The Professor is startled a bit by Kay's arrival. Still grasping Atterleigh's shoulder, he says: Dash it all, Atterleigh, compose yourself! It's only our lady of the hunt.
@Kay Yes, of course you are most correct, my dear. I shall not leave your side.
Atterleigh is about to reply when you hear the sound of a window breaking from above, and in an instant of falling glass and confusion the thought of conversation is the last thing on your minds.
A figure bursts from the front window of the office's upper floor, sailing through the air in a cloud of shards and landing squarely on the professor, knocking him down into the mud with an splash and howling, manically, as it beats ineffectually at the old man's frame with bloodied fists.
It's a man, a human from what you can see, still wearing the slacks that mark him as an employee of Hawcroft Logging - but the noises he's making as he attacks, the ragged gasps and choked screams, sound like no human you've heard before.
Kay reacts quickly, calling in shock, "Professorrrr!" as she steps up to hit the creature attacking him with her flail.
vs CMD
Condition: normal
Rage: total rounds = 5, rounds used today = 1
Str 14 (18)
Dex 16
Con 13
Hp 13 / Damage = 0
AC 17
Touch 14
Flat 14
Base armour class (3 studded leather armour, 1 size, 3 Dex)
the head of your flail splits open the side of the man's skull, knocking him away from the professor and onto his side. Blood spatters over the front of the professor's coat and into the mud around him, but at least he's safe for the moment.
The Professor lies motionless
You can still play dead if you wish though. :)
Gatsby
Atterleigh leaps back with a yell as the maddened attacker lands at his feet and turns to run, heading back toward the wagon at the edge of the clearing.
Doctor Bishop - already stressed almost to breaking point - reacts to the figure bursting out of the window solely on instinct.
And his instinct is murderous. The loaded crossbow he has carefully carried with him, set by his side while he examined his patients, is in his hand in a moment. Aimed by instinct. Fired with murderous - albeit un-meditated - intent.
Move: Pick up loaded crossbow
Standard: Shoot loaded Crossbow.
Roll will be -4 if into combat. Potentially another -4 if Prone (Kay's attack may have saved him)
, your bolt is well-aimed but poorly timed, passing a hair's breadth above the falling shape and smacking with a dull thud into the timber of the office's doorframe.
Shocked by the sudden flurry of action nearby, Caveth surveys the scene quickly.
He takes a few steps away from the melee, bow appearing in his hands with fluid grace, and fires an arrow at the mad man-beast lolling on the ground near the Professor thanks to the wallop Kay dealt.
+1 for point blank shot
-4 for shooting into melee
-4 for shooting at a prone target
+1 for point blank shot
, although your arrow flies wide of its mark you manage to get a good look at the man as he flails wildly on the ground next to the prostrate form of the professor - he looks human, for the most part, although seems entirely ignorant of the glass shards dotting his body and the large wound on the left side of its head. Other than that he seems 'normal', although that probably isn't the word you would use to describe him to another person.
As you watch he twists awkwardly, not even trying to get to his feet before he lashes out in Kay's direction - she steps smartly aside, but the image of his frenzy is disturbing.
"Perhaps you can tell us what happened here, you poor beast."
With a look of pity on her face, the halfling drops her flail and leaps at the creature.
vs CMD
As a standard action, you can attempt to grapple a foe, hindering his combat options. If you do not have Improved Grapple , grab, or a similar ability, attempting to grapple a foe provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver. Humanoid creatures without two free hands attempting to grapple a foe take a –4 penalty on the combat maneuver roll. If successful, both you and the target gain the grappled condition (see the Appendices). If you successfully grapple a creature that is not adjacent to you, move that creature to an adjacent open space (if no space is available, your grapple fails). Although both creatures have the grappled condition, you can, as the creature that initiated the grapple, release the grapple as a free action, removing the condition from both you and the target. If you do not release the grapple, you must continue to make a check each round, as a standard action, to maintain the hold. If your target does not break the grapple, you get a +5 circumstance bonus on grapple checks made against the same target in subsequent rounds. Once you are grappling an opponent, a successful check allows you to continue grappling the foe, and also allows you to perform one of the following actions (as part of the standard action spent to maintain the grapple).
