Hail! Hezar calls out as he is at the point as usual.
I am Hezar and these are my companions, we are hear to investigate the attacks.
The enormous man- with a few seconds more consideration, he was more likely a half-orc- holds up a hand in greeting. Unlike Rylind, his skin is more greyish than greenish, and overall he looked more like a savagely handsome human than an orc. A very large human, though- he is about a foot taller than average and almost as wide across at the shoulder.
It probably isn't a coincidence that his raised hand is also the hand he is most likely to use to draw the enormous sword riding on his back. The blade itself is longer than the exotic woman is tall, and the grip large enough to accommodate as many as four hands. Encased next to the giant sword is a well crafted bow and hanging from his hip is a large spiked flail with a silver head. He wears his half-plate like he's forgotten its there, and the many dings testify that the armor has seen heavy use. In short, the man is loaded for bear.
"Well met, Hezar. I'm Kev." He gestures at the smaller of the two women "This is Suki," then the larger, "and Beyha. We're here for the same reason. Are you the local sheriff or militia or something?"
somethibg like that. Perhaps Matthias should speak as our Helmite representative.
Hezar gestures to the human cleric
Kev smiles and half turns toward Beyha. "That makes two Helmites, then. And one Tempuran." He knocks himself on the chest with one gauntlet, the metal knuckles ringing on the chestplate. "This is going to be the safest crime scene anyone's ever seen."
The big man looks expectantly at Hezar's companions for Matthias to speak up.
The exotic woman stood well short of her giant companion, just barely three inches over five feet. She, too, had a single sword riding on her back, but the weapons were very different. Where his was massive, hers was slender - straight, and with a delicate-looking grip, sized for a single, smaller hand.
She was dressed neck-to-toe in white garments that were clearly "not from around here," but looked both comfortable and passable in almost any situation short of a throne room. She wore no armor that could be seen, and - if eyes were to be believed - she wore slippers on her feet. What appeared to be a dagger with an elongated cross-guard that curved back almost half of the length of the blade on either side was tucked into the white belt-sash at her waist. Another look revealed that the "blade" of the dagger was actually a smooth metal rod, with no edge, and a rounded point. Two bandoleers of more local make crossed her chest, a largish pouch rested on one hip, and a case of crossbow bolts hung from the other.
Her skin was slightly olive - even yellowish - in complexion, and her eyes tilted up at the corners, with a fold not usually seen in Tethyran faces. Her straight, ebon-black hair fell to just above her waist, despite the being caught up in a bun behind her head, held in place by two small, matching, silver-inlaid sticks. The more traveled amongst the group might recognize the woman's features and dress as coming from realms far, far to the East of here.
She nodded at the newcomers, clearly ready to keep her silence, until the big man - Kev - introduced her as "'Suki." Then she sighed. When he referred to himself as a "Tempuran," on the other hand, she very nearly smiled.
"Good day," she said once the rest of the party had approached to polite conversational distance, her voice soft but firm, and with a definitely foreign accent, "I am Osuki Nijena," she have a half-bow, "Osuki is my family name - they would call me Nijena, Kevkas prefers to use my family name, but you may use either."
With that, she stood fully upright again, her green eyes (the irises of which could literally have been carved from jade) scanned the scene - including the new arrivals.
Matthias, who had still seemed rattled this morning by having spoken to Rylind the night before - probably much to her amusement, he suspected wryly - nodded a cautious greeting to the huge Tempuran, the tiny foreigner and the Helmite, his hand held out to show the party was well-intentioned. He kept an eye on Kevkas' sword hand, though! While they didn't match the description he had heard of Kane's gang, he might have recruited since that intelligence was gathered... though not the Helmite, obviously. Actually, Matthias doubted any of them were part of Kane's gang, but as Helm taught, Eternal Vigilance.
"Well met. I am Matthias of Helm, and these are my companions." He introduced each of the others and went on, "We too seek to investigate the attacks, as Hezar said, and we wish to bring them to an end by bringing their perpetrators to justice. May I ask who you are?" He addressed the other Helmite.
"Good day," she said once the rest of the party had approached to polite conversational distance, her voice soft but firm, and with a definitely foreign accent, "I am Osuki Nijena," she have a half-bow, "Osuki is my family name - they would call me Nijena, Kevkas prefers to use my family name, but you may use either."
