Sigil

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

@rivaan
Discord is funny about that sometimes. If you feel up to getting a post together this cycle, great. If not, remember that you did let me know in plenty of time and it isn't absolutely required. That said, if you need to make a roll during this time, DM me about it and I'll handle it on my end. Enjoy your vacation, McRiv.

@Vertigo
Closer to the end than the beginning, more like. Think two thirds or three fifths there. Anyway, this is really one part of a potentially three part adventure, if the interest is still there after this wraps up. Please do think it over, and feel free to cobble together a sentient meatshield new adventurer using rules provided if you so choose. And of course, I appreciate your interest in our stabby, magical adventure.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

@Vertigo

Not in any sense that doing this will guarantee a spot, but, please feel free to make a CS for consideration here in the OOC. To your question: I was clear about race and class combinations in the original post. However, I was less clear with optional rules from the approved sourcebooks from which you may pick said races and classes. Seeing as the decisions made were done to fit with the level of complexity and and social factors, I don't have that big of a difficulty using this optional rule, with the caveat in mind that if I find it overbalancing I will instruct you to put it to PHB standard.

Or to put it differently, the modified point buy system I have set up works amazingly well for a little min/maxing and ensures a readily playable character every time without diving headfirst into powergaming. If it looks like this route is being taken off the bat, I will course correct.

There is another issue, but not about character creation. This is primarily an investigative adventure. The last person to join had a CS ready before the "big reveal" parts, and the party has figured out enough of the mystery to move onto the final act very soon. With that in mind, looking at the setting and the story thusfar, please construct a character which fits into this area and would have reason to help the PCs do PC stuff. I am open to respond to any questions in this regard.

Concerning how far back you should read, well... there are always bits of nuance that can be missed. So far as it relates to what has been transpiring in the investigation, I would advise going back to the first instance of the isometric map of the Avonshire Township, on page 7. Just before this gives an idea as to how the combat system works. Earlier for a better idea of the characters already in play and how they react to one another, and earlier still to get the reason why the characters are all here in the first place.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Victoria Belmont Half-Elf, Bard, Level 3 HP: 23 / 23 Armor Class: 15 Conditions: N/A Location: Brindleton's Woodworking -> Township Thoroughfare Action: Persuasion, Performance Bonus Action: Morty Reaction: N/A

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How Victoria had managed to maintain possession of her very jaunty, bardy hat through the grand chase was fully beyond her. But there it was, extremely not sitting rumpled in some alleyway like a sack of discarded socks. She counted her blessings and focused on the situation most recent.

It was an interesting series of moments getting to this, with Marita sprinting out without so much as a word. Lucky for Victoria that she wasn't quite so slow on the uptake that hour, else she might have indignantly remained where she was, sitting quietly in that same chair and contemplating what the puzzle pieces uncovered thusfar meant. Lycanthropy was still on the table. Victoria's own wish for this not to be the case did cloud things for her, but the possibility did not leave her active thoughts. Logically, it fit.

The chase was actually rather fun. Not taking the lead and merely showing support to the overall rundown gave her a perspective that was a little more objective, and by extension, a different point of view. It was almost enough to convince her that this was wholly unrelated. Almost. When Marita caught up to the boy, what remained of her denial broke upon the metaphorical rocks of reality. The Bard took a moment to read the room, as it was, and carefully had her Morty lean against a wall and be very still. Morty was good at that. She then quickly stepped up to defend the allegations directed at Marita by some of the locals.

"What did she do to him?" spoke Victoria, addressing not the person who actually asked the question but the crowd in general. Any good arbiter would tell you that you don't try to convince the person making an accusation. They're already convinced. You present your case to third parties who are observing. That was their best chance to keep a handful of scared people from turning into a ton of angry ones. Quite frankly, Victoria was not the wholesale slaughter type. "You jest. You must jest. Look at this woman! She is a child of Law, bearing the trappings of Order openly. And you know - you know - something has infected this community long before we arrived. You should thank her for dismissing the false comfort of willing blindness."

