Kiss the Dead

It's a long trek out to the farm, and the sun is setting by the time you get there. It's an idyllic location, a prosperous farm. The fields are tilled and beginning to sprout green. The animals are making soft sleepy noises. The house itself is large and welcoming, the sort of place that says home without words. Inside you can hear the sound of children laughing as they play and avoid bed. Even as you stand there the sounds begin to settle.

GAME: Gull rolls 1d20+2: (2)+2: 4
GAME: Morgan rolls perception: (10)+8: 18
GAME: Faranth rolls perception: (7)+8: 15

Having heard about the possible ghost infestation, Faranth's curiosity was piqued. She loaded up belongings on herself and her friend, the young elephant bull MalGein and began the trek out to the farm. As she caught sight of the location, the sun was setting. She surveyed the farm and began moving towards the farmhouse itself while convincing MalGein to not snack on the vegetation sprouting in the fields.

Gull approaches the farm with a casual air, equally at comfort out in a more rural setting as he was in the urban environment. His seagull, Agewe, circles lazily overhead, a light crossbow hanging from his belt, and a single javelin slung across his back. He wears his hide robe, but no armor. The half-elf seems content, for now, to let others take the lead, following casually behind Faranth towards the farmhouse door.

Lucy makes the journey on foot, managing to keep up with other longer-legged walkers perhaps through the aid of her well-made boots. She carries her rapier sheathed but draped over a shoulder for most of the trip, and it's only when the party nears their destination that she belts it around her waist and begins sizing up the farm.

Morgan walks with the group a bit chipper than normal, but she is trying to be serious "I hope it's not a ghost, I was told they are hard to deal with."

GAME: Lucy rolls perception: (16)+13: 29

Morgan stops and points out "Any of you rangers or Druids." she points to a pack of wolves standing near a grove of trees.

Ilmig tromps his way along the trek, axe and shield stowed. That frees his hands for mug and aleskin to refill it. "If it ain't bandits 'r raiders, it be something else. Can't none leave the roads fer travellers?"

Gull glances over at the wolves, cautiously. "Not a druid, myself, no. Odd to see a pack of wolves on a farm's doorstep. A lone wolf going after a sheep or something, sure, but they don't like getting close to people if they can help it." The shaman's posture shifts as he considers the animals.

Faranth stops her trapsing towards the farmhouse to squint in the direction that Morgan was pointing. "I am, but what are they harming where they are?" She tries to get a better look trying to figure out if the 'wolves' were threatening in any way.

The wolves are standing and laying largely hidden in a copse of trees near a stream on the edge of the farm. They don't seem aggressive, but they do seem aware of you. Noticing that you notice them.

Morgan nods "well I wanted to point that out just in case they came at us, and I would hate to hurt them if we don’t have to."

Lucy eyes the wolves for a bit and then nods slowly. "Maybe we can ask the farmers if they know anything about it." She shoots a quick glance towards the house. "C'mon," she urges. "We're almost there!"

Faranth studies the wolves for a few moments, and sniffs the air. "They are likely there for the water, and considering the pack's size, they would always have an eye out for a stray that got too far away from safety. Keep close, we should be fine." She hears Lucy's comment and nods in agreement, restarting her own and MalGein's advancement on the farmhouse.

"Eh, shouldn' be drawin 'em less we look like lambs 'r deer," Ilmig chuckles. He does gulp down the last of his mug, just in case, and drops it to let it dangle from his belt.

Morgan nods "I love wolves so beautiful to look at from a distance."

As you draw up to the door it opens without even needing to be knocked on. It's opened by a tall half-elvish woman with red hair going a bit gray around the edges. She's shooing a small child off toward the rooms. The woman looks positively exhausted, but she offers the group of you a smile just the same. "You'll be the group they sent then aye?" She steps back and welcomes you into her house with a little motion and waits until everyone is in before closing the door. "My thanks to you folk. I'm at ma wits end without Edgar."

Gull nods politely to the woman. "Of course. Edgar being your husband? Has he not returned from the encounter?" Gull's stance shifts slightly, as he looks up towards his seagull. "Can you tell us what happened, in your own words?"

Faranth is sure to look MalGein in the eye and give him strict instructions not to eat anything or to trample the food before walking into the farmhouse with everyone else and listens intently as Gull requests more information.

