Extinction Curse Story Thread

[Chris]

Wherein you can share your thoughts and points of view concerning the campaign

[Stephen]

My name is Gleek. I am Grate, that’s what the big snowman in my dreams tells me. When I was little I wondered off and away from the tribe of Kobolds that hatched me. I wonder off a lot. I am smaller and skinner than a normal Kobold and sometimes the other kids would throw rocks at me and call me names. So being by myself playing in the snow works just fine for me.

One day I wondered really far after the kids threw their frozen poo at me. I was sad. Really really sad. I built a little snow fort and fell asleep. As I slept I dreamt of a really big snow man. He looked friendly from far away, but as I got closer I saw he had ice armor and icicles jutting out every which way like spikes. His eyes were red and his teeth jagged ice spikes. Although he looked really scary and huge, the closer I got, I felt….safe. Safe and warm.

He held out his hand and told me that if I went with him, he would give me the power to protect myself and keep me safe. He showed me all sorts of fun things I could do, with magic! I could make fire and ice, grease, shock things with a touch and even heal the bruises I got from frozen poo and rocks. All I had to do was pledge my life to him. I said yes and I have never been happier. I was only 3 winters old.

I awoke to a little fury animal with black fur and a glacial blue stripe running down its back and tail nuzzling me. It made nice sounds and made me happy. But I didn’t wake up in my snow fort, I woke up on the side of a road in a land with no snow! How bewildering! The little animal climbed up my shoulder and together we walked down the road.

After a few days of travel I saw some tall pale skinned humans on the road. They spoke a language I couldn’t understand, drew pointy metal sticks and tried to hurt me! I raised my hands and Stinker Bell, my fury friend, growled and ice flew from my fingers! I raised my hands again and icy blue darts hit every one of the pale skins! They ran off after that but left behind some supplies. I know have a wicker basket that Stinker Bell loves to sleep in. I even rigged it to where on my shoulders like a pack pack. I learned how to make traps when I was still in the snow and use the traps to catch small animals to eat.

A few sun sets after that I saw a long caravan of really big animals and wagons. A mean looking lady on the first wagon spoke some words that I knew and offered me a place in the circus! I was really excited! For a while it was fun but the lady was really mean. I mostly did clean up work and sometimes helped the other performers get dressed and stuff. Once I learned the pale skin words I would sometimes go out and sing songs or recite rhym words while Stinker Bell played a small lute, or tambourine. Sometimes the crowd liked it, sometimes they didn’t. Years went by…..

One day a bunch of us left and joined another better safer circus. Stinker Bell and I are very happy and have made some nice friends. On the opening night, things were going ok but the boss man died, there were snakes in the crowd, mean pale skins being mean to not mean pale skins in the crowd, performers poo’ing their pants cuz they are scared. The big kinda scary butcher lady Yeeted the bird man. It was funny.
After the how we tried to figure out what was going on and walked all over the camp. We went to the boss mans wagon and inside was magic plants that threw stink bombs. It stunk so bad it knocked the knife throwing devil-kin and the gnoll lady got hurt. I tried to help but the stink was too much for me and I fell out of the wagon. Maybe I am dead? I don’t know. Who am I talking to? Hmmmm. Where is my big icy, spikey snow man friend? I am scared.

[dragonforgotten]

