After the two missions on Kortos, Astingaire decides to take some time off. The remaining four are summoned to the office of Dean Marcos Farabellus, the Master of Swords. There, you are joined by a somewhat gruff and unpleasant Ulfen human. The Dean greets the four of you by name. "Congratulations on passing your Confirmation! I understand that the Master of Scrolls is still ecstatic about your report, and has been digging through the archives for any records of the old shrine to Aroden. He's got Janira cross-referencing that with information about gillmen spiritual practice, so she's happy as a pi--she's happy.
"You demonstrated yourselves to be a good team. So I have a job for you, off in the far reaches of Varisia. Ever heard of Kaer Maga?" Before any of you can answer, he continues, "The Society has no lodge in the city of Kaer Maga, and we never will. That said, on occasion it may happen that Pathfinders spend some time in the city, doing--well, whatever they may feel like doing. There's a lot happening in and under the city. The Pathfinder who happens to be spending time there now has been there for a few months, and it's coming on time for him to realize that he needs to go somewhere else. Your job is simple and undefined: travel there, contact the Pathfinder, and then just stay there for a couple of months. Keep your ears and eyes open for information. We'd be particularly interested in anything about the temples there, but whatever you find out will help. Here's a short briefing on the place. Good luck, Pathfinders! Explore, Report, Cooperate!"
Though an anarchic "civilization", a loose consortium of groups, gangs, and families rule the people of Kaer Maga. The entire city is a melting pot of citizens from all cultures, such as the Ardoc family of Bis; the Brothers of the Seal, who are ready to kill each other over whether they should open the great portal they guard somewhere deep in the caverns beneath; the gently whistling Sweettalkers of Tian, with their lips sewn shut to keep them from uttering the true name of their god; the Augurs, troll seers who predict the future by casting divinations with their own intestines; and the bloatmages, with the leeches that keep them alive attached to their bulging bodies.
The city is divided into 11 districts. Eight of them are contained within the hollow stone ring, and are known collectively as the Ring districts. The other 3 are in the city's open central area, and are known as the Core districts.
There is also a great network of underground tunnels and chambers known as the Undercity.
The trip to the Storval Stairs is relatively uneventful. Nala spends a little time on the riverboat you take most of the way working with the crew, which earns her a little extra money. On reaching the city you make contact with the resident Pathfinder, a Taldan bard named Chamius. He seems to be glad to be relieved of duty. "So if you happen to stay at any of the inns in the Oriat District, don't mention my name, hey? It was only a few rooms I messed up, and only a little bit. They got way too upset, even after I paid for the damages. Anyway, good luck!"
Over the next few weeks, you settle into a routine. During the days you work; Nala doesn't have much to do, but Desynthia does a few commissioned pieces of calligraphy, Vulf gets a job with a stoneworker, Azrial manages to do a little bit of buying and selling, and Erica hires out as a bodyguard. During the evenings, you go out to various eateries and taverns, buy drinks for people, and mostly listen. You gather tremendous amounts of information--gossip, really--about the more notable citizens of the Asylum Stone, all of which you dutifully transcribe for return to the Grand Lodge. It doesn't seem like something that justifies a relatively accomplished team of Pathfinders spending time on, though, and you find yourselves hoping each new day will finally bring your replacement.
It is at this point that Desynthia finishes a commission for the local temple of Pharasma, the Godsmouth Cathedral. They've requested an illuminated cover for a copy of the holy text "The Bones Land in a Spiral." The priest who collects the piece and pays her is one Valanthe Nerissia. She strikes up a conversation with Desynthia, perhaps because the sorcerer has some unique features, and eventually asks if Desynthia might happen to be an adventurer? If so, would she perhaps have some friends with the same avocation, and would they be interested in a small job?
This is how you come to meet with Valanthe at midnight, in a side chapel off of the main cathedral. Without preamble, she begins, "The Cathedral has a problem. Bodies are missing from the Godsmouth Ossuary, the great burial vaults we tend. I'll pay you 500 gold pieces to find and stop the body thief, and another 250 gold pieces if you clear the threats from the area of the vaults where we think the body thief is hiding. You can keep any valuables you find, except for anything that bears marks of the faith of Pharasma, which I ask you to return to me. Are you willing to take on this commission?"
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Kaer Maga is quite a sight, and Erica spends most of her first week simply walking around, taking in the most remarkable buildings that she sometimes mentions in her notes. Intrigued by the Undercity, she stays on the lookout for bookshops, which she visits in hopes of finding some historian's work on the city's unusual architecture and underground network of tunnels.
When she's not satisfying her curiosity about the city itself, she also attempts to purchase magical armour and weapon, as her plain ones has come to show serious signs of use after her multiple adventures within the Pathfinder Society. Although one look at magically enhanced weapons is enough to determine that they are still outside her price range, armours and shields are slightly less expensive -if she can find a magical scale mail for sale.
