[Play-by-Post] Tales from Fourtower Bridge

[Catacombs]

"When was the last time you took someone to the ruins?" Brytter asked. "And have you had to guide people there often?"

"I've taken several expeditions up there," Jess said. "The last two, both from The Brotherhood, have not gone so well, unfortunately. I dropped the first group off, and when I returned a few days later, it was as if those monks vaniashed from thin air. I did not dare look in the ruins. Shortly after, I took another group up to investigate, and I haven't heard anything since. I asked Desmond about this, and he said he had no idea. I inquired around town, and no one has seen a monk come down from that mountain. I'm wary of taking another group up there."

Kilur dropped his spoon. It rattled the table. Jess looked up.

"Do ye have a dog, lass?" Kilur asked.

"I beg your pardon?" Jess said, confused.

Mumbles finished his meal and scooted his chair back.

"Ayo," he said loudly. "We get going or what?"

"Keep. Your. Voice. Down," Jess said with a sharp staccato. "We don't know who's listening."

 

[Nortar]

"Do ye have a dog, lass?" Kilur asked.
"I beg your pardon?" Jess said, confused.

"A dog, ye know, it's like watered-down beer. Wolf. I mean watered down wolf." - showing off his knowledge of fauna helped Kilur regain composure. And with it all the questions he had before.

"If ye don't know a better place where we can talk with no long ears, let's do it on the go."

"What is the big deal with that monastery anyway? Do ye know anything about it, who built it and for what?

"And can ye get there without going through Brookhaven?"

 

[vazha]

"A dog - watered-down bear, according to Killur" - Mumbles diligently jotted down in his so-far-unpublished (not for the lack of trying) manuscript "Snazzy Compendoom of Meta-Phoricals"

 

[Catacombs]

"If ye don't know a better place where we can talk with no long ears, let's do it on the go," Kilur said.

Jess shook her head.

"It's fine," she said. "We should be good if you keep your voice down. No need to shout our business out there."

Kilur nodded.

"What is the big deal with that monastery anyway?" he asked. "Do ye know anything about it, who built it and for what?"

"The Brotherhood has been interested in those ruins for quite some time," Jess said. "I've heard through the rumor mill that some strange power lies within the ruins, and The Brotherhood is interested in harnessing it."

She looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping.

"I've also heard other things: treasure deep under the ruins, the living dead walking, a mysterious, shadowy figure stalking the forest around the monastery. All rumors," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "But... what I do is something is up there because about a dozen brothers and sisters have not returned from the ruins in quite some time."

"And can ye get there without going through Brookhaven?" Kilur said.

"I'm not sure what you mean," Jess said, slightly annoyed. "We're in Brookhaven. There's one road that leaves from the town and branches out into multiple roads into the mountains. There's one we take to get to the monastery. It's about a half day's ride with good weather."

 

[Kalarion]

"Hmmmm. You know, I could do some investigating of the Monastery itself, instead of its methods of construction. Dig through the archives, see if there's anyone around town who knows more about it - that kind of thing. Unless we're in a hurry, of course?" Tom looked around inquiringly at the group.

 

[Nortar]

"Hmmmm. You know, I could do some investigating of the Monastery itself, instead of its methods of construction. Dig through the archives, see if there's anyone around town who knows more about it - that kind of thing. Unless we're in a hurry, of course?" Tom looked around inquiringly at the group.

"I like ye plan to prepare first. But as no one saw them monks returning, and there is no other way around the town, it means they are still there." - the dwarf scratched his bearded chin. - "If they are trapped by, say, collapsed ceiling, whatever supplies they had must be running thin by now. I would say we better hurry, while there is a chance to save their lives."

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"Hmmmm. You know, I could do some investigating of the Monastery itself, instead of its methods of construction. Dig through the archives, see if there's anyone around town who knows more about it - that kind of thing. Unless we're in a hurry, of course?" Tom looked around inquiringly at the group.

"I like ye plan to prepare first. But as no one saw them monks returning, and there is no other way around the town, it means they are still there." - the dwarf scratched his bearded chin. - "If they are trapped by, say, collapsed ceiling, whatever supplies they had must be running thin by now. I would say we better hurry, while there is a chance to save their lives."

