Beyond the Tainted Mire — IC

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Sun Aug 30, 2020 6:03 pm

Those who look at the grimoire

Before you is a large book, bound in crocodile leather. On its front in the center is what appears to be a glassy crocodile's eye, or a gemstone that looks like one. Additionally, the front appears to have some sort of locking mechanism. Instead of a keyhole, however, it appears as if some other object must be placed within.

From what you can tell just from the craftsmanship, it appears to be a book of great import, potentially belonging to a shaman or lorekeeper of whatever village this once might have been.

Fay, if you look at the book
[SHOW]
The opening mechanism appears to be shaped similarly to the pendant you'd discovered hanging upon the sword.

Post by **KaraInMontana** » Sun Aug 30, 2020 9:07 pm

After considering the residual arcane energies of the jewelry for a moment, Fay decides to take it. "Be a dear and bring that pendant to me, Thing."

Following his mistress's command, the familiar skitters over to the blade. Balancing on his wrist stump, Thing smoothly plucks the pendant free from its perch before scuttling back on his unoccupied fingers. As Fay examines the pendant more closely, she hears Pieter's call and reluctantly heads back to the others, muttering under her breath, "What could that zoophilic arbalist have possibly found, Kafa?"

As soon as she catches sight of the croc skin book however, Fay's quiet comments cut off and she rushes the last few yards over to the others. "A grimoire!" she exclaims in a suddenly excited tone. Carefully drawing her fingers over the surface of the tome, she marvels at the fine craftsmanship before noticing the mechanism. Without warning, she hisses "Yes, I can see that. I'm not blind."

Looking back at the others, she holds up the pendant. "This could open the book and reveal the knowledge within. If we're secure here, we should try. It is clearly important, so we can't allow this to die with the village."

Post by **BartNL** » Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:41 am

Disturbed yet curious Egash decides that going in by himself might not be the best course of action."Spirits of the land, hear my call. Tell me ol' spirits of the secrets buried here."

[SHOW]

Mechanics

Standard: Lesser Planar Ally
Command Planar Ally to scout the cavern. Check the corpses and the area around them.

You conjure the Tiny spirit of a planar being in a square adjacent to you. The spirit is an invisible conjuration that lasts until it is dismissed as a free action or until it completes its task, which can take no longer than 1 hour.

Explore an Area: The spirit can provide a rough description of an area up to 20 squares on a side, including obvious physical features. The spirit cannot open doors or breach physical or magical barriers, so it cannot explore any area that a Tiny creature couldn't reach. It cannot notice anything that requires a Perception check to detect. When it completes the task, the spirit returns to you and telepathically provides a mental image of the area.

Post by **ratwizard** » Mon Aug 31, 2020 2:49 pm

Guvenc nods to the elder. "Yes, Shaman Deyra. We will continue as commanded. You don't need to ask this of us twice," she says with a soft smile. The elders' ritual must continue. And more importantly, we must see what is beyond this swamp, this world.

As Pieter brings around a large book, Guvenc' eyes shine bright. She watches with great interest as Fay inspects it, knowing that her friend will likely know more about such things than her. After all, her tome is only a single tome — not a collection like the Pedagogue or Fay had.

"Yes, I think we should try," the tamer decides. "Maybe it will tell us more about this forbidden ritual. How all this happened." She considers the situation. "Do you think it is safe? Perhaps we should step back. Your... your hand? 'Thing,' yes? Maybe that can try and unlock it."

Post by **FinalTemplar** » Tue Sep 01, 2020 12:46 am

Sekil returns to the others quickly, looking around. "You guys, uh, find anything? I've found some food for our trip." He adjusts his backpack.

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Tue Sep 01, 2020 1:17 pm

[SHOW]

Egash

The cavern is dim, and about forty feet long while ten feet wide. The walls and ceiling are mostly mud, with timber beams and some rough bricks for additional support beneath the ground. The water is roughly a foot or two deep, with a wide array of corpses both floating and submerged. Although some of the corpses are in fairly good condition, all of them have a large piercing wound through their abdomens. A small lantern hangs from the ceiling, unlit.

