The Winds of Oblivion

[Pent]

Zeph slowly stands out of his chair. A lumberyard. How exciting.... his thoughts are saturated in sarcasm.

Completely away from anything of interest or import. But they're being watched so closely. What else is there to do but to follow along, play innocent.

[AlphaLuke]

The group stands and is led out of The Third Land by young Rolland. The morning is chill, foggy, and unbelievably muddy. The overnight storm has left the ground entirely sodden and the people look weary as they mill about in the sucking muck. As the group walks north, toward the forest, Rolland talks. No, “talks” is too generous. The lad doesn't seem to breathe. What’s more, the young man shows the same lack of filter he displayed yesterday.

“Dunno why Jayen said you need ta be took ta tha lumberyard. S'ntuhin ta do but look at trees. He told Quinn ta do it, but he's got May Belleweather ta agree ta go walking with him in tha fog. If'n you know what I mean. Asked me ta do it. I said yeah, as I don't got nuthin’ else ta do and it'll be good ta be owed the favor. Quinn says Jayen says I shouldn't talk ta you, but you don't look too dangerous. Save tha fella in tha mask. You terrible ugly or sumfin'? Man walks around with a mask looks like he's hidin' sumfin'. Well, 'cept for Harveston Night. Then tha mask's for tradition. For tha kids gettin' candy and tha like. But ta wear a mask all tha time? What if’n your nose itches? Must get terrible hot in tha summer. Cor! Did ya hear tha bells last night? Ol' Gob says there was a wind demon flyin’ about town on tha storm. Alana scared it off, he says. Protected tha whole island by ringing tha bells and driving tha fiend away. See, evil things can't stand tha sound of bells. Or is that iron? Either way, when she rung tha bells, tha thing flew off like a streak o’ lightnin’. Blew poor Shep off his feet and almost broke his neck. Folk started talkin’ ‘bout how it was you all, and you was demons in disguise. But you was in your room all night, weren’t ya! And weren't no tracks in tha mud outside your window. I told folk you'd be mostly harmless, but folk here are stubborn as a three-season goat. You come Absalom-way, yeah? Heard tale of powerful wicked folk livin’ there. Demons and one-eye giants and half-men. All crammed together ain’t got no room ta breathe. We got room ta breathe out here. That’s a fact. True, mosta tha island smells like goat shyte, but at least I ain't sharin’ a bed with four other boys like they do in tha city. Is that true? That you all share beds so's you can fit in a city? S'what Ellie Cavish said her daddy said. But I think that must be hogwash, else folk would all be terrible tired. You, Doc, s'at true? You look terrible tired. You sleep in the same bed last night? Dunno why you would. Lucas gave you the four-bed room. Unless . . . unless you all sleep in the same bed for . . . other . . . reasons." He looks at Kalinda pointedly. "Heard that some folk Absalom-ways be plenty liberal in that way. Though, I never suspected three men would share one woman. No offense meant, s'jus - "

Kalinda cuts the boy in a sharp, pointed way. "They don't share me. I'm not with them."

Rolland starts right up again with barely any delay. "Beggin' your pardon ma'am. Didn't mean no offense. S'jus gossip. Ain't nuffin to it.”

[Pent]

"Does Jayen often make Quinn give visitors tours of the lumber yards?"

Spoiler: other questions

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How do you feel about Quinn getting to give the tours?

What's your main job in the village?

Do you have your eye on any girls?

Jayen and are Alana brother and sister, right?

Who are their spouses? Or are they seeing anyone?

Those bells scared the hells out of me last night! Is that kind of occurrence common here?

Has Alana ever failed in keeping demons away?

[AlphaLuke]

Rolland continues talking, and Zeph does his best to interject pointed questions into the rare moments of breath and when it seems that the boy is going on an unproductive tangent.

"Does Jayen often make Quinn give visitors tours of the lumber yards?"

"Augh, you're tha first visitors we've had in an age! Not often we see stranger sails on tha horizon. Rarer still tha dockmaster lets anyone come ashore. Last man was over a year ago. Terrible fearsome lookin'. Had tattoos run his whole body. Not like tha ones some o tha fisherman take. They were strange, spirally things. Alana took him all over town and beyond though. Reckon she took a shine ta him. What was his name? Scar? Scroll? Something weird unnatural like that. Sounded foreign. But Missy Price tried her best ta lift her skirts for him, she did. We'ren't nothin' for it. She's a bit of a fun romp, but nothin' -"

"How do you feel about Quinn getting to give the tours?"

