---

---

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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24|  p  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  p  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |K |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: Esswhehis.]"  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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7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |
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8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |P |K |  |  |  |  x  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |C |  |  |  x  |
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11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |L |  |  |  |  |  |
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15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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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
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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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 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--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  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--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|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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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."