Evacuate! The Village
As you enter the village of Naranja, it seems a normal village. Nothing immediately stands out as being out of sorts save that the crops are perhaps a bit unusual. The type of animals kept a little more hardy. All in all... it seems peaceful.
Unlike some villages, this one seems aware of you before you arrive, and sends out a small group of three individuals to greet you. They all are relatively young, in their early twenties, late if life has been treating them well. Two girls and one boy. They introduce themselves as Ima, Ema, and Dirk. They look enough alike that you half wonder if they are related somehow. Ima takes the forefront, offering a short nod that the other two echo.
"What brings you all the way out this way?" She queries.
GAME: Skielstregar rolls perception: (8)+14: 22 GAME: Lysa rolls perception: (19)+10: 29 GAME: Rune rolls perception: (10)+16: 26 GAME: Harkashan rolls Perception: (19)+5: 24 GAME: Rocky rolls perception: (15)+13: 28 GAME: Murder rolls perception: (15)+16: 31
Her father's sword upon her back, Lysa trudges along. Her boots do make it easier. But mostly, it's the cloak that makes her able to carry stupendous amounts of weight without trouble. She has her helmet hanging from her belt, with her long blonde hair tied up so that it won't get in the way when the helmet goes on. It's got multiple braids, and drapes down the back of her head into the armor at the neck.
Her blue eyes peer about the village, and she inclines her head before kneeling before the youths. "Where are your parents being?" she asks with a smile on her face, "Is it not odd that you are being out here to greet us and not them?" Okay. She's not the most subtle person. Nope.
GAME: Lysa rolls diplomacy: (10)+12: 22
Rocky trundles along, weighed down by layers of armor, but not especially slowed. The greyscale keeps quiet, watching as the situation develops, letting others ask the questions as he eyes the villagers. His bastard sword stays by his side, ready for use should the situation arise. Not that it's likely in a perfectly normal village, right?
Murder pauses once they get to the village, reaching down to pull off a pair of new-looking boots. She dumps out several pebbles from each, before pausing to look at the three ... siblings? "My feets!", the Gobbo declares cheerfully, in response to their question. The boots are quickly replaced on her feet, the laces nimbly tied.
"We've been sent to check on your village." The Gobbo squints, looking around. "Is everything okay, here? No troubles with local wildlife, or strange happenings in the woods? Crops doin' okay? No bad dreams?" She's counting off her fingers as she goes. A list of some sort. "No one mysteriously drained of all their blood? No emptying of your graveyard of its dead?"
It goes on a while...
Skielstregar arrives with the others, him none dressed down, with all his weapons clacking on his back, evidence of his Warrior caste. He scans about, a small jar of gold paint in his hand as the villagers come to greet them.
He samples the air before looking about. "Erm..." he glances to Lysa. "Yesss. Traveling, just merely-"
He stares at Murder. Huffs a cloud of frozen air, and settles on his back foot and tail.
Despite having traveled far in the past, this is Rune's first visit to the Vast. She had heard some measure about it from time spent with Jacob, but his people seemed more nomadic. So, there is a certain amount of uncertainty as to what is to what is normal and what is not.
Having anyone come out to meet them is unexpected, however. The fact that these look to be younger individuals has Rune's eyes looking beyond them, taking in the ... unusual nature of the village in general. It may not be the most polite way of responding to a greeting, but Rune had given up any sense of proper diplomacy when she'd left the Mythwood.
Rune opens her mouth to say something, and then Murder offers a far more expansive list of possible things that could be impacting the town than Rune would have been able to manage. So, instead, she just crosses her arms and raises her brows.
Riding in on a Swiftclaw he's acquired recently in the jungles of Am'shere, Harkashan takes his time to approach Naranja. He's let Skielstregar lead across the landscape. Himself, he's never been here, but he knows of its tales. He's seen flashes of this place. The Vast is a place to be very wary of, and it takes a special kind of person to survive in these lands.
~"We know that they are likely being threatened in some way by the Werewolves. And they're not above kidnapping people."~ Harkashan had actually remarked before even arriving at the village. After all, he'd found out that much of the Shifter population under Marsward's control was being controlled exactly so.
Once they get close, the Swiftclaw goes through is legs so Harkashan can more easily get off, and he touches the top of its head for a moment. "Thank you, Skielstregar." He remarks.
Harkashan slowly gets off and sweeps his gaze throughout the area. He watches the team shift to meet with a few of the villagers already, but the fact that the children are greeting them rather than the adults is telling.
He touches his hand to Lysa's shoulder, and whispers; "It's the same on their land."
With Murder already stating they're here to check up on them, the shortest of the Sith-makar present bows his head and leans down a bit. Not kneeling, they're not children-children, but they're still of a younger age.
He's softspoken and genuine when he asks; "Are you and your parents safe?"
"The parents?" Ima blinks at Lysa and then chuckles. "I am one of the parents. That one over there is mine!" She motions to one of the children playing with a dog and the child plays on obliviously she chuckles again and shakes her head. "Everything is very good here. Crops are coming in nicely, nobody complains of odd dreams - I myself don't dream at all."
She glances at the other two and they shrug and shake their heads.
"No deaths at all. Not in a long while, and all the dead are exactly where we've left them." Ima smiles placidly and spreads her hands. "No one is missing or hurt at all. You're welcome to look around if you like; but you'll find none of that here. Just good honest folk..."
She trails off a moment because this little gathering has drawn a crowd of children with wide interested eyes of every age and she laughs gently. "Go on you! If these fine folk ask you any questions - you answer true and be kind. Go on and play now. The sun'll be down in a few hours."
