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Shigeru draws his crossbow off his back as he skips daintily through the mud. He speaks at a speed that, to him, would befit the intellect of his foes, but ends up sounding normal due to the time dilation effect. "You're clearly outmatched. Please surrender before one of you dies!" he implores of the man as he trains his weapon on the southern "guard".
"Like that's a choice!" the second man snarls, preparing another arrow. The first draws his sword as he leaps forward to engage Agraic.
22 Shigeru (Haste6)
22 G Guard (Damage: 13)
17 G Dog (Damage: 14, Unconscious)
16 Agraic (Damage: 10)
15 R Dog (Damage: 24, Unconscious)
12 R Guard
8 Chomper
7 Darshan
5 Y Dog
4 Kensaku
3 B Dog (Damage: 16, Unconscious)
Agraic's polearm cleaves the man in twain, gore spattering into the mud around the warriors. As he moves around the pit, the remaining guard draws his sword, fear in his eyes as he attempts to close with Agraic as well. The guisarme deals him a terrible blow, but with a shaky grip he swings his longsword into Agraic's side.
22 Shigeru (Haste6)
22 G Guard (Damage: 30, Dead)
17 G Dog (Damage: 14, Unconscious)
16 Agraic (Damage: 18)
15 R Dog (Damage: 24, Unconscious)
12 R Guard (Damage: 16)
8 Chomper
7 Darshan
5 Y Dog
4 Kensaku
3 B Dog (Damage: 16, Unconscious)
The dog snaps at Chomper as he rolls by, but the shifting mass of tentacles flows away from the sharp teeth. "Back you abomination!" the man screams, flailing his blade wildly. With a simple pluck, the weapon is in Chompers grasp.
With a yelp, Darshan's strike punishes the distraction from the Vudrani with a sharp sting. The Pathfinder is able to step nimbly away from the return bite, leaving a bloody puncture in the animal's side.
22 Shigeru (Haste6)
22 G Guard (Damage: 30, Dead)
17 G Dog (Damage: 14, Unconscious)
16 Agraic (Damage: 18)
15 R Dog (Damage: 24, Unconscious)
12 R Guard (Damage: 16)
8 Chomper
7 Darshan
5 Y Dog (Damage: 8)
4 Kensaku
3 B Dog (Damage: 16, Unconscious)
The dog manages to leap aside, spattering mud at Darshan's feet in the process.
22 Shigeru (Haste5)
16 Agraic (Damage: 18)
12 R Guard (Damage: 16)
8 Chomper
7 Darshan
5 Y Dog (Damage: 8)
4 Kensaku
The guard ducks the first punch, but can't correct in time to avoid the supernaturally quick jab that follows. His eyes roll up into his head as he collapses into the muck.
22 Shigeru (Haste5)
16 Agraic (Damage: 18)
12 R Guard (Damage: 16, 11 Non-Lethal, Unconscious)
8 Chomper
7 Darshan
5 Y Dog (Damage: 8)
4 Kensaku
Chomper's tentacle pats the dog on its head, causing it to immediately collapse. As the party takes stock of the situation, the spattering rain is not the only noise they hear. To the left and right of their muddy path, they hear more baying of hounds and the shouts of men. Many voices, even more than Chomper can make at once.
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Agraic pulls out a wad of cloth and shoves it into the surviving guard's mouth, tying another piece of cloth around it carefully so as to allow the continuing of breathing.
He then stows his guisarme and tosses the unconscious guard over his shoulder, since this isn't the best place for the doing of questioning.
The remaining acceleration of Shigeru's magic allows the Pathfinders to quickly vacate the battlefield, speeding through the closing perimeter. Behind, the sounds of angered cries and frustrated howls are muffled by the rain. Ahead can be seen a hillock, atop which stand half a dozen small stone cottages surrounding a tall brick and timber building topped with a massive tin-covered water drum. A sign over its looming doors reads "Railford Distillery est. 4693". From a squat brick building sharing an adjoining wall with the distillery rises a long cylindrical chimney. A low, moss-covered cobblestone wall surrounds the entire property.
For all appearances, the town seems vacant. The distillery doors are closed, and windows everywhere are shuttered. Agraic looks to the mud in the street and despite the constant drizzle, the signs of recent footprints still remain. Darshan notices a flicker of light behind one shutter, before a door opens to reveal a woman.
The bottle in her hand sails through the rain to shatter on Kensaku's armor as the assailant steps behind the door. "Shove off yew all! Afore ya get pun'chered!" a deep voice calls out, the tines of a pitchfork thrusting out of the narrows between door and jamb.
The air is silent save for the patter of rain for long moments, long enough for the wafting odor of strong alcohol to reach the Pathfinders noses. "What business do you have with Becher, carrying one of Grald's own?" A new voice speaks up, as the farm tool lowers back into the hovel.
"What I am saying is you have one of the damn guards keeping aid and reinforcements from reaching us over your shoulder. And that there's no whiskey here for Grald Kretchmoor and his gang."
