---

---

A new day dawned in Sandpoint, and even a newcomer to the town could feel an undercurrent of tension amongst its populace.  The attack at the lumber mill had only solidified what had heretofore been considered wild rumors of attacks on outlying farmsteads . . . of scarecrows walking the night . . . of livestock and even family pets found gruesomely killed and gnawed upon . . . even entire families disappearing, with no sign of where they had gone and no evidence that they had packed for any sort of trip.

Now, it must be said that such rumors and stories were not rare in the town of Sandpoint.  Indeed, many of the farmers spent the fallow winter months trading ghost stories of surpassing strangeness at the Dragon, or down at the Hagfish.  But now, with a violent, murderous blows struck at the heart of the town itself, Sandpoint's residents found themselves quite willing to believe even the wildest rumor or story.

And there were many storytellers happy to oblige.

Thus it was that our heroes rose that morning to find that the Dragon's public room was fuller than it had been on almost any morning they could remember.  But the mood in the taproom was far more somber than they could ever recall it before, with groups huddling over their breakfasts, talking in muted voices, and casting suspicious glances at those suspected of listening in to whatever they happened to be talking about.

A tired-looking Ameiko Kaijitsu greeted our heroes as they made their way down the stairs or through the doors from wherever they had slept away the previous evening.  A sumptuous breakfast was prepared, but even the normally-loquacious innkeeper seemed muted and distracted, favoring her guests with only a slight upturning of the lips rather than the broad grin she normally bestowed upon all and sundry.

Sandpoint seemed under seige.  But from what, and from whom, and where it might next be attacked, no one knew.  But it seemed as if almost everyone had a guess.

---

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This message was last edited by the GM at 07:11, Wed 03 Feb 2016.

Kellan came down stares early, his pack already on his shoulder and his pole axe carefully in hand, as not to mar the decor of the groups favorite establishment. After setting it all by the table against the wall he eased into the chair and shook his head. "Your going to go broke Ameiko if your going keep up this kind of generosity..."

The sergeant tucks in immediately and eats like a farm hand, with hefty portions of potatoes, eggs and bacon which vanish by the heaping fork full. He is obviously conscious of the time and eager to get back on the road. Inwardly he tries not to show any anxiety or apprehension to the others in the common room, but in truth it wears on him to see his hometown like this, especially so soon after their last victory. These people deserved peace of mind and security, and the fact that they paid him to provide it was constantly in his thoughts.

"One of the first things that gnomes learn about living with humans is that you're all so attached to things, Stomper.  Money.  Having money.  You even have those words.  'Going broke.'"

Pisca the Strawberry Eating Shark spoke with her chin resting on the edge of the table.  One hand guided a robust, red example of her prey to its doom as she turned her head to one side with the lazy confidence of an apex predator.  With a quick snap of wickedly serrated teeth she savaged the berry, tearing away a huge chunk of red flesh before gliding off to complete her conversation.

"If Ameiko were a gnome we'd just give her money.  Because we like her.  Because we like the Rusty Dragon and we're happy that it's something that she's willing to do for us," Pisca managed to get out around a big Strawberry Eating Shark-sized bite of fruit.

"But, that aside, I think we need to do something about this mood, don't you?"  The gnome stood on the seat of her chair and placed the half-eaten strawberry back on the plate with its whole mates before leaping to the top of the table and raising her arms to the room.

"HULLO, SANDPOINT!" she called out to the Rusty Dragon.  "I'm Pisca Neep Freemish of the Sandpoint Saviors.  You know us!  HULLO!  GOOD MORNING!"

"Having a nice breakfast?  Enjoying the morning?  No?  Well, then I bet you might be wondering what we're doing here all kitted out for travel.  Kellan Ogre Stomp Storval with his famous polearm!  Well, we've heard the rumors.  You know the ones.  Maybe you're talking about those very things even now!  Well, we're going out to find out whether they're true or not.  YES WE ARE!!!  And if they are true ... "  The gnome paused, mustering all of the drama that she could from the pregnant silence.  "If they are, WE'RE GOING TO PUT A STOP TO THEM!!!"

Not sure what sort of roll you might need to inspire the crowd and change their mood.

After waking, Cato took a few minutes to rethink, one more time, what magics he should prepare. Opening his spellbook, he studied Mirror Image, and then took a deep breath, starting to read the arcane words of power and begin the laborious casting that he would finish in a flash if it was needed.  It felt strange to be doing so, as the young mage had studiously avoided all illusion magics since that fateful day with the Hellknights so long ago.  But nothing happened, or seemed to happen to the mage and he worked through the strange words.  He didn't feel any different, but he wasn't sure what he expected to feel.  At the back of his mind, the wizard supposed he was worried he'd be tempted towards the kind of psychic torture that his ex-commanding officer Lucius Winters had so enjoyed.  But Cato shook his head as he completed the last of the preparations and the energies of the spell were safely contained in his mind.  He truly believed that magic was nothing but a tool, and everything was in how you used it.  Paging through his spellbook, he chose another spell and bent over his work, studying it.

Finally done, Cato descended into the common room of the Rusty Dragon, just in time to see Pisca starting her monologue.  Observing the reactions of the patrons, Cato gathered a plate of food, though substantially less than Kellan's generous portions and slumped into a place next to his companion.

After a few bites of the hearty breakfast, Cato leans back, observing Kellan.  "As worried about this as I am?  I'm not sure if Pisca's monologue there is going to help, but it certainly can't hurt.  Sandpoint needs all the encouragement it can get at times like this."

Kellan was a little caught off guard by Piscas impromptu speech and raised a hand, the one not hefting his fork, in acknowledgement. He coupled this with a smile, albeit a sleepy one, that could easily be either been endearing or embarrassing, depending on ones point of view.

Once most of the attention was back on Pisca, or elsewhere he turned to Cato and nodded a few times. He spoke softly, as not to let the others in the room overhear. "Yup...an unknown enemy, capable of attacking from any angle, who has shown a real interest in murdering innocents, or worse yet infecting them. We have all of Sandpoint and the surrounding countryside to protect...and despite the recent troubles with the goblins, it's not exactly a castle...it's a small town for Erastils sake."

He took a bite and chewed, speaking with his mouth still partially full. "Gods willing we'll find something at the manor today that can point us in the right direction...otheriwse it's gonna be a long hard slog as we try to root these things out of the area...underwater...maybe underground. It'll be a mess"

Cato nodded, continuing the conversation with Kellan.  "And even if we find the answer at the Manor, that's not going to be easy.  One of the respected local nobility, turned monster, sending out packs of undead to savage the town?  This is the kind of thing that can turn ugly, fast."

Cato watched the crowd for a moment, trying to gauge their reaction to Pisca's speech.

"Maybe we can buy enough time to get to the bottom of this, but as you say, it's going to be difficult if we have to route out every monster, if they can lie in wait on the bottom of the river and wait for suspicion to pass."

Cato went quiet again, deep in thought.

"I wonder if there's another reason for this.  There was that mysterious stranger we encountered before, with the mask and the card.  And that barghest is still trapped in Thistletop; maybe he found another willing conduit.  We should ask Shalelu what's been happening with the goblin tribes."

---

---

The Rusty Dragon’s hushed and murmured conversations immediately halted when Pisca jumped upon the table to begin her declamation.  The silence continued through her oratory, and for a few seconds after.  Then a haggard-looking farmer Kellan recognized at Pol Thatchweave spoke up from a table near the bar.

“You didn’t stop what happened at the mill!  How are you going to stop something like that?”  A chorus of muttered assents accompanied his question.  “You can’t!”  Pol looked from table to table, wild-eyed.  “We’ve all heard what’s happening!  Scarecrows coming alive and walking the night!  Entire families disappearing from their farms!”  His voice rose to an even-higher pitch.  “Monsters rising from the river, grabbing their victims and dragging them back under until they drown!”

“How are you going to put a stop to that?”  The farmer’s querulous question was this time supported by interjections from others.

“Yes!”

“How?”

“You can’t!”  Pol seemed angry now.  “Will you be at my farm when the scarecrows come?  Or your family’s, Kellan?  Will you be watching my daughter when she’s playing down by the creek?  Or will you be like the guard, who might come to investigate a couple days after something happens, if they even come at all?”

“You are five people!  You can’t be everywhere!  What can you do?”  By this point Ameiko was in the public room, moving towards Pol along with Dannin the bartender.  She said something to the man, but he shook his head violently and continued yelling toward Pisca.  “You.  Can’t.  Do.  SHIT!”  He screamed.  Dannin and Ameiko escorted him towards the door, but he kept yelling over his shoulder.  “You can’t do SHIT!!”

And then he was gone.  Silence reigned for one moment, then two.  Then Ameiko stepped back inside; there was no sign of Dannin.  “I’m sorry, everyone.”  She apologized.  “Please, eat.  Hopefully there will be no more interruptions.”  She gave Pisca a level look.  One by one the conversations in the taproom resumed, but even more hushed and guarded then before.  And now those talking were obviously sneaking guarded looks at the table containing Sandpoint’s Saviors.

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This message was last edited by the GM at 08:24, Sat 06 Feb 2016.

The gnome's silent eyes followed as the human was escorted to the door of the Rusty Dragon and then out.  She seemed lost in thought as the patroness attempted to revive the mood.  Or, perhaps, Pisca just was just simply lost, and attempting to find the bits of herself on the floor, scattered about in the dark.

"I'm sorry, Ameiko."  The gnome hopped off the table and made her way across the room through the deadly barrage of stares and whispers.  She sighed.  "I guess, I just don't understand humans as well as I thought I did."

"We're really going, though.  Into the heart of things, I think.  You see ... " she said, with a look and a lowering of her voice that told the entire room that what she was about to say was secret and not to be overheard by those who might be within earshot.  "We have a map.  It's a map that we think will bring us to the heart of this thing where we can stop it for good."

With that cast upon the winds of rumor like the white fluff from a dandelion, the gnome sighed.  "Though what I truly don't understand is how they can't know, Ameiko.  How they can't know the power that they themselves have.  Look what they've done.  They've already run off the gobbies by banding together to defend themselves.  Have they forgotten that already?  Are they all really as alone in their fear as that man seemed to be?"

This was an occasion for another sigh.  "Humans," said the gnome, and that one word seemed to express the entirety of it.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:20, Mon 08 Feb 2016.

Kellan felt something well up in his breast as Pol embarked upon his rant, an ugly, hot sort of feeling in his gut that made him want to stand up and go slam a mailed fist right into the farmers face. Here they were, risking life, limb and putting everything else aside to try and better this place, to try and solve the problem while his brothers and sisters in the guard worked hours on end trying to provide some piece of mind. The same sorts that had been on the wall when the goblins had come over, the same sorts he had seen buried all too soon. What was Pol doing to help? Who was he to say such things?

But with practiced ease Kellan let out a long breath and felt the tension begin to drain away. This was far from the first time some malcontent had railed at him, and it certainly would not be the last. "Like water off a ducks back" he remembered Alergast saying with a grin years ago, after some degenerate at fat mans had just made some very lurid remarks about the Lieutenants wife. "Don't give them what they want, don't sink to their level."

"He's...just frustrated" Kellan replied to Pisca and Ameiko. "He's certainly not right, but he's not all wrong either. People have died and these are dangerous times...but that's all the more reason to look out for each other. We thought we were in the clear after the goblins, but it turns out that were not...so we just need to all keep it together until we get his sorted out as well."

"But ... but ... people are always dying, Stomper," said the gnome, throwing up her arms in both exclamation and not a little bit of her own frustration.  "And there are always dangers if you open your eyes to look for them!"

"Humans."  She shook her head.  "Such short memories."

---

---

Ameiko gave Pisca an understanding hug, but it was clear that the Rusty Dragon’s proprietor had many things to do, especially after taking time to deal with Pol Thatchweave’s unexpected outburst.  After a few moments, the entire party had packed up their things and headed out the door, followed by the stares and whispers of those still breaking their fast in the public room.

The brisk air of an early Sandpoint morning greeted the group as they stepped outside.  The slight breeze and bright sun made things just a bit cheerier as they headed over to the Goblin Squash Stables, where Dav Hosk—who had stayed the night in the stable to care for Heily and Nettie—met them with fresh horses.

“I do some business renting out mounts to those who need them,” he explained as he handed them each a pair of reins.  “These are some of my best.”  He waved his hand in the air as Kerr started to ask about pricing.  “Don’t worry about it.  Ser Korvaski told me that the League would cover my costs.  Just,” he continued hesitantly, “be careful with them.  He patted the neck of a large brown gelding as he gave its reins to Kerr.  “They’ve been with me for a while.  And I never like to see a horse hurt.”

After assuring Dav that they would take good care of his equine friends, the party mounted up and headed out on the road to Foxglove Manor, known popularly in the area as the “Misgivings.”  It wasn’t hard to hear dark stories about the happenings at the Foxgloves’ 80-year-old ancestral estate, and for years anything that had gone wrong in the area was blamed on supernatural forces emanating from the reputedly-unholy site.

The common belief was that some sort of tragedy had struck the estate decades earlier.  After that incident, the place had been abandoned until about 25 years ago, when Traver Foxglove and his family moved back into the manor for a few years.  Sadly, tragedy struck again; a fire burned down the servants’ building and Traver’s wife Coralie was found dead, her body burnt and dashed below the cliffs behind the house.  Traver himself was found in the bedroom, killed by his own hand.  Their children, including young Aldern, were sent away to be raised in Korvosa by distant relations.

But the Manor’s dark fortunes had seemingly changed when Aldern returned from Korvosa, a wealthy and successful merchant prince.  The young Lord Foxglove had employed many workers and gone through a great deal of effort to renovate both his family’s ancestral estate and its dark reputation.  He’d even thrown a garden party there for some of Magnimar’s leading lights to celebrate the beginning of his restoration effort.

But Aldern’s labors had not been entirely successful.  It wasn’t long before workers refused to stay through the night on the Manor grounds, choosing instead to camp some distance away.  There were reports that they had seen strange lights in the upper windows and—more disturbingly—faint screams from both above and below the house itself.

The renovation effort encountered much difficulty, and was often plagued by mysterious accidents with no known cause.  And apparently construction had completely ceased when Rogors Craesby, who had been managing the effort, vanished without a word of where he had gone.

Or, so went the story.

Pisca, Kellan, and Kerr related various portions of the Manor’s legend as the group trotted through the Ashen Moor on the Lost Coast Road, crossing the Soggy River as they did so.  The stories reached their culmination just as they caught sight of the Foxglove River.  A small path branched off the main road to the left, heading off to the southeast.

“That’s the Whisperwood,” said Kerr, pointing to the forest in whose general direction the path led.  “This is probably the last time we’d be able to turn out and head to the farmsteads, if we want to investigate exactly what those map pins mean.”

“Or,” he continued, pointing up ahead, “the road to Foxglove Manor follows the river up to their estate.  I’ve never been up there but my father told me about it when we visited Magnimar one time.”  He looked uncomfortable.  No child of Sandpoint--even one blessed by the gods--could broach the subject of Foxglove Manor without at least a shiver.  Deserved or no, the estate’s reputation had delved its way deep into the local psyche, in much the same way as a bogeyman might.  When it came to Foxglove Manor, rationality was optional.

Fear was not.

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This message was last edited by the GM at 19:03, Thu 11 Feb 2016.

Cato stared out at the Whisperwood, putting two thoughts together for the first time.  "It just occurred to me: that farmer, Pol, back at the tavern, one of the things he was raving about was scarecrows stealing people from their homes.  I wonder if that could be...connected to the pins?  Perhaps some other ghouls dragging people off, maybe actually disguised as scarecrows, or just farmers mistaking undead in ragged clothes."

Cato shivered and looked ahead.  "Of course, all signs point to the center of all this being Foxglove Manor, and sweeping through the countryside to round up ghouls may not do all that much if they're still being...created there.  But it might slow them down, and bolster the spirits of all the farmers living out here.  And save lives, though ending the threat sooner rather than later probably saves more lives than that."

Cato looked to Liseth and Kerr, trusting in their moral judgement.  "What do you think?"

"The Farmlands are quite extensive," replied the gnome.  She twisted in the saddle for a look to the east across said Farmlands.  "But we could drop in on some of the nearest."

"I think we'll have to anyway.  Sooner or later.  From what I gather from Auggie's notes the old ones make new ones.  So, we'll never stop this completely until we destroy all of them."

To say that Kellan was conflicted would be an understatement. He came from a family of farmers himself, and had worked the land side by side from when he was old enough to pull a weed. Of course he wanted to help, to show up weapon in hand to defend the proverbial homesteads of the many hard working people living in the Sandpoint area.

But his more rational side suggested that the sooner they cut the head off this snake, the better they would all be.

When Pisca brought it up however, he decided to jump on the chance. They did not have to visit every farm, but surely they could check out a few on the way to perhaps shed some light on the meaning of the map?

"Let's do it" Kellan agreed with a nod. "Just a few to see if we can make some sense of those pins, then we can hustle on up to the Manor before the day gets too late."

---

---

"I don't see a problem with that," agreed Kerr.  "I think the first farmstead out here belongs to the Hambleys."  He rolled his eyes.  "Watch out for Mr. Hambley.  He's, um, 'tight-fisted.'  When I was out here helping with that fever that ran through the farmsteads a couple years back--you remember that one, Kellan--he wouldn't even let me in the house to see his own daughter until I assured him that it wouldn't cost him a copper piece.  He's a mean haggler, too.  But as long as he doesn't think we're reaching our hands into his purse it should be okay."  The young paladin chuckled.  "If anyone should know about what's going on out here, it's Mr. Hambley.  Surprised he hasn't already been in town complaining to Mayor Deverin or Ser Jasper."

The party turned off the Lost Coast road and headed out into the farmsteads.  Over three dozen of them dotted the fields and vales southeast of Sandpoint.  Some were more prosperous than others, but it was hard to do too poorly as a farmer in that area; the soil was rich and almost every crop grew well.

The paths connecting the farmsteads were dusty affairs, about ten feet wide, hemmed in by fields of corn and other crops.  Before long the party arrived at the Hambley farmstead, situated in the eaves of the Whisperwood.  Other than the quiet, it seemed to be a beautiful day.  But despite it being very late in the harvest season, there didn’t seem to be any workers in the fields.  The corn was as high as an elephant’s eye as they followed the path into the fields, finding a scarecrow at an intersection that allowed them to continue on straight, head to the right, or go to the left.

"Strange that they don't have anyone out here working," Kerr said, looking around with concern.  "The harvest should really be over by now."  He waved at the tall stalks of corn.  "But it doesn't look like they've even started."

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This message was last edited by the GM at 22:33, Fri 12 Feb 2016.

"Wait."  The gnome slid from the back of her borrowed pony - the one she had studiously refused to give a name.

"Scarecrow," was the single word she gave, the only one that provided any clue to her intent.  With exaggerated caution and stealth she crept up on the construction of cloth and straw, circling around to its back.  Then, with a tentative finger, she poked it in the calf.

---

---

Pisca slowly and carefully crept up to the scarecrow, moving to approach it from the back.  Silence reigned over the party while the gnome stole forward, everyone's breath held in the back of their throat as Pisca--using her small hand--prodded the inert-seeming thing in the leg.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!"

Everyone jumped but the scarecrow.  Kerr was laughing, slumped over the pommel of his horse's saddle.  "I'm sorry," he said as he straightened up, wiping the tears from his eyes as a few wayward chuckles continued to escape him.  "Everyone was just so . . . serious!  It just seemed . . . ."  He took a deep breath.  "I'm sorry."  He grinned.  "But it was funny, right?"

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This message was last edited by the GM at 07:59, Sun 14 Feb 2016.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!" the gnome shouted for a second time.  The first one had been considerably less voluntary, and, as such, was of higher pitch and contained a considerably greater volume of surprise.  This, the second one, was performed to see how funny the first one had been, as it had been hard to tell at the time through all of the startlement.

"I dunno, Kerr Mollin," the gnome replied, her voice very serious, her mien very much carrying the weight of critical judgement.  "Doesn't taste very funny to me.  "Though, it was certainly very startling.  The first time."

"Well, this one doesn't seem very dangerous to me.  Which way is the house," asked the gnome, very much down in the Valley of Corn.

---

---

"Well," Kerr replied, looking back and forth at their three options, "I'm pretty sure you can get to the farmhouse any way you go.  But I think the shortest path would be to the right."  He pointed at the trail in that direction.  "The farmhouse is somewhere over there," he waved to the southwest.

---

---

"I ... I think ... I think I want this.  I want to take this scarecrow with us."  Some ideas take a while to convince themselves that they're *good* ideas.  "It ... It could come in handy.  If ... if people think that the ghouls are scarecrows, maybe the ghouls will think a scarecrow is a ghoul too."

"Yeah.  Yeah.  That sounds useful."  She hopped and jumped and hopped before grabbing hold of the material of the pant leg.  There she hung, suspended over the ground, gripping the fabric with both hands.

"Uh ... could I get some help here?"

Cato yelped along with the rest of the group, the not even realizing until Kerr's prank how much tension had been building in the air.  Maybe I'm taking Pol's ranting entirely too seriously, the wizard thought to himself.  Probably just a bunch of farmers swapping stories about what's happening.

Cato watched the corn wave in the breeze and Pisca tried to pull down the scarecrow.  Was it strange that there was no one out here harvesting?  Or was everyone just saying inside because word of the attacks had gotten around?  Either way, merely the fear of these attacks, whether or not they actually manifested, could have dire consequences for Sandpoint.  For the first time, Cato wondered about the town's food supply.  If all these crops lay unharvested in the field, would there be enough food come winter?  The wizard shook his head.

"We've got to get to the bottom of this.  Let's check out the farmhouse, then continue on toward Foxglove Manor."

---

---

While Cato pondered the mystery of the un-harvested fields, Kerr and Kellan dismounted to help Pisca with the scarecrow.  After its bindings were cut, and a brief moment of comedy as it fell on Kerr’s head, they managed to get the straw simulacrum slung over the gnome’s steed.

“I think you’re right, Cato,” Kerr agreed as Liseth helped him remove random pieces of straw from his hair, stifling a giggle as she did so.  “Let’s get to the farmhouse, figure out what’s going on out here, then get up to the manor.”  He looked up at the midday sun.  “I’m not sure we want to get there too late in the day.”

The party re-mounted their horses and turned right, heading through the tall, ripe ears of corn in the general direction of where they now knew the farmhouse to be.  From atop their horses, the human members of the party could see the roofs of the farm buildings slowly come into view off to the southwest, right where Kerr had said they were.

As they approached yet another intersection in the field paths, they saw a second scarecrow silently guarding the fields from the predations of airborne scavengers.

But as they neared this scarecrow, it proved to be more . . . lively than the one that now lay slung over Pisca’s pony.  When Kerr, who was—as the person most familiar with this particular farm—in the lead, was about 25 feet from the scarecrow, it let out one of the most awful wails any of them had ever heard, flailing about as it struggled against the wooden frame to which it was bound.

The horses whinnied in fear as the frame tore apart and the scarecrow dropped to the ground.  It was dressed in cast-off farm clothes and had a canvas bag over its head, with holes for the creature’s eyes and mouth.  It let out another scream, scaring the horses even further, and began running full-speed toward the group, its wheezing, tortured breaths a counterpoint to the pounding of its footsteps.

OOC:  Roll for initiative.  If you beat a 12, you may act.  Your new mounts are not combat-trained, and the ravening, screeching scarecrow is freaking them out.  Everyone needs to make a DC20 Ride check to act in the combat round, otherwise you spend your action controlling your mount.

Since there is just one opponent and no real obstacles in the area, I don’t think we need to head to a map here.  If you beat its initiative and make your ride check, it’s well within your move distance, although it’s far enough away to require a move action if you wish to close with it.

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This message was last edited by the GM at 23:00, Wed 17 Feb 2016.

"*WAH!*"  It wasn't as though the attack of the animated scarecrow was much of a surprise.  They'd been warned, after all.  And Pisca, despite the limp and placid normality of the scarecrow draped across the withers of her borrowed pony, still held out hope for magically alive scarecrows, regardless of the danger that they might represent.

"*WAH!*  Get it off!  Get it off!"  No.  It wasn't so much surprise that kept the gnome from responding heroically to the attack.  Rather, it was trying to twist about in the saddle on the rearing pony to see if the scarecrow that she'd brought along had come to life as well.

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 5.  Initiative.  (Nat1, BTW.)

Kellans curse was lost beneath the frantic whinnying of their mounts'but his face showed more anger than fear. With his pole axe gripped in his off hand he looked about for a good place to dismount, his chainmail jingling to his horses panicked steps.

17:27, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 20 using 1d20+1.  Ride Check.
17:26, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 6 using 1d20+2.  Initiative.

Relieved after encountering the first real scarecrow, Cato was completely surprised by the appearance of an actual ghoul.  "Ah!" was all he could manage.

07:58, Today: Cato Crispin rolled 7 sing 1d20+6.  Init.
Following in Pisca's illustrious footsteps!

---

---

Amidst the otherwise pastoral setting, chaos reigned.  The group's horses, wide-eyed with fear, bucked and shied from the onrushing scarecrow.  Kerr's steed, mouth flecked with spittle, whinnied in terror as it attempted to turn and run from the oncoming abomination--the paladin could not even draw his weapon.  Liseth's horse wasn't doing much better, rearing in panic and requiring the small blonde to devote all her attention just to remaining ahorse.

The scarecrow had no such issues.  It leaped at Kerr's horse, causing it to scream in pain and distress as it sunk its razor-sharp teeth into the gelding's neck.  The scarecrow flung its head back, its bloodstained jaws letting forth an eerie, unsettling, ululating cry of victory.

OOC:

KERR MOLLIN:

10:10, Today: Kerr Mollin rolled 11 using 1d20+6.  Ride Check.
10:10, Today: Kerr Mollin rolled 16 using 1d20+5.  Initiative.

