Valley of the Dead: Chapter 2 "Home of the sleepless"

[Malachei]

Lórquelië looks startled at the halfling's comment, and makes the stern face of a parent, as she tries an understanding look, which does nothing to warm her cold voice, "We reap what we sow, as the farmers say," and she takes a deep breath. Little more than children they are. Full of exaggeration, naiveté, impulse... ...and intensity... ...and life...

Her voice strained, she continues, "I suppose you have never traveled with wizards before. I am not your scrollcase, although I doubt you'd have much use for that," would they be able to read? "but pertaining your question, yes, indeed, I could make the bars slippery. If you feel that is the adequate style, so be it." and with a sigh, she reaches deep into her robes, and brings forth some creamy substance, at which she frowns.

[sblock=OOC]

Lórquelië will cast grease, if that is Herriman's preferred approach
[/sblock]

 

[Myth and Legend]

Thok tries climbing the surface, the edges of the red bricks cutting the tips of his fingers, and dry mortar sticking beneath his long fingernails. It seems he could almost scale the wall, but the Barbarian's chain shirt constricts his movements too much. He manages not to fall, but he can't make it past several feet up, despite his huffing and puffing.

Meanwhile as the Grease spell covers the bars in an abundant amount of yellow, lard-like substance, thick to the touch and not entirely merciful on the nose, Herriman manages to slip with ease between two bars, albeit at the cost of soiling his clothes and armour. There is almost no space for him to move in between the iron bars and the actual window. The glass has been covered with a wooden lid from the inside, but the lock on the window seems old and of poor craftsmanship.

Up in the sky the autumn sun still shines with a bright glow, and despite the brisk wind that moves the grass and leaves about, the day remains warm. A cow that has regained some bravery has returned to a large stone tub filled with water, and is now drinking cautiously while it's ears are moving around with rapid motions.

The house itself remains quiet, and on the far left Adelaide enters the barn, sword in hand.

 

[Voda Vosa]

Thok decides that he's done playing and climbs the wall like an orangutan, cleaving his hands in the open spaces.

 

[Dragonwriter]

"Ah, yes, the old farmer's saying. Believe me, I am still reaping what I set to seed many years ago." The halfling waits as the spell is cast. He gives a short "Thank you," without bothering to turn his head.

With the help of the slime, Herriman slips through the bars. He starts to wriggle into a better position and pull his lockpicking tools out, even as he mentally rearranges the soul energy he has bound up around him. A brief glow seeps from him and the halfling is completely visible again, no strange wavering of form. But the gloves on his hands seem a darker shade of black, if that were possible, as he sets to the lock.

[sblock=OOC]
Changing Essentia, then attempting Open Lock.
Remove 2 from Embrace of Shadow and 1 from Armguards. Place all 3 in Theft Gloves.
Take 10 on Open Lock with a bonus of 19 (4 ranks +5 Dex +2 circumstance/tools +8 insight).

And somehow, that wasn't on my sheet... I need to go fix it.
[/sblock]

 

[Myth and Legend]

With the power of his Half-Orcish stubbornness, Thok manages to reach a second story window. It doesn't look secure or well fortified - just four square pieces of glass separated by thin planks. The glass is of low craftsmanship and skewers the view a lot, and there are a pair of white curtains behind.

The Barbarian peeks behind the window as he pulls his muscular body, and he sees a toppled wardrobe with it's doors swung open and clothes spilled around. The view is black and white, as the room is very dark and Thok's eyes adjust and make use of his father's Orcish blood and the ability to see in the dark that comes with it. There seem to be black splashes across the walls, and toppled furniture scattered about, white sheets and nightgowns contrasting with the rest of the room.

Herriman manages to pick the lock, being slowed down not by the complexity of the mechanism (which to him is naught but a trifle) but rather by the rusty parts inside it. The lock opens with a loud click and the Halfling jumps down on the wooden floor, silent as a cat.

He finds himself in a dark room, the other windows sealed shut with similar lids as well. The beams of light, coming from the way he entered, illuminate his surroundings like a mirrored oil lamp. This appears to be a dining room, but the door towards a dark hallway in front of the Halfling gapes half-open and there are obvious signs of a struggle. The table cloth has been pulled down off the massive wooden table, and it has dragged what appears to be the lunch of a large family down on the floor in a chaotic mess of soup, bread, vegetables and broken clay mugs and plates.

There are marks carved in the planks on the floor, resembling nail scratches, as well as spots of dark crimson liberally splashed about the room, as if a mad painter had gone on a frenzy. The air is filled with a strong smell of wet iron, but nothing can be heard, except Thok's climbing of the wall outside.

 

[Voda Vosa]

Thok comments to the ones down. "Problems. The room is messed up" He pushes the window open and climbs in. He searches the room, ready to jump at any kind of monstrosity with his sword.

 

[Dragonwriter]

The halfling merely looks around the room, noting what details he can see in the poor light from the window. Hopefully the racket that fool makes will distract anything else that might be in here.

After a few seconds of stillness and mental categorizing, he cautiously picks his way to the hallway, then tries to find his way to the front door, based on where he entered. Another flash of his eyes makes him hazy and solidifies the crystal helm a little more.

