Case of the ghost town

It's late at night. Tunda, sat in the halls outside his room to meditate for a while when Aktlass walked in to sit by him.

TUNDA:

"... So what's the livin' like?"

AKTLASS:

"Not many living left. had to make due with the loss of many venturers after the town was flooded with the death left by their love."

TUNDA:

"Not a fine way to go about it, is it?"

AKTLASS:

"Unfortunately."

TUNDA:

"You bet the old drow's ex had a hand in this?"

AKTLASS:

"Not a doubt, yet the forest is to blame."

TUNDA:

"So that's why he doesn't want to be here. what ya thinkin'?"

AKTLASS:

"if this continues, we'd be stuck in a baron land had we come any later. we are losing too much to accept this but we have much to do with this."

TUNDA:

"then we're investigating. simple as that. we best tell the family to stay guarded. even the frill was wary of us after our help."

AKTLASS:

"we will be fine. This is only to keep the family safe."

TUNDA:

"... aye. nothing more treasured to us."

AKTLASS:

"will you need a new comrade soon?"

TUNDA:

"hm? maybe. I never played with anything else, but you're right. I wonder if our happy giant can hook me up with somethin' nice and heavy? or something small will do too. I won't be letting the bell go though."

AKTLASS:

"I understand. then I will leave the main city to you."

TUNDA:

"I'll see what I can find."

Aktlass stands and leaves to head to his room for the night. Tunda goes back to try and meditate when he starts to hear whispers around the room. Sarale jerks awake and Vajor snorts beside her before rolling over and settling again. She yawns and sits on the side of bed resting her head in her hands. The old grandmother spirit sits next to her and runs her back gently.

GRANNY:

"All the death here must be hard on you."

Sarale nods and sighs before sitting up and looking at her.

GRANNY:

"Your brother is awake. You should go talk to him. He's struggling to calm his nerves."

Sarale nods and stands, pulling a cloak over her head and shoulders and tiptoeing out of the room to go find Tunda. When she doesn't see him in the hall she goes to knock on his door.

SARALE:

"Tunda? Brother are you awake?"

Tunda opens the door with an eerily calm expression. It was easy to tell he was struggling.

TUNDA:

"Can't sleep either, aye?"

SARALE:(shakes head)

"The dead are too loud here. There's too many to sleep properly. How are you holding up?"

Tunda steps out of the room and shuts the door behind him.

TUNDA:

"... care to walk with me a while?"

SARALE:(nods)

"sounds good. Let's go."

Sarale nervously reaches for his hand as she glances around at the spirits huddling around them both. Tunda glances at her reach and takes it as they head out to the main streets outside the tavern. There, they could see the spirits wandering, crying, and standing by doors of their former homes.

TUNDA:

"all of them are the folk that live here. trying to find their way home again."

Sarale's shoulders droop as she hugs herself with her free arm.

SARALE:

"It's so sad. There's so many it makes my head hurt. I wish there was a way to help them."

Tunda squeezes her hand and guides her elsewhere.

TUNDA:

"... We gotta find the main guild to get intel first."

Tunda spots a man sneaking around the streets and rushing in the direction of the guild. He sees a familiar mark on his cloak as the man heads inside. 

TUNDA:

"and I think we just got our first clue."

Sarale nods, shifting her accent to be more like his.

SARALE:

"I'll follow your lead."

Tunda guides her down the road to the adventurers guild. The sign on the door said they were closed to travelers which didn't make sense to him. He opens the door, and walks inside to find many mages aiding some people with injuries and broken minds. as if they had a fight with the forest itself.

GIRL:

"Who are you people??"

She approaches them clad in armor with a sword at her waist ready to draw and a small shield attached to her arm. Her bright hair was in a curly pigtail on the side of her head secured with a bow. her freckled cheeks started to turn a soft pinky the closer she got to them.

GIRL:

"You're not registered in this guild. outsiders are currently not welcome here so I suggest you head back where you came from."

SARALE:(head tilt)

"looks like you guys went through hell. Is there anything' we can do to help? I'm skilled in healing magic at least."

GIRL:

"you're a healer...?"

The girl looks at her with skepticism before stepping aside. 

GIRL:

"... if you can, then by all means."

Sarale lets go of Tunda's hand and approaches a man with a broken arm and kneels next to him. His dark hair matted and bloody from vine whips along with a bruised eye and broken nose. He cowers away from her and she gives him a gentle smile.

SARALE:

"Easy love. I only want to help, may I?"

