Horec keeps glancing around nervously.
"This is ridiculous! We are too exposed out here and the only thing all of this yelling will achieve is to attract the attention of unwanted things."
Turning towards the cave entrance he shouts, "We are coming in now! Don't be foolish enough to even think of crossing swords with me!"
With that Horec begins to advance on the cave, trying to ignore the uneasy sensation between his shoulders.
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Horec walks past the others and into the cave, and off to the right, all huddled around a makeshift torch sconce, several young farmers, an older farmer, and his wife. The husband had his hands gripped on a curved weapon, it's blade too sharp to be a hand-sickle. The shotel caught the light and the farmer swore under his breath, trying to brace his family with, "They're coming in! They're coming in.."
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The farmer holds up his weapon and its point gleams off of the light, "Stay behind me..keep them safe Bartram! Heeyyyaaahh!" Like a brave fool trying to save his family from a second death, Mr. Conner charged Horec. Even with the dim lighting, Horec was able to avoid being hit by the desperate man. The blade sunk into the ground where Horec had stood a second before, and Mr. Conner pulled the blade out, almost falling over. He was completely off balance now.
"Enough fool!" Horec shouts as he avoids the initial attack. He then attempts to disarm the fighter before he hurts himself.
Defense=21
hp=33/33
status- crane stance, fighting defensively
Akrurna enters the cave behind Horec, and watches the interplay between Horec and Mr. Conner.
"This is stupid. If we were really your enemy we could have cut all of you down by now. We just want to understand what happened. Do you know about the bodies on the trail here? What happened to those people?"
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Mr. Conner spits in the ground, still holding his ground with his fists clenched. He recognizes the priestess and glares at her. Obviously, their prior chat and yelling hasn't made them friends, "You agreed to send my family to the funeral pyre once before. Cuttin' us down wouldn't be too far fetched."
Giving her the ugliest look, "You want to know why we weren't burned alive; that it, priestess?! That elf was right, you are a work of art." The younger members of the family and Mrs. Conner group up, and Mr. Conner, "You kill someone else and are asking us about it? We just ended up here. Haven't left this spot since the fire."
Once Anubis judges a soul, that soul is then supposed to move to the afterlife. Breaking this rule causes obvious distortions to occur and it would take incredible power to defy a god.
There is a wrong-feeling that emanates from the farmers, like something is wrong, or missing, or both.
Akurna leans back, indignant.
"Set's balls! I did no such thing! It was Farmer Tierney and your fellow villagers that condemned you, not I. And you know that! Friar McKay kept me from interfering. There was nothing I could do to help you, but that didn't mean I approved of what happened."
"And I'm glad you escaped. I really am! What happened to you was not justice, it was the raving of an angry mob. I am curious as to how you escaped, but there are bigger things afoot right now."
"In particular, there are strange beasts afoot tonight. We were attacked by a giant three-headed bird not long ago. It killed a dog on the steps of the church and then went this way."
"There's also a stack of dead bodies nearby, people I didn't recognize. And there was a painting there among the bodies, which was quite strange."
"We are trying to solve this mystery. So anything that you do know would help. After all, the trail led here."
"Hmmm, how did you get this ... shotel is the common name? Nobody makes these around here - and again, why are you trying to attack people who aren't trying to hurt you? Are you sure you aren't angry spirits or something? Something is wrong here. I'm not sure this cave is any more shelter against what lurks."
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The weapon continued to lay there and the farmer crossed his arms, a frown on his face, "Serves him right then. Glad he went missin'." Rubbing his fingers into his closed eyes, he dipped his head in thought, "It was the elf that appeared in our house. He told us to go hide in the kitchen and then we were suddenly in this cave. Told us not to make much of a peep and gave us that weapon there."
The farmer looks between the dwarf and Akurna, shrugging some, "You can't blame me for wanting to defend my family. All I know is that the priests in town wanted to shove my family up and burn us alive, so they weren't exactly my friendlies. Couldn't tell if the priestess was in on it from her tone." At the spirit comment, the farmer lifts a brow, "Spirits? Do I look like a spirit to you, dwarf?" Shaking his head, "That's all I know. Haven't been anywhere else."
On the pommel end, there's a strange, snake-like shape engraved in the leather of the handle. It reflects strangely off of the light of the ion stone.
The vision around Horec's eyes starts to blacken and a surge of light-headedness meets him. His knees become heavy and as soon as he closes his eyes he can see the curved blade covered in blood.
[/b]"Well, then we haven't been properly introduced. Haltak Forgemaster, at yer service. Seems that elf saved yer life then. Good on 'im."[/b]
Haltak makes sure his weapons are away, and offers his hand to shake. Maybe that will also give some clue as to their normality or lack thereof.
Phaust follows the cleric's example. The Pharasman agent bends down to examine the weapon.
"Interesting weapon. May be magical", Phaust guesses.