GAME: Harkashan rolls Sense Motive: (8)+14: 22 GAME: Skielstregar rolls sense motive: (16)+2: 18 GAME: Lysa rolls sense motive: (19)+7: 26 GAME: Murder rolls sense motive: (1)+1: 2 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Harkashan rolls Knowledge/Local: (15)+3: 18 GAME: Rune rolls sense motive: (9)+8: 17
Rocky chuffs softly as the little ones approach, very used to be climbed upon by hatchlings. Human younglings aren't so different, right? The granite skin is careful to hold still for little fingers. Very easy to get pinched between pieces of armor.
Narrowing her eyes, Lysa glances towards the ones the girl claims as her own. "Left where they died?" she asks as her eyes come back to the girl. "And is that all in one place, or spread out? Can someone be showing me where that might be?" Yeah. She is starting to break that oddball accent dialect she's had stuck to her for so long.
"I would love to say a blessing over them if you would allow." And she stands up the, turning half away to turn her head back to the others.. her light brows lift and her shoulders bob in a minute shrug as if saying... I've no idea what is going on.
GAME: Harkashan casts Zone of Truth. Caster Level: 7 DC: 16
Harkashan listens, watching as Ima declares to be one of the parents. Looking over to the child being pointed to, before glancing back to Ima once more. There's a long pause of consideration with the Sith-makar.
He looks around, watching the gathering of children. Some of them younger this time, so Harkashan goes down on one knee. He then touches his chest and rumbles; "Hey. I am Harkashan. Just last month, there were lots of old folk here."
Rather obviously he draws a little circle in the grass, creating glittering grey light on the ground, which then suddenly rolls outwards. "Where did all those lovely folk go?" He asks, as a Zone of Truth springs up.
GAME: Harkashan rolls Sense Motive: (19)+14: 33
The Goblin's expression goes from quizzical to suspicious as the woman speaks, and she looks to Harkashan. "You've probably already worked this out, but there is definitely something going on here.", she whispers. "Some of the children here are ... off, somehow. I mean the whole place is off, but some of these kids... I suggest we get out of here before sundown, or now even."
Skielstregar can't help but raise a scaled brow at the explanation. His gaze going out to the children, then to the parents here. Where's the Keepers? The Crafters? The Lore-Speakers? His gut feeling was true that they were being honest.
He can't help but lightly smile at the small gathering of ages, him giving a playful sway of his tail towards them. Others end up springing up with suggestions and questions. He himself, used to being a bull in a glass shop, merely stays still. Skiel just shares a glance with his halberd on his back. Communicating something unheard to one another.
Time. Time is strange in the Vast. Ember-filled eyes watch as children begin to notably wander off as the Zone of Truth spell springs up. But even before then, some of them begin to wander off. Murder is right, he's noticed that things are seeming off.
"We should be careful not to judge too easily. The Vast is a difficult place to live." He answers Murder in a whisper, before adding; "Rune." <dragonic> A single sound that just sounds like a few clicks and hisses. Looking at her, before glancing at some of the children wandering off.
Then returning in focus to those around him.
While it isn't uncommon for someone of that age to have children, something still feels very distinctly off about the whole situation. Perhaps more so at the comment about 'not dreaming at all'. Dreams were one of the realms she knows are associated with the dark tidings and influence of the creatures they are hunting. "Not at all, huh?"
There is a glance towards the others, the rogue looking distinctly skeptical. "I hope they don't have pigs..." The last creepy village that Rune had encountered, the missing people were being covered up by feeding them to such animals.
Glancing at Harkashan, it's obvious he knows far more about the situation. "Listen, whatever is happening, even if it's bad shit, we can help." The little flick of the eyes from the cleric has Rune following his gaze. The rogue decides to quietly follow the children with her eyes, before taking an opportunity to start to physically follow them as well, trying to stay quiet.
Rocky, Skielstregar, and Harkashan quickly have a quite large following in spite of the young woman's warning. She shakes her head and makes her way off, motioning for Lysa to follow her. "Our dead reside in a catcomb beneath the town. A bit strange perhaps, but we've followed the tradition for generations. I will gladly show it to you."
Meanwhile Harkashan's questions are being answered by the children surrounding him, though perhaps not terribly helpfully. "Who are you?" "Why do you have scales?" "What other people?" "Where do you go?" "Do you want to stay at MY house?!?"
Quite suddenly there's a bit of an argument amongst the kids as to where everyone is staying the night, all of them wanting the exciting adventurers to stay over at their place.
GAME: Rune rolls stealth+2+4: (20)+13+2+4: 39
"Oh, you said they were left where they died. I must have misheard you." offers Lysa with a bob of her head towards the speaker.
When she looks back to the others again, it's almost like she forgot Rune was even with them. It's not that she notices the rogue is gone, it's that the rogue is gone so effectively that Lysa doesn't even notice she's gone.
But to the others, she adds, "I would like to view these catacombs, and perhaps speak some words of a blessing from Daeus over the dead. They deserve that, but..." and she looks to the locals again and adds, "I will not disturb them. I will follow your traditions and any instructions when in there."
GAME: Murder rolls perception: (11)+16: 27
Rocky rumbles softly, and tries to answer the rapidfire questions as best he can. "This One is called Rocky. I was born with scales. I go where I think I can help. Which house is yours?" The disappearance of Rune is distantly noted, but there's a lot going on. Harkashan doesn't seem worried, so it's probably fine.
"That's not that strange. Underground catacombs are actually more common than you'd think." Harkashan answers Ima.
But he's more concerned with the children surrounding him. Who are you. Why does he have scales?
"I am Harkashan. I'm a Deathsinger. I travel around and make sure that people who die have a very peaceful time after they pass." He actually explains. "I have Scales because I'm a Sith-makar. I come from a land far far away from here." He raises his tail a bit for one kid near him, letting them try to grab it. "Nah, I like sleeping outside. My people prefer warm rocks." He rumbles.
This is all very odd. This is very much not what he had been expecting to find. "Who have all been coming around to buy your food? Seen any new people besides us lately?" Keeping them present with simple questions while Lysa offers aid at the Catacombs.
