[STONES] Ambushed in Ossington

[Kaemris Tencoin]

To Van: Then perhaps we should visit the wild elves first of all, and convince them to cease their attacks until we can solve the problems that plague this forest.

To Dyson: Once I've had some sleep Tymora will provide food and water for the people of Ossington. It's only as tasty as gruel, but perhaps more nourishing.

(If there are any hungry children about, I'll share my lunch rations with them, and urge my companions to do the same.)

[Monte: I'm just looking around the town, trying to get an idea of what the different buildings are...how about 10, 11 & 12?]

 

[Caramip Murnig]

Lenet Cor Tarak, actually

I'd be happy to look around for tracks or anything else, but I consider that if the inscriptions are merely another language and not magic, I might be able to read them. Aoth? Are you able to read them?

OOC: Okay, to use Comprehend Languages (which turns out to work for spoken language if I touch the speaker) to read the inscriptions, I need to touch the script. Is this rational enough that I just cast once, touch a sample on one stone, and can read all the other inscriptions (assuming I can read any) for the next 20 minutes? That is, just how hairsplitting do we get? (I personally am able to split hairs to an extraordinary degree if I'm in the mood.)

[Takes out another pound of tea leaves and two days' trail rations, hands them to Dyson, and looks around distractedly at the various stone circles]

Dyson? Is it safe for one of you to tell us about what we were talking about earlier? I don't want any of you to meet the same fate as Elder Murdows.

 

[Lenet Cor Tarak]

gee, I hope I spelled my new name right

OOC: Did you know that if you're on AOL you can have up to seven addresses? And you can kill an old one and create a new one? I could be all KINDS of characters here....

 

[Kaemris Tencoin]

Lenet, I know Tymora's version of comprehend languages, and I can tell you that one casting (lasting 20 minutes) would give you plenty of time to read twenty stones (each stone being equivalent to a 250 word page...if it takes less time to read each stone you could of course read more). All this assumes that the writing is not magical; if it is, comprehend languages won't work. Ironically, only the lesser read magic will do that...

still strolling about the village of Ossington...

[after 10, 11 and 12, stroll past 13, 14, 15 and 16]

What's become of Aoth? He's suddenly vanished, it seems...

Are there any other adventurers in this village that we should know about?

 

[Van Dyksun]

The cottages at numbers 10, 11, and 12 all seem uninhabited. Number 10 has a number of cobwebs around its windows and seems dusty inside from your surreptious glance through the windows. The door on number 11 is hanging by a single hinge and there is not a stick of furniture inside. While number 12 looks clean, it also shows no sign of anyone actually living there.

Lenet's use of comprehend languages fails, although it attracts the interest of Dyson. He says, "Are you a scholar as well? These stones are what first attracted me to Ossington, and why I returned here when I decided to retire from adventuring." He looks at Lenet strangly. "You coloration and bearing is strange to me? I must know where you are from, milady! Perhaps we have knowledge we can share? I am most interested in the arbitrary distinctions between the magic granted to clerics by the gods and that garnered by arcane spellcasters, for does it not also come from Mystra, a god? What do you think?"

 

[Van Dyksun]

Tully responds to your question, Kaemris. She says, "I think it is safe to talk. These attacks are without warning, and now that we are on guard, I'm sure the craven elves have returned to plan when we will next be unprepared."

 

[Van Dyksun]

Dyson, Tully, and the Cuckoo (the bard who calmed the crowd), are the only non-peasants in the village, as far as you can tell. They seem comfortable with each other, as having travelled long together.

 

[Kaemris Tencoin]

Tully, when did the attacks start? How soon after that, or how long before that, did the crops begin to die? Where do the wild elves live?

Can you tell me about the others who went to speak to the elves and never returned?

What can you tell me about The Old Barrow? The Red Horse? The Secret Keepers?

What about Henwen? What can you tell me about her?

Most importantly, perhaps: Who erected all of these Standing Stones?

Sorry to barrage you with questions, milady...I am nothing if not inquisitive.

 

[Van Dyksun]

As Kaemris and Tully stroll through the village talking, they pass by the cottage at number 13.

Tully says, "This home is empty--the former inhabitants were part of the group that were attacked and killed by the elves. I'm sure your party can use this while you stay with us.""

Outside of number 14, the tanner comes out and grabs your hand, shaking it strongly. He smells horribly, but you recognize that simply as going along with his trade. "Thank you, thank you! Kind sir, I know you can help us," he says. "Any assistance I can be, let me know. Just let me know." Then he returns to his work.

Tully says, "It began a few months ago, right when the horseman first visited us. The crops are the way they are because we can't tend to them for fear of attacks from the forest--we have been safe inside the village itself here up until now, but the elves grow more bold in their savagery every day. The party that attempted to parlay with the elves--why, they were just people of the village, like Tanner Eli here. Good-hearted farmers who wished to cure this enmity, but they were instead greeted by arrows and swords."

Number 16 is the home of a family of five, who sit huddled inside, wary of venturing forth even though you and Tully seem unconcerned. Number 15 has the look of a baker's cottage, but the door is shut and nothing seems to be happening inside.

 

[Kaemris Tencoin]

Thank you for your hospitality, Tully--I'm not yet sure how much time we will be spending here in town.

Do you know anything about the other locations I mentioned? About the history of this town?