"Like's as I said. Rare is folk even come ashore. No tours usually needed. But Quinn's a nice enough lad, an' his father owns tha mill over on tha north side o' town. S'pose he's respectable enough. Now I's don't see what May Bellew - "

"What's your main job in the village?"

"Y'ask my father, I'm a shiftless layabout without proper job ta speak of. But I'm an apprentice, I am. Apprentice ropemaker under Old Man Johnston. Not a fancy job, but there's always a steady need for rope on a dock. Jim Parsimmon, he's got stuck making tar in tha - "

"Do you have your eye on any girls?"

This elicits a slight blush in the young man, easily apparent on his pale face. "Well, now that's a might personal question, Mister. But if I was ta answer truthful, I've been doing my level best ta get inta tha good graces of Lily Uskwood. She's tha pretty girl wif golden ringlets. Sure's you've seen her. Hard ta miss. She lives Northside, and I got ta dance with her last festival time. Best smile on tha Island, an' I don't mind who knows it. Now, I dunno is she's as good a romp as Kerrigan Lowel, but we can't hold that against - "

"Jayen and are Alana brother and sister, right?"

"Aye, they are at that. Father was Mayor before Jayen. And his father before. Tha whole line's been runnin' things since folk settled on this blasted rock. I heard my Pa say's there used ta be elections, but no folk ever wanted ta run against tha Kol family. So's they jus' stopped 'em. Old Hitchens tries ta throw his hat in tha ring almost every season, but we all know he's jus' lookin' for tha attention. Pritchel is sure he's stilling wood alc - "

"Who are their spouses? Or are they seeing anyone?"

"Ain't have none, s'far as I know. Jayen had a wife, I think. Baby too. Lost 'em before I was born ta chill fever. Bless their souls. Alana's given herself ta tha Faith, so's I don't rightly know if'n she can take a husband. Still, not many men's offered what I know of. She's . . . " he pauses pointedly, letting silence hang in the air. It's a sharp contrast ta his usual constant patter. " . . . different. She's got a way to tell if'n folk are lyin' and what's in their heads. Makes most folk uneased. Can't imagine a man who'd want a wife's always knows what's goin' on in 'is head, you know? Still, she's a might pretty. I wouldn't say no if'n she asked for a dance. Like ta see what's under tha robes inf'n you know - "

"Those bells scared the hells out of me last night! Is that kind of occurrence common here?"

"Cor, right?! I haven't heard nothin' like that in tha storm before. Not often we get a wagon-tipper like that though. Most storm's seem ta break before they get too terrible. Never seen a wind demon either, though I don't suppose that's too much a bad thing. Elsie Willins says she saw tha one last night. Says it had glowin' red eyes and fangs as long as your arm. Sped through town after Alana frieghtene it away with tha bells. I think she's full of sheepshyte. She says she saw an Ogre in tha woods too, and we all know - "

"Has Alana ever failed in keeping demons away?"

"She's never had ta before, s'far as I know. Not much happens here, save tha occasional storm or lost ship. It's powerful boring on this island. No, most folk don't like ta bother tha Lady. She's a deft hand with healin', but most folk would rather just go herbways or try old-fashioned medic. S'not tha god's place ta be fixen every lil' stitch an' splinter. Folk who need it always end up leavin' soon anyway. Tha gods take their price for their services. So most folk make do."

[Pent]

Scar, Scroll...Sköll.

A year ago.

"Uh, Rolland, can we pause a moment? I need to....relieve myself?" it was the only thing he could think of at short notice. He motions for Kalinda to come along.

"Storms, can you help give us a moment of privacy?"

Zeph and Kalinda walk far enough away to still be seen, behind a tree but not heard.

"How long ago did Sköll leave?" Zeph asks in a whisper.

[AlphaLuke]

When Zeph pulls a woman away to help him "relieve himself" Rolland looks entirely confused. Storms and Abu look surprised, but act as if this is nothing new.

Kalinda gets behind the tree and immediately shows extreme disgust and offense.

"Mr. Leornian! I just told this lummox that I wasn't being shared between you like a common trollop. Now, what is the meaning of -"

"How long ago did Sköll leave?"

Kalinda stops short and her eyes grow hard. "Oathday, Pharast 15th, 4718. Would you like the bloody time as well? God's bollox man, why does it matter it was over . . ." Her eyes grow wide with realization. "Over a year ago. Fate's preserve."

