Monday, December 10, 652 AU, continued

A few hours later, they arrive on the outskirts of Rimehollow. They discuss the possibility of looking at the books themselves, but they decide to wait until they return to the Kildare forge—after all, Tolman Kildare promised to help them, and he would understand the contents of the books better than the party.

A smith, covered in sweat and soot, notices their approach. “Oh, I remember you! One moment, I’ll get Tolman.” He heads to Tolman’s office, has a brief conversation, and returns. “He’ll see you right now. Seems excited.”

“Has any other elf come by recently?” Valya asks the smith.

“An elf? There’s a few elves from Crystalport who make pretty regular purchases for the city guard.”

“Any elves like me?”

“Can’t say I’ve seen one, not recently, no.”

They head to the office. Tolman motions them inside, and closes the door behind them, magically blocking out the sounds of the smithy. “Well, do you have the books? I suppose not. Have you been to Silverdale?”

“We found them,” says Aurelia.

“Well, where are they?”

“There were a lot of them, and we, uh…” begins Aurelia.

“This is perfectly legal, I’d like to say,” Valya interjects. She takes out the bag of holding and shakes it upside-down. Nothing comes out. Tolman raises an eyebrow at Valya. Valya, suddenly worried, reaches her arm inside the bag. She gets her entire arm inside, but doesn’t feel anything. “What? I—I put the books here, right?”

“Yeah,” say Aurelia and Thaldohr, exchanging worried glances.

“Uh, you do have the books some—” Tolman begins to ask.

“One moment while we figure this out!” shouts Valya in agitation. “You bought the right thing, correct?” she asks Thaldohr.

“Yeah, correct! The books all fit, right?” Thaldohr replies.

Valya reaches both arms into the bag of holding, trying to go as deep as she can, but can’t find anything.

“Should I climb in?” asks Thaldohr. Valya shrugs, and Thaldohr sticks his head into the bag. He can’t see anything but blackness, and exits the bag.

“Is not even the bowl in there?” asks Aurelia. Thaldohr shakes his head.

“Is there a magic word we have to say?” asks Valya.

“I didn’t hear of any,” says Thaldohr.

Valya frantically reaches her hand into the bag again and waves it around. Suddenly, they hear a voice. “Ugh, what are you doing? Stop shaking around in there! First the indigestion from the books, now you’re shaking me all up, what’s the matter with you?”

Valya’s face goes pale. “…indigestion? Wait, you’re alive?”

“Uh, forget I said anything,” says the bag.

“You ate the books,” asks Aurelia.

“You fed them to me!” the bag protests.

“It was a portal tummy!” says Thaldohr.

Valya furrows her brow. “Okay, whatever you are—”

“My name is Torba,” says the bag.

“Okay, Torba, you had better spit out those books intact, or I am going to pierce you so many times…”

“Hah, I’m magic!” says Torba. “Your little weapons won’t do anything to me! Do your worst!”

“Well, this weapon pierces your mind,” replies Valya, holding up Soul-Snatcher.

“Uh, let’s be reasonable here! Well, uh, the thing is—I can’t just spit them out. I don’t… have them, anymore.”

“You destroyed them?” asks Aurelia in disbelief.

“You’re going to tell us you absorbed all the knowledge in those books before you destroyed them, right?” threatens Valya.

“What do I look like, a wizard? I can’t read!” says Torba. Valya points Soul-Snatcher at Torba. “Uh, no, that’s not necessary! We can be reasonable and talk this out!”

Tolman, whose expression has grown more grim over the course of this conversation, draws a sword of his own. “Where are my books, bag?” he threatens.

“I told, you my name is Torba!”

“Well if you didn’t destroy them, where did they go?” asks Aurelia.

“Uh… I can’t snitch!”

“Is this Remy’s doing?”

“I just said I’m not going to snitch!”

“Oh my goodness…” Aurelia sighs to herself. She looks at the ceiling. “Of course he would sell us a bag that sends everything we put into it straight to his own pocket. That sniveling, little…”

“What’s your favorite food?” Valya asks suddenly.

“Turkey,” replies Torba. “With lots of gravy, and mashed potatoes!”

“If we promise to give you a whole turkey, would you tell us where the books are right now?”

Torba considers, moving his opening to view the magic swords currently pointed at him. “Fine! Fine, I’ll tell you. As far as I know, everything I eat ends up in the vault of the Talons.”

“The what?” asks Aurelia, confused.

“The Talons?” asks Tolman in disbelief.

“Do you know what that is?” Valya asks Tolman.

“The Talons are the premiere thieves’ guild of Crystalport.”

“Oh my god…” Aurelia says in exasperation.

“My books… are with the Talons?”

“Our sincerest apologies,” says Aurelia. “Never trust—”

“Remy?” finishes Valya. “I’m glad we didn’t accept his deal regarding the shipment…”

“So you’ve been duped into stuffing an entire library’s worth of my books right into the hands of the thieves’ guild,” says Tolman.

“And some very nice china too, apparently,” says Valya.

“But surely they have no use for my books,” says Tolman. “If you could get an audience with them, perhaps they could sell them back to you.”

“Do you know who is in charge of the Talons?” Valya asks Torba.

“I can’t tell you that!”

“Turkey…” whispers Thaldohr.

“Alternatively,” says Aurelia, “if you don’t tell us, perhaps you never taste another thing in your life!”

“Okay, okay! I was created by Zeesa, she’s a kenku wizard and one of the leaders of the Talons. You’d better prepare me a feast, sticking my neck out for you like this!”

“I’ll tell you what. We’ll try to meet the Talons and get our books back, and then we’ll get you a turkey. But if we don’t get the books back, I’m going to feed you explosive barrels.”

Torba shudders. “After this is over, will you let me go?”

“No,” says Aurelia.

“What do you expect me to do?” wails Torba.

“Can you hold things without sending them to the thieves’ guild?” asks Valya.

“…Yes?”

“Well, you’re our bag now, so you’re going to hold stuff for us.”

“Fine! Fine, I promise, I’ll hold things for you.”

“Perhaps we should warn the city guard about Remy,” says Aurelia.

“But we purchased a magic item from him—we’d get in trouble too,” says Valya.

“But we didn’t—he did,” replies Aurelia, gesturing at Thaldohr.

“You’re going to throw your friend under the bus?” asks Tolman.

“Remy doesn’t know your name, right?” Aurelia asks Thaldohr.

“Well…”

Aurelia sighs. “I suppose we have to look for the thieves’ guild.”

“We might not necessarily have to,” says Valya. “Torba, if we climb inside you, could you send us to the vault?”

“That seems risky,” says Torba.

“Why?”

“Popping into the Talon’s vault unexpectedly?”

“Well, we’d just take what we need and leave.”

“My portal is a one-way trip.”

“I don’t want to get stuck behind a locked vault door…” says Aurelia.

“I assume Remy knew what would happen. I wonder if he’s waiting for us to return to bargain for our stuff, or if he’s just skipped town,” says Valya. “Should we pay him a visit?”

“We could go under the pretense that we’re giving him the shipment,” suggests Aurelia.

“I say we just go straight to the vault and get our stuff back,” says Thaldohr.

“We don’t know where it is,” says Aurelia.

“We have a direct way in…” says Valya.

“Yes, but then we risk having to fight our way out, or just being trapped in there for weeks until we perish of starvation.”

“And we can’t be the only adventurers they’ve pulled this on—they have to be prepared for someone to try that.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to fight an entire thieves’ guild on their own home turf,” says Qhask.

“I think trying to reason with them is our best bet,” says Aurelia. “What use do thieves have for some old books?”

“They might be valuable…” says Valya.

“They’re old,” says Tolman, “but they’re just receipts. Useless to anyone but us.”

“What about the blueprints?” asks Valya.

“Well, there might be some useful secrets in there, if you found any…” says Tolman. “This is a bit of a pickle.”

“It seems so,” says Aurelia.

“Well, I hope you can get the books back for me. I can’t tell you what you want to know without those books.”

“I guess we’ll return to Crystalport… I was hoping to stay away from Crystalport for a while,” says Aurelia. She pauses, remembering their encounter with the journalist last time they were in the city.

“You’re gonna get me a whole turkey, right?” asks Torba, breaking the silence.

“Yeah,” says Thaldohr, “what other kind of turkey is there?”

“Excellent!” says Torba. “And I prefer them cooked.”

They take their leave of Tolman and return to the road, following the shore of Corentin’s Mirror back to Crystalport.

⁂

Once back in the city, they head toward the Drunken Goblin. As they walk through the crowded streets, they quickly notice they’re attracting stares and whispers.

“I told you we should have avoided Crystalport,” sighs Aurelia.

“Why?” asks Valya.

“Do you not remember that obnoxious journalist? We’re most likely in today’s paper.” Aurelia looks around and spots a pair of humans reading a paper and trying to look like they’re not watching the party. She approaches them. “May the Shining Lady look upon you. May I ask what you’re reading?”

“Oh, just the Citadel Sentinel,” replies a woman, obviously flustered. “I read it every morning.”

“It seems like a lot of people are reading today’s issue.”

“Well, I mean, it is one of the most popular papers in Crystalport, lots of people read it for lots of different reasons. Nice talking to you, uh—” she cuts off, and the pair quickly walk away.

Valya approaches a newsstand on the corner. “Good day, ma’am,” she says to the woman working the stand."

