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Vicard shook his head at himself. Teamwork, Inch, teamwork! He was working as part of a group, a group that needed information.
"Undead" The investigator says, not bothering to lower his voice. "We got three undead, of some nasty kind, in front of us. Undead in the fog!" The last four words raise to a shout so even Urbar and Fiona can hear.
Hopefully we didn't announce our presence to anyone else....Also, I'm glad we don't have a torch. A single flame would kill us all with all this grain piled up everywhere. He thinks to himself, while kicking a pile of the grain husks.
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Stepping out from behind the door, Tereze freeze as she sees the fog ahead of her.
At Vicards statement she pales.
Sarenrae Protect us she croaks, and seems to grow even paler.
Shadows seem to gather around her swirling slowly and a low moan seems to echo from far away. She takes one step forward visibly shaking.
Images flash through her mind: A ghostly elven face, Black Tentacles reaching for her, an old woman bleeding at her feet. The swirling shadows seems to grow more forceful picking up small amounts of grain and circling it around her.
Tereze mumbles to herself and takes a shaking second step forward. The others vaguely hear a cold distant voice whispering from far off Come brothers… She escaped once, let her not do so again…. This one is so tasty.
A third step forward and the darkness roils more violently, spinning more and more grain around her. The moan of the wind is heard more clearly now almost drowning out Tereze’s soft voice softly repeating
I never wanted to know, Never wanted to see… The rest of the statement is lost in the unearthly moan.
A fourth firmer step forward and the suddenly a glow seems to appear at the heart of the now violently twitching darkness, grain now swirling around her in a dust-devil like pattern.
As over the moaning wind you hear Tereze chanting:
…I am the Light
I am the dark inside the night.
I hear your hopes, I feel your dreams,
And in the dark I hear your screams. She steps forward again and Tereze is lost in the fog.
Even the glow disappeas into the fog and you hear hear her scream BELIEVE before a blinding light explodes outword.
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Urbar stiffles a curse and moves into the granary, grabbing both his swords heading in.
"Where did you last see them?"
He calls just outside the fog.
"Where do I need to go?"
He looks eager to get inside and cut these filthy creatures into ribbons.
"These creatures are just as vile as humans... Creatures of the dead!"
You hear him spit next to him in disgust.
As Vicard shares what he saw with his mirror, Tereze moves forward and chants. Tereze then lets out a loud scream, sending a wave of channeled energy in every direction. It's unclear if it did anything.
Fiona moves closer to the fog, but she's afraid to move inside. A fear that's not shared by Urbar, who moves forward and makes his disgust of undead known to the others.
It stays quiet inside the fog.
Round 2:
Vicard
B.E.O. Blue
Gwendallyn
Eryzule
B.E.O. Red
Urbar
Tereze
Fiona
B.E.O. Yellow
Flow Hatches: The 10-foot-high ceiling is covered with flow hatches (marked on the map as white squares). When opened, grain from the upper levels pours down to refill the grain supply on the lower level. Leaping up to spring a hatch requires a DC10 Acrobatics check and will draw an attack of opportunity from adjacent opponents. Alternatively, a hatch release can be triggered with a reach weapon or a ranged weapon with a successful attack roll against AC 20.
If a hatch is opened, anyone in the space below risks being struck by a cascade of grain. A successful DC 12 Reflex save enables the potential victim to immediately dive into an adjacent square and avoid the spilling wheat. Anyone failing is struck, taking 2d4 points of damage and getting held in place. On their turn they can attempt to pull themselves free (DC 10 Strength check) as a move action, otherwise they take another 2d4 points of damage.
Fog: Whether in the form of a low-lying cloud or a mist rising from the ground, fog obscures all sight beyond 5 feet, including darkvision. Creatures 5 feet away have concealment (attacks by or against them have a 20% miss chance).
Dim light: Creatures within this area have concealment (20% miss chance in combat) from those without darkvision or the ability to see in darkness. A creature within an area of dim light can make a Stealth check to conceal itself. Areas of dim light include outside at night with a moon in the sky, bright starlight, and the area between 20 and 40 feet from a torch.