He is more forward. "We heard some scary people had been coming around this area taking away food." Their investigation itself is obvious enough as it is. But he doubts these children know anything. The ones who know and understand have wandered off. Though he wonders if there are those who have been de-aging. Still, there is value in asking.
GAME: Harkashan rolls Diplomacy: (19)+13: 32
Skielstregar glances to the party as they seem to have caught onto something, so he leaves that in their hands.
So he does what he does best. Be a shiny goofball. The silverscale kneels down to the children. "Aaand, sssome of usss have ssscalesss, and we can do thisss...!" He covers his mouth, tilts his snout up, and shoots a twin gout of frozen air towards the sky. Entertaining the hatchlings.
As the children gather around the three Siths, Murder slowly wanders around them, her gaze passing over each child in turn, the Gobbo even sniffing the air around them. Her expression slowly grows more sour.
"I may not have been here for ages, but I was born in the Vast. I know it's weird. But these kids, there's just someth... oh. Oh no. We need cover, and fast."
Murder gestures off in the direction they had been traveling, to a gathering of storm clouds in the sky. "We don't wanna be out here in a storm."
GAME: Lysa rolls profession/sailor: (1)+6: 7 (EPIC FAIL)
Skielstregar's trick is an instant success, and the children nearest him call for more of the same. They're distracted enough that no one notices that Murder is talking. Well, none of the youngsters do. They vie for attention from the three sith, clamoring on tails and asking if Harkashan can breathe frost like his friend!
Meanwhile Ima leads Lysa down to the catacombs...
Hearing Murder, Lysa glances back over her shoulder. Huh, there is an oncoming storm. Her eyes flit downward out of habit, to tabulate the winds via the surf. Right. No surf. "Well. We are heading to the catacombs. Perhaps we could all wait out the storm in there?" she offers to the others.
GAME: Lysa rolls heal: (20)+10: 30
Harkashan continues to play with the kids for a while. He doesn't breathe frost, but he can plume some black smoke from his nose. But eventually he gets up, trying to get a bead on Rune. He knows where Lysa has gone, hoping that those two ladies are having better luck than he has so far.
"Aye. Let's head indoors then." He steps back a bit. "One moment. I have to get my Swiftclaw a place to be safe from the storm." As he travels back to take it by the reins, the dinosaur rising up and then moving with Harkashan.
"Can any of you point me to a safe place to put this one?"
Rocky can breathe plumes as well, but it's not a trick to pull around children. Not if you like children, anyway. Rocky glances to the others in confusion. "What about a storm? What kind of storm?" All this fuss over getting a little wet?
Skielstregar laughs, a shaking, rumbling thing as children clamber up him like a playground attraction. He gladly obliges another round of cold air being launched into the air. But at the warnings, he carefully sets them down. "Ssstorm storm, hide away, let the rainsss come wasssh away~," he rumbles in a quiet singsong to them. He bids them well before joining Harkashan to find shelter, really where ever the group is gathering.
There is a slight movement at the edge of a shadow near one of the village houses as Rune steps forward, easy as you pleas as if she had never even been gone. Those with a keen eye might spot that a little hint of that shadowy substance lingers behind her for a moment like a whisp of smoke before vanishing. She walks right on up to the gathering of the others, noting that Lysa seems absent.
"Looks like someone else went on walk-about?" She raises a brow, then clears her throat, "We... need to talk." Rune looks to the group, then to any nearby kids, then back again, "Out of ear-shot."
Stepping down into the catacombs, Lysa is one of the few who doesn't really feel wigged out by dead bodies and the like. She follows Ima and heads towards the back, the ones longest dead. She lifts a hand and pulls her sun pendant out from under the breastplate of her armor. She focuses on her senses for a few moments, bringing up her ability to sense the presence of evil as she begins funerary prayers for the dead.
It is going to take a bit of time, for she will repeat the prayer of each body individually. But eventually she reaches the more recently buried and turns to Ima, "It looks as if half of these have been interred within the last month. Can you tell me how they died?"
One of the kids offers to take Harkashan's swiftclaw for him, eager for the prestige of housing one of the brave sith's mounts! The rest head to their homes quickly, and everyone begins to gather in the catacombs.
This happens just in time for the group gathered there to hear Ima's response to Lysa - you are it seems quite alone with the young woman in this shelter. "I don't know." She smiles at Lysa looking around at them. "I don't remember anyone dying that recently."
Harkashan rumbles and nods at Skielstregar, and then spots Rune from the corner of his eyes. She is back, and she's being quiet about her return. Which means she's learned something. He's worked with her often enough.
One of these days he's going to have to work on creating a telepathic link with her, so they can work even more closely in situations like this. But for now...
"Of course." Harkashan answers Rune. "Lysa has gone down into the Catacombs. We're looking to take shelter from the storm after I safely put away this one." Touching the side of the head of the Swiftclaw. One of the kids offers to take it, and Harkashan touches his shoulder. "Take very good care of it. Okay? And don't put your hands near his maw. If you want to feed it, just put some meat in front of it, and then step back."
"Let's go visit Lysa, make sure she understands where we are going first. And then we'll look at going to an inn." Harkashan then proposes, and heads on off to the Catacombs to join down the stairs. Warding off and kids.
As he walks, he answers Murder; "Hatchlings are very important to our kind."
Narrowing her eyes a bit, Lysa inclines her head, "You've no memory of these one hundred people dying within the last month." she says to Ima.
She hesitates for a moment before she takes a breath and lets it out. Then she asks, "Ima. I need to ask your permission to investigate. I know they have been mummified and interred as is the way of your people. But I must beg you to let me examine a few of them. That means I will need to cut their bandages open and view the bodies directly. I swear to you that I will restore them just the way they are afterwards." And yes, she -is- still concentrating on her ability to sense the presence of evil. Just in case something external is viewing or trying to influence the poor child.
Skielstregar nods with Harkashan. "Ssa, hatchlingsss very important to Kin. There are entire casstes dedicated to raising and keeping them safe."
