Looking down, Spriggy can only see one sign where the woman's spirits could be. She seems to be 'riding' Gorrid. It doesn't look like she's controlling him, just that's she's stuck to him through everything else that is happening.

OOC: Reaching the elf would take two Defy Danger, Wis based, from both Gorrid and Idi.

If anyone else want to join in the fight, feel free to try any crazy ideas that passes through your head!

Looking for a pattern in the movement of the undead forces - that apparently only he could see, Sir Gorrid charged towards the floating elf.

"Follow me!"

quote:

07:52, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 11 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 3,5.  Defy danger - Wis.
07:53, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 14 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 5,6.  Defy danger - Wis #2.

I wasn't clear on whether you wanted one each or 2 each, so I rolled 2.

With everyone else seemingly playing along, Buck trails Gorrid in a hurried crouch of a run. With his spear at the ready he felt a bit foolish, like a kid again, chasing imaginary foes through the moss and trees of the Stinking Mire.

If the knight is under control, he could be barreling towards something dangerous.

Russel thought that his bow was not going to be of much use if he couldn't actually see a target so, he slung it and drew his short sword.
That caused a slight delay but he still was right behind Idi and ready for anything that he could do.

Though Idi can't see anything or any apparent effect, Gorrid is so certain... It seems crazy, but he trusted Gorrid this far and with a quick "Thovis guide me" Idi makes the choice to follow this strangeness to the end. It's impossible to know if Gorrid is seeing something real or not, whether he's entirely under his own control, but Gorrid is a paladin of good faith. Idi would trust in that.

"Right behind you," Idi assures Gorrid. He keeps the spearhead aloft and tries his best to keep pace right behind the paladin, as close as he can be without stumbling into an errant sword blow.


Likewise, I'm not sure if that was two rolls because two people, or two rolls for each of two people, so discount the second roll if needed.
Idi rolled 12 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 4,5.  Defy Danger (WIS).
Idi rolled 13 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 4,6.  Defy Danger (WIS).

How high up is the elf?  Can I reach him with my sword?

(Nice rolling Idi :>)

The villagers give you curious looks as you run around, but it's generally accepted that adventurers will do weird things, and that it's best to stay out of their way when they do.

You gather around Gorrid and Idi, with Spriggy keeping watch above. In the paladin's eyes, the undead horde fall back before Idi's light, and you manage to get closer to the dark elf. With a snarl, the necromancer begins an incantation.

Spriggy frowns as he overhears the words through Gorrid. They sound like an elfish incantation, but it's actually just babbling, like someone imitating the sounds, but not understanding the language. But at the same time, the woman's spirit seems to 'leak' from Gorrid, reaching out for the villagers around the group.

OOC: The elf is floating about six feet off the ground. A bit hard to reach, but not impossible.

"I believe you're already dead, but if it will help this poor woman's spirit to rest, then I'm happy to kill you again!"


Invoked Exterminatus

quote:

07:17, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 9 using 2d6+4 with rolls of 4,1.  Hack & slash elf.
07:17, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 11 using d10+3d4+1 with rolls of 3,1,3,3.  Damage.

I'll use the +1 from my Discern to turn that 9 into a 10

Spriggy landed with the group when they reached the dark elf and resumed his natural form. "This is definitely a figment of the ghost's memory, but let's vanquish her foe nonetheless," he agreed with Gorrid. "Here is our foe." Spriggy cast a simple cantrip, creating an illusion to overlap with the ghost's memory. That way the others could have some idea of what he and Gorrid were seeing and allow them to target appropriately.

---

Casting Prestidigitation, creating a minor illusion.
08:46, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 10 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 5,2.  Cast Prestidigitation Cantrip: minor illusion.

Once there is something to see, Russel switches back to his bow and make a clear show of attempting to disrupt the casting by hitting the necromancer with an arrow.

"No casting for you foul Necro!" he exclaims as he launches an arrow.

Spriggy's illusionary image surprises Buck who rolls to one side in reaction to its appearance, seeking cover. He readies the rune inscribed bolas he took from the water-mage and hurls it over the heads of half the group and toward the ethereal elfish figure, entirely unsure if he expects it to pass through or land a blow.

Today: Buckthorn rolled 8 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 3,4.  Volley (Bolas)

The illusion snarls at you, only to flinch as he's struck by sword blows, arrows, and one surprisingly effective bola. He looks defiant for a moment, as if it existed on pure evil, only to fall a gasp as he bleeds and 'dies'.

With the elf dead, the undead hordes Gorrid sees seems to break down and fade. You hear a faint whisper around you... "Safe..." And then... nothing. Irene looks around for a moment, examining the stones. "She's gone. I guess 'killing' the necromancer that attacked the village in her memories put her spirit to rest."


Off to the sides, a few villagers watch your antics. "So... were they training?"
"I don't know. No one ever tells me what's going on here."

Sir Gorrid instinctively wiped the 'blood' off his sword before returning it to his sheath, then retrieved the fallen bola and walks back toward Buckthorn.

"That was...not what I expected.

So, I guess the question now is, where is our 'current' necromancer at - and is the family finally safe?"

