"This doesn't look right at all. The villagers couldn't just disappear pretty as you please, could they?"
Draalûsh is ready to assist Garekk and/or Flandrion with the ropes to help everyone scale the walls.
Flandrion replies to Garekk, "Ok."
Flandrion climbs over the wall and takes another look around.
Flandrion will then go to the gate and check to see if there are any traps on or near it.
If all is ok Flandrion will open the gate.
Bendalis fingers her bow, nervously running her fingers along the fletching of her quivered arrows, counting.
Not my favorite thing this darkness.
As hailey's light spell seems unaffected, she enchants an arrow. First with her mark, then with a light spell of her own. She keeps the arrow held within her cloak, ready to fire.
"It's not my favourite either, Bendalis. Even though I can see in the dark some."
Swift seems obviously disturbed by the recent turn of events. Sticking close to the rest of the party, his eyes nervously dart from side to side.
He slips his kama out of his robe, ready should anything attempt to hurt him or his friends.
The rogue finds nothing to worry about and opens the gate. The town is still unsettlingly dark and quiet.
Flandrion takes a moment to put his climbing spikes back in his climbing kit and close up the kit in his backpack. Then he says, "Let's keep it simple for now and just check the closest building."
Having said that Flandrion proceeds to the front door of the closest building. He again checks things out carefully.
Assuming that Flandrion finds nothing untoward he will slowly open the door just a crack and peer in.
Flandrion takes a moment to put his climbing spikes back in his climbing kit and close up the kit in his backpack. Then he says, "Let's keep it simple for now and just check the closest building."
Having said that Flandrion proceeds to the front door of the closest building. He again checks things out carefully.
[Dice=Perception check] 1d20+8
Assuming that Flandrion finds nothing untoward he will slowly open the door just a crack and peer in.
The building is empty, otherwise not a single thing appears out of place.
Keeping his crossbow at the ready, Daalûsh looks for any noises that show signs any of kind of life. Birds, insects, animals … anything …
Keeping his crossbow at the ready, Daalûsh looks for any noises that show signs any of kind of life. Birds, insects, animals … anything …
[dice=perception]1d20+1
You notice about the same number of insects and other animals you would expect at this time of day in a village.
Flandrion says, "Now it gets tedious. I suggest we look at all the buildings. We'll stay together as a group and check them one at a time."
It takes several hours to search the entire village. It appears as if everything is perfectly normal except that there are no people anywhere. But there are no bodies, no drag marks, unusual tracks or anything else weird. It looks like some things were simply left half completed, several meals look to have been in the process of being prepared, there is a bucket at the bottom of the well, repairs to a pair of torn pants are half completed, etc.
"This is damned peculiar!" … Daalûsh finally says, stating the obvious … "How can people, and nothing else, just vanish like wisps of smoke?"
"Where was that long-dead necromancer holed up before? Maybe there's some sort of clues there. If not there, maybe there's a temple, shrine, or lord's manor house we could search?"
Flandrion says, "I think we have found everything we're going to find tonight. Let's go get our gear, camp in the woods somewhere and rest up. We can do another look around in the morning and then head for the tree with a gate in it."
Flandrion says, "I think we have found everything we're going to find tonight. Let's go get our gear, camp in the woods somewhere and rest up. We can do another look around in the morning and then head for the tree with a gate in it."
you left Kotla yesterday morning, probably about 36 hours before you returned.
A camp and a heavy watch I think. I need enough sleep to clear the mind, as do others, but I could take first watch easily enough. Among the trees sounds safest, or up them.
Bendalis eyes the trees thoughtfully.
"I'll gladly take part in the watch. I don't think I'll be able to sleep much anyways. I'd feel better knowing you all were safe from harm. There's something very eerie about this situation, and I cannot place my finger on it."
He leans against a nearby tree, staying alert to his surroundings. He surveys the area with attentive eyes, looking for any sign of movement, but also trying to find a secure place to camp.
The party makes it through the night without incident.
Kotla looks brighter in the morning, but is still deserted.
Flandrion says, "I suggest that after the Mage prepare their spells we do a circuit around the outside of the town to see if there is anything worth noting."
"Where was the necromancer when you first came here? I think that would be a good place to start, if it's nearby."
