Park doesn't see anyone particularly glad or happy to see the pig...do that. In fact just about everyone seems extremely disturbed by the recent events, including the mayor, who rushes over to the makeshift pen after the pig-thing has been vanquished.
"Oh, my! I am so sorry for pushing you to attempt the chase, I didn't know something so awful would happen!" he says, laying a hand on Mila's shoulder as she lays under Zhandar's care. "Is it bad? Do I need to go get the healer?" he asks, looking down at Mila's wounds. "What the hell was that thing?"
Mila's short cry of pain at the thing biting her is swallowed up in the noise of the thing... exploding. She staggers several feet away and falls to the mud, holding her leg. Before she can even begin to think about healing magic, Zhandar is there, helping clean the wound. The devil-woman-- no, tiefling, tiefling, she reminds herself-- the tiefling's hands are careful and professional; maybe she's just imagining that they are hotter than a human's...
"Thanks," she pants, still out of breath from the unaccustomed exertion of wrestling. "I can close up the wound once it's clean..."
Mila starts when another hand touches her-- oh, the mayor. She blinks up at him, trying to use a clean part of her forearm to wipe sweat and mud from her face.
"Undead, Mister Mayor," she manages. "I can heal myself, though I thank you for the offer. But if there's undead comin' on your village we got bigger problems. Who owned that pig?"
Zhandar mixes a delay disease concoction and administers it to Mila. "Just to be safe," she murmurs. Then she looks around to see if she can see the pastry tiefling anywhere nearby.
The mayor is glad to see that it's not too serious, and takes a step away from Mila when it's clear that she'll be alright.
But if there's undead comin' on your village we got bigger problems. Who owned that pig?
"Well, see, we don't really do 'ownership' around here actually. Most things like livestock and the like are sort of...public property, as it were. The village can't exactly afford for people to be greedy or possessive, you know?"
Then she looks around to see if she can see the pastry tiefling anywhere nearby.
As a matter of fact, she can. Now that the pig chase is over (ignoring how badly it went), the townspeople seem to be setting up for the feast everyone has been talking about all day. The 'pastry tiefling' is among them, dragging things around to prepare for it.
As sundown approaches, the villagers light the bonfires lining the perimeter of the festival grounds, illuminating the area as the various preparations are drawn to the central tables, outspread quilts, and scattered benches. The feast itself begins without fanfare, as steaming-hot platters of the day’s labors are distributed among the families.
"Why don't you come sit at my table?" the mayor asks, inviting you to sit alongside him. "As a sort of apology for that whole pig incident." he says, shuddering in disgust at the memory.
Once they'd been cleaned up and dried, by basic scrubbing and magic, Park moves along right beside the Mayor, happily accepting the offer. "I'm sure that we can all put that whole incident aside. But perhaps after this event we might see where the animals are kept? Our Zhandar here is an expert with animals, and with the experiences that we've all had perhaps we might pick up on how that one was infected. Gotta be sure that it was an isolated incident or it could spell major problems for your town."
Once done with that he turns to the meal, looking over what food is available for anything odd....
Raj doesn't refuse the offer or look askance at the mayor. But being his usual reserved (some fools would say paranoid) self, he demurs on eating anything. "After that pig thing... I'm not hungry. But I'm pleased to attend. Maybe my appetite will come back later."
Zhandar waits for an opportunity to speak quietly to each member of her party, to inform them of the tiefling's strange behavior before, and point her out in the people setting up the feast. "'Tis certain she's hiding something, and it sounded to me like she expected us to lose interest in the tax collector's fate once the festival was over."
When the mayor invites them to sit beside him, Zhandar speaks up: "Sitting beside you would be an excellent opportunity for us to discuss the disappearance of the tax collector Kyle after your village's last festival, wouldn't you agree?"
But perhaps after this event we might see where the animals are kept? Our Zhandar here is an expert with animals, and with the experiences that we've all had perhaps we might pick up on how that one was infected.
