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Wiping the water away from his eyes, Garekk delivers a massive blow, cleaving the ghast in two at the waist. After a few minutes, the waves of water seem to wash the stench out of the room, and you can all breathe freely again.
Out of combat!
With the oddly dressed ghast now dispatched, you are free to fully explore the room. The lids to the stone sarcophaguses can be opened with a little muscle, sliding aside with the sound of a grinding millstone, though you find three of them to be completely empty. In one of the others, you find a set of polished silver plates each with the decorative bust of a Taldan noble rising from its center like a man from a mercury pool, and a gold plated, ceremonial longsword in a second. The last sarcophagus lid is slightly ajar, and within it you find the well-preserved body of a young girl lies inside, stringy black hair obscuring the face. Her atrophied limbs are drawn up like folded sticks against her torn school uniform. You immediately recognize that this is Junia from the painting in Lady Daclane's dining room.
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Kelumur, retrieves his daggers and takes some time to reset his wrist sheath. "Always need to be prepared you know." Then walks into the room where the creature immersed from to take a look around, making sure no other creature is there, poking at every corner, after he is satisfied, he turns to the others presumably where the body lies.
"I can't say that this mission was one of great success, knowing a young girl like her past away in such unfortunate circumstances. Shall we bring the body back to her mother? Give her the closure she desires?"
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After imagining what he would have done had he not been lying on the ground, Mūn slowly gets to his feet. He helps the other explore the room, shifting lids to coffins and discovering their contents and casting detect magic to help learn more about what they've found.
"Look, she wears the Ruby Ring of the Salamander. But I detect a curious aura, it looks like the ring may be enchanted to sustain life."
"Could she still live?"
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Fung eventually shakes off the effects of the undead. Clutching his wounds, he limps towards the sarcophogus and looks in.
"By Irori!" Fung exclaims. "She's alive! The ring must be keeping her alive!"
He turns to the healers in the group. "Can you bring her back?" He thinks for a while, before adding, "Perhaps we should wait until after we leave this place. It is not a welcoming place for her to regain consciousness in." He turns to glance at the dead-again body of the ghast.
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Helen gives the girl a quick look through checking her for any pressing injuries.
"She has managed to survive here without our aid for a considerable time surely she can make a few more minutes. Now gather around and let me heal all of you."
"That leaves me with two channels for emergency use. If you are still injured please either wand yourself or I can do it for you if need be."
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Garekk joins the rest of the group, trailing behind as he finished heaving the saltwater/Ghoul stench from his lungs and stomach. He catches the tail end of the conversation, and gives a shudder at the idea of the little girl being down here for so long in such conditions.
"Thank you Helen. I appreciate that. I have yet to be able to afford a wand, but that will come soon.. " He trails off, itching at his obviously infected arm.. which reacted in no way whatsoever to the healing powers that washed over him moments before.
"As for the girl, I will be happy to carry her out of here, and the sooner the better. I would not have her in this place any longer than needed."
Sweet!!!! Disease passes on the third day, and a few days rest will repair all of the damage!
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With a constant eye out for any more undead danger, you cautiously bring Junia's body back to Lady Dacilane. She's naturally overwhelmed with joy and sends for the best clerics of Asmodeus at once to see to her daughter's recovery. After the clerics have done their work, and she is bathed and fed, Lady Dacilane allows you to sit with her as she questions her daughter about what happened.
Two weeks before the earthquake, Junia and her friends (including Cassiel and Grishan) discovered the necropolis. They kept it a secret and treated it like a clubhouse, a place to tell ghost stories and dare each other to explore by candlelight. On one such dare, Junia found a trophy—a ruby salamander ring on the finger of a crowned corpse. Unbeknownst to Junia, the ruby salamander ring functions as a ring of sustenance. When the earthquake hit, Junia and her friends were already in the necropolis. When her friends began to starve, Junia did not. As her friends became weaker and less able to continue their search for a way out, Junia snuck away from them and hid in an empty sarcophagus that was unsealed by the great quake, desperately seeking an escape from the misery of her friends. Confused, increasingly frightened of the darkness beyond, and lacking hunger or thirst, Junia stayed in her hiding spot until she was found by the roaming allip. Its merciless attacks drained her wisdom to 0 and Junia laid here in a nightmare sleep, her body preserved by the magic of the necropolis, for 10 years. Only the ruby salamander ring kept her alive.
