Jasmine hits the bats with a blast of fire that takes out most of them, but not all!
The swarms move back over Jasmine and Tyr!
grn: 6 dmg
blu: 11 dmg
Old Iron Tyr is having trouble with the bats but hobbles away as Tin tries desperately to hit the bats but misses. Luckily for him, there were only a few bats left and the splash of his missed fire-bomb and Cade's swinging torches are enough to kill them off.
Meanwhile Necress kills off more of the other swarm and the few remaining bats flutter away into the night....
By this time, the Sheriff has come running into the square. He looks around at the destruction and says, "I heard rumors about something going on around here. Let me get everyone calmed down and settled at home. I’ll come by the guesthouse in half an hour and talk to you in private."
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Tin juts his chin out in apparent pride at "dealing" with the sheriff's problems as an outsider.
"Yea, sheriff. We've been meanin' to talk to you again, too. In private."
Tin emphasizes these lasts words, his inflection seeming to indicate that they're certainly wiser to the going-ons in Mercy than when they last spoke.
As the shadows continue to flap about, the lone figure you thought was a child wanders into the square—the doll you found under the bed earlier. She calls out a single word: “Murder.” A sound like a sheet whipping through gale wind fills the air, followed by a renewed screeching of bats.
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Tin shook his head, trying to shake out his suspicions about the local law and bring focus back to the investigation.
"Hey, I know I was distracted by them bats, but was that a doll walkin' around earlier?"
Tin takes a couple steps, searching for the strange doll, knowing he has a few moments to spare before reuniting with the local sheriff.
Many of the villagers have run back inside at the sight and sound of the strange doll, which is now ducking back inside the door of the guesthouse.
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Jasmine, clear her head after suffering the massive amount of tiny little bites and nicks.
Umm, I think you might be right Tin. At least, it was there before the bats went all crazy on us...right? But how in the hell did it..., she says still shaking her head to clear it.
I think I saw it go back into the guesthouse, but it is all still kinda blurry
Jasmine, grabs a dagger, just in case things want to get nasty again.
In the guesthouse, the doll hasn't run away and isn't hiding; only waiting in the corner looking blankly at you as you enter. "About time. I thought I'd have to kill those bats for you."
The doll's head bobs up and down at the question. "Indeed! But I go by Nira now, just seems more appropriate with a different body. You see, I was being attacked by this-something-and I was at the end of my ropes so I did the only thing I could think of to escape death: I transferred myself into one of my toys here. Then I walked all the way back to Mercy and snuck back into my house, trying to figure out what to do next. That thing was back tonight, that's where the bats came from... and the shadows on the wall. Now the sheriff's gonna be here any minute so I'm gonna hide and listen to what he's got to say."
Just as Nira ducks under a chair, the door to the guesthouse opens and the sheriff enters. He sighs. "The world out there is full of evil and terrible things-undead horrors that live for thousands of years, dragons the size of cities, and forces from beyond our world that try to ruin everything they touch. i'm grateful for whatever it is that shields Mercy from storms, keeps us healthy, makes our crops grow, and protects us from monsters like whatever that thing was that swooped overhead today. Does Robori watch over us? Honestly, I'm not so sure, but I'm not as willing as most people around here to leave matters in the hands of faith alone. We need your help. I'm asking you to deal with that monster. Vampire or not, if it can make bats attack like that, it's a danger to our town, and i can't risk going off into the Wastes and leaving folk here undefended."
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Tin nods his head, an air of confidence about him as the doll confirms his suspicions.
"Thought so..."
After hearing her tale, watching her hide, and nodding to the sheriff as he arrives, Tin straightens his collar.
"Yea, I had a feelin' you was gonna 'ax us to take care of this big bad wolf tryin' to blow your houses down."
Tin crosses his arms.
"So, what's the full story? How long's this been happenin' and what do you think Mercy did to get his knickers all twisted up such that he'd send a bunch of bats your way? You guys disturb any crypts you weren't s'posed 'ta?"
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When the doll confirms Tin's suspicions, Old Iron grins and slaps Tin on the back.
"HAH! Good call, Tin! That's those detective smarts at work."
Old Iron turns sober when the sheriff returns, tensing up as he waits to get a read on the situation. When the sheriff finally gets to his request, Old Iron loosens and grins again, this time twice as wide. He smacks his fists together.
"A VAMPIRE! Hot damn! This fight should be good! Maybe he'll bite someone and we get to fight two! HAH!"
Old Iron clasps the sheriff's shoulder.
"Tell you what, buddy, you give Old Iron back all his weapons, and he'll show that vampire how many smacks of a hammer it takes to the gushy center of a man's skull."
Old Iron holds up a finger.
"Here's a hint: it's one."
He erupts into hearty laughter.
