[IC] Exploration of Yrannia [Pathfinder 1E] [E6]

[Felhammer]

Exploration of Yrania


https://i.postimg.cc/jdTtG8X7/Yrania-Eye.png

For a hundred years, the surfacefolk had heard tell of the undead roaming the deep roads and the underdark. For a hundred years, the surfacefolk allowed the dwarves to wage a losing war against the undead. For a hundred years, the surfacefolk dispassionately watched as every dwarven city slowly fell silent. For a hundred years, the surfacefolk turned a blind eye to the problems that plagued the dwarves and the deep roads. After a hundred years, the undead roiled to the surface. Like pus from an infected wound, the undead burst forth from the hulking ruins of the once great dwarven cities. Zombies swept across the land, indiscriminately slaughtering everything, and everyone, they came into contact with.

It is said the surfacefolk could have lent aid to the dwarves during what came to be called the Hundred Year Retreat. Even a small amount of men and material would have turned the tide. The surfacefolk’s casual indifference doomed themselves, just as much as it had doomed the dwarves. When the undead washed across the land, the surfacefolk kingdoms could have banded together. They could have fought side by side, and easily defeated the unliving scourge. Yet, they allowed their petty hatreds and politics to blind them. They allowed their sister kingdoms to fall one by one, just as they had allowed the dwarven cities to fall. Only at the end did the kingdoms try to mount a defense, only at the end did they care to try and stop the inevitable undead victory…

A decade before the surfacefolk kingdoms fell, the last dwarven King - Ewan - had gathered together all the dwarves he could find. High up in the Ridgeback Mountains - a contested, lawless borderland betwixt the great powers of the continent - the King and his subjects excovated a long-forgotten, ancient dwarven city. The city was originally created in a time before the ancient dwarves had connected their great cities via the deep roads. This city would thus be free of the ever looming threat of the undead scourge that had destroyed the dwarven civilization. King Ewan named the rediscovered city Dun Danachad, or in the common tongue, Fort Destiny. He declared his new city’s purpose to serve as a new homeland for all of the dwarven survivors. A place where the race could start over, start fresh, begin anew.

A decade later, the undead arrived on the surface. King Ewan looked on in dismay as the surfacefolk races did not band together. They instead treated the undead as a nuisance, something left for enterprising adventurers or small bands of virtuous knights. Hardly a threat worthy of the mighty surfacefolk armies… It was only too late that the surfacefolk kings realized the magnitude of the threat. It was only too late that they realized they had allowed their own pettiness and shortsightedness to doom themselves.

King Ewan looked on in pity as the surfacefolk, like his own people, became refugees. The King invited as many survivors as he could to his city. Hundreds ventured to Dun Danachad, arriving from places both near and far. As the undead horde scoured the valleys of the borderland, King Ewan made the fateful decision to close shut the gates of the city, thus sealing it off from the rest of the world. None could enter, and none could leave.

Over the next two hundred years, the society of Dun Danachad solidified, with the dwarven nobility at the top, the dwarf commoners beneath them, and the non-dwarf surfacefolk beneath them. The non-Dwarves became farmers, servants, peasants and beggars. They occupied the bottom rung of society. Life was hard and unforgiving but it was still preferable to life outside, where zombies and skeletons roamed the land, always on the prowl to slay the living…

Two hundred years passed, with the people of Dun Danachad completely cut off from the happenings of the outside world. Two hundred years of isolation had made the society complacent... Then the dragon came.

No one knows why the dragon came to Dun Danachad, or how it was able to so easily burst through the solid stone walls of the city. Yet came it did. The city was caught completely unawares. The dragon slashed, raked, bit and chewed his way through guardsmen, army men and peasants alike. His acidic breath weapon melted stone and flesh with ease. The king ordered the city to be evacuated. His last words still ring in your ears:

“Tha’ dragon ain’t goin’ away. Yer survival is all I care about. Only death awaits ye if ye stay in Dun Danachad. Aye, tha’ surface world may be overrun wit’ undead but at least ye would ‘ave a fightin’ chance ta’ survive out in tha’ wilderness. Me an’ my King’s Guard will distract tha’ dragon. Now, run, run away and never return. I beg ye, take all you can carry and flee..”


You rush along the King's Road, the main thoroughfare of the city. The road leads from the noble's quarter (from whence King Ewan commanded that you evacuate the city), over a bridge, into the merchant's quarter and then snakes its way up hill into a narrow system of tunnels that will eventually lead to the city gate.

As you cross the Queen's Bridge, that spans the great chasm, a mighty roar thunders through the massive cave in which the city was constructed. Swooping high in the sky is a dragon whose scales are as black as darkness itself. The dragon lets slip a blast of gooey acid that melts a contingent of orcish guards not thirty feet behind you. The acidic odor of burning flesh penetrates your nostrils. It is a scent you will not easily forget. The dragon dives down and rakes two dwarves. Blood and entrails spill out from three gnarled cuts. They try to scream but they are batted off the side of the bride by the merest flick of the dragon's tail. So deep is the chasm, it takes several seconds before you hear their bodies crash into the earth. The beast turns around and devours a third dwarf, a nobleman of some renown - Niall the Wordsmith - the greatest living poet in Dun Danachad. The poor dwarf is swallowed whole. His terrified screams drowned out by the dragon's gullet.

Then with one might beat of his wings, the dragon rushes back up into the air. The guards and the militia standing on the other side of the bridge pelt the beast with arrows and bolts but such weapons prove useless as they bounce off the dragon's scales. It is like they are throwing balls of yarn at a stone wall. You do not think he even realizes he is being attacked by the most skilled archers and crossbowmen in the realm. As you make it across the Queen's bridge, the dragon spits out another blast of acid, this time hitting one of the bridge's struts... The bridge creeks and groans. You turn around and try to grab people who are still crossing. You manage to save a handful before the bridge snaps and falls into the chasm, dooming at least a hundred souls to their deaths...

As you continue up the King's Road, you enter the merchant's quarter. You are surrounded by panicked people. Some are screaming, overwhelmed by the fear of an inevitable death at the hands of a dragon; others scream because they cannot find their loved ones; still others scream because all they know is slowly but inexorably being destroyed. Looters abound in the merchant square. They have busted down doors and have filled their pockets, bags and satchels with all they can. The fools steal finery, like gold and silver items. The practical loot food, supplies, weapons... As you look around the Merchant's Quarter, a dwarf noble and a contingent of dwarves, orcs and elves race by you. Their cart, being pulled by domesticated capybaras, is filled with supplies like shovels, ropes, barrels of ale and ten, no eleven, elven children. The group rushes past you with great haste, never once looking back.

As you near the edge of the city proper, you look up and see the Temple of the Gods, up on a prominence, jutting out of the cave walls like a balcony. The priests and priestesses are rushing down the narrow, winding staircase that leads down to the King's Road. A panicked dwarf in a cart starts screaming, "OUT OF THE WAY! OUT OF THE WAY!" His screams are drowned out by the roars of the dragon. You watch in horror as twelve people are run over. They are trampled under foot by domesticated llamas and crushed under the wagon's wheels. Their screams, like the yells from the cart's driver before, go unheard as the dragon looms overhead, coating the temple with a thick layer of acid.

An aasimar paladin stands atop the roof of the temple. It is Sir Cullen! His long blond hair billows out from head as the dragon hovers in front of him! Sir Cullen is the greatest warrior in the city. He has won every tournament since he came of age. He is a peerless archer, an unparalleled swordsman and one of the greatest singers in the whole realm. He is almost as beloved by the masses as the King... Sir Cullen calls out, "BEGONE, FOUL LOATHSOME BEAST! FOR I AM SIR CULLEN OF DUN DANACHAD! YOUR DARK POWERS SHALL NOT AVAIL YOU! I SHALL SMOTE YOU AND SAVE MY BELOVED CITY!" Clasping his golden bastard sword with two hands, he whispers an incantation, "Guím ar na déithe, línigh mo chlaíomh lasair agus tabhair dom an neart chun an ollphéist seo a bhualadh!" A swirl of magic surrounds the blade. An instant later, it bursts aflame with golden fire.

With a running start, Sir Cullen leaps off of the temple's roof and tries to drive his blade into the dragon's head... The dragon reacts with lighting fast reflexes... Faster than anything you have ever seen before. With his powerful claw he snatches the paladin mid-air, then slams his muzzle down, enveloping Sir Cullen's upper body. With a bone snapping crunch and heart wrenching tear, the dragon bisects the paladin. He swallows Sir Cullen's upper half, then flings the lower half away... It lands about thirty feet from you. Blood pools out of the waist-and-legs, slicking the ground with the life-essence of a once great man...

You make your way up the King's Road. The wide avenue slowly narrows as you enter a network of tunnels... After what feels like a life time of running, you can see the first glimmer of... Daylight! Your legs are pushed on wards, knowing that freedom is within grasp...

You burst through the city gate that had been torn down by the dragon and burst into the world of the surface. You have lived your entire lives under ground, the sun's brightness is intense, almost beyond imagining. The stories could never do it justice. The sun's rays are... Warm, hot even. Like standing next to a hearth. Beads of sweat form on your brow. As your eyes adjust, you find that you are on the side of a mountain, overlooking a great, forested valley. The road from the city gate branches in three directions. You see a large group of over fifty people heading down the path that goes south. You see two dwarves - nobles by the look of it - directing traffic, as best they can. Some listen and head east, while others head west. Most pay the dwarves no heed as simply run for it, preferring to trek down the side of the mountain rather than use one of the three roads. Beside the two dwarves is another dwarf noble. An arrow was buried into his skull. Several others, humans, for the most part, are laying on the ground. Dead, presumably, having been trampled by people, wagons and animals. Some might be alive but there is not time to save them. Fleeing is all that matters...

The band of six survivors now stand upon the precipice of destiny... What shall they do...?

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

"...Well, ****."

These are the first words out of Evelyn's mouth, as she stands at the mouth of the tunnel. She's not a tall woman, and in fact is fairly short, all things considered. Her hair is jet black, and her skin quite pale, though certainly anyone's would be after an encounter so harrowing.

"...I mean... ****."

Though her glasses make her eyes seem many times larger, she doesn't seem to attempt to take in her new surroundings; it doesn't seem to matter that this is the first any have seen the outside world. She's dressed in a yellow smock, accessorized a green beret and matching scarf. These were gifts from a friend once. Were they alive still? Were they still trapped in the city? And what of her mother? Would she see her again?

"... HOLY ****!"

Evelyn yells this time. It seems that even a mind as potentially vast as hers can be utterly thrown through a loop, and as she begins to put the pieces together, she has to sit down for fear her legs give out from under her. She's holding something, a human form swaddled in brown cloth, though certainly larger than any mere babe. It seems so heavy in this moment, and though on some level she understands that they aren't yet safe, she doubts that she could move again for a few minutes yet, either. She sits by the road, cradling her charge in her lap, and cradling her head in her hands. Yes, it will be a while before she can move again.

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn staggers out into the sun, shielding his eyes from the brighness of the sun. He stops as his vision clears, surveying the landscape around him. It was incredible--he'd never really imagined what the surface might look like. It was far too open, far too bright. And, if the stories were to be believed, a place of death.

He turned back toward the refugees making their way out of the ruined gates. No better than in there. Nothing but death in Dun Danachad now. He blinked, the welling tears not entirely due to the brightness. Khartia, the twins... Bromm... this mass of people struggling to get out, trampling one another... He wanted nothing more than to go back in, see who else he could help. He'd done whatever he could for anyone around him as he'd escaped anyway.

The house was empty when I got there. Mother probably already had the twins out. No point in going the way of Sir Cullen needlessly.

Instead, the big, scarred orc turns to the smaller woman sitting near the gates. He offers her a smile and a hand. "Come on," he tells her. "It's not safe here. Let's keep moving until we've got more distance between us and that beast."

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

"I'm not certain that my legs will support me, Mister," Evelyn muttered back, "Six years of research. Six years of my life all gone. Poof!"

[BramsesII]

Aella

"Huff.... huff..."

Another orc stumbles out into the sun, her eyes squinting against the glare as she gasps for air, collapsing to the ground. It's a small miracle she managed to make it out, considering the amount of equipment and weapons she is carrying. After a minute or so catching her breath, she stands up using her pole-arm for support. She stands almost as tall as Vaughn, and her armor, though old, is impressive. "I made it... I made it..." the orc breathes out, "I'll do as you asked, mother. For the clan."

She looks around at the five others still standing (or sitting or lying) at the mouth of the cave. Her expression is stern. "We should get moving, people. You do *not* want to be here when that dragon decides to come out. Do not let the king's sacrifice be in vain. Do not let the King's Guard's sacrifice be in vain." Taking another deep breath, the orc puts her right fist to her chest and makes a small bow in the others' general direction. "No time for long introductions. I'm Aella, formerly of the King's Guard. I can protect you out here, but we need to make haste. I want to put at least a day's travel between myself and this cave."

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia

Daedalia blinks himself out of his stupor slowly. Though his body was standing on the surface, his mind was still back inside the mountain. With his sisters, who he could only hope had gotten out in front of him. With his mother, whose spellbook was squirreled away in his pack. He didn't have much in the lone sack he tugged along. He was wearing armor that wasn't his over top of his work clothes - the skimpy, sheer fabric not doing much except covering his decency. He had been working when the dragon attacked, and the man he'd been with... well. Apparently had some sense of chivalry, and had handed the small tiefling whore the ratty leather and insisted he get out. Was that man, nameless in Daedalia's memory, dead, as well?

They are standing in sunlight, now, and warily the crimson gaze settles on the orc that speaks above them all. A King's Guard. Since when had the King's Guard ever cared about him? But, he has to admit, sticking with a group would serve him far better than striking it out on his own. He had done well on his own before, sure. But his trade had relied heavily on other people's involvement. Even if he had to pay his way, so to speak, for the protection of strong warriors... it wouldn't be the worst thing to ever happen to him.

Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he offers no verbal reply to Aella, only a firm nod as he looks down the mountain.

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn turns to look as the guardswoman and the oddly-dressed tiefling stumble out of the city after him. The tiefling doesn't seem interested in chatting, but he nods in response to the orc. "My name is Vaughn. Well met, Aella." He returns his attention to the woman sitting by the road. "It's not all gone. Not yet. But she's right--we don't know when that dragon might decide to come back out, so best get as far away as possible as quick as possible. Here, I'll help you up."

[Felhammer]

https://i.postimg.cc/BZ8Dy21X/Dwarf-Noble.png


One of the dwarf nobles who had been directing traffic walks over to the latest group of survivors, "You can go east or west. Cannot advice going south. Just saw about fifty people head down that way. They had very little food, which means they will be hunting game, lots of it, to feed that many souls. Best to steer clear of them, so you have the best chance of surviving."

He takes a deep puff of his pipe then adds, "The road east leads to the city of Gwenna. It was a free city, one of many out here in the Borderlands. Best I can recall from the books I read, it was famous for its temple dedicated to Rianag, and its amphitheater. Aspiring playwrights from across the land would study with the masters of the craft in Gwenna. The city was founded at the confluence of three great rivers and served as the major trading hub for the north-central Borderlands.

To the west is Isbeall, which was once a powerful tiefling city state, that is until the aasimar crusaders attacked the city and butchered the tieflings. After the slaughter, a new population settled in, mostly human. Over time, it became famous for its many fountains and gambling dens. Isbeall was founded in the middle of a oval-shaped valley, hemmed in one three sides by the mountains and hills. The Lizardfolk, in ancient times, cultivated a great pine forest there... Well until the Tieflings moved in and slaughtered them (ironic that they themselves were wiped out as well, I suppose).

No one has ever left Dun Danachad in over two hundred and fifty years. Last we heard both cities had fallen to the undead. Who knows if they are even standing. Still, gives you an idea of where you might be headed."

