Kelda grunts. "Not too injured. Just don't want to see that place again, 'specially if you're headed into the basement."
He glances at the Heiress. "What about you, If I may ask? What was it like to grow up with Ameiko as a sister? How was your bond?"
"If you're able and willing to carry arms and armor, I'd say you're well enough to come. You look like the kind of warrior the Ulfen are know for," Andochtuir says, sizing her up. He looks at Riftun next as he seems to realize something. "Say, Riftun? Does that make you a Skald? I've heard rumors on how the Ulfen bards could sing sweeping songs of fury itself. Do you know any of those?" he asks on the way, curious.
Yuto looks down as Kelda speaks "I-I am sorry, of-of course with all what you en-endured there down, I-it-I am sure there will be other chances to fight to-together. Leave the basement for us."
With a nod, he readies his shield and backpack "A-are we all ready?"
And once the expedition is up to, he starts to walk towards the place they left their search the previous day. Guessing we are going back through the main gate again.
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Torra's night is restless, with many nightmares plaguing her sleep. She jumps awake at the slightest sound, then stares tensely into the darkness, expecting the Phantom to materialize next to her, dreading that horrible feeling of the claws slicing through her flesh. Only towards morning does she succumb to exhaustion and manages a few hours of deep sleep, awaking groggy and grumpy.
Eating breakfast makes her feel a little better, so she drags her feet towards where the others are already assembling, arriving just as Teruko mentions Elvina. The dwarf glances towards the area of the camp where the elven witch is taking her own breakfast. "Maybe I should go talk to her myself," Torra mumbles to herself. The pull was undeniably there - to give up, to stay behind, to give in to the fear... but then what? She thinks of Riftun's story from last night, and how he had again made them seem like storied heroes, larger than life and glowing with righteousness. She doesn't want to lose that feeling, either.
"I'm ready."
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Late that night before everyone heads off to bed Riftun gathers the caravan around to hear another story of the bold adventurers and their exploits.
Some highlights of the story consist of Andochtuir's hero name being revealed. 'The Good Doctor."
He goes on to describe Yuto's amazing moment of throwing his sword a great distance at the retreating Phantom and severely wounding her.
The heroism of Torra, getting up from her injuries and right away using her dwarven senses to pierce the darkness and bring ruin upon the evil priestess.
Andochtuir standing valiantly against the ogre and the Phantom even as everyone else falls around him in a torrent of blood and violence.
Teruko just managing to keep everyone together both spiritually and physically as she motivated everyone forward and healed them of their injuries at great personal risk.
Finally he mentions Kelda's rescue (though he paints her in a much tougher light the group having found her surrounded by the corpses of fallen foes of course) and Spivey granting her miracles to ensure the group would be able to make it home.
That night he slips away after all the others have gone to sleep to bath himself once again, ensuring he has the absolute privacy in the process and trying to finish as quickly as possible whilst ensuring maximum cleanliness.
------
Riftun is overjoyed at Kelda being allowed to travel with the caravan though he didn't suspect there would be too much of an issue. He runs up and gives his dear friend a squeezing hug as he welcomes her to the group.
When Yuto inquires about Kelda joining them Riftun meets Kelda's look with concern in his blue eyes. "I think Kelda would probably be of more use getting to know the people of the caravan and learning how to better apply her skills to the success of the group. Even the greatest warriors need to rest." He nods.
When Andochtuir asks if Riftun is a skald the bard giggles a bit. "I-I don't know about all that. I-I'm not much of a singer more of a story-teller... I am working on some things that may help inspire greater fervor on the battlefield though. That is of a more magical nature." He sheepishly tries to explain.
Kelda shrugs, before waving goodbye to the party as they make their final preparations. Once they have finished, they head back out into the ruined village of Brinewall. There, they traverse through the overgrown dirt roads and arrive back at the castle. This time, the gates are as open as they left them the day before - there's no sign that anyone cared to close them this time around.
"Le-let's just head down through the path we know, the gates and then below" Yuto proposes pointing at the open gates "Wha-whatever remains does not seem ve-very worried about the state of the castle"
Unless someone wants a different approach or they are interrupted in the process, Yuto will carefully lead the way to the basement and then open the eastern door where they fought the Phantom the day before.
