Session 64
General Summary
- Throughout the night, Dazki attuned to Baxton's Ring of Mind Shielding. He then threatened Baxton, strongarming him into spilling a little more information:
- In the morning, the party packed the cart back up again and departed, following the trail left by The Glutton of Hershal's Rest towards its origin.
- There seems to be a dust storm coming within the next day or so.
- Along the trail, they were stopped by a raven with a human hand and wrist where its legs and feet should have been. It accused the party of "vandalizing" the Flesh Artist's "masterpiece", which is about all it could say before Dwardazik shot it with a crossbow and then Dazki and Kesmet super-ultra-overkilled it.
- The party found a gully where they could take shelter from the upcoming dust storm, but they're not the first ones here:
- There's a small traveling circus who also had the same idea, run by Mortimer Tality and his wife, Fae.
- There's also another cart pulled by draft horses, tended to by ragmen, that doesn't fit with the rest of the circus.
- While the party was setting up their own camp, the Flesh Artist revealed himself, accompanied by a gnoll (and, of course, a ragman). He wants his orb back. He also expressed a curiosity about Marvin's soul.
Full Recap
The session opens with the party in Hershal's Rest. The corpses from the city are all in a pile, and the pyre is burning.
The Rest of the Night
Grogery: We don't want to be around zombies when it gets dark. One of the things that weakens them is being in the sunlight.
Dazki: We could just stay here for the night?
Kesmet: I'm for that. I spent so much firepower trying to take that thing down.
Dwardazik: I don't know if we should split the group, but if we decide to stay here, we might be able to make it fortified. Maybe barricade these entrances with these gates, maybe some carts, camp out for the night?
Marvin: That actually sounds like a decent plan, though I vote for making one more sweep and making sure we got all of 'em.
Dwardazik: Agreed.
Kesmet: I flew around, I think I got 'em.
Dwardazik: And I checked every single building, but, just to be sure.
Marvin: What about the newly dug grave site to the south?
Grogery: It might also be a good idea to send a group forward towards where the Glutton came from, just to make sure that he's not getting followed.
Dwardazik: I understand, but we're running out of time. I think we need to make a decision.
Kesmet: Running out of time? We're already days behind! One more day's not going to make too much of a difference.
Dazki: No, running out of time until sunset.
Kesmet: I vote we all just stay here. This place is defensible. We wait until day, then we start following the trail. It's not going to go that cold overnight. Hell, it's the dry season.
Dwardazik: Agreed.
Dwardazik goes to work fortifying the entrances, while Marvin moves the bear traps from around the outer walls of the encampment to just in front of the gates.
Dazki: Kesmet, do you mind letting me have Baxton's Ring of Mind Shielding?
Kesmet: Sure. He doesn't really want to talk to me anyway. If you don't get anywhere with him, though, then I really... really want to talk to him. He always ignored me.
Marvin: So why in the world would Baxton --
Kesmet: Ignore me? I don't know! I'm so noticeable! He was very rude about it!
Marvin: While this is true, Kesmet, --
Kesmet: He tried to sell me, like, infinite power, or whatever the hell he offered, but he was a bad salesman. He was just bad at it. He didn't sell it well. I didn't believe him.
Marvin: Oh, that, I have no doubt. But, why... you said he could willingly leave the ring at any time, right?
Dazki: Yeah.
Kesmet: He would have to go to the Afterlife, though.
Marvin: Why is he choosing to stay?
Grogery: He's probably scared of what awaits him.
Dazki: My bet is, he made a bet with whatever that Turmoil thing is, and he failed, and now his soul belongs to the Turmoil after death. So he's not going to leave the ring no matter what, because that's going to be much worse than whatever bullshit he has to deal with being inside of a ring.
Kesmet: Challenge accepted.
Kesmet: There's one thing that I never figured out. Can Baxton hear everyone else from the ring, or is it just the person that he can talk to?
Dazki: He can hear us through the person that he is communicating with, telepathically. So if it was me, then anything I could hear, he could hear.
Kesmet: Can he see?
Dazki: I don't know that part.
Kesmet: So if I covered my eyes, and people said stuff, he wouldn't be able to hear, because I wouldn't.
Dazki: Probably not.
Kesmet: That's so weird.
Marvin: Sounds like a pretty horrible existence.
Kesmet: Baxton, is it a horrible existence? And is our guess about how your senses work now correct?
Grogery: He probably wouldn't let us know even if we are correct.
Dwardazik: Yeah, he's a liar.
Kesmet: ...Hello??? ...Helloooooo???????? ...I think it's broken. He might have actually left.
Dazki: All right, well, let me have the ring. I'll attune to it tonight, and we'll have a... nice little conversation.
Kesmet hands over the ring.
Marvin: I wonder if we could cast spells on this guy while he's trapped in the ring? Like a mind-affecting spell? Would that even work?
Dazki: I don't know.
Grogery: He's a soul, does he have a mind?
Dwardazik: Enough of a mind to speak his mind.
Grogery: He doesn't really have a brain...
Kesmet: Yeah, he's not very bright.
Dazki: And I know a lot of spells require you to actually be able to see the person.
Kesmet: So... don't look into a mirror.
Dwardazik: That's actually a pretty smart idea. Until we understand, maybe you shouldn't look into a mirror. They say mirrors are gateways into the soul.
They continue fortifications and eat one more time.
Dazki: All right, I can take first watch and attune to the ring then.
Marvin: Are you gonna let me take a watch this time?
Dazki: Sure, if you want to.
Marvin: I can contribute.
Dazki: It's not that I don't trust you... well, I don't trust you entirely, especially 'cause you're lying about your relationship with Alfalfa, but that's neither here nor there, --
Kesmet: That was in the underground market, and honestly, what (except for the paid-for information) is true down there?
Dwardazik: Let's face it, it was probably just a bad hitch-up! Marvin seems like the kind of guy who could... uh... well... it probably didn't go very well!
Marvin: A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell. And we went over this already!
