5punk

I've not done this before. Bear with me.
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Bartholomew LeGrande and Forenrond Shankley both find themselves at the service of Saint Cuthbert's Billets in Orhedge through unusual circumstances. Bart is a brave Paladin who works alongside the Billets, a division of the church who minister to and protect the faithful. Forenrond Shankley has only recently found himself at the service of the priesthood.

You are both standing within the main body of the church with wide wooden pews in neat, orderly rows either side of you, the morning light shines through tall stained-glass windows. The widest and tallest window lies past the altar showing a depiction of a wise old man sporting a bushy white moustache, a thick cudgel dotted with studs at his side, it's the most dominating feature in the whole room.

Before you stand two of the Priests, Billet Anson and Chapeaux Fitzroy. You're both familiar with this pair, and it is Anson who has called you for an audience.

Anson is an impressively large member of the church, taller even than Bart, at six-and-a-half feet he wears a long grey-woollen robe about his vestments, and the symbol of a billet embroidered in shimmering bronze stitch across his chest. He has a stern, lined face and broad features, and a thick black beard. Despite his serious nature, he's actually quite friendly and fairly easy to talk to.

Fitzroy is a withered man who walks with a bent back and a cane, and from beneath the crumpled-flat hat so stereotypical of the church comes wispy grey hair. He looks like he might keel over at any moment, but the manner of his speech dispels any thoughts that he's merely a weak old man. He seems to be holding a cluster of items in one hand, his cane in the other as he perches himself on the arm of a pew.

Anson strokes at his moustache thoughtfully as you arrive, and with a fatherly smile clasps his hands together with a soft clap.

Anson wrote:Bartholemew! Forenrond!
I'm glad you've turned up in answer to our call this morning. Are you both well?

Bartholomew strides forward, and gives a respectful half bow, half nod, first to the image of Saint Cuthbert, then to the men.

Billet Anson, Chapeaux Fitzroy. Good morning to you. I am most well. You?

Ive gone for Dark Red for my text colour, by the way.

I'll keep a respectful distance from Bart, without looking like I am, and follow his gestures. If I can be heard quietly speaking without being drowned out by the Paladin I'll reply, otherwise I'll smile genuinely but cautiously;

Shankley wrote:I'm fine, thank you Fathers*

I'll go for olive, fits the tone. Also

*Insert equivalent title

I'm glad I have bits of this pre-written.
My head is full of a thick brainy paste at the moment.

Anson wrote:We've very well, thank you, straight to the matter at hand however! Fitzroy and myself have many things to attend to today, and we can spare you only a few minutes this morning.

We have received a report that a group of priests, followers of Pholtus, have abandoned a chapel of theirs in the village of Wildemill. It is to our understanding that they left some time ago to conduct one of their 'crusades' only to not return. The chapel is in disrepair and The Chapeaux are keen to move in to use the building as one of our own, a worthy function for it I'm sure you'll agree, in a village uneducated in the teachings of our good Saint.

Fitzroy nods and furrows his brow, almost gurning in agreement.

Fitzroy wrote:And it is to yourselves we look to in helping to prepare the chapel for our Stars to move in to and re-purpose. You will be required to travel to the outskirts of Wildemill and locate the building. Once you are there we will need you to remove any remnants of the symbols of Pholtus from the building, and check the interior to ensure the place has not become festooned with vermin in the priests' absence!

Joose, you can make a Knowledge: Religion check to see what Bart knows about Pholtus.
Please show your working (dice + skill level) just in case you score a lucky 20!

Umm, is there a signup thread for this?

FatherJack wrote:Umm, is there a signup thread for this?

Pretty sure there was one a while ago. Only Joose and Pantsu did.

I've signed up as well but I've been too lazy to create my character. I shall remedy it shortly.

Sorry, never played D&D before, and never DMd anything before, so Joose and Pants are my test subjects.
Once this short adventure's done and I'm confident about what the shit I'm doing, there'll be a few slots open for more doods.

Doing good so far Grimoir. Rats in the basement I wonder?

Rats in the basement what are you gonna do?

Rats? Not quite..

Grimmie wrote: Please show your working (dice + skill level) just in case you score a lucky 20!

