Adventure: Delivery of Death (DM: Luinnar, Judge: renau1g)

[nerdytenor]

Dorn stares at Sir Exsixten, unable to make heads or tails of him. He opens his mouth to say something, and then closes it again. (Perception 7).

 

[TwoHeadsBarking]

Andras shrugs at Exsixten's antics, then proceeds to check the upper floor for clues.

ooc: Perception 22.

 

[Luinnar]

In a bedroom upstairs behind a panel in the wall, Jax finds a hidden catch of items that can be used to enhanced one's weapons or improve fighting abilities.

On the first floor, Brenn finds a magical bracelet in a box and grabs it before Jax finds it. In a drawer he also finds a journal belonging to Jean. Skimming through it, most of the entries are mundane, but the last page is of interest.

OOC: In a shaky hand it reads: Marcel is dead, killed by a zombie! I can't believe it happened! I found him and Luc in the old cemetery and Luc was reading from that blasted scroll they found when the zombie attacked Marcel. I was able to save Luc just in time, but it was too late for Marcel. I told him his obsession with that scroll would be the death of him. I wish now that my prediction did not come true! Luc seems to be in shock, I hope he will be alright. He won't talk, but at least he eats. I could not stand to lose both my brothers in one night. I will take Marcel to Father Brucian soon, I hope he can resurrect Marcel. I'll pay anything it costs, I will even take him off island if I need to.

In a study upstairs study Andras finds a small space hidden behind a bookshelf. In the hiding place is a tube containing an ancient scroll.

OOC: These signs were foreseen by Hyskosa, a Vistani most gifted with the Sight. Spread word of these wherever you travel. Only the true hearted can stop the fall of the night of evil. The light of the sky shining over the dead Shall gutter and fail, turning all to red. The night of evil shall descend on the land When this hexad of signs is near at hand. In the house of Daegon the sorcerer born Through life, unlife, unliving shall scorn. The lifeless child of stern mother found Heralds a time, a night of evil unbound. Seventh time the son of suns doth rise To send the knave an eternity of cries. Inajira will his fortunes reverse And all shall live with dreaded curse.​

​

Dorn looks through the draws downstairs, but is unable to find anything of interest. Meanwhile Sir ExSixTen finds a mirror, and proceeds to attempt to protect the house from his own image.


After the party doles out the treasure and reads the items found, Constable Gremin bursts into the house in the main floor, where the party in sitting. I can't believe, you solved the case! he says, shaking everyone's hand. Somebody reported to me that they saw you in chase of the killer. I followed in the directed your were reported to be heading in and I found bodies of undead and Jean in the hooded cloak! I can't believe it was him, no wonder we could not find him!

Mes amis! The whole town in in your debt! We are throwing a party in your honor tonight at the inn! Everyone wants to show you their aprication!

I'll leave you to finish with whatever you are doing here. Perhaps you can tell us exactly what happened at the party, no? I have some unfinished business to attend to and frantic villagers to calm down. he says hurriedly, rushing outside as fast as he came in.

GM: The party must now decide, will they take a short rest and explore the town some more before the party, or take an extended rest at the inn until the party is about to start. (you only have time for one or the other)

GM: Treasure: Note: I tried to give every around even GP value items (besides the wishlist item). Also, please let me know if you need a full description of the items Party Receives: SCROLL OF HYSKOSA (quest item) Brenn Receives: Bracers of archery (wishlist) Tempest Whetstone (heroic tier) Sir ExSixTen Receives: Elixir of Dragonsbreath (acid, heroic tier), Elixir of Accuracy (level 8) Jax Receives: Caustic Whetstone (heroic tier) Dorn Receives: Glowstone (heroic tier) Andras Receives: Kruthik Potion (heroic tier)

 

[pathfinderq1]

[sblock= OOC]
>From a personal standpoint, I would vote for short rest +search, since Brenn is fairly well rested already- though I'm certainly willing to defer to those who HP/resources are in worse shape. Also, I'm not entirely sure where else to search, or what we might be looking for at this stage.

>I do think it seems important that we not let Luc get hold of the scroll again, if he was as obsessed as the story seems to indicate.
[/sblock]

 

[Luinnar]

[sblock= OOC]
>From a personal standpoint, I would vote for short rest +search, since Brenn is fairly well rested already- though I'm certainly willing to defer to those who HP/resources are in worse shape. Also, I'm not entirely sure where else to search, or what we might be looking for at this stage.

