Nia listened for a moment and saw the last of the people enter.
"I don't think destroying them should be the first thing on our minds, though they are pressing matters we should attend to. We need more information on them both. Baldek, if it is possible may I study the blade more throughly later? But I believe you are right Auric, we may not be able to do so at this time. I believe that book is more akin to an artifact than a magic item. But I do not know without examination." Nia looked at the others.
"This town still has two issues I know of. Something Tania called Mist Fiends? I had heard tales of the others besides myself, Baldek and Auric, that had to fight such creatures. Possibly from the lake and Monastery? Also, we have the cult that is activating alters and stones with blood around these parts. One family already had members murdered for their cause. Those are immediate threats on the town also but I wanted to see which we wanted to tackle first. Those that started this adventure before us, I believe deserve some rest and we can take time to buy supplies and gather information, for those of us that weren't here."
Turning to Auric. "What exactly did it say to you? You haven't let anyone examine or talk to it so I only know what I know from the brief glimpse and its actions in reaction to Reiko. I would like to know what it said. It may lead me to an idea of what it could be. If it is what I think or suspect....well I will not put out false ideas until I am more sure."
Reiko stays silent for most of the trip, keeping his hand near his sword and his eyes on the terrain. When they arrive at the town, he stays close to Antonio. However, rather than staying with the townspeople, he makes his way to Alyra and quietly speaks.
These people, they are celebrating again, but how do we know the most won't return tomorrow morning? We need to find the source, at all costs. Perhaps the monastery should be our next destination, despite the book Auric carries. What do you think?
He is the first to make his way to the meeting room, and speaks the same thing to te party he told Alyra.
The book may be important, but the mist fiends are the biggest threat. If they are truly linked to the monastery, then that needs to be our next destination. These people will be cut down without a chance if we leave to Auric's homeland.
He sits back in his chair, and looks at the new members.
If you haven't heard yet, the mist here breeds fiends capable of wanton murder and destruction at dawn, and they are damn near impossible to kill. Even with all the power I can funnel into my blade, they remain resilient to our attacks. Also, the sound like children, and seem to attack at the behest of a woman made of mist as well.
"Well, that's alarming..." Auric replies with a look of confusion, "why didn't anyone mention the possibility of nigh unkillable mist fiends at dawn when we decided to sleep before going to the ogre lair?!?"
He pauses for a moment as if hoping for an actual response... When none are immediately offered he adds "Oh, and a muderous cult using blood to activate inscrutable magical objects for unknown ends... Again, that seems like something that perhaps should have merited further mention earlier on. Is there any other terrible thing happening here that we should know about?"
Nia looked between them all and nodded to Reiko.
"It may be because they were unsure if it would return after two days of issues. Also, the morning after the ogre attack the mist didn't come so it is possible people didn't think it was that pressing and may be over. People inside their homes were not targeted either by what I could gather so if everyone is indoors then its not that big a threat. The cult is a matter many wouldn't know great details of. I only know of it because I was riding in with the farmer, whose family was targeted, when we met for the first time. Even then there haven't been any known attacks from them since that time and there are no leads into where they are. It could all be connected and that monastery could be part of it. We simply don't know so we must chose one to deal with. Monastery seems like the best lead for either of the two."
As Baldek asked for whiskey Nia'Nikta smiled. "You have to wait for the whiskey."
Nodding to Sakuro as she studied her spellbook and spoke. "Indeed, blood can be used many ways. The abuse and sacrifice of others which turned it into such a forbidden art."
To Auric noticing he hadn't answered her earlier question, but considering the news she wasn't surprised. "Indeed, the ogres were more pressing and if the group had divided their attention or were distracted it could have caused issues. As a group it is better to focus on one thing at a time. It is why I didn't bring up the cultists until now. Today as I was talking with people in the crowd, I learned about the mist fiends but Reiko has given more information on that than I could have. Thank you Reiko."
"So it sounds like so far that the monastery seems like a good place to start. Do we want to go tomorrow or get some rest for a few days and enjoy the festival you have been protecting?"
Well, me father kin actually fold magic into a blade, e'en though he cain't cast nary a spell. He don't do it often, though, nor do it come cheap.
He stops for a moment, and scratches his head. Armor ain't me father's specialty, but he's still likely better'n any in the area. Still, iff'n coin is tight, there's armorsmiths in Morda's Pass an' the Deep Furrow - dwarves, there - not ta mention the 'Roost. A few in the city, mind ya.
Not far. Morda's Pass is one day's travel from here, the 'Roost, a day farther, and that's assuming by wagon. The Furrow is maybe a long day the other way.
(You were in the 'Roost, and went through Morda's Pass before finding the party...)
He examines the axe closely, and tests the edge with parchment, which cuts surprisingly cleanly.
That axe is an odd one. Blade's awful thin...an'...steel don't look like that, but it's a bunch sturdier than iron, fer sure. Style is just durn strange. It ain dwarf work, nor human or elf, I'd wager. It damn sure ain't orc, far too good fer their likes. I dunno.
Auric sleeps somewhat restlessly... he hides the dark tome beneath his pillow each night to prevent would-be thieves or the dangerously curious from getting their hands on it, but the rope which was soaked in holy water grows dry and he knows his simple runes and sigils are no replacement for real magic... he prays often for protection and that the residue of the blessed water might still do something to keep the great evil in check.
