Come, Aldelenna, let's get this lady upstairs.
Venssa will help search the area and the crypt, dead skeleton thing and even the rotting body for anything.
Perception:
Investigate:
After carefully collecting the mask and coinage from the body, Finlogan searches the crypt for the amulet or anything useful.
Then, Finlogan identifies and opens Kassen's tomb.
Dimira seems to shaken to really speak, and is grateful when Cole suggests accompanying Aldelenna and Dimira to the entrance.
Rankev stops Cole for only a moment, to recover the lantern to hold the Everflame's light. It would be a fine thing to leave without completing your quest!
Finlogan discovers 354 gp in a pouch in the man's pockets. These are freshly minted coins, proper coins of Nirmathas. You also find a wand.
Despite a thorough search, there is no sign of the amulet.
Kassen's tomb is open and the lid is lying next to it. His body is intact, save for the broken links of a chain that lie around his neck. The chain is curiously similar to the one around the neck of the skeletal champion.
Kassen was the town hero, and was buried in honor. In this, at least, thieves have not further despoiled the tomb. He is resplendent in fine full plate, and holds a long sword against his chest in the age old formal posture of repose traditional for warriors.
At least here, due to the presence of the Everflame above the tomb, you can be sure you are not missing anything.
As Fin searches, he can hear an unperturbed Venssa searching the body of the skeletal champion.
EN ROUTE TO THE ENTRANCE Aldelenna, Cole
As the two of you near the stairs back up to the first level, Dimira shakes her head. You've reached the room with the pedestal—the one just before you first ran into the putrid exploding zombies. She indicates the corridor south.
"I know you may never forgive us in town for our challenge. It's meant to be fun as well as a challenge, a chance to help the next generation of leaders bond. But we never expected this. We were not so cruel, however. The fountain here, it will heal our wounds."
Finlogan resets the lid on Kassen's sarcophagus.
"Venssa, anything useful on the headless skeleton? Can I make good on my boast to take his armor?"
"The armor is in incredible condition for its age. Same with this sword. Perhaps they hold some magic."
"It will?" Aldelenna says in mild surprise. "Cole, let us stop for a moment and refresh ourselves. We still have a long journey home, and healing our aches and pains will do us great good." Aldelenna says, and then follows Dimira to the fountain to have a quick drink.
"The armor is in incredible condition for its age. Same with this sword. Perhaps they hold some magic."
"Great. I can carry the armor in my cloak as a sack. Hang his sword and scabbard from my harness. But, we should burn all those skeletons' bones, right?" Finlogan plans.
EN ROUTE TO THE ENTRANCE Aldelenna, Cole
The southern passage takes a brief bend, but ends quickly in a small chamber dominated by a silver fountain. In a maze of defiled crypt, this small piece seems untouched. Perfectly clear water burbles up through the fountain, creating a peaceful sound—like a brook in the woods on a sunny day. Inscribed over the fountain are the words: "Kassen's legacy lives on with his people. Drink and be refreshed."
IN KASSEN'S CRYPT Finlogan, Venssa, Rankev
Rankev holds up the unlit lantern. "Are we forgetting something?" He glances towards the Everflame burning over Kassen's sarcophagus.
Finlogan looks up with his pockets and sack-shaped cloak filled with loot and replies to the aristocrat, "I thought you were doing something. You've got the lantern. Do you need help?"
"Right...right! Let's light the lantern and get out of this place. Leave the bones...the earth will keep them for now, and with the evil purged from the tomb, they should not harm anyone else."
Venssa gathers up the items they have so far discovered and begins to leave the chamber.
Rankev shrugs and goes up to the sarcophagus to light the lantern. As the light begins to burn within, a shimmery white-blue figure rises from within.
He gazes around the room, and then down at the skeletal champion. He shakes his head sadly.
"Thank you. It was not right that he rise again within these halls."
"You must be the spirit of Kassen. What is Asar's story? Did he rise before? Also, what is special about the two amulets?" Finlogan asks the ghostly figure questions.
"Asar headed the bandits that long ago tried to put an end to the small town that I founded." The ghost turns away.
"He rose up with an army to destroy us. For months he raided our community until I thought our small town would doomed unless I did something. I did not want to face him. We were like brothers once. But I gathered my best men and we met him here, in the gully. The battle lasted into the night. I survived it, but not the wounds I suffered. Asar, my friend, he did not."
A sigh is not a natural thing for a ghost, for their breath and voice is rather raspy, and it comes out as more of a creepy wind.