"I am not sure you could find the source if it, actually. We get things like this around here now and then—there’s bad magic in the ground here that the Dream Tender normally protects us from, but now and then, animals get the badness in them. You're welcome to look around the stables tonight or tomorrow, if it suits your fancy."
The feast holds an impressive gathering of foods; among the usual fare of whole fresh greens, roasted pig, and fresh baked breads, the feast’s more unusual offerings includes some interesting dishes. A strange looking leaf salad with large black mushrooms, fried silkworms (the pastry tiefling, who introduces herself as Alizna, brought these from her weaver shop), smoked tick legs, and stirge blood sausage make up the veritable feast, which doesn't disappoint in its name.
"Sitting beside you would be an excellent opportunity for us to discuss the disappearance of the tax collector Kyle after your village's last festival, wouldn't you agree?"
The mayor gets visibly upset at this, his eyes focusing on Zhandar's for a second before he answers. "I said I will have the payment ready by the morning. My brother is working on it now but it is hard to gather such large funds in such a small village, especially after the first payment was stolen. I am sorry that I cannot tell you where he absconded off to after stealing the little bit of money we did have, but I do not know where he went." he says, his voice taking on a harsh and cold quality it hasn't had the entire time you've seen him.
"Now, if you'd like to discuss this some more, you can leave my table and we'll talk after the feast. If you'd like to be my guests however, then you may sit and eat and watch the play. I tire of discussing this thief of yours."
With that, he stands and gives a short benediction over the food, wishing it to fill the needs of all that eat, thanking the families that handled the festival this month, and finally finishing by thanking the 'slumbering dreamer' whose wide arms protect the village and its people.
Wanting to keep the dinner civil Park samples some of the strange items. Taking a nip of the black mushroom for taste he asks, "Not that I'm any sort of gourmet chef, but what sort of mushrooms are these? I've never seen such."
He also samples the stirge blood sausage, chuckling. "I hope this didn't come from someone's pet! I'm still feeling bad about that incident as we approached the town. Do you also raise them for food?"
He wonders about the Mayor's comment of gathering funds but decides not to add fuel to the fire in this case.
Zhandar scrutinizes the mayor as he angrily responds.
Zhandar blinks sullenly. "I must not have heard you tell us you intended to restore the payment," she mutters lamely. "But still, I do not see why our search for a missing man should be delayed until after your extensive festivities. Could not it be possible that he is still somewhere nearby and in danger? What if a diseased animal or one of your villagers waylaid him outside of town, for example? Surely we all wish to get to the bottom of this mystery. Why are you so confident that Kyle stole the payment and fled? And regarding what happened to the pig, I would think that immediately determining if there are any other threats to the animals of the village would take precedence over feasting and performing plays."
Bull in a china shop...
Raj has to chance a covert message to Zhandar, hoping the mayor doesn't pick up on it.
"Zhandar, let the mayor enjoy his meal and the festivities! Every new town we visit, you're like a dog with a bone over some odd happening. If it bothers you so much, we can check on the livestock after dinner to see if any of them look ill. Should be a simple matter to separate them."
"Well, see, we don't really do 'ownership' around here actually. Most things like livestock and the like are sort of...public property, as it were. The village can't exactly afford for people to be greedy or possessive, you know?"
"I understand, Mister Mayor. My hometown's the same way on a lotta things. We'll take a look after dinner, I wouldn't feel right leavin' y'all with animals that might go bad like that on your people here. I better clean up before we eat, though..."
Mila changes her shirt, at least, for the clean one from her pack, and sees to the injury on her leg in the process.
***
At dinner, Mila's head goes back and forth between the others and the mayor, her brows knit a bit.
"We're not here to extort you, sir. Just lookin' for a fellow. Can you tell me more about the faith hereabouts? Is it just lady Desna you pray to? My father prays to her, but I followed more my mother's route-- ol' Deadeye," she says, touching briefly at her staghead pendant. "I always thought Desna was more travels and such than a settled town. But she blesses your harvest and all? And, um..." a glance down at the tick leg, "...your... livestock."