“Well, good day to you too!” replies the woman. She smiles as she seems to recognize Valya. “I have a feeling you’re going to want to read the Citadel Sentinel, miss.”

“How much is it?”

“Well, normally it’s a silver piece, but today’s is a special issue—silver and a half.” She thinks for a moment. “But for you, just a silver,” she adds, smiling.

Valya hands over a silver piece, and the woman hands Valya the paper. “Enjoy,” she says.

“What does it say?” asks Aurelia.

Valya begins reading the front page out loud to the rest of the party. “Well, the title is ‘Woodmore’s Warriors: Friends, or Foes?&rsuqo;”

“No…” says Aurelia.

Valya continues reading.

Step aside, Fists of Dhaedros—there’s a new adventuring troupe in town! We’ve all seen Woodmore’s Warriors around Crystalport the past few weeks, but how well do we really know these adventurers???

Aurelia, priestess on a quest to atone for her dark past. The mysterious “Valya”—Nahalian mercenary, or psychic doppelganger assassin? Cask Brassback, the lizard-man—curious that he arrived so soon after the mysterious disappearance of Caranthiax! And the newest addition to their little gang, Thaldor, a dwarven cook intimidated into their service!

And of course, their missing members: Fergus O’Toole, avowed Wood Scorpion and secret lover of Harmony Grove, younger sister of that wretched assassin; and Abundance, mysterious Khorsirian rogue wizard. My sources say these two conspired to kill Prince Calvin during the fiasco at the Daykin Estate and blame it on the prince’s fiancé, Leander Vyrtana, and were only thwarted when the rest of Woodmore’s Warriors chickened out!

Woodmore may have originally hired them to take care of our sewer-rat problem, but these fear-mongers have been stringing us along like puppets ever since, spreading rumors of hydras, liches, and who-knows-what-else in an effort to get the city guard out of the city. What is their ultimate aim? Further assassinations? Paving the way for an invasion? Just the fun of it? Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s far more sinister than anything I could dream up.

A long pause follows.

“Hey, we’re famous!” says Thaldohr.

“You were clearly treated with a little sympathy,” says Aurelia. “This is slander! How was something like this allowed to go to print?”

“Well, it seems like their profit is unimaginable right now…” says Valya. She stares more at the newspaper. “Woodmore’s Warriors.”

“That is not the name of our party,” protests Aurelia. “To be named after that captain is the most insulting part of the entire story.”

⁂

Once at the Drunken Goblin, they see Remy’s wagon and donkey in the stables.

“What should we do?” asks Aurelia.

“I’m furious right now,” says Valya. “Don’t let me talk to him or I might murder the guy.” She crumples the newspaper and feeds it to Torba.

“I suppose it’s organic matter,” says Torba. “Not a turkey, though.”

“That will come soon,” Valya assures.

They enter the tavern to interrogate Remy, who they see sitting at the bar with a flagon of ale. He notices the party, and gives them a big smile. “Friends!” he says, raising his flagon. “What brings you here?”

“You do,” says Aurelia. They all walk over to meet him, except for Valya, who sits at the opposite end of the bar and orders a drink.

“It’s wonderful to be popular, isn’t it?” Remy says. “You seem to have become quite popular yourselves!” His smile grows wider.

Aurelia glares at Remy.

“I thought you would be here to talk about our deal, but it seems you’ve made a new friend, and I think you might be here about something else.”

“We had thought about your deal, but some things came up that were more pressing,” says Aurelia.

Remy hops off the stool and gives Aurelia a deep bow. “I sincerely apologize, priestess. Had I known just who I was selling to, I would have taken better care selecting—well, you see, I have lots of items, and I must have accidentally sold your friend here a defective item.”

“Well, I think it’s only fair that you help us get our items back,” says Aurelia.

“Like I said, the item was defective. I’m sorry, but they must be scattered all over the Ethereal.”

Aurelia turns toward the party. “Do you hear that, Torba? Apparently, you’re defective!”

Remy’s eyes go wide. “You’re not supposed to talk!” he shouts at Torba.

“I’m sorry! They—they offered me turkey!” says Torba.

Remy sighs. “How much do you know?”

“That depends on how much you’re willing to work with us to get us our items back,” says Aurelia.

“What did you tell them, Torba?” asks Remy.

“I told them about the Talons and their vault.”

“And the trio who run the Talons as well,” Valya adds, getting closer.

“Torba!” shouts Remy. “Oh, Torba, we talked about this…” He turns to the party. “Fine. I can get you an audience with the Talons.”

“And recommend us on your behalf?” asks Aurelia.

“I can get you an audience. That’s as far as my influence would take me.”

“It would just be a shame if the kind folk around here were made aware of the sort of swindling that goes on under their noses,” Aurelia threatens.

“I don’t know if they’d believe you, I mean, the little lizard here seems to have murdered Caranthiax, and Valya is some sort of assassin, and, well…” he looks around, then whispers “I sold you a magic item! Do you really want to go to the guard and explain exactly why you’re mad at me?”

“Remy,” says Valya, standing up from the bar and joining the rest of the party, “it seems you are in a lot of trouble. We know the prince personally, and whatever the newspapers may say, he trusts us. And if the rumors are true—well, do you really want to get on the bad side of some assassins who slayed a dragon?”

Remy frowns. “Do you really think the guard will help you? Do you know why they’re called the Talons? I mean—yes, they’re run by a trio of kenku, but they also have their talons in everything. Do you think they don’t pay the guard to turn a blind eye? We’re untouchable. You think you’re going to come here, on our home turf, and threaten me? I can get you your audience. That’s all I’ll do for you.”

“What’s the soonest you can get us an audience?” asks Valya.

“Well, normally I would say that depends on how much you’re willing to pay, but considering we’re such good friends, and I owe you an apology for that defective item, I can likely get you an audience for this afternoon.”

“A shame we won’t be doing business again,” says Aurelia.

“It is—I have the fairest prices in the city. Bag of holding for 450 gp! That’s pretty good.”

“Except it steals everything you put in it,” says Aurelia.

“Well, it’s still magic,” says Remy, wiggling his fingers in the air.

“This afternoon,” says Valya, staring at Remy.

“This afternoon. Meet me back here in, say, two hours. I can get you your audience.”

Valya finishes her drink, and they take their leave of Remy.

⁂

Once back outside, Aurelia sighs. “I’m growing tired of this wicked and corrupt city.”

“I agree—this is absurd,” says Valya.

“They prey upon the good… punish good deeds… it’s disgusting,” says Aurelia.

Valya looks over at Remy’s wagon. “We should just take this away from him,” she vents.

“Should we find our friend the reporter?” asks Thaldohr.

“Didn’t you say you were going to learn more? Perhaps you could meet her on your own—you’re still seen as an innocent party,” says Aurelia. “I’m sure she wouldn’t want to meet with us.”

“Unless we have a good story for her,” says Valya. “I mean, this thing about the guards taking money from the thieves’ guild? That could be a great story.”

“Unless the thieves’ guild is also paying the papers…” says Aurelia.

“We could at least see how much she knows,” says Valya.

They walk toward the center of the city, and quickly find the headquarters of the Crystalport branch of the Citadel Sentinel. Thaldohr enters alone, while the rest of the party hangs back. He proclaims “It is I! One of the famed Woodmore’s Warriors!” Several writers working at desks look up at him quizzically. One writer, Kat Steelgrip, stands up and walks over to him.

“Thaldohr! I see you liked the article! I think we captured your essence, don’t you agree?”

“Oh, yes, I quite liked the photo, too! When did you take that?”

“I mean, you’ve been around the city for a week… What brings you here, Thaldohr?” asks Kat.

“Oh, I just wanted to say how much I liked the article,” says Thaldohr.

“I’m glad to hear it, Thaldohr.”

“What was your inspiration, may I ask?”

“Your escapades! The story practically writes itself!”

“What sort of feedback have you gotten, if I may ask?”

“Why, this is our best-selling paper in the past six months!”

“Wonderful, that must be great for a small journalistic outfit like this.”

Kat scoffs good-naturedly. “Oh, we’re not that small—we’re one of the biggest papers in the kingdom.”

“I see!”

“And it’s journalism like this,” Kat continues, “and our integrity and commitment to truth that endears us to the masses.”

“I was wondering, when you don’t have such breaking articles, are funds hard to come by?” asks Thaldohr.

“Well, Crystalport isn’t as big as some of the other cities… Sometimes, when it’s a slow month, we get propped up by funds from some of our larger branches, like the capital, or Hearthollow.”

“I see… do you also have independent donors?”

“Well, I couldn’t disclose if we did…”

“That makes sense… I had heard some rumors about the guard, and the Talons, you know, some fishy stuff…”

“You mean the thieves’ guild?”

“Yes—”

“What have you heard?” asks Kat, taking out her quill and notebook in a flash.

“I’ve heard some rumors, I can’t say from where, that the thieves’ guild is bribing the guard.”

“Oh, you must have read last week’s paper! The thieves’ guild always tries to stick its fingers in everything—every so often someone gets caught taking a bribe. They all get found out, eventually.”

“Do you know anything about who leads the Talons?” asks Thaldohr.

“Well, they say it’s a trio of bird-people, but no one has ever seen them, to my knowledge. I don’t know if the thieves’ guild is really worth looking into. They’re not a large operation—just a bunch of petty criminals. Last year, one of the high-ranking guards was caught taking money from them, turning a blind eye to some thievery in his district. That’s about the extent of it.”

