|
As before, with excellent teamwork you find your way through this portion of the Labyrinth in a couple of hours, finding it leads to a...
...chamber that is furnished to resemble the parlor of an upscale brothel, but it is covered in a thin layer of dust. Shelves holding various trinkets, ships in bottles, and decorative glassware line the walls. A table and three large chairs, all made of fine mahogany, sit in the southern end of the room. Garlands of dried flowers surround a fancy ceramic urn on the table. To the north, a short flight of stone steps extend to a raised area obscured by an emerald-colored lace curtain. Bronze statues of women in sailor’s garb with hollow eye sockets stand at the base of the dais. Each of the statues is covered in a green patina.
Sad, brooding music fills the chamber, emanating from a quartet of ghostly musical instruments that float several feet off the floor.
|
”Ooo, what a perfect replica of the Emerald Kiss!” Jahz claps his hands together in delight. ”They say it was a infamous den of infamy and vice three centuries ago in Ilizmagorti - but the Spires are much older than that, so it had to be a fairly recent addition.” Intrigued by the song, he tries to hum along for a few bars.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Kahwen is obviously enraptured by this chamber, not so much for the way it hearkens back to sensual delights but because of the nautical decorations.
"Oh yes, I've heard of it. Ol' One Hand Haltor claimed he even visited there when he was a boy. Back when he was Both Hands Haltor," Kahwen says when Jahz points out what the place is.
He cocks his head to the side at the tune.
But he can't quite catch it.
He stares hard at one of the ships in a bottle, obviously weighing his desire to take it with the possibility that swiping anything in this room is going to upset the spirits that clearly inhabit the chamber.
|
|
A ghostly woman, beautiful beyond words, in an elegant yet slightly revealing dress, emerges through the emerald laced curtain. She approaches the party, in particular Jahz and Kahwen, and gives a very graceful curtsy.
”I applaud your refined taste in appreciating my music...you sing the song very well. Who are you and what brings you to the Emerald Kiss?”
|
|
Kahwen jumps a little bit as the woman appears. He quickly puts down the ship in a bottle that he was holding...almost too quickly. It rolls around on the shelf and starts to tumble off before he catches it and sets it back on the stand, properly.
Recovering himself, he bows low to the woman.
He quickly decides it is a bad idea to point out to the woman that she is neither alive, nor in the actual Emerald Kiss. Or at least she's not in the place where it was. With the magic in the world, it's entirely likely the whole establishment, or at least this portion got teleported her.
"I applaud your taste in my taste and your taste in appreciation," he says.
"Unfortunately, we are only passing through and cannot remain to enjoy your establishment or your, undoubtedly exceptional hospitality."
|
Raelene looks at the newcomer and thinks to herself, More ghosts, I feel Sarenrae has set me a challenging mission if I am meant to help each of them find rest.
Aloud she says, "Greetings kind lady. I fear that my education is lacking and I do not recognize either tune or decor. That does not greatly decrease my ability to appreciate both, however. One thing I wish to ask, if I may be so bold, are you here of your own free will? Or would you rather be elsewhere?"
|
|
To Kahwen, she arches an eyebrow, ”Are you now? I think not...”
To Jahz, she smiles. “Nice to meet you, Jahz. I am the Lady Kaelitessa Aruvari Kaviiri, and in life I was a celebrated entertainer and professional paramour of Ilizmagorti. For a short time, I was the favored consort of the pirate-wizard Sempet Sevenfingers, may his black soul be damned!”
And to Raelene, she grins. ”Funny you should ask...I would like to offer you an exchange. I will answer, to the best of my ability, three questions from you now...if you will agree to take my ashes, in yonder urn there, and spread my ashes in the sea. Only then can I truly rest. Do we have an accord?”
|
|
Arnold nods fervently, thinking the deal to be a pretty easy one. He starts jotting down ideas for the three questions. "Some of these aren't as important or relevant to right now."
|
|
Kahwen has found, in his life as a Pathfinder, that he has a particular sympathy for souls which are unable to find their rest. Only Raelene's alacrity in agreeing keeps him from doing so. He wouldn't even have insisted on questions, if the group hadn't started thinking of some.
"I agree with Student Jahz, Friend Arnold. Your last two questions are the best and if she knows what is beyond this chamber or even what else is on this level, that is good information to know," Kahwen says, often casting a glance over his shoulder back at the bound spirit.
|
|
With this advice, Raelene does her best to compose three questions.
"My thanks for your patience Lady Kaviiri. My questions three:
"What should we expect, especially dangers or hazards, beyond this chamber?
"Other than this group, who else has visited or passed through in recent times? We are particularly looking for Taldan twins Alrasus and Naphinia; Zumek, a Kellid warrior; and Yetisiel, an elf; though anyone else would also be of interest.
