"By Aroden... it's a Haunt! Its a creature that won't rest until we find out why it is here, even if dispersed!"
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22 if Undead
Raaf 5 foot steps infront of Akari, firmly plants his feet into the ground and fires a bolt at the horseman. He then reloads with one smooth action.
Raaf takes the potion and nods silently to Cedric. All to familiar with the rage Cedric was feeling. No words are needed for a man's revenge. Raaf motions with his hand for the others to follow and he begins leading them after the horseman's trail.
"I have a trail, decent to thanks to the horse it rode on."
Raaf picks up his crossbow and follows Akari back to the town. He loads a new case of bolts in it and checks for damage. "Someone had to have seen something, let's ask around, the ground is pretty trampled by the townsfolk, but I'll give it a look reguardless."
Raaf looks about the pumpkin guts and vines. "Well... I have to say I've never experienced that before..." Raaf kicks a few of the pumpkin halves over with his boot before moving towards the village. "Indeed, but are you ok Akari? You took a nasty hit. I don't have any potions or else I would lend one."
Raaf turns to one of the new creatures and takes a swipe at it with his longsword.
Raaf drops his crossbow and draws his longsword, "Hmm looks like that ain't gonna work. Lys, keep the fire coming!" Raaf steps up next to the creature and brings down his sword.
Raaf grabs hold of the lever on his crossbow, methodically pulling it back to load another bolt. He steps back around five feet and plants himself firmly in position and looses another bolt.
"It's definitely magical, but also primitive! Seems to have some sentience though! Let's kill it first and then worry about the rest!"
"Ready yourselves..." Raaf warns in a low whisper. Raaf readies a shot with his crossbow if the apparent scarecrow attacks or something jumps out at the group.
"Couldn't see a thing... damn fog... always gotta be fog..." Raaf states in a hushed whisper. "I won't be more than 10ft from you Gabe. Lys, stack up behind me. Akari, hold rear. It will probably try and split us, don't run forward to meet it, let it come to you. Stand vigilant." Raaf looks about the ground around the guards to see if any fresh tracks were made recently from the surprise attack, if some are found he will try and deduce if there are multiple threats and if they ran up to attack or leapt into attack.
Raaf will look from the mayor to the front gate. "I'll check it out, Akari... if you could join me." He stands and walks to the front gate, his crossbow at the ready.
"Well, he was clearly meant to be a statement of some kind... And just because they are unliving doesn't mean they can't have an ego... I just assume the worst case scenario, because you can only go uphill from that point on..." Raaf would pause before continuing, as if hesitant to speak. A few moments pass and Raaf continues in a hush whisper to Gabe. "Earlier, when I was out hunting... a voice came to my ears. It beckoned me to a clearing where I insisted it to show itself, whatever it was declined. Thinking itself above the 'likes' of me... as it put it. Though it told me, 'Dark times lay ahead of you... some sooner than not.' Then this happens..." Raaf looks down at the man and grits his teeth. "Ripping the heart out of a man and strapping him to a post... Dark times indeed. Though not surprising..."
Raaf would walk to Akari's side and whisper to him, "His heart was ripped from his body. We are dealing with something very unholy and evil. Gather the others, I think our best bet is to search around the other scarecrows out in the fields for more information. Or at least the site of the original attack... there isn't a trace of a struggle here." Raaf turns to Cedric. "Find the priests of this town, we need some holy water. Notify next of kin. We are laying this man to rest tonight." Raaf begins to carefully take down the body from the post. He may be paranoid, but that's how he's survived this long. Especially when there's a possibility of undead.
Raaf would smile weakly at the people who praised him for his buck. As if it was awkward to hear such praises. Raaf, who had already donned his armor after his bath stands up suddenly at the yelling from outside. His eyes tunnel visioned to the door as he instinctual walked to it holding his crossbow. Upon seeing the corpse, Raaf would inspect it to determine time of death, cause and anything specific about it. Dead bodies were a common occurance for Raaf to view. He then scans the area for recent tracks of anything that looked like it was carrying something heavy. "Where was the deceased last seen alive?" Raaf asks almost to calmly for the situation at hand.
"Nice little setup you got here." Raaf says as he hangs the deer to let the rest of the blood drain and meat to cure. He carves a small "R" in the left lower flank of the buck's leg. "Alright, I better go get washed up, then get some food in me. See you inside." Raaf proceeds to got to the springs and take a well deserved bath, gets some food in him and checks on his room.
Raaf smiles at the townsfolk as he drags the deer to the tavern. Spitting out some chew before talking. "Aye Cedric, you weren't waiting for me were you?" Raaf hands him the sack that holds the heart and liver of the deer. "You can have thoughs, the fresher they are the better, now do you have a meatpole? I wanna hang this guy and take a bath, long day."
