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The morning after arriving at the Restless Bear Inn the group prepares to leave but just before heading towards the Cannibal's Grove Seelah notices something strange: where the bear's head stood the day before there's only a conspicuous empty space...
Turns out the ominous grove is located just one mile southwest of the inn, as a clearing encircled by stones marks Cannibal’s Grove location. As you arrive, thick tendrils of mist rise from the ground making it difficult to see a a distance of more than 5 feet. Unsettling noises permeate the clearing, completing a less than idyllic picture of the place.
Crimson thistles have overtaken this clearing, punctuated by the ring of mossy standing stones. In the center, a neglected stone slab bears ancient stains and gouges.
Kyra eyes the grove uncertainly, hesitating to enter it immediately.
"Well, if she did conceal this lantern around here somewhere, there is one small mercy..."
She says a quick prayer to Sarenrae, before adding, "It was magical!"
She starts to look around carefully, "Perhaps we can quicken the process with a little divinatory magic"
I like not this mist.
Seelah concentrates as she whispers a prayer to Iomedae, and her senses become attuned to the corruption she fears is lurking.
She then moves forward slowly and cautiously, extending her supernatural awareness as much as she can.
Zadim draws his blade and keeps an eye out for danger. "This does have an unnerving aesthetic, indeed."
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Kyra's senses and spell do not detect anything out of the ordinary about the stone circle.
Seelah's paladin's powers on the other hand signal the circle radiates an aura of evil centered around the stone slab at the center. As they enter the circle, she and Valeros are almost overwhelmed by the stench of raw meat emanating from it...
Kyra stays out of the circle for now, continuing to scan for magical emanations as she circles the stones.
"Anything?" She asks.
Seelah's eyes water as she approaches the horrid stench, but she presses on nonetheless.
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For a moment both Seelah and Valeros feel a very strong need to eat human flesh and eye each other ravenously. Yet their self control proves stronger than the base urges flooding their instincts and they are able to rein themselves before starting to devour each other.
The stench and the aura of evil are stronger near the stone slab encrusted with what looks like long since dried blood.
Seelah is not a scholar, but a life of battling the forces of darkness has given her a certain amount of practical education.
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Seelah understands this place is haunted, probably by the deeds of this so called "Famished Shaman". She and Valeros may have resisted the haunt for now but it will surely return in time unless exorcised.
From where she stands Kyra cannot detect magical auras inside the stone circle or even in its immediate vicinity.
Kyra, if you are willing, I believe you may be able to make dormant this bane. Or hopefully find a way to end it forever.
Kyra shakes her head slightly. "I may be able to disperse it for a brief time, with the blessing of the Dawnflower. But if it is a haunt, it will be a futile effort."
"To dispel it permanently... that would take a great deal more I fear... Only the first step of which is knowing who the spirit was, and how they died... what emotional trauma keeps their essence bound to this spot."
She shakes her head again, sadly, knowing such knowledge is probably outside their purview. "I do not sense what we're looking for in the circle." She adds with a sigh. "Perhaps you and Valeros should step out, before the haunt can take hold. Ulisha's journal mentioned the lantern was near the stream."
She points over to the east.
"We should try there first."
"Then let us be away from this haunted place," Zadim says and moves towards the stream, slowly hacking his way through the brush.
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You move east but the thick fog shrouding your every step makes it extremely difficult to get the bearing of your surroundings. You walk downhill from the stone circle. After a moment you encounter a small copse of trees and then you hear the sound of running water. It's a shallow but swift stream flowing past a 10-by-15-foot islet, mostly formed from boulders.
Kyra continues to scan for magical emanations... though it causes her to have some difficulty in the fog, as she's constantly tripping over roots and rocks.
She looks at the swiftly flowing stream and frowns. "I think I'll stay on this side."
"I think I see a fallen log on the other side," Zadim says. He heads down to the narrower part of the river and leaps to the other side. He then makes his way to the fallen tree to try to cross to the small island.
Seelah does her best to ford the stream, hoping it doesn't get too deep...
Seelah is always happy to lend a hand to a cooperative effort.
"Sharp eyes, Seelah. Well done."
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You find what you came here to search for: the Grim Lantern. Unfortunately being buried in this glade seems to have affected the lantern's magic reducing its effective power.
As you congratulate yourselves for your find and prepare to leave the islet the nearby woods come alive with the eerie sounds and you see four luminous shapes moving around you through the mist.
Seelah unsheathes her sword, scanning the mists for the taint of evil.
Come forward! You have nought to fear from us if you are innocent!
"It very well may," Zadim says in agreement with Valeros as he draws his blade.
"I do not like being trapped in the middle of this stream." Kyra adds, nervously.
"Can anyone see what it is? It does not appear to be a spirit of any sort, but hard to tell through all this fog."
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As you try to leave the islet a vaguely humanoid figure riding what looks like an elk comes at you through the mist! With atonishment you notice how the creature's head resembles a bear! Could this be the Famished Shaman's ghost awaken by the lantern's fell power?
Round 1 - Bold may act
Zadim
Kyra
Enemies
Valeros
Seelah
Kyra moves away from the strange creature riding the elk, picking her way over the rocky island to the far side.
Unsure what the creature is, she does her best to bolster her allies in case it proves to be aggressive.
Zadim moves off of the islet and readies to strike should the strange rider draw near.
Zadim! Are you well? That- That is not something you see every day.
Seelah calls upon Iomedae to empower her blade as she fords the stream, hoping to catch up to the bizarre apparition.
Zadim shakes off the blow to the head and slices at the elk as it bounds away.
"I'm well enough!" he shouts back to Seelah.
"No. No, you do not see someone toss a bear's head at someone every day."
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Zadim kills the terrified elk before it can run back to the woods. Seelah calls on her power to vanquish evil and advances with Valeros doing the same (minus the "vanquish evil" part).
"Noooooo!!! You murderers killed MY FRIEND!" shouts a tiny little voice belonging to a fairy like being flying in and out the thick mist surrounding the ford...
Round 2 - Bold may act
Zadim -4hp NL
Kyra
Enemies
Valeros
Seelah
Kyra frowns, not recognizing the tiny creature.
Not wanting to risk going into the water, she instead casts a protective spell on Valeros, encouraging him to do so.
"It charged; I defended myself," Zadim says defensively. "Maybe I can save it."
The slayer kneels down beside the fallen elk and trying to stem the flow of blood from his blade's work.
"Tell this thing to stop trying to stab me, and I might consider it." Kyra says.
"Until then, begone pest!"
, damage.