It might have been a good time to quiet the histrionics some, seeing as she was coming close to launching an accusation against a group of scared townsfolk who were already of mixed opinion. So now she went with a more personal, somewhat emotional approach. "I'm sorry, we have witnessed long days and uncertain nights, but cruelty such as this inflicted upon a child is more than I am willing to bear witness." Victoria turned her head and raised a hand to her eyes, a reasonable gesture for a woman trying to hold back an expression of emotion. In truth, the seemingly successful attempt to stifle a sob or two was in fact an unsuccessful attempt to produce one. She made the best of the situation; that being she did not compromise her efforts thusfar.

So the proverbial cat was out of the bag, thanks to Marita being painfully correct in her assumption, to Victoria's reckoning. But their cover story still held. Her voice reached out again in its pleasing, even, dulcet tones tinged with openness, selected to elicit a more reassuring, civil feeling in those around the two of them. "Sheriff Arbalest sent us here on a bounty task for Goblins." Which reminded her, did she ever claim the silver on those ears? Hmm. Something to give more thought toward later. For now, the purple clad, musical Necromancer put her game face back on, stating, "It is our adamant opinion that no good can come of, and no profit ever worth, the corruption of children."

To her credit, the words were moving enough to redirect the fear and anger of those crowded around. A few even wept. Most took a more neutral stance, believing that they had nothing to do with a child suddenly altering its face in front of them at midday. Still others weren't listening and wished only to leave the area. Victoria called it a win, with the understanding that the child's shifting of shape in public just changed the social dynamic into something more dangerous for everybody.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

@Dragoknighte@rivaan@Remipa Awesome@Sigil@Arty Fox

And the game is afoot! For starters, I would like to officially welcome in Arty Fox, who is set to make their first post this cycle. To that point, if you would like for your Dragonborn to be on the street, witnessing the fun with Marita, Victoria, and and strange little boy, you may begin there. Conversely, if you wish to begin at the local tavern asking questions we had discussed in PMs, let me know and I will repost the interior of Neil & Bob's. It would not be appropriate to begin near to where Kat and Kosara are, unless you Monk is just now waking up inside of Madame Marcie's Honey Barn. Will PM details if requested.

Now then, it looks like we all have some hard questions to answer. If you have any OOC queries, as usual, please let me know in the Discord OOC, or send me a direct message and I will do my thing. And though it might go without saying, best of luck and may the Dice Gods smile upon us all.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Weather: Though the sun is now a thing best hinted at by a spot of relatively brighter clouds than those around it. The temperature is not amazingly uncomfortable for the season, although that wind is beginning to make things interesting. Fully Overcast is the phrase of the hour. Even a novice to the concept of weather might have coming rain on their mind.

Time: Late morning. Not quite lunchtime, though some might have already broken into the builders' tea for that late morning slump.

Ambience: The weather, while almost comfortable, was chased off a section of the less aggressive tourists. This has resulted in a more-or-less even amount of people within the Township while the numbers were expected to increase. Businesses remain doing businesslike things, selling wares and chatting up the clientele with regulated cheerfulness. Everywhere, people engage in small talk about recent events and the weather. Unfortunately, things in this area are becoming quite dark on both fronts, literally and metaphorically as the case stands. The scent of hard-smoked pork is a little bit of everywhere on the western side of the Township; none stronger than in the Farmers' Market, where sits the most diverse collection of local crafts and foodstuff during the most fruitful part of the year. Over in the Traders' Market, the initial morning push has come and gone. With is it the major hustle and bustle, though trades, importing, and (to a lesser extent) exporting are still ongoing.

The groupings of wagons and tent circles outside of the walls are tying down loose ropes and making makeshift shelters for their animals, owing to the weather expected to roll in if the sky is casting the appropriate signs. Those temporary merchant stands which sat near to the road were still hawking wares, though with less gusto.

Township Thoroughfare

Marita soundly grabbed enough of the waif's arm to halt his progress. The first thing that might be noticed was the very basic craftsmanship of the rough, brown woolen coat the child wore. This was not a person who came from money. The second thing might be the slender, bony nature of the boy's frame, readily observable by Marita, whose hand was closed around his extremity.