Well s***. I knew I should have told Charley to take the morning shift for me. Here I am standing before the remains of a old friend, dead as a door nail with a ring of my fellow carnies and circus folk surrounding the corpse.
He was a good man. Fair, honest, alittle eccentric but legues better then my last boss.
My name is Iris. I was once called the crimson thorn but that was a long time ago. I’m from the Expanse, a great forest teaming with disease and beasts that sooner eat you then talk to you. I’m what other people would call me a gnoll, but most races can’t tell the difference between one hyena humanoid from the rest. Though we are similar. My people call themselves “kholo”. We live in great packs run by a pack of cheiftesses. I am from a line of great kholo cheiftesses and was next to claim my rank amongst my kin like my mother before me. Would have been had I not been careless. You see My kin had ties with humans. We trade and act as guides to many humaniods traveling the expanse. We had a important guest among us as we were escorting them through the jungle to one of the bigger cities in the jungle. They really pissed me off. Really really pissed me off. Father told warned me, pleaded not to cause a scene. But what was I suppose to do when the son of the nobleman challenged me to a duel and slandered me. He lost, he died, so I ate him. It all went to hell there. My father and sister had tried to tell me had I listen is that human don’t like when you eat them let alone kill a family member. But I had slept through that lesson. My clan had no choice but to cast me out least the wraith of the humans fall on them. Broke my family’s heart to have me leave. So there I was lost and no where to go till I found the celestial managery and found a pack to run with again. Easy work, can sleep anywhere I want. It was great. Too bad the boss was a huge b****. Couldn’t get out of there fast enough along with a few other werdios. Took us a bit of time to discover the circus of way ward wonders. Wouldn’t have found another home if it wasn’t for second boss. I am deeply grateful for giving me a home again for all those years. So here we stand in abbington, our first big show in his big top and the boss dead, is cooling on the ground with a packed house at our backs. I should eat when I get the chance. He shall live on through my strength and I shall add a piece of him to my collection but there’s no time. There’s a full house of ravanious guests and it be in poor taste in regards to the other circus dwellers. Even the gods damn mayor is here. They also put us few in charge of running this flaming s*** show. Ughhh, this is too much work! Why us? It’s too much effort. I just want to go back to my tanning rock and eat some mutton. But we don’t have a choice. The clowns can only keep the audience busy for so long before they start leaving and someone pokes there nose in here. We’re the only ones who have some idea not to ruin everything. We just have to hope a tarp is good enough for our departed friend as we run the show and gather his collection of entertainers and weirdos left to our care. So we assemble the best performers. The black oracle who smells of cabbage gets everyone in line and gives everyone a role. As the show begins there’s some hick ups with some jack*** hecklers in the crowd but we chase them away, the other dark shrouded swashbuckler maybe going a bit too far with them, though I was moments away from chomping into there arms. The man who takes and smells of pidgons nearly choked on stage but the barbarian salvaged the performance. Another interruption happens as snakes have disturbed the crowd. Thought it was mr tickles out for his walks again but nope. Vipers have snuck into our tent. We have to shoo them away, killing half of them and me shouting at people to move. They bit hard! Shows going well so far then the dunkards happen. They carol right on in here and begin beating on us with deadly effiency. We send them packing as well but we have a lot of bruises. The dark orcale is treating Ill mr tickles with Cocaine when the aerialist come to us complaining that the net has been cut and destoryed.
“Just do it without the net. I had to before while in the celestial mengaery.”
They do it but still look unsure. Turns out they didn’t need to worry. They did it flawlessly and the show was a ravaging success. Not flawless but certainty left people hungry for more. Once we kick out the stragglers it’s time we address our own tragedy. We return to our dead packmaster as the swashbuckler goes over the evidence she collected. The man has been but by vipers but there’s no evidence did how he got to the tent were the body was found. Only the remains of small rodent feet’s remain. Rats, I can smell there stinking hides but I can not follow a clear trail. This is not the work of normal animal training. Mr tickles owner confirms this is not her doing for she has no magic to make animals listen. She does it the old fashion way. With only the trail we have is the rats, so the rat tracks we follow. We go to the most obvious place for clues first. The bosses wagon. I had thought it would be simple. It wasn’t.

Iris the crimson thorn

[dragonforgotten]

Well balls. I come to laying on my back as i smell our blood and listen to the groans and moans from we dying few. Instead of just a messy wagon there’s a werid plants shooting pollen projectiles into our faces. They pack a punch! I can already tell there’s going to be a massive bruise on my chest. I was this close from bitting it for real. I have this pack to thank that I am still here. With some pep put back into me we perpare for round two. While I’m strapping my sheild on the little kobold strides in there bravely and is quickly knocked out cold by the billista projectiles of pollen. The shades duo go in and carefully puck the bibs while I hack away. I can’t remember much. My heads still fuzzy when I come to in the wagon and sneeze out a nose full of pollen and wipe my hand unsubtle on the rogues back while she’s searching. I feed the kobold his own potion that was gifted to us by the professor but then had to give away my Stash as I grow tired of his moaning. We find a few things but nothing to tell us more about his murder. There’s a nest forever glowing torch with some cryptic fortune cookie nonsense on it. I prob alittle but around the room before shrugging and leaving. Growing bored with the investigation. I wait till I learn of the groups next destination. The woods. As per usual we don’t find trouble, if finds us. My fellow roustabout Charley and Sam are screaming bloody murder about snakes in the woods.
“It’s not Mr tickles on his nightly walks again is it?”
“No! Just little ones! I’m getting out of there!” They both go running as we stride towards it. With the light fading I hold the torch as the roguish types seem to be allergic to the light, deciding to skulk in the shadows. Fare enough. I’ll just kill a thing when I find it. My head must still be a mess for by the time I realize what is happening the swashbuckler has fallen and the teifling is screaming bloody murder. I strife in there with the little kobold far behind me as the vipers strike at me. The orcale tries to absorbs some of my hurts through his magic as I focus on what I do best. Having sally, trusty battle axe, put a end to some disagreements. I chop a serpant in half as winter kobold shocks the s*** out of them. Then big snake shows up. That’s a really big snake. It also has a nasty bit. My vision goes dark. I come to inside the tents if the circus. I thought at first it was a bad dream till I remember my screaming wounds and have to sit down again. The roustabouts saved us from the big snake but we few just lay there feeling like s*** for losing to a bunch of serpents. I whine to gleek the kobold to heal me as he tries his best. It’s not much and I can’t help but feel envious of the roguish duo for how better they feel then I. But thus it is what it is and I have no patience for petty weak feelings. I square my shoulders and carry on. Back to the founds we investigate the clearing to find a river with werid blue imps trying to fill a bag of river rocks. I want that bag. I don’t get much to say in that matter. The bugger flies up and casts a spell as acid bits into me. Soon the world swats and grows grey again. You little b****.

