Session 16.5: A hypothetical arson
General Summary
While the rest of the group are dealing with things in Eidover, Astraea and Andre discover information that could help with the search for Noah so they head off to the small village of Caydun nearby where they have been told to meet with a man called the Sapphire.
She is told that the Sapphire is a man running dubious fronts in and around Caydun and Eidover and that any information that could see him jailed would be worth its weight in gold producing a small bag.
"All you would have to do is put this pin on him and I can do the rest." And Meiorin pulls out an ornate dragon pin. "I will pay you 200 gold if you can do the job."
Astraea and Andre agree to help and take the pin when suddenly the door flies open and a terrified man runs in babbling. Cursing slightly under his breath. Meiorin says farewell and heads downstairs to the man who he tries to calm down. Astraea follows him after hearing the man talking about shadows the dance at the edge of vision and whispering in his mind. When questioned the sheriff dismisses it as the ravings of a mad man but when learning that the barn in the man's babbling is the same one they are meeting the Sapphire in Astraea and Andre head off to look into these shadows. It is the dead of night when they arrive and a slight snow starts to fall softly leaving the world in a blanket of silence. As they head into the barn they are greeted with the sight of 4 half orcs and a small round man who continually pats his forehead with his handkerchief, Andre recognises as him the Sapphire. At first the man is a little suspicious of Astraea but Andre manages to convince him that Astraea is with him. The Sapphire asks if they have brought the 300 gold to pay for his information which infuriates Astraea and as a result she tries to coerce his half orc guards to join Hanurak's army. They refuse on the grounds that their contract isn't up with the Sapphire so Astraea tells them to keep the offer in mind. While she is distracting the guards with promise of better employment Andre puts the dragon pin in the bag of gold before handing the pouch over and receiving a small wooden box the Sapphire and his entourage leave, as Andre opens the box he finds a note that is written and coded in very old dwarvish and could only have come from his brother Noah. As they turn to leave the temperature suddenly drops with their breath hanging in the air. Out of the corner of their eye they both see shadows dancing around them. Astraea hears whispering in her mind and feels an overwhelming compulsion attacks Andre grazing him with a firebolt. Coming to her senses she feels magic around her and thinking it could be the letter they leave it in the barn and swiftly exit. As they leave the shadows follow from the corner of their vision and realising it isn't the letter Astraea lashes out again with fire bolts. She rushes back into the barn to retrieve the letter and, sensing something in the rafters, with a quick flash casts immolation on the shadow which sets the entire roof of the barn ablaze in a flash. As the one shadow burns to dust another shadow stuns Astraea just inside the doorway of the barn. Andre who has been backing away from the quickly burning barn sprints forward and grabs his friend just as the fire begins licking at her heels. Recovering from being stunned Astraea casts storm sphere on another shadow while Andre fires a crossbow bolt hitting it squarely but the bolt goes straight through it. The shadow again tries to take control of their minds but fails and with the blazing barn in front of her and feeling the magic growing from an unknown rage Astraea casts disintegrate on the shadow. With a snap of her fingers the shadow shrieks as it turns to ash and blows away in the breeze.
Turning to face Andre, Astraea sees the nearby villagers running with buckets to try and save the barn and its surrounding buildings. Wearily the two walk back to the tavern and upon entering, see Meiorin at the bar. He looks up as they enter and they approach saying that the pin has been planted on the Sapphire.
"And would either of you know anything about the fire at the barn?" He asks
"No." Says Astraea.
Looking directly at her Meiorin says "So you're telling me you know nothing about a fire that occurred at the same barn you had a meeting at just a half hour ago?"
"That's right but hypothetically speaking if we were to have set fire to a barn it would have been for good reason." Says Astraea.
"Hypothetically speaking," Says Meiorin raising an eyebrow. "and what would this reason be?"
"Well hypothetically speaking if some shadows, that a certain hypothetical sheriff had dismissed as the ravings of man men, had attacked us. That would be a good hypothetical reason to destroy the barn don't you think" Replies Astraea.
Shaking his head in disbelief Meiorin hands over 175 gold. "I'm taking 25 gold off for the hypothetical damage to private property and as a word to the wise I'd would suggest you get out of town before the locals realise it was you that burned down Mr Mcgregor's barn." Drinking the last dregs of his beer he leaves the tavern.
Grabbing the money from the bar Andre and Astraea both leave and head back to Eidover, while camping Andre studies the letter over and over and finally notices a strange gleam on certain parts of it. As the moon peeks through the clouds he sees the words "VORDT LIVES, HELP US." Astraea sees the writing and senses a despair from her friend which seems to grow as each hour passes on their journey back to Eidover.