He relaxes only slightly and nods with a flush across his cheeks as he shows her his arm. Sarale gingerly touches the swollen and bruised limb, her eyes glowing faintly as she imbues his body with her mana. A warm golden light encompassing him as her eyes glow faintly. After a moment the light fades and she sits back tilting her head.

SARALE:

"how does that feel?"

The man blinks, his pale blue eyes growing wide as he flexes his finger and behind stretching his arm, before feeling his face.

MAN:

"Much better miss, thank you. Uhm, are you an angel?"

Sarale's eyes grow wide and she chuckles nervously.

SARALE:

"uhm.. no."

Tunda kneels next to her and glares at the man.

TUNDA:

"She's a paladin, ya bloke. keep your eyes in your head where they belong."

Sarale touches Tunda's arm gently.

SARALE:

"It's alright brother. I'm sure he don' mean nothin' by it. Just a bit o' wanderlust."

Sarale stands and moves to the next person who needs help. Tunda stands and looks around.

TUNDA:

"Pheh. You're gonna be hella busy with this mess."

Sarale glances back at him and relaxes.

SARALE:

"Nothin' I'm not used to. Helpin' others is kinda what I was trained for, none of their injuries are too serious so shouldn' take too long."

Tunda:

"Well good luck to you, sis."

GIRL:

"Excuse me. Thank you for your help, but what did you come here for?"

Sarale turns back to the injured and begins healing them as she speaks.

SARALE:

"my brother and I couldn' sleep. When we saw the guild was closed we became curious after seeing someone enter. I'm glad we did."

Sarale hands over a few of her health potions to one of the mages.

SARALE:

"give these to the people with smaller injuries. I'll work on healing the broken bones and I have a few mana potions as well, if some of you would like to take them. I rarely use them anyways, so here. Pass them out and we can get them all healed in no time."

Tunda pulls some of the ones he made out and offers them as well. 

TUNDA:

"I can make more."

GIRL:

"Th-thank you... the person you followed. What did they look like?"

TUNDA:

"Like they need their legs capped for this mess."

SARALE:

"Easy brother. We'll talk to our family and see if we can look into the situation, to find a more permanent solution. In the meantime, please refrain from entering the forest. It's too dangerous in its current state. From the looks of these injuries it was deliberate in avoiding anything lethal. You were all very lucky, it was almost as if someone was looking out for you. The mental trauma is likely the effects of some kind of spell, it will wear off in a few days, just keep them comfortable and they'll get better."

TUNDA:

"more importantly. a man with a gray cloak came in here like a rat looking for leftovers. He was the last person here before us and we want answers from him."

GIRL:

"Why is that? Has he done something wrong?"

TUNDA:

"... not yet."

Tunda glares at the girl for a long while with curiosity, making her rosy cheeks brighten as she steps back in surprise from his gaze.

GIRL:

"I'll see what I can help with."

She rushes off and starts talking to a few other people in the same armor as hers and they start to scatter the building.

TUNDA:

"they're gonna be busy looking for him. I'll start my own investigation with the dead... see if they can talk back."

Sarale glances over at the grandmother and nods towards Tunda. The woman smiles and walks over to Tunda.

SARALE:

"Granny Rastra will go with you. If anything she can make it back to me if you run into trouble and need help. Please be safe, brother."

Sarale pauses a moment before rushing up and hugging Tunda, who hugs her back before letting him go and going back to her work. Tunda walks through the crowd of people to talk to one of the other guards in the room.

TUNDA:

"oi. Lemme talk to you a moment."

OFFICER:

"How can I help you, sir?"

TUNDA:

"I need permission to do an investigation of the town to see what can be done about the forest disappearances."

OFFICER:

"... I guess someone outside spoke to you. do you think you can get the people to answer you without being sent back to us?"

TUNDA:

"I don't need the living to find out what's happening, officer."

OFFICER:

"... are you a shadar-kai?"

TUNDA:

"Aye. I can find out what's going on if you can let me wander freely."

OFFICER:

"... I'll see what can be done. wait here a moment."

The officer rushes to the back room and returns moments later with a gold furbolg woman dressed in the same armor with a cape.

FURBOLG:

"This the man?"

OFFICER:

"Yes, madam."

The furbolg woman hands Tunda a badge and goes back into the office without a word to him, making him a bit confused.

OFFICER:

"You have some authority as one of ours now so you should be able to do your investigation with both the living and the dead. I can tell it won't be easy, but with your help, I know we can get this case cleaned up."

TUNDA:

"sweet! I'll get what I can."

