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Census of the Dead

Yofiel (Kim McCoy), female elf bard 4th AC 16/16/14 HP: 29/29 delay poison
Saturday June 15th, 2024 3:17:33 AM
Yofiel sings the concluding verse:

Kaze sunders the crawling white
Colt strikes well the wall
The crawler feels Zeke's electrical bite
Grim kills the last of all!

Patches begins to shake the dead larva, and white spatterings and ichor fly left and right.

"Siolo," she says, and holds up her right hand to him as he did earlier to her. She waits a moment to see if he gives the three victory pats, or whatever one is supposed to do.

The bard goes among the party for a couple of minutes, giving words of praise, words of cheer, and helping those who used missile weapons to gather them up and clean them off.

A proposal to consider
After things settle a bit, she says, "I have a proposal for you to consider before we leave this sad cavern of carnage. Though we all no doubt feel anxious to get back to Cloudhaven - I certainly do - one also senses an obligation to the fallen.

"Might we spend a short time going once more through this room? Why? Some of us have spent time in Cloudhaven before the day the dinosaurs attacked. Therefore, those who have might recognize the faces, perhaps the clothing or possessions, of some who died here. Can we take the additional half hour or hour to look, and jot down who and what we remember?" Likely candidates in the party: Dapple, Colt, Grim, Yofiel (a little bit). What about Ezekiel? Siolo? Kaze?

"For those who did not know anyone, perhaps you can go through the clothing and possessions and see if any mementos, messages, or valuables may be found."

See document #5 - Catalog of the fallen 60 - There are about 60 men and women whose bodies lie in the room, enumerated on the linked map.

Yofiel suggests performing a quick accounting of the fallen. She will draw up a list, and add to it the fallen bodies from earlier sectors. Those who have at least a bit of history in Cloudhaven from before the dinosaur attack there may have memories of some of these people, and recognize some faces, clothing, personal possessions. Mayor Ellie likely was eaten, though possibly a set of legs left on the floor belonged to her (31x?). Someone may want to collect pouches, weapons, any items that may be of use to the living. She asks what people think about taking a fair portion of whatever coinage may be collected and give it to the people of Cloudhaven. The bard does not think she has the stomach for making orderly piles of so many corpses right now, and not just the men and women, but also the dinosaurs. Perhaps come back and bring a crew of people with strong stomachs to help with that onerous task in a week or so. There may be additional nooks and crannies, perhaps hidden or secret passageways to discover at some other time. Also, she wonders whether a few of the faces of the fallen in this room may resemble the faces of the ghostly figures they saw performing their repetitive tasks in the dwelling area on the second floor.

"Marest - Once we compile the list, what would you think about organizing the recollections, matching names to the numbers I assigned, and passing it on to the people of Cloudhaven?"

Dapple [AC 18; HP 28/28] (Kim sub for Kathy)
Sunday June 16th, 2024 3:25:44 AM

Dapple is glad that everyone survived, and no one was paralyzed. She asks, "Does anyone need healing now?"

With Yofiel's explanation of wanting to identify those who died here a while ago, the halfling sighs. "I suppose we could do that. I might know some." She takes a look at those in the nearby area to start with, #54-61.
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[Kathy - feel free to post otherwise for Dapple. I'm just wanting our game to get a high posting rate. -Kim]

Dapple [AC 18; HP 28/28] (Kathy)
Sunday June 16th, 2024 11:55:07 AM
Dapple arrived at Cloudhaven a short time before the dinosaur attack, so she doesn't have extensive knowledge of the townsfolk. She pretty much only met those who came to the temple for healing or prayers. Which, granted, was most of them, but the people at the Facility clearly had their own resaources. She doubts she'll recognize anybody, but she's willing to look.

Co-GM Ryan (Falco in Taur)
Monday June 17th, 2024 9:45:14 AM
The room grows quiet as the final bits of battle are brough to a decisive end by the party members. Bodies of facility staff, crawlers and dinos lay scattered about the room and the smell is not great though you know it will get worse before it gets better if left like this for long. That said, few groups capable of dealing with the threats of dinos and crawles spend the time cleaning and that task will fall to others one would assume.

