"Well, I guess we can figure out what happened to the girl from the caravan..."
"And that bite was definitely poisonous. I'm not feeling so great right now."
Phaedra casts cure light wounds upon herself.
Maria listens to what is known about phase spiders. "So what made the noise? It doesn't sound like something a spider would do. I say we try to figure that out."
Maria heads slowly over toward where the noise was coming from.
Cedric moves over to Phaedra. Here, let me take a look at you. It did look like a nasty bite.
Cedric takes out a scroll and utters a small litany.
with a kind smile he looks at pheadra
there, that should be better at least for awhile. Do you need aid from this? He holds out the wand found in the prison.
Lazar informs the rest how do these creatures work. "It might be difficult to catch, and I don't know what will it do if its victim doesn't succumb to the poison. We should be attentive."
Mishtes comes out of his rage, for now.
"Right. Let's find the girl and keep close together.
"That's our best chance against that thing."
When Maria moves away from the group the Phase spider seizes her chance and attacks from the Ethereal plane.
It's fangs skid off her armor, it smirks mockingly and cries. "Help me, oh please help me!" In the voice you heard before.
The party may now act.
Gadren turns and fires at the voice but in his haste the bolt flies over it's head.
"I see you like tricks, try one of mine!" Gadren takes a pinch of dust from his spell component pouch and lightly blows it towards the Phase Spider. As it reaches the creature it starts to glow brightly.
Lazar quickly picks a pair of arrows and lets them loose to finish the creature, gaining advantage from it being too close to Maria.
Maria smiles, having the spider exactly where she wants it.
But she's so excited her swing goes completely wild, per the usual.
Phaedra aims her shortbow at the spider creature and lets an arrow fly at it.
But it goes wide.
Cedric lets out a minor prayer before raising his hand towards the creature. A small glyph appears for a moment in front of his hand before shattering into hundreds of tiny pieces, at which point there is an ear piercing cacophony near the creature.
The Party reacts instantly and hammers the creature before it can withdraw again. It slumps dead into the marshy soil.
Searching the area you find the body of the missing Aleece, dead for several hours now, and the remains of several other unfortunate travelers killed by this creature.
Among the scattered bones and rotting clothing you find.
Loot.
Mithril shirt 1.
63gp
52gp in precious stones.
What are you doing now?
Maria grunts. "Too bad for these but at least we killed it. I say we take these bodies back to the caravan. Let's head back and tell them." Maria reverently places a body on each shoulder, ready to trudge back through the marsh.
"Lets bring her body back so at least they can give her a proper burial amongst her friends. These others, they'll have to settle for a group of strangers like us." Gadren says solemnly. "At least no more will join them now."
Lazar, if no other holy man does, will provide a proper burial rite for the bodies, either here or at the caravan, ensuring no one will ever raise as an undead as this is anathema in the eyes of the Lady Pharasma.
Recovering from his brief fatigue, Mishtes will offer to carry Aleece's body back to her companions.
As well as helping bury the other spider's victims, time permitting.
When you return a wail goes up from the gathered curiosities, especially the dead girls two sisters, a small boy who seems to be with then howls at the sight of the body.
"Ah, it is as I feared then." Sighs the saddened Kaleb Hesse. "I hope you have dealt justice to whatever it was that so cruelly ended her life?"
The news that you killed to creature luring travelers to their deaths does little to ease the grief stricken troupe, but Hesse nods with some relief anyway.
He gives you as thanks for your heroic actions a magical dagger.
He also asks that since his flock are now badly shaken he would be grateful if you could travel with them to Lepidstadt?
What are you doing now?
Maria considers "I don't see why not. I'd be happy to protect these folk."
"As long as the others agree I think that would be for the best." Gadren offers his condolences to the various members of the traveling troupe.
certainly,Besides, more company usually means more laughs. I'm certain these folk have many stories to tell as well.
Lazar agrees to accompany them, and offers his services in anything he could help.
