Carloni mutters to the rest of the group, "Is your halfling always this rude?"
He looks at her directly, "Since you are so curious and inconsiderate, my wife is dead! And I would prefer that one as insolent as you not speak of her again!"
He gets up and walks away from the fire, taking a seat at the front of their wagon, with his cloak wrapped around him.
There's very uncomfortable silence for several minutes.
Ryana gets up and gathers the children, "Come, young ones. It is time for you to get to bed." She ushers them into the wagon.
Scarengi stares into the fire for a moment. "Heh. Perhaps it is time for your fortunes then."
"Valana, would you be so kind?" he calls back to the wagon.
The door at the back of the wagon opens to reveal a shapely young woman with dark, expressive eyes. She smiles shyly, then settles nearby, beside the fire.
"This," Scarengi proclaims proudly, "is my beautiful daughter Valana. She will tell your fortune."
Valana gazes at each of you in turn, with the firelight shining in her large, black eyes. "The trouble began when I cast the runes for that quiet and lost young man," she explains sadly. "Perhaps it will end with another casting."
She holds a flat pan in her lap and stone tiles in her hands. Then, after gazing once again into your eyes, she drops the tiles into the pan.
"The lost one has called you!" Valana gasps.
The other member of her family hastily makes a protective gesture.
"The dead will walk with the coming storm, and you must find a way to put them to rest. If you cannot, the rain will turn to blood! It will drown you—you and all of Marais d'Tarascon."
Scarengi quickly ushers his daughter into the wagon. "No charge for your fortune," the old man adds hastily. "It is time to rest after the adventures of the day. Be our guests and sleep beside the fire."
"There's no evil here, little one," the Wolf replies to Kara's question, but by then the damage is done. He watches on wordlessly as Carloni stamps away, simply swallowing another spoonful of stew. When Valana comes out, he turns his gaze on her, but no emotion plays across his face. Even when she gazes into his eyes before dropping the tiles, the Old Wolf only stares back, his cold eyes watching, waiting.
With the mention of walking dead and rains of blood, though, his brow furrows and his eyes seem to fall out of focus, looking far beyond a beautiful woman or her fortune tiles. When Scarengi offers further hospitality, he nods. "Of course. Again, our thanks."
The dead will walk... Where have I seen that before. The Wolf drops his gaze to the pommel of his sword, carved in the likeness that gave him his only name. More trouble. Gold will have to wait.
Ausk grunts at the halfling Kara Best to shut yer yapper now yeah.
Dead. Walking? In my swamp? Ausk seems incredulous
|
Kara stands up to her full height, coming up to the druid's belt buckle. "Or you're gonna what, twigs-for-brains? Curse me with a foot fetish!
Fungus! I meant fungus. Heh.
Hey, it's not my fault they were all 'hey-someone's-dead-but-we-didn't-tell-you-so-there's-no-way-you-could-know -so-how-dare-you-talk-about-this-thing-you-didn't-know-not-to-talk-about!' That's not a very nice thing to do, in my opinion. So maybe they ARE evil, you ever think of that? Maybe the soup is poisoned! I mean, how did they get here? Maybe they're undead. Or shapechangers! Or swamp-walking! Or shape-changing undead!"
Kara starts walking toward the raft. "Imma sleep on the raft, farther away from the Shapechanging Poisoning Swamp-Walking Undead. But you guys put your unprotected necks near the fire and go to sleep. Good luck with that."
Kara goes to the raft and lays down, her small head on her pack, and pulls her cloak about her.
As you contemplate Valana's words, eventually the group camps by the fire. Except for Kara, who tempts fate and crocodiles.
Before you fall asleep, you catch Valana's shapely outline in the doorway of the wagon.
She speaks barely above a whisper, but you all hear her clearly.
"Beware the madman," she says. "Beware his blood." and then she closes the door.
You drift off into a deep sleep, and even those of you tasked with keeping watch cannot avoid it.
You all awaken the next morning to the same damp grey weather as the previous days. Your raft and gear are as you left it, but there is no trace of the family or their wagon.
Resigned, you eventually set off into the swamp again, still feeling hopeless about finding your bounty, but at least glad you aren't the only souls in the swamp. And you continue onward.
The trees in this part of the swamp close in around the raft, forming a thick tangle of branches and exposed roots, making progress slow and difficult. Sharp, broken limbs scratch your arms and legs as you push the raft forward, and the wind whistles an odd, lifeless tune as it rushes through the leaves overhead.
As you break through a clump of foliage, a light appears in the distance. It is brighter than a single lantern, warm and inviting in the cold, damp air. The light is not at eye level. It hovers in the dark so that you must look up to see it.
