Erevel again felt the pain of a claw rake her skin. She breathed a sigh of relief as the second claw missed her as she was not sure she could survive another.
Armania, not wishing to lose a spell, cast an acid dart which found its mark on the Revenant. Ursina followed quickly with another disrupt undead.
Erevel again swung her mighty sword hitting squarely home, but not inflicting the damage she wished. After she took a five foot step away to hopefully avoid another claw attack.
Gavril and Ciprian move up side by side next to the creature. Attacks with Red Destiny and Ciprian's mace did not take the penalty that Erevel seemed to have.
Paullus kept ineffectually firing arrows at the creature, but at least he was involved. Erevel hoped against hope that the creature would leave her alone. She then witnessed the monster attack both Ciprian and Gavril, cleaving both of them with its claws. In horror she then watched as if slid five feet towards her.
More acid darts flew toward the creature, Ursina attacked again with Disrupt Undead and Red Destiny hit home. Ciprian flashed Red his mace bludgeoning with critical effect. The monster fell onto the ground and stopped moving.
Breathing deeply with relief Erevel stopped raging and hit the ground. Ursina rushed over and laid habds upon Erevel, Rebuking Death once again. Afterwards healing was applied to all who needed it.
Ciprian started investigating the body, there was a body. Even though the creature seemed ghostly it had been corporeal. No magic or magical aura had surrounded the creature but it was certainly difficult to dispatch.
Armania suggested following the trail of the creature as it came at them from the alleyway. Paullus started tracking the footprints as this creature was corporeal. The tracks led to another T intersection of a cross street. They then turned south, where Paullus almost lost the trail in a mess of footprints. Finally latching onto the scent again the group trailed the tracks to a copse of trees north of the Stain. There the tracks seemed to just appear. Looking around the copse added no more information for the party who stood shaking their heads in confusion.
Not being able to solve the mystery here the party headed back to the alley to collect the body and take it to the Sleepless Detective Agency. Just as Gavril and Erevel were standing over the body the figure of an older woman, dressed in black was floating down the street. It looked incorporeal as wisps of
steam or smoke floated away from the figure. Raising her hands she fired a magic missile at Gavril and then moved into a house north of the group.
Ciprian had determined that the figure was a projection, a spirit of some kind split from its host body. He knew it would be difficult to damage given its incorporeal nature but started a Bardic Performance to help his fellow adventurers.
The rest of the party moved into various positions, readying actions for when the figure appeared again. Armania knocked loudly on the door of the residence trying to wake the inhabitants to their peril.
As the creature moved out of the house attacks rained out upon her, none of which did any damage, certainly she was corporeal but there was an additional problem which none of the party knew. Was it weapon type? Was is damage type? Was it weapon composition? Was it alignment? What was needed to hit this creature.
The woman reached out and touched Gavril taking Charisma away. Armania laughed at the idea that Gavril had any Charisma. She then loosed a magic missile which struck true and the figure reacted to the attack.
Various attacks were again attempted from silver weapons to bludgeoning to various spells. Nothing but certain spells caused any damage. Ursina found quickly that the thing was not undead and decided to move forward with her holy book.
Erevel retreated five feet as Gavril took more Charisma and fled himself. Paullus moved right next to the woman attempting to use his mace. Armania continued firing magic missiles as these certainly did damage. This was becoming the most frustrating fight of their lives as it seemed no weapon could damage this creature at all.
Ursina raised her holy book and brought it smashing down on the head of the woman and low and behold it finally did some damage. Was it the cold iron aspect of her book, she didn't know or really care at this point.
Now it was Paullus turn to feel Shocking Grasp from the hands of the woman. Another round of ineffective attacks followed. Ursina again used her book to deliver damage and Armania fired her last magic missile.
At that the body completely disappeared, no trace or evidence of it was seen!
It was barely sunrise and despite their confusion the group gathered up the body of the Revenant and took it to the Sleepless Detective Agency. They then headed to the chapel for some sleep. They made sure Elgrior was still at the chapel and Naysa assured them that he was being very helpful. None of the Acolytes could identify what they might need to harm the incorporeal creature so the party spent eight hours resting. Winter, who was at the temple, applied some channeled healing and healing spells to help the party back to full strength. Not being from Thrushmoor she could not answer any questions the group had about their enemies of the evening.
Erevel did not wake up screaming from Night Terrors, which was a relief to everyone. The next hour was spent identifying the items they had picked up from the Cave. It was mid afternoon before the party headed out to talk with Cesadia. The group was more warmly welcomed into the Agency. Cesadia was anxious to meet with them right away.
