"You've deprived me a a fair contest, the least you can do is satisfy my curiosity..."
Diplomacy :
Speaker Steadwatch gives a heavy sigh, but relents.
"I am indebted to Rogar Sparkhammer, son of the Thane. He has made a large bet on me to win this tournament. If I do so, he will waive my debt. I am well pleased with the Thane, but her son is...unsavory. I worry that he will call me to repay him with certain...favors, which I would find reprehensible. Please, do not make me say any more."
Jon moves closer to the starry-eyed woman speaking with the headmaster.
"Pardon me, miss, but did I overhear you speaking of a new star in the sky? Is that even possible? The stars are unchanging.""The stars are never unchanging, good man. They are in constant flux as they scatter themselves across the firmament. Yet they fly through regions so vast and on a scale so immense that we mortals can scarcely perceive it...so they appear to us as unchanging and immutable...but the universe is a strange place...and sometimes stars or born or heavenly bodies chart new courses before our very eyes...as if to warn us of sudden shifts to come on our world. We must open our eyes to these changes. So it is with the arrival of a new star in the North. I suppose if you have not witnessed its appearance it might look as any other star. If you like we should gather on the green this evening after the festivities have finished and the lanterns are low. Then I will show all of you the star of which I speak".....
As she talks about the heavens she sees Auric approaching and moves up to him to congratulate his efforts in the wrestling ring.
That was fine work, Auric!Those crusty dwarves may not have though much of it, but I would wager you could beat them to the dust any time. You must be parched! I brought some mead for you. Here, take some.
Her luminous eyes are unmistakable behind her mask as she reaches the bottle out to the young apprentice, smiling.
Auric blushes a bit under his falcon mask.
"Thanks. That was nothin' though, Azryn took it easy on me. 'specially toward the end. He could have won if he really wanted it."He takes a long drink.
"How are you liking the festival?"
Speaker Steadwatch gives a heavy sigh, but relents.
"I am indebted to Rogar Sparkhammer, son of the Thane. He has made a large bet on me to win this tournament. If I do so, he will waive my debt. I am well pleased with the Thane, but her son is...unsavory. I worry that he will call me to repay him with certain...favors, which I would find reprehensible. Please, do not make me say any more."
"Calm yourself Speaker, you are indeed in an unfortunate situation. I may be able to aid you in winning the competition. If I can lessen the influence of the Thane and her ilk on our village, I will consider it a victory.", William pauses for a moment to let the Speaker consider his words, "However, if we are successful, there may come a day when I will call upon you to repay the favor. I promise any task I ask of you will be far easier to stomach than a request from the Thane's son."
....Auric blushes a bit under his falcon mask.
"Thanks. That was nothin' though, Azryn took it easy on me. 'specially toward the end. He could have won if he really wanted it."
He takes a long drink.
"How are you liking the festival?"
"Why, it has been wonderful so far. This is a charming town. People have been hospitable and gracious. The refreshments are delicious. You have wonderful handicrafts and costumes on display everywhere I look. And thanks to you, Auric I have had the pleasure and priviledge of meeting Old Tom here. He is such distiguished gentleman. I have never been welcomed like this before."
Speaker Steadwatch gives a heavy sigh, but relents.
"I am indebted to Rogar Sparkhammer, son of the Thane. He has made a large bet on me to win this tournament. If I do so, he will waive my debt. I am well pleased with the Thane, but her son is...unsavory. I worry that he will call me to repay him with certain...favors, which I would find reprehensible. Please, do not make me say any more."
"Calm yourself Speaker, you are indeed in an unfortunate situation. I may be able to aid you in winning the competition. If I can lessen the influence of the Thane and her ilk on our village, I will consider it a victory.", William pauses for a moment to let the Speaker consider his words, "However, if we are successful, there may come a day when I will call upon you to repay the favor. I promise any task I ask of you will be far easier to stomach than a request from the Thane's son."
The Speaker seems taken aback. He lowers his eyes before he speaks.
"You offer me too much kindness, good man. So long as it will not bring undue harm or attention to you, I will accept your offer."
At a call from the judge, Zachary Steadwatch moves to take his turn, preparing to hit the airborne targets as they come.
William steps to the front of the crowd, "Steady my lord, keep your aim as true and steady as Antal's facing down the Ripskull clan..."
