Dance for your life – 6 Aug. 2019 – Heret
Aug 25, 2019 18:55:04 GMT
Serpentine/Morganna and Greebo like this
Post by Heret Velnnarul on Aug 25, 2019 18:55:04 GMT
6 Elesias, 1396 AR
at the GIlded Mirror, Daring Heights
A most peculiar day! Reported to AA at the Town Hall in morning as requested, along with:
AA began to recount a need to investigate some matter in the mountains but then began to dance & sing – apparently without volition! – to the rhythm of distant drumming. Began myself to feel irrepressible desire to dance, and others seemed afflicted in like manner. Looking outside, beheld others in the streets overtaken by song & dance. AA v. worried, asked us to turn our attention to this strange business.
Essaying the normal matter of placing one foot before another, we all discovered it impossible to walk if not in time to the music! Which was some trouble for E, P, M (especially the last), but at length we made our way into the street. Also found it difficult to speak without singing!
Lights beaming up into the sky seemed to be coming from somewhere near here (the GM) so we set off that way – Z attaching herself behind me and others behind her so that we proceeded in a sort of dancing line until near Asubak the butcher’s shop. Out of the shop danced numerous carcasses, cuts of meat, discarded bones, &c., apparently animated by the same music that possessed the citizenry!
After dodging and parrying our way through this bizarre obstacle-course, we promptly were set upon by a cut-purse who, however, was himself straightway surprised (as too were we!) by the opening of some kind of rift in the air, whence fell a number of living skeletons and a shrieking ghost I take to have been a banshee.
What caused these things to appear (from the Shadowfell as I believe), I know not, but they seemed as much under the sway of the music, and as much perplexed so to be, as we and the other townspeople. Nonetheless they meant us ill, and we soon came to blows. At one point the banshee’s song-like scream struck me (and, I think, most of us) into unconsciousness, but P revived us (so I gathered later) and we made short work of our foes.
We continued on our way and found the GM surrounded by a roiling dark force & a great wind blowing out from the building in all directions. The controlling music also seemed to be coming from within. P discovered that we could abate the wind somewhat by singing, so soon we were all joining together in chorus and pushing our (somewhat) harmonious way through to the door.
Within, the gaming room was in carnage & the stage occupied by a grotesque troupe of undead musicians led by one whose flesh seemed slowly to form and grow over exposed bones as he played and sang. Pinned to the wall opposite was Leocanto, held in place by the terrible force of the music but himself playing a furious counter-song on a small stringed instrument. He had apparently been doing this for some time, and on divers instruments, which lay broken in a heap at his feet. As we took in the scene, the one he was playing cracked and crumpled, whereon his dropped it and swiftly took up the tune on a flute.
Pausing for breath, my good host informed us that the leader of the ghastly music-makers – clad in shining red garb beneath a sparkling blue cape, and playing a strange gilt instrument something like a yarting – was ‘the necrodancer’, a creature whom L had once ‘betrayed’ and who had returned for vengeance. (TASK: ask L for more of this curious tale next time I see him.) With this L’s last strength left him and he swooned away.
We swiftly joined battle with this ‘necrodancer’ and his band, and fierce it was. His songs and musical figures had strange potency and afflicted us with one arcane scourge after another. We found, however, that our own songs lent our attacks more vigour. Even so, the battle was v. hard. Twice I was struck down and might easily have departed the mortal realm had not Z, once, and E, the second time, brought me back to myself. At last I severed the necrodancer’s hand, at which he tried to escape from this plane but was prevented by Z; and finally M’s blade parted the creature’s head from his body.
This brought an end to the music, the enchantment, the compulsive dancing and singing. Things seem to have returned largely to normal now, though the ground floor of the GM will take some time to repair and refurbish. AA was grateful and rewarded us.
Gains:
Distribution of gains:
Leocanto: necrodancer’s yarting
Pieni: 1 x costume + 275.83 gp
Zeenah: 1 x costume + 275.83 gp
Markas: 1 x costume + 275.83 gp
Bliss: 1 x costume + 275.83 gp
Ergin: 1 x costume + 275.83 gp
self: necklace + 180.83 gp (but gave the necklace to Z, who seemed pleased)
Own conduct:
at the GIlded Mirror, Daring Heights
A most peculiar day! Reported to AA at the Town Hall in morning as requested, along with:
- Zeenah
- Pieni
- Markas
- Bliss, swordswoman & magician of clear fiendish descent
- Ergin, some sort of former soldier.
