Each of you is an aspiring adventurer, who has had some contact with a curious and capable half-orc explorer named, Ulisha. For years, Ulisha has devoted her efforts to the study of the River Kingdoms, a tumultuous land of bloodthirsty bandits, treasure-laden ruins, and self-proclaimed kings. She has a reputation for being a rather successful treasure hunter, although her methods are reputed to have put her on the wrong side of the law on more than one occasion. Perhaps the most remarkable treasure that she is known to have obtained is Silverhex, an enchanted sickle sued by druids millennia ago, which she claims to have only recently recovered from a collapsing stone circle located somewhere within the River Kingdoms. From what you know of the woman, Ulisha often goes to great lengths to protect and retain her treasures. On those few, very rare occasions when she has willingly parted with an item of value, it has only been in exchange for an exorbitant amount of gold coin.
Thus, the latest message that each of you has received from Ulisha is, indeed, rather quite curious. For in her message, Ulisha has offered to part with the famed Silverhex, what may be her life’s greatest find, for a price of just a few small chests worth of gold pieces despite the fact that, by all indications, the value of the object must be at least three times that amount! Further, not only does the message contain an offer of sale, but it claims that Ulisha is prepared to provide you with information as to the locations of a number of lesser treasures that you may obtain beforehand in order to secure the funds needed to purchase the famed weapon from her. However, as the message cautions, the recovery of such treasures is not without some amount of peril. Thus, the message warns, it would be unwise to attempt recovery of them on one’s own. Finally, the message includes a map to a meeting place—the location is a hovel on the banks of the Dagger River to the north of the town of Daggermark.
On those occasions when you have had contact with Ulisha, she has never given you any cause to suspect that she would ever seek either to defraud you or to bring upon you ill. Her offer appears genuine. And, if the offer be genuine, then it is too great an opportunity to forego.
Now, having arrived at the location disclosed within the message, you have found only a rundown, wooden shack, slowly deteriorating on a secluded bank near a fast flowing portion of the Dagger River. Its walls are barely strong enough to hold the wind or other elements at bay. Upon entering the shack you find signs of recent use, but other than yourselves, no other persons are present. Indeed, other than a few discarded tools, spent embers, and scraps of food, you find little of note, but for a single exception.
Closed, on a ramshackle table, lies a tattered journal. Its pages gently blow with the breeze periodically rushing through the dilapidated structure. This wagging movement brought on by the wind is slightly reminiscent of an invitational gesture, as if the pages themselves were now beckoning you to come toward them and to discover just what secrets within them they are willing to impart.
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Omero carefully opens the door to the ramshackle shack hoping that this simple bit of movement doesn't cause the whole thing to come crashing down. "Hello... " He enters the shack and takes stock of the situation. He double checks the message he received and realizes that he is in the right location.
Omero picks up the journal and shakes it out to see if anything falls out. He then begins flipping through the pages and reading various passages. I am not so sure about this. Tomb robbing. What am I getting into?
Omero is a tall well muscled individual. His hair is dark in color and close cropped. One could almost think he was bald while he has his helmet on if you don't stop and give him a once over. His countenance seems molded into a perpetual scowl. His features are hard and almost cold in appearance as if he is a man who does not broker any nonsense.
He primarily bears a halberd and wears a suit of scale mail. Dangling from his belt is a holy symbol of Iomedae.
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Nyshka follows Omero into the shack and looks around. "Well this is strange, even for Ulisha..."
The half-elf wears flashy studded leather armor, perfect for adventuring and performance, defense and dance. Coiled at her hip is a notoriously difficult scorpion whip.
"Any clues in that journal? I hope she left that there purposefully for a cryptic beginning to our travels, and trust nothing has gone wrong already..."
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A human girl, short even for her gender, enters. "So where is he?" she demands. She's pretty, but her demeanor is closer to that of the paladin's, but not for religious reasons. Although only lightly armored, it is clear she is ready for a fight. You just can't seem to remember her actually using those weapons she carries.
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Sneaking sinuously around the corners of the shack, a nagaji in layers of leather peers into the gloom. "Sssss... Not sure. You all know Ulisha, yes? She would not send us on a fruitless errand? Sss."
A small, friendly crocodilian follows him, wiggling its tail at everyone and sniffing to see if anyone has any food in their pockets.
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"If he's not just out taking a pee, then I do worry, Nyshka, that something has already gone wrong. It may not even be Ulisha who sent the note and left us this text. He may be dead or held prisoner by whoever sent it.... Or he's newly developed an annoying sense of humor." She waits to hear what the text contains, her eyes searching the interior for dangers within and her hears listening for approaching danger from outside.
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Omero clears his throat. "Alright listen up. This is the first entry in this tattered journal." He flips the journal open to a page he has marked with his thumb.
"The only thing worse than working for a Galtan nobleman is working for two Galtan noblemen—in my case, Lords Tullivor and Sarvio, both of whom are happy only when the other is not. I made a tidy sum recovering their heirlooms, but when Laban Tullivor tasked me to steal a platinum chalice belonging to the Sarvios, I took my leave (and the cup), and they’ve been hounding me since. Now Laban’s deceased, and it’s rumored his mausoleum in Gralton’s cemetery harbors a treasure. I hope you’ll not balk at tomb-robbing. Remember, these are aristocrats. I say, a plague on both their houses."
