Rough for You (Part 3)

You have it seems, defeated the shadow demons, and all of you are currently standing in a tiny room which feels frankly even smaller with so many people in it. It feels uncomfortably crowded now, but thankfully the demons themselves are gone now giving you somewhat more room to maneuver in. There's a door before you, splintered open by Alba's spell and waiting for you to determine what's on the other side. With nothing else to stop you, it's easy to figure out what that is. Namely a short staircase leading down into a huge open room which clearly once held a number of coffins and likely... vampires inside it.

At first glance the room seems to now hold only a few broken boards, and a much larger door as an exit. Upon a more exhaustive search however you find a woman amid the broken remnants of one of the coffins, half hidden by rubble, shadows, and the corpses that were clearly once the vampire's meals. She's huddled in the corner fearfully, mostly hidden by the bodies.

Once the battle is over, Durrankar changes back to his normal form. Even hunched down, he reaches into a pouch to drag out a wand, then touches Alba at the base of her neck, closing the last scratches she may have. "Do not argue. I have had this wand for a long time, Alba....."

Kira moves into the other room cautiously, since they're expecting dangerous vampires... and the demons were worrisome enough on their own! The signs that there aren't any intact coffins is discouraging. The bodies are just saddening. "Did they leave? Are we too late?" Then she notices the movement of a body and darts over to take a closer look. When it turns out it isn't the body moving, but one underneath it, she's ... still optimistic at the huddled woman. "Are you alright?" Probably a very subjective term, in this case.

When it's Serene's turn to enter the room, she doesn't seem pleased at what seems to be evidence that they were too late. That the shadow demons did their job. As her eyes sweep the room, they pause upon what appears to be the sole remaining survivor of the vampires' victims. Even as she studies the woman, she nods to Alba's suggestion... but holds back as Kira moves to comfort the woman, likely feeling the younger paladin a more comforting presence. That does /not/ stop her from tapping into her paladin's sight... just to make sure it's not a trap, of course.

"Take care, Kira. Evil is claiming this woman's soul," Serene says as she studies the survivor's aura. "Check for.. wounds. Marks." She doesn't say bite or puncture marks.. the last thing she wants to do is set the found woman into a panic. But she does emphasize the last word.

Durrankar lets out a bit of steam from his nose. "Do what you must, Serene....."

GAME: Alba rolls knowledge/arcana: (12)+18: 30

"It is?" Boshter looks concerned. "Can I punch the evil?" he asks, clearing the cobwebs from his mind with a vigorous shake of his head.

The woman huddles fearfully away from Kira, her eyes wide her hands coming up to ward Kira away from her. "Don't! Don't!" Her eyes flash over to Serene and she stares at her, her eyes even wider than before. "Don't come closer." She's covered by the bodies so it's hard to tell without properly examining her if she's been bitten by anything or not.

"Not yet," Alba says, creeping about the rest of the room and largely avoiding the poor woman. But the moment 'evil claiming her soul' is spoken, the Witch looses a long, slow sigh. "Part, then," she says, waving the paladins aside. "Perhaps, then, she shall respond to more bitter truths."

And the skull-mask is carefully taken off, revealing mostly the young, sullen features of a Veyshanti who lived very hard, very young. Setting the skull aside, she walks carefully toward the woman, dropping to her haunches well over two arms' lengths away.

"Cursed, you. If this curse is not lifted, you will become as your tormentors. You will hunt, and you will bite, and you will know a thirst no water may quench. *However.* Lifted this curse may be... Provided we murder the monster that did this to you. In this, able to help us you are. Will you trust us, to save your soul?"

"Then we'll just need to get her cleaned up, won't we?" Kira responds, still looking to the woman with what she hopes is a reassuring smile. She does try to examine her, to check for any injuries at all.

"I don't know of any other way to cleanse a curse such as this." Durrankar says pointedly...but doesn't approach. "There /IS/ a lot riding on this mission."

"If we must," Serene says, turning to Durrankar, dropping her voice low, "We can subdue the woman, secure her to my saddle upon Silver, and send her back to the Vardaman Temple with a missive. Silver knows the way. The woman is not lost to us yet." She looks back at the three other women, then shakes her head and heads over to the larger door to inspect it. And she says, "No, Boshter, this is not an evil you can punch."

