Cataclysm (AD&D Ravenloft -> PF1 Conversion) INC Thread

[Darius Vibrtrar]

The Constable refocuses on Grey when he hears the plea to be let go with a promise of a later sit down.

"Why the rush, what have you gotten a whiff of that has you in such a rush."

He looks between the five of you.

"Where were you heading in such a rush, you werent coming here to see the scene of the crime were you?"

[samduke]

No in fact this is something new to us as it is to you, we "turning to the others" we will be investigating the Cemetery, Townhouse & Plantation and have no time right now to talk.

then she leaves grabbing Grey as she does.

speaking to the Party Daylight is burning lets go

[Bunny Commando]

Grey - HP: 24\24 - Conditions: Dazzled - Active Effects: None

---------------

Grey starts saying "Yes, Constable. We are..." but Millie chimes in, says what needs to be said and then grabs him - Grey is taken aback so that he just shrugs and follows Millie with a confused look, but at least they're not wasting time in explaining what is happening to the suspicious lawman.

[DigoDragon]

Rose wibbles between following Millie and giving the sheriff answers. She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly in-between a string of vowels and consonants that for words and ideas, though not necessarily coherent ones of either category, as much as she's trying to speak in a slow calm voice. Trying.

"Okay, so we were just asking around town last night what people thought about the killings going on, maybe figure out what the licorice had to do with it, and then we got to the plantation house and thought we might as well ask if anyone there could give us their side of the story. Luc... he had an odd reaction and left to return to the tavern, refusing to go near the house. I went with Luc to keep an eye on him while the others went to the house to see who was home. Well the who was a what and the what were ghouls that attacked my companions. My friends slain the ghouls (except one that ran into the fields) and then left quick, checked in with me and Luc, and then we went to the priest to make sure no-one got infected with something from the ghoul bites. Good news, we're all okay on that part. Bad news, if you want to investigate the house yourself, I strongly suggest you bring a friend and some weapons." Rose catches her breath after all that.

"That is basically what happened last night. Okay, gotta go."

She runs after Millie and the group to catch up with them.

[kinem]

Ted tells the Constable "Actually I got bit, it felt bad, but the priest cured me with a scroll. Don't mess around with those things. I think it could turn a man into one of them."

After the group leaves the policeman, Ted says "I am curious to meet this brother of Luc."

[DarkOne-Rob]

With a grateful smile Cheyanne seems pleased with the positive effect her words have had. She quietly goes with the group until out of earshot of either the Sheriff or other townsfolk before looking at most of the rest of the party with an exasperated expression. "Are some of you trying to make him dislike us? It's hard enough when they're already pre-disposed to be biased against us caliban," she spits at the derogative slur, "But they are actually dealing with murders of their friends and neighbors. Some of us would be nervous with outsiders investigating too. We should give them more benefit of the doubt, at least when they're not being prejudiced..." she says, clearly not trying to berate her allies so much as she is allowing her thoughts to be spoken out loud.

As they approach their destination she asks, "Shall I scout ahead? Or are we going to roll up in force?"

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Your group is able to enter the newest parts of the cemetery with ease. You return to the place of the funeral from yesterday to find the grounds keeper repairing the door that had been keeping the ...."screaming coffin" locked away. The coffin lay off to the side, broken in pieces, with no sign of its former occupant.

[DigoDragon]

"Are some of you trying to make him dislike us?"

"No... I just thought if we told the sheriff what we know, he won't think we're being cagey... or guilty of hiding something... he might notice something we didn't if he retraces our trail... maybe."

The coffin lay off to the side, broken in pieces, with no sign of its former occupant.

Rose gets down on haunches to look at the coffin. She'll turn over some of the pieces and try to puzzle-piece the bigger ones together to recreate the coffin. Her objective is to figure out if Jeramiah broke out himself or if someone broke him out of the coffin.

Spoiler: Roll

Show

If Knowledge (engineering), add +9
If perception, add +4

(1d20)[5]

[samduke]

The coffin lay off to the side, broken in pieces, with no sign of its former occupant.

looking at the broken coffin, speaking to the grounds keeper, well now was it like that when you found it?

