"Serpent trap in the altar? That's a classic. To keep the non believers away from Nethys' holy places."
"Probably I disabled it with my presence." Father Zastoran tells with a chuckle.
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"I'd love to make some observations with this scroll and the given possibilities."
"I'd be damned if I know* what it's for." Zastoran replies. "Well, you try it out."
Father Zastoran looks at the scroll carefully. He can't resist to cast detect magic and is stunned, just like Heshan was. Once he starts moving again he flows over with excitement. "The scroll is not a typical magic scroll—it does not contain spells. The rune on the scroll itself is not a character from any known alphabet, but it nonetheless bears a resemblance to runes of power utilized in the workings of arcanists from the southern nation of Nex." "In fact the strange rune on the scroll is one that is often associated with the mysterious wizard-king Nex, although this association is primarily with periods early in Nex’s rule, from a time after he had achieved great power but before his war with Geb reached its height. Runes like these were often used to mask the true contents of a page, and often one gifted in magic could pierce the obscuring rune with spells, by observing the map in a reflected surface or under certain kinds of light, while under the effects of mind-altering substances, or after waking from particularly vivid dreams. The rune itself is an obscure Nexian rune that symbolizes a mysterious realm called Kakishon." "In conclusion this might actually be the scroll of Kakishon, a legendary artifact thought lost for a long time."
"What do you know about it, and where exactly have you found it?" Father Zastoran inquires.
Zastoran tries to look at the scroll in the magic spectrum and casts detect magic. The overwhhelming aura leaves the priest stunned for a while. "Whoa, that's powerful magic!" Zastoran states and sits down.
"It's a travel of several weeks to Katapesh. Some of the methods suggested to decipher the scroll we could try here and now." Zastoran suggests.
Father Zastoran gives a short lecture what he knows "The strange rune on the scroll is one that is associated with the mysterious wizard-king Nex, although this association is primarily with periods early in Nex’s rule, from a time after he had achieved great power but before his war with Geb reached its height." "Runes like these were often used to mask the true contents of a page, and often one gifted in magic could pierce the obscuring rune with spells, by observing the map in a reflected surface or under certain kinds of light, while under the effects of mind-altering substances, or after waking from particularly vivid dreams. The rune itself is an obscure Nexian rune that symbolizes a mysterious realm called Kakishon."
"At least it worked." Zastoran mumbles. But his face betrays his grumpy facade. After all it isn't any day that you see powerful magic bring the dead back.
Father Zastoran gets up and leaves wordlessly. A few minutes later he returns with a scroll case and hands it to Omari. "Don't screw it up. You only have that one try." Looking inside the scroll case: Inside is a parchment with magical writing.
Casting read magic on it, verifies that it is indeed a Raise Dead spell.
"I strongly object to that! There is no emergency here and it was clearly procured for an emergency. It is imprudent to use it in such a situation that is clearly no emergency!" Father Zastoran interrupts.
As Tariq approaches Father Zastoran with the items found in the ruins to gift them to him, he takes the mask. "That is a nicely crafted mask of Nethys. And made of copper - I've rarely seen this." Then he looks at the rest of the offering, casts detect magic on it and immediately loses interest. "You keep that non-magical trumpery."
"I can prepare the magic for that. Tomorrow it is then." Zastoran acknowledges.
"You can't tell me it's the real one. Nethys is using that barge to travel the multiverse and I don't believe he is stuck in an abandoned temple." "But this was a great place of magic knowledge! And even if most of it is lost, it must be a sight to behold."
Father Zastoran is very excited to hear of this holy place of Nethys. "Animated sphinx guardians you say? And an altar summoning snakes? And the bark of Nethys floating on mysterious mists? You need to bring me there I need to see that with my own eyes!"
"I've heard you creating quite some commotion about a ruin around here. Is it true it's related to Nethys? If so I need to know everything about it!" Father Zastoran requests. He is very excited about this event.
