They are on the path to hunt down either the drug supplier OR whoever has been poisoning the people of Durcent Province - and it might be the same group.
Write up follows:
For the rest of the group, we woke up around 7:30/8ish and milled about as Thalin returned with breakfast he had gathered at the Tavern. There was a problem in Durcent Province and it was growing. Most of the populace had heard about last night’s orc raid and our actions during it. They also learned about the prisoners taken and the fact that 4 of them were led out of town early.
Fersic had been about, talking long and loud about his efforts and those of the groups. Some of the naked racism of the people was coming to the forefront that this had gone on long enough and if the orcs weren’t going to be swayed by talk and treaties – then maybe hanging 5 of them would do the trick.
This was swelling larger and a bit out of control as most of the people headed back to their homes to get rope and scythes, let their neighbors know, and then head off to the Manorhouse and try to get Sir Durcent to give up the orcs to face a speedy public trial and hanging. By the time Thalin returned with the information and we had eaten, there was already 30 or 40 people milling about the walls of the Manorhouse of which the gates were uncharacteristically closed.
We had an audience with Sir Durcent who had called out his entire staff, guardsmen, maids and valets to help man the grounds and try to keep the people from rushing the gates and getting in. We went to see the Fire Champion and other 4 orcs who were being watched by the half-orcish scullery boy since everyone else was out trying to keep the townsfolk OUT. To the Wolf Skull Orcs credit, they made no attempt to escape and spoke only highly of the simpleton’s skill at keeping them imprisoned, making his smile happily.
We went up to the main room and talked at length about the situation and eventually Ranger Thog Ranswaller, Sheriff Thurbarn Greensward, and our own Barb returned from their meeting with Chief Glamar and the Wolf Skull Orcs. One everyone was caught up we discussed options and we wanted to let the 5 orcs go, but not until tonight and not until the cover of darkness had fallen. The group would help squirrel the 5 orcs out of the Province and once returned to the Wolf Skull Orcs, they treaty would be in place of no raids and the orcs gone to follow the caribou herds within a 6 day period.
Thog and Sundar were going to look at possible places the mysterious rider on the war steed had gotten off to and if they found anything would let us know. As for the rest of us – the morning was just about gone and noon was around the corner. Thalin was going to stay here and go over the Tradesmaster’s journals to see if he can find anything and the rest of the group was going to head to the Tradesmaster’s house and see if they can find anything there.
As for the Tradesmaster’s House – it was in good repair, decent furnishings, and had the air of a place where a well to do tradesman would live and stay. We looked over the desks, lofts, cellar, living room, kitchen, and outside. One thig we did not was that the chimney did not taper as it ran up the wall, instead staying almost 4 and a half feet wide the entire length, although the flue section was a mere foot and a half. It took some exploring but we did find a section of stone that slid out and revealed a pocket drawer.
Within was a velveteen bag filled with silver and some gold, and a half dozen sheets of paper. Looking the paperwork over it was a trade set up with a smithy in Stivil for 30# of 10 penny nails to be produced and delivered to an Ixitch Barrowman in Paxian, Canaslan. The Tradesmaster and Deacon Burquin of Durcent Province were equal cosponsors of the trade and arrangement of the payment and material went through Durcent Province and happened almost 2 months ago.
30# of nails was 150 nails 10 penny sized give or take – and was a significant cost. We mulled it over and also came to the realization that most building was done with dowels, pegs, and mortar – nails were not a common item. But Scratch was administered with nails and we have what we thought was a link in the chain of it all. It also fell in with what the original Sheriff Auganus had been possibly following when he went to Stivil 2 months ago to look into possible smuggling – and then died of a mysterious heart attack that evening.
With the notes in place we went back to the Manorhouse to see what Thalin had found. The grey elf had noted that the Tradesmaster had been having a rough last 6 weeks according to his logs as many trades that had been set up had been marked as canceled or delayed due to the orcish raids. But on looking back and having the rest of the party come with their finding – it seemed that Deacon Burquin was cosponsor of 8-12 other trades during the course of the last year or so. All after going through the Tradesmaster.
