Evelina's eyes widened in horror at the scene before her. Oh. Oh no...This is bad. They are bad! The children!
"No! Stop!" Evelina cries out and she rushes forward to try and stop the creatures.
Martok's concern for the children grew and he was taken in by the foul apparitions...
--------------
Just in case.
Surprised at the rising dread around the area, the dwarf recognized it for what it was, restless spirits still trying to cause harm in the living world.
He quickly balled his fists and channeled the goodness and protection that infused his being...
-------------
Maddy watches the hellish scene play out before her. "They're slaughtering the children. We have to make them stop."
Martok recognizes the haunt for what it is and desperately releases a wave of wholesome, cleansing fire...but it's too little, too late. Wave after wave of crushing despair washes over the group as each child meets their fate, the burden of it almost overwhelming. Evelina, meanwhile, understanding little of the spectral images around her, goes for the more tangible targets - the man and woman standing in the church's doorway, their rotting visages twisting in a revolting mix of cruelty and despair. Heedlessly, she rushes for the woman and scores a hit directly beneath her ribs, trying to fight back the wave of panic and hopelessness assaulting her.
Anfisa: 33/33, -14 = 19/33
Gerasim: 33/33
----------
Round 1
Evelina - up
Matthew - up
Martok - up
Huecuvas
Freyja
Cithembi
Madison
Freyja watches the incredibly sad scene play out and realizes that this happened a very long time ago. While still terrible, it has lost its ability to impact her now. Its is a thing of the past.
Martok followed the nimble swordswoman and took a page from her book and also attacked the creepy dead people.
He breathed in, gulped, and unleashed a gout of flames in their direction.
---------------
HP 49/49
AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14
Conditions: n/a
Melee (+1 spear): +4 = +1(magic) +3(base)
Melee Damage (+1 spear): 1d8+1, x2
5/5 mythic pool, 4/4 touch of flame, 2/2 channel energy
Spell used: fire breath
While disturbed by the children, Evelina pushed down the emotions that were barraging her and continued her assault, side stepping to start and get around the creatures.
Matt feels a wave of despair roll over him, so complete and crushing that he nearly curls up in the snow and gives up. It's only with a great effort of will that he manages to keep going, to keep fighting.
Reaching into his spell pouch, his nimble fingers quickly found the reagents he needed for his spell. Mixing the tallow, brimstone, and a sprinkle of iron filings, he rolled them into a small ball. Cradling the ball in his hand, he waved his other hand over it and said, "Illrenailr rfhasa!"
On the last syllable, he threw the ball towards the strange, not-dead people, and it grew and burst into flame. By the time it arrived at their side, it was several feet in diameter and burning hotly.
Maddy can feel tears freeze at the corners of her eyes. All of those children savaged because the adults were afraid. It was almost too much. Did she really want to live in a world that allowed such heinous acts?
But then something from deep inside her reminds her that if she does nothing then more children may suffer in the future. This allows her to shake off the feelings of despair that threatened to overwhelm her.
Anfisa: 19/33, -5 = 14/33
Gerasim: 33/33, -10 = 23/33
Martok unleashes a gout of flame, which roils past Evelina in a churning wall to strike the pair as they emerge from the church door. The woman ducks to the side, missing the worst of the flame, but the man, caught inside the door frame, is not so lucky - he takes the full heat of the burst. Martok's burst is joined by a ball of conjured fire from Matthew; it lands atop where the woman stands, but once again a strange agility lets her dodge the burning mass. Evelina, judging her allies' fiery onslaught to be finished, ducks back in and stabs at the woman leading the way, but she bats the narrow blade aside.
With a sound halfway between a growl and a moan of anguish, the two undead lurch forward. The woman, already standing next to Evelina, merely steps to Evelina's left hand; the man, coming from inside the doorway, moves forward to face his counterpart with Evelina between. The two set to their work with grim efficiency as spectral children run from ghostly monsters on all sides; their hands dart toward Evelina, trying to tear at her clothes and flesh, but Evelina's quick thinking lets her avoid the filthy claws.
