Gornak doesn't want to search thoroughly so much as he just wants to quickly look in every room of the house.
I don't think so...I'll press ahead.
The party emerge into the afternoon sun from the creaking building, and set their flames. As the sun sets in the west a column of black smoke rises into the sky as Foxgrove Manor burns.
It takes the party the next day to return to Sandpoint and rest and re-equip - anything anyone want to do you have not yet told me about?
Once the party returns to Sandpoint, Gornak will buy some masterwork smithing tools and he'll put a +1 bonus on his armor. He'll also earmark 500 gp to fixing up the Junker's Edge and he'll buy a Belt of Strength +2 when he can find one (possibly in Magnimar?).
Once back in Sandpoint, Aylmora will check in with Aunt Niska and tell the elderly woman about all that happened at Foxglove manor. Then she'll go to the Rusty Dragon to check in with Ameiko and Bethana. After that, she go visit Ven Vinder to let him know that we dealt with Katrine's killer.
Vaclav will report to the Sheriff and Father Zantus. He'll also check up on Hollis the Acolyte to see how he's made out the last few days. He'll talk with Hollis, Hemlock, and Zantus about organizing patrols of Banner of the Stag bowmen through the area around the farm and Foxglove's manor to make sure the outlying farms are safe and no ghouls have survived. He'll also help pump out holy water to create a reserve for the cathedral and the patrols.
When the loot changes into cash, he'll pay off the debt to Thanadros as described in the discussion thread.
Hemlock and Zantos are concerned that the matters seem to go beyond Sandpoint. This whole affair is starting to look bigger than their remit, and they stress that what you wish to do is your own affair. That said if you want to investigate further both will write you letters that will give you some official standing should you need them in Magnimar, if you choose to go there.
Vaclav will accept the letters with gratitude. He can't let this go without some investigation. Whoever wrote the letter to Foxglove can transform people into ghouls and has some mysterious plot. The good people of Magnimar may be at risk.
He'll urge H, H, and Z to remain vigilant. "We'll be back within a fortnight."
After buying some equipment, Gornak heads back to the Junker's Edge to find his father.
"Pa, I hate to tell you this, but I'm going away for a while. There's something bad going down in Magnimar, and I gotta go with my friends to tell the folks there what's going on. Don't worry -- I'll have some people from Sandpoint come down and help out around the place and maybe fix it up a bit. I'll send you a message from there when I have time; I hope we won't be gone more'n a week or two. You be good while I'm gone!"
He spends a whole day fixing up his armor and experimenting with new psychic abilities before he's ready to go.
"Pa, I hate to tell you this, but I'm going away for a while. There's something bad going down in Magnimar, and I gotta go with my friends to tell the folks there what's going on. Don't worry -- I'll have some people from Sandpoint come down and help out around the place and maybe fix it up a bit. I'll send you a message from there when I have time; I hope we won't be gone more'n a week or two. You be good while I'm gone!"
"Aw, son, you don' have to go that far," the old man says. "Your old man can look after himself. You do what you have to, son. I'm real proud of you, you've made us people of note in this town. More than I ever could. Now you go, do what you need to, and your old man will be here for you when you're done."
"Thanks, pa! I don't want you to ever be ashamed of me. I'll be back as quick as I can, you hear?"
----
When Gornak finishes his shopping and crafting and meets up with his friends later, he says:
"Guess what? I learned a new trick using ecto...things and metaphysical, uh, energy. Don't laugh, though!"
In the blink of an eye, Gornak is covered from helmet to boots in a kind of film that's coloured in a sort of wood grain pattern.
"I know it looks funny, but it helps me move faster, hit harder and see in the dark! I guess I could change the colour, but I kind of like trees."
Vaclav does chuckle a little and adds kindly, "It will help you hide in the forest too, I think. The four of you have remarkable talents, a magic not given by the gods, nor championed by Nethys. Lucky for Sandpoint."
"Haw!" Gornak chortles, "maybe it'd fool you if you had one eye, on a moonless night, and you were drunk! But I'm gonna have to work on it before I can make it really look like something convincing."
"I think it's impressive, Gornak," Aylmora praises her friend. "I've picked up a new ability, too. I can 'feel' my surroundings out to a range of twenty yards or so without sight... for a limited amount of time, of course."
"Horses? Hellknights, nobles, and officers ride horses. "
There is a stables in Sandpoint that will rent you horses at a very good price to journey to Magnimar.
"Horses sound good to me."
"Yes, horses would probably be best." Thanadros says. I have not road a horse since I was altered... I hope I do not make a fool of myself.
"Horses then." Vaclav frowns heavily and his jaw moves from side to side in a kind of grinding motion.
Arranging hire of horses does not take long, and the journey to Magnimar is to say the least, uneventful save for the one night when you are camped out on the Lost Coast Road. You are disturbed by a baleful scream that tears the silence of the night.