Each morning he rises early, prays and takes breakfast, then suits up with his full armaments and patrols the streets in search of mist creatures. He fills his days by learning as much as he can about the recent mist creature attacks and any local folklore and legends about them he can find, and about the stones and the cultists and those murders (but especially the stones- their unusual properties and any ancient stories about them).
When he spots Baldek in the back of a wagon heading south, he jogs to catch up shouting, "Это не разумно , чтобы уйти по своему усмотрению. Позвольте мне с вами ..."
He jumps on to the wagon as well and quickly assures the driver that he too will earn his keep if the guards become at all necessary.
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You do pass the spot where the ogres were first spotted following, of course, but only a bad memory is left. That's about where he stops for lunch.
It's getting quite dark when you first see the gate. Its a fortified and manned affair - of course both of you see it in the gloom before the humans do. It's really only about dinnertime, but the canyon walls are so high and steep as to block almost all of the sunlight.
The merchant annouces himself as he nears, cautious around the armed men at the gate. A sergeant looks over his goods, but only takes long enough to assure that there are no enemies hidden in the wagon before waving it through.
Welcome to Morda's Pass.
At the gate itself is a solid company of garrisoned troops, most in medium armor and carrying crossbows. Some have polearms, where they're stationed, and longspears are resting in racks nearby.
The sergeant wears a fine breastplate and carries a heavy mace in addition to his crossbow.
After the merchant introduces you as 'heroes of Lakeroot', the sergeant turns to you both.
Heroes, you say? No need for heroes here.
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Nia, with Baldek's permission, would recruit Sakura and Aya to help her identify all the properties/composition of the magic that was in the ax. She didn't seem as bothered, yet, with the properties of the blade. There were tales abound with many such weapons. Not always were they true, but they were out there.
As it was, Nia'Nickta's own personal quest had not come up with much. She would visit Alyra often, privately. Talking with her and learning what she could of the titans.
"Also Alyra, do you know what a titan's child is?"
Aya would be glad to assist in the identification of the axe.
Aya reports her results of the examination of the axe. I still can't identity any extra magics on the axe, and the metal seems unique in my experience, but the faint necromantic aura and the obvious blood affinity does suggest vampirism.
There are no vampiric spells that weak, so this seems absurd, but maybe its a clue.
Aya ponders the information and the questions.
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The armorer looks you over for a moment before speaking. I can refit a breastplate, if you like, though adding some links to chainmail might take less time. We don't get many dwarves here.
Reiko stays behind, more worried about defending the town from any fell magicks than shopping at the moment, even though he could use some new gear, maybe even from enchanted bracers or a ring to help defend him. He walks the festival, wandering from merchant to merchant, examining wares, and honestly answering any questions about what he has faced so far, leaving out only the grisly details of the altar and his memories of this foul magic. He accepts any gifts offered to him, and let's any children examine his possessions from the Misty Island, and generally tries to make it known that as long as he can hold a blade, this town has a stalwart defender.
When the party begins examining the axe and comes up dry, he sighs in resignation and makes his to them.
Aya, if this weapon is keyed to the same magic we saw at that altar, and we know that is somehow tied to my past, then perhaps I can find something, or regain another memory that could help us. Let me see it. Continue detecting magic on it, because I have an idea.
He takes the axe gingerly, and holds it out where Aya can easily keep her spell focused on it. He then casts his own detect magic, and slices his palm on the edge, letting his blood drip down the blade.
Ballus Ma' Toric! That stings!
I'm sorry, Nia, I've been so...distracted. I am a titan's child, as are many others. The gods have created lifeforms throughout history, and for quite some time, the titans did, too, and almost as easily. Since the end of the Titanswar, though, things have been different. The titans can't create life so easily, anymore, and things are usually more...monstrous... Alyra trails off, her mind elsewhere.
More and more she seems less and less focussed.
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You stand before the vat of blood, just as before, with the others around you. Chanting...the air is thick with magic...you look back into the vat..the body inside is unique, and barely visible through the thick liquid...
You snap out of it, sweating.
"Is something wrong. You seem distracted and have lost focus. Please Alyra, what is wrong? Is there any way I can help? Or maybe one of the others?" Nia'Nikta's voice showed genuine concern and would reach out to touch Alyra. Though her worries about what her parents were there they seemed paler in comparison to her concern for the blind woman in front of her.
Reiko watches the blood trail down the axe for a moment as if in a trance. A moment later, he snaps back to reality and looks over to Alyra.
Monstrous... How? And could a group of mortals studying Titan magic... create... a titans child?
His voice is pensive, and trails off a few times during the sentence, almost as if he's afraid of the answer. He then explains to the group the memory that just came back to him.
In some of my returning memories, there is a group of mages circled around a vat of blood. Whatever they... rather "we"... were studying, was forbidden. In one memory, it was a ritualistic sacrifice of a young girl. In this one, it was some kind of unnatural body in the blood, but I couldn't make it out. What could that be, Alyra? What was I involved in?
Alyra looks around, then generally toward Nia.
Can't you hear it? It's a low...thrumming sound. Distant.
Hearing Reiko's words, she turns.
You were...creating new life? Some titans learned horrible rituals when so much of their power was removed, but I don't know much more. Was it...virgin blood?
"I am sorry Alyra, I don't but let me listen." She would sit for a while quietly with her seeing if she could hear any such deep thrumming or even feel it.
Reiko glances around at the mention of a humming sound.
Ive heard nothing, but you are a magical creature. You may be more in tune than we are.
A hunch strikes him, and he asks
Can you tell a direction? Could it be coming from that monastery?