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How interesting... Kensaku says, seeming much more interested in the shattered bottle in the mud than the conversation and accusations being thrown about. Her attention momentarily flits to Agraic as shr states, perhaps taking him with wasn't such a good idea. But then again, she shrugs and turns her attention back to the glass throwing faint color onto the mud, maybe it was.
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"Straight up, c'n y' tell us why they're keepin' ya from gettin' help an' all? If'n y' can give us that kinda info, then I c'n let this fella go somewhere off unpleasant-like?" Agraic offers hopefully.
"Cause we're here on behalf 'f a Society lookin' t' help the Railfords. Kid's father was part 'f th' Society, we're here to pr'vid' suppor' an' whatno'."
The door swings open fully, and a handful of men and women begin to file out, standing on the porch of the cottage where there is some shelter from the rain. Other doors open, and a few other inhabitants stand framed in the portals. One man steps forward, no pitchfolk in hand but a shield on his arm and a large sword strapped to his back.
"We didn't expect any aid, given the blockade stops any messengers we sen, and prevents any merchants from coming in." he answers, staring the party down with hard eyes. "You're the first to break through, if what you say is true. I'm inclined to believe you aren't just some trick to get to Becher, but I don't know anything about a society. Ioford was dead and buried before I made it here." He appraises the party with a critical eye before finishing. "I take it you don't know anything about this little siege, huh? It's all about the distillery, like everything is around here."
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"Indeed, we had come to propose a business transaction with Ioford," Darshan says. "If he's dead... who owns the distillery now? In any event, though, it seems that you have a problem, and we may be able to help you with it. If you would invite us in, we can learn about your situation, and see what we might be able to do to assist with it. In return -- we would like to have some discussions with whoever it is who owns the distillery now."
The man crosses his arms. "Begging your pardon for the rain, but we're not likely to have strangers in our homes while this is going on." He rubs at his chin. "My name is Dalard. Becher and I were soldiers in the Taldan armies. Most of these people were as well." He gestures to his armed companions. "When he inherited the land, he asked us to help him make the distillery work." Seeming to come to a decision, he steps off the porch into the rain and marches up to the Pathfinders.
"If you're decent sorts, I have a proposition." he announces. As he gets closer, his voice drops. "Becher inherited it alright, but the deeds to the land and the buildings aren't in town. Two days ago, he and a couple of the boys went to recover them, so Grald couldn't steal the place out from under him. First we heard back was Jessup stumbling in this morning, feverish and talking about walking corpses attacking them." He straightens a bit, wiping rain from his brow. "So if you're able enough..." he continues, voice louder for the benefit of the crowd. "...I'll have you follow after Becher and see what's keeping him. Bring him back without Grald's army getting ahold of him, and maybe he can talk about this business you have with him." He thrusts his thumbs into his belt and awaits a response.
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Agraic nods as he listens to the discussion, then stiffens when the discussion about Jessup happens.
"Jessup still alive? D' y' need something to help break th' fever? That's no picnic if he's got walking dead rot in 'im. Not a healer, but carry 'round some antiplague for this kinda thing if'n it comes up?"
Regardless of the outcome of that discussion, he'll nod. "Can't speak for th' rest 'f th' team, but I'm on boar' wit' th' idea? Anythin' y' c'n tell us 'bout th' road a'ead?"
Dalard gives Agraic another appraising look. "He's in with the town healer, doesn't look good for him. You want to try and help, I'm not going to say no. Just don't all pile in on him at once. He needs good air, not a sweatbox." He eyes Chomper just a little warily.
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Shigeru takes his comrade's shoulder. "You're a good man Agraic. Go see to Jessup if you thing your elixir will help. Beyond that, I don't believe any of us can assist much more than the town's healer will."
He then steps forward to the Dalard. "Our instructions were to gain assistance from the current owner of this distillery by whatever means necessary. If you say that this Becher fellow is the rightful proprietor and is missing then we have no choice but to search for him. Agraic does make a good point, though. We need information on what to expect. How many men does Grald command? And," He smirks as he glances at his eidolon, "is there any particular reason we shouldn't just go kill the lawless brigand?"
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Chomper notices that the man is somewhat disturbed by their appearance, a rather common occurrence.
Searching around for a moment, Chomper spots a small off-white flower growing up just a bit off the path they are standing on.
Snaking a tentacle over, they deftly pinch off the flowering section, leaving behind the base so that it can easily regrow.
Shuffling forward is a disturbing, yet somehow still obviously shy, roil of flesh, Chomper offers up the flower and asks Dalard in a single child-like voice, "Friend?"