"He had come for the amulet. He felt cheated. Our final quest together, the two of us with our friend Iramine, an elven sorceress... we discovered a great treasure. A vault like none the world has seen. I used the money to found a community. I do not know what the others did with theirs. But I know they wanted to go back."
He turns back to you, a fearsome aspect. "They must not go back! We all agreed. Split the key so none of us could go back unless we all agreed. They knew what it meant. I would never agree to go back. The amulets point the way, but they must have them all." Again his face grows fearsome. "Stolen! Raiders in my tomb! Even I cannot blame Asar for rising in the face of defilement! Stolen! They took his amulet and while he strangled the thief, they opened my tomb and took mine. If they find her, they will have the way. So foolish."
Slowly, Kassen starts to fade back into his sarcophagus.
Finlogan barely contains his surprise that the ghost of Kassen actually replies to him. "How do we find Iramine to protect her?" He asks one last question hoping for a hard lead.
He looks to Rankev and Venssa clearly wondering if they saw and heard what the half-elven ranger did.
Venssa watched the spirit with rapt attention. Such things were not natural, however, this spirit was only protecting its resting place, and as such, she did not feel it a threat to the living.
"Yes spirit...how do we protect this Iramine? Please tell us so we may keep your secret safe." she whispers as the spirit begins to fade.
Rankev steps up to Finlogan and shakes his head. "He's gone, Fin. Just like a ghost to say something interesting and then disappear."
He taps the coin purse that Fin recovered. "As for where to look, they came for the amulets, but they didn't go without some trail. Look at those coins. Freshly minted, those. Probably not ten like them in Kassen, not yet. I'm a Vargidan. I understand Power. It's not sorcery, though we let most of town think it is. Power comes from money. It's the lesson he meant to teach me with this trip. I'll wager my brother didn't learn it. Can't say I did either. But many people think as he did. If we follow the money, we'll find the amulets."
EN ROUTE TO THE ENTRANCE Aldelenna, Cole
Dimira slips past both of you and drinks deeply of the water. A reddish healthy glow fills her cheeks, and she seems not only refreshed, but also alert, and even the few bruises, like those of the skeletal champions hand around her arm, seem to fade completely.
Aldelenna follows Dimira's lead, using her cupped hands to scoop water into her mouth, taking several gulping drinks. "Ahhhhh, that's good. But we should be getting upstairs. Roldare sits waiting to hear good news that his sister is alive and well."
Finlogan nods in agreement with Rankev. While disappointed that the ghost did not answer his last question, the half elf was relieved that both Rankev and Venssa saw the ghost, too.
He shoulders his sack-shaped cloak and leads the troop out of the crypt. "Let's catch up with the others."
In the Crypt of the Everflame Venssa, Finlogan, Rankev
Rankev fires bolts of fire into the remains of the skeletons until all that remains are cinders.
"It is not right that the undead foul the crypts of our ancestors. Nor that future quests end in such death because they've defiled it so." He looks sadly at the flame. "Let us depart."
EN ROUTE TO THE ENTRANCE Aldelenna, Cole
Dimira looks at Cole, still covered somewhat in the foul gore of the crypt. "Perhaps it is a cruel game that we play upon those who show such promise. But this place was meant to provide succor and safety in your quest. Perhaps if I had reached it, I might have escaped the grasp of that foul undead fiend." She blushes.
"Now let it serve it's purpose. Drink and be healed of your injuries. I know, I'm a beautiful girl." She shrugs and the shoulder of her blouse falls, revealing a pale shoulder. "But you don't have to be brave for me."
AT THE SEVEN SILVERS Hansyn
Asina has her hands full tonight, but the young woman is doing her father's faith in her proud, managing a crowd of excited celebrants. Soon the chosen of Kassen will return with the Everflame—a symbol of hope for the community.
The youth especially is present in force. Yvette—annoying the smith's apprentice Gimble by talking unceasingly about Rankev. It's clear she's smitten, poor girl. If the amount Gimble is drinking is any indication, so is he, and he's going to be out of luck.
Turik sits with them, of course. The bespectacled wizard apprentice has a deep appreciation for friends, though there's a few glares shot towards one particular table. Unfriendly glares.
Zandre is here too, doing his duty. Poor sod. At least he has power. Not that he ever seems to use it. Never seen anyone quite so terrified of magick. Maybe he had reason.
Vargidan blood was well represented tonight. Maybe old moldy Moltus had made a proclamation—on account of Rankev—and told everyone to give support to the quest.