"I don't know why the priests didn't put a stop to that nonsense, before it got out of hand. Perhaps they were acting out of fear. But it was Farmer Tierney who claimed that a sacrifice was called for according to his 'new scripture.' I'm not sure where he got that or why he now considers himself a priest, but he seemed to be the ringleader to me. I would like to know where he got that 'scripture' and what it actually says."
Phaust follows the cleric's example. The Pharasman agent bends down to examine the weapon.
"Interesting weapon. May be magical", Phaust guesses.
"Hmmm."
Akurna makes a few passes with her hands and murmurs a few words.
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They were devout worshipers of Sarenrae. However, with the sun gone, they likely grew very desperate to ensure their flock that Sarenrae didn't abandon them.
The weapon has an overwhelming magical aura around the hilt.
The farmer accepts Haltak's handshake, "Bruckus Conner. My wife, my children." Each in turn says there hello, even the bandaged but looking better now, youngest son. Mr. Conner made a face of disgust, "Tierney...never liked him. Him and his radical ideas. I didn't even know he could read, to be honest." After a little bit of watching the priestess stare at the weapon on the ground, Mr. Conner looks between his family and the others, "Say, if you were going back to town, you mind us tagging along?"
His hand grip is quite firm and he seems to be in relatively good health. Better than the dwarf's, most likely.
"Interesting... This sword is magical. I'm afraid my skills aren't up to determining what the enchantment is though."
"Say, if you were going back to town, you mind us tagging along?"
"Hmmm... I'm not sure how good an idea that is. Charlie placed you here for your own protection. If the villagers see you after thinking you burned to death, who knows how they might react. I would help you, but stopping an angry mob is beyond my abilities. It is probably safer for you to stay here for now. How are you set up for supplies? I could bring you more if you need me to."
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Mr. Conner made a face, mulling it over, "Aye, it might be. We have enough food for tomorrow, but we can't stay in here forever." Mr. Conner gave a single laugh, in regard to the mob statement "That I know priestess. Well, if you're looking for supplies for us, you can find some in our pantries. The cellar is a little ways off from the house and should have plenty."
"All right, we'll leave things as they are for now. We'll have a look in your pantry and see what we can bring."
"Did the elf tell you where he was going? I need to talk to him."
Akurna turns back to the other adventurers.
"I'm sorry, all this stuff with these folks having their house burned down happened before you arrived. It was regrettable, but I didn't expect it to be relevant to what we were doing now, so I never mentioned it."
"The mob that burned down their house was led by Farmer Tierney, a local; he was outside the church when you arrived. He clained to be guided by his 'new scripture' which required a human sacrifice to appease the darkness, or something along those lines. Perhaps we can track him down and have a look at these 'new scriptures.'"
The pharasmin looks up at the looming moon and scowls, "Yes. I have a feeling this 'new scripture" is going to be the tip of the iceberg of what is to come."
Phaust once again makes a rude gesture at the massive satellite.
Haltak mutters "A mob o simple human farmers, how tough could they be?"
before more loudly a simple "Aye.
"They may not be trained warriors, but they do hard work for a living and are strong enough to do some damage. And if there are a hundred of them, well, that would be a problem."
"Besides, most of them are simply frightened and desperate. I don't care to mow them down if they can be made to see reason, which they will do if we can get to the bottom of this."
She turns back to Bruckus.
"Mister Conner... there is one thing I could ask of you. Nearby we found a group of bodies. I know you probably don't care to see that but if you could see if you recognize any of the people there that might be of help. It's only a short way, and then we can return you to the cave and head back to town."
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Mr. Conner grimaced, not keen on the idea, "If...you think it'll help." He kissed his wife once before preparing to venture outside the cave. Nearing the dead bodies, he held part of his shirt over his nose and shook his head, "Not from the village. Probably people from Lastwall." He points to some of the designs on their clothes, "Spun from the black sheep they have up there. The thread lining can't be found around here."
When the others led Mr. Conner back, he stopped at the mouth of the cave and apologized, "I'm really sorry I couldn't help much more than that." That was when a very nearby wolf howled into the darkness, the cry tapering off into a snarl that reverberated against the skin of the mortals. It was very close by and it sounded hungry.
The edges of Phaust's vision go red and a voice quietly speaks from the darkness, "Last born of a dead goddess. There you are...there you are...there...you...are" The voice quietly fades away and out of the corner of his eye was a black wolf, the outline etched into his vision with the surrounding darkness. The wolf's mouth spilled blood, its teeth a drenched red. Then it turned tail and left sight.
Phaust quickly turn around in the direction of the black wolf. After it leaves, the Pharasmin asks, "Okay. Please tell me I'm not the only one who saw that!"
"I didn't see it, but I heard it. Mister Conner, you better get back in the cave. Thanks for your help."
Akurna waves her hand across her eyes and murmurs a few words.
Akurna draws one of her throwing flails.
"What do you think Phaust? You saw it. Your call."
