Return of the Dragons, Part 1: Mothers in Arms - IC

[rogueblade0729]

Music: Thousand Grains - Pathfinder: Kingmaker

East Farlsmark

The Duchess held Noran in her gaze for a long time, silently contemplating his response. Her expression betrayed nothing, but the fact that she did not yet cast the party from her halls must mean something. Then, before speaking again, she made several subtle, curious motions. First, she twisted her right hand and extended it from her sleeve just enough for her fingers to be fully revealed, uncovering what looked to be a golden ring set with a brilliant red gem that seemed... precious to behold. Second, she shifted her left hand, ringless, to daintily touched her thumb to her pinkie finger, the other three fingers bent. To the casual observer, these simply appeared to be fidgets as her stoic demeanor began to form cracks... but was there more to be gleaned from this?

Before any further inquiry could be given, Duchess Djurgen's expression grew harsh, suspicious, and her hands curled up in fists as she declared, "If you mean to speak ill of our most generous and respectful neighbors, then your silver tongue is no longer welcome here! Begone, lest I cut it from your mouth!"

At that moment, the doors to the hall opened, and in returned the guards. They held their weapons at the ready, and gestured with their hands and their eyes that it was time for the party to leave.

Velgrynd said nothing, but without a word turned on her heel and strode back the way she came, not even gracing the conversation with parting words. Assuming the party followed, she waited until they were well away from the Duchess' keep before she turned to them and asked in a calm tone, "Did you find what you were looking for, then?"

Mechanics & OOC

Roles for the Journey

• GuideIn charge of all decisions concerning route, rest, and supplies. Guides rely on Survival and Knowledge (geography).: Cyrus
• ScoutIn charge of setting up camp, opening new trails. Scouts rely on Hide, Move Silently, and Search.: Lilith & Noran
• HunterIn charge of finding food in the wild. Hunters rely on Survival and Knowledge (nature).: Nhezi
• Look-outIn charge of keeping watch. Look-outs rely on Spot and Listen.: Daryl (?)

---

Party Conditions: None

Roll20 Map

OOC: That counts as a success, meaning you throw off the Arrival in Poor Spirits!

If you are trained (and the skill requires training), please make a Sense Motive, Knowledge (local), Knowledge (religion), or Knowledge (nobility and royalty) check now.

---

To Do: Roleplay at will!

@JCBarnes @paladinred @HydroGuy @Sylas @Xhosant

Edited January 6 by rogueblade0729 (see edit history)

[HydroGuy]

Noran Bursk | HP: 60/60 | AC: 21 | Touch: 12 | Flat-footed: 18

---

Conditions

Stance: Island of Blades (All allies flank from any adjacent space), Charisma Aura (+8)

Disguise: Middle-class, Middle-age, Half-elf, Farlsteadian merchant

Concentration:

---

Noran gave no reaction to the Duchess's words or actions. "As you wish."

 

He simply rose, spun abruptly on the balls of his feet, and marched out into the city with Velgrynd. "I have indeed, Ma'am. I thank you for your assistance and wish you well on the completion of your own business." He gives the woman a slight bow. "Adieu."

 

He then leads his companions into a secluded location to regroup and share their observations.

---

Actions

I've got some juicy deets to share, but I'll need someone to help out with some knowledge checks.

---

OOC

d20 Rerolls (1)

Edited January 6 by HydroGuy (see edit history)

[rogueblade0729]

 

[paladinred]

Nhezi has

Arcana +6

History +6

Religion +9 and

Planes +6

[rogueblade0729]

OOC: Knowledge (religion) would be useful here. Knowledge (local) or (nobility and royalty) would also help.

[rogueblade0729]

 

Edited January 10 by rogueblade0729 (see edit history)

[HydroGuy]

Noran Bursk | HP: 60/60 | AC: 21 | Touch: 12 | Flat-footed: 18

---

Conditions

Stance: Island of Blades (All allies flank from any adjacent space), Charisma Aura (+8)

Disguise: Middle-class, Middle-age, Half-elf, Farlsteadian merchant

Concentration:

---

Once secluded enough to share their thoughts candidly, Noran shares his observations. "It seems... our fair Duchess is not entirely in control of her own realm. Her true communication, whilst brief and subtle, was clear. Her words and actions are being monitored... by someone tied to her ring."