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No clues. No idea what is going on in that roiling, chilling fog. Only the knowledge that death (well, undead) was gliding forward and/or poisoning the grain. Facing them head on was a fools game, flanking might be an option. It would also serve to explore the building. With a nod to Gwen, the investigator moves off into a nearby room, sword out.
Vicard figures flanking might be an option, and that exploring the building could also be in the party's favor. He moves off into the southwestern room and notices there's no fog there, safe for the northwestern corner.
The fog then moves toward you. It envelops Vicard, Gwendallyn and Urbar, and prevents Eryzule and Fiona from seeing past five feet.
Round 2:
Vicard
B.E.O. Blue
Gwendallyn
Eryzule
B.E.O. Red
Urbar
Tereze
Fiona
B.E.O. Yellow
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Gwen shivers a little as the encroaching mists suddenly engulf her and shut out the rest if the world. She begins to move forward, drawing her dan bong as she does. Without her sight to guide her, Gwen lets her other senses lead her forward into the fog to search out her enemies... She prepares herself to grapple the first enemy who approaches her.
Eryzule carefully moves while following the wall, and readied a shot with his crossbow in case an enemy shows up in front of him.
Gwendallyn first moves a couple of feet east, then moves north. One of the undead suddenly appears next to her, and lashes out at her with a rusted sickle.
The fog doesn't seem to bother the undead Black Echelon operative, but it still misses. Gwendallyn then tries to grapple it...
... and easily does so.
Safe for the sounds produced by Gwendallyn grappling one of the undead, it stays quiet in the fog.
Round 2:
Vicard
B.E.O. Blue
Gwendallyn
Eryzule
B.E.O. Red
Urbar
Tereze
Fiona
B.E.O. Yellow
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Tereze carefully follows the fog dampened sounds of a snuffle deeper into the Granary.
She pauses slightly as she watches Gwen grab on to some half seen rotting "thing", then with a deep breath dances forward past both combatants and reaches the gap in the back wall of the front room.
There she plants her feet and puts her full body weight behind a swing of her club at what she believes is and undefended portion of the distracted thing's back.
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No one responds to his call and the mist starts enveloping him too.
"Hello?!"
Somewhere in front of him he hears Gwen fighting with the figure and he decides to hear straight forward. He soon encounters Gwen in the mist.
Left or right... Can't see a bloody thing in this!
He chooses left and moves on, leaving Gwen to do her thing. A little further into the granary he encounters Tereze and one of the creature. He stops there and holds his weapons ready.
Fiona's feet seem to operate autonomously, leading her to follow Eryzule.
Tereze and Urbar move forward, and arrive at the entrance to the northeastern room. They notice the other Black Echelon operative is no longer in that position.
Tereze turns to attack the grappled undead and hits it hard. It stops moving and part of the fog dissolves. Both Gwendallyn and Urbar now find themselves outside the fog.
It stays quiet inside the fog.
Round 3:
Vicard
Gwendallyn
Eryzule
B.E.O. Red
Urbar
Tereze
Fiona
B.E.O. Yellow
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With his Crossbow raised he moved forward into the retreating fog stopping just at the base of mountainous wheat. Once inside the ominous mists he turned toward his 2 o'clock and let fire a crossbow at the last known location of the undead creature that had been there before. This fog had other intentions and despite his ability to see beyond normal human sight the fog was like a great equalizer...
...despite the fog's will, the bolt sang through the stale air generating a light and wispy 'zip' as it traveled through the air.
"Well if no one thought the joke was funny...I'll just have to explain it! Over tea, of course."
The elf kept his eye toward the direction of the bolt, but his voice seemed casual and sing-songy as if trying to lighten the daunting mood. That or he was merely unfazed by the undead. Either way, He chuckled.
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Cursed fog, Vicard mutters to himself as he feels his way through the cloying, rolling mist. The thick grain piles at his feet, making the usual nimble man creep along the ground, peering into the fog for the slightest hint of danger. He hears the slightest scuffles from his right, but ignores them, and forges forward, sword out.
