"We need to take the correct amount of time to also ensure we are not actually being played for fools as well. Before we restore any fountains we must also consider whether we have been moved into this position for a reason, que bono indeed"
"I can't see the effects myself, but I can ask a reliable source"
"I can't see the effects myself, but I can ask a reliable source"
Before we contact your reliable source, we should carefully think about our questions we are going to ask. What do we need to know?
"My question is 'How do we restore the fountain to its pure and holy state?'. I just wonder if we should simply try consecrate and remove curse first, before drawing upon the divination."
So, once you have brainstormed some questions, I'll eagerly be answering them :)
"What evil -- magic or supernatural -- has tainted the fountain and it's waters?" Kirk volunteers.
Do not get me wrong, I just want to ensure that we have thought about questions we want to ask, once the reliable source has been contacted.
Maybe you just write up a short catalogue of questions?
Solaric walks up to the fountain and kneels in front of it. With his longsword drawn in his hand and his head bowed, he begins to pray, seeking guidance.
"Blessed Inheritor, I Solaric Zekkaran, your humble servant, look within that I may approach the throne of your grace and glory. I seek your guidance now in the hopes that I may find the pure water that is needed to heal the good people of Karcau. Guide me today, this moment that I may fulfill your will in this matter."
After a long moment of silence, Solaric rises to his feet and asks his friends about something he remembers from a while ago.
"My friends, do you remember the old man we met who was called Muntaru? He was from Lepidtstadt and was taught the doctrine of Pharasma at the Light's Dawn Cathedral. Well, he claimed that there were three fountains in the center of the cloister, but two were poisoned, but from one flew the holy water. He also revealed that those who wanted to drink from it had to pass some kind of test to reveal which one was the holy fountain. I wonder if this one is simply one of the evil fountains. Perhaps there is yet a third fountain that still flows with the pure and holy water that Pharasma blessed it with. Do any of you remember seeing three fountains? I wonder if this cursed fountain is simply one of the poisoned ones. Perhaps we do not need to purify this fountain at all, but simply find one that is already pure."
Johenric's eyes are wide open.
Solaric, you are right. Taking this piece of information into consideration, we should continue to search for the holy fountain. How, even if we find the one, how do we know the holy water will help to save his place?
"We could search, but that could be timely, or we could simply use a Divination and ask whether we should be looking for other fountains"
"OH yes, perhaps there are clues?" using her various detections, Victoria searches the Demons body.
"Solaric, you are right. Taking this piece of information into consideration, we should continue to search for the holy fountain. How, even if we find the one, how do we know the holy water will help to save his place?"
"I am quite certain that once we find the true holy fountain that its water will save the city of Karcau. We just need to keep searching to find it."
Turning to Victoria, Solaric asks, "Can you use your divination to first locate the holy fountain that will cure the plague from the people of Karcau? Next, will the holy water within be able to heal the people of Karcau? If the answer is no, then what needs to be done to purify the fountain and make it flow with holy water once again? "
"I shall first Augur the question of whether or not we need to seek additional fountains, then we can use the more profound revelations for more specific detail"
Victoria and Naga lock eyes for several moments, there appears to be a silent conversation taking place between them.
At last someone remembers the important parts! :)
This is surely the cloister, or more exactly its cellar. Down here there seem to be no other ways, but upstairs have been many other tunnels and corridors you ignored.
"Well, once you have found an answer, let's proceed and see if we can find the true fountain that we are looking for. I don't want to spend countless hours trying to restore a fountain to holiness if it has only ever spewed poison in the first place."
Johnric nods and walks around. He wonders about the interior and the natural distribution of dust.
Mh...strange. No draft in the cloister, and the dust is not distributed according to the natural distribution. In fact it looks like, that certain areas attract more does and others do not at all...
Cairns hops up from where he had been leaning against the wall...finally sometihng more along my line of work...
Upstairs and find two more fountains? Sounds easy enough.
The Sczarni will lead the way up and begin the search.
Surprised you find out that the death of the bloodletter demon has vanquished all his zombie minions. Several times you pass crumbled heaps of undead monks and easy enough you are now able to locate the two other fountains...actually the place feels quite serene now with the presence of the demon gone...
"It is refreshing to have cleared this place of the evil presence that has inhabited these halls for so long. I see now that we have indeed found the two other fountains. I must now try to find which of these flow with healing waters."
Solaric looks at each of the fountains and uses Detect Evil to find any auras that may emanate from the fountains and/or the liquid that flows within them.
