(D&D 5e) The Plague of Nightmares IC

[bc56]

"14 isss ssstill very young. You may take a sssample, there isss sssome on each of the corpsssesss here. Keep it well contained. It isss a dark day when the natural waysss are sssubverted, and it isss better to know what you face." Yaotl looks about for signs of the Kenku described.

Spoiler: Survival to find tracks

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(1d20+4)[7]

[Squadfather42]

Elric stands up and leaves the priest to his thoughts. Making his way through the carnage, Elric stops and carefully rolls the body of Duqesne, the fallen knight, over.

Saying a prayer, of safe passage, to Prolus, Elric begins to search and examine the fallen knight.

[Requilac]

"14 isss ssstill very young. You may take a sssample, there isss sssome on each of the corpsssesss here. Keep it well contained. It isss a dark day when the natural waysss are sssubverted, and it isss better to know what you face." Yaotl looks about for signs of the Kenku described.

Spoiler: Survival to find tracks

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[roll0]

The ground is flooded with blood of both human and wolf and tracks are everywhere. You cannot distinguish the tracks of the beasts from anything else. No sign of the Kenku wizard can be found.

[Zergrinch]

"14 isss ssstill very young. You may take a sssample, there isss sssome on each of the corpsssesss here. Keep it well contained. It isss a dark day when the natural waysss are sssubverted, and it isss better to know what you face." Yaotl looks about for signs of the Kenku described.

Spoiler: Survival to find tracks

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(d20+5)[25]

The boy lowers the wand. The snake man doesn't appear to be immediately hostile, as monstrous as he appears at first. He rummages in his pack to look for a vial or bottle to contain a sample of the fungus. Alas, while he does have a flask of oil, putting a sample inside would likely contaminate the fungus.

And so, he is forced to pipe up. "I... don't seem to have a suitable vial or bottle to keep a sample in. I need to find a suitable container. May I look around in the carriage, Mr. Cleric of..." his eye alights on the man's holy symbol, "Luxan?"

If answer is yes, investigation: (d20+5)[25]

[Awful]

Yvonne looked at the child. Fourteen... he must be one of the smallfolk. A gnome? A halfling? She'd met few of either.
"Fourteen. Why, an adult grown, then," she said dryly. "My apologies. I would be quick getting that sample, child. Best we not wait out here for any longer than necessary."

Yvonne was it you stand as if you are nobility, i was not with the caravan nor was this gnome with me. But death surely had a ball with many many guests.

Wasn't it obvious from her armour and bearing? Yvonne frowned a tad.
"I am nobility - I am of House Sonnenstahl, to the north."

[Sariel Vailo]

Wasn't it obvious from her armour and bearing? Yvonne frowned a tad.
"I am nobility - I am of House Sonnenstahl, to the north."


ah i did not mean to offend i am a courtier to house. Bartlesby in the area of Braughlmurk thus forgive my impudence.

[Requilac]

Elric stands up and leaves the priest to his thoughts. Making his way through the carnage, Elric stops and carefully rolls the body of Duqesne, the fallen knight, over.

Saying a prayer, of safe passage, to Prolus, Elric begins to search and examine the fallen knight.

Duqesne appears to be a middle-aged knight of Luxan, the same god that the priest worships, who is actually a woman, but such a detail is hardly significant. Her body was draped over the corpse of a wolf she defiantly slew right before he death. It is quite a gruesome sight to see the corpse
because of just how mutilated it is by the wave of wolf maws. Her heavy plate armor blocked what must have been many blows, but it was apparently not enough to stop the tide and her entire body from the chest down has been badly lacerated and the armor looks rusted with the blood. The priest's account holds to be true, the knight was indeed swarmed and quickly overtaken. Pools of moss have sprouted from the wounds in a much higher quantity than seen in the cleric's and the ranger's injuries, probably a result of how many bites it would have taken to kill the knight. The fungus glows a grim ethereal blue, giving the macabre sight an almost dream-like cast.

You luckily have the time to do this because Yoatl is struggling to carry the armored person into the bonfire. Plate armor is pretty heavy after all. He will get it eventually, though it might takes a minute or two.

The boy lowers the wand. The snake man doesn't appear to be immediately hostile, as monstrous as he appears at first. He rummages in his pack to look for a vial or bottle to contain a sample of the fungus. Alas, while he does have a flask of oil, putting a sample inside would likely contaminate the fungus.

