Chapter 3a: The Forsaken Village

[Inferno]

Day Four
Village of Briarsgate
Evening. Wednesday, October 19th, 576 CY
Chilly, misty, threatening rain


The adventurers see The Golden Grain Inn (6) ahead. After briefly laying plans, they advance upon their final destination.
Thunder rolls in the distance. It didn't take a Druid to know a storm was coming.





Hoom Fethos creeps silently through dark shadows, approaching the two-story inn's eastern side. It had a large chimney and small shuttered windows. The elf slunk around the structure's rear, northern side. There he found two shut doors. One, the easternmost, led into a dark room with curtains drawn and windows locked.
The other, the westernmost, led into a lit kitchen with shut, uncurtained windows. There, Hoom spied cooks quietly at work.
Between the doors were shut, uncurtained windows that looked into the inn's common room. It was full of men.

Actions?





Grothnak, Long Bo, Pelias and Telkis walk up the steps and enter the Golden Grain Inn (6), wary of possible archers in the windows to besiege their frontal assault.

Unassailed, they open the double doors and are are surprised to find that the common room of the inn is a warm, pleasant place with several barrels of ale tapped behind the bar.



Being evening, it's much more crowded than this image, a dozen customers at least, but similarly isolated from each other, like in the image.

The patrons, mostly farmers and locals by the looks of them, cease what little conversation there was upon your entrance. They turn and appraise you armed strangers with wary, suspicious eyes; a chill reception that the adventurers have received before in many an outland settlement.

A gentleman approaches you. “Welcome. I’m Bertram Beswill, the innkeeper here."



"I'm afraid you’ll have to excuse us. We don’t get many visitors,” he smiles wistfully for a moment. "Not lately in any event."
Bertram evinced a soft-spoken sensitivity and intelligence that was more befitting a scholar than an innkeeper. Perhaps he had studied as a younger man?
“Be sure to let me know if there's anything I can do for you. Please... make yourselves at home!” he smiles good-naturedly. "We won't bite."

Replies? Actions?





Status:
Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 2: AC 4, HP 13/17
Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 6/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
Long Bo, Human Druid 2: AC 6, HP 15/15, Spells: 3/4 1st lvl and 1/2 2nd lvl
Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 2: AC 2, HP 18/19
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 2: AC 0, HP 15/19

Magic:
Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.


Map of Briarsgate
NPC List for Briarsgate

[Zhym]

Grothnak's stony visage works in his favor for once. "We are looking for three of our companions," he says in a level voice. "A half-elf and two humans. One of the humans is in clerical garb, the other carries an axe. They were last seen entering this establishment. Do you know where they are?"

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Warrior

As Grothnak addresses the innkeeper, Telkis scans the room for signs of blood, struggle (any breakage or scratches) or visible attempts to cover up such evidence.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo enters and says nothing. He searches the patrons faces for any of the three lawmen that he met earlier. He notices the trap door in the floor and instantly spots the dark figure moving up along the rafters.

He thinks to himself. If what Hoom said was true, there is no way they could have cleaned up all that gore already. There has to be something amiss here.

The druid lets the others address the innkeeper while he blocks his mind from any of the distractions about the room. He goes into a quick meditative state of mind to see if he can ascertain the invisible truth to what is really going on here. He disbelieves the scene around him, thinking that there must be an illusion at work here. (not sure what to roll for that so, here is a D20)

Random D20 [1d20] = 12

[AleBelly]

Pelias says nothing, concentrating on his powers to slowly and carefully search the room, attempting to detect the presence of evil in any human or object. He will move to the center of the establishment if this is necessary to increase the range of such a spell.

[Inferno]

Bo He notices the trap door in the floor and instantly spots the dark figure moving up along the rafters.

Ha! Good eye!
My weak eyes didn't see that dark figure in the image, or the trap door.
Neither are in the common room. Sorry. My mistake.

IC post to come tomorrow morning, when I'm back. Thanks!

[OGRE MAGE]

Haha! Dang! I thought this was like one of those "Where's Waldo" things and I'd get extra XP for spotting them.

