Return to Eastbrook

LOG: Return to Eastbrook, run by Gedryn

The night has been filled with chaos. Screams, fire, attacks, zombies, shadowy figures and the like. Now as dawn approaches and light slowly creeps into the valley and the fires are starting to be put out people can start to actually start to understand what has happened. Several people dead, zombies lay dead in the street and screams from the big house reveal that lord’s daughter, Lady Ganya, is missing and presumed taken. Word is circulating through the town that there’s nearly two dozen people dead and another half-dozen who have been bitten by the zombies.

Word circulates that those who have been bitten are sweating furiously, their skin is growing more and more pale with purple infection streaks radiating out from the bite wounds. There is concern that if the bites kill them they might return as zombies. There’s some discussion about killing them and burning the bodies to ensure against reanimation. Those who were killed are being gathered near a burning pit down the (E) street.

Link: http://tinyurl.com/y94np6cw

Walery is pretty tired, himself, though he got a bit of sleep. He's not quite sure what to make of the situation in the morning, so he will see what his allies have to say.

Any with a drop of sense would fear the worst from such things. Poison. Bile. Plague. Korra Steelhart stifles her shudder of revulsion, checking and rechecking the straps holding her weapons to her mount. Too little, too late to assist in fighting off the worst of the monsters; a few arrows into stragglers was all she claimed, and she purses lips with an exhale of breath.

"Kidnappings by zombies," she murmurs quietly, brushing a hand through her horse's mane. "Bites carrying some wickedness. An evil straight from the Dark Mother's heart, this is."

Heinrich rides into the town dressed like the knight errant he is, and looks for someone to ask, "Where might I find the band of adventurers from Alexandria that was dispatched to escort Lord Hagar's caravan?"

The Arvek Nar never left the town since that day, how could she not considering the sheer mass of zombies her and Felicia had waded through. Serraphine strides in with her usual air and gave some thought to the town as she heard of the spreading of this disease. It struck a chord with her and made her seek out further information on it. Striding up next to the other adventurers, she looks over to Heinrich.

"Mick and I were part of the original party. Our cleric was called away back to the church in Alexandria. I'm guessing you and." A nod toward Korra, "Her are here to assist?" A shake of her head, "Either way - this bite - it's a type of resurrect, perverted by the hand of evil. At least 14 in the town have been bitten, but I do not have the requisite spell to dispel the curse."

Korra straightens the last cinch on her steed, turning around with a nod. "I came to provide asistance for the final leg of the travels," she says, dark horsetail strands fluttering from her helmet. "But that was this morning. Sunris esaw my arrival, and then-- this." She gestures, taking in the wreckage and smoldering. "Has the Lord Hagar decided what to do with the injured, or dispatched scouts for these beats?"

Walery wonders to Serraphine, "Would they be able to cure it in Alexandria?" He's not sure what the best solution is, himself. "Is the caravan even going out in light of what happened? Or are they in even more of a hurry?"

“Where’s Maynard?” more than one person asks from the groups of folks who are either putting out fires, hauling bodies or attempting to tend to the wounded. Curiously, neither in the attack from the previous evening nor in the recovery this morning has anyone noticed any other cleric or divine presence within the town. At one of the questions, a portly man wearing a green tabard with a white claw emblazoned across the front approaches the group. “M’lord Hagar is dealing with the terror of a lost child. Ask Father Maynard what to do with the bodies.” At the querry about the caravan he turns with a confused expression on his face. “Are you kidding? The caravan will handle itself…”

"To my knowledge-" Serraphine turns to Mick, "-they should be able to heal it. Though it would be a costly endeavor. Remove Disease should cure it, but they may not even last the trip back to the city." Serraphine pulls the cloak a bit tighter, "The Caravan should be headed out today, we may be able to get them on board of it but these will burn." The Arvek gestures at the corpses nearby, her eyes moving to Korra, "It is one of the few ways to be sure that they will not return - at least return easily."

Heinrich lifts the visor of his helm and says to Serraphine, "I am indeed here to assist, and though I have no such magic myself, by holy Serriel, the miscreant behind this nefarious blight shall face JUSTICE." At this, he listens to Lord Hagar's herald, then says, "In light of these troubles, I suggest that we might do the scouting for these beasts ourselves."

Walery figures the caravan will handle itslef. He's /still/ trying to figure out if he should be with the caravan, what he was hired for, or helping the townsfolk, which he really has nothing to offer. So, he will stand around until something more conclusive forces his hand one way or the other.

