Asano smirks as the deputy disappears into the night. He takes a calming, centering breath and focuses on the roiling magic within him, forcing it from it's wild and chaotic nature into a more easily controlled power. Relaxing, he appears entirely calm to those present.

OOC:
Turning my sorcery points into a spell slot. Just in case.

Dweeble watched as the one man who'd been doing most of the talking turned to walk away.  She ignored him.  He'd be back, if she'd heard right, and she had more important work to do than worry about negotiations.  The others could handle that and Dweeble could just hide otherwise.  But a few extra seconds could mean the difference between escape and another cage.  Dweeble didn't much like the idea of a new cage.  She hurriedly got back to work as she shook off those thoughts.

---

OOC:  Going to have Dweeble keep doing what she's doing.

11:53, Today: Dweeble rolled 17 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 10.  Sleight of Hand.

After several tense and uncomfortable minutes amidst the odd collection of town elders and laborors, Harburk Tuthmarillar comes into view down the sloping trail leading to the bottom of the quarry. His companion, the returning deputy, has to run every few steps to keep up with the man. The constable's gaze pierces the night like daggers, looking over the assemblage. Elak Dornan breaks into a sly grin at his approach.

"Alright, let's get this over and done with fast," the hulking butcher says angrily. "You lot," indicating the group who just emerged from the quarry tunnel, "I warned you not to get caught down in this quarry once again. Now come with me out of this place back to the Swinging Sword."

Melliko opens her mouth to speak, but the constable forestalls her. "They're in my custody now, Albaeri, and you'll not find them in your quarry again. Perhaps not in Red Larch again. But I'm not skinning them alive without a full investigation," he looks meaningfully at the disguised tunnel entrance, "which will begin tomorrow morning. After I finish sleeping."

Elak Dornen's grin slips a bit, but he interjects smoothly. "Excellent constable, I have reason to believe they've been skulking about in Melliko's quarry just so they can perform and cover up nefarious deeds in that tunnel. Best you investigate what they've been up to down there." Harburk grunts, but concedes a short nod. He turns back to the party.

"You'll all be gone from Red Larch by the time the sun hits noon tomorrow. Or today, I suppose," Harburk mutters grimly. "This town has rules and it's my job to enforce them. The fact is you trespassed at least once on a town elder's property, and that's not going to be tolerated in my town, no matter what you've done for us outside its borders."

Melliko nods sharply and crosses her arms over her chest in satisfaction as Harburk indicates for the prisoners to follow him out to the Long Road.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:07, Tue 15 Aug 2017.

"Constable, there was a boy, Braelen, below," Asano says, stalling any movement from the tunnels. "He was trapped under stones by a group of adults he called the Believers. There are also numerous dead below, and, though I truly hate to press for expediency in this matter, this is a situation that would be best sorted now. Especially if these Believers or their Delvers were to return while we are being questioned away from here. If you still wish to exile us from this lovely town afterwards, I am sure my companions and myself will recognize your authority and peacefully leave." Asano's voice is earnest and firm, and he clearly will resist leaving the area before any investigation by the constable.


OOC:
Persuasion- 9
Of course. Thanks, Dice Roller. Thanks a lot.

Morg, now in a non-threatening pose, says "Aye, we'll do as you command, but if you're not going to investigate these secret tunnels and chambers now, you should leave people you trust in there" pointing to the secret entrance "to guard it from the cultists calling themselves the Bringers of Woe. They possibly include Braelen's dad, Buckler, Weavul, and uhm... Galekill or something like that."

"I think these cultists caused the earthquake from a few days ago, using magical stones in there, which my wizard friends can explain better."

Mayon was silent as he listened to the conversation, feeling wary and concerned. If they really were being exiled from the town, that would make his hunt a lot more difficult. But Harburk had asked them in the first place, hadn't he? He tried his best to read the man, to figure out if he was simply putting up a show to placate Albaeri for now.


08:31, Today: Mayon Graycross rolled 17 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 13.  Insight Harburk. Basically trying to learn exactly what I said above...
...wait, crap, I mixed up my Investigation and Insight scores. That should be a 15 total instead of a 17. My bad!

Bramwell greets the tired and peevish Constable with a bow and backs up Asano's words, "We sent the lad Braelen to take a room in secret at the Helm at Highsun to await our return.  Find him there and he will confirm Master Breathkill's words."

In defense of their group the half-elf speaks clearly and evenly, "We undertook this night's venture to ensure the safety of the workers of this quarry as well as that of the people of Red Larch.  We have accomplished that in the dissolution of this cult calling themselves the Bringers of Woe."  He glances to Albieri and then back to the Constable to add, "We will gladly accept whatever justice the Constable deems appropriate for our trespass, but it is our expectation that justice be likewise applied to Madame Mellikho's willful concealment of a lair of extremists beneath her quarry and her active obstruction of investigation into the dangers threatening the stonecutters in her employ."

