"Let's go. I think there's one room we didn't check, it might be worth it to look in on the way out." Kasha says as they head out of the cell.
Friday nods and follows along after the Shamaness.
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After backtracking, the party finds the last door on the bottom floor. After a couple of tries with the key, the door swings open.
Beyond the door is a veritable trove of valuables gathered into one place. Chests overflow with gold and silver ornaments. Crates hold trade bars of precious metals. Ornate, gilded drinking horns peek out of a burlap sack, and coffers spill forth gold and silver coins in quantities rarely seen in this part of the world.
Another chest in the room contains a vast--if untidy--clutter of what looks like adventuring gear: masterwork throwing axes, a longsword forged of blue steel, a masterwork chain shirt and a heavy wooden shield bearing an image of a wolf's head, cold weather clothing and an assortment of other knickknacks. Ulf staggers into the room and grabs the chest. "There's my gear!"
The rest of the room's contents:
--Three chests, each weighing 50 pounds, hold gold and silver brooches and arm-rings worth a total of 2,100 gp.
--Five crates hold copper trade bars stamped with the rune of the Rimerunners Guild. There are 20 trade bars in each crate, and each trade bar is worth 5 gp and weighs 10 pounds.
--A sixth crate holds 20 silver trade bars, similarly stamped. These trade bars also weigh 10 pounds, but are worth 50 gp each.
--There are total of 23 gilded drinking horns of various beasts, each worth 15 gp, and one made from an aurochs horn and set with citrines worth 135 gp.
--The coffers hold a total of 850 gp, 1,975 sp, and 3,000 cp.
”That should fund our trip,” Friday thinks aloud as he merely glances over the treasure trove, otherwise not interested in the contents.
"Sandru's going to be over the moon." Kasha says with a grin as she takes in the wealth of valuables. "Between this and the food stores, we should be set for quite a bit. Good thing there are a number of strong backs back with the caravan to come lug this stuff back."
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Valeria's still for a moment at the sight of more wealth than she'd ever conceived of lying in front of her. If anyone looked at her, her eyes would've been wide as saucers and the slit-pupils now filling the entire iris. Not unlike a cat that's just set its sights on prey.
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With the keep of Ravenscraeg cleared, it's a simple matter to collect the other prisoner and leave.
-----------------------
The span of the next week is a blur of activity. The return trip to Kalsgard was simple enough, and thanks in no small part to Friday's link with Zaiobe, the party is able to reunite with the rest of their caravan. It takes little effort to convince Ameiko that the caravan should loot Ravenscraeg before anyone else can lay claim to it, and before long the caravan is making the trek back to the cleared dungeon.
Sandru's reaction to the sheer wealth kept by the Frozen Shadows is almost identical to Valeria's--staring in disbelief at first before gleefully pitching in to help load the crates of trade bars into the caravan wagons. He leaves the chests of trinkets and coins for the party to keep, all the while wondering about if he can get the caravan a new wagon or two to store it all.
Ishgha, at first, seems unfazed by the many trade bars and coinage within Ravenscraeg's treasury, but the way his stare lingers on the loot as its hauled out and stowed away says it all. He makes no move to take anything--it appears Kavell has had a good influence on him. Or maybe it's Shalelu's and Haru's watchful eyes keeping him on the straight and narrow.
Kelda crows about how the caravan ought to have a grand party now that their enemies have been broken and scattered to the howling winds. Her sentiment is echoed by a very grateful Cillian and (a bit surprisingly) Lia.
Koya and Spivey don't contribute much to the looting, but they do employ the divine magic of Desna to heal any fatigue and accidental injuries sustained during the trip. Zaiobe doesn't stray far from Friday's side, but she does take a moment or two to fly up the side of Ravenscraeg and stretch her wings before coming back.
Ulf and Uksahkka are quite grateful to be reunited--and their relief upon seeing each other is expressed through a particularly vitriolic exchange of insults before sharing a tear-filled hug.
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Today, the caravan has returned to Kalsgard, flush with wealth and success. Only a few things remain to be done... the caravan must be prepared to make the trek through the snow-covered mountains of the Crown of the World.
With the threat that had felt like it was pressing down and looming over them seemingly eliminated, the young Aasimar indeed took his lover's idea and ran with it. Probably consuming far more food and drink than he should, and very much regretting it in the morning.
Headache in one hand he made his way through the shops and stores looking for anything extra he thought they may need.
The next morning, you feel a tugging on your sleeve.
"Kasha?" Lia whispers in your ear. "Are you awake?"
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<Morning, sleepyhead.> Zaiobe whispers in your mind.