Lady Dacilane alters her previous reward and promises to assist you in the future if you ever have any need of information about the aristocrats of Absalom—a small gesture, to be sure, but a very generous one in the mind of Lady Dacilane. The other parents, upon hearing that there was a miraculous survivor after all these years, mob the Tri-Towers Yard in an attempt to gain access to the necropolis. Absalom’s city watch is called in to quiet the disturbance and sends in a team to search for additional survivors. Of course, there are none. When the ruby ring of the salamander is returned to the Pathfinder Society, they are naturally pleased at acquiring such an important artifact and Venture Captain Dreng personally thanks you for your service to the Society.
Mission Complete!
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You all receive letters instructing you to meet Venture-Captain Drandle Dreng outside the main gates of the Grand Lodge at noon in formal attire.
The fall rains have come early this year, and a chill wind blows off the waters of Absalom’s harbor, bringing with it the smell of a storm somewhere far off at sea. Venture-Captain Drandle Dreng hurries down the street in a most unusual outfit for the aging Venture-Captain: some sort of blue military uniform complete with a green sash displaying a pair of ornate medals and a black umbrella. “Ah, there you all are,” he half-mutters to himself. “Is everyone here?” Without waiting for an answer, he turns on his heels and heads off at a brisk pace, occasionally turning around to make sure everyone is keeping up.
“You’re probably wondering where I’m dragging you, eh? Seven years ago I sent young agents much like yourselves on a preliminary exploration of the necropolis below the Drownyard in the Precipice Quarter. The Drownyard is the name that was given to the old Tri-Towers School, once home to some of Absalom’s wealthiest progeny. It was destroyed in the great earthquake of 4698 ar, and we thought that all of the children, teachers, and staff had perished.”
“But let me back up a bit. Eight years ago, the Society discovered an ancient necropolis under the Drownyard. It dates back to the third century ar, and if you know anything about Absalom’s history, you’ll know that we know almost nothing about those early years. It took me almost an entire year of negotiating with the parents of the children who died in the Tri-Towers Yard to convince them to grant us access to the site, and when we did, what did we find? A lot of spooky stuff: undead, haunts, and some nasty bugs. But we also found something completely unexpected: a survivor. A little slip of a girl named Junia Dacilane somehow survived in a death-like state for 10 years. The only thing that kept her alive was a ring of sustenance that she had found among the crypts. Junia’s mother, Lady Miranda Dacilane, was of course beside herself when we pulled her living daughter from the ruins and she vowed to not only give the Society full access to the property, but personally underwrite our archaeological efforts there. Soon thereafter I set up an archaeological dig at the Drownyard, and we’ve been pulling out fascinating fragments from Absalom’s early history ever since. Every year I visit Lady Dacilane to renew our contract to maintain the dig, but this year it seems that she wants us to jump through an additional hoop. She wants us, or rather you, to escort her daughter back to the Drownyard. It seems that Junia’s become a bit obsessed with her alma mater, and since the Precipice Quarter is no place for pampered young noblewomen, she needs an escort. Think you can manage that?”
Without giving the you a chance to interrupt him, he quickly adds, “Oh, and don’t forget to call the Drownyard the Tri-Towers Yard while we’re at Dacilane Manor. No one who lost children in the earthquake likes to be reminded of that tragedy… even the ones who got their child back.”
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That old place that gave me the creeps? I thought my haunting days have been over. Babysitting mission? Kuriq grumbles a little under his breath and ask the venture captain a question.
"Surely Captain there must be a better reason for us to go back to dangerous terrain than just escorting a young lady? The place is known to be far more dangerous than before and feels unfitting for a young lady to venture through it."
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Garekk arrives, pulling and tugging at his obviously unused formal clothing.. in fact, these may even be the same formal clothes purchased seven years ago for his first dealings with the Dacilane family..