He glances to Rune after her request, him subtly nodding before listening to Ima and her response. Skiel squints. Lysa's insistence. "... hmmm. We should talk," he murmurs to the others. <Draconic>
Rocky closes the door behind him, still unsure the problem. It's just a little wind and rain. Sure, humans smell a bit when wet, but they don't seem to mind. And sith can always hold their breath, even in a small space. And the goblin doesn't need much air, right?
GAME: Rocky rolls perception: (14)+13: 27
The Goblin chuckles at Harkashan, "Well, I understand why they love /you/ in particular. Who wouldn't want a friend with an internal furnace to keep them warm?" She giggles a little more and lets out a sigh. "Well, lets get to business then... nothing like crawling around the catacombs.
Her nose wrinkles once the door is shut, and she eyes Rocky a little before letting out another sigh. "I get that it's a rite of some kind but uuuggggh, you'd think they'd plan some ventilation or like, throw flowers down here on a regular basis.", Murder complains.
With a nod, Rune continues to follow the others. She remains suspiciously quiet. Rune isn't normally this quiet. There is also a tapping of her hand against her side as if she were holding in some sort of nervous energy.
The rogue continues to wait until it seems like the group is far enough away from prying eyes and ears before she speaks in a low tone. "Followed those children. They went out into the Vast and just started... winking out. Disappearing. Didn't see any sign of a spell." A worried expression shows on her features. "Then, after going out a long ways, one of them asked if they thought we 'outsiders' would find out the truth. Another answered that if we tell the children the truth, they can make them forget again. That the kids deserve happiness."
Rune trails off, looking around and then shakes her head, "Didn't want to mess with magic. I don't do well with mind-effecting stuff."
Ima blinks at Lysa and then looks positively crestfallen. "You want to disturb our honored dead?" She looks at the others as if hoping someone might talk some sense into Lysa but after a moment she finally sighs and drops her hands to her sides. "Very well. If you insist and it will help you..."
She doesn't seem to like the idea though.
The doors to the catacombs shudder against the onslaught of the storm outside.
Rocky blinks, snorts, and recoils away from the door, his nostrils pinching shut. "Gah! The clouds stink! Around the door!"
GAME: Murder rolls will: (2)+6: 8 GAME: Rocky rolls will: (16)+3: 19 GAME: Lysa rolls will: (9)+14: 23 GAME: Harkashan rolls Will: (20)+10: 30 (CRITICAL SUCCESS) GAME: Skielstregar rolls will: (7)+7: 14 GAME: Rune rolls will: (8)+5: 13 GAME: Murder rolls will: (9)+6: 15
From the outside, it appears as if Rune simply had taken a quick inhale of breath. She stands frozen still, eyes wide, pupils dilated. It's as if she is experiencing something that goes beyond what might be seen or heard. Those breaths start to kick up, but she still doesn't move.
What comes out of her mouth sounds like a strangled sound. A cry from a throat that is closed up and doesn't seem to quite form it completely. Instead, she drops to one knee, her hands going up to her head as a grimace forms on her features. "Get. Out. Of. My. Head."
And then, it seems to pass and she slumps a little forward, managing to catch herself on one, trembling arm. "Fuck." With a gasping breath, she seems pale and unsteady, "Something bad. Something... evil."
As Rocky recoils from the door a thick smoke billows out around him, pouring in through the doors edges. It spills into the room smelling like rancid milk and eggs. The scent is sickening, but worse is how it clings. To Skielstregar. To Murder. To Rune. It pours quickly through the room, an insubstantial wraith that heads straight for Ima. It sinks into her eyes, her ears, her mouth. Pouring itself inside the young woman until her eyes turn pitch black and she screams...
The sound will haunt you.
Worse though is the way it cuts off in the middle and she blinks dead-eyed at the room before a creepy, evil grin spreads across her face. "Oh my... What have we here?" She asks, her body taking on a seductive sway that was certainly not there before, her eyes taking in each person in turn. "Time to play?"
It seems that Rune's evil... has taken root in Ima.
GAME: Harkashan casts Protection From Evil. Caster Level: 7 DC: 15
The sense of evil pings to Lysa's senses, and her bright blue eyes narrow and harden. She turns to face Ima even as the entity begins to speak.... her father's sword is already sliding from its scabbard, and she turns her eyes skyward... "Daeus. I call upon you to help me save this child! She must not die, but whatever is within her must be driven out!"
And of course, even underground, a flash of what appears to be pure sunlight flares up, infusing itself into her blade before she levels it towards Ima... lifting a brow.
"I don't think most softskins care to be around warm people during the summer days in this land." Harkashan points out to Murder as she remarks on kids loving him for his warmth. "But let's focus." He then notes, as he steps in with the rest and starts stepping down.
Turning, as Rune begins to speak.
"Hrrm... an illussion of sorts?" He wonders out loud as Rune speaks. Quiet, not looking to interupt. Just thinking a bit out loud.
"Hrrrm..." Harkashan's brow furrows deeper. "That was wise." He then answers Rune. "If they are able to make people forget... that explains a lot. I'm sure it's Shifters trying to do the children a kindness." He proposes. Especially when considering Lysa's finding of all those recently deceased.
"It also means the storm could be an illussion." He does add as well, looking to Rocky. Only to suddenly hear sounds - smelly gas rolling through. Watching, as multiple of his allies suddenly behave oddly - Rune dropping down towards the floor. "Rune?" Harkashan asks, worried, while he holds his own breath. Sith-makar are really good at that.
Hearing her say that something evil and oppressive is here, he immediately touches her shoulder and sends a wave of magic through her - trying to protect her from that evil presence, before looking to where Ima and Lysa are. "Hang on, Lysa. We'll be right with you!"
Murder manages to pale, staring unfocusedly at the smoke that arrived as the door shut. Her expression is vaguely fearful, at something that comes close.... "N.no... no!"
