65: Excellent deduction, but does it account for the demon wolf?

[Ebiris]

[12:04] <@Ebiris> Having prevailed over the necromancer and fled the lighthouse of horrors, the three irregulars nonetheless must count the cost of their attack in terms of grevious wounds suffered, not a one of them unscathed in the fierce fighting over this undead stronghold! For all that their victory may yet be a phyrric one as their retreat is harried by the two fierce black skeletons. One lies fallen at Val's feet, tripped by a thorny vine yet already working to right itself, while the other is hot on Rudy's heels as he flees into the forest with Lucie not far behind Henrietta and her dog!
[12:06] <@Ebiris> OOC: it is Lucie's turn
[12:07] * @Lucie follows Henri into the woods, taking a whack at the fallen skeleton as she retreats.
[12:08] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+5
[12:08] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+5 and gets 14." [1d20=9]
[12:08] <@Ebiris> Even though the skeleton is down, it still twists aside to avoid Lucie's descending mace with unusual alacrity!
[12:08] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rudy
[12:12] <@Rudy> Rudy tumbles away from the skeleton right next to him, only then to bring about a quickening enchantment upon himself and his friends!
[12:12] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+10 tumble vs. enemy CMD
[12:12] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+10 tumble vs. enemy CMD and gets 24." [1d20=14]
[12:13] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+11 knowledge: I should'vedonethisawhileago!
[12:13] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+11 knowledge: I should'vedonethisawhileago! and gets 31." [1d20=20]
[12:13] -> *Lucie* The black skeletons are cursed by the taint of lycanthropy. While the wild powers of their wolven halves only go so far as the flesh which has long since gone, the monstrous curse has sunk deep into their very bones. Their strikes rob strength from the living in a futile attempt to regain the warped vitality they had in life, and their cursed bones can only be harmed by bludgeoning weapons shod with silver. With their hate for the living and hunter's instincts, a glance can send the weak-willed fleeing as though the pack were nipping at their heels.
[12:13] <@Ebiris> OOC: pass, Rudy
[12:14] <@Rudy> OOC: I'll move 15 feet away, not be adjacent to the prone skeleton, and cast haste on us all
[12:14] <@Ebiris> Rudy tumbles away safely and casts his spell to quicken his comrades! But he's still close enough for the skeleton that was chasing him to run in for another swipe!
[12:14] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+12
[12:14] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+12 and gets 17." [1d20=5]
[12:14] <@Ebiris> OOC: AC?
[12:14] <@Rudy> OOC: safe!
[12:14] <@Rudy> OOC: 22
[12:15] <@Ebiris> But for all it's uncanny speed, Rudy's new enchantment puts him more than up to the task of dodging aside! The other skeleton meanwhile spears Val a terrible glare, its eyes shining with green corpselight as it pushes itself upright.
[12:15] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+3 will
[12:15] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 will and gets 19." [1d20=16]
[12:16] <@Ebiris> But Val only growls back even more fiercely, unbowed!
[12:16] <@Ebiris> OOC: AoOs for Val and Lucie
[12:16] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 Val
[12:16] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+5 Val and gets 6." [1d20=1]
[12:16] <@Lucie> "I think I've read about these!" Lucie shouts to her companions as she runs along. "Lycanthropic skeletons! We won't hurt them without silver!" Of course, this doesn't stop her from taking a free swing at the monster.
[12:16] <@Lucie> roll 1d20+5
[12:16] * +Hatbot --> "Lucie rolls 1d20+5 and gets 15." [1d20=10]
[12:17] <@Henrietta> "That's-- that's cheating!" Henrietta exclaims.
[12:17] <@Ebiris> Lucie's mace is batted aside with a negligent backhand as the skeleton gets to its feat, still focusing on the dog that nips at its heels!
[12:17] <@Ebiris> OOC: Henri
[12:18] <@Rudy> "They don't look like wererats!" protests Rudy, still scrabbling to get away from the thing persuing him!
[12:18] <@Henrietta> "Val! We are retreating!" After calling over to her dog and gesturing back the way they came upon getting his attention, Henrietta runs away!
