Vala shakes her head at the sunken area of tile, wondering if the beast fell and left the large impression in the floor. She notes the absence of build-up by one of the windows, her eyes narrowing as she suspects it as a point of escape for whomever took the effigy.
Realizing the hour though, she excuses herself from Monty to hurry off to Hergstag.
---
"Oh my. This place looks positively dreadful now."
Vermundr grimaces and readies his worn two-handed blade. "Stick together. Nothing good lives in a place like this."
Frowning at the window, Vala walks over to it to test her theory. Her eyes narrowed with suspicion, she tries to open the window.
Vala draws her cloak more tightly around her shoulders as the group leads the horses along the ill-kept road. "Given what we saw in Ravengro before meeting you, Vermundr, I'd say we're likely to have just as much to fear from whatever's here that isn't alive." She shakes her head, banishing the chill beginning to creep up her neck, and continues to talk, "Did the sisters explain what they think happened here? Is this is the town that girl the Beast had mentioned, Maisie was it? Is this where she's from? Do we know which house might have been hers?"
HP: 27/27
Negative Energy Resist 5
AC: 14 (10 T / 14 FF)
CMD: 13
F/R/W: +4/+1/+8 (+2 vs death effects, energy drain, negative energy, & necromancy)
Monstrous Insight used: 0/7
Wand of CLW: 14/50 remaining
Healing Hex targets:
Current Wandering Spirit: Life
Channel Energy (3d6) used: 0/5
Prepared spells
Orisons (4) | DC 14: dancing lights, disrupt undead, identify, read magic
Level 1 spells (3+1+1*) | DC 15: inflict light wounds [ ], know the enemy* [ ], magic missile [ ] [ ], produce flame (CL7) [ ]
Level 2 spells (2+1+1*) | DC 16: glitterdust [ ], lesser restoration* [ ] [ ], spiritual weapon [ ]
Level 3 spells (1+1+1*) | DC 17: lightning bolt [ ], locate object* [ ], speak with dead [ ]
Ongoing Effects
The window which is free from grime is stiff, but opens wide with some 'persuasion.'
However, despite her very best efforts, Vala cannot open any of the other windows.
The buildings on the outskirt of the village are terribly damaged by weather and depredation due to the passing of time. A couple are barely passable as undergrowth has long since claimed the porches and thick privet grows up to the height of the window.
Finding nothing of interest, the part presses on into the village proper.
Zed
Kaz
Zed and Vermundr lead the group along the overgrown pathway. They are concentrating so hard on keeping the path that a deadly trap remains undetected. Zed plants his foot into a wickedly sharp bear trap that lay obscured in the long grass. It snaps shut with a clang and it's jagged, rusty teeth bite deep into the Inquisitor's calf.
Grunting in pain, Kazamir instinctively takes a step backward from the commotion and finds he too triggers a trap, once again suffering the crushing pain of a bear trap.
"****!"
The exclaimation that issues from Kazamir's mouth is, sad to say, not up to the usual standards of gentlemanly behavior to which he tries to adhere.
And, speaking of adhere, there appears to be soemthing stuck to his leg...
"Give me a moment, Zed - I think I can get these open." Going to one knee, he fishers out his tools and goes to work on the device's mechanism.
"Hnnngg..." Zed goes paler than normal and falls on his side, looking down to see what just took his foot off. He sees the trap and takes a deep breath, shaking as the adrenaline rush shoots his heart through his throat. "All you..." He says at the offer of help.
Vermundr joins Kaz in cursing up a storm. He locks his feet in place and looks around for additional traps.
As the group heads further into the village, Vermundr discovers half a dozen more of the rusted old bear traps - some sprung and containing scraps of decayed animal flesh and the occasional bone, others still ready to snap shut. These he triggers with any piece of wood or stone to hand and the group passes without further harm.
You pass by one of the houses, it's roof collapsed and the north wall reduced completely to rotten timber.
As you are looking up at the house, you suddenly notice a small, dark figure - even blacker than the burgeoning night - at the corner of the house. It can only be described as shadows, twisted into the form of a child and wreathed in black fire. It darts across the path and behind the house casting glances behind it as if it were being chased.
Freeing himself, KAz limps over to help Zed.
IF no-one objects, I'll down one of our CLW potions.
IF no-one objects, I'll down one of our CLW potions.
1d8+1
Vala cradles her chin in the crook of her hand as she regards the windows and shakes her head. Whoever took the effigy, this is probably how they left, I'm almost certain. She then scuttles off to the back door.
