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The time off between missions for agents of the Pathfinder Society is never long enough, and your time in the great city of Absalom is spent quite quickly. For a long time, you have had suspicions that this is done mostly on purpose by the venture captains, so that you are never grown too accustomed to a warm meal or a soft bed before you adventure into the consuming darkness that certainly awaits you at your destination.
The letter from Adril Hestram comes late in the afternoon, to set up a meeting with the veteran dungeon delver in his quarters at the Grande Lodge. Adril is a bear of a man, standing well over six feet tall, and you find him doing push ups in his study. He stop's as you come inside, and smirks, "There ye are. You're late, oh wait, no you're not! Come in, come in. You haven't gotten sloppy during your time off? Pietro, has your gut gotten bigger? Ha! Anyone care for an arm wrestle?" The man sits down on his large chair, and offers up his right arm as a challenge, you can see his building muscles pop from his rather formal Venture Captain attire.
The captain settles down, "Let's get down to business!" and begins whistling a small tune to "I'll Make a Man Out of You," before pressing on. "An old friend of mine reached out to me a few weeks ago, asking for my assistance with a small delve... so I told her I was retired! Ha! Only joking."
He quits his more jovial temper and turns serious. "It's an expedition, to retrieve an item of power a the tomb of an old civilization. That friend of mine requested assistance in securing and safeguarding it against those who would use it for ill among her own people. Her name's Aiyana, but she'll tell you the rest of her story. Before you meet her, though, I want you to know she's taken great risk upon herself several times on the Society's behalf. So, it's the least I could do to help her in return. I'd trust her with my life. And, I've trusted her with the lives of many others in the past."
"She is very good at smuggling people in and out of Nidal, and never makes it easy to find her. I have made arrangements for you to travel to the Atteran Ranches in northern Nidal. You must leave this note," he hands you a loosely tied scroll, "with the church of Desna, and meet with Aiyana on the next moon."
"Any questions?"
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Noooooope. Pretty sure I couldn't wrestle your arm with all four of my limbs helping me push at once.
Telos listens intently only to discover that they're only getting partial directions in Absalom.
Sure, so you owe this lass a favor. I'd love to hear the stories about the trouble she got you... err, I mean "us" out of. But, more immediately, any hints about the specific ancient civilization? Azlanti?Or better yet, the specific item? Who are her alleged foes that we need to keep it from? Any info on them?
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A dark skinned male walks in, he takes off his covering to reveal a bald head and a beaming smile. "Have you guys seen a stuck up paladin type? I was sposed to relieve him." He reaches out his hand in greeting, "Darven's the name. Pathfinder, Soldier, Expedition Leader. Among many other things."
"ah. Adril. I would love to try yah" Darven drops his bag and shield by the door and sits down across from the man.
"Adril. I think its time to get back to da field" Darven says laughing.
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Adril takes up the challenge with a smiles, but quickly finds out that he is not as young as he used to be. "Aaaaah well done Draven, good man! Eh, i'm not as young as i once was, but i am glad the society has strong members! Ah-aha!"
"Why do people need to be smuggled in and out?"
"If you didn't know, Nidal is a harsh country. The Umbral Court holds sway and their cruelty is so entrenched in the worship of Zon-Kuthon, that they brook no other faiths that might challenge them. It didn't use to be that way. Long ago, the Atteran horselords roamed the plains and defended their clans against all kinds of raiders from the mountains above and the caverns below. Gozreh was theirpatron, as he provided the life-giving rains to grow the grain to feed them and their livestock. But these days, the land is dark and the people are left to fend for themselves."
"Aiyana has had an active part in helping the Society smuggle 'heretics', ehhh...Desna worshipers... out of Nidal before agents of the Umbra Court can root them out and make an example of them." He pauses for a moemnet before continuing, "But what a lot of people don't know, is that we haven't just been smuggling Desnans out of Nidal. The Society has also played a part in smuggling them in."
"Which is how you will be making your way inside."
