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After a short pause, he adds "They were also hoping to find you out there. That plan isn't going to work so well.""Damn, I had shouted back at Morti I would leave the best trail to be followed as well as I could" - the elf shakes his head - "I'm not sure how successful I was"
the struggle: okrin has his rope, sure
the struggle is real:
The squirming of the thing on Morti's back keeps it out of Okrin's reach!
Morti - the direction (west) leads away from the Hollow Man's path, pretty much perpendicular. You are currently well north of Mother Molvor's by a couple hours. Whatever lies immediately west you don't really know, but you know that a day or so west from here would be the lands outside Bard's Gate. Morti is able to take control of the grapple, pulling the girl around.
The creature tries again to bite Morti - this time in his face. However, he is able to redirect the attack!
Anna seems surprised to see Caramir in such bad shape. Directing you all,
Anna disappears through the door to the house, and the door into the kitchen area closes behind her.
the struggle is real:
Morti, the creature on your back shows her sharp teeth to Okrin, then plunges them into your neck in a bite. Her mouth comes back bloodied. She growls in her strange whisper, "Go there! Go now, bearded grump!" she points again - to the west, among the columnar trees and the thick leaves. "We will go home. Now."
The Struggle is Real: Okrin can tell that the thing before him is a source of negative energy - one of the undead.
"My Father, my mother!" she whispers eerily, loudly now. "What did they ever do! You will do it for me."
It's the woods, with O & M:
The "child" is not familiar, nor does it seem to know who you are. "Fathers and mothers? The strange child in ragged clothing turns to you - her cloudy white eyes fixing on you. "Death to all your fathers and mothers!" She charges - roll for initiative. Her blue limbs pump furiously towards you both. She closes with both of you (double move)
Caramir: You step into the garden, and as you do, Molvor steps out of her cottage carrying a basket. She seems to be humming to herself as she buzzes around the garden picking choice items carefully off of her plants.
She seems surprised by you as you make your way to her house. "OOh! You caught my ghost there for a moment master elf." She pauses on the ground to catch her breath. "You looks worse off than when you left here. You should lay down and take off that old pack of yourn." Shade slides off into the plants - disappearing for a moment - only to reappear at Mother Molvor's side.
Caramir ze Elf:
so, again Caramir: You approach the fallen down fence at Mother Molvor's. The trail you follow winds back and forth among the trees, but you manage to evade any problems on the way. What do you do? Do you go back to Levoca from there? Kaerl does insist that the wood wards should not be harmed. "We Levocans made those... There are worse things than this Hollow Man." Elsie isn't familiar with the Hollow Man or any of the local legends. Morti and Okrin split the party, and head out into the wild woods. M. & O. In the woods.: You notice two new dead animals along your path. Apparently some kind of stoat and a crow. Each is nailed to a different tree along the way. After several hours of walking the path, you notice a small humanoid form ahead of you by about 40 feet. The skin of the thing is pale-slightly bluish. It is facing away from you.
"What are you doing here?" the child asks without turning to look at you both.
Okrin and Morti head into the woods... When you find Kaerl speaking with a returning wood-chopping party, he turns to speak with Kakao for a moment. The others standing within arm's reach.
E is thorough going over the floor over the course of an hour. At first not seeing anything, she goes back over everything inch by inch, sifting the ashes in the fireplace and probing the mud-made walls roof and floor with her dagger. The hour's long and thorough search reveals nothing out of place in or around the earthen hut.
Morti, You get some grumbling from the crowd. It's clear that none of them are masons as the staff makes its way around the room. They are not engineers or dredger, they are farmers and hunters and woodsmen it seems. Aldan supposes that three men could take turns, and that seems alright with the crowd - divide up the work, but none seem decided on which area shall be prepared. Witch pit or kiln or make something new? CLW ON OKRIN - only heals 2
Each of you who examines the wood wards reveals that they are crudely made scarecrows, inert magically speaking, and kakao is not familiar with anything like these from his religious training. In Baca's house, Eliseera sees an empty room with a dirt floor. Dust has already begun to settle here on the shelves.
Kahr takes the speaker stick and chooses the woodsy eldest son of the widow Anna. She seems less than thrilled and speaks against it. Kahr is reprimanded, and it seems like they will go towards an older young man, the brother of the Hunter you have already met. Kaerl seems a little uncomfortable about gathering up a lot of flammable material, but he does condone sending some of the militia men out to grab dry wood. No one else reports any injuries. It seems like the wives all appreciate that offer.
As he sleeps, Caramir watches as shade disappears between the roots of a large tree, vanishing into the darkness beneath a beautiful glowing brown willow. Pews ahead w/Morti:
"Well, I don't know. I mean, we have to try. We have to try something. I don think there be no masons here, but if we built it, hells, somebody oughta be able to rebuild it. It's just rocks." Eliseera's report does not say such things. It merely says that she represents house Montepierre, and is duty-bound to find M. Baron Montepierre.
