Once away from the main gates, Groin scouts for tracks in the direction of the Plague House.
Delia rejoins the others with her newly acquired bow and a large smile on her face. Like a few of the others, she will immediately begin checking the area for any sign of tracks or movements...
The party makes their way out of the main gate and around the great hill holding Trunau, coming at last to the Plague House on the opposite side of the city. The trip was quiet, everyone sensing a bit of foreboding, perhaps a small inkling of dread at what may be awaiting you there. The ruins are quiet, still. No birds, animals, nor travelers are present, the place is calm, vacant, cold in the shadow of the Bloodmarch Hill and that of your homes, Trunau.
The Plague House’s front doors sit three feet above the ground. Charred wooden beams and ash are all that remains of a small porch and stairs that once led to the entrance. The small windows flanking either side of the doorframe are broken, but a large stained glass window dominating the face of the building to the right remains in fine shape, and shows a varicolored image of Iomedae holding her sword aloft. Around the corner of the building, a shallow fire pit lays surrounded by a ring of stones.
There are multiple ways of entering the ruined building: through the front doors, via the collapsed wall into a ruined sitting room, climbing up to an open wall or the back door facing a collapsed stairwell, or perhaps a dark, ominous hole which opens into the basement below.
Unless otherwise noted, the doors on the Plague House’s ground level are of good wooden construction, somewhat charred, while those in the basement are iron. Ceilings within the Plague House are generally 10 feet high and all rooms are unlit, though those areas with exterior broken paned windows have normal light streaming in as the sun slowly moves towards the day's ending.
"Let's start by exploring the ground area while there is light. The front door seems just as good as any other place, don't you find?" says the girl, crossbow ready as the party stands in the midst of the plains surrounding Trunau.
Assuming anyone supports the idea she carefully follows the party trying to do as little sound as possible, and profiting her weird darkvision to look for details. In case other entrance is decided, she follows as well.
Before entering, Adir will help look for significant tracks with the others.
"Have to start somewhere," Adir responds to Leira. "Golau," he says over the short spear in his hand. Though it is difficult to see in the afternoon light, the end of the spear lights up.
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Leira smiles at Adir "Oh! That's a great trick! My mother wrote this tattoo for me, it's full of magic and I can use it to create light too." the girl points to a tattoo in her right arm. There are a group of three spheres that seems to project strong energy rays that extent all around the girl's arm with a light blue colour.
"But I can only use it a few times per day, so I will better save it for emergencies." explains the blonde girl while helping the others looking for tracks.
Groin looks for tracks, trolls tracks in particular, near any of the entrances.
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Songan easily makes the short heft getting up onto the porch of the wreck of a building, then turns to look down at the others. "First things first...we need a marching order. I am no survivalist, but several among us are well-acquainted with those skills and should probably lead us. Leira should probably stay towards the middle, in case we get snuck up on, and those with skill at range should probably stay towards the back of the group for now. I should think Dundin, Delia, or Dundin would be best suited for the lead position...though I'm not certain who would be most adept at keeping our backs watched."
Leira blushes as she feels Songan caring of her self insurance "Th... thanks for your consideration Songan. I... I think I can deal good with any enemy coming at range of my crossbow." looking at the others she adds "I agree Dundin, Groin and Adir are both well armored and have demonstrated a fine perception. Dundin can see in the darkness, so he is probably the best fit for the position. Delia is the best of us with the bow." the girl smiles at her friend "So she and Jace can cover our back while still contributing to cover our front if needed."
Adir hefts his new shield and shrugs at the odd suggestion, used to just being with Tuzak out in the wilderness. "Whatever you think."
Dundin is proud to scout first.
He moves ahead cautiously.
Hello all.
The map is posted Here
We will be using ditzie for combat mapping purposes.
The idea is pretty simple. At the start of an encounter I'll post a map which will have movable tokens atop it. You click the link and move your token to where you want to go. The next step is important, click ENTER and copy the new web address, paste the new web address in a link included in your post. The next person should always use the person before them's link. Make sure to use the copy of the map that the player before you posted.