Which had the group come to the conclusion that the Deacon would get information during weekly meetings and confessions with the various people, and if it seemed he could capitalize on it, would let the Tradesmaster know – who would set them up getting a cut of the profits and giving a finder’s fee to the Deacon.
With the poisoning deaths being Deacon, page, Deacon, Woodward, Tradesmaster, Constable – we think whoever was involved with either end of the last trade that the Tradesmaster had kept out of the journals regarding Scratch, was “cleaning house” of anyone who might know about it.
By 3ish we wanted to get some rest, knowing we were going to go out about 10, 11 or so tonight. So we went back to the crofter’s hut and rested.
Until there was a knock at the door @ 6:30. Sundar, Ranger Thog’s apprentice, was there, travel worn and dirty. Said that Thog needed to see the group and now, and needed it to be in a public place with lots of people. Found something about the rider and was at the Tavern right now. We gathered our things and joined the young man until we arrived there.
It was the height of dinner and the Common Room was packed, well over 100, maybe 120 people crammed together. Just about every seat was taken but through the crowd, Sundar pointed to the back two booths where Thog was sitting at one of them, waving at us to come join him, the half-orc looking around the room with exaggerated care.
As we pushed our way through the crowd, Darius leading the way, we were given the odd look, nod, smile, and grimace. We could hear Fersic talking loud, regaling some hanger ons with tales of the raid. As we got closer to the table, Thog seemed relieved to see us and waved us closer. Just before we got there, Shim thought he heard a gnomish voice in the crowd. Then there was the sound of broken crockery and everyone looked at a nearby press of people. Thalin felt something was amiss…but the distraction was enough to drag everyone’s attention for a split second.
Just in time to turn back and see Ranger Thog Ranswaller fall over dead right in front of Darius who still had his hand extended in greeting – Darius’ distinctive “D” ring dagger sticking out of the back of the Ranger’s skull.
The crowd grew ugly real fast, shout of shock and dismay. Shim and Thalin thought they heard hoofbeats out the back door, and ran down the short 6’ cramped corridor to emerge outside, stepping near a distinctive mess of thrown sulfur. Sulfur, in a pattern that the Sorcerer and Wizard identified as being part of a Push spell.
As they looked outside, in the gloom of the night to the east they could just make out a tall figure on a large war horse riding away and then gone.
Meanwhile inside the mood was getting ugly and Fersic was telling the group that they’ll just have to take Darius in “just to figure out what’s going on here” – giving the fighter the same rictus grin he gave him this morning right after Darius punched him in the face.
Fuck.
Sundar, taking the initiative, opened a potion vial from his waist and let it fall – filling the entire Tavern with a dense fog cloud and the crowd was yelling. Snatching the messenger bag off Thog’s table, he shoved Darius, Brading, and Barb ahead of him and out the back door to join Shim and Thalin and we all RAN off to our house – expecting to only have a few minutes before the angry townsfolk find us and take their anger and frustrations out against us for the wrongful death of the Ranger. And with Fersic, charismatic as he was, leading the mob – we expected no justice.
We grabbed the last of our belongings and ran to the east for 15 odd minutes until we were out of local Durcent Province and told Sundar to go to Sir Durcent and Sheriff Thurbarn – and let them know what happened. We decided to head south east to Canaslan and Paxian to hunt down the possible farrier there who would have shod the warhorse – and according to the messenger bag we had gotten, there was a person there named Ixitch Barrowman who was involved in the entire Scratch issue.
According to Sundar, he and Thog had come upon a homestead that was supposed to be empty but was being squatered by two gnomes who ran as Thog tried to apprehend them. One of them lost this bag with the intercepted note and Thog was convinced one or two of the gnomes was a spellcaster of some skill.
There are lots of moving pieces to this entire mess but the group is narrowing the issues down. The problem with the orcs is now out of our hands and we have to leave it behind and go to Paxian, find out what’s going on with the Scratch there and who is supplying the Orcs – and then use all that information to clear our name.
But we have to travel 8-9 hours through hostile territory at night with little cover and do it with what little food and water we have on our person as it is.
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