While all this was going on, Alun continued his struggle to contain Tegan, and was succeeding based on the noises I was hearing. Malakai moved up to attack the creature but missed. I then moved in and smote the aberration a critical blow, almost severing the eyeballs. It screamed and rushed to escape, whereupon Malakai finished it off.
The fight over, we waited for Tegan to come round from the fear effect. Alun bravely risked her scratches and blows as he held her tight. Eventually she came round and we looked again at the mould. Knowing that direct contact would be impossible without damage, I suggested we use my 10’ pole and the shovel from the mining equipment to move the mould out of the way. We did this and got into the room.
Once inside, it was clear that we were in a workroom of some sort. Various racks and tables were along the walls, and tools and furniture filled the room. Against one wall was a statue (bald, muscled, robed) holding an ornate staff. Alun recognized it from his teaching as the Rod of Law, an artefact. Alas, this was not the real thing, but a representation.
Also of note was the black egg in one corner, with a symbol etched into its side.
The final thing of note was a brick that radiated light set into the wall. I immediately tried to prise it from the fixture.
As I was doing this, Alun was examining the egg. To his surprise it morphed into the shape of a stunted humanoid figure and began talking in a language no-one understood. After a short time it merged with the wall.
Alun warned me that I should move away from the wall, but he was too slow. The humanoid launched a fist out of the wall at my face and it was only with expert reflexes and a modicum of luck that I avoided hitting the floor below.
After that had happened, various images began to appear on the walls – the face of the creature, the image of a stunted humanoid and an arrow pointing upwards, followed by the image of a room intersected by a zigzag line, again with an arrow against it.
Not knowing any other option, we exited both the room and the level, via the elevator.
We took stock. The yellow lift alcove and green lift alcove we had explored. The orange, red and violet alcoves had no lift and so were unimportant. All that remained was the blue tunnel high up, and the violet lift alcove. We examined that next. Upon activating the lift, we found crushed items and creatures, plus a bag that appeared relatively unharmed. With my dexterity, I managed to retrieve the bag without entering the obviously trapped lift shaft and found some treasure. I then rigged the elevator roof to not collapse and sent a shadow-sight clairvoyance after the lift when it descended. Nothing was there and I concluded that nothing would be found there. We moved on.
The last remaining alcove was then the blue lantern alcove with its shaft leading up to a corridor which we had previously explored. Knowing of the dangers of exploring it without aid, we decided to make a concerted effort to get behind the ‘face’.
First, we lit all the lanterns in the various alcoves. Then we ascended the shaft, using ropes and the chain to make sure my less able companions were safe. Once at the top, we made our way to the face, where I determined that the pressure plate was no longer an issue, and so strode up to the face without a care.
Once there, I saw that the face had an open mouth and I signalled to the others that the way was clear. We entered the opening and ventured into the next chamber.
The next room appeared to be another hallway, but in this case totally unusual. A narrow pole ran between this entrance and what appeared to be the exit at the far end. The floor was ten feet beneath the pole and covered in rocks to make it a most unfavourable crossing. Holes were drilled into the walls opposite and adjacent to us, their purpose unknown but unlikely to be harmless. I decided to make the journey across.
I made my way easily up to the centre of the room, but after this found myself bombarded by stones, enough to bring me to my knees, but I kept my hold on the beam.
Malakai was doing less well. He descended to the room’s floor and began his way across, only to be attacked by what we later knew to be a Grick. Flailing tentacles slapped across his body, doing serious damage. I raised my bow to attack it, but with Malakai in the way, it was impossible to land a shot.
Tegan knew what the situation demanded. She dived down into the room, unleashing her anger against the beast. Unfortunately, the rubbery hide of the creature withstood her blow and she landed only to flank the creature.
What followed was a series of parries, blows, slaps and dodges, all in vain. Whilst these were happening, a disembodied voice near me was giggling, laughing and asking a question: “Don’t you have a magic weapon?” the faint, high-pitched voiced asked. I shouted this to the others and suddenly a plan was hatched.
Tegan cast a Magic Weapon spell on her axe, giving it a magical infusion. With that in place she commenced to make the Grick into so much monster pate, and we survived the encounter.
After this though, our troubles began to multiply. The disembodied voice turned out to be that of Alastor, a local boy of some time ago. He informed us of his untimely demise from the flying missiles that struck me, and of his desire to be interred at his familial home back at Diamond Lake. In return for this service, he promised to let us into the next chamber, where the tomb actually was. I made a comment about being adequately recompensed for our trouble, and after this everything became rather hazy.
Dear Mother,
If you are reading this, then the people who gave you this are friends.
I am afrayd I had an accident and could not come home, but I thought of you all every day.
I could not bear to stay at home, among the coufing and sneezing. I thought I might catch it too, and then there would be nowone to look after you. I have to be the man of the house now Col is looking for work, and I need to sort things out.
So I went to the cairns, where I used to go when I wanted to be alone. I knew a place what nowone else knew, and how it opened up when Celene was full.