[Inferno]

Day Four
Village of Briarsgate
Evening. Wednesday, October 19th, 576 CY
Chilly, misty, threatening rain





Bertram Beswill, the innkeeper of the Golden Grain Inn (6), smiles good-naturedly, “Please... make yourselves at home! We won't bite."

KRAKA-BOOM! Thunder rumbles outside.

Grothnak's stony visage works in his favor for once. "We are looking for three of our companions," he says in a level voice. "A half-elf and two humans. One of the humans is in clerical garb, the other carries an axe. They were last seen entering this establishment. Do you know where they are?"

Bertram’s intelligent eyes light with recognition and he says, “Yes. That sounds familiar. Was one of them a strikingly beautiful woman? If so, they sampled some of our ale and then departed. Where, I cannot say," Bertram murmurs with the discretion of a gentleman.
"If you like, you may wait for them here. Perhaps they’ll return. Surely they’ll seek shelter from the storm?”

Telkis scans the room but finds no evidence of a struggle here, let alone a murder. His searching eyes are met at times from curious customers, coldly returning his gaze, perchance wondering who or what he was rudely staring at. The gnome does notice that most, if not all, of the patrons are armed, conceivably in defense against the troubles of Briarsgate.

Long Bo doesn’t see the Magistrate or the Constables among the inn’s patrons, nor anyone else he knows. The druid attempts to disbelieve his eyes but nothing changes. Perhaps he begins to disbelieve Hoom?

Pelias says nothing, concentrating on his powers to slowly and carefully search the room, attempting to detect the presence of evil in any human or object. With a look of effort and concentration on his face, Pelias moves to the center of the common room and detects no great evil* here. A few of the local farmers watch him, curious and bemused.

• • • * Fyi:

      House rules on magic ...
      
      -Detect Evil: This will be modified to only detect powerful, unnatural evil: undead, great monsters, devils, demons and other enchanted or conjured creatures listed under the spell, "Protection From Evil." (Thanks, Zhym)

Bertram warmly extends an arm toward the common room to invite the strange strangers in. “Please. Be my guest. Join us, won’t you?”
The innkeeper's kind welcome and the inn's familiar aromas remind the adventurers that none of them had drank ale or eaten real, hot food in days... not since Hochoch.

Replies? Actions?





Status:
Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 2: AC 4, HP 13/17
Long Bo, Human Druid 2: AC 6, HP 15/15, Spells: 3/4 1st lvl and 1/2 2nd lvl
Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 2: AC 2, HP 18/19
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 2: AC 0, HP 15/19

Magic:
Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.


Map of Briarsgate
NPC List for Briarsgate

[AleBelly]

"We cannot make ourselves comfortable while our friends suffer an unknown fate. We ask again : have you no information about our companions that entered this establishment?" Pelias asks. A hue to match his red stubble begins to wash over his face.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo doesn't like the look of this strange place and never was one for being indoors. He stays near to the entrance and addresses the innkeeper briefly.

Tell me master Beswill, what do you think of the lawmen that protect this town? Do such men frequent a place such as this, I wonder?

As soon as he hears the reply, Bo ignores anything else said and immediately walks out the door to head back outside.

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Warrior

"Indeed, yes, surely they would seek shelter from the storm. Yet perhaps you've inadvertantly ommitted some detail, sir, for I am confused. Why would they leave an inn to seek shelter? Have you really no idea where they might have gone? Surely you spoke with them?" says Telkis with a smile, returning the innkeepers warm tone. This would be much easier if they'd just been attacked upon entry, he thinks. This dos not match up at all with Hoom's recounting of events, yet he can not for the life of him figure out what exactly is going on. Why would Hoom lie? Was the young couple lying? Is the inkeeper lying now? Life was much simpler with the dwarves...

[Zhym]

Grothnak eyes Bertram warily. "Strikingly beautiful?" he echoes. "I don't know. Human women all look the same to me."