"Where was the necromancer when you first came here? I think that would be a good place to start, if it's nearby."
"Where was the necromancer when you first came here? I think that would be a good place to start, if it's nearby."
Yes, though he may be referring to the tree portal.
"So, anywhere else here that could provide clues as to what happened? The baron's manor, or a temple or a shrine, or something?"
"It should have something to do with this down in particular, shouldn't it? That threat from the crows that died threatened the locals of Kotla with death, but no socuh thing happened to any of us. Maybe this curse, or whatever it is, is tied to this town only? Just a thought."
"And if that threat was accurate; everyone here probably vanished the night of the day we left."
Flandrion says, "That's why I want to do a check of the town's outside perimeter. However the people left, they should also have left a trail that we can follow."
The air felt strange, but the earth seems normal enough outside the town. Tracks are a good thought.
You find a single set of tracks that lead in the direction of the tree portal.
"That tree portal is what delayed all of you from going to the fortress the last time, was it?"
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"There were several things that delayed us from making it to the fortress.. the tree portal was the end result of being delayed. When we first came through here, the priest was dying from some type of wound fever caused by undead. We split our party and half of us went for a cure and the other half investigated the undead attack. When we all get together again, we went through the portal to find the necromancer."
"Fair enough. So, where next? Portal or Fortress? There's only one set of tracks going to the portal, and no other tracks from anyone else. In fact, there seems to be scan evidence anyone else was ever here, except for this empty village. I wonder … are we following a trail of crumbs to lead us away from that fortress? Maybe. Maybe not."
Flandrion says, "Regardless, there used to be a village full of people here and now the people have gone. I think we should make some attempt to find them before we move on. Granted that there seems to be only one set of tracks leading to the portal, but tracks can be altered or erased. Besides, I don't think that it would be a good idea to eventually report back to the Baron that a whole village full of his people went missing and we just blew it off."
Flandrion says, "Regardless, there used to be a village full of people here and now the people have gone. I think we should make some attempt to find them before we move on. Granted that there seems to be only one set of tracks leading to the portal, but tracks can be altered or erased. Besides, I don't think that it would be a good idea to eventually report back to the Baron that a whole village full of his people went missing and we just blew it off."
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Hailey then will prepare Wizard: Ray of Frost, Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, Shield, Ray of Enfeeblement, Protection From Evil. And as a cleric, she will prepare: Detect Magic, Light, Read Magic, Cure Lt. Wounds, Comprehend Languages, and leave one cleric spell slot open.
"I suggest the capture of the people was a distraction to delay us. We should get to the fortress first."
"I agree with Hailey. It seems that we try to go to the fortress something just to draw us away from it.
Swift nods in agreement.
"That seems quite sensible, Draalush. Whoever resides in that keep is not keen on having us snoop around."
Bendalis takes one last look at the village, then follows the group.
A strange land, Ustalav. You think that this was all arranged as a distraction? What a waste of effort. This level of mystery positively guarantees a steady stream of would-be-heroes investigating. Certainly we were not deterred. Let us take a look at this fortress then.
Flandrion says, "It looks like I'm outvoted. To the fortress it is then."
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"I'm sorry, Flandrion, but I was sent to investigate and that's what I intend to do. Personally, I'd love a chance to go back to that truly delightful dark forest. In point of fact, I'd love nothing better than to go back to where we found that necromancer and turn that place into a church of Nethys. But right now we have bigger concerns, and I am convinced that our true aim and task lies in the fortress."
"Besides, if the forest is a diversion, it should still be there when we're done, to look at it at our leisure."
A strange land, Ustalav. You think that this was all arranged as a distraction? What a waste of effort. This level of mystery positively guarantees a steady stream of would-be-heroes investigating.
Turning to Bendalis, the monk proclaims:
"It does attract many. It's sad to say, but most do not make it out alive. Ustalav is an unforgiving land. Our people have been through much, we are hardy and resilient. But to the adventurous kind, this land holds no pity..."
The monk's gaze travels from his companion to his own feet, taking a deep breath before getting ready to depart.
Flandrion positions himself to take point. He says, "I don't mind taking point, but it would help if somebody joined me who knew where we were going."