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Icy cold air rustled the ranger’s beard from his perch high atop the farmhouse. He was bundled up as well as he could with the thick blankets, but the pervasive cold had seeped slowly into his bones. Again he flexed his muscles with half a mind, trying to drive the cold out a little and keep them from seizing up. Fog had thickened since the party had driven the… creature away… His body moved sluggishly with the cold, much as it had after the beast’s song… Pyros lay sleeping nearby, curled up in a shapeless bundle of blankets and cloth. He hoped the active Kender got some rest, just as the family was sleeping below; as well as the rest of the party.

The moon hung low in the sky, giving an eerie blue-ish cast to everything. Something in the mist stirred… near the barn again… A pair of golden orbs moved briefly into and back out of view. Artanis reached for the Kender to wake him, but the dreaming Pyros jerked at the touch and began to roll down the highly sloped roof! Cursing to himself the druid snatched at the bundle, his shoulder protesting the abrupt movement painfully. He caught the cloth, only causing the blankets to unravel as the small fellow rolled right off the edge! A crash in the brush below was followed by a weakly plaintive, Aaaaowwww! What happened?! as Pyros cried out from the ground.

Aroooooooo!

The call came from behind, causing the ranger to glance back to see another set of eyes.

Aroooooooo!
Aroooooooo!
Aroooooooo!

Howls began to come from all sides, south, north, southeast… They rose together, joined by still more until the air rang with them. The mournful echoes rebounded in the mist and hammered the farm from everywhere, like having ones head in the bowl of a bell. Eyes emerged from the mist in all directions; pairs of gold or red or even that wretched blue-violet that people seemed to have here… there were even a pair of sharp green eyes out there… they surrounded the home in the darkness, all topped by shaggy manes and pointed ears… all moving towards him… and the farm.

Inside, the rest of the party awakes with a start at the unholy chorus of woeful echoes. Rushing to windows and peering through shutters they see a horrifying sight… eyes… dozens of pairs of glowing eyes approaching in the dark…

Elsa batters at the side door latch, trying desperately to open it as Pyros hammers from outside. The door remained unyieldingly shut, warped and trapped in place by the cold. Tears stream down her face as she bashes the latch with her mace, but still the swollen wooden portal refuses to budge open.

Mira’s hand shakily draws the old short sword… Bakki’s short sword… a weapon she had claimed from the dead… It didn’t do him any good either… she thinks to herself bleakly; drawing her silver dagger in her off hand. Around the room the others roused and gathered their weapons and components.

The glowing orbs move forward at an ever quickening pace; panting and growling and snarling noises growing closer ever instant. A mirthless grin creeps across the bard’s face as she begins to recite the ancient verse, her voice slowly gaining strength and volume.

…Formed a Line… made their Stand…
Yet Knowing they would Die.
With Swords of Shining Silver Light
And Weapons Forged of Darkest Night
They Stood and Met the Savage Wave!!!

The last was at a full shout, nearly drowned out by the cacophony of bestial noises surrounding them. The house shivered like a shanty struck by tidal wave… a wave of fur and flesh as the monsters rent the shutters and windows asunder like so much paper. Drooling, snapping, ravenous muzzles pressed to gain entrance… and somewhere the smell of…

of…
..
.

Bacon. The scent of frying saltpork and buttered bread drifted into the den and through the pantry and hallway and up the stairs… Breakfast... Daylight streamed in through the shutters as the party wakes to the sounds and smells of the morning meal being prepared. Maria and her children work quietly as they prepare and lay out the warm food…

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It is now Wednesday, February 28th, 736 BC (Barovian Calendar)

-The party has agreed to meet Akriel at the Old Kartakan Inn in Skald in 5 days (on Sunday March 2nd). The party is approximately halfway between Skald and Harmonia, only about 3 miles to either.


-Artanis has agreed to track the creature, which might be much safer and easier now that it is daylight and they have first-hand observation of the direction it fled.


Casters pick your spells for the day please, and don’t forget to fill any new slots!
---
Character updates have been made for the recent level-ups.
Thanks for reminding me about the turning undead chart Chris.
Kerap, if you want a list of usable priest spells I can include that in Artanis’ sheet as well.


-Artanis has a new NWP and WP to choose, and hps to roll. He has been toying with 2-weapon fighting in RP so it shouldn’t take long to get the hang of that one.

-Chris has declared Jerry will go for papermaking. I previously said this might take her about a week to acquire, but I may cut that down a little. The bookbinder in Skald (Merrick will introduce her) is near a papermaker. Perhaps they can make some arrangement…

"Stand.. we have to make a stand!" Mira wakes suddenly, nearly falling off the bed as her sword clatters to the ground as she shouts out the words. "Sorry, damn the dreams in this place." She murmors.. "Is there somewhere I can wash up? I feel like I barely slept."

Rising to her feet the smell of Bacon filling her nostrils as she shakes the last of the dream from her head. "That smells wonderful, sorry if we scared you yesterday, I really didnt mean to I assure you."

"Artanis? Can you track that creature? We should remove the bodies of those we killed as well.. A fire would be best. Unless you want the fur?" Moving to the doorway she gives Elsa a little squeeze on the shoulder. "We made through another night. How did you sleep? Dreams again?"

MMMMPHHMMHHM! Mmmmnnnphhthggggf! is all anyone will hear from the door way.

But all anyone will see is a mess of blankets.

"Ooouuowwww!" says Jerry, wakening as Merrick kicked her in his sleep. "Ummmm. Freshly cooked bacon must be a component of the ultimate Summoning spell."
Pulling herself out of bed, the Mystan priestess says, "Bad dreams. You too?" and puts out a couple of cantrips.

