Wherby agrees, pleased that finally someone had a logical thought. Telling the Runewatchers means putting someone qualified to deal with such problems in charge, instead of himself, and he can get back to his quiet life without being bothered. Surely, nothing else will happen in Sandpoint, or at least not until proper adventurers show up.
You arrange a meeting with local sage Brodert Quink, leader of the Runewatchers, to tell him about the ruins beneath the cathedral. Brodert is delighted by the news, thanking you for sharing your discovery with him. "This is fascinating, indeed! Perhaps we can work together to unravel the mysteries of what lies beneath the cathedral!"
UNIQUE ARCANE LINGUISTIC
Consulting Brodert Quink: Sandpoint’s local expert on Thassilonian lore is always eager to chat about his favorite subject; Maximum RP 4
Research Checks: DC 17 Academia Lore, Library Lore, or Arcana; DC 19 Diplomacy
On-Site Investigation: The mysterious chamber reveals some of its secrets to those who spend time examining the site in person; Maximum RP 4
Research Checks: DC 24 Arcana or Occultism
Each research check takes 1 hour.
Wherby grudgingly talks to Brodert about the pylons, mostly in hopes that he'll find someone better equipped to do something about them. He grits his teeth as Brodert instead proceeds to tell him all about the pylons too.
"You're missing my point!" he exclaims in frustration.
Tekmin, of course, hangs around Wherby and is sure to point out all of his master's accomplished deeds during the clearing of the dungeon to Brodert. He describes every detail he remembers to the local expert.
"And fire! Whoosh!"
The gnome becomes wary when Brodert, who, so Ximble notes, did not endanger his life to acquire this valuable knowledge, suggests they can work together. Should he not be requesting to work for them? Whatever.
"Perhaps we can!" But first, Ximble will give it a go all by himself. While he fails to uncover and unravel anything directly related to the mystery, Ximble does manage to learn more about the limits of his knowledge on all things Thassilonian.
In a sense, Ximble succeeded in asymmetrical fashion.
Herok wasn't too big on studying the ruins himself, and the conversation with Brodert quickly bored him. Herok decided that he would go do some hunting, instead.
Wherby makes a little bit of progress researching with Brodert, but not enough to really glean any insights yet. Neither Tekmin nor Ximble make any headway.
Meanwhile, Herok goes hunting in the hinterlands, bringing back enough game to make a tidy profit.
Wherby sighs as the others prove his point that they really need some real adventurers to help. Still, he continues to discuss the pylons with Brodert. Ursividae curls its lip at Tekmin.
Tekmin's interjections continue to pepper the conversation between Wherby and Brodert.
The halfling sticks out his tongue at Ursividae while Wherby's back is turned.
After another hour, Wherby and Tekmin have begun to make more progress in their research. For many years, the ruined tower known as the Old Light was thought to have been an ancient collapsed lighthouse, but now that more has been learned about ancient Thassilon, the Old Light has been revealed to have once been known as the Hellstorm Flume, a powerful weapon used by Runelord Alaznist to protect her nation’s eastern border with that of Runelord Karzoug’s nation of Shalast. Despite its name, the Hellstorm Flume had no direct association with Hell itself—it was so called for its ability to emit a flume of searing fire at extraordinary range to blast approaching armies with a devastating inferno. It seems the pylons you discovered are related to the Hellstorm Flume in some way.
"Fiery blasts, huh? Well, that deserves some more investigation."
Tekmin cautiously ventures back to take a close look at the site.
Wherby has no intention of going back to the site if he can avoid it -- that's adventurer business, not his. He grumbles just that to Brodert.
Not wanting Tekmin to go back to the site by himself, Herok accompanied him to keep an eye out. Since he was taller, he was also able to try and look for other symbols higher up that Tekmin may miss.
Ximble runs a hand through his hair. The motion doesn't magically give him the answers he seeks, but at least his hair looks good. "Tek, we might need Wherby down here if we want to make sense of these pylons."
