1039 replies and 98 files omitted.
How many houses are there in total
>>180049Not even in Death does the cuteness end\
>>180053Two nearby, maybe another two further away, plus some industrial looking buildings
>>180050It smells organic
The furs are relatively raw
>>180051It is oversized for Kira
>>180054Kira decides that the coat, while warm, isn't quite suitable for her size, and lets Silver have it. Perhaps he can get it resized when they get back to Baltimare, and perhaps Kira can get herself a properly sized coat for herself.
The industrial buildings look interesting. Silver goes off to investigate them, as Kira investigates the natural areas just outside the town.
>>180054Organic as in hexane, or organic as in blood?
Regardless, Zeeb wandees around a little more befoee deciding there isn't much more information to gather here. Maybe the cottage can reveal more.
Letter one, blatantly torn from a larger set of notes:
"To my Ingrid Marie Vindes
Nils Markås found the last letter I wrote and read it out to the group. Like he thinks having a lover is somehow embarrassing. Let him read it now. He does not know Ponish, as we do. It's the 16th now. I trust you are in Trottingham by now? Apartment 16, 146 Marien Way? That's where I will be mailing this when the ship comes around. And that is what I need to write to you about now. I will not be coming home this November. Sørvik wants us to stay through the winter. He thinks that the sealing will be good, with all of the big ships heading south. We didn't want to go along with this, but he promised more money will pay out to us, and besides, none of us had jobs lined up for the winter. I love you Ingrid, and I will see you as soon as I can. We are still trying to prod Sørvik to get us home early still. Perhaps I will see you in Trottingham for the Festival of the Blue Moon. It will be strange, to be sure, not being in Flygham. But that is the point of a new life? I will see you soon, and with quite a bit of money with it.
Yours, Johan Bøkli"
Letter 2, same:
"My dear Ingrid! We've got a massive haul. I was sick for the day, but Sørvik, Ingerstad, and Nils went out, and had the luckiest haul ever! They towed an adult Devil Whale back to shore. It's big. Damn near a Midgarsworm. Sørvik claims he killed it and the other two won't say no, but I don't believe that for a moment. I think they just found a corpse that did not sink. But I do not care. It has meat and blubber, and ambergris in the bowels. We have been tearing it apart all day. Old Olaf Sørvik has done it. We even found some jewelry and spear heads in its intestines. A whole golden headset with jewels. It doesn't quite fit a hippogriff head, but I think it just got crushed. Olaf Sørvik is keeping it for himself. that is alright, with this kind of find, he has earned it.
And that leads to my next point. We have voted to stay until February, and will not be on the next boat out. I know it isn't what you wanted to hear, but I promise you, when we meet again, it will all be worth it.
Lovingly, Johan Bøkli"
>>180057Organic like blood, but hexane is also a possibility with different containers
>>180055There is a kind of boiler beneath a large tank, and a steel ladder to reach up to the top tank and pour things in, and then pipes carrying fluid away from the tank and to be placed in oil drums. The whole thing is made out of steel that is somewhat rusted.
>>180054I'm not quite sure where everypony is on the map, but just assume that Posey is now searching in the same place as everypony else now, for the sake of keeping the party together.
Should I roll anything? Cast Detect Magic?
>>180059Posey knows what blood smells like, and she has experience executing sleezy ghoul merchants who tried to sell off kegs of watered-down/bootleg blood in magehold: this is her calling.
Posey examines it closely, to determine it it is really blood.
>>180059Oh shit, that actually changes a lot of things. I suppose the doctor should have recognized blood.
Dust investigates further. Are the barrels.... Full of blood?
>>180061>>180062No. It's rendered fat
>>180060You can roll what you think is relevant at a specific point
>>180063I'm going to start with an Int check to search to see if I notice anything odd.
[1d20+3 = (9+3) = 12] >>180063Oh. Well I guess if zoob doesn't recognize the skins he continues on his way to the cabin he passed by oj his way to the storeroom.