[12:19] <@Ebiris> Val barks and turns, fleeing after Henrietta!
[12:19] <@Ebiris> OOC: withdrawing. Lucie?
[12:19] * @Lucie carefully disengages from combat and follows Henri in her flight into the woods.
[12:20] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rudy
[12:21] <@Rudy> Rudy hardly wants to stick around, and follows Lucie's cue! He swiftly departs the field in a blur of black!
[12:21] <@Ebiris> The skeletons aren't shy about running after the group, but for all their unliving speed they're left in the dust by the enchanted steps of the Irregulars!
[12:21] <@Ebiris> OOC: Henri
[12:23] * @Henrietta remembers the way they took and follows it back as swiftly as she is able to! Val will surely nudge her back on the right track if she missteps!
[12:28] <@Ebiris> Val runs after Henrietta, tongue lolling out as the dog bounds away into the night!
[12:28] <@Ebiris> OOC: Lucie
[12:29] * @Lucie continues running at full speed to escape their unliving pursuers.
[12:29] <@Ebiris> OOC: Rudy
[12:30] <@Rudy> Rudy continues to retreat, but dispatches an orb of light to harass their pursuers from above!
[12:30] <@Rudy> OOC: not going to hang around to see results, want to roll it out y/n?
[12:31] <@Ebiris> OOC: no
[12:32] <@Ebiris> The light is left behind to deal with the skeletons, who slow down and give up pursuit in the face of this uncanny speed and a new distraction. All that matters to the group now is running away and leaving the damned dead to their business, whatever it may be! Though Rudy's spell doesn't even last a minute, plenty of ground is gained in that time. There's no sign of further immediate pursuit, at least?
[12:32] <@Ebiris> OOC: free act. Going to keep running back to town?
[12:33] <@Lucie> OOC: damn straight!
[12:33] <@Rudy> OOC: Probably slow to a jog, since sprinting is hard? But yeah
[12:33] <@Henrietta> OOC: L-chan is there~! With fresh spells!
[12:34] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[12:34] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d100 and gets 17." [1d100=17]
[12:39] <@Ebiris> The journey back to Lessmus is a long and tiring one for the badly weakened and beaten heroes, to say nothing of the issues in fumbling through the dark under the trees. Though the risk of light attracting further trouble outweighs this concern. At least once the woods are left then the light from the stars and moons is enough to see by. It must be near enough midnight when the group finally comes out of the pass and into the crescent-shaped village against the lakeshore. All is dark out except for some dim light in one of the mansion's windows, but Liamae is seen on the dock with her telescope looking up into the stars. Of note the lighthouse is visible from the town, off in the distance on the cliffs overhanging the lake. With the darkness, though, the only reason it's visible is the presence of glowing patterns of multi-coloured light radiating from it.
[12:40] * @Lucie glares at the far-off tower. "Better not be resurrecting their little army out there. Can they do that with a zombie once we've knocked it down once already?"
[12:41] <@Rudy> Rudy stumbles towards the dock, clothes all torn and shredded, but, thankfully, not quite dripping blood anymore. "Hi there, stranger," he grunts, approaching behind Liamae. "See anything interesting out there?"
[12:41] <@Henrietta> Shuddering, Henrietta follows Rudy to Liamae, mentally swearing not to leave her behind again, ever. For any reason.
[12:43] <@Ebiris> "About time you got-" Liamae begins as she takes her eyes off her telescope and turns around, stopping as she just looks at the horrible state everyone's in. "What the hell happened out there? That guy didn't look that tough!"
[12:44] * @Lucie duly rattles off the lists of offenders. "Skeletons. Zombies. Wereskeletons."
[12:44] <@Henrietta> "He was working for a horribly creepy person that reanimated two dozen corpses and gave them names and two of them were his girlfriends and nothing we did hurt them!"
[12:45] <@Ebiris> The sorceress listens to all of that with rapidly rising eyebrows. "Wereskeletons? Girlfriends?" she repeats numbly.
[12:46] <@Rudy> "He gave them all women's names," replies Rudy. "Like anyone can tell the gender of a skeleton."
