Dac bisects the final ant and purple-tinged blood pours out onto the ground, and everyone feels heavy relief wash over them from the tense battle. The graveyard lay still and quiet again. The ant's blood, still dripping out of its exoskeleton, is almost the same color as the purple goo along the headstones.
Your nature or planar studies have covered such a substance. This is a portion of Demon's Bile, a very infectious demonic fluid that can mutate vermin that are drawn to it.
DEMON’S BILE
Type disease, ingested; Save Fortitude DC 18
Onset 1d4 days; Frequency 1/day
Effect 1 Wisdom damage, gain 1 Strength, shift one alignment step toward chaotic evil, see below; Cure 2 consecutive saves
Special 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.
Before Dac sheaths his sword, the young warrior looks at the purple goo left on his longsword from slaying the giant ants.
"Echk! What do you think that is? Demon's Bile or something?"
The young farmhand walks a few feet away and swipes his sword off on some nearby grass.
This also accompanies Dac's knowledge:
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.
A tanned bald man with a well-toned physique turns up in the graveyard just as the final stroke kills the last ant.
"Oh, I missed the party."
The seemingly peaceful Qadiran body language is more responsive to the voice of Sidhe as Darshanti turns his head to her.
"Darshanti. Mayor sent me to work with you. You?"
'Blast, it left some of that goo on my leg.' Looking at his wounded leg, then to Dac. "Demon bile you say? Any chance of knowing how it got here, or what it will do to us?"
"Well. As I understand it, the priests will have to consecrate the whole area, or the purple goo breeds more demonic vermin. But I don't know how it got here."
Dachus receives a few queer looks at his seeming knowledge of such things."What? Farmboys can't read when not shucking corn and feeding animals?"
"Darshanti. Mayor sent me to work with you. You?"
With a slight limp, Dachus walks to greet the strange newcomer.
"Greetings, Darshanti. And welcome to Saringallow! My name's Dachus, but most call me 'Dac'. I don't suppose you're a healer?."
At Dac's question, the bald man shakes his head. At Onnello's inquiry, he nods as he shakes the knight's hand.
Once the ants have been finished and you've had the chance to investigate the Demon's Bile, you notice something that the Demon's Bile is growing over. What looks to be a morningstar made out of cold iron. You also discover several implements throw about as if there were a fight in this area a few days before. There is a wand and a pouch containing two potions.
After a moment, a rather cantankerous crow flies down onto a nearby headstone, cawing loudly at you.
This bird is actually a spellcaster's familiar.
The bird is actually trying to speak! Its squawks are approximating the words, "Yellow-foot! Get Yellow-foot!"
Darshanti smiles at the demigoddess. Just when he is about to open his mouth, he is distracted by the sound of a raven. Moving closer to it but not too close, he studies it and what it is cawing about.
"Maybe."
'I looks like there was a fight here.' Moving around Onnello picks up the wand, pouch and Morningstar. Holding the items up for the others to see. "This morningstar is made of cold iron, like my sword, it will be more effective against some creatures. One of you should use it."
"I'll claim the morningstar if no one minds", speak Dac, looking around to the others. "I like stars".
Dachus begins to concentrate on what the crow is trying to say. After a few more caws, the young warrior asks, "Yellow-foot? What's a yellow-foot?"
"The bird's a familiar. Should be expected if one of the apprentices knew a bit of magic. More importantly, familiars share a bond with their masters. This crow may be able to helps us find out what happened after the fight that took place here. I don't know anything about a Yellow-foot, but perhaps someone else knows."
Yuld looks over the wand and potions, hoping to find their use.
Yuld correctly identifies the bird as a familiar and Sidhe correctly surmises that the raven belongs to Nolaria. The treasure Yuld identifies as a wand of bless weapon (10 charges), and the potions are an elixir of hiding and an elixir of vision.
You recall:
"Ah, yes," she says, "Pavolus has always been a good boy, caring. Gellion was always the most charismatic of the bunch, isn't that right Dac? Sort of their leader. Pavolus likes him a great deal. He even made Gellion a pair of bright yellow boots when his got worn out. For free! See, the kindness of that boy? Petrello is so critical of him sometimes, he misses the kindness of him."
"Wait a second!" Dachus exclaimed. "Gellion always wore yellow shoes. Maybe he's Yellow-Foot!"
Sidhe doesn't see anyone else in the graveyard where they are at. Sidhe and Onnello work together, surveying the area. It seems there was a fight that broke out, then one of the combatants fell down in a nearby copse of grass, dropping the morningstar and magical items.