While all three fountains have been desecrated by the demon and his followersd, only two of them feel "really" evil. Actually the one that does not emanate a strong aura of evil is the one that is adorned with the leering faces of ugly gargoyles and many horns and spikes and looks the least like a fountain of health.
"Now that is ironic, but is it safe? Have we achieved our quest for the healing waters?"
"It seems strange that this evil looking fountain appears to be the lesser of the three evils. I just don't understand why it would have been created with such demonic forms. Perhaps this would be the time to cast consecrate and allow the will of Iomedae to purify this fountain. What other suggestions would you offer? I am eager to finish this quest, but we cannot afford to make a mistake at this point!"
It is sad, but we know what we know...
Johenric sits down on a big stone and holds his chin with his right hand.
Maybe slaying the demon was all we needed to do.
Cairn was at a loss as to their next step.
"Before we consecrate this thing in the name of Iomedae, have we ensured it was initially created for that purpose and in service of an allied deity? I would hate for us to wipe clean the fountain and its magic source and simply end up with a fountain full of holy water because we got our divinity entangled"
"Before we consecrate this thing in the name of Iomedae, have we ensured it was initially created for that purpose and in service of an allied deity? I would hate for us to wipe clean the fountain and its magic source and simply end up with a fountain full of holy water because we got our divinity entangled"
"This was originally a temple to Pharasma, and as such, I presume the holy fountain was created for the purpose of healing. After having been desecrated by a demon and his minions, I simply want to counter the effects with a consecration from the Inheritor. My hope is that neither the desecration nor the consecration would remove the original healing powers of the fountain. Certainly with a true and powerful force of good behind the consecrate, I cannot see why it would interfere its original healing powers."
"At the moment, I am more concerned with the fact that the fountain I believe was created to heal is actually made with images and sculpted heads of such evil creatures. Can you explain such a contradiction?"
"Call it camouflage, or a solemn reminder of threats that the healing water was meant to thwart." Kirk adds, as if on an afterthought, "I'm afraid I understand very little on the mental workings of faithful men."
"Call it camouflage, or a solemn reminder of threats that the healing water was meant to thwart." Kirk adds, as if on an afterthought, "I'm afraid I understand very little on the mental workings of faithful men."
"That sounds like a reasonable explanation. I just don't think that people who make the pilgrimage up here, traveling hundreds of miles to reach the healing waters of this fountain, would have appreciated being greeted by these hideous looking faces. Perhaps this is just the way things are done in Ustulav. How could they ever do anything without a bit of horror and some disturbing images? You would think that I would be use to that by now."
"You might not, but this is Ustalav, and such 'horrors' are quite normal and accepted by the common folk here, this is the midnight land, campfire stories the world over feature this land as the default for dark horror - even Cheliaxian children raised cheek by jowl with Devils pull the covers tighter after hearing Ustalavian stories. We aren't quite Nidal, but there we have it. This is not, and never will be, a land dedicated to goodness, the fabric is evil...silk purse, sows ear. As Kirk suggests, the offering of something goodwould often be matched with a dire threat to ensure the right degree of appreciation. No free giving around here."
"Pharasma, neither good nor evil, but a hater of the undead... perhaps there's something in that"
"Well, then let me try to consecrate this fountain and see if indeed it brings about the healing that we have sought for so long."
Solaric stands before the fountain, raises his hands to the sky, concentrates and then he draws his holy symbol and begins casting consecrate upon the fountain.
"Blessed Inheritor, I call upon you now to remove the desecration on this holy site through your might and power. Let it burn away the evil and allow all that is pure and good to remain here at this fountain that we may draw from this holy well and bring healing to your people. I ask this in your name!"
Maybe the demon changed the face of the fountain...and we have to find a way to change it back.
Cairn was in the same spot as Kirk in not understanding the way of religious folk but he had a deep respect for them... Auntie Akeena saw to that now didn't she?..
A flash of bright light, followed by an echo warm illumination fills the room...and a moment later, suddenly water flows from the fountain again...
Victoria runs through her detections... as does Naga who looks for magic and good.
Ahh! The Inheritor be praised! The water flows once again!"
Solaric concentrates for a long while, looking into the aura given off by the liquid and the fountain, as he uses Detect Evil. Once he believes the water is pure and holy, he declares, "This has been a long time coming, but I think we have accomplished the task that we have come here for. Let us fill up as many empty containers as possible and get this water back to Karcau! Is there anybody in need of healing who would be willing to try some of this?"
Johenric observes the scene as being an outsider not part of the things going on.