[12:46] <@Henrietta> "The same ones! Alice and Sarah!" Henrietta responds, wringing her hands. "We won, but we had to run from those two!"
[12:47] * @Lucie points to the tower. "I'd guess whatever's left is still up there. I know someone was still in the tower sniping at us when we left. Think the wizard himself's pretty damn dead, though."
[12:48] * @Henrietta clutches Liamae'a hands. "Please don't stay behind to guard the horses again ever!"
[12:49] * @Lucie rubs her forehead. "I guess we'll have to go back and finish them off sometime, but I'm gonna need to sleep a couple days first."
[12:51] <@Ebiris> "Attacking to the rear, huh?" Liamae asks doubtfully. "Listen, how about... oh, that tower?" she blinks and looks over to the haunted lighthouse. "I noticed the lightshow out there when the sun went down. Teo said the place was haunted, something about a shipwreck." At Henrietta's pleading she nods, if seeming to have trouble keeping up. "We'll leave the horses behind when we go out looking for trouble, then. Listen, though, I've spoken to Lady Esmerelle, we've got a suite in her mansion. How about we go in and get some food and rest, we can plan something in the morning?"
[12:51] <@Lucie> "Yes."
[12:52] <@Rudy> "Yeah, look, I could sleep for maybe a week?" replies Rudy, wincing. "And does this place ahve any healers? I swear I'm leaking blood with every other step."
[12:53] <@Henrietta> Now that she is safe, Henrietta reflects on how ironic it is that with all the undead and the necromancer, the ones who dealt the most horrific wounds to them were actually the archers.
[12:53] <@Lucie> "Love to, Rudy, but I don't want to give them too much time to recover either."
[12:53] <@Ebiris> Liamae shakes her head. "That temple there's been decrepit for decades, and the apothecary's been gone a while, too," she explains, going to pack up her telescope stand for carrying before she leads the way up to the mansion.
[12:54] <@Rudy> "You think the necromancer's gonna come back from the dead?" asks Rudy, uneasily. "They can do that?"
[12:54] <@Henrietta> "Maybe there were two of them!"
[12:54] <@Lucie> "I dunno, maybe? But damned if I want to give them the chance."
[12:54] <@Rudy> "That's not fair! Can't you learn how to do that?"
[12:55] <@Lucie> "Well, that's kind of my goal in life, I don't know about you guys."
[12:55] <@Henrietta> "I very much do not want to," Henrietta asserts, counter to Lucie.
[12:56] <@Ebiris> "If he knows a priest powerful enough to call him back, maybe?" Liamae shrugs as she heads up the hill, taking a path into the mansion's garden rather than going to the front door. "Back door's left open," she explains.
[12:57] * @Lucie nods. "Anything left in that old temple?" Lucie wonders as they walk.
[12:57] * @Rudy trudges inside, shivering. "Why don't we know any priests who can do that?" he mutters. "It's a serious thing we've neglected."
[12:59] <@Ebiris> "Don't know. We can take a look around tomorrow if you want?" Liamae suggests. To Rudy's complaint she shakes her head, "Karkus is great for it, when he's around." The back door leads into a large kitchen and pantry, a big pot of stew left over a smouldering fire. "The cook left some stew out for when you guys came back, it should still be good," she points out the pot.
[12:59] * @Lucie wasts no time in finding a bowl and a ladle and filling up the former via the latter! After a whole day of traipsing through the forest, her stomach is practically consuming itself.
[13:00] <@Henrietta> Feeding Val after their horrible experiences is the least Henrietta can do for him, and once he is thus taken care off she gets some of the stew for herself as well.
[13:01] <@Rudy> Rudy isn't quite sure anything he eats will make it the whole way, but it still seems like a mighty good idea to settle down with a bowl. "How did you find the Lady?"
[13:03] <@Ebiris> It's a hearty mutton stew with onions, carrots, and mushrooms. Not fine cuisine but very filling, and it settles warmly in everyone's stomachs. Val certainly licks his plate clean and wags his tail with more zest afterwards. "Better be quiet as we go upstairs," Liamae cautions, "The Lady's nice and all, but her maid is a real dragon. Don't want to wake anyone up." Indeed her voice is pitched low as she takes a candle and lights it on the embers under the cookpot before opening a door to a hallway with stairs up. "We'll talk more in the suite."
