Mai Magrim arwain eich enaid i orffwys tragwyddol... Rennai begins to chant in a low voice, what seems to be a prayer. She pulls a necklace with a wooden pendant from beneath her shirt and dangles it over the corpse as she speaks. After a few moments, she stands. Nothing more we c'n do for 'er. Let's go see if we can't do somethin' for whoever's up there. Did anyone see stairs up when we came in?
A quick survey of the rooms reveals a small hatch into the attic. If there was a ladder it has been removed of pulled up. It will require a jump to get up. The sound of sobbing is louder here. No one responds to any calls or shouts, or the noise you make.
Abelone gives Rennai a "that's supposed to be my job" -look, but doesn't say anything. It really isn't the best possible moment to start a religious conflict, as much as it is a time-honored sarenite tradition. Instead, she focuses her efforts into trying to get through the haft in the roof, a task not made any easier by her cumbersome breastplate.
Abraham, realizing the others were not immediately coming down, goes back up to look. Seeing the trap door and the reminents of someone climbing up, he follows suit.
The attic is cool and dark, with no sign of light. To the side closest to the door something can be heard scrabbling against the wood of the floor, and the soft sobbing of at least two voices can be heard.
As soon as Abraham hits the attic and noticed the noises he quietly starts to move towards them with an edge of suspicion.
Rennai clambers up behind Abelone and Abraham. Her breastplate only makes her thick build more difficult to deal with, but she manages to make it through. She joins the others in surveying the attic, the room's contours black-and-white shapes in her keen night vision. It sounds as if they're in there, she whispers, inclining her head toward the noises. And there may be trouble - be prepared. She draws her chain-flail and prepares to enter the room.
"I'll wait outside again, in case there's someone we don't want to scare in there.
Kovar follows closely behind Abraham, eyeing the surroundings and attempting to sneak as well.
The boxes and clutter of the attic block a view of whatever you're looking for. After a moment of weaving through a tiny foot comes into view. It isn't moving.
What does move is a small collection of toys and rags. A cat's skull sits on top of the creature. The moans and sobs come from it. The Attic Whisperer turns as you appear.
Noticing that the sobs are now coming from closer by, Abelone touches her holy symbol and mutters a quick light spell to see from what kind of being they are coming from.
"What the-" she yells, shocked, involuntarily recoiling away a bit from the dimly-lit figure. Whatever she excepted this certainly isn't it.
Does anyone know what that 'thing' is?
Abraham quickly moves across the room to get to the other side of the creature. Then swings his blades in quick succession towards the cat head.
Discipline: Thrashing Dragon (Strike); Level: 1
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instant
DESCRIPTION
The Thrashing Dragon disciple's skill with his dual weapons allows him to strike with practiced speed and alacrity, allowing him to make an attack with two wielded weapons (or unarmed strikes), using the same attack action. Creatures with more than two arms may still only strike with two wielded weapons.
"Don't come closer than you have to!" Chloir yells as she follows Abraham in. Pity I have to get close.
"Ugh, you surfacers sure have strange enemies..."
Kovar unleashes an Earth Blast, targeting the poor child-monster.
Augh! Rennai lets out in a surprised yell, stepping to within reach of the curious beastie and taking a swing with her chain-flail. In her surprise, the weapon's spiked head swings erratically.
The small creatures dived around, avoiding the worst of the attacks against it, the miserable sobbing and whailing making it difficult to concentrate. Only one of Abraham's Kukri's managed to cut it, causing a cascade of dust and detritus before it launched it's own attack on Abraham.
As the strange skull teeth sunk into Abraham's arm he felt a sensation tugging on the very breath in his chest.
Abelone pulls out her saber, moves closer to the creature and makes a half-aimed slash, not really trying to hit but instead to distract the small undead and divert its attention from the other combatants.
Grateful for Abelone's attempts to distract the creature, Rennai takes another swing.
The thing didn't seem to pay attention to Abelone, but Chloir presses on regardless. She briefly focuses her power on her right blade, then attacks with both weapons in quick succession and trying to peck at the skull with her beak for good measure.
Abraham grimaces in pain as the thing catches his arm.
Grunting in effort he returns the favor.
Dodgy little thing, isn't it?"
Kovar unleashes another Earth blast, hoping to strike true this time.
Kovar's Earth Blast lands with a brutal crunch, causing the creature to shudder and sob in pain. The small undead thing was still standing, however.
Targeting Abraham once again, the creature lunges forwards...
...once again latching on. Once again the breath from Abraham's chest starting to flow back out into the air.