As the young halfling speaks, his voice takes on a melodic tone, carrying far and bolstering the spirit of those who hear it.
William steps to the front of the crowd, "Steady my lord, keep your aim as true and steady as Antal's facing down the Ripskull clan..."
As the young halfling speaks, his voice takes on a melodic tone, carrying far and bolstering the spirit of those who hear it.
Emboldened by your performance, Zachary takes his mark. At a signal from the judge, helpers begin tossing round wooden targets into the air at random intervals. As they fly up, the halfling tosses his daggers at the plate-sized projectiles.
He manages to hit three of the five tossed targets with his throws.
Of his three opponents, one misses every target completely. The second manages to hit with two of his throws. The last, a lean dark-haired fellow in studded leather, misses the first two, but nails each of the remaining three targets dead center. The judge calls the tie, and confers with two of the other judges on how to resolve it.
As the judges confer, Zachary Steadwatch steps over to you while he awaits their ruling.
"My thanks, again, friend. Hopefully I can win this last toss. That's one of the constable's deputies. He's got a keen eye and a supple wrist...a worthy competitor."
The judge steps away from his compatriots and announces their decision. A final target will be used. It will be tossed high into the air. Each opponent will get one shot at the target, with the first to hit being declared the winner.
The judge, who wears a fanciful unicorn mask, reaches up to the multi-colored mane it sports and pulls two ribbons from it, one blue and the other yellow. Each is tied around the hilt of a separate knife. The contestants are then called up again.
Zachary, turns then, walking over to his mark. The judge moves forward with the target and, after a dramatic pause, tosses it high into the air, straight overhead.
As all eyes raise upwards, following the target, William sees Zachary repeat his earlier spell. Then, as his opponent waits for the target to come within a reasonable range, he flicks his knife upwards.
While the target is still forty feet overhead, and Zachary's opponent still has his arm cocked back, the halfling's knife strikes the wooden disc dead center. It falls to the earth and for a moment, all is quiet. Then the crowd breaks into a great ruckus of cheering and applauding.
Once the crowd dies down and Zachary is receiving his prize, William moves to congratulate the defeated opponent, "An excellent showing deputy, but alas it was not to be this year. I'm sure you're luck will be much improved next year!"
William then waits for the well-wishers to leave the speaker a few moments before taking him aside once more, "With luck you'll now be free on Sparkhammer's influence! So tell me speaker, how did you come to be indebted to such man as the Thane's son?"
Diplomacy :
Tom, do you think the local temple keeps star charts? Do the priests here mark the passage of the heavens? Surely I cannot be the only one here to have noticed the change. I would be interested to make a visit there. Would you be interested in joining me?
After handing the llama over to the stablehands, young Oroupah scans the skyline of the town for a glimpse of the temple, preparing to head off in that direction.
Once the crowd dies down and Zachary is receiving his prize, William moves to congratulate the defeated opponent, "An excellent showing deputy, but alas it was not to be this year. I'm sure you're luck will be much improved next year!"
William then waits for the well-wishers to leave the speaker a few moments before taking him aside once more, "With luck you'll now be free on Sparkhammer's influence! So tell me speaker, how did you come to be indebted to such man as the Thane's son?"
Diplomacy : 1d20+7
"Perhaps I can tell you that tale a bit later. For now, I'd like to have a drink and perhaps a bite to eat. Seek me out later tonight, or on the morrow, and I promise I'll share the story with you."
Tom, do you think the local temple keeps star charts? Do the priests here mark the passage of the heavens? Surely I cannot be the only one here to have noticed the change. I would be interested to make a visit there. Would you be interested in joining me?
After handing the llama over to the stablehands, young Oroupah scans the skyline of the town for a glimpse of the temple, preparing to head off in that direction.
Old Tom looks thoughtful.
"I think not. The dwarves keep their eyes turned to the earth and its bounty, not the skies. They prefer sparkling things they can dig from the earth rather than see twinkling high out of their reach. There is a chapel to Baal, but it sits some distance out of town, tended by an old dwarf priest. Too far of a journey for now, and probably not worth the trip. I head there once a week for services, but its rather far for these old bones to travel there more often."
Old Tom looks thoughtful.
