The time is now 14:30, 2:30
@ Devin and Kynneth
You both quickly spot the forge as it is a main hib for activity in a community as close knit as this one. You can see a large brawny man that matches the description of the town blacksmith and as you approach you see him lift a large hammer over his head as he pounds away at a reddened spear tip, that he seems to be bending back into a straight edge.
@ Hermia and Gaeron
While the townsfolk seem perfectly helpful to the kind Hermia they give Gaeron strange confused looks at his words when he speaks to assist her. They reluctantly tell you of the residence of Father Voldimeir, a small chapel near the edge of the southern part of town. It seems he was a worshiper of Erastil but let all gods be honored at his chapel as you can see multiple symbols depicted on the outside of the chapel. people seem to avoid this place as if remembering the blood they had found along the path.
Devin approaches the big man at the anvil and waits for him to look up from his work before he speaks. "Afternoon, good sir, Mayor Heimen sent us. He said you may be able to answer some questions about the local situation. Specifically about the disappearances and what has been done since then. I understand you were involved with Colby in the building of the barricade. Can you give us some details about it?"
"They are frightened," Hermia remarks to Gaeron. "Without a priest to advise and reassure them in these troubled times," she continues and shakes her head woefully. I am glad that I did not abandon my belongings she thinks, and spares Gaeron a smile. "Depending upon what we find within, I may take up residence here, as a gesture of establishing normalcy. What think you of that proposal?" she inquires.
Without a hint of hesitance, Hermia reaches and opens the door of the chapel.
@ Devin
The big man looks at you up and down and seems to disregard you as he douses the spear tip in a water barrow emitting a hiss of steam.
" So your them is it? Your the mercs? Fat lot of good you'll do when the night monsters come at us. I told the mayor all we would get is some pansies looking for a quick buck, kingdom being as it is. Yeah I helped Col, what do you want to know just a rough palisade to stand behind while we try and gather for the attack."
@ Hermia
When you touch the door handle you feel a wave of cold energy wash over you. A rancid smell comes to mind, something of decaying flesh and blood. It speaks of old dead things, things that have slept a long time in the ground and are now beginning to stir.
"Well I'm glad you have us all figured out. We'll just stand around and watch these 'Night Monsters' pick the meat from your bones. Then we'll just collect our fees... from who exactly? Oh, right the night monsters will pay us." Devin put's his hand on the center of the anvil and leans toward the smith. "So since you have obviously already decided against surviving, it shouldn't be too painful to answer a few questions. Given that you don't expect it will matter anyway." Devin raises his eyebrows at the smith and leans back away, removing his hand. "Now I'd like as much as you can tell me about these 'night monsters' and why the barricade was decided as the best defense. Also, since you were against sending for outside help, I take it we weren't the first option. So tell me what else has already been tried?"
Kynneth watches Devin, his eyes slightly wide, as the man hurls threats and insults at the blacksmith. I hope he knows what he is doing!, Kynneth thinks as he continues to watch the exchange between the two men.
Hermia's eyes narrow in concentration. "Brother Abraxus, prepare yourself. I do believe that I have unknowingly stirred some manner of evil resting here." she says.
Orcs do not defile chapels, her mind seethes.
Hermia's Initiative:
Gaeron's eyes narrow and their normal dark blue color seems to flash the tiniest bit gold, his hand tightening on the haft of his mace as he draws it out, his magical powers building within him, as if begging to be unleashed.
"Stand back milady Robin...Allow me to go in first."
He switches places with the small woman and gently pushes the door open with the head of his mace, his eyes peering intently into the darkness inside, ready to lash out should anything leap out at them from the abandoned house.
Gaeron's intiative:
@ Devin
The big man raises his hands in surrender and looks startled by your words. "Alright alright I got yer point. Look I just...everything lately is so unsettl'n forgive me for that. Look Col is down near the barricade on the western side o the village. You'll know him when you see him. I just made the chains that support the logs he had made. He'll be able to tell you more. Now please I gotta get back to work lot of old weapons need me to fix em if we are to be ready."
@ hermia and Gaeron
As you enter the former priests house your eyes are met with pure horror. Someone or some thing has defiled this place, strange runes litter the place outlined in blood and fouler materials. They hurt your eyes if looked at too much and they all point to a strange circle in the middle of the floor. Most of these look fairly new to your eyes.
