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

[Adjuntive]

Alric shakes his head in disbelief of Hrimr's brash bumbling. Seeing as waiting for Kirio to stealthily scout ahead is no longer required, he marches forward in behind subtle-as-a-sledgehammer Hrimr into the druids home. As he enters Alric carefully makes sure none of the strangely wrought branches so much as touches a plate on his armour.

Alric looks down upon the charred ruin of the body. "I hope that is not the druid." Allowing Hrimr to see to the body Alric turns and assists Kirio in surveying the room.

OOC: Taking 20 on a search check, for a total of 20. If less time is allowed I'll throw up a roll.

 

[Gregor]

********
Druid's Home

Upon entering the home, you see that the building is made up of one large area, perhaps 60 feet across and deep, with a domed leafy ceiling that raises upwards of 15 or 20 feet. One small pool of clear water stands in a corner, surrounded by smooth stones and various wooden trunks and chests have been smashed or overturned throughout the room, their contents of clothes, dried food and tools spilled out haphazardly. Some of the shelves in the boles have been ransacked, leaving behind smashed jars, torn books and spilled liquids. The only items of value you see are a few scattered silver coins near an overturned chest and a wooden holy symbol carved in the shape of an oak tree leaf. Additionally, upon closer inspection by Alric, there appears to be a locked hidden panel in one of the wooden chests.

You also see that the grisly scene continues across the rest of the room. Perhaps ten to twelve small humanoids lay dead around the space in various states of death: burned, ripped to bloody shreds by claw marks and bites or bludgeoned. Those not killed by fires are slightly more identifiable in that they have greyish-green skin, slightly pointed ears, small sharp teeth and little reddish-yellow eyes. They wear makeshift armor and were wielding small clubs or morning stars, shields and a few short bows. Against one wall lays an immense humanoid, that probably stood over nine feet tall. Its body has been completely ruined by fire and the huge wooden club it holds in its rigor mortis grasp still smolders with dying embers.

Upon a blood-soaked sleeping pallet of leaves and pillows lays the body of a robed half-elven man. His chest is riddled with small arrows and his arms and legs have been broken, smashed or cut open. His vacant and dead eyes stare upward and his face is frozen in a grimace of pain and fear. Perched above the bed is a black eagle who opens its wings defensively and cries out at you as if guarding the half-elf's corpse.

GM: Alric and Hrimr, I accounted for your heal check and the search roll in the description of the room. Alric, given the size of the room it takes quite a while to search everything, but there is no reason you cannot spend the time. Kirio, nothing registers as magical in the room.

 

[fromage67]

Lars nods at the bartender, and picks a suitable table, not too far from the door, where he can set his back against the wall and have a good view of the room.

He motions the bartender over, and he says, "Afternoon, gimme some of your, umm, good ale. Not, ahh, watered-down mind you."

When the man returns, Lars flashes a silver piece on the table and motions the man to get a little closer, "So, ah, listen. I'm a, ummm, a professional, you might say. Someone, ummm, ahh, told me some guys named Cernaban and, ummm, Makung were hiring. Know, ahh, how I can get in touch?"

Lars looks at the man expectantly as he cleans his fingernails with his second best knife.

 

[Gregor]

********
Bronze Trident

The barman places down a heavy mug of foaming ale. "Eh?" says the barman, "don't know anyone by those names friend." He takes a quick bite on the silver piece and puts it into his pouch. "This here be my place and since you've gone and ordered the good ale, quality dwarven drink we had brought in from Dassen before these here Elves showed up to spoil our business, that silver piece will cover your drink." He smiles a greenish grin and says: "If you're need anything else, you just holler for ol' Reece 'Fair Deal' Barnbred ... that's me."

 

[fromage67]

Lars smiles a grin of his own, letting his mouth and bad teeth expand in all its sneering comtemptuous disdain. Lars then takes a healthy pull of his ale.

