Excellent! Ayako hurries to where they can meet with Kroft.
"What are you two on about? Didn't you hear Sabina? If we break Trinia out, she won't be present for her trial, and then she's doomed for certain!"
This is getting stranger by the moment, Col tells himself. "Why would we want to break her out?" Col asks.
Um......I got nothing.
You push your way into the citadel to find Sabina conversing with Cressida in the courtyard. They both turn their attention to you once they notice your approach.
"Sebastian, I hear you helped in the apprehension of Trinia. Good job. Now you and your friends don't do anything stupid and let me take the girl. This order comes directly from the Queen." says Sabina.
Cressida nods. "I can see it in your eyes. I hate it as much as you do, but it is the Queen's orders. If you create a scene here, you are only going to get yourselves arrested and cause the Korvosan Guard a lot of extra trouble."
Soon, two guards drag out a hysterical Trinia. "No! No! No! I'm innocent! The Queen is going to execute me! I don't want to die!" she screams.
During the commotion, Sabina pulls Sebastian to the side and whispers, "Listen, the Queen has been acting strangely lately. I can't quite put my finger on it, but the Queen and I are close; I can sense a change in her. I know this is a difficult situation, but trust that I will always be your sister and ally. There is nothing else to do right now but obey."
Ayako's face tightens when they are too late to help and just silently glares at the guards.
Sebastian nods as he listens. "I hear you, Sabina. I'll keep the others in line. Just promise me that justice will be done."
Nadya glares at Sebastian and Col, "If it was a public trial, it would be one thing. You know she isn't making it a private trial because of the riots." But after pushing into the courtyard, Nadya sees it is too late anyway and like Ayako, she turns her glare to the guards.
Sebastian scoffs at Nadya. "You must be joking! This mob would have her lynched in the streets! At least this way there will be a trial." As he joins his companions in the crowd, a grin spreads across his face. The pushing and shoving, the anarchic disunity of the mob, the smell of revolt in the air - Sebastian finds himself infected by the mood. "It's so exciting out here!"
Col stays silent and shrugs his shoulders at Nadya's remarks, Someones gotta take the blame and she could very well be guilty.
The knights drag the kicking and screaming Trinia off to the castle. Afterwards, you have the rest of the day to purchase whatever supplies you wish for your upcoming expedition to the Dead Warrens.
You get up the next day and head back to the Gray District.
Korvosa's vast graveyard, a place known as the Gray District, is a mournful place even by day. Alone in the city, this place is quiet and calm in the face of the civil unrest, yet this calm is an unnatural stillness in the air, almost as if the graveyard were preparing itself for a vast influx of new dead. Certainly, this ominous feeling is nowhere 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.
Locating the mausoleum described by Elkaris is a relatively simple task. No sign of Gaekhen’s body remains in the area.
A quick search reveals the presence of a man's tracks a wheelbarrow trail. More interestingly, several smaller humanoid tracks, each bearing only four toes, clutter the site as well. These tracks lead into the mausoleum itself.
After following the tracks, another search reveals a poorly hidden secret trap door in the floor that leads down into the dark.
These tracks are derro footprints.
Most native Korvosans have heard stories about the wererats, otyughs, and goblins said to haunt the deeper Vaults under the city, but few have heard of the pervasive derro. These small, three-fingered, blue-skinned menaces operate in semi-independent groups beneath several regions of the city. The largest of these groups live under Gray District, the Longacre Building, and Thief Camp.
Derro are sometimes responsible for mysterious disappearances (to say nothing of confused reappearances), as well as cattle and pet mutilations. When those kidnapped by derro suddenly and inexplicably return to Korvosa, they frequently have only vague and horrifying memories of the missing time. They speak of bizarre experiments, painful tortures, and an ever-present pale blue light. The extent of derro activity under Korvosa and the exact nature of their plans are unknown, and while their role is small in Curse of the Crimson Throne, the unstable times afflicting the city do make the menaces more bold in their activities.