"Perhaps we could find a few archives that we can read on the way. I do not think we should prepare more than that. Though had I to make a wager I would put good gold on the Monastery itself holding the answers you seek."

 

[Catacombs]

Next step

Brytter and Kilur want to do some investigating around town about the monestary before heading out. Two votes for that. Quote this post with YES if you would like to do that. Quote NO if you're read to leave with Jess. OTHER if you wish to do something else (write it out).

 

[Nortar]

Next step

Brytter and Kilur want to do some investigating around town about the monestary before heading out. Two votes for that. Quote this post with YES if you would like to do that. Quote NO if you're read to leave with Jess. OTHER if you wish to do something else (write it out).

The way I understood it,
Thomas is for investigating in the town,
Kilur is for going up to the monastery,
Brytter has the middle ground - reading archives on the way.

I'm fine either way.

 

[Catacombs]

Next step

Brytter and Kilur want to do some investigating around town about the monestary before heading out. Two votes for that. Quote this post with YES if you would like to do that. Quote NO if you're read to leave with Jess. OTHER if you wish to do something else (write it out).

The way I understood it,
Thomas is for investigating in the town,
Kilur is for going up to the monastery,
Brytter has the middle ground - reading archives on the way.

I'm fine either way.

vazha: What do you want to do?

 

[vazha]

If you ve got some sidequests for us and it wont be too taxing on you, I d say I am for more town prowling and possibly up for an optional fight or two.

 

[Catacombs]

If you ve got some sidequests for us and it wont be too taxing on you, I d say I am for more town prowling and possibly up for an optional fight or two.

I'm at the mercy of what the party wants to do, and it seems like a good amount would like to stay in town and find out as much it can about the monastery before heading up. That's fine. Where would you like to start?

It's still morning. You all are in the dining area of The Clover Inn in Brookhaven. From the windows, you all see a sunny day with blue sky, and mounds of leftover snow from a storm a few days ago still packed on sidewalks and rooftops.

 

[vazha]

Mumbles has been here for a while now and he's streetwise enough (or he thinks so). He'll check up dem local hoods and pay a visit or two to places most respectable people avoid.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

If you ve got some sidequests for us and it wont be too taxing on you, I d say I am for more town prowling and possibly up for an optional fight or two.

I'm at the mercy of what the party wants to do, and it seems like a good amount would like to stay in town and find out as much it can about the monastery before heading up. That's fine. Where would you like to start?

It's still morning. You all are in the dining area of The Clover Inn in Brookhaven. From the windows, you all see a sunny day with blue sky, and mounds of leftover snow from a storm a few days ago still packed on sidewalks and rooftops.

What I want to have done is take Tommy to the nearest library, grab the most relevant documents lickety split and let him read them on the way.

 

[Nortar]

Collectivism is strong in dwarves. So Kilur will tag along with others.

I'm not sure if a town in borderlands has a library, but perhaps we can check if townhall keeps archives of taxes and construction plans for buildings around Brookhaven.

Kilur is mostly interested in the following:
1. Was this monastery a place of worship? If yes, what god it was dedicated to?
2. How long ago and why it was abandoned?
3. If we can get construction plans (= map) of the pace, it would be just superb.

 

[Kalarion]

Tom is down for the library and perhaps trying to track down people who were around/witnesses to the events surrounding its abandonment.

Tom's priorities:
1. Who built the monastery, and what was its purpose?
2. Any information on interesting/unusual construction methods ( :D )?
3. Recent activity regarding the monastery. Specifically, any rumors or facts known about the previous expeditions (their composition, their level of preparation etc).

Procedural question

Catacombs Would it be possible to set up our priorities in such a way that we're doing them as a team or in pairs or something, and give advantage on any relevant skill checks for each other? Or is that something you decide organically from our RP?

As the group left to each of its appointed duties, Tom sidled up to Kilur during a moment away from Jess. He spoke quietly, "I say Kilur... I don't know how to put this. I'm not much for reading folk, but your shock when the lady introduced herself was pretty clear even to me. Is there something I don't know about going on?"

 

[Catacombs]

Thanks, all. I'll get cracking on the post to account for all this.

Kalarion's question

Catacombs Would it be possible to set up our priorities in such a way that we're doing them as a team or in pairs or something, and give advantage on any relevant skill checks for each other? Or is that something you decide organically from our RP?

