Chapter 23: Genesis of Evil

[wolfpack]

Brevos will lay down a gold and thirstily drink the ale.

[rredmond]

Knowing owls to be wise, Rudolf bows his head as the creature alights, and, even more interested, watches the druid and the exchange. While still trying to keep an ear out on what's going on around him.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo is still amazed at how the local animals in this area seem to develop the accents of the people they live near. He replies to the owl as quietly as possible, knowing that speaking with an animal could easily be misconstrued by a passing commoner. He keeps a sharp eye out for danger as he speaks, happy to feel the tug at his robes from the unseen Rudolf. Or is it Urdur? In any case, he is glad to have an extra pair of friendly eyes to scan the area as he speaks.

"We are travelers, cold and hungry. We are looking for a little girl whooo was taken from a human settlement on the other side of the mountains. Would the great and mighty night sky hunter know anything about that?"

"We seek shelter in this village. What can you tell me about the groundlings who live here?"

[ravenn4544]

Mouser looks visibly relieved that the barman is seriously asking for an order. As he removes a coin or two, he'll add a few quick casual hand gestures in his thieve's cant so the room can see, "we speak truly. looking for information.." and glance around the room for any response.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur inches slowly towards the door. He remains silent, waiting for his opportunity to exit the building.

[Urson]

Jerome
A cider for myself, please. Do you have rooms for us? or is there someone else who can put us up for the night- for gold in hand, of course.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Something warm for my belly would be wonderful. As for drink, I will have whatever you recommend, please. She sits at an unoccupied table.

[ChubbyPixie]

"I thought you'd never ask," says Telkis to the barman, pulling coins from his pouch and hefting himself up onto a stool. "Beer, if you please, and whatever food you have. I'm easy." He'll keep an eye out for glares from the resident humans and keep his behavior low key and helpful as possible. "Any news in these parts? Any way we might be of use? We're problem solvers."

[Inferno]

Banemourne, Beneath the Dark Mountain, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Eighteen. Night. Tuesday, November 29th, 576 CY
Cold, damp, overcast.





The grey druid speaks to an owl beneath the endless night sky as invisible Rudolf looks on. "We are looking for a little girl whooo was taken from a human settlement on the other side of the mountains. Would the great and mighty night sky hunter know anything about that?"

The owl calmly replies: "Yes. Witches hath brought a childe through here and up the Dark Mountain..."



"...They hath returned without her."

Long Bo asks: "We seek shelter in this village. What can you tell me about the groundlings who live here?"

The owl replies, "They art Men, with all their strengths and failings. But they will have no truck with the mountain."


Actions? Replies?







The patrons return to their own conversations as hot food and cold ale is brought for the wealthy strangers. "Wilcome ta Banemourne," grunts the barkeep. He turns to Jerome, "Aye, we 'ave rooms to let."

If anyone recognize's Mouser's furtive signals, none let on.

"Ah fear ye seek that which ye shuid not," an old one-eyed man answers Telkis.



"There is a mountain that no one climbs. Legend holds that a great evil once lived upon the mountain an' forever cursed th' land."

The public house goes quiet again; the voices that filled it, replaced by a palpable dread.

The old man croaks, "Wee little lass or no, if ye value ye souls, ye shuid not go thare."


Actions? Replies?



Map:

The red X marks the supposed location of an ancient shrine; the source of the evil that plagued Briarsgate.
The green X is the heroes' position, in the settlement.





PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 31/31
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 19/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 22/22, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 20/20, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 30/30, Spells: 5/6 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 16/16
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 34/34
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 11/11, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl and 2/2 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

• Invisibility x2 (Urdur): Targets: self and Rudolf.
  Speak With Animals (Long Bo): Duration: 4 rounds

Player Resources:

• Tale of Terror (the story so far)
  A Dark and Terrible World (maps)
  Blasphemous Iconography (the story so far in images)
  Desperate Struggles (clues and player notes)

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis listens to the one-eyed man, then glances pointedly back at the party before speaking. "We've got to try to save her, our souls or no. If the evil up there is goes unchecked, we might as well just tick off the days till it take us all down," he says. He gets a distant, pensive look.

[Urson]

Jerome

Thank you for the warning, sir. My soul might be at risk if I go to the mountain, but it will definitely be forfeit if I don't.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo continues speaking with the owl in soft screeches and squawks.