LISETH THORADIN:

10:08, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Liseth Thoradin, rolled 13 using 1d20+6.  Ride Check.
10:07, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Liseth Thoradin, rolled 13 using 1d20+1.  Initiative.

SCARECROW:

10:50, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Kerr's Horse, rolled 14 using 1d20+6.  Fortitude Save v. Paralysis.
10:48, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Scarecrow, rolled 5 using 1d6+1.  Damage to Kerr's Horse.
10:48, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Scarecrow, rolled 7 using 1d20+3.  Critical Confirmation.
10:47, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Scarecrow, rolled 23 using 1d20+3.  Attack on Kerr's Horse.  (ANOTHER 20!?!?)

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---

"Whoa, pony.  Whoa, pony.  STOP, STOP STOP!" the gnome shouted as her mount continued to buck and shy.

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 13.  Ride Check.

Cato's mount likewise reared, and it was all the wizard could do to maintain his seat on the bucking, fearful horse.

"Ah!  Come on, horse!  I can't let anything happen to you!  Dav will want to squash me."

10:04, Today: Cato Crispin rolled 6 using 1d20+2.  Ride Check.

Kellan managed to dismount, swinging one bot easily over the saddle to come down with a clatter on the other side. He took a few staggering steps to get his bearing as he pitched forward and ran towards whatever was latched onto the panicked horse before he cocked back and let fly with a horizontal blow of his pole arm.

15:13, Yesterday: Kellan Storval rolled 17 using 2d4+13.  Damage.
15:12, Yesterday: Kellan Storval rolled 23 using 1d20+11.  Reach Power Attack .

---

---

Kellan seemed to be the only one who could do anything amidst the rearing horses and the muttered curses of their riders.  Dav Hosk himself could not have done any better as the guardsman calmed his new steed, slid from the saddle and--after recovering his balance--solidly connected with the scarecrow just as it was about to take another bite out of Kerr's steed.  The creature, literally poleaxed, immediately dropped to the ground, dead.

Kerr managed to calm his horse, quickly dismounting to see to its injury.  But Liseth was there first, reaching into her healing kit to salve and bind its wounds.  After giving her an appreciative smile, Kerr knelt to unmask the scarecrow, pulling and tugging at the canvas bag over its face for a few seconds before it finally came off.

The face of the scarecrow was startlingly similar to that of Grayst.  Kerr stood, a disquieted look on his face.  "It's another ghoul," he said, grimacing.  "Looks like it turned recently.  I can't tell if it's one of the Hambleys or not, but . . ."  His voice trailed off into silence as he looked up at the shattered frame to which the thing had been bound.  "Putting them up as scarecrows?  Having them turn out in the sun, thirsty and hungry?  I'd say whoever did this enjoys causing others to suffer."

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 08:14, Sun 21 Feb 2016.

"You think?  Like someone who writes letters addressed to you and puts them on bloody corpses?"  After calming her own horse and then quickly dismounting, the gnome had similarly tugged and wrestled with the hood of the first scarecrow that lay across the withers of her pony.  Only after pulling off the sack and finding nothing but the plain husks of corn had she breathed more easily.  With a waggle of her finger and the admonition that her mount had been a bad pony, Pisca had then joined the others.

"Well, it can't have been up there long," the gnome continued, shifting from her wry commentary on The Boyfriend's connection to the mysterious Your Lordship to something that might be somewhat more constructive.  "Did you see how quickly it got itself down from there?  If it could have gotten down earlier, it would have."  Kneeling beside the body, she began to strip it down, examining the clothing and the body.

"Look again, Kerr Mollin.  You too, Stomper.  Some things don't change well.  Height.  Whether this was a man or a woman.  Fat or lean.  If we can figure out who this was, we know how far he or she was taken to be but up here."  She talked as she worked, straightening the body as she checked its pockets and removed its clothing.

"Besides, somebody's going to want to know eventually.  For the burial if nothing else."

Perception 26 (Taking 10) to search the body for clues as to its identity.

---

---

“Yeah, a little like that,” Kerr chuckled mirthlessly, still looking up at the broken frame.  “But we don’t know for certain that whoever did this,” he pointed at the frame’s ruins, “is the same person pinning notes to dead people.”

“And I don’t know if it could have gotten down or not,” the young paladin transferred his gaze back to the motionless scarecrow.  “It didn’t even look like it was trying until we approached, did it?”

Liseth—who had just finished bandaging Kerr’s horse—walked over to take her own look at their fallen opponent.  “Looks male,” she said, her sorrowful voice sounding like she’d rather be anywhere else.  “Adult.  Medium height.  Fit.”  She put a comforting hand on Kerr’s shoulder.  “Do you know him?”

“If I do, I can’t tell,” Kerr said, frowning at the corpse.  “Could be a farmhand, but Hambley was generally too cheap to hire farmhands—if at all possible, he did things himself or had his children do them.  Although it was harvest season, so who knows?”  He looked troubled.  “But if this is a farmhand that could mean that whoever is doing this is bringing their,” he struggled for a word, “catch back here.  I have no idea why, or what that would mean.”

---

---

"Some day, all people will carry identification on their person," declared the gnome.  Though she offered nothing further to substantiate her claim.

"There's a tattoo of a butterfly on the back of this one's neck," she added.  "See for yourself.  Does that sound familiar to anyone here?"

Kellans head jerked back towards Pisca as she mentioned the tattoo. "A butterfly on the neck?" he took a few steps closure and knelt down to have a look. It took him just a few moments, moving the head with the but of his weapon before he nodded. "Yeah I know him, name of Kirt...pulled him out by the scruff some months back...got into it down at the Hagfish and well...anyway." he stopped himself before he got too far off track. "He was a hired hand out on some of the properties out west of the Soggy..." he shook his head "Didn't deserve this in any case, that's for sure."

"The Soggy River," mused the gnome.  "That's not too far away from here."

"Poor human."  She stood and stepped away.  "You're right, Stomper.  No matter what he might have done in his life, he didn't deserve this.  Any man who likes butterflies can't be all bad."

"I think we have our answer.  I don't think that your Mister Hambley could help but notice something like this hanging in his field.  And, what with the crops unattended."  Pisca shook her head.  The implications were not favorable.

"Is the Hambley place far, Kerr Mollin?" she asked.  "If it's not too far, we might as well walk our ponies the rest of the way."

The butterfly tattoo on the neck of a man turned ghoul seemed to Cato to be the most incongruous thing he could have possibly imagined.

"What kind of man had a butterfly tattooed on his neck?  Was he a fallen acolyte of Desna?"

Cato shook his head.  "I'm sorry, it's not that important.  It's the little details that stick out, that remind me that these were all real people before all this..." Cato waved his arms around, gesturing at the unharvested fields and the fallen undead at their feet.

He clenched his jaw again, motioning towards the farmhouse.  "We should finish this quickly."

---

---

“Not far enough that I’d want to risk repeating what just happened when Kirt attacked us,” Kerr allowed.  He felt using the man’s name might somehow return a portion of the human dignity he’d had stripped by his ghoulish transformation.

Kerr looked down at the man as Cato wondered about the tattoo.  “You know, I think . . . I think I’ve seen him at chapel services.  Kept to himself, but he could have been one of the faithful.  It’s not unusual for them to get butterfly tattoos.  They think it brings Desna’s blessings.”  The young man’s face crumpled slightly as he regarded Kirt’s motionless form.  “It didn’t work this time.  Or maybe,” his voice got softer, as if talking to himself, “maybe her servants just weren’t fast enough.”

The paladin peered down the path they were traveling, shaking his head as Pisca pronounced her prediction regarding the Hambleys’ fate.  “I . . . I think you’re probably right.”  He looked back up at the frame for a final time.  “Things don’t look good for them.”  He nodded at Cato.  “Yes.  Let’s finish this.”

The group headed on the way they were going for about another 200 yards, with the rooftops of the farm buildings growing larger to their right.  They went a little past where the buildings were located before they found a path heading in that direction.  After about a hundred feet it emptied out into a large clearing.

The farmhouse and its outbuildings were nestled in the western eaves of the Whisperwood, a forest said to be home to capricious gnomes, pixies, and other fey.  The house was a two-story affair with a wide porch surrounding a serviceable-looking residence.  The barn, located about 50 feet away from the house, would have been a completely unremarkable L-shaped structure if it had not been constructed around a unique feature—a 12-foot-high stone head, canted slightly to the left, that depicted a helmed warrior, his face a stern model of determination.

Much of the weathered figure was covered with moss, making his features hard to discern.  “That’s the Stone Warrior,” Kerr informed the group with a bit of embarrassment.  “Mister Hambley decided to use it as a support for his barn because it was too large to move and the League wouldn’t let him destroy it.”

The group found an empty hitching post in the south portion of the clearing, a few feet from where the path through the overgrown fields ended.  They tethered their horses, grabbed whatever they needed from the saddlebags, and started towards the buildings.  Everything was quiet.  Not even the sounds of birds or small woodland animals disturbed the eerie silence.

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17|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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21|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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23|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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25|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |C |L |
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26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |R |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

p = Porch

s = Stone Warrior

This message was last edited by the GM at 21:19, Tue 23 Feb 2016.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Cato found himself chuckling when Kerr pointed out the Stone Warrior.

"It's a good thing they didn't let him destroy it!  That's a Thassilonian artifact!  And he's using it as..." Cato laughed out loud again, "Using it as a support beam for a wall.  Does Brodert know about that?  He'd probably be crushed!"

Cato looked at the figure again.

"Though I suppose it's better used as that than torn down.  Hambley's desire to cut costs may have preserved a priceless relic."

Cato shook his head as they approached the house.  He stopped for a moment, drawing out a piece of cured leather from his pouch and whispering: "[Language unknown: Bleantder.]"  For a moment, his form briefly shimmered, as though surrounded by a swarm of tiny blue fireflies, which quickly faded away.

Cato looked at the others.  "Just want to be prepared in case we find any more...surprises in there.  And it should still be working when we get to Foxglove's place if we don't."

OOC: Cast Mage Armor.  AC 16.  Duration: 5 hours
This message was last edited by the player at 16:37, Thu 25 Feb 2016.

"Spooky spooky," said the gnome.  "Time for Whisper Magic," she added.  But then, for some reason, inexplicable and all her own, said, "No.  Not this time."  And she slunk off into the corn at the edge of the clearing.  Her bow came off her back and an arrow nocked itself on its string.  Silent as a gliding owl, Pisca rounded the clearing, her eyes peering for signs of Ghoul.

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 32.  Stealth.
Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 28.  Perception.

Double Move (Half Speed for Stealth).  Drawing bow as part of action.

Position: Z20

"Can't seem to even plow a field around here without hitting a pot or some other ancient thing." Kellan replied offhand as he moved forward cautiously, weapon in hand towards the statue and the construction around it. Truth be told Kellan could be a little intimidated by Catos knowledge at times, and it was kind of fun to play up the difference between their respective educations.

NOTE:  WE ARE NOT IN COMBAT ROUNDS BUT AS YOU CAN SEE WE DO HAVE A MAP.  SINCE WE'RE NOT IN COMBAT, YOU CAN MOVE AS FAR AS YOU WANT (JUST STOP IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO OPEN A DOOR OR SEARCH SOMETHING).  BUT PLEASE NOTE YOUR POSITION ON THE MAP AFTER EACH POST.

---

---

The group slowly moved its way across the well-tended farmhouse lawn.  A dirt track led from what seemed to be a pasture towards the big double doors of the barn.  The building itself stood a good 25 feet high, but despite its reputation the outsized Thassilonian face making up the southwest portion of the structure took no notice of the five figures approaching it.

The dead quiet pervading the area became more and more noticeable the longer it lasted.  Only an infrequent breeze ruffling distant leaves brought any relief to the oppressive silence, and even that only emphasized the eerie lack of any natural sounds whatsoever.

The track ended at a pair of barn doors that stood slightly ajar.  After looking around for confirmation.  Kellan hesitantly used his polearm to pull open the portal on the right.  Its sudden creaking seemed so loud--when contrasted with the silence that had gone before--that everyone jumped.

No sooner had the door been opened than the group was assaulted by a noxious stench worthy of the worst charnel houses.  Everyone involuntarily put a hand, or a cloth, or whatever they could up to their faces in an attempt to ward off the terrible smell.

The light streaming in through the doors revealed exactly the sort of scene one would expect from such a disgusting odor.  It seemed as if every single animal in the barn had been killed in the most horrific fashion--ripped and slashed apart while they still lived.  Ribbons of flesh still hung off some of the carcasses, and bones lay strewn about the floor in a haphazard fashion, sometimes two or three deep.  The whole scene invited comparisons with the wretched hellscapes dreamed up by the demented imagination of the famous Korvosan artist Salvatore Scream.

Unable to look at the evidence of such cruelty and pain, Liseth--her eyes welling with tears--ducked her head into Kerr's shoulder.  But rather than snuggle into the crook of his arm, she almost immediately knelt down to examine something on the ground.

"Human-sized creatures have been using these doors," she informed the others, just happy to have something normal on which she could concentrate.  She turned and followed the tracks out of the barn.  "It looks like some of them go that way," she pointed towards the pasture to which the path led, "and some of them lead there."

Her finger pointed at the silent farmhouse, whose darkened windows suddenly seemed to stare out at the landscape like a many-eyed mantis waiting patiently for its next foolish prey.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--s--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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5 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--sssssxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |P |K |  |  |  |  x  |
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9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |C |  |  |  x  |
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10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |R |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |L |  |  |  |  |  |
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14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
17|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
19|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
21|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
22|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
23|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
24|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
25|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

p = Porch

s = Stone Warrior

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 18:46, Fri 26 Feb 2016.

"Well, we know where they aren't.  That's something."  The gnome's eyes had strayed to her borrowed pony.  This, despite the fact that she'd vowed not to become attached.

"Lets bring the ponies in closer and then check the house first," she suggested.  "No telling how far the one's who wandered into the fields have gone.  "First, though.  Whisper Magic."  She put her finger to her lips and urged the others to silence with a shushing noise.  She spoke the word of power and tied each to her with a point of her finger.

"Lets go."

After bringing her pony around to the corner of the house, the gnome mounted the porch and, raised on her toes, peeked into a few windows.  Then, coming around to the front of the house, she listened at the door.

Retether the mounts around the corner of the house (P16-ish)

Cast Message on all.

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 22.  Stealth.
Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 24.  Perception.

Position: H16

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Cato froze when he became of the scene inside the barn.  "What...why...who?"  It was all the mage could do but splutter half-formed questions.  He stared in shock until Liseth brought his attention back to the moment.  Reading about horrible tragedies and slaughter in the past was one thing, the mage thought, but prepares you little for actually encountering something like this in the real world.

The young wizard tried to control his gagging and backed out of the barn, looking toward the empty house with trepidation.  Using Pisca's whisper magic, Cato sent out his silent query to his friends: "How many of those things do you think it took to kill those animals?  Just one?  A few?"  Cato tied up his horse with shaking hands, following Pisca to the porch, glad for whatever protection his spells would offer.

He looked to Kellan, glad for the confident way the guardsman carried his weapon.  "You seemed to handle that last ghoul well.  If there's more inside, I've learned a few tricks that can help you, but I'd rather save it for something dire, since my most powerful magics can only be used sparingly.  I have a feeling the one behind all this, Foxglove or whoever else it might be, has built up a small army of ghouls."

Position: G15
Active Effects: Mage Armor.  AC 16.  Duration: 5 hours
This message was last edited by the player at 03:14, Tue 01 Mar 2016.

Liseth gratefully left the bloody barn behind to focus on the farmhouse.  The terrible scene was not one that would be easy to forget; the acolyte could only hope that the interior of the farmhouse was not in a similar state.

All of the humanoid footprints in the area did nothing to assuage her concerns.  Liseth worried they would be ambushed by ravening ghouls at any moment.  She stayed so close to Kerr that she might as well have been a second skin.

"Wait...wait"  The little blonde whispered through the aid of Pisca's magic.  "Let me see if I can...can...tell if there's undead hiding inside the house.  Before we do anything else."

"Sarenrae, reveal the presence of wicked undead hiding within this house."  Liseth prayed as she held Sarenrae's symbol before herself.  And she stood behind Pisca and the others with eyes turned towards the house and her face deep in concentration.

She didn't know whether or not finding anything would make her feel more or less apprehensive.

Position: H 14

Cast Detect Undead
Concentrate Detect Undead towards Farmhouse; at least two rounds to determine numbers, 3 rounds for positions if possible.

Active Effects: Detect Undead; Concentration/50 Minutes

OOC: Detect Undead should be able to penetrate barriers of wood up to 3 feet thick; depending on how thick these walls are it should reveal anything within most of the interior of the building.  Unless it's lined in lead anyway.

"Four..."  As it turned out, discovering that there was undead within the house only increased Liseth's anxiety.  She swallowed, "There's four undead inside the house.  I can...see their aura."  The blonde acolyte continued to concentrate.

"They're in the center of the house.  All four of them seem to be together."  Liseth made sure that she wasn't the closest one to the house.  "I don't know what they could be doing.  Waiting for something?"

"Um...Kerr..."  Liseth whispered uncertainly.  "How many people...how big is Mr Hambley's family?"

Position H13

Kellan nodded to Cato and seemed ready to take point as they entered the house, but Liseths words gave him pause as he weighed her council and marveled at the powers the young woman had been developing as of late.

"Four?..." Kellan thought back to how many they could reasonably expect to be in the home. If it was as he expected, a few other options might present themselves.

"I don't suppose your gifts work on the living as well?" he asked mentally. "Because if there is nobody else in there I'd rather not take the chance...houses can be rebuilt, we can't" He suggested grimly.

---

---

At Pisca’s behest, the party brought their horses closer to the house.  Due to the lack of any designated tethering place, the group was forced to tether their mounts to the beams supporting the verandah.  The animals’ whinnying during this process seemed incredibly loud given the otherwise complete lack of sounds in the area.

The gnome’s reconnoiter around the house was less successful.  The windows were all covered with curtains, preventing her from seeing anything within.  And if there were undead inside, as Liseth said, they didn’t seem to be making any noise.  ‘

“Mister Hambley had a wife, three sons, and two daughters,” Kerr replied to Liseth as he walked up to her after tethering his horse.  He gave the house a mournful look.  “But I don’t know if they’ve been turned or not.  Could be they were just used as,” his complexion turned a shade paler, “food for the others.”

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
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1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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2 |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--s--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--sssssxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxDDDDDDDDxxxxxxxxxx--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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12|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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13|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |L |R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |C |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |P |K |  |  |  |  |  | Y|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
17|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
19|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
21|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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22|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
23|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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24|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
25|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
27|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

p = Porch                  H = Horse

s = Stone Warrior          Y = Pony

---

---

The look on Pisca's face said that she was giving the idea some serious thought.  "Burn it down.  Right?  That's what you're thinking.  Right, Stomper?"

"Burn it down."

"*Burn* it down."

"Burn *IT* down."

"Burn it *DOW-OW-OW-OWN*."

The gnome tasted each variation of the idea with little nods of her head to indicate the wisdom in each flavor.

"No.  I don't think that's a good idea.  Look at all the corn around here," she said as she reached over one shoulder and accepted her kit of tools from within her magic bag.  "If that catches fire, I don't think we'd be the only ones in trouble."

She had said this quite out loudly, having abandoned all attempts at stealth when their mounts had refused to speak in softer voices themselves.

"Nope.  First, I think," Pisca continued, switching the conversation to Whisper Magic, "I think what I'll do is make sure they can't use this door.  Then we'll go around to the back where they'll only be able to come at us from one direction."

Jam door shut.  (Taking 10 w/Masterwork Tools = 23)

Position: H17 (If not interrupted at some point: H25)

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Cato nodded and responded using the whisper magic: "I agree.  I don't think we can risk it.  Plus, there's always the chance that someone is still alive in there.  Or maybe...maybe starting to turn, but could still be saved.  Kellan, do you want some magical assistance for this fight?  I could use some of my less-powerful spells now, and save the more powerful ones for later.  I could make you stronger, or make it harder for any evil to hit you."

"No..." Liseth responded to Kellan, "No, I can't see the living.  Not the same way as the undead.  I don't know if anyone inside is alive."  The little blonde frowned; After seeing the carnage within the barn, it was doubtful that anyone living was within the house.  Especially with four undead lurking inside.

"But...maybe Mr Hambley and his family were gone already...and the undead moved in when their house was empty?"  She asked hopefully.  "Wait, no...we can't burn it down!  What if...what if there was an important clue about the undead?"

"Will that work, Pisca?"  The acolyte watched the gnome go to jam the door closed, "The undead are strong...and these ones are clever if they can think to disguise themselves like scarecrows."  She looked at the windows around the farmhouse, "If they wanted to get out, they could just break a window."

"What if...we lured them out to us?  Into a trap?"

---

---

Pisca moved up and did her work on the northernmost door; there seemed to be no response from within the house.  A light, intermittent breeze blew as she moved carefully around the house to the front door.  Cato, Liseth, and Kerr hung back at the northern part of the house, keeping an overwatch.

"Do you think we should head over to the other side of the house with Pisca?"  Kerr asked in a low voice, keeping an eye on the house the entire time.  The silence surrounding the farmstead and the knowledge of what lurked inside the house made them all speak and move quietly, and with deliberation.  He had his bow out and an arrow nocked, but there was no sign that the house was even occupied at all, much less than anyone--or anything--that might be inside had discovered their presence.

Kellan, for his part, had taken a wide berth around the house, around the horses, to try and keep the jangling of his metal armor from alerting the undead.  He carefully stepped up onto the farmhouse's wide porch before kneeling next to Pisca, his polearm in one hand.  "Well?"  He whispered to Pisca.  "Anything?"

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--s--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--sssssxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxDDDDDDDDxxxxxxxxxx--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |L |R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |C |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Y|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
17|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
19|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
21|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
22|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
23|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
24|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
25|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |P |K |  |  |  |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
27|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

p = Porch                  H = Horse

s = Stone Warrior          Y = Pony

---

---

"Nothing.  I don't hear anything inside," replied the gnome, sending her answer to Stomper to the others as well through her Whisper Magic.  "But I can't imagine that they haven't heard us yet.  We've been pretty deliberately noisy enough already.  I think they're keeping quiet and waiting to ambush us inside."  So said the gnome.

"And do you know what else I think?  I think we should return the favor.  I think someone should create a distraction at the back door where you and Cato and Boyfriend are right now, Lys.  That's where we've been making all of the noise so far, and that's probably where they think all of us are now.  The rest of you sneak around to the front where Stomper and I am now.  Once the distraction starts, we charge in the front door and take them from behind."

"Brilliant, right?" said the gnome rhetorically, of her own tactical prowess.  "What do the rest of you think of what I think?"

Position: H17

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Cato pondered for a second, then replied to the gnome: "I think that makes sense, if it's possible to fool them, and if they aren't already watching you at the front door.  Given that it's undead we're facing, I'm probably the least important part of the attack.  Liseth and Kerr can do a lot more against that sort of foe than I can, while you and Kellan hold them off."

The mage grimaced.  "While I don't relish the thought of making myself a target of a ghoul attack, that's probably the best way to go about this.  If it comes to that, I can lob another fireball their way and wait for you all to take them from behind."

"That's good, thinking, Cato," encouraged the gnome.  "And don't worry, I've jammed that door shut.  You'll have plenty of warning if they should try to come out that door to get you."

"Alright Pisca."  Liseth agreed with the hasty plan, "If we can catch these undead by surprise like that, maybe we can destroy them before anyone gets hurt."  It wasn't difficult to recall the horrible disease which these undead could spread to their victims.

"Let's go Kerr,"  the girl whispered, "Around the back of the house with Pisca and Kellan.  We'll need to help their ambush."  Liseth clutched her holy symbol as she followed around the house to the other door.  There was something she could do to help in this coming battle and she had to be ready.

"Are we ready?"  She asked quietly, getting anxious about the next few minutes, "What is Cato going to do as a distraction?"

From her new position, the blonde acolyte fixed her focus on the farmhouse again.  To see if she could detect anything new before an attack was committed.

Location: H 26

Active effects:
Detect Undead

"That's a good question, Lys."  Whisper quiet, the reply went back.  "I'll ask."

"Cato, what are you going to do as a distraction?  Make it big, and tell us when you've done it."

"Are we ready?  Ready?"  Pisca's whispered voice betrayed a patina of anxiousness through her repetition as she stood ready to throw open the door.  "Are we ready?"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:09, Wed 09 Mar 2016.

After Liseth and Kerr moved around to the other side of the house with the rest, Cato nervously approached the front door, trying to make his approach as loud and conspicuous as possible, without trying to sound like he was setting up a trap.  The mage had never really thought about how much noise you made when walking up onto a wooden porch, and kept second-guessing his awkward steps, wondering if they sounded over loud.

Eventually, he made it to the door.  "Ready?" he thought to Pisca and the rest.

After getting the response, Cato pounded on the door.  "Hambley!  You in there?  Something's going on out here!  Something go to all your animals!  Come out and help me, man!"

Cato continued pounding.

"That should get their attention!"

Edit: Of course, Cato has to move to H17 to knock on the door
This message was last edited by the player at 16:50, Thu 10 Mar 2016.

"We hear you, Cato," the gnome whispered as the ruckus from the back of the house drifted to them at the front.  "We're going inside."

Gnomish hands eased the front door open and a gnomish head poked its way through the crack in the door for a look inside.

Open Front Door and look inside.
Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 30.  Perception.
Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 18.  Stealth.

Position: H25

Active Effects: Message on all 50m
This message was last edited by the player at 17:09, Thu 10 Mar 2016.

---

---

Kerr helped Liseth to move around the house as quickly and silently as she could.  Kellan gave them a curt nod as they arrived, quickly returning his attention to the door, knuckles white as he gripped his polearm.  Liseth moved up behind Pisca--Kerr took up a position behind the blonde acolyte, longbow out and arrow nocked, ready for anything.

Pisca gently cracked the door open as the startling sound of Cato's pounding and yelling reverberated and recoiled through the previously-silent area.