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Gwen gasps in fear as the undead suddenly appears out of the mists and slashes at her with the weapon. She quickly dodges around the sickle and shoots in beneath the blade to grapple with the undead, holding back the contents of her stomach which begin to roiling at the horrid smell. She wrestles with the creature until Tereze suddenly appears and cracks the things across the back. "Thank you, Tereze." She says as she tosses the decayed body to the ground. She then noticed the fog around her suddenly dissipating. "Huh... That's odd. The mists must be tied to these creatures!" She shouts out to her comrades.
She then steels her resolve and moves back into the fog, further into the granary. She moves back Tereze and Urbar, nodding to them. "Keep moving forward, try to stay together if we can." She continues further into the next room, trying to locate the foul undead... and ready to once again grapple anything that is not living.
Not able to see there's no line of effect to the last known location of the undead, Eryzule shoots an arrow into the wall. He keeps his eye toward the direction of the bolt and chuckles.
Vicard curses the fog and continues to move forward. He readies himself to slash at anything that comes into view.
Gwendallyn arrives at the last known location of one of the other undead, but finds its no longer there. She steels her resolve and readies herself to grapple the first enemy to appear.
One of the undead suddenly appears in front of Vicard and wants to attack him. Though Vicard was prepared for it and already had an attack readied. The undead seems surprised by Vicard's readiness, and nearly loses its balance. It's unlikely its own attack will hit Vicard this way.
Round 4:
Vicard
Gwendallyn
Eryzule
B.E.O. Red
Urbar
Tereze
Fiona
B.E.O. Yellow
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Tereze leans down to examine the rotting corpse and tries to determine if she can tell anything about what they are.
As she is leaning over a bolt clatters against the wall and she jerks back in alarm. When the bolt is followed by a muffled laugh she yells Damn it Eryzule, put zat zing away before you hurt someone. We dropped one of the fog spewing undead here where your bolt landed, why don't you make your self useful and examine it to determine if you can tell any more about it then I can. All I know is: Oh and if you see Fiona why don't you send her back to make sure Yargos is still fine. It is too dangerous for her in the fog.
Before Ery can shoot another bolt at her, she slips around the corner and works her way around Gwen her club held at the ready.
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"That clear the air a little! Now where are the last ones?!"
Urbar calls into the mist. Unsure where the others and the enemies are He readies an attack. The moment one of the undead moves in next to him he will strike with both his swords.
He answers Fiona in a serieus voice.
"It's us or them. I'd murder a whole town if it kept me alive!"
Urbar keeps looking around intently to see if one of the undead comes closer.
Vicard misses the undead, and the undead misses him.
Tereze kneels besides the undead corpse and inspects it. She learns it has the standard undead traits, and piercing damage is unlikely to be very effective against this particular type of undead. The information is immediately shared with the other members of the party, after which Tereze slips around the corner and readies an attack with her club.
Eryzule decides to send Fiona back after Tereze has made the suggestion to do so. Fiona feels relieved and heads back to Yargos, but the voice that speaks to her throws Fiona back in agony and doubt. Yargos carefully takes a step toward Fiona, about to reach out for her when she screams and startles him. "Girl, are you alright?!" Yargos asks with panic in his voice, involuntarily pulling back his hand due to Fiona's sudden outburst.
Urbar readies an attack against the first undead to pop up next to him, but no enemy appears next to him.
One of the other Black Echelon operatives shows up near Vicard. It moves around him so it's flanking the investigator. The undead misses Vicard horribly.
Unbeknown to Vicard the fog moves while the undead that just attacked him did. Gwendallyn and Urbar suddenly find themselves outside the fog, and see two more undead Black Echelon operatives rise from underneath wheat piles. The undead both move up to Gwendallyn, who grapples one of them . Tereze sees only one of the new undead appear next to her and attacks it, but her misses its target.
Both the grappled Black Echelon operative as his fellow undead attack Gwendallyn. The one that's not grappled by Gwendallyn manages to hit Gwendallyn's shoulder, but the rusted sickle doesn't do much to hurt brawler.
