Session 5

The session starts at the tavern where the gang has discussed plans to follow and track down the vampire. The group ties up some remaining loose ends before they leave, opting to visit the morgue to check on some of the bodies.

Athtar, Theo, and Gro0t visit and greet the man at the morgue, who notes that Una keeps strange company. Athtar agrees, but states that they would like to view the bodies before they leave to get an idea of what to look for when out in the wilds.

Groot is shocked that the man also operates a barbershop, and wants a cut however the man notes he is equipped with precision tools, not gardening tools.

The man mentions that he showed the body of the lady with the black liquid, but the others were buried, and the grave robbers had taken the bodies too.

Athtar then asks if the man noticed any common details on the bodies. The man notes that all the dead who passed from fever suffered from the fever from about 5-6 days. Though not all afflicted with it have died. The man also recommends stocking up on antiplague vials if the group intends on going up against undead.

With information acquired, the gang heads out the Northwestern gate into the wilderness to track down the vampire.

The group holds a formation where Athtar scouts ahead, Theo keeps guard, Pete tracks, and Gro0t searches. After an hour and a half of searching, the group is back to where they fought the Ferrous butterflies, this time they note a set of wagon tracks, which is odd as they haven't seen any wagons come or go in the morning. The tracks appear to have been there for no more than a day.

Pete informs the group, who notes that the wagon was going out of town. Athtar notes that it's not a wagon, nor a cart but instead a carriage. He also notes that it's horse-drawn, but the tracks are lighter than a normal horse.

He then relays the information to the rest of the group. Pete compares his own footprints to that of the rest of the group, intending to check if the horse was undead. He doesn't specify it but the group notices him doing it.

Pete's footprints are noticeably lighter than the rest of the group's. Pete suggests that the horses may be dying, which both Theo and Athtar find off, to which Pete mentions that they could be undead, as a means of preventing the vampire from sucking out their blood.

The gang decides to follow the carriage tracks but keeping their guard up.

Six hours pass as the group follows the road. Eventually the path turns more North and away from the river as the terrain gets more hilly as they get closer to the mountainous region. The mountains are still days away.

Eventually, the group sees a smoke trail in the distance. Pete sees a path off to the side leading to where the smoke might be coming from. The path straight ahead continues on, but there's only about another hour of sunlight left.

Seeing as the sun will be setting soon, the group opts to head towards the fire to cook some food before continuing on for a bit longer.

As they crest the hill, they see a farm and make their way towards it. As they approach, they see 6 dustwalkers, two of which are tearing into a horse lying on the ground, two others chase a commoner who is running away from them, and the last two are in a barn. Out of sight, but can be heard.

One of the dustwalkers is different than the others. Around its neck is a leather strip with the dustwatchers symbol. It has a sword that it draws to attack the commoner. It seems to be more intelligent than the other dustwalkers.

Immediately, it swings its blade and cuts the neck of the commoner. He falls to the ground, dead.

Gro0t moves in to punch one of the dustwalkers, though it seems resistant to his punches. Theo then moves in to take a shot at the dustwatcher-walker, missing his first but then taking a second, also missing. It then turns to Theo and looks at him, but not with the normal empty eyed stare. It speaks in a language he understands

Athtar moves up, pulls out his bomb launcher, and attempts to fire a fire-bomb at the same dustwalker, but misses, only catching him in the fire that spread

Pete moves up behind the barn and takes a shot at another dustwalker, hitting.

The dustwalkers inside the barn break out and head towards Gro0t, swinging at him. He winds up surrounded on all sides by them. They strike and knock him down.

Athtar takes a shot with his pistol at the husk dustwalker, he shoots into the shoulder and then follows up with a blasting stone, which misses but catches it in the splash radius.

Pete's up next, who throws salt on the ground at the dustwalkers around Gro0t. The dustwalkers step back a little. He then attempts to intimidate the dustwalkers, but they are unable to understand him.

Another dustwalker runs up to Athtar and takes an attack on him, but it misses.

The Husk looks towards Pete, but then moves toward Athtar to make an attack. It hits but doesn't deal significant damage.

Theo charges his arm and crashes down one of the duskwalkers in front of Athtar, jolting it. Athtar then smashes a poison vial and a frost vial against the husk. Poison is ineffective as it is undead, but the frost slows it down.

Pete comes in and attempts to shoot the zombie by Gro0t, but misses the first shot, but makes her second one. In turn it swings at Pete, and then grabs him.

The dustwalker in front of Athtar grabs him, dealing some bludgeoning damage. One of the dustwalkers from the horses charges up to Theo.

Gro0t manages to stabilize, but is on the ground.

The Husk smiles at Athtar, as he uses surging strikes on Athtar, but somehow misses all 3. Theodore releases Athtar from the dustwalker's grasp, and then pulls away from it, charging his hand into a spiked fist at its face, killing it.

He then attempts a shot against the dustwalker holding Pete, but misses. Athtar backs away from the husk but stays by Theo. The arms of the dustwalker that held him still grabbed on. He takes a shot on the same dustwalker holding Pete. In a moment of clarity, Athtar manages to shoot it cleanly through the head, killing it and releasing Pete.

Pete shoots at the remaining dustwalker by himself and Gro0t. He hits but it still stands. In turn the dustwalker takes an opportunity to grab him once again.

Gro0t gets up off the ground and attacks the duskwalker with pure life energy. The creature sizzles as life energy is forced into it. It lifts its head up and beams of light protrude from it as it disintegrates.

The husk walks up to Theo and speaks common, saying "I recognize your face, but soon it will be gone." Theo shifts around the husk and transforms his arm into a sword. He slashes at the husk, cutting it open.

Athtar follows up by taking a shot to the back of its head, hitting. He reloads and takes another shot but misses. Pete joins in and takes a shot against the husk.

The remaining duskwalker tries to attack Athtar but fails. Gro0t runs up to the husk and makes an attack, though he misses. The husk then turns to Gro0t and swings. Its sword coarses with negative energy as it plunges through Gro0t's orb. He is speechless in the face of death. As he pulls the sword out, Gro0t's roots begin to decay as the orb falls to the ground and shatters.

The husk turns to Theo and swings at him, hitting him. But Theo returns the strike, stricken with grief over Gro0t, his arm manifests into a mess of metal and shreds both the husk and the remaining duskwalker, killing both.

The husk's shredded corpse leaks a black ooze.