Mama would say it is very rude not to eat what you're served as a guest, Mila thinks, glumly.
Mama ain't never been served ticks that Mila can recall, though.
But she is a guest... Mila carefully tries to sample just a bite, at first. Her eyes drift from the plate to those around, heartily eating. At least there's bread and pork and such, normal dishes too.
"You folk always raised the stirges and such?"
Wanting to keep the dinner civil Park samples some of the strange items. Taking a nip of the black mushroom for taste he asks, "Not that I'm any sort of gourmet chef, but what sort of mushrooms are these? I've never seen such."
He also samples the stirge blood sausage, chuckling. "I hope this didn't come from someone's pet! I'm still feeling bad about that incident as we approached the town. Do you also raise them for food?"
The mayor laughs at Park's reaction to the food. "They're called black mushrooms, funnily enough. A local delicacy, they grow in the fields surrounding the village and are picked by the children to be served at dinners and the like. We do grow the ticks as pets, yes, but also for food once they pass naturally. They're very safe to eat, fear not!" he says, picking up a sausage and biting into it himself.
"You folk always raised the stirges and such?"
"Yeah, actually, we have. As far back as I can remember anyway." he looks around to see a handful of stirges flying around even now in the field. "Once trained, they work just like any other pet honestly. Quite the entertaining little buggers, if you can get them to learn any tricks!"
Can you tell me more about the faith hereabouts? Is it just lady Desna you pray to?
"Desna holds a great part in our history, and it is to her that we owe quite the debt to her. We hold a small little play each month during the festival in her honor, telling the tale of how the Dreamer saved our village. It should be starting any moment now, now that the sun has set."
Zhandar scrutinizes the mayor as he angrily responds.
"Like I said, if you want to talk about it you can leave. I'm going to enjoy the show."
Both Mila and Zhandar get the impression that he is avoiding the topic sincerely because of his desire to enjoy the festival, but there is also something lurking underneath. Something he isn't telling you about how the night that the tax collector visited ended up going.
The piece of tick takes some chewing to get through, which suits Mila fine. She can use the chance to mull over her thoughts. It seems he's hidin' somethin' or other, but.... ...pressing him on it during the meal seems like it won't bring sunshine, as Momma'd say...
Mila eats enough of the local delicacies that she feels she's served the needs of politeness, at least.
"Well 'm eager to see your play. I grew up all my life in a village smaller'n this, and now I'm getting to see the world! And see how other folk live. I gotta say, it's exciting. Just hope there's no more pig-monsters, heh."
She nudges Park, sitting next to her, with a little smile. "How's your, um.... stirge?"
Zhandar tightens her lips, thinking that the mayor is behaving much the same way that the pastry tiefling was, putting off the question of what happened to the tax collector until after the festival. She resolves to wait patiently, as Rajuna suggests, but remains resolutely on her guard and refuses to sample any of the strange dishes. Her attitude is sullen and suspicious, with her arms crossed, and she is obviously just waiting for the event to conclude so she can get back to the business of investigating the disappearance.
Park smiles at Mila's prod and takes another bite of the blood sausage. "Not as cute as you of course. And after my experience in that haunted prison I didn't think I'd ever say something like this, but...." He makes a show of chewing and swallowing the bite. "I think that I like stirges this way! And I gotta admit that I would never have expected to see several of them flying around a crowd and the people not running for cover. It just shows that things can change."
He glances at the Mayor and nods approval. "So lets enjoy and top off the cups before you start the show. As a Bard I'm really interested. Might even be worth carrying the details back to the University! For history you know."
Rajuna also decides to attend the play, unless Zhandar is busting at the seams to snoop around the livestock and chat.
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The mayor nods, appreciating Park's words before refilling his cup and looking towards the impromptu stage. The sun has truly set now, but a large bonfire and plenty of torches light the field up enough for everyone to see clearly.
The children taking the role of the people in the play have well-worn props for their play, showing just how often the village reenacts the story of their village.
