Silvio opens the door to find a humanoid creature in an advanced state of decay, as though it had been built out of rotting, diseased flesh. The creature clutches a disembodied arm with unmistakeable tattoos: Gaekhen's.
The creature's foul stench begins to pour out of the storeroom that had been holding it. The store room is in shambles, no doubt from the frenzied golem's rampage.
The stench washes over the party, leaving them gasping for breath. Silvio, closest to the creature after opening the door, feels his stomach churn, though he suffers no further consequences.
Staryth's knowledge of health and medicine makes one thing immediately obvious to him: Any wounds inflicted by such a foe should be disinfected as soon as possible, as any open-wound contact with the decaying dead is likely to cause diseases of the most hideous kind.
Silvio reacts much faster than the creature, which is busy incoherently slamming its head against the wall with bloodcurgling moans and gurgles.
"Ugh, this'll really put a damper on trying to stay fashionable down here." Silvio moves quickly behind the stinking golem before it can get its bearings and swings at a vital organ! ;
Silvio's blade cuts surface flesh, but fails to do any significant damage to the creature.
The carrion golem turns to face Silvio, and unleashes the kind of chilling scream only half-severed vocal cords can produce as it lashes out violently against him.
The creature's strength is overbearing, and both hits strike true, the creature's bony fists inflicting deep bruises and tears against Silvio's chest and face. Somewhere during its swing, it releases its hold on Gaekhen's arm, which clatters across the pantry.
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Silvio tries again to strike the sack of rotting flesh!
;
;
After striking true, he takes a 5-foot step away from the thing!
Staryth joins in attempting to help, though he really has no idea what in the world it is I try not to judge, but it does seem everything we fight lately is disgusting.
As they approach the creature, both Staryth and Krojun are struck by its foul smell.
They both power on through, unaffected.
Krojun's axe takes a significant chunk out of the golem's arm, while Silvio performs an agile leaping strike, cutting some of the stitches holding the carrion golem's head to its body, causing its head to hang losely to the side.
As Staryth approaches, the carrion golem lashes at him.
The blow causes his own attack to falter, and he fails to strike the golem.
Undaunted by the attacks, the golem pursues its chosen prey, lumbering forward and attacking Silvio once more.
The attack knocks the wind out of him, and he collapses over a chest, unconscious.
The golem next turns its attention to Krojun, but fails to land a blow. It looks quite damaged from the attacks; but seems unwilling (or unable) to back down.
Krojun shrugs off the strike, which leaves only a shallow bruise.
. Silvio bleeds a little, though he still has a good amount of life left.
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Krojun's strike takes the golem's head off entirely... which does not appear to dissuade the creature's aggressive posture.
Staryth groans in pain as he's hit, but that's nothing compared to what happened to poor Silvio
"No idea, hold it's attention please, I have to help Silvio"
He positions if he can behind Silvio's bleeding body and hopes the creatures strikes neither him nor his patient.
"Ugh, what happened there?" Silvio comes conscious again, only to realize the golem is still flailing away at Krojun! He decides to stay put for now, hoping the beast won't notice him in his fragile state.
The headless construct stumbles about blindly, but lashes out at Krojun no less, driven towards nothing but destruction.
It fails to connect with either strike; its first swipe connects with a glass bottle on a shelf on the wall, which flies off and shatters against the southern wall.
Its bare throat gurgles as though trying to unleash a furious shriek. The construct is in very poor shape from the various strikes it has endured. It seems on the verge of coming apart at the seams.
"Just hang back, Silvio... Krojun has it on the ropes."
Despite his faith in the Shoanti, when he can Staryth joins in with a slash of his glaive.
Silvio remains still, but prepares a readied action to attack if Krojun happens to go down.
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Krojun's blow cleaves the construct at the torso, shattering its spine and causing it to fall apart. Its parts twitch for a short moment, then become lifeless and inanimate.
"Most definitely," agrees Silvio, getting on his feet gingerly. "We've more than earned a break!"
"I certainly won't argue with that," Staryth replies, tapping his goddess' symbol in a warding gesture against the foulness they've fought recently, "Silvio, slow your pace but a moment though." And he puts a hand on the half elf's shoulder as they move. Injuries once again heal up some, "I can do that once more, if you wish but that will be all for the day I can muster for any if I do."
"Thanks Staryth. I'll be fine as long as we don't run into anything else!"
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The party departs from the Dead Warrens without incident, and the first breath of fresh air is most welcome.
