Brag considers the creature.
"I don't know where he's from."
Thurl leans forward with intense interest in his eyes, ”A spirit has become attached to you specifically? How interesting! Of course I would like to learn about him.” Thurl Lena’s back and contemplates the specifics of how such a binding might work to include all these disparate relics as well. As he ponders a shocked look comes across his face as he realizes how far she must have travelled with these objects attached to her and his opinion of her is raised and his thoughts turn to her well-being. ”Of course I will do what I can to help with whichever of you is willing,“ he says as he looks a little sheepishly at the others, “Although I didn’t really contribute much to your rescue just now.”. Thurl then waits for her to expound more.
”Oh, he’s from the Swaying Lantern Monastery in the Shattered Range far to the east of here. . I have heard of them from my studies with the monks in Absalom.” Thurl repeats this information in Polyglot for Lem then turns to address the ghost...
Thurl’s voice takes on a crystalline clarity as he speaks with the ghost that is soothing and gentle.
”Tell me brother, how do we release you from your torment?”
Lem stares at the ghost menacingly, with an eye toward understanding as well.
To Thurl, she says,
------------------
The monastery is loosely associated with Kurgess and Irori, as many martial arts academies across Golarion are.
1/10 Attempts to question
The ghost draws back at being addressed directly, but listens to Thurl's words. His voice gurgles as he speaks and says, "My body... destroy... my other body...it still lives..."
3/10 Attempts
Lem is unable to menace the ghost, for what being would fear a weapon, no matter how oversized, if it could not strike an insubstantial ghost?
Arbaro waits patiently for the haunt before he asks any questions.
Maybe the answer to this question will help me form question number 2
While he listens, he also attempts to detect the ghost's alignment and magic.
If we're going to help this woman, I need all the information I can get.
"Where is your second body?"
"What form does it take so that we may know how to destroy it?"
Thurl awaits the answers from the other's questions as he formulates another. He turns to Roccavisk and asks quietly as Arbaro and Bragoleb speak, "Where was the ship in which you found him and could you tell what kind of cargo it carried or even the ship's origin?"
"Before we ask any more questions to the ghost, I have a spell I can cast on you before each question that will help guide you to a better outcome."
Arbaro cast Guidance on anyone who's going to ask questions to the ghost.
#3- Where is your second body?
The ghost shivers, his metal armor clanking eerily. "It's cold... so cold... hard to breathe the thin air... and my hand... where is my hand?" He clutches his obviously still there hand.
#4- What form does the body take?
The ghost steps back in fear. "Undying corpse... hungry for the living... to keep from dying again."
To Thurl, Roccavisk says, "I remember little more than what was spoken. The shock of seeing his husk of a corpse, and the subsequent haunting of his spirit, are all I remember. I searched the ocean floor where the ship sank for weeks, but found only these four relics. If you could survive the depths I would take you there myself to search again."
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"Ok, here is what we know so far. Roccavisk is haunted by Slimer. Slimer bound himself to her and the objects when she came upon the shipwreck." Counting on his fingers and then pointing at the four objects around them.
Anchor, Oar, Astrolabe, and Bell
"The only way to free Slimer is to right whatever wrong killed him. Probably destroying his second body. The body is located somewhere cold, is missing a hand, and somewhere with thin air. Also, the body is undead and feeding on the living. I think our best shot at finding the body would be to have Roccavisk take us back to the shipwreck and find more clues as to what direction it was headed."
"Slimer, what drove you to haunt? Why didn't you're spirit pass on?"
Maybe who or what killed him the first time?
After his answer Arbaro whips his head around at looks at Roccavisk, remembering.
"Did Slimer bite or injure you in any way when his spirit was still attached to his body?"
It wouldn't do to have her suddenly turn undead on us. Us? Who is us? It's just me and three random people.
To the group:
"We need to check the bodies, maybe his body already here? Surely it cannot be that easy though. Oh, right, the circle. We'll have to wait until we've asked our questions to investigate."
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Thurl nods along as Arbaro speaks in silent agreement and signals Arbaro for his spell before speaking his next question to the ghost, his voice again taking on a soft gentleness, ”How do we separate you from this lady, brother, even if it means taking on your haunting ourselves?”
Thurl sits up in the middle of asking his question with sudden inspiration, and stumbles over his phrasing. After he listens intently he says to the rest of the group, ”I know it’s a quite a leap, but what if he’s back in the Shattered Range? He said it’s cold and the air is thin, a mountain seems to make the most sense to me. We need to ask why he was killed and by whom.”
#5- What drove "Slimer" to haunt and not pass on
The ghost looks around aimlessly. "The aching despair... why did I die?... Want to pass on... yet still here..."
Roccavisk stiffens and rolls her eyes at Arbaro's question. "Of course not. Though I would not expect a block of granite like yourself to recognize speed when he sees it."
#6- How to separate the ghost from the merfolk?
With his glaive, the ghost points to the four objects. "The four relics keep me... not her..."
Lem gestures invitingly to Arbaro and upon receiving guidance...
