Kafir follows along. "I haven't seen much that would indicate where he disappeared to unless you folks are picking up on something I haven't noticed."
"I haven't seen anything either. Maybe the servants' quarters will yield some information? Otherwise the only move I can think of would be to return to our employers."
Moving outside and entering the servant's quarters, you see, inside this small house two simple wooden doors close off small rooms. A small table and two rocking chairs fill the main room. Seated in the chairs are two emaciated, motionless figures. They appear to have been dead for several days.
"Well this doesn't bode well," the Rahadoumi states the obvious.
While disgust is clearly manifest for the alchemist, Akaash does his best to hide it and keep a stone face.
"Dead servants, those daemons... I think it's more and more certain that a dire fate befell the half-elf... "
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"Well, then where is he then?"
"Roger is right. If the half-elf fell to them we should find his body too but we haven't seen it yet. Maybe he got away."
Algonzo will look over the dead, to determine any obvious cause.
He will then boldly lie to the party about his lack of skill. "I don't see a cause as to why they're here and starved. Any clues on who the culprits are?"
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Roger and Roo both shake their heads.
Al and Roger! can't fathom the cause of death.
"Probably some damn zealots got to them."
Kafir examines the bodies a little closer. As he brushes agaisnt one, the two corpses suddenly animate and attack!
The corpses clumsily swing at Kafir and Akaash, but both miss!
"Ah!" Roger cries out in surprise before he launches a punch at one of them.
Roo also tries to kick it!
Roger! punches the dead maid, hitting her in the torso, then Roo kicks her in the knee! Both strikes seem to be resisted by the old maid's bloated body and leathery skin!
The maid returns Roger!'s strike, swinging at him with a rolling pin, but misses!
The dead manservant then swings at Kafir with a shoe polishing brish, but misses as well!
A few curses escape Kafir's lips as he swings his khopesh!
Akaash throws an explosive bomb at the servant facing him, aiming at a spot where it wouldn't blow him or his companions up at the same time.
Roger and Roo fight back!
In a flurry of punches, slashes and explosions, the party destroys the two undead servants!
Searching the two bedrooms, you find that each contains coffer with a few simple changes of clothes, one jar of unguent of timelessness, and a stamped silver bar
worth 10 gp.
"This fellow was really concerned with aging I guess. Thoughtful of him. But where did he go?"
"That was fun. Now where to?"
"We must have missed something. Was there a basement? A hidden door maybe? We could go back in there and turn everything upside down until we find a clue."
"Distressing. No inhabitants save for the dead. Such descriptions should merely be for graveyards." Algonzo states, looking for any trace of clues on the undead.
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Having dispatched every moving thing in the townhouse, the party takes time to search every room again. In the museum room, this time, Akaash notices a trap in the central glass display case.
In the rest of the townhouse, the party finds little else to go on, other than it appears something has befallen Flinn.
Remembering the request of the two aged adventurers, you realize you need to check on the other member, Dern, in Hope's Hollow, at Mother’s Care Home.
Kafir suggests asking around about the half-elf for a few hours and heading to check in on Dern in Hope's Hollow the next day.
Kafir will inquire at the local taverns and such about the missing half-elf, using his stature as a Pure Legionnaire to assert some authority.
"That is a good idea. He's bound to have friends around, or people who know of him."
Akaash will also ask around before joining his friends.
Both Roger and Roo will help!
Er try to help in any case.
Wandering through Cassomir, you find that the people of Cassomir have an odd tolerance for violent crime and strange disappearances. The town sits over a catacomb that leads deep into the tunnels of the Darklands, and sometimes suffers abductions by derros and other invasive events. A few districts have their local haunted sites, though none is more infamous than the ruins of Quickfall Abbey.
Speaking with the general populace, you learn that there has been an increase in reports of disappearences and murders in Cassomir, and strange monsters in the nearby Verduran Forest. Talking, you get several leads of places or people to inquire.
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Algonzo looks to a stand-up flier that reads "Flaxseed Pathfinder Lodge: Find Your Path to the Best Halfling Hooch in Town!" "I bet it's those Pathfinders; Not only is their newest establishment unclear in design and function, I have reports they've even eluded mandatory inspections around the home nation of Razmir and assaulted a lower ranking officer of the law. Furthermore, there are even more reports around Tymon of them raiding supply ships to my home nation. Even more locally, they've gained a rapport with the Opparan guard as Sarenite smugglers, along with some artifacts, no doubt. Not a lot I find to be trusted."
