"Blake that's very kind of you." Brodert shivers in the rain and tucks his travelling sack under his arm. "Might we get out of this rain though my boy. Last thing I want now is to catch sick" Brodert looks mournfully at the ruins of his house. "So much lost..."
It is a long night and few in Sandpoint sleep well. Many of the inns and taverns continue doing business til deep into the night. In the Rusty Dragon Ameiko is strangely absent leaving the halfing Bethana to scramble and cover the patrons.
At the cathedral the victims of the fire some are still in need of healing all are in need of comfort. Abstalar bustles about with the help of the other priests and acolytes making the people as comfortable as he can.
Out in the rain, the Sheriff trudged back away from the shore towards the garrison then stopped and instead headed towards market street ...
Above in the sky the clouds eventually break and the stars wheel into view sparkling until dawn begins to shade the sky in yellow and orange.
In the new day as Belor requested you have all gathered in Mayor Deverin's office. It's a small cozy corner room decorated in a simple aesthetic with a number of leather books in shelves along the outside wall under the smaller window and a colorful stained glass window over the mayor's polished desk.
Today the small room is crowded with people. Belor, Nornan, Clarence, Brodert, Lysa, Brinda, Blake, Sabyl, and Ilsoari Gandethus. The mayor hadn't arrived yet.
"I'm having a hard time believing all of that happened last night." Ilsoari shifts in the high backed chair he was sitting in looking slightly ashamed. "I mean I know I employ spells to reduce noise outside of my work space. But--"
"but you can get rather, shall we say, 'focused' old friend." Brodert interrupts gently although his use of the word "focused" seems to hide the word "obsessed" somewhere inside of it.
It looks as though the old sage might say more as the door opens.
"I'm sorry to keep everybody waiting, as you can imagine today has been--and is probably going to be crazy" The mayor smiles warmly at everyone as she picks her way through the crowded room to sit behind her desk. "Sheriff, I appreciate you bringing these fine folks in this morning. I understand that several of you," She looks proudly at Blake, "are responsible for the rescue and care of several townsfolk, including Mr. Quink here. Who with the help of his fellow scholars," the mayor looks at Clarence and Ilsoari,"might be able to shed some light on what happened last night. And if we can expect to see it again."
Mayor Deverin reaches into her desk. "First of all official thanks" She pulls out a parchment and a fancy metal quill. Dipping her pen into the ink she begins writing. Pen scratches on paper for a few moments, "Official commendations for the public record. In light of all the troubles this town has seen over the past several years the sheriff and I feel it is important that future generations realize there was more to this town than Jervis Stoot. How would you like to be recorded for posterity"
"So." the mayor sets down her pen, "Personally speaking, thank you."
The previous night had been crazy. I could still feel the remnants of the burns itching, even though they had been healed through some magic means. I'd heard stories of people feeling missing fingers and legs even after they're gone, maybe its like that.
We gathered in the Mayor's office to, I guess, find out exactly what happened. I was curious myself, wondering what had gone on in the old man, Brodert's, house.
The offer of thanks took me slightly off guard, and I stuttered out a response, a little before thinking.
Thank you for the offer, mayor. If it will help the city, I am simply Nornan. I, umm, have no, I guess the term is, adult name. A matter of pride, admitting this has me embarrassed. I hoped, perhaps, that the others didnt know the significance.
A bit embarrassed by the notion of a public commendation, Lysa feels unusually shy as she responds to the mayor's request. "I'd like my name to be listed as Lysa, cleric of Shelyn if that is alright sir."
Brinda fidgets uncomfortably, but nods her acceptance of the commendation and replies with her own Thank you, Madame Mayor.
"Given the circumstances, I'd like to offer my thanks again as well." Brodert sighs. "As to the obvious question of what caused it? I can't really say. It has long been my theory that the Old Light was a weapon of enormous power. I think that theory has been pretty well proven but what activates it--I don't know."
"Pardon me if this question seems silly but what use is a weapon that shoots straight into the sky and rains such damage around it's base. Just what up there was it shooting at?"
Dragons? Brinda shrugs before she can even stop herself. To be fair, I wasn't really paying attention to what was going on around us. I was rather focused on helping Clarence's friend. What exactly did happen last night?
"I think we can safely rule out dragons or that it was even shooting at anything necessarily which hopefully means no dragons." Brodert smiles at Brinda.
