Whiskeyjack stepped backwards and knelt to place a hand on Lena's shoulder. Murmuring a prayer to Angradd, the warpriest felt the god's healing power rushing through him.
HP 33/33. Current AC: 21/10/21
Active conditions:
Active spell effects:
Fervors remaining: 4/4
Blessings remaining: 4/4
Spells remaining: 1st 4/4, 2nd 1/2
Rustom swings his Great Axe at the spider's head.
Lena manages to persevere through the virulent poison, and she stops shaking; it seems to have run its course.
Thanks to Eldon's spell locking it in this plane, Rustom manages to wade in, call out a prayer to his God, and SLAM his axe into the skull of the phase spider! The skull splits in two and the massive monster splashes into the bog, dead.
End of Combat
"Dinnae worry yer head abou' i', lass. Now hold still while I be mending th' rest." Whiskeyjack pulled out his wand and began tapping Lena. After the first couple, he frowned and held the wand up to glare at it. Sticking the pearl end in his mouth, he sucked on it a bit, then tried healing the halfling again. Once more he frowned, sighed and kept tapping Lena until her wounds were mended.
Kawrock steps up to the spider and removes it's head with his longsword. "We can not return their missing friend alive, but we can show them we took care of the creature responsible." the tengu says as he picks up the creatures head.
"Aye, we ken be doin' tha'. An' I ken be carryin' th' girl back. Dwarves're made t' carry heavy loads an' heavy armor." Whiskeyjack tossed the now empty wand into the water and waded out to pick up the dead girl's body. He hoisted it to a comfortable position over his shoulder and headed back to join the others.
"It's a pity I had to demonstrate one of my newest and even-more-than-usual potent spells in such a dreadful setting," Eldon says as he looks at the dead girl with a sad expression on his face, "but at least I was capable of saving Lena's life by thinking and acting as fast as I always do."
"Let us return to the poor girl's family..."
Lena begins moving through the bog, and is pleased to find some good news. The bog is littered with the belongings of what are likely previous victims. As she discovers unsettling skeletal body parts, she also finds the following:
- A small wooden box containing a set of brass weights
- A magnifying glass with a gold handle
- A dark orange potion
- A walnut traveling case with a pair of superior-quality locks and four keys
- A delicious jar of pickled garlic
Arval is glad the fight is over and moves with the group, staying in front of Whiskey as to avoid looking at the girl.
"Let me shoulder the loot. Whiskey is already carrying the girl."
He says without glancing back. He picks up the loot and he removes it from his pack again when they reach dry land.
"Will think twice next time we get asked for a thing like this..."
He looks tired and really sad.
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"Ye think so, lad? Been on this here planet fer a long time'n methinks that if this is th' worst ye see, then ye be a lucky man. Ye think th' caravan crew's be able t' fight tha' thing wi'ou' gettin' some o' their people kilt? Or tha' they wouldnae rather be havin' th' child back to grieve properly? Nah, if'n ye be lookin' t' grow int' th' hero ye make yerself out t' be in yer mind, then this'll happen over an' over."
Whiskeyjack thought for a moment, then handed over his ever-present flask. "An' this here helps."
Kawrock nods at Whiskeyjack's advice. "Not every adventure has a happy ending. Sometimes we just have to do the best we can and remember that each experience makes us stronger."
The group gathers Aleece's broken body and makes the tiring slog up the hill towards the Crooked Kin. A wail sounds out from the bearded woman at the sight of the dejected, soggy group as they trudge back up to the road. Her body is hurried away and you are left bewildered and sad by the side of the road for a moment. After a ten minute conversation, Kaleb Hesse returns, his hat in his hands and his eyes red.
"The road to Lepidstadt is harder than we have dreamed. You have done us a difficult kindness, strangers. Please, take this as a token of our appreciation."
He offers a strange, twisted dagger to the group. The blade seems to shift a little in the light.
"The family are wary of strangers, but there is great fear that more evils will befall us on this journey. We offer food, shelter, entertainment, and a more comfortable journey than walking. Would you accompany us to Lepidstadt? We will forever consider you friends for what you have done, regardless of your answer."
"I have no objections to accompanying you to Lepidstadt, dear man," Eldon tells Kaleb. "I wouldn't want more tragedy to befall you on the way there."
