|
Thornberry's eyes grow wide and he throws his arms around Roboria enthusiastically Oh my goodness, the people in this town are part plants! That's amazing!
Thornberry's pale green hair has turned a deep seafoam You are already beautiful Roboria! Do all the people in this town have this miracle? Or is your daughter special?
|
kristoff sits back and takes it all in, letting the talkers get information. He thinks to himself:"Hmm this is so strange, if the children are plant people, and they only eat fruit and vegetebales...what in the heck is going on here?! We need to see whats going on in this ceremony!" On that thought Kristoff will quickly check if he sees any sort of fruit or vegetable growing on Roboria.
Kristoff will also examine Erebi.
Drawing the connection between vampires and bats, and seeing how the child is made up of plants, he turns to Thornberry and says in sylvan:
|
Corwyn is dumbstruck when he walks into the house. Why is the girl a plant? Is this normal? What does it have to do with the mana storms? And the vampire? The questions swirl in his head, seeking release.
The swashbuckler steps forward, trying to help despite his confusion. "We are here to help, if we can. Will you start from the beginning? Why is your child a... plant of some kind? Will she transform entirely given time?" He echoes Jack's questions, and suspects he already knows the answer, given the mother's words, but he wonders if the parents are truly fine with the idea or if they have somehow been brainwashed... "Does the big tree have something to do with all of this? Does the ointment somehow assist with this transformation?" Corwyn's voice is smooth and charming, despite his inner turmoil.
"Interesting name... Roboria." Ardain squints at the girl. "A magical effect perhaps?" The wizard casts detect magic, focuses on the girl-plant to see if she is surrounded by magic auras. He spends a moment on the salve jar too.
Ardain perceives no magic.
Thornberry's eyes grow wide and he throws his arms around Roboria enthusiastically Oh my goodness, the people in this town are part plants! That's amazing!
Thornberry's pale green hair has turned a deep seafoam You are already beautiful Roboria! Do all the people in this town have this miracle? Or is your daughter special?
A surprised and visibly embarrassed Roboria shrugs awkwardly. "It's just part of being Human, I guess. Why don't you ask your friends back there? Some of them are Human, too...I think."
kristoff sits back and takes it all in, letting the talkers get information. He thinks to himself:"Hmm this is so strange, if the children are plant people, and they only eat fruit and vegetebales...what in the heck is going on here?! We need to see whats going on in this ceremony!" On that thought Kristoff will quickly check if he sees any sort of fruit or vegetable growing on Roboria.
[dice=Perception]1d20+10
Kristoff will also examine Erebi.
[dice=Knowledge Nat]1d20+5
Despite the wide array of strange growths, Kristoff doesn't recognize anything that Humans would consider edible.
Erebi appears to be a normal fruit bat.
"And what is the ointment for?"
Which is really what Yanda is most interested in. Given a chance she will check it out.
As an Alchemist, Yanda knew the jar's contents practically from the moment she looked at it: It's just a variety of ordinary anti-itching ointment, simple but effective.
Jack shakes his head as if in a fog ... "This is all very confusing. Why does she look like a small plant? Is this normal for children in your town? Will she outgrow it in time? Why will it all seem more beautiful 'in time'? What happens when she gets older?"
About this time, you hear a deep sigh coming from the steps of the house, and the familiar, calm yet audibly frustrated, voice of Sheriff Molume:
“Outsiders never understand...and always fear the worst. It’s none of their business anyway."
Between the family's discomfort with you, and the Sheriff's tone, you get the sense that you've seen enough here - perhaps more than enough. The Sheriff tips his hat through the doorway at Kato and Efua, peeks in to give Roboria a kind smile, and escorts you back out before gently closing the door and giving you all a stern look - but tempered with what almost looks like sadness.
"Since you clearly didn't leave well enough alone, I’ll tell you this much — its just part of how we grow up here in Mercy. We *all* went through that part of our lives, and came out stronger than before. Why don’t you ask people in Alkenstar what they think of people with the touch of the Wastes about them? I’m sure they’d be more than happy to fill your ears with hateful drivel about ‘mutants.’ We’re different than what you see out deep in the Wastes...but would they understand that?”