Dazki: -- yeah, that's beside the point. I just don't trust that there aren't people manipulating you that you may be unaware of. Because that's definitely a thing that happens, occasionally. I trust your intentions, but not the intentions of others.
Marvin: That's fine, but if you're aware of people manipulating me that I'm not aware of, I would very much like to know that!
Dwardazik: I disagree. That seems kind of rude, in my opinion. I understand that people can be trying to manipulate him, but assuming that they're trying to manipulate him into doing bad things with his good intentions? I mean, we basically all dealt with that with Baxton. I don't think anyone could predict that, and that seems kind of unfair.
Kesmet: Well, we can try to figure this out. With Baxton, he told us to do some stuff, and he asked us all friendly-like, "yeah, do this". Then he asked that one guy, "oh, just incriminate yourself so everything goes away". Let's just ask Marvin, "have you run into any shady characters lately that have asked you to do something that you maybe didn't necessarily want to do, but you feel as though it's in your best interest to acquiesce?"
Dwardazik: Yeah, like, having to go down to the mines and work on a quarry in the mines, when your foreman came up with a stupid reason for you to go down there, and then you taking the blame for a cave collapsing?
Kesmet: Yeah, like, he offered you a bunch of money to work overtime, and then the cave collapsed. Things you couldn't have possibly foreseen coming. Something like that. Anything, Marvin?
Marvin: Truthfully, no. But there was this really crazy group of guys who fought this eldritch horror, and it was eating everything in sight. That was fuckin' creepy.
Kesmet: Did they try to pay you?
Marvin: No, actually, they didn't!
Kesmet: Oh, OK, then you're probably fine. They're, like, nothing. Anybody else?
Marvin, starting to wise up to Kesmet's shtick: In all seriousness, no, I have not encountered any shady characters.
Kesmet: Usually, it's payment, or promises of power.
Dazki: They know you at the Undermart, so obviously you've encountered some shady characters, but I know what you mean.
Marvin: Nothing shadier than what I've seen in the past couple of days, how about?
Dazki: Fair.
Kesmet: What are you talking about? It's been just grass and zero shade out here.
Dwardazik: And zombies.
Kesmet: And zombies! They're taking all the shade!
Dwardazik: And a massive amount of massacre.
Marvin: Honestly, as soon as I heard about you guys after I got back to the city, I was hoping I'd run into this group of terrorists.
Kesmet: First off, we're not terrorists. Second, where did you hear about us? That could be the shady character!
Marvin: I saw all the wanted posters, and you guys were all, "what terrorists? oh, no, we're not, ...", when you were clearly the "terrorists" I saw on the wanted posters.
Kesmet: Wait, that's it! Who was printing the wanted posters?
Dwardazik: Oh, here we go...
Kesmet: If we follow the paper trail, eventually it will lead us back to Dennis faster!
Dwardazik: ...it was probably Annu.
Grogery: Either that or Sorda'an.
Kesmet: Annu's the one guy who I'm, like, 85% sure doesn't (or cannot?) work for Dennis.
Dwardazik: ... ... so you're saying there's a chance?
Kesmet: 15%.
Grogery: Well, going back to who's taking watch for the night. I'm sure that even if Marvin did have ill intentions towards us, what he's witnessed tonight must have convinced him that wandering off in the middle of the night is probably not in his best interests.
Barry: I think bad things have happened here!
Marvin: I've spent enough nights in this desert to know that that's a horrible fucking idea.
Grogery: Especially now.
Dwardazik: How about this. I'll take first watch with Marvin, we'll cover the grounds as it gets dark.
Kesmet: I can do second watch. I haven't had much time to spend out in the wild, the fresh air. He sniffs a bit. It smells a bit like blood and char right now, but I can push through it.
Dwardazik: ...we've been traveling for days, Kesmet.
Kesmet: I know, but I haven't really been doing that many watches.
Dwardazik: I won't complain about some extra sleep. Hey Barry, did you notice anything while you were at the cart?
Barry: There was a big fire here.
Kesmet: Yeah.
Barry: It seems like you guys put it out, though.
Dwardazik: Did you want to take watch?
Barry: I've got the keen eyes of a seasoned veteran!
Dazki: OK, since I need to stay up a little bit anyway, Barry and I will take third watch.
Dwardazik: Sounds like a plan.
Barry: Yess!!! Got 'em!
Dazki: And I know it's important for you to see the sunrise, Grogery, so why don't you take last watch?
Grogery: All right.
Those not taking watch sleep in the healers' hut. Dwardazik scatters his snare traps in front of it.
First Watch: Dwardazik and Marvin
Dwardazik pulls out his crossbow and starts up his super fancy dwarven lantern to light up his path.
Dwardazik: Let's make our rounds, but I'd like to walk as a pair.
Marvin: Yeah, sure.
The camp is kind of eerie. The pyre, still burning, gives everything an orange wash.
Marvin: It smells kinda bad too, though not really any worse than it did before.
Dwardazik: To be fair, I had to sleep around Barry one night.
Marvin: Ahh... so, is he a fish person or not? You guys aren't being very clear about that!
Dwardazik: Huh? No, he's, uh... you should ask him about it.
Marvin: You can't just ask somebody why they have the skin they have! That's not a thing!
Dwardazik: Look, something happened. We're trying to cure him.
Marvin: So he wasn't always...
Dwardazik: He's an elf, all right?
Marvin: A spell gone wrong?
Dwardazik: ...something like that.
Marvin: I'll talk with him about it later, I guess.
Dwardazik: It's not my place to say anything.
Nothing significant or unexpected happens during the watch.
Second Watch: Kesmet (with Dazki stealing the show)
Dazki is also outside, focusing on Baxton's ring to attune to it. Kesmet comes over to try to interrupt him, after a quick perimeter check.
Kesmet: Hey Dazki, what's up? I did a perimeter check. All the traps are still there.
Dazki: Focusing, sorry. Everything's good?
Kesmet: Yeah. There's, like, nothing. Everything's quiet. The fire's gone down a little bit.
Dazki: OK, cool.
Dazki's eyes glaze over as he resumes focusing on the ring.
