DM Brainiac's Seven Dooms for Sandpoint Table 2

Game Master Brainiac

Those who travel north along the rocky coastline from the Varisian city of Magnimar soon find themselves in peculiar country. Fog drapes the rolling landscape, floating spectrally along damp and lonely moors. Small woodlands grace the region, their tangled depths redolent of nettles and pepperwood and pine sap, while farther inland, river valleys lined by majestic redwoods wind between ragged tors and limestone escarpments. The region’s vastness and sense of isolation have earned it its local name—the Lost Coast.

For decades, this small settlement has endured one potential disaster after the other, but each time, a hero or group of adventurers stepped up to save the day. Yet now, seven separate dooms have come together, converging on the region in a way that, if not defeated in time, could well bring ruin seven times over to the so-called Light of the Lost Coast...

Seven Dooms for Sandpoint

Chapter 1: Bones and Ashes

The four of you grew up in Sandpoint. Over the years, you have become known in town as adventurers, even if you haven't quite yet accomplished something to secure your place in history. But thanks to your burgeoning reputation, you have received an invitation from Abstalar Zantus, the high priest of the Sadnpoint Cathedral.

Easily the largest building in Sandpoint, the impressive cathedral is not dedicated to the worship of a single deity. Rather, it gathers under its eaves the six most commonly worshiped deities in the region: Abadar, Desna, Erastil, Gozreh, Sarenrae, and Shelyn. The building provides chapels for all of these deities in a communal forum—in a way, Sandpoint Cathedral is six different churches under one impressive roof.

The core of the cathedral is an open-air courtyard surrounding a set of seven 9-foot-tall standing stones, which themselves surround a circular stone altar. These stones served the Varisians for centuries as a place of worship. Abstalar awaits you here, standing before a table with a large lunch spread set upon it. Abstalar greets you with a smile and open arms.

"Welcome, friends. May Desna smile upon you! Come, have a seat and enjoy the fine weather and fine food with me."

One of the young women steps forward. She has rich brown hair braided down her back, an immaculate royal blue surcoat over dark gray leathers with only a dagger in her cloth belt.

"[b]Hello Father[//b]" Jeni says with stiff poise, even using an inflection of Father that most might confuse with 'priest' instead of 'dad'. A continuation of her distancing, in her mind for his protection, but just causing them both pain. She nods to him in proper respect, then steps aside for the next in their odd group to say hello, hoping they do so quickly so the silence isn't too unbearable.

Zen kneels and bows his head, a little clumsily, and with a good deal of noise. His refurbished armor fits fairly well, but there are scores and odd markings where the metal was cut and rejoined. It adds to his overall scruffy demeanor. The young man mutters a prayer, and makes a sign of respect towards the gods before standing up and stepping onto the grounds. If the strange-looking, darkly-dressed man is uncomfortable on the cathedral grounds, he doesn’t show it. In fact, he seems more comfortable, and stands up a little straighter, as if bolstered or inspired.

He looks sadly, his expressive eyes drooping slightly, at Jeni’s reaction to Abstalar, and respectfully waits for her to finish her greeting before raising a mailed arm and resting it on her shoulder. With a strong squeeze of reassurance, he turns his head to the priest, and with quiet confidence, replies ”blessings of the Redeemer Queen, to you, Father.” He seems to have rehearsed this, as he speaks with much more confidence and conviction than normal.

He continues, ”you honor me greatly with this gift.” He seems slightly reverent towards the hospitality, and so he pauses and adds, stuttering slightly, as if trying to remember the right thing to say, ”M…m…may Desna’s pale light illuminate your path.” He doesn’t let go of Jeni’s shoulder, as he clumsily tries to steady her - to anchor her - as she tries to steady herself in a storm of emotions.

Earlier

"Nadja! Nadja!" her mother's voice calls into the secret room underneath the Sandpoint Theater, interrupting her vigorous training regimen.

She yanks off the red bug-eyed mask quickly and slides it along with the pair of jagged-edged sabres she'd been practicing with into the small cubby beneath the reed mats. "Yes, mother?" she calls out, pulling off her gloves to manipulate the lock and reset the deadly trap on the cache.

Nadja's mother's face appears in the trap door. "You're taking too long. You should have it locked down in half the time you're taking."

