2) The Secret of the Haunted House

[Mant72]

Keilif:

Keilif slinks through the shadows staying close to the farmer, Doubtful. "I do hope the others will follow shortly. They stand no chance against those reavers." He looks back toward the silhouette of the mansion and presses on.

[coil23]

To Keilif, As do I. We don't need any more tragedy today. I saw that words aren't going to change any minds right now but lack of numbers might. Our next step is thinking about how we are going to present this to the council. We are already lacking in popularity and credibility.

[OGRE MAGE]

The lead group slows to let the stragglers catch up. They wait to see what Alec will decide.

The party's locals know this area to be safe enough for travel at dusk and they expect to get back unmolested.

It is common knowledge that the next council session will be held at mid morning on the morrow.

The group begins to discuss what they will do once they get back into Saltmarsh............

[Fulci]

Jónas Gillman, weirdo

Jónas will want to get the stirge to Uncle Bobber's shop as soon as possible! He really hopes the thing is still alive and carefully lifts the lid to check.

"We will need weapons and armor when we come back..." he says to his companions.

[hedgeknight]

"And we might benefit from a bath before approaching the council on the morrow," Burly says, admiring the dirt and blood on his hands and under his nails.
"Maybe they'll send some guards with us so we can clean out the house proper. What do you think, Doubtful? Keilif?"

[wolfpack]

Jónas Gillman, weirdo

Jónas will want to get the stirge to Uncle Bobber's shop as soon as possible! He really hopes the thing is still alive and carefully lifts the lid to check.

"We will need weapons and armor when we come back..." he says to his companions.

Jervis


Eyes widen at the mention of equipment.
YES we will need to be better equiped, a great sword and armor.

Jervis reche into his pocket and pulls out a small bag.

I found this while searching

1 pocket knife
11 gold coins
1 broken shard of stained glass
1 shiny metal fishing lure with no hooks
1 plain gold ring

Jervis will slide the ring on a finger.

[coil23]

Equipment may help but I think we need better eye-hand coordination the most and equipment won't fix that. Mind you, I include myself in that statement.

[OGRE MAGE]

YES we will need to be better equiped, a great sword and armor.

Jervis reche into his pocket and pulls out a small bag.

I found this while searching

1 pocket knife
11 gold coins
1 broken shard of stained glass
1 shiny metal fishing lure with no hooks
1 plain gold ring

Jervis will slide the ring on a finger.

Great ideas are bandied about as the group decides their next few moves.

Jervis comes clean about the things that he found up in the attic. He pulls out some junk along with one plain but shiny gold ring. He slips the ring on his finger and something amazing happens to him.

Jervis is a somewhat normal looking guy and seems like a fairly outgoing individual for the most part. But once he dons the gold ring, he instantly becomes far more suave. In fact, it seems like the young man instantly becomes much better looking and is able to speak far more eloquently than he did before.

This ring must have some magical powers that increase the influence of the wearer.

[Urson]

Alec scowls as only a Dwarf with a nasty facial scar can scowl. We are giving up our only advatage. But you are right. We go now, and quietly.

He moves as quietly as he can, following the group back toward town. He'll keep a wary eye on the mansion gate as they leave, watching for anyone following them.

[ravenn4544]

I think Ben has caught up with the first group by now. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Ben says, "once we get back to that bilge of a town I'm gonna head to the councilman shipbuilder that I've heard good things be spoke. He may have some insight on the goings on in there if I can speak one on one. Seamen to seaman as it we were. I gots to think he know something about what must be pirate activity up there.

[OGRE MAGE]

The entire group reassembles a little ways down the road, ready for a hot meal and full mug.

The sun is setting and the weather is still fine. Making it back to town before dark shouldn't pose a problem.

Alec is the last to join the others. He takes a look behind him just before the house is out of site. He thinks he might have spotted several large men searching around the outside of the building. He ducks down and continues on until he can no longer see the mansion. He seems pretty sure that he wasn't spotted by them.

The group does not think that they are being followed as they pick up the pace towards the outer gates of Saltmarsh.

Ben states that he will seek out councilmen Tortuga when he gets back to the sailors district, hoping he has more information to share.