"I'm sure we have a map somewhere." the halfling priest comments. He stands up on his chair right to Garavel to be more visible. "But as Zayifid told, the house of the beast is on the far side of the pale mountain. That's the by far largest peak in the region, and if you follow the river on the western shore you can't miss it." "I haven't seen the House of the Beast myself, but what lore I know suggests that it is hard to miss, once you're at the mountain. I heard it is a large structure."
The next trip to the Refuge of the All-Seeing-Eye together with Father Zastoran is something special. The enthusiasm with which he examines everything in detail is contagious at first. But after another hour at the third, fourth or fifth mural that might become old. Not so for Zastoran. He takes notes, and makes sketches to capture any knowledge he can get. An interesting thing to learn from the priest of Nethys is, that if a priest of Nethys approaches the altar in the basement, then no snake is summoned. "The clergy didn't want to get eaten by a snake. That's only for people who don't belong close to the altar." he comments dryly. He later admits, that it is just the holy symbol that has to be presented, as the magic to properly identify a cleric of Nethys is too complex for any practical purpose. The destroyed library brings tears to Father Zastoran's eyes. The last project for the day Father Zastoran has is about the mist. He casts delay poison and then sets up a contraption to collect the essence of the mist in several vials by means of condensation, and absorbtion. After another hour in which Zastoran studies the columns with the spells, he casts delay poison again and collects the apparatus from the mist filled corridor. For this day, he resists the urge to bath in the mist himself. After another hour of walking back to Kelmarane with Father Zastoran chewing your ears off about the wonders of magic, and what this mist might be or not you tell him good bye and some might hope to not have to hear him for a few days.
"You could try to remove the curse before you sell it. If it is worth the hassle." Zastoran suggests.
"I don't think it is a special bond that holds up the curse. If someone curses you, you have to remove the curse. Killing the one cursing you won't help. I think it's the same here, but it's not like I know a lot about that." Zastoran tells.
Zastoran grabs the blade and takes a closer look. An embossed image of a ferocious Katapeshi leopard adorns the weapon’s hilt, while strange shadowy patterns writhe across its damascened blade, even in strong light. Speaking some magical words he looks deeper into it. Raising his brow he puts it down and gets up to fetch a few things. A glass, a bottle of wine and a feather. Back at the table, he pours some wine into the glass, stirs it with the feather and speaks more magical words. "Well, THAT is interesting." Father Zastoran states, his eyes wide. "I hope you haven't used that blade." "It is a vicious blade. A thing I'd never use. And this one make you and your enemy look like clawed by a leopard. But if you land a perfect strike, it might curse you with lycanthropy." "That might explain the state of the Emir. Sounds a lot like a backhanded gift." Zastoran leans back and drinks the wine in the glass.
"To delve ever deeper into the unknown of magic ha sdriven many men crazy. I guess to thrive in the Breath of Nethys is not for the weak of mind." Zastorran muses. "What effects did you experience when confronted with it?"
"I'd appreciate an escort there." Zastoran replies. "Wooden sphinxes you say? That's something..." "The flowers were something-wolf I believe. But I can't remember the full name. And even if I could, I have no clue where to find it. I'm not into plants." "There is only one plant I root for, especially the dried leaves, and I leave it to the experts to collect them."
"There is a shop in Katapesh that sells spices, herbs and tea. It's called The White Elephant. I'll write a letter where I hope to persuade Sir Karim to send someone here every now and then to sell a selection of his goods in Kelmarane. I bought a lot of tea before we left, but it won't last forever. If you want to buy some too, this helps my case." Zastoran explains. To the report of the recursion he has some additional questions. "Monsters you say? Are they all gone now? Would it be safe for me to visit the place?" "Still functioning magic, impressive..." "A lycanthrope? I've heard about those, but I've never seen one. A wolf? But I don't think I can help that man. I only heard rumors about some poisonous flowers that could heal a creature freshly bitten. But a fully turned were creature would need a miracle to be healed. It would still be interesting to examine this Emir."