[sblock=OOC]
Change essentia back to this:
2 in Embrace (20% Concealment, Hide in Plain Sight)
3 in Armguards (Touch for 3d6 damage to undead)
3 in Helm (+3 Deflection to AC)

Current AC 24 (Flat-footed 19); Init +9; Spot +8 and Listen +15

Also, using Move Silently to cross the room and on my way to the door.
[/sblock]

 

[Myth and Legend]

Thok finds nothing of interest in the room, apart from the blood that now soaks the limed walls and wooden floor. He removes the fallen wardrobe making some noise, and enters the second story corridor. There are three doors on his right and two on his left, and his orcish eyes adjust quickly to the lack of illmination, and pick up a glimpse of a shadowy being moving towards the other end of the corridor, where it descends in a staircase to the first floor. It quickly vanishes from sight however.

***
​

To Herriman's keen hearing, the Half-Orc's heavy feet and him dragging a piece of furniture upstairs is like the ringing of the Angelwatch Cathedrals' bells. The Halfling makes for the dark corridor and cautiously stares in the darkness, waiting for hies eyes to adjust. The Corridor extends further down and ends with a staircase leading to the second floor. There are two doors to the right and two to the left, all closed. There is also the front door immediately to Herriman's left, placed in a tight vestibule and barred with a thick square beam.

An ominous dark stain leads to the second door to the right, and right next to it a humanoid shape stands still, with a hunched back and it's left shoulder much higher than the right one. It doesn't seem to notice the well hidden Halfling, but Herriman lacks the necessary tools to see clearly in the almost pitch-black corridor, and so he cannot make out any specifics about the creature. The air here is stale and painted with the irony scent of fresh blood as well as the gagging stench of rotting flesh.

Suddenly, some vague dark shape silently flies down the staircase and towards Herriman. It's uncertain what it is exactly, but it floats effortlessly and blends with the darkness of the ceiling. It darts towards the Halfling and circles around his position for a bit, as if it has heard him but not seen him. Hearing the noise the Half Orc makes upstairs it suddenly bolts upward, going right trough the beams supporting the second floor. As far as Herrmian can tell, he has remained undetected.

***
​

Outside the Elven Conjurer waits patiently, and the breeze and sunshine warn her of no dangers. Perhaps she can, however, make out some noise apart from the cow grazing near by and the wind swooshing in the grass. She moves her elongated Elven ears and manages to pick up a muffled sound coming from the barn, as if someone was trying to yell but they were gagged and behind a wooden wall.

[sblock]Listen check for Lórquelië was made without the Racial bonus which I remembered afterward. That's why I want all skills with their relevant modifiers listed in the RG . Also, tell me if you guys need a map (I can draw one if you have trouble orientating. Herriman was heard but not spotted, the thing flew upward because there was an easier target to find (Thok). The other figure remains oblivious to the Halfling, however he has a choice. He can yell (he knows Thok is upstairs and the spectre would be upon him) to warn the Half Orc but give his position away, or he can keep quiet (and Thok gets surprise round-ed).[/sblock]

 

[Dragonwriter]

Herriman's old ways of stealth, trickery and backstabbing make him hesitate to warn the half-orc. The brute was moronic, crude and hardly an ally. Ally... Damn... Ally, not patsy. Herriman shouts out "Orc-kin! Wall-passer going for you!"

The halfling then turns his attention to the humanoid shape in the corridor with him. Fight, run, defend, or door... He makes for the door and tries to lift the beam, his small frame working at it like a child might. "A little sunlight ought to just brighten your day."

[sblock=OOC]
Change essentia, of course. Remove the 3 from Embrace of Shadow and put them into Strongheart Vest (so any ability damage I take is reduced by 4). I think I'm okay without a map. For now, at least.

AC 24 (Touch 18, Flat-footed 19), HP 90/90. Init +9.
[/sblock]

 

[Myth and Legend]

Thok can hear the Halfling shouting from the first floor and has the time to prepare himself.

Meanwhile, Herriman slides the beam sideways and down, it seems to have a simple rail like mechanism easing the movement. Luckily for the Halfling, as he goes in the narrow vestibule he places himself away from the immediate danger of being overrun by the dark shape.

The creature moves towards the lad as he opens the door and the outside daylight breaks trough the darkness inside, but not really reaching past a few feet down the corridor.

Herriman turns to face the creature, which drags it's right foot as it moves, slowly but methodically towards him. It appears to be a severely decomposed corpse of a middle aged man, his eyes yellow and with pale irises, his mouth twisted in a crooked grin and with long nails that have dried blood stuck beneath them. He is dressed in torn and rotten clothes and smells of fresh earth and decaying flesh.

The creature, which Herriman can now clearly identify as a Zombie, slowly staggers close to the Halfing but is unable to attack him with its stiff and constricted movement. It simply moans as it staggers for a moment as it bumps in the edge of the vestibule entrance.

[sblock]Action / readied action for Thok. There is no surprise round but he does get the jump on the spectre attacking him. Actions for the other two PCs s well please. [/sblock]