Its also very important that you click the Preview button before you post, especially when you moved in combat. Clicking the Preview button before you post refreshes the feed without posting, so you can make sure your post is correct before you commit to it. Please preview every post before you submit it, editing if something's needs changed.
Unfortunately Ditzie doesn't always work well on touch devices. You can view the map but can't interact with it. In the case you may need to post from your phone or tablet, just describe your movement with your post and I or another player will move your token as soon as possible.
The doors open fairly easily as Dundin moves forward, leading the group into the main hallway. The walls are scorched and blackened, but relatively sound. A door lies ahead on the north wall, closer by a pair of doors mars the southern wall, while the passageway further to the east opens into a larger chamber. Viewed ahead, the support walls and pillars that once connected the Plague House to the huge boulder behind it have burnt and crumbled in the ruined chamber ahead, revealing nearly the entire face of the monolithic stone as well as much of the sky above. Faint light filters into this hallway from that chamber beyond.
Leira observes worried the crumbling walls and pillars "Well, I suppose if they have hold this long they should not collapse right now, isn't it?" the girl advances carefully with her colleagues.
She checks the southern doors for traps and sounds.
If the place seems clear, she waits for others to open the doors, or move towards another direction, following the orders not to expose herself.
Leira hears nothing, nor notes anything unusual on the doors. She does however smell the faintest wisp of over cooked barbeque, and has the intense feeling she is being watched as she inspects the door handles. Faint shadows cross the sky outside, momentarily dropping the light levels of the place and a cold draft blows over those inside the structure.
"I feel some cooked meat smell, do you? This place makes me chills, I even feel observed..." the girl moves back a bit like scared "Perhaps this is not a good idea. Everybody knows about the ghost stories of the Plague House. We were not even allowed to play here. And one person has died already trying to..."
At that point Leira feels the shadow and turns to look at it signaling towards its general direction "What was that!?"
Dundin takes care to inspect the door.
If he finds nothing amiss, he enters with his axe and shield in his hands.
Just a cloud, nothing to concern about Dundin comments, trying to ignore the inching worry climbing his own back. He stares long at the double doors, lost in himself. After a few moments he shakes himself free, realizing the others are waiting for him. The door's clear he states, not truly sure himself, failing to remember if he checked it for every possible turn. He reaches out and turns the handle, both doors swinging free as he releases the latch.
Two rows of scorched, wrought-iron bedframes take up most of the space in this soaring chamber, it's cathedral ceiling rising 25' overhead. The beds rest between a fireblackened altar to the southwest and double doors to the northeast. A second set of double doors leads to the northwest, and a single iron door exits the chamber to the southeast. Brightly colored holy figures stare down from the stained-glass windows built into the blackened stone walls, their visages noticeably less damaged than the rest of the room.
For a fleeting moment, the dwarf feels the sudden rush of a forge's fire wash over him, accompanied by a sickly sweet smell of over-roasted pork. The sensations pass almost as quickly as they come, but a cold sweat beads upon his brow, unnoticed as yet by his companions.
Adir shivers at the draft. "Creepy," he says to no one in particular. He and Tuzak step into the room and Adir inspects the altar. Map
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This room once served as the mission infirmary, and on the night of the fire was packed with helpless plague victims, most too weak and ill to move from their beds, let alone escape the fire which killed all within the church. It is rumored the spirits of those helpless plague victims have long haunted the church and this room. They are the leading cause behind Trunau's superstitions regarding the Plague House.
Adir remembers some of those childhood ghost stories as he and Tuzak move down the aisle between the burnt, skeletal bedframes, his eyes directed towards the altar. At first he ignores the increased dust and ash in the air, but as Tuzak growls, fur bristling, he glances over to witness for himself the haunting of the Plague House.
