[pbp]Hunger of the Beast[ToA]

Xagar

Har takes the small pit in her hand by the fire, trying to read the remains of the dead creature, but fails. Puzzled, she makes another attempt, and realizes with a start that this tiny thing is still alive - hibernating, but alive. With a closer look, she can see the aether warp around its edges, same as the beast they had killed earlier.

The outside of it is rough and a bit sticky. After a bit of experimentation, Har can tell that if left up against skin, the seed would try to grow into it, but more details escape her. Concentrating harder, she examines the seed's shuddering aura itself, and gently lays a whorl of anti-magic on it, just enough to see clearly.

Suddenly, it snaps into focus. Har traces the magic inside it, and it is a map of its body, every aetheric line connecting with a physical organ. For a moment, she recalls how the beast died the moment its body did - that was no consequence of the weakness of birth, no artifact of exhaustion. The spirits of these things are a part of their body. With this realization, what she's seeing finally makes sense. She traces an aetheric hook that curves out, testing its weight and purpose.

This seed is the heart of one of those black beasts, but it will only work to grow one, to devour the spirit and body of its host, if implanted in a human heart. This is also a different plant than the one the singer ate. These fruits must be being cultivated somewhere in the valley. The seed will also have some other effect if left to bond with the skin - a symbiotic effect, instead of a parasitic one.

It also occurs to her that creatures from this strange place will instantly die in combat when downed.

Xagar

Geth, roll 1d100 for r e a s o n s

r e a s o n s:

1d100 7 [1d100=7]

Xagar

Aub is not the only one with a strange dream on this night.

Har dreams of a vast expanse of sparkling blue water, the sun high in the sky. Her vision turns, and an island comes into view, stone and wood and bone and green trees towering out of the sea. She becomes aware of a great rumbling as she swims through the water by its side, looking up at the hundreds of meters above her, coughing and struggling to stay afloat as its wake relentlessly grinds her under.

Her eye meets a ruined mass of flesh under the waves, a black circle as tall as she is, the eye socket of a titanic whale, a twisted crown of engraved metal gripping its head, two thick wires leading up to the island, pulling, bearing down, she can feel its fear, its agony, filling her like the sea fills her lungs-

discrider

Har gasps awake.
She struggles clear of her bedding, drenched in brine.
Brine? Sweat. Sweat.


She breathes in the cold morning air.
And closes her eyes.

The tiny boat rocks a bit as the swell settles, but it's still there at least.
Har relaxes as she runs her hands along the wooden guardrail of the boat.
It's still there, and still solid.

Climbing onto the aft, she sits down and looks to the horizon.


Thinking a bit, she pulls the roiling seed out of her pocket.
She turns it, well, not it but its spirit, over in her hand a couple of times.
And then pitches it out in front, port-side.

Straining her eyes, she looks to the horizon again, attempting to push back the sea fog and find some indication of what this all might mean.
Is the Seed safe or will it cause more trouble than it is worth?
Is bonding with it necessary?
The horizon itself grows heavy, as the oncoming weather approaches, attempting to resolve the path with the seed on her left and the path where she has spurned it on the right.

Geth roll 2d10h1 for Reading the waves (and assuming h keeps the high number)

Reading the waves (and assuming h keeps the high number):

2d10h1 2 [2d10h1=5, 6]

Xagar

@discrider You can tell it will not cause any physical harm to you, but besides that, it's unclear what will happen.

"h" is half rounded down, looks like. I think you want "k" for "keep highest" and "l" for "keep lowest."

Also OH BOY this was fun everybody rolled well on their arcana checks and I rolled really low on my spooky-ass dream check and I got to dump a bunch of lore all at once WHEEEEEEE

Xagar

If we're all ready, the scene will shift to when you arrive in Davittsburg the following morning.
@joshgotro @AustinP0027 @discrider

Paul Giamatti

@Xagar Let's get down to business.

Xagar

The cart bumps slightly as it passes onto a bridge over the river Liane, an older and more solid construction than the valley’s roads. Passing over its midpoint, a small town spreads out a few minutes’ travel below you, a clump of wooden buildings in a small valley with steam rising from numerous metal pipes. It’s a mix of small residences and larger buildings, and you can see a number of people moving about in the morning chill. A small stream bends out from the river, passing towards the far side of the town.