[13:04] * @Lucie is likely to pass out the moment she settles onto a bed, but nods anyway.
[13:04] <@Rudy> Rudy might not even make it that far, but he tries!
[13:05] * @Henrietta might be beaten up and in pain, but she certainly has the strength to follow Liamae up and support anyone who might be stumbling along the way!
[13:06] <@Ebiris> The trip through the mansion is therefore quiet. Curtained windows and old paintings passed as the hallways are traversed before coming into a well sized sitting room with a few paintings and a map of the surrounding area placed on the table near a lowly burning fireplace. There's two adjoining bedrooms, one boasting a soft looking double bed and the other holding two more plain single beds. "You all look like death warmed over. Probably better to talk in the morning," Liamae comments once all in.
[13:07] * @Henrietta agrees with that sentiment, although she can certainly spare a bit of energy on Prestidigitation to look and feel presentable and sleep in a clean bed.
[13:08] * @Lucie walks to the double bed with a proprietary air, then collapses onto it. She spares a grunt of confirmation for Liamae at least.
[13:09] <@Rudy> Rudy falls onto one of the single beds, willing to sleep in his clothes. It doesn't take long, that's for sure.
[13:09] <@Ebiris> Liamae seems willing to let Henrietta take first pick of what's left by how she expectantly waits up.
[13:12] * @Henrietta looks between her choices, before smiling at Liamae and giving up the softer of the beds for the plain single.
[13:13] <@Ebiris> Liamae wrinkles her nose a bit before gingerly getting into the softer bed with the dirty, bloody, and horn wearing Lucie.
[13:15] <@Ebiris> The night passes peacefully enough until dawn when a figure bustles into the room with a serving trolley full of porridge and jam-covered bread. "What's this? Everyone planning to sleep the day away while guests in my lady's home? The youth of today!" she sniffs indignantly, her voice pitched quite loud and piercing everyone's dreams...
[13:16] <@Rudy> Rudy wakes up with a sudden shout, clutching at his chest and breathing wildly!
[13:16] <@Henrietta> Her nightmares of fighting the unkillable skeletons shattered in such a manner, Henrietta is halfway through drawing her flail before she realizes where she is!
[13:17] * @Lucie raises her head just enough to focus her bloodshot eyes on this intruder and offer her a glare implicit with the threat of violence.
[13:19] <@Ebiris> Much better rested than anyone else, Liamae at least gets out of bed, for all that her hair is mussed and she's in her nightgown. "Good morning, Miss LeHugh," she greets the maid of advancing years, the pinch-faced and grey-haired woman just past middle age sniffing at Liamae and ignoring the theatrics of everyone else.
[13:19] <@Ebiris> "That's Ms LeHugh, young lady," she retorts. "I see your wayward companions have returned, and I certainly hope they're better mannered when presenting themselves to my Lady."
[13:20] <@Ebiris> Val starts to growl at Mis LeHugh only to be suddenly cowed by a sharp look.
[13:20] * @Lucie takes her hat off for the first time in probably too long and runs a hand through her hair. Probably not a good idea to meet the local authorities looking like some mad wilderness prophet.
[13:20] * Quits: @Rudy (~Madeline@c58-107-165-19.eburwd8.vic.optusnet.com.au) (Ping timeout)
[13:21] <@Henrietta> "I can scarcely believe it!" Henrietta exclaims. "Even the unkillable skeletons could not cow Val so! Tell me, Ms LeHugh, have you tried your hand at adventuring and slaying the undead monstrosities?"
[13:22] * Joins: Madeline (~Carthrat@c58-107-165-19.eburwd8.vic.optusnet.com.au)
[13:22] * Madeline is now known as Rudy
[13:23] <@Ebiris> "Hmph. Dogs need to know their place and not go growling and perfectly respectable ladies," the maid sniffs as Val whimpers and hides behind Henrietta's legs, tail between his legs. "Adventuring? That's no respectable position in life, now, is it?"
