To either side of the main crypt, Kassen's tomb, are two other crypts. Each has a large, ornate inscription over the door to provide them with simple and direct labels: Villager's Crypt and Raider's Crypt. It seems the townsfolk of Kassen's Hold had a respect for their enemies in death that their enemies did not show them in life.
The companions first inspect the Villager's Crypt.
This crypt is the resting place for a number of villagers, each one entombed inside a stone sarcophagus. Unlike Kassen, none of them appear to be disturbed.
It would appear as though the skeletons that were raised were not from the village, but composed of the original raiders that Asar brought with him. Nothing more may be found here unless you wish to disturb the resting place of Kassen's honored dead.
This crypt contains the resting place for some of the raiders that attacked Kassen so many years ago. The central sarcophagus has been disturbed, its lid lying broken on the ground in front of it. The corpse of a masked man lies beside it.
The masked man is dressed very similarly to the poisoned bandit that was found at the side of the river. His corpse has been dead for approximately the same time. Not poisoned, though, the marks around this one's neck tell that he died of strangulation.
The dead man has a few items of interest on his person. The heroes find a map leading to the crypt (along with a note that reads, “The amulets are entombed with Kassen and Asar”), a wand of magic missile (CL 3rd, 22 charges), bracers of armor +1, a horn of fog, 354 gp in newly minted coins (also from Tamran, like the bandit's coins), and a spellbook that contains the following spells: cause fear, enlarge person, expeditious retreat, false life, levitate, mage armor, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement, and all wizard cantrips.
As the players leave the lower levels of the crypt to reunite Roldare with his sister Dimira, they are accosted once more. To their complete shock, the bloodied skeletons they defeated the day before rise again as they pass through the area.
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The skeletons get the drop on the heroes.
Eventually coming to terms with what is happening, the adventurers strike back.
The bloody skeleton facing the Strong Brute is carved in twain, showering blood everywhere.
Jaender blasts his own skeleton with magic missile .
It falls to bloody pieces.
Strong Brute goes clubbing with Einhardt's foe, flanking with the wolf.
He is unfortunately unable to land a blow. Einhardt growls, however, and joins in the fun.
Ophiuchus, despite needing to have a minor argument with a figment of his imagination prior to his arrival on the scene.
Vox steps back with his enormous hammer and swings hard at the bloody bones before him.
Vox pushes the skeleton's skull through its body to slam into its hips before he crushes it and many vertebrae against the ground.
Dimira stands in open-mouthed admiration at the exceedingly brisk way the brave heroes dealt with this sudden threat. She is tearfully rejoined with Roldare. After much sobbing, laughing and then sobbing, everyone sees that Roldare is much more lucid than he was yesterday.
"My dear... my dear sister! Oh, Dimira, did they hurt you? The Voice is dead? Thank Old One Eye! Thank... thank the heroes of Kassen! Our poor, poor friends... but... but thank Erastil that you are safe!"
It is, of course, raining heavily when the companions finally leave the crypt.
The journey back to Kassen is somber and uneventful. The rain eventually abates, but the companions are very tired of the mud sucking at their boots as they return home.
Kassen is in the midst of a celebration when the heroes arrive, a celebration honoring their expected success. Mayor Uptal is there to greet them at the gates, but his joy at their return quickly turns to horror when he finds out what has happened. The news quickly spreads throughout town and the harvest celebration turns melancholy. No-one blames the adventurers, and most are rather grateful that this new menace is ended. The grand feast is still held in their honor, but it is not the same as it was in previous years. This year, many are drinking to help forget that they have lost friends and loved ones. Plans are made to return to the crypt and bury the slain townsfolk.
At some stage during the festivities, Cygar approaches the group. "Well done! You have all completed an effective initiation into the pathfinder society. Should you wish, I can induct you as full members. All you would need do is travel to the Lodge in Absalom when you are ready to complete your training in scrolls, spells and swords," Cygar favors the potential initiates with a smile, "That is, if you are interested..."
Cygar also goes on to say that he has taken an interest in the recent events, and he is sure the Society would like to see the tomb robbers that caused this mess called to account for their actions. He assures the heroes that, once his investigations are complete, he will inform them of the results. The Society has a more immediate need for them, however, and it involves the ancient dungeons beneath a place called Thornkeep...
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Jaender, though excited about the accomplishments of the group, shares in the somber mood of the town. He does his best to console those around him when he has the opportunity, perhaps even embellishing a bit about the bravery of the villagers when they were beset, based on the clues they found.
"Baleen must have sacrificed himself to give the others a chance to escape. I can't be sure, but the way he was positioned, its the only explanation that makes sense."
It may not matter much, but to a small town desperate to find answers in this tragedy, he hoped it would give them something good to cling to.
When Cygar makes his proclamation of the official invitation to the society, Jaender is positively thrilled.
"Yes Yes of course I accept! I thought we might have doomed any chance we had by continuing further into the dungeon once the real threat was revealed, but it just felt right you know?" He prattles on until Cygar calms him down. Eventually Jaender takes some time to visit the crazy sorcerer, spending a few hours talking 'shop' and making it a point to thank him profusely for the timely gift of the scroll and wand. Eventually he makes his way to leave, first to Absalom, then to Thornkeep to meet back up with his companions.
Cygar looks confused at Jaender's last comment. "Doomed chances? My dear fellow, the Pathfinder Society's motto is 'Explore, Report, Cooperate'! You did precisely that. Delving further into the dungeon is exactly what a good group of Pathfinders should do!" Cygar seems so genuinely surprised by Jaenders comment that he feels the need to continue, "It is your curiosity that makes you such ideal candidates for the society. Had you not gone further to discover what happened, I would have had my doubts. Only the most out of touch, officious, bureaucratic, bone-headed of Venture Captains would ever say otherwise! In my mind there is only one Venture Captain who even might frown upon such bravery, heroism and bold curiosity... but no. I can't imagine that even the stuck up Ambrus Valsin would say anything bad about a Pathfinder who wanted to get to the bottom of a mystery like that. Especially not since you were so successful and managed to complete your mission regardless! No, even that pompous fart would have nothing but praise for you in that instance, I'm sure."
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"People of the town, I am glad that we found your sister. I am also glad that we saved you all from the living that died, and lived again, and now try to kill all of us. You have all suffered much. I have suffered much. Many times I was close to death there, but it was worth it to keep you all safe. If trouble arises again, I will kill those who try to kill you; they will try to kill me too; but I will kill them first. Like the pretty creatures that fly and sing like this strong man here, we will kill them early in the morning before we eat breakfast. Now I must go and join my new family, this society. I will no longer be Merian's sister, for she was never my sister, but my one true love. I will love no other until her and I are reunited in death."
Ophiuchus takes off his wig and drops it to the ground. As he reaches up to pull his dress over his head, the wig flies into Hamilton's face.
Once he takes his dress off, he again turns towards the villagers, "I will now be Ophiuchus the Warrior, and I will kill those that try to kill good, nice people like you. This society will help me do that. Be well, and be happy."
With that he walks off towards the outskirts of town.