Summer in Yharnam is hot, almost oppressively so. Both the days and nights stretch on, bleeding into each other in an endless stretch of time. This time of year the sky is virtually always clear - even on occasions that it rains. In the evenings the moon climbs above the horizon and pours light across this strange place.
Farmers work in the fields, preparing tending to their various crops. In the city go about their lives happily. The markets this year flourish with the fresh catch from the surrounding fishing villages, drawing in traders and travellers from the outside world. Ground has been broken in the Cathedral Ward just outside of Yharnam, marking a new era of prosperity for the Healing Church.
Beneath this veneer of health and prosperity strange things lurk. The beast plague lingers among the populace despite the best efforts of the church doctors. Those infected are transformed into bloodthirsty monsters bent on nothing more than killing their former kin. Fortunately Yharnam has her Hunters to protect her and stave off the victims of the plague.
Immigration has always been common in Yharnam. Many come in search of blood ministration, a strange healing rite practiced in only a few places across the world. Others come to simply claim their share of the wealth and prosperity of the growing city. This has changed in the last few months. Now the majority of those settling in Yharnam are refugees fleeing Loran and the surrounding areas. News of the cities destruction comes along with these strangers and rumors spread like wildfire.
The Hunters, fearing that there may be some truth to the story of beasts running rampant in the foreign lands, have decided to dispatch hunters to investigate new arrivals in secret and flush out any quickly dispatch anyone they suspect to be a carrier of the plague.
Tonight another large group, three dozen or so, are said to be arriving in Yharnam via the south eastern viaduct just outside of the city. The sun is setting as the Hunters emerge from the depths of the city to intercept the group...
A young woman strides through the streets of Yharnam. Her black rugged cloak flaps slightly when she walks and her thick leather coat creaks with every movement. The air is still, but her pace is enough to ruffle her wavy chestnut hair.
At her hip there is a hammer of peculiar design - a close look reveals a lever with a trigger and a few locks. At the small of her back there is a miniature furnace. A Hunter familiar with Powder Kegs will immediately recognize this strange weapon - many of the Kegs favor it.
My second mission without Ernhart. Don't screw up Sybille.
"A mission above ground know eh? Haven't had one of those in a while."
An enormous brute trundles down the streets of Yharnam. Clad in a dark yellow tunic adorned with chains and small plates of metal, hefting over his shoulder an axe that seems too big even for him. Below his neck only his hands remain uncovered, though one could be forgiven for not noticing, considering how stained they are.
"It's a blessing isn't it? And such a fine mark, thirty six to put an end to."
Sybille gives Olbod a cold glare. "Only if they all are carriers. The healthy ones are to go free. Do not forget that."
Ivan speaks up after Sybille."She is right, only if they are all carriers do we have to deal with them all. Honestly though, I just hope that it is only a small number of them. The fewer the better."
Almost a specter compared to the confident strides of his comrades, Armand drifts behind them, his steps light and silent. This man is noticeably older than the rest of the group, easily in his fifties or later. His hair has turned light gray and grown whispy and thin, and his face is pockmarked, scarred, and his beard is a thick gray stubble. His eyes are covered in a thin, dirty white strip of cloth that he has tied around his head in a single strip. Like many of the hunters, it doesn't seem to impede his vision any. His clothes are an older style of Yharnam, something that was seen among Gherman's hunters.
He twists his cane in his hand as they come out into the setting sunlight. "They're all going to be infected." he says in a quiet yet ominous tone. "They always are. A shame."
Your group is fortunate and make it to the viaduct before the refugees. You have some time to decide how you will go about things.
To your back lights start to come on across the city. Serfs move the streets with candles lighting lamps while people in their homes do the same. Their is deep rooted superstition against being out at night without cause. Besides, you've heard rumor that there is a festival tonight. Apparently two nobles that had been courting each other in public for some time were married today and many have taken it as an excuse for celebration.
Before you stretches out the farmlands and wooden structures that mark the hamlets outside of Yharnam proper. The refugees will be making their way through there about now. Beyond that civilization yields to a seemingly endless stretch of wilderness.
Armand will find an alcove in the viaduct (as is often available all throughout Yharnam's architecture), fades into the shadows and waits...
