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Would we have any way of guessing how long his muting will last?
Rajuna feels the energy-sapping force, whatever it is, dissipate and leave him. He seems to have shaken off the horrible dark magic the animating spirit put upon him, and feels much better. Until he tries to reply to Park's question, however, and finds himself unable to speak. The party can see his lips moving but no sound comes out. How strange, and unsettling, a sight that is.
The whisperer connects both its bite and touch on the monk, and Rajuna can feel something pulling at the edges of his soul, trying to siphon something away from it.
Mila and Rajuna, however, quickly team up to deliver enough punishment that the poor child's spirit animating the collection of toys, dishes, and bone fragments is pushed from this world. It falls, the assortment of small objects clattering down the sides of the self-disassembling skeleton horse as it falls under its rider's death and collapses once more into a pile of slick wet bones.
Park's strike misses wildly, clanging off the makeshift shield and scattering into the fields on either side of the road. Rajuna's fists smash into the thing, with the supernatural forces holding it together attempting to repel the strength of his blows, but failing. The shape overall manages to hold on for now, however, and the whisperer lashes out at the monk while pointing the horse towards the bard.
Init: Round 2 20- Park
Init: Round 3 20- Park
Mila’s arrows strike true, clashing through the fortress of discarded blankets and dishware to strike blows at the saddening undead. It stands resolute, however (as much as anything so small can anyway), its bony nature protecting it from parts of the piercing arrow’s damage.
Rajuna tosses his tanglefoot bag, but the attic whisperer smacks it aside with his shield and the bag of goo bounces harmlessly off to the side with a squelch.
The saddening undead charges, lining his lance up with Park and making some sort of choked sound that could perhaps be a battle cry. As it gets closer, however, you hear it actually seems to be repeating a line of an eerie poem. "Little Marten loved to run, until he ran to Brother Swarm."
As it enters within range of you, a cloud of sounds made up of a multitude of voices whispering seems to follow the attic whisperer, and those close to it can't hear anything else but the whispers.
Init: Round 1 20- Park
Init: Round 2 20- Park
Once the gang is back together again and all healed up, the path continues towards the first of the homes inside Hergstag. It's a simple thing, with a weathered slate roof and rotting wooden walls. Before you can get too close to inspect the house, something walks out from behind the corner of the house. A large skeletal horse slowly clatters out into the path ahead of you, carrying an unfortunate child-sized skeleton rider. It's a parody of a true knight, his armor comprised of dishes and various cloth objects strapped to his skeletal body, a shield made from what looks to be some sort of trash can lid. The lance it carries is all too real, however, though it too is rusted and old.
Init: Round 1 20- Park
Rajuna's distraction seems to start dragging the swarm away from the rest of the group, but Mila's borrowed alchemist's fire damages it enough that it apparently has decided to not continue the fight. Instead of chasing down Rajuna across the bridge, it floats back down under the bridge and settles back in to defend its hive. With Rajuna's sharp eyes and the lack of any impending danger, it is an easy enough task to make your way across the bridge.
Before Zhandar can pull out her second alchemist's fire and throw it, the bee swarm is upon her. She also notices, like Rajuna did, the bees leaving their stingers in her and leaving the swarm to die.
Init: Round 2 22- Park
Init: Round 3 22- Park
I’m gonna assume that means I’m distracted/nauseated.
Zhandar's flask of liquid fire soars wide of the swarm, smashing into the ground next to it. The glass shatters, and the splash does hit the swarm, burning a handful of bees.
Park's fire does good damage to the swarm, and a lot of bees fall burning out of the air. The swarm of bees glides over the wet ground easily, flying through the air towards Rajuna with an anger that only territorial bees can possess.
They roll over Rajuna's body, stinging and stabbing. He does notice that a significant amount of the bees are leaving their stingers in him, however, reducing the number of bees in the swarm overall. Not that it helps with the pain he is getting from the dozens of bee stings. Init: Round 1 22- Park
Init: Round 2 22- Park
Unfortunately for Rajuna, the slick mud of the riverside next to the bridge isn't exactly conducive to a stealthy approach. He slips and slides down the river bank and alerts the things under the bridge to at least his presence. A large swarm of what look to be larger-than-average bees swarm out from under their hiding places on the bridge, buzzing with what you can only assume is murderous intent. Park is prepared for the worst, and launches into action before they can swarm over Rajuna.
