Cira considers Blacklock's words. "A sensible suggestion. The village could probably use a dedicated alchemist. I would not become rich, but I could live comfortably enough." She is quite for a moment. "I am not certain that is the most pragmatic suggestion. I do some things well but interacting with customers would not be one of them. To run a business in a fixed location would draw time and attention away from the things I truly excel at. As you say, Holgast has little left to teach me about alchemy. It may be I can leverage my talents and inclinations best by seeking advanced training not available in Kassen."
As you leave the lakeside, The trail leads ever deeper into the Fangwood, through a twisting maze of trees and confusing ravines, the sky clouds over even further, and rain seems inevitable. About three and a half hours later (even though the sun isn't due to set for another hour), the sky begins to prematurely darken as storm clouds set in, and a bone-chilling rain begins to fall. As you come to the top of a small rise, and a broad valley spreads out before you, the opposite side of which looks like a writhing serpent. Yet between the two lies a steep hill sloping down into the valley. The ground is rocky and unsteady, and the rain makes the passing treacherous. It will take a while to make it safely to the bottom.
Cira looks dubiously at the ravine. "I think we should proceed cau... Blacklock wait we need... Oh well, never mind." Cira sighs and begins to scoot carefully down the ravine.
Cira's descent starts off rough, as she slips on a loose rock and begins sliding down the hill, crashing through a pair of thickets, and landing on a pile of rocks about halfway down the hill.
Cira lays on the ground dejected for a long moment before picking herself back up. She's covered in scrapes and bruises as well as mud and detritus. She picks her way down to the ground gingerly and looks back up the slope, and then over at Blacklock. "It's a good thing I was careful." It is impossible to tell if she may have been making a joke.
Athromar also takes his time.
Reflex
Reflex
But stumbles down not far behind Cira.
Sighing, Phineas begins the slow descent, taking his time, even if it means arriving later than the others. The climb starts easily enough, the gangly cleric making it down about one-third of the drop without any incident. But soon enough his long arms and legs get all confused, a small slip and he falls head over tea-kettle most of the rest of the way to bottom, unable to brake or stop the fall once it starts.
Landing with a thump at the bottom, the out-of-breath Phineas thanks his patron deity for allowing him to make it to the bottom alive (maybe).
Cira tries to help Blacklock with camp, but her injuries and rattled nerves render her less than helpful.
Athromar, seeing where Cira stumbled, manages to avoid the same fate... but is so busy pointing it out to Brother Phineas that he misses a small root, and, tripping over it, tumbles the rest of the way down the hill, landing in a pile of thornbushes. Phineas, distracted by Athromar's fall, misses his own cue, and slips on a muddy hill, sliding a ways before falling off a 20-foot cliff, collapsing with a solid thunk not too far from where Cira and Blacklock are waiting, lying nearly dead, barely able to move his arms and legs.
"Phineas!" Is he dead? Cira limps over to try and help guide Phineas back to the fire. She looks back at the slope. "I hope that's the worst thing that happens to us."
Athromar will Channel Energy to attend to his own and his allies' wounds.
CE x2
"I thought the wolves and illusions were tough, the very ground itself even stands against us!"
"Thank you, friends..." Phineas mumbles as the divine energy from Athromar mends most of his wounds, healing the myriad bumps and scrapes from his long tumble down the cliffside. "Guess my climbing needs more work." he says standing and stretching in the growing darkness.
Re no get passes uneventfully, and by morning you all wake up fully refreshed and ready to take on anything, having learned from the last two days many practical skills.
The morning is chilly, and the fog is thick at the bottom of the gorge. While you may still be sore from last night, Athromar's healing has left you feeling refreshed and stronger than ever before, and your minds are buzzing with all you've already learned in the short time you've been away from Kassen. Knowing you're close to your destination, the walk seems incredibly easy, and as you near the crypt as marked on your map, the sun finally burns away the mists to reveal... carnage. An archway of stone is set into the side of a small hill at the bottom of the valley. Moss has overgrown many of the details, but one is still quite clear. The keystone of the arch is carved with a flame symbol with a stylized rune in the middle. Beyond the archway is a darkened tunnel that leads to a pair of massive wooden doors, one of which is slightly ajar.
A pair of horses and a trio of ponies lie slaughtered next to the archway, each corpse still tied to a post set into the ground nearby. A swarm of flies hangs lazily in the air above them, buzzing around even as the morning comes into focus. This isn't supposed to be like this, you're sure. Still, the evidence is right in front of you, and there's no contesting that.
The horses have been dead for two, maybe three nights at most. They were killed with what seem to be crude knives, or perhaps jagged claws.