"If those pompous fat priests of Alexandria--" Korra bites off her tirade, huffing hotly before she spares a glance to the townspeople-- bowing with a swift respect to the Lord's herald. "I have some tracking skill. A young messenger on a fast, fresh horse could make the city before I could. Breeze has already been moving through the day." She brushes her hand up the horse's neck, ruffling firmly.

"I am Korra Steelhart," she offers, brushing her first to her chest. "With the chaos of the town, the caravan may come a distant second thought. Or third."

The steward is called elsewhere but yells back to Korra, "A messenger has already been sent to the city to call for aid but it will probably take days for any to arrive."

Serraphine casts another look toward Heinrich, looking him up and down. She herself is emblazoned with several of Serriel's symbols, one might even think- "Are you also a Lancer of the Guiding Star?" Her bright yellow eyes take in the other anew before finally turning away to the others once more. She starts to make a comment when the man wearing the green tabard speaks up, a frown forms along her visage, "Why is he pursuing this lost child personally and why would we worry about the bodies? Such a thing should be easily handled by the priest - the living should be more our concern. Especially those soon to no longer be."

Serraphine turns to Korra then as the introduction is made. "Serraphine Gottschalk, Serriel's Lancer of Blar, assigned to Alexandria on extended detachment - the site of the Chaos bringer."

Heinrich adds, "I am Sir Heinrich Sturmlanze, Knight of the Scale. As we are here, I for one am willing to take on this quest to the greater glory of Serriel. Please convey to your lord that we will assist as is only right and honorable." His accent is decidedly Alexandrian. He dips his lance in salute to Serraphine first, then to the herald.

Walery introduces himself, "Walery. Mick Walery." No temples or guiding stars, though the death ray he carries hints that he may be affiliated with the Engineering Enclave. "As far as who's going to do what, I find myself surprised do often that I don't like to guess anymore. I mean, finding the missing seems pretty important. But, ask a goblin, he'll find the caravan is the thing."

A town's woman, a powerful figure dressed in the usual attire of a housewife who's been fighting fires and hauling bodies since the middle of the night, yells at the group of people. "Hey - if it's all the same to you, grab a bucket, a body or the Priest. We more work than people here..."

Korra's laughter sounds out at Walery's words, quick mischief brightening her features. "Then proper for us that goblins are not here!" she says, clapping the man on his shoulder. And then a grimace-- she looks suitably abashed at humour in the face of the wreckage around. "I'll scout out and about," she says quickly, turning to mount. "If I find a trail, I'll be quick back. If not..."

She shudders again, glancing towards the bodies strewn about the town. "I will let you know, and we can... get other matters settled. Speak with the Lord, find out more on who is missing."

Walery shrugs and will help the townswoman with the body carrying, though he grumbles about it. It's not what he came for. But it's the help they've asked for, so it'll have to be enough. He smirks at Korra, and says, "But you see what I mean when I say there are different choices...."

A half-scream can be heard down the street (down towards D on your map). The words are half garbled due to the distance but what is clear is "Something's in the Rectory" with a few people pointing frantically towards one of the houses (#9 on the map). The fear of one of the zombies remaining in the town spreads through the town's survivors faster than any one of the fires that they've spent the night putting them out. Bodies are dropped while being hauled away and a mad rush of a few to escape the southern end of town starts a cascade of fear that ripples through the town like a crashing wave.

Heinrich dismounts from his caparisoned heavy warhorse, and secures the lance in a sort of scabbard beside the saddle. He hangs his heraldic shield by its straps from the pommel of the saddle and says, "Attending to the fallen is worthy labor while someone who can follow a trail sorts out the path we should pursue." With this, he loads up his brawny shoulders with bodies and follows the village woman's lead.

Serraphine snorts, "When you're looking for the tracks, look also for something odd. Not really human or zombie. We saw them on the roofs as we fought back the waves of undead." She reaches up and shifts her armor, turning to look at Mick.

"You may be more use talking to the priest, Mister Walery. I'll take the noble." A look toward Heinrich finally and she's about to speak when. "Oh by all that's holy, it's probably happening again." She doesn't delay, starting off at a jog in the direction of where the scream was. Her hand reaching down to pull forth the steel - maybe she can leave the shield on her back this time.

Sir Heinrich jogs toward the rectory, forgetting to drop the bodies until he thinks to unsheath his falchion. He pauses a moment to lay his burdens down gently, then does draw sword, looking into the rectory over the heads of others.

You paged Korra with 'Without a check (meaning this is obvious) the zombies A) weren't shuffling when they moved. They were almost loping (like a human trying to run on all fours) and seemed to be gathered in small groups of 4-5.'

Walery huhs at talking to the noble. He's not generally a talking to people person. After some time talking to him, he usually finds people trying to get away. But at the sounds of distress, he rushes to aid, since the cleanup seems to be generally forgotten.