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"They seem okay. I mean they're all halflings right. How bad could they be?"
"You have to admire their persistance. Maybe we should pay them a visit. We could even enlist their services in retrieving the man we're looking for. After all, they find artifacts lost for ages, so why not a crazy alchemist obsessed with old age?"
"Bah! I've not much tolerance for the Pathfinders either. But that Venture-Captain of theirs sure churns out chronicles and they can be quite the entertaining read I'm told."
"We can check with the Pathfinders, sure. But if they yield nothing I say we head to the Swift Prison. Often those lowlifes know more about the happenings in town than anyone else."
The party heads first to the a know Pathfinder lodge, the Flaxseed Lodge. Inside you see what appears to be bunch of lackabouts sitting around reading, drinking, telling stories, and a few men gathered around some sort of posting board. Asking around, you find that these explorers seem to have heard very little about the goings on in the area, as if they rarely step outside!
On Kafir's advice, the party heads to the west side of town to Swift Prison. Swift Prison is a large complex containing a heavily gated jailhouse surrounded by less secure apartments. Wealthy convicts live under house arrest, and common criminals suffer more severe punishment behind thick walls and in heavy chains.
Speaking with a jailer, he tells you that you may want to speak with Riger Mann, who murdered his father after being denied an early portion of his inheritance. His story closely resembles several who have experienced temptation and betrayal in Cassomir lately.
After some time, you are able to speak with this man in a visitors room. Asked about his crime, he hangs his head in shame and says. "“I fell in love with a beautiful woman, but she was betrothed to another. She said unless I could repay the dowry given by her suitor, we could never be together. I asked my father for the money, but he said it would deplete my inheritance. Then I got really angry. He said, ‘Why don’t you just kill me then!’ I don’t know what came over me. All I could think about was freeing my love. She was perfect to me—everything I ever dreamed about, and almost more perfect than I could bear. “But I see now I was wrong. I let my love for her triumph over the love I held for my father. His grave lies at an old estate in the woods called Tristeza House. I know I’ll never see his grave, but I wish I could make amends. The knife I killed him with was a family heirloom. Perhaps if you buried it with him, I could be certain it would never claim another life.”
"What does this have to do with the half-elf?" Kafir blurts angrily, not seeing any connection (yet). "Do you have any information on the missing half-elf? Any whispers or rumors?"
"Maybe if we do this thing for him, he'll tell us what he knows."
"Bah! All right then!"
Having spoken with the prisoner and taking the dagger, the party contiues to canvas Cassomir.
Heading next to the constabulary, you find Chief Constable Roani Cheliff. Speaking with her, she tells you about some of the recent murders. "“The first assault occurred in Old Cassomir, at Flaxseed Square, nearly six month ago. Since then, it happens every few weeks. Someone claims they saw an argument that riled up bitter emotions. Then they attacked whoever they were with. Different folks, but always in that square.” She shrugs. "I don't know, seems queer, but I don't have any answers. The first murder was a son murdering his father, but it sounds like you already talked to him." Glancing at the stack of paperwork on her desk, she sighs. "As far as this missing Flinn person, I'm swaped with work, any assisstance you might provide in locating him would be greatly appreciated."
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Deciding to head to the Blackrock Company, the party exits the old city and heads to the southern side of Cassomir. There in a squat building, you find the offices of the Blackrock Company. The group is well known for delving the depths below Cassomir, but they also explore the outer contryside as well. Meeting the current liaison, Tiller Merseine asking about recent events affecting the town, he explains that business under the city proceeds as usual, but the company has received an increasing number of requests to look for missing persons or investigate strange events in the Verduran Forest. Some of these requests are made by angry business associates, and others by anxious family members. Explorers have returned from ranging the forest with reports of unusual beasts invading camps or killing companions. Overwhelmed, Merseine offers a stipend if your party is able to provide any leads on cases he can pursue later.
He rummages through a few scraps of parchment, looking for things connected to the town or to the Verduran Forest and then asks the you whether you’d like to look into a nest of giant spiders led by a winged spider-creature or dispatch a tribe of forest cannibals—however, he’d prefer you'd take care of both.