MalGein sighs and wanders over towards the watering trough as everyone else goes into the farmhouse, thinking that Faranth couldn't have meant for him to not drink also. He uses his trunk to take huge gulps of the water, refreshing himself.

Lucy stands to one side of the doorway and listens. She occasionally glances back in the direction of the wolves to see what they're up to.

Morgan stands and lets Gull to do the talking as she does not want to talk over him. "Aye. Edgar is a good man." She hesitates and nods. "I woke up two nights or so ago and found this... Ghost sitting on Edgar's chest. I 'ave ne'er seen such a thing in ma life. All I could see were this pale head and pale hands graspin' Edgar. It looked like a man, but it weren't. It had glowing green eyes, and it /kissed/ Edgar. I reached for it... but it vanished into a puff of white smoke and was gone!" She suddenly looks more miserable than she had a moment before, tears forming on her red-rimmed eyes. This isn't the first time she's cried recently. "He got up the next 'morn and took off with narry a word! It's not like him I tell you. And I'm not makin stories up I swear. You have to believe me, it were a ghost!"

GAME: Gull rolls 1d20+9: (4)+9: 13
GAME: Faranth rolls knowledge/nature: (16)+8: 24
<OOC> Gull says, "That was for arcana."
GAME: Morgan rolls knowledge/arcana: (8)+13: 21

Faranth ponders for a moment. "There are some plants that can cause hallucinations. Did Edgar mention being kissed by this ghost before he left? Is it possible he was seeing something you didn't?"

Morgan thinks on what was said "I doubt it was a ghost, but lets do some tests here." she look towards the chair she was talking about and says a few words in the arcane language so she can see if there is a trace of magic.

GAME: Morgan casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 4 DC: 16

She shakes her head. "He got up and started packing his things. Said 'e had to go. I tried to talk 'im out of it but he just kept walkin." She sits down in another chair.

Lucy listens and nods sympathetically to the story. She watches the others. "Do you remember what direction Edgar went?" She finally ventures.

GAME: Morgan rolls spellcraft: (12)+16: 28

Morgan asks the elven lady of the house "excuse me do you know of any magic items in the house I can sense one some were in the back of the house."

Arisha had been standing at the back of the group the whole time...really. "Did you happen to see this ghost on his chest?"

The woman blinks in surprise. "We canne afford somethin like that here. We have a small shrine to Dana behind the house. Maybe that?" She glances toward Arisha and nods sharply. "I did. I swear I did."

Morgan nods "Its not a shrine, would you please let me look for it?"

"O course! Whatever you need. But lightly if you please. The little ones are down for the night." She stands up again, wringing her hands together to keep herself from crying more.

Morgan nods "I will try as best as I can." she starts to walk where she is sensing it the strongest.

Arisha walks over to the woman and sits in a chair in front of her. She then pulls back her hood....showing she's a mul'niessa. "Don't be alarmed....I am Arisha, Executor of the Vardaman Clergy. What did this ghost look like....to your best recollection." She says holding out her hand....letting the woman grasp her hand if need be. Her left arm stays hidden under her cloak.

Faranth moves over to the crying woman and puts an arm around her. "It's ok. We'll do everything we can to try and figure out what's happened to your Edgar. Everything will be ok."

Gull follows Morgan towards the back of the house. "Any idea what we're looking for, Morgan?" He steps quietly, keeping light on his feet. "Finding something here that can give us some clues will save us a lot of time in the long run."

Morgan shrugs "I think some one sliped a item in here to mess with her, so its most likely a common item that can be over looked."

The woman seems grateful for something to do, if startled to see a mul in her home. The comforting relaxes her further, and she takes the offered hand, trying hard not to cry but it comes out just the same. Again she starts describing the ghost. This figure of a floating hand and pale hands that grasped her husband. A man with burning green eyes that had kissed her husband and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

GAME: Gull casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14

The magical trail leads you further into the house to one of the rooms. The door is closed but not locked. When you open the door you realize instantly that this is one of the children's rooms. There are three beds in here. A pale head and hands float over the boy... or that's what it seems like at first before you realize that this is a person wearing black clothes. You are immediately noticed, and the individual jumps to their feet. Green eyes burn in their face.

Arisha listens to every bit of detail and thinks for a moment as she's finished. "A man, hmm? All right. Can you show me where Edgar was when you saw this occur?" She says....rather focused on the woman, and letting everyone else investigate.

