"If he is always like this, someone must be looking after him."
Morthak takes some bread and waves it under the man's nose.
"He probably can't even feed himself. But why keep him out here?"
Correct, there is no response.
Does anyone else want to try anything?
How are we on supplies? Lars will refill ours if we are running low.
How are we on supplies? Lars will refill ours if we are running low.
Morthak sees Lars picking up some of the food.
"Good idea."
Morthak keeps looking around the room.
You guys have plenty of time but don't find any secret doors. The space is pretty limited from a normal reality sense between what you see inside vs. the size of the house from the outside.
"We should move on... unless we want to camp here. It is dry, at least."
We have a dangerous killer to catch. The sooner would be the better. I don't want to have anyone's death on my conscience
As the group descends the ladder to return to the raft, a sixth member continues the procession. The thin and pale young man descends onto the raft.
"Hey! You! What the blazes are you doing?"
Despite his best efforts to scare the man away, it didn't seem to work...
Lars' comments appear to have no impact, as the man continues to stare ahead as if deaf.
Maybe it's better for him to be with us? You can have only so much solitude..
Samantha blinks.
"I'm going to be honest here... I have no idea whats going on anymore." she says loudly. "What madness did we paddle into?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
Ok, it sounds like the group is moving forward with the guest companion on the raft then.
Sometime during the afternoon, signs of civilization start to appear as the sky fills with roiling black clouds. For the first time, lightning plays across the heavens. Still, no rain falls. The storm simply hangs over the swamp, occasionally sending a bolt of lightning toward the ground or letting loose a clap of ominous thunder. When it finally breaks, the storm promises to be spectacular.
Wood and thatch buildings can be seen just beyond the clear shorelines.
Ok, it sounds like the group is moving forward with the guest companion on the raft then.
Morthak eyes the man suspiciously as he gets on the raft, and looks around at his companions. But he keeps his peace.
Sometime during the afternoon, signs of civilization start to appear as the sky fills with roiling black clouds. For the first time, lightning plays across the heavens. Still, no rain falls. The storm simply hangs over the swamp, occasionally sending a bolt of lightning toward the ground or letting loose a clap of ominous thunder. When it finally breaks, the storm promises to be spectacular.
Wood and thatch buildings can be seen just beyond the clear shorelines.
"Storm looks ugly. We should find shelter. We could knock on doors... or look for an empty house and break in."
Once the raft reaches the short Morthak volunteers to reconnoiter.
Morthak moves from cover to cover into the town, only to find it quiet and uninviting. Doors are locked and drapes are pulled down. A small gathering appears to be taking place up the hill overlooking the town, though.
The map is updated; Morthak and the group approaches from the west.
Atsushia is a little surprised by Morthak's words
I could do with some shelter, for sure, but breaking and entering? This is someone's building, even if empty..
Samantha won't say anything about their untoward guest, but continues to look at the man as he follows them onto shore.
"You... all right, man?" she tries one last time to communicate with him.
I could do with some shelter, for sure, but breaking and entering? This is someone's building, even if empty..
"If there is a curse here, as it we are led to believe, then some may have fled, leaving abandoned homes behind."
Morthak slinks off to have a look around.
"I may have once been a watchman, but Morthak is right. And besides...we are after Trevol. It doesn't matter what we do if we bring him to justice. The end will justify any means."
Samantha won't say anything about their untoward guest, but continues to look at the man as he follows them onto shore.
"You... all right, man?" she tries one last time to communicate with him.
The man remains sullen and withdrawn, occasionally mumbling softly, "In sorcerer the Daegon of house the born,
though shall unliving, unlife, life scorn....
The mother stern of child lifeless found, heralds
evil of night a time unbound,".
As Morthak moves around, he notices a few shops have signs in the windows proclaiming “Closed for Funeral” and “Gone to the Church.”
Samantha won't say anything about their untoward guest, but continues to look at the man as he follows them onto shore.
"You... all right, man?" she tries one last time to communicate with him.
The man remains sullen and withdrawn, occasionally mumbling softly, "In sorcerer the Daegon of house the born,
though shall unliving, unlife, life scorn.
...
The mother stern of child lifeless found, heralds
evil of night a time unbound,".
Samantha nods her head, her face perplexed. She awkwardly reaches out and pats the man on the shoulder. "Good talk." she says, turning away from him and shaking her head.
As Morthak moves around, he notices a few shops have signs in the windows proclaiming “Closed for Funeral” and “Gone to the Church.”
Morthak relates what he has seen in the town.
"I may have once been a watchman, but Morthak is right. And besides...we are after Trevol. It doesn't matter what we do if we bring him to justice. The end will justify any means."