After he warmly greets his companions from that fateful day, he listens carefully to his briefing, then turns a surprised gaze upon Kelumur. "I had not heard of such things.. What do we have that may be effective against such enemies? I imagine they may be harder to hit than the undead we faced last time.."
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Fung smiles warmly as he meets his fellow companions down into the haunted chambers years ago. The memory still gives his shivers down his spine but meeting them again gives some assurance that the experiences were real.
As he listens to the briefing, however, he starts to frown, uncertain if he wishes to repeat the experience travelling down the paths of death again. He shakes his head as he asks the Venture Captain. "And why would she possibly want to return there?"
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"This is Junia's wishes, and the arrangement we have with Lady Dacilane is too important to jeopardize. Whatever you may come across, I have full confidence that you are able to handle it, as you have proven in the past. As to why she wants to return to that wretched place, you will just have to ask her." He pulls out a brass timepiece from his pocket and click it open. "No more questions, we must leave now. Lady Dacilane is not one who likes to be kept waiting."
After approximately 10 minutes of walking through the rain, you arrive at your destination.
Dacilane Manor is an imposing four-story townhouse of heavy masonry with a parapet roof that is festooned with numerous leering, demonic gargoyles. After knocking on the door, a middle-aged halfling woman in a large apron answers it. “Please come in. My lady will join you momentarily in the drawing room.”
The interior of Dacilane Manor is just as imposing as the outside. A wide foyer with a grand staircase leads to the second floor, while open double-doors lead into the drawing room. Heavy black draperies cover all the windows, shrouding the manor in shadows. All of the furniture in the common areas is oversized, expensive, and gothic, made of dark-stained mahogany wood.
Lady Dacilane enters a few moments after everyone has gathered in the sitting room. She is a tall, stern-looking, yet attractive Chelaxian woman with sharp features, a fair complexion, and black hair accented with gray and white. She is dressed in a well-made, floor-length black gown streaked through with crimson. A plainlooking silver pentagram necklace is her only jewelry. Dreng immediately jumps up to greet her, bowing and kissing her hand in a formal fashion. He then quickly introduces you before launching into a prepared speech about the importance of Lady Dacilane’s ongoing support of the Society’s activities and the many important artifacts they have been able to recover from the Tri-Towers Yard necropolis. Lady Dacilane listens politely, making a few pro-forma inquiries into several details about the management of the site before getting to the heart of the negotiation and addressing you directly.
“As I am sure Master Dreng has already informed you, I have a particular request of the Pathfinder Society this year. My daughter Junia has recently celebrated her eighteenth birthday, but she maintains a certain obsession with the traumatic events that befell her at the Tri-Towers Yard so many years ago. I have stopped her from sneaking out of the manor and visiting that place several times, and I feel that her past is keeping her from fully embracing her future. I would ask that you accompany her to the gods-forsaken Precipice Quarter and let her see her fill of the decay and misery. Perhaps those sights will cure her of her unnatural obsessions. I want to personally thank you all again for rescuing my Junia. I don't know what I would have done if not for your assistance. It is for that reason that I personally asked for you to escort my daughter, I feel I can trust you to handle this professionally. Junia should be down shortly, do you have any questions for me in the meantime?"
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Kelumur returns the greetings to Lady Dacilane and thanks her for her trust in the abilities of the pathfinder telling her that her trust is not one that is wasted, he also ask in curiousity to Junia's position "Does your daughter have any particular reason that she has mention that she wants to enter the Tri-Towers? Knowing fully that it is a much more dangerous place than before."
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"She tells me that something inside her, calls her to that place. Junia’s experiences during and after the earthquake were terrible, and they have left lasting mental scars. Despite my efforts and those of some of Absalom’s best healers, I have been unable to truly help her. Nevertheless, it is time for her to put her childhood experiences behind her and face her adult responsibilities. I wish there was something else that could be done, because I would rather her not go back to that cursed place. But if this is what it takes for her to move on, then so be it."
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Mūn arrives to meet Venture Captain Dreng, very well-dressed as always, and recognizes the same group from his last assignment for the Pathfinders. Ha! Seven years gone and Dreng still manages to pull all of us in again. He extends a hand in greeting, a hand that sparkles with a new accessory. "Well met, friends! Imagine seeing you all together again."
