The leftmost tunnel makes a sharp ninety-degree turn to the north before opening into a twenty-foot-high, thirty-five-foot-long cavern filled with a shallow lake that glitters in the faint greenish light from algae on the ceiling. In the center of the lake is a large alter to Ghlaunder. However, judging by the half-dozen partially melted bodies lying in the lake, this is the location of the acid trap.
------------------------------------------------------------
The middle tunnel leads north before making a sharp turn to the west. At this bend, you find a cultist hanging upside-down from the ceiling - a victim of a snare trap. This tunnel opens into a large cavern filled with a shallow (but frozen) lake. Three cultists lie half-submerged here, their bodies deathly cold to the touch.
Iris sighed slightly as she saw the melted bodies. The poor fools. Evil hurt its own as often as it hurt its enemies - witness the endless infighting within the Abyss. She didn't feel like dipping through acid, though, and left that particular tunnel to go investigate the middle passage. The icy area, too, had nothing of interest - and by process of elimination, that meant the last tunnel was likely the one that the enemy had gone down. She didn't know how much further these tunnels went, but she was determined to get to the bottom of this.
Once she'd returned there, she focused again. If there were any traps left, this would likely be where they were - most people protected the routes that were the most threatened, and she paid careful attention before carefully creeping forward and down the last tunnel.
Shortly after you begin walking down the last tunnel, you notice a tripwire that leads to a a pair of large axes. It seems nobody's been unlucky enough to trigger this particular trap.
Iris glanced at the tripwire and considered her options for a moment. Truthfully, she wasn't much of a disabler - she usually preferred a frontal approach to problems. Instead, she carefully moved forward, aiming to hop over the tripline (and well past it in case the floor was trapped as well) before continuing on down the passage.
You soar over the tripwire, clearing it easily. Continuing onward, you soon see a corpse pinned to the left wall. A scythe blade is stuck in the body, and another headless corpse nearby reveals that this was once a resetting scythe trap. Fortunately, it appears to be jammed, and you're able to walk past unhindered.
The tunnel leads to a final chamber where a stone trench about three-feet-deep runs the length of the west wall. Hanging above it are several human men, their chests flayed open, their blood dripping and pooling in the trench below. A thin stone tube then runs from the middle of the gory container, funneling blood down toward a large basin in the center of the room. Judging from the blood splashed around the outside of the basin, something recently crawled out of it. That 'something' appears to be a Wight who's currently standing in a corner of the room. He doesn't appear to have noticed your arrival - yet.
All right, a quick stock of her situation... more undead, bad, but she had enough power left over for several electric blasts. Their curses could be nasty, though, and she had no desire to be tainted by any of their diseases. Still, it'd help to be extra-cautious - and she spoke words of protection instead of charging straight in.
That was going to reveal her, of course, but she honestly didn't mind - the light had no need to hide from the dark, and undead were among the darkest of creatures. ...Usually. "Your time in this world is finished, Wight. Do you have anything to say?" she asked as she took a stance for combat.
Agile Feet: 9/9
Arcane Pool +1: 6/6
Bonded Holy Symbol: 0/1
Channel Positive Energy: 0/8
Divine Vessel: 7/9
Legendary Power: 2/2
Mythic Power: 4/7
Sword of Station: 3/3
The Wight responds with a roar, angry at being disturbed.
Iris focused for a moment, and lightning abruptly crackled into existence around her fist before she darted forward and punched towards the Wight's chest, intending to blast its body as hard as she could. "As you wish." she said, determined to put an end to this abomination. "Sooner or later, the light will come - and may your soul receive its proper reward."
for
Agile Feet: 9/9
Arcane Pool +1: 6/6
Bonded Holy Symbol: 0/1
Channel Positive Energy: 0/8
Divine Vessel: 7/9
Legendary Power: 2/2
Mythic Power: 3/7
Sword of Station: 3/3
The Wight barely flinches as you strike him with your spell. It roars again and swings a meaty fist at your face.
As you narrowly avoid being hit, you realize that you feel ... unlucky.
Baillaset: 10pts damage
Iris frowned slightly as she felt a lessening of her luck... but the power of hope that infused her acted as a counterbalance, evening things out and preventing at least some of its effects.
