Guilty until proven innocent [IC]

[Smilex]

Norma continues to yammer
A witch then? So a witch makes unmoving things move? Oh dear. What would my husband say to that I wonder.

Then she says...
Where did you say the cat was? Under rocks? Well I'll go look under rocks later. I need to cord my broom!

Lucia watches as she unwinds the cord around the bristles and starts redoing the work she just did.

[WindStruck]

Lucia decides to go and talk with the others. And after hearing what Chazwick had to day about the lady healing from a scratch on her leg instantly, she was all the more convinced. "I don't think we should stay here, Atronia. Don't you think there's a reason all those gnolls left? Between the ghoul rats and shadow rats in the basement and the dead cat in the rocks and the blood-sucking bats and the burial mound, and the crazy, creepy old lady - who very well may be some type of undead herself - I think this whole place is cursed. It's about a dozen red flags foolish children failed to heed in a horrific nursery tale. We ought to leave before either something kills us or turns us into one of them."

[Ramsus]

Atronia Ambrosia Human Fighter AC: 12 HP: 19/22 PP: 11 PIv: 9 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Atronia looks at Lucia and considers her words. She is the more read one of them and her elder sister, so she should show her respect. But on the other hand it seems she's jumping at shadows. "I understand your concern sister, but aside from some rats that won't chase us up here nothing yet has show itself to be a threat to us. If others are afraid to come here, all the better. It means we can rest and resupply and scout from here. I think we're going to have a lot of trouble finding the rest of our family if we're constantly on the move." With that she unburies the cat and takes it over to the old woman and asks, "Is this your cat? And will it hunt those rats downstairs?"

[WindStruck]

Lucia's eyes go wide as her sister begins to unbury the undead cat.

"Atronia, stop! It's a rabid undead cat!"

But, well, her sister always was the type to do first and ask questions later. Her dogged determination was not stopped easily.

[Smilex]

Atronia uncovers a cat

Spoiler: Eight

Show

The thing is quite lively, even though it's lower body is somewhat mangled under rocks. It has a collar with a plate, on which is carved the number eight lying down.

The cat tries to scratch at Atronia but it's relatively easy to hold it from it's nonmotile lower body.

Atronia grabs the creature and takes it to the lady. Norma looks up at Atronia, and there's light... in the lantern. The lantern light up with a dark purple-violet flame and a wisp of light strikes near Atronia. Something that Atronia is carrying shakes and a violet ball of light emerges from Atronia's belongings while the shaking stops. A tendril of light drags the shining ball into the lantern and suddenly there's a flash.

When Atronia feels it's okay to open her eyes again, she realizes the cat's intact again. Not alive, but it's lower body is in the same condition as it's upper body.

Norma has a curious smile on her lips and she reaches toward Atronia, no, towards the cat.
Eight! You little rascal, you. Where were you? All better now? Husband healed you right up. Ooh, would you purr for me? No?

For a moment Norma listens to what Atronia says...

Listen Eight. This large lady here saved you and she wants to know if you'd like to drive some rats away. Would you Eight? Would you? Yes you would!

She scratches Eight's belly and then talks to Atronia again.

You can let go of her now. Who are you? Such a wonderful young woman.

She smiles an open, tender smile and her lips wobble a bit.

Eight jumps down from Atronia's arms and licks at herself. Then she starts slowly to the exit. With a certain pride in her steps, she walks toward the cellar.

[whiteflash]

Chazwick opens and closes his mouth a few times as he tries to process what he just saw.

"Good news," he says finally. "Eight isn't rabid."

[Luccan]

As the cat approaches, Yaj'dak opens the cellar door so it can get inside.Zombie cats... Hunting ghost rats... This has been a strange day

[whiteflash]

Chazwick nods. "Still, what could be more appropriate, right?"

[WindStruck]

Lucia can only manage a silent nod after witnessing the spectacle. Too many things could have gone horribly wrong, but thankfully no one was hurt and her sister wasn't infected with a disease.. at least she thought. Whatever artifact that lantern was on the woman's belt must be powerful...

Eventually she sighs with some relief. "I thank the gods things seemed to have gone well. Perhaps.. perhaps we might stay here. But we still mussn't let down our guard. And I am certainly not sleeping anywhere those owls can reach me."

[Ramsus]

Atronia Ambrosia Human Fighter AC: 12 HP: 19/22 PP: 11 PIv: 9 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- In the aftermath Atronia just gives Lucia this smug self-satisfied smile.

[Luccan]

We could set up a watch. I don't know how I feel about creepy old ladies and undead cats, but if they mean us no harm... the Tortle shrugs By the way, the local guinea pigs seem free of disease. They should be good for eating if we want to try trapping them. He'll share everything else he found around the hill while searching

[WindStruck]

When Atronia smiles oh-so-smugly at her, Lucia scowls a bit, if only briefly. But she says nothing of it. That is, until later that evening, when she pulls her sister aside to have a little one to one talk.