Ayako has wrapped her cloak around herself as she enters the Potter's Ward, the piles of dirt that signified those unknown except to the gods summed the place up perfectly.
Her eyes were keenly looking around though.Look, footprint's next to a wheelbarrow, and there are smaller tracks with only 4 toes on the feet heading into the mausoleum.
Ayako follows the tracks and stares down at the ground. Kneeling down, she brushes some dirt aside revealing a door in the ground.
The trap door opens into a long tunnel of Shoanti construction with stairs that leads further underground. The tunnels down here are dimly lit by patches of eerily glowing mold, filling the chambers here with a cold blue light. The air is musty and damp, with the stink of rotting flesh present in the background.
After a short walk, the tunnel opens into a large room that 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—human bones mostly, but here and there smaller bones might be from halfings, 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 into the wall, providing access to a tunnel.
Does anyone wish light?
"Yes, some light would be nice," Col responds as he peers into the passages.
Ayako waves her hand and brings forth a globe of light.
"Those tracks that Ayako showed us are definitely derro. Thanks for the light Ayako. If we need more, I can help too. Should we start with that hole? I think it looks more recent."
Very well.
"It certainly feels like a necromancer's lair." Sebastian shudders in the damp breeze. He steps toward the hole Nadya suggests. Just keep moving and don't think too much about it.
The party heads south towards the obvious passageway. However, no sooner does Sebastian speak, do the bones in the two pits to the sides clatter to life.
Six humanoid skeletons rise from the western pit and a single large skeleton rises from the east with the body of a bear and the skull of an owl.
"It is definitely a necromancer's lair. Those are the skeletons Bishop D'Bear warned us about! I'm going to try to even the odds a little! Don't go near the edges!" Nadya begins casting an unfamiliar spell and seconds later a pit opens up underneath several of the human skeletons. As soon as she casts the spell, she moves to the north, hoping that she can make it a little harder for the skeletons to get to her.
Ayako slings a stone at the owlbear skeleton, trying out her brand new slinging abilities.
One of the skeletons leaps out of the way. The other two plummet down into the pit and smash against the hard bottom. Dozens of loose bones clatter down after them.
Ayako's bullet smashes into the owlbear's skull leaving a small crack.
Skeletons 1 & 2 attempt to leap the pit. Both fail and shatter into pieces from the fall.
Skeletons 3 & 4 still hold some semblance of life and attempt to climb out of the pit. The mindless creatures are unable to process their inability to succeed.
The remaining two skeletons (5,6) bypass the pit and attempt to climb over the low southern railing. However, even that obstacle halts one of them this round.
Unable to move away from the pit's edge, the skeleton (5) slides but maintains its balance without toppling in.
The one successful skeleton stalks up to Col with a silent grin and swipes once with a bony claw. Col leans back reflexively to dodge the attack.
Sebastian pulls a light mace from his hip and gives it a test swing. "Good job, Nadya! Col, let's finish off the small ones before that big one over there decides to join in the fun!" He re-positions himself around the other skeleton and beats on it with his mace.
The skeleton swings once at Sebastian (and misses) before it is obliterated by his mace.
The large owlbear skeleton has a difficult time fitting past the stone columns supporting the room and is forced to double-move into a better position. It stops right in front of Ayako. Its huge empty owl eye sockets stare directly at her.
Nadya takes out her new wand and says the command word that Bishop D'Bear gave her, but nothing happens. She mumbles, "I should have had him come up with some way for me to practice."
Col steps back, removes his sling and launces a stone at the Owlbear skeleton. He warns, "Ayako get out of there."
Ayako bravely withdraws behind Col!
Spinning around, Sebastian takes two steps toward the other skeleton and brings his mace in overhand.
Col's sling stone cracks into the owlbear skeleton, damaging it slightly.
Sebastian destroys the remaining skeleton with his overhead smash.
The skeletons in the pit struggle fruitlessly to escape.
The owlbear skeleton clambers between the columns to reach at Col. It swings a mighty claw at him but it flies harmlessly by.