The woman, hearing Alba's harsh but true words relents. A small shift of movement from her head as she watches Alba reveals a nasty bite mark on her neck mostly hidden by her hair. Her eyes are harshly dilated and she seems to be struggling with herself to not move. Her muscles twitch and strain against themselves, her arms holding her legs tight to her body. "I have no choice." She whispers the words harshly and she looks at Alba. "They told me you were going to slaughter us all." She swallows, and swallows again, her lips partially parted.

The door itself looks perfectly ordinary, clearly recently opened and closed once again.

Boshter's face falls at Serene's declaration that this is an unpunchable evil, though he seems to agree with her idea. "Yes " he tells her. "I think they may be for the best. The faith can care for her while we... dispose of the genesis of her affliction."

"Not if we can help it. We're not the monsters here." Durrankar says bluntly. "If my companion is right, only one needs to be destroyed to set you all free. And it is not you. Any help you can give would be welcome, however."

Alba leans forward, head tilting to one side as she inspects the wound. "Always a choice, you have," she murmurs quietly. "Choose to fight this evil, or choose to succumb. This, now, the most important choice ever you shall make."

She looks away, as the others speak of taking her to the Vardaman temple. "And for your bravery, I ask for you to make another choice. Rather to cure you, than kill you, we. But we must find those who placed this rot within you. So, to choose; will you shed a drop of blood, before you are given to sleep?"

Serene stares long and hard at the door... clearly she wishes to push beyond it, but is restraining herself, aware of how precarious the survivor's grip on a non-panic state may be. So she contents her self with nodding agreement to Boshter's, and thus Alba's, conclusions.. and with preparing for the potential fight to come.

GAME: Serene casts Greater Magic Weapon. Caster Level: 20 DC: 25

"I'll do whatever I can." The woman replies, looking from person to person warily. "But I don't know much. The tall one with the green eyes brought me here a few days ago." She motions toward the big door with her fingertips. "They all left when they heard the fighting. I heard him... Talking to himself. He disappeared. I don't know where to."

At this, Alba reaches out her uncovered hand. "Give to me your hand," she says quietly. "Magics I know, that can lead us to him should he escape. This I promise; he *will* die, and you *will* be cured. If I must rend apart this world to see it done, then this is what I will do."

Sometimes, Alba's evident semi-madness is an uncomfortable thing. Sometimes... it's hard to tell if it really is discomfiting. Which, in those times, might potentially be worse.

"Once this is done, I will see that you are given... hn. It will not be rest, but you shall not wish to move. It will be *like* rest, and will dull your fears for the time it takes to get you to safety."

Durrankar says, "Sleep." Durrankar says. "I imagine it'll be like sleep. And you will be better when you awake.""

Serene presses her lips together and steps back from the door after putting her temporary blessing upon her shield.. then, finally, turns to face the survivor again and address her. "She speaks true," she tells the woman. "The one who did this to you will be hunted. Him and those like him. And we will stop them from doing this again. Be brave and trust in us."

The woman, still uncertain, offers up her hand, and doesn't argue. She still looks half terrified of you, but she seems to be growing more and more relaxed in your presence. "Thank you." She offers instead, a quiet reply to your comforting words. The whole room smells strongly of vampire. Like snakes left too long in a box untended. A skin-ruffling scent that you can't quite shake.

GAME: Serene rolls sense motive: (19)+24: 43

Alba is... gentle, as she takes hold of the woman's hand. She can't exactly help how upsetting her bladed glove looks as one razored finger is pressed against the pad of the woman's thumb, and a lock of hair slithers out from under her chainmail draping to collect the blood in a tiny glass vial. Once that is done, her uncovered thumb presses down on the center of the poor woman's palm. "Lethargy, it will be," she says, her words once more subtly twisting, echoing in strange ways. "A feeling that perhaps, move, you should. But wish to, you will not. A feeling that this is okay. This is fine. All is fine. No reason for you to bestir yourself. All is fine."

