Nero turns to Ven as the others take off "It's full of coins, we'll count them up later. You fight well for a girl, we should catch up to the others and lend a hand..." he says, blushing awkwardly as he ties the bag of coins to his belt.
As you enter the graveyard, you see that it is mostly well-tended and fenced in with a short wall meant to mainly set the boundaries. There are not very many graves here, but there is one large tomb near the back of the church, before which the hunched man stands with a shovel, keeping the shovel pointed toward the slightly open door. The ground here is somewhat torn up, evidence of a lot of activity very recently.
Seeing the group approach, the gravekeeper visibly relaxes. "Thank goodness you're here, Blikx. Look at all this mess! The goblins have been here in the vault, I'm sure of it. But I don't know whether any are left here, and I'm afraid to see what they've done to the honored dead."
The vault is not very large, but it would definitely be large enough for some goblins to hang low at during all the fighting. The fighting elsewhere does seem to be ending, with the high-pitched shrieking and the clash of metal disappearing.
Ven glances at the mess of footprints on the ground, but tracking wasn't really part of her education as a merchant's daughter, and sees nothing of note. "I'm not sure what all they could manage to get up to in a dusty old crypt. Still, would rather not have them running around, even if the only ones at risk are already dead," she says.
Osru spits out the bits of goblin flesh left in his mouth. "By the goddess, they are foul little vermin. Horrible aftertaste."
He agrees with Zella: "Yes we will come back and check on him at the Rusty Dragon. And have some proper dinner perhaps."
"Who knows or cares why they want it? We just need to get rid of them."
"Hmm, that looks like a tight squeeze, could be dangerous to try and fight in such close quarters..." Nero thinks to himself.
"There may be another exit, a tunnel or something similar. An ambush might be pointless, but we need to be careful if we're going to take them on down there... Let me go first, stay behind me and move quietly." the ranger replies to Ven and Osru as he crouches down and begins to enter the crypt.
As you approach the crypt, it is completely silent inside. If there is anything inside, it probably wouldn't be a rowdy goblin, so they are probably gone. However, it is pitch black inside, so you can't see much through the crack. The smell of stench and decay waft from the crypt into your noise, making your eyes water a little.
As you open the door, a faint clack alerts you just enough to duck under the scimitar that flies just over your head and clangs into the stone door. With the light now filtering into the opening of the crypt, you see two skeletons moving as though they had life once more. Both hold jagged, broken scimitars at the ready.
Ven 21
Osru 15
Raniero 10
Blikx 7
Zella 4
Zella is righteously offended that the goblins would dare to desecrate a vault in a graveyard.
"How dare those foul little desecrate the sanctity of the dead by invading their final resting place?"
Zella follow the others to the entrance of the vault and when she gets a chance to act, she will to turn the skeletons by expending a use of her channeling.
Ven looks from her rapier, which is excellent for messing up fleshy bits, to the skeleton, which lacks fleshy bits, and makes a face. She moves up to Raniero's left side and tries to hit the skeleton with the hilt of her sword.
With her armed and armored companions crowding the door of the crypt, Blikx decides she isn't in a position to contribute to the fight at the moment.
She stands ready to act, if needed, but scans the cemetery for signs of goblins lurking behind the stones.
"Did you see where they went?" she asks the gravedigger.
Osru takes Nero's right side and tries to bite the skeleton.
As you look over at the gravekeeper, you see a look of petrified fear, with his mouth wide open and his eyes glazed over. "Dear Saranrae, help us all," he mutters, out of it for the moment.
Raniero takes up too much of the doorway's entrance, keeping the others from getting a good hit in on them.
Zella looks over at Osru. "Our arrows won't be very effective against skeletal undead. Something that smashes bone is best for these things."
"I can see two kinds of magic working here," Blikx offers, after observing the skeletons. "These skeletons were summoned or created, not pulled up from the graves...if that helps..." she adds, trailing off awkwardly.
Nero lowers his shoulder and barges forward, hoping to knock the skeleton out of the way and make room for the others to move up.
Raniero leaps forward, ramming past the frail skeleton as he keeps the undead's weapon locked with his own blade. However, the other skeleton makes a wide swing and slashes right into Raniero's side, sinking several inches into the flesh with the jagged scimitar.
Pushing past the pain, Raniero leaps up onto the sepulchre. Turning around to face the skeletons once more, he belatedly, yet thankfully realizes that the ceiling is still high enough that his doesn't hit his head.
Grabbing her holy symbol of Desna, Zella closes her eyes for a moment and turns her head toward the smoke-filled sky. A glow appears around her hand, and raising it high, she releases a wave of energy, much as the one that earlier healed everyone. Passing harmlessly through the group, it slams into the skeletons, which instantly vaporize as though the wind softly blew them out of existence. A small pile of dust remains where two skeletons once stood.
