Govannon would spit out his cigarette if he had one in place. A flesh golem!
Ignoring Zelda's proper approach, he blurts out to no one in particular, "A flesh golem, but how is it intelligent?!" He turns to the beast, "How long have you had speech? Where are you from?"
He then catches himself, and turns red with the shame, "But of course, Zelda, you're quite right. There is a life here at stake, and my questions can come later. Sir we are here to help you, and Zelda's question is paramount. Uh, important. Uh, talk to her please."
He moves to the back and paces a bit before working hard to calm himself to stand still and fidget quietly.
The beast turns away when Zelda mentions the children. You see tears welling up in his eyes. "Elsa! They killed Elsa! She was my only friend!"
When Govannon asks his questions, the beast only replies. "I'm ten years old."
Letting Zelda take the lead on this, Aliseya's eyes shoot daggers at Barrister Kaple. She closes in on him, harshly whispering in his ear, "How is it not OBVIOUS that he's far more a child than a beast?" She sharply needles him not just to vent her anger, but in the hopes of waking the poor soul's public defendant up to what should be bleeding obvious to anyone with half a brain in just the mere few minutes they've interacted with him.
Tears begin to well up in the changeable gypsy's eyes as she returns her attention to the poor soul, thinking about what kind of a life he's had in a world filled with too many ignoramuses. She stifles her tears so as not to interrupt the dialogue between Zelda and the scared soul.
The creature breaks down into tearful sobs when Zelda questions him on Elsa.
Four armed guards then emerge from the shadows holding long spiked guisarmes. "Visiting hours are over. Clear the cell!"
Barrister Kaple hastily leads you out of the cell block and back to his office. "Yes, he is a simpleton. Don't blame me for his situation - I'm only trying to help him! As I said before, the prosecution has a strong case. There are witnesses that corroborate the Beast's guilt in each of the crimes that he is accused of. I've talked to each witness - I'm afraid their testimony is quite damning. At Morast, the swamper elder, Lazne, has testified as an eye witness that he saw the beast kill ten citizens. At Herstag, the sisters Garrow, Starle, and Flicht implicated the Beast in the death of the children. At the Karb Isle Sanctuary, Karl, the doctor's assistant, has placed the Beast on the scene during the crime. Finally, Dr. Montagnie Crowl has testified that the beast was caught red handed breaking into Lepidstadt University."
Kaple throws up his hands in exasperation. "It's hopeless - the Beast is guilty! Now, if you excuse me, the trial re-convenes in an hour - I must prepare. I am scheduled to begin the Beast's defense tomorrow - starting with the Morast murders. You have 24 hours to gather what evidence that you can. Good luck - you'll need it!"
With that Kaple dons his over-sized ceremonial wig and begins powdering his face.
Govannon doesn't like being hustled out, but he recognizes that there is much to do. When Kaple begins his preparations, he watches a little fascinated a moment before shacking his head.
"So, what do we know about the Morass murders? Lazne has testified identifying our client as the murderer. I say we start with them and see if we can shake their story. If they saw the Beast do the deed, and he didn't, maybe we have a look-alike?" he shakes his head, "No, I don't believe it either, but if so we'll have to track 'em down right?"
He looks for other suggestions, but otherwise wonders how to find this Lazne person.
"Did anyone else notice that as soon as we looked like we were getting somewhere, the guards ran us out?" Aleks asks. "Something doesn't smell right here. I sensed no evil at all from the beast. Of course, one doesn't have to be evil to commit crimes, but this is looking more and more like a set-up, albeit a well-crafted one." Aleks' brows furrow as he ponders what they've discovered so far.
Zelda, you are aware that Morast is a small hamlet about 8 miles east of Lepidstadt, in the Dipplemere swamp.
Ali nods agreeably at Aleks' comments. "I sense he's mentally just a child. He said he's ten years old... I believe him. He even made friends with children, like this poor Elsa."
Shaking her own head, she looks at Gov, "You called him a flesh golem before. Do you mean he was... made by someone? I wonder if we can find out who made him... but first, we must pay a visit to Lazne."