GAME: Alba casts Bestow Curse. Caster Level: 12 DC: 18

"I would like to punch vampires. I am very good at punching vampires. Especially vampire wizards," says Boshter, firmly, nodding towards Serene again.

Durrankar looks quietly to Boshter. "You shall punch vampires, Chord. But now is not the time. Patience is key."

"The guild puts the 'pay' in 'patience'," says Boshter, cheerfully, to Durrankar. Of course, it does not actually do so.

Serene turns away from Alba, Kira and the survivor as Alba lays her enchantment down and circles about to return to the small entrance to the large chamber, the way they arrived. "Silver awaits above to bring her to Boshter's brethren. We will wish to make sure she is secure so that he may move with haste. He will understand." What's she's saying is Silver is a smart cookie. For a bird-cat.

It doesn't take long for the woman to fall under Alba's spell, and once asleep it's easy enough to tie her up to Silver and cart her off to her destination. Which leaves you to do your work of locating the vampires now that they've flown their coop.

"So," Alba says, as Serene returns from getting the woman to safety. "First we shall break this door. Should any vampires remain, they, also, we shall break. But special effort, shall we make, to break the one who is tall, and green of eye."

"Okay!" BOshter tells Durrankar.

A pause. He looks back over his shoulder "Does... does someone have rope?" he asks.

"My sentiments align with yours," Serene assures Alba grimly upon returning from the send off. Her sword is back in hand once again. "I assume you obtained what you needed from the woman so we might track the monsters?" she questions as she moves past, towards the door. "I recommend standing back, in case it is trapped." The older paladin then proceeds to see about opening the door.

Kira aids with getting the woman prepared for transport, for her own good, and that of others. She then returns her attention to THE DOOR as Serene moves to open it. She is ready for... well, she's not sure, but it might not be good.

The dreaded door opens smoothly and easily, into another small room. Where... another door waits. This one opens up just as easily, showing an exit back out into the forest and this one more obviously used as there is something of a path just in front of it. It's not a long path however and the fact that it dumps you back out into the forest is not particularly helpful. In fact it's particularly /less/ than helpful.

"So, so, and so," says Alba as they emerge into the forest. "Friend Druid, have you or your staff more scrying magics to mind? At the moment, time I will need for Sarathrazz to recall them. But, a piece of the vampire, now, we have to make it a simpler task."

Serene growls quietly in irritation at the discovery that their quarry has, in fact, fled... though she betrays nothing in the way of surprise. She lets a breath out, looks up into the sky, then turns to her companions. First Alba as she makes her inquiry, then to Durrankar to wait his response. "It is unlikely to be fruitful," she adds, "but we should search for tracks regardless. If only to prove that there are none."

"I fear not. To get that particular blessing back, I would need to rest for a time. If we did, I would get other blessings back as well." Durrankar states. "Do we make haste, or do we bide our time for a more prepared strike?"

Kira lips purse. She wants to find them, but that doesn't always mean rushing after. "Will it be harder to track them with magic if we wait?" She's not a tracker, whether by sign or magic.

Alba's mask turns to Durrankar for a moment, and a shoulder lifts. "Power is knowledge," she misquotes. "Better to increase our knowledge as much as we possibly may, I think. But unwilling am I to deny any possible method of tracking our quarry. Thus... I shall speak to Sarathrazz, while others who wish search for more physical sign?"

"If we have the means to follow now... I mean to follow now, before these creatures can claim another victim." Serene is firm on this, as if daring anyone to object. A second, too, and then she relents a little bit. "However... from what you say, we may not be able to follow them until one of you has rested. Unless we obtain the means back in the city. But with so many there occupied with other matters... or sick... that may not be an option."

Durrankar says, "Knowledge is power. Faith is power. Pair the two...." Durrankar says to Alba. he then looks to Kira and Serene. "I fear I may not be as helpful at physically tracking as someone who has been trained."

"I'll help look, but I'm not a woodsperson," Kira notes. Still, an extra pair of eyes can't hurt! So she starts looking around.

Serene returns Durrankar's gaze with her own. "I believe you are what we have, Durrankar." She bobs her head once to agree with Kira's offer. "As will I. But we will follow your lead while Alba... " The Elunite paladin struggles to find the word for a moment. "Ah. Prepares."