...
After a moment, his expression changes to one of puzzlement, as though suddenly alerted to something amiss by his lawman senses. He looks over in the direction of the garden...and Talondreal. "Pardon me, sir, but what in blazes are you doing with that nice family's squash?!?"
|
"Is squash squashing a crime in this town?" Ardain quickly interposes himself between the Sheriff and unfortunate paladin. "I'm sure he will be happy to pay for any of the vegetables that were stomped."
The wizard can't help but smirk a little bit, but then the levity fades from his face.
"We don't leave well enough alone. Or, perhaps we do, once we know that well enough is indeed, well enough. On that vein, did you know that your sacred tree is dying of root rot? Some of my companions are very knowledgeable on such things. They assure me this is so."
Ardain pauses to see what the Sheriff has to say about that.
At that last piece of news, the Sheriff's expression again finds cause to abruptly shift (one might not think a face like his could be so malleable; Ardain and Thornberry are both put in mind of the stone shape spell); a combination of surprise, with subtle notes of alarm, but also more than a hint of an 'it figures' kind of joyless smirk.
"I...um...thanks for telling me. Have you informed High Priestess Zuri? That's who really needs to know."
|
|
Deciding that the sheriff at least seems a bit forthcoming than he was earlier, Corwyn decides to be a bit more... direct about their reasons for coming here. "As the others have said, we are here to help, if we can, and to look for our missing friend Amenira. We have reason to believe she has... well... um... 'changed' somehow. Into a doll, in fact. Is such a thing possible? If you could provide us with answers, it would mean a lot to her family to know what truly happened to her."
"As the others have said, we are here to help, if we can, and to look for our missing friend Amenira. We have reason to believe she has... well... um... 'changed' somehow. Into a doll, in fact. Is such a thing possible? If you could provide us with answers, it would mean a lot to her family to know what truly happened to her."
The Sheriff blinks, swivels his eyes in Thornberry's direction, then at Yanda, then at Talondreal, then back to Corwyn, then back at Talondreal, then back to Corwyn again. He sighs and puts his hand to his face.
"How am I supposed to know what's 'possible?' I'm sorry, folks; I really am. I've told you all I know about Amenira." He looks at the horizon; there are a few bats visible in the air. "It's starting to get dark. Why don't you show Zuri and I this root rot you saw?" He points his thumb back in the temple's direction.
You make your way to the temple and point out the strange, hay-scented blight at Robori's roots. The Sheriff sniffs closely at the roots, and mentions something to Zuri about sacred oils that they've apparently been using in their rituals (since you haven't seen them, but he has); Zuri looks simultaneously distraught and grateful at this news, apologizes profusely to Robori, then turns around to thank you - in fact, for your service, she dubs you "Blessed Children of Robori."
Around this time, you hear the curfew bells, so you head back to the guesthouse (you were getting hungry anyways, having had nothing since breakfast) - only to stumble into 'a scene' in the adjacent square:
Screeches fill the air, accompanied by the sound of thousands of wings crashing through leaves and branches, and the occasional “thud” of something hitting the ground from a great height. The people of Mercy are out in the square, slinging rocks into the trees to frighten away the mass of bats attacking the town. There are four lit torches in sconces on the wall outside the guesthouse - you might be able to use them against the bats.
A swirling collection of shadows appears along the wall of the carriage house. As the people in the square cry out in surprise, the shadows collect themselves into distinct forms. On the far side of the square you spot a figure wearing a large, dark cape.
|
|
Thornberry's light up like he was just shown a portal to the first world that was labeled GNOMES WELCOME and struts proudly and happily up to the living stall and produces his set of pan pipes and begins to play, trying to get the creature to speak about its motives and continue telling its story - now with some accompaniment!
Nira doesn't look nearly as happy as Thornberry as he drags her with her under the tarp...she points a finger upward and calls out a single word:
"Murder."
This might be when Thornberry notices the leering toothy maw and glaring red eyes on the 'tarp's' underside.
Corwyn
__________________
Nira
__________________
Talondreal, Yanda
__________________
swarm
__________________
Jack, Ardain
__________________
IT'S A TARP!