Kesmet, to himself: Oh, man. I don't remember attunement being this difficult for me. I just thought about fire a lot. I wonder what Dazki's going to ask next? Baxton was really interested in talking to him. I wonder if he's still trying to... "acquire" him. Sexually.
When Dazki finishes his attunement, he starts talking to Baxton, in his head.
Dazki: I finally had a minute to think about the ring. Effective. Obvious, but effective. I'm sure whatever punishment the Turmoil has for failure is much worse than listening to Kesmet ramble for hours on end. Make no mistake, you failed. And now you're just hiding from the consequences of your actions. You may attempt to call it something else, but if you do, you're just deluding yourself. I wonder what Annu would think of this situation? Do you think he would even wait ten seconds before sending you to your fate? (Don't bother answering. I don't actually care what you think. Just an interesting thought experiment.)
Dazki: What I do care about is your knowledge. And you're going to share that with me whenever I demand it. Don't misunderstand: I will not ask, I will demand. And unless my demands are being met, you are not useful. When tools (and you are just a tool now) stop being useful, I stop caring about them. Maybe loan them out to friends, or just give them away. In this case, maybe a friend like Annu, who has a penchant for Turmoil. Your information is valuable, but it isn't unique. I can get what I need from other sources. Less quickly, sure, and that would delay me, but it's not an insurmountable delay. I am an elf, after all. I have plenty of time.
Dazki: So. You lie? Ring goes to Annu. Refuse to give me any information? Ring goes to Annu. You are ever no longer useful? Ring goes to Annu. Keep me happy and informed, now, or the ring goes to Annu. I'm sure, even demanding as I am, it's still a damn sight better than what the Turmoil has waiting. So, best behavior, and mind your fucking manners.
Dazki: We'll start off easy! Tell me about The Flesh Artist. I know there's no love lost between the two of you. I witnessed your conversation in Ashport. It was an interesting exchange, to say the least. Now, I didn't hear the entire thing, but you were so distracted you didn't even notice me 20 feet away! That says a lot, doesn't it? (Again, rhetorical question. Don't answer: I don't actually care.) What you can talk about is what slimy pit does the Flesh Artist crawl back into while waiting for new body parts? Don't bother claiming you don't know. We both know that's a lie. You're smart enough to keep tabs on your "allies" as well as your enemies. So where would he be?
Baxton, after a time: I still feel the hot pulsing of the sword in my chest, you know. Yet, it is the dagger in my back that brings me more pain.
Dazki: Well, we all have to learn to live with plenty of pain, now, don't we?
Baxton: You know nothing of loss. Nothing of pain, nothing of misery or alienation. You and your comrades have not earned the right to discipline others and convince yourselves you do so charitably. The arrogance and selfishness to treat others worse than you have been treated is a bad look on you. Immature. However, I am less concerned of the very predictable betrayal from an ambitious, but immature, apprentice. I am, of course, more concerned of the entity whose agenda I can no longer amend.
Dazki: All right, so. Where does he tend to hide himself while awaiting a fresh delivery of corpse pieces?
Baxton: He only really returns to his lair when he is feeling weak. It's somewhere northeasterly. I don't travel out there.
Dazki: Well, no, but surely you have more eyes than just in the city?
Baxton: There is a pact to stay out of each other's territory, and some people actually respect that.
Dazki: Fair enough. So, he's northeast. What about some of the others? There should be four others besides the Flesh Artist.
Baxton: This illusion of a country is equally carved up among the six disciples of the Mirage.
Dazki: What do you know about the others? I know you were the eye.
Baxton: This sudden interest in the others?
Dazki: Job's not done.
Baxton: They are hard to track, to identify what their deal is, especially from a great distance. I took my work seriously. I had no wandering eyes for what others far away in distant lands were doing. But I assure you, it's at least twice as terrible as anything I have done.
Dazki: I don't doubt that. I genuinely believe you started off with the best of intentions. It's just that results don't care about your intentions.
Baxton: A man traversing the desert, heat-stricken and dehydrated, a hopeless man looking for solutions where none exist, spies on the horizon an oasis of sparkling water and shady trees. Though moments ago, he was content to die where he lay, the very thought of paradise drags the man forward past the point of death. Though the man may never reach the mirage to drink from its cooling water and sheltering canopy, at least the man dies, not with despair and depression, but with optimism.
Dazki doesn't respond to this.
Baxton: ...I take it you have not done your reading?
Dazki: It has been challenging, with all the other tasks I am in the process of doing.
Baxton: You are overly distracted and must stay focused.
Dazki: That's probably why I never started to learn magic. Too easily distracted.
Baxton: I imagine "The Flesh Artist", if that's what you're calling him, should be wandering back to his place soon. He didn't seem terribly well in Ashport.
Dazki: To the northeast, you said?
Baxton: The northeast. Some hidden lair, by some hidden town.
Dazki: Any idea the name of the town?
Baxton: If I knew the name of the town, would we be having this discussion?
Dazki: I don't know, I thought you might be able to use at least a little conversation after Kesmet. I'm not entirely uncharitable. At least, I like to think that.
Baxton: Giving my ring to Annu Adabra doesn't achieve your goal, you know.
Dazki: No. No it doesn't.
Baxton: Understandably, he is not allowed to manipulate souls.
Dazki: Sure, but it certainly makes for an effective threat. Especially if I'll follow through with it. Because I will.
Baxton: I don't doubt your penchant for evil acts.
Dazki: "Self-destructive vengeance", let's call it. And besides, everyone has good and evil within them. It's just what they choose, and attempt, to listen to. I personally believe some of the acts you have committed have been evil, even if they were in the pursuit of the greater good.
Baxton: I have earned my right to be evil.
Dazki: No one should earn the right to be evil. The world is a better place when we are all cooperating for the good of everyone.
Baxton: You keep trying to live in a world that does not exist.
Dazki: Live in the world as you wish for it to be, that others may find your example and follow it.
Baxton: They will not.