And so, he is forced to pipe up. "I... don't seem to have a suitable vial or bottle to keep a sample in. I need to find a suitable container. May I look around in the carriage, Mr. Cleric of..." his eye alights on the man's holy symbol, "Luxan?"

If answer is yes, investigation: [roll0]

The priest nods in a half-paralyzed state and whispers out one last message. "My name is Imbert... search if you would like".

You rummage through the overturned cart for a while and examine all of its contents. Four barrels that are scarcely larger than you have been spit out by it, but for the most part it does not hold anything of use. One of the broken barrels holds a large storage of rations, but you would not dare eat it due to the etheraly blue mold that have formed over it. The second barrel is stocked mostly with extra clothing. The third one is just empty, so you assume that it must have been meant to store any items they gained over the course of the trip. But the fourth one though is full of adventuring equipment that could include what you need. For the most part nothing that you do not already have of course, but it could contain a vial or something similar. In there you are lucky enough to find an emptied healing potion within and you could use that to store the fungus samples.

Spoiler: total contents of the wrecked wagon

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-a light crossbow and 10 bolts
-a potion of healing
-one empty vial
-8 sets of warm clothing
-an herbalism kit
-a set of two person tents
-an explorer's pack
-a dungeoneer's pack

-120 days of rations that have been tainted

[Zergrinch]

The priest nods in a half-paralyzed state and whispers out one last message. "My name is Imbert... search if you would like".

You rummage through the overturned cart for a while and examine all of its contents. Four barrels that are scarcely larger than you have been spit out by it, but for the most part it does not hold anything of use. One of the broken barrels holds a large storage of rations, but you would not dare eat it due to the etheraly blue mold that have formed over it. The second barrel is stocked mostly with extra clothing. The third one is just empty, so you assume that it must have been meant to store any items they gained over the course of the trip. But the fourth one though is full of adventuring equipment that could include what you need. For the most part nothing that you do not already have of course, but it could contain a vial or something similar. In there you are lucky enough to find an emptied healing potion within and you could use that to store the fungus samples.

Spoiler: total contents of the wrecked wagon

Show

-a light crossbow and 10 bolts
-a potion of healing
-one empty vial
-8 sets of warm clothing
-an herbalism kit
-a set of two person tents
-an explorer's pack
-a dungeoneer's pack

-120 days of rations that have been tainted

"How strange," Zuzu muses loudly, speaking more to himself than to the others. "The wagon itself carries taint. Surely the wolves did not bite the barrel and spread the fungus -- this was a premeditated inside job."

Moving quickly, the underage wizard stuffs a sample of the fungus into the empty potion vial, using one of the crossbow bolts to scrape off the material. He also grabs one of the tainted rations. Hurriedly emptying the contents of the explorer's pack, Zuzu stuffs the vial and the ration inside.

If he is given enough time, he will scavenge the five rations from one of the packs, as well as take a set of warm clothing. The rest of the wagon's contents, he leaves where it is.

Spoiler: List of Loot

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Item	Dungeoneer	Explorer	Other	Zuzu Takes	Loot, Final
Backpack	1	1		1	1
Crowbar	1				1
Hammer	1				1
Piton	10				10
Torch	10	10			20
Daily Rations	10	10		5	15
Tinderbox	1	1			2
Bedroll		1			1
Mess Kit		1			1
Waterskin	1	1			2
Hempen Rope	20 ft.	20 ft.			40 ft.
Light Crossbow			1		1
Light Crossbow Bolts			10		10
Potion of Healing			1		1
Empty vial			1	1	0
Warm Clothing set			8	1	7
Herbalism Kit			1		1
Two-person Tent			1		1
Daily Rations (tainted)	120			1	119
Barrel	3				3
Barrel (broken)	1				1
Cart	1				1

I recommend the fighter takes the potion and crossbow bolts. The paladin takes the two-person tent, and the druid takes the herbalism kit. Maybe, give the priest a drink of water?

[bc56]

Yaotl also searches the cart. He investigates the barrels that Zuzu was looking at. When he finds the tainted food, he will drag the barrel outside of the wagon and burn it. Of the equipment, Yaotl takes the hammer, crowbar, and herbalism kit. He does not recognize the healing potion, or he would take that too.

[Squadfather42]

Elric stands as he finishes his inspection, saying a quick prayer to Prolus, he asks that Prolus guide the spirits of the fallen on their next journey.