__________________
Kristoff, Thornberry
Nira leaps from Thornberry's grasp and begins running as fast as she can toward the guesthouse!
Corwyn
__________________
Nira
__________________
Talondreal, Yanda
__________________
swarm
__________________
Jack, Ardain
__________________
IT'S A...TARP?
__________________
Kristoff, Thornberry
|
|
"I was wondering the same thing. Now why is everyone running in different directions?"
Yanda looks toward Thornby, then towards Nira, all confused, shakes her head, marches forward and launches a bomb at the bats like an underhand fastball softball pitcher.
A nice solid fiery splash of a hit is the result.
There is a big, bright explosion, followed by the odor of well-cooked bat as diminutive charred corpses rain down upon the town square. This is followed after only an eye-blink's pause by a sound like a sheet whipping through gale wind filling the air, accompanied by a deep, inhuman moan as the tarp atop the market stall that Thornberry has been so transfixed by suddenly flies into the air, revealing its terrible face to the rest of you before fleeing into the night sky! The various shadows, and the cloaked figure in the distance, disappear.
The ambient townspeople are beginning to panic. Many of them are screaming about the "vampire." Some of them are staring at you - many in confusion and disbelief, a few in hope...and some in anger.
Fortunately, about now is when Sheriff Robori and Zuri show up, standing between you and the townsfolk. Zuri addresses the crowd, assuring them of your beneficence and informing them of your "service to Robori," while the Sheriff turns to you with a joyless nod.
“Let me get everyone calmed down and settled at home. I’ll come by the guesthouse in half an hour and talk to you in private.”
You make your way to the guesthouse, partake of the dinner (and lunch) that's been left you - more of the same fresh produce, purified water, vegetable bread, and myriad cashew products as before - and almost precisely on schedule, the Sheriff enters, as weary as you've yet seen him.
He sighs. “The world out there is full of evil and terrible things —undead horrors that live for thousands of years, dragons the size of cities, forces from beyond our world that try to ruin everything they touch..." He looks across to the far end of room with narrowed eyes. "...and that one damned chair over there. Something about it I just don't like. BUT NEVERMIND THAT," He seems to say as much to himself as to you, then looks at each of you in turn, his usual air of sardonic authority replaced with one of humility and concern. "I’m grateful for whatever it is that shields Mercy from storms, keeps us healthy, makes our crops grow, and protects us from monsters like whatever that thing was that swooped overhead today. Does Robori watch over us? Honestly, I’m not so sure, but I’m not as willing as most people around here to leave matters in the hands of faith alone. We need your help. I’m asking YOU to deal with that monster. Vampire or not, if it can make bats attack like that, it’s a danger to our town, and I can’t risk going off into the Wastes and leaving folk here undefended. I've been keeping your weapons in the carriage house. Just say you'll do this for us, and I'll get 'em for you.”
|
Jack nods at Yanda's words, emphatically agreeing with her... "I think we can be of aid against this thing... Yanda here obviously intimidated it into fleeing... we just have to find it and deal with it so it's no longer a threat to your town. Of course we still have to determine what happened to Amenira before we can leave Mercy."
Once Sheriff MOLUME goes off to fetch your things, Nira addresses you:
"I'm starting to remember m-m-mur-more. That thing, he...I think...I want to go with you. Please let me go with you. I can help you hunt it down...." Limited as Nira's range of expression might be, you now see a new one on her: Her delicate hands are balled into fists, and her walnut-shell eyelids are narrowed, as if in anger.
The carriage house actually isn't that far away from the guesthouse, so some of you start to wonder why he's taking a bit longer with your things than you think he ought to. When he returns, however, you see what might have been keeping him: In addition to a long, low locker containing your weapons (and a bunch of packing hay), he also brings in a tall, thin barrel containing additional equipment: a longspear, a scroll of scorching ray, a wand of bless , and a single glowing arrow.