Korra 's quick search around the perimeter yields few clues... But even those are more frustrating. "I thought dead things shuffled," she mutters softly. "Not loped about like children pretending to be wolves..." Thoughts interrupted by screams-- Farther from the center than the others, she quickly kicks Breeze into swift motion, shield loosened and readied as she races for the rectory.

The rectory is the home of the local priest for the temple next door. It is a simple, two-story home with bedrooms on the top floor and kitchen, dining and all of that on the ground level. The door is closed and there is no damage to the door or windows. The door is locked and there’s sound of muttering and stifled screams inside.

Perception Checks please

GAME: Walery rolls perception: (16)+6: 22

GAME: Serraphine rolls Perception: (12)+3: 15

GAME: Heinrich rolls perception: (1)+1: 2 (EPIC FAIL)

You paged (Walery, Serraphine) with 'The door has some scratches on it - like something

wild tried to get in. But what really catches your attention is the double-doors of the temple next door are broken in. However, as you turn to look at the doors, you hear a muffled scream from inside - as though someone or something were trying to cry through a hand.'

Walery takes a look at the scratches on the door, but the peers at the temple, where the doors are broken in. "Something broke in through there," he calls out, then runs to the door and peers inside, using the doorframe for cover.

Serraphine starts striding in the direction of the Temple too. She points toward the Rectory nonetheless and calls back to Heinrich. "You look like you can handle yourself, if you please - peek in the rectory just in case." And then to Walery, "Don't get too far in front."

The Knight of Serriel had heard the noises as well but she was not being cautious. On the contrary, she strides forth to meet it head on.

Korra guides her steed with smooth motions, confident tugs. Horse and rider in accord-- but racing from one end of the village to the other. All a matter of time-- no matter how swift your hooves!

Heinrich keeps up with Serraphine, flanking as it were.

Entry Doors: The double doors of the temple are adorned with half of a sunburst on each side. The sun in all its splendor has been carved into the wood and was probably painted yellow a few times when the place needs smartened up. The doors have been ripped down off of their hinges, claw marks deeply gouging into the wood.

Temple Link: http://tinyurl.com/y8boxkqm

Walery is making sure not to get too far in front, that's why he stopped at the door. To let someone else lead the way inside. He's just looking. And of course clutching his death ray as he peers in.

With the sound of heavy boot falls, Serraphine will stride forth into the church without a second look toward the doors. Her sword drawn and a murmur of a prayer to Serriel as she casts her eyes about. "Where are you, fiend?"

Sir Hank “the Tank” is only too willing to lead out. He steps in too, maintaining his flank with Serraphine, but letting her do the talking.

Korra 's pace is quick on her steed, sliding up short just in front of the temple. Shield back to back, bow drawn-- she strings the horseman's bow with a quick practice, eyes narrowing as she ducs into the alcove just behind the others. Quiet, controlled breaths--!

Perception Checks

GAME: Serraphine rolls Perception: (4)+3: 7

GAME: Korra rolls Perception: (16)+6: 22

GAME: Walery rolls perception: (14)+6: 20

GAME: Heinrich rolls perception: (2)+1: 3

Upon entry, one notices that several of the wooden benches have been topped over backwards suggesting that something or a few somethings either fell into them or knocked them over. The remains of about a half-dozen zombies litter the area some entwined with the benches others in the space between them. Ahead of you, the stairs climb about five feet up to the level of the stone dais. At the base of the stairs are some blood-soaked pages scattered as if dropped in haste. A body is visible upon the top of the dais.

You paged (Korra, Walery) with 'This place feels cold...empty - not the thing you'd imagine of a Temple of Daeus.'

Fi raises her blade, the point pointing toward the dais as she strides toward it. She is in no way trying to be quiet about her approach, the heavy thud of her boots on the floor. "On the dais, what is that?" Another slap of her boots on the steps as she drives up the stairs in the direction she just pointed. Perhaps, Serraphine thought, another might check the pages.

Walery will head in to back Serraphine up, and looks at the dais, though he's not sure what it is, either. "A body, I guess," he hazards, and adds, "Something is wrong here. This place is ... like it's no longer consecrated to Daeus."

The horsewoman shivers as she stalks forward, barely a pause in her step as she nocks arrow to bow. "Why is it so..." She pauses, searching for the right words. "...cold. It's cold here. Morning still, but--" She pauses at Walery's explanation, teeth gritting toether before she purses her lips in exhale. "A wicked thing, yes?"