 

He tucks his arms into the small of his back as he begins to pace. "Unfortunately, In order to accomplish our task... we'll need to determine the significance, or lack thereof, of three rather vague, ideas. Six, Talon, and Hill..."

---

Actions

 

---

OOC

d20 Rerolls (1)

[paladinred]

Mini Statblock

Sheet https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=853532
Name
Race
Classes
Stone Glimpse 

Nhezi

Nhezi El-Rhaki
Female N Medusa Gestalt, Level 9, Init 4, HP 99/99, Speed 20
AC 28, Touch 13, Flat-footed 25, Fort 11, Ref 10, Will 14, Base Attack Bonus 6/1
Large Silver Large Morningstar +8/+3 (2d6, x2)
+1 Magical +1 Darkwood Greatclub +9/+4 (1d10+2, x2)
+2 Mithril Fullplate of Acid Resistance, Heavy Wooden (+10 Armor, +2 Shield, +3 Dex, +3 Natural)
Abilities Str 12, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 22, Cha 14
Condition None

Nhezi looks at Noran and adds "the ring is cursed, she is being manipulated by someone as yet unseen, it is tied to Asmodeus and cannot be removed unless she is killed or better still they are killed. She will receive painful visions as a punishment if she does not comply with the ring makers wishes, we need to find the puppet master, and quick lest there be a war" she says with pain in her eyes.

[rogueblade0729]

Music: Thousand Grains - Pathfinder: Kingmaker

East Farlsmark

With a knowing smile, Velgrynd gave the two heroes a small nod. "It seems you're on the right track. Do what you can for her, and her people. You may be her only hope now. And though I long to remain with you, I must depart with haste. My business across the Dead Strait may be the difference between the survival or death of everyone in these lands. Farewell."

With that, she bowed politely, hefted her magical spear over her shoulder, and swiftly strode down the street and out of town.

Mechanics & OOC

Roles for the Journey

• GuideIn charge of all decisions concerning route, rest, and supplies. Guides rely on Survival and Knowledge (geography).: Cyrus
• ScoutIn charge of setting up camp, opening new trails. Scouts rely on Hide, Move Silently, and Search.: Lilith & Noran
• HunterIn charge of finding food in the wild. Hunters rely on Survival and Knowledge (nature).: Nhezi
• Look-outIn charge of keeping watch. Look-outs rely on Spot and Listen.: Daryl (?)

---

Party Conditions: None

Roll20 Map

OOC: The party has begun to piece together Duchess Djurgen's hidden signal! But what is the answer to the second gesture? Six, Talon, Hill... or something else. You can determine this by rolling Knowledge (local) or Knowledge (nobility and royalty), if anyone in the party's got it. It seems like we may be down to just you two, unfortunately.

Otherwise, you may want to consider the other, usual routes of finding information. You're currently in a large town, so there's bound to be people around who know a thing or two. You can either tell me where you want to go first (inn, temple, back alleys, garrison, library, etc.), or you can roll Gather Information.

---

To Do: Roleplay at will!

@JCBarnes @paladinred @HydroGuy @Sylas @Xhosant

Edited January 11 by rogueblade0729 (see edit history)

[HydroGuy]

Noran Bursk | HP: 60/60 | AC: 21 | Touch: 12 | Flat-footed: 18

---

Conditions

Stance: Island of Blades (All allies flank from any adjacent space), Charisma Aura (+8)

Disguise: Middle-class, Middle-age, Half-elf, Farlsteadian merchant

Concentration:

---

Information shared, and goodbyes said, Noran offers the following. "I shan't think we'll find ring-makers of that peculiar quality without marching straight into the lands of our foes... Perhaps someone amongst the locals will have a better idea of the significance of our clue-words. Let us start with the learned folks, they tend to be a bit more forthcoming with data, if for no other purpose than to prove their own knowledge to the world."

