Dark Rituals

Logfile from tenebraemush.net.

Kiroth has arrived.

Vuk has arrived.

EVENTS: Dark Rituals is scheduled to start RIGHT NOW!

It all starts with one family on the edge of town claiming their child was stolen, and then another. A total of three families in separate locations, no one knows where they went, or who is behind the kidnappings. A whispered rumor on the wind speaks of darkness, an investigative team is needed to find out what has taken the children, and if at all possible return them.

You five have responded to the request and have gathered at the edge of town.

Vuk didn't like the sound of children being kidnapped and when he heard of such deeds ocurring, he was of course willing to join the investigation..and gold coin motivated him significantly.

Renfrey adjusts the shoulders of his pack and sniffs the air. "A look around woyld do good. Maybe we can have a easant talk with the darkness and come to an understanding." he says optimistically.

Duncan is here because he heard a rumor the family of one of the missing children is from Dragonier. There have been many such rumors lately, especially after some of the recent crimes (possibly) by and (allegedly) against Dragonieri immigrants. Not true in this case, but now that Duncan is here he figures he might as well lend his axe to the effort. A reward wouldn't be unwelcome either.

Fa'lere snorts quietly. "I highly doubt it." She says as she gets to the edge of town with her earthbreaker hammer on her shoulder. "Let's not speculate and get this show on the road. It's one thing for two grown men to battle each other, but kidnapping children is low...."

Kiroth has heard that there are reports of children being kidnapped. He comes out in his full armor ready to help. He nods to the others, "Greetings. I agree, let us hurry so we can find the children and see they are returned safely home."

Vuk looks confusedly at the mention of making friends with the darkness. "I do not think it is night that takes children, but some thing that operates under it's guise."

Duncan checks his axe and his flail and then nods. "Well. Let's get to it then." He peers around at their surroundings. "Where do we start?"

Trees scattered into the horizon bend in the wind. The creak of the wood is heard as they sway heavy with thick snow. The snow is pristine where you stand looking off into the wild beyond. The glittering flakes of snow swirl and shift, cool to its touch, an old woman wheels a cart of miscellaneous tools past you slowly - her pots and pans and other nicknacks clatter. But she is a simple pedlar and the only one out braving this weather.

Renfrey tightens the goggles he wears against the snow and rrudges on, taking only a brief moment to glance in the old ladies cart. "Whatever is doing it, I hope its just a misunderstanding. "

Kiroth nods politely to the old woman before he turns to look at the others, "Well where do we start then? Is there anything that is similar between the victims?"

Vuk cocks his head a bit, whistling his wolf to his side. "Let us go to the family who has most recently lost their child..the best chance for finding a trail would be there." He says!

Fa'lere says, "We shall find out once we meet the families. Come on. Time's a wasting." BLunt girl isn't she?"

Finding the most recent family's home is not hard. If everyone is going, you can all easily get there by walking back into town. A small cottage sits on the edge of the treeline.. All the lights are off.

Duncan nods in agreement with Vuk. "That seems a good place to start." He gives the oldwoman a curious look and then glances at some of the others. "Ah, you all go ahead. I'll catch up." Then he turns to address her. "Excuse me, Mother. Have you heard anything about missing children in this area?"

The peddler looks to Duncon "would you buy a trinket?"

Duncan's face turns stony, but then he digs out a few copper pieces.

Fa'lere raises an eyebrow at Duncan, but then heads for the first house near the woods.....

Vuk, being well, a Gobber, and just as likely to be accused as kidnapping people as others, looks at Renfrey and grins just a bit. "You go knock, at least they won't need to bend over to see me." He says, and then moves to skirt the property, to check for signs of the events that took place. Also, he hated when every one followed him and made alot of noise.

The Peddler turns her gnarled hand outward and she waits for the copper. She looks over them, and then she picks up a wooden yo-yo. This is handed to Duncan and the woman leans in to speak to him. Her breath is bad, she has no money to keep herself up, and the rot from her teeth stinks just being near her. Her eyes are a dark black and her hair under her clothes is a grey.

Kiroth looks to the peddler as she says that she has see then. "Oh where have you seen them? These are the missing children correct?"

Renfrey follows Vuk to the house and looks for signs of life before knocking gently. He brushes himself off and does his best salesman pose as he waits for an answer.

Duncan's eyes narrow slightly, but he nods at the woman. "We're here to find them," he adds after Kiroth asks his questions. "And to put an end to whatever or whoever's behind their disappearance."

Fa'lere turns back towards the old woman and tilts her head. She doesn't indicate she's listening, but she's not one for subtlety.....not by a long shot.