"First, I have heard from Dena and Emman that Elgrior seems to have stopped his doom speech. They are certainly grateful. I spoke with Dena and she is willing to rent you rooms and let you eat at the Silver Wagon if Gavril will pay his debt, 39 gold and 6 silver," Cesadia related.
"Fine, I will go there to pay her her when we next have a chance," grumbled Gavril.
"I am glad you found out what was happening at the cave," said Cesadia, "Any insight as to what was happening there? Could it somehow be related to the kidnappings?"
"Well, she was certainly into making some drugs. We found mushrooms and other hallucinogenic items along with some poisons," stated Ciprian. "She also was supplying Melisenn with some items. See we found this note."
"We had some time with a couple of creatures that were wandering around the town," added Armania. "Do you know anything about the body we brought?"
"I studied the body this morning. It looks just like Klyn Murik. He was found murdered out by the Stain a few weeks ago. Magistrate Padgett handled the case but I am not sure he ever determined who or what killed him. Maybe the Fort records have more information about the case. He was properly buried up by the Old Chapel. Certainly this creature roaming around has not been kidnapping people."
"I think this was a Revenant, but I do not have more information about such a monster," Ciprian chimed in.
"What about this incorporeal woman with white hair, dressed in black?" asked Armania.
"Hmm, that sound familiar. There have been reports that the people of Thrushmoor have seen a translucent, monstrous figure roaming the streets at night for the last 20 years. The apparition doesn’t appear with any regularity and hasn’t been spotted at all in recent years until the last few weeks. In fact just before you disappeared from town," explained Cesadia.
"Well we need some better information on how to fight this creature, a projection of some kind. I suspect that there is a real person somewhere in town behind this creature," Ciprian added.
"By the way, I meant to ask you about your time at the Asylum. What occurred on Briarstone Isle, especially regarding supernatural events such as the strange mist and its effects on dreams," inquired Cesadia.
The group then related the information about Briarstone Isle and Asylum. They told her about the link with the Briarstone Witch and The Tatterman. The Tatterman's seeming hold on Ulver, the strange and unusual creatures hanging around. Also that some patients had turned into ghouls. All of this was very concerting to Cesadia who stressed her concern for Thrushmoor if some of those monsters made their way to the town.
Ciprian, still interested in the characters background, again asked about anything Cesadia might know about their past.
"Well, for what I know you were "slaves" purchased by Count Lowls. Some of you were involved in muscle for the Count. Taking on or out any who the Count wanted." She looked at Erevel, Gavril and Paullus specifically.
"Ciprian and Ursina were involved in acquiring books, tomes, histories and spells for the Count. Armania was his, ahem, "Mistress", related Cesadia.
Ciprian asked what books the Count was interested in.
"You would," an exasperated Cesadia replied.
"Are the book sellers available to talk with?" queried Ciprian.
"Unfortunately, both booksellers went bankrupt as the Count did not pay for all his acquisitions and have left town," Cesadia said.
Armania was adamant that the person the town and Cesadia knew was not the real her. She related her vision where she had received a doll from her aunt. She argued that the doll had taken over her and not allowed her to be her real self. In her vision her aunt had died fighting a whole house of dolls with the doll maker. She implored everyone to destroy any doll they might happen upon. "Any doll may try and inhabit any one of us!" she exclaimed.
Finally Cesadia requested the group to continue their night patrols trying to find who/what was behind the kidnappings. The group agreed and asked if or where there was a concentration of empty residences, through kidnap or departure. Cesadia pointed to two areas, one near the harbor and the Fish Market, the other between the High Mart and Binter's Smithy. The group indicated they would start at the harbor for more investigation.
First Ursina and Paullus wanted to visit the Smith to get crossbow bolts and a crossbow for Ursina. The items were easily found there. Binter indicated that further magic items might be available at the High Mart.
"I want to examine the cemetery," said Paullus as he wandered to the north. Some time later he returned with a owl on his shoulder.
"New pet?" asked Ursina.
"This is my new friend. He can perform some tricks and errands for me," declared Paullus.
After paying the outstanding debt at the Silver Wagon the party began investigating the harbor area. They came across some of the sooty city images on a few buildings in the area. Several empty housed were found, some ransacked some not. In others it appeared that the owners had packed up and left. In one house that was still occupied, the residents indicated that there had been unusual noises and screams at night. They never left their home at night any longer.
Night was falling as the party continued their patrol toward the Fish Market. As they passed a adjoining alleyway, Erevel and Gavril noted a huge pale green monster moving toward them. The monster had scaled skin, large, webbed hands and feet. On either side of its neck were slotted gills. The creature looked at the two party members with hunger in its eyes.
DM's Notes: The party earned 1,367 XP and now have 13,397 XP requiring 1,603 to reach 5th level.
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