"Ameiko and I were not close as children. She was always adventurous, most people would say. Rebellious according to our father. Telling her what she was or was not supposed to do was the fastest way to guarantee she did the opposite. I wasn't selfish enough, or perhaps brave enough, to follow her lead." Teruko looks off into the distance. "Eventually she ran away from home. She came back for Mother's funeral, ran away again, returned again...she didn't come back for good until a few years ago. Although considering her insistence on this venture, perhaps even then it was less 'coming back' and more 'taking a temporary break.'"
"All that to say, we're still learning how to be sisters. It seems you and your brother had a much closer bond." She dips her head in acknowledgement. "I am sorry for your loss. He sounds like a wonderful person."
Eating breakfast makes her feel a little better, so she drags her feet towards where the others are already assembling, arriving just as Teruko mentions Elvina. The dwarf glances towards the area of the camp where the elven witch is taking her own breakfast. "Maybe I should go talk to her myself," Torra mumbles to herself.
"That's not a bad idea. I'm sure she'd appreciate the company." Torra had been seriously injured by the Phantom, multiple times, and Teruko resolves to keep a closer eye on her. "I can also speak from personal experience that Seishin is an excellent listener, if he has the time. For now, I'm glad you're with us."
"Continuing along the path we know seems wise." Teruko adjusts the morningstar on her hip and prepares to cast a light spell as soon as they enter the basement.
The party, largely in agreement, enters through the front gates once more. They pass easily through the gatehouse, before emerging into the late morning sun. The inside of the castle is better lit now, with the sun outside, and they have little need for lights until they arrive in the basement once more.
Now, they stand inside the kitchen once more. With most of the doors opened, there are only a few ways that they have yet to explore.
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The comfort that Torra had found previously in the basement is gone now, replaced by feelings of dread and unease. Still, they were here now, best to get on with it. Trying to emulate Yuto's straightforwardness, the dwarf marches up to the first unexplored door in sight, a double door on her right, and cocks her head towards it.
"This one?"
Teruko tries to visualize the dungeon layout, although it's difficult given how much of a maze it's proven to be. "I think that one might lead towards the dungeon area where we found Kelda, so yes. It's as good a place to start as any."
As has become usual in this place, opening the door reveals a new unpleasant smell to the heroes. This one, at least, isn't nearly as agonizing as the ogre's or that of the lizards. Instead, it smells... wet. Faintly off, but still, mostly wet.
Indeed, inside the chamber, Torra sees a pool of slightly brackish water surrounded by four pillars.
Beyond what is likely the castle cistern, Torra also spies another pair of doors.
"Se-seems some kind of well. Fortresses need these inner water reservoirs to stand in front of a si-siege." Yuto nods observing the water pool and proud of the reading he has done about fortresses and castles of all kind.
Following Torra, he pushes to the east trying to confirm Teruko's words.
Kneeling near the pool, Andochtuir gives the water a sniff. "There's quite a bit of salt in the pool, though. If you drink it like this, you'll just dehydrate yourself. It wouldn't have helped much in a siege - for normal humanoids at least, unless you distilled it first."
He peers into the depths and thinks. "Perhaps in the years of neglect, the seawater somehow reached it... does that mean there's a crack or underwater passage down there?"
Yuto pushes open the doors to the east, revealing the prison once more. The smell of the ogre remains - it's grown even riper in the day since they last were down here.
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"Th-the smell is terrible..." Yuto covers his nostrils with the shield hand while looking almost feeling bad by no one caring to put the ogre's body to rest.
"Ho-hold a moment... there's, there's, there's a small latch on the eastern wall! Just north of the southern cell. Is that another secret door?" the prematurely grizzled man comes by and tries it out "It is!"
With his katana and shield at the ready he tries to completely move open the door "Kaijitsu's secrets may be here concealed!"
As they enter the prison Teruko pulls a handkerchief out of her pocket and ties it around her face. The result leaves her looking rather like a bandit, but at least the smell is somewhat dampened. "Another secret door? We're fortunate you're good at spotting such things." Particularly if Yuto's right. This very well could be the secret vault spoken of in the letter.
Muscles tensing in anticipation, she stays close to Yuto as he opens the door.
Riftun turns a pale sickly green at the grotesque scent of the space the adventurers find themselves in.