I thought I would only be gone a few days, and when I come back, I would have jewwels for you.
We could pay the doctor and all of us would be well then we could leave the farm to go to the Great City and live like kings.
No more digging in the dirt or worrying about Neff and his bullys.
I wanted to do this for you, becous you deserve so much better. You have done so much for us, and I love you.
Please tell Gertia I missed her.
I am sorry to have caused you all such worry, and hope that you can forgive me.
I came to this journal to write what had happened when I came to my senses, and found the above entry a little disturbing at first - the writing was in my hand, but was not mine. Later events made it clear who the letter was from though. I have decided to put these events down and hopefully this will make the last entry clear.
When I regained consciousness, I was stood, shaking in the middle of the room. My fingernails were digging into my palms and I had bruises on my legs and chest. Everyone else was asleep around me. I was dizzy and disorientated. How much time had passed since the encounter in the tomb? Where were we now? Why is Malakai wearing full armour but fast asleep? This was not good in lots of ways. I wasn’t given long to ponder these matters. A whispery, menacing voice that was eerily familiar spoke. “I’d stand very still if I were you…” it warned from behind me. “One movement and your friends’ lives will be forfeit.” The voice had moved now, to be in front and off to one side. I asked myself. I decided not to risk it being a nightmare. I asked “Who is this? What do you want?” I started to move towards Malakai. “Don’t move, Fayne. My colleagues have knives to the throats of your sleeping friends. Do you want to cause their untimely deaths? Keep your voice low and make no other noise.” I stopped. This person knew my name. My mind went into overdrive. There was no-one I could see above Tegan, Malakai or Alun, and I thought about calling the bluff on this person. The voice was creepy and menacing, and deliberately slow. I didn’t want to be a dark mage’s necromantic experiment. I considered the voice again, and I realised who it was.
“Khellek!” I said. “Show yourself!” There came a low chuckle from somewhere. “I don’t think so” He replied. “We have questions for you Fayne. We need to know everything you know about the Whispering Cairn. We need all the items you have found. The maps, the journal, everything. We need you to guide us through it.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about” I replied. “Whispering Cairn? What’s that?” Khellek replied “You know exactly what I am talking about. You have been there; you have retrieved items that are ours. We would have them back.” I knew some of what he was talking about - the eight-pointed star rings and armour we had retrieved. But I had no intention of returning them. As far as journals and maps were concerned, I didn’t have any idea. But seeing as ‘salvage rights’ is the whore of ‘might makes right’ I decided to carry on playing dumb. “You must have the wrong group. We do not have anything of yours”. Again I heard the chuckle. He was obviously feeling safe. To be honest, I could not think why he should not.
“You think you’re so clever, getting your allies to send us on a wild goose-chase to that false cairn. You think it’s funny to lead us into a stirge nest? I don’t think it’s funny. My friends don’t think it’s funny.” I remember the elf girl’s neck back at Lazare’s. “Not a love bite on your elven friend then?” I asked into thin air. I didn’t know what to make of his allegation that we sent his band off to that cairn, but I wasn’t about to dispel that illusion. “We didn’t force you to go anywhere – you make your own mistakes” I said, somewhat cryptically. “I would be careful how you talk, Fayne. Tirra is not a person to trifle with”. He continued “I have someone who would like to meet you, Fayne. Someone with a score to settle. Someone who knew your father. He’s been waiting a long time for this. If he can’t get even, he can take it out on his little bastard…” I was suddenly in shock. The reason I originally came up to this godsforsaken place was suddenly intruding into my life; and in none too friendly a fashion. “My father?” I asked. “Who knew my father?” The answer was not a welcome one.
“Come forward, Uluvant” Khellek said. “Say hello to Fayne.” From out of the darkness came a creature, rotting and mouldy, with emaciated limbs and sallow complexion. Uluvant was a ghoul. It sneered and hissed its way towards us, and began nosing around Malakai’s still form. It lifted up portions of the paladin’s armour, and started sniffing at his body. It licked its lips. “Uluvant likes your friend there, Fayne. I can only hold him off for a while. He’s veery hungry, but then, you’d know all about that. What’s it to be?” I thought fast. “Okay,” I said “I will lead you to the secrets of the Whispering Cairn. But you must make yourself visible, and you must call off Uluvant and your cronies”. There was a pause. “Tirra and Auric stay, but I can order Uluvant to behave while we go” he said “And as for visible, how’s this?” a twig on the floor raised itself into midair. I thought. “Then let us depart.”
Accompanied by the stick, I made my way outside. We travelled for a few yards. Then, I played my trump (and only) card. “Get Malakai awake!” I screamed at the shade of Alastor, wherever he was.
Knowing that there was not much time, I drew my blade. “Lose the invisibility Khellek. This is not going to play out your way.” I hoped that Malakai would wake and not think too hard about what to do. I should not have worried.