“Do you know the name of the guard?”

Kat thinks for a second. “I believe it was Bertram Westgate.”

“Thanks! Well, it’s been great talking to you,” says Thaldohr, “and again, I’m just excited by the Sentinel’s journalistic integrity.”

“That warms my heart to hear, Thaldohr. If you ever want to have your side of the story brought more directly to the people, we would love to have you sit for an interview.”

“I’ll think about it!”

“Looking forward to it, Thaldohr.” Kat shakes Thaldohr’s hand, and Thaldohr discovers she deserves the name ‘Steelgrip’.

Thaldohr tells the rest of the party about what he learned.

“There’s a former guard named Bertram Westgate who was caught taking bribes from the Talons a year ago—we could ask him for more information if we need it.”

While they discuss, a horse-drawn carriage passes through the city square. It’s not the first carriage they’ve seen—carriages are the transportation of choice for the upper class—but something about it catches Valya’s eye. There’s a crest on the side of the carriage—a large blue and gold shield supported by a dryad on either side, above a mound of wheat, and topped with a crown of snowflakes. It’s somehow familiar… then Valya remembers. It was painted on the wall in her vision of Fergus!

“Do you remember that vision I had?” asks Valya. “That shield was in it! I think whoever they are, they’re helping the Wood Scorpions!”

“Perhaps we should find out which family it belongs to,” suggests Aurelia. “It could help us find Fergus.”

Valya asks a passerby, “Excuse me, do you know whose crest that is?”

“Uh, why yes, that’s the Evengloom crest.”

“Where can we find their estate?” asks Aurelia.

“Well, I believe it’s in the Rose district… You don’t know the Evenglooms? They’re quite the prestigious family…”

“We’re not from around here,” says Aurelia.

“Ah. Well, they’re the Daykins’ next-of-kin. Where are you from, if I might ask—” The citizen’s eyes suddenly go wide, as she recognizes the party. “Why, you’re… I don’t know if I should—I, I have to go. Good day!” She hurries off.

“From my time living in Thamior, I think the only way to deal with the media is to get on their good side,” says Valya.

“Perhaps if we can bring proof that the Evenglooms are working with the Wood Scorpions…” says Aurelia. “That would be quite the scandal.”

“I just hope we don’t get even more entangled in local politics,” says Valya.

“As much as it would pain me to work with an institution that profits off of lies,” says Aurelia, “I think you might be right, Valya. The only way to get us out of the public eye is to work with them. Either to change their minds about us or to get something else in the paper.”

“There have to be some people who thought positively of our story,” says Thaldohr.

“It’s a… pretty grim depiction,” says Aurelia.

⁂

Conversation turns back to the thieves’ guild and their lost books, and they return to the Drunken Goblin. “We don’t want them to know how much we value the books,” says Valya. “We should lead with negotiations over the jewelry.”

Remy greets them from his usual spot. “I pulled a few strings, called in a few favors… they’re willing to see you.”

“What should we be prepared for? Do you have an idea of what they’ll demand as payment?” asks Valya.

“Just that you should be prepared to pay dearly,” says Remy. “If you really want whatever it was that you put in the bag—and again, I apologize, if I had known it was you I would have given you a, uh, better bag…” He looks around at the party, pauses, then claps his hands together. “Well, let’s get going! Put on your blindfolds.” He holds out several lengths of black fabric.

“Excuse me?” says Aurelia.

“Eh, just kidding. The meeting’s not going to take place at their actual hideout. There’s an old warehouse by the docks.”

Remy leads them out of the Drunken Goblin and toward the shipyards on the shore of Corentin’s Mirror. After about fifteen minutes of walking, they arrive at the side door of a large nondescript warehouse. Remy raps on the door several times, waits for a few rapid knocks from inside, then knocks out a different pattern of raps. The door opens. “After you,” says Remy, gesturing the party inside.

They find themselves in a small office occupied by three people; a male half-elf wearing studded leather armor, a female tiefling, and a male kenku wearing a black cloak and flipping a dagger in his hand. The kenku stares at them for several seconds, then says “So. Woodmore’s Warriors, huh?”

“That’s us,” says Thaldohr.

“That’s not our—” Aurelia begins, then sighs in exasperation.

“I’ve taken time out of my busy schedule for you,” says the kenku. “Make your case.”

“We just acquired a bag of holding, the other end of which seems to be connected to your vault,” says Valya.

“Funny how that happens, isn’t it?” replies the Kenku. “Our vault is a popular place.”

“It seems so,” says Valya. “It contains some jewelry that I’d like to have back. How much would you charge us for it?”

The kenku whispers something to the tiefling, who whispers something back. “900 gp,” says the kenku.

“We don’t have that much,” says Valya.

“Well then I guess you’re not getting your jewelry back,” says the kenku.

“What about the books?” asks Valya.

“There were a lot of fancy leather books… odd things to stuff in a bag,” says the kenku.

“We were putting everything we found—it’s mostly receipts,” says Valya.

The kenku stares at Valya with his impenetrable eyes. “5000 gp,” he says.

“Is there anything else you would accept in exchange?” asks Valya.

“What do you have to offer?” asks the kenku.

Valya, fantasizing about throwing dynamite into Torba’s mouth, tries to think of something the party has that they could use as payment.

Meanwhile, the half-elf looks at Qhask. “Hey. Lizard-guy. Is it true you killed Caranthiax?”

“Most certainly not,” replies Qhask.

“Oh,” says the half-elf. He looks disappointed.

“We’re an adventuring party,” says Aurelia, “as I’m sure you’ve heard. Surely our skills could be useful to you in some way.”

“An adventuring party,” muses the kenku. Suddenly, his eyes light up. “Yeah, yeah! Lizard-guy… you know Caranthiax’s lair pretty well, I bet.”

“I know it was crawling with demons when I fled,” says Qhask.

“Yeah, that doesn’t concern me,” says the kenku. “Caranthiax had a treasure hoard, right?”

“Most dragons do, yes,” replies Qhask, not liking where this is going.

“Yeah, so, you know where that treasure hoard is?”

“Assuming it’s still there.”

“We were thinking of getting our hands on that before someone else does, but, you know—dragon hoard, demons, potential curses—might not be worth risking it. Buy you…” The kenku trails off.

“Let me… confer with my associates,” says Qhask, and the party huddles together to discuss privately.

“Qhask, I need those books,” says Valya.

“I agree, we may not have much of a choice here,” says Qhask. “And I suppose Caranthiax is dead… that treasure is up in the air… and it’s just material goods…”

“Well, it’s your old master, so it’s your decision,” says Valya.

“I think we have to,” says Qhask. He turns back to the kenku and nods.

“Perfect,” says the kenku. “You get me as much treasure as you can from Caranthiax’s lair, and I’ll give your books. Might even throw in some of the jewelry.”

“Can we have some of the books up front?” asks Valya.

“Sure. As a show of good faith to the dragon-slaying maybe-assassins.” He snaps his fingers, and a chest appears next to him. He nods to the tiefling, who opens the chest, takes out a dozen or so books and a stack of parchment. She hands it to the party.

“Just twelve books?” asks Valya. “Out of hundreds? I know how our relationship has started, but think about this—if we’re going to continue adventuring we’ll need to upgrade weapons, buy supplies, why start off on the wrong foot?”

The kenku considers this. “I like your style. The Fists of Dhedros never want to work with us… Their loss. Yeah… If you get the treasure, I’m sure this will be the beginning of a mutually beneficial relationship. Always good to have the thieves’ guild on your side! I mean, if we weren’t on your side, who knows how much havoc we could cause for you. Very well!” He claps his hands, and the tiefling gives the party a few more books, bringing their total up to twenty. The half-elf opens the door behind them and escorts them out of the warehouse.

“Valya turns back to the kenku. “We never got your name,” she says.

“Names aren’t important,” says the kenku. “But if you must, they call me Sqreeth. I’m sure we’ll see more of each other in the future.”

The half-elf shuts the door, and the party returns to the temple of Soleil.

⁂

Once back in the temple, they make their way to their room, only to discover Captain Woodmore slumped against the wall outside their door.

“Oh no,” says Aurelia.

Captain Woodmore looks up. “Friends!” he says as he stumbles to his feet—he seems drunk. “I’m sure you’ve heard of the horrible events the past few days. They’ve—they’ve made me step down. They don’t understand the threat this hydra poses to the kingdom! Already, surely, it has killed hundreds of innocents. And they do nothing! How about we leave, right now. We can take the hydra! We must head to Kyasha’s Vale immediately!”

“Sit down,” says Aurelia. “You’re clearly drunk, and in no condition to fight.”

“You’re right,” sobs Captain Woodmore. “I’m just a bureaucrat. I haven’t swung a sword in decades—the hydra would make a meal of me.” He slumps back down against the wall and begins to cry.

“It would,” says Aurelia.

“Oh, what are we to do?” cries Woodmore.

“Well, we need to patch back together our reputation,” says Aurelia.

“You’d really do that for me?” says Woodmore, looking hopeful.

“I didn’t say I would patch yours,” says Aurelia, “I said we would patch ours. You have… complicated things.”

“All I wanted to do,” says Woodmore, “was slay evil for the good of Crystalport.”

“I admire that spirit,” says Aurelia. “I wish it were more common among the people here. It’s a shame to see such a beautiful city in the power of vile, corrupt individuals.”

