Remy stands protectively in front of the girl, maternal (?) instincts kicking in.
”Best that no one gets hurt. No matter how this ends, someone will be dead...unless you stop your threats and step away.” As Alustria speaks, hoping against hope this doesn’t come to violence, she keeps an eye out for any sudden moves or hidden ambushes that might spring on them.
Borgol stands next to Remy, watching the group to see if their surprising back down is real, or just a feint. He shrugs at Alustria's comment, then asks the old woman, "You said you've already paid this lot? Since they certainly couldn't be bandits, because then we'd have to deal with them, surely it's just a bookkeeping error somewhere."
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You watch as she tried to pick her words, but Borgols and Alustrias comments catch her off guard. Thats right, we’re not bandits - and would like to avoid bloodshed. You...are free to go, obviously not looking to do your bit for charity, but that’s fine.
She starts to move back into the forest. Well, you lot have a good day! Id be careful where you tread around Churlwood. I’m sure our paths will cross again. she gives a sign to her gang and they duck into the trees.
Furgus smiles at Hellen. If that lot ever, and I mean ever, bothers you. You let us know and we'll take care of them!
"Nice work, everyone. If we scared those ruffians off, I'm sure they're not such hardened criminals. It's a shame that it is dangerous to travel through here."
Remy unclenches her fists and nods to Flik. "They're just a bunch of thugs trying to throw their weight around. Let them go. We have a mission at hand." She seems ready to move on.
Borgol watches then go carefully, nodding slowly, "Probably... But let's just keep an eye on our backtrail, just in case. Bullies are cowards, yes, but they can also react badly to having that exposed. Hate to have her 'save face' by jumping us in our sleep."
Alustria smiles in obvious relief. "It is good to see cooler heads prevail. Perhaps they will think twice about their actions, and reconsider their choice of livelihoods."
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Taken back by how you dealt with the Roadkeepers, Hellen steps forward. Well colour me orange and call me a gnome! You sure have a good way with words, young lady. I haven't seen Lullaby so spooked since... she looks for the right words. ...since we all saw that beast in the woods. But never mind that, i'm sure it's long gone. Now, you said you were looking for the goblins? You'll find the Bramblemouth den somewhere south-east of Churwood. Keep going in that direction and you'll eventually hit a small hill - you see, that one over there? That's where they're sighted the most. Good luck to you! she smiles, and begins to prepare the barge for it's trip back.
The path you are looking to take leads you in a similar direction where Lullaby and her crew had disappeared to. Although you don't find any trace of them, you're confident you are heading the same way. Small greenery turns into thick forest nearly a mile out info your journey. The sounds of rushing water from the river is now completely engulfed by the sounds of various native birds.
The reasonable weather means you're not too cold, or to hot on your journey. Three hours into your journey you hear a familiar scream off in the distance. It's Lullaby's voice, you're sure of it. You pick up the pace and start to jog in it's direction.
Eventually, you find yourselves in a clearings full of heavy mist. The borders of this clearing are unusual in that they are well-tended, clear of brush, and strewn with gravel to form a circular oad of sorts. A single dead oak tree looms at the center of the clearing, and something silver sparkles from one of the lower branches—what appears to be an amulet hangs there. The mutilated bodies of three recently slain people wearing the armor of the town watch from Roderic’s Cove lie near the
tree’s roots.
Dressed in graveyard rags, this pitiful creature cries out like a sick child. An over-sized, bestial head perches atop its spindly, child-sized body, and its eyes are nothing but sunken pools of shadow with no trace of life in them. A cloying mist wreathes its frail form, accompanied by the stench of death and disease. A filthy, pallid figure hold's Lullaby's dangling body a foot in the air by her throat, while another two undead are harassing another two of her Roadkeepers.
A shallow, dead voice echos through the woods. Youuuu, havvveee, beeeeen, judged...MURDERER!
Round 1
@ Maddie
@ Flik
+ Lullaby
@ Alustria
@ Remy
@ Fergus
Undead A (purple)
Undead B C (left right, both staggered)
Borgol
Remy's eyes widen at the horrific sight. Thugs or not, Lullaby and her goons didn't deserve this fate. "Maddie! Armor!" she calls.
With a roar, the monk charges forward, leaping over any obstacles as she rushes to deliver a powerful haymaker to the creature holding Lullaby!
Seeing the undead attacking, Alustria draws her weapon. ”No matter what they’ve done, they don’t deserve undeath!”
