The deck of the Tyalee's Whim fell silent after both Viraline and Corla dropped. Viraline was genuinely dead, sadly, but Corla had only been rendered unconscious. Captain Sursha was still under the magical compulsion that had caused her to order the water barrels emptied into the ocean. This didn't cause her to turn on us. She simply followed the suggestion she had been given and sent a few of the remaining crew to the island to fetch enough water to last until the ship reached Magnimar.
Before Corla revived she was stripped of her weapons and armor and the pack she carried by Hunter, assisted by some of the crew. When Corla regained her wits, Hunter questioned her. His first question was how she and Viraline had intended to escape the ship after acquiring the sword. Corla said that Viraline had some means to 'teleport' them away. This led to a search of Viraline's body, but that uncovered no teleportation device in her possession. Corla claimed she didn't know how Viraline would achieve this, only that this was what Viraline had told her.
Fox and I then went to Viraline's cabin to search, discovering to our surprise that the cabin was empty and the large trunk she had arrived with was also empty. We returned to the upper deck in confusion, to find that the pack Corla carried was actually a capacious magical container into which they had placed all of their possessions so they could 'teleport' with everything. Would that we could have such a container, as we might be able to hide the sword within it, but the spell on Captain Sursha had worn off by that time and she told us all of the womens' belongings should be handed over to the authorities in Magnimar when we arrived.
Hunter had continued questioning Corla while I was below deck. Corla didn't actually know much about the arrangements Viraline had made, but she did explain that a strange cult of people in bright clothing had contacted Viraline. As I returned I heard her say that they worshipped a bird. When I asked if the bird was a peacock, she claimed not to know what that was. According to her tale, Viraline had been cursed by the jealous wife of a paramour and had been unable to find anyone who could remove the curse of ill fortune that plagued her. The cultists had claimed they would remove the curse if Viraline acquired the sword for them. Corla seemed to be speaking truthfully and appeared truly grieved by Viraline's death, though some of my sympathy for her was lost when we found she was carrying several vials of poison.
Captain Sursha was upset that Viraline had betrayed her and shamed that her passengers had come to harm. We discovered that Viraline had used a tea to place her under the 'suggestion.'
The following day we sailed into the port of Magnimar. I have never visited there before, though of course I have heard you speak of it, Master Taeral. It is quite an impressive sight, particularly the remains of the ancient bridge that looms over a portion of the city. Hunter says Magnimar is divided into various districts, each of which is specialized in a particular type of business or habitation, which are much like separate cities in many ways.
After the ship docked, Captain Sursha told us that should we need passage elsewhere in the future we could rely on her. She intended to remain in Magnimar for some time.
We decided together that we should visit the Council first, as our mentors all serve on it and they will know best what to do about a Runelord artifact. The Council lies in the Alabaster District and is also the headquarters of the local Pathfinder Society. With Magnimar being such a large city, it took a long walk to reach the building.
The man who met us at the door wasn't welcoming at all, at first taking us for mere adventurers who desired to join the Pathfinder Society. Even when we told him who we are he didn't lose his dismissive manner. Fox and Lonn resorted to bribery to persuade him to get us an audience with the person in charge, Lady Heidmarch of the Pathfinder Society.
Lady Heidmarch knew and cared who we are even if her factotum did not. After we told her our story and showed her the Sword of Pride, she immediately recognized it and was shocked that it hadn't been destroyed. At first we considered handing the sword over to her for storage in the Council's vaults, which are so secure that anything contained within them can neither be removed nor detected.
But as we continued our discussion we all began to feel that keeping the sword will help us to find out who is trying to bring back the Runelords. Lady Heidmarch didn't disagree with this. She also offered to repair the false blade and have it enchanted with an aura that will make it appear to be as powerful as the real sword, so that we may use it as a decoy.
We also allowed her to hold the real sword, protected by the gauntlets, which she found fascinating and unique. When she held the sword she knew immediately that it is awakening, which she explained means that its master is still living and is waking from whatever slumber or stasis they've been in for these many millenia. We don't know if that master is still Runelord Xanderghul. Lady Heidmarch suggested that it could perhaps be his apprentice.
Our mentors weren't present in Magnimar when we arrived, but Lady Heidmarch did state that she expects some of them to arrive soon, though she couldn't say who would come as they're protecting themselves by keeping such knowledge secret.