Ethereal, translucent smoke forming burnt corpses of plague victims begin to appear on the bedframes, sitting straight up and screaming, their mouths full of fire and ashes. All that escapes is a hollow moan, the eerie cries of winds long lost, and the crackling sizzle of pitiless flames, wicking away lives long forgotten. Every burning ember eye seems to bore into Adir, accusatory. They seem pained, damned, seeking both retribution and relief. An intense wave of fear washes over the druid then outwards into the hallway, the air now warm, choking with the vapors of a fire cloyingly sweet gagging at everyone's throats. Jooiinnn Uuussss
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Leira feels horrible chills as the smoke starts to take shape and talk. Nevertheless, she reminds on place, strongly determined to discover the mystery. She places a hand on Adir's breast as he runs away of the room and tries to move him out of the sight of the smoke. Even if she is not strong, she is fully determined "Hold on! Remember Truanu needs us Adir!"
And looking at the others she screams "Close those doors, he is on panic!" and seeing how all of them are, she tries to hit the doors with her right leg to close them so they cannot see the source of the fear.
Leira realizes the smoke and vapors are part of the haunting of the place, no longer real or truly menacing. She quickly recovers from her shock as both her vision and the air quality returns to normal, at least for her and those who succeeded against the spirits, the specters having lost their hold over the intruders. The frightful feelings however, are being projected throughout the ruined church, and it may be too difficult to trap her frightened comrades within the structure for very long.
Leira notices as she struggles in vain against Adir tracks upon the floor, most recently Adir's and Tuzak's along the central aisle, but another set along the north wall.
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Songan's eyes grow to the size of saucers, his feline pupils dilating to nearly the size of the iris they are in. Rather than scramble back outside, though, Songan makes a break for the nearest wall and, in a flash, ascends one of the wooden columns, his claws digging into the wood just enough to give him purchase and allow him to dash up the structure quicker than most would ascend a ladder.
Delia says nothing as they enter the building, a strange hush falls over here and the smell of roasting meat suddenly fills her nostrils. Smelling delightful and terrible in the same moment... She swallows loudly, wincing at the sound, as she follows Adir's movements into the other room. She starts to open her mouth to make a friendly comment, hoping to bolster her companion's spirits; however, at that very same moment spirits of another sort make themselves known...
Delia nearly drops her bow as she witnesses the specters rising from the beds. "Erastil save us... The stories were true..." she mutters, but quickly finds that the ghosts bear them no ill will and she is able to quickly strengthen her resolve. "If have faced the dangers of Belkzen, spirits. You cannot scare me." She hopes she sounds more convincing than she feels...
Adir runs for the hills.
Dundin runs too, scared and ashamed of his cowardice.
Leira moves out, not far from her current position, then tries to help out Songan get over his fear "Songan wait, don't run!" she also shouts to Adir "Stop! The ghosts are gone! Is just some time of evilness in our minds!"
She observes then the tracks "Wait! There are some tracks here! I think we can try to follow them, those might be the half-orc ones."
Seeing the others are far from her reach, the blonde girl comes back trying to help out Delia.
"Look there are tracks over there Delia" she points to the tracks at the northern wall next to Jace "Can you or Jace tell whom might be the source of the tracks and follow them?"
She also observes horrified the ghosts again, trying to guess how to end the pain and suffering of the aparition.
Leira is unable to come up with a way of putting the restless spirits at ease, ending their suffering, but she knows there must be a way to cleanse this place of their disquieted souls.
Delia can see that most of the tracks have been made by a single, distinctive boot, but there are several others that passed this way, though they are older had have been crossed over a few times by the one set.
Unless someone has a way of giving the others a save bonus or ending the panic they feel, those affected by the spirits must wait a few moments longer to regain their composure.
Leira is not good at tracking, but she tries to help Delia as much as possible with the issue.
Dundin sheepishly returns after his headlong flight.
He returns quietly. Not wanting to draw attention to himself.
Guess that answers the question of whether or not the place is really haunted, Adir thinks as he begins making his way back.
Yes, you may all make it back to the infirmary without incident. The disquieted spirits have faded for the time being, but you still feel their eyes upon you, their swirling emotions nagging at your thoughts. This haunt is still very much active, and desperate to be appeased or put to rest.
Dundin sheepishly begins to lead the way again.
"I don't know what is it Dundin, take courage! Those ghosts are horrible. But look at the steps here in the northern wall. Perhaps we can follow them?" Leira points towards the tracks leaving East.
