Somewhat worse for the ware from the previous nights celebrations, Mirela stumbles downstairs and finds herself a seat as Hemlock updates the company.
Gripping her head, she groans "Alright, best to be prepared this time." Heading back up to her room, Mirela suits up in her leather armor and grabs her weaponry. Quickly tying her hair back, Mirela rejoins her companions downstairs.
With an over exaggerated yawn, she proclaims "Alight, let's be off then."
Likely, with what other PCs have been saying, they will be off without Thorn and Seldon.
Thorn slowly makes his way towards the forge, stretching and doing calisthenics. Having small talk with Seldon as they get their blood flowing and start to wear off the drink from last night.
The Red Dog Smithy where Thorn has stashed his gear is on the way up to the church. While waiting for Others to gear up, the elves run on ahead planning to get Thorn suited and battle ready when the others get up there.
You agree to meet either at the Smithy or at the boneyard gate.
This smithy is not especially geared for armor crafting but rather the hundred little items in normal commerce. There may be a shield you can use but won't be armor of any type.
You'll have to swipe the shield or negotiate with foul mouthed Das Korvut if you want one.
With one look at the smith, Seldon grimaces. "You know, perhaps I don't need any armour." he says, as the smith barks at him. "Let us hurry, we don't want to keep our goblins waiting."
The elves run along ahead. Thorn getting his armor and Seldon assisting. They are just finishing buckling on the greaves when the rest of the group arrives, led by Sherriff Hemlock.
Heading on up the hill to High Town, you arrive at the gate to the Boneyard. There, Father Zantus and Naffer Vosk (whom Seldon has met before), the twisted and crippled sextant, await.
The Sherriff asks Vosk to explain. "I were doin' my mornin' chores in the yard yonder an' saw bunches o' them little footprints up an' doon the path. Followin' em, they led right to ol' Father Tobyn's tomb. Comin' closer, I seen the door open, an' some bangin' roun' in there. I reckoned it were them wee goblins still hangin' 'round, an' I ain't no fighter no more, so I fetched the Father here, who sent word ta the Sher'f and now heres you all are."
The Sherriff orders Zantus and the sextant back inside but asks them to lock the Boneyard gate first. He also askes them to bar the churchside entrance to the burial area, effectively closing off the cemetery which is surrounded by an 8-foot high stone wall, with the Cathedral and town walls making up the other sides.
It is an hour after dawn, and the light isn't quite full, but provides enough to see by without penalty. Hemlock beckons to a 30x30' square mauseoleum. It is to the west, set against the back wall of the Yard, and the entrance is turned away from you, on the north side. (See the Sandpoint map. Area 2 is the Boneyard, the tomb in question is farthest to the NorthWest side, near the town wall end tower.)
Anyone looking at or listening at the tomb:
Seldon ignores the tracks, instead focusing his attention on the defiled tomb. "Industrious little creatures, aren't they? Look here." he says, motioning to the chipped stone of the pryed-open door, barely two-feet off the ground. "This is no goblin mischief, they haven't the patience. They did not choose this tomb by coincidence. It lends some weight to what Mister Foxglove told us. Perhaps the box they stole... Perhaps... wait." Sweat forms on Seldon's brow, his eyes darting around in frantic thought. When he arrives on one, he turns a deathly pale.
"Get that door open. We must look inside to put my fears to rest."
Survival include favorite enemy
Perception: included favorite enemy
"About 8 of them came in, moved along the path to the tomb. The rich guy was right, there was human or at least a human-sized something with them. They left from over there." There's a ladder leaning against the wall. "If I got my bearings right, that's about where we rescued Foxglove."
"You're sure?" he says, turning to Tunder. He lets the question remain unanswered as he nods gravely. "Yes. This must be where they staged their attack from."
"Hmmm." Barek stares at the footprints, like he's examining them, but the man can't make heads or tails out of the mess in the dirt. To him it just looked like a mess.
"Well, it only make what Foxglove said true. Let's go get us some goblins."
Perception Check...
Thorn looks around but does not see much out of place, looking more at the whole picture rather than, details, details he won't see.