[AlphaLuke]

Meanwhile, Abu speaks softly to Storms. "Don't be obvious. But we're being followed." He pointedly look south, toward the town. "I don't think they're hostile, but keep a weather eye out for them."

[Pent]

Zeph whistles nonchalantly for a brief second, half a tune of a child's nursery rhyme.

It ends abruptly.
"She took him 'everywhere and beyond'. This is them. they know exactly who we are. She benefits from ...them... in some way. And she healed that fisherman with...."

The words fell out of his mouth before he realized what he was saying. He looked as shocked to hear it as it was to say it "with those worm things. It has to be. We need to plan with the Captain. Is that book a two-way street? I can give you time."

Zeph resumes his whistling.

[DeathbyFlossing]

Storms nods and tries to nonchalantly look back every few minutes.

[AlphaLuke]

Kalinda furiously pens some quick notes to the Captain in the journal while Zeph whistles away. Storms keeps a weather eye and spots a flash of movement, heading toward where Zeph and Kalinda have stowed themselves.

[AlphaLuke]

Rolland looks into the trees where Zeph and Kalinda have secreted themselves.

"Oy! Ain't got all tha time in tha world, y'know! I's got ta get you back before someone thinks ta -"

Storms sees movement in the trees, but is unable to alert Zeph and Kalinda in time.

A mass of flesh, eyes, and teeth bursts from the undergrowth, letting out a keening scream as it writhes out of the treeline.

Spoiler

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Alright. Let's try something new for combat. I would like to suggest an online combat in real time. We can do this via webcam and the roll20 app (player link: ask Luke). Please send me your evening availability via email so we can coordinate some time, possibly even this week (no more than 2 hours), to get online and play through this. Thanks!

[AlphaLuke]

There's barely time to react as the creature hurls itself at Zephyr and Kalinda. Kalinda makes a quick jump back as Zeph rockets into the sky in a shower of debris. The first officer holds out an outstretched palm as her sword coalesces into it. She immediately begins to attack the creature with precise stabs and slices.

The creature lashes out with fang and maw, tearing Kalinda's pressed jacket to shreds and scoring Zeph's leather boots before he's able to escape out of reach into the air. But the wave of madness echoes outward from the creature in a sickening wave, assaulting the minds of all present. Only Rolland is unable to resist. His eyes roll back in his head as he draws a small boot knife from its sheath. Weeping tears of damned madness, he slashes his own wrist.

Zeph rapidly burrows through his thousands of hours of schooling and hundreds of thousands of pages read to find mention of the beast before him.

A Gibbering Mouther. A horrid aberration of teeth, eyes, and madness. Its manic cacophony can drive those who hear it insane. Immune to area specific attacks. Hurt by blunt force trauma.

Shouting to his companions, he tries to relay this information as quickly as possible. Within moments, a horrible black blob of spittle is ejected from the creature and strike Zeph clearly in the eyes. All goes black.

Storms hears screaming from behind the tree and moves to intercept. He sees the abomination and hears Kalinda's shout of "Lesser Shoggoth!" That's all he needs to hear. He reaches to his back to unholster his earthbreaker only to find it gone. Nine Devils, that's right! They had relinquished their weapons at the docks. Well, that won't stop him from blasting this creature into a red, squishy mass. He raises a palm and, with an utterance of power, sends a wave of red-hot energy at the creature.

"No!" cries the Doctor, as he sees Rolland fall to his knees. Reaching to his belt pouches, he mixes reagents with incredible speed into a glowing, golden glass orb. He tosses the orb at the ground near the poor, bleeding man's feet. It spirals upward, knitting his wrist back together and returning some flush to the ropemaker's cheeks.

Kalinda continues to fight, slashing and stabbing at the Mouther with a fencer's grace. Still, the creature eludes true damage. There are no major vessels for her to hit. No organs to puncture. For every ounce of the creature's blood she spills, it spills three of hers.

Zeph listens to the fight below. praying that his intuition and senses don't lead him astray. He murmurs the words and forms his palms into the correct symbols to conjure two miniature lightning storms into existence, right where the creature was last seen. The cracks of lighting, screams of the Mouther, and smell of burnt flesh is all the confirmation he needs.

Storms lashes out again with a blast of bludgeoning force. It strikes the creature, and he hears the satisfying *squelch* as a chunk is torn free.