At the sound of knocking on the house a lantern is seen and the door opens but a crack, A man stands in the shadows and when he speaks it tells more tale that it is a man. "Yes?"

Vuk has found some thing, and he carefully takes it before traversing back to the others who followed to the house. Tonight he suspects, will be a long night.

The Peddler smiles toothly to Kiroth "buy a trinket?" she asks him, before she looks to Duncan expectantly as well.. oh yes she is trying to milk them out of copper. She dose offer "you buy I tell" she then gets a pan from her cart and holds it out.

Renfrey says, "Renfrey of Under Lock and Key locksmithing. I am investigating the disapearance of children from the area!" he says in his best sales pitch. " I can also offer new security arrangements for your house!""

Duncan's face grows even more stern now, although he's is careful not to direct any disrespect the old woman's way. You can almost tell how much effort it takes him. Finally he gives Kiroth a tiny nod.

Kiroth frowns a little bit as he looks at the ticket and he turns on his banesight to look at the women and the trinket to be sure this isn't some trap. He doesn't see any as he reaches to get a silver coin out to give to the woman. "Thank you, now please tell us what you know of the children that have been kidnapped."

Fa'lere quietly stands by and listens to the lady, Kiroth and Duncan nearby. She doesn't speak though.

"You are investigating the disappearance of our son? All we know is he was out gathering firewood and never made it back." The father tells Renfrey. "I can not afford security we are just farmers, I also can not invite you in, my wife... shes not...well" he says slowly.

Meanwhie at the cart, the silver gets answers. "Oh yes, I saw some Ravens.." she says "they were hanging out before the kid was taken." she nods again. "I would ask the trees." she says wisely "They know more then what most would think." The woman is old and rambling. "Where was I? oh the kids?" she nibbles on her lip. "I do not know any more, sorry i am no more help". she says then, "thank you for the coin!" she turns to go.

Vuk is close enough to hear what is said, but he doesn't want to barge in and ask things and make the farmer more nervous..but could his wife being ill be related to children disappearing? He did meet a former priest of a temple who had turn to necromancery..and -she- seemed normal at the time..

Duncan glowers at the old woman's back and then turns to Kiroth. "'Ravens'?" He repeats. "Think she was addled?"

Renfrey nods solemly. "Is your wife alright? We have some medical expertise along..." he turns to look at the nobody who has followed him. "Well they are on the way. Rest assured we will get to the bottom of this."

The Father nods, "she is as alright as she can be, she cries herself to sleep.. she misses our boy." He says "we heard that others were taken as well, all around age 10.". He pauses "is there anything you need we could provide?".

Fa'lere walks her way over towards the house, finally, and tilts her head to Renfrey, then to the old man....

Kiroth rubs his chin as he things for a moment. "I have read about some shamans who use ravens as spies. That could be how they are finding the children alone."

Duncan's brow furrows as he thinks that over. Then finally he nods. "Well, that's good to know." He scans the roofline briefly for any signs of ravens. "I'm gonna go see what the others have found." He walks towards the house, giving Fa'lere as he draws near to her. "Any luck here?"

Fa'lere says, "Keep an eye open for ravens, and let us know if you spot any. Might be a clue to the mystery." She says as she starts to look around herself."

Duncan peers to the east, then stands briefly on his toes as if to get a better look. Finally he gestures. "Something over that way...maybe."

Renfrey gives Fa'lere an unusual look "Ravens? like the ones over in the woods?" he points.

Vuk can see things ever so much easier at night and he whistles to draw attention. "Follow me, stay close and stay quiet." He says before leading them off towards what he saw, into the woods, his long gun half cocked and at the ready.

Duncan unwraps the flail's long chain from around his waist, takes up the slack in one fist and then follows after Vuk, hunched over slightly as he trots. "Wait for us, blast you!" he hisses as they start, but then follows quietly.

As you travel, you will go in the direction of Vuk and Renfrey directing you, The Ravens watch you once you get close but they dont move from the trees, the first thing you see is a glowing small apparition.

Fa'lere walks along with Vuk and Renfrey. She can see in the dark too, but she's not 'exactly' a frontline fighter. She's something else. "Lotsa birds here.....and.....well then."

Duncan peers at the thing, then takes a few steps forward. "What is it?" he mutters in a lowered voice.

Vuk knows it shouldn't -be- here, its not some thing he's hunted before, and he does alot of hunting and cooking! "Uh...well, -you- wanted to make friends with the darkness." He says to Renfrey.