From within the shack, I heard 2 surprised responses. One from Malakai, presumably, and the other from maybe the ghoul or maybe one of Khellek’s companions. Then I heard this shouted out from within the shack “By the power of Heironeous! Return to the death you will never cheat!” And I swear I could feel the force of the blow Malakai landed on the ghoul. There were more gasps and surprised noises, along with a whump of a body forcefully hitting to the floor. Then things got bit worse. Malakai grunted in pain and I heard another thump of a body hitting the floor.
At this point though, I heard more voices – Tegan and Alun had woken up, and their presumably still-invisible assailants were shouting. Dressed only in their undergarments, they had quite a battle on their hands, but I had plans to help. I lashed out where I thought Khellek was, right next to the floating stick. My blade smashed the stick in two, but I was nowhere near hitting the mage. He laughed from some distance away. I started to run to the hut.
Inside, I could see there was a great struggle going on. Alun was facing off against Tirra the elf, she armed and armoured, and him in his breeches and holding a wooden beam. I thought. Tegan and Auric were locked in a grapple, neither of whom had gained the upper hand however. Malakai was sprawled on the floor, with blood pouring from his back. Things looked grim. Alun was trying to calm the situation by negotiation with Tirra, but I knew it was pointless – they had the upper hand here.
While I noted this, I heard chanting coming from behinds me, and my head became momentarily befuddled. I thought and I fought the suggestion in my head to go into the hills. The feeling passed. I thought in the seemingly temporary privacy of my own head.
Auric then proceeded to pin Tegan and I heard her grunt in pain as he twisted her neck and arms. Alun realised that he needed to be decisive and Enlarged himself. I tried to stab Tirra but she was too agile. Meanwhile, a vial of potion was hovering over Malakai’s head, as he was slowly being fed its contents. , I thought.
Tegan meanwhile had managed to escape the pin, and Alun had landed a meaty blow on Tirra with his makeshift club. An eight feet tall dwarf clad only in long-johns was a scary thing to behold, and even more scary if he’s attacking you!
Tirra was obviously feeling desperate then, and plunged her blade into Tegan. She grimaced in pain, but remained conscious. I was then hit by a ray from beyond the doorway, and became enfeebled. Thankfully, I was strong enough to fight on and hit Tirra, but did not cause much damage.
Malakai was up now, but in no fit state to enter combat. Unless something dramatic happened quickly, we would be overwhelmed by superior firepower in short order. One more sneak attack from Tirra would end it for Tegan or Malakai, and Auric was strong enough to defeat me easily. Then it happened. Tirra looked around wildly for an opening. She spied her prey. Then suddenly struck. The blow hit Auric in the shoulder. He grunted in pain and surprise, and then quicker than we could follow he launched himself through a window and out into the hills. Khellek was nowhere to be seen.
“Alastor?” I asked the elf. She grinned. “Thanks for the help” I said. Malakai was not happy though. He wanted the elf to die. . “No” I said, “She must be taken back to the garrison for justice to be done.” At this point, Alastor obviously thought similar to Malakai, and attempted to kill the elf from inside her. I managed to grab the elf’s blade before he slit her throat, however. “We take her back to Diamond Lake” I said.
After the battle, it was nearly dawn and we waited until the resident healers had prayed and were able to get us back into some kind of shape to go onwards. Then the next task was to return Alastor’s remains to the family grave. Until then he would maintain control of the elf’s body and we would have to find some other way to deal with her after that point.
We continued on. With Alastor controlling Tirra, I had no opportunity to interrogate her about the things Khellek was saying. Never mind, plenty of time after we put Alastor to rest. During that time, he did ask what our band was called. No-one answered him but it did get me thinking – what defines us as a group? Are we even a group yet? Certainly we had all saved each others lives on a number of occasions, but do we share a common purpose? Defeating the Free City lot was a unifying act, but that won’t drive us forwards indefinitely. After a few hours trekking we got to the family plot. The place was dilapidated. Malakai and Alun went in first, with Tegan, Alastor and I hanging back until we knew what was what. Alastor became more and more nervous however and admitted to me that he had conflicting emotions about what would happen. I said to him that perhaps he could speak to them, not as Alastor of course, but he could at least say something in a cryptic manner, that would still say what he needed to say to get closure. I untied his hands and feet, which had been secured in case of Tirra ‘surfacing’ somehow, and we all went forwards.
Unfortunately, what was there was not a welcoming family home. The homestead was overgrown and partially collapsed, and the front door was lying on the floor, off its hinges. Malakai and Alun ventured in.
Soon after their entrance, Alun came running out, shouting about getting away. Malakai was soon after, but he held fast at the entrance to the place and made ready to attack whatever came out. He did not have to wait long.
A massive creature, 8 feet tall at least appeared in the doorway, and slammed into Malakai. It had the build and stance of a bear standing on its hind legs, but with feathers covering its upper body. It had the head of a mad, red-eyed owl and it was screaming at Malakai as it attacked. At the appearance of the beast, Alastor lost his senses and ran away from the area, but we had other concerns to deal with before chasing after him.