----------
Round 1
Evelina
Matthew
Martok
Huecuvas
Freyja - up
Cithembi - up
Madison - up
Round 2
Evelina - up
Matthew - up
Martok - up
Huecuvas
Freyja
Cithembi
Madison
Cithembi doubts that patterns of light will have any effect on the undead, so instead he jogs over to Madison. He waves a hand in an intricate pattern and then touches her blade, which begins to shine a warm, yellow light.
"Put them to rest, friend," he says, uncharacteristically seriously.
Freyja begins a mythic bard song, swiftly imbues her sword with arcane power, and moves to assist Evelina.
Martok once more came close and expelled a gout of flame at the undead.
-----------
HP 49/49
AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14
Conditions: n/a
Melee (+1 spear): +4 = +1(magic) +3(base)
Melee Damage (+1 spear): 1d8+1, x2
5/5 mythic pool, 4/4 touch of flame, 2/2 channel energy
Spell used: fire breath
Ducking below the claws that are flying at her, Evelina reflexively strikes at the creature attempting to run behind her.
Evelina sees that Freyja has come to assist. She aims yet another at the creature between them, this time putting her full strength behind it. Finally, she takes a step up towards the other creature, not wishing to be in between the pair for longer than she had to be.
Maddy smiles her thanks to Cithembi before moving forward with a determined look on her face. Those who were willing to sacrifice children had to die.
She swung her greatsword effectively and cut the female Huecuvas deeply. She may have dodged the flames but she wouldn't dodge her blade.
Frowning that the undead had avoided his ball of fire, Matt tried again. He commanded the fireball with his mind, and it once again rolled up to the nearest undead person.
The wizard then sent another spell unerringly their way - two points of energy that zapped into one unbreathing chest. No way to avoid that spell.
Anfisa: 14/33, -4, -13 = dead
Gerasim: 23/33, -9, -15 = dead
Evelina's rapier, Maddy's greatsword, and Freyja's longsword weave a complex pattern between the phantasms of chaos, and the flames that spring into life at Cithembi's touch echo the fire breath and flaming mass conjured by Martok and Matthew. Between all these efforts, the huecuvas find themselves outmatched; soon, the corpses are once again dead in truth, dark, withered flesh a stark contrast against the white of the snow. As the necromantic energy guiding the dead priests begins to fade, so too do the ghostly images that surround the party - it seems as if the huecuvas' destruction has helped to pacify the spirits that still haunt the area somewhat, although whether this is enough to permanently lay them to rest is anyone's guess...
"Well, that was unpleasant..." Evelina says with a nervous laugh. However, despite her attempt to be flippant, the young woman clutches at her arm and is clearly still distressed by what they saw. Was that real? Was that really what happened to those children.
Looking down at the corpse, instead of making eye contact, she asks, "Think maybe we should sleep somewhere else...? Or...I dunno..." Her sentence just trails off, as she waits to see what the others think.
Yes. Sleeping here seems like a bad idea. I did not want to even come here, but it is a good thing that we put those evil things down. Perhaps now the spirits of the children can rest. Since we are here we should explore. Freyja recommends.
Cithembi looks around soberly. "We should do what we can to cleanse this place, so the dead may stay at rest."
Still shaking off the effects of the despair he'd felt a moment ago, Matt left the courtyard, shuddering. "If we're going to spend the night here, let's do it far from this place."
Cithembi looks around soberly. "We should do what we can to cleanse this place, so the dead may stay at rest."
Martok nodded, "I think that's a good idea. The spirits I worship or that help me are more primal in nature but I'll help any way I can."
He then added, "Before looking for a new place to stay, let's investigate this church. It may be that its curse is lifted now that we have defeated the undead menace."
He then opened himself up to the place to see if there were any lingering spirits that needed to be put to rest.
---------------
Madison stops herself from spitting on the once again corpses. How anyone could sacrifice children is disgusting to her. She sees her twin begin to leave the courtyard and she calls after him. "Matty, don't wander off. Of course we don't need to camp in the courtyard but we should make sure there aren't more surprises in the church before we think about resting."