Dac correctly deduces that Gellion's yellow shoes mean that that is who the bird is talking about, that he may have been the perpetrator responsible for the apprentices' disappearances.
To recap:
- You know Gellion is considered the leader of the apprentices by numerous testimonies of the apprentices' masters.
- You know he was there at the graveyard where Nolaria was last seen due to the evidence of his wearing the yellow boots, connecting that with Nolaria's familiar's warnings.
- You have a copy of the letter meant for Morvinarr, with handwriting that could be identified by someone close to Gellion, and if it is in fact his handwriting, that would solidify his status as at least a suspect.
You feel that you have enough evidence to make a convincing case that Gellion could be responsible for this. What do you do now?
Darshanti searches the ground for any possible footprints.
"I'm afraid I know little of the techniques of hunters. I believe we should find out more about Gellion: he worked at the potion store, correct?" Yuld wonders.
"Dammit, Gellion! What have you done?" Dac says to himself.
"Um, yeah. Good idea, Mr. Yuld. And we can stop by the Temple to tell the clerics about the demon bile out here."
You go to the temple and and Ildris Ruvarra welcomes you again, but once you detail the Demon's Bile in the town's graveyard, his features turn grim.
"An invasion of an Abyssal substance such as this cannot be overlooked. Quickly, lead me to this substance and I will eradicate it."
Leading him back to the graveyard, you witness Ildris call on the power of Erastil, brandishing his wooden holy symbol. A greenish-white light blooms out from the wood, engulfing the toxic slime, destroying all of it completely.
____
Next, you make your way back to Pricknettle's and find her sorting the various poultices on the shelves.
"Ah, back again? What'll it be, then?" She looks at Dac. "Looks like you've seen some action, need a healing potion? Got some herbal flavoring to it too!"
|
Sidhe doesn't waste time. She's pretty used to getting what she wants from the temple, and, well, tact isn't something that comes easy. So, when the group arrives at Pricknettles, she waits for a brief second, and starts.
"We'd like to search Gellion's room. Can you take us to it?" she asks the healer.
As the walked to the temple, Onnello moved beside 'Dac' and asked the young man. "Dac, this Gellion was a friend of yours right? Does this sound like something he would do? Before we go to the mayor with this information maybe we should search where he lives for more information."
Matching the knights low tone, Dac answered, "Well, he was probably the most ambitious of us, always talking up big plans. But not to the point of hurting anyone."
Sidhe doesn't waste time. She's pretty used to getting what she wants from the temple, and, well, tact isn't something that comes easy. So, when the group arrives at Pricknettles, she waits for a brief second, and starts.
"We'd like to search Gellion's room. Can you take us to it?" she asks the healer.
Looking the the gnome proprietor, Dac nods, "Yes. What she said." Adding "please?'
Ildris looks at the ground with a practiced eye and says, "Well it seems there was a conflict and someone dragged the other away. If this is Nolaria then I fear for her life." His shoulders slump. "Though I am a practiced priest of Erastil, I confess, the tracks lead further into the town, and it is nearly impossible to follow the trail with so much overlapping foot traffic. I beg you, find Nolaria."
____
A pained look of worry crosses Pricknettle's face when you ask for Gellion's home address. "Why do you need that information? Do you have some kind of evidence against him?"
Pricknettle says, "In truth, I haven't seen Gellion in several days. I suspect that Nolaria Wintren has something to do with his disappearance, though. That priest's apprentice is a meddler I tell you. Always filling Gellion's head with dangerous ideas."
Onnello detects some worry behind Majara's words.
"I don't think he'd harm anyone, especially not his friends. I won't have you ransacking his home unless you tell me what you've found, until I can judge the evidence against him myself."
However, with the last statements, Onnello can tell Majara's resolve is absolute unless shown proof.
Yuld sighs. "I'm sure you're aware that Gellion frequently wore yellow shoes. Well, we decided to investigate the graveyard, and found evidence of a fight there. More importantly, we found Nolaria's familiar." (If we brought it with us, Yuld will demonstrate its cry). "We believe Yellow-Foot refers to Gellion, based on his shoes."
"In addition, we have a letter for Morvinaar here. If you could identify the handwriting as Gellion's, it would show some connection between the disappearances and him."
Majara sighs. "Yes, that's Gellion's handwriting. I can't believe he could be involved in something like this. Fine, then I will give his home address. Please, if you encounter him, don't hurt him. I don't know why he's doing this, he's always been a sweet boy. I'm sure if we can get his side of things this will all be straightened out."