You are all unable to read the language
Hermia's Perception
Hermia touches her holy symbol and whispers a prayer to the good Lord Erastil beneath her breath as she approaches the circle, but stays a good ways away from it, to be safe.
Hermia's Knowledge (Religion)
Hermia's Knowledge (Arcana)
@Gaeron and Hermia awarded 200 xp for finding the first hint of what is going on in this town
@ Kynneth and Devin awarded 200 xp for making the blacksmith tell you about more than what he was willing to give ( you did so well had to award you plus works out to leep you all even)
"Stay back, Brother Abraxus," Hermia warns, upon recognizing the symbol on the floor. "Thank Erastil for my prudence, sending Kynneth with Devin. There is some manner of spellcaster here, and a dark one at that. This is summoning magic, and beyond his abilities, whomever he was," she informs him and rises.
Hermia looks about at the carnage around them, and shakes her head. "This... foul work, I do not know that I possess the ability to cleanse this all. But it should be noted that none should come here in the meanwhile. To see the chapel thus defiled..." Hermia almost appears to mourn. "It might shatter this community," she warns.
"We need to find Devin and Kynneth, and report this."
At the sight of such desecration, Gaeron blanches, knuckles turning white from his grip of his mace. His eyes again flash gold for a moment, baring his teeth in a grimace between revulsion and rage. The moment passes quickly but Gaeron is left filled with nausia and justified anger. Whoever had done this would answer...
He nods at Hermia mutely, his face hardening though slightly green in color.
"I thank you for your assistance and truly hope we can help deal with whatever is going on in this town.' With that, Kynneth heads out with Devin to locate Col by the barricade
"Thank you, good smith. We all want this to be over." Devin pats the smith firmly on the shoulder as they begin to walk away.
He nods at Hermia mutely, his face hardening though slightly green in color.
Hermia Sense Motive
Hermia notes Gaeron's stoney composure, approaches cautiously and reaches out and touches his face to draw his attention to her. "Brother, your anger will compound this particular challenge. The community is already terrified, adopting such a mantle as one who answered the call for their defense will only serve to fracture their hopes," she advises gently. "Pray, calm yourself. When we have vanquished this evil, I will welcome any assistance you may lend to restore this place to rights."
Gaeron starts at Hermia's touch on his face and he blinks, his golden-tinted eyes reverting back to their normal blue. He stares at the lovely little woman with an unreadable expression, then bows his head to her, smiling gratefully, although his face still appears a bit green.
"It would be my honor to assist you Lady Hermia." he says softly, then closes his eyes, concentrating and focusing his senses on detecting any magical presence in the desecrated room about them.
Casting: Detect Magic
Hermia is not certain, but she does believe that Brother Abraxus casts a spell. Recognizing that he is more like himself, now, she ceases her caress and withdraws a little. When he begins studying the room, she does as well, with her mundane senses, taking an accurate account of what must be done to cleanse and purify the chapel properly.
Upon discovery of the journal, Hermia pulls it into her arms and looks to Gaeron. Reasoning that this tome is of vital importance to their current quest, she feels compelled to interrupt his silent study. "Brother Abraxus, I believe that I have found something that may be of some use, and... sadly, that any time we continue to spend here is simply wasting hours of light we could be investigating the graveyard." Hermia says.
"Come, let us find what has become of our companions, and study this book. If nothing else, it may provide a history of these people that may be used to narrow our search slightly?" she suggests hopefully.
Gaeron slowly opens his eyes and looks back at Hermia, his nausia increases until his broad rugged face appears ghastly. He nods wordlessly and follows her outside, not daring to look back inside at the unholy alien symbols again. The magical runes he saw from that room is dark, evil and corrupting and beyond his comprehension. and he is glad to step back out into the overly bright sunshine. He squints until his vision returns to normal and then glances back down at Hermia.
Knowledge Arcana:
His face is no less pale in the sunlight but has lost the immediate urge to expel his bowels. "Dark Magic made those runes...Their meaning are beyond my knowledge, nor do I care to prolong my study of them..."
He shakes himself then glances about the immediate village about him in search of his companions.
Perception:
Following the directions the blacksmith gave them, Kynneth and Devin head towards the hasty, and rather haphazard defences. They soon spy the man who the blacksmith described to them.
"Good afternoon. Would you be Col?"