The second cottage is similar, with the name "Sovesal To" in block letters above the door.
Inside, there are a couple made beds, and one that is clearly disturbed. There are empty bottles of vodka on the floor. The floor is visibly scratched and there appears to be blood.
There are minor items like a lamp, a pocket watch, an ice pick.
Here too, there are notes torn and thrown on the floor.
>>180066>The floor is visibly scratched and there appears to be blood.Posey checks to make sure it's real, authentic blood.
She also gathers up the notes, and checks for any hoofprints that could indicate where the prior inhabitants went.
>>180066Also I want the pocket watch, of nopony else claims it.
>>180058Cavaliere picks up the papers, including the ones in the northern script, and stows them in his backpack, except for the ones in Ponish which he holds. He enters the second cabin where Dust and Posey are.
"What do those notes say? They are probably not in Ponish and I cannot read the northern language some of the other notes have." >>180059Hmm...Silver taps on the boiler and tank to see if he can tell if there's anything left inside it.
These too, are in Ponish, and from the same source, violently ripped out
Note 3:
"Several weeks have passed, and the sealing has not been as good as before. It seems like they really did all go south. Still looking to see you again."
Note 4:
"The Festival of the Blue Moon has passed, and what a sad day it was. Håkon Egerstad left the door open in the storehouse, and rats got in and spoiled some of our supplies. We only have enough food to barely last us until february. It's not a complete disaster as we have seal meat, but who wants to eat seal meat every day? Well, that's what we had today. Nils Markås refused to cook today, I think Egerstad made a remark about his cooking being bad, which caused Nils to retort that he spoiled the crackers and caused a fuss. I ended up cooking, but i can't say I do a much better job than Nils. I can't wait for your cooking. There's more fussing. Nils is trying to claim that I shouldn't have a full share of the devil whale as I wasn't there to 'kill it,' as if they somehow did! I was there to process it, and that is the real work. Egerstad says that the golden crown is probably some old artifact, and he wants a share. Sørvik will have none of that. I think he even wears it at night, fancying himself some kind of prince or priest of the sea folk. You should see him try to put it on. It doesn't fit him at all.
This would all be a comedy, except that we have found no seals in the last week. We would not be fighting if there were seals. And there will be no ship coming by. We are considering just taking the boat and going to Trottingham, though we have no permit for their waters. Sørvik wants us to stay. He is claiming we'll find that pack of seals, or a wright whale. I would like to believe he's right, but I don't think he is. I am considering getting in that boat myself, even if I am arrested in Trottingham Bay. It will be worth it when I see you."
Lovingly, Johan Bøkli"
>>180070They are empty
>>180068Mala tries to, but he's easy to make back off
>>180067The blood on the ground looks pretty real
>>180071Well, Posey likes Mala...
Depends what the pocket watch is made of. Is it silver, gold or something else?
>>180066Can Dust investigate these notes? Anything interesting?
>>180071Oh hey
>sealingSealing or sealing? Either way, resident zebra only knows abojt one type of seal and not really the other.
Reading further, I see what kinda sealing.
Going out on a limb and rolling knowledge (religion) to see if Zeeb has heard of tbe Festival of the Blue Moon
[1d20+9 = (3+9) = 12]>>180069Dust shakes his head
"The northen scripts I cannot read
So please do not leave them to me
If you truly want to catch some leads
Our silver friend you should see."
>>180071Cavaliere waves over Silver and Mala to have a look, and once the group is together he passes around the first two notes. He explains,
"These aren't Stalliongradians Stalliongraders? Stalliongraduates?, the marines, or any prior residents. These were griffon sealers who found this whale and presumably owned that boat. They were staying here until February, but the fact that they left these buildings like this indicates that either they are still here and are in hiding, they were forcibly picked up, or they're dead."He then talks to Posey, interrupting her staring at the watch.