Looking over at the wrecked wagon, Elric takes only one item. He straps the 2-person tent onto his pack and steps back so the others can have a chance.

At the mention on this possibility being an inside job, Elric voices his concerns.

"If this indeed was an inside job, it may very well have been the missing spell caster. Can anyone hear track?"

Glancing over at the recuperating priest, Elric asks a simple question.

"How long had you all been traveling together?"

Spoiler: Gear Taken

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- 2 person tent

[Awful]

ah i did not mean to offend i am a courtier to house. Bartlesby in the area of Braughlmurk thus forgive my impudence.

"You are forgiven, miss."
Yvonne gave the woman another look.
"What brings a courtier of Bartlesby to Senckreid, however? Surely if they were searching to end the curse they could send someone more... applicable."

After the drow's reply, she had a look for herself in the wagon. She retrieved a crossbow - she had little true skill for such things, but it could come in useful, perhaps. She turned to leave when the potion caught her eye. She picked it up, swirling the light red liquid inside.

Now this was something that should not be left behind.

Yvonne takes the Light crossbow, the bolts, and the healing potion.

Elric stands as he finishes his inspection, saying a quick prayer to Prolus, he asks that Prolus guide the spirits of the fallen on their next journey.

Looking over at the wrecked wagon, Elric takes only one item. He straps the 2-person tent onto his pack and steps back so the others can have a chance.

At the mention on this possibility being an inside job, Elric voices his concerns.

"If this indeed was an inside job, it may very well have been the missing spell caster. Can anyone hear track?"

Glancing over at the recuperating priest, Elric asks a simple question.

"How long had you all been traveling together?"

Spoiler: Gear Taken

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- 2 person tent

"I'm afraid not. Either way, though, it would be foolishness to try to hunt down this wolf-pack in the dark. We should head for the fief's gates, and if need be search in the morning."

[Requilac]

Glancing over at the recuperating priest, Elric asks a simple question.

"How long had you all been traveling together?"

Imbert, the majorly wounded (but much less so than before) cleric raises an eyebrow seems a little caught off guard by this question. "We all did not meet up at once, so that question is a little complex to explain. Me and Duqesne have worked at the same church for years now, but it was not until this plague struck that we actually started adventuring. What must have been a season ago Duqesne reached out to her childhood friend Hemra for some magical aid. I have only known her for three months or so but I trust Duqesne for certain and she trusted Hemra so I never thought about it too much. She was certainly a quiet one, but nothing about her would ever make me suspicious of betrayal. John was a guide we hired to bring us to Senckried just a week ago, and all we got out of him was a sort of detached professionalism."

[Sariel Vailo]

[QUOTE=Awful;22869038]"You are forgiven, miss."
Yvonne gave the woman another look.
"What brings a courtier of Bartlesby to Senckreid, however? Surely if they were searching to end the curse they could send someone more... applicable."

I was not "officially" sent here i am just here to aid who ever can stop the plague.young olivia wishes it so thus i came.

[bc56]

While the others are discussing the impossibility of tracking the wolves, Yaotl looks down, following the mess of tracks with his eyes, trying to find which direction the wolves left in.

Spoiler: survival

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(1d20+4)[21]

[Zergrinch]

"Mind you, Gramps," Zuzu strolls over to the priest, bringing him a drink of water from a salvaged waterskin, "I have no other grounds for suspicion, other than the fact that your food stores are completely contaminated. The wolves surely have no reason to attack the barrel, not when they are intent on your party."

The young wizard casts a wary eye on the snake man, who was by far the most animated among them. One moment, he was burning corpses; then, he was salvaging from the barrels. And now, he is apparently trying to track the wolves.

"That one sure has a lot of energy," he muses to no one in particular. "I would have thought cold-blooded creatures were less active in the night, when it is colder."

[Requilac]

While the others are discussing the impossibility of tracking the wolves, Yaotl looks down, following the mess of tracks with his eyes, trying to find which direction the wolves left in.

Spoiler: survival

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[roll0]

You could not really find Hemra's tracks so easily, but a pack of bleeding wolves that are recklessly charging through the land proves to be a much easier task. When they attacked the wolves seemed to be all in one mass, but after the attack they seemed to separate and head off to different areas in the forest surrounding them. Five of them all going in different directions. These wolves keep getting stranger and stranger...

"Mind you, Gramps," Zuzu strolls over to the priest, bringing him a drink of water from a salvaged waterskin, "I have no other grounds for suspicion, other than the fact that your food stores are completely contaminated. The wolves surely have no reason to attack the barrel, not when they are intent on your party."