"Well, ahh, since we're getting familiar and friendly, likes. I'll let you know my, ummm, name. It's Romeo. Ummm, also, ahh, known as the Barburner. Want to, ahhh, know, how, ahh, I got that name? Ummm, I get, ahh, upset when greedy bartenders, ahh, overcharge, ummm, for weak dwarven piss."

"But, ummm, I like you, so, ahh, so, ummm, don't think I'm thinking about doing this in, ummm, your, ahh, fine establishment." Lars flashes a gold piece and adds, "You sure, ahh, you don't recall anything? I'll, ummm, be back, ahh, later this afternoon, ummm, there might be, ummm, something in it, ummm, for you, if, you, ahh, suddenly remember, ahh, something."

Lars leaves the gold piece within easy reach of the bartender.

 

[Bannock]

Being no good at identifying tracks, Bannock follows the others inside, and gapes at the scene. "Unholy hells, it looks like that fellow there with the eagle friend put up a good fight! Not good enough maybe. Do you think he's our druid? These attackers who waylaid 'im must have come from the swamp, and prob'ly them that survived went back the same way."

Bannock makes an unsure attempt at calming the Eagle, muttering friendly words so that it might perch on his gauntlet or at least move away from the body of the half-elf.

 

[The Bashar]

"Bannock, step away from the Eagle. I'll speak to it and see if it can tell me what happened here."

With that Hrimir casts Speak with Animals and speaks to the Eagle.

[sblock="For those that speak eagle"]Greetings Eagle, I am Hrimr, Druid of the Heart Cave. We are friends. We were sent to check on the druid that lived here. Alas, I fear we are too late. What happened here? [/sblock]

 

[funkmamagoat]

Kirio inspects the creatures trying to see if he can identify them "looks like they paid a heavy toll in attacking our druid friend, if that is him on the pallet." He is also keenly interested in the interaction between Hrimr and the eagle..., hoping the druid can learn something more of what transpired here...

A pity they do not have their young rogue with them, to Arnir "any chance you can open that locked compartment Alric found in the chest?"

OOC: knowledge checks on small humanoids (local), and on immense humanoid (nature)

 

[Gregor]

********
Druid's Home

Bannock, the eagle shrieks and snaps its sharp beak as you try to coax it over to you. You get the sense that it is moments away from attempting to fly in your direction and claw out your eyes. Instead, it lowers its wings and cocks its head as it listens to Hrimr speak to it in a language it can understand. It then narrows its eyes and caws back at the druid.

[sblock="eagle"]Friends indeed! You come to pick his bones after the beasts from the marsh kill him for his treasures. Look at how that one digs through his things. Leave this place you thieves![/sblock]

[sblock="for Kirio"]The smaller humanoids are definitely goblins. There is nothing of note or special regarding goblins, they are merely low intelligence creatures that raid, rob and kill for food, plunder or just plain enjoyment.

You have no idea what the large humanoid is.[/sblock]

********
Bronze Trident

Reece levels his gaze at Lars and ponders his next words. He picks up the gold piece, looks it over and throws it back down onto the table. "Fine...'Romeo,'" he says, dropping the act and speaking in a more leveled tone and with better pronunciation, "supposing I were to know something about something or someone, what makes you think I'm going to tell you any details for one gold piece. I don't know you half as far as I can spit you, and I can spit fifteen feet off the docks into an oncoming wind, so that makes you unpredictable and a risk. On one hand maybe you're good to your word and you burn this here place down if I don't help you out, but on the other hand, maybe I play all nice with you now but then send a few fellas who have no qualms about cutting throats on your tail. So," he takes a seat, "how about I hear your real name and you put a fair amount of gold onto the table and we'll have us a real conversation."

 

[The Bashar]

Hrimr attempts to use his Wild Empathy to calm the bird down and reason with it.

[sblock="Eagle"]"We are looking for the decanter of endless water. The druid was supposed to deliever it to the Lyceum to help with all the refugees there. Did the ones who attack take it?"[/sblock]