The Godsmouth Cathedral- Bottoms District, Kaer Maga
It is fast approaching midnight, the appointed hour of your meeting with Cryptsmistress Valanthe Nerissia. You approach the Cathedral, a gothic structure perched on the cliff's edge above one of the gigantic faces carved into the Storval Rise. A gravel path leads into the nave from the north and south. At the north entrance, a bed of thornless black roses have been planted in the center of the path while the south is flanked by rowan trees. From within the branches you can hear the call of the whippoorwhills, waiting to guide the departed to the Boneyard.
Each of you have been contacted by the Cyptsmistress to carry out a discrete duty-
Detressa:
Kua:
Yang:
Badang:
Uwais:
Sister Mara:
You enter beneath one of the large iron candelabras lighting the nave. Running east to west is a plush purple carpet layed between row after row of wooden pews. At the far western end is a dais holding the altar and a great hourglass as tall as a man, filled with red sand. Above that is a rose window depicting Pharasma's aspects: Reaper, Midwife and Prophet. On the eastern side are two open doors leading to small shrines flanking a set of double doors Any of the grey-robed acolytes in the nave can direct you to the shrine to St. Feodric, which is the southernmost shrine.
The shrine is a long rectangle, lit with candles. At the north end is an open prayer book on a lectern while to the south stands a stone statue of a stern looking man holding a mace before him, a bed of black roses growing around the statue's base. The Cryptsmistress has not arrived yet- perhaps you are a bit early.
An hour before the appointed meeting time, Detressa pads quietly from her cell towards the shrine of St Feodric. Once there, she kneels in the front pew and bows her head in prayer, the cowl of her black clerical robe pulled up. Her heart is filled with both fear and hope for what lies ahead, and she prays for the guidance of the Goddess that she may know the right path and do her order proud.
Yangzhun drags his large bulk into the shrine of St. Feodric, leaning heavily on his quarterstaff and breathing heavily (and with more than the occasional wheeze). He still wasn't entirely used to the massive weight gain that accompanied the hemotheurgic arcane rituals, having only completed them a few months prior, but the increased power was more than worth it.
As enters the shrine, he notices only one other present besides the acolytes in the nave, an individual in the front pew in a position of prayer he has seen the priests of Pharasma use in the past. From the back, it is difficult to determine if the figure is male or female, especially with the clerical robes hiding its frame.
Coming closer to the figure, Yang interrupts the individual's apparent prayer. In heavily accented Common, he asks, "You are here to meet with Nerissia, too? Or are here in her stead?"
Detressa hears the man’s wheezing and heavy footfalls echoing off the stone and marble of the chapel as he approaches, but she keeps her head bowed as she finishes her prayer, confident that no one who wished her harm would make it this far into the Cathedral – surely this is one of the freelancers that the Cryptsmistress spoke of – and a Bloatmage if she is not mistaken.
At the man’s question, she stands and pulls back her cowl to reveal her thin, pale face, large dark eyes and black hair tied back into a long plait that disappears down the back of her robe. A silvery comet symbol hangs at her throat. She studies the obese man for a moment; between the dim light from the candles and the man’s bloated features it is difficult to tell his ethnicity, although his accent suggests he hails from somewhere far from Varisia.
“Cryptsmistress Nerissia shall be with us shortly,” she answers after a moment in a soft level voice that nevertheless carries in the stillness of the chapel. “I am Detressa Venci.”
Yang leans on his staff. "Nihao. Hello. My name is Chen Yangzhun. Most call me Yang. I guess it is easier for their tongue."
Yang looks to a pew, and sits himself down. "You are here because of the missing bodies?" he asks, keeping his voice very low for the last question.
The gentle padding of feet announces the entrance of a large wolf. Once the initial shock of seeing a wolf in the cathedral has passed, people notice the halfling striding next to it, a calming hand upon it. After a moment of looking at the grandeur of the place, Uwais leads Waya towards the agreed meeting place. He gives a silent nod to the others already there, then takes a seat in one of the pews to wait. Waya lays down quietly next to him.
Kua walks into the cathedral with his eyes sweeping over every surface, taking note of any nooks or other shadowy crevasses. Once he's reached the head of the pews where the others wait,he gives a nod and takes a seat.
Looking over to Uwais, "A fine looking beast." Kua extends his hand carefully to Waya and gives the wolf a pet if it seems amicable.
Detressa nods curtly in response to Chen’s question, then glances over at the new arrivals, trying to hide her surprise at the sight of the wolf.
What an odd bunch, she thinks.
"Not only fine-looking - simply a fine animal," Uwais says, watching Kua pet Waya. He looks over the large half-orc, weighing him in his head. He doesn't say anything else.
