"And, in a way, we did warn people. I... I told your dad that something was not right with Tommas. And, we may not have been here... but... what if we had just let what was going on in the caves continue? They might have taken more of our children." Eva spoke up, dealing with it all herself.
"Y-you told the mayor? About Tommas that is? That something wasn't right?" Eli spoke up cautiously, but curious at the same time. Then it hit him. "W-Wait. You almost died?" The worry and shock was all over his features.
The old woman sips her drink, glares at the remnants of the fire with her good eye, and pokes the grate moodily with her walking stick - stirring up sparks. She leaves the threadbare raven on her shoulder to watch the proceedings with its black eyes. Her only comment is terse, "Hindsight is a folly we can ill afford. What else?"
Eli took Mahbs comment as a sign that he should tell them the rest. "After the attack died down, we went searching. We found the Carevin house had been broken into by no less than four zombies. Thats at least the number of piles of quickly vanishing remains led us to believe. Joan and Alexis were there, and... they weren't a pretty sight. They had fought and died to protect Lia. She... Was still up in the rafters, where she had hid, I... I think she saw the whole thing." Eli looked down some worry on his face. "She hasn't cried. Just sits and stares. She's answering everything in short terse sentences. I'm worried for her."
"Tobias and Lema are the worst injured, though Elliot and Jonah are hurt too. Lema from her arm being ripped off and Tobias took a cut over his eye. There was gunk in it, and that has us worried. We are pretty sure he's lost the eye, but he's running a fever too. Even after Cathran here cleaned it up. Elliot has a shattered forearm, though that's been set. And Jonah Sanders had some of his face ripped off by Tommas."
"Cathran's been doing most of the healing this morning. With Elena and Eva gone and Father Abercrombie missing, we were short healers. We tried to find him, but so far no one has. The church is too hot and too unstable for us to search there yet. We don't know if Father Abercrombie's alive or dead right now." Eli drifted off into silence. He knew more, but he wasn't sure how to say it yet. They weren't going to like it, not at all. Not that he expected the group, let alone Elena, to take any of this news well.
Eva, while saddened herself, hugged her brother as she kept strong for him. As she did so, she started doing a mental counting off on her fingers. She made a face as she came to a realization, "Wait... you said four dead. I'm counting three dead, unless I miscounted. Well, three dead, four injured and one missing... Did I miss someone?"
"...I... I did say four..." Eli steeled himself, before he continued. He'd been dreading telling them this part. Perhaps he had been dreading this part the worst. He had put it off till last after all.
"Before Jacob collapsed. He told me this. That the last place Tommas was seen as himself, was last night. At the Ebonlocke home. Jacob told me he had message from the Mayor to have dinner. That the Mayor was concerned about Tommas."
Eli took a deep, yet shaky breath before continuing. "We checked the house since we hadn't seen any of the Ebenlockes, and after what Monster-Tommas had done. When we got there, we found the kitchen door burst off it's hinges. It was a mess, but nothing like what we found the dining room."
"T-that... that room was a disaster." Eli looked up at Elena, trying to say this best he could. "We found your father unconscious against the far wall, mostly uninjured though he was covered in blood. There, was a huge bloodstain in the room, the furniture all broken and overturned." He paused trying to find the words as his throat caught. "W-we found Margaret too. S-she... Elena... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry." Tears streaked down his face. "S-She must have been the first. I-it looked like Tommas ripped her apart. I'm so sorry. W-we had to sedate your father when he woke up and saw her. He collapsed and wouldn't respond to anyone. He just mutters over and over about how it's his fault. We... put him to bed after we sedated him.... I... I left word that if the search party returned, for them to be sent here. So that... that you could be told by a friend. I'm so sorry." Eli, face streaked with tears, climbed down from his chair to hug Elena. He knew, if he was her, he'd need a hug too.
Elijah's hand trembles harder and harder as Eli goes on, and tears begin to track down his face as the death toll mounts. When it's revealed that Elena's mother is one of the victims, the wooden mug in his hand shatters as the big lumberjack squeezes it too hard, the wood cracking and splitting and letting the remaining ale spill on the table. "My god... Elena.. I'm so sorry..." The big man says, his voice choking. His breath is ragged as he continues. "And poor Lia, we promised her.. we promised Eva... we would keep her safe.. and her parents died keeping our promise..." Too choked up to continue, he stands up and leaves, punching the door to open it, slamming it out and back and against the building, over Luthor's protests.
Lineera listens to the rest of the tale somewhat absently as she spends her focus and energy on comforting and cheering up Elena.
Lineera briefly feels some relief as she learns that the Mayor is safe. But as news of Margaret is told, Lineera gasps and raises a hand over her mouth. "Oh! E-Elena... I'm..." Yet her words falter as she realizes that there's nothing to be said. No words of comfort, condolence, no logic or reasoning, nothing could possibly heal this trauma but for time.
At a loss for words, Lineera merely sidles up next to her friend and attempts to wrap her arm around the small of her back in the ever increasing mass of people trying to comfort the young girl. With her other hand, Lineera merely buries her face in it and begins to sob as well. The sorrow is not so much her own, though she is still saddened at the loss of Margaret, yet mostly her tears are fueled by sympathy for her friend.
As she openly cries alongside Elena, her mind begins to try and muddle through all the problems the village now has. Who will take care of Lia? Is the Mayor still able to lead, or will his grief cloud is judgement? With Father Ambercrombe gone... I can't let Elena be forced to participate in the funeral arrangements. I'll have to do it myself. I hope the villagers won't be upset. Goddess, I can't let this happen again... but now there's fresh bodies... a pyre? But will that seem disrespectful? Will Lia take any heart in hearing her sister's, not dead? Or has this grief simply been too much for the poor girl? Elena, I'm so sorry.