Tegan moved to attack and I loosed a shot against it. It carried on regardless but looked to be already tired. After a struggle where it nearly bested us we gained the upper hand and slew the beast. I proceeded to search for Alastor while my comrades investigated the house. . I returned with the ‘boy’ to find the others had captured a baby Owlbear (I was later informed of these creatures’ identities). They also came with bad news.
Tegan took me aside and said they’d found gravestones for all the other members of Alastor’s family, but that the resting places had been disturbed and the bodies removed. At finding this out, Alastor became agitated and began to move out of Tirra’s body. I backed off, knowing what might happen, but I was too late and I felt a wave of nausea as the shade entered my mind and quashed my will!
"Sorry, but I outstayed my welcome in the elf-bint, and my shock gave her the upper hand.
I had to pick a new host, I don't know what would happen to me so far from the tomb and I dont want to risk it.
I couldn't try the dwarf-man again, the elf and the knight are strong and the dwarf-woman looks too fierce, so you'll have to do.
I'll try to get things straight again once we hit town.
Though, I have to say, this purse is fair jangling with more coin than I've seen in my life.
Maybe I'll swing by Zalamandra's and play 'Rug-a-Tug Roulette'?
See how many times I can risk you getting the pox?"
"Sorry, but I outstayed my welcome in the elf-bint, and my shock gave her the upper hand.
I had to pick a new host, I don't know what would happen to me so far from the tomb and I dont want to risk it.
I couldn't try the dwarf-man again, the elf and the knight are strong and the dwarf-woman looks too fierce, so you'll have to do.
I'll try to get things straight again once we hit town.
Though, I have to say, this purse is fair jangling with more coin than I've seen in my life.
Maybe I'll swing by Zalamandra's and play 'Rug-a-Tug Roulette'?
See how many times I can risk you getting the pox?"
He he your evil snorter your my kinda dm
Well, I'm taking some spending money, nothing you'd miss, since you're loaded. How many pockets do you need in one jacket?.
Time to let you get on with your promise, while I catch up for lost time. Don't let me down. Remember... I'll see you before you see me (ho ho!).
Time to stretch my legs and see how the place has changed.
I'll get myself a few beers, or maybe one of everything off the the top shelf, since it won't be me feeling like crap tomorrow morning.
Maybe swing by the Gallery. That two headed pig will be long gone, and the chicken that plays diamondback, but there should be something to gawp at. Then on to The Salute, there's bound to be some dirty lass who'll drop her kegs for whats jangling in this pouch. Some lucky fellow's in for a free ride. Pity he won't be awake to enjoy it!
Don't worry, if I've any left after I've shot my nuts, I'll stick it on the tables, maybe double your money, eh?.
You want to listen to those other three. They might have driven me batty on the way back, witering about how much their treasure's worth, but at least they'll do a good turn for a poor orphan, out of the goodness of their hearts, unlike some greedy bastards I could mention.
And they'll stick their necks on the block, when some bear-owl flattens their friends, instead of prancing round the yard, like a big fairy. We gave that dwarf-girl a good snog to say thank you, when we checked out the stables (OR DID WE? HA HA!).
And if I hear any more cracks about fleecing farmers out of their savings, it won't just be your tongue going back up that horse's arse, it'll be your whole head, okay?.
Toodle-doo, and thanks for the holiday bonus!
My sight and feeling returned, and I watched ‘Alastor’ give an ironic salute and skip out of the stables in the guise of the young boy, whistling a jolly tune. Initially bewildered, the contents of my journal would prove to be enlightening. I wondered what mischief he would cause, but was too slow to stop him, having to wrestle myself free from where I woke, jammed between two bales of hay, and then having to search for my gear, which was strewn around the stall.
Staggering into the daylight, which though dull and overcast, was blinding me, I saw no sign of the boy. I limped across the courtyard, nursing my head and shielding my eyes, to the gaol, where two guards chuckled at my apparently hung-over state.
Ignoring their jibes, I stumbled past them, into the soothing, dark interior.
At the inner guard-post, a further soldier sat, picking his nails with a dagger, apparently bored by the undemanding duties. I asked to speak to the new prisoner, and was told I would need to get permission from the warden. This was soon done, and the guard accompanied me to the cells.
Tirra was sitting behind bars, stripped of her armour and gear, but still fully-clothed in her tight leather hose, and a faded, worn vest and shirt, stained with mud.
Her hair was matted with dried blood, she had two black eyes, and she still bore the scar across her neck from the failed suicide attempt by the ghost.
She quite obviously heard us approach, as her ears moved, but equally obviously, pretended not to notice, staring ahead at a point on the opposite wall.
I whispered to the guard: "I'd appreciate a bit of privacy here. It's not like she's going anywhere is it?" which got a grumbled objection.
“I can’t leave you; I’m supposed to make sure she stays here.”
"I'm one of you guys anyway, just because I work out there and you in here doesn't make it any different." I replied.