If You Are Grappled: If you are grappled , you can attempt to break the grapple as a standard action by making a combat maneuver check (DC equal to your opponent's CMD; this does not provoke an attack of opportunity) or Escape Artist check (with a DC equal to your opponent's CMD). If you succeed, you break the grapple and can act normally. Alternatively, if you succeed, you can become the grappler, grappling the other creature (meaning that the other creature cannot freely release the grapple without making a combat maneuver check, while you can). Instead of attempting to break or reverse the grapple, you can take any action that doesn't require two hands to perform, such as cast a spell or make an attack or full attack with a light or one-handed weapon against any creature within your reach, including the creature that is grappling you. See the grappled condition for additional details. If you are pinned , your actions are very limited. See the pinned condition in Conditions for additional details.
Grappled: A grappled creature is restrained by a creature, trap, or effect. Grappled creatures cannot move and take a –4 penalty to Dexterity . A grappled creature takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls and combat maneuver checks, except those made to grapple or escape a grapple. In addition, grappled creatures can take no action that requires two hands to perform. A grappled character who attempts to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability must make a concentration check (DC 10 + grappler's CMB + spell level), or lose the spell. Grappled creatures cannot make attacks of opportunity.
A grappled creature cannot use Stealth to hide from the creature grappling it, even if a special ability, such as hide in plain sight, would normally allow it to do so. If a grappled creature becomes invisible, through a spell or other ability, it gains a +2 circumstance bonus on its CMD to avoid being grappled, but receives no other benefit.
Condition: grappled (initiator)
Rage: total rounds = 5, rounds used today = 2
Str 14 (18)
Dex 16
Con 13
Hp 13 / Damage = 0
AC 17 (15, grappled)
Touch 14 (13, grappled)
Flat 14
Base armour class (3 studded leather armour, 1 size, 3 Dex)
, ignoring the flailing man's hands as they catch at your clothes you haul him up to his knees and grab his arms, twisting them behind his back. He struggles and bucks, but your hold on him is decent enough for now.
The target is successfully grappled.
Between grunts of exertion the little halfling tries to coax the creature into submission, "Come on. Maybe, just maybe, there's enough humanity, ungh, left inside you. Relax a little, ungh, and just tell us what happened. I'm not going to hurt you."
'Or at least we can make your death swift and merciful' she thinks to herself.
With a little more effort she says to her comrades, "Proud as I am of being one of the little-folk, I could, ungh, use a hand from one you long-shanks here. Some more weight will help to hold him down. I think I have him well enough, he can't get at you, but some weight to hold him down... ungh"
Shouldering his bow as he returns to melee range, Caveth goes in low on the creature. He wraps his arms around its waist to prevent it from thrashing its way back to its feet in Kay's grip but is unable to maintain a hold on the writhing form. He lands face first in a shallow puddle as he slips off of the wrestlers.
"A little help here, men? he sputters at his companions, his face hot with embarassment beneath the watery mud.
The Professor stands up with a jolt. Surveying the donnybrook playing out before him he moves to join the fracas.
"Perhaps you can tell us what happened here, you poor beast."
There are times when a lightning quick mind means only that you can vacillate more rapidly.
They are in desperate need of a witness, and Kay has pointed out they now have one. This is an opportunity to be seized. A way is need to calm this madman. The doctor has such a method - several in fact.Were he on his own the decision would be trivial. But to attempt them here, now, surrounded by investigators. It was madness.
Yet without a witness they will be unprepared for what comes. A man who has all his life prized knowledge knows how important such a witness would be.
Stratagem after stratagem flicks through his mind. All might work. All carry risk, and consequences.
The doctor starts forward, gaining momentum as he moves.
"I have some anesthesia, let me just find it..."
as he speaks he is patting at his pockets in a strange manner. A few steps later he seem to pull something from his coat, hidden in his hand - a vial? Meanwhile his other hand drops the crossbow, and opens and closes as he runs almost as if stretching - presumably he caught his hand on the string? Almost at the group now he trips, his hand flying wide and presumably flinging the vial by accident as he catches himself.