Lady Heidmarch told us that we could stay at an inn in Alabaster called the Gryphine, which is frequented by the members of the Pathfinder Society. Hunter is looking forward to seeing his family. Lonn asked Zinovia if she had met Hunter's family, and she and Hunter cheerfully explained that she had, as the two of them had first met in Magnimar. I haven't yet learned how Zinovia came to Magnimar to begin with, or why she was being mentored by a mage.
Fox complained about having given up some of his small supply of gold to bribe the clerk at the Pathfinder Society when Lonn had also given the man coins, mentioning it even before we parted from Lady Heidmarch. I think that fellow will be in for a tongue-lashing as Lady Heidmarch appeared quite annoyed. We had to explain to Fox that once a bribe is given one should never mention it again. He only knew that his former master had often bribed people, but he hadn't really understood how bribery works. He is terribly naive.
We didn't go to the inn immediately, as we had promised to accompany Audrahni to perform the ritual to lay her friend's spirit to rest. She took us to a building, where we climbed up on the roof. Audrahni laid out her ritual implements and began to perform a dance in honor of Ashava, the Empyreal Lord she served before she lost her faith.
We didn't have to participate, so we stood by and kept our eyes out for trouble. Lonn and Zinovia began attempting to follow Audrahni's dance to aid her. But trouble found us soon enough - just as the heavy feeling on the roof began to lift, a darkness fell over us and a floating creature appeared. I recognized it as type of undead known as a choking shade. I could recall that it was an incorporeal undead capable of inflicting negative energy harm and warned my companions. After I said what it was, Lonn remembered that it had the ability to suppress magic around it, and that it was vulnerable to strong winds. It's a pity that I don't know any wind spells at present, but I wouldn't have had any prepared in any case. I was still concerned with protecting myself against living enemies.
Hunter attempted to cast a spell and was thwarted by the shade's magic suppression aura. I also failed to cast my missiles at it. Fox managed to cast 'mage armor' on Hunter, realizing that incorporeal creatures can't get through magical armor as easily as corporeal armor. Zinovia tried to hit it with her enchanted sword but missed her first strike. Hunter manifested his blade and warned Fox to step back, but Fox remained where he was, intending to cast his spell on Zinovia next. I attempted to scorch the shade with a fiery ray, but although I was able to overcome its aura to cast my spell I missed my aim and the flames shot over the edge of the roof without touching the shade.
Fox and I backed toward a chimney, Fox pulling Grumble toward safety with him. I stepped closer to the edge of the roof and sent a bolt of lightning at the shade. It hit but the shade avoided some of the energy. I realized I was exposed and withdrew to take cover behind the chimney. Fox kept doggedly trying to cast 'mage armor' on Zinovia until he finally succeeded, but at that moment she struck the shade two blows and it disintegrated into a cloud of ash.
Audrahni had managed to maintain her concentration on her dance ritual this entire time, and shortly after the shade was destroyed she ceased dancing and began to pray. We all joined her in prayer. I prayed to Pharasma as I know more of the tenets of her faith than of Ashava.
Beams of light fell on the rooftop, accompanied by lively music. The lights fell at our feet and we sensed a positive energy surrounding us, which I thought might be similar to the effect of a priest's 'hallow' spell though of course I don't know divine magic so well as arcane. I felt as if Ashava had touched me with her blessing. The spirit of Audrahni's friend could finally rest. I was glad we'd been able to keep the shade away from her so she could complete the ritual.
We were all tired after our long day and made our way to the Gryphine after that. Audrahni confided in us on the way that Ashava had restored her clerical powers to her, which we were very heartened to hear.
When we reached our rooms at the inn, we all discovered that in each room was a parcel tied with a black ribbon. Fox and I were both immediately suspicious and took a moment to check the packages for magical auras, but Lonn and Hunter opened theirs and Lonn was engulfed in a cloud of green smoke that poisoned him rather badly - not a fatal poison, but one that left him foolish and clumsy. Zinovia shouted out a warning and that kept Fox and I from opening our packages after we found no magic. Lonn and Hunter both took antitoxins, but we had to appeal to Audrahni to use her newly restored priestly magic to help Lonn as he'd inhaled so much of the gas. The gas dissipated quickly afterward.
The other items in the parcels were candies and tobacco, which were not magical and as far as we could determine not poisoned either. Each of the packages had also included a note describing us as the "New Heroes of Varisia" and telling us to enjoy the items enclosed. Fox and I had no desire to enjoy these gifts and would have burned them, but the others entreated us not to, saying that we could use them for bribes or sell them. We handed our shares over to them.
