Part 4: One Last Nature Hike

[kmelion]

Jack
I brandish my taser, ready to use it on any wolf than comes in range
(And in case I am wrong in the notion that I have a taser, I am at work and can't remember what I said this character had. Then I get a firm grip on a shovel and be ready to swing at the closest wolf. )

[sniderman]

Everyone grasps for whatever weapons they had on them as the wolves advance.

Webb draws his pistol and aims at one of the snarling feral creatures. "From the look in their eyes, I don’t think a warning shot is going to deter those wolves. Hopefully the officers are far enough away not to hear any shooting…" he thinks to himself as he fires at the nearest wolf.

[[SPECIFIC check versus Webb's Unskilled Melee ability. (You don't have any firearms skills!) Results:
Unskilled Melee: 60 - Rolled 41 - Margin of success: 19!
Action Table results: 19 "Attack Margin" cross-indexed with random Column 3 "firearm defense" = MK result (MEDIUM DAMAGE PLUS KNOCKDOWN)]]

Webb's wolf yelps in pain and spins off into the shadows from the impact!

"Well, that's not good, not good at all," Magnus says as he drops his shovel, then quickly draws and fires at one of the wolves.

[[SPECIFIC check versus Magnus' Pistol skill. Results:
Pistol skill: 79 - Rolled 60 - Margin of success: 19!
Action Table results: 19 "Attack Margin" cross-indexed with random Column 7 "firearm defense" = LK result (LIGHT DAMAGE PLUS KNOCKDOWN)]]

The wolf yips as the bullet grazes its shoulder. It drops to the ground from the impact to its leg.

Hal also drops his shovel, and turns to face the wolves. He twists the grip of his cane a tad, drawing his cane sword and taking up a defensive position. He will strike at any wolf that comes in range. One wolf leaps at the sword-wielding professor...

[[SPECIFIC check versus Hal's Sword skill. Results:
Sword skill: 74 - Rolled 3 - Margin of success: 71!
Action Table results: 71 "Attack Margin" cross-indexed with Wolves Column 4 "HTH defense" = CK result (CRIPPLING DAMAGE PLUS KNOCKDOWN)]]

Hal skewers the wolf in midair, and it falls to the ground soundlessly and unmoving.

[[Rolling for remaining wolves' reaction to the carnage occurring. And it's still coming on strong!]]

"Oh jeez, I didn't think I'd really have to use this...", Lucas says as he pull-starts the chainsaw. Maybe the noise will frighten them off before things get out of hand, he thinks. Jack stands close by Lucas, brandishing his taser, ready to use it on the last charging wolf.

[[SPECIFIC check versus Lucas' and Jack's Unskilled Melee abilities. (Neither has an applicable weapon skill.) Results:
Lucas' Unskilled Melee: 60 - Rolled 17 - Margin of success: 43!
Jack's Unskilled Melee: 51 - Rolled 7 - Margin of success: 44!
Action Table results: 43-44 "Attack Margin" cross-indexed with Wolves Column 4 "HTH defense" = M result (MEDIUM DAMAGE FROM BOTH ATTACKS!)]]

Lucas lunges the saw's blade forward as Jack brings the taser around. The blade catches the charging wolf on one side as the taser connects on the other. The wolf shrieks and drops to the ground. Dead or unconscious, it doesn't really matter. Everyone glances about at the other wolves which are all limping out of the area as fast as they can, injured, near-dead, and horribly demoralized from the encounter. You each put away your respective weapons, climb back onto the tractor, and proceed to drive down the trail. During the wolf attack, you each felt as if there was something guiding the animals, controlling them and causing them to attack. Your approach has apparently hit a nerve with the angry wraith.

Ten more minute pass in silence, with the exception of the tractor engine's drone. The trail opens up into a glade. JAck turns the tractor off, and you all hear the babbling of a brook and the soft roar of a small waterfall. The five of you enter this scene from the south:



The entire glade is lit up by the moon overhead. A small waterfall -- University Falls apparently -- flows over a steep cliffside into a pool at the foot. A brook or stream flows through the center of the glad -- about 10 feet across and less than 2 feet deep at its deepest. A well-walked footpath leads to a bench by the brook where visitors can sit and reflect and relax. A few large trees break up the flatness of the glade.

All of you feel your blood run cold when you smell that overpowering floral scent. Even more horrific is that the floor of this glade is blanketed in forget-me-nots. The flowers cover every square inch of the area like a floral carpet. The growth of this flower is so abundant, it cannot be natural. Plus, it will be very difficult to detect if Audrey approaches as her tell-tale scent will be utterly masked by the flowers coating the glade.

Now that you're here, what would you like to do?

[greyarea]

Hal Armitage wipes the blade of his sword and sheathes it, transforming it back into a cane. He no longer feigns his limp, not in this company.