He see's that you still might have some questions, so he explains further. "Nidal is of particular interest to the Society. You have a keen mind, Master Telos, after all, the county has many of the oldest recorded histories prior to Earthfall. The tomb Aiyana seeks is one of the oldest among the barrowmounds. I have no doubt it too will have many mysteries to understand and lots of lore to recover. The kind that might make a new chapter for you in the Pathfinder Chronicles, perhaps."
So much detailed information surprises you, as you never expected Adril Hestram, of all the Venture Captains to be so knowledgeable about the rest of the world. But the man is obviously just as interested in the lore that surrounds him, as he is with keeping his incredibly strong muscles. One of the very positive traits that all Society Venture Captains share, and great aspirations to have.
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Seward grimaces I really am paying some sort of awful past life penance off aren't I. As if the dank basements of Thornkeep weren't a big enough Death trap I now have to spend time in the realm of Nightmare Lord?
The ranger shivers, taking his owl companion with him.
He pointedly does not greet the new member of the group
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"Ah, greetings to you as well, Seward. You're skills with the bow are unrivaled, and will come very useful for whatever your team encounters in Nidal. That, and you make for some good banter, i've heard." The Captain laughs at the last point, and goes back to answering Darven's question. "The Society has been spreading their influence through the Desnan clerics for some time, but i cannot say that we are on good terms with the Umbral Court. I would encourage you to keep your heads down until you rendezvous with Aiyana."
He turns back to the ranger, "When did you get an owl? Does it have a name?"
Looking around, he also grins at Pietro, "It's not like you to keep your tongue to yourself, Pietro Slaszval the Boisterous? What's wrong, cat got your tongue man?" Adril hopes that using the cleric's full title would get some sort of reaction.
...
Satisfied with the assembled party, Adril Hestram provides the group with directions on how to get to Nidal, and what connections to follow once there. A few short weeks of travel by horseback, and the group makes its way into the Land of Shadows.
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The journey into Nidal takes you a few weeks, but the time passes quickly as you are among good friends. You change horses a few times in small remote country towns, before taking a small raft along the Usk River to a small town of Rivercroft under the guise of fishermen. The small fishing town of Rivercroft, with a population of about three hundred, making its living by netting fish at the juncture of the Usk and Gjurn rivers, while also maintaining two toll bridges over the shallows of each waterway. Even during day time, the skies are dark and clouded with menacing looking storms.
On the southern waterway, you make contact with a Desnan priest, who spots the sigil of the Open Road on Darven's wayfinder. You pass the note to her, and she eventually takes you past a ranchhouse, around the stable, and then to a cellar door near one of the grainhouses on the outskirts of the town. "We use this place to shelter from windstorms sometimes," the cleric explains, "But, as you might suspect, it serves an alternate purpose, as well." She opens the door and then leads all of you below into the pitch dark cellar. Near the back wall, he depresses a switch and a secret door opens, emerging into a larger underground space. She taps three times on the wooden framework, *tap* *tap-tap*, then does a small bow before leaving you alone in the darkness.
...
"Watch your head. Careful you don't hit it on the crossbeam..." An amused voice, feminine and soft echoes through the darkness. A few more words of murmured magic fills the small room and a bluish light begins to emanate from a small globe clutched in a pair of gloved hands. It barely illuminates the slender, hooded figure standing in the middle of the cellar near a low wooden table and a pile of sacks filled with grain. She places the glowing sphere on top of one of the sacks and then draws back her hood.
"Greetings, heroes of the Land Above. I'm eager to know more about you. Adril speaks highly of your prowess and your skills. I'm Aiyana of Lyrudrada." The young lady appears before you with pale gray skin and perfectly white hair, but the youthful countenance of a human no older than twenty summers. Her azure blue eyes sparkle with a much older wisdom, however, and she smiles pleasantly as she regards each of you in turn. "Please, be seated. I'm sure you're all wondering why I would call you here." She gestures toward the small table and a sack cloth tarp covering much of the cellar floor. Behind you, the secret door shuts on its own after a few moments.
