The remaining guard falls in the flood of colors, and thus all the threats have been eliminated. Drostan quickly and easily punches the man to further sleep.
The warehouse calms down, and the crowds remain absent on the streets due to the fighting. It'll be a matter of minutes before the watch arrives.
And just then Yâble and Jaïr arrive at the scene, just in time to see the Ulfen men fall. They've lost their Ulfen companions, who'll surely arrive back at the warehouse at some point.
Bengeirr lies died on the floor, completely lifeless. The other guard is just unconscious and not in a fatal condition.
1x Chain shirt
1x battleaxe
1x Masterwork Greatsword
1x Half-plate with a cracked back (requires removing the armor from Bengeirr's person, so it'll take 4 minutes)
1x Wooden holy symbol of Gorum
1x Lantern (Beacon of the North)
This loft is set up as a small office, but there is also a cot set up here for Bengeirr. There are several goods, presumably stolen from Skelg's vault; carpets, urns, sculptures, and other works of art, weighing a total of 800 pounds and worth approximately 3,000 gp. There is also a wooden box containing two potions.
This ship is a simple one-level longship with benches for rowers and a single mast. In the bottom of the ship are seven bodies tightly wrapped in sailcloth. They are likely the remains of the warriors killed in the two raids on Greydog Manor. The bodies hold nothing of value.
It seems there are a lot of people watching keenly at the warehouse, so hiding is nearly impossible. Running away from the scene after such a bloodbath would, however, ensure no one would follow the group, giving them a way to escape the consequences.
Judging by the nervousness of the lookers, it takes estimatedly five minutes for the watch to arrive. In Absalom a group sent to calm down a group fight includes a patrol of six to ten men.
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"10,000 Thanks be ta ya, Jair... And te ye Mountain brother, for callin' me back from the Great Forge!" Sagart ensures she grabs the Beacon of the North and securely stores it in her pack. "Grab what ye must, but we must be gettin' clear o' here with te quickness! Our sickly employer won't have much need of tings if we can't save 'is life!" The Cleric will bind the dazed Ulfin guard that almost ended her existence, extra tight and uncomfortable, then casts Cure Light Wounds upon herself to completely heal.
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Sagart will quickly scan the loft and take the box with the potions, as they should be small and light enough to "grab and dash," adding, "Skeleg an te basement tapestry await us, an te guards are sure to be arrivein' soon. Now act normal as we leave the warehouse and walk wit a purpose, but don' run unless pursued!"
The Cleric has never fully taken on a leadership roll before in her existence, but a short trip into the 'nether' seems to have focused her.
Only the Beacon of the North and the potions radiates magic. Sagart easily identifies them as healing potions of the moderate variety.
The pathfinders quickly gather as much valuables as they can, leaving the longship untouched, and depart in haste from the scene, leaving the watch dumbfounded as they find an unconscious Ulfen man and a brutally slain older leader. This time the pathfinders have evaded all repercussions.
With bags filled with heavy loot they make their long, long way back to Greydog Manor, Skelg the Ripper's home. They gather some looks from passers-by, who quickly turn their heads as they see the much used—maybe blood-stained, who knows—weaponry carried.
Skelg and Tyros still remain in the master bedroom, and Skelg is thrilled yet is unable to show his enthusiasm to hear his stolen treasures have returned to their rightful owner, sort of. "T-this is g-good," Skelg stutters, "b-but what a-about my c-curse?"
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"We 'ave recovered te 'Beacon o' te North' and will be headin' down ta basement and the ice encased ship tapestry. We will try to also save Tirfyr, ifn we can..."
Sagart will lead off into the basement to shine the light of the magical lantern on the tapestry to see if she can again open the portal, reminding her companions that the last time the portal was only open for half an hour, so speed will be at a premium.
"As I believe that we're about to enter some magical ice-encased sub-tier world, might ye have some jackets or furs we could borrow, Master Skeleg? The change in temperatures from tis heat to tha cold is enough to paralyze most people!"
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"Tis lamp soposedly came from tat boat, and tat curse" pointing towards the prone and shivering Skeleg, "came from tis lamp.. Dat is all I'm a'sure of... But doin' notin' ain't gettin' us any closer, tats fur sure!
The Cleric is clearly frustrated, not at her companions, but at the situation. She has prided herself with her curative abilities while working at the orphanage and with the sisters of her convent of Torag. To see Skeleg this sick with no known cure is hard for her to accept, knowing that it is an unnatural death that is closing in on him.
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Any way, we must try. If someone was able to go in and get back before the portal closed tell us that something linked to all this must be found on the boat.
It's worth to try it.
May be if we let the lamp outside, towards the tapestry the portal will stay open the time the lamp burn all its oil giving us enough time to search the boat.
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"I'm completely okay with going into the tapestry, just let me borrow a piece of parchment and a quill." Wrigsolar quickly composes a letter instructing his law partners, Jing Hao and Etixxi Wolfscar, to sue Adril Hestram for wrongful death if Wrigsolar doesn't return. "Luckily, I have my own cold weather gear. Once went on an adventure in the Land of Linnorm Kings. Terrible cuisine up there."
Wrigsolar begins to fit his comfy jacket on.
Yâble can discern only rudimentary information about the Beacon of the North. It is an artifact, a huge bullseye lantern designed to be hung on the prow of a ship. TO activate its powers it requires a special lamp oil that only the white witches of Irrisen know how to create. It can hold enough oil to burn for 8 hours, although it currently has only 2 hours of oil remaining. When lit, the lantern burns with a cold light.
