Ikit is looking over the bodies as they are gathered up. It's hard to tell, as the frogman has been walking around, and a giant lizard leaving slime trails, but... it looks like the fight involved the village against one person. At least, Ikit only finds one set of prints that seem to lead from body to body. Heavy impressions in the ground, whoever left it was very heavy. Their feet aren't overly big though, so likely they were wearing very heavy armor. The armored man (Dante) leaves such footprints when he's walking around. There may have been more, but if so, they weren't so heavily armored. And none of the bodies appear to have been wearing armor so heavy. There are also some hoofprints that are much deeper than any others, as if the horse were very heavy as well, perhaps also armored, near the well.
"Might as well start with her." Anastacia heads toward the hanging woman checking her for life signs, with the necromantic sight granted by Pharasma.
Ikit freezes as he looks up, looking at the heavy armored man. He looks from one to the other, then back to the armored man. Ikit begins to move away, slowly. Then he runs to the furthest end, screetching!
The body you study has been mauled by whatever it was hit with. Cuts are deep, and then the bones under the deep cut shattered. One arm was completely severed.
Dismounting his warhorse, Dante inspects the scene with his friends, a grisly and gruesome one to be sure. He was glad Alliah wasn't with them to witness this.
Suddenly, the small rat man shouted and ran away from him. With a surly look, and a shake of his head, he held up his hand to tell the little bugger to wait, but thought better of it.
Muttering under his breath, he would help Anastacia carry the bodies to the pyre.
"Damn jumpy sub humans. Frogmen, ratmen, tree people."
As Dante looks over the bodies, he begins to see why the little ratfolk ran away from Dante. The bodies have deep cuts, with bones shattered under the cuts. There are also deep footprints near those bodies. Someone in heavy armor (like Dante's) used a great sword (like Dante's) to cleave flesh and shatter bone (like Dante). In fact, most of the bodies Dante can see look like the ones he usually leaves behind. In fact, Dante would have a hard time proving he didn't kill them if someone accused him of it.
"Svetlanya didn't give much of a description other than his name. She did show us the family crest he should be wearing." Rowan informs Natalie before starting his own thorough search of the compound.
Rowan begins helping drag the bodies laying out on the ground over to A3 while Anastacia studies the woman on the door.
As Rowan looks around, and examines the bodies, and what's left of tracks in the dirt of the village, he begins to get an idea of what happened.
The battle started near the well. There are two sets of tracks that don't appear elsewhere in the village there. One set is a set of horse shoes, and the village didn't appear to have any horses. The horse in question was obviously wearing armor, given how deep the hoof prints are, plus the hoof prints have a type of shoe commonly used by military types, the shoes are large and lip up around the hoof, providing a striking surface. Dante's horse has similar shoes.
The second set of prints is from a humanoid, probably about 5 and a half feet tall, and one heavily armored, given how deep the prints are. The prints are the type that a person in heavy armor would leave. Probably full plate.
The corpses near where the fight started all either have massive wounds, similar to those Dante leaves with his Great Sword. The bodies have wide deep cuts, and the bones at the bottom of the cuts are shattered from the blows. Two of the corpses have been killed by being kicked by the horse, and then trampled.
However, the corpses near the back gate, and middle of the village, all have much different wounds. They have slit throats (the one by the back gate has it's throat nearly severed, with a massive spray of blood nearby). Several other bodies have deep wounds into vital organs, usually from behind, as if someone snuck up on them while they were fighting the armored person, and stabbed them in the kidneys, or the femoral artery, or through the heart. The wounds look like they were done with a short bladed weapon, a short sword or kukri or dagger.
Rowan would estimate that the entire village was killed by two people and a horse.
"Well met, Katlin Ikit and Natalie. My name is Fhârn. Pleased to meet you, but I would have wished for better circumstances." He gives them a nod and dismounts. Others where better suited to investigate the dead, so he muttered a quick cantrip under his breath and looked around. Perhaps there was some lingering spell, a hint to what happened. "This was a slaughter ... Was the gate open when you came?"
Circling above, Munin gave the vultures a glare that was both envious and condescending. So far from the pesky humans he felt at ease for a moment - glad to be away from the persistent feeling of anger. With a sigh he swooped past one of the tasty morsels left on the ground and went on with his mission. One day!
Rowan returns to Wilhelm's side and whispers his findings to him.
The woman has only been dead for a week, shorter than the other corpses. She was not dead when pinned to the wall by two short swords. It looks as if she bled out on the door, likely over several days.
Fharn detects some magic auras in the house (A3). He can't tell for sure about the stone building (A8) or the stone tower (A9).
