A Song of Death

[Deadly]

Yuriél
Finding paper and a pen is easy enough, but Yuriél doesn't find much else in the two rooms. Nothing of value, atleast. The shield does seem both well crafted and slightly magical, but other than that Yuriél is unable to identify it exactly.

With the writings copied and all the rooms searched, there's seemingly not much left to do on this floor.

Spoiler

Show

With Franz gone I believe János to be the only one who would use a shield. Of course, Sinenomine has yet to post.

Rufgwhar
Ascending the stairs quickly, Rufgwhar comes out into a hall. The stairs continue up, but this is obviously where the singing came from. There are two doors along the southern side of the hall and a larger one at the end. About midway down the hall a small corridor leads north. Where the two corridors meet there is a small pool of water into which a thin stream of water falls from a hole in the ceiling. On the floor near the stairs lie two corpses, one of a big brutish looking man, the other of a smaller person. Both look twisted and horribly mutated, their dead faces still twisted in a mad grin. Another being, no less appalling, lies unmoving a few feet down the smaller corridor. This one doesn't seem entirely dead, however, as it still twitches slightly.

There are others here, however. Two people stand in the hallway, near the pond. Both are obviously of the giant race, although not quite like the ones Rufgwhar sometimes met back home in the north. There are other people down the smaller corridor, judging from the sounds and scents.

Janos and Ihlet
Janos and Ihlet will be the first to see the wolf coming up the stairs. So they better wake up look active...

[cintain]

Rufgwhar

((OoC: Just to clarify, Rufgwhar assumed the hybrid half-man, half-wolf form.))

I looked upon the scene before me, trying to make sense of it. I stopped dead on my tracks and looked around, taking advantage of my stature in the man-wolf form to gain a vantage view. Looking upon the giants, I decided to approach them with caution and an overture of good-will. Perhaps they knew what had transpired in this place. I lowered the dagger and straightened up.

Greetings, cousins, I said in the proper address form for the giant-kin amongst my people. My name is Fagyott-Száj, of the Köd Farkas tribe of the Sylva d'Agyá. I have become lost in this place and seem to have also been relieved of my possessions. Do you know what is afoot here?

[Limos]

Ihlet

"By Skard's left ball! Furry one, are you still sane?" Ihlet swore as the bizarre wolf entered the hallway and resumed humanoid form. Ihlet relaxes slightly when the lycanthrope speaks, showing that he is neither undead nor a silent berserker. "The Nightengale has been silenced and the dead walk among us. We encountered crazed warriors but minutes previous and are resting before continuing on our way. The whole city has gone mad and we are merely trying to escape it. You are welcome to join us if the others will agree to it."

Realizing he has been very rude Ihlet gives a slight bow and introduces himself. "I am Ihlet Szemely, and it is a pleasure to find another friendly face in these troubling times."

[cintain]

Rufgwhar

Thank you, cousin Ihlet, I answered, glancing briefly at the other giant and waiting briefly for him to speak, but the wise elder of my tribe, the shaman Ireszkáy, lies very ill and he has bid me find the source of his illness in a place called Vasöv. I am bound to find the origin of his illness, which spreads like a blight upon the world, and end it lest it consume all. Do you know perhaps about "the song"?

I took a couple of small steps into the room as I spoke, allowing my interlopers to see me fully in my wolf-man form.

[Anonomuss]

István

István left the site of the priest's final resting place. Walking back out into the hall, he was faced with the sight of the hybrid man-wolf. A few seconds later, his staff was in his hand, before him in a defensive stance.

"Hello," he said, Can I help you?"

[cintain]

Rufgwhar

Peace, brother, I said, suddenly confronted with a human holding out a staff at me in the middle of my conversation with the giant. I am lost and deprived all my possessions, seeking the source of a great evil. I mean you no harm, lest you be said source. Are you a friend of Ihlet's here? If so, I understand you seek naught but a way out of this forsaken place.