Lucy tries her best to keep out of the way and keeps most of her attention on the woman. The mention of a magic item and shrine tests her discipline and she looks that way curiously, ut then forces her gaze back the better not to miss any of the story as it unfolds.

Faranth answers for the woman, pointing to the bedrooms. "The ghost that kissed her husband was sitting his chest while they were sleeping before it poofed away. Edgar woke up the next morning and started packing his things, leaving without telling her anything."

Suddenly......Arisha takes a deep breath....and SNEEZES. She sneesed to her left, but there is an immediate look of alarm on her face. She immediately unclasps her overcloak and hands it to the woman. "Find your child and protect him. If you hear gunshots or spells being cast....run and don't look back." She says as she stands and draws her Khopesh....and her pistol......

Seeing the people, the man grins, flashing fangs that only grow. The boy on the bed stands up, blocking the view of the tall, gangly man. The other children continue to sleep peacefully in the room, but this one blinks blankly at those standing in the doorway. Meanwhile the tall pale man grins. "Hellllo." The voice is a deep purring sound. Round at the edges and heavily accented. "I am Kol, and you... are interesting yes?" He is looking directly at Gull.

GAME: Arisha rolls weapon1: (18)+11: 29
<OOC> Arisha thinks that's a hit. XD
GAME: Arisha rolls 1d8+4+1: (5)+4+1: 10
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+4: (14)+4: 18

Arisha hears the voice and turns. "You just made my job a LOT easier, abomination." She says actually PUSHING her way past her companions and attacking without too much provocation. "This is the thing we're looking for!" She says as she slashes the monster. "And it's undead!"

Faranth scowls as the clergy goes running out of the room, hearing the deep voice coming from within the room Arisha is running toward. "Ma'am, just how old are your children anyway?" Arisha's comment ends any need for the woman to answer, and Faranth runs to the other room herself, drawing out one of her javelins from her back.

GAME: Lucy rolls weapon3: (13)+14: 27
GAME: Gull casts Sleep. Caster Level: 2 DC: 16
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20: (8): 8

Lucy follows close on Arisha's heels, her small Gnomish face appearing around the inquisitor's elbow then disappearing only to pop out on the other side as she looks around Arisha to see. "I thought we were looking for the farmer..." she protests, but even as she speaks she moves around Arisha, drawing her rapier and then spinning at the last moment around the boy to stab 'Kol'...in the thigh.

GAME: Morgan casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 4 DC: 17
GAME: Morgan rolls 2d4+2: (4)+2: 6

"I am interesting, yes," Gull mutters, as he begins to chant a spell. With a quick flick of his wrist, he tosses sand at the standing child, who slumps, quickly, back into the bed. "And I don't have any patience for those who can't pass on." He takes a large hop forward, hooking his hands under the now-comatose teenager's arms before backpedaling out behind his colleagues.

Morgan eyes glow with great anger as she starts to chant a spell and sends two blue bolts in to the weird undead thing "YOU WILL LEAVE THE CHILDREN ALONE." said with an authoritative tone.

Ilmig ain't tall, but he's wide (relatively). He moves his wideness past the ..thing to put said wideness between thing and napping youngins. He glances down after, as is just noticing the swat. "Oi! That it?! Tha would'nae even make fer a rousing love scrape!" His beard shakes as he laughs, then eyes the thing less merrily as the laugh dies away. "Be thinkin ye best be goin now, 'n leave these folk be."

GAME: Ilmig RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 14 temporary HP

The vampire takes in a deep breath as it's attacked, blood dripping down his chest. He hisses and grins at Arisha. "Thank you." He whispers it like a profession of love, and seems to bend /into/ the blade that pierces his thigh. Widening the wound, deepening it even as the blade is pulled back again. The injuries seem not to bother him as they should. In fact they are already closing. Already healing. With a movement like lightning he pours out the window in a hail of glass. Then stands in the night air and grins at them all. There is a howling of wolves not far away. The vampire laughs and pulls a bottle out of his pocket drinking it down and tossing his head as it falls to the ground. "Yes let me love you then! It will be my /pleasure/."

It may have flowed out of the window, but Arisha, without regard for her own safety, DIVES out after it. She rolls, comes up to her feet, and...as soon as the vampire reforms, finds her blade buried in it's shoulder. Arisha's Khopesh begins to glow with a very bright light and the eyes and mouth of the vampire begin to glow. "VARDAMA! WREST THIS CORRUPTED SOUL FROM THIS HUSK!" And the head of the Vampire explodes.

