Completed Play-by-Post: In Search of the Sorcerer

[Grimgravy]

Rhenmyr makes special note of the area and plans to observe the tower in the daylight as soon as possible.

 

[nikolokolus]

The rest of your walk passes by uneventfully and you all arrive outside of a low stone building that looks to be in a state of poor repair. The sky has begun to lighten faintly on the eastern horizon and a light drizzle is falling.

 

[nikolokolus]

A casual inspection of the building's front makes you think of a flophouse more than it does a place of worship. The only hint that this might be dedicated to the Lord of Light is a crudely graven half risen sun etched into the middle of the shabby wooden door.

Faint light filters through the narrow gap between the door and threshold. Perhaps someone is awake at this ungodly hour?

 

[Grimgravy]

Rhenmyr walks up to the door and peers through the gap. If nothing seems amiss, he will knock.

 

[nikolokolus]

Rhenmyr raps his knuckles against the door soundly. 20 or 30 seconds pass and then you hear a muffled voice shouting from beyond, "Janus! Are you going to get the damned door or must I do everything myself?" Another muffled voice accompanied by the sound of shuffling feet can be heard from just a beyond, "Yes master, so very sorry your worship!" A few moments later you hear a bolt sliding and the door opens a crack. A hunched figure clad in rough brown homespun with bulging eyes and a warty nose presses his face into the narrow slit of the doorway and looks you all up and down with a slightly confused expression. "Who are you?"

 

[Grimgravy]

"Rhenmyr of Stygia. I believe you know my comrade Sokrates. He ran into some trouble while working on something for Father Iniros and we were looking for some information and assistance." Rhenmyr replies.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Borric pushes Sokrutiz to the front so the priest might get a better look at him.

 

[nikolokolus]

The grotesque man squints and tries to peer over Rhenmyr's shoulder. His eye falls on the hulking Kimmerian and his mouth falls slightly agape, "Oh? . . . Ummm, yes Sokrates. Mistress Pelagia's manservant. I'll fetch the good father. Come in, quickly!" He opens the door and hustles you inside with an urgent motioning of his hands and quickly shuts the door behind you and bolts it. "Wait here!" He shuffles off lamely down a poorly lit hallway attached to the foyer.

As you stand inside the low ceilinged entryway, you all immediately notice how nondescript the interior of the building is: Undecorated walls, mud bricks with flaking plaster, a rude dirt floor and there's a smell that none of you can quite identify, but it is faintly unpleasant.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

OOC

Can I try a sense danger roll now or will that be after a rest?

 

[nikolokolus]

OOC

Go for it

 

[ERYFKRAD]

roll

Sense Danger: [1d20] = 8

 

[nikolokolus]

Borric closes his eyes and appears to be deep in concentration

OOC

You let your acute "sixth sense" spread your awareness into the poorly lit nooks and crannies around you. You don't sense any immediate danger

 

[Grimgravy]

"Well, at least they know the big man. Hopefully we will have some answers soon."

 

[nikolokolus]

A few minutes pass as you stand and wait impatiently in the entryway, eventually the warty-faced, cripple Janus, limps down the hallway and he waves his hands, imploring you all to follow, "This way young masters, the good Father will see you now."

 

[Helly]

Ker follows the cripple, but still is bewildered by the temple's contents.
"Say, my good man, is this how all temple of the Lord of Light look like?"

 

[Grimgravy]

"I imagine proper temple trappings would be dangerous under the yoke of the Hyperboreans." Rhenmyr says following Janus.

 

[nikolokolus]

Janus looks over his shoulder at Ker, "Do all temples look like this? Oh . . . I don't know, this is the only one I e'er seen" and then he turns to Rhenmyr, "Oh yes! Yes indeed! Dangerous . . . very dangerous!" He raises the back of his hand to his mouth and appears to stifle a laugh. *Ahem* "Here we are. Father Inniros, our guests." He steps aside at the end of the long hallway revealing a small room littered with old packing crates crowded around a crude wooden desk. Behind the desk a lean, narrow-faced man with wisps of of white hair smoothed over a bald pate, dressed in the same rough, brown homespun robes rises and implores you to enter with a toothsome smile. "Ah Sokrates, 'tis well to see you again . . . and Hyginos too" His smile falters a little bit. "Who are your friends at this unseemly hour and where pray tell is Pelagia?"

Sokrates thumps his chest with his fist and says, "Me Sokrates! No Pelagia!"

