Jarlyn’s place

We wake up and head to Bob and Chad’s  but after searching around don’t find anyone. We even look in house and don’t find anyone. Perrol does use mage sight and finds a magical spot in one wall but we leave it alone. Kross does some tracking on the outside and sees a heavy set of footprints that head towards the stable and ends and a ligher set that goes to the woods to a central area. We head off to the Temple and as we arrive we notice a lot of loiterers in the temple district; mostly mothers with children. All appear nervous, we believe it’s possibly related to the disappearing families. We go to talk to Aldus Mannus, but we are stone-walled by one of the lower priest. A Favored of Kilbern happens to come by and goes to get Aldus. He comes back and says it will be 15 minutes. As we are waiting, Methius comes by and takes us to Aldus. We ask if there is any news of the missing families. He says there have been more families including a merchant family whose father was an “up and coming star”. There was no signs of forced entry, not shouts in the night, etc. We discuss and decide we should go to search the house; Aldus Mannus likes that idea. He goes back to the desk and writes something on parchment and seals it. He says this may help us gain favor in entering the building. We leave and on the way the initiate that was stonewalling us finally notices the boon and recognition dawns. We arrive at the guard station to get permission and we provide the letter to a clerk. She takes it back to an office and we hear some consternation, but once the letter is shown, whoever it is caves. They come out and a young man is directed to take us to the house. We arrive and before we enter, Perrol does magesight and I do detect evil. The only thing Perrol detects is the ring on the guards finger and I detect nothing. Glaive checks the lock and doesn’t see any tampering or anything. Kross checks tracks and notices two heavy tracks that are partially obliterated, at least a day old. We go in and Ghoral will notice that the house has things that indicate someone that was starting to “make it” but not rich yet. We start looking around. Perrol notices on a dresser that something was grabbed and it looks like claw marks. He also notices something wedged between the mattress and headboard; it’s a bag with some type of dark grayish/black powder in it and faint odor. He does magesight and detects trace magic. I take a look and it seems to have base components of potions/powders to put people to sleep. Perrol also notices a section of wall that’s not normal; a stone not quite right. He checks it and it moves, but guard comes in so Perrol stops.  Glaive also notices 5 wooden blocks that are of Ulronai origin. She decides to “repatriate” it. The guard doesn’t notice. After guard leaves, Perrol pulls out the rock and finds a pouch that jingles and a ledger. He opens the bag and finds coins, 30 silver and 10 gold, and 2 gems . He looks at the log and finds it’s his business log. We don’t find anything else. Perrol give the money to the guard and lets him know that it’s counted. When we leave, the guard is nervous and would like us to take him back because of the back. Perrol and I tell the others what we found. Perrol thinks the claw marks may be Orc or Goblin. Glaive tells us what she found and that it’s a children’s toy. We go back to follow the tracks and Kross picks up. It seems to be going to the merchant district. The tracks diasppear near a Locksmith shop; it appears they may have gone in here. Perrol notices that this shop belongs to Gnorm the Gnome, a well respected locksmith that’s a little kooky. He’s not a master locksmith but is best in town. He does low-level magic locks too. We decide to go in and the bell rings when we enter. We hear someone say “just a minute”. The big door will open and a gnome on stilts comes out and get’s behind the counter. Perrol says we’ve heard of his good reputation and are interested in some locks. He says he’s had quite the run on them lately. He pulls back the curtain to show us his stock. Glaive and Perrol notice that the locks aren’t very good.  While he’s talking, I do detect evil and Perrol does magesight. I detect evil above us, there are stairs up before me. It’s one blob of evil - humanoid. I ask what is upstairs, more stock? He says it’s his apprentice and his living quarters. Perrol detected magic behind the big door  (lets me know).  I ask “You don’t have the apprentice helping you?” and he says he is out of town visiting family. We ask if he thinks the run on the locks has anything to do with the missing families. He says we are the 4th person to mention that to him. Perrol notices that he is lying, nervous, guilt-ridden. Perrol uses a presence attack on the Gnome and tells him to stay calm and he won’t get hurt. Glaive signals to Kross to get Ghoral and come in. I activate my “Shield of the Faithful” successfully and go defensive. I notice that something is dropping towards me from above and I let everyone know; it’s a dwarf. He misses me. Glaive moves in to attack from behind to do a disabling move. Hits him in the back for 7 body. Her next attack hits in the vitals for 9 damage. He drops.  Perrol prepares to grab Gnorm. The gnome pisses his pants….

