[PGRiS] Night of the Walking Dead PF1 (closed)

Game Master djpika

Bam's brow darkens. "It looks like he's under a powerful curse. I wish we knew how to remove it." She glances over at the book as Manfri shows it to her. "You may be right. This boy could be the young man that Valana mentioned right before reading our fortune, for all we know. I get the sinking feeling that we won't be able to make sense of all this until it's too late." She lets out a combined sigh-growl. "This job has turned into way more than tracking down a serial killer." And I doubt we'll get paid properly for it. Though the omens make our odds of survival look bleak, so we may not be in any position to care by the time we're done. She takes care to avoid voicing her pessimistic ruminations, both for party morale and because she *knows* that Sebastian's response would somehow make her feel worse.

All this complication and still so few bodies to animate and put to work! I'd say our efficiency on this mission could be greatly improved!

There. That should make her feel good.

He shows each of his companions the inscription on the first page: To Luc, my beloved brother. Marcel.

"D'ya think Ol' Mate could be ..." Manfri silently mouths the word 'Luc'.

"Marcel likes him enough to give book present. Cann Bakery likes him enough to give food present too."

Sebastian suddenly remembers...

Hey, did anybody tie up the raft below so it doesn't float away? It looks like we could be here overnight to rest.

"Hammer Dame tied up raft and Chuufa tied up Leandrie so she's still outside."

Just to be on the safe-side, Chuufa can do a bit of trap finding in the hut as more busy work. Probably may clean up the spilt blood with a handy rag, if any are around to be used. ;p

busywork trap perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23.

if any were discovered to be disarmed: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20.

"Chuufa not see much in here...", the Tengu/Shepherd Lad remarks as he glances over at the labeled crates, "but if we gives him some more lights stuff as present, mebbe he let us all stay here. Will hafta carry Leandrie up inside too...?"

"Yeah, shoot. Leandrie. I wanna follow up that A Light in the Loft message I found first."

Manfri's frustration about the clues isn't abating. Though he may be learning to cope with not knowing."Chuufa, do you want to help me search for an entryway to the space under the roof? Then we can figure out how to get Leandrie up here without anyone having to take a bath."

"Also, we could feed Luc something from the food bank to test that out too if we wanted."

"I'll feed the lad while you look into that. Then, if anyone has another rope, we can fix up a harness to haul Leandri up here."

Bam sets about putting together a plate with a fully balanced meal on it (maybe a little heavy on the vegetables and protein). She sets the plate in front of him. "Here you go, lad. Why don't you try a bite?" A memory flashes through Bam's mind: a younger version of herself swooping a spoon around in front of a toddler, wheedling "Here comes the birrrrdyyyy." She blinks it away. If Luc (presumably) has any dignity left, she certainly isn't going to undermine it that way. Instead, she looks around for a handkerchief or a cloth that she can use to wipe the blood off his face. As she gently ministers to him, she murmurs: "I don't know how you're caught up in all this, but..." She doesn't finish the thought, as she's not quite sure how to at this point.

I do not have rope, but I have two final things to try with this simple man...

Sebastian draws a small amount of smelling salts and places them under the man's nose to see if this raises his consciousness, if at all. If this doesn't work, he replaces them in one of his many pockets and draws a signal whistle.

We have to at least try to return him to usefulness. He has neither his full agency nor usefulness in undeath! Pick a lane!

Bam shudders.

"Desna wept, Sebastian ..."

Manfri pauses, realizing any criticism about the necromancer will likely have zero effect.

And besides, Sebastian is better than him at arguing ...

"Do you want to help me try to find this 'Light in the Loft,' please? I'll admit I could use the help."

@Manfri - the unopened boxes contain fresh food. Apples, pears, carrots, and bakery items. The barrel is filled with water. After moving around to find an awkward angle, you're able to read "A Light in the Loft".

Where is the "A Light in the Loft" message written? On the side of the barrel? On the floor?

"Do you want to help me try to find this 'Light in the Loft,' please? I'll admit I could use the help."

"Sure, just a sec." Bam finishes ministering to the young man, then heaves herself to her feet with an "Ooof!" before ambling over to Manfri to help him search. "Where did you see the message?"

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Any hidden doors/false walls, etc.?

"Desna wept, Sebastian ..."

Oooh! Is that a divine spell? Sounds powerful!