Iola Kriegler, a compassionate and determined young woman, steps forward as the villagers despair. She recounts the strange dreams she’s been having, where the goddess Desna, the Great Dreamer, appears to her. Desna shows Iola a path through the wilderness, leading to a sacred place where the answers to the blight can be found. Despite the villagers' fears for her safety, Iola insists that she must undertake this vision quest to save them all. With their blessings, she sets out on her journey, her heart full of hope and courage.
Iola travels through dark forests, where twisted trees and eerie sounds test her resolve. She crosses treacherous mountains, where the very earth seems to conspire against her. Along the way, she encounters strange and magical beings, some of whom offer help while others try to lead her astray. The children of the village play the roles of these spirits, using masks and costumes to transform into the creatures of the wild. Through every trial, Iola clings to her faith in Desna, singing soft lullabies that her mother taught her to keep her spirit strong.
Exhausted and near despair, Iola finally reaches the peak of a sacred mountain. Here, in a grove bathed in moonlight, she prays to Desna with all her heart. The scene shifts as a radiant figure appears—Desna herself, surrounded by glowing stars and butterflies. The goddess speaks to Iola, revealing that the blight is the work of a cursed artifact buried deep beneath the village. Desna gives Iola a blessed charm, telling her that she must return to Shadowbrook and perform a ritual to cleanse the land.
Iola races back to Shadowbrook, the charm clutched in her hand. The village is on the brink of ruin, the last of the crops dying and the villagers growing weak. With Old Maethis's guidance, Iola performs the ritual, burying the charm at the heart of the village. As she does, the dark clouds part, and the sun shines brightly once more. The crops begin to grow again, vibrant and healthy. The villagers cheer, lifting Iola on their shoulders, celebrating her bravery and the return of their prosperity.
The play ends with a joyful song, led by Iola, thanking Desna for her guidance and protection. The children join hands and dance around the stage, symbolizing the unity and hope that Iola's quest has restored to the village. The final scene shows Iola placing the charm in a place of honor, ensuring that the village will never forget the blessing of Desna and the courage of one young woman who saved them all.
At the end of the play, the entire village erupts into cheers and clapping, and the children who performed the play have smiles as wide as the horizon.
Park studies the performance while everyone is watching. It is interesting and while amateurs were doing the performance, they were obviously well practiced. He rises with the others to join in with the applause.
"Well done! Well done! And an incredible story. I will take word of this to the University and I'm sure word of it will reach the clergy of Desna. They would certainly want to come and see the performance as well. And I'm sure they'd want to know more of Iola Kriegler, and her family. To have been so blessed by Desna...."
He considers the mention of the objects, a cursed artifact causing the blight as well as a blessed charm to counter it. Stories like that could cause treasure hunters to swarm in. "Mayor? Perhaps we could discuss things though, before we depart. Keeping the best interest of your homes in mind."
Rajuna enjoys the play, finding it an interesting bit of local history or – quite possibly – mythology. He’s not a Desnan so he can’t say if the portrayal of the goddess is accurate. But he applies what little he knows of the gods to see if anything in the play catches his attention aside from the ‘cursed object/famine/holy object’ angle which is the obvious big-shiny-toy he finds most intriguing.
Predictably, Mila once again blushes at Park's calling her 'cute', and grins a bit whilst eating her delicious, delicious... whatever it is on her plate right now that she doesn't want to examine too closely.
She shoots occasional glances at Zhandar as she eats, certainly aware of the tiefling's tense, unhappy body language but not sure what could be done about it. You catch more flies with honey, her momma would say, but she balks at trying to repeat her mother's solid advice to the cross-looking horned woman. The other two know her better; it ain't her place, really...
When the play begins, Mila sits as enraptured as any child. An experienced connoisseur of the theatre, she is not; the acting may be amateurish and the props worn down, but she wouldn't know.
Since the townsfolk don't stop eating during the play, she doesn't either, although she does veer more to the familiar dishes, discreetly using the distraction to slide the remains of her tick onto her neighbor's plate.
