Russel readied his bow and did another careful scan for any enemies approaching the mill.
"While it may be a distraction, it will not be distracting me!"

Buck eyes the growing smoke plume with alarm and looks around to see who sets off at a run with Gorrid and who remains at the mill with Russel, planning to assist whichever endeavor has less bodies commit to it.

Spriggy had been busy pondering the mysteries of the stone circle and the trapped spirit within when he noticed Gorrid running toward him. No, not toward him. Past him. He glanced in the direction Gorrid was headed and saw the smoke. Almost without thinking, Spriggy performed some arcane gestures and brushed his fingers against Gorrid as he ran past.
He could feel their minds connect almost instantly.

"Pardon the intrusion," Spriggy thought to Gorrid. "Let me know if you need help and I'll fly over. Hopefully that isn't the same house that got hit by the flaming arrow earlier..." He thought he had extinguished it completely, but maybe not. "Otherwise I will head back to the mill and dive into the books I brought along. Try and find out if there is any way we can free the spirit trapped here. Because if that fire isn't an accident, I think our troubles will only continue to compound if we don't take care of the spirit as soon as possible."

Spriggy began jogging back toward his pony cart near the mill. Because apparently they were in more of a rush than he had originally thought. When he reached the mill, he mentioned to those there, "I have a mental link with Gorrid right now, so if you need me to pass along any information, let me know."

---

Casting Telepathy on Gorrid as he runs past.
20:36, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 10 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 1,6.  Cast a Spell: Telepathy.
Gorrid and I can communicate mentally.

Heading to the mill to study my books (and help Russel guard it). Spouting Lore x2, on "how to release a bound spirit - or de-power a magical site." Using two uses of my Bag of Books.
20:47, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 10 using 2d6+4 with rolls of 4,2.  Spout Lore - de-power a magical site.
20:46, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 14 using 2d6+4 with rolls of 5,5.  Spout Lore - how to release a bound spirit.
The dice roller loves me tonight!

As you look toward the edge of the village, you see the smoke... of cooking fires.

Looking around, you see nothing that seems to threaten the village.

Based on Spriggy's book, the best thing that could be done with the site would be to sanctify it. It wouldn't dissipate the magic entirely, but it would turn it away from a focus on necromancy, at least. Only problem is, it would take a while, and plenty of priests.

Releasing the spirit is much more simple. You just need to convince her to leave.

Buck decides to follow Gorrid, trying to make sense of the knight's urgency and his own realization of the mundane source of the smoke.

Sir Gorrid scanned the area, looking both at the village as well as the forest.  He pulled his face mask down, sword and shield ready - obviously prepared for a fight.

Buck approached his armored acquaintance cautiously as he caught up, keeping a bit of a distance given the off-putting agitated state Gorrid had taken up.

"Man, are you alright? You look prepared to repel an invading force. I can discern from here, they are mere cook-fires and the tree line is bereft of activity."

"You don't see the floating dark elf or undead army?!"  The holy warrior gestured with his sword and adjusted his stance to defend the halfling against the treat that perhaps only he could see...

"Something is weird about those fires you are headed toward, Gorrid." Spriggy reported over the telepathic link, oblivious to the conversation the paladin was having with Buckthorn. He leafed through his books as he "spoke," but continued to glance up at the horizon again and again. "It's hard to explain but, one moment it looks like there are a few cooking fires. Then the next moment the smoke plumes grow, like it is the cook fires of an entire battlefield or something. Weird. It's almost like I am seeing two different view points that are competing for control of my senses. Stay safe out there." He wondered if his telepathic link might have crossed some wires in his brain, but didn't think so. The spell felt like a complete success when he cast it.

When he found the correct passages in his books, he relayed that information to Gorrid as well. "I think to free the spirit of this town, it is as simple as convincing her to leave. Not easy, but not complicated. Unlike removing the standing stone's magic."

Edited for spelling.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:28, Sat 05 Mar 2022.

"Maybe I'm seeing something from the past?  Could the spirit be showing me this?"

"I think you should get back to the mill and alert the others, even in that armor you are faster than I."

Buck didn't think that was true but did think he could sound convincing and wanted to steer Gorrid back to the group.

"The militia will be our first line of defense, as with the conjured water-hulk of the assassin mage." he added, playing along with whatever was affecting his warrior colleague.

Irene frowns, as she stands close to Gorrid. "The spirit has used your previous spells as a way to possess you. It may not be entirely under her control. This... this army may be the last thing she remembered of her life. The memory that keeps her shakcled here."

Sir Gorrid nodded his understanding, but to confirm, strode out toward the forest, watching for any signs that the creatures were aware of his presence - and whipping is sword through the air to decapitate a skeleton that was likely not even there.  Satisfied, he turned and tried to figure out where in the vision the woman was whose distress had caused all of this.  Perhaps he could gain some insight from this vision of the past to help in the present.

quote:

12:30, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 11 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 3,5.  Discern realities.

Who's really in control here?
What is about to happen?
What here is useful or valuable to me?

Idi follows Gorrid at a healthy distance, giving the paladin some space since he seems... agitated. Fortunately Spriggy's spell helps shed light on what's happening, but it still rattles Idi a little bit to see a holy warrior like Gorrid have his perceptions twisted up. If it can happen to him, it could surely happen to any of us...