He pulls out his Elven Court Blade and a Javelin, "Seldon, what has you so spooked, tell us what you are thinking so we can be prepared, and speaking of prepared do you have some protective spells? Aziza how about you?" Thorn now wears his scale mail armor, a dark red cloak with a hood. A backpack to keep his equipment in and a belt with many pouches. He also appears armed to the teeth with a few daggers here and there, a warhammer on his belt, an Elven Blade on his back, let alone a few javelins. Must always be prepared!
oops, I forgot to add. "They got whatever it was they were after too. The prints leaving are deeper than the ones coming in and more orderly too, like they were carrying a heavy chest or something."
"I do not think our goblins made off with a box." the elf says. He is shaking with rage, but his voice is calm and unwavering. "I think that they made off with a coffin."
"I hear something inside, but I know not what it is. It could be anything from stray goblins to a lost child. But each second we wait makes me more disquiet. The thought of those monsters defiling a tomb of one of the faithful..." Seldon cuts himself off, but the fury doesn't leave his eyes. He takes a few paces toward Thorn, pressing his thumb to his kinsman's brow and annointing him with holy light. "Desna, vara tel' seldarine arat'e." he intones, looking up expectantly. "Go on, you first."
*Round 1* of 10 for Protection from Evil
Thorn takes charge at that point grabbing the door and attempts to pull it open putting shoulder into the side and pushing it open with a free hand and the other holding his blade. Str Check.
Once there is enough room for him to slide through, he does quickly moving down. "I hope you come in with a light to dismiss this darkness."
Appearing somewhat bored and inattentive, Mirela wonders about aimlessly only half listening to her companions investigation while kicking the occasional stone. At hearing confirmation of Foxglove's assessment, Mirela shrugs ever so slightly while thinking aloud "Foxglove may be a pompous dandy, but I never got the sense he was leading us astray."
At Seldon's revelation, Mirela finally snaps back to attention. Gripping the pommel of her rapier, Mirela moves back behind Thorn while keeping an eye on what might be within.
"Be careful gentlemen."
Thorn, after receiving the blessing of Desna from Seldon, charges up the stairs and into the heavy vault door. Unfortunately, his first crash against it only moves the door a little, but makes a big noise. He continues pushing and the door creaks open on its hinges. As the light from outside fills the crypt, revealing three living skeletal warriors wearing frayed chain armor. They bellow a hair-raising screech and advance to attack waving ancient scimitars.
Good Guys
Bad Guys
Round 1
14 Blue Skeleton
14 Thorn
12 Seldon
12 Mirela
10 Purple Skeleton
9 Red Skeleton
7 Hemlock
7 Barek
7 Aziza
5 Tunder
Blue Skeleton advances after his scream slashing at Thorn with it's rusted blade.
But the creatues innate slowness means the elf fighter steps aside the blow quite easily.
"By the gods. It is worse than I could have imagined." he cries, voice tinged with despair. He looses his holy symbol from the folds of his cloak, and it begins to glow with bright starlight. "Back, creatures! Back!"
The starlight from Seldon's pendant makes all avert their eyes for a moment, when they re-open, the skeletons are slowed, but not destroyed.
Round 1... continued
Thorn realizing he is fighting skeletons quickly pulls out his warhammer and uses it to attempt to crush the skeleton before him with one hand! "Skeleton's, remember blunt weapons! Arghhhh!"
warhammer attack with PA, damage.
AC 21 vs. evil
Thorn's swings is warhammer with a mighty overhead blow,but the skeletal warrior blocks it with his ancient weapon, an unholy light glowing in his empty eye sockets.
Purple Skeleton launches itself forward, flailing its scimitar at the tattooed elven warrior.
But again the nimble elf, sidesteps the blow. Red Skeleton also rushes forward (they move surprisingly well for mindless pile of bones) and tries to engage the disturbing elf in melee, but his companions have blocked the door, and he cannot get through the crush.
Sherriff Hemlock calls out in surprise when the bony horrors are revealed, but he recovers quickly and jumps to the base of the steps, his longsword already out and flashing.
"Blunt weapons, huh Thorn? Yeah, I got those." Barek charges up the steps and swings heavily at the old bones of the skeleton.
