Nixa also informs you that during her captivity, she overheard the bugbear jabbering on about something named Wormgnash, and that Mezodarath often mentioned that name in connection with the old Sarini Estate. The bugbear seemed to be either praying to this Wormgnash or beseeching its favor, leading her to theorize that a potentially serious danger might now lurk in or near the estate.
As you make it back to town, word of your deeds has preceded you, as it often does. However, your chances for celebration are cut short when a courier boy approaches you, telling you that the mayor would like to see you. He leads you to her office, and then leaves.
Although it’s covered in a layer of files and paperwork that indicate its official nature, this office is also eminently comfortable, with its plush carpet, velvet-lined oaken furniture, and ornate serving carts bearing colorful fruit and fine drinks. The soothing smell of sage and apple blossoms floats on a warm breeze wafting through the large, open picture window.
At the center of the room, behind a solid and polished wooden desk, sits Mayor Sandra Trinelli, her long fingers folded together in thought. Her face is solemn as she surveys her visitors. “Thank you for your quick attention to my request,” she begins, motioning to the oversized chairs in front of her. “As you can imagine, it involves a delicate task that promises results of great significance to our beleaguered population. Let me explain.
“The history of this town, I’m afraid, is written in blood. More than a century ago, the family that founded Saringallow committed heinous crimes against the hard-working folks who toiled on their behalf. When all was said and done, these nobles—the Sarinis—kidnapped and murdered many local children. They were hanged for their crimes, but the bodies of the youths were never found, and our families still suffer those tragic memories today. After all of these years, they’ve never had closure, and our town has never been the same.
“However, not long ago, while I was searching the town archives, I discovered a few old letters that seem to indicate that these evil nobles kept records of their victims and diabolical rituals. Finding these documents would go a long way toward healing the deep wounds the Sarinis inflicted on our poor people.
“Unfortunately, the evidence is presumably stored in the Sarinis old, walled estate, which is located some distance from Saringallow proper. Around here, superstitions regarding the Sarini family still run deep, and the good men and women of our town watch— bless their hearts—are reluctant to help. There’s no proof, however, that any of the rumors about the Sarini Estate are real, so I’d like to hire you help me solve this matter. Please, if you will, bring me any records of these terrible crimes that exist. Once you do, I believe our town will finally begin to heal. I trust that you are capable, and I hope that a reward of 100 gp will be enough to persuade you to help.”
"Well, the sooner the better, my young gnome friend." replies the mayor. "Did you have all of the information that you would need?"
"Did you have have any questions, adventurers?" she asks again.
|
Fijeet takes a deep breath....
"where is the estate? What kind of rumors? Is it haunted? I met a ghost once it was so cool - seeingthroughitwasscary.... but uh yea Sarini... we go there, loot the place, bring back records yes? I love a good haunted house especially when there are ghosts but the friendly kind. Did you say diabolical? What kind of rituals do you think? Like demon summoning? Or maybe just communing. I've heard communing is very healthy for the spiritual soul, though i wouldn't know as i'm not a cleric... so where is the estate again ?
The mayor takes a moment to figure out exactly what the excitable gnome was asking.
“The estate is a large place, with two main stories and a basement, or so the old stories go, but we don’t have a map of the place in our archives. Given what horrors happened there, the townsfolk have always given the place a wide berth—no one here is greedy enough to covet the murder-tainted valuables that hated family might have owned. Some things are more important than gold, you know. The Sarinis and everything tied to them are a blot on our existence.
“The estate is located about 10 miles from town, down a road almost no one travels except for foolhardy youths trying to prove themselves. Given its isolation, I would not be surprised if there weren’t a few dangers in or around the place. You’d do well to arm yourselves sufficiently before heading out.”
She continues, “This tragedy has had several generations to generate rumors, but they’re all nonsense, as far as I’m concerned. Some say the estate is haunted by the spirits of those murdered there; others say the estate has collapsed under its own weight, and still others believe diabolic powers still lurk within and plot against us. Given what the town suffered, can you blame them for projecting their fears into that hated place?”
