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You make your way down from the green, lush garden within Emberhold to the cellar; although considering what you now see, perhaps it would be more accurate to call it a catacomb. Six round pillars and a large iron gate built into a low archway on the west wall are not the most compelling features of this musty cellar. Drawings rendered from soot and dark brown paint cover the walls. They’re broken up by narrow fissures of dark earth and crumbled plaster. The room is filled with bones, old and new, most of which are heaped around a large throne against the
south wall. Upon this throne sits a skeletal figure wearing darkened chainmail, a crown upon it's brow, and an old sword resting across it's lap.
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As Aiden readies himself for potential trouble, he calls out to the figure on the throne. But it does not seem to give back any sort of reply.
Now that he has stepped in a little further, he can see that the painting next to him is a rather stunning, if old, painting of the Thrunes getting savaged and torn to pieces by humanoid figures and devilish ones alike. Other paintings adorn the rest of this room's walls, but without getting any closer it is hard to identify what they depict.
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"That's not how you address the dead, silly," Nectanebo replies to Aiden. "Let me show you how it's done...."
Nectanebo approaches the skeletal figure, his own skeletal figure keeping by his side. "Well met, your lordship. Will you not share the tale of your glorious halls with a few humble guests?" He bows halfway with a flourish...just low enough to bite off one of the skeleton's fingertips with a barely-audible *snap* before resuming his upright (if slightly slouched) posture.
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As the Pathfinders approach the figure, they see piles of bones, heaps up to a man's calf. On the walls, more artistic depictions are painted in tones of black and browns, with one of the freshest murals showing a score of peasants burning at the stake under a Chelish flag. Nectanebo leaves that aside for later as he takes a knee and bites off a phalange.
The answer whispered into Nectanebo's mind is... A little confusing. The figure responds that it is a number of different people, but they are all Davians, nobles of Cheliax, Aroden's chosen people. They died during the siege by the traitorous Thrunes, but the manner in which it has died seems to vary, the voice becoming almost schizophrenic as it attempts to tell the many ways in which it died all at once. The date of death seems to be spread out over the course of weeks. All told, it seems that for some reason, this body is both a Davian, and all Davians.
As the Pathfinders ponder what to do, a plaintive roar echoes from beyond a door barred with rusty iron rods.
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Even Nectanebo is surprised by the cacophony of a reply he receives, but coupled with a good look over the 'skeleton', the voices of the dead reveal all (as usual).
"This is House Davian," Nectanebo explains to the others as he gestures to the bones. "Not one, but all of them, slain here by the hand of Thrune. Something funny about a few of these bones, though. A few of the larger ones aren't Human...."
Nectanebo's new friend from the gourd patch moves to guard against whatever is roaring while he casts his professional gaze across the Davian regalia.
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The crown, chainmail and sword only have worth as curios, not as objects of any sort of power.
As Esh peers down the corridor, he can see wrecked skeletal corpses thinly wrapped in thin burial linen rest in niches cut into the stone on either side of the hall. Many of them have collapsed, leaving bony remains to jut our of the dark earth and stone. At the other end of the hallway, a larger room in which a stone altar surrounded by cracked walls decorated with intricate designs and reliefs of religious figures, prominently featuring a winged eye and a symbol you have seen outside, which you have come to assume is House Davian's symbol.
Bound and suspended from the ceiling above is an emaciated troll, busily healing a vicious gut wound. It's left arm is slowly growing as well, having been removed below the shoulder. It spots you and mewls pitifully.
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Aiden approaches the bound, tortured Troll who mewls pitifully as he does. By what he can see from ten feet away, is that the wounds seem to be clean, but for any further determination, he would need to step forth. Waki begins to step forward and stops. In the corner, frozen in place, is a hairless grey-skinned creature, dressed in ragged, tattered clothing that may once have been considered fashionable.
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"Devil-worshiping scum, today you die at the hands of those you would have snuffed out! CHELIAX, ARODEN AND DAVIAN!" roars the creature in a raw voice drawing a shortbow.
[spoiler=Initiative]
Round 1
Arenzo
Esh
Waki
Nectanebo
Aiden
Without waiting, it fires at Aiden!
The arrow lodges itself into a part that hurts. "Our tomb will be yours!" shouts the creature before moving back into the shadows.
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In the corner, frozen in place, is a hairless grey-skinned creature, dressed in ragged, tattered clothing that may once have been considered fashionable.
[dice=Knowledge (Religion) on thing reminiscent at first glance of the horrible monster from Dr. Who episode "Heaven Sent"]1d20+12[/dice]
"Our tomb will be yours!" shouts the creature before moving back into the shadows.
"If that's the case, House Davian could stand to learn how to be a more gracious host!"
"Peek-a-boo...." Nectanebo whispers.
, he bids his servitor move forward to defend Aiden.
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Round 2
Arenzo - Delay
Esh
Waki
Nectanebo
Aiden
Only silence answers you as the bound troll thrashes against its bonds, trying to grab Waki as he walks past.
Nectanebo, after considering using a cantrip to affect the troll, realises that there are no cantrips that allow for untying knots.
He does suspect however, that the creature went down one of the narrow fissures in the wall.
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Round 2
Arenzo - Delay
Esh
Waki - Readied action
Nectanebo
Aiden
As the skeleton servitor makes it's way down the tight confines, the creature's voice echoes again. "There never was any escape for my people. Devil-loving dogs, you enjoy cornering those you think helpless into a corner, don't you? Don't worry, this time the Davians will prevail."
While none of you see him, you believe the man to be not too far down the passageway he slipped into earlier.
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Aiden contnues to pass the wand back and forth between him and Nectanebo. He nods his thanks to the man as his throat wound nearly disappears. Just a little scrape and bruising can be seen now.
Aiden quickly circles around the bound troll and darts across the gap where they believe the creature is. He draws a short curved knife.
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Round 2
Arenzo - Delay
Esh
Waki - Readied action
Nectanebo
Aiden
Esh, taken aback by the constant tone used by the creature, chooses to speak up even though he's invisible.
"Ermm. We are NOT enemy of the Davians! We do not seek to trouble their remains! We come as friend and have not yet hurt you. We have come to seek what was their end and to find out if there were survivors. Who are you and what is your purpose? Are you a protector of the Davians?" he shouts, taking no other actions.
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Round 4
Arenzo
Esh
Waki - Readied action
Nectanebo
Aiden
As Esh attempts to sneak on by the Troll, knowing no better, attempts to grab a snack!
However, being invisible means that the troll does not know where to aim.
"AND NOW YOU SEND YOUR UNDEAD LACKEYS AFTER ME; WAS YOUR BELOVED ASMODEUS TOO BUSY TO HELP?"
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Aiden looks at Esh and Nectanebo with alarm. He whispers. "This is an evil creature. It killed the Davians years ago, then ate the rotting flesh of the corpses. Now it's torturing this troll. House Thrune had no good intentions ordering the Davians destroyed, but this one deserves to be wiped from existence."
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"In front of the passageway" says the voice. Once Esh steps up to the indicated position, he can see that his interlocutor, despite being dressed in rags, is dressed in rather fancy-looking rags. "I am Arenzo Davian, the last Davian. And you mylord, are in my home. Have the Thrune dogs eradicated the notion that a man's home is his castle? If they haven't you'll understand if I enjoin you to leave."
This man has a passing resemblance with something you've seen here.