Unfortunately, he nearly trips up the stairs and the swing misses by a mile.
Still suffering a little from the exertions of the previous day, Aziza has kept her own counsel during the rush down to the graveyard. <Maybe I should take up drinking. The hangover from too much wine simply cannot be worse than draining all my energy like that fight yesterday...>
Suddenly snapping back into focus, she realizes that now is no time to be daydreaming... rushing over to stand behind the warriors for protection, she raises her hands and send a bolt of electricity sizzling towards the shambling undead.
Observing a fair bit of congestion at the foot of the crypt, Mirela moves into position behind and draws her rapier.
Taking a moment to observe her rapier, Miri suddenly shakes her head with a sardonic scoff "Well, this won't be a much use."
Round 1 - continued
Mirela draws her rapier, not sure why versus these bony aberrations, and moves forward, but not near enough to make an attack.
The fistfighting human tries to pummel the skeleton, but Barek's his footwork gives on the moss-covered steps and his punch flies wide.
The howling undead shake Aziza from her reflections, and she sizzles a bolt of energy at them, but the bolt also flies wide, chipping stone off the facing of the crypt.
Tunder can't quite get a strike in because there's not enough room.
Round 1
The dwarf ranger comes halfway up the steps and stamps his feet, frustrated to not get a whack at the skeletons due to the crowd at the door.
End of Round 1
Round 2
14 Blue Skeleton
14 Thorn (2/10 Protect from Evil)
12 Seldon
12 Mirela
10 Purple Skeleton
9 Red Skeleton
7 Hemlock
7 Barek
7 Aziza
5 Tunder
Seeing the boxer stumble, Blue Skeleton turns to chop at him instead of the armored elf.
The blow is ill-timed and misses Barek by a mile.
"Kinsman! Drive them back! Desna shall protect you!"
Seldon will back up, clearing the path for Tunder as he holds his holy symbol high, channeling the power of his goddess once again.
Thorn looks at Seldon quickly, though will attempt to smash the skeleton first.
warhammer attack, damage.
Hopefully he smashes it into a pile, if so he will attempt an Acrobatics check, to tumble forward ten feet attempting to avoid attacks of opportunity and allowing others to come into the crypt.
If not he will back off 5 feet to draw the skeletons out.
Round 2 - continued
When Blue Skeleton turns to strike at Barek it leaves it's flank open. A smashing blow from Thorn's warhammer crushes the beast into a pile of bones and dust. The elven warrior starts to move forward as another blinding flash erupts from Seldon's holy symbol.
The burst from Seldon sears the air and the two remainng skels crumble under the power of Good.
End of Combat
With the skeletons disintegrated, you are able to explore the small crypt easily. The sunlight through the open door makes for bright light at the front but dim light in the back.
Inside you see 2 ornate sarcophagi wrought from fine stone and decorated wtih various precious gems. The lid from one lies cracked and broken on the floor. Several blunt metal tools lie scattered on the stone floor. There are scratch and pry marks all around the surface of the desecrated tomb and on the underside of the broken lid. The wooden coffin that you would expect to find inside is missing, and the shroud lies balled up in the bottom of the box.
The other tomb lies undisturbed as far as you can tell. None of the gems or jewels appears to be missing from either resting place.
There is a black heap of what appears to be rags thrown in the far back corner, but the light makes it hard to see clearly.
"Pharasma save us from this blasphemy," the Sherriff whispers with wide eyes. He didn't bat an eye versus the skeletons, but this sacrilege has him disturbed.
"That's Father Tobyn's tomb, and it's empty. Why would goblins want his remains?"
He stands shocked, but you see behind his intelligent eyes, he's trying to puzzle this out.
Seldon stows his holy symbol back into his robes, rushing inside the tomb to investigate. What he finds inside distresses him greatly. Eyes wide with heartbreak and disbelief, he has no answers for the Sherrif. "I... I have no idea. I would not think even goblins capable of such monstrosities."
Composing himself, Seldon steps outside, walking toward the cripple and the priest. "Brother Vosk, Brother Zantus. We should reconsecrate the crypt this evening while his brothers remain. I will do what I can about this Tobyn. We will need silver, and holy water. Can you fetch them?"