She advances, moving at normal speed through the overgrown terrain due to her understanding of nature [ooc] Woodland Stride [/b]
"Right, right!" Maddie fumbles around with her pouches, pulling out her new wand, and taps Remy with it, muttering "Paresitum." to activate the magic, and the air around Remy briefly shimmers as the spell takes hold. "Careful here! Both are hard to hurt, and you really, really don't want them touching you. Those are really, really sick, and the other hurts a lot. Just be careful!"
Flik will start performing, giving advice about defeating purple.
"Restless undead everywhere! Beware, the tall one's touch can wrack you with pain!"
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The party advances, with aren’t leading the charge on on the larger undead. As the advice comes through, something though causes the monk to hit with less conviction. Remys attack, almost like a slap across the face on the trailgaunt, who turns to look at the monk and utters, Whhhaat isss my nameeee? With almost a sad look across its face, it maintains its hold of Lullaby, and as she is gasping for air, it strikes her once again. The other roadkeepers arent so lucky either. Mix of pain and horror as they retreat towards you. As they approach, you see their skin is covered in sores and postules - irritated from whatever infection they had just contracted. Their hands begging for help, reach out to Borgol and Flik! Help us! What’s wrong with us? Please! It burns!
Round 2
@ Borgol
@ Maddie
@ Flik
+ Lullaby
@ Alustria
@ Remy
@ Fergus (can have two turns)
Undead A (purple)
Undead B C (left right, both staggered)
Everyone may act!
Remy glares at the monster as it asks for its name. "It doesn't matter what your name is, for I am about to eradicate you from this world." She delivers two strong strikes to its arms, hoping it will release Lullaby.
Borgol braces his shield and draws his new longsword, rushing forward, cursing the rocks that blocked him from being able to charge. [i]Hopefully, at least, I can put myself enough in the way to strike at something and not have it go past me to the others..[/ooc]
Maddie raises her hand, and with some quick fingerwork, shoots off a magical bolt towards the closer Drekavac.
Alustria hurries to a position opposite Remy, then attempts to break the creature’s hold on Lullaby!
Oh, my my. I really must find a better way to deal with undead, if we are going to be stumbling across so many of them!
Flik continues shouting encouragement to the team, and moves to to take a shot with his bow at the undead on the right.
for
for
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The two drekavac's move up to Borgol, and one of them takes a hit from the ranger's longsword. The wound is sharp, but not enough to slice through the touch hide of this creature. At the same time, Maddie's missile lands and deals some damage. Flik's arrow also find's it's target, but doesn't seem to do any damage.
Meanwhile, Remy and Alustria flank the undead creature. Two blows to the ribs, grab's it's attention. Rreeemmmmemmmbeeeerr! as it tries to slash at the monk! It begins to mutter an ineligible babble. Everyone make me a DC 15 will save, or become shaken against mind-affecting, sonic and fear effect!
-- only one hit
Lullaby falls to the ground, and for the first time in what feels like eternity to her gasps for air. She looks horrified at Remy and Alustria as they fight the creature. The two grunts run to Flik, and reach out to the gnome. Get out of here! Ruuuuun! They'll get you too!
Round 3
@ Borgol
@ Maddie
@ Flik
+ Lullaby
@ Alustria
@ Remy -6 lethal DC 15 Fort save, or staggered, -1 penalty for touching the ground...
@ Fergus (can have two turns)
Undead A (purple -10 letal)
Undead B C (left right -9 lethal, both staggered)
@ Everyone go!
The mage armor protects Remy from some of the undead's attacks, but one claw pierces to spell and leaves angry red lines across the woman's belly. Shooting pain wracks her legs and feet, causing her to stagger, and the monster's eerie muttering leaves her shaken. She grits her teeth and tries to uppercut the thing, but her attack is off the mark.
"Dear, dear..." Flik sounds worried, but he keeps up his performance.
Seeing that his bow is ineffective, Flik stows it an pulls out his silver mace.
"Remy!" Maddie calls out, and works her magic again, trying to drop the undead that is close enough for her to affect, and shoots the same undead as before with her last effective spell of the day.
The creature’s cry doesn’t make Alustria afraid; it makes her feel pity toward the thing. She lashes out with her scimitar, hoping to end its misery.
Unfortunately, she isn’t able to land a hit.