The wee woman falls backwards onto her behind, staring up at ... something? A look of relief slowly creeps onto her face, and then she turns her head and sneezes over and over for long moments, each time breathing in another lungful of smoke just to sneeze again.
Skielstregar whips his head around towards Rocky, scales brows raised. "What do you mean, River Ssstone-"
Dead eyes grow wide before screwing shut. He attempts to clamp his nostrils shut, but its useless as he clutches his head. No! "D-Don't..!" Cramped environment. Evil thing breaching in, evil thing dwelling within. It'd be a blood bath if he suddenly turned-
Just as it came, it goes, leaving Skiel to fall to his knees, panting out gouts of frozen breath. Strength out of the massive makari.
Malefic, his halberd, turns and gnaws on Skiel's horn, trying to yank him to his feet. "Get up, Warrior. Daeus calls, can't you see!" it metallically growls.
Rocky blinks, eyeing the various happenings around him. Magic, evil, possession? Ima seems to be the center of the problems, if not strictly the source. Drawing his iron blade, the grey scale advances towards the human carefully, loath to hurt an innocent.
The flow of magic over her form causes Rune's breathing to slow. Her eyes close, trying to focus as she pushes herself up onto her feet. "Whatever... whatever it is, it seems to be able to possess people." She turns, ears twitching at the voice that comes from below. "It went into someone else."
There is a look to both Skielstregar and Murder, as if taking them both in to see if they show signs of it. Then, Rune draws her weapons from the sheath along her back. "We should go help Lysa. Whatever it is, no one should be facing that alone."
Ima tilts her head back, a foul and rotten tongue leaving her lips. She calls in abyssal and infernal, mixing the languages like a twisting turning thing. "Come my brothers, my sisters! Take root, take heart! Join me and taste of blood again!" She spreads her arms and smoke pours into the room through the doorway. It doesn't touch any of you however, spreading to the corpses around the room and they begin to move... Not all of them thankfully, but enough.
GAME: Lysa rolls 4d6: (16): 16 GAME: Lysa rolls heal: (16)+10: 26
A small smile lingers on Lysa's face as she exercises just a mote of focus... her sword's blade seems to have received a further blessing from Daeus. From the small crossguard, a golden glow spreads down the fuller. Then it flares into bright light... looking like the core of the sun as the light spreads to the edge where it looks more like the corona of the sun. Waves of heat flaring off of the weapon.
She pulls her other hand closer to herself, makes a fist and then calls out, "Daeus... defend against the walking dead if you would please!" And she sends out a pulse of positive energy before she narrows her eyes.
"That... is not good. That had no effect upon these creatures. Perhaps they are -controlled, but not actual undead.
GAME: Harkashan rolls Knowledge/Religion: (20)+9: 29
Harkashan rises slowly, as Rune remains down for the moment. "You'll be okay." He presses his hand to her shoulder once more, looking her in the eyes. "Yeah, it went into the girl." He then adds, rising up and looking their way.
Lysa wields her weapon, but it seems the matter is a lot more complicated. "You're right!" Harkashan calls after her. "These are demons or devils riding those corpses! Gentle Repose or Animate Dead will help here, Cold and Fire as well - but avoid adding lightning into the mix..."
He then swoops his hands around each other, almost like forming an orb in his hands, and then sends a wave of silvery-red light outwards. "Let's speed things up. Just remember, most of these corpses are likely immune to most magics." As a blessing of Divine Fervor ripples through the chambers and energizes all of his allies.
GAME: Harkashan casts Blessing of Fervor. Caster Level: 7 DC: 18 GAME: Murder casts Fire Breath. Caster Level: 10 DC: 15 GAME: Skielstregar casts Ghoul Touch. Caster Level: 10 DC: 15 GAME: Skielstregar rolls melee: (5)+15: 20
Murder looks a little confused, perhaps not quite sure what just happened, what that fleeting fear was about... and how did she get down here on her butt? She eyes Rune when the woman draws her blades, and the Goblin gets to her feet. Murmuring something under her breath, her fingers wiggle and weave, tracing something in the air, before pressing her hand at it. Her features begin to blur and grow fuzzy, and she reaches over her shoulder to pull her two-hander free from its sheath on her back.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (8)+4: 12 GAME: Rocky rolls fort: (13)+9: 22 GAME: Rune rolls fort: (18)+5: 23 GAME: Skielstregar rolls 1d6+2: (4)+2: 6 GAME: Rocky rolls weapon9: (11)+12: 23 GAME: Rocky rolls weapon9: (16)+12: 28 GAME: Rocky rolls weapon9-5: (11)+12+-5: 18 GAME: Rocky rolls damage9: aliased to 1d10+5: (5)+5: 10 GAME: Rocky rolls damage9: aliased to 1d10+5: (1)+5: 6 GAME: Rocky rolls damage9: aliased to 1d10+5: (1)+5: 6 GAME: Murder rolls fortitude: (9)+12: 21
Skielstregar manages to reach over and grab Malefic as he sees corpses rising. He tenses. The girl... possessed. Warnings are thrown out. "Warrior, embrace it," Malefic hisses at him.
The silverscale gulps, shaking off the evil feeling as he gets to his feet. "Fine." He holds a claw up, clutching it as an overwhelming amount of black ichor beings to pour. The Death Singer's blessing races into it, making the deluge twofold. "Feel the gravesss cold embrace..!" he snarls, rushing forward.
Zipping past the others, his hand pierces through the ichor, a tarnished silver hand, like bronze, grips onto Ima's arm. And the overwhelming stench of dread and death sinks into them, and everyone. "... I'm sssorry..." he whispers through gritted teeth, looking around.