[13:23] <Rudy> "You ever hear of a maid who got a dinner thrown for her mighty deeds fo cleaning?"
[13:24] <@Henrietta> "It is the most valorous profession in the world!" Henrietta insists, dusting off her hat and putting it on.
[13:24] <@Lucie> "Well, some people in this room were busy trying to cleanse the town of an undead menace, and other people weren't," is Lucie's flat response.
[13:25] <@Ebiris> "Quite so, young lady," the maid nods to Henrietta, "That's the problem with your like," she turns a venomous look on Lucie and Rudy, "Too focused on grabbing the glory and forgetting that it's the support of hard-working and industrious people of respect and dignity that make civilisation work."
[13:26] <@Ebiris> Liamae seems content to ignore the maid's ramblings for now, conjuring an invisible servant to help her get dressed and brush her hair.
[13:26] * @Lucie decides she's more interested in wolfing down toast than in having arguments with ungrateful servants.
[13:26] <@Henrietta> Amused now, Henrietta slips away to likewise make herself presentable with the aid of her own magic.
[13:27] <@Ebiris> "I'll leave you to your repast, then," Ms Lehugh nods primly, departing and closing the door behind her, the hearty breakfast left for consumption.
[13:28] * @Lucie will at least apply a Mending to erase what rips and tears their battle and forest flight might have incurred on her wardrobe, but cleanliness is sadly beyond her magical prowess!
[13:29] <Rudy> "If my maid was like that..." mutters Rudy, wincing at his wounds. "I just want a washcloth and a nice meal, not a daily dressing down, you know?"
[13:29] <@Henrietta> "Was there some problem when you met the Lady?" Henrietta inquires, getting Liamae a bowl of porridge and some of the bread. Rudy is next, and then she treats herself last.
[13:30] <@Ebiris> After being dressed, Liamae goes to take a seat in one of the plush chairs near the fire, her servant procuring food and delivering it to her. "She's not our maid, though. I bet she acts differently around Lady Esmerelle," Liamae points out. "Oh yeah, Miss LeHugh was all about throwing me out, saying I was a trickster and a fraud up to no good. But Lady Esmerelle knows her Lord's seal... former Lord now, I suppose. It's all good, uppity maids aside."
[13:32] <Rudy> Rudy nods some thanks before tucking into the meal. "Anyway, those things last night were a real menace. Since we killed the guy who made them, though, you think they might all just break away or something?"
[13:32] <@Henrietta> "I never heard of wereskeletons before, so I am entirely stumped on the matter," Henrietta admits, starting on her own food.
[13:33] * @Lucie shrugs. "Fact is that there was someone left in that tower. Might've just been another local flunky, since they were shooting arrows and not spells, but I can't ignore the possibility that someone could pick up where that wizard left off."
[13:34] <@Ebiris> "Well the lightshow was still going even with the wizard dead, so that's something. What do you think that's all about, anyway?" Liamae asks, curiously leaning towards the others.
[13:34] <Rudy> "Well.. it's a lighthouse. I figure it's some kind of signal? Maybe not to ships, though."
[13:35] <@Lucie> "Figure we should see about getting some weapons with a silver edge before we go back up there, just in case." She looks to Liamae. "Seem like there's anyone in town who could set us up with that?" She sounds skeptical, given their rustic surroundings, but it doesn't hurt to ask.
[13:36] <@Ebiris> "I don't know," Liamae shakes her head. "There's a trader working in the same building as the tavern, but I don't know how the selection is. Worst case we find some silver jewellery - can anyone forge metal here?"
[13:37] <@Henrietta> "Magic might still do the trick, if we do not have to waste it first on the minions?" Henrietta suggests. "As for what I think this is about, is it not most likely that these necromancers have been abducting people from town and then turning them into their undead slaves?"
[13:37] <Rudy> "Not me, sorry," replies Rudy. "They've got to have a smith around somewhere, a place out this far would need to make its own nails and stuff."