The gnome peered past the door, finding an unassuming sitting room, complete with small couch, three chairs, and an end table, although they were scattered about near the door as if they had just entered the room themselves.  Double doors stood directly across from the entrance, while two smaller side doors led off to the east and west.  The furniture all looked handmade--the Hambleys had probably used the nearby Whisperwood to supply their lumber needs.  Two landscapes hung from either wall next to the side doors--one was quite good but the other, which tried to capture the farmhouse and the barn, was clearly amateurish.

It would have been the very picture of pastoral bliss if it hadn't been for the evident signs of conflict.  A large quantity of what looked like blood stained the floors, furniture, and walls.  Gouges in the wall looked as if they could have been made by weapons or claws.  Whatever had happened here, it almost certainly hadn't been pretty.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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2 |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--s--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--sssssxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxDDDDDDDDxxxxxxxxxx--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Y|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
17|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |C |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
19|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
21|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
22|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--xxxxDDxxxx--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
23|  p  x  |  |  |  D  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
24|  p  x  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
25|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |P |K |  |  |  |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |L |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
27|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

p = Porch                  H = Horse

s = Stone Warrior          Y = Pony

---

---

"Bad in here," whispered the gnome, even as she pushed the front door completely open and moved directly and with purpose to the far door.

"Small room.  Door directly opposite.  Two doors to either side.  I'm going to work my way toward Cato as quickly as possible," she added.

She opened the second door as she had the first.  It was hard to move quietly at the pace she was going.  But they were going to be discovered sooner or later.  And soon, the Deaders would catch on to Cato's diversion as well.  She'd rather have the former than the later.

Open Door @ H23 and look inside.
Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 35.  Perception.
Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 17.  Stealth.

Position: H23

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Cato nodded and kept up his diversion, pounding on the door and shouting for help from the Hambleys.

"How smart are these undead, anyway?  Does the process change the person at all?  I mean, is it going to be the Hambleys we find itself, just twisted into wanting to kill all living things?  Can they think and plan and set up a trap for us?  Or are they just feral creatures?"

Cato was silent, even to the whisper magic, for awhile longer.

"Sorry, just the sort of idle questions that run through a scholar's head when he's offered himself up as a trap for a band of bloodthirsty ghouls."

Liseth moved slowly and anxiously to follow Piscaand enter the house; hoping that Cato's distraction was enough to keep them from being discovered right away.  Terrible things had happened in this house.  If it was anything at all like the barn, the girl didn't know whether she had the stomach to see what was further inside.

But they would have to, regardless.

Once through the door, the little acolyte stepped aside and clutched her holy symbol tightly.  The gods' power was the only thing that she had to defend herself against the undead hiding in this house and she would have to be ready to call upon it to protect herself and her friends.

"Holy power conquers the undead."  Liseth whispered to herself over and over again, like a mantra.  She had to do this.  These monsters couldn't be left alone to kill anyone or anything else ever again.

Position: G 24
Attempt at Stealth

Kellan practically held his breath as he watched Pisca crack open the door and peer inside. The guardsman fully expected some hoary claw to dart through the gap to snatch the little gnome away, and the looked the part with his pole axe held very much at the ready.

"Be careful...I'm here if they spot you." he thought, his eyes following Pisca as she slipped inside.

Position: I25

---

---

Kerr quietly crept into the house behind Liseth, keeping his bow drawn and an arrow nocked as Pisca stole up to door in the middle of the room and opened it.  He saw Liseth's tight hold on her holy symbol and briefly wished he had a hand free to hold his own--the gods' powers couldn't hurt in a confrontation with undead.

The gnome peeked through the door and found a 15-foot hallway that ended in what looked like a "T" junction, with doors halfway down on both the left- and right-hand sides.  It looked deserted, although a table was pushed aside at the end of the hallway, just past the doors, as if it had been set up as some sort of barricade.

A failed barricade.

As Pisca turned to impart this information to her companions, she heard the soft sound of footsteps and the distinct sound of breaking glass . . .

. . . meanwhile . . .

Cato, for his part, was startled from his pounding on the door by two ghouls crashing through the windows to his left and his right.  The ghoul to the left ended up on the ground, but the ghoul to the right landed softly on its feet, turning to eye the scholar hungrily as it opened its mouth to reveal unnaturally long, sharp teeth . . .

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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2 |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--s--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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4 |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--sssssxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxDDDDDDDDxxxxxxxxxx--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Y|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
17|  p  |  |  |  |  |G1|C |G2|  |  |  |  |  |  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
19|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
21|  p  x  |  |  |  |  D  D  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
22|  p  x  |  |  |  |  x  x  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--xxxxDDxxxx--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
23|  p  x  |  |  |  D  |P |  D  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
24|  p  x  |  |  |  xL |R |  x  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
25|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |K |  |  |  |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
27|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
p = Porch                  H = Horse

s = Stone Warrior          Y = Pony

G# = Ghoul

PARTY

Kerr Mollin

Move:  To H24

OPPONENTS

Ghoul 1

00:35, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Ghoul 1, rolled 8 using 1d20+4.  DC 15 Acrobatics Check to Land on Feet.

Result - Prone in G15

Ghoul 2

Full-Round Action - Dive through window to G17.

00:36, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Ghoul 2, rolled 23 using 1d20+4.  DC 15 Acrobatics Check to Land on Feet.

Result - Standing in G17.

ALL PLAYERS MAY TAKE COMBAT ACTIONS

---

---

"Cato?  Cato, do you hear breaking glass?  I have a bad feeling about this."  The whispered worry carries to the others on the currents of gnomish magic.  "I'm going to take a look around the corner."

A cat would not have wished to claim the rather-louder-than-one-would-have-wished steps that Pisca took as she hurried through the door.  But what can you do when you're in a hurry?  She reached the corner and quickly looked both ways.

Move to corner.  Rest of move pending visual results.

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 22.  Perception.
Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 12.  Stealth w/-5 Penalty.

Position: H21 (Moved 10ft at normal speed.)

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Cato gave up his calm exterior appearance, managing only to babble as the ghouls crashed through the windows, landing beside him on the front porch.

"Ah...ah...yes!"  The the wizard shook his head, backpedaling away from the too-long teeth of the undead.  "They're here, Pisca!  That glass was them breaking through.  I'll try and hold them off.  Kellan, I need help!"

Moving quickly, the wizard brought up his hands, through long practice with the Hellknights avoiding any attempts to disrupt his magic and with a single word: [Language unknown: Potiha!], a cone of fire burst forth at the two ghouls (and the house behind them.)

5' Step to H16
Cast Defensively, Burning Hands aimed forward.  16 damage to each ghoul, Reflex DC 15 for half

10:53, Today: Cato Crispin rolled 16 using 5d4.  Burning Hands Damage.
10:53, Today: Cato Crispin rolled 32 using 1d20+13.  Concentration Check.

The sound of shattering glass was not a good sign.  Nor the shouts from Cato.  "They're attacking already!  I didn't think they would be so fast!"  Why couldn't these evil monsters cooperate?

"We have to help Cato!  Hurry!"  Liseth looked to the right and to the left.  And down the hallway.  She had seen four undead auras within this house, but there were so many places where any one of them could jump out and ambush them as they rushed to help Cato.

And it was very crowded too.  Someone should have stayed around the other side with Cato in case this happened!  Why didn't she think of that earlier?  Now they had to decide whether moving through the house or going around it would be the quicker way to assist the wizard.

"Kellan, go around the house to help Cato; we can go through here...I think."  following after Pisca, the little acolyte insitinctively reached into the pouch at her side to retrieve a small scrap of paper with a short prayer written upon it.

"Desna's luck will keep you safe."  She invoked the goddess and the parchment lit up briefly before surrounding the gnome is a shimmering, divine field of energy.

Move: H 22
Standard: Cast Shield of Faith on Pisca (+2 Deflection bonus to AC for 5 Minutes)

Kellan perked up at the sound of shattering glass and gripped his pole axe in a white knuckle grip. It could only really mean one thing...

Catos cry for help and Liseths urgings spured him into action and before he knew it he was barreling down around the perimeter of the house as fast as Foxgloves finely crafted boots could carry him.

"I'm comin buddy! Hold on!"

Double move w/ Foxglove Boots to O19

---

---

The porch's floorboards shook as Kellan pounded his way around the eastern side of the house, heading to help the group's scholar as the man grappled with his garish ghoul attackers.

But Cato was no wilting violet.  He stepped back, uttering a word of power as fiery magic leaped from his palms towards the ghoul that had landed on its feet.  The creature immediately burst into flames, its agonized howls fading to nothing as the superheated magical energy burned it to ash.

The other ghoul stood, slavering, and attempted to bite him.  But the scholar's magical armor and natural agility allowed him to easily avoid the monster's mandibles.  But with the ghoul's tainted jaws and sharp claws just a few feet away, Cato knew he wasn't out of the woods yet.

. . . meanwhile . . .

Pisca moved forward to the edge of the hall's junction, any sound she made covered by the whoosh of Cato's magic and the inhuman screaming of the ghoul as it burned.  She looked back and forth down the hallway, finding that to the left the hall ended in a door about 15 feet away, and to the right that the hallway opened up into what seemed like a larger room.  The gnome couldn't see or hear anything suspicious, but she knew the sounds of the fight outside could drown out more than the sound of gnomish footsteps . . .

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--s--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--sssssxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxDDDDDDDDxxxxxxxxxx--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |C |  |  |  |  |  |  | Y|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
17|  p  |  |  |  |  |G1|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
19|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  xK p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20|  p  x  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--xxxxxxx--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
21|  p  x  |  |  |  |  DP D  |  x  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
22|  p  x  |  |  |  |  xL x  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--xxxxDDxxxx--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
23|  p  x  |  |  |  D  |R |  D  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
24|  p  x  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
25|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
27|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

p = Porch                  H = Horse

s = Stone Warrior          Y = Pony

G# = Ghoul

PARTY

Kerr Mollin

Move:  To H23



OPPONENTS

Ghoul 1

Move - Stand from prone.

Standard - Attack Cato

21:05, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Ghoul 1, rolled 13 using 1d20+3.  Bite Attack on Cato.

Result - Miss

Ghoul 2

DC 15 reflex save versus Cato's Burning Hands

20:59, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Ghoul 2, rolled 10 using 1d20+2.  Reflex Save v. Burning Hands.

Result - Immolated.

ALL PLAYERS MAY TAKE COMBAT ACTIONS

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 06:31, Fri 18 Mar 2016.

"Nothing yet.  A hallway.  With a bigger room down to the right," whispered the gnome even as she moved around the corner toward said Right.  "I think I'm going to have to get to the front door and undo what I did there so that they can come in through the front."

"Follow close and quiet," were her instructions as Pisca crept out into the bigger room for a look around.  Her hand reached to her waist and slid her slim blade from its sheathe.

Double Move Sneak down the hall and out into the big room.  Drawing Rapier with move.

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 27.  Perception.
Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 25.  Stealth.

Position: K20 (Moved 10ft at HALF speed.)

Active Effects: Message on all 50m, Shield of Faith (+2 Deflection bonus to AC for 5 Minutes)

Armor Class 20/T-15/FF-16

Cato smiled as the ghoul burned on the front porch, then skipped back a step as the other ghoul lunged forward in an unsuccessful attempt to attack.

"That was one ghoul burning up!"

Cato flung out his hand, and a spurt of sizzling acid sprung forth, hitting the chest of the remaining ghoul.

"And that screaming is the second one being hit with acid!  Any sign of the rest?"

Cato surprised himself with how collected he felt in the midst of facing a ravenous undead monster.  Always time for panic later, the scholar thought.  Besides, this isn't worse than those horrible creatures we fought beneath Sandpoint.  The scholar's stomach churned at the memory of the awful "kiss" he had received from the vargouille.  Though being turned into one of these creatures wouldn't be any better.

Active Effects: Mage Armor
5' Step back to G15
Acid Dart vs Ghoul, 8 damage vs Touch AC 21

10:31, Today: Cato Crispin rolled 21 using 1d20+4.  Ranged Touch Attack.
10:32, Today: Cato Crispin rolled 8 using 1d6+2.  Acid Dart Damage.

Kellan continued his headlong rush around the corner of the house and slowed just slightly as he caught sight of the incinerated pile that he assumed had formerly been one of the troublesome ghouls.

But his hesitation was momentary and could scarcely be noticed among the clatter of the guardsmens advance.

Double Move to I17

"Following," Liseth whispered to Pisca after peeking back to reassure herself that Kerr was there.  Things sounded bad but Cato was experienced at taking care of himself.  Still...all they needed was to make a single bad bite...

The blonde acolyte's hand was still clutching her focus as she tried her best to be quiet while following Pisca.  Not that she was any good at moving quietly.  And there was still more undead around here someplace too.

She remembered being pounced on by the ghoul yesterday and was not looking forward to something like that again.  Liseth kept a cautious eye out for any sort of attack, ready to call upon the God's power to defend against the undead.

Move: use Stealth and move to J 20 at half speed.
Standard: Ready Channel Energy to deal 3d6 damage to all undead (DC 20 Will for half); triggered if an undead comes within view or attacks.

---

---

Pisca, Liseth, and Kerr snuck up to the end of the hallway to take a look inside the room it revealed, and what they found was a horror.  The furniture in the room was smashed and tossed around, as if a desperate battle had occurred.  Splatters of blood stained the walls and the few remaining un-rent portions of fabric the group could see.

But the room's most-horrific furnishing was the gaunt, wiry body of a mustachioed man in his 50s, tied spread-eagle in its center  The corpse was already decaying and swarming with flies, but anyone could still see the familiar seven-pointed star carved deeply into his chest.  The man's face was frozen in a rictus of terror and pain.  A bloody knife pinned a note to his body.

"That's . . . that's Mr. Hambley," Kerr whispered, pointing at the corpse, his face white.

. . . meanwhile . . .

Kellan pounded around the side of the house, intent on helping Kellan, but out of the corner of his eye he saw three more ghouls running across the farmhouse grass, moving to assist their cousin's assault on Cato.

But the remaining ghoul may not have needed much help.  He recoiled from Cato's acidic spell, then recovered and lunged forward, too far away to bite but close enough to claw.  The ghoul's two claws raked across Cato's unprotected arms, defeating his magical armor.  And as the poison made its way to his bloodstream, Cato found it harder, and harder, and harder to move, until finally he could not move at all.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--s--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--sssssxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxDDDDDDDDxxxxxxxxxx--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |G4|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |G3|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |C |  |  |  |  |G5|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |G1|  |  |  |  |  |  | Y|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
17|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |K |  |  |  |  |  |  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  D  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
19|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20|  p  x  |  |  D  |  |  |R | L| P|  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--xxxxxxx--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
21|  p  x  |  |  |  |  D  D  |  x  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--x--x--+--x--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
22|  p  x  |  |  |  |  x  x  |  x  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--xxxxDDxxxx--xxxxxxxDDxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
23|  p  x  |  |  |  D  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
24|  p  x  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
25|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
27|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

p = Porch                  H = Horse

s = Stone Warrior          Y = Pony

G# = Ghoul

PARTY

Kellan Storval

18:00, Fri 18 Mar: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kellan Storval, rolled 19 using 1d20.  DC 15 Perception Check to spot approaching ghouls.

Kerr Mollin

Move:  To I20



OPPONENTS

Ghoul 1

Takes 8 points of damage from Cato's Acid Dart.

Free Action - 5' Step to H16

Full-round Action - Full Attack on Cato

23:29, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Cato Crispin, rolled 7 using 1d20+4.  DC 13 Fort Save v. Paralysis.
23:29, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Cato Crispin, rolled 10 using 1d20+4.  DC 13 Fort Save v. Paralysis.
23:27, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Ghoul 1, rolled 5 using 1d6+1.  Claw Damage to Cato.
23:27, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Ghoul 1, rolled 3 using 1d6+1.  Claw Damage to Cato.
23:26, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Ghoul 1, rolled 21 using 1d20+3.  Claw Attack on Cato.
23:26, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Ghoul 1, rolled 19 using 1d20+3.  Claw Attack on Cato.
23:25, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Ghoul 1, rolled 9 using 1d20+3.  Bite Attack on Cato.

Result - Cato takes eight points of damage and is paralyzed.


STATUS - Ghoul 1 has taken 8 points of damage.  Cato has taken 8 points of damage and is paralyzed (beginning round 1 of paralysis).

ALL PLAYERS MAY TAKE COMBAT ACTIONS

---

---

Cato yelled as the ghoul's claws raked across his arm, but his screams quickly silenced into a murfle as the undead's poison raced through his bloodstream.  Rooted to the spot, Cato turned his focus inward.

"It got me!  The ghoul!  Kellan, I can't move to help you!"

Active Effects: Mage Armor
This message was last edited by the player at 14:22, Tue 22 Mar 2016.

"Cato's in trouble."  The gnome's whispered voice was tense with horror and urgency as she fills Lysa and the Boyfriend in on the goings outside.

"I think we're getting very close to the front door, Lys," Pisca continued.  "Looks like one more door and we're there.  If there's anything waiting for us, I think it will be there."

"I'm going to open that door.  Come in behind me.  If there's anything on the other side, you can blast it.  Or shoot it.  Or call down holy fire on it," said the gnome.  "Something."

Move.  Open door.  Total Defense

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 28.  Perception.
Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 15.  Stealth.

Position: K18 (Moved 10ft at HALF speed.)

Active Effects: Message on all 50m, Shield of Faith (+2 Deflection bonus to AC for 5 Minutes)

Armor Class 26/T-21/FF-16

"Damn it!" Kellan cursed as he threw a glance over his shoulder, catching sight of the advancing ghouls at the same moment Cato seemed to lock up. "How many are there?!" he asked somewhat rhetorically as he circled the ghoul that had injured his friend and brought his weapon around in a horizontal arc towards the ghouls midsection.

HP: 58
AC:18
Move: 5' Step to J16
Standard: Reach/Power attack vs G1
17:24, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 18 using 2d4+13.  Poleaxe Damage vs Ghoul1.
17:24, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 16 using 1d20+11.  Power/Reach Attack vs G1.

Gasp!  It was exactly what Liseth had feared they would see in here.  "So awful..." she was sick to her stomach by the scene, but there did not seem to be anything they could do for Mr Hambley now.  The girl could only hope that somehow his family was safe...

There was no time to stop though; Cato was in trouble and there could be ghouls just through the next door.  The acolyte faithfully followed behind Pisca, knuckles white as she clutched Sarenrae's symbol.  The little blonde was ready to call upon the divine in but a moment's notice.

Move: Walk to L 18
Standard: Ready Action: Channel Energy to Damage Undead if any undead become visible to me or attack.  (3d6 Damage; DC 20 Will for half)

---

---

Kellan fell back into his training as easily as someone else might fall into a pool.  He smoothly bisected the first ghoul, using his weapon's momentum to bring himself to face the other three ghouls, all of whom were now charging him, fangs bared and claws out.  Kellan calmly continued his swing, decapitating one and slicing half the face off the second.

Three lay on the ground, but Kellan simply wasn't fast enough to get to the fourth.  The monster leapt at him, bringing its teeth down on a vulnerable portion of his armor--right at the elbow.  Kellan attempted to jerk his arm away but wasn't quick enough; he could feel the tainted teeth pierce his skin and the creature's poisonous saliva begin to course through his veins.

Fortunately, Kellan was apparently made of tougher stuff than Cato . . . the ghoul's bite failed to paralyze him.  The guardsman was now breathing hard and favoring his elbow, but he only had one more opponent to deal with . . .

. . . meanwhile . . .

Pisca opened the door and was immediately assaulted by a horrific, malodorous stench.  She nearly retched at the smell, stumbling back and clutching at her mouth and nose, trying to keep it from her nostrils and lungs, but it was too late.

She felt like she could hardly breathe.  She looked up to find another monstrosity standing directly in front of her.  He had been looking out the window at Cato's battle, but now his attention was directly on Pisca and Liseth.  He smiled, showing rows of sharp teeth.

The strange thing was that the man was dressed in the finest of Magnimarian male fashion, if something the worse for wear.  Looking at his face, Pisca experienced a shock of recognition--it was Rogors Craesby, the man who had delivered Kellan's gift boots on behalf of Aldern Foxglove.  His urbane manners and refined good looks might have been gone, but apparently his sartorial sense survived.  One ghoul stood next to him, moaning with hunger, a fierce light in its eyes as it spied the gnome.

"And now, my dear," Rogors hissed as he brought up a claw, "you die."

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--s--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--sssssxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxDDDDDDDDxxxxxxxxxx--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |C |  |G5|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |K |  |  |  |  | Y|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
17|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  p  x  |  |  D  |  |  |  |RCD P| L|  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
19|  p  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |G6x  | R|  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20|  p  x  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--xxxxxxx--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
21|  p  x  |  |  |  |  D  D  |  x  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--x--x--+--x--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
22|  p  x  |  |  |  |  x  x  |  x  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--xxxxDDxxxx--xxxxxxxDDxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
23|  p  x  |  |  |  D  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
24|  p  x  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
25|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
27|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

p = Porch                  H = Horse

s = Stone Warrior          Y = Pony

G# = Ghoul

PARTY

Kellan Storval

21:14, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kellan Storval, rolled 15 using 2d4+11.  Damage to G4.
21:14, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kellan Storval, rolled 15 using 2d4+11.  Damage to G3.
21:13, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kellan Storval, rolled 26 using 1d20+10.  AoO Power Attack on G4.
21:13, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kellan Storval, rolled 23 using 1d20+10.  Power Attack AoO on G3.

Kerr Mollin

Move:  To L19



OPPONENTS

Ghouls 1, 3 and 4

Killed by Kellan.

Ghoul 5

22:12, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kellan Storval, rolled 22 using 1d20+8.  DC 13 Fort Save v. Paralysis.
22:11, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kellan Storval, rolled 6 using 1d6+1.  Bite Damage to Kellan.
22:10, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kellan Storval, rolled 8 using 1d20+5.  Ghoul Critical Confirmation on Kellan.
22:09, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kellan Storval, rolled 25 using 1d20+5.  Ghoul Charge Attack on Kellan.

Rogors Craesby

22:19, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kerr Mollin, rolled 28 using 1d20+13.  Fort DC 15 v. Stench.
22:18, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Liseth Thoradin, rolled 17 using 1d20+2.  Fort DC 15 v. Stench.
22:17, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, on behalf of Pisca Neep Freemish, rolled 10 using 1d20+3.  Fort DC 15 v. Stench.

STATUS - Kellan has taken six points of damage.  Cato has taken 8 points of damage and is paralyzed (beginning round 2 of paralysis).  Pisca is sickened.

KELLAN MAY TAKE COMBAT ACTIONS

PISCA, LISETH, AND KERR MAY TAKE COMBAT ACTIONS IF THEY ROLL HIGHER THAN A 15 INITIATIVE.

---

---

"But, but, but ... " sputtered the gnome from somewhere above the rising tide of a terribly ill feeling.  "But you can't be here.  You can't," she continued, quite inexplicably.  The presence of Rogors Craesby made all the sense in the world.  It confirmed, and did so quite nicely, all of their suspicions of Aldren Foxglove.

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 5.  Initiative.

Position: K18

Active Effects: Message on all 50m, Shield of Faith (+2 Deflection bonus to AC for 5 Minutes), Sickened ? Rounds.

Armor Class 26/T-21/FF-16 (Total Defense from last round.)

Perhaps Kellan was hard pressed to protect Cato, having felt such terrifying helplessness himself all too recently. Perhaps he was just lucky, or perhaps he had reached the point where all the nervousness and apprehension about fighting in life or death combat had simply been exhausted. Whatever it was...it worked.

Kellan found that for the first time in what felt like a long time, he could think. Instead of a frenzy of effort and a bundle of chaotic thoughts and half reflexive training he found that he could focus on the enemy, line up a swing and follow through before focusing on the next, and the next, facing each enemy as they presented themselves.

The sharp, heavy blade with the right application of leverage and muscle seemed to cut through rotting flesh and bone with little effort and he barely paused as he stepped from the first ghoul, to the second and then the third, each strike leaving into a set up for the next. That was until he reached the fourth...

He felt the teeth crunch through his armor, slip right off the bone and into his flesh where he cried out in pain before stumbling back and presenting the tip of the weapon against the advancing abomination

Move: 5' step to J17
Standard: Reach/Power attack vs G5

21:43, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 19 using 2d4+13.  Damage vs G5.
21:43, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 18 using 1d20+11.  Power/Reach Attack vs G5.

Her focus was stifled by the sudden appearance of Mr Craesby; Mr Foxglove's assistant.  Except...now he was an undead ghoul.  Liseth paled at the implications; as well as the threat.

Things just got very bad for everyone.

Initiative: 6
Position: L 18

---

---

Kellan stepped away from the ghoul, swinging his weapon around to a ready position as the thing scrabbled to catch up with him.  But as it lunged forward Kellan impaled the undead on the sharp spike of his polearm, scrambling its brain and instantly killing it.

Battle over, Kellan suddenly realized how loud the sound of his breathing was in the still silence of the outside.  Then he heard noises coming from what seemed like just inside the room accessed by the jammed door not twenty feet away . . .

. . . meanwhile . . .

The undead husk of Rogors Craesby nodded to his ghoulish henchmen.  It immediately ran across the room, flinging open the door at the other side.  Craesby himself drew a wicked-looking, well made falchion and expertly stabbed at Pisca, but the gnome was concentrating on nothing more than dodging such attacks and easily ducked under it.  Foxglove's erstwhile manservant had no better luck with his vicious bite, as the difference in heights again made it easy for Pisca to dodge out of the way.

