"We can remove this man from your castle. But tell us everything so we can remove this evil from your name and home. What is the secret of this castle that he covets so much that he would slay his kin for?"
Tzardusk listens attentively, silent for the time being... He watches the spirit of the old man with great sympathy for his pain and lingering presence.
The elf listens attentively and thinks back to see if she knows anything of any historical tidbits about the castle
Know History
"....he is no longer a man now though... I know not what he is... something... different... now... corrupted...I believe he poisoned me and also killed my good son...there is nothing he wont do for power I imagine...my advisers begged me to send him away but I foolishly ignored them..." he continues to babble speaking to persons not visible as if remembering something from the past..."I was entrusted with protecting the ley lines beneath the castle...that is what he is after... and the men ordering that orc army outside... why else would an orc horde attack this insignificant town with such a host...I have failed... stop him if you can...in my chambers upstairs I have a locked chest under my bed and inside are items you make take to use to stop the corruption beneath the castle. In the Kitchen is a door to the underworld...it will be guarded...Stop him from summoning an old power called Derath.... I think that is what it was called...I grow weary..."
My Lord, is there a key to the chest? If so, where can we locate it? she inquires.
lol
Derath, a suel priest from hundreds of years ago that advanced necromancy and shaped it into much of what it is today. If there is even a chance that Derath could be summoned here, we best move that to the top of our priorities. Anchard utters in a mix of anger and disbelief. Explains quite a bit. Though not the best of news
The knight returns to Tanariel's side and awaits the spirit's response to her query.
The elf asks her question and the spirit of the Town Lord bids her to come closer..."My son has the key but he cant use it....he cant cross the rooms threshold due to good magik protections along the door-frame...so he left guards upstairs to watch the outside of the door and went on his way to complete his infernal ceremony...you should be able to enter the room but wont be able to open the chest unless you are cunning...So you all have heard of this scourge... they aim to use what is under the keep to bring it back to this plane I believe..."
This travesty must be stopped. Perhaps we should stop the son first or take out the guards so that we have a clearer way into the room? she inquires.
After nodding at Tanariel the spirit begins to fade in and out while sitting on his chair as if sleeping...HE offers no more interaction at the moment...
Perhaps we should take out the guards first and that might give me a bit of time to see what is kept in the room , what sigils are being used.
Thrand nods his head affirmatively. "Yes, my lady, let's slay the guards outside the lord's chambers and see if we can open the chest hidden under his bed. Ollok, please be so kind as to lead the way."
The dwarf grunts and nods leading the others out of the room. Talking to himself you hear Ollok say, "So you're a kin-slayer too. When I see you defiler my axes will be putting multiple notches into your skull a notch for each crime you've committed..."
Ollok takes to room group across the hall and slowly opens the door.
Thrand follows Ollok to the room across the hall. He waits for the dwarf to open the door and peer inside.
Aren stands ready from the opposite side of the hall, bow at the ready
Ollok checks out the door and finds no traps on it. He opens the door to reveal what looks like a guard room. A stout oak table with several matching chairs sits at the center of the room. A neatly arranged ledger, quill pen, and ink pot sit atop the table. A rack filled with spears and swords covers most of the north wall, with a nearby shelf holding several whetstones and polishing rags. The room looks quite tranquil save for the blood stains on the floor. No magic detects in this room.
The group continues searching the rooms in the hallway and find a few sleeping rooms for servants of guests and a storage room with foodstuffs. They remark how the foods would help the besieged townsfolk until they discover all the foodstuffs appear rotted and moldy as if tainted.
Ollok checks the door and announces he sees no traps and it is not locked. He opens the door and all see a zombie standing by double doors slowly banging on one of the doors. Oblivious to the team the zombie is quickly dispatched by the group. The zombie appeared to be dressed in a guards uniform.
They then look around the room and see two tall, slender stone pillars at opposite ends of this long chamber are carved to depict armored warriors holding shields and spears. A set of large iron doors engraved with ravens occupies the center of the west wall, while a stout wooden door exits the room to the northeast. Antique swords and shields are fastened to walls between slender red and gray curtains, while more mundane implements of war lie scattered around on tables and weapon racks. Strong-smelling rags and tools used for basic armor repair sit jumbled in a short barrel in the corner.
The elf will cast detect magic.
As Thrand cleans zombie muck off his sword, he says, "I wonder why this zombie was slamming into these doors. Maybe someone ran through the room and locked himself on the other side? We should check it out. Are you detecting anything magical, my lady?"
Tanariel concentrates and scans about the room but detects nothing, she does however detect some magic on the other side of the door, the door the zombie was banging on.