Imbert is clearly dehydrated and in need of water, but he does not even seem to recognize that the waterskin in front of him is existent. He only continues to stare off into space while his body is paralyzed. His speech although stilted is otherwise unimpaired though. "These are not the wolves that you and I know. They could have very well have had a reason to intentionally target the rations. Would that be the strangest thing they have done here really?"

[Zergrinch]

Zuzu is clearly unconvinced, but says nothing as he motions for the others to help him rehydrate the cleric.

[bc56]

Yaotl looks up from the tracks and addresses the group. "There are five wolvesss. They have sssplit up. We could try to pursssue, but we'd probably lossse them in the chassse." Meanwhile, he's sizing the group up, trying to get a feel for their strengths and weaknesses, apart from those he's already seen.

[Sariel Vailo]

Should we even save the kenku mayhaps they are infected as well.

[Requilac]

As things begin to quite down at the ransacked carriage the wind suddenly turns frigid. Within an instant the sky is suddenly howling as if a storm suddenly occured. The few remaining leaves of autumn on the wintry cold ground are blown away from the road in front of you. A light arises from the ground on the road towards Senckried in front of you. Suddenly it flashes a blinding blue and from that light emerges a hazy indistinct silhouette. You can tell that it is humanoid, but its features are blurry as if you were seeing it through a heavy fog. The figure appears to glow an ethereal blue, not unlike the fungus on the wolves. There is no visible mouth to it but the aparrition speaks regardless, as if it were being transmitted from all ends by the very wind itself.

"Behold the fate of those who walk into Senckried. These lands are not what they once where. Beyond this gate lies only horror. And the few who elude death shall descend into madness. I know of your adventuring type, I know that you do not fear death. But I will give you one last warning. If you survive this prison, then you will forever be twisted beyond recognition. Once you let Senckried into your soul, it will never leave. Turn back now, before it is too late for you like all the others." You can hear the bushes on the sides of the road rustle, but you cannot see them. "Turn back now, if you still value your heart and soul." A mad howling of hounds now joins the howling wind. "Turn back, or else you too shall die on this forsaken road!"

[Awful]

Yvonne watched the apparition with narrowed eyes. It thought to drive her away with ominous words and the threat of wolves?

With a clanking of steel, she held aloft her brazen sword and bellowed a challenge.
"I am Knightess Yvonne the Faithful, and I do not fear Senckreid, whether haunted by spectre or shadow! I swear on Vitay, I will find your source, evil, and wrench the blackened heart from your chest! Send your demons and your devils, and I will slay them all!"
She focused within herself, feeling the touch of Vitay over her heart. She called out the ritual words, feeling the protection grow over her.
"Mine armour ist faith! Mine sword ist judgement! Come forth, ye wicked!"
A light welled from her chest and flickered over her, softly fading until it remained as just the faintest of glimmerings on the steel of her armour. ​Shield and sword readied, she backed up until her back was against the wagon.

Yvonne casts Shield of Faith on herself, granting her +2 AC for 23AC, and readies an action to attack any foe approaching within 5 feet of her.

[Sariel Vailo]

If i must dance with death so be it lets have a ball. For olivia

Spoiler: spell

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i cast heroism on myself.

Spoiler: effect

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A willing creature you touch is imbued with bravery. Until the spell ends the creature is immune to being frightened and gains temporary hit points equal to your spellcasting ability modifier at the start of each of its turns. When the spell ends the target loses any remaining temporary hit points from this spell.

[Requilac]

With a clanking of steel, she held aloft her brazen sword and bellowed a challenge.
"I am Knightess Yvonne the Faithful, and I do not fear Senckreid, whether haunted by spectre or shadow! I swear on Vitay, I will find your source, evil, and wrench the blackened heart from your chest! Send your demons and your devils, and I will slay them all!"
She focused within herself, feeling the touch of Vitay over her heart. She called out the ritual words, feeling the protection grow over her.
"Mine armour ist faith! Mine sword ist judgement! Come forth, ye wicked!"
A light welled from her chest and flickered over her, softly fading until it remained as just the faintest of glimmerings on the steel of her armour. ​Shield and sword readied, she backed up until her back was against the wagon.