The cavern doesn't appear to have any other exits, leading you to believe the trapdoor is the only way in or out. There aren't any obvious signs of life within. Only corpses and their faint whispers.

Post by **ratwizard** » Tue Sep 01, 2020 3:21 pm

"This book," Guvenc says pointing at it. Her stomach rumbles, and she remembers that she didn't get a chance to eat at their breakfast.

"What kind of food?" she asks in a casual tone. If I keep going on an empty stomach, I'm going to start feeling nauseous soon.

Post by **KaraInMontana** » Thu Sep 03, 2020 2:06 pm

Already positioning to open the potential ritual book, Fay pauses at Guvenc's words before giving the other girl a small smile. "I bow to your wisdom in this, Guvenc. Forgive me for being imprudently hasty in my pursuit of knowledge."

Turning back to the grimoire, the young witch places her hand just above the leathered cover. A whisper of "Kafa, Thing. Aid me in this," escapes her lips before her eyes fade from focus and she searches the grimoire for signs of dangerous magic. The familiar on Fay's shoulder freezes in place and the skull resting in her sash glows faintly.

[SHOW]: 12(1d20) +17 = 29

Post by **BartNL** » Thu Sep 03, 2020 4:31 pm

Safe enough I suppose. Egash opens the trapdoor, and enters the cavern.

[SHOW]

Mechanics

Enter and search the room thoroughly. After searching the room investigate the bodies.

15(1d20) +8 = 23; 16(1d20) +3 = 19
=23 Perception
=19 Heal

Post by **FinalTemplar** » Fri Sep 04, 2020 8:27 am

"There were some meats along with some fruits and vegetables that were in sacks. If we can find a spot to stop and rest later I can sort it out some." He offers a polite yet sort of dopey smile, looking around at the group.

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Fri Sep 04, 2020 11:25 am

[SHOW]: As you examine the grimoire, you're almost immediately instilled with a sense of dread. The pit in your stomach sort, where one knows something may go wrong. The residual magic from the grimoire seems to be the source, you're able to glean. Though the book itself does not seem dangerous, you can almost feel the contents within. Dread, pain, fear. The cries of wayward souls. It seems to be a dangerous, albeit extremely powerful, tome but likely full of secrets to be learned.

[SHOW]

Egash

Much as your spirit conjuration had discovered, the room contains no signs of life, nor any alternative exit or hidden nooks. Beyond the corpses, little of interest is to be found. That is, until, your foot stumbles over the hilt of what you discover to be a sacrificial dagger of sorts. It is intricate in design, the blade curved and the hilt partially beaded. Its point is sharp to the touch, and the leather on its grip is worn down with evidence of use.

The bodies, as your conjuration saw, are in various states of being. However, most are well-preserved. Notably, the corpses all have stab punctures throughout their abdomens. Some have begun to sink below the waters while others have remained buoyant, the punctures not thorough enough to prevent bloating. A little over half appear to be ordinary villagers while the remaining are the grizzled corpses of fleshstalkers.

Something, however, strikes you as eerie about the corpses. Though clearly long-since-dead, they look as if they might open their eyes in a moment's notice.

Post by **Fialova** » Sun Sep 06, 2020 10:53 am

Ravza is a bit alarmed when Pieter mentions her alongside the book. I've never seen anything like it, but Fay must know, she thinks, turning to watch the strange woman's reaction. Sure enough, she not only knows but is quite eager to peek inside. She watches the back-and-forth between her and Guvenc play out, quietly humming to herself as they speak to fill the otherwise quiet air surrounding her. When a decision is finally, made she takes a step back as well, not wanting to be caught in any sort of magical trap. I hope they know what they're doing.

Post by **BartNL** » Mon Sep 07, 2020 7:59 am

Egash quickly snatches the dagger, and puts it in his belt. Look at that, who left this thing here for me to find?
Once out out of the cavern, Egash makes sure to close the trapdoor. Then he returns to the rest of the group to discuss his findings.

Post by **ratwizard** » Mon Sep 07, 2020 8:31 am

Guvenc listens closely to Sekil's findings of food. Later, his words echo in her mind. Later... Her stomach growls once more but she does her best to ignore it. "Good work," she offers.