 

He heads to the nearest library, under the guise of an author attempting to write a comprehensive history of the region, poking among the librarians/students/etc. for any connection between the Gavstorians and our clue words.

---

Actions

Find some connections to the clue words.

Gather Information, 40 Minutes to complete, Take 10 = 18

(Anyone with a successful Aid Another can bump that to a nice round 20)

---

OOC

d20 Rerolls (1)

Edited January 16 by HydroGuy (see edit history)

[paladinred]

Mini Statblock

Sheet https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=853532
Name
Race
Classes
Stone Glimpse 

Nhezi

Nhezi El-Rhaki
Female N Medusa Gestalt, Level 9, Init 4, HP 99/99, Speed 20
AC 28, Touch 13, Flat-footed 25, Fort 11, Ref 10, Will 14, Base Attack Bonus 6/1
Large Silver Large Morningstar +8/+3 (2d6, x2)
+1 Magical +1 Darkwood Greatclub +9/+4 (1d10+2, x2)
+2 Mithril Fullplate of Acid Resistance, Heavy Wooden (+10 Armor, +2 Shield, +3 Dex, +3 Natural)
Abilities Str 12, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 22, Cha 14
Condition None

Nhezi retrieves a small bag of gems and offers them to Noran "here, use this for bribes if you need to, there is 500gp worth of gems in there. I am of little use in the diplomacy skill, nor am I any liar" the medusa says.

[rogueblade0729]

Music: Thousand Grains - Pathfinder: Kingmaker

Zana's Host

Noran's investigations bear fruit. The librarian, a surprisingly gregarious fellow, jumps at the opportunity to help a fellow scholar with something. Anything. It seems like he doesn't get much traffic from newcomers this far away from Farlstead. Especially when he's presented with a riddle, he's all too happy to help you solve it.

"Well, I can't rightly tell you what one of our dwarvish neighbors have anything to do with 'six', 'talon', and 'hill', but I do think I've an answer to clue words... some of them, that is. There's a tower to the north, Ìnean Dòchas, or Hope's Talon. It is set upon a lonely hill, and is often the first sight of our lands that travelers from upriver see. But the Gavstorians had naught to do with it! We built it with stone quarried by our own hands, and still it stands strong to this day. The guards there meet travelers 'fore they continue to our town, to ensure they are not brigands or smugglers. Perhaps that is what the 'six' refers to, if not six referring to the numerical sign of Hell, to which the Gavstorians now swear fealty. But surely no riddlemaster would leave such a painfully obvious conclusion!"

Mechanics & OOC

Roles for the Journey

• GuideIn charge of all decisions concerning route, rest, and supplies. Guides rely on Survival and Knowledge (geography).: Cyrus
• ScoutIn charge of setting up camp, opening new trails. Scouts rely on Hide, Move Silently, and Search.: Lilith & Noran
• HunterIn charge of finding food in the wild. Hunters rely on Survival and Knowledge (nature).: Nhezi
• Look-outIn charge of keeping watch. Look-outs rely on Spot and Listen.: Daryl (?)

---

Party Conditions: None

Roll20 Map

OOC: Alright, you've got a lead! Hope's Talon, a watchtower that guards Farlsmark's northwestern river border against brigands and smugglers. They also often meet with Gavstorian merchants and travelers, for they usually take the river as opposed to the perilous crossing of the forest.

---

To Do: Roleplay at will!

