Chat log started at 13.1.2008 / 20:44:52
You peer into the burrow and do your best to not block the light. As you peer into the darkness of the space, you make out the bodies of four baby badgers, ravaged and torn apart. Beside them are the remains of several squirrels, some torn apart and some left alone.
Arphaxad: Well, what do you see?
Sonadora backs out and *ahem* regurgitates her lunch by another tree.
Ranja blinks.
Arphaxad: I see, maybe I should take a look.
Arphaxad peers into the hole.
Arphaxad looks away in disgust.
Sonadora wipes slow tears off her cheek and turns away from the others.
Ranja: What is it?
Arphaxad: Some dead animals.
Sonadora: It ravaged them.
Arphaxad: Yes, it does seem somewhat brutal for a animal that is simply hungry.
Geyer: Gaw! That all? Way this'un was tossing her vittles I expected something a bit nastier than that.
Ranja frowns.
Sonadora pretends not to have heard the knight.
Arphaxad: Well, are we to assume it was those two demonic badgers then?
Sonadora: It did not eat them. It did it for pleasure.
Sonadora frowns in thought.
Sonadora: I wonder if that couple was involved. Perhaps the badgers attacked in revenge and anger.
Geyer: We did track them back here. Seems a safe assumption it was them what did it.
Arphaxad casts light on his staff and has another look into the hole to see if there is anything else to see.
Sonadora kneels in searches the ground, not looking into the hole, searching for signs of another animal.
Arphaxad: Spot [1d20+1 = 11]
Sonadora: Survival [1d20+11 = 31]
Geyer: You think Mr. and Mrs. simple farm-folk somehow magicked the local badgers into rampaging demons that wanted revenge?
Geyer: Seems a bit far-fetched dontcha think, Lady 'Dora?
Sonadora: No, I wonder if they are the ones that ravaged the pups.
GM: Arphaxad - you don't notice anything out of the ordinary about the dead badger cubs, aside from the way they were savaged.
Sonadora narrows her eyes.
GM: Sonadora - you notice the tracks of no other creatures, but a better surveyal of the tracks shows a very faint set of the same badger tracks that appear several hours older and lead both away and to the burrow.
Sonadora sighs in defeat.
Sonadora: There are no other tracks here outside of the badgers unfortunately.
Arphaxad: Well, it seems we may need to talk a little more to the couple.
Sonadora searches the area once more for anything out of the ordinary.
Sonadora: Survival [1d20+11 = 29]
GM: You once again examine the area for tracks and signs of other creatures as the rest of the group looks on -
Arphaxad on a whim decides to check for any magic in the area.
Arphaxad: I wonder if the demonic look of those badgers has its source around here?
GM: You have a set of tracks that appear fairly recent, and which you followed here from the Dross' farm. The only other tracks appear to belong to the same badgers, but appear to be several hours older and lead in a different direction than those which you followed.
Sonadora: Mayhap we should follow the older tracks. They lead away from the farm and perhaps lead to the source.
GM: Arphaxad - Though your eyes are sensitized to the flows of magic, no spells are visible to your sight.
Arphaxad: I agree.
Arphaxad: We may see where the badgers were before they attacked the man.
Sonadora glances at the other two.
Ranja nods.
Geyer: Aye. Sounds like a good plan.
Sonadora follows the tracks.
With Sonadora in the lead, you follow the set of tracks into the woods towards a somwhat familiar destination -
The tracks lead to the battlefield from the night before. The lightning-struck tree looms over a blackened clearing, and you can see the accumulation of snow beginning to cover the ruined plant-life.
Arphaxad: Keep your eyes peeled, I still dont trust this place.
Sonadora searches around.
Sonadora: Search [1d20+1 = 15]
Geyer takes a deep breath and settles his mind into full alertness.
You notice the remains of several small animals hidden among the snow and ashes.
Arphaxad: Spot [1d20+1 = 7]
Sonadora: There are animal carcases all over the place.
Sonadora kneels in the snow and brushes some aside.
Ranja shivers and glances around.
Sonadora: The fire creatures couldn't have done this.
Sonadora: Could they?