Kiroth frowns as he moves closer shield and sword in hand and ready. He waits until he is close enough before he turns on his banesight. Renfrey shakes his head "This aint darkness. I like the dark and I dont like this." he circles from a distance, rapier and handcrossbow at the ready.

This small thing is all incorporeal and fuzzy it looks about the size of a small child. When Banesight is activated you can see the evil, not on the being its'self but resinating off the trees you are near.

Vuk will stay on his wolf, not approaching closer, it looks like a child right? "I...think we should try to find the remains, to return them to the family."

The Ghost dose look like a child.

Kiroth hmms as he studies the ravens with his banesight and he hmms, "It doesn't look like the ravens are evil, but it looks like something is wrong with the trees."

Fa'lere only sees the ghost child in front of her and tilts her head. 'Well this is certainly.....different." She then looks to the ghost, then back to Kiroth suddenly. "Wrong? How 'wrong?"

Duncan's eyes light up. "The treees? Should we cut them down?" He holds the chain from his flail in one hand so the other can creep up towards the axe on his back. Renfrey cocks his head and shrugs, jabs the point of his rapier into a tree.

Fa'lere says, "I would certainly not recommend cutting the trees down at random." She then looks to Kiroth. "Please explain....""

The ghost child points to the north and then it shifts and looks to the Adventurers, it passes through a tree and close to Kiroth.

When the child points one of the ravens leaves the perch. Others will be expecting you.

Vuk has images of what Zippo would be doing about now..and then the city on fire from a forest fire turned raging inferno. "I think it wants us to follow." He says.

Renfrey looks to the others and shrugs "Well lets follow." he draws his cloak close around him and begins to move quietly between the trees. Not missing a step for being so stealthy.

Duncan lowers his hand, then shrugs and heads after the others. "Just let me know when I can actually chop something."

Kiroth nods to the ghost child, "Thank you, please rest now." He says to the child and he looks to the others, "Let's go north than."

Fa'lere says, "Something tells me it won't be too much longer now." She says before nodding her head to Kiroth. 'Lead the way. I have a feeling that you can see what the child was talking about.""

The child will lead you to a scared place of evil! A dark altar bloodied.. and a ritual is in progress! A child is held by the Ebon Acolytus. On an altar. Two acolytes in front and the shamans are in the back. A cadge holding just one child who is still alive is in the far corner. The trees are thick with snow some of it tainted around the altar in a blood red.

Renfrey eyes up the situation and quietly moves through the trees around the site. He is a locksmith afterall so hes best for dealing with the cage.

Vuk holds one hand up and whispers quietly to the Goddess of the Woods, and suddenly the plant life surges up, to wrap around and impede the ..what Vuk assumes are cultist. "Bring them down smartly my friends!" He says, his wolf moving forward to bring him into rifle range, just beyond the swarming plant life. <30' PBS range>.

EVERYONE in the Altar area is ungulfed with entanglements!

The Acolyte tries to free himself from the entanglement with no avail.

Shaman reads a scroll of Darkness!

Kiroth looks over at Vuk, "While that is appreciated Vuk, it does tend to hinder your allies as well as your enemies." He doesn't have a ranged weapon and instead he casts a divine spell upon himself to guard himself against evil.

The acolytes are entangled and struggleing with the tangles, neither of them have gotten free.

The Shaman2 tries to sleep dart Kiroth

The Ghost hovers around, not attacking anything, but its a ghost so it moves through the trees with haunted cries.

Making her way forward, now that the battle has started, for better or worse, Fa'lere makes her way a little closer to Vuk, but chants her prayer to Angoron. Her prayer is answered by a rather large floating, shimmering hammer, mimicking the one that Fa'lere carries, that bashes the shaman on the head. Does nowhere near as much damage as the solid one though.

Duncan takes a long look at the Acolytes and Shaman before charging forward. His progress is slowed by the weeds and vines springing up from the ground but unlike the enemy he manages to keep his feet free and moving.

And while you are all fighting around it, the large Ebon Acolytus angles its dagger down to sacrifice the child who is on the altar! The knife comes down and its lucky you can not see. A scream pierces the darkness and...then silence. Well the ones that can see, do see the blood of the child painting the altar as it is sacrificed upon the Altar of Illoth.

Vuk goes to fire at the man who stabbed a child..and .there's smoke, there's fire, and then there's a goblin with a flash of light in his face as the firearm malfunctions and he tries to clear it, it'll take him a few moments of smacking it, thats how Gobbers fix it.