Round 5:
Vicard
Gwendallyn (Grappled)
Eryzule
B.E.O. Red
Urbar
Tereze
Fiona
B.E.O. Yellow
B.E.O. Green
B.E.O. Purple (Grappled)
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This is not good, this is not good at all. Surrounded by fog and undead, cut off from his allies, alone and flanked. Vicard’s only saving grace was that the fog helped cloak him, and had so far kept him alive. Moving seemed to be the key to survival, and Vicard moves quickly away from the undead behind him, hoping to fight them one at a time. During this, he decides discretion is the better part of valor and shouts, into the swirling mists, “Help! I’m surrounded, help!”. he grits his teeth at the note of panic in his voice, but he is honest. He is no brawler to duke it out with undead, mano a mano.
As he moves, he attempts to lash out, again, at the undead he moves past. His sword cane glints in the poor light, moving quick as a striking snake, but will it be as accurate?
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Gwen stops as the fog suddenly dissipates, looking around she was prepared for the undead who suddenly pop up out of the nearby grain! Immediately she grabs hold of one, keeping the attacking sickle away from her body; however, she suddenly feels a blow as the other creature whacks her across the shoulder. Luckily her armor turns the blade and leaves only a bruise to mark what may have been an ugly wound. She twists her dan bong around the undead's neck to work as a lever and forces it's head down towards her rising knee, which she slams into the undead's chin!
She can hear Vicard shouting something, but is too distracted to actually hear what he's saying... However, she does shift over to allow Tereze the opportunity for better positioning.
Vicard suddenly finds himself surrounded and 5-foot steps toward the stairs. He tries to stab one of the undead, but his attack misses.
Gwendallyn maintains her grapple, meanwhile dealing a heavy blow to the undead she's grappling. A loud crack can be heard, but the Black Echelon operative can still be heard when Gwendallyn repositions herself.
While reloading his crossbow Eryzule tries to draw the attention of the undead. It's unclear to him if any of them even bothers to look his way.
Urbar decides to help Vicard, and determines when the Vicard's vocie came from.
The red undead 5-foot steps south of Vicard and attacks, but misses badly.
Round 5:
Vicard
Gwendallyn 12/13HP & 1NL (Grappled)
Eryzule
B.E.O. Red
Urbar 7/12HP
Tereze
Fiona
B.E.O. Yellow
B.E.O. Green
B.E.O. Purple -5HP (Grappled)
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Hearing Vicard's screams Tereze turns and vaguely making out the wall to the next room, charges forward in the direction of his shout. She hits the grain and stumbles leaving herself wide open to the rotting corpse at her back.
Seeing the gap in the wall in front of her she manages to pull herself forward enough to reach the gap and see into the next section of the granary.
Desna, let this work she prays quietly the grasps Sarenrae's symbol and chants.
Creatures from beyond the pale.
Return thee now to where ye set sail.
Remove from us this fog of doom.
And Sarenrae's warmth fill this room.
Once more light explodes from her.
One of the undead she's moving away from claws at Tereze, but it misses her when she stumbles and nearly lands with her face in the grain.
Tereze's channel washes over all four Black Echelon operatives. The one Gwendallyn's grappling falls apart, and the other undead also take quite a hit. Though it's not as obvious for everyone, all undead look like they're about to go down.
Round 5:
Vicard
Gwendallyn 12/13HP & 1NL
Eryzule
B.E.O. Red
Urbar 7/12HP
Tereze
Fiona
B.E.O. Yellow
B.E.O. Green
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Urbar runs in the direction he hear Vicard from.
"I'm coming! Call again! I will head for your voice!"
He almost stumbles in the grain the first time he encounters it. The second time fares better as he gets used to the weird terrain.
Bloody humans... Always getting into trouble...
He thinks to himself, forgetting he is also human.
Fiona has a moment of clarity when the voice in her head disappears for a moment. She ignores Yargos and double moves back into the granary, where her consciousness begins to unravel again.
Urbar calls out to Vicard, letting his comrade know he's on his way. While cursing the human race he ends up very close to one of the undead, though he doesn't know it.
The yellow undead moves past Vicard, not making a single sound as it does. It tries to get into a flanking position with his fellow undead, but provokes an attack from Vicard.
Vicard wildly swings his sword cane at the undead, but it doesn't even have to try dodging.
The undead then tries to hit Vicard with its rusted sickle, but its attack is also inaccurate.
Meanwhile, just outside the fog, the green undead tries to hit Gwendallyn again. However, Gwendallyn's no longer grappling the purple undead and easily dodges the sickle.