SO focused upon her work, that Arisha didn't see the wolves gathering outside....

GAME: Faranth rolls wild empathy: (14)+wild empathy: 14
GAME: Faranth rolls 1d20+2+3: (15)+2+3: 20

Faranth sees the undead get chased out the window by the cleric, and get destroyed. The baying of the wolves is not lost on her though. Realizing what is coming, she grabbs hold of the window sill and vaults out the broken window like the other two before her. She instead turns and runs forwards toward the wolves a bit, then starts talking to them in soothing tones, using hand gestures, and possibly a few words in a different language or two. The wolves don't seem to respond as she expects. She frowns. "The wolves are being compelled. The poor things don't have a choice."

Lucy leaps out of the window next, then moves off to put herself between the wolves and the next window in the house. She produces a slim dagger which she flips around to hold by the blade, ready to throw. "Are we going to have to fight these wolves after all?!" she calls out shrilly, to no one in particular.

Gull runs to the door, looking out the nearby window. He locks eyes on the lead wolf, a brief flash of black through his eyes, and utters a few words under his breath while miming a pair of scissors with his fingers.

GAME: Morgan casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 4 DC: 17

Morgan thinks something is up as she stays in the room with the kids, but just incase she enchants a word that gives a aura of armor that fades away.

Ilmig was between nasty thing and kids, then it moved. Then it was nice enough to explode without complaining to much. "Guessin that settles that, then..." Then there's the growling from outside and he tromps to the door and relocate the khazadi blockade.

As a unit the wolves pour out of the woods, heading right for the house. But between them and it is the forms of Arisha and Faranth whom they pile upon en-mass. It is not a pretty sight, and the pack fights together like they know what they're doing.

<OOC> Arisha says, "I change my judgements to Healing and resiliency. so I get 3 HP back and now have 3 DR/magic. if I'm prone, I'm gonna attack one of the wolves."
<OOC> Arisha says, "From a prone position."
<OOC> Razen says, "So you'll provoke an attack of opportunity from the wolves around you?"
<OOC> Arisha thought the AoO was provoked when I tried to get up.
<OOC> Razen says, "If you take the full round to stand you don't"
<OOC> Arisha will do that then.
<OOC> Razen says, "Alrighty, roll the attack for MalGein"
GAME: Faranth rolls 1d20+4: (19)+4: 23
<OOC> Razen says, "hit"
GAME: Faranth rolls 1d8+2: (5)+2: 7

Arisha is suddenly on her face. "Ow...." She says as she starts to get up.....and her wounds begin to heal. "Ugh. This is what I get for rushing after someone who has minions...."

Faranth realizes she's in trouble, calling out to her animal companion, the young bull elephant lets out a trumpet and charges into the fray, running one of his tusks into a wolf. Meanwhile, Faranth takes the opportunity to get up herself. "Yes, we will need to fight them, but it's not their choice, so if you can incapacitate, then do it. I will try to save as many as I can in the aftermath."

GAME: Lucy rolls weapon3: (13)+14: 27
GAME: Lucy rolls 1d4+14: (4)+14: 18
GAME: Gull casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 2 DC: 15

Lucy expression grows alarmed as the wolves pounce. She's never seen a pack like this in action before, and everything happens so fast. She had been worried about protecting the house but now she realizes the party is in danger! She rushes to the closest wolf and stabs it through the back, correctly estimating where the creature's vital spots are and felling it with a well-placed blow.

Watching the struggle, Gull decides he needs to be ready for some closer encounters of his own. With a few arcane words, Gull surrounds himself with a fading shell of armor.

Morgan looks out the window of the house she spots a wolf as two bolts slams in to it not killing it.

GAME: Morgan casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 4 DC: 17
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+2: (18)+2: 20
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+2: (11)+2: 13
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+2: (6)+2: 8
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+2: (4)+2: 6
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+2: (8)+2: 10
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+2: (13)+2: 15
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+2: (8)+2: 10
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+2: (14)+2: 16
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+2: (6)+2: 8
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+2: (9)+2: 11
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+2: (20)+2: 22
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+2: (15)+2: 17
GAME: Razen rolls 1d6+1: (3)+1: 4
GAME: Razen rolls 1d6+1: (5)+1: 6

The wolves attack again, furiously trying to defend their own and finish the task they were set to. However they're lagging. Their hearts clearly not in it.