Wherby exhausts what he is able to learn from speaking with Brodert Quink, while the rest of you fail to glean any insights from investigating the chamber itself. It seems this will be a difficult mystery to unravel completely.
Tekmin continues to poke around. You never know what you might find, and it sure is a mystery!
Wherby, sighing, goes to find the others. Despite himself, he can't help noticing something among the pylons.
Herok decides to assist Ximble, as he loses track of Tekmin.
After further investigation of the site, Wherby makes some discoveries. The strange stones below the Sandpoint Cathedral are magically linked to the Hellstorm Flume still, despite the tower’s ruined state—it appears that the stones were used to activate, focus, and aim the Flume’s fires, but the magic remaining within the stones today is barely enough to maintain the link to the Old Light... as long as they remain in their current, decrepit state.
Tekmin, striking out on his own, decides it is best to try to help his mentor.
"Master Crick, what about those markings? Very significant, I'd say."
"Mmmmaybe," Wherby says, glancing at the marks Tekmin points out.
Herok looks around, trying to find something that might provide some guidance to translating them.
As Wherby investigates the markings, Ximble sits down and observes. Only then does he realize there might be something of importance all the way down at the foot of the pylons! "Wherby, you ought to get down and check the base of that pylon over there! Whatever it is, it looks important."
You make a little bit more progress in your research, but not enough to make a new discovery.
Wherby sighs deeply and crouches down. He's learned Ximble is almost as persistent as Tekmin and the only way to deal with them is to just humor them.
"Well, dragon s&$* on me, you might be right!" he says in surprise, before he can help himself. Crap, now they're going to be even more of a pain in my ass...
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After another hour of burning the midnight oil. Wherby at last comes to a breakthrough. The Hellstorm Focus once controlled the Hellstorm Flume, but it also served as a teleportation circle. The other end of its portal is either destroyed or inactive, but if one could adjust the Hellstorm Focus toward conjuration magic and away from evocation, it could theoretically be linked to other inactive teleportation circles. However, the means to do so are not within your capabilities at this time.
"There, see!" Wherby exclaims. "Nothing we can do about this now. Are you satisfied? Let's go tell Abstalar, and then we can all go home -- our own home -- and go back to our lives."
"Excellent work, as usual, Master Crick!" Tekmin takes some notes on the amazing discoveries of his mentor.
Abstalar has already retired for the night, you go home and get some rest yourselves. Soon after sunrise the next morning, Abstalar sends word via an acolyte for you to return to the cathedral. He meets with you once more on the courtyard veranda in the cathedral, and while he appears a bit haggard, he’s eager to speak to you about what took place the night before. Audrahni attends this meeting as well, but is dressed for travel.
"I thank you for your aid in the ritual. Ashava will be pleased at the good work we did in helping Nualia's troubled spirit," Audrahni says. "I must depart now. I'm headed back to my home town of Roderic's Cove. I wish you luck in your adventures ahead."
Abstalar thanks the elf for all she has done, and as she leaves, she squeezes Abstalar's shoulder and nods farewell to you.
Once Audrahni has left, Abstalar thanks you once more as well. "You all heard what Nualia said last night. What do you make of these 'seven dooms' she mentioned?"
"We're not adventurers!" Wherby shouts back as she turns to leave!
He sighs deeply at Abstalar's question.
"They sound awful. We need to send to Magnimar or something to find someone to help protect the city. Maybe one of those people who dealt with the Runelords the first time. Or the second time."
"It seems like a lot of dooms to me!" Tekmin says. "Usually one doom is enough to take care of things, I think."
"How many times have you been doomed? I don't think I ever have. Cursed, sure. But, I don't think doomed."
When Ximble opens his mouth to voice his thoughts, the dam bursts.
"Perhaps whoever weaved this intricate curse was inspired by Chelish lasagna. A curse stacked upon another curse, with a layer of cursed sauce and cursed ground beef in between, and some cursed cheese on top, and ... okay, I'll stop before I make myself hungry. Point being, it ain't easy to make a lasagna, let alone a seven-layered cursed one. And like said lasagna, each curse is part of a bigger whole. Maybe it needed to be put together that way, for it to work. Or the chef didn't know of another way to make it."