"There's no sense borrowing trouble by stirring up the townsfolk. But I'd rather find a place to hole up that they aren't watching."
"Most of the town is up at the cemetery. I'll check it out."
Morthak heads up towards the graveyard, trying to overhear what is said without being seen.
"Born in the house of Daegon the sorcerer" should made a little more sense, if we knew who Daegon the sorcerer was.
hearing Lars
Please allow me to disagree. We have to respect the law, as much as possible, or we are no better than the man we are chasing.
Lars turned to the wizard, a flash of anger in his eyes. "I'm not knocking out your teeth because you don't know better. But shut your fool mouth! Don't you EVER compare me to that monster again." His face was flushed, especially the scar that ran across it. He looked momentarily embarrassed by his outburst, as he turned his back on her and glared intently at the village.
I'm sorry, I didn't want to hurt your feelings. This man is a monster, I agree, but I just wanted to point out that we cannot uphold the law while we disrespect it. In fact, if we are... elsewhere, we don't know what are the laws, and we have no authority here. We must be cautious, or we could pass for the wrongdoers.
Please accept my sincerest apologies
Without turning Lars grunted "Aye, mine too."
Just for clarity, Morthak is the only one going into town while the rest of the group remains on the raft? That will put ~600 feet or more between the two.
Solemn faces gaze at you suspiciously, but no one says a word. The villagers soon return their attention to the priest who stands over a coffin wrapped with heavy chains.
The priest’s booming voice echoes throughout the churchyard. “Friends and family, we mourn the untimely death of Jeremiah d'Gris,” he laments. “Let us take comfort in the fact that he goes to a better place, and let us pray that his eternal rest is peaceful and without incident. Jeremiah, you will be missed, but you will not be welcome here again. Depart this plane and go to the next world with our blessing.”
The priest continues his liturgy, even though a muffled bang causes him a moment’s pause. The villagers flinch but quickly regain their composure. The bang sounds again from within the coffin. The coffin rocks back and forth, but the priest and the crowd ignore it.
Of course your apologies are accepted
Atsushia was looking toward the town, hoping everything will be all right for Morthak.
I added player icons to the map (above and here). Please move your icons accordingly. Note that the 1"=150' is probably more like 3/4"=150' due to scaling of the image.
Yes, the large square area is the cemetery. The shaded area above represents plantation fields. Think southern plantations growing sargum, sweet potatoes, tobacco, etc.
Note that I'm still waiting on the others to give their approximate whereabouts. @Sam - your token doesn't appear to have moved on the current map.
Too bad.... It seems we arrived at a time of mourning and grieving..
Atsushia was reminiscing sad and personnal thoughts, and even wiped away a tear.
I'm going to assume the rest of the group is with Sam/Atsushia.
That means that Morthak is the only one that sees this (from above):
The villagers surround a priest who stands over a coffin wrapped with heavy chains.
The priest’s booming voice echoes throughout the churchyard. “Friends and family, we mourn the untimely death of Jeremiah d'Gris,” he laments. “Let us take comfort in the fact that he goes to a better place, and let us pray that his eternal rest is peaceful and without incident. Jeremiah, you will be missed, but you will not be welcome here again. Depart this plane and go to the next world with our blessing.”
The priest continues his liturgy, even though a muffled bang causes him a moment’s pause. The villagers flinch but quickly regain their composure. The bang sounds again from within the coffin. The coffin rocks back and forth, but the priest and the crowd ignore it.
Morthak frowns.
Are they burying someone alive? Or is it an undead that they are trying to lay to rest?
Morthak falls quietly back towards the road. Once he is out of sight of the mass of people, he will run back to where the rest of the party is. Once there he tries to describe what he saw as best he can.
"Great. More insanity. Let's go ask them then."
"lets go then. I'm not okay with burying the living alive." Samantha declares.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Remember what the fortune-teller said. 'The dead will walk....' The one they bury may be undead."
The group moves towards the funeral ceremony. Solemn faces gaze at you suspiciously, but no one says a word. Most move away to give the group a large personal space. The clanking of the chains forms a rhythmic sound as the priest appears to be wrapping up, closing his book with a thud.
What action(s) are you taking?
"Oi! Priest. We normally wouldn't interrupt such a sad affair so bluntly, but your coffin is moving around. I hope you understand that this is mighty peculiar. Care to elaborate?"
The Priest clears his throat as he takes a moment to eye the newcomers, "This is a solemn affair and we are here to pay our respects to Jeremiah. I assume you are here to do the same. We do what is best to guarantee Jeremiah's eternal rest. Now please, allow us to continue."
Morthak quietly draws his daggers but tries to do so in a way where they remain unseen, holding them with the points upwards against his wrists.
"He doesn't look dead."