Act 3 Scene 2: Coffins and Crowns

[Chris1234]

"Onwards then", Jerry calls, more to herself then for the benefit of anyone listening.

[Revenant]

Esker Manyblades

Esker waves pleasantly to the newcomer. By her dress and manner, he takes her to be a scout a bit like himself and Iscind though of course of a different culture. They were rare in his homeland, though tales about the Ulfen were many. And probably many inaccurate. He keep his attention mostly to their surroundings, saying little.

[Styrius]

Kybalion headed towards the waterfall and investigated. Noticing that the footing is poor and the water more than a challenge to swim in without armor, decides it is not worth risking a drowning. As he turns to head back an elf maiden, apparently armed to the teeth appears. Karl is calling for Mira. He catches bits and pieces of talk the waterfall hiding much noise behind its sound. He hears the sing-song magic and sees the others checking her. He locks eyes with the lady as she gives him a smile. He returns the smile and raises an eyebrow. "A'maelamin, Kybalion naevys. Arae'lye kamil'ess. Quel'na araeth vala an'dor." (My Lady, I am Kybalion. You are safe with us. I am new to this place as well.)

[SwifiePrincess]

“Hannon le. Naer ú-belin i-Vesve-taur… naer ú-belin i-nîn barad.” She replies to the tall Human, as he approaches she realises he towers over her.

(“Thank you. I am far from the Vesve Forest… far from my home.”)

[Styrius]

While the others minister to the wounded elf maiden, Kybalion keeps his head on a swivel. Having seen more than one creature change form in the past day, he doesn’t lower his guard. He will continue to search the area for signs or clues as to the coward’s whereabouts. He occasionally steals glances at the group making sure they are okay.

[Jenara]

Mira releases the young elven woman, allowing her to stand and she approaches Jerry with a smile.

"We tried, dreams are.. I guess for some they are a portent of the past or future. That's what my Mother used to say, but she was a Seeker and the Seekers are crazy. My point is it was a good try. We need you, right? Without you we'd be pretty darn stuck!" Folding her arm over the Priestesses shoulder she leads her back towards the Mill. (Assuming that's their next direction?)

[Jenara]

Karl approaches Kybalion, "This place is awful, is it not?" He asks the Warrior, "I believe however that our Quarry is not located here."

[Chris1234]

"Mill, ok," reples Jerry, leaning in to Mira. Clearly she's fighting disappointment at her own failure. She straightens, mustering wits and resolve, puts an arm around mira's waist and matches her pace, like two sisters marching to war!

She says very quietly, "Thank you."

[SwifiePrincess]

With no other real choice Riel moves alongside the Bard Lady, MIra wasn't it? while she wouldnt dare be as familiar as the seriously looking Jerry she tries to keep stride with them despite her shorter stature. While her wounds had healed she still felt them.

*I have to keep going, or I shall never return.* she decides mentally.

"Lady Mira, I beg your indulgence, if I may? It is said that many stories are based on fact, my Mother told me that, they spent years researching the forest we reside in. Much of that is based on stories and songs. I wonder, have you heard of a creature that has a hunched and twisted of frame, it is a bipedal humanoid with sharp fang-like teeth jutting past the closed lips of its too-wide mouth. It had a bloated head, ringed along the back and sides by greasy and matted black hair, it looked at me with faintly glowing red eyes. Yellowed claw-like nails adorned the fingertips of its sinewy hands that hung from the gangly limbs of a wiry frame of lean muscle." She asks, its appearance was etched in her memory forever, as well as the deaths of her friends.

*....you did nothing...* a voice whispers, so faint she could barely hear it.

[Jenara]

"My pleasure." Mira answers not as a whisper as the new Girl appears at her side. "Honestly, I'm not a Lady, Karl just calls me that because he is a Knight and a Gentleman, but yes, you are right Stories are the basis for many true facts. But your creatures, I have never heard of such a thing, but I hadn't really heard or Werewolves either before I came here." She says the name in a whisper of her own.

A little bit of everything [1d100]=70 (30%) Utter fail.

[TristenC]

The group decides they have scoured this area as best they can, seeing Jerry crestfallen at the moment, Merrick poses a thought. It is not that this first search failed to find our prey, but that we succeeded in eliminating this area from the list of options. Any scientific endeavor is bound to have many potential outcomes... We successfully found one place he is not, and so on to the next potential locale. He finishes, trying to cheer the Mystaran up.