Free: Drop Crossbow
Move: Move towards group
Standard: Casting Sleep on the wild man. May catch others in the area. DC is 16, Will save, Elves are immune.
Whatever the doctor did as he fumbled his way toward the fracas, it worked. The bleeding man looks almost confused for a moment and then his struggling slows... and then ceases altogether as he droops in the halfling's grasp.
Joseph is shocked as the creature bursts through the wall, and it takes a moment for him to react. He draws his finely crafted longsword, and charges at the beast.
The uncorked vial flies out of Silas' hand, hitting the wild man in the chest as Caveth recovers his feet. The archer's nose tingles, nostrils flaring slightly at the noxious chemicals released. He recoils and the ampoule lands in the muck between him and the prisoner with a tiny splat. As Caveth steps back a pace flicking the wet grime off of his hands, the fumes take hold of the grappled man-beast; it crumples to the ground in Kay's grip. Caveth feels no worse for wear and appears to be unaffected by Silas' concoction.
Atterleigh passes Joseph as he runs, unsurprised to see the swordsman heading in what he personally considered the worst possible direction - straight towards the attacker, rather than directly away from it.
As he splashes to a stop by the wagon the driver grabs at his trouserleg, causing him to let out a gasp of shock before he realises whose hand is on him.
About to shake free of the young driver's grip Atterleigh catches sight of the man's face, white with fear and turned in the direction of the path back into the forest. Terrified Atterleigh spins around - to see nothing except trees and the muddy cart-path they'd taken.
The Bishop stops and stopps to pick up his crossbow.
Joseph frowns as he looks around for any other threats. Seeing nothing, he sheaths his blade and begins to examine the sleeping assailant.
Kay is a rather surprised at Silas' ability to anaesthetise someone so quickly. "Well done, Dr Silas," she compliments him.
She sits atop the creature, looking rather small by comparision, and asks, "Does anyone have some rope to tie this guy up? I left mine on the ladder repair. I guess I'll retrieve that before long, but for now... anyone?"
Looking towards the forest near the wagon-path Kay says quietly,
"Did you see that? Something white running past over there. And see how the forest is deathly quiet now. Too quiet.
"Maybe someone else can tie this guy up, or sit on him at least. I wanna go look for that white thing."
She moves towards some cover, then flits from tree to bush, bush to shrub, moving slowly towards where the white thing was heading.
The Professor yawns loudly, but doesn't seem to have breathed in enough of the broken ampule's contents to be affected.
Kay, whilst making your way over to the treeline near the wagon you hear a frantic whisper - it's Atterleigh, crouched under the slewed wagon with the driver, motioning for you to come closer.
Kay frowns at Atterleigh, I'm supposed to be hiding. You'll give me away. Gah! Too late for that now. It must be important.
She drops into a quick trot to scurry over to Atterleigh, sidling in close to him under the wagon.
"What is it?"
"Does anyone have some rope to tie this guy up? I left mine on the ladder repair. I guess I'll retrieve that before long, but for now... anyone?"
"I hope so. While that anesthesia is blessed with a rapid onset the patient will regain his senses almost immediately."
"Did you see that? Something white running past over there. And see how the forest is deathly quiet now. Too quiet.
The doctor swallows convulsively and returns to the carriage while loading his crossbow
"Please don't go in there. Please. It's not safe."
Atterleigh is terrified, and it's hard for him to keep his voice calm and level but he manages it... just. Expecting a cutting remark from the halfling he tries to make his supposition a little more immediate, gesturing towards the driver lying next to him.
"Whatever it was, he saw it, I think, and..." Atterleigh snaps his fingers in front of the prone driver's open eyes with no response. The man's breathing is shallow and his jaw slack, a look of something between fear and fascination in his expression. "It's like he's not there anymore. I don't know what happened - he was reaching out for me, like he was scared, and then he just... slumped. I didn't see what he saw. I think... that we might want to find somewhere safe. Soon. Please."
