The Vessel of Stars

You are all dining in the Five Rings Inn & Tavern. Two initiates of Pelor enter and collapse. One is gravelly wounded and the other, nothing more than a child, has been dragging him. The young child, a girl you now see, of an unusual carriage drops her companion and approaches you. "Please, we are in need of your protection. Take us to our temple here so that my companion may be tended to."

the scarecrow of a man had been the tavern since morning, apparently blown in by the wind. he wore a cloak seemingly two sizes too big for him and a large brimmed hat that seemed always on the verge of slumping down over his head. his face was swathed in cloth, two goggles covering his eyes. he had promptly taken over a table with a variety of clutter, including an inkpen, a simple lock (no key), a fishook, bell, and ten tindertwigs, throughout the day he had been muttering to himself and moving them about the table. The townsfolk avoided him, thinking him crazy, a leper, or both. Seeing the child and priest was enough to wake him from his eccentricities however, and as he swept up his collection of junk he looked around for a strong looking man, saying "If someone could carry him outside, I have a cart."

Kaen sat outside as this exchange went on, with him being on fire and the tavern being slightly flammable. Leaning around the doorframe, he said, "No one lets me carry nothing. I want to help!"

[if we want posting order then this can go after everyone shows up, but this is too great to pass up.]

the tavern was on fire, and it was talking to him.
John did not know when the final shreds of sanity deserted him, but as he was now clearly hallucinating, he had to assume that their former dwelling place had been vacated.
"Barkeep? Do you realize your tavern's on fire?" he asks, before realizing that this was all the elaborate hallucination of an Insane Individual. Due to the way these stories normally played out when the bards told them, there would now be two to four more interesting people, and together with them he would go on all sorts of adventures of questionable importance and dubious morality.
He begins to look about for these other people, as surely one of them would be strong enough to lift the priest. John wanted to get to the Exciting bits before he lost all lucidity.

[We'll worry about order when we get you guys to the temple. For now have fun, and for gods' sakes someone take care of the invalid initiate.]

Kata the barmaid looks at the small insane man. "You bloody idiot, tha's jus an elemental." She glares at Kaen. "An' I tol' you ter keep out! This here's a respectable business and I won' 'ave none of yer kin' in here!" She resumes serving drinks.

Apparently Xeno's internet is screwy, and she doesn't know when it'll be fixed.

Dude, totally have internet now. But my wifi is temperamental so it may go out again at any time. Send characters while you can.

Hakim had had a bad week, he had come up from the south in a cart laden with fine silks and wines. Within three days he had lost all of it to thieves and gambling, and now he had spent his last copper drinking away his sorrows. His week was about to get worse.
"Well, your probably going to feature Prominently!"
two arms grabbed him from behind, knocking him from his perch on the bar stool. he barely avoids falling before the barmaid yells at the offending fool. He fumes silently as it dawns on the scarecrow that reality was still in effect.
"errm, well, umm this is awkward. uhh sorry, or something, but ahh, could you perhaps help me anyway? There's people hurt."
Hakim sighs, he had noticed the initiates, but had wanted to stay uninvolved. perhaps he could get a look at their holy books if he helped though. "Fine, I shall he-" he hadn't prepared a spell of healing that day, damn it all "aeelllp you carry
[strength checks:13 and 15]

[Fails. I can not believe I rolled that high on this guy...laughing so hard right now]

As Hakim and John attempt to lift the initiate they realize exactly how chunky, and heavy this guy is. He easily slips from their hands and hits the floor again with a loud thud. *THUNK* Kata mutters something under her breath about stupid wimps in her bar before returning to her serving.

[He is stable for the moment.]

"Wow, he's kinda chunky, isn't he? Aren't churches supposed to be poor?" Kaen asks rather bluntly. Turning around, he calls something into the forest, and a few moments later a white furry mass appears. "What?" Hjalavar asks simply. Kaen just points to the fallen initiate. After a few seconds of silence, "...Do I eat him?" "No, no! He's injured! We need someone to carry him to safety!" Hjalavar slumps his head and sighs. "Yeah, alright". Stepping forward into the tavern, Hjalavar bends down and slings the man over his shoulder [Strength check 20].

[Rofl...dude I love your wendigo. Also it succeeds.]

After Hjalavar has secured the initiate the child leads you all to the temple of Pelor. The large marble structure before you is magnificent in it's beauty and architecture. Outside the iron doors waits a priest. The child runs behind him and into the structure. The priest signals two burly intiates to take the unconscious one and then addresses you. "I thank you for returning these two. I wonder if you would consider doing our lowly church a favor. Please come into my office." Noticing Kaen he adds, "And this place is fire proof, so please make yourself comfortable." He leads you all into his office at the back of the temple.

"hmm, sir I have no problem with assisting you and yours, but there is the matter of price, You see i am a merchant by birth, but a scholar by choice, especially in matters of religion. In return for this favor, I merely ask that I am given access to your temple's library."
I will, rectify my mistake, Hakim thought, and always have access to healing magic from now on.
John was to busy whispering conspiratorially to the wall to pay much attention to the priest, if anyone cares to listen, he is formulating a theory on how bread is truly the microcosm of all existence, everywhere.

