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Thanks to Rhydderch's expert blow, the assassin drops, bleeding and unconscious, on the ground. After stabilizing him, you see that the assassin is of keleshite ethnicity, and had coins minted in the Five King's Mountains in his pouch. Zac searches him thoroughly and finds a holy symbol of Sarenrae hidden in his belt.
Zymir can sift through his surface thoughts at his leisure; he detects that he was ordered to kill Temel by a Qadiran man named al-Iwass. Zymir even gets a look at the man's face, but it remains unknown to him. The oracle finds that the assassin belongs to a sect called the Cult of the Dawnflower, who pretend to exercise the goddess's will by chastising the infidels. Nothing more can be found from the assassin, who seems ready to die rather than say anything.
Temel thanks you vigorously of course, for he thought his death was round the corner this time. He ensures you of his continued benevolence in the days to come.
Aaqir takes you aside and speaks with you in private, expressing his bewilderment at the recent events but reaffirming his desire to put an end to this disruption. He observes that the zombies appear to have come from the east—in the direction of the graveyard—and he’s concerned for Umut’s safety, as she has yet to return despite the graveyard only being ten minutes’ walk from the manor. He requests you investigate and ensure that she is safe while he tends to the guests and helps to defend against any further attacks.
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Jani stares at the holy symbol, and declares, "This man is a Dawnflower Cultist. It is a splinter group of the most holy church of Sarenrae. This symbol, see here, where Her hand is holding a scimitar? In the proper holy symbol of Sarenrae, Her hand is empty. The Cult must be responsible for all this. We must hurry to stop this madness."
After Zymir confirms that the man is a Dawnflower cultist, Jani nods firmly.
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The graveyard used by the Bahjari family is one they share with several other wealthy families in Katheer. Small crypts and mausoleums containing the matriarchs and patriarchs dot the fenced-in burial ground, and freestanding gravestones mark where less influential
family members are interred.
Many graves have been disturbed, and the doors of several mausoleums hang open. To the south lies the Bahjari family mausoleum. A woman clad in black robes lies prone near its door-this is Umut, the priestess that conducted the ceremony earlier. She's covered in bruises, has half of her robes torn, and appears to have been mauled by undead. Anyone could tell that her wounds have probably been infected.
"Y... you! Pharasma be praised, someone has come." she says with a desperate voice, yet somehow relieved now. "It all began when I brought the the gifts in the Bahjari crypt. At that moment, one of them released a powerful wave of necromantic energy that animated the bodies of the buried nobles. I battled them as best I could but I was only able to fend off the creatures that tried to shamble out of the crypt, not the ones that rose from the graves outside. Please, I beg you, help me face the creatures that are still sealed inside! The goddess would never forgive me for remaining idle as foul undeads walk this sacred ground."
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Before leaving for the cemetery Zymir will ask Aaqir if he had ever meet Umut before and if he noticed the priest acting strange in anyway. On the way Zymire the tells the group how the priest seems suspicious to him. Her performance of the burial rights before, while accurate, were sloppy and definitely not up to par with someone of her position within the church. I believe she might be an imposer.
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"I guess my devotion in Urgathoa was too great for me to impersonate that priestess... die now and serve my Mistress for all eternity!"
Drawing a scythe, she seems about to mow your lives down.
Initiative - round 1
1. Jani, Rhydderch, Shel, Thifmar, Zymir, Zac
2. Shirin the impostor
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Jani casts Chill touch and attacks the priestess with it.
Jani then steps back to give the fighters room.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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"We will start casting the enlargement spell to make Thifmar more formidable. When it is done, open the door!"
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Thifmar is grown to an overly large size, which makes it very impractical for him to enter the cramped crypt. He squeezes through, though, and manages to descen the stairs leading to the tomb itself. The walls of this crypt are lined with interred bodies of many generations of the Bahjari family. A dying torch dimly illuminates the room, allowing you to discern four skeletal figures in the darkness-one of them is even wearing the ring you chose as a gift for Zarmina!
Initiative - round 1 - bold may act
1. Shel, Zac
2. Bahjari scion (ring)
3. Thifmar, Jani, Rhydderch
4. Skeletons
5. Zymir
My Cleric of Asmodeous would beg to differ :)
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The Bahjari scion closes on Thifmar and swings at the giant dwarf with his sword. His strike is well-aimed, and opens a large wound in Thifmar's chest.
The dwarf immediately retaliates with another well-aimed strike that almost shatters the scion to pieces!
Initiative - round 1 - bold may act
1. Shel, Zac
2. Bahjari scion (ring)
3. Thifmar, Jani, Rhydderch
4. Skeletons
5. Zymir
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Jani focuses their will on the remaining skeleton, to make sure it will fail at any attacks.
-Posted with Wayfinder