Helga looks around with horror and starts to back away toward the exit, motioning to the others to follow, still singing as she goes:
"Everyone listen, back away slowly
we are threatened by a monster most lowly
the mushrooms are signs of a deadly killer
that takes root with vines and eats delvers for dinner
unless we have axes and blades most true
to linger would mean a day we would rue
So let us leave and return with help,
or we could be as dead as the mouldering kelp!"
Ragnar steps between the moving plant thing and his companions as they back toward the shrine's entrance.
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Soon everyone is back outside on the stone beach. The fog and mist bank is much closer and will roll over Stuvoy in the next minute or so.
"What happened," asks one of the old men waiting. He tries to peer into the dark and catches a flicker of undulating vine. "What is that?"
None of the old fisherfolk realize the danger yet. The boat and fisherman who originally brought the three over is sat back mending his net and smoking a pipe of foul weeds.
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Stefnir also sleeping in a bit due to the strain of the last few days,...and perhaps a bit of overindulgence, blinks the sleep from his eyes as Anya throws the door open, wincing a bit at her loud voice. Noticing the late hour, and the presence of company...as well as the call of nature in one of its more insistent urges. Rises to his feet, as the news is relayed.
"Give us a minute to prepare, and we shall go there", Stefnir exclaims walking towards the door.
When they are ready, Sawrik leads Stefnir and Anya up the hill towards the woods, where a large clearing has two long fields of broken ground. The cold and frozen ground have put paid to the crops and only a few straggly brown plants remain.
Beyond the fields, there is a single wooden barn and a square paddock in which are two shaggy grey horses with a middle-aged man working one on a line. Nearby is a large hut and a much smaller store. Sawrik goes directly to the store and opens the door.
Inside lying huddled in a long leather poncho is a body covered in frost, its black beard rimed with thick frost.
"There's a dangerous vine-like plant in there. Legends say they throttle people to use their bodies as fertilizer, if I hadn't spent time talking to a dwarf that visited once I never would have realised in time what it was ... we will need axes and sickles to deal with it and until we do we cannot use the shrine."
She shivers.
"Let's go find the rest of our merry band, and see about finding plenty of sharp blades. Until we get rid of it, let no-one enter that shrine, or they won't come out again!"
Ragnar looks at the sky and the fog. Does it look like we'll be able to go back and forth between Stuvoy and the shrine again today?
Prof (Sailor):
Ari finaly rises from his pit, he's never been one for getting up early, unless there is good reason.
He wonders where everyone has gone, washes, dresses and goes outside t see what is happening.
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Ragnar can see that the cove is only a few hundred yards across at its widest, so any of the fisher folk could find their way across easily.
Ari sees one of the Qin warriors is waiting outside.
"Everybody back to the village quickly, it's not safe here" states Kurn to everybody. He then turns to Helga and Ragnar "we will come back with support and deal with the infestation of the shrine. I'm nots ure about that fog though"
Knowledge Sailor
Kurn will board the boat along with Helga and Ragnar. " He will then speak to the old man "does that look normal for this area?" he says pointing at the fog.
"Agreed!" Helga nods emphatically and makes for the boat.
Anya moves closer to take a look at the body to see if it is anyone she recognizes; the sight of it does not seem to bother her at all.
(if she does not recognize it) "So who's this then?"
Jorgen studies the surrounding scene closely, looking for an indication of events.
Perception
Survival(track)
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"Everybody back to the village quickly, it's not safe here" states Kurn to everybody. He then turns to Helga and Ragnar "we will come back with support and deal with the infestation of the shrine. I'm nots sure ...........................then speak to the old man "does that look normal for this area?" he says pointing at the fog.
Its not unusual for snowstorm's to be preluded by cold mists and coastal fogs often occur around dawn. This one is moving inland pretty swift though.
"Not that strange this year, they're like starfish in my nets, just have to live with them and work round them."
The other elderly men and woman get back onto their coracles and everyone can make the journey back as the fog closes in.
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Jorgen
Sawrik turns the body into full view and it looks like it was Drago. The body is thin and sickly looking, with several bite marks across face and signs of more on the arms. There is also indents like those of heavy weights all over the head, torso and leg.
"Is he one of yours? A travelling ranger found his body pulled from a cairn about a mile along the coast to the east. He said there were signs of more people and animals."
Heal
Perception
Stefnir closely inspects the body for what type of animal might have done this, and to see if that is indeed what killed him or they were just gnawing on him after the fact.
"Where is the man that found this body". "I would speak with him".
Ari answers the warrior
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Ari
Kurn, Helga and Ragnar are soon back on the stony beach.
Meanwhile Sawrik answers Stefnir, "he is with Tavnia. The ranger comes from the Circle of Samthain and then he must rest. I shall make arrangements for you to see him this afternoon."
The careful investigations reveal that Drago was dead before the bite marks of some wild animal, probably a large wolf or two. He died of his gangrenous leg, the poison had travelled further up his body.
As Anya recognizes Drago she stands up quickly and curses. As Stefnir shares his findings on how the man died she curses even louder and fouler adding "This was no way for a warrior of Drago's stature to die! If I ever find the one responsible for the curse on that thrice damned boat which caused this I swear I shall make them pay for this insult to one who was once a strong and valiant warrior and captain. And those cowards who left him in such a state shall not escape my wrath either!"
As she fumes the furious Barbarian turns to Swarik saying "We must accord this man with all proper burial rights, as befits once such as he. How best can we get this done soonest?"
"Thank you" says Kurn to the old man. He then turns to Helga and Ragnar "we had better find the others, so lets start back at our quarters"
"Yes, and set our smith to making some axes and other blades," Helga agrees.