The tamer takes a few steps away from Fay and the grimoire. Meer lies in waiting beneath her feet, and the two of them look on as she holds her breath. I hope this wasn't a mistake.

Post by **FinalTemplar** » Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:18 pm

"I think we should all up and like, keep going. Yeah? Quite the uhh, long journey we have and all that." He says dopishly, fixing his backpack.

Post by **ratwizard** » Mon Sep 07, 2020 9:52 pm

"Step back," Guvenc warns Sekil, pointing toward Fay who is examining the heavy tome. "We don't know what sort of danger we're truly in just yet." She stands tall, watching the other young woman. He's quite absent-minded sometimes.

Post by **Namelessjake** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 1:39 pm

"We will continue on the path the Elder One sends us down," Argan replies to Deyra as he hangs around the centre of the village with the main group as some of the others begin searching for supplies.

Argan stays where he is choosing not to step back from Fay as she examines the grimoire. "It's only a book, what could it do to us?"

Post by **KaraInMontana** » Wed Sep 09, 2020 10:24 pm

Despite the sense of existential dread the book's aura is giving off, or perhaps because of it, Fay feels a thrill run down her spine as her excitement builds. She swallows, a bead of sweat trickling down from her temple. Seeing Guvenc back away, she nods. "You all can back away if you wish. I don't believe opening this will trigger any...self-contained exothermic accelerations, but caution is never wasted."

Returning her attention to the grimoire and ignoring the ignorant comments by the muscle-headed buffoon, the witch slowly brings the pendant closer to the mechanism. Thing clambers from his usual shoulder perch up to Fay's head, "peeking" from around her pointed hat while keeping most of himself behind cover. Your secrets will be mine. Whatever you hold. I want to know. I NEED to know. This could be a clue to what I'm searching for...

Then, she pushes the pendant into place.

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Thu Sep 10, 2020 10:01 am

With farewells cast, Shaman Deyra quickens her steps towards the direction you'd come from, intent on returning to the village. Emre watches her leave for a moment before looking back towards the grimoire. I-is she really going to open it? He watches on.

With the pendant in place, the gemstone within begins to glow furiously.

The lock clicks.

The tome flies open, producing a strangely powerful gust. It causes the lot of you to nearly lose your footing, but you remain standing. Pages rapidly turn on their own volition before abruptly stopping one one particular page.

A thick mist rolls in.

The text begins to glow.

A monstrous, muffled shriek fills the air. Close.

Too close.

[SHOW]

Fay, Guvenc, Sekil, Pieter

As the book opens, you take note of the small doll Ravza had spotted earlier. Its coal-like eyes appear to be burning brightly. Whether they're brighter than before, you can't tell.

Additionally, you begin to hear the faint sounds of sloshing water, muffled from where you are but distinct enough to be recognizable.

[SHOW]: As the book opens, you notice the small doll you had fixated on earlier. Its coal-like eyes seem to be glowing brighter, piercing through the thickening mists with the intensity of a raging fire.

Post by **ratwizard** » Thu Sep 10, 2020 3:03 pm

Stepping back was the right choice, Guvenc thinks as Meer binds himself around her leg, keeping them both in place against the powerful and sudden gust.

The tamer spins on the spot. What in the Elder's Plane is that? She peers through the mist, searching for any sign of life.

[SHOW]: Perception to ascertain the direction, distance of the creature: 19(1d20) +17 = 36

Post by **FinalTemplar** » Thu Sep 10, 2020 8:03 pm

Sekil looked around as the mist rolled in. His eyes went wide as he dropped into an... admittedly poor fighting stance. It seemed like the slightest breeze could have knocked him over, but he stood his ground as he watched his surroundings.

[SHOW]: Perception: 15(1d20) +12 = 27 my elf eyes attempt to pierce the mist, do i see anything?

LeoMatheus · Post by **LeoMatheus** » Fri Sep 11, 2020 2:06 am

Oh no, did I make a mistake by giving her the book? She was supposed just to look at it, not activate some lingering power that was locked within!
Pieter draws his crossbow and stays ready if/when the sloshing sounds get closer.

