Vengeance in Mornonas

[DarkMaster]

Solomon, Dai and Telic heads for the Industrial sector after Jasper told them how to get there. Gnarll and Karns try to find a small hotel were they could rent a few rooms. Usually they would have head towards the golden lion, but if you want to keep a low profile this isn't the best place.

You walk down the steep road the lead towards the port. There are only two access to the port section and they are well guarded. As you walk down the street you can notice a few vigil on top of their wooden tower. They seems to observe every individual that enters or leave the area. Seeing Solomon uniforms the vigil don't spend too much time on him, but seems to observe Dai more then anyone around.

OOC The port is lower by a 2-3 hundred feets than the rest of town. A large cliff isolate the port section from the rest of town. Only two roads gives access to this section. All along the cliff are different lifting system that allow the transfer of merchandise to the rest of the city.

You walk along the boat as Jasper told you and pass in front of the Kobold Sailor a very popular Inn among adventurer, the place seems quiet. You walk for another 15 minutes and pass in front of the Golden Lion, renowned for its semi-legal Gladiator fights. A lot of adventurer and sailors also hang there.

Solomon (spot 21) notices a man wearing Prumen's militia uniform. He recognises one of the militian. The men is getting out of the Golden Lion. Solomon must act quick if he doesn't want to be recognised. (OOC I used an opposed spot check roll to determine who would see the other first)

The councellor smiles at Oculus. " Patience young men, you seem quite enthusiastic about this" (OOC Just to let you I rolled a bluff vs sense motive to see how "surprised" you reacted)
The councellor slowly stand up and Oculus realise how this men is tall. Hearing him speaks Oculus is also quite impressed by the way he speaks, this men could be an excellent politician.

He looks at Oculus as if he was a young inexperienced student. "Young men, I am quite busy and don't really have time to spend explaining you the whole story. I wouldn't want you to get involved in this. These rocks are the keys to great intellectual and physical treasures but they are also cursed and bring death to anyone coming in contacts with them. The village where I found them was savagely destroyed by the curse. One must take great care to respect them or perish in an horrible death. I don't think you are ready for that young men. Go home and forget about these rocks if you want to live" The councellor speech seems quite genuine and Oculus can't discern what is a lie from what isn't.

The old professor smiles at Oculus with a motherly smiles. Oculus don't worry about all this. That just reminded me that we didn't see you often in the last few days. I guess you came here to study so I will stop wasting your precious time The old professor returns on the councellor sides.

Jasper remembers that teachers are allowed to buy small houses located on the campus. Lots of professor live in those houses, isolated from the common people and the sounds and smell of the city. Jasper heads towards the house of the old professor.

 

[Manzanita]

Solomon Kreel

OOC: Solomon has little but distain for the Pruman militia, and isn't interested in wearing his uniform any more. It seems to give some advantage in Mornonas, so I guess he'll keep it a bit longer. He wanted to be heading to the Temple. Is that where they're going now?

IC: Solomon immediately dodges, trying to avoid being seen. Then he'll motion Dai and/or Telic to join him. Hopefully he'll be able to tell them what he's seen. His primary objective is to find Jessica. Thus he'd like to continue towards the Temple. Yet this man might lead them to her as well. His next action will depend upon if he can successfully avoid detection and stay in contact with his allies.

 

[silentspace]

The councellor smiles at Oculus. " Patience young men, you seem quite enthusiastic about this" (OOC Just to let you I rolled a bluff vs sense motive to see how "surprised" you reacted)
The councellor slowly stand up and Oculus realise how this men is tall. Hearing him speaks Oculus is also quite impressed by the way he speaks, this men could be an excellent politician.

He looks at Oculus as if he was a young inexperienced student. "Young men, I am quite busy and don't really have time to spend explaining you the whole story. I wouldn't want you to get involved in this. These rocks are the keys to great intellectual and physical treasures but they are also cursed and bring death to anyone coming in contacts with them. The village where I found them was savagely destroyed by the curse. One must take great care to respect them or perish in an horrible death. I don't think you are ready for that young men. Go home and forget about these rocks if you want to live" The councellor speech seems quite genuine and Oculus can't discern what is a lie from what isn't.