Ari waits for about an hour, looking about the village and checking his clothing and equipment. He then heads for Master Kejin's house, knocks at the door, waiting for one of the warriors to answer.
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Ari waits for about an hour, looking about the village and checking his clothing and equipment. He then heads for Master Kejin's house, knocks at the door, waiting for one of the warriors to answer.
Kurn and his party return to the longhouse to find Ari waiting, clean and tidy.
Freki and the boys are sat round a bubbling pot of some kind of stew.
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Mark/Jorgen
Before going to see Master Kejin, Ari sees the rest of the party returning from visiting the shrine.
He approaches Kurn and says,"Brother, why are you back so soon, is everything well?"
"There's a kind of underground man-eating plant taken root in there," Helga explains. "I barely recognised it just before we walked right into it. We'll need axes and sickles and spades to cut and dig it out. Hey lads," she addresses the boys, "how's your smith work? Can you make us some?"
Kurn taps Ari on the shoulder gently "How goes it brother? The shrine is a disgrace! No wonder my Lord Krakis has forsaken this place! We must go back with numbers and restore its glory, so that the village will be blessed again. Do you know where Stefnir and the others are?"
Ari replies to Kurn, "Sorry brother they were gone when I got up this morning, I thought they must be with you."
"Anya wouldn't have gone far, and if there was a problem we'd hear a fight by now," Helga shrugs.
Ragnar shrugs and walks over the Freki and the boys, looking at the stew with interest.
"Huh yuh fuhluhn' Thuhstuhn?"
Translation:
Ari says to Kurn and Helga,"I will help you with the plant, but I have something to do first, wait for me and I'll be back soon"
Ari heads for the house of Master Kejin.
"Be careful brother, all is not well here."
Anya scowls at the bard saying "So I see your notion of aid seems to only go in one direction. I'll remember that should it be your body that needs disposal" Turning to the druid she says "Here, help me" As she looks for a tarp or cloth something to cover and carry the body with. Once something is found or put together with Stefnir's help she'll carry the body back to the others or the lodge if she can't find them. If for whatever reason Stefinr chooses not to help, she'll simply do it on her own.
Stefnir has no qualms with helping carry the body.
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Sawrik shares a secret smile with no one, then shrugs again. "It would be more fitting if his crew show him honour. Or this is an example of how much you care for your captain? Dogs care for their masters better."
The bard spins and stalks off, his sword slapping against one leg. Soon he is lost in the mist and fog that blankets the slopes down into the cove.
Anya can use the leather poncho that Drago is wrapped in to take the body. Jorgen is willing to help too.
The mists are not thick so that people are just shadows over fifteen feet away. As the three party members start bringing Drago down towards the longhouse and then quay, they can see that the sea mist is being to thin a little.
Anya spits to the ground after the man turns to leave and, not caring if he hears her or not grumbles "I knew that one was not to be trusted! And if he does not watch his words he'll find himself stuck on the end of my spear"
Giving him no more thought for the moment she carries Drago with her two shipmates. As they near the quay she calls out loudly "Helga! Where are you? I can hardly see a thing in this blasted fog!"
"I think I can hear Anya shouting," Helga rolls her eyes, "I'd better go and see what she's upset about. Anyone coming?" She makes her way off into the murk.
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Master Kejin entertains Ari for about half an hour, over tea and small talk the Qin merchant asks for some more detail about the Krieglanders time in the Empire and how he came to learn the language. Both guards are present.
Ari
[ooc]You may have free choice of any weapon. The bottle is tiny and contains a potion of cure light wounds[/ooc
Inconsequential talk about the quality of the jasmine tea follows. Then Master Kejin thanks the warrior for such a pleasant conversation and wishes him well.
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"I think I can hear Anya shouting," Helga rolls her eyes, "I'd better go and see what she's upset about. Anyone coming?" She makes her way off into the murk.
As Helga starts to search for her sister, the fog mist is starting to clear a little. The fog is slowly receding back out of the cove towards the open sea, however the clouds are still dark and heavy. A snowstorm is definitely approaching.
"Anya, what's that you have?" Helga hurries down to her sister.
"Drago" Anya says without preamble. "Those bastards left him to rot..." She continues, relating the story as heard from Sawrik
"And I knew I was right not to trust that two-faced bard, he cares nothing for us and if he doesn't watch his mouth I'll shove my spear down his gullet"
"Anyway" the large woman says, blowing the air out of her cheeks, "I'm sure the priest" refering to Kurn and nodding her head in his direction if he's there "can accord Drago proper burial rights.But so what did you get up to so early this morn sister?"
"We took a look at the shrine to Krakis - there's a man-eating plant taken root in there, and we thought you'd like to be cut in on the fun of killing it once we find some axes."
Helga looks around, her face is drawn and she obviously feels moved by Drago's death.
"Come on, we have two birds to kill with one stone. We'll lay Drago in his ship and fire it as we send it out to sea, it's the way he would have wanted."
Ari thanks Master Kejin for his hospitality and says that they both meet again soon
GM
Ragnar looks sadly at the captain's body, but says nothing. He walks back to the crew's longhouse and returns shortly, pulling on his meager armor in preparation for the return trip to the shrine.
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As the mist clears back into the sea, Saorise is at the back of the boat looking on at the party and body on the end of the quay.
"Are we heading out now? This is a Cursed ship remember, come on!"
She almost stamps her foot.
Behind her the fog bank has totally gone and everyone can see the dark entrance to the shrine.
"We'll need more wood," Helga says, "we should collect some from the woods and stack it up in the ship."