Still breathing hard from the exercise, Nadja jumps up and grabs the lip of the trap door, then pulls herself up. "You didn't use the bell. I thought--"

"You should always practice speed, Tith'Kali." Her admonishment softens, and Astrid touches her daughter's cheek with affection. "If they found out who we are, we'd have to leave Sandpoint. So we keep who we are secret."

Nadja nods, understanding. "Yes, mother. But, we'll have to leave sometime, right? When will I get to see Mediogalti? The Crimson Citadel?"

Astrid smiles. "You will. Someday, when our master calls you to stand before the Vernai and the Blood Mistress. But until then, this is our home." She looks over Nadja with motherly pride. "And we must continue to play the part. Abstalar Zanthus has asked you to meet him at the cathedral. You should go."

===============

Nadja Galinthia arrives at the cathedral, slightly out of breath, likely from having run all the way. Or, more likely, the nimble and flamboyant girl climbed, lept, and swung her way there from rooftop to rooftop.

"Hey!!!" she shouts upon arrival. "Aw, yes! Food! I'm starving!"

Planting herself in a chair and scooting it up noisily to the table, she grabs a roll and has it nearly to her mouth before she remembers. "Thank you for the blessings. Blessings and good tidings. And all that."

"So," she says through a mouthful, "what's the occasion?"

Abstalar waves off Nadja's question. "Let's eat and enjoy the day a bit before turning to that." He fills his own plate and begins to chew thoughtfully.

After a bit, he wipes at his mouth. "So, I have heard a bit of some of your previous exploits about town. I remember when you took down that ghoul who was causing problems, and everybody knows you were the ones to put the spirit of old Lonjiku to rest at last! But I would love to hear more details about your adventures, if you'd be so inclined!"

Jeni leaned into her friend's hand, just a little, before going to a seat. Only realizing she picked her chair for family dinners. Too late to change without looking like she moved on purpose.

She sits, and eats. The soft breads, nuts, and cheeses, the old man liked and always had. When he asks about their adventures, she felt the memory of his question. The kind way he always wanted to hear about her day.

She doesn't answer, instead choosing to let one of the others elaborate.

Kazumi follows at Jeni's shoulder, ready to step in front of their friend, or drift into a supporting position. As she seemed to be doing fine, they busy themself adjusting the fit of their lapels, until Abstalar asks his questions.

Kazumi's mouth twists wryly. "Sure, otherwise we'd be complete unknowns, especially to you," they deadpan.

"Assuming you aren't asking about particularly strenuous flamenco, then the more boisterous section of our deeds really began back in Valdemar Manor. I wanted to see the haunting for myself - especially if what was haunting the place was really the Sandpoint Devil. Jeni agreed it would be fun, Zen agreed to come along to protect us, Gnat- er Nadj overheard us, and there wasn't really any way we could've kept her from coming.

"Then of course it turned out the Devil was enchanted taxidermy, the ghosts were gremlins, and there were enough variables to play with in all of that to find a path to victory. After Jeni showed her stuff at least."

They peel off their thin gloves, and fold them politely into their lap before tucking into a sparing lunch of flatbread and garlicky fish sauce, giving the others a place to elaborate or continue.

Jeni had been pushing a small plate of broccoli toward Nadja, whispering "You were almost late, so this is your penance." a slight teasing toward the younger girl. When her name comes up, she looks up quickly.

The embarrassment at being caught offloading her most hated vegetable in her cheeks was quickly lost as she brings up a wall against the negative emotions that wanted to boil up again about her powers. "Father Zantus is aware of them."

He had been the first to see them, had expressed such wonder, but had also been the first to tell her she should hide them. It wasn't until later that she knew why.

At this point, most of the town knew. Any goodwill she had earned by helping the town with the ghouls, gremlins, and ghosts was lost in whispers of another aasimar adoptive daughter with strange unexplained powers.

She loved her powers, had a new confidence in them, but in his presence, all she could think about was how everyone else saw them.

Just another seed going bad.

Zen headed to the table and sat down in the bench, trying to ease himself onto it without making too much trouble, adding ”Sorry…” He takes off his mailed gauntlets, revealing ink and paint stained fingers and nails - their normal black color has enough residue to confuse any expert on tiefling physiology.