Eldon takes the strange dagger when it's offered. He waits for Kaleb's attention to shift to someone else who speaks up. When this happens, Eldon tries to subtly cast detect magic on the dagger.
Nothing special, but it has an interesting shape.
"I have no objections either."
Says the still sad Arval.
"Would be a pleasant change even."
"Then by the blessins o' Angradd, I declare this caravan under th' protection an' companionship o' this group o' fine adventurers. A group o' murder-vagabonds we may be, bu' no one ken say we kill't anyone who dinnae deserve i'...mostly, 'cause, you know, they be dead."
Whiskeyjack leered evilly, then smiled and waggled his bushy eyebrows. This was going to be an amusing trip, he just knew it.
|
Lena rolls her eyes at WhiskyJack's display.
WhiskyJack, stop it. You sound like a pirate. What he means is yes, we will accompany you to Lepidstat. The company would be nice, although Lena stage whispers the next bit Eldon might make your ears bleed from talking. He can talk on nearly any topic for hours. Just don't let him play any musical instruments. Unless you want to scare off wildlife...or children...or people of nervous disposition.
"I wouldn't call ourselves murder-vagabonds... Although a strange group we do have."
The moment he says the last bit his cheeks turn a bit red at the thought of the whole assortment of weird people in front of him.
"UuuuHhhhh... Ahem... Yes Eldon can be a bit... how do you call it? Boring and long-winded about really anything. What instrument was he playing last time? The saxophone I believe... horrible indeed. Harrowstone was a breeze compared to that!"
Arval leans a little closer to Lena.
"I think he drunk too much actually. I don't think he is turning into a pirate at all."
The group agree to travel with the Crooked Kin and spend a pleasant, if bizarre week growing to learn about the traveling oddity show and the art of the carnival. The Crooked Kin are 12 performers in all (formerly 13), and are making for Lepidstadt to hitch on to the week-long party going on in the city now that a creature known as The Beast has been captured. The Crooked Kin are more interested in myth and facts, but they can reliably assert that The Beast is responsible for pretty much every ill befall Lepidstadt.
After several days, the grotesque and gothic architecture of Lepidstadt shows itself on the horizon. Kaleb explains that Lepidstadt is a smaller city, famous for its university and the strange standing stones northwest of the city called the Spiral Cromlech. He says that although the southern district of the city is beautiful, the rest of it is kind of a dump as the city is cramped and falling apart.
You finally pass through the gates of the city. Kaleb takes you near to the centre, and drops you off. A series of "GOODBYES!" hail from the caravan as the Flea Man, the Bearded Lady, the Pinheads, the Swarm of Clowns, the human caterpillar, the Vudrani Princess, the Giant Man, and of course dear, dear Wolf Boy bid you farewell.
You now find yourselves on a main thoroughfare in Lepidstadt. The city is in a state of jubilant celebration. Around you people are drinking, music is playing, and a process of people dance their way down the street towards the southeast. A chant rises up from the crowd.
"BURN THE BEAST! BURN THE BEAST! BURN THE BEAST!"
Despite the distractions and frivolity, you had a mission. There are two stacks of books to be delivered, one to a Judge Embreth Daramid at the courthouse and another to Dr. Montaigne Cowl at the University.
What do you do?
Whiskeyjack spent an enjoyable several days drinking with the human caterpillar and the giant man, discussing the finer points of dwarven architecture with the Bearded Lady, and making jests with the pinheads to help take their minds off their lost sister.
As they trundled into Liepstadt, he looked around with the others, curious, but not yet ready to wade into the crowds. He said his goodbyes to the carnies, tossed the girls into the air one last time, then turned to his companions. "Well, shall be be takin' these books t' their next owners? Th' Judge migh' be th' best startin' place."
Kawrock spends his time during the journey practicing his new shape shifting ability. Turning into a badger to dance for the caravan or a wolf to howl with wolf boy.
Once they arrive in the city and hear the crowd Kawrock looks at the stack of books and ruffles his feathers. "I know we need to deliver these books, but I am curious about this beast. I have learned first hand that the locals are not the most open minded people and tend to act first then ask questions later."