Raaf's magical adventure.: "Dark times? Dark... times?" Raaf laughs hysterically for a few moments before regaining his composure.
"Sorry, I just half expected you would have something of importance to tell me after all of this." Raaf motions to the clearing and fog. "Dark times huh? Well let me tell you something oh 'omnipotent one.' My life has been nothing but dark times. It follows me like a plague. Unless of course you have something more specific and useful to add?" Raaf grimaced as if getting a bad taste in his mouth. "I have no respect for any god or man unless they talk to me face to face. And I certainly have no respect for thoughs that believe they are above that, thinking that they stand above someone else, simply because they have more power or hold a higher station or are more intelligent. The most powerful god to the weakest mortal, we are all dust in the end. This proves that!" Raaf flicks his wrist and a iron holy symbol of Aroden appears in his hand. He stares at it and grips it tightly, causing his hand to shake. "God's can die, just as we can, just as anything can. Meaning 'he' can die. I just need to get stronger." Raaf whispers, half to himself. Raaf then puts the holy symbol back in his wrist sheath and begins to head back to town with his 'trophy'.
Raaf's Mystical Adventure: Raaf sets down his buck at the edge of the clearing and wipes sweat from his brow with his forearm. He draws his crossbow from his side and loads it.
"Who's there? Show yourself... I ain't one for theatrics." He readies and attack with his crossbow if something attacks him.
The Hunt Concludes: Raaf walks up to the trophy buck slowly. He gives it a slight kick to the flank to make sure the deer has passed on. After confirming the kill, he draws a dagger and begins gutting the deer. He places the heart and liver in one of his sacks and tosses the rest in a pile just to the out skirts of the clearing. He ties his rope around the antlers of the deer and begins to drag it out of the woods... back to Hillcrest. Feeling the weight he now carries; He reminisces about the life he could of had and the differences of his current standings. Hoping one day, his ambitions come too fruition. May Aroden guide his hand.
Raaf's Hunt: Raaf sees the scrappings of the large buck and his senses tighten. He grips his crossbow and begins to stalk silently. His heart pumps with a fury of a storm as he raises his weapon to shoot. His eyes narrowing on his prey. He gets a sour taste in his mouth though and lowers his crossbow a bit. Until now, Raaf has only ever killed to survive, to eat... this "sporting" hunt was intoxicating, but felt strangly hallow. "So this is how it felt... to him..." His body relaxed and without a second thought...
It was over...
"Nothing a few hot rocks from the hearth can't fix. I'll probably get settled in my room, head out to hunt in a bit and then come back for the bath and festival." Raaf's face is that of confidence. Given the fact that he seems to be getting a bit excited at the prospect of hunting. He nods to the barkeep as he grabs a key and turns to the group. "Enjoy your baths... I'll be back later." Raaf heads upstairs, grasping the railing lightly and feeling the grains of the wood and any knots along the way. He looks along the walls of the upstairs and picks a door. Knocks gently. Waiting for a response. If none comes he enters the room. Raaf's Room:
Looking about the room he inspects it carefully for anything that may seem off.
He places his pack, armor and buckler under his sheets so they appear as if someone is sleeping facing away from the door. Then he stands up his longsword against the door as he closes it to leave so that it would make a loud clang if the door would open just a few inches. Normally Raaf wouldn't be this cautious, but the feeling of eyes on him entering town gives him all the incentive he needs to be cautious. The Hunt Begins!: Feeling accomplished he heads out to hunt bringing his crossbow, a couple daggers, a sack with 10ft of rope and a waterskin. He heads into the deep part of the forest. Dimly lit, easier to sneak up on a big buck bedded down in some hemlocks.
"Festival? Of what sort? Harvest?" Raaf walks to the bar and hands the barkeep 5 sliver pieces. "That should take care of all of our stay for the night. The remaining silver is for a warm bath with clean water for me and my company."
Raaf looks about the town as they enter eyes narrowing, searching. Staring at any dark windows or alleyways tucked away. Lingering for a few moments outside the tavern. Raaf readjusts a few of his belts before opening the tavern door.
"Well, lets not stare at it all day..." Raaf says after a short pause. "Let's find a place with some mead and a bed... been a while... for me anyway..."
"A side effect from the potion perhaps? If none of us heard it and you can describe it so clearly, then there's not many other alternatives." Raaf steps up to Akari and inspects him for anything odd or out of place with the condition of his body.
Raaf will pause. "What did you hear?" Raaf listens intensely.
Raaf accepts the hand offered by Gabe and chuckles at Akari's comment. "Depends on your definition of sadistic..." Raaf says jokingly. Releasing his grip on Gabe's hand, Raaf turns to face the group. "I've been heading northwards for a while. Back to my... well, what was once a place I called home. But I'm in no rush. Why were you guys traveling together?"