His breathing slows, his posture stills and his presence dims. He knows that if they were to come this way, he would be there to receive them. Patience rewarded him in the dungeons below, it would reward him in the city above.
Olbod nods at Sybille and Ivan in response, seeming to just barely hear them as he chuckles in anticipation at the glorious hunt to come. "Hehehe..."
Upon arriving at the viaduct Olbod finds a place to sit, and checks every inch of his axe. He chuckles when he sees Armand attempting to hide. "Haha, friend! Will you not face them head on with me? Are we not hunters? Are beasts not supposed to fear us?"
Sybille uses her hammer as a cane, leaning with both hands on it's head, standing in the middle of the road. "We'll see if they're all infected. That will be a shame, yes."
She adjusts her hair and the hat and focuses on the direction from where the refugees will arrive.
Upon arriving Ivan will also find some where sit, making sure to have an open view of their surroundings.
"It would be a damn shame and inconvenience if they were all infected. but in this line of work you might as well expect the worst to happen."
He said this as he quickly loads his pistol, looking off towards the expected direction of the refugees.
Upon arriving at the viaduct Olbod finds a place to sit, and checks every inch of his axe. He chuckles when he sees Armand attempting to hide. "Haha, friend! Will you not face them head on with me? Are we not hunters? Are beasts not supposed to fear us?"
Armand simply glances in Olbod's direction before returning his attention to spotting his prey. He didn't expect anyone from this generation of hunters to understand the sacrifices that were made by the old hunters like Gherman and Lady Maria discovering the techniques that they now enjoyed. He did not match the beasts in strength; they would always be stronger and tougher.
Instead, he would hunt his prey with speed and subtlety. Beasts were beasts; they could not understand fear. To Armand, the only thing Olbod accomplished was giving up an advantage that could decide the fate of the night's hunt. He grips his cane a little tighter.
Eventually the group rounds a corner and you notice right away that something is amiss. Of the three dozen supposed refugees you count only 14. Mostly adults, a mixture of men and women, though there are two children in the group as well. They're wearing tatters for clothes and many are emaciated, some are practically staggering as they walk forward.
They near the bridge and spot Olbod right away. Some hesitate, half stepping tepidly with worried looks on their faces. One man wearing a ragged cloak pushes forward and the rest fall in line behind him. The entire group shuffles off to one side of the bridge and attempts to pass.
Olbod roars as they attempt to pass him, slamming the butt of his giant axe into the ground. "We, the great hunters of Yharnam, have come to weed out those who have succumb to beasthood. Submit yourselves, and those who still have their humanity will go free!" Olbod, still grasping his axe, asks the lead man in the tattered cloak. "You! There where said to be nearly three times your number. Where are the rest?"
Sybille shifts from the center of the road to the side, blocking the way for those who want to move past Olbod. She just opens her mouth to issue a warning as Olbod roars his words. She decides to keep silent and instead to watch those the new arrivals very closely .
Ivan will move to the side of the road opposite of Sybille, looking around and readying himself to draw and fire his gun at the first sign of aggression from the refugees.
The group stops immediately when Olbod intercepts them. Many are taken aback and one man loses his feet and falls on his rear. One of the children starts weeping softly.
The man in lead stands his ground, which draws the attention of the Hunters. The tattered robe obscures his features and only Sybille and Obold can get a clear look at his face. His skin is well tanned, indicative of a Loran native, with dark brown eyes and blonde hair. A black tattoo coils around his face and down his neck where it disappears into the robe. He matches the hunters gaze but something about his eyes are hollow, devoid of fear or anger in the face of this threat. The eyes of dead man, of someone who has perhaps seen and survived terrible things.
A women from the crowd ends up being the first to speak. "P-please, let us pass" she stammers "we have nothing for you to take, please. The others...the others couldn't make it. We have suffered much just to get here. Please, don't do this."
1) The pupils of the infected will collapse - a trait that is commonly associated with the so called "blood-drunk hunters" but is not unique to them. In this stage the plague has already claimed the victim save for the final transformation into a beast. This person will appear mentally challenged as if rabid or drunk and will lash out randomly at others, including former friends and family. The only cure is a quick death.