Snarling with frustration and hunger, Rogors seemed ready to continue his attack--until he locked eyes with Kerr.  Seeing the bowman's weapon at the ready, the man deftly stepped to one side, putting a wall between himself and the reach of the paladin's longbow.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
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1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--s--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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5 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--sssssxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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12|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |C |  |K |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Y|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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17|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  p  x  |  |  DG6|  |  |  |  D P| L|  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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19|  p  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |RCx  | R|  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20|  p  x  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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21|  p  x  |  |  |  |  D  D  |  x  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--+--x--x--+--x--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
22|  p  x  |  |  |  |  x  x  |  x  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--xxxxDDxxxx--xxxxxxxDDxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
23|  p  x  |  |  |  D  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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24|  p  x  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
25|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
27|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

p = Porch                  H = Horse

s = Stone Warrior          Y = Pony

G# = Ghoul

PARTY

Kerr Mollin

22:42, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kerr Mollin, rolled 10 using 1d20+5.  Initiative.


OPPONENTS

Ghoul 5

Killed by Kellan

Ghoul 6

Move:  To F18

Double Move:  Open Door

Rogors Craesby

Full-Round Action:  Full Attack on Pisca

22:45, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Rogors Craesby, rolled 20 using 1d20+9.  Bite Attack.
22:45, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Rogors Craesby, rolled 17 using 1d20+10.  Falchion Attack.

Result - Miss

Free Action - 5' step to J19.

STATUS - Kellan has taken six points of damage.  Cato has taken 8 points of damage and is paralyzed (beginning round 3 of paralysis).  Pisca is sickened.

ALL PARTY MEMBERS MAY TAKE COMBAT ACTIONS

---

---

It was almost an involuntary reflex.  Liseth saw the vicious attacks made by what was once Mr Craesby and reacted instantly. [Language unknown: "Oveingant Werticugh, herativer osth aret chssmi a wheverwer virho alugh andthuhat!"]

The acolyte's hand was already tightly clutching her holy symbol, and now it emanated a blinding flash of holy light to engulf the two undead threatening her and her friends.

Standard: Channel Energy for 18 Damage to Undead (DC 20 Will save for half)

10:16, Today: Liseth Thoradin rolled 18 using 3d6.  Channel Energy.

OOC: That should hit both of them; 30 foot radius reaches the ghoul at the far end of the room, and Craesby-Ghoul gets no help from his cover against Channel Energy.  Also, MAXIMUM DAMAGE!  Huzzah!

"I think one of them is trying to go around," whispered the gnome into her magic.

And then the world burst into silvery light.

"Yeah!  Lysa!" shouted the gnome.  Then, "Are you alright outside?" she shouted again.

"That looks like Aldren's sword you have there, Rogors Craesby."  Pisca's voice was sharp with accusation as she held her Right-Sized blade up to fend off the hulking ghoulish manservant.

Total Defense (also cover from the doorjamb if Rogors Craesby remains where he is.)

Position: K18 (No move.)

Active Effects: Message on all 50m, Shield of Faith (+2 Deflection bonus to AC for 5 Minutes), Sickened ? Rounds.

Armor Class 26/T-21/FF-16 (Total Defense from last round.)

Kellan, with a quick glance around and back at Cato, hustled over to the door where he reared back and kicked at the door right where he believed the would be.

Move: to Front Door
Standard: Try to force
(Feel free to roll for Kellan Racon to help move things along)

---

---

Hearing the sounds of battle, Kellan ran to the door and attempted to kick it in, just like he and Alergast had done to several doors in and around Sandpoint over the past few years.  That sort of thing wasn't a common occurrence, but it happened.  One time Old Man Tarson had gotten drunk and barricaded himself inside a public outhouse.  Another instance saw the guardsman helping a panicked Sueza Poller when her children had accidentally locked the door behind her after she had gone out on the porch.

Things like that.

Now Kellan needed this door down, and needed it down fast.  Who knew what his friends were facing inside the ominous-looking house?  Unfortunately, he rushed the kick and wasn't able to get his full body into it.  He saw a flash of light through the fluttering curtains, followed by a whisssh-thunk! and a light patter of footfalls.  What was going on in there?

. . . meanwhile . . .

Liseth's divine power washed out over the defiled living room and into the adjacent area, causing both of her opponents' skin to burn and crackle.  Kerr stepped up behind her, sending two shots over her head.  One buried itself in the fleeing ghoul's neck, knocking it instantly to the ground, its foul imitation of life brought to a violent end.

Pisca saw Rogors follow the arrows towards the other side of the room.  Spending no time mourning his fallen companion, Aldern Foxglove's erstwhile aide reached the door frame, snarled at the gnome, and disappeared into the other room . . .

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--s--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--sssssxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxDDDDDDDDxxxxxxxxxx--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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12|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |C |  |K |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Y|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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17|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  p  x  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  D P| L| R|  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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19|  p  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20|  p  x  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--xxxxxxx--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
21|  p  x  |  |  |  |  D  D  |  x  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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22|  p  x  |  |  |  |  x  x  |  x  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--xxxxDDxxxx--xxxxxxxDDxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
23|  p  x  |  |  |  D  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--+--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
24|  p  x  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
25|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
27|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

p = Porch                  H = Horse

s = Stone Warrior          Y = Pony

G# = Ghoul

PARTY

Kellan Storval

23:36, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kellan Storval, rolled 11 using 1d20+3.  Strength Check to Break Down Door.

Result:  No effect.

Liseth Thoradin

13:38, Thu 31 Mar: The Raconteur, for the NPC Ghoul 6, rolled 24 using 1d20+7.  Save vs. Channel Energy.
13:36, Thu 31 Mar: The Raconteur, for the NPC Rogors Craesby, rolled 23 using 1d20+10.  Save vs. Channel Energy.

Result:  G6 and Rogors Craesby take 9 points of damage.

Kerr Mollin

Free Action:  5' step to M18

Full-Round Action:  Rapid Shot at G6 (cover)

23:26, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kerr Mollin, rolled 25 using 1d20+5.  Rapid Fire No.1 on G6 (Deadly Aim).
23:26, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kerr Mollin, rolled 8 using 1d20+5.  Critical Confirmation on Shot 1.
23:27, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kerr Mollin, rolled 12 using 1d8+6.  Damage to G6.

23:26, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kerr Mollin, rolled 15 using 1d20+5.  Rapid Fire No.2 on G6 (Deadly Aim).

Result:  12 damage to G6.  G6 is killed.

OPPONENTS

Ghoul 6

Killed by Liseth and Kerr.

Rogors Craesby

Move:  Disappears through door E/F 18

STATUS - Kellan has taken six points of damage.  Cato has taken 8 points of damage and is paralyzed (beginning round 4 of paralysis).  Pisca is sickened.  Rogors Craesby has taken nine points of damage.

ALL PARTY MEMBERS MAY TAKE COMBAT ACTIONS

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 07:00, Wed 06 Apr 2016.

Running.

Running again.

Pisca did her own short bit of running, rushing to the door.  "Hang on Stomper," she shouted, as though the it were the guardsman who had been on the side of the door with the ravening ghoulish manservant.  "I'll have the door open in a bit."

Unjam the door.  (Standard action?  Pisca did jam it herself, after all and knows how this device is disabled.)

Position: K
I18

Active Effects: Message on all 50m, Shield of Faith (+2 Deflection bonus to AC for 5 Minutes), Sickened ? Rounds.

Armor Class 20/T-15/FF-16

Liseth watched the undead crackle and burn under the holy effects of divine energy.  The one fell after the holy energy was followed by an arrow from Kerr, and Liseth whispered quietly, "Holy power defeats the undead."

But the other was trying to escape!  The Ghoul which was once Mr Foxglove's aide.  They couldn't let that happen; it could run off and kill more people.  Repeat the terrible events that happened at this farm.  Or even warn the other ghouls about them....even set a trap!

It had to be stopped.

"Kerr, we can't let it get away!  Hurry this way!"  to punctuate her words, the slight girl stepped the the corner of the wall beside the hall leading back out of the house.  Were there any other exits?

These thoughts in mind, Liseth aimed towards the far end of the hall, expecting any moment the ghoul to come charging across it.

Move: Ready Crossbow
Free: 5-foot step to K 20
Standard: Ready attack to shoot down hallway towards door at E 20 of Craesby-Ghoul tries to go through the hall.  (+1 hit, d8+1 damage since not nonlethal)

---

---

Cato struggled against the paralysis that held him motionless.  For a while, it was a losing battle.  But then he managed to move his toes.  Then his smallest finger.  Then he almost collapsed as his entire body suddenly experienced the "pins-and-needles" feeling one gets when one's posture has denied sufficient blood flow to a particular extremity.

Then finally, he could move again.  He looked up and saw Kellan kneeling to remove the wedges Pisca had placed in the door.  Successful, he stood and opened it--to find Pisca standing on the other side.

. . . meanwhile . . .

Liseth and Kerr quickly moved over to the hallway.  The blonde acolyte drew her crossbow, and Kerr already had another arrow nocked, ready to fire at whatever awfulness might suddenly appear in the hallway.

But the corridor was empty.  Nothing happened, although they could barely hear an indistinct noise coming from the western side of the house.  What it had been, or what had caused it, neither of them could say.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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3 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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5 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--sssssxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
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  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxDDDDDDDDxxxxxxxxxx--+
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13|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |C |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Y|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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17|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |K |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  p  x  |  |  D  |  |P |  |  D  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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  +--p--x--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20|  p  x  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  | L| R|  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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21|  p  x  |  |  |  |  D  D  |  x  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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22|  p  x  |  |  |  |  x  x  |  x  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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23|  p  x  |  |  |  D  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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24|  p  x  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
25|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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27|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

p = Porch                  H = Horse

s = Stone Warrior          Y = Pony

G# = Ghoul

PARTY

Kellan Storval

Removes wedges from door at H/17-18 and opens door.


Liseth Thoradin

Actions:  Double Move - to K20, ready crossbow


Kerr Mollin

Move:  to L20

Action:  Ready Action - Fire Longbow


OPPONENTS

Rogors Craesby

Unkown

STATUS - Kellan has taken six points of damage.  Cato has taken 8 points of damage.  Pisca is sickened.  Rogors Craesby has taken nine points of damage.

CATO IS NO LONGER PARALYZED.  ALL PARTY MEMBERS MAY TAKE COMBAT ACTIONS

---

---

The gnome looked up as the door opened from the other side.  The Huh-What look on her face, though, was quickly replaced by a smile when she saw that it was ...

"Stomper!!!  He went that way!  The Ghoul Rogors Craesby!"

And then she herself went 'that way', rushing out the door and down the length of the porch to the west.

Double Move

Position: A17

Active Effects: Message on all 50m, Shield of Faith (+2 Deflection bonus to AC for 5 Minutes), Sickened ? Rounds.

Armor Class 20/T-15/FF-16

Finally freed of the ghoul's paralysis, Cato was having trouble coping with the realities of the situation.  But then Pisca was behind the door Kellan had opened, and already dashing off to the side, chasing one of the ghouls.

Cato saw little choice but to follow, hoping to avoid another attack if they cornered Aldern's man.

Active Effects: Mage Armor
Move to A15

"He's not coming this way," Liseth warily aimed down the hall that she expected Craesby-Ghoul to appear from.  There was some kind of sound, but she couldn't make out what it was, "There might be another way out over there!  Come on Kerr!"

The acolyte cautiously started down the hallway, all the while keeping her crossbow aimed at the door.  She was expecting it to burst open at any moment and something would try to pounce on her.  Her hands felt like they were shaking.

"Kerr...open the door.  I'll...I'll keep watch."  Liseth heart was pounding.  But was it from fear, anxiety, or excitement?

Move: Walk to G20
Standard: Ready Attack with crossbow if a ghoul is seen (+1 hit, d8+1 damage)

Kellan looked momentarily confused by Piscas excited gesturing and shouting, but it only took him a few seconds to wheel about and rush down the side of the building towards the west, leading the way with the point of his weapon.

"Where'd he go?!" he shouted , eyes wandering the surrounding countryside as he hustled along.

Actions: Double Move to B17

---

---

It's the not knowing that gets you, Kerr thought to himself as he moved quickly by his crossbow-wielding girlfriend towards the door at the end of the hallway.  Who knew where Rogors was?  Was he on the other side, waiting to pounce?  Or had he gone a different direction?  And was the creature really still Rogors in any real sense?  Kerr wished he had paid more attention to some of Father Zantus' more metaphysical lessons.

He arrived at the door, put an ear to it, then glanced back at Liseth.  "Ready?"  He asked for confirmation, before leaning over to open the door . . .

. . . meanwhile . . .

Cato, Kellan, and Pisca ran out of the house's foyer and around its western corner, looking south for any sign of an escaping Rogors Craesby.  But Aldern's erstwhile manservant didn't seem inclined to use the house windows as doors, as his minions had.  The unearthly quiet outside only made everyone's breathing seem that much louder, and each of Kellan's armored footfalls echoed out like a drum cadence.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--s--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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5 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxDDDDDDDDxxxxxxxxxx--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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12|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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13|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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15| C|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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17| Pp K|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  p  x  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  D  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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20|  p  x  |  |  D R|  |L |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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21|  p  x  |  |  |  |  D  D  |  x  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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22|  p  x  |  |  |  |  x  x  |  x  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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23|  p  x  |  |  |  D  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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25|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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27|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

p = Porch                  H = Horse

s = Stone Warrior          Y = Pony

G# = Ghoul

PARTY

Kerr Mollin

Move:  Double Move to F20


OPPONENTS

Rogors Craesby

Unkown

STATUS - Kellan has taken six points of damage.  Cato has taken 8 points of damage.  Pisca is sickened.  Rogors Craesby has taken nine points of damage.

ALL PARTY MEMBERS MAY TAKE COMBAT ACTIONS

---

---

"He didn't come out any of the windows, Lysa," whispered the gnome into her magic.  "I'm going to ... "  Pisca paused to repress the urge to disgorge her lunch.  "I'm going to run to the corner of the house that we entered from.  Maybe I can catch him before he comes out."

Gritting her teeth, Pisca rushed along the side of the house as fast as her legs could take her and then hopped up onto the porch.

Double Move

Position: B25

Active Effects: Message on all 50m, Shield of Faith (+2 Deflection bonus to AC for 5 Minutes), Sickened ? Rounds.

Armor Class 20/T-15/FF-16
This message was last edited by the player at 09:13, Wed 20 Apr 2016.

"Re...wait..."  Liseth almost answered Kerr than paused as a thought occurred to her.  She looked down the hall to her side and towards the house's rear door. "Kerr, he might still be going for the door.  Pisca says he hasn't gone out through a window."

The acolyte turned and moved towards the rear exit.  "Keep going that way Kerr.  I'll block the exit so he can't escape."  Visions of the atrocities performed when the evil necromancer got away from them haunted the young girl still.  And the mutilated animals inside the barn... She couldn't risk Craesby-Ghoul getting out and doing anything to the horses!

Even even she had to block him with her own body.

Move: Walk to H24
Standard: Ready Sanctuary to be cast on self if Craesby-Ghoul appears and attacks

OOC: The door at H 22-23 is still open, right?  From when we came this way the first time?
This message was last edited by the player at 12:59, Thu 21 Apr 2016.

Cato grimaced.  He didn't want to face this ghoul alone, but he didn't want to let it escape and warn any of its allies that they were coming.  "Kellan, you stay here.  Keep an eye out here.  Pisca's got the south of the house covered.  I'll see what I can see on the eastern side.  Liseth and Kerr, let us know what's inside."  Cato sprinted over to the eastern side of the house, hoping to see their horses alive and well.

Active Effects: Mage Armor
Full-round action: Run to S15

"Got it!" Kellan called back to Cato as he widened his stance and looked about for any sign of where the attache turned adversary had run off to . His eyes moved with the point of his pole axe, travelling up and down the sides of the house, listening for any hint of movement.

Full round: Hold action in the case an enemy is sighted, move towards and attack

---

---

Heart pounding, Kerr quickly opened the door and jumped back, arrow nocked, but no ravening ghoul awaited him.  He stepped through the door, looking around at what seemed to be a master bedroom, with a large bed, a couple of cabinets, and an end table in various states of disarray.  To his south was an open door, so he moved to it.

To find only more doors, one opened to the room where they had entered the house.  Nothing here, he reported through Pisca's whisper magic . . .

Liseth walked gingerly down the hallway, crossbow at the ready, all the tension only exacerbating her natural clumsiness.  But no ghoulish manservant jumped out at her either.  In fact, when she got to the door, she saw . . .

Pisca ran around the edge of the house, panting, only to spot Liseth in the doorway and--more surprisingly--Rogors Craesby already down the steps and heading toward the road from which they'd entered the farmhouse clearing.  He turned, snarling, and ran at her with astonishing speed.  His finely-made falchion whistled through the air as it fell, and only a combination of Pisca's well-honed reflexes and armor kept her from losing an arm.

She felt a shooting pain as Rogors' falchion glanced off the side of her shoulder, but it failed to break her skin.  The man grinned mirthlessly at her, his unnaturally-sharpened teeth on full display, a yearning, insatiable hunger in his eyes . . .

OOC:  Yes, the door was still open.  Liseth failed a Perception check to see Rogors running out the door last turn.

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26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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27|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

p = Porch                  H = Horse

s = Stone Warrior          Y = Pony

G# = Ghoul

PARTY

Kerr Mollin

Move:  Double Move to E23


OPPONENTS

Rogors Craesby

Located at J27.

Full-round action:  Charge Pisca

Move - Charge to C25

Attack -

01:36, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Rogors Craesby, rolled 13 using 2d4+6.  Falchion Damage.
01:35, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Rogors Craesby, rolled 23 using 1d20+12.  Charge attack on Pisca (Falchion).

RESULT - Pisca takes 13 damage.

STATUS - Kellan has taken six points of damage.  Cato has taken 8 points of damage.  Pisca has taken 13 points of damage and is sickened.  Rogors Craesby has taken nine points of damage.

ALL PARTY MEMBERS MAY TAKE COMBAT ACTIONS

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 08:44, Sat 23 Apr 2016.

"He's here!  He's right ...   Ow!"  The gnome grimaced as the sharp curved blade bit deep.  She put up her guard and backed around the corner before engaging the Ex-Manservant in a different fashion.

"So, Rogors Craesby," she said with a bravado well beyond her Right-Size, "how is, *Your Lordship* these days?"

5ft step to take corner for cover.
Total Defense

Position: B24

Active Effects: Message on all 50m, Shield of Faith (+2 Deflection bonus to AC for 5 Minutes), Sickened ? Rounds.

Armor Class 26/T-21/FF-22 w/Total Defense

"Coming! I'm coming!" Kellan called as he turned and dashed towards Piscas cries, mail jingling loudly with every heavy bootfall. As he neared the corner he flared out a little to get a better vie and a better angle on what he assumed to be Piscas attacker.

Double Move to A24

"Kerr!"  Liseth was startled to see that Craesby-Ghoul was already outside.  And in a flash he was on top of Pisca!  "He's out here Kerr!"

The acolyte took a step out of the open door and quickly rose her crossbow.  She aimed and whispered a prayer "Sarenrae guide my aim..."  The girl let her bolt fly the moment Pisca stepped away and cleared her shot.

For yet another time, her shot startled even herself.  The bolt flew true, striking the undead manservant squarely in the back of the head.  Would that be enough to stop him?

Standard: Shoot Crossbow at Craesby-Ghoul (Nat 20, Threat 18; Dmg 13, 5 if not critical)

23:03, Today: Liseth Thoradin rolled 18 using 1d20+1.  Critical Threat.
23:03, Today: Liseth Thoradin rolled 21 using 1d20+1.  Crossbow shot.
23:12, Today: Liseth Thoradin rolled 13 using 2d8+2.  Damage Dealt.

Hearing the reports, Cato swore quietly to himself and hustled south, trying to round the farmhouse, already knowing he wouldn't get there in time to help Pisca anytime soon.

Double move to R26
Active Effects: Mage Armor

---

---

Hearing Pisca's yell, Kerr tore into the foyer and out the door to find the gnome backing up behind the house while Kellan ran down the side yard in support.  The young archer was just in time to see Liseth's crossbow bolt bury itself in the creature's back.

A decision which might not have been the wisest for the small blonde acolyte.  Rogors arched his back, clawing briefly for the bolt before turning his malevolent, hungry gaze upon Liseth.  In a flash he was across the porch to where she stood, burying his sharp, yellowed teeth into her arm as she involuntarily raised it to fend him off.

"LISETH!!" Kerr yelled, his voice choked with the thick fear he suddenly felt.  Liseth herself felt the paralyzing venom from Rogor's bite burning its way through her body, but somehow Sarenrae gave her the strength to fight it off.  The fight continued . . .

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
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18|  p  x  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  D  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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19|  p  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20|  p  x  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--xxxxxxx--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
21|  p  x  |  |  x  |  D  D  |  x  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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22|  p  x  |  |  x  |  x  x  |  x  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxDDxxxx--xxxxxxxDDxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
23|  p  x  |  D  |  D  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--xxxxDDx--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
24|K p Px  |  x  |  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
25|  p  |  |  |  |  |RC|L |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |C |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
27|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

p = Porch                  H = Horse

s = Stone Warrior          Y = Pony

G# = Ghoul

PARTY

Kerr Mollin

Move:  Double Move to H26


OPPONENTS

Liseth Thoradin

RESULT - Does 5 points of damage to Rogors Craesby


Rogors Craesby

Full-round action:

Move - Charge to C25, attacking Liseth.

Attack -

01:14, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Rogors Craesby, rolled 27 using 1d20+11.  Bite Attack on Liseth.
01:15, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Rogors Craesby, rolled 12 using 1d6+6.  Bite Damage to Liseth.
01:19, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Liseth Thoradin, rolled 18 using 1d20+2.  Fort Save v. Paralysis .

RESULT - Liseth takes 12 points of damage.


STATUS - Liseth has taken 12 points of damage.  Kellan has taken six points of damage.  Cato has taken 8 points of damage.  Pisca has taken 13 points of damage and is sickened.  Rogors Craesby has taken 14 points of damage.

ALL PARTY MEMBERS MAY TAKE COMBAT ACTIONS

---

---

"Eeeek!"  A panicked squeal escaped from the girl as Liseth was suddenly set upon by the ghoul known as Rogors Craesby.  He was fast!  And his teeth bit down hard but she was ready for the paralytic poison this time and didn't succumb to its effects.

Instead, the acolyte glowed brightly golden white and shouted, [Language unknown: "Com all and esthasame ck!"]  Liseth erupted into blinding golden white flames; positive energy flowed from her like a burst dam.

And in a flash her corporeal body mended itself using the excess of energy, to stand defiant in front of the wicked ghoul as though daring it to try and attack her again.

Standard: Transform into Energy Body
Move: Heal Self for 11

11:08, Today: Liseth Thoradin rolled 11 using 1d6+6.  Healing From Energy Body.

OOC: Since I'm in Energy Body, I threaten Craesby-Ghoul with a melee touch attack from divine Energy.  It can deal d6+5 damage to undead.  Also, He takes d6+5 damage if he strikes me with any melee attack.  And since I'm threatening him, any attacks coming from behind (Kellan/Pisca) get a flanking bonus.

Kellan did not give pause as he rounded the corner and picked up pace, lowering the spike on the end of his pole axe and leveling it towards the ghouls back. The young Sergeant grit and barred his teeth as he charged home, reeling back with his weapon right before he closed.

Move: to E25
Standard: Reach/Power attack vs Rogors

15:48, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 18 using 2d4+13.  Damage.
15:48, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 20 using 1d20+13.  Reach/Power attack vs Rogors.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:34, Thu 28 Apr 2016.

Cato continued his charge, moving towards the confrontation between the ghoul and his friends.  Pulling up short, he studied the action for a moment and then flung an acid dart towards the undead menace, aiming to avoid Liseth.

Move to L25
Acid Dart vs RC (Miss)

13:24, Today: Cato Crispin rolled 5 using 1d20.  Acid Dart (Into Melee).
Active Effects: Mage Armor

Oorg

The roil in her tummy poked at the gnome once again as she leaned around the corner to take a look.  It prodded, reminding her that it was there.  Reminding her too, that ghouls were stinky, and to be avoided if at all possible.

But Lysa looked to be in trouble.  If the glowing thing that had taken her place was still, indeed, Lysa.  It looked like her.  But all aglow with light.  "That's a different look for you, Lys," said the gnome, hoping that she was addressing the right person.

Whoever the glowing light might be, though, it seemed to be in trouble.  Not something a responsible gnome could ignore.  Pisca stole around the corner, finding cover behind Stomper's armored bulk.

"Wrong move, Craesby," she said, before launching into an incantation combined with intricate finger work that ended with the palm of one hand sliding over the surface of the other.  A slick of grease bloomed beneath the feet of the ghoulish manservant.  Footing suddenly became precarious.

Move to D25
Cast Grease (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/g/grease) on squares F&G/26&27.  Reflex vs DC15 or fall prone.

Position: D25

Active Effects: Message on all 50m, Shield of Faith (+2 Deflection bonus to AC for 5 Minutes), Grease 5 minutes, Sickened ? Rounds.

Armor Class 20/T-15/FF-16

---

---

Rogors Craesby recoiled with a screech as Liseth burst into a warm, shining, golden aura of positive energy.  Distracted by the suddenly-glowing acolyte, the undead manservant didn't even notice Kellan pounding up behind him until the guardsman buried his polearm deep into the thing's back, causing it to pitch forward.

Almost simultaneously a thin film of grease appeared on the area where Rogors was standing.  The creature struggled to keep its balance, swaying so much that Kerr, who had stepped away from his shiny girlfriend for a clearer shot, could not strike home even despite the close range and lack of obstructions.  Cato's acid dart sizzled above everyone's head, sloshing into one of the porch's wooden supports with an evil-sounding hiss that rasped in harmony with Rogors' anguished threat.

"The master will see to you all!  You will die screaming!!!!"