We earn 1 XP. We break for the evening.

We pick up where we left off….

Perrol tells the guards that he has a healing potion that he would like to give the Regeant Mother and one okays it. After she is given it, she appears to be slightly better, but still unconscious. Perrol does a detect magic and sees a little bit of magic, under the desk, by the door, and about knee height on the bookshelf, and of the course the Regeant Mother’s belongings. I do detect evil but don’t detect any. Perrol goes to look at the magic item on the bookshelf and moves all the books around it. He does a security systems check. He does notice a button but it’s not magical. We ask one of the guards if the buttons look familiar and he says there are rumors of secret passages throughout the palace. An honor guard comes and takes the captain. He says he would like the Regeant Mother to be out of the room before we press any of the buttons. A couple minutes later, she starts to stir. I examine her and it appears she has a severe concussion, but she is stable and can be moved. One of the guards steps out and then returns with four guards and a gurney. They take her away and two guards plus the guy we are talking to stay. Ghoral presses the button and there is reverberation to his left. He pushes on the bookshelf but nothing happens. Perrol checks out the books and he pulls them out. It looks like there is metal loops to the back that were holding them in (the button released them). There is a lid on the books and Perrol opens it and sees four little boxes that are magical. He pulls one out and it looks like it opens. He opens it and sees an earring/earplug shape and a little “dot” like what we saw on the windowsill. Perrol opens the other three and finds the same three. The guard says the Regeant Mother would have his hide if this wasn’t catalogued and investigated by the intelligence division.

About 10 minutes after the Regeant Mother leaves Julliene shows up with two non-military types. Perrol says “recognize these?” and we tell her about the one we found in the window and what we found out from the mages. She tells us the Regeant is expected to make a full recovery and she will want to talk to us in a couple days (most likely). She relays what she knows about what happened. We fill her in on details including our knowledge of the shadow. We ask if a wizard would be able to tell where the glyph might have transported the Lord Marshall. As we are getting ready to leave, a man in robes will enter the room and approach Julliene and say he heard the Regeant Mother was attacked by a magical creature. Julliene says yes but the situation is in hand and his services aren’t needed. Julliene’s aides are roping off the desk. She lets the guy know that the body of the man that was the creature has been put in a holding cell and will be examined by a priest and mage; he can be that mage if he has this expertise. Then she tells him she will be for a long time cateloguing everything in the room.

