"We don't have the authority to make that decision, but our guess is the Queen will want her tried quickly. It could be as soon as tomorrow." says a guard.
Col admonishes the guards, "Make sure no harm comes to her. looking them in the eye he asks, "Where is Kroft?"
"She's in her office with the Shoanti."
Ayako hurries to see Croft after she arrives and knocks on the door. She hope she can get the girl hustled in safely without a pig and cow show going on.
MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Ayako sees an accusing pair of big brown eyes glaring at her.
"We brought her in because it was our responsibility. She's no witch though. Pray she gets a fair trial." Nadya continues with her companions to bring Trinia in to the Commander.
Satisfied with this answer, he turns back to Trinia. "If you are innocent, as you swear, you have nothing to fear. The church of Abadar will see to the truth of the matter. Take heart." He gives the poor woman a gentle smile as he joins the others in the Commander's office. Poor, doomed thing. Such a waste, it is. But there's nothing for it, we simply can't stand for king-killing.
Cressida Kroft isn't alone when you arrive at her office—with her is a tall, rail-thin Shoanti man of 60 winters. He leans heavily on a walking stick, the polished femur of some giant beast crowned with a firepelt cougar's skull. He wears a shirt decorated with countless jangling animal bones, many painstakingly scrawled with dozens of tiny symbols and glyphs. A bearskin cloak is draped about his bony shoulders, and warpaint in the shape of a skull decorates his face. The Shoanti's eyes are milky as if he were blind. His familiar, a regal red-feathered razor crow sits on his shoulder. He regards you impassively while Cressida introduces him.
"Welcome back. I hope things went well with finding Trinia. You can fill me in after I explain the current situation. Please sit." Cressida motions towards the seats in front of her.
"This is Thousand Bones, a Way-Keeper for the Skoan-Quah, the Clan of the Skull. This visionary shaman has been leading a large group of Shoanti in talks with the Korvosan government for years now, hoping to find a way their two people can coexist in peace. However, Thousand Bones's mission is anything but easy. A large number of Korvosa's citizens are prejudiced against the Shoanti and see them as little more than violent barbarians. Curbing and moderating the violence between these racists and the quick-to-anger Shoanti who dwell in and near Korvosa is a constant battle for the ancient shaman. Unfortunately one of Thousand Bones's grandsons, a young warrior named Gaekhen, was murdered by a mob that used the unrest in Korvosa as a feeble excuse for misplaced vigilantism and his patience has reached its limit. You may explain further, Thousand Bones." Cressida turns the floor over to the shaman.
The old shaman speaks with a deep voice, his words carefully chosen but delivered with a barely restrained anger.
"My people have worked hard to understand yours, yet it seems each day we see new examples of how your people work just as hard to foster old hatreds. My grandson is dead, beaten to death by cowards in your city street. I do not blame you, yet still Gaekhen is dead, and my son and his kin are not so forgiving as I. They wish to return to the Skoan-Quah in the Cinderlands, to join with the Sklar-Quah and rally to war against Korvosa. This would be disastrous, for both our peoples. Amends must be made."
"Our ways are not as yours. If a body does not go whole to the fires of the gods, the smoke of a warrior’s spirit cannot rise to the Great Sky. If I could send Gaekhen's body to the Great Sky with honor and dignity, his father and brothers would listen to me and stay their wrath—the talks of peace between my people and yours can continue. But he was not just murdered. His body was taken from the scene of his death, sold by a peddler of corpses to a necromancer named Rolth, a criminal to both our people. I have spoken with the spirits, and they have revealed to me that Gaekhen's body has been taken to a place below your boneyard, a place the spirits call the Dead Warrens."
"With this knowledge, I could surely lead a group of my finest warriors into your boneyard to retrieve Gaekhen's body, but this would be seen as an act of aggression by your people. No, it falls to you to make amends for what has been done. You must bring me Gaekhen's body, lest we be forced to recover him ourselves. And although it pains my heart to say it—we will not be gentle if it comes to this."