After shaking hands with most everyone, he offers his hand out again, this time with fingers extended to show off his new ring. "I just had this made, in memory of our last jaunt together. It's not the same as Junia's ring; I took some liberties in the design, and of course this one isn't magical, but still, looks sharp, doesn't it?" The ring is carved from a solid piece of ruby in the shape of a salamander encircling his finger.
Mūn's jubilant spirit dampens when Dreng mentions returning to the crypts underneath that haunted school. And more dangerous there now, too. I have a bad feeling about this.
The walk through the rain did nothing to improve Mūn's disposition. He'd only just returned from the nearly 7-year holiday he'd imposed on himself as a result of the last time going down into the necropolis. Listening to Lady Dacilane's request didn't improve his mood, so to say, but something she said did resonate with him.
Well I know the power of compulsion and obsession... he thought to himself, as images of Ashava encircled by powerful beast under a full moon flashed through his mind. If this is a thing that Junia must do, then I must help her.
"Lady Dacilane, the Dro-- The Tri-Towers Yard is a dangerous place and it frightens me to think of it again, so I speak here for none other than myself. I believe that you wouldn't ask this of us if there were any other way. If this is what Junia needs, I will do my part to make sure she returns to you."
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Kelumur listens intently at the discussion at hand, nodding here and there, although he understands the compulsion of the young lady, he does not fully agree with it. None-the-less, he will respect the wishes of the family.
"My friend here is right, do you think we can speak to Junia before she leaves? It would greatly aid us in understanding how we can help her is we could ask her a few questions about the whole thing."
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After a few of you ask to speak with Junia she calls up the stairs to her asking her to come down stairs. Lady Dacilane turns back toward you and responds to Darian. “Take her wherever she wishes within reason in the Precipice Quarter. It is a dangerous place even during daylight hours, so use your best judgment. Let her stay as long as she wishes, but bring her back before nightfall tomorrow. Excuse me a moment.” She exits the room and you can hear her shouting at Junia to hurry up.
Lady Dacilane’s daughter comes bounding down the stairs and into the sitting room a few moments after he mother calls her. She has her mother’s height, black hair, and fine facial features, but that’s where the similarities end. Unlike her mother’s carefully coiffed hair, Junia’s is short and practical, and she carries herself with a confident and unladylike swagger. She is dressed in grey breeches, knee-high leather boots, a white cotton shirt, and an azure blue riding coat with tails with a golden eagle pin on the lapel. Beneath her coat, it is clear that she is wearing a mithral chain shirt. Upon arriving in the drawing room, Junia clicks her heels in a military manner and greets her mother with a mischievous grin. Lady Dacilane immediately turns bright red with embarrassment, and shakes her head "How could you wear such a ridiculous outfit in front of our guests?" She then throws up her hands and storms out of the room without another word.
Junia excitedly shakes everyone's hand and introduces herself, and greets each of you by name. "Hi, there! You can call me J., like the letter. I am so happy you could all come! When my mother had told me she had asked the Society for help, I had hoped it would be one of my rescuers. But to have all of you here, this is just amazing!"
Dreng excuses himself at this point, claiming that he is needed back at the Grand Lodge. Before he leaves, he hands over a large, iron key to you, tells you that it opens the wrought iron gates to the Tri-Towers Yard. He warns them that although the necropolis below has been cleared of undead, the partially restored surface structure still holds a dangerous haunt. “Try to stay away from there,” he mutters, “we’ve tried to eliminate it several times, but it keep coming back. If you do need to go in there, take a look in the supply closet, you may find it useful.”
Once the Venture Captain leaves, J. picks up a backpack from a stool in the corner and pulls out a kukri, which she sheathes at her hip. She takes a minute to collect several heavy volumes from a side room—these books are copies of your Pathfinder Chronicles, each one featuring the adventures you have each accomplished. She then straps on the backpack and looks expectantly at the PCs. “Well, shall we go? I’m ready when you are.”
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Kelumur, immediately recognising that her outfit was intent to mimic the eagle knights calls out in defense of the girl, "With all due respect my lady, the girl wears a practical outfit, one fit for an expedition for this sorts." Is there hidden motives behind what she wears?