"I don't think this ghost-woman problem can wait, can it," Idi muses to his companions. "She's compromising our ability to see and stop other dangers. But beyond that, it would be a good deed to end her torment. Even if she is, in a way, bringing on herself through her own memories."

"We need to... what, talk to her? Help her move on? Thovis showed me some of what troubles her, but not how to sooth that. If someone could talk to her in a way that gets through..." He shakes his head, thinking.

"Gorrid, are you able to see the woman? Can you, I don't know, speak to her? If we can figure out what she needs to let go..." Idi moves closer to Gorrid, hoping to help in some way, though he can't see any of the visions.

Gorrid steps forward, waving his sword a bit... only to find the creatures he sees also see him, and move in to attack! You manage to stumble away from the blow, but there's little options other than fighting them.

While Idi shouts at Gorrid, Irene suggests "if those memories are what traps her, perhaps changing them could release her?" At the same time, she draws her blade, ready to assist Gorrid against the nightmarish horde.

Sir Gorrid growled and slashed at the nearest enemy with a bit more of a swing.

"If that's the case, we need to take care of that damned elf...

Am I the only one that sees anything, because they sure seem to see me!"

quote:

21:48, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 13 using 2d6+4 with rolls of 6,3.  Hack & slash.
21:49, Today: Sir Gorrid of Torr rolled 6 using d10+d4+1 with rolls of 4,1.  Damage.

With Idi in place to supervise Gorrid, Buck will hurry back to the mill to alert the others to his strange behavior and what seems like fantastical visions.

After listening to Gorrid's words echoing in his head, it was becoming clear they may need additional assistance. It may even develop into and "all hands on deck" situation. And when he saw Buckthorn approaching the mill to alert them, it solidified Spriggy's decision to go help. He put down the books he had been scanning, then asked his pony to start pulling his cart to the other side of town.

Then he poked his head inside the mill. "Leo, Kharla, can you keep an eye on these guys here at the mill? I believe the rest of us may be needed elsewhere. Some stuff is going down across town." He gave nod to Russel, silently suggesting maybe he should come with.

He mentally let Gorrid know he would be flying over shortly, then focused on transforming himself into the shape of a bird. Specifically a vulture. If there really was some sort of undead army over there, he figured a vulture might not stand out too much. A few moments later Spriggy flapped his new black wings and took to the air.

---

Shapeshifting into a vulture.
10:18, Today: Spriggy Glompgut rolled 11 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 4,6.  Shapeshifter - to vulture
3 hold.

"Uhm, I think you are the only one that sees them, Gorrid. The ghost is, uhm, showing you things? What are you seeing? How... How can I help?" Idi vacillates between pushing back against Gorrid's visions, and just going with them to see how it plays out. Without any idea of how to break the ghost's hold though, he offers his help for whatever it might be worth. At least until an opportunity presents itself.

Following Spriggy's lead, though reluctant to leave the mill unguarded, Russel headed towards Gorrid.

Before he left he encouraged Leo and Kharla to keep a sharp eye out and yell if they saw anything out of the ordinary.

"Undead horde.  Commanded by a floating dark elf.  And if they're illusions, they're darn convincing..."

"Well, if they're here in some capacity, they'll respond to this." Idi reverently pulls out his spearhead, symbol of Thovis the Hunter, and with a deep breath holds it up high. He doesn't know where to look, so ended up just casting his gaze around. He has a moment of doubt—this is foolish, it's just a vision; I think? I hope?—but he pushes it aside. If there are undead here, let them be turned!

"In the name of Thovis, The Great Hunter, let no dead thing cross my path or lay hands upon me! Begone!" he calls out loud.


I don't know if this is even a roll, if they aren't there (or are they?), but I'll just make it anyway and let the DM sort it out!
Idi rolled 12 using 2d6+3 with rolls of 3,6.  Turn Undead.

"It's working!" Irene says.

Gorrid cuts down a few of the skeletons, feeling their bones break under your blows. You don't know if their weapons will feel as solid, but you're not eager to find out. Thankfully, Idi's power soon clear a circle of safety around you. But there's so many of them, you're not sure that will hold them back for long.

Floating over the village, Spriggy can partly discern the moving hordes. The vision must come from the telepathic link, but you notice you're not just seeing what Gorrid is seeing. More undead squads, beyond Gorrid's field of vision, are circling the village, moving in to attack... and passing right through a small group of farmers heading into the fields, completely oblivious of each other.

Spriggy passed along what he was seeing to Gorrid Telepatcally. "It seems the visions are real enough, but only to those who can perceive them? Or those who purposefully try to interact? The villagers are completely unaffected, and the undead don't seem to notice them either." Spriggy worried for his own safety now, since he could see the army. Hopefully he was inconspicuous enough to avoid being a target. "I will loop around a bit, vulture style, and see if I can spot our ghostly friend among this vision. That is where we should go to, I think. To the source of this history." Spriggy flapped his wings and looked for their target, passing along what he was seeing telepathically.

"Whatever you're doing, it's helping.  Stick close to me."

The paladin waded toward the necromancer slicing through any undead not deflected from Idi's warding.

What will it take to get within melee range of the dark elf?  More hack & slash?  A defy danger?