Iris

[Stephen]

Well here I am again. Knocked out by pollen. Talking to…..myself?

I wake up to Stinker Bell licking my face and my friends tell me that the pollen pods are removed and we all inspect and search the big bosses wagon for clues. The four plants are nothing special like not rare and can be found just about anywhere if you look hard enough. The plants are in pots and were obviously placed there. By whom is a question we can’t answer.

After a lot of talking we follow rat tracks to a small wooded area. As we get close a couple of carnies run away yelling about snakes! The changer and devil lady go into the woods trying to find the snake. We hear some rustling, a twang, a yell of pain and what sounds like more then one snake.

The gnoll lady moves into the woods and for a second I lose sight of her. I hear more snake sounds and move into to try and help. I kinda do I guess. But before I know it the gnoll lady is down and the snakes hide. I am Grate and brave and move in to draw the snakes out. Well that was dumb. I get bitten and am once again dreaming of the big snow man with ice armor.

I wake up in the clearing outside the woods and we heal each other with my healers kit. I guess Abdul and some carnies killed the snakes. That’s good I don’t like snakes.

We search the woods and come to a small clearing by the stream near the circus camp. Messing around with a backpack was a blue demon winged thing and it instantly attacked us! Oh boy I hope I don’t get knocked out again!

Well him and his friend died and dissipated into smoke. I think they were called a nefit, knee-fit….oh heck I don’t know. But in his pack pack I found river rocks….I took one cuz it was round…and a map of the area with a mill another place and our circus marked on it. The Knee-fits didn’t have a quill or ink so someone else must have did it. I found tracks leaving the clearing leading back to the circus camp! Oh no what if someone from the circus is responsible for the snakes and plants and stuff! That would be horrible

The three minute walk to camp I tried to remember if I noticed anyone or anything out of the ordinary but we all kinda are. So I guess everyone is sus……hehe sus.

At camp we hear music and see the people dancing around the big camp fire. It looks like they were having fun at first but as we got close the old guy begged us to make it stop. He looks all sweaty and may die if we can’t make it stop.

[Aileen]

My name is Blayre. My dad was a chef, my mom a fortune teller- both circusfolk who met and fell in love, had me, then went their separate ways. I still write both of them, but they always just want me to give hell to the other one instead of handling their split like adults. So I made my own way, coming into the circus life and putting my acquired culinary skills to work. Unfortunately my first job wasn’t the best introduction into circus life.

This circus is a lot better than the other one. I don’t even remember the last time I got yelled at for doing something “wrong”, when I’m just doing my damn job. I remember I used to run and hide in the other tents if I so much as overcooked a funnel cake. Now there’s always someone willing to eat what we can’t sell, and everyone is always appreciative. I actually enjoy cooking and selling the delicious food we make, proud of my work. There’s nobody to tell me I’m stupid or threaten to fire me every minute of every day. This new circus is a breath of fresh air compared to the hell we used to work in.

What hasn’t changed is the crowds. I’m one of the girls that has to go through the stands hawking popped corn and other super salty, fried goodies. You get used to having your arse grabbed and the jeers and general harassment from male patrons. I learned to just go with it, and everything was dandy. But that was before I picked up the damned sword and met him.

Agnar the Undefeatable, an ancient warrior who lived by the sword and died by the sword. Clearly he was not undefeatable, for he did not even perish in battle. No, he was a performer. The details are hazy, for he will not tell me what really happened, but I get the impression his death was the result of a circus act gone wrong and his very own sword the cause of his death. And I, while hiding in a tent full of weapons and props, had the misfortune of picking up his sword. Now he lives in me, quiet for the most part to the point it doesn’t even seem I’m possessed, but then he comes out in a fit of rage when I’m too meek to stand up for myself.