[Mant72]

Keilif:

"If we are to return to the mansion, we most certainly must be better equipped. We are lucky to have not lost more of the group. Shiliel keep their souls. I will first return home to speak with my uncle Darn to see if he can offer any council." He hurries along with the others on the way back to Saltmarsh.

[hedgeknight]

Burly gives Jervis an odd look but says nothing directly to him.
However, as they hurry along toward town, he listens to the others speaking of their plans before tomorrow, and suggests, "Perhaps we should divvy up any coin we found before we split up for the night."
If he gets any strange looks he shrugs and says, "I'd really like a nice room for the night and a bath; maybe some good food. You never know what the council is gonna decide and if they tell us to hit the road, that they don't want to work with us any more, well, I'm not going back to the hovel where I've been staying the past few nights."

[coil23]

Doubtful

And while my home is...rustic, I can offer a place to sleep for anyone who needs it.

[Fulci]

Jónas Gillman, weirdo

Jónas will want to get the stirge to Uncle Bobber's shop as soon as possible! He really hopes the thing is still alive and carefully lifts the lid to check.

Is the stirge still alive?

"There is also this marble thing I found inside that tricky box!" says Jónas as he sees everybody tallying up loot. "We need to find out if it's of a precious material. Maybe my Uncle Bobber knows something about minerals and gems... I wanted to go see him anyways about the stirge."

"We will share the price we fetch, of course," he adds hastily. He wants to be a cool guy, a real team player. "Buy some helmets, maybe."

Can Jónas go to Uncle Bob's shop and find it still open? Is he welcome by his Uncle after closing hours?

[OGRE MAGE]

Sorry Fulci, I totally missed that one.

The trip back to Saltmarsh goes by uneventfully so the party discusses further their next moves.

Keilif says that he will go see his uncle Darn. Jonas thinks it best to go see his surrogate uncle to show him what he's found. The fishy looking kid takes another peek into the box and sees that the lone stirge looks even healthier than before. It looks to have sucked all of the juice out of its dead sibling who's shriveled up carcass still lies in the bottom of the box. Jonas knows that uncle Bobber's door is always open for him. He suggests that the group gets some cool helmets.

Burly suggests splitting up the spoils before the group goes their separate ways for the night. He hopes to get a nice meal and bed before hearing the rejection from the council in the morning. Doubtful offers up his humble farmhouse to anyone willing.

I will start the personal action in your private threads. That will leave it up to each player as to how much they want to share with everyone.

You can split the treasure any way that you would like. Or, if you want me to do it, that's cool too.

[coil23]

Doubtful

Before we all split up for the night I just want to say: be safe and don't let your guard down. The danger is just beginning. Get some rest and let's meet back in the morning by the town hall so we can talk beforehand. The council meeting starts midmorning. You might give a thought to how we can best present our finds so far.

One last dark look at the stirge box and then Doubtful turns to leave.

[Mant72]

Keilif:

Responding to Doubtful's wisdom, "Yes, and Jervis' influential ring might be very helpful when discussing things with the council tomorrow. With the ring's assistance, the council members might be better persuaded to provide us with equipment. Farewell, and be safe. See you all on the morrow."

[OGRE MAGE]

A plan is established to meet back up in the morning outside of the council building.
Activities for this evening so far include:


Doubtful: Going home to his farm with anyone else who wants a place to rest.

Keilif: Going home to speak with his uncle Darn at the crab house. (29)

Jonas: Goes to see his mothers boyfriend (33) to show him the stirge and marble.

Burly: Wants to go get a nice room, a hot bath, and some good food. (39?)

Ben: Will go back to Tortuga's Crystal Waters (26) where he stays. He hopes to find councilman Tortuga to discuss possible pirate activity in the area.

Jervis:

Alec:

Vhing: Hey, has anyone seen the overactive halforc lately?

[hedgeknight]

Burly says goodnight to all before heading out to the Uptown Inn and hope he can afford a room, bath, and a meal.

If the price is too high, he might try for Tortuga's instead.
BTW, how much coin did we each get with the split?