“It’s my neck, if she slips out. I’m the one who’ll be out of a job” he said, patting his half-empty coin-pouch meaningfully.
"Who brought her in, in the first place? Your warden is happy with me talking to her alone. It is a personal matter."
“Is it now?” the guard leered, with a raised eyebrow, licking his lips. He rocked back and forth on his heels, expectantly, until it became clear from my glare, he was not going to be remunerated, then sloped off up the corridor. “I’ll bet it is…”
I crouched, close to the bars, and spoke in lowered tones.
"I think you and I need to talk."
No response.
"Ignore me if you like, but I am in a position to help you here. I have already saved your life twice."
The elf’s ears twitched, her eyes narrowed, and her mouth twisted into a grimace, but still she said nothing.
"That cut on your neck. If not for me that would have gone much deeper.”
“So you say. You didn’t stop that lunatic Templar bashing my brains in. Twice.”
She half-turned her head with a sneer. “Once, when I was barely conscious. So much for chivalry.”
Something didn’t seem right here. Malakai was something of a zealot, but he couldn’t imagine him attacking Tirra without provocation. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Unsure of how their fight had started, I decided to bluff.
“Chivalry is an overrated concept, beloved of poets and dead knights. You are still alive. And life goes on. It is yours I am interested in.”
“It’s a foreign concept to him. I woke in a farmyard, to see his blade coming for me.” A short pause followed, then, in a more thoughtful tone, “But if you did prevent the others from finishing me off, then I thank you.”
She seemed resigned to her current situation. .
I decided to say my piece “I got precious little thanks from my band, but I guess that is what you get when you lead instead of follow. Making tough choices is not normally appreciated by those not making them” I looked at Tirra’s mud-streaked face. “I take it you haven’t had contact with Khellek or Auric since they left you to our kindly paladin’s attentions?”
"Hardly. I don't know how powerful you think they are, but even if he was Archmage of Greyhawk, he wouldn't waste his time breaking in here. His usual targets are more... dormant. And Auric is just a dumb braggart, who prefers one-on-one, and only when a crowd is cheering him on. No doubt they legged it when things got tough?"
She seemed angry when she mentioned them.
Remembering their actions when the fight was nearly over, I replied with "Ran like piss down a gutter. You should choose your friends more wisely" I paused "The encounter at the shack - what did Khellek say you would gain from it? Why focus on me at all? I could've just run - but the paladin surely wouldn't."
She replied "That's why he got put to sleep; to save arguing with him. Same with the dwarves; we waited till they went to sleep of their own free will. You never know how they'll react, 'cos they're so stubborn and argumentative, and difficult to take down with magic. We'd have ended up having to fight them, and none of us wanted that. We never intended to harm anyone. At least, I never did. The invisibility was just insurance, in case anyone got ideas."
I was none the wiser.
"Okay. I get your noble intentions. You only wanted me. Nearly killing everyone was an accident. Nice work. You could've tried asking!" I shook my head. "You saw me at Lazare's. You recognized me. Khellek was clueless. Why not approach me then? And why the hostility?" Her face twisted into a grimace “Asking! Yeah, right! With all the bad blood that went down? You’d have been on the fastest horse out of town, once your cover got blown.” A short pause, while she sought a reaction from me, which was not forthcoming. “I still wasn’t sure it was you. Oh, I knew you’d been following us since The Spinning Giant, but I thought you were just some guard, snooping for the Garrison. It wasn’t till I saw you at Lazare’s that I took a good look at you. You sticking your nose in our comings and goings was getting annoying, especially since I’d been half bitten to death in that stirges’ nest you got us sent to.”
She laughed then, but it was not a happy laugh.
“And Khellek wasn’t ‘clueless’ at all; I’d told him to expect you sniffing round. He saw you staring at his ring. Knew you recognised it. Kept you talking to place your accent, and put the clues together. A few drinks for the guard, and a back-alley fumble, confirmed your real name, not that fake one you gave him.” She continued “I had to think back a few decades, but then the resemblance was obvious. So we had to act quickly, get you on your own, before you could get a warning out. No time to get a message to Urnst, so it got dumped on us. The Maures would never forgive us, if they found you’d been in town, and we let the trail go cold again.” I was extremely confused by all of this, but managed to keep my face blank. “We never wanted any of this. We’re just historians, we just came to look at a cairn. None of us is built for combat, so we had to give you a scare. If we went too far, it’s because we didn’t want any violence.”
She seemed genuinely puzzled by my idea that they could have approached me. And when she talks about the Maures, whoever they were, I was convinced they were putting pressure on all of them. As to the last part, it does not match their modus operandi thus far, but that could all be for show…
I mentally took stock. The bad blood she referred to must be something before we even met this band - a few decades ago perhaps. She assumed I knew what the ring signified. They found out who I was after that, and got my resemblance to my father. Their desperation to get me before a warning got out means they think I’m in touch with my father, possibly. Finally, in Urnst, ‘the Maures’ want my father still, whoever they are.