"You told us you are some expert on dead bodies, not quite a coroner but in a similar field. Is it within your capability to determine what species this blood belongs to?"To Silver:
"Can you make anything out of this?" he asks as he claws over a document in the Norwegian-analogous language.
>>180072It seems to be silver
>>180073>can he investigateYes.
>sealing or sealingYes
>Festival of the Blue MoonGriffonian celebration
>>180074Mala comes over
He smells the blood
"That is from today" He answers
>>180071>Egerstad says that the golden crown is probably some old artifact, and he wants a share. Sørvik will have none of that. I think he even wears it at night, fancying himself some kind of prince or priest of the sea folk. You should see him try to put it on. It doesn't fit him at all. I want that crown.
"I wonder what happened to it...?" Posey remarks
>>180074>"You told us you are some expert on dead bodies, not quite a coroner but in a similar field. Is it within your capability to determine what species this blood belongs to?"That's a good question. Statistically, i got nothing on my sheet, but maybe I could get a circumstance bonus for backstory?
I could taste it and be sure...
>>180076>Can Posey tellI would assume that all mammalian blood is extremely similar and you couldn't tell the difference except under a microscope
If anyone could tell the difference, it would be Mala
>>180075>silverOw, yucky silver. Hurty.
Posey gives the watch to Mala.
>from today"Can you tell what it's from, big guy?" Posey says, as she hands him the watch.
Posey scrutinizes the blood, and looks for any prints that could let either of the rangers use their track feat to locate the creatures involved.
>>180077>would assume that all mammalian blood is extremely similarYou've clearly never tried virgin blood. We take blood tasting very seriously in Magehold.
Posey lets Mala do his thing though.
>>180075Hm, grifs celebrating the moon. Interesting
The zeeb looks at Mala
"If the blood indeed is fresh
Then close at hoof should be the flesh
Could from the scent you find the trail?
And lead us to them across the vale?"
>>180078"I think it's griffin. I am not sure though. I know that griffins have been here, in this room." Mala licks the blood on the floor
"Yeah, I think that's griffin."
>You've clearly never tried virgin bloodFair enough
>>180079Mala looks up at the rapping, striped fellow.
"I think I could, yes."
>>180080Maybe the Rangers can make their survival checks now, with a bonus for Mala's assistance.
>>180078>You've clearly never tried virgin blood. We take blood tasting very seriously in Magehold.It's a relief that Amber and Mustard are safe now.>>180080"Then they are probably dead, or at least wounded. The trail wouldn't lead us to the Marines, but it might lead us to the communists which we could then avoid.">>180081What bonus, and wouldn't the party would have to link up with Kira to tell her?
>tfw I have zero points into survival >>180082Wait, where is Kira? I thought she was with us. Let's go get Kira.
>>180078When Poset cedes the pocket watch, Mala reaches out with his paw as quickly as he can, grabs it, opens his mouth, and places it in the back of his mouth in a single fast action. It's a smaller than average pocket watch; maybe he could have swallowed it. Mala then turns his head to meet his eyes to Posey, and he pulls it out. He has a clearly embarrassed smile on his face.
"Thank you...."
He looks away.
>>180084"Good boy." Posey pats mala.
I do need to get up early tomorrow, so I'm going to bed.
Feel free to go on without me, making search checks and whatnot.
I apologize for my absence, I fell asleep.
>>180074Silver looks over the notes he's given. "Hmm...no, I do not think I can. I know Ponish, Cyrillic, Wechselbalg...this looks like it could be Vedinan, possibly."
>>180066If Silver notices it and no one else wants it, he would like the ice pick.
>>180082>>180083>>180084Kira is still nearby, and isn't hard at all to collect. She was investigating the nearby area just outside the village. She comes back, giving a concerned glance at the scratches and bloodstain.
Kira: "That...doesn't seem good. It's fresh? You...want me to track that? Alright, sure, that should be easy enough."
Survival: While Mala assists with his keen sense of smell, Kira investigates and follows the tracks left behind by whoever was bleeding here.