While inside the walls, the anger flickers and dies, and Munin feels normal again.
From above, it looks obvious that the fight started near the well, the blood spatter patterns look like there was some more attackers, who probably climbed over the rear gate, because the sprays of blood are arc'd like a pathway of murder and mayhem, almost like a line. It's much easier to see from above. Like two forces in a pincer maneuver attacked the town.
Hard to imagine this scene when first we set out upon the land. I always thought we would pacify this land with a pen and a sword and that would be it. This is just sloppy. The little lord turned kobold muses on his/her's/its current situation. Profound disturbance begins to creep in as she watches the others catalogue the dead.
Gorruum looks up with a start as Ikit begins squeaking at Dante. "What wrong white rat? Afraid of shiny wolf man?" Gorruum takes a cursory look at the bodies before jumping in to answer Fhârn's question. "Gate closed. Pointy ears open gate!"
"As Gorruum said, I tossed that rope and climbed over to open the gate for Katlin and Ikit. And also tried to calm Gorruum down and not attacking me"
Natalie looks around for firewood to help building the pyre.
There is firewood piled up next to A9. A very large pile.
"Nope- Gate was closed as a locked wall." katlin said, staring at it.
"I'm going to look through the buildings- Watch my back!" the girl said.
She enters A4.
This was a short but deadly battle. Having been the first through the gate before everyone started trampling things, you noticed that there were heavy horse prints in the packed dirt by the gate. Someone with a loaded down horse entered the village. Probably a knight, the horse likely had barding to weigh so much, and the rider probably had full plate on. The bodies near the gate had wounds you've seen when someone who really knows how to use a large heavy weapon sets about killing people with purpose.
A4 is a small house, one combination common room and kitchen, one loft type bedroom. Someone has recently ransacked the house, as if looking for things. There are some frog shaped footprints in the dust.
The black raven descends from the sky and lands on Fhârn shoulder, where it starts whisper what it noticed. With a solemn nod he acknowledged both Munin's input and that of Gorum, Katlin and Natalie. Interesting. I have to examine the walls but first ... Stroking his chin, he summarized the little he knew so far.
"From the sky, it looks like there were two fronts of attackers - one originating from the well and the other from the rear gate. So they let atleast one attacker inside, if it didn't climb out of the well ... And the gate was still barred from the *inside*? Curious... There might still be survivors then - or the attackers employed some alternative means of travel. Have anyone checked the rear gate?"
He gave the raven a small nod and it took flight again, flying over to check and see if the rear gate had also been sealed from the inside. In the meanwhile, he thought he'd investigate the auras in A3. Ikit seems worried about Dante? Hmhm.
With Dante's help, Anastacia gathers the dead into an orderly row. 'Maybe there are blankets in some of these houses. It's better if we shroud the bodies. Anastacia points to the woman that was pinned up. "This one was killed more recently. Not in the first raid."
"It might be best if I call one of these departed souls back from their rest. Perhaps we can learn who, or what did this."
Anastacia pauses to watch Ikit. What could be upsetting the ratfolk so?"
He keeps his head down. Looking at the armored man (dante)
He was hiding but mostly in a defensive position
"Big heavy feet feet. Big heavy hoves. Only big man can make. He make it!" he points at him
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"The rat fellow points out the obvious." he tears the shirt off of a few of the bodies and stands next to Anastacia, pointing it out to her but speaking loud enough for all to hear.
"These wounds are of a heavy blade, most likely a great or bastard sword. Heavily armored men did this, their feet sink deep into the earth."
+ 470 gp in coins
1 500gp Diamond
3 75gp objects de art, 1 25 gp object de art
1 lesser minor weapon
3 lesser minor potions
1 greater minor potion
1 lesser minor wand
1st
1st
1st
2nd
Uncommon
Common
Common
Common
Hide from Undead
Enlarge Person
Mage Armor
Resist Energy (Electricity)
1st
Uncommon
Icicle Dagger
Specific Weapon
+2 Screaming Bolt
"A *man* did this?" Fhârn lets out a soft whistle. "That would explain how he - or she, let's not make any ungainly assumptions - got inside. But slaughtering an entire village? Either they feared the outside well enough or *some* should have been able to scatter. Could chalk it up to chock perhaps ..."
He shook his head. Speculation wouldn't do much now - there might still be evidence to find. "There was some interesting auras in this house, I'll give it a good search before reporting back. Munin, did you check the rear gate?"
Fharn moves into A3 as Anastacia pulls the old woman's body down. The dried blood is slick, so he has to move slowly.
