Burnt Offerings (Play)

[Krensky]

Teo can feel the corruption spreading through him as the poison works, his skin cracking and oozing foulness near the wound. Lady Eloise acts quickly, tying a strap tightly above the spreading corruption and quickly lancing the wound and boils, pushing the corruption out. Eloise doesn't recognize the poison, but after a moment, Teo recognizes it from his studies as behaving like Spider Wrath, an alchemally enhanced and preserved toxin made from the venom of certain types of giant woodland spiders.

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Ok, so it takes one minute to get upstairs and one for Eloise to get to him.
First roll is 10 vs 12 and Teo takes 9 lethal, droping Teo to 0 V and 9 W.
Second roll is also 10 vs 12, with 3 points of lethal.
Eloise stabilizes him with a roll of 24 vs 12.
Eloise rolls a 9 vs 16 on her Knowledge check, but Teo slams it out of the park with a 27 vs 16.
Her treatment (which I'll resolve now) roll also succeeds, so Teo will have a +2 on the next save. Sadly the Dawnfather does not have access to Neutralize Poison from his Paths, but there might be some herbal methods in town.
[meta]The is a supplier for the Antidote in town, but you don't know who.[/meta]

In the meantime, the Sheriff and compnay arrive and are willing to take custody of Tsuto, followed shortly by the Priest of the Dawn Flower who starts patching people up with her knowledge of medicine and the blessings of Saranae.


Ok, we'll call that scene. Based on standing rules, that will also be session. I'll be doing the last of the math for XP tonight, I expect you guys will level so start thinking about what you've done and what you want to do. I'll also entertain questions about what's to come relating to build choices and retraining requests. I'll also be addressing healing, interrogations (decided who's questioning Tsuto), treasure, and such. For now, I'm assuming downtime will be how long it takes to get patched up barring emergencies.

[Catodon]

From the beach Weoxgyld must have heard the approaching townsfolk but he acts as if he hasn’t noticed them. As the priestess is hussled to Teo’s aid, the giant stands and staggers off down the beach. Paiter ducks around to block his employers progress “where do you think you are going?, you wounds…”
“Stand aside!” the giant raises his voice. Then softer “do not further our embarrassment, a healer is unnecessary” There is a flash across the giants eyes. Knowing when not to push things Paiter steps aside then trotts after the big violet man.

[foproy]

alden tries to meet the mob at the door, the elf hanging limply over his shoulder. as the priest approaches he says, "do not worry about me they are all superficial, tend the others first." he then turns to the sherif, it is all under control, it seems to be a strange tunnel under the glass works probably how they got in, also from what i have heard, this was one of the ringleaders of the raid." he spins slightly to show tsuo, "also i think it is best though if we keep the townsfolk out, it is not a pretty sight."

[Catodon]

In the next day Weoxgyld barely leaves his converted barn but Paiter is seen about town organising for thier clothes to be laundered and mended.

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I'm writing a little action for Weoxgyld I'd like to squeeze in before the next game. 0s left in the pockets of my guys

[Catodon]

It is early evening, a time when most villagers have finished work and are heading home before the dark comes. Weoxgyld strides with purpose down High Street, Paiter flask in hand trotts to keep up.
Paiter “This really isn’t nessisary”
Weoxgyld: “No, but it is proper behaviour befitting a warrior of the Stormborn”
Paiter: “So we’re doing this?”
Weoxgyld: “Yes”
The pair veer left and into the village square before the Cathedral. Weoxgyld quietly stands to one side. Paiter mounts the steps of the Cathedral with a sigh. He then sounds the hunting horn. A smile comes to his lips and he blows again this time with gusto! “People of Sandpoint “Weoxgyld, Son of Weoxhrothsten, Son of Weoxhroth, Stormborn!, begs the ears of you, his hosts”

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Impress check for Paiter: 1d20+6 Also due to laundering and association with Annie and Eloise Paiter is at +5 Appearance currently. Will spend an AD on this too.
1d6+1d20+6
1d6+1d20+6=24
Plus appearance effects if any.

So:
How do the villagers react? Paiter and the giant seem to be waiting for a crowd to form.

[Golden Dragon]

Before leaving the Glassworks, Teo insists on counting the dead. He stops at each dead townsman, takes notes of how he dies, says a short prayer to Iomedae, and signs each corpse with the sign of the sword. A guardsman steps up. "Sir," he says, "you are injured. Leave the dead for us and the High Priest."

Teo responds, "I will take note of the dead. This is what happens when the watchmen fail. I will count the cost when our vigilance falters. Hopefully, we will keep this from happening again. And these folk died horribly. The least we can do is honor their loss by looking fully at the cost they paid. And when we do, we will be less likely to let evil go unchecked. May their deaths not be in vain."

The guardsman stands back and watches Teo finish his rounds.
-----
Teo was at the funeral the next day. Ashen-faced, with his hand bandaged, he served as acolyte. He could be found watching over the graves, long after the crowds had left.

