Quickly appraising the situation, Gryfford yells: "Aluar ! Get out there ! That zombie's family !" before running past Aluar and Adrien Bellgrave and crashing in the zombie's spongy flank with a sickening "Thump !".
Gryff bounces harmlessly off the zombie who moans incoherently.
Taltosh, seeing what Gryfford attempted, moved to trip the undead that Bellgrave called 'Jen' with his spear.
Then all of a sudden, he says loudly while holding his warhammer against his chest, "Be gone ya smelly jagoff". He then wiggles his toes and Channels energy .
Your spirit fills with courage.
Misinterpreting Jen for Jean, Arasmes grabs Adrien "Get out of the way Bellgrave!" he yells, with a fearful look at the Soultaker.
The energy erupts from Yolks hammer and you see the zombie and Arasmes shudder a bit as it passes over them.
Adrien yells out, "NOOOOO!" and pulls free of Arasmes grasp."She's my wife! Please don't hurt her!"
"Arasmes, quit huggin' the man, let im breathe!"
Working his mouth slowly, Yolk mutters under his breath something of a half apology.
oh..grumble grumble..apologies..grumble..
A flicker of wariness flashes across his face, but Yolk maintains a good show, for he is after all on this man's land. These are, after all, different customs than I am familiar with. Yolk continues, putting his best foot forward, "Strange wife ya got there Bellgrave! Hope that ain't yer normal way introducin' yer bride, Ho!"
"No channeling!" screams Arasmes, still desperately struggling to move Adrien.
Taltosh, seeing what Gryfford attempted, moved to trip the undead that Bellgrave called 'Jen' with his spear.Trip: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
12 - Zombie
05 - Adrien Bellgrave
Taltōsh ran forward and sent the zombie sprawling and it lands with a sickening squelch on the ground. It manages to stagger to its feet with a lurch looks at Adrien and moans indistinctly.
The farmer rushes over looking at the group with fire burning in his eyes. "Ya don't understand!" He pauses for a moment then continues. "I'm sorry for not being honest with you before. I promise to explain everything, upstairs in the house...just leave her alone..." he looks at the zombie who continues to moan and stare vacantly at the group and his eyes get moist again, but this time you can tell it is a genuine sadness.
Taltōsh looked to the others. "I cannot speak for the others, but I am amenable to that course of action."
"Suppose we're lucky we found Jean before he could lay waste to this..your... Yolk trails off. "... ahh, Bellgrave, I know you still love your wife. But, your wife...this is no longer." He finishes with a gesture toward the zombie, Yolk bows his head slightly and looks away to avoid making eye contact with the farmer.
He doesn't say anything but folds up the map that Aluar was looking at and moves up the stairs. The zombie makes no attempt to follow him nor does it attack your group.
Yolk heads with Bellgrave.
Arasmes heads up with Yolk and Bellgrave
Jean heads up with Arasmes, Yolk, and Bellgrave.
Adriel is so angry at the atrocity he sees. This is...I.. He walks away up the stairs, swearing to make the one responsible suffer
Taltōsh accompanied the others out of the basement, eager to hear what Bellgrave was going to tell them.
Gryfford moves along with the others up the stairs.
He looks a little sick. He shakes his head as if not quite believing the nightmare - Bellgrave's nightmare - he just witnessed.
As you head upstairs Adrien leads you into a small kitchen area of his home. He offers you a seat at the small table and begins, "It was...a week ago...This man appeared on the farm and said he was new to the area and was looking for Sandpoint. I told him it was just up the road a ways and he asked me if I knew Master McDarrow there." He gestures at the paladin. "When I told him that I didn't know him, He got angry and told me that I must take him to the city and find McDarrow for him. I refused and told him that I wasn't no man's slave." His voice gets strained and he looks at the floor.
When he composes himself he continues." He changed... his face became paler and he looked similar to... uh..." He points to Arasmes hesitantly. "There was so much anger in his face, He pointed at Jen, Mal, and my workers and they fell over dead. I tried to stop him but he held me in place by that gods be damned magic!" He slams his fist on the table.
"I begged with him to bring them back, and he turned them into that... Then he kidnapped my daughter Mary, and told me that if you came looking to tell you... uh... that he is going after the amulet, and that this time he would succeed." He begins crying again, and blows his nose." Please you have to get my Mary back, and if there's anything you can do to safe my family out there...Please...I don't know why he wants you, but you must help me!
Waits for the others, not wanting to be the first one to console Bellgrave, hopefully we can get the poor mans wife her life back.
"Bellgrave, do you have any idea where this 'man' might be?" asked Taltōsh.
The events brought back unpleasant memories of his grandfather's passing. At least my grandfather died of natural causes. What this 'man' has done to Bellgrave's family and workers is unforgivable.