Init 22- Park
Once you all reach the abandoned trading post/farmers market, you discover it is truly abandoned. Nothing but rodents and normal regular vermin here, thankfully. Maybe this Ustalavian village won't be as bad as the last one you visited. Pressing on, you reach the first of the two bridges. Rajuna takes a quick glance at the bridge and it looks stable at first, but upon closer inspection he spots that the bridge looks quite rotten and unsafe in certain places. You'll have to be careful if you wish to cross here. The second thing you notice is a strange thrum of buzzing coming from somewhere below the bridge. Can't quite tell what it is yet, but it doesn't sound like a pleasant sound.
Now abandoned and overgrown, the village of Hergstag lies some 10 miles northwest of Lepidstadt. The farmland has fallen to ruin, and now even the well-trodden pathways around the area require a bit of extra time to navigate. Luckily, Mila is able to guide you through the winding lost paths through the overgrown crops without too much trouble.
This overgrown farming village has fallen into ruin. Periodic clusters of dilapidated houses lay scattered amidst the borders of immense fields burgeoning with untended rows of corn. A dank morass of a river filters into a swampy lowland that borders the northern edge of the town, a bog that seems to occasionally intrude into the village like a growth of fungus reclaiming a dead tree. A pair of bridges, one nearby and the other further north downriver span the sloughish river. A collection of small abandoned buildings that look like a sort of improvised trading post or maybe a farmer's market sits in front of you, between you and the village.
”Where was Karin’s father when he heard her screaming? I don’t have kids but I’m guessing he raced in, right?” "We, uh, weren't there when it happened. Wasn't our house, of course." Thinkin’ back to that time… were there any other strange events that happened in town before or during the murders? Anything that just seemed odd? "The only thing I can think of is some apiary on a hill southeast of town burned down a couple weeks before all this started. Some outsider, newer to the town than the rest of us, couple years. Not much happens...happened in Hergstag before all this, so it was interesting at least." You talked about the children’s ghosts haunting the town. Were they seen anywhere in particular? Did they say or do anything? "I, uh, we...we didn't stay long enough to know any of that. Definitely left way, way, earlier than talking to any ghosts." "About the Beast… so it walked into town bold as brass, is that right? How was it carrying the girl: over its shoulder, in its arms? You said you saw it laughing but you didn’t see the fight? So did you see it laughing with your own eyes or did you hear about it laughing from the others?” "We didn't stay to watch the fight, but it was surely laughing as it brought the body in to town, we saw that with our own eyes sure as day. Was carrying her cradled up in its arms, like some sort of sick imitation of a baby." "What, um, happened to poor Ellsa's body? Did it drop her when folk attacked with the pitchforks-- did she get a proper burial?" "I'm afraid I don't know what happened to her...after, unfortunately. If you're headed there maybe you can find out and put her to rest permanently."
The three sisters hesitate for a few beats before speaking again, revealing that of the six children who died, one—a girl named Karin—died in her own bed 2 days after the Beast was driven from Hergstag. Her father heard her screaming but by the time he reached her she was dead, without a mark on her and with no signs of entry. The three villagers can also give directions to the house in Hergstag where Karin died, directing you to a house on the western side of the village. The sisters weren't directly at the front of the Beast being driven off so they can't identify what happened when it was hit with pitchforks, if it even was. They do, however, identify specifically the Beast itself, not some imposter or another sort of monster. Their description fits the Beast to a tee, leaving no doubt as to the Beast being in Hergstag in person. Rajuna's strong sense of their intentions confirms this, they saw the Beast there. "You say that the person you saw was laughing. Was there a noise, or was it silent? How sure are you that pleasure was the emotion that they were expressing? Could they have been agitated or angry, perhaps calling out for help?" "I suppose it could've been some other emotion if you stretch the imagination, but the damned thing was grimacing with glee. It was laughing at the poor girls' death."