Spoiler: Atronia

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"Atronia. What was that you pulled with the cat? Didn't you know how dangerous that could have been?"

She sighs a bit and her expression softens. She says, "Look, I know things seemed to have worked out, but.. you've got to be more careful. I could not stand the thought of losing you. Or worse.. having to put you down myself..."

((To be crystal clear, this is in the case of if Atronia got infected and turned into a ghoul.))

[Smilex]

Norma helps Caex cook some supper and Caex makes it wonderful.
Since it's obvious that Norma makes fire occasionally, you suspect that a fire now and then won't be an issue. While making food Caex finds the smith's tongs lying on the oven.

While enjoying a meal together, Yaj'dak and Coatell continue to describe their actions going around the hill. They saw that the corridors that go into the hill are long enough that one can't see their ending or much of their nature from the outside. There are tracks in though. It looks like Norma visits the ones on the west side often enough, but never the one on the east side.

After eating it's time to set up guard. When the night falls, Norma lights up her lantern and leaves for the river with a clay jar. All of you can actually fit the single sleeping room which can be blocked with doors from both side so owls and cats and pandingos don't get in.

The night-shift goes mostly undisturbed. At one point there's sounds of fighting coming from somewhere far away in the southwest.

Norma comes back in the late hours of the nigth with a pot full of water. She keeps talking to her lantern like it's her husband.

Atronia spends the first night making tools that she will need for further forge-use. A set of broken chains is turned into bits, punches and chisels.

Morning comes and everyone's rested, even Atronia get eight hours of rest too.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

The strength loss is now gone. Please roll two rolls of animal handling for Atronia - one for pandingo and the other is regarding the llama. If any of you use hit dice, please roll for your recovery. Atronia now has proper smith's tools.

[Ramsus]

Atronia Ambrosia Human Fighter AC: 12 HP: 22/22 PP: 11 PIv: 9 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Spoiler: Lucia Show Atronia gives Lucia a puzzled look and replies, "What threat is a dead cat to me?" It takes her about thirty seconds or so to process the last part of what Lucia said and then comments, "Ohhhhh. Mmmmmmnn." which Lucia would know is her way of saying "Ah, right. Yes, knowing medicine I should have known better than to risk infection from dead/undead animal scratches/bites. Oops. Well, I can't do anything about that now." Spoiler Show Rather than rolling hit dice I just use Second Wind before Atronia goes to sleep. If anyone wants to give me a Help action for these animal handling rolls, just go ahead and roll them with my bonus. Or anything else that'd help. Animal Handling Llama: (1d20+3)[4] Animal Handling Pandingo : (1d20+3)[19]

[Smilex]

Atronia feeds the pandingo which starts to get accustomed to eating from her hand. The pandingo still reacts negatively to Caex.

Norma meanwhile panders to Caex whenever she can, exchanges recipes and teaches Caex a thing or two about bird meat. She never eats anything herself but she continues to obsess about doing proper things and helping.

Atronia helps Maria take care of the llama to the best of her ability. The llama spits a lot but Maria says that's just a thing they do.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

When doing these 'strategic' rolls with little time pressure, we can expect that Zain and Coatell both give guidance. The guidance spell and Coatell's class feature stack. So on average you get a +5 when both of them are available. You don't need to make sure about this every time, I'll try to evaluate the situation and I'll just add the +5 to the roll you report when you're doing no-pressure things like this.

In this case Atronia's the one helping Maria, so others giving further help doesn't stack.

[whiteflash]

Chazwick tries to keep his eyes on the cat whenever he can, ideally without making it obvious he's doing so.

Does it spend most of its time in the cellar?

[Smilex]

Chazwick tries to keep his eyes on the cat whenever he can, ideally without making it obvious he's doing so.

Does it spend most of its time in the cellar?

Chazwick makes some notes about Eight's behaviour. The feline spends most of it's time in the empty room next to the kitchen. There she lies inside a circle made of rope.

About three or fourt times per day, the cat circles the yard, goes to the cellar, chases away shadow rats and stares at walls for an hour. Then the cat comes back up into it's nest. In the night, the cat doesn't visit the cellar but does climb to the roof now and then.

[whiteflash]

Does Chaz see anything surreptitiously leave the roof when Eight climbs onto it, or return to the roof as the cat leaves?

[Smilex]

It's rather easy to check the roof since it only requires Chazwick to walk up a set of stairs. There's some bits of rubble, small sticks but nothing interesting up there.

As it happens, while Chazwick is checking out the roof and most of the group are having breakfast, there's a cry from Maria at the storage room.

Then silence.

[WindStruck]

Lucia will bolt up (probably along with others) and go see what happened. Was it that starving beast the gnolls left behind? It was, wasn't it? Ooor maybe that llama too for all she knew. Or..