"Do you want to help me try to find this 'Light in the Loft,' please? I'll admit I could use the help."

Certainly. It sure seems like a clever find! Are there any drawings or sketches near the text?

Sebastian looks over Manfri's shoulder to see. Soon after he's looking around the hut with Bam.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Oooh! Is that a divine spell? Sounds powerful!

"Yes it is. Varisians invoke it all the time."

Manfri lowers his voice a little. "A little less talk of puppetry, Sebastian and I might tell you a bit more."

The book that the man was holding was titled A Light in the Loft. The inscription is in the first few pages. Examining it reveals it to be filled with children's poems.

Ok, I just lost another late night post despite posting and re-editing incrementally, so we're going to go with a summary here. The party is able to rest after bringing Leandrie up. The man remains withdrawn despite Bam's feeding attempt. Their isn't a space between the ceiling and the roof - they're the same plane. Morning arrives. The sky remains dark, filled with roiling black clouds. As the party leaves, the rope ladder starts to move. The gaunt man starts to descend, steadying himself on the raft. I'll pause here in case that prompts anything from the group before the three hour tour begins again...

Bam blinks rapidly for a moment as ?Luc begins climbing down the ladder. After exchanging a look with the others, she gives him a tentative greeting. "Hello. You're...welcome to join us." I think. ... A quiet part of her mind wonders if the young man will increase the trouble her team is having or if that trouble will find them regardless of tag-alongs. "Do you know which way we're going?" She asks, wondering if he'll be responsive in any way.

Sebastian watches the gaunt man carefully.

I suspect he's meant to bring us somewhere, or to someone. I wonder how he'll give directions, and what he'll do if we don't follow them.

He continues to wait and see what the man does on the raft, if he waits for the rest of the party to join him.

“Ugh. Sorry, people. Seems that Light in the Loft reference was meant to direct us to the clue in the children’s book. The one that we already found.”

After another uneventful night, Manfri completes his third watch in reasonable spirits. His mood improves as he sees ‘Luc’ is going to join them.

Goodness knows why? Is it because it means he can’t grass us up? Or …

take 10 rope climb on a slip-knot: 10 + 6 = 16

“Maybe we’re going to start making some progress now. Wotcha think, troupe?”

Take 10 survival checks for Manfri, if you want to make some steerage checks, GM. His modifier is +6

The man remains apathetic, head slightly lowered. He carries himself meekly, his thin frame covered by the voluminous layers of his clothes. He seems oblivious to the questions, or at least to any social queue that prompts a response.

The morning looks more like dusk. For the first time, lightning plays across the sky. After the flash fades, Manfri notices a trail of smoke that billows above some trees in the distance. It matches the general direction of Marais d'Tarascon the travelers provided.

Pushing off from the raised hut, the familiar swooshing of water returns as the group starts to navigate.

...

Slides updated.

A cluster of small wood-and-thatch buildings break the monotony of the swamp, elevated above the encroaching edges of silty water. Eager to exit, landing the raft is arduous, requiring the cutting down of hardened reeds and the re-arrangement of driftwood to avoid wading through the shore.

The party arrives from the west (top).

The sleepy town matches the mood of the land. Weathered wood and small, muddy roads remain still (like a western entering town before a duel, minus the tumbleweed). Doors remain closed with little sign of life behind them. A hand painted sign of scrap wood leans inside the window of one - Closed for Funeral.

Does our guest take off on his own once on land? I'm still trying to get a feel for how aggressively he wants to "lead" us.

“Well, we know someone from the ‘Cann Bakery’ has been sending out baked goods recently. And if I had a bakery business, I’d put it on the main street.”

Manfri continues thinking out loud. “If there’s a funeral, you’d think there’d be a church of some kind — probably with a cemetery out back.”

“And again, it was probably one of the first things built in the town, so should also be on the main street.”

He kneels down, placing his hand on the soil to inspect it. “Usually in a place this small, the whole town turns out for a funeral. You’d think I should be able to track a small herd of townsfolk heading in the same direction, right?”

take 10 survival to track: 10 + 6 + 1 = 17

And if there’s walking dead on the loose, that should make this job easier.

take 10 survival to track FE, undead: 10 + 6 + 1 + 2 = 19

"Good thinking, Manfri. Most churches have a steeple, or at least an attempt at one." Bam keeps her eyes peeled for any building that peeks above the standard single story roof lines, while also keeping one eye on ?Luc. If he heads off in any direction, she wants to know about it.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

Does our guest take off on his own once on land? I'm still trying to get a feel for how aggressively he wants to "lead" us.

