WoD Chapter 1: Ruin and Mystery

[GravityEmblem]

You've finally arrived at your destination, only to see it destroyed. Houses lay in ruin on the ground, often on fire. Only a few buildings remain standing: a tavern, up in flames as you stand watching; a bashed-up old inn; a single house, seemingly left untouched. Though you have many questions, two stick out to you...where is your employee, and what happened here in Meyerville?

[Ezeze]

Bayla was no stranger to war. Nor to bandit raids. Some buildings were burned down but others were still ablaze. Even a tavern, full of flammable alcohols, doesn't burn forever. Whatever happened had to be fairly recent.

She glances about - who is trying to put the flames out? Are there bodies? Are there obvious tracks leading to or from town? Had she passed anyone going the opposite direction on her way here?

[Daos]

Daos paused to catch his breath.  He had seen the thick, black plumes of smoke from a distance and knew then that something was very wrong, so had hurried the rest of the way to Meyerville.  He could now confirm his fears by seeing the devastation firsthand.

His primary concern is to search for survivors or anyone else in need of help.  He looks around for any people at all, as well as any signs of the attackers should they still be present.

[GravityEmblem]

Melvin beholds the destruction in front of him, searching for something that could lead him to the instigator of it. Meanwhile, Daos discovers no one out in the open, although he has yet to make a scrutinous search. Bayla's investigations, on the other hand, yield more fruit: a few charred corpses strewn about, and a great many footprints leading to and away from the town from the northwest edge of it.

[OOC: To investigate further, make an Investigation check-you also may want to say where you're searching or something specific you're looking for.]

[Ezeze]

Never one for subtlety, Bayla cups her hands around her mouth and hollars as loud as she can - which is quite loud - "Yo! Any survivors!?"

[Daos]

Daos will start with the burning tavern, as if there are any survivors within, they will be in the most apparent danger.  He avoids stepping inside the inferno, but he will circle the building listening and looking for anyone who might be alive and calling for help.

================

Daos makes an investigation check (1d20+6): 

zzYh7K_H1d20+6

1d20+6

[GravityEmblem]

Unfortunately, Daos neither sees nor hears any trace of survivors within the tavern, and Bayla's shout is met only with echoes.

Meanwhile, Melvin makes his way to the town square, trying to stay out of sight.


UDwQfKec1d20+51d20+5

[Daos]

Daos will move on to the battered inn next, searching for survivors or clues to what happened here.

=============

Daos makes an investigation check (1d20+6): 

KBkFiqk31d20+6

1d20+6

[Ezeze]

Bayla shrugs. Whelp. No one here. Might as well see if anything useful can be salvaged. She walks past the burning buildings to the intact one and lets herself in.

[GravityEmblem]

Daos will move on to the battered inn next, searching for survivors or clues to what happened here.

The inside of the inn is a mess. Broken tables and overturned chairs litter the floor of the lobby, and the stairs have collapsed, courtesy of a large battleaxe, which appears to be of orcish design. As you prepare to leave, you notice a torn scrap of paper which, upon closer inspection looks like part of a map. It contains Meyerville, another town (whose name is indiscernible), and a hastily scrawled note that the two are a three-day's journey apart.

Bayla shrugs. Whelp. No one here. Might as well see if anything useful can be salvaged. She walks past the burning buildings to the intact one and lets herself in.

Within the building are only two rooms: a kitchen and a small bedroom.  The only sign of a struggle is a vial of ink spilled over what is apparently a letter. This is what you can make out of it:

Dearest Ri--

I deeply regret my having to write to you with bad news. You see, I fear
that I may have been discovered by

The rest of the letter is illegible.

[Daos]

Daos picks up the partial map, rolls it up, and slips it into his pack.  It may be useful later.  He notes that the stairs have been destroyed by what appears to be an axe of orcish make.  Was this an orc raid?  Meyerville is close to the border of Sentok, after all.  But he was just speculating now.  He had to be careful not to make too many assumptions just yet.  Still, the lack of bodies around suggest that whoever did this took prisoners or that most of the townsfolk fled somewhere else.

Finding nothing else here, there was only one place left to search--the one house still standing, untouched.  Daos heads there next.

[Ezeze]

Letters are all well and good, but if Bayla is going to be hunting for anyone - those taken captive might offer reward for their freedom, and her prospective employer may have been among them - it was a good idea to stock up on whatever rations she could. She was used to living off the land, but doing so slowed her down and sometimes even the best hunter had days when they came up empty.

She specifically looks for anything useful.

[GravityEmblem]

Nothing of much use or interest remains in the bedroom, but in the kitchen, Bayla finds several days worth of rations and three filled waterskins laying next to a backpack, as if the former resident was about to set off when Meyerville was (presumably) attacked.

[Daos]

Daos continues investigating as he makes his way to the only untouched building.

=============

Daos makes an investigation check (1d20+6):
GoMSq4PK1d20+6

1d20+6

[GravityEmblem]

Sadly, Daos finds no further evidence as to who attacked the village, nor any survivors. He enters the house to find it mostly intact, although a vial of ink has spilled on what appears to be a letter, and he can hear scuffling noises from the other room.