"Unless one of you has that sort of magic right now, I'd imagine we would need to go into town to put some sort of warding spell on the box. I would see if there's a carriage or faster transport we can rent to the Trench. Those things don't seem very fast so if we can just stay ahead of them I think it'll be best."Dvark's expression sours as he continues"and if it's all the same to you if like to avoid getting into the city as much as possible. The... The plague isn't something we want to get entangled in and IV it's spread so deep into Vortesso, I doubt Erdelun is safe either." a shiver seems to run up Dvark at as he discusses the plague
Cob shakes his head when Dvark mentions what magic they posses already.
"I tend to know how to play with people's emotions," Cob says. "I'm an adequate fiddle player, but sometimes a performance needs a little extra juice to put it over the edge. Hiding magical boxes isn't my thing."
As he speaks, the spectral hand does it's best to snag another card from Drexon as he shuffles.
"Moving quickly is probably our best bet. Avoid the sickness and anyone trying to get the box. I'd prefer to stay out of the city to have access to weapons and magic, but any transport would likely be based out of the city." Eremoz begins bouncing his leather ball off the opposite wall.
Drexon shakes his head, “No such box hiding magic here either, I am afraid”.
“So, we want to get a carriage so we can outrun the creatures. I wonder if Gustaf will have a suggestion for that, he seems to know the city well. There may even be a place at the station itself”, he says.
After he speaks, he whispers some words of magic and a second spectral hand appears and gently bats away the first.
As chance would have it i am currently researching magic that hides properties of objects and people. I havent quite figrued it out yet, but im close. Currently i possess the magic to make it appear more or less valuable.
Cob smiles broadly at the appearance of the second hand. He nods his head and salutes Drexon.
"As good as that meal was in the dining car, I'll need to eat again at some point," Cob says.
He holds up his small travel pack.
"Not much in here but a book, some paper and some writing tools," Cob says then adds. "I for one will have to pick up some provisions before we leave. Though I might be able to get those at the station."
The original spectral hand stops pulling at the cards and instead now looks like a hand want to shake another hand.
As you relax in your cabin and talk with each other, the train passes the city of Westhill and Burendal. The train slows a little bit at each station, allowing you to see that the stations are packed with people. It seems that the evacuees from Vortesso have been crowding the station for a chance to return to the city or perhaps for more information on the incursion. When the train passes Daragonwan, and Barai Dunne, the crowd in the stations begins to let out.
"Ladies, gentlemen, and gentlepeople, we are at the half-point of our journey," a voice echoes through the carriage. "A message from the Barai Dunne station manager: the recent general alert and evacuation notices have been taken down. The aid from the wyvern riders of Timaril has expedited the process of reaffirming the safety of the cities. However, all passengers are encouraged to remain vigilant for the next few days as routines and services return to normal."
Drexon’s spectral gives the other a small fist bump before disappearing.
”It won’t be long before we arrive at the station now I expect. Let’s try and get some answers before we arrive. Bastion should know if we can get supplies and charter a carriage from the station”.
He gets up and wanders across to the cabin, reaching out and pressing the button to summon Bastion.
Drexon, you press the button on the outside of the cabin and wait. A moment passes. Another. A minute. Five minutes. Bastian still hasn't come.
Ten minutes pass since you press the button and you feel the train slowing down a bit. Not long after, Bastian comes to the cabin, out of breath and looking anxious.
"Apologies, sirs," Bastian says. "Your presence is required in the dining carriage. There has been... a death on the train. As the people who are allowed to carry arms on the train, the staff has asked for your help in this matter. We fear that this death has rattled the other passengers. They are getting quite anxious and prone to violence. There has already been an altercation between Mr. Kazmorin and Acolyte Stavius when one accused the other of bringing this... death on the train. Please, if you will, I will escort you to the dining carriage."
Dvark stands to follow Bastian "The Dusk Weaver will guide our fate then. Though I will say none of us have left our car except when you took us to he dining car."
Don't you worry... He then whispers to his friends Not the first time today that people aren't really themselves Karm takes a few quick steps to get to Bastian. How did they die?
"It is best to see it with your own eyes," Bastian says.
He leads the group back to the dining carriage, whereupon entering the group can see Gustav kneeling beside a curled body partially covered with a white cloth. A portly man wearing black uniform paces beside him, looking worried and a little bit panicked. On the other side of the carriage from where you are entering, 11 people sit and stand around, glancing toward the dead body surreptitiously and talking amongst themselves in whispers. You can clearly see who belongs to which group. Five people stand in a corner, wearing all white and gold; a family of three sit on a booth by themselves; a pair sits at the furthest back, one of them holding an ice pack to his brow; and a steward moves around the kitchen, brewing some tea and hot beverages for the distraught passengers.