Dalard looks at the plant with a mix of apprehension and curiosity. "Sure. Friend. Seen a lot of wizard summonings, never one like you." Taking the offering, he looks to Shigeru. "Bit tricky, that. Grald gave warning that if we didn't produce legal claim to the distillery, he was on orders from Emperor Stavian to clear out 'rogue lords' as he called them. I'd rather not have to defend the claim every season they send an army around." He motions to one of the watchers to come forward. "Take this one to see Jessup, maybe he has some medicine to help. Tie up the lout he's got there, maybe Grald will pay ransom." The man nods and motions for Agraic to follow him to one of the smaller buildings. "I can show you the path out of town. Becher said they had to go to the old barrel-aging caves to find what they needed. It's maybe a couple miles into the swamp, tough going."
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Agraic heads to the building indicated quickly, because the rest of the team is probably wanting to get a move-on, though he won't discourage anyone else from joining him.
"Ahm tryin' ta leech th' sickness out o' his blood. We got little medicine o' our own ta use out 'ere, even less wit' the blockade." He stands, pulling the purplish thing away from the sick man, blood dripping from a sucker mouth on its underside.
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Shigeru is momentarily taken aback before loudly exclaiming, "Wait, you mean the soldiers out there are actually on official orders and aren't just bandits attempting to steal ownership of this place? They attacked us on sight! With dogs and arrows! With no explanation whatso-" he cuts himself off, taking a few deep breaths.
Shigeru crouches down next to his eidolon, who is wriggling their shorter tentacles all around like a sea anemone in the current and burbling like a delighted baby now that the flower has been accepted. He reaches a hand into the mass and gently begins stroking the soft fuzzy appendages.
Taking another breath before continuing, "You say you were a soldier yourself, Dalard. What happened around here? Could things really have gotten so bad in this country that the military would attack random travelers?"
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"I'm no expert, think some others on the team are but not sure if any 'f 'em are inclined 'ere, but hot as you can stand water an' the harshest booze t' clear out the areas 'round the injuries sometimes works, an' this stuff has saved some adventurers in a place called 'sirrion from a thing called 'mummy rot', so it migh' help wi' this thing.
Can' hurt, mi' help, an' 'ere, 'ave some ale too. Mix it wi' th' water, e'en tho' that's close t' 'eresy. Need t' keep fluids in im o'erwise 'e'll burn up lik' tind'r wit' y' takin' the bad stuff ou', righ'?."
Agraic will be giving over a gallon of ale and an antiplague. He can burn prestige if he really has to to get a disease cleared. These folks? Not so much.
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Kenasku joins Agraic on the trip to the injured man, careful to step over the broken bottle on her way to the man.
Kensaku looks over the man for a good while (about 10 minutes, in fact), trying to examine his wounds and his aura, but comes up completely dry on any medical knowledge or examining his aura.
Exasperated, she pulls out two wands (one thin and white with the holy symbol of Pharasma carved into it and the other plain wood marked "for after minor unjury" and the Glyph of the Open carved into it).
She uses the plain one to try healing some of the man's wounds before asking, do we know what kind of undead attacked him? Was the only description "a walking corpse?
Dalard grunts, shaking his head. "I don't know how official Grald's orders are. He was a lieutenant in our company years back, always had it in for Becher. Maybe he's lying about the Emperor, maybe he's just taking advantage of some flimsy proclamation to settle old scores. All I know is with the deeds in hand, he'll have no justification for his actions." He heaves a heavy sigh. "There was a reason we jumped at Becher's call to come work the stills rather than stay on in the Phalanxes."
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Kensaku smiles at the man, patting him on the shoulder when he has told his tale. Thank you. What you've told us is going to help greatly. You rest now, you will need it.
She then turns to the attending and Agraic, her expression much the same as a moment ago. He has ghoul fever. I have nothing to cure it on me, he will need the attention of a cleric for that. Barring that, he needs a physicial to help him pull through to the other side. I'll do what I can, though it isn't much, she says as she touches the man with the white wand and speaks the command words, hoping that what little healing this does to the man's fortitude will help him last the night.
I think we've done what we can here, she says to Agraic, we should return to the others and let them know what we've learned.
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Darshan's spirits fall as he listens to the conversation. "Alas, what has become of the Taldan army? We now the empire is crumbling, but when the legitimate army are no different from bandits.... Alas."
"Well. This is part of why I joined the Pathfinder Society. That organization, in any event, seems robust. Why, it's been at least a year and a half since the last time a major assault was launched upon its headquarters, sending bits of the main building orbiting, killing a major leader, and generally causing a ruckus by emerging extradimensionally at the heart of the place. Yep, quite stable."
After a pause. "So. Yes. As I was trying to say, it's up to us. We'll go and rescue Becher, and deal with whatever variety of horrendous undead monstrosities the poor fellows ran into."
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Kensaku and Agraic find the man much improved with their efforts, and feel there is little else they can do but give Jessup time to recover.
Dalard shakes his head. "I'm just a retired mercenary. I can work the stills to make some brew, but anything more than drinking, fighting, and..." He glances around at the men and women watching. "...and that other 'f' word, I'm not much use." He shrugs. "I appreciate your help, but waiting around here isn't getting the men home any quicker."