Yoltzin examines the creature. It's asymmetrical nature and certain other features lead her to believe two things. First, this creature as it stands now has been heavily affected by energies of The Decay, a place with ties to both The Maelstrom (CN plane) and the Negative Material Plane.
Second, the creature did not start this way; she's fairly certain it was human once, though much of its human anatomy has been irrevocably ripped away.
Being mounted, Djack surveils town and lake quickly.
Djack finds no evidence of living humans remaining in the town; approximately 25 inhabitants lived here once, but all are dead. The weirdest thing, the creatures did not show any interest in the possessions of the residents. Not a chest nor sack nor cupboard has been disturbed (save for the damage of the fire).
Dismounting, to lend a hand with the fires.
With some dedicated work, the party is able to save some of the buildings in a couple hours. A few are a complete loss. There is some livestock here, and most of the possessions of the townsfolk remain.
The day has given way to evening, and though the mountains no longer block the sun from the West, the Novum sky darkens early. You have about an hour of daylight left.
Brutal, really. Just wiped out. It's not right... He seems to have a hard time putting together longer sentences.
He scrounges for any fresh provisions to make a meal.
He scrounges for any fresh provisions to make a meal.
Lamb and beef are in large quantities here, in addition to plentiful amounts of corn (of various colors), cornmeal, peppers, potatoes, and even a few recently baked flatbreads. You may as well eat and take your fill, as these poor souls have no more use for them.
"Char and smoke... Something was done to these people. These humans have been tainted heavily by The Decay- a plane in antithesis of my God's own. I don't know what could have done this. Or how to undo it." She mumbles the last part looking to the few who were left alive by the ambush. Some given definition of living, at any rate.
Aww... come on! I could end up like one of these things? Djack is clearly disturbed by the thought.
Should probably set a pyre for the human... humans. May they rest in peace. He makes some archaic sign in the air.
She looks to Djack, expression impressed. "I was going to suggest the very same. I'll perform a ritual as the bodies are burnt, in hopes that their souls are cleansed of this taint."
Djack almost smiles.
I'm glad you agree. I'suppose they are as much victims... as the others, all things considered. It's clear the youth hasn't had much need or opportunity to think on such matters. But, he's making an effort to keep up.
He begins to build the pyre, then gently even gingerly starts to move the women and children's bodies. Practically, they are lighter and manageable alone.
The elf takes out some of the special herbs she kept on hand for these ceremonies, bundling them up tight with twine. Approaching the pyre even as Djack and potentially the others were helping to gather the bodies, she lit one of the bundle by dipping it into a flask of alchemical fire. Elven words spilled from her mouth while she held the bundle in one hand, and removed her necklace with the other.
"<Borne of the Cosmic Forge, our souls are but motes in the great firestorm we call life. Our parents catch these motes and provide them the kindling they need to catch, to burn, to grow, and to live.>" Yoltzin speaks as she had done a dozen times prior, and will perhaps continue to for a thousand times after.
With careful movements, she loosely wraps the necklace around her wrists with the skull facing unlit pyre. Her words have lapsed into a low chant as she waits for the last bodies to be placed, twisting her arms so that the herb-smoke enveloped her like a shroud. Finally, the time comes. "<So that we burn in life, that we burn in death. Might that our souls be washed clean of the hardships we have faced, of the trials we have taken, of the memories we cherished, and the love we have lost. I beseech the Black Hound that he might take these coals into his mouth and carry them home where they may once more light anew.>"
A gentle flick of her wrists, and the pyre is lit. The elf clasps her hands together with the necklace still binding them and places the top of her fists against her forehead. Eyes open, she weathers the acrid smoke of burning flesh, standing vigil ten minutes more until she's confident the spirits will take up their part in the death ritual.
As Yoltzin and Djack tend to the souls of the lost Elias busies himself with more earthly concerns. He returns to the unconscious creatures, binds them using spare horse tackle from the cart and does his best to wake the least damaged looking one.
Quince is able to return one of the two to consciousness. Its tail immediately tries to wiggle free, but he's tied it quite securely. The creature bucks and writhes, seemingly heedless of its injuries.
Djack looks down at the signet ring in his hand. He'd found it on the body of what appeared to be the village elder, a man of Ricoan ethnicity. The ring held the image of a mountain and a forest, with a lake between the two; he fancied it was the mark of rulership here, and resolved to take it with him so that he might remember the fallen.
Among the other goods of the people, aside from foodstuffs and any mundane equipment you might wish to find, was a grant total of approximately 400 gp value in coins, gems, and objet d'art.
Once Yoltzin has finished officiating at the funeral of the fallen, the sun has set, and night has fallen. The moon is waning and covered by rolling clouds, giving the night a feeling the humans find both eerie and dark. The temperature is warmer now that you're out of the mountains, and the wind is not unpleasant except for the occasional wisp of smoke from the pyre.
Rocko will at least make the effort to see if one villager or two managed to flee before the slaughter commenced. If someone did escape, they might still be hiding in fear rather than returning.
