As Fergan journeyed toward Luskan, he could feel the lodestone he received from Francis pull vaguely north. He ended up hitching a ride with a performance troupe headed that way, a very bawdy group to appeal to the crass city of Luskan. Fergan understood these people, who were ready to engage with him whenever he pleased, but left Fergan alone otherwise. He suspected it was his somewhat sickly complexion. Or maybe not.

About a day out from Luskan, Fergan felt that the stone's pull had shifted to the east. He had long since attached a string to it like a plumb bob, which he unfurled. It was definitely listing to the north east.

It had been 6 days since Francis had given him the stone, the old mage said its magic would last a week. Fergan parted ways with the troupe to strike out through the sparse woodlands in the direction of the young mage, Saran.

The forest grew more thick, but based on the behavior of the plumb bob, Fergan was closing in. In fact, from one hour to the next, Fergan observed that it had change directions, either that or the forest terrain had turn Fergan around- entirely possible.

Later in the day, Fergan came upon a forest wall. He supposed it could be an overgrown structure, either that or Saran was somewhere beyond it. Fergan moved perpendicular to the direction the stone indicated. The stone swung toward the wall. It looked like Saran was within.

Fergan moved up to find entry within the bushes. Upon inspection you see that the stone is worked in places as a facade. It appears to be a building that has been covered over the years by dirt and foliage. Fergan discovers an opening large enough to squeeze through. Peeking in, Fergan sees a light source. He recognizes Saran from Francis' Scrying. With Saran is a crow on his shoulder and a wingless sprite at his side, who pops out of sight.

Saran sees (Matt describe Fergan) peeking into the cave.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:44, Fri 10 Jan 2020.

Saran blinks out his light and retreats a bit behind cover until he determines that Fergan is not an immediate threat. Upon learning that Fergan was sent by Francis he is open about sharing his business with Francis, and what he is doing now. He asks if Fergan has seen any zombies and is very interested in anything Fergan has to say about it.

Open to playing any of that out, or just moving on.

In reply to Saran Helder (msg # 2):

OOC: I don't have a mental image of Fergan. Given he is always changing his appearance, I just haven't put in the effort.

Fergan, reveals that he has seen zombies back in Neverwinter, that he dispatched of the immediate source, that he suspects that more was going on, and that his suspicion that more was going on led him to Francis and, subsequently Saran.

OOC: Maybe Joe can just reconcile the pertinent information? Fergan won't be sneaky, and will freely admit that he has some sneaky skills, though they are more suited to social situations.

He also says to Saran, telepathically: "I can also do this ever since I...died?"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:58, Mon 13 Jan 2020.

Ok, for the sake of brevity, Saran has encountered some zombified peasants on the road. One one of them, a woman, Saran found several artistic or runic cuts, all over her body. He later found her house and it was evidenced that her and another person (probably the other zombie Saran encountered) were killed in bed, then the woman was moved to a table, washed, and mutilated.

Fergan heard about zombies, found a guy that was harassing/beating prostitutes and trailed him to an inn, staking it out. In the morning, several zombies burst out and started rampaging the streets (but were destroyed by Fergan and other adventurers). Fergen investigated within and found a woman on one of the beds, mutilated similarly to woman Saran found.

Fergan tracked the man to another woman's house where he (and 3 guards) found the man mutilating the woman. Both this instance and the mutilation in the inn were done under the cover of a Silence spell (clever, right?).

There were a couple fights, mentioned in OOC. The guy was ko'd, sent to jail and killed himself before trial. One quick tidbit, let's say on Fergan's way out of town, he hears from his guard friend that the prison guards that found him tried to save him, but were too late. Part of the unofficial story reported by one of the guards (which is why I didn't mention it earlier) is that the necromancer appears to have hung himself, but was struggling mightily against it, so maybe changed his mind after kicking over the stool? The guard affirms there was no non-magical way anyone could have gotten into or out of the cell. I also want to note that this happened before Jeffery Epstein did not kill himself. If there is any last minute questions Fergan wants to ask about this, we'll retcon it here.