Thousand Bones then rises, nods curtly to Cressida, and leaves the room to return to his people to await the delivery of his grandson's body.
Field Marshal Kroft apologizes, "I apologizes for Thousand Bone's behavior, but to a great extent I agree with his assessment. Someone tied to Korvosa needs to find the dead Shoanti's body and return it to his people as a gesture of good will, or things will quickly go from bad to worse. Normally, I would contact the Church of Pharasma to organize an expedition into one of the warrens under the city graveyard, but you have proven capable, and you are my first nomination for the problem. If you can help me, there's also another 1,000 gp reward in it for you. I would like you to begin immediately, but you should probably wait until tomorrow. You don't want to be caught in the Gray after sundown. In the meantime I can certainly answer a few questions you are likely to have and I'd also like you to debrief me on your mission in the Shingles."
All six of the other quahs still shudder on occasion when they deal with the enigmatic Skull Clan and its impenetrable skull shamans. Warriors of the Skoan-Quah cake their bodies with a mixture of mud and ash, making their skin smoky white. This ritual is said to give them protection against the walking dead, whom they are sworn to destroy.
The Skull Clan is zealous in its protection and honoring of the dead. Many Skull Clan tribes sojourn far to consecrate the burial sites of their fellow Shoanti. This service is grudgingly appreciated by the other clans, who respect the power of the Skull Clan and their totems, even if their morbid shamans quietly unnerve them. The most honored dead of each tribe are entrusted into the Skull Clan's care, leaving the guardians of the dead to transport such heroes to the Shoanti's most honored burial grounds—the Kallow Mounds to the east and the Life Falls to the west. The Skoan-Quah also shoulders the duty of acting as the historians of the Shoanti as a whole. In this way, the memories of many Shoanti live on with the Skoan-Quah, long after their own quah might have forgotten.
More so than any other clan in recent memory, the Sklar-Quah find themselves embattled by their foes. Since its retreat over the Storval Rise from southern Varisia, the Sun Clan has found itself in a vise between orc marauders from the Hold of Belkzen and foreign invaders. The Sklar-Quah now acts as an unwitting buffer, protecting its two enemies from one another, a reality that has cost the blood of countless sons and daughters.
Sun Clan youth are taught to hate tshamek (non-Shoanti) at an early age. Their day-to-day prejudice is viewed as a necessary component of their well-honed survival instincts. Indeed, the xenophobia is clan-deep; the Sklar-Quah's shamans are the most warlike among the shaman of any quah.
Many Sklar-Quah warriors aspire to join the ranks of the Sklar-Quah's famed burn riders, their elite mounted cavalry who are able to coax their horses to race through the flames and wildfires of the Cinderlands. Burn riders frequently shave much more than just their heads to protect themselves from the flames, and tend to wear minimal armor and clothing.
The quah's oral history claims that its ancestors once inhabited the fertile lands east of the Fenwall Mountains, and honored their totems from a sacred site upon a massive pyramid (now the site of the city-state of Korvosa) but that they were driven into the Cinderlands by Chelish colonists after decades of battle.
The burning plains of the Storval Plateau are perhaps the most inhospitable locations in all of Varisia. This wasteland of ash and sand seems an unlikely place to find any life, but it is home to a number of peoples and creatures who brave the emberstorms and heat.
Ayako zones out again, moos fill her head.
We located Trinia at her apartment and there was a brief chase before we captured her. She denies killing the king, but unless we use magical means I doubt we will really find out what happened. We managed to evade the angry crows and bring her here.
"Good. I'm uncertain of her guilt myself. I will speak to her myself but afterwards law dictates that the Queen must be informed that we have recovered her. No matter what we believe, once accused, her guilt or innocence will need to be proven in court."
Ayako turns to the others. How long before the trial? I suppose we can head into the Grey in the morning to try to recover the body.
"I don't decide when the trial will be. I'll let you know as soon as I find out."
After everyone is done questioning, Ayako will purchase 4 vials of holy water from the Pharesma church in preparation for their journey
Col asks Kroft, "Is there anything you can give us to help against undead we might encounter?"