"Thank you for agreeing to this meeting," she begins, "Adril has told me of your exploits, and my people have need of your abilities. As I said, my name is Aiyana, and I hail from the city of Lyrudrada underneath the southern reaches of your Mindspin Mountains." Aiyana speaks a few words of magic and a soft image begins to grow in the middle of the room...an illusion, to be sure, but an artistic one, revealing the dimly-lit spires of an underground cavern complex. "The people of my city...the caligni, or dark folk, as you call us...have long been capricious and unpredictable, but of late they have fallen under the malign influence of a cult called the Reborn...an organization which I fear has dangerous plans, not just for my homeland, but potentially yours, as well."
"You see, the Reborn seek a powerful artifact to aid them in their plans of conquest. It is called the Cradle of Night. While we know very little about this magical treasure, other than it played a role in the formation of my kind millennia ago, it's said that it can manipulate energy drawn directly from the Plane of Shadow. My peoples’ history is riddled with conflicts, and it shames me to admit that we, as a culture, have never excelled at preserving our ancestral lore. Specific details about the Cradle of Night have been lost, but my allies in Lyrudrada have divined that if the Reborn gain control of it, they’ll learn the full extent of its powers and master them soon enough...all to our detriment, I fear."
She waves her hand and the image of Lyrudrada changes as an army of warriors marches upon it, destroying many of the city's spires and crushing its defenses. "Many centuries ago, the Cradle of Night was stolen from our people by a human warlord named Haramil. My people and Haramil’s armies clashed and warred frequently in the distant past. Haramil ended those wars decisively with a brutal assault on our city, and among the treasures he took from us was this Cradle of Night." The image shifts again to show a helmed warlord raise a dark sphere crawling with wisps of shadowy, holding it aloft. The vapors seem to coalesce and seep into him, changing his countenance, making it more cruel and menacing. "Records of how he used the artifact to bolster his warmongering in the decades that followed are much easier to find, seeing as how you uplanders are so much better at maintaining your histories."
"In any event, the Cradle of Night was buried with Haramil. It would appear his allies were more than eager to be rid of it and move on from his brutal reign. And so there, in his tomb, the artifact has rested for a long, long time. The Reborn know what I know about the artifact. And, if they haven’t sent agents to retrieve it already, they will soon. Thus, I reached out to Gioret, asking him for strong-hearted and willing adventurers to assist me in exploring Haramil's tomb. I doubt we'll be able to destroy the Cradle of Night, but if we can bolster its defenses, or at least prevent the Reborn from claiming it, we can buy my allies in Lyrudrada the time they desperately need to defeat the cult and take back our city."
The conjured image fades away and Aiyana blinks uncertainly for a moment, as if searching for the right words to say. "I hope you’ll help me," she finally continues, "I know you’ve no investment in a city deep within the Darklands, but I’ve brought treasure to reward you in advance for your assistance. And, if you can help me save my city from the Reborn, my allies will no doubt be more than willing to reward you further! I'm sure you must have questions before committing to such a task. I will do our best to answer them and, perhaps with your own knowledgeable experience, you may have something to add to our discussion, as well."
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Telos watches the illusion with wonder in his eyes, pondering the power of shadow against his own element. When the presentation finally ends he blinks for several moments to adjust to the change in light.
He quickly interjects his first question. How did you come to know about the Reborn and their specific plans? Do you have an agent planted among them? Finally, do you know why they make their move now? Hasn't the artifact been there all this time?
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Looking around, he also grins at Pietro, "It's not like you to keep your tongue to yourself, Pietro Slaszval the Boisterous? What's wrong, cat got your tongue man?" Adril hopes that using the cleric's full title would get some sort of reaction.
"Zzzz... Zzzz... Zzzz...." As it turns out, one man's late afternoon is another man's early morning.