I think that's the only shared history needed to be covered.

Saran copied the markings/runes he found on the woman. He shows them to Fergan and asks how they compare to the markings he saw.

He says he hopes that's the end of the zombie attack's, but the death of the necromancer does sound suspicious...

Here we go, might as well call you Alex Jones.

In reply to GM (msg # 6):

Are the markings comparable, either to the one on the necromancer's hand or on the other victims.

Also, full disclosure...I have a wand that will animate the dead and, well, I guess I'm telling you that I can imagine using it if I had to and the conditions were right. I got it from the necromancer's gear and didn't want to explain it to the authorities, but I'm telling you since you might see me raise one at some point. Also, I can do a fair impersonation of the necromancer, if ever we are looking to do so.

(jokingly)Are you the necromancer?

Come on, unless you need a rest, let's see what we find in this ruin

Saran casts light on his belt buckle and starts down the hall.

I'm re-rolling portent, since I don't remember when last I rolled it.

09:51, Today: Saran Helder rolled 38 using 2d20 with rolls of 19,19.  portent.

So, I got that going for me...
This message was last edited by the player at 17:52, Tue 14 Jan 2020.

In reply to Saran Helder (msg # 8):

Rest. No, I'm not much for resting.

With a bit of a dramatic flourish, Fergan changes his appearance to that of the Lordling, then imitates his voice:

"I'll be looking and sounding like this, but I'll sound..." and then, telepathically, "like this telepathically. This voice, this way, will always tell you the truth."

Then, out loud: "like I've trailed off in thought from time to time."

Ok, Saran casts Light on his belt buckle again and notices Spot scratching at something under his wing and knows that two important things will succeed this day.

OOC: Saran has a Raven familiar named Spot and Fergan has a Spider familiar [unnamed].

The wingless sprite, seeing that everything is copacetic, pops into view and says, "I'm Sevinnuhb. Saran revived me from an eternal sleep and a deathless death. Actually, my name is Lampwick. Either name is fine," Lampwick introduces himself flatly, despite the reputation of the fey as being jovial.

By way of reminder, if Fergan wants a light source, Saran has a magical torch, if he wants to loan it Fergan.

Saran pushes his way into the opening and I go map a dungeon.

In reply to GM (msg # 10):

I have Guidance, Light, and Mending from my class, now. Light is not a (major) concern

https://drive.google.com/file/...-g/view?usp=drivesdk

I think I have a photo bucket account which I can pst, for now, follow link.

So the star is a torch or something?

Saran proceeds down the stairs into the larger room and sends Spot ahead to scout.

I confirmed that you can link from Google Drive

You mean the link worked, or something else? What I mean is that if I post to something like photbucket it will render as an image. Or is there a way to link to drive and have it show up?

Dropbox works if you have that.

You can put it in drive and have it show up. I think I proved that part in the game I failed to DM

In reply to Fergan (msg # 17):

OOC: Ok. Back to playing.

Fergan bends down to inspect the patterned floor before stepping in, pushing down on tiles with his quarterstaff to see if they are trapped before moving into the room.

OOC: Do we know why we're here and I just need to read back a bit?

We're here to plant a scrying coin for Francis.

Sorry for the delay.

Firstly. Saran sent Spot to scout ahead. The familiar flies down the stairway and almost as soon as it enters the room it appears to be whipped by something from up above, obliterating it from existence in the material plane.

Att: crit
Dam: 22

You cannot see the source of the attack, but it would seem to be above the threshold between the stairway and the large room.

In reply to GM (msg # 20):

I send the spider in on the floor and have him look up.

Roll stealth. How big are spider familiars?

In reply to GM (msg # 22):

Tiny. 18.

Ok, you spider crawls to the area and sees come vines and creepers growing out of the wall about the hallway threshold opening. They are not moving.