Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lars Frehse" data-source="post: 1242585" data-attributes="member: 1674">The grateful dead- part 3The companions were lead back into the living part of Hollowfaust, and as Numadaya said goodbye to them, they all felt that they had to start all over again. Somehow, the cultists had been warned. And even though this took them out of justice's reach for the moment, it also confirmed that there really was something sinister going on...They stood in a crowded market, oblivious to the colours, smells, and noises around them, and discussed their situation. "We have to be more careful now, though", Trepat said. " We don't know how far the network of those cultists of hedonists, or whatever they are, goes. So for now we should try to avoid contacting officials. However, I don't know what else we could do next...""I know something, I think", Torn said, "We still have Siriak... If we use some pressure, he might help us. After all, he had been quaking in his shoes last nights".They went to the guild house, where they were told that Siriak hadn't appeared to his job that day. Alarmed, they raced to his private house, a three-story merchant house in one of the better parts of the city, and knocked on the front door.The door opened, and a grey and hardened human maid in her fifties asked:" What do you want? Master Siriak isn't at home"."I see", Niklas said. "When do you think we can expect him back?“"I don't know".Jan pushed Niklas to the side:" When have you seen him for the last time?"Cracks of suspicion suddenly appeared on the maid's forehead:" Who are you and why do you want to know?“Trying to save things, Trepat interrupted Jan, who was about to speak:" Excuse me, mam, but we are private investigators who work with the Black Shields. Mr Siriak hasn't appeared at work today, and since one of his colleagues had been murdered recently, we are naturally worried."The furrows on the maid's forehead remained, but at least she answered:" That is really worrying. He didn't come home last night, and I haven't seen him all day.""Is there anything else of interest, for example, do you know where Siriak spends his nights?“ Trepat asked and immediately, the maid turned hard as stone again:" No, I don't. And unless you have some official papers to show me, I don't see why I should tell you in the first place!"Seeing that there was nothing more to find out for now, Torn said:" I see. Well, let's hope that nothing had happened to Siriak, and in case there is anything you would like to tell us about, you can always find us at the Weary Pilgrim".They left the entrance, and as soon as they were sure that they couldn't be seen, Niklas said:" I don't trust that woman at all".Torn nodded:" Me neither. I think it is best if we keep an eye on that house." He turned to Niklas:" Maybe we should stay close together. We both can easily blend into the background".Niklas agreed and they settled down in the surrounding to watch the house. Trepat's raven stayed close as well; ready to warn his master if Torn and Niklas should need help.After a short while, the maid left the building. She looked to the left and right, and apparently unaware of the hidden eyes, which were resting on her, she turned to the right and swiftly left with long strides. Torn stayed some dozen yards behind her, followed by Niklas in turn.Soon, Niklas noticed that Torn wasn't alone, and he once again felt glad that they had established a system of shadowing the shadower. Forming a row where the head was unaware of it's tail, they headed into a part of the town were warehouses and merchant-homes were standing side by side. The maid stopped in front of what looked like an abandoned warehouse, unlocked the door, and went in.The two women who had followed Torn walked past the half-orc, and after a few turns, Niklas had followed them to the back-entrance of the warehouse, where they went in. Seeing that he would get no further here, he waved down Trepat's raven, and told him to tell his master to join him there. For the moment, Torn should wait at the front entrance, where they would stay in touch through the raven.When his friends arrived, Niklas told them what he had seen so far. At least they could now be sure that the maid wasn't as innocent as she appeared, since she seemed to be in league with the mysterious pair of women. Eventually, they decided to enter the warehouse and ask for an explanation.Torn, who ran over once the raven told him to, picked the lock, and together, they entered the warehouse. It was empty, and rays of sunlight fell in through the smudged windows and cut through the dust-filled air. The ground level of the house was one big hall and they could see the front door on the other side, and there was a spiral staircase, which led up through the ceiling.Their nerves were strung as tight as violin-chords, and they pulled out their weapons. Signalling silently, they went to the staircase and climbed up, staying close together.Jan was the first to arrive on the next floor, and expecting an ambush, he boldly jumped forward, his shield raised and his sword ready. However, what he saw didn't seem to warrant his attention: The three women were there, seated around a table, and from the looks of it, they were drinking tea.The one Torn had seen at the door jumped up, and shouted in a firm voice:” What are you doing here? Get out, or I will call the guards!”Jan folded his arms in front of his chest:” Well, if you really want to call the guards, go ahead! We know that you are up to no good, and the guards would probably be glad to hear about that, too!”Ignoring him, the woman turned around and opened the window wide. She leaned out and shouted for the guards to come. And indeed, Hollowfaust being the lawful city it was, immediately a pair of guards arrived.</blockquote>

Verification