Approaching the young girl, Kelumur greets her calmly. "Can't say we're more ready than you, however there is a few things I need to ask, in private if need. Is there any particular reason for the journey? I can't help but note your outfit, there's no hidden agenda to this is there?"
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Fung stares at Junia, surprised at how that traumatised young girl has turned out into a young lady with such gumption. Outwardly, at least. He looks back and forth among his party, hesitant to speak at first, but his concern for her eventually pushes him to step forward. "Lady Junia, I don't understand. Why would you want to go back to such a place?"
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Garekk looks on in surprise as the girl bounds down the stairs. Not at all what I expected.. he thinks, stunned. He finally remembers his manners, and greets the girl as is proper to her station.
"Hello, Madame.. J." he says. "I cannot help but echo the concerns of my friends here. Why ever would you desire to return to that place? Can you explain this "fascination" your mother speaks of? Obviously, you are hale and healthy.. not at all the impression I received from what we were told."
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"Please, just call me J. I'm around formalities all day because of my mother, and it's too much for me." She pauses to look down at her outfit, "Oh this is just something I threw together" but she gives away her true intention with a conspiratorial wink.
J purses her lips together and thinks for a moment, "As for the journey to the Drownyard, I don't really have an explanation for it. Something deep inside me is drawing me there and it's just something I feel like I have to do. Once we get there, I'm sure I'll figure something out. But enough standing around, let's go explore!" and with that, she marches out the door.
Once out of her home, J. breathes a sigh of relief and visibly relaxes. "Alright, what's the best way to get to the Precipice Quarter? I admit that I haven't gotten out of the house much in the last several years, so I'll leave it up to you professionals."
There are two main ways of reaching the Precipice Quarter from the Ivy District. The most direct route is through the mercantile Coins district and then along the edge of the Merchant’s Quarter
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Mūn almost has to stifle a laugh when he sees Junia bound down the stairs. I think she might be more prepared for this than we are.
"Duty compels me to advise you that this is no pleasure trip; this is a dangerous place we go to, and you would be safest to remain her with your mother. Reason informs me that this advice only frustrates and belittles you, so I'll drop the point."
"Off we go." Mūn follows Junia out of the house.
Looking off in the direction of the Coins district, Mūn considers their path and holds everyone back briefly. "The Coins will be very busy today; we may find easier travel if we go through the Docks district instead. It will be more dangerous that way, however, but it might save us some time. I think I vote to avoid the crowds."
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Garekk follows the rest fo the house, an chimes in his his agreement of the course. "Slower may not always be better, but in this case, it may be safer. The markets are fine with me."
As the party moves out, Garekk will fall to the rear of the group, keeping his eyes out for any trouble despite the safer path.
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"I trust your judgement so the Coins it is then!" As you make your way through the city by way of the Coins District, it's becomes quite clear that J. has been cooped up for far too long, and she has an obvious interest in the Society. She questions you all about your adventures and how you became Pathfinders, and seems to hang on every word with fascination, even going so far as to ask for your autographs in the Pathfinder Chronicles she brought along. "What sort of adventures have you all been on? It must be so cool to get the chance to explore all over Golarian. How did you come to join the Society? Is there some sort of initiation you have to go through?"
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"I did not train under the Society. At least, not for long. When my ... um ... powers manifested, not many could give me guidance. Rather, I received a field commission. A simple investigation mission turned into a non-stop fight through hordes of undeads to keep a group of nobles alive. We eventually managed to save most of them, and after that, I was invited for my Confirmation. After that though, um... it seems that I am cursed to be repeatedly dealing with ... um... the dead that refuses to pass on." Fung pauses here, looking at Junia, then blushes. "I am sorry. I didn't mean... I hope you ... Please don't be offended."
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Kelumur looks at the excitement of the girl listening to Fung's story and sighs, "You must be careful what you ask J, the society is not for the faint of hearts. I've seen far too many deaths to be excited. Everyone has their own reasons, my own, to right the wrongs in this world, you see, my parents died to slavery... He stops abruptly, and pauses, bearing a grim look, "However, that's not something to be shared."