The rest of your journey is uninterrupted, as the walls of the city of Lepidstadt come into view Kaleb Hesse breathes a sigh of relief. "Thank you my friends, your kindness will not be forgotten. Should you need any of whatever small aid we can give, look for us where the carnivals are being set."
Lepidstadt is a small city on the banks of the Lesser Moutray River, most famous for its university and the strange standing stones outside the city called the Spiral Cromlech.
Recently renovated, Lepidstadt is a bustling, lively city of students and academics, with newly bricked streets, wide plazas, and grandiose structures built from imported wood and stone.
Away from the university and city center, however, the narrow, winding streets of Lepidstadt show the signs of its age, with dilapidated
hovels, crumbling stone walls, and cramped courtyards.
Lepidstadt
N small city
Corruption +1; Crime +1; Economy +3; Law –1; Lore +3,
Society +4
Qualities academic, prosperous, rumormongering citizens,
tourist attraction.
Demographics
Government council
Population 9,780 (9,600 humans, 80 dwarves, 50 elves, 30
gnomes, 20 other)
Upon your arrival in Lepidstadt, you find an almost festive air in the city. The trial of the Beast of Lepidstadt has already commenced, and things don’t look good for the creature. A huge pyre in the shape of
a man—Lepidstadt’s famous Punishing Man—has been erected in the main circle outside the courthouse, and locals eagerly add fuel to the effigy in preparation for the Beast’s execution.
You have two tasks to perform for the good Professor Lorrimor. Returning the tomes from Professor Lorrimor’s chest to Dr. Montagnie Crowl at Lepidstadt University, and delivering the curious Manual of the Order of the Palatine Eye to Judge Embreth Daramid at her townhouse in the city.
Which do you wish to do first?
"Hmm, how about we deliver the manual to Judge Daramid first?"
Maria looks up at Lepidstadt with mixed feelings. She hadn't traveled much and this city was much larger than her home town of Ravengro. But she couldn't help despising it a little. "Villainy is everywhere. Places like this just concentrate it all close together...
When Phaedra offers her opinion, Maria nods in agreement. "Seems more pressing."
Gadren waves goodbye to their temporary traveling companions before turning to the others. "With far less red cord to hold us up. Hidebound academics who never leave the grounds of their university can be odd ones at the best of times."
Let us take the chest to Crowl. I'd like to have more time to ask Judge Daramid more questions involving the Manual.
Cedric says to the others.
Lazar thinks about the situation, and both choices seem to have good and bad things. "It's really unimportant, but if I had to choose I'll do the personal task first. Personal always tends to be more important, in general."
Judge Embreth Daramid.
Judge Daramid lives in a fine townhouse surrounded by art in the center of Lepidstadt. She invites you into her home when you arrive.
She is in her sixties, with gray hair pulled back tightly into a bun and icy blue eyes. She is a stern, no-nonsense woman who appears to be all business.
Signs show that Professor Lorrimor’s death has affected her more than she lets show, hinting that perhaps their relationship was, at one time at least, more than professional.
After offering you tea and having it served to anyone who accepts she gets down to business. "I received notification that you were asked to perform certain tasks in the will. Have you completed them?"
What are you doing now?
"One other after this. With any luck that will be dealt with before dusk." Gadren smiles taking the tea and taking a sip. "How is your work going presently with all the festivities."
Maria glances at the judge and around her home, raises an eyebrow, but doesn't say anything for the time being. Maria nods in agreement with Gadren. "Yes we are completing the tasks. What can you tell us about the Order of the Palatine Eye?"
"Our main task had been to see to Kendra's well being. Now we are finishing up the remaining tasks and delivering this item to you ma'am." Phaedra waves in the general direction of the manual.
Lazar nods to all what his companions say, and it's specially attentive when the judge is asked about the Order.
Judge Daramid shows no signs of having heard Maria's question. When told that you still need to deliver some items to Dr. Montagnie Crowl at the university she simply nods. "I see, please complete your mission and then return to me. As well as the agreed upon remuneration I believe we have a number of things to discuss."
