Shhhhhh. It's okay now. So, would you please tell us how you got into this mess?
The old man returns the hug, takes a deep breach , then speaks.
"As you know, Fel Bustrani’s Zyphus-blessed plan to uncover the ancient Zyphus Stone and turn all of Oppara’s citizens into slobbering, horrid zombies failed. In a twist of irony, you adventurous Pathfinders struck down Bustrani not long after he betrayed and murdered the Pathfinder who aided him in the acquisition of the Zyphus Stone in the first place," Hustavan explains. "All of this came to pass inside the House of the Immortal Son, Oppara’s most famous opera house and a frequent gathering spot of Oppara’s wealthiest citizens. Now, you Pathfinders are now held in even higher regard in Oppara than before— especially by the upper class citizens—as many of them either had relatives who survived the incident at the House of the Immortal Son or actually survived it themselves."
"I would later learn that Bustrani’s ragtag bunch of cultists did not fair so well. Most of them were either killed when the you foiled their plan or were captured and quickly put to death by the Opparan constabulary," Hustavan continues. "But, a few dozen managed to escape, however, and skulked back to their hideout beneath a burned-out church of Sarenrae in the rotting, tumbledown camp on the south bank of the Mighty Porthmos River known as the Grandbridge Vagabond Camp."
"For my part, I soon realized that I had fallen out of favor of the empire in the aftermath of the cult’s assault on the Immortal Son--and my rescue by you Pathfinders," he acknowledges with a mixture of both regret and appreciation. "So far, in fact, that I could find no support in my family or one-time allies. After being turned away, time and time again from those I had once counted as colleagues, I saw no place to turn, save one. That is why, poor and destitute, I--the one-time Magistros-- eventually enlisted in the remnants of the Zyphus cult’s faithful just to survive."
"I found them at the Grandbridge Vagabond Camp," he notes. "There Bustrani’s lot fumed and argued about how they might seek revenge on you meddlesome Pathfinders, or how they might steal the Zyphus Stone back from Absalom and use it to finally fulfill the will of their deity of accidents, graveyards, and tragedy. I admit that may have harbored some similar sympathy’s given how the events of my life transpired after your, shall we say… intervention?”
“They readily excepted me among the newest addition to the ranks of the Zyphus cult and, within time, I grew accustomed to the cultist way of living. Though a far cry from the lifestyle to which I had once lived, I found it tolerable and some of the cultists had quite the sense of humor, if a bit dark and ill-natured,” concedes the former Magistros. “But, such was not to last long.”
“For one day, a pale figure by the name, Baillaset, appeared in the Zyphus hideout in a nimbus of blood-red smoke. By his sudden appearance and fearsome countenance, for he was, no doubt, a ragged dead thing with skin like blood and eyes like, Baillaset could only have been set by Zyphus himself!” Hustavan recounts, visibly shaken. “Baillaset declared us cultists damned for all time if we didn’t fulfill one final order: to choke the hideout with dozens of traps to catch and kill all but one cultist. And, the final cultist would replace Fel Bustrani, rebuild the Opparan cult, and again attempt the downfall of the city by Zyphus’s will!”
“I, as you may imagine, had some hesitation, but the others? Why, those cultists, despite the laughs we had shared as well as a few tears, they didn’t wait to ask questions—they began to build! With my one-time fellows building traps and killing one another, I once again found myself without trusted allies, so I did the only thing I could. I fled.”
“For a week, I have been in hiding, not once entering the hideout. Nor, fortune would have it, have I since seen any of the cultists come to the surface.”
“With Baillaset having arrived and setting loose the cultists on one another, I turned to the only ones I thought may be willing to render aid, that is, I turned to you Pathfinders for help. And now that you are here, I am certain, no doubt, that this ordeal will be brought to a swift and proper end. For little do the cultists know that as they trap and murder one another, Pathfinders now approach the hideout intent on destroying the cult for good!”
Any wounds? Hustavan...are you hurt? he asks before moving over to the man.
“I must concede, I am a bit winded from the length of my oration,” Hustavan replies. “But, I have avoided any dire harm. Indeed, I am more than well enough to accompany you down into the hideout as a guide. And do not think that I will take, ‘no’, for an answer!”
|
The Lady isn't particularly good at telling when others are lying, in spite of being very, very good at doing it herself.
Nor does she have much sympathy for Hustavan, despite his circumstances.
"Hustavan, I invited you to visit my estates in Nidal. I assure you zhat alzhough you might have found it somevhat painful - all in a good vay, ov course - it vould have been better zhan zhis."
