(D&D 5e) The Plague of Nightmares IC

[Requilac]

"There were shadow creatures that attacked with the dawn - these were no hallucinations, or products of a fevered mind."
She tapped her sword, now sheathed.
"We triumphed, though the child was injured by them."

She humphed discontentedly. This place was proven unsafe; it would not be wise to remain, even in the light of day, and there were things she wished to do.
"Anatasia, heal the poor wretch, if you would, and let us depart. I will pay for the door, and intend to leave forthwith."

Yvonne pulled enough copper to cover re-hinging the door from her coinpouch and handed it to the innkeep.
"I wish good fortune for your child's recovery. This should cover repairs."

[/QUOTE]

The innkeep accepts the money but doesn't say much else. The whole turn of events must be depressing him and he doesn't have the energy to say much. When Yaotl brings the bucket of water in he gives a scowl. "Let it never be said that I didn't warn you." With that he aimlessly walks off, back to the counter you presume.

[Sariel Vailo]

tis wise young one to opeeeeen weary eyes ,to see the glory of vitays rise to meet the day with splendid health.so rise youngling riiiise.

Spoiler: cure wounds

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(1d8+3)[9]

[Zergrinch]

Zuzu's eyes flicker open. Groggy at first, the youngster rises unsteadily to his feet.

"D-did we win?" he croaked, his hands flying to the stab wound in his back that he was sure is there.

[Awful]

Yvonne nodded and knelt next to him to help him back on his feet.
"We did, child. Come. It is time to leave this place."

[Zergrinch]

The gnome boy, still clad only in his sleeping outfit (ie. his underpants), quickly rushes to the wardrobe to put on his robes, but not before looking over his body on Yaotl's bucket of water.

[Requilac]

The gnome boy, still clad only in his sleeping outfit (ie. his underpants), quickly rushes to the wardrobe to put on his robes, but not before looking over his body on Yaotl's bucket of water.

Yesterday your reflection looked fine, but now there is something eerie about it. Your reflection in the water has been fatally wounded. The left side of your skull is crushed in and your arm is broken as your femur is jutting out from the skin. Your rib cage has been shattered too and the little needles of white bone poke out from the flesh wound in your side. It is almost as if you fell a great distance and landed on your side. You frantically touch where your wounds should be, just to realize that they aren't there. They somehow only appear in your reflection. It's what you expected to see yesterday in the water but didn't.

[Zergrinch]

"I have the Plague. I have the Plague. I have the Plague." Zuzu mutters to himself, disbelieving at first. There is something almost mesmerizing about looking at his ruined rib cage, at the viscera, at a child-sized heart now purple after having stopped beating for a while. At ruined lungs that no longer drew breath. At a stomach full of holes, loops of intestines hanging out from a stab wound at his side. At the pinkish-gray brain oozing out of his crushed skull. It was all really fascinating in a macabre way.

"I have the Plague!"

It can't be. Just a single night was enough. But the evidence is incontrovertible.

"Master, I have the Plague..."

Was that a tinge of regret? Perhaps, at not being able to fulfill his promise (in his mind only; the Master just about shooed him away).

But to be honest, a fourteen year old apprentice wasn't... couldn't get to the bottom of something that had confounded many, many others far more intelligent than him.

Was coming here a mistake?

"I have the Plague."

A death sentence. A lifespan now measured in months, if not weeks.

"I have the Plague."

But else could he really do? He knew nothing apart from the wizard's tower. What could he have done?

"I have the Plague."

Nothing. So what was he going to do about it?

"I have the Plague. Ha ha ha!"Zuzu starts singing as he gets dressed and ready to go.

"I have the Plague! I'm gonna die soon!"

If the Plague is to take him, let it! If he is to die young, so be it! If his fate is to be destroyed... he must simply laugh!!

"I'm coming, Plague-bringer!"

[bc56]

"You are not the only one, child." Yaotl smiles grimly, an expression without warmth.

[Sariel Vailo]

we all have the plague.my young friend.

[Awful]

The knightess frowned at the laughing gnome.
"Enough hysteria, child. You are not dead yet, and have a chance to ensure things remain as such."

Once he was ready, she would head outside, and see what she could see, curiously heading over to the temple crowd (if it was still there).

[Requilac]

Once he was ready, she would head outside, and see what she could see, curiously heading over to the temple crowd (if it was still there).

It is only a few minute's walk from the inn to the temple so you make to there in good time. You can see that Torbera is standing in front of the "church" (you think that places of worship for the followers of Octopraecantatio are called Fanums) being flanked by about seven or so of the guards. Two of those guards, Adrek and Diesa you are familiar with from the events yesterday. Surrounding them is a crowd of about twenty or so citizens. When you recognize that both sides are bearing weapons you fear that violence may have broken out, but you quickly reassure yourself that it is not so. Each of them may have weapons but all the guard's spears are their backs and all the serf's simple weapons made from farming tools are tied at their belts.

