With her ghoulish attacker now dead (again) on the floor, Meredith swiftly stows her mace and then reaches down to retrieve her dropped longspear.
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As Meredith retrieves her weapon of choice, the troll continues to thrash against its bonds. Driven wild by the smell of blood, the noise of battle, and its own pain, it snaps out wildly at the first body it's eyes settle on - this time, that of the little 'child' Frankie.
Luckily, Frankie is ready for anything and easily ducks away from the troll's snapping teeth!
And as before, some of Arenzo's wounds close over and stop oozing ichor as the last remnant of House Davian sneers at Lazarus and swipes almost lazily at the retreating Saeran. "Hisssstory? Hisssstory issss written by the victorssss....tell me, what doessss your hisssstory ssssay about noble Housssse Davian now?"
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Round 3
Brayden
Saeran
Denair
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Arenzo (-18)
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Dalen
Meredith
Lazarus
Frankie
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Troll
Active Conditions: Bless
Brayden and Denair are UP!
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Lazarus responds to Arenzo, the mad undead scion of House Davian. "Arenzo, we have naught but an incomplete history of Emberhold and House Davian. We understand you led the resistance against House Thrune during the Chelish civil war. The Pathfinder Society sent us here to explore the site, learn what we can about what happened here, and bring back any information about House Davian."
Lazarus recalls the bit of information Zefiro Balinger gave them after they helped Mireille. "We also have a document, an edict from Queen Abrogail I, pardoning everyone in Anglemire, except House Davian. She proclaimed your house and all who aid you traitors, sentencing you to death by starvation."
"If the world is to know more, you must tell us."
Denair double moves across the gunk and fillth towards the remaining ghoul.
While Denair moves to help the others with Arenzo, Lazarus expresses his desire to know of what took place in this silent, broken keep. But as Arenzo opens his mouth to answer him, Brayden takes advantage of the ghoul's distraction to drive his katana through Arenzo's torso! Arenzo's eyes widen with shock and he turns his head to stare at the grim, determined samsaran. He opens his mouth to speak but all that comes out is a bubbling gurgle before he collapses to the floor, still.
And yet...as you watch, his wounds continue to slowly mend through some manner of regenerative effect...and you doubt that Arenzo is truly dead, even now.
Combat Over!
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"Let's bind this creature, now. Is it possible that feeding for so long on the troll has somehow passed along its regenerative powers to the ghoul Arenzo?"
Lazarus gazes upon the creature with mixed feelings of horror, pity, and curiosity. "Sentenced to death by starvation. What a cruel judgment Abrogail I meted out on the Davian family."
"If we cannot speak to the family's sole 'surviving' member, perhaps there are other clues here. Let's look around." The samsaran starts by scanning the area with detect magic, then he begins a painstaking search the old-fashioned way.
The wizard-priest glances up at the troll hanging from the ceiling. "I'm not certain that releasing the tortured troll is a good idea. Its kind are not known to live in peace with their neighbors. The leshies above might not appreciate our giving it its freedom."
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Frankie leans in a bit as the troll snaps in his direction, his concentration fully on the ghoul in front of them. Only when Brayden cuts it down and the twitching stops for a moment does the blank look across Frankie's face disappear. He quickly takes a few paces away from both the ghouls and the troll. He reaches up and wipes the blood from his face with the back of his shirt sleeve. "Woah. That was a rough game of tag. Everyone ok?" He looks back at Saeran especially.
Frankie quietly tucks his own little dagger back up his sleeve when no one is watching, you aren't even sure he realizes he's got it there.
When Lazarus ties up the ghoul Frankie gives an uneasy look "Poor thing, why don't we just put him out of his misery instead of tying him up?" He glances back between Lazarus and Brayden and his sword. "And there's no way we're leaving that poor thing hanging up there like a bunch of icky Ghoul grapes! I'm let him down myself before we leave if I have to. Let me talk to him, maybe I can calm him down." As the others search about, Frankie does his best to speak calmly to the thrashing, moaning cocoon.