I held out my hands in a gesture of friendship, showing the one to be empty, the other holding the box and the dagger I'd taken from the room below.

[Limos]

Ihlet

"I am sorry friend Fagyott-Száj," (This is the name he gave but not the name in his post... ???) "I am not one for scholarly pursuits, if you speak of the Nightengale's song, then indeed it has been silenced. I know not the source of these evil beings that infest the city. We have a priest with us. Perhaps he could be of more help than I." says Ihlet as he waves for Istvan to lower his weapon. "My cautious friend here is Istvan."

[Anonomuss]

István

István lowered his staff sheepishly, at Ihlet's gesture.
"Of course. I'm sorry, I'm afraid that I'm just a bit shaken at the moment. Please do forgive me István said, bowing to Rufghwar.

[cintain]

Rufgwhar

I nodded briefly at the human as he lowered his staff.

I understand your cautiousness, do not be preoccupied. Well met, Istvan.

I turned to the giant again.

I do not understand... you say a nightingale's song has been silenced? This must be a truly remarkable bird, if its muteness is such cause for concern. And your priest friend, where is he? I dare think that he would be most suitable to have in the lead, if you seek your way past the hordes of the living dead.

[Deadly]

Atnall
The early morning was peaceful and quiet, only a few people out on the streets preparing for the day in the softly falling snow. Atnall had been up a while, preparing to meet with the captain of the guard who, it was said, held some influence in this city. It was even an advantage that the captain here was a dwarf as well. Perhaps he would be more inclined to listen than most. It had not been easy to find a good time to meet and discuss, however, as the captain was a busy man, but eventually this early morning had been agreed upon.

A few eyes followed Atnall as he made his way through the streets towards the barracks. The distrust was obvious, although so far people had been polite if somewhat reserved towards him. Knocking on the metal door to the barracks, he went through his reason for being here once again in his mind. As the door opened Atnall was greeted by a large, wildly bushy beard and hair, presumably hiding a man behind it. The large, heavily built dwarf nodded politely and gestured him into the room beyond without a word.

As they entered a small side room, the captains office no doubt, a strange silence had come upon the place, and the brisk walk of the captain seemed to slow, become insecure before stopping entirely. The deep, black eyes behind the bushy hair looked up, as if the man was listening intently. Atnall glanced around, unsure of the sudden silence. It didn't seem right, something was wrong. He could feel it, like a flood of unease washing over him. Then a scream cut through the air, coming from outside.

With surprising swiftness the captain grabbed a pair of axes from a stand next to the door and rushed past Atnall and back out on the street. Confused, Atnall followed, as more screams were heard. Leaving the barracks, a sight unlike any met Atnall. The market and streets of the city had filled with people by now, many screaming, others laughing, most of them fighting as if in a mad daze. A tremor shook the city, the very earth moving under his feet as if something wanted to break free from it. Atnall and the captain watched as shambling hordes of corpses emerged from all around the city, from alleys and houses, and bursting out from the sewers in swarms of rats and decay.

In a matter of seconds the whole city seemed to have erupted into chaos, fighting and death. The streets ran red with blood and the dead seemed to rise faster than they fell. Somewhere across the market place a house erupted into an inferno of flames and Atnall had barely taken in the scene before he and the captain was surrounded by insane people and walking corpses. Wasting no time, Atnall responded with all his force, trying to hold back the tide. But it seemed hopeless... and all the while Atnall couldn't shake off a terrible feeling of despair and of madness, like some outer influence telling him to give in. To let go of all restraints and kill and destroy indiscriminately. An urge to revel in the bloodshed and chaos.

Completely lost in the effort to hold back the tide and fighting against the terrible influence rising in him, Atnall didn't hear the sound of a heavy door opening behind him, nor the sounds of the undead shuffling out of the way of something massive as it moved towards him. He didn't really notice the large shadow looming over him at first either, not until a large hand reached out for him. Only then did he spin around to see the huge, laughing madman standing behind him, but not quickly enough to avoid the fist. With terrible power the stony fist connected with his skull and sent him to the ground as his legs collapsed under him and his spine complained under the force of the impact.

