.
This... is not my specialty... Ghil thinks as he finally reaches the street. He's so far behind everyone now, that he's not even sure which way to go. "Meet me back at her apartment if you catch her!!!" he calls, hoping someone hears him. He posts up by the apartment building's entrance, waiting for everyone else to come back, hopefully with Trinia in tow.
Trinia is practically in tears and swears she had nothing to do with the death of the King. She claims she's been set up and doesn't want to die. She clings to Nethen seeing him as her defender after he swatted the Stiges.
.
What are you doing now?
Vedika sits up with a groan.
"Thanks Kay."
"We're going to get you to a friend of ours who'll make sure you're looked after," Nethen says, trying to be as reassuring as possible. He takes off his duster and drapes it over Trinia, pulling the hood low to hide her face as he escorts her down to the others on the street.
"We need to get her to Marshall Croft, quickly and quietly," he says to the rest of the group.
Kayleigh gives Vedika a smile and offers her hand to help her friend to her feet.
"That was quite a fall, but you almost nailed the landing!" Kayleigh's not a great fibber, and Vedika likely notices this. "You're a lot tougher than you look; that fall would've killed most people." There's nothing but honesty and admiration in the cleric's second statement, however.
=============================================================
After meeting up with the others and seeing no further injuries, the Milanite casts a cure light wounds spell on Vedika to heal any lingering damage from the fall. Kayleigh's immediately suspicious of Trinia again when she notes how the young artist clings to Nethen like some unfortunate ingenue when moments earlier she'd fled like a guilty-as-charged criminal. The cleric doesn't make any accusations, but she watches and listens to every little gesture and word Trinia makes on the walk back to the field marshal's office.
Vedika accepts Kayleigh's hand and groans as she gets back onto her feet.
"I think hitting that laundry line on the way down really slowed down my fall," she says wryly. "Feels like I just got out of a Calistrian temple, except without the fun parts."
Ariadne chuckles at Vedika's comment. "I'm just happy to see you get back up from that fall."
Refocusing on Nethen abd the somewhat disguised Trinia, she nods. "Yeah, let's find the quickest, and least populated way out of here."
Trinia is telling the truth. She is innocent of killing the King. She is a simply someone who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Keeping her face concealed lets you get Trinia back to Marshall Croft without any notice being taken of you.
Once again Marshall Croft is pleased with how quietly you handled the matter. With wild stories going around everyday having a problem solved without the news getting mangled makes her job easier.
.
.
Anything you want to do or shall we move on?
Ariadne is both relieved and happy that they manage to get Trinia safely to Marshall Croft without anyone noticing. She wasn't the best at reading people, but she was convinced that Trinia wasn't responsible for the king's death. Her words just rang true.
Taking the opportunity to make a purchase or two over the next few days, she also heads back to Zellara's shop/home, cleaning the place up and otherwise listening around for any news of happenings in the city.
Kayleigh's usual neutral smile looks a bit vacant as well, indicating the Milanite didn't get Vedika's joke in the least. When the group reunites and is in a fairly private area, Kayleigh finishes healing Vedika with a (swapped-out) cure light wounds spell .
Kayleigh spends the downtime split between cleaning Zellara's flat with Ariadne (probably hearing the tale of the spirit harrower during that time) and doing her own regular social work amongst the downtrodden in her own neighborhood. While in Old Korvosa, she's a "Chatty Kayleigh," asking those she helps more than usual about the state of affairs in the city.
Kayleigh has no trouble gathering rumors, in fact she is overwhelmed by the quantity flooding the streets. News that the Kings 'Assassin' has been captured and awaits trial is calming things down though.
One worrying tidbit that is picked up is the rise of Anti-Shoanti feeling. As usual the racists have taken advantage of a crisis to whip up hatred for an easy target. There are rumors that a mob has already murdered a young Shoanti man?
Once again you are called to Cressida Croft's office. She is not alone when you arrive. With her is an elderly Shoanti man of 60 winters.