You stop about 60 ft. away from the gathering and are able to over-hear what everyone appears to be saying. What you hear is as follows.

Torbera: "I promise you that I am doing everything I can to investigate this matter. Whatever or whoever killed Mr Danik cannot be very far away. We will be prepared for it next time."

A voice from the crowd: "Your preparations have been useless Vates Volgrith (you assume Vates must be an honorific and you can recognize that Volgrith is Torbera's last name). The beast cannot be harmed by mortal weapons, we need something of a more magical nature."

Torbera: "We have no proof that the murderer is invulnerable to non-magical weapon. All of the accounts from survivors of one of its attacks are incredibly vague. Have you not seen any of these bears in the area? Surely a mere hand-axe would do very little damage to it. That does not mean bears cannot be killed, does it? There are many things to explain why attacks against the killer were not that effective. Our current methods should be sufficient."

Voice from the crowd: "This is no bear Vates, this is a Wendigo!" You can now pinpoint the voice as a man in the center of the crowed with an extremely hunched over posture. Of all the people you have seen in Senckried, his features seem to be the most exaggerated.

Torbera: "Please calm down Mr. Thrognic, we cannot verify that is true at all. We are not even sure Wendigos exist, and even if they were, it would be unrealistic to think one is the cause. There are many things we don't know that we are trying to investigate. Please don't make such sweeping assumptions."

Man in the crowd: "I have seen the beast with my own eyes, it can't be nothing but a Wendigo. I have seen it in my dreams, in the future! I have predicted this for months. The Wendigo is here!"

[Sariel Vailo]

Im going to watch for any trouble,and do only that.

[Zergrinch]

In between furious thoughts about him having the plague and going to die, Zuzu tries to recall what a wendigo is.

Knowledge check: (1d20)[8]. If nature, +3. If arcana, +5.

[Zergrinch]

"Hey Mister," Zuzu calls out to Torbera in a carefree sing-song tone, "I can do magic. Since I'm gonna die anyway what with this Plague and all, why don't I help you with your Wendigo problem, whatever a Wendigo is?"

[Sariel Vailo]

"I can perform magic as well,i might as well help zuzu."
She will prepare her voice and begin her vocal excercises waiting on this toerba.

[Requilac]

"Hey Mister," Zuzu calls out to Torbera in a carefree sing-song tone, "I can do magic. Since I'm gonna die anyway what with this Plague and all, why don't I help you with your Wendigo problem, whatever a Wendigo is?"

Torbera eye's seem to flash with sorrow when you claim that you are going to die but she quickly determines that there is currently a more pressing matter. "Please do not concern yourself with this Wendigo child. We have no conclusive proof that it is the cause of this disaster."

The ratty-looking man by the name of Mr Thrognic almost interrupts her with his claim. "But we do Vates, we do have proof the Wendigo did it? I saw it with my own eyes!" He then turns to look at Zuzu, barely having to bend down because he is already so hunched. "Why, it is a terrible sight to behold. It has the two legged and two armed shape of a man, but it's limbs are much too long! Its got hardly an organ in its body and its skin is stretched taught over its bone! Its got the head of a wolf but the antlers of a deer! It's legs are..."

Torbera shouts furiously at Thrognic "Don't scare the child with your boogeyman tales, now is not the time for mass hsyteria!"

"I can perform magic as well,i might as well help zuzu."
She will prepare her voice and begin her vocal excercises waiting on this toerba.

Torbera turns to look at you and is about to say something but must then abruptly focuse on chastising this Thrognic character.

Your vocal exercises actually manage to catch some of the crowd's attention. Almost none of them have really heard music from the elf-lands, so your voice sounds very ethereal to them. Most of the crowd is still focused on Torbera and Thrognic but you actually recognize that about two or three are now turning towards you.

[bc56]

"I can vouch for the boy'sss competenccce. I will accompany him. Perhapsss you would quessstion my ability to keep him sssafe?" Yaotl steps forth, looking as if he wants a fight.

[Zergrinch]

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot," Zuzu says as he fishes out a vial containing the fungus from the day before, as well as a tainted ration now glowing an unnatural bio-luminescence. "We saw this fungus growing on the bodies of wolves that attacked us on our way here. Any idea what it is?"

Source

[Sariel Vailo]

Spoiler: spoiler performance

Show

(1d20+5)[11]

She doesnt really say anything in common but sings in natutra.

[Awful]

Yvonne frowned as she looked at the mutant man, eyeing him skeptically. What was his motivation?