Ugh!

Lots of possibilities went through Lucia's mind quickly, but she just wanted to make sure Maria was alright.

[Smilex]

Lucia will bolt up (probably along with others) and go see what happened. Was it that starving beast the gnolls left behind? It was, wasn't it? Ooor maybe that llama too for all she knew. Or..

Ugh!

Lots of possibilities went through Lucia's mind quickly, but she just wanted to make sure Maria was alright.

At least Justius and Coatell run with Lucia to the storage room.

Maria is lying unconscious in the ground. There's a lot of blood on her chest area. She's lying on her back.

Pandingo's standing next to her, looking at Maria.

There doesn't really seem to be anything else going on in the room.

...
Meanwhile in the large room..
Caex, with her night vision would notice that the owls are getting a bit lively.

[WindStruck]

Lucia sees the Pandingo standing over Maria's body, but it doesn't look like it was actually what hurt her? No blood on its jaws or front paws. The hell?

So maybe it didn't do this but still.. what happened??

"Justius! Keep the beast back! Coatell! With me!"

If Justius can get himself between the pandingo and Maria, Lucia will run up to Maria's body to help Coatell with a first aid check. Otherwise, she will try to drag her body away from the pandingo so Coatell has more room to save her life.

[Smilex]

Lucia sees the Pandingo standing over Maria's body, but it doesn't look like it was actually what hurt her? No blood on its jaws or front paws. The hell?

So maybe it didn't do this but still.. what happened??

"Justius! Keep the beast back! Coatell! With me!"

If Justius can get himself between the pandingo and Maria, Lucia will run up to Maria's body to help Coatell with a first aid check. Otherwise, she will try to drag her body away from the pandingo so Coatell has more room to save her life.

Justius grabs the pandingo and moves back with it. The creature doesn't like to be touched. It's a guard beast so it snaps at him, tries to free itself. Justius is relatively strong so he can at least now grab the pandingo and avoid it's clawing and wriggling.

Coatell tries to give first aid and ... with Lucia's help, succeeds in stabilizing Maria.

[WindStruck]

After we've staunched the bleeding, then Lucia takes some time for serious investigation.

At first she cautiously looks around and mutters, "What in the name if the gods happened..?"

Spoiler: rolls

Show

first the room. I'm thinking other assailants could be here.

Perception: (1d20+2)[19]

investigation on pandingo: (1d20+5)[9]
Guessing we'll now find more detailed information, such as where blood, if any is present, or other evidence.

Investigation on Maria: (1d20+5)[13]
The nature of the wounds.

[Ramsus]

Atronia Ambrosia Human Fighter AC: 12 HP: 22/22 PP: 11 PIv: 9 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Atronia rushes over at the noise as well. Seeing the scene of Justius holding the not-a-pandingo and Lucia examining Maria's wounds, she leans down to help Lucia determine what happened. Spoiler Show Providing Help on Lucia's roll. Feel this is pretty justified with Medicine training. Rather than waiting for Windstruck to be around to roll the advantage roll, I'll just do it now: (1d20+5)[10]

[Smilex]

Justius keeps grappling the pandingo.

Spoiler: OOC

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JUst so we have a better understanding here...
This
https://rwrant.co.za/wp-content/uplo...n-Pangolin.jpg
Is how the body of the creature looks like.

This
https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/snar...-162319703.jpg

Is what it's face looks like.

Lucia sees that Maria was standing in front of the gnoll's chest when she fell. There's broken sealing wax on the floor. The remains of the seal have an arcane rune on them.

In Maria's wounds under the blood there's small icicles.

...

Meanwhile,

in the larger room...
An owl takes flight.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

So, what's everyone else doing while all of this is happening?

[WindStruck]

Lucia frowns. "Seems the gnolls put a magic trap on the chest. Of all the things. Why didn't they just take their junk with them? And their animal?"

She sighs and says, "Let's get Maria away from it and out of here. And Atronia, can you try to calm that thing?"

Lucia would like to gently remove Maria from here. Let's move her to one of the "beds". Can't really do it by herself, though.

[Smilex]

As all of this is happening, the 'older sister' in Lucia feels a power well in herself. She knows she's strong and can get things done

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Inspiration.

[whiteflash]

Chaz draws his dagger as soon as he gets into the room Maria maybe-died in.

"So, a magic trap, an un-cat, some un-rats... While we're discussing this place's unpleasantness: Justius, did you say there was something unpleasant in the ceiling?"

[Smilex]

Chaz draws his dagger as soon as he gets into the room Maria maybe-died in.

"So, a magic trap, an un-cat, some un-rats... While we're discussing this place's unpleasantness: Justius, did you say there was something unpleasant in the ceiling?"

Justius, while grappling the pandingo, says
The bloodsucker-birds? Will you let me... oof... concentrate on this one... Better yet, come help me! Hold the tail!