"I see... so that's what happened to those men." she mused, focusing her mind and concentrating. As she did so, a surge of energy flowed down her staff, enhancing it with additional magical power. A moment later, she swung out with all the force she could muster, intending to take this fiend down as quickly as possible. It looked far too strong and fast for her liking, and she had no intention of allowing it any more opportunities to hit her than necessary.
for +
Agile Feet: 9/9
Arcane Pool +1: 5/6
Bonded Holy Symbol: 0/1
Channel Positive Energy: 0/8
Divine Vessel: 7/9
Legendary Power: 2/2
Mythic Power: 2/7
Sword of Station: 3/3
Your powerful strike knocks the Wight back a step, but it's quick to recover. It swings again with his meaty fist, but you're once again able to narrowly avoid the blow.
Baillaset: 47pts damage
Iris ducked under the creature's swing, focusing on what remained of her power as she did so. Once again, she had no real desire to talk - while she would gladly speak to others when she thought there was a chance of converting them to the light, the simple truth was that undead generally lacked that capacity. If it couldn't be reasoned with, the only thing to do was destroy it - and speech was thus unnecessary.
for +
Agile Feet: 9/9
Arcane Pool +1: 5/6
Bonded Holy Symbol: 0/1
Channel Positive Energy: 0/8
Divine Vessel: 7/9
Legendary Power: 2/2
Mythic Power: 1/7
Sword of Station: 3/3
Part of the Wight's body disintegrates under the force of your blow. It's clear that it's barely being held together at this point, but it continues to attack.
Baillaset: 89pts damage
Determined to put an end to this, Iris flicked her weapon through the air, intending to hammer home...
for
...and it was far from the best blow she'd ever managed. Her foot came down on the floor a moment later. "Not yet!" she cried, sending a surge of divine power through her body.
Moving with inhuman speed, Iris reversed the course of her weapon and swung down again, intending to actually hit her opponent this time. That was all she had for now - no more twisting reality for any spell she wanted, changing fate, or otherwise doing more than what mortals could... but if she could end this menace now, it would be worth it.
for
Agile Feet: 9/9
Arcane Pool +1: 5/6
Bonded Holy Symbol: 0/1
Channel Positive Energy: 0/8
Divine Vessel: 7/9
Legendary Power: 2/2
Mythic Power: 0/7
Sword of Station: 3/3
With a final roar, the Wight explodes in a bloody red mist. With its demise, you can feel the ambient unluck begin to evaporate, and the air feels somewhat cleaner. At least as clean as a corpse-filled temple to the Gossamer King can be.
Iris winced slightly as the creature's body exploded, and took a moment to glance over the room and grab anything of value - but when she was done, she carefully began moving the dead bodies out towards the entrance, looking to use any ropes or chains to tie them together and make it easier. Getting past the traps she'd seen before was also an issue, but she didn't want to leave too many bodies lying around in this place - the least she could do was ensure they got a proper burial and didn't rise as undead. For now, though, she wanted to check on the reformed ex-cultists and see if they were still affected by that curse of misfortune - and unless distracted by something else, she'd soon be in their chamber again.
When you return to the ex-cultists, they're still eying each other suspiciously, but a small portion of the darkness around them seems to have lifted.
Loot
178pp, 3gp
+1 shortsword x1
Scroll - lesser restoration x1
"I'm fairly certain that the one who cursed you is dead for good." Iris said, smiling at them. "Would you three mind helping me take these bodies out for burial? I'm sure the townsfolk are still quite worried right now, and an obvious show of trying to help the departed should work well for helping you get on their good side." Just a little bit of friendly advice - one of the responsibilities of a goddess was guiding mortals and giving them advice to help improve their lives.
"Whatever you did seems to be working. We feel better than we have since that damn Wight came here. And if helping you will keep us from getting murdered by angry townsfolk, we'll be the best aides you've ever met!" Their eagerness to help was a little sad, actually. These men were clearly people who went where the power was without considering the repercussions. Fortunately, this time they've hitched themselves to someone who isn't Evil.
"Remember to decide things for yourselves." Iris cautioned. Even Asmodeus wanted people to willingly submit, not just have things forced upon them. With that, she made her way back towards the entrance of the facility, intending to pick up the body of the priest she'd found earlier and bring him outside as well.
As you return to daylight, you see a large-sized crowd has gathered. There are gasps when the see the priest's body.
With calm words, Iris began to explain what had happened - how cultists incensed by their previous losses hadn't been content to fade away, but also how the remnants had been eliminated... and how a few of them, seeing what their fellows had done, turned against the cult entirely to aid in its destruction. In at least a small way, they were heroes who had helped the town, and might even be able to share information with the authorities in order to help track down any remaining threats to the city.