"I'm sorry, Citadal Volshynek is not equipped to deal with undead. However, the Grand Cathedral of Pharasma should have whatever you might need. I know you are already familiar with Bishop Keppira D'Bear but I'll give you a writ to present to her for a discount."
"Do you have any other questions you wish to ask? I can give you more information on Rolth, the Dead Warrens, or Gaekhen if you need it."
"If you have any more information on Gaekhen that will help us recover his remains, we will of course take it. But, I am most interested in the Dead Warrens and this Rolph." Nadya virtually spits as she says the name. "How many entrances are there to the Dead Warrens and what do you know of what Rolph can do?"
I will ask the Bishop if he knows what particular undead have been sited so we have better information on how to fight them.
"Rolth has long been a thorn in my side. A failed Academae student, Rolth's a monster of a man who was expelled after the true nature of his experiments were revealed. He was butchering vagrants, stray animals, and anything else he could get his hands on to try to build some sort of golem from their collected parts. The Academae didn't press charges because it didn't want to cause a scene—it just quietly expelled him and the man's been trouble ever since. We suspect he's responsible for nearly a dozen slayings, each involving mutilation to the body, but to date we haven't been able to find him or locate his lair. He might or might not be in the Dead Warrens, but anything you can find there that could lead to his arrest would be greatly appreciated."
"Korvosa's Gray District is riddled with underground chambers, some of them burrowed by ghouls or other monsters, others remnants of ancient Shoanti burial grounds. Some of these warrens are patrolled and kept clear of monsters by the church of Pharasma, yet the Gray District is a large place and the tunnels below are vast and tangled. The Pharasmen focus on containing the problems with undead and necromancers, but as soon as they wipe out one, it seems as if two are ready to spring up in its place. The problem's particularly vexing in Potter's Ward, where the bodies of the poor and homeless are buried. According to Thousand Bones, the Dead Warrens were one of his people's burial vaults, chambers that lie under Potter's Ward."
"We have the man who sold Gaekhen's body to Rolth in custody: a simpleton named Elkaris. He spilled everything when we told him what was going on and how much trouble he was in—in any event, Elkaris says he delivered the body via wheelbarrow to a partially collapsed mausoleum deep in Potter's Ward, near the southern edge. A toppled and headless statue of a sword-wielding gargoyle lay in the dirt near the mausoleum's entrance—he was told to leave the body behind the gargoyle. This location matches where Thousand Bones believes the Shoanti burial grounds called the Dead Warrens used to be located, so that's the best place to start the search."
"Thousand Bones described Gaekhen as about 18 years old with short brown hair and a distinctive scar from a firepelt's claw on his left cheek. Furthermore, Gaekhen had several large and distinctive Shoanti tribal tattoos on his arms and torso—it's unlikely that any other freshly-killed Shoanti are in the Dead Warrens today, so that should be a dead giveaway."
"Well, that's all I have for you. I wish you luck and swift journeys. If that boy's body isn't returned quickly, we'll have a barbarian invasion to deal with on top of Korvosa's other problems. I'll also keep you informed of any developments with Trinia. Feel free to utilize the barracks here tonight or your rooms at the inn. Either way, I know how to find you."
After that, Cressida Kroft dismisses you.
Afterwards, you head to the Grand Temple of Pharasma in the Gray District to speak with Biship Keppira D'Bear.
"Welcome back, my friends." Keppira's mood is noticeably somber. "So you are investigating the Dead Warrens for a Shoanti boy's body that was sold to the necromancer, Rolth? Please, I need your help. More acolytes have gone missing, including the three orphan children you left in my care. I'm so sorry that I failed you. I promised that I'd keep them safe but the situation has gotten out of hand. Our acolytes are equipped to deal with the typical undead that are occasionally encountered here; skeletons, zombies, ghouls, and the like. But I believe that these abductions are the work of something else. Although we were not able to track them to their source, we've spotted many tiny footprints throughout the Gray. I believe it is the work of derro; foul, insane creatures from the underdark. Gods, if they are abducting people for this necromancer... I just hope they are still alive. I bet the mausoleum in the Potter's District that Field Marshall Croft described is where they are coming from. If you find any of them down there, please bring them home."
