Sunday, September 30, 2018

WAKE OF THE UNDEAD HUNTERS

Fredirich Van Fulkoph wandered into a path that lead through deep mists. He saw a light in the distance, but ignored it. He met giant frogs, whom he easily handled. A centipede found its way through his leg, but he was able to toss it aside. Coming back to initial path where he saw the light, he found the light was not there anymore. Checking with his torch, he saw that the area behind the bushes was covered with swamp water. He noticed a hidden raft and found a pole nearby. As he tried moving the raft, he saw the raft had a glow underneath it and a strong sudden wind made him close his eyes. Upon opening them, he was no longer in the same location, he faced a small isle in the water, with a hut made of sugar cane and bamboo and hay ceiling. Fred met an odd old man named ChickenBone. ChickenBone directed him to take the raft and go to the nearby villa.

As Fred got in the raft, it glowed a bit and after a swift wind and opening his eyes he found himself facing a plantation. A muddy way lead to the town, passing through the sugar cane plantation. Right and left were covered areas of sugar cane. The area was pitch black, the torch being the only source of light. The sound of frogs and insects buzzing comforted you as you have come to realize that silence means trouble. After a while, you notice a clearing on the right side, and a giant house, a manor for the looks of it, flanked by a smaller that seems to be some kind of barn. No light sources at all. Fred decided to keep going as he knew it was past midnight and it seemed no one would answer.

The main way had few houses left and right... A hill flanked the town... A giant wall around the hill hinted that something else was there, but it was barely seen through darkness... The shape was a silhouette drawn by  the contrast of night wersus lightning... a silent lightning that outlined giant clouds and everything under such heaven in the pitch black night. In the town there was only one meager light, from a small house flanking the church. Fred met the shaman Brucian who was tending to Kelar and Erasmus. Brucian offered a simple meal and a place to stay for the night. Next day, Fred meets Kelar and Erasmus. Kelar went with Fred, looking for the constable so Fred can offer his services to the town. The constable was not at home. Next stop, the Full Moon Inn.

At the Inn, Katrina and Norris were in the same table with constable Gremin. They seemed to be arguing about the bear encounter at the manor. Fred offer his services and is updated with what has been going on in the town. Fred, constable and Kelar decide to go to the manor to find out werabouts of the servants. As they go out, a woman follows them at a distance.

Meanwhile, Erasmus had stayed at the church to pay respects to Osiris. After a while he noticed that Luc was standing at the entrance of the church staring at him. Luc reacts babbling the same scrambled verses he keeps repeating at all times. Erasmus tries talking to him, but the lad is basically looking through him talking nonsense. As Erasmus decodes to leave and heads out, he catches a glimpse of a curved blade wielded by a man in a black hooded cape. Erasmus turns and cast  a command: "Stop". For a moment the blade was kept in the air, and Luc moved away both surprised and afraid.

After the sudden halt, the mystery man tried to escape, but Erasmus threw himself over him, holding him down. They both struggled, but Erasmus used his mace to control the stranger in the floor  without harming him.

Kelar, Fred and the constable arrived in time to witness how Erasmus captured the guy and unmasked him. The constable immediately identified the man as Jean Tarascon. Fred, Kelar and constable took Jean to the jail. The constable will stay there as he also needs to contact the mayor at Port Del'Hour to explain the situation... Fred, Erasmus and Kelar are heading towards the plantation's manor to get some answers.

They noticed the woman that was at the inn was still following them.

DINNER AT TARASCON MANSION

Erasmus Greywolf, who walks the path of Osiris, began his journey. He was determined to follow his faith, trusting that his god would allow him to fulfill his destiny. As he silently walked through the forest, he felt a sudden shift all around him. A vapor came from the ground but soon solidified into a mist that completely surrounded him. The thick mists made it impossible to look beyond a foot away. After a while he realized there was an acute change in the environment, humid heat and mild pestilence. Swarms of mosquitoes buzzed all around. He realized that very slowly, a swamp surrounding manifested taking over what he knew as woodland spaces.

As he wandered he felt the eyes of the swamp upon him. Stagnant water all around featured entangled roots and pieces of logs. To one side, a log drift lazily atop the still waters. Time stood still as Erasmus felt shadows slip through the trees. One blink later, he realized the log was some type of small gator. It latched itself to his leg as if trying to pull him into the water, but the creature was too small and in the end Erasmus survived the fight.

Trying to put some distance between him and the unknown dangers in the waters, he looked for higher ground where mud did not connect as much with water. It was following that trail that he met a small group of wandering gypsies, who invited him to spend the night in the safety of their small camp. The unlikely family gathered around one pyre on which there was a cauldron. An old woman stirred and served a deliciously smelling soup. Three kids ran around took their plates, and gulped on the soup. Erasmus was offered soup and safety, as long as he stayed away from the gypsy wagon, which they called their vardo. He was told about a rising evil, causing people to leave the nearby town. Everyone there is quite scared, as people are vanishing or appearing dead. A younger gypsy threw some bones and told him his fortune. " The dead will walk with the coming storm, and you must put them to rest. If not, the rain will turn to blood, and it will drown you, all of you!" Erasmus stayed sleeping near the pyre until it actually extinguished. It was a sound sleep. Upon waking up, the gypsies were gone without a trace.

