In-Character 3 A Time to Talk of Many Things

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1

The party leaves the rest house and heads back into the street. It looks after noon, the sun well past its zenith. The day is now comfortably warm, with only a few high, scattered clouds scudding across the sky, but the faint stirrings of breeze still carry the spring chill. Like the walk to the Baron's manor earlier, the streets now seem deserted, with only furtive movements at windows as you pass. Kerrick leads the way on his horse.

As you approach the carpenter's workshop, you can see that the guards are no longer present. One of the doors on the front of the building stands ajar.

2

Masov

'The time has come, the Judgeman said, to talk of many things
of shoes and ships, encumberance
and conquerors and kings
And why these cults are underfoot
and whether bards should sing....'

Masov glances around for applause, then notes the door. 'That's not good; let's hurry.' 

 

3

<slow clap>

4

The party's attention is drawn by a robed figure some ways up the street. It appears to be Gwydion, and he looks no worse for the wear. No townsfolk are about, and the door left ajar on the workshop creaks slightly as it catches the light breeze...

5

Hengist

I poke my head in the door and look around.

6

Miskov

Miskov waits at the street for Gwydion, calling his attention to where they stand at the opening to the Carpenter's shop.

7

Masov

..pokes his head in alongside Hengist. 'Hopefully Gwydion isn't a pod person now.'

8

[quote="Hengist"] I poke my head in the door and look around. [/quote]

[quote="Masov"] ...pokes his head in alongside Hengist. 'Hopefully Gwydion isn't a pod person now.' [/quote]

The workshop seems to be empty. Neither the body of the carpenter, nor his wife, can be seen. The afternoon sunshine spills in through the unshuttered windows on either side of the workshop, and the smell of cut wood hangs in the air. Were it not for the blood stains near the ramp and the back wall, the scene would by idyllic, and you feel distinctly more at ease in the space than earlier today. There's also no sign of the guards left by constable Thorsdun.

[quote="Miskov"] Miskov waits at the street for Gwydion, calling his attention to where they stand at the opening to the Carpenter's shop. [/quote]

The enchanter sees you, recognises the group, and immediately comes over.

9

Gwydion

"I have information, but here is not the place to share it." He glances at the open door and says absentmindedly, "Odd."

Like the others, he keenly seeks some evidence of "Ned." Seeing nothing, he asks his companions, "Shall we investigate?"

Without awaiting an answer, he enters and heads upstairs with a purpose.

10

Hengist

If tthere's a wavy-bladed knife on the floor I take it.

If the disturbing leafy chair is still present I point it out and say "alright, tell me that doesn't creep you out."

If the disturbing leafy chair is gone I say "that's weird, they took that creepy chair as well as the bodies."

After that I'll follow Gwydion upstairs, unless anyone else suggests keeping a watch, in which case I'll agree to that and stay downstairs with Dagmar.

11

Kaul

"ill make my dog stand watch by the door"

12

Masov

will make sure to get a good look at any of this leaf-carved stuff, and will follow Gwydion upstairs.

'I'd suggest our most melee-capable occupy the ground floor.'

13

[quote="Masov"]

'I'd suggest our most melee-capable occupy the ground floor.'

[/quote]

Hengist ... takes a second to figure out this means him, but turns around at the stairs.  "Right!  Dagmar and I will be down here!"

14

[quote="Kaul"] "ill make my dog stand watch by the door" [/quote]

The pooch needs a name.

Kaul approaches the door before grabbing his mastiff's collar. He looks the dog in the eye and speaks firmly to it, "Stay! ...guard..."

Gwydion joins the group, glancing about with a strange expression on his face...

[quote="Gwydion"] "I have information, but here is not the place to share it." He glances at the open door and says absentmindedly, "Odd..." he asks his companions, "Shall we investigate?"

Without awaiting an answer, he enters and heads upstairs with a purpose. [/quote]

The elf pushes past Hengist standing in the doorway and heads for the ramp. Hengist follows him in, waving Dagmar along, carefully looking around the workshop. After a long few moment's consideration, it occurs to Hengist that the reason the space seems nearly pleasant is that the main source of his earlier discomfort is gone...

[quote="Hengist"] If the disturbing leafy chair is gone I say "that's weird, they took that creepy chair as well as the bodies."

If tthere's a wavy-bladed knife on the floor I take it. [/quote]

Moving to the back of the workshop, Hengist approaches the spot where his struggle with the carpenter ended. The blade appears to be gone, although he can still see blood on the floor and upended boxes and barrels where the carpenter fell. The carpenter's body is nowhere to be seen. He then turns to follow Gwydion up the ramp...

