Jolon's eyes widen when he sees Thousand Bones in Marshal Kroft's office and lowers his head and strikes his chest reverently.
"Kel-grish!"
"It is an honor to finally meet you, wise one. I am Jolon. My mother, Eyotah Iron-Spine, was of your Quah, and you have always been a hero of mine."
He listens patiently to the rest of the discussion, and nods.
"We will recover Gaekhen so he may be joined with his ancestors, and avenge him against this Rolth, Elder. Irok devit fendrik swork."
He blinks in stunned surprise as Thousand-Bones gives him some advice before leaving, and he feels a slight breeze, as if the words were being acknowledged by the world around him.
"Fortunately, I know exactly where the Dead Warrens are. There are many such catacombs beneath the Gray District, and cleansing those places of undead is how I learned to fight."
Cressida thinks it over, "I understand where you're coming from. The most I can offer right now is another thousand on top of what I've already offered. Because you're going up against a necromancer keep your eyes open for magical trinkets and hidden stashes of coin. The man Rolth has been on the run for some time and likely has 'go-bags' ready for swift relocation. Is there anything else you need?"
"What kind of necromancy does Rolth specialize in? Raising dead? Curses? Spirit binding?" Cecil asks. "I mean, based on reported records and whatnot."
Aloysia smiles pleasantly, and heads to the back of the room for the others to ask their questions now that her "concern" is addressed.
"We've fought minor constructs of his every so often, but he's been gathering bodies for some big project. Unfortunately we know next to nothing about what it is other than that it requires fresh body parts."
Jolon glowers.
"Even if the Shoanti were not my kin, I would want to hunt this Rolth down. This desecration has to be stopped."
Then he thinks a bit.
"We would do well to revisit the Grand Cathedral. They may have tools they can loan us to fight Rolth's creations."
Cecil nods. "Thank you, Knight-Captain. Sounds like we have some idea where to go next."
After the questions, just as he's about to leave, he hesitates, his hand on the door. "By the way... what happened to the artist we brought in?" he asks.
"Trinia is still here. It has been...difficult keeping her here without people getting nosy as to who she is. Unfortunately if she were to be moved I'm certain someone would realize who she is."
You're making your way back to the Cathedral when you notice citizens around you stumbling. A rumble issues from below, and a moment later the city street cracks apart and long fissures run across the bricks. The road bursts upward, casting chunks of rock into the air and raining bricks on the surrounding area. The stench of sewer filth and garbage belches forth, heralding the approach of a loud and hungry otyugh, drawn by the chaos and noise of the world above. It glances around before lashing out with its tentacles towards the screaming people around it.
"Otyugh! Watch out for its reach!"
He chants some words and flings a Toppling magic missile at the Otyugh.
Aloysia sees the swinging tenticles, swears loudly then says to herself, "I really need to remember to buy a bow," before more loudly to the others, "I'm not sure how much help I can be here! I'll be over there waiting!" She heads to a darkened area of the street where she can keep somewhat out of sight, and more importantly out of reach, and search around for loose bricks to throw at the thing.
Gamon cries out in shock as the creature appears, fumbling for his bow and sending an arrow in its direction.
Cecil's missiles find their mark, as they always do, and while two of them splash into the main body of the otyugh a third finds its way up to the top of it, pushing it over to smash against a building front.
Gamon sprints towards the creature, pulling his axe from his back and hitting nothing but air as he does his best to get through its reach.
Aloysia moves around next to Gamon and tries to end this battle before she gets snagged up by this thing's tenticles...
The otyugh is so distracted by being on the ground it doesn't notice Gamon and Aloysia closing with it, axe and daggers flashing. Its wild flailing allows it to avoid Gamon's axe, but Aloysia's dagger bites deep into its hide, cutting out one of the many eyeballs on its uppermost tentacle and drawing a scream of horrific pain from it.
Jolon closes his eyes and extend the protection of the spirits towards Aloysia, who can immediately feel them swirling around her like at Eel's End.
The otyugh flails and tries to scramble to its feet, injured and screaming the entire time.
It snaps at the closest person, Gamon, with 4 inch teeth and a maw big enough to eat a child in one bite.
It doesn't even come close to the man, the blood from its open eye socket leaking into the other eyes on that tentacle and discombobulating it.
