The Beggar’s Roost Inn is a wide, single story building that sits on the northwestern corner of the muddy crossroads that meet in the center of Geron. The village is quiet, free from the boisterous conversation that the adventurers have encountered in communities to the south, though there are several tradesmen occupying shops along the avenue, as well as a number of peasants leading farm animals or towing carts filled with recently harvested grain and vegetables. The mood of the residents is clearly subdued. All keep their heads down, focusing on the tasks before them, their speech low and succinct when words are required.

On the southeastern corner of the crossroad, catacorner to the inn, a pair of Denagothian lancers loiter, keeping watch on the passerby.

A fire burns brightly in the hearth of the Beggar’s Roost, the tempting scent of cooking food greeting the adventurers as they step inside. A long bar lines most of the spacious room’s far end. A few customers have settled at tables in the tavern’s ample seating area, nursing mugs of ale or eating steaming bowls of stew. A handsome middle aged human woman, her dark hair gathered in a long braid, is cleaning mugs behind the bar. A small wooden sign, propped up close to her, reads, ”Real Dwarven Ale! 4 silvers.”

The woman smiles at the company as they enter. ”Afternoon,” she says, ”What might I get for you?”

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 1):

Killian stands toward the back letting the others do the talking.  Once he is able to he finds a seat in a secluded part of the tap room.

Jayanti wanders up to the bar.

"I'll try some of that Dwarven Ale with a bowl of stew, please. And we'd also like to hear what you have for room accommodations."

Neuken inquires about a menu.  He isn’t sure a mere bowl of stew will suffice for him.

Patch shivered and pulled his tattered and many-patched cloak tightly about him.

"Stew please, no ale, just a mug of hot water, perhaps with some carrot peels or steeped mushroom stalks if you have them." He requested.

Then the odd cleric looked for a place to sit and relax his aging bones.

Making sure that the horses are taken care of, Jarder hands the stable boy an extra piece of silver; "Take care of theses mounts.  It would be ashamed if something happened to them and then something were to happen to you......"

Following the others into the inn. Jarder orders some stew and and some ale.  While waiting for the food he pulls out his pipe places some leaf into it, lights it on the nearby fire and take a long tug .  "Now that hits the spot." he says almost unconsciously.  Leaning in towered the others and lowering his voice; "Well we are here.  Sheriffs office seems the next stop.  Tonight or tomorrow?"

Greyband gruffly but respectfully orders ale and stew and nods at Jarder. "Read my mind. I'm thinkin' tonight. Anyone think somethin' else?"

“I recommend going tomorrow.  We should avoid seeming overly eager... it could attract suspicion.”  He says this discreetly.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:31, Thu 16 Jan 2020.

The barkeeper produces a well used piece of parchment, its edges frayed from handling. She hands it to Neuken, who can see that the writing on the paper has faded considerably. Nonetheless, it remains readable, providing a short list of the inn’s offerings.

Regarding drink, in addition to Denagothian and Dwarven ale, both beer and wine can be had, along with ”Alfred’s Hand Crafted Liquor”.

In terms of food, soda bread and oatmeal are available, as well as mutton chops, turkey legs, and a dish identified only as ”Goat Surprise”.

Orin looked at the sign and then at the barkeeper, with a squinty-eyed glare.  "Tell me true lass, 'cause I'll know.  If it's real dwarven ale then that's my drink, but don't give me no imitation." Then his nose twitched and a toothy grin emerged from the depths of his beard.  "That smells like mutton!" he said, clapping his hands together gleefully.  "Some of that too, if you would."

Neuken orders 'goat surprise' and some red wine, if they've got it.  He does so knowing the risks, but he's in the mood for something gamy.  And he's lived long enough to know that sometimes, you just have to roll the dice.

He'll poke around with his fork before he starts eating, of course.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:18, Fri 17 Jan 2020.

When it didn't look like his request would be available, Patch shrugged. "Fine, suppose I'll have the Surprise as well..."

When his companions were attended to and they could talk, Patch suggested quietly, "Not too fast. I know we've a mission here, but let's let the idea of our presence settle just a bit among the local wildlife before we go visit the Sheriff..."

"Still think we need to set the tone... either a bar fight or a hog chase inside this Inn ought to have about the right affect... or it'll get us that visit with the Sheriff all the quicker!"

Greyband looks unhappy at this but shrugs. "Arright, arright. But we'll sleep together and take watches. Cutpurses no doubt are everywhere here. As for bar fights, one of you can start one--I'll get you out if you do, but don't look for me to start one. That's how you attract attention, in my mind. I don't want to attract attention here."

After finishing his stew; Jarder sits back and continues to smoke his pipe. "Alright so we go tomorrow.  If we do wat to attract some attention then I suggest we don't all do it. One or two into a fight and then the rest can go visit the sheriffs office to bail you out and offer our services.  Should make us fit right in."  Leaning in toward Greyband;"I've been looking for signs of the local guild since we got here.  A lawless area like this should still have one or even two, they may even be able to help for the right price"

Greyband nods. "Works for me. Who wants to get into a barfight? I can use the excuse to jump in and help you, then make sure the authorities don't beat us up bad if we get arrested."

Killian orders beer, Muttonchops and Soda bread.

The Elf looked at his companions "You might want to find out what the penalty is for fighting before you go punching people.  If a war is about to start you might find yourselves impressed into the Denogothian army."

I sure hope these are cardomon pods, he thinks as he has last spoonful of goat surprise.  It was a tad greasier than he preferred, but still a significant improvement over trail rations.

“I don’t recommend having a bar fight at all, but if that is what you must do, I suggest you let your opponent throw the first punch.  That may help you avoid being impressed into the Denogothian navy, or whichever branch of service is hardest up this month.”

Greyband shrugs. "Just as happy to drink up and rest."

"That sounds wise to me," Orin nodded to Greyband, though he shifted in his seat a little.  Agreeing with Neuken always felt a little uncomfortable to the dwarf.  "No need to make enemies on our first evening here."

He took another swig of the ale, surprised at the quality.  It wasn't top notch but he had not expected to find any real dwarven anything here, let alone ale.  Even Denagoths know good products it seems, he thought.

Patch found that trouble often found him, despite his efforts to get out in front of it. No doubt someone here would get offended by the way he held his spoon or catch him stuffing food scraps beneath his tattered and many-patched cloak to give to his hog as a late-night snack. He supposed he wouldn't have to wait long. He wasn't keen to start trouble, but he'd certainly end it!

So he picked at his food and watched the crowd from beneath the shadow of his tall, tattered hat.

Neuken sneers in Patch’s general direction, amused that he seemed to think he could hide that hog under his cloak.

”We also need to find our contact here,” Renia says quietly, after ordering oatmeal and a mug of ale. ”We’ve little to go on to locate him, besides the phrase he’ll answer to. Though I believe he’s established himself here in some manner of trade.”

A few more customers file in to the tavern, including a pair of Denagothian lancers. The adventurers are gratified to note that they do not seem to attract much attention from the other patrons.

”We’ve a few cabins we rent to travelers, but they’re all occupied,” the barkeeper tells Jarder, ”We’ve a bunkhouse though. No one’s in it. Room enough for each of you. Has its own hearth. Plenty warm. Ten silvers a bunk.”

Neuken asks how much time with the bunk ten silvers would purchase.  A day?  A week?

”Three nights,” the barkeeper tells the wizard.

"We'll buy all the beds, we'd like to have the entire bunkhouse to ourselves... right boss?" Patch volunteered on behalf of the party.

"By the way," he asked the barkeep, "what's the surprise?"

"Sounds like a plan then.  Bunkhouse it is."  Leaning in to the others; "It looks like we have drawn the attention of a few thieves.  I'm going to go chat with them and see what the local guild has to offer.  Cheers my friends and i shall see you in the morning." he says finishing his drink.

Standing up stretching he orders another beer and disappears into the shadows of the inn.

Neuken almost answers when Patch says ‘boss,’ but catches himself.  Sometimes it’s hard to remember that the entire world hasn’t figured out yet he’s its master.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:30, Thu 23 Jan 2020.

"A good night's rest sounds like a plan to me," Orin said, pushing away the empty plate and draining the last of his ale.  No matter their cover story he was glad they hadn't needed to provoke a fight in the bar.  Seemed like a good way to get hurt without much assurance of benefit, at least to him.  He much preferred the plan to seek out their contact tomorrow and work up a strategy after that.

Greyband nods. "All right. I'll take middle watch with Orin. Who's got the other watches?"

"I'll take first, sitting by the hearth for a few hours might warm me up enough to be able to sleep thereafter. Why don't I let J.D. sleep on the doorstep? I'm sure that may make any eavesdroppers think twice if they suddenly have eight-hundred pounds of hungry boar sniffing them out!"

