Stepping over the crumpled forms of the ghouls, Smaranda rushes towards the last one standing, the one that just downed her companion.
Thistle wanted to contribute, he really did, but his muscles were locked in rigor from the magical paralysis from the ghoul. Still it was fascinating that the creatures could have a pseudo-functional society like this. He would have to talk to one of them about it if any of them were left alive.
Delixia rushes forward and tries to determine if Smaranda has the situation under control or not as she advances to the nasty, foul female creature in the back of the room.
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Between the onslaught of Smaranda and Delixia the ghoul who had just crumpled Kisasi is put down.
The priestess addresses you all. "As you have disposed of my flock so shall I dispose of you. Make peace with your gods." The priestess sweeps wide around the pews and holds her unholy symbol aloft. A wave of foul energy sweeps across you all.
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Delixia groans in pain as the negative energy blatss her. Groaning, she moves up to attack the dark priestess but misses horribly due to the negative energy blast.
Smaranda braces herself against whatever foul magic the priestess was casting, and grins when her willpower protects her from the effects entirely. Feeling invigorated by this small victory, she steps towards the one remaining threat, decided to end this abomination.
Thistle couldn't move as the wave of negative energy washed over him, but internally he was smiling. He had made that same mistake in reverse before, and he was glad to see someone else doing it now.
Suddenly, his muscles were released from their bindings and he rushed forward. "Don't worry Kisasi, I am coming to help!"
Mihaela shudders as she feels a slight wrenching pain in her soul. "Ow, watch out, she's full of surprises! You almost have her flanked Delixia! Catch her between breaths, you'll land a solid hit that way! Smaranda, While Delixia distracts her, you can land a slid hit on her shoulder!
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HP: 22/25
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Smarand slams a fist in the priestesses face drawing blood from its mouth.
The priestess steps around a column while drawing out a vial. The priestess pulls the stopper from the vial and swallows the contents of the glass vial. The vial shatters on the stone floor as the priestess lets it drop from her hand.
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Smaranda takes a step forward as the priestess retreats, almost gagging from the aura of putrefaction. Determined to put an end to it, she aims a fist at her head and follows up with a kick to the torso.
Delixia waits until Smaranda establishes position with the priestess and then quickly moves around behind her to flank. Once in position he unleashes a wicked blow from her morninstar to the back of the priestesses head.
"I suppose it's too much to hope that she just drank a bottle of poison to prevent us from killing her?"
Thinking quickly, Thistle shouted "Fall down!" at the priestess, who felt an overwhelming urge to hit the floor.
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The priestess collapses to the floor due to the combined punishment doled out from Smaranda and Delixia. This former church of Pharasma becomes quiet as a tomb once more. Only the sound of your heavy breathing due to the just now resolved fight can be heard.
Searching the church and the bodies of the fallen ghouls you locate the following items. A simple obsidian rod, a cloak woven with flecks of silver in the material, a potion, a scroll, a pair of fine looking starknifes, a black pearl, a freshwater pearl, a jasper, a moonstone, a saltwater pearl, a tigerseye, a turquoise, and 176 gp, 638 sp, 2170 cp. The rod, cloak, potion, and scroll all radiate a magical aura when detect magic is used. The starknifes are both of masterwork quality.
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Thistle moved about the room, using his arcane training to search for things with magical auras and setting those objects aside. Once he had them collected, he began studying each to see if he could identify their properties.
"Well, I don't know about the rod or the cloak, but this is a potion of magic fang. Not sure what use for it we have, though, unless you want to make DAY-LIX-EE-AH's tongue even sharper."
"Is anyone injured?"
Delixia smacks Thistle on the back of the head. "Not everything requires a smartass quip, dwarf. If you are quite ready to start acting like an adult, there are serious injuries to deal with here."
Delixia is clearly frustrated from her injuries sustained during battle. Turning to Smaranda she expresses her frustration inappropriately. "Looks like your cousins really did a number on us."