This is Thousand Bones. He regards you sternly while Cressida introduces him, telling you that he’s a shaman of the Skoan-Quah, the Clan of the Skull.
Cressida bids you sit, tells you about the situation with the mob violence and
the murdered Shoanti man, then turns the floor over to Thousand Bones.
The old shaman speaks with a deep voice, his words carefully chosen but delivered with a barely restrained anger, “My people have worked hard to understand those who dwell in Korvosa, yet it seems each day we see new examples of how this city’s people work just as hard to foster old hatreds.
My grandson is dead, beaten to death by cowards in your city street. I do not blame you, yet still Gaekhen is dead, and my son and his kin are not so forgiving as I. They wish to return to the Skoan-Quah in the Cinderlands, to join with the Sklar-Quah and rally to war against Korvosa. This would be disastrous, for both our peoples. Amends must be made."
“Our ways are not as yours. If a body does not go whole to the fires of the ancestors, the smoke of a warrior’s spirit cannot rise to the Great Sky. If I could send Gaekhen’s body to the Great Sky with honor and dignity, his father and brothers would listen to me and stay their wrath—the talks of peace between my people and yours could continue. But he was not just murdered. His body was taken from the scene of his death, sold by a peddler of corpses to a necromancer known as Rolth, a criminal to both our peoples. I have spoken with the spirits, and they have revealed to me that Gaekhen’s body has been taken to a place below this city’s graveyard, a place the
spirits call the Dead Warrens."
“With this knowledge, I could surely lead a group of my finest warriors into your graveyard to retrieve Gaekhen’s body, but this would be seen as an act of aggression by your people. No, it falls to you to make amends for what has been done. You must bring me Gaekhen’s body, lest we be forced to
recover him ourselves. And although it pains my heart to say it, we will not be gentle if it comes to this.”
Thousand Bones then rises, nods curtly to Cressida, and leaves the room to return to his people and await the delivery of his grandson’s body.
Field Marshal Kroft apologizes for the man’s brusqueness, but makes it clear she agrees with his assessment. Someone tied to Korvosa needs to find
the dead Shoanti’s body and return it to his people as a gesture of good will, or things will quickly go from bad to worse.
If you can help her, there’s also another 1,000gp reward in it for them. Cressida would like you to begin immediately, but she can certainly answer a few questions you are likely to have.
“Ahh... Rolth Lamm has long been a thorn in my side. A failed Academae student, Rolth’s a monster of a man who was expelled after the true nature of his experiments were revealed. He was butchering vagrants, stray animals, and anything else he could get his hands on to try to build some sort of golem from their collected parts. The Academae didn’t press charges because it didn’t want to cause a scene—it just quietly expelled him and the man’s been trouble ever since. Personally, I suspect he’s responsible for a large number of additional murders over the past decade, each involving mutilation to the body, but he’s a slippery one and I’ve never been able to find any
evidence against him. He might or might not be in the Dead Warrens, but anything you can find there that could lead to his arrest would be greatly appreciated.”
If the PCs express shock at hearing the man’s last name, Cressida can confirm that Rolth is said to be the only surviving son of local crime lord Gaedren Lamm, who she knows has recently gone silent.
“Korvosa’s graveyards, in the Gray District, are riddled with underground chambers, some of them burrowed by ghouls or other monsters, others remnants of ancient Shoanti burial grounds. Some of these warrens are patrolled and kept clear of monsters by the church of Pharasma, yet the Gray District is a
large place and the tunnels below are vast and tangled.
The Pharasmins focus on containing the problems with undead and necromancers, but as soon as they wipe out one, it seems as if two are ready to spring up in its place. The problem’s particularly vexing in Potter’s Ward, where the bodies of the poor and homeless are buried. According
to Thousand Bones, the Dead Warrens were one of his people’s burial vaults. You can find the Dead Warrens in the chambers that lie under Potter’s Ward.”