The raised altar at the center of the temple is adorned with the sunburst symbol of Daeus. Standing a few feet off the ground and nearly thirty feet across, the altar is an impressive construction. When it was built long ago, the sun symbol was cut into the stone to welcome the daylight from the pointed skylight set into the roof above. The altar has been defiled in the attack leaving a massive crack down the center with the bodies of a few zombies slouched near the stairs and the body of a man at the center. The body is that of an old man dressed in the robes of a priest of Daeus. He is face down with a hand outstretched as though pointing towards the south end of the temple where stands a second pair of double doors.

Serraphine will double back, having seen no one go for the papers yet, to snap up a couple in her free hand. She skims over them, trying to make sense of them before trying to take the lead again. This time in the direction the priest was pointing, "If it was desecrated, we will need to change that. First, we must remove the taint, or check at least that it is free of it before we invite others in who can."

Walery nods to Serraphine, sticking by her, but behind, watching her back and flanks as best he can as she moves forward.

You paged Serraphine with 'The pages are almost completely soaked of blood. They appear to have been ripped from a ledger or book. Whatever was written on them is blurred because of the mix of blood and ink. They will need to be cleaned before they can be properly read. However, one word in the top corner of a page is visible it reads "Tower Hill"'

Korra huffs softly, taking a place near the center of the temple. "Is that the priest?" she asks, glancing towards the body of the old man at the fore. "It seems that he went well, but still-- dead." Quick eyes chase down to the dead bodies, narrowing suspiciously. "Check the corpses, if you will. Remember the bites, if they come back to... life? Unliving? Not-dying?"

Serraphine passes back the blood soaked papers toward Mick and Korra, as Heinrich was surely by her side still. "Tower Hill." She says as if in explanation, "I know nothing about it, might be a local thing." The saving grace to the parchment is it's well made, meaning the blood doesn't full soak in and might stand a chance of being cleaned before the papers are totally lost to the mix of black and crimson.

Korra glances quizzically at one of the sheets, grimacing anew at the amount of blood coating it. "At least let me take this out to dry," she says, shuddering. Taking the edge of the paper gingerly in one hand, she holds it away from her as she steps back towards the entry. "And some help with the clean up as well. Don't reslay them all before I get a chance!"

Walery will, at a cue from Serraphina, check out the body. Not that he knows much about that sort of thing, but he cab look.

Upon closer examination the body was not ravaged by the claws and gnashing teeth of zombies. Rather, the man’s arms were bruised as though held down and he was stabbed in the chest leaving a large, gaping wound.

The priest's heart is missing.

Walery announces, "Looks like he was held down and stabbed. I dunno how that's significant."

Will Save (DC 20) for Walery

The double doors to the south of the temple are similar to that of the front ones. These wooden doors have been carved with the sun symbol of Daeus one half on either side. They have also been ripped open though they still remain mostly attached to their hinges. Beyond them they lead to the rear hall has two narrow windows to the outside with candle sconces tucked away in each of the four corners. Single, unmarked doors lead to the left and write. Both doors are closed though each have been scratched heavily by clawed hands with bloody hand prints around the ring. Each appear to have a lock set into the door.

"Undoubtedly." Serraphine says, she had paused to let Walery look over the body as her eyes move around the church. She gives one last look in the direction the priest had pointed before turning to look at Walery.

"I would not be surprised if it was part of the ritual itself. Now - let us check to see what message he was trying to give before death claimed his mortal coil."

Will Save (DC 20)

GAME: Walery rolls will: (17)+1: 18

(Amended. Due to his proximity to the Paladin (fi), Wal gets a +4 bonus to fear saves. This means he would be Shaken, not frightened)

You paged Walery with 'Under the body is a mark has been scrawled in blood upon the stone of the altar. It resonates cold, dark magic - a will and faith that drains the heat from the air and the hope from one’s soul. You is Frigthened. Link: http://tinyurl.com/yc5cs8kq'

Long distance to Serraphine: Gedryn asks, "Can your paladin-sense pick up evil magic vibes?

From afar, Serraphine forgot to mention and - at-will - detect evil powers... ACTIVATE!

You paged Serraphine with 'Oh, I'm assuming that even without you turning it on there was a fair degree of certainty that something evil is afoot. However... since you turned it on...'

Walery acks as he investigates the body, jumping back after trying to roll it around. "Someone carved something under his body, some kind of evil sign," he explains. He hesitates as Serra seems to be waiting for him, and he has to visibly steel himself before going further, following along to cover her, his weapon held ready.

Knowledge: Arcana (DC 18) for information on Black Rune

GAME: Walery rolls knowledge/arcana: (16)+9: 25

Walery takes a few moments to get his wits back about him. "That's a kind of advanced rune, that is," he explains. "We're dealing with someone of ... some means. Not staggering, but serious business."