For now, however, it seemed that the town was safe once more - and those who had further questions should direct them to the town's leaders once the investigation into the incident had been completed. As much as Iris liked getting attention, she wanted the townspeople to remain focused on their true leaders until further notice. She planned to take care of any lingering issues, sell off a few things, and head somewhere to rest.
One of these days she was going to have to make a private demiplane for herself and call it home... but her power would need to recover considerably more before she could manage that. In the meantime, however, she really would like to deliver the bodies to the appropriate churches, ensuring that all rites could be completed as soon as possible. The dead priest had perished in an effort to protect the town and its innocents, and Iris was determined to ensure that his body was taken care of.
The townsfolk naturally have many questions, but your explanation satisfies them enough that they let you pass. Your growing reputation likely helped, too - as did your stated desire to see the priest properly laid to rest. Pausing only to leave the ex-cultists with the guards, you make your way to the Temple of Desna, where the clergy are devastated by his loss. Although you hadn't had a chance to meet him, they explain that he was a truly good man who was known for his acts of charity.
"I would be surprised if a man serving in a place like this was anything less." Iris said gently. Sooner or later, death came to all mortals - and speaking of that, "I'm sure the Tender of Dreams will soon be ushering his soul to freedom among the stars, so remember your faith and do not weep too hard for the departed. In the meantime, if there are any others here high in Desna's favor, I would appreciate it if they could spare a few moments to look over the men who helped me avenge your priest's death. They were cursed while in those catacombs, and I wish to be sure they are truly all right now. They need help and support far more than I - and you owe me nothing for what happened today."
She was a bit nervous about accepting any kind of reward from another church. She didn't do things for money or power - she did them because they were right. Besides, she liked Desna - and anything that remained within the church would still be put to use in the overall service of good.
The priests were grateful, and your words seemed to grant them some peace as you remind them of what awaits their fallen Brother. The agree to look over the men and treat any malignancies they can find.
Satisfied that everything was in order with the men, Iris quietly stepped outside, eventually wandering towards the markets.
Starting Wealth: 178 PP, 4377 GP, 8 SP (~6158 GP)
Selling:
+1 Shortsword = +1155 GP
Bag of Holding Type I = +1250 GP
Buying:
Bag of Endless Holding (Yay, Scaling Items) = -3100 GP
Ending Wealth: 178 PP, 3682 GP, 8 SP (~5463 GP)
Having picked up what she really wanted - something whose true value would be seen later - Iris made her way to the local law offices and spent whatever time was needed to explain everything she'd seen, detail the traps and monsters, and otherwise prepare the civil forces for any forays into the area. Only when all of that was done did she finally head back to her room, intending to rest and recover her power.
That night, you dream of a growing darkness again. It feels ... pleased with you.
Flickers of light came off the edge of Iris' fingers as she clenched a fist. She was no goddess of law, but there was an order to things, and it was generally considered good form for higher entities to be straight with each other. Excluding those who were liars, anyway. This was actually a measure of practicality - when deities got angry enough to fight each other, bad things happened, and that usually worked out worse for everyone. They might refuse to talk about an issue, but being cryptic and obtuse could result in horribly unplanned events occurring as a result.
...On the other hand, it was possible she didn't qualify as being a true deity at the moment, so nobody would feel bound by that sort of polite agreement. Feh. For now, though, she did have a plan for spending the next few days.
Morning started by enjoying the light of dawn, preparing her magic, and quite literally becoming the essence of hope, then briefly checking around to see if anything or anyone needed her help for a bigger issue. If they did, she'd likely put the plans rest of the day on hold and save her energy.
Otherwise, the early part of the day was spent on charitable deeds, offering healing (and the occasional lesser restoration) to those who needed it, with a particular emphasis on aiding the poor. She was also very insistent about refusing to take payment from them - though anybody who could reasonably afford it (and wanted her help) was expected to pay. Selling magic was one of the major ways churches made money, and she had no intention of trying to undercut local churches.
The afternoons were spent searching for information - in libraries, talking to people, and so on. Finally, evening was when she put on her performances. The hall that Ghlaunder's cult had attacked would probably be a bit vulnerable for some time, and she did put out a donation box for those who wanted to toss something in. Each session received her full attention and effort - especially because getting noticed this way would probably help her get noticed and improve her ability to gather information by talking to people afterwards.