Yofiel suggest that the group take some time trying to identify the sixty or so fallen people that were once part of Cloudhaven. The plan gets some support from Dapple though she is not sure how many people she will really know. Yofiel has an idea that the powers that be will smile on the simple action of honoring the dead in some way even if they were involved in projects that the party does not support.

Kaze (JonS) HP 23/36 AC 19/Touch & Flat Footed AC 14/ CMD: 18/ CMB: 6/ Grapple: 7 Poison save: d20+6=24 ;
Monday June 17th, 2024 12:08:18 PM
Feeling better after healing, Kaze is more than welcome to help examine the people here, and once each is done he puts them into repose (arms crossed over chest, eyes shut)

Dapple [AC 18; HP 28/28] (Kathy)
Monday June 17th, 2024 1:25:47 PM
As she examines the bodies, Dapple recites prayers for the dead. She borrows extensively from the Church of Gargul, since clerics of Wardd only have a few prayers for the dead.

Siolo (Joe) - AC 15/13/13 ; HP 28/28 , NL 0
Monday June 17th, 2024 1:44:48 PM
Siolo completes the high-five that Yofiel prompts and then pulls out his 'notebook' and thinly chiseled charcoal. "I can write down names you all say to speed up the process," Siolo volunteers.

Yofiel (Kim McCoy), female elf bard 4th AC 16/16/14 HP: 29/29 delay poison
Monday June 17th, 2024 9:40:42 PM

Catalog of the Fallen 60, Cavern Complex Cloudhaven

"I saw this fellow at the top of the lift the first time my family came here a few years ago," Yofiel says of #57. "He was watching over the beasts that pulled up the rope." She pauses. "He had a pipe that he laid atop a post that he would pick up every minute or two and puff on it, then set it down again... I don't know his name." She gently pats his clothing, and finds a pouch. It has a pipe in it and a smaller bag with tobacco.

Near where Ellie's book and axe were discovered, she looks especially carefully to find any of her remains. Can she find a halfling-sized lower torso? (I'm wondering especially about 31x on the map)

She works her way through the cavern, basically covering the area in the reverse order in which the areas were covered during their slaying of the slime crawlers, ending with the group of people #1-#10.

The elf helps others as she can, and supplements Siolo's notes with some of her own.

As they wind up, she breathes a sigh. "There are a few more in the kitchen. Then, shall we leave? I'd like to."

For those who are looking for possessions, mementos, and notes, she will be curious to discover what they have found.

Grim Ripr 4th (JonathanT) AC 17 Tch 11 HP 40/51 CMD 19
Tuesday June 18th, 2024 12:11:44 AM
OOC: remember, it has been at least 3 to four months these corps have been laying down here rotting. Not much in identifying by 'face' is left. Maybe a piece of jewelry a family can identify, or a remnant of a tattoo on some less decayed piece of flesh.

IC:
Grim knows no one. He'd been here only once before some years ago. The orcs that did trade with the village on occasion got what they needed and didn't fraternize. He's not interested in who they were, just if they carried anything valuable they can't use anymore. So he searches some of the rotting lumps of mostly bony flesh for jewelry, coins, weapons.

Colt Human Rogue (Tim) AC 16 T 14 FF 12 HP 31/31 CMD 19
Tuesday June 18th, 2024 7:07:13 AM
After tying a towel he found in the kitchen around his face, Colt slogs through the depressing duty of sorting through the dead. It's not clear the towel helps much. After a while he calls out, "Here's one. This must be Golde, the milkman's wife. No one else in the village had hair like hers."

Co-GM Ryan (Falco in Taur)
Tuesday June 18th, 2024 10:25:26 AM
At first the smells caused by disturbing the bodies sicken the group but with time, as wth all things, they get use to it. Still the site of so much death cannot sit well.

Time has passed so the current task si grim to say the least. In some cases the party can work out who the deceased is and in others they are unfamiliar or they are so badly decomposed or eaten that it is impossible. Most of the bodies have the things with them they would have had in life so there is the odd recognizable handkerchief as well as the pipe Dapple mentioned.

