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You move up to a mausoleum that appears to be eerily silent. The strange purple goop from the orchard is here also. It covers some tombstones with a small handful of treasures nearby.
One note of interest is you see a Morningstar made of Cold Iron. The goop has grown around it, but not on it. The Morningstar sits by a tombstone.
Suddenly, two giant ants burst from the group and shriek shrill sounds at the party as they attack!
Battlefield Conditions: Normal Light
CGI Ant(-0,Fine)
Anthelea(-0,Fine)
Popole(-0,Fine)
Reginald(-0,Fine)
Aaftab(-0,Fine)
Hand Drawn Ant(-0,Fine)
Marrowtusk(-0,Fine)
The Uglier Ant tries to attack Marrowtusk with its mandible bite and stinger!
The ant manages to grab onto Marrowtusk and bite him!
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Before leaving the orchard, Reginald slaps his forehead dramatically. ”Of course!” he exclaims, ”my magic wand could fix this right up!” And with a tap of positive energy, he tries to rid the trees of their otherworldly influence.
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At the graveyard, Reginald mimics his companions and peers around carefully.
—————————————————————
As the giant ants leap out at the party, Reginald is surprised. ”Oh!” he says excitedly to Martowtusk as he wrestles with the creature. ”Giant ants! Did you know they can grapple people they bite? Fascinating.”
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"And they have a stinger!" Reginald calls to his grappled companion. "Apparently it's quite painful!"
As Casovir pecks his head, Reginald throws his hands up defensively. "Alright, alright!" he complains. "Unhand my companion, you horrible mindless beast!" he yells at the ant grappling Marrowtusk, but only the ant hears a piercing scream in the words.
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Battlefield Conditions: Normal Light
CGI Ant(-7,Fine)
Anthelea(-0,Fine)
Popole(-0,Fine)
Reginald(-0,Fine)
Aaftab(-0,Fine)
Hand Drawn Ant(-9,Intimidated)
Marrowtusk(-3,Grappled)
(-0,Fine)
The party engages the ants in combat. The one holding Marrowtusk resists Reginald's spell, and some of the blows connect!
The intimidated Ant tries to full counter attack Aaftab!
The ant manages to bite Aaftab and deal some damage!
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Marrowtusk smashes his own body into the ant grappling him, and forcibly tosses the ant away, which forces it to fall unconcious.
Battlefield Conditions: Normal Light
CGI Ant(-19,Dying)
Anthelea(-0,Fine)
Popole(-0,Fine)
Reginald(-0,Fine)
Aaftab(-7,Grappled)
Hand Drawn Ant(-9,Intimidated)
Marrowtusk(-3,Grappled)
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Marrowtusk and Anthelea finally defeat the remaining ant.
After you defeat the last remaining ant, a large raven from up above flies down on the tombstones. Near it is purple goop, a Cold Iron Morningstar, and a sack full of supplies.
The raven starts squawking at you all.
The raven's squawking sounds distinctly similar to "YELLOW FOOT! FIND YELLOW FOOT!"
Wand
Elixir
Elixir
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Marrowtusk walks over in case the goop tries to hurt someone or if the raven proves to be an enemy, and tries to figure out what it's saying as he picks up the satchel.
Marrowtusk shrugs at the raven as he picks up the satchel and lets everyone know that there is a wand and two elixirs inside, if someone wants to identify them or can use them. He will also pick up the morning star. "Hope ya guys don't mind if I take this, just in case we need it for later. I feel like I can put it ta good use."
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He goes back to examining the contents of the satchel.
• Wand of Bless Weapon 10 Charges
• Elixir of Hiding• Elixir of Vision
"Yellow Foot? Does anyone know what that is?"
The party recollects as to their investigation around town...
The last places the party could possibly get some clues or hints to a Yellow Foot may be the one of the following.Saringallow’s most successful cobbler, “Dependable” Drummady Laterna (NG female human expert 4), has a reputation for making the sturdiest footwear in town at reasonable prices, and is willing to repair any shoe purchased from her store at a steep discount. Her business truly took off 3 years ago when she split with her husband Petrello, who tried to exercise control over the business even though he is a far inferior crafter than Drummady.