Dazki: Then I will die a naïve fool who continued to follow his heart and continued to do the right thing until the last breath. And I will do it with a smile.
Baxton: Foolish.
Dazki: Maybe, but I'd rather be a happy fool than a dead curmudgeon. Do you feel the passage of time while you're in the ring, or is it just a void since you don't have a body to feel the heartbeat of?
Baxton: It's confusing, yes, but not unexpected.
Dazki: OK. Well, truly, thank you for the advice and the conversation. In spite of our differences, I do appreciate getting to talk with you.
Baxton: I look forward to using you to end my enemies.
Dazki: Yeah, and who knows? Maybe if all your enemies get ended, especially the other parts of the Mirage, you might be able to get away from whatever the eldritch beast has planned for after your death!
Dazki unattunes from the ring.
Kesmet: You OK there, Dazki? You seemed constipated there for a while, then you had this air of self-satisfaction, and then some slight annoyance at the end. What's going on?
Dazki: Oh, yeah, sorry. I was just arguing with Baxton. He gave us some information. Northeast of Ashport is where the Flesh Artist seems to live. A hidden outpost, outside of a hidden town.
Kesmet: What's the town's name?
Dazki: He seemed not to know. Apparently, there's some pact where they're supposed to stay out of each other's areas.
Kesmet: But... he's dead? What does he care?
Dazki: I don't think he knew the name of the town in life, so he doesn't know it now.
Kesmet: All right. Can I talk to him tomorrow?
Dazki: Ring's all yours.
Dazki gives the ring back to Kesmet.
Kesmet: Oh. I'll attune to it tomorrow morning. I don't trust him not to try to keep me up.
They do one more perimeter check. The wind is picking up. Ash is falling from the sky, like snow, a normal occurrence for this time of year in Exignis.
Kesmet takes a little time to add more fuel to the pyre of bodies and then goes back in to tag Barry in for his turn at watch.
Kesmet, whispering: Barry! Barry, wake up!
Barry, startled awake: Ahh! I didn't do it this time!
Kesmet: You were sleeping. You couldn't have done anything. Anyway, go out and meet Dazki for your watch. I've gotta get some sleep. I rekindled the fire in case you wanted to warm up by it.
Barry: OK. You got it!
Kesmet tries to go to sleep while Barry leaves the hut. Barry hits one of the snare traps almost immediately. Kesmet hears this, sighs, walks out, and gives him a health potion.
Kesmet: Here, just in case you get hurt.
Barry: Um... OK, but... I'm stuck.
Dazki comes over and frees him.
Third Watch: Barry and Dazki
More ash is falling from the sky and blowing around in the breeze. The wind has really picked up. This wind, in such a dry area, especially with all this ash, signals that a dust storm will occur in the area within a day or so, if the wind keeps picking up.
Nothing of significance happens during this watch. At the end, Dazki goes to wake Grogery to let him know about the wind and the impending dust storm, and he asks the goblin to stay alert that the buildings don't catch on fire from the pyre.
Final Watch: Grogery
Nothing of significance happens during this watch.
Dusty Red Dawn
All the dust in the air gives the sun a red hue as it rises, which Grogery laments.
Kesmet: Who here has how many healing potions?
Marvin: I have none.
Dwardazik: None.
Grogery: One.
Barry: I have two.
Dazki: One greater, two lesser.
Kesmet gives Marvin and Dwardazik two lesser healing potions each.
Dwardazik: I appreciate that, Kesmet! I had to use mine against that fleshy beast.
Marvin: Yeah, thanks!
Dwardazik: In hindsight, I probably should have gathered a few more before heading out.
Kesmet: I bought a shitload, because we're always getting hurt. That one time, with the fucking hyena, man, we could have used some extra healing. No offense, Grogery, but you're just one person.
Grogery: I know. Though, the way that the beast acted, it seemed to almost go after Dwardazik because he was healing. I don't really know how to describe it...
Dwardazik: It did seem angry every time my wounds were healing.
Grogery: Yeah, so it might not be a good idea to necessarily use these if we encounter something similar. Which we probably will.
Kesmet: We'll have them as an option. We'll be able to use them to revive party members if they're almost dead, as we usually are.
Dwardazik: Don't remind me...
Kesmet: And this way, anyone can revive anyone else.
They start to plan out the next leg of their journey.
Dazki: The information I got was that the Flesh Artist's lair is to the northeast of Ashport, outside of some "hidden city".
Marvin: "Hidden city"?!
Dazki: Yeah.
Dwardazik: How do you hide a city?!
Marvin doesn't know anything about any cities out this way. It's mostly just small hunting camps like this one.
Dwardazik: According to the maps that we had before we left Ashport, there is a road that leads up to the northeast. Should we try to make our way over to there and follow it, or are we going to return due to the potential risk of this ash storm?
Dazki: It's probably going to get really bad in the next day or two, so...
Dwardazik: I have to say, I haven't left the mountain too much. I'm aware of these storms, but I've never experienced one firsthand. How bad does it get?
Sky Voice: It's not like a hurricane or anything. It just fucks up visibility and slows travel.
Dazki: That's not something I'm particularly familiar with. Marvin, would you know?
Marvin: As long as you keep your wits about you and be careful, it's fine. I've been through some pretty bad ones. It's not going to kill us, it's not going to hurt us... mostly, it just fucks up visibility and slows travel.
Dazki: All right.
Kesmet begins attuning to Baxton's ring. Once he does, he starts talking to Baxton almost nonstop, trying to get any sort of a rise out of him.
Grogery: So we can try to get to that road. The Glutton did come from the north, so we could head that way and try to track it. Maybe we can see where it came from, at least up until the trail intersects the road and make a decision there based on the weather?
Dazki: My vote is to follow the trail.
Dwardazik: Agreed.
(there was some more discussion about alternative routes, but they ultimately decide to follow it through the tall grass to make sure that they don't lose the trail, which is their only concrete, tangible lead)
They start out through the tall grass. Kesmet has a very Kesmet idea, which he decides to share with the party:
Kesmet: Hey, I could go ahead and burn some of the grass in front of us. It's pretty dry.