I prefer to keep the party together, so, for all these tasks, everyone is present for the event. When it comes to advantages on skill checks, I use my discretion, given the character doing the action and the circumstances of it. Does that help?

 

[Nortar]

As the group left to each of its appointed duties, Tom sidled up to Kilur during a moment away from Jess. He spoke quietly, "I say Kilur... I don't know how to put this. I'm not much for reading folk, but your shock when the lady introduced herself was pretty clear even to me. Is there something I don't know about going on?"

Making sure that Jess is not around to overhear,
Kilur told Thomas about the ambush, the note, mysterious Thalen, and even more mysterious Y.
And recounted what made him suspicious.

"And so that guy in black fur said that Y is some fence from Fourtower named Yacinda, but all we have is his word for it. He could have lied, as well as not. Mayhaps I was too soon to hold it against Yessenia."

The dwarf patted his pockets and passed the bandit's note to Thomas.

"But ye know what else is strange? The lass said she knew to expect our lad Brytter to be there with us, and he had walked right away from them monks! So she lies unless they kept an eye on us ever since we left. And if so, how did they let her know? Bah, I can't do all this head-squeezing when I'm sober."

 

[Kalarion]

Tom thought hard for a few moments. "If she knew about Brytter and he didn't take up the job at your meet, that sounds to me like she has outside information sources at cross-purposes to the Brotherhood. For whatever reason, they don't want the Monastery being looked into. I hate to say this about our employer, but the reasons may be good. But it could also be what you say. As to the name difference - hearing them together makes an for an easy assumption; that blackguard Thalen," Tom took a moment for a contemptuous spit to the side, "might just have had problems pronouncing her name properly. Still..." Tom's face took on a pensive cast, "I just can't figure a good answer that fits the information on hand. Too many things we don't know to make solid hypotheses. We need more facts. Snurfy!"

Tom called his cat over. She quickly came and looked up inquiringly. He looked at her intently for a few moments, after which the cat padded off.

"I'll see about digging up more information on Jess's activities while we prepare. Hopefully I can get us more to go on. I'll take some other precautions for us as well, no time to go into detail on that but we'll talk more later I hope." Tom's face lit up with a brief smile. "Well! This has gotten interesting fast. I'm glad I didn't try doing anything alone earlier."

"Oh. One more thing- how did the Brotherhood find you four? I'm curious if you all had the same... experience... I did."

Spoiler

Catacombs Actions I'm taking:
(1) I'm sending my cat familiar to tail and report on Yessenia anytime she leaves my direct observation, even if it's just to go with other group members (including unusual activities taken while I'm not looking, even if I'm nearby).
(2) From now on, I'm setting an Alarm ritual with mental alert wherever we make camp or settle down for a period of time. In the case of the hotel, if we stay longer than today I'm setting an Alarm on all our rooms (with the group's permission).

How did the Brotherhood find and hire me? I sort of just assumed it was done the same way as the rest of the group, but I figured I should ask to be sure.

 

[Catacombs]

"But ye know what else is strange? The lass said she knew to expect our lad Brytter to be there with us, and he had walked right away from them monks!

Clarification

If it helps, Desmond did mention he had a contact at Brookhaven that'll help take the group up to the mountain. He had a way to relay the message to the contact, revealed to be Jess, to look out for a group of adventurers, perhaps with a barbarian in tow, heading up to the monastery within the week. The Clover is *the*
inn in Brookhaven, so it wouldn't be difficult for Jess to find the group, especially if she had a slight idea of what you all looked like.

 

[Catacombs]

Thomas' actions

(1) I'm sending my cat familiar to tail and report on Yessenia anytime she leaves my direct observation, even if it's just to go with other group members (including unusual activities taken while I'm not looking, even if I'm nearby).

OK. Keep in mind that you can communicate with the cat telepathically if you both are 100ft. of each other.

(2) From now on, I'm setting an Alarm ritual with mental alert wherever we make camp or settle down for a period of time. In the case of the hotel, if we stay longer than today I'm setting an Alarm on all our rooms (with the group's permission).

OK. I suggest you remember to make this announcement when the party decides to make camp or take a long rest.