Round 5:
Vicard
Gwendallyn 12/13HP & 1NL
Eryzule
B.E.O. Red
Urbar 7/12HP
Tereze
Fiona
B.E.O. Yellow
B.E.O. Green
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Vicard wipes the sweat for his forehead, as he dodges and jukes blows from the undead. It was a bit of a standoff. Between the tricky floor, the poor weapons and the damnable mist, neither could quite catch the other, with sickle or swordcane. But sooner or later, one of the blows would land and Vicard didn't want a rusty blade through his shoulder.
Hearing Urbar yell he shouts back, “I'm over here! Watch out, there are two!”. He hopes the ranger can hear him in the fog. The investigator side-steps one of the undead and, once again, attempts to land a blow on the foul creature. It was one thing to ask for help, it was another to simply run away.
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Trying with all his might...th elef tries to shift through the grains Hoping to get a clear shot of where Vicard is and his undead trope.
"Damn it, Vicard. Why cant you fight in a place less filled with fog?" He shouts.
Ery takes a knee near Urbar and focuses his perception, trying to get a good baring as to where he should be firing his bolt.
Feeling he can accurately gauge Vicard's location in comparison to Yellow Undead, He took aim.
"Urbar, I feel I should tell you, I'm a terrible shot."
The Elf admitted his fault with a smirk as he pulled the trigger.
[ooc] Extra awesome sauce missing. [ooc]
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Gwen grins as the burst of light from Tereze destroys the undead she was grappling, but before she can celebrate too much she suddenly spots the other attacking! She spins around as she dodges the attack, using the momentum to add strength to the roundhouse kick. Her foot connects solidly with the undead, hoping hard enough to take out the unlife that gives power to the unholy creature.
Vicard tries to 5-foot step away from the red undead, back the grain slows his movement as he moves. He provokes attacks from both undead.
Both of the undead that were flanking Vicard moments ago manage to hit him, but the rusted weapons fail to do much damage. Vicard tries to retaliate, but his blade doesn't find its target.
While moving forward Eryzule is able to hear roughly where Vicard's positioned, but the undead don't make a single sound even when they move. With no idea how the Black Echelon operatives are positioned around Vicard, all Eryzule can do is aim at nothing and fire a lucky shot that may as well hit his comrade. The bolt from Eryzule's bow disappears in the fog when he releases it, and hits a pile of wheat.
Gwendallyn spins around as she attacks the still standing undead next to her, hitting it hard with a roundhouse kick and taking it out.
The undead Vicard moved away from circles Vicard, first moving through a wheat-less area before slowly making its way through some of the wheat. It ends up flanking Vicard again, but nearly drops its sickle when lifting it for an attack.
Round 5:
Vicard 7/8HP & 1NL
Gwendallyn 12/13HP & 1NL
Eryzule
B.E.O. Red
Urbar 7/12HP
Tereze
Fiona
B.E.O. Yellow
Flow Hatches: The 10-foot-high ceiling is covered with flow hatches (marked on the map as white squares). When opened, grain from the upper levels pours down to refill the grain supply on the lower level. Leaping up to spring a hatch requires a DC10 Acrobatics check and will draw an attack of opportunity from adjacent opponents. Alternatively, a hatch release can be triggered with a reach weapon or a ranged weapon with a successful attack roll against AC 20.
If a hatch is opened, anyone in the space below risks being struck by a cascade of grain. A successful DC 12 Reflex save enables the potential victim to immediately dive into an adjacent square and avoid the spilling wheat. Anyone failing is struck, taking 2d4 points of damage and getting held in place. On their turn they can attempt to pull themselves free (DC 10 Strength check) as a move action, otherwise they take another 2d4 points of damage.
Fog: Whether in the form of a low-lying cloud or a mist rising from the ground, fog obscures all sight beyond 5 feet, including darkvision. Creatures 5 feet away have concealment (attacks by or against them have a 20% miss chance).
Dim light: Creatures within this area have concealment (20% miss chance in combat) from those without darkvision or the ability to see in darkness. A creature within an area of dim light can make a Stealth check to conceal itself. Areas of dim light include outside at night with a moon in the sky, bright starlight, and the area between 20 and 40 feet from a torch.
