1. Cloakwood

Stella

Carcabob

Jan 31, 2024 7:58 pm

1. Cloakwood

OOC:

Later at lunch

By necessity, lunch isn't the most elaborate nor tasty of meals. Mostly just travel biscuits and jerky, slightly rehydrated with some extra spices.

Stella hacks and chokes on hers, then pounds her chest. "Rhhmmm. Ack. I...look forward to cooking an actual meal this evening..."

"So! Crazy theories," Stella says, perking up and turning to Aiwë. "I'm probably missing a lot, but hear me out...Imagine you see one of the most prominent guildmasters in the entire Sword Coast adopt a half-orc. You also hear that an orog came to Candlekeep with a book about being free from Gruumsh's influence. That half-orc violently betrays the guildemaster and that orog leaves Candlekeep and gets murdered and left with the mark of Gruumsh." She gestures a hand towards Aiwë. "How's that going to make people think of the orc-blooded? Of Gruumsh?"

Last edited January 31, 2024 8:01 pm

Dieter

Victor.Strokov Inactive for 3 months

Jan 31, 2024 8:16 pm

1. Cloakwood

"Interesting theory…though I don’t fully understand the implications.." Dieter says while mixing his biscuit and crumbled meat ration in a cup of water. "Stella, could we get a dog when we get back to the Inn?" Dieter asks hoping she’s distracted enough to say yes.

Stella

Carcabob

Feb 1, 2024 2:13 am

1. Cloakwood

"That's not the theory, that's a visualization," she says speaking speedily. She pauses, squints, and tilts her head. "And if you can find an already-trained dog for sale at the inn, sure I guess?"

"Anyways," she says shaking her head. "I suspect it would make people suspicious or fearful of orc-blooded, and that Gruumsh wasn't defeated by the Avatars of the Triad, or at least that he's back and still very much in power. Stars, even the orcs and orogs back home might start to question it all...Why exactly Reitler would want that? I'm not sure...But if what happened to Keggruk was very specifically planned, though–which it was according to Viconia—" she says looking to Aiwë, "orcs are the only common thread I see here. You lure one of the most prominent Cagebreakers to Candlekeep, target his almost-daughter with an assassin to get him to leave so he can be assassinated and marked. It was almost certainly planned before we even arrived! After that, you send out a bounty to stop the young adventurers from halting Iron Throne activity."

She folds her arms and turns to Ida. "Are...Gruumsh and Bhaal related in any way, Ida?" she asks the cleric. "And do 'dead' gods come back to...'life' if enough people believe in and fear them?"

Last edited February 1, 2024 2:13 am

Aiwë Shelur

gardensun

Feb 1, 2024 2:29 am

1. Cloakwood

Aiwë frowns deeply. "Its a story that makes sense." She scoffs as Stella asks Ida bout Bhaal and Gruumsh. "They both liked grisly violence, and now they're both dead."

She thinks it over. "Why Wirrow though? She's his human stepdaughter who rejects him. I'm his actual niece, orc-blooded, and daughter of the woman half his book is about. Presumably—I haven't actually read it." She grins good-naturedly Koveras. "Wouldn't I make more sense as a target if the orc-blood story was all that was wanted? Or if they just needed him out, they could have attacked any of us. Yet, even after he died, it was Wirrow targeted first at the Friendly Arm Inn."

Ida

Requella Inactive forever!

Feb 1, 2024 2:34 am

1. Cloakwood

Quote:

She folds her arms and turns to Ida. "Are...Gruumsh and Bhaal related in any way, Ida?" she asks the cleric. "And do 'dead' gods come back to...'life' if enough people believe in and fear them?"

Ida ponders the question "Undoubtedly they are both gods that have aligned themselves with evil and both are known for their unquenchable thirst for blood..."

Last edited February 1, 2024 2:39 am

Rolls

Religion - (1d20+6)

(14) + 6 = 20

Stella

Carcabob

Feb 1, 2024 2:37 am

1. Cloakwood

Stella draws her lips to a line and squints in thought. "If you were killed too, maybe that'd seem too obvious a setup? Or maybe she was just the most convenient both times? Or perhaps blood is a second star in the constellation...Both Wirrow and Bhaal have strange connections to it, after all? That's a stretch...I...Augh!" Stella grunts relaxes her face and slumps back in defeat, not sure what to make of it. "Those are good points..."

