[IC] Death & Taxes (Session 4)

"That's the worst of it? The Waylands all die?" Tronus muses aloud pulling his sword and shield out, "Thanks for the heads up Youngling... If it turns sideways at least I can make sure he doesn't rush in and eat your face."

"Sideway, we kill witch" Nekurr says, now actually threatening Anzila, just in case she is hiding something.

As it appears there will be no open conflict, Bruv let's the primal energies drain from his hands. Instead he walks over to Nera and just asks for the dagger. Upon receiving it, he justs wraps the blade in a scrap of cloth and puts it in his pack.

Perhaps such a relic might conceivably come in handy in the undoing of whatever might happen come daybreak? Perhaps destroying it would add injury to insult for the dark god, and sparing the implement could ameliorate the situation in some small way? Perhaps it would just be evidence in their defense? But regardless, it seemed like retaining it was better than destruction.

Not knowing what else to do, Bruv begins performing a silent, primal anti-magic ritual until the sun rises.

The woman shrinks back from Nekurr's snarling threats. "What else do you want me to say? The particulars of the Wayland pact died with Castor. But do you think I'd be so calm if I thought we were all doomed as soon as the sun comes up? No one can know the mind of a god. Only the people in the black robes know that Harridan is worshipped here in the first place. And maybe not even them. Castor certainly denied it when I enlightened him on the matter."

"Well that's not a creepy looking malnourished turkey or a buzzard so that's a good sign right? lets pack up the prisoners and investigate before this play sinks or something."

As Bruv sees the ground softening he stands from his counter-spelling, regret flooding him for being cajoled into not taking more action to wake and prepare the villagers, and he looks to anyone who will listen and help, with wide eyes, "Let's get da townfolk to da ferry! Carts, barrels, crates, have 'em gadder anyting at will float..."

Bruv remembers what he found in the waters of the swamp. Or rather what found him....

Then he tries to gather primal energies into his body.And then he takes off toward the village relatively unimpeded by the changing terrain and he bellows, his voice resounding like thunder, "WAAAKE!! FIRRRE!! AWAKE BUZZARDS FORD!"

"The village is going to be consumed by the swamp?" Nekurr say as he jumps trying to find solid ground.

"I think it's more likely what's in the swamp is now aware of the villagers that they may now consume." Tronus attempts to correct.

"You lot come with me if you don't want to drown. The quicker ones of us can go to the village the slower can hold up sitting on the roof of that building once we investigate... White dove in this shite hole is very noticeable so hopefully it's a sign." Tronus adds poking prisoners still alive towards the house.

Bruv's voice booms across the town, shattering the silence of the night before. As the Orc moves back through the old house and onto the street out front—now mired in mud—he finds that several villagers have already stumbled, groggy, from their homes. By the time he reaches the town square, he's attracted the attention of at least a couple of familiar faces, including the gnome healer, Erfan Eswyse, and the gruff farmer, Bressel Galbernost. "What in the name of Nature's Lady is going on?" the Gnome asks the boom-voiced Orc.

Meanwhile, Tronus sees the encroaching swampland and realizes that the prisoners are in danger of being drowned, eaten by crocodiles, or worse if he doesn't act. As he attempts to rouse the sleeping Night Creepers, he realizes that one of them, Rupert Wayland, is unmoving. Checking more closely reveals that the man has died... The other issue is that the decrepit house is not exactly in top shape, so putting a bunch of people on top of it may cause the roof to collapse. And there's the matter of the caged witch, Anzila. How to move her without letting her out of the cage she's in?

Nekurr will try to grab Anzila and the Skeeter and take them, or drag them, with him as he follows Bruv

With Nekurr and Bruv dealing with people Tronus opts to find out about the bird's perch before it's underwater.