One of the soldiers escorts us out and we go back to the inn. The soldier continues to walk with us and buys us a drink. He says if we need anything, he doesn’t have much pull but will help how he can (for help saving them). Then he takes his leave after we thank him. We go up to the room to get the listening device and right when Ghoral takes it off and both Perrol and I realize at the same time that it’s a short range device. I look out and see a different guy sitting in that chair the old guys was in and he’s fiddling with his ear. I motion for Glaive and Perrol to come out of the room and tell them. We decide that Kross and Ghoral will stay in the room and we go out. As we walk out, we see him trying to walk around non-chalantly to apparently look at the window. He sees us walk out and mis-steps; starts to turn around to walk away. I ask him a question and he ignores, so we take off after him at a run and he breaks in to run at the same time. Glaive yells that he’s running and Kross gets a shot out the window with a blunt arrow (x2). He hits him twice in the back, but he only stumbles slightly. Glaive reaches him first and grabs him around the thighs. Perrol reaches him next but misses trying to grab him. Kross tries to shoot two blunt arrows again and hits him in the shoulder and the head and he drops. I get there do paramedics and can tell he has a mild concussion. We search him and don’t the ear piece, but we find it on the ground. We motion for Kross and Ghoral to come down. We head towards the house he had been out and see lights on. Perrol and Ghoral go the house and peer in and see a woman knitting. Kross gets on the roof on the opposite of the street from the house. Glaive and I go in the alley with the guy. Kross talks in normal voice and says there appears to be someone in the upstairs of the house from his vantage point. Perrol hears, since he has his special earrings in. Ghoral and Perrol knock on the door of the house. Perrol hears the lady say, “honey can you get that?” A guy peeks out the door and then opens. Perrol tells them that the guy that was on their porch had an accident and we will take him to the guy. He says we should go tell the town guards since they were the ones casing someone. Perrol asks if one of the town guards are upstairs and he steps back and says that’s their son. We say okay and decide to go, but Perrol listens after the door is shut. He hears the guy asking his wife to check on their son. We decide that Perrol, Glaive, and Ghoral will stay with the prisoner while Kross and I go to the castle to tell Julliene. They bound and gag the guy. As we are walking, Kross notices that we are being followed about 1/2 block back by one guy; he lets me know. We get to the gates and we let them know we would like to speak to Julliene. They get a page and he starts walking us in. Kross notices that the guy is still following us but doesn’t come through the gate. He also notices that one of the guards sees the follower and he notes something in a book. We get to the Lord Marshall’s room and the let us in. We see Julliene and three minions with the third one looking like the one that was following us. She beats us to the punch and lets us know that a cart will be sent to pick up the guy. We ask if anything discovered, but nothing really. In the mean time, Perrol notices a guy across the street watching them and the breathing of the prisoner has changed. We arrive back with the wagon. Perrol tells us about the guy across the street and the minion with us waves him in. The prisoner is awake now and seems to be a little freaked with all of us around. We asked them to let us know what they find out about him and they take him away. We head back to the inn and sleep.

We all earn one hero point

As the Mother Reagant comes out with Julliene behind, the guards got to one knee and bow. She asks the guards to leave with the exception of the Captain. She asks us to sit and she sits as well. We learn that Julliene was unconscious in the room too. Julliene says she surpised whoever was there (Bob) but not for long. Julliene asks us again who is our friend. She says from talking to the Priests of Hospin, someone matching his description has been going to the temple for the past 150-200 years. The captain asks why we were coming to the castle and we give him our story. I say we should go ask the Lord Marshall what he was wanting with us. The Reagant Mother agrees and asks the Captain to get his guards. Perrol says the Reagant Mother should check on her son first and she sends Julliene to “secure” him. During idle chatter, we mention that we learned from one of the Upright Man that the contract out on Perrol was from the Lord Marshall; the Reagant Mother will have Julliene check this out.

We head out following the guards, Reagant Mother, and the Captain.As we get to the outskirts of the castle, a lot of the people seem to be surprised (in a happy way) to see the Reagant. We notice one maid (Julliene) who nods to the Reagant Mother and walks off. We continue walking towards the Lord Marshall’s library/meeting area.When we get there, the Captain opens the doors and walks in. We hear the Lord Marshall say “Captain what is…” and then more guards go in followed by the Reagent Mother. He says, “My lady, how may I help you”. In the mean time, the rest of the guards come in and we enter last. Two guards stay outside the dooors. The Reagant Mother says “we just wanted to visit and ask a couple questions.” They make small talk about goings on around town while she was sick for about 10 minutes. She asks about her son. The she says, “Since you seemed interested in meeting these five, I brought them along. Please go ahead and discuss your business with them.” Glaive notices that the Lord Marshall’s mouth was imperceptibly moving and lets me know. I discreetly do a detect evil and he shows as extremely evil and there is something extremely evil about 10 feet below him and the Reagant Mother. I let Perrol and Glaive know about the evil. Glaive starts to lean over to tell one of the guards, but we are suddenly shrouded in darkness.