"Hey there. Don't worry, we stopped the mean ghouls, they won't eat you any more. Once we're done here we're going to let you go, but you have to leave peacefully and not bother anyone else here ok?"
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"Frankie! Don't run up to monsters like that without a weapon- I mean, don't walk into fights like that." Meredith doesn't want to see this boy carrying weapons, not even a shiv. "You're okay, right?"
She looks up to the troll. "Calm down already. We will let you go, but you have to leave here these ruins and never attack the gourds, you hear me?"
She stares down at the ghoul. "These things pervert the very idea of life and death. Better to put it out of its misery before it tries to eat the gourds. Besides, we promised them we would clear this cavern."
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Brayden quivers and shakes. Whatever disease he had caught from the ghoul had him uneasy and worried. "I need a priest, or chemist. That thing passed its disease to me, and it is only a matter of time before I succumb to whatever it was."
You're weak. Remember. You died in a crypt to much more dangerous foes. Is the bite of some infected ghoul really going to kill you?
Brayden darts his eyes left and right as he tries to identify the source of the voice he'd thought he'd heard. No luck. He calmly walks over to the chain, and without a word, swings his blade at a weak-looking link.
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"Let's bind this creature, now. Is it possible that feeding for so long on the troll has somehow passed along its regenerative powers to the ghoul Arenzo?"
"I think this might be the case, Mr. Logos," Saeran agrees, with a nod. "I will take care of it."
Using his rope, Saeran ties Arenzo up.
While the others take care of the wounded, Saeran help Lazaros taking a look around, in search for clues.
Working together, the group quickly makes sure that Arenzo is bound tightly before his regeneration brings him back to consciousness. While several of you debate the merits (or lack of) around taking Arenzo prisoner, Lazarus and Saeran focus on giving the altar room a thorough search. Among the scraps of ruined clothing, bones, and gore, the pair find a grimy-looking bag that is quickly identified as a Handy Haversack. Other than that, there's little else of use or interest to be found.
With that done, Lazarus then turns his attention to his companion Brayden, who seems to be a bit green around the gills after being bitten by Arenzo. After a pretty thorough examination, a little bloodletting, and the application of some essential oils, Brayden seems to be looking a little better - hopefully the treatment will help him fight off the disease.
Meanwhile, Meredith and Frankie attempt to calm the bound troll, unwilling to free it until they feel certain that it won't turn on them or the leshies above. While the language barrier makes things much more difficult, with a little creative miming the troll seems to calm somewhat and the pair feel (and hope) that they've gotten their intent across. Brayden then sets to work hacking through the troll's bonds, first freeing its bound arm and then cutting it down from the ceiling. The troll lands heavily, slowly staggering to its feet. A tension-filled moment passes as it regards the group with large, yellow eyes...and then, if allowed, turns and limps out the eastern door, entrails dragging the ground behind it.
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After a few minutes pass, Arenzo's eyes slowly flutter open. He blinks and then looks down at his bonds, cautiously testing their strength. Realizing that there's little hope of breaking free, he laughs...a low, sinister sound.
"It sssseemssss I am undone...and yet you've not ssssent me on to Pharassssma'ssss Boneyard," he whispers. "Why? Why do you care sssso much to know of Housssse Davian?"
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Brayden leans over to allow Lazarus to assist his efforts with treating the disease. The first day passes, and the disease grips Brayden in its tight, undead claws. His arms shrivel and wither as he's sapped of some of his constitution.
Not like this, weakling. Not yet.
The following day, Brayden finds a quiet place - perhaps back on the ship or after returning to Corentyn. He kneels, placing his blade upon his thighs and raising his face up to the sky to beg for divine grace.
It seems to work, and after returning to the others a short walk away, he already feels better. "Well, I suppose that is the last time I'll attempt to get face to face with a ghoul. That could have been much worse."
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Frankie is ecstatic that they are able to free the bound troll and let him leave peacefully. He gives high fives to everyone for their help "Thanks guys! Poor thing being strung up there like a clump of grapes to be nibbled on... gross!"