Desna, as she had said to the mayor, ain't her goddess. She enjoys the play anyway, and claps and cheers as eagerly as the villagers do when it concludes.
"Gosh! That was great! I was on the edge of my seat when all the wolves was following her! She was so brave, and so tough, and..." Earnest excited babbling follows (possibly causing someone else to think that yes, they just saw the play too, they don't need a full recap).
"Do you all still have the charm where she put it? That'd be so neat to see!"
"Mayor? Perhaps we could discuss things though, before we depart. Keeping the best interest of your homes in mind."
"Absolutely! As soon as I'm done picking the Founders' Feast Queen, we'll discuss the tax payment and then retire back to the Kriegler Manor for the night."
But he applies what little he knows of the gods to see if anything in the play catches his attention
Rajuna doesn't really see anything super out of place, although specifically burying whatever the artifact was in the dirt is a bit weird for a goddess focused on dreams and the stars. But everyone knows religious rituals can be weird.
Do you all still have the charm where she put it? That'd be so neat to see!
"I believe we still have the charm on display at the Manor, yes. Can show it to you when we head back there."
With the feast winding down and the sun well past set, the villagers gather around the mayor's table, and he climbs up on it to announce who won the title of Queen. He makes a show of it, dramatically looking around the entire field and meeting eyes with a handful of the people in the crowd before speaking. "And the winner of this month's Founders' Feast Crown is...Kendra Lorrimor!" he calls out with excitement, his voice raising in volume as he calls out her name.
Kendra, who up until now had been absorbed in the feast and the play, looks up at the mayor in surprise before laughing nervously. "M-me...?"
Given the last 'honor' turned into a wrestling match with a plague-pig, Raj is more than a little concerned with the honor Kendra is receiving.
Park is surprised when Kendra is announced as the winner of the "crown". He glances around at the crowd, studying faces to judge their general mood. Jealous? Relieved? Confused?
Park senses that most of the crowd is jealous of Kendra receiving the title and wreath of vines and flowers that comes with it, but a select handful of villagers (notably all women) are noticeably more relaxed after the announcement is made.
That done, the mayor officially ends the festival and the villagers start breaking things down and taking the tables and chairs gathered back to their houses.
Mayor Andretti approaches you in the crowd shortly after winding things down, a smile on his face. "Well, did you enjoy it? Get enough food?"
As everyone gets up and begins packing things up, Zhandar looks around to see if she can spot the ferryman that met them on the way into town, thinking that questioning him about Kyle's disappearance in the presence of the mayor might be worthwhile.
Park moves to Mila and whispers, "Watch for an attack. Possibly by stirges." He then moves quickly to the Mayor and replies with a smile. "The meal was excellent if a bit different than we might have ever had before. I'm curious about Kendra being crowned Queen of your Founders' Feast though. We won't be here long, though we may have to bring representatives back from the University, or the clergy of Desna. But what does being the Queen of Founders' Feast entail?"
He glances at the wreath, concerned that it might be dangerous, or a target? "What are those flowers on that wreath. I'm not a druid or florist. I don't recognize all of them. Kendra? What do you think?"
Zhandar looks around to see if she can spot the ferryman
He's here, and appears to just be conversing with some other villagers about the recent weather and crop harvests. Very approachable.
But what does being the Queen of Founders' Feast entail?
"Oh it's mostly a symbolic thing, just a little fun. A popularity contest more than anything really. They're vines and flowers from the local area, nothing harmful. Is there something you're worried about?" the mayor asks, looking over at Park quizzically.
Park glances around at the crowd again and replies to the Mayor, "A popularity contest? Rather odd then. Was there a vote or something? I mean, how is Miss Lorrimor, a complete stranger to this village that will be leaving with us shortly the most popular person here? She did very well in the events, true. But hardly anyone in the town knows anything other than that about her. I wouldn't want any of the local ladies upset by a complete stranger taking the honor that they might have wanted."