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Jasmine's mouth will fall open at the realization that the doll is Nira. After a few moments, she shuts her gaping mouth, and looks around, before the Sheriff returns, What the hell have we walked into?
As the lawman returns, and gives his blurb about what he wants, Jasmine looks to him, I need to restock on supplies before we go out on your little "errand". I need to grab a couple healing supplies, as well as some alchemical supplies. Where would I go to get such things?
"So, what's the full story? How long's this been happenin' and what do you think Mercy did to get his knickers all twisted up such that he'd send a bunch of bats your way? You guys disturb any crypts you weren't s'posed 'ta?"
The sheriff looks a bit uncomfortable. "The full story I can't quite tell you and keep my respectability in this town; people wouldn't like all our secrets getting out, you know. But doubtless you've noticed we've got more problems than people like to let on."
"I'll tell you this though," he says as he looks up, "I swear I've seen that thing flying about with the bats a few times over the last few years, but it's never quite acted up like that. I don't want to worry the townfolk any more but now that you're here, maybe you can help us out."
"Is there anyone else in the town that might know where this thing lives? What was going on when it first appeared?"
The Sheriff shrugs. "Only rumors; a few other people have seen it but never so close as tonight. It was just a regular evening and everyone was heading back to their homes."
"I can't think of anyone who would know where to find it but I bet if you follow the bats you'll get close enough."
The sheriff not only returns your weapons and other gear but also supplies you with a masterwork longspear, a scroll of scorching ray, and a wand of bless (20 charges). He also presents you with two glowing arrows, stating, "these arrows have been handed down in my family for generations. My great-grandmother used an arrow just like this one to strike through the heart of a wild creature that was trying to tempt people to a watery grave. It wouldn't feel right not to give you everything I can to help you defend Mercy, since I can't do it myself." The arrows are +4 fey-bane arrows.
Once the sheriff takes his leave, Nira comes back out from under the chair. "Well then, at least you have the sheriff's-and by extension the town's-blessing to take care of this threat! But I admit, I highly doubt it is a vampire. Or at least the thing that attacked me wasn't a vampire, more like a big flapping sheet. But whatever it is I suspect it's behind the problems with the children, too. Oh, haven't you noticed? Sprouting like plants, they are. Parents all worried, keeping them indoors to stunt the growths. I tried to pass out some ointment to a few of the more reasonable ones, but you know how these superstitious yahoos are."
"Nira, what exactly do you mean by 'sprouting like plants'? Just growing fast or do they have branches growing off them?" asks Cade. Turning to the group, "Does anyone know what works against Fey besides these arrows?"
Nira shakes her head as if clearing it. "You haven't seen them? Are you folks blind? I thought I overheard that you were investigating. Yes, they're sprouting like plants! The skin itches and then starts putting out leaves and branches. But never mind that now, let's go follow the bats. They usually head south. But someone will need to carry me or I'll fall behind." The doll looks up expectantly at you until someone offers to carry her.
The bats are indeed heading south. Five miles outside of town a dark crevice splits open the landscape. An oppressive heat pours out of the fracture, and the area smells like rotting flesh.
The descent is dark, warm, and claustrophobic. Halfway down slippery vines and tangles of branches make the climb more treacherous, but nothing that none of you can't handle with a little assistance from a rope tied off above.
At the bottom of the crevice, the caves are thick with an underground forest, and trees grow out of the walls and ceiling at odd angles.
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Jiro the Silent stands by as the group investigates, hoisting Amenira on to Honor's back once they decide to follow the bats.
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Upon reaching the fracture, Jiro commands Honor to stand by. "Stay here." he says firmly.
Leading the way, he tosses Amenira onto his shoulder and climbs down the slope, looking for any sign of how this fracture occurred or signs of the bats.
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"Yea, I bet these kids sprouting leaves has somethin' to do with that weird a$$ Robori we keep hearin' bout."
Tin's eyes twinkle as he contemplates quips about the rider-riding-the-rider-riding-the horse, but he never voices any of the ones rolling about inside his head.
"No doubt we've uncovered some sort of sick, twisted, side to the local Tree-God down there. Who wants to go first to get their blessin'?"
Tin leads the way as the fissure widens and opens into an underground forest. A mass of leafless vines covers all of the cavern’s walls, and another colony of trees with white bark and pale yellow leaves emerges from the walls and ceiling. Thousands of bats hang from the tree branches, and a thick layer of guano carpets the ground of hard-packed dirt. Nira gasps as you enter the chamber. "The murderer!" she screeches as she points her hand at a creature rising from the ground nearby. It is a ray-like monster with an open toothy maw and leering glaring red eyes. Behind it whips a menacing tail of segmented bone.
Jasmine's dagger flies past the thing and clatters against the wall.
The shifting shadows in the cavern make it hard to tell exactly where the thing is... in fact, there appear to be additional monsters flapping about in the same area! "Kill it, kill it!" Nira urges.