[13:38] * @Lucie shakes her head. "Never had a reason to learn. We picked up a lot of jewelry back in the swamp, right? Maybe someone local could melt that down and lace our weapons with it."
[13:38] <@Ebiris> "Oh, good point!" Liamae nods at Lucie's suggestion. "We can look around for that today as well as checking out the temple, then?"
[13:39] <@Lucie> "Sure thing," Lucie says before finishing off her bread and jam.
[13:40] <Rudy> "I kind of just want to nap," replies Rudy, grimacing. "Maid or not, I ain't good for anything like this."
[13:41] * @Lucie stretches, winces at the soreness all over her body. "Don't have to head out today if we're not ready for it. I'm not sure I am."
[13:43] <@Ebiris> "I can handle that stuff myself if you guys like," Liamae offers. "You probably do need the rest."
[13:43] <Rudy> "You're a wonder, right? Hey, can you pack any spells good against undead freaks?"
[13:44] <@Ebiris> "Fire and acid?" Liamae hazards. "Those work on most things. I can make someone stronger so they hit harder, too. All the better to break bones, right?"
[13:45] <Rudy> "My elementals are pretty strong, but they barely made a dent," admits Rudy. "Better stick with the burning."
[13:45] <@Lucie> "When all else fails, use fire," Lucie confirms.
[13:46] <@Ebiris> "Okay. Want me to introduce you to our host before anything else? The maid's right, it would be rude not to while we're staying in her home. And she seems decent," Liamae suggests, handing her plate to the servant which deposits it on the trolley for her.
[13:47] <@Henrietta> "We really should greet her and thank her for her hospitality," Henrietta agrees. "Please, would you?"
[13:47] <Rudy> "Sure, I don't wanna be rude unless it's thrown at me first. What's her official title?"
[13:47] <@Lucie> "Yeah. Wouldn't have minded a hot bath first before seeing anyone important, but I guess she's been waiting plenty already."
[13:48] <@Ebiris> "Dame," Liamae supplies, "Lowest of the low, but still higher than us," she adds cheerfully. "I can clean you up a bit and leave my servant behind to draw baths or anything else you need. He doesn't give any lip!"
[13:49] * @Lucie won't resist if Liamae wants to help her out. "Your servant?"
[13:49] <Rudy> "I could go for a bath. I'm totally disgusting," replies Rudy. "Geez, I even slept in it. My coat's totally ruined..."
[13:50] <Rudy> "But, that's okay! Because I brought a spare," he adds, brightly.
[13:51] <@Ebiris> "The invisible one... wait, huh. It dissipates if I go too far away. Sorry that won't work, guess you'll have to rely on Miss Lehugh," Liamae makes a face. "Oh well, I'll help make you all presentable before we go out," she nods and casts prestidigitation, approaching Rudy first.
[13:53] <@Henrietta> Already as clean as she can get, Henrietta decides to help out by offering her aid to Lucie.
[13:54] * @Lucie is grateful for anything that helps her look less like some filthy backwoods peasant, and sits still.
[13:55] <Rudy> Rudy puts down his cutlery, and relaxes. What could go wrong with magic?
[14:00] <@Ebiris> Once everyone's made somewhat presentable by Liamae and Henrietta's grabby hands, the group troops out through the mansion, finding Lady Esmerelle in a study at the rear of the mansion, sitting by the window overlooking the hills outside of the village. She rises upon hearing new arrivals, looking to be a woman just past her prime but further aged beyond her years as evidenced by the grey streaks in her chestnut hair and the drawn expression on her face. She wears a dress more suiting a down on their luck merchant than a noblewoman, evidence of frequent darning and repairs visible on its dark blue surface. "Good morning, Miss Tesakaria," she greets the dark-skinned sorceress with a wan smile, "Are these the companions you told me about last night?"
[14:01] <@Ebiris> "Yes, these are Rudy Giacomo, Henrietta Ul Copt, and Lucie Dolan," Liamae introduces everyone, bowing briefly. "All are retainers of Baroness Vanderboren as I am, and here to look after her new interest in these lands."
[14:02] * @Henrietta offers a bow of her own as her name is mentioned, saying as she straightens up, "It is an honor, Dame Esmerelle."
