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City of Ashes
Twelve miles outside Bard's Gate lies the City of Ashes. This bleak and desolate locale is home to the city’s largest cemetery. Once well-maintained, it is now a crowded jumble of mausoleums, it's narrow cobblestone paths choked with weeds and thorny vines.
There is a certain peace here — the peace of the lost and forgotten. But even that little comfort vanishes as the sun sets and chill fogs rise to enwrap the headstones and statuary.
It has been thirty years since the March of Bones, in which legions of the dead were raised from the cemetery and set to wander the countryside, some even reaching the walls of Bard's Gate.
Few are buried here today. The wealthy are entombed in private crypts with more pleasant surroundings. Only the poor, destitute and unknown are laid to rest in the City of Ashes now, overseen by the grim Caretaker's Guild. They work only during daylight hours, and are not so foolish as to remain in the City of Ashes after sundown, when the perish blossom blooms.
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In ages past, two vast temples to Thyr and Muir were erected in Bard’s Gate at the founding of that great city that still stands today. The priestly followers of these noble gods erected smaller duplicates of the twin temples in a small, secluded valley to the north of the city, adjacent to a lake of crystalline clarity. This valley became known as the Valley of the Shrines. In the nearby hills they also carved burial halls to house their fallen heroes and worshipers. For years the worship of Thyr and Muir thrived, producing heroes and paladins of legend, some of whom are entombed in the burial halls.
But new gods came, replacing the older gods. And the worship of Thyr and Muir in the secluded valley — both demanding deities — waned in favor of the more liberal gods of song, craft and commerce in the city of Bard’s Gate. Unable to maintain both the twin temples in Bard’s Gate and the complex in the Valley of the Shrines, the priests of Thyr and Muir sealed the northern shrines in the valley and returned their worship to the temples in the city. Abandoned, the burial halls still remained sacred places, and small groups of pilgrims continued to make treks to the sealed temples to pay respect to their fallen predecessors and to peer into the crystalline lake.
As the years passed, the shrines in the northern valley increasingly fell to disuse and ruin. Only a handful of devoted priests, led by the high priest Abysthor, were left to continue the elaborate rituals of their gods. Even the great twin temples in Bard’s Gate began to deteriorate. Despite Abysthor’s devotion, his temple and the worship of his gods in general waned.
In his final years, Abysthor spent many hours in the main temple in Bard’s Gate in communion with his deity. Declaring he had received a great vision, he traveled alone — aged and infirm — to the Valley of the Shrines, claiming he would return soon and that the glory of Thyr and Muir would be restored. Abysthor never returned. Some said he had gone there to die and had done so alone because no other priest could cast the spells necessary to consecrate him properly. None since Abysthor have returned to the abandoned burial halls or the twin shrines by the crystal lake.
Abysthor’s failed quest was taken as a sign of decline. It has been some twenty years since Abysthor disappeared. Only a handful of priests remain in the temples in Bard’s Gate, their cavernous temples falling to disuse, bereft of worshipers.
The company had reached the Twin Shrines at last. After trekking North from Bard's Gate, staying over in the Citadel of Griffons, they had navigated the harsh frontier led by their guide, the tracker Jebbah Hardthorne. Harried by increasingly evil forces, they made their way to the Crystal Lake, only to find it polluted by abyssal skum. The dwarf Tarvellin was swallowed whole as fiendish frogs emerged from the tainted waters of the once sacred lake. Making their way into the vault beneath the defiled shrine to rally, they heard the rumble of granite slid aside as a terror from the abyss spoke to them inside their minds promising doom and tragic defeat.
The two brothers, faithful of Muir, drew their swords for one last stand. Jeb Hardthorne nocked an arrow to his bow. Lucia Moonshadow readied her most efficacious spells. But Priscilla Springheel, the tiny thief, seeing the odds were against them, searched every nook and cranny for access to the treasure room, hoping to find a weapon that could turn the tide of battle. Behind a tapestry she found a secret door and entered, but behind her, Ares Valorn, seeing that all was lost, sealed her inside the secret chamber so that she might escape a terrible fate.
When the sounds of battle subsided, Priscilla looked on in anguish as the door of the chamber slid back. There was Ares, broken on the floor of his Goddess's shrine. Releasing Priscilla was his final act.