"I think not. The dwarves keep their eyes turned to the earth and its bounty, not the skies. They prefer sparkling things they can dig from the earth rather than see twinkling high out of their reach. There is a chapel to Baal, but it sits some distance out of town, tended by an old dwarf priest. Too far of a journey for now, and probably not worth the trip. I head there once a week for services, but its rather far for these old bones to travel there more often."
With an amicable wave at Auric and a sigh, Oroupah sets off on a stroll with her elderly companion. She lilts soft melody in response,
Oh, are not glittering earthen treasures
Starstuff of a kind
Condensed deep below
For the stony folk to find?
"Perhaps I can tell you that tale a bit later. For now, I'd like to have a drink and perhaps a bite to eat. Seek me out later tonight, or on the morrow, and I promise I'll share the story with you."Once the crowd dies down and Zachary is receiving his prize, William moves to congratulate the defeated opponent, "An excellent showing deputy, but alas it was not to be this year. I'm sure you're luck will be much improved next year!"
William then waits for the well-wishers to leave the speaker a few moments before taking him aside once more, "With luck you'll now be free on Sparkhammer's influence! So tell me speaker, how did you come to be indebted to such man as the Thane's son?"
Diplomacy : 1d20+7
"Fair enough speaker, perhaps I will seek you out later in the evening. Enjoy the festival!"
William then sets out in search of the man in the rooster mask once more. Wishing to get to know more of his new contact.
Those of you participating in the Log Bout head to the appointed area. You can see various portions of the ground have wide, shallow trenches dug into them, which have been filled with water to form muddy pits. Across each a log about a foot and a half wide has been placed. You all stand ready as the staves for the bout are handed out and pairings of contestants are made for the first round.
Meanwhile one of the judges announces that the foot race is about to begin. Various contestants assemble at a rope laid out across the main road into the village center and wait as the judge goes over the rules of the race. The course has been marked in a rough circle around the outskirts of the village proper. There are judges' assistants set with flags at certain points along the course to keep racers on the path and watch for those that might attempt shortcuts.
Once the rules are announced, the judge stands to one side with a square of blue cloth attached to a stick. He raises his makeshift flag.
"Runners, on your marks! Set! Go!" He swipes the flag downward and the racers take off down the road, feet pounding as they round the bend near the smithy and vanish out of sight.
Some villagers move off to various points to spectate, while others simply continue with the festivities, or move to the Log Bout, awaiting the first runners to approach the finish line.
Just as you are preparing for your first matches, A figure comes around the bend in the road, prompting a cheer from the crowd. That cheer quickly turns to gasps and exclamations of shock and alarm. As the lithe young woman continues toward the green, blood can be seen running down her tunic. Her eyes seem glazed and her face is fixed in a look of panic.
"Baal's breath!", Auric exclaims. Lacking any other weapon, he picks up his stave for the log bout and runs toward the running woman.
"Raise the alarm!", William cries while drawing the bow from his back and running to meet the young woman while scanning for threats behind her.
Perception :
My face full of concern at the sight of the injured woman, which quickly becomes one of consternation at the call for alarm.
"Everyone, stay calm. Other than being gravely injured, we know naught what has befallen her!", I call as I move with the others to the woman.
"Does anyone know her?", I ask, as I beginning trying to see if her path is discernable - dried blood, foot prints, anything, even looking to see if perhaps she was attacked by someone or thing.
Perception check:
Auric, William, and Gendo meet her on the road. You'd be more inclined to call her a girl rather than woman. Although tall, she can't be more than fourteen. Auric recognizes her as the daughter of a local farmer...Helena, he thinks her name is. Her tunic is torn and her left shoulder sports ragged cuts or tears. Scanning of the road from whence she came shows no sign of any immediate danger.
Still in a panic, the girl attempts to rush past the three of you and continue on.
Jon will move forward and address the girl. "Girl, what happened? What has occurred?"
"Helena! Hold! You'll be okay now, tell us what happened!"
Diplomacy:
Perception:
Jon and Auric manage to stop the girl. Judging from the symmetry of the tears in her skin, you'd guess its some type of claw wound.
While she no longer continues to flee, it is difficult to get anything coherent from her. She sobs and babbles. You manage to catch small snippets of comprehensible words: "evil spirits," "out of the woods," and "the creek," but little else at this point. She's still too wound up.