Doctor al-Aruni sees Kalinda's state and the rapidly deteriorating battle and moves to her back, shouting words of collaboration and tossing another glowing sphere at the woman's feet, knitting back together the worst of her wounds.

Kalinda reaches into her belt pouch and draws forth a peculiar green acorn. Tossing it to the Mouther's base, it immediately burrows into the ground and begins to lash thick, thorny green vines out to ensnare the creature and halt its advance.

Zeph smells the wind and wrinkles his nose at the scent of dried blood and burnt flesh. Hoping once again to avoid his allies, he conjures two more storms into existence, requesting them to converge on the presumed location of the Mouther. With destruction only possible through fell magic, he hears his spells find their target. In a whirling mass of storm clouds and lightning, the creature is torn to shreds and left wriggling on the ground in a puddle of its own black blood.

[DeathbyFlossing]

”Well, that was invigorating! Everyone all right?” Storms says with a grin as he brushes himself off.

[Pent]

Zeph touches down, and checks on Kalinda.

"Are you alright?"



"I was wrong. We aren't safe by pretending to know nothing. Alana deliberately summoned that monster here to kill us. And she was unconcerned with Rolland's safety. We need a new plan."

Zeph starts muttering to himself, thinking aloud, albeit quietly.

"Captain told us to keep the quarantine. We're stuck in a hostile town. But not openly hostile. She has to attack from afar, away from the eyes of the village. Rolland isn't consciously tied up with the cult. He is ultimately an innocent, horny, man. if the rest of the town is like him, we would be safest staying with them. Bringing Rolland back to town now and getting his wounds treated, and staying in town is our best next step. What I don't know is how we're expected to keep the quarantine.

Once we go back to town people will ask what happened. What did happen? We can't say we were attacked by a shoggoth. A wind elemental? Yes, that. The town will interpret it as the wind demon from last night."

Zeph stops mumbling to himself, and asks Kalinda a direct question: "Is our ultimate goal to get the lumber for the App so we can have the full might and supplies of it at our disposal, and then resolve this situation? Or are we expected to put this to rest without its resources?"

[AlphaLuke]

Kalinda shakes her head, wincing as she works the scar tissue left by the abrupt healing of her wounds.

"The lad shouldn't have any wounds left if the Doctor's tended to him. What'll be more important will be keeping his mouth shut."

Thinking, Kalinda stares into the middle distance.

"I don't think Alana knew Rolland would be here. It was supposed to be another, yes? Quinn? In any matter, she may have deemed the loss of a single citizen an acceptable loss . . ." her eyes widen. "Or she could have been counting on it! Think about it. What common citizen could have stood against the creature we just faced? And even if we had survived, then the town would have turned against us. We would have been charged for murder!"

Kalinda looks back to Rolland. The young man sits on his haunches in the blood-stained dirt, staring into nothing, holding wrists that till a moment ago fountained blood. The doctor did good work. beside the slight blood stains on his short and pants, the man looks unharmed.

"The lad wasn't supposed to be here to begin with. If we remind him of this, he shouldn't talk. If he does, we use the drunk excuse. Something tells me it won't be a hard sell."

"As far as the lumber, we need it to fly to Almas. The Apparition won't be battle-worthy even after we get these minor repairs done. We handle what we need to here."

[Pent]

Zeph nods. "You're right. We'll encourage Rolland to keep quiet by reminding him he wasn't supposed to be here. Regarding solving the problem of Alana, and this town at large... if we're on our own, I need a more comprehensive understanding of what resources we have at our disposal via the Apparition. I didn't know about your communication notebook - what else do we have? Resources will determine our plan of action.

...we need to get Storms his hammer....or a hammer....

We need to stick to Alana. Constant surveillance so we can learn more about her dealings, then find a way to put an end to the madness in this town.

Come, lets go talk to Rolland, and make sure the Doctor treats your injuries in full."

Zeph approaches Rolland.



"Rolland... I'm sorry you got caught up in this. The good news is, you're safe now. But the bad news.... you know you weren't supposed to be here, right? Quinn was supposed to give us the tour of the lumberyards. Whoever sent that monster to kill us... if they find out that you saw it, and survived? Rolland, I like you, and please, for your sake, tell no one of the monster you saw here today. Let's agree that we were attacked by a group of Harpies. And I had no choice but to conjure up several balls of lightning to defeat them and save you.