Moving in, the house looks like a chieftan's house, a common area with chairs to meet, a kitchen to the rear, and a bedroom and library to the left. Opening the door to the right, Fharn sees...
...skulls, hundreds of skulls. They adorn the walls, stacked one on top of the other, all the way around. There is a pile of bones and metal in the center of the back wall, but it looks damaged, like someone poured acid over it. Which fits with the burned holes in the floor underneath.
Behind the skulls, what look like leg and arm bones have been used to make the interior walls. Many of the skulls have been turned into nooks to store things.
The skulls are a variety of types, but most of them look human.
Huh. You don't see *that* every day... With almost morbid curiosity Fhârn looked around in the macabre hall. Well, the craftmanship is sort of impressive ... He tried to spot anything that could be a religious icon or symbol, but he had a gnawing suspicion that they were mainly part of the melted pile of stuff. Not that he was entirely sure what to look for either. A quick sweep with Detect Magic couldn't hurt. After that he shrugged and walked out, intent to fetch either Will or Ana for an experts evaluation.
"Uhm. It turns out that some of our grief and sorrow *might* be slightly misplaced... Could I get a second opinion on some of the furnishing in here? Anastacia, you might want to take a look. Well 'want' is probably the wrong word..." He looked around, glad that the kid wasn't nearby. Not that she probably hadn't seen some stuff already but ... Whom brings their child to this place anyhow?
Wilhelm returns a nod to the half-elf child, "It is good to meet you, Katlin." Following her into the town, Wilhelm's face pales and he murmurs, "Pharasma guide their souls and Iomedae shelter them." Still pale, he steps close to whisper into Natalie's ear. "It may be best if your sister waits outside, given this slaughter."
He nods quietly to Anastacia's plan and he moves through the village, looking over the slaughter. Laying a hand on his holy symbol, his eyes glow faintly white as studies the scene with determination.
Wilhelm listens in silence as Rowan returns and outlines the destruction of the village. Gods preserve. Only two caused this degree of slaughter? Hearing Ikit's accusation and Dante's response, Wilhelm clarifies Rowan's findings, "No, just one in heavy armor, a horse and a lighter humanoid who fought with stealth and guile. And do not be so quick to think it men. Remember the creature who murdered poor Bej. These forests are not so safe as we may wish as yet."
When Fharn returns from inside the macabre room, Wilhelm immediately enters, drawing his blade as he goes. His eyes flicker over the scene, taking in the sight as he sorts through what he can recall of cults from his training.
The entire room has a lingering aura of evil. Many fell things were done here. The bits of acid damaged stuff have the strongest aura, although it's probably slowly fading after being damaged.
Between the woman's purple clothing, the skulls, Wilhelm is guessing that this was a shrine or alter to Kabriri, the ghoul god. A rather unsavory patron demon of ghouls, and cannibals...
As Wilhelm investigates the building, those outside see a sudden glimmering in the air over the gate precedes the sudden appearance of a winged creature.
The winged creature has four insectile wings on it's back. When it first appears, it has no color, it is gray and black and shades between. Then it slowly turns red as it flies forward, then orange, then yellow, green, blue, indigo, and finally a dark violet. Then it suddenly snaps into focus, it's colors normal now.
It's handsome face is finely chisled, and it's hair the color of newborn bamboo shoots. Dark green eyes glow slightly in it's humanoid face. It hovers 10 feet off the ground in the main area in front of A3.
The creature looks on for a second, ensuring it has everyone's attention. It wears what looks like a military uniform, albeit one made of brown leather and green leaves. On it's chest, like medals, are small jems. A white diamond twinkles, two sapphires, and three rubies. On it's hip it carries a slim rapier.
"Place the hag back on the door, death priestess. Death and Chaos have descended on this foul place, and have left the foul thing as a warning. It is neither thy right to undo that warning, nor thy duty. Indeed, it is likely your goddess, were she aware of what you are doing, would be rather wroth with you." The creature's voice rolls over the village. "Take anything you wish, but leave the warnings for others."
The creature is an Atomie, a fey creature.
The creature is an Atomie, a fey creature. It has spell like abilities, including the ability to go invisible, speak with animals, and shrink people at will.
The creature is an Atomie, a fey creature. It has spell like abilities, including the ability to go invisible, speak with animals, and shrink people at will. This particular atomie, however, seems bigger than normal, by about 20%, and also looks to be more heavily muscled than atomie are usually.
Atomie. Atomie.