"That thing that was out there, I think I've seen it flying with the bats quite a few times over the last few years, but it’s never acted up like that, and I didn’t want to worry the townsfolk. The bats'll be busy all night; I'd suggest following them back to wherever they roost." He gingerly takes the glowing arrow out of the barrel, and holds it up with a sad smile. “This arrow has been handed down in my family for generations. My great-grandmother used an arrow just like this one to strike through the heart of a wild creature that was trying to tempt people to a watery grave. It wouldn’t feel right not to give you everything I can to help you defend Mercy.”
"Good luck."
|
|
Well sheriff, it seems I misjudged you, and when i'm wrong i'll be the first to say it. I'll gladly hunt that thing down, and i'll make sure that arrow there is the one to do the trick! Thank you for serving this town and thanks for your hospitality. Kristoff sprints over to his bow and picks it up, and it starts to get a tid bid awkward as he begins to talk to it and stroke it ever so softly.Did they hurt you baby? Oh i missed you come lets be off, we have a target to hunt down,Says kristoff to himself. It's then he begins to notice how awkward that may have been and he slings the quiver over his shoulder, slides the new arrow in and waits for the others to follow suit.
What Ardain had guessed earlier based on Zuri's description of the "vampire," he and Kristoff have confirmed for themselves with their own eyes: The thing was a rare and strange cthonic organism known as a cloaker. Ardain also knows that they have power over ambient darkness to defend themselves and deceive others, just as they saw demonstrated in the town square.
|
|
Yanda is happy with her trusty alchemical weapons and has no use for clerical blessings or wizard blasting when she has mutagens and bombs.
"Not interested in any of those things. So. I suppose your people really don't know what happened to Nira and that cloaker thing is our best lead anyway. Nice show of faith, sheriff. These things are very valuable. We'll try to return them to you in good shape."
IF we return. Though that thing seemed a bit skittish. Maybe it will just keep running away.
|
|
Corwyn is bewildered at first, but then seems to focus his attention and nods his understanding as the others impart their knowledge and the sheriff seems to come around in helping them rather than hindering. "I'm not one to let a vampire terrorize innocent townfolk. I'll offer my help in putting that thing down, whatever it is." When the doll begins to speak, the swashbuckler looks at Nira with troubled eyes. "Did that thing... that cloaker kill you? Did it somehow turn you into this?"
Whatever the answer, Corwyn regards the others thoughtfully. "That cave we found had tracks outside belonging to something like Nira here. You think maybe that's where this cloaker lairs?" Turning to Ardain, he asks. "Can normal weapons hurt something like this? I've heard you need silver to hurt vampires. Or is that a werewolf?" He strokes his finely groomed mustache thoughtfully, trying to recall the details and momentarily forgetting his question...
Ardain eyes the scroll, it contains a spell he would love to have in his spellbook, but he knows it's too intricate of a casting for him without more practice.
"Can normal weapons hurt something like this?
While cloakers can defend themselves with ambient darkness, common steel is perfectly good against them.
"The Sheriff suggested we follow the bats..."
So you do. It turns out that, once you are able to spot a camp of bats making their way out of the cashew orchards, their flight path is very easy to follow. They ultimately lead you five miles south of Mercy, where a dark crevice splits open the landscape. An oppressive heat pours out of the fracture, and the area smells like rotting flesh.
Looking down into the crevice, it is pitch-dark, but Jack and Yanda are able to discern that it's about 30 feet to the bottom; while the first 15 feet down should not bee too difficult a climb , masses of slippery and tangled foliage will make the latter leg of the climb more difficult .
|
|
Corwyn grins at the others. "I can see well enough in the dark, but this is ridiculous." The swashbuckler reaches into his backpack and withdraws a slim rod that he ignites, light flaring from the sunrod brightly. He drops it into the crevice, lighting up the area so he and other others without darkvision can make the descent. The climb doesn't look terribly difficult so long as he takes his time, so after taking a moment to make certain that there are no bats or cloakers rushing hiding down there, he starts down.
Ardain looks around for something to tie his rope on to. Safety first.
Funnily enough, there's a short but stout olive tree looming over the fracture. Even though its trunk is rooted several feet away from it, it has grown, for whatever reason, in a decidedly bent direction toward the hole. You are eerily reminded of an anthropoid bending over to sniff a nice flower.