Zen blushes when asked about their experiences in the various adventures and stays silent, not wanting to volunteer much. Their encounters were, in their own way, something dangerous and traumatic. He silently chews his food, hunched over the plate so that he doesn’t get anything on his armor. When Kazumi starts to explain, though, he nods along at the description. When Kaz is done, he reaches down into his bag and retrieves a sketch pad - after wiping his hands politely - and offers it to Zantus. The drawings are tableaus of the rooms they went to, with the earlier showing less confidence - and the latter starting to dabble in showing the others in the party having succeeded and various notable tasks. Notably, he doesn’t seem to show himself, and only the earliest ones seem ‘finished’. ”Um. So, I drew these. I don’t know if you want to see them, Father, but I thought I’d offer them if you wanted.”

Nadja's eyes narrow at the idea of her having to do "penance" for being almost late -- which is another name for being right on time. But she accepts the broccoli and dumps it on her plate to join the other morsels she'd already gathered.

She ultimately didn't have much to add to their first major escapade. It's true Nadja tagged along when she wasn't invited, tried to sneak in after being told explicitly that she was supposed to wait outside, and ended up getting spotted by the gremlins "haunting" the place. She would've been overwhelmed if the others hadn't been there.

Eager to move on to a better subject, she cranes her neck to get a glimpse of Zen's sketches. "Yeah, those'll give you a good idea about all that.

"Honestly, it was that necromancer we found when you asked us to check out that old farmstead we should talk about," she says, pivoting to a topic she felt better about. "We never told you this, since you specifically asked for me to stay in the back and be lookout, but I brought along a rapier from the theater props, one that wasn't fit for the stage because it was too sharp."

She grins fiercely and unapologetically. "But it was sharp enough for fighting those ghouls we found."

Though remaining silent was the plan, Jeni does speak up at this "Nadja saved my life from the ghouls. There were so many of them."

"Ah yes, that was after I'd begun my studies at the Acadamae. The ghoul's prayers were insufficient to maintain control over all the undead present when an alternate, better-dressed source of commands presented himself."

When Jeni offers the credit, the younger girl shrugs her shoulders. "I wouldn't have known the best places to stab if it hadn't been for Zen. He knew all about fighting ghouls."

Nadja giggles when Kaz talks about her contribution. "Yeah. Especially when those commands were, 'kill your buddies, then hold still while my friends skewer you.'"

Zenthus nods solemnly at Nadja, "just glad I was there to keep everyone safe. The way you guys were running around..." He exhales a long breath and says to Abstalar, "but it worked out really well. Nadja and Jeni both held their own, and Kazumi knows his stuff. I think my worries were ... exaggerated." He looks down and grabs a piece of bread, biting a piece and chewing contemplatively.

"I don't think your worries were exaggerated" Jeni says to Zen, waiting until he was chewing, knowing he was too polite to speak while doing so "We were better than anyone imagined, ourselves included." there was pride in her voice, not only for herself but her friends.

”Um. So, I drew these. I don’t know if you want to see them, Father, but I thought I’d offer them if you wanted.”

"Oh, these are very well done. Thank you, Zenthus," Abstalar says with a reassuring smile.

He listens attentively to your stories as he picks at his food. Finally, once lunch is done, Abstalar gives a heavy sigh and gathers his thoughts for a moment. "You all grew up here in Sandpoint. I know you are painfully aware of our town's shameful history. While the scandal involving Sandpoint’s founding several decades ago certainly didn't start things off on the best foot, what I am more concerned with is how the town and my predecessor, Ezakien Tobyn, treated the foundling aasimar Nualia.

“After her defeat, the least I could do was see to it that she got a proper burial here in town. Some folks blanched at the idea, but I’m glad that most of us were more understanding and forgiving. Only, I feel like it’s not enough. Nualia needs to know we’ve forgiven her... she needs to know that I have forgiven her. She doesn’t deserve an afterlife of torment—her life was torment enough."

Abstalar pauses to gauge your reactions to his concerns and observations.

The story of her friends, the banter, and the support had started to make the chocolate-haired girl start to relax.

Then came Nualia.

Always Nualia.

Being an orphan wasn't bad when you had an adoptive parent like Father Zantus. He was kind and gentle, told amazing stories (though ALWAYS with a moral), and was never too busy for a rambunctious active kid like her.

She, in turn, loved him with a protective fury.

So when the town started seeing Nualia in Jeni, seeing Tobyn in Zantus, it made her want to scream.

It still did.

There is a sliver inside her, a very very very tiny spark, that wants to make them all pay for their distrust in her and him, the pain they had caused them both. A sliver that understood why Naulia did what she did.