"Errmm...I said, 'Would you be Col?'"
"Mister Devin said that he would interview the smith, first," Hermia recalls. "It should not be difficult to find them, I believe."
Hermia gathers the book up underneath her arm and carries it outside. "Have you any method of securing this place so that none can enter?" she asks. "If this spellcaster returns..." Hermia's eyes widen. "We must hurry!"
As they are beginning to talk to Colby about the barricade, Devin spots Hermia and Gaeron coming quickly across the town square. "Greetings." he waves at them. He then notices the harried looks on their faces. Turning back to Colby, "Pardon us, good sir, but we must confer with our comrades. I would very much like to finish our talk later." as he bows and moves to meet the oncoming pair. "What, what is? What did you find?"
Gaeron nods silently at Hermia then dashes off alongside her, quickly outdistancing her with his long strides before slowing his pace to match hers. He keeps a hand on his mace handle to keep it from knocking into his shins as they dash towards their companions.
Gaeron is barely breathing heavily at all as they come up in front of Devin and Kynneth, but he politely waits for Hermia to catch her breath and explain what they had found in the priest's house, her having understood more of the baleful nature within.
Hermia casts a wary glance at their surroundings, and clutches the book she discovered to her chest, then gestures for Kynneth to come closer and steps closer to Mister Devin to ensure that even if she should speak softly she would be heard. "We have made a grim discovery at the chapel. There may be an enemy spellcaster masquerading here," she says. "One who was well informed about the former priest. This person desecrated the chapel, and has used all manner of foul devices to summon something... evil," Hermia almost hisses the word. "I believe that this person is also responsible for whatever stalks the night, to pray upon the town's terror while he gains more and more power."
Hermia pauses and looks up to ensure that Mister Devin and the others are following her conjecture, and taps upon the book. "I believe this tome may have information of note, but, I believe that our time would be better served investigating the graveyard where the priest went missing before it grows dark, when we've at least the advantage of normal sight," she suggests. "What say you, Mister Devin?"
Devin nods slowly as he listens to Hermia's description of the chapel. As she finishes he replies "I agree. Should we take the book with us or store it somewhere before heading to the graveyard?"
"I do not believe that it was of any particular interest to our enemy," she says, and spares a long glance at the book, "I am intensely curious what manner of information it might provide about this community, but... I should also think that there may be some who would think badly about us if they knew that it were in our possession. I can keep it in my pack?"
Gaeron nods at Hermia's sound suggestion and he gives an appreciative smile at her wisdom. Upsetting the populace with the no doubt grisly end to their beloved cleric would not amount to anything conductive to their mission here. He nods at Devin, then looks beyond the village towards the graveyard, calculating the time they have left to explore it before the sun sets.
"Well then let's waste no extra time and start heading towards the graveyard before we lose any more daylight." With that he starts striding towards the said burial site, glancing back to see if everyone is following.
Rubbing his hands together, Kynneth asks Hermia, "May I see the book? I have an expansive knowledge of magic and religion."
He continues to follow the others to the graveyard.
Hermia spares a glance for Kynneth as she watches Gaeron stride down the street, and looks up at the sky. "I am sorry Kynneth, but I believe it prudent we follow as quickly as possible," Hermia says, and slings her pack over her shoulder and adds the book to it while she follows.
As you all make your way down the road towards the graveyard you note how far off the graveyard seems to be from the main village. The road ending at the edge of a forest deeply shadowed by the boughs of the old trees, stretching up high above, the sunlight that shines behind you barely seems to pierce the gloom that seems to permeate the air inside the trees. The small path that now lies before you is maybe ten feet across at its widest point and twists and turns even from where you stand at the edge.
Gaeron slows his pace, slowly drawing out his mace and holding it two-handed as his eyes scan each tree and turn around them, suddenly alert. Again he spreads out his magical senses, searching for any magical prescence in the air or earth about them before he stretches out his hand in front of him and speaks.
"Apsu light my path, shine from thy symbol and illuminate the darkness before mine eyes."
Casting: Light on Apsu Medallion to light the way.
Seeing that Gaeron has cast on his weapon, Hermia turns and speaks to Mister Devin. "I believe that you have the best eyesight among us," she says. "What manner of light source would you prefer? I could cast on your armor, or your kit if you would prefer to have it behind you?"
