Above & Below

Filthy... dead... things, Brask grunts as he swings his maul again, disgusted even to look at the creature before him and its rapidly deteriorating body.

Attack: 15 Damage: 10
Attack: 12 Damage: 11

(If the first attack hits, replace the 2 in the damage roll with 4)

Brask's contempt clouds his aim for a moment - he swings and misses with the first attack. The second, however, connects squarely with the soldier's chest. The armor dents in a bit, and a brown-red viscera squirts out from the seems. The body crashes down to the ground, and lies motionless for a moment. 

DC19 CON save: 10

To everyone's relief, it stays there. You're out of combat.

Brask kicks the body.  Yeah, stay down, scum.  He looks around at the others.  Everyone okay?  Dead things, am I right?  We've done this bloody world a favour.  Hmmm - you reckon there's a bounty?  He pulls out a handaxe and starts chopping at the dead soldier's head, planning to take it, just in case there's a reward.

"The bounty would require backtracking to Rin's hold," Effort says.  "If you care that much, take something that won't decompose along the way.  A head is a poor offering, unless you're planning to bring it to a Sister."  Once again, she rifles through the pockets of the fallen individuals, this time also searching for identifying markers to give to Brask.

Investigation: 14 (11 + 3 guidance)

The woman wouldn't have anything distinct on her, but the two soldiers would have the town guard insignia - a quarter-sun over a dark cloud - on their armor. 

The fallen soldier only has 8 gold pieces on him. There's a wineskin as well, which is mostly empty save for another swig or two.

Ripping off the insignia, she hands it to Brask.  "Much easier," she tells him, also handing him 4 gold pieces alongside it.  "For you and Pip."  She hands the other 2 gold pieces to Kurama, pocketing the change.

Then she sends Cadmael up to scout again, before turning to Kurama, Brask, and Pip.  "Shall we continue the journey or look for a place to bind our wounds?  I would not mind a short rest myself, that woman's corpse was rather persistent."

Cadmael Scouting: 16

"I can keep watch while you both rest if you'd like."  Kurama offered. 

(Assuming we rest, if not sometime shortly after heading back on the trail), "We've been out in this "realm" for a few days now..." Kurama began out of the blue to the others, "...and I am honestly a bit confused.  I have been trying to wrap my head around everything we've seen and experienced so far but have not been able to come to a satisfying conclusion.  I understand that this is most likely the "below" that Promise mentioned to us but it still feels wrong in some way.  As if..." he paused for a moment as he thought on the right word or phrase, "...as if it wasn't always this way if that makes sense?  Perhaps I'm wrong but it seems like it shouldn't be like this."  Kurama paused again as his brow furrowed and he tried to better express his thoughts; but after a few moments, it became clear that he wasn't going to be able to do so anytime soon.

Brask takes the money and hands Pip his share.

Dunno, says Brask in reply to Kurama.  You think it was better before?  Why?  He shrugs.  People seem like they're used to it the way it is.  They sure don't seem to be doing anything to change it.

Quote from SteveThaiBinh >>

Dunno, says Brask in reply to Kurama.  You think it was better before?  Why?  He shrugs.  People seem like they're used to it the way it is.  They sure don't seem to be doing anything to change it.

"Just because they're used to it does not mean that it is entirely natural.  Or that whatever is happening started recently..." he replied back.  "Maybe they do not even realize that something is actually wrong."   

"Hmph," Effort says in response to Kurama.  "If you ask me, this is just the world of Osthait, with its veneer of politeness and civilization removed.  You think this is a savage land, unforgiving and harsh?  That things were perhaps better once?  What I see here is what tieflings have always suffered in Osthait.  Danger, fear, and death around every corner.  The strong survive, and the weak perish, and there is no such thing as mercy.  Here, those harsh realities are merely spread equally amongst the entire populace, and not relegated to those who look devilish enough to earn such bitterness by appearance alone.  My world has always been this wilderness, though its trees were man-made and its fields were paved.  But the dangers were always the same, nonetheless."  She grows pensive.  "Perhaps that is why I am not troubled by sleeping here.  This atmosphere is not... foreign, to me."

Effort hit dice: 6 (5 +1)

Quote from Enkida >>

"Hmph," Effort says in response to Kurama.  "If you ask me, this is just the world of Osthait, with its veneer of politeness and civilization removed.  You think this is a savage land, unforgiving and harsh?  That things were perhaps better once?  What I see here is what tieflings have always suffered in Osthait.  Danger, fear, and death around every corner.  The strong survive, and the weak perish, and there is no such thing as mercy.  Here, those harsh realities are merely spread equally amongst the entire populace, and not relegated to those who look devilish enough to earn such bitterness by appearance alone.  My world has always been this wilderness, though its trees were man-made and its fields were paved.  But the dangers were always the same, nonetheless."  She grows pensive.  "Perhaps that is why I am not troubled by sleeping here.  This atmosphere is not... foreign, to me."

"That is not quite what I meant Effort..." Kurama replied though even he could tell that he had hit a particular nerve.  Still struggling with how to properly describe his thoughts, he added gingerly, "It's not how dangerous or 'savage' the land is that I find concerning, it's how 'dead'...no... 'lacking in life and energy' it is.  As if the world is dying."      

"That sounds like a theory that you should ask of a Sister, and not us," Effort points out.  "I know little of this world, and to be honest, we cannot be entirely sure that what we were sent here to do will speed up this decay you are feeling, or stop it.  I am not sure it truly matters, if our ultimate goal is to claim this piece of the demon heart and stop its malignance from spreading.  Someone is coming to claim it one way or the other, and how that will affect this realm I know not.  I do know, it is better us, than any demon alliance, though, regardless of the consequences here."

Brask frowns, feeling that this conversation is going a little over his head.  If this demon heart is killing the whole world, what will it do to us when we get it?  He thinks for a moment.  Anybody got a really good sack?

Pip snorts in laughter, smiling and looking around, then reconsiders that maybe it was a serious question. 

"I'm feeling okay," he states as the group settles in to rest for a short spell. "I'm going to practice over here." He goes and sets up a broken branch against the trunk of a tree, taking aim and practicing with his short bow.

Brask takes a rest, seated somewhere he can call out helpful comments to Pip, but he mainly focuses on tending his wounds.

One second wind:  9

One HD:  8

Kurama was at full health so no HD needed this time :)

"I suppose you're both right.  There are just too many unknowns at the moment.  Hopefully the Sisters can share some truths on this whole affair..."  Kurama added before continuing his watch while the others rested.

Brask grunts, and continues his commentary on Pip's shooting.  A bit higher.  Think more about the wind and... yes, that's it.  Good shot.  And another.

When the hour of rest is done, he will get up and lead the others towards their destination.

After resting up for a bit, you set back on your way north. Again following the road, the next few hours pass by slowly. You can feel the lack of stimuli as you trudge along...no colors, no smells, and only the sounds of wind and the rare bird flying overhead. 

Sometime in the late afternoon you realize that the road has cut inward and is running alongside the base of the mountain range that you emerged from. And then, a few minutes later, Cadmael picks up the sight of chimney smoke emanating from the small cabin where you stayed that first night. 

"Oh! Yes, I forgot we would be passing right by that nice family," Pip says. Eventually the cabin comes into view, and you can see some familiar movements coming from inside.

Oh, them, Brask says without much enthusiasm.  I suppose they were okay.  You want to go say hi?

"It would be nice to rest indoors for the evening if they'd have us again." Kurama commented.