He actually follows a few steps behind like a puppy or albatross, depending on how you feel about that.

Bam notices a crowd of people further up by what appears to be a church (9). Most of the crowd wears loose, thread bear clothes in earthen colors. Behind the church atop a small rise, a wall of weathered grey stone surrounds the cemetery(10).

Solemn faces gaze at you suspiciously as you approach, but no one says a word. The villagers soon return their attention to the priest who stands over a coffin wrapped in heavy chains.

The priest's booming voice echoes throughout the churchyard. "Friends and family we mourn the untimely death of Jeremiah d'Gris," he laments. "Let us pray that his eternal rest is peaceful and without incident. Jeremiah, you will be missed, but you will not be welcome here again. Depart this plane and go to the next world with our blessing."

The priest continues his liturgy, even though a muffled bang causes him a moment's pause. The villagers flinch but quickly regain their composure. The bang sounds again from within the coffin. The coffin rocks back and forth, but the priest and the crowd ignore it.

Oooh! Inventory! Sebastian remarks privately to only his companions. He understands such utility of expired bodies is not widely accepted.

Then the bang...

Even Sebastian lights up in surprise.

Are you all... burying a man alive? Perhaps we should at least open the coffin and get his assessment of these proceedings? We all like feedback now and then!

diplomacy (making a request): 1d20 ⇒ 10

As the group approaches the villagers, Bam notices the unusual addition to the conventional funeral. Chains on the coffin? Oooh boy. Bam gives Sebastian a side-eyed glance.

At the sound of the first bang, her eyes go wide. She expects a reaction from the populace and is deeply perturbed by the fact that there is none. She mutters to the group. "Sebastian, that eulogy sounds like someone--or something--else has already 'utilized' the late Jeremiah d'Gris, and no one here is surprised. ... I wonder if that box is sturdy enough to keep him in there." She tries to assess the sturdiness of the coffin without drawing attention to herself.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

"If that doesn't hold him, he'll be walking around again soon. And it looks like that storm is going to hit soon, too. ... I get the awful feeling he's not going to be alone. How many people are buried here?" She glances out at the cemetery, trying to gauge how many plots there are.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

A thought strikes her. "Sebastian, do you know if a corpse can be animated multiple times in a row? What I'm wondering is if one person--you--were to animate a corpse, then when it's done, can it ever be animated again?" It sounds stupid as she says it, but she can't help but hope that Sebastian could briefly animate many of the local dead as a way of rendering them permanently inert. The fewer in the impending horde the better.

Her thoughts briefly settle on her husband and children. Sighing, she tucks those memories to the back of her mind for now. Survive first. Return to them after.

I hope you're right, but it will be hard to know for certain if we don't get it open.

He then listens to her idea, stroking his chin as he thinks about it.

An intact body can be animated if it is not destroyed. Rather, unless the corpses are destroyed, nothing would stop further animation after I was done with them. Also I need access to touch them.

"Hmm." Bam sighs. "That would've been too easy. We may as well wait here until they're finished, then start gathering information." She mentally ticks off who to talk to: The priest, the owner of the general store, the taverkeeper (surely there's a tavern here; what else is there to do in such a tiny isolated town), the mayor, the family of the deceased...

Villagers within ear shot look at Sebastian with the same, see-through gaze one uses to ignore a pan-handler. Some shuffle their feet, pressing closer to the crowd. The priest continues his liturgy.

Bam suspects the combination of the coffin and the heavy chains would make it very difficult to break through from within. From down here, it's difficult to guesstimate the size of the cemetery. The tops of mausoleums and columbariums can be seen over the 10' high stone wall. I see one vote for waiting until the ceremony ends from Bam... we'll go with 2 votes to secure the action...

Sebastian seems wary, but nods.

Okay. They can lower the box, but hopefully the don't start to actually cover it up with Earth until the crowd is dispersed...

Manfri has been turning the proceedings over in his mind.

If Ol' Jerimiah was anything other than Walking Dead, one of his family members would have intervened by now.

He casts his eyes about the crowd of mourners.

And this strikes me as the kind of village where not only does everybody know each other -- they're all related to each other!

