Session 16: "Man"otaur
The session begins on Solis 30, 2597 in Jil’tar. Tork begins searching the area around Mousen's body for other bodies but only discovers a deserted camp. He determines that the camp was used for at least 12 hours and has been abandoned for over 24 hours. At the same time, Alena Birch uses detect magic to determine that there are no magical items in the area. She eventually decides to search Mousen's body where she discovers the following items:
3gp, 17sp, 11cp
A small sketch pad full of primitives drawings of black birds
"Curses: Religious, Natural, and Fabrications" by C.A Fitzgerald III
Small Bag of Mushrooms (Poisonous, Will Completely Kill a Person in 10 Days if Ingested) (Carried by Kale)
A scrawled scrap of parchment with the words "Greton Inn, Zatan. Caldra 3"
The party then decides to head to Zatan where they arrive on Calrda 3, 2597 early morning. In town they first stopped at Gmail's Message Service where Tork sent a message to Zirk:
Upon meeting Atticus, Rodan was convinced that Atticus owns and sells people (which is ironic as Atticus firmly belived for most of the day that Rodan Spice owned Kale as either a pet or a slave). When heading over to the bar, Atticus began smoking a custom blend of tobacco with aromatic hints of honey, lavender, and a pinch of nutmeg.
At the bar, Atticus persuades Cilas to bring them the good stuff, what is rumored to be called The Devil's Cut. Cilas complies for the extra gold. The Devil's Cut first tingles the lips before having a smoky taste engulf the mouth and a smooth finish that warms the drinker. Rodan Spice then tries his never ending bottle of 3,000 year old wine to discover it tastes almost like liquid giddiness and has notes of different floral aromatics.
During the drinking, Atticus interviews Rodan Spice about his money making, his name, and more. Rodan Spice doesn't answer straight forward but when Atticus switches to business plans (such as an inn and winery from the Ever Wine, Endless Bottle), Rodan Spice is intrigued.
Atticus holds captive the attention of the bar for a moment after promising death to anyone who withholds evidence in their quest from them. Cilas fills them in on how a purple minotaur with a spear across his back was staying here for a week and reading a book until he got into a heated conversation with Douglas, One Eyed Sawyer, and Weston (a ranger party that supplies the Greton Bar and Inn with meat every two or so weeks). He believes a mention of a raven is what caused the minotaur to get involved talking with them before storming out and not even staying a single night of the full week he had paid for. Cilas gives them a key to the room that was rented so they can search it. Tork finds within it a slip of fabric which he recognized as belonging to Denrah (another minotaur from the Brutor Tribe). Alena Birch used detect magic to confirm there was nothing magical in the room but did get an enchantment aura from down the hall. Rodan Spice easily picked the lock to the room and Tork barged in, pinning the half-orc in bed with the handle of his maul (nearly crushing his windpipe) while interogating him somewhat incoherently. After a short bit of this interaction, Atticus webbed Tork to the bed and calmed him down to ask simple yes/no questoins. Tork then questioned the half-orc about his involvement in Zirk's capture or with the Raven Tribe. Upon satisfaction he was not involved Atticus released Tork, and Tork released Dal (the half-orc). Atticus tells Dal it is a bad dream before putting him to sleep with magic. Rodan Spice finds some gold in Dal's room which he liberates to contribute to the party's "Pizza Party" fund. Rodan Spice nearly attempts to assassinate Dal via alcohol poisoning with the Endless Bottle of Wine (another usage suggested by Atticus though not endorsed) but is brought to his sense by Alena Birch.
The party then goes about separate activites for the afternoon. Atticus bought a lemon pastry from a young woman that was absolutely atrocious after she gave him some information about a purple minotaur heading South out of Zatan about a week ago. Atticus gave her 10gp to go learn how to make good food from the local library or nearest place with books and told her next time to serve him far better food. Additoinally, Atticus conversed with an older gentleman named Wally. He learned what was South of Zatan from Wally and how far a person could go in differing numbers of days.
Rodan Spice spent his free time trying to get the pent house at the Greton Bar and Inn. Instead he convinces Cilas to sell him Cilas's own room for the evening. For 6gp Rodan Spice gets to stay in a nice room with a mirror, padded chair, and a locked chest at the foot of the bed.
