Nessey's dream:

You are standing on a dark road with looming trees on either side. Bright moonlight shines overhead. In front of her, a hooded figure is hastening away along the road. You follow, but, try as you might, you do not seem to be able to catch up. Finally, a cloud crosses the bright moon and the figure stops and turns towards you. You stop as, bathed in red light, the figure draws back its hood revealing - a blank face. You wake up with a gasp, shivering.

Yoshi's notes

Running

HP: 19

Cash: 50 GP towards charter

Trail rations: 5 GP.

Inn stay: 5 sp.

Meals: 6 sp.

Date

8/26/2004

17th year of the reign of King Kevin.

Eleventh day of "July". Morning.

Weather is somewhat overcast.

Characters

Carric Dendreu - Male Aasimar Druid 1 (with eagle Tan-kurun)

Caelesti - Female Feytouched Rogue 1

Lady Lyonessey "Nessey" Lavena Rowana - Female Aasimar Aristocrat 1

Yoshi - Male Human Monk 2

Introduction

After some debate, we come to an agreement that our name should be "Weapons of Good", and that our nominal leader is Carric.

At Nessey's house the next morning, she recounts a dream she had. "I was standing on a dark road, and there was the big evil trees looming over me from either side blocking out the light. Above the trees, there was a blinding moonlight. In front of me, I saw a hooding running away, along the road. I chased after the hooded figure; it runs in and out between the trees and up and down the path and over the hill. I can't catch the figure. Then a cloud crossed in front of the moon, blotting out the light, and the figure stops and turns towards me. Suddenly I'm bathed in red light, The figure draws back its hood revealing a blank face!"

Yoshi says, "This sounds important. I cannot say more."

We go to register our charter.

Trevor says, "You're back! Have you decided on your group name and leader?"

Carric says, "I have been chosen as leader."

"What is the name of your group?"

"'Weapons of Good' is our group name."

We give our full names and complete the registration process.

Trevor goes into the back room for about 20 minutes, and returns with a parchment, with the group name, leader, and members on it, as an officially chartered adventuring company, in this duchy and kingdom, and hands it to Carric.

Carric asks if there are bounties for arresting evildoers. Trevor says there is no duchy-wide system of bounties.

Yoshi says, "We should go back to Father Cathal to learn what he wished for us to do."

"Father Cathal, we have registered our charter, as you suggested."

"Very good. Now that you have done so, I have two things to tell you. I was going to report on your observations of the ritual and its results; and, I was going to tell you the name that Meaghan had revealed about the kidnapping plot. Which would you care for first?"

Carric says, "I guess the name would be of interest."

"Meaghan said that the man that was going to show up to pick up the ransom was Corum Trimble. She said he was a man from some village in the north; she didn't seem to know where exactly. When we asked what he looked like, she smirked. 'Last time I saw him, he was 5'6", had a well-trimmed beard, brown hair, round face, and a floppy hat.' We asked for further particulars, but she was not particularly forthcoming."

"Regarding the ritual you observed of the falling star from the bane moon, our astrologer thought that that was interesting indeed. He had not observed this, but didn't really know what to make of it. Sounds very suspicious, but without communing with a god we are unlikely to learn more."

Yoshi asks, "Do you suppose that the parchment we found might tell us where to find this man?"

"Well, if you had given us this parchment earlier, we may have been able to learn more about it."

"Is not Meaghan still in custody?"

"She is; we can speak with her. For that matter, Fiona is still available, but she may not wish to speak with you."

Caelesti says, "She may wish to speak with me!"

Yoshi says, "How?" Caelesti winks at him.

Father Cathal says, "Hmm. I'm wondering if I should go question Meaghan or we should go question Meaghan. Perhaps I should go, since some of you are ... volatile."

Nessey says, "Perhaps Yoshi and Carric should go with you, and Caelesti and I will stay here."

So, Father Cathal leads the men deeper into the temple, to a section with a row of little cells with two guards standing in the hall. Father Cathal says, "Please bring out the prisoner Meaghan."