[DarkOne-Rob]

"Roll up in force it is..." murmurs Cheyanne as the party goes straight to the grave site and starts poking around. With a glance at the ground and a moment of thoughts she decides that looking for tracks here isn't going to go anywhere, but maybe around the edges of the graveyard...?

"I'm going to go look for tracks around the wall. If I find any someone else will need to help track them - I'm no good at that - but I'll try to get us a start..." she says by way of excuse before making a bee line for the nearest portion of the cemetery wall. Once there she goes around in a clockwise motion, steadily looking for signs of tracks that might indicate someone went over the wall there...

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

Perception is at +7, so taking 10 is a 17 around the perimeter. Cheyanne has no ranks in Survival, so she won't be any good at tracking, but she will try to find the starting point for someone else to track.

[Darius Vibrtrar]

The Groundskeeper looks up to Millie.

"Oh, that? well.... some of it was there, there was some still here where we left it yesterday, Ive cleaned out what was left in the slot to the ground over there."

Cheyanne was able to find some tracks heading toward the cemetary wall from near the broken coffin, and as they go around the cemetary they do find a variety of different tracks of bootprints heading out of the cemetary.... via the wall. But every so often she finds footprints coming into the cemetary.

[Bunny Commando]

Grey - HP: 24\24 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

---------------

Grey follows Cheyanne in her search for tracks, but he's clearly at loss in any kind of natural environment (not that he ever claimed to be anything more than a city kid). But he nods to the half-orc with approval and tries to offer a few words of encouragement "Good job with the Constable. Can't be easy to swallow how people here look at you. Shows strength."

[DarkOne-Rob]

With a smile Cheyanne moves to embrace Grey before stopping and asking, "Do you mind a hug? I've been away from my loved ones for some time now, and that's one of the nicest things anyone has said to me in a while. The Master of Masters teaches that we all have to work towards our best selves, and I refuse to think that my best is less than someone else's just because of my heritage. Thank you." She doesn't push the embrace, but it's clear from her body language that she would appreciate one.

After she finds them, Cheyanne points out the trails, especially those going over the wall, to the others before asking the group, "Is anyone good at this? Can you follow them?"

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Not trying to be weird, but I think everyone needs a hug every now and then, and that moment seemed natural. However, Cheyanne has been paying attention and knows Grey isn't the most transparent and forward of people, in spite of his own efforts to be diplomatic. She isn't one to push and isn't trying to make more of this than it is, but she also won't be upset if he declines.

[DigoDragon]

Rose dusts off her long skirt as she stands back up.

"Jeramiah had help getting out, so someone came out here to collect," Rose declares. She looks around; lot of folks around here probably been in need of a hug. Or touching some grass. At least two could use a swift kick in the butt. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Rose will try to follow the trail Cheyanne points out. She's usually not good at this sort of thing, but maybe she'll get lucky.

Survival (1d20+1)[16]

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Rose is able to see at various points tracks hop over the wall, and once you peek over you see that the tracks fade away or are not fresh enough to follow, but someone is definitely trespassing in the cemetery after it closes.

[kinem]

Ted admits ”I was surprised he didn’t just bust out by himself, but if you think about it, it makes sense. The undead aren’t just wandering the town, so someone is probably gathering them.”

He too tries to follow the tracks.

(1d20+6)[21] Survival

[samduke]

Millie follows the others as thy track the unknown

[Bunny Commando]

Grey - HP: 24\24 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

---------------

Grey looks taken aback by Cheyanne's hug, probably not used to affection; he accepts the hug nonetheless but he's at loss for words so when they part, he nods and smiles tentatively. When they're both reunited with the others he shares his thought, now a look of concern on his grey-ish face "Let's follow them, but I bet they're heading towards the Plantation. I mean, the last surviving Tarascon brother was in town yesterday and he did not say anything about his land overrun by the undead? And Luc was pretty clear in not wanting to go anywhere near the Plantation. This Jean has a lot to explain."

[Darius Vibrtrar]

The group is able to go out of the cemetery and circle around outside the wall, finding tracks near the wall, but within 50 ft the ground shifts from dirt and mud to grass and the tracks are lost, unable to find the trail. There is no clear direction of the trail between various sets of tracks you find leaving or entering the cemetery via wall.

[DigoDragon]

"Fish sticks, I can't figure out the direction after this point. Sorry, gang," Rose tells the group. "We might have to make a leap of faith to the plantain then. If nothing else, I agree with what Grey just said."