Petrello and Drummady also bumped heads over their children, Pavolus and Betrona. Pavolus is Drummady’s apprentice, and Betrona is Petrello’s apprentice. Their father is terribly strict with them, while their mother is far more permissive. The largest point of contention between the parents is Petrello’s disapproval of Pavolus’s interest in Gellion, who the haberdasher believes is a distraction and not nearly good enough for his son.
When you approach the cobbler’s shop, you find Drummady in a state of grim resolve. She refuses to allow her business to falter because her children are missing. She is practical and avoids engaging in chitchat with you.
Drummady reveals that Gellion was certainly the most charismatic of the missing apprentices, and usually acted as the group’s de facto leader. She also reveals that Pavolus recently made Gellion a pair of bright yellow boots as a gift—a fact. that she emphasizes to display her son’s kindness, and to criticize her ex-husband’s disapproval of him.
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The party finds themselves at the...
Mayor's Manor, where she awaits inside eating a steak and potatoes. She looks up and is pleased to see you. "Ah good, I see you have been very active." Her smile swiftly changes to a look of genuine interest and yet concern. "What have you found out?"
The mayor looks over your evidence. "I have reason to suspect that the letter is from Gellion, the Alchemist Apprentice. Also the strange goop sounds like something unnatural. Perhaps Pricknettle knows more."
The mayor calls Pricknettle to the office with use of messenger servants. About half an hour later, she arrives. After some lengthy discussion, the mayor talks to you again.
"It appears that Gellion may be suspect of foul play. Turns out he also wore yellow boots made for him by the Drummady, which ties to your clue from the... talking raven, was it? Anyways, I am issuing you the keys to his house to go investigate and see what else may be happening."
The mayor gives you the keys to Gellion's home, as well as directions.
You arrive in short time. From the outside, each room appears to be dimly lit in this two-story house.
You notice a dark, greasy-looking stain oozing from between the slats of the shutters on the ground floor windows.
The door's knocker is smeared with a dark, dried substance.
Dried Blood. Possibly a few days old, but not more than a week.
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Popole thanks the mayor for the fast understanding of the matter at hands.
True to himself and now used to the companionship with this individual, the grippli stops Marrowtusk before he makes to much noise, pointing at a dark, greasy-looking stain oozing from between the slats of the shutters on the ground floor windows.
He then points at the door to make the party notice that the door's knocker is smeared with a dark, dried substance.
From this far, he can easily identify what it is... The grippli whispers:
"Dried Blood. Possibly a few days old, but not more than a week."
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Marrowtusk shrugs at Popole as Aaftaab breaks the silence and walks up to the door, letting the female face whatever is inside as he pulls out his new weapon and prepares for the worst. If nothing happens or if she is unable to open the door, he will try to make his way over to one of the ground floor windows and wave the morningstar around the stain to see if it might be the same ooze as from earlier.
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Scratches and dark stains cover nearly every surface in this spacious living room. To the east, paintings and other once fine objects give fuel to a fire roaring in the hearth. Bent, broken, and bloody cutlery juts at odd angles from the table in the center of the room. Books lie scattered in heaps next to broken shelves, and shards of shattered dishes spill forth from their cabinets. An open door to the west looks into the filthy kitchen, and stairs to the southwest lead up to the next floor. Tiny bloody footprints cover the stairs, heading in both directions.
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As Aaftaab starts walking towards the stairs...
She gets hit, and a dagger is sticking out of her back!
Battlefield Conditions: Normal Light
Reginald(-0,Fine)
Anthelea(-0,Fine)
Aaftab(-5,Fine)
Popole(-0,Fine)
Marrowtusk(-0,Fine)
???(-0,Fine)
A Homunculus
This vaguely humanoid creature is about the size of a cat but looks more like a toothy, winged devil.