Sophie murmurs a prayer and a Nodachi of pure force materializes near the spirit and strikes it.
for
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Vivian tumbles into the room and makes a rapier attack, but she's off balance from her acrobatics and misses.
Tara casts Shield of Faith on Amaria.
Sophie uses divine magic to create a nodachi out of pure force, which then attacks the undead and also misses.
The wraith flies back 5 feet and touches Vivian with one of its small shadowy tendrils. The nimble redhead also feels the coldness of the room enter her body and attempt to lodge itself inside of her.
Initiative (Rounds 3-4)
Amaria <= Up
Sophie <= Up
Tara [5 Dmg] <= Up
Vivian [2 Dmg; Fort save needed] <= Up
Wraith
Stefan <= Up
Bert [3 Dmg; 2 Con Drain] <= Up
Bert steps up and swings his hammer at the wraith.
Sophie moves into the room and does her best to help Vivian's next attack.
Meanwhile the Nodachi continues its attack.
for
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Vivian feels her heart slowing when the creature touches her. Grimacing through the cold burning pain, the redhead counter attacks
Bert swings his lucerne hammer at the wraith and damages it further.
Sophie's spirtual weapon barely misses.
Vivian begins to experience the same cold burn as Bert, but continues her attack, hitting the wraith with her longsword.
Moving up the crowded hallway and into the room, Stefan scrambles over the junk piled along the northern wall. He casts a spell, and two blue-white bolts of magical energy fly from his hand into the wraith.
Dr. Von Herzog moves into the room, and casts a spell that releases two powerful force bolts at the wraith. The projectiles hit the undead in the center of its mass and it disperses with a whiny cry. The cold besieging the house appears to lift immediately upon the creature's destruction.
Searching the house the group manage to scrounge up enough materials for the equivalent of masterwork tailor's tools. You also find a small wooden box with a slot on the top of it and a cork at the bottom. Written on the side are the words 'Rachel's Bank.' Pulling out the cork, you find 3 copper pieces inside.
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"This village appears to be haunted by wraiths. I think we should take this child's coin bank as possible evidence of the lives that once lived here. I sugges that we continue to sweep inward toward the village center."
I'll avenge you, little one, and destroy the monster that not only stole your future but cursed you with unlife.
She wipes her tears, as discreetly as possible
Shifting awkwardly on her feet as the others scour the room for more clues of what happened to Rachel, Tara gently runs a thumb over her holy symbol. Taking a deep breath and concentrating on the worn grooves, Tara says a silent prayer to the soul of the little girl before turning her attention into the room that she had wandered into. "I'm going to check over here." she mumbles out to the others as she inspects the living area.
Stefan casts detect magic, looking for any unfamiliar auras in the abandoned house.
Outside of the tailor tools and small personal bank, nothing of else of interest lies within the piles of refuse in the building. Stefan finds no magical auras in the area either.
The group then departs the small building and follows the path to the west. It leads to another group of buildings in a middle of a bog, but there appears to be no presence of undead in the area nor any path leading away other than the one you used to get there.
Backtracking to your last position, then taking the path to the south you soon come to what you surmise is the center of a village in which stands a small, whitewashed timber building that appears to be a chapel dedicated to Desna. A number of gravestones surround the building. Another small building sits northeast of the chapel, with a large symbol of Desna painted on the door and secured by what looks like a rusty lock.
Here is an updated map of Hergstag
Assessing the situation, Stefan suggests, "I think we should investigate the chapel, taking caution while traversing the churchyard. Perhaps we should make sure that the graves in the churchyard haven't been disturbed, as well."
Investigating the interior of the chapel first, it appears to be falling victim to rot. Weeds are already growing between the pews, some of the windows are smashed, and mice appear to be nesting the altar. Once beautiful frescoes depicting Desna and heavens have begun to flake as well. The holy water in the font is turning green, but the religious among you judge that it's still sanctified and you could probably make five usable flasks.
Vivian looks at the church, and the basin with holy water
That's can be really helpful, many thanks to you Desna for this stroke of luck. We should take some holy water with us. I guess the undead can't enter here, it's good to know.
"Guess I could dose my weapon with holy water, if that might help." Bert says as he examines the basin.
I already have four vials of holy water. Do anyone need some? You can use an empty potion vial, or maybe your water skin. Holy water is still water, after all. Bert, I guess dipping your sword in it -no innuendo intended-won't work. Let's check the graveyard and the small building too, maybe we can find more clues about what happened here...