---

Using inspiration to roll Persuasion with advantage:

• 10:32, Today: Secret Roll: Bramwell Caulder rolled 16 using 2d20+3, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 9,13.  Persuasion (inspiration advantage).

Harburk forestalls Mellikho, who looks to interrupt Asano, Morg, and Bram the instant they open their mouths. Her face reaches new shades of crimson, and seems near to apoplexy when Bram levels his accusation.

"Troubling," Harburk rubs his temple as he looks down. "Portents of Believers and Bringers of Woe, whatever they are... I will certainly post a guard at the entrance to this tunnel for the rest of the night, and my trusties and I will search whatever is beyond it in the morning." He nods to his deputy, who moves to the entrance of the tunnel. Dornen looks at the constable impassively as he speaks. Some in the group behind him shift uncomfortably.

"I will seek out the boy at the Helm," Harburk continues, "after I escort you to the Swinging Sword. Again," he mutters the last ruefully. "We might discuss anything else you have to tell me on the way, but my order stands. You'll leave Red Larch by noon tomorrow. Now let's be on our way and let the Elders return to their beds."

---

Anything else before leaving the quarry? You'll get the chance to talk to Harburk more on the way to the inn, if desired.

Dweeble slid the last bits of wire hanging from one of her pouches back into its proper place.  Her fingers itched to grab at the coin pouches and other knick-knacks on the men's belts she'd been sneaking around but she kept her fingers dry.  Besides, their coin was probably dirty from their greasy palms and dirty lies.

Pulling out to the outskirts of the group of men, she began to slide around back towards her...  Friends, perhaps?  But her movements stalled as Harburk spoke up.  She looked to the tunnel entrance, a twinkle in her eye, and spoke up from beside the group who'd have sooner seen them all chased from Red Larch.  "Oye!  Might wanna send your men about to search for hidden tunnels too.  Dweeble doubts there's just the one way in!  Dweeble knows, she's wicked smart," she quickly added.  Having said her piece, she quickly scurried back towards the others and tucked herself behind Morg.  Her forehead and big round eyes poked out from his side but she kept her silence now.

Startled, Dornen glares at the halfling as she appears and suggests alternative ways into the tunnels. "Anything you find down there, Harburk, I expect you to hold these - six - criminals accountable. Do your job, constable." He eyes the party dangerously as he motions Melliko and the others to leave.

Jak couldn't hold it in anymore. "His job's t'investigate, yeah? So he'll do that. But that don't mean you get t'tell him WHO is guilty, sir. THAT is his job." He sent a wide shit-eating grin towards the man and then followed after Harburk and the others. He barely restrained himself from making a rude gesture as well.

Morg turns to Asano while following Harburk, and says, "We have to remember to go pick up the wagon before noon tomorrow."

"I trust you found no other exits from the tunnel when you were down there?" Harburk asks, ignoring Dornen's charge.

Hearing no response, he leads the small party out of the quarry. Dornen and the others eye Harburk's man at the tunnel mouth as they slowly disband. Some follow Harburk's group out of the quarry while others climb its sloping walls to make their way out, presumably to their homes.

"I want to hear more about these Believers and the Bringers of Woe," Harburk growls softly as they march away from the quarry down the Long Road. The night is still and dark, and no movement can be seen from the buildings on either side. "Talk as we walk."

"Certainly I'll talk to Braelen - if I can find the wretch - but I want to hear everything that happened in that tunnel. If you hadn't been stupid enough to be found I could move more deliberately, but with matters as they are now I have precious little time. I'll need to rouse the rest of my trusties and begin the search soon, and as of noon you all will be gone. So spill your story and be gone from Red Larch."

"You've been of little use in town, but," he adds grudgingly, "some fair use outside of it. Let's see if that continues."

Listening to the group relate the happenings in the tunnel, Harburk grows more alarmed with each step. They sit in the common room of the inn for over half an hour, asking and answering questions. As the conversation dies down, Harburk gets up to leave.

"Stay away from town for a few days at least, maybe three or four, and let me get control of the situation here. Something dark has been happening, but it'll be easier for me to figure it out without you here to distract the Council. If you're up for it, there's plenty more disturbing happenings to investigate outside of town."

---

Just moving things along =).

If you want to ask Harburk about anything (e.g., some of the happenings outside town to follow up on) or make sure he knows something specific about what happened in the tunnel, post that now.

Once we're done here I'm assuming you're taking a long rest at the inn, in which case the next step will be to level up, but you can also choose to do something else if you'd prefer.

"Anything in specific you'd like us to take care of that you've heard about?" Mayon asks, tilting his head. Just a few days...that was better than he'd been expecting at least.

Harburk considers Mayon's question. "There's a thousand ill tidings swirling around. It's hard to know where to start. If you have a question about any you've heard about, I can try to answer with what I know." He rubs his eyes tiredly.

"There's a missing delegation from Mirabar that's been the talk of many caravan guards. That seems to be the latest bad news, and the one generating the most gossip. They were apparently last seen in Beliard."

