(IC 1) The End of the Beginning

[shaidar]

Elwyn

"Very well, I will assist Squish in the shopping expedition."

[beniliusbob]

The party agrees to their plans for the morrow and retires to the Starry Horizon, a travelers' inn across the street from the Oasis. The rates are 5 silver pieces a night, and the lodgings clean and tidy - although they have no more luxuries than bedsheets and chamberpots. The group wakes at dawn and partakes in the innkeep's simple breakfast of tea and griddle cakes before splitting up.

Squish and Elwyn head to the village square, where the day's trade is already bustling. They hear the ringing of Hamiya's forge over the clamour of the peasantry and the braying of animals. A group of soldiers watches over the square as the adventurers make a quick circuit of the available services. In addition to the forge and the general store, they identify other sundries such as a tailor's, a common stable, a jeweler's (guarded by its own squad of soldiers), a carpenter's, and a small temple dedicated to a pantheon of local gods and goddesses.

Meanwhile, Naugrim and Margush head towards the inner gatehouse. The portcullis is raised but the gates are shut, and they are challenged by a group of half a dozen soldiers. "State your business!" one of them demands gruffly. Above, bowmen watch warily from the parapets.

[OGRE MAGE]

Margush looks at Naugrim and shrugs her broad shoulders.

“We seek the quartermaster!”

[Marullus]

Naugrim harums in his throat and steps forward, his voice projecting and clear. "I am Loremaster Naugrim from the Grey Mountains, come to learn and speak what is known of the Citadel. I have come this morning seeking Tusta, that his tale may be known as part of what is told.

[1d20]=20

[shaidar]

Elwyn turns to Squish

"We should visit the temple first. If they have a shrine to Gede I need to pray. We should also see if they have any holy water and how much it costs. We don't want to spend too much elsewhere first and not be able to afford it."

[Rex]

Squish

"Good plan, lets do it."
Squish follows along to the temple.

[beniliusbob]

At the fort

Margush and Naugrim present themselves to the guards.

"Tusta?" says one of the guards, puffing out his chest. "That old blowhard? You don't want to hear his stories! But me, now... I've got proper stories to tell! Why, once, I was up on this cliff, see, and-"

"That'll do," grunts another soldier - apparently an officer, by the plume of yellow feathers in his helmet - and cuts off the first man. "I'll take you to the quartermaster's, but you'll have to leave your weapons here."

With their weapons safely stowed at the gatehouse, the guard officer escorts Naugrim and Margush into the inner courtyard, winding past the base of the great tower itself to a large door burrowed into the raw rock of the hillside. Sitting on a stool with one leg stretched out to its full length and puffing on a pipe is a ruddy-faced soldier with a scraggly grey beard.

"Tusta! These visitors are asking after your mangy hide," the officer says.

"Me?" says Tusta, blinking blearily up at the adventurers. "Well, I hope they've brought some wine - our stores are running dangerously low!"

In the square

Elwyn and Squish pass through the great double doors of the temple. Within, the morning light streams through stained glass windows to illuminate rows of pews and marble statues of gods and goddesses great and small. Elwyn soon locates a shrine to Gede, though it seems most of the offerings have been left for Saint Terragnis and a minor godling of herds and fertility rather than his own patron.

"Good morning, friends," says a short, rotund woman in lightly embroidered vestments of silver. "I bid you welcome to our sanctuary, and pray for peace upon your hearts. I am Maryam, the reverend of this fair temple. How may I serve you?"

Holy water is available and will cost 10 gp per vial.

[OGRE MAGE]

Margush sighs and looks down at her boots after realizing she’s forgotten to bring anything along that might entice some real information out of Tusta.

Then an idea pops into her head. “I can ask to have wine delivered here, but we’ll wait to determine its quality, based on the value of the information you are willing to share with us.”

She looks to the far better spoken Naugrim to begin the questioning.