Enthusiastically wrapping her arms around Lia as the group returns, Kasha is delighted at Kelda's suggestion once the spoils of their adventure are collected, and even more so at Lia's surprising agreement.
Taking full advantage of the opportunity, the shamaness fully throws herself into celebrating, both the success of their foray to Ravenscraeg to rescue Ulf, and their safe return, especially given a few close brushes with death.
Awakening to Lia's soft voice whispering in her ear, Kasha slowly opens her eyes, smiling warmly as she sees Lia looking back at her. "I am now...morning" she says softly.
Unlike the others, Valeria wasn't one for raucous partying, just enjoying the company of friends and a job well done over a few glasses of wine. She wasn't sure if it was the new headband, the wine, the chance to properly relax, seeing her uncle's crazy idea of combining coffee and vodka, or some combination of the above, but she found herself realising potential connections for item enhancement that had thus-far eluded her.
Of course, she only stepped away for a few minutes to jot down the important details, enough for her to work through the same thought process in the morning with a clearer head. She also made a note to dig out a couple of manuals on weapon and armour augmentation the next day, before she returned to the celebrations.
Lia rolls out of bed when you wake up. "Now that we don't have a bunch of ninjas to worry about, I wanted to ask you something..."
"...where do you think would be a good place to go for spirits?"
Unlike the others, Valeria wasn't one for raucous partying, just enjoying the company of friends and a job well done over a few glasses of wine. She wasn't sure if it was the new headband, the wine, the chance to properly relax, seeing her uncle's crazy idea of combining coffee and vodka, or some combination of the above, but she found herself realising potential connections for item enhancement that had thus-far eluded her.
Of course, she only stepped away for a few minutes to jot down the important details, enough for her to work through the same thought process in the morning with a clearer head. She also made a note to dig out a couple of manuals on weapon and armour augmentation the next day, before she returned to the celebrations.
Ameiko lies next to you, sprawled out along the bed with her head buried beneath a pillow. She must've really had a good time last night--she's normally one to rise with the dawn.
”Good... morning,” Friday finally manages to send to Zaiobe. ”Sorry, I had too much to drink last night, and this bed felt extra warm, or I was... extra cold? I’m rambling. Good morning, Zaiobe.”
Friday happily snuggles the harpy in turn. ”I don’t know. I don’t hurt, or feel ill. Just cold. You’re helping with that though, my thanks.”
Valeria couldn't help but smile as she saw Ameiko's state (and somewhat surprised that the bardess hadn't woken her when, apparently, she'd flopped into bed).
Carefully extricating herself and pulling on a light robe, Valeria started quietly going through one of her chests to find a couple of small booklets.
Kasha smiles as Lia pops up, enjoying the glint of enthusiasm and excitement in her eyes. "Hmm… that depends on the type of spirits you’re trying to reach really.” she says sitting up. "Eventually you’ll learn to call to them wherever we are, but spirits are easier to call to in the places they prefer, like a spirit of battle might be on a battlefield, or a blacksmiths shop that specializes in weapons and armor. Spirits of nature, or the elements, wood and stone….those are easier to find outdoors.”
She swings her legs around off the bed sitting on the edge of it and stretching. "So what kind of spirit would you want to try calling?”
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Zaiobe's lips press to your forehead in a tender kiss.
...and you feel the harpy oddly stiffen.
<Um... Friday? Where's your reflection?>
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As you rummage through one of your chests, you hear Ameiko stir in bed.
"...up already? Kinda thought you'd need a pot or two of coffee first." She sits up a bit, blinking and groggily rubbing her eyes.
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"I, um..." Lia shrugs. "...I'm not sure yet. I don't even really know what else goes into calling one."
Friday smiles at the harpy Wait, my what?”
Friday blinks. And again. And again. Then holds his hand up to look at it.
”I got bit by a Werebear... but I don’t think they cause this... do they? I don’t have a shadow anymore either...” he thinks while looking at Zaiobe’s solo shade.
"Well then we can pick a place you feel comfortable and see what you feel drawn to." Kasha says taking Lia's hand.
"Here in Karlsgard, there's a strong presence of quite a few spirits, the natural ones of nature, stone, life, and even tribal spirits are plentiful here, and with the weather the way it has been spirits tied to the wind and frost should be easy to reach out to." she says, tapping a finger on her lip in moment of thought. "Let's stay away from fire or stuff like that until you get a bit more comfortable with it. Nature being my chosen bonded spirit, I prefer to be either outdoor or as close to it as possible when I commune, but that isn't always an easy option. We could try here, or find a place outside, or the baths, whatever you think you'd be comfortable with." she says brushing a few stray strands of Lia's hair out of her eyes.