Sonadora glances at the others.
Sonadora: Knowledge (Nature) [1d20+3 = 14]
Geyer shrugs.
GM: Nothing particularly revealing - the animals here are mostly smaller creatures such as rodents and small birds. No natural animal you can think of would kill these or the badger pups in this manner.
Arphaxad: What is going on? Lightning creatures, demonic badgers, and noone has a clue what's going on.
Sonadora stands up and shudders.
Sonadora: I hope Vida did not get tainted by this evilness.
You hear the caw of a crow from a tree somewhere.
Geyer scans the treeline for signs of further danger in this seemingly magic-haunted glade.
Geyer: Spot [1d20+5 = 16]
Sonadora glances about, trying to spot anything.
Sonadora mutters a word to detect any magic.
Arphaxad tries to sense the source of the magic.
Sonadora: Spot [1d20+8 = 20]
GM: Geyer - you notice a murder of crows fly off from the nearby forest.
When you see roadkill, why is it never a crow? 'cause whenever a crow sees something coming, it warns all its friends - "Caw! Caw!"
Sonadora tightens her fingers around her staff nervously.
GM: Sonadora - same thing - you see the crows fly overhead and continue.
Ranja: Spot [1d20+3 = 21]
Ranja peers about.
GM: Arphaxad and Sonadora - you notice the area suffused with the effects of some sort of magic - the aura's hard to distinguish, but it feels like it is probably Transmutation.
GM: Ranja - same birds.
Arphaxad: Can you make out any more tracks?
Sonadora kneels down and tries to search the snow for more tracks.
Sonadora: Survival [1d20+11 = 28]
GM: There're tracks all around the clearing, both large and small. Mammalian and avian. Several larger animals have passed through the area, from deer to wolves. You can even make out some boot-prints.
Sonadora: There's too much here, from small animals to large animals and even some boot tracks. The boot tracks could be from us last night or from one of the villagers...
Sonadora sighs in frustration.
Sonadora tries to spot an animal to speak to.
Arphaxad: Well, I say we head back then, try to find out some more of this puzzle.
Sonadora: Spot [1d20+8 = 27]
GM: No living animals in the area.
Sonadora sighs and nods to Arphaxad.
Sonadora: We'd best hurry then. It'll likely be dark soon and being in the wood with whatever is causing this at night will likely mean out deaths.
Sonadora: And if that farm couple had nothing to do with this, then they may still be in danger.
Geyer: We still need ta catch up with Sintilya and yer wolf, too.
Sonadora nods.
Ranja shivers slightly.
Arphaxad: Back to their place then...the Rondalls was it?
Sonadora glances at Ranja.
Sonadora: What do you make of all this?
You return to the Dross farm and knock on the door. Anna opens the door and welcomes you inside.
Anna Dross: What happened? Did you find anything?
Sonadora: The litter is dead. It is unknown what caused the badgers to behave abnormally though.
Anna Dross: The badger's litter?
Sonadora passes a discreet look around the room behind Anna.
Sonadora: Spot [1d20+8 = 14]
Arphaxad motions with his eyes to Geyer that he is unsure if we should trust these people.
Anna Dross: Randall lies on the couch, but not much else stands out.
Geyer: Aye. They'd been poking around the clearing where we fought those magic fire creatures.
Anna Dross: That doesn't bode well...
Anna Dross cocks her hip to the side and rests a hand on it as she thinks.
Anna Dross: Why'd that lead them here?
Sonadora: We're uncertain. Any more information you could give us could perhaps help us in the search.
Geyer: Somehow we think the badgers stumbled into something they shouldn't have.
Sonadora: Sense motive [1d20+3 = 8]
Anna Dross shrugs.
Geyer: Got transformed inta those monsters.
Anna Dross: I can't think of anything... we don't even hunt for our food. We purchase meats in the market, and raise our own livestock.
Arphaxad: Have you been in the woods at all lately?
Anna Dross: Well, sure. I was in town looking for the four of you, after all. I had to pass through the woods to get from here to there.
Arphaxad: Anything to provoke them?