Perhaps at least... I need to do something. But what? The wounded have been treated by this new girl. I've no idea how to rebuild a church. Perhaps we can at least use those materials we found in the cave... What if that priestess comes back for the children whilst we're gone? What if the coffins are already stolen away? ...
Her thoughts continue to whirl through confusion, fear, and sorrow as she continues to try and find some way to make sense of all this.
It was taking a bit, for it all to sink in. When Elijah spoke up, it was only after he left that she managed to speak. "...I.. I know..." Eva was torn, between staying here with her brother and Elena, and going to Lia. Lia should be told about her brother, she had promised her after all. "W-we need... we need to tell Lia. It... it could help... A-and the Hanns... G-good n-news could... do everyone good." It didn't take much to notice both of the two little gnomes were not as bright as usual. It wasn't so much faded as more their colors were dulled.
Perhaps the "it's not your fault" speech had been premature. Still, Cathran was glad to have said it, if only because she needed to hear it herself. She had told herself similar things in the wake of other disasters. Often, unfortunately.
Each recount of death feels like a sling bullet to the stomach, but the real dread creeps in when Eli has to work up to the last one. As he reveals the fate of the monstrosity's first victim, Cathran looks at the already sobbing girl, Elena. Even though she was barely an adult, she had walked in looking strong and capable, if worried. Now she was crumpled, a desperate child. Elena couldn't have been much older than Cathran was when she lost her own parents. Cathran snaps her head toward the sound of breaking wood to watch the brawny young man flee from the table in a heartbreaking rage, and that's when she notices the silent tears trickling down her face. It is not your fault, Cathran. It's not, she thinks to her self as her breaths become shallow and ragged.
She manages to quiet her breathing enough that she can speak without her voice becoming too shaky, and wipes her wet face with a napkin. "What is this good news?"
Riley continues to listen in to the group's discussion. He remains close to Elena to comfort her.
Mahb addresses Cathran's question, having little solace to offer. "We've found the missing children. They're alive... but under the effects of a magic we dare not break without care. We need help in bringing them back: wagons, rope."
The hours pass in something of a blur as the witch learns of the full scope of the attack. With the pragmatic bent of the old, Mahb leaves Elena and the others to their mourning and takes up more practical matters...
She casts the raven into the air with orders to find a high spot and alert her of any dangers.
Once the children are returned, the hag studiously examines their condition, attempting to ascertain the nature of the ensorcelment and how best to liberate the children safely. She briefly - and silently - considers pulling one child from the misty field. It would be the quickest way to answer the question, naturally, if you didn't mind potentially sacrificing the child's life.
Mahb pokes around the corpse of Tommas, partially dissecting it as necessary, trying to determine its nature. She makes a note to herself to investigate his home for more clues.
Examining the abomination that was Tommas leads her to an examination of the graveyard and the self-exhumed corpses. She even considers who rose versus who was left in the grave, looking for some reason why only certain corpses would rise.
The hag examines all of the undead, looking for anything as unusual as Tommas.
As she sets about her tasks, Mahb keeps a sharp eye on the locals and even her innocent questions about where they were and what they saw, is backed by her truth-telling skills... looking for the viper hidden among the flowers.
Mahb isn't skilled in manual labor but she helps out where she can and uses the opportunity to question more locals while 'treating' them.
After interviewing locals about what they saw, particularly any stories that suggest some undead escaped, the old woman hobbles on her cane along the town's perimeter, looking for any sign of the dead walking away.
Pyewacket takes to the air, finds a high branch, and keeps a sharp eye out for anything unusual.
When his mistress begins circling the village looking for signs of fleeing undead, Pye flies down to assist her.
Cathran volunteers to help retrieve the children from the cave hideout, acting primarily as a guard for the horse-drawn wagon, lest any dangers of the forest beset it. Making the way through the gnarled underbrush of the woods, she tries to remember if there are any other areas around Perdition's Point that could serve as hideouts or strongholds for necromancers.
When she has time to examine the children, she defers to the expertise of the old witch, Mahb. The old woman's grumpy retorts and practicality remind Cathran of her old mentor, and the young half-elf woman offers whatever assistance she can.
Assist:
Assist:
She follows the cantankerous-but-lovable crone over to Tommas's corpse as well, hoping to gain some more insight into the transmogrified monstrosity.
Assist:
Examining the auto-exhumed graveyard, Cathran looks for any evidence of who or what caused this. She is especially interested in the quickly disintegrating corpses, so she makes sure to examine any of those remains as soon as possible.
When her investigation is complete, Cathran sets to work helping the town survive. She borrows whatever she can find that's helpful from the Carevin house, since Joan used to be the trapper in town; she is reluctant to disturb that place considering what happened, but if she could find something to help ensure the future of Perdition's Point then that comes first. With the guard and militia reduced, she also offers to help train any willing townsfolk to fight. Cathran is relieved that those with magical healing have returned to the town, but she still wants to check up on the patients with the gravest injuries.
When talk comes of seeking help from outside of town, Cathran goes over the various courts that Elda (sometimes through methods that Cathran thought best not to ask about) managed to get them audiences, and even dinners, with. Certainly Perdition's Point should send for aid to the neighboring towns, like Illmarsh, but some assistance from higher places could go a long way. Cathran sits down to write letters to (relatively) nearby nobility, trying to remember if there are any that are particularly invested in Perdition's Point's purple lumber trade or that have vendettas against the undead.
After Eva reached the point where she couldn't set there any longer, and needed to do something, she went to see Lia and tell her about her brother as best she could, and offer to let her stay at The Cheerful Duck. She also offered to teach Lia alchemy if she wanted to learn.
After that, she went to check on the injured's conditions, and to tend to them if they needed it.
She will give the worst off her cure infusion if need be. With plans to be all cure infusions for her prepared spells the next day if needed.
That night, or the next day, she'll give Eli the note to translate. She'll then go into crafting mode to make more alchemist fires, sunrods and other alchemical items either PP needs or the group will need. She'll also brew more cure potions.