He takes another puff of his pipe. You can easily tell that he is as shaken up as anyone else here but he is trying his best to hold it together long enough to help the survivors flee.

You recognize this dwarf as Mal O'Finn, a relatively minor noble from the O'Finn clan. They recently clawed their way up into the King's good graces by way of a marriage between Mal's son and the King's niece. He is an honorable, if ambitious, man.

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia

"Water... we should head towards the water," Daedalia suggests, looking to the others. He's not particularly keen on going to a land of slaughtered tieflings - though he does pay close attention to how the others react to such a story. If they seem indifferent, or worse, pleased by the tale, he'll have to watch his back. Of course, that wasn't anything new. "The confluence of three major rivers means easy traveling, if we can figure out how to sail," he points out.

[Pelor]

Frederick W. Norman

The older scribe abruptly steps out of his stupor. His mind had been racing so fast that he missed most of the conversations going on around him and only caught a bit of what the noble was saying. He straighten's himself upright, as much as his arthritis will allow. "I agree with Daedalia. Water will be important, nay, necessary, for our survival. Though, If there are genocidal tieflings, I think they maybe of the undead variety."

The old scribe finds himself wishing he had taken the time to get at least one blank book, quill, and inkwell, but alas, he did not. He should certainly be recording everything he is seeing. No one he knows had witnessed the overworld in what, 240-250 years?

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia

The tiefling's pointed ears seem to perk up at the sound of his own name, and his gaze snaps to the older gentleman with some measure of unease. He hadn't yet given his name to the others. So the human had to know him from somewhere else. Daedalia didn't recognize him immediately, but that wasn't a total surprise. He certainly couldn't remember every single face and body he'd serviced. Of course, he didn't know for certain, then, if he had worked for this man before. Perhaps he had known one of Daedalia's sisters? Darkly-painted lips pulled into a frown, and he looked away.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

The small woman continues to sit for a little bit, before looking up and considering the orc offering to help her up. She doesn't really know what to say; she doesn't want to be a burden, but she also doesn't want to turn down the kindness of a stranger and potential ally. She glances up at the sky above, and over the natural horizon. She stares at his outstretched hand for a few seconds, gingerly reaching up, hesitating, before finally taking it. He's stronger than she first thought, and she stumbles getting to her feet, but she remains standing.

She adjusts her glasses quickly, considering the decision at hand while attempting not to drop her charge, "U- uhm... It seems to me that... a city would almost certainly be an inordinately dangerous hub of undead activity, perhaps more trouble than visiting would be worth. Since those are where the most people died, I think it stands to reason that that is where the greatest concentration of risen would be."

She breaks off, and casts her gaze into the distance before continuing, "O- of course, it has been a hundred years or more, so it could also stand to reason that they've mostly dispersed out into the wilderness at this point. I couldn't know that for certain, though."

[DoctorFaust]

Charlie stumbles out not long behind the others, clutching a small black cat to her chest. Whether it's smoke tearing at her throat, the sudden blinding light of the sun, or just plain shock from having her world ripped away from her driving her to silence, she stands stock still through most of the other's discussion.

After a long time frozen like that, the cat looks up and gently headbutts her. This seemingly shocks her back into wakefulness, and she finally speaks up to say "Water. Definitely towards water. Things grow by it. Fish live in it. We'll need it to survive."

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia

The appearance of the second tiefling seems to calm Daedalia down a little bit, but he frowns at the sight of the cat. Not that he thought taking care of such a creature would make their lives any more difficult, but... his hand went to the small satchel at his side. He found Ferris hiding inside - where Daedalia had tucked him before the mad sprint through the city. He scratches the soft fur behind his pet rat's ears, holding still with Ferris gives a few inquisitive nibbles on the tip of his finger before climbing onto Daedalia's wrist. With a sigh, the tiefling pulls his hand back from the satchel, and clutches the tiny animal to his chest. After everything that's just happened, he knows it's a strange thing to worry about. But he can't help the question. "You'll keep that cat from eating Ferris, won't you?" he asks.

[Felhammer]

Five more people stagger out of the city, huffing and puffing. The dwarf noble greets them and tells them about what they might expect when heading east and west. After some discussion, the new group decides to head east, towards the forest, citing the fact that it will be easier to hide from the undead as they can climb the trees... The band of five people head off with great haste.

As you stand around the entrance to the city, you can hear the faint roars from the dragon, and the screams of those whom is he murdering...

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia

Without waiting for an answer to his question, Daedalia shakes himself. What were they doing, just standing here in shock? Without any further preamble, the tiefling turns towards the west and starts down the road.

[BramsesII]

Aella

Aella nods. "Water is good. Let's head to the city, see if we can find anything that'll help us survive these lands." And then Daedalia decides to get moving. "The boy has the right idea. Let's get moving. Can everyone walk?"

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

"Y- yeah, gimme a sec."

Evelyn whispers to her ward, before shifting it up to her shoulder, where it climbs over and begins riding piggyback; as it grabs her shoulders it reveals a set of very clammy, bony fingers. Evelyn herself looks about for a minute, finding a piece of errant lumber suitable for a walking stick. She shakes her head, unable to keep her mind off of the carnage behind them, and finally sighs, "Alright, I'm ready."

[Felhammer]

The party treks off to the west along a lonely road that few, if any, have trod upon in centuries. The weather outside is blisteringly hot, easily ninety degrees. Considering you are used to living underground, where temperatures are cool but constant, this heat is bewildering and unbearable. The road slowly becomes narrower and narrower as you head away from the city gate. After about an hour of travel, the path becomes hemmed in on two sides by cliffs. It looks as if this section was originally carved out of the mountain by a river (that has since dried up). As the road snakes its way through the mountain, you hear a scream from down the path. "HELP! HELP!" It sounds like a woman and a child.

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia

Feeling slightly relieved that his clothing was so light, it almost seemed like Daedalia was best dressed for the weather on the surface. Still, his face was flushed and he wished he'd had time to grab more water before the retreat... hopefully they weren't too, too far from the rivers that were supposed to lay in this direction.
And then, there's screaming from ahead. The tiefling's posture tightens, and with a quick flick of his wrists, two sharp daggers fall from his sleeves and into his hands.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

Evelyn shakes her head, muttering "Oh, oh dear oh dear. It's already begun. There's not going to be anything left soon, I just know it."

[Pelor]

Frederick W. Norman

Frederick hears the screams and instantly begins digging in his pack for something to use as a weapon. He mostly comes across cooking utensils, a pot, a pearing knife, a fork, a cup... alas, his heavy cast iron skillet is the best he will have. He picks it up puts the pack back on his back. "We should see if there is any way we can help." Without waiting he sets off down the path at a rather slow rate, due in part for his paying attention and in part because of his lack of agility.

[Felhammer]

The party hurredly rushes down the path. As they near the location from which they hear the screaming, they come across a light brown alpaca. Alpacas were often used in Dun Danachad, down in the fungal fields, as beasts of burden. However, this alpaca is gangly and thin, bordering on sickly... As it turns around to face the party, you see a plethora of wounds across its left flank. Parts of its intestines have slipped out of its frame, and now dangle below him. Maggots squirm under his skin, while centipedes crawl in and out of his wounds. The left half of his face looks to have been ripped off, quite painfully, exposing his putrid-colored skull.

If the attack hits, you will be shaken for [roll0] rounds

Aella [roll1] v Will
Charlie [roll2] v Will
Daedalia [roll3] v Will
Evelyn [roll4] v Will
Frederick [roll5] v Will
Vaughn [roll6] v Will

I updated the sheet. Looks like everyone but Daedalia and Evelyn are shaken. :smalleek:



For reference, this is what a living Alpaca looks like:

https://0fq5xe8ih5-flywheel.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Alpacas-2.png

We are in Initiative now. All of the players go first, then the zombie alpacas. There is no set order for this fight. First to post is first to go :)

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

"Oh my..." Evelyn trails off, but doesn't waste any time. This is not the first time she has encountered the dead, and, despite her apprehensions, she has enough experience to immediately reach for her crossbow and slot a bolt into place. Though, she does take a subtle step back as she does so. Experience doesn't mean confidence, after all.
She'll spend a move action to draw her crossbow and another to load it. She also makes a knowledge (nature) to identify the alpaca...
[roll0]
... and takes a 10 on knowledge (religion), giving her an 18

[hannahbbug3]

Seeing the others mostly freeze in place, Daedalia grits his teeth and jumps to the front of the group, leaving his sack of possessions behind him. He moves with a grace and confidence in his body, seeming conscious and careful of every movement he makes. One dagger flies forward, seeking to bury into the creature's neck.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe two-weapon fighting is an attack action, not a full round action? Rules just say I get an extra attack per round, nothing about how long that takes, from what I can find. After some digging, that would take a full round action. And I'm not sure if the alpaca is considered flatfooted or not - so the sneak attack damage only goes if flatfooted.

[roll0] EDIT: Without the penalty for TWF, this roll is now a 17.
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]
[roll8]
[roll9]

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

When he hears the cries for help, Vaughn rushes forward immediately. The undead alpacas cause him to draw back in disgust and shock, freezing him in place for a moment. The tiefling seems unfazed, though, and leaps forward to attack the creature. Vaughn shakes himself out of his shock and moves forward with a roar, trying to steady his own nerves as much as anything else. He takes a slightly reluctant blow at the disgusting creature.

Moving forward and making an unarmed attack (ew)
Using Combat Expertise--increases AC to 15, and since I have a trait (threatening defender) which reduces the attack penalty it has no effect on my attack roll
Attack: [roll0] (this does take into account the -2 for being shaken)
Damage: [roll1]

[Felhammer]

You know that Alpacas are generally docile creatures, but they can be aggressive when spooked. They are known to spit and kick.

You also know that these are zombies and as such slashing weapons are the most useful against them.

[BramsesII]

Aella

With her heavy armor, it takes Aella a bit longer to rush to the scene. And when she gets there she's horrified by the sight of the undead creature. Still, there is no time to be afraid, and so she steps forward, getting just into attack range of her polearm. She brings down the spike with all her might, not really looking as she does so.

Move action to C6 (15 ft)
Standard action to attack (w/ power attack & shaken: -3 atk, +3 dmg)


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

She hits, but the spike does not do nearly as much damage as expected. "What? How did that not kill it?!"

[DoctorFaust]

Charlie

The hideous appearance of the alpaca makes Charlie retch in disgust and turn half away. She thrusts a clawed hand at the zombie as her cat's eyes light up unnaturally, but whatever magic she was trying to work apparently has not.

[Felhammer]

The woman and child continue to scream, "HELP US! HELP US! SAVE MY HUSBAND!" You can hear the loud grunts and groans of a desperate man fighting for his life as several baying alpacas attack him...

Meanwhile, the party is vexed by a lone alpaca. He cannot reach Aella, and so focuses in on the poor tiefling. The alpaca turns around and slams his back feet into Daedalia!

To the south, the party can see three more undead alpacas coming around a bend and heading right for the party!

Kick attack v Daedalia: [roll0] // [roll1]

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia sees the kick coming, and dances out of the way of the blow. Relying on his agility in the hopes he can outmaneuver the undead creature, he slips around to the opposite side as Vaughn, hoping to strike the creature on two fronts.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
Dancing around the creature's hooves with remarkable agility, Daedalia slashes his dagger deep into its side and can't help but grin when the creature staggers, then falls.

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn recovers from his last jab and is preparing to make another when Daedalia darts around the creature and plunges a dagger into it and the thing goes down. He pauses for a moment, not expecting the expert knifework from the little tiefling, then glances between the surrounded man and the charging alpacas. It probably makes more sense to stay together... but that man is in trouble, and probably would die if left on his own. "Aella, hold off those three, I'll help this fellow!" Without waiting for a response Vaughn takes off past Daedalia toward the nearest of the four creatures, shouting in an attempt to draw their attention. Their appearance still turns his stomach, but no time to dwell on that.

Hopefully this stunt doesn't get me killed...

Move action to go to J6. I think I can just manage to get there. Unfortunately the loose gravel in the way means no charging.
Still using Combat Expertise, so 15 AC and no penalty to attacks.
I'm assuming the man at least gives me a flanking bonus and cancels out the penalty from being shaken.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

EDIT: Vaughn's fist crashes into the creature's hindquarters, with a blow that should have been crippling to a living creature.
(OOC: I hit with or without the flank bonus, so yay!)

[BramsesII]

Aella

The fear is still gripping Aella, but at least seeing the creature fall gives her some courage. Then Vaughn races off while shouting an order, and the orc springs into action. "Everyone, go help out Vaughn! I'll hold these things off!" She moves to stand beside Daedalia, readying her weapon to strike the first alpaca to come into reach. With the hammer, this time. Hitting it with a spike didn't seem to work quite as well as it should.

Move action to D7
Standard action to ready an attack against the first alpaca to come into her reach (w/ power attack & shaken: -3 atk, +3 dmg)


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Attack: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

[DoctorFaust]

Charlie

Charlie steels her stomach as the first zombie drops and starts to run after Vaughn, pushing past Daedalia with a muttered "Excuse me." She clears the outcropping not long after the orc does, but doesn't have time to summon up the eldritch energies for anything flashy before the zombies can react, so simply settles for making the same clawing motion at the alpaca closest to her.

Charlie moves from B4 to F7, then uses the Misfortune hex on alpaca 3.

[roll0]

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

To Evelyn, it seemed that her current companions had some good combat sense, as they had immediately rushed to down that beast. Perhaps such was due to their undoubtedly harsh upbringings as non-dwarfs. However, it occurred to her that they might not know as much about the nature of these creatures as she, as learned as she was in the field.

She takes aim and lets fly a bolt at one of the mobbing maneaters, taking care not to hit the one who had called himself Vaughn or the unfortunate soul he was attempting to rescue, and calls out, "U- um! You're going to want to cut the muscle away! Zombies still need it to move!"

Evelyn attacks A1 with her crossbow as a standard action and reloads as a move.
[roll0] Attack
[roll1] Damage

The shot, however, goes wide as she realizes that she may have overcompensated for the trajectory.

[Felhammer]

The man whom is being attacked by the alpacas is a human, roughly fifty years old. He has long salt and pepper hair. His clothing is dirty and ripped but looks to once have been quite nice (perhaps he worked for a noble?). He wields a weighty throwing ax in his left hand and a curved dagger in his right. The man's wife is much younger than him, perhaps in her early 20's. She has long raven black hair and is wearing a pleasant green skirt with a red apron. The child is young, perhaps no more than five years old. She has pushed herself into a small crag, trying her best to hide from the zombies. The man calls out, "Th-thank you! Quickly, we must kill them before they attack my wife and child!"


Alpaca 2 kicks Vaughn: [roll0] // [roll1]
Alpaca 1 kicks the Man: [roll2] // [roll3]
Alpaca 3 kicks the Man: [roll4] // [roll5]
Alpaca 4 kicks the Man: [roll6] // [roll7]


To make up for a loss of Fredrick's actions, one player will receive an extra standard action: [roll8]

1. Aella
2. Charlie
3. Daedalia
4. Evelyn
5. Vaughn

Two of the alpacas wildly miss the man but one of them nails his left leg, staggering him quite a bit. As a deadly retort, the man rears his throwing axe back and then brings it down upon the alpaca's head with the ferocity only known to a man desperately trying to save his family.

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia takes a deep breath to center himself. There are a lot of these creatures, but they were falling one by one. Trusting the orc beside him to hold the gap, the tiefling darts past Charlie and towards Vaughn and the stranger. He flips his dagger so it's reverse-faced in his hand as he moves, and aims a slash along another alpaca's side. He only wishes that it wasn't aware of his approach - then it would be much easier to hit.

Can't get into a flanking position, but I can at least jab it, for all a d4 is worth!
[roll0]
[roll1]

EDIT: A d4 is apparently not worth much.