Dwardazik: I would advise against that, Kesmet. You might end up burning the trail we're trying to follow, plus all that smoke's going to hurt our visibility.
Marvin is able to follow the trail with
no problems whatsoever, since he knows what kinds of animal tracks to avoid. This one stands out: it's almost like somebody is wearing a hand puppet (its feet were basically hands, after all).
Dazki is trying to keep an eye out, walking alongside the cart. No encounters; they make it to the road, which is where the trail continues. Dwardazik
picks the trail back up: though it did not take the road per se, it seems to have traveled in a path parallel the road.
Kesmet: It must not have wanted all the attention.
Marvin, gesturing to all the people who aren't here: Oh yeah, all the attention from all the people here!
Grogery: They might have been using the road as a guide? "Go to the road until you get around here, then veer off to Hershal's Rest".
Dwardazik: And it could have been stalking people on the road to attack and harvest. He shudders. I'm glad that thing wasn't stalking us earlier. Could you imagine that thing just jumping out of the grass?
Sky Voice: Speaking of things jumping out of the grass...
Kesmet, partly snapping out of his unrequited conversation with Baxton: ...and then, I burned the sin until there was nothing left of the baby fetuses. Huh? Oh look, something's jumping out of the grass.
Something's Jumping Out of the Grass
A large disheveled raven lands in the middle of the road. Clearly no ordinary carrion bird, where its legs would be, instead, the bird stands on one pale, full-sized human hand and wrist.
The bird has an appropriate number of eyes, in an appropriate overall condition for a bird. It cocks its head sideways and addresses the party.
Raven: VANDALS, VANDALS!
Kesmet: Great. First, it's "terrorists", now it's "vandals".
Marvin: Kesmet, this is one that we need to burn.
Dazki notices a nearby umbrellathorn acacia tree that also seems to have a murder of crows in it. This crow doesn't seem aggressive.
Raven: Destroyer of art! The doctor is not pleased with the vandalism of his masterpiece. VANDALS, VANDALS!
The birds in the nearby tree also squawk, "VANDALS, VANDALS!"
Dazki: Yeah, well, just call me the critic, then.
Marvin: I'm kind of concerned about this thing having scrying abilities...
As the bird mocks the party, a crossbow bolt pierces through its chest and out the other side, leaving the bird dead. The human hand twitches from whatever impulses are left from the beast, and the other birds in the tree will fly away, cacophously cawing as they fly away. Dwardazik has killed it.
Dazki goes to stab it several more times to make sure it's overkilled.
Grogery, as he leans out of the cart: Hey, who was yelling at us that we're vandals, and why have they suddenly stopped --
Grogery then sees the handraven, and Dazki furiously stabbing at it.
Grogery: ...oh, OK.
Dwardazik: Can anyone create water?
Grogery: I can create food and water.
Dwardazik: Oh, that's all together? Don't worry about it, then. I was thinking, maybe Kesmet can incinerate this vile beast, and then we can put the fire out with some water.
Kesmet does go over to the bird and starts using
a more localized fire spell to cook it. Unlike the last bird that Kesmet burned this way, this bird's ribcage
didn't turn into snakes and try to slither away, which Kesmet sees as a big bonus.
The crows fly away in a similar direction to the path that the beast had taken, but not
exactly lining up. The party continues following along the road, keeping an eye on the trail that the Glutton came from.
Dwardazik: That was a pretty good shot though, wasn't it?
Marvin: Hell yeah!
Dwardazik: And mighty fine burning! Feels good to be back on the road, but I'm feeling a bit anxious, like we're about to walk into a trap. To me, that bird just signals that the Flesh Artist knows we're here.
Marvin: That's what I'm afraid of, as well.
In the distance, there is smoke rising from what would probably be a couple of campfires close to each other, probably from the same camp.
Dwardazik: I can think of two things... either someone is setting up for the night, or a brushfire. Either way, we should address it. If it's a brushfire, I say we put it out. I don't know if we want to see who those people are. They could be bandits, after all.
Dazki: I'm not particularly familiar with any of this. Does it look like it's more of a brushfire or a campfire? To those of you who are more skilled survivalists?
Kesmet, making a big show of trying to check everything around him: Based on all the available information, it's two campfires, close to each other. Likely, there's a camp there.
Dwardazik: Two campfires could indicate a large party. We might be outnumbered if it's a band.
Dazki: Two choices. Either we go without a fire tonight, or we go introduce ourselves.
Dwardazik: Or 3, you do that thing you do and then come back and tell us what's going on. If you feel comfortable doing it... it is getting late, after all.
Kesmet: You know, I've got a good feeling about this! Let's go see who it is! I'm in such a good mood, I've been talking to Baxton all day, and he only interrupted my story once!
Dwardazik: Well, there is safety in numbers. Does anyone have any other feelings on this? Grogery?
Grogery: I don't think I could sneak up on another campsite without letting them know I'm here.
Dwardazik: Ahh, screw this, do we just want to go over there?
Grogery: Let's send the sneaky people over there. For now, we won't have a fire going. If the scouts come back saying it's safe, we'll have a nice toasty dinner of Pelor loaves. If the scouts say there's trouble, then we can all go over there. Information is good.
Kesmet: I could go there while invisible.
Dwardazik: No need to waste the magic.
Marvin: I can go with Dazki again.
Kesmet: We could just all go together.
Grogery: It would make sense to be a little discreet until we know that they're not dangerous.
Dwardazik: I'm staying with the wagon. You do as you please.
Kesmet: I'll give you guys invisibility if you want it.
Marvin: Hell yeah!
Dazki: None for me, thanks.
Kesmet: Suit yourself. He casts invisibility on Marvin. Now remember, you gotta stay vewwy vewwy quiet, as if you're hunting wabbits. This only makes you invisible, not silent.
They begin approaching, stealthily. As soon as their paths start to diverge,
Dazki completely loses track of Marvin, pushing him to
really try harder with his stealth not to be shown up. Marvin loses track of him as well.