<OOC> Razen says, "Can I get two reflex saves Arisha?"
GAME: Arisha rolls reflex: (6)+5: 11
GAME: Arisha rolls reflex: (9)+5: 14
GAME: Arisha rolls weapon1-4: (18)+11+-4: 25
GAME: Arisha rolls 1d8+4+1: (8)+4+1: 13

Arisha keeps getting pulled down to the ground. With her defenses up, it's only a matter of time before she's able to stand, so rather than get up, only to be pulled back down again, she slashes at a wolf, to make it fall to the ground. "Their hearts may not be in it, but I'm rather sick of fighting from my back."

GAME: Faranth rolls 1d20+4: (5)+4: 9
GAME: Faranth rolls weapon4: (3)+2: 5
<OOC> Razen says, "Miss and miss"

Faranth is trying too hard to not kill the wolves, and apparently, the empathic link she shares with MalGein is taking his fighting spirit away also. Both fighters posture a bit, and end up not contacting with the wolves they're trying to hit.

GAME: Lucy rolls weapon3: (5)+14: 19
<OOC> Razen says, "Hit!"
GAME: Lucy rolls 1d4+14: (2)+14: 16

Lucy apparently missed the message that the party was trying to take it easy on these wolves. All she sees is a huge beast covered in fur and fangs and claws just like her nanny used to say waited in the woods for naughty little gnome children! Oh, and she also sees a yellow wolf eye, and instinct takes over and she stabs it through.

GAME: Morgan casts Flaming Sphere. Caster Level: 4 DC: 18

Gull's robe blurs, then all of Gull blurs. He falls forward, the fur at the fringes of his robe taking over more and more of the robe as it expands. By the time he hits the ground, he's a full blown jaguar, already stalking to the right, looking for a good angle to pounce.

<OOC> Morgan says, "I will avoid hitting party members unless the exp is good"
GAME: Morgan rolls 3d6: (11): 11
<OOC> Razen says, "Okay you can hit four at once without hitting anyone in the party lol"
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+5: (4)+5: 9

Morgan mutters to herself as she was pissed that she forgot about this spell as she summons a small ball of fire that starts hitting wolves hurting them nicely. "I hope this helps."

Ilmig doesn't think the children inside are in much danger, now, and tromps, not so quickly, towards his mates and the pack of wolves, or what remains of them. "Ye be needin a hand 'r axe 'r two, there?"

It's even clearer now that the wolves want nothing of this battle. They snap and growl, missing wildly. Only a few hits land and those weak. Most of the animals are grossly injured, but still they try.

Arisha's still attacking from a prone position, so her attacks aren't really able to find too much purchase on any of the wolves. Thankfully, they can't do too much damage to her with her judgements up.

GAME: Faranth rolls 1d20+4: (10)+4: 14
GAME: Faranth rolls weapon4: (20)+2: 22 (THREAT)
GAME: Faranth rolls weapon4: (3)+2: 5
GAME: Faranth rolls 1d6+1: (1)+1: 2
GAME: Lucy rolls weapon3: (11)+14: 25
GAME: Lucy rolls weapon3: (11)+14: 25
GAME: Lucy rolls weapon9-1: (18)+13+-1: 30 (THREAT)
GAME: Lucy rolls weapon9-1: (11)+13+-1: 23
GAME: Lucy rolls 1d4+14: (1)+14: 15
GAME: Lucy rolls 2d3+12: (3)+12: 15

Faranth catches sight of the rolling ball of fire out of the corner of her eye. She stifles an objection, knowing that the humans consider their lives more important than the wolves. Instead she focuses on the wolves she and MalGein are fighting. MalGein swings his trunk at one of the wolves, buffeting it to the side, and Faranth sees an opening, slapping the wolf with her spear it drops to the ground, finally unable to continue fighting.

GAME: Gull rolls 1d20+8: (8)+8: 16
GAME: Gull rolls 1d8+3: (5)+3: 8
GAME: Gull rolls 1d20+3: (4)+3: 7
GAME: Gull rolls 1d20+3: (8)+3: 11
GAME: Morgan rolls 3d6: (12): 12
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+5: (20)+5: 25

Lucy flinches back as a wolf snaps at her, jaws snapping just inches away from her face. She stabs it through the throat, yanking her blade free it a spray of blood. Then she flings her dagger at the next one, the blade flying into its open mouth and disappearing, although this wolf also collapses. She glances around and then suddenly her face falls. "Wait - we're not supposed to kill them??"

