Peacemonger Posted August 14, 2023 Clone Share Posted August 14, 2023 Jozelle - Human (Rogue/Monk) AC: 16 | HP: 26/26 | Initiative: +8 | Passive Perception: 13 For the most part, Jozelle is quiet on their way back, lost in her own thoughts of the entire night. Murder, tragedy, undeath... it is all so much to weigh. Is this what their employer meant? Is this the sort of complication and rivalry set before them to obtain this precious jewel? When they meet up with Alban and Cordelia, Jozelle speaks matter-of-factly. "Good eve. We had a most enlightening trip. The one stealing from the graves is a ghoul, a most terrible affront to life. The grave is also under watch by the town guard. Dalin was most kind to inform the latter of the former." For any looking closer, Jozelle looks tired. Unerstandable given the late night and all the events, yet it is something that somehow feels out of character. Mechanics Main Hand: - Off Hand: - Action: Investigate the site Bonus Action: - Move: - Manipulate: - HD: 3/3d8 Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ariel Posted August 14, 2023 Clone Share Posted August 14, 2023 Dalin Ghillison AC: 14 | HP: 46/46 | Rages: 3/3 | Passive Perception: 12 "Aye, that's about it. We found the tooth of a ghoul in the loose soil of a grave that'd been disturbed recently. Seems like that guard thought he was looking for some kind of rabid animal... so thought it only fair to make him a bit wiser. Passed by the undertaker's on the way back... seemed quiet." Dalin had respected Jozelle's seeming need for silence on the way home, but the young dwarf more tended toward chattering when nervous. "Honest, like... I don't know much about ghouls. I'm not fancying meeting one, but if we did... what should I be expecting? Do they run in packs? Will a good thwack hurt them or do we be needing magic?" Hazel eyes looked from one companion to the other, hoping that her worst fears were worse than what actually lurked out there. Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PureChance Posted August 15, 2023 Clone Share Posted August 15, 2023 Alban Lord Stuart - Human Shadow Sorcerer AC: 14 | HP: 27/27 | Initiative: +4 | Passive Perception: 11 (Darkvision 120ft) | HD: 3/3 | Inspiration 1/1 Alban too nodded his goodbyes to the soldiers, clearly more satisfied than Cordelia. Wouldn't be the first time that had happened he smirked to himself. Vadim's escape was unlikely, and they were aware of the beast, whatever it may be. Perhaps that night had been built more elaborately in his mind than truth, and the Mayor had the right of it after all. One could hope. Cordelia's melodic musings drew him back to the reality of their situation - a growing tangle of knotted mysteries with no clear end in sight. "Perhaps," he replied noncommittally "I certainly would have agreed with you before we spoke to the guards, though whether the nexus of this convergence is the town, the item, or some quirk of fate not yet apparent would remain to be seen." As they wander, he continued, filling the silence with softly spoken words that carried his mind away from Hethton, "the arcane often obscures any attempt to understand it I find, despite my attempts through the years. Though within the Universities of Glammer they would not agree with that, striving as they do to pull the veil between this realm and that beyond." Soon they caught sight of Dalin and Jozelle ahead, an odd pairing of opposites from the outside - tall, thin, deadly and dead alongside one robust and bursting with all the vibrancy of life. "Now though, I wonder if we are compelled to seek a deeper mystery by our nature, for we are both seekers are we not." Alban's eyes widened at the pairs findings. "Or not, Cordelia. I take it back - this town truly does labour ever darker horrors," Alban reluctantly conceded. "As for ghouls I'm afraid I know little more than most. A pale parody of man that feasts upon the newly dead; a creature of irredeemable evil. May I see it?" he asked with morbid curiosity, reaching forward for the tooth. "I would have wanted for our Forester friend should we have to face it, but it seems the Betrayer yet earns his name." Stat Block Imperial (variant) Human Sorcerer 3 Languages Common, Elven Background Noble Background Feature Position of PrivilegeThanks to your noble birth, people are inclined to think the best of you. You are welcome in high society, and people assume you have the right to be wherever you are. The common folk make every effort to accommodate you and avoid your displeasure, and other people of high birth treat you as a member of the same social sphere. You can secure an audience with a local noble if you need to. StrSave +0 Athletics +0 11 DexSave +4 Acrobatics +4 | Sleight of Hand +4 | Stealth +6* 18 ConSave +5* No skills associated. 