Post by **KaraInMontana** » Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:54 pm

Ignoring the changing situation around her, Fay has eyes only for the text in her hands. She gasps lightly as the pages flip on their own, eyes wide as the text begins glowing. Trusting her companions to warn of any immediate threat, she begins to read the open pages. Quickly, but thoroughly, she thinks to herself, eyes flitting back and forth across the pages.

Post by **Namelessjake** » Wed Sep 16, 2020 8:30 am

"More fleshstalkers?" Argan asks as he hears the shriek. He draws his swords in preparation, he eyes darting to the treeline.

Post by **Fialova** » Thu Sep 17, 2020 3:57 pm

Ravza watches in shock as the book moves on its own, doing her best to maintain her footing while nearly falling to the ground. As the wind subsides she steps back more, clearly worried about what it going on around her. "Uh, guys," she says, fear clearly present in her voice. "The doll's eyes are glowing, that can't be good," she adds, watching the toy intently in case it begins to move on its own as well.

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 12:29 pm

Emre looks to the doll Ravza had mentioned and then back to his companions, a look of concern growing on his face. "Stay? Or run?" he quickly says, eyes darting across the mists.

[SHOW]: Through the sounds alone, you're able to discern the creature, or creatures, are extremely close, within the village's boundaries even. However, the muffled sounds lead you to believe they're coming from within a building or under the ground. It seems to be coming from the northeastern part of the village.

[SHOW]: Though the mist has grown thick, you're able to peer through some of it. A building to the northeast stands out to you, particularly as you notice a set of glowing eyes seeming to crawl out from the ground in it.

[SHOW]: A life for lives
For minds like hives

I offer you this vessel that you might bring the dead forth!

Eyes burning bright
An unstopping blight

Grant us the power to take hold of your dominion!

Take now this child
That your powers may run wild
And the dead shall be defiled

Oh Great One, answer my call!

Post by **ratwizard** » Sat Sep 19, 2020 11:33 am

"It's coming from over there," Guvenc warns, pointing toward the north-eastern end of the village. "Sounds muffled, like it's... under the building, climbing up to the surface."

She looks to Argan, waiting for him engage or retreat. He's the most capable warrior here, and least able to be convinced.

Post by **FinalTemplar** » Wed Sep 23, 2020 9:00 pm

Sekil eyed the glowing eyes from the northeast. "Shit, dude, eyes over there. I dunno what uhh, Fay's doing, but we group around her yeah?" He says, pointing towards the eyes he sees.

Post by **KaraInMontana** » Thu Sep 24, 2020 7:59 pm

Fay continues reading, the phrases from the glowing text burned into her mind. If this book unleashes this, there may be a way to disrupt the allocation of magical energies and cancel it or take control...

All the while, she mutters low under her breath, "There's something here, Kafa...there has to be..."

[SHOW]

Perception to try to fix

http://dice.brainclouds.net/Result.aspx?ID=RG22YLLM

7(1d20) +10 = 17

I had lag and when I clicked it a couple of times, it spat out three different rolls
This was the first one chronologically

Post by **Namelessjake** » Sat Sep 26, 2020 3:34 pm

Argan takes a few steps towards the glowing eyes to the North East. His swords at the ready. "If she can stop this we should protect her," he says in reply to Sekil, gritting his teeth in determination.

Post by **ratwizard** » Sun Sep 27, 2020 10:23 am

"We've got this, Fay." Guvenc stands a few paces in front of her, with Meer coiled ahead of them. "Just keep reading."

Post by **Fialova** » Sun Sep 27, 2020 1:03 pm

"Uh, okay," Ravza says, her nerves making her slow to react. She rushes closer to where Fay and some others are gathered and takes her knife out of her boot. "Hopefully nothing comes," she says, this time a bit quieter and more to herself. Why is all of this happening?

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Mon Sep 28, 2020 11:56 am

The mists continue to intensify as Fay scrambles through the pages in hopes of finding what she's searching for. The air around you grows chilled and the sun above grows dimmer and dimmer as the arcane fog envelops all. You hear a series of low growls, not quite animal but not quite human.

