Mists Over the Musarde, Chapter Three

[Le Noir Faineant]

Cirdan will raise his shield and sword and walk over to examine the statue...

He'll not come totally near, though, but just use the tip of his blade to poke the strange item...

[Adam]

Benn doesn't quite keep the look of revulsion from twisting his features, but he swallows down the nausea and answers the rat-man.

"I am Bennedict Gehrman, and let me begin by apologizing for firing at you. I feared for my life, that you were not willing to converse. Luckily, heh, I don't seem to have harmed you," He tries to smile weakly, "I'm a local archivist and dealer of antiquities. The key you have there belongs to my client, and has little intrinsic value. Tell me, what interest do you have in it?"

[Lord Skybolt]

On seeing the others on the ground Alain start's thorough check for some type trap(s) in the area before and around their sleeping forms, before doing this he says to Norzak and the others : " Keep watch out while I check the area around them for traps . ". But also on the look out for any creatures in the area as well while he is checking .

[ewancummins]

Beneath the Grim Bastion

Benn doesn't quite keep the look of revulsion from twisting his features, but he swallows down the nausea and answers the rat-man.

"I am Bennedict Gehrman, and let me begin by apologizing for firing at you. I feared for my life, that you were not willing to converse. Luckily, heh, I don't seem to have harmed you," He tries to smile weakly, "I'm a local archivist and dealer of antiquities. The key you have there belongs to my client, and has little intrinsic value. Tell me, what interest do you have in it?"

The rat-man answers-

''My little cousins, they brought it to me. They bring me anything shiny and small. If you want it back, I'll give it to you. Maybe you ought to give me something in return, eh? After all, you shot me- very rude.''

[ewancummins]

Cirdan will raise his shield and sword and walk over to examine the statue...

He'll not come totally near, though, but just use the tip of his blade to poke the strange item...

Parting the weeds with his the point of his sword, Cirdan gets a better look at the red object. It's a red-glazed clay pot, and it looks very old. Weeds grow through gaps in the damaged ceramic shell, and the thing is half buried in the dirt.

[ewancummins]

On seeing the others on the ground Alain start's thorough check for some type trap(s) in the area before and around their sleeping forms, before doing this he says to Norzak and the others : " Keep watch out while I check the area around them for traps . ". But also on the look out for any creatures in the area as well while he is checking .

Alain begins to conduct a thorough search of the near area. He finds several possible clues as to the nature of the area:

- a shallow depression in the earth about six or seven feet across. The plant growth atop this despression seems especially rich, and the soil is thicker and blacker here than elsewhere. A few old chunks of partially carbonized wood lie scattered about the surface of the shallow pit.

- a rusty hatchet head [no handle] almost completley buried in the dirt

- a very small and compact brown and grey bundle of fur, skin, and miniature bones. This object is mostly dessicated.
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg12 ... pellet.jpg

[steveflam]

Norzak eyes the surrounding area. "Dorgio, see to the two unconscious men" he calls over to the priest. Concentrating slightly, Norzak calls upon his arcane abilities and casts a Detect Magic spell. He concentrates on the shallow depression in the earth, the rusty hatchet in the earth and the small bundle of fur. He also looks at Buckman and Jon.

He moves around as Alain does, searching for any clues as to what has transpired. He does look at the red statuette at Cirdan's feet. Maybe it holds some clue as to what has transpired here.

[ewancummins]

Norzak eyes the surrounding area. "Dorgio, see to the two unconscious men" he calls over to the priest. Concentrating slightly, Norzak calls upon his arcane abilities and casts a Detect Magic spell. He concentrates on the shallow depression in the earth, the rusty hatchet in the earth and the small bundle of fur. He also looks at Buckman and Jon.

He moves around as Alain does, searching for any clues as to what has transpired. He does look at the red statuette at Cirdan's feet. Maybe it holds some clue as to what has transpired here.

Jon's silvery knife detects as magical, of course. The other things do not radiate mystic energy. The red object near Cirdan's feet turns out to be not stone-carving, but a broken ceramic pot. Judging by the growth of weeds within and around it, it's been here for a long time.

[Le Noir Faineant]

"Xirdan will carefully take up the piecees of the pot.

"Ben will know what to do with this."

[Adam]

Beneath the Grim Bastion



The rat-man answers-

''My little cousins, they brought it to me. They bring me anything shiny and small. If you want it back, I'll give it to you. Maybe you ought to give me something in return, eh? After all, you shot me- very rude.''

"Indeed it was, and I am quite sorry," Bennedict continues, a small glimmer of hope forming in his chest. "What sort of things would interest you?"

He gestures towards the dead men lying on the ground. "The meal that your little cousins have been enjoying there, my friends and I provided it. Perhaps that is compensation enough? I have a little money, though I'm not sure if such things matter to you."

[ewancummins]

Beneath the Grim Bastion



The rat-man answers-

''My little cousins, they brought it to me. They bring me anything shiny and small. If you want it back, I'll give it to you. Maybe you ought to give me something in return, eh? After all, you shot me- very rude.''

"Indeed it was, and I am quite sorry," Bennedict continues, a small glimmer of hope forming in his chest. "What sort of things would interest you?"

He gestures towards the dead men lying on the ground. "The meal that your little cousins have been enjoying there, my friends and I provided it. Perhaps that is compensation enough? I have a little money, though I'm not sure if such things matter to you."

''The little ones do enjoy the meal, yes. As for me, I'm not a picky eater, but I like my meals a bit more fresh.''

The creature sniffs the air again, inhaling Benn's scent.

''Mmmmmmmm......Oh, yes, you said money. Money is good, especially gold , yellow gold. ''

The rat-man is drooling now.

[Adam]

"Ah, ahem, yes, very good." A bead of sweat appears on Benn's forehead, and he fishes around in his pockets for his money pouch, the seconds wherein his spell of sanctuary would last ticking away in the back of his mind.

"Shall we say, 20g in exchange for the key? As I said, it is not particularly valuable outside my owner's sentimental value."

He shakes the coins out into his hand, showing them in the light to the rat-man.

[ewancummins]

"Xirdan will carefully take up the piecees of the pot.

"Ben will know what to do with this."

Cirdan, carefully picking up the pices of the pot, finds something else in the little mound of debris- a fist sided hole in the ground, probably the burrow of some small animal.

[ewancummins]

"Ah, ahem, yes, very good." A bead of sweat appears on Benn's forehead, and he fishes around in his pockets for his money pouch, the seconds wherein his spell of sanctuary would last ticking away in the back of his mind.

"Shall we say, 20g in exchange for the key? As I said, it is not particularly valuable outside my owner's sentimental value."

He shakes the coins out into his hand, showing them in the light to the rat-man.

''Good. That's a fair deal. ''
The rat-man squeaks and chitters in a most bestial manner, apparently speaking with its ''little cousins.'' One of the sewer rats edges forward, the silver key in its teeth. The little animal deposits the key just within Benn's reach.

''Just put those coins on the floor for my little ones to take, human.''

[ewancummins]

In the Woods


Buckman and Jon slowly recover consciousness. If Dorgio examines them, he finds nothing obviously wrong with them. Both are in a cold sweat, and neither looks as if he's enjoyed whatever it was that just happened.

Jon speaks-

'' Dorgio? Uhnnnnn...I feel wretched.''

Buckman groans and sits up, rubbing his temples.

''Damnation,what happened? I can't remember...''