Over the night, a mass of clouds moved in, leaving only blank grey overhead. At the bottom of the hill, you are stopped by a pair of guards in white-on-green Falken livery, but are able to flash your signed letter from the Steward as before, placating them enough to let you inside. The town itself is crowded, unusually so for its size, and every building is sporting one of the stoves common to this area, the larger, external ones giving off a comforting warmth. Making your way past a small family resting on a cart near one of these, you can see worry and exhaustion on their faces, a feeling that seems to be uniform in this place.

You are able to identify Davittsburg's points of interest within a few minutes:
-Inn
-Hall of Dawn (a staple feature in most settlements, staffed with a healer and places for the injured)
-Trader
-Bakery
-Residential
-Church
-Silos
-Drake Pens

Xagar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVcLIfSC4OE

AustinP0027

The town around them seemed almost filled to the brim, but the moods of the people around them wasn't one of a jovial village. There was a sense of dread that hung in the air, strong enough to be sensed without any feeling in the Aether. "We should try to get some info in the Inn. Whatever worries this town needs remedied and quickly. No one should have to live like this." Victor's words were strong as he headed towards the inn. This town was an exact example of what he had set out to correct, lifting the downtrodden who were being abused by someone. This was the first time in their journey that he felt like he knew they were doing exactly what they should be, so he strode forward into the inn.

discrider

"'S a bit early for it. But okay."
Har scratches a bit at the wrapping around her left forearm.
The seed itches.

Paul Giamatti

Aub secured the cart. Victor had darted away toward the Inn with purpose. Good man.
No one was paying her any mind as she moved around the cart. Aub was used to the spectacle that her armor normally brought.

With the cart secure, Aub followed Har, slowly, into the Inn.
As was usually with each new place, she looked for Robert Cadogan.

Xagar

The inn reads "Gordon's Brew" over its door, and a wooden sign nailed neatly to the left of the door proclaims "NO VACANCIES." Victor strides into the inn nonetheless, and almost bowls over a much shorter woman who only reaches up to his chest. She ignores the close encounter as much as she can, dragging a young boy out the door by the hand. Turning inside, Victor can see that the inn is just as crowded as the rest of the town, most tables full of people of all sorts, even in the late morning. Most of the people here are better dressed than the average townsfolk outside, and he thinks they might be more stranded travelers. Har and Aub enter soon after.

A few people stand out in the crowd: two middle-aged women dressed in similar clothes, busily discussing something behind the bar; one particularly fat man with a bushy red beard, with four armed, rough-looking types at a large central table; a very old, weathered man with a gaggle of simply-dressed people of various ages orbiting around him; and a small, cloaked figure in a far corner.

One of the women looks up as the party stands near the entrance, and snaps as she stomps out from behind the bar "You saw the sign, right? No vacancy. It means we're full up. And lunch ain't being served for another two hours, so you gentlefolks are just gonna have to wait like everybody else." She seems inclined to continue, but the other woman hisses "Julia!" in an incensed tone, and moves to stand in front of her. "What my sister means is," flashing a professional smile, "welcome to Gordon's Brew, friends. My name is Melissa, and we run this establishment. What can we do for you? As you have been, um, notified, our ability to provide a positive guest experience is lacking at the moment." Behind her, there is a rolling of eyes as Julia turns back and returns to the bar.

discrider

Har brushes her short hair back in discomfort.
"Not sure what's up her nose..", she grumbles softly, feeling a bit slighted at being called a gentlefolk.

Somewhat to rectify the measure, she peels off from the group and heads to the most earthy character she can find, the weathered man surrounded by followers.
Listening for a moment, she steps forward into his circle:
"Hail old-timer. You look like someone who hears everything round here.
Me and my friends are down here looking for work; I'd 'ppreciate if you'd heard of anything needs sorting?"