Angered by Kellan's attack from the rear, and possibly frightened by the font of positive energy that had just materialized in front of it, Rogors turned and skidded across the porch's slick slats towards Kellan, bringing his falchion around in a mighty circle as he did so.  Kellan dodged the thing's teeth but not its weapon; the falchion crushed into his side, and he was saved only by his chainmail's sturdy manufacture.  Das Korvut's finest workmanship held up to the blade--if only just--as the force of Rogors' blow threw Kellan against the side of the house with an audible thump.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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3 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+sss--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  | ss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--sssssxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxDDDDDDDDxxxxxxxxxx--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Y|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
17|  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  p  x  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  D  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
19|  p  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20|  p  x  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--xxxxxxx--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
21|  p  x  |  |  x  |  D  D  |  x  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--+--x--+--x--x--+--x--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
22|  p  x  |  |  x  |  x  x  |  x  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxDDxxxx--xxxxxxxDDxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
23|  p  x  |  D  |  D  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--x--+--xxxxDDx--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--x--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
24|  p  x  |  x  |  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--p--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--p--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
25|  p  |  |P |K |gg|gg|L |  |  |  |C |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
26|  |  |  |  |RC|gg|gg|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
27|  |  |  |  |  |  |R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

p = Porch                  H = Horse

s = Stone Warrior          Y = Pony

G# = Ghoul

PARTY

Kerr Mollin

Free Action:  5' step to G27

Full-Round Action:  Rapid Shot on Rogors Craesby with Deadly Aim

12:52, Today: Secret Roll: Kerr Mollin rolled 18 using 1d20+8.  Rapid Fire Atk. No. 2 on RC (PBS, RF, DA).
12:52, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kerr Mollin, rolled 20 using 1d20+8.  Rapid Fire Atk. No. 1 on RC (PBS, RF, DA).

Result - Miss


Kellan Storval

RESULT - Does 18 points of damage to Rogors Craesby


OPPONENTS

Rogors Craesby

12:58, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, for the NPC Rogors Craesby, rolled 16 using 1d20+7.  Reflex Save v. Grease.

Move Action:  Move to E26

13:00, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, for the NPC Rogors Craesby, rolled 21 using 1d20+3.  DC 10 Acrobatics - Move Through Greased Area.

13:44, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, on behalf of Liseth Thoradin, rolled 8 using 1d20+3.  AoO on Rogors Craesby.

13:49, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kellan Storval, rolled 15 using 1d20+12.  AoO on Rogors Craesby.

Standard Action:  Falchion attack on Kellan

13:05, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, for the NPC Rogors Craesby, rolled 19 using 4d4+12.  Critical Damage from Falchion.
13:04, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, for the NPC Rogors Craesby, rolled 18 using 1d20+10.  Critical Confirmation for Falchion Attack.
13:03, Today: Secret Roll: The Raconteur, for the NPC Rogors Craesby, rolled 28 using 1d20+10.  Falchion Attack on Kellan.

RESULT - Falchion critical inflicts 19 points of damage.

STATUS - Liseth has taken one point of damage.  Kellan has taken 25 points of damage.  Cato has taken 8 points of damage.  Pisca has taken 13 points of damage and is sickened.  Rogors Craesby has taken 32 points of damage.

ALL PARTY MEMBERS MAY TAKE COMBAT ACTIONS

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 20:49, Fri 29 Apr 2016.

Calm and collected, Liseth felt in control.  She was able to quickly size up the situation and see what she should do.

"[Language unknown: Ouncai wami eeholl, ioliic] Pisca," an arm wreathed in golden-white flames extended to gesture at the puddle of slippery grease that had been summoned moments ago.  "[Language unknown: Nd man o loac] Kellan."  Liseth's arm moved to gesture towards Kellan, where the he had been slammed against the house and was pressed in on by the ghoul who was Craesby.

Free Action: Speak

All other actions held until after Pisca's action
This message was last edited by the player at 16:02, Sat 30 Apr 2016.

Fingas ivsti?  The gnome's eyes said it all:  What you say?

And yet, despite the lack of intelligibility in the foreign words, Lysa's gestures spoke quite eloquently.  Pisca affirmed her understanding with a nod of her head and began the gestures of the spell again.  Her palms slid once again against each other, however, this time, the gesture in reverse, and the slick of grease sank into the boards of the porch as though they'd never been there in the first place.

Dismiss Grease

Position: D25

Active Effects: Message on all 50m, Shield of Faith (+2 Deflection bonus to AC for 5 Minutes), Sickened ? Rounds.

Armor Class 20/T-15/FF-16

"[Language unknown: Niuron ri.]"  Liseth nodded as the puddle of grease vanished.  She then walked, deliberately and steadily, towards Kellan and the undead monster which once was an eloquent manservant.  The acolyte, glowing with holy fire, stepped casually between the guard and the ghoul, a portion of her divine fire catching on to Kellan's body and healing him of the injury he had sustained.

The girl seemed quite unconcerned as she walked past the horrid abomination attacking her and her friends.  She left herself open and seemingly defenseless; if it weren't for the fact that her body was composed of holy golden fire.  As though she were inviting him to strike out at her.

"[Language unknown: Nte welicaur mica encnteman a samepl,]" she reached a hand gently towards the undead, "[Language unknown: Ove wa his, wi onearddin wi in thueauure sethi andentcomany.  Omoung atur staenteau som unei manal utrohope ntitr.]"

Move: Walk to D 26 (Drawing Attacks of opportunity from Craesby-Ghoul)
Free: Heal Kellan with Energy Body as part of Movement.  Heal for 11

Standard: Touch Attack vs Craesby-Ghoul with Energy Body. (To Hit: 12 vs Touch AC; 11 Positive Energy Damage)

Conditional: If Craesby-Ghoul hits me with an AoO and is destroyed, instead of attacking use second move action to heal self with Energy Body and then dismiss the ability.

09:04, Today: Liseth Thoradin rolled 11 using 1d6+6.  Healing to Kellan from Energy Body.
09:11, Today: Liseth Thoradin rolled 12 using 1d20+1.  Touch Attack vs Craesby-Ghoul.
09:12, Today: Liseth Thoradin rolled 11 using 1d6+5.  Damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:42, Sat 30 Apr 2016.

Cato watched the confusion of combat unfold, waiting for a moment to intervene.  He stepped forward, timing a shot of acid when Rogers was clear.

5' Step to K26
Acid Dart vs Ghoul.  7 Damage vs 19 Touch AC.

14:39, Today: Cato Crispin rolled 7 using 1d6+2.  Acid Dart Damage.
14:38, Today: Cato Crispin rolled 19 using 1d20+4.  Acid Dart.

Kellan crashed bodily into the side of the house with a metallic clatter, driven by Rogors blade and only just saved from a eviscerating blow by virtue of his armors craftsmanship. He staggered back to his feet, and despite the blessed relief Liseth provided by her very presence, he was so staggered by the blow that being forced to choke up on his pole axe seems enough to make his strikes all but ineffective.

Move: 5' step to D26
Free: Switch grip to 5'
Standard: Power Attack
18:22, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 17 using 1d20+9.  Pole Fighting/Power Attack.

Pisca's mouth firmed as she struggled with her queasy tummy, fighting to concentrate on of her friends' movements.  Each missed the wily manservant of evil.

But not by much.

The gnome reached out a hand, grasping at the threads of reality.  then she pulled.

Standard: Dismiss Grease
Immediate: Cast Gallant Inspiration +5 to Kellan's attack.
Move: Tumble away.

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 5.  Cast Gallant Inspiration.
Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 16.  Tumble (10Acrobatics + 4Belt -2Sickened)

Position: A25

Active Effects: Message on all 50m, Shield of Faith (+2 Deflection bonus to AC for 5 Minutes), Sickened ? Rounds.

Armor Class 20/T-15/FF-16

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

---

---

The battle was well and truly joined.  Craesby was in a frenzy, with frothing saliva spewing from his contorted mouth with every grunt and scream.  Liseth attempted to move past him, but was unable to dodge the ghoul's frenzied bite.  But as soon as he bit her, Rogors screamed and stumbled away from her glowing presence, having hurt himself by attacking the font of positive injury.

Liseth saw Pisca casting her spell, Kellan fighting with the ghoul at close quarters, and heard the gnome's scream of pain as another bite connected, this time when Pisca tried to dive away from the creature.  Cato's acid dart whizzed by again, closer this time but still failing to hit Rogors--the close combat with Kellan required Cato to be far more precise than he was used to.

"LISETH!!!!"  Seeing his glowing girlfriend attacked and injured, Kerr drew an arrow and focused on the rampaging undead with all the focus he could muster.  First one, then two arrows flew, both finding chinks in the thing's armor.  When the second arrow hit, Rogors gasped, dropped his falchion, then fell to the ground, dead.

Again.

Suddenly it was over.  Breathing heavily, Kerr shot a grateful smile at the rest of the group, thankful that they had survived yet another battle together.

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6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |sss  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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12|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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20|  p  x  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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23|  p  x  |  D  |  D  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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24|  p  x  |  x  |  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  x  p H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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25|  p  |  |P |  |L |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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26|  |  |  |K |RC|  |  |  |  |  |C |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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27|  |  |  |  |  |  |R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | H|H |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

p = Porch                  H = Horse

s = Stone Warrior          Y = Pony

G# = Ghoul

PARTY

Liseth Thoradin

13:40, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Rogors Craesby, rolled 6 using 1d6+5.  Positive Energy Damage from Liseth's Energy Body.
13:38, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Liseth Thoradin, rolled 12 using 1d20+2.  Fort Save v. Paralysis.
13:37, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Rogors Craesby, rolled 10 using 1d6+6.  Bite Damage to Liseth.
13:36, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Rogors Craesby, rolled 16 using 1d20+9.  AoO Bite v. Liseth.

RESULT - Rogors Craesby takes 6 points of damage.  Liseth takes 10 points of damage. Kellan is healed for 11 points of damage.  Liseth's touch attack misses.

Pisca Neep Freemish

Acrobatics check fails

13:43, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Rogors Craesby, rolled 28 using 1d20+9.  Bite Attack AoO on Pisca.
13:48, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Rogors Craesby, rolled 11 using 1d6+6.  Bite Damage to Pisca.
13:45, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Pisca Neep Freemish, rolled 8 using 1d20+3.  Fort Save v. Paralysis.

RESULT -  Pisca takes 11 points of damage and is paralyzed.

Cato Crispin

RESULT - Miss

Kellan Storval

RESULT - Miss, even after Gallant Inspiration.  Craesby is no longer flanked and is not suffering the aftereffects of a charge.

Kerr Mollin

Full-Round Action:  Rapid Shot on Rogors Craesby

13:57, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kerr Mollin, rolled 7 using 1d8+3.  Shot No. 2 Damage.
13:57, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kerr Mollin, rolled 4 using 1d8+3.  Shot No. 1 Damage.
13:56, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kerr Mollin, rolled 21 using 1d20+8.  Critical Confirmation for RF Shot No. 2.
13:56, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kerr Mollin, rolled 28 using 1d20+8.  Rapid Shot No. 2 at RC (PBS).
13:55, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kerr Mollin, rolled 15 using 1d20+8.  Critical Confirmation for RF Shot No. 1.
13:55, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kerr Mollin, rolled 28 using 1d20+8.  Rapid Shot No. 1 at RC (PBS).

Result - Does 11 points of damage to Rogors Craesby.

OPPONENTS

Rogors Craesby

RESULT - Killed.

STATUS - Liseth has taken 11 points of damage.  Kellan has taken 14 points of damage.  Cato has taken 8 points of damage.  Pisca has taken 24 points of damage and is sickened and paralyzed.  Rogors Craesby has taken 49 points of damage and is dead.

COMBAT ROUNDS END

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 07:14, Thu 05 May 2016.

Some days you're so paralyzed by awe and shock that you can't even sick up your lunch.  Or is that shock and awe?  Sometimes even something as simple as that can't make its way clear.

" ... " said the gnome, her muscles locked in preparation for a dive, halfway past the slumped body of the Evil Ghoulish Manservant.  Or should that be Ghoulishly Evil Manservant?  " ... " she said.  And " ... "  But that was quite obvious as the blood from several deep wounds spread in growing stains that ran down her body.

Active Effects: Message on all 50m, Shield of Faith (+2 Deflection bonus to AC for 5 Minutes), Sickened ? Rounds, Paralyzed ? Rounds.

HP 9/33

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

An eruption of divine energy followed Craesby-Ghoul's fall.  The golden flames that constituted Liseth's body exploded from her in a blinding flash to envelop everyone in the vicinity with a healing, invigorating energy.  After the flash faded, Liseth was normal again, though tired-looking.

"Is everyone....alright?"  The girl said between heavy breaths.  "Who is hurt?"  Liseth stepped to Pisca; the little gnome had received the brunt of the undead assault.  "Desna, mend the flesh and tend the spirit of your stricken servant."  The blonde acolyte spoke a prayer and laid her hands on to Pisca, relieving her of her injuries.

She moved around the fallen undead body to stand beside Kerr.  Liseth examined the devastating scene that had once been a peaceful farmhouse before looking closer at the twisted from that was once Rogors Craesby, faithful manservant for Aldern Foxglove.

"He was...he was no normal ghoul.  Not even a ghast; which is usually what you see when a ghoul is stronger than others.  He was too quick, too fast.  Too strong; did you see how he moved?.  There is more here than just ghouls and undead.  There has to be."

Stepping closer to the inert body, Liseth got as close as she felt safe before beginning to examine it.  "Maybe there's something we can find; something that differentiates whatever kind of monster Mr Craesby had become from other kinds of ghouls and undead."  She closely searched over the body, "If we can find anything, it could help us to find the...chief ghoul that's been making all these other ones...and maybe determine how it all started in the first place."

"And whether it is actually...Mr Foxglove."

Channel Energy to Heal everyone for 12
End Energy Body
Cast Cure Light WOunds on Pisca; Heal for 12

10:41, Today: Liseth Thoradin rolled 12 using 3d6+1.  Healing to All from Channel Energy.
11:07, Today: Liseth Thoradin rolled 12 using 1d8+6.  Cure Light Wounds on Pisca.

OOC: That's 24 points of healing for Pisca, and 12 for Cato, Kellan, and myself.  I don't think Kerr was hurt.

Cato sighed in relief as the undead Craesby fell, then again as Liseth's healing wave washed over him.

He shook his head as he examined the fallen ghoul.  "That was a rather powerful undead.  You don't suppose He was the source of this infection?  I mean, maybe he went a little cracked in the head when he became a ghoul.  He'd probably know a lot about Foxglove and all his dealings.  Might be he was deeply envious of Foxglove, and wanted to be nobility himself.  Not to say we shouldn't still check on Foxglove Manor, because who knows what he could have been up to there."

"I was thinking the same thing, Cato," said the gnome as she gingerly felt across the rent in her leathers that, but moments ago, opened to a bloody gash in her belly.

"Thanks, Lys.  Good as new."

"And I tried to draw Craesby out while we were fighting, but he wasn't having any of it.  Did you catch his final words, though?  He said, 'the master would see to us.'"

"The Master ... " mused the gnome as she knelt at the side of the fallen Ghoulish Manservant of Evil and began rifling through its possessions.  "That can only be Aldren."

"I wonder how Habe figures into this?  And whether we should fetch The Doctor?"

Perception 36 (Taking 20 to search Craesby.)

Active Effects: Message on all 50m, Shield of Faith (+2 Deflection bonus to AC for 5 Minutes).

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3
This message was last edited by the player at 19:36, Thu 05 May 2016.

Cato considered Pisca's words, and slowly nodded.  "Well, that could be true.  Craesby would have referred to Foxglove as master.  But if some of the necromancer's notes were accurate, maybe Craesby is the product of another powerful undead, perhaps the first turned, and that would be the 'master.'  In either case, Foxglove would either be the same of undead, or possibly one even more power than Craesby.  We have to investigate Foxglove Manor...and do so carefully."

Kellan elicited a groan as he came staggering over to Rogors body and stared down at the manservant with distrust. He held one hand against what remained of his wound, pressing it slightly to ease the pain while the other hand steadied his weapon should the need once more arise.

"This doesn't even look like Sandpoint anymore..." he observed grimly as he looked around at the carnage. "Hard to believe that a sickness can change a man like that so fast" He sighed and looked around.

After he finished catching is breath he straightened up and tok a sip of water from his skin. "Yeah, I would guess that our best bet is to keep moving, try to find...well, try to find the root behind all this misery. How's everybody doing?"

"I'm alright.  Thanks to Lys."  The gnome tipped her head up, rising from her inspection of the Ghoulish Manservant of Evil to check the position of the sun.  "But I'm not so sure that it would be such a good idea to make our way there today.  Looks to be getting sort of late."

"Don't you think?"

"Maybe we can stay here for the night?" Pisca offered, before thinking the better of it.  "Then again, maybe not here.  "Maybe we can camp in the Whispering Wood.  I hear the forest is said to be home to capricious gnomes," she said.  "Sounds like home."

Perception 36 (Taking 20 to search Craesby.)

Active Effects: Message on all 50m, Shield of Faith (+2 Deflection bonus to AC for 5 Minutes).

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

---

---

Liseth’s healing arts worked their wonders.  The entire party was healed, save for a few minor scratches on Kellan.

Pisca knelt down to search Aldern’s former manservant.  He had dropped the well-crafted, perfectly-balanced falchion right next to him, and she saw that it was embossed with the Foxglove crest--a heraldic symbol of a curious flower surrounded by thorns.   He also wore a chain shirt, a cloak, and finely-made boots.  Rogors’ rent clothing was made of the finest materials and cut to the style of the latest Magnimarian fashion.

From a leather cord around the man’s neck hung a key bearing the same thorny-flower symbol as the sword.  Pisca could find nothing else of interest on the man.

Kerr nodded along with the conversation as the group decided what to do.  “I don’t know how much time we have,” the paladin offered as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.  “If we really think the attacks on Sandpoint and here in the hinterlands are based out of Foxglove Manor, it seems like heading up there tomorrow might allow whoever or whatever is behind these attacks another night to hunt and kill.”  He frowned.  “We can’t let that happen.”

---

---

Cato looked over the items the undead Craesby was carrying.  Cato spoke a single word, and made a brief gesture, studying the items for tell-tale magical auras.

When that was finished, Cato nodded with Kerr's point.  "I agree, Kerr.  I don't think we can risk Sandpoint if there are more of these things down at Foxglove Manor.  We need to end this menace as soon as we possibly can!  I know it's risky, but I've purposely held back a lot of my spells from this fight in case we had to continue.  At the very least, we'll be bringing the fight to the undead, which forces them to react to us instead of allowing them to take the initiative."

Cato gestured to the items.  "All of these items radiate magic.  Give me another minute and I might be able to tell us what."

Cast Detect Magic, look for magic items
Active Effects: Mage Armor

*Edit for Detect Magic results
With Detect Magic active, trying to identify items with Spellcraft
This message was last edited by the player at 20:26, Fri 06 May 2016.

"Agreed" Kellan chimes in "We should push on". His tone speaks of being a little sleepy, but his body seems ready to do just that should he require it to. He turns and looks the house up and down before shaking his head and beginning to prepare for their departure.

He lingers near the group at all times as he works, looking about uneasily and occasionally shooting glances to the fallen ghouls as if they might scramble back to life at any moment.

"Well, alright."  The gnomes mouth pulled into a tight line of concern.  "Alright.  If you think we should."

"But let me take a look at the house first.  Lysa, could you take a look at the grounds?  I don't think ghouls ride horses, so I'm wondering how they got here.  And when.  Maybe they came fresh from Foxglove Manor.  Might be interesting to know."

Perception 36 (Taking 20 to search the house.  Looking mostly for what the ghouls might have been doing here.  Aside from the obvious.  But finding anything might be interesting.)

Active Effects: Message on all 50m, Shield of Faith (+2 Deflection bonus to AC for 5 Minutes).

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

After another minute of study, Cato looked up, seemingly oblivious to the discussions while he was examining the items acquired from Aldern's manservant.  "Well, these could be some useful items.  The chain shirt is just basic protective magic, but more powerful than I'm used to seeing.  This cloak merely has the least form of enchantments worked into it.  The key, though, eludes me.  Maybe with further study, perhaps if I could consult some of Brodert's texts..."  The mage trails off, lost for a second in his own internal thoughts, then shook his head.  "But they'll be time enough for that later.  I don't think it'll help us right now."

+2 Chain Shirt, +1 Cloak of Resistance, Key unidentified

Liseth nodded along with the consensus, "We definitely have to keep going.  I don't..." the girl looked at the twisted and fallen form of Rogors Craesby and shivered, "I don't think I could sleep until I know that something like this won't happen again. That and..." Liseth paused and frowned, "Well..."

"Right Pisca."  The acolyte altered her train of thought, "I'll see if I can find out how the ghouls got here.  Maybe if we're lucky, I can find a clue about some of the farmer's family escaping too..."

"Kerr, will you come with me please?"  The little blonde asked.  She wasn't about to walk around here alone when there could be any number of additional ghouls hiding out.  Or even more coming from wherever they came in the first place!  And one other thing.

"So, Kerr...um."  It was a terrifying thing that Liseth had been mulling over in her head since the moment she had woken up that morning.  "Kerr, the horse figure that you got me; the one that looks like Heily.  It was missing this morning."  She frowned; the thought of what must have happened caused her stomach to tie into knots.

"I think that, if the...the master ghoul really is, or was, Mr Foxglove.  Well...I think that he sneaked into my room in the Cathedral last night and he took it."  She swallowed, "He would have been right there watching me while I was asleep; and even the other girls too.  He could have done anything..."

"We have to stop him Kerr.  As fast as we can.  I don't feel safe going to sleep.  I mean, if it was the undead who took it...I...I always thought that I would be safe from undead in the Cathedral."

OOC: Survival to seek Ghoul trails

---

---

“You think Foxglove was in your room?!?”  Shock and outrage warred on Kerr’s face to the point where it would have been comical had he not been so sincere.  “He took the Heily I gave you?”  The young paladin looked to the ground, then back up at Liseth.  “Are you sure?  Couldn’t it have been Elsbet or somebody?  Elsbet still doesn’t seem to like you very much.”

Kerr didn’t know a lot about the complex inner workings of female relationships; he just knew enough to be supportive.  He didn’t really comprehend why Elsbet had been so angry with Liseth—it didn’t seem like Liseth had done anything bad to her.

Of course, this wasn’t the first thing about women that had mystified Kerr Mollin.

“Well, if you’re right and Foxglove has been stealing into the women’s quarters,” Kerr couldn’t imagine how the man had gotten away with that, “then you’re right, that’s an even bigger reason why we have to head to the Manor and stop all this as soon as possible.”

A search of the farmhouse revealed that the entire Hambley family had either been turned into ghouls or, in a horrifying discovery, ripped to shreds.  Kellan and Kerr found torn pieces of the Hambley’s two youngest children in one of the bedrooms—not wanting to disturb everyone else, they quietly closed the door and let everyone know that there weren’t any survivors.

Farmer Hambley himself had apparently been subjected to the same ritual as the other victims the party had seen; he was pinned down with the by-now-familiar seven-pointed star carved into his chest.  During her examination, Liseth found a small iron key attached to a cord around the man’s neck.

After they had finished searching the house and the environs, the group met back on the porch.  "Anyone found anything else?"  Kerr asked.  "Are we ready to head up to the manor?"

---

---

"That was disappointing."  The gnome came trundling out of the house, her arms wrapped about a stout wooden coffer of not inconsiderable weight.  She tossed it to the ground with a thud and a distinctive jingle of ...

"Coins," she said, in oddly unhappy tones.  "Sound ... maybe ... silver.  No clues as to what the ghouls are up to," she added.  "Not a one.  Aside from death.  And cruelty.  And the Sihedron."  Pisca sighed.  "Just the obvious things."

"Shall we go?"

"Oh, let me see that key, Lys."  Not oddly, the key from around Farmer Hamby's neck fit the lock in the box as though it were made for it.  And, as it opened the box, it probably was.  Inside were 34 pouches bulging with coin.  "Well, that was unexpected," opined the gnome.  "Who'd have though a human would be so neat."

"Shall we go?" said Pisca again.  "I know I already said that.  But we weren't going anywhere, so I thought I'd say it again."

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3
This message was last edited by the player at 01:22, Thu 12 May 2016.

---

---

Satisfied that they'd found everything to find at the Hambley's farmstead, the group loaded up their horses and headed back the way they came, towards the estate of one Lord Aldern Foxglove.

The route leading out to Foxglove Manor wound along a narrow path following the Foxglove River.  It started at the covered bridge where the river flowed under the Lost Coast Road and ended at dark sea cliffs overlooking the Varisian Gulf.  As the group approached the manor, they could hear wild sea birds calling out to a roaring ocean churning far below.

But all was not well; it almost seemed that nature herself became sick and twisted the closer they came to the manor.  Nettles and thorns grew more prominently, trees were leafless and bent, and the wind seemed unnaturally cold and shrill as it whistled through the Cliffside crags.  The path slowly rose, turned a steep corner in the cliffs, and then Foxglove Manor loomed—seemingly at the edge of the world.

As the Manor came into view, the strangely-cold sea wind rose to a keening shriek.  The place earned its local nickname of “Misgivings”; it almost appeared to loathe its perch high above the ocean--it looked as if the entire edifice was posed for a suicide leap.  The roof sagged in many places, and mold and mildew caked the crumbling walls.  Vines of diseased-looking gray wisteria strangled the structure at several points, hanging down over the precipitous cliff edge like tangled braids of hair.

The house itself was crooked, its gables angling sharply and breached in at least three places, hastily repaired by planks of sodden wood.  Chimneys rose from various points among the rooftops, leaning like old men in a storm, and grinning gargoyle faces leered from under the eaves.  It seemed remarkable that the manor clung to the cliff at all—the whole far side was nothing more than a sheer drop down to the ocean, three-hundred feet below.  Out front, the foundation stones of a long-burnt outbuilding stood sentinel astride the weed-choked approach, and a low stone well squatted morosely amid the ruins.

As for the manor itself, there were two obvious entrances; the front doors and the side doors.  Curiously, the manor’s windows were unbroken; the grime-encrusted panes hiding barely visible curtains that blocked all view of the building’s interior.