4 + 1 = 5. Oh yeah! I'm good at thinking.

Bart doesn't know who Pholtus is, or has probably forgotten.

You both know that it's a name very rarely mentioned within the church, and those who do mention it are usually greeted with a frown or a grumble.

Anson eyes the various blades and bows upon you with a nod, smiling and turning to Fitzroy, who seems to have almost fallen asleep. He wakes with a start and thrusts the contents of his hand towards you both. A single scroll and two dirty vials of clear blue liquid stoppered with cork. He lifts his gaze at long last and wobbles upright, resting on his cane.

Fitzroy wrote:This is what you'll need for your journey! There is a map to Wildemill and a hasty depiction of the symbol you are required to remove.

He waves his one hand at the mention of the symbol, almost as if he was casting the scroll away. The map isn't brilliantly clear, penned in coloured ink on a small roll of parchment. On the reverse is a similarly scrawled symbol of a circle eclipsing a crescent. With that little outburst and turn of his nose Fitzroy sits back down, before catching himself.

Fitzroy wrote:Oh! The vials! Health insurance. You can drink one if you're feeling worse for wear and it ought to pep you up again. They are however quite costly, so use them only if you must.

Anson gives a little nod and looks up to one of the tall windows at his side, pondering something.

Anson wrote:And that's quite all, if you have any questions then we ask that they are brief and that you pose them now, other wise we shall bid you good day! The journey is long, it should take ten hours at a steady pace.

The map points you north out of Orhedge, and then east through, or around some sparse woodland, there's a vague line showing a path that merchants take through it. Once the woods are clear it's mostly grassy plains before you reach the chapel on the outskirts of Wildemill.

Shankley glances up at Bart, back at the priests, and nods thoughtfully.

Shankley wrote:A fine cause, Fathers. How should we signal that the temple is clear? The vermin might flee and repopulate later if the holy warrior drives them from it. Of course if we need to travel back I suppose we could try to convince a garrison of locals to hold the place. Or maybe just make sure there's no vermin left to regroup.

He seems to remember his place and peers back towards Bart.

Shankley wrote:Pardon my impetuousness, Paladin Bartholomew. Of course the decisions are yours. I am at your service.

Bart takes the map, looks at it with a frown of concentration, then turns it over and frowns at the back. After studying it intently, he passes it to Shankley.

Bartholomew wrote:I admire your eagerness, Mr Shankley, but do not fret. We shall smite any evil that lurks there with such vigour that they would not dare to return! And if they do, why, we shall smite them once more.

Billet Anson, Chapeaux Fitzroy, I have the directions to my enemy, and that is all I require. That and the blessed solidity of Saint Cuthberts good word.

As he says the last part, he gently pats his mace. He bows again, and goes to leave.

Shankley fumbles with the map, turning it the right way up, glancing quickly at it, then rolling it up and stowing it. As Bart leaves he dashes back to the priests and grabs the two potions. Then he hurries after the Paladin.

Okay, well moving on!

Anson and Fitzroy head off in opposite directions, the latter at a more leisurely pace as he hobbles off on his stick. The north gate of the town cuts through a palisade wall, and the guard lets you out with a friendly goodbye. East lies your path, great hoofmarks in the dirt from passing trade caravans clearly marking your route to Wildemill.

Within a couple of hours you're well into the forest. The path is well trodden, and fairly quiet save for the call of animals within the forest, which hangs overhead in a sparse canopy. It lets in enough light for the path ahead to be visible for quite some distance.

Make a couple of spot checks each.
(D20 + Spot + Wisdom modifier)

Erm, hmm. I don't have my character sheet handy. I will do by tomorrow evening though.

EDIT: Grimsorted..

Roll(1d20)+0:
17,+0
Total:17

+5

=22

Nicely done! You spot the shit out of two lumbering orcs up ahead.
They appear to be distracted, making hand gestures at one another as they walk ahead of you some 240ft away.

Assuming Bart doesn't see them before I can distract him;

Shankley wrote:Erm, Paladin. I think something's wrong here. My Elf Sense tells me there's an ambush nearby, somewhere in the woods. I'm afraid.