"Gustav and Bastian briefed me that you carry red tickets," the portly man says. "Conductor Zane Neriviel. As per protocol, all passengers who board the train, especially the high-speed train, are restricted from carrying weaponry or casting a spell that is higher than Tier 5 spells. The station guard logged the weaponry in a locker and the ward within the carriages itself enforces the magical aspect of it. Before her demise, Stewardess Harcourt believed she saw a spectral zombie chasing her, which is not possible as the train is warded against undead creatures. Will you be able to aid us in checking the rest of the carriages for this spectral zombie just in case what Stewardess Harcourt had seen was not a mere illusion and managed to bypass the ward?"
Moving closer, you can see that the body of Stewardess Harcourt is that of a withered husk. You can see luminescent veins and rashes of green and yellow along her throat and hand. You have seen this before when you escaped from the Re-Shop Mall. The creature that had chased you appeared from within a person, and that person's body withered into a husk with green and yellow rashes almost immediately. However, as you look at the body of the stewardess, a question remains: you have the body, but where is the creature?
{{You can make a Medicine or Investigation check if you want to check the body further. I will say that Dvark can make this one with an advantage.}}
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Investigation: 19 Karm inspects the body, not the wounds, but he searches for items that might be magical that could have attracted the creature How quickly did you find her after she died?
Drexon looks at the body and shakes his head, "It certainly looks like the effects of one of those things we saw in Vortesso".
He steps in for a closer look. "I wonder if she was carrying anything magical, that is what seems to attract them", he says to no-one in particular.
Investigation: 9+2=11 (Passive: 12)
He then looks across to the passengers, studying them with the trained eye of a professional gambler. They all looked a little nervous, but did any seem like that were hiding more than the others, or were any faking their nervousness.
"She runs in from the front carriage," Gustav says, "yelling about zombies and ghosts, but not one of us can see what she was seeing. When she reached here, she fell over and started to become like this. Are you saying that this is what happened during the incursion? That the people who died in Vortesso became like this?"
Karm, you notice that there was nothing magical attached to the body, but you do notice that there is a component pouch on the body's belt. You ruffle inside the pouch and pull out simple materials for cantrips and low-level spells that are usually used for household maintenance and party tricks.
Drexon, when you say that whatever has done this to the poor woman is attracted to magical items, you notice some of them begin to tense, in particular the pair of gentlemen with the business suit at the very back and one of the people wearing a white and gold robe. Other than that, all of them are genuinely terrified and anxious.
Cob doesn't spend any time with the body of the dead Harcourt. Instead his attention is focused on the people hanging around the dining car.
He's about to move over to ask them some questions when it registers what this whole encounter might mean.
Cob moves over closer to the party, and in a hushed voice begins, "Do we want to get involved in this? Dead body like that likely means one of those creatures is around here. Whatever ward is on this train might be making it hard for them to find the box. The longer we muck about here the more likely it is we're found out. Why don't we just get going?"
He gestures over at the body. "She's dead. We can't help her. And what are we going to do if we find the apparition? We needed the pegasi guard last time."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Insight: 8
Dvark inspects the crowd then crouches to look over the body.
Medicine: 5
Without looking up at Cob Dvark mutters "Investigating is likely our best bet to get the jump of this thing. Though the last ones may have been a challenge I believe we can do it."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Drexon moves across the carriage towards the crowd of people.
"I don't mind helping out whilst we are stuck on the train anyway", he says as he walks.
"So, some of you have magic items on your person. So you know, that is a statement not a question. Better start showing your hand if you want help surviving this", he says looking pointedly at those he noticed being shifty.
The closer he gets to the terrified people, the more distracted he gets. His head tilts to the side ever so slightly and he sub-consciously bites down on his lower lip a little. Not enough to draw blood though.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Cob opens his hand in surrender.
"Okay, but I'm pretty sure there was nothing in our contracts about sacrificing our own lives to deliver this thing." Cob says.
He moves over to the group of robed individuals, that Drexon looked at when he accused them of hiding magic. Bit of honey might work better than threats, Cob thinks to himself.
"So as far as I know, there's no crime in having a bit of magic on you. It's the using it that seems to get everyone all worked up. But my direct friend here is right. These creatures do appear to be attracted to magic. They've a whole routine about breaking walls. And they get pretty violent while they're looking," Cob says. Then he adds. "So did any of you see something taken from our dead steward here. And do any of you have something this creature might come back for? Or maybe have hidden in our cabin on the train?"