A FEW DAYS LATER...
The time has come for the ritual to be performed. Abstalar summons you back to the Sandpoint Cathedral. There, he introduces you to his old friend Audrahni, who has just arrived this morning. Audrahni is a pale-skinned, dark-haired elven woman who dresses in somber colors and, unlike most elves, moves with a somewhat awkward gait and has a slumped posture. Despite this, the elf greets you with a friendly smile.
"Blessings of Ashava upon you. Abstalar has told me a lot about you all. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance," Audrahni says. "He has also filled me in about Nualia's sad story. Ashava is the empyreal lord of lonely spirits, and from what I understand, Nualia's soul is very likely the definition of one of those lonely spirits my faith urges me to guide and assist."
While Audrahni serves as the primary caster for the call spirit ritual, and Abstalar serves as its secondary caster, there remains a very important role for you to perform. Audrahni explains that the particulars of Nualia’s death, her past with Sandpoint, the passage of nearly two decades of time, and the desecration of her remains all make for a less than ideal set of circumstances for calling her spirit. It will take all of her focus, as well as Abstalar’s, to ensure that Nualia’s spirit can be properly called, and even then, there’s a chance that restless spirits might arrive as well. If this happens, Abstalar and Audrahni must focus on blocking those spirits from fighting their way through to potentially become dangerous undead—which would leave you with the responsibility of not only helping to shore up the ritual’s magic, but to be the ones to speak to Nualia’s spirit if she answers.
The best way to contact a spirit in this case, Audrahni explains, is under moonlight, and so she and Abstalar intend to perform the ritual at night in the open-air cathedral courtyard. They plan to perform the ritual an hour after sunset when the moon shines down into the courtyard. While moonlight is essential for the ritual, a few extra lanterns won’t hurt.
The night had never been a problem for him - his vision had always been good, even in darkness - but he knew that wasn't the case for Wherby or Tekmin. Abstalar and likely Audrahni, too, for that matter. So he took time to pray to Erastil for a spell that would allow him to provide additional, magic lights - up to four more. Prior to the ritual, he would cast light and attach the light to each of them.
"Wow, she had quite the life--and death! As Master Crick always says, 'That's what happens when you get mixed up with adventurers!' Hopefully she'll have some insights for us," Tekmin says, excitedly.
"So you DO listen!" Wherby cries out, pointing at Tekmin. "Now if only you actually heard what I've been trying to tell you! Do you want to end up buried alive, eaten by goblin ghouls, and then dragged out of your grave again to be forced to talk to people who probably have no business at all talking to you?"
A FEW HOURS LATER...
That night, under the light of the moon, you gather in the cathedral's courtyard. After making sure you are prepared, Abstalar and Audrahni begin the ritual, their voices raising in prayer to Desna and to Ashava. Candles and incense burn in a circle around them as they prepare to part the veil to the Great Beyond.
However, only about ten minutes after the ritual begins, a harried-looking acolyte rushes into the courtyard. He gasps at the sight of the magic building around the two clerics, then he quickly hurries over to you. He brings worrying news—a small “mob” has gathered at the entrance to the cathedral, and they’re demanding to be let in to speak to Abstalar. The acolyte nervously asks you to help disperse the mob.
When you step outside, you find a group about two dozen concerned locals gathered at the cathedral entrance. Some carry torches and lanterns, but for the moment none appear to be armed with actual weapons. As you approach, you hear voices calling out, demanding to speak with Abstalar and voicing concern about “taunting the dead” or “toying with evil spirits.” Loudest among the voices is a young man hammering on the door with his fist—Charn Scarnetti, the eldest scion of the Scarnetti family, as well as a noted troublemaker and rabble-rouser.
"Cease your spells at once!" Charn demands. "We're not about to stand by while you invite a demon into our midst once more!"
Diplomacy: A PC can attempt a DC 19 Diplomacy check to Make an Impression on the crowd to soothe their anger, or merely promise that they’ll do their best to keep everything safe and will put a stop to the ritual themselves if things look dire.