It doesn't take long to reach the triplets' windmill, maybe half an hour. They are more than willing to speak to you once they know who you are. All in their late forties, the three lived their entire lives in Hergstag. Each remembers the deaths. The village’s children vanished one by one, never to return. Then one day the culprit was found—the Beast of Lepidstadt. It boldly walked into the village with one of the dead children, a girl named Ellsa. The witnesses all recall seeing the Beast laughing as it carried the child’s broken body. As soon as the locals saw the Beast, they set upon it with pitchforks, but try as they might they couldn’t catch it, and the Beast escaped into the swamp. The poor innocents it killed continued to haunt the village, and before long became too much for the locals, who soon abandoned the cursed village. Sense Motive DC 20: While they aren't lying, they are also holding back some piece of important information.
The Beast’s second alleged crime is the murder of six children in Hergstag, formerly a small, religious farming community in the Dippelmere Swamp.
Diplomacy (gather info) DC 10 at courthouse:
Of the former inhabitants of Hergstag, only three remain in the area. Three sisters named Garrow, Starle, and Flicht now own a small windmill on the outskirts of Lepidstadt and are witnesses for the prosecution. All in their late forties, the three lived their entire lives in Hergstag.
The three sisters are not present at the courthouse, as they are being brought to court for tomorrow's session. You'd likely have to go visit them at their windmill. Knowledge (local) DC 15, Hergstag: The village of Hergstag has been abandoned since the attacks 7 months ago. Until that time, the villagers of Hergstag lived quiet lives and made passable livings farming and hunting.
Rajuna's words do seem to have at least some sort of impact on the judges, as the three do listen intently to each point of presented evidence. You earn yet another part of the Lepidstadt justice puzzle, as the judges inform you that their decision will not be made until all charges are heard and all evidence filed, which won't be until two days from now. At 2:00 PM, Chief Justice Khard brings the first day of the trial to a conclusion. As the Beast is led away once court proceedings are over for the day, the baying crowd attracts your attention, who bring their hatred to bear on anyone defending the Beast. At present, such abuse is merely vocal, but you can tell the pot is close to boiling over. After the trial, Gustav Kaple is available to meet with you in the Defense Chamber. Since you have not yet done so, he suggests that you investigate the scene of the crime in Hergstag before tomorrow’s trial. There is also the matter of tracking down the purchaser of the surgeon's tools, should you wish to put a little bit of time into that.
Ms. Beldame truly believes that what she’s saying is the honest to Pharasma truth. She is not intentionally lying to you, Rajuna is certain of that. Mila, thinking upon the way courts are run here, sees that Gustav is obviously shocked by this witnesses’ appearance, indicating that even he did not know she even existed. Seems as if the prosecution doesn’t have to tell him anything, as the judges haven’t said anything about the surprise witness. You’ll have to be on the lookout for any more surprises from here on out.
After Rajuna has given his noticeably less wordy but nonetheless effective opening statement, it is time for the prosecution to present evidence and witnesses. Otto is called back forward by the Chief Justice, and he spends a couple of minutes arranging his evidence and preparing the witnesses to take the stand. Swearing in takes the form of Daramid, who presents each witness with an elegant gold leaf-covered copy of The Bones Land in a Spiral, Pharasma's most well-known holy text. The first piece of evidence brought forth is actually a trio of witnesses testifying together: a trio of siblings, two brothers and one sister. The trio describes events as they saw them happen—that over a series of nights, the Beast came to the village and took people away; that a trap was finally laid for the Beast; that the Beast was driven into the swamp, and, they assumed, killed. Otto then calls the village elder, Lazne, who led the mob that drove the Beast off. He confirms the events related by the other three villagers. All of this you have heard before. His second witness is an elderly seamstress by the name of Old Beldame , who claims she saw a 'hulking, stitched-skin brute with a lantern-jaw silhouette' carrying a body through the marsh around the same time as the attacks. She didn't think much of it the first time, as she lived far away from the village and assumed it was the distance messing with her perceptions of things; when the hunter she so enjoyed didn't visit when he was supposed to, she learned the truth of the matter. "I might not trust anyone from the village itself, but I know what goes on in my swamp! That Beast killed my Nan!" she finishes, full of righteous anger. Otto sympathizes with Old Beldame, shaking his head dramatically at her last outburst. "As you have heard, honored members of the court, a large figure matching the shape and size of the Beast was caught sneaking into the village of Morast late at night in an attempt to replicate its earlier hunting. It preyed on the people of the village and when they finally decided it was enough, and to fight back, the cowardly 'Beast' fled into the swamp and disappeared." Does he... believe everything he's saying? Or is he just playing the crowd? He does, in fact, believe the Beast is immensely guilty. It seems as if your opponent truly will fight tooth and nail in order to prove his case and convict the Beast. With the prosecution resting for now, it is the defense's turn.