She'll run her shop most days too, though it might be more to just keep herself busy than anything else.
She also raided every book in the village she could get her hands on searching to see if she could even find a hint about how to get the kids out of it.
Lineera sets about preparing funeral services for all the fallen. For the services themselves, she wears more traditional priestly robes. They're of the Pharasmic order, but she hoped that the villagers would take comfort in the familiarity of formality. Doing her best to extol the villagers to keep their spirits up, saying that the departed would not want their friends, family, and neighbors to be heart-broken for overlong. Their tears proved their love, but the same love extended from the departed, who would not wish to see them cry.
Once the funerals are done and the coffins returned to the village, Lineera also begins examining the spells with a greater depth of research, trying to think of anything that would enact such a curse.
The drow also fills in when needed in tending to the injured.
In between taking care of the other tasks, Lineera also puts herself to work in the tavern, making food for the populace likely seeking solace at the bottom of one of the tavern's mugs, and specifically also making meals for the Farrins, seeing as their primary homemaker is likely Lema. She also takes to making small performances of song in the tavern, trying to raise the spirits of the town's members in much the same way as those of the party.
A few days after the incident, Lineera began to realize that whilst her willingness to fill in could ease some of the burden, but that the strike against the village was more than one outsider could fill. Thinking it over, Lineera decides that perhaps the village could use a few more hands, and ones who typically hate the undead are probably good ones to contact. Lineera addresses the townsfolk attempting to convince them that a small chapel to Pharasma, and the accompanying priests or priestesses would do the town some good. In both reestablishing a stronger religious presence in the village, as well as that presence being one of the most dedicated ones in combating the undead.
With even mild approval, Lineera follows through on her plan. Hesitant, considering the poor terms she left on, but determined to do her best to help the little village so in need of aid, Lineera pens a letter to the church she had initially practiced her faith in. The drow asks for those willing to travel to Perdition's Point, and establish a small chapel. She doesn't mince words, those who come will have to work hard. As there is no standing structure for which to use, and the primarily Erastil worshiping community will likely not be able to support a second chapel, the work will not be easy. Whomever comes will likely have to work the fields, or otherwise sustain themselves with their own hands, rather than rely on the good graces of the townsfolk. But the town needs help, and for anyone who wishes to defend the town from the undead, and do a good deed in both the eyes of men and the Goddess to make all haste in preparing to travel. Lineera also personally addresses and requests the help of anyone she remembered who seemed even slightly convinced of her heretical standpoint.
Lineera spends every other waking moment relaxing, and trying to wind down from the constant flurry of activity the aftermath has brought.
When Eli finishes his horrifying tale, Elena is perfectly still. She's sitting in her chair, her head buried in her hands, just as before, but there is no outward reaction, no movement whatsoever. There are no sobs, or cries, no heartbreaking yells, or violent screams.
She just sits, in her chair, unmoving.
It happens in a moment, just like a gear snapping. Elena suddenly bolts upright, with as much strength as her strong limbs can possibly muster. Her whole body is tensed so tightly she's shaking from head to toe, and yet on her tear-streaked face there is no trace of anger, or pain, or anything else.
On her face, there is no expression at all.
Swift as the wind, she runs from the room, leaving behind the small inn, and everyone in it. Even in her agonizing state, or perhaps because of it, there is only one place she wants to be, she needs to be. Home. Her home.
Her home, so familiar and yet so alien, where every little detail she is so fond about is so comforting, so beautiful, and completely drenched in dried blood.
For the longest time, she would just sit in a corner of the ravaged dining room, staring into space, slowly trying to pierce together her broken spirit, only to have the whole, excruciating mess of her psyche break down again, over and over.
When finally, eventually, Elena comes back to her senses, she is ready to face the challenge of the days to come, and the new life she'd have to lead. She's also not the person she was before. The sunny girl with the bright smile, full of hope for the future and always ready to look at the bright side of things is gone. In her place is a woman, stern and resolute, who knows all too well the world is a dark and unforgiving place, and the only way to survive is to be tough as steel, and just as cold.
Getting up from the floor, Elena slowly makes her way upstairs, to check on her father. There are bound to be difficult days ahead, and the village will need a strong leadership. If her father was unable to provide such, she'd have to step up and assume his role, for the good of the village...
As promised, here's the rolls for what Elena intends to do:
First thing first, there are wounded to tend to. Elena will use her spells and abilities (channel energy) to heal everyone to full health, and if their wounds are so grievous she can't do it in one day, she'll come back the next, or for as long as needed, till everyone is back on his feet. If needed, I'll roll a few Heal checks too.
Heal - Tobias: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Heal - Lema: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Heal - Eliot: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14Then she'll officiate the funerals for the dead. With the death of father Abercrombie, she feels it's her duty as the new 'titular' priestess of the church. She welcomes Lineera's aid in this matter, since her faith in the Lady of the Dead seems quite appropriate in this case. Diplomacy check to give comfort to the people.
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
The rest depends on how her father feels about remaining in charge during this period. If he feels well enough to keep his role, Elena likely smiles for the first time in days, then devotes her energy to rebuild the damaged houses, and help the villagers with whatever else they may need to get back on their feet (seeding the fields, etc...).
Strength and Constitution checks for the, likely, hard work ahead.Constitution Check 1: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Constitution Check 2: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
Constitution Check 3: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6On the other hand, if her father doesn't feel well and decides to either step down temporarily or ask for her help, Elena dutifully assumes the role of 'Mayor ad interim', and devotes herself entirely to the delicate role. Since she'd have to speak with a lot of people, and convince them her decisions are sound, her diplomatic skills would surely come in handy.
Diplomacy check 1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Diplomacy check 2: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Diplomacy check 3: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25That's pretty much it! Busy days ahead, but the village is going to pull through, stronger than ever! ;)
Over the next two weeks, things are hectic, and bittersweet.