With that, she stood fully upright again, her green eyes (the irises of which could literally have been carved from jade) scanned the scene - including the new arrivals.
Kev grunted at Nijena's introduction of them both, but wore a wry smile. It had the feel of some sort of private joke between the two of them, and Kev might have just lost the round.
The big half-orc nodded at Matthias and finally lowered his sword hand. "Well met, Matthias of Helm." Kev glanced at Beyha to see what the other Helmite would say.
Finding the clear weather this morning rather pleasant, given her hangover, Janiries again sticks upwind of Rylind, keeping watch as they head up to the farmhouse. Seeing the rather large half orc amongst the ruins, her hand goes to her rapier.. though moves it away as introductions are given.
Muttering under her breath in Elven a moment
"Janiries, of House Shaelara."
Hezar glances sidelong at Janires, surprised at the statement
The Helmite marshall smiles grimly at the assembled group. It seems I have no shortage of helpers. How wonderful. Try not to stomp all around the scene ... there may be sign that I can use to track Kane and his pack of bastards. The woman draws back her hood as she surveys you all, her gaze stopping on Matthias for a moment. Brother. she nods. She hesitates yet further when he gaze finds Rylind amongst your group - the muscles at her jaw visibly clench and her eyes narrow, though she says nothing. Rylind responds with a mocking, crooked smile. I am Beyha, late of Port Kir, and a sworn agent of the law. I've been trying to find and stop Kane for a while now.
This farm was attacked only yesterday. We know this because there was a survivor - a young farmhand who managed to ride out to the nearby Tresqyl Vineyards, seeking aid. He didn't last long, however - he rode with a poisoned arrow in his back, and expired not long thereafter. The Helmite gestures to a barn, roughly a quarter mile from the house. The landowners and servants are all in there. It's pretty ghastly. There were six children as well, all locked into the storm cellar.
Beyha looks up - there is a long scar over her right eye, extending down almost to her lips, marring what is otherwise a striking face. This is the first time I've been able to get onscene after an attack - normally it's a week or more before anyone discovers the reavers' handiwork. This means the trail is still fresh - though Kane is woodscrafty, I'll give him that.
Hezar listens and takes a quick check around the area for tracks
take 10 for an 18 +2 if they are humans or if it is forest
Matthias relaxed a little - just a little - when Kev lowered his hand. He didn't understand Janiries' muttered comment, but he took note of Hezar's reaction, wondering just what she had said. I really should have studied Elvish when I had the chance, he thought a bit wistfully.
He looked sick when Beyha brought up the slaughtered innocents. "The farmhand - was he able to tell you anything useful about Kane before he..." He swallowed, trying not to imagine the poor man's last agonizing minutes. It seemed they would do well to stock up on even more antivenom, should they pass Port Kir on their hunt. "...before he died, Sister?"
Nijena's eyes narrowed at the mention of a poisoned arrow. Clearly, Beyha hadn't shared that information with her before now.
"Did you bring the poisoned arrow with you," she asked the Helmite woman.
Belgrin folds his arms, eyes averted in thought, as the details are spelled out.
"Well, if the lad had poison in him, s'not likely Kane let him go on purpose, at least. Still expectin' to walk into a snare or two, given the facts. Any signs what kind of weapons dealt the kills? Always nice ta know what'll be swingin' at ye when ye hunt."
Hearing the news about poisoned arrows, Janiries suddenly felt rather glad that she had brought along a vial of antitoxin, especially with a drow meant to be among Kane's group.
Looking over to the barn, the Sun Elf shakes her head sadly before speaking.
"So, any ideas on how to catch this monster? I really don't like the idea of our group heading deeper into the wilderness to try and catch him, but unless there's some sort of pattern to his attacks, I don't see what else we could do."
"Why not? We track him and kill him. Easier than trying to guard every farm within a week's ride of here." The big half-orc sounded positively jolly at the idea. He grinned at Beyha. "You find the tracks, sister, and I'll put him down."
Janiries rolled her eyes a little at Kevkas' obvious enthusiasm. "Well then, lead on Kev the Brave, you'll make enough noise that Kane will know we're coming from twenty miles away."