[ooc]Sorry Abraham - another DC 16 will save or you are Exhausted for an hour. On the plus side, you are apparently delicious.[/occ]
"Mangey...little... thing, when I'm threw with you..."
Abraham says through gasping breaths.
He focuses his effort on fighting on, taking 2 more swipes at the creature.
Abelone keeps trying to distract the cat-skulled monster by frantically swatting at it with her blade.
"Stop ignoring me, you little pest!"
Slippery little bugger... Chloir thinks as her blades flail around it. Concentrating her attention on a single strike, she goes for the thing's skull... then blinks out of existence for an instance, the strike comming from below.
"Sorry, Abraham, hopefully this time it won't clamp down!"
Kovar grimaces and shoots another blast.
The brutal blows that rain on the small undead finally put it out of it's misery. It collapses in a pile of debris, the skull rolling away with a small clanking noise.
Abraham drops his kukri's and sags against the wall, trying to catch his breath. "Not sure what that thing did to me, but I feel like I've spent all day running." He pauses for a second trying to get a sense of himself. " I can stand, I think, but moving quickly isn't going to happen."
Abraham kicks the slightly teetering skull in annoyance.
As the skull rolls toward Rennai's feet, she swings the head of her flail at it, shattering it to pieces.
I guess that was what was doin' all that caterwaulin', then, Rennai mutters in annoyance. Well, while we're up here let's do some lookin' fer anythin' we c'n use. Then get the hell back an' see if we can't do somethin' fer the kid.
You look fine, you probably just need some rest. You can catch your breath while we get the food packed. After we haul that to the inn and the medicine to the other family, we can decide whether to press on to the warehouse today.
The remains of the Whisperer contain a handful of jewellery, including a silver necklace with a blue stone (300gp), a matching silver ring (100g) and a gold bracelet with emeralds (200gp).
The remains of the child that created the Whisperer hold nothing. It appears that after the loss of there parent they hid up here, injured, and no one ever came.
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Abraham sighs before slowly getting back to his feet after the others finish searching. "Alright then, thanks for the respite. I think I should be good to go. I'll just have to deal with it as we go. If you all are ready that is?"
"Hmmm...I wonder why that creature formed here. Is there something else we should be watching out for up here?"
Abelone recites a short prayer for the child's souls safe journey to the afterlife, then moves on to help pack up the food. No point in tarrying here any longer than necessary.
Well, I assume we are about done up here. Feel free to retcon this if not.
After the searching winds down Abraham moves to go back downstairs.
He'll keep his ears and eyes open for anything else. While moving to go back downstairs and moves back towards the cat.
"So what do we want to do the cat? Do we leave it here or bring it back? Personally I don't see any harm in bringing it back. Look how cute it is, I'm sure it could raise the spirits of everyone back at the Inn."
The kitten mewls questioningly.
At the meow, Rennai reaches down and scratches between the kitten's ears. Bring it in, I say. Like y'said, it'll be good for morale, and it ain't gonna take much for supplies. She scoops the kitten into one hand and sets it atop her broad shoulder. Come on. Let's get outta here an' get this back t'the sick boy. We still gotta go check that warehouse, too.
"Sure, take the cat if you want to. Can't afford to be a picky eater these days, he he," Abelone says and smiles a little so that everybody knows that she's just joking.
Or is she?
Kovar eyes Abelone nervously. "Well, we know who doesn't get to carry the adorable kitty."
"Well, I'm not carrying the pesky thing either. If someone thinks she can keep it under control or in a bag, go ahead, otherwise it can follow us. Now, how do we get back to the inn with this stuff without encountering more undead?"
Abraham eyes Abelone a little warily "Well, I'd say we just try and move quickly and quietly the way we came."
Abraham will move over to the front door and prop it slightly ajar
Poking his head to make sure the coast is clear.
Before turning back and informing the others how things look.
Back the way we came works fer me, Rennai agrees, gathering the kitten in her arms and preparing to set off. Y'see anythin', Abraham?
Outside of the building things seem to be clear. Bar the sea wind the streets are quiet.
Turning back to the rest,
"seems to be clear as far as I can see. If we are going to move now is as good of time as any."
Let's go, then. Shouldering the bulging sack of supplies, Rennai peeks out of the door, then begins to make her way back the way they came, holding her chain-flail in preparation for any surprises.
As you walk through the silent streets, the feeling of disquiet in you grows. Maybe it's the eerie, silent nature of the streets - how many people are still alive? Maybe it was the tiny, silent corpse you found in that attic. The rescue of the supplies (and kitten) sooth those feelings somewhat, but they're still there.
You reach the small shop where the family waits to find it undisturbed.