Rammand shakes Ed’s hand. “Next time you get stuck under something, let me know beforehand so I can rig up a pulley system.”
“A tailor you say?” He walks over to Salamir and turns him around, surveying the damage to his clothing. “Hold still, Chew Toy. I haven’t tested this out before.” Producing a small box, he begins pinching together the ripped clothing and passing the torn areas through a small gap in the box. After some whirring, the tears are stitched back together.
The horse looks like its wounds are turning a dark shade of purple and there's something spidering out from the wounds.
"I told Wyn to turn back. I want them to come along after the morning," Ed replies to Constance tapping the side of their furry temple. "I appreciate it. Wyn agreed and wishes us well and safe journey, " they explain. "Who...uh wants to share a saddle," Ed asks next looking at the party.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
Constance glances back at Ed, her lips a perfect "o" of surprise. "My! Very good then!" She pushes the bridge of her glasses higher up on her nose. "And you are most welcome to take the rider's seat on the Good Doctor, Mister Ed. It would free my hands so that I might document the encounter while it's still fresh." She taps her own temple and inclines her head politely with a smile.
Turning back to the carcass and, noticing the spidering from the wounds, the monstrozoologist gasps. "Oh! Fascinating!" All but shoving Alphinius back into her holster with a muffled "oomph!" from the book, she squats down in front of the horse and finally retrieves her field journal, furiously scribbling notes inside. "Abnormalities developing from lacerations. Plum color inconsistent with discoloration caused by hematomas or contusions. Spidering of... unknown origin from wound. Biopsy and blood analysis needed. Will commence autopsy to conclude whether internal organs have been likewise affected."
The party knows all too well, as she rifles around in her bag for sleeve guards and dissection tools, that she will have this horse opened up right here on the road if left to her own devices.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Constance, if I were to err on the side of caution, I'd suggest burning the carcass in case this is a contagion instead of a venom."
Persephone rolls a medicine check to diagnose if this is a disease. 5
"I recall stories of cults that open gates to the Shadowfell, but I'm not familiar with the fauna. Speaking of which, did anyone notice if the thing left tracks?"
(Maybe Seph could do a help action to Constances roll of 20?)
"Chew toy!", Salamir repeats chuckling as he does so. "That would have been very apt had Constance not intervened", he continues as Rammand does his work. Once done he twists himself to see the tailor's handiwork.
"Impressive, you have my thanks Tailor", he says with the flourish of a bow. "Seph stitches up my flesh, the Tailor my clothes, and Connie tries to make it so neither are needed. I couldn't have joined a better group. Of course what I bring to the party I will never know".
It is then he notices Connie and Seph deep in conversation over the corpse of Ed's horse.
With a sigh, he takes out some playing cards, "Ed, Tails, we might as well play a few hands to pass the time. Either of you got a light?".
"Ah, of course!" she says to the cleric, though not looking up from where she has a scalpel and vial poised over the horse's wound, perhaps a bit oblivious as to what she's actually suggesting. "As soon as I finish taking samples, we can set the poor thing alight! If it proves to be a toxin of some kind, I can whip us up an anti-toxin should we run into more of these creatures."
At that, Constance pauses and lowers her voice, looking briefly over her shoulder at the boys and Ed before meeting Persephone's eyes. "Seph, thank you for... keeping them safe. I--well," she uses the back of her hand to push her bangs back from her face, "this was the first bit of trouble we've run into since..." The words trail off--still unable to speak of it--and her gaze drops back to the horse, seeing but unseeing.
((OOC, did Constance or Salamir happen to notice any tracks left behind by the creature with their survival rolls?))
Salamir sees nothing but the tracks of hundreds of travelers, carts, and horses that frequented the road for many days since the last rain. He cannot discern one set from the next.
Constance scrutinizing the tracks quickly pick out the party's tracks but oddly finds none of the shadowy beast! Thinking next how incoporeral it was might have something to do with it!
Persephone and Constance move over to the body of the horse and the cleric quickly comes to the realization it's necrotic as the horse begins to shutter violently trying to get up!
What's everyone's plan?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
Constance seems absolutely absorbed in this new development, her expression one of thrilled surprise. "Well, this is a delightfully unexpected side effect," she enthuses, switching her hold on the scalpel so as to wield it more like a dagger.
Salamir wanders over to look at the corpse of Ed's horse as it seems to animate and try and rise.
"I felt something after the creature wounded me, but I seemed to be able to shrug it off. I guess this is what would have happened had I not", he says looking at the poor beast. "Time to put it out of it's misery, Connie. With the wagon turning back, there is no reason for us to stay here, and this place is starting to give me the creeps. I'll get some oil to help burn it", he says and then wanders to Lady Pall and retrieves his flask of oil from his pack.