Ollok takes the queue and moves over to the door. Running his hand very slowly and gently along the frame of the door he then gets close to eye door and then finally checks to see if it is locked.
Tzardusk, while lacking Ollok's specific training, will look over the door himself to try to help find any traps.
Ollok discovers the door is not trapped but is locked. He spends some time to unlock the door using his street skills. The group gets into position as he opens the door and they discover a landing with stairs going up and two additional locked doors. Careful listening reveals some whimpering from behind the western door.
The elf will mouth Let's check out what that noise is pointing to the door.
Ollok nods at Tanariel. He checks the western door for any traps then carefully sees if it is locked hoping not to alert whoever is behind the door of their presence.
Ollok manages to pick the lock quite easily and opens the door.
A scream is heard as the group peers inside. Two female servants are trying to hide behind some bedroom furniture with the elder one holding a very decorative knife in a defensive and unskilled manner. The younger one puts her head down and starts to weep.
Looking to see what is going on, the elf approaches and in a calm voice. Have no fear. We mean you no harm. Tell me, what is going on here? Why do you hide?
And how long have you been here? Anchard asks in noticeable surprise.
Thrand listens to his companions' inquiries and waits for answers.
Aren also listens for the answer.
Sensing they wont be struck down by the party the older woman with the dagger replies "We are servants hiding from the horrors that are being committed. Havent you seen? You dont look like cultists and not the type of mercenaries the younger would use... Who are you people?" She says this still holding the dagger out in front of her. "Three days maybe....who knows, cant see the sun or moon..." It is then when the smell of the room hits you as it appears they used the one bucket to relieve themselves and it is in the corner...
We were sent here to aid your people. The town is laid siege by orcs.
"We want to help... put things right that 'the younger' set onto the wrong path."
The knight says, "How many cultists and other evil minions are there? Can you tell us anything interesting about them that might help us defeat them? Are there any especially powerful items in this keep that we could use?"
"The path is clear to the stables if you would rather hide there. The horses need tending."
The two females begin to speak at once in a non sequential manner as if still in shock...
"We were safe here and you want us to walk across untold dangers to the stables...
He helped prepare dinner...
We are just serving girls...
There are elves here...?
How did you even get in the keep area...
He brought friends from his university...
Will you take us there, I dont want to walk alone...
They changed into dark robes after the Lord fell ill...
A real life dwarf...
Do you have any food...
Are you a knight...
Maybe half a score of them...
We fled when the dead began to rise...
At first we thought he had changed since he served food to all the guards...
Those of us that did not eat the food his men tortured and killed...
He brought townsfolk into the keep afterwards...
They all went to the kitchen area...
There are undead everywhere...
we tried to escape...
Have you seen our Pa...
I want to go home...
Will one of you stay and guard us...
We fled to here when the madness began...
Knights are supposed to protect the innocent so dont leave us..."
Aren drops into a crouch pulling his backpack around to pick throughit. Pulling out some of his dried rations he offers the two women the food and some water. "Ladies, easy now. Here you go. " Looking back to Thrand, Aren says "The ghost-lord mentioned a locked chest under his bed upstairs would have items in it to assist us. We should find his chambers. "
Thrand says, "Yes, I am a knight, and it is my duty to protect you. If you would prefer to stay here, we will lock you in again, then come back and free you when the fighting is over. You have been safe here until now, so that may be for the best. If we find your pa, we will bring him here." He adds a day's worth of rations to Arendyl's pile and is ready to move on.
Tanariel scans the room again and points to the dagger in the elder serving girls hands...
She will report it, in elven. The dagger is magical
Thrand nods at Tanariel, then resumes speaking with the serving women, "The dagger you are holding is magical. It will improve our chances of killing all of the cultists and saving your lives. Please give it to the she-elf. I will leave you my dagger in exchange, plus a signal horn to call us back if you should need us."
"Tanariel, can you maybe prestidigitate their bucket to alleviate the scent for them, make their wait a bit less onerous, at least for a little while?" He otherwise tries to stay back behind the 'knights' so as not to alarm the ladies, since they have been informed of the orc siege outside.
"Youreleavingus?!" the elder spats out unconcerned of the greater events ongoing...and stands there a bit stunned....
"We are heading toward danger. You are welcome to come with us if you follow quietly, but I really think that you would be better off locked in this room. The choice is yours." He reaches for the older sister's empty hand and gives it a comforting squeeze before placing his plain dagger in it. He waits for her to give him or Tanariel the magical one.
"You may hug me if it will give you strength, but we really must go. We have an appointment with evil, and we mustn't be late."
I did not memorize that particular spell this day. she responds to the half-orcs query.