Sashah follows absently, clearly absorbed in one of his books.
Honestly? Now you decide that being a Red Wizard is too much? How much pain have you visited on the innocent in their name? Ravvek moves deliberately, drawing his blade as he approaches the bald man.
Soleil, grab the urn.
Something seems off about this de-robed man to Raiden. Hang on a minute, Ravvek. (To the man) What did you think was going to happen? he asks, being intentionally vague because Raiden himself is not sure what feels amiss. He approaches cautiously, I assume behind Rav.
Rav stops, waiting for Raiden's play, but he is careful to keep his distance from his friends...
Anton looks around the tavern to see how the other patrons react to this scene.
Scram slowly flanks around the edge of the room, moving in only to pick up the red robe off the floor...it could make a nice disguise for later.
Zayless hangs back near the door watching the rest of the tavern for signs of trouble when the others approach the Thayan.
Sasha looks up momentarily from his book and says off-handedly, "Oh, and don't try anyzing magic related. It von't vork out."
The man raises his hands in surrender when Ravvek draws his blade. ”You can have it, I will not fight you. I’m done with this place and these damned tattoos! Szass Tamm is a fanatacle monster.” he continues rubbing at the tattoos on his arm. In a lower almost reflective voice ”The ashes are gone, I’m afraid you’ll only get the vessel and not the contents of which you seek.”
In response to Raiden ”I don’t know. I was just doing what was asked of me. I thought it was just a gesture meant to intimidate the Emerald Enclave. I had no idea that Tamm would create such an abomination.” he almost half chuckles to him self at the irony of his own statement. ”Heh, I had no idea that Tamm was an abomination himself.”
Anton notices that everyone in the tavern have all stopped to watch the confrontation. The bartender seems ready to step in and try to break up any altercation. You get a feeling that he has a weapon of some kind behind the bar, but you’re not sure which side he would take. He seems to not like the situation in general though and looks as though he is considering his options.
Scramsax easily removes the robes without notice.
In a much lower voice directed to Rav but that anyone close can hear, Raiden suggests Maybe we should just order a nice round of ales after all and have ourselves a chat?.
Rav scowls and gestures toward an empty table.
To distract from the situation, Uriah pulls out his flute and launches himself into a ballad...a bawdy one about seducing non humanoid races and all the fun that can be.
Ravvek tries hard not to break character... but you can see the edges of his mouth twitch ever so slightly...
Scram orders a drink from the bar as Uriah starts talking about the ins and outs of loving 4 legged creatures. Always expanding his education, he was listening quite intently, following the details with pure horror only strong liquor could permanently erase.
"So, what do you mean the ashes are 'gone'? You spilled them accidentally somewheres?" looking over his fake tattoos.
Uriah keeps up his ballad, when it ends he begins a standard form epic poem about the goblinoid races of Faerun and their habits in the boudoir.
Uriah can keep this up all day. Tavern songs are his thing.
Trying unsuccessfully not to smirk at Uriah's fine performance, Raiden manages to get out the same question as Scram, where are the ashes? What, exactly, is this abomination he's going on about?
Uriah’s destraction seems to work as the others are able to sit down with the bald wizard. At the party’s questions, he replies. ”Szass Tamm, the leader of my... the red wizards here in Mulmaster. He took the ashes and used them to create an undead abomination. The gnome now terrorizes the streets and citizens of this cursed city.” he returns his attention to the tattoos in his arms.
Soleil gasps briefly befor returning to her stoic aloof nature. ”We must find him. If we destroy the undead creature, we can burn it and return those ashes to the urn.”
Scram holds back a chuckle "...did you say an undead gnome is terrorizing the city? You can't find a box to lock it inside of?"
Anton raises and eyebrow. Szass Tamm is here? In Mulmaster? That complicates things...
"Terrorize how? Vhat make it undead abomination and not just zombie?"
Ravvek watches quietly, searching the wizard for signs of treachery...
Content that he can find no evidence of skulduggery, the paladin waits for the answer to Sashah's question.
Zayless continues to watch the room for signs of trouble.
Raiden, thinking of just how they might go about resolving this, zones out a bit. When Uriah's tune mentions something about a halfling, a goat, something about a boat...what?, he snaps to. Maybe with a hint of a grin.
Realizing that Sashah actually has a valid and relevant point, he waits for the answer. Mentally, he's preparing for a fight. Heck, war. Yeesh.
”The amount of necrotic energy that the spell consumed to raise the ashes as an undead creature, far surpassed that of any necromancy spell that I have ever witnessed. As to how it rampages through the city, it seems to have control of an additional group of undead under it’s command.” the young man continues rubbing at the tattoos on his hand as he speaks.
Zayless notices Soleil shift uncomfortably when the former red wizard mentions the necrotic energy. She is obviously not comfortable being here.
