Varook escorts Leena towards the area of magic, his swords still out and ready!
She smiles at his company and gently rests a hand on his elbow as though he was leading her into a dance.
The area of magic is right where you are - it looks like the compartments in the walls that house the dead may have a few objects of value if you were to spend the time to go through them and locate the source of the auras.
She looks at Alak to see if he's going to stop her. If he doesn't, she starts searching - respectfully - among the remains.
Alak grimaces a little but finally sighs. [b]"The bodies are long-abandoned, and you are using them for a good cause. I will speak in your favour. It is clearly not appropriate that we disturb the dead, but these objects can be used to restore the keep to its former glory which is of greater value."{/b]
With Alak's reluctant permission to loot the joint, you do just that and find a true bounty of magical items among the various coffins and the sepulcher:
Within the sepulcher are the items of power interred with the dead hellknights of note. Alak has you promise to remember their names as you take their gear.
With Omari's natural tendency with arcane magic, they can identify the items with around an hour's work:
Xera Dalphine carries bracers of missile deflection.
Master of Blades Renten Visilli carries a feather step stone.
Paravicar Yenesta contains a monkey pin.
Paralictor Loreen Sinelle contains doubling rings.
In the southern hall you find 12 gold worth of various bracers, rings, and amulets as well as a wand of heal.
"Lord Killjoy, what are these titles? Who were these people?" As much as Raff likes to poke fun at Alak, he is still very respectful of the dead.
"Yes, Alak. What can you tell me about them? I could compose a ballad of their deeds, if you wish."
Alak smirks at Raff's line but seems genuinely touched by Aramil's offer. "I admit I don't know them all in detail. Xera Dalphine's story has some reknown thought - note that she is interred in such a place of honour despite not passing the rank of signifier."
He looks out into the dark crypt and the recently reburied dead. "The Order of the Nail seeks to quell savagery and civilize brutal lands. When we relocated to Varisia you can imagine it was controversial. It was clear the Korvosans wanted us to aid them in their war against their endless battles with the Shoanti. Xera was opposed to this, but knew her place, and instead volunteered to stay behind with the skeleton crew that was to maintain Citadel Altaerin. This cut her off from her order, and stymied her career.
"The people of Breachill were... unhappy to lose their protectors and cornerstone of their economy. They felt abandoned and the remaining Hellknights who stayed behind were not treatly kindly by the community. Nonetheless, she did her duty because she loved Isger and its people, and knew she had to protect them."
He goes to her now-opened sepulcher, and looks at the date. "4709, just a decade ago. The Severed Hand - orcs from Cheliax were opportunists that raided their way through the outlying towns looking for the correct target. They saw Breachhill for what it was - a wealthy town that was insulated from the wars and without their traditional protectors. At that point, Xera was the last Hellknight in the Citadel overseeing a ruin she could not maintain herself. Her hired scouts caught wind, and it was her who organized the town's defences and fought the siege which lasted maybe two weeks. Without her planning the town would have surely fallen. Finally, she broke the siege by asking for single combat with Rothlok the Fat - the brutal leader of the orcs. The battle was said to be spectacular, but she slew him with a glaive to the neck breaking the siege, and the spirit of the orcs who fled Isger. But Xera fell too - although she won the fight she perished of her wounds in the coming weeks. She died for Breachhill, for Isger, for the Citadel, and for the Order. She did her duty. After she fell, the Citadel became abandoned and fell into its current state."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Raff focuses his attention on the sepulcher. "Well we should get her back in here and reseal the...." He doesn't finish his thought. "And get a priest up here to say some...." he motions with his hands, but again can't quite get the words out. "Inspiring. Maybe rebuild this place..." at this point he stops trying and goes off into a corner obviously wrought with emotion, but too ashamed to let it show. "Stupid Lord Killjoy and the knights."
Aramil nods. "The citizens of Breachill would likely be welcoming of a ballad to her, as well. I will have to take care to make sure my ballad honors her sacrifice and heroism. Perhaps there are those in town who can tell me more of her battle with Rothlok the Fat."
Lenna listens attentively to the tale, eyes wide.
Quietly, she says, ”Those are the bracers of a true hero, Raff. She will keep you safe.”
Varook listens to the story the Hellknight tells and then looks to the rings he was just handed.