We go to a room, and the guards bring in a surly woman we recognize. She looks at Yoshi and Carric and frowns and snarls.

"Well, Meaghan, you've told us a lot of the dastardly plot you were involved in. Fortunately for you, you have cooperated well. I have a few more questions that have come up on the basis of some more information I have learned. Do you care to continue cooperating?" Meaghan subtly nods. "Very well."

"You were captured in a crypt by these people. When they were searching they found this parchment. Is this yours?"

She looks at it. "Not mine."

"Do you know an Old Nell at Oakrille?"

Meaghan eyebrows rise slightly. "No."

Carric says, "We know something about this Old Nell, and I think you do too."

"Tell me what you know!"

"Is this Fiona's handwriting?"

"I don't send or receive notes from Fiona. I don't recognize her handwriting. When I want to see Fiona, I go to her bar. Who is this person?"

Father Cathal says, "We are questioning you, Meaghan."

Carric says, "Have you been to Oakrille?"

Meaghan answers evasively several time, but Carric catches her. Finally, she says, "I have not been to Oakrille. I have not seen any Old Nell person."

"How about Carey?"

"I have never been to Oakrille! Is Carey in Oakrille?"

Father Cathal reminds her again, "Meaghan, we are asking the questions."

"I do not know a Carey."

Yoshi says, "I do not think we will learn more here. Perhaps we should speak with Fiona."

Carric says, "Meaghan, I don't think you have gained any points here."

"I have answered all your questions!"

"Well, consider this, if we find that you have not given us the whole truth, your cooperation will be called into question."

"I have answered all your questions. Can I go now?"

Fathar Cathal chuckles, and says to the guards, "Take her back to her cell."

Carric says, "I noticed she raised her eyebrows when we mentioned Old Nell."

"Yes, that seemed suspicious, but I could not read anything into it."

We go back to the others and summarize the discussion.

Caelesti asks, "Do you believe her?"

"I do not believe her, but we couldn't get anything more out of her."

Carric continues, "I don't think there is any value in talking to Fiona. I don't think she will give us useful information. I think we should make inquiries about this Corum Trimble. He may be well-known in the north."

"Before we proceed, we should find out what Father Cathal recommends. I also don't agree that it's not worth speaking to Fiona, as Caelesti indicates she may be successful."

"So, what do you think, Father Cathal," says Yoshi.

"I think your only lead is Fiona. She will probably be uncooperative, but you may have means that I do not know about."

"But is it right to seek this person?"

"Well, what are your goals?"

Nessey says, "I wish to find out who wanted to kidnap me, and perhaps stop a kidnapping ring."

"Then let us go to Fiona's tavern."

Caelesti says, "We don't want to talk to her around a crowd."

Carric says, "Well, we could get ... friendly with her, then suggest we speak to her in private."

Yoshi says, "Perhaps we can ask for a private room, and ask her to join us there."

Carric says, "I suggest Caelesti try to persuade her to come talk to us in a private room."

We confer about what information we wish to acquire then go to her tavern. We agree we will stand around Caelesti while she ... entreats ... Fiona.

We enter the bar. There are about 1/2 dozen patrons, and Fiona is speaking with one of the patrons. She looks up as we come in, and we attract her full attention as she glares and snarls at us. She gestures to her bouncers who come over, talk with her briefly and approach us, saying, "Go find another tavern. We don't want to serve you."

Yoshi and Caelesti says, "We just want to speak with Fiona." Caelesti says, "Yeah, tell her that."

The bouncers start pushing us; Yoshi stands his ground ("How lawful is that?" God wonders...). "Come on, step outside."

Caelesti casts her Charm spell. Fiona makes her save, and says, "Out! Out!"

We leave.

Yoshi says, as he leaves, "We do wish to speak with her. Please tell her that." "I will."

When we leave, Yoshi says, "Do we wait here until she steps out?"

Carric says, "Well, Caelesti has done her thing for the day."