Aloysia sees a moment to strike again as it clamors upright and takes it...
And uses her momentum to spin around lashing out two more times...
But spins with too much speed just making herself dizzy.
Gamon swings a hefty overhead strike at the creature as it rises, then follows it up with another, even stronger, slash.
Aloysia and Gamon fall on the otyugh as it tries to rise, axe and dagger ending its life permanently.
Cecil will trot over to the civilians, careful of the rent in the ground. "Is everyone okay!?" he shouts.
He will check to see if anyone needs assistance before they continue on. As they are moving, he will turn to the group. "We have an earthquake just as we go off after a necromancer doing shady things underground? I'm suspicious."
Majenko comes floating out of the sky and lands on a nearby lamp-post. "Geez, what happened here?" He flies down to the Otyugh and pokes at it with one of his talons. "Shame, these things rarely come up from their pits in the sewers."
He looks back at all of you. "Weird rumors keep popping up, some of them about you." He flaps closer, "Scuts has it that the Hellknights are getting ready to pull out of the city. Too much chaos for them I guess. Also, you've all been called, quote 'money-grubbing mercenaries and common thugs' end-quote. They think you're trying to help the Guard make this a police state."
Aloysia grins at Majenko, "I've been called worse, and probably not that far off from the truth! Leaving because of the chaos?! Isn't part of what they're all on about to control chaos? I'll never understand that sect.
And yes, Cecil, I agree...this beast popping up seems a little two coincidental."
Cecil sighs. "I don't see how this would be 'money-grubbing' when I'm doing this to keep my daughter safe." he grumbles. "I never really expected the Hellknights would be doing much good here at any rate."
Gamon shrugs upon hearing the allegations against them, focusing on what lies ahead. It's to be expected from that bunch, nothing new here.
Jolon barely has time to register what's happening as Gamon and Aloysia tear the otyugh apart.
He listens to Majenko, and nods.
"It doesn't surprise me. Death seems to have been following us since the start of our...adventures...It also doesn't surprise me that they choose to look past the cloth I wear to accuse the skin beneath. The Order of the Nail has always tried to make it so people like me, whether Shoanti or orc-blooded, are not welcomed here."
He glowers a bit.
"But we've got more important things to focus on. Let's get to the Grand Cathedral. We can supply there and plan our attack."
The Cathedral is quieter than when you saw it last. It seems all those being helped by the church have been able to go back to their homes and the recent flare up of riots haven't affected this district of the city as much as some of the other areas. You see familiar faces watching over the entrance to the Cathedral and quickly find yourselves in High Priestess d'Bear's presence once more.
"Ah Brother Jolon! What brings you and your friends back to old Kip's neck of the woods, hmm?"
"We bring undead tidings, Priestess. And we need supplies for it."
Cecil coughs. "What we're trying to say, is that we're on our way to track down a necromancer that's been causing trouble, and would like to see if you can spare us some tools to handle the necromancer's tricks?" Cecil interjects, in case Aloysia's statement came across too threateningly or misunderstood.
The High Priestess rubs her chin muttering, "Necromancer, huh... Let's see..." She pulls you aside and over to a wall of scrolls. "We don't have much in the way of alchemical remedies for use against the undead, our faith is often enough to drive whatever is around back."
She pulls out several vials and two scrolls, one much longer than the other. "Here are three vials of holy water, all we have today until some acolytes can make more, and two scrolls I think will help you. One we've had for a long time, but no one has every really needed." She points at the larger scroll, "It contains five individual spells to help you hide from the undead. If they're mindless they won't notice you, if they're intelligent there's a chance they can break the spell. The other is one I made myself," she crows. "This will consecrate an area in the name of Pharasma. Undead will have a harder time working in such an area. Unfortunately this is all we can provide you at the moment. If you need anything else be sure to come back."
Aloysia smiles, "Anything that helps to get the job done is appreciated. Also, anything that stops them from consuming me is also highly appreciated." She turns to the rest, "We have our supplies, shall we go pay a visit to our friend in the sewers with a hello made of steel?"
Cecil nods. "Yes. Let's go." he says. Turning to the high priestess, he smiles. "Thank you again, we appreciate your assistance." he says before they depart.