If there wasn't any new information in a week of effort, though, she'd be looking to move on. She was a goddess of travel, too, and was never truly content to stay in one place forever - unless that place was the hearts of the people, at least.
You play and sing for almost a week - always to cheering crowds. Your performances are truly marvels to behold, and you're able to earn a fair bit of coin in this way. On the sixth day, as you're wrapping up a song, a messenger boy hands you a note.
I've received word that the Beast of Lepidstadt has been captured. Its trial will begin soon, and everyone has already decided it's guilty. I don't know if this is true or not, but I've seen what blind fury can lead to. You've shown me that you can see the man inside the monster. Please do so again.
~ Markov Rutowski
Iris carefully read the note she'd been handed, glad to have finished working with the crowd. She was always quite happy to see people turn out for her songs - singing was something she enjoyed for its own sake, but as a deity, having so much adulation and attention simply helped her feel more comfortable and relaxed.
Once she'd finished things up, however, she headed for the courthouse in order to investigate this particular request. She COULD ask around, of course - and probably would later - but it was evening now, and the civil authorities probably had most of the information the others knew.
"Good evening." she said as she arrived. "I understand there's a case you'd like me to look into?"
While walking is definitely an option, time seemed to be of the essence, and Lepidstadt was many miles away. To save time, you book passage on a boat heading up the Moutray River. The voyage takes about a week, and by the time you arrive at your destination, the trial has already started. On the way, you learn a fair bit of information.
Shortly after you disembark, you're found by Markov Rutowski who's clearly had people looking for you. Even though she only moved to Lepidstadt recently, she already seems to have garnered a fair bit of influence. "Hello again, Iris. I'm so glad you've come."
Iris inclined her head slightly. "This sounded too interesting to pass up." she said, giving the other woman a smile. "I'm glad to hear that the city hasn't simply executed this golem out of hand. It's easy to be fair when everything is going according to plan - but not so much when people are frightened and demanding another being's head. What can you tell me about what's going on here?"
"Well, I'm sure you've heard all about the Beast on the trip here, but I wanted to share my perspective. I haven't been in Lepidstadt for long, but there seems to be a darkness in this town that is seeking out a scapegoat. Every time something bad happens, it's the Beast's fault - even when I know it isn't responsible. In this case, it's clearly guilty, but something seems ... off ... about the whole thing. The Beast is supposed to be intelligent, but the University is always guarded. Why would it go somewhere it could easily be trapped and captured?
Also, the trial's been an absolute farce thus far. Lepidstadt prides itself on following due process and ensuring justice is done. But the Beast's court-appointed advocate is terrible. He's lost his last seven cases and is clearly in way over his head. He can't even get a sentence out of his mouth without stuttering all over it! I think he's being set up to fail.
Anyway, I could care less if the Beast lives or dies. I just want to make sure it gets a fair trial. Do you think you can help?"
Iris tapped a finger against her staff. "Servants of Abadar or Iomedae would be best for this..." she began. "Perhaps Damerrich as an alternatice. Eritrice and Zohls..." she tapped her finger a few more times, thinking. "I require some kind of Writ of Authority." she finally explained. "Being hired by the defense as an investigator, for example, or a specific request from the court to study the case in more detail. While I do hope to see justice done, I will not interfere in a legal case unless an appropriate authority specifically asks for my aid."
Iris had very strong feelings on matters of law - she despised those who abused positions of authority (whether maliciously or through mere incompetence), but at the same time, she was not a goddess of law and typically left such matters to the deities who were actually in charge of such things. She wouldn't go asking mortals to allow her into the case, either, unless it involved one of her own followers and so fell within her sphere of interest - they'd have to come to her. Anything else would be a violation of the agreements between the gods through overstepping her boundaries - and wise deities did not violate those boundaries unless they were prepared to challenge for that part of another deity's portfolio.
Markov nods. "How about I introduce you to the Beast's advocate? He's a good man, but the case is stacked against him. I'm sure he'd be grateful for any possible assistance, and he's definitely authorized to bring in outside help. People here seem to have already decided the Beast's guilt, and while there are servants of Abadar here, they work as agents of impartiality in the court. I can't go to them without affecting their neutrality. Also, people here tend to dislike magic in the court setting. Truthtelling spells and the like are considered a form of coercion here."