[1d20+11 = (5+11) = 16]>>180087Rolling to assist that survival check (DC 10)
[1d20+1 = (8+1) = 9]"If it's from today, it's likely that whoever left it is still here. Hopefully our colts are still alive." Posey says
"It's also plausible that they were dragged away from here by monsters. Check for any signs of a struggle, so we can know what we're dealing with."
I'll also roll appraise on that Ice Pick, to see if it's masterwork (potentially magic).
[1d20+3 = (13+3) = 16] >>180085Mala is pet"I'm not used to...
this..."
>>180087There's a sign of birds, and especially a large number of bird feathers in little piles. There are more clam shells.
Separate from all of this and far more organized, is a pile of bones.
Kira looks around and at the trail of blood. Little droplets continue - evidently dropped from above the ground, not dragged - in a direction towards the remaining structures and perhaps the pier. It does not continue with enough detail to say with certainty. What is unhelpful is that this entire area has many signs of use and being disturbed. The muddy ground retains prints, to be sure, but there are many prints in many directions of paws, claws, and especially of boots.
>>180094It is not. It has some use (including a very small amount of blood at the end).
>>180095>bird feathersBird feathers, or griffon feathers?
>Separate from all of this and far more organized, is a pile of bones.~Yay! Bones!
What kind of bones?
>Little droplets continue - evidently dropped from above the ground, not dragged - in a direction towards the remaining structures and perhaps the pier."Something left this room while it was still bleeding."
>including a very small amount of blood at the end"And it looks like this pick wounded them." She adds
"Informal weaponry... It appears as though these might have been civilians, fighting amongst themselves."
>especially of bootsDo the boot patterns match the boots of the soldier we just captured? Or the boots common among New Mareland Navy?
>>180095>>180096Kira: "And whoever they were, they remained conscious even after being attacked. And that pier, with the sunken boat...could they be related? Did whoever was attacked sabotage the boat?"
>>180096>Bird feathers, or griffon feathers?These are probably not griffin feathers based on the small size. They are shorter with grey at the tips and white, or sometimes, just white.
>what kind of bonesRoll>BootsRoll
>>180098I suppose I'll roll with intelligence.
[1d20+2 = (19+2) = 21][1d20+2 = (3+2) = 5] >>180097"It's plausible, but I have a hunch that whoever was here is either in the neighboring structure on that ship. Let's check them."
"It's also plausible that our colts may be involved. They're Marines, and they likely don't know that they're being rescued. If they're alive, they likely looked for logical sources of shelter on the island, or supplies from the ship to keep warm and build their fires."
"The coat in the building gives me pause. Somepony left this place in a hurry."
>>180098Bones (taking the liberty of a +2 circumstance for my roleplayed bone obsession):
[1d20+5 = (17+5) = 22]Boots:
[1d20+3 = (8+3) = 11] >>180101The bones belong to multiple marine mammals, specifically pinnipeds, presumably seals or sea lions.
The boots are of a style not consistent with pony boots.
>>180100Screw it, I'll flip those two results:
The boots are griffin boots, like what is used in especially fish processing.
The bones... Hard to say
>>180103Posey takes any skulls from the pile.
>>180104"Perhaps it has something to do with that crown mentioned earlier. Let's investigate."
Posey begins trotting towards the other structures and the pier
>>180105Only a few skulls, which are incomplete as the jaw bones has been separated. The number of skulls seems underrepresented, and the whale skull is also absent.
>>180105The pier is to the left. There are two structures in the back.
>>180106Let's check out the structures before heading to the pier.
>>180106>>180107Silver and Kira take one of the structures
>>180108Let's search them together, in case we encounter something.
>>180109Hey, Posey and the others are more than welcome to search with them in this one or to search the other.
>>180110That's what I meant.
Posey follows the others.
Two structures:
One, a cottage of some kind with windows. The other has no windows and must be some kind of workshop.