"That," opined Kerr as his friends brought their horses to a halt, "is one creepy-looking house."

---

---

Though chatty enough on the way from the bridge to the sea, Pisca stilled to silence as the land grew strange and grim.  She sat ahorse with large watchful eyes as their little troupe wended their way through this oddly wasted place.

The gnome tipped her head to one side as they all came to a stop.  Some places seem to lend themselves to natural stops, natural places for comment, as though in a story or narrative.  Pisca leaned further out to the side, balancing precariously in the saddle.  Searching for something - a perspective perhaps.  A perspective from which things did not seem so very at odds with the way things should be.

"No," she said, finally straightening back up.  "I just can't see it.  This place doesn't look like Aldren at all."  She shook her head in a sad sort of negation.  "Not at all.  Don't you think?  I can't picture him living in this place.  Not the Aldren Foxglove that we met."

"Can't really picture anyone living here at all," muttered the gnome as she slipped from the back of her pony to the ground.  "Except bats.  Bats might like it here.  Or worms.  And maybe voles.  Lemmings might like the cliff."

"Well, even if they're ghouls, they have to walk about, you know.  And that means they'd leave traces of their passage to and from the house."  Pisca began casting about for just such traces.  "No wonder, though," she added, "that they're moving out into the town and the countryside.  When you think that the alternative would be to live here."

"Oh.  Wait."

"Bostisch."  Pisca spoke the word of power again, and the pointed to each one of her friends in turn.  Then, after having renewed her Whisper Magic, the gnome returned to her search.

Renew Message spell on everyone.

Perception 36 (Taking 20 to find traces of passage that would indicate there is travel by some creatures to and from the house.)

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

Cato looked over the house, a shiver of fear running up his spine.  "I...find myself agreeing.  Before we head in, maybe we should be best prepared for this.  That armor we found back at the farm...could it benefit one of you?  Kellan's already got something heavy, but Kerr or Liseth, perhaps?"

Cato studied the manor, waiting for Pisca's report.  "Do you think someone's inside, watching for us to come?  Should we just head in through the front door?"

"We should probably just burn it down..." Kellan responded, only half joking really. The old Foxglove place was the source of so many rumors and stories in Sandpoint that to actually be standing on it's threshold sent a shiver up Kellans spine. Nothing good was going to come out of there, that was for certain.

"I have a feeling that this is going to be like throwing a rock at a hornets nest...once we stir up whatevers in there...well, it's gonna be ugly" he sighed and turned to look at his friends.

"They can outrun us...so I think the trick might be to punch deep enough, early enough, and find a little spot inside to claim as our own, ideally with one door that we can defend until we can wear them down. These things don't seem to be big on planning"

"I think, Cato," replied the gnome through her Whisper Magic, "that I'd like to know what the Ghoulies actually use as their *front* door first.  Lysa?  Could you help me?  Can you tell where  the most traffic enters and exits the house?  I don't know enough tracking lore to really tell one way or the other."

Pisca moved to complement Liseth by inspecting each of the entryways for traps.

"I wouldn't mind burning this place down, Stomper," the gnome mused as she worked at the doors.  "I get the same feeling that you do.  Ugly.  But we don't know for sure whether Aldren is actually behind this or not.  He may be in there.  Held captive."

"Maybe."

"Possibly."

"May not be a bad idea to find a base from which we can work.  Explore things from there."

"I hope it's not Aldren," came the worried voice of the gnome.  "I hope."

Perception 36 (Taking 20 to search Front and side doors for traps.)

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

"He did say that he spent most of his time in Magnimar..." Despite everything she had heard, Liseth had always imagined Foxglove manor having an appearance similar to her own family's manor-house.  Certainly not this.  The place looked as though it was long-abandoned and corrupted by evil.

"Can a house be evil?"  She whispered rhetorically.  If they could, this one definitely was.  She nodded along with Pisca; this place did not at all match the Aldern Foxglove that they all knew.  So what did that say about his family from whom he inherited the manor?

The tiny acolyte frowned and bit her lip anxiously at mention of donning the left-over armor that had been recovered from Craesby-Ghoul.  "I don't...um...it's too big for me.  And...and I would have to change out of my dress..."  Liseth flushed red; Where would she go for privacy here?

But Cato had said that it was magical.  Even if its previous wearer was an undead ghoul.  Magical armor might mean the difference between life and death once they were inside that manor with who-knew-what.  She just couldn't get the memories of her armor training with Nivlak and her father out of her mind.

That hadn't been fun at all.  It chafed everywhere.

"Do you think that it's a good idea Kerr?  I suppose I could fit into it...maybe once we get back to Sandpoint, Ms Bevaniky can resize it for me properly.  But it looks so heavy..."

"And if we burn it down," Liseth joined the conversation, "we wouldn't know for certain that we had stopped whatever it was that was causing all of this.  Not to mention any other clues.  Or even missing horsies!"  The last part slipped out semi-unintentionally.  If Foxglove was behind everything...and had taken her Heily figure...then it would have to lay somewhere within that foul manor.

The conundrum with the armor solved, Liseth slinked ahead with Pisca, moving all the more clumsily by attempting to remain quiet.  "I would think that most traffic uses the side door; those should be the servant's entrances.  But then, that would be assuming the manor wasn't...so...broken and evil.  I'll check..."

Checking the prints, Liseth went tot he task of determining the main route of traffic to and from the manor.  "I don't know whetehr I'll be able to tell if the tracks are from undead or just people though.  They usually leave similar tracks; especially when they wear shoes.

OOC: Survival to track the movements in the manor's yard and to and from the entrances.

"Pisca, I..."  Liseth put her hands outward and shrugged helplessly, "I can't find anything that looks like recent activity here.  Coming or going."

The girl cast about once more, "It looks like nothing has come here, or left, for days or even weeks.  Unless something was going through the trouble of concealing its passage."

"Nothing, Lys?  Nothing at all?" asked the gnome, incredulity drifting on the ether that is her Whisper Magic.  "I find that hard to believe.  That would mean that the house is abandoned."

"Or ... There could be a secret entrance.  Wait here.  Or, maybe don't.  Um, we need somewhere safe to keep our ponies while we check inside.  Think of someplace for them while I look for a secret entrance.  Whether I find one or not, we're going to have to go inside.  The ponies might as well be safe."

Perception 36 (Taking 20 to search the grounds and outside of the house for a secret entrance.)

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

---

---

Kerr looked longingly at the chain shirt; it was much lighter than the heavy breastplate he was wearing and seemed like it would be a lot easier to move around in.  He bit back a regretful sigh.  Priorities were priorities, and if Liseth would be safer, then he didn’t mind continuing his battle with the heavier armor.

“You should definitely take, it, Lise,” he offered gallantly, handing the gleaming armored shirt to the slight blonde acolyte.  “Maybe you can change behind one of the horses?  Cato, Kellan, and I can all look this way.”  He pointed in the direction of the looming manor and its sheer cliffside.

Once Liseth was changed and the grounds searched, the group approached the Manor’s side-door entrance.  An ingenious mechanism Pisca would have liked to study further secured the doors, but unfortunately no such examination was needed; Rogors Craesby’s key fit the lock perfectly.  Even unlocked, the door was not easy to open—it seemed to have expanded inside its frame—but it didn’t take Kellan long to force the issue.

The heavy door swung outwards with a long, loud creeeaaakkkkk.  A few sickly-looking ravens resting amidst the nearby outbuilding ruins ruffled their wings, but otherwise nothing responded to the party’s breaching of Foxglove Manor.

Inside, the group found an oddly-shaped, 450-odd-square-foot room that looked like nothing so much as a dancing parlor.  Its four dirty windows were covered with curtains; only the newly-open door allowed a dim late-afternoon light into the chamber.  The musty, pervasive smell of decaying wood overwhelmed any other scent that could possibly have been in the chamber.

The oak-paneled room must have once been breathtaking, but its best days were far behind it.  The room’s floorboards were warped with moisture, the paneling scratched and spotted with mold.  A grand piano, its surface splotchy and keys misshapen, leaned tiredly in the southeast corner.  The room had two other doors, both closed; one in the room’s smaller eastern wall, just north of the piano, and one in the western corner of its long southern wall.

Above, a faded fresco adorned the ceiling.  Dirt and age made it impossible to determine the painting’s subject, but it clearly involved humans doing . . . something.  Closer to the ground, mold and stains marred the walls and floors in patterns that seemed strangely unsettling, for no discernible reason.

The room stood silent, occupied by only the party and a pervasive gloom that was almost palpable.

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23|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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W = Window   D = Door  p = piano

This message was last edited by the GM at 09:10, Wed 25 May 2016.

"Nothing," the gnome whispered.  Though, whether she did so from some need for stealth or whether she was simply responding to the still and foreboding atmosphere of the house was not something that was clear or apparent.  "No slavering ghoulies," she added, her gnomish eyes wide with caution.  "Just ... a piano."

"I wasn't expecting that."

"What do we do now?"

"Can we go out and come back in again?"

"These don't look like servant's quarters, Lys," Pisca finally opined.  Her stance straightened from its wary crouch and she slid the slim blade of her rapier back into its sheathe.  "Regardless, I'm betting the reason we didn't find any trace of them coming and going is because they don't come in this way at all.  That's why the door was swollen shut."  The gnome began a casual meandering look about the room, that, oddly enough, took careful pains to avoid the splotches of strangely unsettling mold.  "I bet the ghoulies fly in.  Or, more likely, they come in by the sea.  Your Lordship was, after all, using the rivers.  Maybe they climb up the cliff.  Or maybe there are tunnels on the beach below."

"I think it might be worth trying the front door too," Pisca added, even as she put her ear to the door next to the piano.  "What do you think of that idea?" she asked.  "But let me see what's on the other side of these doors first."

Perception 17 (To listen at the door by the piano.)
Perception 19 (To listen at other door if you want to move things along.)

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

"Don't you hear that?"  Liseth asked suddenly.  She would swear she was hearing something but the small blonde acolyte knew that Pisca had much better ears than she.  Was she the only one who heard it?

It was understandably unnerving.

Maybe it was her nerves acting up, standing there as she was in heavy, noisy armor.  Jingling and clinking as she walked.  Wielding a shield as though she were a warrior like Kellan or Kerr.  The slight girl already felt overburdened and achy from all the weight she was bearing.

"Pisca, the piano."  Liseth pointed at the disfigured grand piano in the ball room.  "There's music coming from there."  Liseth took a few cautious steps closer to the piano.  "It...it doesn't seem to be moving though."  The girl paled, "The music is louder the closer I get.  It sounds...like dancing music..."

"Ghosts don't...play piano do they?"

There was one thing that Liseth knew she could do.  Sarenrae gave her the power to see undead if there were any hiding in the vicinity.  Even if they were invisible.  But...looking around the room, was this something she even wanted to know?

Cato glanced around the room, suppressing a shiver.  Not for the first time, the scholar-mage was glad that people like Pisca and Kellan were here, at the front of the group, while Cato was more free to ignore the ever-present threat of personal assault to concentrate on the surroundings.

"I can try to detect any magic, Liseth.  That might catch something you miss when detecting undead."

Cast Detect Magic  Look for auras

---

---

The party moved further into the room, every creak of the floorboards emphasizing just how eerie and empty the manor felt.  The room was obviously designed for a score or more of people, but there was no indication anyone but the party had set foot within it for a long, long time.

Pisca moved towards the southern door, cracking it slightly and peeking her head around to find a door just like it immediately across a long corridor that led to another door at the end.  The air in the corridor was musty and stale; it seemed as if the opening of the door might have been the first movement the air had experienced in years.  The walls of the corridor suffered the same moisture and moldiness as those in the dancing room, and the overpowering scent of it almost made Pisca reach for her scarf to keep from retching.

Satisfied that no horrors lurked in the hall, the gnome moved over to the door in the eastern wall, near the piano.  A quick peek through this door discovered a simple washroom.  An ancient metal washtub stood to the north.  It had the same sense of forlorn decay as the dancing room, but not the same silence.  As Pisca quietly closed the door, she heard a strange, furtive scratching coming from inside the tub.

Skritch.

Scratch.

Silence.

Skritch.

Scratch.

Silence.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+-xxW-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |x | W|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--x--+--xx-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  | D|  |  | x|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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3 |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |x |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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  +--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+-xxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
5 |  |  |W |  |C |L |K |  |P D  |tt|  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+-xx--+--+--+--ppppppx--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  |  |W |R |  |  pppp  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+-xxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  |  | x|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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W = Window   D = Door  p = piano  t = washtub

This message was last edited by the GM at 12:50, Sun 29 May 2016.

"Hallway," the gnome had whispered after peeking down the corridor that the southern door had opened onto.  Even now she could feel the grimace into which her face had been twisted by the stench of the mold.  "Just a hallway.  But maybe we'd better wait till it airs out a bit before exploring that direction."  She'd left the door to the Stinky Hallway wide open to allow said airing out while she crept quietly to the door nearest the Mysterious Piano.

"Stop it, Lysa."  The gnome had whispered her nervous admonitions as she cautiously skirted the Musical Instrument of Mystery on her way to the door.  "Now you have me hearing pianos as well.  She also shook a disapproving finger at the Dark Instrument of Many Orderly Ivories as though a rebuke for un-piano-like behavior.  It had been but a brief look behind what turned out to be a washroom door.  It was unnerving to have a haunted piano at her back, and so it was that the gnome called for assistance upon discovering the presence of an unknown Tub Dweller.

"Can I have a Big Person over here?"  She pointed to the nearly closed door just over her shoulder before drawing forth her wicked-slim rapier.  "There's a washroom in there, and something skritch-skritch-skritching in the tub.  I would poke it myself, but it's hard to see properly over the top of the hummie-sized tub.  And then, there's also this untrustworthy piano that someone has to keep an eye on lest it bite someone's bottom while her back is turned."

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

Cato had finished casting his spell, and a wave of intense concentration suddenly stole over the mage's features.  He seemed to detach from the world for a moment, his thoughts turning inward.  Finally, he broke the brief internal experience.  "There's..." Cato cut off, realizing he had been speaking aloud.  "There's magic all around.  I've never felt anything like it before.  I can't detect a source for it, but it feels like there's necromantic energy everywhere around us.  Something is very strange here.  I would venture that we've found the source of Sandpoint's ghoul problem, though."

Cato continued to think.  "I wonder, but I've never been inside a source of magic.  Is it possibly the house is infused with necromantic energy?"

Her eyes fixed on the piano exuding such ghostly sounds, Liseth could feel her hairs standing on edge.  It was so dilapidated, so musty, so broken in here that it must seem as though no one had touched the place in an age.  "Didn't Mr Foxglove say that the house was supposed to have undergone repairs?"  She spoke quietly.  If this was what the place looked like, it probably would have scared away any sort of respectable repairman.

She jumped when Pisca's investigation elicited a scratching sound from the apparent washroom.  It eerily mixed with the ghostly music from the still piano.  Her mind raced through images of what it might be; a horrid monster, an undead ghoul, a skeletal hand clawing away for eternity..."A rat," the girl squeaked.  "It's probably just a rat stuck in the tub.  That's what they sound like..."

Liseth swallowed as Cato made his announcement about their being inside an area rife with necromantic energy.  Stepping a little too earnestly, she wedged herself between Kerr and the nearby wall.  "Kellan, maybe you could...go and...check on that rat?"

Her hand clasped her holy symbol, simultaneously covering her body with her small shield.  Liseth Peered down the revealed hallway with Kerr, expecting at any moment for some new eerie thing to come at any moment.

Move to D6
This message was last edited by the player at 08:22, Wed 01 June 2016.

---

---

Kerr glanced around nervously as Cato shared his conclusion.  "Wait.  Inside a source of magic?  So this place is just . . . one big spell?"  He looked helplessly at Cato; the workings behind this sort of arcane power had always escaped him.  "What does that . . . what does that mean?"

He shot Liseth a smile as she walked over next to him, although by the time it reached his face it was more of a grimace.  "What do you think?"  He whispered at her before suddenly cocking his head.  "Hey.  That piano music you were talking about?  I can hear it!  It's catchy . . . but off."

"I hear it too," Kellan volunteered from where he'd walked to cover the other doorway.  He paused to listen.  "It doesn't sound real, though.  It sounds like," he pointed at the piano, "as if someone was playing that from under a bunch of blankets or something."  He paused again.  "Does it seem to be getting louder to you?"

Pisca and Liseth's request that he investigate the washroom drove the strange piano music from his mind.  "Sure, I'll check it out."  He couldn't help but sport a small grin as he thought of the last time he'd been tasked with rat-catching.  Sadly his chances of seeing a partially-undressed Shayliss here at the manor seemed negligible.

He carefully opened the washroom door.

Skritch.

As Kellan's armored boot hit the tiled floor, it elicited an excited response from whatever was inside the tub; the desultory clawing became much more vigorous.

Skritch Skritch SKRITCH.

Kellan lowered his polearm and warily approached the washtub.  The skritching stopped, replaced by a wet snuffling sound.

Kellan took another step forward.

Before he could react a rat burst from the bottom of the tub, the presence of a possible food source gifting it with an energy it had apparently not heretofore possessed.  The giant rodent was a horrific and pitiful sight--a tumor-heavy wretch with milky eyes suggesting impaired vision.

The thing was also shrieking in a frenzy.  Its ravenous, nails-on-a-chalkboard wails reverberated through and out of the room, making Liseth want to cover her ears.

After a moment of shocked defensiveness, Kellan easily parried the thing's attack and ran it through with his polearm.

SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-thunk.  The thud of the creature's body against the washroom floor provided a final coda to its starved wails.

"I think it's safe to say," Kerr ventured as the group recovered from its shock, "that anything that could hear that knows we're here.  Or that something is here, at least."

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W = Window   D = Door  p = piano  t = washtub

This message was last edited by the GM at 08:00, Wed 01 June 2016.

"Yerk."  Commented the gnome as she peered around Ogre Stomp at the ratty looking mess on the floor.  "That was ugly.  But I'm not so sure that there's much in this house to hear us.  The door we came in from the outside was stuck shut.  The hallway out there looks like it hasn't been used in ... well, forever."

"But I think we'd better move on."  With these whispered words, Pisca slipped past Kellan and exited the washroom out into the hallway.  "All we have here is a haunted piano that is most definitely getting louder.  And, as interesting as that might be, it won't help anyone back home in Sandpoint to linger here."

"Haunted," she said, as she put her ear carefully to the door at the end of the hall.  "That's what I think we have here.  A haunted house," said the gnome.  Then she opened the door for a careful peek into the next room.

Perception 31
Stealth 32

Position: L7

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

Cato grimaced as the rat's wails hit a crescendo, only to be swiftly silenced by Kellan's expertly-applied polearm slice.  Then his turned his mind back to the results of his spell.

"Kerr, it's not just active spells that register to me.  Anything with a lasting magical aura would do the same.  A magical item produces such an aura.  Obviously a spell does as well.  In fact, even after a spell has been cast, there's still a lingering aura, dependent on how powerful the initial spell was.  The most powerful mortal caster's spells might produce an aura I could still detect after, at most, an hour.  The works of the gods might produce an aura strong enough to last for days.  But in this case...imagine you were an ant, crawling around inside of your magical armor.  If such an ant were to cast a similar spell, it might feel that it was surrounded by magical auras on all sides.  Such might be the case here.  The entirety of Foxglove Manor might be suffused with necromantic energies.  It might be, in effect, one enormous magical item."  Cato nodded in the direction of Pisca.  "Yes, a haunted house."

The wizard shook his head.  "And we should limit our time here, find and end the threat if we can."

"Should we..."  Liseth jumped in response to the shrill but brief assault on Kellan by what turned out to actually be a rat.  As far as things go, that was a lot less terrible than it could have been.  "Should we peek inside the piano?" she finally finished asking.

Imminent danger seemed to have passed, even though the musty piano was playing ever louder tunes.  The acolyte inched closer to it, eying the heavy-looking wooden lid to the grand piano.  She might not be able to get it open herself, but it could be worth seeing what was inside.

"Maybe...maybe..."  She frowned.  Between Kerr, Cato and her they should be able to get it open.  Pisca and Kellan were moving ahead to scout the next room.  "We might find something that shows us where the music is coming from...it might not be a good idea to leave this behind us.  Active...like this."

"We need more light, it's too dim in here."  Liseth grasped Sarenrae's holy symbol and spoke a single-word prayer.  The symbol around her neck shed light out to brighten the ballroom and illuminate the old piano to cast eerie-looking shadows.

As though expecting it to leap at her and bite, Liseth carefully touched her hand to the piano.  She looked at Kerr and Cato, "Should we open it?"

OOC: Cast Light

Attempt to Open Piano Lid (Hopefully with help)

---

---

"Inside a magic item?"  Kerr looked around uncomfortably after Cato finished speaking.  "An actual haunted house?  I guess we should be careful."  A look of concern passed over his face as Liseth approached the piano.  "Liseth, do you really think . . ."

As soon as the blonde acolyte touched the piano, it exploded into music, playing the same catchy but discordant Varisian song the party had previously been hearing in a more-muted form.  Kerr saw the keys on the piano actually move, as if they were played by an ethereal musician.

Kerr's mouth fell open as Liseth was suddenly swept across the room, pirouetting and leaping about the dance floor as if she were in the arms of an invisible partner.

"Liseth!"  He yelled, wanting to do something but at a complete loss as to how he might help.

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 19:24, Wed 01 June 2016.

---

---

As Liseth touched the piano, Pisca cracked open the door at the end of the hallway and poked her head around to see what might lie behind it.

She found what looked to be a lounge.  To her left was a long couch caked with white sheets of wispy fungus.  Across the room, next to a curtained window that must look out over the Gulf of Varisia, stood a long-disused fireplace.

Eddies of dust skittered along the warped floorboards as if caught up by a slight breeze.  Yet as far as Pisca could tell the air in the room was absolutely calm.

As the gnome was about to withdraw her head and close the door, something about the fireplace caught her attention.  She peered at it.  It seemed normal enough, but somehow . . . . there was just something about it that was off.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+-xxW-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |x | W|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--x--+--xx-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  | D|  |  | x|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+D-+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |x |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+-x+--+--+--+--+-xx--+--+--+--xxxxWWxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
4 |  |  |x |  |  |L |  |  |W |  |  |  s  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+-xxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
5 |  |  |W |  |C |  |  |  |  D K|tt|  x  |  |fpx  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+-xx--+--+--+--ppppppx--+--+--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  |  |W |  |R |  pppp  x  |  |  x  |  |  W  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+-xxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxx--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  |  | x|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |P D  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+-xxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
17|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
19|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
21|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
22|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
23|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
24|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
25|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

W = Window   D = Door  p = piano  t = washtub fp = fireplace

This message was last edited by the GM at 22:58, Wed 01 June 2016.

"Little whirly winds."  The gnome was close to stepping into the room.  So close to chasing the little puffs across the floor.  But there was the commotion from back where the rest of her friends were.  With a somewhat annoyed pursing of her lips, Pisca closed the door and retreated back down the hallway.  What greeted her eyes was not good.

"Not good.  Not good at all.  I've seen this," said the gnome from behind the armored bottom of The Boyfriend.  "I've seen this!  I've seen this.  This is the Dance of Death!  This is bad."

"Catch her.  Somebody catch her," cried the gnome.  Pisca's insistent cries were accompanied by a fair amount of pointing and hand waving.  "Pin her down.  Trip her to the ground and pin her down!  If you don't, she'll burst into flames.  I've seen this!"

"Wait.  Have I seen this?"

Position: E7

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

Dancing.  Her heavy and awkward mail suit suddenly felt as light as a dress.  Liseth was swept up, launched into a dance like she had never imagined.  Perhaps she dreamed of such a dance before, but never thought she could actually move the way that she was moving.

The ballroom was filled with people; she could just catch glimpses of them out of the corner of her eye.  They were watching her and her partner dance together as though it was the greatest exhibition of such skill they had ever seen.

She was moving in ways she didn't think possible.  Her clumsiness; she felt as though she was going to keel over and hit the floor at any time.  Trip, stumble, fall.  But her dancer was so...so skilled.  He moved in ways that only made her clumsiness, her stumbles, look like they were a part of the dance.  Made them look beautiful, planned.  Liseth felt wonderful.

Rapturous.

Dancing.  She was dancing!  It was wonderful, she'd never felt better!  I don't want this dance to ever end...

The little blonde smiled in adoration.  Beaming at her partner.  But then she noticed...he looked so sad.  "Why are you so sad?"

It all suddenly came back to her.  Where they were.  What they were doing.  What she was doing.  Who she was with.

The acolyte blinked.  "No...No!  LET GO OF ME!!"  She shoved away at what appeared to be air, stopping her dance suddenly and resolutely.  Just like that she stopped.  She was panting heavily from the exertion and her armor suddenly felt like it weighed twice as much as it had before.

Liseth dropped down onto her knees, right there in the middle of the floor.  "I feel so cold...and weak...It...looked like...Aldern Foxglove.  He was dancing...I was dancing.  He looked...so...sad."

---

---

Kerr reached out his hand helplessly as Liseth pirouetted around the dance floor with her invisible partner.  He was astonished by how smoothly she danced; it was almost like the natural clumsiness that so embarrassed her had completely disappeared.  He stopped, transfixed.  It seemed like Liseth had never been more beautiful to him than she was at that moment.

Then everything changed.  Liseth shoved back against her invisible partner, yelling, as if she was struggling to get away from it.  Kerr had no sooner gathered himself to leap forward than Liseth stumbled back, dancing no longer.


Apparently freed from whatever had taken her, Liseth dropped to her knees as a mournful wail filled the room.  It was the sound of loss.  It was the sound of sorrow.  It was the sound of ineffable loneliness; the stark, poignant cry of one bereft of companionship and hope.  It shot through every single person present, making them feel as if they themselves might never find love, happiness, or friendship.

And then, after what seemed like an eternity, the sound went silent.

OOC:  Everyone needs to make a DC 15 Will save against the cry or suffer 1 point of wisdom damage.