Delixia casts detect magic and then looks at all of the stuff and comes to the same conclusions as Thistle. "Does anyone know if any of this other stuff is valuable? I'm picking up a lot of magic around here."
Thistle looked ashamed that he had gone for the magic items before healing. "Right, right. Hnag on let me concentrate." He poured healing into the room, being sure to exclude his dhampir friends from the burst of energy.
Then he pulled out that wand they had been given and touched Kiassi up as well.
Smaranda was just examining some of the murals on the wall when Delixia's outburst catches her completely by surprise. It hadn't been Smaranda's idea to come here, or to enter this church, or, or... any of this! Kisasi had rushed into battle, Delixia had ran out, everything had been confusing and scary, but Smaranda had stood and fought! She had done well, Delixia and her had taken down the priestess together! And now she calls these ghouls Smaranda's cousins?
For a few heartbeats, Smaranda simply stands, frozen, staring at Delixia with her mouth open.
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Exploring the abandoned town of Clover's Crossing has taken you the better part of your second day on the road. You are able to roughly note on your map of Ustalav that you still have approximately five days of walking yet until you reach Lepidstadt.
The next cluster of population on your map is Tamrivena. Suspicion and distrust flourish in the fortress city of Tamrivena or so say those who have visited the city.
Although none can say exactly when, at some point within the past 5 years the Wallguard stopped being the city’s well-trained constabulary and changed into an occupying army of overzealously watchful counterspies and enforcers of social standards. While they strictly enforce the letter of the law, the quickness with which they drag suspects to the dungeons of Fort Vhiled causes most citizens to avert their eyes and hurry past their precisely organized patrols. Life and commerce continues in Tamrivena with the people relying on travel and shipping upon the Lamand as well as nearby farms for their livelihoods. However, increasingly strict laws on passage through the town, what goods are permitted for sale, and what constitutes morally appropriate services have stymied many entrepreneurs, with fines levied or shops shuttered as the town’s laws grow ever more restrictive and numerous. And all the while, from vague sources come word of growing criminal syndicates, mysterious saboteurs, and massing orcs in the east, leading the town’s residents to hurry home from their jobs and wonder which of their neighbors might be in league with the unseen but encroaching evils.
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Delixia turns to observe Smaranda's frozen expression, frowning. "Did she get bit by the undead paralysis?"
Snapping her fingers twice in front of Smaranda's face and looking for signs of life, she asks. "You in there? Hello?"
When she shows signs of life again, the inquisitor nods and says "Gather all of the interesting bits up, we can identify them on the road. Now that we've vanquished all of the evils from this place we can move on to our original task."
"I think she is more than likely stupefied by your stupidity! I have been told I am tone deaf when it comes to the feelings of others, but did you seriously just call Smaranda a ghoul? Dr. Tobias Threadhart once wrote 'the cruelest thing I ever saw was when a mother compared her child to a throgbeast in front of that child'. That child grew up to be the most vicious dogcatcher in Absalom. Nearly broke her mother's heart to see what her child did to those dogs. Of course, for about 20 years, fried dog on a stick was very popular, but it went the way most fads do."
"But yes, once you have apologized to Smaranda, we should be on about our business."
Putting her hands on her hips she replies defiantly ”I most certainly did NOT call her a ghoul, I said her cousins! Did you see how she was healed by the negative energy that injured us all? Does that not heal undead?! “
Hrumphing, Delixia finishes what she was gathering and marches out the door sans apology. ”Let’s go, I’m getting hungry.”
Smaranda vainly searches for words to explain herself. Delixia's impatience and Thistle's prattling certainly do not help with that, so she simply gives up and turns on her heel to march out of the church without answering.
"That appears to be a Cloak of Resistance +1" she handles and eyes the cloak critically. She flips the rod back and forth in her hand, I can't tell what kind of rod this is, I haven't seen it before. She moves on to the assorted gemstones and notes that the Black Pearl has a nice value at 450 Gp, but unfortunately the moonstone is very common and has a market price of 55 Gp.