"I, for one, am not very keen on tomb robbing. However if it must be done in order to locate Ulisha then I will just have to look past it while it occurs."
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"Agreed. I guess we're off to Galt... wherever that is. I hope it isn't too long of a walk." She checks her boots and then glances over at the crocodilian. Smiling warmly, "Just kidding. C'mere." She pulls a chunk of tack out of her backpack, squats down and holds it out to the creature. "You're not nearly as furry as Stinky, but I'll bet you are much better behaved" Later, she explains that Stinky was a badger(?) belonging to a hunter she once adventured with.
With no further sign of Ulisha, the party heads out toward Gralton. En route, you meet up with a caravan also heading toward Gralton that is more than eager to provide you with food and travelling amenities in exchange for protection from bandits.
During your travels, you may recall or be able to obtain from others in the caravan, more information about Gralton.
Lord General Halidan Tarne, one of the few ex-nobles of Galt who can rightfully consider himself a noble of Gralton, has been gathering an army in Gralton for years to invade Galt by force and has erected strange, makeshift barracks that can hold 300 of his 500 soldiers.
Gralton is ruled by an oligarchy of six citizens consisting of the governor and five council members. The governor is generally considered to be the leader of the council. Current governor Marnius Cherlorne is best known for his assistance in Gralton’s recovery after brigands set much of northern Gralton on fire.
Some Graltoners choose not to follow the societies’ mandate of secrecy and are open about their plans and desires. Even those who are not privileged or interested enough to join a secret society are eager to see change, either in Gralton’s current state or back in Galt.
Adventurers in Gralton find themselves being coyly approached by a steady stream of citizens hoping to recruit, offering payment in gold or promises of wealth and renown as soon as they have been reestablished in Galt. Most of these recruiters are polite and accept rejection with little more than mild disappointment, though there are rumors that some of Halidan Tarne’s soldiers were bullied and threatened into joining his ranks. Beyond attempted recruitment, adventurers are generally ignored and allowed to do what they need to, as long as they don’t break any laws or cause any trouble. They may be privately hired to retrieve items or even people left behind in Galt, or to act as bodyguards for those who attempt the retrieval themselves.
If an adventurer’s actions directly benefit Gralton as a city, Governor Cherlorne dutifully rewards him, though the governor’s gifts are usually in the form of land and titles in Gralton in the hopes of encouraging the adventurers to settle down there. Although the governor is generally considered to be the leader of the council, as he is the public face of Gralton’s government, in truth the governor and the five council members share power equally.
"Mind you stations and keep a eye out for trouble. I would not be surprised to see trouble before we arrive at our destination."
After arrival in Gralton, the party and the caravan part ways. Once in town, you may recall or know more about Laban Tullivor.
You arrive at Gralton Cemetery just as the sun is setting . You find it to be a rather ostentatious cemetery for a small city, with the tombs of wealthy Galtan refugees evoking their lost glories. Two of the mausoleums in particular stand out, one of baroque marble barred by a prominent and ornate iron door and the other, an alabaster tomb sporting a ten-foot spire atop a broad dome. Both are made to look all the more imposing by the shadows they cast eastward that are lengthening with the setting sun.
You also find that the entire property is contained within a sturdy, metal fence, but that the gates are ajar and that no guards appear to be on duty.
From your vantage point at the cemetery gates, you can identify the mausoleum directly to the west as being that of the Tulliver family.
Not far from the entrance of Tulliver mausoleum, close to a nearby tree, you spot a human form slumped over a small marble pedestal.
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Nyshka talks to some people and gets some pertinent information about the tomb to relay to the party. "Apparently old Tullivor was a bit of a creep, bragged about his treasure he would be buried with and set some magic traps. But supposed to be bypassed by “one who earns Tullivors’ thanks” so they say.
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Bressa nods agreement with Skyllik's assertion about traffic. She listens to Nyshka's stories about Tullivor, disgust for the bad behavior of the rich clear on her face.
She, too, gives the form a good stare. "Is it alive?" she muses quitely.
If the form is alive and there is conversation, Bressa listens intently.
If things get that far, she'll gently prod the form at max range with her long spear. Otherwise, she's ready to fight some nasties.
The slumped form is clearly unresponsive. Upon closer inspection, you can see that the form is the lifeless body of a young human male dressed in a noble’s outfit. His dead hands are bound with rope. The body is slumped over what appears to be a small marble pedestal.
You follow the tracks towards an alabaster tomb that evokes a past age of Galtan architecture, including a ten-foot spire atop a broad dome. Its awnings teem with sculpted white raptors. An iron gate bears the motto, “Last to Fall.”
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Omero carefully lays the body out beside the pedestal. He takes care to avoid touching any obvious wounds as he does so.
Omero follows the group through the cemetery towards the mausoleum. He keeps his halberd at a ready position as they approach and listens to the various statements mentioned by the other agents. "Stay mindful of your surroundings."