As his vision blurred and faded, Atnall looked up into the face of a much smaller madman, this one with a disturbing smile painted across his decidely ugly face. The madness in his eyes was unlike any Atnall had ever seen, not even among the most vile criminals and murderers. The man knelt down, seemingly completely ignorant of the undead and they of him. The last thing Atnall remembered was the madmans voice among all the screaming and fighting, whispering in his ears a song, a lullaby? But the words faded, along with the world around him...

Herzl
After spending a few weeks hiding out in Vásöv, Herzl was beginning to feel a little disappointed. There weren't too many places worth his talent and skills. So after pondering over an ale one night, he had decided to make a stab at the most obvious place around here: The temple. It was a clear mark, obviously full of valuable things. Spending a few days examining the place and planning his move, Herzl finally decided to act in the early morning where he knew most of the clergy would be out of the tower for morning duties.

Scaling the tower was no challenge, and Herzl quickly found himself on the second floor. Rummaging around in the priests' quarters for anything valuable, while keeping watch in case someone should show up. Once in a while he had to hide from a wandering cleric, but most of the time he was left alone on this floor, with plenty of time to search. Thus he never noticed the strange and sudden silence that fell over the place, not until it was broken by terrified screams from outside. Standing still and listening to the sounds of fighting and screaming breaking out, Herzl slowly moved to a window to have a look outside.

But he didn't see much, except something large flying towards him and the window at great speed. Before he could jump out of the way the tower shook from the impact and the wall and window exploded around him in a shower of stone, dust and shattered glass. A large piece of debris hit him and caused him to fall over. Badly wounded and on the verge of passing out, Herzl tried to pull his leg free from the broken wall and crawl to safety when he suddenly found himself surrounded by freaks. Some of them crawled in through the hole in the wall and ran past him, while others stopped up and surrounded him. The last thing Herzl saw was their grinning faces all around him, laughing down at him...


Atnall and Herzl
The howling and shrieking of the Dead and the Dying faded from your mind, and you find yourself adrift in shifting mists. It is quiet. So still. But you can find no rest. There is something here... something drawing your attention. A faint whisper, an apparition somewhere in the fog. It fades in and out, as if struggling. After a time, you think you can make out the wraith-like face of a young woman. Her azure eyes fixed upon you, drawn to you. She seems to be speaking to you... or singing. But you can not make out her voice, only the faint sounds of water. You think she may be calling to you. Her expression seems lifeless. Dead. She is dead. Of that you are certain. And as she fades from your vision once again, you catch a glimpse of trees in the mists. A forest, and a village among the trees.

Then the vision fades back to darkness... for a time everything is black. Then a light, and sounds...


Atnall
Slowly your senses return to you. You can hear fighting, moaning and running all around you. But you feel safe, warm, and you feel your energy and strength slowly seeping back into your body and mind. Opening your eyes you find yourself inside a large stone building with no roof but open to the darkening sky. You lie in what appears to be a massive glowing circle of runes, the soothing light holding the horde of undead at bay and slowly easing your pain and wounds. All around there are people. Weary but determined, some inside the circle, others trying to make a small dent in the wall of living corpses surrounding them. A large, blood-soaked lycanthrope tears and cuts furiously at the horde, backed up by guards in torn and dented armor. The lycanthrope regularly leaps back into the protective circle to glance briefly at the sky, as if waiting for something to appear there, then jumps back into the fray.

In the center of the circle, surrounded by young clerics and a pair of mages, stands a young woman. Her milky white eyes stare blindly ahead of her as her voice sounds across the place in a song of determination and hope. She looks terribly exhausted, but unwilling to give up.

You realise that you have been left with nothing but the armor on your back and the pain in your head. You have no idea how you got here, exactly where this is, or what at all happened after you passed out.

