"I believe there are certain spells that can affirm it for certain...the most I could do is guess." Mayon responds, walking over to get a look at the necklace himself.

Though looking at it like this, he couldn't even manage that much.


14:42, Today: Mayon Graycross rolled 5 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 1.  Arcana check.
Son of a...

After helping to strike down the necromancer, Bram knelt at the corpse's side and closed his eyes.  He cast his divine senses outward in search of necromantic energy, both to confirm that Oreioth was truly dead and not cursed to rise again, and search for any further hidden undead.  He up again with shoulders stooped with wounds and weariness.

OOC: Using Divine Sense to detect undead or desecrated ground/objects within 60 feet.  The rest of this assumes that no immediate threat is discovered, because if so Bram would be reacting to that instead!

Bramwell turned and peered intently at the crystalline sphere with its dark sigils and said, "We cannot leave the crystal here.  I will be the one to bring it out.  When we are ready to depart, move to the corridor we arrived through."  Once the group's business was concluded and they'd all moved to a safe distance, the paladin took up the swath of tapestry Asano had prepared in both hands.  He approached the grisly pedestal, threw the shredded tapestry over it, and gingerly lifted the sphere within its cloth.

The group putters around the cave, sifting through the effects of the dead necromancer.

When Bram throws the remains of the tapestry on the crystal sphere, the sigil floating above it immediately disappears. Now that he is closer to the sphere and can examine it more closely, its form rings a bell from his prior studies of magical objects.

---

Bram, the necromancer's body was actually completely consumed by the fire, so there is no body left to examine. You don't sense anything with Divine Sense.

The loot you're able to accumulate from Oreioth's belongings are:
- Food, drink, supplies, clothes, and bedding, all of poor quality.

- Purple tapestries, thick but tattered and probably worthless.

- 165 sp

- 78 gp

- 4 polished jet gems - probably worth about 50gp each

- wand - definitely magical, but maybe just a spellcasting focus - Asano's first roll was inconclusive

- necklace - rusted and old-looking, the necklace is a locket. Doesn't seem magical. Despite its dingy appearance, the portrait of a lovely elven female etched in profile on the inside is still unmarred .

- crystal orb - Bram thinks this may be a driftglobe - more details after a short or long rest

What now?


This message was last edited by the GM at 01:45, Fri 21 Apr 2017.

Morg goes thru all the cave rooms, smashing all the hands and decapitating the bodies to make it harder to reanimate them, checking to see if Verthel's body is among them. He makes a rudimentary toboggan, and uses it to pull the bodies and parts outside to bury.

---

Deleted previous post about tapestries, sacks, and mules, because of the poor quality of the tapestries and mundane supplies.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:55, Fri 21 Apr 2017.

Upon closer examination, Asano thinks this wand is not just a focus.

---

Asano's pretty sure it's a wand of magic missiles. More details after a short/long rest.

Morg goes about his business through the various chambers of the caves, collecting the remains of dead and formerly undead and burying them outside of the caves. Anyone helping him speeds the process, yet it is still midday by the time the last of the remains have been disposed of.

Verthel and Dweeble's bodies are not among any of them, and no trace of them can be found.

---

Anyone else doing anything in the caves? Where to next?
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:19, Fri 21 Apr 2017.

Asano catches sight of the locket as it's passed around for examination, his expression goes slack. With abnormally still hands, he lifts the necklace carefully cradling the open picture.
"Where...where did you find this?" he asks, gaze glued to the woman's picture.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:37, Fri 21 Apr 2017.

Mayon glances over at Asano and frowns a bit in worry. "It was over in the bag of things behind the tapestry. I couldn't sense any magic to it, but...is the picture someone you know?"

"No...yes, it's complicated," his carefully closes the locket, moving to place the necklace around his neck before hesitating with a glance around the group. "It's a story best suited to comfortable seats and cold drinks, not dark caves and the stench of death."

Jak peered at Asano with a look that mixed confusion, interest and suspicion in to one package. Then he shrugged. He wasn't really one to point fingers at people for being secretive or hesitant to share details. "Okay. Sounds good t'me. I could use a good meal an' some drink in me after today." He gave a little shudder. "Ugh. Make that a LOTTA drink."

He turned and looked around one last time. "We ready t'get the hell outta here an' head back t'town?"

"Drinks!" Morg shouts, after hearing Asano and Jak.

As he joins them heading back, he says "Can coins and jewels be cursed? Or enmagicked?"

"Well most anything can be cursed if you try hard enough, but I doubt these ones are. What would be the purpose of cursing items you never expect to use? Even if he was a madman, I don't think he was stupid." Mayon comments thoughtfully, then shrugs. "Either way, I'd prefer to get out of here before we start puzzling ourselves even further. Drinks sound perfect after the past two days."