Waya lifts her head to meet the pat, sitting regally as though she deserved every bit of attention she received.
A few more minutes pass in silence. Finally, Detressa speaks. “Well ... perhaps some duty has delayed the Cryptsmisstress. I’m not sure if we are all here yet, but as it appears that we will be working together, we should know who everyone else is and what their specialty is. I am Detressa Venci from the Cathedral here, I am a priest sworn to Pharasma’s service.”
As Detressa introduces herself, a young raven-haired woman quietly enters the chapel. Dressed in black and red leather with the symbol of Sarenrae prominently emblazoned on her left breast, the woman's most striking feature is a rough scar that stretches from the bridge of her nose across her right cheek to her jawline.
"Sorry I'm late. I'm Sister Mara, of the Order of the Vigilant Flame," the scarred woman says by way of introduction. She lowers her voice discreetly as she continues, "I understand you're missing some bodies."
“That is the gist of the problem,” agrees Detressa quietly. A priest of Sarenrae ... the Cryptsmistress must suspect the possibility of undead... Unconsciously, Detressa puts her hand to the holy symbol at her throat and shivers slightly beneath her robe.
As Badang entered the threshold of the shrine of Pharasma, he noted the assembly of people already present. A duskwarden, a bloatmage, cleric, inquisitor and druid.
Interesting group, I must say, heh. Must be the same reason as I. Now, where's that Cryptsmistress?
Badang sits down next to the bloatmage, lightly at first, testing the pew's stability. Confident it will hold, Badang extends a hand in greeting.
Good evening, here for the job, neh?
The door to the shrine opens one more time, but instead of another freelancer it is the Cryptsmistress herself. Valanthe Nerissia is a tall woman of mixed Varisian descent as her ash blonde hair attests. She is dressed simply in a black cloak with white trim, Pharasma's holy symbol on a chain around her throat. She nods curtly before standing at the front of the shrine, facing St. Feodric. The Crypstmistress holds a rectangular chest, the contents tinkling like glass against glass as she walks.
"All of you have been asked here to provide a service for the church.", she begins in low voice that nonetheless carries in the quiet shrine. "As I have told each of you, the vessels of the departed are being stolen from the Ossuary. This cannot be allowed. It stands to reason that none of the clergy are above suspicion, so I have been told to assemble a capable group of outside help. There is a sealed door in the Ossuary leading further beneath Kaer Maga: it is my belief that whatever is stealing the remains has come from there. It will be your job to enter that door and discover the source of the thefts."
"I will stress one last time- your silence about this matter after tonight is of the utmost importance. If you need incentive, we are offering a generous fee: 600 gold coins to divide amongst yourselves. Should you clear the entire complex of threats monstrous and mundane, I will provide an additional 300 gold coins to divide amongst yourselves. In addition, any valuables you find therein will be yours to keep, so long as they are not sacred to the church. Should word escape of this matter... well, it won't will it?"
She sets down the chest and begins removing vials of liquid, each stoppered and labeled. She pairs them off- one vial of clear liquid to one vial of blue liquid.
"To ensure your success, we are prepared to give each of you a vial of holy water blessed by the goddess and a potion to heal wounds.", she says before pulling out a long chime of silvery metal. "Sister Detressa, I shall entrust you with the chime of opening- this chime may be sounded five times and five times only to open sealed doors in the complex below the Ossuary. Be advised that you should keep one in reserve in order to return to the Cathedral- we will not open the doors again, no matter how insistently it is knocked upon."
She looks at the assembled group.
"Are these terms agreeable?"
Kua gives a nod of his head. "Those terms sound just fine, Cryptsmistress. Is there anything else that you can tell us of these disappearances? Was there ever a trail left? I can take a look arond the area and see what I can find. It may give us some insight into who or what we are dealing with."
Kua gives a nod of his head. "Those terms sound just fine, Cryptsmistress. Is there anything else that you can tell us of these disappearances? Was there ever a trail left? I can take a look arond the area and see what I can find. It may give us some insight into who or what we are dealing with."
The Cryptsmistress shakes her head to Kua's question.
"Nay, Duskwarden, I fear even you would be hard pressed to find a trail, much less any of our priests. In this instance our diligence in the Ossuary has worked against us: without dust or dirt on the floors, it is almost impossible to find tracks left by the thief. It is through process of elimination that we have decided the vaults under the Ossuary are the source. It would be impossible to drag the bodies from the Ossuary, up the stair from the Unnamed King and through the Cathedral without being noticed."
"Hmm, I see." Kua nods in acceptance of her answer. "When would it be appropriate for us to begin our search of the vaults?"