That sliver was one of the reasons why she probably has been getting into so much trouble lately, why she's been cozying up to the Bunyip Club.

She didn't care what they thought of her anymore. (She DIDN'T, she mentally yelled at the part of her that raised a hand in protest) But for him...

"Do you think it will help?" There is a riot of emotions in that question.

He blushed when Abstalar compliments the drawings, and slinks into the collar of his armor slightly, as if trying to escape.

To the longer explanation, Zenthus listened carefully, or tried to, but others often found him to be inattentive, and this seemed to be apparent again. Those that knew him better, typically present company, would have recalled that his lack of attention was real - he would sometimes need folks to repeat things - but more often than not, his generally placid demeanor was just a manifestation of his personality.

So, Zen stared off into space a little, but his stained hand slid across the table, as if offering it, seemingly to Jeni - a small measure meant to be an offer of comfort and steadiness. He looked in the direction of the graveyard where they had buried Nualia, and takes a deep breath.

**************

It had been almost comical, the way that the citizens had not whispered about him, absurdist. His family was familiar, but when they stopped moving around due to his condition, and he started getting mentored by Brodert - it seemed like most of the folk of Sandpoint had wanted to make up for something - only when he was older did he realize it was partially for Nualia - in his reception. Brodert had gained some stature, having been recognized for his foresight and knowledge by Thassalonian academics, the man’s once-mad theories became reality with the founding of New Thassalon and the return of Sorshen. Exotic and mysterious, much of Varisia found itself caught in a wave of curious appreciation for anything with an obvious link to the new-old country. This was reinforced by the presence of missionaries and diplomats who cut deeply against the reputation that Thassalon had, if only in whispers, of an ancient tyrant state that manifested power through sin.

Zenthus was obviously linked with all of this in some way, so his demonic features and odd runic markings had not become a source of tension around town, if anything, he seemed to get more respected somehow. The fact that he had taken up a blade in defense of the town, and had obvious, manifestly positive celestial powers was an even greater armor to him. His reputation, as a kid who didn’t ask to look like this, but not once complained, and only quietly helped people with a smile, was not unimpeachable but was manifestly decent. The other two paladins in town had taught him much, despite their obvious concern about the redeemer Queen, and the celestial powers that bulwarked Zenthus were unmistakable.

It wasn’t fair.

Jeni had been on the receiving end of more whispers and abuse than anyone he had known. Zenthus tried to explain all of her good qualities, when presented with an opportunity, but old memories carve a path through the world that becomes the easiest to trod. ”You’re not like that girl, you turned out so well!” or ”these aasimar, there’s something wrong with them - at least the ones in sandpoint. Why don’t they stay in Magnimar?” He tried to argue, but was too polite to get too deep into it with anyone.

Even the Bunyip Club thought well of him, in an odd, paternalistic way.

**********

When Jeni asks if Abstalar thinks it will help, the champion blinks rapidly a few times, as if snapping to attention, and swallowing, adds quietly, ” it’s the right thing to do,”, and he takes a beat before continuing, ”Father, you should have done this ten years ago.” He frowns slightly at the priest, and clenches one of his hands, the hardened black claws digging into his palm.

There's a lot of silence after Father Zantus spoke. The two planar-touched individuals at the table fell into introspection. Nadja doesn't she grabs the last of the roasted potatoes and finishes them off while the others ruminate.

Zen spoke up and seemed in favor of it, meaning it was probably going to happen. The idea of a new burial, here in town, didn't make a lot of sense to her, especially the logistics of it all. So she has to ask, "Where is Nualia's body now?" Then an idea comes to her. "Are you wanting us to go dig up her corpse?!?" she asks with more excitement than disgust in her voice.

Abstalar grimaces. “Hear me out. I’ve only spoken of this with one other—a friend named Audrahni. Nualia’s been dead for nearly two decades, but time does not pass the same for the dead as it does for the living. Audrahni knows a ritual that can put us in contact with the spirits of the dead and, in her latest letter, she told me she’s willing to perform this ritual here when next she visits, so that I can offer Nualia my apologies and forgive her. I don’t know if that will be enough to help her, or to stave off an afterlife of torment, but I do know that if nothing is done, Sandpoint will have failed her yet again.