Herzl
The place has grown still again, only the distant sounds of fighting and moaning is head through the broken wall. As you slowly regain consciousness and glances around where you're lying in the broken debris of the wall, you find yourself alone. The madmen are nowhere to be seen. The place looks like it has been razed. Everywhere things are scattered mercilessly on the floor, and you realise that all your posessions are gone. No doubt the madmen took everything they could get their hands on before disappearing.

Spoiler

Show

Because of this change in Atnall's intro from my original idea, Atnall starts out with half hit points, not a quarter. Otherwise no changes.

[Ipphli]

Herzl

Herzl shakes his head, then winces at the pain it brings. He stands up slowly and with great difficulty. He closes his eyes for a moment to let the vertigo pass before looking around the room. He searches through the debris, hoping some of his items might have been overlooked. Barring that, he looks for anything that he might use as weapon.

Once certain there's nothing of use in the room, he quietly heads towards the door and peeks out.

[Reverent-One]

Atnall

By the scales! Atnall thinks as he slowly gets to his feet, holding his head, trying to will the pain away, What happened here? Looking around, he checks to see if any of his party is safely in the circle with him. Wait, what happened to the rest of them?!

Repeating his thoughts out loud, he asks anyone who will answer him, "Can anyone tell me what's going on here? And where am I?"

Spoiler

Show

Religion check to identify who the clerics serve.
(1d20+10)[14]

[Deadly]

Herzl
Herzl finds himself in one of the small rooms on the second floor of the temple. He's already searched most of this level before all hell broke loose, and knows the layout of the place. There are eight rooms like the one he's in, arranged around the perimeter of the elliptic tower. Each room is further divided into personal quarters by thin paper walls so that two or three priests can rest in each. All the rooms open up into a central, circular room with a stream of water in the center falling from a hole in the ceiling down through a hole in the floor to the first floor. From this circular room a short corridor leads to a flight of winding stairs to the first and third floors.

The room Herzl is in has been wrecked thoroughly from the smashing of the wall and subsequent rampaging madmen. There doesn't seem to be anything of value at all in there. Moving to have a look out in the central room, he finds no signs of the madmen, although there are plenty of stuff scattered all across the floor from the various rooms. Obviously they have been busy going through everything, although rather violently and with no finesse at all. There doesn't seem to be much he can use as a weapon, the clerics clearly didn't keep weapons around much. All there is is broken pieces of wood, stone, glass and furniture. Perhaps he could fashion a club or something.

Atnall
Looking around, Atnall sees no sign of the captain of the guard he was talking to, nor anyone else he knows. Things are still a little blurry from the blow to his head, and he's having a hard time trying to identify the clerics, although he thinks they might be of the Nightingale. Aside from those fighting there are a few others like himself who are either unconscious or otherwise unable to fight.

The blind woman close by turns in his general direction and pauses her singing as she hears him over the din of battle You are in Vásöv, in the sanctuary of our lady, the Nightingale. Her divine Song has silenced, and all the dead of the world has risen she explains quickly and sadly The city has fallen and death and madness is spreading like a flood. We can't hold them back for long like this, our only hope is to flee the city. Are you well enough to move, sir?

[Ipphli]

Herzl

Herzl will try and find a decent piece of furniture to use as a club, then quickly check the other rooms for anything useful or of value. Afterwards, he will head down the stairs quietly.

Spoiler

Show

Just let me know if you want me to roll a new stealth and perception, or just keep the ones I already rolled.

[Tanaar]

Yuriél

Hearing the sound of a new voice in the other room, Yuriél simply glances up as István responds to it. Grimly, the old jael just continues recording the strange, song-like script on the walls.

"I do not understand... you say a nightingale's song has been silenced? This must be a truly remarkable bird, if its muteness is such cause for concern. And your priest friend, where is he? I dare think that he would be most suitable to have in the lead, if you seek your way past the hordes of the living dead."

