In reply to Fergan (msg # 100):

Here are Fergan's plans/motivations at the moment:

1) Prevent the killing of any more prostitutes without divulging his identity
2) Understand the lordling's comings and going, associates, and etc. Where does his money come from? Who provides his food? What is his reputation? Basically, I'm looking to "earn" the "ability" to have a theory about him that we can quickly roll some checks to verify. I'm comfortable fracturing the timeline with flashbacks to dangerous scenarios if that's how the information has to be earned.
3) Understand the symbol on his palm and whether it suggests self-study or membership in an organization
4) Practice his craft with his newfound powers in anticipation of a showdown with the lordling
5) Find an opportunity to take the lordling captive to....interrogate....about how he got his powers, how widespread his association (assumed) are, etc. Secretly collect irrefutable evidence of wrong-doing
6) Ransom the lordling and their secret back to the head of the family (assumed)
7) Turn over evidence to guards and watch the house crumble OR learn that the establishment is corrupt.

I think #3 and #4 would each be enough to get Fergan to leave the city for a time.

Re: Library/Temple of Boccob

You walk into the temple and there is a lobby area that looks almost like a security checkpoint. The opening to the next chamber is large, 15' across and 20' high, but it appears that efforts have been made to choke access off to a single file walkway. To either side there are large statues. One is a king sitting on a throne made from piles of books. On the other side there is a sort of statue/model representing the planes of existence.

In the middle there is a reception desk, behind it is standing a young man. He appears to be looking back and forth from several open books. He looks like a mage's apprentice. If he has noticed you, he hasn't given any indication of such.

In reply to GM (msg # 102):

I walk over and wait patiently for him to notice me, as interrupting a man in thought should be a crime.

You walk up and the young mage continues what he is doing, though his e6es do flick up at one point. After about 2 minutes he stops and says,

"What do you seek this day?"

It has the air of formality.

In reply to GM (msg # 104):

OOC: If I know of a "proper" response to offer, assuming this is a matter of forms, I would offer it in a foreign accent. Otherwise....

OOC: I'm going to try and build a "scholar/researcher" persona, here, changing my voice some (still foreign accent) and my mannerisms a bit. Shall I roll to see if I can keep the performance consistent/convincing?

"Truth, Knowledge, or Directions in a matter of academic research."

You remember that an appropriate thing to say would be "I come seeking knowledge."

The man behind the desk gives a half smile and bows slightly, puts his hands together and bows slightly and intones, "Come, and be illuminated." Then he starts pushing books aside until he finds what appears to be a ledger and asks, "Name, field of research." then waits expectantly.

In reply to GM (msg # 106):

OOC: Tricksy

"Fergan, symbology."

Want to know the funny thing? Everything I have posted in the this library scene so far is a lightly edited copy/paste from the beginning of Seth's game. (which makes the slow posting particularly egregious on my part...)

Very well. He scribbles some notes then snaps his fingers and a bit of sand bursts out and covers the fresh ink, then he absently sweeps his hand above the page which creates a small magical gust of wind that blows the sand off. The sand dissipates in the air.

First floor. Ask any of the clerks to help you. They may direct you to another floor for more specific information depending on the what symbology you are looking for.

You enter into the the Temple/Library and it is basically how you imagine a Library to be. You see a few people reading and studying. A couple people cataloguing books.

In reply to GM (msg # 108):

OOC: I think that's just efficient DMing.

I quietly make my way up to/over to the first floor and locate a clerk, waiting patiently for his or her attention. Once I have it, I say:

"Hello--I'm doing some research on the origins and practices of religions and other similar groups. In particular, I'm interested in the symbology those groups have used in the past and what various symbols, such as briars, lions, arrows, and stags have meant throughout history and which groups have used which types of symbols. Is there a reference book that is a kind of symbol "catalog"? I'm interested in usage great and small, so perhaps a book of heraldry focusing on minor and major houses, churches, schools and monasteries would be helpful too?"

You find a young half-elf that looks more like an acolyte than a wizards apprentice, both are common with Boccob, and sometimes both together. She nobs enthusiastically to your words, then she goes around pulling books of the shelves, handing them to you, chattering about objects of worship now and forgotten.

You have a total of 7 books to look through. She makes a note of the titles, inspecting each one briefly, and asks your name. (then she will tell you to return them to a central desk when you are done).

There is also paper and writing utensils for sale there, slightly above market rates.

In reply to GM (msg # 110):

Ok--Taking great care with the books, I begin looking through them for mentions of broken and bundled arrows, separately and individually. I also keep an eye out for any heraldric crests which contain the symbol and look for mentions of the lordling's house in those books as well.

Ok, you figure out the family crest of the Lordly. The way it works is that one of the major houses in the area has their crest, then the houses that have sworn featly has the same basic crest with some unique variation. Free free to define this.

After a few hours of study, and because of the symbol is weapon themed, you find in a book depicting battle standards the symbol you are looking for. At least, it is the same basic symbol, but cleaner. Something that would definitely look good on a flag, or shield, or breastplate. The meaning is obvious, "Apart we break, together we prevail" or similar. It can be interpreted other ways too, afterall, an arrow in a quiver isn't of much use if it is never drawn. Arrows are made to be used up. Some would say the same of soldiers.