Satisfied with the assembled party, Adril Hestram provides the group with directions on how to get to Nidal, and what connections to follow once there. A few short weeks of travel by horseback, and the group makes its way into the Land of Shadows.
"SO, WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE THE NIGHT LIFE WILL BE LIKE, AYE?" Pietro wonders aloud along the ride.
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"Thus, I reached out to Gioret, asking him for strong-hearted and willing adventurers to assist me in exploring Haramil's tomb."
"WHO'S THIS GIORET PERSON?"
"How did you come to know about the Reborn and their specific plans? Do you have an agent planted among them?"...
"You have a keen mind, master sorcorer." She smiles, expecting such a question to come up. "I have numerous ties within The Bleakshore Council in Lyrudrada. They made contact with me when one of their spies within the Reborn network heard rumours of their plan to travel to the surface world and recover a legendary caligni artifact from a human tomb. The Council never makes their way up to the surface, which is why they enlisted me into this cause."
..."Finally, do you know why they make their move now? Hasn't the artifact been there all this time?
"The Reborn are a dark folk cult. They attract followers from every caste of our people, believing that when we die, fragments of our memories pass on to our children as our souls move on to the afterlife. According to their doctrine, they claim most of our kind cannot recall these ancestral memories except in dreams or on a purely instinctual level...like a reflex in times of stress. But the Reborn claim otherwise for themselves. They say they have memories which extend all the way back to the time when our people left the Land Above to take shelter underground." She pauses, before answering the question, "Perhaps the cult has finally found a member who's memories lead them to the Cradle of Night. This is only speculation, since most of the Cradles of Night had shattered when the Forsaken disappeared long ago. If such memories of the last remaining Cradle remain, they would belong to someone extremely powerful and dangerous."
"WHO'S THIS GIORET PERSON?"
The woman nods at the cleric, hoping he would forgive her for her slip of the tongue, "My apologies, Gioret is a connection of mine working for your Pathfinder Society. The Stargazer has aided me with many missions in sending people back into the Land of the Light. Err, outside of Nidal. He helped me send world to Adril, and eventually to you."
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"SO, WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE THE NIGHT LIFE WILL BE LIKE, AYE?"
Gioret, who helped guide you to Nidal, grins inquisitively, not knowing exactly how to answer the question. "I don't suppose you are well versed with worshipers of Zon-Kuthon. Let's just say the night life is a lot of chains and whips, if that's you're kind of thing."
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Ive been raising him as a hatchling he just finally seems like he will be useful in the field. His name is Scrabble. Let us hope his night vision will be useful.
Seward listens to the briefing and nods in understanding.
The servants of Zon Kuthon are some of the most vicious and vile slavers that exist. Something I cannot abide. I will do whatever it takes captain.
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"SO, WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE THE NIGHT LIFE WILL BE LIKE, AYE?"Gioret, who helped guide you to Nidal, grins inquisitively, not knowing exactly how to answer the question. "I don't suppose you are well versed with worshipers of Zon-Kuthon. Let's just say the night life is a lot of chains and whips, if that's you're kind of thing."
Will cautions his ally to avoid Gioret leading him to a dark end, "Just to be clear Pietro, these are not Calistirans. Zon-Kuthon does involve chains, but their goal is often more murder oriented rather than anything else."
"Ah, I nearly forgot! I told you so much about my self, but I barely gave you a chance to introduce yourselves, where are my manners. And, is there anything else you wish to know?"
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The halfling bows and quickly offers I'm Telos, a sorcerer of the society. I like to travel light and burn and zap things.
He puts his hand to his chin and thinks at her last query.
Actually yes, one more. When we arrive at the tomb, what sorts of defenses do you think would help? Are there not safer places that we could relocate the item to? Perhaps we place it in the Maze of the Open Road?
"Well met, Telos, sorcerer of the society." She smiles warmly, acknowledging the power of the halfling, which is surprising because she stands taller than your average human. "My skill set is also magical in nature, and to help advise on anything involving the Cradle itself. What about for the rest of you, what skills do you bring to our expedition?"