When Yuto reveals the hidden way Riftun tries to get excited again but the horrendous scent of the place leaves him only able to nod. "R-Right let's just... try to keep moving... specifically away from here please."
"Good job, Yuto. And here I was, too busy being distracted by my reflection," Andochtuir remarks humerously, just as the group was about to descent in more peril.
Well, he'd expect the worst, anyway. That way, you never got disappointed, though his brother'd often said it made him a downer at times.
He was abiut to ask Teruko if her father knew anything about this passage, but that seemed a dumb question. Surely he WOULD have told them already if that were so, right?
Instead, he pats Riftun on the shoulder in passing. "How are you holding up? Think of it this way: It's not as bad as the ogre, and whatever is down there is bound to be less bad than the smell here!"
The hidden door opens to reveal a narrow natural cave. The floor continues for about five feet before falling into a 20 foot drop, and then another, about fifteen feet further in. From there, the cavern opens up into something that smells strongly of water. Eerie paintings of four-winged humanoid shapes are illuminated by floating motes of light, lending the cavern an almost dreamlike quality.
The air within is repressive, and the heroes' light spells only reveal so much - but the luminescent motes do give the entire area some light. The cavern curves off to the left and right both.
Teruko peers into the cave and grimaces at the sight of the steep drops. "I don't know if this qualifies as a vault, but it's certainly something. However, perhaps it would be best to check out the other door first. There might be an easier way into this place."
"Sure Teruko Sama, we can try that" Yuto gives another look at the cavern with aerie revere, then moves back to the previous corridor to see if the eastern door there leads to the same cavern more easily.
Riftun jumps a little bit at Andochtuir's hand upon his shoulder but the bard soon calms and nods his head in agreement. "Indeed... Truth be told my distraction stems not from the smell... though it is rather foul, but from issues back at camp. But I-I'll try to focus on the task at hand, you wont have to worry about me Andy." He smiles.
Later Riftun looks cautiously at the scene before him and nods his head in agreement with Teruko. "Perhaps caution would be best here... Something about this place it... it feels off." The young bard shivers.
An intricate screen of iron stands between the small semicircular area and the rest of the room - not a full wall, though it may as well be. In the center, fortunately, is a door. The door is painted with an image of a tall, beautiful, blue-skinned woman seated on a throne.
The door is, however, unfortunately locked.
"The paintings in the other room look like depictions of Pazuzu. Meanwhile this image is of Pharasma, Lady of Graves." Teruko barely has to glance at the door before determining that. "These must be the crypts. Riftun, might you be able to open the door?"
As he goes to work on it, she takes a few steps back and stands near Andochtuir. "If there are any ghosts inside, I am prepared to cast that scroll of magic weapon on you."
"But I-I'll try to focus on the task at hand, you wont have to worry about me Andy." He smiles.
"That's good. Something tells me we'll need your spells and advice soon. If the camp trouble is something I can help with, just let me know when we get back. I'm sure we can make some time for it in between the celebrations when Ameiko wakes up." He smiles and heads for the front.
"Indeed. We might have need of it soon," Andochtuir responds, alternatively flexing and relaxing the grip on his weapon, mentally preparing for what was no doubt a harsh fight ahead. "If this were a important part of *my* legacy, I'd perhaps trap the door. If it could even be picked. Aand failing that, there'd be some horrible monstrousity behind it. ...Well, if I could pay for any of that," he adds, embarassed. "I don't suppose there's some heirloom in the Kaijitsu family that might serve as a key of sorts, Teruko?"
"Th-Thank you, I don't know for sure what to do... Maybe I could ask your advice later when we have a little time to ourselves? I-If you would be okay with that, of course." Riftun smiles at Andochtuir as they continue forward.
---------
The knowledge that these are the crypts of the long passed fills Riftun with trepidation, unsure if he's willing to disturb the rest of the dead so brazenly. As he withdraws his special set of thieves tools he reminds himself that this whole area belonged to the Kaijitsu's and thusly, if anyone had the right to give the young bard permission to intrude on the crypts below it was likely Teruko.
Yuto gulps while he observes the image Teruko explains to be Pharasma. The young man takes the keys they found previously and tries them on the door, but failing that, he steps back and let's Riftun work.