The attention was making Luthos nervous. Only fourteen, Luthos was a half-orc, fully an adult. Half-orcs matured fast. But he was sweating tonight. More than was warranted from his visits upstairs to sate his more physical needs. Of course that could just be that damned Taldane suit he wore all the time. Or nerves. Right now Luthos was heir presumptive, the favorite. Rankev could change that.
Asina slipped into the chair next to Hansyn Vargidan. "So sweet cheeks, are you eatin' or just takin' up a table. Happy to take some of that Vargidan coin off your hands, but I got farmers who are gonna actually eat."
She was sitting directly between him and Luthos. Was it on purpose?
"Thanks Rankev. I thought those bones needed to be burned. Let's put this behind us." Finlogan replies to Rankev's actions and leads half the team out.
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Reaching into the pouch at her waist, Venssa draws out a number of seeds. She holds each for a moment or two, and they suddenly blossom into a beautiful flower ().
"Rest honored dead and let none disturb your sleep."
She lays the flowers about the tomb and then moves off with the others.
"Let us leave here. We have what you came for and so much more...it is time for darkness and silence to reign once more within these halls."
The young gnome turns and begins the trip back to the surface.
IN THE CRYPT Finlogan, Venssa, Rankev
The trip back to the surface is a foreboding one. With just the three of you, you are grateful for the light and warmth of the Everflame in its lantern. Unfortunately, the light is brighter than the mystic flames with which you traveled.
As you pass through the rooms you cannot help but be reminded that some of these dead were villagers you grew up with. And some, like Roldare, might never fully recover. You can only hope that reuniting the brother and sister help bring them peace.
As you reach the room with the pedestal, at the base of the stairs, Fin notices footsteps in the dust. It seems like Aldelenna, Dimira, and Cole, veered south?
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Venssa: The druidcraft flower is perfectly appropriate. Take Inspiration.
"There are footsteps in the dust here. It looks like they went south." Finlogan follows the tracks south more warily.
"Cole! You down here?" The ranger calls to his friend.
Cole drinks as Adelenna dud, and smiles at the rescued woman.
Right, let's clear out.
Seven Silvers
Hansyn smiles coyly and blushes slightly from the attention of Asina. He recovers quickly though and leans forward so that he can see Luthos and says "Oh, I'm eating. No way I miss this." In a mocking voice to his brother "Luthos is worried he wont be daddy's favorite anymore. Hehehe." Laughing and quickly dodging his brothers angry glare, and possibly an attempt to slap him, the boy looks back at Asina "I'll take a cup of honey mead and sheppard's pie. You can make sure that mead's the hard stuff." he gests with a quick wink.
AT THE FOUNTAIN Aldelenna, Cole, Dimira
The water is refreshing, cool, and yet also warm. Cole feels reinvigorated.
AT THE SEVEN SILVERS Hansyn
Asina rolls her eyes. "Sheppard's pie. There's plenty of that. But mead costs silver, little boy." She taps the table, clearly demanding the coin up front.
As Asina stands, shifting her empty drink tray (she's blocking your view again!) Luthos growls. "Ignore the child. I need wine." He drops silver on the table. "Unlike him, I don't need to ask daddy first."
Shaken out of her thoughts, Venssa looks up startled as Fin calls out for the others.
"Is something wrong Fin?" she asks.
"Aye, Venssa. They went a way that we haven't been." Finlogan continues to follow the tracks.
"Cole! Aldelenna?" The ranger calls to his friends.
AT THE FOUNTAIN Aldelenna, Cole, Dimira, Finlogan, Venssa, Rankev
Finlogan's voice filters into the room "... you down here?" followed shortly by the warm, bright light of the everflame in its lantern.
Cole and Aldelenna appear rather hale compared to when the rest of you left them... very healthy indeed... their wounds have practically disappeared completely! The silver fountain almost glows in the light, and the inscription over it is readily legible Kassen's legacy lives on with his people. Drink and be refreshed.
"What'cha y'all doin' down here?" Finlogan asks in a folksy manner to disguise his discomfort with them going somewhere that the whole team had been before.
Seven Silvers
The smile wiped from his face at his brother’s insult, Hansyn chooses not to push his luck with the Luthos any further. Asina and Short Change now, that’s another story.
Wondering about the note that the woman slipped into Short Change’s belt, Hansyn decides now is a good time to practice what he’s learned from Turik. Apparently he’s a natural at this particular spell, Turik always remarks how Hansyn is able to do things with the mystic hand that other wizards aren’t able to reproduce.