In any case, this standard was held by a commander from the distant past. He gained an lost many cities in conquest. It is written he slew thousands with the stroke of his wand. After a successful campaign near the Spine of the World, he disapeared. Some say he took his armies north and either died on conquered in the frozen wastes. Or became part of the Northern Tribes. Or that he was assassinated. Or that he simply fell ill. But the accounts agree that his reign of terror in the Sword Coast region ended abruptly.

He was called The Dreaded Korosk. There is no mention of the symbol being used as a holy symbol. The banners were pulled down almost as quickly as they were erected, then forgotten to time.

~~~

Other town stuff. Your tagging goes well, exceptionally well. So, well, in fact that you spot a man reading the graffiti then cursing angrily. It's the guy. You are across a main street in another alley. You have not had time to find out where he is staying or anything like that yet.

After his outburst, he appears to become self conscious, puts his head down and quickly moves toward the main street. It is dusk.

What do you do?

In reply to GM (msg # 112):

I follow him at a distance.

You follow him at a distance. He seems to be making a bee-line to a particular location, though he does take a couple wrong turns, it seems, but doesn't stop to ask anyone directions.

Eventually he enters into an inn called the Buried Crown. It is a middling to nice establishment. It is now mostly dark out.

In reply to GM (msg # 114):

If there is a window, I watch what he does once he gets inside. If he was to go upstairs, I would try to get a sense of which room he was in by watching for a light coming on.

If there is no window, I wait a moment watching for lights to come on or for him to out.

If he doesn't, I'll try to find a place to post up unless I believe my disguise is sufficient to get inside. Think I rolled well, but I'm on my phone and hit reply before checking.

OOC: You are always confident in your disguises.

You enter the inn and it is the typical affair. You don't see the guy though. It is the upper middle class crowd that you had guessed.

In reply to GM (msg # 116):

I grab a drink or some food and hang out to not look weird for coming in and out, just listening to the chatter in the common room before leaving.

I'd report all of that back to the theater guy whose name I can never remember.

In reply to Fergan (msg # 117):

Scratch that--I'm in a stablemans costume, so I don't think should have even gone in to the establishment unless it would not be weird. I'll just have to take stake out the location until late, then return to the theater, report, change, and come back very early to continue the stakeout--justifying my reduced sleep with the need to get up early, rather than acknowledge the fear.

Ok, you go back to the theater, sleep for a bit. That night you dream of chunks of your body falling off due to rot, upon which, in a panic, you try to stuff them back on. The rate at which this happens increases leading to a macabre version of Lucy's famous chocolate factory scene. You wake in a sweat, adrenaline pumping.

Back at the inn you find a quiet street, and a dark inn; not surprising given the hour, though you do pass a couple businesses, such as bakeries, and even an inn, that were already showing signs of activity. You hang out across the street on the corner of a residence and an alley.

An hour passes and more people quietly pass through the streets. At around 5am a man carrying a wooden crate filled with food stuffs approaches the front of the inn and gives three careful and practiced thumps with his foot on the door. It is difficult to see, but the door appears to open slightly, and the man with the groceries cocks his head slightly and leans toward the door and calls out softly, "Neemon?"

You hear a moaning growl from inside.

Initiative.

In reply to GM (msg # 119):

Initiative: 5

The grocer had his coffee this morning and is able to dodge out of the way of a zombie swing. He stumbles backward and drops his box which clatters and breaks on the cobblestones. He turns and runs yelling with an almost deep pitch that would be comical if monsters were not about to pour out of the inn. Instead it comes as an eerie knell.

Fergan sees at least a few zombies at the door of the inn, they are wearing bedclothes and there is blood caked on their heads and shirts.

Your turn (you beat their initiative, grocer beat you all and was able to disengage and leave, the swipe was not a 'real' attack).

In reply to GM (msg # 121):

I watch what happens, figuring I don't want to be spotted shooting eldritch blasts in the street, but look for the following:

a) The presence of a way to get to the second shriek of the building
b) Any wounds the zombies bear that are noteworthy
c) The appearance of the deceased for later identification.

If any get close, I move off. I try not to be seen by any approaching guards, though I'm fine being seen by guards after they arrive and get established.

I want to see how the local authorities deal with this.

Ok, the zoms come stumbling out. They appear to have been killed by blunt force trauma to the head.

So far you see six. The fan out from the door about 30' in all directions. Two of them head your way and end up 5' away (there is one "square" between you, and an open alley behind you). You hear a wagon coming slowly down the street and a voice say, "What's this, git out the road!" It is about 50' away.

The Grocer is farther away and he starts yelling "Help!" and "Guards!"

In reply to GM (msg # 123):

I yell "ZOMBIES! ZOMBIES!" in as panicked a voice as I can muster without feeling much panic, wondering momentarily at whether my dream and these zombies are related.

I then move 30' back into the alley and ready an action to cast Eldritch Blast on the zombie who first moves sufficiently deep into the alley that my casting cannot be seen from down the street (assuming I hit).

Go ahead and roll, since that will happen. Assume normal zombies and describe if hit. Describe what your EB looks like. At your option it can look different before/after curse.