Seeing them off, he turns to the Sherrif, his face and tone uncharacteristically grim. "Have we any inkling where these goblins came from? A few good men should be able to rout them from their nests and make them answer for this crime."
The dwarven respect for their dead, which borders on worship, is well known. This atrocity has Tunder in a state of shock and barely contained rage. "I can follow 'em. You can be sure of that."
Barek looks into the tomb where the coffin sat. "Who was Father Tobyn, Sheriff? Could he have been buried with something that was valuable?" He shakes his head. "Definitely someone else leading the goblins. No goblin would think to steal like this."
After looking at her finger and pouting as though something is wrong with it, Aziza shakes her head and steps inside after the others, taking care to avoid stepping on the broken scatter of bones. Taking her Ioun torch out of her pouch, she tosses it over head head while speaking the command word, providing instant illumination of the dank and dark crypt. While the others talk, she casts Detect magic and proceeds to examine the chamber for any signs of ritual spellcasting, or anything else of note.
"Um, pardon me, Sheriff. Please remind me exactly whom Father Tobyn was again? I remember hearing that he died in the fire that destroyed the original cathedral here, but why would someone want to get goblins to steal his bones?" Turning back to the doorway and walking back out into the daylight, the gnome mutters under her breath to the Sheriff as she passes him. "And I guess you know now what that was in that box the man and the yrch were seen carrying off after the raid last night. We need to identify that man."
Placing her rapier back into its sheath, Mirela approaches the crypt cautiously with a shiver. Her eyes widen at the sight of the skeletons as she approaches them.
"How awful. I'd heard the dead could rise, but always assumed such tales to be fictions my mother told me to scare me."
Moving up a few stairs behind Aziza, Mirela follows the conversation closely for a change. Pausing at the crypt doors, Mirela turns back towards the others "This is the priest who burned in the fire? I remember Ameiko telling us about that tragedy. Made for a good story." Looking back at the crypt, Mirela scratches the side of her head quizzically in recollection of their conversation with Ameiko, and adds bluntly "Wait, Tobyn had a daughter who died with him, didn't he? We should check if the goblins raided her grave as well."
The Sherriff looks around gravely (yes, pun most definitely intended) then turns to you.
Nodding to Mirela he says, "Aye the fair lady has the right of it. Father Tobyn was the priest o' the old church. He did die in the fire five years ago. He was lain in this crypt along wit' his adopted daughter. Nualia was 'er name. This other is 'er tomb." He gestures to the undamaged sarcophagus.
"I can tell ya now, that box is empty too. Nualia's body was never recovered after the fire, and so her coffin's been empty all this time. Tobyn's body was recovered, i saw it for myself, and not a pretty sight. I stood 'ere and watched 'im buried, but now that box is empty as well."
In answer to Barek's question about valuables: "Many are sent to Pharasma with fine clothes and jewels, but Tobyn left specific instructions that all 'is valuables should be sold and donated to the Church. 'is body was sent to the Lady of Graves in a simple shift, unadorned."
Turning to Aziza, he says:"I agree wit' your deduction, little one. If a man led that raid, as the evidence suggests, and if that raid were simply a ruse to distract us from the theft o' the body, something dark is in the works. Who would muster up goblins and assault a town just to steal 5 year old bones? I can't make it add up? An' I agree, we need to find that man..."
"As to where the goblins come from," he says, turning to Seldon, "that's the big question. We collected some little trinkets from the goblin corpses, like a string o' teeth, a rune symbol, and a dead frog but they don't mean nothing to me. I 'ave sent for one who CAN tell us, but I don't expect Shalelu 'ere tell tomorrow afternoon soonest. May be sooner, may be later, but until then we don't 'ave much to go on."
"We did capture a few o' the buggers an' are 'olding them in the jail, but they 'aven't told us nothing. Just screamed a lot."
He rubs his temples with the tips of his fingers as if massaging out a headache. Worry lines strain his noble face.
"I am a simple Warrior of the Plains. I can crack skulls or keep the Sczarni on the run, but I am afraid this situation is quickly above my 'ead. If you Heroes of Sandpoint can 'elp with this, we all would be grateful."