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Cut the muscle... Vaughn scowls a bit, considering his options, before remembering the small axes he was able to snatch up. He nods to Daedalia as the tiefling moves up and joins the fight, then closes in and begins hacking at the creature with the axe. "We'll handle them, don't you worry!" The shock of their appearance hasn't worn off yet, but the two beasts that have already fallen have given him a bit of confidence.

Woo, extra attack!
5ft step as a free action to move to K5
Move action to draw a throwing axe
Two attacks on A1
Combat Expertise is still up (-0 attack, +1 AC for 15 total)

Attack: [roll0] (counting the -2 for shaken already)
Damage: [roll1]
Attack: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

These are slashing damage, so should go through DR

EDIT: well, the first attack put it down, but I can't get to the other one. I will leave it to the DM whether I am allowed to throw my axe at A4 instead for my second standard--it would be an attack at +0 instead, which still hits, but I wouldn't have known that before rolling--and the chance of hitting the guy we're trying to save would have given him pause. So I'm fine if Vaughn just spends the turn hacking at A1 instead.

With a shout, Vaughn brings the axe down behind the zombie's neck, chopping at it a few more times than strictly necessary, then hurling the weapon into the face of the one behind the stranger once it becomes clear this one is no longer moving about.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

Evelyn doesn't fancy the odds of not shooting her allies by mistake, but they seem to be doing quite well already, so she turns her attention to the right. She dashes forward, stumbling briefly, but maintaining her footing. Reaching Aella, she crouches down and takes aim, but holds off on squeezing the lever just yet.
She'll use a move action to get to E7, which should put her in PBS range. I don't wanna draw the southern group in just yet in case they haven't noticed us, so Evelyn will ready an attack against Alpaca 5 if they do decide to attack, or move closer to the party.

[roll0] Attack
[roll1]Damage

[BramsesII]

Aella

Cut the muscle...? It takes Aella a moment to register that, but as the alpaca's in front of her are not currently attacking, she eventually gets it. "Right. Somebody grab my polearm" she yells while dropping it and drawing her sword, gripping it firmly in both hands. She takes a step forward and readies herself to attack the first alpaca to come into range, with a weapon that works this time. "You, with the crossbow. Hold position and shoot when these guys charge us!" Her hands are still visibly shaking with fear.

Free action to drop main weapon in D7
5-ft step to D8
Move action to draw sword
Readying an attack on the first alpaca to come into melee range (two-handed: w/ shaken & power attack: -3 atk, +3 dmg)


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Attack: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

[DoctorFaust]

Charlie

Seeing the situation around the strangers change rapidly, Charlie decides to double back and lend aid to Aella and Evelyn. She dips a free hand into her belt pouch to pull out magical tools and begins chanting arcane phrases.

Using full round to cast Summon Monster 1 in D7 to summon an eagle.

[Felhammer]

The alpacas in the south notice Aella and migrate towards her. Evelyn attacks the first alpaca that approaches the orc. The attacks softens the alpaca up for a deadly swing by the orc. The two other zombies march up to the orc, unperturbed by the death of their comrade.

The alpaca near the family attacks Daedalia with a swift kick to his legs. The father whirls around and attacks the beast with his throwing axe.

Over the craggy outcroppings you can hear an orc scream in Orcish, "I AM SORRY FOR MY WEAKNESS LAKRA! I HAVE FAILED YOU! I DIE AN HONORLESS BEAST OF BURDEN!" as he is slowly kicked and bitten to death by alpacas...

Alpaca attacks Daedalia: [roll0] // [roll1]
Man attacks Alpaca: [roll2] // [roll3]

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia lets out a small yelp of pain as the alpaca's hooves catch him right in the knee, knocking him off balance. Gritting his teeth, he ducks around the creature's side, hoping that the human on the creature's other side will provide sufficient enough distraction to get a lethal hit in.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

Though Daedalia manages to get around the side of the creature, the rocky terrain and the growing bruise on his knee keeps him just a little too off balance. The slash with his dagger goes wide, and he curses under his breath - especially when he hears two more of the creatures behind him, and the dying screams of the man that had been holding them off.

[BramsesII]

Aella

Having cut down one zombie, Aella sticks to what works. She swings her sword wildly, almost without looking, at the one alpaca that might make its way past her position and attack Evelyn or Charlie. She yells out. "Keep firing and hold your positions. We can't let them cut off our escape!"

Attack on Alpaca7 (w/ shaken & power attack: -3 atk, +3 dmg)


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Attack: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

As she isn't really looking, her swing goes wide.

[DoctorFaust]

Charlie

A ball of light appears from the sack Charlie is holding and flies over to land beside Evelyn. When it disappears, in its place is a golden eagle, hovering a few feet above the ground. With a wave of Charlie's arm, it flies forward and rakes at the alpaca with its claws while trying to peck outs its eyes.

As that goes on, Charlie once again makes the clawing motion towards the alpaca in the hopes of weakening it.

Summoned eagle five-foot steps from E7 to F8 and makes a full attack against alpaca 7.

Bite: [roll0]
[roll1]

Talons x2:[roll2] [roll3]
[roll4] [roll5]

Misfortune hex attack: [roll6]

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn hears the orc's death cry and curses under his breath. There are more of the creatures--and someone we couldn't get to in time. He moves up around the man, hacking at the zombie which Daedalia had been fighting and burying the head of his second axe in its shoulder. "You two, get behind us!" He calls to the woman and child. "More of them coming, sounds like!"

Move action to go to M6, drawing my second axe as a part of that movement.
Attack roll against A3: [roll0]
(This still counts the -2 for being shaken--I think this is the last round? Also I'm not sure if I count for flanking bonus--by strict RAW I don't think I do, so I'm not adding it.)
Still using Combat Expertise for AC 15. (I should probably just add the bonus to my sheet at this rate)
Damage: [roll1]

[Felhammer]

The man drops to his knees once he sees Vaughn kill the Alpaca Zombie, "Y-you... Saved..." He looks over at his wife and his child, "Our lives... He pauses to catch his breath. He looks up at the sky and then at the dirt. That was a one mean little fight, am I right, little brother?" He looks over at his wife, then at his child. Panic starts to set into the man's voice, "Wait... Where is my brother!? Where is he? He was here, just before you arrived...!? The man frantically looks around trying to find his brother, "Where did he go!?"

Meanwhile, the Alpacas near Aella and the eagle attack their enemies with stalwart ferocity.


Alpaca attacks Aella: [roll0] // [roll1]
Alpaca attacks the eagle: [roll2] // [roll3]

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

"We'll look for him, but once the creatures are dealt with. Stay here for now." Hoping the man takes his advice, Vaughn moves forward, scaling the worn outcroppings and readying himself for the zombies to continue their attack.

Move action to go to N10
Ready an attack as soon as one of the alpacas enters my reach

Attack: [roll0] (still counting shaken?)
Combat Expertise up
Damage: [roll1]

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia grimaces as he remembers the screams he heard only moments ago. It was a shame, really. If they'd been faster... but there was no use dwelling on that. He moves quickly over to the child, urging him to go over to his mother. "Get away from there, stay with your parents. I hear more," he says, nudging the child along.

[BramsesII]

Aella

The orc grunts. "Ugh. Stop that!" Being kicked by the alpaca reminds Aella she's in a proper fight, which invigorates her. She slashes at the alpaca that has a free path to Evelyn and Charlie.

Attacking Alpaca 7 (shaken is gone, right?):


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Attack: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

This time her sword finds flesh, and she handily decapitates the zombie.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

"Eep!" Evelyn squeaks and backs up as the charging beast's lifeless form crumples and skids to a halt before her, the bird still clenched in its jaws. The young woman picks up the branch that she had found earlier, and holds it between her and the still animated alpaca, though her trembling indicates that she very much is afraid to use it. During this, the form on her back starts to growl, which only puts her more on edge.

"Please not now," she begs in an attempt to console him.
She's going to draw her club and ready an attack if the remaining alpaca should move in her threatened area. I don't imagine that'll be necessary, though. :p

[Felhammer]

As Vaughn crests the short mound of earth he sees two zombie alpacas feasting upon a freshly slain body... A bit of gravel slips under his foot, which alerts the zombies to Vaughn's presence. They immediately shamble over to him, their muzzles dripping with scarlet blood...

The child runs over to the mother's waiting arms. She embraces her scion with a big bear hug.

Meanwhile Aella contends with a feisty alpaca zombie...

Alpaca attacks Aella: [roll0] // [roll1]

[hannahbbug3]

Daealia gives a small, reassuring nod to the child as they run off, before taking up position beside Vaughn once more. Letting out a deep breath, the tiefling resigns himself to another round of grueling attacks, only hoping he can keep himself out of the way.

Vs A8.
[roll0]
[roll1]
Daedalia curses as his dagger catches nothing but air, and shrinks back slightly in the hopes the alpacas will direct their attention more towards the burly orc.

[BramsesII]

Aella

The orc grins as the next alpaca kick harmlessly bounces off her armor. She raises her sword high above her head and brings it down on the creature, hoping to make quick work of it.

Attack on alpaca 6


Attack (w/ power attack): [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Attack (w/ power attack): [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

Since it goes down, Aella will take a 5-ft step to D7 and use a move action to pick up her polearm

Again, with an impressive display of swordsmanship she handily lops the head off the zombie, causing it to collapse in a heap. She takes a step back and picks up her polearm.

[DoctorFaust]

Charlie

As the last alpaca in the pass goes down through no real help from her, Charlie turns and starts running back towards Vaughn and Daedelia. The possibility does run through her mind that she'll get there too late to do anything but she still pulls out her crossbow as she skids to a halt, and starts rummaging in her pack for a bolt.

Move action to go to J6, and then one to draw the crossbow.

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn grits his teeth as the vile creatures approach, waiting for them to come within reach. As the nearer one scales the gravel toward him, he catches it across the face with his axe, causing the beast to stagger off and collapse. Rounding on the other as Daedalia swings and misses, he hacks away at it with a heavy overhanded blow. Unfortunately the loose footing and the spray of gore from his first target throw off his aim, and the axe blade falls on empty air.

Readied action triggers against A9--without the shaken penalty, that attack hits (though with the penalty it misses--I believe it has expired before the attack, though)

Regular turn to attack A8:
Combat Expertise up (AC 15)
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Felhammer]

With great speed and ferocity, the party surrounds, and easily dispatches, the last alpaca zombie.

The man drops his weapons and gives his wife and child a big hug. All three are crying - tears of joy, mixed with tears of sadness. After a moment, the man introduces himself, "I am Finin, this is my wife Ainfean and my daughter Eorann. He gazes over at the mangled corpse, "The orc was my adopted brother - Sid. He was never a good warrior. More of a scribe at heart. It pains me to see him die this way..." Finin holds back a sob, "Thank you... Heroes. You saved my life, and the lives of my beloved wife and young daughter. We can never repay you for your bravery or kindness.

[hannahbbug3]

When the last of the zombies fall and combat is over, Daedalia sits down against a rocky outcrop and looks over the forming bruise on his knee. Damn, that smarts. But it was better than being bitten, wasn't it?
When the family speaks up and offers their thanks, Daedalia doesn't respond. He's a tiefling, he thinks. Certainly they aren't grateful to him. They must be talking to Vaughn and Aella.

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn nods absently to the man's thanks. Now without the adrenaline running through his system, his legs are starting to feel weak and his head is swimming a bit. Those things... were trying to kill them. Looking at what happened to the orc--Sid--made that abundantly clear. Sure, he'd seen people die in the pit fights; it wasn't exactly the safest occupation. But that was accidental, and usually in the less legitimate fights. He'd never really been in a fight where his life, and the lives of others, were at stake before. Before now it was instinct and training that had been carrying him through, but now that he had time to think about things--We all could have ended up dead like this.

In order to distract himself, he goes over to Sid's body, carefully arranging him into a posture more peaceful looking than the haphazard way he'd fallen. "He called out to Lahkra in his final moments," he says to no one in particular. "She will recognize he did everything he could when he was called on."

Are there any particular burial/last rite customs common among the orcs which Vaughn would know about? Sid appears to have been adopted into a human family, but he still seemed to revere the orcish goddess.

[Felhammer]

Traditionally, orcs who died in combat or died of old age were set ablaze on a pyre. Those who dies like cowards were fed to domesticated omnivores.

For the pyre ceremony, the orcs would usually drink alcohol as they recounted the dead's many deeds.

[BramsesII]

Aella

After picking up her bec-de-corbin and sheathing her sword, and after inspecting the kicking wounds the alpaca zombie left on her leg, Aella walks up to the survivors of the attack. She offers them a curt nod. "I'm sorry about your brother. We will give him the honor a true orc deserves." Aella turns to Vaughn. "We should send him to Lakra by cleansing fire, as our steppe ancestors did. That way, he can travel to there unharmed by wild beasts." She turns back to the people they just saved. "Before we do that though, I'd like to know where you were headed. Do you have a plan to get to safety?"

Edit: Hilariously, Felhammer ninja'd me. It seems we had the same idea about orcs burning their dead.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

Evelyn is, undoubtedly, quite relieved when the final beast of burden is felled. She had left her knife behind in the chaos so there hadn't been much she could do to contribute. Hence, it raises her spirits immeasurably to know that she would be traveling with capable company, for the immediate future at least.

She meets back up with the group, though the sight of the orc's corpse doesn't affect her as much as the others. How could it after the carnage she had witnessed not an hour past? She acknowledges the other man, who seems quite distraught, but as she watches Vaughn set the body into repose, the young woman pipes up, "Um, you might want to hold off on that for now."

She points first to the head and then to the body as she declares, "We're going to want to separate that from that before it starts moving again."

The scholar pauses a moment, realizing that she had completely talked over Aella's suggestion. She nods, perhaps obliviously, "Oh, well, I was going to suggest decapitation but incineration works as well!"

[BramsesII]

Aella

The orc looks at Evelyn and arches a brow. "What are you getting at? You want me to cut off his head with my polearm?" She looks incredulously at her bec de corbin. Neither the spike nor the hammer part would prove useful in decapitating a corpse. "How? Also, why? He deserves proper honors." She looks at the group. "We should gather some dry wood and create a small pyre. Quickly, as we don't want to waste too much time here."

[hannahbbug3]

After a few moments of sitting in relative silence, watching the others, Daedalia feels a squirming at his hip. With a sigh, the tiefling reaches into the pouch there and pulls out his tiny rat companion, petting the creature's back a few times before giving a playful tug of the rat's tail. Ferris nipped at Daedalia's finger in response, which made the tiefling smile despite the situation they'd found themselves in.

After a couple moment's thought, Daedalia scooped the rat into his palm and carried it over to the young girl. If Ferris could make him smile after all this, maybe he'd bring some comfort to the girl as well. Daedalia knelt down to be more on the girl's level, and held out the rat gingerly. "Would you like to pet him?" he asked. "He's rather soft, and doesn't bite. I call him Ferris."

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn nods at Aella's suggestion. "Agreed.The sooner we're out of here, the better." Pulling himself to his feet, he goes to retrieve the axe he'd thrown at the other creature, and starts scavenging for wood to burn the orc's body. The undead creatures could be left to rot, for all he cares.


As he passes Daedalia:

Vaughn gently puts a hand on Daedalia's shoulder as the tiefling speaks with the girl. "Thank you for the help there. You're handy with that dagger, no doubt about that. Might've been hairier if you hadn't had my back."


As he collects/stacks wood with Aella:
"Apologies for running off like that. I'm glad you were able to deal with the other beasts. It didn't look like Finin would have been able to handle those four on his own."


If he has a chance to speak with Evelyn:
"Those... creatures..." he motions toward the bodies of the zombie alpacas. "Do we need to do anything to them to keep them from... coming back?" She seemed to be the most knowledgeable about what the creatures were.