Persuasion: 10
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"Unless one of you has that sort of magic right now, I'd imagine we would need to go into town to put some sort of warding spell on the box. I would see if there's a carriage or faster transport we can rent to the Trench. Those things don't seem very fast so if we can just stay ahead of them I think it'll be best." Dvark's expression sours as he continues "and if it's all the same to you if like to avoid getting into the city as much as possible. The... The plague isn't something we want to get entangled in and IV it's spread so deep into Vortesso, I doubt Erdelun is safe either." a shiver seems to run up Dvark at as he discusses the plague
Cob shakes his head when Dvark mentions what magic they posses already.
"I tend to know how to play with people's emotions," Cob says. "I'm an adequate fiddle player, but sometimes a performance needs a little extra juice to put it over the edge. Hiding magical boxes isn't my thing."
As he speaks, the spectral hand does it's best to snag another card from Drexon as he shuffles.
"Moving quickly is probably our best bet. Avoid the sickness and anyone trying to get the box. I'd prefer to stay out of the city to have access to weapons and magic, but any transport would likely be based out of the city." Eremoz begins bouncing his leather ball off the opposite wall.
Drexon shakes his head, “No such box hiding magic here either, I am afraid”.
“So, we want to get a carriage so we can outrun the creatures. I wonder if Gustaf will have a suggestion for that, he seems to know the city well. There may even be a place at the station itself”, he says.
After he speaks, he whispers some words of magic and a second spectral hand appears and gently bats away the first.
As chance would have it i am currently researching magic that hides properties of objects and people. I havent quite figrued it out yet, but im close. Currently i possess the magic to make it appear more or less valuable.
Olloray Dim - Limbo's Pit
Gunther Korroden - Nightmares in the Mist
Cob smiles broadly at the appearance of the second hand. He nods his head and salutes Drexon.
"As good as that meal was in the dining car, I'll need to eat again at some point," Cob says.
He holds up his small travel pack.
"Not much in here but a book, some paper and some writing tools," Cob says then adds. "I for one will have to pick up some provisions before we leave. Though I might be able to get those at the station."
The original spectral hand stops pulling at the cards and instead now looks like a hand want to shake another hand.
As you relax in your cabin and talk with each other, the train passes the city of Westhill and Burendal. The train slows a little bit at each station, allowing you to see that the stations are packed with people. It seems that the evacuees from Vortesso have been crowding the station for a chance to return to the city or perhaps for more information on the incursion. When the train passes Daragonwan, and Barai Dunne, the crowd in the stations begins to let out.
"Ladies, gentlemen, and gentlepeople, we are at the half-point of our journey," a voice echoes through the carriage. "A message from the Barai Dunne station manager: the recent general alert and evacuation notices have been taken down. The aid from the wyvern riders of Timaril has expedited the process of reaffirming the safety of the cities. However, all passengers are encouraged to remain vigilant for the next few days as routines and services return to normal."
Drexon’s spectral gives the other a small fist bump before disappearing.
”It won’t be long before we arrive at the station now I expect. Let’s try and get some answers before we arrive. Bastion should know if we can get supplies and charter a carriage from the station”.
He gets up and wanders across to the cabin, reaching out and pressing the button to summon Bastion.
Drexon, you press the button on the outside of the cabin and wait. A moment passes. Another. A minute. Five minutes. Bastian still hasn't come.
Ten minutes pass since you press the button and you feel the train slowing down a bit. Not long after, Bastian comes to the cabin, out of breath and looking anxious.
"Apologies, sirs," Bastian says. "Your presence is required in the dining carriage. There has been... a death on the train. As the people who are allowed to carry arms on the train, the staff has asked for your help in this matter. We fear that this death has rattled the other passengers. They are getting quite anxious and prone to violence. There has already been an altercation between Mr. Kazmorin and Acolyte Stavius when one accused the other of bringing this... death on the train. Please, if you will, I will escort you to the dining carriage."
Dvark stands to follow Bastian "The Dusk Weaver will guide our fate then. Though I will say none of us have left our car except when you took us to he dining car."
Eremoz puts the ball away and whispers to Karm, "Keep that thing wrapped up tight." Eremoz follows Bastian out to the dining car.
Don't you worry... He then whispers to his friends Not the first time today that people aren't really themselves
Karm takes a few quick steps to get to Bastian. How did they die?
Olloray Dim - Limbo's Pit
Gunther Korroden - Nightmares in the Mist
"It is best to see it with your own eyes," Bastian says.
He leads the group back to the dining carriage, whereupon entering the group can see Gustav kneeling beside a curled body partially covered with a white cloth. A portly man wearing black uniform paces beside him, looking worried and a little bit panicked. On the other side of the carriage from where you are entering, 11 people sit and stand around, glancing toward the dead body surreptitiously and talking amongst themselves in whispers. You can clearly see who belongs to which group. Five people stand in a corner, wearing all white and gold; a family of three sit on a booth by themselves; a pair sits at the furthest back, one of them holding an ice pack to his brow; and a steward moves around the kitchen, brewing some tea and hot beverages for the distraught passengers.