As Aziza casts the detection spell, the presence of a magical aura is returned, surprisingly. Further concentration reveals one aura faintly emanating from the old black rags in the corner of the crypt.
:
As the bedraggled gnome addresses him, Foxglove says:"Would that you had come a bit earlier, little one... You missed seeing the troop of goblins...absconding with some large ornate box. They came over that ladder there...and ran out the gate." He points back in the direction of the low stone wall that abuts the main town wall. It appears to be about 8 ft high compared to the 15 ft or so of the town wall.
He continues:"You also missed the man..(I assume it was a man)...leading them. He wore dark clothes...and a hooded cloak and carried a bow. He barked out orders to the goblins..who carried the box off out the gate. As I tried to follow...that one riding that rat-thing attacked me. And then you stepped in...and saved me... Amazing!"
***spoiler omitted***
...
"Apart from telling you that magic has been used here recently, I can't determine anything else myself." The gnome looks a little frustrated with her own incompetence, "I'm sorry, but I think I'm still out of sorts from yesterday, and my concentration is insufficient to the task."
Exiting the tomb, Aziza goes over to Seldon. "By the way, I need to return these to you." She hands the priest the two potion vials he asked her to identify yesterday. "This one is a minor healing potion, but the other I'm not so sure of. It's probably the same, but I'll take another look at it later when I'm not so out-of-sorts, if that's agreeable to you?"
"Shalelu? Not... Shalelu Androsana?" the fear and worry in his face seem to wash away. "Coming here? Desna seems to be conspiring to bring all of my kinsmen down the Lost Coast Road. I've seen her take down half a dozen ettercaps. If Shalelu is coming we have nothing to worry about!"
Seldon will gratefully take the two vials back, muttering a short prayer before taking a small sip of each.
"I think your assessment is correct, my friend." he says, trying not to gag. "Desna save me, they taste like pickled goblin-dog!"
"There's no need to be waitin'. I can track 'em, to be sure." Tunder seems ready to go.
Thorn walks around the crypt looking for anything really. Not noticing anything, and hears that the other tomb is empty he attempts to open it just in case. No strength check, just a simple try. He would go over to the pile of black cloth with Aziza, stabbing it with his blade, and dragging it out. He puts his warhammer away and sheathes his Elven Curve Blade. He goes to Tunder's side, "I am ready when you are, and if it takes longer than when the boar hunt starts, we have a goblin hunt that takes presidence."
Barek looks at the empty tomb of Nualia and then at the now empty tomb of Tobyn. He begins counting on his fingers and then turns back to the sheriff. "So, I'm not great at numbers, but... If Nualia's body was never recovered, and they took Tobyn's bones? Who's are these?" He points down to the shattered bones of the animated skeletons they had fought.
There are no other tombs in the crypt and the Sherriff shrugs his shoulders when asked. The lid for Nualia's sarcophagus is quite heavy and would take a strength check to lift, it's not loose.
The tracks in the soft earth of the boneyard are quite easy to follow a they lead up to the wall in the back where a ladder lays.
To track further you either have to go up and over or around to Northgate to continue the hunt. Leaning against the cemetery wall around back of the guardhouse where you fought goblins is another ladder (see previous spoiler if you look close).
There is heavy traffic going out of town as merchants, tradesmen, entertainers, and festival goers are all departiing after the ruined festival, which was supposed to last 3 days. Most are in foul tempers and the slow-moving line only irritates them further. This much traffic makes following the tracks much harder:
As you pass near the Northgate, the Sherriff muses:"That's another thing that bothers me...The gate were supposed to be locked at sunset. The guards at the gatehouse 'ere were killed except one, who was 'urt but'll survive, but how'd the goblins get in the town if the gate were locked?"
Perception Check on ladder
Perception Check on Gate
Yup, as expected Thorn keeps an eye out though just goes with the flow of the group.
Once near the gate, likely Tunder has lost the tracks, he asks the Sheriff, "Where is Tanner's Bridge Hemlock?"
In that case, "Well it looks like the gate is in excellent condition, could it been possible they opened the door, or it was opened for them from the inside?" Thorn inquires.