Difference between revisions of "Father Skinsaw"

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{{Infobox RPG session
 
{{Infobox RPG session
| Title        = {{Rise of the Runelords chapter|34}}
+
| Title        = {{Rise of the Runelords chapter|40}}
 
| Campaign    = Rise of the Runelords
 
| Campaign    = Rise of the Runelords
 
| Image        = {{Rise of the Runelords logo}}
 
| Image        = {{Rise of the Runelords logo}}
| Episode      = 34
+
| Episode      = 40
 
| Date        = 2009
 
| Date        = 2009
 
| GM          = [[User:Starfox|Abbe]]
 
| GM          = [[User:Starfox|Abbe]]
 
| Characters  = [[Dorothea]]<br>[[Honeypot]]<br>[[Nathaniel]]<br>[[Nell]]<br>[[Velicia]]
 
| Characters  = [[Dorothea]]<br>[[Honeypot]]<br>[[Nathaniel]]<br>[[Nell]]<br>[[Velicia]]
| Prev        = {{Rise of the Runelords chapter|33}}
+
| Prev        = {{Rise of the Runelords chapter|39}}
| Next        = {{Rise of the Runelords chapter|35}}
+
| Next        = {{Rise of the Runelords chapter|41}}
 
| Episode list = [[Nell's diary|'''''Rise of the Runelords''''' chapter list]]
 
| Episode list = [[Nell's diary|'''''Rise of the Runelords''''' chapter list]]
 
}}
 
}}
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[[Category:Rise of the Runelords]]
 
[[Category:Rise of the Runelords]]
 
<!-- Tag -->
 
<!-- Tag -->
''In this chapter {{Rise of the Runelords chapter|34|summary}}.''
+
''In this chapter {{Rise of the Runelords chapter|40|summary}}.''
  
 
<!-- Synopsis -->
 
<!-- Synopsis -->
== {{Rise of the Runelords chapter|34}} ==
+
== {{Rise of the Runelords chapter|40}} ==
 
 
We decided to find out where the Seven's Sawmill is located through working the streets, looking for rumors.<br>
 
"We'll ask around."<br>
 
"And I know where to start. Nell, you need to go to the tailors." Nathaniel said.<br>
 
"But, I already have clothes."<br>
 
"You need new clothes, worthy of a Foxglove!"<br>
 
Honeypot went looking for rumors herself and Velicia took off to go look for
 
the Eladrins she met earlier. I, Nathaniel and Dorothea went to the Keystone
 
district of Magnimar to look for a good tailor. We choose one and entered.
 
Nathaniel looked around at what they had to offer and used his sense of fashion
 
to select the style and fabric. I didn't really care as long as it looked good
 
and I could move in it. Dorothea found a new set of clothes too and Nathaniel
 
chose a dress for Shayliss Vinder to bring back as a gift for her. We ordered
 
the clothes and while they took our measures we talked to the tailors and
 
seamstresses. I asked innocently if they had heard any news lately as I had
 
been out of the city for a while. They told me of murders of bankers, rich
 
merchants and "people that matters". After some follow up I got some names and
 
could ask some questions about them to see if they had been greedy. They all
 
had been!
 
 
 
When all finished we continued on to Pug's Contraptions in the same district.
 
They had a lot of different cages, traps and locks. A man approached us.<br>
 
"How can I help?"<br>
 
"This young lady have recently acquired a house and in it's inventory there were some cages of remarkable craftsmanship. We would like get to know more about them." Nathaniel answered.<br>
 
I batted my eyes and smiled at him. Pug took out a big book and opened it on
 
the counter. Browsing through it he stopped at an entry some four weeks ago and
 
told us he had sold 10 cages to Aldern Foxglove. He had requested a quick
 
delivery to the Foxglove townhouse in the Grand Arch district. I thanked him
 
for his helpfulness and Nathaniel bought some music boxes for his sisters.
 
 
 
We had agreed to meet for lunch at a tavern we passed earlier and having
 
finished our plans we went there early. I ordered a big lunch. You never know
 
how long till the next meal. I took a couple of apples for later too. Soon
 
Velicia showed up. She told us stories of Brothers of the Seven. They are an
 
old organization of rich bankers that's got a lot of power. Soon Honeypot too
 
showed up and told us that there were rumors of living forever surrounding them
 
too. There were stories of the undead and of proposals to rich people to join
 
them and all that agreed disappeared. It was some mystic merchant consortium.
 
She had also heard that the Seven's Sawmill were located upriver. We decide to
 
hire a boat instead of riding up the road.
 