I was planning on just doing concessions for tonight’s show, but then the ringmaster died. Somehow I went from being the lowest employed person here to being promoted to management, along with a crew of strange… people. Gleek the Grate, a kobold, Abdul, who I honestly thought was just a medic, Raya the knife thrower, Cordia the acrobat, and Iris the Gnoll- she always scared me, I never volunteered to help set up tents when she was on duty. The show must go on, and so we were to make it happen by order of the Professor. Easier said than done.

I somehow got roped into performing with Axel, the wannabe magician with his menagerie of magical animals. Of course the little twerp gets stage fright just before we go out, and I find myself awkwardly standing in the spotlight wearing too damn much body glitter and a skimpy outfit trying not to get enraged at Axel. Fortunately Abdul manages to get him out, and Axel succeeds at performing. So as not to waste my only talent and just be awkwardly standing here I do what I was planning to do if he failed. We here call it the “Spontaneous Eviction”. I pick him up, effortlessly, and with a mighty heave toss him out of the tent. The crowd goes wild, cheering for my show of strength. I give a quick bow and am about to leave when Cordia comes bounding into the middle and gives me the signal to do the same to her- if the crowd liked it the first time, they’re sure to like to see it again. I pick Cordia up, something hitches in my lower back, and I immediately drop her on the ground. So much for that. Embarrassed, I storm off the stage with the crowd laughing, and am only saved by someone sending in the clowns.

The rest of the show clearly does not go off without a hitch. Gleek is nearly killed by a snake, I have to kill one of the snakes with the help of Agnar, and I spend the rest of the show confused and angry as my resident spirit often leaves me. I remember being attacked by a guy with a hotdog and then beating the crap out of him, and then something about a sick snake being injected with cocaine or something by Abdul. The show was a success, and after when we gathered with the other performers and the dead ringmaster, we discovered the cause of death- viper bites.

And thus, we are now investigators for the murder. I’ve never had so many promotions in one day, and I’m not sure I’m a fan of it. Back in the camp we pass through our fellow circus folk mourning our boss around the fire. Some of us found rat prints in strange places, so now we don’t know whats going on- is someone with some kind of animal control magic responsible? Is it one of our own? I know Axel was not allowed to perform by the ringmaster, maybe he killed him? But I’ve performed with him, he literally couldn’t hurt a fly, he’d probably have a panic attack before even considering murder. Everything is up in the air. We head to the late Ringmaster’s wagon, and are met face first with bursting pollen plants which nearly do everyone in. I’m smart and stay out of it, only to have to drag out my unconscious companions. We close the door, and those of us not currently out cold take a breather. That’s when I smell something off…

“S***! I have to go, that’s the fryelator!” I shout, running away back to the food tents.


⚔️ Blayre

[Stephen]

Well the band and the circus folk were were being forced to dance by two fairy looking creatures. Abdul talked the fairies into stopping the charm. I thought it was kinda funny, maybe I can learn how to do that someday

Just after that a rat halfling lady came out of a wagon and monologued a bit. I got bored quick and Stinker Bell was getting hangry. Well we fought her and her rat packs. Oh and she had some big rats with her too. I guess we know who killed the big boss man.

We killed her and the rats. Ghost lady made a nice rat fry. I ate a lot and fell asleep. I dreamt of the snow man. I got the impression he was happy with me. He taught me a lesson of healing. Is a good idea since my friends can’t fight very well and get hurt allot. He also showed me how to gather lightning in my palm and fling it mean things.

We got introduced to the circus’ side show gang. What a fun group they look like! They kinda go out into town and the surrounding area to gather info and promote the circus. They told us about weird and crazy things going on in town and around a windmill and an orchard…..just like the map I found!!

Now I guess I will wait while the others argue about where to go next

[Aileen]

I rejoin my new crew, munching on a fresh fried dough my co-cook whipped up for me. Idiot left the booth with the fryelator running and burnt a whole batch of blooming onions. I find the bunch of weirdos standing around talking about what they’re going to do next.

“Hi.” I say. “Fried dough, anyone?”

“Yeah, I’ll take some,” says the gnoll.

“Too late.” I shove the last bite in my mouth. “So, what’s the plan?”

Guess they don’t have one yet. However, we are interrupted by shouting coming from around the big fire pit. We head over and see all those that were gathered there are frantically dancing in a circle around the fire, and upbeat music is playing.

“Help us!” Someone shouts.

Iris forces her way in, and I lose sight of her. The others start cautiously approaching, but I just want in on the fun. I dance my way in and join the dance, and it is quite a lot of fun- save for the panicked looks on many faces. I guess they really can’t stop! After a while the music stops and all the dancers break apart, gasping and catching their breath, but I keep going. I see Abdul talking to two little fairy guys who were playing the music and I finally stop. Seems they were magically controlling everyone to dance, non-maliciously of course.