Grumble had also been poisoned by the green gas as he stayed in the same room with Hunter and Zinovia, so Lonn volunteered to care for him overnight once his own weakness had been largely removed by Audrahni. Fox went downstairs to complain to the inn manager. We decided to set watches that night, Fox taking the first watch, Zinovia the second, Hunter the third, and I the last. Fox assumed his fox form and settled down in the corridor outside our rooms.
I was resting in my room when noise from the hallway roused me. There was a flash of light visible from the gap under the door. I got up and looked cautiously outside to see a bugbear facing Fox, who was now in his human form. There were scorch marks and bits of ash on the floor. Fox shouted for help. The bugbear vanished for a moment, then reappeared as he attacked Fox. Then Zinovia's door flew open and she rushed out, her face flushed with fury. She swung her sword once and the bugbear fell.
When the bugbear's body was searched, we found a short note from someone named Hira Doss. It read: "once we return from our duties in the Forsaken Mezzanine.” The brevity of the note confused us until we realized it was probably a response to some other message, similar to a conversation held through a 'sending' spell.
Fox wanted to go and complain to the inn staff again, but a few moments of discussion made us all recognize that a dead body in the scorched hall could look very bad for us. Zinovia grabbed the bugbear's corpse and took it downstairs after we packed up all our belongings with the intent of seeking another inn. The manager was horrified and very apologetic. In the course of this Fox commented that the bugbear was a ninja, as he had a sword of a kind found in Tian-Xia. Zinovia thought ninja were only a tale until I assured her they were genuine warrior-assassins.
Lonn explained what had happened to the guardsmen who served the inn. We decided not to remain there in case whoever sent the bugbear ninja had other assassins in their employ. The manager gave us a writ good for healing at the temple of Sarenrae as an apology for our experience. I was very annoyed at being disturbed because I wouldn't have any opportunity to write any new spells in my spellbook, and I'd been prevented from doing that during most of our sea voyage as well. Zinovia was concerned about moving Grumble, who was still recuperating from the poison, but she decided that since the goblin was no longer in danger of dying, moving for our own safety was more important than his rest. We took everything we had and the goblin and went off to find another place to spend the night. I don't even recall the name of the second inn. I did manage to get enough rest to be able to prepare spells the next morning.
The next morning we discussed what we should do about assassins pursuing us. Who could have sent the ninja? Were there other ninjas seeking us? Hunter wondered if it had anything to do with the Brotherhood of Seven that had slain most of Audrahni's fellow clerics. Audrahni unfortunately knows little about them. We decided instead to try to find out about the Forsaken Mezzanine mentioned in the note the ninja had carried, as well as about Hollow Mountain where the Runelords were supposed to rest during Earthfall. Hunter's sister is a librarian, but he suggested that the Council's library is the most comprehensive, so we returned to the Pathfinder Society Lodge to seek it out.
When we arrived we found the council chambers shut. Welben Orry, who had been so rude to us the previous day, greeted us with more courtesy this time. We were told that members of the city government were meeting with the Council regarding something serious that had just happened, and that we wouldn't be allowed to go in. Hunter tried to intimidate Orry into opening the doors for us but he wouldn't. Finally we told him to send for us as soon as we could speak with Lady Heidmarch and went off to research in the library.
We split into two groups, myself with Lonn and Fox to look for information about the Forsaken Mezzanine, and the rest seeking to know more about the Brotherhood of Seven. It took some time, but my group eventually learned that the Forsaken Mezzanine was a tomb on the southeastern side of Hollow Mountain, which had no known entrance. A research team had gone to Hollow Mountain a month earlier to seek a way in, but hadn't reported back during that time. We also thought we now know where Hollow Mountain is - to the north of Magnimar near a bay or cove known as Old Man's Launch, which lies almost as far from Magnimar as Roderic's Cove, though it is on the opposite side of the Varisian Gulf.
The other team had abandoned researching the Brotherhood and instead looked for information about the Peacocks, since they seemed to be more than just an organization of people in Roderic's Cove. They learned that the Peacocks have existed in Magnimar for a century as a secretive group, at least some of them known to be prideful and quick to anger, but it seems not all of them are such. The location of their meeting place or headquarters isn't known.
Just when we had garnered this information, a messenger came from Lady Heidmarch asking us to go to the council chamber.
Characters are now 6th level.
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