[14:02] <Rudy> "We've made some headway in dealing with a nearby necromancer as it is," continues Rudy, with a respectful bow. "After we've recovered, we'll put an end to the rest of those unnatural things."
[14:02] * @Lucie may as well bow in turn, as it seems the thing to do.
[14:03] <@Ebiris> "Necromancer?" the Dame's eyes widen as she looks at Rudy. "What is this? I've never heard of such a thing!"
[14:04] <@Lucie> "It wasn't what we expected to find either, Dame Esmerelle," Lucie says. "We met a suspicious forester on our way to town and pursued him to the lighthouse over yonder."
[14:05] <Rudy> "We found a not-inconsiderable band of zombies and skeletons present there. Most likely, the remains of the vanished villagers," adds Rudy, regretfully.
[14:07] <@Ebiris> "Oh, no... but what of my brother? And the demon wolf that took him, and our forebears before him?" Esmerelle asks, steadying herself on the back of the nearby chair. "Are you saying this was all the work of a necromancer?"
[14:09] <@Lucie> "We don't know for certain. Injuries forced us to retreat before we could explore the fiend's abode. It's possible answers wait there still."
[14:11] <@Henrietta> "A necromancer was involved, Dame Esmerelle," Henrietta adds. "That we know for certain. But not the entire story. We heard that the lighthouse is considered cursed? Did this, perchance, happen around the same time as the abductions started?"
[14:16] <@Ebiris> "Surviving is surely mercy enough," the noblewoman shakes her head, her country accent thickening as the conversation goes on. "As if our village wasn't troubled enough... Lord DeWynter never paid us any consideration. I'm glad Lady Vanderboren is different. If there's anything I can do to help you in solving this." To Henrietta's question she straightens, "No. The lighthouse has a very troubled history. It was built by Regent Helena during the golden age, but it was slighted scant decades later in an earthquake. There wasn't the will or the money to repair it, and a year later the Fallen Angel ran aground on the rocks nearby, with the loss of all hands. Ever since then it's supposedly been haunted by the ghosts of vengeful sailors that would have been saved by it if it were operational. That's been the story since before my grandparent's time."
[14:18] <Rudy> "Don't know about ghosts, but it's definitely still occupied," replies Rudy. "Hey, I definitely think everything's related, though. Lucie, what were those skeletons called again?"
[14:20] * Joins: Kallen (~Madeline@c58-107-165-19.eburwd8.vic.optusnet.com.au)
[14:20] <@Lucie> "I would guess the necromancer was relying on that story to keep anyone from nosing around once he set up shop there," Lucie speculates. "I don't recall if they had a proper name, Rudy, but they carried the taint of lycanthropy...and as to that, Dame Esmerelle, it would be a help if we were to assault them with weapons shod in silver." She rests a hand on the mace at her side. "Is there a smith
[14:20] <@Lucie> in town skilled enough to arrange this for us?"
[14:20] <Rudy> "Lycanthropy, right? Like, werewolves?"
[14:20] <@Lucie> "Yes."
[14:21] <@Henrietta> "Which are another name for demon wolves? That is what you are thinking, Rudy?"
[14:23] <@Ebiris> "Gouldon Bittenfeld, the town trader has a small smithy, although I can't vouch for his skill with weapons. But I know what I saw - the wolf that took my brother was no skeleton, nor did it walk on two legs like a man. It was exactly like the story of the one that took one of our line in every generation before now," she insists with quiet fierceness.
[14:24] <@Lucie> "There are still unanswered questions," Lucie admits. "But at least we have an idea where the answers are."
[14:32] <@Ebiris> With that everyone retires once more, bathing and sleeping as they see fit while Liamae goes out like a woman on a mission. It's a few hours later when she comes back, just in time for lunch of oatcakes and apples. "Okay, first thing? That smith's pretty crappy. I walked in on him having an argument with one of his customers about a dagger that came right out of its hilt. He seemed confident about making silver-shod weapons if we provided the silver, said it was because that dagger was a job with poor materials, but I don't know if I buy it. Up to you if you want to risk your weapons and money. As for the church? They've got a crypt full of old bodies underneath there, looks like cremation never caught on out here. Couldn't find much useful or valuable there either, but the whole place felt really creepy, like I was being watched the entire time I was there. Made my skin crawl."