Looking inside the now empty crypt, you find that the sarcophogus that Raniero had jumped up on is open...and empty.
"Ezakien is gone!" Naffer exclaims, rushing in when he sees the disturbed tomb. "They...they stole his body!" His previous frozen state is now replaced with his previous panicked state at this development.
"Huh, I guess I'm better at that than I am with my crossbow."
"What could they possibly want with Ezakien's body? He was the head priest of the old chapel that burned, but I don't understand why that would make him important enough for the goblins to steal?"
Zella looks about the crypt and points over at something in a corner. "Naffer, was that robe wrapped around the body?"
Naffer shakes his head. "N-no. We don't wrap the bodies in clothes with our embalming methods. But I have no clue why they would take the body."
"Goblins show up and try to burn the town on the day we dedicate the new Cathedral and steal the body of our then priest who died in the fire that destroyed the old Cathedral. Too many coincidences. This was planned, and I seriously doubt the goblins were smart enough to come up with it by themselves. But why?! Why would anyone need the body of a Desnan priest?"
Her mind runs through several scenarios of what the corpse could be used for, and she visibly shudders.
Blikx moves into the crypt and looks around, drawing on the power within her to read magical auras .
"There was transmutation magic emanating from those skeletons," she says to no one in particular. "They were not merely animated bodies...odd..."
She scans the area inside the crypt, looking for more magical residue.
Ven moves to examine the blue robe, examining the size and length to determine if it was worn by a goblin or something bigger, checking for any insignia, and looking for any pockets or anything else beyond the obvious.
Osru replies, "Good thinking. I actually brought along some arrows with blunt heads which may do the trick. Would you like a few?"
When she vaporizes the skeletons, he grins at her and says, "Yes, that is a nifty trick! Our Lady Luck has certainly favored you!"
As Blikx casts Detect Magic, she finds a trace on the otherwise normal robe. As Ven helps her do a thorough search of it, you find a few loose threads, but is in good condition and would fit any normal sized human or other race of similar size.
"I need to get the sheriff here," Naffer says, leaving quite quickly.
"I've heard of these!" Blikx says suddenly, after examining the robe for a few minutes. "It's known as a robe of bones. Some wizards who like necromancy and transmutation magic create these robes with stitched skeleton patches on them. The patches can be torn off and changed into real skeletons that can move and fight. Looks like whoever made this one used up the last couple of patches to slow down or kill anyone who started snooping around."
When she hears the gravedigger say he's off to fetch the Sheriff, her demeanor changes to one of fidgety nervousness. She begins shifting back and forth in an awkward half-pacing motion, muttering to herself just loud enough to be heard.
"Great. Just great. Here I am, in the middle of this, and the law-man's comin'. Can't run. He'll assume I ran because I did it. Won't matter, though. He'll think I did it, anyway. He'll probably say the others are part of my gang and that we were caught in the act - never mind that we stood around and waited for him to show up. I guess we're just stupid murdering arsonist grave-robbers, right Sheriff? Can't win for losing. Why even try..."
Zella looks around uncertainly. "Should we wait here for the sheriff or do we just go ahead and leave?"
Osru considers the question and says, "We have done no wrong here so I don't think we have need to fear the sheriff. However, we have a date at the Rusty Dragon to hasten off to. I think we should get moving."
"I think we should wait for the law man; It'll look suspicious if we take off. We've done no wrong here." Nero grunts as he removes his shirt and armour. Taking one of the dogslicers, he cuts a thin strip of cloth from the bottom of his cloak and begins using the makeshift bandage to stem his bleeding wound.
Zella moves over to the now shirtless half elf. "Why didn't you say you were wounded? Here, let me try to help a bit."
"Goblins might desecrate bodies but I don't know why they'd run off with it." Ven sets the robe back down and makes a note in her journal of what Blikx said about the robe. She's growing increasingly frustrated at so many questions and not enough answers. Stop anybody from snooping around, could the attacks have been a smokescreen? Or was it a theft of opportunity, goblins busted open the crypt and somebody else came. Of course, that would imply somebody in town just has a necromantic artifact sitting around.
She groans in irritation. "At any rate, the gravedigger can attest that we came to help. Zelladania over here's clergy, probably wouldn't be accused of being part of a gang. Thanks, by the way, I assume you did the whole holy light thing on the skeletons? Certainly I was pretty useless there."
"Well, since we're not busy fighting for our lives, I suppose introductions are in order. Welcome to Sandpoint, by the way!" Blikx says to the group in a tone of mock sincerity, as she gives a half wave of her hand.