Ayako tenses at Keppira's wrds. Did we bring them into danger? We thought them safe but we brought them where they would be violated? Ayako looks rather paler than usual. We..we'll get to work on this right away. Thank you for bringing this to our notice.
Nadya immediately begins considering which spells might be of most use below Potter's Ward, "Doesn't sound like it will be too hard to find, but I'd imagine the Bishop can make sure we get to the right place and let us know if they know of any entrances to the Dead Warrens in that area. I'm going to get some rest and prepare spells that might help with a necromancer and his unholy pets. Rolth is human, right?"
After resting and communing with her deck, Nadya joins the others for the return to the Gray District. The Bishop's words send her reeling, "The three orphans and how many acolytes Bishop? This sounds like a nightmare. Please, tell us all about these undead and anything you know about derro. Do you know anything else about this area around the mausoleum that might be helpful to us?"
Dark business, Col thinks as he listens to his companions questions. As he listens to Keppira share her knowledge he considers ways he might be useful in the Warrens.
Ayako takes in the information provided about the undead. We'll need clubs are mace if there are skeletons and slashing weapons for zombies. As for Derro, protecting ourselves against poison with antidotes would be wise.
The party leaves the temple to finish preparations and is immediately caught up in a large mob of angry citizens storming towards the citadel. Cries for Trinia's head flood the streets.
The citadel doors hold fast but the Korvosan Guard is vastly outnumbered and remains behind the wall. Due to the roar of the mob, you don't hear a hell knight approach you from behind.
"Halt! I'll teach you to disturb the peace! Feel free to resist. I'll enjoy it more."
The hell knight wears typically black fullplate and is armed with a guisarme and a net. He moves to attack.
Ayako looks to the others. We have no quarrel with the Hellknights, we should leave quickly!
"Nonsense! I've been watching these damn devil knights overstep their bounds for years. If this one wants a fight, I say we give it to him."
Sensing your hesitation and still mistaking you for rioters, the hell knight goads you on further as he prepares to attack. "You think you can just break the law and get away with it? I am the law! And I am going to break you!"
Out of the way fool or it will be you who gets broken," Col warns the impertinent knight as he shows the man his pseudodragon's mark.
"Seriously? We're not disturbing anything. Go corral some real threats to the peace like that mob going on about Trinia."
Ayako shows her medal as well. We were granted these by Cressida Kroft for our services to this city! We Returned the Queen's stolen goods and aided in locating Triania and rousted a band of thugs from the meat shop All the World's Meat. We are now on a mission at Cressida's request to hunt down a necromancer who has stolen corpses.
"Um, yes...well... I know what that is!" The hell knight appears flustered by Ayako's words. The hell knight actually starts to back down but then a rumble issues from below, and a moment later the city street cracks apart, long fissures running 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.
"Rwaarrg!
This three-legged freak is mostly mouth. Three tentacles, two tipped with barbs and one with eyes, extend from its sides. It wraps its tentacles around the hell knight, lifting him up into the air and squeezing. "Everyone is too loud!" the beast yells.
"Help me!" screams the hell knight.
"Somehow that seems deliciously ironic. I wonder if my hexes will work on it?" Nadya makes sure she is a safe distance from the otyugh and fixes a black stare on the creature.
Ayakospeaks a word and helps the Hellknight's limbs escape
Sebastian laughs at the plight of the helpless Hellknight, but stops when he sees the girls spring into action. "Wait, are we really going to help him?"
We can't have this beast running around the streets!
Heeding Ayako's words Col reaches into his belt pouch and quickly removes and drinks an extract. Drawing his rapier as he moves forward he yells to ht Hell Knight. "Look out behind you."