“We have the man who sold Gaekhen’s body to Rolth in custody: a simpleton named Elkaris. He spilled everything when we told him what was going on and how much trouble he was in. In any event, Elkaris says he delivered the body
via wheelbarrow to a partially collapsed mausoleum deep in Potter’s Ward, near the southern edge. A toppled and headless statue of a sword-wielding gargoyle lay in the dirt near the mausoleum’s entrance—he was told to leave the body behind the gargoyle. This location matches where Thousand Bones believes the Shoanti burial grounds called the Dead Warrens are located, so that’s the best place to start the search.”
“Thousand Bones described Gaekhen as about 18 years old with short brown hair and a distinctive scar from a firepelt’s claw on his left cheek. Furthermore, Gaekhen had several large and distinctive Shoanti tribal tattoos on his arms and torso. It’s unlikely that any other freshly killed Shoanti are in the Dead Warrens today, so that should be a dead giveaway.”
Anything else you wish to ask?
Before the group meets with the Field Marshal, Kayleigh tells them what she learned during her rounds the previous day. She warns her new friends that, as a merciful healer, she cannot use her healing channels to harm creatures returned from beyond the grave. She also shamefully admits that, as a result, she's no expert on the different forms the undead can take.
After the interview with Thousand Bones, the young cleric indeed has a question for Cressida Kroft: "Why did you turn Trinia over to the queen? Did you feel she was indeed responsible for the king's death?"
Nethen listens carefully as Thousand Bones and Marshal Croft explain their next task. He's very happy to be taking down a man who's both a necromancer and the son of Gaedren Lamm. "I don't think there's anything stopping us from going to Potter's Ward straight away," he says, looking around at the others to see if they're ready.
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For the day off, Vedika disappears to spend a little time visiting her family, especially making sure that Sita is adjusting well to being back home and getting over the traumas of her kidnapping. It is, after all, the sort of thing that would give a child nightmares.
~~~~~~~~~~
When the group reassembles at Cressida's office she make a point of catching up with Kayleigh. She puts a hand on the cleric's arm to get her attention.
"Hey. Thanks for getting me back on my feet back there. Really. I appreciate it."
She produces a small wrapped parcel that looks somewhat like a stubby stick and offers it to Kayleigh.
"I got this for you. I'd make a joke about it not being a toy, but since you didn't get my Calistrian joke you probably wouldn't get that either. Anyway, I hope it's helpful."
Kayleigh looks both surprised and touch by Vedika's gift; her accompanying blush proves that she's clueless, naive, and innocent.
"You needn't have done that!" the cleric says. "I have quite a bit of healing ability already, granted by Milani." After a thoughtful pause, though, she adds, "You know...this could come in handy for poking any undead we might encounter in the Dead Warrens, as my regular positive energy channels can't harm them."
"Whatever makes it most useful," says Vedika. "I leave it to your expertise. I, uh, just wanted you to know that your help was appreciated, and this seemed like it could be useful in the future."
Marshall Croft explains to Kayleigh that she hasn't handed Trinia over to the Grey maidens, despite some pressure for her to do that.
She is conducting a through investigation and won't be holding a trial until all evidence has been examined. Sadly the news of Trinia's capture was leaked and now people are expecting a show trial followed by a public execution.
Her expression when she talks about a 'leak' shows that if she finds out who did it their life will not be pleasant. Cressida Croft might be of noble birth, but she is a firm believer in the rule of law. Not that of mob justice and noble privilege.
She also casually mentions she has a few friends around Korvosa with the connections and skills to both do the digging for what happened and to ensure Trinia stays alive.
So, off to Potter's Ward?
Ariadne listens intently as the old shaman speaks, her mind working on the terse political system within the city, and how easily the existing tensions and violence could become monumentally worse.
When Thousand Bones leaves, she voins the others in questioning Marshall Croft.