Lem yells with incoherent rage at the ghost's plight with no apparent effect.
Roccavisk points at Lem and says, "Your barefoot dwarf is angry."
still fuming, Lem better articulates his rage with a little "guidance" again.
Lem hefts his earth shaker in 1 hand, and gently taps the haft onto his other hand, ready for action.
I might be slow, but if we each take an object, that will free her. Then we'll still have to deal with the undead body in the mountains. I think that's doable if we can find him.
"The Shattered Range is a big place."
Arbaro turns to Slimer.
"Where in the Shattered Range would your body probably go?"
#8- Who killed you?
The ghost looks around, searching for the answer. "Was not killed... in an honest fight... powerful magics... from afar... did not see..."
"Have you tried feeding him?" Roccavisk asks the others about Lem. "He looks a little thin."
------------------
Thurl leans forward and speaks directly to the Ghost for the last time in his clear distinct voice, "What is your name, brother?"
#10- What's your name?
The ghost pauses.
The ghost puffs out his chest and stands tall, glaive in a salute.
The ghost opens his mouth.
"My name....is..."
"...Slymr."
With that, the ghost's spirit disappates into the four relics in the circle. Roccavisk slides over the sand, breaking the circle.
Arbaro picks up the oar to study it.
"I guess we should go check the bodies of the redead back there, but these items need our attention first."
He attempts to detect if they are magic or just housing Slymr.
Brag detects evil on the four items.
The bodies of the draugr each have a greataxe, studded leather, and 100 gp in various currencies across western Garund. They also give a faint aura of evil that is of a different flavor than is traditionally associated with undead.
If Lem is able to affix a battleaxe to his pack, he would grab one, if it's too impractical though he would just stick with his hammer.
Lem grabs a battleaxe and, due to his immense strength, is able to carry it without any difficulty.
Roccavisk looks at the group and says, "The ritual I performed alerts evil to our presence like a shark to blood. If each of the relics were distributed to you four instead of my single soul the evil scent might diminish. Will you bear a relic? Do not pick one lightly."
Seeing that the bodies do not have any items of value to him, Arbaro lets the others take the axes, leather, and only keeps a handful of gold for himself to meet his few needs.
"Looks like the items are just being haunted, just a faint aura of necromancy, nothing extra special about them. Who wants what? I'm thinking the oar will fit nicely in my quiver."
.
Thurl dismisses the weapons and armor as irrelevant but takes his share of the coin.
Thurl looks over the draugr to see if he can determine what killed them in their previous life.
Thurl looks over the items with interest, inspecting for any more information concerning their location of origin.
After looking them over, Thurl selects the astrolabe for further study, his interest having been piqued.
Thurl stands and looks at the others and says, ”Well my new friends, we come to a crossroad. I am willing to journey to put this poor soul to rest. Do you feel the same? Good, good. Then we have some work to do. We know that this man named Slymr came from the Swaying Lantern Monastery in the Shattered Range. We know he was traveling by sea when he (and his vessel one can assume) were attacked, possibly targeted personally, by magical means from a distance and then his body was used to bring forth an undead creature which now resides in a cold local with very thin air. His soul now resides in these artifacts. I posit that we should either try to approach the wreck to uncover any information that might lay there or head to the Swaying Lantern Monastery to see if we can find out why he was attacked or where his body might reside now.”
The oar is wooden and unremarkable.
The broken astrolabe was of fine make (before being rusty from saltwater), likely from Absalom or another large city with expert craftsman.
The barnacled anchor is stamped with "Naif Allsmith, Riddleport, AR 4694 [25 years ago]."
The bell, through the layer of verdigris, was once copper, but you cannot make out any engraving, if there was any; it was likely used in both religious ceremonies and nautical notifications.
The barnacled anchor and the verdigris bell remain.
After the others have picked their poison. Arbaro says:
"I'm not a great swimmer but a vessel of some making would be appropriate. We've got a good bit of gold here from the bodies, we could probably find someone here at Paradon's to take the 5 of us. Assuming Roccavisk wants to come with us to point the way."
While Arbaro is talking, oar in hand, he gestures unconsciously, using the oar as a pointer.
"There is a strange but faint evil on these undead. They are evil unlike any I've encountered before. Where there is evil to be destroyed and souls to save, I'm all in."
Brag picks the smaller of the two remaining items, the verdigis encrusted bell.
"Before we depart on this quest, I'll need to gather my weapons and supplies. When do we leave?" He speaks in common and halfling.
Thurl turns to Lem with horror on his face and says,
... He then translates for Arbaro as well and tells him that he ends up with the anchor, if willing.
After inspecting the Draugr, Thurl says to all in the area, in common and polyglot, "Looks like these undead were just incidental, only attracted to the aura of these artifacts."
While waiting on the others to consider their options, Brag pulls Thurl aside and diplomatically talks to him.
"Thurl, If I'm not greatly mistaken, you're a highly intelligent teacher. Do you think you could teach me the polyglot language? And perhaps teach my friend, Lem, the common language? I think it would relieve some miscommunication. And, if we get into another tight spot, we might remove keep us safer. I can understand the words to any language, but cannot understand unlying meanings or speak anything but common and halfling, which Lem helped teach me. What do you think?"