How did the Brotherhood find and hire me? I sort of just assumed it was done the same way as the rest of the group, but I figured I should ask to be sure.

Yes. You received an invitation to meet with a representative of The Brotherhood, who indicated that the organization has been monitoring you for quite a long time and believe you have a set of special skills to help them with a task, revealed to be investigating the monastery. Unlike the other party members, who started in Fourtower Bridge, you received instructions to head to Brookhaven and link up with the party, which you've done successfully.

Thomas is slightly behind in experience because the rest of the party fought a group of bandits on the way to town. Thomas has yet to taste real combat. Don't fret, he will eventually >:^)

Does all this help?

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Oh. One more thing- how did the Brotherhood find you four? I'm curious if you all had the same... experience... I did

"I suppose when the Brotherhood required our services, we were already found. I know what manner of fate has brought us together, but they say we've been under watch for a while. It's something to figure out once we're done with this job. I wonder if that's not some drivel the Brotherhood spins to keep a supply of foolish men ready to deal their whims."
A curious thought struck Brytter- perhaps the Brotherhood did go about declaring prophecy upon anyone they sought work from. Simplest way of putting his conjecture to test would be to simply ask Yessenia how the Brotherhood contacted her.

 

[Catacombs]

The party finished breakfast with a plan: They'd research as much as they could, as quickly as they could, about the monastery before leaving town. Jess heard their proposition.

"That sounds good to me," she said. "My horse is standing comfortably in the stable, and I've only had a few slices of dried meat and cheese this morning. I could use the time to eat a full breakfast and get myself ready for the trip. You all can meet me here when you're ready to embark. I will say, the sooner we leave, the better, especially with the weather. I'd like to take advantage of that.

"You might try asking Garen, the archivist, at the main library in town about any written records about the monastery. He might know something. It's a few blocks away, in a narrow building, right near council's building. You can't miss it."

The party thanked Jess and left The Clover. It wasn't long before the party found the library, right where Jess said it was. It was, indeed, a narrow building, no wider than three men lying horizontal, head to foot. However, the building towered high over them, between six and seven stories.

The party filed into the building, through a narrow hallway, and emerged into an open lobby. Shelves and shelves and shelves of books lined the walls. The party looked up and saw several open floors, with more shelves for books. One could discern that each floor held books on a particular topic: arcane magic, fiction, historical documents; anything one might need.

The library was nearly silent, except for a light scratching from a circular desk in the middle of the lobby. The party approached and found a man hunched over a document, writing furiously into a book.

The man looked up, revealing a wrinkled face, a thick white beard, and circular glasses.

"Good morning," the man said with a droning voice. "Welcome to the Brookhaven Library. My name's Garen, how may I help you today?"

Thomas and Kilur took the lead in conversing with Garen. They asked for all information about the monastery: its history and construction. Garen nodded. He rose from his chair and disappeared into the lines of shelves behind his desk. The party heard feet stomp on a metal stair and saw Garen emerge on the third floor.

A few minutes later, Garen returned with several stacks of books and some documents.

"You may not take these out of the building," he said sternly, "but you are welcome to copy down as much as you like. There are paper and quill in the alcoves."

Thomas and Kilur found a few chairs and began pouring over the books. Brytter helped a bit. Mardrey wondered through the library, cracking open books. She had never seen so many tomes in one place.

Mumbles felt restless. He didn't feel like waiting around for the book nerds and decided to do his own investigation. He told the party he'd meet them back at The Clover. He grabbed the Colonel and left to find some information.

need rolls

Mumbles: Investigation, with advantage (help from the Colonel)
Kilur OR Thomas: History, with advantage (you're both helping each other with research)

Just need the result so I can keep writing.

 

[Kalarion]

Spoiler

Rolling since I have proficiency

 

[Nortar]

"Master Garen, do ye remember if anyone else asked for these books lately?"

Kilur wanted answers, but documental research was not his forte.
After helping Tom with the books for some time, he started to get bored.

So he let the scholar do most of the work and instead wandered around shelves until he found a little tome of elven poetry "Erotic Encounters Elustrated".

The rest of the investigation the dorf sat rocking in a chair and flipped through the pages. Occasionally he put on his magnifying thingamajig and turned the book vertically or even upside-down, to admire some of more peculiar er.. verses.