Xarl roars in pain as the little guys bite him, and steps back to give himself room to swing.
The swarm does not seem to withstand Max or Xarl's attacks well. In fact, only a marginal percentage of them remain.
The cloud floats along the ground behind the small halfling, seeming almost protective in its floatingness.
Driven by random chance, the creatures lose interest in Xarl once more and gravitate towards Max. They overrun him, and in their injured fury, do more than nibble.
Lupi blinks at the monsters, picks up a piece of a rotted table, and throws it in their general direction.
It bounces harmlessly off of a wall.
Max runs straight at Kenith, "Shield up"
Kenith raises his shield as the paladin charges straight at him.
"Are you sure you want me to bash you just to get the bugs?"
if not then Xarl moves up and attacks the swarm.
"Yes bash me, I am tough enough to handle it."
Between Kenith's sudsy disk of death and Karl's flame of justice, the creatures burn to a crisp, leaving only the remaining pitch-fed fire on the ground for the party to contend with.
"Well, that was quite an adventure." Lupi whistles.
"How bad did we get it? Everyone okay?"
"I am a bit banged up, mostly of my own damage...but I can heal myself too."
Lupi picks up a charred spider by a crispy leg.
"Think we can eat this?" she asks.
"Better not!" "The spiders were poisonous!" "Poisonous venom, probably poisonous bodies too!" "Wouldn't be wise." "You hungry?"
"Not yet, but I wouldn't trust anything in the kitchen or pantry, if you catch my meaning. Assuming I wake up here. Anyway, can you get that fire out...?"
The falling shape was difficult to see in the darkness but the crickets must have sensed it coming, going quiet again just before it met the ground with a dull thud and a sharp "OOF!"
The colorful heap of cloth lay still for several moments and then stirred as the newest arrival staggered to her feet.
"Ungh... that was the worst landing ever, Tooley. What the heck happ..."
She trailed off as she became aware of her surroundings.
"Wait, why is it dark in the middle of the day?" She scanned the landscape as best she could in the near darkness. "This doesn't look right at all, where’s the town?" Then she looked up, and her mouth fell open as she saw the hazy lavender moon.
"Tooley," she said in a tiny, awestruck voice, "what did you DO?!"
__________
"It'll be alright," she muttered as she pulled out her knife, causing it to glow by flicking it with one finger and then holding it above and ahead of her like a lit torch. "It'll be okay," she repeated, trying to reassure herself as she grasped the ring hanging like a pendant from a thin cord around her neck. "I just need to find out where I am and then get to town."
A solitary building stood nearby, with dim light streaming from the open door. After one last glance around, she walked over to it and up the steps, stopping in the doorway when she saw people inside.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for..."
She trailed off again as what she was facing registered. Three of a dangerous-looking sort, stomping out the remains of a fire. A young Halfling girl almost hungrily studying a charred spider, with an odd blue cloud floating next to her. A whole plethora of charred spiders. In a grease puddle. In a dusty, cobwebby room.
Please Ashava, don’t let those bottles all be empty, she thought bemusedly as her gaze reached the area behind the bar.
"Um... hi."
"Hello. Who exactly are you, and what are you looking for exactly?"
Xarl keeps his sword drawn just in case something else attacks.
I wonder if she also fell from the sky?
"If you're looking for dinner, I don't think this is it." Lupi points out, flinging the charred spider aside.
"If you're looking for sanity. I don't think this is it, either. Where'd you come from?" the halfling asks, blinking and waiting for the way to the kitchen to be cleared for exploration.
The girl standing in the doorway is young, perhaps in her early 20s. Five feet tall or so, fairly pretty (if slightly disheveled at present) with long wavy black hair and brown eyes. Olive skin decorated with multiple tattoos, combined with her style of dress, clearly identify her as Varisian for anyone familiar with their culture.
While not in full dancing garb, she is dressed more "formally" than would be typical. The bulk of her outfit is gold-trimmed purple, with red harem pants peeking out beneath. Several scarves and sashes are obvious, including a bright blue one tied around her waist. Save the odd glowing knife she's using for illumination, she appears to be unarmed and traveling light, with only a few small pouches hanging from her waist.
Tuich takes a half step back at the sudden flurry of motion and aborted attack postures as the dangerous-looking ones spin around to face her.
"Who... exactly? That's hard to say, these days." She chuckles at some secret joke as an unfelt breeze stirs her hair and clothing. "But in general -- if that will do -- I'm called Tuich the O... erm... Tuich. Just Tuich."
She eyes the one who spoke, putting on a smile and trying to look harmless. And you sir, you would be...?
Tuich smiles and tips a nod at the Halfling, then glances back over her shoulder, out the door. "Sanity... no, I don't think so either. But I haven't had the pleasure of enjoying that for a while now..."
"I am Xarl Paralictor of the Hellknights."
With these words Xarl walks towards the kitchen and readies his falchion for any more nasty surprises.
"I am Max Smithson. Divine Hunter of Ragathief. For those of you not sure what that is, I am a paladin, but instead of a sword, I use a bow."
Max then turns and follows Xarl.
"I am Kenith Wedge, mercenary for hire, well I was until this happened..."
"A hellknight? Oh my!" (Oh crap...) "It is ind-deed overwhelming to merely be in your p-presence, most respectable Sir... and you as well, paladin."
"Good Kenith, I have no knowledge of what 'this' might have been, but I do apologize to all of you for interrupting your evening. If you'll be so kind as to point me in the direction of the nearest town and the distance in rough, I'll be on my way so as not to disturb you further."
"Well that is the million gold question now isn't it. We don't know ourselves. We fell in shortly before you did my lady."