Wrigsolar assumes the lantern creates a portal, maybe to a pocket dimension specifically created by the lantern. That, or the lantern opens a portal to the attuned object; Haldyr Björnsson's funeral ship. The latter option sounds more likely, knowing about what lies beyond.
When preparations are done, Sagart activates the lantern and shoots a ray of cold light to the tapestry. A thin sheet of ice first covers the fabric before the ice melds into a rippling image of a corridor. Pushing onwards, the brave pathfinders enter the portal and find themselves in a strange ice-cave. Sunlight filters through the walls and ceiling, and four braziers give some warmth to this otherwise chilly space. Directly ahead of you, a tunnel leads through the ice, sloping steeply downward. Behind you, a shimmering portal hangs on what appears to be a main mast embedded in the ice. Following the mast downward, you can barely make out the blurry outline of a ship’s deck maybe 20 feet below you.
An unprotected character in cold weather (below 40° F) must make a Fortitude save each hour (DC 15, +1 per previous check) or take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage. A character who has the Survival skill may receive a bonus on this saving throw and might be able to apply this bonus to other characters as well (see the skill description).
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Sagart pulls her winter cloak tight around her, and says a a small blessing before casting guidance upon herself. She has never been a fan of the cold, preferring the constant cool temperatures found underground.
With her preparations complete, the cleric steps through the portal into the ice.
Once acclimatized to the sudden temperature change, the would be dwarf focuses on the task at hand and lends her senses to the look about.
Jaïr feels the shiver go down her spine.
The group isn't able to discern much of the deck below. It seems the prow and the stern are free of ice, but are separated by a thick wall of ice.
The sloped tunnel is slippery, but after a long curve it suddenly opens into another cave at the rear deck of a ship. More braziers keep the worst of the cold at bay, but a wall of solid ice blocks access to the foredeck. A large drum stands on the deck, and behind it is a trapdoor leading into the hold.
The drum seems ordinary, and the trapdoor holds no traps or other malevolent features.
As Sagart climbs down to the below deck, the smell of death and rot fills this lower deck, even with the cold. It is darker down here without the sunlight filtering through the ice, and no braziers burn. Shadowy movements are visible in the darkness, accompanied by an eerie creaking noise as though someone were still working the oars. A figure moves toward you along the aisle between the rowing benches. It appears to be a withered human wearing an Ulfen silver and gold burial mask.
As the withered undead looks up at Sagart, its mouth opens up unnaturally large. "No more will you scavenge my ship, my grave!" it screams, raising its clawed hands.
Haldyr has been risen as a ghoul, but not an ordinary ghoul. The freezing cold has made him resistant to cold.
The zombies have been altered by the extreme cold; instead of flesh requiring slashing wounds, they are resistant to cold.
ROUND 1
Sagart, Wrigsolar, Jaïr, Drostan, Yâble
----
Haldyr, Green zombie, Red zombie, Blue zombie, Yellow zombie
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Wait for me! Sagart Time for a song!
Demain l'hiver je m'en fous je m'en vais dans le sud au soleil
Me baigner dans la mer et je penserai a vous
En plantant mes orteils dans le sable doux
Je vous laisse mon pays ce n'est pas un pays c'est l'hiver
Chanté par les charrues
Je vous laisse mon scraper et ma pelle de bois
Pour vous rendre à la rue je vous laisse la petite glace
Dans l'escalier tournant qui vous fera tomber sur le
Je vous laisse ma paix je vous donne ma paix
Je me pousse en paix avec les canards
Demain l'hiver je m'en fous je m'en vais dans le sud au soleil
Me baigner dans la mer et je penserai a vous
En priant le soleil dans l'eau à genoux
Je vous laisse les enfants qui s'assomment en se pitchant
Des balles de neige en glace en pleine face
Je vous laisse les enfants qui ont la langue collée sur les tracks
Et qui pleure parce que le train s'en vient
Je vous laisse les enfants mangés par la souffleuse
À quatre heures dans un fort top secret
Je vous laisse ma paix je vous donne ma paix
Je me pousse en paix avec les canards
Demain l'hiver je m'en fous je m'en vais dans le sud au soleil
Me baigner dans la mer et je penserai a vous
Assis dans la soupe bleue jusqu'au cou
Je vous laisse le but du Canadien compté par Jean Béliveau sans aide
Je vous laisse les pieds gelés dans la slotch un transfert entre les dents
Je vous laisse mes chaloupes dans le portique
Go to Music..
Sagart's bolt strikes through and the ghoul crouches a bit, not showing any emotion however.
ROUND 1
Sagart, Wrigsolar, Jaïr, Drostan, Yâble
----
Haldyr (4 damage), Green zombie, Red zombie, Blue zombie, Yellow zombie
ROUND 1
Sagart, Wrigsolar, Jaïr, Drostan, Yâble
----
Haldyr (4 damage), Green zombie, Red zombie, Blue zombie, Yellow zombie
All the zombies gather around Drostan, but thanks to their slow reflexes they don't slam the dwarf just yet, unlike the undead Haldyr, moves forward on the slippery surface and bites.
The bite hits the dwarf on his shoulder, and the unholy toxins pour through into Drostan's blood flow, stiffening his muscles, eventually paralyzing him for a time.
ROUND 2
Sagart, Wrigsolar, Jaïr, Drostan (3 damage, paralyzed 2), Yâble
----
Haldyr (4 damage), Green zombie, Red zombie, Blue zombie, Yellow zombie