The bunkhouse is just as described: A sturdily built half timbered building with a slate roof. The interior is spacious, most of the floor taken up with a dozen hand crafted bunks, the upper beds of which are roughly ten feet from the house’s ceiling. A wide fireplace occupies the eastern wall, with fresh wood stacked neatly to one side of it. In front of the hearth sits a square table with several straight backed chairs and a pair of stools.

”Should you need anything,” the bartender says, ”just give a firm knock on the back door of the inn. My husband or I will see to you.”

With that, she leaves the adventurers to settle in.

Without asking, Neuken immediately lays claim to the top bunk which is farthest from the door.  He jumps on and tries to get comfortable.

"I'll take last watch. Not that my people sleep that much anyway."

Finally finding his way to the Bunkhouse, arriving later than most.  He finds one of the available bunks, quietly places his gear underneath the bed and closes his eyes.

In reply to Jayanti (msg # 34):

Killian volunteers for first watch.

Ooc: sorry phone post.

“Where I come from, anyone who falls asleep on watch has a poisonous black snake put inside him to help keep him awake.  So... don’t.”

"Inside him...?"

Neuken grins proudly as he folds his hands over his chest.  “That is correct.”

The night passes without incident. With the dawn, the village stirs slowly to life, most on the streets hurrying about their morning chores, the icy chill of the mountains having taken a firm grip on Geron.

The inn provides the adventurers with a hearty breakfast of oatmeal flavored with a variety of mountain berries. Emerging onto Geron’s main  street, the company makes itself  way north to the Sheriff’s Office. There, they spy a trio of Denagothian soldiers loitering near the entrance, along with a dark haired man, a sergeant apparently, who has removed his helmet as he speaks gruffly to a man dressed in the garb of a scout, a bow slung over one of his shoulders.

”...men need more furs, to keep them warm on long patrols,” the sergeant tells the trapper, ”There’s more need now than ever, especially for those moving down the passes to the south.”

The trapper smirks. ”If you’ve been in those passes, you know full well how hard they are to travel. How dangerous they can be. You’ll get more furs, but it’s going to take time. I can’t make the animals appear with a wave of the hand.”

The front door of the Sheriff’s Office swings open. A stout, bald human, wearing a blacksmith’s apron, exits the building muttering under his breath, a scowl on his face. He storms down the main road.

Killian eyed the scene unfolding and said in a low murmur "By the nature of our pass code I would suggest we speak to a tailor or perhaps that trapper.  Such a question would not be seen as out of place by someone in a trade like that." 


Edited for stupid spelling error
This message was last edited by the player at 03:47, Sat 01 Feb 2020.

OOC: Did I manage to make out any of what he was muttering?

Greyband nods in wordless assent to Killian's suggestion. "After we see the sheriff, right?"

DM, please see Neuken's question above.

Patch stood quietly, observing and taking note of who might be paying them any notice...

OOC: Neuken was only able to make out the word "unreasonable", coupled with an assortment of curses in Common and Dwarven.

Orin's gaze followed the angry human, listening to some Dwarven curses thrown into his private rant.  He was impressed, since some of those were not easy to pronounce for the human tongue, and weren't all that well known outside the halls of dwarven realms.  Perhaps the man had worked with dwarvenkind before.

Afterward he looked at the soldiers lounging about and their sergeant, trying to judge their disposition while he waited for their 'leader' to assert himself and request a chat with the captain.

“I suspect there is an employment opportunity to be had here, if we’re interested,” he says quietly.  “It might be off the beaten track, but it could also serve to normalize our presence here.  Besides, if we spend too much time loafing around, it may attract suspicion.  It’s hard to believe we chose this place for our group honeymoon.”
This message was last edited by the player at 18:42, Mon 03 Feb 2020.

"Agreed.  That was the plan. Sheriffs office and see if we can sell ourselves as mercenaries and then reduce suspicion of our purpose."

The sergeant gives out an exasperated sign. ”Wait here,” he instructs the trapper. The hunter nods, the same sardonic smile on his face.

After a moment, a man with long, dark hair emerges from the office alongside the sergeant. The newcomer is clad in plate armor, a tabard bearing the wyvern symbol of Denagoth covering his chest. He regards the trapper with a weary gaze. ”The sergeant tells me you’re balking at his request,” he tells the trapper.

”That’s not so, Captain,” the huntsman replies, ”I’m perfectly willing to bring you as many furs as I can capture. But I can’t force more animals out of their shelters. And it takes time to journey back and forth from the best hunting spots in the mountains. I was just explaining that he needed to be realistic. I can’t bring him all that he needs in the bloody blink of an eye.”

The Captain nods. ”I’m authorized to pay you a bonus for all those that you can bring in quickly. So I’d suggest you be diligent. If you are, you’ll be rewarded.”

The trapper nods and takes his leave, making his way towards the party as he heads south toward the Beggar’s Roost.

Neuken clears his throat, then says loudly, “If only there were an opportunity for ADVENTURE around here.  So tired of sitting about twiddling my magic thumbs.”

"Looks like the one in charge," Patch said, gesturing with his jaw in the direction of the Captain.

"Good hunting," Patch said to the huntsman as the man passed by them.

"Perhaps we should take up hunting for furs instead of ears...," said the cleric to the wizard.

Killian waits quietly to see what happens.

Jayanti stands near Killian and observes as well, the elf suspecting he would be too suspicious trying to mingle among humans himself.

The trapper stops momentarily, apparently surprised by Patch’s words. ”My thanks, sir,” he tells the priest, ”Well wishes aren’t often heard here in Geron.”

The captain turns his attention to the adventuring company, regarding them with a single raised eyebrow. Stepping closer to the group, he asks, ”And what of you lot? Is there a reason you’re here, loitering in front of our headquarters? Looking for a handout of some kind?”

Neuken lets out an indignant huff, but lets the others take the verbal initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:18, Fri 07 Feb 2020.

Turning to the captain; and resting his hands casually on his hips "Coin.  Coin good sir.  Our little band has heard that there is coin to be made in this town for those skilled in blade, bow and magic....and I can assure you skilled we are."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:56, Fri 07 Feb 2020.

Greyband nods solemnly, letting Jarder do the talking as agreed upon.

Neuken keeps his head held high but his mouth shut, intending to convey an impression of offended dignity.  Handout, indeed! is the idea, although in truth he couldn’t care less about the captain’s remark.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:38, Sun 09 Feb 2020.

Orin spared a thoughtful gaze for the trapper, owing to his reaction to the sociable bidding from Patch.  Folk didn't even wish others good luck around here?  Some kind of town, he thought sadly.  Then he turned back to the captain, who'd already started being surly with them.  He let Jarder speak but didn't hide his own surly expression in return.  It was probably a good expression for a mercenary anyway.

As the trapper is about to depart, Renia gently snags him by the sleeve. Addressing him quietly, she says, ”Your pardon, sir. But I was wondering if you could tell me...what is the price of gray breeches?”

”Not much, unless the trim is gold,” the huntsman answers without hesitation. ”Perhaps if you’d like to have a look at what furs I have on hand, you could come by my hut this afternoon, before I depart from the mountain.” He provides the scout with directions, then sets off to the Beggar’s Roost.

”We’re always in need of new enlistees,” the captain replies with a wry grin, ”Three meals a day. Shelter. Regular pay.”

He chuckles. ”But I’m sure you think you’re above that. Tell you what, I know of someone in the village that might could use the assistance of a band such as yours. I’ll be at the Beggar’s Roost when the noon bell rings at the temple. Meet me there if you’re interested in learning more.”

Distracted by the words he hears Renia utter he almost jerks his head.

Nodding in understanding to Captain Benar; "We shall see you then." 

Jarder then turns to the others and clasping his hands together and rubbing them; "Sounds like we might have some good work coming our way.  Now I for one am starting to feel a bit cold. Perhaps we should go see what winter clothing this trapper has?"  Heading over to Renia; "Lead the way if you will.  I'm thinking about a nice fur hat to cover my ears."

Killian cocked an eyebrow at the huntsman's answer to Renia's question "Well, that was quick." he whispered to Jayanti.

"Humans and their short life spans. Always in a hurry!"

"Some of us," said the odd cleric with a bemused smile. "Shall we?"

Patch was shivering again, though not nearly as badly as he had been through the mountains the previous day. The night's rest in the warm bunkhouse sleeping in the bunk above the mage (strange that it seemed heat rose in the night from the man) had done Patch a tremendous amount of good.

"Shirts, caps, and furs sound like a wise investment."

He joined the others as they went to speak with the Trapper.