“Here’s where the complication comes in. In order for Audrahni’s ritual to succeed, we need a physical link to Nualia’s soul. It’s been years, and any of her belongings are long gone now, which leaves only her mortal remains. As loath as I was to exhume her body, it was necessary to the ritual, to giving her my forgiveness. But when we opened her grave, we made an awful discovery. Her coffin was empty—tunneled into from below, so that when we reached it, the whole grave caved in. Naffer and I were fortunate enough to escape without much harm, but now there’s a hole where her grave used to be—a hole that leads to an underground tunnel below the boneyard.”

Nadja barks out a sharp laugh at the "complication." She leans forward in her seat, excitement rising. "You want us to explore the tunnel, right?"

She looks around at the faces of her adventuring companions, hoping to no longer see the somber expressions from earlier. "You do, right? That's why you've asked us here, and fed us? It's not just for us to be pall bearers, huh?"

"Interesting" Jeni drags out each syllable of that word, but the same excitement that Nadja grows with each one said. She adjusts her cleanly pressed jacket with a slight frown, knowing it is about to get filthy, but there is no hope that she will say no.

"More ghouls? Was there that stench that was over everything they touched on the coffin?"

Kaz isn't the least bit discomfited by the idea of disinterring Nualia "-For a good cause of course. I'm not a grave robber-" but gets visibly excited when they learn that there is a network of ghoul-infested tunnels beneath the boneyard.

"I wonder how long they've been down there. Is this an offshoot colony of some Darklands city? A remnant of the Kabrirans we overthrew? Or merely a warren of unaffiliated scavengers with remarkable taste... Err, pardon the phrasing. Unless her tomb was prepared with particular care towards longevity, they likely won't have disturbed her corpus for the meat."

They quickly prestidigitate away any small remnants of their brief repast, and tug their gloves back on. "Well, the answers aren't here."

Abstalar nods. "The subsidence, the claw marks on the underside of the coffin, the missing body, and the tunnel it opens into all suggest ghouls to me. They must have burrowed up from below to rob her grave.

"I'm an old man. My dungeon crawling days are far behind me. But I am willing to provide healing and other magical support to you at no cost in return for your service, as well as 75 gp for each of you. In addition, I have prepared some items to help you."

The priest gives you a care package containing four lesser healing potions, four lesser antiplagues, two salves of antiparalysis, and six vials of holy water.

"Excellent! Transparently, I would have investigated this without the payment, but I understand that our purposes are well aligned at this moment."

Jeni does feel a bit weird accepting payment from her dad, but that helps distance them further. So she frowns and nods.

survival: 1d20 ⇒ 1

"We'll need to purchase basic supplies for spa- cave exploring." She loses the word she was trying to say. And she isn't truly sure what one needs for exploring underground. "Rope... maybe?"

She bumbs her fist against Zen's hand, still on the table, which she appreciated being there if she needed the entire conversation. "Maybe some shovels if the hole isn't big enough for you." she teases warmly.

going to put one lesser healing potions, one lesser antiplagues, and one vial of holy water, on Jeni's sheet

"Torches, obviously," Nadja offers, while thinking about maneuvering around the dark and cramped warrens. Hopefully they wouldn't really need shovels to get through. She liked space to move around.

When you are ready to go, Abstalar leads you out into the boneyard behind the cathedral. Nualia was buried near the western end of the boneyard, not far from the cathedral itself, in a spot set apart from the bulk of the other graves (out of respect for the many townsfolk who balked at the idea of burying who they considered to be a supernatural criminal too close to “respectable graves”). He’s had Naffer rig a frame and a tarp over the open grave to prevent visitors from stumbling into it.

"May Desna smile upon your venture," he says. "If you do find yourselves in over your heads, then don't hesitate to beat a hasty retreat back here. I'll be ready to help with healing as necessary."

The open grave leads to a cramped, four-foot-tall tunnel dug through hard-packed earth and clay. The walls are supported by bracing made of wood that appears to have been scavenged from coffins, driftwood, and shipwreck salvage. Faint smudges and scrapes track through the dirt, leading south.

Let me know which Exploration Activity each of you would like to perform.

"Torches, obviously," Nadja offers.

"A bit primitive." Kaz quietly sniffs. "Rope would be good if you don't habitually bring it with you on excursions, which you should consider, it has a variety of uses. I'll bring a scroll that will allow me to animate it, should an uncommon varietal rear its head... Chalk in case the catacombs are more properly a labyrinth. Tracing paper, note tablet for initial shorthand..." As they list, Kaz taps to fingers together in a ring, and Astyanax, their raven, flaps down to sit in their hands. He strokes the bird along the length of its wings and torso, smoothing and preening it a bit too firmly for a normal bird to happily tolerate.