Jacob and his family have a funeral, with pyre, for little Eli. Lineera and Elena both perform the service. There are many tears, and the community as a whole is heartened though by the words of Lineera and Elena, although all agree that Lineera was very passionate and eloquent, while Elena's speech was simpler and obviously born of heartbreak.
The two then go on to give the Carevin's a eulogy and speak for them as well, little Lia dry eyed but watching them both respectfully. Elijah stands behind her, arms crossed, a look that promises death and mayhem for anything that comes near the girl in the future.
Lineera then performs a service for Margaret, which is both beautiful and heartbreaking for Elena. Elena of course, stands with her father, who attends the funerals, but he seems a broken man. But even broken, he stands up straight and tall throughout the services, and pushes on, doing the work of a Mayor, but with no longer the zest and verve he had. The only time he smiles is when he watches his daughter working, helping, and protecting the village.
Things go uneasy the next week, when Lineera comes down with a fever. Within days, she's coughing badly and shockingly for her, pale. But between Elena's healing and Eva's potions, and Cathran's assistance, Lineera recovers from the sickness she caught in the cave. Although it means she is limited in her abilities to physically rebuild the town.
With Lineera bedridden for most of the two weeks after the funerals in her house, Elena and her father push themselves out of their depression enough to have the dining room stripped to the structural members. They use the wood to build a large pyre to burn all the remains, and the remains of anyone still in the cemetery. Elena's father works as hard as he can, but requires assistance. Elena is able to provide that help though, and the two become almost interchangeable as mayor.
Mahb, who also helped with Lineera's fever, and Cathran go over Tommas's corpse with a fine toothed comb. What they find is disturbing. Tommas was no longer entirely Tommas. Whatever was inside him was not natural. Tumor like growths were inside his chest, attached to his spine, his heart, growing up through his throat into his brain, and down the arterial system, into his limbs. Neither have encountered anything like it. More disturbing, of the few non-decayed corpses they had the chance to examine, the corpses exhibited the same sort of corruption. They also found that the core of the corruption centered on Tommas's chest. Cathran noted that the black amulet they found would have rested directly above the corruption while he was alive. Elena also notes that this is radically different from the tax collector, in that Tommas's body appears to have been alive when it was killed and dismembered, where the tax collector seems to have been already dead and zombified.
The corpses that rose were all in the shallower of graves, or in the few stone coffins that were on raised platforms. Examining the coffins in detail, Mahb finds evidence in the lids that something burrowed it's way through the lids, bursting the wood down and into the coffin. Only those corpses that still had some form of meat appear to have arose.
With the amount of attention they are getting, the three survivor's are a bit overwhelmed, and within a week, are up and moving around. Lema with her arm amputated properly at the elbow and healed over thanks to magic. Tobias doesn't run around and shout as much as he once did, but the wound is healed over, and no more fever. His eye is gone of course, and he'll take a bit to get used to the lack of depth perception. But he's alive and healthy, if a bit more quiet and thoughtful than he was before. Eliot is back to making clothes by the end of the week, his arm fully mended, the least of the serious injuries.
The two coffins are moved into the Mayor's house, into the basement, and there they are guarded at all times.
What the group can tell after examining the coffins is this, the children will remain as they are for now. Unaging, unliving. As far as the magic users can tell, removing them from the coffin will indeed kill them. Destruction of the coffin will do the same thing. They are unsure how to reverse the magic, as it's not something any of them have seen before. They have found some indentations on the coffin that look like they might be places to put gems or other objects, almost sockets.
Messages are sent off to various churches and organizations and nearby cities. They are sent off right after the funerals. The minimum reply time would be two weeks.
The town has razed the Carevin home (and used the lumber for the multiple pyres in the cemetary). Lineera is treated as 'one of us' as things continue to be done to rebuild the town, especially after the close call with her illness. Father Abercrombie's remains are found, and his near powdered skeleton reduced to ashes in another fire. The church is also razed, for safety, leaving a large black stained pit in the ground.
Things go uneasy the next week, when Elena comes down with a fever. Within days, she's coughing badly and pale. But between Lineera's healing and Eva's potions, and Cathran's assistance, Elena recovers from the sickness she caught in the cave. Although it means she is limited in her abilities to physically rebuild the town.
The hag spends her days working her way around the village tirelessly investigating and watching... a scowl permanently stamped on her face. She quietly avoids every funeral - finding other tasks that need doing. Her glare and near silence keeps most everyone at arm's length. She can't help but notice the looks she periodically garners from the new girl in town. Much as she might like to, Mahb can't find fault with the woman. She proved helpful in the wake of the destruction... and she wasn't overly talkative. In fact, she'd barely said a word to the witch, which Mahb respected. But every so often the half-elf looked at the old woman like she had something on her mind. After a few days, Mahb decided to satisfy her curiosity. The next time she caught Cathran watching her, the witch casts her good eye at the ranger and pokes her stick at her. "Something on your mind, girl?"
Eli tells Eva that it is Halfling, but oddly written, so it takes him a bit to translate the papers. They are a letter.
Mortana, good to hear you are having such good luck with Perdition's Point. And the scouting report from the Chateau sounds excellent. We're on schedule here in Illmarsh, already got the boy. The girl is identified. And we've found an absolutely wonderful place to hold the ritual. The only problem is, of course, the dampness. Ugh, I wish I was in a nice dry cave.
You will not be surprised to find out that Kinalla, the stupid slut, has screwed up. She got her boy, but then got her pawn killed in an aborted attempt on the girl. The locals have raised the guard and she's going to have to relocate and perform her portion of the ritual at the winter solstice, during the new moon. She's moving to the backup location as I write this.