At Kev's statement (she knew it wasn't a boast - he meant every word), Nijena's face bore a look of one who had been suffering through a particular trial for some time. Much like a mother who once again found her child standing outside the door at dinner-time, covered in mud from playing somewhere he wasn't supposed to be. For the sixth day in a row.
"It is not Kane alone," she said, "It is those with him that make him difficult to kill.
She looked again at Beyha, waiting for an answer about the poisoned arrow.
Kev laughed at Janiries's comment. Maybe he hadn't understood her tone or maybe he'd missed the last part of what she said, but he didn't seem to take offense or even acknowledge the not-so-subtle rebuke. "That's the spirit! Let him know we're coming. Kane can quake in his boots like these farmers did while he was knocking down their front door!"
Belgrin sighs at the almost playful banter between the motley crew, stepping barely up to the height of Kevkas's abdomen and punching him casually in the arm.
"Look, lad. I like yer gumption, I do, but stompin' round poundin' our chests'll do nothin' more than give the sod time ta set more snares and laugh as we hang from a tree by our ankles or worse. We send an oversized hulk like yerself scoutin' ahead first and we'll be lucky to even lay eyes on the prize 'fore he puts arrows in us all. Let the trackers do their jobs; we see him first and there'll be plenty o'flesh to hew, mark my words."
Kev snorted and patted the dwarf solidly on top of his shoulder, metal gauntlet banging against metal pauldron. "I know my job. Scouts sneak, hunters track. I hit things until they stop moving, then kick them in the prviates just to make sure." The half-orc grinned at Belgrin and hooked a thumb at Beyha. "She said she saw sign she could follow. We'll follow her. Then I can go to work."
Nijena quirked an eyebrow. "Kicks them after?" She murmured, then shook her head slightly. Again, the corners of her mouth quirked upward, briefly.
We should take a look at the barn, yes? asks the Marshall, standing up after several moments peering at the ground, looking this way and that. There are numerous tracks in this area; searching for sign closer to the perimeter, where there is less traffic, will likely yield better results.
As you walk towards the barn, Beyha answers about the arrow. Barbed, it was, and not deep into his back did it bite; likely fired from a shortbow, and at some range. The wound itself would not have slain a stout young man, but the poison was a nerve agent which caused his breathing to grow heavy, and eventually stop. I'm not familiar with it myself, but you can take a look, if you think you can figure it out. She holds up a small, linen wrapped packet that contains the broken arrowhead to whomever wishes to take it.
As you approach the barn doors, Beyha warns you: If any of you have a delicate temperament, you might not wish to see the remains as they are. To my knowledge, they have not been touched by anyone save the killers.
As the barn doors are opened, a horrific scene greets your eyes. Five people - all human, two female, three male - lay at the points of a large pentagram, which has been drawn on the earthen ground with white chalk. Each has been skinned, and eviscerated, the innards stacked in the centre of the unholy symbol. In each victims' mouth, agape as if in a scream, is a black candle, long burned out. The bodies have been nailed to the ground, at the wrist and ankles.
Helm guard me! Beyha whispers, touching her fist to her forehead, then her heart - the traditional warding of the Helmite church.
Hezar gestures for belina to stay outside
monsters. Does anyone recognize these symbols
The cleric's gorge rose at the butchery inside the barn. He had never seen such savagery before, but he had the feeling he'd be seeing it for a long time whenever he closed his eyes.
He mirrored Beyha's gesture and prayer. "Helm guard us all!" Careful not to disturb the scene any more than necessary, he took a careful look around, trying not to look at the carcasses any more than he had to.
Approaching the barn doors, Janiries rolls her eyes at Beyha's warning. "We've been walking through undead hordes for the past two weeks.. it can't be that bad."
Seeing the sight in the barn though, the Sun Elf gets a rather warm, putrid feeling in the back of her throat, and runs outside before she retches at the horror of it, her hangover obviously not helping.
After a minute or two, she does return to the barn, a cloth tied around her mouth and nose to reduce the stench.
Belgrin greets the scene with a stone face, perfectly silent for several seconds; in truth, even the unshakable gut of a Stoneshield can be moved at times. turning his head to spit his current mouthful of saliva along with the sum total of any intestinal reaction, he exhales.
