Abigail? Perhaps you can get through to him. Or maybe Orym. Someone.
We might learn something here, possibly...
Abigail makes her way behind the group, pausing at the spiders area. Wonder who took these things out, must have been a tough battle. she muses to herself, not really looking for an answer.
It is her guess that her present company was responsible, spill, goblins being the main problem, how would they have gotten around these things? she wonders.
She recall some talk about going upstairs, not quite sure why but her place is to bind wounds, not control the tactical decisions.
following the others up the stairs, She watches as Jerrica examines the area. she wonders if that girl has some experience in this sort of work, she seems to be rather proficient.
putting the thoughts of thievery out of her head, they discover a room that was apparently ransacked, but the question is by who, and why.
she starts to look through the papers, trying to get any info on who used to live here.
Abigail finds a masterwork dagger in a secret compartment of the desk and a loose floorboard underneath it. Prying the floorboard up, she finds a small pouch with 25 gold pieces and a vial.
Abigail puts everything away for now, as it seemed that everyone decided to move on. obviously convinced there was nothing to be found.
she was about to show the group as she heading into the hall but that had to wait as there was sounds of crying in the next room.
going to the doorway she takes a look to see what that is all about.
She takes in the scene wondering what, if anything she can gleen from her observations.
--
Abigail? Perhaps you can get through to him. Or maybe Orym. Someone.
We might learn something here, possibly...
Abigail? Perhaps you can get through to him. Or maybe Orym. Someone.
We might learn something here, possibly...
Abigail thinks a bit, lay the spirit to rest? otherwise anything we do is useless. but how? how do we lay the spirit to rest. such a poor soul needs to pass on to the next world. guess the best way to find out is to ask. and since I am dealing with undead, best uses all that Sarenrae has blessed me with to ensure my safety as well as hopefully entice the spirit to tell me what I need to know.
Abigail closes her eyes and is silently praying to Sarenrae for guidance. soon her Halo glows bathing her in a heavenly light.
she holds up her right hand and a sigil representing Peace of the Dawnflower appears on her palm. she places her hand over her heart and there is a transference of energy into Abigial.
As the other leave Abigail enters the room with the ghost child.
hello, I am Abigail Merosa, servant of the Dawnflower, Sarenrae, and a healer. I am sorry I was not here to help you when all of this happened, but I would like to make things right. will you help me?
she asks as her divine energy soothes the words she speaks to relieve the tension in the room.
Telsyn pauses, hearing the kindly aasimar try to help the ghost child. He has no magic that can help her.
The ghost regards Abigail with a passive stare. "I am Einar Ironwolf, son of Valentin Ironwolf. Forty years ago, my father sought a place to make his home. Retirement was not in his heart, but the wanderlust of his youth had long since died and he now sought a corner of the world to call his own. Along with me, my mother, and his faithful retainers he claimed the site upon which this place stands.
"For the next five years, he built his home, slowly turning it into a powerful fortified position from which to dominate the surrounding woodlands. At the same time as his builders and masons labored to build his fortress, my father and mother sallied forth into the surrounding woodland carrying sword and spell against the warring humanoids that incessantly fought over this place. Over the course of the following campaign, he exterminated the Kobolds of the Ebon Scales and defeated the Orcs of the Severed Hand and the Goblins of the Blood Moon in battle."
The ghost pauses in relating his tale, awaiting a response from Abigail.
Abigail kneels down her halo still glowing a heavenly light around her. just enough to show Sarenrae's presence but not overwhelming.
Wow, your mommy and daddy must have been really great adventurers, My mommy couldn't do any of those things, and my daddy was always off fighting in a war because he was a soldier.
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A dark look comes across the ghost's face at Abigail's patronizing comments, but he continues the tale. "However, looting the corpses of the fallen earned my father little coin and he lacked the funds to both finish his home and to crush the last humanoids skulking in their subterranean lairs. With work stalled on his fortress, my father sunk into a great depression and began to drink heavily. Slowly many of his servants and retainers drifted away until only his most loyal followers remained. By then, my father lacked the will or might to continue campaigning against his enemies. His enemies, however, had not forgotten the woes he had visited upon them and slowly they gathered their strength and waited. Entering into a short, but ultimately bloody, pact the Goblins of the Blood Moon and the Orcs of the Severed Hand united to destroy all of us."
At the boy's story Vishanti re-enters the room walking forward slowly.