Keeping his hands under the table to keep them hidden, he mouths the words to the rudimentary spell that he’s learned. An invisible hand next to “Short Change” and nimbly plucks Asina’s note. Then it drifts back to Hansyn staying low as to not draw attention.
AT THE SEVEN SILVERS Hansyn
The parchment safely in hand you immediately notice a few things that doubtless would be lost on common folk. The paper is just that... fine proper stationary, smooth as silk. The ink, likewise... exactly two places in town to get that ink. Holgast's tower and the Vargidan compound... black, flecked with gold, so it gleams in the light. It wasn't really what you expected, but finding a moment, you glance, just briefly, at the contents...
KASSEN—WOODCUTTER'S GUILDHALL Lodric Aegilson
Colbin Vetnar welcomed Lodric's father Aegil with the ease of an old friend.
That, in itself, was no surprise. Lodric might hear voices, but he wasn't completely oblivious. He'd grown up around the woodcutter's guild, and, more to the point, his mother's worries over it. Would Aegil skim too much this time? Would Colbin Vetnar, never a forgiving man, seek revenge?
Lodric's father, Aegil, had never been concerned. If he was skimming off the top as his mother suggested, Lodric couldn't tell. That, of course, only made Aegil angry. Everything about Lodric seemed to make Aegil angry.
His mother had explained it to him like this: Lodric, my dear, sweet son. Nothing you do will ever make your father happy, unless you decide to be exactly like him.
All of this, of course, was much on Lodric's mind as Colbin and Aegil quietly discussed something just out of earshot, but close enough that Lodric was more than certain his own name had been mentioned more than two dozen times.
If there was one thing consistent about his father it was this: Aegil didn't fluster, except when it came to Lodric.
Aegil seemed very flustered.
"What do you mean the ceremony was three days ago!" Aegil was trying not to shout.
Colbin glared. It was not a pleasant look. "I said the start of Neth. The start." Colbin slammed his fist into the top of a table, and the sound echoed in the vast hall. "Had you been here the first, or even the third, your boy would have joined the chosen, as I promised."
"I was saving your shipment. Couldn't you delay them?"
"No." Colbin shook his head. "No, I couldn't, and you know it. Kassen marched to protect the town when he marched. I got no sorcery to change that date." The wood-cutter takes a long look at Lodric. It's an uncomfortable scrutiny. "Your safe chance at getting through Belkzen territory with this shipment is too damned narrow. Go. I promised you an introduction for the boy, and I'll give him one. He can join in the celebration here at least. Maybe Holgast will take pity on the boy, or that miserable Vargidan will decide he makes a suitable playmate for his Zandre."
Colbin pressed a finger into Aegil's fine suit. "But you need to be on your way. And with a passage past Belkzen territory, the last thing you need is your Lodric hearing voices!" He seizes Aegil by the waist, turns him around, and pushes him toward the exit.
Then he turns to Lodric and strides toward him.
"Lodric!" Colbin strides up to you with his arms open, spread wide, and a smile on his face.
It doesn't take much insight to know that it's a false face. Lodric has grown up watching these interactions.
"Come now. Your father gave you my letter, yes?" He doesn't wait for Lodric's response, he just walks to the door, his hand against the small of Lodric's back, pushing him toward the door opposite where his father left.
Colbin nods towards one of the guildsmen. "My man here is going to take you to the Seven Silvers. You give that letter to Trelvar. He runs the public house. No one else. His daughter, Asina will try to take it instead. None of that. Trelvar. You understand?"
Colbin doesn't really wait for Lodric to respond, he just gives the guildsman a deadly glare, and heads back into the guildhall where they're stamping the guild seal on the lumber for the next shipment.
The guildsman looks at Lodric. "Hm. It's not too bad, mate. You'll get a decent meal, at least. Better than you're used to on the barges, I reckon." He indicates a route further into the small town that has, in theory, been Lodric's home for most of his life. Except that mostly Lodric has lived on the barges delivering lumber, going back and forth to the capital.
He might as well be a stranger here.
"Fin! Venssa, Rankev, come over and have a drink, there's something magical about the water here, it'll cure what ails you." She says, with a bubbly and vivacious tone, bordering even, on a little tipsy, all while beckoning her friends over with overly dramatic gestures. Perhaps the magical nature of the water does more than just heal physical wounds, perhaps it revives the spirit as well?
Finlogan doesn't need a second invitation from Aldelenna. He carefully sets his sack-shaped cloak down and goes to imbibe the miraculous liquid.
Venssa is a little more wary of supposed magical fountains found in underground crypts and so she examines the waters before actually taking a drink.