He holds his katana readied at his hand, in case something bad happens as the Ulfen works on the door "Le-let me open it once you are done"
It takes all the skill that he can muster, but Riftun manages to jimmy the lock open. Once that is done, he steps back to allow Yuto (and his glowing sword) to take point.
Yuto opens the door into what must be the crypt of the commanders of Brinewall - save, of course, the one who lies in Spivey's graveyard.
The room inside is vast, nearly dozens of feet across, and is supported by three large pillars. Along the north and south walls, every ten feet or so holds a nook within which a sarcophagus lies... though the closest ones seem to have been damaged. It's impossible to tell the status of the other tombs from where the heroes are.
The far end of the crypt seems to have collapsed into the cavern the heroes had seen just minutes before, with glowing motes of light visible in the distance. Between the party and the cavern, however, a uncannily familiar blue-skinned woman sits on a throne. She speaks before anyone has a chance to react.
She extends a hand, bidding the heroes to stop.
"Father hasn't mentioned any keys that could assist us here." Teruko stands back as Riftun picks the lock. "These are the crypts though, not a vault. I doubt they're trapped. If there is a horrible monstrosity, it probably moved in after Brinewall was attacked."
Once the door opens, Teruko steps inside and freezes. The Lady of Graves?! Here? Her confusion only grows as Pharasma addresses them in Varisian. "I beg your pardon my lady, but I don't understand." After a second's hesitation, she adds, "Please know that I mean no offense." With that she moves her fingers in a familiar pattern.
Surely Pharasma, if this actually is Pharasma, won't smite her for being cautious?
"Th-Thank you, I don't know for sure what to do... Maybe I could ask your advice later when we have a little time to ourselves? I-If you would be okay with that, of course." Riftun smiles at Andochtuir as they continue forward.
"Why, Certainly! It's the least I can do for providing us with such good entertainment and support." Andy says back as heads to the front.
He is about to call bullshit when he notices Teruko casting her magics over whatever this thing was. Too many things didn't add up with this claim, not to mention a full god appearing at what had to be a random gaveyard of sorts to her? And why would she then bless supposed tomb robbers even if she were?
As such, he has no intention of relinquishing his weapon, but fortunately he could just hold it one handed, resting upright on the blunt end to make it look less threatening. "The goddess herself? What an honor. In that case, perhaps you would be willing to help us, if we're deemed important enough to adress personally. One of our friends has fallen into a coma and it might be linked to something relating to her family in this castle. Could you perhaps share what that would be, and how we would undo its effects on her?"
He asks, not expecting any credible information but hoping to buy time for Teruko at least.
Torra watches the woman on the throne with curiosity. "Who is that? What is she saying?"
The dwarf does catch the name 'Pharasma', but surely this person doesn't claim to be affiliated with the Lady of Graves, or, even worse, the goddess herself! Torra has read about divine manifestations and whoever this is certainly doesn't seem to fit that image.
She is further confused by Andochtuir making conversation with her and acting like they were about to all have a picnic here. Perhaps this woman was friendly after all?
Yuto looks not believing, and while the others talk to this thing, he whispers to Teruko "This cannot be Pha-pharasma"
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Riftun looks in awe at the blue figure of divinity before him and immediately drops to his knees offering a prayer of deference to the Lady of Graves. When he looks up he is shocked to see the looks of skepticism and the almost rude level of casualness when addressing directly a divine being!
"Y-You guys, wh-what are you doing?! Th-This is Pharasma, the Lady of Graves and we are being addressed directly!" He explains under his breath as quietly as possible then bows deeply to the woman before them.
"M-My apologies great Pharasma, Lady of Mysteries, Mother of Souls, the Survivor. We do not intrude upon your domain with ill intent. My friends here are the bravest and most honorable people I know and seek only to honor you and undo a horrible curse on our dear friend. Please, my Lady, if there is anything you could do. Anything that would help us break the curse on her o-or perhaps severing an attachment with Pazuzu, we would be most grateful a-and humbled by your generosity." Riftun responds reverently.
The enthroned woman looks distastefully at the heroes, before turning her attention to Andochtuir.
She inclines her head regally at Riftun.
Despite her father's sudden screaming, Teruko notices that there's a faint aura of illusion surrounding the "goddess." This careful study also reveals that she's not actually there at all - it's just a figment! With that realization, she's able to see through the spell... there's nothing it's disguising, oddly, but it is definitely an illusion.