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Following Vicard's screams, Tereze strides forward, the power of Sarenrae still filling her. With divine enhanced strength she has no problem moving through the grain.
As she moves she continues to chant:
Don't turn away, Just take my hand
And when you make your final stand.
I'll be right there
I'll never leave
All I ask of you is Believe!
Stopping only as she sees one of the undead appear out of the fog, Tereze releases a burst of light again.
Fiona touches Urbar's shoulder and fully heals him. Not a second later her consciousness drifts away to distant thoughts.
Tereze decides she's done with it. She takes a couple of steady steps forward while chanting, and blasts the remaining undead apart.
Urbar moves over to to Vicard and the undead at the exact moment Tereze's channel turns the undead to two piles of bones and rotten flesh.
The fog dissipates and there are no enemies left inside the granary.
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The cold sweat on Vicard's face isn't merely from exertion. The fight could have gone quite differently, he thinks as he feels the small bloody weal on his shoulder. His fingertips come away red, but it is a shallow cut, not nearly the gashed wound it could have been.
“So, I suppose Yargos was telling the truth?” Vicard asks, as he touches a bit of undead cloak with his foot. “This isn't common, even in the Puddles. Which, sadly leaves us with a much bigger problem then a cut cut-rate undead. There are more, potentially many more. And we need to stop them.” Then he wheels on Ery.
“And our only lead took off running! All your fault, Elf.” But the anger subsides quickly. No use crying over spilled beer after all.Time for that later. He catches Terezes's eye and simply says, “Thanks.” After short moment he motions to Yargos to come over.
We have things to discuss.
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Eryzule whistled casually as he reloaded his crossbow and tucked it away on the small of his back behind his cloak. It latched and took to his feet from kneeling earlier.
"Whew, and to think this could ha-"
The elf was silenced by Viard's quick outburst. He went wide eyed and stared briefly before looking down and kicking some grain casually.
"I Didn't want the Tea-Servitor to leave..."
He mumbled quietly to himself. With that, the elf made his way over to one of the undead. Reaching down, he placed a hand on either side of the a skull and pulled up. The head snapped off, the jaw was to fragile to hold and crumbed away. Eryzule couldn't help himself. Placing his hand into the brain cavity from the bottom of the jaw, he used his thumb in it's place.
"Soon, there will be tea. Fear not, I have quiet the variety!" He chuckled, the thumb-acting jaw mimicked his words and laugh. It wasn't long before he also noticed the chest. With a gleeful slide...and an abundant stress of effort on his legs to shift through the grain, he looked inside then realized the damn thing was empty. His eyes shifted off the chest tot he floor, there he noticed the vials.
"Does anyone mind if I have one of these too?"
He, himself, was looking to the vials, taking one in his free hand. The skull-puppet switched to look at the others generally, speaking with his words and thumb.
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As the fog clears Tereze looks around intently looking for other threats. Seeing none, she closes her eyes draws in a deep breath and very slowly lets it out. With that exhale the tension seems to leave her body leaving her slumped with her head down.
Vicard and Urbar hear her softly say:
Lords above we zank you for you aid in our hour of need.
If I must bear zis curse, continue to guide me to use it to preserve others.
She stands back up and looks around just in time to see Ery, and his skull puppet asking if anyone would mind him taking a vial.
She shudders in revulsion at his antics making her fitted mail jingle softly.
She mumbles something under her breath
Loudly she says: Ery, zat is disgusting. Get your "Friend" out of my sight before I take it from you.
Turning her back on Ery and addressing the rest of the group she says:
However he does raise a good point, we should get rid of that chest and vials before some unsuspecting soul poisons this grainery.
We also have a number of things to think of: She counts them off on her fingers.
One, is zis the only granary zat was attacked? If not we may need to remove ze others before someone else gets hurt.
Two has anyone looked to see if zere are any more signals being sent? Zree, are all ze symbols coming from one location, zat we can stop zem from being sent?
Four, What do we do now that Tyr so kindly warned the crime boss zat we are coming? The end goal needs to be to get zat book and prevent this from ever being used again..