You need to be aware though, we've heard rumors that a mercenary group from Magnimar was snooping around Vaultin looking for us. It appears they ran low on funds, and had to return to Magnimar. In a completely unrelated bit of good news, Teagan seems to have come into a large score recently, and she's spreading the love around with more equipment for any corpses you get a rise out of. Haha!
Looking forward to seeing you after the first trio of rituals are done. As always, your sister, Knaria.
Lineera is still a bit shaky on her feet. The fever's gone down and the symptoms are largely inconvenient at this point, but she's beginning to make herself useful again. The first order of business is setting up her tent. Given the loss of the the Carevin's house, Elijah moving into the town proper, and the addition of two new travelers, Lineera decides it's high time to establish some temporary housing. Asking for assistance from the villagers for most of the heavier lifting, Lineera get's her travel tent set up. Then, arranging a multitude of small, collapsible tables and chairs, Lineera's home away from home is ready to keep herself.
With her old home back, and no longer in need of the inn's room, Lineera seeks out Riley. "Hey Riley, I just wanted to let you know I'm moving out of the Inn's room, so you can take that now if you want."
It has been several days since Eva disappeared into her shop, rarely coming out unless it was necessary. Eva, having found out what the note said, had set about making supplies and packing for a trip. She had yet to tell the others that she had plans on leaving on a trip, because she didn't wish to pull people needed in the village away just yet. 'No one hurts my friends. No one.' She kept mentally changing to herself. It kept her focused, kept her from breaking down. She couldn't break. She couldn't cross that bridge. No. She would not risk taking Eli with her if she did. No. She would hold firm.
"Huh?" Cathran blurts out, her voice tinged with the local accent of the forest laborers. She blinks, embarrassed, as the little old crone addresses her so suddenly. She hadn't heard Mahb speak much. Or rather, most of Mahb's talking that Cathran noticed seemed to be grumbling to herself or her raven. Cathran clears her throat and speaks again, this time with her usual formal tone, free of her previous rurality. "I apologize, it is just that you remind me of someone. Someone who was very important to me."
Not knowing what else to say, Cathran looks down at the basket of herbs in her arms. The greens smell fresh and odd. Cathran bends down to pick a few more of the small plants that have overgrown a small cabin just outside of the town proper. Her old childhood home. After the initial whirlwind of activity and horror that followed the attack, Cathran had managed to come and visit this place. She picked a few of the herbs to ask Mahb and Eva if they could be useful--for some reason Cathran had never seen them in the area before. Mahb said she had some use for them, so here they were, gathering herbs for various poultices. In her childhood town, next to the remains of her childhood home, picking some strange plant with a witch who looked like a young (well, younger) Elda. It dawns on her now how often she must have been staring at Mahb over the past weeks.
Cathran sighs and sits on a nearby rock, laying the basket of herbs next to her. She scans the branches overhead for Mahb's raven briefly, then looks the old witch in the eye. "I cannot imagine that you have been talking with the other villagers much. We missed you at the funerals. I do not know if you remember me, but I used to live in Perdition's Point. Here, actually," she says, gesturing toward the old cabin. "That was fifteen years ago. If I may ask a question, did you hear anything about what happened to my family and me?"
Cathran sighs and sits on a nearby rock, laying the basket of herbs next to her. She scans the branches overhead for Mahb's raven briefly
Mahb's eyes follow Cathran's into the branches, guessing her intent. "Pyewacket is off on his own business." The old woman says somewhat resentfully. Mahb's suspicions about the raven's true nature had been growing for some years. She was nearly certain that the scarred-beak bird wasn't the true form of the creature that had entwined itself about her life. Someday, it would reveal its true nature or she would discover it... and then things will get interestin'.
"...We missed you at the funerals."
The scowl falls from the old woman's face. She bursts into a strident, choking, cackle and leans on her walking stick for support. When she can speak, she explains, "The only thing folks 'round here miss is my absence, girl. I make them nervous as a long-tail cat in a room full of rockin' chairs."
"I do not know if you remember me, but I used to live in Perdition's Point. Here, actually," she says, gesturing toward the old cabin. "That was fifteen years ago. If I may ask a question, did you hear anything about what happened to my family and me?"
Mahb rests her gaunt frame against a low branch. In an uncharacteristic display of civility, she waves the woman on - willing to chat. The witch rubs at her rheumy white eye. "Fifteen years? I can't say that I remember you... but back then I spent precious small time in the village. Less than now even. Unless I had business with your kin, I can't say that I know them."
Elijah and Jacob approach Elena and her father. "There's been lots of requests for various churches to send a new cleric for the town." Jacob says, having been in charge of getting someone to Rozenport with the letters. He had sent Ervath and Lesma Waters to Rozenport. The two had been inconsolable over what their son had become, and after the funerals, has locked themselves up in their small house. They'd then gotten their little wagon and packed it up, with plans to move to Redleaf, where Lesma has family. All of the family they had in Perdition's Point is now dead. "There were no less than 3 requests being mailed to various churches, so I think that perhaps it might be best to rebuild the town church as a multi-faith temple? Rather than one dedicated strictly to one god? I'd rather not get any churches ticked off at us. We don't need divine wrath..." He says, quirking a wry gallows grin.
Elijah nods. "We have a letter to Pharasma's church in Rozenport, one to Erastil's church, and a final one to the Church of Saranrae. If all 3 churches send a priest, we'll be up to our cassock's in priests." He snorts. "Assuming they can find someone wanting to retire to a small town out in the back of nowhere."
Cathran finds some trapping gear in the Carevin home, in a storage room. There are 2 dozen skins, ready to go to market, stretched and softened. There are also a dozen bear traps, as well as a full masterwork trapper's kit (contains twine, stakes, rope, metal traps, and other things needed to build traps). It weighs 30 lbs, and fills up a back pack. It grants a +2 on Survival for catching food, or on Craft (Traps) for building traps.