"Oh, good. I never thought temples could be flammable before that one for Fharlanghn," Kaien said, following earnestly. Hjalavar just grumbled. "Ugh, I hate temples."

You enter the office and the priest sits behind a large desk and addresses you. "I am Father Poltimm. Please have a seat as you listen to our plight." You all sit. [DO IT LOL] He looks at you all evenly. "I have a job that needs to be done and you all seem capable. There will be compensation." He glances at Hakim. "I am afraid however that I may not allow you into our archives. I will arrange for a few things to be brought to you." The child from before enters the room. "This is Satura." Satura bows. "Pleased to meet you all." Father Poltimm contiues. "I need you all to escort Satura and a holy relic she carries to the Blighted Hills outside of Horvath." [Forgot to say earlier, but that it where you are, Horvath.]

Hakim had somehow gotten seated next to the crazy person, who sat on his feet, clutching at the edge of the seat with his toes, much reminiscent of a gargoyle. John was in complete contradiction to his earlier vocal insanity, in fact he seemed to be paying rapt attention to the child. It was almost creepy. Hakim had more important things to attend to however.
"If you don't mind sir. Why must the child come along? we could take the relic to the temple, and probably without as much danger. The wilderness outside is no place for a child."

"Yeah, no kidding. I dunno about you guys, but the Blighted Hills doesn't sounds a great place to set up a vacation home to me." "Oh, I don't know," Hjalavar sarcastically commented, "sounds like fun to me. Bring the girl. If something big attacks, we can feed her to it."

Father Poltimm regarded the party with a grave expression. "Satura is the only one who can carry the relic. Anyone else would suffer a terrible fate. You must get her and the relic safely to the Blighted Hills. If you succeed you will be aiding to stop the intrusion of otherworldly creatures into our world." He expression became stern and his voice had a no nonsense edge to it. "Our temple is willing to pay you 500 gold each. Should you bring proof of the relic reaching safety then we may negotiate a more appropriate price."

"Otherworldly creatures..." hakim mutters, looking sidelong at the elemental while he says that. "What sort of opposition may we expect, aside from the usual bandit threat? and in addition, what kind of proof will we be able to provide? besides absence of the relic on our return?"

John is tired of dialogue at this point, pulling out his violin, he holds his bow to it threateningly, ready to cause a screeching note at the slightest provocation.

"Hey, I'm already here. And I don't want to cause any harm," Kaen says defensively. Hjalavar just looks at John with mild interest.

Satura walks up to John and puts a reassuring hand on his arm. "All will be well Sir. No need for your musical prowess." Father Poltimm regards Hakim and seems disapproving of his inquisitive nature. "You shall possibly encounter a race called the Vrill, a race I know little about, possibly some Starkin or Emprix. That is the best I can tell you." He sits back with a slight smile. "As for the proof I am sure it will be revealed in time. Now if there are no more questions I have a few things for you." An initiate enters and leaves a mass of objects on the desk. Father Poltimm rises and hands Hakim a small gold case. "Inside are a few scrolls for you. I hope they help." [Inside is 1 scroll of Cure Moderate, 1 scroll of Light, and 1 scroll of Detect Magic.] He then picks up a small blue stone and puts it near Kaen. It then begins to circle his head. [You recieve 1 incandescent blue sphere ioun stone. +2 to your Wisdom.] He beckons to Satura and hands her a wand. He whispers in her ear and she runs back to John handing it to him. [You recieve a Wand of Summon Monster 1.] Father Poltimm then hands a rather heavy looking great axe to Hjalavar. [You receive a Dwarven Waraxe +1. +1 against Goblinoid Humanoids.] "I fare thee well, and please take care of the child." You are dismissed, and Satura follows you.

[You may buy supplies, or explore the town for more information if you want.]

Hakim accpts the scrolls graciously with a toothy grin "Thank you kindly good sir. If I may borrow the ink required to scribe these into my prayerbook I would be most appreciative.

John sticks the pointy stick into his belt and looks to Satura. Seeming to gain a measure of clarity, he tells her "Worse comes to worse, you stick behind me and run if it looks like I'm about to fall, you hear?"

Hjalavar looked over his axe with appreciation. "That's a fine bit of craftsmanship," he admitted. Kaen, meanwhile, was too busy trying to follow his new ioun stone.

Satura, with her child like innocence grasped the hand of the nice man and led them all back to the town square. "If any of you need something then you should get it now." She looked briefly around town. "I'm sure Kata would give you information if you need it, or direct you to someone who can. A few of the clerics might know more than the Father as well."

Once they reached the center of town, John again pulls out his violin, beginning to play for passer's enjoyment. [perform: strings 5+5=10]

Hakim looks on with distaste, "I suppose we shall meet here then? Unless anyone objects, in which case our baby sitter can get the Professor to the tavern instead."

"So who exactly is the babysitter?" Hjalavar asked, "I know it's not me, and the flaming wonder over there isn't fit to watch over weeds, let alone a child." As he mentioned this, Kaen lunged at his ioun stone again, tactically ignoring it up until that point so it would grow careless. "Unless you plan to give the girl to the guy who argues with walls, looks like you're the only candidate for babysitter here."