"Let's head for Morast."
noding his head Caracotl says"Agreed."
snapping his fingers as if an idea just struck him "If we find any 'eye witnesses' we suspect aren't telling the truth and they wont agree to tell the truth at the trial, I can prepare a spell that will make it so they can't lie. It only lasts a few minutes so I think we could only get through one person with it in affect, but that may be all we need to discredit the whole damn thing. They also may resist it, but its an option."
Govannon nods as Aleksander notes the guards untimely intervention. He responds to Aliseya, "Yes, he was made, but normally Flesh Golems have no intelligence - they're just automatons. Someone gave this creation real life, and apparently about 10 years ago. Fascinating..."
"Yet, let's get going." presuming he hears it's 8 miles away, 'Ohhh, damn. We'd better get mounts. We've 8 miles each way, and need to be back tomorrow already for the court case! If we do find any witnesses, we'll need to bring them with us, so we'd better go mounted."
"Horses should run around 75gp each, so I can afford to buy the spare for a witness and one for myself. Might be better to rent a trap and driver so we can bring back multiple folks, but I don't know if such a scheme can be worked out on such short notice."
Govannon suggests they head to the stables with speed. On the walk over, he rolls a smoke and smokes it, having to continually rework the unevenly burning cigarette. It doesn't even occur to him that it could be rolled better - this is just the way he enjoys his habit.
You travel to the local stable and purchase six light horses and associated gear.
A narrow trail leads from Lepidstadt to the village. Morast is a miserable collection of 20 or so wattle-and-daub hovels built on stilts above the swamp and connected by soggy wooden boardwalks. The villagers make their livings fishing and occasionally bringing in a blood caiman (a variety of crocodilian with a red-scaled head that is native to the north) to eat or sell.
As you ride into the swamp town a cold wind blows across the bleak landscape. Several villagers step from their hovels to watch you suspiciously.
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"Oh boy," Ali whispers as she sees the suspicious glares of the very rural townfolk as they near their destination. She is reminded of the suspicious small town folk of Ravengro who called her a witch.
'Well, maybe they weren't so far off, after all.'
Immediately, she snaps herself out of it. No need to spiral back down into depression over her disturbing incident with the hag and her inner demon. Instead, she remains focused on the task at hand.
'An innocent life is at stake. I can't let my own problems drag me down. I'll deal with that later...'
From the recesses of her mind, a now familiar and haggard voice replies, 'You will submit to me, foolish girl. It is your fate...'
Repressing her inner demon, her friends might think she's feeling some stomach trouble or something by her facial expression and body movements. "I'm okay. Don't worry about me," she reassures them.
Smiling broadly at the villagers after unmounting her new lovely horse she affectionately named Lady, Aliseya greets them with her very sweet charisma. "Oh, hello there! We're looking for a... um," she turns to the others, "Oh what was that nice person's name again we're looking for?"
She totally plays up the dizzy and adorable persona, trying to make the suspicious villagers find her more adorable and endearing than threatening.
The villagers appear mesmerized by Aliseya's beauty. "You sure is perty! Lazne ain't no gentleman. That ol' swamper is yonder."
He points to a large wooden building on stilts at the center of the hamlet.
As you cross the wooden causeways to the building you find a a grizzled, middle-aged man with dirty gray hair and skin the color of
swamp mud waiting for you. He immediately spits a mouthful of foul-smelling swamp weed near your feet as you approach. "We ain't needin more city folk around here. You furriners ain't cause nothing but trouble. You ain't care nothing for the common folk, now do ya?"
Aleks steps forward, a little nervously, and focuses on the man. , then speaks. "My good man, I am as common-born as they come. No noble blood runs in my veins." Well, as far as I know. "I am a servant of justice. That is what brings us here. We are agents of the Court in Lepidstadt, sent to investigate the Beast. We are told you have important knowledge. Would you tell us your tale?"
- - -
Govannon tries to hang back a bit with the locals. No smooth talker he, he doesn't want to make it worse. He leads a spare horse and is well aware of what these fine folks earn in a year. They likely can't afford one horse let alone two - we ARE fancy city folk. he thinks to himself.