AA began to recount a need to investigate some matter in the mountains but then began to dance & sing – apparently without volition! – to the rhythm of distant drumming. Began myself to feel irrepressible desire to dance, and others seemed afflicted in like manner. Looking outside, beheld others in the streets overtaken by song & dance. AA v. worried, asked us to turn our attention to this strange business.
Essaying the normal matter of placing one foot before another, we all discovered it impossible to walk if not in time to the music! Which was some trouble for E, P, M (especially the last), but at length we made our way into the street. Also found it difficult to speak without singing!
Lights beaming up into the sky seemed to be coming from somewhere near here (the GM) so we set off that way – Z attaching herself behind me and others behind her so that we proceeded in a sort of dancing line until near Asubak the butcher’s shop. Out of the shop danced numerous carcasses, cuts of meat, discarded bones, &c., apparently animated by the same music that possessed the citizenry!
After dodging and parrying our way through this bizarre obstacle-course, we promptly were set upon by a cut-purse who, however, was himself straightway surprised (as too were we!) by the opening of some kind of rift in the air, whence fell a number of living skeletons and a shrieking ghost I take to have been a banshee.
What caused these things to appear (from the Shadowfell as I believe), I know not, but they seemed as much under the sway of the music, and as much perplexed so to be, as we and the other townspeople. Nonetheless they meant us ill, and we soon came to blows. At one point the banshee’s song-like scream struck me (and, I think, most of us) into unconsciousness, but P revived us (so I gathered later) and we made short work of our foes.
We continued on our way and found the GM surrounded by a roiling dark force & a great wind blowing out from the building in all directions. The controlling music also seemed to be coming from within. P discovered that we could abate the wind somewhat by singing, so soon we were all joining together in chorus and pushing our (somewhat) harmonious way through to the door.
Within, the gaming room was in carnage & the stage occupied by a grotesque troupe of undead musicians led by one whose flesh seemed slowly to form and grow over exposed bones as he played and sang. Pinned to the wall opposite was Leocanto, held in place by the terrible force of the music but himself playing a furious counter-song on a small stringed instrument. He had apparently been doing this for some time, and on divers instruments, which lay broken in a heap at his feet. As we took in the scene, the one he was playing cracked and crumpled, whereon his dropped it and swiftly took up the tune on a flute.
Pausing for breath, my good host informed us that the leader of the ghastly music-makers – clad in shining red garb beneath a sparkling blue cape, and playing a strange gilt instrument something like a yarting – was ‘the necrodancer’, a creature whom L had once ‘betrayed’ and who had returned for vengeance. (TASK: ask L for more of this curious tale next time I see him.) With this L’s last strength left him and he swooned away.
We swiftly joined battle with this ‘necrodancer’ and his band, and fierce it was. His songs and musical figures had strange potency and afflicted us with one arcane scourge after another. We found, however, that our own songs lent our attacks more vigour. Even so, the battle was v. hard. Twice I was struck down and might easily have departed the mortal realm had not Z, once, and E, the second time, brought me back to myself. At last I severed the necrodancer’s hand, at which he tried to escape from this plane but was prevented by Z; and finally M’s blade parted the creature’s head from his body.
This brought an end to the music, the enchantment, the compulsive dancing and singing. Things seem to have returned largely to normal now, though the ground floor of the GM will take some time to repair and refurbish. AA was grateful and rewarded us.
Gains:
- 60 gp in coin (found in a purse on one of the skeletons from near Asubak’s shop),
- fine pearl necklace (formerly belonging to the banshee), val. ~100 gp,
- 250 gp x 6 (reward from Town Council),
- 5 x colourful costumes (found backstage, apparently belonging to the necrodancer), val. ~5 gp each,
- the necrodancer’s magical yarting, val. ~3,000 gp??
Distribution of gains:
Leocanto: necrodancer’s yarting
Pieni: 1 x costume + 275.83 gp
Zeenah: 1 x costume + 275.83 gp
Markas: 1 x costume + 275.83 gp
Bliss: 1 x costume + 275.83 gp
Ergin: 1 x costume + 275.83 gp
self: necklace + 180.83 gp (but gave the necklace to Z, who seemed pleased)
Own conduct:
- my final strike against the necrodancer could have finished him if it had been more precisely aimed. TASK: more practice in swordplay.
- close to death 3 times in one day! TASK: more reflex training to avoid blows. (Is there anything in this magical land that can be done about my old injury?)
