The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide

[Darius]

Tanner Gondsman

Although he doesn't like not being able to do much except watch and wait, Tanner does this grudgingly. When the threat passes, Tanner understands and agrees with the Rashemi captain, but does not voice it, for he knows that doing so may cause a rift with the group and could come across as mockery to the Rashemi. Keeping a tight lip, he walks and listens as best he can to the story of the two others.

He rests with the others and partakes in the meal out of habit. When Anika 'joins' the group, Tanner has become less surprised by such things and merely shrugs.

However, at the devastated outpost, the hackles on Tanner's neck stand on end. He asks, "Aren't there able bodied trackers among us that could tell us what happened by gazing at the tracks?"

[namo]

Adalmar

He spent the trip wrapped in his own thoughts, trying to make something out of the tale that Lissa wove. This explained a lot... and raised even more questions.

He now finds himself surprisingly ready for action. He steps forward : "I can help scouting too."

Spoiler

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Listen - (1d20+13)[16]

[Naleh]

Retay looks at Tanner, and cautiously offers, "I'm... good at tracking... but not as good at, erm, sneaking." He seems uncomfortable to suggest himself as good at anything.

Where's that Katrin woman gone, anyway?

Spoiler

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If needed, Survival - (1d20+11)[27] to find/study tracks.

[blackfox]

Anika

Anika looks at Retay and smirks. "I'm no good at tracking, but very good at sneaking..." She draws her sword and disappears into the shadows.

(OOC: Hide Check (1d20+22=31))

[Dr._Bob]

The snow outside the small fort has been churned up in all directions, though most of the footprints appear to center on the front gate. The gate appears to have been smashed from outside. A log lies tossed to one side and appears to have been used as a battering ram.

There are no bodies outside, nor any blood. The few intact prints are worrisome in that they appear to be bare feet ...

...

The Rashemi adjust their grips on their axes, ready to assault the fort directly, but the captain recognizes that it would be prudent to scout out the situation before barging in. "You have five minutes," he says to you in Common.

Katrin Anika slips into the compound, hidden in the long shadows. Although it is midday, the winter sun lies low on the horizon at this latitude, giving Anika plenty of shade to work with.

Inside the fort is a mess. The wooden stockade has a single walkway about 5 feet above the ground. Small wooden huts cluster in the center of the outpost around a central firepit, which is cold and snow-covered.

A half a dozen Rashemi lie scattered about in the open, their bodies frozen. Their axes lie where they had fallen. Most of the huts have collapsed and are little more than piles of splintered wood.

All is silent and still within. Anika slips back outside to report her findings to the rest of the party.

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

Tiriel waits in a state of worried irratation for Anika to return. Her eyes are drawn to the foot prints, Khazrael's earlier comment echoing in her head as an unpleasent thought forms.
Walking over to Khazrael she asks him in a wispher, "How much do you know about undead? From what I've seen they've never been organized enough to use a battering ram... But what else walks barefoot in the snow?"

She bitterly reflects that Callos would probaly know the answer; maybe even Elthan. How very good of them to have gotten lost... or dead.

[Koji]

Khazrael

"I know a bit, and I have never heard of zombies using a ram. I guess they could if someone really tried, but it seems like wasted effort. Why not just fireball the gates?"

His mind drifts over the various creatures he is familiar with.

"I can't imagine that the army I saw back in the Great Dale was involved here. Drow are too weedy to work barefoot in the cold, demons have weird-shaped feet, and a wizard with a mob of undead could just blast through. And if it was tieflings...well, they'd still wear shoes, right?"

He looks down at his own boots as if to highlight his point.

He mumbles something and flicks on his third eye, scanning for any signs of lingering magic.

((OOC: Detect Magic, looking for any lingering spells or traces of energy))

[barawn]

Damian

When Anika slips away without a sound, a mild expression of shock appears on Damian's face, followed by slight anger. He considers ducking inside with her, but with the damage already done, he merely waits until she reappears a few minutes later. After her report, Damian quietly speaks to the girl of many faces.