He walks about the room, halberd in hand, looking at the floor, and the beams of the roof, and the eyes of the farmers in the room. "Strange that they would leave without us seeing them. Stranger still that our friend would lie to us, if what you say is true." He looks for any signs that bodies might have been dragged away—or hints of deception in the occupants of the tavern.

[AleBelly]

Pelias calls out to the other patrons. "Have any of you any information of the whereabouts of our friends? Surely some of you saw them. They came here to seek information. If they left, you must know what questions they asked, and what sparked their departure."

[Inferno]

Day Four
Village of Briarsgate
Evening. Wednesday, October 19th, 576 CY
Chilly, misty, threatening thunderstorms





The four remaining adventurers enter the Golden Grain Inn (6) and meet its welcoming innkeeper, Bertram Beswill. “...Join us, won’t you?”

Long Bo stays near the entrance. "Tell me master Beswill, what do you think of the lawmen that protect this town?

Bertram politely replies, "Stern men and resolute. Whilst heavy handed at times, they've kept the Goblin Men at bay for many years now. And for that we owe them a great deal."

Bo asks, "Do such men frequent a place such as this, I wonder?"

"Why of course. We're just across the road from their quarters. Such men have been known to enjoy an ale from time to time, you know," Bertram smiles gently.

Long Bo ignores anything else said and suddenly walks back out the door without another word. The door flies from his hand momentarily, caught on a gust of wind from the oncoming storm.

And then there were three.

Telkis returns the innkeeper's warm tone, and says with a smile, "Indeed, yes, surely they would seek shelter from the storm. Yet perhaps you've inadvertantly ommitted some detail, sir, for I am confused. Why would they leave an inn to seek shelter?"

"As your companion just did?" asks Bertram mildly, indicating with his intelligent eyes the spot where Bo had just been standing. "I've no earthly idea. I've long ago given up on trying to understand the motives of my customers, good sir gnome."

Telkis says, "Have you really no idea where they might have gone? Surely you spoke with them?"

Pelias returns to the door from the center of the common room and joins in Telkis' inquiries, "We cannot make ourselves comfortable while our friends suffer an unknown fate. We ask again: have you no information about our companions that entered this establishment?"

Bertram says, "You'll forgive me if I hesitate to share information about my guests with strangers. You understand, I'm sure. 'Unknown fate?' Your friends can't have been away long, sir. They were here just a short while ago." Bertram scans the common room as if they might still be here for all he knew.
"As I've said, sirs, they've gone. I know not where. Just as I've no idea where your other friend has gone," once more indicating Long Bo.

Grothnak walks about the room, halberd in hand, looking at the floor, and the beams of the roof, and the eyes of the farmers in the room. "Strange that they would leave without us seeing them. Stranger still that our friend would lie to us, if what you say is true." He looks for any signs that bodies might have been dragged away—or hints of deception in the occupants of the tavern.

"Friend?" asked Bertram. At that word, or perhaps at the implied threat of an armed half-orc warrior stalking through their ranks, the silent patrons stiffen their backs as Grothnak passes and a few of them touch their weapon hilts, glancing between themselves, the half-orc and Bertram. Grothnak finds no signs of a struggle. None of the customers stand, return Grothnak's hostility, or even speak. The silence and tension grows like an unchecked cancer.

Pelias breaks the silence at least, as he calls out to the other patrons. "Have any of you any information of the whereabouts of our friends? Surely some of you saw them. They came here to seek information. If they left, you must know what questions they asked, and what sparked their departure."

None of the patrons respond. As one, their stony faces wordlessly glare at the strangers with death-like quiet.

Then Bertram discreetly lowers his voice to scarcely a whisper, his lips barely moving. "Your friends mentioned 'investigations' that urgently needed seeing to, but shared no specifics and asked that such information be kept strictly confidential."

The gentleman innkeeper was clearly uncomfortable, perhaps from having just betrayed a trust, or from having done so openly whilst lurking in a doorway, or from something else. "Gentlemen, let's please discuss this privately, discreetly and civilly. Kindly be seated and I'll soon join you," Bertram whispers, glancing once at the prying eyes and ears of his customers.