Anna Dross gets a slightly frustrated look as she answers you -
Anna Dross: Look, the first time we saw them was in our building.
Sonadora: Did you see the clearing we battled in?
Arphaxad: Did you notice anything out of the ordinary?
Anna Dross: The clearing? Yeah, I passed through it.
Sonadora thinks to herself that that explains the boot prints.
You hear something outside the Dross' door, getting closer and making loud, gasping sounds.
Anna Dross takes a step back from the door -
Ranja glances toward the door.
Arphaxad grips his staff as he turns towards the door.
Anna Dross: What is...?
Sonadora turns around part way, refusing to turn her back completely on the couple.
Beth stumbles into the door, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she falls through. She clutches her gown to herself as she struggles to catch her breath.
Beth Ruhlin: Please... you have to come back to our home!
Sonadora starts in surprise -
Sonadora: Beth!
Beth Ruhlin gasps for air between words.
Sonadora: Is it your son?
Geyer: What's the trouble, Beth?
Beth Ruhlin: It's Michael and... and Aaron. The animals have...
Arphaxad: Yes?!?
Sonadora: Let's go! We don't have time to waste if they are acting like the badgers.
Beth Ruhlin slumps forward to pass out, and you notice for the first time that her legs and arms are covered with small cuts and blood.
Geyer assumes the worst and takes of at a run towards the Ruhlins'.
Sonadora runs out the door after him.
Arphaxad: Take care of her Mrs. Dross, we will return!
Arphaxad runs out the door.
Sonadora runs as fast as her little legs can carry her, feeling an awful lot like a slow dwarf.
Beth Ruhlin falls to the floor, fortunately landing on the rug rather than the hardwood.
Thunk.
The four of you sprint to the Ruhlins, Beth's words and wounds making you wonder what exactly is going on -
The scene inside the Ruhlin's house is entirely different from the one you saw earlier. The table and chairs are oveturned, the bowl of corn smashed near the wall, with something twitching underneath it. In the far room, you see Michael sitting on the bed with Aaron, and several other things twitching on the floor. One appears to be impaled on Aaron's carving knife.
Ranja gasps.
Sonadora: Stay put!
Ranja: Oh mercy....
Sonadora tries to calm the animals, cooing gently.
Sonadora: Wild Empathy [1d20+3 = 15]
Arphaxad: Shoves the corn bowl aside and smashes his staff into whatever is beneath it!
Sonadora: Wait! Don't kill them all yet. We have to calm them done. It's the only way to find out what is going on!
Arphax slams the butt of his staff into the twitching form of a black crow. It's body caves in, and the only movement is the air causing its feathers to waver in the wind.
Camilo: Ahem.
GM: And, in fact, all the animals left in the room are dead in one way or another.
Arphaxad: there is no communicating with demon possesed animals
Crows litter the ground and tables, their feathers fluttering slightly as the wind enters the room through the open door.
...
Michael Ruhlin: It's okay... I think we're okay.
Sonadora sighs in frustration.
Sonadora: I could have communicated with them!
Geyer: These those crows from the clearing again?
Arphaxad: I am sorry, but I am not willing to take chances
Arphaxad: I will try to refrain from killing the next one, as I am sure there will be more
Michael Ruhlin winces with pain as he sits up from bed, lying Aaron down.
Arphaxad: What happened here?
Sonadora: Are you hurt?
Michael Ruhlin: They crashed in through the shutters... we just heard their bodies hitting the walls, and didn't know what was going on.
Sonadora: Where are your other children?
Michael Ruhlin: When they got in, they started stabbing at us with their beaks...
Michael Ruhlin: I tried to get them off Beth first... and told her to run.
Geyer: 'Dora.....Vida and Golem were in that clearing during the battle last night...We should check our own beasts and see if they've been infected with this malady.
Michael Ruhlin wipes at his bloodied arms with a torn sleeve.
Arphaxad: Can you walk?
Michael Ruhlin: I had most of them, and then they knocked me down...
Sonadora nods to Geyer. Let us hurry.
Aaron Ruhlin sits up in the back room.
Arphaxad: You should get to town to the healers.
Sonadora coughs at Arphaxad and glances at Ranja.