Serraphine turns back to look toward Walery. She had paused at the door but seeing him now? Now she was curious, so she strode back toward the altar to get a look at this rune herself. "What exactly is it though? Advanced or not, I know little of magic, so tell me all that you know of this."

Walery ahems, "I don't know -that- much about it," he explains. "It's supposed to drive people off with fear, though I managed to have avoided that somehow."

"Probably my invigorating personality." Serraphine says with an amused look to her, she turns her gaze then to Walery once more... back to the symbol, back to Walery.

"Wait, you were being serious?" She looks incredulously at him and then shakes her head once more. "I have no means to deal with this, I would need Felicia here." She strides away from the symbol though - toward the doors that were torn off the hinges and looking to see if she can find more evil beyond those doors.

"Surely the creature must still be here. We will end it through their demise."

Walery nods about having no way to deal with this. "I don't either. All we can do is press on," he agrees, and follows Serraphine towards the doors.

The rear hall has two narrow windows to the outside with candle sconces tucked away in each of the four corners. Single, unmarked doors lead to the left and write. Both doors are closed though each have been scratched heavily by clawed hands with bloody hand prints around the ring. Each appear to have a lock set into the door.

Heinrich strides to the dais and looks around, his sword drawn.

will save. Since you're beyond 10 feet from the Pally it's a flat save. (DC 20)"

GAME: Heinrich rolls will: (8)+1: 9

You paged Heinrich with 'Under the body is a mark has been scrawled in blood upon the stone of the altar. It resonates cold, dark magic - a will and faith that drains the heat from the air and the hope from one’s soul. You is Frigthened. Link: http://tinyurl.com/yc5cs8kq

Serraphine goes to the door on the left, checking to see if it was locked - seeing that it was, she turns about and strides instead toward the right one. Surely this creature must be somewhere. Out of curiosity, she looks up as well.

Both doors are locked and the ceiling above has a carved relief of the sun symbol found throughout the temple because...marketing.

Heinrich screams, a horrible sound, considering it comes from a hobgoblin. This bold knight is frightened witless and runs away from the dais, nearly tripping as he bounds toward the first row of pews, and hurdles it clean making a beeline toward the arrow-slit window beyond.

"What in the name of Serriel?" Serraphine says as her hand was about to reach for the left door again. She turns away from it and quickly runs back out into the main of the church, the Arvek calling to Heinrich.

"Stand your ground, Serriel will protect you!" She starts to jog after him, hoping that she might be able to calm him.

Walery winces as Heinrich finds the same Symbol-like thing he did, and runs away. "Uh," he says. "Maybe ... I dunno." He peers at Serraphine and says, "Doesn't looke like these doors were broken into anyhow, so maybe we should go after him?" And then he follows when she does go after him.

Will Save for Heinrich (as Serra tries to calm him

GAME: Heinrich rolls will+4: (17)+1+4: 22

Heinrich still breathes shallow breaths, but is reassured by the proximity to the Lancer of Serriel. He says, "Gadzooks, what a creepy feeling. Methought I would shrivel and die on the spot from hellish power. Glory to Serriel." He wipes spittle from his jaw upon his sleeve, then stands erect, clearly still shaken from the fright.

There's a slowing of her steps as she finally sees the Knight regain his control, a nod of her head as she looks back toward the dais. "Well, Mick, it does indeed seem that your warning was warranted. I suppose that it is not a requisite for me to look upon his visage and wrest what he speaks using only his form now that function has ceased." She pulls her gloves a bit more tightly at the wrist.

"Glory to the Guiding Star." She says almost absently, though another look is given back to Heinrich, and then her heavy footfalls carry her off to search this priest herself.

The large windows above the altar - those that let in the divine light of their god have provided much of the illumination for the center of the room. It’s early morning and the sun is still coming up over the edge of the valley so things are generally gray outside through the arrow-slit windows. However, as the party continue their investigation within the temple, discovering the rune, bloodied pages and a priest with his heart torn out the light begins to fade. A rumble can be heard as though thunder were storming into the valley like calvary. Black and grey clouds heavy with rain begin to form in the sky and block out the sun’s light - quickly filling the chilled sanctuary with shadows. What was it that drunken man said in the tavern the other night - it was like a darkness rose up with the wind and blotted out the sun? He heard screams and...howls and then everyone was dead. The clouds block out the sun’s light and what was a dull grey morning has now been plunged into the blackest night once more.

And then you hear it...the howling scream once more.

http://youtu.be/2KGv86GLvXo?t=21s

End of Session