As we’re making sure everyone is okay, suddenly we are approached by a Halfling wearing a rat head hood, surrounded by rats. She announces that she is responsible for the murder and that she’s now going to kill us with her little rat friends. Fat chance. She casts some spell that makes the grasses entangle us, but I get out and brutally slay her swarm of rats. We all work together and slay the rats, and then I take her out. All in a days work!

“Well, these are good for frying,” I announce, picking up a couple rat corpses, dangling them by the tails. “If anyone wants some, start gathering!”

We raid the body of the Halfling and then make our way over to my booth, where I quickly prep and fry some rats. Hopefully the disease cooked right out of them, it usually does. We have a quick snack and then decide to go check on our bear friend, Bardolph. He’s always been very chill but he’s not been doing well after his paw injury and might be time for him to get some fresh air.

Of course as everything has gone today, we face a terrible scene. Bardolph is angry and out for blood. He comes roaring out of the wagon, and before I can get a decent punch in he’s grabbing me in a bear hug and the last thing I feel before slipping into unconsciousness is his sharp teeth sinking into my scalp.

I wake up on the ground thanks to Abdul, head pounding and bleeding like a stuck pig, but alive. The bear is still growling and attacking my friends. So, it’s time for desperate measures. I get up and go after him with my greatsword. After two heavy hits, suddenly he’s a different bear. The old, sweet Bardolph is back with us it seems- whatever magical effect that was controlling him is now over!

“Get him away from the wagon!” Abdul orders.

“Come on buddy,” I motion to the bear that nearly just killed me. “Want some fish?”

He makes an excited low trill. I motion him to follow me, and the great bear bounds happily after me toward my booth. Iris follows, hand still on her weapon just in case.

The others join us as I’m feeding Bardolph fish after fish, the big bear making a mess on the counter. At least he’s calm and happy now, and dare I say his paw seems to be back in performing shape? Gleek sidles in next to me, taking a piece of fish for himself, and points out a rock formation off in the distance.

“You see that? The weird rock?” He asks.

“Yeah, what is it?”

“I don’t know! Let’s go look at it!”

“Okay. Bardolph, stay here!”

We head to the rock, the others following as I hear the bear rooting around in my ice chest. Oh well, someone will just have to go fishing tonight to replenish my stock. We get up to the rock, and are immediately attacked by a psycho chicken. It attacks Iris, and we all fight back, feathers and claws flying. It’s only when it dies that we realize it was a horrible monster and could have turned us to stone- the weird stone here is a cow that got turned to stone.

Back at camp we are approached by the leader of the side show, who brings us to meet his performers. A man with beard, a normal set of twins who aren’t even conjoined… none of these people are odd at all! Other than the talking beagle, who I immediately fall for, petting him and shaking his offered paw.

“Who’s a good boy?!”

“I’m a good boy!”

Turns out the sideshow works as a sort of undercover neighborhood watch. They’ve been going in town, investigating strange goings on. And we are being dragged into it.

Blayre

[dragonforgotten]