"There is a high chance The Reborn have already made their way into the tomb. Besides the tomb raiders, I would expect restless denizens of the old world to reside within, waiting for the chance to be freed from the darkness." She pauses, and thinks about the suggestion to move the relic somewhere safer. "It would indeed be safer in the Maze of your Society, however i have never smuggled ancient relics out of the Land of Darkness, only people...But perhaps that is something we can discuss after we locate our quarry."
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CRADLE OF NIGHT LORE
HARAMIL LORE
LYRUDRADA LORE
THE FORSAKEN LORE
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"Ah, I nearly forgot! I told you so much about my self, but I barely gave you a chance to introduce yourselves, where are my manners. And, is there anything else you wish to know?"
"HM? OH. PIETRO SLASZVAL, EVANGEL OF THE DRUNKEN HERO! CHEERS!"
"Now let me think now...."
"WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE THEY CALL IT THE 'CANDLE OF NIGHT'? IT'S REALLY MORE OF A BALL REALLY. IT DOESN'T EVEN GIVE OFF LIGHT--JUST THE OPPOSITE IN FACT. IT IS A SILLY NAME. SHOULD HAVE CALLED IT THE 'BALL OF NIGHT'" muses the cleric.
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I'm a big damned hero... well, I sing tales of big damned heroes... I sing our our groups exploits anyways. My performances are magical in nature, and I can cast a few spells Will makes himself look more heroic. I have some skills, and can fire this bow, in any regard. I'm more of a 'Will o all trades' than a specialist
Will does his best Haramil was a legendary warlord among the nomadic, Gozreh worshipping horselords who dwelt in the hill country of northern Nidal during the Age of Destiny many millennia ago. These Kellid humans were powerful warriors with a culture centered around honor and tradition. He led a devastating assault against caligni raiders’ Darklands home. Not only did he slay several of their leaders, but he stole a powerful artifact called the Cradle of Night. Legend holds that this artifact influenced him in sinister ways and drove him to abandon Gozreh’s teachings.
Lyrudrada is a caligni city that lies in the Darklands beneath the southern Mindspin Mountains. Centuries ago, it went to war with the horselords of Nidal and was subsequently sacked, though it has since risen again to prominence. It is not on the major trade routes of the Darklands, but Darklands traders of many races transact business in Lyrudrada, particularly in the neighborhood known as Trader’s Rift. The caste-clans of Lyrudrada have held an uneasy equilibrium of power for centuries. With the rise of the cult called the Reborn, though, that balance has been thrown into anarchy. This new faction has taken control of the central portions of the city around the lake at the city’s heart. The Reborn cultists have earned the allegiance of several powerful creatures both native to the city and from other areas of the Darklands; some rumors insist that the cult has gained the services of a dark dragon from the Shadow Plane.
Before owbs sought dominion over caligni, shadowy deities known as the Forsaken held sway over dark folk. Universally evil, the Forsaken encouraged worship from carefully selected mortal races for their own inscrutable ends. Worship of the Forsaken died out ages ago and has long been forgotten among caligni.
Thats what I can recall anyways. I suppose you might know more, Aiyana?
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Darven nods and tries to follow along with Will. Once he is finished, "Wow friend, you sure did your homework on this location."
Finally answering Aiyana, "I am Darven Kinock. I have recently joined this group of adventurers." He shrugs, "Nothing too fancy about me. Just a soldier of the society, looking for coin."
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Telos whispers to Pietro, Belch some of that blessing my way while I try to recall important details about these matters.
I might know a few things about the Cradle of the Night, actually. It's interesting that there were, in fact, many. I wonder if they were truly all accounted for in the telling of their destruction...* Pietro is right though, they are shadowy black orbs. Whoever carries one obtains powers from the Shadow Plane, including increased strength, health, and healing. They would live unnatural long lives. I wonder how many touched by them still live today.* Further, the power was not isolated to the bearer of the orb and her companions would be touched by it. It is believed that this is how the various distinct caligni races came to be. The dark creepers, dark stalkers, and such.
