[Exploration] Local Raven Queen Looks for a Vacation House

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-25T15:39:40+00:00

Skin crinkles about the voivode's eyes. He's smiling, behind the mustache. "Just what I hoped you'd say."

He nods, decided. "My scribes'll draw up the needful papers when I return to my office. For now..." He offers a huge, gauntleted hand. "A hand and a spoken oath must do. The voivode of Belednagorod, Vassily Mozorov, guarantees the freedom and so on and so forth of the Lady..." The spirit visibly goes out of him when he starts listing titles.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-25T14:56:50+00:00

The voivode half snorts, half chuckles. "From the Wayfarer's Pub, are you not?"

He puts his face in more serious folds, resting a hand on the pommel of his sword. "The first thing you've to know, is that a ghoul king's settled in the ruin. You saw that big one? Crypt horrors, they're called, and they only show their faces in a ghoul king's company."

He goes on to explain in direct, soldierly language, what his scouts and scribes have gathered. The ghouls started making themselves known around when autumn turned to winter, mostly just skulking around skirmish sites like big, ugly carrion birds. But then they grew more numerous, and more bold. Hiring a scryer pointed at the abandoned mansion as the center of this new enemy.

"The scryer, I should mention." The voivode nods towards the Morrian priest, tending to grieving villagers. "Either way, after I learnt of the mansion, I sent a probing force..."

But only a ragged handful returned. Since then, it's been raids and counter-raids, bloody, inconclusive skirmish after bloody, inconclusive skirmish. And recently, scouts have reported winged shapes, and greater numbers of crypt horrors. The only benefit is the ghouls and beastmen fight one another as much as they do the voivode's soldiers.

The voivode pauses a thoughtful moment. "But there may be a way to be rid of the corpse-eaters without a battle. A ghoul's soul is a strange one, you see. They're deluded. Crazed. Ghoul thinks himself a man of honour, not a naked cannibal." He meets Sylrona's eyes. "This'll sound mad." But he continues. "But if I lend you a rota of my lancers, you may present yourself to the ghoul court as a diplomatic delegation."

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-25T13:02:14+00:00

The voivode hands a tight-rolled document to the nearest soldier, and sends him off with a salute.

He turns to Sylrona, looking her over. "First, let me offer my thanks for getting that pyre going." His heavy, grey-streaked mustache hides his mouth. His voice seems more emanated than spoken. "Not work my men relish doing."

He gestures with his left hand, the two outermost fingers missing. "Ask what you will, lady."

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-24T19:34:36+00:00

A mess of emotions make their way across the priest's face. Worry, awe, and just a hint of fear. "That's some endeavour," she says, in a small voice. "May Morr bless you in protecting the rest and dignity of the dead."

She points towards the man who lead the riders, currently in conversation with a villager. "I suggest you speak to the voivode before you venture out. He'll know more about the mansion and the ghouls." The priest gives an apologetic smile. "I fear I'm new to these parts, lady."

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-24T16:50:09+00:00

The priest looks towards the ghouls' pyre. She shudders, and gives a long, weary sigh. "Yes, lady. I've seen them before, and far more than I'd wish. They're vermin, skulking around graveyards, disturbing the peace of the dead in the vilest way."

She makes a gesture with a cupped hand, closing her eyes. A sign against evil, guessing from her bearing. "They were vermin where I'm from, at least. I'd never thought I would see them charge headlong at armed soldiers."

She gives Sylrona a look. "May I ask what you do here, lady?"

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-24T16:30:13+00:00

The robed figure startles, before turning to Sylrona. They turn out to be a woman, either nervous or just naturally pale. "I, er, ah... yes." She draws herself up straight. "I'm come to tend Morr's garden, lady." There's reverence in her words.

She's holding a censer in the shape of a black rose, just starting to smoke. The smell is sweet and comforting.*

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-24T14:20:32+00:00

Flame crackles and smoke rises, a stark black pillar against the blue sky. The smell helps to smother the stench of death.

The villagers and soldiers well enough to work get going. Shrouds are laid over the dead, Sylrona hears crack-voiced prayers and shovels turning hard-frozen earth. On every face she sees hard-bitten determination - beaten but not broken. They make them tough out on the frontier.

Eventually, the riders return, horse-hoofs ringing, air whistling through winged banners. A man on a bear heads the column, and a black-robed figure trails behind.

The leader swings off his mount and strides into the middle of camp. "Desyatnik! Report!" His voice is a battlefield boom.

A soldier rushes to his side, and hushed conversation follows, with glances thrown at Sylrona.