(OOC: just to be sure, we're watching a dead horse try to stand? I thought Persephone would recognize this but wanted to be sure she didn't need a roll to recognize undead before she yells:)
"UNDEAD! MOTHER OF THE MOON, SEND THIS UNHOLY ABOMINATION BACK TO THE DARKNESS FROM WHICH IT CAME!
Persephone casts "Moonbeam".
A bright shaft of moonlight shines down and the zombie horse takes 13 pts dam unless it saves vs Con 12
As she'd been squatting directly at the horse's side, the bright radiant flames burst right in her face. Constance falls back hard on her rear then rolls onto her back like a bespectacled turtle in bustled skirts. Out fly a string of curses in Abyssal from her lips. Alphinius, tucked away in his holster, bursts out laughing.
"A little warning next time please, darling," she groans from the ground as spots and zombie horses dance before her eyes. When she realizes she's yet again lost any chance of collecting samples, her hand still clutching the scalpel falls at her side. "Drat and drabble." Doc trots over and begins to lip and lick at her hair.
((Constance offered to let Ed take the reins with her back up in #103 so they're still welcome to ride with her!))
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Persephone pauses a moment after the zombie disintegrates before allowing the Moonbeam to wink out. (Hopefully Ed's gear is intact) "Sorry", she says to Constance, when her comment registers.
She immediately rolls history or religion (same chance, whatever you think is best) for lore about zombifying shadow monsters and how to fight them. 22
"If you haven't encountered them before, that was an undead. A corpse reanimated, usually by necromantic magic. But causing something to rise from dying of an attack is new to me. And the thought of zombie sheep instead of were-sheep is NOT comforting.
Obviously, we don't want to be bitten but, Constance, I don't want you to turn into THAT from accidentally spilling a sample. Which is the biggest reason I rushed into destroying it quickly. When we get the chance, we can talk shop and I'll tell you what I know about undead.'
"I've got 3 hours of darkvision to share after using those spells. Sorry, bur I didn't think we'd get far without casting them"
"No apologies necessary, Miss Perianth! Your heroics and quick thinking might have very well saved the lot of us once again!" Alphinius coos before scolding his charge, "Don't be ungrateful, Constance!"
"I'm not un--!" Constance sighs and rubs at her eyes beneath her glasses before looking up at Persephone apologetically. "Thank you. Of course. My research would be of no use to anyone if I were to become undead before publishing it."
“And I am… intimately familiar with those inflicted with undeath,” Constance murmurs. Her grip on the scalpel tightens. The armor of her facade is rebuilt with the help of a smile, “Necromancy and the undead were the topic of my first dissertation with the Order of Scribes, in fact! Though...” She grunts with effort as she rises to her feet, oblivious to the ridiculous ways in which her horse-licked hair is now sculpted, “they neither agreed with nor took kindly to my assertion that healing magics should be reclassified to the school of Necromancy.”
"In any case, yes! I'd appreciate if we could compare notes. Especially if our sheep-nappers are of the same sort as the shadow creature." Stowing her tools, she readies the Good Doctor for the road once more.
Salamir reaches Lady Pall just as he hears Persephone cry out and call down her magic column of light to burn away the still moving corpse. "Well, I guess that saves on the oil", he quips turning around and watching Constance scrambling to her feet.
"I grew up on stories of undead and the like. And not the bedtime story sort. Mom would tell me about her adventures in graphic detail thinking it would help prepare me for the world. She came across undead and necromancers and the like quite often".
"Oh, and I was referring to the tailor over there", he points at Rammand. "I am not certain I know you well enough to give you a nickname like that, Ed. And I kind of promised to be on my best behaviour until you give us the franchise", he says to Ed with a grin. "Now, are you sharing with Connie then? If so, like I said, this place gives me the creeps. I think we should be on our way".
With that he mounts up while his mind wanders back to those stories his Mom told, trying to remember anything that might be useful in this situation.
History: 2+0=2(OOC: Ok, that is my second 2 in a row on skill checks. Can I roll perception to spot a little zero to the right of the two that would turn it into a 20? :-) )
"Ed, don't listen to him. There is no one by the name Connie here," she throws Salamir a Look, made far less effectual by her general disarray from her tumble and hairdo, "but you're still more than welcome to ride with me. The Good Doctor may be a retired racehorse, but he still has plenty of gumption!"