“You know what?” says Woodmore, stumbling to his feet again. “I think it’s time I get back to my roots. I need to practice my swordsmanship. And then I will slay the hydra single-handedly! And then they will have to reinstate me!”

“I think you’re approaching this in the wrong way,” says Valya.

“No!” shouts Woodmore. “I’m approaching this the right way! I’ve been approaching it the wrong way for the past decade, sitting at a desk!”

“You might have more power than you realize,” says Valya.

“You mean—” begins Woodmore.

“Political power?” asks Aurelia.

Woodmore’s face falls. “Oh, I thought you were going to tell me I had hidden magical powers…”

“No.” Say Valya and Aurelia at the same time. Woodmore frowns dejectedly.

“But you’re underestimating yourself,” says Valya. “You know all the nobles in the city, you’ve dined with them, you know the prince.”

“That’s all gone,” sobs Woodmore. “I’m no longer Captain of the Guard. I’m nobody now.”

“You still know people,” says Valya, “and you probably know things, things you don’t even realize are important. They were never going to let us defeat the hydra—having the hydra in Kyasha’s Vale is beneficial for them!”

“Beneficial? What sort of evil person could believe that?” says Woodmore.

“Don’t you realize who’s in charge of Crystalport?” asks Valya.

“Lord Daykin would never allow—” begins Woodmore.

“Why don’t you start thinking about all the meetings you’ve had, all the decisions that never quite made sense, and figure out what is really going on? You have the social influence.”

“You’re right,” says Woodmore. “All this time, I thought the best way to fight evil was with my sword.” He struggles to unsheathe his sword, then raises it over his head. “But maybe—maybe the real way to help is to change people’s hearts.” He clutches his fist, trying to make the point more dramatic. “You’re right! I need to schmooze! I need to talk! I need to use my influence! I need to—I need—huargh!” He vomits all over the floor.

“Oh gods…” says Aurelia.

“I need—I need to take a shower. If you’ll excuse me.” He stumbles back down the hall and out of sight.

A few moments later, Arabella peeks around the corner. “I… couldn’t get him to leave,” she apologizes. “I’ll get a mop.”

“This was actually a good idea,” says Aurelia. “Perhaps he can give us information about the noble families…”

“He’s very dense… people probably didn’t care that he was listening to them and let things slip,” says Valya.

“Let’s just hope his memory isn’t shot,” says Aurelia.

⁂

They enter their quarters and start leafing through the twenty volumes. Nineteen of them are the green leather-bound volumes of the Kildare smithy records, but one of them is The Great Smithies of Castalia, which they found in the library on the upper floor. It is a history of the famous sword smithing families of the kingdom.

In the table of contents of The Great Smithies, they find one family crossed out with the words “utter trash” written next to it. Flipping through the chapters, it’s apparent that the crossed-out entry is the Virren family of Hearthollow. There are several other major families. The most notable are:

• the Kildare family of humans from Whitestone Valley,
• the Broadbuster family of dwarves from Rhysnor,
• the Elaxidor family of elves from Myrsalon,
• the Virren family of humans Hearthollow, and
• the Tarquilos family of tieflings in the Shining Citadel.

These are the most famed swordsmiths of the past few centuries in Castalia.

Valya notices something interesting. The book contains a portrait of Siora Virren, matriarch of the Virren family several centuries ago. She has an eyepatch, is wearing regal armor, and is carrying a sword that looks very familiar. It looks almost, but not quite, like Grieving Edge! “Well this is interesting…” says Valya.

They debate what to do next. Should they head to Caranthiax’s lair directly, or stop at Vargrath Keep along the way?

“Do you think it’s possible that the people who were sent to investigate Vargrath Keep had their memories altered?” asks Aurelia. “Or that the evidence was magically disguised in some way?”

“I think it’s very possible,” says Valya. “We’re dealing with a lich, after all.”

“But us going there… no one will believe what we say,” says Aurelia. “Perhaps if we brought witnesses…”

“What if it’s dangerous?” replies Valya. “We should just go ourselves. Maybe we can sabotage them somehow. At least buy some time, and bring back what we can as proof.” She pauses. “I’ll be honest—at this point, I don’t really care what people say about my reputation. I lost everything already at home, and here I don’t have anything to lose.”

“Well, it pains me to bring disgrace to the name of our temple,” says Aurelia. “I know it might not concern some of you, but I must clear my name. To bring any such dishonor to my goddess is… unforgivable.” She pauses. “Oh! The kobolds that had written to Qhask, where are they located?”

“Right, we could visit them after Caranthiax’s lair,” says Valya.

“Or before,” says Aurelia. “It would be useful to have more kobolds who know the lair and who might know more than we do about what happened.”

Qhask nods.

“We still don’t know why the demons are there,” Valya points out.

With that, they rest in the temple for the night.

Tuesday, December 11, 652 AU

The next morning, Aurelia has more visions during her meditation. They’re similar to the previous visions she’s had—glimpses of starry voids and balls of fire, Beatrice suspended by chains connected to large spheres—but this time the visions are accompanied by intense feelings of hunger and cold. “I wish I knew what these visions mean…” she laments.

“Last time we took a boat to Vargrath Keep,” says Aurelia. “There’s no way anyone is going to let us take their boat this time… I also don’t want anyone to create more rumors about our whereabouts.”

“It will take us about a day of walking,” says Qhask.

“Well, we don’t have any other choice,” says Aurelia. “We left Captain Green on bad terms, and I bet our reputations will precede us if we try to find someone else.”

They take the eastern gate out of Crystalport, hoping to follow the rails to the Osorin Forest and then strike out north for the foothills. It’s chilly this morning, with a little frost on the ground, but it sublimates as the sun rises higher. An hour into their journey a train rushes by with a roar, but they see no other travelers.

⁂

Another hour passes, and they spot a herd of moorbounders in the distance, a few hundred feet away. They don’t appear to have noticed the party. In fact, they seem fixated on something else—they’re chasing someone! The humanoid is too far away to see clearly, but Qhask spots them climbing a tree in a small grove. The moorbounders begin circling.

“We should help them,” says Aurelia.

As the party approaches, they realize they recognize this person—it’s Treeneedle!

Thaldohr looses a crossbow bolt at the nearest moorbounder, but misses. Now that the party is closer, they can see there are a dozen moorbounders.

Treeneedle notices the crossbow bolt, and looks toward the party. “Oh, it’s you!” she says. “Thanks, I could use the help.” She casts a spell, and vines rise up from the ground, entangling several of the moorbounders.

Qhask sends his drake into the fray, then shoots an arrow at one of the restrained moorbounders, wounding it. His drake then breathes fire on the wounded moorbounder. The moorbounder attempts to break free of the vines, but can’t escape—several other moorbounders close in and bite the drake, but the majority rush toward Thaldohr and take bites at him. Aurelia casts sacred flame at the nearest moorbounder, but misses. Valya emits a burst of psychic energy through her sword, damaging several moorbounders.

Thaldohr swings his warhammer at one of the moorbounders that bit him, bringing it down. Treeneedle hops out of the tree, rushes up to one of the entangled moorbounders, and smacks it with her quarterstaff. Qhask disengages from the three moorbounders surrounding him, then orders his drake to attack the closest restrained moorbounder, but it misses. The moorbounders, driven into a frenzy, snap and claw at everyone at least once.

Aurelia attacks one of the moorbounders near her with her sacred weapon, dropping it, then casts burning hands on two more. Valya slashes at another moorbounder with Soul-Snatcher, badly wounding it. Thaldohr and Qhask take out a few more moorbounders.

The party makes short work of the remaining moorbounders. “Why were they chasing you?” Valya asks Treeneedle. “What were you doing here?”

“I was luring them to a pit trap we constructed a little further north,” says Treeneedle. “They were a little faster than I was expecting.”

“You were getting chased on purpose?” Valya asks incredulously.

“Without Caranthiax, someone has to keep the moorbounders in check,” replies Treeneedle.

“That’s true…” says Valya. She turns toward Aurelia. “Uh… healing magic?”

“Everyone gather around,” says Aurelia, casting prayer of healing.

“Thanks, I needed that,” says Treeneedle. She turns to Thaldohr. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

Thaldohr introduces himself. “He’s forced to be in our party,” says Valya, earning a raised eyebrow from Treeneedle.

“It’s nice to see a friendly face for once,” says Aurelia.

“I could say the same,” says Treeneedle. “What brings you here?”

“We’re going to Vargrath Keep,” says Valya.

“Again?” asks Treeneedle. “Aren’t there undead there?”

“Yes, but we believe it poses a threat to the valley,” says Valya.

“And none of the town officials are taking it seriously,” adds Aurelia.

“Well that sounds familiar,” says Treeneedle.

“We’re hoping we can do something about it,” says Aurelia. “Actually, we should warn you as well, since we don’t know the extent of the spell… There is a lich there, hoping to cast a ritual in two weeks time, and we want to stop it.”

“A lich?” Treeneedle furrows her brow. “You’re pulling my leg, right?”

“I wish,” says Aurelia.

“Oh dear…” says Treeneedle.

“The ritual is an improved version of the one he cast long ago on Silverdale,” says Valya.

Treeneedle is taken aback. “That’s… horrifying.”

“We tried to notify the town guard, in hopes of getting aid, but they believe we’re spreading rumors to sow chaos,” says Aurelia.

