Act 3 Scene 1: Arrivals and Leavetakings

[Chris1234]

"That's his writing," announces Jerry. "F*** him. Or it." She ignores being sooo unladylike. "Might be true might not. Not about to trust it.This is a kitchen. Get any garlic now! Oil is good. And light. Lots of lights. Know where your holy water is! Readily available. Magic weapons, acid, holy water, fire all work! Turning is possible but damn difficult, especially so in this land. Almost certainly a waste of time but worth the try. And by Mystra, keep your arses together! Stay close!" She looks at Mira. "I mean you especially!"

"Merrick! Each other's backs, yes?"

She adds as an afterthough, "And a sharpened wooden stake to the heart will immobilise! Nowhere else though. Got to be through the heart! Hardwood is best."

[Jenara]

"Does this mean he is gone?" Mira asks, realizing they had to leave, and soon. Everyone knew that this was connected to them. "Jerry, I'm spell-less and totally powerless against this thing." She explains as she rips the letter from the wall. "Someone told him we were looking for him, thats the only way he would know."

Sabrina looks on, barely able to move with shock, "What.? What it say?" She asks in nervous Elven.

"That he knows we are looking, and... we are a risk to these people. DAMMIT." The ache burned in her soul, SHE was partly responsible for all this death, it ground her down like a mill stone. How Jerry must feel would be considerably worse.

"You have to go? But...." She mutters in Harmonian.

[Jenara]

"We enter slowly, watch your backs people, stay away from the corners." Karl urges as he enters, his sword a dull black object in his hand. "This could be a trap, a very dishonorable one. I fear this Vermin is without Honor."

[Chris1234]

"All kitted?" asks Jerry. "Pyros said he'd get a pile of garlic. He around?" She pauses, checks a stake readied in her belt and passes a couple of spares to Mira and Merrick. "Good to go, people?"

The undead hunter makes an aside to Mira, "That's why I said to keep your butt near me. So we can keep it safe."

[Nocturno]

Pyros pauses.
And will report back to the Humans of what he sees.

[TristenC]

Behind the Broken Wheel: (Sir Karl, Pyros, Kybalion, Esker, Iscind)
Pyros warns the others of what he sees, Karl moving up to flank him and peer through the door. Before the knight can make a half-dozen paces Airand bursts past him through the door; taking a nearby lantern from a hook he lights it. The golden lamplight casts a lurid glare and streaking shadows through the barn... Livestock press against their fences towards the light, pushing away from the rear of the structure. Raising the lantern high, the grotesque scene is illuminated...

The body of the cook hangs broken among the rafters where they meet the wall. Her arms dangle lifelessly outstretched, draping over converging beams. Upon the ceiling are painted in crimson a constellation of eight seven-pointed stars, and along the wooden planking flows a widening, wandering trail of fresh blood... Kybalion recognizes the symbology... he had seen it as recently as tonight... The Macabre display mocked the Holy Symbology of Mystra, painted en massacre...


The Kitchen: (Mira, Elsa, Jerry, Merrick, Cross, Gregor)
Merrick gives an almost comically abrupt start at Jerry's assertions. He nods, eyes wide in disbelief as he scrambles to fetch out his vial of holy water purchased earlier that day. At Mira's lament about magic, Elsa Fishes out the vial she herself purchased and presses it into the bard's hand. We take care of each other, right?! You've got this! She nods to Jerry as well, Pyros had bunches of garlic with him earlier... but he's out there right now... Drawing her holy symbol she moves to the doorway and begins to pray in earnest. Blessed one, Provider and Protector, Yondalla I call upon your strength and resilience now.. hear my Prayer! the party members both inside the Inn and out feel a wave of confidence and protection wash over them.

Hearing Elsa's Prayer, Merrick snaps out of his terror long enough to pull an pinch of grave-dirt form his components pouch. Crumbling the earth against his forehead the particles tumble down into his brows and lashes. I.. should be able to sense him now... if he comes near.... Jerrys half-elven companion confides. Fenrir, the large raven, swings his wings in a powerful clap of feather; bolting out into the night and up into the sky above; perhaps as an escape from this earthly cage. Gregor draws his sword, wordlessly passing desperate glances both behind and towards the open door of night. Cross draws his dagger, the eye wrapped to it's hilt rolling wildly and an un-ignorable chuckling sound rising from it. I... I can make someone invisible, if we need to... I have some magical attacks as well.. he confides.

