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

[Requilac]

Zuzu's disappointment shows plainly on his face. In an attempt to not end up empty-handed, he searches her pockets for any personal effects, taking particular interest in any spell focuses he can find.

Spoiler

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Loot and plunder. Investigation: [roll0]

Not far away from hemra’s outstretched hand lies a fist sized onyx gem which seems to pulse purple. You assume that she must have been using this as her spell-casting focus. You also manage to find two daggers. Other than that though, nothing appears to be on her person.

Both of the people you fought seem to be rather ill equipped given the mountainous terrain around them. They must have stored their other equipment elsewhere before they began fighting you.

[bc56]

Yaotl asks a guard, "Who are the order of Umbra? I now have a ssscore to sssettle with them. After he receives an answer, he'll find an out-of-the-way spot to take a short rest, if he can.

[Zergrinch]

Just an onyx and a couple of daggers. Nevertheless, Zuzu might be able to find clues. Perhaps it might be possible to trace the origin of the daggers, and unearthed more about this mysterious order the gnome has never heard about.

"She's carrying this gem and a couple of daggers. I'll hold on to these," the boy boldly announces to the group as his unseen servant stuffs them into the wizard's pack. "The snake man is right. I think some of you took a beating. Can we take a quick rest in the guard house, Mr. Guard Sir?"

[Sariel Vailo]

So yaotol do you wish for me to use medicine to help heal your wounds?

[Requilac]

Yaotl asks a guard, "Who are the order of Umbra? I now have a ssscore to sssettle with them. After he receives an answer, he'll find an out-of-the-way spot to take a short rest, if he can.

The gaurd leaning against the valley wall gives an nervous smile as he proceeds. "The Order of Umbra is a cult that just showed up a few months before the plague began. They have made enemies of the noble house ruling over Senckried. I hardly know much about them at all, and until I saw themself I was not even convinced that they were real."

Just an onyx and a couple of daggers. Nevertheless, Zuzu might be able to find clues. Perhaps it might be possible to trace the origin of the daggers, and unearthed more about this mysterious order the gnome has never heard about.

"She's carrying this gem and a couple of daggers. I'll hold on to these," the boy boldly announces to the group as his unseen servant stuffs them into the wizard's pack. "The snake man is right. I think some of you took a beating. Can we take a quick rest in the guard house, Mr. Guard Sir?"

"I do not think you want to sleep in there right now. Originally we had four people guarding this outpost, but the kenku and the ghost man killed them and left their bodies in there. You should probably take care of those first. But if you decide to stay here you would better be weary, foul necromancy is quite clearly afoot in this place and it could be dangerous to linger. Who knows what else has followed them?"

It is rather strange how she specifically called it necromancy. Most people of his status would just say "witchcraft" or "black magic", but it appears that the people of Senckried are a little more politically correct when it comes to arcane matters.

[Awful]

"...You should have other priorities than immediately looting the dead, child."
Yvonne made certain the two attackers were dead by separating their heads from their bodies with a couple of hacks of her longsword. She chucked the heads away, wiping her blade clean on the clothes of the ranger. She gave the young wizard a stern look.
"If necromancy is afoot, never assume the death of your foes is the end of the danger."

That done, she checked on the other guard.
Did he seem to be unconscious? If so, she recruited the more medically skilled of the party to help. Afterwards, she returned to the guard who had spoken.
"What is Order of Umbra? And what about the Lady Senckreid? You were about to say something before we were interrupted."

[bc56]

Yaotl stalks into the guardhouse, intent on using his acid to melt the two corpses within so they cannot be reanimated.

[Requilac]

That done, she checked on the other guard.
Did he seem to be unconscious? If so, she recruited the more medically skilled of the party to help. Afterwards, she returned to the guard who had spoken.
"What is Order of Umbra? And what about the Lady Senckreid? You were about to say something before we were interrupted."

The other guard is on the ground and moaning while prone, and is definitely incapacitated, but his eyes are open and he seems conscious.