I come to finding myself sprawled in my back as man draped in shadows and whispers to the air sags under his own weight looking sickly and crossed.
“How many times do I have to do this?”
“Sorry boss.” I shake my coat and stand back up with a huff and a whine.
“How come I anit boss?” Gleek asks as I take in stock of what has happened around us. The roguish dui have killed the little annoyances. I feel shamed to be brought down so easily. My own weakness bothers me greatly. I shrug.
“He heals, he talks sense, he smooth talks.” I muse both to him and my self as I scratch my throat and smooth out my fur. With all my few years with them I’ve always organized and re organized who is alpha. It seems to change often. But recognizing good leadership will only teach me how to become a better one if I ever return to my kin. Probably not. That sounds like too much work. The if part still up in the air. We retreat to the circus tents as the sound of music swells. Looks like the circus crew threw a part without us. But why are they crying? Even the professor is cutting the rug.
“Help us!” He cries desperately as he does the Macarena. The music looks like it’s coming from the center of the crowd. I stride through them easily, pushing through the throng of people till I find a duo of little winged humaniods on a plate being the source of the tune.
“What are you doing?”
“Hello! Come dance with us!”
“They don’t seem to be having a good time.”
“Of course they are! They love it!”
“Why are they crying then?”
I really don’t want to deal with upsetting these little folk. As I am speaking to the little musicians Abdul muscles his way through.
“Ah boss. They seem to be doing this.”
He sets them straight but there disappointment makes me sorry for them. They meant no trouble. Just as the crowd flop all around from exhaustion a loud cackle directs us to a short halfling with a rat hat on her head with a hoard of vermin at her heels. I snarl, my ears pined back. Her. It has to be her.
She laughs and mocks us. Proclaiming how abbington will pay for its willful ignorance of nature and that we shall be a example for them. Then she socks her vermin on us but not before tangling up our feet with magic. Abdul tells me to charge the Druid but then Gleek gets swarmed by giant rats so I rush to his aid snarling and snapping. I kill one rat but the last one dodges my teeth but my wounds catch up to me. They snap at my flesh and the pain is so blinding I drop and know no more till I come to a few minutes later. The Druid is dead and so are her vermin thanks to Blayre. I swear this is the most work I’ve done all day. Run a show and then get into multiple life and death struggles. Good things I’m power napping between the dying and Abdul with Gleek pulling be back from deaths gates. We take a quick rest as Blayre fries up the rats really good like so I’m a happy camper again. Gleek manages to sew up a big gash in my slide so now I’m feeling nearly fit for war. But it soon comes quickly. The roustabouts are running to us white faced and panicked.
“The bear! He’s gone crazy!”
No not him! I love that damn bear. He smells of cotton candy and bear. We rush to his wagon and prepared for a fight I tell everyone to get back while I open the door. I’ll wrestle him. Make angry bear into a calm one. But the moment I open the door I remember the sound of my spine popping like kettle corn and then nothing. I come to again at the feet of the bear and haggard Blayre at my side. Abdul once again looks tired and I see red. No bear! It’s us or him and I chose us! I raise my sheild and throw myself at his foot. My jaws find purchase and I worry his ankle as he screams and swings his heavy paws about. Blayre strikes him again as I climb to my feet about to throw myself at him till suddenly the bear begins to calm down and drop back to all fours. He looks at us confused and injured. All I can do it snort and huff. Whatever possessed him seems to have lifted. Abdul informs us that he saw something near the rocks so we go over to the rock cluster that’s near my basking rock. We find the statue of a cow and a strange reptile turkey. I chop and bit at it as everyone falls upon the bird. Soon he’s dead poultry fit for stew. We also found it’s den. There’s a dead dwarf in here sporting some splint mail and a cold iron pick. I give Blayre the pick while I shuffle my way into the armor. It tight in some places and rides up but I’m not complaining, armors is armor and I can make adjustments later to appeal to my tastes. I shake my coat out and reattach my bones while throwing my old hide armor into my wagon. Never know when it will be needed again.
The next day the mayor comes to sees us. He apologizes for the mess yesterday and explains. Apparently there a dispute between
a hermitage and This town.
The town things they did it but they’ve always been peaceful before. Well they anit now and someone has to get to the bottom of it.
While I’m getting patched up the professor comes to us and tells us what he knows of the towns trouble through the grapevine of his contacts. With this info in hand we get ready to set out to Abbington to follow the scent trail. Our old boss died thanks to there mess. I want to know why and the who killed him and I believe everyone feels the same.

Iris

[Aileen]

After a day in town shopping we have a good nights sleep and then it’s back to investigating. We head to a graveyard that the talking dog says had a strange smell- dogs love bad smells, it’s in their nature, but there’s something off about this one.

We stop into the small chapel which clearly looks like it’s been broken into and vandalized. Walking into the chapel we find pews strewn about, hymnals torn up and scattered, and a right horrible mess. Ahead on the altar appears to be a priest and a couple altar boys doing a service, but upon closer inspection they are not humanoid at all! The two smaller ones are awful impish things and the “priest” is a big scary demonic thing. And so, fight mode is activated in our little posse.

I move in and Agnar takes over, his battle rage and power flowing through my body. We go for one of the little guys, and when that one is dead we move in on the big demon guy. I hit him, but his retribution is swift and awful. I scream in agony as his jaws tear into my cheek, ripping the skin apart. I taste blood, he wallops me again, and I’m out like a light.

Abdul gets me back to the land of the living, but now it’s just me and Agnar is silent. This always happens! He’s so pumped for a fight that he uses all his ghost energy and then just leaves me alone to fight. Oh well, I’m perfectly capable on my own! I get to my feet, pick up my cold iron pick, and wallop the demon again. He hits me right back a couple times and out I go.

I don’t know how many times I’m knocked unconscious, bloody and beaten to s***, but despite me begging Abdul to just let me rest he gets me up again. I wake up some time later laying in a pew, in the most pain I’ve ever been in my life. Abdul can’t do anything about my face, I guess I’ll just have to live with this awful gash in my cheek. Scars aren’t exactly sexy on girls- but if I were a man I’m sure people would be all over me.