"What the heck is that thing?" Gornak blurts out when he hears the eerie sound.
Vaclav grabs his mace and looks out into the night. "I don't know, but it doesn't sound friendly."
Gornak charges his big hammer with deadly psionic energy in case a fight is a-brewin'. He also toughens up his skin.
Thanadros grabs his bow and arrows. If there is time he might buff his attacks with Offensive Precognition and Offensive Prescience.
Round #1 of buffing/preperation. Another horrific shriek sweeps over the party, closer now.
Initiative:
Gornak uses Empty Mind: Will save
Gornak goes mad with fear, drops his weapon and manifests Defy Gravity, hoping to escape through the air.
Resistance | 1pp | IA | Per | +4 Racial Bonus to Saves until beginning of next turn
Will
Will
"W-what is that..." Thanadros says, shaking so hard he drops his bow.
Will save
Initiaitive
Second round: Wings flap as something draws close, and a thick mist starts to rise from the ground...
Gornak takes off running in the opposite direction.
Thanadros is frozen with fear...
Characters who are shaken take a –2 penalty on:
attack rolls,
saving throws,
skill checks,
and ability checks.
Panicked
Characters who are panicked are shaken.
In addition:
They run away from the source of their fear as quickly as they can.
Other than running away from the source, their path is random.
They flee from all other dangers that confront them rather than facing those dangers.
Once they are out of sight (or hearing) of any source of danger, they can act as they want.
If the duration of their fear continues, however, characters can be forced to flee if the source of their fear presents itself again.
Panicked characters cower if they are prevented from fleeing.
"Hold firm!"
Round One:
Alarmed by the sudden scream in the night, Aylmora manifests her newest power to allow her to 'see' whatever approaches without physical sight, augmenting the power with a burst of adrenaline-fueled fear.
Round Two:
Panicked by the unearthly sound, Aylmora flees into the night.
Vaclav hears and feels his allies flee. Unaccountably he curses Gob. Damn that goblin! Gob should have been here. He wouldn't have run.
Gornak's Fear: rounds - he will have moved 180' away from the source by the end of this round, and can now only see the fog cloud from the outside.
Thanadros' Fear: rounds - he's standing his ground, unable to tell where the source is.
Aylmora - has moved 180' away at the end of this round, and can likewise see the outside of the cloud (but her touchsight will work inside the cloud, if she returns).
It is now round 3 after the scream as the flapping sound ceases, and two heavy footfalls sound on the soft ground nearby. The fog is complete, making visibility beyond five feet impossible. Vaclav and Thanadros have lost sight of one another, but can both hear something else moving around.
As the mist begins to rise and coalesce unnaturally quickly, Vaclav frowns. That doesn't look right. Whatever screamed may be causing it. Maybe it can see through it.
Vaclav casts obscuring mist centered on himself. Then he whispers to his remaining companion.
"Thanadros, back to back now. We'll move left the way Aylmora went."
But is that right? She's some powerful kind of sorceress now. Maybe Gornak needs our help more. The paternal feeling he's had toward the young woman wins out. Gornak's a big boy. He can take care of himself.
"O-ok..." Thanadros picks up his bow and moves over to Vaclav.
Perception:
There is a roar of triumph, and out of the fog looms what looks to be a tall, horse-like figure walking on it's hind hooves. While it is still indistinct through the fog it unleashes a blast of fire ahead of it, thankfully not directly at Vaclav and Thanadros: the tethered horses scream as the fire envelopes them - two tear free and run, the other two are slain. The flames burn off the fog, but then Vaclav's obscuring mist fills it in again. Around you, your camp is on fire...
And I was going to make it "just a noise on the road" but everyone has armed themselves so actively it seems a shame to waste it...
"Did you see that?! What was it? I only got a glimpse." Vaclav edges further left, while looking around nervously.
There is a flap of wings in the darkness, receding into the distance. Slowly the fog clears, revealing your camp to be decimated: tents wrecked, two horses dead, the third injured and the last...gone.
After a minute, Gornak comes charging back, puffing like a teakettle.
"Is everyone all right? Where did that horrible cry come from?"
He sees the horses ripped apart and he blanches. "Oh no...that could have been one of you! And to think I turned my tail and fled..."
Vaclav looks at the wreckage of the camp. "We're OK Gornak, but the horses are dead, hurt, or gone. The scream was infused with fear. Some supernatural haunt. Even the bravest men might quail upon hearing that. We're lucky it was satisfied with the horses."
"Well, let's try to get some shut-eye and move on in the morning, without horses."
"I think it is best we tend to the wounded horse's wounds and move on. The carcasses will most likely attract other animals and things. We can rest down the road."
"I'm not likely to get any sleep anyway with that scream echoing in my head. Let's pack up and get moving."