Vala turns at Hazel's shout and nods, "I see it, dear. Looks like a frightened ghost of some sort, if such things be."
Kazamir goes slightly pale at the glimpse of the child-like shape, but says nothing.
The shadow was likely a wraith-spawn, the creation of a wraith when it steals the life of a victim.
They are quite deadly in and of themselves, their very touch capable of draining vitality (constitution). They are incorporeal and able to fly
Vala then moves toward the back door, clearly the point of entry as the broken lock and door jam indicates.
Still attached to the frame, although barely, is the remains of a tiny silver bell and a length of fine silver wire.
These are the spell components for an alarm spell
Although several people have walked through the scene, you can see a set of dried, muddy tracks - made by a large, heavy creature in iron-nailed boots (just like the one the Beast is wearing)
"Wraithspawn! It would seem that the children did indeed not meet their end at the hands of Bland... Best beware:"
Kaz will share the info in the "vAla and KAz" spoiler above.
Would Kazamir know that spawn become more powerful when their creator is destroyed?
"That explains a lot," Hazel sighs. "How there were no marks on the children and the thing Bland said he saw when Maisie was attacked..."
She scowls and looks around, almost as if daring the one responsible to show itself. "But where'd the original wraith come from that started it? Should we check the graveyard when we get a chance?"
"NO!" Kaz exclaims, then stops, a little sheepish at how harsh it came out.
'Yes, of course, we must see to the wraith that murdered the children - but last. What we saw - presumably one of the children of Hergstag - is somewhat weaker than the wraith that killed him or her. They are also, to an extent, bound to the wraith that killed them,' the investigator continues in a more level tone. "If we destroy the wraith that spawned them, each of the children will grow in power, and be released from its control, mayhap to scatter throughout the County. No, I fear we must lay the children to rest, first.
Let's see if we can track down the one that we saw."
Vala nods, the gesture grim. "Come then, let's grant them what mercy we may."
The group cautiously proceed around the ruined house, Zed and Vermundr once again leading the way. After Kazamir's hurried warning everyone is even more on edge and becoming very aware of the rapidly setting sun and the gloom closing in around them.
The watery dusk light almost invites disaster as Vermundr almost strides into another waiting bear trap. Hazel catches sight of it at the last moment and unceremoniously gives the warrior a shove, meaning his foot just misses the trap.
There is no sign of the little shadow child you just saw.
When the party commits to destroying the undead children, Vermundr's mouth settles into a grim line as he nods in understanding.
The burly northerner performs a quick gesture with one hand conjuring a protective ward.
Zed gives a grim node. For the others it may be something abhorent and soul-destroying to rip apart the bodies of unliving children, but for him...it's another weekend.
Zed casts hide from undead on all his allies.
Vala moves forward, looking for the vanished wraithchild.
HP: 27/27
Negative Energy Resist 5
AC: 14 (10 T / 14 FF)
CMD: 13
F/R/W: +4/+1/+8 (+2 vs death effects, energy drain, negative energy, & necromancy)
Monstrous Insight used: 0/7
Wand of CLW: 14/50 remaining
Healing Hex targets:
Current Wandering Spirit: Life
Channel Energy (3d6) used: 0/5
Prepared spells
Orisons (4) | DC 14: dancing lights, disrupt undead, identify, read magic
Level 1 spells (3+1+1*) | DC 15: inflict light wounds [ ], know the enemy* [ ], magic missile [ ] [ ], produce flame (CL7) [ ]
Level 2 spells (2+1+1*) | DC 16: glitterdust [ ], lesser restoration* [ ] [ ], spiritual weapon [ ]
Level 3 spells (1+1+1*) | DC 17: lightning bolt [ ], locate object* [ ], speak with dead [ ]
Ongoing Effects
protection from evil (1/10 rds)
Hit
and
As the group looks around cautiously, the gleeful child spirit comes dashing through the walls of the ruin. It is a featureless mass of black fire but a child-like laugh echoes around you as it swipes out at Kazamir as if it were playing 'tag.'
Despite Zed's magic it has no problem in detecting the group.
As soon as the wraith child appears, Constantin leans forward, concentrating, and launches a trio of darts of telekinetic force into it.
As the wraithspawn emerges, Kazamir adds his strike to Constantin's.
With the touch of the incorporeal hand, Kazamir hisses, barely able to keep from screaming into the still village.