The audience in the public gallery is mostly made up of the movers and shakers of Lepidstadt; you recognize several professors of various subjects from the University, including Dr. Crowl from the Antiquities Department that you spoke too earlier. Amongst the professors are other important people of the city, some prolific traders, rich nobles, a handful of guard captains, the like. About who you'd expect. After a few moments of the defense team (you) and the prosecutors getting settled and seated, the Chief Justice speaks again. "We shall now proceed with the prosecution's opening statement, given by Otto Heiger, appointed prosecutor for the Palatinate of Vieland." You see a nearby judicial scribe taking notes upon the events of the court, furiously scrolling down every action and word that happens. The prosecutor rises, embellished black robes whispering against the polished floor. With a measured breath, he steps before the assembled court, his voice steady but charged with righteous conviction. Opening Statement, prosecution:
“Your Honors of the Tribunal, esteemed citizens of Lepidstadt, today we stand united in a singular, solemn purpose: to deliver justice for the innocent lives taken, shattered, and burned by the abomination you see before you.”
He gestures sharply toward the shackled Beast, who growls openly in reply. “For years this creature, this 'Beast', has lurked in the shadows of our fair Ustalav, leaving misery as its only legacy. Its might is unmatched, its rage uncontrollable. The people of Morast, the scholars of Hergstag, and the grieving families of Karb Isle all bear witness to its atrocities. And now, through careful investigation and harrowing testimony, we will demonstrate beyond any reasonable doubt that this thing is responsible for every death, every disappearance, and every monstrous act attributed to it.” A murmur passes through the crowd, but he expertly doesn't react and presses on. “We shall show that in Morast, it struck with murderous purpose, dragging the living from their beds. That in Hergstag, it stole children from their homes, extinguishing joy and future in a handful of nights. And at Karb Isle, Lepidstadt’s own center of healing, it wrought devastation and fire, destroying precious knowledge and innocent patients alike. Its trail is one of blood and ruin.” He leans forward slightly, letting the weight of his words settle. “The defense may try to convince you that this Beast is misunderstood. That it cannot comprehend its own strength, its own cruelty. But I will prove to you that it knew what it was doing, that it chose violence, and that it struck without remorse. This is not an animal. It is not a victim. It is the greatest threat Ustulav has faced in a generation.” Then, his tone deepens. “Justice demands action. Justice demands truth. And justice demands that this creature be held accountable for its crimes.
He straightens, eyes fixed on the Tribunal. “The Beast of Lepidstadt must be condemned. Thank you, your honor, jury.” Prosecutor Heiger then makes his way back to his seat, falling silent as the Chief Justice speaks again. "And now, the opening statement from the defense, given by..." Gustav turns to the one you had agreed would give the opening statement for the defense, and nods that it's your turn to stand and speak.