Geth roll 1d10 for conversation if necessary

conversation if necessary:

1d10 8 [1d10=8]

discrider

...
Geth roll 1d10+4 for that retreating bandit isn't here is he
Perhaps his tales what's got the barkeeps scared.

that retreating bandit isn't here is he:

1d10+4 12 [1d10=8]

Xagar

The old man smiles, and waves at a dour-looking orbiter. "See, Hans? There are still people with a bit of fire left." He rearranges himself in his seat, and intones "yes indeed, young lady, there's much that needs doing around here. You could start by finding my sheep!" he barks. A hand waves again at the circle of people, which has rearranged itself so the hand is not pointing at anyone in particular, "since my sons can't do it themselves."

Voices cut in with excuses, mostly reasonable concerns, such as the fact that their farm had been ransacked by bandits and the family had been driven out, but he isn't having any of it. After a few seconds, he simply ignores them, turning back and saying "You are adventurers, yes? Out to make some coin? I can promise you a reward if you can find my sheep and bring them back near the town." He looks down and coughs, smoothing the fabric on his jacket.

"Let me explain - my farm is to the east of here, about a day's travel. Just follow the dirt road and you'll see it. Two nights ago, we were raided. Yes! This close to the town! My family gave 'em a good fight, some more than others, and they retreated long enough for us to gather our things and escape. Turned out they had been working on the barn door. Now, I don't think they expected ol' Abby," he grins again, "but she led the rest of the sheep out south after showin' the bandits the error of their ways, and it was too dark to go chasin' after them." He points at the son he had maligned earlier and snaps "Hans! If these folk want to help, go with 'em and make sure the sheep get back here."

"Now, to solve the real problem here - we still don't know where the bandits are camped. There can't be more than 50 of them, and this town has at least twice that of an age to fight. If you can get that location, we can go run 'em out." He scowls. "The people in this town got no fire in 'em though, might need some real rousin'. There's a boy here tryin' to do it already, James, might find him with the refugees in the church or Hall."

You don't see any sign of the skinny bandit you had driven off, but you do see the figure in the corner make a small, beckoning head motion to an empty chair next to it.

AustinP0027

Victor nods enthusiastically, clearly they had the problems that the trio had expected, and were open on wanting help in solving them. This is exactly what he had wanted to find in this town. "James, eh? I'll go find him and offer our services." The Radiant responds. "Har, coming with or is there something else you need here?"

It's ok to split the party as long as we're in a town right?

.....right?

Xagar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waa2ucfgVgQ

discrider

"Well, if we're leaving, we best be takin Hans here with us.
I don't feel like carrying Abby home over my shoulders,", Har laughs, "And it sounds like she'll want someone she knows to lead 'er".

Offering a handshake back to the old man, "I s'pose I should have lead with, I'm Har, and these are Victor and Aub, and we'll see to your sheep. Thanks kindly!"

Finalising her dealings with the old man, she spies a motion in the corner of the room, as the hooded figure captures her attention.
"... how about you all see what sorta lunch we can get. I've spied something that needs a quick check.. I'll holler if I need something."
Har pops out of the crowd.

"Uh hi..."
Har sits down smoothly in the empty seat, keeping low and out of the group's sightlines, across the room and crowd from where she was a second ago.
"Do y' know me? I can't quite see your face. Not sure why you wouldn't join us if you did..."

Har glances back, "'s not like we can't be seen from the door neither."

Paul Giamatti

Aub half listens inside the inn. The boys not here. Aub watches as her companions move quickly through the room. Armed men it is.

Aub approaches the table openly, scabbard towards the men. "Hello there. My name is Aub. I'm looking for the man in charge."

Geth roll 1d10 for feminine wiles and threatening stance

feminine wiles and threatening stance:

1d10 7 [1d10=7]

Xagar

The figure besides Har is a slight woman, and she shakes her head slightly in response. "No, I don't know you," she says, with a distinct Persian accent. A pause, and she continues "My name is Nasim. There is a man known as the Prophet that has the Waning Moon upon him. I came here with another adventuring party, but they did not survive." Her voice is dry, devoid of emotion, and her eyes are locked on Har's. "You want to help these people?" she motions with her chin to the room at large. "The Prophet controls the cult infesting this valley. Allow me to travel with you so I can end him." She leans back against the wall, but you can see her shadow does not match the movement. Disconcertingly, it entirely slides out from behind her, drawing a slim knife and doing several fancy tricks as Nasim says "I have abilities you may find useful, as well as some experience fighting these cultists." Har, with her own assassin training, immediately recognizes this as Dark Mirror, a skill that lets you essentially occupy two places at once. "Is that acceptable?"