[Felhammer]

Eorann looks to her mother for permission to pet the rat. With a kind nod from Ainfean, the girl eagerly touches the rat. She giggles and smiles. The encounter seems to put her mind at ease and lets her escape from the horrors around her, even if the moment passes all too quickly.

Finin replies Aella, "We are just as lost as you are. We had heard tell of a great kingdom once ruled by aasimar far to the south. We thought it best to try looking for sanctuary there, although I am sure such a place was overrun by the undead just as much as anywhere else. Tell me, where are you headed?"

Finin then helps gather shrubs for tinder and the small, spindly pine trees that grow in along the sides of these mostly barren cliffs.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

Evelyn frowns and sits by the side of the road, muttering to her companion, "I was only trying to help."

She again cradles the figure in her arms as she watches the firewood procession. It looks up at her and grunts, but says nothing. She smiles, "Don't worry, I think I might be in more danger out here than you, for once."

Her eyes widen as Vaughn approaches her, perhaps in suspicion, but she beams when he asks her his question. She nods, "Oh yes! There are plenty of ways! However, there are two core approaches to keep in mind, that most are variations of or otherwise build off of. That is, you'll either want to destroy the brain or sever its connection with the rest of the body. The simplest way is to do the latter, hence why I suggested it earlier. Burning the corpse can work as well, but it certainly takes a bit longer, and if most of the brain survives, then it may just get up and start walking anyway."

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia's smile as the girl interacts with Ferris is swept away by a flinch as Vaugh's hand lands on his shoulder. Gentle as the touch is, the tiefling wasn't expecting it. "Oh," is the only reply to the orc's words, as Daedalia moves Ferris to his shoulder, letting the rat sit there as he straightens up once again.

[DoctorFaust]

After the last zombie falls, Charlie slings the crossbow back across her back and walks over to the family with her cat cradled in her arms. "No plans yet," she says in response to Finin. "Heading towards water. Hopefully meet other surivivors there."

[BramsesII]

Aella


After the last zombie falls, Charlie slings the crossbow back across her back and walks over to the family with her cat cradled in her arms. "No plans yet," she says in response to Finin. "Heading towards water. Hopefully meet other surivivors there."

Aella nods. "We have something of a plan, but for now it's get out of here and find water and other survivors." She looks at the others. "I'll go gather wood for a pyre. Vaughn, can you help me out? We should do this quickly." She turns around to go and gather dry wood to build a small pyre for Sid.


Vaughn
"Apologies for running off like that. I'm glad you were able to deal with the other beasts. It didn't look like Finin would have been able to handle those four on his own."


She shakes her head in response. "Don't apologize. You made a tactical call, and it was the right one. I would've done the same." She picks up some dry twigs before continuing. "You're not just any Vaughn, are you? You're the Vaughn. The green terror from the pits. Never seen you fight in person, but you're a bit of a celebrity among the rowdier parts of the King's Guard." Another short pause. "Well, you were, before they got all... eaten. *sigh* It's an honor to meet you."

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn lets out a short, bitter laugh. "Is that what they were calling me? Figures that'd be the kind of thing Duhallan would come up with. Yeah, that's me. Vaughn, toughest pit fighter this side of Dun Danachad." He lets a little growl into his voice, slipping into his old stage persona for a moment, then shakes his head. "That was all an act. Most of it, at least. Sure, you hear about the occasional death in the pits, but once you get into the big-name fights, things don't get that far--accidents happen, but they try and keep a lid on that kind of thing. Too much gold tied up in the famous ones. Never been in a fight where... you know..." He motions toward Sid's lifeless body, and the rest of the surviving family. He closes his eyes for a moment. "I appreciate it, but I'm afraid stage fights won't count for much out here." Quietly, he goes back to collecting wood for the pyre.

[Felhammer]

After the tumultuous morning with the dragon, the terrifying flight for safety in the outside world, and the dire battle with the zombies, the party finally has a chance - fleeting though it may be - to relax. The the adrenaline simmers as the party gathers wood and tinder, for the forthcoming funeral. As they do so, the light in the sky shifts slightly. The first thing to be noticed are the double shadows, as if there are two sources of light... When the party members look up into the sky, they see something strange, perhaps even horrifying! There is the golden sun, created by Yrian (King of the Gods) at the dawn of creation. It is more majestic and more beautiful than you had ever imagined. But, there is a second sun... Much smaller. Unlike its perfectly round companion, this second sun is... Misshapen. The sun looks like a roiling, inferno tempest, with streaks of roaring fire bursting out of it at random, chaotic angles. The second sun is more like a massive floating ball of fire than it is a proper sun...

[hannahbbug3]

"What is that?" Daedalia says, looking up towards the sky with wide eyes. Even spending his entire life underground, he's been under the impression that there was one sun. Only one. What was this second one doing here? How long had it been there, and what sort of omen was it?

Unbidden, the tiefling's thoughts drift towards Hell. It was a place of fire and brimstone and things unclean - like undead, wasn't it? A shiver travels down the length of his spine, and he second guesses the act of the funeral pyre. Under a sky like this, it seemed... wrong.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

Evelyn stands up slowly, attempting to rationalize what has just appeared. She opens her mouth to respond, but after a few moments of stammering she quietly closes it again. This was all too much.
Gonna attempt all four knowledge skills she has ranks in. :p
[roll0] Religion
[roll1] Arcana
[roll2] Nature
[roll3] History

[Felhammer]

Your mind drifts towards the creation myths of the world, how Yrian - King of the Gods - had created the sun, the stars and the world. His brothers and Sisters - the Primordials - saw his creation and wished to emulate it; however their creations were lifeless and ill-formed for they had each become tied to one of the four elements, and thus did not possess the ability to combine all four to create a proper world, let alone true life. In a fit of jealousy and frustration, the primordials of Earth, Wind, Fire and Water began a deadly war to destroy Yrian's creation. At the end of the war, Yrian cast the primoridals into the gaping maw of the Elemental Chaos, sealing them away forevermore.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

The woman shakes off a bad feeling, finally saying to herself, "No, surely not, it... ha... it couldn't possibly be that."

[DoctorFaust]

"Couldn't be what?" Charlie asks, glancing up at the sky. "Does the sun want to eat us as well as the wildlife?"

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

She scratches her head, but doesn't take her eyes off the ball of fire as she replies, "Well, I just had this... uh... odd notion. Do you remember the story of creation? How the High One threw his siblings back into the old Chaos to trap them forevermore? I dunno, it's just a stupid thought, but... if it did exist... then I can't, um, I can't imagine that's not what it would look like."

Evelyn shivers again, finally breaking her gaze. She looks at the woman, and furrows her brow as she realizes something. She notes, "I'm sorry, I... don't think you ever gave your name."

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn looks at the ball of fire in the sky and shudders, looking away. It certainly didn't look like the old stories of what the sun used to be, and Evelyn's suggestion that it might be related to the primordials...

"Well, regardless, that's a problem for the future. Right now, we should make sure we have somewhere safe and supplied. Big glowing balls of fire can wait until afterwards." He hopes he sounds less nervous than he feels about the whole situation.

Once they make full camp for the night, he builds a little fire and pulls a small pot from his pack. I've got a little meat from my rations, if we can find some more fresh meat or some vegetables perhaps I can make a little stew. It won't be much, but it'll be hot."

Profession (Cook) to make something that's more satisfying than cold rations: [roll0]
Survival to gather up some things to go into the stew, perhaps: [roll1]

Also using some of my spices to help... well, spice things up.

...and that's possibly the worst stew Vaughn has made in a while :smalltongue:

[BramsesII]

Aella

While the strange ball of fire in the sky has the others seemingly rattled, Aella doesn't really pay it much mind. After all, things could've changed a lot while generations lived underground. It was probably harmless, and they had more pressing problems at hand. And when Vaughn gets up to gather some meat, she stands up as well. "I'll help out. Two can hunt better than one."

Survival check to aid Vaughn's survival check: [roll0]

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia settles down near the fire once it's built, pulling Ferris from his little pouch and then digging in the sack he's been carrying with him for a loaf of bread to supplement the dinner Vaughn's making. He doesn't offer to share with the others because he's already sharing with his pet rat, taking a quarter of the loaf and giving it to the hungry little creature on his lap. While the stew simmers, Daedalia eats the rest of the loaf, watching the others like he expects them to try and steal his food.

[DoctorFaust]

"Charlotte Faber," Charlie says, sticking a hand out towards Evelyn. "Most call me Charlie instead. And don't worry, I didn't get yours either."

She looks back up at the chaotic star with her arm still extended and frowns. "So you think that's where the Primordials are imprisoned? It wouldn't be too far fetched to say it wants to eat us after all."

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn smiles for the first time, and shifts her grip on her charge in order to return the gesture, "Evelyn, uh, Kristeva. I'm a doctor at the College, or, I was, at least. It's nice to meet you."

She sets the figure down, who immediately scurries behind her in an attempt to hide from the second sun. The young scholar looks back up at the maw, light glinting off her enormous glasses. She seems more relaxed as she continues, "I dunno if that's what it is, but, it's just so horrible that now I can't imagine it to be anything else."

[Felhammer]

Twilight comes and the party sets up camp. Vaughn makes some food. It is not the best food but, food is food. Finin makes a point to thank Vaughn for the meal.

With the existential dread caused by the second sun momentarily eased by it moving beneath the horizon, the party finishes constructing the pyre for the fallen orc. Finin and his family remain mostly quiet as they watch their beloved family member burn away. Finin tries to say a few words but they are muffled by soft whimpers and mournful tears. His wife and daughter hold the head of their household tight as the last flames of the pyre simmer to embers.

If you guys want to set up a watch order, I would like to know who is awake during each shift :)

[hannahbbug3]

After the long day, Daedalia feels like he could use some shut eye. It's warm enough here on the surface that he doesn't need his blanket for cover, so he just lays it out on the ground to serve as a makeshift mattress. "Wake me for a watch," he tells the others as he starts to settle in.

Daedalia wants sleep. Not first watch, here, but he'll take one that's open.

[BramsesII]

Aella

While the party gets ready to get some shut-eye, Aella doesn't seem to be readying herself to sleep just yet. "I'll take first watch. No doubt trouble'll find us soon." She picks up her bec de corbin she had leaned against a tree. "If it does, I'll be sure to bury this pike in its head. Now get some sleep. You all fought well, but that does mean you need rest. Anyone who really wants second watch?"

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn furrows her brow in contemplation and looks around at the others. It's clear to anyone observing that she doesn't quite understand the question being asked, but is also not quite willing to open her mouth to demonstrate her ignorance.

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

"I'll take it, I suppose," he replies to Aella. "Doubt I'll get too much sleep out here anyway..."

[Felhammer]

The party and the family bed down for the night. Aella has first watch, then second watch will be handled by Vaughn.

Your long watch passes, mostly, without incident. Until right before you are going to wake Vaughn up for his watch. You spot a shadow of an owl flying in the sky. Suddenly a very large bat swoops up and out of a hole in the mountain side, races across the sky, latches onto the owl and dives its teeth deep into the bird's neck. The owl cries out in pain, then is suddenly silenced. The bat drops the owl and flies off. The owl falls out of the sky, slamming into the rocky earth near you with great force...

Your long watch is fairly mundane and boring. Nothing of not really happens... But you cannot shake the feeling that you are being watched...

Your dreams are haunted by the zombie alpacas eating your legs as you try to crawl away from them... You wake up with a moist face, as if you had been crying.

The party and the family are roused from their slumber by the first rays of the sun. As the adventurers clean up camp and steel themselves for the day to come, a second sun rises... Only, it is different than the one yesterday. In place of a misshapen ball of fire, there is spherical ball of... Wind...? With tornadoes and vortexes bursting out of it at random intervals. As the sun rises, the temperature drops noticeably and the wind blusters. Dark gray clouds gather on the horizon...

[DoctorFaust]

"Skrios above," Charlie whispers as she watches the new sun rise. "Maybe that is the Primordials' prison."

[hannahbbug3]

If Daedalia had a tail like he knew some long-ago tieflings did, he knew it would be twitching in unease. As it was, he could feel the hair on the back of his neck standing up. Perhaps the bookish one's assumption about that second body in the sky belonging to the primordials wasn't so far-fetched... and that was a disturbing thought. He gets to his feet quickly and starts to pack up his things to give his hands something to do, rather than allow his mind to dwell on that.

[BramsesII]

Aella

The orc is startled by an owl suddenly slamming into the rocks near her. For the rest of her watch, she's warily watching the sky as well as the ground around her.

The next morning, Aella is early to rise. When the clouds start gathering on the horizon, she looks at the others. "It's time we move. We don't want to get caught in a storm."

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn looks up at the swirling ball of wind in the sky for a long time that morning, staring at it almost accusingly. It seemed pretty clear this did have something to do with the Primordials... and while he wasn't much for religious matters, he knew it couldn't be good if they were involved.

Eventually he begins packing up his gear as well, mostly quiet. The unshakable feeling that something had been watching him during the night, combined with this, definitely made him uneasy.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

Evelyn rubs her eyes, in too much of a daze from her bad dream to process anything else. She stands up and stretches, and looks out over the horizon. Her eyes trace a path between the clouds in the distance, and the roiling tempest above.

"Maybe those are related," the scholar observed, rather quietly as she tapped her chin. She spoke up a little louder, "Well, I'll hate to see what it'll look like tomorrow. Though, I can't imagine it being much worse than yesterday."

She looks down at her companion, and catches her breath. He was still sitting in the same position that he had when she had fallen asleep, meaning that she had almost certainly forgotten to tell him to lie down. Well, maybe the others didn't notice that he had been sitting up all night. She certainly wasn't going to bring it up, if she could at all help it.

[Felhammer]

The party gathers up their supplies and treks off, further and further away from their home in Dun Danachad. Travel is made difficult by the strong winds that push against every step you make. Over time, you notice that you are heading downhill, which makes walking down these narrow paths even more treacherous. After many hours of difficult travel, you come to the edge of a great forest filled with gigantic Alerce trees. From your vantage point, it looks like the forest is filled, as far as the eye can see, with two hundred foot tall trees. You can hear a great diversity of birds chirping, singing and cawing in the distance.

Add your own modifier.

Aella [roll0]
Charlie [roll1]
Daedalia [roll2]
Evelyn [roll3]
Vaughn [roll4]

You know that the Alerce trees once dominated the Borderlands in ancient times but they had almost been completely felled by loggers as the wood is known to be excellent for building material. You also know that it can take centuries for these trees to grow to their full height. Far longer than you and your kin had been locked in Dun Danachad...


Add your own modifier.

Aella [roll5]
Charlie [roll6]
Daedalia [roll7]
Evelyn [roll8]
Vaughn [roll9]

You know that the Alerce trees once dominated the Borderlands in ancient times but they had been almost completely felled by loggers as the wood is known to be excellent for roofing material. The wood was in vogue for centuries prior to the fall, which lead to large scale de-forestation, with the felled trees being floated along the many wide rivers that snaked their way through the Borderlands.


As the party takes their first hesitant steps into the woodland...

Add your own modifier.

Aella [roll10]
Charlie [roll11]
Daedalia [roll12]
Evelyn [roll13]
Vaughn [roll14]

As the party takes its first few, hesitant steps into the forest, you hear rustling in the bushes to your left. Probably about 20 feet away from where you now stand.


Alerce trees are similar to sequoias.

https://www.conservacionybiodiversidad.cl/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/alerce-gran-abuelo-rodrigo-jimenez-660x550.jpg

[DoctorFaust]

Charlie has her own meagre sack of belongings slung on her back, but just that is enough to drive her almost to exhaustion after a days marching. The cat beside her looks unperturbed by its owner's distress and the rough terrain, even dashing ahead and disappearing behind bends a few times.

As the group approaches the forest, however, it dashes back to Charlie and winds around her legs while meowing pitifully. She scoops it up from the ground, staring at the forest with a distrustful gaze. "Those trees are wrong," she finally says. "Look older than Dun Danachad. Can't be though. We should be on guard in here."

