Upon researching them, you find out that the shield is a +1 heavy steel shield of Fire Resistance.
The flail is a +1 flaming heavy flail.
The wand is a wand of fireballs (5th level)(50 charges).
The vials are 20 alchemist fire, 20 flasks of shard gel and 20 flasks of liquid ice.
Also, you have a chance to read the book you recovered from the ice. It is known as The Cult Book.
Velika does not know Old Kemish but will make an attempt at translation.
"The heavy flail would be useful for me, but I would not find much use for the other items." Silas muses as he looks over the flame emblazoned items, "I wonder who would use these. It would be odd to use a heavy flail and shield at the same time, but the motiff is the same.
Velika will research ways to "reconstitute" the angel. As a first step in finding someone who might be able to do it, she might also visit Myraeth's Oddities again.
Myraeth looks at Velika dubiously. "An angel. In there. Sick if true."
He looks at her again. "Almost as sick if untrue. Anyway, you are friends with the Knights of the Pale, I believe? I would have one of them introduce you one of the Malkuth at the Pale Tower. Dangerous folk to know, but no one knows more about angels."
Velika nods solemnly at the suggestion that this is an atrocity.
"Thank you for the recommendation, Myraeth. And in return, let me tell you the tale of Holys's brief experience as a priest of Lothian."
If Myraeth is interested, she will tell the tale of Taunell and their various, sometimes embarrassing, encounters with him.
Does Myraeth provide identification services?
What does Dain know about the Malkuth?
"And I think we ought to ask Lord Zavere and Lady Rill about these cultists that we met. But by all means, let's see what the Pale Tower knows."
They have lived in Ptolus more or less since the city was founded and are rarely seen, though it is rumored that they walk among the populace in human guise more frequently. Dain knows that one of their number sits on the Comissar's Council of Twelve. He has heard rumors that the Pale Tower is much larger on the inside than on the outside and that the Malkuth are ruled over by a being known only as the Winged King.
The Malkuth feature in many fairy tales and folk songs, usually in a cautionary fashion. The stories say that despite being angelic messengers of pure good, the Malkuth are perilous to be around and even if their actions turn out to be for good in the end, those they deal with in the stories often suffer unfortunate or self-sacrificial ends.
The Knights of the Pale are known to work with the Malkuth as are another group known as the Knights of the Golden Cross.
The Pale Tower is guarded by a stone golem carved with symbols of a thousand good religions, known as The Graven. He is thought to be sentient.
Interestingly, some tales hint that there is another group in Ptolus, the equal and opposite of the Malkuth. They are called the Fallen and spoken of only in whispers. Frightened whispers.
After a nice lunch, the team takes a carriage to Oldtown and rides to the Pale Tower. It is conveniently close to both the Bladechapel (home of the Knights of the Pale) and to Pythoness House. It is a tall tower of seamless pearl-white stone, slender and unlike most of the architecture of the city. It bears a single door inside a pleasant garden. Bees hum from flower to flower and squirrels chitter in the trees. The small lane leading from the street ends at the door and beside that is a small bell cord.
Dain looks up at the Pale Tower. Feeling a bit intimidated, he says, "I ummm...maybe it's not such a...hmmm...good idea to show up...unannounced...carrying one of their brethren in a...errr...jar of piss?" He looks over his shoulder, then points at the top of the Bladechapel sticking up over the rooftops. "Maybe one of the Knights of the Pale would...mmm...set up a meeting for us?"
Silas looks over at Dain and says, "I doubt their immediate assumption will be that we are the ones who transformed the angel. But we can always ask for introductions if it would help smooth things over."[/b]
We go up to the Pale Tower and either knock on the door or wait to be greeted by anyone standing outside.
Tilver shrugs as Dain seems reluctant to show up at the tower with a jar of piss. "Hey, we have no idea what happened to the angel. Better to present them with everything, than try to assume what is important. Besides, it'll be fun to see their faces." He chuckles, enjoying the humor before they go inside.
Velika smiles at Tilver in agreement. Then she shrugs at Dain and confident (perhaps overly so) in her ability to talk herself out of trouble, she pulls the bell cord at the tower.
Velika pulls the rope and there is a deep but musical sound of bells ringing somewhere above.
Moments later, the door opens. The portal is almost entirely filled with a giant being made of stone, bending almost double to see through the door.
It is a startling moment. The giant is carved with hundreds of runes. Its face creases slightly in what might be a smile or a grimace. "Be welcome and be blessed," it intones in a deep rumble you feel in your chests. "How may I serve you?"
Dain performs an awkward half bow,"Greetings...ummm...Graven One. We seek the assistance of the Malkuth in rescuing one of their brethren from a...mmm...terrible transformation."
Holys tries his best to appear his usual proud and composed self, but inwardly cowers at the massive creature. "It is a somewhat delicate matter, and we do not have an appointment, but believe that your masters will be very interested in what we have to show them."
Silas sniffs at the creature of stone and keeps a wary eye on it.
"Hmmm. Enter and be welcome."
