"Hmmm... I'm tempted to take these, though I doubt we will be taking any prisoners here. Perhaps I could damage the lock, so if someone was bound with them, they could escape easily."
Morthak shrugs.
"Good idea." Lars didn't even look at the halfling. He was impressed with Morthak's bravery though. This place was a hellhole if there ever was one. He shuddered to think about what would happen if they fell here, or worse, were taken alive.
"Looks like the hooked horror is in fact here?" Samantha observes. "I don't know how much comfort that brings me right now."
Do you think the hooked horror is a ghoul, or some other kind of undead?
Samantha sighs. "Considering what we saw happening in the graveyard prior... he probably is now." Samantha replies.
"Hmmm... I'm tempted to take these, though I doubt we will be taking any prisoners here. Perhaps I could damage the lock, so if someone was bound with them, they could escape easily."
Morthak shrugs.
[dice=disable device take 10]10+11
No keys with the manacles. The clasps appear to be bashed in and require repair.
Sorry if it's misleading, but there is no other door. The mantle is just that - a mantle. No passageway through it.
"There has to be more than this," Morthak says. "Let's look around."
Morthak begins making a search for secret exits.
Do you find something, Morthak? Preferably before something find us...
Atsushia's voice nearly breaks with stress
Despite a thorough search, you do not find any new horrors. Although there are a few moments where uneasiness and the sense of being watched mixes in with the raw queasiness of the grotesque.
Physically and mentally fatigued from exploring the plantation home, the group returns towards the village.
A scream shatters the quiet afternoon, echoing throughout the village streets.
You believe the scream came from the area marked by the blue triangle.
You believe the scream came from the area marked by the pink triangle.
You believe the scream came from the area marked by the pink triangle.
You believe the scream came from the area marked by the green triangle.
"Up ahead! Something's amiss!" Morthak dashes ahead towards the source of the sound.
Atsushia follows Morthak
"Wait! where are you going? This way?" Samantha calls back to her group, who are running ahead and not back towards the sound of the scream.
She hesitates, wondering why she heard something different.
Atsushia follows Morthak
It's still active, but dangerously close to expiring based on the time spent searching.
Are folks moving yet?
Are folks moving yet?
Morthak calls back to Samantha. "The scream came from over there!" he points.
With his sword drawn, Lars ran towards where he heard the scream coming from. "Everyone, let's move!" he yelled.
Morthak starts heading west, and after a few seconds, so does Atsushia.
Lars also starts to head in that direction, following the road while Sam remains, confused as to why the group is running away from the scream.
Time-wise, we'll say this is one rounds worth of double movement away from the party's starting point.
Map positions adjusted slightly to reflect this.
What does everyone do? Keep moving?
Atsushia still follows Morthak
come, Sam..we'll need you!
Morthak keeps running, but when he is about to go round a building to where he thinks the scream comes from, he stops. He runs to the edge of the building and peeks around the corner, trying to keep under cover.
Atsushia and Morthak run up to a trio of houses that corner a copse. Morthak stops to peak around the corner. What does Atsushia and Lars do? Do you wait for Morthak to scout ahead or continue to run towards the source?
Seeing the party split up, Lars came to a halt. Was he going the right way? He decided that he trusted Morthak’s senses more than his own, so he decided to let his comrade scout it out.
Atsushia waits, as silently as possible, admiring Morthak skills
Morthak sees the following around the corner:
Morthak ducks back behind the building and whispers to those behind him.
"A hooded man with a blade, just struck down someone. At least it's not a ghoul. Maybe it's Greenway? Did he wear a hood?"
what? but we must try to save her first! Let's hope she isn't dead yet!
Forgetting caution, Atsushia rushes to the help of the Fallen woman
Morthak recognizes the woman as Lillin, the daughter of Jerald and Henrietta, the inn owners.
Atsushia starts dashing around the corner. What does everyone else do?
Run after her.
Morthak darts around the corner and makes a beeline for the man with the hood.
Atsushia darts past the corner to the fallen Lillin as Morthak and Lars follow in tow.
Falling to her knees and sliding to the color-drained Lillin, Atsushia thrusts her hands to staunch the blood.
Morthak continues to run past the pair. The backs of buildings line the west side, while a mix of cypresses, hollies, and hickories clutter the view of the rest of the village to the north and east. Lars finally makes his way to the corner, seeing the trio on the outskirts of the copse of trees.
Morthak does not see the hooded guy as he leaves his hiding spot to round the corner.
Morthak trots past Atushia as she tends to the fallen woman. He looks around trying to spot any sign of her attacker.
Morthak notices that there are four pieces of red licorice left on the ground surrounding Lillin. A few leaves hover above the ground before completing their descent to the north east.
Atsushia tends the wounds of the woman. It's more important than anything else, for her.
Morthak reaches up and rubs his nose, conveniently covering his mouth. While he does so, he whispers to Atushia (and to Lars if he is here by now).
"I think he's invisible. Over there by those leaves. Watch for footprints."
Morthak continues to watch, now looking for fresh footprints.
He sheathes one of his daggers and pulls a small bag from his belt.
Atsushia is able to stabilize her, for now. Blood covers up to her forearms; her clothes clinging in several places from the viscous liquid seeping in.
*note that Morthak hasn't conveyed what he's seen so far...
Morthak does not see anything else beyond the fallen leaves and snapped twigs that indicate a recent creature went through the woods like a game animal.
*note that Morthak hasn't conveyed what he's seen so far...
Constable Gremin comes running from the main road. "What happened here? Is she all right?" he asks, winded. Seeing Lillin on the ground, he moves forward to check for vitals for himself. "We'll need to move her. Grab her legs. I'll take her shoulders. You can fill me in on what happened on the way to the church."[/b]
"A man in a hood attacked her. I think he used some kind of magic to become invisible but I believe he went that way." Morthak points towards the leaves that he saw earlier.
”Invisible? We’ll need to follow his tracks.”
Maybe we should try to put the wounded woman to safety first? What if he manages to fool us and come back to kill her?
The group is able to bring her to the church. A few villagers catch interest and rubberneck as Lillin and the entourage pass.
Constable Gremin gives a loud shot before reaching the door, followed with a frantic knocking of his back pressed into the door before Shaman Brucian answers. Seeing the immediate need, he eaves everyone in and instructs to lay her down on a pew as he fetches a few items.
After a few minutes of chanting, Lillin's wounds being to close up.
Now, how do we proceed? Could you find the trail again, Lars, or do you think our killer is away? We can't let these heinous deeds go unpunished.. but are we able to stop them?
"Well, the licorice killer failed for once. Lillin was lucky we heard her. Or unlucky to be out at that time..."
"She is probably safe now. I would be inclined to head back and follow whatever tracks we can find."