As they speak with the ghoulish last Davian standing Frankie remains quiet for a time, but as does everything eventually, curiosity wins out "So you used to be a regular person? And now you're one of those 'living dead' people? Do you like being like that, I think Dalen could help if you don't. Don't you want us to know your real story? We could tell people what really happened, how you guys stood up to the bad guys!" Frankie sits on his haunches, popping candy into his mouth, offering some up to the ghoul "Want some? It's real good!"
"You would ssshare the tale of the lasst daysss of Houssse Davian?" Arenzo asks, his voice suddenly quieter, more thoughtful. "Bring usss back into the light of the sun, undo Thrune'sss attempt to erassse usss from hissstory?"
A slow smile creeps across the ghoul's face. "Maybe there isss sssome providence in the fall....very well. You have already heard mosst of my sordid tale but I will ssstart from the beginning..."
"Back in the lassst daysss of the civil war that gripped thisss nation, two Housssesss rossse above the othersss for control - Houssse Thrune and Houssse Davian. My houssse had the backing of the loyalissstsss and the Sssargavan navy....and Thrune had their damnable devilsss..." Arenzo explains. "Lannavia Davian, head of our Houssse, sssailed with our fleet from Angelmire for Corentyn. They sssought victory beneath the Arch of Aroden but Thrune'sss diabolisstsss summoned devilsss to defend the city....and our fleet broke upon the city'sss ssshoresss...."
Arenzo's eyes grow misty as memories, long dead and buried, resurface in what remains of his mind. "Our defeat marked the end of the war and Thrune'sss rissse to power. And Abrogail Thrune wasssted no time in making sssure that Houssse Davian could never again challenge her might. They laid sssiege to Angelmire and to Emberhold, executing all who attempted to sssmuggle in sssuppliesss...."
"The ressst isss asss I told you. Thinking to wait out the sssiege, I put what remained of my family to the sssword and sssubsssisssted on their flesssh," Arenzo concludes with a weary sigh. "But my plan failed; Emberhold wasss put to the torch and I perissshed in the flamesss...arisssing asss thisss...abomination."
He looks up at the group, his gaze lingering longest on Lazarus and Frankie, though he eyes Dalen and her sword with something akin to resignation. "You will tell the ssstory, yesss? Asss the child sssaysss? Carry it beyond thessse wallsss, make Thrune and all the world remember Houssse Davian?"
"If ssso...then perhapsss it will be sssome sssmall atonement for what I have done...and maybe, one day, I will be forgiven," Arenzo sighs, closing his eyes. He looks at Frankie's outstretched hand, the piece of candy an offering. The ghoul's lips twitch and a low sound reminiscent of stone against stone is heard as he grinds his blackened, rotted teeth together. "Keep...keep your candy, child. Sssuch thingsss are wasssted on the dead. And do not bring yourssself close to my teeth...even now, the hunger ssstill gnawsss, like a great ssserpent coiled within my belly, waiting to ssstrike again..."
Denair can't help but notice the similarities between this... thing and the fall of the Queen of Thorns. Even if Meredith doesn't remember, Denair clearly recalls the roaring flames. the marauder's crows of victory. Hiding while protecting the last rosebud that would return as her Queen.
"You- you want to tell the story?" She hesitates. "Yes, we will tell it, to all who will listen. So... um... rest, okay?"
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Meredith turns Frankie away as Dalen executes the undead. "You... you did good, kid. You gave him some solace. Now he's free to join the afterlife."
She didn't want to expose Frankie to too much bloodshed. But the way he calmed the troll down, and granting a small mercy to the ghoul before it ended. The Pathfinder Society needed this boy as much as this boy needed the Pathfinders.
"Let's go talk to the leshies. Tell them the mission is complete. Come on, Denair."
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Dalen looks around at the words and expressions of the others, and her eyes darken as her teeth grind together and her lips thin. The tip of her sword quivering is the only sign of how hard won her relative calm is as she leads the way out.