Let's look near the bench first. Unless someone has a better idea?

[segeorge]

Webb nods agreement.

Sounds like a good place to start, although unless the bench is new, he probably buried her someplace less trafficked. This proliferation of forget-me-nots must have been caused by Audrey. I wonder if there might be a concentration of them at her grave site – you know, maybe they’re radiating out from there.

On his way towards the bench, Webb will scan the area to see if he notices a difference in the quantity of flowers. (PCN roll)

Cool sword cane, by the way.

[merias]

"Nice work, everyone," Magnus says. He looks in particular at Hal in a new light. "I'll check out these trees."

Magnus walks around each tree in turn, looking for signs of a grave.

[funfungiguy]

Lucas walks over to the falls and looks around. Is there anything behind the falls? Any large stones? If he sees nothing, he'll keep his back to the clog wall and keep watch in the clearing.

[sniderman]

Hal sheathes his cane sword and enters the glade, walking along the footpath to the bench.

"Let's look near the bench first. Unless someone has a better idea?" he asks.

Webb nods agreement and races to catch up.

"Sounds like a good place to start, although unless the bench is new, he probably buried her someplace less trafficked," Webb says.

Hal and Webb reach the bench and scan the immediate area looking for some clue as to Audrey's burial site.

[[GENERAL check versus Perception in the area near the bench. Results:
Hal PCN = 62 -- Webb PCN = 68 -- (one roll for both) -- Rolled 4 -- SUCCESS! (Sorta)]]

The two men cover the bench area and find nothing unusual of note.

"Nice work, everyone," Magnus says. He looks in particular at Hal in a new light. "I'll check out these trees." Jack joins him in searching the trees, crossing through the shallow stream to look at the tree isolated on the other side. Meanwhile Magnus walks around the nearest tree, looking for signs of a grave.

[[GENERAL check versus Perception in the area near the nearest tree. Results:
Magnus PCN = 62 -- Jack PCN = 60 -- Rolled 69 -- BOTH FAILED]]

Neither Jack nor Magnus spy anything around their respective trees. Jack stays where he is surveying the scene, while Magnus moves toward to tree nearest the falls to continue his search.

"This proliferation of forget-me-nots must have been caused by Audrey," Webb mutters aloud. "I wonder if there might be a concentration of them at her grave site – you know, maybe they’re radiating out from there."

Webb glances around the area to see if he notices a difference in the quantity of flowers.

Meanwhile...

Lucas fairly dashes through the area to investigate the falls. He looks around for anything behind the falls or any large stones.

[[GENERAL check versus Lucas' Perception. Results:
Webb PCN = 60 -- Rolled 57 -- SUCCESS!]

[[GENERAL check versus Webb's Perception with a 20% penalty to see if he notices a variation in flower distribution. Results:
Webb PCN = 68 - 20 = 48 -- Rolled 7 -- SUCCESS!]

Webb seems to think the forget-me-nots look a bit thicker around the pool where the waterfall empties into. "Guys! I think the waterfall pool is important!"

Lucas looks into the shallow pool through the splashing water and the mist rising from the churned water. Toward the center of the pool is a large stone, about 2 feet in diameter. Flecks of gold glimmer on the stone when the light of moon reflects off of its surface. Lucas assumes the rock is filled with pyrite, which gives it a golden sheen.

Baxter's words during the interview comes to you in a flash: "I killed her in the fall. Buried her in the fall. Marked her bed with the big gold rock in the fall so’s I always knew where she was.”

"GUYS!" Lucas shouts. "HERE!"

Webb, Jack, Hal, and Magnus all look at Lucas when he shouts. From his vantage point, Lucas can see the four men looking past him in horror. Lucas spins around to see the shimmering image of Audrey Burke's wraith as it finishes materializing behind him. Her ghost is no longer human-sized as she seems to stand nearly 8 feet tall. She's barely recognizable as her eyes are missing and her flesh is boated and blue-grey, as she appears as a water-logged corpse. Her lips are missing, and her face seems to wear a grin from it. Her arms end in sharpened blades that hang to her side. She appears to be waiting for Lucas to do or say something.

You have initiative, guys. Make it count!

[funfungiguy]

Fighting her hasn't worked out well for Lucas in the past, so he stands his ground. "We're here to give you a proper burial, Audrey Burke! We've been looking for you, and our search is over. You need to rest."

[greyarea]

Hal holds his sword cane ready and looks for the gold rock. Blast, I should have remembered that! I might have doomed us all, he hisses! Find the gold rock, so we can properly honor her and put Audrey's soul to rest!

[merias]

Magnus rushes to Lucas' side, taking off the charm bracelet as he runs.

"We have your charm bracelet, Audrey! The one that means so much to you," Magnus says to the wraith as he holds out the bracelet.