"Who's was these?" he asks holding out his hand with the rings sitting together on his palm.
Later, when he and Leena are away from the main group he speaks to her.
"These Hellknights...they always were mean to me and forcing me to do bad things or else...but maybe some are not like that? Could a few actually be decent people?"
It seems to be a very hard question for him to come to grips with, and he continues to cast glances over towards Alak, as if unsure of their companion.
Paralictor Loreen Sinelle contains doubling rings.
She nods and says quietly, ”I think maybe some are not mean, after all. I always thought they must not allow nice people in. They are all very serious and everything is about the law.... Maybe it’s the laws that are not nice.”
She walks over to Alak and sticks out a tiny hand. ”You don’t know, and don’t need to know, but I have had some very bad times at the hands of the Order of the Nail. It made me wonder what you would be like to fight alongside. I understand more now - and I am glad we have you fighting with us, especially here in this place so important to you. Thank you.”
Alak grimly shakes Lenna's tiny hand. "Thank you for understanding. The Hellknights are... complicated. Law means politics, and it means differences. But I know our goals are right. Carving civilization out of nothing - it is the greatest cause. Come, let's see what corrupted this place."
He looks to Varook as you get ready to try the last door in the dungeon. "Paralictor Loreen Sinelle. I'm afraid I do not know her story but perhaps we can find it. I am curious because I have heard her name mentioned a few times but not what happened - or why she was interred with such high honour. Paralictors are mid-ranking officers so her deed must have been significant."
You make your way to the last doors in the dungeon, and after a quick listen, open up.
Rows of large, metal-and-stone lockboxes line the winding walls of this storeroom, as do occasional shelves and what look like filing cabinets intended for the storage of documents. The lockboxes hang ajar, having been opened and emptied long ago. A set of obvious tracks in the dusty floor suggest someone recently moved about in here. A pile of ashes and a few melted candle stubs lie atop a low table in the center of the room.
Alak's eyes go wide as he steps in and he quickly starts searching through the lockboxes. "It must be here... this is the place..."
Raff enters the room and stands to the side, letting Lord Killjoy look for whatever it is he's looking for.
Omari raises his weapon and enters cautiously, eyes open for any threat.
Aramil moves over to the pile of ashes and begins poking through the debris, seeing if there are any intact pieces of whatever was burned that might indicate what it was.
"Lenna, can you find out where those tracks go?"
"Yes, let's find out."
Omari looks over the ashes and melted candles, and they're fairly sure this was some sort of magical ritual.
After settling himself, ALak makes his way carefully around the vault, searching a few key places. You search with him, going through everything that hasn't already been looted.
During your search you find:
- a scroll of darkness
- a scroll of darkvision
- a scroll of heal
- a scroll of magic missile
- a holy symbol of two faces in profile
After a few moments, he reverently pulls a small box out of the vault with a false bottom. He pulls a key from his belt, unlocks the box, and finds his family signet ring on a bed of crushed velvet.
He goes completely quiet as he produces the ring and looks at it, before slipping it onto his finger.
The trail appears to lead through the north door. The room beyond is a storage room of some kind - with a large tunnel that has been dug into the wall leading into the depths of the earth.
"Where does this go?"
You take a while to look over the tunnel which is a good 6' wide - enough for most people to walk through comfortably. It is also old, and only after Omari looks at it to they confirm that the tunnel has been carved by magic. However, the tracks evidence it has been used somewhat recently. It is sturdy and straight and seems to go on for a long ways in the direction of town.
Alak continues to look over the ring, smiling openly. "I remember sitting on my father’s lap and turning this ring on his finger when I was but a boy," the maralictor says, his voice solemn, rich, and deep. "Thank you for reuniting me with those memories, my friends. You have the Order of the Nail’s gratitude—and mine."
"Mite I suggest you put the shiny ring away, Lord Killjoy, and focus on the mortal peril we seem to be in? By the way, were you trying to be funny earlier or are you actually a good time at parties? When we get back to town, I'll want to find out."
"You're quite welcome, Alak. Now, should we see where this tunnel goes?"
Aramil takes the scrolls and says, "I can use three of these without an issue - and I might be able to figure out how to decipher the other."
"I too can use all of the scrolls except the Healing one, although I suspect they will be of more use in your hands. May I see that holy symbol?"