"Lamm? Another ^%@&ing Lamm?" Ariadne mutters, quietly seething. Sharing a look with Kayleigh, she takes a deep breath to get her anger under control. "It looks like the stain of that man runs even deeper in this city than I thought."
She nods as the location of The Dead Warrens and their origins are explained. Of course they would go after the place where the poor were interred...less chance of anyone with any power actually caring. People like Marshall Croft were far too few and far between in Korvosa. She makes note of the details, memorizing the point of the Shoanti tattoos and facial scar.
Time was of the essence before decay....or some twisted experiment by a vile madman, left his body unrecognizable.
"Now is as good a time as any, and if the body was only recently deliverd, it';s our best chance to find this bastard in his lair. I'm ready."
D THE DEAD WARRENS
Korvosa’s vast graveyard, a region known as the Gray District, is a mournful place even by day. The district is alone in being a place of quiet and calm in the face of the civil unrest, yet there is an unnatural stillness in the air, almost as if the graveyard were preparing for a vast influx of new dead.
Nowhere is this ominous feeling more noticeable than in Potter’s Ward, the final resting ground for Korvosa’s poor and homeless. Mounds of unmarked dirt stretch far and wide, indicating sites of mass graves, while crumbling mausoleums from years ago, abandoned by their families as the Gray District expanded to the west, dot the bleak landscape, forgotten and empty. Mourners
do not visit here, for the dead buried in Potter’s Ward leave behind few who regret their passing.
Locating the entrance to the Dead Warrens is a relatively simple task with Cressida’s information in hand. No sign of Gaekhen’s body remains in the area.
A successful DC 15 Perception check reveals the presence of a man’s tracks and a wheelbarrow trail. More interestingly, several smaller humanoid tracks clutter the site as well. These tracks lead into a mausoleum, where a successful DC 15 Perception check reveals a poorly hidden trap door in the floor that leads down into the dark.
What are you doing now?
.
Before entering the warrens, Kayleigh casts a light spell (either on her morningstar or upon the weapon of whoever wants to take point). She looks worried--perhaps even spooked--but also appears resolute about taking down Lamm's spawn and finding the missing Shoanti man's body.
"Remember this if we meet any undead like skeletons or zombies: Bash the bone, slash the flesh," the cleric whispers, hefting her morningstar in one hand while patting the dagger sheathed at one hip with her buckler hand. "I'm better suited to take on skeletons."
Question answered. Thanks!
Nodding at Kayleigh's advice, Ariadne draws her sword, prepared to switch to her morningstar should they encounter skeletons, and casting a light spell the medallion around her neck.
Alert for danger, the magus takes note of the footprints and wheelbarrow marks, pointing out the additional smaller humanoid tracks cluttering the area as well.
"Looks like the tracks lead to this mausoleum, she says, taking point on entering and scanning the area intently. [b]"Hmm..looks like a trap door...they didn't bother trying very hard to hide it, though it's not as if too many people would be walking around in here would they?"
Lifting the trap door she stares down into the darkness. "We can drop a light source down there but it'll give us away immediately. Anyone able to see in the dark?" she asks in a whisper.
Nethen nods appreciatively at Kayleigh’s advice, pleased to have an expert on hand. He unclips his whip from his belt and holds it loosely coiled in his hand as he follows Ariadne along the tracks and into the mausoleum. ” Not me I’m afraid,” he replies. ”Can you, Vedika?”
"Afraid not."
"Well then I guess we'll be using light. Anything that can see in the dark we'll see us coming before we see them and they're probably going to start shooting at us, So I'll go down first." Ariadne says, casting a light spell in a copper piece and dropping it down the hole, then waiting for a count of 20, before climbing down.
Kayleigh winces when she misses the obvious clues that Ariadne picks up on as her friend leads the group into the warrens. When the group pauses, the cleric says to the magus, "If you'll be taking point, I'll be the rearguard...spread out our light some so it'll cover more area."
The Dead Warrens are dimly lit by patches of eerily glowing but harmless mold that fills the chambers here with a cold blue light.