"I suppose an even split of the curatives is best, as with the antiplagues, which I would recommend taking prophylactically; the antiparalytics should be held by those less likely to require them - I suppose Jeni and myself? Holy water should be spread as evenly as possible as well, though extras may as well be kept by those who habitually have a free hand in conflicts... Which I suppose would be Jeni and myself again." The feathers begin to lose their definition, smoothing out into a short fur as Kaz works. He places his fingers over Astyanax's eyes and smooths them away, tutting at the bird's muffled quork. "It will take some time, but Astyanax should be able to serve as a scout for us in the dark as well."

In Daily prep swapping out Flight and Prehensile Appendages for Darkvision and Burrow

***

Astyanax, now a sleek black-furred rat, sniffles around the tracks while Kazumi looks on. "They dragged the carcass. Small footprints. Smaller than the celestial's," they inform the group in a shivery whisper. "Hmm. Odd that they were all small footprints. Ghouls can be created from most humanoid ancestries of course, but a gang of smaller ones is demographically unlikely if they're local... Unless they're all drawn from one of the local goblin tribes..." They scribble a quick note. "More data will be required... I don't suppose anyone has studied the Goblin language? Just in case."

Survival: 1d20 ⇒ 3
Astyanax Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Kaz'll Investigate (Arcana: +13 [E], Crafting: +10 [T], Lore: Library: +10 [T], Lore: Sandpoint: +12 [E], Lore: Warfare: +12 [E], Medicine: +6 [T], Nature: +6 [T], Occultism: +10 [T], Religion: +6 [T], Society: +10 [T]) They'll have a light cantrip up on themselves and anyone else who wants one (color coded to make it easier to know who's where if the tunnels twist).
I would like to have Astyanax sneak ahead though as he has darkvision and shouldn't be immediately suspicious (stealth and perception are +8 if it comes up). I'll have an empathic link up to him, and he can come back to relay overly complicated information via his own voice.

Jeni gives Zenn a dark look (a friendly one still of course) "Can you imagine if an aasimar started learning Goblin around here?" But then what they say strikes home, "They drug something away? So they dug up from the ground and then carried something away above ground?"

Jeni goes ahead and drinks the antiplague as Zen suggests, wincing as the chalky green milk slides down her throat. "We should follow the trail"

For an exploration activity, she can scout

Astyanax sends a pulse of irritation to Kazumi who explains what his familiar doesn't deign to, "No, they dragged it back down this tunnel... Hmm. The reinforcements might suggest that they hoped to use this tunnel more than once. Or that they aren't such natural burrowers as ghouls tend to be..." They scribble a few more notes.

"Ah" Jeni nods, rocking from heel to toe as Kaz makes more notes. When they are done, she gives an arched eyebrow asking silently 'are you ready yet?'

Zenthus relaxes a little when Father Zantus explains their mission. He nods along, and is contemplative, but doesn't offer any further response. When Jeni notes that they need supplies, he pats his backpack, "I have some things, Hemlock outfitted me." He thinks to himself.

***********************

Before they all go down, he quickly checks in with Brodert Quirt alone, knocking on the door briefly in a familiar way before peeking in, "Hello? Mr. Quirt?" When he finds the old scholar he explains, "hello sir, I have been tasked with exploring underground - I don't need anything, but if there's anything you would like me to keep a lookout for, please let me know." Feel free to just resolve this with discord.

***********************

Zen prepares himself quietly when he's ready to go, and hefts his overstuffed pack onto his broad shoulders, looking down at the small hole skeptically, in response to Jeni "I think you should not learn goblin" nodding.

Regarding how to be organized, he looks anxious "I don't mind Astyanax scouting... but maybe it would be best if I stayed in front of everyone else," he strikes the chestpiece of his armor lightly.

For his exploration action, he'll investigate as they go, particularly looking for anything runic/thassalonian. He's got religion, arcana, and society trained.

Nadja takes her allotment of gear, then rushes back to the theater to collect the rest of her adventuring equipment. Chief among them was the magical rapier that she'd found within the temple when they'd fought Grizmere and his ghouls. She straps the weapon to her waist after she'd donned her leather armor, but can't help but wonder wistfully about using the pair of sawtooth sabres within the secret cache.

