Imagine Tomorrow [IC]

[TheYell]

Torson reminds himself to scan all directions while they wait so nothing takes them by surprise.

Yes, think of that, he thinks, and not the fact that you're on foot, worn out, and out in the wood if anything comes at you. Look on how well the mercenary is bearing up. Be more like him if ye can.

He prepares to cast obscuring mist if he gets two tugs on the rope.

[In4Dimensions]

As Azar walks, he scans the debris and animal tracks for any other clues that could help him and the others understand what had happened here in the forest. What changed in this forest? he wondered. What sort of entity or phenomenon could’ve led to this? In all my years of travel, I’ve never seen anything like this.

[ylvathrall]

Spoiler: Dandolin

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From above, the trail is harder to see. But Dandolin is able to spot it, rough and ragged, traffic on every game trail in the area, all leading the same direction. It's rather eerie, the way that they all seem to have a destination, like they were being pulled to a very specific place.

Going forward, you find the trails converging on a large, rocky hill. It has a very ominous feeling about it, a sense of something fundamentally wrong. A small statue is visible atop it, sticking out from among the rocks. Facing about forty degrees further east than your approach is a large cave opening. The darkness within the cave is deep, too deep, too thick and syrupy to be merely the absence of light. The trail leads to the cave opening, and then stops.

[ChaoticHarmony]

As the trio approach the strange rock formation, Dandolin spots a mysterious statue resting at its peak. From a distance, it appears to be a humanoid woman in armor, but it is hard to tell. Guiding Steve back down, the flying duo descends back to the others. "You guys see that statue too? I'd like to take a closer look. Why don't you two hop on and we'll do a flyby, see if we can't make out what it is supposed to be?"

[ylvathrall]

Flying closer, the group sees that the statue is indeed an armored woman, face obscured by her helmet. She holds a greatsword in front of her, buried into the stone, and her armor has Raveran's sword of mercy symbol on it. The inscription at the base reads:

ELITH PARAN

FRIEND
SISTER
MARTYR

WE WILL REMEMBER

REST IN PEACE

[TheYell]

"I read something of the history of Yazdal before I left Fort Huel," says Ivar Torson. "Elith Paran's a founding paladin who was slain in the wilderness. And Raveran's a benevolent empyreal lord, so he's not behind this savagery." He sighs, hugging the unfamiliar form of the wasp tightly. "Guess what we want is in the cave."

[In4Dimensions]

“I suppose so, but I don’t like the look of it.” Azar says, with a grim look on his face. “Question is, do we enter the cave today or rest up and investigate in the morning?”

[TheYell]

"With this drizzle we can't hide behind fires,” says Torson. "Can't expect to rest for the dreams and attacks. Figure we're in best shape we can expect.

Remember what Anders said about voices and images. Let's think up a password each. Mine will be “Corporal Ingrid Anders.” If my image don't give that out, it ain't me, so clobber it.”

[ChaoticHarmony]

"I agree with Torson. Our best bet is to go in now and face them while we have the advantage of surprise. If we try to wait another night, even if we somehow survive, we'll be worse off than we are now." Dandolin pulls a torch from her saddlebags, as well as her Anytool, and begins using the device to light the torch.

[TheYell]

Torson considers his Aspects thoughtfully. He remains a bull-hybrid, and casts light. His orcish hornbow glows like a torch.

"Ready, and if ya like, I'll take the lead," he says.

[In4Dimensions]

“Sounds good to me,” Azar says. “I don’t have any more preparations to make, so take the lead, Torson.”

[ylvathrall]

Inside, the cave opens first into a fairly large chamber. It looks to be a natural cavern, rather than artificially instructed. The air smells faintly musty, and more faintly still of decay. A handful of charred bones are scattered around, but there's no sign of life in the cavern now. Several openings lead off of the first chamber - one each to the north and east, with the opening to the north branching off west shortly after leaving the first chamber.

Spoiler: Perception DC 20

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As you walk in you hear a child's voice, very faint. It sounds like it's in the room with you, though there's no other sign of a child present. "I'm cold," it says, the voice a girl's plaintive whine. "I don't like it here. When do I get to go home?"

[TheYell]

Ivar bends over the bones, tracing a joint. "Deer. Not human, Arash be thanked."