"Your father...he had a younger brother. Valinar Ironwolf. My grandfather. It took time, but word of what happened here made it to your father's homeland, but by the time my grandfather gained word the keep had already fallen. About ten years ago, after my father died, my mother came to these lands with me. She felt driven that one day the Ironwolf name would reclaim this place and fulfill your father's dream. It is what has driven me to come here as well. Your family, our family, has not been forgotten Einar."
"The keep, the family name...those things are no longer important," Einar says to Vishanti.
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Telsyn is surprised by Vishanti's revelation. He says nothing.
Abigail is silent at what she just heard, perhaps the one she must speak with has been with her since arriving here.
turning her attention back to the ghostly child. you have cried for far to long, it is time you should rest. what must i do to give you rest. Abigail asks. her celestial heritage still within her voice.
"On a moonless night, when my father sat deep in his cups surrounded by his dwindling band of retainers, goblin scouts scaled the once well‐guarded walls and soundlessly slew the few remaining guards before opening the gates to admit the
blood-crazed berserkers of the Severed Hand. Bloody slaughter engulfed the castle. Surprised and hopeless outnumbered most of the castle’s defenders died before they even realized their enemies were within the walls. A few gathered in the Great Hall about my father to make their final stand, but once the tide of violence receded all lay stark in their own blood," Einar continues. "My mother was slain before she could reach me, my father died in the Great Hall below. Death came upon me swiftly..."
The ghost pauses. "I want my family's bones laid to rest. They cannot be laid to rest in the Undercrypt of the keep. There is a dark force there. Give my family peace and I shall reward you."
Telsyn had heard a thousand similar tales over his long life. To hear this, told by a tortured soul who experienced it...
He's still experiencing it! he whispers, trying to grasp the depth of it.
Vishanti and Jerrica probably heard that.
"I will, I promise." Vishanti says solemnly.
"My mother's bones are in the next room, my father's still in the Great Hall," Einar says. "There is a passage from my mother's room to a secret vault below. My father spoke of a terrible guardian guarding the treasures beyond."
There's a worthy quest.
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"Nothing will prevent me from seeing you all laid to rest." the shamaness says with absolute conviction.
Finally she overcomes her state of shock and speaks, "We'll all do whatever it takes to help you accomplish that too."
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Glancing over at Derika, Vishanti flashes her a grateful smile, before turning back to Einar's ghost and nodding.
Abigail looks confident that she can do this task, by Sarenrae's light, I will see to the final rest of your whole family. and soon may you all be with the dawnflower.
She looks at Vishanti, "So, should we start by gathering their bones then?"
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Jerrica joins the rest of the women. "Sounds like the best plan. Maybe Vishanti shouldn't touch the bones after last time. I'll take the boy's."
She gathers up Einar's skeleton. "Why don't you get the ones on the bed in the next room, Derika? And Abigail can get the ones downstairs?"
She nods as she goes to the next room to carefully gather up the bones of what must have been the boy's mother, before meeting back up with the others.
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So, do we bury them outside? I don't have a shovel...
"We'll find a way," Jerrica says. "But it doesn't seem like there are other options beyond outside."
She shakes her head while looking at Vishanti and asks, "Do we take them outside, or was there somewhere special we're supposed to take them?"
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Outside. Far away from this memory.
"Perhaps there is something that may aid us in the secret vault." Vishanti says thinking aloud,
She thinks for a minute, "We can try to deal with that first, or bury them out in the woods first. I don't mind using my claws...not like it's gonna dull them or anything."
Orym nods. "A grave anywhere outside is better than an eternity o' rottin' in some cellar. I'll help ya out, best I'm able."
Abigail starts to head to the main hall where the last remains are supposed to be. I do not have the means to dig, but I will provide any last rites in Sarenrae's name when it is time.
"Burying them in the forest outside would be best." Vishanti says quietly, clearly considering something left unsaid.
Perhaps our hosts have some tools we could use. Or maybe we can improvise.
Abigail takes Valentin's remains as Vishanti points them out and the group heads out of the keep into the forest. You find a small clearing that would be suitable without any difficulty. However, you do not find any tools along the way.
Laying the bones down carefully on the ground, Derika starts to dig up the earth using her hands and claws. She looks up occasionally at Vishanti to see if she's alright. Vishanti wasn't one for many words usually...but, it seemed as if something was actually bothering her though Derika couldn't really figure out what.
The idea that they were about to put her ancient family to rest, finally, filled her with a wealth of emotion he could barely describe.
She keeps digging, glancing every once in a while at Vishanti. She would make a mental note to talk to her later. Dealing with all of this must be at least a little overwhelming for her. Derika had no idea what she would say to the Shamaness....but, at least she could offer her support.