Sarah Jean attempts some magic, and a few birds come in to tweet in her ear before flying back out of an open window. After coming out of a trance she informs you.
"I think Drektan did not like what the natural world deemed as his next evolution. You may have the treasure you spent to have his spirit returned--this is not the first time this has happend. But in every case, I issue a refund. Or, you can have similar services on reserve for a future need of a reincarnation. And, from your stories, you have done a great service reducing this threat. Have some healing berries."
You are given a napkin with 12 goodberries in a addition to being healed fully by Sarah Jean. The orphans pester you for stories in the morning after you look much better, but as the sun begins to climb, it is time to return to business. Once again you find yourself on a northeastern path heading to the Cragson mine.
Nodding in agreement with Tacitus Kunala finishes his breakfast, chuckling to himself watching the Lutist gutting out his hangover. As Sarah explained what she thought happened to Drektan, Kunala turned towards the Coin sisters. They were experts about money, nodding, "Ladies, you have a good grip on our need for money, could you work it out with Sarah?"
"Thank you Sarah, that is very gracious." Reaching forwards he accepted the twelve goodberries, and started passing them out to everyone, smiling at Antonio he adds, "I wonder if theses would help with the hangover." Giving everyone two berries, he slipped the last two to Tacitus, winking, "Just in case Maff get's in trouble again."
As they approach the camp, Kunala gestures towards the 'mine entrance' "Should we make sure nothing has been disturbed at the entrance before we inspect the last two buildings" as they approach the 'entrance' he watches carefully to see if anything is different.
"I'd have to check my notes, but I can handle the transaction," Amelia says quietly.
Sarah Jean reminds you that you took 5000gp less and immediately writes you a letter of credit to the Bank of Abadar drawing on her account with them for 500 platinum pieces. To reclaim your charters in the River Kingdom, you will probably be traveling to Greatwall where you started and then setting out from there by caravan to Oleg's trading post.
"My bird scouts have spotted a soldier with a scar on his face walking around by the mine buildings giving orders to the orcs. He matches the description of that Sergeant Krayqueer Jasper warned me about. He has also been seen talking to a gnome magic-user from Pitax at times."
As they approach on the Northeastern path, Kunala pauses, reminding the others of what Sarah's bird had said. "Remember, the scarred soldier and orcs were seen this morning. I don't know if it's a new group or the orcs from the cave. Either way we need a plan." He looks towards Taddy and Antonio, the sneaker members of the party. "Do we want to do a little recon, or just move from building to building getting as close as we can?"
Maff recovered from the three-story animal infirmary built on the property with a suspended beds on perches in the loft, and airy ground floor for typical land creatures, and a basement for underground creatures all to recover from wounds.
Sarah Jean, when questioned, consults with the bird and lets you know the sighting of the sergeant and gnome was two days before your first trek to the mine. She informs you that storms are coming, and though she would like the rain, she will hold it for one more day for your exploration.
At the mine sight the two buildings, a store and a church/chapel remain unexplored.
Antonio nodded at Kunala.
"Yeah, let's sneak up close and listen, check for any obvious sign of occupation."
"A moment, please," Amelia says before quietly casting a couple of spells.
with Sara Jean,:
"If you can really hold the rain that would be great but maybe don't hold it too long. Rain would do wonders to cover our tracks as well." he said, dubious as to whether she could actually affect the weather like that though he does thank her profusely for restoring Maff to his normal self.
-------------------------------------
Antonio nodded at Kunala.
"Yeah, let's sneak up close and listen, check for any obvious sign of occupation."
"sounds good, Maff stay here and guard the Coin's okay Bud?" he says scratching the skunks chin before setting off with Antonio and Kunala to scout.
Nodding in agreement with Antonio, Kunala points towards the building nearest the clearings edge. "Good idea, may as well start with the one nearest to cover."
Turning towards Taddy as his friend commands his companion to guard the Coin sisters, Kunala nods approvingly. Leaving the dueling sword sheathed so its flames did not alert anyone, he moves with Antonio and Tacitus through the brush towards the nearest building.
