Chapter 7: The Lurking Terror

[Inferno]

Chapter 7: The Lurking Terror

Day Six.
Village of Briarsgate, The Inn of the Slumbering Serpent (25)
Between midnight and 1am, Friday, October 21st, 576 CY.
Full moon, partly cloudy, damp, cold, misty.





Hoom and Mouser knock on the door of the darkened Inn of the Slumbering Serpent. (25)

In Mouser's mind, he hears the woman's voice whisper: "Someone's knocking!"
Then the man, in a hoarse hush: "Who could it be at this ungodly hour?!"
He hears footsteps and movement as the pair of shivering thieves wait several minutes for someone to come to the door.

Finally the door opens to reveal a fat, welcoming woman and a thin, unwelcoming man.





Hoom says, "Pardon us for knocking on your door so late at night. We are travelers from Hochoch seeking shelter for the night. We tried the other inn across the river and found their wine tainted and service hostile. Not to mention their rooms are way to hot to sleep in at the moment.
"I'm sorry, for that. We only seek a quiet and secluded place to rest. A place where we won't be disturbed by anyone. Especially any friends or associates of the other establishment. We are soaked to the bone and we've seem to have misplaced all our bottles of oil and fire-starters. Do you understand? Can you give us aid?"

The couple are both silent for what seems like a long time.
Then the man says, "We don't want any trouble," and the woman says, "Won't you please come in?" at the exact same time.

They look at each other and the woman wins without a word. She leads the soaking rogues inside and he locks the door behind them, grumbling.
The inn is older and smaller than the Golden Grain Inn. The dim common room is lit by a lone candle casting a weak sickly light from a center table. The windows are shut against the cold and the distant shouting can't be heard.

Inn of the Slumbering Serpent.jpg (335.23 KiB) Viewed 5986 times

"I'm Belba Cralloon and this is my husband, Ollwin," the old woman says softly.

"This is our inn and our home and we'll not be wanting any trouble!" the man growls.

Mouser recognizes both their voices.

"But look at you! You're soaked to the bone!" says Belba blithely. "Let me bring you some blankets and see if there's still some stew."

"'A place to rest' we have. Will you be wanting one room or two?" demands Ollwin gruffly.

There is a creak on the stairs.
Everyone turns to find an older man standing there, watching from the shadows.



"I... heard someone knocking," he says.

"It's all right, Mr. Baltus. Just two late arrivals. You can go back to bed. Good night!" says Belba pleasantly.

Baltus creeps back up the darkened stairs.
Ollwin curses under his breath and glares at his wife.
Belba waits a moment and then politely says to her guests, "Now who are you, please, my dears?"

Actions?





Status:

• Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 5, HP 10/10, Spells: 1/1 1st lvl
  Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 7/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl

Magic:

• Potion of Clairaudience (Mouser): Duration: 2 minutes

Resources:

• Map of Briarsgate
  NPC List for Briarsgate
  The Story So Far (in words)
  The Story So Far (in pictures)

[Grognardsw]

From where does Mouser recognize their voices? Aside from the clairvoyance?

Is Baltus or his voice recognizeable?

Mouser is having flashbacks to the Golden Grain Inn, and the Chapter title isn't helping

[Inferno]

Mouser recognizes the Cralloons' voices from the Clairaudience Potion.
He doesn't recognize Baltus, his name or his voice.

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos:

"My name is Hoom Feethos. Thank you for opening your establishment for us at such a late hour. Your hospitality should be a badge for others in this village to honor."

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos:

"I hope Mr. Baltus is not to cross at us for waking him. Is Mr. Baltus a traveling merchant perhaps? Peddling his wares to the good folk here at Briarsgate before moving on to the next village. Or is he just a traveller to this village like ourselves? Taking a rest before getting back onto trail to one's final destination." Hoom says with a large and inviting smile.

[Grognardsw]

"I go by Grey," says the Mouser, nodding at the innkeeper couple. "Yes, we are wet and myself tired. Might I have the room now to go change into dry clothes."

As he speaks Mouser steps to the stairs, glancing up to follow Baltus, clairvoyantly listening to his footfalls and hopeful creaking of door to give location.

[Inferno]

Day Six.
Village of Briarsgate, The Inn of the Slumbering Serpent (25).
Between midnight and 1am, Friday, October 21st, 576 CY.
Full moon, partly cloudy, damp, cold, misty.