GAME: Rune rolls acrobatics: (12)+13: 25 GAME: Rune rolls weapon1+2+2: (5)+10+2+2: 19
Rocky chuffs. -Demons-. Well that's an entirely different matter. The greyscale rumbles like a distant earthquake, and raises his iron blade. The weapon smashing into a wrapped corpse, sending dust and bits flying. "Dragon Father, forgive This One for disturbing the dead, but they are not resting peacefully."
GAME: Rune rolls damage1+3d6: aliased to 1d6+1+3d6: (6)+1+(12): 19 GAME: Harkashan rolls Fort: (13)+9: 22 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+7: (8)+7: 15 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+7: (10)+7: 17 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+7: (19)+7: 26 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+7: (13)+7: 20 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+7: (5)+7: 12 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+7: (16)+7: 23 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+7: (4)+7: 11 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+7: (16)+7: 23
There are certain sights that are more than a little unsettling. In this case, seeing the dead shamble to life again, under the control of whatever the smoke-like creature might be, Rune curses under her breath. The fact that these things are immune to the the healing effects of the clerics is not lost on her. "Not undead, right. So... guess blades will have to do." Not that Rune had many other options.
She looks over, following Skielstregar's path, seeming to expect something else than the magical effect that she sees. Then, the smell hits her. Urk. Rune holds a hand in front of her nose. "That is... nasty." Thankfully, they are surrounded by the dead. The smell can't get /that/ much worse, can it?
She looks over to Murder, giving a nod to the somewhat wavering and hard to pin down Goblin. "Let's do this." Rolling between shambling bodies, Rune comes up on the other side only to stab her blade right through the cracking, moldering chest of one of corpses. Enough so that the blade pops out the other end just before it falls, leaving a pile of black smoke puddled on the floor.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d8+3: (4)+3: 7
The demon-ridden corpses move even without the command of the one that called them. They moan and grunt and groan as they move, their leader bound by Skielstregar's spell... for now. One of them manages to graze Murder, but the rest have little skill in their attacks.
GAME: Murder rolls fortitude: (8)+12: 20 GAME: Lysa rolls weapon13: (6)+13: 19 GAME: Lysa rolls weapon13-3: (11)+13+-3: 21 GAME: Lysa rolls weapon13-8: (3)+13+-8: 8 GAME: Lysa rolls damage13+1d6+2+9: aliased to 1d10+5+1d6+2+9: (9)+5+(5)+2+9: 30 GAME: Lysa rolls damage13+1d6+2+9: aliased to 1d10+5+1d6+2+9: (4)+5+(4)+2+9: 24 GAME: Harkashan rolls BAB+Wisdom: (20)+5+4: 29 GAME: Harkashan rolls BAB+Wisdom: (19)+5+4: 28 GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d10+2+1d10+2: (7)+2+(4)+2: 15
Shaking her head, Lysa glances to Ima. "You have made a mistake for sure." she says before she lets part of her power fade away. Then... she blurs into motion. The fervor seeming to speed her up. So she levels a swing at one of the corpses, the sword cutting through it, hard... and she continues her motion, spinning in a full circle and repeating the cut before she comes up with a backswing strike..... but the body has already fallen.
She nods to herself, and then releases the sword with her left hand, lifting it and focusing to cause a golden glowing disk that looks remarkably like the sun again. Not so bright as to light up the room like her sword does, but it's translucent... and she holds it defensively against the oncoming swarm.
Harkashan, still holding his Breath, continues to move closer to the possessed dead bodies. The villagers will not be happy about what is happening here, no doubt. Their dead being slaughtered like this.
But connecting this back to the Werewolves, he grunts. These kinds of monstrous beings. This all tastes of Charn.
When the fumes disappear, Harkashan exhales for a moment, then rumbles; "Tools to those of Charn, no doubt. Tettered to foolish masters." He remarks as he snaps his finger towards a position near his allies and some of the grouping of the not-quite-dead...
A thing begins to rise from the ground. Grey in body, faceless in face, holding a Khopesh in its arms. A faint mist around it as it finishes rising. Silently, wordlessly, it brings its blade up before the nearest corpse can even react, and a fell slicing motion tears across its back.
"Forcing us to dessecrate corpses like this..." He grunts.
GAME: Murder rolls weapon8+2-5: (7)+14+2+-5: 18 GAME: Murder rolls damage8+2: aliased to 1d10+3+2: (3)+3+2: 8 GAME: Murder rolls weapon8-5+5: (6)+14+-5+5: 20 GAME: Murder rolls damage8: aliased to 1d10+3: (4)+3: 7 GAME: Murder RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 20 temporary HP GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon25+2: (6)+16+2: 24 GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon25+2-3: (3)+16+2+-3: 18 GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon25+2-3-5: (15)+16+2+-3+-5: 25
The Goblin yells at the top of her lungs, her eyes suddenly lighting up a bright red. "I WILL KILL YOU!", she screams, "AGAIN!". The wee woman appears to become bulkier to go along with the rage. She raises and smashes her weapon upon the closes corpse twice, connecting with solid thumps that don't seem to do too much damage. This doesn't do much to improve her mood.
GAME: Skielstregar rolls damage25+3+9: aliased to 1d10+8+3+9: (9)+8+3+9: 29 GAME: Skielstregar rolls damage25+3+9: aliased to 1d10+8+3+9: (8)+8+3+9: 28 GAME: Skielstregar rolls damage25+3+9: aliased to 1d10+8+3+9: (4)+8+3+9: 24 GAME: Rocky rolls weapon9: (11)+12: 23 GAME: Rocky rolls weapon9: (13)+12: 25 GAME: Rocky rolls weapon9-5: (6)+12+-5: 13 GAME: Rocky rolls damage9: aliased to 1d10+5: (7)+5: 12 GAME: Rocky rolls damage9: aliased to 1d10+5: (7)+5: 12
Skielstregar shakes his hand off, the undead features flinging off as he grips Malefic with both hands. Murder flies into a rage, himself feeling that familiar itch cropping up. But he couldn't. Not here. This isn't the time. A glance to the remaining, an ear to the storm.