The knight wasn't sure how the group was going to get a viable answer to those questions, but before there was much debate, he was grabbing some food and a good strong drink.

Buck appreciated the knight returning his weapon, but instead of replying could only nod and affirm the warrior's questions.

Taking in for the first time the small gathering of an audience, Buck found he hadn't much to say to them either. He gathered himself and looked to the others for their next course of action.

Spriggy paid little mind to the villagers gawking at them. If the villagers thought they were doing training, that was likely for the best. The truth would be difficult to explain and wouldn't really change much.

But it seemed that whatever they had done had paid off. "My thought is that if Gorrid and Kharla are no longer cursed, then the family should be safe now. Do you feel cursed, Gorrid? And as for the necromancer... Perhaps we should return to the guild and speak with the higher-ups. Especially the guild wizard. They may have additional insights into our situation."

He began walking back toward the mill, but paused. He turned back to his allies. "I think we did some real good here, guys. I really do." He smiled wide, then resumed his stroll.

"I didn't really feel different before..."

However he dug into his pack to bring out the scroll.  Its disappearance wouldn't guarantee the curse was gone, but if it remained unchanged, that would be a clear sign they hadn't yet succeeded.

Russel offed a coin to the first village kid that returned the arrow he had shot.

He held it up so all the kids could see it.
"First one back with that arrow I shot will get this," he stated to the small crowd of gawking kids.

The children run off cheering, eager to earn that coin.

As Gorrid examines the scroll, you realize you no longer feel the malignant energy that resided within it before. Opening it, even the black mark that was on it is gone. It seems the curse is over.

As for the necromancer, you can only assume that if Gorrid can no longer sense him, he most likely died, running out of time just days before you managed to break the curse.

"So... is that it? Are we safe from those assassinations?" The leader of the militia asks. "We don't have much to offer in thanks... but maybe there's a bounty on those killers? With everything they did, the bureaucrats in Methrosan will find some rewards for dealing with them... We can offer you a decent meal though!"


OOC: Dragging the two dead assassins and the living one will net you 20 coins each in bounty (eventually, Methrosan's bureaucracy does not move quickly), that counting the henchman's shares.
The bola is a 'Spirit Shackle Bola', allowing it to attack intangible spirits like elementals and ghosts. The rest of the weapon's stats are in the Rules thread.

And with that, the Ring of Death is broken. You make your closing posts here, and we'll move back to the Phoenix's Nest this week-end.

Sir Gorrid shared what he'd learned about the scroll and, after a decent meal, did some praying to try to ascertain that the necromancer was indeed dead.  After satisfying himself that his quest had indeed come to an end, he helped as he could to heal any who had been injured in the fighting the previous night and to repair the roof of the hut that had burned - and subsequently fallen through.

That night, around the fire, he shared his thoughts.

"That was...weirdly anticlimactic.  And most uncomfortable.  It is somewhat disconcerting when your senses are taken over by the visions of someone else."  He glanced over to where Seraph was hovering nearby.  "No offense intended, milady"

Stabbing an illusory elf seemed an odd way to end a generations-old curse.  Though on the other hand, stabbing things was something he was good at, and he had no idea how the group could have solved the situation some other way.

He looked over to where Cathleen was scampering through the trees, playing a game with her friends in the twilight and smiled a bit.  Perhaps there didn't need to be a grand battle for a mission to be a success.

"Any time you are dealing with spirits and ghost, it feels insubstantial," Russel agrees with a grin.
"This meal though is substantial. Once we are back on the road, who knows when we'll get another one like it."
With that he helps himself to another serving of stew.

Buckthorn took comfort in sharing the meal with his newfound comrades. He listened and occasionally nodded in agreement as they ate and talked. He quietly analyzed the others as the conversations meandered, studied more closely the runic bolas Gorrid had returned to him, and thought of what they had overcome in Buck's short time with them. He came to the conclusion that this was indeed a worthy band, in capability and intention.

As everyone relaxed over a meal after a hard day's work, Spriggy sang songs, shared tales, and did other general bard-y things to keep a positive mood. Everyone had reason to be grateful. Many had even more reason than they knew. Most of the village was blissfully ignorant of just how bad things could have gotten.

Other than doing his entertaining, Spriggy packed up and rearranged his pony cart for the coming travels. He chatted with Lydia, his pony, as he worked. As he packed things around the necromancer's mirror, he wondered if their guild wizard would be able to get to the necromancer's secret lair beyond. Perhaps the barrier would be weaker now that the evil elf had died.

That evening Spriggy went to bed with a smile on his face, happy to have helped end a terrible curse, protect some innocent villagers, and put an end to the career of some skilled assassins. As he stared up at the stars above, he quietly wondered what his next adventure would be.

---

I am ready to head back to headquarters. Are we doing an End of Session?

"I think we should bring the prisoner back with us.  He should face some official justice.  And he may have some useful information to share about other employers..."

I'm ready for an End of Session

I forgot about that part. Overall, you can all mark 3 xp for what you learned during the trip, exorcising the village, and defeating the assassins.

And now's the time to update your bonds. Feel free to discuss them here or in the Party Bond thread.

No obvious bond resolutions for me