“That’s about what I’d expect from Crystalport… Actually, I have some news. It’s probably not public yet, but the duke… he’s opened a line of communication with Sorendil. There are talks in the works, but given the instability with the Wood Scorpions right now… we think we might be able to come to a deal. They’ve implied they might be willing to reroute the train through Kyasha’s Vale and leave the Osorin Forest in peace.”

Aurelia is doubtful. “We were actually going to warn you… just a few days ago we spoke with General Dahr. He mentioned that troops from the capital will be here soon, and he plans on using them against you. I think it’s a trap.”

Treeneedle frowns. “It did seem too good to be true…”

“It would take an enormous amount of time and money to reroute the train… I doubt they have any intention of doing so,” says Aurelia.

“Unfortunate. Well, I can escort you through the forest, if you’re heading to the keep,” says Treeneedle. “Oh! Something else you might find interesting. We haven’t seen a shadow in the Osorin Forest in four days.”

“Really?” asks Aurelia.

“Perhaps they’ve vanished, or moved somewhere else—we don’t know. It’s very odd.”

“That was the night of the fiasco at the Daykin Estate,” says Valya.

“Do you think there’s a connection?” asks Aurelia.

“Maybe we interrupted something?” asks Valya.

“That is quite odd…” says Aurelia. “But good, I think. We have to take what we can get.”

⁂

Treeneedle guides them north to the druid’s camp, where they meet Sorendil and fill him in on the details.

Some of my scouts saw a small group of clerics heading toward Vargrath Keep a few days ago,” says Sorendil.

“Were they seen leaving?” asks Aurelia.

“They spent about an hour inside, then left back the way they came,” says Sorendil.

“They were supposed to confirm our report,” says Aurelia, “but conveniently found nothing.”

“Well, I hope you find what you’re looking for there,” says Sorendil.

“If that ritual is performed, it would be a tragedy for the entire valley,” says Aurelia.

“If what you’re saying is true… it would be an unprecedented event,” says Sorendil. “An entire city of undead… that would have repercussions for the entire kingdom. Neesha has not had such a strong footholdin the world since… well, I hope we are not returning to such momentous times.”

“We’ll see,” says Aurelia. “And please be careful with Crystalport. We think they’re setting a trap for you.”

“They seemed quite eager to parley,” says Sorendil, “but if what you say is true, it does seem like a trap. We won’t fall for it.”

It would be evening by the time they reached Vargrath Keep if they left now, so they decide to spend the night in the druid camp.

Once they’ve settled in to their tent, they discuss tomorrow’s prospects.

“We’re most likely going to find more undead in the keep, right?” asks Valya.

“We’ll have to be very careful about our approach,” says Aurelia. “It’s a shame Abundance isn’t with us—he’s the only one who spent more than a few minutes inside.” She sighs. “I admit, they have me questioning our former companions… I think he was an honorable person, but… who knows. He’s yet to return—perhaps he really was using us.”

“Why was he really at the keep, and why was he being fed fancy food?” asks Valya. Everyone mulls this over.

“We need to strategize,” says Aurelia. “We’re not going to take on an army of undead and a lich, but if we locate any captives and free them, that could put a dent in their plans…”

Wednesday, December 12, 652 AU

The following morning, they set out for Vargrath Keep, following the Blackwater to the foothills. Vargrath Keep looms above them in the distance. The woods are quiet and empty—no flayed undead greets them this time.

“We have to find a way in,” says Aurelia. “Preferably not the front door.”

“We can climb through a window again,” says Valya. “Qhask, you’re pretty stealthy. Would you like to investigate first?”

“Sure, that’s probably best,” says Qhask.

As they approach the keep, they see no light or movement from inside. Valya takes a grappling hook and throws it up to the same window as last time. Qhask climbs it stealthily, finding everything as they left it. The door to the hall is slightly ajar.

Qhask peeks out into the hallway. Puzzlingly, all the scorch marks on the wall are gone—perhaps cleaned, perhaps prestidigitated away, but removed somehow. Qhask opens the next door in the hallway, finding another ruined guest room. He begins to explore, but notices something—a dull, greenish flickering light is approaching from down the hallway! It’s growing brighter. Qhask ducks into the room and closes the door behind him. He peeks through the keyhole. The light grows brighter and brighter, and then Qhask sees the source.

Floating down the hallway is a skull, wreathed in green flame and cackling softly to itself. Qhask recognizes it as a flameskull. It passes by his door, and the light grows dimmer as it takes the stairs—whether it heads up or down a floor, Qhask can’t tell. He waits another thirty seconds, then opens the door, returns to the window, and climbs down the rope.

“Yeah, so, there’s a flameskull in there,” says Qhask.

“A flameskull?” asks Valya.

“A floating magical skull covered in fire, cackling evilly,” Qhask elaborates.

“Well, we’ll just have to crush it to dust, right?” asks Valya. She looks around, noticing Aurelia’s grim expression. “Are they powerful?”

“They’re not something to mess with,” says Aurelia.

“Anything else in there?” Valya asks Qhask.

“Not that I could see,” says Qhask, “but the damage from our battle with Leander has been repaired. All the scorch marks are gone.”

“How did the clerics not come across the flameskulls?” asks Aurelia.

“They must not have wanted them to,” suggests Valya. “So what do we do? Are we getting in and sabotaging the ritual, or just leaving with this information?”

“I’d prefer to sabotage the ritual now,” says Aurelia, “but we don’t know how easy that will be.” She looks around. “Do you think there’s a sewer pipe connecting to the river?”

“That seems like a good idea,” says Thaldohr. “We should look for one.”

⁂

They return down the cliff to the river, searching through the thick vegetation for a sewer pipe. After half an hour of searching, they find it. There’s a tunnel in the hillside, just big enough to crawl through, covered by a rusted grate. A small trickle of water flows down the center of the tunnel and into the river. It smells rank, but more like rotting flesh than waste.

Aurelia casts detect magic, but finds no sign of magical protection. Thaldohr moves the rusty grate out of the way, and they peer down the tunnel—it climbs at least sixty feet into the darkness. A few rats scurry away as they enter the tunnel, and as they approach, they can see what attracted the rats—a humanoid leg lies in the tunnel, partially eaten.

“Do you think this is where they dumped their experiments?” asks Valya, wrinkling her nose.

They continue down the tunnel, and find a mostly-eaten humanoid finger. A hundred feet in, the tunnel abruptly becomes vertical. Somewhere above them, likely around one hundred feet up, is the basement of Vargrath Keep.

Valya and Thaldohr tie their lengths of rope together in preparation for climbing, and Qhask takes one end and begins climbing up the tunnel, putting his hands into the gaps between the old stones. When he makes it to the top, he peers over the edge. The tunnel connects to a small room, where the servants emptied the chamber pots. Old dried herbs hang from the ceiling, placed in an effort to mask the smell—now neither they nor the tunnel have much smell left. But what draws Qhask’s attention is the occupant of this room.

Snoozing on the ground next to the waste chute is a bloated, misshapen undead creature, with a large hammer resting across its lap. It snores lightly—Qhask has not woken it. Qhask ties one end of the rope to an iron grate that once covered the chute, and silently lowers the other end down.

Thaldohr climbs the rope first. As he comes into view, Qhask silently puts his fingers to his lips, warning Thaldohr to be quiet. Aurelia climbs next, followed by Valya. The room is small enough that not everyone can fit—Valya and Aurelia are left clinging to the rope.

Should we just put it down before it knows what hit it? Valya asks telepathically.

“We’ve come this far,” whispers Thaldohr. He takes his warhammer, raises it over his head, and brings it down on the sleeping zombie. The hammer punches a hole into the creature’s decayed flesh, and a noxious gas escapes, nauseating Thaldohr and Qhask, as the zombies opens its eyes and releases a horrible, gurgling squeal.

Before the zombie can react, Qhask stabs the zombie with his shortsword, and his drake, breathes fire. Valya and Aurelia, still clinging to the rope, prepare to enter the room when Thaldohr and Qhask move out of the way.

Thaldohr swings his hammer at the zombie again, opening another hole in its body. The zombie picks up its own hammer and scrambles to its feet. “Going down?” it says in a wet voice, swinging its hammer at Thaldohr. Thaldohr manages to avoid the attack—had he been hit, he thinks, he would have been knocked into the well and fallen a hundred feet. Instead the hammer smashes into the rock wall, cracking it.

The zombie then swings its hammer at Qhask, slamming him into the wall with a sickening crunch, dazing him.

Qhask retaliates by stabbing the zombie with his shortsword. Thaldohr swings at the zombie, but it dodges out of the way. The zombie backs up, taking an attack of opportunity from Qhask, and begins swinging its hammer at the walls of the tiny room. Stones begin raining down from the ceiling, damaging the party. Thaldohr takes the opportunity to step forward, making room for his companions to finish climbing the rope.

Aurelia climbs up into the room, gagging at the horrible stench emanating from the zombie. She casts guiding bolt, striking the zombie. It squeals and swings its hammer at Aurelia, but Aurelia flares with light, momentarily blinding the zombie, and she avoids the hammer. It tries to attack her a second time, but she dodges that, too.

Qhask picks up his bow, fires off an arrow at the zombie, and his drake breathes fire on it. Valya climbs up the rope and enters the room. Thaldohr swings his hammer at the zombie, and punctures another hole in its torso. This time, the zombie explodes in a shower of gore, catching everyone in a poisonous cloud. Thaldohr and Aurelia take minor poison damage, but Qhask is knocked unconscious by the blast.