"I see." she observed. Well, she'd have to fix that at some point. Truthtelling spells could be enormously valuable in a legal setting, especially when presenting what would otherwise be seen as a fanciful tale. Spells that forced people to talk were one thing, but there was nothing morally objectionable about someone who willingly subjected themselves to a truthtelling spell as a way of helping verify their story. "Let's go see this advocate, then - the sooner the investigation begins, the sooner the trial can reach a fair conclusion."
With a nod, Rutowski leads you to the courthouse and brings you to the Defense Chamber. There, you meet Barrister Gustav Kaple (Picture). After you've been introduced, he's willing to give you some more details about the case. You get the sense that he's doing his best but is very overwhelmed.
1) Last year's murder of 10 citizens of the village of Morast
2) The slaying of six children in the farming community of Hergstag seven months ago
3) The arson of Karb Isle's Sanctuary four months ago that resulted in the deaths of Doctor Brada and his patients, and the blinding of his assistant Karl.
Barrister Gustav has interviewed the main witnesses of all three cases, and he finds their stories plausible. However, due to the speedy nature of the trial, he's been unable to conduct full investigations. Preliminary evidence has already been presented to the jury, and the trial begins in earnest tomorrow morning. Barrister Gustav has petitioned repeatedly for more time to prepare a defense but has been overturned. Aside from the Beast's muttered "I didn't do it," he has absolutely nothing to work with.
In addition, you notice several old newspapers. It seems that the Barrister has lost his last six cases and is a bit of a laughingstock. Despite this, he's very open with you about his desire to see justice done. "Personally, I believe the Beast is as bad as they say it is, but the court chose me to represent it, and I will do so to the best of my ability."
"One day really isn't enough for a proper investigation..." she mused. "And golems are immune to magic, too, so I can't truly verify its story..." Aside from simply trying to perceive lies, of course. "What reason did they give for overturning the trial? If we can convince the priests of Abadar that the current state of the trial is violating the creature's right to due process, we may be able to force an extension on procedural grounds."
"I was able to get them to spread out the charges - albeit only slightly. They'll be presenting the Morast murders tomorrow, and then the other two charges over the following two days. I'd go to Morast myself and poke around, but I don't have time to do that and prepare my counterarguments.
"As for due process, the Beast has been quite uncooperative and refuses to talk to anyone. Plus, being a golem, people can argue that it's not truly alive and doesn't deserve the same rights as us. You're welcome to see the Beast if you're so inclined. Maybe you can get somewhere with it."
"We are lacking in time, but I suppose that would be for the best." Iris said, nodding. At the very least, she was confident of her ability to convince other people to talk to her, and she'd track down whatever information she could at this... Morast... place. She didn't like that name much (it was too close to 'Morass', and that reminded her of the troubles in Ravenmoor), but oh well. "Work on your arguments - I'll get someone else to show me to the Beast." With that, she headed out of the room, looking for a guard that could show her the way.
It doesn't take you time to locate a guard to take you to the Beast's cell. There, you find a towering abomination sitting in an iron chair, bound with no less than a dozen sets of manacles. Stitching holds together this grotesque patchwork of flesh and bone, beast and man, though the wires are so taut they look as though they may fly apart at any moment. Its mouth is twisted in a permanent sneer, and a shock of lank, dark hair clings to its scalp. The creature slumps in its chair, a despondent expression on its monstrous face. It roars at you when the cell door opens. "GO AWAY!!!"
Quite a big fellow, wasn't he? No wonder the townsfolk were so worked up about all of this. "Are you sure that's what you want me to do?" she asked the creature. "My name is Iris, and I came here to help you." She was careful to keep her tone gentle and soothing. Once it saw her as a friend, she might be able to get it to relax and tell her a little more about what was going on. On the other hand... when mortals told her to leave, she often would. She was not a goddess who forced her presence upon others without good reason.
The Beast looked confused and suspicious. "You're not a guard or that man. What kinda help?"
Well, at least it could state the obvious. "A friend of mine has asked me to investigate why you're here, gather as much evidence as possible about the crimes you've been accused of, and try to ensure that you receive a fair trial. Do you understand what is happening to you, and why it's important to have adequate representation?" Its intelligence was a critically important matter.
The Beast looks confused by your big words. "Uh ... I did something bad, so I'm in time-out?"
...Not especially intelligent, then. She'd have to speak more carefully. "Yes. But you only have to be in time-out if you were actually bad." she explained. "Did you do the things they said you did?"