Last edited February 1, 2024 2:39 am

Araklusta

Feb 1, 2024 2:51 am

1. Cloakwood

From what Ida understands, a large portion of a living god's power comes from the number and faith of its followers. A dead god receives nothing from its former flock, no matter how many might believe in it.

And yet...

Ida has some familiarity with Bhaal and the cults that still praise his name. Indeed, at some point in her past helping Tulfgyr, she came across a saying particularly revered by the Blood Skulls. A scripture originally spoken by a renowned prophet:

The Lord of Murder shall perish, but in his doom he shall spawn a score of mortal progeny. Chaos will be sown from their passage. So sayeth the wise Alaundo.

The words rise up from Ida's memory, and they remind her that even after a god's death, they can continue to influence the world. And apparently Bhaal himself fathered a 'score of mortal progeny'. If there are indeed literal children of Bhaal, could one of them possibly attain enough power to become the new Lord of Murder?

It's a chilling thought.

Ida

Requella Inactive forever!

Feb 1, 2024 2:57 am

1. Cloakwood

Quote:

The Lord of Murder shall perish, but in his doom he shall spawn a score of mortal progeny. Chaos will be sown from their passage. So sayeth the wise Alaundo.

Ida speaks the scripture a little more than a whisper as it comes to her mind scared that even uttering the words would cause some unknown action to come to pass. She looks back up at Stella "We may be in over our heads" before discussing the thoughts she just had

Last edited February 1, 2024 3:15 am

Stella

Carcabob

Feb 1, 2024 5:31 am

1. Cloakwood

"We've always been in over our heads," Stella says, barely reacting to the grim words. She holds he hands up and outstretched. "And I might not be right about the whole gathering power bit. And maybe this Alaundo isn't so wise." She pauses, then her expression turns grim. "But if Bhaal had children...Rieltar is likely one, right? Viconia said..." Stella flips to her notes of what Aiwë recounted to them. "...'God-like power runs through his veins.'" She grimaces and furrows her brow.

"She also said Keggruk specifically needed to die...not that he needed to be marked...that could have been done without killing him." She bites her lip in deep concentration. 'To stop the schemes at play, you must find out why...and who else may be at risk'..." She groans and plants her face in her tome, spilling some of her rations from her lap. "Is it blood-related? Do the weapons matter? Do they need to kill and draw part of their soul or something?" Stella sits up and flips through more pages. "No...she was on the first bounty list we found...It didn't matter to them who did it or how. Why would they need him to die? Well, there goes my whole theory..."

Stella shakes her head and closes her tome. "We need more information. If we could just find Viconia, we could break the geas and she could tell us!" She sniffs a laugh and glances at Aiwë. "If she's anything like Nym, we shouldn't have too much of a problem running into her again."

She contorts her face, still thinking. "Maybe Ida could cast Sending and we could make the offer and work out some kind of meeting with Viconia that doesn't kill her...? And...that wouldn't lead to a deadly ambush for us..."

Last edited February 1, 2024 5:33 am

Rolls

🤔 (Investigation + last daily use of Cosmic Omen) - (1d20+5+1d6)

(16) + (3) + 5 = 24

Aiwë Shelur

gardensun

Feb 1, 2024 5:41 am

1. Cloakwood

Aiwë rubs her face. "Maybe I'm thinking too far into Keggruk's wound. Right behind your eye is your brain, it's a good way to kill someone. It's just... we avoid that method, because of what it means to us. But maybe his killers didn't think anything of it. Maybe they just took pleasure in being a little extra cruel. It might not be related."

She begins pacing, drumming her fingers on her crossed arms.

"I think we're on the right track with Rieltar though. Power hungry, cruel, murderer, worships Bhaal. He could be one of these... Bhaalspawn..." She nods, it's got a good ring. "He could be Bhaalspawn, or just thinks he is. It's equally dangerous."