She finishes with, "I do not know the nature of the diabolic rituals that took place, and that is, in part, what you are being hired to investigate. Any documents or evidence you can bring back would help to create closure for the families that lost their children."
"You make it sound a bit scary! We've got haunted houses in Osirion, too. We just call them pyramids, ha!
But at least it'll be a change from trekking through the wilderness, fighting goblins left and right."
Mayor's description about the estate sent a chill down Filk's spine. But hopefully she's just retelling old stories she's heard as a child.
"Of that I don't know." replies the mayor. She then answers the question that surprisingly no one asked, 'Is there anything else we should know before we get started?'
"“We have quite a bit of information available about the time period in question in the town hall’s archives. I suggest that you start there. Find my assistant, Lupia Marietti. She’s a kind woman and will help you with whatever you need.”
At the library, true to the mayor's words, they meet Lupia Marietti. "How can I help you, adventurers? I am afraid the archives are rather large, but if you can give me something to go search for, I am certain I can find the proper documents."
Archives? Booooooring....
"Umm, yes. Give us all the dirty details about Sarini family, and their estate."
Sarini Estate: An invoice for construction materials reveals that the construction of the main estate building began in 4426 AR, and a later bill indicates that a wall was built around the grounds in 4600 AR.
Another individual document indicates that the last legal owners of the Sarini Estate were the Baron Marcius Sarini and Baroness Sadira Sarini, who acquired joint ownership of the property in 4593AR.
You notice that the amount of construction materials ordered was too large for the wall’s size.
The textof the invoice has been tampered with to obscure some details.
Saringallow: The first records about settlers moving into this area date back to 4425 AR. However, all the documents from that time refer to the community as “Sarini’s Hollow.”
Somewhere between 4600 AR and 4610 AR, the town’s name seems to have changed to Sarini Gallows, and gradually, that name was corrupted into
Saringallow.
"Which family members are you looking for information on?" she asks.
"Hey, I don't know any of them - That's why we're asking you. Can't you just find the latest generation from your books?"
"Also, Nixa mentioned someone named Wormgnash, with some connection to the estate. I doubt he's related, though"
"I believe the documents on the Sarini Estate should give you those names. As for this Wormgnash, that name is not in the archives. Must be a new arrival to the region? I have not heard it before. Doesn't sound pleasant." says the assistant.
When you follow up on the name Baron Marcius Sarini, she comes back with the following.
A deployment letter dated 4585 ar indicates that Marcius Sarini volunteered to serve in the Chelish army and trained to lead a special engineering unit.
His training involved building traps and sabotage, among other things.
A letter from a servant dated after Marcius’s return also indicates that the rising baron brought a young ward by the name of Luca back to his family’s estate in Saringallow.
The word “ward” is written messily, with no further accompanying explanation, as if the writer were uncomfortable lingering on the topic for long.
When you follow up on Sadira Sarini, you learn the following:
Documents indicate that the baroness was originally from Remesiana in Cheliax.
NO PEEKING!!!
The librarian takes note of Atrix's comments. "Is there anything else you wish to research, based on the above findings?"
”Anything about this Luca fellow in your books? ” Filk asks, although quite bored-sounding already.
A death certificate says the following: “Adolescent ward of half-Mwangi descent. Died of an accidental poisoning at the Sarini Estate in 4599 ar.”
the handwriting of the word “accidental” shows hesitation, as if writer didn’t believe that the poisoning was accidental.
"Well," starts Lupia, "a ward is a person, usually a minor, under the care and control of a guardian appointed by their parents or a court."
She looks at the group, and shrugs. "Is there anything else you would have me look up?"
From his favorite gnome alchemist, he hears “Some folks say they’ve seen little blue people near the estate!”