Col steps to the side of the Owlbear skeleton and launches another stone at the undead beast.
The owlbear's claw misses again. Unfortunately, Col's stone also falls short.
Ayako steps back 5' and sends another stone at the creature.
"I'm going to try it again." Nadya points the wand at the skeleton and says the command word again, willing it to strike the undead monster. Again, the wand fails to respond.
Spinning on his heel again, Sebastian is momentarily cowed by the sheer size of the hulking skeleton. For something made up of skin and bones minus the skin, it's an imposing sight. Steeling himself, he rushes in to help Col keep the monstrosity off the girls.
Nadya continues to fumble with her wand.
Ayako hits the owlbear with yet another stone.
Sebastian's mace connects with the owlbear skeleton's face leaving the largest crack yet. However the hardy skeleton still has fight left in it.
The trapped skeletons continue to claw at the walls of the pit.
The owlbear skeleton swings at the two fighters. Sebastian pushes aside the creature's claw and smashes it again for its effort. The men easily dodge the other attacks.
Col take another step away from the skeletal beast as he launches another stone. He yells encouragement to Sebastian, "Nice shot!"
Col's attack hits. His internal judgement is correct. At this rate, it will still take a good number of stones to take this beast down.
"What kind of undead abomination is this thing, anyway?!" Sebastian continues bashing on it with his mace, hoping to keep it distracted.
Ayako ughs. Time for the holy water I believe!
Holding his ground he launches another stone at the creature and replies to Ayako, "I think your right."
Nadya continues to unsuccessful get her wand to work. Maybe that merchant sold her a lemon.
Ayako's sling misses but Sebastian hits it again.
The skeletons cackle as the pit rumbles and prepares to rise. Their time will be soon.
Since Col stepped out of the way, the owlbear skeleton focuses all of its attacks against the one person it can reach, Sebastian. This time, one of its huge claws comes down on Sebastian, gashing his chest and holding him down in a grapple.
Col's bullet pegs the owlbear in the hindquarters while its distracted. The skeletal creature is not looking to be in the best shape anymore.
Nadya's pit spell ends and the two trapped skeletons rise back to the surface.
Ayako tosses a vial of holy water at the owlbear
Sebastian, no!" col yells as he watches the undead creature grapple his comrade. He launches another stone at the creature.
A visibly frustrated Nadya tries again.
As Nadya fumbles with her wand, Ayako successfully hits the owlbear skeleton with a vial of holy water. The creature's bones hiss and bubble as if the water were acid then after a moment, the entire skeleton collapses into an inanimate pile. The splash onto Sebastian merely wets his clothes.
Sebastian, released from the owlbear's grip, positions himself in front of the remaining two humanoid skeletons and utilizing the higher ground swings his mace. However the skeleton he aimed for dodges under the lip of the ledge.
The two newly released skeletons mindlessly claw back at Sebastian but he fends them off without any issue.
With the owlbear gone, Col takes a long shot through the pillars and past Sebastian. His aim is true and the stone takes a skeleton's head clean off.
A lone skeleton remains; its brittle bones already cracked from the fall into the pit.
Turning red with either embarrassment or frustration, Nadya thinks At least the pit helped us out. Determined to figure out the wand, she tries again. For a moment, it starts to glow and eerie green like its going to fire. Then it goes out as she shakes it once more.
Just as Nadya gives up on the wand, a butterfly lands on the tip and she feels a divine touch guiding her. The wand flares back to life and the ray goes off destroying the remaining skeleton. Its bones mix back into the pile of hundreds beneath it.
Now that the skeletal guardians are destroyed, you can resume your course towards the southern tunnel. It doesn't take you long to notice that the tunnel splits into two directions: one path to the west and one path to the southeast.
You hear strange excited shouts (in Aklo) along with the sounds of a lot of banging and the squeaking of a rodent.
You hear a loud droning buzzing sound, similar to a beat of many insect wings.