THE VANISHINGS

After the events from the Night of the Walking Dead, our heroes faced the reconstruction of a mostly destroyed town. Most of the townsfolk had already started the cleansing of the town, showing their resilience against both natural and unnatural events. They gathered the dead, family and stranger, and took them to the base of Cemetery Hill. They looked up to the paladin, Sir Frederick, for comfort and reassurance. He inspired a deep hope of the worst times being over. They also got to acknowledge that even the Vistani spawn has been of help, avoiding total annihilation of the townsfolk. Our heroes grimly stared at the candle lit at the center of their table in the Full Moon Inn. The priest of Osiris didn’t make it, giving his lifeforce in the end for their sake, and that shadow kept gloom on the group. Their victory seem empty at a personal level, but the townsfolk was at least spared a grimmer fate.

Just two days after the impending flood followed by the red moon and Marcel Tarascon’s attempt to destroy everything in search of Hyskosa’s scroll, Luc Tarascon seemed to have been transformed from a mindless mouse into a clever businessman. He was deeply involved with the townspeople, giving them direction and also trying to figure out how to help the plantation and its workers. The plantation is the heart of the town, the main source of income for the townsfolk. Luc pledged to make right of all of his brothers wrongs… a daunting task. While the losses are counted and the resources are divided equally, some townsfolk have become alarmed at the sudden disappearance of loved ones. Constable Gremin was approached by the carpenter, whose 5 year old son went missing. Two ladies showed up also concerned about their husbands. And later on, the carpenter’s kids reported he also has gone missing. Gremin suspected that nearby threats had lured those innocents into the swamp. He looked to Shaman Brucian for answers, and the shaman took into himself the quest to help his townsfolk.

After not hearing back from Brucian, Gremin went to the Half Moon Inn to ask the heroes to look into the situation, and also look for the shaman. Sir Frederick immediately volunteered to find the missing townsfolk. Kelar and newfound ally Orion (a swashbuckling elf) joined as well. They headed out into the swamp, finding nothing in the shaman’s old high hut and plenty of disturbances thanks to the flood, fleeing townsfolk, and disturbed nature. They wandered into an area with high gaseous flammable substance that suddenly burst creating a flaming pyre consuming everything at its path. Sir Fred was caught on it, becoming badly burn and on the edge of death.

Kelar and Orion managed to bring him back to MaraisD’Tarascon, but without the local healer, Shaman Brucian, they found little help. They tended to Sir Frederick the best they could, wrapping him up in bandages. Orion found a local seer that advised looking for the help of a powerful LOA, the Maiden of the Swamp. She also advised that the missing may be found at the heart of the swamp, where the zygurat rises. The missing are in danger and must be saved before the next Full Moon… That is the night where dark magic is called upon by many, and dark LOAs feast on the innocent. Luc came upon them and suggested trying to find he shaman and the Maiden with his help. Behind his plantation is a river that goes into the swamp, and he managed to get a ramp vessel appropriate for the travel. Kelar and Orion prepped unconscious Sir Frederick and took him to the vessel, loading him there. Luc agreed to accompany Kelar and Sir Fred. Orion insisted on going through the swamp path not the river, and decided to go on his own.