The Vudrani follows Jace, looking around as well.
Elena plodded on, not sure what to make of this miserable farmland. "Something still seems off to me. They'd recognize goblins. Could someone be dressing undead up as scarecrows? We all know we are looking for an undead killer back in town. Could they be playing a game with us all the way out here? Or could it be, just regular people playing jokes on the rest of the farmers?"
Perception
"Are goblins known for cleverness? From what you have said of their attack on the town, it did not sound as though they would hide what they were."
"No, this sounds more like bandits. Or, that's why I would say but for the vandalism. Could be someone's making a land ploy, trying to drive these farmers out." Jim says, bending down and examining the dirt for signs of what might be wilting the plants.
"I suppose you could be right, but it seems like there would be easier ways to just take a farm, if that were what this is about. Given what we have seen so far, I wouldn't be at all surprised to find some underlying evil at foot here, beyond simple greed."
You look around at the fields and see numerous scarecrows hanging from wooden crosses. The wind ripples through the fields, causing the wheat and grains to bend and bow as the limp forms of the scarecrows sway.
Jim moves to find what is causing the problems with the crop and sees that it is a sort of pestilence that has seeped into the ground. A holy ritual would be needed to cleanse the land to restore the crop to its natural glory.
"This soil has been corrupted. We need a priest." Jim says, squinting in the wind and brushing the dirt from his pants. "Let me know if any of you start to feel sick."
He turns to Jace. "Do you know any blessings that might work here?" He asks, then noticing the crows. "And does that mean anything to you?"
Rajendra murmurs a short cantrip and looks around for magical auras.
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"This soil has been corrupted. We need a priest." Jim says, squinting in the wind and brushing the dirt from his pants. "Let me know if any of you start to feel sick."
He turns to Jace. "Do you know any blessings that might work here?" He asks, then noticing the crows. "And does that mean anything to you?"
I am afraid not. We will have to ask around Sandpoint when we return. For now be careful where you step. Moving slowly through the sick crops Jace investigates the scarecrows as he pokes a couple with his sword.
Jace pokes a scarecrow with his sword and it immediately begins to writhe around, but the ropes around it's ankles and wrists seem to keep it firmly attached to the wooden cross. Whatever is inside appears weak and the voice sounds like something is keeping its mouth shut. Perhaps pulling the hemp bag from its head might illuminate the situation...
At the strange reaction, Ellena investigates the scRecrow a bit closer, grabbing the bag/cowl form the head of the bound scarecrow.
"What is this now? A moving scarecrow? Or more likely, some poor farmer hoisted up there."
The hemp bag is loosed and you see a person, unconscious but still squirming. He appears human, but something seems to plague his unconsciousness.
"He looks sick or something." Jim says, keeping his distance warily.
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Rajendra puts a hand on the man's forehead, sniffs at his breath, and hisses. "He has the ghoul sickness, like the man at the asylum."
"Is there any way to heal this sickness before it takes him completely?"
"Without magic, it is difficult. He has to be supported while his body fights off the fever."
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Jace's face grimaces. This sort of disease is beyond my control.
When I get some down time. I need to research how to help alleviate these people of these terrible diseases.
Perhaps we can bring him to town if it is not too late. Jace suggests. If he is in the process of changing then we need to put him out of his misery before he spreads more of this vile disease.
"Are there other scarecrows/people in this same shape? Could there be others who have already turned to undead? Should be search them out and finish them before we take him back to town? More innocents might be at risk if we wait and trip back to town."
"Ziebodug or Jim, do either of you have any antiplague?"
"Not me. I haven't actually had a chance to visit the market since the goblins robbed me. I also haven't had much time in the lab lately. Just enough to--" A smile crosses his face as he stares into the open, then returning with "Well, I need to get back to the lab."
Rajendra knows that it is too late to reverse at this point and even the intervention of a cleric will not be enough, save a Miracle.
As Elena looks over the nearby fields, she sees twenty three scarecrows strung up across the fields. If they are all ghouls, then this is surely a killing field that they should avoid.
"This is not good."