As interesting as she finds sightseeing, however, she quickly grows weary of her mission's monotony, and quickly applies for a job where her services as a fighter might be needed. To her surprise, it is only a matter of days before she is hired as a bodyguard tasked with protecting a halfling musician and his wife, remaining in town for a week or two However, her initial joy did not take long to fade. In lieu of a tour, they rarely left their house, but entertained a few, selected friends and acquaintances from a similarly artistic milieu in their salon, day after day. Standing very straight between a rare, dwarven sculpture and a potted plant, Erica mentally counted down the seconds that separated her from her deliverance, at 8. p.m, when the night watchman came to relieve her. She almost envied that Caydean Cailean follower, who could at least sit and peacefully read the night away, without having to suffer through another of Frieda's "experimental performance" on the luth.
Finally, as the "couple of weeks" turn into a full month, and Erica's patience wears a little thinner with each passing day, Desynthia informs her of a job offering at the temple of Pharasma.
"I'm in," she says, betraying an unusual enthusiasm for the generally straight-faced fighter. "Just let me tell my boss, and I'll meet you there."
And sure enough, at midnight, she walks into the Cathedral to take her orders.
"I'm willing," she replies, after hearing Valanthe's explanations attentively. "Are those thefts recent, or have you noticed bodies or tools being moved around before? Do you think the thief might be someone from the staff, or an intruder?"
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Nala whistles at the briefing about their destination, "Dang, that is one messed up town." She takes a deep calming breath, "But we can handle the mission."
She enjoys the ship travel, much more comfortable to be sailing than any other form of travel.
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Upon arrival and introduction, her eyes glare at the bard when he mentions he's already given their organization a bad name at one of the hotels. But then she shrugs, "No worries, we'll steer clear of there anyway."
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She heads out with Bobbie searching for weapons and armor. While everything is out of her range as well, she does notice a small collection of weapon oils on the counter. She points it out to the human fighter, "Hey, why don't we grab one of these each? It won't last long, but gives the effects of having a fully enhanced weapon. It even says it will grant your weapon the ability to strike ghosts."
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As the appointed meeting arrives she is quivering with excitement, "An actual mission, yes! This is what I signed up for."
She listens to Bobbie's questions and wracks her brain for anything to ask, "What... other threats do you think might be down there other than the thief and what might the thief be using the bodies for?"
The priest shrugs. "I have no idea. The area of the ossuary you'll be exploring has been sealed for centuries, so there's no telling what might have crept in from beneath. As for what's being done with the bodies, there are many things anathema to the Lady of Graves--undead, flesh golems, and the like. Divination magic is notoriously unreliable since the death of Aroden, so I can't tell what might be there." She sounds faintly peeved at this. "That's where you come in. Now, I won't need you to enter immediately, but be back here before noon tomorrow. And keep this a secret."
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"Messed up town? I see it bein ripe wit potentia!" replies Azrail with a smirk.
Being his first time on a long ship voyage...Azrail finds himself hanging off the side and whispering praises to his god for most of the journey... quite thrilled to step back upon dry land.
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With a simple nod to the fleeing Pathfinder, the man makes a mental note. 'Oriat District...dun try recruitin dere.'
As he spends his days bartering, trading, and selling in the Midnight Lords name, he keeps his eyes open for bargains...though his coin purse is a bit light currently. 'Adventurin pays da bills but needin a bigga score...'.
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Meeting up with the others, he listens to the priests instructions. "Have ya seen any undead roamin? Any evidance deys been mutilated? Or ya just guessin cause dey be missen?"
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Of course we would gladly help you! Corpses thieves are an abomination. We'll go shopping and come back when we're ready to enter the Ossuary
"Exploring empty tombs requires full stomachs!" declares Vulf. "So, this shopping will undoubtedly require we partake of a fine meal and then stock up on food stuffs, will it not?"
The very idea, having struck him, he reaches into his bag and produces a piece of dried jerky, which he immediately places between his front teeth and begins to gnaw upon.
Despite the late hour, there are enough shops open to obtain any minor supplies the party needs before entering the Ossuary.
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Vulf takes his time finishing the jerky, then makes his ways through the shops, obtaining various food stuffs (most of which are consumed before he completes shopping) as well as some temple supplies.
He returns with the following, a wand of hide from undead, a scroll of consecrate, a scroll of owl's wisdom, and 3 vials of holy water. "Entering tombs, one can never be too careful." he notes as he stows his newly-acquired supplies.
The priest replies to Azrial, "There have been no signs of undead incursions in the open vaults, no. I don't know what the body thief is doing with the corpses; all I know is that bodies are disappearing."