16 IntSave +1 Arcana +3* | History +3* | Investigation +1 | Nature +1 | Religion +1 12 WisSave +1 Animal Handling +1 | Insight +1 | Medicine +1 | Perception +1 | Survival +1 12 ChaSave +6* Deception +6* | Intimidation +4 | Performance +4 | Persuasion +6* 19 Proficiency Bonus +2 Saving Throws Con, Cha Speed 30 Tools Calligrapher's Tools Spell Attack Bonus +6 | Spell Save DC 14 | Spell Slots L1 4/4 ; L2 2/2 Sorcery PointsSubtle Spell - 1 point Extended Spell - 1 point 3/3 | Shadow Touched Spells L1 1/1 ; L2 0/1 Actions Dagger +6 to hit for [1d4+4] piercing damage | Light, Finesse, Thrown 20/60 Light Crossbow +6 to hit for [1d8+4] piercing damage | Loading, Two-handed, 80/320 Mind Sliver DC14 INT Sv for [1d6] psychic damage | V, one creature, 60ft | -1d4 next saving throw Frostbite DC14 CON Sv for [1d6] cold damage | VS, one creature, 60ft | disadvantage next weapon attack roll Bonus Actions Reactions ShieldAn invisible barrier of magical force appears and protects you. Until the start of your next turn, you have a +5 bonus to AC, including against the triggering attack, and you take no damage from magic missile. [Hit by an attack / targeted by Magic Missile] OOC Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ariel Posted August 15, 2023 Clone Share Posted August 15, 2023 Dalin Ghillison AC: 14 | HP: 46/46 | Rages: 3/3 | Passive Perception: 12 "Oh, the tooth? I gave it to the guard... thought he might need some proof to convince people he wasn't talking out the wrong hole. I didn't recognize it myself, but if you'd seen Jozelle's face when she saw it, you'd know she absolutely knew what it was." The dwarf glanced toward Jozelle, not wanting to badger her, as she was clearly drained, but curious of her experience with the creatures. Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karma Kameleon Posted August 15, 2023 Clone Share Posted August 15, 2023 Cordelia Nightshade Cordelia emitted a soft hum, acknowledging Alban's response. "It's often easier to dismiss the unfamiliar rather than make the effort to comprehend it," she stated with a thoughtful tone. "But drawing a veil over something doesn't erase its existence; it merely complicates the eventual reckoning. Ignorance may offer a fleeting sense of happiness, but it's built on shaky foundations," Cordelia added, her gaze steady as she conveyed her perspective. Glancing towards Alban, her eyes we effervescent with enthusiasm. "Indeed, we are," she affirmed with a genuine smile. "Delving into the intricacies of human nature—exploring their motivations, aspirations, imperfections, and strengths—is my true fascination. And I utilize what I learn from these experiences in writing my novels. While we might occasionally connect dots that aren't meant to be connected, experience has taught me that appearances are often deceiving. People are a blend of the predictable and the unpredictable, and it's those unexpected revelations that add an enthralling layer to our investigations. Plus, even if the mysteries prove less mysterious than we first thought, they still make for compelling narratives." Cordelia's relief at the sight of their comrades was palpable, but it dissipated swiftly as Jozelle and Dalin revealed their discoveries. The rosy tint of the night air left Cordelia's cheeks as the reality of the situation set in. "A ghoul?" She echoed the word quietly, her gaze shifting to Alban, who conceded with her earlier comment. This was an unexpected twist, far from the kind of intrigue she had anticipated. After a moment of silent contemplation, she voiced her uncertainty. "How can you be so sure?" She directed her question to Jozelle, seeking clarity. "Have you encountered one before? And if so," her voice hesitated, "how do we go about eradicating it?" An air of reluctance colored her words as she absentmindedly wrung her hands, her fingers tangled in her dress. Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacemonger Posted August 15, 2023 Clone Share Posted August 15, 2023 Jozelle - Human (Rogue/Monk) AC: 16 | HP: 26/26 | Initiative: +8 | Passive Perception: 13 "I have seen ghouls before, yes." Jozelle pauses, trying to form the right words. "I once witnessed another assassin, one who used necromancy as their weapon of choice. Alban speaks true, they mock the living with their very existence, just similar to us to disturb. I saw what they can do to a living person, much of it involved teeth just like I saw, and claws as well." In the moment she forgets to refer to Lord Stuart by his title, too distracted by her thoughts. "I can assume like any undead they