As to what happend: It was late evening last night when for no apparent reason the Old Light discharged an enormous magical blast into the sky. The light of the blast could probably have been seen halfway to the Storval Stairs. The first several minutes of the event caused chunks of molten stone, presumably from the top of the tower to rain down on the buildings in tower street. It was very much what I would imagine being at the base of a volcano during an eruption might be like but without flowing lava . . . and a few other things. But anyway. I had gotten ready for bed and was collecting some night reading when the event began. I watched fascinated until the debris began burning Tower Street then I collected several antique scrolls and about fifteen of my most referenced books, only those from the second floor though I couldn't get down to the first floor as the house was already in serious trouble.
"At some point I was struck by something I remember struggling my way to my room grabbing my bag tossing the books in and squeezing into the fireplace I hung a blanket to keep the worst of the smoke out and doused it in water from the first of the scrolls I'd grabbed. I then read from the second scroll and created the extradimensional space you found me in. After that I passed out."
The light of the blast could probably have been seen halfway to the Storval Stairs.
"Maybe further" Sabyl adds in a hushed tone.
Dungeoneering Check:
"There is no access above ground to The Old Light. Clarence what about below? Those tunnels you were starting to tell me about."
"Why yes, Blake, of course! I had forgotten in all the excitement!" Clarence pulls out Saul's journal to show to the rest of the group. "You all remember Saul, yes? Apparently he discovered some tunnels underneath the Glassworks. He had been planning an expedition, until the Late Unpleasantness happened. Perhaps we should check it out?"
The talk of the Old Light had me curious. But I was also interested in the fate of the locksmith.
It would be my suggestion that we investigate it as well. If something happens again, more of the town may suffer. Speaking of, how is the locksmith doing? I also noticed he was holding on to some strange tube of a metal I had never seen before. It was not steel, I am certain.
"If I recall, Saul mentioned a ruined Thasilonian complex underneath town. If this weapon is Thassilonian, that is definitely our best bet for figuring out how it works and how to stop it in the future."
"Who would undertake such an exploration? I've heard enough tavern tales to know this will be dangerous. Belor, some of your men maybe?"
Through much of this discussion the sheriff seems slightly distracted as though worrying at an idea. "No. Bodert summed up a serious problem with that. The blast from the old light was like a beacon and I'm concerned of what sort of attention we might have garnered. I want to make sure my men are ready to deal with...I don't even know. Someone else will have to explore those ruins."
"Fair enough,"The mayor sighs and pinches her nose. Mayor Deverin glances around the room.
"So who do we send down there? Clarence you've read the most about these tunnels can you brief someone on Saul's notes?"
It would be my suggestion that we investigate it as well. If something happens again, more of the town may suffer. Speaking of, how is the locksmith doing? I also noticed he was holding on to some strange tube of a metal I had never seen before. It was not steel, I am certain.
The locksmith was recovering well last you saw him. You saw the tube Volio was protecting it looked a bit like an ornate locking adamantine scrollcase. Volio never made a big deal about it but was still protective of it, keeping carefully in reach and in sight all night.
Brinda smiles and shakes her head in amusement. You need people to go digging around underground to an enormous tower that just rained fire and brimstone on our beloved town? How could I possibly resist such a gracious request to go? Merriment dances in her dark eyes.
Ilsoari chuckles. "One down."
"We may be getting ahead of ourselves. We don't even know if Ameiko will give us access to the Glassworks. I mean under normal circumstances-" Belor leaves the comment hanging awkwardly when he meets confused looks from a number of the listeners in the room.
"I could brief someone on Saul's notes, but it would be much more efficient if I were just to tag along. I may be a little slow, but that doesn't make me any less capable, I assure you."
"If you're sure Clarence. That's two" Ilsoari doesn't really sound convinced and the tone of his counting statement clearly indicates that he won't be making the trip.
"I guess I'll be number three. I admit to being a bit curious about the nature of the old lighthouse, plus having more healing in the group may be a good idea."
"I'm with you too. Nornan? Sabyl?"
"I don't think so. There are a number of the faithful whom I will not abandon should the sheriff's concerns prove valid."
"So Mr. Nornan will you be number five?"
Yes. I will accompany you. It would be good to make sure this does not happen again.
"Wait, Sheriff, you said 'if Ameiko would give us access' Lonjiku--"
"Lonjiku's dead. The sheriff interupts Sabyl with the shocking news. "He was found last night at the bottom of a cliff. Ameiko is the only living family member so she inherits everything, including the glassworks."