Alak actually laughs as Raff continues needling him. He puts the ring away tenderly. "Permit me some sentimentality. And no, I'm not fun at parties - but I suppose I can learn."
Omari identifies the holy symbol of Alseta. The Taldan goddess of doorways and portals. Omari also recognizes from their elven heritage that Alseta is the patron deity of the aiudara; elf gates.
The tunnel yawns before you, heading deep into the earth.
"Give me some light. I'll take the lead."
After studying the holy symbol Omari speak up "Interesting. This is the symbol of Alseta, Taldan goddess of doorways and portals, and elven goddess of elf gates. What would a hellknight be doing as one of her followers?" They direct the question to Alak.
Varook looks down the tunnel and listens to try and determine what might lie down the strange passage.
Perception:
You take a while to stare down the tunnel and it seems just... well, boring and unoccupied. It is very dark inside.
[ooc]I think eveyrone has that starting five torches.
Aramil held a lantern high. "Shall we venture forward?"
"Yes, let's."
The tiny archer readies her bow and waits for the rest of the party as she looks into the darkness.
You strike out into the tunnel. It doesn't take long to realize that the tunnel is heading straight to Breachill. The journey is uneventful - nothing horrible has set up shop here and instead the tunnel is clean and easy to get through.
Finally, the tunnel comes to an abrupt end. In your lanternlight you see a trap door overhead.
"Well this is truly interesting. Why is there a tunnel all the way to the fort from the town? Well, let's go up and see where this comes out, shall we!"
Quietly, Varook opens the trapdoor and peers around.
Perception:
The trap door rattles like there's something placed on top of it and a fter a bit of finagling with it, you manage to open it up without breaking anything.
It opens into... a larder. You hear the sound of merriment and music in the distance. The larder is absolutely crammed with various pickles. Cucumber, cauliflower, carrots, eggs, chicken feet, beans - but particularly pickled pigs' ears. The shelves are loaded with them.
If you didn't know any better, you'd say you're in the Pickled Ear tavern in Breachill.
As you pile out from the trap door, Alak looks around in great confusion.
"Well this is improper."
"A smuggler's tunnel, I'm sure. But whose?" Raff cautiously makes his way out of the tunnel and has a brief look around. "Now where's the stairs up?"
"But why would Hellknights build a smuggler's tunnel? It makes no sense. Was the keep commissioned by Hellknights originally, or did they take it from a previous owner?" Omari asks Alak.
"Hellknights wouldn't. It would appear we need to have a chat with the owner of the Pickled Ear."
”I imagine the tunnel is newer. I think it was created well after the departure of the hellknights. Would the goblins have made it? If so, why would they not use it - or tell us about it when we are going to help them?”
"They might not have known about it. The Bumblebrashers confined their lair to the northern rooms - I suspect they weren't too comfortable with venturing into the crypts."
As you stand in the store room discussing the tunnel, which from your earlier assessment seems to be quiet old and little-used, the store room door swings open.
A gnomish man wanders in, grabs a jar of pigs ears, and then does a complete double-take as he sees the six of you in the room.
"Wha?! What the - I mean -... ahem. Madams and sirs, this is a room for EMPLOYEES ONLY please return to the main tavern floor and we can take your order."
Aramil smiles and says, "I'm sure it is, and we didn't intend to come here, but there appears to be a nice long passageway from the catacombs of Citadel Altarein to the basement here in the Pickled Ear. You wouldn't happen to know how it came to be here, would you?"
"You know, we would like to have a word with the proprietor, if we may?"
The gnome stares at you in confusion, about ready to yell at you again until Aramil's sexy sexy half-elf voice manages to calm him down.
"I er uh... one moment. I don't know nothing about no trapdoor!"
He quickly flees the room, and after a moment the owner shows up. Roxie is a large, muscular woman with a shock of red hair with a no-nonsense expression.
"Look I don't know nothing about any trap door, but the last thing I need is more s@~@ to deal with. So how about you close it, get out of here, and I get the sheriff to make sure nothing unpleasant comes out of whatever the hell this tunnel is. The last thing I need is adventurers in my pantry."
As she speaks, Raff picks up immediately that she's not being completely truthful. She knows about the trap door.