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Telos whispers to Pietro, Belch some of that blessing my way while I try to recall important details about these matters.
Pietro breaks into a long discourse on logical thinking (through the lens of Cayden's teachings of course), imparting his "vast amounts" wisdom and experience upon the short sorcerer.
What do you from me, I was a field slave.
Aiyana winces, "I am sorry to hear that, it must have been extremely difficult for you to lose your chains. But i am glad that you are now free."
"Thats what I can recall anyways. I suppose you might know more, Aiyana?"
"Looks like Adril has sent me the right team for the job. Although, i am not surprised you've done your homework, you'd be crazy not to... " she looks at Will and smiles, "No no, looks like you've got all the main points. Well done."
Aiyana reaches behind one of the sacks of grain and retrieves a small haversack, "Oh and by the way, I'm empowered to pay you part of your reward now...as a retainer for your services. And, provided we're successful and the Cradle of Night is kept from the Reborn, I'm certain the Council will compensate you further..."
Opening the haversack, Aiyana begins to draw forth a variety of items.
"I hope you find these items satisfactory...and useful...?"
"WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE THEY CALL IT THE 'CANDLE OF NIGHT'? IT'S REALLY MORE OF A BALL REALLY. IT DOESN'T EVEN GIVE OFF LIGHT--JUST THE OPPOSITE IN FACT. IT IS A SILLY NAME. SHOULD HAVE CALLED IT THE 'BALL OF NIGHT'" muses the cleric.
Suddenly, you hear footsteps from the cellar above. They stay for a few moments before moving away. Aiyana shakes her head, and places her index finger over her lips, "Shhhhh, keep your voice down please, Pietro. Nidal is the type of place where you want to keep your head low, and your lips sealed to avoid drawing attention to yourselves. If those were Court spies, we would have been goners."
...
"I'll hold onto the map to Haramil's tomb," Aiyana adds, "The stars will help us gain our bearings. And even if the clouds obscure their light, I can see well enough in the dark to guide us there. It's entirely possible we may encounter agents of the Umbral Court along the way, but I'd prefer to avoid them. If we can't, then I expect to defend ourselves rather than submit to them for questioning and torture."
As the party makes their final preparations for the evening, the hidden room off the cellar proves surprisingly comfortable. All the sacks of grain become makeshift cushions as each of you catches a few winks, studies a book of spells, or cares after a favorite weapon in the event it's needed down the road.
Eventually, some of you hear the outer door to the cellar open. Footsteps approach the secret door and Darven stirs as his training serves as a sixth sense to possible danger. His weapon is in his hand by the time the Desnan cleric who brought you to this place appears. He host holds a small lantern, light barely gleaming from around the edges of its closed hood. He nods once at Aiyana, who stands up and moves towards the entrance.
"Quickly now!" she calls to the group, "Gather your things and follow me..."
A few minutes later and everyone has climbed out of the cellar, trailing after the woman as she circles the stables. Seven of the churches best mounts stand saddled and ready. Two more lesser steeds serve as pack animals, already laden with supplies for your trip.
"The horses see well enough in darkness," Aiayan explains as she helps Pietro find the stirrup so she can mount, "They've been trained well and are normally more active at night than during the day. Sadly, we've had to send many of them south to Pangolais for service to the Umbral Court, but these will bring much speed you on our journey."
"There are a few days rations for each of you on the others, as well as a wineskin. Nothing extravagant, mind you. But surely you must be used to such things by now..."
As you set off, Aiyana rides at the front, she points to the east of Almere, towards the hill country at the base of the Mindspin Mountains. "According to the map, Haramil's tomb lies that way. Make haste, friends! May Desna light our way, and may Gozreh keep us..."
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Telos eyes light up a bit at Aiyana's mention of torture. And... how easily avoided are they?
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The next morning...