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Before Tacitus can get too far, Amelia casts another spell on him.
Antonio sneaks up on the nearest building to cover.
Then he listens at the wall.
Érme looks to her sister, then to their new guardian beast before back to Amelia with a look that seems to say Tarnished Coins indeed. We are now protected by a giant skunk.
She smiles weakly, then shoulders her crossbow in overwatch of the sneakers ahead;
"My thanks Maff."
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"Yes, thanks Maff," Amelia agrees before sitting on her heels and reaching out to offer their guardian a pet.
Once the others are out of earshot, she looks up at Emre.
"Are you alright," she asks her sister.
Antonio masterfully sneaks up to the general store and sees and disarms a heavy crossbow trap. Besides returning with a masterwork heavy crossbow, he has found fifteen pounds of dried spices that would probably sell for 30gp.
He also picks the door to the church that is locked with a rusty padlock and, when the door is swung open, reveals a massive stench of death and decay.
Inside the church are a mass of corpses that were locked inside this sturdy building, probably still alive, with no light, food or water.
Érme's gaze shifts momentarily from her crossbow vigil and offers a weak smile to Amelia;
"I am Sister. The brush with the Boneyard has given me pause..."
Pleased that Antonio is able to disable the trap and enter the 'general store' Kunala waits outside near the door keeping a keen eye out. When Antonio exits with the crossbow Kunala smiles. "Nice crossbow."
Following along to the 'church' Kunala waits beside the door as Antonio picks the rusty lock. As the door opens, the stench causes Kunala's eyes to water. Seeing the look on Antonio's face, he turns and looks inside the door. His own eyes widen, as he stumbles away, pausing, hands on his knees, vomiting. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand he moves away from the 'chapel' to the woods edge where the Coin sisters are waiting. His eyes wide and still watering, he looks from them back towards Antonio and Taddy.
Bending back over, he places his hands back on his knees, vomiting again. Looking back at the sisters, his voice tense, his eyes wild. "The chapel if filled with bodies. Probably died of thirst in the dark" Blinking, "We should..." He pauses, blinking again, looking furtively from one sister to the other, "We should..." Pausing again. He looks painfully at the two women. "What should we do?"
Amelia starts to say more, but Kunala's return distracts her. Her eyes grow wide at the news of the atrocity in the chapel. It was barbaric, an act of brutality that no civilized people should stand for, much less commit. It takes her a moment to regain her composure. She closes her eyes and takes in a deep breath, seeming more like the young woman they'd met what seems like a lifetime ago in a tavern being handed a mission to escort a caravan.
"You should sit down. Then we should clear out the mines. Perhaps that will help put the souls of those who died in there to rest. At least long enough for us to see about getting whatever we can to combat the stench of rot and decay from Sarah Jane so we can lay them to rest."
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Years of living with a skunk enabled Tacitus to stomach the horrible stench, but the burden of the sight was too much for him and he stood awestruck and the scene before saying to Antonio,"Close the door... we can't do anything here."
He then followed Kunala back to the Coins and responded, "A terror like that.... I don't know maybe burning the whole building is the best option?" he said inflecting a question as he looked to the Amelia.
Kicking the door shut again and staggering over to the side to retch, Antonio stood up again.
"Well now..." He said, spitting to try to get the taste out of his mouth. "Shall we clear the mines as well? I feel less guilty about just killing them now." He said grimly.
Amelia concentrates and her holy symbol glows. An evil feeling comes from the place—burning the remains seems a prudent precaution.
Going inside seems …… Dangerous!!
As Amelia thinks, she reaches up for the silver key around her neck. The half finds herself falling into a trance, focusing on the key as it begins to glow. Her eyes narrow, then close. She sees the doors to the chapel, the shadows inside mask the horror of what happened. Then red eyes as something snarls and lunges at her.
Her eyes snap open as she stumbles back with a gasp. She reaches out for her sister and grabs her arm to steady herself.
"Burn it," she says, "Burn it now, before whatever is in there gets out!"