Neuken almost makes a wisecrack about wanting a fur condom so he could wear it every time he hears someone less intelligent than him talking, but he wisely stops himself.  Besides, the joke really wouldn't have made any sense, since he would have been wearing the fur condom all the time.

Orin falls in with the rest, eager to hear what the trapper might be able to tell them.  The sooner started, the sooner finished with this unsavoury place.

Renia leads the group southwest down the village’s main road, turning onto a winding side path that curves between a handful of humble homes. The last one in the row is a wooden cabin fashioned from crudely cut timbers. A pair of windows flank the front door, but both are hidden behind close fitting shutters. Outside of the house, several tall, freestanding wooden frames are arranged where the afternoon sun can easily find them. Stretched across some of the frames are pelts, primarily those of rabbits and deer.

The front door opens as the party draws close to the cabin, and the trapper motions the group to join him inside. Entering the house, the adventurers find themselves in a room with simple furnishings: a table and chairs, a wood framed bed, a writing desk, and a small fireplace. An incomplete map of the surrounding mountains hangs on one wall.

”Well met, friends,” the trapper says when the door is closed, ”I am called Sean. Are you just arrived in Geron?”

"Just yesterday." answered Killian "It was an...interesting trip to get here."

"Are the Denogothians having trouble with supplies?"

Neuken stands close to a chair and hopes he will be invited to sit down.  And he keeps an eye out for cats: you never knew who had one or when it might be sneaking up on you.

"Pleasure, Sean," the dwarf said as he stumped in.  "I'm Orin.  Glad to see yer managing here."  He moved to a spot where he could lean against the wall, awaiting their leader(s) to ask after whatever intelligence the trapper had been able to assemble.

"And I am Jayanti. Well Met."

Patch stepped forward with a bit of a twinkle in his eye, barely visible beneath the dilapidated hat he wore. Reaching from beneath the many-patched cloak he wore, he stretched forth a hand toward the Trapper.

"Would you receive a blessing from the God of Mystery and Riddles? It seems one in your position might benefit from such, considering the endeavor you undertake in this place..."

”They have had some recent troubles,” the trapper says in response to Killian’s question, ”and it’s mostly been my doing. I set free twice as many animals as I keep. And, as opportunities have presented themselves, I’ve sabotaged merchants’ wagons on their way into Geron. I have had to be cautious, though. Brulefer, the blue dragon who keeps watch on the pass, sees much.”

Nodding gratefully to Patch, he says, ”I would be grateful for such a blessing.”

He tosses a thin log onto the fire in the fireplace. ”Your arrival may have come at an opportune time. I am told that a high priest is visiting the Temple of Idris here. He has come to ordain some of the acolytes that serve there. It is said that he knows the location of Gereth Minar, the stronghold where the Shadow Lord dwells, the place where the Elvenstar is said to be held captive.”

Jarder listens intently as Sean explains what has been happening; "Can you get us close to this high priest or the Temple?  If we are able to question him that may make this trip a bit easier."  Stroking his chin he continues; "However after we question him, we have to find a way to escape and evade pursuers who will know who we are and what we are after."

Neuken’s right eyebrow rises involuntarily at the mention of a dragon.  No matter how many wurms we evade, there is always another waiting.  I suspect I will either be extremely rich at the end of this journey, or even more extremely dead.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:59, Thu 13 Feb 2020.

Greyband listens to this conversation eagerly. His companions are doing a fantastic job of getting to the bottom of the matter, so he lets them keep on talking without throwing in any words that could ruin this for the group.

Patch nodded, and touched the tip of his bleached white staff to Sean's forehead. "May your tongue be nimble in the dance of deception, may your countenance be vague in the seclusion of secrets, may your wits be wary in the discovery of details, and may your heart be brave in the retention of resolve... May Amun-Tor conceal and reveal!"

When the blessing had been completed, Patch listened to the report. "Perhaps we can abduct this priest in route and one of us could stand in his place for the ordination?"

”Regrettably, I have no special access to the temple. Here, I am merely a tradesman,” Sean explains. ”However, I have scouted the building on several occasions of late, and I feel confident that I can tell you how much of it is guarded.”

“Escaping is an altogether different matter. I have a pathway through the forest northeast of Geron that I have made use of to approach the temple unseen. It would serve as a quick, hidden route away from the village, were you to be pursued.”

The trapper bows his head to receive the blessing from Patch. ”Many thanks,” he tells Patch, once it is done.

Greyband nods. "That sounds promising."

“I certainly hope you didn’t me in mind as a stand-in for the priest at his ordination.  The earth would open up and swallow me!”

Just the thought makes his toes curl.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:12, Mon 17 Feb 2020.

"Blue Dragon?  So the map was literal." Killian pointed out.

"It sounds like we have a plan starting to come together.  I like it.  Please-Tell me more about the temple.  Once we figure out how we can get in, the rest should be easy.  Find this Elvenstar and then escape with our new friend here.  I assume you will be coming with us?  Your cover will probably be blown after this operation."

Orin frowned at Patch's suggestion, although it was ingenious.  "Too risky," he rumbled.  "The head of the local temple may have seen the High Priest before, or the Captain of the Guard, or someone else.  And if we've already abducted the High Priest and interrogated him, why bother carrying on a charade here rather than heading for the stronghold where the gem is stashed?"

"I vote for confining or abducting the priest when he reaches town, or just after he leaves.  Then we find out where the stronghold is, what else he knows of it, and then off we go."

Suddenly he paused and scratched the back of his head.  "Weren't there something else too, the one that took the gem in the first place?  He's here in town, I think?"  Orin couldn't quite remember if he heard all that right or not.  "If so, we might want to pick him up at the same time and find out what he knows too."

Greyband listens, interested to see where Orin's line of questioning leads.

"Ah, I'd have assumed you'd not pass up on the chance to take over an entire religion, at least at the local level... I suppose I've misjudged you. You're not as dark and terrible as you make yourself out to be Neuken." Patch teased their wizard.

"I, as well, am not keen on confronting a dragon, blue or otherwise. Let's avoid that."

Turning to Orin, Patch replied, "If Nueken won't impersonate this priest, I suppose I could, though I'm very ill-equipped to do so. Amun-Tor may find that quite amusing... I suggested that strategy as a cover we might use to gain even further knowledge of the situation here and lead the Denegothan efforts off track in some fashion..."

"But what you say is reasonable Orin, perhaps we could dispose of any guards he might have on the way here, and then offer the priest our services to guard him in his departure, thus gaining his trust. Perhaps he'll lead us directly to the Stronghold unawares!"

"... and we'd be getting paid for it..."

“I’m darker and more terrible than hell itself,” Neuken responds defensively.  “Even the deepest layers got nothin’ on me.”

Why does he insult me so? he thinks sadly.

Sean listens to Jarder attentively, but then shakes his head. ”I may not have been plain. The Elvenstar isn’t here in Geron. I don’t know where it might be hidden. But it’s said that the high priest holds council with the Shadow Lord, and may know where the jewel has been spirited away to.”

The trapper goes to his desk, where he retrieves a piece of parchment and a quill. Working quickly, he sketches a crude map.



”You reach the Temple of Idris by taking the eastern branch of the crossroads at the center of Geron. The front entrance is always watched by two guards, day and night. They won’t interfere with anyone coming to worship, but they always watch newcomers closely.” He points to the large room in the center of the structure. ”When I’ve visited, there are always two more guards in this central room. I was able to watch them change stations, which is how I learned which room is the barracks. “

“All told, there are six guards at the temple. At any time, there are two at the entrance, two inside, and two at rest.”

He points to the other two doors that lead inside the temple. ”These other two doors have been locked every time I’ve tried them.” He taps a square he drew on the guards’ barracks. ”Here, there’s a trap door in the ceiling. I guess it’s there for a guard to be able to climb up and watch from the roof if need be. It’s always been slightly ajar each time I’ve seen it.”

He places two fingers on the southern quadrant of the building. ”I’ve listened in on some of the acolytes’ conversations. This is area is where the high priest resides when he is here in Geron. I have seen one of the acolytes deliver sealed letters to this room.”

“The inner temple is where the high priest spends most of the day. He’s usually there with at least a few of the acolytes from dawn until sunset. Around dusk, he retires to his quarters and the temple is closed not long after.”

Sean nods at Orin’s question. ”I am told that Camla, the young traitor who stole the Elvenstar is here in Geron, but I myself have not seen him. It is said that he also resides at the temple, or on the temple grounds somewhere. I know that he knows much about Wendar and Gylharen’s court. I have heard rumors that he is here to share with Captain Benar all that he knows about the valley kingdom.”

Sean scowls. ”I’d love to find him. Drag him back to Wendar and see him hanged.”

