Chapter 8: Against the Cult of the Reptile God

[OGRE MAGE]

Long Bo furrows his brow as the wait continues. He whispers to the others as he crouches out of sight.

I wonder if they are safe!

I realize this might sound stupid coming from someone like me who spends most of his time with birds and squirrels, but.....

What are we hoping to accomplish with attempting to speak with all of these random tightlipped townsfolk anyway? If there is something sinister here, why would we think that anyone would be willing to discuss it openly with us. Should we not assume that ANY information we obtain might be tainted? We have already heard contradicting thoughts and confused details from people.

I for one most certainly suspect the unfriendly leaders of this place. We haven't spoken to the Mayor yet, sitting inside of his fancy house. I remember the Gade woman saying that she trusted him. Of course, she also said she trusted the church as well and the hermit said that the church was not to be trusted.

Do you see what I mean? It seems like the more we learn, the further we are away from any answers.

I hope Sephus brings me back something that we can actually go on. I have no problem trusting the creatures of nature here. They seem to be the only ones unaffected by this curse.

The druid rambles on out of fear for the others. He does not watch the house at all, instead keeping a trained eye out in the other direction in case the group is being advanced upon.

[Grognardsw]

Grey Mouser, thief

The old widow's voice is soft and welcoming, "You traveling alone, young man? Why don't you come inside and get warm? We was just fixin' to eat something."

Grey regrets coming here. Whose idea was this? How is he always getting stuck in these jams? His mind races.

"You are too gracious ma'am, I wouldn't think of imposing. I and a few other scouts have just arrived in town this morn in advance of my lord and liege Sir Fafhrd. He commands a retinue of 100 soldiers due here tomorrow. I am to find accommodations and food for the men and the hirelings. We could make use of any inns, stables, and grounds you may have. Sir Fafhrd is a generous man; he would pay well. He would speak to the Mayor and Church Elder if possible, to express his gratitude for use of the town."

"Could you tell me of the town and its resources?"

"I admit I have heard dark rumors of this town. Know you of these?"

[Starbeard]

Moogeye, upon hearing the back door swing open, peers through the door and quickly steals her way down the hallway. She moves quietly but confidently, looking for cellars and stairs, and will cautiously peek into the kitchen if she comes across it.

[Inferno]

Day Seven.
Near the Abandoned Foaming Mug Inn (16)
Dawn. Saturday, October 22nd, 576 CY
Cloudy, damp, cold, misty





The investigators of Briarsgate lurk near the abandoned Foaming Mug Inn (16).



They wonder how long they should wait before they check on their scouts. Some begin to wonder if they ever should have sent them. Visibility proliferates with the dawn. A shadow within the Carpenter Shop (14) seemingly watches in their direction and then melts away from the window.

Telkis lays in wait around the northwest corner of the Widow Hochstedt's farmhouse (18). The shouting stops. All is deathly still.

Meanwhile, inside the farmhouse, Moogeye creeps down a dim, old hallway.

Hochstedt hall.jpg (740.17 KiB) Viewed 1145 times

The home's exterior is in better repair than its interior. Moogeye finds another empty bedroom, and stairs leading up into darkness. At the hall's end is a candlelit kitchen. From the edge of the kitchen, she sees stairs down to the cellar. Raw meat lays dismantled on a cutting board. A black pot of liquid simmers on the fire. The old widow and one of her grown boys are just outside the back door, talking to Mouser at a distance. Moogeye recalls that Felicity Gade said the widow has three sons. Where are the other two?

The young nun can hear voices through the open window. The little thief is lying through his teeth. When Mouser is done with the smooth fast-talk of a city-bred conman there is a long pause, fraught with tension.



Nobody moves.

The silence stretches...

...interminably.



The widow's son suddenly chops it off. "Dark rumors? Nope. That there ain't nuthin but pigswill, mister.
"You say you and them other scouts traveled through the night? From which direction would that be, stranger?"