She glanced up and looked at the crowd to see how they were taking the announcements.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Insight on el creepo: (1d20+1)[16]+(1d4)[2]

[Requilac]

"I can vouch for the boy'sss competenccce. I will accompany him. Perhapsss you would quessstion my ability to keep him sssafe?" Yaotl steps forth, looking as if he wants a fight.

Torbera definitely seems concerned, but that is more out of fear of you exciting the crowd than it is of you directly harming her. ” I am not doubting you and your allies’ capabilities, I am doubting that a creature who to our knowledge doesn’t exist is the cause behind these murders.”

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot," Zuzu says as he fishes out a vial containing the fungus from the day before, as well as a tainted ration now glowing an unnatural bio-luminescence. "We saw this fungus growing on the bodies of wolves that attacked us on our way here. Any idea what it is?"

Source

Torbera actually begins to seem strangely relieved by this as she talks to the crowd. “You heard the boy. Some wolves with a sickness attacked them on their way there. That could easily be what is behind this. There are things other than the Wendigo which could have caused this, and you are seeing an example of it right here.” Normally the crowd would have been placated by this, but her voice cracks as she says this and eyes the fungus warily, showing even more fear than before.

The heckler speaks out once again. “Well there are without a doubt wolves out there, they can’t be what caused this. This creature is undoubtedly two-legged and travelled alone. One mortal wolf couldn’t cause this much trouble. Only the Wendigo could!”

Spoiler: spoiler performance

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[roll0]

She doesnt really say anything in common but sings in natutra.

You don’t manage to get any more listeners, but the ones that were paying attention before seem to be gradually edging away from the bulk of the crowd.

Yvonne frowned as she looked at the mutant man, eyeing him skeptically. What was his motivation?

She glanced up and looked at the crowd to see how they were taking the announcements.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Insight on el creepo: [roll0]+[roll1]

The strange man has an odd cast to his eyes and his voice seems to crack with excitement. He speaks with the clarity of a politician but the boldness of drunk. You are convinced that he sincerely believes this Wendigo business.

The crowd at this moment is not yet aggressive, but some of them are looking frustrated and their eyes are glazed with mistrust. No riot is on the verge of forming, but that could quickly changes with any moment.

[Zergrinch]

Did Zuzu notice the discomfort with the fungus? Insight: (d20)[13]

"Is something wrong, Miss? You recognize this fungus, don't you?"

[Sariel Vailo]

When they get close enough to ana she will speak to them.
why do you fear this thing you have not seen. You do not see the goddess vitay but you have heard me sing and felt her warmth.
What wisdom is their in this man who for all you know wants to rile you up, would their be an actual beast,the goddess prolus would want you calm and wise to protect you and yours.Spread the word of Anastasia

[Requilac]

Did Zuzu notice the discomfort with the fungus? Insight: [roll0]

"Is something wrong, Miss? You recognize this fungus, don't you?"

The color seems to drain from Torbera's face as you ask this question. Thrognic though speaks before she can. "Hehe, mi-go too are in this area. Told you that's what's been causing all the animals to go all nuts. I knew the very gates to Hell were being unfolded!"

Torbera takes a moment to calm down before adressing him. "Please Mr Thrognic, I understand your concerns, but you are making the crowd more nervous than they need to be."

When they get close enough to ana she will speak to them.
why do you fear this thing you have not seen. You do not see the goddess vitay but you have heard me sing and felt her warmth.
What wisdom is their in this man who for all you know wants to rile you up, would their be an actual beast,the goddess prolus would want you calm and wise to protect you and yours.Spread the word of Anastasia

You have found that your little group of followers has grown a little and about half of the twenty people in the crowd have turned to you. For some reason they have some sense of hesitation about your speech and their expressions slightly sour. It is only then you remember that most of the people of Senckried don't believe in the gods you have invoked.

Luckily though their expressions brighten a little when a young man steps forward and says something to you. "Have the gods of Braughlmark come to help us too?"

Now almost half the attention has gone from Thrognic and Torbera to you. In truth, that probably isn't a surprise though. This Thrognic guy does seem a little out of it, so he may spew this stuff out all the time. You idly wonder how many times he gets into such confrontations with Torbera, because it sure seems like both of them are completely unsurprised by each other's reactions.

When Torbera notices this she gives you a small wave of thanks for settling the crowd down a little. Regardless though Thrognic is still going on and this confrontation isn't over yet.

[Zergrinch]

The color seems to drain from Torbera's face as you ask this question. Thrognic though speaks before she can. "Hehe, mi-go too are in this area. Told you that's what's been causing all the animals to go all nuts. I knew the very gates to Hell were being unfolded!"

"Hey Mister Thrognic, what's a Migotu? Is that a family name or something? Because we beat up a kenku and a human from the Order of Umbra who were behind the wolves."