She tilts her head and says "To answer your question, none of the cultists in town are in this room."

---
The fat man, his fingers bedecked with rings, waves down one of his guards as he turns his chair towards Aub with a loud scrape. "Well, you've found him, if you what you mean by 'in charge' is 'in charge of the table I'm sitting at,'" he says with a sour expression. "Like all these others," his hand flops listlessly, "we are stuck here. I don't suppose you have interest in taking two state-of-the-art agricultural golems off my hands so I can head back upriver? A steal at a thousand gold each," he rambles, his guards relaxing their stances. "Includes all the attachments you could want, got a plow, a cultivator (toothed AND rotary), sprayer, comes with two control gauntlets, insured for three years with the standard contract..." He sighs and shakes his head, looking down. "If I don't make this sale before the month is out I'm going to be in deep shit with the office." He seems to notice Aub's presence once again, and his face crinkles into a wan smile. "Listen, I'd stay away from Baron's Hill if I were you. My buyer was missing and no one would say a word about it. I ran myself out of town before they could."

Paul Giamatti

"Your buyer's name sir? I've got business in the area and I'm heading towards the Hill."

AustinP0027

Har and Aub were otherwise busy, so Victor took the opportunity to go look for this James that was trying to help the town. The Radiant headed over to the church first, attempting to find the boy, though, he was curious if boy was the appropriate phrasing or if it was the old man's way of saying someone was younger than him. Checking the church first, Victor asked the nearest person if they knew where James was.

Paul Giamatti

dun dun dun

Xagar

"Wainwright, Jacob Wainwright. They're well-established here in Falken, a founding family of the Hill itself, so I've been told," the trader says, worry clear in his face.

---
The church is a full-on refugee camp, tents and crude wooden shacks crowding its sides. Pushing inside, Victor can see the pews are all pushed to the sides of the room, with what looks like an improvised kitchen running in the center, busily preparing some vegetable broth for the midday meal. Nearly every inch is packed with people. Cutting through the din, Victor grabs someone and is pointed to a far corner of the room, where there is a young man sitting on a pew yanked out of position with the rest, busily writing something on a sheet of paper supported by the back of a hymnal. As he pushes closer, Victor can see a number of sheets strewn across the rest of the pew, dense writing covering them. The young man doesn't seem to react to his presence - understandable, given the noise and close quarters.

Geth, roll 1d10 for reasons.

reasons:

1d10 9 [1d10=9]

Xagar

Mua ha ha ha ha @AustinP0027 make an Ini check for perception.

AustinP0027

Geth roll 1d10+1 for Oh come on, in a busy town?!?

Oh come:

1d10+1 8 [1d10=7]

Xagar

@AustinP0027 There's a dirty, ragged girl, maybe around nine years old, who's is somewhat conspicuously following Victor around. She's in earshot, which, in this noise, is quite close.

AustinP0027

Victor notices that he is being followed, interestingly enough by a small child. There are a number of reasons, both good or bad, that the child could be following him, but the Radiant knows either way he needs to address the situation. Still, it's a child, regardless of the reasoning, Victor wasn't about to harm or really even scare the child.

Instead, he fills himself with positive energy and let's the healing light envelop him, providing a soft glow surrounding the Radiant as he turned back to the girl "Tell me child, how can I help you?"

Xagar

Her eyes grow big at the glow. She yelps and scurries away into the crowd.

The writing man takes notice of the rapid movement, raising his head with a start, bouncing his tousled brown hair. "Ah, hello? Did you come here for me?"

Let me know if you want to try to engage more with the girl and how, and we shall roll some dice. Otherwise, you don't see her.

AustinP0027

Victor sighs as the child runs away, and turns back to the man. "Yes, I believe that I did. You are James, am I correct?" The Radiant extends his hand out to the man. "If so, I believe we have a mutual desire as it stands around helping free this town."