They are met at the graveyard gate by one of Kroft's underlings, waiting next to an empty cart covered by a tarp.
"Oh! There you are!" The man calls out to the party as they approach. "Kressida sent me and my squadmate to meet up with you, though he just went off to see those prisoners you freed safely to their homes and families. Korvosa thanks you for that. Kressida tasked me with handling the corpse; she wants to see you as soon as possible. Something big has come up."
You recall seeing the man during one of your briefings with Kressida, and his story seems genuine, as does the hastily written note from the Marshall, requesting much the same as the man told you.
"I just wish we could have done more," Staryth says saddened at the loss of life.
The next morning, a package reaches the party, delivered by a member of the guard. A finely crafted ivory wand awaits the party within, wrapped in simple craft paper, and joined by a note.
I am ever grateful for the new lease on life your rescue has granted me. I was a petty thief, but no longer. I beg for the forgiveness of Abadar and Shelyn. I will be retiring to an uncle's farm out in the Varisian lands, where honest work will be my penitence.
I cannot hope to make restitution to those who I have wronged, so in lieu of it, please accept this gift, heroes, from a city that should appreciate you far more. I do not believe our paths will cross again; please forgive my lies. Again, my thanks. - Tiora.
The wand, upon further analysis, is a wand of Cure Moderate Wounds, holding 34 charges.
[ooc]So, a tally of the loot you've acquired through your exploration of the Dead Warrens:
Silver Dagger
Masterwork dagger
(Unknown Elixir)
Masterwork studded leather armor (gives off a magic aura)
Scroll of Identify
Scroll of Command Undead
Wand of Ghoul Touch (43 charges)
Wand of Moderate (34 charges), acquired tomorrow.
Four flasks of a foul smelling blue-tinted liquid, likely poison, going by the way Vreeg had them readies.
Robe of bones
Ornate steel ring, radiates a magical aura.[ooc]
Silvio peers at the note.
"Well, would you look at that! It seems our "artist" has decided to make a fresh start. She must've been pretty talented though - I can't imagine how many people she hit up to afford this beauty." He holds up the ivory wand admiringly. He then hands it off to Staryth.
"I sure hope it's more than just a pretty stick!"
"Shelyn shield her and protect her," Staryth says tilting his head to make it a prayer, and then he takes the wand, "And I'm sure it must be."
As the party travels the streets over to Citadel Volshyenek, the street is alight with news. It doesn't take long before they make out what has the city at full attention: There are claims that Trinia Sabor, the murderer of the king, has been caught and will be executed only a few hours from now.
"Agreed, no time to waste." The paladin picks up the pace
"No," cries Silvio in shock, mixed with despair. "I was sure she'd be safe. Damn it all! What are we going to do? I hope you're right about Kressida - we are going to need some help!"
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When the party gets to the Citadel, Kressida is waiting for the party in her office, pacing back and forth; the guards lead them to her immediately.
The party recognizes some of the guards who escorted them out earlier that day; they appear quite relieved to see you safe and sound.
"... Please tell me you have more information than I do," the agitated Kressida asks the party as they enter, apparently every bit as agitated by the news as they are.
"It was my understanding that Trinia had gotten away for good,"
"... and here we are, with the girl about to be executed. Is there some information I'm missing?"
Before the party can answer, Kressida closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "Please forgive me; I shouldn't get ahead of myself. I'm glad to see you've returned safe and sound from the Dead Warrens." She says, cringeing as she notes Silvio's injuries. "I take it Simons and Thatcher met you on the way out of the graveyard as expected?"
. Silvio is pleased that Kressida appears to be on their side. "Don't worry about me, Marhsall. I've been through worse. Silvio holds up the stump of his amputated arm as he says this. [b]"So what's the story? Did they really catch the girl, or did they capture someone who just looks like her?"
"If they did, then it wasn't the watch who caught her. I've not had any such reports; it might have been a civilian's arrest, a group of well-meaning folks like you, or a member of one of the temple guard corps."
"Is it true that the execution is in just hours? Is there going to be a trial? This is happening way too fast."
"And there are spells, means that are not fool proof, but might also help determine malice or the like," Staryth says, "I agree with Silvio, this feels...rushed."
"I can only agree. This is all very irregular." Cressida agrees. "The King generally called to the watch for matters of law, but since her rise to the throne, the Queen has been using some agents of her own to conduct her business. My men and I have been relegated to the petty peacekeeping ever since then. Not that there's been a lack of that, as you can tell."
"There's not much time before the execution, I'm afraid. You three should get going if you want to get there on time."