Patch looked over the map their contact had drawn and considered his suggestion. There were certainly many options, and the odd cleric tended to favor those leaning toward the side of cloak-and-dagger, skullduggery, and deception or the gathering of knowledge they currently didn't have.

From beneath the broad brim of his dilapidated hat he muttered for the sake of the wizard, "too bad we couldn't just lock them all inside and burn the temple down..." Patch's thin smile was probably not visible.

"I think the first question is whether or not we wish to gather information through subtlety before we attempt any sort of abduction of either the high priest and or the traitor. If we take a little time to infiltrate, we stand to learn more, but if we wish to move quickly before suspicions arise, then we'll likely only get one chance to do so before the entire town turns against us and initiates a hunt..."

"I prefer the long game myself, as a matter of principle you might say, but if we go that route, I believe we should clearly understand what our goals are..."

"So what do we wish to accomplish?"

"We need to retrieve the Elvenstar as quickly as possible. It's that simple. Remember what happened the last time some foolish mortal got their hands an an ancient gem artifact?"

He nods to Greyband, recalling their dire mission in the Palace of the Silver Princess.

“Burning the temple down may be out of the question, but if we need to create a distraction, I could provide it.  It would likely involve setting something else on fire, however.”

He places the fingertips of both hands of both hands together as though in prayer... but not really.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:22, Sat 22 Feb 2020.

Greyband nods grimly. "Well said, Jayanti. Neuken, tell us more about your idea for a...distraction."

“I could fireball some trees nearby, for starters, and get a conflagration going.  That should bring most of the people out of the temple.”
This message was last edited by the player at 03:24, Sat 22 Feb 2020.

"We have folks who are good at...subterfuge.  We also have at least 3 spell casters.  If we pool our resources perhaps we can come up with a plan to abduct who we need without a fight?"

"Jayanti, Orulto, do either of you have the ability to put people to sleep?" asked Killian.

“I do indeed, although the spell has its limits.”

Greyband stands back and listens to this train of thought.

"I also know the Sleeping Spell. But if the priest is too powerful it simply won't work, no matter how many times we cast it on him. As for stealth, I can cast Invisibility as well, on my self or someone else, which will last until you attack or cast any magic."

"I was thinking more about guards and soldiers for sleep."

"I too can make myself and another invisible."

"My thinking is that we may be able to kidnap this priest or traitor, or both without causing an alarm until a watch change.  That was my though, at least."

Orin nodded at the line of thinking.  "It would be better to capture 'em rather than burn down the village," he agreed, though it might displease Neuken to hear it.  "And if we can begin our flight with none the wiser, even better."

Greyband nods. "KIllian, what about making Orin invisible? I can be the decoy if needs be."

“Even I would prefer to keep things neat and tidy, even if it means refraining from causing unnecessary mayhem.  Although some might call that a non sequitur.”

"I think...when we do catch this priest, the first thing we must do is divest him of his holy symbol."

"I can help you with drawing the attention of the guard," Renia tells Greyband, "unless you feel I would better serve elsewhere."

Jarder taps Sean's map, indicating the southern door. "This entrance is close to the priest's quarters. I could try to open that lock, either under cover of darkness, or in the middle of a distraction. Get some of us inside quickly."

"Invisibility has its limitations.  Once you take a violent action you become visible again."

"Since Jayanti and I can cast it one of us could cast it on him, he could make the assault and then the other could recast the spell to see him out safely."
 

"So we'll have an invisible kidnapper with a floating unconscious priest over his shoulder?"

"Evil priests stuffed in sacks and floating slowly through the air is enough to make me pause for a moment.  That's true, at least"

"What if we CHARMED him? Then he'd walk out of there willingly and spill the beans willingly, THEN we ambush him in a clearing somewhere."

“Charm doesn’t necessarily make the subject do anything you ask.  Still, it’s not a bad idea.  If it fails, we could still get rough.”

"I like the thought of using the south door," Orin agreed with Jarder.  "If we can get that open quietly, then we can try the casting on the priest and take him the easy way, or forcibly remove him if need be.  Coming in from that direction should give us the drop on both the priest and the guards."

"I'd save the invisibility for our escape, if we need it.  That would at least let a couple of us get away undetected."  He looked up at Greyband, and shook his head.  "Shouldn't be me though.  Pick someone faster and quieter than my rickety old metal-encased body.  They'd be able to follow me based on the wheezing, if nothing else!"

"I'll support whatever is the most discrete we can manage. If the town doesn't get stirred up like a nest of fire beetles, then we can continue to operate from here, on this side of the enemy lines, without anyone the wiser... As for the mysteries at my disposal, I find that Silence is golden... We wouldn't want him muttering to his dark God now would we?"

Greyband nods. "A fair point. This leaves me relatively useless except to guard our escape, though; I am neither a sneak nor subtle."

He turns back to Renia. "How do you propose to distract the guard?"

“Even if we charm the priest, we’ll still need a pretext for taking him somewhere.  What shall we tell him?  And we need a back-up plan in case it fails.”

She rubs her chin. "Tell him there's a gathering of pilgrims that saw a sign related to his deity? And they want him to come and judge if it was a miracle or not?"

"Perhaps we could rush over, asking for their aid," she suggests, "Tell them that there are a group of outsiders seeking to rob the inn, or one of the nearby shopkeepers."

Greyband nods to Renia and turns back to Jayanti and Neuken. "How can Renia help you with her idea as part of your plan?"

"But calling in a robbery will alert the whole village! Why not cast a sleeping spell on the guards and then a sleep or charm on the priest?"

Neuken compliments Jayanti on her suggestion.  He agrees that whatever they decide to tell him, it should be something religious in nature.

”A sleeping spell does seem the most expedient way to handle the guards,” Jarder says, ”Failing that, perhaps Greyband and Renia could tell the sentries that there are some Denagothian scouts just arrived from the mountains, who have been wounded in an encounter with some creatures there. Wolves, perhaps. They could claim that they need their help in bringing the injured to the temple for healing.”

“Patrols have arrived late into the evening, much to the irritation of the innkeepers. The temple is usually quiet in the deep of night. The only ones I have seen active there after the midnight hour are the guards,” Sean tells the company.

In reply to Jarder Mehro (msg # 119):

"...or its the scouts that need healing and they're too injured to risk moving, which is why we need the priest to come with us? More believeable than a miracle..."

He pauses.

"...their faith does cast healing spells, right?"

”It must. At least for those aligned with Idris’ causes. I’ve seen wounded Denagothian lancers go to the temple, only to emerge later fully healed,” the trapper tells Jayanti.

Greyband nods and looks at Renia. "Do you think you could pull off a lie like that? I'd just be your strong, silent bodyguard-type in that conversation."

"Jarder is our resident breaking and entering specialist.  Shall we follow his lead in this?"

Neuken isn’t convinced this priest would place a high priority on healing the sick and injured, but he doesn’t feel like arguing about it.

Patch rubbed a long-fingered and gnarled hand down his long beard. His jaws worked absently, perhaps the effect of a frequent but dull toothache he'd been ignoring for years. "I feel like we're drifting away from our objective. We don't need, nor can we afford, a big disruption here in this town. We'd be best served to keep things very quiet and of as little disturbance as possible. At least to my way of thinking. Hence the reason I suggested we ambush and kidnap this high priest - before - he arrives, and then we avoid all of this..."

The strange old cleric shrugged, "But you're all better at this sort of thing than I am, for I'm simply a humble priest in search of Mysteries and the Elusive Riddle..." A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth beneath the wide brim of his battered hat brim.

Greyband nods. "I'm all for keeping this quiet. Jarder, what do you think?"

"That's a good point.  Snatching the priest ahead of time might be far more efficient."

"If none object, I would think that our best course is to approach the temple tonight, under cover of darkness. One of those who weave magic among us can attempt to put the guards on duty to sleep, as a precaution. Should those attempts fail, then perhaps Greyband and Renia can attempt to distract them with the ruse of the wounded Denagothian soldiers."

"Once the guards are handled, I will attempt to open the temple's southern door. The rest of us can then enter and spirit the high priest away."

The thief looks to Sean. "Do you know of a spot we could take him? Moving him to the bunkhouse is a recipe for disaster."

The spy nods. "North of the temple, there is a heavily wooded area that surrounds a shallow cave. It's well out of earshot of the village and temple. I can guide you there, even in the dark."

"Magically induced sleep doesn't necessarily last very long."

Orin nodded.  "Then we'll need to be quick about it."  The dwarf was getting tired of all the talking and wanted to get on with doing something to help their cause.  "Do we have a way to keep the priest silent while we try to snatch him?  I doubt all the guards will be sleepin' even with our magic and it'll only take one holler to rouse the rest."