The kid was caught and he knew it. Terror flooded over his face, far more than than was appropriate for being caught peering through a window. He struggled and twisted in the stalwart Cleric's grasp, getting more desperate in painfully short seconds. People traversing the main thoroughfare began to notice and look on at the spectacle unfolding, their expressions akin to one idly viewing a pickpocket getting admonished in public. One however, a stocky woman in possibly her early thirties pushing a small, wheeled cart laden with vegetables, blurted out, "I think I know that kid! Yeah! Where..?"

Desperation rose to tactile heights in the boy. He was visibly trembling at this time, hair bristling up on his neck. Visibly bristling. And that wasn't all. He whined once and scrambled to pull free, but the sound came out in less of a vocal utterance and more of a muted squeal. He turned to face his captor, and what little light came through the clouds high above reflected a dull red hue from within his eyes. The features of the waif's face shifted just a little, revealing a slightly more elongated nose and sudden protruding of thick, rectangular incisors. Not everyone was capable enough to see these alterations, but those closest took in a collective gasp. One screamed a high pitched, whistling cry. It was an aproned pastry guy named Randy, or so referenced the nametag. "What did you do to him?" questioned another. Public reaction to this varied from person to person nearby as some gathered closer and others cleared out as fast as they could, while still others stayed put to see the show.

The boy's muscled contracted, seeming to grow denser as he got even thinner, more emaciated. The whole process was less than a handful of seconds. This situation was fast becoming one of confusion, and in this confusion, the kid gave one last, slippery wrench at Marita's hold.

He pulled free and darted away between and among the crowd, low to the ground, with unnatural movement - but left his coat behind.

Near Madame Marcie's Honey Barn

Image Not Unlocked Yet

Cavendish lost his smile of smug satisfaction upon catching sight the pair, Kathryn and Kosara. he listened to what she had to say; took in all of the pleasantries, and all the while kept a wiry and observant look about himself. As Kathryn wrapped up and extended her silver ringed hand, the Constable rested one of his hands on the covered head of his hammer and cocked his head to one side, as if to look behind the two of them. Then he took a glance to nearby windows, the area in general, and back to the very tall woman in front of him. This was not a place that contained a lot of people actively moving about. He ignored the polite offer of a physical greeting, instead opting for an immediate change of subject.

"You two ladies are out here alone, aren't you?" he mused, a gravel voice piping out the syllables. A smile upturned one corner of his mouth which he quickly forced away. "I've been hearing some things about you. Caused a lot of trouble over at Bob's last night, didn't you? Complaints were made. And I had a nice, quiet town here. Now, a good Constable ought do something about that. Isn't that right, Lady Kathryn Pyke of Arcanaple?" The name and title were spoken with the slightest hint of sarcasm, but not so much as to be deniable if pressed about it. "There's a little park around the corner there. How about we all go and talk about it." Cavendish glanced at the guards which flanked him at a pace or two, adding, "What do you think, boys?" They seemed to silently agree.

Across the whole of the Avonshire Township, a few lonely, scattered drops of precipitation began to fall earthward.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

@Arty Fox

Alright, the numbers on your CS look nice and crunchy, the changes I requested went through without a headache, and your race/class combo is in agreement with the rules set in the original OOC. Please feel free to move your CS to the CS tab, and welcome aboard. I will remind that we do have a posting requirement, also stated in the original OOC post. As soon as you jump in, you're officially in the cycle. I will send you the Discord link via PM here, and we can all discuss in greater detail the circumstances of your introduction to Avonshire, proper.

Thank you for your interest, and welcome to the campaign region of Avonshire.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Victoria Belmont Half-Elf, Bard, Level 3 HP: 23 / 23 Armor Class: 15 Conditions: N/A Location: Brindleton's Woodworking Action: Arcana Check: 24 Bonus Action: Morty Reaction: N/A

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Of all the things that Victoria considered as a possibility, she had to admit that this one might lean toward the direction of far-fetched. "Lycanthropy?" the Bard echoed. She shook her head to dismiss the the possibility. "No, that can't be it. I've read many writings on the subject of Lycanthropes. This?" She gave it some thought, and a worried expression began to grow across her otherwise sterling features. "No, werefolk are quite well known for making a lot of noise. Brutal, mindless killers when the moon presents just so, and... and that's mostly the Infected ones who don't know or who struggle against it." She gave thought to what they had seen and heard so far, summarized by Marita just then. Her expression spoke of internal dissidence, as what she wanted did not align fully with the facts presented.