>I do think it seems important that we not let Luc get hold of the scroll again, if he was as obsessed as the story seems to indicate.
[/sblock]

GM: Marcel (the one who was killed by the zombie) was the one who was obsessed with the scroll (sorry I did not make it clear ) Does anyone else have any opinions on what to do? Or maybe the better question to ask would be, who wants a extended rest?

 

[TwoHeadsBarking]

Andras mutters to his companions, "I doubt the matter is as finished as the constable suggests. I recommend we continue our own investigations, if you all are able."

ooc: I'd be fine with just a short rest, in other words.

 

[Iron Sky]

A PARTY IN MY HONOR? WHY OF COURSE YOUR LORDSHIP, LET THE VILLAGE PEOPLE COME OUT AND SING ME A SONG; WHY? I'M THE ACE - OR HOWEVER THE LYRICS GO!

Sir Exsixten turns to the party.

CITIZENS, GIRD YOUR LOINS, FOR BLESSED ARE THE LOINS OF THOSE WHO WAIT BESIDE SIR EXSIXTEN!

He follows the constable.

IT'S OUR PARTY AND WE'LL CRY IF WE WANT TO; PUT ON YOUR POKER FACE BECAUSE WE ARE FAMILY, COME ON EVERYBODY AND SING! WE'LL TURN THE PLACE INTO A LOVE SHACK, A LITTLE KNOWN PLACE WHERE WE CAN FIND SOME BAD ROMANCE. IT'S MORE THAN A FEELING, MORE THAN STAYING ALIVE - STAYING ALIVE! I'M COMING UP SO THEY BETTER GET THE PARTY STARTED. CITIZENS, SHOW A LITTLE RESPECT TO ME AND PREPARE TO HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE - YOU'LL NEVER FEEL THIS WAY AGAIN! ONE MORE TIME, CELEBRATE AND DANCE SO FREE - YOU CAN'T TOUCH THIS!

 

[Dekana]

[sblock=ooc]Sir Exsixten reminds me of a youtube video. They may take our lives, but they'll never take our independence day!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6wRkzCW5qI]video...[/ame]



Erhem... So yeah, I'm up for an extended rest.[/sblock]
Jax lightly taps Andras against the leg. He speaks happily, his pitch even higher than usual. "You worry too much! The madman is dead. His ghouls too! Let's just have some fun tonight."

 

[nerdytenor]

"You worry too much! The madman is dead. His ghouls too! Let's just have some fun tonight."

"I'm inclined to agree," answers Dorn. "Though I've never been much fun at parties..."

// I'm fine either way

 

[Luinnar]

OOC: I believe it is two votes extended rests, two for a short rest and one either way. I'll say the PCs take the extended rest than, since the party seems leaning more in that direction

The party spend the rest of day gathering supplies for their journey away from Marais d'Tarascon. The villagers seem eager to help them free of charge, thankful for what they have done for them. Luc continues to follow them around, but he has fallen silent, spouting no more nonsensical verses.

All through the day storm clouds hover over the village, just as they have for days. Thunder booms on occasion, followed by a flash of lightning, but otherwise this day is as dark and dismal as those preceding it. Still no rain
comes.

After a good rest at the inn, the party is awaken to the sounds of music and the smells of food. The noise barely drowns out sound of thunder that shakes the village. As you look out the window you see the lightning dancing wildly across the sky, casting stark shadows in its skittering flash. Then the rain begins, falling in large, foul drops that soon become a deluge. The streets quickly turn to mud; small streams form in the cracks and depressions. Vision out the window obscured by the unending sheets of dark water. Through it all, the thunder continues to roll above the village, and the lightning intensifies. The storm has arrived.

You move down to the inn's common room, which is in stark contrast to the outside. You are greeted by what seems like the whole town. They clap and cheer at your arrival. Many, including Gremin, the blacksmith and even Fiora come and congratulate you for ridding the town of the killer. A see a delicious feast covering a large table and the mugs seem to be overflowing with fine drink. As the merriment goes on, all thoughts of the storm are wafted away from your mind. You enjoy yourself immensely.

