Devon shrugs. "Works for me." She begins working around the manor through the courtyards to approach from the east.
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Spells
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0th (at will) Create Water, Guidance, Light, Virtue
1st Bless, Remove Fear, Sanctuary, Domain: Deathwatch
Ashira follows behind with her sling loaded.
"Nice and easy, like you're making a stew, Devon." That's all the wisdom Eli has to offer the catfolk before falling in behind, busy wondering why his bird prefers to sit on Devon's shoulder instead of his.
A spacious yard fills the compound east of the house. To the east, several small stone outbuildings have been built right into the compound’s outer wall. A well stands between two of these outbuildings, opposite a stone table and benches that sit in the shadow of the house. To the west, two sets of steps, both flanked by columns, lead up to doors into the main house. To the northwest, an open doorway leads into an extension of the house, next to a small structure with a domed roof.
The harsh sun and lack of irrigation has left nothing but hot sand in the
once-tidy yard. The well is long dry.
One of the outbuildings is to your left as you stand looking at the house; there are two more to your right.
Devon moves to investigate the outbuilding on the left first. If there's nothing interesting there, she moves on to the two on the right.
This small, one-room structure is devoid of features, save the ruined remains of furniture that have all but disintegrated with the passage of time. A black-furred, two-headed dog the size of a horse is dozing inside; but it wakes the moment it catches the scent of the cat-girl, jumping to its feet, drooling and snarling.
In addition to the two heads, Devon can see that it has midnight-black eyes. Tiny worms crawl on its mangy hide.
Devon instinctively recoils from the dog, her hair standing on end as she arches her back and hisses. "It's a two-headed devil dog! Devil dog!"
She slashes the monster with her claws and then leaps back.
Ashira launches a sling stone into the wall next to the devil dog. She grits her teeth and draws her dagger instead.
"Avoid its bite at all costs! I ain't joking! Fight defensively and clubber it silly!"
Devon's claws both find their mark, and the beast howls in pain and rage as the cat-girl nimbly scrambles out the way. Eli's spell lands true, scorching some of the mangy fur and burning into putrid, worm-eaten flesh.
Snarling and slavering with hunger, the dog lunges at Say'ri, snapping with its two heads; but they get in the way of one another and miss her completely.
Beast - 20
Devon dashes back in to wreck the dog.
Devon's claws do the trick, opening a vein in the beast's throat; and it collapes with a sigh. The corpse seems almost to convulse, once, before dissolving into a slurry as the worms riddling its body devour it in one last, final meal. In a matter of seconds there is only a bloodied skeleton.
Amid the rubble of the floor, dug up by the dog, Devon finds 7 gp, 3 sp, and 12 cp, and a turquoise earring worth 15 gp.
Devon fights back to urge to vomit. "Ugh! Disgusting! These trinkets are barely worth the effort."
She pockets them anyway and moves on to the next outbuilding.
Eli physically cringes at the sight of the corpse being devoured within seconds and throws a glob of acidic goo at the heap of worms. "Perhaps, but think of what this awful beast cudda done to the people of this fair town! It's a good thing it is no more. Ugh, okay, does anyone care to do a proper search inside or can we carry on?"
The next outbuilding is empty, save for a lot of wind-blown sand.
The last one is similar, save for some dry, scattered bones - which quickly reform as Devon enters and disturbs them! The nearest one lashes out with its claws, raking Devon's fur and drawing blood.
Devon 15/20 hp
Devon hisses in pain as the claws rake her. She grabs her crowbar from her pack and swings it wildly at the skeletons before stepping back, allowing others more suited towards fighting skeletons to engage.
Eli fires a shimmering beam of bright white light at one of the skeletons. Sadly, the ray doesn't even make it past the doorway as it harmlessly splashes against the doorpost.
Ashira hustles into the complex with her holy symbol in hand. "Pitiful undead, the Lady of Graves releases you from your Pallid bonds!"
Two of the skeletons are badly harmed by the searing light that Ashira sends their way, but one of them partially resists - although it is powerless against the force of Say'ri's flail, which pounds it into dust. In return the remaining two step forward, although only one is able to make it into melee through the narrow doorway. Its claws swing wildly at Devon, but the cat-girl easily dodges the clumsy attack.
Devon 15/20 hp
Red -2
Yellow -2
Ashira gives guidance to Say'ri. She can only channel energy five times, but Say'ri can cast 'flail' as a cantrip.
Devon swings and steps back again.
With everyone crowding the entrance, Eli finds himself having a hard time lining up his next attack. He eventually runs out of patience and fires a positive-energy-charged beam, hitting Say'ri in the back.
The skeletons step forward so that both of them are able to attack Say'ri. Their claws rend mostly air, although one of them catches the fighter, opening up a nasty gash on her cheek.
Say'ri 21/24 hp
Devon 15/20 hp
Red -2
Yellow -2
Say'ri's flail smashes another of the skeletons into the floor. It does not rise again.
Eli yelps as the undead lunges at his companions. He manages to hit the roof with his anti-undead beam.
Devon manages to score a solid hit, smashing the skeleton!
Ashira steps up and tries to stagger the skeleton with her gentle rest.
As it happens, Devon's crowbar smashes the remaining skeleton to pieces, so Ashira's power is not needed this time.
The ruined shack the skeletons 'lived' in has nothing of interest.
"Ugh, stupid skeletons. Let's check the next one." Devon opens the door to the north.
"I can't help but wonder what animated them - a cruel end, a horrible disease, a trick by some horrible god? Whatever it was, I'm glad we can give their remains sawm dignity once we've secured this here place." He then shivers and tries to rub some warmth into his arms. "Ugh, the thought of anyone seeing me naked is a horrible one, but the idea everyone gets to see me barebones makes me want to die. Eh, I mean, never mind, let's move on."
A small granary with a domed roof and a small door in the front sits against the north wall of the compound.
The grain has long since been eaten, and at the opening of the door the insects that have been nesting there take to the air and spill out in a vast swarm!
Devon snarls, ears flat, as she steps back behind Say'ri. She grabs a flask of alchemist's fire and hurls it at the swarm!
Ashira moves a fair ways back and loads her sling.
Eli wiggles his fingers and conjures forth a massive number of bricks that fill up the doorway and any visible holes, effectively forming a wall. The bricks even cover Say'ri, who immediately finds herself able to see through the spell - it's an illusion!
The swarm buzzes furiously, but is unable to move past Say'ri. Devon pelts it with alchemist's fire until the beetles are crisped.
The interior of the granary contains three human skeletons, stripped down to the bone of flesh and whatever clothing they may have been wearing.
Devon also discovers an adamantine heavy flail, with at least one previous owner, judging by both the wear on the handle and the scratches on the metal.
Ashira will cast Deathwatch to look over these skeletons, then keep the spell going as they travel.
The skeletons are dead-dead.
"Oh wow! An adamantine weapon! This finding is a critical hit for suresies!", the exuberant wizard crows. Upon seeing the scratch marks on the metal, he immediately changes his tone and goes flush. "Oh, eh, but I mean no disrespect to the dead. We ought to ensure they get a proper burial once we be done doing our thing 'ere."
Devon is pleased for Say'ri, her tail swishing back and forth happily. "Right, looks like that's it for the outbuildings. Time to hit the manor proper."
She leads the way through the nearby double doors.