Geyer: Aye, no need ta move the wounded. We have a healer here.
Michael Ruhlin tries to hide a shiver, as he wipes away a cut less than inch away from his right eye.
Sonadora: Only heal the worst though. If we're in another battle we need the healing more, unfortunately.
Arphaxad whispers quietly to Geyer -
Arphaxad: And someone needs to check on Beth and Rand, who knows if their cuts may carry some disease from these poor creatures.
Sonadora glances at Michael.
Sonadora: Are you alright?
Michael Ruhlin: I... I guess so.
Michael Ruhlin: The crows were all over me.
Michael Ruhlin glances at Aaron, and looks down.
Sonadora: Is he?....
Michael Ruhlin says in a low voice -
Sonadora looks him over anxiously.
Michael Ruhlin: Oh, he's fine... but... when they had me down...
Michael Ruhlin: I'd never seen him.... he used his carving knife and started stabbing and screaming...
Michael Ruhlin: Truth be told, as many of these cuts are from him as from the birds... it was an accident, but...
Sonadora hugs Aaron tightly.
Michael Ruhlin: Before he lost his leg, I don't think he'd have done that.
Geyer: Hmmm. Seems we've need to split up again. I'll go the stables, 'Dora should track down Vida. Lady Ranja should tend the wounded here, and ye should go check on Beth and the Drosses, Arphaxad.
Sonadora: What he went through.....people change.
Aaron Ruhlin doesn't react much to the attention, and just goes along with the motions.
Sonadora: Aaron needs to know he can defend himself. There are no victims in this room.
Michael Ruhlin: I suppose so...
Geyer: Odd they attacked here, though.
Michael Ruhlin sits on the bed and with a little hesitation holds Aaron.
Geyer: He may not be a victim, but I suspect he might be a target.
Sonadora glances at Geyer.
Geyer: You should move your family to a safer location, Michael.
Michael Ruhlin: Do you really think so? Aaron?
Geyer: At least until we get this all figured out.
Sonadora: Where are your other children?
Geyer: Aye. He weren't kdnapped by that big centipede what took his leg.
Geyer: Something with brains took him once and they might be tryin' again.
Michael Ruhlin: They're in town with friends.
Michael Ruhlin: I suppose we can try to find a place in town.
Sonadora frowns, but slowly nods in agreement.
Michael Ruhlin: Beth's sister could help put us up.
Michael Ruhlin: But... we can't make a living without the farm.
Arphaxad: It will be a temporary thing, until we resolve whats going on
Michael Ruhlin nods.
Sonadora whispers, "Hopefully," under her breath.
Geyer: You and Beth come out and work during the day, but carry knives and slings on you at all times.
Michael Ruhlin: Thank you for, again, coming to help us.
Geyer: Be back in the town walls by sundown.
Geyer: And don't let Aaron out of town especially.
Michael Ruhlin nods.
Sonadora: It is likely Vida is back in town already. Why don't Geyer and I escort Michael and Aaron and Ranja and Arphaxad go back to the Dross's farm and help Beth back?
Geyer: Let's meet up back at Sintilya's in half an hour. Might be a good idea for the Drosses to spend tonight in town as well.
Geyer: You two should bring them and Beth along back with you.
Arphaxad: Whichever is fine by me, but let's get moving soon. Daylight is burning.
Geyer: Fair enough. Hang still, lad, we're going for a little ride.
Sonadora nods and helps Michael collect clothes and food they will need real quick.
Geyer picks up Aaron on his shoulders.
Michael Ruhlin follows Geyer and Sonadora back towards town.
GM: Arphax and Ranja, you go to the Drosses -
GM: You tell them your opinon on their safety, and Anna quickly agrees and helps move Randall to town as well.
GM: 30 minutes later, the sun is beginning to set - and the four of you meet up in front of SIntilya's Temple.
GM: Geyer - You checked the stable, the halfling attendant there reported no problems with Golem, except that he was running out of apples.
GM: Sonadora - Vida probably remains with Sintilya and Daisy, wherever they may be - they weren't at Oghma's temple.
Sonadora frowns in confusion.