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

Evelyn adjusts her glasses as she considers the trees, "Oh aye! Those are alerces! I didn't think there were any more! Even if they took root later after the Fall, they certainly shouldn't be so tall now. Curious..."

The young woman takes out a journal and begins scribbling furiously, when her companion nudges her. Abruptly, she stops writing; her gaze shoots off to the left as she frowns, a mix of worry and concern painting her face. She takes a few paces back, muttering, "S- something's over there."

[BramsesII]

Aella

Aella looks at Charlie and arches a brow. "These trees can't be older than Dun Danachad. As I recall, most of this area was deforested at the time."

When they step into the woodland, her gaze shifts to the same spot Evelyn's companion points out at the same time. She grips her bec de corbin tighter. "There's something in those bushes. Get behind me and ready yourselves!"

[Felhammer]

An eight-foot tall, yellow-and-red-colored, bi-pedal insectoid creature with four arms bolts up into the air, and lunges out of a particularly thick bush. He yells at you in with loud click-y hiss-y noises. He is brandishing a long spear. He jabs it in your direction several times, as if motioning for you to "go away."

Aella [roll0]
Charlie [roll1]
Daedalia [roll2]
Evelyn [roll3]
Vaughn [roll4]

Beyond the bushes and tallgrass, you can make out two other ant-like heads bobbing up and down at seemingly random intervals. The two heads do not seem perturbed by your presence. They are perhaps 15 feet behind the more aggressive bug-man with the spear.

https://1d4chan.org/images/thumb/e/e7/Thri-Keen_3E.jpg/300px-Thri-Keen_3E.jpg

[BramsesII]

Aella

The orc takes a step back, but she keeps her polearm at the ready to strike should the bug-man attack. "Stay back. We mean no harm! We're just passing through!"

She whispers to her companions through gritted teeth. "Does anybody speak other languages?"

[hannahbbug3]

"I don't know if I speak what they're speaking, but I can try," Daedalia replies, clearing his throat before attempting to communicate in several different languages with the creature. "Hello, yes," he begins in infernal, also gesturing with his hands in the sign language known to tieflings. "Have you any knowledge of this tongue?" he asks. Then, switching to elven, while still signing. "Or this one, perhaps?"

[roll0]

[Felhammer]

The bug-man tilts his head as Daedalia begins to speak infernal. While still pointing his jagged spear at the party, he replies, "Y-yes. This one understands this tongue. Tell this one, how has this shambler learned to speak? What sorcery has bewitched this shambler!?" He looks... Confused? Bewildered? Hard to tell with such alien features.

[hannahbbug3]

"Shambler?" Daedalia questions. But it doesn't take a huge logical leap to think the creature might be talking about zombies. With how they move, certainly... and what these bug-men would be familiar with, that looked like them. "These are not Shamblers. This one is a tiefling, these are this one's... company. We come from underground. We have been hiding, but cannot stay there anymore. There was a dragon - it drove this one and everyone out. Now we fight the Shamblers, like you do. But this one means you peace."

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

When the bug-man appears, Vaughn brings his hands up in a defensive posture reflexively. He starts to respond in the negative to Aella, but pauses as Daedalia begins speaking to it in an odd tongue. Gradually he lowers his fists, though he still watches the bug creature warily. While the tiefling negotiates (hopefully that's what he's doing) Vaughn scans the brush for more of the creatures lying in wait.

Perception because there isn't much else I can do here :P
[roll0]

[Felhammer]

The bug looks even more perplexed, "That one is not a member of the Order of the Broken Skull? That one is not a necromancer? That one is not undead? Yet that one looks like a shambler..." He shrugs with his four arms and then says, That one is... A Shambler-that-is-not-a-shambler...?" He shrugs again, "Well shambler-that-is-not-a-shambler, this one saw the dragon in the sky. The dragon scared this one's drones. That is why those ones are cowering in tall grass. Tell this one, where is that one going?"

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia gives a small wince. "These ones... do not exactly know where we are going," he answers honestly. He gestures further down the road. "This one heard of a city on two rivers, this one thought it would be a good place. Does that one know if it is safe?" he asks. There are so many questions to ask. "This one also does not know of The Order of the Broken Skull, or from where came the dragon. Can that one explain more?"

I'm just assuming that this manner of speech is how Infernal is spoken, so I guess that's canon now?

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

"There are two more in the brush back there," Evelyn whispers to Vaughn as she peeks out from where she had strategically hidden herself, behind his large frame. Given that the insect people seem to no longer be pressing them, Evelyn's alarm turns to curiosity. She inches forward to get a better look at their challenger as it converses with the boy.

[Felhammer]

Infernal is actually a very elegant and sophisticated language but has a large number of pronouns and honorifics. He is speaking like a child, either because he does not know how to speak "properly" or he does not wish to offend you by using an incorrect pronoun or honorific... Or he is a strange bug man who speaks funny. Hard to tell. :smallsmile:

"The Order of the Broken skull are the Necromancers that caused the downfall of the old world. The old ones' hubris lead to the old ones' downfall. The old ones did not learn from the mistakes of the deep ones, and so they fell. Now they are shamblers." He almost spits the word shambler out. "Bah. This one does not like thinking of the fall. This one thinks the old ones were fools."

After a moment or two, he continues, "This one saw the dragon in the sky. This one believes it came from beyond the old flame lands. This one is sad that that ones' home was ruined by the dragon. This one steers clear of dragons when the dragons come to the uplands. Dragons like the taste of this ones' drones.

Changing the subject, he says, That one is headed towards the great forest. Beyond the forest are the new flame lands, where the fire-headed-ones live. It is safe... So long as that one does not anger the fire-headed-ones. Many days that one will travel to reach the new flame lands. The great forest always grows outward. If not for the fire-headed-ones, this one thinks the forest would reach the edge of the Brood Mother's territory."

The bug-man tentatively walks closer to the party, sensing that you are not enemies. "This one is called Thurix. This one is a warrior-scout, sent to guard the Brood Mother's drones, as they seek food and resources. Tell this one, did the shamblers-that-are-not-shamblers have a Brood Mother?

[hannahbbug3]

It's a lot to take in. Many terms that Daedalia doesn't recognize - but it's at this point that he realizes he doesn't have to puzzle it out alone. Glancing over his shoulder, he is able to tell easily enough that the others can't understand what's being said. Not even Charlie, his fellow tiefling, seems to be following the conversation. So, before answering Thurix, he quickly fills the others in on all that he knows.

"These ones are-" he clears his throat, switching his pattern of speech before he forgets to. "They're peaceful. His name is Thurix, he's a guard of some description. He thought we were zombies, I think, or followers of some necromantic cult, The Order of the Broken Skull? ... he's telling me what's beyond here, in the way we're going. More forest, then something about flame lands, and fire-headed ones... the dragon." He gives a small shake of his head. Maybe the others will be better at puzzling it out. That said, he turns back to Thurix, offering him a small smile.

"This one is Daedalia. Dalia, if that one prefers. This one's home was Dun Danachad, beneath the mountain." At the question of 'Brood Mother', he frowns in a sad sort of way. "Dun Danachad had what this one supposes is a Brood Father. A King, in this one's tongue. The King... is probably dead."

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

"Necromancer? No, no, nothing so crass as that," Evelyn replies, though absentmindedly in doing so. She seems rather distracted, currently, as (over the course of the ongoing, impossible-to-follow conversation) she had seemingly crept quite a bit closer, so as to better inspect their host's chitinous hide. She pushes up her glasses and looks to the young tiefling (whose name escaped her at that moment), asking, "Oh! Do they know anything about our destination specifically?"

[Felhammer]

Thurix nods, "Kings... Like the foolish old ones had. The Fire-Headed-Ones do not have Kings or Brood Mothers. The Fire-Headed-Ones debate and talk, then make decisions by voting. This one finds their behavior strange. This one is thankful shamblers-that-are-not-shamblers do not vote on things. This one thinks Kings and Brood Mothers make more sense than voting.

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia gives the bug-man a small smile at his words, then directs Evelyn's question to him. "Can that one tell us more about what lies beyond the forest? This one would know what we are heading towards."

[Felhammer]

"That one is headed to the New Fire Lands. This one remembers deeply of the land being a wide open grassland, filled with many old one ruins. This one remembers striding through the many rivers that ran across the grasslands. Then the land rose, creating the uplands. This one's hunting routes changed then. This one's prey wandered in new places. Then much later, the Flame-Headed-Ones came. They created a great fire mountain and a castle-city. Hot flame-water-rock surrounds the fire mountain. This one has heard that the bird-cat-men have been seen in the sky, so this one would warn that one to stay away from the bird-cat-men. The bird-cat-men do not like this one's people. This one thinks the bird-cat-men will not like shamblers-that-are-not-shamblers.

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia, once again, relays the information Thurix gives to the party.

From here on out, just assume Daedalia is translating. That way I'm not holding anything up if I'm not around!

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

Evelyn takes a pause from her inspection and makes an odd expression, "Wait, did you say 'Fire Head People?' ... That's... strange, I wonder what causes that."

She steps back and flips a few pages in her notebook, writing down her thoughts as she mutters them aloud, though only barely audibly in doing so. Finally, she ponders aloud, "If what he says is true, and... the geography has radically changed... then, I think, or rather, I suppose that any maps we had in the city... um... aren't really going to be much help to us now, hm?"

[Felhammer]

"This one remembers deeply the time before the change. It was a better time. This one thinks, maybe, a map of the low lands would still work? This one does not go down to the low lands. There are more shamblers down there."

Thurix looks around and scratches the back of his head, "This one knows of an old one building in the forest. Perhaps the shamblers-that-are-not-shamblers would use it as shelter?"

Two horse-sized ant-people waddle up to Thurix. They nuzzle against the bug-man's lower left hand. "Ah, this one's drones are hungry." Thurix reaches into a burlap sack on his belt and pulls out a big chunk of rotten meat. Flies buzz around it, while maggots squirm around the rotten flesh. He breaks the chunk in half and feeds it to each of his drones. "Oh! This one is being rude. Would that one like some food as well?"

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b9/Formian.JPG/200px-Formian.JPG

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn really has no idea what the "flame-headed-people" or the "bird-cat-men" might be, but they don't necessarily sound friendly. Of course, neither do the zombies--the "shamblers." "So, either we go where our maps are probably still accurate, but there are more of those undead things, or we take our chances with these other creatures. Maybe the forest would be our best bet? At least see what this shelter is. Might not be a permanent solution, but somewhere safe to search from perhaps." He eyes the rotting meat with some disgust--he doesn't understand what they're saying, but he doesn't need Daedalia to translate to tell they're trying to offer some of it.

[hannahbbug3]

"That one's offer is kind, but this one prefers other sorts of foods," Daedalia says, feeling like he is speaking for the group when he does so. "These ones would like to know of the shelter. Could that one take us there? This one knows not how to repay that one's kindness and understanding. That one is very helpful."

[BramsesII]

Aella

With Daedalia having defused the situation, Aella relaxes. She looks at the boy nodding approvingly. "The shelter sounds like a good idea. Well done kid."

[Felhammer]

The party follows Thurix and his drones into the forest. The woodland is littered with massive trees, the spacing between which grows ever smaller the deeper you travel into the forest. After about a half hour of walking, it becomes very apparent that the trees are unnaturally close to one another. You cannot help but think that something unnatural pervades this wooded landscape...Thanks to their unique physiology, Thurix and the drones have no difficulty traversing the forest. You marvel at how graceful the three creatures are, while you struggle to clamber over a fallen tree, or sideways walk between two trees that have grown close to one another.

After another half hour of walking, the party comes to a stone building that is covered in moss, vines and other plant-growth.

"This is shelter for shamblers-that-are-not-shamblers. Old ones built it. This one does not know what function it served in the past," states Thurix.

As you walk around the building, you come to realize that this was a church of some kind. Although you have never seen a human-built church before, the building lines up with what you have heard of human architecture from before the fall. The steeple is tall, rising perhaps fifty feet above the earth. Although it is one of the tallest free-standing buildings you have ever seen, the impact of its magnificence is somewhat lessened by being surrounded by a forest of two hundred foot tall trees... Aella and Evelyn stumble upon a broken statue near the entrance to the church. It looks to be a statue of an angel and a devil, each armed with a halberd, jointly holding a soul. This is a common depiction of the recently departed ascending to the heavens to be judged by Colata, the Goddess of Death. The gound near the entrance to the church is littered with jagged shards of colored glass. As you look up, you can see a hole in the side of the building where there was once a twenty-foot -wide stained glass window.

[BramsesII]

Aella

The orc scratches her head looking at the church. "Well, it looks like a church. And that's all I can tell. What do you make of this, Evelyn?"

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn
The scholar looks down at the statue, and slowly shifts her gaze up in awe.

"Marvelous," she mutters, "This was almost certainly a church dedicated to Colata. I've studied the ancient Colatan rites extensively, but I never thought I might end up in an old house of her worship. Imagine what secrets it could still hold..."

Her passenger, still bundled in ragged cloth, shrinks away in sight of the statue.

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia has never quite felt right in places of worship. Aside from the whole... demon blooded thing, his sort of work wasn't exactly... promoted by those of most religious disposition. Still, a shelter is a shelter, so it's better than nothing. Who knows? Maybe a place like this would have some old protections of its own. Without pausing to must much over the architecture, Daedalia turns to Thurix. "This one thanks you greatly for showing these ones the way. These ones will probably stay here for some time, if it is safe."

[Felhammer]

Thurix gingerly sets one of his hands on the side of Daedalia's face, "This one is happy that that one is happy. This one will leave now, as this one's drones must forage for the Hive. This one will try to return here before heading back to the the Brood Mother as this one wishes to make sure shamblers-that-are-not-shamblers remain shamblers-that-are-not-shamblers." With that, the bug-man and his two horse-sized drones wander back up the path from whence you came.

The church looks to have once been very finely fashioned, festooned with bronze ornaments. Now it is a half-rotten husk, overgrown with vines. Finin looks around, twirling his axe around in his hand. As he does so, he states, "I will go get some firewood." He wanders off into the woods, searching for a small tree, or some branches to cut down.

It seems eerily quite as you approach the church, as if the sound of the birds, rain and all other sounds sort of... Evaporate the closer you walk towards the building's entrance.

[DoctorFaust]

Charlie frowns once again as the enter the clearing, her mood having lightened somewhat by the offer of shelter. "More unnaturalness," she mutters. "Why can't the rest of the world work like Dun Danachad did?"

With a sigh, she raises a free hand and begins concentrating on the clearing, looking for any signs of magic in the area.

Casting Detect Magic and concentrating for three rounds. Throwing up a couple of Knowledge (Arcana) rolls in case the line of sight part of the spell is met. "If the items or creatures bearing the auras are in line of sight, you can make Knowledge (arcana) skill checks to determine the school of magic involved in each"

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[hannahbbug3]

The gesture of a touch to his cheek is... rather unexpected, and it feels strange, certainly with this creature's... hand, or what passed for it. But it's not unwelcome. It's the first bit of soft reassurance Daedalia has gotten in some time. And so, he inclines his head slightly as Thurix departs. "Thank you," he says once more, watching until the creatures disappear into the trees.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn waves as the creatures leave, before turning her attention to the abandoned structure.

"Probably long since been looted, but maybe we'll get lucky, eh?" she mutters to herself. Her companion grunts in response, though the stillness seems to put it on edge. Still, walking stick in hand, the woman presses forward, across the threshold and into the edifice.

[Felhammer]

You sense that the entire building has been enchanted with a faint illusion spell.

You also sense a a moderate Conjuration spell but this aura is not in line of sight from the outside of the building.

You also sense a faint divination spell but, it too, is out of line of sight.

You additionally sense a faint illusion spell but, it too, is out of line of sight.