[SHOW]

Fay

Frantically searching through the pages, you manage to locate what you believe is the reversal spell. However, some words are scratched or worn beyond comprehension.

Corr-̵͓͒̏̕-̸̞̚-̵̧̡̛̗̮͌͑̋ creatures, ret-̵͓͒̏̕-̷-̵̨̥̈́ to th-̵̱̇ so-̵͓͒̏̕ l,
Retu-̸̤͚̒̕͠-̵̟͘ to the m-̵̭̿-t-̸̧͇̊̌͗ l coil,
And free -̸̧͇̊̌͗-̵͓͒̏̕- fro-̵̟͘ your wrath

Post by **BartNL** » Mon Sep 28, 2020 3:49 pm

"What did you do this time, Fay?" Egash asks teasingly as he appears out of the mist.

Post by **ratwizard** » Mon Sep 28, 2020 3:55 pm

"Careful, Egash," Guvenc says pointing toward a pair of glowing eyes that slowly approaches through the mist. A swamp creature? Or... one of the villagers?

Post by **KaraInMontana** » Mon Oct 05, 2020 1:54 pm

Ignoring the impulse to shoot a retort to the mask-wearer, Fay quickly reads through the partially legible script. "t can't end here. We're not going to end up with our skulls in a matched set with Kafa...no offense", she mutters before raising her voice, eyes taking on an arcane glow in the mist-wrought gloom.

"Corrupt creatures, return to the soil
Return to the mortal coil,
And free us from your wrath!"

[SHOW]: 16(1d20) +17 = 33

Post by **FinalTemplar** » Wed Oct 07, 2020 9:01 am

A bit of fear began to show on Sekil's face now, taking a step or two back. "Where... I... can we even defeat these beasts?" A grimace begins to show, as he lets out a low guttural growl.

Post by **BartNL** » Wed Oct 07, 2020 9:44 am

"No worries Sekil." Egash says joyfully in an attempt to encourage his allies."I found a cavern filled with dead fleshstalkers all stabbed in their bellies. But there's still room for a few more."

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Wed Oct 07, 2020 12:04 pm

As the final words leave Fay's lips, the wind begins to swirl, as if you're in the center of a violent cyclone. Its intensity grows, the howling gales overtaking every other noise.

Until...

A monstrous shriek fills the air, almost right in your ears. Piercing your core. Quaking your bones. Leaving a sense of dread deep within. Emre covers his eyes and closes his eyes, constantly shaking his head. No, no, no. Leave us alone!

And then...

Calm. The winds cease. The land goes quiet. And the foreboding mists at last fade away, leaving you in the dim late-morning sun. A gentle breeze tickles your skin, and you're once more left alone in the ruins of the village.

Post by **Fialova** » Wed Oct 07, 2020 4:59 pm

Ravza shrinks down into a crouched position, her body trying to escape the terrifying sounds and sights surrounding herself and her new companions. She closes her eyes as the sound grows, trying to think of happy things to calm her nerves. Are we going to be killed? So soon after we leave? She grips her knees tightly, hoping it would all end.

And then it does. As soon as the terrible, evil feeling began, it seemed to simply disappear. The calm comes as a pleasant - albeit suspicious - surprise. She peeks one eye open, then two. Seeing her comrades around her safe and unharmed, and that all seems safe, she slowly stands once more. "Is it really over?" she asks, looking more to Fay, who seems to be their momentary savior.

Post by **ratwizard** » Thu Oct 08, 2020 3:00 pm

"I... don't see them anymore," Guvenc says, after a moment of holding her breath. "The glowing eyes. They're gone."

She takes an unsteady breath, looking around at the quiet village. "We shouldn't stay in this place. It's not right."

LeoMatheus · Post by **LeoMatheus** » Sun Oct 11, 2020 6:11 am

”I don’t know what you did there, but apparently it worked!” says Pieter, his worries of having given the book to Fay slowly dissipating.

