As Gaarm goes towards the light he finally feels a calm unlike any other that he has before. He smiles as tears begin to stream down his face. Is this what you have been trying to show me? Who are you? What are you?
Before any of his questions are answered theradiant white light quickly turns to a red mist. Fear begins to wrench at Gaarm's insides. No. Not again! Why me? What have I done to deserve this madness?
Gaarm awakens his with a jolt. His hands shake as he stands, using Angrist as a little bit of leverage.
What was that? What happened to the spiders?
Looking down Gaarm sees that his entire body is covered in blood, like some ritualistic sacrifice.
What did that elf do to me?
His mind quickly snaps back. The others!
HELLO! Gaarm yells but is quickly cut short as he bites his tongue. His mouth feels different. Reaching a hand up he feels, not his teeth that were there moments ago, but rather fangs! Gaarm takes a few steps back in shock.
Naxx and Nizvit continue to suffer, but it appears that the pair will be ultimately fine, given enough aid and time.
Phyton, still carrying the child's corpse, stays with the group as everyone hears Gaarm's voice call out.
Initiative:
1st: Phyton
2nd: Phase Spiders (#1 @ Dead; #2 @ Dead)
3rd: Naxx, Sir Thomas, Gaarm, Nizvit
Status
Nizvit @ 2/2 HP (7 Con Damage - 1/8 remaining [3/10 Con Remaining])
Sir Thomas @ 35/38 HP
Gaarm @ 28/28 HP
Naxx @ 21/37 HP (5 Con Damage - 3/8 remaining [7/14 Con Remaining])
Phyton @ 12/30 HP (1 Con Damage - No Poison)
Gaarm = 120' from group
Pending
Fortitude Save from Nizvit
Three Fortitude Saves from Naxx
Where am I? Looking up he attempts to look for the sun or stars to find north but the expansive trees block his sight.
Cupping his hands once again Gaarm yells.
HELLO! IS ANYONE THERE?
Eliciting no response he begins to wander northwest.
Tom continues to cast (round 2). Who is most in pain? Thomas asks with a look of great concern in his eyes.
"I'm not feeling great..but I should be able to make it..for the next few seconds..'
Naxx casts guidance on himself in the hopes that it will matter
"Do we go back now? We can't leave Gaarm behind now can we..the reason to escape isn't ...with us anymore"
Naxx looks at the others and then at the dead child
In the distance, you hear Gaarm yell and the group quickly reconvenes.
Initiative:
1st: Phyton
2nd: Phase Spiders (#1 @ Dead; #2 @ Dead)
3rd: Naxx, Sir Thomas, Gaarm, Nizvit
Status
Nizvit @ 2/2 HP (7 Con Damage - 1/8 remaining [3/10 Con Remaining])
Sir Thomas @ 35/38 HP
Gaarm @ 28/28 HP
Naxx @ 21/37 HP (5 Con Damage - 3/8 remaining [7/14 Con Remaining])
Phyton @ 12/30 HP (1 Con Damage - No Poison)
Pending
Fortitude Save from Nizvit
Three Fortitude Saves from Naxx
The red kobold was almost pink. Almost all color drained from his small body. Breathing was shallow. And he could barely walk
-Posted with Wayfinder
Sir Thomas continues into his third round of casting.
Gaarm, we are over here!
Hearing Sir Thomas' voice Gaarm spins around and begins to make his way back to the group, his entire body covered in blood, only his feet are washed clean from the swamp waters.
Seeing the group his relaxes a bit. Thank the gods they are alive.
Phyton's eyes widen as Gaarm appears out of the mist. He shakes his head, wondering if Gaarm is a ghost. "Gaarm? Is that you?"
Gaarm approaches and sticks his sword into the muck to balance himself.
Seems so. Couldn't tell you how but I came out without a scratch at all on me.
(using guidance)
(using guidance)
(using guidance)
"...that's fortunate..." Naxx says as he sees Gaarm appear unharmed
Naxx glances nervously at the others
As Thomas finishes his casting he looks to see who is in need of his help the most.
Surmising that it is probably Nizvit, he touches his hand to Nizvit's shoulder. Willing health back into him.
Having delivered his spell he begins to cast again.
He seems to be getting less pink.