"'Pharasma' is an illusion." Teruko lets her spell fade. "There's no one there. It's possible the caster is just scared of us and hoping an illusory goddess will make us leave. What are they saying?"
"The voice is coming from below " after what Teruko says, he approaches to examine the throne and what is behind.
"Yes. Pharasma herself would have little reason to appear before us in person. And if she did, she would never offer her blessing to us, as we're technically grave robbers at this moment. It makes sense for it to be an illusion. Sorry for the ruse, just wanted to keep it talking for the spell to work," Andy states in common, and follows Yuto.
The two men approach the illusion, a low rumble emerges from behind it, and a shadow erupts from within the cave. Heavy wings flap, holding up a true monstrosity. A bat-winged cephalopod with a horrifically humanoid face growls at them through bared fangs. Crimson eyes glare out at the heroes, and tentacles whirl beneath the creature's main body.
What they don't have are things like wings. That's pretty unusual.
However, there's something about this particular specimen... an almost demonic cast to its face. Wait. Demonic? With wings? This might be a half-fiend. Whether born of a union of fiend and mortal or through some magical experiments that are better left unexamined, half-fiends are much more threatening than most of their mortal kin. Resistant to fire, electricity, acid, and frost, they also resist mundane weaponry and are immune to poisons. Furthermore, they're quite resistant to magic in general. Depending on their personal power, a half-fiend may unleash vile and unholy magic, not through spells, but rather through simple manifestations of their nature.
Seeing the demon rise and look at them menacingly from the air, Andochtuir sighs. "Always the same with you demons. Think you can boss around anyone just because you're big." He strides forward, flicking his wrist, and a potion shoots into his hand, which he promptly drinks.
Immediately, the half-elf begins growing larger and larger, until a twice as tall version of him holds a huge lance pointing at the thing. "But what if I am, too?"
Riftun is both shocked and horrified to see the image of the blue woman fade into nothingness only for such a hideous creature take its place. He doesn't even have time to fully process his embarrassment at having offered worship to such an entity before he knows he must act.
The young bard pushes himself back up to his feet and takes a moment to search the depths of his memory, recalling first a tome he had read on the ecology of the deepest darkest places of the world but puzzling on the strange features of this particular variant of the species before he recalls his more theological readings and begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
"E-Everyone be careful this is a decapus! A-And a half-fiend one at that from the look of it! I care not to think how this creature came to be but it will try to crush you. Magic weapons are our best bet as they are shockingly resistant to most anything else!" The red-head cries then turns wide-eyed as Andochtuir grows in size before his eyes.
"Great work Andy do your best to keep it at bay from a distance it has no real ranged capabilities!"
Riftun immediately identifies the creature as a half-fiend decapus, calling out advice to his companions and especially Andochtuir.
For his part, the warrior-alchemist takes a swift gulp of one of his potions, growing larger as he steps quickly back, readying his fauchard for an invasion of the crypt.
The decapus flaps its wings higher, and raises one of its tentacles. A burst of greasy, cold darkness erupts from the center of the room, covering the whole of the party. While most of the party is able to shake off the terrible energies, Riftun cannot, and finds his very life torn from him as everything goes black.
Teruko looks up at the decapus, something niggling at the back of her mind. Riftun was right about the creature's capabilities, but there was something...
As the darkness crashes over her, she realizes what he'd forgotten to mention. "Half-fiends can sometimes unleash unholy magics as part of their nature-" Seeing Riftun laying on the ground makes her lose her train of thought before she can identify the particular spell cast. Instead she focuses on healing him as quickly as she can.
With Riftun back on his feet, (or at least conscious), she starts digging through her belt pouch. "Andochtuir! If you stay close enough I can apply magic to your weapon!"
Torra screams as part of her life force is torn from her, then screams again as Riftun collapses. The dwarf has no idea what a decapus is, but the fiend part sounds about right! Both terrified and angry, she aims a blast of earth and stone at the creature.
"I-I have the magical mace" Yuto endures the dark attack, his face showing real effort while dropping his katana on place "Bu-but it is of no use if it is flying..."
Remembering something, he draws the vial of holy water they got from Desna's statue and making a step forward, throws it at the half-fiend "Co-come here close fiend! I challenge you!"