Ichor drips off Malefic, it grinning. "They are already desecreated, Honorable Harkashan. We must consecrate them after their defilement."
The silverscale nods sharply, twirling the halberd and cleaving down at two of the puppeted bodies, smashing them down into the ground as he does a side step towards another. "Let us be done with thisss quickly! And then exorcissse this softskin!"
Rocky trusts in his armor, doing little to avoid the demons attack efforts. The majority falling before his allies helps matters. The greyscale focuses on attack, his bastard sword smashing into the remaining corpse, breaking off chunks, but failing to fell the foul fiend.
GAME: Rune rolls weapon1+2+2: (8)+10+2+2: 22 GAME: Rune rolls damage1+3d6: aliased to 1d6+1+3d6: (2)+1+(16): 19 GAME: Skielstregar rolls will: (1)+7: 8 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Skielstregar rolls will: (2)+7: 9
All round Rune, enemies fall back to their previously motionless selves. If nothing else, the group can certainly clear a room. "Any of you know a way to beat a demon out of someone?" She asks, hoping that between Harkashan or Lysa, one of them might have some idea about how that process works.
In the mean time, she notices the one remaining creature and slips around to flank it beside Rocky, slashing out with one of her blades to finish the job that he so neatly started. However, that still leaves one very big problem.
Rune turns to look at Ima.
It's a well timed moment to look at Ima. Bound by Skielstregar's spell black smoke pours out of the girl's body and... As if in revenge seeks out the sith-makar and pours itself down his throat. There's a hissing click as his jaw shuts closed and his eyes turn black.
GAME: Lysa rolls weapon13+2: (5)+13+2: 20 GAME: Lysa rolls weapon13+2: (5)+13+2: 20 GAME: Harkashan casts Archon's Aura. Caster Level: 7 DC: 17
Seeing the smoke cloud pour into Skiel, Lysa sighs and shakes her head, "Sadly, we must take him down now. He is going to repeat this over and over.." she says as she takes one step, then another... and then gives a mighty swing of her almost molten blade.
The tip of the weapon leaves a small black mark along Skiel's armor, but that is all she has to show for it.
GAME: Skielstregar rolls will: (2)+7: 9 GAME: Harkashan rolls BAB+Wisdom+2: (11)+5+4+2: 22 GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d10+2: (1)+2: 3
There's a deep growl from Harkashan as Skiel remarks on them already being desecrated. This would all not be so big of a problem if the softskins did not constantly insist on keeping their corpses around like this.
And then... Skielstregar.
"Fuck." Harkashan grunts. "I can heal him later. Focus everything on Skielstregar." He has seen that being fight before. Stepping forward, trying to get in there himself. The silent spiritual ally moving with him, trying to surround behind Skielstregar.
Another spell, leeching and gripping at Skielstregar's body. The faceless spiritual being shifting behind Skielstregar, swiping its blade at him while Harkashan himself steps back.
GAME: Skielstregar rolls will: (9)+7: 16 GAME: Skielstregar rolls will-2: (16)+7+-2: 21
The Goblin watches as the 'undead' are taken down, and she turns to the possessed girl. And then watches as Skiel absorbs whatever evil. "No." Murder growls. Then sticks out her tongue at Skielstregar. "BET YOU CAN'T CATCH MEEEEEEE!"
The Gobbo turns and runs... however far she can run, considering the closed in catacombs.
GAME: Skielstregar RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 20 temporary HP GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon1: (2)+17: 19 GAME: Rocky rolls weapon9: (4)+12: 16 GAME: Rocky rolls weapon9-5: (7)+12+-5: 14
Skielstregar staggers as his dead eyes turn black. He suddenly turns to Lysa.
"I WILL NOT BETRAY HIS LIGHT!" Malefic roars, waggling and falling out of Skiel's grip, clattering to the ground, it rolls to look at the party "HE CANNOT BE SUBDUED! YOU CANNOT RUN! RALLY!"
The possessed silverscale suddenly drops to his hands and feet, claws digging into the ground. ".. I.. will.. END YOU SOFTKIN INVADERSSS!" he roars, black ichor pouring from betwixt his scales as his muscles bulge, fangs grow, undead power coursing through his veins. A spear is taken out, coated in ichor before it suddenly jabs out towards Lysa. It misses.
And impales a foot into the stone behind her. Murder's attempts are, unfortunately, unheeded.
GAME: Rune rolls weapon1+2-2: (8)+10+2+-2: 18 GAME: Rune rolls weapon1+2-2: (15)+10+2+-2: 25 GAME: Rune rolls damage1+3d6: aliased to 1d6+1+3d6: (3)+1+(8): 12
Rocky chuffs, crowding in close to the possessed Skiel. Too close, his blade clanging awkwardly off the other sith's defenses. "Pick on someone your own size. Like me. I'm your size."
GAME: Lysa rolls weapon13: (12)+13: 25 GAME: Lysa rolls damage13+1d6+2+9+1d10: aliased to 1d10+5+1d6+2+9+1d10: (5)+5+(6)+2+9+(6): 33
The sight of the smoke leaving Ima and moving towards Skielstregar draws another string of curses from Rune. Specifically, she goes from Draconic to Syl to Tradespeech in a fluid sequence of colorful language.
There doesn't seem to be much option, at least not for Rune. She has no magic to call her friend back from where ever his mind is at the moment. "I'm sorry Skielstregar, Malefic, but..." The rogue shifts around, trying to get into a position behind the fearsome form that is a completely raged-out Forgotten.
One slash of her weapon is all that manages to hit, though. "I /really/ don't like this. Are you sure no one has some way of forcing this thing out of him and dealing with it?"
GAME: Harkashan casts Prayer. Caster Level: 7 DC: 17
Moving to one side as the spear comes her way, Lysa manages to evade the stab. "I am sorry Skiel." she remarks as she turns her grip and sweeps the sword across horizontally, leaving scorch marks and a bloody wound that isn't as bloody as it -should- be along the possessed Makar's body.
