Jevault can see unnatural rage and fear cross the mans face, his fingers hooked into claws; then the man drops his brush and pail (spilling blood!) and flees screaming across the roadway and through a hedge there.
Other party members, make a Perception DC17 check to wake, as you were sorta expecting something like that to happen. Spellcasters who need the rest don't have to if they don't want to.
Perception
Domminia wakes up and Theodoric appears as well.
"Get back here, you cur!" and she pursues him.
Still sleeping
Half-naked, Kendra bursts into Ereviss' bedchamber, grabs him and shakes violently.
"EREVISS! WHAT WAS THAT SCREAMING?!"
Those chasing the bloody man have to make a Escape Artist check DC11 (to wiggle through), or Acrobatics check DC15 (to jump). Failure means you are delayed a round.
I'm stuck.
Escape artist
Ereviss tries to get free and join the chase.
Uttering a curse, Jevault takes off after the fleeing man. Despite his armour, he manages to slip through the gap in the hedge without too many problems.
The man leads the people at the bridge on a merry chase across a field and around a house, then doubles back through town. Those at the house who rouse have enough time to don light armor only (or none).
Now the chase leads by the Lorrimor house and everybody coming from the house gets into the chase at this point.
Now, everybody in the chase is together now. The man is thirty yards ahead and jumps over a rail fence. He maintains 30 yard lead.
Everybody following can make a DC14 Acrobatics check to jump the fence or DC11 Escape Artist to slip between the rails without losing distance.
The man leads Jevault on a merry dance through the village before vaulting a fence. Rather than following suit, the dhampir opt to squeeze through a gap in the rails. Sadly, he gets caught on some unseen brambles, and the gap between the pair increases.
Ereviss attempts to follow, but he is not able to squeeze through.
Jevault: gets briefly stuck between the rails, gap increases to 40 yards.
Ereviss: also gets briefly stuck between the rails, gap increases to 40 yards.
Domminia: dives between the rails, maintains 30 yard gap.
Theodoric: tries to jump, but crashes to a stop and has to climb over laboriously, gap increases to 40 yards.
Agrimar: slips through the rails easily, maintains 30 yard gap.
Ysabot: continues to snooze, warm and comfortable in her bed.
Maniac:
The man crashes through another hedge up ahead...
Everybody following can make:
* a DC18 Acrobatics check to jump the hedge, or
* a DC13 Escape Artist check to slip through the hedge, or
* a DC11 Intelligence check to spot the shortcut,
without losing distance.
DC 11 INt
Not noticing the short cut she tries to jump the hedge
Her vault over the fence is sloppy and she hits her knee on the top making over the fence but she lands face first in the dirt/mud/grass on the other side "Damn!!!!" screams Domminia as her head thuds against the ground.
Looks to you the guy you're chasing had problems going through the hedge.
Jevault: took the long cut through, distance remains 40 yards.
Agrimar: found the short cut, distance drops to 20 yards away.
Domminia: slowed by the hedge, distance remains 30 yards.
Theodoric: bounces off hedge, distance remains 40 yards.
Ereviss: Slips through the hedge easily, distance shrinks to 30 yards.
Ysabot: continues to snooze, warm and comfortable in her bed.
The maniac reached the Old River and splashed across it easily (his physical ability is supernatural!)
Everybody following can make:
* a DC16 Acrobatics check to running long jump across the river, or
* a DC12 Swim check to splash across
* a DC14 Perception check to spot the submerged log you can run across on,
without losing distance.
Needing to make up ground, Jevault hopes that the log he sees floating in the water is stable enough to support his weight. Without slowing, he plants his front foot down and offers thanks to Pharasma as the makeshift bridge holds.
I hope all this running is worth it. Jevault smiles at the thought of catching the man only to find that he doesn't know anything. He quickly puts that thought out of his head and concentrates on the task at hand.
Agrimar Darkvision pierces the night to make out the faint outline of the submerged log and clambers across.
Ereviss looks spots the log easily and rushes along in pursuit. His elvish eyes really finding the way.
Domminia Perception
Theodoric Perception
The maniac splashes across the river ahead of you, slowing his progress.
Jevault found the log across the water, cutting the distance to 20 yards.
Agrimar found the log across the water, catching up to the Maniac!
Ereviss found the log across the water, cutting the distance to 10 yards.
Domminia found the log across the water, cutting the distance to 10 yards.
Theodoric splashes through the river, distance increases to 50 yards.
Ysabot: continues to snooze, warm and comfortable in her bed.
Agrimar attempts to tackle the fleeing maniac...
Agrimar executes a flying tackle, which misses and he falls prone. But he did manage to tip and cause the maniac to stumble, allowing Ereviss and Domminia to catch up.
Jevault closes to 10 yards.
Theodoric rumbles to 40 yards.
Ereviss throws out a rope and casts a quick spell attempting to entangle the maniac.
School transmutation; Level bard 1, sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target one rope-like object, length up to 50 ft. + 5 ft./level; see text
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
You can animate a nonliving rope-like object. The maximum length assumes a rope with a 1-inch diameter. Reduce the maximum length by 50% for every additional inch of thickness, and increase it by 50% for each reduction of the rope's diameter by half.
The possible commands are “coil” (form a neat, coiled stack), “coil and knot,” “loop,” “loop and knot,” “tie and knot,” and the opposites of all of the above (“uncoil,” and so forth). You can give one command each round as a move action, as if directing an active spell.