And he continues walking, hands on belt, keeping an eye out.
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Hervey smiles grimly and signs when asked. He can't completely resist the charisma of an optimistic young girl like J. "I have been busy with other pursuits since our first venture down into the school. Perhaps I shall not wait so long for my next assignment if we survive this one. It would be a pleasure to work with you sometime."
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From the back of the group, Garekk chimes in. "My first mission with the Pathfinders was where we rescued you. I grew up in an Orc Clan near Ustalav, and was sent on a spirit quest by my Shaman. It is a rite of passage for our youth, and we are each given a specific task.. mine was to learn more about true evil and true good, and then I must win a bride before I may return to my tribe as a full member. Before I joined the Society, I wandered around Ustalav for several months seeking direct knowledge of these things.. of which there is a great abundance in that foul country. I have since decided that my Quest is less about good and evil directly, but about how it affects people. We all have some of each within us.. and so the true knowledge lies in the balance, I think. I have much to learn before I can return to my people."
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"J, such an interesting question! Why does one become a Pathfinder? I think it's obvious to see why you have an interest, but it's good of you to ask why others are compelled into this service. I think for me, it's a system of mutual benefit. I seek knowledge, knowledge that may prove to be quite obscure and esoteric, and questing with the Pathfinder Society will help me to uncover that which I seek." Mun pauses briefly. He opens his hands in front of himself, turning them palm up and palm down in succession, imagining fur and claws growing where currently there is only skin and nail. A flash image of Ashava standing proud under a full moon briefly appears in his mind before he returns his attention to Junia.
"It's also important for me to know that I do good in the world along the way, and the Pathfinder Society is a good way to ensure that. So, I help them in efforts to make Golarion a better place, such as we can, and they help me to learn those strange things that I seek to learn."
"As far as my own experiences with the Society, they are few. Prior to our first time venturing into the Drownyard," Our little Junia is not as bothered by this term as her mother was, it seems. "I had only been on some preliminary training exercises. I started by running some small errands for each of the faction leaders , and then went on a large exploration with Janira Gavix, a highly accomplished Pathfinder who you will do well to meet one day ."
He makes a point of getting Junia's full attention before continuing. "For the last seven years, I've taken a sort of sabbatical from the Society. What I saw when we went down into the necropolis, when we ended up finding you, well, it shook me. Junia, I can't stress enough that what you want is very dangerous. This is no pleasure trip. I fear that both Venture-Captain Dreng and your mother have underestimated the risk. I hope you haven't, but now is the time to consider the full gravity of what we do. I know you won't turn back, but please, be fully aware of what we are about to do."
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As you stroll through the markets, telling your tales to J., you become accosted by a group of five young men, while walking down one of the side streets. Dressed in turbans, flowing silk scarves, heavy eye shadow, and impressive jewelry, it's easy to figure they are Qadiran. "Awww look at this boys, this little lady here is an Eagle Knight. This traitorous peasant is a damned abolitionist!"
"I see her lad! My father lost his business because those Andorrans don't fancy a bit of slavery and shut him down. I say we make this little girl pay for it. What do you say, you going to fight for the slaves now girl?" The group starts to approach the party, but besides throwing insults, they have yet to take action. You don't see any weapons in hand yet either.
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While Mun tries to reason with the Qadirans, Hervey manifests his lashes, which the thugs instantly take exception to. "Oh so it's a fight you want, eh? We can make that happen. Let's rough 'em up boys." The man with the bright yellow pants draws a sap and steps forward, shoving J. and knocking her off balance. As she falls to the ground, a spirit seems to manifest from her body. Everyone catches fleeting glimpses of the blue-tinged, ephemeral outline of a boy with hollow eyes, that briefly runs through the battlefield. Moments later, a rock flies from a pile of rubble, narrowly missing the Qadiran that pushed J. "What in blazes is goin' on here? She's some sort of freak. A damned freak and an Eagle Knight!"
Round 1
Yellow
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J (prone)
Xuan
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Garekk
Kelumur
Hervey
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Pink, Red
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Helen
Mun
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Purple, Green