"Ikit listen. Ikit not desturb. Yes. Yes. Okay. Ikit think we leave leave?" he looks at the others
"Fey fey. Atomie. It of the woods, yes yes? "
The atomie looks to Ikit. "Fear not, Ikit of the East Glade Warren. You need not fear my wrath, thy and thy folk are innocent victims of the humans."
He looks down
"Ikit only help where Ikit can. So big plate human not bad bad then?" he makes sure the Atomie knows that he means Dante
Gorruum has no knowledge of the newcomer. He understands 'death', 'chaos' and 'warning'. Then 'victims of hooms'. "Yes. That what gold lizard said. Hooms kill. Shiny wolf man. Gorruum scavenge." With the fragmented information Gorruuum has been able to put together, he is pretty sure Dante and at least one of the others are responsible for the slaughter.
This is why I don't bother with religion too much! Fhârn gave Will a sympathetic look as the paladin entered the house he himself had just left. Abadar, Brigh and Nethys have somewhat sensible doctrines - bless their immortal hearts...
Hmm... Faë. Impressive that he got past the walls. Then again, I suspect not having to actually walk close to them helped... He gave the atomie an evaluative look. The 'uniform' was puzzling to say the least - but somehow the fact that the faë where militarising didn't surprise him too much. I wonder what 'deeds' earned him those medals. The fact that everything and everyone seemed to be 'victims of the humans' gave him some grim, if unsavoury, ideas. Nevertheless, this one didn't seem outright hostile to them.
Natalie whisper back to Wilhelm "We are not related, we are both employed by Svetlana"
I don't know what kind of creature that is so I waited to see how the other reacts and keep one hand on my rapier in case it takes a turn for the worse
"That remains to be Adjudged, Ikit." The atomie intones, eyeing Dante coldly.
With the dead placed in orderly fashion, Anastacia would have begun looking for blankets suitable for use a burial shrouds. Instead she is drawn by Fhârn's interest in whatever is in the main building (A3)
Before she has time to do a more thorough examination of the room of skulls, the atomie arrives. Anastacia goes out to see what it wants.
She listens, then answers: "Who are you, to claim to speak for the Lady of Graves? Even the most vile of necromancers, still need to be interred properly. Something you would know, if you knew the mind of Pharasma, as you claim."
Anastacia looks the atomie over, taking in the details of his uniform.
"At any rate, if this was meant to be left as a warning, then you should have nailed up a sign explaining what it means. As it stands, it looks more like a crime scene."
Wilhelm's lip curls in distaste at the implications of the scene before him. Kabriri, the god who gnaws. It would seem there was justice served to those who lived here. Hearing the new voice speaking outside, Wilhelm leaves in time to hear Anastacia's reply. "Greetings to you, sir. From what I gather, it was someone among the fae who dealt justices to the cannibal-worshippers of Kabriri who lived here. I thank you for that. I'm Wilhelm Orlovsky, Baron of Domierov. Who's acquaintance do I have the pleasure of making?"
The atomie waits for Wilhelm to finish, and then nods. "Aye, Kabriri, and the Queen of Death has no love for him or his ilk. The hag was properly interred as befit her station in life."
He then eyes Wilhelm. "I know who ye are, kinglet who would be. When I give a name to mortals, I give the name of Sir Milgen, Commander of the Green Guard... Also known as Lord High Executioner of the Green Court. As to pleasure, I would reserve that sentiment until ye have been adjudged, human. I have had to interrupt my judgement of ye and yours to prevent the death priestess from removing the warning."
The atomie turns to Anastacia again. "The one the warning is meant for will perfectly understand it without words. Mortals are of no consequence. The demon that consorted with the hag is the one the warning is meant for. Now, I repeat, please return the hag to her position as warning. The souls of the dead in this village will not rest any easier for a proper burial. Demons are not known to allow their toys an easy rest."
Turning back to Wilhelm, the atomie continues. "None of fey blood were involved in this, as I said, Death and Chaos descended upon the town. There are, in my estimation, very few places in the green wood that needed to be visited by such as much as this foul place."
"We do find ghouls to be abhorrent. Perhaps I will place your warning back as I found it. And a placard at the gates as a warning to travelers."
Anastacia defers to Wilhelm.
"The followers of the ghoul demon don't really deserve last rites. These look to be past the time of ghoul fever. The one that was nailed up may not be. There may also be the danger that the one for whom this 'warning' was intended will raise them up as undead, out of spite. That being said, I think we should comply with Sir Milgen's request."
"If we are very fortunate, the demon will indeed attempt to raise them up as undead." The atomie gives a grin that would terrify a devil. "It will not like the results, assuming the corpses are not sanctified that is. As to ghoul fever, they are not infected with that."
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