"I don't think that's quite right? I seem to remember a boy...Tsuto? He was one of our students." He looks at Clarence then to Blake. "He was maybe a year or two ahead of you?." Ilsoari shrugs. "There was a boy though."
"A half-elf boy Lonjiku disowned. Besides we have no idea where Tsuto is so he won't be here to contest." The mayor coughs quietly. "Anyway, How soon can all of you be ready? I'd like to avoid another--event."
I can begin now, I just need to get a few things from my room. As to this Lonjiku, the fact that he died at this time, and is so connected with the glassworks, needed for access to these tunnels, strikes me as odd. For Lonjiku's sake, I hope it is a coincidence.
It is odd. As to the exploration we were about to undertake, I was hesitant. Looking around at the others, it was obvious quickly that while my new allies were both motivated and ernest in their desire to help, if the ship hit the rocks, it would fall to me to be the muscle. Not something I liked to do. But, better than letting more people get hurt.
"We'll know more about whether it was coincidence or not once Belor has had a chance to investigate fully. In the meantime, I think his concern was that it will be harder to approach Ameiko, tactfully and while respecting her grief."
"That does sum up most of it."
Brinda is sobered by the sheriff's anouncement, Let me talk to Ameiko. After that I'll just need to collect my things and make sure Niska's settled.
"I guess that's it then. Good luck." Mayor Deverin stands with her hands resting on the desk. "I'll see if I can get the town to get you some sort of remuneration but for now I have to get to work."
She smiles and offers her hand to everyone in turn.
"Kendra," Ilsoari smiles as he shakes her hand.
He then turns to Clarence and Blake "I'll see if I can't pull together some supplies for your expedition. I'll meet you at the glassworks and see you off."
"I'll see if I can help too. Most of my possessions went up in flames last night but I did manage to save more than a few things." Bodert smiles wanly. "You may make last nigh's losses worth it."
The meeting breaks up and everyone has a chance to collect the gear they'll need for delving below Sandpoint and meet back up at the glassworks.
All morning people have been talking about the events of last night, the Old Light, the fires, and the mysterious body which some are beginning to find out belonged to Lonjiku Kaijitsu. It won't be long before half of the town is talking about the expedition under the glassworks.
Sunlight glitters off the sea beyond the glassworks as you approach. Brinda's conversation with Ameiko apparently went fairly well, Ameiko is letting the five of you access to her father's glassworks.
As you head around back the pretty bar owner is chatting with Ilsoari. Her tone is much subdued but she still manages to smile from time to time.
"There are tunnels under the glassworks old smugglers caves that father used to use to bring supplies up from the beach. Tsuto and I used to play in those tunnels. I'd pretend I was a famous Pathfinder like in the stories investigating a dangerous ancient ruins and sometimes Tsuto was my loyal companion other times he was a rival." she chuckles but its a strained laugh. "We'd come home black with dirt, sometimes bloody from scratches and scrapes. Father hated it but that never stopped us. Our favorite spot was an alcove where the cave stone gave way to smooth, worked stone with graffiti carvings on it. As a child we would pretend the stone was a doorway and the carvings ancient runes. I never imagined we might be right."
Once the party has gathered Ilsoari presents Clarence with the large cloth bag Brodert had saved from the fire last night. "Brodert and I have put together a care package for you all. The bag is Brodert's you'll have to bring it back to him when this is all over but for now he want's you to have it. In side are a couple of scrolls and potions, those are from me. Brodert had several of the sheriff's men digging around in the ruins of his home for some Thasilonian key he thought might be useful particularly since it had been left to him by Saul. He also spent the last several hours composing a short treatise on Old Thasillon he thought you might find useful. I told him you would be rather busy to spend a lot of time reading but he insisted." Ilsoari shrugs, "Well that's, that. Clarence have you come to your senses? Adventuring is not an old man's game. We're not built for this anymore." he seems to catch something in Clarence's expression and clears his throat. "well, just stay safe my friend. And, that goes for all of you. We want you all to come back safe and sound."
With that Ilsoari offers his hand to each of the party in turn bids everyone farewell and heads back towards the academy.
Ameiko opens the door to the glassworks and leads you inside. The staff must have been given th day off in light of the tragedies of the night before and the building is quiet. She leads your party through the empty workroom with it's huge furnaces and down into the basement. Ameiko lights a lantern and shows you the entrance to the tunnels and gives you directions to the ancient doors she mentioned earlier.
"Best of luck." She says simply looking down the darkened passage ahead of you all.