Her eyes shift from narrowed to gently rolled upwards in thought as she adjusts the saddle. "Ah! I do remember you telling us the story about a man she met who would resurrect corpses and send them to terrorize rural villages? And then he would arrive to be the hero, simply deanimate them with some dramatic flair, and collect the reward? Entrepreneurial necromancy, to be sure," she chuckles.
((Can Constance give Sal the Help action for advantage?))
"Oh yes, he made like he was a priest and all the money would be donated to some church. Father Ted, that was him", Salamir says chuckling. "I wish I'd seen the look on his face when Mom marched him back to all those villages to give them their money back".
History (in case he gets advantage in remembering something actually useful): 20+0 =20(OOC: Holy moly I found that little 0!)
"Yes, uh thank you Constance, " Ed replies. "I won't be too much of a problem. Two sets of eyes better than one...or is it six...does your tome uh...see," the tabaxi asks grinning at the wizard. "I have a nickname already Salamir. It's Ed. My proper name is Eyes in the Dark as you well know," the tabaxi adds getting up behind Constance on Doc.
Moving on Salamir recalls a story his mother told him similar story about portals to the Planes letting in unwelcome beasts as well as denizens. It's possible they were summoned to like Persephone explained.
Persephone near the front recalls that necrotic energy is best combated with light, the radiant the better. The zombification however is new to her. Beyond necromancy bring things back to unlife is a feat she's unfamiliar with following her Goddess of the moon.
As the hours pass everyone needs to make a CON save against exhaustion having traveled late into the night without taking rest.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
At their curiosity about the awakened spellbook, Alphinius tells Ed the tale of his arcane sentience, describing how his mind and soul had been bound to, at the time, his spellbook. When the wizard met his untimely death, both were trapped inside and he was passed down from generation to generation, waiting to be awakened once more. Both he and Archimedes were book and familiar to Constance's great, great grandfather before eventually coming into the young woman's possession on her 10th birthday.
Constance herself, however, sobered by the encounter and adrenaline long worn off, begins to slump in the saddle and back against Ed as exhaustion catches up with her. "I'm sorry about your horse, Ed," she absently mumbles.
Rammand shakes Ed’s hand. “Next time you get stuck under something, let me know beforehand so I can rig up a pulley system.”
“A tailor you say?” He walks over to Salamir and turns him around, surveying the damage to his clothing. “Hold still, Chew Toy. I haven’t tested this out before.” Producing a small box, he begins pinching together the ripped clothing and passing the torn areas through a small gap in the box. After some whirring, the tears are stitched back together.
Ooc: Casting Mending on Salamir’s clothes.
The horse looks like its wounds are turning a dark shade of purple and there's something spidering out from the wounds.
"I told Wyn to turn back. I want them to come along after the morning," Ed replies to Constance tapping the side of their furry temple. "I appreciate it. Wyn agreed and wishes us well and safe journey, " they explain. "Who...uh wants to share a saddle," Ed asks next looking at the party.
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
Constance glances back at Ed, her lips a perfect "o" of surprise. "My! Very good then!" She pushes the bridge of her glasses higher up on her nose. "And you are most welcome to take the rider's seat on the Good Doctor, Mister Ed. It would free my hands so that I might document the encounter while it's still fresh." She taps her own temple and inclines her head politely with a smile.
Turning back to the carcass and, noticing the spidering from the wounds, the monstrozoologist gasps. "Oh! Fascinating!" All but shoving Alphinius back into her holster with a muffled "oomph!" from the book, she squats down in front of the horse and finally retrieves her field journal, furiously scribbling notes inside. "Abnormalities developing from lacerations. Plum color inconsistent with discoloration caused by hematomas or contusions. Spidering of... unknown origin from wound. Biopsy and blood analysis needed. Will commence autopsy to conclude whether internal organs have been likewise affected."
The party knows all too well, as she rifles around in her bag for sleeve guards and dissection tools, that she will have this horse opened up right here on the road if left to her own devices.
"Constance, if I were to err on the side of caution, I'd suggest burning the carcass in case this is a contagion instead of a venom."
Persephone rolls a medicine check to diagnose if this is a disease. 5
"I recall stories of cults that open gates to the Shadowfell, but I'm not familiar with the fauna. Speaking of which, did anyone notice if the thing left tracks?"
(Maybe Seph could do a help action to Constances roll of 20?)
"Chew toy!", Salamir repeats chuckling as he does so. "That would have been very apt had Constance not intervened", he continues as Rammand does his work. Once done he twists himself to see the tailor's handiwork.
"Impressive, you have my thanks Tailor", he says with the flourish of a bow. "Seph stitches up my flesh, the Tailor my clothes, and Connie tries to make it so neither are needed. I couldn't have joined a better group. Of course what I bring to the party I will never know".
