DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Fantasy SKT: The Storm King's Thunder 3X-Leaving Calling Horns

Sindar

The red-headed half-elf stands back and watches. He has always been partial to freshly baked breads, but would wait and see how Zhu does before trying his own hand at opening up discussions.

Aubric

Aubric remains within earshot of the rest of the party, but slowly browses around some of the nearby stalls.

Kriv

His was a supporting brief, and he stuck to the letter of that for the time being, letting Zhu focus the search.

DM

The woman greets Zhu with a brief smile and says, "Everything is for sale and we have an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables." Zhu can see baskets of apples, cherries, peaches, pears and plums. Also there are cucumbers, cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce and squash.

"Would you like a sack? It's free if you buy a two pounds."

Zhu

She smiles and nods. "Certainly. Let me have some of your fruit." She chooses those fruits that stay fresh longest. As the woman sorts them into the sack she says, "Might I ask you something about your village?"

DM

She collects the fruit as Zhu picks them out, weighs each and records the information on a slate tablet. As she works she answers Zhu, "Sure. What do you want to know?"

Zhu

"Well, everyone seems happy now, but I felt a completely different environment when we arrived last night. We were warned not to go out after dark and when we went to drop something off at the tower this morning I could see that all the windows are bricked up. What is that all about?"

DM
She looks away from Zhu and simply sighs as she continues to weigh the fruit.

OOC: Please provide a persuasion roll. Note that passive insight of 10 makes it clear that she's uncomfortable talking about the matter.

DM

She hesitates and moves away at first and then comes back, facing away from Zhu, as if not talking to her and whispered, "We give the town to the Hunt Lords at night."

Zhu

"Why? What do they do with it? Who are they?" She asks.

DM

"Do with it? The town? If they come out, that's when they come out. And they are the Hunt Lords? Did you come here without knowing? They are hunters, wizards, unholy priests, I don't really know about these things. We all try and stay out of their way. Hunters like you come here for their challenges from all over."

Zhu

"Sure, but do they hunt townsfolk? That seems awfully strange. Hunters hunt game, not people."

DM

"We are their subjects and they do not see a need to harm us. But to say they do not hunt people? Some say that people are exciting prey."

Zhu

"Innocent people? Random people? No. Villains and criminals, sometimes. I suppose its enough to discuss with them." She looks at the brooding tower nearby. "Why have they bricked up all the windows, do you know?" The fact they seem to only be active at night is a clue, but it can't hurt to ask.

She glances at the others to see if they want to ask other folks similar questions.

Kriv

The noble stood impassively watching. The one avenue of inquiry he would be best suited to press, namely that of his social peers, could well tip their hand early or require a degree of obligation that would hinder hostile endeavours. As for the locals... the massive, towering dragonborn looked around at the squirming mass of little humans trying to eke out a living, emotional undercurrent almost palpable, and most definitely olfactible. (Not that he found the aroma of human particularly agreeable to begin with.) He was enough of a realist to know that, as much as he could be eloquent in persuasion, his imposing presence was unlikely to make the cowed smallfolk be more forthcoming.

Kriv caught Zhu's glance and returned it with a slight nod. This was very much the Eladrin's show, the Eladrin's obligation, and she was pursuing it with all due diligence, which was in turn duly recognised. For now, the eldritch knight maintained a watching brief, seeing if anything out of the ordinary would occur in response to their inquiries.

(OOC - OK, just trying to give Sindar and Pavel Aubric a chance to act.)

Ooc: Pavel with other group

[ooc: As much as I am playing the bard, she covered the items we needed to discuss. As a Player, I don't expect them to answer in a meaningful way. I know if I were the big vampire lord, I wouldn't let the peasants remember anything about me either. If another set of rolls is useful, I'm happy to do so to game the system.]

Kriv investigation
AJ rolled 1d20+3 and got 15

The Dragonborn was indeed keeping his eyes open, if not his heart.

(OOC - OK, funny. Her bonus to both Intimidation and Persuasion is +8 and so I rolled both just in case. Coincidentally......

Zhu Persuasion, Intimidation
Zeim rolled d20,d20 and got 17, 17
Totals: 25, 25)

ooc: I actually wrote the "original" dice roller decades ago LOL.

DM

The four heroes make their way through the street and learned more than they expected. Many of the vendors believed that the dragonborn, eladrin, elf and half-elf were a group of hunters here in town for a hunt. While no lies were told to the locals, it seemed prudent, as they investigated, to not correct their misinterpretations.

They learned that most of the village consisted of stone cottages and stables nestling among trees. The village was named after long-dead hunter who once lived in the keep. Most of folks that populated Noanar’s Hold are foresters who make their living hunting game in the High Forest. This consists mainly of deer, bear, and boar, although many smaller furred creatures and forest fowl are also brought home for the table.

The foresters also earn good money guiding wealthy thrill seekers from Waterdeep, Neverwinter, Everlund, and Silverymoon who want to hunt boar, elk, bear, and owlbears in the Forest. That is the primary outside interest in the town. After some digging it also became clear that traditional hunters came less frequently than they did in centuries past.

Thrill seekers that came here now typically were rich and fewer cared about normal game. The Hunt Lords provided more challenging hunts than villagers could offer. There was such a hunt this morning but those hunters have not yet returned. Apparently there was a large bet between the groups. They were competing to see who would return with the most giant heads. The locals don't know the details but they know that there was a pre-dawn gathering in back of the Hunt Lord's Keep where the rules were outlined and from where the hunting parties started.

When asking specifics about the hunt lords themselves, folks were very reticent to discuss. Zhu's persuasion broke through that and she learned that they've been in Noanar's Hold for a very long time (some guess nearly two centuries). All five were human, but the locals don't find that odd. The Hunt Lords mostly leave them alone. The Hunt Lords also don't allow any of them to leave the village.

There were names uttered. Mortalos, Brevin, Cryxlaw, Darvon and Erto. Those were the names.

ooc: I need a history rolls from each of you. Might as well be giving