"We can try to figure out what this stuff is later? Let's move on, the smell reeks like the underside of Thistle's foot." as she sees Smaranda storm out of the church. "Wait up Smaranda, don't mind Delixia, she's a little prejudiced sometimes...." as she begins to chat with Smaranda about various other topics to bring her mind away from Delixia.
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When Kisasi is finally able to move, open his eyes, and sit up, he looks at the oddity that is Thistle and gives a small smile. "Thank you, my friend. I am not used to having such loyal friends, but I am starting to feel a trust I have not felt in a very long time."
As the others take stock of what has been collected, the dhampir tries to offer some assistance.
"Now that this place is cleared, shall we rest and recover spells for the night? Maybe not here, with the smell, but before we get back to the main road?"
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You gather the found items and coinage and carry it all back to the waiting horse and cart that you had tied up along the road leading into Clover's Crossing.
You take the rest of the evening and night to rest and recuperate from your experience in Clover's Crossing.
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"I agree. Let's get out of here back camp again. I'll take first shift followed by Smaranda and then Kisasi."
Leading the group out of the cursed town, she talks to the group about the new belongings they acquired. "Interesting Mihaela, so you think it will better protect someone from all manner of dangers either physical or mental? Alright then, I suggest one of us that tends to be mixed in with the dangers on the front lines be using. Kisasi, Smaranda or myself seem like we could get the most out of it. Thoughts?"
Smaranda shrugs at the suggestion.
"Cloak gets tangled when we fight. I'd rather have one the knives."
When the time comes, she takes her turn standing guard as the rest sleep.
"I say the person with the most need should get the cloak. DAY-LIX-E-AH, since you have proven to be very susceptible to enemy spells, you should definitely be the wearer. I know how hard it must be for you to face the fact that you ran off and left us all. Most likely, that's the reason you barked at Smaranda earlier. Trying to assuage your own guilt. Here, I think I have a small treatise in my pack that might help you..."
Thistle broke off at the look on DAY-LIX-EE-AH's face. "On second thought, I'd rather this not go into the fire tonight. Perhaps I can read it to you?"
Thistle happily stood his turn at watch, chatting with anyone that was awake with him...which was everyone given that he talked at his normal volume.
Delixia takes the cloak and and bunches up the end. She is moments away from shoving it down Thistle's throat to see if will shut him up when she decides against it. Groaning loudly, she turns away to make preparations for the night.
Delixia takes her watch, ready for whatever trouble may come.
Unfortunately however, the drag from the events during the day are weighing her down and she can't clear her mind properly. Distracted during most of the night, she replays the event from the day in her head trying to figure out what she could have done better.
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You establish a temporary campsite for the night by laying out your bedrolls near a simple fire ring made of varying large stones. A meal of rabbit stew is prepared and shared among you all. Night falls and a rotating watch is established in hope of keeping you safe through the night.
As you keep watch, each for their chosen portion of the night, you find that the sky is clear and the stars are plentiful and bright this night. Nothing disturbs your rest during the night and dawn breaks anew. Those of who need to pray, study, or commune for spells are able to do so at your leisure. Breakfast is made and eaten after which camp is struck and you once more head out on the road making your way towards Tamrivena.
Although none can say exactly when, at some point within the past 5 years the Wallguard stopped being the city’s well-trained constabulary and changed into an occupying army of overzealously watchful counterspies and enforcers of social standards. While they strictly enforce the letter of the law, the quickness with which they drag suspects to the dungeons of Fort Vhiled causes most citizens to avert their eyes and hurry past their precisely organized patrols. Life and commerce continues in Tamrivena with the people relying on travel and shipping upon the Lamand as well as nearby farms for their livelihoods. However, increasingly strict laws on passage through the town, what goods are permitted for sale, and what constitutes morally appropriate services have stymied many entrepreneurs, with fines levied or shops shuttered as the town’s laws grow ever more restrictive and numerous. And all the while, from vague sources come word of growing criminal syndicates, mysterious saboteurs, and massing orcs in the east, leading the town’s residents to hurry home from their jobs and wonder which of their neighbors might be in league with the unseen but encroaching evils.