Phineas, horrified at the slaughter of innocent beasts, bends to examine the corpses of the slain mounts. "These horses were killed 2 or perhaps 3 days ago, about the time we set out from Kassen...These wounds were made by cruel slices, like a crude knife or a jagged claw. A predator would've likely eaten the flesh, not just killed the ponies. What is happening here?"
Heal
Perception
Athromar reaches the same conclusion as Phineas and then begins to search the general vicinity to see if there are any clues about as to what happened besides the obvious act itself.
Athromar finds a few scattered (and slightly crushed) human bones underneath one of the horses.
"What lies beneath?!" Athromar attempts to move the corpse
Strength
and is able to do so with surprising ease.
Cira searches the surrounding area for clues.
"I can only guess that somebody went inside the crypt and somebody else did not want them to leave unharmed. We'll learn little else without investigating. Unfortunately I feel it falls to us, if this happened only a few days ago relevant events could be transpiring now."
Underneath the horse, Athromar finds a complete human skeleton, somewhat crushed, but otherwise intact. However, the bones are by no means fresh- they're timeworn, and clearly ancient.
While searching the area, Cira finds some packs and saddlebags tucked away, near the entrance to the crypt. Searching them, she finds 2 days’ worth of rations, a pair of large, comfortable pillows, a quiver with 10 blunt arrows , and 2 pints of lamp oil.
"Ancient bones and fresh killed horses?" Phineas asks with a raised eyebrow. "I wonder if there is necromancy afoot? Perhaps these bones came out of the open door? Where else would something so aged come from?"
The gangly youth readies his bow, eyes narrowing as he senses his favored enemy, the undead.
Cira frowns at the bones.
"Your hypothesis might be sound Phineas. I don't anything about necromancy or the creatures it creates. What could be waiting beyond that door?"
You've heard all the stories. Some say that there's nothing of value at all in the crypt- grave robbers (the crypt isn't exactly locked, after all) have taken everything. Others say it is piled high with mountains of coins and Ekat Kassen himself is buried with a golden crown inset with diamonds the size of a man's fist, and magical enough to make Nethys himself envious (this tale is usually heard after one too many drinks). And there are also those that say the town's founder was buried with little more than trinkets of copper and glass (having used all his wealth on founding his town.).
Realistically, you realize the truth is somewhere in the middle- Ekat likely was buried with a few treasures- a favorite sword, perhaps, or a necklace- but to take something from his grave would be a great dishonor to him and your home.
Phineas bends at the doorway, looking for any tracks in the entryway, especially any that seem to be coming from the crypt. He also looks over the crypt door itself for any signs of how it ended up open.
Phineas finds no tracks at all. Likely, any impressions made were washed away in last night's rain. As far as he can tell, the door ended up open by someone (or something?) physically opening it- it's far too heavy to have blown open on it's own.
"You might be right as well Blacklock. We won't know anything until we investigate further." Cira approaches the door and listens intently for any sounds. .
"How should we proceed?"
Athromar smiles at Cira, "One foot in front of the other. But with much more caution. Something evil has intruded on this rite and it seems it is up to us to stop it..."
The doors are heavy, and don't budge when you try to open them.
Bow drawn and ready, Phineas stands by as the sunrod goes into the dark crypt first.
Athromar hefts his shield and mace entering the doors warily.
Perception
As the heavy doors swing open, the light from the sunrod reveals a long chamber with risen platforms on either side. A faded painting of Kassen is on the far wall. The room appears to be the site of a gruesome battle, with two bodies piled in the center and a number of skeletons scattered around. An echoing wail can be heard somewhere in the distance, beyond this foul chamber. Cira can tell it comes from the east, but the crypt is otherwise silent as the grave.
Phineas moves cautiously into the room towards where the bodies are piled in the center of the room. He bends to check the status of the fallen men, seeing if they are alive or dead.
As Phineas makes his way into the room, some movement catches his eye, and he turns to see one of the skeletons stand up, draw its rusty sword, and charge! Looking around, he sees not one, not two, but five other skeletons (total of six) all charging straight at him, a silent scream seeming to come from their skulls. You brace for their arrival, bones clattering on steel
Round 1
Phineas is momentarily frozen as the piles of bones become animated skeletons. He remembers his lessons from the temple, The undead are the bane of the living. Do not suffer them to exist.
His fingers leave his bow, which clatters to the ground. Instead he reaches for the holy symbol hanging around his neck. "Erastil protect us! he cries, channeling energy to harm the skeletons.
Once the burst of energy fills the room, Phineas draws out his quarterstaff from his back and readies for a fight.
While the skeletons on the balconies crumble into dust at the burst of golden energy, four still continue their attack, seemingly unfazed by Phineas' divine assault.
** spoiler omitted **
While the skeletons on the balconies crumble into dust at the burst of golden energy, four still continue their attack, seemingly unfazed by Phineas' divine assault.