Team Heartbeat

[NecroticPunch]

You are located in a small, well-constructed town. The town has a small, wooden wall stretching around it, as well as an iron gate, to let people in. The town has many little buildings in it, but each and every one of the buildings is bolted shut, and a few of them are boarded up. You can see inns and blacksmiths all around, but you can't hear the normal banging of hammer on anvil that you would normally hear.


Alright, so here we go. You guys are located directly in front of the gate, on the inside.

[Ella]

The silence suprises Alia, small towns were often quite a bit noisier in her experience than they had any right to be, all the bustle and business bursting out from them. Well normally that was, she felt the distinct impression this place was different the silence was heading inwards from the forest, destroying the sounds of this place.

She had always been prone to flights of fancy, and this with bizarre impression from the noises was hardly an irregular thought coming from her, she turns to ground herself by looking at her companions hoping the sight of them would remind her of her ambitions and drive.

"So friends, shall we head to the gate, this seem as good a place to stop as any."

[shadowedsoul]

Skorvanna

Skorvanna likes the quiet, even though she knows it mean's that something is up. Of a naturally observant bent, her eyes dart around, looking for any signs of life.
Sounds good to me.
She replies to Alia.


Do you want us to post sheets in the team thread?

How much do our characters know about the zombie uprising?

Are we going to get a heartbeat-specific OOC thread?

Is the town one that some or all of us are familiar with? If so then what kind of information do we have on it?

And just 'cause it's what I do:
Spot-[roll0]
Listen-[roll1]
Do I notice anything?

[NecroticPunch]

I'll get everything ready ( eventually ) and with your listen and spot checks you notice... that there are blood spatters here and there, and some whispered conversation coming out of some of the houses.

None of you have ever been here before.

[OMG PONIES]

Saint Dymphna laughs a gentle chuckle. Good old Skorvanna, never at peace, always looking for the next sign of trouble. Always trying to protect her friends.

"Let your soul rest, sister," Dymphna says with a voice that rings like church bells. "The Brilliant One has his watchful eye cast over us all. Tell me, what do you see?"

So we are just entering this town for the first time, eh? Okay. Are my followers allowed to be with me, or just my cohort? If the followers are allowed, I would like them to stop at the gate.

[NecroticPunch]

followers and cohort are there.

[shadowedsoul]

Well I guess Mowgli will be out with the followers at the gate then. Don't wanna scare the locals too much.

Also I don't think you answered about how much our characters know about the zombie stuff already.

[NecroticPunch]

You guys know that there have been a bunch of zombies in the area. That is about it.

[shadowedsoul]

Skorvanna

There is some life here, though they seem afraid. A whisper here or there, nothing I can make out. There's also blood, but it's spread around like there was a fight. I don't know if the undead have come through or not, but these people have seen violence recently.
Skorvanna replies crisply to Dymphna, her military instincts kicking in as she makes her report.
I don't want to scare these people unnecessarily, but we do need to find out what happened here, especially if we're going to stay here tonight.


I'm making a few assumptions about the whispers and blood, but since you didn't mention a big pool of blood I figure nothing I'm saying is too outlandish.

[Ella]

"If we are to stay the night, I want as much time as possible to prepare a strong point, a safe place and sanctuary. Our first priority should perhaps be to split up, half investigating the town the other half securing someplace safe." Alia's knowledge of survival like most things she knew came straight from a book.

"We must hurry, every minute we lose is another one that could be used making ourselves safe."

[shadowedsoul]

Skorvanna

Skorvanna just smiles at Alia's proclamation.
Splitting up isn't the worst plan I've ever heard, but it's close. These people are scared for a reason, and I don't think that it's just because we're here. Once we find a place to fortify then we can talk about a scouting party, but until we have a base of operations sticking together is definitely our best bet.

[Tinydwarfman]

OOC: I would disagree with spoilers being used for OOC talk. They are generally used for private messages and the like, but if everyone else wants to use them, and then PM stuff, thats fine.
Also, my character probably wouldn't be travelling or even know team heartbeat until the zombie apocalypse had already started. How should I start?
BTW, purple is mine. I'll settle for blue though.

[shadowedsoul]

I'd rather have an OOC thread, but really it's up to the DM.