"We'll talk about it. After we get back to the church", spoke Phaust, looking around in all directions. "Let's go."
"How is this cave going to protect these people from a hungry, probably demonic wolf again? I see no door on it..."
"Good, sort of", conceded Phaust. "I wasn't the only one to see it, then".
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Mr. Conner backed up into the cave's entrance, his voice stammering and shaken up, "R-right. I'll just go back, in-inside." Then, out from the darkness, the familiar curved blade erupted from the center of Mr. Conner's chest, a slender, black and dusty hand pulling his neck downward. Mr. Conner coughed up blood and was tossed aside as a naked woman covered in dirt and black soot snarled with her wolf head. The creature's beady eyes snapped between those gathered outside the cave and her weapon hands' veins were a dead purple.
There were no other sounds from the cave and blood obviously marked the lady's sharp, flesh-rendering teeth. As the beast's eyes met Phaust's, she lifted her blade to him and turned it on its side, letting the blood slip slowly off of the metal.
Akurna steps forwards. "Set's balls! Not again!"
She concentrates for a moment, and then shouts,
With furious focus, Phaust attacks wolf woman with his gandasa.
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Wolf Woman seems to stop and consider Akurna when she speaks, "Isthwa? Shorinthwa yas veamonshwa." The voice rasped out between the wolf woman's jowls, separated from the beasts' body. Wolf woman didn't turn aggressive after Akurna shouted and seemed to obey the command. That was until Phaust approached and her weapon hand reacted pulling the arm and breaking the magic that bound the wolf woman's body.
Deftly, the woman's body jerked and twisted to the side to avoid Phaust's weapon. Her own swing caught him off guard and cut deep, but he managed to recover before her bloody jowls could tear into his shoulder and bring him down for a gruesome finish.
"Och, but 'ow 'id she get behind us?! Those people!"
Unnerved by this turn of events, Haltak casts animate rope on the coil at his side.
Akurna steps to the side. He presents her holy symbol, and shouts: "Let the Gaze of Anubis be upon thee!"
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The lady beast's skin became marred with the negative energy, black splotches appearing on her skin. She gripped her bestial head and snarled. The wolf head's eyes filled with blood and darkness, to the tipping point, as she reared her head back and let out a dreadful howl.
A burst of ghostly animals sprouts from the lady's body and they pass through the others around her, pulling with them an intense pain. An antelope tramples Mr. Conner's head with its spiritual hooves and it quickly becomes a mess of flattened skull and blood.
After the vicious attack from the wolf-headed woman, Phaust is thrown to the ground. After Akurna's attack, the wolf-headed woman howls rings through the pharasmin's head.
Dazed and blooded, Phaust gets off the ground to press the attack, but is unsure if the monster is still here.
Phaust continues to fight on like a man possessed.
"by the gods..."
Haltak steels himself and hopes to help with his now animate rope, approaching to about 10 feet and slinging it at the wolf headed monstrous woman, hammer in his other hand:
"Serves me right fer tryin anything but the hammer..." he says as he misses terribly.
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Phaust's silver blade cuts the beast deep, blood coating its underside. The she-wolf snarls, but her body begins to sway, losing focus. Her swings are wide, giving Phaust an easier time at avoiding them. The she-wolf's arm seemed to be collapsing, pieces of flesh and muscle falling off of it, to where the bone started to show. She still lived, but she wouldn't live for long.
Akurna winces and tries to cover her ears, to no avail.
"That's no ordinary werewolf!"
Akurna moves in and tries to strike the wolf-lady with her claws (flanking if possible).
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Phaust's allies rush in to assault the beast, and flail wildly. The she wolf stands up straight and lifts the blade to strike Phaust, but turns the curved tip inward to herself instead. With one expunging thrust, she grips the handle and pulls it down, forcing the blade to cut up and under her solar plexus. Her death cry echoed throughout the small clearing, as her eyes opened and the brightest light shone through them. Between her teeth, the same light lit up the darkness momentarily, before it returned when her body crumpled on the ground.
Her arm had completely deteriorated into bones, and her body twisted about on her death. The weapon lay lodged inside her chest with the tip of metal poking out between her bare breasts. The green, snake insignia slithered down the handle and made the she-wolf's body shake once more. Grass began to grow rapidly underneath her, wrapping her partially, but dying soon after. The woods were very quiet.
"Er, what in the deep was that?"
"Eh, there's some kinda mystery here - Ah think she stabbed 'erself ta keep whate'er magic was in that sword secret. Somehow she's dispersed it, or whatever it was that was magickin' her. But somebody must know somethin' aboot what's going on, and maybe where that sword came from is important."
"An elf who called himself Charlie was the one that gave them this. It's clear we need to find him."
Akurna heads back towards the cave. "He left the sword in the cave, didn't he? I want to check on the rest of his family."
Phaust stares down at the serpent-sigiled sword with open distain.
"Yeah, let's go".