We hear a cry for help from behind some rubble, and with all of us strong folk hauling it away we’re able to open up a door and find the actual priest in a storage closet. The poor guy’s face is as bad as mine is, and he’s in a tizzy. The demon things came in and attacked him, and he thinks they’re still out there. Abdul tries telling him that we will kill them for a cost, but we let him know they’re dead. He asks us to recover some holy texts that were stolen in the raid, and we agree. But first we want to go see what the strange smell in the graveyard is, as the priest doesn’t seem to know.

We head out into the graveyard and see two big guys digging a grave. As we approach they stop us, warning us that the woman they’re burying is a plague victim and if we get too close we will get sick too. Abdul thinks something is fishy, and when he steps closer the guys attack, trying to push Abdul in the open grave. A third guy jumps out, and it’s on.

Turns out these guys aren’t humans after all, they’ve got awful worms that come out of their mouths! I get my arse handed to me yet again, but my cold iron pick really packs a punch. Soon we kill the fake cemetery workers, and return to the priest with the bad news. Turns out the boys were the sons of the orchard owner, so now we are off to tell them.

We get to the orchard, finding it overgrown- not surprising considering the sons that probably did all the heavy lifting were worm monsters. Stepping toward the path to the house, we are immediately attacked by a giant horrible fly trap!

- Blayre

[Aileen]

The past couple of days I have been a human punching bag- hornets nearly killed us all, we had a run in with Jellicle Bounce Bounce… ugh, clowns.

I grew up at Madame D’s awful circus, and she always had the most awful clowns. I’m pretty sure a requirement to be one for her is you must be terrifying and have a hatred of children. I carried that fear acquired from years of hiding from them even to now, at our much nicer circus where all the clowns are legitimately good people. I still can’t see their red noses and oversized shoes without freezing up and trembling.

We went to Mad Mug to confront some muggers, and very easily took out the guys standing on the porch not letting us in. Our tiefling wanted to kill them, but it took all of us to control her disgusting murderous behavior. In a blind rage thanks to my resident ghost, I ran for the bar, ready for a drink, only to get punched twice and all sense knocked out of me by a Halfling with a pet goat. I came to my senses and befriended Violet the goat while we made an uneasy alliance with Pruqna, the leader of the muggers.

Now we are at the hermitage, looking for the mayor or something. I didn’t really pay attention, multiple concussions will do that to you. I’m just glad we made it past those awful slime spitting frogs.

- Blayre

[dragonforgotten]

Bees, so many stinging wasps. We will not talk about what happened with that. Only that I am alive to see another day thanks to my carnie family saving us from their wraith. Nor will I discuss the worm things in the grave yard and the little winged pests in the barn. It was horrifying and then boring at the barn besides the moment I got to put an axe into a plants head. Finally got to go to the mad mug and got into a good old fashion brawl. Didn’t even get into the travern. They brought there faces to us. The teifling nearly killed them. I don’t know why she wants to step up a non deadly situation into a deadly one so I punch out her target before she has an excuse to kill him. It’s not time yet to bounce towns and I’m not too keen on being sent to jail…again.
There boss shows up out of nowhere and delivers a beautiful haymaker to Blayres face. She’s willing to listen since none of her men are dead and there too busy taking a nap to judge her rep so we chat. We’re very good friends now. Also her goat to. She likes Blayre. She tells us she knows nothing but that she saw the rat halfling sulking about and that the town has no sherif which has allowed crime to sky rocket. Something happened to him but she isn’t sure. After drinks we go to the mayor only to find him missing and kidnapped by hermits. So away we go to the keep of hippies and weirdos. We run into toads with tusks that spit and bit and then find that the hippies inside the building also have anger management problems and can rage just like Blayre. Something tells me these arnt the shut ins expected but the hippies we were looking for we kill those guys and find the mayor. Now he’s telling us that’s the head of this place isn’t evil but is also a victim and imprisoned here. Sooo one down one to go. The mayor finds his own way back home and we continue wondering around searching and kicking a***.
Somehow one guy is left alive and I scare the s*** out of him. He points to we’re the closed location to our man and Blayre kicks open the artsy, decorative doors. We find a evil cleric there and her massive worm pets. I hate them already. The cleric lady shouted out more hippy nonsense and I start flaying her pets. Everyone swarms the cleric and murder her horribly as I take a bit out of worms. Once the things are dead the door across the room starts doing weird things. The animals in the doors are moving and speaking. Telling us to cleanse the place. Neat. How big is this place? That sounds like a lot of work. Suddenly this sounds like I’m going to be doing a double shift and I’m not getting paid for this one.

Irisi.

[Aileen]

Whatever happened to these poor hermits, it’s not good. Blood in some rooms, others just abandoned… we run into some people and end up having to kill them, but they do tell us that the mayor is somewhere in here. We also find a fancy door that tells us some riddle that my hare brain already forgot.