"If you are correct, and please bear in mind that I am not saying that you are, this is a little strange for Werewolves." She pulled out the wrapped bit of hair and gazed at it for a moment. "The Lore of Lycanthropy speaks of three different kinds of Weres; Natural, Infected, and Cursed. Those natural-born fluidly exist as such. Infected have a lot of difficulties unless they embrace their new, animalistic tendencies. And then they change in ways. Cursed ones, voluntarily anyway, can be a problem. If what you're saying is true, and those who came back from being missing are part of it, then there is no telling how many of these persons at the Festival are... Gods be merciful." Her trip into supposition did not vocally express her question as to what fate might have befallen those who did not come back. "That is, of course, if you are right about Lycanthropy. What in the Nine Hells would a bunch of Werewolves want in a town like this?"

Victoria let the question hang in the air for a short moment before adopting a lighter expression and quality about herself, She crossed her legs and lay her hands on her knees, looking quite nonchalant and girlish in the light of the window behind her. "There must be a half-dozen explanations that might yet fit, before we jump to something hasty. I would assume there might be more obvious blood around town." As much as she hated to admit it, the facts did support a possibility of Lycanthropes as she knew them, but not perfectly. Her face, optimistic as she could make it, still bore a tinge of doubt. She glanced down to the slim sword buckled at her waist, musing aloud, "I wonder where a lady might get something silvered at this time of day, hmm?"

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

@Dragoknighte@rivaan@Remipa Awesome@Sigil

Ello ello. Once again, here we are at our weekly update. But this time, both sections of the party have qualified for encounters. How these are handled will most assuredly affect how things proceed from here, so... Congratulations! You have hit the tipping point of the adventure. I may be using some not-from-book mechanics here, depending on how this is played in one or both of the encounters, so we have that to look forward to.

Anyway, give it a think and do what you feel is best. I'll be here, or in the Discord for questions, concerns, and offers of bribery that I won't actually accept but will allow you to think I'm considering purely to keep hope alive. Roll them dice!

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Weather: Though the sun is now mostly blocked by a thick cover of clouds. This hasn't affected the temperature too much, but that breeze is becoming more noticeable. Mostly Cloudy summarizes things pretty well. A note of dampness can be detected in the wind; cool humidity that chases the overcast sky, just as blanketing and omnipresent.

Time: Mid to late morning still. While the illumination of a muted sun does not descend from directly overhead, it is closer to this point than to the horizon of its origin.

Ambience: Oh, the tourists are back. Not quite in full force, but enough to make a piece of casual weekday business appear to be a solid payday shopping venture. Local businesses that are not directly catering to the festival overall are experiencing an uptick in business as well - mostly from people they know as locals who wish to get personal exchanges out of the way before tending to their own trades. The Farmers' Market is hopping, selling goods, harvested edibles, and performing services related to upkeep and travel maintenance. Those contestants preparing their barbecue are still at it, working in shifts to produce huge amounts of hogflesh with aromatics and sharp woodsmoke wafting about the greater area of the town. The Traders' Market is bustling at a good pace as well, accepting travel from the river and roadways both. Papers, pen, and the occasional abacus make their appearance as money and goods change hands - no great marketplace of a grand city's mercantile district, but it is fairly impressive for an agricultural community.

The tent and wagon campsites outside of town are less active, thanks to the ingress of these people into the Township's walls. Temporary roadside stands are still operating smoothly, hitting up those traveling toward the settlement proper as well as leaving it. It seems like a different country, almost, out here.

