Mists Over the Musarde, Chapter Three

ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 5:27 pm

Dorgio blasts the oncoming monster with the last of his conjured radiance, which seems to slow it down just a bit.

The creature swings a glass and nail covered fist at Norzak, but the dwarf is able to dodge the blow by rushing into the stairwell.

Now all of you are running down the stairs. The stairwell is only dimly lit, and it's all to easy to miss one's footing and tumble down, yet somehow you all make it to the bottom without falling.

The first floor room is much as you left it, but the door is closed.

You can all hear a rumbling and scraping from above you, as the spirit-controlled construct squeezes into the stairwell, continuing its pursuit of you.

Cirdan, still carrying the momentum of his armored jog down the stairs, rushes the door. The metal-clad knight smashes into the wooden door with a mighty CRASH, and bursts through into the moonlit courtyard of the Keep.

Cirdan staggers about the cobbled courtyard like a drunkard, but soon regains control of himself. He waves his sword towards the open front gate of the keep [a wooden gate hangs there by moonlight, where by daylight there had been only a ruined archway]. The heavy wooden gate is slowly swinging closed!

steveflam · Post by **steveflam** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 7:12 pm

Norzak pumps his legs as fast they can possibly go. Hopefully he can dive under the gate and make it safely.

Lord Skybolt · Post by **Lord Skybolt** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 1:29 am

Alain will go to were he assumes the group are coming out to cover the party retreat with pistol and spell as needed .

Brock Marsh Runoff · Post by **Brock Marsh Runoff** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:47 am

Dorgio runs towards the gate as fast as he can in his newly-debilitated state, praying silently to the morning lord that his now frail lungs can withstand the exertion.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:54 am

The adrenaline of fear powers Benn's legs, carrying him towards the gate at top speed.

ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:07 pm

Benn sprints through the gate, followed in quick succession by Dorgio and Cirdan. Norzak is the last to leave. The dwarf passes through the gate only a split second before it slams closed- and as he runs through the gap he feels something tugging on his arm, pulling him back towards the courtyard! Norzak struggles free somehow, to join his friends in front of the castle.

All of you now stand outside the castle, on the grassy hillside beneath the cloudy night sky. Ghostly lights flare atop the strangely restored battlements of the keep, as if phantom torches were carried there by unseen sentinels. A cold wind picks up and blasts across the landscape, tearing at your clothing and whipping the grass into frenzied ripples. With the wind comes a chill rain, beginning as a dampness in the air and soon progressing to a heavy downpour.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 9:21 am

Benn turns back to the keep, looking at the eerie castle staring down at them, scornful of their defeat. He mutters something ungentlemanly and kicks at the gate. It didn't do anything to help the situation, but it made him feel better.

"We have to get out of this rain," he says, hunching his shoulders up. "Where was this house you said you found. And where are Buckman and the boy?"

Brock Marsh Runoff · Post by **Brock Marsh Runoff** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 4:25 pm

As soon as Dorgio stops running, he hunches over and retches, then launches into a coughing fit. He is nearly finished by the time the rain stops.

"The cabin," he tells Benn, "It was there." He points in the general direction. "But yes, let us first be finding Jon and Buckman. Maybe Buckman, he will wander back when that that hex dissipates. Did anybody catch sight of the lad?"

ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 11:03 am

Your battered and bedraggled [most of you, anyway- Alain isn't worn out or hurt] little party makes its way down the hill and into the surrounding woods. Cirdan is limping.

The shade of the trees provides shelter from the rain, reducing the chilly showers to a drizzle, but it also blocks some of the moonlight, making the forest at night a dark place indeed. One has to be careful not to trip on exposed roots, rocks, etc. Cirdan, Norzak, and Norzak's friend can all navigate without much difficulty, of course.

A lantern or some other source of light will probably be necessary if the whole party is to look for Jon and Buckman.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 12:53 pm

Bennedict snaps a particularly large tree branch to use as a club, casting a light spell on the end of it.

Lord Skybolt · Post by **Lord Skybolt** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 3:20 pm

When searching for Buckman and Jon, Alain points out the presence of a boot sticking out of bushes that looks it belongs to someone and says :"Hey theirs a boot sticking out of those bushes right their ! Is that BuckMans boot ?"

steveflam · Post by **steveflam** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 5:27 pm

Norzak doesn't bother with formalities and approaches the boot and kicks it. Then he reaches down and parts the bushes, getting a better look.

ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:55 pm

tarlyn wrote:Norzak doesn't bother with formalities and approaches the boot and kicks it. Then he reaches down and parts the bushes, getting a better look.

The boot proves to be empty; it tumbles a little distance when Norzak kicks it.

Beneath the cover of the bush, Norzak finds the ragged, pale body of Silas Buckman lying on the ground , face up. The tracker is missing his left boot and most of his throat. The dead man's features are frozen in a rictus of terror.

steveflam · Post by **steveflam** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 9:31 pm

"Ah, Bandycoot! 'E's Dedd, people. Fer the love 'o' Pete." The dwarf is disgusted. "Why'd 'E die like thet? Freakin 'uman! 'Ooever et 'is throat is a sicko. Well 'E looked mighty afred 'o' whatever 'e was askeered of when 'e wuz alive. Begorra an saints! This be one deranged place."

The dwarf spits on the ground, then looks around, disgusted with Buckman's result. "Jiminy Crickets an alla that. Somethin wrong goin on 'roun 'ere. Why'd 'E die? Seemed an all right sort ta me in tha end, if ye get me meanin'. BAH! This place ain' nat'ral after all, bubs.

Whut we do?"

Brock Marsh Runoff · Post by **Brock Marsh Runoff** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:40 pm

Dorgio turns his face away for a moment when they find Buckman. He then leans over the body and chants a prayer in Luktar. As he prays, he is seized with another coughing fit. At last he takes his hand away from his mouth, flinging something wet and thick into the mud.

"Van Deicks. Kurva! We had been suspecting he was some skinchanging beast. And Jon...we must find him, but we must be wary."

"Whatever did that to him, it must have left a trail. Norzak, Alain, can either of you track the blood in this weather?"

Café de Nuit

Welcome, friends, to our establishment.

Mists Over the Musarde, Chapter Three