We go into the basement and encounter dozens of awful undead and creatures. I get jumped, but my friends come to my rescue as I’m standing there in shock. I was expecting the cool statue of a trident guy to attack, and caught myself off guard. I get a cool trident, and we move on to another statue room where I’m prepared for the ghouly things to attack this time.

The basement cleared, we head back up and spend far too long clearing rooms. I’m having fun kicking doors open, but this crew of mine is obsessed with turning over every doily and finding nothing in return. At last we come to a kitchen, and I feel right at home- the woman holding a beautiful cleaver comes at me, hacking me right in the bicep. Nice blade, well balanced… I want it!

We kill her and her demonic cronies, and I come to my post rage possession senses staring at a pile of frozen broccoli.

“Ugh! Shameful!”

“What, is it human flesh?” Iris asks.

“Worse! Frozen broccoli!”

🔪 Blayre

[Aileen]

It’s been an interesting couple days. I’ve been stricken with Ghoul Fever, as has Raia, and I have never felt worse. Despite a high fever and being half-dead on my feet, I went to the tower with my friends to investigate the xulgath problem.

These xulgath are nasty- they reek to high heaven, and every time we fight them I feel a little worse. Other than them in the tower there are a lot of dinosaur things, some kind of friendly until anyone infringes on their property. We also find an invisible thing that nearly kills Fritz, but I think we kill it. Finally up at the top of the tower we come upon more dinos and a particularly chatty xulgath. He wants us to help figure out how to destroy the orb of light on top of the tower, which is giving off soothing vibes. I try to talk him closer to the ledge, but then the f***er starts casting.

We kill them all shockingly quick. Even with most of us nauseous and gagging from the stench and getting bitten and clawed by dinos, we totally kick ass. Unfortunately it seems the poor orb is still weak, and we know we need to search the rest of this place to try to fix it.

We head back down and find a floor that’s been caved in, and a deep crevasse. Iris goes down and gets swarmed by bats, so I climb down to assist. Only for the lights to go out and then a rock hit my head. Luckily it’s only a stone from Gleek that’s giving us light! It takes us forever to kill the bats that just keep coming, and our friends still up top have to deal with a giant spider. Which, of course, webs us down below.

Finally when I can’t help anymore, I start exploring. I clear off a mound of s*** and uncover a skeleton with magic armor, which doesn’t do much good for me. I continue on exploring. Iris follows me, but we don’t find anything so we head back. Iris has the others pull her up with the rope, getting absolutely covered in guano… I’m smart and climb the rocks, only getting it on my hands- which I promptly wipe on Iris.

- Blayre

[Aileen]

We can’t find a way to fix the orb on this tower, and soon give up. Upon return to the hermitage, the nice hermit makes us a delicious dinner and discusses what we should do next. Something about rooting out the evil under Moonstone Hall in Escadar.

So, the next day we head out for the other side of the island and the great city of Escadar. It’s a long journey, but we make it there in one piece, only to discover that Madame Dusklight’s Carnival of Bulls**t has beat us here. It seems every where we go, there they are. We receive a bird back from our circus asking for permission to come to us and bring the show here- why the hell not? The best way to deal with our enemy is to put on a better show than they.

So we spend our day hanging out in the cafe waiting for the Town Hall lady to be free so we can get a performing permit. Finally we get summoned and go to meet with her, but find her talking to a man in flamboyant pink robes. When we ask for a permit the guy immediately starts talking s***, saying we are criminals and that we desecrated a church… the church that, you know, we freed from evil creatures.

Luckily with some chattery flattery and me flashing the lady, forgetting I’ve been wearing a way-too-short skirt, she believes us. We are granted a permit, much to robe guy’s chagrin, and told we can rent a large parcel of land just outside town. Great success!

Upon arrival to and inspection of our new plot of land, we discover the lady wasn’t kidding when she told us it would be one heck of a clean up job. The grass hasn’t been touched in months, and upon further inspection we find a huge bear carcass contaminating the water supply. We move the carcass and see it was killed by some kind of huge wolf creature- more bad news. So, we head to the caves first to route out any dangerous creatures that could hurt our circus prospects.

We find a wolf. A huge, terrifying mutant of a wolf that can stand on its back legs and beat the ever living sh** out of all of us. Everyone seems to think it’s a werewolf, but when we finally kill it after it nearly kills us, it does not turn into a human. Also, we find branding from the damn Carnival of Bulls**t, Bitc**s and Hoes. Wherever we go is infected with their stank. Seems like we are going to have our hands full here, and I hope we can clear this place in time for our friends to arrive and get the show ready to roll.

- Blayre