Taking the half elf Coin sister's recomendation Kunala sits down and watches as Tacitus shuts the door to the profaned chapel. He'd been unsure about taking the chance to clear the mines, seeing this? He nods as Antonio spits and voices his opinion.
Hearing both Tacitus and Amelia say they should burn the chapel, Kunala starts to stand back up. "The sword's flame is only for light, not actually flame. But I have Flint and steel." He looks around, "Anyone have any oil?"
Antonio shook his head.
"No oil, but..." He said, and took out a short thick crossbow bolt; no barbs on it, but a silver tip painted with red and yellow rings.
He offered it to Kunala.
"Incendiary bolt. Might be useful." He said
Érme places her hand on her sister's shoulder to provide the support she seeks; both physical and spiritual.
Jaw-set, the Inquisitor adds her support to the pyrrhic solution;
"Fire will cleanse any pestilence and allow any lingering souls safe passage to the Boneyard. A structure lost is acceptable collateral when dealing with such an unholy act."
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"I... I don't have anything that could help," Amelia says, feeling useless in this moment as she realizes she has nothing with which to help.
The church is consecrated in flame as the Coin sisters say a blessing to put the spirits at rest. After the fire, a cool wind blows through the rubble, as if to refresh the smell.
All structures but the central shaft to the mine below have been thoroughly explored and looted.
Bowing his head as the Coin sisters recite their blessing, Kunala waits until is seems like everyone is ready to continue.
Moving towards the building with the central shaft he asks. "Anyone have any idea better than dropping the rope and going down after them?"
He pauses, turning back looking at the burned out chapel. "I wondered if destroying the building into the mine would prevent them escaping, but we really don't know do we?"
Antonion peered down into the shaft, then looked back at Kunala.
"Nope, can't think of anything better."
He grabbed the coiled rope and looked back at his companions ready to throw it back down.
"Everybody ready?" He grinned, the old adventuring feeling coming back to him as he got ready to go into potential danger.
"Is the rope the only way down," Amelia asks nervously.
Seeing Antonio grab the rope, Kunala is about to nod his head 'yes' when The half elf Coin sister asked if the 'rope' was the only way down. He was about to make a crack about gravity, but paused. He thought about the last time he tried to climb a rope, it was fifteen years ago and swinging from a tree. Realizing he could probably get down the rope, but he wasn't sure he'd be able to climb back up it.
Stepping near Antonio he reaches out for the rope. "I hate to admit it, but I'm not great at climbing do you mind if we take the time to knot the rope so it's easier to go up and down?"
Nodding to Antonio, he begins to tie knots in he rope about ever two foot. After a period of time he holds up the now knotted rope, "Ok I think were ready! Should we have ranged weapons read to support from above?"
He looks around the room at his friends faces, nodding he drops the rope. "Who's going first?"
Érme's jaw sets and she steps forward;
"I-I will lead this initiative. My eyes see in the dark."
Checking over her equipment, the lithe half-orc shoots a look to her sister...
I need this.
... then decends...
"I'll leave Maff up here, I don't think it will be easy to get him down and I'd bet it will be damn near impossible to get him back up in a hurry." he says, giving maff a stay command inside the building by the well.
as Emre goes down he leans over the well, handing her a Darkflare,"If you happen on another orc down there toss this at their feet and it might be he cant see in the dark anymore eh?" he says as he draws his sling to provide what little cover he can see.
"Hey yeah, does everyone have some way to see in darkness? Like a torch or three at the very least?" Asked Antonio.
He offers a torch to anyone who doesn't have one.
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Amelia nods as her sister looks at her.
Be careful.
As her sister descends the rope, Antonio asks about having a way to see.
"I have something," she says and starts to fish in her coin purse for a copper. Thinking about light and the prayer involved and the need to make sure it can be passed around easily, she feels something in her mind give way, or restructure itself, or something. It is hard to describe as she pulls out the coin she was looking for and says a brief prayer. Light begins to shine from the coin, and Amelia expected that. What she did not expect is the four motes that flare to life right in front of her eyes causing her to cry out in surprise as she flinches from the sudden brightness. Her eyes water as she blinks away the bright-edged afterimages spangling her vision.