Alone and full of grief, Priscilla made her way to the enchanted pool of her friend Roswen, the Nereid, who blessed her and nourished her with enchanted berries. From there she returned to the Citadel of Griffon's, and convinced the Knights of the corruption and danger that was growing in the North. Delivered on the back of a Griffon to the doors of Bard's Gate, Priscilla set out to notify the High Priest of Muir of the failure of their expedition.
But first, she would get to the bottom of something. She thought back to the events that started this all. Lucia had come to her, asking her to obtain an "art object" that was in transit to a buyer outside Bard's Gate. That object had turned out to be the head of the statue of Muir from the shrine in the valley. What had Lucia gotten herself mixed up in? Who was the buyer that the head of the statue was in transit to when it happened to fall off that turnip truck and into Priscilla's hands? If only Priscilla had paid more attention to these things. She would have to ask Lucia's friend Lilia Stinisen. Boy was Lilia going to be sad that Lucia was dead.
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The whole thing really sucked, but the pint sized survivor was here to get answers and since her big door kickers were all dead she would have to be all polite and knock.So without further delay the pint sized princess knocked on the door to one Lilia Stinisen.
"Hello...um...Halfling gram?" Pris got out before she thought that a utterly stupid entrance and instead changed it."Sorry, I'm actual Priscilla Springheel I...uh...need to talk to Lila, I have news about Lucia and the whole art object, relicy thing"
Nearby there is a shrine to Freya, the Goddess of Love and Fertility. Inside, hidden away from the sight of worshipers, is a small ceremonial chamber that lies nestled among the temples ornamental stone. There lies the body of a young woman. At the behest of the priesthood the corpse had been brought from the village of Fairhill. The reason simply because Freya had declared it so. Her pale skin is illuminated gently by burning incense while the rest of the room is bathed in peaceful silence.
But it would not last. Suddenly the body begins to convulse, a terrible wheezing sound coming from its throat. The essence of Urrnir Drahaenn has returned once more to make claim of its physical form. As the soul forces its way back into life the body is forced to remember: coughing as air once again passes through its lungs, shaking as the muscles move once again.
This continues for a bit before finally subsiding, the room returning once more becoming peaceful- though now the silence has been replaced with the sound of gentle breathing. Urrnir stumbles to her feet, still disoriented from the ordeal. She does not bother to check the bag that had been left within reach, though she grabs it nonetheless, and with one last wheeze she heads for the door leading to temple proper.
The details were still a little fuzzy, what with having been jarred back to life just a moment ago, but she did understand at least one thing: somewhere the warrior Ares Valron would be going through the same thing and her job was to find him once he had returned to the mortal plane. But first she needed to get her bearings straight.
A pretty human opens the door. She looks down at the halfling, as the words begin to flow from her mouth. At first glace, this Priscilla didn't seem to talk as much as most halflings...that was good at least.
"It's Lilia. And I am she. Come in. What are you going on about? Lucia and a relic-y thing? Tell me more, little one."
Lilia had an idea what the halfling might have been hinting at, but she wasn't going to volunteer the information, in case there was a misunderstanding.
Priscilla smiles the best possible smile she has and waves as she sees the tallie emerge. In her mind the woman seemed non threatening but like most things in life you can't be to careful.
"So bad news first right, thats how this usually goes. So um...I am the Only survivor of those brave souls who sought the resting place of the relic. In esscense our good friend Lucia is ...um..dead."
Priscilla let the news sink in before she continued on."aside from this horrible news I burdened you with, I have other more pressing matters like who was the original buyer of the relic, It could be the reason why my group suffered such a horrible fate at the hands of demons"
"Lucia...dead? Why it can't be. I saw her not long ago and she was fine," Lilia muttered, shaking her head.
It took a good 15 or 20 seconds for the words to actually take effect. "Could you tell me what happened to her? Was it fast? Did she suffer? I....," and by this time Lilia's voice had started to quiver, and tears at began forming in her eyes.
Lueck follows along with Cairenn. "Where to next? Not that it hasn't been enlightening learning from you, but I'm getting low on coins."
Urrnir coughs once more before taking a sip of the sweet milk. "Thank you" she sighs in relief, feeling the cool liquid pass her lips "but I have already rested for long enough."
"Is Mistress Zoey here? Would it be possible for me to speak with her?"
Well now that was a little unexpected. Why was this woman crying, were Lucia and her sisters, lover...wait no that couldn't be it. Priss shook away the ideas and looked up at the woman.