"We came ta track some murderers, but...this. Aye. This is a problem."
The big half-orc frowned. He'd smelled worse, but the butchery was a sight to behold. "These folks couldn't even fight back." He shook his head, like that was just as bad as being skinned alive and dissected.
I doubt Know(Engineering) would help, or I'd throw that out there too.
Nijena accepted the arrowhead from the Helmite, and immediately pulled an arrow from somewhere in the folds of her clothes. She compared the two as they walked.
At the barn, she looked over the scene with an impassive face. Her jade green eyes went from detail to detail, flinching at none of it. After a few moments, she moved slightly to one side, to ensure that none of the party were between her and the scene. Then, holding the fingers of one hand in a particular way, she spoke in a language none of the others recognized.
"Mise te!"
Her eyes flashed, the dark jade of her irises turning to pale, translucent green - not quite glowing with some inner light, as she looked over the scene once more.
This ... what madness is this? gasps Marius, his face pale, as he looks upon the scene.
This doesn't feel right - Malarites are beasts, reavers. This can't be Kane's work - can it? Rylind asks this as she kneels beside one of the bodies, her studied mien of dispassion cracking slightly as a flash of sadness passes over her.
The Helmite Marshall remains silent, taking in the scene, the muscles at her jaw tensing as she does so.
Matthias wiped his hand across his mouth, feeling queasy. "This was no sacrifice to Malar," he said quietly. "It may have been for a demon lord, though I can't say which."
He turned towards Beyha. "Are you sure this was Kane's work? If so, we may have to deal with demonic forces, on top of whatever trouble he and his band will give us."
He knelt by each of the bodies, saying a prayer to Helm over them. "Helm, help their lost souls to find peace. If you have any power to free them from the demons that they were sacrificed to, I pray that you use it to help them."
He hesitated a long moment, not wanting to ask, but finally gave in. "What about the children who were locked inside?"
Still feeling queasy, the Sun Elf pipes up from the back as they discuss demonic forces.
"There is meant to be a drow amongst Kane's group. This could be an offering to the great enemy..."
As the green in Nijena's eyes faded to dark jade again, she pointed at one of the candles. "That one," she said, "it still has writing on it. "We feed this unholy (sacrament?) to these (cattle?) in thy name, most (unholy?) lord of the undead, keeper of the rod, utterer of the words of chaos, true (master?) of eternal servitude." I am guessing at some of the meanings, but perhaps that helps to determine what name these were sacrificed in. And I detect evil magics were at work here, very strong, though I suspect that is merely confirmation of what we all have been thinking."
looking forward to killing that creature.
The big half-orc nodded at Matthias. "It's an offering to a demon lord for sure." He paused while Nijena read. "Demon lord of the undead?" Kevkas looked at Rylind, Belgrin, and the others. "You said you've been having trouble with undead, didn't you?"
Belgrin rolls his eyes at the new information and turns to Kevkas, as exasperated as if he'd just been questioned as to whether he was a Dwarf or not.
"Oh, nine bloody hells, s'not enough the undead are recruitin', people are practically BEGGIN' t'join up? Demon, devil, ghost, ghoul, they're all the same! Make a bloody mess of our lands and neighbors and expect ta just walk away! Somebody find some damnable tracks already so I can flatten this animal's murderous hands and hack his daft head from his shoulders!!"
Matthias placed a calming hand on Belgrin's shoulder. "Knowledge of your enemy is never unwelcome, Belgrin. What if they are responsible for calling forth Lassathor?" he asked quietly. "They could have hired the band you told of. This is an ill wind."
Turning to Kevkas, he nodded. "The dead have lain uneasy recently. I hope no more of the living will pay the price of it."
Beyha shakes her head slowly in response to Matthias' question. Nay, brother, the other killings were not like this. Kane would release the farmers in the forest, with weapons, and then ... hunt them, rend them, with his bare hands. The bodies would be left where they lay.
She breathes deeply. Fear not, brother, their souls are not lost, lest they were faithless; sacrifice like this will not prevent them from crossing into Myrkul's realm, and finding their eternal place with their God ... Chauntea, most likely...