Renfrey shushes the kid as he fiddles with the lock on the cage, luckily nothing too complicated and even then the expert locksmith rarely has trouble with those. With silent steps he ishers the kid back behind some trees and bushes so he can help the team out next round.

Acolyte2 now close to Duncan can not spin kick him like he might as his feet are tangled, so he tries to get free still!

Shamon casts from a scroll of healing.

Duncan grows red with rage as the Shaman kills the child. He unleashes a roar and then tries a wide swing if his flail, but the blow hisses through the air above the acolyte's head.

Acolyte1 is wanting to be free like the other acolyte! Tries to free from the tanglement

Shaman2 is trying to dart Duncan

The one ghost goes in search of the other child. He cries and wails haunting sadness...

The Hammer that Fa'lere unleashed upon the shaman CLONKS him right on the noggin. *squish* and he goes down in a heap. Fa'lere places her hand upon Vuk's shoulder and smiles a bit. "Angoron, help this gobber avenge the child that was so callously murdered by a heartless coward....." Fa'lere's left hand glows blue for a moment, and the glow flows over Vuk.....

Ebon tries to untangle itsself so it can get to Kiroth!

Renfrey will shoot Ebon in the back since hes stll FF.

The two Ghost kids find eachother and join hands and float through some trees for the moment

Vuk has finally seemed to got that rifle functioning, because when it barks this time, a round tears into the man ensnared in the vines.

Acolyte2 takes the moment of freed from the entanglements to give Duncan a stunning fist blow

Duncan swings his flail again, but this time it THUDs into the ground next to the Acolyte's feet, possibly clearing some of the entangling vegetation from his leg. Duncan howls in outrage and then tugs the weapon free.

The acolyte and Duncon look like drunken monkies. the pair of them throwing attacks but neither of them make contact! Look they are dancing!

Shaman2 tries to dart Fa but the dart misses Fa'lere

Fa'lere keeps her hand upon Vuk's shoulder and her hand continues to glow, but her spiritual weapon races for the Ebon Acolytus and swings, but the spell ends before it can make contact. bluh.

Renfrey laods another bolt but fires too quickly and his round goes astray.

Vuk is seemingly ...lucky..well, courteousy of Fa'lere, who must have a thing for Gobbers, since she's all over him.

Duncan drops his flail now that the enemy is in close, and instead pulls his ace off of it's holder on his back. A huge swing fails to connect, drawing yet another howl from the Khazad.

Shaman2 is going to move to try to help out the Acolyte with Duncan

Fa'lere keeps her hand on Vuk's shoulder, and her hand continues to glow.

The Ebon construct holds onto his paladin even as it is struck ... and tries to sacrifice him! First however he needs to hold him on the altar, which is the next step.

Vuk should invest in becoming close friends with Fa'lere, because his aim is drastically improved by an attractive female holding onto him. Blasting a round through the man holding into Kiroth!

The second shaman is still entangled as well and draws out a scroll to read from.

The large construct is preparing for a good gifting to the dark gods. He is all ready the dagger is up and the palidin below is in perfect position for the final blow.. it wont be long.

Not able to stand watching Kiroth being put on the sacrifice table, Fa'lere runs her way forward, through the grabbing vines, and swings her earthbreaker at the construct.....missing as well. ugh.

Renfrey tires of missing qith his crossbow and puts it away, valiantly he charges through the vines and strikes his rapier deep in the magic construct.

Vuk closes one eye as he brings the long gun to rest on the large construction and he lets out one concussive shot, tearing through what passes for it's skull, and with that shot..takes off what passes for the skull, and then he taps his heel once into his wolf and gestures at the fleeing man and whispers some thing. The wolf takes off with a snarl and it digs it's fangs into the being and wrenches backwards, bringing the cultist to the ground. "I'd..let you surrender, but...No." he says.

Duncan grimaces. He jerks his axe up as vines try to entangle his arms, then turns a baleful glare on the nearby Acolyte. Turning his axe he brings it back down in a quick chop, adding a Khazdul curse as he connects.

Fa'lere turns her fury towards one of the entangled acolytes, but she all but throws her Earthbreaker into the woods.

Vuk lets a blast off at the proned man before he draws his short blade as his wolf tears into his leg. Vuk's rifle is not behaving well today.

Renfrey lets the others deal with the final fos as they fall and instead tends to the kid he has rescued. Not the fatherly type but then again he did rescue the kid.

In the end, you guys managed to kill two Acolytes, and 2 Shamans... along with a huge construct. The ghosts of the kids will follow you home and haunt you for a while. One child was saved a little 10 year old girl named Kiera. The altar of Illoth still stands for another day.