[Sariel Vailo]

"If i am sent by other gods of light joy and wisodm i know for certain that your gods sent us to you in your troubled times.for through this darkness and nightmares We shall,Work to bring back the dawn. as she finishes her speach she will get down from her soapbox and. Pat the boys head and sing one last time.(so dry your tears and calm your heads, we work on through to bring the light.all we all can join to banish the nightmares plight.so look towards dawn and the might of light it destroy the shadows strength.)

[Requilac]

"If i am sent by other gods of light joy and wisodm i know for certain that your gods sent us to you in your troubled times.for through this darkness and nightmares We shall,Work to bring back the dawn. as she finishes her speach she will get down from her soapbox and. Pat the boys head and sing one last time.(so dry your tears and calm your heads, we work on through to bring the light.all we all can join to banish the nightmares plight.so look towards dawn and the might of light it destroy the shadows strength.)

You have been a performer for quite some time now so catching the attention of a crowd is all within a day's work. After your show you have successfuly shifted the attention of almost all twenty people from Thrognic to you. Even in Senckried, a foreign fey blooded woman singing of epics is far more noteworthy than a heckler spewing out conspiracies. The only person who seems to still be ignoring you is Thrognic who is too enraptured in his mysterious tales to pay much attention to anything else. Torbera gives you another wave and smiles, seemingly grateful for your help.

But something isn't quite right. While many are enthralled by your song, once it is over some visibly cringe in guilt. Some people awkwardly shuffle their feet and look at the ground. Everything suddenly goes quiet and some of the villagers look at each-other in shock as if they have committed some blasphemy. The boy who commented before eyes are wide as he flinches back from where he was standing.

Within a few seconds eventually a middle aged women in the crowd murmurs out her question. "What is this "light" and this "darkness" exactly? Surely we can't let all of this light in nor completely destroy the darkness. Things don't need to be that extreme do they? "

"Hey Mister Thrognic, what's a Migotu? Is that a family name or something? Because we beat up a kenku and a human from the Order of Umbra who were behind the wolves."

At this point Zuzu, Yaotl, Thrognic and Torbera are the only ones who are not focusing on Anastasia. Even the guards are not concentrating too hard, which makes sense considering that things aren't so volatile at this point. Well actually, Yvonne isn't really paying too much attention to Anastasia either and is just sort of standing to the side giving Thrognic judgemental looks, which seems pretty on par with what you know of her so far.

Thrognic absentmindedly spits on the ground before speaking. "Why the mi-go are quite a complex manner. Far better at hiding themselves than the Wendigo for sure. Why they are far more intelligent than you and I, and they flew straight outa the dreamscape on fungal wings..."

Torbera uses the momentum in the argument she gained from Anastasia's distraction to start silencing Thrognic. "Quit it with your mad ravings now. Why don't you head back home and calm down? I promise that me, the guards, and our newcoming friends can handle this situation perfectly."

Thrognic's eyes begin to bulge weirdly in a gesture which you don't understand as he responds. "I can't be quiet now while the town is at stake and the Wendigo is at large! If you all don't listen to me its gonna tear you all apart! I was a member of the Royal Diviner's Court, I can guarantee that you must use silvered weapons against this Wendigo."

[bc56]

"I need no sssilver to ssslay the foesss of nature. Your Wendigo isss asss good asss dead." To illustrate his point, Yaotl's fingers extend into claws and a few droplets of acid drip forth, sizzling on the ground.

[Sariel Vailo]

your land is shrouded in a darkness but i see what you all mean.balance is the way of nature, i will help but please do not fear.

[Zergrinch]

Zuzu looks unconvinced; the man's explanation was far too outlandish. He decides to humor him, and see if he can get a silvered weapon for the trouble.

"Okay mister. Why don't we take a look at the victim of this Wendigo, then see if we can track it? Do you have any silvered weapons ready to use?"

Thrognic absentmindedly spits on the ground before speaking. "Why the mi-go are quite a complex manner. Far better at hiding themselves than the Wendigo for sure. Why they are far more intelligent than you and I, and they flew straight outa the dreamscape on fungal wings..."

Torbera uses the momentum in the argument she gained from Anastasia's distraction to start silencing Thrognic. "Quit it with your mad ravings now. Why don't you head back home and calm down? I promise that me, the guards, and our newcoming friends can handle this situation perfectly."

Thrognic's eyes begin to bulge weirdly in a gesture which you don't understand as he responds. "I can't be quiet now while the town is at stake and the Wendigo is at large! If you all don't listen to me its gonna tear you all apart! I was a member of the Royal Diviner's Court, I can guarantee that you must use silvered weapons against this Wendigo."