Gryfford looks somberly at the farmer in front of him across the table.
He doesn't say anything for the moment.
Arasmes listens intently
"Bellgrave, I can't save your family. Doing so now would mean defying Pharasma, and I don't have that sort of power." Arasmes sighs "I won't lie to you. It is possible to save them. A soul is not easily reclaimed from Pharasma, and the the more disturbed the corpse has been, the harder it is, but there are beings powerful enough to do so. If you sell this farm, and all your worldly goods you might have sufficient money to convince one such being to bring one back."
Arasmes considers
"Or you could try to become one yourself. If you live long enough, and you sacrifice enough, you might even make it. But those you bring back won't know you anymore."
A moment of sympathy softens Arasmes as he pauses.
And if you are prepared to do it anyway, I will help you if I can
Arasmes hardens again.
"A man cannot walk two roads, Adrien. Let go of your hope for them. It is distracting you from what remains to you. Save the family you still have."
"What is the map?"
"What did this man look like"
"Why did he take Mary?"
"Where did he go?, When did he leave?"
Adreil looks hard at the farmer.
He is right, it is possible but those with such power are mighty.and rare. Magnimar perhaps, would have a poweful enough cleric or Korvosa or Cheliax. But such things cost beyond the means of even the wealthy. We can try to save your daughter but you need to help us.
As Arasmes is railing off the list of questions, Yolk postulates some questions of his own. After waiting for Arasmes and Adriel to finish, but interjecting just before Bellgrave has the chance to get in anything edgewise Yolk says, "Perhaps we should avoid the immediate choice of going after this murderer, he knew that his acts would reach Angus's ears before too long."
"The real question is what is this amulet that's being sought after? Was Alastair in possession of the amulet in the vision? What does it Do... I think we need to do a bit more research before we go after this.. thing." Yolk says, quickly glancing at Arasmes.
"I think we need to head to the Capitol. To find out about this amulet, this...thing here simply pointed at Bellgrave's family and workers and they... died, on the spot. He is clearly no trifle and we would be wise not to be led into a trap."
Letting his words sink in, Yolk posed confidently and then glanced around passing alternating looks between Bellgrave and his companions, waiting.
Angus looks disheartened at the story Bellgrave tells, and puts a hand on the man's shoulder. "I am sorry to hear this tale. I will pray that Erastil watches over you and your daughter. And I will personally make every effort to retrieve Mary unharmed."
He looks at Yolk. "I agree that we need more information. Does anyone disagree with a journey to the capital? I need to pick up a few things from the temple before we head out."
I would rather go after the one who did this..but...I agree someone with enough power to do this is not something to rush after.
Gryfford lets out a sigh.
"I am very sorry for your loss, Bellgrave" he says as gently as he can, while looking the farmer in the eye.
Then the swordman turns towards his companions.
"I too agree with Yolk. We should try to learn more about this amulet. Let's go to the temple and then to the capital. I have no doubt our search for this amulet will lead us to find this Nikolaï."
He pauses.
"Hopefully before he finds us."
"Yes, I agreed as well," said Taltōsh.
Turning to the paladin, he added, "Master McDarrow, lead on."
"Please" exclaims Arasmes loudly "Let the man speak!"
Properly chastened, Taltōsh said, "My apologies. Bellgrave, please continue."
The old farmer thanks you as you walk out the door and head back to Sandpoint.
Your journey back to town is quiet. Angus keeps his brow furrowed and you seem him with his head bowed in deep concentration. When you reach Sandpoint again he leads you straight to the temple.
Alia is there waiting for you, and when you arrive she comes rushing forward asking all sorts of questions.
Angus nods grimly but says nothing to her. He turns to you all and says, "Again, it is late. I know that we do not have much time, but I need to pray to Erastil for guidance. We will leave in the morning for the Capitol to find answers there." He strides away without another word going off to his chamber.
Taltōsh had much to contemplate on the return journey to the temple of Erastil. Arasmes is very formidable. I'm pleased that he's on our side. And tomorrow we travel to Magnimar. Hopefully the answers we seek are to be found there.
The hooded sage quietly retired to his room for the evening.
"I am all right. We didn't really fight. Not against anything really threatening, anyway."
He smiles: "I can see you that you're doing good work here, at the temple. Angus is very fortunate to have you at his side, Alia. As for me, I'm looking forward to know you better."
Gryfford seems genuinely pleased to see the young girl after all the ugliness at Bellgrave's farm
Leaving the group, Yolk peruses the temples library, Im not tired, I feel sick to my stomach after going to that farm, what a day... idly looking for a relevant book or parchment, Yolk spends his night looking through the books in the temple. Peering warily at page after page, Yolk slowly drifts to sleep, head on the table, snoring into a book.
That was too much. I need a smoke
Adriel, resolves to dull his senses before bed.