They heard the bastard. He ate his family. He killed them to save his own damned skin!
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Frankie smiles and takes a seat to listen to the story of House Davian, stuffing his face regularly with the stolen candy from the day before. His face cringes a bit as the story turns a bit graphic "You killed and ate your family? You must have been very hungry. I'm sorry you had to do that. Rest well, we will not let your family be forgotten." After he refuses the candy Frankie shrugs and pops it into his mouth before Meredith drags him away.
"I feel bad for him. He must have gotten so very hungry. I've been pretty hungry before but not THAT hungry. I wonder what people taste like... " He muses briefly, his attention span is very limited.
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"'E was a bastard that only cared for 'imself," Dalen snaps, unable to keep her tone from growing hot with anger. "'E does not deserve our pity, an' it's about bloody time someone in this outfit makes that clear. And what kinda kid goes about askin' questions like that? Huh? People eatin' people is bloddy 'orrifyin', an' you're just standin' there askin' what they taste like, as if everyone else some damned piece o' candy!"
Pale and shaking, the tracker turns about and storms out of the bowels of the ruined keep.
With Arenzo now dead for good and the troll presumably fled, never to return, you make your way back through the catacombs and through the iron gate, up into the light of day. All is silent for a few moments before Harvest Stripe finally pokes his head up out of the gourd patch.
"আপনি জীবিত আছেন! আমি ভাবলাম এই টস্ক-দৈত্য তোমাকে খেয়েছিল এবং সেই কারণে এটাকে আমাদের খাওয়াতে বাধা দেয়নি!" he exclaims, bouncing up and down excitedly. "তাই আপনি জিতেছেন? নিচের কোনও ক্ষুধার্ত মানুষ?"
"You're alive! I thought the tusk-monster ate you and that's why it didn't stop to eat us on its way out!"
"So you won? No more hungry ones below?"
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"We have learned what we could here of the history of Emberhold and House Davian."
Lazarus says a prayer for the peaceful rest of all of this tragic tale's victims. The wizard-priest ends with a solemn sign of the butterfly wings of Desna.
"The truth is sometimes cruel and contrary to what we wish it might be. But now the history of Cheliax, the sanitized official version of House Thrune, has an essential counterpoint recovered by the Pathfinder Society for posterity."
The samsaran gathers his robes and ascends the stone steps back into the daylight, grateful to have survived for another day in this, his most recent, life.
"Thank you, friends. We have much yet to accomplish."
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"There's a difference between forgiveness and understanding." Meredith remains calm as Dalen expresses her disgust. "When you get desperate, morals and ethics go out the window. Trust me, I saw a lot when I- when we beat our captors." Meredith trails off, trying not to recall lost memories.
Eventually she regains her composure. "Thanks for killing it." Meredith turns back to Frankie and leads him back to the rusted gate.
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"Can you show me how you climb around? The way you moved like that was very interesting."
Meredith responds to the leshys before addressing the party. "I told the leshys we were successful. The troll simply fled from here."
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Later that day, Meredith prepared for a very curious, yet intimidating, dinner with a candy store owner that Frankie may have accrued a bill with...
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Denair spends a lot of time speaking to the gourds about their way of life, their connections to the first world, and what it means to protect those they care about. She also offers to climb up all over the walls to fetch water and supplies.
It feels like her old days, hosting the oak tree in the center of the village. The people begged for her help and kept the hometree healthy. And she would sneak around while no one looked and encourage some crops to grow, or she would direct herbivores elsewhere.
Denair smiled when she saw Meredith talk to the gourds. The deep connection they had to the natural world took hold over that day, and Denair began to change ever so slightly. Some of her fur turned to grass, while others fell off. Her fox snout receded until it was just a large human nose. And her tail shortened and spread a bit until it was more of a bush rather than a tail.
Denair wasn't sure if she liked it or not, but Meredith didn't seem to mind (or pay attention) that evening, so it wasn't all bad.