Nature?:
AT THE FOUNTAIN Aldelenna, Cole, Finlogan, Venssa, Rankev, Dimira
Seven Silvers
Hansyn looks up from the note to Luthos and slips it into his belt pouch. ”This could come in handy for later.” the boy thinks to himself. ”Maybe I could use this to get Luthos to give me gold, that way he would have to shut up with his “boy” comments. Especially if Rankev comes back victorious, Luthos will not want this letter ruining any chance to stay Moltus’s favorite.“ The name of his parent sticks in his throat as usual. The contemp causing Hansyn’s blood to boil. The man wouldn’t even tell him who his mother was. ”That bastard!”
Snapping out of his inner turmoil, the boy looks around the room looking for a distraction. Seeing Turik sitting at a table, Hansyn tries to figure out who he glaring at. He’s usually quite friendly, ”Hope he isn’t staring at me., that would probably mean he knows I’ve been “borrowing” his spell book to learn from.”
"Wow. That's great. Anyone else ready to get home?" Finlogan encourages the team toward the door.
Saying a brief prayer to the bounty of nature, Venssa drinks from the fountain and smile as the energy coursed through her body.
"Nature finds a way...", she mummers as she enjoys the sensation.
"Yes, I have been away from my home too long...let's go."
AT THE SEVEN SILVERS Hansyn
It isn't long before Luthos retires upstairs. It's no secret that Luthos takes his pleasure here, though Hansyn is sure precious few know just who is slaking that thirst for him.
Seems Asina must know. That's interesting. Asina gossips about everything, but this she's kept under wraps.
Asina thrusts the sheppard's pie down with a mug full of... she must be joking. Water? That isn't even sanitary!
"Never took you for cruel, Hansyn Vargidan." She fixes him with a glare, like he should know what she's talking about. "Ain't nothin' get stolen on these premises that Jimes don't know who took." Her voice is a threatening whisper. "Best that little piece of paper find it's way back to him or into the fire."
Asina stands, straightens her apron and beams. "And stop worrying. Turik is mad at me. Your lecherous friend thought I'd be up for some 'company.' And don't think I don't know what that boy had in mind! Told him to rethink those questions or I'd be speaking to my dad." She smirked. "Luthos only got away with those questions because we grew up together and Dad figured it wasn't his fault he matured so much faster than his friends. Some of that Vargidan gold didn't hurt either."
She glances over at Turik. "I'd best speed this up, or he will be angry at you." She brushes his arm and looks towards a table. Arnama has arrived. "Just remember, the heart is a fragile thing. You mess your brother's heart up? Don't think he don't know right well where your heart sits, just waiting for him to shatter."
Asina slips away. She leaves the water.
None of that matters. Arnama is there now, sitting with Mayor Uptal, Jocyn, and—ugh—moldy Moltus himself.
Not that Hansyn can get a good look. A group of watchmen have seated themselves at one of the tables between them, and Hansyn at thirteen is still a bit slight and a bit short to see past.
AT THE CRYPT Finlogan, Aldelenna, Venssa, Cole, Rankev, Dimira
The trip back is an eerie one, but thankfully the one way doors of great chamber where the massive arrow trap was located have one great high point... they exit near the chamber that Roldare used as his sanctuary.
Stubborn and still half-mad, Roldare nevertheless quiets at the sound of his sister's voice. You can hear the shifting as he struggles within to undo his barricades. He looks gaunt and weak when he finally opens them, but he falls into his sister's arms in tears.
Fortunately, Dimira, as part of the group that had prepared the crypt for your arrival, is able to readily help you navigate back through the maze of pits that leads to the entry hall.
"Young master!" Attero, Rankev's most senior retainer, sits by a small fire with 'Wolfhound', the young page/squire/valet. Axeman, the largest of the three, sleeps by one of the pillars.
Rankev raises an eyebrow, but Attero looks seriously at him "We took watches. Always two awake. Didn't seem prudent the way things..." Attero chances a glance at the young lady Dimira, who is ashen faced at seeing the entry. "Well, didn't seem wise, you know."
The entry has been swept clear, and the bodies are gone. The old retainer must have taken seriously Rankev's command to bury the bodies.
Wolfhound Davion jumps up. "Will you be resting the night, sir? It's black as pitch outside." He nods towards some bundles. "We have the makings of a stew. It'll be a bit thin for this many, but it's better than the dried rations, sir. And I was... I was hoping you'd let me sample that brandy, sir, since it's clear you were successful."