"We have one among us, this paladin, she says as she gestures to Ilsivinian, who seems to be afflicted in some way. He meets the description of one of the party we came to find and rescue but does not act as he should and previously encountered entities seem to treat him differently. Can you provide any illumination on this issue and tell us what is wrong with him?"
|
|
Lady Kaviiri smiles as she begins to answer your questions. “Most excellent...now for your answers. For the first, a pair of creatures—an ancient spirit and his undying bride—visit me from time to time. They dwell that way.” She points to the corridor leading north. “Careful, dear, I think they might just gobble up someone as tasty as you.
“For the next question, yes, I met the party you describe. Charming guests. They passed through here a short time ago, but have not returned.”
She eyes Ilzinian when you ask the last question. Her gaze lingers on him for a few seconds and she nods and turns back to you. ”Hmmm...he led the party that came through here earlier...as I only recently met him, I cannot tell if he’s acting the way he normally would or not...perhaps he encountered something traumatic that made him act as such...”
She looks back at Ilzinian and curtsies. ”Welcome back, Ilzinian. Where are the rest of your comrades?”
Ilzinian answers, ”イルシヴィニアンです。墓での経験から、シェリンの恵まれ た舌でしかコミュニケーション.”
|
|
Lady Kaviiri shakes her head at Arnold. ”Those are more questions...and I have answered your three already. Our accord has been struck and I have fulfilled my part...make sure you fulfill yours...”
The lady starts to fade away, turning to Ilzinian as she does so. She seems to be muttering something...
...and then she disappears entirely...
|
|
”Huh? What are you on about?” Jahz scans the room for the urn the ghost mentioned as the other Pathfinders discuss something obviously over his head. ”I don’t suppose there’s a window here, is there? Or did she want us to wait until we’re off the Gloomspire to do the emptying of her ashes? That’s very nice of her to assume we’ll be successful!”
|
|
"'Ancient spirit and undying bride," Kahwen mutters. "Next time I'm going to ask for a mission where I have to fight a dragon."
"Well, we knew we were going to be facing undead in here. And now we know we're still headed in the right direction to find our fellow Pathfinders, so that is a good thing," he says, more loudly.
He cocks his head in bemusement as the lovely lady ghost proves she is a woman of her word by refusing to answer additional questions.
He only narrows his eyes suspiciously at her final words, though his focus is on the man-he-is-starting-to-believe-is-actually-Ilzinian-less-and-less.
"She wants us to take her mortal remains with us and spread them when we're off the spires...or at least this one. We can do it on the trip back to the Grinning Pixie." Kahwen goes to get the urn, makes sure it's lid is very secure and then puts it in his pack (assuming it fits.)
Then, he moves to the door and does Performs Rogue Process Alpha.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
As tedious and eerie as navigating these mazes has become, you are obviously becoming more proficient in your ‘spelunking’ as you get through this one in an hour, approaching a corridor that opens up into another chamber...
Three wall-mounted flaming stone braziers illuminate this unfurnished chamber. Lying on the floor in the middle of the chamber are three mangled humanoid bodies—two male humans and a female elf. Gouges and long scratch marks mar all of the walls of this stone room, as well as several areas on the floor and ceiling. A heavy black curtain cordons off the far southwest corner of the chamber.
|
|
"I know a trap when I see one," Kahwen mutters when he sees the mass of bodies in the middle of the floor and the curtain.
"Student Raelene and Student Jahz, please go check on our fallen comrades," he says even as he creeps toward the curtain, being quiet after making that statement and watching out for trouble.
He keeps an eye on the ceiling, too since something has been high enough to gouge it.
|
|
As you move forward, you confirm the bodies are obviously the rest of of Jaohd Ilzinian’s Pathfinder companions.
A closer look reveals that the bodies are covered with spices and seasonings (doused with wine and fish oil and covered with coriander, shaved nutmeg, molasses, and sugar). A cursory check determines these Pathfinders were killed by a combination of claw and bite attacks, as well as lacerations from a longsword.
As soon as you discover this, Ilzinian speaks loudly, and in Common, for the first time since you've met.
"Honey, I'm home! And I've brought dinner!"
You turn to look in horror as he brings down his magical sword, Ether's Kiss, to bear on Arnold...
...and it connects solidly to the surprised wayang...
At the same moment, you see a phantom-like creature emerge from the drawn curtains. All within the room fight a compulsion to babble incoherently upon its sight...
COMBAT! Round 1 - The bold may post!
Mykel
Kahwen
Jahz
Raelene
Ilzinian
Phantom?
Arnold (-11)
Boftil
|
|
”Pathfinders! This is not the first time we have been betrayed, and just as we have always prevailed before, we will triumph once more! The ghosts of the past cannot stand against the march of the future - not show them your steel!” Ghostly light flickers around the Pathfinders’ weapons, including the spear the half-orc draws.
|
|
Raelene identifies the malignant phantom of shadows boils in the air as an Allip and calls on Saranrae to bring the pain...
Jahz also recognizes the undead phantom and sings a weapon song to help overcome the incorporeal creature...
COMBAT! Round 1 - The bold may post!
Mykel
Kahwen
Jahz
Raelene
Ilzinian
Allip (-4)
Arnold (-11)
Boftil