Folding up the paper he'd found, Yuriél finally walks into the next room, leaning heavily on his old walking staff. "I am here. My name is Yuriél Vánadös. The Nightingale is not a bird, friend, but rather our goddess. It is her eternal song that sustains and nurtures life all across these lands. And now, it seems, her divine song has fallen silent, with chaos and death filling the void."

[Reverent-One]

Atnall

Removing his hand from his head, he shakes his head, trying to clear it. His vision clears a little, not quite back to normal, but good enough for his situation, "I am. I have to be. You're right, our relative safety won't hold out forever. Do you have a way out of here? Because right now I see the abominations surrounding us in all directions." With that, he points his hand at one of the undead that was moving up on the lycanthrope, a burst of divine fire shooting from his hand, striking and consuming the undead.

[cintain]

Rufgwhar

I turned my head then, listening to the voice of the priest. Although Ireszkáy had at one point told me tales of the water-dwellers, I was completely astonished by his appearance. Small and hairless, its huge black eyes like pools of night, it was only the creature's soothing tone that kept me from leaping into guard. It was all I could do to keep myself from staring.

Greetings, bearer of the water-medicine, I said, trying to remember Ireszkáy's tales and visibly swallowing my astonishment. I am Fagyott-Száj, of the Köd Farkas tribe of the Sylva d'Agyá --- I... please forgive me. Never in my whole life had I beheld the likeness of the Jael, although my elders spake of your wisdom. you say the Nightingale is the patron of your tribe? Forgive my ignorance, I mean no disrespect. Truly, if her song is the nourisher of life, then it is her silence that brings illness to my beloved teacher Ireszkáy. Tell me that you seek to restore her singing, and I will beg for the privilege of joining you on this quest and guarding you and your friends with the might of the winter-gale --- and my life.

[Deadly]

Herzl
Herzl swiftly fashions himself a crude club from some furniture before venturing out to search the rest of the rooms. All the rooms on this floor have been violently and effectively searched through already, and nothing of worth seems to have been left behind. As he moves about the floor, he can hear voices coming from below. Moving down the stairs, Herzl spots four people - a lycanthrope, a giantkin, an old jael and a human with a staff - standing in a corridor near where the water falling from above flows into a small pond. While undoubtedly a strange gathering, they don't seem to share the same madness he'd seen in the eyes of the madmen earlier.

Atnall
The blind woman gazes upwards and around There is a secret tunnel below the temple. There are many such tunnels in the city, most of which are hidden, some have been left unused and forgotten for ages. This tunnel was meant to be used by the clergy and the city guard to move around the city in case of an invasion. I know it leads to the barracks where perhaps some weapons and provisions remain, and also to the docks where it is my hope a ship can be found to escape the city. Where else it may lead I know not, nor whether it is safe now. It is one of our best bets, however, so I have sent a group down that way in the hope they may escape the city and seek the source of this madness. Myself and the rest here have chosen to stay behind and hold the line, since we can't move easily with all the wounded. We have sent word to allies outside the city, and are hoping they will arrive soon, while we can still hold the Dead back. Her milky white eyes remain directed at the skies But time is running out... swiftly. Something terrible is growing elsewhere in the city, feeding on the death of so many, and I do not think we could hold it back once it comes this way. If you can move, I urge you to take the tunnel and get out of the city as quickly as possible, the fight here is lost. The other group may need assistance too, I suspect the temple and tunnel is not as safe as I had hoped for.

The lycanthrope steps back into circle and turns around to watch Atnall and the woman talk. The hardness in his eyes becomes a little more pronounced at the sight of the colors of Atnall's attire, and his dislike is only lightly veiled by the current situation. He seems to have decided that now is not a time to argue with the still living, atleast I would seek far away from civilization if I could. The dead are drawn to concentrations of life, of which there is more in cities. Or so it was... I'd wager that won't be the case much longer he says and wipes his face with his blood-drenched sleeve, only acchieving to make himself look more dirty, bloody and fierce.