====
Merrick casts Detect Undead
lasts 3 turns (30 mins) Scanning 1 round (caster motionless) indicates direction (not precise location or distance).
area 60 ft long by 50ft wide

Elsa casts Prayer (60 ft radius)
All Allies within 60 ft: +1 to Hit, Damage, Saves
All Enemies within 60 ft: -1 to Hit, Damage, Saves
Will last 6 rounds.

[Chris1234]

While folks possibly scuttle around the kitchen Jerry casts a spell, then leads the way to where Sir Karl is. "Sir Karl? Do we have a direction? I can take point," and then looks for Airand.

======
OOC: Negative Plane protection on Jerry

[Jenara]

"Stay here, stay safe." Mira pauses, taking one single moment for herself as she kisses Sabrina on the cheek. "If the fates are willing, I'll be back. If not, go to my room, everything is now yours." With a brief clasp of her hand she steps away. "Go, please?"

Sabrina gives a little sob and nods her head slowly, "I will wait there, for you to return. You promised me, remember?"

"I did, that I did." Saying no more she takes the Vial from Elsa, "What.? What does this do?" She asks as she follows the others."

[Jenara]

Karl shakes his head at the suggestion. "My Honor would not allow you to lead. But I will allow you to walk beside me." He looks upward, making the sign of Paladine as he views the woman. "We should get her down.. I was correct he is without Honor, or morals."

[Styrius]

"WHAT IN THE GODS IS THIS PLACE I HAVE DRAGGED INTO?!' Kybalion exclaims not so subtly. His mind straining to adjust to his introduction to this (wherever this place is) accursed location. First a transforming were beast and now an obviously macabre scene of mutilation. Mocking a god no less. "What sort of protection is there against such foul beings?" he asks missing much of the talk that has been going on.

[Nocturno]

"Mostly the good times and friendship." Then Kender says off handedly.
"Anything in his pockets? He won't be using it anymore."

[TristenC]

Behind the Broken Wheel: (Sir Karl, Pyros, Kybalion, Esker, Iscind)
Sir Karl makes a sign of protection in light of the heinous display. Looking around he finds a ladder nearby that one could use to bring the body down. Airand sets the lantern down and grabs a pitchfork propped against the wall nearby. The young man begins stabbing it into loose piles of hay in the corners of the barn. Where are you?! Come OUT you COWARD!! he snarls with rage. Esker and Iscind take up positions just inside the door, swords and shields ready as they watch the dark corners of the room with care.


The Kitchen: (Mira, Elsa, Jerry, Merrick, Cross, Gregor)
It's holy water, Elsa explains to the bard, It will burn him badly if you hit him with it... or splash it on him if he gets close to you. Sabrina's arms clutch in on herself and she nods, silent tears streaming from her eyes.
Jerry takes a moment to call upon the raw essence of the Positive material plane, a golden glow surrounding her for a moment. She leads on to the yard outside, Cross and Merrick bringing up the rear as they make their way out into cold night.

The barn stands only 30 yards or so away with the door open, Kybalion and Pyros visible just outside it and a lantern light within. Even from the back door of the inn they can hear the Kybalion's lament and the raving of Airand coming from the barn itself. As they draw closer the details within become more visible...
On the rear wall of the barn, a composition in blood and viscera, spreads an elaborate and gruesome blasphemy against Jerry's faith.

====
Jerry casts Negative Plane Protection on herself.
Save vs Death Magic to prevent the ill effects (str, experience, con drain, etc) of 1 negative energy attack, failure results in double physical damage in addition to the drain effects.
Attacking undead suffer 2d6 dmg.

like below but the red path is blood, as are the stars, and the body is posed at the top

Mystra_symbol.jpg (14.21 KiB) Viewed 9315 times

[Nocturno]

If nothing springs from the stacks, Pyros will go try and calm the animals.

[Revenant]

Esker Manyblades

Esker peers into the darkness half-expecting to see someone he recognizes forming within. He readies his sword and shield and glances to his shield-sister Iscind with a knowing look.

[TristenC]

Behind the Broken Wheel: (Sir Karl, Pyros, Kybalion, Esker, Iscind, Mira, Elsa, Jerry, Merrick, Cross, Gregor)
The others watch as Airand skewers heap after heap of straw with his pitch fork, accomplishing little more than agitating the animals further. Pyros hobbles over to try to calm the poor beasts. Airand moves the ladder over to reach the loft area, and is half-way up when a blood-curdling scream splits the night from the direction of the Broken Wheel!

Merrick moves a dozen paces or so closer to the structure, focusing through his spell on the building itself. Oh gods... it doubled back to the Inn!!"