She looks at the gentlemen she is walking behind. "When was the reading supposed to begin? Was there a time we needed to be there?"
The last Will and testament of Captain Paytro NeMoren, Baron of NeMoren’s Isle, heir to the NeMoren Manor, and sole survivor of the NeMoren bloodline.
Gathered to hear my final words should be six fortunate people, each possessing a single silver key. How you received this key and how long you have had it are unimportant; perhaps a relative gave it to you or it was received in payment for a service rendered, perhaps a token from a loved one… However you came to possess the key, I hope that it was given in the spirit that I initially intended: as a reward, as a compensation, as a way to lessen my own guilt.
Though noble of birth and heritage, in my youth I was a vain and pompous man, and did not live up to the ideals of my station. I have kept a dark secret during my lifetime, and it is a secret I will take to my grave. My shame was not always easy to hide, and often, I took drastic, necessary steps to protect my image and my name. To each of those that have suffered so I can live with false dignity, I gave a token: A single silver key. These keys have passed through generations, across borders, and between many hands, I am sure, but at last they have gathered together to fulfil their true purpose.
Hundreds of years ago, 6 brothers, my ancestors, ruled this Island. Looking to provide a neutral port for both merchant and pirate alike. A place where deals could be struck and goods change hands when secrecy was of the utmost importance. A manor house was constructed, and under the manor house was carved a mighty vault protecting the vast horde of the NeMoren family. Six keys were created, all of which are needed to open the vault and reveal the riches within. The silver keys were passed down from generation to generation, until at last they were given to me.
I had hoped to pass the keys on to my heirs, but alas, it was not meant to be. Shortly after my marriage, a curse fell upon my wife, my name, and the people of this Isle. I was to blame for this horrible curse, and I knew I was unworthy of the treasure of my ancestors. So sealing the entrance to the vault, and giving away the keys to those I had wronged, I hid away the horde for as long as I lived.
Now, after my death, fate has brought the silver keys home, and with them, six deserving souls to reclaim the lost treasure. In the wine cellar, along the north wall, you will find a ten foot section of wall that does not match the surrounding walls. Take hammer to the wall, and behind it you will find the doorway to the family vault.
But be forewarned: the vault will not easily yield up its riches. Generation of my family have installed deterrents, and who knows what may have happened to the structure in the decades since it was sealed. Deep in the vault you will find a room with six evenly spaced keyholes. Insert your keys into the locks to activate the final mechanism, and the vast horde of the NeMoren family will be yours.
Perhaps then, I will have made amends for the wrongs I have committed, and my soul can rest more peacefully than did my living spirit.
Signed, Captain Paytro NeMoren, Pirate Lord.
"If I am given a tool, I can remove the wall."
Mickey wasn't going to give it away, but he could do a lot of travelling with a sixth of a fortune...
Tatsuo continues to frown and shifts uncomfortably. "Giving someone that you have wronged a key that might help their descendants hardly seems like a fitting way to make amends. If anything it seems like a cruel mockery: 'Hey, if you manage to find 5 other complete strangers and don't die getting to it, you get lots of money! Oh, and you're only getting this because I don't have someone better to give it to.' "
"And do what instead? Return to my village in shame for having run away? Or perhaps I could convince them that I was merely arrogant enough to believe that I knew better than my elders." He shakes his head and turns to the man who read the will. "Where might we find a hammer? We might as well see what this vault has in store for us."
Tatsuo turned to the old man. "Any idea what sort of things we're likely to face in there?"
Sam looked around at the others and then shrugged his shoulders.
"I'm called Sam," he said, simply. He was small and lean, barely old enough to be called a man, but hard in the way that children forced to fend for themselves become hard. The shape of his features are those of a Minkai, but his skin is a pale grey, and his eyes a bright yellow.
"I'm not sure if it matters, but do you have any idea what did happen to the good captain's wife?" he asked the man who read the will.
Mrimmy looks around. "Mrimmy.. If he gave us these keys, might as well see what they unlock. I mean, treasure and fortune are subjective terms, and I didnt just travel all this way to say 'Eh, whatever' just because some traps and vermin lie behind a wall. And if you'll remember, he found US." The small bird nodded its head.
Mrimmy looks at the odd woman, claiming to be an oracle. "What does she mean by that? A literal oracle or just someone called her that as a child..."
"I am Mrimmy, and this is Arura." The small bird flies down onto Mrimmy's finger. The bird speaks, its starry appearance showing the night sky. "It's an honor I'm sure."