William moves up to the girl, he takes her head gently in his hands and brings her to eye level, "Please, I know you're frightened but you are safe now. We need to know where the other runners are?"
Diplomacy :
I become hard from head to toe, my bearing changing from one of uncertainty to barely contained anger.
"Get everyone into the most defensible place in town. My monastery was attacked most recently, by what I do not know. I fear that what has befallen the girl may be related." My words terse and emphatic.
Oroupah walks past the girl to the forest whence she came. She looks at the scars on the girl's face. Are there signs of what has attacked her? Can she see anything back in the wood or down the road. What time of day is it?
"Are there more villagers out there being attacked out there now?", she asks.
It is now mid-afternoon. No sign of any attacking enemy can be seen from here, save for the wounds on Helena's shoulder. Despite additional coaxing from William and a few villagers that know her well, the girl does not calm any further. All you can ascertain from her is that there are "evil spirits" in the woods near the crossroads outside the village, as she points a trembling hand towards the treetops in the distance, seen over a low hill.
You are certain that something more is wrong. There should be other racers heading into the village, but of them you see no sign. The race itself seems to have been disrupted by something, obviously dangerous, but at this point you have no clue as to what.
As word begins to spread, the dwarven warriors you've seen moving about the village begin to take action. They seem to be ordering folk to congregate on the green or head for the inn. The constable and his deputies are helping to keep people calm and organized.
As Oroupah begins to stride down the road out of town, Old Tom speaks.
"Surely she shouldn't be heading out there alone?"
"Of course not, I will accompany her.", William's gaze turns to Auric, Jon and Gendo in turn before sweeping the assembled villagers, "I'm sure there are other able bodied soles willing to aid us?"
William grabs his bow once before taking a deep breath and jogging to catch up with Oroupah.
"M'Lady! Sir!", I call after Oroupah,"Wait!"
"Haste is the sure road to failure. If evil spirits it was," I begin ernestly,"then perhaps there is some measure of truth behind the tradition of lighting the lanterns to ward of evil spirits. Mayhaps t'would be prudent to bring them along?" I point to the nearest lantern for emphasis.
"I'm going. Those are my neighbors and Baal as my witness I won't let them be hurt if I can help it. I'd prefer to get my hammer and some other, uh, supplies but time's wasting."
Auric ties his lantern back to his belt and hefts the stave. But then he looks at Gendo.
"Wait... monastery? Spirits? What are you talking about? And who are you? Did these things follow you?!"
"I will go as well. I know these woods well." Jon will move forward into the woods, keeping his eyes open for anything that seems out of the ordinary.
Perception:
Survival:
Knowledge: Nature:
Oroupah looks back and calls to Tom,
Tom, these lanterns are made to ward off spirits. And the villagers don these for this very festival. Are malevolent spirits known to congregate here at this time of year? Do you know anything about this?
She looks to Gendo, Sir, it would be prudent for you tell us what you know about what attacked your monastery.
Perhaps with the onset of this threat Tom is not there to answer her question...if not, maybe her memories of old longhouse tales will provide additional insight to what may be out there.
As she speaks she pulls out her small spear, readying herself for danger to come.
Tom nods in agreement with Gendo's statement concerning the lanterns, then turns to look at Oroupah.
"High Harvest is said to be a time when evil rises. Perhaps it is the goodness of the bounty and the celebration that brings them forth, jealous and vengeful. However, in recent times there have been naught but the occasional bandit raid, or nocturne attack. It cannot be the nocturne because they do not venture out in the day. But whatever it may be, light the lanterns. They should afford you some protection."
Your group moves off to the east out of the village proper, down the packed earth road. Further up the road you see trees to your right, and a mown field to your left, a lonely scarecrow hanging limp from its post.
Jon knows that this wood is merely a large stand of trees, running parallel with the road before twisting northward to meet the creek that lies in that direction. Perhaps a couple hundred yards long, half that wide. Hardly much of a forest, but enough to provide cover for a hidden enemy.
As the party approaches, Jon spots a bit of color on the ground, upon closer inspection, it appears to be one of the flags used by the judge's assistants during the race. It lies in a bush at the edge of the tree line.
