|
With Talia taking a sledgehammer from her back, the party make short work of demolishing a hole big enough to let Marcon Tinol out from his cell. As the undead man appears the stench comes with him. The stench of death, of rotting flesh, enough to make any man, half-orc, or GOBLIN sick surrounds and emanates from Marcon Tinol.
You complete searching the rest of the area, but there is nothing else valuable that you find other then more faded murals of sea monsters.
|
Marcus breathes slowly and carefully until he is certain he's not going to hurl, then nods to the undead Marcon. "Welcome to the outside of your cell." He motions for Talia to hand him the Hat of Disguise. "This should make it less... suspicious. If anyone asks, a few of us fell into crocodile infested sewage."
He takes a quick look around and adds. "I think we've got a good lay of the land. We should return across the waters and finish exploring the northern fork."
|
Nodding towards Marcus' suggestion about the smell, Valdris looks at the undead companion. A vile taste in his mouth is attempted to be swallowed down before he speaks.
"Now that we have you out, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Valdris, and these are my companions. Would you mind if maybe we travel through the underworkings of the puddles for a bit longer? We have a contract to fulfill for our organization."
|
|
In answer to Valdris, Marcon smiles a ghastly smile, "Prithee my friend, yee do I the honour of freeing me, of course your obligations to ye masters must prevail. If I can aid yee in thee trials, call upon I and it is done." He bows nobly to Valdris and walks on.
Dreadfang and Zoresk keeping their distance as much as they can, follow Marcus, Talia and Valdris as they escort Marcon back. Kurnek, follows on not sure how he will react to the stench. Although it takes two trips with so many now cramming onto the small rowboat, eventually you all reach the beach that leads up to the sewers once more.
Slowly you make you way through the sewers to the north east, each time you follow the large sewers, a grate bares any further progress east. You look through, but other than the flotsam and jetsam associated with the comings and goings of the tide, nothing of interest is seen. Marcus, Kurnek and Valdris use their magical powers to find any auras, but the area is aura free.
As you return from the most northern sewer, on the south the masonry of the sewers has crumbled away, exposing a chamber. The sides of this chamber are rough and uneven, dropping sharply to a large pool of water that fills the entire room. To the south of the chamber, just as to the north the masonry of the sewer walls has crumbled, leading to another east-west sewer.
The chamber is completely filled with water, which looks to be at least 6ft deep, though as the light of Marcus' rapier reflects off the flat and calm surface of the water, the centre of the pool looks deeper, darker and able to hide heaven knows what under it's surface.
|
As the Pathfinders break down the wall of Marcol’s prison, Kurnek finds a moment to fill in the others on what he deduced from the ancient undead man’s comments.
Putting two and two together, you understand that Marcol's information could be quite damaging to one person in particular: Goodman Hugen of House Candren, a member of the Grand Council of Absalom and First Harbormaster. As it appears that the Candren's bookkeeper has secret's about how House Candren rose from being minor nobility and became one of the richest and wealthiest Houses in Absalom, 500 years ago.
|
|
Talia dives into the water, which is surprisingly clear, but the darkness prevents her from seeing anything further without additional light. She does however feel much cleaner.
Marcon nods to Marcus and walks into the pool. With his darkvision underwater he spies a barnacle‑encrusted lockbox at the bottom of the deepest part of the pool. The undead man, collects the box and brings it back to the Pathfinders on shore.
The box is sealed with wax. The lock mechanism is completely frozen, so that the only way to gain access to it's contents is by sheer force.
Managing to pry the lid off, you find inside is an old scrap of paper with the words “For the Ilnudar family matter” and a small carving of a jade cat along with 5 gold pieces.
You recognizes Ilnudar as a family of some note that moved away from Absalom almost 100 years ago.
You recalls the family moved after their eldest daughter disappeared.
|
|
Marcus nods towards the undead Marcon. "Many thanks! I do hope you are able to consider further work with the Pathfinders as soon as your unfinished business is attended to." He thinks to himself as he begins to work at the box, Presuming you are still here after it is all settled that is...
Looking at the contents, Marcus shakes his head. "I must confess I cannot discern the markings from the barnacles."
|
|
With the sewers explored, the new chambers discovered and a powerful ghast named Marcon Tinol accompanying you, the waters start to rise as the tide turns.
Using the Hat of Disguise on Marcon you can at least make Marcon look human again, if still very smelly. Never mind your way back will take you into the court of King Zusgut and goblins.