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"Well that went fast," Eldon says as the Crooked Kin take off. "A single week was barely enough to finish one of my tales. I had to leave out some details, or else I wouldn't have finished the story."
Eldon eyes the shouting crowd with a distrusting look. "I hope our new friends are safe in this place..."
"I agree with Whiskey on visiting the Judge first. Maybe the fine people we're supposed to deliver the books to can tell us more about the beast. I expect them to have a friendlier attitude than the average person, because we're doing them a favor by delivering the books."
During the week of travel Rustom has kept mostly to himself in silent pray to Irori.
Having decided to deliver the books, the group makes their way towards the courthouse, which luckily is at the centre of the city and the focal point of all the merriment. You may your way through the thronged, ecstatic crowds and finally the cramped streets open up to a huge plaza.
A large, squat building dominated by an enormous clock overlooks the town square. A huge figure of wood, roughly man-shaped, stands in the square in front of the building.
In the front of the courthouse the street party is at its most intense as people sing and dance, chanting of the death and burning of the Beast. The strange wooden man in the front has children playing games in front of it, alternately throwing grass, flowers, and rubbish onto the feet of the gigantic wooden man.
The front doors of the courthouse are before you.
During the travelling Arval plays a lot with the kids to distract them from the horrors of the day they started travelling. He plays tag and hide and seek with the little guys, really bad though because he refuses to take off his armor.
After a week long playing with kids he gets really excited at the prospect of 'the beast'.
"Can't we go there first? Really curious about that. The books can always be delivered."
The group decides to deliver the books first and he is a little disappointed. When they get into the busy plaza in front of the courthouse he will inspect his surroundings.
"Work afore play, lad. If'n we get caugh' up in th' beast madness, an' our judge decides t' be goin' on holiday after the burnin' then where will we be? Stuck here a waitin' fer him t' be comin' back. 'Sides, i' looks as if'n we be headed straight fer th' center o' the merriment t' get t' th' courthouse."
"Oi! You," the dwarf barked at the nearest townsman, a farmer by the look of his clothes. "Wha's all th' excitement abou'?"
Eldon cringes at Whiskeyjack's lack of a subtle approach.
"Apologies for my comrade's direct approach, dear man," Eldon says as he quickly positions himself in between Whiskeyjack and the townsman. "We are simply curious about the current events. On the road we heard mention of the Beast being captured. Could you enlighten us?"
Whiskeyjack can't get more than "BURN THE BEAST!" out of people, despite his best attempts to be diplomatic.
Eldon spies a reasonable-looking person, and manages to speak quickly before she takes up the chant. She smiles down at Eldon.
"The first day of the trial for the beast is now closed! I heard they detailed a long list of crimes against the beast, three of which are the basis for the execution. Burned alive in the Punishing Man!"
She gestures triumphantly to the gigantic timber figure in front of the courthouse.
"And the Beast has the worst lawyer in Lepidstadt. That fool Gustav Kaple can't even get a sentence out without stuttering. The Beast is as good as dead. I've heard the prosecution is watertight - murdering those poor children in Hergstag, killing all those swapmes in Morast, and burning down good Doctor Brada's hospice. Hurrah for Prosecutor Heiger!"
Someone who seems to be arguing with the crowd shouts back at her.
"The Beast has done kindnesses as well!"
The woman ranting calls back. "Even if it did do those things, that's just proof the creature is mad and deserves to be burned!"
The two are then carried off by the crowd as a new chant of 'burn the beast' rises up.
Arval just sits back and listens to the crowd, and it looks like his goals are aligned. The Beast is being held in the prison below the courthouse; same building as Judge Daramid.
Worried Kawrock clicks his tongue twice. "It is as I feared. They wish harm on something they do not understand. Let us deliver these books and learn more about this beast." Kawrock presses forward to the court house.
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When the situation gets explained Arval is a bit less enthusiastic as before.
"That's not fair! Killing someone without a trial... Even in my village they had trials of sorts."
He explains to the group as they are moving towards the courthouse. He keeps glancing back to try and get a glance at what sort of beast is in the cage.
"Aye, Kawrock. I' seems as if somethin' ain't quite right here. An' Arval lad, keep yer voice down if'n ye wan' t' say such things. Mobs ain't the deafest o' creatures t' hearin' wha' ain't in their current mindset. Ye could be torn limb from limb, an' no one would hafta take th' blame."