He straightens up, fingering his holy symbol around his neck. "Have the feeling we'll have to explore everything, but would vote to start with the east path."

He pauses. Then asks softly, "You all hear the voice? Could these folks be trapped here by magic and need a rescue?"

[ChaoticHarmony]

Dandolin slowly nods, put off by the sound of the crying child. "Let us hope that is the case, the alternatives are much worse to think about. As for our course of action, I agree about the east path. The old saying 'right is right' definitely applies." Directing Steve to buzz over towards the east entrance, Dandolin takes her lance and drags its tip into the ground, marking it with the symbol of her long dead tribe.

[ylvathrall]

As you move into the cavern, the air grows chill. The child's voice whimpers, "So cold," as pale, ghostly hands rise up from the floor, grasping at you with a chill mist clinging about them. As they reach for you you feel an aching cold about them, settling into your bones like days spent in frigid water. It quickly goes from uncomfortable to painful to excruciating, icy aches stabbing into your flesh and bones as the hands clutch at you.

Spoiler: Knowledge (religion) DC 15

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This is a haunt - a spectral manifestation created when horrific torments are visited on a living soul and the anguish they suffer leaves a spiritual echo in the place it happened. It is somewhere between a true undead and simply a lingering magical effect. Haunts can be harmed with positive energy like undead, but usually nothing else affects them. They tend to be hard to dismiss or destroy completely, requiring specialized magic or the performance of an action which in some way purifies the area or satisfies the spirit that created the haunt.

Spoiler: OOC

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I don't think any of you have a way to disrupt it before it attacks, so I'm just gonna post the attacks, but if you do, go ahead and I'll edit this.

Attack against Azar: (1d20+7)[9] touch AC
Damage: (4d6)[14] cold

Attack against Dandolin: (1d20+7)[22] touch AC
Damage: (4d6)[13] cold

Attack against Steve: (1d20+7)[21] touch AC
Damage: (4d6)[14] cold

Attack against Ivar: (1d20+7)[22] touch AC
Damage: (4d6)[11]

[In4Dimensions]

As the ghostly hands rise out of the ground, Azar jumps back, narrowly avoiding the fingers that we’re trying to grab his legs and ankles. “What is this? More of those shadows?!” Azar exclaims, as he fires a spike of bone into the hand that tried to grab him.

Spoiler: Actions

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Kinetic Blast:
Attack - (1d20+8)[9]
Damage - (4d6+12)[22] piercing

[TheYell]

Ivar Torson groans as the chill pain seeps into his legs. "Nature of God in Nature! What be this deviltry? Never seen the like!"

By Arash! he shouts, and his bow creaks with intense power.

[ChaoticHarmony]

Dandolin has Steve quickly twist out of the way of the icy grasp of the ghostly hands, only to have her own side raked with the frosty touch. "Savara Damn it! It's a Haunt! Save your attacks, they aren't likely to work! We need positive energy or..." I'm cold, I don't like it here. When do I get to go home That's what she heard when they first entered. Maybe.....Dandolin starts to make the gestures with her free hand. "By Savara's Might and my will, come to my aid ally of Nature." Danolin's Holy Symbol begins to softly him with power before a small fiery cat gracefully lands on the ground near her. Flames crackle and combust across its body. "You've done a really good job today sweetie. Why don't you warm up some and then I can help take you home, does that sound nice?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Cast Summon Nature's Ally 2; Small Fire Elemental

[ylvathrall]

There are no more words, but the sense of malevolence lifts slightly, and the shadows in the corners of the cave are just shadows again, rather than pools of syrup-thick darkness that seem like they could swallow you whole and never spit you out again. For now, at least, it seems the haunt in this chamber is cleared.

[TheYell]

"Very well done Dandolin!" says Torson, careful to keep his voice calm and reasonable to avoid upsetting the poor child. "Wouldna had thought of that."

"Not had much experience with specters, but heard of them," he muses. "If yer not badly hurt, I'll save my healing spells for now. We might need them."

"And I vow," he says, keeping his voice mild, "a cruel end for them what dealt such cruelty to innocents." His eyes glittered with rage. Among the tribes of the Tacame nomads, there were many feuds, but children were inviolate by ancient custom.