Gull charges forward, leaping to complete the pounce onto two wolves. A bite to the back of one of the burned wolves' necks takes it down, while two claw swipes fail to get to his second victim. Regardless, the area around Arisha is looking much clearer now.

Morgan makes a hand motion as the fireball moves to hit three wolves killing them "damn I hate having to kill wolves." said to her self as she is glad she cant smell the wolves being burnt.

Blurring, Gull shifts back to human form, climbing off of his hands and knees once he's fully half-elf, dusting off his robe as he does. "Shame so many had to die, but we couldn't let them threaten the homestead. This isn't a place for wolves." He looks back towards the door to see if any of the farmers are watching, or whether they're hiding. "Either way, we'll need to find Edgar."

Faranth moves around to the wolves, tending their wounds with herbs and grass. Each time, the grasses glow and meld into the wolves bodies. "We need to immobilize them, when they wake up, there is a chance they will still be under the influence of whatever was controlling them. Can anyone tie them up?"

Arisha says, "that's actually a good idea, but....I do have a tough time tying rope....especially with my left arm."

Morgan offers her 50 foot silk rope from her travel bag "I have no idea how to tie up a wolf."

Ilmig runs fingers through his beard. "Better ta take 'em into the trees, or leave 'em be than bind 'em. They'll be chewing through their paws ta get out when they wake. If herders find 'em first, they'll not be wakin't'all. Wolves like to eat, 'n goats 'n the like make easy meals."

Faranth stands up from her ministrations and hesitates a bit. "Almost like you would tie a hog, tying the four legs together, but you also need to tie the mouth closed in a muzzle." She glances at MalGein. "If we can get them tied up, I can carry them to a place they will be safe. That will give us time to search for Edgar. I'd suggest starting in that copse of trees the wolves were in."

Arisha says, "not a bad idea. I'll help track too."

Morgan is not one for tieing up a wolf "I will follow but I am no tracker."

It's not easy to tie up a whole lot of wolves, but you manage it somehow, and with the aid of an elephant you manage to drag/carry them to the copse of trees.

Gull nods. "I can also help track, if we need it. In jaguar skin, I have a very keen sense of smell. Though I don't have much skill in tracking by myself, of course." He beckons the sky, and Agewe lands nearby.

GAME: Arisha rolls perception: (14)+16: 30
GAME: Morgan rolls perception: (4)+8: 12
GAME: Gull rolls perception: (16)+4: 20

Gull nods. "I can also help track, if we need it. In jaguar skin, I have a very keen sense of smell. Though I don't have much skill in tracking by myself, of course." He beckons the sky, and Agewe lands nearby.

GAME: Morgan rolls perception: (4)+8: 12
GAME: Gull rolls perception: (16)+4: 20
GAME: Ilmig rolls perception: (12)+12: 24

With the wolves dealt with, it's easy to see that they have been in this area for a while. Waiting for something. There's no sign of the farmer, but there are some tracks that might allow you to track the wolves themselves. However at this point you can hear the sound of the farmer's wife yelling. It's hard to make out exactly what she's saying, but as you turn back toward the house you can see her clinging to her son's shirt and trying to tug him back into the house.

Gull heads back towards the house, making sure that the farmers that are already accounted for remain that way. As he approaches, he calls out "Hello, maam? Everything all right?"

Arisha also heads back towards the house....wiping the blood off of her Khopesh as she enters the house. 'everything okay?"

Lucy turns and runs for the house. She slows to a stop as she nears the son, holding her hands out in a placating gesture. "Just wait here - we'll find your father and bring him back!" If he's still alive, a small part of her finishes in her mind. But of course she doesn't say that part out loud.

At the noise and commotion back at the farmhouse, Faranth looks up and studies what’s going on for a moment. She starts walking back toward the farmhouse. "I bet we can follow the child to wherever his father went to."

The boy is mindlessly trying to get away from his mother, pulling his shirt from her hands and trying to walk around Lucy while his mother cries after him. "He's acting just like Edgar! Don't go! Come back!" She chases after the boy a few steps and grabs him again; trying to shake him out of it.

