[5e] Curse of Strahd - UA playtest IC

[tieren]

You find yourselves in a tattered field of a poor farmer a few leagues east of Daggerford on the edge of the Misty Forest.

You impressed Duchess Morwen of Daggerford in your first outing as a group for which you were justly rewarded. She then asked you to investigate claims of werewolves attacking farms in the area during full moons.

Locals report that the beasts are spilling out of the forest, draped in mist that seems to follow them along the ground as they spread death and mayhem.

And so you find yourselves a few hours before dusk on the night before the full moon investigating the scene of last month's attack. Farmer Yarnell was killed on this site last month, his widow is holed up in the farm house to the south of the field and there are numerous beast tracks funneling toward a breach in the post and rail fence to the east towards the forest.

Link to OOC thread:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...8#post21752648

[Kwaj]

Sandu raises his hand and casts light to get a better look at the tracks, murmuring a prayer to Kelemvor to guide the soul of the unfortunate farmer to his deserved rest as he does so.

[Ramsus]

Beiro says, "Thank you for the light friend." and examines the tracks, trying to distinguish between the tracks of regular beasts and the unnatural kind they are on the hunt for.

[Lord Ruby34]

Marcia bends down and examine's the tracks over Beiro's shoulder. "Lycanthropy is fascinating, really. There are relatively few creatures capable of changing their shape naturally, and most of them have to remain the same general size. But Lycanthropes not only get larger, but stronger too. It's a shame about the mental effects, without them lycanthropy would be an interesting option for increasing the stamina and strength of soldiers and workers. I wonder if something couldn't be done about that. Marcia pauses, briefly, to take a breath. "On the other hand finding and detaining a subject of study would be both logistically and ethically problematic..." She continues speaking as her eyes dart over the tracks, her sentences becoming increasingly technically detailed as she speculates on possible solutions to lychanthropy.

"...silver and mercury based alchemical compound? No..."

Spoiler: Natural Explorer

Show

I don't know if you want to have me roll, because Beiro already is, but I'd like to use my Natural Explorer feature to know their number, size, and how long ago they passed through the area.

[tieren]

The ground in the field is soft. It is early winter, the crops have been harvested and the field is mostly now just turned dirt.

There are numerous boot tracks from the farmhouse and roadway to the left, likely neighbors who came to assist, none of these tracks go past the fence.

Beiro notices many wolf tracks, and a few barefoot humanoid footprints, they are small perhaps from a halfling or human child. There are also some bestial tracks which Beiro is unable to identify but assumes are the werewolves they have come seeking.

Marcia estimates the boot tracks come from the same 3 or 4 humans, there appear to be about a dozen wolves leaving tracks, 1-2 barefoot humanoids, and 2-3 creatures leaving the bestial tracks. The tracks are several weeks old, all but the boot tracks lead off through the broken fence towards the forest.

[Ramsus]

Beiro points out the tracks to any of the others who don't have the skill to identify them on their own, hoping to teach them maybe a little bit and suggests, "I believe these ones are the ones we should be following." pointing out the strange beastial tracks.

He shakes his head at Marcia's words and replies, "The essence of what makes them what they are is an upset of the natural order. It is a disease with no cure but to kill those infected with it. I would suggest not trying to put such a thing to use, that would be a dangerous path to tread."

[Thematthew]

Andrei casts a sideways glance at Beiro, "It almost sounds as if you are sympathetic to these beasts. They are merely monsters now, no more deserving of sympathy than a rabid wolf or the walking dead."

[Kwaj]

"Once they were men," Sandu says quietly, lifting his hand to light the way as he strides towards the broken fence. "Some part of them may be still. Death is not the worst end to life."

[cobaltstarfire]

Zap! Hops daintily along avoiding the deeper mud holes, and making sure to stay with the rest of the group. She picks up her pace a little bit to skip up towards Sandu and Andrei and says, "It's a shame about the mental effects..." followed by the sound of a small animal crying for emphasis.

[Lord Ruby34]

What is the natural order then? And what exists outside of it? Magic and potential suffuse all the planes of existence, waiting to be discovered and explored. While the mental effects preclude Lycananthropy from usefulness today, the same was likely thought about the uncontrolled power of evocation magic, until it was harnessed by responsible hands. Marcia shakes her head to clear it. It's a problem for another day though. Without a living test subject practical knowledge isn't possible, and the ability to ethically acquire one is not currently in my possession. For now, Beiro and Sandu are both correct. A merciful death is the only practical option.

Marcia trails her hand along the fence, wishing the break was small enough that she could mend it with her magic. "At least two of the Lycanthropes came through here, and there's someone with them."

[Ramsus]

Beiro mutters under his breath, though still loud enough to hear, "Lycanthropy is disease born from a curse. Can't get more unnatural unless it came from rutting with demons."

[cobaltstarfire]

Zap! cranes her head sideways towards Beiro as only a bird could do and says CUUUUUUUUURSSSSEEED in what sound suspiciously like a pirates voice, then appends more crying sounds as if the emphasize that few people ask to be cursed. She stops making sound as abruptly as she started, ending with a sharp clatter of her beak snapping shut.