Tunda leaves the building and starts his investigation. Sarale goes around the room with the help of the mages and potions healing the battlefield of injuries. Feeling exposed without the near constant watchful gaze of Granny Rastra. When she comes to a man with different injuries. His wounds brackish as if under the effects of a powerful curse.

SARALE:

"Excuse me, can you tell me about his wounds? These are different from the others."

the healer looks at her nervously and cowers from her. the officer nearby steps forward and reasons with him in Aquan before speaking to her.

OFFICER:

"Sorry. He's a bit skittish with elves right now. I overheard your brother's conversation. You're Shadar-kai, yes?"

SARALE:

"Yes, why? Are elves responsible for this? What happened here? These injuries look like a curse of sorts and the patient's throat has been charred. They have to be in terrible pain."

OFFICER:

"Yes, well, if you can heal them I'm sure they'll be more than happy to speak to you about it. All I know from the party's healer is that they've been attacked by necrotic elves and drow controlling monsters in those woods. the party was lucky enough to escape thanks to the beasts that live there."

SARALE:

"necrotic elves? Hmm.. I'll do my best. I'll remove the curse as well, are there any others that are cursed like them?"

OFFICER:

"Just one other, there."

The officer points to a man sitting up against the corner hugging his knees as he rests. Most of his face was nothing but mummified flesh and teeth. His shoulder was sagging from being dislocated he looked similar to Tunda with his tattoos on the other side of his face but his structure was too small to be a goliath yet too tall to be a dwarf. He sees them looking at him and simply glares at them with large brown eyes.

OFFICER:

"He came here by himself after saying he lost his team in the woods to an infestation."

Sarale's eyes soften as she watches him.

SARALE:

"After I heal this man I'll go to him next. If anything I can remove the curse and ease his pain. Thank you sir, you've been very helpful."

Sarale smiles at the guard and kneels down next to the patient to heal and remove their curse. The feeling she got as she intertwined her mana with their curse, had her heart sinking as it brought back memories of Tunda and the day she removed his curse. Once she finished she stood and approached the man in the corner.

SARALE:

"Hi, do you mind if I help you?"

The man looks over at her tiredly and simply taps his head against the wall.

MAN:(mutters)

"...azya are."

Sarale nods and reaches out to him before closing her eyes and steadying her breathing, feeling the curse as she unravels the knots that it was composed of slowly. After a half-hour of constant work she feels the curse subside, she begins healing his wounds, and opens her eyes to look at the man tiredly.

SARALE:(sighs)

"how do you feel?"

The man sits up with bewilderment, looking himself over. His damaged half was back to its normal state minus half of his disheveled beard missing from his sharp, aged features. The tusk that had been missing from his mouth was back and his skin was smooth like a newborn.

MAN:

"... 'ell I'll be damned... tank ya, las... (sighs) gonna be a real laugh to be as bald as a babe again."

The man pulls a flask from his back pocket and hands it to her. 

MAN:

" 'ave a sip. 'elp ya get ya energy back at least."

Sarale takes the flask and sniffs it before taking a swig and handing the flask back wrinkling her nose at the fizz and giggling.

SARALE:

"Thank you. I'm just glad I could help. Do you mind me asking what happened? That curse was.. intense to put it mildly."

MAN:

"... a cult lives in 'ose woods... one of demons an' drow corpses... even humans. Controllin 'e corpses of 'e fallen, only to make more from 'e checkpoints 'at were once protected... I lost everyone to 'em."

Sarale reaches for the man's shoulder, her eyes clouding with anger.

SARALE:

"You have my word, sir. Those responsible will be brought to justice. I'll make sure of it."

the man's eyes widen and he quivers. Sarale sighs as she tries to calm herself. Her hand lowering to her knees and gripping her cloak as they tremble with rage.

SARALE:

"I'm sorry if I scared you. I'm still learning to control my temper. It just.. the fact that those monsters exist makes my blood boil. I will speak with my family, I'm confident we will be able to wipe the forest clean of them. In the meantime, rest. If you can think of any more information please let us know. Anything will help."

MAN:

"... 'ey had 'e mark of a spider on 'ey cloaks... on me way, m'luck turned grim when I found one of 'eir caves farther west of town... no one would believe me when I said 'e forest saved me."

SARALE:

"Worshippers of Lolth then. It would make sense with drow being involved. (sighs) I believe you. I'm thankful you were able to make it out alive. So, it seems the caves west of town should be one of our first stops then. Maybe we can gather more clues there and end this evil for good. Thank you sir. I am eternally grateful."