@JCBarnes @paladinred @HydroGuy @Sylas @Xhosant

Edited January 23 by rogueblade0729 (see edit history)

[HydroGuy]

Noran Bursk | HP: 60/60 | AC: 21 | Touch: 12 | Flat-footed: 18

---

Conditions

Stance: Island of Blades (All allies flank from any adjacent space), Charisma Aura (+8)

Disguise: Middle-class, Middle-age, Half-elf, Farlsteadian merchant

Concentration:

---

Noran makes an ornate show of rapidly scribbling notes on some parchment as the scholar speaks, intermittently adding a bemused "Interesting!" or "Really now?" as he writes. "We'll have to take a detour to see this place for ourselves. It should make for a wonderful chapter in my book." He gives a flourish of the quill and gestures to the librarian with the feathered end. "You will, of course, be given a full notation for your assistance."

 

He gathers his things and turns to leave. "A final question, if I may? Who is in charge of this tower? I doubt they'll look kindly on strangers poking about the place, and some level of familiarity will go a long way in easing any tensions."

 

Safely away from the building and out of sight, he unceremoniously dumps his scribblings into a nearby refuse receptacle and wipes his hands on the cleanest section of his clothing he can find.

---

Actions

Head to this tower, unless anyone objects.

---

OOC

d20 Rerolls (1)

[rogueblade0729]

Music: Thousand Grains - Pathfinder: Kingmaker

Zana's Host

"That'd be Captain Braddock, if I recall rightly! You can't miss him: broad shoulders, badge of office proudly displayed on his belt... oh, right, and he's an aarakocra. Look for the winged hawkish fellow!"

With a wave of his hand and an incantation of arcane magic, the librarian conjured a minor illusion of a portrait of the Captain, for ease of reverence.

Captain Braddock

  

He then bade the travelers farewell and went back to his work.

Mechanics & OOC

Roles for the Journey

• GuideIn charge of all decisions concerning route, rest, and supplies. Guides rely on Survival and Knowledge (geography).: Cyrus
• ScoutIn charge of setting up camp, opening new trails. Scouts rely on Hide, Move Silently, and Search.: Lilith & Noran
• HunterIn charge of finding food in the wild. Hunters rely on Survival and Knowledge (nature).: Nhezi
• Look-outIn charge of keeping watch. Look-outs rely on Spot and Listen.: Daryl (?)

---

Party Conditions: None

Roll20 Map

OOC: If no one states any other course of action by Saturday, I will assume you are all traveling to Hope's Talon.

---

To Do: Roleplay at will!

@JCBarnes @paladinred @HydroGuy @Sylas @Xhosant

[rogueblade0729]

Music: Blade of Your Own Choices - Pathfinder: Kingmaker

Hope's Talon

The trip from Zana's Host to Hope's Talon took the majority of the day. Ten miles of well-trodden dirt roads led north from the town, the terrain shifting from rolling plains to rocky hills. As the sun began to hasten towards the horizon, the party spotted a majestic white stone tower emerge before them. From an exterior perspective, no life could be seen around. No guards were visibly stationed on the bridge that crossed into the tower, nor could any be easily seen through the arrow slits at the top. Likewise, they encountered no one else since departing Zana's Host. No companies of troops marching to and fro, no citizens delivering supplies for the watchmen, not even fishermen along the river. If this land wasn't known to be inhabited by the half-elves of Farlsmark, anyone in the party would've taken this for a lone-land, barren and devoid of life...

Mechanics & OOC

Roles for the Journey

• GuideIn charge of all decisions concerning route, rest, and supplies. Guides rely on Survival and Knowledge (geography).: Cyrus
• ScoutIn charge of setting up camp, opening new trails. Scouts rely on Hide, Move Silently, and Search.: Lilith & Noran
• HunterIn charge of finding food in the wild. Hunters rely on Survival and Knowledge (nature).: Nhezi
• Look-outIn charge of keeping watch. Look-outs rely on Spot and Listen.: Daryl (?)

---

Party Conditions: None

Roll20 Map

OOC: Alright, the party makes their approach to Hope's Talon! It's currently late in the afternoon, and since it's in the autumn season, you'll only have a couple hours left before sundown. So far, it doesn't seem like you've been noticed... at least by nobody that you can see.

What's the plan?

---

To Do: Roleplay at will!

@JCBarnes @paladinred @HydroGuy @Sylas @Xhosant