"Lem, I said hesh up," admonishes the widow, soft and stern. Then, sweetly to Mouser: "North of here, up yonder hill, is the Blessed Church of Merrika. Good Father Abramo is the shepherd of our flock.
"Follow this lane west past the covered bridge and you'll find the residence of his honor, the Mayor. They can help you get your logisticals sorted, young man. Now you'll be excusing us. We have chores to see to. Good day."

Lem Hochstedt doesn't budge nor take his eyes off Mouser. The widow begins to turn back to the kitchen where Moogeye lurks.


Actions?


Area Map:

SE Briarsgate Map.jpg (122.59 KiB) Viewed 1145 times

1 square = 20 feet. PCs are between 16 and 18. Lighter areas mark visibility. All else is from memory.





Status:

• Avril Hollysword, Half-Elf Fighter/Cleric 1/2: AC 7, HP 10/10, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 5, HP 10/10, Spells: 1/1 1st lvl
  Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 3: AC 4, HP 25/28
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 3: AC 3(1), HP 8/16, Spells: 1/4 1st lvl and 3/3 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 3: AC 6, HP 20/22, Spells: 4/5 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl and 1/1 3rd lvl
  Moogeye Comcra, Human Monk 2: AC 8, HP 11/11
  Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 2: AC 2(0), HP 17/19, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: AC 0, HP 16/28

Magic:

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

Resources:

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

[Grognardsw]

Grey Mouser, thief

Grey inconspicuously scans the windows and sides as the widow speaks, expecting the sons to appear in a murderous rage at any moment like all the men in this town.

"Thank you kindly ma'am, I will seek out your fine mayor and look forward to partaking in your town's hospitality."

He nods to the widow and walks north at an angle to see the son and widow. On the road he glances south, hoping to spy or be seen the party, and walks north. He keeps an eye open for others out and about. As the road curves west at the Gade house (19), Grey continues around the curve and after a little ways moves off the road to the shadows of the west side of the Gade house.

[Inferno]

DM:

The Grey Mouser makes it off the Hochstedt spread alive.

Motionless, Lem glares at the thief's retreating back as his mother enters the house.

Mouser moves north and is seen by all the other heroes except Moogeye. He makes inconspicuous eye contact with the large group near the ruined inn but continues walking away from them, calmly. He goes behind the Gade's empty farmhouse (19) and disappears from view.

This was Mouser's action for this round. Everyone except Moogeye can respond to this.
Moogeye is still inside, at the edge of the kitchen, and can respond to my previous post. Thanks.

[Zhym]

"Split up. Again," growls Grothnak in a quiet voice, shaking his head. But he waits for the others to decide the group's next action.

[hedgeknight]

"Guess we should follow Mouser, eh?" Ingrid says, taking a swig of her waterskin, washing down the last crumbs of her biscuit.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo

He looks spooked. Something is wrong. Where is Moogeye?

I think we are undoubtably being watched. Mouser is good at hiding and getting out of sticky situations. I think it would be best if we stay hidden here and make sure the girl is safe and able to find us again before we simply abandon her to her own fate.

[Starbeard]

Moogeye slips back through the hallway, to the bedroom from where she came. Going up stairs means creaking floorboards, and she does not want to bring attention to herself. If the coast seems clear, she lowers herself back out of the window and makes her way back to the inn, ready to describe her scouting trip to the others.

"Where's Mouser? Did he not come back here?"

"The house is in considerable disarray. I saw and heard only two people, the mother in the kitchen and a son outside chopping wood. The other two must still be sleeping or are somewhere else. I could not find anything immediately or obviously incriminating."

[dmw71]

"Mouse can take care of himself, we should wait here." Avril offers, agreeing with Bo. "He knows where we are, and can signal for help if needed... but let us definitely keep an eye out."

"Bo, can your avian friend track him from overhead?"

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo

Yes, he could, if he were here.

Oh, there you are Moogeye.

Did anyone see where Grey went? Now that Moogs is back, maybe we should all reunite?