Aurelia casts spare the dying to stabilize Qhask, then starts to cast prayer of healing.

“What if the flameskulls were attracted by the noise?” asks Valya.

“You’re right,” says Aurelia. She casts cure wounds instead, while Valya quickly exits the room to check for flameskulls or other enemies that could have been attracted by the noise. There are no undead to be seen. On various pieces of half-rotting furniture in this hallway, as well as on one wall, is the crest of the Sharpe family—a shield with three otters in a circle, topped with a wreath of oak leaves.

They search around the basement. There are several rooms connected to the hallway, but they all appear to contain nothing but old furniture covered in rags. There is a wine cellar, however. There are markings in the stone around an alcove in the wine cellar that Thaldohr thinks look suspicious. “I think a door was installed here, possibly metal. It was removed recently,” he says, noting some stone dust on the ground.

“That must be where they kept Abundance!” says Valya.

“So they’ve removed all the evidence of their activities…” says Aurelia frowning.

Thaldohr returns to the room at the far end of the hallway, a puzzled expression on his face. It only contains furniture, as far as they can see. “Something about this room isn’t right,” he says. The room is oddly shaped, like an octagon cut in half. There are several pillars, but Thaldohr thinks they’re proportioned poorly for the space. He stares around some more, thinking. “I think that wall is a later addition,” he concludes, pointing at the far wall.

They begin searching the wall, looking for secret doors, and, sure enough, a few minutes later they find one. Valya opens it, and Thaldohr’s suspicions are confirmed—the other half of the originally octagonal room!

Aurelia peers through, and is disgusted by what she sees. On the far end is a heavy stone door bearing the Sharpe family crest. Flanking either side of the door are two identical statues of Neesha, her hands held out in an expression of pity. At the base of each statue are the stumps of a few dozen candles. An unpleasant odor fills the air.

Suddenly, they hear a cackle from somewhere behind them, Valya turns around and notices a green glow around the corner, so everyone hurries through the secret door. They close it behind them, and wait for a few minutes until the cackling fades. “Do you think it was the same one, or are there more than one of them?” asks Valya.

They begin searching around. The candles are poorly made—Qhask thinks they’re made of humanoid fat. Valya starts packing of few of the candles in her bag. “It’s evidence!” she says, noticing everyone staring at her.

Aurelia casts detect magic and finds that the door has an aura of abjuration magic.

“Do you think they’ll open if we pray to Neesha?” asks Valya.

“Excuse me?” asks Aurelia.

“Are there any prayers to Neesha that you know of?”

“I will forgive you just this once for—”

“I’m not asking you to say them, I’m just asking if you know any.”

“I was taught no such prayers. That is very insulting, Valya.”

“Sorry,” says Valya.

“As if any of my brothers and sisters would indulge such a vile goddess…” Aurelia sighs. “Where I’m from, we do not tolerate that goddess. Clearly the humans of this land are weak.”

“Qhask, do you think you could find a secret lever or something to open this door?” asks Valya, changing the subject.

“I can try,” replies Qhask. He searches around the door and the surrounding wall, eventually discovering some runes carved into the side of the door.

Valya inspects the runes. “These were carved recently… I think they will cast some sort of sleeping spell if we open the door.”

Valya attempts to deface the runes and disable their magic, while Thaldohr and Qhask back up in case Valya accidentally triggers it. After a few minutes, she thinks she’s managed to disrupt the spell. She pushes open the door, revealing a staircase descending into the darkness.

With nowhere else to go but down, they descend the stairs into the catacombs of Vargrath Keep.

⁂

The stairs end after several dozen feet, opening into a large chamber which has been converted into an alchemical laboratory. Long wooden tables have been pushed against the walls, covered in alembics, condensers, and jars and vials of congealed fluids. To either side are ornate doors, each bearing a plaque—the left reads ‘Randolph Sharpe’ and the right reads ‘Sophia Sharpe’. On the far side of the room is a set of double doors, bearing no plaque. And, in the center of the room, is a pile of rotting meat and organs surrounded by a pool of dried blood. The air reeks of decay and ozone.

Aurelia looks for any sort of parchment on the tables, but only finds alchemical equipment. Thaldohr steps further into the room to explore, but as he nears the pile, it jiggles, and a chittering noise comes from inside. Suddenly, horrible pale yellowish-white worms burst out of the pile—carrion crawlers!

Slick with core, the carrion crawlers skitter forward and lash out at Thaldohr and Aurelia with their facial tentacles and sharp teeth. They both feel some chill sensation from the tentacles, but manage to resist the effects. Aurelia casts burning hands, catching both of the carrion crawlers in the blast.

As Valya steps forward to attack, she hears a voice coming from Randolph Sharpe’s tomb. “Who’s there… please, help!” She casts green flame blade and slashes at one of the carrion crawlers.

Qhask steps back to attack with his bow, but the carrion crawler nearest him lashes out with its tentacles. Thankfully, he too avoids the effect of the poison, and his arrow lodges deep in the worm’s flesh. Thaldohr swings his warhammer at the same carrion crawler.

One of the carrion crawlers hits Valya with its tentacles, and Valya finds herself paralyzed. It then bites into her side—Valya is unable to even scream as it tries to burrow its way into her flesh. The other carrion crawler attacks Thaldohr with its tentacles, but Thaldohr once more resists. It tries biting Aurelia, but misses.

Aurelia casts toll the dead on the carrion crawler nearest her, but it resists the magic.

Valya shakes off the effects of the paralysis and stands shakily to her feet. Qhask looses an arrow at the nearest carrion crawler, and his drake charges in to bite the worm, but misses. Thaldohr smashes the nearest carrion crawler with his hammer, bringing it near death. It retaliates with another tentacle attack, then bites him again.

The other carrion crawler attacks Aurelia, paralyzing her, then bites her, bringing her down. It starts dragging Aurelia’s unconscious body into the pile of gore.

Valya casts lighting lure, trying to pull the carrion worm away from Aurelia, but it resists. Qhask shoots it with an arrow, but misses. The drake bites the carrion crawler, and with that, the creature dies, and releases its grip on Aurelia’s leg.

Thaldohr attacks the remaining carrion crawler. The crawler, seeing a tasty unconscious body, evades an opportunity attack from Valya and bites Aurelia—everyone fears the worst. It then drags itself and Aurelia deeper into the pile.

Valya casts lighting lure again, pulling the carrion crawler out of the pile. Qhask shoots the crawler, and his drake bites it, bringing it down.

Everyone gathers around Aurelia’s body. “I—I think she’s dead,” says Valya. “What do we do?”

Suddenly, Aurelia gasps and begins coughing. “You’re alive!” says Valya.

“I saw Beatrice again… she was kneeling on the ground, panting, and she said… she said ‘I can only do this for so long, Aurelia.’ And then I woke up.”

“How is she doing that? Isn’t she dead?” asks Valya.

“I guess Soleil is smiling upon both of us,” says Aurelia. “I can’t keep putting myself in this position.” She feels weak and out of breath.

Suddenly, they all hear the voice from Randolph Sharpe’s tomb. “Who—who’s out there? Please, help me!”

Valya inspects the door, discovering an iron padlock keeping the door shut. It does not look original to the tomb. “Who are you?” she asks.

“This isn’t a trick, right?” says the voice.

“My name is Faris. Are the undead still out there? Please, you have to let me out. I’ve been trapped here for weeks!”

“How would he survive in there for weeks?” Thaldohr whispers to Aurelia.

“Well, they kept Abundance alive,” replies Aurelia.

Valya bashes the lock with the pommel of her sword until it breaks, and throws open the door. In the center of the small tomb is an emaciated human male. He looks feverish, and is covered in a thin sheen of sweat. “Thank you! Thank you! I, the—that corpse—I was hunting in the woods with my friends months ago, and we were attacked—we woke up here, and he did… something to us, to all of us, and he’s been taking us one by one and I’m the last one—” He looks at them desperately, hyperventilating. “You have to get me out of here!”

“From what village did you come?” asks Valya.

“Our hunt took us across the mountains, from Khorsir.”

Aurelia peers at him to check him for injuries, but only notes how malnourished and feverish he looks.

“Please, I haven’t eaten in days now… It smells like you have something delicious with you—could you spare some?” says Faris.

“Of course, of course,” says Aurelia. She takes some rations out of her pack.

Faris grabs them greedily, but recoils after he sniffs them. “You have something else with you, I can smell it, it smells delicious. Can’t you give me that? Please, I’m so hungry…”

Aurelia backs away, suspecting something is off.

“Please, I haven’t eaten since… since what he did to me…” says Faris. He starts stumbling forward, sniffing the air. Valya slams the door to the tomb closed. “No! Please, you can’t!” shrieks Faris. “Please!”

“He’s clearly been turned already,” says Aurelia. “Perhaps it would be best if we killed him.”

“Is there a cure for this?” asks Valya.

“Our Lady’s cleansing flame?” suggests Aurelia. “It would be a merciful death.”

Valya sighs. “If we don’t, he’ll just end up attacking people, won’t he,” says Valya. She opens the door, and Aurelia casts sacred flame. Faris screams in anguish until Aurelia casts another sacred flame and burns him into a husk.

Shaken, they continue their investigation. Behind the corpse of Faris is a sarcophagus, partially ajar. Inside, they find several bones—it looks like most of the skeleton her has been taken, aside from the legs. They also find several pieces of fine jewelry, which Valya pockets.