Hoom and Mouser introduce themselves to Belba and Ollwin Cralloon, innkeepers of the Inn of the Slumbering Serpent. (25)

Belba gets another lamp alight and squints at Hoom, "An elf, I see! Are you with those other elves?"
Ollwin scolds her in a noisy whisper, "Belba! We should mind our own business and not get involved!"



When Hoom politely inquires about Baltus, Belba smiles warmly, "No, my dear. He's a gentleman farmer, from the outlying farms, in town on some business with his Lordship, the Mayor," while Ollwin stares at his guests with cold, suspicious eyes.

Mouser moves to the bottom of the stairs and asks to be taken to his room as he focuses his mind above, mystically listening for the old inn's creaking floorboards, squeaking hinges and clicking doorlocks to try to locate Baltus' room. The clairaudient thief hears nothing. Complete silence. Mouser realizes, 'That's impossible. No one's that fast. Baltus must be standing at the top of the steps, listening!'

Ollwin moves toward Mouser, to show him upstairs. "Will you be needing one room or two?" he repeats irritably.

Suddenly, Mouser feels his potion's magic beginning to fade.*

Actions?


Map:

Inn of the Slumbering Serpent 2.jpg (319.81 KiB) Viewed 5951 times

• One square = 5 feet.

Status:

• Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 5, HP 10/10, Spells: 1/1 1st lvl
  Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 7/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl

Magic:

• *Potion of Clairaudience (Mouser): Duration: 1 minute

Resources:

• Map of Briarsgate
  NPC List for Briarsgate
  The Story So Far (in words)
  The Story So Far (in pictures)

[Grognardsw]

Grey Mouser, thief

"One room for each of us please," answers Mouser, as he moves up the stairs.

When he rounds the corner stairs, he looks to see and hear if Baltus is at the top. If so he goes slowly up to watch if the man goes to his own room, in order to see which room that is. If Baltus is not at the top of the stairs, Mouser takes the stairs in giant steps to reach quickly and walks down the hallway listening with the last of his clairvoyance for sounds within the surrounding rooms.

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos:

"Yes that's two rooms, one for each of us. I'll get this one Grey. I know how tired you are from our long journey here and eager to get some rest. So a couple of silver I suppose?" he says to Belba as he starts digging around his coin purse.

[Inferno]

Day Six.
Village of Briarsgate, The Inn of the Slumbering Serpent (25).
Between midnight and 1am, Friday, October 21st, 576 CY.
Full moon, partly cloudy, damp, cold, misty.





Hoom purchases rooms for himself and Mouser at the Inn of the Slumbering Serpent.

"Two silver?" Belba laughs warmly. "Oh, I wish it were that! Thirty silver for two rooms, my dear."

Mouser heads up the dim stairs of the old inn, ahead of Ollwin.



"Wait please, sir, I can show you to your room," protests the grouchy innkeeper.

In his mind, Mouser magically hears footsteps in the second floor hall. He turns the corner at the landing and hears a doorknob turn. He bounds up the final flight and hears hinges squeak. Mouser opens a door at the top of the stairs and reaches the second floor in time to see a door click shut. (at 'B')

Mouser's mind's ear goes deaf as the creepy senses of the sorcerous potion of Sheelba of the Eyeless Face suddenly expire.

"Slow down, Master Grey. I'm not as young as I used to be," grouses Ollwin softly when he reaches the second floor.
"This way please," he whispers and shows Hoom and Mouser down the long, dark corridor of the old inn, to their rooms. (11a and b)

Actions?

Map:

Inn of the Slumbering Serpent 3.jpg (395.6 KiB) Viewed 5935 times

• One square = 5 feet.

Status:

• Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 5, HP 10/10, Spells: 1/1 1st lvl
  Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 7/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl

Resources:

• Map of Briarsgate
  NPC List for Briarsgate
  The Story So Far (in words)
  The Story So Far (in pictures)

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos:

"Oh, you misunderstand. A few coins is just a saying we elves say. I guess it looses something in translation. Here is 2 gold for getting you up so late in the night. We do appreciate your kind hospitality. I look forward to sleeping in soft bed after a long day on the road. Goodnight madame."