Brindleton's Woodworking

The interior of the shop was quiet, with only the occasional muted sounds coming in from the streets outside. Even then, only the more abrupt of noises really came through. This part of town did not cater to the festival, for the most part, so things stayed calm in comparison to other parts of town. Between the quiet and the still, open spaces of the building, one might feel that Marita and Victoria were quite alone. Even though the sun was hidden for the most part, the strategic placement of warehouse windows allowed the light of day came in well enough through to give a clear, unobstructed view of the whole interior. Those rare occasions that the clouds parted, it was positively brilliant inside.

The musings of what the clues might add up to seemed to echo within the hollow structure, giving pause to the moment. Words like "Lycanthropy" were not merely tossed about in polite society. There was time enough to consider this piece of supposition, even partake in a little conversation about it, until a point when the sun broke through the clouds once more. This time, however, one of the brilliant shafts of light was infringed upon.

Marita was the first to notice it. Victoria remained ignorant until any change of expression or posture came from the Cleric. But just a sure as day, part of the window to the north of them was taken up by a pallid, grubby face. The face was deep within a ragged hood and belonged to a boy, who had pressed hands around and sides of his hood to better glimpse what went on inside. When his discovery was noted, he acquired the most startled of expression and fell back from the glass aperture. As the face disappeared, a respectable thunk could be heard outside, followed by stomping footsteps retreating on the ground and gravel outside the building.

Madame Marcie's Honey Barn

Image Not Unlocked Yet

Travel to The Honey Barn was crowded only at first, starting from the Silversmith's place. The commotion and fast exit of the two outsiders drew even more attention as many curious eyes and still feet gathered to see what new and juicy bits of gossip might be gleaned from this situation. Yes, there were stares. A Human woman taller than probably any man in this area and a Tiefling, rare enough and pointy-horned just like the illustrations in those storybooks that kids love so much, being kicked out of a building presumably locked, boarded up, and unattended. It drew attention.

Once one breaks past the gathering (which was beginning to create a bottleneck in the main thoroughfare), it is a clearer walk in the direction of The Honey Barn. As a matter of fact, the visible amount of people thins dramatically. The trek involves crossing the river, affording a decent view of the Traders' Market from a certain angle and the sporadic river traffic as well as the incoming road traffic from the east. This part of town does not seem to resonate with the festival crowd. Some of these buildings are obviously personal dwellings, but they seem quiet. Sleepy even, as if populated by very late risers or folk who wish to be left alone in the face of overwhelming festivities. There is a small copse of trees nearby, like a small park amid the residential structures

Soon enough, the more familiar face of The Honey Barn can be picked out. Moving a little closer, it is apparent that they are very much not open for business. The streets here, such as they are, remain open and unpopulated with the following exceptions:

Two Humans wearing the attire of town guards and carrying spears were standing rather informally outside of the Honey Barn, just milling about impatiently. The main door cracks open just enough to allow a familiar figure to exit. He had a plain cloth coinpurse in hand, heavy with and said behind him, "Yeah. You tell your mistress I'm glad we got an understanding about things. It'd be a shame otherwise. You all are practically a landmark." He jingled the money before shoving it into a pocket. "Hope you enjoy the rest of the festival." That last remark was tinged with some sarcasm.

Constable Cavendish lay his hand on the head of his hammer, tucked away on his belt with a leather covering, causing the guards with him to reflexively flinch just a little. The three do not appear to have noticed those approaching quite yet, involved in their own business.

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

@Arty Fox
A few things - Please change your character image height to 250 px. The color codes should match across the board with your character's name where appropriate. I thought your color might be too close to present or previous CSs, but on reflection it's probably alright. i don't mind the addition of the one CS to bolster the other one, but please remember that, when it comes time to make changes to your CS, you inform me, wait for an okay to do so, and handle it on both sheets.

I would also point out that you are not limited to the starting equipment from character generation. It is assumed that one has been out in the world a little bit and accomplished a couple of things. Just abide by the guidelines for said equipment in the initial OOC post. And remember, it's all optional. You don't have to add anything more if you don't want.

When those changes are completed, please tag me for a final look and we'll see where we are. Thanks again.

For everyone else approved in the RP - Let me know if you notice anything I might have missed.