DM; Neal
Trial of Tears/Quest to kill the Okami
Joined by Tehran, Glen, Theris, Kavor and Freyja, we set off with Yarsby to guard his caravan of merchandise heading from WMC to Ruined Oak.
On the way out of WMC, I noticed a strange fellow following us in the skies, a crow I believed to be a familiar for what bird would follow a caravan of humanoids?
Deciding not to act upon the familiar and keep a closer eye on our surroundings, we moved onward, until screams coming from the forest paused our trip.
A helpless woman and child came rushing out of the brush, followed by deseased looking boards who chased after them rather too ferociously for their nature. Taking a defensive formation, we took care of the boars swiftly, but unfortunately the child could not keep up with her mother, and was charged by one of the blighted creatures.
I attempted to study the fallen beasts, but was unable to tell if their blight was actually desease or parasite based. Perhaps someone more keen on the study of beast insides could of, but not this hunter.
Yarsby decided for himself that we’d turn the caravan around, but remembering the lay of the land, It seemed a waste as we were closer to the Jub Jub than we were back to White Moon at this point. All agreed to my point, and we continued onwards with a different location in mind.
But as we approached the Jub Jub trail, the sound of barks and growls began following us. Through the clash with the boars I had lost sight of the crow, and behind us now came a hunting party of Gnolls joined by a non-gnoll Cultist. Perhaps the logs of that odd bard speak the truth, have the Gnolls and Tsaran joined forces alongside the Talos Dwarves?
Yarsby forced the caravan to go faster, but the ferocious gnolls ran our front cart down, forcing us all to stop and fight. Immediately one of the others went down with a single arrow, alarming us all that this was going to be a short clash. As the others focused on the gnolls, I focused my arrows on the Cultist who seemed to have covered himself in a shell of blood.
Blood, which he then summoned forth towards me, bringing an abomination of crimson upon my body and soul.
Momentarily regretting stepping foot upon this island, I was left no time to react as the goliath of blood descended upon me with a killing blow. Left dead, it then moved over me and coagulated around me…at least that is what I was told.
I remember being brought back awake, only to go down once more…before feeling the grasp of Tehran’s hand pouring holy energy into me. Rising to my feat, cowardly I ran to recover myself, not noticing my ally being drowned in the elemental’s blood.
Come that realisation, I dropped my bow and unsheathed my shortswords, rushing to the monstrosity I recovered my mind. Blood for blood, kill for kill, as is my earthly vow. Overcoming my fear, as my tribe said I will never achieve, I slashed through the elemental in a wave of madness. Feeling a darkness overcome my mind as I struck, I felt something change within me as the creature fell unmoving into a puddle all around Tehran.