" Well Lucia was with me and a few others to go return the head of the statue of Muir...I think it was Muir...Anyways when went to the shrine and found ourselves having to fight giant toads and then some strange priests appeared. These priests summoned some Demon, and we hid in the Shrine. I was trying to unlock some alcoves to get the probably sanctified relics, when I got locked into one. All I could do was wait and hear....." She paused as she shook a bit recounting the horrific noises and sounds uttered that day in the shrine.She would never forget those noises until the day she died. It was nightmarish.
"After that all I know was the fact they lay in the hallway dead. Slain by the diabolic demon. I wish I could say it was fast or non horrific, All I know is her face looked locked in defiance, and my hopes is she died spitting in the demons eyes."
"Lucia was my friend," Lilia volunteered. "I've never had more than a handful of those. But...the head of Muir, you say? Is that the relic you were mentioning earlier? Lucia and I spoke about that very thing not terribly long ago. I had heard a rumor at the Midnight Masquerade, that the head had reappeared and was on the black market in Bard's Gate and was on the way to the City of Ashes!"
Lilia paused and composed herself a bit. "Did you have the head? How did you get it? Did Lucia have it, I wonder, when I was telling her about it? We're you two up to something?"
"I failed them all, I failed her.........Sorry my brother." A sad ghostly voice mutters to himself over and over, with a cold chill. Looking for a light that he can cling to.
"Well I didn't steal it, but yeah I found it rolling out of the back of a cart out of town. Such a horrible sight, so like a good lil halfling I sought out good Lucia to see if she knew who was the merchant, she didn't so we went to the temple of Muir and well told us to check out the shrine, so we did" Priscilla said with a dramatic flare she hadn't previously mastered.She thought this may have something to do with Narissa or she finally felt these tall folk were good for something.
"And as for cooking something up... Not really we are legitimate business folk trying to earn some coin. It just seems our venture was a bit to dangerous"
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"The son of Muir will rise Mistress. He must, the world has further need of him" replies Urrnir and she begins to recount the tale to the best of her ability:
The thing about the afterlife is that what you see is not necessarily what you get. For example: though one would see the vision of a woman walking across the broken ground, the visage of an Iron Fortress faintly visible in the distance, further examination would show that her steps left behind no prints in the dust. The strength of a persons will, along with their general perception of the environment, counted for a great deal in the immaterial realm. Walking under the grace of a god never hurt too.
Finally after wandering for some time Urrnir came upon her charge: the warrior Ares Valorn standing solemnly beside a broken roadway, apparently lost in his own thoughts. She approached him slowly, calling out to him as she did: "Lamentation in the face of adversity is unbecoming of a warrior, don't you agree Sir Knight?"
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"Im sorry...I can't just wrap my head around things. I can't believe she's gone. I wish she'd have come to me. I'd have been happy to accompany the two of you. Maybe I could have helped somehow. Where was the Shrine located? And do you remember anything more about the demons and their worshippers? Maybe we can make them pay for what they did to her."
"Would visiting the Temple shed any light on things? I can't just sit here and do nothing. If I sit around twiddling my thumbs, I'll end up pulling my hair out. I have to do something!"
Ares is startled by Urrnir's comments, then flushes with embarrassment to another hearing him in such doubt. "What! Who are yo......wait your not...but." As he stammers the big aasimar stands up and tries to wipe away the failure from his face.
"My apologies my lady, I am Ares Valorn a loyal servant of my Mistress Muir. And who might you be?"
Urrnir stands relaxed as she continues speaking. She had been worried that Ares would be too absorbed in his melancholy to act coherently, but apparently the warriors willpower was stronger than she had first given him credit for.
"I too am a servant of the Gods, though my presence here is at the behest of the Goddess Freya. My name is Urrnir Drahaenn. I have come here for you, Ares." she concludes bluntly.
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Lueck follows along with Cairenn. "Where to next? Not that it hasn't been enlightening learning from you, but I'm getting low on coins."
Cairenn smiles agreeably at Lueck's praise (as Cairenn interprets it, anyway). "I always thought I'd make a good teacher," he says brightly... but his good humor fades a bit a Lueck's next words.