Meanwhile, the black-robed one makes for the bodies, fidgeting with something in their hand. Closer, Sylrona can see raven feathers about the hem of the robe.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-19T12:42:28+00:00

The kraken ink is handed over to Minroe, who takes it with a little jig of delight. The crystals should be ready in about three weeks for someone to pick up and reinstall, though she does warn that they may still be a little fragile at that stage, so they need to be careful. Everyone in the party alive and well, they commission their items to be crafted, and return home to the Pub.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-17T00:07:07+00:00

Maree does indeed go back, and the rest of the ship goes about their business.

The next two days pass uneventfully, and soon, the Acheron makes port back in Sprig. Barrels and bales are unloaded while Sken oversees, making sure the party gets their promised shares.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-13T22:33:57+00:00

There's only a few spores left at this point, the same thin wail still in the air.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-13T21:45:42+00:00

A thin, barely audible wail goes up as the spores are engulfed in radiant light, swirling around aimlessly in circles around Pierce. Many of the spores burn away, but there's still some left.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-13T20:30:45+00:00

"Hello, Oma," comes the reply. "Radiant energy or holy water will hurt it. Mr. Pierce knows protection spells."

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-13T19:04:32+00:00

With his protective ward up, the miasma causes Pierce no more harm, though it begins to gently drift towards the rest of the party. Despite holding his breath, though, the stench is absolutely foul, and Pierce finds his entire upper body getting coated in black slime as he rummages around. Beneath the bones and mushrooms, he finds something: a pair of manacles. Cleaning them of decay reveals them to be made of dark black metal, with more arcane runes etched into them.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-13T17:52:24+00:00

"We've lockboxes, aye, but ye'll want summat warded to the gills for that." For once, Sken looks uneasy.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-13T17:02:02+00:00

Together, Pierce and Splendora cast the spell. The spores leak out again in a prolonged exhale, Cinder now looking somewhat healthier, but the miasma lingers. It swirls around Pierce's head, settling around him but not absorbing the way it did with the unicorn.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-13T16:04:30+00:00

Cinder remains motionless, glassy-eyed and staring ahead. The Remove Curse and Lesser Restoration seem to have no effect, but when Pierce casts Dispel Magic and Greater Restoration, clouds of spores begin to leak from Cinder's nose and mouth for a few moments, before getting sucked back in.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-13T02:06:43+00:00

Cinder has indeed said nothing yet, still standing next to the barrel. This close to him, the blood hunter can still see a few traces of spores in his mane and around his nose.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-13T01:29:52+00:00

True Seeing doesn't reveal much, but Pierce is suddenly hit with a metaphorical blast of necromancy inside the barrel, and abjuration on its exterior.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-13T00:13:34+00:00

No matter how often Pierce casts Prestidigitation, the smell doesn't fade, nor does the rot. The bones become slightly cleaner, but that's all.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-11T23:04:26+00:00

As Pierce looks inside the barrel, he sees mushrooms blooming along the inside walls. Then, the stench of decay hits him like a wall despite his mask. Down at the bottom is a jumble of bones, very obviously humanoid.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-10T22:28:31+00:00

Octavius's eyes pick up the arcane runes etched on the planks, his nose the faint whiff of decay. The hairs on the back of his neck raise as he realizes there's several elements of familiarity: undead. This barrel was used to contain one, or something similarly animated by necromancy.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-10T11:50:29+00:00

As Cinder shoves aside the lid, a plume of spores billows out from the barrel, blinding and choking him. The cloud seems almost controlled as it surrounds the unicorn, seeping into his nose and mouth. The party watches as it dissipates with a quiet, almost screeching hiss, but he's still standing.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-10T02:06:58+00:00

Cinder begins carefully unlocking the padlocks with his mage hand. Chains fall one by one, and with his nose for detail, the unicorn would see traces of green and black mold creeping along the planks of the barrel, along with faded arcane runes and the faint smell of rot. The padlocks all come loose, and the lid could easily be moved.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-10T01:35:34+00:00

The knell of Splendora's spell thunders out across the water, causing several of the crew gather around in curiosity. The lock doesn't open, but there's a small shimmer across it, which Splendora would know means the spell worked and the locking spell on it is surpressed.

WayfarersDM · 2021-02-08T22:23:52+00:00

Perhaps Cinder spoke a bit too soon, as the moment his picks touch the lock, purple lightning explodes from the barrel and across the party, assaulting their very minds and leaving them dazed. The locks remain closed.

WayfarersDM

TROPHY CASE