Father Zastoran is busy working in his Laboratory when the group comes to pay a visit. "Oh, you're back, that's good." He puts down what he is working on and wipes his hands on a cloth. "Want to join me for a cup of tea?" Father Zastoran offers. He collects his papers from one of the tables in the room and puts them on another one. Same for the chairs that are spread throughout the room. Once the chairs are colleted he offers "Take a seat. It'll take a few minutes for me to make the beverage." Looking through his glassware he finds a clean flask and puts it on a tripod over a torch. Then the fills it with a casting of create water. While the water heats up he fills a tea ball with some tea from a intricately decorated box. "What have you found out there on your excursion?"
"That is a nice forethought." As most churches and clergy do, Father Zastoran offers Tariq the holy water at cost .
"I'm no expert on this specific crypt here in Kelmarane, but in my experience there is more to a temple crypt than one room with a few resting places. You have seen the crypt under the monastery. There were places to shelf bones in several corridors." "I'd expect at least that and one room to have some more prominent resting places. How it looks exactly would have been a good question to ask Kardswann.But afterwards you are always wiser."
"You can cast that spell on a dead person once a week. If you have the scrolls for it. I don't, that was the only one." Zastoran replies. And if I had one I would for sure not waste it on your curiosity. About the grand scheme he comments "You might overestimate the power of that demon. It got hold of Kardswann, because he stepped into the crypt. The pactmasters did a proper job when sealing that thing away. How would it get its claws into the carrion king?" Plot Hole Rant: It's ridiculous. You have the pactmasters intervene to end the s#@$ going on in Kelmarane two decades ago. And instead of banishing, or beating to death that thing, they decide to lock it away with an artifact level seal. Just conveniently for you to get rid of 20 years later.
But maybe it makes perfect sense:
G3: All the kings horses have broken out of the stables
After fighting almost all of Kelmarane and pushing back the demon into the crypt
"Why not. I don't have any better questions and we're running out of time. Kardswann, who is the carrion King and what were you looking for in the crypt?" Zastoran inquires. The skull answers in creepy, echoing voice again "I was just curious what is locked away there. And as I could simply bypass the lock in ethereal form, I checked." "As for the Carrion King: That is a legendary gnoll that managed to get all gnoll tribes to serve him. He is the true ruler of these mountains." With that the skull falls silent.
"I don't think Kardswann is the source to go to for advice on fighting that thing. He failed miserably at it." Zastoran objects. "About the treassure, I guess that would be the chest that we found under the bed when the rooms were redecorated for Princess Almah. It contained gems and coins worth thousands of gold pieces."
Father Zastoran is the type who is very confident in himself. So he starts off with the scroll out of his treassure chest and casts it on the skull that luckily still has a jaw. "Mr. Kardswann, tell me what you met down there in the crypt, that changed you." The skull in the cleric's hand starts chatting with the jaw, which makes funny noises, as the teeth that haven't fallen out while lying in the fire meet each other. And a creepy voice, with only a distant resemblance of Kardswann, emanates from the position of the skull like an echo. "It was a large insect like thing. An outsider, a demon. Evil, chaotic, searching destruction. It controlled my mind, planted its will into mine. Making me do its bidding in this world. Its longing for war and destruction." "Two more questions. Anything specific, you want to know?" Zastoran asks.
"We could check what's left of Kardswann. If the skull is mostly intact, a speak with dead could reveal details about the evil."
One time, when all are gathered at the bar in the Battle Market, Father Zastoran hurries over. Full of excitement he tells of his findings. "These ruins - I found out what they are!" "Hundreds of years ago reclusive priests of Nethys, built a monastery in the nearby hills where they could study forgotten and dangerous magics. The shrine has been abandoned and ruined for centuries. This refuge of the All-Seeing Eye was built in a remote location so the priests of Nethys could study the dualistic nature of magic. The upper floor of the monastery was devoted to magic’s protective and creative aspects, while a hidden lower floor protected secrets of destructive magic." "You have to go there and find out what secrets it holds. I need to know!"