"Do you want me to have 2 Invisibility spells prepared?  Right now I have just one." asked Killian.

“There are ways silence can be magically induced, but regrettably, I don’t know the spell.”
This message was last edited by the player at 08:20, Tue 10 Mar 2020.

Well after dark, Sean leads the adventurers on a circuitous route around the quiet village, keeping to the foliage and the deep shadows afforded by the overcast night sky. Soon, the spy brings the company to the edge of a clearing. There, they can see the domed structure that is the Temple of Idris. Constructed from large bricks that are dark blue in color, the temple almost blends in to the enveloping nightfall. Only the warm lantern light spilling from its windows set it apart from its surroundings.

Sean points out the southern entrance, perhaps forty feet from the position he has led the adventurers to at the edge of the treeline. To the west, the company can see the temple's main entrance, torches burning on either side of the vaulted doorway. A pair of guards, armed with curved swords, loiter there. One takes a drink from a skin as the sentries talk quietly, their muffled words impossible to discern.

Greyband hangs back in the shadows, ready to play his (rather quiet) part.

Neuken offers to make someone invisible, if so desired.

Unsure of his part Killian guards the rear until needed.

"Put yer spell on Jarder.  He's sneaky, and when invisible the guard won't see him pickin' the lock, and the priest won't see him sneak inside."

Orin pulled his dark cloak more fully about his stout frame.  "I'll be one that'll help collect our holy man once the door is open."

When it’s time, Neuken casts Invisibility on Jarder.

[Posted by Dungeon Master.]

As Neuken quietly intones the spell, Jarder slowly vanishes from sight. None hear the thief depart, nor have any sense of where cutpurse is until, after several moments, the southern entrance to the temple silently opens a crack, the orange glow from a dim lantern filling the narrow gap.

21:23, Today: Dungeon Master, on behalf of Jarder Mehro, rolled 26 using 1d100.  Open Locks.

Renia glances back at the gathered spell casters, uncertain if they want her to proceed with her planned ruse, or if one of them means to put the pair of sentries to sleep.

Thinking it’s safer than trying to parley, Jayanti casts Sleep on the guards if it’s safe to do so.

20:27, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 9 using 2d8.  Sleep.

Jayanti whispers an incantation, her hand weaving a pattern in the empty air. A moment passes, and one of the sentries lets out a long yawn. Before he has finished, his companion has slumped against the wall to the left of the temple's entrance, slowly sliding down into a sitting position even as he starts to snore. The yawning guard nods, as though agreeing that the other lookout has come up with an excellent idea. Taking a few steps over to the nearby grass, he lays down, his breathing quickly becoming heavy and regular.

20:39, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 14 using 4d4.  Sleep Duration.

The guards will remain asleep for fourteen turns, unless they are awakened by force (i.e. a slap or violent shaking).

"Now what?" asked Killian in a whisper.

“So far, so evil,” Neuken whispers.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 144):

Jayanti sprinkles some wine from her wineskin over their chests and faces, and drops the empty skin between them.

"Now we go get the priest," Orin whispered back in his gravelly voice, with a slight roll of the eyes.  Then he set off as quietly as he could toward the door Jarder had unlocked for them.

Neuken looks to the others, unsure of whether he’s expected to come along or wait here.

Seeing that the guards at the temple entrance have been dealt with, Renia falls in line with Orin, quietly moving up to the southern door of the midnight blue edifice.

OOC: I’ll give a day or so for any other adventurers who want to join Jarder, Orin, and Renia in entering the temple to indicate their intent, then I’ll move forward with whoever is going inside.

Since they obviously could use the services of a qualified fiend, Neuken decides to go in with them.

Orin, Neuken, and Renia join the unseen Jarder Mehro at the southern door of the temple. Peering inside, the adventurers can see that the recently opened portal leads into a short hallway which runs north for roughly thirty feet before terminating at an ebony door, carved with the symbol of a dragon. In the center of the corridor’s length, to the left and right, are two more doors, also closed. The door on the right is also crafted from ebony, and also bears the symbol of the dragon, along with a single red jewel centered above the carving. The door on the left is made of dark oak and is plain and unmarked.

The corridor is vacant. The party members see no sign of guards.

Outside, the night remains still. Those members of the company keeping watch see no signs of anyone approaching or leaving the temple. For the moment, all is quiet.

OOC: I will put together a map of the temple’s interior this evening.

Neuken gazes at the ceiling.  Any sign of traps, fell lurking creatures, etc?

Orin whispered, "The one with the jewel, I bet."

Looking up, Neuken sees only the arched blue stonework ceiling. The mage perceives no traps above, nor any creatures lying in wait to attack.

OOC: I've added a map of the temple as the game's Main Game Map.

“Which door?” he whispers.

Orin shot Neuken a glance and whispered a little more strenuously.  “The one with the jewel, I bet.”

Invisible, Jarder appraises the ebony door with the red jewel. If he were a high priest, he would choose that one for himself rather than the merely oaken or red one. He would also want a boobytrapped door as well to prevent unwelcome intruders. Maybe an alarm? He hopes it's just an alarm because he seems to fail at finding traps and unlocking doors about seven times in ten.

It's a good thing he has union protection, he reminds himself, as he sets about his work.

17:08, Today: Jarder Mehro rolled 80,87 using d100,d100.  Find Traps, Pick Locks.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:23, Sat 04 Apr 2020.

As the other half of the group entered the temple, Killian watched diligently for any signs of trouble outside with Greyband, Jayanti, and Patch. "How long should we wait?" he asked quietly.

“Let’s let the thief do his work,” he whispers.

Greyband nods grimly. "Until we get signs of trouble, or until we get the feeling that it's been too long."

Examining the jeweled door, its frame, and the ceiling and floor nearby, Jarder does not perceive the presence of any traps. A careful try of the door’s handle informs the cutpurse that it is unlocked. Even without pressing his ear to door’s surface, Jarder can hear conversation from the room beyond; the voices of a man and woman. He cannot, however, discern precisely what is being said.

---

Outside, the ensorcelled guards continue to snore.

After a few moments pass, the front entrance door opens several inches, lantern light cutting across the vacant grounds. ”Hey, Zenik,” a voice calls, ”Come in here a moment. There’s something you and Thow need to see.”

Greyband stays out of sight and watches this new development with interest.

Jarder decides to chance it. He has always been somewhat better at creeping about then spotting traps. Opening the door just wide enough to let himself slip in, he enters the room, closes the door, and finds a proper position from which to eavesdrop. Considering he's invisible to the naked eye, just about any will do.

22:55, Today: Jarder Mehro rolled 16 using 1d100.  Move silently.

Neuken slides into the shadows (even though he is no thief) and stands quietly, waiting for all heaven to break loose.

Killian silently watched the new activity at the front door. ~Things are about to get interesting~ he thought as he contemplated his options.

---

OOC: Approximately how from the front door are those of us hiding outside?

Orin watched with bated breath as the door opened and then closed again.  He could only assume Jarder had entered, but why not with them all?


OOC:  Was Patch going to be ret-conned to be with us in the church?  I thought I saw something about that...

Patch tried to shrink his tall, thin frame into the shadows as voices carried toward them. He clutched at his staff, with the words of a prayer upon his lips. If things began to go seriously sideways, he would invoke the power of his God!


OOC: Yeah, I'm here.

Jarder is unsurprised to find the High Priest’s quarters richly appointed. Intricately woven tapestries hang from the dark walls, each one depicting an ancient location in the deep of night, made visible by the moon. On one side of the chamber, an expansive desk has been arranged between a pair of tall, narrow bookcases, laden with numerous leather bound volumes. A washbasin and mirror are placed opposite of the entrance door, while the east side of the room is taken up by a circular bed which is piled with silks and furs.

A middle aged, balding man, clad in rich robes is seated on the bed. This, presumably, is the High Priest. He is listening to a blonde haired human woman who is dressed in the working clothes and leather apron of a blacksmith, the soot from the foundry having darkened her garments and face. Listening closely, Jarder discerns that the woman is speaking to the priest about the smith she is apprenticed to. ”He questions the need for the war. He doesn’t think we need to take Wendar’s  land for our own. Says we have all that we need right here, on hand. No reason for more conquest.”

The priest listens to her intently, his brow creased with concern.

Outside in the hallway, the other adventurers wait tensely. The corridor remains undisturbed. No one enters from elsewhere In the temple.

---

Still hidden among the nearby trees, the other half of the party can see that the main entrance door remains open, but for several minutes, all remains quiet. Then a voice calls out from within the temple again. ”Hey, are two still out there? Hello?”