"But to zhe matter at hand," she says while subconsciously adjusting the glove on her left hand. Without giving him time to make excuses for his failure to attend to her, she continues. "Zhis Baillaset. You say he's undead? Vhat type, exactly?"
|
Spica lets go of Hustivan and stands, nodding at Vanessa speaks.
You did give him the address my dear? she asks Vanessa.
Spica is also prepared to take him at face value ((no sense motive))
And yes, you could have seen examples of undine underwater dance .... well, you will be able to once I build a bigger aquarium. Been thinking of flooding one of Vanessa's wine cellars. *grins* No ... not with wine my dear, that would be a cruel waste.[/b]
But yes - after you.
She then whispers to Vanessa what is in the spoiler
|
|
You did give him the address my dear? she asks Vanessa.
"He is - or vas - nobility. Ve know how to find zhese kind of places by asking zhe right people, dahling."
And yes, you could have seen examples of undine underwater dance .... well, you will be able to once I build a bigger aquarium. Been thinking of flooding one of Vanessa's wine cellars. *grins* No ... not with wine my dear, that would be a cruel waste.
"Ov course not, silly girl. If you flooded zhe cellar vith vhine, I couldn't see you dancing in it."
"And vhere vould zhe fun be in zhat?" she asks both rhetorically and mischievously.
Vanessa listens to Spica's whispered observations and explanation of Hustavan's behavior, savoring the salty smell of the undine's breath on her ear.
"Hmmmm. Vell Hustavan, I suppose ve could use your help navigating zhe ruins, so it makes sense for you to come vith us. But..."
She narrows her eyes as she puts her "b&$+& face" on.
"You vill do what ve tell you. You vill tell us vhere zhe traps are. If you don't or if you trick us, you'll vish I'd merely fed you to zhe zombies. Do ve have an agreement?"
|
|
He is - or vas - nobility. Ve know how to find zhese kind of places by asking zhe right people, dahling."
Translated: "It's a noble thing; you wouldn't understand." ;)
All Spica can say in reply is Oh Landwalker society is So strange sometimes
"Ov course not, silly girl. If you flooded zhe cellar vith vhine, I couldn't see you dancing in it."
"And vhere vould zhe fun be in zhat?" she asks both rhetorically and mischievously.
I'm not even sure my gills can handle wine to be honest. And I'm not sure I want to find out
|
Yes..leaving him alone in this place isn't the best idea... Goran says, his eyebrow cocked as he looks towards Spica and Vanessa.
If you will give me a moment or two before leaving, i would like to see about blessing this place...somehow remove the taint of the recent...blasphemies, for lack of a better word.
"Hustavan, I invited you to visit my estates in Nidal. I assure you zhat alzhough you might have found it somevhat painful - all in a good vay, ov course - it vould have been better zhan zhis."
"But to zhe matter at hand," she says while subconsciously adjusting the glove on her left hand. Without giving him time to make excuses for his failure to attend to her, she continues. "Zhis Baillaset. You say he's undead? Vhat type, exactly?"
"'In a good way?'" Hustavan gulps. "Yes, well, I have heard that Nidal can be rather...divine. In its own way, that is."
"As for Baillaset, I do not know what nature of creature he is exactly. Nor do I have much a wish to ever see him again," concedes the old man.
"You vill do what ve tell you. You vill tell us vhere zhe traps are. If you don't or if you trick us, you'll vish I'd merely fed you to zhe zombies. Do ve have an agreement?"
"A-agreed, My Lady, agreed," Hustavan assures. "As for the placement of any traps, I cannot say for I have not been in the hideout for a week. I know its layout, certainly, but as for the traps therein or the current whereabouts of the denizens below, I have no knowledge."
"Well, it seems you really want to come with us. And we cannot in good conscience leave you here alone, anyway, so..."
"Thank you! Thank you!" Hustavan says with genuine gratitude. "Most conscientious of you! This way." The former Magistros leads you through the ruined temple to a stairway that descends into the earth below.
At the bottom of the stairs that lead down from the surface is a small room. Two female statues stand in the middle of the room; their arms were broken off and are missing, and their facial features were long ago scraped away.
A small amount of light reaches this room from above, casting the entire room in shadowy illumination. Three tunnels lead away from here—a wide tunnel to the north and two smaller passages to the west and east. The tunnels are pitch black.
|
|
Vanessa catches the burly Sarenite's eye and sees the unspoken question, but also the concern for his teammate's health.
"Don't vorry about me, handsome. Zhese two vials can get me back on my feet, or you can use zhis vand," she explains as she points out two potion vials marked with Black X's in the bandolier slung low across her shapely hips and an ebon wand tucked beneath the finely tooled leather.