It wouldn't hurt to bring them along, right?

Her imagination runs, envisioning scenarios where they find nothing that a rapier can't handle so she wouldn't have to pull them out at all, but what if they find something bad down there? She'd pull the sabres out and eviscerate the foe -- or foes -- and her friends would all clearly see that her being a Red Mantis Assassin isn't a bad thing.

Thinking that made too much sense, Nadja sneaks into the secret room and deftly removes the pair of blades from the cache. Bound together as a wrapped bundle, their nature as the signature blade of the Red Mantis will be hidden until absolutely necessary.

She's about to leave to rejoin her companions, a figure steps in her way. "What are you doing?" her mother demands.

Nadja blinks at the unexpected appearance of her mother. "Zantus found some ghoul tunnels under the graveyard. He wants us to explore them. I thought--"

"--that you could use the blades? No. The rapier is sufficient."

Trying not to look crestfallen, Nadja meets her mother's eyes. "What if I lie? I could say that I bought them from a recent trader who passed through. Like that Rahadoumi a few weeks ago."

Her mother arches her eyebrow severely. "I have told a few here in town that your father was killed by an assassin. That would be in poor taste, don't you think?"

"But that was y-- Oh." She frowns, but then she quirks a smile. "What I'm feeling rebellious?"

"That doesn't appear to be a lie," Astrid says flatly.

Nadja laughs. "Exactly!"

All it takes is a resigned sigh from her mother and she's off, carrying the carefully wrapped bundle over her shoulder while the rapier bounces at her hip.

=================

Nadja returns, carrying her adventurer's kit with her along with a couple other bundles. Her auburn hair is pulled back and tied in a tight bun to stay out of the way.

"Ready to explore?" she says excitedly.

Nadja will use Avoid Notice

Brodert Quink adjusts his spectacles and smiles at Zentus. "Ah, hello, Zen! There have been lots of interesting discoveries related to ancient Thassilon uncovered during previous subterranean sojourns. If see anything interesting, I would love to hear about it upon your return!"

***

Kazumi sends Astyanax ahead down the tunnel to scout it out. The familiar returns after only a minute or so to relay information. He tells Kazumi the tunnel opens into a larger cavern. Within are six goblin ghouls, sitting around several boulders being used as tables. The ghouls are conversing quietly with one another. They didn't appear to notice the familiar spying on them.

"Only six?" Nadja confirms, sounding slightly disappointed. She draws her rapier after setting most of her bulkier gear down outside the grave entrance.

"Only six in this chamber, Gnat, there'll be plenty for you to dance with... Well, as they've already secured Nualia's corpus, it's vanishingly unlikely we'll catch them moving back our direction in smaller packs for sustenance, so we may as well prioritize speed. Ghouls typically rely on rending flesh and paralyzing the living, so I'll provide skeletal support to deny their favored tactics. Be wary of fires, as those will be the most likely surprise from local goblinoids - even after death."

Warfare: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28 Setting this as my initiative for when we go in with Battle Planner.

Jeni nods back to Zen's agreement.

---

"Three for you and three for me" Jeni says to Nadja with mock seriousness, a hint of a smile on her lips. All meant to Mask her memories of ghoul teeth and how close they were to eating her last time.

---

"Okay, right, we rush in, hammer them and if any of them are left alive we ask questions... while hoping one of them speak common, thassonee, or whatever other languages we've all picked up." she says, as she limbers up.

"Necril is the language of the underkingdoms of ghouls, though it is plausible that not all ghouls would have been schooled in its use, particularly if they are recent converts, so to speak."

"Well, if not, I know halfling maybe one of them has eaten a halfling recently. Isn't that how undead get new skills, eating the brains?" she is unsure where she heard that, and she is fairly sure it is just a hole-filled story, but the ridiculousness of it helps her nerves.

Nerves that are tightly controlled, but still there.

You make your way through the low tunnel and enter a larger room. Wooden timbers are spaced evenly throughout this six-foot-high room, supporting a network of beams above to give the cave-like chamber support. The walls and floor bear evidence of having been dug out of the clay and soil by clawed hands. Several large, flat boulders have been left in place protruding from the floor to serve as tables—tables strewn with gnawed bones. Additional stacks of soggy, stained lumber lie in alcoves to the northeast. The smell of earth mixed with decay lingers in the air.