[Kwaj]

Sandu shakes his head and continues into the forest, beckoning to the others to follow.

[Lord Ruby34]

"Rutting with demons does seem like it would quite naturally lead to a curse of some sort, or some sort of extra-planar disease..." Marcia exhales as she follows Sandu into the woods. As she walks the words "painful" and "unpleasant" stand out from her half muttered ramblings.

[Kwaj]

"...wait." Sandu pauses in a small clearing, not far into the forest. "Weres...they do not take prisoners. Whose are the other tracks?"

[Lord Ruby34]

"A handler, perhaps? An enchanter of some kind influencing their thoughts?" Marcia pauses for a moment and shrugs. "Atypical behavior is also a possibility."

[Kwaj]

Sandu grunts his acquiescence. Marcia is half his age, but he knows she has forgotten more than he has ever learned. If she says the lycanthropes are being led by a humanoid, then it is likely so.

"Best be on our guard, then," he says, scanning the dark trees. "These weres will be more dangerous with a mind to guide their claws."

[tieren]

The tracks lead deeper into the forest. They are following what appears to be an old game trail. The tracks of other beasts intermingle sometimes, deer, rabbit, fox, etc...

The tracks you are following intermingle and cover each other from time to time. In some places you see no humanoid or bestial tracks, but pick them up again a little further down the trail.

After about an hour Marcia is certain there are 2 small humanoids and 2 werewolves. The precise numbers of wolves is near impossible to determine, some appear to leave or join the main group from time to time and it is clear the pack has traversed this trail since the original tracks were left. In fact it is clear 8 wolves traveled the area of the trail you are now on no more than 24 hours ago.

As you follow the trail the sun begins to set and evening is upon you. A light mist has begun to form in the low lying places as the days relative warmth leaves the air.

The trail crosses an open area in the woods roughly circular and about 50 feet in diameter. Near the center is the unearthed roots of a great fallen oak, whose trunk and branches reach off across the ground to the northwest. The thick trunk and upturned roots create an area of relative shelter where the tree once stood.

The tracks seem erratic through the clearing, it seems all of your quarry spent time here milling about or coming and going in different directions.

[Kwaj]

"I don't like this," Sandu murmurs, his voice almost a growl. The hairs on the back of his neck are standing on end. "I've walked into my share of ambushes before.

[tieren]

Sandu looks about the clearing and the fallen tree but doesn't notice anything out of the ordinary or any watching eyes. The forest has quieted from the activity of the day residents and the nocturnal creatures are just beginning to stir.

The light mists have grown thicker, now laying across much of the ground and underbrush. Everything within 30 feet of you is relatively clear but beyond that the world is lightly obscured by the dimming light and mists.

[tieren]

Zap! hops onto a low hanging branch as a perch and peers about the clearing, she notices a large owl on a high branch nearby, a small group of ravens and some strange bundles protruding slightly from the hollow where the tree once stood.

[cobaltstarfire]

Zap! tilts her head sideways, and lets out a several convincing and loud ravens alarm calls.

She peers down at the group and says in a small gnomish voice "well that's odd", and moves around in the tree so she isn't easily visible from the clearing.

[tieren]

All but one of the ravens fly off in a noisy panic.

The one that is left flits to a higher branch and faces towards the clearing cocking it's head to the side.

[Lord Ruby34]

Marcia reaches down and snaps her dangling goggles into place. The moonlit scene transitioned into grey-scale to her as the magic of the goggles instantly changed how Marcia's eyes processed light. Carefully, she eases her gun from the harness holding it diagonally across her back. ""I believe we have reports of the Lycanthropes arriving cloaked in mist. Be on your guard. If that mist hides the ones that we were following it should be two Lycanthropes and a pair of humaniods."

The base of the tree catches Marcia's attention, and she attempts to find anything interesting nestled in it's askew roots without leaving the bubble of safety provided by her companions.

[cobaltstarfire]

Zap! doesn't budge from her hiding place in the tree, but keeps quietly repeating "well that's odd"

[tieren]

Marcia's investigation from the edge of the clearing (which is where I presume you all are) does not yield any new results.

However she does notice the sun has set and it is now dark and the mists have grown into a persistent fog.

[Ramsus]

Beiro walks up to the raven and says, "Hello little one. Can you show us what that might be?" and points to the bundle.

[tieren]

The raven hops on its branch a little closer to the firbolg, opens its beak and cries CUUUUUUUUURSSSSEEED in what sounds suspiciously like a pirate's voice, then flies off into the darkness.

[Ramsus]

Beiro takes a reflexive step back at the loudness and blinks then looks to the others. He had not expected that at all.

((His player also hadn't.))

[Lord Ruby34]

"How odd. Zap!, I believe that is a mimicry of your mimicry, does it sound more than usually familiar to you? Marcia's head swivel's as she addresses her friend, her eyes pealed for any sign of wolves, man shaped or otherwise.