[Inferno]

Day Seven.
Near the Abandoned Foaming Mug Inn (16)
Dawn. Saturday, October 22nd, 576 CY
Cloudy, damp, cold, misty





Deep within the Hochstedt's farmhouse (18)...



...Moogeye turns and flees back down the decrepit hall before she is discovered by the cleaver wielding widow. Believing she was not seen, the young monk darts into the dark bedroom, out the open window and back to her friends who skulk near the abandoned Foaming Mug Inn (16). Telkis sees she is safe, and follows her.

The group confers and then quietly moves northwest to join Mouser behind the Gade family barn (19), out of sight of the Hochstedt's farmhouse.



Someone must be tending the hogs in the Gades' absence. They seem in good health.

The grey sky continues to lighten but the rising sun hasn't burnt away all the mist yet. The farming village of Briarsgate is awake.


Actions?


Briarsgate Map:

Briarsgate Map.jpg (466.54 KiB) Viewed 1106 times

PCs are at X.
1 square = 20 feet. Lighter areas mark visibility. All else is from memory.
Map key is here.





Status:

• Avril Hollysword, Half-Elf Fighter/Cleric 1/2: AC 7, HP 10/10, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 5, HP 10/10, Spells: 1/1 1st lvl
  Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 3: AC 4, HP 25/28
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 3: AC 3(1), HP 8/16, Spells: 1/4 1st lvl and 3/3 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 3: AC 6, HP 20/22, Spells: 4/5 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl and 1/1 3rd lvl
  Moogeye Comcra, Human Monk 2: AC 8, HP 11/11
  Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 2: AC 2(0), HP 17/19, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: AC 0, HP 16/28

Magic:

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

Resources:

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

[Grognardsw]

Grey Mouser, thief

Grey updates the party on what he saw at the widow's house. "I made up a tale of being a scout for a lord visiting tomorrow with 100 soldiers. Perhaps that will get the town mobilized and reveal more to us."

"Shall we stick to the trees along the north edge of the lake and then west to the hermit?" suggests Grey.

[hedgeknight]

Ingrid Esthof

"Sounds like a plan," Ingrid says, taking a swig from her waterskin."Let's go."

[dmw71]

Avril nods her agreement at the proposal to revisit the hermit. "I maintain he has something to offer," she says as she falls into her position in the order.

[Zhym]

Grothnak grunts his agreement. "We must be careful approaching the hermit," he says. "But we are watched. To approach him in the open would be foolish."

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis rubs his beard and grimaces through his metal teeth. "It's a shame we weren't able to get a look at what the son was chopping in there... or what the mother was cooking," he says. "Though I suppose even fiends need regular food and wood to warm them - perhaps we'd have learned nothing." He shifts from foot to foot as the others discuss the next move. "I suppose the hermit is as good a move as any. Though I'm starting to think talking to folks ain't going to solve anything. And that was a good story, Mouser, but I suspect they'll do nothing in response, unless it is to behave as any normal town would, as part of the usual deception."

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo grabs the sack of severed snakemen heads and gives Mouser a slap on the shoulder.

Yes, that was a nice story. If nothing else, it should keep them thinking about that instead of trying to burn us out of town.

Let us follow the advice of our scout and cut through the trees around the north side of the lake to hide our movement as much as possible.

I have a feeling that this hermit will be glad to see our little bag of evidence. Quickly now, we must hurry along. When Sephus gets back to me, I will have him keep an eye out behind us in case we caused a bit of a stir here this morning.

The lanky man begins moving towards the hermits grove.

[AleBelly]

Pelias, after a long bout of silence, seems to reconsider his decision to remain silent. "I agree that speaking with the townsfolk bears much risk with little reward."

He looks to the church as the bells toll. "The hermit pointed us to the Foaming Mug. We found evil there, and vanquished it. He mentioned the Golden Grain. There, too, dwelt evil. My friends, I fear evil awaits us at the Church of Merikka. That is where we must go next."