You both curse these shortened days of Fox as you feel the temperature begin to drop, and the freezing rain begins anew...

"Hey Warlock, should we investigate? Why dont you take the lead with your big broad sword and I will cover you with my bow?"
I set the lantern down so it illuminates the chapel.
Notch an arrow.

Last edited by achiriaco (10/02/2018 5:49 pm)

Now that the warlock is looking around in earnest, he realizes he missed a simple fact on his rush in to bounty hunt Olo: 

Iron Ranger wrote:

Old, charred lumber litters the area where structures and livestock pens once stood. The only building still standing is the Church.
 

The Warlock looks around the village.  Perhaps his plan to draw out the threat won't work, as the other buildings won't provide enough cover for waiting in ambush. Alas.

"Malak, I think I was too hasty. Maybe we should just go into the burned temple. After all, we're swordsmen. It's just some cursed temple where a witch was burned to death with her coven."

Iron Ranger wrote:

Olo's pack is much burned, but inside you find:
his handwritten prayer book
his wineskin, half empty
the map of the old roads, damaged
a small braided bit of yarn tied around the nub of a shorn foot of a rabbit

 

"Right. No tent. Settles it, the evil temple is the only shelter from this rain. Hellfire or the common cold? Exactly."

Emral holds his bastard sword while Malak does what he said, holding the lantern and opening the door.

fireinthedust wrote:

((Question: looking at the map of Hyperborea, where on it would we be?  Or is this a more non-specific village?))

Good Question:
Malak looks over to the Warlock, "Where are we?"

These last days of Fox are brutal.
The rain turns to freezing sleet as you stare at Olo's damaged map of the old roads.
Emral pulls the red hood of his skin up as his breath freezes with each exhale.

Only the Castle of Orcust beyond the Gibbering Fields.

The door remains open. Emral steps inside into the pitch and waits for Malak to bring in the lamp.
The light reveals the familiar sight - 2 rows of pews leading to the pulpit, which is flanked by the burned out doorway on the right, and the melted harp on the left.

Night comes.
 

((my inner fiction is more well-travelled, but I'm cool.  I think I should use a different name for Emral, as that's the name of a long-running other character. Maybe I'll figure out his "last name" or something.  I found out recently there's a Yiddish or Hebrew name that sounds like "Laser Wolf", which is fantastic; pretty sure it has nothing to do with cyborg canines, but there you go.  My Skyrim warrior-mage was named Varlok, which I thought was clever; but it's not useful when the class is Warlock, because that's like being Julia Ghoulia... Or like Jake the Snake, which is also pretty cool.  Hmmm... but am I as cool as JtS????))

Emral moves to the far left side of the temple, going up that side toward the harp.  His sword points ahead of him, but he's ready for movement as he goes up the pews.  His memory reminds him of tales of magical writing that could hold a spell in wait for the poor fool that steps on it or even reads such writing; but a ghost that ignites someone by touch, say, or some other foe lying in wait, has also occurred to him.

The harp is melted, possibly from the other door; or maybe it's near the source of the flame?  Is there a doorway or entrance behind a screen or wooden wall?  And does the burned door look like it leads outside here, or is it to the back rooms of the temple like a sacristy in a church?

Emral moves slowly up the left side of the church toward the melted harp. He glances at the burned out door diagonally across the room, there's definitely another room beyond the frame.

The harp ahead stands next to the pulpit, disfigured by flame.

As he approaches the first row of pews, Emral sees, across the aisle on the floor, a large slick of dried blood, no doubt where Olo bled out.

Emral gets nearer the harp, aware that he could find himself -literally- in the line of fire from the doorway.

If clear, he has a look at the harp, and at the line directly from the doorway - expecting to see a trail from the door, or signs from the door over the harp, like a dragon breathing flame and leaving a shadow of ash on the wall behind.
(just thinking outloud, but those are his expectations)

As he moves, a thought occurs to him and he calls to Malak.

"Bring the lantern closer, fast. And watch behind you: there are dark sorceries that make bodies like Olo's dangerous to have at your back. If there's blood on the aisle, he may have dragged himself."