The next morning comes quickly (perhaps too quickly in Park's case), and as the sun rises on Lepidstadt, the court readies itself. A roar of voices greets you long before the courthouse comes into view. As you push through the crowded square, the stone steps of Lepidstadt’s Hall of Justice rise above a sea of angry townsfolk. Rotten vegetables and smeared fruit litter the stairs, evidence of the mob’s earlier attempts to strike the building itself. A crude noose hangs over the doorway, swaying in the morning breeze, a painfully obvious sign of hatred likely hung by one of the mob. The courthouse doors slam shut behind you, muting the crowd but not defeating its echo. Barrister Gustav meets you in the defense chamber at nine as you planned, and goes over the evidence you collected from Morast and the general plan of defense once more before the trial starts in earnest. He also gives you some details on the judges that'll be presiding over the trial. Judge info:
Chief Justice Ambrose Khard: A dour man in his eighties, Chief Justice Khard speaks with a deep, commanding voice and suffers no nonsense in his court. The Chief Justice carries the court gavel—a mallet of black ebony the Justice uses to keep order—and wears a huge cartwheel ruff to make him look even more imposing. He has the power to have people removed from court, discount evidence, and issue punishments (up to hanging) for lying to the court. Any levity in the court is punished by a fine (up to 1,000 gp) or overnight imprisonment for those who take his court too lightly.
Judge Kasp Aldaar: Judge Aldaar is a figure of terror for criminals on trial. He is a hard-liner in the extreme, and his merciless justice is feared throughout Ustalav. A former military general, Aldaar is infamous for his impalement of four score deserters under his command who fled a battle. Judge Embreth Daramid: Judge Daramid is a magistrate of Lepidstadt and is already known to you.
After an hour of discussion whether you are ready or not, a young man attendant to the court comes to collect you and take you into the courtroom. A pair of guards outside the door to the main court performs a cursory inspection of the party and confiscates any obvious weapons you may still have before letting you inside. The grand room is paneled in dark oak and its vaulted ceiling is 25 feet high. Three thronelike chairs with built-in lecterns for the presiding justices stand in front of the east wall. The witness stand is directly in front of them. Two polished mahogany desks, one for the defense and one for the prosecution, stand facing the justices’ chairs. An iron restraining chair with six sets of masterwork manacles for the accused stands in the center of the room, specially created for this trial. Behind the Beast in his chair, two rows of a dozen seats each face the front of the court. To the west, the public gallery overlooks the room ten feet above. The buzz of the crowd in the gallery is loud as everyone is seated, but the Chief Justice quickly calls the court to order with a handful of slams of his gavel upon the podium. "Order, order in the court." the man's voice is loud and resonates throughout the room, silencing every voice in the room. "Court is now in session. We begin this first day of trial with the first counts the Beast of Lepidstadt is charged with: the kidnapping and murder of at least 10 people from Morast."
Kendra successfully receives Rajuna's message, and silently nods in acknowledgement. The professor doesn't even appear to be listening, politely occupying himself with a copy of the newspaper printed the previous day. Lots of stories about the Beast and its' alleged crimes of course, which is to be expected. During Mila's trip throughout town she mostly hears people discussing the 'facts' she already knows about the trial, not adding anything new to the investigation whatsoever. However, about half an hour before she joins Park for dinner she overhears a mother venting to one of her friends her worries about her son not having come back from his fishery on the Lesser Moutray River that flows next to Lepidstadt. "The Beast has been captured already and it'll be hung in a few days so I'm not concerned about anything like that happening to him. I'm just worried he's getting too absorbed in his work to come see his mother every now and then." Sense Motive DC 10, Mila: The woman is clearly concerned something else has gotten its hands on her son, as they do live in Ustalav. Pretending the Beast is the only threat around is naive, and a route to a quick death outside the city walls.
Rajuna: Reconnecting with Kendra actually takes a bit longer than you expected, seeing as how she didn't actually specify what her lodging plans were. Luckily, she left you a note back at the Sleepless Eye explaining that she had met back up with Professor Adrissant, the one who visited her back in Ravengro and was a friend to her father. When Rajuna catches up to her she is having dinner with the history professor, who does invite him in for a luxurious meal of roast lamb and mashed potatoes. His house is well-furnished but relatively small, exactly what you'd expect from an eccentric history teacher at a place like the University. He leaves you mostly to converse with Kendra, only adding his voice every now and then when necessary.