"Mickey Carver." He points to himself. "Reeves." He points to the marmoset on his shoulder.
He points to himself. "Tatsuo. And since we seem to be introducing our companions as well..." He pulls at the side of his robe to reveal the dragon tattoo across the upper left side of his chest. "This is Sora."
Tatsuo: the halo is an effect that manifests itself in a select few of Aasimars. it seems to be random as far as you can tell but usually only Aasimars that are of a good heart can manifest them. this has never been proven of course but what you do know seems to supprot this thory so far.
The Old man looks to Tatsuo. I cannot say what is in that vault, but I do know that numerous communities owed a debt to the Nemoren family. Also I have noticed that several months before the announced engagement there have been a larger than normal presence of Osirion traders in these waters and many of them docked here. what was going on, I don't know I don't interfere in other Captain's affairs unless there is direct threat to me or the Pirate council. Captain Peytro made sure we all got our share of gold when needed.
Adrian answers Letha I doubt that, we managed to keep the death rather quiet, but it will only be a matter of time before the Osirion traders wonder what is up. of course they have seemed to have been coming here less frequently lately as well. whatever it was they were dealing in may have dried up as well.
the old man glances toward Adrian and Adrian says no more on the matter.
Adrian speaks up It did a long time ago, but it is empty now.
Adrian looks to the group, I would guess that you are anxious to see what lies in the wine cellar then?
he goes to head out the door as the old man packs things up. he pulls a set of keys from the satchel that he was carrying and sets them on the desk, along with a copy of the will.
follow me, there are sledge hammers in the shed by what's left on the greenhouse.
The old man give Adrian a look and without a word spoken, Adrian nods his understanding.
I almost forgot to mention, about two years before Paytro's demise, the estate fell into financial hardships. by accepting this inheritance you accept responsibility to settle the debts incurred. most of the manor's furnishings have been sold off to pay the debt but there is still a balance of nearly 100 thousand gold coins still owed to the Pirate council. lets hope there is enough treasure in that vault to settle the debt.
Mickey's eyebrows raise in alarm before settling back into a deep furrow.
So instead of settling with the people he wronged, he gets a final act to screw them over after he's gone as well.
He continues to the sledgehammers not getting one himself, but allowing others to as they will.
When they arrive he clicks his tongue and Reeves jumps off his shoulder and scurries over to a corner.
He assesses the wall and jumps up and rapidly plants a couple well planned kicks with the heel of his foot, before deftly landing again, using his anger at the situation as fuel to smash through the wall.
Flurry of blows to unoccupied wall AC5
Miss
Hit
-
Mickey's first kick glances off from the angle it hit at, but his second hits with surprising accuracy and strength.
"Ahh, now things make a lot more sense." There's only a faint trace of scorn in his voice as he says it.
The larger part of his brain tells him that the best course of action would be to simply walk away. But I was given this key for a reason. Even if this isn't the wisest course of action, there must be a reason why the kami have set this task before me. I must see it through.
He gives a soft sigh and follows everybody to the wine cellar. He picks up a sledge hammer and begins hammering away at the wall. What he lacks in strength, he makes up for in persistence.
Sam almost choked on the news of the debt, but then he smiled when the oracle drew her bow so quickly.
"You forgot to mention a debt of a hundred thousand gold owed to the pirate council?" he chuckles. He darts behind the old man, his blade singing as he draws it. "Obviously we're all very stupid to have come this far, but really ... forgot? You can't possibly expect us to believe that, so simply give us the necessary funds to return to our lives and to compensate us for the time you've wasted."
The old man looked to Adrian you handle this as you see fit. and he leaves.
it is apparent that the old man is unconcerned with the threats, in fact he feels your sbilities are not worth his time. he is a man of some power.
Adrian indicates the same as before, there is a slight touch of evil in his heart. the old man seems to have no indication of evil, its as if your attempts to detect anything are blocked.
the old man is a druid of significant power. you recognize this as he goes to leave
Adrian watches him head out the door. then when gone he puts his hands up to indicate there is no need for violence.
to be honest, niether of us really gives a damn about the debt. however there are some that are curious as to why the Osirion traders have been frequenting these waters. and why they were not be harrassed in thier jouneys. somebody was paying off the other captians, and I think the council wanted in on the action.