Evelyn pushes the half rotten door open and walks into the church. The door looks like it would make a loud sound as it scrapes the marble floor but nary a creek is heard. As Evelyn steps into the narthex, her boots also do not make a sound as they strike the stone floor. The wall on the left side of the narthex has a mural depicting devils torturing humans, elves, orcs and dwarves inside what looks like a hellish dungeon. The wall on the right hand side has a mural of angels soaring in the sky, with happy humans, elves, orcs and dwarves congregating on clouds. The wall opposite the door is sealed by an iron gate. You give it a tug but it is locked. Beyond the iron gate is the nave of the church, which is lined with pristine wooden pews. Beyond the nave is a raised dais, atop which is a wooden altar. The altar has been smashed by something very heavy. Suspended by chains above the altar is a 20-foot tall scale made from copper, covered with a rich, green patina.

Aella [roll0]
Charlie [roll1]
Daedalia [roll2]
Evelyn [roll3] (1d20+4)[21] Evelyn's Perception
Vaughn [roll4]

You notice that the scale suspended above the altar has several dings in it, where the patina has been scraped away. You also notice that the chain looks fairly new, at least compared to everything else in the church. Perhaps the scale fell on the altar, and then someone re-suspended the scale?

[Chromascope3D]

"Well, I suppose I should've expected as much." Evelyn notes aloud as she explores the space. She rattles the gate a few times before peeking through the bars.

"...Oh, that's rather curious."

[hannahbbug3]

"What is?" Daedalia asks Evelyn after Thurix and his drones depart. The woman seemed to have sharp eyes - she shouldn't be ignored, especially when she had a sharp mind to go with it.

[Felhammer]

As Evelyn speaks aloud and rattles the gate, no sound can be heard at all.

[DoctorFaust]

"Careful!" Charlie yells back as Evelyn and Daedalia start examining the church. "The building is under an illusion. It may be dangerous."

[BramsesII]

Aella

Aella is about to waltz into the church when Charlie yells out."Wait. What's going on? Are you saying this is a trap?" She points her polearm at the building, ready to strike the imagined monster that is about to leap out at her.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

Evelyn turns about, and jumps slightly upon seeing her guest, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were there! Look in there, have-"

She stops, seeing Daedalia mouth some words at her. Confused, Evelyn begins to respond, but quickly realizes that no words are coming from her mouth, either. She claps her hand to her ear, but hears only the vibrations thudding in her cochlea. She snaps her fingers, but again, only feels the dull thud within her own hand. Curious.

She looks to the tiefling for confirmation.

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia seems startled when he can't get his voice to work, and he has a split second of panic wherein he thinks that Thurix touching him has caused this affliction somehow, when he realizes Evelyn is experiencing the same thing. Warily, he glances up to the shelter, and backs off a bit. There was something... strange about this place.

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn takes a walk around the building, sizing it up. He wasn't sure what he was expecting--after so long abandoned, any structure they found was sure to be in disrepair. Still, it seemed like it'd stand up. Though the illusion magic on the building might be problematic? While the tieflings investigate the building, he helps gather up firewood.

[DoctorFaust]

"I do not know," Charlie replies, frowning heavily. "It may be a trap. But there is more magic I cannot see, so it may have something to do with their worship instead."

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

Unable to hear Charlie's warnings, Evelyn instead finds herself at an impasse.

Well, this is certainly a puzzle, she thinks to herself, Perhaps there is a key somewhere, or perhaps someone needs to let us in. But there doesn't appear to be anyone inside, so we could be waiting for a good long time at that rate.

Oh! Tieflings know how to pick locks, right? The woman was confident that she'd heard that before somewhere, so she supposed it couldn't hurt to ask. Getting Daedalia's attention, she looks between him and the lock a couple times, and makes a picking motion with her hands just to make sure he understands.

[hannahbbug3]

It takes Daedalia a moment to figure out what Evelyn wants, but when he does, he gives a small scowl. How racist, for her to just assume - of course, he didn't know her thoughts were directly about tieflings. But still. He had the gut feeling.

As it was, though, she was right. Daedalia dug around in his bag until he pulled out a small box, containing a couple lockpicks and other similar items, before he set to work on the gate.


[roll0]

[BramsesII]

Aella

With Vaughn gathering firewood and Daedalia working on the gate, Aella decides her best option is to stand guard. She remains where she is, trying to keep an eye on everyone in the party as much as possible.

[Felhammer]

With a bit of trial and error, Daedalia manages to pop the lock on the gate. It swings open slowly. If sound could be made inside the building, you think it would make a loud creeeeeeking noise.

I have updated the Doc with the rough outline of the church's floor plan.

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia tucks away his thieves' tools, stashing them back in his sack, before straightening up again. The fact that he can't hear anything is... unnerving. He reaches into the pouch at his side, letting Ferris nibble on his fingers.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

Grand! She grins as the tiefling completes his work, though that turns to concern as the gate swings open, revealing a sizable cathedral before them. On some level she wonders where her allies have gotten off to, but on the other, her curiosity can't keep from pushing her forward. She unslings her crossbow just to be on the safe side.

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia sighs through his nose as Evelyn continued into the cathedral. It wouldn't do to let her go alone. So - silently, since that was the only way he could go in this place - Daedalia followed her.

[BramsesII]

Aella

Seeing Evelyn and Daedalia enter the cathedral Aella decides she can't just let them head into danger on their own. She follows as quietly as she can, her polearm at the ready.

[Felhammer]

The party heads into the church. It is eerily quiet on the inside. On both sides of the nave, there are three doors, presumably leading to other rooms in the building. The pews, unlike the altar, are pristine and look almost brand new.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn taps her finger against her forehead, still unable to make a sound. Oh! She thinks to herself, and pulls out a sheet of paper and charcoal. She writes, Since we can't call out, we should stick together!

She jumps again as as Aella rounds the corner behind them, but smiles and shows her the paper as well.

[BramsesII]

Aella

The orc nods, then holds out her bec de corbin and salutes. Then, she looks around, waiting for one of the others to make a move for a door.

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia gives a nod of agreement and edges closer to the altar. If he had to guess... that was probably the source of the strange magic. Seemed a fitting place to cast something or leave something interesting, at the very least.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn nocks a quarrel to her crossbow and follows close behind. Not that she wasn't more curious, but perhaps it would be best for someone else to take the lead...

Evelyn's also gonna check out the altar since that was what mainly caught her eye to begin with. Also I should've mentioned this sooner but I'm currently recovering from jaw surgery so my posting is gonna be a little more sporadic for the next week, I think.

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn notes the others going further into the cathedral and pauses--he is torn between going into the building after them or continuing with gathering wood. After a moment he decides to continue with what he's doing outside--Aella is inside in case anything goes wrong there, and he can be outside if something else tries to approach.

[Felhammer]

The party checks out the altar. It is made of wood and looks to have had something heavy dropped on it. The large holy symbol suspended above the altar seems to be the likely culprit. Yet, why was the giant holy symbol strung back up but the wreckage of the altar not cleaned up?

As you poke around the splintered wood, you find several sheets of vellum. Each of the sheets has a drawing of an angel fighting a devil on it. As you comb through the sheets, you realize the sketches are depicting the same battle between these two other worldly creatures.




For those outside, you collect wood with the family. Finin whistles a jaunty tune as he breaks off some branches and collects wood from the ground. Without warning, you hear a loud CAAAAAW noise and then Finin screaming bloody murder.

Finin is attacked by an Axebeak Terror Bird: [roll0]//[roll1]
---- If successful, Free Trip: [roll2]


The bird easily knocks the man down, then with one mighty slash of its razor-sharp beak, slices through Finin's old hide armor, ripping a long tear through the man's chest.

Finin is at -5 HP.


Those inside hear a loud CAAAAAW noise and then Finin screaming bloody murder before he suddenly falls silent...

[BramsesII]

Aella

Hearing someone yell outside, combined with some otherworldly noise, urges Aella to go and investigate. She makes a dash for the door.

Just in case we're acting in combat: Aella's going to run to the door to the outside, moving 80 ft

[hannahbbug3]

The shout startles Daedalia, especially when it had been so silent before. He motions for Evelyn to come with them as he races after Aella. As he moves, he turns his wrists so that his daggers fall into his hands, ready to go if he should need them.

[roll0]

[Chromascope3D]

Oh bother, not again, Evelyn thinks to herself. She follows after, though it's evident that she can't quite keep up while weighed down by her passenger.

[Felhammer]

As the patry rushes outside, they can just make out - through the dense trees and bushes, Finin on the ground. Looming over the poor man is a stout flightless bird. It stands upon two long, taloned legs, but it is its axe-shaped, blood-soaked beak that looks the most ferocious.

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/monstersresurrected/images/3/37/Mega_2.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20121028212411

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn swears and drops the wood he'd been gathering, sprinting toward the sound of Finin scream. He shouts to get the creature's attention off of the fallen man and closes in, winding up a powerful strike with his fist.

Charge action to move to M46 and attack!

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Combat expertise and Shield Hand to make my AC 16, charge penalty drops it back to 14.

He misjudges the swing and catches only air, but still lets out a shout at the creature--who knows, perhaps it would back off from the sudden attack. He kind of doubts that would be the case, but it was possible.

[DoctorFaust]

Charlie hears the scream and runs after Vaughn and Daedlia, but she's far enough away that she barely makes it half-way to the trees in any reasonable length of time.

[Felhammer]

The terrifying, monstrous bird swings his head over towards Vaughn, as the man vaingloriously tries to punch the avian foe! The enemy deftly dodges the furious assault. As Vaughn over-extends for the missed attack, the axebeak cannons its blood-soaked, razor-sharp beak forward, attempting to slash the man's chest!

Vaughn is attacked by an Axebeak Terror Bird: //[roll]1d8+ A 9 misses, so no use fixing the damage roll :)

[hannahbbug3]

Seeing Vaughn engage the foe, Daedalia moves quickly. He darts in and around the trees, moving to try and get into a flanking position with the orc.

Spent full turn moving.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn follows after Daedalia at slower tilt, still burdened by her companion, hugging a tree for safety and taking aim at the beast. The size of that thing!

Evelyn's going to Run to R45.

[BramsesII]

Aella

Aella charges after the others, running as fast as she can. Her heavier armor means she doesn't immediately get in range to fight, however.

Full action to run to L43

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn twists out of the way of the bird's beak--he'd certainly gotten the thing's attention, almost too well. He takes a moment to regain his footing, taking note of the others moving up around him, and strikes again at its face, somewhat more cautiously this time. He is rewarded by a satisfying crack as his fist makes contact with the beast.

AC back up to 16

Another punch!
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[DoctorFaust]

A glance down at the cat grasped in her arms leaves Charlie growling in frustration, and she keeps running forwards. For once, she curses the fact that she's not trained enough with her crossbow to really be useful at longer ranges than her magic.

Full round to move to I43

[Felhammer]

The vicious looking bird of terror looms over Vaugn. Sticky, scarlet blood drips onto the man, before the bird once more launches himself at Vaughn with his powerful beak!

Meanwhile three smaller terror birds appaear from around the bushes. They are only five feet tall. Perhaps they are this axebeak's children? Perhaps these animals employ pack tactics...? Regardless, one of them appears behind the larger one, perhaps 10 feet from Finin. Another appears behind Dalia! The third cannot be seen but it sounds like he is racing behind the tangled web of trees and bushes, coming straight for Charlie!

Vaughn is attacked by an Axebeak Terror Bird: [roll0] // [roll1]

Dalia is attacked by an Axebeak Terror Bird: [roll2] // [roll3]

[hannahbbug3]

"More of them!" Daedalia calls, wincing from his new wounds. That hurt, that really hurt. But maybe these small ones would skedaddle if the larger one went down? That was the hope, anyways. Dalia steps up to the larger creature, swiftly striking out with two daggers.

Five foot step, then stabba stabba.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

Everyone should know I am having an existential crisis over Daedalia's mortality right now. I'm probably just emotional from the bad day but I'm like actually close to crying my baby is wounded, my baby is dying.

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Staggering from the vicious blow, Vaughn takes a moment to recover himself as Daedalia slices at it with his daggers. With a low growl he launches himself at the creature once more. At first he'd been trying to save Finin; now he was fighting for his own life as well. Another hit like that and he'd be done for. He curses under his breath as his fist meets only air.

Punching it again. Let's go!
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Combat Expertise still up.

EDIT: Dang it. Dice roller letting me down. :(

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn raises her crossbow up, but the confusion of the melee is too much; she'll need to get closer for a clearer shot. The alchemist hustles up to the next tree, and takes aim again, though again, she hesitates as she spots a member of the bird's brood bearing down on them.

"Eep!" She exclaims as she wheels about and lets fly a bolt. It flies true, striking hard the beast's feathered breast.

Evelyn moves to N46 and targets SA1
[roll0]
[roll1]

However, it is at this point that her companion can stand the waiting no longer, and,seeing the red bloom from the bird's wound, decides to help. It leaps clear from Evelyn's shoulder, and dashes on all fours through the underbrush. Realizing far too late what it is attempting to do, she meekly calls out:

"Rene, no!" But, it is of little use, as it leaps up and sinks its teeth into the hatchling's throat. It lets out a feeble squawk as its windpipe is crushed in its jaws

Might be playing a little hard and fast with the movement rules here, but Rene makes his debut, moving from Evelyn's square to N50 and also attacking SA1
[roll2]
[roll3]

lol ignore that last bit

[BramsesII]

Aella

Seeing Vaughn take the brunt of the bird's attack, Aella steps forward and yells at the bird. "You! In the name of the Sisters in Arms! I challenge you!" She swings her bec de corbin...

Move action to J45
Swift action to challenge the axebeak: (+1 atk, dmg & AC vs axebeak, -2 AC vs others)
Standard action to attack axebeak (w/ power attack):


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Attack: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

... and buries the pike in the bird's cranium.

[DoctorFaust]

Finally close enough, Charlie traces a mystic sign in the air in the direction of one of the smaller axebeaks and opens her mouth. And keeps opening and opening it until the edges of her cheeks split apart, and her mouth widens to the point it looks like it's going to break. When it reaches its widest, she lets out a horrific scream and the axebeak nearest to her...

Casting Ear-Piercing Scream on SA2.

Attack: [roll0]

Damage: [roll1]

Collapses to the ground, blood trickling from its mouth and very clearly dead.

[Felhammer]

The last Axebeak charges towards Daedalia in a blind fury! It caws mightily as it lunges into the air, attempting to end the fight with one deadly bite to the tiefling's neck!

Daedalia is attacked by an Axebeak Terror Bird: [roll0] // [roll1]
---- If you are hit, the Axebeak makes a free Trip attempt: [roll2]


The bird cannons its entire body into Daedalia. The sudden onslaught catches the tiefling completely unawares. As Daedalia falls to the ground, the axebeak rips into the man's neck and arm pits. As if declaring to victory, the bird hoists its blood covered beak into the air and screeches thunderously.

[BramsesII]

Aella

"NO!" Aella yells as she charges forward, swinging her weapon wildly at the bird.

Charge on SA3:
Move to J47
Attack on SA3 (w/ charge & Power attack: +1 atk, +3 dmg, -2 AC)

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

With the bird distracted she bashes the hammer of her polearm into its chest, launching it into a tree where it crumples to the ground. "Someone tend to the wounded!"

[Chromascope3D]

"Rene, get over here," Evelyn calls in a hushed tone, beckoning to Rene and hoping that no one saw in all the confusion. Rene scurries back, and she hurriedly wipes the gore from around his mouth before covering his face again. It is at that moment that she hears Aella call out. Rounding the tree and seeing Daedalia on the ground, she dashes forward and falls to her knees, attempting to do what she can.

"We're going to have to stop the bleeding, I don't suppose any of you have any medical supplies? Any bandages or cloth or the like?"