will fall if you break the body. What I do know is that my poisons will do nothing, and even my enchanted blade, touched with death, may prove little use. I was taught to slay the living, not those whose life is already extinguished." Frustration. It's there, even if it shows only a little. She is frustrated by a potential foe that is too well matched against her. "I would recommend against fighting one." Mechanics Main Hand: - Off Hand: - Action: - Bonus Action: - Move: - Manipulate: - HD: 3/3d8 Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karma Kameleon Posted August 15, 2023 Clone Share Posted August 15, 2023 Cordelia Nightshade Cordelia's expression contorted, a mixture of fear and repulsion painted across her features. The image of a necromancer wielding flesh-eating undead was a nauseating blend of immorality, horror and grotesqueness. Her palms grew damp and her hands trembled involuntarily. Despite her apprehension, a curious intrigue stirred within her. Jozelle's history, as perilous as it was, held a captivating allure. Cordelia silently vowed to revisit this topic with Jozelle later, a prospect that might yield more equally remarkable stories. It was possible that Jozelle's experiences could become the fodder for Cordelia's next literary endeavor – perhaps even inspiring the heroine of a new tale? As Cordelia's gaze lingered on Jozelle, her thoughts drifted momentarily, yet her attention remained tethered to the ongoing conversation. "Undead feasting on the undead, you say?" she mused with a quiver in her voice. "So, aside from the Captain, we might find ourselves relatively secure?" she shrugged, a gesture that almost seemed to suggest that this revelation could dilute their concern. Her gaze swept across the group, each member marked by the weariness etched into their features. Turning her gaze back to Jozelle her tone was speculative as she continued, "Jozelle, you mentioned that the ghouls were under the sway of a necromancer. Could this extend to Hethton's ghoul as well? Can they exist in our realm independently without being summoned?" She shivered involuntarily, her discomfort palpable. "If it's the latter, perhaps uncovering their puppeteer is the key to addressing the situation." Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitleyrr Posted August 16, 2023 Author Clone Share Posted August 16, 2023 The companions discussed the matter of the ghoul only a little while longer, none of them neither knowing much about such wretched creatures, nor desiring the occasion to learn. Sometimes, such lessons were forced, and that was a truth that was as corporately acknowledged among them as it was left unspoken. Before long, knowing tomorrow was the funeral, they went to bed. Reluctantly dawned the day over Hethton, like a child being awoken before they were ready. Light gray skies crowned the horizon through which a very few sunbeams pierced. An autumn chill hung in the air and the morning dew was not going to burn off any time soon. Even the birds seemed to agree it was a somber morn, for they chirped less vigorously and flitted about with less mirth. As people began to move about the streets they did not neither first nor foremost as either citizens or laborers: Dressed in muted grays or stark blacks, they moved about the streets as mourners. Word had passed quickly that Captain Uriah Ittia’s burial would take place at mid-morning and most in the village planned to attend. Chores had to be accomplished beforehand but there was even less joy in those than usual. Downstairs at the Worm, tea was poured in silence, eggs consumed in silence, and plates cleared in silence. The companions broke their fast quickly before returning to their rooms to dress for the funeral. Traveling clothes were not mourning clothes, but they would make do. Cordelia worked on her eulogy. Alban fussed with his cloak. Dalin strained against the sorrowful atmosphere though Jozelle seemed strangely unaffected. Alyssia’s belongings, like Alyssia herself, were gone. They had found a note on the table expressing regret for departing in the night, but this story was unfolding in a decidedly and uncomfortably similar way as her recent experience and she just did not think she could through with it. It was simple and to the point, but it still carved a hole. Drench smoked his pipe, silence his old familiar friend. When the time came for them to make their way to the cemetery, they filed out of the Worm and joined the growing throng of Hethton’s mourners that was at first a trickle and then a gently flowing stream of humanity whose headwaters were the village and whose destination was the grave. To Dalin and Jozelle, the cemetery looked