Cross sends a mental missive to his familiar inquiring of others in the area, but the Avian responds noncommittally. So many two-legs, all scattered... are you all the same flock? Some new, some not... I see none stalking you... Why enter the thick? Take to the Air! A perch where you can see far... you risk much, hopping through the hedges... the Raven clearly sees no benefit and only danger at his master tromping through the brush.

The party crosses the swinging bridge over the tumultuous water to the small island with the inn, and proceeds East to the mainland on the other side. They follow the road South to the 5-points intersection before turning North to follow the road towards the second location of their search; 2) The Clock Tower Mill.

Jutting out into the waters of the Cauldron is a natural length of rock, long ago worn smooth by the action of the water. Standing atop it is a circular, white tower built draped with clinging vines and creepers. A rugged looking waterwheel runs from the side of the tower into the path of the plunging waters of the Cauldron's southern waterfall.

The turbulent waters toss a curtain of thick mist around the rocky island and the base of the tower, making the area look like something out of a half-remembered dream. The action of the water keeps the wheels turning at a constant rate, but their thunderous roar obscures the sounds of any mechanisms that might be driven by them. A swinging bridge runs from a door halfway up the side of the tower to a large building amid a cluster of docks on the river's shore. The rolling water produces a steady breeze that causes the bridge to rock ominously at all times. At the very top of the tower stands a square clock with a face pointing toward each of the compass points. The faces of the clock are made of wood with an even coat of white paint on them. The numbers are black iron, as are the hands, and show clear signs of recent maintenance. All in all, it looks like the entire affair is maintained with pride.

Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any way to enter the Mill from the ground level, the only entrance being a swinging bridge from the long warehouse building nearby (#3 on the map). it would be possible to climb the side of the mill tower without utilizing the bridge, though it might be risky given the wet stones.

The long warehouse nearby boasts two wide open doors to the front (SW side) that is clearly meant for loading and unloading, and a smaller side door along it's length (NW side). Near the wider doors several folk move, loading a small mule-drawn cart with sacks of flour and unloading another full of grain-bags. Here and there smaller sacks are being drug about by young folk scooping up spilled grains and keeping the path of the workers mostly tidy...

===
Mira can do a simple Int or Wis check with a +4 to her score (So roll Int+4 or lower) because she, Jerry, Merrick, Cross, Pyros, Elsa and Sir Karl have all encountered these creatures directly...
The description fits the same type of twisted creatures that attacked the party directly while they rested in the Ziggurat in the valley of the Undead Priestess no more than 5 or 6 days ago!

[Jenara]

(Read this three times and I'm confused!! I see no reference to any creatures in the text...)

[Chris1234]

OOC
Same

[Styrius]

Kybalion regards Karl’s remark. “I agree. Since the mist I went through this place has tried to kill me, us, more than once. Back home, that might be a once a month occurrence. The place was mostly quiet with the exception of drunken revelry late at night. Mead and beer have that effect but the feats of strength were exceptional! Even the women got in on the games. The women here look like they are just as capable of holding their own. However, I’ll kick the ass of whatever harms these ladies here.” Kybalion’s turned red in the face from a touch of embarrassment speaking in front of the ladies like that.

[TristenC]

[Ooc]

(Read this three times and I'm confused!! I see no reference to any creatures in the text...)

referring to Althiriel's question below, the thing I presume was behind the 'Little bit of everything' roll you made

"Lady Mira, I beg your indulgence, if I may? It is said that many stories are based on fact, my Mother told me that, they spent years researching the forest we reside in. Much of that is based on stories and songs. I wonder, have you heard of a creature that has a hunched and twisted of frame, it is a bipedal humanoid with sharp fang-like teeth jutting past the closed lips of its too-wide mouth. It had a bloated head, ringed along the back and sides by greasy and matted black hair, it looked at me with faintly glowing red eyes. Yellowed claw-like nails adorned the fingertips of its sinewy hands that hung from the gangly limbs of a wiry frame of lean muscle." She asks, its appearance was etched in her memory forever, as well as the deaths of her friends.

*....you did nothing...* a voice whispers, so faint she could barely hear it.