Hewligan's Rise of the Runelords: The Skinsaw Murders

[frostrune]

Jokad was in high spirits again by the time they reached the familiar farmstead. His aching wounds and weay limbs seemed instantly refreshed at the smell of a home cooked meal.

Jokad ate like a ravenous wolf, embarassingly so at times. Everything seemed good and new to him. He was especially enamored of Farmer Woldrak's cheese. He and the elder Woldrak stayed up long into the night eating cheese and drinking his homebrewed moonshine. An odd sight really, the savage warrior and simple farmer both staring silently into the embers of the dying fire soundlessly sampling cheese and passing a jug of violently strong brew. Both relishing the simple pleasures of the moment in their own way.

The morning would come soon enough however and Jokad's simple mirth was replaced with a more serious mein. You could tell your stout friend dreaded a return to that awful house but his sense of duty was far more powerful than fear.

"We should finish what we started at the manor house. That foul blot of evil should not be allowed to fester so near to goodly folks."


OOC: Jokad is at 31/48 hps unless we recover some for the night's rest.

 

[Rhun]

Danth eats heartily, but politely. While not as ravenous as Jokad and Jovik, the days trials had certainly left him hungry. Farmer Woldrack's cheese was particularly good, though the young cleric turned down the offers of more of the farmer's homebrew after the first very strong mug full.

He did take the time to tend to his companions wounds though, making sure all were clean and bandaged, and applying what little was left of his healing ability prior to sleeping. Then, he simply rolled out his bedroll, and quickly fell into a restful slumber.

Morning came too early, as it often did. But Danth rose to meet the Dawn eagerly. Going out into the yard, the cleric kneeled down, facing the rising sun, and spent the next hour or so in prayer to Sarenae.

Finishing his morning prayers, Danth returned to the house to gather his gear, and then joined his companions outside the cottage for a quick breakfast. "I am forced to agree with Jokad. Evil yet remains at the manorhouse, and it is my duty to exorcise it, if possible. I have prepared a spell that I hope will do just that. Will you stalwart lads join me in this?"


Danth will use his remaining Cure Moderate Wounds on Jokad, and apply 4 uses of Cure Minor Wounds on himself. He will then Take 10 on Heal (Long Term Care), for a result of 15. Jokad, Jovik and Kael should regain 10 hit points each over the course of 8 hours rest, 5 for Danth (cannot apply long-term care to self). Coupled with the magics, this should fully restore Jokad and Danth (who I actually think are the only ones actually injured).

[sblock=Spells Readied]
- Level 0: Detect Magic x2, Light, Guidance, Resistance
- Level 1: Command, Bless, Shield of Faith, Bless + (d) Cure Light Wounds
- Level 2: Consecrate, Deific Vengeance (CD), Remove Paralysis + (d) Heat Metal
- Level 3: Summon Monster III, Magic Circle vrs Evil + Searing Light
[/sblock]

 

[Friadoc]

Kael and Mal are good guests, as they enjoy the food and the hospitality well, however the pair is more silent than normal. Contemplative is a good term, as well as reflective, and as th evening carries on the pair grow more inwardly focused. Once it is time to sleep, they both find a good, quite spot and lay down to rest upon a pair of blankets from Kael's pack. The sorcerer's head using his familiar for a pillow, yet no objection seems evident in Mal.

Due to the unusual nature of their bond, the deepness to it, Kael and Mal sleep well, but with unsettling dreams shared between them. By morning, Kael and Mal are rested, but also unsettled as they need to return to the manor, for reasons other than the selfless ones that heroes should be in possession of.

"It must be put to an end," states Kael simply enough, Mal by his side. "Razed to the ground, whatever it takes, so as not to befoul the countryside again."

The statement is made without a confirmation of whether Kael and Mal would go, to the pair it could never have been a question that needed an answer. Once the group is on its way, when it is nearer to the manor, Kael casts a spell that places an aura of protection around him and, oddly enough, it forms around Mal, too.

OOC

Mage Armor, on Kael and Mal.

[sblock=Vitals, current]
AC 16, Touch 12, Flatfooted 14; Mal AC 22
HP 21
[/sblock]
[sblock=Spells Per Day, remaining]
0-level 6 of 6
1st-level 5 of 6
2nd-level 5 of 5
[/sblock]

 

[hewligan]

The Return

The walk back to the mansion is made is better spirits. The tiredness from the day before is gone, and Danth's healing magic has improved your aches and pains no-end.

When at last, after a few hours of gentle trekking along the country lane, the mansion once again becomes visible, seemingly perched against the backdrop of sea and brooding sky. It has a weary look, as if the building is slumped there. Age and decay are getting to it, and while it is, of course, no different from when you left it yesterday, it just feels a little different, a little hollower.

Common relief is shared when it becomes clear that there is no welcoming party of black birds waiting for you this time. The ground is littered with their corpses, but nothing living moves among them, and you crunch through them towards the entrance.

OOC: Are you going to go back to the basement first, or what?

 

[Fenris]

OOC: Iesha derailed our exploration of the upper floors. I saw we finish searching the upper floors and work our way back down to the basement.

 

[hewligan]

The front door opens easily to reveal the ramshackle, damp, and dusty interior. Jovik stabs his dagger towards the stairs. "Up!" he states. Nobody offers any resistance (at this point), and so the party ascend the stairs back to the first floor where they met Iesha.

At the top of the stairs you are met with a familiar vista. The hall, curving away from you, with the doors of the rooms you explored standing open as they were.

The door to your right was one you never explored. It seems like as good a place to start as any. Jovik moves to the door and presses his ear to it. Silence.

He turns the handle and the door swings inwards.

OOC: room B11

This bedroom features a child-sized bed, a chair next to a toy box, and a looming stone fireplace big enough for a child to get lost in.

 

[Rhun]

Danth moves to help the others search the room, wary of any possible danger.

 

[Fenris]

Jovik gives a half-hearted effort to search the room, mostly checking out the huge fireplace.

ooc:Search
1d20+7=14

 

[frostrune]

Jokad stands a tense watch near the open door. He pays particular attention to Mal, trusting that his superior senses will have the best chance to alert the group to any supernatural presense.

 

[Friadoc]

If Jokad didn't know any better he'd swear that when he looks at Mal that the dog is grinning at him, almost cockily so.

Kael, on the other hand, is giving the room the once over, too. With the form of evil that was here, it wouldn't surprise the young man to find tomes of forbidden lore just laying around.

OOC

[sblock=Search]Search Check (1d20+2=15)[/sblock]