Kendra is feeling much better now about her father's untimely murder, what with being out of Ravengro and having a friend of her father's to reminisce with. She has spent the past day around in town handling more of her father's will, divvying up what needs to be given to beneficiaries and taking care of any last wishes he may have left her. And, of course, thinking through her future options. She inquires into how you have been, and what the group is up to.
Rajuna’s knowledge of these matters is enough to identify the raven symbol on the tools as a maker's mark used by Zbraslav Hora and Sons, who have a workshop on the tiny Anatomists' Alley. Zbraslav Hora is a bookish, taciturn man who wears thick spectacles. He frequently deals with various tinkers and itinerant peddlers who sell his wares, and keeps a ledger of all of his sales. Zbraslav noted down the purchaser as Vladka Kostel, a red-haired Varisian woman who wears a green silk scarf depicting a swan. Zbraslav knows she works for an auction house, but he doesn't remember which one. Unfortunately that’s all the time you have for this investigation section tonight, as it has reached past 6 pm with the time you spent following these two leads, and the working businesses needed to follow the clues are closed. Best to try again tomorrow, after the trial and investigation into Hergstag.
Gustav immediately grabs a notepad and scribbles down every bit of information as Rajuna relays it, seemingly able to absorb and process info faster than you thought the middle aged attorney was capable of. At the end of it all,he thinks for a long hard moment before speaking.
Raj will begin trying to track down the tools and the maker’ The skills required to make surgeon's tools are rare, but because of the presence of Lepidstadt University, some 20 such artisans work locally. Rajuna’s knowledge of the area is enough to reveal that all of these craftsmen operate within an area called the Surgeons' Flats.
You take just the description of the face mask (which is just someone’s singular face cut away from their head) to Lazne and he is able to match it to Nan Keblem, a poacher that visited Morast to sell his goods about once a month. He has not been seen for about a year, matching the timeline of the Beast’s last supposed attack.
Meeting back up with Lazne, he tells you that every time the villagers discovered someone missing they were never able to find the body. Just evidence of them having been dragged out into the swamp, usually with signs of a struggle. He is willing to answer any more questions you might have and the village itself is also amenable to most questions, as long as you're polite about it. The eventual trip back to Lepidstadt is mostly uneventful, with only the usual fauna sightings to break up the calmness (no blood caiman visit, thankfully). You arrive back in town a couple of hours before nightfall, giving you some time to put towards investigating the surgeon's tools should you wish to poke around a bit on that. When you're ready to head back to the courthouse and report back to Gustav, you'll find the barrister poring over the veritable mountain of papers he's been working on for this case. He'll accept any evidence you might have collected and file it to be presented in the next morning's court.
Meeting back up with Lazne he tells you that whenever they would discover someone missing, they'd never find the body afterwards. Just signs of them being taken with a struggle. The trip back to Lepidstadt is uneventful for the most part beyond the normal fauna (no blood caimans thankfully) and you arrive back at the city a couple of hours before nightfall, giving you some time to put towards investigating the surgeon's tools before the night is done. Whenever you're ready to head back to the courthouse with your findings and report to Gustav, you will find the barrister poring over the mountain of files and papers he is working on for this case. He will gladly take and file away any evidence you might have to be presented in court the next morning.
Zhandar identifies the vial as once containing an alchemist's extract of darkvision. With your earlier knowledge on flesh golems (of which the Beast is one), you remember that they have darkvision natively and therefore would not need an extract of darkvision. Not sure he really wants to find out what’s at the end of the rope... the rogue nevertheless wraps the line around his waist and uses his body weight to haul the load ashore. Luckily, there isn't a decaying body on the other end of the rope. Instead, a dried blood-soaked cloth sack (just big enough to hold a Medium-sized humanoid in fact) containing some rope, a gag, a rusted lantern, a trio of heavy knives, and a rusted shovel is attached to the other end of the rope.