The group exits the caves below Lance Rock with a few more possessions, a couple more answers, and even more questions. The overcast sky masks the autumn sun, and a cool breeze rustles the branches of nearby trees. Despite the relatively early hour - it must not be much past noon - the group is weary from their exertions of the morning.

The journey back to Red Larch passes swiftly however, and soon the party finds itself entering the outskirts of the way-stop town. Entering from the south, the market area visible over the scraggly grass to the east is clearly deserted, with only a solitary figure standing amid the outhouses and rings of stone in the clearing. The usual mix of townsfolk and travelers populate the Long Road.

As they enter the Swinging Sword, it's clear the common room is more populated than they have seen in recent days. In the backyard, the makeshift stove appears to be more functional. Several small groups of people sit at the tables inside, eating an odd-colored stew from earthenware pots. The group picks out Brother Eardon sitting at one table, in conversation with a gray haired man over simple plates of bread. Attendants move busily among the patrons, delivering food and drink.

At the group's arrival, one of the maids looks up at the open door and immediately drops a stack of plates on the floor. Her surprise is quickly masked by her angry curse, as she starts gathering up the shards of ruined pottery from the common room floor. At one table, a leather-clad half-orc claps sarcastically.

Another attendant clad in workman's clothes and a black eyepatch arrives with a broom and starts sweeping the shards into a proper metal dustpan. "I can clean this up, Ghileeda," the man says quietly. "The morning chores are done in the stables. Go and tell Kaylessa the questing group has returned. She'll want to know right away." He turns to the group with a rough smile. "Welcome back. Glad to see you."

Kaylessa bustles in, an expression of relief on her face. "You came back! I have to say I was a bit concerned for you, after you didn't show up last night."

Her happiness morphs quickly to curiosity. "What did you find? Did you get rid of the evil from there?" Glancing around and lowering her voice, she mutters "Harburk was looking for you all yesterday. Might want to look in on him."

"We did, it just took a bit longer than we expected." Mayon says with a tired smile. "There was...well, a madman, practicing some truly dark magic. But he's gone now. And we could desperately use a hot meal and a bed after that."

Kaylessa smiles. "But of course - please sit," she says, gesturing towards an empty table. "The kitchens aren't quite working yet, but the broth is hot. With any luck the troublesome events will stop now you've taken care of the madman. I knew Lance Rock was the source of all our troubles." With a knowing wink she started back outside to the makeshift kitchens. "Oh, and I'll collect your reward too. For now, just relax and have some lunch."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:15, Wed 26 Apr 2017.

Morg sits down so as to have the half-orc in view, not paying too much attention to the eyepatched attendant or Kaylessa except to ask for an ale and some lunch.

"So, who are Marlos and Barsion?"

Mayon takes a seat with a cup of wine as well, and hesitates at Morg's question, then sighs. Once the whole group is there he speaks up softly.

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure myself. I only know a few things. One, he's more monster than man...snakes for hair, and anyone who meets his gaze is turned to stone. Two, he may be linked to those odd symbols and masks we've been seeing, or the 'Black Earth' that Oreioth mentioned. And three..." He grimaced a bit. "I have a, patron of sorts that I owe a debt to. And they really, REALLY want me to kill him."

Asano grabs the attention of an idle server, handing over a small handful of coins. "Whatever bottle of wine that'll bring, please." He sits with the group but is clearly attentive only to the locket and the image within. When his order arrives, he carefully opens it and tips the bottle to his lips. After a long pull, he sighs and sets the bottle back down.

OOC:
Paying out 10-12 gold for the wine.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:27, Tue 25 Apr 2017.

Jakrynn stretched his arms wide and up over his head once they were out of the cave. He tilted his face up to the sky with a big smile on his face. "Ah! It'd be almost strange for a city boy t'long for an open sky, but bein' inside a cave full'a undead'll do that." His spirits were higher as they got closer to Red Larch. It was the closest thing to civilization nearby, and at least there would be food and drink.

As the maid dropped the plates on the floor, Jak took an involuntary step back with a frown on his face. "What'd we do t'scare her?"

When Kayless spoke with them, Jak was still puzzled and he ordered a drink but lowered his voice to ask her, "Kayless...do you know why your maid was so startled t'see us?" He hoped it was just that they thought the group had died but he feared it might be more than that - and why would that have caused her to be so startled rather than pleased or something?

