[Pathfinder] Kingmaker Redux, part 21: A Life Restored, A Life Lost

 From the journal of Lythande Syldorei

3rd Lamashan, Toilday

We stood in shock after the Dancing Lady fell and we realized that Reislin's last breath had come and gone before any of us could help her. She was still entangled in the vines, and we could not move her body until the magic waned. While we waited we searched the chamber for any objects of use. We found several things that looked like they might have been brought their by the fey woman, such as a harp, jewelry, courtly garments, and a white bearskin. In a coffer we found a potion, which Maria determined was a love potion and sadly not one of healing.

Once the magically summoned vines vanished, Maria looked at the scrolls in Reislin's bag to see if she had anything in her possession that would help her. She did in fact bear a scroll containing a spell that would preserve her body from decay for a limited time. We realized that this would benefit her as we would be obliged to transport her to another place, likely in Brevoy, to seek a priest who could bring her back to life. We knew that no such priest lives in Lorewynd, nor is it likely that Jhod at the shrine of Erastil would be capable of casting such a spell.

Maria and I both searched our memories and concluded that as best we knew, it would be possible for a cleric of sufficient advancement to bring Reislin back from death but that it would likely be necessary for us to travel to Brevoy to achieve this. New Stetven seems the most promising place to seek such a service.

I picked up Reislin to carry her down to our wagon. The chamber in which she had fallen also contained an antique water clock and an alabaster figure of a beautiful nude elven woman, but these we deemed too heavy to carry, though the others thought they might be worth enough coin to aid in acquiring the spell for Reislin. But I felt that the statue ought to remain in the tower as it may have been made for that place. 

We intended to exit the fort through the gate, but as Zander approached it his foot struck a hidden tripwire that very nearly dropped a heavy portcullis on him. Maria endeavored to lift it but was unable, and we were obliged to exit as we had entered through the broken section of wall.

We traveled for a few hours until it grew too dark and then made camp in the forest. As we sat by our fire we began to discuss what we should tell the good people of Castle Lorewynd when we returned. All of us agreed that telling them of Reislin's demise would be very shocking and disheartening and we desired to spare them that pain, though we were not entirely comfortable with telling them untruths. 

For the two days it took us to return to our castle we discussed this topic. At first we though perhaps we would keep her body in the wagon outside of town while I went to seek out Amis the shrine keeper to ask him to cast the preservative spell upon her, but in the end we came to the conclusion that this would arouse too many questions among our citizens. Furthermore we have been away for some little while and no doubt there will be various matters awaiting our attention. It would not be responsible of us to creep into the castle like thieves and then depart again.

5th Lamashan, Fireday

When we arrived at the castle we took the wagon inside and bore Reislin up to her own chamber to be laid out. I went to find Amis, though we had to wait as he was not at the shrine. When he did arrive he appeared somewhat anxious and also seemed to have a blackened eye. When Maria asked him what had happened, he told us that he had asked one of the women who came to the shrine of Gyronna about it and she told him it was not his business and slapped him hard enough to leave a mark. He was anxious because he was uncomfortable in the presence of the dead, but after examining the scroll he agreed to cast the spell for us.

We will have many things to look into when we return, but for the present Chahana has sent a raven to Leveton to ask Svetlana if she will come and take charge of the castle in our absence.

7th Lamashan, Starday

Svetlana has sent a raven that she is on her way. Despite the sadness of Reislin's demise, I can't help but be amused that Svetlana chose to warn us that should Leveton be in flames when we come there, she is sorry for that. 

9th Lamashan, Sunday

We have reached Leveton. The town has grown since the last time we visited, and the road is much busier. Svetlana will be pleased that nothing has caught fire in her absence. There is no shrine in Leveton, and though we found a traveling priest who could cast the preservative spell again as the first one has faded, she cannot do so today. In the interest of speed we have decided to forego waiting for this.

11th Lamashan, Wealday

We have visited New Stetven previously but I am still impressed by the quantity of large stone structures here. Reislin was not deeply faithful but she did venerate Nethys, however there is no temple to the All-Seeing Eye here. The temples here are devoted to Abadar, Gorum, and Pharasma. We decided that the best option would be to make our way to the temple of the Lady of Graves to request our boon. 

As we arrived at Pharasma's fane, we found that the temple was hosting a large funeral service for someone of wealth or importance. The priests were all busy with the attendees. Chahana went inside to seek someone with whom to speak about our request. After a time she was able to talk to a priest called Salost, who directed us to bring the wagon to a side entrance and arranged for Reislin's body to be borne inside.

