Prologue: An inn and a drink... [original story]

[titsfortatts]

Sho replied with a slight bow to Strongwind. Never had he seen a man with such cruel scars as this one. He has read of zealous priests that would scar there bodies in such fashion to invoke the spirit. After a second Sho decided that this man was not in league or of same mind as this charismatic priest, Sho replied. I am Sho Soga a Yoshimen from a place far from here. I have nothing to offer you for my life but If your quest is just I will accompany you. Not waiting for a reply Sho casually walked over and retrieved his quarterstaff.

[tomcat]

"Another soul to aid us would not be a bad thing," said Branon. "In any case, we may wish to move soon as to avoid the undead that lurch towards us."

The priest gestured to the fields. There were undead still moving about - some with intent on approaching the Vistani camp, others that seemed oblivious to their surroundings. Branon could count twelve at least that encircled the camp.

[titsfortatts]

Sho gathered his things with a heavy step needing to heal on the journey. A rest he knew would do him good but that time will wait. Not very comfortable in the presence of the priest he gave a wide berth to him. Glancing over at Strongwind he knew he wasn't the only one with reservations about this new companion.

[Callowmoryne]

  Is there a fire going doug? also what are the remaining vistani doing atm?

[tomcat]

There is a fire, and two are grovelling on their knees hoping for release. The women folk are hiding near the wain, and the two archers you were fighting ran off into the fields and now may have to deal with the undead.

[Callowmoryne]

  Thnks sorry not sure what I want to do here, I will come up with something kool and try to post tonight

[Callowmoryne]

Strongwind stared at the strange man as he gathered his things. "Your life is your own. Can come with us, but plan to see this through. Find source of sickness n these parts." Strongwind looked around the clearing soaking in everything. To the remaining Vistani he growled "Can take your wain, n womenfolk, can go, or can stay. I mean to use your fire, then be gone with my-" He paused, his eyes agin finding the strange yoshiman and then the priest in  turn. "Companions" He let a click click roll off his tongue to get Pedowins attention.  He rifled through his saddlebag for his pigments, a wrapped piece of animal fat, and a bowl and pestle. He then went to the fire to mix a paint so blue it was almost black.


Not sure how dangerous the clearing is depending on the undead and how far away they are but hes adamant about painting his horse and his face before the mission moves on so if i have to stop to defend the clearing with my bow i will. otherwise he'll heat the fat for the grease and mix his paints and let it kool a bit doug, paint one big line across his forehead and two small under his eyes and a thumbprint on his chin and also apply 5 blue palmprints to pedowins flanks

[tomcat]

While the animal fat began to melt down over the fire, the Vistani quickly collected what items that Sho and Branon would allow them and then rode off in their wagon. It had a dual effect - first the rogues were now out of the companions' hair, and second, it drew the few walking dead away from the encampment. Still, some lumbered about on the outer peripheree of the field and so the men took great caution. It was Branon who broke the silence while Strongwind painted his face.

"Have you noticed these things? They seem different then most undead I have seen... well, as zombies go. Not only do they show the rot of their state, but there is a putrid pestilence about their mouth and nails. I fear that these mosters harbor more threat to us than just death." He poked a stick in the fire. "Even if they do not kill us, they may still be a danger from scratch or bite."

Strongwind stood and patted his handprints on Pedowin's hind end and then he was done. He was ready. The Daqeen's next goal was Barovia and so he mounted up and began to ride in that direction. Strongwind assumed that if they were interested in coming, they would follow.

He was right.

Mist blanketed the village, smothering the streets and marooning the buildings, forming an archipelago of crumbling masonry in a gray, hopeless sea.

At the village's lonely edge, muddy ground underfoot gave way to slick wet cobblestones. A dilapidated wooden sign read "Welcome to the Village of Barovia." The tall shapes in the dense fog resolved themselves into tenements whose windows were boarded, broken and lightless. Nothing moved nearby, though their view was limited by the mist. Faint sounds, as of something groaning, echoed hollowly from somewhere deeper within the settlement.

Now that the abandoned structures were in view, the companions could see that many were burnt-out hulks. The smell of burnt wood was thick in the air, but still it could not overpower the underlying, sickly sweet smell of carrion and spoilage. Claw marks raked some of the vacant homes, ominous not merely because of their presence, but for the five-fingered, hand-like shapes they suggested.

As they continued further into the village, they saw buildings that survived. Doors were barricaded with tables, broken carts, and smashed furnishings. Nothing living stirred.

A sudden breeze blew across them and momentarily cleared the fog before them. Down the road, a large make-shift barricade was easily visible that was constructed across the street from building to building. Pedowin whickered with nervousness as the horse sensed death around it. Death that still shambled with hunger, raw and unstoppable. It stalked the village, multiplying with each new corpse that kicked and suddered its way back toward un-life. A hunger that could never be slaked.

"We must quickly make for the barricade!" said Branon. "If there are any that still live here, they must be within... though I know not why any would wish to stay!"

[tomcat]

Kerth Chardisir stared from the barricade wall that encircled the better part of the village of Barovia. He plucked at one of the strings on his lute and thought about words that might fit well in his current piece. It was a dirge - a song about the death and final resting of the very town in which he sat. He thought of the place as already being a carcass and now the scavangers came to shred whatever worth it had left.