OOC: The adventurers could make it over to the fallen guards in one round. On the round following, they could quietly drag them back to the tree line, out of sight.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:56, Thu 16 Apr 2020.

The elf motions for his companions to help him as he quietly moves towards the sleeping guards.

Orin stood stock still, willing himself to quiet until the seconds drew out into minutes and still Jarder had not reappeared.  Or at least opened the door again, since the dwarf wouldn't be able to see him.  Eventually Orin couldn't take it anymore and scratched his beard.  Quietly, mind you.

Jarder stays frozen and further slows the frequency of his breathing. If espionage it is to be, then espionage it must be. He knows he's not all that clever, so he needs to hear the high priest's response to know where everybody stands. And as long as they don't know where he stands, he can do that.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:08, Fri 17 Apr 2020.

Greyband moves as quietly as he can to get to the sleeping guards.

Patch shivered beneath his multi-patched cloak, his tall, thin frame still not accustomed to the mountain clime. He waited patiently, offering an occasional prayer and pondering the mystery of Jarder's delay. Surely his God approved of such undertakings! May the subtle Hand of Riddles guide you rogue... wherever you are...

"You were right to bring this to my attention," the high priest tells his visitor with a nod, "We have no time for those who do not share in the Shadow Lord's vision. A vision that was imparted to him by Idris herself! Our lancers require a smith they can rely upon for weapons. Not a weak willed fool who refuses to see the necessity of the war that is before us."

The priest stands. "Return home, child. In a day or so, the shop where you labor as an apprentice will belong to you alone. You will see how the Shadow Lord rewards those who are loyal to him."

---

Jayanti and Greyband move quietly across the yard to the spot where the two guards are slumbering. The two adventurers can see, through the partially open temple door, another pair of guards standing in a richly appointed, tiled hallway. The sentries are engaged in what appears to be a serious conversation. At the moment, neither are paying attention to what is transpiring outside.

Wasting no time, Greyband drags one of the sleepers to an angle out of the sight of the two guards, picks him up and then starts making for the brushline carrying the man.

OOC: Strength of 18, so carrying the guy is probably feasible.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:40, Fri 17 Apr 2020.

Neuken smiles approvingly as he listens to the priest’s words of dark justice.  He sounded like a guy who really had his shinola together.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:55, Fri 17 Apr 2020.

That settles that. Definitely a lawful evil high priest.

With the dismissal of the opportunistic woman, Jarder calculates the distance between himself and Shadow Lord's puppet. When he can no longer hear her footsteps down the hallway, he crosses that distance and slams the pommel of his dagger into the base of the man's skull.

He emits one whistle, at a frequency only audible to Fellowship of the Elven Star.

18:27, Today: Jarder Mehro rolled 23,8 using d20+6,d4+2(x2).  Backsmack high priest.

Killian quietly follows Jayanti and Greyband to help drags the unconscious guards to the treeline.

---

OOC: Also 18 Strength, so will help whomever appears to be struggling the most.

Neuken follows Jarder in case he needs backup.

Tension inside of the dark temple was thick and heavy. Patch waited as patiently as he could for Jarder to finish his reconnaissance. The seconds seemed to stretch into minutes, minutes into hours...

Now it should be known that codes, cyphers and signals are a lesser, but important part of the doctrine of Amun Tor, who relishes in all things covert. When Jarder whistled, the oddly discordant tones sounded like a hymn in Patch's ears.

He motioned silently to his companions, pointing toward the priest's door. Words of prayer were upon the cleric's lips. He walked to the door, pushed it open and called upon the God of Mysteries to mute the sounds of struggle within.

"Shhhh...."

Patch obviously doesn't know there's someone else inside the room with the priest, so he's simply ready to cast a spell as needed in order to neutralize the priest... Hopefully it will aid with the blacksmith as well. Casting Silence centered where it would make the most sense based on what he sees upon opening the door.

Reaching for the door, Patch utters the last words of his invocation, only to have portal open on its own. Standing in the doorway is the blacksmith’s apprentice, who blinks in surprise at the gathered adventurers, even as Neuken casually brushes past her to enter the high priest’s quarters.

At the same moment, Jarder quietly closes the distance between himself and the temple leader, who has stood to consider some correspondence on his desk. With a quick motion the thief swings the pommel of his dagger, the blow striking the man’s head with an audible crack.

Swaying from the sudden attack, the priest grabs the edge of his desk, turning to face the now visible Jarder with blazing eyes. ”Idris’ cloak!” he exclaims, ”An...” He mouths the word ‘intruder’ but no sound escapes his throat. Jarder is suddenly aware that all sound in the room has ceased.

The apprentice, recognizing that something is terribly wrong, reaches for the short sword at her belt.

15:51, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 6 using 1d6.  Initiative - Party.

15:52, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 3 using 1d6.  Initiative - Priest.

The party wins initiative.

OOC: I’m going to assume that the silence spell is centered on the priest’s bed and desk, so any struggle that takes place more than five feet inside the quarters will be muted. That said, as he has just stepped inside, Neuken hasn’t entered the silenced area, and can still cast spells.

Any extended struggle between the blacksmith’s apprentice and Orin, Patch, and Renia could be overheard elsewhere in the temple.

---

Outside, Greyband, Killian, and Jayanti manage to drag the sleeping guards into the adjacent forest without waking them. During the tense journey, one of the sentries drowsily mumbles something about rhubarb pie.

A moment after hiding the slumbering soldiers, another sentry steps out of the temple’s front entrance. ”Zenik! Thow!” he calls, ”Didn’t you two hear me...” His voice trails off as he realizes that his fellow guards are nowhere to be seen.

OOC: At the moment, the adventurers hiding in the tree line have the advantage of surprise and can act first, while the newly arrived guard is still befuddled.

Neuken casts Charm at the priest.

14:20, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 15 using 1d20.  Save vs Spells.

The high priest glares at Neuken with obvious contempt. He mouths several words, his lips curled in a sneer, the communication lost to the silence that has overtaken much of the chamber. Nonetheless, part of its meaning is clear: the cleric of Idris has resisted Neuken’s attempt to charm him.

Orin's eyes went wide when the door opened and someone other than the High Priest stood before them.  A craftswoman of some sort, he figured by the garb, a blacksmith perhaps?  Then such musings were cut off abruptly as she reached for the short sword at her belt.

Knowing a noisy battle at the entrance to the chamber wasn't a good idea, Orin hunkered down behind his shield and rushed the woman, hoping to drive her backwards into the chamber and make room for Patch to join him in the room and hopefully shut the door.


OOC:

16:03, Today: Orin Starshine rolled 21 using 1d20+1.  Attack apprentice (drive back).  Critical bull rush  :)
16:04, Today: Orin Starshine rolled 5 using 1d4+1.  Damage to apprentice.

The sound vacuum disorients Jarder, forcing him to adjust his footing in preparation for a better strike.

19:45, Today: Jarder Mehro rolled 4,3 using d20+2,d4+2.  attack priest.

Greyband nods at the others and then makes a little sound. "Hey wait!" he says, trying to sound like a bit like a child. He then steps behind cover and waits for the man to come over, ready to knock the fellow out.

Killian gives a nod of approval and hides opposite Greyband. He watches the guard, hopeful that he comes over to investigate.

Neuken tries again, this time casting Continual Light at the priest’s eyes.

Renia follows Orin as he rushes the apprentice, forcing the surprised worker into the center of the priest’s chamber, where silence absorbs all sound. Renia follows the dwarven warrior’s attack with one of her own, swinging the flat of her blade down onto the top of the apprentice’s head.

08:42, Today: Renia rolled 15 using 1d20+1.  Attack - Sword.

08:43, Today: Renia rolled 3 using 1d4+1.  Damage - Flat of Sword.

There is no sound from the impact, but the apprentice’s head appears to momentarily hunch down to her shoulders. A drunken grin overtakes her features as her eyes roll back in her head. She takes a pair of unsteady steps backwards, then collapses to the floor.

Dodging Jarder’s follow up assault, the high priest rushes to his bed stand, retrieving the flanged mace that hangs on the wall above it. Brandishing the blue steel weapon, he turns to face his attackers, a triumphant smile on his face.

08:55, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 5 using 1d20.  Saving Throw vs. Spells.

The expression vanishes an instant later as Neuken intones his spell, summoning a blazing light directly into the priest’s eyes. Blinded, the cleric of Idris stumbles forward, walking into his desk as he swings his weapon wildly, sending papers and trinkets flying across the room in complete silence.

OOC: At this juncture, the high priest is essentially helpless, if somewhat destructive. The party members just need to narrate how they go about detaining him. Whatever they try to do will work.