Ambrose, the mage from Rylind's camp, wanders about the scene, muttering to himself, smiling on occasion, and rubbing his malformed, gloved hand. Ogre, for his part, sticks close to Belina, making sure the young bard doesn't see what is within the barn. Little girl not look inside ... is ugly. You not have bad dreams about it like Ogre will. Belina pats the muscular giants' arm kindly as he sits down on the grass, saddness writ on his broad face.
hp
Hezar lets the others do their examination, while he and Apollo go search the area.
Come on boy, lets see if we can find the trail.
percep
Percep, + scent
hp
Matthias was relieved that the souls of the dead hadn't been... well, devoured by whatever they had been sacrificed to. A niggling doubt in the back of his mind asked how Beyha could be so certain, but he ignored it.
He frowned at the shifty mage as Hezar went to look for tracks. "Ambrose, what does this scene tell you?" He glanced at Rylind, an eyebrow raised at the mage's behavior.
"So, this is rather a change to Kane's normal operating mode.. perhaps this is another group wanting to take advantage of Kane's activities for their own purpose?"
"I think it is not Kane," Nijena said. "This arrow is wrong. The poison made me suspicious." She did not elaborate, but held up the broken arrowhead and the black arrow she'd pulled out of her clothes, as if the fact that they obviously didn't match explained everything. Then she tucked both away.
"Kane or not, we must end this."
Matthias placed a calming hand on Belgrin's shoulder. "Knowledge of your enemy is never unwelcome, Belgrin. What if they are responsible for calling forth Lassathor?" he asked quietly. "They could have hired the band you told of. This is an ill wind."
Turning to Kevkas, he nodded. "The dead have lain uneasy recently. I hope no more of the living will pay the price of it."
Almost as if in opposition to the Helmite's calming words and soothing touch, Kevkas clapped Belgrin on the other shoulder and laughed appreciatively. "A dwarf after my own heart! Find the trail and kill the villain who did this! Justice done and vengeance for the murdered! Yes!" The beaming Tempus worshipper turned to Nijena as if to say "See? It's not just me," but left the words unspoken.
Still grinning in anticipation of the fight to come, he looked over at Matthias. "What's Lassathor? More undead? Or demons?"
"More like a demigod," Matthias answered seriously. "But we won't know the true purpose of this... butchery until we catch those responsible." He nodded at Osuki. "This is even worse than Kane. You're right, it has to be ended."
He strode outside, more than a little relieved to be out of the stench of death. He went over to where Belina and Ogre sat, but looked towards the woods. "Hezar, did you find anything?"
Ambrose drops to all fours, sniffing at the bodies, muttering to himself. At Matthias' question, he seems to master himself somewhat, though, he cradles his gloved hand and rocks back and forth on his heels.
Great power here, yesss ... no simple sacrifice, this! Can you smell the brimstone in the air, hanging heavily? There was a demon here, yes, a foul demon, but not the master! No! A lesser one, dragged from it's pit of filth by the scent of fear and the screams of pain and the hours... hours! .... spent whispering the name of it's master to the wind! Ambrose seems to snap out of some sort of state, looking about himself warily, before focusing on the bodies. These ones were alive as they were skinned, and kept alive for several hours before death through cruel magics. Their pain and suffering were key to the ritual. Five were needed; any five. The escapee was unneeded, and let go, though of course not without the bonus of an arrow to his back. He was six, and unnecessary. This one, Ambrose points with a slender, almost skeletal finger to one of the bodies; was the master of the farm. This one his wife, and this their eldest son. This one was their daughter, and this her new husband. The one that got away was not family; his presence was less important, yes, less important, I see that now. Family would suffer more at the sight of their loved ones being tormented! It fed the ritual and the foul beast that was summoned to enjoy the horrid delights.
Ambrose stands up suddenly. The children! Were the children found?
Beyha is taken aback for a moment before responding. Yes .... they were found in the storm cellar. They were babbling and incoherent; they were sent to the Tresqyl estate, not far from here, for safety.
Nijena watched the one called Ambrose very carefully. She said nothing, but always made sure he was within her field of vision. Suddenly, she seemed to follow his thoughts.
"This wasn't Kane. But they knew enough to act like him. He always spares the children. They would know that. They could use that!"
She pointed at Ambrose.
"What could they do if they used the children? Possess them? Spread Demon-taint?"