Majenko greets you outside of the Cathedral, "Got everything you need? Good. Don't know how well I'll do underground, but if you guys need me I'll be there. Probably hanging out on a shoulder or two."
After any decisions are made Jolon takes everyone to the Dead Warrens, commenting that it has been years since an undead incursion has come from that area of the district. The district is alone in being a place of quiet and calm in the face of the civil unrest, yet there is an unnatural stillness in the air, almost as if the graveyard were preparing for a vast influx of new dead. Nowhere is this ominous feeling more noticeable than in Potter’s Ward, the final resting ground for Korvosa’s poor and homeless. Mounds of unmarked dirt stretch far and wide, indicating sites of mass graves, while crumbling mausoleums from years ago, abandoned by their families as the Gray District expanded to the west, dot the bleak landscape, forgotten and empty. Mourners do not visit here, for the dead buried in Potter’s Ward leave behind few who regret their passing.
Jolon finds the mausoleum without issue and directs everyone to the poorly hidden and ill-cared for trap door leading down into the dark.
Looking down into the dark Majenko sighs, "Smells dusty."
Cecil is glad for Majenko's presence, whether or not he'd be able to do anything. The grim reminder of death always made him feel a little anxious. Made him worry about his daughter. All those long nights fearing that she had been buried in a place like this without his knowing.
Cecil looks over the area as he walks along.
"Wheelbarrow. And tracks following it." he observes, pausing to crouch at the tracks.
"Derros." he says, his face stern. "I think. Should have prepared some light spells."
He will then murmur some words and gesture with his hand, conjuring up armor of force.
Gamon smiles at Majenko, Well, it's always nice to have another friend along, if nothing else.
Upon Cecil identifying the source of the tracks he frowns, Should I know what those are? Based on your expression, they don't sound friendly.
Aloysia nods at Gamon, "And how do those of us who aren't magical fight something that doesn't like light spells?"
Cecil sighs. "Well, IF there are Derros, they are little pale blue creatures with white hair and white eyes and they have a reputation of being sadistic descendants of fey." he says, standing up.
"They're vulnerable to daylight but regular light magic would just irritate them. I was saying that I wanted to prepare light spells because they, along a lot of underground dwelling fey, can conjure up magical darkness, which is more of a hindrance to everyone but Jolon."
"I see, well then master of the pen, light our way," she says pulling out her blades. "I'll be happy to poke them while you irritate them."
This large room is supported by four wide pillars of stone. The ceiling above arches in a dome nearly twenty feet high. The walls are lined with skeletons caked into the mud—adult human bones mostly, but here and there smaller bones might be from halflings or perhaps children. Fifteen-foot-square pits sit to the east and west, each filled with a large heap of hundreds of bones. To the south, a crude hole has been gouged out of the wall, providing access to a tunnel.
"Oh, undead. Great. Skeletons!" Cecil points out the bones. "But the big one worries me."
Gamon nods once Cecil points out the bones, pulling his axe and patting the haft. Hopefully they're just dead, but I'm sure we'll find out soon enough.
Gamon's words ring true when the skeletons begin forming in the pits, ready to march up the stairs and to the main level. Majenko trumpets and lands on Cecil's shoulder, silver smoke coming from his nostrils. To the east an owlbear forms from the massive bones, bits of fur and flesh still attached, to the west four humanoids take up rusty shields and broken scimitars.
Aloysia crouches to a fighting stance, but waits for Gamon to position himself where she can flank with him...
Cecil, having prepared a different cantrip than ray of frost, will lift a flask of acid and wave his hand through the air as he chants, seeming to draw some kind of green shimmer from the flask before he points at the owlbear skeleton.
Gamon puts his back to a pillar, leaving room for Aloysia to enter the fray as well, and readies himself to swing at the first skeleton to come within reach.
Cecil's orb flies true, splashing against the owlbear's shoulder, eating away at some of the feathers there, and causing the arm to droop just a bit.
Majenko flaps his wings in agitation, but stays on Cecil's shoulder and watches for more people coming in from the tunnel to the south.
Jolon calls out to Pharasma and links his own spiral with Gamon's.
"Sorry, Majenko. I'll try to keep them away from us." Cecil says quickly.
Aloysia heads to the other pillar near Gamon and prepares for the skeleton rush.