In the end, Manfri also decides to back Bam's play.

He nods at Sebastian, before adding "I'm good with what you want to do, War Smith."

If we need to cut J D' down, that's one less potential Walker in this graveyard to worry about.

"Vale, Illuminatus, donec iterum conveniant

Donec altera luce" the priest concludes, closing his book with a thud.

The priest turns to take the reins of the mule and starts to walk up the hill. The chains rattle as the wagon gains momentum, eventually plowing through the earthen path. The crowd proceeds to follow, escorting the cart. Another wooden bang resonates from within the coffin.

Waiting at the cemetery gate is a short man with dark skin and puffy cheeks. He walks to take the reins from the priest, guiding the wagon through the walls of the cemetery.

Does this change anything or does the party continue to wait where they are?

Perc: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

Sebastian leans into his companions, declaring in forceful whispers Aha! Did you hear that? The priest just asked the man in the box to "be still."! This may all be an act!

take 10 Perception: 10 + 6 = 16

"Maybe."

Why would the priest bother to whisper to a Walker?

"I think we should honor Brother Jerimiah by escorting his body to its final resting place."

Perception DC 15: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

"Aye, I heard it too. Let's follow." Now Bam is suspicious. *Could* this Jeremiah be alive in there? With all the creepy shenanigans lately, Bam had simply assumed the body in the coffin was undead. How can I find out the truth without being blunt? I'd rather be blunt. So much quicker. Regardless, it's likely that the folks at the back of the crowd, near her, wouldn't know the most useful details.

She leans in to Sebastian and whispers: "If he really died, the only folks who would've been there would be up at the front. Can't talk to them now without causing a scene. And considering what's happened so far, I'm guessing the odds are that he's undead already or has begun the change. Not all animations take hold as quickly as yours. Let's follow and ask around after."

The puffy cheeked man leads the mule to an open vault. The attendants slide the coffin inside and quickly seal the vault to the gravelly sound of rough stone sliding on rough stone. Then, without a word, the crowd returns to the village.

Sebastian is still standing near the grave after the villagers depart. He looks around at the party and asks So... who's got a shovel? Or do we need to go procure one?

Sebastian is still standing near the grave after the villagers depart. He looks around at the party and asks So... who's got a shovel? Or do we need to go procure one?

Keeping his hands firmly on Leandrie's bridle so that she doesn't wander off too far during the funeral, Chuufa lets the sheep graze upon some nearby grass while keeping an eye out on the party's newest companion, Luc- in case he tries to wander off as well.

"Chuufa no has any shovel but has something good enuff for the chains and mebbe the big stone doors though..." as the Tengu-turned-Shepherd-Lad spares a glance over at his trusty cold-iron Kunai.

Psychometry attempt on Light in the Loft book: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5.

At some point during the following day, Chuufa makes a Psychometry attempt upon Luc's poem-book. If he discovers anything important, he'll inform the others.

Chuufa isn't able to detect anything for the day. Although the crowd has returned to the village, note that the puffy cheeked man, the apparent caretaker of the facility, may still be around the premises. Is anyone else chiming in with a plan? Or do you want to unearth the coffin right away?

Bam uses her most diplomatic mom voice: "I...think antagonizing the whole town right now might not be in anyone's best interests, Sebastian. Let's talk to people first. Maybe start with that puffy-cheeked caretaker. He probably knows quite a lot about the local dead. Maybe you'll enjoy his conversation." Hopefully he has a sense of humor, or might backfire profoundly.

The puffy cheeked man leads the mule to an open vault. The attendants slide the coffin inside and quickly seal the vault to the gravelly sound of rough stone sliding on rough stone. Then, without a word, the crowd returns to the village.

"I don't think we'll need a shovel to access the coffin."

Manfri points at the vault/tiny house that accommodates the dead.

"They'll likely be laid out on shelves inside, kinda like your pantry at home, Sebastian."

The ranger scratches the three-day growth on his chin. "I'm wondering if Jeremiah is alive and is faking his own death for some reason. While his coffin is bait, so that we release actual undead from inside the vault when we try to 'rescue' Jeremiah."

"Anyway, I'm good with speaking with Ol' Mate the Caretaker, Bam."