The old professor smiles at Oculus with a motherly smiles. Oculus don't worry about all this. That just reminded me that we didn't see you often in the last few days. I guess you came here to study so I will stop wasting your precious time The old professor returns on the councellor sides.

OOC: Not sure what Oculus would be "surprised" about, since he's been watching them...

Oculus starts reading one of the books or notes as he replies "Oh, thank you for your concern, but don't worry about me. What harm could come to me here, in Mornonas? Anyway, I'm always eager to learn new things! I have some free time, and I'm quite a good researcher. I've spent most of my life studying History, Arcana, and Religion among other subjects, and in addition to my book learning I know quite a bit of Lore too. I'm sure I'll be able to help get to the bottom of this mystery."

OOC: Diplomacy +5. Oculus would also be using Sense Motive +2 to figure out what Councilor Uder is thinking. He'll also be scanning the books and notes to glean as much as possible from them - Spot +3, Search +4

 

[DarkMaster]

OOC Don't worry I gave big bonuses to your roll. It was more to look like you really weren't aware of what was happening and that your interest was really genuine and not motivated by other motives, like vengeance or desires to understand why people were massacred.

I understand that Solomon doesn't want to wear the uniform but his armor has a lot of military insigna broded in. But if you want you can remove them all. I will assume that you removed them all and will give you a circumstancial bonus on your hide check.

 

[DarkMaster]

Oculus, sits with them the councellor seems initially a bit annoyed by Oculus presence around the table but Oculus is able with a few smart comment and question to put the Councellor on his side. Oculus get quickly involved in their search.

Jasper finally reaches the cottages. He ask a group of student if they know where the illustrious professor lives. They quickly answer him. He heads towards the house. It is a funny neighboorhood all the houses are identical and most of the time can only be differentiated by their civic number. They are all small yellow and red bungalow surronded by a small piece of land. Jasper walk up to 325 bookeeper street. He knocks on the door a few times but nobody answers.

Solomon, tries to hide in the surronding crowd as much as he can brigning with him the other two. The group tries to blend in the crowd as much as they can. The soldier get out of the Inn followed by Gror and two other soldiers. Gror seems much more confident and important then when he was in Prumen. He actually seems to be giving orders to the other three. The group then heads toward the North walking along the port. the boats are on your left.

 

[silentspace]

During the course of the research, Oculus will slowly ask some questions. "So tell me about the tomb these stones were found in. Who's tomb was it? And who made these stones, and why? If these stones have destroyed a village already, and carry a curse, is it possible to just destroy the stones and stop the curse? How are they the keys to great intellectual and physical treasures? Are these treasures too great to destroy the stones, despite their danger?"

The answers to those questions will help Oculus in his research, as he searches the dusty tomes of the library for information, and at the same time tries to remember any Lore that he can.

If Oculus remembers something via his Lore skill, or discovers something in a book that seems important, he will also not share it with them, but be otherwise extremely helpful (getting books and performing other minor tasks for them).

 

[Kangaxx]

Jasper Conrad

Jasper finally reaches the cottages. He ask a group of student if they know where the illustrious professor lives. They quickly answer him. He heads towards the house. It is a funny neighboorhood all the houses are identical and most of the time can only be differentiated by their civic number. They are all small yellow and red bungalow surronded by a small piece of land. Jasper walk up to 325 bookeeper street. He knocks on the door a few times but nobody answers.

Jasper waits at the door a few minutes, hoping the professor will show and pondering what to do if he doesn't. He could be teaching a class, he could be researching something in the library, he could be out getting an early dinner.. There's no way I'm going to find him just wandering around. But I don't have time to just wait for him to come back. Maybe I can find someone that knows where he is if I ask around.

OOC: Is there a registrar's office or some similar place where Jasper could find out a teacher's schedule? Is there somewhere he knows that the teacher's often go to relax or do research?

 

[Manzanita]

Solomon Kreel

Solomon's hands flex and grip compulsively. A desire to charge forward and rip Gror's head off with his bare hands is almost overpowering. Yet he does resist. His loyalty towards Pruman and his desire for revenge has cooled somewhat. The town was not what it seemed. His mentors betreyed him. Truly his higher calling was to find Jessica and see that she was removed from risk as much as possible.