Zhandar identifies the tools that Rajuna found as being a surgical
Park's Questions:
Are those a natural weapon? If so, quite impressive... Can you fly long distances? "They are a natural weapon of our species, yes. They regrow at a surprisingly quick rate and I can throw about two dozen a day before needing to wait for more to regrow. My wings are quite strong yes, and I can fly long distances should I need to. But obviously I prefer not doing so as staying in my territory, as it were, is much more advantageous." Vashira settles in to listen to Parks' quite soothing music while the trio waits on Rajuna to return with the pig. Once he is there, she quickly swoops in the second he leaves it for her and her claws eagerly tear into the unfortunate animals' hide. "Offer accepted, graciously. Feel free to poke around as much as you want, and feel free to visit again any time." she says, giving a wide toothy smile. She then flies up to her nest unless you had any other specific quesitons, leaving you to explore the island unbothered. You hear a quick squeal and then a squelch, followed by the horrid sounds of her crunching on her fresh meal.
"A beast? The Beast?" he asks, but quickly understands that's not possible. "Yeah, stupid question, sorry." Even more confused at this point, he nods slowly. "Got a good pig ready for the slaughter, will sell her at market price. Don't tell me what you're gonna do with it." he finishes, shuddering.
"You may call me Vashira. I am what your race would call a 'manticore', though we of course have our own private name for our kind. What would you like to know, curious one?" she says, smiling down at the bard. perhaps I could play some music, and sing? For your enjoyment "I would love a song, actually, it has been quite a while since I have enjoyed something so...decadent." Rajuna heads back to the boat and (presumably) Lazne Lazne is in fact waiting at the boat, and looks up in surprise at Rajuna. "What happened to the rest of ya? Find something worth staying for?" he asks warily. Would it be all right if I went back to the other side of the island while we wait? Vashira nods, understanding. "Of course, as long as Park stays here and keeps me company until a suitable meal is provided, I have no issue with the rest of you departing."
How about Mila and I stay here while they go and get the food I promised? We can talk The manticore nods, seemingly agreeing. "That is acceptable, do talk as much as you'd like." She says, settling in what looks to be a spot she is used to being comfortable in on top of the mausoleum. She truly does listen to Park as he outlays basically everything going on in the current situation, genuinely appearing interested.
"Seems like quite the conundrum you have yourselves in. I have heard of this 'Beast' of yours, but don't know anything beyond the typical stories I'm sure you've already heard." she says, sounding disinterested in the dealings of a city so (relatively) far away and out of reach of her. "I like you, you are very talkative and so polite." she says to Park, smiling that way too wide and way too toothy smile down at him from her perch. "Bring me something good enough to feed me tonight, and I won't bother you anymore. A deer, or maybe a boar. Something delicious." she finishes, and for some reason you don't like the gleam in her eye as she discusses food.
Mila's words bring the manticore's tail up, and its face twists in an expression of anger before Park speaks and clarifies that she wasn't making fun of her, actually. She hovers mid-air for a few moments before settling on top of the large mausoleum in a familiar stance, suggesting this isn't the first time she's rested here, and crossing her clawed paws in front of her. "Well now that's much more like it." she says, smiling in a gesture that is supposed to be comforting but has far too many teeth for that. "I haven't seen many people out here since the boneyard was abandoned. I don't know why they left it, but I do know it wasn't me. I only moved in a few weeks ago, but there hasn't been anyone by in forever, that I can remember at least. What did this person look like, exactly?" Her eyes narrow suddenly as she processes what Park said. "How do I know I'll ever see you again once you leave here? What's to stop you from negotiating this and then never looking back?"
"You come into my lair, intrude upon my peace, and then demand that I bow to you, the interlopers? Surely it should be you that makes amends for your intrusion." the manticore replies to Park, readying an action to throw more spikes should anyone make an aggressive move towards it. Round 2:
Round 3:
The manticore swings sideways through the air, getting in between you and the nest settled in the tree behind the graveyard before snapping its tail around towards Park and Mila. Four long spikes sharp as daggers shoot out of the spines at the end of its tail, flying through the air at the pair.
It surprises by actually speaking, well, yelling a warning at the two intruding upon its lair.
