The group heads over to Ravenskeep after lunch and passes through the main gates and to the gatehouse to meet with the guard who spoke with Delta earlier.

He explains the same information to you all, and has a short contract, simple terms, 500 for stopping the graverobbers, 500 more for retrieval of a pendant (it lists it as grey metal chain, iron round pendant in the shape of a sewer drain).   He lends you two keys to the West Lychen Gate.

The graveyard itself is somewhat overgrown, and disorganized, stone paths lead around tombstones that face many directions, some are leaning slightly, a few have fallen over, there are older trees throughout, and there a larger crypts placed about with stairs leading down into the dark entries.  It is quiet other than the sounds of birds.  It is not an overly large cemetary, some 20 crypts of varying sizes are contained within it high stone walls that block out a lot of the light even at midday.

ooc: see the maps page for a sample of what it looks like.

"Can you point us to the ones that have been plundered?  And specify which one had the pendant?"

Janek says, "I recommend we spread out just a bit and try to blend into the surroundings.  If is is someone coming in and waking the dead, it doesn't make sense to let them see us."

"It's still early Janek, I think we can explore for awhile before setting about to hiding. Can we look for tracks before we stir things up too much though?"



Looking over the map, I think Delta will first examine the crypt in the upper left, with the stairs down.

"Let's look over here, Vala," she will suggest, seeing no reason not to avoid being alone in such a creepy place.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:40, Tue 18 Aug 2020.

Matthias nods in agreement with Delta's suggestion and proceeds to walk the cemetery grounds. He takes note of the names on the tombstones and looks for any evidence of displaced earth, mausoleums that look like someone attempted to enter, and the like.

Tanyl shrugs and stays close to Matthias.

You know; the holy guy.

Seems like the smart thing to do, under the circumstances.

Janek will search where the others aren't, as he doesn't fear graveyards.  He has put people in it.  He will look for disturbed ground, broken crypts, shovel marks.

The adventurers spend some daylight hours examining the graveyard.  The earth is old and rocky, with stone paths, scrub plants and weeds, and grasses.  There are no footprints to be found.  All the crypts are locked, mostly with a variety of old and rusty locks.  A few have newer improvised wire ties and large stones holding the doors shut, these you would assume where broken into.  A couple of hours of searching, you gain this for the crypts, divided into regions. The names are old and often some letters unreadable

North:

1-  Antonian
2 - Broken into - Name Haspa--s
3 - Totally unreadable
4 - Broken into - Felix
5 - Unreadable

South

6 - Dioma---
7- Tulium
8 - Mandra-oias
9- Karras
10- Agathangelou

East

11- Broken into -Pomieux
12 -  Broken into -  Gatak
13 - Lyka--s
14 - Catuliex
15 - No name

West

16 - Bakirtiz
17 - Broken into - Samaras
18 - Diakeet
19 - no name
20 - Magnus

"Seems to be, there is no pattern here, that I can see, unless you consider they were north, east and west.  I suggest we focus on the south, as that could be their next target?  Just a thought."

Nodding in agreement, Delta takes a sip from her water skin.

" as good an option as any Master Dwarf," Delta replies. She had pondered the names looking for some deeper pattern, but had failed.

"I have not been in the town long enough for these names to mean anything to me. How about you Tanyl? Or Matthias? Any information on the families in question?"

Does she know from which crypt the missing amulet came? Do they have any words of wisdom or regret carved on the outside, or dates?

Turning to Janek, she turns to his expertise in stonework in hope of more information. " Do the broken names seem to be all from erosion and age? Do any appear to be intentionally defaced? I notice only one of those broken in to has a broken name. Hmmm..."

It is clear she feels she is missing something.

(OOC)I will need a reading from the DM to know if I know any of the names, but will answer temporarily.

(IC)
Janek shakes his head, "None of the names mean anything to me, and it seems like erosion and age have taken their toll on most of the crypts."

None of the names mean anything to Matthias, and he says as much. "Sorry, I don't think I know any of these families..."

He then tries to recall the tombs he has seen, particularly any that looked like they had not been pilfered yet and were also ostenatious in appearance. "If we're lucky, uur tomb robbers might just be looking for jewels and riches and not to practice necromantic arts," Matthias reasons. "Did any of you see any tombs that looked, well, likely marks?"

OOC: Please let me know if Matthias recognizes any of the names and/or we have a sense which of the tombs looked nicer/more expensive.

Tanyl also looks at the names and searches his memory . . .

Vala, who was hardly literate and in any case new in town concentrated on other aspects of the crypts than the names - the size, the decorations, even any plants or trees growing nearby. Maybe there was something there instead?

Janek wonders what the similarities are for the ones broken into.  Does he see anything in the remaining ones that suggest they might be next, especially in the south part?

Following Janek, Delta watches him examine the things he examines, and tries to find anything of interest there as well.

As ancient cemetery, it is unsurprising that the names don't mean much to all the members of the group.  Matthias as a cleric has some teaching in family names of Stormhaven, and Tanyl has grown up in the city.  All the names that are readable seem appropriate for the times in which the people likely lived and died, and a few are still common to the area.  One seems out of place, Felix, that in not a common surname type for the area. Maybe some rich persons cat.

Checking down the steps of the crypts, you find all the ones not broken into still have old, rusty in most cases, padlocks on the stone doors.  The ones broken into, are simply wired shut with a large stone leaning against them to keep them closed.

As you check them each, when you go down into the dark of the Felix crypt stairs, you note there is nothing on the the door or surround other than the name.  Though light filters in from above the stairs, it appears, there are lights inside the crypt, unless it is some illusion of the light from above flickering at the frame of the door.

Janek will quietly search for traps, but finds none.


10:42, Today: Janek rolled 87 using 1d100.  Find traps.

Tanyl tries as well, and has similar success (or lack thereof).


19:49, Today: Tanyl Miaras rolled 37 using 1d100.  Find Traps.



He tries to quietly approach the door, and listen.

Janek pulls out his dagger.  Better for close in than a sword. He indicates to Tanyl to open the door, and he will enter first.