"Yes, well," he says, picking up a pebble from the grass and squinting at a distant tombstone before he chucks it at the marble bust that forms the cap-stone--
(The rock falls several feet short, and Cairenn glares before swiftly continuing to speak, lest Lueck make any comment on his miss)
"--if any of the noblemen buried back in Bard's Gate would recognize my abilities and commission me to write their funeral elegy as I've offered to do for them, then, our money troubles would be solved. Unfortunately, they're all Philistines who don't understand the forms I'm trying to pioneer. And, while the atmosphere in the City of Ashes is extremely inspiring.... the poor don't pay for funeral songs."
Cairenn sighs, and sits down on a crude stone sarcophagus (after a look around to make sure none of the caretakers are close enough to see him doing so). "Maybe we should try sticking our noses into something suicidally dangerous again," he says brightly. "It got you that nice spear-head, after all. How brave are you feeling--? I have an idea."
"Sure...uh...but first I got to unload a mace somewhere safe.as for the priests they should know that there where these chanting frog men and priests of orcus."Pris said as almost an after thought. She almost forgot about the mace. She looked about and smiled.
"Don't stress too much remember Lucia wouldn't want that, but yeah lets go talk to the daft priests"
"Priests of Orcus you say? That name doesn't ring a bell. Those priests at the temple of Muir would likely be our best source of information. Lucia would have wanted me to help you in whatever mission you are on. If she thought it was important enough to risk her life, then that's good enough for me."
Lilia turns and starts throwing some things in a bag. [b]"Let me gather a few things and I'll be ready to head to the temple.". After walking around her hours several times, and collecting a large amount of paper which was shoved into scroll tubes, Lilia nodded. "I'm ready. Let's find out what this temple knows."
Lueck doesn't seem to notice when Cairenn misses with the rock. It was a rock and not a bow, after all; we're not halflings!
"Those nobles were just human; you can't expect too much from them when it comes to understanding the beauty of elven music." Lueck clears his throat and looks away.
When Cairenn asks how brave Lueck is feeling, he hesitates, but tells himself [i]You've elven blood; be brave! He meets Cairenn's gaze and says "Yeah. Suicidally dangerous. Yeah, that sounds good. Tell me more."
Most days, Lilia would stop and take in the illusion from Lace and Bow or maybe even stop in for a quick bit of shopping. Today however, in her hazy state of fugue, it barely even registered. She was quiet in the walk, not her usual self. It took her a few minutes to realize it, apologizing to her halfling compatriot. "I'm sorry for my silence. I can't help being stunned by everything I've found out today. I'm usually much more welcoming. Had you and Lucia ever had dealings with this cult of Orcus before? We must find out more about them, and why they did what they did..."
"Here for me? Freya you say, are you one of her Valkyries? Does my dear Lady of the blade ask for me to bring order to the Abyss?" As he looks on for answers the Aasimar flushes with a little embarrassment for the outburst of questions.
"Sorry for my light interrogation but I am just confused why I am here but my brother and friends are not. But my hope raises with you." With that he gives her a gentle smile.
Priscilla looks up at the faces staring at her and sticks out her tongue, before she returns to confidently striding down the streets caring little about what the tallies think.
"Look I get it, your bestie just died its tragic I know" Pris her self paused a moment to take in the thought. She lived and yet her companions died. It was horribly tragic, and she hoped that she can maybe return there and smite those evil priests to them back for slaying good people.
I mean all they wanted to do was yes make some coin, but aside from that she believed they wanted to stop whatever evil the priests feared from spreading further. To think of all the other folks here in the city who would die unable to defend themselves from the horrible maws of the lower planes!Gah!
"Oh I hate to ask do you know where there is a moneylender about, I kinda wanna unload something to one before we hit the temple. Kinda have my suspicions about something and figured that I can arrange something to be held until I deem it worthy to reveal." Pris asks a bit cryptically hoping the woman wouldn't ask much. For all the halfling knew Lilia could have duped Lucia, and now maybe was trying to dupe her. What was worse was her theory that the church or someone in the church had duped them or used the information gathered at the church to strike them. She wouldn't know until certain things played out.
Urrnir returns a polite smile but otherwise remains distant.
"I know not what has happened to your companions, though by the looks of this place I'd pray that they ended up elsewhere. As I said: the reason I have come is for you. The world has need of you further Ares; the goddess Muir has need of you."