It is then he notices Connie and Seph deep in conversation over the corpse of Ed's horse.
With a sigh, he takes out some playing cards, "Ed, Tails, we might as well play a few hands to pass the time. Either of you got a light?".
"Ah, of course!" she says to the cleric, though not looking up from where she has a scalpel and vial poised over the horse's wound, perhaps a bit oblivious as to what she's actually suggesting. "As soon as I finish taking samples, we can set the poor thing alight! If it proves to be a toxin of some kind, I can whip us up an anti-toxin should we run into more of these creatures."
At that, Constance pauses and lowers her voice, looking briefly over her shoulder at the boys and Ed before meeting Persephone's eyes. "Seph, thank you for... keeping them safe. I--well," she uses the back of her hand to push her bangs back from her face, "this was the first bit of trouble we've run into since..." The words trail off--still unable to speak of it--and her gaze drops back to the horse, seeing but unseeing.
((OOC, did Constance or Salamir happen to notice any tracks left behind by the creature with their survival rolls?))
OOC Apologies that didn't make it into my post.
Salamir sees nothing but the tracks of hundreds of travelers, carts, and horses that frequented the road for many days since the last rain. He cannot discern one set from the next.
Constance scrutinizing the tracks quickly pick out the party's tracks but oddly finds none of the shadowy beast! Thinking next how incoporeral it was might have something to do with it!
Persephone and Constance move over to the body of the horse and the cleric quickly comes to the realization it's necrotic as the horse begins to shutter violently trying to get up!
What's everyone's plan?
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
Constance seems absolutely absorbed in this new development, her expression one of thrilled surprise. "Well, this is a delightfully unexpected side effect," she enthuses, switching her hold on the scalpel so as to wield it more like a dagger.
Salamir wanders over to look at the corpse of Ed's horse as it seems to animate and try and rise.
"I felt something after the creature wounded me, but I seemed to be able to shrug it off. I guess this is what would have happened had I not", he says looking at the poor beast. "Time to put it out of it's misery, Connie. With the wagon turning back, there is no reason for us to stay here, and this place is starting to give me the creeps. I'll get some oil to help burn it", he says and then wanders to Lady Pall and retrieves his flask of oil from his pack.
(OOC: just to be sure, we're watching a dead horse try to stand? I thought Persephone would recognize this but wanted to be sure she didn't need a roll to recognize undead before she yells:)
"UNDEAD! MOTHER OF THE MOON, SEND THIS UNHOLY ABOMINATION BACK TO THE DARKNESS FROM WHICH IT CAME!
Persephone casts "Moonbeam".
A bright shaft of moonlight shines down and the zombie horse takes 13 pts dam unless it saves vs Con 12
OOC yup, zombie horse....zombie horse (set to the tune of spider pig)
"What in the Nine Hells," Ed staggers back from the lurching creature coming to life again!
Persephone shout casting moonbeam disintegrating the wretched creature to ashes!
"Wait...I'm Tails?" Ed then asks Salamir confused!
OOC I'll say the party has lost about 30 mins with the delay! Persephone's darkvision spell can be cast again. Who's letting Ed ride with them?
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
As she'd been squatting directly at the horse's side, the bright radiant flames burst right in her face. Constance falls back hard on her rear then rolls onto her back like a bespectacled turtle in bustled skirts. Out fly a string of curses in Abyssal from her lips. Alphinius, tucked away in his holster, bursts out laughing.
"A little warning next time please, darling," she groans from the ground as spots and zombie horses dance before her eyes. When she realizes she's yet again lost any chance of collecting samples, her hand still clutching the scalpel falls at her side. "Drat and drabble." Doc trots over and begins to lip and lick at her hair.
((Constance offered to let Ed take the reins with her back up in #103 so they're still welcome to ride with her!))
Persephone pauses a moment after the zombie disintegrates before allowing the Moonbeam to wink out. (Hopefully Ed's gear is intact) "Sorry", she says to Constance, when her comment registers.
She immediately rolls history or religion (same chance, whatever you think is best) for lore about zombifying shadow monsters and how to fight them. 22
"If you haven't encountered them before, that was an undead. A corpse reanimated, usually by necromantic magic. But causing something to rise from dying of an attack is new to me. And the thought of zombie sheep instead of were-sheep is NOT comforting.
Obviously, we don't want to be bitten but, Constance, I don't want you to turn into THAT from accidentally spilling a sample. Which is the biggest reason I rushed into destroying it quickly. When we get the chance, we can talk shop and I'll tell you what I know about undead.'