"Oh I'm tempted, but I wanted to grab a couple of things for everyone to look through before meeting them for breakfast. Although you're usually up even earlier than this; should I go organise breakfast in bed for you instead?"
<No, I don't think that's what shapeshifters do...> The harpy gives you a worried look. <...do you think we should tell someone?>
-----------------------
Lia looks down at her feet in thought. "...maybe we could try somewhere outdoors?"
-----------------------
Ameiko waves you off. "You don't need to, it's okay."
She gets up and puts on a white silk robe from the room's closet. "But speaking of which, did you have any suggestions for breakfast? I think their breakfast menu had some nice grilled salmon in rice on offer..."
"Grilled salmon? Heh, suppose that's what I get for being too lazy of a morning to pay attention and just letting Maxim order for me, that sounds pretty good." As she spoke, she was still digging through one of the chests she'd brought over from the caravan that held some of her old books.
"Don't suppose you remember seeing my copy of Ci- ah, nevermind; there it is." She pulled a rather small book from the bottom of the chest, setting it down on a similarly-sized book on the floor next to her. "Bloody thing'd fallen right to the bottom."
Kasha smiles. "Okay, let's get dressed and go find a good spot." she says enthusiastically. Standing up and stretching, she impulsively wraps her arms around Lia, giving her a gentle kiss. "You'll do great."
”Who would we ask?” Friday asks as he slowly flexes his fingers, trying to get adjusted to his lack of shadow and reflection.
<...maybe Koya? She's a smart lady. Or Spivey--she's been around a long time, no? You think maybe she'd know something?>
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"Whatcha looking for?" Ameiko crouches next to you as you dig around for your book. The robe's neckline opens a bit more, exposing her smooth cleavage.
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Lia shyly replies to your kiss with a peck to your cheek. "Let's."
She swaddles herself in her parka and boots while you don your own gear.
"You want to lead the way?"
---------------------
Your walk through the markets of Kalsgard is noisy and crowded--business as usual, it seems, for the Gateway to the North. A few steps behind you is Kelda, swaggering about with her usual carefree, boisterous demeanour.
Friday nods to the Harpy. ”Hopefully. And they’re usually together as well,” Friday thinks as he gets up to get dressed, the coolness already seeping back into his bones.
"Sure!" Kasha says with a smile as she finishes getting dressed. Taking a moment to check in on Koya and Spivey to see if they needed anything, she leads Lia out into the morning, looking for a good spot such as a hilltop or quiet grove where they could commune with the spirits.
"'Civiello's Practical Guide to Weapon Augmentation, Summarised Edition' and its armour counterpart," Valeria explained, turning around to show Ameiko the books in question and getting a look straight down her robe. Tempting as it was to try and entice Ameiko back into bed, her stomach was rather vocal about what it wanted.
"A few bits and pieces of how to magically enhance equipment came to me last night. Not sure if it was because of the headband or just finally being able to relax but, in any case, I wanted the others to have a look through these to decide on stuff they wanted me to add to their gear. Kalsgard's probably the last stop on our trip for a fair while where I'll be able to pick up some new spells, and a lot of these use spells I haven't studied. Just as well I have these with me; you don't want to know how dense and boring the full versions are."
Koya and Spivey are in the middle of breakfast when you call on them. They appear to be in good enough spirits and don't need anything else at the moment.
The walk out of Kalsgard is noisy at first, with many of its smallfolk passing the two of you by as you leave by the Bone Quarter's gates. The clamor of the city falls away as you trek away from the city and to a small grove of aged pine trees, their caps covered in a dusting of snow.
"So, um..." Lia starts as you leave the city. "...how did you meet your spirit in the first place?"
-------------------
Ameiko nods and stands up, walking over to the foot of the bed and putting on a pair of white slippers. "I'll go and get us some breakfast. Just sit tight."
With that, she walks out the door to your room and disappears.
-------------------
You find Koya and Spivey in the lounge, having a breakfast of eggs and grilled salmon.
"Morning, you two." Koya waves at you and Zaiobe. Spivey flits over to the both of you and abruptly stops.
"...where'd your shadow go?" The lyrakien asks.
Friday waves in greeting to the Desnan before Spivey floats over. ”I do not know, my reflection is missing as well. We were hoping you or Koya could provide some insight into the matter.” he plainly tells the Lyrakien.
“Well, I suppose I grew up feeling the desire to travel. Part of that was because when they were younger, Sandru and Ameiko were adventurers. Being the younger sister left behind to wonder what they were up to, and hear their stories when they came back gave me an itch to explore. That and my mother’s takes of the open road and wandering spirit of her own.” Kasha replies, thinking back to her childhood.