[roll0] Heal to provide First Aid

[DoctorFaust]

Charlie rushes over to where Daedalia and Finin are lying, pulling off her gloves as she goes. "I have magic to heal him," she yells at Evelyn. "Go tend to Finin!"

She kneels down besides the Tiefling, bites down on the tip of her thumb hard enough to draw blood, and uses that to trace an eldritch rune on his chest. Then she just rocks back on her heels and waits for the magic to take hold and start knitting bones and tissues back together.

Casting Cure Light Wounds.

[roll0]

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia - who last remembers shrieking and falling to the ground - blinks back to consciousness looking up at the other tiefling. He winces around the pain of the healing wounds, and though they don't close all the way, at least he's not in danger anymore - right?

[Chromascope3D]

"O- oh right!" Evelyn exclaims, having forgotten the dwarf in all the confusion. She hurries over to staunch his bleeding.

[roll0] First Aid

[BramsesII]

Aella

As the healers go to work on the wounded, Aella keeps an eye out for any other signs of trouble, her bec de corbin held ready.

Perception check: [roll0]

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Breathing heavily from his own injuries, Vaughn watches for a moment as Charlie and Evelyn begin helping the injured and steps up near Aella, fists raised to the forests in case there are more of them out there. "We should get them inside as soon as we can. No telling what else might be out there."

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia picks himself up slowly, wincing here and there as movement strains his freshly healed injuries. He sheathes his daggers up his sleeves once again and stands, leaning against a tree for support. There is a squeaking, chittering sort of noise that pulls the tiefling's attention, and he reaches into the pack at his side. "I'm okay, buddy," he murmurs, pulling Ferris out and petting the rat's small head.

[Chromascope3D]

No sooner than Finin's bleeding is stanched does Evelyn rush back to the tiefling, gently but forcefully encouraging him to sit back down, assuring him, "Oh, oh no you really, really shouldn't be up just yet. There's only so much I could do with limited tools, so if you move about too much you might open your wounds again."

"We really need a stretcher of some kind." She mutters, then looks up at her standing fellows. The big orc wasn't seeming too sound either, but at least he was still able. She inquires, "I don't suppose anyone knows any kind of woodcraft? Or, at least tying ropes? Um, actually, for that matter, does anyone have any rope?"

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia suppresses a cry as he's made to sit back down - it comes out as a strangled whimper. "I'm fine," he insists all the same, holding Ferris to his chest and rubbing behind the creature's fuzzy ears. He looks up at Evelyn, then to her companion. "...Rene, is it?" he asks.

Can you please describe what Rene looks like? Because as of right now I have no earthly idea what this creature is and I'm picturing this:

https://images.homedepot-static.com/productImages/451e21a8-9e5d-4c54-978e-ce34111b7fb4/svn/homestyles-garden-statues-59402-64_1000.jpg

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn looks away as her face goes flush, feeling really unprepared to start explaining Rene. What did they already think? How would they react if they knew the truth?

"Oh, um, yes, this is Rene," the woman mutters as she takes him of her shoulder and places him on the ground. Looking square into his eyes, she points to the church and speaks firmly, "Now Rene, I'm going to need you to go back in there and see if you can find anything in the way of medical supplies. Needles, thread, alcohol, and the like. If there's any trouble come back here immediately."

She pats him on the shoulder, and, not unlike a monkey, he scurries off on all fours towards the ruins.

