his mocked up forge. He then sets up a neat and tidy abode in one of the back bedrooms on the second floor. Though he's used to rather austere sleeping surfaces, he decides that he will go out and look for linens to make his bed more comfortable.

Along the way he sees if he can scout out some of the local winesellers to supply himself with decent drink.

Upon returning he says in response to Kirio's raising quest options, "I know little of what our friend Lars has been up to and I'm not sure what the purpose is either. Regardless, it is high time we get on with our business. I will accompany you to see the druid."

 

[Gregor]

In search of Dubovir Marshwalker and the Decanter

The party packs its gear and heads out of its new house to try and track down Dubovir Marshwalker and his decanter of endless water which has not yet been delivered to the Lyceum.

In accordance with Simeon and Kiernan's instructions, you walk out of down and through the refugee camps along the road that originally brought you into the city. The drizzle has picked up today, marking the first change in weather since you first arrived in the hamlet of Vidor on the other side of the swamp. The constant rain has increased in intensity and it spits and splatters on your cloaks, shields and armor as you trudge down the muddy road. Miserable refugees stare at you from inside sodden tents and a few hundred men and women train on an open field near the small stone fort where Commander Foebane has established the Dasseni camp. After an hour or so of walking, with the town far behind you, you come upon the edge of the swamp where you, and hundreds of others, previously ditched your rowboats.

Remembering that the druid apparently lives near the sea, you head off the road and begin to follow the edge of the swamp as you walk south. Another couple of hours pass miserably as you march through shrublands filled with deep puddles, bogs and patches of mud that cling to your boots. Fallen dead trees from the swamp lay across your path, covered in slick moss and surrounded by clouds of insects that buzz in your face and ears when you approach. Finally, you near the coast and a cool briny breeze begins to blow which whips away the fetid odor from the marsh. When you reach the coast, you see that the shrublands and the swamp end at a muddy beach covered in driftwood and clusters of smooth pebbles brought in by the waves. Wiping away the ocean spray, mud and rain from your face and eyes, you easily spot the druid's home on the beach.

The mound-like structure appears to have been formed by several large gnarled trees that have somehow been wrapped around a circular cluster of boulders. Impossibly, the boles and limbs of the trees hug the mossy rocks and then reach over the top of the space, forming a dome of branches and foliage that appear very much alive. Smoke rises from an opening on one end of the dome and a door of woven reeds, driftwood and leaves opens and slams closed in accordance with the wind.

 

[funkmamagoat]

Kirio's face is set in a permanent frown as they make their way through the mud and flies... you are fairly certain you can also hear him faintly muttering obscenities under his breath...

His mood improves significantly as you reach the ocean however, and he seems positively intrigued when you spot the druid's home. "A living home... amazing. I don't think I'd leave my door open on a windy rainy day like this, would you??" He raises his finger to the other in warning for them to be quiet, takes out his bow, notches and arrow and quietly approaches the home...

OOC: Kirio will try and sneak up to the home, approaching out of sight of the door, say within 5 feet and listens for any sign of activity within... stealth and perception check coming...

 

[Gregor]

Kirio, you sneakily walk the 60 or so feet over to the druid's home and try to listen through the outer wood and stone wall of the structure. Its difficult over the whistle of the wind, the crash of the waves and the thickness of the stone and tree trunks, but you can faintly hear a light crackling sound coming from inside. Nearby, along the muddy ground near the door, you can also see water-filled footprints. They are clearly boot as opposed to bare foot imprints, though some are as small an elven child's or as large as dinner plates. They are clustered heavily near the door, but trail off around the side of the home and appear to head off in the direction of the swamp.

 

[The Bashar]

As Kirio heads over to the Druid's home Hrimr surveys the area, looking for anything unusual.