Perchance is Gror heading towards Vilral street and the Temple now? If so, Solomon will follow, trying to be discrete, asking Dai and Tellic to trail behind him to avoid being spotted.

If not, he faces a bigger decision. They are not weighed down with equipment, are they? If so, they are not leaving now, and Solomon knows where they are staying and can return. Solomon keeps his eyes on the prize, and continues onto the Temple. "What can they be doing here?" he asks Dai and Tellic. "They are so bold. They think there were no survivors to tell the tale. We will get them. And if I can't kill them, perhaps the courts will have better luck."

OOC: Does Solomon have any sense of the Mergovian court system? Does he think with the witnesses they have, they might be able to press charges legally?

 

[DarkMaster]

Oculus intelligence and socials skills are scoring points with the Councellor. Young man, these stones were found in the tomb of Dali Engatnomal the sorceress queen, Oculus remembers learning about her in his history class and arcane class. It is beleived that she was sent by her godess as a prophet. She brought with her the knowledge of spontaneous arcane magic. She never quite explained how it works but it is beleived that all sorcerer today are all descendant of her or one of her student. The councellor seeing that oculus realised the importance of the rocks adds. The godess was called Enirdnas, She is actually the true godess of magic. The stones could lead us to a large treasure. A treasure made of gold and even better knowledge. Knowledge of magic,my young friend. That knowledge could probably allow us to leap at LEAST 200 years in the futur in terms of magical knowledge, bringning our understanding of the art to a level way superior to even the best Axyrian Wizards. His eyes seems to lit with fire as he talks. The councellor really seems to get exited with this conversation.
he then add " Tell me, what is a few village worth compared to giving the world that knowledge? Our knowledge of magic could prevents war, famine, disease. As for the curse, I am already taking care of it. Join us, my young friend, in this quest to save the world.
The old professor seems also very enthusiastic about finding the secrets of these stones. While working with them Oculus notices that a lot of books are mentioning the "Sacred Book" and their description of the content seems to reflect the description of the book found by Solomon.

Jasper a bit frustrated that the professor is not home starts to ask around. Jasper is well known on campus and doesn't have problem getting the information. After speaking with a few student and professor on campus he comes to the conclusion that the professor has not been seen for a few day. Most people seems to indicate that in the last months he was researching for his next book in the library. On this Japser heads towards the library.

The soldiers seems to head in the direction of the temple. Solomon follow them, Telic and Dai staying a bit behind. The group walks among the crowded street of the port, Dai see man from the south being unloaded from a boat like if they were simple merchandise. Exactly like him when he came to the continent. The soldier walk up the very large ramp back to the industrial sector of the city. They quickly get on Vilral street. This street is extremely large and congested with horse and magical cart carrying the raw products to the various industry. This place must probably be dead at night, there don't seems to be any residential area around only industry. The soldier walk up to a large temple. The temple really seems to be out of place in this part of town. In front of the temple in the stairs sits a very old priest of Hierienous still wearing his old rusted full plate. The soldier briefly speaks to him and enter the temple by the main door. The two doors are about 30 feet high in massive mergovian oak wood. The temple is very old and wasn't properly maintained, one of his three spires has actually crumbled down. The old priest seems to be preaching the people passing in front of him but none of the workers or chariot handler seems to even notice him.

OCC Solomon could try to go to court with the witnesses but without tangible proofs it could be a very hard case.

 

[Manzanita]

Solomon Kreel

Solomon watches the soldiers enter the temple. He pauses on the street and looks around for any sign of the Almats. Assuming there is no sign of them, he decides he must enter.

"Tellic, Dai, I would follow them. Perhaps one of you would stay out here and keep an eye out for the counselor, Mr. Almat, and his daughter Jessica. Perhpas the other would come in with me. It may degrade to violence if I am spotted. I fear I may lose my temper if I confront them."

Either way, Solomon will approach the entrance, still trying to avoid being noticed by Gror and his men.