"Thankz zir Thomaz... thoze zpiderz did nothing good for my handzome complexzion!" he attemps a joke just to see if he himself is capable of laughing after the incident
-Posted with Wayfinder
Gaarm stretches. he feels stronger than he ever has before, a bit renewed even.
Is someone truly watching over me. I have felt a presence following me ever since my vision within that iron maiden.
Gaarm shakes his head of the thoughts.
Looks like you got Aleece out of there. We should take her to Kaleb before it gets too dark.
As the group stands around, they find that the sun is beginning to set. They are in unfamiliar territory with the body of a dead girl in their arms.
Status
Nizvit @ 2/2 HP (5 Con Damage [3/10 Con Remaining])
Sir Thomas @ 35/38 HP
Gaarm @ 28/28 HP
Naxx @ 21/37 HP (8 Con Damage [6/14 Con Remaining])
Phyton @ 12/30 HP (1 Con Damage - No Poison)
Phyton glances up at the sun. "If everyone is able, we should try to get back to the caravan."
Gaarm helps grab the small girl and heaves her over his shoulder.
Let me give you a rest.
Weighing her on his shoulder. She is a bit heavier than she looks. Must have soaked up a bit of the swamp water.
Turning on his heels Gaarm begins to head back to the caravan and continue the journey to Lepidstadt.
You head back to the road but find that the carnivalists have departed, likely due to the setting of the sun during your trip back through the woods of Ustalav. It is a long journey to Lepidstadt, however you have little else to do and the thought of setting camp with a dead girl in tow in this part of the world is only for the bravest of men.
"Rezt here bezt choice, need to get ztrength back... after zpiderz..." the small kobold suggests
"I'd prefer to make it back out of these woods before we set camp..but I agree with Nizvit..we need to rest ...soon"
Naxx sits down on a nearby rock.
We can take it slow, but we should make it to town. Who knows what will lay prey to us during the night out here. Gaarm groans as he shifts the girl on his shoulder.
He shudders a little.
Who was that elf with the maces?
Thomas exhausts his 2nd level spells casting lesser restoration.
Come let the healing of the Empyreal Lords cleanse your wounds.
Each casting made the kobold more Red than pink.
"Nizvit appreziates the help... Nizvit thought waz going to die" he smiles and holds out his tiny claw to shake his hand
-Posted with Wayfinder
Naxx offers his thanks to Sir Thomas
"That's a lot better"
"So, what's our next move? Return the girl to her family so they can put her to rest?"
The groups sets up a camp, using Naxx's camping gear and Nizvit's bedroll, though this means the camp is little more than a fire. Sleeping through the night is rough as the sounds of the Ustalavian forest echo through the small clearing and the dead girl lays there, still dead.
The morning comes, not soon enough, as the group doesn't feel very well-rested.
Tom awakes from his fitful sleep and packs up his gear. He looks sadly at the young girl. So young to have died. It must have been awful.
We are lucky to have all survived. What happened to you back there Gaarm? I thought we had lost you.
Gaarm packs up his gear with the energy of a man 10 years his younger. Once again he grabs the girl over his shoulder. On the way to Lepidstadt Gaarm continues his conversation with Sir Thomas.
I am not quite sure actually. Gaarm shudders at the thought of what happened the night before. I felt the poison coursing through my body as I fell. The spiders began to tear at my skin. That is when everything turned red. Kind of like when I get blinding mad ya know, but this time I saw an elf, dressed in all black. He carried a pair of maces. Next thing I know I wake up alone in the swamp, covered in what I believe is my own blood.
Sir Thomas contemplates Gaarm's words. Thinking if he has ever heard of something like this before.
I would prefer not to spend another night in these woods. We aught to get going.
Sir Thomas thinks on Gaarm's vision, but from just a description, the man can't tell if it is historical, religious, mythical or just a near death experience.
Gaarm hoists the girl's body over his shoulder as the party treks down the road towards Lepidstadt. As you get closer, you find more and more people riding on the road towards the city and they seem to be a in a jovial mood, though the sight of the dead girl draws some stares, but, in Ustalav, this is not the weirdest thing that might be seen.
Upon reaching the northern town gates, you spy the Crooked Kin to the east, erecting what appears to be a carnival tent. Ahead of you, you see guards checking papers, wagons, etc. They are likely customs agents as you see coin being handed to and counted by the guards.