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After talking with Tiller, the party heads back toward the old city, stopping by the house of Brother Zaganos. The old druid, an initiate of the Wildwood Lodge, welcomes you in and pours you a cup of tea. "I represents the interests of the natural world to the authorities in Cassomir, who in turn need a supply of the Verduran Forest’s famed blackwood." He says matter of factly. He then tells you that of late, reports of unusual monsters in the Verduran Forest and a change in the natural balance of flora and fauna have worried him. When asked about the forest, he acknowledges that the wood has always been dangerous, with great beasts and capricious fey creatures, but says he believes it’s even more so now. Zaganos further explains that communication between him and some of his brethren has been inconsistent in recent weeks. When you mention an interest in going into the forest, Zaganosa sks that if you witness an abundance of dangerous beasts or members of his order in peril, that you take care of the problem; in turn, he promises to use his political connections to reward you. He tells you to be on the lookout for a few strange beasts—such as a creature that appears to be made of dead trees, a charred elk, and a water serpent—that have been reported but not killed or captured, and asks that if you slay any of these creatures, you bring back trophies.
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Moving back into the city, a flat wooden board sits on stilts in the square adjoining the Abbey Green, Old Cassomir, and Threegates regions of town. Nailed to the board are several broadsheets—announcements of laborers seeking work, rewards for lost pets or missing children, and sketches of wanted criminals. There you meet a guild member named Verith Telan, who stands watch over the merchant board, answering questions or redirecting complaints to the correct vendors. A jeweler by trade, once drawn into conversation, he tells you a flight of harpies has been attacking merchant ships coming to or from the Sellen River. The flying monsters have thus far evaded capture, despite inflicting thousands of gold pieces in losses on the merchants of Cassomir. Verith pulls down one of the broadsheets and offers to personally reward each of you with a unique piece of jewelry that’s “worthy of enchantment or could become an heirloom”.
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Lastly, the party visits the square, where all the recent crimes have taken place.
Kafir will gladly take the bag of holding from the merchant and suggest that the party take the druid up on his offer of taking out the monsters of the forest. "If there's trouble there, it might that our source of trouble lies there too."
"Sounds good to us!" Roger replies.
"Given that you're already borrowing his bag, one would assume we have little choice in the matter..."
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"I'm fine with it as well. But... do you hear this sound?"
Akaash with use his infusion of cure light wounds where he thinks the manifestation emanates from.
"This place's haunted! Use positive energy!" he yells to his companions.
As Akaash begins to react, everyone sees images of an an older man and a younger man appear. The younger one snatches a bag of coins from his elder and turns his back. As he does so, the older man pursues him, shouting, “Son, if you hate me so much, why don’t you just kill me already!” The image of the young man turns on his father, knife in hand, and stabs him. As the scene fades, the older man screams and starts to point to Akaash, but at that moment, the sylph tosses his healing infusino at the images and they disappear!
Believing you have garned all the information you can at this point, the party begins the hour walk on east road out of Cassomir that leads to a quiet agricultural town known as Hope’s Hollow.
As you near the hamlet, you see the name on the sign outside this town has been vandalized with red paint to read, “Hope Is Hollow.” Soon you realize Hope’s Hollow is a tough place for outsiders to visit. Storefronts are closed, a duel breaks out in the street, and very few citizenz even glance in your direction.
Even so, without much trouble, you locate Mother’s Care Home for Invalids. As you walk along a cobblestoned street toward the home, a dark-skinned young woman approaches, never breaking her stride or stare. As she nears, she appears to step through a lamppost as if it weren’t there. Her face is tear-stained and intensely sorrowful. As she nears her path veers toward Algonso and she attacks the masked man!
Algonso feels the warmth drain from his body and his mojo as well!
Akaash reacts almost instantly, yelling "An epehemeral echo, it's incorporeal!" - as well as other information he might recall.
Aware that his bombs won't be of any use against an incorporeal creature, he steps aside next to Roger! and makes him drink an infusion of shield.
Akaash knows that ephemral echos are restless spirits driven by some tragedy in their past lives. He knows the difficulty of striking incorporeal creatures and that echoes have resistance to channeling, but no particular resistance to damage. He also knows that they have a bewitching gaze that will permanently drain the mojo (CHA) for those who are gazed upon. Further, he can tell you that like some spirits, ephemeral echoes are fettered to a certain location and will rise again unless the fetter is resolved.
The Razmiran staggers a little at the cold; "Foul ghost, know that the allies of this fair priest shall be your final sight!"
5' step away, Begin +2 Inspire Courage as a standard. Draw something that totally isn't a wand of clw that I'll use to cast later as a move.
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