Session 4.5: Under the Ruins

[Ludanto]

The woman was small and it doesn't take much effort to lift her out of the cellar. If you are planning to build some sort of pyre, the forest edge can be seen in the near distance.

[BillTheGalacticHero]

'Twould be best to build the pyre here, in the burnt building ruin, so 'twon't spread iffen it get's outta hand.

[shroomofinsanity]

so we will do a burial in fire? That seems odd for a woman that only runs an orphanage, but I know the correct rites for this method too. We must find a lot of wood, our bodies dont give in to the cleansing flame easily. Berry looks to his more woodsy cohorts to assist in this stage.

[Marullus]

Allric looks skeptically at the distance to the forest where timber would need to be gathered, then back at the ruined body of the small woman, whom none of them actually know...

"Surely, a simple burial," he asks with a sympathetic look and knowledgeable tone, "would do in this circumstance? I'm sure she was a goodly woman, but do not the fates of the children weigh more heavily upon us? Let us aid her way to the afterlife with a grave and marker here at this place where she spent her life - and gave her full measure of devotion - that she be remembered, then we can move on?"

[BillTheGalacticHero]

We don' wan' 'er to be coming back as an undead werewolf-vampire thing, but I'll defer to yer learn'd wisdom.

[shroomofinsanity]

I am willing to do either ceremony, but who shall dig the hole? Do we have a shovel?

[Marullus]

At the request for a shovel, Allric looks expectantly at Rabon, as he's typically prepared for such laborious, peasant-like tasks...



We don't have ANYONE with Laborer, so won't have "normal tools" for laboring. Rabon has "normal tools" for Peasant and Alfred and Thag have "normal tools" for Survivalist. Up to Ludanto what that entails, but we're probably going to have to 'make due' with some degree of penalty.

[BillTheGalacticHero]

At the request for a shovel, Allric looks expectantly at Rabon, as he's typically prepared for such laborious, peasant-like tasks...



We don't have ANYONE with Laborer, so won't have "normal tools" for laboring. Rabon has "normal tools" for Peasant and Alfred and Thag have "normal tools" for Survivalist. Up to Ludanto what that entails, but we're probably going to have to 'make due' with some degree of penalty.

I could do a Survivalist test to find an appropriate piece of equipment. If successful I could find a shovel in the orphange's toolshed.

[Rusty Tincanne]

We're probably looking at a Scavenger test to find a shovel, not survivalist. But the goal,I think, should be to minimize tests. So let's bury her with a possible penalty rather than test to look for a tool and then again to dig a hole, or to carry her and then burn her.

Rabon grumbles about it, but starts digging a shallow grave for the diminutive woman. Fine. but it seems a fool's errand to take her outta one, perfectly good hole, just t'make another a few feet away. 'Specially if she's just gonna rise up an' kill us anyhow.

[Ludanto]

Rabon has a digging tool, sort of a cheap adze, but it gets the job done after an hour or so of sweaty work. At least the breeze from mountains coming over the forest is cool. It doesn't take nearly as long to bury the woman in the shallow grave.

What now?

[BillTheGalacticHero]

What do we do with the tools? Leave 'em? Bury 'em in the woods?

I'm ok with either, they aren't worth the amount of space they take up on an out-bound trip.

After that decision, it's time to get back to followin' the kids' track, Alfred or I can do that.

[Marullus]

Allric, disappointed that the silvered tools are not of enough quality to help with his own alchemical pursuits, places them into the half-filled grave before Rabon finishes the job. "We can return for them, and not disturb her rest," he reassures Berry, "and it will keep them from the hands of others."

He turns to Thag and Alfred, his glowing motes now bobbing around above his own head. "Come - let us follow your trail signs to find where these children were taken off to," he glances to Berry, "Before something worse can befall them, hmm?"

[Rusty Tincanne]

When Berry's last rights are complete, Rabon nudges the cleric. You sure you done it right? No offense, intended. I just.. well, werewolves and all.

He falls into line, talking to Alfred about this, that and the other thing as they walk. But mostly he comments on the importance of properly footing footwear when walking long distances.

[Ludanto]

You soon find yourself in the forest and immediately everything is colder and darker. As you continue, the signs you were following become lost in the thick leaf litter that carpets the forest floor.

Even the birds have fallen silent, and you feel that you're being watched...

What now?

[shroomofinsanity]

Before heading out, Berry responds to Rabon. As a trained man of the cloth I know the final rites very well. If only in an academic sense. But I assure you mister Rabon that I did it right.

After everything becomes spooky: Uh.... friends, I don't like this place much...can we move along quickly?

[Rusty Tincanne]

I believe the plan is to keep tracking no matter how spooky. So... Is there a test to continue?

And is Buck still around?

[BillTheGalacticHero]

He should be, he was at our wargaming club meeting this past Friday. I did mention to him that he might need to do a test soon.

And I should see him this Friday at our monthly D&D night. Our Tunnels & Trolls host is taking a break, so I'll be GMing a Torchbearer campaign for a few months.

[Marullus]

I am assuming there's a Pathfinder test here before the Twist gets us?

Allric becomes more solemn, working to radiate a cool confidence as he leads Berry and Rabon after the two wayfarers. He keeps his glowing orbs carefully positioned - one shedding light for the scouts, the other guiding his own trio...

[Ludanto]

Doing your best to follow the trail of kobold and child footprints as they become lost in the leaves...

Opposed Scout vs 2 dice.

[bucksurdu]

Doing your best to follow the trail of kobold and child footprints as they become lost in the leaves...

Opposed Scout vs 2 dice.

Alfred rubs a deer antler on his hat, tosses some blades of grass into the air, lays on the ground to get a closer look, sniffs a little, tastes the dirt, and says, "I think I know which way they went."

Scout skill [1d6] = 1+[1d6] = 2, Fresh [1d6] = 4, Help from Rabon [1d6] = 3, help from That [1d6] = 4

Well, perhaps not.