Jacob approach's Lineera's tent after he talks with Elena and the Mayor and Elijah. "Lineera? You in there? I'd knock, but it's a bloody tent, and there's no way to knock proper." The burly watch commander calls out, stomping his feet loudly to make noise outside Lineera's tent.
"The Water's asked me to tell you they'd like you to have their house, they're moving to Red Leaf, to be with family. They don't really feel comfortable living here after what happened with... their son. I can't blame them for leaving, I know it's not their fault, but every time I look at them, I see Tommas with Eli..." The big man swallows, balling up his fists, and the continues in a more controlled voice. "Anyway, they're leaving, and they asked me to tell you that they would appreciate it if you took their home. They don't know what happened to Tommas, and they suspect the house may be tainted. But they felt you needed a home here, now that you're one of us, and that you would be best prepared to deal with any taint left behind. They've moved out, so the home is yours. They left for Rozenport this morning at dawn."
Mahb was indeed very good at intimidating the town, and by the end of the first week, any good graces she'd won finding the children had been burned, and she was back to being a pariah that was avoided at all costs. But nobody seemed overly suspicious, even if most of them turned back to being hostile by the end of the first week. As of now, only a handful of people can stomach Mahb again.
The cackle that erupts from Mahb catches Cathran off guard, but she smiles. Cathran is grateful for the old witch granting her what must be a rare audience with the old misanthrope. "I am not sure that everyone in town knew us, let alone someone who lives as far away from the village as yourself. My parents were trappers, and largely kept to themselves. In any case, fifteen years ago, when I was not even as old as Elena is now, my parents took me out on my first real hunt. It was a harsh year for the crops, so we were in desperate need of more food. We chased a family of deer deep into the Cadaverwood. Far too deep. A malevolent spirit attacked us from nowhere."
Here Cathran's lip pulls back into an involuntary snarl, her eyebrows furrowed, her arms crossed tight across her chest. "My father was dead with a touch. My mother held the creature off and told me to run. So I did. I ran until I could no longer, and as the monster came to claim me, I saw a white flash of cold strike the fiend. I turned to see an old woman, who fought and destroyed the spirit with her magic. Her name was Elda, and she was a witch from the north, near Irrisen. I helped guide her out of the woods, and stayed with her for many years. Anyway, you remind me of her in a lot of ways."
Cathran looks down at her feet. She lets out a long breath, more relaxed, but sad. "I apologize. I hope I have not bored you with my sad history. I usually try to keep these things to myself, but I suppose the recent tragedies have loosened my tongue."
After Lineera exits the tent, she's somewhat saddened, but understanding of the situation. "It's a shame I can't say that I didn't feel the same way. What happened likely wasn't even something poor Tommas wanted, but it's hard to forget." She sighs, freshly saddened at remembering the destruction that's still so fresh on their minds. "I just wish I had known, they deserved a better send off than just leaving like that, they deserved better. ...But, nothing for it now. It'd be a waste to put a perfectly good house like that to waste, and somewhat rude too. Best get my things packed up, and I'll move myself in today."
Taking her leave of Jacob, Lineera begins stowing away the items in her tent, then decides it'd be best to take stock of what was left behind before hand, and crosses town to the Water's former house. Looking through the small building, Lineera performs a short series of prayers to ensure that any "taint" within the building is just the imagination of the last inhabitants. After her initial analysis is complete, Lineera takes anything of questionable intent found, gathers it together, and stores it into any available container and sticks it in the far end of the house. Whatever it is, can wait until later.
Any remaining furniture, Lineera rearranges a bit to try and dissipate any prominent trace of the Waters, to remove any mundane associations that may qualify as tainted. Taking a short break, Lineera then returns to her tent and finishes furnishing the house with her own travel furniture for anything that seemed to be obviously missing. Then packs up the remainder of her tent and belongings, and brings to them to her new home for storage.
Sitting at the table for her new home, Lineera pours herself a cup of her own mead that she carried with on her travels. Sipping it, and watching the day come towards its end, Lineera muses to herself. How long has it been since I've had a place to call my own? Eight years I suppose, if I count the church. My old home wasn't really mine either... I guess this makes this my first home. Lineera smiles quietly to herself as she continues to think about how Perdition's Point had been the first place to truly accept her as their own. They didn't really seem to buy into her beliefs, but that was fine. For now, she was just happy to have a place to call home again. The drow looks about the room, and comes to an obviously, but not immediately thought of realization. This house had been built for a family, and as such it seemed unnecessarily roomy for her by herself. Pondering the uses for the extra space for a time, Lineera sets down her mead, half finished and walks out the front door. After searching about town for a bit, she comes and finds Cathran.
"Uh, hey... Cathran, right? Do you got a moment?"
"...I heard the Waters moved out today for Rozenport. They left me their house, and uh... well, I figured it's a little big for just me, and I'm not really sure where you're staying at the moment (and I already told Riley he could take my room in the Inn) so I was wondering if you'd like to room with me? At least till your travels take you elsewhere."
As Lineera enters the house, she's shocked to find it completely empty. Apparently the Waters didn't own a lot, and they either took everything with them, or already gave it away to others. The house has been divided into two sections, a living room, kitchen, and bedroom is in one section. The other section is a single room, with a separate entrance, Tommas's room. Almost like a second house.
The living room and bedroom are completely empty, and clean, not a trace of dust. The hardwood floors gleam with wax rubbed in repeatedly over 30 years. The mantle gleams as well over the small fireplace.
Tommas's room, on the other hand, is fully furnished, and everything is still there, even the painting of his parents on the wall. Also there is a small drawing of Elena. It's not perfect, and it appears to have been done a couple of years ago when she still had long hair and pigtails.
There are other drawings in the room, stacks of them on the small table that serves as a desk, and hundreds in the chest in the corner. Nothing in the room has any magical taint, other than the bed, which has a rather oily feeling necromantic aura about where Tommas's chest would have rested when he slept.