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Dalen leaves the keep altogether and climbs the tallest and largest tree she could find. She sits among the boughs looking out over the marshlands, her mind ablaze with a dozen thoughts. Most of them fall quiet leaving her with just a boiling feeling of rage and helplessness. What did it matter if they'd gotten the truth? What did it matter if they had defied House Thrune with this act? What did it matter what she did?
For a long time, Dalen struggled with those questions. as she longed for home.
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Frankie wanders through the patch of gourds, easily avoiding stepping on them as Meredith speaks with Stripe. Frankie does try to find other leshy's however, stopping and poking gently at the larger of the gourds to see if any of them move or eyes blink back in response "Hey there, I'm Frankie, nice to meet you!" He repeats as he moves through the garden, very much enjoying this unique game of hide and seek.
"So what do we do now? We're going back to the city right, maybe we can look for that escaped slave some more. I think we should stop by that other candy shoppee too, see what they have for goodies!"
"আর কোন ক্ষুধার্ত মানুষ !? আর কোন চটকদার দানব!?" Harvest Stripe exclaims and you're certain that if leshies had proper eyes Harvest Stripe's would be as big as grapefruits right now. "হিপ হিপ হুরে, কলো কালে! এখন আবার আবার খাওয়া সম্পর্কে চিন্তা করতে হবে না!"
At this declaration, the other leshies hidden among the gourd patch all pop their little melon heads up and begin cheering and bouncing excitedly, happy to be free from their worries at last.
"আপনি যেতে আগে আমাদের সাথে থাকুন, ঠিক একটু সময় জন্য! বিশ্রাম এবং বিশ্রাম যখন আমি আপনার জন্য কিছু প্রস্তুত - কিছু বিশেষ বিশেষ!" Harvest Stripe offers, gesturing with little vine arms towards the gourd patch.
"No more hungry men!? No more tusk monster!?"
"Hip hip hooray, kaloo kalay! Now we don't have to worry about being eaten ever again!"
"Stay with us before you go, just for a little while! Relax and rest while I get something ready for you - something special special!"
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Some of you might be anxious to return to Corentyn. Others might wish to never return. But for a short time, you put all of that aside as you spend some time among the leshies and their gourd patch and what's left of Angelmire. Each of you choose to spend the time in different ways, each way unique but each one of them a small window into your soul.
Frankie spends his time playing with several of the leshies that live within the gourd patch, his childlike demeanor and enthusiasm quickly winning them over in spite of the language barrier. They make a great game of playing hide-and-seek among the crumbling ruins of Emberhold and some of them even try to teach him how to hide among the gourds as they do - to no avail, but it's all in good fun.
Another leshy, named Cheerful Dandelion, spends much time with Denair and Meredith, answering the questions about their little legion of leshies that some of the younger one don't have the patience to sit and answer. Cheerful Dandelion is almost like a tutor, teaching Denair their own special brand of climbing technique, how their viney appendages can wrap around outcroppings or slip into cracks much too small for most hands and other appendages. And they speak of the concepts of family and friendship - all of the leshies had been individually created and yet they had formed bonds just as tight as the bonds among any two people.
Feeling the need to be alone, Dalen quietly slips away from the group and from the remnants of the keep, perhaps informing one of her companions that she'll only be gone a short while. She has to follow the coast out of Angelmire for a short distance but she finds what she's looking for - a large tree, with sprawling branches that affords her an excellent view of the ocean as well as of Emberhold and Angelmire nearby. She cuts a striking but lonely figure against the gray afternoon sky, lost in her thoughts.
The rest of the group takes advantage of the lull to rest up and recharge, especially Brayden who is still weak from the ghoul bite and Lazarus who stays close by to keep watch over him. Saeran too stands watch, eyes ever scanning the horizon.