Hermia studies the ways intently. "We are at an extreme disadvantage here. Though my good Lord is the Huntsman, I have no talent for it. This situation, with us upon this narrow lane..." Hermia frowns. "Announcing ourselves, as by will make us vulnerable to anything hiding within. It would not take much for some one to keep us within the cemetery itself, if they were to fell some trees to block our path, or start a fire among them."
Kynneth stands off to the side of the path, watching Gaeron cast a light spell on his holy symbol. He kicks at the stones on the side of the road, and peers down the gloomy path before the group. I wonder who else has recently walked down this path? he idly thinks.
Devin shrugs at Hermia, "I actually think Kynneth has the best eyesight among us with his elven blood. But I doubt it matters, anything out here will know where we are, light or no. I think we should just travel with Gaeron's light and move as quickly as we can. Gaeron, you move up front with me. Kynneth, keep an eye out behind us for anything following us." Devin starts moving quickly, but cautiously, down the path. Scanning the treeline and path before them.
As you advance down the path remnants of an ancient civilizations efforts at taming the wilds lay evident along the path. Cobblestones can be seen everyone once in a while speaking of a well traveled roads that had once spanned into the forests depths. Small crumbling pillars dot the path sometimes as if measuring distance, the darkness lies heavy on your shoulders as you advance slowly down the path.
The trees almost block the sunlight that filters down from above. You can tell that the daylight is waning though as you have walked a good deal away from town.(Almost an hour , time is now 17:00) Up ahead the foliage seems to grow even more dense and path narrows slightly before making a bend off to your left blocking the view until you round it.
Perception
Not yet used to the dark, unnatural shadows of the woods, Gaeron sees and hears nothing out of the ordinary beyond the darkness, not even sensing anything magical, so he continues on his way, mace still held ready and medallion shining as he walks alongside Devin.
Hermia Perception
Uncertain where a threat may come from next, Hermia's gaze darts about in every which direction, unable to focus on anything.
Kynneth strains his eyes and ears, attempting to discern any clues that might help the party.
"Hold everyone, I hear an odd sound from ahead. Perhaps we should ready ourselves for danger?"
Gaeron pauses, then looks back at the road before them, still hearing nothing. "Are you quite sure Kynneth? I hear nothing out of the ordinary. What exactly does it sound like?"
Hermia stills and attempts to focus herself. Until she is certain of what Kynneth has heard, she will not act. This spellcaster knew to disable their priest first. If I identify myself now, all might be lost!
Finishing his short spell, Kynneth turns to Gaeron and says, "It sounds like the rending of flesh. A most disconcerting sound, I must say."
Devin stops, tilting his head to the side and momentarily holding his breath. Lowering his voice "Yes, I hear it.... Just a moment." as he holds his hand up to the group. Devin then crouches down, passing his gaze over the trail before them. Searching for evidence of anything using the trail before them.
Turning to the pary, in a low whisper "Everyone, hold here with the light. I'm going to go up and look around the bend. Move up when I signal you." Devin begins slowly moving up to the bend in the path as he unsheathes his short sword. When he reaches it he stops and leans out to peer around the curve.
Gaeron pauses, nodding at the ranger before he heads on up the path ahead of them. He holds an arm out to signal the others to stop and turns his head to give Hermia a small smile before returning his eyes to where Devin had been only a moment before hand. For the life of him he can no longer see where the man disappeared to. He only hopes whatever is making the apparent ripping noise has no better senses than he. Somehow, on his pessimistic side, he doubts it.
"I like this not at all," Hermia whispers as Mister Devin stalks off into the darkness alone. Rending noises in the trees, and a single member divorced from the party, from healing. Hermia frowns, but she recognizes that she is a far greater liability to Mister Devin than she would be an asset in his endeavor.
@ Devin
As you walk slowly towards the bend, the noises that had been soft and distant grow in intensity as it seems you grow very near. The sight before you as you peer down the dark forest lane is a scene of disgust. Three manshape beings are leaning down and tearing off chunks of another humanoid body that lies at their feet. Sometimes you can see strips of something hanging off the three standing as if they are beggars. Though the odor is fetid with rot you do not think it could come from just one body. As you continue to watch one figure leans down and casually rips off an arm and begins to gorge itself on the stringy muscle attached to it. The three seem to not have seen you yet, wholly captivated by their gluttony.