There a few smaller auxiliary buildings, however, even behind this
>>180112"We're looking for ponies, so let's check the cottage first. They could have hidden there."
>>180113Idk why I put that in quotes, but I guess that's not unreasonable to say in character...
>>180112Posey walks to the door of the cabin, but as she's about to open it...
She compulsively knocks.
>>180115No response.
This door is indeed closed.
>>180117Posey freezes there, struggling against herself.
....
Wait, is there a welcome mat?
>>180117>>180118Silver looks oddly at Posey, before opening the door for her.
>>180119But does he invite her in?
>>180119The door is unlocked, and opens simply
>>180118No.
>>180119>>180118Mala stands at the ready with his shotgun, and seemed as if he intended to kick down the door if Silver had not simply opened it.
>>180120Kek
>>180120>>180121>>180122>>180123Silver steps inside, and having not immediately died (as far as I know) turns to Posey and says, "Seems safe enough. Come on inside."
>>180124Posey enters the building, and looks around.
>>180124>>180125You wanna get a surprise round against you? Because this is how you get a surprise round against youSilver opens it...
To find that the cottage contains a desk with many papers, some papers strewn on the ground, a collection of giant... teeth? On a windowsil. Many, many, many empty bottles. A couple glasses, one turned over. Writing in.. chalk? Multiple... spearheads? On the walls. A single bed that is made but slightly disturbed.
>>180126Fair.Silver: "This seems to belong to hunter."
Kira enters, and wonders at the interior. She takes special interest in the spearheads, comparing it to the leaf-shaped steel spearhead of her spear.
>>180126>You wanna get a surprise round against you?People told me not to powergame. Posey phobia is one of her weaknesses.
>a collection of giant... teeth?Ooh, that's fun.
>Writing in.. chalk?A magic circle? Summoning?
Arcana
[1d20+11 = (5+11) = 16]>Multiple... spearheads?Any of those look masterwork?
Let's check the floor boards under the bed, to see if there's a hidden compartment that the crown could have been hidden in.
>>180127It sholuld be clarified that there are two distinct and radically different types of "spearheads" here. One is absolutely massive, six or so inches long and made of steel, presumably chrome plated.
But another class is several different kinds of mostly smaller spearheads. Some are made of... metal? Some odd looking black colored substance. Two are carved bone. One of the metal ones looks broken, probably from something larger
>>180128These are definitely of some kind of magical attempt or occult tradition, very possibly for the purpose of summoning. However, Posey does not recognize any of the attempts at symbols. Well, that isn't true. She recognizes a symbol belonging to Erebus, of primordial chaos, and another to the fish god. However, if Posey really had to guess, this looks more like an imitation of magic rituals rather than anything real.
>>180128There is a box, yes.
>masterworkMaybe the large steel one?
>>180130Hmmm...this may be a long shot, but...can Silver use his mastery of Weaponsmithing to learn the quality of the spearheads?
>>180131Are you asking if it's masterwork?
>>180131If you have tanks in weapons nothing, you get a bonus to appraisal checks.
>>180130>imitation of magic rituals rather than anything real"It looks like the fishermen were getting desperate. They even resorted to esoterics." Posey declares
"It's all wrong though. For all we know they angered the sea spirits and had a horde of sea fiends ascend in this settlement." She ponders
>>180133>tanks in weapons nothing*ranks in weapon smithing
>>180132Yeah, and maybe recognizing what the metal and black colored substance is.
>>180133Hmmmmmmmmmmmm
Kira: "They didn't ask the spirits correctly, I suppose, and didn't receive their blessings. We're not really a sea people, so I don't know if we had any ways to ask for blessings to increase fish yields. We just fished in the rivers if we needed any."