After some time passes and the group reconvenes, Harvest Stripe presents each of you with three small gourd seeds. "আমাদের সারাংশ, আমাদের জাদু, আমি প্রতিটি বীজ এটি একটি সামান্য করা। আপনি যদি আহত হন, তাদের খাওয়া এবং তারা আপনাকে পুনর্নবীকরণ করব! অথবা যদি আপনি অন্য কোন চমৎকার লেইজ বা গাছপালা জানেন, আপনি তাদের এক দিতে পারেন - আমি প্রতিশ্রুতি দিতে পারি তারা এটা পছন্দ করবে!"
"Our essence, our magic, I put a little of it into each seed. If you hurt, eat them and they'll renew you! Or if you know any other nice leshies or plants, you can give one to them - I promise they'll like it!"
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Frankie takes the seeds excitedly "Are these gourd candy?" He gets ready to eat one before stopping and pulling out a small handful of the last of his candy and offering it to the leshy's "Here try this! I was saving it for the walk back but you guys should have it instead." He keeps holding it out, insisting on them trying it.
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Brayden recovers physically rather quickly from the disease, but he felt haunted more than usual. Flickers of his past already plagued his mind for as long as he could remember, and now they turned suddenly dark. Whether it was temporary or not, he wasn't sure, but it had him unsettled. Being in Cheliax was punishment enough, but being bitten by a ghoul? He had doubts about the path he'd chosen.
So Brayden shook off his anxiety, or pretended to - one doesn't just shake off anxiety as a dog does water after a bath - and returned to the gourd patch with the others. "Miss Stripe, I have heard of such seeds in my travels. A little bitter at first, I'm afraid," he says with a glance at Frankie. "But they'll have you right as rain within a few chews."
What are you even talking about? Watch out. It's right behind you!
Brayden quickly turns and draws his katana in a blur. His opaque eyes flicker over the gourd patch. There's nothing there.
Gods damn you. A physical threat can be extinguished, or fled from. But how does one defeat the devil in their head?
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Lazarus thanks Harvest Stripe for the seeds. "Farewell, my friend. If you're ever interested in joining the Pathfinder Society, I'd be happy to write you a letter of reference. The Society has been inundated with applications from leshies lately, and you would make a welcome initiate."
"But don't fall for any of the Scarab Sages recruitment posters. They're being down-sized, making way for a group that wants to balance the elements, or something of the sort. You might want to avoid them, too. They seem destined to become the next Shadow or Lantern Lodge faction. Just one samsaran's opinion."
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Meredith spends the day talking to the leshys, especially Cheerful Dandelion. She has a few ideas on how to manage their resources, and she's curious about what they will do the chamber beneath the gate, now that they are done.
She laughs when Lazarus mentions the wave of leshys signing up for the Pathfinder Society. "Last year it seemed like every Aquatic elf in Absalom wanted to join."
Denair holds onto the seeds. "Thank you! I'll try not to eat them unless it's absolutely necessary." She starts climbing again, trying to work her branches into smaller cracks to help her stability.
She's all to eager to help Meredith learn how to climb. The Boss is bad at it, until her new magical powers activate. "Heehee! You climb like a spider, Boss!"
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At the first opportunity to meditate and reflect upon this most recent mission on behalf of the Pathfinder Society, Lazarus Logos finds a quiet corner of the leshies' garden and conducts his daily examen.
The wizard-priest breathes deeply and quiets himself, becoming aware of Desna’s presence, reviewing the day with gratitude, paying attention to his emotions, choosing one feature of the day and praying upon it, and looking toward tomorrow.
When next in a place where he can acquire the tools he needs to improve his performance, the samsaran will purchase a handy haversack and an alexandrite gem that glows as affected by continual flame .
After a rest and some reflection, the group of you bid Harvest Stripe and his friends farewell and make your way back down the coast to Corentyn. The hour is late by the time that you arrive back in the city and so you return to your rooms at the Wicked Fork, resolving to bring your findings back to Zefiro Balinger at the Museum of History the following morning. When you do, he is both pleased and simultaneously horrified at what you were able to uncover within Emberhold.