The drawings range from very old charcoal drawings on the backs of papers from school, or church, very crude ones, all the way up to the ones on the desk, which are very well done, with a real eye for the subject.
About 1 out of every 20 is of Elena. Not a big surprise, as she was one of the only girls about Tommas's age. There are some drawings of other people, including a recent one of Lineera that shows her leaning against the wall of the church, her hands at her waist, clasped, and a pensive slightly sad look on her face. There's also one of Elijah, swinging his ax into a tree, chips of wood flying, his muscles very well detailed as he chops with his shirt off.
There's even one of Mahb, standing in a clearing in the woods, bent and holding onto her staff as she points her finger at a raven, her face stern and disapproving. The raven has a saucy look on it's face somehow, as if it's enjoying being chewed out.
Nearly everyone in the small town is immortilized in one or more of the drawings, the kids, the adults, the old people. Father Abercrombie, Eva and Eli.
The drawing desk has a layer of dust on it, as if it hadn't been used in weeks.
Beyond that, in the closet, is a MW longsword, Tommas', some clothes and boots belonging to him (some of the clothes have the same oily necromantic aura). On the back of the desk is a dusty leather bag with 250gp, 118 sp, and 140 cp.
"My father was dead with a touch..."
The hag is silent throughout the story, only grunting in agreement at the dangers residing in the woods' depths.
Cathran looks down at her feet. She lets out a long breath, more relaxed, but sad. "I apologize. I hope I have not bored you with my sad history. I usually try to keep these things to myself, but I suppose the recent tragedies have loosened my tongue."
Mahb says nothing for a moment, then her saltiness returns. "Fiddesticks! If you were boring me, do you think I'd still be settin' here, girl? I don't have enough time left to have any of it wasted." Somewhat uncomfortable with the ranger's revelation, she comes off the branch and straightens her back with a painful crack then speaks brusquely, "Well, I should be about my business." She glances around and picks up her stick. As she passes Cathran, she pauses and speaks quietly - almost kindly. "Tragedy and sorrow are an unfortunate part of most every worthwhile life. It's the price we pay to become exceptional. I know that's no consolation, but it's true. Don't waste the gift your parents gave you." She pats the girl lightly on the shoulder hesitantly, just once, and leaves.
Riley spends the weeks assisting with manual labor.
Over the course of the first two weeks, the manual labor is intensive, what with having to raze both the Carevin house and the remains of the church.
Lineera goes through Tommas' things with some amount of reverence. She folds the old clothes and piles them in a corner. It's unlikely anyone in the village would want them, so once she finds time, Lineera will burn them, somewhat publicly so that the villagers can rest assured that Lineera's presence in the house has indeed removed any lingering evils within. The sheets however, she can use, and a good washing with remove the oil, and any trace of the old magic with it.
As she looks through the sketches, she sorts them into piles based on the subject. She lingers longer on the sketch of her, initially probing her memory to see if she remembered anytime in which she had actually was in such a pose. Upon failing at the task, she instead wonders if this was how everyone saw her, or if this had been an idealization of Tommas'. Would she have become a focus of his sketches, as she took the role of a second woman of suitably youthful features, and who actually was of generally human proportions? She muses for a while longer, more out of blase curiosity than anything else. She was old enough to be Tommas' great-grandmother if she was human after all, regardless of how she looked, it was hard to see humans as anything but children at times. Their actions however, generally proved their maturity. Shaking off the thoughts which were quickly becoming more philosophical than planned, Lineera finishes sorting the various sketches. She didn't know Tommas hardly at all, but it seemed too callous to throw away his art, especially when so many of them were well done. She then strips the sheets from the bed, and replaces them with her own bedding; a collection of furs, blankets, and until someone else from the search party decides to claim them, the silk sheets they found on the bed in the cave.
Leaving everything else where it is, Lineera begins bringing her own things into Tommas' room, and sets up her own furniture in the rest of the house to fill in until more permanent fixtures can be arranged. With this done, she sets off in search of Cathran.
"Uh, hey... Cathran, right? Do you got a moment?"
Cathran wipes her brow carefully with her forearm as she walks back into town, as her hands are currently stained with the blood of several rabbits that hang in a bunch from a rope in her other hand. As she makes her way to check on the Stanton boy--he seems to be acting strangely since he lost his eye, and Cathran feels bad that she couldn't completely clean out whatever got trapped in the scar--she is surprised by the priestess' approach. "Uh, yes, I suppose I could spare a moment."
"...I heard the Waters moved out today for Rozenport. They left me their house, and uh... well, I figured it's a little big for just me, and I'm not really sure where you're staying at the moment (and I already told Riley he could take my room in the Inn) so I was wondering if you'd like to room with me? At least till your travels take you elsewhere."
"Uh. I, uh..." Cathran slowly manages to get out. Cathran was a little wary around the woman when they first met, largely because what few drow she had encountered before hadn't exactly been friendly. She had heard that Lineera was also a priestess of Pharasma, albeit an...unusual one. It was difficult to reconcile the idea of such a sweet girl being a necromancer. "Lineera, I do not know if you have heard much about me, but I have spent much of the last decade...not taking very kindly to those who meddle with the powers of undeath." Cathran is awkwardly silent for a moment. "Then again, you have proven to be nothing but helpful and dedicated to Perdition's Point. And I have to admit, I grow tired of being a burden on the people here while housing is arranged for me. I was considering just sleeping outside. Very well. I suppose I could at least give it a try, no?"