Rocko finds only a middle aged man who attempted to swim away from danger into the lake and was shot; his body bobs up and down in the moonlight. Rocko, of course, commits him to the pyre and Yoltzin's blessings.
We should probably start fresh in the morning, we don't want to arrive exhausted. Who knows what we'll find.
I'll pack some provisions, enough for two days... there and back.
"I need to watch the fire some time longer, to ensure it dosnt spread." Yoltzin agrees. She looks over to where Quince has tried to communicate with the planestouched men, a frown on her lips. "I'm afraid they may already be too far gone. If there is a way to bring them back, perhaps we will find it at our destination. Something tells me that these events are jot unrelated."
The night passes uneventfully; no more monsters cross your path, though the sounds of forest creatures is constant here in the shadow of the woods. The night is cold, but not as cold as those evenings in the mountains.
The morning of Novum 6 comes with clouded skies and a misty rain, but soon warms. A worn path similar to the one that lead you into the village now leads you away. You travel around the lake, and soon meet up with a old road. In human terms it might be ancient, though Yoltzin's people would remember a time before it existed.
The road is obviously of Ricoan build, from a time when the colonizers first gained a foothold on this land centuries ago. Rocko easily spots evidence of recent travelers along this route, a patrol of a dozen or more horses.
You pause for a brief meal, but urgent to finally reach your destination, you soon continue on. Finally, you encounter the hills along the rim of the forest, as the path turns to keep in line with them. Quite unexpectedly, you come across three powerful horses, riderless but in full tackle and barding. Lances still rest in their buckets.
Djack, who had been leading Djill by the reins sometime with Yoltzin riding, others not... tells the horse to stay.
He approaches the abandoned mounts.
Djack finds nothing hidden in the area; the beasts themselves are quite unusual, definitely battle trained. There's an emblem of heraldry on their barding. Djack is unfamiliar with it's lineage, but believes it's related to the Marques Leonus. Leonus calls the lands of Caldova "The Marches" and is trying to tame the lands under the Espan flag, continuing his father's life's work.
Hey, are these the knights the Eagle Aerie... eagle mentioned?
"Kuh'nights...? She mouths the unfamiliar word. "These are horses. They seem well cared for, their riders may be people of note."
..."small group of knights under a holy banner" they said. I think this is them. What happened to them?
This emblem or crest... related to the Marques Leonus? Isn't he trying to tame these "marches" and follow in his father's footsteps?
He shrugs.
Rocko, can you figure out where they went? They might be in trouble.
Djack moves closer to one of the mounts, seeing if it will allow him to get in the saddle.
The horse does not seem to accept just anyone as a rider. It will allow you to lead it, but it does not wish to go in the direction you're traveling, and will resist.
Strange... did you see that?
Rather than looking around for tracks, Rocko figures there's an easier way.
"I reckon these two fine fellas and missy can lead us to their missin' folk faster than I can hunt them down. Just give me a moment."
Rocko will pull out some treats that he thinks horses would like and approaches slowly, both hands out while making soft, soothing noises. His first take will be just to get the horses into a better mood.
Rocko will smile at the promising sign of the horses willingly eating from his hand. Naturally, he'll want to first check for signs that these horses are wounded or potentially inflicted by whatever curses created the monsters that destroyed the village.
"Yoltzin, you reckon these three are clean from any ills or curses?"
While he's waiting for a response, he'll wait for any hints that the horses want to lead him in a certain direction. With any luck, he'll then have a better hint of any tracks to follow.
Rocko can easily tell that the horses came from the direction you're heading, but they do NOT what to go back that way. That said, they will, if Rocko insists. They seem very afraid, which is unusual considering they seem to be combat steeds.
Rocko does not see any signs of the strange aberration that affected your formerly human attackers last night. Quite the contrary, the horses seem quite healthy and well cared for.
"I'm curious what made them leave their riders behind, and worried as well. They're afraid of something." The elf notes, rubbing her hand along one horse's mane.
Then, perhaps these knights... might be in need of assistance. Let's go.
You secure the horses where they are. They're happy to stay there. It's not long before you see a single figure standing a few hundred yards from a gaping hole in the hillside. He looks to be standing over a hastily dug set of five graves, and as you approach, he's saying prayers.
Rocko and Spizz will recognize this heavily tatooed man as their old companion, Pious, who left you about a month ago just as Quince joined your party.
Djack slowly rides Djill closer to the praying man, his curiosity getting the better of him. The scene seems reverent, so he's a bit lulled into a sense of peace.
He hopes his approach doesn't startle the man and, he doesn't disturb the man's prayers as that would be rude. He waits for him to finish.
Fortunately, about the only thing to be perceived is that the man himself is also battered; that much is plain to see, though he seems to have been mostly healed. He definitely took part in whatever battle happened here.
Rocko will hold Spizz back to keep the little kobold from flat out running forward, wanting to first confirm Pious's identity.