From this, I believe my father had links with this society from Urnst. He did something to these people, or they tried to do something to him which backfired. He then vanished and died incognito, so this band thinks he’s still alive. They have not forgotten. I wandered in and this all fell upon us because my father was here before, and I look like him. Such ill-fortune. They think I’m here carrying on my father’s business and that I’d go back to him when I knew as much as possible about Khellek’s plans. They may or may not be as bad as we think they are, but I’m still erring on the side of caution on that one.
Bluffing wasn’t working. There were a lot of unknowns to avoid and she was perceptive. So, I was indirect in my questioning.
I raised an eyebrow, thinking about her last statement about never intending to harm anyone. “I’m not sure Uluvant was in on that particular nicety, do you? Anyone who uses undead is a bastard by association in my book.”
“So, you wanted to grab me because of Faran. And something he was involved with a generation ago? That’s pretty tenuous don’t you think?” A smile played across my face. “And just for the record, we had nothing to do with any misdirection to those stirges.”
She responded, in an irate, overly protective manner “He wasn’t always a ghoul. That had nothing to do with us! He used to be a fine, trusting man! Clever, skilful and kind!” I sensed that there was more to this relationship than mere friendship “Until he got teamed with that bastard, Faran!”
She leaned forwards, and grabbed the bars, with white knuckles. I jumped slightly, but knew I was clearly out of her reach.
“I only just found him again, after all this time, then that…Storm Trooper…hacked off his head!”
She gives a deep heavy sigh, and slumps back against the wall.
“I know, in my head, that he may have been long gone, but my gut wanted to believe the real man was still in there, somewhere…”
It was obvious to me that there was genuine sadness and grief in that last statement.
I was incensed by her insult to my father, my face becoming a mask of dark shadows, but kept my composure. “You base this on fact, or supposition? In my experience, nothing is quite as it seems. You are not quite as you seemed to me back at the Spinning Giant. I am not as I appeared on that first meeting either. Even now, I think both of us are hiding a great deal from the other.”
I shook my head. “Lies and rumours, grudges and hatred – they all conspire to make enemies of every man and woman. It need not be so!”
I was very agitated at this point. Faran may well not be the father I would have liked him to be, but that consideration needs more evidence than this elf provides. Also, I was aware that this went a lot deeper than a mere tomb-robbing. Who are the Maures? What on earth would interest them in me? And what would happen if more from this society came from Urnst to Diamond Lake for the search?
In earnest, I said “Let us imagine ourselves as newly acquainted. No history, no foreknowledge, no accusatory looks. Let us both divulge what we know about Faran, my father. The truth may be in there, but us hating each other may yet not be the result.”
I stared deeply at her face, trying to imagine what was running through her head.
She shrugged, and then nodded.
“I shall tell you this first then. My father is dead”
She frowned, and leaned forwards, curious and genuinely surprised.
I then leaned forward to the bars, insistent that Tirra listened “Tell me about those events long ago. Tell me why you hate my father so. Tell me why you are here now. And I shall tell you about the manner of his death.”
She replied “When six set off, and one man returns, it’s unfortunate. When it happens twice, it’s a tragedy. Three times, it’s incompetence, or worse. And when the usual survivor swears they fled empty-handed, then spends more than most people make in a lifetime, you have to assume the worst. Faran was heard trying to get credit, boasting of a ‘big score’ that would pay back ten-fold, before he went missing. It’s thought he may have killed, or sabotaged his crew, to keep it to himself.”
“It was difficult getting anything coherent from Uluvant; he had to be coaxed out of hiding with food, and it took me forever to calm him down. But he remembered his journey to the cairn, and the rainbow chamber. While camping down below, someone succumbed to a fever, and attacked the rest. He fought them off, and fled for the exit, to find the elevator had already been taken, and no-one would answer their shouts for help. I’ll leave you to imagine what became of the five trapped below, and who left them to their fate.”
I became incredulous as I listened to Tirra speak. "I can't account for anything my father did before raising me. I have heard tales of his adventuring past, but obviously these would be expurgated. However, I cannot reconcile my memory of my father with what you are telling me here." I frowned. "Although saying that, he was reluctant to share details of some of his exploits."
I leaned back, contemplating. I felt tired all of a sudden, and sad beyond reckoning. I gave out a sigh then.
“My father was killed by some kind of shadow creature. He was on one of his frequent trips away from home, and word got back that some misfortune had befallen him. As the only member of my family able to travel safely alone, I went north to find him. When I got to the Free City, no-one would tell me anything except in the most cryptic fashion. Some would not speak at all. The ones that did talk were convinced of his death though, and one former associate of his suggested that if I wanted to learn more I was to head here. He did not seem a stable person, but with no other direction to go, I came out here. So here I am. And so are you.”
There was silence for a short while, and then she sat back and looked thoughtful.
