Inquiring about transportation to the Boneyard, one of the villagers is willing to give rough directions through the swamp as well as rent small boats called coracles for 5gp per day. A coracle can roughly fit two Medium sized creatures.
Correct me if I'm wrong, Stefan, but, being a construct, a magically animated creature, the Beast should not bleed. I mean, it's not really alive, no? I say we should check on the island.
Vivian pays for the coracles, thanking the man for his help
Vivian takes care of paying for the small boats and leads the expedition through the swamp towards the abandoned Boneyard island. It takes about 45 minutes to make it through the fetid waters, but eventually you find the place.
This tiny, miserable island rises from the swamp, a tangle of trees covering its dour, reed-choked surface. Hundreds of fetishes hang from the trees—simple, roughly humanoid figures made of sticks and bound with twine. Larger fetishes are planted in the ground on various parts of the island, leaning drunkenly in the soft mud. A large nest built of sodden swamp wood sits high in the boughs of a trio of tangled trees on the northwest side of the isle.
As the group begins to disembark, you all notice a Large creature with the body of a lion and the wings of a dragon fly out of the nest and begin to make its way towards you. Its stomach appears distended for some reason, and by the way it's snarling, it doesn't appear to be happy to see you.
Initiative (Round 1)
Vivian <= Up
Amaria <= Up
Creature
Tara
Bert
Stefan
Sophie
Vivian tries to recognise the creature, and sends an arrow toward it.
Already, she's giving orders on the battlefield
Beware, we're under attack... Spread yourself, two by two...Amaria, with me, on the left! Tara and Bert, together! Stefan and Sophie, on the right!
Vivian recognizes the creature as a Manticore. By the looks of its belly, it's very pregnant. She knows that manticores can shoot numerous spikes from their tails at long distances.
After quickly identifying the monster, Vivian attempts to fire an arrow while offering some battlefield orders. Unfortunately, the arrow misses.
A manticore.. Be cautious, it can shoots some nasty spikes from its tail... It's pregnant, so it's hungry, or defending its territory. Whatever its reasons, it see us as its next meal!
Dr. Von Herzog recalls that manticores are somewhat intelligent and can converse in the Common tongue.
Amaria fires two arrows at the strange magical creature, but it deftly dodges both projectiles in the air.
Screaming with disapproval, the manticore flies closer and you can see it also has a somewhat humanoid face and a long tail covered in spikes. Satisfied with its position still 30 feet up, it fires four spikes towards the group, two directed towards Vivian, the other two at Amaria. Both spikes hit Vivian and she takes some substantial injury. Only one spike hits Amaria, but it punches through a softer spot of her armor to strike critically.
Initiative (Rounds 1-2)
Vivian [16 Damage] <= Up
Amaria [22 Damage] <= Up
Manticore
Tara <= Up
Bert <= Up
Stefan <= Up
Sophie <= Up
Bert glances at all his companions. "So..we fight back?" Slinging his shield off his shoulder and smacking it with his hammer and yelling "Here come down and fight me!"
Tara sighs heavily as Vivian fires at the creature. Drawing her dagger, she moves near Bert and pats his shoulder. This should help." she states as the imbues the fighter with the strength of a bull.
Turning to his companions, the doctor says, "Wait! Stop attacking! Perhaps she can inform us what transpired here!"
At that, the doctor spreads his arms as if in suppulcation.
"Oh, great and powerful manticore! Please forgive our transgressions! We only wish to speak to you, and then will leave in peace!" He then places twenty gold coins on the ground and steps back. "A gift for you! Please deem us worthy of your time!"
Sophie summons a longbow into her hand, one once used by her ancestors. She holds her ground, waiting to see if the manticore will be reasoned with.
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Bert moves forward and readies an attack if the manticore doesn't accept terms.
Tara casts Bull Strength on Bert, and the fighter prepares to strike once the manticore comes close enough.