Mundane weapons can also be found scattered here and there but you can also see that many were not prepared for a fight and died unarmed with blunt objects near them that they probably tried to defend themselves with. One sad case in particular is the body of the female with only one arm still attached that holds a chair, the other arm clings to the chair leg in death but is detached from the body.

One body in particular is small in stature and was clearly a halfling. The injuries on this body are severe but the hair matches and the outfit would have made sense.

Ezekiel (BrianW) - AC 17/13/14; HP 31/31
Tuesday June 18th, 2024 11:20:33 AM
Ezelel tilts his head to the side.

"Curious, her arm was torn from her body, yet neither part was eaten."

Siolo (Joe) - AC 15/13/13 ; HP 28/28 , NL 0
Tuesday June 18th, 2024 11:41:06 AM
Siolo somberly follows Yofiel to the kitchen. "Lady Yofiel," he says quietly to her. "Do you think the people are going to want to see the state of their dead lives one?"

Dapple [AC 18; HP 28/28] (Kathy)
Tuesday June 18th, 2024 2:51:53 PM
Dapple is bewildered. She hadn't realized that so many people lived in Cloudhaven without actually living there. Or something. She's still a bit confused.

"If we mean to give all these people a decent burial, that's going to be a lot of work," she says. "I mean a lot of work. We'd probably have to ask for help from town. Which would mean keeping people safe while they worked here. I think we should be looking for other solutions.

Kaze (JonS) HP 23/36 AC 19/Touch & Flat Footed AC 14/ CMD: 18/ CMB: 6/ Grapple: 7
Tuesday June 18th, 2024 3:37:48 PM
Kaze looks around, "What if this place becomes their tomb. They lived, fought, and died here. Couldn't it be turned into a memorial for these people?"

Colt Human Rogue (Tim) AC 16 T 14 FF 12 HP 31/31 CMD 19
Tuesday June 18th, 2024 10:50:48 PM
"We could put them in a store room and wall them in -- kind of like a mousoleum." Colt suggests quite seriously, even if using an improper word.

Grim Ripr 4th (JonathanT) AC 17 Tch 11 HP 40/51 CMD 19
Tuesday June 18th, 2024 10:52:59 PM
composite masterwork strength bow, +1 to hit/+1 damage
9 arrows from Yofiel
For +7 vs DC13 = 12
Rage Rds 1/12
Spells in Effect: Delay Poison, 2 save success, 1 miss

OOC: it will be up to the DM to remind us when the time runs out on our Delay poison.

IC: Grim has no interest in the conversation so far. 'I don't see much in terms of weapons. I suppose they are back in the dormitory. Let's not waste anymore time in here.'

Yofiel (Kim McCoy), female elf bard 4th AC 16/16/14 HP: 29/29 delay poison
Wednesday June 19th, 2024 4:26:38 AM
"Likely not, Siolo," Yofiel responds. "At least, most of them. Some may want to for closure. People respond in differing ways. I don't know..."

Of the five leaders whose spirits met us and communicated via images and visions, we know where the body of the elf Shanaera lies, in the kitchen. Perhaps we have found that of Ellie, the mayor. If we can identify the others - Oznif (raccoon beastfolk), Silvyr Norro (elf), or Taim (half-orc), then those Yofiel would want to gather, but not the rest of the remains. "I suggest we leave all of them here," she says as the group wraps up what they can of the incomplete identifications. "I think we all may agree that they made a grievous error - as their spirits communicated with us. Yet some in Cloudhaven will have known some of them. We can mourn those who died, even though their decisions in life serve as a cautionary tale."

"Colt, that may be a suitable thing to do, but I fear I lack the stomach to remain here longer to do this. Let us return to Cloudhaven now, with the notes and records we have taken. Let's talk it over with some of the sounder heads there, and together with them decide what to do next."

"All told, we have been here for almost a day. We have learned what happened.

"Let us offer one last prayer, then leave this place, and breathe fresh air."

If the group is good with that, Yofiel asks Dapple if she will pray a prayer - perhaps to Gargul. Yofiel will respond with "Selah" at the end of the prayer.

She helps verify that no T-Rex awaits at the top of the complex, and takes turns with the travois as they travel back... home.

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