Like moths to a flame, you and your raft slide easily toward the source of the light. It is a small wooden house, hardly larger than a shack. Light spills from its two front windows and a wide open door. The house appears to be suspended in the air above the surface of the swamp, its reflection shimmering in the dank pool before it.
|
|
As they discover the gypsies are gone, Kara just smiles. "Told ya they were swamp-walkers," is all she comments on that.
As the light draws closer, she says, "Okay, now, you've got to admit that -this- looks suspicious. I mean, I like to get away as much as the next devastatingly attractive halfling temptress, but, seriously? I bet there's not a good tailor within a hundred thousand miles!
Weapons out guys. Something's gonna try to eat us. Again."
Erial nods at Kara's ever-present vocalized mental stream. I would agree with you Kara. Now is the not the time for nice thoughts and platitudes. Let's be prepared. He says quietly as he sets an arrow to his bowstring.
"Agreed." The Old Wolf readies his sword, resting on his shoulder where he can easily move it into a full swing in combat. "I'll go first." When the raft is close enough to the house, the Wolf steps up and pounds on the door with his free hand, opening it if there's no response after a few seconds.
As you approach the house and get close, you see that it's not actually floating in the air, but just looks that way from the darkness. Four stout poles rise from the swamp, lifting the house some 8 feet above the water. The poles obviously serve to protect the house from rising water and the creatures of the swamp. Other than an occasional croak or cricket song, the swamp around the house is still.
The water around the house is no more than 4 feet deep. From the angle you're looking at on the ground level, you cannot see into the house directly. There are no windows or doors on the sides of the structure, and the back wall holds only a single window, also bare.
You don't see any way to get up to the doorway. The house has no porch and there is no sign of a boat.
This ain't sposed to be here. Ausk grunts This ain't right. Not a'tall. the half orc looks around warily
The Old Wolf keeps staring up at the house for a few seconds, and then nods. "Alright. Be careful." He squats down and offers his hands as a foothold to lift the halfling up and heft her to the doorway if he can.
Suddenly a rope ladder drops from the doorway. No figure steps into the light to greet you, and not even a shadow passes the open door. The ladder, constructed of wooden steps and thick rope, simply rolls out with a brief clatter of knocking wood. The last step hangs just above the surface of the fetid water, inviting you to climb up into the warm light.
When the ladder drops, the Wolf drops Kara--not simply flopping her to the raft, but lowering her back down. "On second thought, I'll go first after all." He glances down at Kara and gives a smile that only looks a little forced. "If you want to help, you could hand me my sword once I'm up?"
Erial watches as the Wolf offers to climb first.
I'll stay on the raft, take the rear guard. Hopefully I can cover you somewhat from here with the bow. he says, eyes scanning for threats.
Otto was getting more and more nervous. He didn't like this at all. When Ausk voiced his concerns Otto knew for sure they were truly doomed.
He looked at the others climbing up and was amongst the last to climb the ladder.
The remainder of you enter the door.
The little house has only one room. All told, more than two dozen lanterns hang from pegs on the wall and sit on the warped wooden floor, flooding the shack with light. To the right of the door, unopened boxes have been neatly stacked against the wall. An open-topped barrel sits beside the boxes.
In the center of the room, facing the door, is a young man. He sits within a circle of five burning lanterns, with his large, blank eyes fixed in place.
The young man is unusually thin and pale, and his long, blond hair hangs limply to his shoulders. His features are tortured. The simple shirt and pants that he wears are clean and fresh. He clutches a small book in his lap, but makes no move to get up or greet you — except to slowly struggle out an incomprehensible phrase,
"The on descend shall evil of night the land, at near is signs of hexad this when hand."
Then he returns to his quiet state, neither speaking nor responding in any way.
When Kara passes up the now glowing sword, the Wolf grunts what's probably thanks, although it sounds a tad confused as well. In the shack, he stares at the young man, sword ready but not attacking. What was it she said about a madman? Beware his blood. He turns the phrase over in his mind, trying to make sense of it. The first half wasn't so difficult, The evil of night shall descend on the land, or perhaps the night of evil. The second, though... when near at hand was the only phrase he could parse out, and it wasn't necessarily a single section.
He keeps his place looking at this strange young man, waiting to see if the others have any input.
Antonius presses himself against the wall, unsure of what to make of the situation. He slowly reaches his hand for a dagger and opens his senses. He felt that something was wrong and he quickly set his mind to figuring out what.
|
|
Kara bumbles up the ladder awkwardly and pulls herself up, tumbling down at Wolf's feet. She quickly springs up, "That was deliberate, that WAS deliberate!" in time to hear the madman's ravings.