Sophie refills the two vials she had poured out on the ghost in the prison with the Holy water.
She nods at Vivian. "Sensible suggestion, girl."
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Progressing out of the chapel and into the graveyard, the area appears to be less overgrown than the paths, but weeds still appear poised overtake the cemetery in a few months. Most of the stone monuments are simple, with a name and dates. A few are slightly more ornate, with a symbol of Desna or Pharasma carved in the monument.
Bert helps anyone who wants to look over the graveyard more.
Vivian traces a spiral over her heart right before entering the graveyard.
She seems worried, and about to cry, her eyes unfocused on the surroundings
Those poor children... Look at yourself, Vivian. You talk about avenging dead children, but where were you when this poor child needed your watchful care? You won't save a life tonight. Even if you killed the undead, will it really matter? The children won't come back to life...
Looking through the graveyard, Vivian and Bert discover gravestones for all six of the children supposedly murdered by The Beast of Lepidstadt, with the proper names and dates (Maarten, Karin, Rachel, Gaard, Allen, and Ellsa).
Before leaving the chapel, the doctor casts a spell, then looks intently about the room while his eyes glow with a bluish light.
Back outside, Stefan also looks around the graveyard.
Dr. Von Herzog finds no magical auras the chapel and moves on to the graveyard. He does not discover anything else of note, other than the gravestones of the children previously found by Vivian and Bert.
After canvassing the graveyard, however, Vivian and Bert both note that the coldness hovering in their chests seems to increase in intensity as they get closer to the small outbuilding with the Desna symbol painted on the door.
Strange... it's colder there. At least it feels colder there.
Vivian points the small outbuilding to her companions
Let's be cautious, even if the symbol of Desna is still on the door, that doesn't mean the goddess keeps an eye on it right now... Can someone finds out magically if undead are around?
"Yes, I can do that."
Stefan casts a spell, and the large onyx ring on his left hand glows brighter than it usually does during his spellcasting.
Stefan's eyes glow with a pale, ghostly light as he intently focuses his gaze on the outbuilding.
Dr. Von Herzog casts a spell and detects one strong undead aura somewhere within the wooden outbuilding.
"I sense... the presence of unlife... A single aura... strong... lies beyond this door..."
Sophie taps Bert on the head and he seems to grow a protective fur. "Perhaps we will be able to help this spirit. But... Best prepare for the worse" She croaks.
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Vivian takes her sword, and traces a spiral over her heart, asking for Pharasma's guidance to defeat the undead
Is everyone ready?
if it seems to dark, she will uses a sunrod first
Vivian notices a rusty lock on the door, it'll either need to be picked or removed in some other manner in order to enter the building through the door.
Bert nods to Sophie "Thanks."
"I could use the hammer to remove the lock..and maybe part of the door. I suspect we are expected."
Gimme a few minutes and I'll pick that lock, I guess
Vivian begins to pick the rusty lock, but the parts begin to disintegrate in her hands and the whole mechanism just falls apart. Apparently the lock was the only thing keeping the door closed, so it squeaks open.
Activating a sunrod, Vivian then looks inside the building. The interior is cool and dusty, with a long, tall set of bookshelves 5 feet away from the door. Some loose papers lay on the floor, they appear to be excerpts from some religious tract about Desna's cosmic importance. The bookshelves nearly reach the ceiling, obscuring whatever else is in the building behind them.
Moving to the door, Stefan continues to scan the room, trying to determine the location of the undead aura.
Bert looks at his companions. "Want me to go in? Seems silly to waste this fur, Sophie gave me."
Sure Bert, but be careful.. we're right behind you
As Amaria begins to Detect Evil she notes one evil presence in the building. Concentrating further, she determines the aura is moderately evil and in the center of the building.
Nothing immediately attacks Bert as he makes his way around the bookcase, moving to the west side of the building to see there are three more tall wooden bookcases, some of them holding scrolls. In the center of the building, he can hear some light humming, which sounds like the rhythm of a children's nursery rhyme. From his current position, he cannot see who or what is humming.
Clutching his iron-shod cane tightly, Stefan follows Bert into the room, and whispers, "I hope to be able to distinguish the quick from the dead if the need arises..."
"Well keep on coming folks, I hear humming over here." Bert says, maybe a bit too loud.
Spooky...I hate that...