Post by **Namelessjake** » Fri Oct 16, 2020 11:23 am

"The Elder one has decided not to test us again it would seem," Argan says, sheathing his blades. I thought this was meant to be a trial.

"If there's nothing more useful here then we shouldn't linger," he agrees, keen to keep moving.

Post by **FinalTemplar** » Sat Oct 17, 2020 12:40 pm

Sekil watches the eyes intently as the sounds hit their peak. His eyes are forced shut, and his hands clamp over his ears to try and block out the sights and sounds of the encounter. When the sounds suddenly halt, his eyes slowly open up once more, and he looks around. Is that it?... He slowly stands up straight now, taking his hands off his own ears, clearing his throat. "I think we need to go, yeah. I don't think we should stick around." Sekil looks around at his companions now, giving a shudder.

Post by **KaraInMontana** » Mon Oct 19, 2020 9:42 pm

As the storm of mists and winds fades to nothing more than a gentle breeze, Fay's eyes refocus. After blinking several times, she focuses on the voices of her companions as Ravza seems to call out to her specifically.

"I don't sense any active lingering magic now," she responds, with a slight sense of pride at her voice not showing any of the quavering she still felt internally. "So I would expect any latent arcane matrices will have been unraveled by the counterspell."

At Pieter's relieved comments, her face adopts a haughty look. The young witch folds her arms with an audible, "Hmmph" as Thing, sensing his mistress's mood from his usual place on her shoulder, flicks the ends of her hair with his fingers. "Of course it worked, Pieter." One eye opens as her haughtiness breaks into a teasing tone. "Just who do you think I am?"

As the others express their opinions on leaving, though, Fay nods. "Fair enough. It may be best to evacuate before anything else dangerous around here decides to investigate the commotion."

Turning her eyes down to the grimoire still clutched in her hands, she speaks under her breath. "We can't leave this, Kafa. It's dangerous yes, but powerful. If I get it away from here...perhaps I could study it safely without triggering the previous magic, but what if......you're right...it would be irresponsible to just leave it. Who knows who or what could stumble across such a thing. It must come with us."

She moves to pack away the book in her bag before stepping over to the others.

Post by **BartNL** » Tue Oct 20, 2020 12:12 am

"Well, I think you are the person who got us almost killed Fay". Egash teases the witch.
"Let's get moving."

Post by **ratwizard** » Wed Oct 21, 2020 3:28 pm

"North, to Imardin," Guvenc reminds the others, letting Meer slither ahead. She trods behind the snake, eyes still scanning the edges of the village — watching for danger returned. This entire village is dead. Are we sure the ritual our village is after is a good idea? What if the Shaman Deyra is guiding us to a fate such as this? She shudders at the thought. She wouldn't. I know her. That's not like her.

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Sat Oct 24, 2020 12:23 pm

Emre nods to Guvenc's words. "North," he echoes quietly. With little business remaining in the burnt husk of this village, you begin your journey northward once more. The trail is quiet and uneventful for much of the time. A stray beast comes uncomfortably close, but a bird's squawk catches its attention elsewhere. After an hour or so, the sunlight from above is dampened and a steady trickle of rain pours in from above. This rain had better not worsen, Emre thinks, looking up towards the canopy.

The sky darkens and the winds churn. Flashes of lightning and cracks of thunder erupt as the rain's pace quickens, turning into a downpour. You wade through the saturated ground, doing your best to trudge on. Up ahead in the distance, you see a shimmering light. Squinting through the rain, you make out a medium-sized structure, surrounded by defendable walls. As you step closer, you spot a crude sign reading Fernya's Haven. All are welcome! A strange sight in an unforgiving land, but stranger sights have been seen.

"Do you think it's safe?" Emre says, eyeing the rest of his companions as they continue slogging through the mud and muck.

Post by **FinalTemplar** » Sun Oct 25, 2020 7:31 pm

Sekil looks at the building, then back at the others. "Outsiders no likes us, yes?" He asks.

Post by **Namelessjake** » Thu Oct 29, 2020 5:53 pm

"If they too are followers of The Elder One then perhaps," Argan replies as he sees the fortification. "If not, we will see."