>>180135"Esoterics are no laughing matter. Some creatures think of them as harmless futility at worst, but in dire circumstances it can do more harm than good. I know of a village not unlike this one that was depopulated by drowners after the locals got chancey with chalk like this..." Posey says, shaking her head slowly
>>180136Rolling
[1d20+3 = (4+3) = 7] >>180136Can I roll? Not for anything in particular, just in general
>>180136Weaponsmithing: Silver inspects the spearheads with the keen eye of a master smith.
[1d20+12 = (14+12) = 26]>>180137Kira: "I imagine they got desperate, ran out of whale meat and resorted to hunting sea birds for food. This might have been their last gambit to survive..."
>>180141"It may have also been their undoing. Sea spirits are not to be trifled with." Posey says
"I know that first hoof...." she adds
>>180142"I wondered the same. Perhaps there were more of them at some point."
>>180139Are there any hidden chambers under the floorboard, behind the bed, or under the mattress?
>>180140Defiant's mix tape does
not get picked up by a record label.
>>180137Posey does not recognize the spears
>>180141Silver can tell that the large spearhead is a fresh, modern spear with a chrome plated head. Presumably, it's for a harpoon.
The other objects are... less clear. One is the tip of a larger spear, and a few are full spearheads. One of the spearheads is corroded in an unsual way. However, all of them seem to be made from some kind of alloy. Iron, Nickel, and Manganese. The thing is, it looks as if it
hasn't been properly smelted at all, and is a naturally occurring semi-metalic substance. This means that the iron includes ferric oxides that you'd really rather not use. However, it
is near purely metalic.
>>180144No search roll?
>>180145I keep forgetting my bonus
[1d20+5 = (5+5) = 10] I really should take 10 on these kinds of rolls...
>>180145Silver: "These are odd. I have never seen anyone attempt to fashion spearheads like these before. It almost seems as if they were using whatever metals they had on hoof...talon?...to make these."
>>180147Search: Kira also searches the house for any hidden compartments.
>>180149"Seems like it. They probably melted down old scrap metal to make these."
>>180150There
is a hidden compartment in the floorboard.
It contains a couple boxes, and has clearly been moved recently.
>>180152Voila!
Posey levitates the boxes out.
>>180153Kira taps her hooves together as she watches Posey lift the boxes out. "Um...can I help open them?"
>>180154"Sure. You can be the trap-checker." Posey replies
>>180155Kira: "Okay!" She smiles, and claps her hooves together excitedly...before stopping and looking at Posey a couple seconds later. "...how does one do that, exactly?"
>>180154Opening the boxes:
There is
not a waiting hoof grenade
It's pretty clear that the physically largest items under the floorboards have been removed.
Inside are a couple smaller boxes of ammunition, two sets of papers, a necklace with a symbol of a lion holding an axe, some paper money, and a number of coins in foreign currency.
>>180157Kira: "Oh, money!" Kira takes the money, seeing what kind of money it is.
Silver: "Money?" Silver looks, and takes the ammunition, seeing what caliber they are.
>>180157Posey examines the amulet.
Does it look like it could be magic?
Arcana
[1d20+11 = (18+11) = 29]Let's pool all the money we find into a loot pile, to divide at the end of the mission.
>>180159It does not.
It's insignia to be sure, and precious metals, but not magical
Symbol is a lion holding an axe overtop two shorts words. Silver with gold plating.
>>180158Two distinct calibers.
.45 ACP
6.5 MM rifle
The money is... well, there's a griffin on it. It's silver and gold, though.
The paper is colored green and red.
>>180159A fair idea, but does that mean we would also pool all of the money we get from pawning items?
>>180160Damn, no one has firearms in those calibers. Though the existence of this ammunition implies the existence of their matching firearms somewhere.
>>180160"Well, that's treasure." Posey says, eyeing the necklace
>>180161Depends, items that clearly are better off for certain characters should go to those characters. Items that are not useful to any characters should be sold off and proceeds divided.
>>180145I hope you know that I am scrunching at you. Hard
>>180161"We can decide how to divide the treasure after we get paid." Posey says, stowing the necklace
"Let's check the other building before we head to the pier."