"Uh. I, uh..." Cathran slowly manages to get out. Cathran was a little wary around the woman when they first met, largely because what few drow she had encountered before hadn't exactly been friendly. She had heard that Lineera was also a priestess of Pharasma, albeit an...unusual one. It was difficult to reconcile the idea of such a sweet girl being a necromancer. "Lineera, I do not know if you have heard much about me, but I have spent much of the last decade...not taking very kindly to those who meddle with the powers of undeath." Cathran is awkwardly silent for a moment. "Then again, you have proven to be nothing but helpful and dedicated to Perdition's Point. And I have to admit, I grow tired of being a burden on the people here while housing is arranged for me. I was considering just sleeping outside. Very well. I suppose I could at least give it a try, no?"
As Cathran unveils her own dislike of the undead, Lineera isn't surprised. But she is surprised to have stumbled into one who specifically hated it with such... zeal. "Ah." Lineera's awkward silence falls in synch with Cathran's as the two step on each other's toes. But with Cathran's consent, Lineera relaxes visibly. "Well good, I've been on the road myself for a long time, so I don't really have much in the way of proper furniture. But I've got blankets, and a cot ready. Unless you'd prefer a hammock, I've one of those too, (personally don't care much for them myself...) Let me know what you'd like and I'll get it arranged. Unless you'd prefer... well, Tommas' old bed. It's still fine, but... well, not sure if you'd want it."
Lineera pauses awkwardly once more, but shakes it off by her own this time. "But, let's say you bring back one of those rabbits and I'll make us dinner once you're done for the day. We can discuss our different viewpoints then."
Eva was constantly working in her shop, and only seen to leave it to take care of those in need of healing. She was putting hours upon hours into her work. She had preparations to make, and a trip to plan.
-----
During Eva's mass of crafting time:
Eli was worried. Eva was going to leave, and from the sound of it, by herself. He headed towards the house that was now Lineera's (and possibly Cathran's by this poing too), fidgeting he knocked on the door. "Please be home. Please be home. Please be home." He was whispering and talking to himself as he waited.
"Fiddesticks! If you were boring me, do you think I'd still be settin' here, girl? I don't have enough time left to have any of it wasted."
Cathran cracks a smile at the old woman. "Well, I appreciate your indulgence in listening to me, then."
Mahb's parting advice, though, dismisses Cathran's smile and settles heavy in her chest. Heavy, but giving some small comfort; perhaps, for example, like a large raven sleeping on her chest. Feeling the single, hesitant hand on her shoulder, Cathran nods at Mahb as she walks away, surprised but appreciative of what must amount to a great deal of affection as far as the old witch is concerned. She gathers up the basket full of herbs to return to Mahb later, and takes another look at the overgrown cabin. I doubt I could make this place my home again. Better to let it alone. With that thought, Cathran turns toward Perdition's Point, making a mental note to check her rabbit traps later.
-----------Later...----------
"A hammock sounds just fine for me, Lineera. I am...not sure what to do about the bed, but perhaps the other townsfolk would have some opinions on the matter." Cathran nods at Lineera and heads off to finish her work for the day.
Toward evening, hands cleaner and holding only one freshly prepared-for-cooking rabbit, Cathran knocks on the door to the Waters' house before entering. She greets Lineera, hangs the skinless rabbit from a wall hook in the kitchen, and then shrugs off the backpacks with her belongings in them into a corner. As she unpacks her non-camping supplies, she uncovers a small, rolled up scrap of parchment. Unfurling it, she frowns, and turns to Lineera. "You and the rest of the search party reported that you encountered strangely robed creatures in that cave, correct? Does this look familiar to you?" Cathran holds the scroll for Lineera to see.
Just then, a knock at the door. Cathran hands the parchment to Lineera and opens the door. At first, Cathran only sees the darkening sky above the hamlet and the black tops of trees, but then quickly notices the gnome. "Eli. Please, come in," Cathran says, motioning the obviously distraught visitor inside. "Is there something we can help you with?"
Lineera responds almost a little too nonchalantly. "Oh, well I planned to take the bed myself unless you wanted it." The lack of concern over the idea of sleeping in the bed of an undead abomination is a good reminder of the fact that Cathran's new roommate is of an occupation that doesn't mind such things. "I'll have that hammock set up by the time you get back!"
Lineera answers the door when Cathran knocks and greets her with her typical warmth. "Cathran! Come on in! Oh, thanks for skinning that, saves me the work, never care for taking out the entrails." Lineera begins to work on butchering the little creature while Cathran unpacks. "Would you like anything to drink? I've got some mead your welcome to, and water, but that's about it. Everything else just spoils too fast for travel, you know?"
Lineera talks in simple pleasantries until Cathran shows her the picture, she doesn't even take a moment to respond. "It's a good likeness, we saw three on them dressed like that, two men and a woman as far as I could tell." The knock on the door causes Lineera to pause. As Cathran goes to answer it, she finishes with. "We defeated two, but the girl managed to flee."
When Eli comes in, a bundle of nerves and worry, Lineera stops her kitchen work, grabbing a nearby rag to wipe her hands on. "Is something the matter, Eli?"
Eli entered, a bundle of nerves, wringing his hands. "It's... It's Eva. She's... she's been holed up in the shop since, crafting... Since I translated that note for her. It was kinda a fun one to do... took a bit... wasn't the normal stuff...." He started to ramble off about the note.
Catching himself, he pulled himself back on track. "She's not just crafting, she's... she's packing too. She... she was going to finish what she feels she needs to make first... and and just... go..." Eli looked down at the floor. 'Like she did the first time..." He looked up a little. "S-she won't listen to me... a-and she wont ask anyone to go with her... w-when I tried to get her to take someone, she... she just said they were needed here more."
Eli fidgeted, feeling rude for asking, "W-would one of you... g-go with her? Please?" Wringing his hands again, "I... I k-know it's a lot to ask... It's just..." He looked to Lineera, "You s-said she almost died in that cave... I... I don't... w-want to lose my sister..."
Lineera puts a hand on the table next to her as she listens to Eli. "What's gotten into that girl? ...The letter, Eli, the one you translated, what did it say?"