No, I don't think attempting to chase a child into a crowd will work out well for Victor. Shooing her away is good enough for now

Paul Giamatti

Xagar wrote: »

"Wainwright, Jacob Wainwright. They're well-established here in Falken, a founding family of the Hill itself, so I've been told," the trader says, worry clear in his face.

"And your name sir?" Aub looks around for a free chair. "Are you men staying in the area? I could use a few willing strong arms."

Xagar

"Ah, no, these are to ensure the safety of my person and my equipment - you understand, of course," the trader says to Aub, the smile dimming. "We'll make sure that the town itself is safe, since we are in it, but I'll have no more bandits, thank you." There are no chairs to be found, and one of the guards scoots back a little, getting his scabbard clear of the underside of the table. "Listen," the man begins again, glancing at the guard, "all I want is to get some business done, and get back home. I don't want to cause you any trouble, and I hope to get the same courtesy from you."

Paul Giamatti

"A million times sir, YOUR NAME? Aub relaxes her stance and continues, "I lost a bandit on the way here. His comrades lost their lives. I believe the Duchy would show favor if he knew you and your men had a hand in quelling this regions current crisis."

Xagar

"Yes indeed, wonderful! I am James, James Brighton. Great to meet you!" The young man flashes a big smile at Victor and sets aside his writing, finding a hand to shake and pumping it for all it's worth. "Yes, freeing this town! That's good, I was just writing out my next speech, you see. This town needs to rise up, take up arms and drive out these bandits! A militia, that's what we need. They've terrorized us for far too long! We know they're out east, somewhere in the forest," he goes on excitedly.

"What I need to spur these people into action is the exact location of these bandits, but the knight captain here refuses to send out any of his men to find it! Deplorable, I say. Cowardly! Sir Wainwright does his family no justice hiding here, supposedly defending the town." He pauses for a moment to take a breath. "You look able, and I see you have some mystic ability. Are you an adventurer? Would you find these bandits and bring their location back to this town? Trying to convince the captain is like pushing a boulder up a mudslide," he scowls.

Resuming his smile, he clasps Victor on the arm, and says "Um, also, if you have some time today, we would greatly appreciate a healer making the rounds - Natalia at the Hall is so busy, she hasn't been around in a few days."

Xagar

The trader becomes more serious and says to Aub shortly "Maurice. If my interest was with the duke, that might have had some impact, but it is not. Now, off you go." He turns his chair back with another scrape, speaking to the guard whose own chair is mostly out: "Ensure she remains as such."

AustinP0027

Victor smiles "That is precisely what I had in mind. My companions and I have an active interest in finding these bandits, so we will search them out and return here. On your end, I hope I can count on you to help rally the town towards action."

The Radiant pauses, "Also, point me the way. My healing is meant for those who suffer, so those here who need my help are welcome to it"

You can probably just narrate me into healing, unless there's checks to be made. Victor would go to healing immediately now that he has the info he wanted

Xagar

James agrees wholeheartedly, and takes Victor around, spending the next few hours meeting various church members and refugees, healing a couple broken bones, numerous scrapes and bruises, and generally spreading good cheer in a place that sorely needs it.

@AustinP0027 Make another Ini check for looking for that girl.

Geth, roll 2d10l1 for girl stealth. Well, that was awful.

This is a great time to mention that I track each PC's popularity on a local and regional basis, and spending time helping people, being flashy in public, etc., will get you meaningful credit. The Tides, being masses of shared willpower/emotional weather, can run high with sufficient popularity. Joining with the feeling of the public, or directing it a certain way, can empower you in combat. Be warned that this can work the other way - a battlefield filled with dark Tides can drain the strength of healing or have other consequences.

stealth:

2d10l1 4 [2d10l1=[4], 8]

AustinP0027

Geth, roll 1d10+1 for Hide and Seek!

Hide and Seek!:

1d10+1 8 [1d10=7]

Xagar

The girl is hanging around a home across the street from the church, trying to hide behind some barrels but only doing a child's impression of something genuinely sneaky. She's pretty far off, but seems dedicated to keeping an eye on you, at least until a bell is rung for lunch, at which time she disappears inside and you finish up your work. You should be able to leave without being noticed, by her at least.

You have an afternoon to spend some time on, but let's find out what the other two have done first.