She frowns in unfamiliar concentration, then, ponderingly, plays with her hands, an interplay of flame crawling along them, burning etherstuff dropping harmlessly to the floor. "Normally in these circumstances I yell something that urges to 'Waste him with your crossbow!' but in this instance, didn't rude-gypsy-slut say something about not killing that madman?
Um, anyone opposed to us just leaving?"
Antonius does not notice anything particularly unusual, though his inspection does yield that the boxes contain much fresh food, and the barrel is filled with fresh water.
He does notice as he brushes near a lantern that the strange young man winces a bit.
The book in his lap appears to be a book of poems.
When Kara mentions leaving, he seems to move a bit then settles back.
Frowning, Antonius firmly grips one of the lanterns without intent to knock it over.
Upon entering the room, Erial opts to keep his bow stowed, letting his hands rest uneasily on his swords. When the young man starts his raving, he is clearly discomfited by the show.
Nothing about not killing him, just about bewaring his blood. But this man is clearly not well. Leaving him here poses two problems. If he is an innocent, he'll be as good as dead. If he is a monster, we've done nothing to stop what could turn into a reign of terror that would see towns rent asunder. Erial says, firm in his convictions.
Noticing Antonius grip the lantern, Erial moves slightly away, looking to interpose himself between Kara and the madman if he decides to spring.
|
|
Kara, seeing that other people are being responsible and looking around, takes a step into the corner and keeps playing with her hands, making small smoke-shapes. "Whenever I hear cryptic advice, Erial, I assume that it's a euphemism. Well, first I assume it's a con, but after that I assume it means something else. Like, the prophecy "The Lion will rise with the shining sun" could mean that the supreme leader will be born in the East. Or it means that the guy you're looking for will have blond hair, and will walk into the patron with the sun at his back--even if the door faces West. Or the guy who will kill you (like a lion) will decide to kill you while it's day. Or something.
Anyway, to fear his blood might mean to fear spilling it too. Not that I'm in love with this guy or him doing all this breathing. Jus' sayin'."
Understood Kara. There's just something I distrust about leaving an unknown at my back, even with your feisty protection helping to guard us. Erial quips with a rare smile.
The Old Wolf thought about adding his two copper, but upon seeing Antonius experimenting with a lantern, he simply keeps his watch closely on this strange man.
The strange man looks up at Antonius nervously as he sees him fiddling with one of the lanterns.
Antonius moves away from the lantern, satisfied. He turns to his companions and shrugs.
As Antonius retreats from the lantern, the young man settles back down again in silence.
Apart from the presence of this strange and clearly disturbed individual, you determine that with the placement of the house and food supplies that it may be an adequate place to rest for the night. Provided that this young man is really as harmless as he appears.
The Old Wolf continues to stare at the man, and now he opens his senses once more to the divine and profane, wondering if there's truly something more powerful at work here.
So long as his senses don't discover that evil lurks here, though, he shakes his head. "Leave the lanterns for now. He's an odd one, but he seems harmless enough. This may not be a bad place to rest. I'll keep an eye on our host for now."
Ausk growls He ain't no trouble, but he ain't sposed to be here.
Ausk ignores the yapping halfling's call to violence.
|
|
"Well then in that...case...we should...probably...." Whatever Kara was going to say is lost to history as she gives in the preternatural drive of all halflings whenever large crates of foodstuffs are in proximity.
With a wordless curiosity, Kara starts climbing amongst the stores of food and water, taking a flawless inventory, and, as she thinks she can get away with it, taking samples of the wares therein.
Should some of it accidentally fall in to her pack, then the whims of fate can be said to be fickle things.
The group helps themselves to some of the stored food and water, as the young man simply sits and watches. They rest cautiously through the night, as it has gotten too dark to travel. The storm clouds roll in yet again on schedule, but still do not break.
As morning arrives, bleak and grey again, the group packs some of the food and readies the raft to set out into the swamp, hopeful that they're near the end of it.
The young man gets up from his chair and follows them out, intent to stay with them, though saying nothing. He boards the raft and takes a seat quietly.
You begin to wonder if this odd individual isn't the "quiet and lost young man" that Valana spoke of the other night when she read your fortune.
Antonius acknowledges the new traveler, but otherwise leaves him be.
Erial, not needing to sleep nearly so long as his compatriots, rises early and sits over in the corner of the room and lays out the items of his pack. Touching each one in turn, he performs his morning rituals before packing everything back in and heading down to the raft as one of the first to reach the vessel.
Drawing his bow and nocking an arrow, he takes a defensive posture, guarding the raft against any enemies that rear their heads while the group boards.
