D&D Adventure #3: Vicious Circle

[Roman Totale]

These are strange times Mrs Pyn, strange times indeed. Things are not always as they appear. Consider, for example, the humble frog. Before last fortnight I would have thought nothing of squashing one of the little fiends beneath my heel. Then we heard rumours of a crazed wizard operating within the town who has been turning people into frogs! How can one believe one's own eyes when such devilry abounds?

It is my fear that some similar sorcery sanguinated Steven. Tell me, did Arthur and Steven ever discuss religion or their time in the militia? What else did Arthur do in his spare time? Did he read at all? Breed rabbits? Grow a beard from boredom?

Any detail may help.

[Grimmie]

Sorry for the pause, I'm a horrible procrastinator with dialogue.

She looks positively puzzled for a few moments.

Frogs?

And then sits back down, leaning in towards Glibberig as she attempts to recall anything useful, whilst keeping the bloodstained rugs out of her line of vision.

Religion? Well, nothing out of the ordinary.

It was our wont to attend church on Godsday* and listen to the word of Pelor, Steven kept a copy of the Sun Scripts by the bed, and used to read at night. I'm not sure Arthur was particularly devout, but he seemed attentive during the sermons.

Arthur never joined the militia, it was Stephen's choice to join when the goblins out of town started to get closer, help beat them back shoulder-to-shoulder with the guard, but it never came to it. He practised with a long-bow twice a week, and Arthur occasionally lent a hand at Iron Man when they were short of staff.

* Generally accepted as a holy day

Glib's in with Emma, is everyone else just hanging around outside her house?

[Dog Pants]

If nobody interesting arrived at the bar I'll meander my way over and try to meet up with the rest to compare notes and regroup.

EDIT: I'll head there via the alley where the body was found to see if the guard have cleared out so I can poke around.

[Roman Totale]

Do you mind if I take a look at the book to help with my investigations? Also any books that Arthur might have had.

Frogs, Mrs Pyn. Frogs.

Glibberig shakes his head sadly.

[shot2bits]

right! Orovan shall leave the library, hopefully with Thoroar, and look around a few streets to try and find the rest of their companions.

Spot:
Roll(1d20)+5:
14,+5
Total:19

[Dog Pants]

Do I get anywhere nearer the crime scene?

[Grimmie]

I'll head there via the alley where the body was found to see if the guard have cleared out so I can poke around.

Mr Lahaed's body? Yes, by now everything's been cleared away apart from the odd streak of elven gore. The bloodied footprints you spotted earlier are still there, if a little faded and smudged with people traipsing through the alley.

---

Emma leads Glibberig to the door of the master bedroom and goes to pick up the book still laying next to Stephen's side of the bed. It's a chunky thing with a tightly bound embroidered cloth cover, gold stitching in the shape of a sun on the front. It's the holy scripture of Pelor.

Emma swears never to hurt another frog, and returns to the door-way to hand him the book.

--

Orovan and Thoroar don't have any trouble finding the others with a little snooping around. Technically you needed a search roll (yeah, I know, I know) but locating your buddies in a small town like this shouldn't take ages. Who is it you're heading for? Glib, Thor or Forenrond?

[Dog Pants]

I'll have a scout around to see if there's any clues, then I'll walk the footprints and stop where they stop. Do they seem to be moving at pace? Do they look as though they stopped or disappeared while still moving? I'll look around while stood here and try to see places they might have gone.

[Grimmie]

There's obviously an area that has been washed clean with buckets of water, as the area's soaked, but there are about three pairs of smudged, well-spaced boot-prints that trail north, up between Prince's and the Infirmary. The alley leads on to a small patch of greenery, but the trail stops well before it with only the markings of the boot's toes remaining on the last print, implying whoever left them took a running jump.

[Dog Pants]

This sounds like a job for someone who can track. Where's that ranger? I'll go off in search of Thor.

Also, when you say three pairs do you mean three peoples' tracks or one person taking six steps?

[Grimmie]

One person taking six steps.

[Roman Totale]

Glib will be poking his head in the bedroom door to see if can lay his peepers on anything interesting:

Spot: 4,+1 = 5 You never know...

Did Stephen or Arthur ever mention Lahaed, an Elven chap?

[Baliame]

Which one of them is in the tavern? We obviously want to find the guy closest to a potential booze source.

[Grimmie]

Spot: 4,+1 = 5 You never know...

You see a bedroom! It's a bit shabby.

No, Captain. Well, only when Enkah came in to ask about scrolls at the office, or-

She's cut off by a tall elven male in freshly polished iron armour, who appears to have let himself in, and now stands behind Gibberig in the door-way, looking sombre. He lifts a sealed envelope, and then places it down on a side-table. There are also a number of Emma's friends crowded at the now open front-door, trying to get a nose at what's going on with the quickly mounting number of officials in her house.

Ms Pyn? The Captain has written a formal apology, I'll leave it here for you to read. I thought you should know that a reward is being posted first thing tomorrow for anybody who can bring Stephen's true killer to justice.

Is.. Everything all right Madam? Who on earth are you?

He looks to Glibberig

He's the- Oh, well.. Why don't you explain, Captain?

[Dog Pants]

I'm looking forward to this.

[Roman Totale]

With his back still to the guard, Glibberig taps the side of his nose and gives the widow a knowing wink. He whispers

Secrecy is key

He turns to the guard with a flourish

Captain Glibberig, sailor and explorer. You may have heard of my ship, Saucy Albatross. Steven Pyn was an old acquaintance of mine - he once helped my with a trade transaction, exporting sand to the desert tribes of Wallamaloon. We became good friends, and I am distraught to hear of his passing. I feel much better though knowing that the guards and all of their resources* are looking into this case.

I cam here to read a prayer for my late friend**. Good sir, would you stay awhile and read some with me? I have a passage picked out here, pages 120 to 349, that I think is sombre enough to mark the occasion.

*Said in a knowing tone and directed at Emma
**Said whilst waving the prayer book

Bluff: 15,+5 = 20***


***I really hope I don't see combat in this one

[Grimmie]

The guardsman gives a frown and speaks slowly, carefully.

Your ship? We're days away from any body of water that could take a ship.. What is it you own, a rowboat?

But, thanks to your earlier wordsmithery, Emma tries to lend a hand.

Thank you for the letter, sir, but would you leave us to mourn now? My good friend here, The Captain, has moored his grand sailing-ship in the stream just outside of town.

But she rolled a really shit bluff check.

[Roman Totale]

Let us pray

Glibberig lowers his head, closes his eyes and continues to practise his sombre look.

[Roman Totale]

Right, I'm off on holiday - if the guard buggers off I'll ask Mrs Pyn about Elven dude, if not I'm heading to the Library to give this book to Baliame in case there's anything vaguely mystic in it.

[FatherJack]

Moving the other stuff on shall we all try to find each other and head over to the footprints so Thor can have a go at tracking them? We can have our characters tell each other in their own words what they've found if we want and decide if we wait for Glib or if he's autopiloted there too.