18:06, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Ghostly Howl of Loneliness, rolled 1 using 1d2.  Potential Wisdom Damage.

---

---

"That was ... "  The gnome turned this way and that, looking into the air around her.  It was as though she might catch a glimpse of the sound, as though it might somehow hold a visible presence.  "That was so lonely.  And ghostly."

"That was some beautiful dancing, Lys," said the gnome, her voice still filled with the solemnity of quintessential loneliness.  "I didn't know that you danced."

"Who'd have thought a piano could make a sound like that, though, huh?  I forgive you," Pisca said to the dark grinning musical instrument.  "For wanting to bite my bottom.  I guess you were just lonely."

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 25.  Will Save vs Ghostly Howl of Loneliness.

Position: E7

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

Kellan, who had been caught up in taking in the various deformities of the rat that had escaped the tub, screwed his eyes tight against the sudden howl from the neighboring room. He staggered, pressing ne gloved hand against his ears before he opened his eyes, now glossy and looking on the verge of tears.

"What was that?" he asked weakly as he slowly joined the others, looking around warily.

12:36, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 5 using 1d20+2.  Will Save vs Howl of Loneliness (15).

Cato shuddered as the howl washed over him, struggling to maintain his composure as the horrid wail bore into what seemed like his very soul.

15:50, Today: Cato Crispin rolled 11 using 1d20+5.  Will Saves vs Howl (DC 15).

Active Effects:
1 point of wisdom damage

Such terrible grief...such loss.  So much loneliness.  Liseth's heart tore for the image that she saw.  A man bereft of hope or happiness.  Companionship or love.  A part of her felt responsibility for his wailing grief; after all it happened directly in response to her shoving him away.

Liseth felt so much sorrow for the image.  It looked so much like Aldern Foxglove to her...was it...his ghost?  She had no idea what might have happened, but she did know one thing.  His pain and loss felt so much like her own; the sorrow she held for so long after she had thought that Sarenrae had rejected her.

"I'm so sorry..." She said to the image that she saw.  Liseth was still down on her knees as she spoke,  "I'm so sorry for your pain.  What happened to you?  We only want to help..."

21:30, Today: Liseth Thoradin rolled 24 using 1d20+5.  Will Save.

---

---

Kerr stumbled as he lurched towards Liseth, falling next to where she knelt and clutching his chest.  The young man was not often vulnerable to depression, but the howl brought a wave crashing over him, threatening to drag him into a sea of it.  Did anyone truly love him?  Did Liseth?  Would his life as a paladin prevent him from developing lasting ties to anyone?  He clutched his chest, seemingly unable to breathe for a moment.

After what seemed like an eternity, the overpowering feeling passed.  "R'ya all rite, Lise?"  He asked dully, his tongue feeling thicker than normal and his mouth refusing to shape the words properly.  He took a deep breath.  "What happn'd to ya theer?"

OOC:  08:32, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kerr Mollin, rolled 13 using 1d20+10.  Save vs. Ghostly Howl of Loneliness.

PARTY STATUS:  Kerr, Cato, and Kellan all have one point of wisdom damage.

---

---

This message was last edited by the player at 15:41, Mon 06 June 2016.

Normally quite animated, the gnome lapsed into stillness, her eyes roaming between first one and then the other of the friends who'd accompanied her into this House of Haunts, this Haunted House.  Must be a human thing.  They all seemed quite unwell, or otherwise out of sorts.

"Who are you talking to, Lys?"  Pisca took a few steps into the room and pawed the air next to the young human acolyte.  "Eenie meanie chili beanie," she added to herself, cryptic words for cryptic circumstances.

"You know, don't you, that we can't always help everyone.  'There's only so much gnome to go around,' or so they say.  And right now, we're trying to help the people in Sandpoint.  Right?  Or so I thought."

"If that's the case," she continued as she wandered to a nearby window and drew the curtain for a little natural light, "then I think we should move along.  I think I saw a few little haunted whirly winds in front of the fireplace in the next room.  I don't think we need to be worried about a two or three little whirly winds."

The gnome grasped the windowsill and went up on her toes for a look at the last of the evening light.  "If we want to save the folks in Sandpoint another night of ghoulie terror, it would probably be best to move on.  Keep moving.  Without stopping for funny musical instruments."

Try to draw the curtain, let light in, and look out.

Position: E5

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

Liseth stared ahead as though paying very close attention to something.  Then the girl gasped softly before noticing her friends.  "I'm...I'm alright Kerr.  Pisca."  The acolyte looked at everyone quizzically, "You mean...none of you saw him?  Saw anything?"

"It was..." The little blonde frowned; why was she the only one who had seen anything?  "It looked like Aldern Foxglove.  His image...almost like a...a ghost.  He...danced with me.  It was hard to resist."

"But Pisca, I think I learned something important.  He didn't talk...but..."  Liseth thought, "Pisca do you still have that card that we found from the masked wizard?  The one with the number seven on it?"

"Because he had one.  The ghost of...Mr Foxglove?  He showed me a card just like it that had the number seven on it before he disappeared.  He was so sad...I know he was trying to ask us to help him."

The gnome turned from the window that was so encrusted with grime and mold as to be completely opaque.  No light of sun, fading as it was, would fall upon the floor of this haunted piano room.

"Of course I have the card, Lysa."  Pisca left the window and returned to Liseth, producing the card with it's golden number seven from her pouch.  "It's the key behind the Mystery of Mister One-Eyed Maskie," she added.  "Aldren had a card just like this?  Where did he get it?" Pisca then asked.  For a moment the gnome might have been asking how the ghost of their noble friend had acquired the card, but that was immediately cleared up as Pisca continued.  "Did he take it out of his pocket, Lys?  Did it just appear in his hand?"

"Um ... Stomper," she asked, "could I borrow your polearm, please?"

Borrow Kellan's polearm.

Position: E5

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

"Well, he..."  Liseth thought, and her hands simulated the motion as she recounted how the image produced the card.  "He reached his hand into the inside pocket of his jacket and drew it out from there.  Then he showed it to me."

"First he looked at the card, then he looked at me.  And...there was no mistaking the look he had either.  It was like he was begging for help..." Liseth frowned.  What could have happened?  Who were these number seven people?  "Then he just...faded away."

The gnome gave a solemn nod.  Solemnity is all in the eyes, after all.  "Poor Aldren," she said, as if those few scant details had told her the entire story.  (Or, maybe some version thereof.)

"Um ... polearm, please?"  The gnome looked up a second time, this time with her hand outstretched.

Borrow Kellan's polearm.

Position: E5

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

Cato stood still, pondering the implications of everything that had just been revealed.  The auras, the spectral dancers, the piano, the rat in the tub, and shook his head.  "There's so much going on here.  But...but, if Liseth saw Aldern's ghost, does that mean that he's dead?  I mean, what are the implications of that?  If Aldern is an undead ghoul or whatever, can he have a ghost as well?"

Active Effects:
Mage Armor (? Duration Left)
1 Point Wisdom Damage

"Aldren may be dead.  Or he may be a ghoul.  He may be a ghost.  Or all three," said the gnome, throwing contradiction to the four winds as she took a firm grip on the haft of Stomper's bladed polearm.  "But, if what Lysa's seen is true and not a distraction, then what seems clear to me is that the Card of the Seven belongs to him."  With the heavy blade of the human-sized weapon resting on the ground, Pisca readied for a swing.

"It wasn't a warning.  He took it from his pocket.  It's something he's involved in.  But he's sad.  It sounds like he regrets it."  Then, with a heave, Pisca swung the polearm in an overhead arch to strike the window with the sound of steel against glass.

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 15.  +1 Attack Window (+3Melee -2SizePenalty).
Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 1 using 1d10.  Damage to Window.

Position: E5

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

---

---

"Begging for help?"  Kerr asked in confusion as Liseth described her interaction with her spectral dancing partner.  "Help with . . . whoa!"

Only good peripheral vision saved him as Pisca overbalanced and brought the business end of Kellan's polearm within millimeters of his nose before successfully smashing it into the target window, shattering one of the panes of glass and bringing the late-afternoon light into the room.

The light didn't have any apparent effect on the room or the piano, which now stood quietly.  No one heard the piano music any more; it had stopped at the same time as the haunting, lonely howl.

"Hey," Kerr resumed speaking, but on a completely different topic.  "Look at that!"  He pointed through the broken pane of glass, where everyone could see that a great multitude of black birds with beady eyes had gathered near the house.  Strangely, none of the creatures was making any noise at all.  They were just standing there.  Watching the house.

Waiting.

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 18:24, Fri 10 June 2016.

"Thank you, Stomper," said the gnome as she handed back unwieldy human-sized weapon.

"What?"  Pisca then said over her shoulder as she looked on with disapproval at the seemingly much unimproved haunted piano.  "Look at what?"  With a sigh she gave up on the piano and crossed back to the window.

"That's a great multitude of black birds," said the gnome with great redundance.  "Those can't have been there when we arrived.  I hope the ponies are safe."

"Do you think ... " asked the gnome taking in the great multitude with a speculative eye.  She flexed a finger and said, "Do you think I should poke them?"

How far away is the great multitude of black birds?

Position: E5

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3
This message was last edited by the player at 19:10, Fri 10 June 2016.

Cato stared up at the waiting birds, trying to suppress a shiver.  "I'm not quite sure what that's all about, but it can't be good."

Cato edged away from the watching birds, towards the doorway to the south.  "Let's complete our examination of this place and leave as quickly as we can."

Move to E7, examine door.
Active Effects:
Mage Armor (? Duration Left)
1 Point Wisdom Damage

"You're too far, little birdies," crooned the gnome to herself.  "Just too far.  Of course, I could shoot an arrow at you."

"But, then again," Pisca said, turning away from the window, turning back, in fact, to address her friends, "we know what they're out there for, don't we?  They're there to keep us from leaving.  We're trapped.  The House wins again.  No going back through the Fat Man's Nightmare."  The gnome shrugged.

"Onward then."  There was another door.  Aside from the one behind which the whirlie winds lived.  The gnome strolled back out into the hallway, watching with curiosity the wizard's methods of examination as she went.

"Not to disturb you, Cato, but I'm going to open the door just a bit and peek through," she whispered into her magic.  "If you don't mind.  Just tell me when you're ready.  This will be quick and quiet."

Peek behind door at E7 when Cato is ready.

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 16.  Stealth.
Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 25.  Perception.

Position: F7

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

Cato nodded and moved from the door, allowing the diminutive gnome through.  "For what it's worth, I didn't hear anything, but you make a better scout than me, I think."

Move to F7.
Active Effects:
Mage Armor (? Duration Left)
1 Point Wisdom Damage

"That's not right..."  After some initial shock, Liseth stood and approached the shattered window.  "I've never seen so many...crows?  I think they're crows or ravens.  I've never seen so many in one place like that..."  Considering the location, and what she had just witnessed, those birds were probably more than simple birds... "Why are they so quiet?  They should be making noise..."

"A flock of ravens is called a murder...some religions and cultures relate them to evil spirits..."  Liseth turned from the window, "Let's hurry."

---

---

As Pisca cracked open the door she got a whiff of dampness, the unpleasant tinge of mold lacing the air as surely as it stained the wood floor, walls, and furniture in pallid patches.  The sound of the house straining and creaking gave this long, high-ceilinged room an additional sense of age and decay.

But what the gnome really noticed was huge monster in the center of the room!  It was a twelve-foot-long creature with the body of a lion, a scorpion’s tail fitted with dozens of razor barbs, huge batlike wings, and deformed humanoid face staring at the front door as if ready to pounce on the first person who might enter.

After a brief start, she realized that the creature was unnaturally still, and probably some sort of trophy.  The room was just as still, quiet, and dim as the rest of the house they’d seen to this point.  Shadows blanketed every corner, and a pervasive gloom was all but palpable.

---

---

"And ... And I thought I heard a woman crying," Pisca said to the others after describing to them what she'd seen.  The look on her face was thoughtful, as though chasing the voice through the echoes of her own mind.  "I'm not sure which direction it came from.  It was only there for a moment.  I wish ... I wish I could piece it out."

"But ... but I think that's the direction we should go," says the gnome, throwing her hat into a metaphorical ring.  "That is," she adds, despite the Possibly Stuffed Monster."

Position: F7

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

"Is that thing...real?"  Liseth asked, peeking from a safe place far behind any forward-venturing gnomes.  It definitely looked like what one might call a monster; Liseth had never seen a thing like it.  Nor had she ever wanted to.

"Don't touch it."  The girl cautioned, remembering what her light touch had triggered from the grand piano.  "Is there another way we can go?  I don't want to have to go in there with...that."

That monster looked like it wouldn't just want to dance if it did come to life...

Cato peered into the room around Pisca, marveling at the creature.  "That's amazing.  I almost mistook it for a living creature at first.  Do you think it would be haunted as well, Liseth?  Can you detect anything from it?"

He looked back towards the room with the phantom piano.  "I suppose we wouldn't want to risk it if we didn't have to.  But we need to explore this house."

The wizard looked down the hallway.  "I suppose there is another door down there (pointing towards O7).  Pisca, do you want to do the honors?"

Know: Arcana to identify?
This message was lightly edited by the player at 17:19, Tue 21 June 2016.

The group carefully stepped into the large hall, taking care to avoid the life-like manticore in the center.  Two large double-doors to the west clearly led back outside, and stepping around the manticore the group could see a curving staircase heading to the upper floor of the manor.

To the east was a wide corridor.  A rather gruesome antique--what appeared to be a mummified monkey head--hung on the northern wall of the corridor, a bellpull extending from its tiny gaping mouth.  A ratty throw rug partially obscured a foul stain of dark colored mold on the floor.  The stain was a swirling pattern of dark blue, sickly green, and black mold growing in a spiral.

Through the corridor was what looked to be a dining room, with a mahogany table surrounded by chairs.  Twin fireplaces loomed to the west, while to the east, stained glass windows obscured what could have been a breathtaking view of the Lost Coast.

Each window depicted a monster rising out of smoke pouring from a seven-sided box.  From north to south, they showed a gnarled tree with an enraged face, an immense, hook-beaked bird with sky-blue and gold plumage, a winged centaurlike creature with a lion's lower body and a snarling woman's upper torso, and a deep blue squidlike creature with evil red eyes.

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W = Window   D = Door  p = piano  t = washtub fp = fireplace
M/m = Manticore  s = Stain

This message was last edited by the GM at 18:28, Tue 21 June 2016.

"That's curious," said the gnome, without specifically indicating what it was that she'd found curious.  Though, in truth, she was looking looking straight down the corridor toward the array of stained glass on the far side of the big room.  "People don't usually use stained glass to cover the sorts of views you'd see facing the sea from here.  You can't see through stained glass, and it covers the view."

"Maybe the pictures have some significance," Pisca speculated.  "Or, maybe the builder was just afraid of heights."

"And speaking of which, I think I would like to see that Monkey's head up a little closer."  She turned and held her arms up to Stomper in an unmistakeable request to be lifted.  "If you'd please?"

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 18.  Perception to examine the monkey.

Position: I9

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

"If the person who built this place was afraid of heights," Liseth said, glancing back at the monster in the main lobby then forward to the frightful depictions on the windows, "then they must have been fearless regarding everything else."

The blonde acolyte peered through the dim lighting ahead to try and make out the images on the windows better.  "All those monsters and creatures look terrifying...no...wait."  She went to take a step forward but paused.  The small girl looked down at the peculiar mold pattern on the ground and quickly decided that it was best to not disturb it for the moment.  Her attention went back to the far wall with the stained-glass monsters.

"They actually look more like they are terrified..."  She pointed, "Do you see how their faces are contorted?   They aren't snarling or being scary...they all of them look like they are scared of something.  Deeply scared..."  A frown found its way onto the girl's face, "Why would they make them look so scared?  What are they supposed to be frightened of?"

"Wait, don't get near that."  Liseth indicated the strange, partially-obscured mold on the floor.  "That pattern looks strange; I don't think it's natural.  Let me have a look at it first."

With her light-casting symbol in hand, Liseth inched closer to the mold without actually touching it; leaning down to see if she could identify these strangely located plants.

OOC: Knowledge (Nature) to identify the mold?
This message was last edited by the player at 18:08, Wed 22 June 2016.

"Maybe they don't want to be put into a box, Lys," Pisca suggested.  "See, the only thing those poor creatures seem to have in common is that box.  And smoke the coming out the top.  Uncomfortable maybe.  A smoking box.  But not really what this gnome would call terrifying."

"Oh, and they're all elemental.  They share that too.  Or they could.  If you twist your eyes to look at them the right way.  The tree is wood, the bird is Phoenix fire, the sphinx is air, and the kraken is the sea."

"But ... why would the artist who made these windows want to put four elementals in a seven-sided box?"

"Monkey," the gnome insisted again, her arms reaching up to Kellan.  Each word was accompanied by its own little hop.  "Monkey, monkey, monkey, monkey."

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 18.  Perception to examine the monkey.

Position: I9

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

Cato turned his attention from the stuffed manticore to the other sights in the room.  The first thing that caught his attention was the stained glass windows, and the mage stepped forward, almost stepping over the moldy stain on the floor before Liseth called his attenton to it.

"Thanks, Liseth.  Caught up in those windows.  Very strange.  If I'm not mistaken, those symbols on the boxes are actually necromantic runes.  Chalk another thing up to mystery.  Why would you want necromantic runes in your horrid depictions of monsters?  Someone in the Foxglove family had a strange sense of decorating taste...or possibly this business with the ghouls goes back further than we think."

"Actually ... that begins to make more sense, Cato," said the gnome, her arms still raised to be lifted into the air.  "I would be afraid if someone were trying to put me into a smoky necromantic box too."

"Up, up, up," she chanted.

"I guess the key to the mystery lies in figuring out just what kind of necromantic box that is."

"Monkey.  Monkey.  Monkey.  Monkey."

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 18.  Perception to examine the monkey.

Position: I9

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

---

---

Kellan eyed the manticore uncomfortably.  It was strange seeing something from bedtime stories right in front of him, even in its stuffed form—as if Chask Haladan had bewitched them all into one of the adventure tales he was forever reading the children.  Kellan had to admit that whoever had done the taxidermy was an artist; the thing was incredibly life-like.  He could almost smell the burnt sulfur or whatever it was that gave the monster its legendary fiery breath.

Pisca’s query shook him from his thoughts.  “Up to that?”  He looked suspiciously at the monkey’s head.  The bell-pull seemed innocuous enough, but who knew in this house?  “All right.”  He lifted the gnome up so that she could inspect the late simian’s cranium at close range.

Meanwhile, Liseth knelt down to look at the stain on the ground as Kerr stood over her protectively.  “Who would ever want to live someplace like this?”  He asked, glancing around the entry hall.  “Even when it was new it must have been unnerving.  Take those stained glass windows.  Who does that?”

---

---

"Thank you, Stomper," said the gnome with the gratitude of a precocious human child as she was lifted to the ceiling.

"Hmmm.  Mister Monkey Head looks as though he can be easily removed," she then added after a quick examination.  But ... maybe that's the way he's supposed to look.  Lets take a closer look."  With careful finger she poked her way around the funny monkey head to ensure that removal would not cause any undue pain or ... alarm.

Pisca Neep Freemish.  Perception for Traps.

To move things on, go ahead and have Pisca take the head off the wall if she finds no traps.

Position: I9

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

---

---

Pisca carefully probed around the monkey head and examining it to determine if there might be some sort of trap mechanism.  Finding none, she cautiously removed it from the wall, only to find that . . .

. . . absolutely nothing happened.  The gnome was now the proud possessor of a disembodied monkey head with a long bell pull protruding from its mouth.

---

---

Kellan found the sensation of having the gnome on his shoulders reminded him of better times. When was the last time he had given young Aeren a piggy back ride? it felt like it had been forever.

As Pisca worked he tried to hold still for her and instead focused on how tiny her shoes were. What a life? to be so tiny...it was little wonder she had such a different perspective on things and he wondered in turn how it must be to wander through a world so oversize for your own dimensions, and how nice it must be to have things that were "right sized" now and then.

He made a note to maybe get her a gift, a right sized one, should they make it back.

"Monkey."  The gnome crooned softly to herself as she wound the bell pull gently around the head and stored the entirety of it in her magic haversack.  She slid from Kellan's shoulder, and landed lightly on the floor, absorbing the impact with her legs.

"Do we actually want to go into that room?" Pisca asked, pointing across the curiously regular splotch of mold to the room graced with the stained glass artwork.  "I think we should go up the stairs," she opined.  "Start at the top and work our way down.  I want to find The Crying Woman," added the gnome, and gave no more detailed explanation for her desire than, "She sounded sad."

Position: I9

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

"That can't be...natural."  Liseth removed the rug on the floor to fully reveal the moss on the floor.  The swirling colors of blue, green, and black mold spread ten feet across the hall, "Why is it a spiral, mold shouldn't..."

The girl stopped and leaned closer to look at the mold without touching it, holding on to Kerr to keep her balance.  "Look at this..." she said, "It isn't just a spiral.  It looks like a...a stairs?  A spiraling stairs.  Don't you think so Kerr?"  Liseth leaned back and looked at him.

"It's like someone put this mold here like a picture...or a map?  Of a stairs...that looks like it's covered in bones going down...down...down..."

"What's that Pisca?  A crying woman?"  Liseth stood up and stepped away from the spiraling mold stain.  "I didn't hear anything..."  She looked down at the gnome holding here freshly retrieved monkey head, "Do you think it might be another...ghost?  Like the one I saw in the dancing hall?"

"Could be," Pisca mused, still, apparently, somewhat distracted.  She lifted the top flap of her magic bag for a peek inside.  A grin spread across the gnome's head as the funny monkey head lay there on top, real and in gnomish possession.  (Though in truth, the thing was somewhat macabre in its shriveled, lifeless, gaping mouthed way.)

"Could be a lady ghost, Lys.  A sad lady ghost that needs saving.  She may even be a gnome," Pisca added, finding great significance in that realization.

"You know another reason for going up first?" asked the gnome as she wandered back out into the Manticore room - skirting, of course, the Manticore itself - and heading for the curving staircase heading to the upper floor of the manor.  "The ghoulies all live *down*stairs.  I'm pretty sure they do.  It makes sense when you consider that Your Lordship is using the rivers.  He has a secret entrance at the base of the cliff that lets right out into the water.  That's why we didn't find any tracks outside."  Pisca stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked up into the curved well of the staircase.

"Maybe that's what the mold is trying to tell you, Lys.  Bones going down.  Bones bones bones.  Dey going down down down."

Position: E11

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

Cato shivered at the morbid future hinted at in the group's discussions.  The visions and other sensorial inputs were disturbing.  A side effect of the intense aura of necromancy that infuses the house, perhaps? Cato mused to himself.  But how to test it?  You certainly wouldn't want to go around making powerful necromantic artifacts or infusing such a large amount of necromantic energy into a structure.  I wonder if different schools of magic would have different effects?  Would a similar aura of Transmutation result in something akin to synesthesia?  And what of Illusion itself?  Would the sensations generated by a strong aura include multiple sense, or just end up being literally unable to be distinguished from reality?  Cato shivered.  I hope Paravicar Winters never finds out about these effects.

Cato shook off his reverie and refocused on the current problem.  "We shouldn't dawdle here longer than we need to.  It could be this intense necromantic aura is affecting in more ways than these ghostly illusions.  Let's start up and work our way down."

---

---

The group moved slowly up the curving staircase to the second floor, the silence broken only by the occasional creaking and groaning of timbers as they settled deeper into the cliffside.  The stillness seemed unnatural; it almost made it difficult to breathe, provoking an animalistic, atavistic urge to gasp for air in huge gulping swallows even though the conscious mind knew that this air was just as good as it had been downstairs.

The narrow staircase emptied out into a hallway.  The corridor curved to the left and widened, revealing a total of eight doorways.  Two sets of double doors faced each other across the main hall, and the party had already passed two smaller ones, one to their right and one two their left.  Down the hallway stood four additional doors, two to the west, one at the end of the hallway, and one in the northeast portion of the hallway.

None of the doors gave any indication of what might lie behind them.  Again, the walls and doors were all covered with swirling, strange mold patterns that at first seemed to represent . . . something, but closer inspection revealed the growth to be seemingly random.  Still, from the corner of your eye . . .

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
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  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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17|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |D |  x  |  |x |D |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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18|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  |x |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxx--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
19|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x K|P x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  D L|C D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--x--x--+--+--+--D--+--D--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
21|  |  |  |  |  |  x  x  |  |  |  D R|  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+x-+x-+--+--+-xx--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
22|  |  |  |  |  |  | W| x|  |  |D |  |  |x |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--xxxxxxx--+-xx--D--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
23|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |x |  |  |  |x |xx|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-xxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
24|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
25|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

---

---

"There.  Do you hear?"  The gnome grew very still and sniffed the air as though attempting to catch the scent of the sound.  "That's her.  She's sad."

"Still can't pick out where she is, though.  But she's here.  Somewhere.  I can hear it."

On cat feet, a gnome stalking her prey, Pisca moved with quiet purpose from door to door, listening at each to detect from behind which the sobbing was coming.

Listen at each door.  Take 20 if possible.

Position: Move from door at L20 and moving counter-clockwise.  Ending at I18.

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

*puff* "Whew."

Pisca stole a moment, standing in front of the final door, after rushing around to all seven doors, a moment for a breath, just that long to rest before reporting to the others.

"Nothing," she said, speaking through her Whisper Magic for the first time in a while.  "Couldn't hear anything behind any of the doors," she continued.  "Which makes sense if you consider that everything in this house is probably dead.  I think."

"I'm going to sneak a peek behind each door.  I'll start with this one and work my way back."

Peeking behind door at I18

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 34.  Peeking behind door at I18.

Position: I18.

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

"Wait, Pisca..."  Liseth stopped dead in the middle of her cursory examination of the strange mold all over the walls.  She clutched Kerr's arm, "What did you hear?  Was it the crying woman again?"