The walk towards Tamrivena is uneventful and it is not until you draw closer to the walled city that you begin to encounter various people living in everything from small enclaves of ramshackle huts to well built farm houses surrounded by tilled fields ready for spring planting. The closer you get to the city itself the more folks you encounter. The inspections of the Wallguard leave many attempting to travel through Tamrivena stranded, usually on suspicion of criminal intent or mere racial prejudice.
It is along the roadside, near dusk, outside of Tamrivena that you find yourselves approaching an odd caravan. Nine wagons are gaudily painted and depict the show’s performers beneath the legend, “The Crooked Kin—Ustalav’s Greatest Traveling Cabinet of Curiosities!” Various members of the troupe can be seen milling about. Snippets of a disagreement/argument are able to be overhead. This includes bits about a missing performer and how dangerous it would be to go off searching for her. Crying and an odd bit of howling can also be heard coming from among the wagons.
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The caravan is a familiar sight to Smaranda, and the girl seems more at ease than the other ever remember seeing her. There's even a smile on her face as she walks over to the wagons, her happiness at being in a familiar environment blinding her to the fact that this did not seem like a happy time for the troupe.
Delixia does not have comforting words for strangers nor does she know how to properly greet someone without injuring feelings. She is wise enough however to recognize this and decides to keep her mouth shut and listen to their resident ghoul-cousin do the talking here.
She stands behind the dhampir with her arms folded, ready for troubles should it arise.
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At Smaranda's approach an albino man with red eyes and long, white hair that hangs below his knees moves towards her. The man wears a tall red top hat, a long red coat with gold buckles, and striped trousers.
"Having heard rumors of a large number of people being drawn to Lepidstadt to witness the trial of the Beast, we, the Kin, have been making haste to reach the city to take advantage of the crowds. We stopped out wagons by the roadside to rest earlier in the day, but one of our members, the pinhead Aleece, hasn’t returned after saying she heard something strange going on further off the road. We're worried
that she has now been gone for several hours in a strange and dangerous place. Some want to send out a group to find her but I can't risk losing anyone else. Perhaps you and your traveling companions might be willing to help us? I only ask as you appear to be like us, different from the norm."
The man gestures about while speaking with Smaranda and as he winds down he looks to the rest of the group as you approach with a look that could almost be pleading.
"Ah, they are saying that one theirs is missing. Asking us for help to find her. And there is a big trial in Lepistadt, but..."
Smaranda pauses in her translation, looking at the albino man uncertainly.
"What is this trial? We are going to Lepistadt as well. And don't worry, we will go look for Aleece. Which direction did she go?"
Once the man replies, she looks back to her companions. "We go find this woman now. She might be in danger." Her tone is not commanding, but she's not asking, either. She is simply describing what will happen.
"Help? Of course we'll help! That's what we are all about, helping people. I mean, remember when I first came upon you, fighting wolves in the graveyard? I didn't hesitate. 'Thistle' I said to myself, 'these folks need help', and I rushed in to save you all. I even healed you. Well, maybe that last part wasn't so helpful," he glanced at Kisasi, "but it was the intent that counted!"
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"Good!" the albino man turns and shouts back among the wagons. "Friends! Gather round!" Members of the Kin began to walk out from among the wagons and gather in a semi-circle behind the albino man. The albino man introduces himself and the rest of the Kin to you all.
The Crooked Kin consists of 13 performers, all people with a variety of physical handicaps or deformities, plus a handful of additional sideshow attractions. Though they all have exotic (or in some cases, frightening) appearances, the Kin are just honest performers trying to make a living, and are concerned for the life of one of their friends.
The following people make up the Crooked Kin.
Hap Tarvin, the Flea Man (CN male human expert 1: A short, hunched man with a distorted appearance, Hap performs with his flea circus, the Magnificent Carnival of Miniature Wonders.