Arriving at the local tavern, the Bent Copper, the two of them take a seat upstairs and order supper. A friendly waitress brings them their order and says that a man has asked of he could have a word with them. Looking down from the balcony Astraea sees a shadowy figure sitting in the corner of the tavern smoking a pipe. Telling the Waitress to ask the man to join them they continue their meal and the gentleman takes a seat. Introducing himself as the local sheriff, Meiorin he quizzes them on their intentions in town and after being told they are looking for information he offers to help them if they can do him a favour.
"I've learnt you have a meeting with a man called the Sapphire and I would greatly appreciate some help concerning him." Says Meiorin.
"Why would you want help with him." Asks Astraea.
"I've learnt you have a meeting with a man called the Sapphire and I would greatly appreciate some help concerning him." Says Meiorin.
"Why would you want help with him." Asks Astraea.
Meiorin's Dragon Pin
"All you would have to do is put this pin on him and I can do the rest." And Meiorin pulls out an ornate dragon pin. "I will pay you 200 gold if you can do the job."
Astraea and Andre agree to help and take the pin when suddenly the door flies open and a terrified man runs in babbling. Cursing slightly under his breath. Meiorin says farewell and heads downstairs to the man who he tries to calm down. Astraea follows him after hearing the man talking about shadows the dance at the edge of vision and whispering in his mind. When questioned the sheriff dismisses it as the ravings of a mad man but when learning that the barn in the man's babbling is the same one they are meeting the Sapphire in Astraea and Andre head off to look into these shadows. It is the dead of night when they arrive and a slight snow starts to fall softly leaving the world in a blanket of silence. As they head into the barn they are greeted with the sight of 4 half orcs and a small round man who continually pats his forehead with his handkerchief, Andre recognises as him the Sapphire. At first the man is a little suspicious of Astraea but Andre manages to convince him that Astraea is with him. The Sapphire asks if they have brought the 300 gold to pay for his information which infuriates Astraea and as a result she tries to coerce his half orc guards to join Hanurak's army. They refuse on the grounds that their contract isn't up with the Sapphire so Astraea tells them to keep the offer in mind. While she is distracting the guards with promise of better employment Andre puts the dragon pin in the bag of gold before handing the pouch over and receiving a small wooden box the Sapphire and his entourage leave, as Andre opens the box he finds a note that is written and coded in very old dwarvish and could only have come from his brother Noah. As they turn to leave the temperature suddenly drops with their breath hanging in the air. Out of the corner of their eye they both see shadows dancing around them. Astraea hears whispering in her mind and feels an overwhelming compulsion attacks Andre grazing him with a firebolt. Coming to her senses she feels magic around her and thinking it could be the letter they leave it in the barn and swiftly exit. As they leave the shadows follow from the corner of their vision and realising it isn't the letter Astraea lashes out again with fire bolts. She rushes back into the barn to retrieve the letter and, sensing something in the rafters, with a quick flash casts immolation on the shadow which sets the entire roof of the barn ablaze in a flash. As the one shadow burns to dust another shadow stuns Astraea just inside the doorway of the barn. Andre who has been backing away from the quickly burning barn sprints forward and grabs his friend just as the fire begins licking at her heels. Recovering from being stunned Astraea casts storm sphere on another shadow while Andre fires a crossbow bolt hitting it squarely but the bolt goes straight through it. The shadow again tries to take control of their minds but fails and with the blazing barn in front of her and feeling the magic growing from an unknown rage Astraea casts disintegrate on the shadow. With a snap of her fingers the shadow shrieks as it turns to ash and blows away in the breeze.
"And would either of you know anything about the fire at the barn?" He asks
"No." Says Astraea.
Looking directly at her Meiorin says "So you're telling me you know nothing about a fire that occurred at the same barn you had a meeting at just a half hour ago?"
"That's right but hypothetically speaking if we were to have set fire to a barn it would have been for good reason." Says Astraea.
"Hypothetically speaking," Says Meiorin raising an eyebrow. "and what would this reason be?"
"Well hypothetically speaking if some shadows, that a certain hypothetical sheriff had dismissed as the ravings of man men, had attacked us. That would be a good hypothetical reason to destroy the barn don't you think" Replies Astraea.
Shaking his head in disbelief Meiorin hands over 175 gold. "I'm taking 25 gold off for the hypothetical damage to private property and as a word to the wise I'd would suggest you get out of town before the locals realise it was you that burned down Mr Mcgregor's barn." Drinking the last dregs of his beer he leaves the tavern.
Grabbing the money from the bar Andre and Astraea both leave and head back to Eidover, while camping Andre studies the letter over and over and finally notices a strange gleam on certain parts of it. As the moon peeks through the clouds he sees the words "VORDT LIVES, HELP US." Astraea sees the writing and senses a despair from her friend which seems to grow as each hour passes on their journey back to Eidover.
Report Date
15 Dec 2018
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