Roccavisk says to Arbaro, "I fear nothing. I shall lead you."
To Bragoleb, "Gather them quickly, and whatever means you need to survive the deeps. As for myself..."
She draws her short sword and then flashes the mirror from some long-lost shipwreck on her vest at the sky, and a small shower of rain falls onto her.
"I am ready." she says. I had forgotten how hot and dry the surface is. "But make haste. The infernal creatures will be on us soon."
Lem grabs the Anchor.
This will be grand, and these seem worthy companions! Lem is visibly joyful about embarking with an extra bounce in his step.
Lem pauses to consider the preceding thoughts voiced.
Brag says to Roccavisk, "I fear nothing as well. It's kind of a Paladin thing. We four shall serve you well. Iomedae will guide my arrows. Speaking of arrows, I need to gather them and other gear for this adventure. I will return quickly."
Brag heads off to gather his weapons and supplies, including some specialty arrows.
The anchor weighs 15 lbs.
The harbor at Pridon's Hearth is closed for the night. As you check the schedule, you see that the next big ship coming from Eleder is in...
one day, tomorrow. Eleder should have no problem finding passage into the Arcadian Ocean.
There are also smaller craft that locals use to fish the river and the nearby coast. You can rent, buy, or steal one (or more) as your needs are fit. You can see prices of passage or buying a whole ship here.
There are also wands of water breathing (11,250 gp) or various other spells you can purchase in town.
"I'll go see if we can get a cheap ride to the shipwreck."
Once on his own, Arbaro locates a local to arrange a ride or buy a small boat. Maybe someone is a follower of Erastil and will lend me his boat for this outing. Deadeye works in mysterious ways.
Seeing that Bragoleb clearly wants a private word, Thurl goes with him and listens intently to his request. When Bragoleb finishes, his eyes light up, his whole face curves into a smile and says, "I would gladly teach you what I know of polyglot. I love the way the different dialects are all intelligible once you learn the roots. In fact..." He trails off as it appears that everyone has made up their mind.
As it seems that everyone else is decided, Thurl nods and says, "Then let us find a vessel to take us to Eledar and we will be on our way, there we can provision ourselves as needed I think. I hate to leave this new land so quickly but we must be willing to change our minds in order for them to grow."
Once the plan is decided, Thurl grabs the other items of worth off of the undead and says, "We shall have need of funds, let us make use of what we have here. "
Chagga and Cabala Rainrush are the local halflings who run the longboats up and down the river, fishing the nearby waters with their children. Once morning comes they are welcoming to Arbaro, but do not follow Erastil.
"Erastil is welcome here, as are all the good gods, but our worship is directed toward Iomedae these few years past. We used to worship Gozreh, as many do, but when a paladin saved our daughter from drowning, we saw how Iomedae's ways are- Oh, did you say Bragoleb? You know him? This boat is for him? Well, why didn't you say so to begin with! He can take any boat he wants."
The longboat the Rainrushes show you is more like a big canoe, capable of holding four people, but not much else. The rest of their vessels are just as small or smaller.
The price of passage to Eleder is 20 gp per passenger. Swim fins give 10' swim speed but 5' land speed.
Roccavisk gives Lem a long, cold stare.
She sheathes her sword and says in Common, "Since you seem intent on staying one more night here, I will be under the docks at dawn. Sleep well. But be on your guard; the ritual to speak with the ghost draws horrors to it like blood to a shark."
She slides down the sand and into the ocean.
Brag returns fully armed and supplied for their quest. Hearing of Rocca's warning, he seeks for any signs of evil he can detect across the water and the docks before settling in for the night and taking his turn at the watch.
In Halfling, he asks Lem, "What did she say to you that she seemed a little short, I mean upset, about?"
Arbaro cast keep watch on himself and stands guard on the beach near he spot of the ritual.
Turning to Brag:
Lem Yawns and starts looking around.
Come to think of it Rocca did seem a little cranky, oh well.
...Where's a good place to sleep? ...
"There's some hammocks in the trees behind the beach. We'll have a clear view of the beach and the docks from there. We can take turns standing watch. I think Arbaro will go first."
Thurl sees his new companions settling in for the long haul on the beach and says, ”I would be willing to stay here, but master Ood has offered me accommodations at the monastery here, I’m sure he would allow us all to spend one evening there. Oh, unless you are concerned about more undead wandering around town looking for us in the night.”. Thurl ponders a moment and responds to his own ruminations, ”Ok, let’s stay here. Apparently Arbaro is taking the first watch. Bragoleb second, Lem third and I’ll take the last watch. Sound good?” Thurl repeats his ruminations in Polyglot for Lem.
Thurl plants himself on the beach, calms his mind and meditates on all he has learned this day. After completing his ritual, he selects a nice cozy hammock and settles in for the night with his pack on the ground next to him. His meditation allows him to go right to sleep.