Now... what did the Harpies look like Rolland? How many were there?"

[DeathbyFlossing]

Storms carefully keeps an eye out for more trouble, leaving the brains of the outfit to sort things out with the boy.

[AlphaLuke]

Kalinda nods at Zeph proposed plan of action. He swears he's hallucinating, but he thinks he actually hears her say "Yes, sir."

Rolland looks extremely shaken. When asked about the "Harpies" he looks confused before his eyes widen. "H-harpies . . . aye. S'lucky you was 'ere, else I woulda been torn ta bits. Three. There were three harpies. Powerful ugly things, too."

[Pent]

"That's a good lad. I recollect hearing tales that the opposing gender is frequently attracted to evidence of exterior damage."

Rolland blinks, unsure what Zeph just tried to say.

"Chicks dig scars."

Rolland smiles.

Zeph checks in with the rest of the group.


"Is there anything else we need to do before we get Rolland back to town after this Harpy attack?"

[Pent]

Zeph takes a quick look around the surroundings to see what evidence their skirmish left.

Spoiler: Looting is part of RPG's, right?

Show

Even if it is a goo monster

[AlphaLuke]

Spoiler

Show

Make a perception check. :)

[Pent]

Zeph pushes his glasses further up on his face. They always slip a bit when he casts a spell.

Spoiler

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(1d20+16)[25] Zeph Perception

[AlphaLuke]

The monster's charred and burnt bits are scattered about the path and the surrounding grass and trees. Still, there are larger bits that can be examined.

With mounting horror, Zeph realizes that there are fingers, ears, and eyes scattered within the flesh, like several humans were melted into a single monstrous blob. The outside of the creature was nude, but further examination of the abberation show bits of trapped cloth and accessories. Jewelry, rings, and leather pouches nearly destroyed by digestive acids are scattered among the remains.

Spoiler

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Zeph is able to find:

• a leather pouch
• 27gp
• 13sp
• 22cp
• a pocket knife (treat as small size dagger)
• a gold ring
• an ivory pipe

[Pent]

Zeph casts Detect Magic to see if the the knife ring and pipe have any sort of magical effects.

He also examines them for any identifying marks that may point to their prior owners. If there are initials engraved Rolland may be able to tell us more...

"

Spoiler

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(1d20+16)[29] Zeph Perception

"

[Pent]

Spoiler: LOOT

Show

See the last tab in my character sheet to track campaign loot.

[AlphaLuke]

None of the items gathered have the shine of magic to them. Some of the items are customized, however. The ring has an engraving on the inside: "For my treasure". The pocket knife looks like a functional piece that may have once been used for pens or small whittling. It has a horn handle and a folding mechanism for the blade. The ivory pipe is carved with small waves and seagulls, but bears no other marking.

[Pent]

Zeph frowns. That engraving is distinctly sad. He shows them to Rolland.

"The harpies had these on them. Recognize any items?"

[AlphaLuke]

Rolland stares in shock. Slowly, he reaches out and touches some of the items.

He runs his fingers along the pipe. "Ol'man Mires used ta have a pipe like that. Smoked it ev'ry day. He . . . died. Nearly a year ago. Chills." Looking at the ring, there's no recognition. Then, when he moves to the little folding knife his eyes grow wide. "Leeland Tate. That's Leeland Tate's knife or me mum's an Absalomi whore. He taught me how ta whittle when I was a boy. Netting wrapped 'is arm and broke it bad a few months back. Had ta get it set by Alana. He got healthy, went out ta sea, and 'is boat never came back."

[Pent]

"Damn Harpies" Zeph said. Because it was what needed to be said. For now.

But Zeph notices a pattern. Alana heals, then they disappear out at sea.

But in reality did they ever leave the town? Are they moved into a basement to be eaten by this abomination? How many more irrational monsters does Alana have at her disposal?

"Come, lets get you back to town." Zeph lets Rolland keep the trinkets. "And you can return items to their owner's families."

[DeathbyFlossing]

Storms quietly takes Zeph aside, and murmurs, ”A thought, my friend. If we return these items, the villagers will wonder how we got them. If the beast had them, it presumably got them from the cult, after they were done with their victims. We might spin a story of running into Mr. Tate in our travels, but that would reveal us to the cult for sure, since they know what really happens to the people Alana heals. So we may wish to hold off on that until after we have rooted this problem out.”