The rope can enwrap only a creature or an object within 1 foot of it—it does not snake outward—so it must be thrown near the intended target. Doing so requires a successful ranged touch attack roll (range increment 10 feet). A typical 1-inch-diameter hemp rope has 2 hit points, AC 10, and requires a DC 23 Strength check to burst it. The rope does not deal damage, but it can be used as a trip line or to cause a single opponent that fails a Reflex saving throw to become entangled. A creature capable of spellcasting that is bound by this spell must make a concentration check with a DC of 15 + the spell's level to cast a spell. An entangled creature can slip free with a DC 20 Escape Artist check.
The rope itself and any knots tied in it are not magical.
The spell cannot affect objects carried or worn by a creature.
The maniac has the luck of the devil as he evades Ereviss' magically animated rope.
Domminia tries a flying tackle.
Theodoric Grapple
The man has the luck of the devil and you all stumble, slip or run into each other. But ultimately, you slow him down enough so that Theodoric finally puts an unbreakable grip on his ankle, fixing him in place.
Quickly you pile on to him and wrap him in rope.
Sitting and gasping for breath, you can see off in the distance you see Councillor Heathmount has gathered a posse with torches and pitchforks prominent in the village square. It looks like he's going to set off in pursuit of the man.
Once the man is pacified, Jevault indicates the villagers.
"Ereviss, perhaps you should talk to the Councillor, convince him to send everyone home. An angry mob will only complicate things.", he states, quietly, panting slightly from his exertions.
The elf smiles and inspires the others to be more alert with a quick speech as he fingers the book he is writing with their names on the cover.
He approaches the crowd with smiles.
"We have this in hand. Do not fear. You can go home now."
The man you caught still has blood on his hands, so he must be the one who was painting Vesorianna's name. He is wearing farmer's clothing and is kind of elderly, pushing 50 maybe. He has a maniacal grin on his face, giggling all the while.
Even with several of you sitting on him, he continues to struggle with very impressive strength.
Councillor Hearthmount is positively vibrating with outrage as Ereviss tries to sooth him.
"Did you see? There is more blood on the memorial! Well, THIS ENDS HERE! We have his trail and we'll run him down tonight!" He declaims righteously. The villagers cheer.
The old man picks this exact time to roar out in a shockingly deep and powerful voice; "You shall not prevent our escape! The woman will die again!" He shouted before lapsing into unconsciousness.
Even a hundred yards away, his voice is powerful enough to frighten the crowd, who shrink back in terror.
Seeing things getting out of hand, Ereviss casts a quick cantrip.
The sound of 12 shambling undead approaching the crowd and moaning in a hideous fashion is quite unnerving.
Agrimar steps towards the crowd, his arms wide and hand open, as non-threateningly as possible.
"Good people of Ravengro, let the authorities that you have placed your trust in handle this. We shall see justice done, let us not give in to fear without knowing all the facts."
Some of the people in the back turn around and look into the dark; startled at the mysterious sounds. They back up into the bulk of the crowd.
Meanwhile Councilman Hearthmount gets into an argument with Agrimar, insisting that you have taken too long and THEY will run down the villain!
"Councilman Hearthmount you're correct. It is your town and you should help protect it. The perpetrator of this crime must be found and, in your wisdom, you've realised that the best way to do it is to gather the villagers. No doubt your next move was to split them into three smaller groups to search the north, the east and the west of the village, leaving us to search the south. Under your guidance, it will not be long before the culprit is apprehended and your people can sleep easier at night. We shall start our search immediately."
Jevault turns to head south, back to the body, the glance he shares with Agrimar asking "Too much?"
Ereviss casts again and the next sound is an eerie wail almost as loud as a lion.
Jevault has the Councilman in the palm of his hand, and has him nodding in agreement when something that might be a lion, but probably isn't yowls in the distance.
The crowd shrieks in terror, and some actually run off into the darkness in a panic. The councillor turns a dead white and gulps.
"YeswellIbelievewewillleavethisinyourcapablehandsthen..." He stutters rapidly. He turns to the mob.
"BACK TO THE HALL NOW!!" He yells; the mob quickly agreeing. They rapidly stream back to the well lit comforts of the tavern where they had started.
Ereviss looks at the old man with some concern and compassion.
"Let us see what he has to say back at the mansion. He may be possessed or something--evil forces can do much with the weak minded."
Ereviss takes Kendra's hand and leads her back home. He will pick up the old man if no one else wants to, but assumes others are more suited to the task.
Before departing, the elf scans for clues.
Carrying the man back to the Lorrimor manor, you see he is still unconscious when you drop him.
The events of the last few days, combined with a night awake, have taken their toll on the dhampir, and it shows. Once back at the house, he dumps his equipment, strips off his armour, slumps down into a chair and closes his eyes.
"Perhaps we should tie him to a bed." he suggests, wearily. "As much for his own protection as ours."
A thought crosses Jevault's mind. His eyes open.
"Does, erm,...Hibs...live alone? Perhaps, whilst he is...here..., we should look around his house. There may be something there that explains his behaviour."
You awaken next morning (rested) in your own beds, the delicious smell of breakfast in the air.
You find Xiuj making a selection of familiar and unfamiliar foods in the kitchen, and that he had almost mummified the man you captured in sticky tanglefoot fibers on the sitting room couch.
"Who new guy?" Xiuj questioned aloud clearly curious.
"That's Gibs Hephanus!" Exclaimed Kendra, yipping in surprise as she comes out to breakfast.
"Uh, why is he wrapped up on our couch?" She asked Ereviss confused.
Theodoric says, "Milady, I hath captured this man on the eve. It is required that we must speak with him a while."