The Vudrani shakes his head. "There is nothing to be done for him now save a quick death and cleansing fire. I am sorry."
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Nodding his head Jace steels himself as the man squirms. He places a firm hand on the man's shoulder and drives his bastard sword right through his chest.
It pains me to do this but you will rest peacefully in the afterlife.
Jace takes the time and moves from Scareghoul to Scarghoul ending it's life.
"Um, Jace, I appreciate what you're doing, but some of them could be even closer than this guy, and I'm not prepared to be ghoul-food just yet. Maybe we should get the militia down here." Jim says hesitantly.
"If those scarecrows can get themselves down from their perch, they might consume every farm and farmer in the area before we get back with the militia. I think we might need to try and do the gruesome work now before we return."
"Then we hurry. But if I see then walking my way you will find me back in town getting reinforcements." Jim says, drawing his sword to aid in the grizzly chore.
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Jace ends the life of the man, puncturing his chest cavity with his blade.
Jace moves to the next scarecrow and runs his sword through the hanging body, but finds that only hay falls from the body as his blade plunges in.
Moving to the next, Jace stabs once more, but this time the creature inside the scarecrow erupts in a howling gale. The ghoul inside grabs at the blade buried in its chest as Jace tries to draw it back out.
Initiative:
At the howling, you see twelve more scarecrows roar back, breaking free from their posts. Six of them hop down after breaking free and begin to shamble towards the group.
Initiative:
1st: Ziebodug
2nd: Scareghouls (Red; Blue; Green; Yellow; Purple; Orange)
3rd: Jim; Jace
4th: Scareghouls (Red; Blue; Green; Yellow; Purple; Orange)
5th: Elena; Rajendra
Oops.
Ziebodug says "Guess it's time to be suit up..."
He downs an extract of enlarge person, and quickly grows in size.
The first set of scareghouls seem to disentangle themselves from the posts and clamber towards the group as the second seems to have trouble with this and cannot move far from their posts.
Initiative:
1st: Ziebodug
2nd: Scareghouls (Red; Blue; Green; Yellow; Purple; Orange)
3rd: Jim; Jace
4th: Scareghouls (Red; Blue; Green; Yellow; Purple; Orange)
5th: Elena; Rajendra
On the previous round, Rajendra looks quickly around, identifying the two closest moving ghouls before focusing his magical power and loosing a pair of arrows at them, one each. The expression on his face is beatific, regardless of whether the arrows actually hit.
On the next round, he'll go for the next couple of closest ones.
Elena begins her Inspire Courage ability to bolster her friend's attacks versus the numerous undead.
Rajendra lands one of his two arrows into the greenish ghoul on the path to the west as Elena and Jace buff the party.
Initiative:
1st: Ziebodug
2nd: Scareghouls (Red; Blue; Green @ 9; Yellow; Purple; Orange)
3rd: Jim; Jace
4th: Scareghouls (Red; Blue; Green; Yellow; Purple; Orange)
5th: Elena; Rajendra
Jim moves over a bit to drink his mutagen and draw his dagger, preparing to fight.
Zie uses his large fist to punch the scareghoul next to him.
Ziebodug punches the injured ghoul so hard that it explodes in a burst of gore and seepage.
All around the farmland, you see the ghouls advancing. They move with ease through the still-growing corn, but seem to prefer the path if possible.
Two of them surprise Elena as they move up behind her quickly as another closes the gap with Ziebodug.
One moves into the corn as the other takes the path, but the corn seem to hinder the success of the former's attack with only the latter harming the beautiful bard.
Initiative:
1st: Ziebodug
2nd: Scareghouls (Red; Blue; Yellow; Purple; Orange)
3rd: Jim; Jace
4th: Scareghouls (Red; Blue; Green; Yellow; Purple; Orange)
5th: Elena @ 22/27 HP; Rajendra
Pending
Elena - Two Fortitude Saves
Jim moves in to help Elena, slashing with his sabre.
,
But his aim is terrible.
Fort
Fort
Ziebodug, seeing the ghoul trying to close, uses his longer reach to kick the incoming threat.