Following what seem some sort of trail, he passed by a seemingly abandoned high hut which was open but offered no means of entrance. Deciding not to linger longer than necessary, he kept to the trail and reached the borderline of a town named Tarascon. There is a heavy storm brewing in the horizon, a storm that he has been witnessing now for two days, and that increases in size. clouds are very heavy and very dark. The shimmering of lightning can sometimes shape the clouds as night, but no thunder is heard and no rain has fallen so far. Now facing the town, Erasmus notices the giant clouds lurking on the horizon, creeping upon the town...

He walks through the main train flanked by houses. Kids seem to play in the middle of the road, but upon seeing him they run towards a house and stay there. They go on playing after he had passed by, and crossed words with a man that directed him to the Full Moon Inn.

The Full Moon Inn's owner is crying desperately. Erasmus meets Kelar Valyn who gives a vibe of being some kind of hunter, Katrina Von Brandthofen who seems to be a scholar, and Norris Galvanski who seems to be some sort of lumberjack. Kelar tries to comfort the innkeeper. Her daughter was attacked by the madman that has been killing people randomly in the town, but thanks to Kelar and Moonfox he stabbed the lady but did not get to kill her. Moonfox had run to try to catch the madman, but until now there has been no word of Moonfox, or the madman. Henrietta's daughter, Lillin, was taken by the constable to the house of shaman Brucious. Lillin's life was spared, but the Inn had already lost Katha (one of its barmaids) to the madman, and it all is badly affecting Henrietta. Katrina is very focused on a book, and casually talks to Norris who just keeps quiet looking at what the people are doing. Norris seems to be on edge, as if expecting something to happen.

Erasmus and Kelar decide to check on Lillin. On their way they meet with the constable, and then with shaman Brucious who is very concerned that he has not seen Luc for some hours. Kelar and Erasmus seem to be bent towards the idea of going to the cemetery on the hill to check it, as well as they believe something may be up at the plantation. As they are on their way, they see Luc standing in the woodland fork of the road that stands between tha way towards the cemetery and the way towards the the plantation manor and the Tristepas main road. They take Luc to the shaman's house and decide to visit the plantation.

On the way, they hear screams from a house. Upon close inspection, the old house has many trinkets on its balcony and entrance, and all around the shut windows. A female voice screams a name but as Kelar and Erasmus try to get in they find an old lady that is completely frightened of them. She screams and soon after a ruckus a man steps into the house flailing his hand with whats seems like a small shiny dagger. He's demanding to know who they are and why are they attacking the old lady. In the end, the man is the town's tailor Mr. Thomas Levi, neighbor that is always looking out for his townfellows. He explains that old Fiora is very superstitious, and every since her daughter has gone missing she has lost sanity. He invites Kelar & Erasmus to his store and shows them some ultimate fashion fabrics from Port'DelHour. His comments make Kelar & Erasmus decide to visit the plantation manor instead of the cemetery.   

Kelar and Erasmus reached the manor after dark. The manor had no lights at all. Upon checking the area between the manor and the small barn near it, a faint glimmer of light was seeing through the kitchen's window. They decide to force themselves in. The kitchen seemed ready for a party, food all around. Erasmus decided to peak into what was in the other room as the source of light came from there. Kelar sneak upon the food taking a pear and taking a bite.

Kelar felt nauseous and soon realized all food around them was rotten. Erasmus peaked at a room with a grand table. Three female servants were standing around serving there, while two male servants were enjoying a meal. One of them had a covered silver plate. She lifted the lid from the silver plate, revealing a head of a young man, white flesh covered in blood, a wicked cut stretched from ear to ear. Erasmus felt instant revulsion and horror at this scene, his first instinct to get as far away as possible from the scene. Both Kelar and him tried fleeing but the undead servants got to them. Erasmus was able to call upon his faith and instantly vaporize one of these creatures, but more were coming. Kelar lost the battle, becoming paralyzed by one of them. Erasmus was next to be attacked. Then a deafening roar made the creatures turn their heads to look. As lights went dark on Kelar and Erasmus, they remember a giant black bear viciously pawing and clawing at the undead.

The warmth of daylight wake up Erasmus and Kelar. They realize that shaman Brucian had been tending to them. They are in his humble house. Lillin is still there. In a corner, Norris is in bed, and Katrina seems to be highly upset and argueig with him as he stares into nothingness. 

Shaman Brucian gets between Erasmus and Kelar. "You were lucky that good loas wish to protect you from unnatural fiends. There's much to do now that we know that somehow the mansion was attacked by undead."