"I could've helped, you know. You're better than I am, but I'm pretty good myself. So far, everything we've run into out here has been more than a match for one person alone. If something had gotten you in there, we wouldn't've known. Caution is probably the safest option in our current situation."

A quiet sigh escapes him as he surveys the destruction. "Could you tell what had killed them? That might give a clue as to what these things are."

[namo]

Adalmar

He approaches Damian and finds him telling Anika much of what he himself had in mind. "He's right, you know. You're very good" and he grins at that "but in the face of danger, two people is the minimum scouting unit."

"Next time, either of us'll help." He nods at Damian.

[Diarmuid]

Tryntha

At the sight of the gates swung wide open, Tryntha's heart began to flutter. She worried for her kin. Like the warriors, she looked anxious as she wished to rush right in and see if anyone needed her assistance. Pulling her pack around, she fished out her healing kit and checked her supplies, making sure she was ready to help anyone who needed it.

Once satisfied with her kit, she mumbled the words to a spell and traced arcane lines in front of her face.

Spoiler

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Casting Deathwatch.

Grimly she thought to herself, I hope the magic shows me more than just more death. There has been far too much of late, and if these people are right, there is plenty more to come......

[Matticus]

Grynde

Oh for the love of the gods, this is bloody excellent, isn't it he says sarcasticly as their eyes fall on the outpost.
Dead, huh? Bugger. Although I'm a bit more worried about what killed them, as you might imagine.
He begins looking for tracks

Spoiler

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Survival/Track Check = 27

[blackfox]

Anika

After delivering her report to the captain, Anika is approached by Damian and Aldamar. "Thank you... I've had a lot of practice. Next time, just come along..." she says. "I'd have to go back again to tell what killed them, I wasn't paying attention to that... I was looking for any signs of life within the walls... and there were none. It had been a while since the men had died, though... their bodies had frozen over. Although out here, I imagine that would only take a single night."

[Darius]

Tanner Gondsman

"I know a little about the undead, but I also have heard that there are those that can create more than abominations. Crafters of golems seek many a follower of Gond to assist them. Could these tracks be made of such a construct?"

[Dr._Bob]

The Rashemi have waited long enough. They move forward into the outpost, literally gnashing their teeth in anger.

Tryntha enters with them, hoping against hope for some signs of life. Sadly, as Anika had reported, all six of the Rashemi warriors manning the outpost are dead.

The rest of you stand outside looking at the tracks. They seem to have converged on this location from at least three different directions. It is hard to know whether the footprints were made by living people, the undead, or constructs as suggested by Tanner.

[Koji]

Khazrael

Khazrael responds to Tanner's observation with the same conclusion the idea of undead brought him to. "But aren't golems and stuff made of stone or metal? They wouldn't need a ram, and anyone capable of making this many could just knock the gate down with magic."

He scrabbles up to the highest point he can and looks to the horizon in all directions.

[barawn]

Damian

Damian watches as the Rashemi angrily enter the compound, throwing caution to the wind. Unbelievable. It'd be poetic justice if some giant beast just came out of nowhere and stepped on them.

Turning to the others - hopefully after the Rashemi (and Tryntha) enter, but before they do, he rolls his eyes in exasperation. "I don't suppose I could convince any of you that we should just leave them and head to Immilmar ourselves. Their headstrong nature and brash attitudes are going to get us killed."

He turns to the compound, glancing along the shattered walls. "They're dead. We're not. Whatever killed them doesn't appear to be here now, which means we should leave before it comes back. It's not our job to investigate their deaths."

Yet despite his outward lack of concern, his hands still rest on the outside of his jacket on the hilts of his daggers.

[Darius]

Khazrael

Khazrael responds to Tanner's observation with the same conclusion the idea of undead brought him to. "But aren't golems and stuff made of stone or metal? They wouldn't need a ram, and anyone capable of making this many could just knock the gate down with magic."

