Back to the Future II, Track II - No McFly's here Options

[fistandantilus4....]

The old man turns as he walks out the door...

Oh, and Alexander .... beware the shadows.
He walks out and closes the door behind him self.

[Grinder]

Ralo shudders when he sees Morgana getting hit by the second cadaverman. The windling tries to warn the elf, but obviously she doesn't hear him, instead she is concentrating on another attack - the final one, as it turns out.

While Morgana is sitting down and tries to heal herself, Ralo is still up in the air and searches the area for more opponents.

Morgana, are you ok?

[Lady Door]

Coming out of the fog of healing, Morgana hears Ralo's distant voice.
I'm all right. How about you?
Looking around, she finally spots the windling hovering in the air a few yards overhead.
Getting up is still painful, the healing may have knitted the bones together but she was still going to be bruised and sore for the next few days.
At least it's not my sword arm. Morgana tried a few tenative swings of the injured arm. The sudden bloom of pain caused her to grit her teeth and inhale sharply.
Her eyes scanned the area, searching for more enemies, more shadows.
Perception Test

[ Spoiler ]

Per: 15, Step 6, 1d10, Result: 9

Seeing nothing, Morgana moves back to the dead man they first found. Remembering the scroll, she pulls the case from the pocket that holds it. Placing it aside for now, Morgana investigates the body.
What killed this man? Where did he come from?
Uses Evidence Analysis

[ Spoiler ]

Evidence Analysis: Rank 1, Step 7, 1d12, (1) St. Result: 12, re-roll 8, Total: 20

Hmmm, interesting. Perhaps the scroll can give me further information.
Picking up the scroll case, Morgana eyes it warily. Holding it up, she calls out for Ralo.
Ralo, your windling eyes can see the astral far better then I. Tell me, does this case carry any sort of taint?

[fistandantilus4....]

Evidence Analysis

[ Spoiler ]

Then man has been dead for perhaps a day, no more. Probably died last night. From his wounds, he was undoubedtly killed by the cadaver men. The wouunds inflicted suggest that the strugle was brief. The cadaver men were able to get close to him somehow before he was aware of a danger.

His clothes suggest someone from this region, likely a farmer or some such from the vilalges to the north where you're heading. From the wear on his clothers, tear on legs, etc, it looks like the man was in a hurry geting somewhere. AT a guess, liekly running or moving in haste, long before coming upon the cadaver men.

[Grinder]

Suprised by the switfness of Morganas actions, Ralo needs a few moments to realize that the elf has asked him a question.

Astral Sight? Oh, sure, no problem.

[ Spoiler ]

Perception: 15=step 6= d10= 9

[fistandantilus4....]

Astral Sight

[ Spoiler ]

There is no trace of horror touch on the scroll case, or magic. It is however, very clear that is was very important to the person that was carrying it.

[Grinder]

As far as I can see, dear lady, this case has no traces of horror taint on it, but it was very important for our now dead friend. So tell, what is in it?

Ralo flies close to Morgana, nearly landing on her non-injured shoulder.

[Lady Door]

Looking up at Ralo, Morgana nods.
Let's see.
Popping the end cap off of the scrollcase, Morgana slides whatever may be inside out and into her open palm.

[fistandantilus4....]

The rolled scroll is done is simlpe parchment, common to cities like Travar, very expensive where you're headed. The scrall inside is in black ink, by a practiced and skilled hand. Probably one of the few people out here that can afford proper writing untensils, and so decent enough a hand.

To the Lords of The Great City of Travar,

My lords and ladies, I , your servant Lord Archibold Gentrik, humbly beseach your aid. The village of my residencee, Joppstown, to your northwest, is besieged by monsters. The dead are walking and the people are coming under demoninc possession. There is great strife within our community as well, and I fear that it is of supernatural origins.

I shall keep this missive short, as it's sending and urgency are in the most dire circumstancecs, which must speak for them selves. This messenger travels on our only horse, and is our one hope, unless the Passions them selves deliver us from this menace.

Again I beg of you to send aid as quickly as possible. A least one of our neighboring towns has already been lost, and I fear it is our own neighbors that seek to destroy us now, lost in undeath as they are. I fear we have little time left.

Your Humble Servant,
Lord Archibold Gentrik III

[Lady Door]

Morgana reads the message aloud. After she has finished she turns to Ralo.
It looks like somewhere along the way, our messenger here lost his horse... and his life. Do you know where this Joppstown is?

[Grinder]

After reading the message, Ralo takes a deep breath and flies to the ground to sit down.

I don't know how far away this village is, but we need to help those people. After all, we found their only hope for survival - their messenger - dead on the ground.

[Grinder]

Navigation check

[ Spoiler ]

Perception 6 plus Navigatio 3 = step 9 = d8+d6= 5+5= 10.

[Lady Door]

I agree, Ralo. Otherwise, those people would be waiting for help that would never come. I think I remember seeing something about Joppstown on my map. One moment. Morgana pulls the map from her pack, spreading it out on the ground in front of Ralo.
Pointing, she goes on:Here. Joppstown. Near where we're headed. The disappearences... it's looking like it's not the Theran's after all. If we make haste, we should be able to reach them within a day and a half.
Standing, Morgana rolls the map up and replaces it within her scroll case. Looking down at the poor messenger, Morgana sighs.
What of him, Ralo? With the dead returning, leaving his corpse here is dangerous. I would.. suggest a pyre.Morgana's eyes are sad, her voice low.