 

[Grimgravy]

"Well met Father Inniros. My name is Rhenmyr. We happened upon Sokrates and Hyginos across the river at the ferry. From what we've gathered, the big man and Pelagia went upriver some time ago but only Sokrates returned. He hasn't been able to say what happened. Both Hyginos, who had been abducted and sold to a Hyperborean sorcerer, and Sokrates know you, so we had hoped you could shed some light on what's going on. A safe place to sleep would be welcome as well. We've had a busy couple of nights." Rhenmyr says.

 

[nikolokolus]

The old man rises slightly from his seat and waves a hand perfunctorily, "I told mistress Pelagia 'twas a fools errand, can't say I'm surprised to see her come to a bad end. As for you Sokrates," He waggles a bony finger at him in a scolding gesture, "They say fortune favors the fool, but perhaps now you'll listen to wisdom and not run off gallivanting all over the countryside without a care? Then again, I suppose we should thank The Good Lord for your safe return." He sits back down stiffly. "Now what's this nonsense about Hyperborean sorcerers? You're certain ol' Hyginos isn't just preying on your better natures with a tall tale?" He turns his head and levels his gaze at the old beggar. "Eh Hyginos? Figured you'd weasel a few coppers out of some poor sods with a tale of woe?!" he says half accusingly and with a hint of irony in his voice.

Hyginos stammers, trying to say something, but the words don't flow from his lips.

Father Inniros waves his hand at Hyginos as if to placate him and then returns his gaze to the rest of the party, "If you seek shelter, well iit's yours for a night, but this is no flophouse; we haven't the room what with all of the beggars, urchins and widows we try to feed and succor beyond that. If you stay you'll be put to work in the kitchens this morning and afternoon. There's firewood to be chopped, ovens to be stoked and victuals to be fetched from the market . . . Say? How did you get into Lowtown if you came from across the river?"

 

[Grimgravy]

"We had to swim, sadly. As for Hyginos, we did see bundle smuggled across the river in the dead of the night. Hyginos was in some kind of stasis inside. Thank you for a place to spend what's rest of the night." Rhenmyr says.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"We had to fight a sorceror as well, Pious One, so rest assured the Old one has not been lying."

 

[nikolokolus]

Inniros strokes his chin thoughtfully at Borric's words. "Ill tidings if what you say is true because it seems an odd thing that such a man would be this far North of Commorium . . . makes me wonder if his appearance has anything to do with all of the Seekers that have been prowling about town the past few weeks?" He chews on his lip a bit, "I can ask around for you and see if anybody recognizes his description. Was there anything distinctive about him?" His eyes seem to subtly glance toward the jeweled pommel of the great falcata strapped to Marcán's back. And if you don't mind my asking what became of this Hyperborean?"

At Rhenmyr's words Inniros smiles warmly, "Ah my pleasure and where are my manners? You poor fellows must be soaked to the bone? Enough talk of dark things for now, we'll talk more once you've had a chance to dry yourselves and take a well deserved rest. Janus will please lead our guests to their accommodations and prepare them some mulled wine?" He puts the side of his hand to his mouth pretending to whisper, "It'll be just the thing warm the blood and help you sleep after your wetting. If you hang out your clothes Janus will fetch them and dry them by the hearth and we've some linen tunics you can borrow."

The cripple limps forward from the doorway and inclines his head at Father Inniros in a half-bow, "As you wish master." He turns to face the troupe and speaks in a low tone, "this way if you please my good men."

 

[Grimgravy]

"He melted, but he may NOT be gone forever. Evil is afoot and the poor and unwanted of Odessos seem to be its target. I, for one, would see this evil ended if possible"

Rhenmyr follows the cripple but will only be drinking water.

 

[nikolokolus]

"Melted, but not gone forever? I shudder to think. Be that as it may, you're safe now. Rest well and we'll talk in a few hours when you've all refreshed yourselves," Inniros says.

Janus leads you down the hallway and turns to his left after about thirty feet into a spartan 20'x20' room, with a few straw pallets and some mats scattered on the dirt floor. A dozen or so people of poor appearance lay huddled sleeping or stir slightly as you enter. "I'm sorry we don't have much more that we can offer you. It's warm and it's dry though. I'll be back with some fresh tunics and gather your wet things momentarily. If you desire some wine to help you sleep, I'll have the flagon with me too. Good night . . . or good morrow as the case may be."

There are enough mats open that everyone can sleep. What does everyone want to do?

 

[Grimgravy]

OOC

If he's all dried out from the fire at the bar and walk here, Rhenmyr won't be giving anything over to the church folk./spoiler]