Tanner responds, "Some are crafted of flesh from the dead. A construct could have barefeet regardless of its material be it clay, flesh, stone, or iron. Also, each are given inhuman strength - capable of destroying a door such as this. Since I see no blood, and I would think the men guarding the post would fight their agressors, it would leave me to this conclusion. Undead leave bits and pieces of their flesh and other icor, constructs do not. But, I am no expert on matters OUTSIDE this realm as others may be, but I know that those from other planes are immune to the cold and may walk barefoot as well." Tanner says this last sentence staring directly at Khazrael with the hint of sarcasm dripping from it.

Tanner then turns to the Rashemi captain and says, "I am not sure what you would need to do in this situation, sir. Perhaps you need to stay here and tend to the fallen, repair the keep, and man it. When we get to Immilmar, we will tell of your plight as well as warn the Rashemi of the oncoming hoarde."

[blackfox]

Anika

Anika watches the angry Rashemi troops storming into the compound with raised eyebrows. Ooh. I wouldn't want to meet one of them in a dark alley... Even though I'd have an advantage in a dark alley... whatever.

To Damian, she says, "I don't like their manner any more than anyone else does. I would be in favor of leaving them if we knew our way to Immilar (which I don't think anyone does--except maybe Aldamar), if Tryntha weren't with them, and if they weren't just going to come charging angrily after us and ruin our chances of getting an audience with the Iron Lord."

[barawn]

Damian

"You know what'll really hurt our chances of getting an audience with the Iron Lord? Death," replies Damian, clearly frustrated. Still, ... Anika...'s words did make sense. He hated being forced into this situation.

"No, you're right. Which means we have to convince them that we need to go. Now." Damian glances around, his hands still on the hilts of his daggers, clearly jumpy. "This is crazy. Very crazy." He glances around at the others, and looks to Anika, Adalmar and Khazrael. "I think most of us should stay out here for now. More warning if something comes back. I'm going to go in and try to convince them that we should go."

Damian slips inside the compound, sticking to the shadows and stepping with light feet.

(ooc: I'm assuming nothing amazingly bad happens on his way in, so I'll pass on the Move Silently/Hide check, although if something does, he is hiding and moving silently )

Once he reaches Tryntha and the others, he quickly slips out of the shadows and approaches Tryntha. "Tryntha," he projects quietly, trying to get her attention but not stir whatever might be remaining here. "We should move. Now. All that staying here does is put us - and all the Rashemi - in more danger."

[Matticus]

Grynde

This isn't good...
He straightens up, and looks around at the others, and casts a hopeful glance in the direction of the Rashemi captain.
Dead, y'think? I suppose that's too much to hope for... I don't reckon we're in too much danger just now, y'know, and hell, we're probably safer at a defensible location like this place than out in the open. The dead aren't gunna be doing much...

[Koji]

Khazrael

From his perch, he nods to Damian. "One thing though. Do a quick check on the bodies, see how they died. Find out if any of their stuff is missing, or if they had like a shrine or something in there that's been torn up. Try and figure out the how and why, you know? That might tell us the who."

[Diarmuid]

Tryntha

The Rashemi healer's shoulders visibly slump as her magical searching shows her not even the slightest spark of life among the bodies in the fort. As she watches the warriors search the keep (assuming they do that), she moves to the body pile and begins to sort the bodies and lay them out, checking their wounds to see how they died and preparing to send their spirits on to their next resting place.

Heal Check - (1d20+11)[16]

She does not look up from her work as Damian approaches her and pleads his case. When he is finished, she responds flatly while still investigating the bodies and laying them out properly.

"I understand the greater need, but I will not leave these men in this state. I will make sure their spirits are speeding toward their next resting place and then will continue with you to Immilmar. I am not sure what the Captain will have his men do, but they have agreed to escort us to Immilmar so I would imagine they will carry out this deed. But, they also have a responsiblity to our lands and they must ascertain what type of threat occurred here to properly report on it and make sure others are aware. I dont expect you to understand, and if you cannot wait for a short time, so be it."

Spoiler

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[ooc] Nothing too fancy going on, just unheaping them, covering them with anything possible, saying some prayers over them. Probably a 10-15 minute ordeal. Also, the heal check is to see how they were killed, if possible. [/ooc]

[blackfox]

Anika

Anika looks over at Grynde. "This outpost is no longer a defensible position. Whatever got inside the walls before can get inside them again. Damian is right, we need to move."