Raindrops spatter his glasses as the storm begins to build strength overhead. He doesn't wipe them away.
Seeing no one scramble away for rope, the Professor sits squarely on the now asleep assailant's chest. Though not a heavy man by any stretch of the imagination, he hopes that he can keep him pinned with gravity, even for but a few seconds.
From out in the forest that sound comes again, the hollow bass animal-noise. For those of you standing around the camp, it sounds much like before, but for anybody at or near the wagon it sounds much closer.
"Okay, on your feet Mr Atterleigh. I think you're right, I think we have a very serious situation here. Come with me, it is important we stick together. Help me bring the driver along."
Kay manages to drag the driver is Atterleigh is incapable of helping much. She drops him near to the sleeping creature.
Taking a tone of urgency she says to her comrades, "Something very... weird... very dangerous is happening here. I think the pieces fit together like this. There is some creature out there that drives you mad just from looking at it. I think our poor driver here is suffering from that right now. I think he will soon be acting more like him," pointing to the sleeping creature, "very soon. I think that the poor woman in the Watchtower saw what was happening and figured it out too. Then she saw the creature, or heard it coming and chose to end her own life rather than suffer the transformation she knew would come.
“We have to make sure that doesn’t happen to us. I think we need to lock these guys into the small quarters, one in each. Maybe there’s a cure for what ails them. Or we could give them a mercifully swift death now…
“Then the rest of us should either take to one of the little shacks too, or the foreman’s office.
“Most importantly, we need to act now.”
Caveth had begun sorting through Atterleigh's open pack in search of rope so he could tie up the prisoner with the Professor but he stops and looks sharply at Kay when she mentions "disposing" of the catatonic driver.
"Killing him now is nothing short of murder," he strides over to the lad, distracted from his task by the gravity of Kay's suggestion. Caveth crouches, grasping the driver by the jaw and turning his face to one side and then the other for a cursory inspection. "Though he will be truly lost if we can't free him of the fear that will drive him mad."
When he finishes speaking the incorporeal figure of a slim woman with long dark hair and dressed in little more than rags shimmers into existence beside the half elf, crouching at the driver's side in precisely the same posture as Caveth. She covers his hand with hers and whispers briefly into his ear then vanishes as quickly as she appeared.
Joseph, your talk with the diver about local lore has gotten you thinking - the man's attitude, his frenzy and lack of pain and, now that you're closer, the odd marble-like smoothness of his papery skin and comparative lack of blood leaking from his wounds reminds you of something you read in one of your old books. It had been a passage or two, maybe even less, describing some sort of magical plague that had blossomed in the area hundreds of years before and then died out just as quickly, noteworthy due to its magical nature rather than virility or body-count.
If you could get back to your book collection you would be able to search for the information in more detail, but for now that's all you remember.
About to defend her position on a mercy-killing, Kay listens as he proposes a solution, an impossible solution surely.
"And just how do...!"
The halfling is clearly taken aback by the appearance of the ghostly form which speaks to Caveth. With wide eyes she stares at him, completely speechless.
As the gentle apparition vanishes the driver sucks in a huge breath and shudders, his hands clutching at his head.
The driver's recovery causes a wide smile to break across Caveth's face for the first time any one of his companions can recall seeing. With a quick, practiced motion he fishes a small wooden carving of a blooming rose on a leather thong out of his shirt and kisses it, then looks to the group standing around him.
Seeing the combination of doubt and amazement that borders on horror on their faces, he assures them, "Milani has blessed me with her grace. It is nothing to be afraid of." He offers a hand to help the driver up, hoping that his explanation will suffice. "Now let's get this one tied up and find some shelter before whatever is out there shows itself."
Joseph rises from examining their attacker.
"I've read about something like this," he says quietly. "I forget where exactly, but in one of my books, there was something about a magical plague in this area that caused this type of damage. Note the lack of bleeding, from all of these wounds; and how incredibly smooth this man's skin is. I can't recall much more, but this man's problems are definitely magical in nature."
It's then that he notices that everybody is staring at the unconscious driver. "What did I miss?"