Kaleb Hesse, the Ringmaster (N male human expert 3): An albino man with red eyes and long, white hair that hangs below his knees, Kaleb wears a tall red top hat, a long red coat with gold buckles, and striped trousers. He is the de facto leader of the Crooked Kin.
Lidia Gerod, the Bearded Lady (NG female human commoner 3): Standing nearly 7 feet tall and possessed of a fine beard down to her waist, Lidia acts as a sort of “mother hen” to the other members of the troupe.
The Pinheads: Aleece (CN female human commoner 1), Lettie (NG female human commoner 2), and Poppy (N female human commoner 1) are sisters, all of whom have microcephaly. Aleece recently wandered away from the caravan and has gone missing.
Prince Zar, the Human Caterpillar (CN male human expert 2): This Mwangi man has no arms or legs. Prince Zar was once enslaved in a Chelish sideshow, but earned enough money to buy his freedom. He joined the Crooked Kin, where he is billed as an exiled prince of the “Lost Cities of Darkest Garund.”
S’jeer, the Vudrani Princess (N female human aristocrat 2): Born with four arms, S’jeer dresses in exotic silks and speaks with a thick accent, but she is actually from Galt and the daughter of a fishmonger.
The Swarm of Clowns: These three men, Gerik, Josef, and Tam (all N male human expert 2), each have an extra limb (Josef has three legs, the others have three arms). Besides their skill in clowning, they are also accomplished acrobats and jugglers.
Trollblood, the Giant Man (N male human expert 2): A shockingly ugly Ulfen man nearly 8 feet tall, Trollblood entertains the crowds with fire-breathing and his feats of strength.
The Wolf Child (N male child human commoner 1): Supposedly raised by wolves in the Shudderwood, this 10-year-old boy is covered in hair. He is unfortunately insane, but the three pinhead sisters treat him like a younger brother.
In addition, the show also includes a pair of caged goblin dogs, a morlock, and a giant frog.
"Thank you for being so quick to help us in our time of need. As you can see we are not truly suited to go search for Aleece ourselves. I can promise you a reward should you find our Aleece."
***
With Smarandra's promise to help the Crooked Kin you set off into the Fens in search of Aleece.
in dense forest. Aleece’s tracks soon all but vanish under water.
Going off to rescue someone was all well and good, but Smaranda doesn't have the faintest idea on how to look for tracks, and after a few paces she looks around bewildered.
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Surprising everyone, including himself, Thistle with the aid of Delixia is able to spots foot prints leading off into the fens. Aleece’s tracks are fresh.. The tracks run for about half a mile as they head down into a boggy river valley, and then into a densely vegetated, midge-infested marsh. The marsh is a shallow bog, with high reeds between 6 and 8 feet high that affect abilities and movement in the same way as heavy undergrowth in dense forest. Aleece’s tracks soon all but vanish under water.
The tracks continue for another hundred yards or so to a cramped clearing filled with dismal-looking gray flowers. As you enter the clearing you hear feminine screams of fright and terror coming from east of the clearing.
Delixia spots the tracks leading to the clearing a moment before Smaranda would have stumbled over them. The unmistakable sounds of human fear make the dhampir girl freeze, and she points eastwards.
"That way. Hurry."
Without waiting, she takes off at a run in that direction.
"Well of course I was able to see the tracks! I mean, how could I not? Reading isn't all done in the sunlight with large, well-defined script you know. Sometimes you spend hours in dim candlelight, squinting to try and make out the snail-trail scribblings of a half-drunk archivist."
Thistle sighs in pleasure at the thought.
"I..."
He broke off, cocking his head to listen to something in the distance. Smaranda beat him to it, haring off on her own.
"Wait, Smaranda! That didn't sound like our missing person. It wasn't....human."
He trailed off as Smaranda rushed off, quickly outdistancing him and the rest.
Smaranda skids to a stop as her brain catches up with her impulses. The screams had sounded... strange. She stands there, looking back and forth between her companions and the direction from which the screams had originated.