Zastoran stares into the empty place where Kardswann stood a moment ago. "Interesting." he mutters. Bracing himself he turns to the group "Anyway, have you decided what you are going to do? Are you staying and settle here with some business of your own, or are you moving on to the next job? I've heard some of you already voiced your ideas to the princess, but not all."
"Ah, yes. Let's get to that." Zatoran tells. With all of the team standing around he inquires "Are you ready?" And once all acknowledge that he raises the lid of the box and and channels positive energy to bring the janni back to consciousness.
"He's not wrong, you have to be careful. If you become addicted to the improvements these potions can get you, you're in for ever growing expenses."
"I guess so. But for most it would make no sense. For sure I'll try it some more for healing potions, to see if it has some effect there too." Zastoran tells. "But for most potions it makes no sense as you'd waste a lot of the duration to get from here to the place you need the magic improvement."
Roryx stays invisible for six times turning the small hour glass. As Roryx becomes visible at the end of that time Father Zastoran concludes enthusiastic "This application method doubles the duration of the potion." "There are other possibilities still, like additional effects, or it being some kind of addition, but doubling. But doubling seems the most plausible."
"Just come here to that pointy end and stand still. It would be a nice bonus if you'd talk the whole time so we know you're still there. And do nothing else. Especially do nothing like an attack because that would end the spell prematurely." Zastoran tells and then he gets a small hourglass out of his treasure chest.
"That's not how that works. We need a proper test setup. First we need to decide on what parameters we want to check. Like how strong the magic works. Then we decide how to meassure that and last we need a normal spell as comparison. Or we check for duration. There we need no reference as that is known. But I'd need to stop the time with an hourglass. In fact that would be one of the easier tests. If we apply the spider climb potion to you, you'd just have to hang on the wall until you drop and we meassure the time." "Or we take the invisibility potion for that. The duration is shorter and the test wouldn't take as long." "And you wouldn't fall off a wall."
"Of course. I'm open to suggestions about the test setup. The device is loaded with several potions already. I have identified some of them, but not all. It's mage armor, magic fang, blur, cat’s grace, and three more I couldn't tell."
"I take that as a no then. I'm for sure not wasting my potions on that gnoll." Zastoran replies. "Kardswann is in that box over there. I can wake him for you if you want to."
Father Zastoran is busy in the infusium. "Hello Ohrmizd. I'm not 100% sure about the infusium, but I got an idea I need to verify. It looks like it is used to apply potions, through these tubes and those needles you apply the potion directly into the body without the detour through the digestive tract. What the effect is I can only assume, but if you'd volunteer I could find out."
"It is a fine alchemy lab, but it seems to have further special functions, that I have to research, before I can tell anything for sure." Zastoran answers. "Thank you for the help." Zastoran doesn't look like he is getting too much sleep that night, as he immediately starts doing said research, in parallel to unpacking his books that could help him with that.
"If you want to help, I'll happily accept that. I'm moving into that infusium on the second floor and I have that heavy chest with all my valuable potions and lab equipment..." Zatoran replies.
"Kardswann is packed away in a wooden box in my wagon. We can revive him tomorrow. When you're in a better shape, in case it turns out, he is still the evil murdering type." Zastoran suggests.
Father Zastoran raises a brow at the suggested course of action.
In a combined effort of the mercenaries, Father Zastoran and the adventurer group, the crypt is tidied up and some room is mode to place the deceased. Then both are brought down and put to rest together with their belongings. Father Zastoran does a short sermonabout life and death and prays that Pharasma will send them for eternity where they hoped to go in life. "Does someone else want to say a few words." he asks.
"It's tragic that they can't see what they made possible with their sacrifice. I wonder if it would be best to put them to rest in the crypt." Zastoran ponders.
"I experimented a bit with blood letting with him. I think I have him in a good state." Zastoran tells. Heal DC15: Kardswann is stable in the negative hitpoints.
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