Yoshi says, "Well, perhaps we should go north and inquire about Corum Trimble to anyone we pass. But we should check with Father Carhal, as he has been concerned about our rash actions in times past."

We talk about piggybacking a second mission. Yoshi is against it, but Caelesti and Nessey are interested. Carric says he saw no advertisements for adventuring.

We go back to Father Cathal. He thinks our plan is not bad. We decide to leave in the morning.

We buy more rations.

[July 12.] We head out the next morning.

On the road, Nessey says, "You know, Yoshi, I want to talk to you about 'fair play'. If other people are not going to play fair, why should we?"

"I am at a loss to answer your query."

"Do you think it's 'fair play' to sneak up on someone, if they're the kind of creature that would sneak up on you?"

"I see no relevance about the kind of creature; we must uphold our own standards. If the situation warrants, we do not have to walk blindly forth and expose ourselves unnecessarily."

On occasion, we meet wagons on the road, and inquire about Corum. No one has heard of him.

Around midday, a rider comes forth. We hail him. He gives Nessey a double-take.

"Greetings travelers. Returning North so soon?" he says, looking at Nessey. "Did you not just leave? You left the inn just up north [the Golden Cockerel] this morning! I saw you in the common room last evening, and saw you heading north this morning!"

Yoshi introduces himself, and says, "This is Lady Nessey of Rowansmeade. We left with her this morning from Rowansmeade. Perhaps you saw someone who looked like her?"

"She called herself 'Nessey'. She left with a man this morning, tall, thin face, long gray beard."

Nessey asks, "What is your name, sir?"

"I am Vaughan."

Carric asks, "Did the traveler give his name?"

"Not to me."

"And they headed north."

"Yes."

"Were they walking or riding."

"Walking. Well, I must be on my way."

"Wait, do you know Corum Trimble?"

"I may have heard the name, but I don't really know."

We discuss this development for a while, and, making no conclusion, decide to continue north.

We approach the inn. We come in to the common room. The keeper looks up, spies Nessey, and does a double take. "Back so soon?"

"I'm really not the person you think you saw! I must have a twin or something! Was this other woman dressed like me?"

"Yes, more-or-less."

Carric says, "And she was traveling with a man? Did he give his name?"

"His name was Alain."

Yoshi says, "Do you know where they left to? I understand they left north."

"I did not ask. You know, now that I see you again, I realize she could not have been you. She was much quieter."

We stay the night.

[July 13.] We ask the innkeeper about Corum Trimble. "Yes, I've met him." We describe what we know about him. "Is that what he looked like?" "No. He is short, ruddy, has a reddish mustache, blue eyes, a floppy."

Carric says, "How often does he come here?"

"Oh, he has a lot of business in Rowansmeade. He's from somewhere up north. This is the north road, after all."

We go another day, and take the Oakrille path.

We camp: Nessey then Carric then Caelesti with Yoshi.

Encounters

During Nessey's watch, she feels her "liver quiver" (succeeds on a Will save). She yells, "Yoshi! Yoshi! I felt something! Wake up!"

We all wake up.

Yoshi, Nessey, and the mule save versus spell. Nessey falls asleep. Yoshi stands up. "Carric! Caelesti! What's going on!" Carric stands up and looks around. Caelesti graps her short sword and leaves the tent. Carric says, "Let's wake up Nessey. She's fallen asleep." We don't hear or see anything.

Yoshi wakes Nessey. "Nessey, what has happened!" "Ahhh! My liver went all quivery and I fell over in a heap and I was unconscious and I don't know what's happening! It's not normal for me; I do not know what's happening." "None of us do."

Carric does something, and bright light appears in the area. Carric looks for tracks, while Nessey and Yoshi look around. No one sees anything, and the light fades after 10 minutes.

Carric tries to detect magic, but finds nothing.

Nessey decides to stay awake for the next watch. Nothing else happens for the rest of the night.

[July 14.] In the morning, Carric determines that a couple individuals were near our campsite last night. It could have been a man and a woman.