Mila winces a little at the idea of an attack by stirges. She flashes Kendra a congratulatory smile, but when Park asks the mayor what the flowers are, she feels a sudden pang of concern. What, it might be poisonous flowers or something???
She tries discreetly to examine them closer...
He pulls Park away from the group for a second, falling back a bit in order to answer his question on its own on the walk back to the manor. "Ah, I didn't want to tell you this but we usually try to pick someone from outside the village when we get visitors during the festival. Kendra was really enjoying the festival and was getting into the entire event, she even won the three-legged race with her partner!" he says, speaking quietly so Kendra (who is talking with Rajuna about how excited she is to have won the crown) doesn't hear.
"Well, I don't think I and the other judges chose incorrectly, do you?" he says louder, moving on from his secretive admission to Park. "You wouldn't take away the fair lady's crown, would you?" he finishes with a wink and a smile.
She tries discreetly to examine them closer...
The plant leafs are flayleaf leaves, a common plant that has a bitter and biting flavor, and is often used before bed to help the imbiber sleep.
Milovica frowns a bit uncertainly, rubbing at the back of her neck with one hand. Well, a little contact ain't too likely to do too much to Kendra other than make her sleepy, though Mila's heard of long-term exposure being less salubrious. She finds her smile again and gives Kendra a pat on the shoulder.
"You look mighty fine, Miss Lorrimor. A crown of flayleaf! Fancy. Bet you'll sleep like a baby tonight.
"Are there more festivities tonight, Mr. Mayor?"
Park glances over to Kendra, who seems happy with the crown..... "Ah, Flayleaf Mila. Well. It looks quite pretty."
"Right Mila. Don't want to interfere if there are any more festivities. Or are we done for the day Mayor?"
Flayleaf is a powerful analgesic and muscle relaxant, rendering the user immune to most pain for up to four hours. Leaves are harvested and dried, and when smoked produce a powerful sedative and hallucinogenic effect similar to drunkenness. Harvesting the leaves of this drug are dangerous due to the Flayleaf spiders that live on the plants.
"No worries, you aren't interrupting or interfering in anything. The festival is over. Would you like to retire to the mayoral manor with me, or do you have your own preferred sleeping arrangements?" he says, looking over the group.
"I won't be offended if you don't take me up on my offer, don't worry about that." he says, a smile on his face. "If you need a tent or something, I'm sure we could rustle one up for you to spend the night in."
Park glances over to Zhandar, considering. "A good tent might help. We can set up by our wagon. But we really want to check out the area of your stables. If any other animals are infected that needs to be addressed. There might be a way to save them if they are caught soon enough? Actually, I don't know about that. Zhandar really knows more about animals, and Mila can help with diseases. Compared to them I'm a simple entertainer...."
He smiles at both ladies as he names them.
"I can get a tent sent over to wherever you set up shortly, no problem!" he says before motioning towards one of the villagers nearby, who nods and moves off to presumably grab you one.
"The stable and corral are over by the smithy . I'm sure Saul and Anya, the ones who run the trading post, would love to point you towards it. Feel free to poke around there as much as you want, but I'll be retiring to the manor if you need me. Try not to need me until the morning when we reconvene, however, its been an extremely tiring day as you can imagine."
With that, unless you have any other questions or concerns, he excuses himself and retires to his house as he said he would.
Raj keeps a close eye on the locals, speaking only after he’s sure they are free of possible eavesdroppers. He says quietly, ”There is a lot wrong with this place. The mayor’s story about Kyle and what happened makes no sense. And the mayor… he’s one to watch. I’ve been watching him and there are three things I can tell you with certainty. He’s a cleric. He’s also a skilled alchemist… so have a care with that flayleaf wreath. He’s also a skilled liar. I don’t mean he tells a good lie, cuz the line he pitched about Kyle was terrible. But he is a trained liar. He’s skilled at hiding all the small tells. I don’t know what that means… but a cleric that’s trained to lie? That has me thinking.”