2) The infected is experiencing severe hallucinations or paranoia. They isolate themselves from others as the decent into madness and the final stages of the plague take hold of them. In this case, the final physical symptoms have not yet manifested making it difficult to distinguish between run-of-the-mill madness. A blood test is common practice at this stage but is far from definitive. The only cure is a quick death.
3) The first signs of the infection are coughing and vomiting blood due to infection of the lungs. In some cases lesions appear in the groin or armpit of the infected. Unfortunately, these symptoms are similar to those found in pneumonia and are thus difficult to attribute solely to the beast plague. Additionally, the above blood test is even less accurate in this early stage of infection. Church doctors typically quarantine a suspected carrier at this stage. The only cure is a quick death.
Olbod doesn't even bother looking at the woman who spoke up, he simply stares at the man who refused to speak as he answers her. "We want nothing from you. I know not what kind of paradise you think Yharnam to be, but we've been suffering a terrible plague. One that turns man into rabid beasts, beasts that lust after nothing but the blood of men, women and children." Olbod approaches the man in the tattered cloak and pushes him back into the group. "Which is why you're all going to wait on the other side of the bridge and let us inspect you one at a time. Either that or you leave." Olbod reaches to the top of his axe and presses a switch, the axes blade splits vertically into three separate blades, in between lie groups of metal quills and razors. Guaranteed to cause rips and awful bleeding should they meet with flesh.
Armand will slip forward and observe the group. Seeing no one immediately go wild, he will walk past Olbod and the cloaked man, passing among the refugees. The only 'weapon' he seems to carry is a cane and a pistol on his belt but under his longcoat. As he walks, he looks refugees in the eyes and sniffs the air around them. He, as well as any hunter, could recognize the all-too heady scent of blood.
Sybille stands in front of the refugee group and begins speaking. "Please stand in line, everyone. Come to me one by one and I will examine you. If you show no signs of disease, you can go free. As my companion said, comply or turn back."
She turns to Olbod. "Olbod, could you stay near me as I examine them? As a precaution."
Things are really starting to breakdown among the refugees now. They start shuddering and shaking in fear, many are crying. One man who was breathing heavily before begins coughing. Their fear of the hunters, Olbod specifically, is the only thing that's keeping them from fleeing right now. All the same you manage to herd them into a line, more-or-less.
Examining the group you see that many of them have bite marks or scratches across their legs and arms. Obvious signs of prolonged wandering in the wilderness without the proper precautions. It's not a stretch to imagine that some in this group may have succumb to starvation, dehydration, or were victim of any manner of wild beast. They are obviously unarmed don't seem to have any kind of belongings besides their tattered clothes
Ignoring those who are just crying or shaking, Armand points to the coughing man with his cane.
"You." He says softly. He will step forward to examine the man, but be ready to hop back if he attacks.
Olbod nods to Sybille. "But of course." He steps to Sybille's side, He points to the one Armand Approached. "You'll be the first for inspection." Did they really think they'd be meet with no resistance when entering the city?
"W-what?" stammers the man as the three hunters close in on him. "No, please have mercy. I haven't done anything!" he breaks out in another coughing fit and can't continue speaking. The rest of the refugees look away but don't dare do anything to intervene.
Olbod sternly guides the coughing man towards the hunters side of the bridge, once the man settles with his coughing Olbod will start looking for signs of the plague that he's seen on his other hunts. "I've seen my fair share of beasts. If you don't match up, you got nothing to worry about."
Sybille takes a close look at the man, examining his condition and using the knowledge about beasthood hammered into her head by Ernhart.
Ivan will stay back and continue to watch the other refugees while great of the party is inspecting the man.
The three hunters close in on the poor man and start to poke and prod to their hearts content. Brushing aside his robes reveals that he has various bites and cuts across his emaciated frame - could be a result of prolonged wilderness travel. You're taking aback by the mans stinking smell that you are noticing only know that you have gotten closer to him but carry on nonetheless.
His pupils appear to be fully intact, no sign of collapse. Sybille figures she could try and perform the blood test which would require drawing blood from the man and then burning it (healthy blood doesn't burn, just coagulates and chars. Infected blood gives off stinking black smoke).