As the little halfling climbs up on his horse, he asks How long do we travel on horseback? I'm glad they can see in the dark, better than me... He pulls his cloak hood up over is head and braces for the speed.
"How long do we travel on horseback? I'm glad they can see in the dark, better than me..."
Aiyana's voice carries like a whisper through the night air, "Only a few days, just follow me and keep your hoods down." Aiyana takes the lead, nudging her horse into motion. It seems clear that she's no stranger to riding on horseback, and the steeds the church provided are quiet as silk as they move across the plains.
...
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It takes three days to make the journey to Haramil's tomb, and for the majority the party manages to keep a low profile. Aiyana has everyone sleep during the day so the majority of your travel can take place at night. The first day, you put enough distance between you and the church that there are no other settlements or travelers in sight. And, once you enter the hill country, the varying elevations help to further hide your passage.
On the second night, Seward's sensitive ears detect movement further downhill from your position in the highlands. But as the team waits in the dark, nothing draws any closer, and you're unable to determine if it was a natural predator or someone following after you.
On the third day, you've made it to a much cooler elevation, leaving behind some of the humidity and heat of the autumn plains. The view, though not nearly as high as the mountain passes towering high above you, still give you an immense appreciation for the beauty of the Atteran Ranches of northern Nidal. When dusk arrives, you set out once again, consulting Aiyana's map and identifying enough landmarks to assure yourselves you're on the right track.
Finally, with fireflies dotting the way ahead, the last vestiges of the setting sun illuminate your path. Hills looming to either side of an overgrown trail cast shadows across the approach to Haramil’s tomb. Next to an opening in the natural stone of the canyon wall, a few trees have taken root in the rocky soil. Beside them, massive stone doors have been set into the hillside. Though they presumably sealed the entrance at one time, it now stands open. An unsettling penumbra of gloomy illumination exudes from within, cloaking the area immediately surrounding the entrance with shifting shadows.
"This must be it..." Aiyana announces, her voice low enough for everyone to hear, but intentionally quiet lest she alert anyone...or anything...that might lie ahead. "Well, Pathfinders? What say you? How should we proceed? I expected the doors to the tomb to be closed tightly, and hidden from view. But it's unsettling that they hang open. And what are those...shadows? You see them? Swirling there?"
"How real are things that are made of shadow?"
Aiyana quickly responds, "That depends on how far the veil between the world of Shadows and this world has been torn open. To see such a presence, even in daylight is worrying though. I suspect the creature made of shadown within the tomb would be the real deal, entities crossed over from the other side. What we should worry about is their mastery over shadow magics within such a place." She pauses for a moment, "I can see in the darkness quite well, however i fear for some of you this might be quite the opposite. Do any of you have a way of making the space less dark inside?"
She thanks Telos for the offer of the spells, but finally rejects them, "No thank you, friend. These will be no use on me." She takes out her bow, and holds it under her cloak.
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Will answers Pietro, The nimbus of gloom surrounding the tomb's entrance is supernatural in origin, likely an extension of energies drawn from the Plane of Shadow. Looks like lights are about to go out!
You think if Will wore sunglasses, he may put them on as he said the above line.
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The halfling looks around at the group, grimacing.
Ug, I guess our need for those Daylight oils didn't end with that last dungeon delve. I have basic lights but I suspect they will be overwhelmed by the shadows. Should we go ahead and try to dispense with these?
He takes a stance that suggests it might be time to break the stalemate.
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Ug, I guess our need for those Daylight oils didn't end with that last dungeon delve. I have basic lights but I suspect they will be overwhelmed by the shadows. Should we go ahead and try to dispense with these?
"Well then...perhaps we'll survive this mission after all. But, to be honest, as for your light...I'd recommend against using it unless you want to totally blind me. While I can tolerate the beauty of Desna's stars, anything brighter than that is quite painful to my eyes." She does not look exactly comfortable with such an idea, but then smiles, "But perhaps inside the darkness, the sunlight spell might be suppressed slightly. We will try."
"Now, how did you want to deal with those shadows?"