As Badang entered the threshold of the shrine of Pharasma, he noted the assembly of people already present. A duskwarden, a bloatmage, cleric, inquisitor and druid.
Interesting group, I must say, heh. Must be the same reason as I. Now, where's that Cryptsmistress?Badang sits down next to the bloatmage, lightly at first, testing the pew's stability. Confident it will hold, Badang extends a hand in greeting.
Good evening, here for the job, neh?
Having been in Kaer Maga for some time, Yang is familiar enough with the concept of hand shaking, and grips the man's hand more firmly than may be expected.
"Shi de. Yes. I am here at the Cryptmistress' request."
The door to the shrine opens one more time, but instead of another freelancer it is the Cryptsmistress herself. Valanthe Nerissia is a tall woman of mixed Varisian descent as her ash blonde hair attests. She is dressed simply in a black cloak with white trim, Pharasma's holy symbol on a chain around her throat. She nods curtly before standing at the front of the shrine, facing St. Feodric. The Crypstmistress holds a rectangular chest, the contents tinkling like glass against glass as she walks.
"All of you have been asked here to provide a service for the church.", she begins in low voice that nonetheless carries in the quiet shrine. "As I have told each of you, the vessels of the departed are being stolen from the Ossuary. This cannot be allowed. It stands to reason that none of the clergy are above suspicion, so I have been told to assemble a capable group of outside help. There is a sealed door in the Ossuary leading further beneath Kaer Maga: it is my belief that whatever is stealing the remains has come from there. It will be your job to enter that door and discover the source of the thefts."
"I will stress one last time- your silence about this matter after tonight is of the utmost importance. If you need incentive, we are offering a generous fee: 600 gold coins to divide amongst yourselves. Should you clear the entire complex of threats monstrous and mundane, I will provide an additional 300 gold coins to divide amongst yourselves. In addition, any valuables you find therein will be yours to keep, so long as they are not sacred to the church. Should word escape of this matter... well, it won't will it?"
She sets down the chest and begins removing vials of liquid, each stoppered and labeled. She pairs them off- one vial of clear liquid to one vial of blue liquid.
"To ensure your success, we are prepared to give each of you a vial of holy water blessed by the goddess and a potion to heal wounds.", she says before pulling out a long chime of silvery metal. "Sister Detressa, I shall entrust you...
Yang stands and nods his agreement to the arrangement. "Your issue is ... interesting to me, and I agree with your proposition."
Without waiting for anything else, Yang immediately begins peppering the Cryptmistress with questions. "Do the dead people have anything that is the same? I mean, do they share common information?"
Yang also looks over the vials of liquid. "The blessed water to me makes me think you suspect walking dead. Is there evidence of this? Might it be the makings of a ... what is the word ... golem?"
The priestess nods.
"We suspect necromancy, since it is the most logical explanation and the simplest to carry out, as opposed to a golem. Had one the skill and desire to craft such a... servant, it is a simple matter to attain the materials within Kaer Maga without disturbing our crypts. The stolen remains were in various stages of decay: every body interred in the Ossuary is whole and cared for according to the deceased's wishes. No common ancestry or history has been remarked upon."
Detressa takes the silvery chime with a nod.
“Cryptsmisstress, what course shall we take should we discover a member of our own order is behind these crimes?” she asks, a hint of hesitation in her voice.
The Cryptsmistress takes a deep breath, but her voice remains neutral and level.
"Should that occur, Sister, our superiors would prefer they be taken alive if possible. Should they resist with lethal force, however, you are authorized to pronounce your own judgement."
Uwais rises from his seat, Waya rising with him. He approaches the Cryptsmistress. "In the event that we lose the chime, is there another way out of the catacombs? That could very well be the way that this threat came in, as well."
"None that we are aware of, which is why I suggest leaving a charge of the chime in reserve for when you wish to leave... and not misplacing it while you are exploring."
"Your offer of compensation is most generous, Cryptmistress," Mara says quietly. "And you can be assured of my silence and my Order's silence regarding this matter."
"I assume you would like for us to begin our investigation immediately, but I must ask: Do you have any thoughts as to how long you expect us to be down in the Ossuary? I don't know about my new companions, but I currently only carry enough provisions for a couple of days. Do we need to purchase more before we descend into the depths?"
"The pace and duration of your investigation is your own affair, Sister Mara. If you require time to assemble provisions, we may meet again in the morning but no later than that."
No wonder you want it kept silent Cryptmistress. When bodies start going missing in a supposed 'elite' resting place would sure make people think twice. Nevertheless, your gold is sufficient to make good on my acceptance..and secrecy.
The priestess' face remains a stern mask.
"Precisely. Do you have further questions or shall we reconvene on the morrow?"