Later when Mayon was responded to Morg's bluntness, Jak listened. After he made a small 'hmm' noise. His eyebrows rose a bit, "Patron..." He drew the word out questioningly, "...as in someone who pays for things an' funds your adventurin'...or patron as in the source o'your magic?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:21, Tue 25 Apr 2017.

"The latter." Mayon says softly, a wry smile on his face. "Some sort of fey creature, I think. I was a child at the time, so my memories are hazy...but apparently, my asking for help to get home when I was...lost, was all it took to form a pact in their eyes."

He quietly takes another drink, suddenly looking very tired. "And so here I am. Hunting someone who apparently angered them. I don't know what will happen when I kill him, if they'll drop the pact and take my powers or decide to keep using me. I just want the damn nightmares to stop."

Kaylessa returns with drinks and food for the whole party, as well as a bag full of gold as reward for eliminating the threat at Lance Rock. "If the ill omens and evil events stop happening, this will be money well spent," she declaims, thrusting the coins at the group.

The innkeeper regards Ghileeda the maid with a furrowed brow. "I don't rightly know why she dropped the plates - gods know we can ill afford to break more pottery around here. Probably just wasn't expecting you to return from your excursion. Some around here weren't sure you lot'd be comin' back."

She smiles and turns back to Jak. "Your actions with the brigands, and now with the situation out Lance Rock way..." she trails off. "Well, this is a small town, and folks notice them as like you. Lots of folks were hoping you'd return. Harburk asked after you, and so did Vallivoe and Haeleeya. There's tons of rumors swirling about the missing delegation, and other things too. I think you're getting a reputation for solving problems." Kaylessa winks.

---

Loot thread updated - Kaylessa paid her promised 50gp reward for investigating Lance Rock. We'll need to split that up before Day 5, in whatever way seems best. I'll leave that up to you all =).

The food is free for lunch today at the Swinging Sword for some reason (and down to its usual poor quality), though drinks are for purchase.

Bramwell stepped through the inn's threshold looking weary and haggard compared to the day they'd departed Red Larch.  He was jolted back to attention by the unexpected shattering of plates, and looked to the maid to find that she looked at least as startled as he was.  Strange.  He was happy to see Kaylessa, ever the welcoming hostess.  "It was a terrible business at Lance Rock, but the danger there is taken care of.  We've come away with some promising leads as to the other recent strange occurrences."

Bramwell sat heavily with his companions and gratefully accepted a large bowl of stew, which he set to wolfing down immediately.  As he ate he opened his journal to the page where he'd sketched the symbols they'd seen above the orb, and where he'd made notes and speculations upon Oreioth's ravings.  His ears perked up at Mayon's tale of his pact, and he listened intently.  "A fascinating circumstance, if unfortunate one for you, young Mayon.  How is it that this patron contacts you?  Do you know the terms of your pact, or consequences for breaking it?"  Bramwell asked out of genuine curiosity, failing to consider the possibility that Mayon may be uncomfortable sharing such information.

Once he'd settled in after his second bowl of stew, Bramwell approached Brother Eardon and greeted him and the man with whom he'd been conversing, "Greetings again, Brother.  I hope you have been well.  Has there been any news?"  The half-elf briefly mentioned what the group had accomplished at Lance Rock, and would elaborate on it if the two were interested.

"They contact me through dreams...well, nightmares. It only started a few months ago when they started showing me scenes involving Marlos. Though, I did get one earlier today in the cave when looking at the symbol, which is why I feel they're connected." Mayon says, wincing at the memory of the sudden surge of scenes and foreign words he had witnessed. "Occasionally I'll just get a sort of sense that something is trying to whisper to me, but it's not words so much as a feeling. Mostly I think they just, observe and let me use the power I need."

"I don't really know the terms or consequences though...I guess the terms are 'kill who I tell you to when I want you to' and the consequences akin to 'I'll keep sending you nightmares until you do it or go mad.' I just want it to stop, so I'm going along with it."

He falls quiet for a moment, then looks at Asano.

"Asano, are you alright? That necklace...do, do you want to talk about it?" He's eager to change the subject, but his cautious curiosity is genuine.

Jak took the food and drink brought, and immediately took a sip of his drink. He gave Kaylessa a wide impish grin. "Well, we aim t'please, an' no plans on stoppin'!"

He peered after Ghileeda and made a mental note to check her out a bit more, maybe eavesdrop on her or follow her - but he didn't want to cause some innocent girl undue fright if he were found out. He sighed internally.

At the mention of the names of the people who had been asking after them, his eyebrows went up. "I guess we should go see the Sheriff after lunch, an' maybe go shoppin'."

To Mayon's explanation he frowned slightly and suppressed a shudder. He was glad his magic was much simpler, the music of the universe.