Abjuration, 'Clean Self': "Don't matter where I been. Get on; make me clean!"
Alteration, 'Good hair day': ""One thing Lady Mystra blesses is priestesses with well-arranged tresses."

Pulling on her second best set of clothes she adds, "Shake a leg Merrick or I'll eat yours too. Yes, the bacon." She heads downstairs.

Catching the back end of Mira's conversation, she throws in, "How do these creatures blend into society? Can they be detected? Like a vampire shows no reflection and flinches if you wave garlic around."

Artanis jerks his head awake, and then mutters something about teaching Pyros how to properly wrap himself in a blanket. Wolf pelts. Hmmmm. He could wrap Pyros in one of those then tie it closed with the legs and tail. He'd never fall out of that!

In response to the question from Mira. "I will try my best. And if we find that creature...I don't care who it is or was, it dies."


Then he makes his way to breakfast - not really worried about how his hair looks.

"I've never even heard of them until now, but I guess they can pass as human.. I have this worrying thought that there are quite a few in the City.. One of those dreams gave me an idea.. Yes I know damn dreams." Putting her hand through her hair she tries her best to calm the matted mess before shrugging.

"Agreed.. It ruined my Outfit." She grins. "No seriously it dies, it esacaped us once, but it wont happen again."

MMMMMPPPHHHHTTTUGGHH ppkkkmmmmmghhmmmph! thrashing in the blankets continues.

Jerry grimaced at Mira. "Don't you just hate it when that happens! What idea, Mira?"

"Oh, that they somehow walk among the 'normal' people, almost as if I've met a few and not known. Its not possible to survive and make money without having some sort of presence." She suggests, "Yes, its frustrating. I can mend it with magic but i'll know it was damaged by one of those creatures."

Moving over to Pyros she taps him gently, "Pyros, are you alright?"

(Two questions, can she wash up, and has her wound mostly healed? She was being foolhardy yesterday, being stubborn and tying to look like she can do anything, it actually hurts a lot).

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Don't eat me!" he will finally uncoil the blankets and pop his head out to see Mira.

"Oh thank the stars!" he will take a huge breath. "Wow that smells amazing." He will bolt up out of the blankets, and be a small streak to the table. If coffee is available he will grab a cup and fill it half with milk/cream and too much sugar, and then fill it up with coffee and slurp it loudly.

The party shakes off their dreams and makes their preparations for the morning. Mira quickly finds a washroom next to the couch in the den where she slept. Checking her shallow wound, she finds it is not bad at all, if still a bit red around the edges. Elsa rubs her eyes groggily as she enters the kitchen, responding to the bard’s gesture with a yawn and a muttered Like I was being chased all night… you? Noticing the bard’s wound again, she begins to inspect it. Well, it doesn’t look infected…

Pyros thrashes in his blankets as Artanis joins them, unconcerned that his hair is in massive disarray. The remaining half-elves, Jerry and Merrick, descend to the kitchen soon as well. The Mystaran freshly washed and hair neatly folded. Instinctively the bard rakes her fingers through her hair to adjust it, but eventually deems it ‘good enough’ for now.

Cross wakes and notices the struggling Kender. Poking the Pyros pile tentatively, he asks You stuck in there, master Kender? The dagger mage then moves to unshutters the windows and let in the daylight. Cal lays bundled nearby, sleeping late as usual. Adran sits against a wall in study of a strange looking green-canvas covered book, somewhat oblivious to the goings on.

Maria and the children begin to hand out plates, smiling. The farmwife makes sure everyone has a generous portion of bacon, eggs, fresh biscuits, coffee, tea and fresh water. There is also sorghum syrup, molasses, honey, butter and jam set out for condiment. She smiles at Mira, tears welling up again, Vous ne nous avez pas effrayés, mon cher… she says in Harmonian. Nous avons été dans la peur si longtemps ... Vous et vos amis nous ont donné l'espoir. She pats the bard’s cheek and turns away to scrub briefly at her face, Nous vous remercions tous du fond du cœur.

As the party looks around, they notice that Ontash is strangely absent…



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lol. I can just hear Pyros crying out “I don’ wanna go to school today!
Trouble getting the kiddos up lately Nocturno?

Yes, Mira is only down by 1 hp now, so the wound is not bad at all anymore... provided it doesn’t grow too hairy…

Eating with a lust given to a Marathon runner the day after a major event Pyros will go for seconds, and thirds if everyone else has had their fill.... he will then pat his belly jump off his chair and go look out a window.

[OoC: Yeah actually... that is funny how that stuff works it's way in without me even noticing.]

[Lol. I figured with your Cleric/Fighter's taunt in Genwald At least here it lends a serious degree of realism to your posts ]

Jerry slowly delicately eats her fill, obviously enjoying herself. "Thank you, Maria, this is simply wonderful. It's most kind of you."

She waits until everyone has finished eating before asking about 'dreams', including asking Maria (preferably when the children are in another room or obviously preoccupied.)

Entering the washroom Mira drops the corset and pulls the shirt over her head, the wound was healing but why had she acted so ... Foolishly..? She wanted the family to feel safe, to feel protected. Pulling on a clean shirt she steps back into the kitchen.

"It stings more than anything, not hurt. Just.. annoying." She forces a smile and squeezes Elsa's arm. "Maria." Taking her hand Mira wipes away the elder woman's tears. "We think we can track it.. make sure it won't come back." Noting Ontash's absence she looks around in panic. "If it's ok to ask where is Ontash?"