Mila looks worried at Raj's summation of the mayor. "You can tell all that? Gosh. He seemed alright to me, but y'all have a lot more experience with this kind of stuff to me."
She looks uncertainly from Raj to Park to Zhandar. "So... we should go check out the animals, huh? I ain't want to wrestle another of those pig-zombs anytime soon, let me tell you. Let me grab my bow and get my kit back together, then let's go towards the tradin' post and see about the livestock."
”It’s a bit of experience, bit of observation, and a bit of… something else. But, yeah, let’s go examine the livestock and keep our eyes open for anything strange, well, more strange than everything else we’ve seen so far.”
"Good point Raj. Maybe Zhandar should check out that necklace? She knows a good bit about alchemy and plants. It may be harmless. I'm just worried that it was some way to target Kendra. Who knows? Maybe that's what happened to Kyle?"
"But let's get over and check out the animals. Does anyone know if there's a way to detect whatever that was before the thing is ready to explode?"
Kendra, who at this point looks absolutely exhausted, doesn't join you on your trek to the stable. "I'll take the wagon out into the fields surrounding the village and set up our tent to have it ready when you get back. Where should I set it up?"
When that's settled, you make your way over to the stable, which is a two-storied affair with a small workshop attached to the side. You can see into the open workshop which contains a work table, various scrap metal projects, and a scattering of other farrier-related equipment.
The large double door leading to the inside of the stable is in front of you and closed, and you don't hear anything beyond the soft sounds of sleeping animals behind it.
Raj doesn’t like the idea of leaving Kendra alone. But if he insists on someone keeping an eye on her, it will come across as patronizing. He strikes for a middle ground. ”Setting up the tent sounds great but do me a favor – drop that crown in the back of the wagon.”
When they set off to the barn, the thief moves quickly. ”Let’s get this done fast. I don’t like leaving anyone alone in this place. This town is raising my hackles.” Raj approaches the barn and tries to open the door quietly. If they disturb the animals it will likely draw the locals.
"I agree. Kendra. Until we know better you should probably not wear the crown. Keep it nearby and stay alert." He whistles for Birdie. "Birdie. Go with Kendra and keep watch. If somebody comes I want you to hide and just be alert. If it is something bad I'll feel what you feel and we'll come quickly. Kendra. I'm leaving Birdie with you. I can sense the emotions of my familiar even at a mile away. We'll come running if I sense fear or anger. I hope this precaution isn't needed, but I'm worried. Something just feels wrong!"
"Zhandar? Mila? Are you coming with us?" He follows Raj into the barn.
do me a favor – drop that crown in the back of the wagon.
She nods, taking off the crown of flayleaf and dropping it among her things in the back of the wagon.
"Was already planning on it." she says, giving a quick smile before you depart. "Be safe out there."
The door does open quietly, sliding open easily in Rajuna's hands as it seems the village has taken care of the stable even as other buildings fall into disrepair. That notion is immediately dispelled however, as once you open the gate into the inner building a foul, overpowering stench of death (and a lot of it) immediately washes across the entire party from inside.
Taking a look through the door reveals the source of the stench: every single animal in this stable is lying on its side, dead. Four horse corpses sit in the stalls they likely lived in, and directly in front of you in the middle of the aisle between stalls sit a pair of badly decomposed corpses: a calf and its presumptive mother. The rest of the stable appears to be in fine condition, with the sole exception of hundreds of insects (mostly spiders, oddly) crawling and flying around inside the macabre tableau.
Should we each roll stealth and perception? Then our group stealth would be the worst one....
Raj takes an involuntary step backwards and bumps into Mila. ”What the f$%< ? What the actual f$%< !?! The best-looking building in town is an abbatoir. What is wrong with these people?” If Raj had been alone, he knew what he’d do… shut the barn door then fire the whole damn building and watch it burn. And probably thump any local that came looking – for good measure.
Working with decent folk was taxing at times. He opens the door wider so the others can clearly see, letting the carnage speak for itself. ”We goin’ in there?”