In a more positive tone of voice, she spoke “If that’s the case, then there’s no need for us to be enemies. I’m sure Khellek won’t come for me. He hasn’t the stomach, or the strength, for storming a fortress, even if he knew where I am, which I doubt. He’ll write me off as dead, but you’ll be watching your back for the rest of your life. He was appalled by what happened to Uluvant, because of their history, and he swore to make you pay. He might have been satisfied with Faran’s journal, if it led to tracking him down. Let me reason with him, convince him you know nothing. That you’re just a harmless treasure-hunter, who believed too many old tavern tales, and picked this town by accident?”
"Faran's journal?” I responded. “That's the second time I've heard of that, but I didn't know what it referred to. I would be happy to give it to him, if only I knew of its whereabouts. I now see why Khellek was obsessed with me."
"And how would I enable you to convince Khellek of the truth? I myself cannot release you from this place. And any leverage on getting you free would require my pet paladin’s agreement. But I can see what I can do."
Tirra thought for a moment.“Well, that’s as much as I can ask, I suppose. Tell… Mal..? I apologise for hurting him so badly; I was in an emotional state. It’s not every day you get reunited with a lost love, find he got thrown to a ghoul, then see him chopped into dog-meat. But I can’t really blame him for lashing out, it’s what he’s conditioned to do. Now I’ve vented my anger out loud, I see how stupid I must have sounded, to have expected anything else. I just saw red mist, and stuck him as hard as I could. I didn’t expect to drop him in one blow. If you want to polish his ego, you can tell him I’d just seen him kill a ghoul with one swing; I obviously thought he was a lot tougher.”
She continued “As for convincing Khellek, releasing me with all my gear would be proof of goodwill!” She laughed ironically then. “Failing that, if you can tell me how you knew the site of the Whispering Cairn, without hearing of it from your father, that would make things a lot easier to explain. I don’t particularly care if it’s the truth; if you want to keep your source secret, but the closer to the truth, the better. As long as it at least sounds believable, I can work with it.“
I believed her opinion on the likelihood of Khellek rescuing her, she seemed scornful of his abilities. I also believed her feelings for Uluvant were genuine, and her resignation over the ghoul’s death similar. Her reasons for asking how I knew of the cairn I thought came to her just then. I wasn’t sure that she could convince Khellek, but perhaps a believable story on how we all came to the cairn would sell it. I felt that her apology for injuring Mal may not have been totally sincere, but I could live with that.
"Okay. How about this?” I answered. “I heard of the Cairn from 2 dwarven friends I made here whilst treading water in this dreary place. They knew of it from their childhood, some decades ago. That is actually the truth. Once we talked, I realised that we could all benefit from working as a team in exploring this site, and we let Mal tag along as muscle."
“Well, that sounds plausible, I suppose. If anyone would know of old tunnels, it’s the Dwarves.” She replied
"I appreciate that I have your sword. I will return it to you outside these bars, if we run into each other again. I will try to put your state of mind and your case forward to the warden - you never know."
She appeared briefly thrown by the mention of the sword “That’s…good to hear. I don’t know what happened to the rest of my gear, but if you’re willing to give that sword back, then that’s an encouraging start. I’m sure it would help prove to Khellek that you don’t hold any grudges?”
“Well, it’s not to please Khellek to be honest, it’s to convince you I’m being sincere. I think it’s hard to not bear a grudge with someone who is running around with your items, taken whilst you were unconscious. Even if they did save your life.”
I looked at Tirra, trying to perceive what her state of mind was. "So, is this how we're leaving this?"
"I hope not. I've no idea what they intend to do with me, or when, and the guard creeps me out. Can you speak to the Warden, or Head Jailer, or whoever, and tell them you may be dropping the charges? I don't expect to walk out right now, but if you're going back to the cairn, it would be unfortunate if you got yourself killed or trapped, and they decide to stretch my neck."
-*-
Thinking a moment, I replied “Okay, I’ll have a word. Mal won’t be happy when he finds out, but he’ll cope I’m sure. Thank you for listening to me, and I hope we meet again. You’ll understand if I seem surprised if Mal is present when we next encounter you. Say something about calling for witnesses who were too busy gallivanting around to care about due process – he’ll get annoyed about that.”
I smiled crookedly then, and felt a genuine warmth towards this elven lass. “See you around, Tirra. Look after yourself ok?”
I made my way out of the prison cells, surprising the guards who had perhaps forgotten I had gone in there. My mind was reeling from the revelations and consequences of that conversation. My father was a member of this group? And he betrayed them? I couldn't believe the last part until I had proof. And that involved finding his journal. In the meantime, I had to be wary. This organization was powerful and had an interest in my family beyond mere curiosity.
Mindful of what I had said to Tirra, I went back to the warden to ask if the charges could be dropped, based on mistaken identity. The warden seemed rather nonplussed about the whole incident, but said that Free City law would be upheld - whatever that meant.
I made my way back to the group, who were on their way to Allustan's residence for a discussion.