"My name's Beatrice, but as you've already heard a couple times, folks here don't call me that. To them, I'm Blikx, and if you're thinking it sounds a lot like b%#+&, you've figured out what most them think of me. That's how I got the name, and it stuck." She shrugs in an unconcerned manner, but something in her posture conveys an underlying resentment.
"I can't say I blame them. I wasn't exactly a good kid, if you wanna know the truth. I've only been behaving myself for a couple years now, and lots of them aren't ready to forgive and forget."
Ven frowns, and recalls whispered insults calling her Knife-Ears and Mongrel. She holds out her hand. "Ven Nicolae. I'm a native of Magnimar, myself. If I may, can I call you Beatrice? That nickname, it just doesn't seem right," she says.
Blikx takes the woman's hand, giving a small, but grateful smile. "Sure. I'd like that," she replies. "I will say one good thing about the nickname: it's easy to yell out in a bad situation. By the time you yell, look out, Beatrice! I might already have an arrow in my throat. So, I won't hold it against you if it slips out every now and then." She gives Ven a wink and a crooked grin.
As the wound in his side closes due to Zella's healing magic, Nero begins to wipe away the dried blood. "My thanks, lady. Feels much better." he says to Zella with a lopsided smile.
Nero listens to the others speak as he cleans himself up, amazed at their ability to speculate on what they'd just been through. His mind races with a hundred different thoughts, none of which he really feels he can articulate.
"Call me Hungry... I mean Nero. My name is Nero. I'm glad to meet you all." He says, standing tall and puffing his chest out proudly as his stomach let's out a long, low grumble.
As you talk, you hear footsteps approaching. Naffer, the gravekeeper, is returning, along with the man you recognize from his opening speech, Sheriff Hemlock. Naffer still looks a little panicked and nervous, but much less so now. The sheriff looks very worn down, and there are several spots of drying blood all over his previously prestine uniform.
"What do we have here?" the sheriff asks, sounding wearied. "We been attacked by goblins, still have several burning buildings, and now Vosk tells me that we have grave robbers. Can't get much worse than this," he says, rubbing his head tiredly. His glance falls on Blikx. "Well, well. Causing trouble on the festival day? I want to know what happened now, and where our dear priest is."
Blikx looks into the sheriff's eyes with an expression of wounded defiance. One might imagine her wearing the same expression if the he just had walked up and back-handed her. Tears well-up in her eyes, but she wipes them away quickly, and her face makes it clear that she has no intention of crying in front of him.
"If you think I did it, it doesn't matter what I say," she replies quietly.
Why does the sheriff not like the tattoo artist? She's really good and didn't seem to have anything to do with the goblins...
Zella steps up in front of Blikx, making sure her holy symbol of Desna is in full view. "Excuse me sheriff. All we know is that Naffer here came out running to us for help, saying that there were goblins in the vaults. We followed him here and killed a couple of animated skeletons and found out that the priest's body had already been carried off by the goblins for reasons yet unknown to us. As for where he is now, he is wherever those foul little goblin rats have carried him off to."
"We can't really say anything else, since we don't really know anything else. We are, however, all tired and hungry after helping to fight off those repulsive goblin invaders. If you do not mind, we'd like to head back into town proper and grab a table at the Rusty Dragon if possible."
The sheriff pauses as he sees Zella's symbol. "So Vosk wasn't going out of his mind. I though it was yet another prank him and Blikx were attempting when he said some skeletons appeared and then vanishedd in mid-air.
"But this is dire news. Goblins don't just carry off bodies. This was some more...melicious plan, I think. The goblins are gone, though, so there's nothing I can do for the moment. We'll investigate this later.
"Go ahead and head to your lodgings. I do believe the festival is over and won't continue now. A lot of people are just leaving the town altogether, as those travelers so not wish to stay. We'll talk more later."
As he's finishing, a bolt of thunder can be heard from town, and a streak of bluish energy flies up to strike the sky. Then, black clouds begin to boil up, quickly darkening the area as the storm clouds gather. It is only a minute before fat rain drops begin to land, a loud hiss coming from the buildings that are still burning.
"Thank Sarenrae, he finally cast it," the sheriff mutters. Looking back at the group, he adds, "And please keep this incident to yourselves. We...we'll have enough on our minds to last us a while, and I don't want the people in anymore of a panic than they are."
Blikx turns towards the lightning crack and looks up and watches the clouds form over the town.
She closes her eyes, raises her chin, and lets the rain come down on her for a few minutes. She begins to hum a tune; something reminiscent of a sea shanty, and then sings quietly to herself:
"Someone told me long ago, there's a calm before the storm. I know. But it's been brewin' for some time..."
She sings a bit more, but so softly the words are unintelligible. After a moment, she breaks out of her musical trance and looks at the others. If they left her standing there, she catches up to them. If they waited for her, she says, "sorry, I'm guessin' you all would rather be indoors."