The giant steps back from the door, revealing a large parlor decorated in pearl and white. Pleasant chairs face a fireplace over which stands a masterful painting of a cloud-shrouded mountain at sunrise. Several doors lead out from the room, though the room appears as large as the entire floor of the Pale Tower.
The rune-carved giant pulls another rope and more musical bells sound. "Please make yourselves at home," it rumbles. "I have summoned one who will speak with you. Tea?"
A few minutes later, one of the doors opens, revealing only a gleaming corridor of light. Out of this steps a tall woman with raven-dark hair and pearlescent skin. She is dressed in a silken, vaguely eastern robe. Her eyes are golden orbs without pupils and her gaze carries a more than human weight, as if, like the Pale Tower, she were larger on the inside.
"Peace be with you," she says, smiling. "I am Aoska."
Holys' eyes widen. He puts down his cup of tea and begins to make his introduction, hoping those who do not recognise Aoska will follow his lead.
"My lady, what an unexpected pleasure this is. I had not thought to meet one of the Twelve Commanders of our beloved city. I am Holys Aurelian, of the Aurelian branch of House Dallimothan."
He then steps back and gestures to his companions, eyes lingering on the pot they have brought with them.
Silas nods in greeting and says, "I am Silas, also from House Dallimothan." He leaves it up to others to explain why they have come.
Tilver nods at Holys' assessment. He bows deeply. "My name is Tilver Arnholm, formerly a gladiator in the arena, now simply a delver from North Market." He steps back to allow the others with more impressive lineages a chance to declare themselves.
Velika bows, "Velika Wondercraft, performer at the Cloud Theater and magician extraordinaire." She straightens with a swirl of her cloak and, assuming nothing prevents magic here, she casts dancing lights that swirl with her cloak and then spiral up to vanish in the air.
Dain makes another bow, improving somewhat on his attempt at the door. "I am Dain, of...ummm...of the Warrens." Magill steps up next to him. She chitters, and stands up on her hind legs. "And this is Magill. We are also...delvers. You honor us with your...mmm...attention." He seems about to say more, but instead waits for Aoska to reply.
Aoska listens politely and gravely, smiling despite herself at Velika's exuberant display. It seems she may also have a soft spot for animals as she gravely acknowledges Magill as much as anyone.
"Unless I miss my guess, Dain of the Warrens, it is you who honor us. You have come unbidden to present us a kindness, have you not? We who have done you none of our own? So please, be at your ease and tell me of your purpose here."
Dain smiles back at Aoska. "In our...mmm...explorations of the Pythoness house, we found...a strange object - an enchanted vessel containing...errr...a vile fluid. Later, we encountered a spirit there who told us that he had seen Chaos Cultists bind an angel into an item we carried. We wanted to...ummm...release the unfortunate prisoner, but were afraid of doing more harm in our ignorance."
Dain gestures to his friends to bring out the jar. "We thought...hoped...that someone here could...mmm...help."
A cold calm comes over the angelic woman, a sense of a pent-up storm.
"Tell me everything."
Tilver pulls out the jar. He seems uncertain as to how to present it, merely placing it on the table after several moments of hesitation. "We found it in an empty room in Pythoness House. It was in a room with an evil book and a candle."
He motions to Velika's bag of holding which held the other items. He proceeds to give her the story about what they found in the rest of the house, including the Rhodintor and the chaos golem underneath the house.
She examines the jar, her face revealing nothing, but that sense of a pent-up storm rising permeates the room. She looks at you, at The Graven, and back at the jar.
With a visible effort, she relaxes. "Forgive me. I know the affront is not yours. Ptolus is a place for strange stories and I believe yours. I will have someone more qualified than I examine this... object."
"I thank you for your efforts and hope you will permit us to return the favor some day."
Silas nods and resists the urge to smooth down his pelt as the feeling of energy ebbs.
"You are most welcome, my lady. I sincerely hope that you are unable to undo what has been done to the angel."
"The Graven will see you out," she says. "My heart tells me we will speak again. Go in peace."
We made our exit respectfully, and Holys invites everyone back to his townhouse for a cup of tea.
When they have arrived, he poses a question:
"What next, friends?"
Tilver frowns. "I hope you are able to help him. If you learn anymore about what happened, please let us know. If you are able to reverse the magic, it would be interesting to speak to the angel."
"I feel like we should learn more about this...umm...Wuntad...and his...errr...friends?"
Dain will spend some time asking around the Warrens about Wuntad and the Litorian and Lizardfolk warriors.
hours
hours
hours
Silas stops and looks at Holys, "While Velika was being attacked a strange thin man with some hired muscle came to see me. I think he was trying to find a way to dig into House Dallimothan. You should be cautious in case they come to see if you are more amenable."
Why don't each of you tell me what you're planning to do with the next week? Dain's spending some of it researching. Who else?
Velika's primary task will be to pursue getting Alakabam enchanted to +1. But since that will probably mostly involve waiting, she will help Dain do his research. She also intends to spend a lot of time with friends and in taverns performing. She's missed the people.
Dain, Tilver and Holys?