[14:33] <@Henrietta> "Perhaps we should return and cremate the bodies?" Henrietta suggests, feeling rested enough to try it now.
[14:35] <@Ebiris> "Might offend people," Liamae cautions, "All the VanGaunts that weren't taken in mysterious circumstances are interred there, too. Lady Esmerelle might not be keen on it."
[14:35] <@Lucie> "Don't think I was doing as much as denting those skeletons last night," Lucie says. "Think it's worth a try. Weapons like mine are cheap anyway. Shame to waste the jewelry, but better my money than my life."
[14:36] <@Ebiris> "Well, I'll go back and do that for your mace, then. Might have it ready by tomorrow if we're lucky and we can head out then?" Liamae offers.
[14:36] <@Henrietta> "I will rely on my magic," Henrietta says, cradling her flail to her chest. "Certainly, I would not risk destroying my weapon!"
[14:36] <@Lucie> "And if none of those stiffs got up and took a swipe at you, Liamae, it's probably just your paranoia talking. Anyone'd feel like that walking alone through a crypt, right? I don't think it's a problem as long as no necromancer's get it in there...and they seem to like staying out of town."
[14:37] * @Lucie nods to Liamae's offer.
[14:38] <Rudy> "Take a while to make enough bolts for me. I'll just throw out monsters to get in their way," supplies Rudy.
[14:38] <@Ebiris> "Okay, I'll be back in a bit," Liamae finishes off an oatcake and dusts her hands. "Rest up well, everyone..."
[14:38] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
[14:38] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 and gets 24." [1d20=18]
[14:41] <@Ebiris> The sorceress returns shortly without incidence and the rest of the night passes peacefully...
[14:45] <@Ebiris> The following day everyone gets up early enough to avoid more than a dismissive look from the maid before setting off. Fortunately the trader was as good as his word, providing a hefty silver-plated mace to Lucie that seems to function just as well as her old mace, feeling sturdy enough in her hands.
[14:45] <Rudy> Rudy summons Myra shortly after they depart, and bestows a few restorative spells on her for good measure...
[14:45] <Rudy> roll 1d10+5
[14:45] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d10+5 and gets 14." [1d10=9]
[14:47] * @Henrietta holds off on casting any of her own defensive magics until they are at least halfway through the forest towards the lighthouse.
[14:49] <@Ebiris> roll 1d100
[14:49] * +Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d100 and gets 47." [1d100=47]
[14:49] * @Lucie will follow suit! It might be a long day, she'll wait until they're within an hour or so of the tower to put up any arcane protection. Until then, she'll just don the rarely-used set of leather armor gathering dust in her pack.
[14:51] <@Ebiris> Mercifully the trip out to the lighthouse is uninterrupted, allowing the group to cast spells at their leisure in advance. Finally getting near the outcrop on which it rests, they find the vegetation at last calmed down after Henrietta's rousing of it, though no sign of their former prisoner in evidence.
[14:51] <@Henrietta> roll 1d10+5
[14:51] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d10+5 and gets 11." [1d10=6]
[14:51] * @Lucie summons her armor of stars before going any further.
[14:52] <@Lucie> "How do we want to do this?" Lucie asks her companions. "Just walk on out? There's a ways between the treeline and the tower. Could be trouble if that archer's watching for us."
[14:52] <Rudy> Rudy pulls up a shield for both himself and Myra, then readies his crossbow. "I'll go sneak up and see if there's anything out there still," he remarks, creeping to the outcrop and peering over.
[14:53] <Rudy> roll 1d20+10 stealthings?
[14:53] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+10 stealthings? and gets 17." [1d20=7]
[14:53] <@Henrietta> "How unfortunate," Henrietta remarks. But she supposes it was bound to happen. "If Rudy finds nothing," she then answers Lucie, "then we can draw attention towards his summoned beasts?"