Gull consider's Faranth's words. "Maam, Faranth has a point. Might be our best shot at finding his dad. We already dealt with whatever did this. Although, speaking of..." Gull starts jogging around the house, towards where the vampire died.

"Blast't'all..." Ilmig follows the others at a rapid tromp back to the house. He takes stock: older boy who wants to do his own walkin, mother motherin to stop him. Pretty normal. It's just the missing ghost-kissing father that's the odd part. "Hmph." He considers Lucy's comment. "Ain't a bad idea. Lead us to 'im 'n any trouble's left. Don't fret none. Won't be lettin any harm come ta 'im."

Arisha says, "They have a point. We'll keep him safe." What she doesn't say, is that they'll bring back the head of whatever kills him if they can't.

The woman considers the offer. "You... You promise you'll keep him safe?"

Arisha says, "You saw what I did with that vampire...."

Faranth and MalGein walk up to the group, taking a slightly slower pace. MalGein stops at the back of everyone, but Faranth keeps walking up and gives the woman a hug. "Yes, we take responsibility for your son's safety. We will see to him and hopefully with his help we will return with both him and his father." She smiles and tries her best to put the woman at ease. "See to your other children, they will likely be scared when they wake."

Morgan stands with every one and lets them talk as we don’t need a stero of he will be fine.

After hours of trailing after the kid, he eventually stops to rest, his gaze steadily north. The same direction he has been walking this whole time. It seems likely that this is the direction his father went before him, but they cross and travel several major roads that make that impossible to discern with certainty.

Gull sits to rest with a sigh. "Looks like Edgar's got quite the lead on us." He looks up to the sky. "If he's traveling due north, and we knew that for certain, I could catch up to him. Easier if he was near water." the half-elf shakes his head. "But finding him is going to be near impossible without scrying."

Faranth ponders the child, still under the influence of whatever took over his mind. She starts scavenging around the area, picking this flower, that plant, a berry from this bush... After a while she comes back, mixing the ingredients up together. "So, I don't know much about undead. But if his mind was being controlled by that thing we killed, wouldn't the influence have ended when the being was killed?"

Arisha says, "More than likely. So he's under the influence of something else, or someone." She then ponders. "Lucy? Can you search him? See if there's anything.....different...on him?"

Gull mutters something to himself. "There wasn't a body. We might not have killed it for good. Some undead can escape death, or ressurect." He glances at the kid. "And I'm out of sleep magic.

Lucy follows along sometimes walking behind the youth but whenever things look the least bit unsafe she instead walks alongside - if they are passing by trees where animals could be hiding, or rough terrain where the boy could stumble, on and on. One time when the way is clear she drops back to consult with the rest of the party. "Do you guys remember when we were fighting that creepy guy...was this youngling tryin to shield him? From us? With his own body?"

GAME: Morgan rolls spellcraft: (9)+16: 25
<OOC> Razen says, "You can if you have it roll arcane knowledge on how suggestive spells work!"
GAME: Morgan rolls knowledge/arcana: (4)+13: 17
GAME: Faranth casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14
GAME: Faranth rolls 1d8+2: (4)+2: 6
GAME: Gull rolls knowledge/arcana: (7)+9: 16
GAME: Faranth rolls 1d8+2: (4)+2: 6
GAME: Gull rolls knowledge/arcana: (7)+9: 16

"Could be protectin it," Ilmig shrugs. "Bewitched, like the wolves. Maybe best ta get 'im home, let it run its course..." He looks to Gull. "Don' be needin magic ta make the lad nap a bit."

Morgan thinks "he is under some dominate spell, they can last days or weeks. Might be good to tie him up and wait until it’s done."

Arisha says, "Might be a good idea." She then sighs. "I don't think we're gonna find Edgar though. If he followed the same track, he likely went that way until he passed out from exhaustion."

Faranth finishes mixing a foul smelling concoction and passes it underneath the child's nose. "Are you suggesting we give up on his father?"

Arisha says, "Would you rather continue with the child and follow him until we find the father, who may already be dead?" Arisha's too blunt sometimes. "However.....there is a better way to do this. If your friend will carry us......" She gestures towards Faranth's Elephant.

The foul-smelling stuff seems to have no effect on the boy, he simply sits there and stares off into the distance.

He has a path to follow, and you choose to follow - or not.

-End-