Kahr looks confident, and he has the build of a distance runner - lean.
What do you do?
** spoiler omitted ** Morti and anyone nearby:
The young lad tells Morti, "Oh, hello, yes, well, why-don't-you-tell-them. I just. I don't know. Perhaps, well, why... Why don't we just burn it in the oven? I means, it was built for burning things. That and the witch pit, actually." The villagers nominate Kahr immediately to be the first runner. It seems he has a reputation as fastest in the village. Morti would recognize the boy as one of the men drilling the other day. He seemed quick with his hastily carved quarterstaff.
"We are content to keep your guard that you offer, madam. Bards Gate is two weeks away by foot, though. We might never even make it. However, one of our runners could make it to Bard's Gate in a day. There are always mercenary types around. The guilds wouldn't let the governor ignore us. Sure, you say you are here to help, but I think you misunderstand the mapping of the situation. Or did you perhaps not walk here from Endhome as you have claimed?" Aldan says. Kaerl adds, taking the staff next. "We will work together. We must. I am ready to elect runners to travel to the Longhunters and the guilds of Bard's Gate. They should be sent soon, to avoid traveling tonight. As soon as possible."
Morti: Brother Arkadius sits in a pew off to the side, where a couple of gentle looking lads are trying to keep him from disrupting the meeting. They seem to be asking him to keep calm and to stop asking questions. The friendly young man Okrin spoke with outside Kostya's hut is sitting with them. He seems eager to speak, tired, nervous, and shy.
The villagers seem unsettled by all this talk of one of them being in control. Families begin separating themselves from one-another and the rafters bounce back suspicious whispers from all sides. Kaerl steps in, "You're more daft than I thought if you think one of us is going to run all the way to Endhome!" there is a grand round of agreements from all the men present. Anna takes the staff away from him and stands to say, "What Kaerl means is it will be two weeks across the forest to reach endhome. Why bother when Bard's Gate is only a day west of here?! If this menace isn't ended, we could all be dead by the time any of you reaches endhome!"
I am very glad to say that Caramir summons up the last reserves of his strength, forcing himself through the pains of exhaustion and wear.
He manages to stealthily slip away up into the branches of the trees, where I presume he spends the rest of the night. Perhaps he is almost too tired to be scared anymore of the things lurking beneath his head. ....
He begins pacing up and down the aisles. "If we leave, it will find us. If we stay here, it may come again. Some of you, I hear you whisper, that this Hollow Man has only taken those from the old ways. You think perhaps you and yours are safe. We are many of us newbloods, but I warn yer! If it took the heads off those pineys, who mark this place with all of their respects and rituals, surely it will take us too. We ought send help now. We ought be ready for the thing. Perhaps then this madness among the beasts will end. End with the Hollow Man when we slay him!"
The hunter who met Kakao earlier takes the staff and asks, "If we send for help, how will we know to trust the messenger? How can we trust any one of us with that?"
You might not have picked up on this by now, but let’s say you asked and Mak replied during one of the walks through the woods. “These are merchants and like we deal with. Used to run caravans, but their pockets got too heavy and they hated the nobility and kings. Settled out here instead, hicksam fools, the lot of them” The overall mood is tired and strained. The meeting recesses for a quick minute while you all talk with Eliseera. You see Aldan and Kaerl talking with Anna and a large group of other homesteaders, just a quick huddle while you talk with Eliseera Tulman. Everyone who leaves this quick huddle seems more reassured and calm than the others in the room. Eliseera carries a signed letter from Montepierre’s mother’s office to prove her purposes for being here.
Okrin can tell that Aldan is just a simple fellow. Scared. Shaken. Tired, too. Just like most of the villagers here, he seems like he's had a more than his fair share of sleepless nights. Beyond mere caution, the atmosphere in the temple is filled with fear now. It has been, ever since Kakao suggested that the master behind the Hollow Man might be among their number. Elseera's eyes light up at the mention of money or payment. She seems like she carries herself on an even keel, ready to react to threats, find an opening. When she first walked in, you noticed something, she went through looking at everyone's face... you can easily guess that she is likely here looking for someone.
You hear the villagers release a collective sigh of relief. Kaerl from the village takes the stave from you and says loudly, "We aren't paying any more just for more adventurers to show up. I hope you understand." He wags a thick, rough-hewn finger at you. "The rate I agreed upon with your Endhome Baron was most generous."
So, Caramir, for example. You did a great job roleplaying your interactions with Kostya's widow. The question I ask is different perhaps from what you'd expect.
It's not just, "did you interact with them" it's How Did you interact with them.
So, for example, we lost Mak and Montepierre, and Rata too. You haven't really told anybody what happened to them. The villagers apparently received some standing orders to train a militia and take on a few other things. It wouldn't hurt to hear what those were, would it?