“Is there any chance we could sit down for a bit?” asks Aurelia. They push aside some of the tables and rest for an hour.

During their rest, Valya opens the tomb labeled Sophia Sharpe, finding a sarcophagus and about a dozen corpses in varying stages of decay. Valya investigates the sarcophagus, finding more disturbed bones and jewelry, including a necklace with a large ruby. She pockets this jewelry too.

Once they’ve recovered from their fight, they approach the set of double doors at the far end of the room. It’s been defaced with a familiar symbol—inside the otters on the Sharpe family crest is the eclipse, the symbol of the most radical and secretive Neesha cult.

“So the cult of Neesha and Tharruk are linked after all,” says Aurelia.

Valya tries to push the doors open. Unfortunately, this activates a glyph of warding and catches Valya, Thaldohr, and Qhask in a fireball. “Sorry!” Valya apologizes.

Beyond the door is another set of stairs descending further into the darkness. Thaldohr searches for traps, but doesn’t find any. At the bottom of the stairs, a hallway branches off to the right, lined with niches containing sarcophagi. Valya steps into the hallway, and triggers another trap—a pressure plate under her feet activates something behind her, and she narrowly dodges a spray of necrotic energy.

“What was that?!” she shouts.

“It looks like it came right out of the wall,” says Thaldohr.

Aurelia casts detect magic again, and finds that the wall to the left is an illusion—there’s a short hallway containing a statue of Neesha. The statue radiates evocation magic.

Valya investigates the statue, but she doesn’t find a way to disable it. However, she finds that the eyes are black pearls. “This whole place is evil… I bet if I remove these I’ll just get cursed,” she says. She points out the plates on the floor. “Just don’t step on those.”

They cautiously creep to the other end of the hallway, and Aurelia points out abjuration magic on the door. Valya, who had been reaching for the door, stops and puts her hand down.

Aurelia investigates the door, but doesn’t see any runes. Then, suddenly, they all hear moaning from the hall behind them. The sarcophagi are opening, and skeletons are crawling out.

Qhask fires an arrow at one of the skeletons and orders his drake to bite another, but the drake misses. Valya slashes at the closest skeleton with Soul-Snatcher, shattering it into a pile of bones.

The skeletons rush at the party, screeching “Blood! Meat! Fresh food!” They rip and tear at Qhask, his drake, and Valya. “We can smell you!” one of them shouts at Aurelia. “You’re one of us! Feast with us!”

Thaldohr smashes a skeleton with his warhammer, but the skeleton just laughs at him. Aurelia casts sacred flame at the skeleton who taunted her, but it dodges her attack. Qhask shoots another skeleton with an arrow, but also misses—however, his drake is able to crush its arm.

Valya slashes at another skeleton, reducing it to a pile of bones. The skeletons attack Qhask and his drake again, but miss.

Thaldohr takes out his crossbow and fires a bolt, but misses. Aurelia casts sacred flame again, and hits true. “Traitor!” screams the skeleton.

Qhask and his drake take out another skeleton, and Valya severely damages one with green flame blade. The skeletons retaliate, and this time they manage to kill Qhask’s drake, who vanishes with a puff of smoke. Another skeleton, still hiding in its sarcophagus, swipes at Valya with a claw. Thaldohr smashes its arm with his hammer.

Aurelia takes out a skeleton with a sacred flame. “You should be helping us,” rasps another. “Their flesh, does it not sing to you?”

“No!” Aurelia protests.

Qhask stabs a skeleton with his shortsword, and Valya destroys another with Soul-Snatcher. A few more sword swings and sacred flames later, and the hall is littered with the bones of dozens of bodies.

“Why do they keep saying you’re one of them?” Valya asks Aurelia.

“It must have something to do with Beatrice,” says Aurelia. She investigates the door, and recognizes that the door is under an arcane lock spell. “If only we had a wizard,” she laments.

“Well, arcane lock just makes it more difficult to pick, not impossible. My family used it to secure their vaults, but I managed to sneak in a few times…” says Valya. She gets out her thieves’ tools and begins picking the lock. It’s difficult, and takes a few minutes, but she is able to unlock the door. While she works, Qhask re-summons his drake.

Valya pushes open the door. Inside, they find an ornate chamber decorated with marble. Presumably this is where the builders of Vargrath Keep were buried, but whatever their names were, they’ve been defaced. Everything has been moved and enlarged. Columns have been knocked down in some places, and the ceiling reinforced with scaffolding in others. The room is larger than it used to be, but it’s difficult to determine what they enlarged the space for.

There are more tables covered in alchemical equipment, large metal contraptions of unknown purpose, and a fifteen-foot magic circle in the middle of the room. Next to the circle is a table, tilted at a steep angle, with leather straps, presumably to hold a humanoid. There’s a large amount of dried blood in and around the circle. There’s debris everywhere—scraps of paper, broken glassware, splinters of wood.

Curiously, it seems to be mostly debris. Someone has cleaned this place out in a hurry.

Valya, intending to copy down the magic circle, approaches, but feels an uncomfortable sensation coming from nearby. Near the circle, there’s a black mark on the marble floor, as if it’s been singed by something. It feels very familiar… like the statue they uncovered in Maplethorn! “I think one of those statues was placed here…” says Valya.

“We should tell the temple about this,” says Aurelia. She scours the room for anything useful. In a corner, she discovers scraps of burned parchment. Most of the parchment is unreadable, but some of them escaped the fire—they appear to be blueprints. She stashes them as evidence.

“Have they abandoned this place?” asks Aurelia.

“Maybe this is just their laboratory, and the actual ritual will take place upstairs?” says Valya. “I don’t know if we should go upstairs or if we should leave. We’re not in shape for more than one more fight.”

⁂

They make their way out of the crypt, back to the basement level of Vargrath Keep. Wary of flameskulls, they creep back out of the secret door. Rather than head out through the sewer, they decide to head up the stairs, finding themselves in what was once a kitchen. Through a hallway connected to the kitchen they see various rooms, including an ornate dining room. Ancient bloodstains mar the carpet, marking the room where Cecil Sharpe killed his family before he disappeared.

They hear the cackling of a flameskull somewhere upstairs.

“Do you think there’s just one?” asks Aurelia.

“I hope so,” says Valya.

They explore a few more rooms, when suddenly they hear the cackling closer. Thinking quickly, they decide to hide in the servants’ quarters, closing the door behind them. They hear the cackling approaching, and see the green light under the door… and suddenly the cackling stops and the light vanishes.

“Was that door closed when we found it?” whispers Aurelia. “Are they smart enough to remember something like that?”

Valya carefully opens the door… and comes face-to-face with the floating skull, which breaks into cackling laughter. Its green flames roar back to life, and it hits Valya in the face with a scorching ray.

Thaldohr rushes forward and slashes the skull with his sword. The skull tries to cast shield, but his mage-slayer sword passes right through it. “No fair!” shrieks the skull.

“Last words?” asks the skull. “No? Bye!” It casts fireball, and the room explodes into flames. “Shouldn’t be here! Won’t be here soon!”

“Qhask, take him down! If he casts another fireball we’re dead!” says Valya.

Qhask shoots the skull with an arrow, but it casts another shield and the arrow bounces off. Qhask’s drake charges at the skull, but it, too, bounces off the shield.

Aurelia casts sacred flame, but misses.

“Tharruk will be displeased!” scolds the skull.

“Is Tharruk still here?” asks Valya.

“Ha ha ha! You’re too late!” replies the skull.

“They’re gone?” asks Aurelia.

“Not all! I’m here! I’m your doom!”

Valya swings her sword, but is blocked by the shield—Thaldohr, however, is able to get a hit in with the mage-slayer.

The flameskull casts flaming sphere, ramming it into Thaldohr.

Qhask fires another arrow at the flameskull, making it through the shield. His drake breathes fire on the skull, to no effect.

Aurelia casts guiding bolt, but it, too, bounces off the shield. Valya swings her sword, and this time she makes it through the shield, severely cracking the skull. It loses concentration on the flaming sphere. Thaldohr swings the mage-slayer one more time, and the skull goes dark and falls to the floor.

“We should bring it with us as evidence,” says Valya. She stuffs it into Torba.

They make their way through the dining room and into the main entry hall. The front door is slightly ajar—they quickly make their way outside and into the sunlight, and head back down the mountains into the Osorin Forest.

⁂

An hour into their hike, Torba begins shaking. “Oh, this is the worst indigestion I’ve ever had!” He begins belching black smoke.

“You ate the skull?” asks Valya.

“No, it’s still in there, but it’s horrible!” says Torba. He belches more smoke, and suddenly the flame skull is ejected, animate once more.

“I thought it was dead!” says Valya.

“It was dead!” says Aurelia.

The flameskull casts magic missile at Thaldohr. Qhask slashes with his swordsword, making it through the shield, and Valya slashes it with Soul-Stealer. The skull shrieks.

Thaldohr hits with the mage-slayer sword, and in response, the skull casts blur. Qhask hits it with his shortsword, and Aurelia hits it with a sacred flame, and once again the skull falls to the ground.

“What should we do?” asks Valya. “Bring it back to the keep? Bury it?” Burying it seems like the best option until they figure out how to kill it, so that’s what they do. Valya carefully marks the location on their map.

⁂

Two hours later, they make it back to the druid camp.