From another contact on the street, he learns, “The Sarinis worshiped demons and devils, and they held unspeakable revels at their estate back in the day!”
Finally, when he checks in at the inn, “Those evil Sarinis were hanged—they were hanged high! Ever think where the ‘gallow’ in Saringallow comes from?”
Atrix recalls that the Sarini Estate is haunted! Hungry ghouls and ghosts lurk in the shadows!
Nixa tells you all, “The Sarinis kidnapped children and drank their
blood.”
Nolaria tells you all, “They say there’s a funny smell coming from the
estate, and it’s the smell of rotting corpses.”
"The more I hear about the place, the less I want to go there... So if are planning to go, we better go soon!"
"Hmm, rumours of traps and poison. Let's walk past the general store, I'll make some purchases." Filk says, and visits the store.
When he comes out, he is wearing a new backpack with some new contents.
"I'm ready to go!"
After about two hours into what you expect to be a three hour hike in evening, some sixty feet ahead on the road, a villager is lying curled on the ground, his hands shielding his face from two ugly, blue-skinned creatures with oversized, wrinkly heads. A pair of centipedes as big as a large man hisses menacingly at the desperate, shaking villager, its mandibles oozing with venom. The monsters are covered in a greasy, purplish goo that seems to be growing from their very skin.
2
7
5
1
6
4
3
- => Valerka
- => Atrix
- Olaus
- Centipedes
- Filk
- Blue Guys
- FiJeet
U = Unconscious S = Surprised D = Delay
Conditions:
Atrix: 31/31
FiJeet: 21/21
Filk: 37/37 Temp: 3/3 -3NL
Valerka: 16/16
Enemies?:
Valerka moves up, and readies to shoot any of the enemies with her ice missile.
The boy lays on the ground in the fetal position, rolling, defensively.
The two centipedes rushes forward to attack Atrix!
- x Valerka
- x Atrix
- x Olaus
- x Centipedes
- => Filk
- Blue Guys
- FiJeet
U = Unconscious S = Surprised D = Delay
Conditions:
Atrix: 21/31
FiJeet: 21/21
Filk: 37/37 Temp: 3/3 -3NL
Valerka: 16/16
Enemies?:
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"Hey, you ugly critters! Leave those boys alone!" Filks shouts, and quickly realizes the centipedes will unlikely understand him. So best to squish the bugs quickly. Filk strides forwards to find a good line of fire to the red centipede, and with force of his will sends a rock to smash to bug.
Amazingly, Filk misses the nimble arthropod!
The two blue guys, seemingly confident that the centipedes will take care of the adventurers, go after the boy.
First orange stabs at the boy, then purple does. Both strike the boy. He screams in pain, but is still moving.
- => Valerka
- => Atrix
- Olaus
- Centipedes
- Filk
- Blue Guys
- => FiJeet
U = Unconscious S = Surprised D = Delay
Conditions:
Atrix: 21/31
FiJeet: 21/21
Filk: 37/37 Temp: 3/3 -3NL
Valerka: 16/16
Olaus: -7
Enemies?:
Atrix tries to get though the centipede, but fails to get past. She then runs around them, trying to get up into the mites' faces! One bites at her and misses when tries to tumble past it, while the other bites and succeeds when she runs around. The bite burns for a moment, but Atrix shrugs it off.
Atrix attempts to tumble around red...
She does, avoiding the attack.
The boy continues to attempt to avoid getting hit, moaning and crying.
The red centipede bites at Atrix.
- D Valerka
- x Atrix
- x Olaus
- x Centipedes
- Filk
- Blue Guys
- => FiJeet
U = Unconscious S = Surprised D = Delay
Conditions:
Atrix: 19/31 -3 DEX
FiJeet: 21/21
Filk: 37/37 Temp: 3/3 -3NL
Valerka: 16/16
Olaus: -7
Enemies?:
"Atrix, you deal with the bugs!"
Full sprints past the female warrior and proceeds to fling a stone to kill a mite.