[quote="Masov"] Masov will make sure to get a good look at any of this leaf-carved stuff, and will follow Gwydion upstairs.

'I'd suggest our most melee-capable occupy the ground floor.' [/quote]

[quote="Hengist"] Hengist ... takes a second to figure out this means him, but turns around at the stairs ramp.  "Right!  Dagmar and I will be down here!" [/quote]

The ramp creaks heavily under the weight of Gwydion and Masov as they ascend to the second floor. The space is dim, as when Gwydion left it, but the beds have been upended, tipped on to their sides. Nothing else the pair can see in the gloom seems to be disturbed, and even the bedding itself remains largely in place.

Aria, Andrew, and Miska remain outside the doors under the overhang in the street, with Kerrick a few feet away astride his horse.

15

Masov

...searches the room.

'So, Kaul has a box - evidently they were looking for it. Anything else missing? Anything they themselves missed that you know of?'

16

Gwydion

In haste, Gwydion confirms the room is empty of other people by checking corners, behind the bed, and anywhere else someone might hide. Once satisfied, he opens the secret compartment, opens the chest, and -- assuming its former contents remain -- empties it with the assumption that someone stronger can bear the carpenter's belongings with greater ease.

17

Kerrick Helmsworth

Kerrick rides to the side of the road, a nice little out-of-the-way place yet close to the carpenter’s shop, ideally with a good view of the door as well.

He then proceeds to concentrate on detecting evil, while also watching for anyone uninvited showing up.

18

[quote="Gwydion"] In haste, Gwydion confirms the room is empty of other people by checking corners, behind the bed, and anywhere else someone might hide. [/quote]

Moving quickly about the room, the enchanter confirms that the party is alone, as there are no obvious spaces someone could hide. Unlike earlier, the dying remains of a small fire glows faintly in the hearth, with a small pile of still ruddy embers. The items on the mantle appear undisturbed from before.

[quote="Gwydion"] Once satisfied, he opens the secret compartment, opens the chest, and -- assuming its former contents remain -- empties it with the assumption that someone stronger can bear the carpenter's belongings with greater ease. [/quote]

Masov sees Gwydion move over to a section of the wall near one of the beds; the elf draws his dagger, then appears to gently push it into the wooden panelling of the wall. He levers it back and forth, and a section of the panelling comes free. Gwydion sets the wooden section aside, then leans in to the darkened space behind where the panel stood. As Masov moves a few steps closer, Gwydion half drags an iron-bound, wooden strongbox out of the secret compartment in the wall. He then spends a few moments fumbling through his cloack and pouches, finally producing several iron keys on a leather thong, and uses one of them to unlock the strongbox. The elf's breath catches as he hauls a large, leather-wrapped bundle from the strongbox, larger than a backpack and tied with coarse twine. He looks up at Masov expectantly...

[quote="Kerrick Helmsworth"] Kerrick rides to the side of the road, a nice little out-of-the-way place yet close to the carpenter's shop, ideally with a good view of the door as well. He then proceeds to concentrate on detecting evil, while also watching for anyone uninvited showing up. [/quote]

Concentrating on the building for several minutes, Kerrick sees nothing out of the ordinary, although he does notice there is the faintest wisp of smoke from the chimney.

19

Masov

[quote="bobloblah"]

The elf's breath catches as he hauls a large, leather-wrapped bundle from the strongbox, larger than a backpack and tied with coarse twine. He looks up at Masov expectantly...

[/quote]

'Let's get this heaved downstairs and someplace less like a crime scene. Looks like someone may have tried to destory some evidence in the fireplace there.'

'Close that secret door back up.' Masov hefts the package over to the stairs, and will quietly get Hengist's attention. 'I want to slide this down the ladder to you...' and settles down to the floor, shifting the package to the top of the ramp.

 

assuming this thing is pretty heavy then? I've got the same STR as Gwydion. I wanna lay down on the floor and slide it down the ramp (ramp? ladder?), with Gwydion's help if I need it, so Hengist can get it. Just installed an attic ladder in the new house's garage a couple weeks ago, I am expert...

 

20

It's heavy, but not enormously so, perhaps 5 stone in weight. Whatever it is feels...pliable, or squishy, under the leather. You could carry it down the ramp, assuming it doesn't push your total encumbrance over 20 stone.