 
 
Going to the harbor Velicia disguised herself to look like a human girl selling
 
flowers. Looking around there were no boat for hire, but we found a boat and
 
crew of two that we convinced to row us upstreams. The captain talked a lot in
 
a friendly manner. I guess we payed him too much. The man rowing wasn't as
 
happy though. As we went upstreams passing several sawmills, all working hard,
 
the captain told us that there was a big demand for their work now. We passed
 
Seven's Sawmill studying it, but didn't stop there. Instead we continued on to
 
the next sawmill and put in at their jetty.
 
 
 
As we were disembarking we were met by a guard that wanted us gone. I talked to
 
him and tricked him that I wanted to buy planks and mentioned some names I've
 
picked up. He hesitated long enough for the boat to leave before answering we
 
couldn't buy at the mill but had to talk to the owners in Magnimar. We left by
 
walk back along road. It had been improved lately by adding gravel. It went
 
through a swampy area leading out to a bigger road. We turned towards Magnimar
 
and continued on until the next road leading to the Seven's Sawmill. That road
 
was better and older than the road to the other sawmill. We left the road and
 
sneaked through the forest to get there unnoticed.
 
 
 
When we could see the dark shape of the sawmill between the trees standing out
 
against the river, we circled to the right and looked for a hiding place. We
 
found one but noted that there were lots of footprints in the woods. There were
 
even marks on the trees as if someone had been climbing too. I thought of the
 
gangs of thieves back in my youth on the streets of Magnimar, training to
 
become catburglers.
 
 
 
Looking closer at the sawmill we saw that it was much bigger than the one we
 
landed at. It had been developed in stages and remodeled several timed but the
 
original looked very old. It was a very tall building, built mostly over the
 
river and had several waterwheels built into it. There was a tower to it too.
 
It made a lot of noise suggesting they were working hard. There were still a
 
couple of workers standing talking next to a pier. We noticed a quite
 
flamboyant style of clothing on the workers, but the clothes were still used
 
and worn. We could also tell they were not ghouls. We noted that small groups
 
of workers left and others arrived. It looked as if they were some sort of
 
patrols and not workers coming to work and goinghome. I sneaked up to one group
 
and followed them. I overheard them talking.
 
 
 
"..looking for a group of five, with one satyr and one eladrin."<br>
 
"That should be easy enough to recognize."<br>
 
"As the last targets."<br>
 
"Yes and I don't like it. Attacking richer people than we were told earlier. We have lost the spirit lately. It's not the way Norgober told us. I think the man is getting old. We should do something about it."<br>
 
"That's dangerous talk."<br>
 
"But he is straying from the true path."<br>
 
I had heard enough. I hid in a bush and let them continue. Then I returned to
 
the others and told them of what had been said. They knew who we were and that
 
we were coming.
 
 
 
Velicia told us that Norgober is an old deity who is killing on Nerull's behalf
 
to prevent things from happening in the world. Honey told a story about the
 
skinsaw man that appeared as the boogeyman and killed in ways much like that.
 
 
 
As it looked very hard to approach undetected we decided to wait for the
 
sunset. Still keeping the sawmill under watch we retreated a little further
 
away to wait for dusk. When darkness slowly fell we discussed which way to
 
approach and decided to swim. I didn't like the idea as I'm not a good swimmer
 
and there was a strong current in the river. With the risk of getting into the
 
waterwheels I thought we should try another approach, but the others insisted
 
and Honeypot suggester a ritual turning us into sea otters. I'm not that fond
 
of strange magic, but it's preferred to drowning and had the added bonus of
 
being harder to notice and if the workers saw us they would just think it's a
 
couple of otters swimming by. She also cast telepathy and some dark light that
 
made sure we could see but that couldn't be seen.
 
 
 
The swim was hard and dangerous but it was made easily by being a sea otter. It
 
almost felt sad to stop swimming and start climbing. We climbed the wall of the
 
sawmill. It was a sparsely planked wall and we could see light shining through
 
the slits, but they were too small see anything clearly through. When we were
 
almost at the top Nathaniel got stuck. He's a good climber but he was also the
 
heaviest with his armor and all. Since we had been using a rope to make sure no
 
one would fall, we all got stuck. It was easily enough solved, but there were a
 
few tense moments before we all got up on the roof. The next step up the tower
 
I climbed first and secured a grappling hook and the others followed easily
 
enough. Carefully we lifted a trapdoor peeking down, ready to spring into
 
action. There was a small room. It was lit but there were no one there.
 
  
 
There were a ladder, a desk, a chair and lots of faces cut off people. It was  
 
There were a ladder, a desk, a chair and lots of faces cut off people. It was  
Line 162: Line 46:
 
us with a big flash. It missed me but some of the others got blinded.
 
us with a big flash. It missed me but some of the others got blinded.
  
[[Image:Skinsaw cultist.png|right|thumb|The flamboyantly dressed skinsaw cultists.]]
 
