([Completed] Corvin/Mordred/Kasper Adventure 1): Battleaxe Gang

[archolewa]

Astrid takes the weapon with shaking hands. She runs her fingers along hilt of the weapon, feeling the strands of hair woven the guard. She takes a deep shuddering breath, and holds the blade balanced across her lap. She looks blankly down at it, her fingers gently tracing the hilt.

What's your next step?

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin looks at Mordred and Sebastian. "Where's left to check? Just the pit I think?" he shudders "Then we need to return Kasper's body to the church and deal with the prisoners..." he pauses for a second before continuing "...I suppose the pit might be one way to deal with the priestesses body."

[archolewa]

"It'd be the least that witch deserves," says Astrid in a soft, bitter voice.

Sebastian looks uneasy. "I do not like the idea of the robbing the Mother Earth of the body of any of Her children, even one as corrupted as that."

"And what about my parents?" snaps Astrid. She shivers, and clutches her head. "They're never going back to earth."

"Yeah, I know," says Sebastian. His lips tighten, a rare display anger from the Druid. He takes a deep breath, and pats Astrid on the shoulder. "We need to get you out of here. You've been too long gone from sunshine."

[shaidar]

Corvin

"Let's check out the pit."

He heads back over to the pit to see if he can trigger the trap with the long spear.

[archolewa]

Astrid shakes her head, her lips pale. "I, I can't..."

Sebastian patted her hand. "Let Corvin and Mordred investigate. They're the warriors anyway. Here let me study your hand a bit more. See if I can find some way to ease the pain, at least."

Corvin and Mordred make their way to the pit. It is only then that they realize that Geraint is gone. Kasper's body lay near the pit, his hands folded over his chest, and his holy symbol clutched in his cold, stiff hands.

Corvin spends some time pushing on the pit with the spear. It gives a bit 1d20+14 = 29 > 20, and he is able to push one side of the false door open, though it springs back into place as soon as he lifts pressure. Every time he does so, the putrid smell of rotting flesh assails his and Mordred's nostrils, and a deep chill pierces their bones. Something vaguely humanoid, but pale and lurching crouches at the base of the pit, gnawing the bones of the skeletons that had fallen in. Every time the door opens, the creature hisses and leaps at them, long, wicked claws flailing uselessly at the air. The pit is far too deep for the creature to reach them 1d20+14+1(Arcane Lore) = 22 > 20. Mordred recognizes the creature as a ghoul.

[shaidar]

{Corvin}

Corvin shudders and looks away "How do you kill a creature like that? But my immediate concern is Geraint. If he's done a runner, then we need to check on our prisoners upstairs."

[archolewa]

Corvin and Mordred go upstairs to take stock. Six of the dozen perfume bottles are missing, as is the bandit who had surrendered, and they'd left tied up in the kitchen. However, Hrek and the other bandit (one of the men Hrek had recruited yesterday) are unharmed. Hrek, still securely bound, glares at the two when they peak into his room, while the other man looks at them fearfully.

[shaidar]

Corvin

On realising that Geraint has left with his friend he sighs. "I hope he goes far away and uses the money to set himself up with a new life, and we see neither of them again. We need to get Astrid out of here, and then return Kasper to the church." he looks directly at Hrek "And what do we do with this one, and the other. Hand them in to the authorities, or something else..." he leaves the thought hanging in the air for a few seconds "...after what happened here, somebody needs to pay."

[archolewa]

May 16 AR 1

Corvin helps Astrid up the stairs and into the morning light, while Sebastian and Mordred bring up Kasper's body, and lay it out on the kitchen table. The two dogs trot down the stairs, nuzzling at Corvin and Sebastian. They tense briefly when seeing Astrid, but a reassuring sound from Sebastian is all they need to bound up and nuzzle her. Astrid smiles faintly as their wet noses bump against her hands and legs.

Astrid blinks, and shields her eyes from the morning light as Corvin leads her out of the tower. Her eyes hold a distant, hollow look.

As they come into the sunlight, Corvin gets hit with a sledgehammer of exhaustion. It was only yesterday morning that he and Mordred had begun their pursuit of Hrek, and other than a few scattered hours here or there while on watch duty, neither of them has slept much.

