The symbol is that of an Osirian family that fled Osirion to Absalom, to escape Qadiran occupying forces, but that disappeared nearly two millennia ago.
Heh, it's worth 25 and probably more. she answers to Rhanloi, and then to Rysalius N-no, sir. I'm just a trader of wares - I bought this of someone offering me a good price, and I'm reselling it for what it's worth.
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"Well its certainly an interesting piece, bravo! I suspect it would go smashingly well with the dress this Osiriani lady I know is likely to be wearing at the upcoming ball, but tell you what young madam, I'd be awful keen to get my hands on a matching necklace - reckon you could be terribly obliging and tell me who you got this off so I can chase up some more?"
Diplomacy
Or Bluff +9.
I can see if I can get my hand on a similar necklace, but I cannot disclose my contacts of course - that would be horrible for my business.
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Maeglin was bit surprised. He never been deep into history or nobility related stuff, but he could see that amulet worth price asked and it was the one they were looking for.
"I definitely would like to buy one for myself", he smiled, "might be we can negotiate some reward for you, if you let me know, where I can buy more of this?"
Well, I'm still offering this one - 25 crowns and it's yours.
Like I said, I cannot give you my sources, as the money is too good, but be patient enough and I might have more for you.
Is she looking for a bribe?
I would have to cover the lost business, of course. That would mean at least a fourfold of what this amulet is worth.
It's a deal then. Iara responds. My supplier is called Vonraig, a tall man, skin as pale as the moon. Something about him unsettled me, so I hired a couple of street urchins - from that home with all the cats - and let them follow the guy.
Seems he bought some green chalk, and then disappeared into that recently expanded part of the sewers down in the Petals District. That's when the kids refused to follow him. No pun intended.
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"Wow,.. you are man of many talents, milord. I glad I met you, probably we can have a glass later and you tell me some heroic stories about your youth. You know, I'd appreciate several good adventures to hear, since I'm out of my own for a while. Me and Goracio spend most of our time travelling from Varisia to Mendev, but looks like it took us too much time to reach in time and now we might be more useful in other places..." gnome looks like forgot why he came there, but suddenly he remembered and asked others,
"So, what are you thinking about summoning a celestial dog to sniff that Vonraig out? Or should I call for snake?"
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"A strange pale man running around in the sewers sounds like a the beginning of a scary man story parents tell children at night to keep them out of trouble, and to be honest I reckon there's some wisdom in that. Instead I propose we continue on to the festivities for now, and head to these sewers at dawn. There's not much we do that isn't advantaged by having a healthy dose of sunshine within close proximity. No need for the hound unless you desire one, if its just sniffing out then that can be done - but do we have a sample we can get his particular scent from? Otherwise its trying to work out which scent is which...in a sewer..."
"Besides which, we are dressed for a party"
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Bones comments, "Perhaps we should spend a bit of time asking around about this fellow Vonraig. See if we can learn anything else about him."
The cleric tries to gather information about Vonraig or recall if there is anything notable about him.
the drwarf taps his head a few times trying to knock loose any stray bits of lore
Bones vaguely remembers something about a Vonraig - a petty grave robber it seems, though rumours have it his heritage is more macabre than that: it is whispered he is the son of a vampire.
Percy overhears rumour that indeed confirm the man is a grave robber. There also seems to be a half-elven companion, though nobody has seen him lately.
The sewer entrance is found with ease, and the way through the sewers is periodically marked with green chalk. Finally, a tunnel end in a brick wall, that seems to have been recently mended. It is marked with a green chalk cross.
There's a faint aura of necromancy coming from the other side of the wall ()
To Percy, it looks like the wall is non weight-bearing, and can be safely pushed down. However, it could also be disassembled, it would make less of a mess and be easier to repair later.
Bones know that damphirs have a sensitivity to light, and innate affinity to negative energy, causing them to resist level draining.
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"We could pull this wall apart easy enough, and it would probably be easier to repair afterwards as well. Nothings as un-subtle as a big hole in a sewer wall. Perhaps we pull a few bricks out quietly and peer beyond, just have a blade ready if something tries lashing through the gap...Bones, how's your stoneworking?"
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Bones rubs his beard, "Well, I'm a skilled architect, engineer and supervisor. not so much a stonemason, but I can safely stand around and direct the workers! You there start removing the bricks!" the dwarf says with confidants.
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Percy removes the layer of bricks, and behind it he finds a large burial tomb. Three sarcophagi can be seen from the opening, lined with two rows of terracotta statues, and finely preserved paintings of funerary rites. In the very back of the tomb something seems disturbed, though it's hard to see at this lighting.
There is no sign of life, no sign of movement in the tomb.
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"So... where was this evil emanation? From the disturbance at the back? The amulet didn't just walk out here - wither that son of a vampire went in and stole it, or worse, he reanimated the dead and kept it as a souvenir!" Percy frowns "Hang on"
Percy unslings his heavy repeating crossbow and cracks the hopper, he quickls casts a light cantrip on the first bolt, closes the hopper, and shoots the crossbow through the gap in the direction of the disturbed area - he then has another look.
He also uses his detect magic...
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While Percy and others were working, removing bricks, Maeglin was looking over their shoulder. As soon he understood it is some kind of burial tomb, he announced:
"Guys, I'm pretty sure, I will need Goracio help in investigating that tomb".
He put his backpack aside, took a silvered spear in one hand and started a minute long oratory performance:
"Dear Gorazio! Hear my call in the deeper darkness, where you fight your eternal battle with all the servants of evil and cruelty", as he was speaking a glowing symbol appeared on his forehead, looking like wild rose, whose stem with torns went under gnome's hair, "and come to our world to assist me in my trouble. I offer you this spear to take and bring to this world truth and...", the air thinned and through it, somewhere from outside planes, a human-like figure with same glowing symbol on her head appeared saying more to himself, than to someone else: "Good!"
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"Good!", said Gorazio. He was bored by doing nothing for several weeks in his home plane, so when he heard Maeglin calling for him, he immidiatelly stepped into mythical passage between planes.
As a part of ritual he took a spear from Maeglin and bowed his head.
"Friends?", he asked looking around.
"Yes, friends,", quickly answered Maeglin, "but we are on noble mission and might encounter vampire's sons and army of reanimated dead".
Goracio noded and confirmed his readiness: "Good!"
Now that the wall has been removed, detecting magic provides a bit more context. It seems there is some necromancy magic in the walls surrounding the entrance: the ten feet immediately behind the opened wall provide a small entrance corridor into the tomb, which is where the necromantic aura resides.
Percy's bolt also illuminates the room. The walls carry many depictions of funerary rites and stylized illustrations of life in Absalom.A great many urns and coffers are scattered throughout the room. The disturbed sarcophagus shows shreds of linen - someone has truly ransacked this coffin.
The silver spearman enters the corridor, and an arcane charge seems to be summoned by his presence, but it doesn't harm the eidolon in any way. Stepping inside the burial tomb, only the whipping up of dust can be seen.