"I heard something too..." the girl looked around as though hoping she would see something, knowing she wouldn't.  "But it sounded like a child to me...a little child who whispered right into my ear just now.  They said..."  Liseth paused and bit her lip for a second before continuing, "They said 'what's that on your face mommy?'"

"They sounded scared too.  Like whatever they were asking...their mommy about," assuming that the child hadn't meant her somehow, "was something dreadful.  Pisca, do you think that maybe the crying woman you heard might be the mother of the scared child that I heard?"

"Kerr, did you hear anything?  Are we all hearing different things?"  This was concerning to the girl.  Ghosts and spirits played with people's perceptions.  Who knew what could happen next?

The gnome stood on tip toes.  Frozen, her hand poised as it reached for the knob of the door.

"Yeah.  Yeah, Lys," she replied.  "It was the crying woman.  It was the same voice."

There was a pause then that filled itself with silence.  Silence that sloshed up as it hit the bottom, nearly spilling up over the lip.

"I think we have to look, Lysa," replied the gnome at last.  "No matter how horrible it may be.  No matter how afraid.  If we don't, we'll never be able to help anyone."  Pisca said.

"Will we?"  And she only hesitated for but a moment more before her hand continued to the doorknob for a peek of possibly unimaginable horror.

Peeking behind door at I18

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 34.  Peeking behind door at I18.

Position: I18.

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

Cato froze.  "I hear it too..."  The wizard trailed off as Liseth spoke, then shook his head.  "No, I'm hearing the woman crying, like Pisca.  I think we need to be careful.  The necromantic aura, remember?  This place is probably suffused with energy, maybe multiple people died here, and these whispers and such are all effects generated by their deaths.  Sandpoint has a good reason for calling this 'The Misgivings', it seems."

Cato waited for Pisca to uncover the next dark secret that surely lay in waiting.

---

---

“I heard something too,” a slightly-pale Kellan broke into the conversation, glancing around as if unnerved.  “In . . . in my ear.”  He put a hand up about six inches from the side of his head.  “As if someone were talking to me.”  He put his hand down.  “A man’s voice.  It said ‘she can’t be trusted.’”  He looked around.  “What happened here?”

“I, uh, I heard something like that.”  Kerr nodded in response to Liseth’s question.  “A man’s voice.  Saying ‘what has she done?’  He seemed . . . panicked?”  He looked at the ceiling as if trying to find he right word.  "He sounded angry and afraid at the same time."

While Kellan and Kerr shared the news of their own disembodied voices, Pisca carefully checked behind the doors on the upper floor.   The door down the west hallway was locked, but after some work she opened in to find a staircase leading further up into the manor.

The door next to that led into a large bedroom.

The door at the north end of the hallway in which the party stood revealed a washroom with an iron tub, and the door just to the east of that a bedroom caked with a thick, spongy layer of dark green, blue, and black mold.  The double-doors to the east led to a large room featuring two padded chairs and a long couch facing a wide alcove with stained glass windows, while the double-doors to the west hid a large chamber, bereft of furniture, with paintings hanging on the north and south walls and another set of double doors to the west.

The door to the southwest let to a long, thin corridor heading off to the west before turning north, and the door to the southeast led to what looked like a child’s bedroom.

None of the rooms appeared to be occupied.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+-xxx-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  |  |x | xx  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+xx+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  | x|  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+x-+--+--+--+xx+--+--+--xxxxWWxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15|  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  |  W  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+-x-+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxx--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  | W|  |  |  |  | x|  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+x-+--+--+-xxxx+--+--+-xx--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
17|  |  |  |  |  | x|  |  |D |  x  |  |x |D |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxx--+--+xxxDDx--+-xxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  D  |  |  |  |  |x |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--x--xxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--x--+--+--xxWxxx+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
19|  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  x K|P x  |  |  |  |  Wx |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--x--+--x--+--+--+--+--+-x+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20|  |  |  |  |  |  |  D  |  |  |  D L|C D  |  |  |  |  |  W  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--D--+--+--+--D--+--D--+--+--+--+--+-x+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
21|  |  |  |  |  |  |  D  |  |  |  D R|  D  |  |  |  |  Wx |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+x-+x-+--xxxxxxx--+--x--+--+--xxWxxx+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
22|  |  |  |  |  |  | W| x|  |  |D |  |  |xx|  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--xxxxxxx--+-xx--D--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
23|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |x |  |  |  |x |xx|  |  |  W  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-xxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
24|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+x-+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
25|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | x|  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xWWxxxxxxxWWx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

---

---

The gnome's gaze had lingered on the stain-glassed windows, tempted by the parallel with the ones in the room one floor down.  Then, with her peculiar brand of selected single-mindedness, she shook her head and moved on.

"Stairs up," Pisca whispered after having checked behind the last door and found nothing immediately threatening.  "Up, up," she chanted.  "We can explore these rooms on the way down."  The gnome stalked quickly back around to the stairs that had, very curiously, been sealed behind a locked door, and began her ascent to the next floor of the haunted mansion.

Position: Unknown.  Heading up the stairs.

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

"I think..." Liseth peeked through the door that led into what seemed to be a child's bedroom.  She turned when Pisca started up the next set of stairs.  "Alright...we can start at the top and work our way down through the manor."  She looked back at the child's room, "I just think that we'll be able to learn more about the child if we look in here..."

Mr Foxglove didn't have kids, she was sure.  But this house was in his family for generations so there was no telling how long ago it last had children in it.  Or why this particular child was so scared...of whatever had happened to their mother.

Her head shook slowly in response to Kellan asking what happened here.  "Something terrible..."

Liseth paused at the stairs with apprehension as she looked up.  In most houses, the topmost floor is used for storage...the attic.  It's full of memories and sometimes even hidden surprises.  What could they expect to find in the topmost room of this evil place?

Cato nodded, following Pisca as she ascended.  Nothing but energy, nothing but energy... the wizard repeated to himself, though it didn't help matters any that necromantic energy could be incredibly dangerous is such concentrated amounts.

---

---

The party moved carefully up the staircase to the attic, their inexplicably-driven gnome in the lead.  These stairs creaked loudly under the party's weight--alarmingly loudly in Kellan's case--but in the end they held up to the party's passage without any problems.

Rather than the musty storage room one might normally associate with an attic the companions found yet another hallway, this one full of doors.  The corridor led south before turning west.  Peeking around the corner, Pisca could see that the passage continued for around 25 feet, past no less than five doors, before turning again to the north.

The air in this part of the house seemed noticeably warmer than the coolness to which the group had become accustomed downstairs.  It was just as still, though, although every so often it almost seemed like there was something just at the edges of audible hearing, as if someone was trying to whisper in a voice far too soft to discern.

Listening at the closest door--the only one in the eastern section of the corridor--Pisca could once again not hear anything on the other side.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
4 |  |  WL |R S  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--xxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
5 |  |  DC x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  xK x  |  |  |  x  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--xDDxxxxDDxxxx--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  xP |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--xxxxxxxDDxxxxDDxDDx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

---

---

This message was lightly edited by the GM at 07:13, Wed 13 July 2016.

"Do you hear that?" whispered the gnome into the warm, moist stillness.  "It's stopped," she said, heedless of the lack of sense implicit in the suggestion that one might hear the cessation of a sound.  "I mean, the sobbing.  It's stopped."

As though driven toward some sacred grail or pot at the end of some mythic rainbow, Pisca continued down the hall to find the end of all things.  Caution takes hold as the plucky gnome senses the approach of an end, the nearing of a culmination of things.  With care, she creeps the few final steps to the corner and peeks the top of her head out to see what lies beyond the bend.

Peek around corner.

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 25.  Perception.
Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 25.  Stealth.

Position: G7

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

---

---

Pisca padded down the passage.  As she peeked her head around the corner, she saw another corridor heading to the north with even more doors; two on the right-hand side and one on the left.  The lack of even a dim light through the window at its end indicated that night had finally fallen.

Suddenly, a woman's scream echoed through the halls, its volume and anguish all the more intense for the dead silence that had preceded it.  From the sound of it, the scream came from the behind the door at the end of the corridor on the right.  It echoed and resounded through the attic for what seemed like an eternity.  Then it stopped, replaced by a quiet sobbing that the entire party could hear.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--xWWx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  D  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
4 |  |  WL |R S  |  |  x  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--xxxx--+--+--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
5 |  |  DC x  |  |  |  x  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--x--+--+--+--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  xK x  |  |  |  x  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--xDDxxxxDDxxxx--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  x  |  |  |  | P|  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--xxxxxxxDDxxxxDDxDDx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

---

---

This message was lightly edited by the GM at 15:39, Wed 13 July 2016.

"Did you hear that!!!"  The scream had frozen the gnome in place, and it was only with the return of the sobs that free movement returned to her limbs.

"Did you *hear* that!?" she repeated.  And then she was off.  "Lets go!"  The words lingered in the air, left behind as she zipped off around the corner and down the hallway.  She skidded to a stop at the end of the hallway, her hand reaching out, poised to throw the door open with the arrival of her human friends.

"She sounds so sad!" Pisca said, the excitement in her voice odd in juxtaposition with the sorry of which she spoke.

Ready to open the right-hand door at H2 when everyone's ready.

Position: H2

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

At first Liseth was in no hurry to see what was hidden upstairs.  Or anywhere else in this horrible house.  If it were at all possible, she would love to solve this mystery and fix everything without having to be in here at all.

She jumped clear into the air the moment a scream pierced the tension.  "I heard it Pisca!"  Was that a ghost?!  Earlier the ballroom ghost screamed and everyone seemed to hear it too.

"I can hear...crying too?  Is that ghost crying?  Or....maybe..."  Maybe someone else had wandered in here ahead of them?  Or was trapped?  The acolyte reluctantly followed after the sound of sobbing and Pisca to see what was in store for them next.

Despite being behind Kellan as they tramped through the narrow hallway, Cato's flesh still tingled when the scream assaulted them, just one more reminder of the evils the house offered.  "Part of me thinks we would be better with burning down this whole mess, than sorting out what we can from the ashes.  There seems to be nothing good in here, just sadness, terror and misery."

---

---

After everyone gathered near the door, Pisca carefully opened it.

Or tried to.  Again, it was locked, and this time with an even more cunning mechanism.  Once again Pisca pulled out her tools, and after a minute she was able to spring the device.  The door swung open, and as the party filed into the room they were met with yet another strange sight among the many that apparently littered Foxglove Manor.

Strangely, the room was cold and damp, completely unlike the passageway from which they had just entered.  An old armoire stood near the east wall; the ceiling sloped down to only four feet high to the northeast, leaving room for a small window.  A full-size mirror in a dark wooden frame of coiling roses leaned against these bricks, angled toward the window.

Standing in the corner and looking into the mirror was a diminutive woman.  Despite her dirty, matted blonde hair and her strangely-pale skin, she bore a surprising resemblance to Liseth.  From her appearance in the mirror, everyone could see that her clothes and face were both caked with a dark substance that looked a lot like dried blood.

The woman took no notice of her visitors.  She stood there, staring into the mirror, sobbing.

"Excuse me, ma'am?"  Kerr broke the silence, his voice betraying his discomfort.  "Ma'am, are you okay?"

He received no response.  The woman continued to ignore the party and stare at the mirror, consumed by whatever misery assailed her.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--xWWxxxxxxxWWx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  D  D L|P |SWx  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  x C|R |K x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--x--xxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
4 |  |  W  |  S  |  |  x  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--xxxx--+--+--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
5 |  |  D  x  |  |  |  x  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--x--+--+--+--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  x  x  |  |  |  x  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--xDDxxxxDDxxxx--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--xxxxxxxDDxxxxDDxDDx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

SW = Strange Woman

M = Mirror

---

---

When he viewed the woman inside the room, Cato instantly regretted his earlier comment.  Am I that willing to risk the death of potential innocent to save myself from some unpleasant experiences?  Nothing in this house has actually tried to harm us so far...

Cato tried to ignore that "so far" as he focused on the situation on front of him.  It seemed unbelievable that someone could actually be alive in this ramshackle old house, locked in the attic.  Then again, maybe she was locked up here for her own safety.  Maybe even by someone as he descended into the grips of undead-fueled hunger?  Grayst's transformation had seemed too sudden to involve such long-term planning, but based on the necromancer's notes, there were notable differences between the undead found.  Perhaps whomever was responsible for this woman's imprisonment had a more protracted decline into undeath.

Cato shivered again, and moved in to examine the woman, still hoping fervently that she was.  "Liseth, " the scholar sent through Pisca's whisper magic, "Can you tell if she's actually...alive?"

Pisca's gaze roamed from the small, oddly fixated human woman to Liseth.  It went back to the woman, and then returned to Liseth.  "Um ... Lysa," whispered the gnome after relaying Cato's words through her magic.  "I think you might have hit your head."

"But ... um ... " she continued in a normal voice, "at least you don't look dangerous, Lys.  But ... "  And the gnome craned her neck to get a closer look at whatever lingered in the mirror and seemed to so captivate this Other Liseth.  " ... you sure do seem to like your mirror."

Whatever check you might need to determine what might be holding the woman's gaze in the mirror.  Perception?  Knowledge check of some kind?

Position: I2

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

---

---

The mirror that so fascinated the woman was very ornate and clearly expensive, but other than that there seemed no particular reason for her attention to be so fixed on its reflection.  Pisca’s gimlet-eyed gaze searched the mirror’s mahogany frame, but even she was unable to pick out anything about the mirror that might so enthrall an observer.

“Um.”  Kerr’s voice broke in to the communal inspection of the glass and its observer.  “She’s, uh,” he seemed to be searching for the right words, “not good.  Evil,  I mean.  Or at least I’m getting that sense.  I think.”  He still wasn’t completely comfortable with his newfound abilities.  “Definitely evil.  Although,” he shifted his weight from one foot to another uncomfortably, “she doesn’t seem evil, you know?”  He threw a confused hand out toward the sobbing woman.  “Just . . . sad.”

---

---

"She's..."  Liseth watched, fully unnerved by the girl before them.  "She's not me Pisca.  Don't say that..."  Even as she said it, Liseth was struck by the uncanny resemblance that this other girl had to her...except for how dirty she was.  And how she was covered in...what seemed to be blood.

Kerr was right about one thing though; she didn't seem evil.  But if he saw her with an evil aura, it could mean only one thing.  Liseth clutched Sarenrae's symbol with a slightly shaking hand.  The young acolyte wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer to the question everyone seemed to be asking.

"Sarenrae, please grant me your divine sight in this...unholy place."  In spite of herself, Liseth gasped and took a step backward as her eyes began to see teh aura's of undeath.

"She's undead.  Kerr, she's undead."  Liseth shivered.  "She...she...she...looks like...an undead...me."  Was this what...Foxglove wanted with her?  To make her undead?  Was this girl supposed to be a vision or was she just an unfortunate victim and their similar appearance a coincidence?

Liseth mustered her courage and stepped closer, holding her holy symbol aloft.  Sarenrae's divine light bathed the sobbing girl so that everyne could get a better look at her.  "Do you...recognize this symbol?"  Liseth asked of the undead girl, indicating Sarenrae's holy symbol.  "What's your name?"

OOC: Cast Detect Undead; Cast Light

---

---

The sobbing woman completely ignored Liseth as she stepped closer, still completely absorbed in her own reflection as she wept.

"Undead?"  Kerr repeated.  "That's . . . that's horrible."  His eyes hardened.  "She does not look like someone involved in dark magicks."  Then he sighed.  "But then again, what does appearance really tell you?  Lord Foxglove seemed like a decent guy, and apparently he's mixed up in all of this too."

---

---

Slowly, the downright creepy events in the house were turning mundane to Cato.  Here was something in any other circumstance that would have been instantly worthy of their full attention: some form of undead, possibly intelligent, but, compared to the rest of the dangers and the dire threats they had already faced, it urged on the mundane.

Cato stepped closer.  "What should we do?  I mean, it's an undead, right?  Can it make more of itself?  Should we...should we kill her?  She doesn't seem to be of much danger to anyone."  Cato waved a hand in front of her face, testing for any kind of reaction.  "I don't even know if she knows that we're here."

"I'm ... I'm sorry, Lysa."  There was something in the human girl's voice.  Something that was profoundly upset that she had been compared, mistaken even, to this wretched thing that was glued to the mirror.  That something in Liseth's voice seemed to shake the gnome, and she became still - silent and contemplative.  For a moment.  And when she spoke again, her voice was full of thought and very serious.

"Have you ever wondered, Lys, why Aldern seemed so ... taken by you?  I think we have the reason right here.  I don't know what happened to her, but I think it is very much connected with whatever is happening to him right now."

Pisca, even as she spoke, began edging around the undead woman, reaching a hand for the frame of the mirror.  "Whatever it might be, we'll never know unless she stops looking at herself in the mirror.  Releasing her from the mirror might be dangerous.  But we'll never find out unless we do.  Alright?"  Her small hand gripped the frame in preparation for angling the silvery surface in a different direction.  "I'm going to move the mirror.  Be ready for anything," said the gnome.  "One, two ... "

Push the mirror so that the woman is no longer looking into it.

Knowledge Local check, please.  For a woman very close to Aldern Foxglove and whether she might have been short and blonde.

Position: I2

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

---

---

The woman's sobbing subsided into a weak series of snuffles, but still she stared into the mirror with a passionate intensity, as if she could burn through it with her gaze.  She completely ignored Cato's hand as it passed back and forth in front of her face, too caught up in whatever it was she saw in the reflection to do so much as spare him a sidelong glance.

Then Pisca moved the mirror.

The strange woman's sobbing immediately stopped.  After having her wails in the background for so long, the sudden silence was almost stunning.

The woman's chin dropped to her chest, her dirty, matted hair obscuring her face.

She took in a long, ragged breath.

Then she looked up at her new visitors, as if seeing them for the first time.  The intensity returned to her eyes, but this time--instead of sorrow--they were full of madness and rage.

"You," she whispered, her bloody face contorted with anger as she pointed an accusing finger towards Pisca.  "You did this to me.  Look what you did to me!"  Her eyes grew wilder.  "LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO ME!!!!!!!"

With her wail still echoing through the small room that had served as her prison, she sprung towards the gnome as if she would tear her limb from limb with her bare hands.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--xWWxxxxxxxWWx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  D  D L|P |SWx  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  x K|C |K x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--x--xxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
4 |  |  W  |  S  |  |  x  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--xxxx--+--+--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
5 |  |  D  x  |  |  |  x  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--x--+--+--+--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  x  x  |  |  |  x  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--xDDxxxxDDxxxx--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--xxxxxxxDDxxxxDDxDDx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

SW = Strange Woman

M = Mirror

OOC:

Strange Woman

22:31, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Strange Woman, rolled 18 using 1d20+7.  Initiative.

Party

Roll for Initiative.  You may post an action if your initiative is 18 or higher.

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 07:06, Mon 18 July 2016.

"What?  No!"  Pisca's head snapped around to meet the snarling face of the Undead Not Liseth, drawn where it should have been in the first place and not the shiny surface of the mirror from which she's just turned.

"No!  Not me," the gnome complained, pleading her innocence.  "I didn't do it.  It wasn't me!"

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 12.  Initiative.

Position: J2

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3
This message was last edited by the player at 14:38, Mon 18 July 2016.

Cato gasped, surprised at the undead woman's sudden activity.  And yet...something didn't seem right.  She hadn't actually attacked.  Was she angry at them?  Or was she angry at whomever had done this to her?

Forgoing Pisca's whisper magic, Cato yelled out:"Everyone...can we defend ourselves?  I think she's just angry, but might not actually attack!"
10:14, Today: Cato Crispin rolled 15 using 1d20+6.  Initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:05, Mon 18 July 2016.

The suddenness with which this strange, undead girl changed from sobbing to pouncing caused Liseth to nearly fall backward in surprise.  Was it possible that whatever happened had also consumed this girl's mind with madness?

Initiative: 10
Position: I 2

Active Effects: Detect Undead (Concentration), Light (50 Minutes)

10:11, Today: Liseth Thoradin rolled 10 using 1d20+1.  Initiaive.

---

---

"What should I do?"  Kerr already had an arrow nocked but he couldn't decide if he should start shooting at the woman or if she was the real victim here.  His voice betrayed an anxious indecision.  "Do I shoot?"

While Kerr waited, the strange woman, her face a rictus of rage, paused in front of Pisca, staring at the gnome as if she were the only thing in the world.  Her gaze full of fury, the woman--or whatever she had become--was seemingly unaware of the calumny she was perpetrating.

She took in a deep breath.

And then she screamed directly into Pisca's face.

The shriek echoed through the room, through the manor, through the bones and perhaps the very souls of its hearers.  A heartbreaking, outraged cry filled with loneliness, anger and loss, wrath and vituperation.  As if the strange woman's entire being and whatever wrongs had been perpetrated upon her were expelled in one long anguished howl of despair and hate.

"Sweet Lady of Valor!"  Kellan moaned, eyes wide, nearly falling to one knee as he made the holy sign of Iomedae every child of Sandpoint believed would ward off evil.  "Save us!"

The feathers of an arrow tickled Kerr's cheek.  Despite her piercing cry, the issue of whether the woman was attacking them still didn't seem decided.  Never taking his eyes from the woman, he felt rather than saw Kellan fall back into the wall, muttering half-remembered prayers.  The young paladin felt stretched to the breaking point, the scream and the tension of the situation nearly overwhelming him.

"What should I do?"

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--xWWxxxxxxxWWx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  D  D L|P |SWx  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  x K|C |K x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--x--xxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
4 |  |  W  |  S  |  |  x  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--xxxx--+--+--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
5 |  |  D  x  |  |  |  x  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--x--+--+--+--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  x  x  |  |  |  x  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--xDDxxxxDDxxxx--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--xxxxxxxDDxxxxDDxDDx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

SW = Strange Woman

M = Mirror

OOC:

INITIATIVE

11:34, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kellan Storval, rolled 4 using 1d20+2.  Initiative.
07:32, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kerr Mollin, rolled 20 using 1d20+5.  Initiative.

COMBAT

Kerr Mollin

Delay initiative.

Strange Woman

Standard Action:  Shriek (DC 18 Will save or cower in fear)

11:39, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kerr Mollin, rolled 21 using 1d20+10.  DC 18 Will Save vs. Fear.
11:36, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kellan Storval, rolled 4 using 1d20+2.  DC 18 Will Save vs. Fear.

ALL PARTY MEMBERS MUST MAKE A DC 18 WILL SAVE OR COWER IN FEAR, UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING BUT DEFEND THEMSELVES.  DON'T FORGET TO SUBTRACT FOR ANY WISDOM DAMAGE YOU HAVE TAKEN.  ANY PARTY MEMBERS WHO SUCCESSFULLY SAVE MAY TAKE THEIR COMBAT ACTIONS.

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 19:37, Mon 18 July 2016.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."  The words spilled from the gnome, falling over themselves as Pisca cowered behind her hands.

"I'm sorry.  But, it wasn't me!  IT WASN'T MEEEEEEE!"

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 11.  Will Save.

Position: J2

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3
This message was last edited by the player at 21:17, Mon 18 July 2016.

Still affected by the earlier attacks against his psyche, Cato could do nothing but cower from the terrible shriek, his mind frozen in panic.

17:14, Today: Cato Crispin rolled 15 using 1d20+4.  Will Save.

"She's str..." Liseth's words were lost in the horrible, heart-rending shriek that the undead girl released.  Just before the scream Liseth saw the power in the undead aura that coalesced around the form of this other small woman.  It was strong; she was not just any undead.

She was dangerous.  Something punctuated by the terrible, mind-quivering shriek of dismay.

Liseth maintained a white-knuckle grip on her divine focus, even as she let her undead-sight fade away.  "She's strong Kerr!"

"[Language unknown: Asllmeis, ck comng ilhand e enc!  Les thapl ol ne icthar sonterstreve he moen set hasvirntesetcom ateforpro ssatli e plut tistai!]"  Liseth channeled holy, golden-white energy to course through her body and gather in her symbol; releasing a massive surge of holy energy directly at the undead girl.

Will Save vs Shriek: 25
Standard Action: Channel Energy to Turn Undead (DC 21)
Free: Add +1 to DC modifier through Hannah's Challenge Perk

14:52, Today: Liseth Thoradin rolled 25 using 1d20+5.  will save.

---

---

A bright flash of gold-white energy bathed the room in a fountain of divine energy.  For the first time since Pisca moved the mirror, the pale woman's gaze left the gnome--it shifted to Liseth, now full of terror rather than rage.  The woman put her hands up as if to shield herself from the brightness of the young acolyte's presence, whimpering and pressing herself into the western wall, as if she hoped to somehow meld through it and flee the avatar of holiness with which she was confronted.

As Cato, Kellan, and Pisca continued to recover from the woman's shriek, Kerr kept his arrow nocked and bow drawn.  After the baleful, seemingly interminable cry, the snuffling and moaning of fear seemed almost inaudible.  "Wow, Liseth.  That was amazing.  Thank Sarenrae."  He could hardly believe the sudden change in their situation.  "Do I . . . do I shoot her?  Or not?"

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--xWWxxxxxxxWWx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  D  D L|P |SWx  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  x R|C |K x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--x--xxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
4 |  |  W  |  S  |  |  x  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--xxxx--+--+--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
5 |  |  D  x  |  |  |  x  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--x--+--+--+--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  x  x  |  |  |  x  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--xDDxxxxDDxxxx--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--xxxxxxxDDxxxxDDxDDx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

SW = Strange Woman

M = Mirror

OOC:

Strange Woman

19:38, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Strange Woman, rolled 13 using 1d20+7.  Will Save v. Liseth's Turn Undead.

Result:  Strange Woman flees as if panicked for one minute (ten rounds).  Since she is cornered, she cowers, using the total defense action.  As intelligent undead, she receives another saving throw next round.

Kerr Mollin

Free Action - Speak

Party Status:  Cato, Pisca, and Kellan are also cowering in fear.

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 06:25, Tue 19 July 2016.