Olbod has heard rumors that foreigners are more likely to be carriers of their plague, but there's never been any sort of agreement on why specifically that is. Some blame poor hygeine and diet while others claim it is a result of hereditary traits like red eyes or grey hair on young people. This man definitely has the former, but he has neither red eyes or grey eyes (not to mention he appears in he autumn of his years).
He could have pneumonia, a cold, maybe asthma.
Ivan focuses on girl, not taking action unless she tries to run away or cause issues.
"One last test. Give me you hand, so I can draw some blood."
Sybille grabs his hand and places it over a flat bridge stone before making a small cut and setting the blood on fire.
Olbod grunts at Sybille as he nudges the man. "Don't be a baby. It's just a nick."
Armand will leave the last test to the two other hunters, and instead watch the rest of the group of refugees, being on watch for any suspicious actions.
The mans eyes go wide once the knife comes out and he really starts thrashing around. It takes Olbod holding him down to get the blood out. Sybille puts the sample to light...
A few whisps of black smoke come from the blood.
The little girl has made it to the front of the group and takes the hand of the man there, the one with the tattoo that had gone across his face. You see him stiffen.
Suddenly among the refugees a woman falls to her knees and starts coughing violently. Her whole frame shudders with each rasping breath and the other refugees move a few steps away from her. She chokes for a moment and then vomits a bloody foam before finally collapsing into a quivering pile.
Olbod nods towards Sybille as the mans blood goes up in smoke, just as he makes a move for his manacles the woman in the crowd goes down. "Damn..." He sputters as he turns to Ivan and Armand. "Ivan, Armand! Check on her, do the blood test on the pool she vomited."
Olbod then shouts to the crowd. "This man is a beast. His blood burns like wood, He will not be permitted passage into yharnam and he will not be allowed to ravage the outskirts in his true form." As Olbod speaks as he makes his way to the other side of the crowd, dragging the man they had preformed the test on by his hair. He kicks the back of the mans knees making him kneel before taking his ax in both hands and reminding the group. "Run, and we kill you all." and asking the man. "Any last words? Beast."
Sybille curses as she sees the smoke, firmly grasps her hammer and closely watches the crowd while Olbod deals with the infected man.
Armand will approach the woman, gesturing for Ivan to remain on watch. He will lean on his cane as he tests her blood, touching a torch flame to the puddle.
"A bad night, it seems..." he mutters.
Ivan will continue to what he's been doing but also pulling out his pistol under his cloak, ready to fire it at the first of aggression from the refugees.
Approaching the woman Armand puts the frothy blood to flame
The blood burns black, thick wisps of smoke rising from the puddle. The moment is framed by Olbod executing the old man in the background, even as the latter raises his arms in a desperate attempt to shield himself from the axe blow. To no avail, he is hacked apart all the same.
The woman lurches and rises from the ground. Her breathing is ragged and something about the way she moves is off - stilted. The shifting robes that cover her give way to quickly elongating limbs and bristling hair. Instantly you recognize it. This woman is transforming, succumbing to beasthood before your very eyes. The refugees seem to recognize it as well, at least on an instinctual level. They scream and scatter. Some rush towards Yharnam, some flee towards the wilderness. Desperate to escape one man throws himself over the side of the bridge to flee. The beast ignores them and lunges forward...
Olbod reacts slowly to the woman's transformation as his axe had become stuck in its first victim of the night. "Hold it for a moment will you, I'll be charging in in soon as I get this DAMN AX unstuck. "
Armand takes a tep back and tenses, readying to movewhen she attacks.
"Great! We'll have to search for them all after we deal with the beast."
Sybille shift into combat posture, grabbing her hammer with both hands.
[dice=initiative]1d20+4
Armand takes a tep back and tenses, readying to movewhen she attacks.
[dice=initiative]1d20+4
The hunters are collectively caught off guard by the beast. Ivan manages to hastily draw his pistol and fires. The bullet glances off her face and she gnashes her teeth in anger as blood starts to well from the wound.
As she starts to lunge forwards Armand instinctively raises his torch. The beast screeches and throws her arms up in response, trying to swat the offending flames away. She backs down, instead furiously rushing towards Sybille with her claws. Her movements are clumsy and feverish and the Huntress is able to easily avoid the blow.
Beast Patient 69/72