Mort and Fae's Traveling Circus
A traveling circus seems to have set up here for the night, in some sort of a gully, to try to hide from the oncoming dust storm. People are buzzing around, securing various carts, tying down and staking sleeping pens, and erecting temporary shelter for horses and cattle.
One carriage seems out of place. Upon seeing it, alarm bells immediately start ringing in Dazki's head. It's a two-person traveling carriage with a massive stick of incense smoldering on a holder in the back of the cart. The cart would normally be pulled by a pair of draft horses. The horses are currently standing there, still in their harnesses, being tended to by two short men (roughly four and a half feet tall) wrapped completely in linen bandages like tiny mummies. The cart doesn't seem to match anything else going on at the traveling circus. It seems that somebody else has gotten here first.
To Marvin, this is a small traveling circus, nothing of any particular note. It has a few wagons, there are some monks from The Order of Imagination, there's a poster for a big ol' wild man, "he was raised by boars!", that kind of stuff. This is roughly an eight-to-ten-man gig.
Dazki and Marvin head back towards the rest of the party. Dazki drops out of the bushes. Marvin, finally able to see him, plays a little joke, getting right up to him and whispering:
Marvin: Hey, Dazki!
Dazki, startled: Jeez, by the gods!
Marvin: Yeah, so it's just a big circus!
Dazki: No.
Marvin: No?
Dazki: You saw those guys in the back, wrapped in the bandages?
Marvin: Yeah, those were some weird fuckers. Not really sure what's up with them.
Dazki: When we saw the Flesh Artist, he had simulacra around him that looked just like that.
Marvin: Oh no... wait, you're saying this might be him? Here?!
Dazki: I didn't see him. Those are his minions, though.
Marvin: Could he be in that cart?
Dazki: I mean... maybe?
Marvin: Let's get to the rest of the group. It's worth a shot, maybe, to get over there.
They rejoin the rest of the party and describe what they saw.
Kesmet: Oh, cool, a traveling circus! It's been a while since I've been in the circus.
Marvin: Would this, by chance, be your circus, Kesmet?
Kesmet: Very unlikely. Considering all the zombies, though, it's not a 0% chance!
Marvin: Well, they didn't look zombielike. There were the two weird guys in the bandages, but...
Grogery: Did the weird guys in the bandages look like they belonged there and were actually doing stuff?
Dazki: They looked like they got there first, and they're just camping in the same spot as the circus to protect themselves from the weather.
Grogery: Ahh...
Dazki: But those are definitely the guys that were with the Flesh Artist.
Kesmet: Does he know that we know about his guys?
Grogery: Maybe...
Dwardazik: Wait a minute, are you saying those guys were, like, with him? As personal bodyguards or something?
Dazki: He kind-of spoke through a small person like that. A simulacrum that he used as his voice, when we saw him with Baxton.
Marvin: Can simulacra travel far from their creator? Is there some autonomy?
Grogery: The ones that Baxton used were still in Ashport. I don't remember seeing them outside of Ashport at all.
Kesmet consults Baxton to see if he knows anything about these bandage people.
Dwardazik: I don't know if we should be relying on Baxton to give us any information here...
Baxton: The whole thing is a coward's game.
Kesmet: So you're saying they're susceptible to fear?
Dwardazik: If this is our target, then we should simple face it head-on!
Dazki: We don't know that he's there, though.
Dwardazik: We won't know if we hide out, either. Why don't we simply go over there and say "we saw the campfires" and "safety in numbers", and scout it out?
Barry: I mean, circuses are cool, right? You're a circus person?
Dwardazik: Let's face it, he already knows we're on his trail. He knows his creature's been destroyed, and that crow that came over here knew about us. If we have any suspicions that that's relaying back over to the Flesh Artist, which I assume it is, then we can assume he knows we're coming. So let's get the jump on his minions!
Dazki: Fine, but we're making sure there are two people on watch at all points tonight.
Grogery: Also, are we 110% sure that these are actually his minions, and not people with a similar aesthetic?
Dazki: Yeah, they definitely are.
Kesmet: What about the rest of the people in the circus? Did they just look like normal folk? Do you think we might be able to approach them and say hi, and maybe rely on them in case things turn hairy with the guys there?
Dazki: They seemed just normal to me.
Kesmet: They're probably not hired by Dennis, maybe. There's always a chance, but it's highly unlikely. Somewhat unlikely...
The party approaches the camp. Everybody is incredibly busy trying to set up camp in time before the dust storm.
Dazki: Well, Kesmet, I think you should take the lead on this one as we approach, having been a performer, yourself.
Kesmet: You realize that was just a cover so the mob wouldn't get me, right? I just know a few things, and... aww, what the hell am I talking about, I was with them for three years, I learned some stuff.
Kesmet is about to lead them in, but Dwardazik just heads straight for the cart that's obviously associated with the Flesh Artist and not the circus. Kesmet thinks to himself, "OK,
first, save Dwardazik from death,
then introductions."
Dwardazik, clearing his throat: Horses? Bold choice out here on the plains. You need any help with 'em? They can get pretty spooked by the storm.
They are totally unresponsive to you. One of them just grabs a bag of what must be oats, and mashes it in front of the horse's face, and the horse just eats stuff from the bag.
Dwardazik: You know, it's impolite to ignore someone. He crosses his arms. So where are you guys from, huh? We're thinkin' about settin' up camp here, and I'd like to know the, uh... neighbors.
Absolutely no response from the ragmen. There is a gigantic stick of incense in the back that just constantly seems to smolder.
Dwardazik, with a brief look back at the party: I hope you don't mind if I talk to your, uh... passenger, then? He goes up and knocks on the door to the carriage. We're some travelers, thinkin' of settin' up camp. Just wanted to know who the locals are.
No response from the carriage, though one of the monks down in the gully has been watching this whole thing unfold. It seems entertained, while Marvin starts trying to play circus music on his bagpipes. The ragmen and horses seem unimpressed, busy doing horse and ragmen things.