I dunno about the starting thing? Maybe be in the same town and notice that we're not your Average Janes?

[OMG PONIES]

"I must say, Alia, I agree with Skorvanna," Dymphna urges kindly. "We should stay together, especially in such a dark place. There is strength in numbers and, speaking of numbers, it looks like the congregation has arrived."

As Dymphna finishes speaking, a small crowd comes into view, cresting the hill outside of town, quietly chanting a joyous hymn. Most of the crowd are warforged of various sizes, but there are a few living beings amongst them. Some of the warforged seem to have skin instead of metal, but all of them have a golden sun emblazoned on their chests: the holy symbol of Pelor. These are the followers of St. Dymphna, The Holy Church of Reconciliation.

"Brothers," she sings as they draw closer, "please establish a defensive perimeter around the town. If anyone takes hostile action against you, please do not hesitate to retaliate. Sound your alarms at the first sign of danger."

"Yes, Sister Dymphna," they respond as one.

[NecroticPunch]

I'm putting the OOC thread up right now. And you can just say that you went in at the same time as them.

Link to the OOC (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159496)

[Ella]

"Well you would know better than me, when it comes to risky situations." Alia heads slowly towards the gate, keeping her eyes and ears open.


spot[roll0]
listen[roll1]

[Tinydwarfman]

Spot [roll0]
Listen [roll1]
And now I've sent my sheet to you at least 3 times. Please don't lose it again.

[OMG PONIES]

[roll0] Listen
[roll1] Spot

[shadowedsoul]

Spot-[roll0]
Listen-[roll1]

[OMG PONIES]

Even though she is not fully aware of her surroundings, Dymphna cannot help but hear Skorvanna's words echoing in her head. Afraid...blood...fight...undead...violence. Perhaps she should heed her own warning to Alia. Separating her church could mean casualties.

"Brothers, on second thought, perhaps you should join us in town." Looking around uneasily, she confirms her decision. "All of you." As her believers follow in rank and file, they bear the appearance of an army more than that of a church. While the presence of so many warforged may frighten the townspeople, they would be able to see the holy symbol of Pelor screwed into the constructs' chests, and that would hopefully bring some peace. Just to know that someone besides zombies was walking around town may reassure the survivors. So their intentions are known, Dymphna continues lightly singing the hymn that her brethren had been chanting, her melodious soprano starkly contrasting the dismal scene.

"The light of sun shines bright
When penetrating deepest night
His universal might
Quenches all our fears.

Rays of hope break out
Erasing all our deepest doubt,
His triumphant shout,
"Arise, morning is here!"

As she continues to sing, faint characters of an ancient language begin to beam from the ground in a circle around the woman and her friends. The runes begin to spin, pulsing in time with the song, each symbol the translation of a word.

OOC: Dymphna takes a free action to radiate her protective aura. It acts as a double-strength magic circle against evil and as a lesser globe of invulnerability. I can retcon my post if need be, but I figured that I wouldn't notice anything odd. I certainly wouldn't hear it :smalleek:. Lastly, please forgive my poor attempt at liturgical song. It's all I could drum up at work.

[Igneel]

Traveling down the path towards the surprisingly silent town, a gray cloaked humanoid wielding what looked to be a great sword strapped to his back pauses at the gateway. The hooded head of the man turns in different directions, seemingly searching from his point for any signs of life. During his sweeping gaze his hood fell some, enough so that it revealed his lower jaw covered in gray-ish dead skin held taunt over what few muscles still existed on his jaw.

Using one of his hands to reach into his Handy Haversack, this man draws out what looks to be a normal hat to place it upon his head while holding his hood with his other hand. Upon placing his hat on his head, the man's little revealed skin magically seems to change so that it shows signs of actual life with a pinkish hue. Lowering his hands the man continues into the town humming a lively tune with each step.

'It seems that my search may be drawing to a close. Lets just hope the ones here can use my help just as much as I can use theirs...' Caex thinks to himself once his short moment of musical inspiration passes out of his mind.

Spot-[roll0]
Listen-[roll1]

*Using Hat of Disguise to disguise myself as a healthier looking human, along with using my Lifesense to spot any signs of living people.*