LOST TRAILS Chapter 7: The Harrowdale Horror

[ewancummins]

THE TEMPLE OF TYMORA

SIR CLIVE


The floor begins to give way under his armored boots.
The monster from the altar flows closer, its rotten-meat stench filling Sir Clive’s nostrils.
Cacophonous chanting fills his head with images of burning cities and slaughtered soldiers.

Stones bounce off his armor. The skittering things in the north chamber, the way he’d come through to get in here—

He swings his sword, not for attack but for balance, and bounds over the tilting flagstones toward the south.
Hopping onto a pew, he runs toward the black rectangle of one of the covered windows, where a trace of sunlight shines through at the cloth’s edges.

Visor snapped down, he takes a flying leap!

Crash! Riiiiip!

Stained glass and shredded canvas fall like confetti as the knight arcs in air and then thuds down, somersaulting over the brown grass.
He rises but does not halt, jogging away from the building with his sword held over his shoulder, ready to strike at any pursuer.

A few yards on and he must snap up the visor for better airflow.
Sunlight falls on his face.
A look back shows the temple and the nearest buildings but no sign of activity.

...

He meets Katrin walking on the grounds of the farm where he left the party.

The others are not with her…


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KATRIN
SEARCHING FOR SIR CLIVE AT THE FARM

Leaving her companions with the local boy and his father, Katrin returns to the deserted farm to begin her search for the missing knight.

She hears him clanking along before she spots the sunlight glinting on his armor as he vaults a fence and walks closer to her over a harvested field.
The knight carries that ridiculously big--and frighteningly effective--sword slanted up over his left shoulder like a giant's butcher-knife.

He wasn't in armor when she saw him last...

[ewancummins]

BENN AND THE MAIN PARTY

FIELDS BY A FOOTBRIDGE OVER A STREAM


Randal's Da does not seem to pay much attention as Benn, hands tightly gripping a loaded crossbow, slowly steps round behind him.

The local man drinks a little more water, then wipes his mouth.
''I'll be grateful for whatever help you can give me and my son'', he says to Klokulf.
''I'm rested enough to walk some, if we need to leave this place. But here we have a little bridge for shade, a clear look round so nothing creeps up on us, and good water. ''

[Adam]

"If you think you're safe here, why don't we go and retrieve our lost comrades? This can be our rendezvous point."

He steps to the side, preparing to head into the city but keeping an eye on the sick man all the same.

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

''I'm rested enough to walk some, if we need to leave this place. But here we have a little bridge for shade, a clear look round so nothing creeps up on us, and good water. ''

"Water," Klokulf mutters pensively to himself, then fishes briefly into his pack, retrieving a sturdy glass flask. Handing it over to Randal's father, he says, "Until I can return and dispel the illness, this might hold it at bay, should it turn out to be the laughing madness. Drink a swallow of this blessed water periodically---try to make it last a few hours. Don't share the bottle with others; that might be unsanitary."

[ewancummins]

''I'm rested enough to walk some, if we need to leave this place. But here we have a little bridge for shade, a clear look round so nothing creeps up on us, and good water. ''

"Water," Klokulf mutters pensively to himself, then fishes briefly into his pack, retrieving a sturdy glass flask. Handing it over to Randal's father, he says, "Until I can return and dispel the illness, this might hold it at bay, should it turn out to be the laughing madness. Drink a swallow of this blessed water periodically---try to make it last a few hours. Don't share the bottle with others; that might be unsanitary."

''Thank you, holy man."
After taking the flask, the pale-faced fisherman says,
"I'm called Willun. You know my boy, Randal. "
He glances toward his son, who is busy washing his face and drinking at the brook-side.
"The boy came back with your party instead of something to eat. We have a little bread and some dry fish but we've run pretty low. I took only what we could jog with. Maybe I should have fled in the boat instead of going to the countryside on foot, but it was all madness and screaming and laughing that second night in town...just had to get us out."
He coughs, snugging his dirty blanket over his shoulders.
"I don't like Randal taking things. We aren't looters.We're honest folk"
His cheeks flush pink.
"But there's nobody selling what we need close by and I've been too ill for the road. If you have food, I'll pay you for it. I've a little money in my roll."

[Adam]

Bennedict's grip on the crossbow eases...somewhat.

"We're an advance party, meant to find out what happened in the city. We didn't break many provisions along. But anything we can find, we'll be happy to share."