He tries to roll a cigarette, but between trying to keep the reigns in hand, and his usual skills, he manages one poor enough that even he is disappointed. He stuffs it in his mouth just the same, but does not light it yet, listening to the man's reply and happy the others are taking point on this one.
The man spits a mouthful of weed juice near Aleksander. "What's wrong with you boy? You as pale as a corpse. You sick or something? Well, as long as you don't be putting on airs you'll be alright around here I suppose."
He then reaches into his pocket and removes a pouch. From the pouch he stuffs more dried swamp weed into his mouth. "Agents of the court, eh? Well I'll tell you what I told the others about the disappearances. At first the Beast only took lone villagers who were outside at night, but soon the ol' boy became bolder and began to attack houses. These attacks only ended when I rounded up the village swampers and set a trap for the Beast. I recall that night well. We were lying in wait for the Beast, who attacked just after nightfall. Armed with torches, we attacked and wounded the creature — a huge, hulking brute about 7 feet tall. The Beast took to the water, but us swampers gave chase in our boats, pursuing it to the village boneyard, where we saw it attacked by a blood caiman!"
Lazne grins as he recalls that night. "The Beast yelled oaths and curses that even the worst whore in Lepidstadt would blush to say. That gator gave him quite a fit. I remember the gater biting the ol' boy deep on the shoulder before it dragged 'em under the water. The Beast’s blood done tainted the our burial ground, forcing us to abandon it and build another, but it was a small price to pay for the thing’s death. Needless to say, I was surprised to hear that the Beast actually survived. After hearing that, I was happy to cooperate with the authorities and now I'm happy to help you all. I just want to see that thing dead. You gonna burn him or what?"
|
"Cursing you say? The beast we met had the smarts of a child. I don't think he knew how to curse. You said this beast was killed by a gate but the beast we saw had not such marks on him. Are you sure the beast they have in prison is the same one you hunted down?"
"Can you tell us where this battle occured. I would like to look around and see what we can find if you don't mind."
Aliseya quietly smiles as the conversation progresses. Zelda and Aleks are doing well, she figures.
And then, she begins to wonder...
Acting as if she were impressed and amazed by the man's story, Aliseya's eyes widen. She gives Zel a look of 'Watch what you say!'
She then perkily interjects, "Oh, of course we're out to punish the guilty. I have to say, WOW, that's quite a story mister! Truly horrible what happened to you all. Well. I guess we'll just need to pay a visit to the boneyard before we head off, then. Just to show we've been thorough, of course."
She gives Lazne a convincing smile, then asks, "Could you please point us in the right direction? Thanks kindly."
Ali keeps her eyes open for a boat from this point forward.
Aleks nods along with the man's story, making mental notes as he goes. "And, how long ago was this, Mr. Lazne?
Govannon lights up when the rustic man chews. He listens to the story, and it certainly seems to him to be at odds with what they know already. Why any simple sheriff should have seen through this. It's a witch-hunt sure enough.
He listens to his companions chat with the man, Well done, these folks have good heads on their shoulders. Not sure I'd have taken the same approach, and we'd be less advanced because of it! he smiles at the group.
"Would you be willing to come down to the court house and repeat your story for the judge and jury? I'd want to make sure folks understood."
Lazne scratches his head when questioned by Aleksander, "I reckon its been about a year now."
He then smiles and winks at Govannon. "I'm testifying for that there prosecutor tomorrow. Been practicing what i'm gonna say and all. Burn Beast, burn!"
He then doubles over in wheezy laugh that turns into a fit of coughs.
After recovering he nods at Aliseya and slaps Aleksander on the shoulder, "I'll take you to the Boneyard myself. We'll need to take coracles to get to the island. Morimuir charges 5 gp per boat to rent - you'll need three boats."
He leads you down the wooden boardwalks to the far end of the hamlet. There, you find a dock that extends into the torpid water of the Dipplemere swamp. A thick fog limits visibility to about 50'. Small canoes line the dock.
A emaciated man steps from a nearby shack and regards you warily. "The Boneyard ain't no place for furriners. Blood caiman will get ya'all. That will be 15 gold pieces."