"This information will take some time to properly catalog and add to my archives," he muses after having gotten statements from each of you. "Not to mention I have also been working on a lead for another site that might be worth looking into. Why don't you all take a few days to rest up from your ordeal and then return to me here? Say in, oh...three days' time. That should be enough for me to gather the information you'll need."
And so with little else to do but wait for your next 'assignment' as it were, you spend the next few days keeping yourselves entertained as best as you can (and in Frankie's case, getting into more candy-related mischief). Once three days come and go, you all make your way back to the museum.
Motes of dust float in the air as the midday sun shines through the skylights of the museum roof. Several scholars and students move about the bookshelves and display cases on the main floor and the balconies above, while some are hunched over tables piled with heavy tomes. Zefiro is in discussion with a colleague when he notices that you've returned.
"Ah, there you are! Excuse me Alfonse, I will be back with you in a few minutes," he explains, beckoning you all to follow him to his office. But you're not alone. Sitting, perhaps a bit awkwardly, on one of the chairs within is a tall, weathered-looking Ulfen man.
"Here they are, Master Eriksson," Zefiro says as he gestures to the rest of the group. "Your colleagues." Turning to the group, he explains, "Arrived in Corentyn just this morning. Apparently your Master Valsin had wanted him to travel here with you in the first place but Master Eriksson was already occupied with a different assignment when you set sail. But no matter; he has arrived just in time to accompany you to another site that I've been researching!"
Then, turning to Saeran, he hands the half-elf a small, sealed note. "Valsin sent this along as well, for you." Saeran quickly breaks open the seal and scans the note. "It seems my presence and expertise is requested back in Absalom," he sighs, looking genuinely disappointed. "I'm sorry that I won't be able to accompany you further - it feels as if I am leaving a task unfinished. But I am sure that you will be able to see this through to its proper end," he adds with a rare, if small, smile.
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Frankie spent the last few days trading off a bunch of his best candy with some of the local kids and was able to amass 10 gold pieces for his efforts. Good thing Meredith didn't see me, she'd flip! Nice kids though, I couldn't just let them go without sweets, that's just not right!
Frankie heads into the museum riding on the back of Denair, holding on for dear life as he tries to stick his tongue in her ear. "HA! You cannot esscaappe mah tunnng!" He says with his slimy tongue hanging out just inches from her ears. Until she does, and Frankie hits the linseed polished wooden floor with a thud. "Ooof. Next time you won't be so lucky!" He giggles as he hops up from the floor and waves at Zefiro.
"Hey Z! How's the boring books going?" He says, following him to his office. As he steps and sees Eriksson, Frankie stops in his tracks and shoos everyone in quickly and shuts the door "OOO! You found the escaped slave? I'm so glad you got away Mr Big beard! How'd you do it?" Frankie rushes over and starts looking him over, focusing thoroughly on his long beard and then his large hands. Wow, this guy was a slave!
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Meredith spends the next few days procuring magical scrolls. She also frequents Temptations, conversing with the owner about where she got her sweets from, farming advice, and "accidentally" racking up a bill with Frankie's sweet tooth. She lets Denair babysit the kid during the evenings while Meredith has another dinner date with the cute tiefling.
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A few days later, Meredith and Denair return to the museum.
"Safe travels, Sǣran." Meredith shakes his hand. "I know you will continue to help those not as fortunate."
She turns towards the Ulfen man. "And who are you?"
"Oh hi, I'm Denair! And she's Meredith, my Boss!" The strange humanoid extends a hand to shake. You notice her skin has a texture of an oak tree.
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"Namaskar, Jan, son of Erik. I am Lazarus Logos, priest of the Song of Spheres and a conjurer," the samsaran says with a slight bow and hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointing upwards, thumbs close to his chest.
"You've not the look of a slave about you," Lazarus observes, eyes taking in the northerner's axe and shield. "Lil Frankie, here, is referring to news, as we arrived in Corentyn, of an escaped slave, an Ulfen man."
The wizard-priest considers the situation. "Your heritage and appearance might confuse others here as well. We'd be wise to be prepared to answer such questions, if the occasion arises."