"Apparently I have two somethings," she says, intending it to be a joke. Her tone is more resigned as she realizes that something is happening to her. First the small spell during the fight yesterday, now the strange motes of light.
Raising an eyebrow at the girl's bravery, Kunala watched as the half-orc Coin sister began to descend. She was right, she had the best vision for the job, but that didn't make it any easier. Moving to the pit, he held the rope steady as Tacitus handed her the darkflare. Telling her, "Shout out if you see anything."
As Antonio was passing out torches, Kunala kept his hands on the rope trying to steady it, nodding towards his hilt. "Once I draw the blade I'll have all the light I need."
Seeing the half-elf Coin sister, causing a coin to illuminate he smiles, "Yes, apparently." He nods towards the depths of the shaft, "Are we better off dropping the light so we can see the bottom or will it draw too much attention?"
Seeing that Érme was clear enough for him to go, Kunala swings out on to the knotted rope. Bracing his feet against the wall and begins following the inquisitor into the depths below.
Erme descends down the knotted rope, easily making the climb on the knotted rope.
The companions easily follow on the rope. As Erme's feet are about 30' above the ground, she realizes she will be climbing the last 25' in clear view of a large chamber below.
The quick descent involves making a 20' or 30' straight drop or attempting to 'slow climb' or 'quick climb' down the rope to the bottom.
There is the sound of a few orcs nearby, their harsh breathing noticeable in the tense, quiet air of the mine far below. You estimate the bottom is about 200' down from the surface.
Amelia clings to the rope in white-knuckled fear as she waits to hear what is causing them to pause. Her muscles ache from the climb down and she can feel her hands starting to cramp the longer they wait.
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Érme realises that they are committed to this endeavour and turning back could prove disastrous...
Jaw set she quick climbs the last 30 intent more than ever to prove her worth;
When she reaches the ground, the inquisitor draws her longspear...
Erme reaches the ground and draws faster than the two orc sentries can react.
Kunala and Amelia are also ready to act before the two orc sentries on the ground.
ORDER OF ACTION
Erme
Kunala
Amelia
ORCS
Party in any order
Fortune favors the bold!!
Hearing some sort of Kunala realizes Érme is dropping quickly. "Blast!" Cursing, Kunala realizes she must have spotted orcs. Following her example, Kunala descends the rope at breakneck speed. Dropping the last several feet as he draws his enflamed blade.
Seeing the orcs in the mine, he calls up, "Orcs!" Setting his feet, ready to parry and riposte' any possible attack.
"Abadar, The Golden Fist, bless us and guide us as we bring these brigands to justice, so they may face you divine judgement," Amelia calls out from her spot on the rope. Golden light rains down and settles onto her companions as warmth and renewed strength fills them.
Erme casts bless on Antonio, unable to move down the rope. The swaying of the rope does not break her concentration.
Erme climbed down first, surprising the orcs. Kunala came down second as the orc scout from the dining hall fires a heavy crossbow at him and hits for
The orcs attack missing Kunala and Erme as Kunala gets another vicious riposte in. The orc scout drops his crossbow and runs down the south passage
Party up - acrobatics can be used to reduce fall 10'
Antonio is 35' up rope, Maff 40' Erme 45'
As the orc closes Érme sidesteps freeing up space under the rope, then mirthlessly attempts to skewer the brute on her long spear ;
Cutting the Orc, Kunala brings the sword around in a arch. Setting his feet, he sees the half orc Coin sister stab the other orc with her spear. "Well done Érme." He then chops at the orc, but realizes too late, while he was looking away the orc had shifted slightly and his attack was off.
Amelia clings to the rope as it sways with white-knuckled hands as the others scramble down it. With everyone on the floor, she's the last one on the rope, and too far away to help if any of them fall. Despite her fear and every instinct screaming at her to climb up the rope and back to safety, she starts to climb down as carefully as she can.
Amelia moves down the knotted rope (DC5). Kunala misses an orc as Erme strikes a glancing blow on her foe.
Antonio Taddy