[ChaoticHarmony]

Dandolin nods towards Torson, then Azar, then towards the east tunnel. "I agree, whoever caused this needs to be dealt with." Steve slowly buzzes towards the aforementioned tunnel, trying hard not to seem hostile. The fire elemental, having no orders of any kind, curls up into a ball and purrs softly.

[ylvathrall]

The eastern path runs more or less straight, then opens into a smaller chamber. A dead werewolf in hybrid form is lying on the ground, and while it's hard to be sure, it looks suspiciously similar to one of the shadows that attacked you the previous night. The word HUNGRY is written on the cave wall over the body in what looks uncomfortably like dried blood.

As you look at the scene, things start to shift. The light is wan, and red, and flickering. The room reeks of blood, with an undertone of sickly-sweet rot. The letters begin to run as though they were still fresh and not long dried. You feel an aching hunger in the base of your belly, the kind of hunger where it feels like your stomach is wrapped around your spine and leaves you swaying with the need, hunger like you haven't eaten in days, coupled with the acrid taste of bile in the back of your throat.

The same girl's voice says, "Please. Please, no, not this...." As before, it's at the edge of hearing, but still audible.

Spoiler: Knowledge (nature) DC 12

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Lycanthropes normally revert to humanoid form upon death. There must be something strange going on here for this one to still be in hybrid form.

[TheYell]

"By...Arash," gasps Torson, fighting back what he knows to be an induced emotion. He gestures at the werewolf, seeking to measure any magical auras emanating from it.

[ChaoticHarmony]

Dandolin reaches into the saddle bags and pulls out some jars of honey, still sweet and fresh. As she moves, her body and Steve's shifts, darkening into a dusty brown shade, long thin antennae growing on there heads.

Spoiler: OOC

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Vermin Aspect: Cockroach (+4 against environmental effects, including thirst and starvation)

[In4Dimensions]

Azar stands towards the back of the room, away from the letters, straining his eyes to see if he can notice anything else about the dead werewolf and the bleeding letters. He also hesitantly removes a set of rations from his pack.

Spoiler: OoC

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Perception: (1d20+20)[35]

[ylvathrall]

The hunger spikes, rising to a piercing agony before subsiding...mostly. The light shifts to a deeper sanguine tone, then returns to normal. The werewolf corpse rises, fangs bared by its rotting lips, and snarls. The sound is ragged, bubbling strangely inside its throat, like something inside of it is no longer physically capable of making noise.

The letters are back to looking solid. The haunt seems to have faded for the moment.

Spoiler: OOC

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Fortitude saves all around, please.

[TheYell]

"Fey, or were?” says Torson painfully, though his Ring of Sustenance gives him a familiar warm tingle in the belly against the hunger pangs. “Were”.

He whips out a delta-headed mithral arrow, nocks his bow, and looses the missile at the ravening beast.

[ChaoticHarmony]

Steve buzzes loudly in fury as the werewolf corpse rises again. Tucking her honey jars under her arm, Dandolin clicks twice to tell Steve to charge. With malicious glee, Steve flies straight toward the undead abomination, stinger poised and ready. Dandolin lowers her lance and takes a rushing jab at the beast. Immediately after, Steve's stinger strikes straight at the wolf's hairy chest.

Spoiler: OOC

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Charge! +2 Attack -2 AC
Dandolin attacks first with reach (1d20+11)[24] if crit (1d20+11)[12] Damage (3d6+9)[17] if crit add (6d6+18)[40]

Ride By Attack lets Steve continue his charge
Steve attacks second (1d20+10)[12] if crit (1d20+10)[20] Damage (1d8+5)[12] if crit add (1d8+5)[10]

[In4Dimensions]

The hunger pain spikes in Azar, causing him to grunt and bend over, but it subsides after a second or two. Recovering, he fires a blunted bone spike at the rising corpse of the werewolf.

Spoiler: Actions

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Back away from the werewolf as far as possible while staying within 30 ft, then use Kinetic Blast.
Attack: (1d20+9)[26]
Damage: (4d6+13)[23] bludgeoning

[ylvathrall]

The undead werewolf, pierced with an arrow, a lance, and a spike of bone, falls back to the ground in silence. The room is once again still, and silent, and the letters on the wall are just dried blood.

Azar doesn't feel the same anguish that he did at first, but does still feel very hungry.