She settles back with an air of patience.
What are you doing now?
"Well I suppose we best be on our way then. Thank you for the tea." Gadren smiles as he drinks it.
Once they are done there he is happy to press on directly to the university.
Lazar politely excuses himself, ready to leave, and exits the room with the intention of following the rest to Mr Crowl's.
Maria follows along to rhe university, muttering "Knows something she's not telling." But the judge's connection with Lorrimor makes Maria trust her just a hair.
"With her inquiry I suspect there might a hidden task from Lorrimor for us left in her care. We'll see in due time of course."
"If she wants to share, she will. If not, there isn't much to be done about that. What we can do, is to head on over to the University for our last task here."
Maria nods in agreement. "Do the University. Hopefully these stuffed up bookworms don't keep us long."
Dr. Montagnie Crowl:
Lepidstadt University is quite easy to find, and anyone inquiring about Dr. Crowl is directed there. Any questions to gather information about Dr. Crowl reveal that the eccentric professor is well known in town, particularly in light of the recent theft from his department that famously led to the capture of the dreaded Beast of Lepidstadt, who now sits on trial.
When you arrive at the university, you are greeted by the sight of several builders and craftsman working to repair the damage to the Antiquities Department caused by the Beast during the theft.
Dr. Montagnie Crowl is Professor of Antiquities at the university. An eccentric but likeable man, he is prone to waving his arms about enthusiastically. He meets you in the department’s combination library and workshop. The workshop is slowly being cleaned up, but it is still a mess. Dr. Crowl is saddened to learn of his old friend and colleague Lorrimor’s death and accepts the bequeathed objects with sad gratitude. If asked about the damage to his department, Crowl relates the tale of the Beast’s break in and the curious fact that only one item was taken—a strange statuette called the Seasage Effigy.
Crowl is frankly baffled by events—he admits that the statuette was very singular, but it was hardly valuable. Although the stolen statue has not been recovered, he is pleased that the Beast was caught, though he understands the poor creature cannot explain its actions and is clearly mad.
What are you doing now?
Maria is very curious as well about this break-in as it seems extremely fishy. She plies the professor with several questions "What is this beast like? Is it roughly human in form? This 'Seasage Effigy' is a statue of what or whom? Some wise guy who lived by the ocean? How did the break in lead to the beast being captured?"
"What kind of creature is the Beast, sir?"
"What can you tell us about the Seasage effigy?" Gadren asked as he got a sinking feeling about the whole thing.
@Phaedra. There is no information on the Seasage Effigy.
If questioned about the stolen statue, Dr. Crowl happily discusses the Seasage Effigy. He is unsure of where the statuette originally came from, but he knows it’s been part of the department’s collection for many years. Physically, the effigy is a murky green statuette depicting a grotesque creature writhing with tentacles. Dr. Crowl admits that he found the effigy fascinating, as it appeared to be an anomaly, an idol of some sort that did not seem to correlate to the worship of any known divine being. He privately suspects that the statuette depicts something only whispered of in the ancient legends of Golarion—some sort of creature from the mysterious Dark Tapestry. Regardless of such idle speculation, however, Dr. Crowl believes the Seasage Effigy’s distinct appearance will make it easy to recover, and he expects the statuette to be found soon.
Dr. Crowl responds to you. "There is an alarm spell on the antiquities department. When it went off the guards responded, finding the Beast wandering around seemingly lost, and the Seasage effigy gone?"
"Oh, the Beast seems to be some form of Flesh Golem, but it can actually speak! Most curious isn't it?"
What are you doing now?
"Curious indeed. Floklore says that golems enter a strange state of stasis upon their master's death, where they repeat their master's last command or wish once and again. Maybe this one's master wanted the statuette... Which leads me to think that maybe these books should be kept in a safer place, as the knowledge buried within them is dangerous beyond reason..."