[foproy]

as the sun sets in the west alden approaches teo at the graves, "there is nothing more you can do for them, there deaths have been avenged, and they have found their rest. unfortunately we have not. also that crazy giant is crying out at the top of his lungs he has something to say, this should be interesting."

[Golden Dragon]

"I do not keep watch for them, but for me. Our house is committed to preventing such things through vigilance. I stand here to drive home the point for me, and for you. Their deaths may have been avenged, but that does not assuage the anger that rightly follows such evil. They were not warriors on the field, who embraced the risk of death. The were townsmen, ripped from their homes and their families. What could we have done to prevent this?

"I've had enough of 'interesting' these past few days, but I will join you. Lead on."

[foproy]

"what could we have done to prevent this? i do not know, until we develop the ability to see our enemies movements as they make them then there is not much we can do. and if we had that ability then this would not be a long fight at all." with that alden begins to walk towards the square.

[EloiseCartwright]

Eloise will stay with Teo until she's sure he's recovered, trying to not make him feel self-conscious but blending into the background was never one of her strong points. Unless one of the more roguish types want to apply their knowledge she'll take a look at the ring and the gems, try and get a general idea of how much they're worth.

Afterwards Eloise spends some time studying the journal found, and is somewhat... disturbed by it's contents, nonetheless it confirms their suspicions about a further attack and our suspicions about the Thistletop Goblins being the ones involved, though at the behest of another. It does also mention the tunnels, and things coming out of them - this may be of a higher priority.

Eloise will do some digging around town, find out about the old priest who's body was taken, if he ever had a wife or daughter (or any other family she could talk to). Of course she'll go and see what Weoxgyld has to say - as it should be interesting.

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Investigate Check to find out about the Old Priest: 1d20+6=7 FAIL!

[ArawnNox]

Shyla hangs around as spoils are piled up and looks over Eloise's shoulder when she examines the gems, but is unable to help much. She takes a turn reading the journal, putting it down after she's had her fill. She looks to the group, "As we suspected, they're going to attack... in numbers. That tunnel under the glassworks is worth investigating. When we get around to interrogating Tsuto, let me know...." a grin crosses her lips, "I'll play "bad cop"."

With that she leaves to wander around town, lost in her thoughts, puzzling out the contents of the journal. The stolen corpse has been burned.... with it, she purged her heritage and incorporated demonic influence into her body? Clearly the woman is mad... why would anyone do that? I only have a little of that infernal stuff in me and I lost my home because of it.... my home... this ritual she enacted is reminding me of Cheliax too much... Who is this woman? It'll be something to ask Tsuto. But will he betray is lover? I'll make him talk."

Her puzzling and mental angsting done with, she heads to the jail, offering her help for the interrogation process.

[Krensky]

The Dawnmother, a middle aged Kelish woman clucks amusedly at Alden.

"Now, now young Master Smith. Even the Inheritor knows when to accept help, and you and your companions are the only ones I can do anything for now."

She says a quiet prayer and Alden feels the warmth of the sun suffusing his wounds and reinvigorating him.

She nods and goes to see to the others in the party.

Meanwhile, Teo feels the burning sensation lessen under Eloise's ministrations as his wound begins to look healthier.

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Teo rolls a 16 vs 12, overcoming the poison. Between Iolana , Eloise, Teo, Hanah Velerin, and time heal all wounds in a few days.

When Ameiko wakes up, she takes the news of her father's death stoically. She then explains what happened.

"My brother called me to see him at the glassworks. He... he's mad. He said that he and Nualia had plans for the town. But she's dead, she died with her father when the cathedral burned down."

She shakes her head before continuing,

"He said they had hired several mercenaries and taken control of the goblins. They were going to destroy the town as revenge for their childhoods... He said he didn't want me in town when it happened and should go with him back to Thistletop."

She takes a long drink off the cup of Andoran whiskey she's been handed.

"I slapped him, cursed him as a murderer and lunatic. That... that's when he punched me and set his goblins on me."

She looks at Divia,

"Thank you Divia and everyone, I guess I owe you one."

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Ameiko is the sole heir to the Kaijutsu lands and titles in Sandpoint. Retired adventurer, innkeeper, and local noble. Sounds like a prime Contact. Let me know if anyone is interested.

Haldar and Shalelu return, with her standing closer and smiling at him when he's not looking. Their week in the woods turned up some leads. Questioning the local woodland residents turned up rumors about a scary lady intimidating the Thistletop goblins, Bruthazmus having moved into the lair, and several humans, a half-elf, and a woman with silver hair being seen there. There are also rumors that the goblin's shaman Gorgmurt and the chief Ripnugget are in disagreement about something.


As for the priest, he had an adopted daughter, an Aasamir named Nualia. They both died during the Troubles. (I think went over this before.)


Ok, so Shyla is heading into talk to Tsuto, who else wants in on the interrogation?