Fergus rushes forward, shouting Angradd's name in a warcry as he raises his greataxe, slamming it into the undead thing as he ends his charge next to the ranger.
for
Fergus grits his teeth against the magical attack, feeling the sound grip his mind and chill his heart, Not again.., he thinks as he feels the fear take him. Need to end that thing so it can't do that again.., he thinks, and heads quickly to the monk's side, toward the source of his fear, swinging his greataxe as he closes.
for
Borgol nods at Fergus as he rushes in and attacks the beast, then shakes his head, trying to clear it against the magical attack, Not this time... you're no Ser Roderick, dead beastie.. He takes a breath as it passes, and loosens his clenched grip on his longsword, letting colour come back to his fingers even as he starts to swing the blade at the smaller undead before him.
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The party struggles to find ground, but as all seems worse, Lullaby stands up provoking from the Trailgaunt.
She sings back with her raiper.
The trailgaunt has it's turn.
- at Lullaby, hit
- two claws at Remy
-- both miss!
The two smaller undead attack Fergus.
… -- miss
Round 4
@ Borgol (-5 lethal shaken) fort save please vs disease
@ Maddie
@ Flik (shaken)
+ Lullaby (-5 lethal)
@ Alustria
@ Remy (-6 lethal, shaken, staggered)
@ Fergus (can have two turns)
Trailgaunt A (purple -20 letal)
Drekavacs B C (left right -10 lethal, both staggered)
@ Everyone go, you're going really well!
Remy silently thanks Maddie for the mage armor that's saving her life. As the monster's claws rake against the force barrier, Remy delivers another haymaker to the side of its head!
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Just as Remy lands a good hit on the visious undead, she notices her muscles stop tensing, and she regains her swiftness. Still, slightly shaken from the blow, the party notices as the winds change almost subtly.
The trailgaunt rawrs, Whaaattt isss my name!, shattering everyone's minds.
The slight headache, that Maddie has been having over the last few moments, seems to come to a crescendo, as both her and Remy have strange memories flood back into their minds eye.
Knowledge 15 Religion, Arcana, Diplomacy to speak to these spirits to calm them down, or ease the anger of these undead if you speak their names. What would you do, emotionally to help these torn spirits, they seem to have a story to tell...
Round 4
@ Borgol (-5 lethal shaken) fort save please vs disease
@ Maddie
@ Flik (shaken)
+ Lullaby (-5 lethal)
@ Alustira
Remy (-6 lethal, shaken)
@ Fergus (can have two turns)
Trailgaunt A (purple -23 letal)
Drekavacs B C (left right -10 lethal, both staggered)
Alustria's mind fills with clarity - the clarity of the Dawnflower. The undead, trapped in a doomed existence, must be freed from their earthly torment. Setting her jaw, she swings her blade directly at the creature, striking a telling blow!
"Mister Brogan!" Maddie calls out suddenly, "Mister Jarb Brogan, that's your name, isn't it, mister? Does that help? You and Betty and Harry, we met you. You can rest."
Remy is unable to make sense of the confusing memories.
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As if stopped by her words, the undead corpses of the Brogan family stand still in the wind. Their breathing shallows as they all begin to wail. You've never seen undead cry, as the larger trailgaunt falls to it's knees. You, remember...us?
Lullaby takes this moment as she raises her silver rapier, as it dripps of black blood above Jarb, and prepares to coup de grace. You vile, insolent creature. Let me put you out of your misery! Remy can see a flicker in his eyes, as if they were almost human. The soft cry of the children is almost haunting, and you all get the sense that they are deeply upset by something. It turns to meet it's fate. Murder...rer? there is weight behind it's words, as it raises an interesting question.
To put these spirits to rest, you can either kill them and hence destroy their spirits, or by ritualistically undoing what was done to them. You must first investigate the scene.
Each of you can perform your separate checks, as you need a number of them to succeed. These include DC 12 Perception (look around), Survival (tracking), Heal (wounds), Arcana (the magic used), Religion (rights performed), Diplomacy (question Lullaby).
Alustria throws herself between Lullaby and the undead. ”You will not!”
"I do." Maddie replies, approaching the undead, and creating a few small balls of light like she had done before, "You won't remember us, but we do. You left town to escape, I'm sorry this happened." she stops in front of the undead creature, looking up at the trailgaunt, "Can we help? I can send you on to rest. You want that?" she asks, then turns towards Lullaby, "And yes. They are in pain, and we can do this better. Can't we, Miss Alustria? You know nature, we can do this together."
