Damaia says, "I mean you gotta admit, ale's pretty neat. It makes you forget the bad stuff in life and just calm down a bit."

"Bad stuff! Tsk!" Jasmal pokes at Damaia with her stick. "There is no 'bad stuff' eh! You make a delicious sauce, and when you're eating the sauce you get a mouthful of bay leaves, and you think 'Oh no, the bad stuff! What is this terrible, sharp-edged, chewy, stringy mess in my delicious sauce!' but where dja think the flavour comes from, um? You think a life full of tomatoes is a life well lead, do ya? All those things that the ale makes you forget - those are the lessons you learned, every failure a stepping stone on the path to success. You drink to forget your failures, you're drinking to forget how you ever achieved anything, and the more you achieve, the more you have to forget. Pickle yourself, you will. No! Savour those failures. That's where all the flavour is. Like leaves in a teapot. Oooh I could murder a cuppa." By the end, she's already waddling towards the inn, rubbing her hands together.

Damaia scratches her head and says, "You lost me, then you had me then you lost me again. I'm going to worry about flavors and tomatoes later."

Dimble heads for some tea as well. Tea never made anyone sneeze and collapse a building. 

(sorry all, apparently my notifications stopped working traveling back from vacation, will update tomorrow.)

Kodiak follows the group. "I don't think she ever had me. Ale sounds nice though."

Quote from Sidewinder51 >>

Kodiak follows the group. "I don't think she ever had me. Ale sounds nice though."

 "The night is young, sonny boy!" she calls back to him "Though it's been a while and I'm not sure I remember how, heh heh he"

As you all enter the inn you are greeted with a grim sight. There are plenty of people, but most seem inform in some way or other. The inn is warm from the fire, but you all feel a chill as you look around the room at familiar pock marks on the nearby patrons (The ones you saw on Dizzel)

The barkeep noticing you waves frantically to get your attention. "Don't touch'em, just come over here bc and sit." She says and motions to the bar.

Kodiak walks slowly towards to bartender. "Well. That's not a good sign."

Damaia mutters under her breath as she discreetly makes her way to the Bartender. "Of course there's vine zombies! Why the **** wouldn't there be!?"

Patron Perception: 6

You mumblings go unnoticed

"I wonder if they swallowed grapes whole?" Jasmal ponders, while to the bar she wanders

Triscyne makes his way over to the bar, moving in close to the bartender so as not to be overheard by the sickly looking locals. The sight of the markings, so similar to the ones on the Dragonborn, sent a stab of warning through his system. Perhaps this was the very mystery they were sent to solve, in which case it would turn out a whole lot more dangerous than he had imagined. Nothing he did not feel confident he could handle, but still. Good to be wary, on his toes. "Good day, ma'am. What happened here, if we may ask?"

OOC:

(This one's definitely actually a woman, a dwarf woman to be exact and she has a very forced calm on her face.) "Everyone's slowly been feeling ill. Seems to only transfer through touch, but if you start mentioning something's wrong they begin to get agitated, sent word with a few families that traveled toward the larger cities. Said to get a hold of the Royal guard or anyone who's willing to help. Been about a week since the first sighting. Some poor sap that tried to tap for sap in the wee hours of the morning, when the shadows come alive... Came back with those boils and that blank expression."

"tap... For sap? Is that what the youngsters are calling it now? Ha!" She claps, "how apt!"

Kodiak leans on the bar. "Well, it seems these shadows are more than just a myth. That's disappointing. I was hoping it would be nothing. Also, can I get an ale?" 

She nods and begins pouring an ale "It's not much, but it'll get you drunk. Not like anyone else in here is buying." She looks over Kodiak's shoulder and all color disappears from her face. Everyone will notice that the other patrons and stood up, their eyes fixed on the party. A few heartbeats pass before the whole crowd crumbles to the ground in piles of ash and rot, the piles slowly coalesce in the air and quickly form that of a giant crow surrounded by three giant maggots

Roll initiative and describe your first round of action. Anyone who rolls higher than 10 will get a surprise on the creatures.

Initiative: 22

"Great. Just Great" Damaia says sarcastically.

She moves up to the crow and the magots and unleashes Burning hands to hit as many of the creatures as possible.

Burning Hands: 5 Fire, DEX: 13 for half.

Mechanics:

"What in the..." Triscyne begins, then simply leaves the sentence as he springs into action. Clearly this was not going to be resolved with conversation, and he was not eager to turn into one of those vined creatures either. With one swift motion he draws forth his rapier, steps up close and then retreats deftly, not wishing to remain on the front line with these things.

Mechanics:

Initiative: 17

"I wanted that ale!" Kodiak draws the large sword from his back and lets out a snarl before charging forward in a rage. He swings at one of the maggots.

Attack: 17  Damage: 14