The ghost does not seem to have any change in emotion because of what you said. "You have yet to understand what is going on. I know very well what you are afraid of, and it is not death I am certain. But I am warning you now, turn back before it is too late. You enter Senckried to slay devils, but at the end of the day I know what will happen. It has happened to all the others. Your blade is poised to shed blood, and although it serves righteoussness on this day, such virtues are easily corrupted. I have seen it time and time again. You come to Senckried to wreak bloodshed on those who are your enemies, and that is why madness reigns supreme here. When these demons you hunt turn out to not be quite as you expected, you will see the truth. When your sword is stained with the blood of innocents instead of fiends you will know. I cannot allow you to enter here and continue to spread the madness! Turn back, yield your weapons, stay your insanity. Do not enter Senckried!"

[Zergrinch]

Zuzu takes an involuntary step backwards before squeaking at the apparition, "Who are you? What is your connection to Senckried? Why do you seek to prevent our entry when we merely intend to investigate the reputed ground zero of the plague of nightmares?"

The gnome studies the figure intently, trying to ascertain whether it is supernatural in origin, or is some kind of magical summon.

Arcana: (1d20+5)[11]

[bc56]

Yaotl gazes grimly at the spirit. "I have already given my life to another, and my sssoul is long lossst! I fear not your empty threatsss! Away ssspecter!" Yaotl moves within 5ft of the ghost and postures menacingly in a battle stance. If the ghost provokes Yaotl, his teeth will elongate into fangs, and he will attempt to bite the ghost and inject acidic venom into it.

Spoiler: readied action

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Cast primal savagery if the ghost makes a hostile action (such as attacking or summoning other monsters).
Spell attack (1d20+4)[10] for (1d10)[9] acid damage.

[Requilac]

Zuzu takes an involuntary step backwards before squeaking at the apparition, "Who are you? What is your connection to Senckried? Why do you seek to prevent our entry when we merely intend to investigate the reputed ground zero of the plague of nightmares?"

The gnome studies the figure intently, trying to ascertain whether it is supernatural in origin, or is some kind of magical summon.

Arcana: [roll0]

"Who I was I can no longer remember, all I know is what I was tasked with. And my task is keeping people out of Senckried. And do not fool yourselves, you know as well as I do that this will simply end with investigations. You will try to solve the problem, and then you will descend into the madness of wanton bloodsheed and never come out. Adventurers have come into Senckried years before, and everything always ends the same way. They come in heroes, and they stay in as either a corpse or a mad man."

You have no idea what this creature is, you have never seen such a ghost before. You have never even heard of it before.

Yaotl ganzes grimly at the spirit. "I have already given my life to another, and my sssoul is long lossst! I fear not your empty threatsss! Away ssspecter!" Yaotl moves within 5ft of the ghost and postures menacingly in a battle stance. If the ghost provokes Yaotl, his teeth will elongate into fangs, and he will attempt to bite the ghost and inject acidic venom into it.

Spoiler: readied action

Show

Cast primal savagery if the ghost makes a hostile action (such as attacking or summoning other monsters).
Spell attack [roll0] for [roll1] acid damage.

The ghost is completely unphashed by your aggressive action. "I see... a disciple of the Old Ones. You should know more than anyone else why you should not enter Senckried, yet you still refuse to acknowledge it. But your true intention here is not the same as the others, so you are a different story. I know perfectly well that your soul has long since been consumed and that you do not care for my threats."

[Zergrinch]

"Who I was I can no longer remember, all I know is what I was tasked with. And my task is keeping people out of Senckried. And do not fool yourselves, you know as well as I do that this will simply end with investigations. You will try to solve the problem, and then you will descend into the madness of wanton bloodsheed and never come out. Adventurers have come into Senckried years before, and everything always ends the same way. They come in heroes, and they stay in as either a corpse or a mad man."

"One last question. You keep insisting that bloodshed will ensue, but nobody lives in Senckried! Nobody human!
So what's in there anyway that you're so desperately trying to protect?!"

[Sariel Vailo]

zuzu perhaps innocent and human arent the key words here.we may do wrong by trying to do right.

[Requilac]

"One last question. You keep insisting that bloodshed will ensue, but nobody lives in Senckried! Nobody human!
So what's in there anyway that you're so desperately trying to protect?!"

For once you actually feel as if the ghost is showing some sort of emotion. The wind seems to weep more than it howls this time. "Because sometimes, child, those that are not "human" as you call it need peace just the same."

[Sariel Vailo]

So are we still driven onward. Yvonne,zuzu yaotl