GAME: Serene rolls survival: (20)+1: 21

With a bob of her head, Alba floats up just above head-height, as a tiny viper slithers out from the nest of her hair, curling up on the back of an outstretched hand. There, the pair commune, as a Witch and her familiar are wont to do.

GAME: Durrankar rolls survival: (14)+30: 44
GAME: Kira rolls survival: (6)+6: 12
GAME: Kira rolls perception: (6)+21: 27
GAME: Serene rolls perception: (16)+21: 37
GAME: Durrankar rolls perception: (18)+28: 46
GAME: Boshter rolls Perception: (4)+23: 27

The scent of vampire is strong, and in reality it's much easier to track them than you originally anticipated. Firstly due to the fact that they'd made no apparent attempt to hide their scent, and also because Serene seems laser-focused on a set of footprints that only she seems able to find. After waiting for Alba to commune with her familiar you make your way as quickly through the forest as you can, it's a race you know against the clock.

You are in fact, attacked by a few desperate vampires along the path to where you are going. Quick, brutal fights with creatures that are clearly half insane and hardly seem to realize what they're doing. You dispatch with them easily and continue on your path until you reach a dilapidated cabin. You can tell just by looking at it that this is at least a temporary nest for the vampires as you can see movement inside through the windows which are covered by thin strips of cloth and little more. It's a fairly small building, one that you estimate could not contain an overly large number of people, though without being able to see inside you have no idea what their actual numbers might be.

GAME: Alba rolls perception: (17)+14: 31

"A thought occurs," Alba murmurs from out of sight of the windows. "The desperation of these creatures suggests that they fear us. The mad vampire Kol would not fear us, nor those who enjoyed his favor. ...The thought, then, is thus; how many within that house are as the woman before us was?"

"Then how many have been changed?" Durrankar seems to Mirror Alba's thought.

The witch and druid a nod in agreement from Serene, her grim visage seemingly locked upon the cabin from their place of cover. "How many may resist us because they do not understand, and how many may be used as hostages against us? Does anyone have a means of incapacitating the living so we might end the rest?"

"If they are just frightened, or crazed, and not ... changed," Kira adds and agrees, "we shouldn't harm them. They need our help as much as anyone. I have rope, and some magical if they are very strong. I never harm any of the living," she adds.

Boshter is left frowning by this. "I do not know," he admits to Alba, "but I will punch anyone that needs a punch!" He makes a fist. Punching. He'd like to do more of that.

Durrankar lays his claw on Boshter's hand. "Patience. Those that do not need to hear the Death Singing Dragon's song should not be rushed to meet her." he says pointedly. "You will have your chance."

"Then we determine who is who by their methods. The undead will reveal themselves through their fight or their flight... the living, if any are left, will be restrained. Perhaps Boshter," Serene glances at the Arvek, "may use some of his less.. bone crushing maneuvers upon them." She looks back at the cabin. "Anything that might restrain. Kira's rope. I have a spell as well for one. But if we wait, they may flee again, and if any remain who may be saved... their chances will diminish."

Kira nods. "Would anyone like any rope? Should we try to draw them out, or go in?"

"Let's go. You can handle the rope, Kira." Durrankar says as he looks to Serene.

"Perhaps if we announce who we truly wish, and why?" Alba inquires. "If they are terrified, thus, would they simply revolt against their master, if in their midst he is?"

"However......you saw how completely he took over Azog's mind when the oruch decided to carve me up, Alba....if he is in their midst, they would attack..." Durrankar states.

"As much as I would like to give them a chance to lay down arms or flee, Durrankar has the right of it," Serene says unhappily. "If I empower my shield with Eluna's grace, it is possible my presence might allow some to break free of his control, but it is no guarantee. We may simply have to... work around them." She pauses, then looks to the other paladin. "Kira... how able would you be at restraining those we identify as still alive with your rope?"

"I can restrain them and then bind them, so they won't harm others or themselves," Kira assures. Her smile is determined and assured, rather than pleased, but it's still there.

Durrankar says, "Lets go then, Serene. you lead the way."

-TBC