Oops, I'd forgotten to post Rene's sheet with Evelyn's. I made a post in OOC with some pics (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23746156&postcount=84)

~~~~~~~

Gonna have him search for medical supplies. Rene and Evelyn have a telepathic connection that extends out to 1500 feet.

[roll0] Perception
[roll1] Stealth if need be

well, luck had to fall through some time :p

[DoctorFaust]

Charlies lets out a sigh as Daedalia and Finin both seem to be out of immediate danger. "Yes. Inside is good. Out of the elements. What did you find in there, though?" she asks.

[Felhammer]

The creature hops inside the church and searches around some cabinets. He finds a stack of folded white cloth, although not perfect for bandages the cloth is clean and there is a lot of it. Along with it, needles and thread are found as well as hand-sized, scale-shaped patches made from finely woven gold cloth.

[BramsesII]

Aella

Aella looks at the others, weapon still at the ready. "Inside is an option, but we should be careful. There's something strange going on in there. For one, there's no sound. Which is weird."

"We should probably get a good look around there first."

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn blinks a couple times, finally realizing that the woman had been addressing her as well, and responding, "Well, we didn't find much in a pragmatic sense, but we also didn't have time to look all that thoroughly. I think the interior is specifically warded to be sound-proof, or, I guess, to keep sound from coming out of it. Which, I guess makes sense, since it's supposed to be a sanctuary."

She shakes her head, continuing "Anyway, we should look for some timber for a stretcher. I think two branches about six feet long and two about two feet should do it. I suppose we should also look for some herbs for some herbs for poultices as well, otherwise bandaging alone might not do much."

Evelyn's gonna take 10 on a perception roll to find some suitable lumber, and also roll K Nature to find some good herb.
[roll0]

[Felhammer]

You find enough wood for a stretcher and enough quality herbs for two one-use healer kits.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn wanders out into the woods, though not too far off, and returns a few minutes later carrying a few large branches and some plant matter. She lays out the wood in an oblong shape, and grins as she pulls a bundle of ropes out of her bag, declaring, "I knew this would come in handy!"

She casts the bundle across the frame, unfurling a rope hammock to support their weight. She wipes her brow, before asking, "Anyone have any rope?"

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn rummages in his pack and offers up a large bundle of rope. "A blanket from a bedroll might be helpful, too."

Vaughn will help make/carry the stretcher in any way he can

[Chromascope3D]

"Oh, thank you! Yes, okay..." She starts lashing together the hammock and branches. Between the rope tying, she mentions, "Oh yes, I have a blanket as well, I was just planning on giving it after everyone was all patched up, so that... y'know... it wouldn't get blood all over it..."

Gonna take 10 on a crafting check, see where that gets me. If that's good enough than we can go ahead and move indoors.

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia let out another deep breath. "Save the stretcher for Frin. I can walk, just give me a couple minutes," he murmured.

[Chromascope3D]

"Bluuuuh," Evelyn replies, making a face, "We can make two trips, y'know."

[Chromascope3D]

After a few minutes of tying, Evelyn stands up and stretches, declaring, "Alright, let's get you lot inside!"

With Vaughn's help, they manage to truck the lad and the dwarf inside. Laying them out on a pew, the scholar stops to plan her next move, as Rene stumbles over with the supplies he's found.

"Oh, yes, thank you Rene," she acknowledges, looking them over. She picks up one of the pieces of gold cloth, and frowns. She wasn't quite sure what she would do with this but maybe she could think of something. At least they had some clean linens.

She looks up at the two orcs again, both definitely looking worse for wear, and notes, "I think it might be best if we-"

Oh, right, the enchantment. Evelyn pulls out her journal again and writes, "Should call here for night. You need rest too."

Turning to Rene again, she draws a picture of a fire, mouthing the words, "Go find the lumber Mr. Finin was carrying, come back, and build a fire."

Finally, she turns to Charlie and writes, "Help, medical training?"

So yeah, as mentioned before, gonna take a 10 to provide long term care for Daedalia, Vaughn, Aella, and Finin. Rene's gonna build a fire.

[BramsesII]

Aella

Aella is the last one inside the church, warily walking backwards with her bec de corbin held at the ready. She doesn't really relax when they're inside, but she at least makes an effort to close the door so nothing can get in easily. When she sees Evelyn's note, Aella nods. She digs a piece of parchment and some charcoal out of her pack and scribbles something.

We should set up a watch schedule. Prevent ambushes.
She then shows it to the others with a questioning look on her face.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn writes out in response:


Going to stay up most of night to tend injuries, can keep watch too. Did we find water?

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn nods in response to Aella.


"I'll take a watch. Outside of the church maybe? Otherwise we can't hear something getting closer."

Once the fire gets going, Vaughn takes a little boiling vessel and a bag of dark beans. He starts boiling water and crushing the beans.


"A bit of a pick me up. Should help stay awake during the night too."

Coffee, in case it wasn't completely obvious :P

[DoctorFaust]

Charlie nods at Evelyn, and scribbles out "Yes. Little."

She pauses, and then adds, "I know sign. Should I try to teach it?"

So yeah. Charlie is going to assist on the heal roll.

[BramsesII]

Aella

Aella shrugs as she holds up her waterskin, before scribbling down a watch schedule.


1. Charlie
2. Me
3. Evelyn
4. Vaughn
The kid needs rest. No watch for him.

She looks at the others questioningly.

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn nods in agreement at Aella's suggestion and goes back to tending the pot of coffee.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn shrugs, writing

Alright, but I'm going to be up tending to you lot anyway. Yes, coffee would be nice.

She then smiles at Charlie, though it quickly changes to puzzlement as she writes:

Thank you. Sign?

She starts threading needles. It isn't surgical thread, so she'll have to take care to remove them later. Perhaps some of these herbs might make a good disinfectant...

[DoctorFaust]

Charlie nods, and scribbles out an agreement to the list.

"Yes. Sign language." She stops writing for a moment, trying to think up a good explanation for it besides it being a Tiefling secret. "Parents taught me. After lost eye."

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia, who had been following the letters with his eyes even if he hadn't been doing much moving around, signs quickly to Charlie.


Do you intend on teaching them this?

[Felhammer]

Night descends on the land and the party beds down for the night.

Your dreams linger on Thurix. You see him foraging shepherding his two drones through a thick forest. You see him lunging from tree to tree, as he had when he was guiding you and your party. You see him encounter a man whose hair and sword are on FIRE! But the flames do not seem to bother him. He is standing on a stump laughing as he looms over a pile of partially charred zombies.

"Greetings friend." His voice is caustic and husky.

Thurix responds, "This one remembers that one. That one has killed much."

The man laughs heartily, "I have! I am- Rangleen - the best swordsman in the whole of the uplands, after all. None can best me!"

Thurix's drones walk up to the corpses, sniffing them. "This one's drones would like that one's food. Will that one share?"

"Of course, feast an..."

Suddenly a herd of twenty zombies burst forward from behind a hill. They scramble towards the bug man, his drones and the flaming man.

"Behind me! This will not be easy..."

You wake up. It is dawn. Your pillow is soaked in your own sweat.

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/18/38/92/183892a0dd8409208c39e7152eb09b7f.jpg

The sun rises on a new day, however, the sun's bountiful rays are blotched out by thick, black storm clouds. There is a strong rain outside, drenching the land and turning the soft earth to a rich, creamy mud. As each of you wake up, you find a small statuette in your hands. It is about 7 inches tall. It has a scale, that strikes a being in half - with one half being a devil and the other half being an angel.

You do not have a statuette in your hand, nor did you see anyone come in to the church. When you check your bedroll, you find one of the statuettes resting on your pillow.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/bb/ba/9e/bbba9ec9c7197e64791dce8eb906999c.jpg

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia startles awake, panting and sweating from his strange dream. It isn't the worst nightmare he's had, not by far... but this was certainly one of the more vivid ones. As he replays the events over in his mind, he is shocked to find something in his hands. He studies the statue with a detached sort of interest, his mind still thinking mostly about the dream.

[BramsesII]

Aella

It takes Aella a moment to wake up, and it takes her even longer to realize she's holding something in her hand. When she does realize this, she freaks out. If not for the magical silence she'd let out a startled scream, but fortunately no sound comes out of her mouth. Still, she's not feeling at all at ease with the situation, and she immediately begins putting her armor back on before doing anything else. Then, she goes over to check on the others to see who's already awake.

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

As the others awake to varying degrees of confusion, Vaughn gives a quizzical look at the statues in their hands--and his eyebrows raise when he sees one in his bedroll as well. An angel and a demon--unsettling, to say the least. He grabs something to write with and scratches out a quick message.

I didn't see anything come in or out. This place may not be as safe as it seems.

[DoctorFaust]

As Charlie jerks awake, the unexpected weight in her hand makes her throws the statuette away mostly on instinct. She catches Daedalia's attention and signs a few words at him, and then walks over to rescue the idol from where her cat is batting at it. With it back in hand, she starts pouring over the statuette to look for any other identifying features.

"You see anything in the night? I didn't."

Rolling Knowledge: Arcana to see if it has any magical relevance.

[roll0]

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia catches Charlie's sign, and quickly motions back to her.

No, didn't see anything. I had some slightly disturbing dreams, though...

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn looks over the statue, writing back to Vaughn,

"Colata isn't a malevolent goddess, though, so I wouldn't think her followers would be."

Still, however, she must have dozed off at some point, though she doesn't exactly remember when that would've been. She looks at her companion, mouthing, "Did you see who did this?

He stares back at her blankly.

Due to 8 hrs of long term care, I believe everyone should have recovered 2 HPs

[Felhammer]

You sense a strong transmutation aura from the statuettes.

[BramsesII]

Aella

Having put on her armor, Aella packs up her things and grabs her bec de corbin. She walks up to the others, with a note in her hand scrawled in nigh illegible handwriting that says only one word.

Explore? She looks around and points at unopened doors as she shows the others her note.

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn nods, stretching out and clenching his fist. He motions for Aella to lead on.

I didn't mention it, but I figure Vaughn would probably have had some coffee and breakfast ready when people got up. He shows his concern by cooking for people :)

[DoctorFaust]

Not having noticed the others moving around yet, Charlie frowns deeply at the magical aura she gets off of the statuette. She traces a rune in the air with her free hand that seems to do something to her one good eye, and begins studying the statuette even more intently.

Casting Detect Magic, maintaining it for three rounds and using Spellcraft to try to identify the properties of the statuette.

[roll0]

[Chromascope3D]

Chewing on her breakfast, Evelyn starts setting out a number of items: beakers, vials, her journal, and reagents of various sorts. She sets up a small metal stand next to the fire and empties out her unused concoctions from the day before. By the Allfather, she thinks, had it really been less than a day that they were still safe within the walls of the city?

She pushes this musing out of her head and refocuses on the task at hand. She refills the vials with water and mixes in a few of the reagents. As the vial is heating by the fire, the alchemist draws a pentagram around the stand, and makes a few hand gestures of her own. After about a minute of work, she repeats the process again, and sets the vials aside to cool as she packs up her equipment. She stuffs everything back into her pack, and tucks the vials into her belt. The woman stands up, stretches, and smiles, ready to start the day.

Rene continues to sit.

She's going to prepare Enlarge Person and CLW again today

[Felhammer]

As Charlie concentrates on the statuettes, they all begin moving. First their arms, then their legs. They look to be awakening from a deep slumber. Forcing themselves free, the statuettes hop onto the ground. In unison, like tiny little soldiers who have been perfectly drilled, the statuettes waddle forward towards the pews at the front of the church. As you look out towards the nave, you see roughly twenty five other statuettes waddle out from all manner of semi-hidden nooks and crannies, all moving in unison with their comrades. From one of the locked rooms on the right hand side of the nave appears a life-sized version of the statuettes. She, like her diminutive followers, is half angel and half devil. Her left side is beautiful, with flowing robes that look to be billowing in a gentle breeze. Her right side is jagged and ungainly, her features gaunt and almost skeletal. A large, curved horn protrudes from the left side of her head. Like the statuettes, she has wings, one angelic and bird-like, the other leathery and bat-like. The statue of the woman imperiously strides forward and up to the apse at the far end of the church. Standing behind the broken altar, the statue makes wide, sweeping motions with its hands, as if drawing symbols in the air. Suddenly, in a burst of light, the words,


"WELCOME MY CHILDREN!
PRAISE BE TO COLATA!"

appear before her. The left hand side of her writing curved and gentle, glowing a soft blue, while the right half of her writing is jagged and angular, glowing a dark sanguine.

Although the statuettes cannot be seen now (as they have hopped up onto the pews at the front of the nave), they waggle their hands in the air, each writing the words, "HAIL THE SILENCE!" Their script comes in a variety of styles and colors, seemingly unique to each statuette.

[BramsesII]

Aella

Aella sees everything that just happens and she's completely flabbergasted. Completely unsure what to do, her training takes over. She grabs her weapon tight and takes up a postion between the group and the statuettes, looking at the scene and ready to defend herself.

[Chromascope3D]

Huh, Evelyn thinks. Looking at Rene, she quickly tosses a blanket over him, and nudges him under a pew. Might be for the best, after all.

[hannahbbug3]

Had Daedalia a tail like many of his ancestors did, surely it would be twitching with unease at the scene before him. As it was, he just gingerly moves a bit closer to Aella, prepared to reach for his knives should anything go awry. However... they didn't really seem to have a way of communicating, here. They couldn't write on thin air like these... things... could. So Daedalia tries sign. He turns toward the large statue, and quickly gestures a message to it in the tiefling sign language.

What do you want?

[DoctorFaust]

Charlie stands there, mouth agape with shock. Hesitantly, she sketches a rune in the air, and tries to use Dancing Lights to form some letters in front of her.

I don't know if it'll actually work since that's not how Dancing Lights is described, but I figure if the DM allows it I may as well try. The letters will be "HELLO"

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn drops into fighting stance, but mostly just stares with a mix of amazement and apprehension at the statues. He sticks close to Aella just in case, and glances back toward the door to see if there's anything between them and the exit.

[Felhammer]

The statue looks up and seems startled (as much as an animated statue can appear to be startled), as of noticing the party for the first time. The statue looks at Charlie and watches the witch create the words "HELLO" with magical light. The animated statue nods, then reciprocates by spelling out the phrase,


"GREETINGS. BLESSINGS OF COLATA UPON YOU, TRAVELERS."

The smaller statuettes all hop up onto the back of the pews. Some balance themselves precariously upon the back, while others merely hold onto the edge of the back with their wee little arms. Some spell out, "GREETINGS!" and "HELLO!", while others seem much more wary of your presence, some even bordering on fearful.

The exit is behind you and the path to the exit is clear.

The statue does not seem to understand your signs (or at the very least, is not acknowledging them), however, one of the smaller statuettes - who is truly struggling to hoist himself up onto the back of the pew - signs back, "Hello, friend. Where did you come from?"

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia sees the statuette sign back to him, and nudges Charlie to get her attention, as well. At least they seem intelligent. He signs back to the small statue. Not from here. Dun Dunachad, he signs, though he's unsure if the statue will recognize the signature for the city's name.

[BramsesII]

Aella

Aella is still unsure how to respond. It doesn't look like these things are hostile, so that's a good thing at least. So, she lowers her weapon and sort of sheepishly waves hello at the nearest statuette.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn

Not to be deterred for too long, Evelyn's natural curiosity gets the better of her as she moves closer to inspect the statue. The craftsmanship was remarkable, to say the least. Reaction! Remarkable, does it have a mind or was it merely preprogrammed? This bore further research...

[DoctorFaust]

Charlie jumps slightly as Daedalia pokes at her, and goes back to trying to communicate with the statuettes. Casting Dancing Lights a few more times, she tries to spell out a message to them.

"THANK"

"WHO YOU"

[Felhammer]

A gruff looking statuette notices Aella's wave and reciprocates with a thumbs up and a wink.

The small statuette signs to Daedalia, WHERE D-U-N D-A-N-A-C-H-A-D? He then asks, "YOU LOVE COLATA?"



The magnificent statue strides down the stair case and down into nave. Standing in the center aisle, the statue strikes her scale-staff on the marble floor. The unnatural sound dampening effect that has been placed on the building muffles what would most likely have been a thunderous knock. The statue then writes,

WE ARE THE SILENCE.
FORGED BY THE FAITHFUL
OF COLATA TO GUARD
AND PROTECT HER
SANCTUARIES. WE STAND
AGAINST THE DARKNESS
OF THIS AGE AND ACT AS
A GUIDING LIGHT FOR ALL
THOSE WHOM HAVE LOST
THEIR WAY AND THEIR FAITH.

[hannahbbug3]

Okay, well, they don't seem... super dangerous. Hopefully. Daedalia continues his conversation with the small statue. The city fell, he responds to the first question. Then, in response to the second, Colata is one of many deities which I revere.

[Felhammer]

The diminutive statuette slips a little and slides down into the seat of the pew. With a little effort and determination, he crawls his way back up onto the back of the pew. He signs, "I ONLY LOVE COLATA! COLATA IS FRIEND. IF COLATA LIKE YOU THEN I LIKE YOU.

[hannahbbug3]

I think Colata likes me, Daedalia signs in reply. He can't think of a reason why she wouldn't - even with his demon blood, the Goddess of Death was supposedly fair in all regards.

[DoctorFaust]

Once more cursing the limited nature of her magic, Charlie continues trying to communicate six letters at a time.

"DARKNE"
"SS? WHA"
"T? WHO "
"FORGED"

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn also lowers his fists, glancing at the statues and the others with some confusion. They seemed to be friendly enough, and if they were designed to guard the sanctuaries they might help defend them if anything else decided to try and force its way in... but their appearance was unsettling, and they could decide his group was a threat if they were set off. Vaughn had never been particularly religious, so he didn't have more than a passing knowledge of who Colata was or what her temperament was like. A goddess of death, but also protection? Overall the entire situation left him uneasy.

[Felhammer]

The statue motions to the heavens and then writes,

THE DARKNESS BEGAT FROM THE DECREPIT,
ROTTING HEART OF THE PLAGUE BEARER.
UNTOLD DEATH BUBBLED UP FROM BELOW
AND WASHED CIVILIZATION AWAY,
CLEANSING IT WITH UNHOLY MAGIC

THEN HEROES ROSE UP AND TRIED
TO STEM THE TIDE OF DARKNESS.
THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL,
FOR A TIME...
BUT THEN NEW HORRORS ROSE
BIRTHED FROM THE GAPING MAW...

WARS BEGAN ANEW AND THE LAND
QUAKED UNDER THEIR MIGHT...

WE ARE THE SILENCE.
WE WERE CREATED IN THE
IMAGE OF OUR GODDESS
BY MORTAL MEN AND WOMEN
WHO WISHED FOR US TO
CARRY ON THEIR TASK
EVEN AFTER THEY HAD
PASSED INTO THE SOUL
SEEKER'S EMBRACE...

WE SEEK TO RETURN THE
WORLD TO ITS VIRGIN SELF
BUT WE NUMBER FEW...
OUR ORDER IS SPREAD THIN
ACROSS THE POCK-MARKED LAND...
WE FOREVER SEEK TO
END THE DARKNESS...
IN ALL ITS DASTARDLY FORMS...

The statuette signs, "YOU GOOD PERSON. I LIKE YOU.


Aella [roll0]
Charlie [roll1]
Daedalia [roll2]
Evelyn [roll3]
Vaughn [roll4]

You notice that one of the doors on the right side of the church wiggles, just a little bit. Every now-and-then.

[Chromascope3D]

Sounds as though the world was quite content going on without the inhabitants of our city, Evelyn thought to herself. It wasn't quite the end of the world that they had been led to believe, though her ancestors didn't have the hindsight that she did, rest their souls. Well, they did the best with what they knew, and probably would've gone and died anyway, and then where would she be? That wasn't the only conundrum on her mind at the moment. Between all the new information and her desire to analyze these fascinating constructs, the scholar needed to give her mind a moment's rest.

She took a step back and rubbed her temples. She had spent a great deal of time studying Colata, and the woman couldn't help but feel somewhat sad that the goddess' flock had been reduced to this. So overcome, she takes out her journal and writes:


What can I do to help?

[BramsesII]

Aella

As it seems that others have the situation in hand for now, Aella's grip on her weapon relaxes. This place seems safe enough, at least.

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn watches as the statue explains, though a small movement catches his attention. He nudges Aella and cuts his eyes over toward the door. Attempting to look casual, he steps up between the others and starts moving along the back pew, as if heading over to take a seat, trying to keep an eye on the statues and see if they react to his movement.

Not sure if I need to roll anything here, let me know if I do!

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalia's attention is pulled away by the priestess' speech, but before he can reply, his attention is dragged away to the shaking door. Vaughn seems to have noticed it, as well... the tiefling turns back to the small statue he had been signing with before. What is behind there? he asks it.

[Felhammer]

The Statue looks at Evelyn and ponders the question for a bit, before responding,

THERE IS A GOBLET THAT IS SAID TO
HAVE THE ABILITY TO STITCH WOUNDS.
ALTHOUGH TRAVELERS TO OUR SANCTUM
ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN, I WOULD VERY
MUCH WISH TO POSSESS THIS GOBLET SO
THAT WE MAY BETTER PROTECT AND SERVE
THE FAITHFUL MEN AND WOMEN WHO COME
TO OUR SANCTUM.

THE GOBLET IS SAID TO RESIDE IN A LOCATION
NOT FAR FROM WHERE WE NOW STAND.
I WOULD SEND ONE OF MY FLOCK BUT...

She looks over her diminutive congregants,

I FEAR THEY ARE TOO SMALL TO CARRY THE BURDEN...

Turning her attention to the tiefling, the statue states,

A CURSED MONSTER RESIDES IN THAT ROOM.
WE CAPTURED AND IMPRISONED HIM HERE.

You move closer to the door. The statue does not seem to notice (or at the very least care). As you watch the door, it looks as if someone is slamming against it with great force. Thankfully the door is made from thick wood.

[BramsesII]

Aella

Seeing the door move, Aella grips her weapon tighter again. She keeps her attention on it for now while the others talk to the creature, occasionally glancing over her shoulder in case people start making a a move to start a fight, to flee, or to leave.

[DoctorFaust]

Charlie continues casting magic to ask, "WHAT /IS IT/CALLED/? THE/MONSTR"

[Felhammer]

The statue scrawls the following in the air,

THE MONSTER HAS NO NAME. IT IS A WILD BEAST.
A BEAST THAT MUST BE PUT DOWN, EVENTUALLY.
FOR NOW, WE ARE STUDYING THE CREATURE.
WE WISH TO SEE IF IT POSSESSES ANY
EXPLOITABLE WEAKNESSES.
FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN LEAD TO
BELIEVE, THESE BEASTS ARE COMMON IN
THE HIGHLANDS, SO FINDING A WAY TO DEFEAT
THEM MORE EASILY IS VERY IMPORTANT.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn looks at her allies and shrugs. If the statues had it contained then she wasn't going to argue. They'd slept here last night with no problems so the monster probably wouldn't escape before they got back. At least, that's what the woman tells herself. Really, she's just very interested in finding this chalice. Such a font might be a useful point of study, and could possibly help with her other research. The end of the world can't be the end of academia, after all.

She writes out:

Where is the goblet located?

[Felhammer]

A SMALL TOWER TO THE NORTH OF HERE.
IT WAS CALLED DUN CALUM BEFORE THE FALL.
ONCE BUILT BY DWARVES,
OCCUPIED BY THE ORCS BEFORE THE END...
YOU WILL FIND NOTHING SAVE DEATH INSIDE...
I CANNOT ASK THAT YOU GO TO DUN CALUM.
IT IS TOO DANGEROUS. HOWEVER, I WILL NOT
STOP YOU IF YOU WISH TO GO THERE...

You see the door buckle a few more times. Clearly whatever is in there, is trying to get out...

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn glances at the door, at the statue, at Aella, and back at the statue. She--it--seemed unconcerned at whatever was behind the door, but the entire situation made Vaughn uneasy. And Evelyn seemed to be inclined to go to this Dun Calum... He could just picture coming back here, injured and possibly being chased by more things like those undead alpacas and worse, and finding whatever these statues were keeping prisoner having broken out. Just to be sure, he checks to see if the pews are secured to the floor, and if not grabs one and begins sliding it against the door.

16 strength lets me push/drag 1150lbs... hopefully the pews weigh less than half a ton :P

If the statues seem exceedingly outraged by this he will stop.

[BramsesII]

Aella

Aella keeps her eyes trained on the door, weapon ready to strike should whatever is in there get out. She stays like that until Vaughn manages to create some sort of barricade.

[Felhammer]

The statue looks perplexed as Vaugh heaves up a pew with his immense strength and then uses it to barricade the door. She smiles upon realizing what the man has done. She writes,

INTERESTING. NONE OF MY FLOCK WOULD BE CAPABLE OF DOING THAT...
AT LEAST WITH SUCH GRACE AND EASE.
THANK YOU. BLESSINGS OF COLATA UPON YOUR SOUL.

[Chromascope3D]

Evelyn watches Vaughn go to work, not unimpressed. though she forces her attention away to write something down. By the time the orc finishes, she has written out for her allies:


"Want to find tower? Healing vessel might be boon in long run."

[BramsesII]

Aella

Aella, having relaxed herself after Vaughn threw up his barricade, reads the note. Then, she nods at Evelyn in confirmation.

[rs2excelsior]

Vaughn

Vaughn gives the statue a small bow. He still isn't happy with the situation, but that at least makes him marginally less uneasy. He reads Evelyn's note, and gives a shrug and a nod. Might as well.

[Felhammer]

The party bids farewell to the animated statues and heads out of the church. The group then treks off north, through virgin woodland. The road is difficult, as no path has yet been carved through the forest. The party climbs over fallen trees, bobs and weaves around thick trunks, all the while keeping vigilant for the undead, or any other monster that lurks out in the wilds... The great trek is made all the worse by the constant rains. The watery-blue star in the sky looms over everything, drenching all. The ground is slick like melted butter, the mud and grime get everywhere and over everything. As the party makes their way up the foothills and into the nearby mountains, the rain turns bitter cold. Before long, it morphs into snow, then hail. The hail pelts the adventurers most furiously. The winds pick up and seem to purposefully fling the frozen rain into their faces. After a day of hard walking, the party beds down for the night. They do so in the trunk of a massive, semi-rotten tree. When the true sun rises, a second star is close in tow. This one is ungainly and barren, brown and parched. An strange dryness pervades the land. The rain-and-snow slicked land dries. The now arid ground turns to dust, which - like the mud the day before - seems to get everywhere. After several more hours of travel, the party comes to the edge of a clearing. Before them is a desolate hillside, where the very plants and animals fear to tread. About a half-mile ahead rises a tall, brown-white tower that is covered in meaty, half-rusted spikes, all with rotting corpses stuffed on to their shafts. Some of the corpses even seem partially alive... Atop the building is a great brazier whose roaring blue-fire flame looses the an unnatural cobalt smoke. The portcullis rises and seven undead warriors stride out. Behind them is a pale elven man, clad in black robes. His face is gaunt and sickly. He tightens his rope belt as he surveys the landscape around the tower. With a nod to his skeletal warriors, the group descends the stairs and marches off into the wilderness to the east, soon becoming lost behind the tick growth of the forest. The portcullis then drops with a loud clang. Near the top of the tower is a window. It was dark before but a blue light begins to emanate out of the window, followed by the screams of a person...

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f2/83/55/f28355490e1390ec5b4ca22029726426.jpg

[Chromascope3D]

What a miserable trip. Evelyn had heard about rain before, but she never expected that it'd be so... wet. And annoying. Despite their parched surroundings, Evelyn was certain her boots were still squishing with each passing step. Honestly she was rather impressed that she hadn't caught a cold, yet. Well, they were almost to the location that their dispatcher had marked, so it surely wouldn't be long now. Yes, only a few more squishy steps now, she thinks as she peeks over the ridge. She stands in silence for a moment, before wordlessly turning back to her companions.

Huh.

She wipes off her glasses and looks back over the ridge just to doublecheck. Yes, it appeared that her eyes were correct the first time. Huh. The woman turns back to her companions again.

"Um," she stammers, "Maybe... that's the wrong tower?"