As the night goes on the villagers start to dance and two beautiful young women sweep up Sir ExSixTen and Jax by the hand and start to dance around the room with them. Dorn, Andras and Brenn, sitting in the far corner, laugh at this sight. The three are being entertained by a slightly tipsy Fiora, who is telling embarrassing tales about the younger members of the community.

The only townspeople who don't seem to be enjoying themselves is the cleric Brucian, who is sitting sulkily in the corner, and Luc, who is staring blankly in a chair at a table.

As the night goes on Luc begins to mutter something, slowly and quietly, but with greater intensity and volume as the hours go by. This time they are not nonsensical however, now they seem to match the verses you found on the old scroll.

The light of the sky shining over the dead Shall gutter and fail, turning all to red. The night of evil shall descend on the land When this hexad of signs is near at hand. In the house of Daegon the sorcerer born Through life, unlife, unliving shall scorn. The lifeless child of stern mother found Heralds a time, a night of evil unbound. Seventh time the son of suns doth rise To send the knave an eternity of cries. Inajira will his fortunes reverse And all shall live with dreaded curse.

It becomes harder and harder to ignore the booming thunder outside and Luc's verses. Suddenly Brucian speaks up. I have a story to tell you all, the cleric begins. I do not think the worst is over in Marais d'Tarascon.

He describes the stormy night on which Jean brought Marcel to him about a month ago. Marcel was quite dead, torn apart by undead hands. I
retrieved the ritual ingredients from my small collection and attempted to raise poor Marcel, Brucian continues, but something went wrong. Marcel remained dead, and Jean cried out in anguish. He spirited away the corpse of his brother. That was the last I saw of Marcel, and the last time I saw Jean alive.

I did not know what my failed miracle wrought; but I have suspected all along that some undead agency has been at work in his village...Until now, I thought that Marcel fell victim to the same agency as the other villagers. Now I realize that the trouble began after Marcel died—and not a moment before. I don't know what that means, but I am sure the events are connected...

Suddenly there is a scream and three people fall out of there chairs, dead. A moment later they rise up unnaturally, their skin and strange hew and their eyes glazed over, just like what happened in the inn a night before. Reacting quickly Gremin pulls out his pistol and with a bang fires it, killing one of the undead. The second lunges over and grabs Luc, but Brenn's arrow sails towards it slaying it before it can make away with the boy. With a zing Andras fires his own bow, felling the last.

Luc quietly starts to recite a new verse, one not on the scroll:
Look for the scroll where the old rest fine,
behind the stone where six stars shine.
The finding, however, will cause much pain,
beware the time of the falling rain.

Suddenly the door to the inn bursts open. A villager, the grave-keeper Jax and Dorn saw when they first came to the town, soaked to the bone rushes into the common room. He is out of breath and obviously very frightened. The dead are approaching Marais d'Tarascon! he manages to say between shivers and coughs. An army of the walking dead! The man succumbs to a racking fit of coughs, and all he can manage in response to
questions is to point toward the southern fields. Gremin and Brucian rush outside, followed by the party and Luc. They make their way through the pounding, slimy rain like blind men.

You can barely see a foot in front of you unless lightning flashes, briefly illuminating the area. Even then, the houses and trees are nothing more than vague shapes obscured by a shimmering curtain of rain. Walking is difficult, for the dirt paths have become muddy and slick.

Finally, you reach the southern path. The fields beyond remain hidden by darkness and the storm. Peels of thunder and the driving rain muffle nearly every sound. Then, in a spectacular crack of lightning, the figures come into view from the far distance, illuminated by the lightning; dark forms moving slowly toward the village. They look like misshapen humans. A flash of lightning illuminates the entire field. The dark shapes are everywhere! The closest are but 100 feet away, shambling forward. Darkness returns. It seems as if an eternity passes, or maybe just a heartbeat, and then a brilliant flash lights the sky. Now you can see the figures clearly, if only for a second. They are zombies, a literal army of them, and they are marching on Marais d'Tarascon!

Hurry, we must set up barricades! Gremin shouts to the party. Help me arm the villagers and set up a defensive line! he says, in the background you can hear Luc chanting the new verse over and over.

No, find Marcel's body! Brucian shouts adding his voice to Luc's. I am certain that it holds the key to the terrors which have befallen us! We can keep the town safe, you have a more pressing job to attend to!

GM: The party has taken an extended rest. It is now total darkness and the party will need a light source.