D1 Ossuary
This large room is supported by four wide pillars of stone. The ceiling above arches in a dome nearly twenty feet high. The walls are lined with skeletons caked into the mud— adult human bones mostly, but here and there smaller bones might be from halflings or perhaps children. Fifteen foot-square pits sit to the east and west, each filled with a large heap of hundreds of bones. To the south, a crude hole has been gouged out of the wall, providing access to a tunnel.
4 of the Human Skeletons in the west pit, and an Owlbear Skeleton in the east pit show signs of movement. Those who make the perception check get an action before we go to initiative.
.
What are you doing?
"Skeletons! On both sides!" After giving her warning, Kayleigh moves to engage the undead nearest her, glowing morningstar at the ready. When she sees the skeletal form of an owlbear emerging from the bone pit instead of humanoid ones, the young woman lets out a worried, "Oh dear!" but stands her ground.
Vedika hefts her sap at Kayleigh's comment.
Nethen follows Ariadne and the others into the gloom, his whip held ready at his side.
"I see them!" he calls back to Kayleigh, moving to block the path of the larger skeleton
Seing the moving skeletons, Ariadne quickly utters the words to a spell, a shimmering shield of pure energy forming to hover in front of her. "Looks like our necromancer has security, I'll take the big one!"
Nethen & Vedika may act.
Vedika moves to one side of the warrens, pressing against the wall as she waits for the skeleton to come to her.
Nethen flicks his whip out at the big skeleton’s bony legs, hoping it’s too slow witted to avoid being tripped then smashed by Ariadne.
Vedika readies herself by the west stairs.
Nethen waits till the Owlbear skeleton lurches up the stairs, catching a raised leg and pulling it off balance, it crashes to the floor with a clatter.
The human skeleton's clatter up the stairs.
Vedika swings at Orange but misses. In turn it claws weakly at her.
.
Everyone can now act. Red is Prone.
Not yet realizing how many foes Vedika faces, Kayleigh can't pass up taking a swing at the great owlbear skeleton sprawled at her feet, courtesy of Nethen's whip. In stepping up to deliver an overhand smash with her morningstar, however, the young priestess nearly steps on the undead's flailing claws. As a result, her swing misses what should have been an easy target.
for
Ariadne advances on the fallen owlbear skeleton, an obscure arcane chant on her lips as she conjures rare necromantic energy, causing able glow to spread from her hand to her weapon. With a powerful strike, she brings her mace slamming down on the undead creature, her spell sending a pulse of energy washing over the creature to override it's undead impulses.
Kayleigh misses her strike by an inch, Ariadne hits with a dull thud on the rotting fur covered bones.
Vedika, Iorghil & Nethen to act.
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Feeling the "better part of valor," Vedika withdraws to her teammates.
Nethen lashes out again with his whip, the crack echoing loudly from the stone walls.
.
Iorghil casts Barbed chains on the prone Red
The conjured chains damage Red but fail to hinder its rise.
Red begins to stand again.
The Human skeletons clatter forward, but only flail uselessly at you.
AOO for Ariadne, Kayleigh & Nethen. AC13
Kayleigh's follow-up swing connects with the owlbear skeleton's skull as it rises from prone.
for
Kaylleigh slams her morningstar into the bony beast.
Ariadne & Nethen?
Nethen's whip flicks back and forth like an angry snake, cracking out towards the rising skeleton.
Ariadne brings her full martial might to bear, with a devastating blow to the creature's skull.
Nethen & Ariadne join Kayleigh in battering the bony beast into bits.
You clear the chamber of the undead and it grows deathly silent again. There are two exits off the chamber. One the bone pit to the east, the other to the south.
What are you doing now?
"Well, these things were definitely here to guard something, so we know we're on the right track." Ariadne says, brushing bone dust off of her clothing.
"I think going through this entrance on the side might not be a bad idea if the noise of our fight means someone is expecting us now."