Misdirection: A PC can outright lie to the crowd, either trying to convince them that the ritual is not happening tonight after all, or that Abstalar is not present and is out attending a sick patient, or otherwise distract them from their anger with a successful DC 20 Deception check.
Threats: A PC can match the crowd’s fury with their own, issuing threats of legal action, warnings that the mob might be making things worse by being distracting, or even hinting at the possibility of a fight by succeeding on a DC 18 Intimidation check.
"Don't worry folks, nothing to see here. We already took care of all of the dangerous stuff, and we're not even adventurers!"
"You damn fools!" Wherby grouses. "Don't you know if you mess this up, you're just going to make it worse!"
Ximble frowns when the Scarnidiot suggests they're able to undo Pharasma's work. Does he really believe what he's suggesting? Or does he simply not realize what he's suggesting? The latter, most likely.
"Sir, an ordained priest is crossing a spiritual bridge to Pharasma's realm, so that he may converse with a soul that is within the care of Our Lady of Graves. Surely you wouldn't dare suggest that Pharasma is about to let her soul loose on this town? That's madness if not an outright heretical thought!"
Charn winces at the harsh words Ximble levels against him. He does his best to defend himself, but Tekmin's charming demeanor defuses the tension among the other gathered townsfolk. They mutter as they gradually begin to disperse, placated for the time being. Charn scowls. "This... this isn't over," Charn promises, though his words are rather listless. He turns and scurries away as well.
***
With the angry mob turned away, you return to the courtyard. The ritual proceeds without issue, shimmering motes of moonlight swirling about both Abstalar and Audrahni. Dancing spectral figures begin to appear as well as the veil between this life and the next starts to thin. After an hour, the ritual is almost complete. But then, suddenly, a new manifestation appears —shadowy skeletal shapes that begin to claw up from the ground and swipe at the dancing spirits. Audrahni quickly motions for you to approach and assist!
Critical Success: The party earns 2 Victory Points.
Success: The party earns 1 Victory Point.
Critical Failure: The party loses 1 Victory Point.
Tekmin starts a lively jig, often seen in the taverns he frequents, to bolster the spirits from the ritual.
"For the love of Pharasma!" Wherby exclaims. "A fool adventurer taught me this one time, when I was saving him from the natural consequences of his actions. That's where I got this pendant too."
The pendant glows with power, forcing away the grasping hands.
Herok chants out prayers to Erastil as he holds his holy symbol forth, asking him to grant the strength to hold these shadowy creatures at bay.
Ximble goes about mumbling prayers to Pharasma, but truth be told, Ximble doesn't know a whole lot about Pharasma. Sure, she tends to the dead, but when it comes to actual prayers and rituals, Ximble is a blank canvas. "Shoo! Return to Pharasma before she gets angry at you! She might send you on vacation to the realm of Asmodeus if you do not behave right now!"
Unfortunately, your efforts to bolster the ritual's power fall short. Three wicked-looking shadows rise up from the ground and immediately move to attack you! Before you can react, they fall upon Herok, Tekmin, and Ximble. Tekmin manages to avoid the shadow's grasp, but Herok is hit, the icy hand pulling at his life force. Ximble takes a critical hit, the shadow tugging the gnome's out shadow and tearing it to weaken the ranger.
Herok takes a step back and issues a prayer to Erastil, channeling holy energy with which he can try to fend off the shadowy undead.
Tekmin pulls out his frying pan and starts swinging.
for
for
for
HP 40/40; Ursividae 20/20
AC 18
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +10
Hero points: 1
Focus Points: 1/2
Spells prepped: 1st: ill omen [x], phantasmal minion [], soothe []; 2nd: blood vendetta [], paranoia [], paranoia []
Cantrips: daze, detect magic, ignition, guidance (innate), shield, telekinetic projectile
Effects:
"This is what you get for messing in adventurers' business!" Wherby curses. He glares at the shadow attacking Herok.