With that she heads towards the Rusty Dragon.
Nero stands tall and stifles his grumbling stomach as the sheriff arrives. He listens cautiously, noticing the obvious change in Blikx's demeanor at his approach.
He moves over to stand next to Blikx, eyeing off the sheriff and baring his teeth slightly with a deep growl. "Don't fear him. You fought with courage today girl, stand proud." he mutters to the sorceress.
As the conversation winds up, Nero slips his armour and shirt back on. The mention of food and lodgings lifts his spirits, and he prepares to follow the others as they leave.
During introductions, the tiefling says, "I am Osru Lassem. Yes, those Lassems. I left Cheliax a while back and wound up with a caravan here. This young lady is Zella and I believe you already know what she is capable of. I volunteered to accompany her here to the festival. On the way I have been teaching her to shoot and she has been teaching me of Desna. I fear she is a far better student than I.
"It is a pleasure to fight with you all. I believe I can speak for both us when I say we would be pleased to continue fighting together." He glances at Zella for acknowledgement.
Later he asks the sheriff, "What do you think the plan is for? Who might be behind it? And is there anything we can do to assist? It is deplorable that this festival turned tragic again."
"I don't know," the sheriff replies to Osru. "I know of no one that would do this, but I do know someone that knows goblins a lot better than I. For now, I need to focus on the other issues at hand. We lost some good people today. Find your rest, I'm sure you'll want to leave early like all the rest."
With that, the sheriff walks off, rubbing his temples with both hands now. Vosk nervously followoos him, his head darting toward every sound he hears.
With the sheriff gone, you head back to get a meal and some much needed sleep. Ameiko, the owner of the Rusty Dragon, offers a free meal for all of you, as well as a week of free stay at the tavern for helping out in the fighting. She has several minor cuts, and she still has blood all over her, but she's collected a pile of goblin heads by the front door of the tavern as a warning. After getting you your meals, she heads on to the back, not in as much of a festive mood as before.
With a warm meal of leftovers from the massive lunch earlier, you all have a breif moment to relax and talk about what happened.
Later on, when they are at the table at the Rusty Dragon and have time to talk, Zella shakes her head at Osru recalling his earlier words. "I still don't know how you could say that I am the better student. Did you see how many shots I missed? It was probably my lack of skills that the goblins were laughing at."
Zella sighs and takes moment to eat a few more bites of her food before continuing. "You know, I always thought goblins were cowardly little things. It seems so odd that they would attack an entire town like that. Especially with all the noise and light from the Festival going on."
"They usually stick to the woods. Growing up we knew not to go wandering out outside the walls, especially at night. The thing is, the North Gate was open. Who opened it? Why? Festival-goers wouldn't be coming or going that way. They'd all be coming in through the East Gate. It looks like..."
She trails off, not finishing the thought. She seems disconcerted by the obvious conclusion.
Ven records the day's events in her journal, including poor sketches of her companions in the margins. As the new cathedral was consecrated, for a moment everything seemed to stop, and then there were screams. I saw a dog on the ground blood gushing from a slit in its throat, and then there was a horrible little creature brandishing a weapon at the festival-goers. Goblins had appeared in the town, panicking the populace and setting the town ablaze, just as the fire that had destroyed the original cathedral and killed the preacher.
"Could this have been intentional? The timing does seem a little suspect for a random goblin raid, although I suppose the travelers could have lured them in," she says. She continued to write, putting down as many details as she could before they slipped from her mind. As I rest and write this, questions fill my mind with far too few answers. All I know for certain is this: something stinks here in Sandpoint.
"I've never seen the goblins act like this, not in my whole life here," Blikx replies. "Of course, I also haven't spent any time out in the woods goblin hunting. I always thought they were just mobs of tiny, fire-loving lunatics. Maybe they're smarter than that. We should probably ask one of the local experts."
She rubs her forehead in frustration. "And of course, right now, I can't for the life of me think of who to ask!"
After a moment, Blikx amends her statement. "Well...I guess we could ask Dav Hosk. He used to hunt goblins; now, he runs a stable. He tends to go on a rant if you mention goblins, though. Gets really worked up about it. Of course, after what just happened, he's probably turned all the way out already."
"It is too bad that Shalelu didn't show up for the festival. Though she isn't exactly a resident here, she does visit Sandpoint often and as a ranger, she keeps tabs on the goblins in the area. I bet if anyone would know why they are riled up and what they would do with the priests body, it would be her."
"I know that she is friends with Ameiko, but she doesn't seem to be in much of a mood for chatting. Perhaps we should until tomorrow and ask her if she has any idea when Shalelu might be heading back into town?"