 
Nathaniel struck all around him in a flurry of attacks still hitting some  
 
Nathaniel struck all around him in a flurry of attacks still hitting some  
 
although being blinded, while Dorothea showed her magic is at least as powerful  
 
although being blinded, while Dorothea showed her magic is at least as powerful  
Line 172: Line 55:
 
reaching for me and teleported up the ladder.
 
reaching for me and teleported up the ladder.
  
 +
[[Image:Skinsaw cultist.png|right|thumb|The flamboyantly dressed skinsaw cultists.]]
 
Nathaniel killed both bodyguards around him and ran up the ladder after  
 
Nathaniel killed both bodyguards around him and ran up the ladder after  
 
Ironbriar, and hanging on the ladder stabbing upwards with my fathers longsword  
 
Ironbriar, and hanging on the ladder stabbing upwards with my fathers longsword  
Line 201: Line 85:
 
was also a very interesting dagger. We found the diary of Ironbriar, but it  
 
was also a very interesting dagger. We found the diary of Ironbriar, but it  
 
was written in three different languages and in cipher.
 
was written in three different languages and in cipher.
 +
 +
Standing in the temple looking up the trap door at the night sky above I
 +
heard a caw from above. I remembered the ravens in the cage above and asked <br>
 +
"Why do they keep ravens out on the roof?"<br>
 +
"They're carrier birds. They carry messages. It's probably more common with carrier pigeons but ravens would work."<br>
 +
"But how do they know what address to go to?"<br>
 +
"They are trained to always return to the same place."<br>
 +
"So if we release them, we could follow them, and would get to where they're sending messages?"<br>
 +
We discussed a releasing a raven and follow that bird to see where it would
 +
lead us but we couldn't do it at night.
 +
"We have to get the guards. They need to see this." said Velicia<br>
 +
"But we're wanted by the guards." I objected.<br>
 +
"We can't let this become just a robbery. The city guards have to know so they can keep an eye out for more members of the cult."<br>
 +
"Alright. But I won't be here when they come."<br>
 +
 +
Velicia said that she would take care of Ironbriars diary to make
 +
sure nothing important was missed in the translation and since it
 +
was the best evidence we had for his guilt we didn't want anyone
 +
loyal to him getting their hands on it. We decided to split up.
 +
Nathaniel and Velicia went to get the city guards, while I, Honeypot
 +
and Dorothea took the birds and left for the woods. We went out
 +
straight into the dark woods surrounding the sawmill and didn't
 +
stop until we were sure we couldn't be seen from there. Then
 +
Honeypot performed the ritual that befriended the ravens. All
 +
participants got an animal as a friend and we got a raven each.
 +
Dorothea seemed to like her new pet and started looking at the night
 +
sky together with it. When we were about to go home she didn't answer
 +
us but stayed looking at the stars.
 +
 +
As it was too dark follow the black ravens we returned to Magnimar to
 +
get some sleep before trying to follow the birds. It was no trouble
 +
for me and Honeypot to get in even though the the city gates were
 +
closed for the night. We got back to the inn and I ordered a meal.
 +
I don't like going to bed hungry. Before I had finished Nathaniel and
 +
Velicia returned. They told me that the guards had been hesitant at
 +
first but found the sawmill appalling and immediately believed them
 +
when they saw the temple. Nathaniel went to bed, but Velicia ordered
 +
more food and joined me. When we had finished Velicia said she would
 +
create some magical things as she is an eladrin doesn't need as much
 +
sleep as us others. I asked if she could help me by creating a pair of
 +
braces and she said she would. I stayed up too late talking to her.
 +
I'm still used to night time activities.
  
 
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Latest revision as of 15:28, 10 June 2009

Template:Rise of the Runelords chapter
Rise of the Runelords episode
Template:Rise of the Runelords logo
Episode no. Episode 40
Date 2009
Game Master Abbe
Characters Dorothea
Honeypot
Nathaniel
Nell
Velicia
Episode chronology
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In this chapter Template:Rise of the Runelords chapter.

Template:Rise of the Runelords chapter

There were a ladder, a desk, a chair and lots of faces cut off people. It was an evil temple decorated in this grotesque manner. We all climbed down there and prepared for a fight. Stealthily I opened the double doors ever so slightly and looked through slit.

File:Justice Ironbriar.png
Justice Ironbriar.

I froze in place as I saw a man I immediately recognized but haven't seen in several months and had hoped to never meet again. It was Ironbriar. He was talking to most of the workers gathered before him in a large room. I wanted to kill him but I couldn't bring myself to act at all. We all listened while he talked about preparing for a big finale. They planed to kill the mayor. His voice gave me the chills.