Tork asked about the Finley Farm from a dwarf in the corner of the bar (after hearing about it from a letter in Dal's room). He learned it was swallowed by a sinkhole with everyone inside. Possibly sounds of moaning were coming from it after it was swallowed on Solis 29, 2597. The party regrouped after dusk and briefed each other on their individual happenings. Alena Birch during this time read up on the book they retrieved from Mousen (learning about differing curses). Together they decided they would wait for the rangers, but in the mean time they would go investigate the Finley Family Farm. They easily found the property (traveling with Cameel and "Bull" the Oxen) which had a rough-hewn fence set up between the sink hole and road. Alena Birch inspected the hole and did not find anything magical near the rim while Atticus determined it was between 80ft and 120ft deep. They tied two ropes together, tied them to "Bull" the Oxen, and went down the hole. Atticus pushed Alena Birch and jumped in after her having cast feather fall on the entire party. Tork attempted to climb down by lost his grip and was grateful for feather fall. Rodan Spice demonstrated his skill by simultaneously drinking and climbing down the rope. Kale easily climbed down the rope, not even needing to transform into a spider-frog this time!
Searching the wreckage of the Finley family home, Alena Birch discovered necrotic energy emenating from a few different points. Although Atticus did find the Holy Symbol of Sandor carved primatively into the wall, she only felt the necrotic energy emenating from four points under the home. When getting directly over one point and spying a large broken earthen vase, she was suddenly swarmed by a mist that nearly made her lose control before fighting back against it with the help of Artemis. Tork was prepared by his companions to resist such an attack when instead Rodan Spice sucuumbed to this mysterious mist. The entity in Rodan Spice claimed it needed to borrow Rodan Spice so that the the Turnal Tribe which had wronged Sandor could return an idol they made to one of his shrines and be freed from a curse. The party disagreed, and after some spells, some forcing, and some possession of Tork (as well as possession of Rodan Spice by the young boy Tommy who had died at the farm), the entites retreated and allowed the party to retrieve the hidden idol (a piece of rounded driftwood with three black gems arranged in an equilateral triangle). With this treasure retrieved, the party climbed back up their rope (Alena Birch had briefly during the encounter been able to get "Bull" to pull the rope out of reach of the possessed Rodan Spice using speak with Animals and shouting), and made their way back to the Greton Bar and Inn for the evening. The story will continue the following morning on Caldra 4, 2597.Out of the Desert
A Good Snap
Casually Eating Jerky
Tork Found a Body
Is It a Person or a Minotaur?
I'm Going to Go Up to It, And Stick My Finger In It
Raven or Crow?
Cheap Labor
Tork is Confused (His Constant State)
Minotaur's Don't Have Skin
Turk and Zurk
Kale is Someone Else's Pet
Just the Tip Did the Job
Bluejay Directions
We're Past the Point of Consent
Sober Rodan
Zurk, Tork and his companions are in Xatan. Tork would like to know if Turk is okay. Tork is here to rescue Zurk…..TorkTork recieved the following reply via Gmail's Message Service:
"No Reply Recieved"The party then made their way to the Greton Bar and Inn where they met the barkeep Cilas as well as Atticus. Atticus explained her was part of the college of lore and made it his business to know as much about as many people and places and everything as possible. Tork told Atticus he doesn't know how to read and Atticus offered to teach him. Further, Atticus offered to assist Tork on his quest to find Zirk as it provided great mytstery and intrigue which he would document. In fact, he told Tork he would be accompanying them regardless of their agreement. At the same time, Atticus knew an unsettling amount of personal information about the party, to such a degree that freaked them out.
Upon meeting Atticus, Rodan was convinced that Atticus owns and sells people (which is ironic as Atticus firmly belived for most of the day that Rodan Spice owned Kale as either a pet or a slave). When heading over to the bar, Atticus began smoking a custom blend of tobacco with aromatic hints of honey, lavender, and a pinch of nutmeg.
At the bar, Atticus persuades Cilas to bring them the good stuff, what is rumored to be called The Devil's Cut. Cilas complies for the extra gold. The Devil's Cut first tingles the lips before having a smoky taste engulf the mouth and a smooth finish that warms the drinker. Rodan Spice then tries his never ending bottle of 3,000 year old wine to discover it tastes almost like liquid giddiness and has notes of different floral aromatics.
During the drinking, Atticus interviews Rodan Spice about his money making, his name, and more. Rodan Spice doesn't answer straight forward but when Atticus switches to business plans (such as an inn and winery from the Ever Wine, Endless Bottle), Rodan Spice is intrigued.