[Grinder]

Burning is the best thing we can do, I agree. And it's the way we deal with the people of our race who make the final change.

The windling gets up in the air and flies to the next group of tree to collect the first wood for the fire.

[Lady Door]

Nodding, Morgana prepares for the pyre. Gathering wood and underbrush, Morgana helps Ralo build the small pyre.
Within an hour, the pyre is completed. Using a Levitate spell, Morgana places his body onto the branches.
Stepping back, Morgana begins to sing a low, haunting tune. It's old and sung entirely in Sperethiel.
After the song is over, Morgana looks to Ralo.
Is there something your people say at such a time?

[Grinder]

Ralo stays a good distance away from the dead body, while Morgana sings an old elven song.
The windling has his eyes closed and takes a deep breath before he answer to the elf.

No. No, we don't talk much at a funeral. We prefer to tell tales about the gone friend after his body is burned. And we drink a lot of windling wine. But I'm afraid that this neither the time nor the place to do this, so we should delay it until we reach his village.

[Lady Door]

Very well.
Morgana weaves the threads of the Ignite spell, catching the kindling and underbrush on fire, watching as the rest catches quickly. Soon the pyre blazes, the body barely discernible. In less then half an hour, the pyre has burnt through most of the fuel and the body is little more then ash and bone.
Morgana stands with her hand on the reins of her horse. Looking up at Ralo;
We should cover the embers to stop the fire from spreading.
Moving to the fire, Morgana covers the pyre with dirt and dust. Soon she's covered from head to toe in soot.
Coughing, she weaves another spell. A silver light appears around Morgana and a moment later she stands there as before, but completely clean.
We should hurry then. We shouldn't stay in a place like this.

[Grinder]

Yes, lets get away from this place that is tainted by Death.

[Lady Door]

I'll ride fast, Ralo. It might be better for you to ride with me. Swinging up on the horse, Morgana waits for Ralo to make himself comfortable and then spurs the horse to the east, towards Joppstown.

[Grinder]

I never intended to fly the whole way, dear Lady!

Ralo takes place on the bedroll that is stripped on the horses back.

[fistandantilus4....]

Ralo and Morgana ride hard through the night, the cool air giving the horse strength to continue on it would not normally have. They water in the morning, giving the horse a few hours of much needed rest, then ride on again. Both are to worn by the hard ride to bother with such niceities as conversation.

Soon enough they are off again, alternating between fast trots, walking, riding hard, walking, and fast trots. That way the horse will last the longest. They ride on long in to the night, following Ralo's directions to Joppstown.

What they find is un real.

Joppstown is there, just as it should be. The people are not. There is not one living soul to be found. Neither are there dead. Here and there the occassional pool or streak of blood marrs the green. A broken door, or farm tool turned weapon lies broken. Animals move about the village, mostly chickens and ravens. Not even the scavenger birds have anything to eat here. But even they sense death.

[Grinder]

As soon as the village comes in sight, Ralo leaves the horses and flies high in the air to get a better overview. He readies his bow and is looking for hidden name-givers.

[ Spoiler ]

Perception: 4. Great.

I'm afraid we won't get any funeral celebration here, dear Morgana.

[Lady Door]

We're too late... Morgana whispers, eyes searching the village for some sign of life. Slipping from her horse, Morgana weaves the spell Astral Sense.

[ Spoiler ]

Astral Sense: Allows the wizard to sense presences in astral space.
(2) Threads, 5/15, Effect: Willf+6, Duration: 12 rounds.

Thread Weaving Test

[ Spoiler ]

Wizardry T/Weaving: Rank 2, Step 8, 2d6, Result: 5,4 (9)

Spellcasting Test

[ Spoiler ]

Spellcasting: Rank 4, Step 10, d10+d6, Result: 9,2 (11)

Astral Sense Effect Test

[ Spoiler ]

Willf+6: Step 24, d20+d12+d10, Result: 10, 12, re-roll 4, 7 (33)

[fistandantilus4....]

Morgana shifts her senses to the astral through her wizardry abilities, then wishes she hadn't. The astral ehre is most definitely tainted. Horror constructs have been here. Death, pain, betrayal , sorrow, and hopelessness have been here.

At a fast pacec on the horse, it would take a day and a half here. There was no sign of the messenger's horse, so he may have taken two or three days to get to where he was. He had been there a day, so it could have been up to 5 days sincec the missive was sent. In that time, something horrible took the people of this village. It's impossible to say how many, if any, of them are alive still.

[Lady Door]

Tears streak down Morgana's face. I heard the stories, I have even seen the effect of the Horrors, but this... this is beyond anything I could have imagined. I think I'm beginning to understand. I'm beginning to know what he meant. Master, I wish you were here. For a moment all she can do is lie her cheek against her saddle. In a moment, she's regained her composure enough to look around.
Whispering into her horse's ear, Morgana slips the reins loosely around a post.
Stay, Hati. Be watchful.
Carefully she begins to makes her way across the village.
Ralo, the scroll obviously was sent by the lord of this village, or perhaps their official. He was obviously literate. If we can find his home, we might find some kind of journal or diary that can tell us more of that happened. Can you see anything from your height?