”As long as someone keeps her from doing something unfortunate.”
Before Alustria leaves to search, she casts Enhance Diplomacy on Flik.
"I think to truly solve this problem, we'll need to know more of what happened. Even if you destroy these undead shells, the restless spirits might return. We can gather some things, but what do you know about these creatures, Lullaby?"
Remy simply glares at Lullaby, letting her companions do the talking. She presses her hand to the claw marks on her belly and winces. A stray thought passes through her mind: How dare that monster mar my perfect form!
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As the stillness from the undead makes everyone feel slightly uneasy, the party realises that they have walk into a scene of a most unholy crime. The trailgaunt, murmurs a soft growl. Juuuustice. Find justice... You begin to investigate what you can, as the undead become still and allow you to take the time to move around and perceive.
Perception - Success
This scene is disturbing. The bodies are overturned and decaying, lying underneath the tree, the rot has started to spread from the bodies into the roots. The tree is diseased, and so are the bodies. Strange, because you think that the bodies are rather fresh, maybe a couple of days old. Whoever did this, must have done something seriously wrong to cause such damage. Additionally, the corpses seem to be all looted. Absent is any traveling gear this family would have needed to survive the journey to Riddleport. You think this is the latest victim of the Roadkeepers robberies.
You do find a silver amulet hanging from the branch once belonged to the vindictive traveller. DC 18 Arcana check to identify!
Survival - Success
They were obviously dragger here first. There are many older footprints around the place, maybe a large audience was witness to this crime? They seem to all move into the forest, the direction you know you need to go.
Arcana - Success
Some sort of dark unholy magic was used here. You sense traces of necromancy, infused with hints of illusion magic. This strange combination is unsettling - perhaps a perversion of a sort. Whatever it is, was powerful to cause the bodies to rot and decay at a quickened rate. This person obviously doesn't have control over this power, and it feels like on big experiment.
Religion - Success
There seems to be a barrier around the clearing. You think that the undead cannot persue anyone past this point. These undead seem to be pervasion and abominations, not having meant to exist at all. There seems to be a strong Desnan presence here, as if the Mother of Dreams is watching over these souls, judging them. By the nature of their creation, these monsters will rise again after the next moon even if they are destroyed. They require a proper burial, and told their rites so their souls may rest.
Diplomacy - Super Success
Lullaby stumbles back, and falls to her knees. Shaking and trembling, her words seem to make little sence, but her eyes show that she is truly scared. It doesn't take much for Fliks strong resolve, and Remy's presence to overpower the bandit, and for her to tell you everything she knows. I...I promise you that this wasn't my fault. I never meant for this to happen. I found this lot wandering the forest on their way to Riddleport, they seemed wealthy, so we did what we were trained to do. When our threats didn't work, we tried to kidnap the kids in exchange for gold. I brought them here...to this clearing, oh god...it wasn't my fault! You belive me right? her shaking and sobbing turns into tears. A real fear in her eyes, a remorse you didn't think she was capable of. It ...it was Mother. Mother Nightthrush. She said this was the best. This would help unite The Roadkeepers and the Bramblemouth tribe. She want's to control the goblins. She found something...a golden glove. She was wearing it. She used it to amplify her magic, and then... She completely falls apart, defeated by everything that has transpired. I promise you it wasn't me. I'm sorry...i'm so sorry...
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Lullaby explains that The Bramblemouth goblins, have settled into a once abandoned underground fortress. Although, they now in part, listen to Mother Nightthrush and her Roadkeepers. They have all taken residence in one spot. You have two ways of accessing this citadel, the goblin way, or the Roadkeeper way. She let's out one last bit of advice. "If the Goblins are smart, which, well...they would see Mother as a tyrant. Maybe you could use that to your advantage.
Maddie doesn’t really pay attention to Lullaby as she explains her plight, listening just enough to get the gist of what is being said. Instead, she studies the amulet they found, scrambling up into the tree to yank it from the branch it’s on.
Remy feels a twinge of compassion for Lullaby. She puts a strong hand on the other woman's shoulder. "You say it wasn't your fault, but you did play a part in the tragedy that happened here. If you want to make up for your actions, then you will help avenge this family and put their souls to rest. We need to stop Mother Nightthrush before she commits an atrocity like this one again. Fight with us, and remove the stain on your soul. Tell us more about her and the other Roadkeepers."