Allustan was initially hesitant to talk to us, assuming we were cut of the same cloth of the Free City Adventurers. Once we had told him of our encounter with them over the location of a lost cairn, he became more interested and invited us in. We accepted his offer and entered. He was most hospitable and gladly gave me a refreshing glass of mead. Once settled, we spoke rather obtusely of our adventure to date, asking about the sigils we had already seen, and the nature of the cairn. His attitude to us was eager and helpful, but still wary, not so much of us but of the events we were recounting. He warned us against selling any items we had found locally and that we should say nothing of our expedition to others in Diamond Lake. I decided to leave out my sale of the black glass to Tidwoad as not really worth mentioning. He seemed to be worried for our welfare, but also of that of the town itself. I started to trust this fellow – he seemed honest and knowledgeable, and not willing to suffer fools gladly. He cemented my trust at least by offering to identify our items retrieved from the tomb. Without an arcane wielder ourselves this was quite a boon and we accepted. I wished to ask him further about the sigil that Khellek and the others wore, and what the society they represented was – they seemed a powerful group and I needed to know how my father was involved in their business. But my questions would have to wait until my companions were absent. I was not sure what I would hear…
Allustan offered to act as agent for our party, and trade any unwanted treasures far from Diamond Lake, via his contacts in the Free City. This was agreed by all of us, once he added that he could also arrange for more appropriate items to be commissioned at the same time.
While the divine characters discussed which wands they wished to order, using the proceeds, I was able to engage Allustan privately, and ask about the symbol on the rings.
His face was grave, as he told me it was the symbol of an organisation called the Seekers, who consider themselves archaeologists and historians, but are viewed by many serious scholars as little more than tomb-robbers. I told him I had seen the same symbol on Khellek's hand, and he replied he already knew, and did not trust their motives, so had arranged for them to be misdirected to the Stirgenest Cairn, which was obviously his usual approach to cairn-seekers he did not like.
“Their founders were ancient Suloise, descendants of the survivors of the Great Migration through the Pass of Slerotin, who hoped to unearth and preserve the secrets of their pre-cataclysmic empire. Though, since then, they have become much less selective in their investigations. These people have no respect for the treasures they unearth, nor to the uses to which they are put. Power is the only object, or the money they can raise, from selling to the highest bidder, whoever that may be.”
“If this ‘Whispering Cairn’ is indeed as important as I suspect, then news of its discovery cannot be allowed to spread. I would have sent you down the stirges’ nest, as well, had I been aware you were searching the area. I’m now glad I didn’t; though you look a ruffian, and I don’t know the dwarf-girl, I am aware of your other two companions, and trust that this information will stay in safe hands.”
“I would advise you not to tackle this group if you can avoid it. These three do not strike me as particularly high-ranking members, but they will have friends in high places. Their leaders are sown through all levels of society, and I can vouch that they once had the ear of the Duke of Urnst.” “Many an unfortunate has met their end on a forced errand from the Great Seer, after a trumped-up charge. And some of the most powerful mages in the Flanaess have died by their hand, or in attempts to foil them…” His voice tailed off then, as if reminiscing. I decided that I needed to consider this counsel in some depth, once the current incident was resolved. Certainly my conversation with Tirra took on a whole new light.
Rested, equipped and ready to move on, we considered our options for tackling the group at the Feral Dog. We knew they had four members: Kullen, an obvious warrior, and three others: a mage, a two-weapon wielding ranger, and a fighter using a guisarme. We hit upon the idea that if the ranger were sent on a tracking mission we would have less to worry about. We also wished to learn the whereabouts of Khellek and Auric since our encounter and decided this would kill two birds with one stone. We sent Alun ahead to engage the tracker to this end and later on saw him depart out of the settlement. We knew then that we would soon have the answers we wanted.
That night, I entered the tavern late in the evening. I found the Dog to be full of patrons still, with dog fights and drinking in full swing. I noted the presence of Kullen upstairs, and the mage and the other fighter were present downstairs. No sign of the ranger however. I waited and watched to see how the night played out. It was not to be a good night…
A short time after I entered, Tiegan came into the bar. I had not previously thought about how out of place she would look in a bar where a half-orc kept court, but I saw it now. All eyes were on her as she approached the bar but whatever exchange she had with the barman did not cause any disturbance and she was left to her drink. A while later it was the turn of our remaining two companions to enter, which was not as smooth, to say the least.
Malakai entered first, full of swagger and confidence. Alun entered after, a good deal more circumspectly, appearing to be apart from Mal. Our paladin strode up to the bar, and asked the half-orc if he was Kullen. A grunted affirmative was his response. Then the ante was most definitely upped. Malakai reached over his head and took out the severed limb we found at the Land house. He smacked it down on the bar and demanded Kullen to tell him whose it was and what they were doing at the holding. Kullen denied the whole thing and called for his cohorts. “Merovinn! Todrik! Get up here!” he shouted. I moved to block the stairs as the fighter, which I knew later to be Todrik, came up. It was to be the last move I made for quite some time.