"It would seem this is our path.", William addresses his companions in a serious tone, "Be weary, the trees may easily hide many threats, but with luck they may hide us from the same dangers."
William turns to Gendo, "First though, you said you have encountered something similar recently? Any information you can give would prove useful."
A look of worry visits my face for a moment, as I take a breath, "The tale would be too long in the telling." My voice is soft, as though I do not wish to revisit the memory of the aftermath of the attack. "The short of it is, the monastery from whence I hail was attacked by the walking dead while several acolytes, myself included were gathering supplies from another settlement. The wounds of the girl - Helen?, look disturbingly similar to what was found on those that were lost in the attack. The head of my order, Master Heyward Ironhead, was not...he was not...found amongst the wounded or dead. But we fear the worst. The Master is known to Sir Steadwatch, as was I at one point, though not favorably from what I was told."
"Nothin' for it. In we go. May Baal grant us his favor."
Auric lights his lantern and heads cautiously into the woods.
Perception:
Jon retrieves the flag. "Keep alert, comrades. It would seem that we are in dangerous lands. This way, the race route went this way." Jon continues onward, heading toward the woods. He does take a moment to draw his sickle and to remove his mistletoe from within a hidden pocket and place it in a convenient pouch.
William knocks an arrow in his bow before cautiously following his companions into to woods.
Perception :
I do not light my lantern as of yet, wanting to see if there is some truth to the tradition.
"Ware the man with faith, pity the fool with naught else." I respond to Auric before I follow the others. I proceed as cautious as they, and moving to match thier pace, attempting to be as quiet as a gentle breeze, at one with the forest around us.
Perception check:
Stealth check: remove the -5 modifier if the pace we move is half speed.
I do not light my lantern as of yet, wanting to see if there is some truth to the tradition.
"Ware the man with faith, pity the fool with naught else." I respond to Auric before I follow the others. I proceed as cautious as they, and moving to match thier pace, attempting to be as quiet as a gentle breeze, at one with the forest around us.
Perception check: 1d20 + 10
Stealth check: 1d20 + 6 - 5 remove the -5 modifier if the pace we move is half speed.
William slips amongst the trees, as silent as a shadow. He stays roughly 15ft ahead of the group, careful to watch for any signs of danger or the missing runners.
Your group moves up the road to the edge of the trees. Auric's attention occasionally being drawn back to the scarecrow in the field, its loose clothes flapping in the breeze. At one point, its head lolls over, as if following your progress, but certainly it's only the effect of the wind upon it...
Entering the trees, you wince at the crunch of leaves under your feet, taking care to step as softly as possible. William moves in first, quickly vanishing from sight as his small form moves into the shadow of a tree and then rounds the trunk. The rest of the party follows.
Jon: Your trained eye manages to read the leaf litter and ground rather easily. You can tell that the runners came this way, however the pack quickly broke apart, with individuals running in several directions, as if startled. As you continue to scan the earth, you come across a partial print in the earth. It is strange, with clawed, long, toe-like projections. It almost reminds you of a chicken print, but larger, and there's something not quite right about it...
Gendo: You lay your hand on one gnarled trunk, the moss upon the bark still bearing summer's green. As you round the trunk, a faint smell is carried to your nostrils, something out of place in the familiar fall scents...somewhat dank and foul...then a rattling noise and a crunch of leaves catches your attention. With a quick hiss of warning, you draw the rest of the group's attention.
Everyone: A claw of yellowed bone curls around the trunk of a nearby tree, followed by a grinning skull. Before you is a skeleton, old, yellowed, and crusted with grave dirt, walking under its own power. Mere paces away, you can see worms writhing amid the soil that clogs one of the eye sockets. The other is empty but for a faint, flickering light. As it senses Gendo, it raises its arms, clutching at him with outstretched, bony talons. A short distance beyond you see four more walking skeletons in the trees ahead, about thirty feet away, moving in the party's direction. They stride through the trees with eerie grace and murderous intent.
Map Key:
A= Auric
G= Gendo
J= Jon
O= Oroupah
S= Opponents
W= William
X= Trees
Big X= Big trees
Init:
Initiative:
Initiative :
Initiative check:
Initiative Order:
Gendo
Jon
Auric
Skeletons
William
Oroupah