[Ipphli]

Herzl

Herzl stops and listens to the four for a moment, wanting to make sure its safe before announcing himself.

[Reverent-One]

Atnall

Taking in the words of the woman, Atnall quickly ponders his choice of action. This front was becoming a suicide mission, but while he wanted to avenge the deaths of his fellows, there were more useful applications of his talents. Like inthe other team the woman mentioned. "The others you sent, do you know which way they went in to tunnels? I would follow them, and help them locate and destroy the source, if I could."

[Deadly]

Atnall
The woman turns her eyes back down That is the wisest choice. The source of this must be found. The others can not have gotten far yet, they left here only minutes ago. Also, they ran into something just inside the temple I believe, which held them back. But if they have reached the tunnel before you catch up with them, I think they may go for the barracks first. But I can't be certain.

[Reverent-One]

Atnall

"Very well. Thank you, for everything." He says with a bow. "I wish you luck, may your allies show up in time."

((Assuming the way is clear into the temple))Atnall leaves for the temple and the tunnel within, trying to follow in the footsteps of the other party.

[Deadly]

The way is clear, as the protective circle has been placed just in front of the door into the temple's tower, clearly with this escape plan in mind. Apparently the woman was right that the group would not be far ahead, because one of the first things that catches Atnall's eyes as he enters the tower is the motley gathering of people just inside, standing near a small pool of water into which a thin stream of clear water falls from a hole in the ceiling. From the looks of it they ran into some trouble, as there are several dead bodies littering the floor and the place looks like it's been thrashed thoroughly.

[Reverent-One]

Atnall

Walking up the group, Atnall waves as he approaches, "Hail fellows. You are the ones the blind singer sent in ahead, to hopefully find the source of this plague and destroy it? I am Atnall Állhatatos, here to assist you."

[Anonomuss]

István

"I believe that is my friend's quest, but for the moment we seek the source of these abominations that have attacked those within this town, in the hopes of silencing them and freeing those who remain alive. István replied to Rufgwar. "The phoenix shall guide us in what direction we take."

Hearing another figure approach from behind, István turned, his body drawing magical energy to it, and then dispersed it harmlessly once he realised that it was someone who was both living and sane.
"Hail Atnail, we are the group that Ain has sent. We thank you for joining us. We have had, a slight amount of trouble. Although with the guidance of the Phoenix and the Nightingale we have survived it.

[cintain]

Rufgwhar

I nodded at the human called Istvan.
Very well, allow me to accompany on your quest, then.

Smelling the others approaching, I studied their countenances briefly as the first one introduced himself.

Well met, I said quietly.

[Ipphli]

Herzl

Herzl calls out to the group below. "Hey! You guys are normal! Wait up!" He hurries down the stairs careful not to appear threatening.

[Reverent-One]

Atnall

Noticing the human coming down the stairs, Atnall waits for him to get closer before responding. "Aye, that we are. And you might you be?"

[Tanaar]

Yuriél Vánadös

The cleric of the Nightengale glances about, curious that so many sane survivors should converge on them at the same time. While he introduces himself to the newcomers, a glimmer of the old Yuriél appears. Leaning on the staff, he smiles at them warmly and clasps their hands.

"Yes, my new friends. Our immediate goal is to investigate the source of this plague of Death and quell it, if possible. We also search for an escape from the city, that we might bear tidings and requests for aid to the other seats of power in the land." He glances over to István. "My friend here, however, is incorrect. Seeking a remedy to my Lady the Nightingale's condition is not my quest, it is all of ours. Her song sustains all life, and wards us from Apocalypse. All the world depends on the success of this quest."

Spoiler

Show

Making up a bit of Nightingale dogma as I go, let me know if I stray too far from your design, deadly.

[Reverent-One]

Atnall

Yuriél's word strike a cord in Atnall, inspiring him. "Well said, friend. I wield a divine power, granted to me by Azúr, and though I know many of this land look upon him in distrust, I will devote that power to finding the Lady, and protecting her."