He sighs. "I don't have anything to back this up, but it just seems like much of this evil is centered around - or coming from - the Sumber Hills. Call it a hunch. It's untamed wilderness for the most part, and it's always been dangerous, but it seems more so these days."

"I've never been out there, but it's said there are hunting lodges and keeps from adventurous wealthy city folk. Ages ago there were rich quarries and good hunting in the Hills, but it's gotten more dangerous and darker over the years. Some tales even claim some of the keeps are haunted, whatever that means."
This message was last updated by the player at 14:36, Sun 20 Aug 2017.

Morg carefully looks at Harburk, and then says to the party: "I'd like to go to Beliard, so investigating the missing Mirabarians sounds good. How about the rest of you?"

---

Trying to see if Harburk is being honest:
00:21, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 17 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 16.  Insight check Harburk to see if he might be in league with the Bringers of Woe.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:51, Mon 21 Aug 2017.

"What about a Bastian Thermander?" Asano asks after everyone is ensconced back at the inn. "Have you heard any rumours of a man named such? Possibly leading a band of brigands to the south or east? It may also bear thinking of how we were found to be in the mines. There were no witnesses to us entering the premises, and logically, the only folk that would have known we were there would have been those we encountered below. Perhaps these Watchers are more entrenched in Red Larch than we believe. The boy, Braelen, did name  small handful of people, including his father. He also named Waelvur, Gaelkur, and a Harbuckler as part of the group that had imprisoned him for not delivering a message he lost in the woods." He takes a sip of the water before him, setting the cup down lightly. What about the Bringers of Woe we had tied up? Didn't the slip their bonds before we returned to where we had trussed them?"

"Bastian Thermander," Harburk mutters, thinking. "I have heard tell of such a man - excuse me, such a genasi. Very unpredictable. He was tied to several bandit groups over the years, but I've not heard of him lately. If he wasn't with the bandits you defeated three days ago then I don't know where he might be."

---

Morg rubs his aching neck, and starts taking off his armor while heading upstairs, letting the others talk.

---

Is there enough time for a long rest before we're banished from town?
This message was last edited by the player at 10:53, Wed 23 Aug 2017.

"I'd assume the ones that escaped were the ones who raised the alarm about us." Mayon responded to Asano with a slight grimace, and nodding at Morg's comment about Mirabar, though the dwarf was already leaving.

"I certainly am interested in that 'haunted' keep, if only because of our last experiences with supposedly 'haunted' places turned out for the better. But it would probably be best to find the missing delegation first. The fastest route there would be through the Sumber Hills anyway, so we could probably kill a few birds with one stone and simply have it as our end goal."

I can edit my post if Mayon wouldn't know Beliard was through the hills; I'm going based on the Dessarin Valley map.

Jak frowned as he listened to Harburk speak. He hoped the man would be able to get a handle on things in town, but he feared that the evil lurking was too influential for him to handle. So he shrugged and wrote Red Larch off of his mind for the time being.

"The missing delegation from Mirabar sounds like somethin' we should look in to, yup."

Dweeble trailed behind the others as they walked and talked, her eyes more focused on what was in front of her rather than where they were going.  Belt pouches and pockets!  She licked her lips as they spoke of places to go, things to see.  But all the while her eyes and mind were focused, as narrowly as could be expected, on Harburk.  Slowly, as the others spoke, her curiosity got the better of her and she reached for one of the constable's pockets.  Does he have gold or something shiny hidden away?  Perhaps a key just in case we all end up in handcuffs?  Or maybe even to a secret stash!?  Dweeble licked her lips as she thought of such ideas before pulling away whatever she found.  Hopefully unseen.

After Dweeble's pocket-diving she finally spoke up as the others pitched in one where they were headed next.  "Wealthy folk?  Abandoned keeps and lodges?  Sign Dweeble up!  I bet they have a bunch of shinies out there waiting for a n-...  I mean waiting to be found in the hands of some rude bandit!  Dweeble would love to return them to their rightful owners!  Yup, I would!"  Her eyes shifted up at any faces that turned to look her way but with a bright, self-assured smile on her features...  It was obvious she was assured her change in sentences had gone unnoticed and her lie was utterly believable.

17:32, Today: Dweeble rolled 21 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 14.  Sleight of Hand.

As they walk, Dweeble snatches a few coins from an overly open belt pouch. Distracted, Harburk doesn't react or seem to notice. Later in the common room she covertly counts out her haul - 12 gold coins!
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:29, Wed 23 Aug 2017.

Asano yawns, pushing away from the table. "Well, Constable, I suppose we'll let you handle the situation here," he says graciously. "Thank you for giving us the benefit of the doubt, and I pray your investigations bear fruit. We will send a missive before we return to Red Larch with anything we find that may pertain the situation here. I could use some rest before we head back into the wilds, however. If you will all excuse me."
He bows to the table, slightly, then turns to the stairs leading to the rooms above.