Saving Summerford - Blue Feathers, Bad Omens - RPLOG
Participants
Date
14/12/478
Log
The sun dawns over the quaint village of Summerford. It has been two days since the great threat of the nearby Krick hive was ended once and for all by the brave actions of the Freeswords. Though ultimately the Freesword contract is one of services exchanged for currency, the people of Summerford have been quick to regard them as saviours and heroes. And yet, despite the great success of defeating the shadow that loomed over this small village, many unanswered questions remain. Still, few of the villagers are willing to prod deeper, and to ask those questions.
One such villager is none other than Clayton Southfoot, the young guardsbeing that volunteered to follow the Freeswords into the heart of the hive. Another is Malachi, the town's alchemist. Ever vigilant and wise beyond his education and his station in life, he is not one to quickly dismiss this threat as resolved, when the root cause has not yet been found and eliminated.
Fenris has stuck around the village for a couple of days, mostly to be sure that the krick are no longer a threat, but now it is time to get to the bottom of things. The big tiger is on his way to the collapsed tunnels to see what he can find with any of the others who might want to help. "Keep up," he says amiably, "And eyes open. I am not sure what we will find."
It was easy enough to recruit Clayton, and with him came two other guardsbeings: Terry Harlow, completely recovered from his wounds thanks to Cara's swift action days before
It was easy enough to recruit Clayton, and with him came two other guardsbeings: Terry Harlow, completely recovered from his wounds thanks to Cara's swift action days before, and Sunny Shelton, Zane Shelton's sister and one of the guardsbeings that lit the bonfires during the offensive into the hive. With them as well is Malachi, the town's alchemist. As always the old salamander has over-prepared, bringing with him several satchels chock full of medicines and helpful herbs just in case something goes wrong.
As the group approaches the tunnels Malachi turns to Fenris, smiling at the big tiger before asking. "So my friend, I have to ask.. what do you believe is the cause of all this? What could we expect to find inside, other than a lot of decomposing Krick bodies?"
Fenris shakes his head. "I am not sure, Malachi," he answers, "With something as remarkably unnatural as that Queen was, my first guess is usually the involvement of a Spirit, but they aren't usually subtle about their presence once the game is up. We will see when we get there, I suppose."
Once they arrive at the cavern entrance, Fenris warns the Salamanders not to wander about too much. "I would still like to see if I can't figure out at least where Tobin was headed," he says, "But I want to check the cave mouth here first." If the palm had hidden something here, it would not have been very far in.
It doesn't take long for the tiger with his four assistants to inspect the area. Two of the guardsbeings move towards where Terry and Brenn had been attacked, while Malachi and Sunny move up to the cave's mouth.
The other point of interest is a faint line, an indentation left behind by Tobin on his way out of the crime scene. His footsteps also follow the intentation, but all three disappear a few hundred feet into the forest, just as the canopy gives way to a clearing.
"Hey, look at this!" Comes Sunny's voice from behind Fenris. He turns to see her pluck something from under a rock, something iridescent blue. "A blue feather!" She tilts her head at it. "Huh... hey Clayton, were there any birdlike beings with you the other day?"
"No," Fenris says to Sunny, "No birds. And no one wearing blue feathers. Hold here for just a second." The tiger slips into the cool shadows of the cave, fully prepared for buggy unpleasantness. With just a touch of fire math, he conjures up an orb of flame to provide some light as he searches for whatever it was Tobin had secreted away here.
The inside of the cave is as dank and foreboding as the tiger remembers it. The flickering light of his orb brings forth some illumination cut by deep, moving shadows that plunge towards the cavern the Queen had nested in. The sense of malaise is accented by the distant scent of something -wrong-, likely brought on by the decomposing remains of all the vermin.
The tiger presses on, and he comes across the large gallery full of stalactites and stalagmites, which plunges into a sloped cliff. Somewhere down there is the Queen's nest, and to the left is the path they used to traverse safely downwards. As the tiger looks to the right he realizes that path had been left unexplored the previous day, and as he moves in that direction yet another flicker of blue color shines in the wavering light. A blue feather. Ahead, the rest of the path remains unexplored, dark and foreboding.
Fenris looks down at the feather, his nose wrinkling against the foetid odor of the decomposing krick. But could there be more at work here? He does his best to attune his senses, feeling for anything that feels like the Spirit courts, and certainly keeping his eyes and ears open for signs of more mundane problems. The tiger moves forward, slowly, cautiously, and most of all with as much stealth as he can manage, dimming his light a bit.
The path forward is perilous, but with a flame to light the way, no smoke to cloud the senses and careful footing, the path is eventually traversed. The thin ledge gives way to a wider platform. The more he walks the more the stench of decay and rot worsens. The platform splits off from the wall and forms a natural 'bridge' of solid rock left behind by erosion.
Another flicker of light draws Fenris' attention to one edge of the bridge. As he reaches the perilous drop he realizes his current position directly overviews the Queen's chamber below, the remnants broken stalactites that felled her are right there a few meters in front and above him.
He peers around once more, looking for signs of the Spirit courts, for that foreboding sense that stays behind, that lingering essence of their presence, but naught is there.
Suddenly his footing changes as he walks. His feet stick to the ground beneath, and as he looks down and lowers his flame he realises, this entire area is covered in spilled blood. Old blood, dried, it has been here a long time. Spilled blood enough to fill many animals or beings. As he paces forward he sees something else - Krick eggs, living ones. And right next to them a felled, dissecated sheep. Its throat slit, its blood spilled, and its skin a patchwork of wounds left behind by the probosces of many Krick.
Fenris frowns at the scene in front of him, then fiddles with the pendant at his throat. Looks like he may need a little firepower. "Definitely a setup," he mutters to himself. This still did not explain how the queen managed to grow so big, but it did help to clarify how the colony had prospered so much so far from their native habitat. The tiger searches for any other clues about Tobin or any sign of this blue feathered being while his mental doors open and close, preparing to burn out this next generation of blood suckers.