KRAKOOOOOMM! thundered the heavens.

Replies? Actions?





Status:
Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 2: AC 4, HP 13/17
Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 2: AC 2, HP 18/19
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 2: AC 0, HP 15/19

Magic:
Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.


Map of Briarsgate
NPC List for Briarsgate

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis, Gnome Warrior

Telkis confers with Pelias and Grothnak in the center of the room in low tones. "I begin to suspect, given the lack of signs of any commotion here, that our companion Hoom was not being straight with us, tho I don't care to guess why. Perhaps he was addled by a spell or what-not. What do ye say we sit down as the man suggests, to see where it leads? I sense he knows somthin and wants to tell us, be it for good or ill. And... I feel confident we three can handle ourselves should trouble arise, the Good, the Short and the... erm, Sternly Lawful," he says, indicating their small group. "Where has Bo gotten off to? He don't seem too comfortable indoors, that one."

[AleBelly]

"I think Bo reached the same conclusion we did regarding Hoom" replies Pelias. "I don't like the idea of staying in here, but if it means finding the others, so be it. I'll play along."

Edited to remove redundancy

[Zhym]

"I know Hoom," replies Grothnak. "I have fought beside him. I do not know this funda undur kurv." The half-orc nods his head toward Bertram. "If Hoom says Ingrid, Vodarte, and the Mouser were here, they were here. I will not play along. I will not sit and chat while good people are missing!"

[AleBelly]

"What action do your propose, Grothnak? Hacking everyone to pieces with your halberd? I'll do no such thing until I know who our enemies are. Perhaps our friends did leave. Rest assured I won't just take Bertram's word for it, though" says Pelias softly.

[Zhym]

"First, I would stop acting like this place is safe," says Grothnak. "You are in enemy territory. Act like it. Second, I would search the inn. They have to be here somewhere. Maybe they're hidden in a back room, or under a trap door somewhere? Third, if you are not willing to search the place, leave. Then keep the building under watch. A wise warrior does not sit at his enemy's table during battle."

[Inferno]

Day Four
Village of Briarsgate
Evening. Wednesday, October 19th, 576 CY
Chilly, misty, threatening thunderstorms





The three remaining adventurers begin to argue among themselves at the doors of the Golden Grain Inn (6), near its innkeeper, Bertram Beswill.

At Grothnak's first statement, Bertram says, "Where is this 'Hoom'? Is it not customary to at least be faced by one's accusers?"
At those words, Long Bo suddenly re-enters the inn, out of breath. Outside the doors, the gathering storm is imminent.

At Grothnak's last statement, the refined, courteous innkeeper suddenly looks aghast. He turns to Long Bo, Telkis and Pelias, "Gentlemen, if your friend persists in acting like a lawless brigand with implied threats of violence and wild talk of 'enemies' and unlawful search and seizure, I'm afraid he'll leave me no choice but to alert the constables!"

Bertram catches his breath and regains his composure. The diplomatic host tries to defuse the situation, even as he appears not to fully understand it. "...But I truly hope... it needn't come to that. Rather, let's remain civil, can't we? We're all rational men, I trust.
"A round of drinks, on the house," he calls to a barmaid, a wide-eyed young farm girl, in an attempt to employ a time-tested method for cooling hot tempers in the tavern.
Then Bertram turns back to the adventurers and softly says, "Kindly accept this humble peace offering to make amends for any offence I may have inadvertently given. Frankly, I'm no longer entirely certain what is happening here," he says with a glance at Grothnak, "But I know I don't want any trouble.
"I.. I'll not send you out in such a storm. My offer still stands. Please be seated and I'll provide whatever assistance I can to help in this matter... but I must respectfully insist it be done with discretion and common civility. Please."

Replies? Actions?





Status:
Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 2: AC 4, HP 13/17
Long Bo, Human Druid 2: AC 6, HP 15/15, Spells: 3/4 1st lvl and 1/2 2nd lvl
Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 2: AC 2, HP 18/19
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 2: AC 0, HP 15/19

Magic:
Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.


Map of Briarsgate
NPC List for Briarsgate