You obtain what supplies you need before entering the ancient crypts, then return to meet Valanthe. She leads you down a narrow, twisting cliffside path from the cathedral to the Godsmouth Ossuary. The path leads up one of the gigantic carved faces on the cliff, a figure known now as the Unnamed King. The path, of course, takes you into the carving's mouth and past guards in black and silver. A set of doors leads into the ossuary proper, where robed and hooded Pharasmin priests silently tend to the deceased. Valanthe guides you through luxuriously appointed catacombs packed with bodies and down several stairways. The further into the rock you travel, the less frequented and well-kept the burial chambers become. Finally, you reach an area that obviously sees little use or traffic--most of the burial niches are empty and dusty, the air is musty and close, and the only sound is your breathing and the clinking of armor and gear as you walk. Even that sound dies away quickly.
In this disused portion of the crypts, Valanthe stops before a locked door. "This is the only known entrance to the lower levels of the ossuary, long sealed. Once you enter, I will lock the door behind you." Anticipating an adverse reaction, she raises a placating hand. "I don't have another key, but I do have this for you." She hands one of you a hollow tube about a foot long, made of a silvery metal. "This is a chime of opening with five charges remaining. As long as you have a single charge left, you can use this to unlock the door from the other side and leave. Here are some other items you may find useful." She passes over a bag holding ten bottles. "Five of these are blessed water, and five are potions of cure light wounds." She smiles slightly. "They're labeled. If you have no other questions, I'll let you into the crypt." She traces a spiral in the air over you. "Pharasma's blessings go with you all."
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Desynthia hair take the color of ash
You're sure you can't leave the door open? Just even a little?
She looks at the sky, noticeably perturbed
Is it the last time I'll see the sky? Maybe it's the gloom settings, but I have a bad feeling about this.
She turns to her companions
Can I take the Chime with me? Do you mind?
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Nala divies up the items, handing a healing potion and flask of blessed water to each paffie, "Here, something to use if we face undead or are about to become dead."
Her brow furrows as she looks at the group, "Vulf and Bobbie up front, Des and Az in the middle, me rearguard? Seems to me to be the safest way to travel."
With that resolved (or even if it isn't), she straps her shield on and holds the flask of holy water ready, starting with that out instead of her trusty trident.
On the other side of the door (which grinds as it opens, as the dust of centuries is dislodged from the hinges) is a small room with a spiral staircase leading down. Valanthe catches a glimpse of the stairs and audibly gasps.
"This can't be the only access to this area, unless my predecessors were complete idiots. Practicality has to come first, even though the spiral is the symbol of the Lady of Graves. Do you know how hard it is to carry bodies down a spiral stairway?"
"There are no records of what was down here--at least, not that I could find."
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Nala nods as the priest points out the issue, "It makes sense too, this door has not recently been used and yet you have an issue inside with someone. Obviously must be a different entrance. We'll find it and whoever is causing issues."
She glances down the stairs, looking for any obvious traps or alarms.
With the foxfire glow of Desynthia's spell casting flickering shadows ahead, the party descends the dusty stairs into the ancient catacombs. The stairway is set in a square cross-sectioned shaft, so there are narrow gaps at the corners. One turn after another. After descending about forty-five feet, Vulf thinks that the end of the shaft may be getting close. Then the priest thinks he might hear something fluttering somewhere above him. Nala also hears something other than the party moving
It is at this point that something launches itself from the gap at Nala. Before she can get more than a glimpse of it, Desynthia's light goes out, and no one can see anything.
Round 1 (ongoing):
Initiative order
Foe-acted
Nala
Desynthia
Azrial
vulf
Erica
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"Why, of course, I have both, my dear." Vulf replies. "But, I am not certain now is the time to rummage for them in the dark until we are convinced that no ambush is imminent. Now, I'd you'd like to go reaching for them on my person in the dark, and to retrieve my flint and steel, you are more than welcome to."
There is definitely something other than the party moving in the darkness.
Azrial's everburning torch fails to shed any light on the matters at hand. Desynthia's bolt of energy likewise has no apparent effect.
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Erica startles as Desynthia's light is suddenly snuffed out, and sighs in resignation as the party struggles to light the path:
"Here, you can try with this one," she says to Nala, handing her one of her torches over. "We're not going to go far without any light against an invisible enemy," she tells Vulf. "Desynthia, er... That thing you do, where you summon an eagle, or... Whatever you can call. Think you could do it again, and that it would find the enemy in this darkness?"
Round 2 (ongoing):
Initiative order
Foe-acted
Nala
Desynthia
Azrial
Vulf
Erica
Before Nala can do more than rummage in her pack, something slams into her . Ropy tentacles wrap tightly around her.