|
The group cuts through the remaining fey, quickly finishing the fight before they are able to kill the young boy. He groans as he sits up, bringing a hand to cover the dagger wound and stop the bleeding.
"Thanks.... I am Olaus. i was out here looking for a stray calf and these...these creatures came outta nowhere."
|
|
Kardess hands the boy a few copper pieces, "Light some incense tonight, when the first star appears in the night sky. Meditate on today's experience. Fear is a gift from The Shadow. Fear is the teacher. Fear is the small Shadow that brings total darkness. Face your fear. Permit it to pass over you and through you. And when it has gone past, turn your inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be darkness. Only The Shadow will remain."
|
|
After a hike up the hill, the PCs arrive at the Sarini Estate. The rusted, badly bent iron gate to this walled estate is dirty and hangs ajar, creaking gently in the breeze. The lawn is overgrown, and a thick tangle of vines has crept up the walls of the opulent estate building. An abandoned stable occupies the southwest corner of the grounds, and to the east, more buildings lie partly hidden behind bushes and crooked trees.
|
|
Kardess recognizes the purple greasy slime-like substance as Demon's Bile. It is a very powerful disease that takes a while to onset though once it does it causes a creature to lose a bit of its mind, becoming more primal and stronger with extremely violent tendencies.
In addition to suffering the effects above, creatures under the effects of the demon’s bile disease hear a constant buzzing in their heads that, along with their shifting alignment, prompts them to undertake tasks that most would consider madness. This madness manifests in different ways for each creature, but it often involves delusions.
Demon’s bile is biological in nature, and if left in an open area unchecked, even a small amount of it can begin growing until, in 1d4 months, the substance takes up a 10-foot-by-10-foot area of filth. Demon’s bile that covers an area of that size or larger then begins growing in earnest, expanding at a rate of about 5 feet per day. Demon’s bile attracts vermin, and those that wallow in it (as well as some other creatures exposed to it) often grow in size, gain the fiendish template, or both. Additionally, demon’s bile that covers a 10-foot-by-10-foot area or greater has a 50% chance to spew forth fiendish vermin every 1d4 days. Any good-aligned damage, damage from cold iron weapons, or positive energy damage applied to any 5-foot square of bile destroys it.
|
|
Kardess walks up behind Kulga, holding an acid flask in each hand. "May it be Your will, The Shadow, our Shade and the Shade of our forefathers, that You lead us toward shadow, emplace our footsteps toward shadow, guide us toward shadow, and make us reach the Plane of Shadow. May You rescue us from the hand of every foe, ambush along the way, and from all manner of lights that assemble to banish the shadows. Blessed are You, The Shadow, Who hears prayer."
|
|
How long has it been since I raised my Necromantic Servant?
As you enter the manor's estate grounds you find a lovely garden laid out to the north east. This wild garden is flush with colors and full of scents both sharp and sweet. A gazebo topped with a weather vane sits in the northeast corner of the garden.
Turning back to the building the group stays on guard as a rustling is heard from the nearby brush. A pair of mites leap up as you enter. and another creature skitters down the wall of the nearby building. An inordinate number of sinewy limbs, each terminating in clawed feet, protrude from the sides of this slithering creature. Its face is disturbingly demonic.
Gerrin
Kulga
--------------------------------
Monster
--------------------------------
Shreya
Kardess
Nectanebo
Belkar
--------------------------------
Mites
--------------------------------
|
|
Gerrin moves in and stabs the mite through the chest with his wakazashi. Kulga quickly moves in and smashes the head of the second mite in. It falls to the ground, giving a final couple of twitches before it lies to rest.
The demonic -like monster leaps forward, its body stretching as it bites at Kulga.
Kulga steps to the side and dodges the monster's razor sharp teeth.
Gerrin
Kulga
--------------------------------
Monster
--------------------------------
Shreya
Kardess
Nectanebo
Belkar
|
|
Nectanebo is able to identify the demon-like creature as a Drocchtac. Between Kardess and Nectanebo they know that this is nothing more than an extremely evil fey whose bite can cause all forms of paralysis and able to extend its neck to incredible lengths. Like most fey it is suscceptible to all forms of cold iron.
Drochtacs are evil fey that, given their mottled
skin and many limbs, are almost
verminlike in appearance. These
creatures move in an undulating
motion, with each pair of a drochtac’s
feet taking turns dragging its body along the
ground. Although a drochtac looks emaciated,
the muscles between its ribs are powerful
and allow the creature to quickly stretch
its body like a spring. This enables the
creature to attack targets far beyond its apparent reach, often to the shock and terror of its
enemies. Unfortunately for drochtacs’ prey, these vicious
fey can survive in a wide variety of climates.
The flesh of a drochtac contains vomit-inducing
chemicals that, when ingested, cause nausea in most
living creatures. For this reason, these fey creatures
have few natural enemies. Rather, drochtacs are patient
ambush predators that prefer to catch creatures close
to their own size. Drochtacs prefer to make meals out
of intelligent creatures, as they find this prey requires
them to employ more advanced hunting and stalking
skills than when they’re hunting animals or other low intelligence
creatures.
Also, despite their violent natures, drochtacs are
curious creatures that enjoy talking to their victims before
killing them. Sometimes, although rarely, drochtacs keep
their prey alive for weeks if the victims can keep them
entertained with stories (and the fey creatures can find
something else to eat). When very hungry, however, they
often do not even bother to kill their paralyzed victims
before they start eating them.
Drochtacs often stalk small parties of travelers or
lost wanderers, waiting for just the right time to strike;
in this way, they ensure that their hunting skills stay
sharp. Their metabolisms are slow; and after gorging on
a creature of suitable size, a drochtac can go for weeks
without eating. When they’re not hunting, drochtacs lair
in secluded ravines, inside the hollows of large trees, or
in caves or other places abandoned by larger predators.
Drochtacs also use such places to bear and rear their
offspring, turning once peaceful spots into terrifying
dens of many-legged young.
Belkar's short legs hustle forward as he moves to get within striking distance.
Kulga lashes out at the Drochtac and slams her cold iron morningstar into its back. twisting around she smashes her shield into its face. The morningstar seems to be far more effective as the Drochtac shrugs shrugs off the blow from the shield.
Gerrin
Kulga
--------------------------------
Monster (-6)
--------------------------------
Shreya
Kardess
Nectanebo
Belkar
|
|
Shreya begins to inspire the group as Kardess tries to make his way through the large bush and hurls a bomb at the creature. Though his arm gets caught up in the branches of the bush and throw his aim off.
The area erupts in flames as they wash over the creature and Kardess himself.
The Drochtac cringes back at the flames ass half of its body is burned and smoldering. Seeing the fey still standing necctanebo makes his blade even heavier with magic. Seeing an opening gerrin shifts in and slips his wakazashi into the fey's neck and sends it back to its realm.
With the fey taken care of Kulga now opens the stables. Bones litter the bare stone floor of this stable. The reek of decay hangs heavy in the air. The Sarinis once owned several thoroughbreds, but the horses are, of course, long dead. In the corners of the last two stalls, purplish, nearly pulsating goo covers the walls and floor.
Gerrin
Kulga
Shreya
Kardess (5/10)- reflex save for half
Nectanebo
Belkar
|
|
Kulga moves into the stables and and begins to purge the Demon's Bile away with her cold iron morningstar. As she swats through the piles of hay she seems to irritate a pair of large centipedes that rise menacingly out of the purple greasy ooze. They begin to make a rapid chittering sound.