Sebastian steps up next to Corvin. "How do you want to get Kasper to the Church? Can't really--"

"No!" says Astrid, her voice hoarse, and her eyes wide with panic. She holds her left hand tight against her chest, massaging it as if it aches. "No church. Please. I can't go there. They'll, they'll think me a heretic."

"If the two of you would like," says Sebastian, nodding to both of them. "I can show you to the Grove, Astrid, while you, Corvin, and Mordred take Kasper to the Church. We could meet at the Stolid Soldier this afternoon. Of course, that still leaves the question of how you want to get Kasper there."

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin pats Astrid on the shoulder to try and calm her.

"I think showing Astrid the Grove is a wonderful idea, while we take care of poor Kasper. Let us wrap him in a bedsheet. Maybe one of the locals we spoke last night knows someone with an old hand cart or the like."

He does his best to push his exhaustion away, Jasper must rest first.

[archolewa]

As if on cue, Elise and Charles, the eldest children in the family that Corvin, Mordred and Kasper saved last night, come bounding up.

"I can't believe it!" says Elise. "You came out. Are you ok? Are the bad guys all dead?"

Elise sobers when Corvin explains his need for a cart and blanket.

"Ohh, that's not good," says Elise. "Grandpa says that so long as the Seer is unconscious, no one can become clerics. But we will find you a cart. One minute!"

Elise and Charles run off.

Corvin and Astrid exchange a hug, before Sebastian (plus the dogs) guides Astrid towards the outskirts of the city.

Not long after Astrid and Sebastian are out of sight, the children return with a handcart.

"Don't worry, we'll keep a close eye on the tower," says Elise. "Let you know if anyone else comes in."

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin smiles at the children "Thank you, we will bring the cart back once Kasper is home."

He casts a look towards Mordred

"Help me wrap him and get him on the cart. What do we tell the church? The truth, or something about thugs and thieves? Whatever we say, I would like to keep Astrid's name out of it."

[Edeldhur]

Mordred

“Agreed - lets keep Astrid’s name out of it. Perhaps we can say Kasper was a victim of a robbery that went awry, and leave out the specifics of the battleaxe gang’s involvement.” - Mordred suggested.

[shaidar]

Corvin

"Agreed. What about Hrek and the other one? Do we turn them in as thieves?"

[Edeldhur]

Mordred

(Sorry shaidar, I think I changed my mind )

"On a second thought, is there any reason not to tell the Church what we have uncovered? It would be better to say the truth I think. We can still leave Astrid out of our recount, and make no mention of her" - Mordred paused for a second.

"And agreed, the other two we deliver to the guard"

(Want to make sure to tie up the other one.)
(@shaidar - did we interrogate Hrek? Do we want/need to?)

[shaidar]

Corvin

"I must admit I do not like the idea of lying to the church. It depends on whether we want to keep the tower, and that lab, for ourselves. If we tell the truth then we may lose it. If that is acceptable then we should make sure we have removed anything we want to keep for ourselves, and consider giving some to the folk around here as compensation for what happened."

I'm pretty sure they are both tied up. Nobody has spoken to Hrek. We could do that, and take anything, before we go to the church.

[Edeldhur]

Mordred

"We can always argue with the Church we have settled in, and are making sure the place is thoroughly cleaned out" - Mordred considered - "Unless they write up some sort of formal claim to it, I don't think they can just 'take it over', can they? We close the door, lock it, and keep the key" - he chuckled.

I am in favor of interrogating Hrek - who hired him? Vane? is he aware of any contact for the priestess? how was he getting paid (was it Vane?)? How did he contact Vane in the first place? Where could Vane's accomplice (was it Helda?) have run off to?

[shaidar]

Corvin

"Once they hear of a church to the Kinslayer in the basement, I am sure that at the very least they will want to check it is safe, but they may be required to report it to the authorities."

[Edeldhur]

Mordred

"You might be right" - Mordred admitted - "But I am not sure we can get all the things out of there beforehand"

[shaidar]

Corvin

"Your right, but the money plus any jewellery and magic at least. Do you want to speak to Hrek before we go to the church?"



There is a moonstone necklace that Corvin took for safekeeping, plus the potion and the clay jar. Mordred has the sword and Corvin the bracers. We need to push the idea that if we moved in then we could keep and eye on the place. It probably best to leave the robe on the priestess.