With Ayako's magical assistance the hell knight slips free of the otyugh's tentacles and falls to the ground with a loud clang.
The otyugh's defenses lower under Nadya's stare.
The hell knight gets his bearings and swings his guisarme at the otyugh drawing a long gash in its side.
"Drive it back into the sewers!" he directs.
"Where are you going? Get in my belly!" the otyugh rages.
The creature flails widely, landing a tentacle slap again the knight but failing to grab hold.
Any nearby civilians or rioters all flee in panic as the fight ensues.
Col stabs his rapier at the vile creature.
"It did work. Nice spell to get the hellknight free Ayako." Nadya keeps concentrating on debilitating the otyugh, steeling her look at it once more.
Sebastian sighs, exasperated that they are, in fact, aiding the Hellknight. "I suppose I can't let Col have all the fun." Stepping up alongside Col, he jabs at the otyugh with his sword. "Back to the sewers with you!"
Ayako taps the hellknight with her healing wand so their strongest meatsh...warrior won't fall.
Col stabs at the otyugh's eye or at least what he thinks is one.
Sebastian's strike lands true.
After Ayako heals the hell knight, he slaps away her wand. "I don't need your healing, girl."
The otyugh fights off Nadya's stare this round. "I'm not going back. I'm finally free!" it shouts.
"Damn! You are distracting me." the hell knight curses as his attack misses.
The otyugh flails wildly but Nadya's curse keeps it from hitting anything.
"It can talk," Col says surprised as he thrusts his rapier at the beast again.
Ayako moves over so she can start to set up a flank for the others
The otyugh dances away from Col's strike and into Sebastians'.
Nadya uses evil eye to reduce its attacks by -2 again. DC 15 Will save to keep it to 1 round instead of 7.
The hell knight attacks again but misses.
The otyugh continues to flail ineffectively.
Ayako hustle sup and then slashes with her sickle.
Nadya tries once again to fix the creature with her evil eye and keep it from harming anyone else.
"Back to the pit you crawled out of," Col yells as he lunges again at he creature.
After his initial success, Col continues to struggle to land another hit.
Sebastian has equally bad luck but steps into a position to flank with Ayako.
Ayako enters into combat with the otyugh and learns that the creature has surprisingly long reach with its tentacles but ducks underneath the swing and successfully slashs it along its flank.
On Nadya's third attempt, the otyugh succumbs to her attack weakening gaze.
The hellknight swings again, this time landing a powerful blow.
"Go back to where you below, you foul beast!" shouts the hellknight.
The now haggard looking otyugh stops flailing and its tentacles slump to its sides. "Fine." It sighs. "I go." The otyugh withdraws and leaps back down through the gaping hole in the street into the sewers below. "You keep quiet up there or I'll be back."
"I've got to report this." The hellknight says to you. "Get lost. I'm too busy to deal with you any more." He then walks off without so much as a thank you.
It takes you a few more minutes to head back to the Citadel and when you arrive, you see the crowd is slowly parting, not for you, but for a contingent of royal knights led by the Queen's bodyguard, Sabina Merrin herself. A few dissenters curse and hurl rotten fruit. Those people are quickly and embarrassingly dealt with which causes the rest of the mob to shut up or disperse.
"People of Korvosa!" Sabina announces. "You have proven through your actions that a fair and public trial is not possible for the accused Trinia Sabor. She is to be escorted to the castle for a private and unbiased trial there. The outcome shall be announced publicly tomorrow afternoon. Now go back to your homes and disturb the peace no longer."
"Guards of Citadel Volshyenek, open the gates and prepare the prisoner for transport."
The crowd departs and the gates of the citadel open. Sabina and the knights enter to retrieve Trinia.
Oh dear, well this seals her fate no doubt. Unless we cna get in there and get her out like right now things are dire.
Nadya looks angry, "Not a public trial?!? You're right Ayako. I don't know if we can get to her soon enough, but I think we'd better try. Maybe we can slow them down and buy time to get her out with help from the Field Commander or on our own. We'd better hurry though."