"Gustav and Bastian briefed me that you carry red tickets," the portly man says. "Conductor Zane Neriviel. As per protocol, all passengers who board the train, especially the high-speed train, are restricted from carrying weaponry or casting a spell that is higher than Tier 5 spells. The station guard logged the weaponry in a locker and the ward within the carriages itself enforces the magical aspect of it. Before her demise, Stewardess Harcourt believed she saw a spectral zombie chasing her, which is not possible as the train is warded against undead creatures. Will you be able to aid us in checking the rest of the carriages for this spectral zombie just in case what Stewardess Harcourt had seen was not a mere illusion and managed to bypass the ward?"
Moving closer, you can see that the body of Stewardess Harcourt is that of a withered husk. You can see luminescent veins and rashes of green and yellow along her throat and hand. You have seen this before when you escaped from the Re-Shop Mall. The creature that had chased you appeared from within a person, and that person's body withered into a husk with green and yellow rashes almost immediately. However, as you look at the body of the stewardess, a question remains: you have the body, but where is the creature?
{{You can make a Medicine or Investigation check if you want to check the body further. I will say that Dvark can make this one with an advantage.}}
Investigation: 19 Karm inspects the body, not the wounds, but he searches for items that might be magical that could have attracted the creature
How quickly did you find her after she died?
Olloray Dim - Limbo's Pit
Gunther Korroden - Nightmares in the Mist
Drexon looks at the body and shakes his head, "It certainly looks like the effects of one of those things we saw in Vortesso".
He steps in for a closer look. "I wonder if she was carrying anything magical, that is what seems to attract them", he says to no-one in particular.
Investigation: 9+2=11 (Passive: 12)
He then looks across to the passengers, studying them with the trained eye of a professional gambler. They all looked a little nervous, but did any seem like that were hiding more than the others, or were any faking their nervousness.
Insight: 6+5=11 (Passive: 15)
"She runs in from the front carriage," Gustav says, "yelling about zombies and ghosts, but not one of us can see what she was seeing. When she reached here, she fell over and started to become like this. Are you saying that this is what happened during the incursion? That the people who died in Vortesso became like this?"
Karm, you notice that there was nothing magical attached to the body, but you do notice that there is a component pouch on the body's belt. You ruffle inside the pouch and pull out simple materials for cantrips and low-level spells that are usually used for household maintenance and party tricks.
Drexon, when you say that whatever has done this to the poor woman is attracted to magical items, you notice some of them begin to tense, in particular the pair of gentlemen with the business suit at the very back and one of the people wearing a white and gold robe. Other than that, all of them are genuinely terrified and anxious.
Cob doesn't spend any time with the body of the dead Harcourt. Instead his attention is focused on the people hanging around the dining car.
He's about to move over to ask them some questions when it registers what this whole encounter might mean.
Cob moves over closer to the party, and in a hushed voice begins, "Do we want to get involved in this? Dead body like that likely means one of those creatures is around here. Whatever ward is on this train might be making it hard for them to find the box. The longer we muck about here the more likely it is we're found out. Why don't we just get going?"
He gestures over at the body. "She's dead. We can't help her. And what are we going to do if we find the apparition? We needed the pegasi guard last time."
Insight: 8
Dvark inspects the crowd then crouches to look over the body.
Medicine: 5
Without looking up at Cob Dvark mutters "Investigating is likely our best bet to get the jump of this thing. Though the last ones may have been a challenge I believe we can do it."
Drexon moves across the carriage towards the crowd of people.
"I don't mind helping out whilst we are stuck on the train anyway", he says as he walks.
"So, some of you have magic items on your person. So you know, that is a statement not a question. Better start showing your hand if you want help surviving this", he says looking pointedly at those he noticed being shifty.
The closer he gets to the terrified people, the more distracted he gets. His head tilts to the side ever so slightly and he sub-consciously bites down on his lower lip a little. Not enough to draw blood though.
Persuasion: 13
Cob opens his hand in surrender.
"Okay, but I'm pretty sure there was nothing in our contracts about sacrificing our own lives to deliver this thing." Cob says.
He moves over to the group of robed individuals, that Drexon looked at when he accused them of hiding magic. Bit of honey might work better than threats, Cob thinks to himself.
"So as far as I know, there's no crime in having a bit of magic on you. It's the using it that seems to get everyone all worked up. But my direct friend here is right. These creatures do appear to be attracted to magic. They've a whole routine about breaking walls. And they get pretty violent while they're looking," Cob says. Then he adds. "So did any of you see something taken from our dead steward here. And do any of you have something this creature might come back for? Or maybe have hidden in our cabin on the train?"
Persuasion: 10