Interesting. Thanks to Pharasma. I have to make some notes for the chronicles...
Suddenly he takes out his notebook and start to write...
Kirk shrugs and fills his waterskin, then looks around for any other containers they might use to transport the water.
My lungs still burn from the poisonous vapors. I will try the waters.
Cairn dumps what was remaining in his own waterskin and looked at the the fountain with a small measure of apprehension... surely Sir Solaric has purified this fountain... before filling the skin and taking a long swig of the cleansing waters.
The water feels cool and tastes slightly metallic...but as it runs down your throat it suddenly begins to feel warm and the warmth is spreading!
Moments later you weel refreshed and much better than before!
Pharasmian fountain water: Heals 4D8 hp, cures all poisons and illnesses and negates negative nergy effects.
A person can't profit from drinking the fountain's water more than twice a month.
"Well that was less challenging than we thought, lets get to saving the Countess. We also have a few loose ends to tie up in Karcau"
Johenric sitting on his stone still writes into his notebook...
Relief flooded through the young Sczarni. Not because of the healed wounds but because he believed himself healed of any plague that might have infected him...careful or Sir Solaric will make a believer out of you...
It was with much heartache that he poured out the contents of the two bottles of wine he'd brought along...these cost a pretty coin now but its for the better good... and filled them up with the fountains healing waters.
"It's nice to have a victory, but it's nice to have a good celebration too... I wonder if there is anything of value down here?"
Victoria is now more interested in anything that might turn a copper or two.
Does that mean a thorough search of the whole cloister or just a superficial check? First one would take two days, the latter one about four hours.
Victoria is not in any hurry whatsoever.
Relief flooded through the young Sczarni. Not because of the healed wounds but because he believed himself healed of any plague that might have infected him...careful or Sir Solaric will make a believer out of you...
"Cairn my friend! I must thank you for all of your help in securing this fountain and collecting the water of this healing fountain. I have no doubt that it will extinguish the plague that spreads throughout Karcau. We have done much good on this day that will help us come one step closer to bringing down the evil that threatens this land!"
"It's nice to have a victory, but it's nice to have a good celebration too... I wonder if there is anything of value down here?"
"Feel free to do a quick search, your Grace, but we should make our way back to Karcau as quickly as we can. The people are desperately in need of this water. I fear if we wait to long, more people will die."
"Yes, you need to get back quickly and save the Countess, but I have no such encumbrance and this place is as good as any to stay at a while and investigate what has been taking place here. The locals have also just had a wave of creatures maul them, so they might be needing some help too."
"Yes, you need to get back quickly and save the Countess, but I have no such encumbrance and this place is as good as any to stay at a while and investigate what has been taking place here. The locals have also just had a wave of creatures maul them, so they might be needing some help too."
"Victoria!" Solaric exclaims. Suddenly realizing that his voice was perhaps a little too loud, he asks in a slightly more patience tone. "Your Grace, are you not concerned about the people falling sick with the plague? There is clearly evil around every corner in Ustulav, but don't you think it would be more worthwhile to rescue the entire population of Karcau than to simply aid the few locals who live near by? I don't mean to be harsh. Clearly I would prefer to see that all people come to live in a world of justice, peace, and security, but I am not sure we really have time to go seeking out any additional tasks. Remember, even after we solve the trouble with the plague, there is still the shards of the amethyst heptagon that still need to be found. I'm just wondering if perhaps we could please head back to Karcau sooner than later? I mean, it does seem rather important don't you think?"
"Ustalav IS Evil, of course there's evil around every corner. This plague afflicts a small number, and frankly if you were concerned about it spreading then we could have saved so much more time by just ringing in the theatre and putting it and all the victims straight to the torch. We are here for your Countess nothing more, nothing less, she is what drives your importance and your urgency. Now one way or another we were manipulated into coming and opening this place up for the enemy, they had something to blackmail you with and they used it, and in turn you buckled to the pressure and came here to do their bidding - I'm curious as to why. You forget also that there is a Vampire and all her friends to deal with, along with the Heptagon... indeed our plate gets fuller by the day, which of course is totally acknowledged by the Countess who is too busy to listen to her petitioners. All you are racing back to is a wedding, I have actual work to do"
Begging your pardon my Lord? But you will be able to carry so much of the healings waters back with just our few numbers. Now that we have found the source of the plague's end in Karcau; should we not keep it secure? I volunteer to stay here with the Lady Victoria until you are able to send knights and guardsmen to protect the fountain.