“Once I was old enough I started venturing out, first into the woods near home, and later the bigger forests, sometimes along with Shalelu, who taught me quite a bit a bout the wilderness. Eventually I started spending more and more time in the wilderness, and one night while swimming in a moonlit pool in a grove I found, seemingly by accident, a primal spirit of Nature appeared. When she spoke, it was as if she spoke to my soul, the part of me that had been trying to awaken all along, and I could feel the natural world all around me, every tree and branch, every animal, and bug, rock and blade of grass, all of it and the spirits that live within things as well.” she says with a sort of joyful reverence.
Spivey ushers the two of you over to Koya for examination.
"Hmm..." Koya takes your pulse and tilts her head. "...well, your heart's beatin' well enough. And you feel warm."
She then looks at your neck, and then Zaiobe's. "Couple of hickies on both of ya, but doesn't look like any fang marks... when'd this start?"
-------------------
Lia listens as the two of you find a fallen tree to sit down on. "...it sounds quite wonderful." She sighs, looking up into the clear blue sky.
"I don't know if I've ever heard a similar call to yours. The closest thing I've felt was..." She trails off, her expression turning distant and sad.
A bird chirps in a nearby tree.
-------------------
As you're getting your things together and preparing to leave the room, Ameiko backs into the room carrying a tray with two plates of steamed rice and grilled salmon. "What do you think, Val? Good enough?" She asks with a smirk.
He almost colored as he neared his goal grinning back to his well he hoped she considered herself his girlfriend, its not like they had really formally declared things.
"isnt that the bath house? Its a long journey I dont suppose we should uh... get one last good clean in eh Kelda?"
He said with a cheeky grin. He did have a few things he wanted to purchase... and well something to ask the beautiful barbarian maiden but you know priorities.
"It isn't always something obvious...besides, the way I was raised was to be open to the world, you may have heard something and not known what you were hearing or feeling." Kasha says comfortingly, glancing up at the bit and smiling slightly.
"What did you feel?"
Valeria had almost finished getting dressed when Ameiko came back. "That looks great, though the one carrying them looks even better." She leant up to kiss Ameiko as she took the tray. "Have this in the bed or table?"
”Either this morning or last night while I slept,” Friday starts, unphased by Koya pointing out the hickies he and Zaiobe exchanged. ”I was bitten by a werebear when we were infiltrating the keep, but that would show different effects if I was becoming one of them would it not?”
Kelda grins. "You read my mind, churchman."
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"The table would be good. Don't want to get crumbs or rice in the sheets." Ameiko moves to set the tray down on the nearby table.
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Koya winces when you mention being bitten by a werebear. "It would--more hair and a larger appetite would be a start, I imagine. Not losing your damn reflection or shadow--that's more along the lines of vampires..."
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Lia looks down at her feet, then back up at the sky.
"...while I still in thrall to Longthews, there were nights when I'd stare up at the night sky when everyone else was asleep. The stars and the aurora... they looked so beautiful as they danced across the sky."
Her eyes turn towards the surrounding forest. "...then I'd look down and see the darkness of the woods and contemplate trying to make a run for it. But it was always a foolish dream. I had no idea how to survive in the wilds, how to evade the predators that lived in them or even which way it was back to Kalsgard. That, and... well, there were always the guards to worry about."
"No matter how I looked at it, there was no way I could escape--all that awaited me if I tried was death." She takes a shuddering breath.
"Some nights, it stopped mattering."
Friday blinks when Koya brings up Vampires. He actually felt rather foolish not having realized it sooner. ”Are there more ways to become a vampire without having been drained of your blood? I haven’t been bitten in awhile.”
"Not that I know of. Of course, there's probably some unholy magic or other that'll turn people into vampires if it gets out of hand--"
The old priestess stops, fully registering what you just said. Spivey hovers next to your head. "--wait. What do you mean, 'haven't been bitten in a while'?"
”My former employer before I came to Sandpoint was of the ancient blood. The Dauds have always served them.” Friday states nonchalantly.
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Spivey and Koya exchange glances before turning back to you. "...okay. Well, how often have you been bitten in the past? If you don't mind me asking." The old priestess asks.
”I didn’t keep count, it had started when I was a child though if that helps?” Friday tells them.
Koya, Spivey and Zaiobe go quiet.
After a moment of awkward silence, Spivey speaks up. "Well, on the one hand, it at least lets us know of a possible reason for it."
"On the other hand..."
Zaiobe takes your hand in hers.
Koya, Spivey and Zaiobe go quiet.
”How fast do you think it will progress?” he asks as he holds Zaiobe’s hand, trying to steal some warmth.