MAN:

"... I-if..."

The man looks around then pulls Sarale closer and whispers.

MAN:

"If you see 'e blood haired boy in 'e woods, give 'em me thanks."

Sarale nods with a knowing smile.

SARALE:

"If you wish to give thanks to the forest for saving you, then leave an offering of sweet treats at the tree line. If you have no more need of me, I'll see to the others then."

The man fills with a new determination and stands to drink from the flask. 

MAN:

"Thank ya, very much."

SARALE:

"You're very welcome sir. Please take care."

Sarale stands and sees to the other patients that needed treating. The moon was high in the clear night as Tunda makes his way back to the guild building. Sarale had just finished healing the last patient when the girl from earlier offered her a cup of water.

SARALE:

"Thank you miss."

She drains the cup and wipes the sweat from her brow.

SARALE:

"I think that's it. Everyone should be all healed up and free of the curse."

GIRL:

"Thank you. If not for your quick aid, we wouldn't have been able to help everyone this quickly."

TUNDA:

"Good to know you're grateful."

GIRL:

"oh! w-welcome back."

SARALE:

"Welcome back brother. Did you find out anything interesting?"

Sarale smiles and nods at Granny Rastra who returns the smile and stands next to Sarale like she normally would.

TUNDA:

"every single one of those souls are broken and confused. all of them say the same thing constantly. Honestly, it's like walking into a bad dream and waking up to screams seconds later. seems there might be a purge heading here soon... just like the check points."

SARALE:

"Two of the patients here were cursed. I was able to remove them, it felt.. familiar like I've encountered its kind before.. one of the gentlemen said the people that attacked them were wearing cloaks with a spider on them. It would make sense if Lolth is involved somehow. He also said the caves farther west of town is one of theirs. We might start there and see what we can find."

TUNDA:

"lot's of intel from an unrelated source. this'll be a riot. let's head back to the tavern for the night and get some rest, now that everything's quiet for the most part."

SARALE:

"I'm sorry we couldn't find more out, but you're right, rest might be best right now. I'm pretty worn out from healing so many."

Tunda: 

"ya think you can walk a while?"

GIRL:

"why don't you rest here for the night? we may not have much room but-"

Tunda:

"don't worry about us and keep watch for those cloaks. they're all trouble."

Tunda steps out and holds the door for Sarale.

SARALE:

"I appreciate the concern miss, but I've been through worse. We'll be fine as long as we're together."

Sarale gives the girl a smile before following Tunda out. Tunda leads Sarale out and they make their way back to the tavern they check into.

SARALE:

"Brother Tunda, before we retire. That curse I removed. I didn't want to say anything back there, but it felt like the one I removed from you. It's the exact same curse. I believe the only reason you didn't end up like them is because of the mark you and Karma share. Otherwise.. I'd hate to think of you becoming like them."

TUNDA:

"... a curse? Me?"

SARALE:

"When I removed the mark Patrice put on you. It was a curse, not a normal slave mark. It's why I had such success in removing it. Which means this is somehow related to the demon I have inside me and explains why Bishnar was in the forest to begin with."

TUNDA:

"he wha-!? hold- hold on, hold on. what?? you saw bishnar in the forest!? When the fuck was this!?"

Sarale looks down ashamed, 

SARALE:

"When I ran away. I ran into him. I had no intentions of engaging him in a fight.. especially when all I had was a dagger, but he wasn't letting me leave without one. If John hadn't been following me I probably wouldn't have made it out of that clearing alive. Or worse, I wouldn't have been me."

TUNDA:

"... so... that time... I see?"

Tunda looks down in sorrow as his shoulders sag with a heavy heart. He suddenly starts to hiccup with giggles and covers his mouth to try and breath. Sarale's eyes soften and she hugs him, casting calm emotions as she does.

SARALE:

"I know what you're thinking and it's not true. I left because of my own insecurities. I thought everyone would have been so much better without me. I realize now that's not true. I'm sorry I've put you through so much pain. We're family, Tunda. And family doesn't walk away, no matter how hard things get. I'm sorry, I was wrong and I let my past affect my decisions. Can you forgive me and more importantly forgive yourself."

Tunda hugs her back and simply cries over her shoulder. 

TUNDA:

"There's nothing to forgive, sister... there's nothing to forgive."

Tunda lets her go and heads to his room for the night, shutting the door behind him. Sarale sighs, her shoulders drooping as she watches him leave before disappearing into her own room and crawling in bed next to Vajor.