---

The guard’s head snaps toward the tree line when he hears Greyband’s voice. Moving toward the forest, hand still on the hilt of his weapon, he peers into the dark foliage. “Are you two there?” he asks hesitantly, ”Is someone in trouble?”

OOC: The guard is now only a few paces away, so melee attacks are an option for those hiding in the tree line.

With the confident footwork of man who has his foe on the ropes, Jarder dances around and around the sense-deprive high priest. Whenever he's behind him, he pops him one with the pommel of his dagger. After the third sting, the high priest sinks low on rubbery legs until they give out entirely. It's then that Jarder displays his true calling, his true expertise: the practice of ligature.

The high priest looks a fine sight now, gagged and bound (most extravagantly), ready to be hauled away.

"Do you mind if I have a look around?" he mouths and spends a few minutes searching the room.

Then, slinging him over his back, Jarder makes his escape.

When the curious guard reaches the treeline, Killian springs from behind a tree and smashes the pommel of his sword in to the man's head in an attempt to knock him out.



OOC: Hit AC -1 for 7 subdual damage

12:05, Today: Killian Hawkfire rolled 18 using 1d20+4.  Attack (subdue).
12:05, Today: Killian Hawkfire rolled 7 using 1d4+4.  Damage (subdue).

Greyband springs forward at the same moment to deal an accurate if glancing blow to the man.

Hit AC -3 for 5 hp.

18:48, Today: Greyband rolled 5 using 1d4+4 with rolls of 1.  damage from pommel.
18:48, Today: Greyband rolled 20 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 16.  To-hit (subdual).

Grimly determined, expecting more action, ready for it, Neuken follows Jarder.

Patch had been about to utter a rote prayer of binding, but so efficient had been his companions that the divine petition had not been necessary... at least not yet. He stayed near the door outside in the hallway in order to give warning should their intrusion be made known.

To Jarder he simply gave a motion with his hand that he hoped to convey as Make it quick!

When the time for their extraction would come, Patch would assist in carrying their captives.

Killian’s swift blow causes the guard to sway, his feet suddenly unsteady. Greyband’s follow up strike lands directly on top of the sentry’s head, causing the man’s jaw to slam closed with a violent clack and sending several of his teeth sailing into the tree line.

The guard collapses, face first, allowing Jayanti, Killian, and Greyband to quickly drag him out of sight.

---

Prior to departing with the unconscious high priest, Jarder makes an efficient survey of the bed chamber, stumbling across a small chest hidden in a recess behind a statue of the goddess Idris. The chest is full of gold and silver coins, and ends up under the thief’s arm as he, and the rest of the company, make their escape.

The entire party meets the spy, Sean, a short distance down the hidden trail that the trapper had shown them prior to their gambit to kidnap the high priest. Moving with practiced efficiency through the dense foliage, Sean leads the company northeast, away from Geron, deep into the wilderness. None of the adventurers hear any alarm raised as they leave the village behind them.

After an hour of pressing through the thick stands of pine trees and the rocky terrain, the group arrives at a small hut, crudely but solidly constructed from raw timber. Sean quickly explains that the building is one of the shelters he uses during trapping expeditions. Wishing the party good fortune, he takes his leave of them, intent on returning to Geron before his absence is noticed.

The interior of the hut is a single room, with a rough hewn table and two benches, along with a hearth built from skillfully stacked stones.

The high priest gives out a soft groan, suggesting that he is slowly returning to consciousness.

OOC: The pilfered chest contains 320 gold pieces and 430 silver pieces.

Jayanti makes sure to remove the priest's unholy symbol from his person. If it's brittle he'll snap it in half. Otherwise he'll stow it in his backpack.

Orin sat on one of the benches, about the same height as he was standing up.  He was cleaning his fingernails with the tip of his dagger while he waited for the High Priest to come back to the world of the living.

"Who wants to do the questioning?  I don't mind being some of the muscle if he won't cooperate."

Meanwhile, outside, Greyband binds and gags the unconscious man, followed by his sleeping friends.

Jarder joins Orin on one of the benches, stretching his legs and then his arms extravagantly after before lounging insouciantly.

"Not I," he answers Orin. "The ones that did the questioning and worse were members of another union entirely." He admits that he didn't even learn ligature as a guild apprentice--just a hobby of his.

He shudders at a memory. "The questioners were far too clever for me and the ones that assisted them; they were far darker."

“This may sound strange coming from me, but perhaps a more gentle approach would be more effective.  I could try talking to him first.  Quite frankly, I suspect we have a great deal in common.  But if I fail, I won’t object to you roughing him up, of course.  What specifically are we trying to find out?”
This message was last updated by the player at 08:04, Fri 01 May 2020.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"He's supposed to know where their stronghold is.  Where the Shadow Lord is holed up with the Elvenstar.  So we need to know where to go and how to get in, that sort of thing."

Orin pointed the tip of his dagger and the stirring priest.  "Be my guest to give it a try."

"If we were patient like, couldn't we wait till he's properly charmed? Maybe inquisitors just lack patience."

Patch shrugged. "If he breaks, we can heal him and try again. Not really a problem."

There was no malice toward the priest on the odd cleric's voice, simply a practical solution to a possible problem.

Jarder considers his response.

"What you say is true on the face of it. But scratch a little at it and I'm not sure," he starts, dragging a dagger across the surface of the bench hard enough to score it.

"If he were a doll, and we broke its legs or even pulled out some stuffing, sure we could fix it up again. And the doll, unless it were some witch doll, would be none the wiser."

Jarder points his dagger at the incapacitated priest, "He's no doll. He's human."

Jayanti confiscates the priest's holy symbol, that of a dagger crossing a crescent moon. The piece appears to be made of pure silver, and does not seem easily breakable.

The priest returns to consciousness. He looks about the unfamiliar surroundings he finds himself in, then focuses his attention on the adventurers. Although he clearly recognizes that he is outnumbered, he still glares balefully at the members of the company, saying nothing.

“Not pleased to find yourself in this situation?  I don’t blame you.  I would feel the same, were I in your position.  So when was the last time you tortured someone for information, and how did you go about it?”

The priest appears surprised by the inquiry. ”There was a carpenter in Geron, one who continued to ask after the business of the soldiers. Wanting to know about the preparations they were making. We assumed he was a spy.”

”We pulled his finger and toenails off as we questioned him. He adamantly denied any wrongdoing. So, he was hanged, drawn, and quartered in the center of Geron, as a warning to all traitors. After the fact, we learned from his apprentice that he was only attempting to learn what the garrison required so that he could have some items ready for them in advance.”

The priest shrugs. ”Mistakes happen. It still served as a good lesson for the villagers.”

Looking on as the evil priest described the torture of the enterprising carpenter, Patch responded to Jarder, "I'm not so sure of that, the human part I mean. I say we keep our options open."

The odd cleric didn't care for torture, but certainly wasn't against it either, knowing well that Neuken's success or failure here had significant implications for entire nations...

Unsure of how much noise the priest might make, Killian moves to the door of the hut. "Do be quick about this," he suggests as he  steps outside in order to keep watch for anyone that might happen across this location.

"You would clutch at any straw, wouldn't you?" Jarder spits out. "So cocksure about your lessons. Do you truly believe torture produces truth? If you do, you may as well share your secrets before we get to work."

“Obviously, you wouldn’t have given such a frank reply if you weren’t fully prepared to endure such treatment yourself.  I don’t sense any fear in you whatsoever.  So I’ll simply ask you what we wish to know, and you will then decide if your survival is more important to you than keeping the secrets you have been entrusted with.  Torturing you would probably be a waste of time.

“We need the location of Gereth Minar.”

The priest studies Neuken for a moment, then replies, ”To the northwest of Geron, you will leave the forests of Geffron and reach grasslands. There, the grasses stand as tall as a man, so you will need to rely on the sun and stars to help you remain on your chosen course. You will continue northwest for perhaps three leagues before you reach the edge of a lonely forest. Much of the woodland’s ground is swamp.”

“It is the Lothenar Forest, so named for the wood elf king who kept his kingdom there long ago. Now it is ruins, and is the home of Vitriol, the black dragon who aided the Shadow Lord in driving the elves from the land. An ancient road leads northward, through the forest to Gareth Minar. Even before you have exited the woods, the tower should become visible to you. It is the tallest structure for leagues in every direction, fashioned from ancient stones. It sits alone on an empty moor. It is, as you might imagine, well guarded.”

The elf furrows hir brow, paging through the tales in his mind for such a fallen king - and such a black dragon among the dispossessed wood elves that passed through hir glade.

Although she has not heard the tale spoken in many years, Jayanti is able to bring the story to mind:

"This tale is known to us." That is all the elf adds.