much more friendly in the dim light of the gray morn and they exchanged a look that said as much. A low fog dressed the hills and yet even that seemed appropriate. At the gravesite, they made their was gently towards the front. Mayor Dovero was there, dressed in a starched black suit. Nulemti’s cleric wore a flowing black robe with a billowing white scarf that hung about his arms in the still, cold air. A black, four cornered hat sat atop his head and a burgundy leather bound book rested between his hands. The Lady Ittia stood at the front, flanked by several of the Captain’s men (though not the same whom Alban and Cordelia had encountered). She was dressed in a midnight blue dress of finest silk. Jewels of pale yellow and citrine hung from her ears and around her neck. Her eyes were red and hollow. Presumably her close friends and family were those who pressed close beside her. As the companions got settled near the third or fourth row of people, they looked behind them to see hundreds of people filling in the grass, spilling outside the gates and packing in the street. It was a dark reflection of the joyful crowd from just (could it be only?) twelve or so hours ago. The Captain’s coffin was raised on a bier, flowers dressing the ground around it, while a gaping wound in the earth yawned behind it. The grave waited for all. Captain Uriah was dressed in his military finest, brass buttons shined to a bright gleam, medals arranged in neat rows. His eyes were closed in peace and only the slightest, unnatural crease to his brow hinted that his condition was one beyond sleep. With a dawning horror, the companions saw that around his neck, atop a red sash, was a black stone necklace, wreathed in gold. They looked at each other unsure what they could do. It was then that the cleric’s voice cut through the fog and shot, as if aided by magic, through the crowds so that all could hear. “It is the duty of all followers of Nulemti, who seals us in life and binds us in death, to remember their creator in the days of their youth, before the harsh days come, and the years draw nigh when they shall say, ‘I have no pleasure in them.’ The Maker has given us the sun and the moon to light our path by day and by night, and the stars the same to guide us. But when our eyes fail to perceive their light and close in hushéd death, Nulemti is there to hear the record of our days and seal it for all eternity. Therefore though we have a beginning and a mortal ending, our story goes on and is not lost so long as it is told. For Captain Uriah Ittia, the silver cord has been snapped, the golden bowl is broken, the pitcher has been shattered at the well, and the water wheel has been broken at the cistern. His life has been taken, and now we lay him down. The dust returns to the earth that made it and his life’s breath goes back to the Maker who gave it. In life as in death we seal thee, bind thee to our memories as we return thee to the gods. In death as in life we love thee, hold thee to our bosom and keep thee there, though thou hast gone away.” The cleric lowered his hand to wipe a tear from his eye and many gathered had to do the same. Solemnly, he nodded to several of the soldiers, and they moved forward as one. Within a few moments, the lid to the coffin was laid upon in, nails were driven into it to seal it shut, and it was lifted by the Captain’s boon companions of conflicts past and lowered into ground. They used a system of ropes to lower it down and it kept going lower and lower. The first few rows of guests, those who could most immediately witness this uncanny proceeding, squirmed where they stood as they unconsciously realized the depth of this grave. It was then that Dalin recognized the small hill behind the gravesite for what it truly was; not a gently rising hill at all but the displaced earth from the grave dug deeper than any she had ever seen before. Hands covered mouths in shock as the coffin kept going down, six, ten, then twenty feet, maybe more. Those who knew of the recent disturbance to the graves nodded sagely at this great precaution; the Captain would rest in peace. The process of filling the grave began as many hands made light work. Shovels and spades moved the pile of earth back into the hole and in less time than one might have guessed, the enormous wound in the earth was stitched shut. Captain Uriah Ittia was dead and buried, and the jewel that was the object of the companion’s search now lay beneath twenty or more feet of earth, in the honored grave of the beloved war hero. It began to rain softly, just as the cleric nodded to Cordelia that it was time for her eulogy. Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts