Rosa looks on as some slink away and others push the guard into looking her up. She looks at him with a 'come try it sunbeam' look.
She waits a moment
"Pain later it is then"
With that she turns and walks out the Inn v the back door, as she dos she says.
"Dragash out side now"
Once outside and out of ear shot says says.
"Everyone in there has a lingering aura of necromancy, like something was done or cast on them, and the Sniffing, kind of animalistic taint. Something is affecting the population. Could be in the water, food, air or just being close to something. Lets go find the others, I have a feeling we may need to find a secure place for tonight, somewhere defendable."
She stops and looks over the town.
"The problem here is a lot bigger than a missing person or missing animals."
The sun was setting and people were starting to disappear from the street as they went home. That meant their day was over too. Will and Zerisi head back to the inn. As they pass a side alley, Will catches sight of silver hair. So far, only one person in the village had silver hair and she just got here. Will nudges Zerisi and pulls him down the alley to the back of the inn.
One look was enough to know he needn't bother with a stupid question. The clandestine nature of the meeting was hint enough. They knew something was up too. "I am staying with my horse tonight. I don't trust these people not to eat him." It sounded like a joke but Will was perfectly serious.
"Ah yes, of course. I'll share what we learned then, Will, just make sure to give my best to your steed, and ensure him that he needn't worry that I will eat him. Nasty stuff, horsemeat," Zerisi says, simultaneously acknowledging Will's concerns while emulating his his deadpan style of humor.
As the shorter man steps away, Zerisi calls out to him, and throws up as embellished a salute as he can manage.
"Goodnight, General, Sir!" he calls out. With a wink and a sly grin, Zerisi turns back towards Rosa and Dragash, and relates how they spent the last few hours, and what they learned. He adds in at the end, careful to not get too serious,
"Rosa, you may want to tone it down just the smallest amount. You seem to be spooking some of the townspeople, or well, maybe all of them. Perhaps spending the day investigating elsewhere is a good idea; it could give them some time to appreciate our efforts, rather than run for their pitchforks... You know?"
Necromancy? huh, that ain't good." Dragash thumbs behind him to a bunch of people he was talking to. "I think I might know where Leeara went to. She went to, as we thought, Old frog swamp to a place called the Grackle river."
Dragash thinks a bit "Perhaps we can kill two birds with one stone if we don't mind being out in the wilderness at dusk. We can try to find Leeara and then hold up with her on a defensible side of the riverbank, at the very least we will be outside and away from people?" He taps his temple "Though ah, fair warning, Leeara appears to have gone off the deep end. Folks are talking about her running around on all fours. That .. ain't good by my reckoning. Does that sound like Ghoul like behaviour to you Rosa my dear?"
"Though as Will says," Pointing to the man that had joined them. "We might be in danger from the townsfolk but at least this place is easier to guard. Going into the swamp now only affords us the possibility that we won't find a defensible location."
Dragash makes a sweeping motion at the group. "So stay here and find someplace defensible, or go find Leeara and hold up on the riverbanks?"
"If its affected the people," Will says taking a long pause, "Dalviss might be compromised too." He didn't like suggesting that Dalviss might not be all there but Will was more pragmatic than emotional. And this didn't seem like a trap but it certainly didn't feel safe either. People returning to their base instincts could become very dangerous. "I'm not unaccustomed to camping." Its a non-committal statement. He'd be fine either way.
"I am doubting that one, not that he couldn't get compromised but I think if Darliss was affected Rosa would've noticed earlier." Dragash hashes out a bit of reasoning "However, any other tenants in the inn or other townsfolk could be affected and become feral if they get to Leeara's state of running around like animals."
Dragash taps his bandolier pensively. "Though one theory could be that Darliss is affected but is strong enough to resist and wants to find out about the problems for himself. So, he then brought us in to find out about the meteor without risking himself. He is a retired adventurer after all and probably has been under stronger influence at one point in his career. So it could be likely that he has his wits about him if affected. I don't really want to suspect my old friend of that but I'm not going to toss away the possibility until we figure out more what is causing it."
"Speaking of which, has anyone been feeling different than normal?" Dragash asks. "If not good, whatever it is, is not airborne.... I hope."
"If Dalviss has been affected, we'll not be doing much for him, or anyone else for that matter, by spending a casual night in the comfort of his inn. Let's stake out the riverbanks tonight. What's the worst thing that could happen? Either Leeara finds us, or we find her!" Zerisi chimes in, excited at the proposition of some action.
Rosa nods as Will and Zerisi rejoin them. She told them about what she had discovered.
"I would normally suggest we take over the best definable structure in this town for the knight. But if the whole town comes to attack us then, I have been in that situation before and.. Well I am here so you can work out what happened. I say we head to the river bank, if this is an effect based on proximity it will most lickly need time to affect you. The sooner we find the source the less affected we will be. The more chance to deal with it. Also I don't want to be trapped fighting a whole Hells-damed town again."
She says, there is no joking in her voice., this she adds.
"and don't drink the local water, just in case"
I guess with three votes for the river with my vote in the hat and a vote for either, we should depart for the swamp as soon as possible. Better make the most of the waning light while it's still there. Dragash suggests as he pays himself down checking he has everything for the short trip.
Will thought things were beginning to spiral into fatalistic scenarios. Maybe saying "eat my horse" was a little too much. He did intend on staying with his animal companion but didn't think anything would actually happen. Better to expect anything. But the consensus was to get out of town. "I'll meet you on the edge of town."
Will leaves, only sparing a backwards glance when Zerisi calls him General. Didn't think it had gotten this far. Will returns to the stable he had dropped Arion off just a few hours ago. He finds that the horse was at least well taken care of in that time. His coat was cleaned and brushed and his bed seemed very comfortable. He almost felt bad they were leaving it. "Sorry friend," he says before re-barding and re-saddling the golden steed. With hardly a bit of urging, the two are off at slow trot towards the edge of town.
Upon his mount, Will looks every bit the commander. Good posture, shining armor, impressive mount, reassuring presence. His companion Arion is a strange sight in these lands. The horse is obviously exotic as indicated by its golden hair and lean figure. Will spent a hefty sum to armor the animal too. The silver links and plates of mithril cover its most vital points while not limiting its great mobility. "Friends, Arion. Arion, friends," he says as way of introduction.
When Will had gone, Rora got herself ready for the hike. Pacing into her light Armor, all that was not needed. On went the black gloves, back into a munch went the long silver hair.
Then She cast a blessing on herself.
Once Will comes she looks at his mount, but saying nothing.
She holds her arm out and her Raven comes to it.
"Your scouting, when we set off, get to high and tell us whats in front"
She swings her arm and it takes flight.
She asks the others.
"You all have what you need for this, might be the last time we see the town for a bit"
From what you can see all Rosa has is her armor, clothing and Sword.
No back pack or gear beyond that.
Contrary to the growing aura of danger and disorder, the trail upriver is fairly calm and pleasant. Birds chirp, rabbits streak through the grass.
A relatively dry track winds up to the southern bank of the Grackle River, bordered on either side by tangles of marshy undergrowth. Across the river, a thirty-foot-high ridge rises up into densely forested mountains, but directly across the river, a dark cave entrance beckons.
Before heading off Dragash spends 10 minutes preparing some extracts and mixes a pair of them into a single vial. Shield and Channel Vigor.
Dragash points out a path that likely the others have spotted as well. Until they reach the river and the cave on a high ridge on the other side.
""Well... I can swim across and climb up and affix a rope so that others can get across, but that seems rather simple, I'm sure someone has a quicker way than that." He chuckles, though he does get his vial of Monkeyfish ready.
Rosa says little as they walk along the path, it was easy to see and the others could as well.
Then as they got to the southern bank of the Grackle River and the ridge between it and the densely forested mountains above. Rosa also spotted the dark cave entrance directly across from them.
Rosa waves and her Raven comes down,
"Go and have a look, but don't go in, I want to know whats up there"
Hector flys off, go invis and changes to imp form while unseen, then has a look around but dos not go in, he heads back in raven form.
Constant—detect Choas, detect magic
Rosa back to the others.
"Once I know its clear I can take us to the cave, but not your Mount Will"
The hand by her side starts to pool hell like fire.
"Oh come on Rosa, what's a river for for if not jumping across?!
Will had never cursed his small size. It served him well in a lot of combats as he was a smaller target. And by facing his opponent sideways, he all but disappeared. Handy. But even upon Arion, Rosa still almost had him beat. Somewhat annoying.
But all that left his mind quickly. He looks at the river then back up the way they came, wondering if the ground was hard enough for a running start. When Rosa's raven goes to scout, he leans over to her. "Not a raven is it?" He didn't see it transform or go invisible. But he couldn't spot it when it went into the rafters in the inn. It also...flew funny. Hard to describe it.
The darkness fades form her hand
"That I would like to see Zerisi"
When he talks of jumping the river.
As Will asks after her raven she winks in reply.
Clever boy this General, could have done with him in some of my battles, Dame sight better then the preening human nobles I have had to deal with."
While she waits for her Raven to come back, She reaches into her pouch and bring out a small tin of Cigars, looks at the tin, then thinks better of lighting one up. She places them back in pouch and brings out a small flask. She opens it and takes a short swig. Pulls a face but holds down the drink down.
She looks at will armored mount and asks.
"I noted Zerisi refer to you as General a couple of times on the way here Will, so tell, are you?"
She takes another swig and waits to see what he says.
Rosa waiting on will looks to check her Raven is over the 40' to the Cave.
Will looks down at Zerisi with an annoyed look while answering Rosa, "Not here." Which was the truth really. Being away from the army back home, he was just an adventurer currently.
"Hope you won't through me off a wall for withholding information," he says in return. Before she can rebuttal, he wheels Arion in place and heads back up the trail. Their only warning of what happens next is a loud, "Heeyah," from up the trail followed by thundering hoof beats. Arion comes charging down the path, Will low in the saddle and hanging on.
Just as the horse reaches the waters edge, they fly into the air, clearing the deepest part of the river in a single bound. They land on the other side of the river and slide several paces into the cave before coming to a stop. Will had thought ahead. He is clearly visible in the cave as an orb a of light circles his head.
He takes a look around the cave to make sure there are no immediate threats before dismounting. He pats Arion for a job well done and order's him to guard while Will approaches the cave mouth. From a pouch in his backpack, he pulls some pitons and a hammer. "Got any rope?" he calls to the other side as he hammers the piton into the cave wall as an anchor.
With a bit of cheek and a grin on his face Dragash asks Will who decided to leap ahead. "Wouldn't it have been easier for you to hold a slack rope while we held the other side before jumping over?"
"No matter, plenty of tricks up our sleeves" Dragash gets a rope from his backpack and then he ties it to an arrow that he lets fly near Will. Not close enough to hit him but close enough that he can grab the arrow as it falls down. "Catch it before it goes into the water!"
Dragash makes sure again that he's got the extracts he needs and mutagen for exploring a dangerous place. Content that he does he secures the other side of the robe with a piton as well.
At Wills words around dropping someone off a wall, Rosa gives a rye smiles.
So that has got around then
Then Seeing Will getting ready to jump over she steps aside as he passed. Seeing the arrow land away from him and start to slip back she pops her flask away, walks along the path 20', turns then runs at the river and jumps
Its looks like she just going to fall in but at the top of her arch 10' over she disappears and reappears 10' foot from the bank on the other side, coming down and landing.
She skids to a stop, grabs the Arrow with its rope and hands it to Will.
"Tie this to you Saddle please Will, I think the others wish to come o over"
The she checks herself over, before casting giving herself a few blessings.
"Efficient, yes. Easier, no," Will calls across the river. Jumping a horse over 30 feet was not easy. He didn't need the distraction or extra weight occupying his mind. He is mid swing of the hammer when Rosa takes a flying leap and teleports right next to him and offering him the rope. He should have figured one of them had a magical way to get across.
"Tie this to you Saddle please Will, I think the others wish to come o over"
His response is to indicate the piton and continue hammering. He hammers the piton the rest of the way in, takes the rope, and ties it off. He then waits for the others to make their way across in case anything should happen. Arion continues to watch the cave, ears flicking back and forth.
"Well I certainly don't plan on getting in the water, especially with who-knows-what going around Dustpawn, but thanks all the same," Zerisi says emphatically.
He takes a few steps back from the water's edge, and mutters a few guttural syllables under his breath, before sprinting towards the river at a blinding speed. When he reaches the edge, he leaps!
Flying through the air only for a few moments, Zerisi lavishes the feeling of freedom, before gliding to the ground slowly next to Will and Rosa.
"And that will NEVER get old!" he exclaims with a smile.
"Coming, Dragash?"
Dragash shrugs and just mundanely climbs the rope, no point wasting extracts now despite being able to climb, swim or fly.
I know who I should hire now if I ever want to get an acrobatic troupe in Greengold. You guys would be great. Dragash smiles heartily as he reaches the other side.
Now ready to continue? Dragash gets a pair of potions ready to drink, he'll imbibe them once they begin to move on into the cave. They would last a while. Despite Leeara's being their target he had a feeling a fight may break out if there are more crazy things than just a human off her rocker.
Rosa blesses her sword and armor with dark incantations.
Then as Dragash comes over she helps him land.
"Hector where are you?"
The Raven flys down and lands close.
"It's all Clear boss"
Its says.
Rosa looks down at it.
"Really"
She says in a sarcastic tone of voice, before looking back down the Dark cave.
"Bloody useless"
She says to herself.
As the mounted Will flies over the swamp, resplendent- horse's head thrown back, horseshoes reaching for the far back, armor shining in the sun- three enormous frogs poke their way out of the swamp, letting out defiant croaks at the cavalier as he eventually lands in a small burst of dust and mud.
Dragash steps back a little and quickly throws a flurry of bombs to slow down the creatures. One on each frog.
"Well looks like someone isn't happy that we're here." Dragash sighs as their attempts are slowly being thwarted to even enter the cave.
Arion skids to halt in the cave, kicking up dust, dirt, and mud. Will looks over his shoulder, expecting the others to be close one his heels with some magical means of movement. Instead, he seems to be blocked by a number of large frogs.
Will swings off Arion and draws a bow with no string out of a pack on the saddle. As he knocks and arrow, a glowing string of energy appears, providing resistance and pulling the bow taunt. Will stands tall as he takes aim. He releases a long breath. Though it isn't cold, it appears as mist that floats to the tip of the knocked arrow. As it coalesces, it changes color and movement to that of fire though it doesn't singe the bow or his fingers.
As soon as Will is in the air Rosa notes movement in the water, Rosa takes a 5' step back, then sees they are Large Frogs.
As draw her black blade from her Back, with it in hand in-front of her presenting her unholy symbol , she casts Aura of Doom
A dark evil wave of doom spreads out from Rosa, a smell of brimstone and hell fire fills the air around her.
She says
"Stay Close to me, I'll put some protection up to slow them"
Hector unseen looks on from the far River bank.
In the water, know I should have looked there, o well
"Ha Ha! Arion, they think you're a fly my friend! Shall we take that? Nay, this horse's honor I'll defend!" Zerisi grins wildly, and launches into a sing-songy verse he makes up on the spot, before heeding Rosa's warning and grouping up with the others, card deck in hand.
Dragash's bombs land, scorching frogskin.
Panicked croaking emanates from one of them as the light scorches its eyes.
Will fires an arrow, hurting but not dropping a frog.
Zerisi and Rosa prove unable to recall any further details about this species of frog.
Hector's gaze notices auras of magic 30ft west of the trail crossing.
yes but its an effect that lasts 90mins and moves with her at its center. So if they come with in 20' they have to make a will save, if the move out and come back they have to make fill save.
Rosa waits to see what the frogs do.
The closest frog to Rosa starts rolling its eyes back in fear.
They hesitate, choosing their targets, then attack.
A tongue shoots out at Zerisi.
A frog bites at Dragash.
A third bites at Will
[ooc]Grapple
The fourth rolls back and forth, blinded.
[ooc]Go
Not again. Will thinks as one of the frogs, one he was sure wasn't going to turn his way, turns and hops over, mouth wide. With surprising force, it clamps down on his left arm which was extended to hold the bow. Will whistles a sharp note and Arion charges forward to attack the frog. Will adds his own physical abuse thinking it might be easier to kill the beast rather than escape.
Arion:
Dragash takes his mutagen then risks the ire of the frog he's nearby. Dragash moves to put some distance between him and the approaching frogs. He draws his longbow in the process.
Dragash tries to figure out what more these creatures can do other than bite or attack with their tongue.
"Making friends every you go, Will!" Zerisi cries out, enjoying the rush of adrenaline.
"Don't be jealous Arion, it doesn't suit you!"
Gripping his deck tightly, Zerisi skirts back a step, draws three glowing cards, and in one fluid motion, hurls them toward the big frog who had been threatening Dragash.