Greyband has been standing guard outside, listening in without comment.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:06, Fri 08 May 2020.

OOC: Does the priest's story seem credible to Neuken?  Are there any known facts that contradict what he has told us?

OOC: The information provided seems entirely credible to Neuken. The only thing that might give him pause is why the priest was willing to part with it so quickly.

Outside of the cabin, Greyband finds the surrounding forest still. The warrior feels confident that the adventurers are alone in this stretch of wilderness.

After a few minutes, Renia joins Greyband to help him keep watch.

"Have you ever thought of switching teams? You seem much too honest to be a high priest." The corners of Patch's mouth seemed to be twitching of their own accord. He found this interrogation going unexpectedly.

"When was the last time you were there?"

Greyband nods and smiles at Renia as she joins him. "Good night for a watch," he says quietly.

It occurs to Jarder that the high priest might have been so forthcoming because he expects them to die many times along the way. Acid. Quagmire. The Shadow Lord's legions. He was probably right.

He waits to see if their captive has anything else to say before finding a corner of the cottage in which to unfurl his bedroll and close his eyes. It was time to clock out.

”I was there mere weeks ago.”

”I fear you misunderstand my motives, priest,” the high priest tells Patch in a matter of fact tone. ”You and your band of adventurers are certainly capable. You spirited me away without alerting any of the lancers stationed in Geron. You’re clever and extremely courageous.”

“But the black serpent’s forest? Gareth Minar? They are not simple villages filled with soldiers bored from waiting in garrison for too long. True power rests there. And the Shadow Lord will not brook the interference of the likes of you. Should you insist on venturing there, you will not return.”

”It is,” Renia agrees with a nod, ”Though I’d much rather be putting a few Denagothian lancers to the sword.”

Greyband smiles. "Patience. This is not a mission to indulge battle-lust. If we succeed here, we will win a victory for our homeland greater than any melee."

“That may or may not be true, but either way, it is not your concern.”  Neuken lets out a contented sigh.  “I am satisfied that he has told us the truth.”

"Being honest and being useful are not synonymous." Killian chimed in. The elf moved closer to the priest. "Yes, the dangers ahead are great. And you speak the truth in assuming our odds of survival to be quite low. Now, if you really want to be helpful, tell us how those that serve the Shadow Lord pass through the forest unmolested. Because, your survival may depend on it..."

The sharpness of Killian's threat rouses Jarder from his incipient drowsiness. Sometimes the high priest used words he did not know such as "brook" and his tone, frankly, was off-putting--too much like, well, a high priest of some intolerably evil entity.

He shifts his position so it is a fraction more upright than before and then awaits the man's reply.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 22:43, Thu 14 May 2020.

The priest arches a single eyebrow at Killian’s question. ”It is simple really. Only a very few travel to Gareth Minar. The dragon that rules the Lothenar Forest knows each of them by their scent. Those it recognizes are allowed safe passage. Those it does not are destroyed.”

Killian nods, then turns to the others. "Perhaps we should take him with us then?"

"Or render him into a perfume?" offers Jarder.

“Or let him go.”  Neuken shrugs.

"What about the stronghold?  He must be able to tell us something about it!  If he wants to keep his head, I mean."

Orin was a little frustrated with Neuken's rather high-level questioning.  Through a forest, past a dragon, then to the stronghold.  Great for a children's fable but a few real details might go a long way.  Way the stronghold on a mountain?  In the middle of a lake?  Deep in a mine?  These all seemed reasonable and obvious questions to the dwarf.

”Even were I to accompany you, it would not provide you protection from the dragon,” the high priest says, “When newcomers have been granted passage through the forest by the Shadow Lord, Vitriol meets them at the edge of the woods the first time they make the journey. So it was for myself and my two guards when I first ascended to the position of High Priest. The dragon made it clear that only we three could pass through unharmed. Were I to bring another, someone who had not been specifically granted passage by the Shadow Lord, the dragon would see them killed.”

The priest turns to regard Orin. ”Gareth Minar is an ancient tower, built on the side of a mountain. None know its origin, though runic inscriptions throughout the stronghold suggest that it once was the home of a sorceress who sought to bind and master creatures from the lower planes. What became of her is a mystery.”

“Upon drawing in sight of the tower, you will see that it is surrounded by an unmoving bank of fog. The fog’s fumes are lethal. I believe that the forces in the tower have been given something that grants them immunity. The mists are parted for those that have permission to enter. I would strongly suggest you find a remedy of your own, lest you perish before ever setting foot inside.”

The priest smiles. ”However, there is another solution that I am aware of. One that I would be willing to provide to you, in exchange for my freedom.”

"Freedom? You are bound to your duties of the Shadow Lord, that is not freedom," rebuked the elf. "But at least we are getting somewhere. Please, do share."

”By now, word of my capture has already spread through Geron. The news will reach the Shadow Lord shortly, if it has not already. If you lot do not slay me, my life will be forfeit if I am discovered in Denagoth. Suspicion of betrayal is enough to prompt the Shadow Lord and his minions to put someone to the sword.”

“If I am able to flee south, perhaps I will find a place to thrive in the barbarian lands, should Idris’ favor be upon me.”

He raises his eyebrows. ”I have named my price. If you mean to slay me, or deliver me north, to the Shadow Lord’s forces, I lose nothing by my silence.”

Patch smiled. "Well played High Priest. What a acolyte of Amun Tor you would make... don't entirely rule out conversion for there may be hope for you yet..."

He stood from where he'd been slouching near the doorframe. "If we were to pull off the impossible and rid the land of the Shadow Lord... then we'd be saving not only thousands of innocent lives, but yours as well, wouldn't we? No Shadow Lord means no one to order your extermination. So really we'd be doing you a great favor... Best not to betray us."

Turning to the others he shrugged, "He's got my curiosity piqued. I'm for it, his freedom that is..."

"If he stays out of our hair after this, that's enough for me. I say a solution for his freedom is enough."

Neuken grins.  “Well played, evil one.  Your tale is plausible enough to justify accepting your bargain, although I’d be a fool to think you weren’t somehow deceiving us.  Again, you have played your cards well.  An admirable gambit.

“I say we accept.”

Orin grumbled into his beard but the open route described by the priest had the ring of truth to it.  And walking openly to the front door, after passing a dragon along the way, was not a winning strategy.

After arguing around in his head, he nodded.  "Agreed," he spat out, resigned to the deal.

"And if you were offed on suspicion of being a rat, that would be yet another invaluable lesson in ... tyranny."

"Let's get this done. And if you can help get it done, I won't have to feel like a murderer in the night."

And what sort of dragon name itself Vitriol? Are there others named Malice and Bile?

The high priest kicks off his left sandal. It lands beside Jarder. ”Cut it open, burglar. Carefully,” he says.

Cutting the sole of the leather sandal open, Jarder finds a folded piece of parchment within it. The paper is brown and somewhat brittle with age.

”The Shadow Lord’s aged steward is almost as old as the tower itself. He also loves his drink. During one of my early visits, I was able to provide him with some extremely strong spirits I had obtained during my travels, which put him promptly to sleep. Amongst his valuables, I found that.”

The parchment is a carefully hand drawn map, which details the landmarks and terrain on the approach to Gareth Minar. The map marks a specific spot on the slope south of the tower where a hidden tunnel may be accessed. The tunnel apparently connects to a series of underground passages beneath the ancient structure. Drawn next to the tunnel’s entrance is a tree stump and a circle, both marked with a symbol of a wyvern in flight.

”The circle is a large, flat stone, with the wyvern painted upon it. It rests beside the stump, which is easier to spot at a distance. The tunnel entrance is beneath the stone. I believe it was not originally meant as a way into the tower, but rather as a means to escape it, were it besieged. But that is only conjecture on my part.”

With Jarder's delicate incision of the high priest's sandal and his subsequent reading of the parchment complete, he chuckles and smiles at Patch.

"Well, that solves one mystery. They mystery of why this man only has one pair of sandals and never goes anywhere without them. He never knows when he might be abducted and might need their contents to bargain for his life."

"You are an opportunistic fellow," he adds, directing this comment to the other priest.

Greyband leaves Renia in charge outside and heads in at this point. "What's the latest, folks?" he says.

Neuken examines the map closely, searching for any sign it could be fake.

The high priest smiles at the compliment. ”One of Idris’ virtues is foresight. Something I’ve sought to practice for many, many years.”

Neuken’s careful study of the map leads him to believe that it is genuine. The age of the document, in particular, speaks against it being a forgery. Neuken also does not perceive or sense any magicks that have been used to alter the drawing.

Greyband’s fellow adventurers share with him all that they have learned and the bargain that has been struck with their captive.