Raaf bows his head at Lysander, almost seeming like a practiced motion. He, for the first time since you've met him, smiles. He then looks to the others for approval.
Raaf stays quiet during the exchange. Understanding the situation. Instead, Raaf dons his armor and checks his equipment over. Making sure nothing got warped from the sudden downpour. After the exchange. "I ain't one to invite myself, but I dislike traveling alone. Prefer the extra sets of eyes watching my back. Call it paranoia if you want, but after what I witnessed last night... Safety in numbers I suppose... I can also help anywhere the map might be lacking... not to say the map isn't accurate, I just like to be thorough."
"Alright then..." Raaf removes his armor and buckler. Setting them at his feet. His crossbow and other weapons remained at his side next to the pew. Leaving a dagger on his person, Raaf rolls over and tries to fall asleep.
Raaf makes a "CLICK" sound and points a finger at Lysander, smirking.
Raaf will spit out the remaining substance in his mouth and then he would set himself up on one of the pews with his bedroll. "Might as well get some sleep, unless you folks wanna travel in the rain. I can do that too."
"Sounds like a trip." Raaf states nonchalantly. Spitting out the front doors of the church. "Nothing rings any bells with me... all I know of is Aroden... but he's dead..."
Raaf's eyes narrow as if in contemplation. He then lowers his crossbow and steps away. Grabbing some more chew from his canister, he leans against the molding of the door to the church and crosses his arms. Eyes still narrowed in thought.
"Well, that... um... you sure that's what the potion was supposed to do? Cause..."
"He's dead..." When Akari jolts awake: Raaf would grab his crossbow and train it on Akari. "Are you actually alive or are you... undead?! The blood from your mouth gives me doubts!"
Raaf steps up to Lysander and outstretched the rose to her. "For you m'lady." After she takes it, Raaf will smile warmly but quickly retreats back to his usual demeanor. "Well I certainly have no use for the potion... I don't want to commune with a corpse, god or not."
Raaf walks over to the bench and with a curious look, picks up the blue rose.
Raaf will take up the rear behind the rest. "There is a slight chance the church would have the supplies I need." Raaf thinks to himself as he walks along the muddy ground.
Raaf lowered his crossbow cautiously. As it had already been trained on the closest individual. As Gabe fell to his knees and took off his helmet, Raaf stands beside him and places a hand on the man's shoulder. "Whatever you folks did, it clearly stopped the people from changing again. Stand and be proud this day. For your deeds have been rewarded."
Raaf stands and readies his crossbow. "I have your back." Raaf states as he follows Gabe outside.
Raaf spits out the rest of his chew out the door. Grabbing some of the food provided; cheese, bread, meat and water or ale, whichever is provided and will sit quietly facing the doorway with his back to a wall.
Raaf's gaze would meet Lys's. "To be fair, Aleria dragged the body back. I would have just left it. Unnecessary weight and all. But to answer your question, I'm a wandering ranger of sorts. My goal is my own, but I'm particularly adept at dealing with... things that don't stay dead. Though I am running a bit low on supplies... but I make do. Always have."
"Stay safe Aleria... may our paths cross again in this world or the next." Raaf steps aside and opens the door for her, bowing his head slightly. His eyes do not meet hers however. Instead they rest upon the wounds he had caused to the now corpse that lays upon the floor.
"... boy huh?" Raaf will stand there just chewing away, his eyes never leaving Gabe.
"Asking a women's age so brazenly..." Raaf shakes his head slightly. "No I'll wait until the storm passes. Then who knows, I'm more of a wanderer these days."
Raaf's eyes narrowed at Akari's question. "Is he that unaware or is he being coy...?" Raaf pauses for a moment to decide how he should react. The man before him was clearly guarded, what made him so jumpy was unclear, but Raaf settled on the resolution that he just doesn't know any better. Most likely a victim of circumstances. Raaf finds a familiarity with his current assumtion. He steps forward and extends a hand to the man. "Raaf... and you are?"
Raaf looks about the rest of the group that is gathered in this room. "So what are all of you doing here? Looking for handouts?" Raaf says half jokingly.
Raaf looks at Aleria then back to the group rolling his eyes slightly. "Well lets get the hard part outta the way... That man... well, he was less of a man when we first saw him. Mangy fur, muscular body, snout not unlike a mastiff. Two others were with him, same look about them, but they ran off when they saw us. I took the shot with my crossbow as this one here charged at us. When he fell, I placed another shot in his heart to make sure he wouldn't get up again. That's when he reverted back to what you see now."
"At first I considered Lycanthropy, or a Shifter, but something still felt a bit off with that assumption. So we, or rather Aleria carried the body while I tracked his trail back to this town. Figured someone in the town would know who he was... and we were right... apparently..." Raaf opens the door slightly and spits out a brown liquid from his mouth before closing it and resting on it once more. |