[IC] Death & Taxes (Session 2)

Bruv and Nekurr pick up a dirt path at the mayor's manor, the one Bressel Galbernost indicated would take them to the village center. At a T-junction, they see what appear to be more farmsteads to the east, while to the west a bridge crosses the creek leading back into the swamp. As the Half-Catfolk and Orc cross over the running water, Bruv and Nekurr notice more farmsteads toward the edge of town, but something different toward the village center: Weathered stones arranged into a circle. The path curves around south of the stones before opening up to a sort of village square, apparently what passes for the village's commercial hub.Like the rest of the village, the square has more pigs than people in it, but there are some buildings with signs out front: The inquisitors notice a weaver, a trading post, and a healer of some sort. A group of men sit outside the healer's shack embroiled in some sort of card game. A few others go about their business behind the shops and businesses, which seem to double as homes.

As Rupert Wayland plods off toward the back of the house, Tronus, Hildar, and Nera enter the manor house. By simply closing the thick, wooden door, they find that the temperature is quite a lot more comfortable than the humid morass outside. Even better, no mosquitos! This despite the fact that a fire smolders in the hearth across from the front entrance in what seems to be the main living room (J1). The room is cozy enough, with cushioned chairs and sofas. A small shrine in the corner contains a large candle, strips of some sort of dried herb, and several heavily charred effigies of a figure woven from some sort of plant material.A quick sweep through the ground floor reveals several rooms to the manor house: A lush-looking parlor, replete with finely carved and upholstered furniture (J2), a well-stocked pantry (J3), a dining room dominated by a sturdy-looking table and hand-carved chairs (J4), a kitchen served by the other side of the hearth, where some sort of thick vegetable sludge simmers in a pot (J5), two bedrooms, one with a large bed (J6) and the other with a spartan set of bunk beds (J8), and a small sitting room with an impressive bookshelf with an unimpressive number of books on it (J7). A balcony overlooks this sitting room, from which you can see six doors equally spaced on the second story, which seems to be a set of small but cozy guest rooms (J9).

Tronus finds the pantry to be pretty straightforward. Shelves and cubbies hold what looks like jarred preserves, sacks of dry goods, and cured meats wrapped in large leaves.

Bruv & NekurrDown the track, Bruv notices something odd about the crops. While most of it looks pretty typical—corn, barley, oats, turnips, and so on—there's also some sort of shrub he can't identify readily. Its reddish-brown leaves stick out against the amber of the grains. (1 advantage)

As they round the stones, Nekurr and Bruv pause to take them in more closely. They appear to be a ring of black river stones and tall stacked boulders. The overall effect is something like an amphitheater, replete with stone benches. There seems to be shrine at the center, where a wicker and corn-husk figure with mossy wings hunches over an altar. Bruv gets a chill as the pair near the stone circle, coupled with a yearning to go visit some place nearby, toward the village square. (2 advantages)

Tronus

Tronus peruses the pantry, trying to ascertain the market value of the goods inside. However, perhaps due to this place's remoteness, or perhaps due to it's isolated nature, he's unable to get much of a feel for the mayor's taste in food. However, as he scans the storage space, the Dwarf does find three vials of a strange unction on a high shelf toward the back. The substance doesn't smell like food as far as Tronus can tell, and in fact, smells most foul.

Nekurr's focus is broken by a friendly voice. He turns to look at the passerby "You must be Mrs Galbernost. It is nice to finally meet you. We were on our way to the village where we saw the altar. As a man of faith myself, I had to stop and pay my respects. The Nature's Lady seem to held in high regard around here."

Wonder if they'd approve? Bah, I could probably just lie if I need to.

Fearing not the scolding of an old man Nera proceeds to walk methodically on the floorboards, even dropping to the ground and knocking on a few.