[Rex]

Squish

50' rope (1gp)
1 vial holy water (10gp)
10 torches (?)
5 flasks oil (5gp)
Grappling hook (2gp)
12 iron spikes (1gp)
Rations, dry, 1 week (10gp)

[shaidar]

Elwyn

"Good morning Maryam. We were looking to purchase some holy water, and take this opportunity to pray to Gede for success in our endeavours." his hand absently grasps his holy symbol.

[Marullus]

Naugrim looks over with surprise and approval at the quicker-thinking Margush, letting his offer of post-payment stand. He asks his questions and listens earnestly to each reply.

"How did your group meet its end?

How did you escape?

How did you go and what did you find?

Did you see evidence of the disease or those transformed?

Did you see any treat or recover from it?

[beniliusbob]

At the fort

Tusta blows out his cheeks and sighs. "Well, you don't have the look of merchants to me, but I'll tell you what I know. Perhaps it can help prevent the sorrows that visited me from visiting you.

"A group of us went there seeking our fortune, and, well... not all of us returned. We'd entered by a back door we discovered on the north side of the ruin, which seemed less likely to be booby-trapped than the grand entrance on the south side. There was a stairwell descending into the bowels of the ruin. In one chamber we examined a great statue of some bull-headed monstrosity, but before we could learn its nature it charged forward and impaled the poor old wizard we'd brought with us. We thought we'd have better luck in another chamber, and found a room with artful pillars... but when my dwarven companion strode towards the end of the hall, he inexplicably burst into flames. That's when we decided it was time to head home and find more gainful employment. But a gust of wind blew out our last torch, and we had to navigate in the dark. Then..." He grimaces and shakes his head. "Something attacked us in the dark. It roared and bellow and lashed out in all directions. I'm sure it was a demon, and huge by the sounds of it. I could hear my companions screaming, but I must admit I simply ran in terror. I banged my knee up good, down there in the dark, but somehow I made it back to the staircase that led back up to the surface."

As for diseases or mutated creatures, Tusta knows nothing, but he remarks that another of his companions, who was accustomed to skullduggery, felt certain they were being watched the whole time they were exploring.

At the temple

Maryam is pleased to sell Squish and Elwyn the holy water, and guides Elwyn to the shrine to Gede so he can offer his prayers.

When they are done in the temple, they visit the local shops to acquire the other supplies on Squish's shopping list.

[Marullus]

Can you help us with the instructions to find the hidden back door?

[OGRE MAGE]

Margush looks sideways towards Naugrim with a concerned expression, glad to see he isn’t as daunted by the man’s frightening story.

“Merchants?”

“Anyway……so there are two entrances, at least, huh? Can you remember anything else about your frightful encounter that you may not have thought about since then……you know……on purpose?”

[beniliusbob]

At the fort

Tusta scratches his chin. "The north entrance isn't hidden - but it's less grandiose than the southern entrance. The Citadel is sunken into a canyon, with most of the structure's eastern side obliterated. You can march around the western side of the ruin to the north end to find the passageway we took.

"As for the beast... try as I might to forget it, I relive that scene every night. I regret to say, there's little more I can tell you."

[Marullus]

Naugrim thanks Tusta and reconvenes with the others. He tells them of the north entrance, the stairs down, the statue of a bull that animated, the pillared room with the fire traps. "Armed with such foreknowledge, the wiser of us can find a method of surmounting those obstacles to get further than they did."

[OGRE MAGE]

Margush also takes her leave.

“We thank you, Tusta. Enjoy your wine.”

Once united with the others.

“I agree. I am ready to give this a try if the rest of you are!”

[beniliusbob]

The party reconvenes in the town square equipped with new knowledge and supplies. The sun has fully risen now and the swelter of the day can already be felt. A small herd of goats is driven past them, bleating madly and stinking to high heaven, while someone across the square shouts about the invigorating effects of fresh pomegranate juice.

What's the plan?

[Rex]

Squish

Head to the ruins now or wait another day?

[OGRE MAGE]

Margush wrinkles up her nose at the goats.

“Let’s go now. We aren’t doing anything else here, and It will be dark inside regardless of when we arrive.”

She takes the lead out of the settlement, plotting a path to take with the others, unless they decide to wait another day.