She looks over her friends with determination. "We'll crack this. Heroes are always in over their heads." Aiwë smiles reassuringly at Stella. "Our parents always were."

Last edited February 1, 2024 5:44 am

Dieter

Victor.Strokov Inactive for 3 months

Feb 1, 2024 5:44 am

1. Cloakwood

YES! Yes! By Lythander’s light!…I mean.. Tulfgyr’s T-.. a dog! Wow this is going to be the best.

Quote:

Stella draws her lips to a line and squints in thought. "If you were killed too, maybe that'd seem too obvious a setup? Or maybe she was just the most convenient both times?

What should I name him? Bah I’ll probably know it when I see it…. Too cool.

Araklusta

Feb 1, 2024 5:56 pm

1. Cloakwood

The words of prophecy Ida spoke prick a memory in Stella's sharp mind. She's heard these words spoken before, in Candlekeep:

There are perhaps a dozen other people walking about in the Court of Air, most of them Avowed. A small procession of Avowed make their way around the Court, reciting some cryptic words: "...the Lord of Murder shall perish, but in his doom he shall spawn a score of mortal progeny. Chaos will be sown from their passage. So sayeth the wise Alaundo..."

It occurs to her that Alaundo the Seer did in fact make Candlekeep his home, and his words are still studied and pondered there today.

OOC:

The above 'flashback' actually belongs to Ossein, but I'm sure Stella would have heard the same while passing through the Court of Air, and given her high Investigation check she remembers the experience clearly!

https://gamersplane.com/forums/thread/21371/?p=988140#p988140

Stella

Carcabob

Feb 1, 2024 6:18 pm

1. Cloakwood

"Alaundo..." Her eyes widen. "Wait! I've heard those words before! Candlekeep. I was passing through the Court of Air. Avowed were chanting it. I think Alaundo lived at Candlekeep." She furrows her brow again. "I'm...not sure what that means for us...Maybe there are more prophecies there? Someone at Candlekeep had to have been involved in the assassins, but we already suspected that...But I guess this is one more thread tying things together."

Ida

Requella Inactive forever!

Feb 2, 2024 2:20 am

1. Cloakwood

"I mean we can always send a letter out to Candlekeep for more information. What's the worst they can do? not write back." Ida says although in her mind there are far worse outcomes she chooses to keep to herself mostly out of paranoia rather then them actually being a real chance or threat.

Last edited February 2, 2024 2:21 am

Stella

Carcabob

Feb 2, 2024 6:48 pm

1. Cloakwood

Stella considers. "Mmmm...I suppose...It's not like assassins have had a hard time finding us anyway...Research inquiries usually come with a charge, but that's not much of an issue. I'll draft a letter. Perhaps we can send it when we get to Baulder's Gate. I wouldn't want Bently to be on the receiving end of an assassin interception, and we'll need some kind of non-implicative return address. Prophecies regarding Gruumsh and Bhaal and relations between them...anything else we should ask about?"

Ida

Requella Inactive forever!

Feb 8, 2024 5:50 pm

1. Cloakwood

Ida shakes her head as she retrieves some parchment and opens a small box containing a quill and some tightly corked indigo ink "I don't believe there's anything else we would need to ask about right now." Handing the supplies over to Stella "and hopefully it remains that straightforward."

Stella

Carcabob

Feb 13, 2024 8:09 pm

1. Cloakwood

Stella nods and drafts a letter, planning to send it sometime when the reach Baulder's Gate.

...

Later while one the road, numerous giant spiders attack the caravan. Per her word, Shar-Teel proves helpful in the fight with the blinding speed of her blades, cutting down many. Through arachnids, arrows, blades, and blood, the party manages to keep everyone safe, or address the wounds and poisons that afflict those bitten. Stella tends to wounds, thanking Shar-Teel for her efforts, despite knowing she'd only get some sardonic refute in response—she was used to that kind of talk anyway.

When they exit the Cloakwood a couple days later, Stella pays Shar-Teel the agreed-upon amount, cheekily wishing her and her 'little son' well.

OOC:

75 gp for three days, I think?

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