Adrian carefully reaches toward a cloak pocket. in the days before the wedding, my sister found this among Peytro's things, she sent it to me. I am not sure what it is but this might be what all of this fuss is really about.
unless stopped, he pulls out a small glass vial filled with what appears to be some sort of sand but it flows more like a granular metal. there is a slight silver sheen in the sand as well.
|
"the younger of the two has but the slightest twinge of evil in his heart, if we were to kill everyone who had his level of evil, there'd be no end of the killing and we'd soon have hearts much blacker, the old man though is a druid, and is either not evil, or is blocking my divinations"
Conner goes to pick up the vial and puts it on another string around his neck
Tatuso raises an eyebrow at all the weapons being drawn and moves to make sure that he's not in the line of fire.
He turns to Adrian. "So the fiancee that disappeared was your sister? Do you have any idea what happened?"
Mickey had spent very little time in the town...
But he is quite attentive, he still feels that if he was one for confrontation, he could take the old man, but his fight was not with him.
He may have a slight idea if what the powder is, possibly having come across it in his journeys.
the vial and its contents radiate no magic
sorry you missed it by 2
Mickey, at level 1 you think you can take on a pirate lord?
he is a high level druid and the captain of the ship called The Kraken.
Adrian answers your questions only after the old man has left.
yes, Amielia was my sister. she vanished actually just after the wedding. for some reason, Peytro and Amelia were actually wed a couple of weeks before thier announced wedding date in secret. It is my belief that her disappearance is tied to the curse. she was the first to go missing, then the sickness hit then soon more people went missing. even the lizard folk tribe that lives in the marsh on the other side of the isle has been effected. I have seen them burning thier dead much more frequently than normal.
I know he can't, but Mickey thinks he can. /I'm/ not an idiot. He just is....
Oh dear Gaia...
Mickey the idiot....
The DW references have invaded even my subconscious now....
"What are you talking about?"
Everyone seems to know, but him...
Mrimmy thinks to herself, putting a finger on her mouth. "If there is such a strange curse... Why risk anything?" She looks at Adrian. "What makes you sure that it was the curse?"
There is no other explanation. but perhaps there are answers in the vault.
Adrian goes to leave. I will remain in the manor house while you explore, be careful
You all easily find the section of wall to be battered down after a few good strikes from the hammers (or fists and feet) the section of the wall is opened enough for you to peer in. the opening reveals a ten foot wide carved stone corridor, the light from the cellar pierces the dark tunnel to a distance of 20 feet but you can tell in goes deeper.
the corridor is about forty feet long and it ends in a door
concerning the vial that you now have
this vial contains a substance that is known as "Silver Sand" it has a values of at least 150 gold for this small amount. If you could find a buyer, as this stuff is illegal in many regions.
it originates from the Osirion desert
This vial contains a very rare and powerful hallucinogenic drug known as "silver sand" it is illegal in many regions
"silver sand" has once a hot commodity in the city of Sothis many years ago, it was a rare and powerful drug that was also highly addictive. It was produced from certain areas in the Osirion desert where the Silver sand could be gathered. it was a naturally occurring phenomenon.
the effect on the populace of Sothis caused a military crack down on the drug cartels in the city and surrounding areas. and about 15 years ago the existence of "silver sand" has all but vanished. to find it now outside of the Osirion desert is interesting indeed.
this stuff could be priceless if there is a decent supply and the shackles is a prime market for this drug. it could run all the various Pesh drug rings out of business.
Seeing Mickey's puzzlement, Tatsuo turns to him. "The eve before they were supposed to get married--although now we know that they had already been married a short time before--the Baron's fiancee disappeared. Shortly after that, he locked himself away in the manor, and people in the village started getting sick." He fingers something in his sash. "When other villagers also started disappearing, people said the island was cursed and started to leave. That's why the village is so...dismal now."
Tatsuo gazes down the dark corridor, his uncannily sharp vision seeming to pierce through the darkness. "The corridor goes on for about 40ft before ending in a door. I would suggest we be on the lookout for traps from here on."
He places his triangular hat back on his head and starts carefully down the tunnel.
Tatsuo shrugged in a noncommittal fashion. "Maybe it's because I like to spend a lot of time in thunderstorms. Or something in my ancestry. Hard to say exactly." He continues walking forward, allowing anybody who wants to pass to do so but unwilling to simply hang around waiting for others to go first.
"I can fly down there with the person. I glow so it will make it easier to see." The bird on Mrimmy's shoulder flies up. "No Arura! If it's dangerous for us, its dangerous for you, little bird!." Mrimmy wasn't ready to lose the only friend she had, but the bird stayed in the air.