The cemetery's mausoleum and vaults are orthogonal to each other, forming straight passageways that are easy to navigate. After walking past a few rows, you find the caretaker at the end of the row, tending to some unwanted vegetation that has grown between the cracks in some simple brick mausoleums. Pulled weeds rest on the side.

As the party's shadow covers his workspace, the man jumps backwards a bit, startled. "Kisa! I was not expecting anyone. Bonjou, bonjou," he says, standing up, dusting his hands on his simple linen pants. "Are you from Port d'Elhour? Vizitè, wi?"

Sebastian looks crestfallen at first at leaving the freshly buried body.

If they're not "animated" in the ways of undeath, but instead alive, I just hope they can hold out.

Let's talk to people first. Maybe start with that puffy-cheeked caretaker. He probably knows quite a lot about the local dead. Maybe you'll enjoy his conversation."[/b]

He seems a little perplexed by this. Why do you suppose so? He just watches over bodies that aren't going anywhere (except maybe this new one).

"They'll likely be laid out on shelves inside, kinda like your pantry at home, Sebastian."

He lights up with a grin. Haha, not quite. But I could build quite a force here! Still, I'm agreeable to speak with the caretaker first.

----------------

"Are you from Port d'Elhour? Vizitè, wi?"

We are not exactly from around here. We wanted to ask you about this most recent buriel. It... looked like the coffin was moving. How closely did you work with this body?

Sense motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Ooh, good question. Bam closely monitors the man's reaction and response.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Gosh, with a modifier like that, she probably missed a lot of her kids' misbehavior. Edit: But not this guy's!

"No Port d'Elhour? Where den? Is it nice? Dose be some fancy clothes," he asks inquisitively before his face turns dour at the latter questions. "Poor Jeremiah. Did you know him? Just another one that died suddenly. Last night. Father Brucian took care o' him. I just handle it when he get here. Better to not think 'bout the dead. Crossing the loa is bad juju."

Bam gets the impression he's being honest.

Another? The loa? Tell me... what's been happening here recently.

Sebastian leans in and focuses.

Since the guy's asked twice, Bam decides to share a location. "Right now we're working out of Karcau, tracking an escaped criminal. We'll get to that in a moment. To build on Sebastian's question: where we're from, the dead don't move. They stay dead. This is...unusual to us. How long have the dead been...active...around here?" The nonchalance with which the caretaker mentioned the state of the dead rings like a warning bell in the pit of her stomach.

"De dead stay dead where you're from? Dat must be nice. I think I shall visit dis... Karcau. How do I get dere?"

...

"Dere are dose dat say da loa, oya spirits, have power over many things, including death. But Father Brucian would say dat's silly. But strange things be happening. People be dying suddenly. Jeremiah be de... eighth. No, ninth. Maybe da Lord of Da Dead be angry. I dunno, but I don't want to stay to find out."

Bam's brow darkens as she remembers the strange stars and the sense that something or someone transported them to another place entirely. She's not certain it *is* possible to return to Karcau, so she doesn't answer that question.

"How recently did people start dying suddenly? Did the dead stay dead before that?"

Still keeping an eye on Luc while Bam and Sebastian are conversing with the Caretaker, Chuufa leans over towards Manfri and asks the Leading Ranger, "Mebbe Grave-man knows where bakery is? Chuufa thinks we can asks them to give some more food to Hut-man? Mebbe we get free food too when we brings him."

Eventually, Leandrie, whose bridle was still being held onto by the disguised Tengu/Shepherd, purposefully meanders over towards the discarded weed pile... dragging Chuufa over along with her in the process...and she starts to dig into the freshly plucked repast once the hungry Sheep gets close enough.

If the Caretaker starts to protest about this unexpected occurrence happening, Chuufa will say to him apologetically, "Chuufa says so sorrys about Leandrie's behavior, Grave-man; She gets hungry over your old plants on ground."

So nine people have suddenly dropped dead, and then come back to unlife.

"Any sign of disease on the body, ser?"

I'm not buying this is all down to 'bad juju.' It sounds like the work of the worst monster of all -- insane human beings.

I can believe some madman would want to build an undead army, or clear the town of its residents for their own purposes.

"Where can we find good Father Brucian, my man? He sounds like a straight arrow."

With a nod to Chuufa, "And is there a bakery in town? Our ami, Luc is feeling a mite peckish."

As an afterthought he adds, "You are also welcome to join us when we depart. Unfortunately, we won't be able to guarantee your safety."