Adventure: A Tale of Two Domains (DM:Luinnar, Judge:renau1g)

[Iron Sky]

WORRY NOT, PATHETIC HUMAN FEMALE, IF THIS PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED BY MURDERING SOMETHING FOR GREAT JUSTICE, SIR EXSIXTEN AND THE CITIZENS OF JUSTICE WILL NOT FAIL YOU - UNLESS FAILURE IS WHAT YOU DESIRE FOR SOME ILLOGICAL HUMAN REASON, IN WHICH CASE SIR EXSIXTEN WILL UTTERLY FAIL AT SUCCEEDING AT YOUR FAILURE.

Sir Exsixten pauses and gears grind somewhere inside him.

BUT SIR EXSIXTEN NEVER FAILS! IF HE IS REQUESTED TO FAIL, HE MUST NOT FAIL TO FAIL! BUT IF HE FAILS TO FAIL... THAT WOULD MEAN... FAILURE IS NOT... THE LORDS OF AWESOME MIGHT... A CHAMPION NEVER....

<LOGIC WIRING FRAYED, REASON ROTOR-GIMBLE FRAME FRACTURED, ABSURDITY BANKS OVERLOADING, PARADOX PROCESSOR REDIRECT FAILURE, WARNING, MELTDOWN IMMANENT...>

Sir Exsixten sputters, clanks, smokes, then follows the group in blessed silence for a time.

 

[Dekana]

Oh, I have an idea! If you would, like you may come to the farmhouse for supper. It is the least I could do after your kind words. We don't have much, but what we do have we will gladly share with you. Our farm is down there if you are interested, she says, motioning to a place northeast off the road.

"We'd like that," Jax answers for the group. "I'm sure we'd rather be inside too. Not out here; not when the wolf comes again."

Jax looks warily to the meltdown-prone warforged. "He won't explode or anything... I think."

 

[TwoHeadsBarking]

"You honor us with your generosity, ma'am. Please, lead the way."

 

[Luinnar]

Oh! I'll show you the way then! Maria says happily. She was glad to have something to take her mind off the recent dark events.

She leads the way down a hill and a wheat field comes into view, almost fully grown. Here and there grow various vegetables. Onion, pumpkins, radishes. At first glance they seem to be scattered about higgly-piggly, but soon it is clear that an intricate design was followed in planting these foodstuffs.

Speaking of pigs, they have them too, and other livestock, in a fenced in area near the farm. No doubt to keep them from the crops.

The house itself is of standard design thatched room and wood walls. You note the vulnerability of the structure. The door is strong enough to keep out the elements, but would it be strong enough to keep out a giant wolf, like the ones you fought earlier? The windows had no bars on them, a creature with any intelligence could burst through the shutters and easily get inside.

Putting these dark thoughts aside, you step into the farm house. It is simple like the rest of the place. The few possessions are mostly practical in nature. Something is boiling in a pot by the fire. The heat from it gives off warmth, making the room even warmer on this hot day. At least it would keep them warm at night.

A man sits at the kitchen table with his leg propped up. Everything about him says "farmer", from his overalls to his straw hat. He clutches a weapon, a strange metal and wood device with a wooden handle; like a crossbow but thinner and without any visible bolt mechanism. No doubt this "blunderbuss" Maria mentioned earlier.

After a few spoken words to her husband, he nods to you. Anyone who can bring a smile to my Maria is welcome in my house, Ontosh says. Two little heads, Frantosh and Jelena poke out of a nearby room. They seem weary of strangers and soon rush hurriedly back.

After some quick work in the kitchen Maria produces a bowl of beef stew, bread and water for each of the party. The children are summoned and sheepishly enter, sitting near their father. There is barely enough room at the table, let alone enough chairs, so stools, upturn milk pails and even a bail of hay is brought in. While you eat the father complains to you about the harvest. The beans have come in too early and are small, and the wheat is taking too long to grow. The cow did not give milk again today, and the chickens have refused to give any eggs again. Not one mention is made about the wolf or the dark events.

Soon it grows to late afternoon and Maria gets up. It is nice of you to come, but it is getting late. You probably want to get to a city before nightfall...Unless... she says, her voice breaking off.

 

[Iron Sky]

Sir Exsixten is silent and distracted, silently bumping into walls, travelers, and the like. When he sees the pumpkins, he walks over to one, kicks it lightly with a toe, stares at it more, then cuts it in half with his axe and puts it on his head like a helmet.

Stringy strands of pulp and seeds run down across his shoulders and chest like some bizarre hair. By the time the party stops to rest, its somewhat dried and hardened, filling the air with the smell of pumpkin.