'Jeez Louise!' Ali hides her alarm outwardly at the asking price. More money than common folk see in a few months, in her experience... and usually in the form of silver, copper, or even animals and trade goods.
Then, she remembers, she just made a fortune and isn't poor anymore.
"Here ya go." she says with a smile to the thin boatman. She gives him the full amount of gold pieces.
"Thanks Aliseya." Govannon mumbles as the woman pays for the boats.
Unsteady on large ships, he makes his way most gingerly to his seat and plops down quickly, trying to settle the boat as he does so, and only causing it to quake further. Eventually it all smooths out, and he sits quietly, hands in his lap, though he makes sure he can get to his weapons quickly if he needs to...
Lazne nods at Zelda as he climbs into his own personal coracle. "Aye, he had stitches all over - a real monster!"
After about a thirty minutes of rowing through the shallow swamp waters you come upon a tiny, miserable island. Lazne beaches his boat and crawls up onto the island - he motions for you all to do the same.
A tangle of trees covers the island's dour, reed-choked surface. Hundreds of fetishes hang from the trees—simple, roughly humanoid figures made of sticks and bound with twine. Larger fetishes are planted in the ground on various parts of the island, leaning drunkenly in the soft mud. A large nest built of sodden swamp wood sits high in the boughs of a trio of tangled trees on the northwest side of the isle.
You see some movement in the nest.
; 1=yes, 2=no
Weapon Equipped = None
Conditions = None
scimitar: Attack: BAB +3, Str +4, Magic +1, Power Attack -1 Damage: Str +4, Magic +1, Power Attack +2
longbow (20 cold iron): Attack: BAB +3, Dex +1 Damage: Str +4
Arcane Pool (su/swift): 5/5
You may channel negative energy that deals an amount of damage equal to 1d6 × your character level (4) to a creature touched. This effect heals undead creatures as spells like inflict light wounds. 1/1
Spells (Caster Level 4, Concentration +7 (+4 defensively))
Zero (13): Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost
First (14): Color Spray, Shield, Shocking Grasp, Shocking Grasp
Second (15): Ablative Barrier, Scorching Ray
Govannon is very pleased to get off the small boat and is fascinated by the fetishes. The way these folks treat their dead is interesting.
"Could there be another flesh golem running around? One more sinister than the one we met?"
'Or just a regular person who is tall, people tend to see not what is but what they believe they are seeing. Or maybe Lazne is the killer, and he found a scapegoat... and we're heading for a trap. Creepy place, this town...'
Not wanting to say anything in front of the locals, Ali's kept her skeptical thoughts to herself. She nods as if a bit amazed to hear about the 7 ft. tall monster from Lazne... but secretly, she's been taking note of any facial cues or body language indicative of him bluffing about the so-called monster and the story he's told.
When Lazne's not looking at her, and when a friend looks her way, Ali gives them a quick look of disbelief.
A winged lion with a tail ending in long spikes comes swooping in from the tree tops.
Round: Surprise, Initiative: 10
Weapon Equipped = longbow
Conditions = None
scimitar: Attack: BAB +3, Str +4, Magic +1, Power Attack -1 Damage: Str +4, Magic +1, Power Attack +2
longbow (20 cold iron): Attack: BAB +3, Dex +1 Damage: Str +4
Arcane Pool (su/swift): 5/5
You may channel negative energy that deals an amount of damage equal to 1d6 × your character level (4) to a creature touched. This effect heals undead creatures as spells like inflict light wounds. 1/1
Spells (Caster Level 4, Concentration +7 (+4 defensively))
Zero (13): Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost
First (14): Color Spray, Shield, Shocking Grasp, Shocking Grasp
Second (15): Ablative Barrier, Scorching Ray
Govannon tries to identify the beast flying toward them. He calls out what he knows (likely nothing) to help the others prepare. He draws his freshly purchased bow as he moves to the side and hopes the fight isn’t too hazardous.
"Is this normal?!"
Aleks almost subconsciously goes for his blades, even while reaching out his sixth sense toward the creature, racking his brain to remember if he's heard of such a creature.
"EH, probably not."
Caracotl moves and plants himself between the creature and the group and draws his long spear as he does so.