Dr. Von Herzog tries to reason with the magical beast, but it doesn't appear to be listening. Sophie summons a longbow in preparation of a ranged battle.
Nice shoot... Incredible one, in fact!
I guess I missed..
Amaria fires two arrows at the manticore, one of which nearly hits the creature's heart. Vivian returns a projectile of her own, but misses.
The greatly injured manticore explodes in a string of curses and fires a tail spike back at Amaria. The spike comes nowhere close to hitting the paladin. The pregnant manticore then promptly turns around and flies in a direction opposite of the group.
Initiative (Rounds 2-3)
Vivian [16 Damage] <= Up
Amaria [22 Damage] <= Up
Manticore
Tara <= Up
Bert <= Up
Stefan <= Up
Sophie <= Up
Seeing the manticore retreat, and realizing that none of the spells he'd prepared that day seem to be of much use in this situation, Stefan retrieves the 20 gold coins he'd offered to the manticore and puts them back into his purse.
Let's keep an eye on that one... I don't like to kill a pregnant creature, but if she tempts Fate, Pharasma will call her to the Eternal Gardens. We have to be quick and search the place before she comes back
Bert nods in agreement.
The manticore quickly disappears behind some trees and out of the line of sight of battle.
If you don't mind, as a servant of Pharasma i'd like to pay my respects to the deceased, to pray for their souls and look if they havent been disturbed. Anyone who wants to come is welcome, of course.
I would think a manticore is carnivorous, but I do hope it isn't a scavenger, and prefer to eats his prey...fresh, for lack of a better term.
Vivian gets pale at this idea
"I've been contemplating what that unfriendly chap told us back in that dismal village... that the Beast's blood tainted the soil of this wretched isle. Our client appears to be a flesh golem of some sort... a magical construct composed of alchemically-treated fresh corpses. I have crertainly never endeavored to construct such a creature myself, but I did once read the treatise On the Order of Flesh and Bone by the alchemist Erich Spaaten of Caliphas. According to Spaaten's technique, flesh golems are constructed from exsanguinated tissues, and cannot, in fact, bleed.
I believe that the local tales of the Beast marauding this area are fabrications... perhaps to cover up a crime that fell too close to home?"
Sophie frowns as the beast retreats. Did we just lose our only potential witness? She sets about searching for signs of the corruption the elder referred to.
That's good to know, Stefan, thank you. And your theory about the villagers is interesting.
The doctor opens his black bag and examines Amaria's wounds. He is at first bemused by the offer of her wand.
"While the power of the gods may be a faster way to heal, my training is in the science of medicine..."
...and then he pauses, meeting her gaze.
He whispers, "Oh... I hadn't realized your ancestry. Forgive me, I don't believe that I've every treated a member of your race before..."
He then takes a closer look at the wand, muttering a few arcane words as he does.
"Hmmm... I sense that this wand contains divine magic that would unleash energies from the Plane of Negative Material. While such energies would sap the life-force of most living creatures, it would certainly heal you. However, I'm afraid that my expertise with divine magic is limited to theory only; I'm embarrassed to admit that I am not able to unlock the magical power of this wand."
He retrieves foreceps and a bottle of alcohol from his black bag. "Shall I get to work patching you up?"
|
"Ah... sorry, I didn't realize you couldn't cast such as spell. Yes, negative energy heals me and this wand will do so. I can use it myself, but the effect isn't always predicable."
She then turns to the group.
"Are any of you able to use a wand that does uses negative energy to inflict wounds? Such wands heal me and that spike wounded me grievously. If not, I will do it myself, though it is a bit cumbersome."
As Dr. Von Herzog begins to work on Amaria's injuries for the better part of an hour, the other members of the group have the opportunity to investigate several sites on the abandoned Boneyard island.
* * *
On the ground near the tree holding the manticore's nest you discover a masterwork shortsword and a magical wand.
It's a wand of Ghost Sound with 22 charges left.