“What happened to you?” asks Treeneedle. “You look awful, and you smell… well, like shit!”

“Yeah…” says Valya.

“Why don’t you go clean yourselves up in the river?” suggests Treeneedle.

They do so. When they return, Sorendil is waiting with Treeneedle at the edge of the camp. “Well, it sounds like you had an adventure,” says Sorendil.

“Yes, well, we definitely have some information,” says Aurelia. “It seems like Tharruk has moved on. We encountered several undead, including a flameskull.”

“A flameskull?” asks Sorendil.

“Have you heard of them?” asks Aurelia.

“I can’t say that I have, but I can picture it from the name,” says Sorendil.

“We can’t destroy it. It keeps coming back,” says Valya.

“And it can talk, and cast spells,” says Aurelia.

“Disturbing,” says Sorendil.

“It told us that we were too late, and that Tharruk had left. Who knows where he is now.” Aurelia describes what they found in the basement to Sorendil.

“What could possibly be going on there?” he asks.

“Do these mean anything to you?” Aurelia hands Sorendil the blueprints.

Sorendil puzzles over them for a few seconds. “I’m sorry, but the arcane is not my specialty.”

“We have no idea where the ritual will take place,” says Aurelia.

“Well, from what you’ve told me, it sounds like you have until the solstice. I wish you luck,” says Sorendil. “If there’s anything you need from us, speak to our contact in Crystalport, Aldrix the healer.”

They decide to rest for the night in the camp once more before returning to Crystalport.

Thursday, December 13, 652 AU

Aurelia still feels exhausted and weak the next morning. “Perhaps Cedric will know how to fix this…” she says.

“Maybe Neesha can help?” suggests Valya. Aurelia glares at her. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding!”

“To even joke about it…” says Aurelia.

“To be fair, didn’t that priestess say she knew what was happening to you?” says Valya.

“I had hoped we could figure it out ourselves without having to ask… her,” says Aurelia.

“It’s just… I’m worried. Those skeletons called you one of them,” says Valya.

“It was creepy,” adds Thaldohr.

“I mean, you weren’t breathing, and then you just.. came back,” says Valya. “Are you truly fine, or is something going to happen?”

“…I’ll consult Cedric,” says Aurelia.

They make their way to Crystalport. It’s a cloudless day, and though it’s chilly, it’s not as chilly as the previous day. They make good time.

Once back in the city, they head directly for the temple of Soleil and ask for an audience with Cedric.

“You seem… distraught, Aurelia,” says Cedric. “Anything to report?”

They tell Cedric about their time in Silverdale, Vargrath Keep—everything since they last spoke. It takes a while to explain.

“Well, this is…” Cedric rubs his temples. “Another necromancer, in Silverdale. I’d love to know more about what those rings mean. You say Tharruk has abandoned Vargrath Keep?”

“Yes,” says Aurelia, “and we found these in the ritual chamber.” She hands him the blueprints.

“Oh, we forgot to mention the candles made of humanoid fat!” says Valya.

“Such depravity…” says Cedric. He studies the blueprints. “I can’t make heads or tails of this—the arcane is not my strong suit.”

“Do you know anyone who could read it?” asks Aurelia.

“I believe you’re acquainted with Utaz the Inquisitive?” asks Cedric.

“Yes,” says Valya, “I’m actually planning to see him soon.”

“He would know more than I,” says Cedric.

“There’s one more thing…” says Aurelia. She explains her second near-death experience and subsequent weakness, and her encounter with the high priestess of Neesha.

“As a matter of principle,” says Cedric, “I suggest you do not seek help from Neesha. The cult of Neesha here is not quite the same as in Amyanthalas… she’s worshipped as a goddess of dreams, a protector of night-travelers. It’s a different aspect… but it’s still Neesha. I don’t know what ulterior motives she has.”

“I understand,” says Aurelia. “I just worry I’ve brought disgrace upon my faith… Not only have I brought an ill reputation to our order, but I’ve also somehow been… infected with undeath. I don’t know how to fix it.”

“I will pray for Soleil to shine a light on this matter,” says Cedric.

⁂

As the others leave, Valya requests a quick word with Cedric in private. “What was that you had said, about another aspect of Neesha?”

“Different places seem to worship the gods in different ways. In Amyanthalas, Neesha is the goddess of the night, of evil, of monsters. Here, she’s the goddess of dreams, secrets, and protecting night travelers.”

“Thank you for the information.”

“Of course.”

⁂

They decide to head to the Andirune Institute next, to seek an audience with Utaz the Inquisitive. At the gate, they are greeted by two guards. “Valya!” says a guard, “Utaz the Inquisitive has been waiting for you!”

“We’re here to discuss my exam, among other things,” says Valya.

“Of course,” says the guard. He waves his hand, and the gate opens.

The other guard elbows him in the ribs. “Stop showing off!”

The guard leads them through the gates, and up the stairs of Utaz’s tower to his office.

Utaz looks up from his book. “Valya. Aurelia. Qhask. Thaldohr. Well met. I’ve been waiting for you. First of all, Valya, I need to apologize.”

“No need, he seemed to be wearing a high-powered magical artifact that was disguising him,” says Valya.

“Yes, yes, it’s almost impossible not to be fooled by the brooch of living essence,” says Utaz. “Which, I believe, you now wear?” He looks at Aurelia.

“How did you know that?” asks Aurelia.

“I know many things,” says Utaz. “Specifically, I owe you another apology. I understand that the city guard, the Daykins, General Dahr… they are all focused on the Wood Scorpions. I agree they are a threat, but… I know you recently went to Silverdale. I had intended for that you be your task. You would fight some spiders, fight some undead, break your way into a magically protected vault—a fine challenge for a budding magic user. Knowing that, I watched on my crystal ball. There was more in Silverdale than I anticipated.”

“What was the necromancer we met?” asks Valya.

“I do not know,” says Utaz. “Some of my sages are looking into the matter.”

“Will you help us?” asks Valya.

“Indeed. I’ve been caught up in so much, running this institute… I need to live up to my namesake. I’m sorry I dismissed your concerns about Leander so easily before.” He thinks for a moment. “From what I saw through the crystal ball, you went above and beyond my expectations, Valya. Consider your test passed.”

“Thank you. I’m here to learn as much as I can,” says Valya.

“From now on, you may cast first-level spells within city limits. I believe you came to see me for something else, though.”

“Yes,” says Aurelia. “We did not only go to Silverdale. We also returned to Vargrath Keep.”

“The clerics reported nothing amiss…” says Utaz.

“It was most definitely where Tharruk was hiding out, but he has since left and covered his tracks. We found these…” She hands Utaz the blueprints. “We haven’t been able to make heads or tails of it—perhaps you can figure out what it means.”

“Hmm…” He spreads the charred parchment pieces on his desk. “I see…” He waves his hand, and a book flies off the shelf and into his hand. He consults the book, then peers more carefully at the blueprints. He goes pale. “The circle. Was there a magic circle there? How big was it?”

“It was maybe fifteen feet across,” says Valya. “And there was a rack, presumably for torture or bleeding prisoners.”

“How far was the table from the circle?”

“Roughly touching it,” says Valya. “I assume the blood would touch the circle, like feeding it—”

“No, no, that wouldn’t…” Utaz looks shaken.

“It seems like you know what this is?” asks Valya.

“I hope I am wrong… Fifteen feet, you say?”

“Yes.”

“Oh dear…” He looks at the party for a few moments. “From what I understand, the circle’s purpose is to absorb power, channel it, contain it. I don’t believe the rack was for sacrifice… I believe it was to hold victims in place while the circle emanated energy at them. If I’m right… these blueprints. They’re for something much larger. I believe the ritual chamber you found was a prototype.”

“A prototype…” says Aurelia.

“Yes. It is my suspicion that, somewhere within the limits of this city, there is another circle like this one. At least one hundred and twenty feet across.”

“Leander claims that Tharruk wants to turn the entire city of Crystalport into undead,” says Valya.

“A circle like this could do it,” says Utaz. “But there needs to be a source. Something quite powerful… an artifact of some kind. Not even a lich like Tharruk could sustain such a spell from his own spark… But I don’t know what it could be.”

“A dragon? A powerful devil?” suggests Valya.

“I’m not sure… We’ll need to question Leander, if what you say is true. He’s with the city guard. As far as I know, they’ve refused to remand him into Prince Calvin’s custody.”

“Could you get access to him?” asks Valya.

“I could attempt to… This is quite bad.”

“Where could you hide such a large ritual circle?” asks Aurelia. “There can’t be many places that could house it.”

“Could be a warehouse, an estate… It could be underground for all we know,” says Utaz.

“Does the church of Neesha have any locations in the city?” ashs Valya.

“Well, the temple,” says Utaz.

“Vargrath Keep was defiled with the sign of an apocalyptic Neesha cult—an eclipse,” says Aurelia.

“That cult hasn’t been active in a long time—to think it’s now headed by a lich…” says Utaz. “I will speak to the city guard and see if we can question Leander ourselves.”

“It might be best not to mention us—I don’t think they have a very high opinion of us right now,” says Aurelia.

“I did read the papers…” says Utaz.

“Slander,” says Aurelia.

“Indeed,” says Utaz.

“Oh,” says Valya, “Do you know how to get rid of a flameskull?”

“A flameskull? Well, you’d just need to bless it with holy water.”

“We found one and buried it,” says Valya.

“Buried it? That won’t hold it for long…” ❦