Aliseya's brows furrow. Her lips purse together, as if about to say the letter 'w' (as in WTF). Surprise keeps her from voicing any sound though.
She briefly turns to see Lazne's expression, noting if he's just as surprised as she and her friends are.
She places a hand on Naught's shoulder, and speaks some gruff sounding words. Naught feels a bit inspired.
The more observant of her friends notice, with a keen interest, she is speaking neither the dark dialect nor the common tongue for a change...
Zelda slips out of sight into the shadows of the trees. The rest of the group spreads out and prepares for combat.
The winged lion flaps it's great wings and rises over the tree tops above you. With a flick of its tail four large iron spikes come raining down upon your group. Two spikes hit Govannon . One spike hits Lazne in the head and sends him spinning into the swamp water. The fourth spike bounces off of Naught's armor.
1=C, 2=A, 3=G, 4=N, 5=Al, 6=L
1=C, 2=A, 3=G, 4=N, 5=Al, 6=L
1=C, 2=A, 3=G, 4=N, 5=Al, 6=L
1=C, 2=A, 3=G, 4=N, 5=Al, 6=L
Can Lazne been seen or is he lost beneath the waters?
Round: 1, Initiative: 10
Weapon Equipped = longbow
Conditions = none
scimitar: Attack: BAB +3, Str +4, Magic +1, Power Attack -1 Damage: Str +4, Magic +1, Power Attack +2
longbow (20 cold iron): Attack: BAB +3, Dex +1 Damage: Str +4
Arcane Pool (su/swift): 5/5
You may channel negative energy that deals an amount of damage equal to 1d6 × your character level (4) to a creature touched. This effect heals undead creatures as spells like inflict light wounds. 1/1
Spells (Caster Level 4, Concentration +7 (+4 defensively))
Zero (13): Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost
First (14): Color Spray, Shield, Shocking Grasp, Shocking Grasp
Second (15): Ablative Barrier,
Govannon swears as the spikes protrude from his chest. Need better armor I do! he mutters to himself though he knows his options are limited until his training improves.
He casts Scorching Ray after moving up for a clear shot on the target. He wishes he cast some protection last round, but there's nothing for it.
(scorching ray)
Knowing that he can't reach the creature where it is, Aleks moves to Lazne's side and touches him, channeling healing energy into the man. Afterward, Aleks shakes his hand, futilely trying to rid it of the stinging sensation that always accompanied use of the divine blessing. Ouch. That never quits hurting. Alas, the price is worth it.
Looking on with horror as both Gov and then the local are hit hard by the flying creature, Aliseya's face shifts from horror to fiercely determined. In her hand is the rather macabre sight of a skeletal doll with a menacing smile, retrieved from her satchel... where she found such a hideous item who can say.
Holding it up swiftly, her eyes track the creature as it flies over and away, circling round to come back for another pass. She then recites some kind of cant in a guttural dialect, and with dark and rather unnerving passion.
"Rip sin manke, rive av kjøttet. Bryt sine bein, og deretter se det treske."
She then grips the bony doll with her other hand, jerking its arm in a manner that would rip it out of its socket, were it a real person. At once, the sound of the flying creature's (somewhat) corresponding bone suddenly splitting and breaking is more than loud enough to be audible to those on the ground. A wicked smile is upon Ali's contorted face, her eyes both beaming with a dark red glimmer as the flying creature struggles in extreme pain to remain in flight...
Caracotl will move over to Gov and pray to Desna saying "My Lady grant this man your luck". Using bit of luck on Gov, for the next round if you roll a d20, roll 2 dice and take the better
Zelda emerges from the shadows and wounds the beast with her bow. Caracotl moves to Govannon and provides the blessings of Desna. Aliseya casts a spell and rends the creature's flesh. Govannon sends a scorching ray into the sky - burning the beast badly. Aleksander drages Lazne onto dry land and stabilizes him.
The beast, howling from its wounds, again whips its tail and focuses its fire on Govannon. Three of the four spikes hit the magus - knocking him to the ground .
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"Jeez this thing hits hard." Caractol taps Gov on the should with is tongue and casts cure moderate wounds and then moves in front of the magus.