"I've got 3 hours of darkvision to share after using those spells. Sorry, bur I didn't think we'd get far without casting them"
"No apologies necessary, Miss Perianth! Your heroics and quick thinking might have very well saved the lot of us once again!" Alphinius coos before scolding his charge, "Don't be ungrateful, Constance!"
"I'm not un--!" Constance sighs and rubs at her eyes beneath her glasses before looking up at Persephone apologetically. "Thank you. Of course. My research would be of no use to anyone if I were to become undead before publishing it."
“And I am… intimately familiar with those inflicted with undeath,” Constance murmurs. Her grip on the scalpel tightens. The armor of her facade is rebuilt with the help of a smile, “Necromancy and the undead were the topic of my first dissertation with the Order of Scribes, in fact! Though...” She grunts with effort as she rises to her feet, oblivious to the ridiculous ways in which her horse-licked hair is now sculpted, “they neither agreed with nor took kindly to my assertion that healing magics should be reclassified to the school of Necromancy.”
"In any case, yes! I'd appreciate if we could compare notes. Especially if our sheep-nappers are of the same sort as the shadow creature." Stowing her tools, she readies the Good Doctor for the road once more.
Salamir reaches Lady Pall just as he hears Persephone cry out and call down her magic column of light to burn away the still moving corpse. "Well, I guess that saves on the oil", he quips turning around and watching Constance scrambling to her feet.
"I grew up on stories of undead and the like. And not the bedtime story sort. Mom would tell me about her adventures in graphic detail thinking it would help prepare me for the world. She came across undead and necromancers and the like quite often".
"Oh, and I was referring to the tailor over there", he points at Rammand. "I am not certain I know you well enough to give you a nickname like that, Ed. And I kind of promised to be on my best behaviour until you give us the franchise", he says to Ed with a grin. "Now, are you sharing with Connie then? If so, like I said, this place gives me the creeps. I think we should be on our way".
With that he mounts up while his mind wanders back to those stories his Mom told, trying to remember anything that might be useful in this situation.
History: 2+0=2 (OOC: Ok, that is my second 2 in a row on skill checks. Can I roll perception to spot a little zero to the right of the two that would turn it into a 20? :-) )
"Ed, don't listen to him. There is no one by the name Connie here," she throws Salamir a Look, made far less effectual by her general disarray from her tumble and hairdo, "but you're still more than welcome to ride with me. The Good Doctor may be a retired racehorse, but he still has plenty of gumption!"
Her eyes shift from narrowed to gently rolled upwards in thought as she adjusts the saddle. "Ah! I do remember you telling us the story about a man she met who would resurrect corpses and send them to terrorize rural villages? And then he would arrive to be the hero, simply deanimate them with some dramatic flair, and collect the reward? Entrepreneurial necromancy, to be sure," she chuckles.
((Can Constance give Sal the Help action for advantage?))
"Oh yes, he made like he was a priest and all the money would be donated to some church. Father Ted, that was him", Salamir says chuckling. "I wish I'd seen the look on his face when Mom marched him back to all those villages to give them their money back".
History (in case he gets advantage in remembering something actually useful): 20+0 =20 (OOC: Holy moly I found that little 0!)
"Yes, uh thank you Constance, " Ed replies. "I won't be too much of a problem. Two sets of eyes better than one...or is it six...does your tome uh...see," the tabaxi asks grinning at the wizard. "I have a nickname already Salamir. It's Ed. My proper name is Eyes in the Dark as you well know," the tabaxi adds getting up behind Constance on Doc.
Moving on Salamir recalls a story his mother told him similar story about portals to the Planes letting in unwelcome beasts as well as denizens. It's possible they were summoned to like Persephone explained.
Persephone near the front recalls that necrotic energy is best combated with light, the radiant the better. The zombification however is new to her. Beyond necromancy bring things back to unlife is a feat she's unfamiliar with following her Goddess of the moon.
As the hours pass everyone needs to make a CON save against exhaustion having traveled late into the night without taking rest.
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
At their curiosity about the awakened spellbook, Alphinius tells Ed the tale of his arcane sentience, describing how his mind and soul had been bound to, at the time, his spellbook. When the wizard met his untimely death, both were trapped inside and he was passed down from generation to generation, waiting to be awakened once more. Both he and Archimedes were book and familiar to Constance's great, great grandfather before eventually coming into the young woman's possession on her 10th birthday.
Constance herself, however, sobered by the encounter and adrenaline long worn off, begins to slump in the saddle and back against Ed as exhaustion catches up with her. "I'm sorry about your horse, Ed," she absently mumbles.
((CON Save: 6))