"Pious, is that you?" He will also frown as he can't help but add, "You look awful."
He really does. The man, almost weeping, turns, and his eyes widen, his mouth giving the slightest hint of a smile.
"My friends! Never did I hope I would run into you at this dark hour! But as the it was written, 'Lo her friend walked in at the hour of her need!'"
"It has been dark days indeed. The prophecy I was called away on was misinterpreted. Pride before the fall! It turned out to be something quite sinister instead. So it was that I rode down from the Keep at Malencia, some 150 miles north, with 12 knights of the March, to investigate this unholy uprising..." Pious gestures toward the cave entrance."
"The Wellspring of Entropy! Ancient legend of the old country born in physical body here in the Caldovan Marches! We entered to reconnoiter and see if we might stop this evil." Here, Pious' eyes regained their great sadness.
"It was beyond our ability. Five died, that I was able to escape with. The others are within; I presume they, too, are dead, though I do not have the ability to retrieve them in my current condition. Who knows, they may yet live."
At this point, Spizz notices his friend, and, runs past Rocko and Djack, grappling onto Pious' leg.
"Friend Pious! I thought I not see you again!"
"Ah, little dragon! It does my wounded heart good to see you again as well, though I fear to find you here."
"A full hundred of those chaos-altered beasts broke free from here the day previous, spreading across the land in all directions. I must head north, quickly, to marshall more forces to hunt them!"
Djack seems shaken... ...h-h-hundred.
We umm, we saw about... six? And, we were the last thing they saw with their freaky eyes.
But, they wiped out a village back there. Terrible business.
He remembers something, I'm Djack and this is Djill. He motions at the horse with his thumb.
"Ah, greetings! Anyone who is a friend of Spizz the Mighty! not to mention Rocko there, is alright in my eyes!"
"And I am glad our little group has not diminished! After Lexxan left, then myself, I had wondered if you'd continue on."
"It is regrettable but expected that the creatures would cause such havoc; such is their way. I am glad you bested them. It gives me hope."
"And I am afraid I must send you into more danger, if you're up for it. There are things inside that are spreading this horrid plague of decay; you may be our only hope in ending them soon. But take care. The beasts inside are so bizarre as to defy definition, if they have any constant form at all. And what lies at the center, I know not. Perhaps you will find living remnants of the knights who did not escape."
"I myself must ride north," the man says, looking down at Spizz apologetically. "and soon! It is over 100 miles north to the Keep, which lies between the forest of the Wild Elves and the Mountains of Picos Cidão."
Have you discovered any weakness? Anything that can help, however small. Djack sounds desperate.
"My only advice is that these creatures are mortal, and the powers they wield can be overcome by will and magic, if strong enough. Unfortunately these poor souls..." Pious gestures "were not in possession of such attributes."
"Fair you well, my friends! Go with the strength of Galecian! I must ride fast and spread warning of the creatures that now roam the countryside, and then on to the Keep!"
With that, Pious mounts his horse, similar to those you saw earlier, and rides back the way you came.
The yawning entrance to the caves of the Wellspring of Entropy appears to be laughing at you as you look into the darkness and the vile creatures that await you.
,"What an interesting man."She Comme to at the end, having found herself unable to really get a word in edgewater with thee tattooed human. She turned now to the cave, a sense of foreboding welling up within her. "It seems we need to be careful. There's more danger ahead than realized."
I've not expert in such things but, perhaps there is an urgency as those creatures near some goal.
If we act quickly, we may thwart them. Gramms help us. He seems nervous yet willing.
These noble warriors' deaths should not be for nothing... and neither should ours.
The walls of the corridor leading into the dungeon were hewn from the rock a long time ago; bebbles fall from loose dirt, giving the impression that the corridors are not entirely stable. However, they largely seem to have withstood time, weather, and battle.
The first room, long and relately narrow at 10' in width, opens from the hallway. The destroyed remains of a door lay at the far end; obviously it was blocked and used as a barrier, which eventually failed. Signs of battle scatter around the room. Several dead bodies of the mutated creatures lie here, the same as those you battled at the village. Much blood lies on the floor, as well as damaged pieces of armor, a broken shield bearing the knights' crest, several daggers, and an abandonned longsword.
Djack prepares to enter the room, but something catches his attention at the last minute. An unnatural fear wells up inside him, his limbs are as lead. The experienced adventurer perceives a magical trap, a rune on the far north wall of the room, 20' away, is the source.
Wait... the rune there, it's some kind of setup. Maybe floor plates or fire.
Djack manages to make his way to the rune safely, though he feels like it was really close.
Now the Disable Device Check, DC 22.
Noting the man was planning on making his daring approach to the strange glowing symbol, she felt it only necessary to make sure he had fate on his side. She made to touch him before his leap of fate, only to to just barely grace his elbow when he moved in mid-air.
Thanks, Yoltzin. approaching the rune, Anyone know this thing? He examines around the rune.
I think moving this...