[Catodon]

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Paiter's roll for haggle
1d20+5=14
to low to help

[paddyfool]

After returning from the glassworks, Argan is unusually quiet and reserved.  He alternates his time between sparring with anyone who'll practice (asking Weox for preference, seeking to remedy a degree of inexperience with fighting anyone larger than himself), and he takes this practice with a quiet dedication, and spending time alone in study, in which he quietly practices honing his ancestral ability to mask his form for faster and faster transformations.  Learning what he's up against, he's driven to push harder to better himself, and in particular to be able to put his diabolical inheritance to use in combating the diabolical itself.  Or, should it be necessary, to slip away unnoticed.

(OOC: This is partly about roleplaying the new class ability, and partly about him growing up a bit).

[Mister Andersen]

It should have been so easy, Divia reflects grimly as she and Argan, with his precious cargo, make their way out of the charnel house that the glassworks has been transformed into, bow string held taut the entire time. We could have made it in quietly, rescued Ameiko and jumped her bastard brother before taking out the vermin. This should have been done quietly, honourably, but now look at all this! Bad enough Ameiko's lost her family, but now she's lost so much more with it all on display like this... It's all that idiot giant's fault! Why couldn't he just have done something useful for once and let Tsuto kill him! "Divia!" Annie cries out. Divia looks around and sees her sister running towards her. Lowering her bow, Divia catches her in an embrace. "We're alright," she comforts her, "but we have to get Ameiko some help." "What happened to Weox?" her ward asks. "He doesn't look so good." "He did the wrong thing and got punished for it," Divia replies coldly. "I'm sure he'll get over it." She looks around, her gut wanting to get back to the Dragon and go to ground, but her head wins out. "Argan, the barracks is the closest place with a bed." "What's going on?" Hemlock chooses that moment to demand. "I've had people telling me the giant's gone insane and--" "Goblins," Argan cuts him off before Divia has a chance to jump down the man's throat. "They slaughtered everyone. They were being led by the half-elf." "The one from the cemetery?" "It was Tsuto," Divia bites out, frustration and hatred evident in her voice as she jerks a finger behind her where the rest of her companions are emerging. "The others have him. Ameiko found out and tried to stop him. Tell your healers we're taking her to the barracks." With that, she walks off leading her little troupe to sanctuary. * * * Once seen to by the healers and godsbotherers, Ameiko is moved to her own room in the Rusty Dragon where Divia feels her fellow orphan will be safe from undue attention. Still, it's evening before she awakes to the sound of Annie playing with her velvet toy rabbit and Divia sitting patiently by her bedside. "Tsuto!" "Hush," Divia reaches out to comfort her friend, taking a once broken hand still covered in fading bruises gently into her own. "It's alright." "Divia? Wha–?" "You're safe. You're back in the Dragon. Your brother can't hurt you any more." "You know?" There's something Divia thinks might be shame, maybe fear, in the other woman's voice. "Beth came to me, to us, when you didn't show up this morning and showed us the letter. She explained about Tsuto, the whole mess...  Ha! Mess is right. I tried, Ameiko, I really did! The plan was to sneak in, find you, take him down before he knew we were there, deal with everything without the town finding out. But the giant ruined everything and now it's all out there." "Is Tsuto dead?" "No," Divia shakes her head. "Some of the others managed to subdue him. He's refusing to talk, but they found his diary so it doesn't matter." "My brother called me to see him at the glassworks. He... he's mad." Ameiko sighs, as if beginning to accept something she's been trying to deny, "He said that he and Nualia had plans for the town. But she's dead, she died with her father when the cathedral burned down. What?" With a start, Divia realises that her expression has given the game away. For a moment she thinks about bluffing her way through, then pours out a cup of the Andoran whiskey standing on the bedside table and handing it to her friend. "He murdered your father." "Oh," she takes the news of her father's death stoically, staring quietly into the amber brown liquid. "Oh?" Divia asks in surprise, the loss of her own families still a raw pain inside her. "My father was dead to me a long time ago, Div, after what he'd done. We might as well have been strangers for all there was left between us." She shakes her head before continuing. "Tsuto said they had hired several mercenaries and taken control of the goblins. They were going to destroy the town as revenge for their childhoods... He said he didn't want me in town when it happened and tried to get me to go with him back to Thistletop." She takes a long drink, fingers tightening around the cup, the loss of her brother to what ever madness has taken him clearly far more dreadful to her. "I slapped him, cursed him as a murderer and lunatic. We'd never fought before that, not really. I think that's when he stopped being my brother. That... that's when he punched me and set his goblins on me. The rest you know." Ameiko looks at Divia, "Thank you, I guess I owe you one." Divia smiles back, brushing a strand of hair behind her friend's ear. "You're welcome. You just get better, because there's trouble brewing out there. Your brother and his friends wouldn't have gone to all the trouble they have so far if there wasn't something in what he said to you."