The standing guard seems to bob his head up and down in confirmation. "You know of Lady Yuria Senckreid? She has recently taken control of the fief while her husband is ill. Lord Senckried has fallen prey to the plague too, it seems.

Yaotl stalks into the guardhouse, intent on using his acid to melt the two corpses within so they cannot be reanimated.

You do so, and nothing out of the ordinary appears to happen. They were killed much in the same manner as Imbert, with a knife through their back.

[Zergrinch]

T"I do not think you want to sleep in there right now. Originally we had four people guarding this outpost, but the kenku and the ghost man killed them and left their bodies in there. You should probably take care of those first. But if you decide to stay here you would better be weary, foul necromancy is quite clearly afoot in this place and it could be dangerous to linger. Who knows what else has followed them?"

It is rather strange how she specifically called it necromancy. Most people of his status would just say "witchcraft" or "black magic", but it appears that the people of Senckried are a little more politically correct when it comes to arcane matters.

"Oh, I don't mean we sleep here. Just an hour or so, to get our second wind. You will guard us, right, Miss Guard ma'am?"

A crease of worry, accompanied by a gleam of curiosity, shows up in the gnome's eyes. Zuzu has heard of necromancy, of course, but never had the opportunity to see and study it.

"...You should have other priorities than immediately looting the dead, child."
Yvonne made certain the two attackers were dead by separating their heads from their bodies with a couple of hacks of her longsword. She chucked the heads away, wiping her blade clean on the clothes of the ranger. She gave the young wizard a stern look.
"If necromancy is afoot, never assume the death of your foes is the end of the danger."

Zuzu's eyes bug out as he sees the huge Amazon hack off the heads of the Kenku and the ghostly ranger. He gulps audibly and decides to say nothing lest she decides to separate his head from his shoulders too. It is possible that the boy's loincloth has been slightly soiled as well.

[bc56]

Yaotl emerges from the guardhouse. "The corpsssesss in there have been dealt with. I sssee you have insssured thessse asss well.

[Sariel Vailo]

Spoiler: medicine

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(1d20+2)[19]

stand still if you are injured, i will help with medicine till i can heal with magic.

[Awful]

Yvonne frowned pensively. Things must be going poorly if Lady Yuria was in charge - but, it had to be said, that was perhaps for the best. The Sonnenstahl house wasn't popular with the rest of the Senckreids, after all. It was a cruel thought, but Yvonne would not shed a tear if she was too late to save the other Senckr- no, that was an unworthy thought.
"At least Lady Yuria is well. And yes, we do know each other... I have come here, in part, to ensure her safety."

She left it ambiguous how, precisely, they knew each other. At the talk of the corpses in the guardhouse, she shot them a curious look.
"Wait. If you knew of the corpses within your barracks, why had you not dealt with them? Were you expecting reinforcements or a shift change soon, and planned to deal with them then?"

Or had their minds been ensnared by witchery?

[Requilac]

"Oh, I don't mean we sleep here. Just an hour or so, to get our second wind. You will guard us, right, Miss Guard ma'am?"

The guard looks at you slightly confused while clutching his side, deciding not to comment on the fact Zuzu is convinced he is a woman . "I will try my best I guess, it is my job after all. But in my current condition, I am not quite sure If I can do so.

She left it ambiguous how, precisely, they knew each other. At the talk of the corpses in the guardhouse, she shot them a curious look.
"Wait. If you knew of the corpses within your barracks, why had you not dealt with them? Were you expecting reinforcements or a shift change soon, and planned to deal with them then?"

Or had their minds been ensnared by witchery?

The injured frontiersman drums his fingers against the valley wall and responds almost sarcastically to your previous comment. "I would have dealt with the bodies earlier, but doing so is difficult when a mad kenku is holding a shard of mica next to your ear and giving you demands otherwise".

Note: A shard of mica is the material component for the Shatter spell. If your character is not too familiar with magic, they may be confused as to why they were so scared of the fact that Hemra was holding a rock

[Zergrinch]

The guard looks at you slightly confused while clutching his side, deciding not to comment on the fact Zuzu is convinced he is a woman . "I will try my best I guess, it is my job after all. But in my current condition, I am not quite sure If I can do so.