Atticus holds captive the attention of the bar for a moment after promising death to anyone who withholds evidence in their quest from them. Cilas fills them in on how a purple minotaur with a spear across his back was staying here for a week and reading a book until he got into a heated conversation with Douglas, One Eyed Sawyer, and Weston (a ranger party that supplies the Greton Bar and Inn with meat every two or so weeks). He believes a mention of a raven is what caused the minotaur to get involved talking with them before storming out and not even staying a single night of the full week he had paid for. Cilas gives them a key to the room that was rented so they can search it. Tork finds within it a slip of fabric which he recognized as belonging to Denrah (another minotaur from the Brutor Tribe). Alena Birch used detect magic to confirm there was nothing magical in the room but did get an enchantment aura from down the hall. Rodan Spice easily picked the lock to the room and Tork barged in, pinning the half-orc in bed with the handle of his maul (nearly crushing his windpipe) while interogating him somewhat incoherently. After a short bit of this interaction, Atticus webbed Tork to the bed and calmed him down to ask simple yes/no questoins. Tork then questioned the half-orc about his involvement in Zirk's capture or with the Raven Tribe. Upon satisfaction he was not involved Atticus released Tork, and Tork released Dal (the half-orc). Atticus tells Dal it is a bad dream before putting him to sleep with magic. Rodan Spice finds some gold in Dal's room which he liberates to contribute to the party's "Pizza Party" fund. Rodan Spice nearly attempts to assassinate Dal via alcohol poisoning with the Endless Bottle of Wine (another usage suggested by Atticus though not endorsed) but is brought to his sense by Alena Birch.
The party then goes about separate activites for the afternoon. Atticus bought a lemon pastry from a young woman that was absolutely atrocious after she gave him some information about a purple minotaur heading South out of Zatan about a week ago. Atticus gave her 10gp to go learn how to make good food from the local library or nearest place with books and told her next time to serve him far better food. Additoinally, Atticus conversed with an older gentleman named Wally. He learned what was South of Zatan from Wally and how far a person could go in differing numbers of days.
Rodan Spice spent his free time trying to get the pent house at the Greton Bar and Inn. Instead he convinces Cilas to sell him Cilas's own room for the evening. For 6gp Rodan Spice gets to stay in a nice room with a mirror, padded chair, and a locked chest at the foot of the bed.
Tork asked about the Finley Farm from a dwarf in the corner of the bar (after hearing about it from a letter in Dal's room). He learned it was swallowed by a sinkhole with everyone inside. Possibly sounds of moaning were coming from it after it was swallowed on Solis 29, 2597. The party regrouped after dusk and briefed each other on their individual happenings. Alena Birch during this time read up on the book they retrieved from Mousen (learning about differing curses). Together they decided they would wait for the rangers, but in the mean time they would go investigate the Finley Family Farm. They easily found the property (traveling with Cameel and "Bull" the Oxen) which had a rough-hewn fence set up between the sink hole and road. Alena Birch inspected the hole and did not find anything magical near the rim while Atticus determined it was between 80ft and 120ft deep. They tied two ropes together, tied them to "Bull" the Oxen, and went down the hole. Atticus pushed Alena Birch and jumped in after her having cast feather fall on the entire party. Tork attempted to climb down by lost his grip and was grateful for feather fall. Rodan Spice demonstrated his skill by simultaneously drinking and climbing down the rope. Kale easily climbed down the rope, not even needing to transform into a spider-frog this time!
Searching the wreckage of the Finley family home, Alena Birch discovered necrotic energy emenating from a few different points. Although Atticus did find the Holy Symbol of Sandor carved primatively into the wall, she only felt the necrotic energy emenating from four points under the home. When getting directly over one point and spying a large broken earthen vase, she was suddenly swarmed by a mist that nearly made her lose control before fighting back against it with the help of Artemis. Tork was prepared by his companions to resist such an attack when instead Rodan Spice sucuumbed to this mysterious mist. The entity in Rodan Spice claimed it needed to borrow Rodan Spice so that the the Turnal Tribe which had wronged Sandor could return an idol they made to one of his shrines and be freed from a curse. The party disagreed, and after some spells, some forcing, and some possession of Tork (as well as possession of Rodan Spice by the young boy Tommy who had died at the farm), the entites retreated and allowed the party to retrieve the hidden idol (a piece of rounded driftwood with three black gems arranged in an equilateral triangle). With this treasure retrieved, the party climbed back up their rope (Alena Birch had briefly during the encounter been able to get "Bull" to pull the rope out of reach of the possessed Rodan Spice using speak with Animals and shouting), and made their way back to the Greton Bar and Inn for the evening. The story will continue the following morning on Caldra 4, 2597.
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