Whispers of the Dark Mother Chapter 1

[JMaytr]

The 'farmers guild house', a long wooden warehouse used by the locals as a gathering place for local producers, and the site of the weekly fresh fruit market, stands in the distance. Tall copse trees surround the building, providing shade from the afternoon sun and privacy from the homes nearby. The scent of fresh baked bread and chocolate chip cookies waft on the breeze from Delicate Destiny's pastries, located just beyond the northern treeline.

Junia spots the guildhouse, her current 'job' site.

A man waves her over.

"Are you the exterminator?"

[ewancummins]

Junia steps closer and greets the man with a curt nod.
"Yeah, that's me. Junia."
She hooks her thumbs into her belt.
"Nice pig you got there."

[JMaytr]

The man smiles and gives the hog a little hug.

"Yeah. This is Squeely. He's sure ready for you to get rid o' them 'pedes...Sometime last week those critters burrowed into my basement and decided to nest where Squeely sleeps at night. Bit him a couple times, lucky the feller didn't get sick,"

The man trails off and looks away from Junia's scars.

[ewancummins]

The man smiles and gives the hog a little hug.

"Yeah. This is Squeely. He's sure ready for you to get rid o' them 'pedes...Sometime last week those critters burrowed into my basement and decided to nest where Squeely sleeps at night. Bit him a couple times, lucky the feller didn't get sick,"

The man trails off and looks away from Junia's scars.

"Right, let's go have a look."

[JMaytr]

The farmer smiles a blackened grin.

"The cellars around the side."

[ewancummins]

''Sure. Let's talk about what I charge."

Junia sounds him out, trying to discern if he's likely to cheat her or seems honest.

VIEW CONTENT:

Sense Motive roll[dice]0[/dice] +7

If she doesn't get the sense she's about to be cheated by this pig farmer, she searches the area around the building and the interior, for signs of giant centipedes, rotten floorboards, and any other hazards.

VIEW CONTENT:

Perception +7
[dice]1[/dice]
Profession Vermin Trapper +6
[dice]2[/dice]

[JMaytr]

VIEW CONTENT:

He seems eager to be rid of the centipedes as he appears quite fond of that pig by the way he is petting it

[JMaytr]

Looking around, Junia spots some clear signs of infestation; droppings and burrow mounds dot the yard. The cellar doors are unlocked and open easily.

The farmer agrees to her sum. and pats his coin purse.

[ewancummins]

Looking around, Junia spots some clear signs of infestation; droppings and burrow mounds dot the yard. The cellar doors are unlocked and open easily.

The farmer agrees to her sum. and pats his coin purse.

Junia opens the cellar doors to give herself light and air.

If the angle of the sun won't illuminate much of the space below, she also lights her lantern with flint and steel.

Then she descends, keeping a sharp eye out for anything like loose boards or empty sacks that might hide vermin.

[JMaytr]

Junia sees a staircase leading down towards a mahogany door, The steps and interior door are in much better shape then the exterior cellar doors. A slot about eye level, is open in the mahogany door, allowing one to peer within.

[JMaytr]

The mid day sun beats down on Herman as he finishes burying a recent soul in the graveyard behind the Temple of Eternal Rest. A blue songbird lands on a nearby tombstone and fills the air with her melody. Herman catches the smell of clove oil before he catches sight of the approaching priest.



As she approaches, Herman sees it is Protector Saylaa Perth, the head of the temple. She stops a few feet from Herman, uneasy in his presence despite her station.

"Ah , Mr. Whittle, I'd hoped to catch you here. A body has been found decapitated near Ogre's Alley. The local stories claim that the street is haunted, so the poor soul's corpse still rots on the stones. As you are known to that place, would you retrieve the body, obtain a casket, and return here? I have a spell that will ensure the departed's eternal rest, but I must perform it before sundown or it will be lost. I will double your usual pay if you agree to the task."

[ewancummins]

Junia sees a staircase leading down towards a mahogany door, The steps and interior door are in much better shape then the exterior cellar doors. A slot about eye level, is open in the mahogany door, allowing one to peer within.

Junia examines the staircase and doorway, looking for centipedes and hidey-holes.

Afterward, she take a careful peek through the door slit and tries to open the door.

[JMaytr]

The interior of the room is dark, but Junia can make out what appears to be a large cage not far from the door. The heavy odor of excrement mixed with stale, heavy alcohol drifts on the air. The door features a very fine lock, but is unlocked at the moment.

[ewancummins]

JUNIA, CELLAR

The interior of the room is dark, but Junia can make out what appears to be a large cage not far from the door. The heavy odor of excrement mixed with stale, heavy alcohol drifts on the air. The door features a very fine lock, but is unlocked at the moment.

Junia examines the lock for a maker's mark, mindful that only so many smiths in the area can probably turn out work this good.


After that, she pushes the door open and sets a stone under the lower hinge as a doorstop.
She enters and pokes about the room, shining her lantern to look in dark corners.

VIEW CONTENT:

perception
[dice]0[/dice]
+7

knowledge local
[dice]1[/dice]
+5

appraise--- untrained
[dice]2[/dice]
+1

[JMaytr]

VIEW CONTENT:

The lock's maker is one she doesn't recognize, its a rune of somekind

As she shines her lantern around, she hears a hissing sound coming from in front of her. As the lantern exposes the room she can see she's in a speakeasy. A Bar lines the far wall surrounded by wooden chairs. Big oak barrels stand behind the bar, their lids covered with wooden tankards.

The hissing sound comes from the fighting cage in the corner. Soiled, and bloodstained hay blankets the arena. A black centipede with red glowing eyes, thrashes through it.



INITIATIVE