Sonadora: Where could they be? I hope they are not still out of the city walls.
Sonadora paces with agitation.
Geyer: I hope your wolf ain't gone magic-mad and eaten them both.
Sonadora: Maybe Markham might have seen them?
Arphaxad: Yea, lets ask Markham
Geyer: Aye. If it's happening around here, he'll know something of it.
Geyer: Listen [1d20 = 19]
Sonadora: Listen [1d20+5 = 12]
Ranja: Listen [1d20+3 = 10]
Arphaxad: Listen [1d20+1 = 15]
You enter the lantern-lit pavillion, currently full of a lot of farmers and citizens eating their evening meals and drinking their evening drinks.
GM: Arphaxad and Geyer -
GM: You hear snippets of conversation from around the room, most of them about everyday occurrences and minor events, but one or two conversations catch your ear.
"That's right, I had to put him down. Poor ol' mutt, I've had'm since he was a pup.... I know, it was the strangest thing. Normally he's docile as a lamb, couldn't even use'm for a guard dog on account of'm being so friendly.... Yeah, jumped right out at me'n the missus, growling and biting."
...cost me the crop stores, yup. Ain't sure what ta do now. I came'n an' found m'horses eatin't all, an' when they saw me, came at me with murder'n their eyes... No, I ain't never seen nothin' like it... Well, I shut the door behind me, an' that's a damn fine door, but I heard them break it down an' disappear 's I was runnin' back t'the house.
Markham Grintz nods at you as you approach.
Sonadora stands on her tiptoes to look over the counter.
Markham Grintz: You all're looking a bit troubled.
Sonadora: Markham, have you seen Sintiyla? It's an emergency.
Geyer: Pardon me, but I think I need to spend a few minutes chatting with the fine folk of this town. I'll be back soon enough.
Arphaxad: I'll see what else I can learn as well.
Geyer circulates through the tavern, asking a few people questions, dropping a few coppers here and there on drinks and such to ease the process.
Geyer: Gather information [1d20+4 = 12]
Most of the people are wrapped up in their own conversations and don't open up much - even a few well-bought drinks don't get you much more than what you've already heard.
Markham Grintz: Hmm...
Markham Grintz: I heard tell they were in already, though I haven't seen them.
Markham Grintz: Yeah, hey -
Markham Grintz: Garret was back in, too - they were gonna go talk about something.
Markham Grintz nods.
Markham Grintz frowns.
Sonadora leans forward anxiously.
Markham Grintz: I wonder what about though... things are sounding a bit bleak around here.
Sonadora: Vida? Was he with them? Was he acting normal?
Sonadora practially climbs up on the counter.
Geyer heads back up to the bar.
Arphaxad looks around for Garrett, but doesn't see him anywhere in the Pavillion.
Markham Grintz leans away from Sonadora, to keep from bumping foreheads.
Markham Grintz: Ah, yeah... yeah, I smelled and saw your wolf.
Markham Grintz: He seemed fine?
Geyer: Markham, do us a right favor would ya? Keep an ear out for stories of animals acting strangely and let me know as much about them as ye can, huh?
Geyer: Diplomacy [1d20+7 = 21]
Sonadora: We have to go to Garret's.
Markham Grintz nods.
Sonadora Tugs on Ranja's hand and breaks into a run.
Markham Grintz: Sure thing Geyer - would be glad to keep you guys informed.
Geyer: Great, great. Much obliged, sir.
As you turn to run, Sonadora -
Ranja stumbles a little as Sonadora drags her.
You hear a low-growl behind you from someone in the pavillion. You turn around just in time to see a man in a green cloak grab another patron and slam his head into the table, instantly knocking him unconscious. The man in the green cloak has his hood pulled forward over his head and the cloak pulled tight around him. Any details are difficult to make out. You can already see his eyes, glowing bright red in the recesses of his hood, looking for another target.
Sonadora gasps and stops, staff ready.
Geyer: Oops, well looks like I'll be repaying that favor quicker than expected, eh?
Geyer: Let me take out yer trash, good sir halfling.
Sonadora: It's infecting people, too!
END SESSION