"A-agreed, My Lady, agreed," Hustavan assures. "As for the placement of any traps, I cannot say for I have not been in the hideout for a week. I know its layout, certainly, but as for the traps therein or the current whereabouts of the denizens below, I have no knowledge."
"I suppose zhat vill have to suffice," she concedes, but it's clear from the look she gives him that he'd better not be dissembling. Nidal serves up no greater pain than when a Kuthite be scorned.
As she and the others file into the dim hallway, she drops her gold-rimmed red "sunglasses" down over her eyes and fishes out a metamagic rod from her handbag.
|
|
Let Light overrkome Darrkness. Nikita looks seriously at the light coming from Goran's shield and pulls out a revolver. Generral of Vengeance, by pover of Heaven and Rrevolution, in name of Rred Flag and Rred Arrmy, bless zis nagan! A red glow briefly appears around his revolver and then seems to be drawn in through the barrel.
Though party makes preparations as the Pathfinders begin their descent down the steps, which lead from the surface to a small room. Two female statues stand in the middle of the room; their arms were broken off and are missing, and their facial features were long ago scraped away.
Derf moves ahead, checking for traps every 10', as well as hoping his natural instincts help him first.
The wide-eyed Derf spots an arrow trap just ahead of his current position.
The halfling handily jams the pressure plate so it cannot move.
Three tunnels lead away from here—a wide tunnel to the north and two smaller passages to the west and east. The tunnels are pitch black save for the light sources you may have brought.
Down the hallway, beyond the statues lies some rubble on the floor and, beyond it, an open pit.
Spica peers down the tunnels with Darkvision.
Spica spies a tripped swinging axe trap. The corpse of a human male dressed in rags hangs from an enormous axe attached to a mechanism in the ceiling. At his feet lies a bloody club.
"How fares the hideout, m'lords and m'ladies?" Hustavan calls down the steps. "I am most pleased not to hear any screaming."
Goran inspects the body, expecting the obvious result
Goran concludes that the male human dressed in rags is an ex-man, a non-human, a former breather, one bereft of life.
The cleric concludes that he’s been dead for at least a week.
The statues do not emit any magical auras.
Grunjar checks the man and the club for magic auras by casting guidance and detect magic right afterwards.
There are no magical auras within the area.
A small pile of rocky rubble lies here before Goran and Grunjar, all of which collapsed from the ceiling above. Two sets of pale, cold feet stick out from the debris, and a coagulated rivulet of blood oozes forth from beneath it. This looks to be a tripped rock fall trap. Digging out enough debris enough to uncover the corpses would take several minutes.
Derf spies nothing more from his current location.
Vanessa descends the stairs and walks the long way around the statues, just looking at them as if they were in a gallery. Unimpressed, she peers down the hallway to the west, looking deeply into the shadows without the need for lights.
The Lady spies a series of crypts all relatively intact, though the visible bodies look as though they were long ago stripped of any valuables. Dozens and dozens of delicately wrapped skeletons are stacked in the alcoves throughout. The crypts are devoid of any light.
Map updated to reveal above features.
Derf attempts to seal the pit for good.
"I swear to Calistria, I'm going to take down every trap in this place, and the damnable cultists behind it."
Derf recognizes the pit as a tripped acid-filled spiked pit trap. The pit is 10 feet deep and lined with etched and crumbling metal spikes. A single body lays at the bottom, melted into an unrecognizable mess. The acid that once filled the pit drained slowly into the surrounding rock.
The halfling manages to prop up and jam the drop plate over the pit.
Goran turns to the direction Vanessa indicates.
Hopefully we can eradicate the evil quickly... the priest says, holding his shied high to light the way.
"No doubt you shall, m'lord!" Hustavan calls out after the cleric even as he tries to press in close to Spica. "But, please don't get too far ahead of us!"
Derf looks down the north corridor.
From his vantage, Derf spies additional crypts, which are all relatively intact. Dozens and dozens of delicately wrapped skeletons are stacked in the alcoves throughout. The crypts are devoid of any light.
Most of the party does, however, spot a glow in the darkness near the end of the main corridor as a large, lumbering, and smoldering figure rounds the corner.
A RUMBLE IN THE CRYPT! - Surprise Round Begins!
Goran
Large, lumbering, and smoldering figure
Derf
Nikita
Grunjar
Spica
Lady Vanessa
Map now updated with location of large, lumbering, and smoldering figure.
The large, lumbering, and smoldering figure walks toward the party, then stops, looking down at the ground before it. A somewhat confused expression forms on its face.
A RUMBLE IN THE CRYPT! - Surprise Round Cont'd!
Goran
Large, lumbering, and smoldering figure
Derf
Nikita
Grunjar
Spica
Lady Vanessa
Map updated with location of large, lumbering, and smoldering figure.