He was a half-elf from the Narthruil Forest, but that was long ago. A life ago, he thought. Now the bard roamed the many realms of Aerth searching for... he was not sure. The call of the Dark Fortress had been strong and he had found himself before its very gates not long ago, and from its doors he began a search. The search had led him north but then the trail he followed had gone cold, and now he found himself a captive within this dying town.

Again... that was long ago.

He reached up to his low string's tuning peg and gave it a turn. When he glanced at the peg, movement caught his eye. He sat up and looked out through the fog expecting to see more of the walking dead, but it wasn't. Beyond the wall were three travelers, one atop a horse.

Outside the wall, with Branon's words, new sounds began to be heard - shuffles, grunts and wet chomping of teeth.



Hey Carl, I accidentally deleted your character history so if you could send it again or add it to your Character sheet. If anything is wrong in my character intro above, we can adjust the storyline.

[tomcat]

Let me know if this game is still active... I know Rob's dad just passed and I am not rushing anyone. Just want to know if I still need to be working on story content.

Thanks.

[Callowmoryne]

  I still wanna play sir just have been super busy and what with phils dad passing away and waiting for carl to jump in. I will contact these individuals and see about continuance of said gaming

[daxkran]

Until the 3 riders appeared Kerth had perhaps thought that his direction these last months had been meaningless, but as he watched the approaching figures seem to gather form as if by magic throught the thick fog he felt something, if only an instinct, that let him believe that at least in this moment he was meant to be here. He heard the groans and wet smackings of the dead as they tried to hone in on the living figures and thought that there must be something he could do. He felt panic for the figures to find their way to safety, but he also in some strange way, empathized with the dead stalking them and knew somewhat of their need, their compulsion, that drove them.

At that point Kerth could only do what he did best and that was to play; maybe it would distract the dead, maybe it would help guide the living in to the gates of the town, or maybe it would simply be just one of a thousand scraps of music that might become part of an epic.

Perform Lute 45%+20%=65% = total 20

Kerth began to play flawlessly. Though he was by no means a master of the istrument he played with inpsiration that came from somewhere inside him as he put together chords and lines of notes that he hadn't tempted before and the sound was eerie and soulfull and uptempo, hoping to catch the attention of the riders or distract the dead around them. Something about the sound stuck with Kerth and he knew this would be a piece he would turn to time and again until perfected. Maybe a theme of sorts.

He played and watched the riders move forward through the mist...

[tomcat]

Hey Carl! Welcome to the game! I made a couple changes to give you the look you wanted (I think  ).

Also, your Perform skill is a 45% + your 20% mod for 65%...

anyway, the story continues...



From their position amongst the fog enshrouded ruins, the companions began to hear the sound of a lute playing. It was strange but seemed to draw at them and the mists before them diminished. The path to the barricade was now clear and the trio could see the road was littered with remains of animals and people. Awful looking maggots dug into the carcass of a dog, stripping putrid flesh from bone in mere moments. The dire insect larvae were all about the dead thing like rice thrown at a wedding ceremony and Sho cringed to see the things begin to move on to a new corpse - some even began to wriggle in their direction. That was when the slobbery breathing was heard.

Branon looked to his right to see an animal - a dog for certain. It was skinless now and its torn flesh was a smear of pink and red. The skull was eyeless, but its torn nose sucked at the air with a horrible wet sound. All the while, its ravaged tongue licked over its teeth. The thing was only a dozen feet from them and it was drawn by their scent of living blood. Suddenly another appeared behind it... then another.

To Sho's left, a creak of wood drew his attention from the insects and he saw what had once been a blacksmith, for it still wore the heavy leather apron. In its hand hanging loose was a metal hammer. The dead corpse walked along the wooden porch of a ruined house, its blue-gray skin loose on its face creating meaty jowls. The Yoshiman saw the mold growth around its mouth and thought it more sinister than the undead shamble. Sho wondered at what had caused the nasty infection to grow and what it could do to them if they were bitten. The zombie saw the companions and began to move at a much greater pace. Behind it, a small, naked undead child crab-walked on all fours. Its dead eyes looked in their direction and then it grinned.

Branon was suddenly very afraid.



I will wait to see if you guys engage, or run - if the former then I will start combat rounds. If the latter, it will be a test of speeds to see if the undead can engage you before you mount the barricade.

Carl, understand that Kerth knows something about the undead sickness that the townsfolk have been talking about, and just cause someone is not undead doesn't mean they are not carrying the blasphemic sickness - so, he may challenge their entry to the town.

[tomcat]

I need Strongwind and Sho to roll me a terror roll. What that is is a test against your PC's Willpower to overcome fear.

I need you to roll your ESS x 4 or less. If failed, consult the chart below:

Failed by:	Result:
0-10%	Suffer a -5% to all actions until the source of fear is gone, or end of encounter
11-20%	Suffer a -15% to all actions until the source of fear is gone, or end of encounter
21-30%	Suffer a -25% to all actions until the source of fear is gone, or end of encounter
31-40%	Suffer a -40% to all actions until the source of fear is gone, or end of encounter
41-50%	Suffer a -50% to all actions until the source of fear is gone, or end of encounter
Fumbled	Panic and run to any location to get away, if cannot run, the PC cowers

Branon's Fear test:
Willpower roll = 17x5% = 85%

Rolled 1d100 : 87, total 87

[tomcat]

Branon will suffer a -5% to all actions while the encounter or source of fear (undead creatures and vermin) lasts