Glaive draws her weapon and we hear a male scream in the middle of the room. Perrol holds. Kross pulls out his sword and holds. I use my Opal’s Holy Light and miss by one but use a hero point; there is light. We see the Captain of the guard on the ground white as a sheet with a Shadow over him and looking down on the Reagant Mother. Perrol pulls his sword and Glaive moves directly behind the Shadow. She attacks and hits by 5 in thigh for 6 damage. The shadow screeches. I run towards the Lord Marshall. We see an evil smile on the Lord Marshall’s face and his hands are under his desk. We hear a “klunk” coming from the door. The Reagant Mother gets up and gets behind me and says, “Those with magical weapons, get the creature, and those with non-magical weapons, string up the Lord Marshall.” Post segment 12 recoveries.

The shadow turns around and attacks Glaive - misses. Glaive attacks; first attack hits DCV 12 in chest for 5 damage, second attack hits DCV 7 and misses. Ghoral attacks and hits DCV8 and misses. The Lord Marshall yells something at me and points at me but nothing happens. Perrol closes in on the Shadow and attacks, hits DCV of 8 which misses, but uses hero point to hit DCV of 9; hits left foot for 7 body. Kross hits DCV of 10 in arm for 8 body. I get behind the Shadow and hit DCV of 8; hits in left leg for 10 body. Three of the guards surround the Lord Marshall, one draws his sword and stays by Reagant Mother, one is moving towards the captain, the last pounds on door. The shadow attempts presense attack on me and impresses me. He attempts a sweeping attack on Ghoral, Glaive, and me but misses me. Glaive and Ghoral notice that the Lord Marshall dunks behind his desk; Ghoral lets us know. Glaive attacks the shadow and hits DCV 7 in shoulder for 2 damage (seems to have no affect) and second attack hits DCV 11  in leg for 2 damage. Ghoral hits DCV 9 in chest for 10 body and it wails. Perrol attacks the shadow hits DCV of 8 in the vitals for 6 damage and it screeches. Kross attacks hits DCV of 4 and misses. I hit DCV of 10 in right arm for 13 body on first attack and second attack I hit DCV of 8 in the chest for 10 body. We see the three guards stabbing under the desk. The shadow floats through people to get at the Reagant Mother. It reaches towards her head and a nimbus forms around her but the claws get through and she gets a deeo slash across her face and she drops.  Glaive moves behind the Shadow and hits DCV of 6 in the shoulder for 3 damage; second attack hits DCV of 9 in the legs for 8 damage. The holy body is smoking and it’s wailing. Ghoral closes in and attacks but misses. The Shadow is attacking the Reagent Mother again Ghoral aborts to block but just misses but he uses a hero point and does block. I’m enraged due to the Reagant Mother being hurt (innocent).  Glaive attacks and hits DCV of 7 in the shoulder for 7 damage and it shrieks, shrinks down and turns in to the body of the guard back in Wickshine.  Perrol yells at the guards that we attacking the Lord Marshall to find out what is going on and they say a black shadow drops across the desk and they can’t stab through it. Perrol and Kross hold and Perrol tells them to move. I move over to the Reagant Mother and perform paramedics. I can tell she’s breathing shallowly, so still alive.  Perrol moves over to desk and hits at the shadow and hits DCV of 7 for 5 damage. Kross moves over to desk attacks and does 6 damage. Ghoral moves to the desk and attempts to smash it but misses. Glaive moves over to the door. Ghoral attacks the desk again and hits but only does 3 damage. Perrol looks under desk for a latch, doesn’t see anything. Perrol and Kross attempt teamwork but miss. They are trying to lift the desk, doesn’t work. I’m going to heal on the Reagent Mother but I’m taking extra time. Glaive performs security systems and notices a book out of alignment so she pulls it and the door unlock. We hear a whoosh and the black curtain dissipates. Perrol bends down and sees a big button under the desk and there appears to be a glyph in the floor that’s dissipating. End Combat. I heal the Reagent Mother for 10 body and the deep gash on her head/face closes to only a scar. Perrol recognizes the glyph had something to do with travel.

We gain one xp. Ghoral gets one hero point for his actions to save the Reagant Mother.