Upon reaching the nest you find the body of a recently dead dwarf. The corpse wears a colorful patchwork coat with numerous pockets holding a magical oil, a package of bodybalm, a silver hip flask still containing brandy worth 30 gp, and a crimson felt purse containing 31 pp and 22 gp.
It's an oil of Keen Edge.
* * *
You identify six graves in the boneyard that appear to have been tampered with, sagging into the ground as though they had collapsed from below, and leaving wide depressions in the muddy earth. To investigate further, you'll need to dig open the graves.
* * *
Around a small abandoned fire pit are a waterskin (still half full of wine), the aged remnants of some trail rations, and a curious glass vial. The bottom of the vial contains the dried remains of a green substance that smells vaguely of carrots.
You identify this substance as the remnants of a alchemist's extract of Darkvision.
* * *
You find a coracle boat hidden in the trees and brush along the southwest shore of the island. The boat contains an oar, a moldy leather travel bag with a damp artisan’s outfit (a shirt, breeches, shoes, and a cloth apron) inside, and a vile object—what appears to be a detached human face. In addition, a length of rope stretches from the boat into the waters below.
If you wish to investigate the boat further, please make a DC 20 Perception check to read the spoiler for Roll G.
If you wish to pull up the rope, please make a DC 10 Strength check and read the spoiler for Roll H.
You also find dried blood at the bottom of the coracle.
Yanking the rope out of the water reveals a heavy sack large enough to hold a Medium-sized humanoid. Inside you find some rope, a gag, a rusted lantern, a trio of heavy knives, and a rusted shovel.
Also, please make a Perception check DC 15. If you make the DC, please consult Roll I.
You noticed that this bag is stained with dried blood.
* * *
You discover a leather-bound case filled with fine tools, made of silver with amethyst handles. The set is probably worth around 300 gp.
Please make a Heal check DC 20 to identify the purpose of the tools. If you make the DC, please consult the spoiler for Roll K. Stefan gets a +5 to the check.
Also, please make a DC 20 Perception check. If you make the DC, please consult the spoiler for Roll L.
You deduce that this is a surgical tool set used by physicians and chirurgeons.
You notice the small symbol of a raven on the handle of a couple of the instruments.
Bert tries to climb up to the nest.
"I can cast spells that inflict wounds on my enemies, or allies if the need arises." Tara pipes up, looking quizzically at the latest member of their rag-tag group. "I don't personally have issues with those sired by unusual parentage, even though others of my religion may." Quickly glancing at Vivian, Tara allows the other worshiper of The Lady of Graves to speak up before taking the wand and using its abilities on Amaria.
--------------
Wandering around the fire pit, Tara picks up the small vial, and pops open the cork, carefully smelling the unknown substance.
After patching up Amaria, Stefan cleans and puts away his tools. He then joins Tara at the remains of the fire pit and asks to take a look at the vial she'd found.
Sophie follows Vivian around, trying to be helpful.
"If we take the time to dig up these graves we might learn how they were tampered with."
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Passing the small vial to Stefan, Tara's eyes widen at the mention of what was once held within. "Why would someone need darkvision? Vivian said that they found a deceased dwarf, but that race already possesses the ability to see in the dark. This is very bizarre."
Tapping her finger against her nose, Tara's brow furrows for a moment, before she shrugs. "Perhaps helping the others investigate the shoreline might be useful? It is a large area."
Vivian will takes the time to inspect the undergrowth near shore line, assisted by Tara.
Amara, takes Bert and Sophie with you, and please inspect the shore while we check on these bushes. We must use every minute before the manticore comes back, if she comes back.
Finding a leather case with beatiful and COSTLY medical instruments, Vivian asks Stefans aid and expertise in the field. Stefan confirms what the redhead suspected, that these instruments are used by surgeons.
After close inspection, they notice a raven engraved on the instruments.
Stefan assists in the search of the undergrowth on the south shore .
"I say! What is that?"
Looking at the instruments, Stefan does confirm that they are a set of surgeon's tools, not unlike the set in his own black bag.