"Y'mean we should try an' get rid of any other spirits." Evelina asks nervously. There was no denying that the thought filled her with terror. Still, it was obviously the heroic thing to do. Mustering all her courage, she folds her arms with determination, she nods, "Right. Can't let 'em hurt some innocent travellers or nothing! We should search the place proper!"
Cithembi nods and starts to look around, first in the courtyard and then in the ruined chapel.
As you move through the now-still courtyard, no further movement catches your eye save that of you and your entourage; the same is true inside the church. This small cathedral was once lavishly decorated with trinkets from over a dozen nations, souvenirs from those following Desna's footsteps - everything from carved Mwangi ebony to Tien silk to enameled wooden figurines of Jalmerayan heroes. Now, though, all this beauty and variety lies in shambles, long-since succumbing to the cruel years of Baba Yaga's reign. One wall has partially collapsed, leaving a gaping hole and a snowdrift on the once richly-colored rug of the church's side aisle, and everything inside is water-stained and ruined.
The dwarf did not receive any miraculous insight on how to cleanse the area. His knowledge of the subject was limited.
He looked at the catman to see if he would know what to do.
--------------
Martok marveled at the souvenirs from far away places, placed he had only heard of.
Inspecting the place had been the right thing to do as some of the sane Desnan worshipers had left a veritable treasure trove for them.
He called over the wizard, "I know what the coins are but what about the rest? I can tell there's magic in some of the items."
--------
Freyja remembers back to her studies while entertaining at a Ulfin monastery years ago. Wait. I know what must be done here. The true horror was the desecration of Desna's holy ground by two who betrayed their faith. These traitors have been destroyed; now the very ground must be re-consecrated lay these spirits to rest. But it must be done by a Desnan. Freyja looks to Cithembi and adds Maybe Martok could help?
"Ah." Cithembi seems a bit surprised by Freyja's words. Then a smile breaks out over his face. "Ah! I can do this, and then this shall be a good place to rest! But first, let us clean this place, and put those old bones to rest."
Reluctantly, Matt allowed himself to be brought back into the temple. At first he was twitchy and nervous, expecting the spirits to return and haunt them. But after Martok found the treasure trove, his professional curiosity was peaked, and he lost his nervousness.
Sitting down in front of the hidden cubby, Matt cast the simple spell that would allow him to see the magical signatures of each item. As the others began helping Cithembi remove the detritus of neglect from the church, Matt stayed put, putting his prodigious mind to use, rather than rely on the relative frailty of his body.
Finally, he laid everything out and explained it all. "A few scrolls here - one for resisting cold, which could come in very handy, and also hold person. Again, useful. This lovely ring has the "feather falling" spell, so whoever is most likely to be somewhere high or dangerous should have it." His eyes went briefly to Evelina, but he put the ring down without saying anything further.
Carefully holding up the belt, he continued, "This sharp accessory can be worn as a belt, but pulled off and turned into almost any weapon, and a good one at that. You can pick anything cutty or pokey. Needless to say, I don't want it." He lay it down beside him.
"These are just pretty, and there's some coin here too. Do any of the ladies want a pretty?" He grinned and tossed one to Freya and one to Evelina.
Though it's quick, Evelina catches Matt glance at her when he mentions someone being up somewhere high and dangerous. Her cheeks turn a little pink and she sheepishly hops off of the piece of rubble she was currently standing on. "So...um...it would make you fall slow or something?"
When the gem gets tossed at her she remarks, "Oh! It is pretty!" as she turns it over a few times in her hand. "Bet someone would buy 'em in the city too!"
You should take the ring Evelina. Freyja agrees. I can use either scroll, but the Hold Person will be somewhat easy to resist. I'd wear the belt as a backup. My bardic ability allows me to enchant it if needed. She pockets the gem for now. [ooc]Party treasure.[/b]
Maddy was content to roll up her sleeves and help Cithembi clean up the chapel. It gave her something to focus on and it was oddly satisfying work. She righted furniture and hauled debris outside. "Is there anything we can do about that collapsed wall?"