Sashah interest is obviously peaked by this explanation. "Do know vat spell it vas!?" he asks excitedly. [b]"Vere is zis abomination now?"
Zayless crosses over to Soleil, "I think you and I are both wondering the same thing. Recovering the ashes of the fall might be harder if they have been turned into an undead ash abomination."
Anton turns to the red wizard. Where is this abomination now?
”The spell was far beyond my capeabilities so, no I don’t know. I also cannot know it’s location exactly, but it was recently seen between here and Leaning Boot Tavern.” he is able to give you decent enough directions that you can find this place he speaks of.
Soleil looks at Zayless ”We’ll burn this thing back to ash. That will suffice. It will still be his remains in the urn. The key is we need to hurry and get it done before we get caught by any of these Red Wizard patrols.”
Raiden downs his grog as gathers his courage.
Sashah looks much more excited now.
Once outside Scram hands over the red robe "Here Anton, you're the most bald of us all. Pretend you're in charge, maybe we can cover the distance more quickly."
"Technically I have no hair at all."
Anton glances at Scram, runs his hand through his tightly pulled braid, and mutters I'm also the brownest...no way anyone buys a half-Shou, half-Turami as a pasty Rashemi.
He looks at the robe, hoping it has a hood, shrugs, and puts it on. He tugs at it and stoops a bit to make it look like the robes were made for someone with his frame. He sniffs the robe, and grimaces at the cloying mix of paprika, patchouli, and bat guano.
Let's get this over with.
Zayless nods to Anton. He watches the room as the others prepare to exit and leave.
The party leaves the tavern with purpose. Finding thier way through the streets of Mulmaster is rather difficult due to make shift barricades and collapsed buildings blockinging many paths toward the Leaning Boot. Signs of war all about you from the occasional volley of arrows flying through the air; an errant fireball blast in the sky; to a tribochette load pummeling a nearby building. You navigate these encounters while locating your prey.
The party encounters a Mulmaster city guardsman, Officer Crow, who seems to be on the look out for an escaped prisoner. He describes a man that you recognize from the Thunderbutt tavern. For your help locating the prisoner, her offers directions around the barricades steering you closer to the Leaning Boot.
An emaciated, impoverished woman named A’mais attempts to sell her hair to you. She needs the money to escape Mulmaster and arrange transportation to the village of Lighthouse, near Elventree. Her daughter is there at the orphanage, where it’s safe. With What amounts as a pittance of a donation from you, she is extremely grateful and tells you that she managed to hide from the large group of undead that you described a few hours before. She helps to direct you the best that she can to locate them.
Zayless moves about with little to report. Distracted by the sounds and sights of war going on in the area.
As you are slipping through a cramped alley, you notice a grizzly scene. A pile of dead bodies, druids by the looks of thier shredded garb. Taking a moment to examine the bodies reveals they’ve been mauled by several undead creatures. The Zombie Gnome must been here and he’s not alone.
Scram riffles through the bloody and mangled mess of corpses and limbs, holding up a finger here, sniffing an exposed organ there. To conclude his analysis he makes a stunning proclamation "This is gnome zombie work, I'd bet my life on it."
Sashah silently roots around and studies the corpses with unsettling interest.
Uriah is so distracted by the lack of hair that he forgets to ask the pertinent questions...
I guess Raiden is just overwhelmed.
The party continues, following the clues from those they've helped. twisting and turning down the Mulmaster streets, the signs of war all everywhere to be found. Death and destruction, the never ending sounds of warfare, explosions from stray spells and minor elemental rifts fill the sky. One of you recognizes a flyer that you've seen before and when you all think of it are posted randomly all of the city.
Shadowtop Cathedral Declaration
There has been no sightings of the Red Wizards, but the reality of war and its consequences are ever present. As you continue, the party enters an eerily calm part of the city.
You approach a massive barricade of junk, furniture, old chairs, wagon wheels, and so forth entirely blocking the street—at the top of the pile is a Thayan banner with a large X painted over it. The street is quiet. As you approach, you see some movement on the other side. Mostly men and a few women, armed with crossbows. These are not soldiers or adventurers. They are everyday people of Mulmaster who have decided to take a stand.
A man with long wavy, golden hair stands at the summit of the barricade. He is handsome with a charming smile. He calls out. “We stand for freedom and oppose the tyranny of the High Blades and the Red Wizards. What do you stand for?”
"Knowledge!" Sashah replies, "Zhe most neutral endeavors!"
We stand for wenches, wine and adventure! Uriah proclaims back
and then hastily he adds Oh! Yes, and down with the Red Men in Capes!
We are on your side, if that wasn't clear! Raiden shakes his head.
"Yeah! Seen any gnome zombies around here?!"