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Chapter 2

The Dead Rise

9:29 Dragon, 3rd day of Firstfall, Autumn

travels this episode

     Bran's Bunch had just arrived at the White Buck Tavern, on the road between Redcliffe and Lothering. We had hastily backed out of the tavern upon seeing carnage and death in the common room -- several persons slain by weapons. We dropped out packs in the stable (where there were two dead horses, also slain by weapons); upon hearing a sobbing cry from within the tavern, we broke down the rear door and rushed back inside.

     We discovered two survivors of the massacre:

• Lyrnet, wife of the tavern-keeper

• Mayena, daughter of Lyrnet

     The wife was sobbing over the body of her husband, among the corpses in the common room. The other dead persons were a few local farmers, and a couple of travelers. There were odd scorch marks on the door and walls of one guest's room -- the guest had apparently used some fire grenades when attacked.

     Lyrnet and Mayena told us that genlocks had burrowed into the building and attacked during the night; the women had hidden in a pantry until they heard us moving about. We agreed to help cremate the dead people, and escort the women along the road to the next farm.

     Bran moved the tavern's horse-cart up to the door of the tavern, and the women began loading it with some of their belongings. Landon discovered that the grenade-using guest was a traveling alchemist, gathering components for his great work:  a cure for lycanthropy. The alchemist had traveled from Tevinter, and was probably bound eventually for the Brecilian Forest. An unfinished letter, a satchel of alchemical tools and potions, a locked strongbox (unlocked later by Daniella, with her -- gasp -- lockpicks!) with instructions for making a dozen alchemical potions, a nice quill and a bottle of Ink of Splendor, and the instructions for the untested lycanthropy cure were gathered up by Landon. The name of the Tevinterite alchemist was not among his papers, and Lyrnet mentioned that he'd given an obviously false name. His name was later found written under the flap of the alchemy satchel:  Atevine

      Mythrellen at least got some shoes.

     After setting the funeral pyre alight and saying a very few words, the party set out, struggling to push and pull the two-wheeled cart. At least, due to emptying the larder of the tavern, we had sufficient food. About sunset, we arrived at the farmhouse; Lyrnet went in to give the sad news. We posted watches and slept in the barn.

9:29 Dragon, 4th day of Firstfall, Autumn

     After awakening, we decided to stay the entire day at the farm; we were told it would be a two day trip to Lothering. Landon perused the alchemist's papers after Daniella picked the lock on the strongbox. Some members of the farm family set out to carry the news about genlocks, wolves, etc. to the other nearby farms.

     Bran had a long conversation with Mythrellen about why she was so abruptly sent away from Redcliffe.

9:29 Dragon, 5th day of Firstfall, Autumn

     We set forth from the farm in the morning, taking our leave of Lyrnet and Mayena (and their cart).  Mid-day, we encountered a party of three Templars:

• Knight-Corporal Cranborne, leading the group

• Daylan

• Terden

     It quickly became clear that Cranborne knew Mythrellen, but seemed embarrassed to meet her. His group had been sent out because "people need bringing home":  specifically two apprentice Circle mages.

• Vren, a male elf

• Nedlen, a male human, nicknamed Ned
  

     Cranborne was tracking them with their phylacteries, and warned us that the young men could be very dangerous. The Templars loaned us the warhorse Amicus, on the condition that we turn him in at Lothering. 

     With Daniella leading Amicus, and Mythrellen on his back, we made good time. Bran asked Landon a few questions about his past.

     Our camp was about a day from Lothering.

9:29 Dragon, 6th day of Firstfall, Autumn

     Unbothered during the night, we set out again well-fed and reasonably rested. Before noon, however, we were ambushed by eight bandits. Their leader delivered a vainglorious demand; Bran's axe, Daniella's arrows, and an Arcane Bolt sent the seven survivors scurrying into the woods. The bandit leader's body provided a shortsword, dagger, and a few coins.

     Just after mid day, Dog detected a dead Templar in the brush beside the road:  in fact, Daylan, one of the Templars met the day before. He had apparently been killed before dawn, by some sort of fire. Daniella's scouting skills led us to the bodies of Cranborne and Terden, nearby and also slain by magical fire.

     Mythrellen caused some unease by disclosing that an Abomination might well be able to kill the three Templars in that manner.

     As we looked nervously around for tracks or Abomination-spoor, we heard sobbing off among the rocks and trees; it was Nedlen, one of the apprentice mages. He was very scared by what had happened -- Vren had become an Abomination, some kind of inhuman being of fire -- and by dread of being Tranquilized.

     Taking the boy with us, we proceeded briskly towards Lothering. Bran and Mythrellen drew some information from the apprentice; Bran made it clear the youth had few choices, but important ones.

     Arriving at Lothering, we immediately approached the Templars. Informed of Cranborne's death and the presence of an Abomination, they invited us to accompany them out into the woods next morning. Nedlen was placed in careful custody. The leader of the Templars was a man in his twenties, Knight Gray; he took us to meet Belarn, an alchemist (probably the alchemist in Lothering). Belarn agreed to provide Warmth Balms for the party, in exchange for copies of the Tevinterite alchemist's notes and instructions.

     Bran took the opportunity of being in a town to bathe, launder his clothing, and rest up. Landon spent the entire night at Belarn's shop, copying the documents for the alchemist.

9:29 Dragon, 7th day of Firstfall, Autumn

     With only a couple hours of sleep, Landon received:

• twelve bottles of Warmth Balm (each bottle contains two doses of the gummy, buttery concoction to be rubbed on the exposed flesh; a dose will be in effect for 6 hours from when it's applied). Six of these were given to the Templars; one each to Bran, Daniella, and Mythrellen; the other three were with Landon
  

     and (from gratitude at having a fellow scholar to chat with):

• eight Healing Potions (a glass bottle with 3 ounces of light green liquid; they each cure 2d6+3 health if imbibed as a Major action). One each to Bran, Daniella and Mythrellen; the other five were with Landon
  

     Leaving Terithy behind to "watch our stuff", the rest of us rode off on borrowed horses with Knight Gray and several Templars, with the rising sun at our backs. The much faster pace of mounted travel soon brought us to where the bodies of the three slain Templars had been left -- but they were gone. Daniella was able to determine where the apparently reanimated Templars had traveled; they were accompanied by some sort of snakes or other unlegged creature(s), and had begun traveling about dawn.

     Riding cross-country, we soon caught up with the animated corpses, who were now in the company of four other skeletal creatures. We lured them into the open, and after some hard fighting the creatures were all destroyed. No great injury was taken, although Bran did need to quaff one of Landon's Healing Potions.

     Somewhere nearby, we were convinced, was the Abomination which had possessed Vren ...

     XP earned:  600

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