"Witches you say, friend? They came here? To this town? Where do they stay here and where are they now?"

"We intend to save the young girl, if we can. Is there anything else dangerous nearby that we should know about before resting in this place?"

[wolfpack]

Brevos stays quiet scanning the room and keeping alert

[ravenn4544]

Mouser sits at the bar if space and orders a dark red if they have one. He knows the feeling of 'forever cursed' that's for sure. More 'witches'? Into 'place we dare not go'? He takes a few minutes of rest knowing they will indeed be following just such a road...

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Thank you for your warnings, but I gave my word that I would do everything I could to return that little girl to her family. Fortunately, my friends here have supported me on this quest, although were I to walk this path alone, I should not falter as long as I still drew breath. I could not live with myself were I to give up on the child.

Tonight we'll enjoy food and drink, the company of others, and a roof over our heads, but in the morning we'll likely set out on our search. Please, if there are any more tales or legends of the mountain, we would like to hear them. You never know where a kernel of truth may lie, and something we hear now may make a difference later on.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur waits, invisibility observing.

[rredmond]

Keeping an ear on his companions, Rudolf scans the horizon and skies for any trouble.

[Inferno]

Banemourne, Beneath the Dark Mountain, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Eighteen. Night. Tuesday, November 29th, 576 CY
Cold, damp, overcast.






Outside, spectral Rudolf watches the looming peaks and the vast abyss beyond.

The grey druid hoots, "Witches you say, friend? They came here? To this town? Where do they stay here and where are they now?"

The owl ruffles its feathers disdainfully.



"No. I hath said they passed through here, on their way up the Dark Mountain. They returned without the childe, and left the way they came, through the mountain pass."

Bo asks, "Is there anything else dangerous nearby that we should know about before resting in this place?"

"The lower mountain is filled with danger: bitter cold, wolves, bears, mountain lions. Of the upper mountain, I cannot say. Only madmen and witches dare go there."


Actions? Replies?








Inside, Telkis says, "We've got to try to save her, our souls or no. If the evil up there is goes unchecked, we might as well just tick off the days till it take us all down."

"Nay, sir dwarf," grunts the one-eyed man. "Sometimes ye are better off lettin' sleepin' dogs lie."

Ingrid says, "Please, if there are any more tales or legends of the mountain, we would like to hear them. You never know where a kernel of truth may lie, and something we hear now may make a difference later on."

The old one-eyed man pulls on his pipe and speaks in a cloud of smoke. "'Tis an abandon'd temple an burial ground o' an ancient death cult that ye seek.
"Long ago, the reign o' the cult upon the mountain was endit whan the villagers rose up and destroy'd it wi' help from escaped slaves an traitors from within the cult. The shrine was consecrated by twelve priests wha gave their lives tae trap the Evil inside. Na one goes thare now."

The silence of the other patrons is deafening.

"Dae not go, lassie. Ah beg ye. Forego ye pride. Dae na waken that which sleeps."


Actions? Replies?



Map:

The heroes are at Banemourne.
The red X marks the supposed location of an ancient shrine; the source of the evil that plagued Briarsgate.





PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 31/31
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 19/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 22/22, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 20/20, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 30/30, Spells: 5/6 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 16/16
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 34/34
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 11/11, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl and 2/2 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

• Invisibility x2 (Urdur): Targets: self and Rudolf.
  Speak With Animals (Long Bo): Duration: 1 rounds

Player Resources:

• Tale of Terror (the story so far)
  A Dark and Terrible World (maps)
  Blasphemous Iconography (the story so far in images)
  Desperate Struggles (clues and player notes)

[wolfpack]

Brevos downs another ale

It has already woke. We have seen it's horrid visage in our minds eye and faced it's brethren in the Rushmoors.

he pulls back his hood revealing his stoic, weathered, bearded face and looks steadily in the eyes of the tavern goers.

it is awake and blood of the innocent child will be used to free it. So we can die trying to stop it, or die here when it comes for all things living.

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis, a certified dwarf-o-phile, doesn't bother correcting the well-meaning local. He just nods and says, "I get why you feel the way you do, but as my ranger friend here says, we've done it before. Buried a demon under 20,000 tons of mud, give or take. Saved a town. Or what was left of it. We know what we're getting into." This last part comes out sounding less confident to Telkis's own ear than he wa expecting.