[Dr._Bob]

Everyone agrees that the less time spent in the ruined fort, the better.

There is no time for a funeral pyre or to dig graves. The captain judges that it would be best to press on to Immilmar and send back a larger group to retrieve the bodies. Most of you nod in agreement.

The Rashemi collect their kinsmen's bodies and place them in the center of the fort. The frozen bodies resist any attempts to straighten out their limbs, and so the six corpses lie in awkward contorted positions despite efforts to arrange them with some dignity.

Tryntha examines the bodies closely as she murmurs prayers over them. Most appear to have had their throats ripped out or have succumbed to gaping wounds of their chests and abdomens. There are some expected defensive wounds, but not as many as one would have assumed. It is almost as if the warriors were either caught unprepared or were somehow subdued before being killed. She also notices that many of the dead have fingers or toes missing, as if they had been gnawed off at some point.

...

During Tryntha's prayers, Olfacht wanders about the huts, poking his head into one or two cautiously. He holds a cloth over his sensitive nose. Despite the freezing temperatures, the entire fort stinks of death to him, even if the others don't seem to notice it.

Most of the huts have collapsed or been knocked down. As he pokes around the debris, he spots some movement. He peers closer ...

...

Faluil is silent, but he keeps his eyes and ears alert for any signs of danger. His bow is held in a low ready position.

His ears are the first to hear Olfacht's surprised exhalation - whuff! Then the thin man's screams are heard by all before they are cut short with a wet gurgle.

"Behind that hut!" Faluil is already circling around, his raised bow pointing to where Olfacht was last seen ...

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

Tiriel had been mulling around the entrance to the fort at a loss. On one hand she was frusterated by the delay and wanted to get moving as quickly as possible, with or without their "escort." On the other hand, she knew that they stood a better chance of success if they waited for the the Rashemi.

At the sound of Olfacht's scream she draws her sword and runs toward the back of the hut that Faluil had pointed out.

initiave - (1d20+3)[23]

[Diarmuid]

Tryntha

While trying to piece together the cause of death and come to grips with their inability to properly honor the dead, her training demands she react to the shouts and alarm.

Initiative - (1d20)[14]

[barawn]

Damian

I hate it when I'm right. As the scream pierces the air, Damian immediately glares over to Tryntha. "Too late!" His eyes glance at the fort structure around, noting Faluil near one of the huts. Olfacht's screams broke cover already, so his voice raises noticeably. "Burn the fort down! Get outside! It's got the advantage in here!" he calls out.

Tossing caution aside, Damian quickly heads back out the entrance, drawing his daggers along the way, noting Tiriel heading past him. "Don't fight it in here! Too crowded! Draw it outside!"

Once outside, (ooc: assuming he gets outside...) Damian looks over to Khazrael. "Can you start this place burning once the others are outside?"

[Koji]

Khazrael

Mystery solved I guess.

The magic has long since run out of him, and he makes no effort to renew it. Instead he slips his knife out of his belt and breaks into a run, trying to stay at least a short way behind anyone wearing armor.

Damian's suggestion intrigues him, but he moves toward Olfacht's last location anyway.

"I don't know if there's enough wood to sustain a good burn. We gotta get everyone out first anyway."

Spoiler

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Initiative:
1d20+1=9

[blackfox]

Anika

Dammit.

Anika takes her crossbow, still loaded from the encounter with the owlbears, and retreats into the shadows, hoping that those inside the fort will take Damian's advice so she can take it by surprise. "Come on, everyone... let's try to ambush it... take whatever it is by surprise."

(OOC: Initiative (1d20+3=13))

[Darius]

Tanner Gondsman

While assisting the Rashemi in dealing with the fallen, Tanner wonders if there ever will be an end to all this death. As if on cue, the blood curdling scream of the magic user snaps the cleric of Gond back to reality. Instinctively, he takes wing a flies high into the air as he looks at the place pointed out by the one-time horse master.

Spoiler

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Init - (1d20+3)[19]
Spot - (1d20+3)[20]