Init: Round 1:
Round 2:
The party only just barely gets started exploring the boneyard island before Park and Mila spot something flying along the surface of the water. They only have a few moments (one round) to prepare before the thing is upon them in the cemetery; the creature has a vaguely humanoid head, the body of a lion, and the wings of a dragon. Its tail ends in long, sharp spikes, and it is extremely angry that someone is intruding upon its lair. Zhandar and Rajuna can see something flying around in the air above the graveyard and therefore know something is going on, but can't quite see it from this distance.
Knowledge (Arcana) DC 15:
The flying beast is a manticore, a LE magical beast. More info with higher checks. Init: 21- Park
[GM will we have time to search more than one spot each?
Rajuna: Your eyes are keen enough to spot a distinctive raven marking on the handles of the tools: a maker's mark of sorts.
Did you ever find any of them or any of the folks attacked at home? What did it do? Did it claw or bite’em like an animal? Or beat’em? Or somethin’ else? "Dunno, never saw any of its victims until the day we caught it in our trap and drove it off. They always just disappeared, and we all decided he probably ate 'em." When you chased it to ground in your boats… was it hard to catch up to, like it was a good swimmer? He looks a bit confused at your question, wondering at the purpose of it, but answers regardless. "Wasn't that good of a swimmer, no, but we didn't get much of a chance to chase it before the caiman caught up and gave him a good bite. Assumed it was dead, and didn't think about it again until the good ole sherriff came round and let us know they had it in their jail cell." When he hears that you're heading out to Morast and want to investigate the boneyard, Lazne actually offers to take you there himself. "Can't get to the island boneyard except by boat, I'll take you there since you all are offering to help and all that." The trip to Morast itself doesn't take all that long, just about over an hour. The people of this small village look much more healthy and energetic than you would've thought that such a backwater place would have, lending some credit to the rumors you heard about the place earlier. Lazne does indeed paddle you over in one of their coracles. A tiny, miserable island rises from the swamp, a tangle of trees covering its dour, reed-choked surface. Hundreds of fetishes hang from the trees—simple, roughly humanoid figures made of sticks and bound with twine. Larger fetishes are planted in the ground on various parts of the island, leaning drunkenly in the soft mud. A large nest built of sodden swamp wood sits high in the boughs of a trio of tangled trees on the northwest side of the isle.
Perception DC 25 graveyard area:
Six graves in the boneyard appear to have been tampered with, sagging into the ground as though they had collapsed from below, and leaving wide depressions in the muddy earth. These six graves are empty, but the other graves are undisturbed. Perception DC 15 on southern end of island:
You discover the remnants of an old camp. Around a small firepit are a waterskin (still half full of wine), the aged remnants of some trail rations, and a curious glass vial. The bottom of the vial contains the dried remains of a green substance that smells vaguely of carrots. Attempt a DC 20 Craft (Alchemy) or Knowledge (Arcana) check to identify it. Perception DC 20 alongside southwest shore of the island:
You find another coracle hidden in the trees and brush along the shore. The coracle contains an oar, a moldy leather travel bag with a damp artisan’s outfit (a shirt, breeches, shoes, and a cloth apron) inside, and a vile object—what appears to be a detached human face. Dried blood is splattered across the bottom of the boat.
In addition, a length of rope stretches from the boat into the waters below. The rope is attached to something quite heavy when pulled on, requiring a DC 10 Strength check to haul up. DC 30 Perception check in undergrowth around southwest side of island: You find a leather-bound case filled with fine tools, made of silver with amethyst handles, lost in the undergrowth nearby. The set is worth 300 gp. Make a DC 20 Heal check, and a DC 25 Perception check.
Lazne noticeably calms down upon Rajuna and Mila speaking up, his anger quenched by their apparent similarities. "It threatened us for 'bout...a couple of weeks. It was pestering us before, testin us we thinks. But then it started taking people at night, so of course we had to take action. First victim was a hunter from the outskirts, that one made me sad, I quite liked her. We didn't ask the fancy sheriff or nothin' for help, you and I both know out there you take care of your own." "Tha bout right, yeah. They sent a letter saying they had found it, and captured it. We thought the gator got 'em good, but apparently not." |