Dwardazik starts walking around the back, trying to peek in to see who's in there, as Dazki approaches him, surreptitiously looking into the cart to see who's in there.
Dazki: Hey, Longbeard, c'mon, we should get tents set up before the weather gets too bad and before it gets too dark, eh?
Dwardazik makes his way back over with Dazki, and the party heads down into the gully.
Into the Gully
There's a Monk of Imagination on a rock. He waves over his two friends, and they meet you excitedly at the entrance. Kesmet gives them a standard greeting, and they are, immediately, incredibly friendly towards the group.
Kesmet: Greetings, fellow entertainers! We are weary travelers.
The monks, immediately sussing out that Kesmet has done some circus work, are keen to show him various things, just objects they have. One of them slides in front of the monk that waved you down and shows you a flower made out of leather. The other one jumps in front of him and puts on a show that (silently, of course) says, "Look at all the things I can pull out of my pocket! There are so many things, what is that, a knife?" And the third one steps in front of the guy with the knife but accidentally gets stabbed... oh no, he's dead! He killed a man!
Red silken fabric spews out of his open wound! Oh no! That makes the other monk really sad, he didn't mean to stab him! How forlorn! He kneels over the body, depressed. He prays to the heavens (still in silence), "Oh please, bring my brother back!". Kesmet walks over and puts two gold coins over the eyes of the "dead" monk, then goes over to "console" the forlorn monk. Oh my gosh, I can't believe it! Kesmet, the savior of everybody! He's managed to bring the people back from the dead! He's all better now! They all bow to you, flamboyantly. You have saved them! Kesmet makes a goofy pose as if to silently say, "haha! I am the savior!"
The monks pop back up on their feet, one after the other like some sort of wave, they all give you a bow, and then they wave you further into the camp. It seems you have passed their test. You don't know what the test was.
Dazki: Impressive, Matchstick!
Grogery: Yeah, I didn't know you were a cleric!
Kesmet, whispering: Honestly, I only had like 51% of an idea what I was doing. Glad it worked.
There's definitely a cast of characters here:
- There's a pompous fellow stoking the campfire.
- The outside of one of the carts is painted with an advertisement featuring an orcish berserker, in the shadow of a warthog. It says "Bitegash the Hogwild the man raised by warthogs!". Sitting on a crate next to it, helping to stabilize a tent pole, is a contrastingly civilized half-orc who carefully stirs something into a cup of tea.
- There is another large cart that one might put a large animal into, but it is currently covered up so that dust doesn't get into it.
- Dazki hears, but does not see, a gnoll of some description skulking around somewhere in this camp.
Editor's note: as is tradition, I'm using their names even before we learn them, for clarity. This note, of course, also being a part of that tradition. The meta-note may quickly find its way into this little tradition as well.
Dazki: Hail and well met, fellow travelers!
Mort: Oh, pleasant day! Even more visitors! Greetings, travelers! I do hope you don't mean us any ill will!
Dazki: Ah, no, the weather means us much more ill will for the next day or two, it seems. We are merely traveling through and seeking shelter for the night, as I'm sure you and your fine companions are.
Mort: We've found a pretty popular gulch here, it seems! If only we were to set up shows here, we'd be doing great!
Dazki, with a laugh: I'm sure the ash storm has something to do with it. This is a good place to seek refuge.
Mort: But yes, I am Mortimer, and this is my circus! Well... half of this is my circus.
Dazki: And the other half?
Mort: The better half?
Dazki: No, what is the other half, if only half of this is your circus?
Mort: This is Mort and Fae Tality's Traveling Circus. I'm Mort, of course! The lady Fae is busy at the moment.
Dazki: Of course. I hope you wouldn't mind if we set up a few tents over with your fellows?
Mort: Nah, just like I've been telling everybody: the more the merrier, you know!
Dwardazik takes out a piece of paper from his journal, and writes on it: "If you are in danger, blink twice.". He shows the paper to Mort.
Mort, leaning in close to read it: "If you are in danger, blink twice"? I don't get this message. Is this some sort of... thieves... stuff? Just so we're perfectly clear, he did not blink twice while reading it. He's just a confused idiot.
Dwardazik, with a shrug: Well, seems good to me.
Mort: You're not thieves, are you?
Dazki: No, of course not.
Kesmet: No, but what's with those two guys on the ridge? They seem kind of shady. You don't know anything about 'em, do you?
Mort: Why, we deal in the arcane and the mysterious and the... unwieldingly... writing this stuff is hard. We like to... we... are a circus.
Kesmet: "Deal", huh? That's an interesting word... *cough* Dennis *cough*. No reaction. Still just an idiot.
Mort: Well, OK then. Like I was telling the other guy, just don't take nothin' that's not yours, unless you ask, and we'll be good here! Still plenty of space!
Dwardazik: Oh sorry, the journey here and the long travels has caused me to be a bit rude. The name's Dwardazik Stoneturner Boulderhearth. Pleasure to meet you.
Mort enthusiastically shakes Dwardazik's hand within both of his.
Dwardazik: And I know we were just introduced, but your name again? Just so it's proper?
Mort: Yes! I am Mortimer Tality, co-owner and ringmaster of the Mort and Fae Tality Traveling Circus!
Dwardazik: Of course. We'll probably be setting up camp here tonight. If you don't mind, I'm gonna start setting up camp.
Dwardazik and Kesmet leave to the party's cart, partly to get a higher vantage point. Dazki also goes to help set up tents and quietly lets the others know that:
Dazki: Hey, in the stagecoach that the mummified guys are taking care of... there's a giant snake in there.
Dwardazik: Uh... what?
Dazki: Yeah, I was checking it out when I came to get you. That's why I came over. It was a giant snake in there.
Dwardazik: That's a weird thing to be carrying around, but it is a circus.
Meanwhile, Grogery stays with Mort:
Grogery: So, Mort, Morty, Mortimer? How would you prefer to be called?
Mort: Aww, you can call me Mort, little fella!
Grogery: All right, and you can call me Grogery.
Mort: Hey there, Grogery!
Grogery: Hey! So we were coming from Ashport. Where were you guys coming from?