When you enter his court, the goblin stands and claps for silence in the court. "My good friends, I can't tell you how happy I am to see you again. Did you succeed in removing the dangers below? Tell me the most exciting things of your adventure in the cellars? Did you find anything exciting?"
|
|
| 5 people marked this as a favorite. |
Marcus opts to play to his audience as best as possible and pulls out his dulcimer. He begins to pluck out a chord
"Let me tell you a tale 'bout a monster below, and 'bout our harrowing duel.
In Absalom's drains, within Zusgut's realm vast, dwelt two beasts most vile and cruel.
'neath water they hide with maws sharp and wide
And a hunger for flesh matched by few..."
"Marching down from Absalom through Zusgut's courtyard grand
Heard about the biggest treasure horde outside the Sodden Land
Trudging through the sewers dark to investigate beneath
A flash of claws, a crash of jaws, a load of big white teeth!"
"Dreadfang was the first to fall, nearly ripped into shreds
Then Talia as the mighty gator swallowed down her legs
Our crew all fought and suffered wounds in several nasty ways
The vision of that brutal fight will haunt me through my days!"
"Why oh why, did I jump into that swamp?
Mauled to death by alligators, all singing chomp chomp chomp
Time to die, on a sub-aquatic romp
Mauled to death by alligators, all singing chomp chomp chomp"
"With stalwart hearts and sharpened blades our dread crew stood our ground
Thrusting weapons, flinging spells, still fearing we'd be drowned
At last a bolt from Zoresk's bow pierced one through the eye
And with Valdris's final potent spell the victors we were crowned!"
Marcus glances behind him to make sure Marcon is through before ending the song and continuing with a more standard form of discourse to debrief the king.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Zoresk, despite the smell, manages to quite easily evade any goblins, although he sees several wonder where the smell is coming from, but they are so engrossed in Marcus' magnificent performance, they ignore it.
Even taking Marcon through Absalom was relatively easy, with Dreadfang apologising for not having washed the guts of the crocodile from his person. No-one really wanting to stick around and discuss it with the little kobold.
It only takes a short time until you are back with Drandle Dreng in the Lodge, reporting on your assignment. He listens intently to your story and nods eagerly at all details, but the story and Marcon's presence causes him to stare wide‑eyed. In response, he notes that he’s heard rumors of ancient places beneath the city where living prisoners were entombed, but up until now did not have any direct evidence. "Well that was very interesting, and I think I can say welcome Marcon. I am sure your imprisonment by House Candren and the rest of your story can be told. Until that time, you are a welcome guest and with our resources we can ensure you evade detection in your present state. I have so many questions to ask, to learn so much from you Marcon. You did well Pathfinders."
Telling Dreng of the treasures you found, he is particularly interested in the scroll case containing the deeds to the land on which the theatre stands. Giving it to Dreng he says "Very good, very good, we can gift this to King Zusgut, it will help legitamise his claim to the Theatre and it's grounds. I am sure in return he will allow greater access to the world underneath his Theatre for the Society. Very well done indeed."
It is a few days later, you hear from Drandle Dreng, who calls you in. "You know Marcon was writing Candren's Wish, well he told me the secret. It seems suddenly, in what seemed like an overnight transformation, the Candren's family fortunes changed for the better and their wealth began to steadily grow beyond any projections Marcon had made. His surprise was brushed aside by Ednathian Candren, the patriarch of the family. Being the diligent and dedicated worker he was, however, Marcon began digging deeply to find the reasons for the improvements. He found that the family had ceased paying any taxes or fees to the city or any other government in the region. Certain of a mistake, he contacted his counterparts in these organizations, but his questions and letters were ignored, lost, or met with strange responses that didn’t make sense."
"Marcon’s eagerness to solve the mystery soon became an obsession and his own undoing. He came to learn that the head of the Candren family had, through great expense and trouble, found a wizard willing to cast a wish spell to guarantee freedom from taxation and fees for perpetuity. Eventually, the family noticed Marcon’s curiosity. While the family was sure the power of the wish would keep their money safe, they were concerned about their reputation. Worried the accountant knew too much and that word would get out of his actions, Candren ordered Marcon sent to the Tombs of the Living, where he was walled up and left to die. There with the pain and anguish of his death, wanting his story to be told, he turned into the undead ghast you found and rescued." Drandle Dreng smiles, "You did a great job and rescued a soul, so he can join the other souls in the Boneyard and be judged by Pharesma."