The whole time the groups is at the farm, Sir Exsixten follows one of the chickens around, watching its every move, clearing people and animals out of its way, and keeping his hand on his weapon like an over-protective bodyguard.

 

[covaithe]

Quagmire nods his head respectfully to the farmer. "Yer missus says ye got a wolf problem. These lads an' I, we got some experience dealin' with wolves. Especially the oversized, unnatural kind. I'm sure we'd love t' have a look round for ye. Bit o' exercise'd be nice, after a day's boring travel."

 

[pathfinderq1]

As the group approached the small farmstead, Brenn continued to scan the area around them. Once they got a good look at the place, he muttered a few words, almost to himself- then he began to examine things more closely. As the others entered the farmhouse, he busied himself with closely checking the area around the small structure- though he kept avoiding the large warforged and his pet chicken.

[sblock= Mutterings]
>"No wall, no moat. Not even a presentable fence. You couldn't keep a cow out of this place." (Spot the quote)

[/sblock]

[sblock= Mechanics]
>Attempting to use Wilderness Knack of Wilderness Tracker (HotFK 161): During a short rest, make a Perception check (DC determined by the DM) to inspect the area around you (area can be up to 10 squares on a side- Brenn will focus on 10x10 squares with farmhouse at the center). If the check succeeds, determine the number and nature of creatures that have moved through the area in the last 24 hours- also determine when and where they entered and left the area. Obviously most concerned with wolves or other creatures besides normal farm beasts...
>Perception check, DC unknown; 1d20+18= 21 (terrible!) ; roll Roll Lookup

[/sblock]

 

[Luinnar]

[sblock=Brenn]
Around the barn and leading to about 10 feet from the house Brenn notices a faint track, like a paw. Not huge, like that of a dire wolf, but smaller. Disturbingly however, this beast seems to walk on its hind legs. The track is about 18 hours old. The thing that made it must have visited last night.
[/sblock]

Quagmire nods his head respectfully to the farmer. "Yer missus says ye got a wolf problem. These lads an' I, we got some experience dealin' with wolves. Especially the oversized, unnatural kind. I'm sure we'd love t' have a look round for ye. Bit o' exercise'd be nice, after a day's boring travel."

Ontosh looks at Quagmire for a minute and then orders the children out of the room, who seem happy to leave. So, my wife told you our sad tale? Not surprised, you seem like the type who can handle yourselves. You're welcome to have a look anywhere around the property you like. I would love to get rid of that blasted beast, but I don't want your blood on my hands and I have no payment besides my thanks I can give you. I don't know what this creature is, or even if it will show up again...but it is vicious and bloodthirsty.

Suddenly he looks around and starts to whisper. In these parts we have a word for it, we call them the creatures of the night. Terrors that some dare not even whisper about in the daytime in good company, let alone on a foggy night. I visited Barovia once when I was a young man and laughed at the people for hanging garlic outside their doors and keeping a wooden stake by their beds. I never did believe in anything supernatural besides the gods above, that is until this started to happen. Perhaps these old wives tales of vampires and the living dead and man-made men have some truth to them. he says in a whisper.

 

[pathfinderq1]

Brenn nodded as the farmer said his piece. "We've seen things like that- most particularly corpses that still walk, and fight with terrible strength and hunger. But we're still here, and they are all back in their graves. Just in the last day, we've seen wolves bigger than cows, and a man who seemed to be half-wolf. They're dead too. We can probably help you out." Then he paused, having said a week's worth of words already. "Especially since the wolf tracks out in your front yard are spaced like a wolf that was walking on two legs instead of four. I would guess your neighbor howls at the moon more than you might expect, or he has friends that do."

 

[Luinnar]

Brenn nodded as the farmer said his piece. "We've seen things like that- most particularly corpses that still walk, and fight with terrible strength and hunger. But we're still here, and they are all back in their graves. Just in the last day, we've seen wolves bigger than cows, and a man who seemed to be half-wolf. They're dead too. We can probably help you out." Then he paused, having said a week's worth of words already. "Especially since the wolf tracks out in your front yard are spaced like a wolf that was walking on two legs instead of four. I would guess your neighbor howls at the moon more than you might expect, or he has friends that do."

It seems like you know more about this I do. the man says with a smile.

I don't know anyone around who howls at the moon he adds. We are all simple farmers around here. I can't imagine anyone doing what this creature has done. It must be inhuman, whatever it is.

GM: Farm map attached. The barn in to the north, the farmhouse the south. Since the party has agreed to help the farmers, any plans? Will the PCs keep watch this day/night? Is there a specific spot the PCs will wait at; are there any preparations etc.?