Orm and Mjoli, perhaps unsurprisingly, are more than unnerved by the vision of the spirits; even after the phantasms fade, they hold tight to their mother for several minutes, and Nadya for her part seems more than content to keep her boys gathered in her arms as long as they want to stay. Finally, as they regain their composure, she rises from where she'd sat in the snow, venturing toward the church's door with the twins' hands held tight in her own. When she hears Cithembi's plan to re-sanctify the church and courtyard, she and Kashka join in the tidying-up effort. Hatch trots to the front of the sanctuary, assumes his more human-like form, and ducks beneath the upturned altar; soon, it rights itself, and the enamel flakes on the floor fly together to re-form a butterfly on its face.
Hours pass, and Matthew begins to conjure lights to aid in the chapel's restoration as the sun's light fades. By evening's end, the sanctuary has regained some of its former sense of comfort and peace; while many of the trappings are beyond repair, putting them back in their places at least creates the feel that this place of worship and rest is merely resting itself rather than ruined. The night grows dark, and Desna's home Cynosure twinkles over the church's peak; the time to re-consecrate the Song of the Spheres' holy ground is at hand.
Cithembi works with an eagerness and intensity that speaks not only to the strength of his devotion to Desna but also the joy he finds in it. No matter how hard the task, he throws himself into it whole-heartedly and cheerfully. If anything, the work seems to energize him, and while his body is tired by the time night falls, yet his eyes sparkle with both joy and an eagerness to continue.
His customary smile seems wider than ever as the group finishes their work... but somehow, impossibly, it grows wider still as he looks up at the star-filled sky above and sees Cynosure twinkling down upon them.
"Surely Desna smiles upon us this night, that the stars shine upon our work!" he declares. "Come, friends! Let us finish our work!"
He ushers everyone into the chapel and then takes his place behind the altar. Cithembi raises his gaze and hands to the heavens and begins to pray. As he does so, power almost unconsciously flows through him, the strange gift given to them by the Black Rider letting him draw on divine power in a way he never has before.
"Lady Desna! See this place once dedicated to you, which we now dedicate again! Let the light of the stars wash away the darkness of the past and give peace to the spirits of the dead. May this place hereafter be a place of rest and safety, where the weary traveler may stop for a time to regain his strength and prepare for further journeyings. Let it be hidden from the eyes of those who would desecrate it again, that it may continue to shine as a distant star in the midst of this dark land."
Subconsciously, Cithembi waves his hands so that they trace out the outline of a butterfly in the air as he prays.
Martok keeps his eyes on the boys while he goes about cleaning the place. He nears them and offers his support as the cat-man consecrates the temple, "This will be fine. All those children will finally get a chance to rest."
Evelina lets out a yawn, "Yeah...time to rest...then get out of here, right?"
Pleased that she had a part to play, Freyja does her part in the ceremony as best she can. She enjoys watching the cafolk oracle in hie element and acting as a religious leader. When it is done she congratulates Cithembi. Well done my friend. she says slapping him lightly on the back. Good was done here this day.
Despite his general lack of religious affiliation, Matt couldn't help but be affected by what they'd accomplished. He added his congratulations to Cithembi, and said, "There's no reason not to stay here now, right? I'll set up a ward around the place, so we don't need to worry about uninvited visitors again."
One more thing... Nadya murmurs softly as Cithembi's ceremony draws to a close. I know we've been working long already...but there is one thing to accomplish yet. We have yet to bury Thora, and I think this is where I'd like her to stay. It's a place of peace now...of rest. And that's what my girl sorely needs, as she goes on her own journey. Her eyes begin to well with tears, and she looks hopefully to the party. If we all pitch in in the morning, it should only be a couple of hours' work, then we can get underway. Please.
Of course Nadya. Its now a beautiful place. Freyja says trying not to tear up.
If Maddy hadn't actually experienced the difference of the feel of the chapel before and after Cithembi's words, she wouldn't have believed it. An incredible peace descends on the place and for the first time since arriving, rest actually seems plausible. It isn't surprising then that Nadya feels the same way.
"You will have my help, Nadya. And maybe you can think of another name for this place. I don't think Luck-Run-Out is a good name any longer."
Matt nodded at his twin's words. "Of course, we will all help. And perhaps 'Thora's Respite' would be a better name for this place going forward."
Evelina just nods quietly, not really sure what else to say.