Assuming the group will search throughout the room, Leira helps to do so.
And if nothing relevant is found, then she follows the party through the eastern doors towards the new room following the tracks in the floor. She also tries to help Dundin and the others to follow the marks properly.
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"Something bad happened here..." is Songan's only response, and it is a sheepish one, at that. He stays at his position in the center of the group, nervously licking his lips, his ears lowered to the point that they are nearly flat against his skull. "Perhaps if we find what it is and remove it, that will quiet these restless specters...."
"Uhh, sorry 'bout that," Adir offers as he comes back.
He looks reproachfully at Tuzak. "And you just stayed here?," he asks quietly. Tuzak rubs himself against Adir apologetically.
Adir's eyes dart around nervously, still feeling the specters' gazes on him. "So, find anything?" When Leira points out the tracks, Adir will heft his shield and short spear to reassure himself, then help follow them.
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"Yes, those marks over there Adir." Leira signals to the tracks in the floor. She holds tight her crossbow "I fear someone else is around. Do you think the half-orcs? Or perhaps the blonde man?"
The girl feels her heart going faster and faster, she closes her eyes a second Please, control yourself Leira, there is power inside control it, the girl a bit scared closes by to Songan as they follow Adir tracking the marks in the floor, trying to find comfort on the hairy fur and conversation of the catfolk "The legend says they died here burned under strange circumstances... I have no idea what can apace them after such a horrible death..."
"It's about setting things right, or so the stories always say. Whether it's through justice, vengeance, or something else. We'll definitely keep an eye out. It must be a hellish existence."
Glad that Adir breaks the party silence Leira follows up the conversation changing her tone from grim to a more hopeful one "We can perhaps rise the topic to the Iomedae clerics in the temple. I am sure some of them can help here." she tries not to look back at the foggy suffering creatures "Or some holly water, that might also help, or so I have read it has special effects on those that are not dead."
The girl keeps following Adir but she clutches strongly to Songan's arm "Have you ever seen an undead?" asks the girl while looking at Adir, although the question seems generally proposed towards the whole party.
If the tracks lead pass a door, Leira will nod for Adir to open it and then go in following the giant druid.
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Songan's fur stands on end as he looks about the room, clearly still on edge being so near the restless spirits. "If they are vengeful spirits, the stories say that removing the object of their revenge will allow them peace. I think in that case, what we want and what they want are the same thing..."
"Hope you're right. That was... unpleasant," Adir says quietly.
Dundin looks for tracks and moves into the manor and to the steps.
He gives Leira an awkward smile, shrugs his shoulders, and gets out his axe and shield again. He hoped no one saw him drop them.
Searching the main hallway as well as the burnt infirmary, the group makes a few discoveries.
In the main hallway a variety of tracks have come and gone, the most recent perhaps a week or two past. There are several different prints, coming and going along the passage. Dundin's keen eye even discovers a drop or two of white paint.
In the infirmary the ghostly images have faded, but the presence of disquiet and unease remains. Wisps of wind and smoke still linger and pass, carrying with it the smell of wood smoke and burnt flesh, the sound of moans or half uttered cries of pain. The floor is covered by a few tracks, mostly old though one set in particular seems fresh and repetitive.
The aged tracks pass down the center of the room, between the aisles of beds. None appear recent, their strides long and uneven, as though jogged or dashed more than walked. In the far corners, searching through the ashes of furniture and dust turns up a small haul of ornamental valuables, including an ornate hopeknife (not Brinya's), a
heart-shaped gold locket, and a scattering of 63 silver pieces, some minted several years ago. Leira remembers vague stories of dares over the years of youths making the ghost run, to make wishes of the spirits. Perhaps these coins are all that remain of those forgotten hopes and dreams.
The newer tracks stay to the northern wall of the room, stepping over the headboards of the rusted bed frames, until turning midway down and over to a vaguely disguised trapdoor in the floor.
"Well, that's certainly noteworthy," Adir comments as he kneels down, ready to open the trapdoor.
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