I broke out of it and threw my dagger at him but still being shook up I missed. Through her magic Velicia suddenly appeared next to Ironbriar wearing that awful mask and said "The skinsaw man have come for you!" hitting him with her sword. They were completely surprised. Nathaniel went out into the room and drew some of workers and Ironbriar's guards to himself and downed several of them with sweeping slashes with my fathers sword. I almost felt proud of him even though it was only his sword. Dorothea ran out and engaged lots of the workers, but prepared for her scary magic. Honeypot jumped over one of his evil priests and attacked Ironbriar himself. Hoping to be steadier on the hand up close, I ran up to him and attacked but my memories made my hands shake and I hesitated just enough for him to avoid my dagger. He teleported away just barely out of sight around a corner, while his evil priest used magic to blind us with a big flash. It missed me but some of the others got blinded.

Nathaniel struck all around him in a flurry of attacks still hitting some although being blinded, while Dorothea showed her magic is at least as powerful as Ironbriars by teleporting to block his way downstairs and downing several workers in an explosion where she left from. Honeypot confused a magic user and I used that opportunity to kill him. Then I hid in the awful temple room. Ironbriar said something out loud that sounded like "I lost the rest of your family but I will..." and ran up to me. He tried to do some kind of magic reaching for me and teleported up the ladder.

File:Skinsaw cultist.png
The flamboyantly dressed skinsaw cultists.

Nathaniel killed both bodyguards around him and ran up the ladder after Ironbriar, and hanging on the ladder stabbing upwards with my fathers longsword he forced Ironbriar from the trapdoor and was able to follow him up. Honeypot ran up after them. I hid in the room below them and hesitantly looked for an opportunity to throw my dagger at him. He appeared and as I threw he gave me an evil stare and I missed again. I had a strange view from below as Nathaniel attacked Ironbriar and with his impressive footwork tricked him to stand over the trapdoor. From the room I heard Dorothea cast her terrible black magical cloud that eats everything. Upstairs Honeypot distracted and confused Ironbriar. He staggered on the edge of the trapdoor about to fall. I took the opportunity to rush up the ladder and stab him with all my strength, all my anger and all my collected hate for what he had done. The dagger was buried deep in his figure and I almost lost it in the big flow of fabric of his strange costume, but I held on to it as blood whet my hand and he fell past me, hitting the floor with a loud thud. Tears were flowing down my cheeks. I jumped over him and out the wide opened double doors and left the room. I had thought killing Ironbriar would feel good, but now it had only brought back a lot of bad memories.

When I had settled down a few moments later I joined the others as we looked through the rooms and searched for interesting things. In the evil temple we found books, maps and paintings and of course the horrible trophies of their killings. Velicia told us that it was an evil cult of followers to Nerull. Ironbriar had been Father Skinsaw. One of the paintings was of a strange ice town cut out of a frozen waterfall. It had an ice cathedral and several domes. Among the books one stood out. It was a fairytale book with beautiful golden covers and paintings in it. There seemed to be strange stories in it. There was also a very interesting dagger. We found the diary of Ironbriar, but it was written in three different languages and in cipher.

Standing in the temple looking up the trap door at the night sky above I heard a caw from above. I remembered the ravens in the cage above and asked
"Why do they keep ravens out on the roof?"
"They're carrier birds. They carry messages. It's probably more common with carrier pigeons but ravens would work."
"But how do they know what address to go to?"
"They are trained to always return to the same place."
"So if we release them, we could follow them, and would get to where they're sending messages?"
We discussed a releasing a raven and follow that bird to see where it would lead us but we couldn't do it at night. "We have to get the guards. They need to see this." said Velicia
"But we're wanted by the guards." I objected.
"We can't let this become just a robbery. The city guards have to know so they can keep an eye out for more members of the cult."
"Alright. But I won't be here when they come."

Velicia said that she would take care of Ironbriars diary to make sure nothing important was missed in the translation and since it was the best evidence we had for his guilt we didn't want anyone loyal to him getting their hands on it. We decided to split up. Nathaniel and Velicia went to get the city guards, while I, Honeypot and Dorothea took the birds and left for the woods. We went out straight into the dark woods surrounding the sawmill and didn't stop until we were sure we couldn't be seen from there. Then Honeypot performed the ritual that befriended the ravens. All participants got an animal as a friend and we got a raven each. Dorothea seemed to like her new pet and started looking at the night sky together with it. When we were about to go home she didn't answer us but stayed looking at the stars.

As it was too dark follow the black ravens we returned to Magnimar to get some sleep before trying to follow the birds. It was no trouble for me and Honeypot to get in even though the the city gates were closed for the night. We got back to the inn and I ordered a meal. I don't like going to bed hungry. Before I had finished Nathaniel and Velicia returned. They told me that the guards had been hesitant at first but found the sawmill appalling and immediately believed them when they saw the temple. Nathaniel went to bed, but Velicia ordered more food and joined me. When we had finished Velicia said she would create some magical things as she is an eladrin doesn't need as much sleep as us others. I asked if she could help me by creating a pair of braces and she said she would. I stayed up too late talking to her. I'm still used to night time activities.