That done, she recovers and resummons her shield defensively. Hey, it MIGHT help!
GAME: Harkashan rolls BAB+WIS: (3)+5+WIS: 8 GAME: Murder rolls ranged: (6)+13: 19 GAME: Murder rolls 2d6: (7): 7 GAME: Murder rolls athletics: (3)+15: 18
Harkashan sends another spell out immediately, as he watches Skielstregar attack Lysa. "Stay on guard! I will support from the back!" He rumbles at her, as another ripple of silvery-red light dances outwards.
He then glances at Murder running past. Thinking for a moment she might have been caught by a spell of fear. But he sees no fear in her eyes. "Murder! Get back here!" He calls at her as his spiritual ally tries to cut at Skielstregar once more, but fails to get in the whirling dervish of movement!
"I'm not as familiar with fiends and demons. But beings usually escape if the body they're in is significantly hurt."
GAME: Skielstregar rolls will-2-1: (2)+9+-2+-1: 8 GAME: Skielstregar rolls will-2-1: (2)+9+-2+-1: 8
The Goblin looks slightly dejected as Skiel ignores her. "I really thought that was going to work.", she says with an angry pout.
Her eyes widen briefly, and she rummages around in a pouch on her belt. " Healing... healing... EEEK wiggling choco spider! Why is that... nevermind.. HOLY WATER!"
Murder eyes the mirror-scale Skiel, and winds up, smashing the holy water into the Sith's head. "That's what you get for ignoring me!"
Skielstregar roars in pain as fire lances across his chest. "DIE! YOU TOOK MY PEOPLE! I WILL TAKE YOUR LIFE!" he bellows, pulling up the spear once more as he rushes forward to impale Lysa.
Malefic yells at him, "No, you frozen fool!"
And then the holy water splashes across the back of his head.
The Forgotten-turned Skielstregar fumbles to his knees, gripping his spear as he hacks and coughs, black bits of smoke pouring out from his maw and ears.
Rocky readies another strike, when Skielstregar stumbles and spews smoke. Lacking holy powers himself, the greyscale halfheartedly pokes at the oily vapor with his cold iron blade. Demons hate that stuff, right? "It's like bad fart, but less pleasant."
Tensing at the anger from Skielstregar, Rune seems to be readying herself for an attack that may very well come her way. She's seen this fighter make absolute paste out of an enemy combatant, but she can only hope some of that was him leaning on Malefic's strength.
However, the next moment the Forgotten is on his knees coughing. It causes a brief flicker of hesitation. Her eyes dart, focusing on Rocky and what he seems to be doing. "I can help." Since it seems that using cold iron seems to be helping matters, Rune drops one of her magical swords and draws out her cold iron blade, joining Rocky in the effort to swipe at the smoke that pours from the silver-scaled Makari.
GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon1-2-1: (13)+17+-2+-1: 27 GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon1-2-1: (17)+17+-2+-1: 31 GAME: Skielstregar rolls damage1+9+3: aliased to 1d8+9+9+3: (8)+9+9+3: 29 GAME: Lysa casts Bless Weapon. Caster Level: 8 DC: 15 GAME: Lysa rolls 5d6: (23): 23 GAME: Harkashan rolls Knowledge/The Planes: (19)+3: 22
She had a whole self-sacrificial plan. Typical Martyer mentality of a Paladin. But then Lysa sees what she -hopes- is the cold iron causing harm to the smoke. She is assuming Skiel is not a threat at the moment. That is her mistake and as she reaches out to start summoning power to try to help Rocky out... Skiel surprises her.
The spear pierces her torso through the abdomen and intestines. She grunts in pain for a moment as the spear is pulled out and blood splatters the floor at her feet. It found that little chink in her armor, and the power she summoned fades into the ether as she holds a hand to her abdomen... forcing healing power into her body. Surprisingly, she heals a -large- chunk of that damage, leaving what could be a nasty scar if it goes without further healing, but that's about all that's left.
"Damn." she mutters. That is all.
GAME: Harkashan rolls BAB+Wisdom+1: (4)+5+4+1: 14 GAME: Harkashan rolls BAB+Wisdom+1: (9)+5+4+1: 19
Harkashan remains at a distance, but when Murder gets that Holy Water on Skielstregar, he hisses; "That worked! Nice going Murder." The Sith-makar remarks, only for Lysa to get hurt by Skielstregar's blade.
Luckily, she's quick on healing herself. "Keep me appraised if you need me to step in, Lysa." Harkashan rumbles to her. Unfortunately, demons and fiends are still well outside of his wheelhouse.
He then touches to his chest for a moment, furrowing his brow... then suddenly steps forward. There's a strange ripple about him for a moment. Little whispers. Clicks. Rumbling hisses from Harkashan as he seems to be... praying.
Stepping forward. "Lysa, at your side." He remarks, making sure him appearing at her periphery won't scare her...
And then suddenly reaches out to touch Skielstregar.
A holy light, dim like a shadow over a moon illuminates from Harkashan's claw as it touches Skielstregar. The sith glows. They both do. A subtle thing and then the black pours out of Skielstregar in one long gasp and is gone. Gone from Skielstregar. Gone.
You go out into the village and find that the other children have returned. You've been fighting for hours in the crypts. How? You don't know. Time passes strangely in the Vast. Stranger when the village is watched over by the fae. They had no idea that demons were possessing the children they'd been protecting during the night.
The werewolves had been through here previously and killed all the elders in a bid to control the children, but their wailing had brought the fae out of hiding to protect the innocent. They'd erased the images from the children's mind and thought that the end of it. They promise to be more watchful. To NEVER allow this village to be taken by demons, devils, or werewolves again. They even tell you where you might strike next...
All in all, it's almost worth the blood you spilled beneath the earth.
-End