[ewancummins]

Bennedict's grip on the crossbow eases...somewhat.

"We're an advance party, meant to find out what happened in the city. We didn't break many provisions along. But anything we can find, we'll be happy to share."

Willun nods.

"When I'm well enough to run fast, I think I'll dash into town by daylight and retrieve my boat. The boy and I can take it down the coast, stopping as we need."

He looks east across the farmlands, toward the wide green sea and the gray clouds back-lit by the late morning sun.

''But if you fellows are going into Harrowdale-town now to find out what's become of those who didn't get out, what really happened that night..."
His mouth quirks into a smile and nervous laughter rises in his throat.
''Nothing's funny. Must be my fever. I was going to tell you that, just before we fled the town, a neighbor told me she had heard that a party of masked men had barricaded themselves inside the Temple of Oghma. I'm not sure why, or even if it was true. Could be there are survivors holed up there. Could be those men were among the monsters who came in the night. I don't know. But maybe it's helpful to you.''

[alhoon]

"The Temple of Oghma... " Raen made a frown. "Is it me or all churches around here sound dangerous? I think we should head to find the knight before making any decisions." Raen said to Benn.
To the ill man he said "Try to stay out of the sun and don't come to close to anyone."

[ewancummins]

"The Temple of Oghma... " Raen made a frown. "Is it me or all churches around here sound dangerous? I think we should head to find the knight before making any decisions." Raen said to Benn.
To the ill man he said "Try to stay out of the sun and don't come to close to anyone."

Willun nods, and then crawls under the shade of the footbridge, so close to the water he has only to dip his hand in to get a drink.

[ewancummins]

ALAIN...

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[Adam]

Bennedict steps towards the man in the shade, squatting down if necessary to bring him into eye contact.

"Sir," he begins slowly, "I don't know how exactly to put this to you, so I will be blunt. That is twice now you have had to suppress a laugh for no reason. It could be you are simply having a nervous break, and who could blame you? I've seen this sort of thing before. But it could also be signs of the sickness that infected your town. I have every intention of seeing that you are cared for and healed, and Klokulf and I will do everything in our power to make sure that you and your son leave this accursed place healthy and hale. But for now, I am concerned for your boy's well-being if this sickness takes you. If it is alright with you, I would like to take him with us so we can protect him while you rest here. After we find our missing comrade, we will return and do what we can to restore you. Is this agreeable?"

[ewancummins]

Bennedict steps towards the man in the shade, squatting down if necessary to bring him into eye contact.

"Sir," he begins slowly, "I don't know how exactly to put this to you, so I will be blunt. That is twice now you have had to suppress a laugh for no reason. It could be you are simply having a nervous break, and who could blame you? I've seen this sort of thing before. But it could also be signs of the sickness that infected your town. I have every intention of seeing that you are cared for and healed, and Klokulf and I will do everything in our power to make sure that you and your son leave this accursed place healthy and hale. But for now, I am concerned for your boy's well-being if this sickness takes you. If it is alright with you, I would like to take him with us so we can protect him while you rest here. After we find our missing comrade, we will return and do what we can to restore you. Is this agreeable?"

A pained look passes over Willun's face--and then he chuckles. But there's no mirth in his eyes.
He remains silent for a while, eyes hooded, face sweaty and pale.
Then he says,
''You may be right."' He leans up on his elbows and looks at his son, who stands nearby.

The boy appears jittery.

"Randal, I want you to go with these people. They are good folk. Don't worry too much about me. The holy man will return after highsun and heal me if the gods permit. Please, stay away till then. I love you, son."

[Adam]

Bennedict nods gravely. Channeling the ancient invocation, he looks to the man. "May whatever grace is in this world look over you and protect you." He looks to the others. "May it protect us all."

He stands, dusting off his trousers. "Let's go find the others, quickly."

[alhoon]

Raen frowns and sighs. He doesn't like the situation.
"I don't like this development." he says to both Willun and Randal. "It is very sad that you two should be parted for Rindal's safety. But my colleague is right. You have done nothing wrong Mr Willun and yet, you suffer unjustly. We will do everything in our power so that you are healed. Rindal, be sure we will help your father so that you can join him again soon."

[kintire]

Katrin smiles

"Ahh Sir Clive. I was worried! We should rejoin the others... carefully. It looks as if this place might be trouble."

She looks him over with an expression of slight surprise, but makes no comment on the armour