Zuzu nods, and finding a corner in the guardhouse where he is sure no one can stick a dagger into his back, the young mage sinks into a light meditative trance to recover some of the magic he expended.

Spoiler

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Taking a short rest and using the wizard feature to recover a level 1 spell slot.

The reason why I called the guard ma'am was you yourself wrote this (italics mine):

It is rather strange how she specifically called it necromancy.

[bc56]

Yaotl returns to the guardhouse, first to drag the half-melted corpses outside to the woods, then, when he sees Zuzu alone and undefended, he sits in the same room while recuperating. He loses himself in his memories, the face of the mysterious woman swimming once again through his vision, joined by other fragmented images.

[Zergrinch]

Zuzu eyes the apparently docile lizardman with a great deal of curiousity.

"Um... Mr. Um... Mr. Druid Sir. You have a reptilian appearance. Do you have dragonborn blood, like maybe a quarter or an eighth?

[bc56]

"Um... Mr. Um... Mr. Druid Sir. You have a reptilian appearance. Do you have dragonborn blood, like maybe a quarter or an eighth?

"I know not, young one, though I do not believe ssso. I feel no kinssship with the dragonsss, but with the ssserperntsss of the ground."

[Sariel Vailo]

Since no one cares for any medicine. Anastasia will sing.

Spoiler: song performance

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(1d20+5)[17]

[Zergrinch]

"I know not, young one, though I do not believe ssso. I feel no kinssship with the dragonsss, but with the ssserperntsss of the ground."

"Hmm, if not hereditary, then some of magical accident? I would not think anyone would voluntarily assume such a guise. Especially since you start to favor sssssibilantssss." There is a shadow of an impish grin on the gnome's face.

[bc56]

"Hmm, if not hereditary, then some of magical accident? I would not think anyone would voluntarily assume such a guise. Especially since you start to favor sssssibilantssss." There is a shadow of an impish grin on the gnome's face.

"I wasss given a choice between life and death. Thisss wasss the resssult. More, I do not know. How did one ssso young asss you gain power in the arcane artsss?

[Zergrinch]

"Master taught me everything I know. For as long as I remember we were master and apprentice. He... He's got the plague... " the boy's voice trails off and he seems to lose interest in the conversation as he determinedly breaks eye contact and dabs at his face occasionally.

[bc56]

Yaotl doesn't know what to say, so he says nothing.

[Sariel Vailo]

After an half an hour of singing Anastasia will stop and say We all have reason for coming here to stop this plague.some for glory (looks at Yvonne) some to cure a father figure,(zuzu)but what of you Yaotol? If i would share mine first i would.

[bc56]

Yaotl replies. "My reasssonsss are my own, and will remain ssso. I know little of thisss plague, only that it isss againssst the natural order of thingsss."

[Sariel Vailo]

all right than youngling (zuzu)what are the odds mathematically that those were this groups weakest ambushers.

[Zergrinch]

"I have no idea, Drow lady. I have never heard of their Order. You should ask someone who knows of them."

[Sariel Vailo]

Fairpoint zuzu, guards are they the usual watch or the slacker watch.

[Awful]

Yvonne had lent against the wall, arms folded, while she patiently waited. She'd cleaned any of the filth off her armour - it was back to its bright sheen. Normally she had servants to do so, but she'd brought none here, and thankfully so. Necromancy and witchery were no things to expose a squire to.

She half-listened to the conversation, but frowned when the drow looked at her.
"You misrepresent me, miss Anastasia. I am here to end the curse for the good of all, glory or not. It is my duty, as knight and noble, to guard my lessers from the fiends in the dark."

[Sariel Vailo]

thats good to know most of our motivations are for good and non selfish reasons.

[Awful]

"Hmm." Yvonne made an unimpressed sound. "And why are you here, Anatasia? This is a poor place for a musician. Surely your lord had a warrior or wizard that would serve better as an aid in ending this witchcraft."