Honestly I think with PBP's if conversations happen during downtime or watch they can be great for fleshing out characters and building the sense of story, but when a large amount of time is spent discussing what to do next it tends to bog things down quite a bit. Especially since some characters will have little to contribute. Here's the thing. The party has not been managing or attending to their relationship with the villagers (who ostensibly hired them.) As such, there is still a lot of distrust and misinformation simmering in this small village. Montepierre was handling that relationship. Mak was helping. They aren't here anymore, and on top of that, the party called them away from tending to the villagers (read: customers).
Even something as simple as "I give the militia advice on training before we leave (Roll profession soldier)". Or maybe, "I pat the kid on the head and tell her soon there will be no need to hide" Believe it or not, the town council meeting is a part of the published module. So, if it wasn't clear. This is your main opportunity to A: Convince the villagers that they can trust you. B: Tell them how you want to involve them in your plan to stop the Hollow Man killings.
Kostya's wife stands up and takes the staff. "Why would there be some mutilated beast in my house? There was never anything like that wee man. As for Baca, he took his wagon to the Piney town. Barrow Dayle." Aldan quickly takes the staff away. He turns to the newcomer as she enters. "Who are you? Who is this, mark this woman! Are you the witch that hounds us?" Okrin and everyone else can plainly see Elseera. He also notices that there is a young man present who seems excited to speak, but nervous.
That's not the case at all. If anything, you will have more freedom to choose what type of character you want to play! And hold out a little hope, pal, Caramir ain't dead yet, as we say in Texas.
Caramir: You watch as the centipede and the Hollow Man each circle around the clearing with the gnarly tree at its center, seemingly unawares of one another. There is another whisper on the wind for a moment, something like the call of a wounded raven, and at once they turn in your direction and attack. Roll for initiative.
Caramir: For a solid ten minutes nothing much happens. The hollow man walks in circles at the edge of the glade, passing within ten feet of you three times. Each time, you are able to hold your breath and keep motionless. The glowing scythe passing by you quietly in the night. After ten minutes, the Hollow Man gives off a soft groan and keeps walking.
Soon after, a giant centipede silently slithers into the clearing, passing right by you.[/dice]
Morti gets a round reply of shrugs and uncertain murmuring. The staff is passed around quickly. "Wolves?" a familiar tall man reluctantly adds.
"......... Pass."
"Isn't there supposed to be an ?"
"Werewolves?"
Sense motive DC... None of the villagers seem to know who is responsible... but Caramir might have a few ideas. Kaerl takes you all aside as the conversation continues.
Kaerl gestures out the kirk and to the north. "Since we've come here, he's the only real enemy I've known. Sure, we've faced our starving time, but that's the same with any new outpost. Before he came along, our only enemies were the chores and work of Levoca. I still say it must be some druid, some wanderer what has come across us." He nods respectfully to Mikka, "present company excluded of course."
Everyone simmers down to a low mumble after Karl takes charge. Your friend in town, Aldan approaches to take the staff next. "What is your plan, then? How will you ferret out this controller? How will we end the hollow man?" Aldan asks all of you.
Okrin's comment seems to meet with some approving nods and murmuring to the affirmative. "who is directing the monster..." cues very much rumbling and grumbling and wary glances. "My fallen body to bury." a woman takes the staff from Morti, and says, "You may be willing to die, dwarf, but we are not warriors. Damned if I will throw my life away!" "We should decide what to do about this monster in the mean time!" the huntsman Kakao has met speaks up. "It's probably you!!!" this speaker points an accusatory finger at the hunter. "You are always out in those fell woods up to god knows what!" Further wild accusations ensue, unceasing. It seems like the conclave is quickly devolving into a row after kakao's comment... they may be difficult to calm down now.
Caramir: The Hollow man walks around the grove shining his brilliant white scythe's light over every bush and treetrunk silently. You hold your breath for a moment as he passes by you and Shade. The light however, passes you by. You seem to be sufficiently concealed... for now.
There is much disconcerted murmuring running through the crowd. Taking the staff back, another villager pipes up. We should send the fastest runner to Bard's Gate! With a written plea to the Lord Mayor from Kaerl, they will have to send the guard! Another man, the one you know as Aldan, steps forward to take the staff. "I don't need to remind you, your friends too drank from the cup. Stow your empty threats, outsider." A woman walks up and takes the staff next. "We should discuss leaving this place! How is that so far from your minds, all of you? This forest has been only so much misery." Much contrarian grumbling ensues.
Caramir: Nature, stealth, and perception would be a great idea. More importantly, I need your intention, as the Hollow Man falls down from the branches overhead. He lands deep among the fungi and insects with a loud squishing noise.
He frees himself from the muck and approaches you, his scythe clean and bright as the moons
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