"Look around: this area was once known as the Valley of Shrines on the mortal plane. Ironic, considering it's current state. There is no doubt that what is happening here is sinister and it would seem that your fate has become entwined in whatever things may come. So much so that even Freya has taken some interest in your well-being. "
"Though to be honest that's just a guess. Regretfully I don't have all of the answers you seek. Currently my task is to assist you in your escape from this abyss and subsequent return to the realm of the living. Afterwards I will continue to stand alongside you for as long as necessary. I know only as much as it would take for me to do that."
"...I'm sorry" she adds on after a few moments in an effort to be empathetic.
Know. Local (I think my bonus concerning humans would apply here...if not, take away three from the roll.)
"Lucia had a friend...well, not a friend exactly, but someone she knew from her work that might be able to help. Name of Jaeger, I think. He'd probably be your best hope. So long as you don't stick your tongue out at him," she added, letting the little one know she was keeping close eye on her. Lilia pointed out the shop as they neared it.
Diplomacy (same as above. If my ability doesn't apply, take three off the roll.)
Lilia, not wanting to waste time, strides in and immediately begins dickering with Jaeger, after first mentioning how she came to know of him. She wasn't quite able to mention that Lucia was dead. Not quite yet. When she gets his bottom line, she turns to the halfling. "He will hold it for you, and lay you 69% of what he can sell it for. Are you interested?"
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As had been his usual routine Ronen left at the the third ringing after dawn. His once white robes gave no indication that it cared any longer about the dust that he kicked up having been bathed in that tan sea so many times. He had taken to walking this road as few as three times per week over this last year. It was narrow and more resembled a cart trail then anything else. The hard ground had given way to the weight of the wheels of the dead wagons that occasionally found their way along this road. What little life that did survive along this road came in the form of weeds and clusters of crab grass.
Where the journey to the City of Ashes might be a somber journey for most Ronen took this time to reflect and enjoyed the serenity that was so hard to find inside the walls of Bard's Gate. This morning his thoughts turned back to the man he had seen being ushered behind closed doors by the Caretakers Guild a few weeks ago.
What business did that man have with the guild? In the year that I have travelled this road never have any of them acknowledged me with more than a wary glance. I cannot be certain but by the Lady's blade there is something that they are hiding in this cemetery.
Nearing the gate the sun could be seen at it's zenith. He looked around searching for any mourners that might need his services.
When Ronen arrives at the cemetery, T'salix the half-orc gravedigger is standing over a freshly dug grave. He turns as tough he was expecting someone.
"Here it is, let's make it quick before... Oh! I didn't see you there monk. There's a few new graves on the other side if you want to say your last respects or whatever you do. Cholera victims. Awful business. Good thing you're here."
And what of this one, good Caretaker? It would appear that this plot will need The Lady's blessings as well. Surely you would not deny this person their just due to be judged by The Lady or whomever they called upon in their final breath.
What of the abominations that stalks these grounds at night. A newly departed soul would attract these creatures once dusk settles upon us. It would be dishonourable of me turn my back on The Lady's will and let this person not be allowed the chance at the eternal rest.
I will see to the other plots after this one arrives. There is little I can do for them but this one I can bestow The Lady's blessings upon them before the plot is filled. Certainly you can understand this good Caretaker?
Ronen stares hard at T'salix letting his gaze send the message that he will not be so easily swayed into leaving.
Ronen nods and listens as T'Salix voice cracks under the pressure of the lie that escapes his mouth.
Does this have something to do with the craftsman he had seen weeks ago. No I doubt it but this is something else. Another one of the many secrets that the Caretakers Guild hid from everyone. Why would anyone care after all. Yes why indeed...
Caretaker does my presence here make you uneasy? Is there something that perhaps I might help to take the weight off your shoulders? You seem to be on edge since I arrived and I would not wish to have our relations with one another strained.
Come tell me what is going on here. There is no need to direct me away I am a simple follower of The Lady here at her behest to provide guidance to those, living and dead, who would choose to be judged just in their actions so that they might find mercy under The Lady's blade.
"I see, So Yeager.Wait"She pauses as she taps her little furry foot."Is he the same guy who invented that weird brew...Yeagerbrow...Yeagerbrew..no...Yeagermiester? cause if he is I need to punch him, that stuff is vile!"
"As for the Consignment that's cool and all but I need him to get the persons name and description, I have hunches that need a solving!" Priscilla says as she begins walking again.