"Unless you're paying up front, I'm ready to go now."
"No more questions; I will go when it is wished."
“I will certainly endeavour not to lose the chime, nor to squander its magic,” speaks Detressa sharply to Uwais. She then turns back to the Cryptsmisstress. “I am ready,” she says simply.
"If the others are ready to enter the Ossuary, then so am I," Mara says, bowing her head respectfully to the Cryptmistress. "May the Everlight guide our steps."
I do not have any objection if we were to go now. I am ready to descend.
The priestess nods her assent.
"Follow me, then."
She leads you out of St. Feodric's chapel and out of the Cathedral proper, under the Ring's vaulted ceiling and the many lanterns of Bottoms district to a closed door behind the Cathedral. Using a large iron key, she pulls open the door and leads you outside.
The air outside is much clearer and easier to breathe than within the walls of Kaer Maga, though the Cinderlands leave it quite dry. "Watch your step.", advises the Cryptsmistress as she descends the winding stairwell carved into the Storval Rise. The stars shine above in the clear night sky and to the southwest you can see clear to the distant lights of Korvosa. Winding down the stair, without a railing or retaining wall, you finally reach the mouth of the Unnamed King, the entrance to the Godsmouth Ossuary. Once more your contact withdraws the iron key from her robes and opens the large doors inside the mouth. You are ushered within.
The Godsmouth Ossuary is seen by few save the Pharasmins and the dead- even were one of your relatives layed to rest here, you would not be permitted beyond the mouth itself. The air is fresh and dry, the halls opulent and well-kept. Flameless magical torches light the halls, illuminating bodies wrapped in the finest linens layed to rest in the stone niches in the walls. Not a bit of dust or a single cobweb blemishes the solemn crypt.
The Cryptsmistress brings you to another large stone door with a bronze seal bearing the symbol of Pharasma.
"This is your entrance to the sealed levels and this is where I leave you to your mission. Sister, sound your chime and end this insult to our faith."
The mithral chime sounds a clear note and sends it echoing throughout the catacombs. The stone door grinds open despite long years of disuse. Within, a stone spiral staircase descends into the earth.
Eager for battle, Badang volunteers for frontline assignment. He hopes someone who likes to get their hands dirty to join him.
Eager for battle, Badang volunteers for frontline assignment. He hopes someone who likes to get their hands dirty to join him.
I'll go beside ye where room permits. Otherwise, I'll stand behind you. My eyes adjust easily to the dark, so depending on how the pharasmins light their crypts, it may be prudent for me to scout ahead in areas.
Uwais climbs atop Waya, his head bouncing up and down with every step she takes. "We'll stay behind," he says. "Waya can move quickly if need be."
Waya sniffs the dusty, stale air of the stairwell and sneezes. Uwais can feel her muscles tense beneath him.
The spiral stairway take up most of the ten foot by ten foot shaft, leaving small gaps near the corner difficult even for a halfling or gnome to slip through. Beyond what light spills in behind you, the shaft is pitch black.
Badang pauses awhile, knits his brow in concentration and casts light on a bullet he withdraws from his belt pouch, which he holds aloft.
Kua crouches down next to Waya then goes flat onto his belly with his head hanging over the edge of the spiral stair case, switches to dark vision and peers into the shaft.
Perception check
Kua:
"I am sorry but I will be slow for you. I will go near the rear."
Yang casts his own light spell on the end of his staff as he leans against it and drags himself along. He will go second to last, hoping not to hold up everyone too much.
From her position near the center of the group, Mara calls upon the blessings of the Everlight to cause the symbol of Sarenrae on her leather armor to glow with a warm radiance. With that done, she draws her hanbo from her belt and follows her new companions when they descend the stairway.
The stairwell is clear as far down as about sixty feet and that's as far as I can see. It continues down deeper than that though.
Kua lowers his voice Maybe I should creep down a bit further to take a look?
The stairwell is clear as far down as about sixty feet and that's as far as I can see. It continues down deeper than that though.
Kua lowers his voice Maybe I should creep down a bit further to take a look?
Descending only a short way, Kua can confirm that the shaft's bottom is approximately sixty feet below.
The stairwell is clear as far down as about sixty feet and that's as far as I can see. It continues down deeper than that though.
Kua lowers his voice Maybe I should creep down a bit further to take a look?
Descending only a short way, Kua can confirm that the shaft's bottom is approximately sixty feet below.
Waiting a silent count of sixty seconds after Badang casts his spell, Detressa follows his example, casting a similar spell of light on one of her own sling bullets. She then slips it into her belt pouch within easy reach, as an easy to retrieve backup should Badang and Mara’s lights expire.