Hoom follows Grey and Ollwin up to their rooms.
"Thank you my good sir." Hoom holds out a two silver piece to Ollwin. "Please make sure we aren't disturb. We haven't had a good night in days and we both are dead tired."

[Grognardsw]

Grey Mouser, thief

"Aye, thank you," adds Mouser,

He steps into the room, waits a minute or two, then pads out and taps on Hoom's door.

Once inside he whispers: "Baltus is a risk, likely one of them, and could call down the whole village on us. Let's subdue and question him. Unless you have a hex to put him under your influence?"

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos:

"I do not have the capacity to invoke any arcane enchantments. I need to rest my mind so I can absorb it's energy. Are you sure Baltus is a threat? Belba says he a farmer from an outlying farm here to conduct business with the Mayor. But you're right. We can't trust anyone in this town. Let try talking with him before we have to resort to violence. We both final has a roof over our heads and soft beds to sleep in. A luxury we have not had in days."

OCC: Mouser still have a spell slot open. If you review the House rules on spell casting. You do not have to pick your spells at the beginning of the day. You can cast any spell in your spell book when needed. You can use friends on Baltus. This way we can get our answers and maybe get some sleep.
viewtopic.php?p=199683#p199683

[Inferno]

Day Six.
Village of Briarsgate, The Inn of the Slumbering Serpent (25).
Between midnight and 1am, Friday, October 21st, 576 CY.
Full moon, partly cloudy, damp, cold, misty.





"Thank you, my dear," says Belba Cralloon as she gratefully accepts Hoom's generous gold. "Sweet dreams!"

"Very well, Master Hoom. We'll see that you're not disturbed," says Ollwin as he grouchily takes the elf's silver and departs. "Good night."

Mouser waits a moment and then sneaks to join Hoom in his room (11b) so that the two thieves may conspire and plot their next move.

The rooms are small and decrepit, but clean. An old window faces south, looking out over a ramshackle roof (R) on the lower floor, and a small winery in disrepair (W).

Above, the southeast sky writhes with a pale orange pulse.

Actions?

Map:

Inn of the Slumbering Serpent 4.jpg (391.47 KiB) Viewed 5916 times

One square = 5 feet.





Status:

• Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 5, HP 10/10, Spells: 1/1 1st lvl
  Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 7/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl

Resources:

• Map of Briarsgate
  NPC List for Briarsgate
  The Story So Far (in words)
  The Story So Far (in pictures)

[Grognardsw]

Grey Mouser, thief

"Let us speak with him now," says Mouser. "I don't trust him not to leave immediately."

"Afterwards, we should talk to the innkeepers. If they are on our side maybe they can help."

I know about the spell house rule. Even if I had Cha. 18 without Friends, I'm thinking any villager under the influence won't trust an outsider regardless.

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos:

"Alright but could we wait until morning to speak to Belba and Ollwin? I mean look at that bed. It's so soft and warm. We aren't going to get another chance like this for a while?" After their conversation Hoom opens his door and proceeds with Mouser to silently walks over to Mr. Baltus room. Before entering he listens at the door.

OOC: I have one point more than you in Charisma and it worked on the Bertram Beswill, the innkeeper of Golden Grain Inn. It saved Hoom's life. It happen on a private thread. Inferno can I share the thread?

[Inferno]

Yes. In the room, Hoom could have filled Mouser in before they went to Baltus' door.

[Grognardsw]

After further discussion Mouser casts Friends on Hoom.

"I'm really just a dabbler in magick," admits Mouser after completing the dweomer.

Spell success 65 [1d100] = 68 Fail via my own imposed rule to keep character more in line with the books.

Mouser only has a little elf blood in him, of which he is actually unaware. Outwardly he appears human.

[Inferno]

Both Hoom and Mouser can tell that Mouser failed to cast the spell.
Now what?

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos:

"Wipe that stuff off your face you look silly. You did it all wrong. You apply the vermilion to your lips, the flour to your checks and nose and soot on your cheek bones where it will give you more definition. Remind me to show you later. Let's get this over with." Hoom proceeds as before, silently down the hall and listening at the door.

OOC: Friend spell reminds me of the Bugs Bunny cartoon when Bugs puts on make-up to woos Elmer Fudd. The components for this spell are chalk (or white flour), lampblack (or soot), and vermillion applied to the face before casting the spell.