Six goblin ghouls are here, sitting near the tables and conversing in low voices. Once they spot you, the goblin ghouls leap to their feet, hissing and capering in excitement. Long tongues protrude from their mouths as they lick their lips and begin to scamper towards you!

Kazumi and Nadja may act first! The enemies are about 20 to 25 feet away.

Kaz reaches into the inner pocket of their suit jacket and withdraws a pinch of bone dust that they blow through the air with a dreadful, rattling gasp.

The dust remains congealed together, taking on more and more mass as Kazumi completes their synecdochal necromancy using energy acquired from the void beyond.

Summon Undead to put a Skeletal Soldier 10' from the ghouls.

The skeleton pauses to salute Kazumi, then sets to, swinging its polearm with a juddering finality before bracing itself for the coming onslaught.

Strike
Set Defense

Glaive: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
Slashing: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Nadja dashes forward and vaults up to stand on one of the stone "tables" with her rapier in hand.
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15

If a ghoul is within range...

Nadja kicks a gnawed piece of bone at her feet towards the closest ghoul, then follows up with a thrust of her weapon.

Rapier: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

One of the goblin ghouls dodges the skeleton's attack. Another one hisses as Nadja leaps up onto the table and stabs it.

The wounded ghoul hisses and gestures to one of its brethren, which leaps behind Nadja and into a flanking position. Both of them attack the swashbuckler.

Ignoring the skeleton, the other ghouls quickly leap forward to attack Jeni and Zenthus, teeth gnashing and claw slashing!

Swift Leap [one-action] (move) The ghoul jumps up to half its Speed. This movement doesn’t trigger reactions.

Jaws, Claws vs Nadja (Flanked): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 191d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Jaws, Claws vs Nadja (Flanked): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 161d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 251d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Jaws, Claws vs Jeni: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 201d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Jaws, Claws vs Jeni: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 171d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Jaws, Claws vs Zenthus: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 281d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Jaws, Claws vs Zenthus: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 131d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

9 damage to Nadja, 2 damage to Jeni, 5 damage to Zenthus. Any living, non-elf creature hit by a ghoul’s attack must succeed at a DC 15 Fortitude save or become paralyzed. It can attempt a new save at the end of each of its turns, and the DC cumulatively decreases by 1 on each such save. Fortunately this is an incapacitation effect and you are more than double the ghouls' level, so you treat the result of the save as one category higher, i.e., you will only become paralyzed on a critical failure.

"Damn. Slippery creatures," Kaz sighs from safely(?) in the backlines. "Akhun Leytonon" they intone, and electricity crackles between a pair of the ghouls.

Electric Arc: 3d4 ⇒ (2, 1, 4) = 7 DC20 Basic Ref

The skeleton, not even a little offended by being deemed inedible, swings and chops its polearm with all the inventiveness of a bladed metronome.

Hopefully with a flank
Glaive: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22
Slashing: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Glaive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

fort: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27

Jeni hisses in pain as a claw grazes her forearm, bringing back memories from before of teeth, claw, the smell... but these ghouls are so small, allowing her to master her fear.

Her gate opens like a ripple in the air, a puddle that wraps into her hands into a curved blade, which she attempts to use to kill the creature with.

elemental blast, 2-action, melee, weapon infusion, slashing, agile: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12
damage: 1d8 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 4 = 12
elemental blast, 2-action, melee, weapon infusion, slashing, agile: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

greater opening attack by Jeni there :)

Fortitude Save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Zen shakes off the effect and takes stock of the situation. Slipping past the weak ghouls he gets in range to protect Nadja and then turns his attention back to the one attacking him and Jeni.

Stride to get Nadja and her enemies within 15, turn around and smack Jeni’s enemy with a disrupting fauchard (from blade ally) and then do the second on the other nearby (to take advantage of sweeping).

fauchard: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22
fauchard damage, disrupting: 1d8 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 4 + (1) = 10
fauchard, second attack, sweeping: 1d20 + 11 - 5 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 11 - 5 + 1 = 25
fauchard damage, disrupting: 1d8 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 4 + (2) = 11
if the second is a crit, deadly damage, and move it closer to Zen 5 feet: 1d8 ⇒ 3

He looks worried, and says to Nadja, ”Stay. Close. Or they’ll rip you apart!”