"Wait... 'fell in?' As in, from the sky? The lot of you?" Tuich rubs her sore shoulder, suddenly and unpleasantly reminded of how much fun slamming into the ground isn't.
Less distracted now, she steps into the room and surveys the situation again. "I see weapons at the ready, good Kenith; is there a threat afoot?"
Despite being inside now, Tuich's clothes and hair are briefly buffeted by a gust of wind. She turns her head away from the others and hisses under her breath, "Leave it out, Tooley! I'm just being polite, and help might be needed all the way 'round. If naught else we can't afford to make enemies."
The last thing she could remember she was dodging around a cliff face, trying to avoid the bat-winged creature that was hunting her. Suddenly, she felt herself falling. But not like she slipped, it was like she felt when she was hurled to the Prime Material!
The twisting feeling was almost nauseating, but when she recovered her bearings she reflexively called the winds to support her and she gently Feather Fall wafted to the ground.
She found herself standing on the wild, fragrant grass of a meadow. The dusklight revealed a lovely field of stars, and an alien moon; It's size was enormous, it had a violet coloration and it was covered in what looked like swirling vapors.
Crickets chirped in the distance, and she felt oddly peaceful, until her darkvision adapted eyes fell on the pile of bones.
Panicked at the thought of predators, she looked around quickly. Aside from the forests and mountains beyond the clearing, there was only the decrepit inn. It's door hung open and a flickering red light came from inside, the mutter of voices came to her on the winds. Cautiously, she made her way over to the door...
"Well there was this swarm of spiders that we just finished burning right before you fell in."
Kenith extinguishes his shield if it isn't already, and puts it away.
"Ugh now I'm going to have to clean my shield. Well it will give me something to do during my watch."
Ah, now the fire makes sense! Well done, I wouldn't have a clue how to deal with any sort of swarm.
"Miss Tuich what was your last experience before falling through the sky?"
Tuich considers for a moment before responding.
"I was... traveling, and it was as if something slammed into me and suddenly I was headed in a different direction. Not a physical impact, almost a sense of pushing and pulling and being turned inside-out all at once. Quite sickening, really."
She pauses, trying to sort out the memories. "Can't say I remember anything else clearly before a sensation of falling in near darkness. Followed by a sudden stop that knocked the breath out of me for a bit."
"The stars and little birdies were pretty, though."
"It does sound like the Count was behind it." "Indeed." "An astute observation." "Quite!" "But why?" "Why what?" "Why bring us here?!" "All of us!"
The cloud floats off to the side, as if in private discussion.
Tuich's eyes widen slightly and she cocks her head in puzzlement. "What's with the talking gas ball?"
Lupi shrugs, making her way towards the kitchen with the utmost amount of stealth.
Both Xarl and Lupi don't notice anything untoward, but with his ability to see in the dark, Xarl can see the bones and bits of rodents sitting in the matted spiderwebs. The implements of the kitchen are mostly intact beneath though, complete with a firepit.
Getting through the webs will require blades or fire, though.
Xarl looks back at the group of people.
"Any of you have a torch?"
"Deja vu, much?" the halfling bard asks the paralictor uncomfortably, pulling a dead spider off of his arm.
"I can give you more light if that's why you're asking," Tuich calls out, "but if you need actual fire I can't help. More spiders?"
She begins warily moving towards the kitchen door.
Tuich can see with magical light that there are lots of spider webs that need clearing, as well as some dead rodents on the ground. Otherwise, there isn't really much to speak of to see here that doesn't belong in a kitchen.
Max looks around, seeing no more danger, he unstrings his bow and slides it into his quiver.
I am Max Smitson and as I said before I am a paladin of Ragathiel and I was leaving the temple when I felt like I was falling. The feelings were much as Tuich said."
Max is tall and lanky. He has short brown hair and grey eyes. He is wearing a muted browns and greens. Brown wool pants and a green linen shirt with a brown vest cover his body, while a black cloak is pulled back off his right shoulder. He doesn't look like he is wearing armor but if you look really closely, you'll see a silver chain mail under his shirt. He is also carrying a haversack and a odd looking quiver. A silver symbol hangs from his belt and a signal horn and an amulet hang around his neck. A simple headband encircles his head.
He looks around again.
"We have a few folks that have taken some damage, might be a good idea for all those who have to gather around me. No sense in all of us expending spells, when we don't know if we'll get more."
Once everyone has gathered around him. He places a hand on his holy symbol and mutters a prayer.
Twitch wrinkles her nose. "Lovely."
"Is there something you want in here? Surely you're not thinking of cooking in this filth!"
Xarl smiles as the healing energy washes over him.
"Thank you Brother Max. Do you mind being called brother?"
"That's fine."
Lupi smiles at Max for his healing, but then returns to her spot, staring into the kitchen.
"Not right away, you know... but do you see other facilities around here?" Lupi asks quietly. "If this isn't an ephemeral excursion,it's best to get everything in working order. While we're on that, maybe some of us should go upstairs?"
The stairs hold, surprisingly enough. There isn't much up here save for dust and more spiders, but these ones aren't organized. There are four doors in this corridor that are open. The rooms have beds that have all but rotted away, but somehow a rug in each chamber has survived. One of the rooms sports a skeleton on one of the bedlike ruins. The remaining five are locked, but something tells you a little chopping or breaking into said locks will go a long way.
"Well I shall endeavor to return the favor Brother Max. Stand back everyone something might be coming."
Xarl waits to see who moves back and then begins to cut at the cobwebs with his falchion.
Lupi moves back dutifully from the kitchen.