[DarkOne-Rob]

Cheyanne smiles gratefully after their hug and then let's the trackers take the lead while she keeps a watch on their surrounding. At the tracks' dead end she nods in agreement and says, "We know one place where things are bad - going back there, in force, makes sense to me. Let's be a bit more careful, though, and try to avoid giving ourselves away by being too loud this time...Hopefully the door is still broken and it won't take breaking it down to go inside..."

[DigoDragon]

"We know one place where things are bad - going back there, in force, makes sense to me."

"Yeah, we can cause the undead more trouble in greater numbers," Rose adds. She'll follow Cheyanne to the plantation.

[Darius Vibrtrar]

From there our heroes are able to make the trek out to the plantation, the fields, looking overgrown and untended create an unnerving blindspot, for anyone who might try to sneak up on the group, or even to use to make a quick get away without being followed. The 2 story plantation home is flanked by a 1 story servants quarters building. As you approach and do a quick encircle you see the broken window with glass outside on the ground from where a ghoul burst out of the building. Looking at the front doors you can see one swings ajar from a light breeze being blown in from the incoming stormy weather

[Bunny Commando]

Grey - HP: 24\24 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: Cloak of Darkness (1 hr.)

---------------

"Last time we where here, the undead fled in the plantation. Might try to search for them." Grey says after the reconnaissance but before moving further, he does the usual weird trick where whatever shadow is nearby, it coalesces around him forming a protective cawl - he sure does not seem in the mood of being surprised again.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Cheyanne points to the broken window and the open door to be sure everyone sees them as they approach. Grey speaks up and she nods, putting a finger to her lips and quietly creeping to the door of the plantation home deliberately. Once at the door she listens and proceeds to try and scout out the rooms with a bit of space between her and her allies, both to hide her own presence and hear any sounds of (un)life nearby. She doesn't wait for the others to get close, instead slipping in and heading towards the central hall and staircase...

Spoiler: Scouting

Show

Cheyanne will make an effort to stay far enough in front of the party to avoid being given away by a stray noise, but not so far that she cannot double move to be within sight of them. Stealth at +8, Perception at +7. I suspect multiple rolls will be needed, so I'm fine with either taking 10 or rolling behind the DM screen, @Darius Vibrtrar.

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Cheyanne takes point looking through the Plantation House. You find no no further traces of undead beyond the evidence from last night. The bodies of 5 ghouls are found slain in the dinning room. A silver platter still sits on the dinning table with the head of a villagers son atop it. Going through the other rooms you find plenty of dirt tracked through the downstairs. There is nothing of possible wealth beyond the silver platter and the comfortable furniture. Going upstairs you find a series of bedrooms, studies, a library of books on farming and financial records, but nothing of value. You find no recent trace of anyone living upstairs.

[DarkOne-Rob]

With a sad expression Cheyanne returns, bearing the silver platter and the boy's head. "We need to do something about this poor lad, but that is the only sign of the ghouls left. Either they cleaned out overnight or never really spent long here..." she explains before looking out over the overgrown farmland. "I don't like the idea of scouting out those fields without a good plan - it would be easy to be surrounded and surprised by attackers. Does anyone have a good idea?"

[DigoDragon]

"I have ideas, none of them good," Rose answers. "Maybe we should... I dunno, bring that head to the sheriff? I'm sure he'll know who it is."

Rose rubs the back of her neck, trying to smooth out the freaked-out feeling of goosebumps from the severed head.

[Bunny Commando]

Grey - HP: 24\24 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: Cloak of Darkness (1 hr.)

---------------

"Only idea I have, burn everything down." Grey says with a shrug after having looked up and down the now empty house "And sure, we might also bring the head to the Constable. Might also be time to point the finger at our prime suspect." that said, he nervously strokes his hair (also grey, of course) with a look of grave concern "Fear the reaction the people might have, though. These Tarascon are - were - important people. We have to be careful if we want to tell the Constable the truth."

[kinem]

Ted says "Good point. The head was the only one treated special; perhaps someone in the family. We should check out the townhouse next I guess."

He tries searching outside.

OOC: Perception (1d20+6)[12], Survival (1d20+6)[13]