____
You take the directions Majara give you and follow the main road, Noble's Folly, to the north. After some time, you come to the house, a simple, well-kept, two-story structure of bricks, wood, and plain shingles. Smoke billows from a brick chimney, and minimal light escapes from the windows, from which partially closed, thick-slatted shutters hang. The front door bears a tarnished brass knocker. The entire party notices a dark, greasy-looking stain oozing from between the slats of the shutters on the ground floor windows.
The front door's knocker is also lightly smeared with the dark, dried substance.
You both also notice a mechanical trap that has been set on the front door. A spring-loaded vial lay above the door jam, ready to spray its contents on whoever tries to open the door.
The dark substance is blood, likely only a few days old.
The windows seem to be locketd from the inside. The glass seems to be easy to break, but you remember the mayor's mandate to keep your investigation discreet. Causing property damage would almost suredly break that. The front door is a strong wooden door and looks to be locked.
What do you do?
Dachus looks around at the state of Gellion'a house. It looks like someone's home, so the young warrior walks up the door and knocks.
"Oy! Gelly!" Dac shouts. "It's Dac! You home?"
Darshanti raises a hand to stop others from approaching the door.
"Don't open."
He gives a sidelong glance.
"Trap."
He then approaches the contraption and begins working to remove it.
Darshanti fiddles with the trap but is unable to release the mechanism. His nimble fingers avoid triggering the device, but it still seems to be active.
Darshanti tries to disable it again.
This time Darshanti is able to fully disable the device, unclipping the thin cord from the vial, which is hot to the touch. It seemed to be a device that would spray a line of hot liquid all over whoever opened the door. Sidhe thinks with her expertise in healing that the substance may be boiling blood.
Darshanti unlocks the door and you move into the house proper. Here, scratches and dark stains cover nearly every surface in this spacious living room. To the east, paintings and other once fine objects give fuel to a fire roaring in the hearth. Bent, broken, and bloody cutlery juts at odd angles from the table in the center of the room. Books lie scattered in heaps next to broken shelves, and shards of shattered dishes spill forth from their cabinets. An open door to the west looks into the filthy kitchen, and stairs to the southwest lead up to the next floor. Tiny bloody footprints cover the stairs, heading in both directions.
You have only a moment to explore, however, because a knife flies out from beneath the table and skates off of Dac's armor. And something crawls out beneath the table, something hiding there that you didn't see before when you scanned the room! It gargles a hideous battle cry!
In Combat!
Bold may act.
Active party buffs:
Environmental effects:
Round 1
Dac (-6)
Darshanti
===========================
Garlmak
===========================
Yuld
Sidhe
Onnello
Following behind the farmer, Onnello waits politely, as 'Dac' bellows for his friend, Hearing Darshanti say 'trap' and Sidhe point out the blood. Onnello gives their guide a stare, and asks, "Is this common for your friend? Blood on the stoop and a trap waiting?"
"Ahh!" Dac exclaims. "What is that thing?!"
The young warrior draws his sword, running around the table to corner the creature and attacks.
"حيوان دموي"
Darshanti wastes no time, moving to where he can see the knife thrower and firing a black ray at it.
(Damage is halved until Darshanti ID's the creature and change to creature type)
Darshanti correctly identifies the creature and knows that it is some kind of homunculus, although a variant of some kind. It does not have wings, nor does it have a stinger, but looks stronger, with fangs. It has the traits of a construct. Dac manages to move around the table but misses it with his strike. Darshanti nearly misses the agile creature, but maintains his composure firing precisely into melee. The homunculus screams in pain and anger and, you think a bit of pleasure too?
Garlmak, faced with a large opponent in melee combat, bears its wicked teeth and tries to bite Dac, but cannot find a way past his armor, instead gnawing on his forearm brace.
Bold may act.
Active party buffs:
Environmental effects:
Round 1 / 2
Dac (-6)
Darshanti
===========================
Garlmak (-7)
===========================
Yuld
Sidhe
Onnello
Yuld notes the strange energy Darshanti wields, but curiosity could come later. First, there was the enemy.
Yuld releases his aura once more, calling upon the powers of the Moon. Light shines from his skin, illuminating the room.
Yuld focuses on the homunculus, beckoning the light to him.
Yuld then enhances the light, wrapping the foe in a shining cage.
Darshanti breathes in to gain some focus. (Full round action to gain psionic focus and select construct as his active creature type).