Mort: Well, we're a traveling circus.
Grogery: Well, yeah, but... we thought that the person who was guiding us out here knew all the cities in the area, but it turns out that that's not really the case. What major settlements are out here?
Mort: Well, we were hanging out at the Crossroads, and we decided to take a shortcut through the grass to get to the northern road, 'cause the northern road usually has a lot more traffic, but we didn't quite make it to that road in time before the big ol' storm started approaching, so we just decided to camp here.
Grogery: So are those weird mummy-looking guys with you?
Mort: Oh gawrsh no!
Grogery: OK, because they kind-of creep me out a little bit, not gonna lie.
Mort: Ahh, creeping people out is part of the deal when you work in a circus! And they're pretty hard workers too! I wonder if that doctor will let me hire 'em to set up stuff for me...
Grogery: Hmm. So you said there was a lady Fae who also runs the circus with you?
Mort: Yeah, Faerin. She's my wife, she's really pretty. She's busy now, though. ...please don't bother her.
Grogery: Oh, no, no, I just like getting to talk to new people! But if she's busy, I'm sure that running a circus takes quite a lot of work...
Mort: Yeah, and she's one of the best acts we have, too! Say, speaking of acts... you're... a goblin. That's cool, right?
Grogery: Sure...
Mort: Don't see many of those guys around, speakin' in complete sentences. Are you much of a traveler?
Grogery: Very much so. There's quite a few people of different races and stuff in Ashport. I don't personally come from Ashport, but there's quite a lot of different people who do.
Mort: OK. Sure. Well, I'm gonna go back to pokin' this fire with this stick, here.
Grogery: I'm gonna go help my friends, but, interesting chat! Might want to talk some more at breakfast. Again, we need to get a better picture of the area and all that. Maybe you can tell us some interesting stories and things, about the kind of stuff you've encountered out here? Obviously for a fee, you don't run the show for free.
Mort: Yeah, I... money's... always good!
Meanwhile, back at the campsite that Dazki, Kesmet, and Dwardazik are setting up, Dazki spots the gnoll that he heard skulking about earlier. It's trying to sneak around, but nothing evades Dazki: he catches a dark grey fur tail occasionally peeking into the larger tent that's probably being used as a mess hall for now. Dazki casually waves at the gnoll, which seems to bother it, as it's trying not to be seen. Dazki then goes on to pretend not to see it for a few minutes, until...
A Doctored-Up Meeting
After a few minutes of the gnoll entering the mess hall tent, out he walks, with two other individuals. Standing not too far from you, but paying you no mind, is the man you seek.
He has a ragman next to him, and his arms are just slightly uncomfortably too long, long enough to rest comfortably on the shoulder of the smaller man. The gnoll, upset by something, just yips worrying things at the doctor, which he does not seem to respond to very much:
Gnoll: We've been out here far too long, FAR TOO LONG! We have to move! I know there's a storm, but WE HAVE TO MOVE! They're onto us! They're going to catch to us! They will catch to us soon!
Dazki approaches.
Dazki: Hail, fellow travelers!
The gnoll lets out a shriek and dives behind the Flesh Artist.
Gnoll: See! I told you! I TOLD YOU they were going to catch up!
Dazki: I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle your companion.
Ragman: You are quick. Do you need something of us?
Dazki, addressing the plague doctor entity (not the ragman that just spoke to him): Just saying hello to some fellow travelers, is all.
Ragman: You have something you wish to return to us?
Dazki: Oh, that thing that we found in Hershal's Rest was yours?
Ragman: Indeed, it was. We believe you knew that.
Dazki: Yeah, but you know, you have to make conversation. Pretend to be friendly, that sort of thing. Besides, it's not like you weren't anticipating us. So, hypothetically, we give it back to you. What happens then?
Ragman: Nothing unfortunate happens. It is our property.
Dazki: The problem is those poor people at Hershal's Rest. What happened to them... people aren't property, even after they've passed.
Ragman: The souls are gone. The parts remain unused, wasted.
Dazki: Many cultures place a significance on the parts that remain. Take your gnoll friend here, for instance. The body is very important to his culture after the soul has left it.
Gnoll: DON'T LISTEN TO HIM! HE LIES, HE LIES! I'M LOYAL TO YOU, not to some corpse!
Marvin joins next to Dazki, and the plague doctor's beaked face turns to look at him.
Ragman: Your soul, little halfling. It's uneasy, unlucky.
Marvin: Yeah, just like that dog, at Hershal's Rest! I liked that dog. You took something away from me. So, I guess we'll just hang onto this little orb thing. You know, even's even.
Ragman: You cannot own the living, we thought?
Marvin: You took an experience away from me. The happiness. That puppy granted so much happiness.
Ragman: Then please, allow us to fix it.
Marvin: That's not fucking possible! You can't fix this shit! There are some things that can't be fixed!!
Ragman: Dear halfling... we make a living out of fixing the impossible.
Grogery also starts walking in now.
Grogery: That doesn't sound like the only thing that happens when you fix people.
Marvin: Oh, you call what you do "making a living"? Really? Really? Taking the lives of an entire village --
Ragman: We have taken no lives.
Marvin: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, your hands are clean, PERFECTLY clean! But your little ragmen, your little hyena behind you, your ELDRITCH HORROR THAT STOMPS THROUGH THE VILLAGE AND EATS ANYTHING IT SEES... yeah, we're keeping that orb. We're keeping that orb. But your hands are CLEAN! Your conscience is CLEAR! You're doing SUCH good work here! I'm sure that the rest of the people here at this camp would LOVE to know what you've done!
Ragman: We do not hide what we do.
Marvin: And you will hide no longer.
Kesmet walks in too.
Kesmet: Hey guys, what's going on.
Kesmet looks at the plague doctor entity, then at the ragman, then at everyone looking at the plague doctor entity, then at Marvin's pissed-off face.
Kesmet: ...yup.
Kesmet then leaves back to the tent and continues pretending to put it up.
One point of inspiration to Dazki.