Whiskeyjack followed the others into the courthouse, dragging Arval along, despite the man's protests of injustice.
Rustom shakes his head 'Mobs like this are never a good thing' "Yes lets deliver the books and find out more about this beast and of what has happened here"
The group shove their way through the crowd to the front door of the courthouse as they step up to the entry way.
One of the guards stops you, but upon hearing Daramid's name, steps aside.
"Judge Daramid - enter the courthouse, walk straight ahead, take the stairs up to the court room. Her office is second door on your left."
The entrance to the courthouse is impressive, to say the least. Ornate pillars support a balcony 15 feet above. Beneath the balcony, wide steps lead up to a huge, ironbound door. Printed public notices are posted on a wooden board next to the door. Presently, these notices detail the upcoming trial in long-winded legal language.
Whiskeyjack stumped in with the others, knocking some of the mud off his boots before entering the courthouse. He stared about at the ornate decorations before heading for the previously mentioned stairs.
Kawrock pauses a moment to try and make sense of the legal notices.
Kawrock clicks his tongue in amusement. "Hmm interesting, well lets go drop of these books. Maybe this judge can give us more info about the beast." With that Kawrock follows the directions to the judge's office.
Kawrock, enduring more than a few stares from the crowd who are unaccustomed to the sight of a tengu, takes a little bit to read the notice board. It details in overlong pretentious legal language the ongoing trial. The Beast has been accused of three separate crimes, the killing of villagers in a town called Morast, murdering children in a town called Hergstag, and finally the arson and deaths of the doctors and inmates at a place called the Karb Isle Sacntuary. The trial will take place over three days, with a separate hearing for each day.
The group pushes into the courthouse and find themselves in a room which serves to provide access to the rest of the courthouse. A heavy iron is set into the floor. Following the guard's directions, the group heads northwards into the guards' barracks. A couple of off-duty guards lounge here, playing cards, but pay the group little heed.
Finally, everyone heads upstairs into a spectacular courtroom which is overseen by a large balcony for the public. There are three office doors to the north here.
"The Beast is a terrifying abomination, Lena."
Eldon pauses as he stares at the floor. "Are you sure... you want me to give you the details of its appearance?"
Unfortunately Eldon being a wise halfling has encountered enough wild rumours to know not to believe any of them. As he waded through the crowd he heard of the Beast as a werewolf, a really big goblin, a shadow creature from another universe, a golem, and an undead horror.
As the party to talk to each other in the courtroom, they hear a voice ring out from an office.
"I can heaaar you! Please dearies, in here. I assume you're Petros' friends with the book? Come in, we have much to discuss."
As the group walks into the courthouse Arval's eyes widen.
"This is so big... And so beautiful... How'd they get the money for all this. Back at home we were happy with our little farmhouse, but this..."
He is called out of his shock by the voice calling.
"We are yes! Uhm... Sorry, I don't want to be rude but which room did you call from?"
"That one." Kawrock says as he opens the door to the judge's office.
Whiskeyjack was about to say how Kawrock would be an abomination in some peoples' eyes when the voice called out from the judge's office. He followed Kawrock's lead and entered.
You walk into a well-appointed office and come to face to face with a woman in her sixties, with gray hair pulled back tightly into a bun and icy blue eyes. That said, she smiles warmly and gestures for the party to be seated.
"Close the door, please."
She settles down and looks over the group. Her voice is dry with the posh accent of the rich, educated, or noble in Ustalav.
"Quite a sight, the lot of you! I am Embreth Daramid, one of the Justices here in Lepidstadt. I have learned what I can of you, so welcome. You must be Arval, Vladlena, Eldon, Whiskeyjack, and of course Kawrock. Please ignore the stares dear. And don't let anybody at the University try to study you. Wonderful work in Ravengro, that was the stuff of legend I must say."
She folds her spidery hands as she regards the party.
"Now dearies. I have an arrangement with Barrister Kaple that the purpose of your meeting will have been to meet with him. In fact, this is his office right now. In the future we will speak at my townhouse, if at all. I will explain all in due time. First things first, I believe you ahve a book for me? And have you completed the other tasks set forth in Petros' will? "