When the young man follows the group out and takes a seat on the raft, Erial cocks an eyebrow and turns to Ausk.
Master Ausk, we are adding another to our lot? he asks calmly with a slight nod to the man.
The Old Wolf watches the man warily when he joins them in the raft, but after a few moments' thought he turns his eyes back to the swamp, his sword ready at his feet.
|
|
As the young man wordlessly takes his seat, Kara muses loudly, "Hey, maybe he's the "quiet and lost young man" that weird gypsy slut talked about! Alright, you can come along, quiet and weird dude, but we're taking EXTRA rations for you! Yeah, I know they're your rations anyway, but we're gonna need them for you then! So...so just watch it!"
Feeling like she's dealt with the situation, Kara makes sure that the barge is stuffed to the gills with foodstuffs, and then takes up her normal post at the front of the craft and goes back to amusing herself trying to set the water-logged moss-encrusted soggy wood-trees on fire.
The group decides to let the strange young man tag along for now, feeling that he may be important to the Vistani woman's prophecy. They set out again on the raft, and within a few short hours arrive at the edge of the swamp.
As you reach the edge of the swamp, you see a clearing with few trees and several houses. You are nearly in disbelief at having finally reached some outpost of civilization. The location does not at all resemble the Sword Mountains, which is where you expected to arrive, but nonetheless you are relieved to be out of the swamp.
For the first time since you've been in the swamp, the storm clouds gather and lightning plays across the sky. Aside from the occasional thunderclap or flash, the storm still does not break, but at this point promises to be spectacular.
Spying down the dirt road that runs through the center of the village, you see the inhabitants gathered outside what appears to be their church , despite the impending storm hanging overhead.
The Old Wolf steps off the raft and looks down the road. He heaves his sword to his shoulder, where it rests in its familiar position, the weight settling with a soft metallic clink over his mail. After a few more seconds of silent contemplation, he grunts. "We'd best move. Storm won't wait. Should see what's happening down there, too. Usually means trouble when folks gather at a church."
At the mention of the church, Erial's fingers dance across his necklace, feeling the holy symbols of more than a dozen dead priests. Agreed Old Wolf. Let's make haste.
Ausk silently poles the raft forward, only grunting at the silent man a little when he boards the raft.
This ain't nat'rel. No sir. Not at'll I got a bad feelin. Ausk grumbles as he follows the Old Wolf.
|
|
Kara looks up. "Oh, great, ya, this is what we need. First the day turns all morbid an' creepifying, and now we're about t' get pissed on in a -legendary- way.
Alright guys, let's go mind even MORE trouble and see why they're about to burn a church down. That always goes well."
Kara has a strange tone, as if she's not sure if she's sarcastic or not.
The group begins to slowly approach the town, walking down the main drag. You pass by shops that appear closed up, with signs in the windows, "Closed for Funeral" and "Gone to the Church" in the Common language. Even cottages appear to be locked up tight.
From the distance you see the crowd in front of the church follow a wagon that slowly moves toward what looks like the local cemetery.
Antonius starts to move towards the crowd. Along the way he looks for a spot where he'd be able to watch the ceremony without drawing much attention.
You get closer towards the crowd, but keep your distance. Solemn faces gaze at you suspiciously, but no one says a word. The villagers soon return their attention to the priest who stands over a coffin wrapped with heavy chains.
The priest's booming voice echoes throughout the churchyard.
"Friends and family, we mourn the untimely death of Jeremiah d'Gris," he laments.
"Let us take comfort in the fact that he goes to a better place, and let us pray that his eternal rest is peaceful and without incident."
"Jeremiah, you will be missed, but you will not be welcome here again. Depart this plane and go to the next world with our blessing."
The priest continues his liturgy, even though a muffled bang causes him a moment's pause. The villagers flinch but quickly regain their composure. The bang sounds again from within the coffin. The coffin rocks back and forth, but the priest and the crowd ignore it.
The Old Wolf steps up without hesitation or ceremony, and calls out. "Why do you not burn the body?"
Erial's lip twitches at the thought of undead in the town. His eyes settle into cold hatred as he whips his bow around and in another moment, an arrow is seated to the gut, point to the dirt.
The Old Wolf is right: why do you not burn that abomination. It is no longer the man you knew.
The priest pauses for a moment and looks at you.
"Please do not interfere." he says sharply before continuing the funeral ceremony.
He waves his holy symbol over the coffin and whispers, "Jeremiah, be still."
The villagers continue to look on as the bangs continue from within the coffin.
The wagon rolls to the cemetery gate where another man waits and directs them toward an open vault.