Heading over to the Crooked Kin, We were not able to save her. She was attacked by large spiders with terrible poison. You can take some solace that at least her death was not prolonged.
Thomas beckons Gaarm to place the girl on the ground before the Crooked Kin. If you like, I can say a few funeral prayers for her.
Phyton is quiet during the night and the long journey to Lepidstadt. Upon seeing the carnival, Phyton stand to the side and a step behind Sir Thomas, and shakes his head in consolation.
Gently Gaarm places the girl down. With a somber look he says. We did everything that we could I am afraid.
Feeling a small tinge Gaarm begins to shuffle about for a few minutes before he finally whispers to the Crooked Kin. By the way, do you have somewhere I can take a piss? It feels like I haven't done it in three weeks now.
The leader of the Crooked Kin's eyes begin to well. "I'm sure that you tried your best..." he says forlornly as he motions for two of hte clowns to come take her body. "We will make sure she finds rest." he mentions as the rest of the pinheads weep openly.
Kaleb dabs his eyes with his handkerchief and hands you a dagger. "We found this in the mud near where Aleece left us and we think that you should have it." he mentions as he nods towards a portable toiler in a small wheeled room for Gaarm.
"You will always have a friend with the Crooked Kin. What are you lot called, anyways?" he asks of you.
Gaarm's eyes squint at the toilet.
We have left the prison...why am I still hearing voices?
Using the portable toilet Gaarm calls out from within, forgetting that everyone else can probably hear him.
Hello! Is this the swamp elf?
I am not sure we have a name, but mine is Thomas and I am glad that I have you to call friends. Thomas takes his hand and places it on Kaleb's shoulder. Sometimes it is in our darkest hours that we find the brightest light. Do not let her death prevent you from bringing joy to others. Allow your performance to honor her.
The kobold eyes the dagger, his beady eyes trying to see what made it so special.
He grins as the magic leaps out like a goblin from a flooded tunnel. Very nice. And very expensive. But he keeps it to himself. He will inform his companions once they were out of earshot
-Posted with Wayfinder
Naxx thanks Kaleb for the gift of the dagger while mentioning that a reward isn't necessary. We did it because it is the right thing to do.
From the bathroom, you hear Gaarm seemingly talking to himself about swamp elves.
"We will. Thank you for your aid. Not many would help us. In fact, we had asked a few other travelers before you, but they either ignored us or laughed in our faces. Carnivalists are not the most favored of people, however we are not treated as poorly as the Beast, so we must be thankful for the small things, I guess." Kaleb says to Naxx and Sir Thomas.
The world is cruel sometimes, what is this beast you speak of? Thomas asks with some curiosity.
Maybe I just need to speak louder Gaarm thinks to himself.
SWAMP ELF GHOST? ARE YOU THERE? SHOW ME A SIGN IF IT IS YOU!
Phyton turns his head and stares at Gaarm. Elbowing Sir Thomas, he says. "What's gotten into him?"
Naxx listens carefully.
"Yes, what is this beast you speak of?"
And then a little bit louder over his shoulder
"Do you need any help in there Gaarm?!"
Hearing the group call for him Gaarm shakes his head and comes back to reality. Exiting the bathroom Gaarm smiles. No need for help I was just having a.... a.. well, a religious moment I guess you would call it. I must have eaten something bad.
Not fully compfortable with Gaarm's response, Tom uses detect evil on him just to assure himself. Gaarm you will have to tell me about it sometime.
"The Beast is rumored to be a giantkin that stalked the area around Lepidstadt and has killed hundreds, but I doubt the rumors are true. I'm sure many think we are murderers and vagrants, so I' more inclined to give the benefit of the doubt to others." Kaleb remarks.
"I'm sure you will want to stick around and see the trial. It appears that they just recently caught the creature. Should be the trial of the century for Lepidstadt." he says before one of the clowns rushes up and whispers in his ear.
He turns back to the group and finishes. "I must attend to Aleece's body, but you should visit for a performance. We will start in a few days once Aleece has been tended to." he says before hurrying off.
Thank you my friend. Thom says before heading into Lepidstadt proper.
Once inside the city he will begin to make inquiries about the Beast. He will spend time in the market if one exists. While there he will seek to comfort the sick, injured and tired. Thomas will seek to help two of each but if a third is found in dire need he will not withhold.