We waited with her until the chief priest could meet with us some hours later, though Chahana and Zander did leave us for a time to acquire lodgings and stabling for our horses. After they returned the high priest came to meet with us. This worthy elder, Ambrose by name, was most kind and accommodating, explaining that the service to bring back the dead comes in three parts as it is practiced in the house of the Lady of Graves: first, they must determine if the soul is willing to return to life and is a suitable person, then they must seek Pharasma's approval, and only after the first two have been given favorable responses can they cast the spell to return the soul to the body. They ask a donation to the temple of ten gold pieces for the first service, three hundred for the second, and five and a half thousand for the third as it requires a great quantity of diamond dust to fuel the magic. Maria had already estimated how much this service would cost us and we had brought with us all of the private funds at our disposal to make the payment.

Ambrose had brought with him two people of an unusual appearance, both tall and slender and near identical in appearance. After we agreed to the cost and the stipulations these two performed the actual magic. It required several more hours of ritual preparation, but in the end, all praise to the Lady of Graves, Reislin was returned to us much weakened by her experience. 

We remained in New Stetven for two more days after acquiring a spell from the temple that can remove some of the deleterious effects of being summoned back from the afterlife. I feel some regret that I lack the riches to give such a gift to other deserving folk, but Reislin is my friend and we need her wisdom and knowledge to help us protect and serve the people of Neotellus.

16th Lamashan, Moonday

We have returned to Lorewynd. There are continued rumors of trolls preying on settlers to the south, which we shall have to see to soon. We have also heard of a monster on an island in Lake Candlemere, and a rumor that the Stag Lord has risen from the dead and is leading an army of unliving bandits. A rumor regarding a creature knows as a shambling mound seems to have come from Bokken, as it speaks of the creature as being useful for growing herbs.

But the matter of first concern is that Zander has learned of a meeting of the followers of Gyronna, and a rumor that they plan some trouble. Followers of the Hag are wont to disdain any form of authority or governance. We must meet them and try to dissuade them from bringing harm to the people of our new country. Zander has heard that they are meeting in the barn of a farm outside the town this very night. We will go there and attempt to have a civil discourse with them if they are willing.

The farm was darkened and silent when we arrived after dark, and there was no sign of anyone in the barn. But Zander found a trapdoor in the floor leading to a cellar. We did not make any effort to be quiet. Climbing down the rough steps hewn into the earth, Maria, Chahana, and I brought out our shields but drew no weapon. When we entered the cellar we found it lit by a few lamps and occupied by a group of half a dozen or more women in ragged garb. One woman clad in blue shouted out for them to slay us as soon as Chahana called out to introduce us. 

Then Maria spied something horrific lying on a table: the body of a naked infant, pierced by a dagger. When her exclamation drew my attention to this terrible sight, I lost all desire to extend the Cleansing Fire's mercy to these women. They swarmed on us in a frenzy, goaded by the blue-clad woman. A dagger of magic began to attack Chahana. I had drawn my scimitar when I heard the woman shout for her followers to kill us, and now I did not stay my blade from their flesh. Any who did not object to the murder of a child in the Hag's name would receive no mercy from me. 

Reislin granted us swiftness, and though the Hag's priestess tried to weaken us with her goddess's magic, Zander slew her and the rest of us slew several of her followers in the ensuing skirmish. Zander took flight and pursued several of them when they fled from the cellar, and I also ran after them with a heart full of anger. Maria was more forgiving than I should be despite having been the first to see the evidence of their sin. She took two of them prisoner. 

When the remaining cultists were free of their frenzy and were questioned, we learned another alarming fact: four families at Lorewynd had suffered the kidnapping of their children and had those children replaced by changelings. I pray to the Dawnflower that those children did not all suffer the same fate as the poor infant.

Next: part 22, Seeking Justice and Finding New Friends

[Pathfinder] Kingmaker Redux , part 20: A Death in the Family

From the journal of Lythande Syldorei 

3rd Lamashan, Toilday

The ancient watchtower we have stumbled upon in the forest has suffered much in the unknown number of years it has stood. The tower on the northwestern side is the most fallen, with the other four outer towers also showing much age and decay. Everything is covered in overgrowth of greener, and when Chahana peered through one of the gaps where the outer wall had crumbled, she described the courtyard within as full of trees. 

We spread ourselves out to look at all sides of the structure, Chahana, Reislin and I going one direction and Maria and Zander the other. 

Maria and Zander found some tracks near the tower that resembled those of a creature like ourselves rather than a bear or wolf, thought they could not make out whether those tracks were of a shod being or a creature going barefoot. They have been able to determine that this creature or person must have left the tracks within a week of our arrival at the tower, but whoever or whatever passed by might only have been passing. There was no way to see if it had entered the tower, only that it had come and gone. 

Closer examination of the walls revealed that they have some runes or symbols carved on their surface, so there are too many vines and patches of moss covering the stones to easily make out what the symbols are.

Zander climbed up the wall to find that there is a walkway along the top of the wall. When I climbed up myself I observed that curiously there are no doors leading out of the towers onto the walk. Perhaps there were ladders or steps of wood that have since decayed. 

Zander then climbed down a tree that had grown up in the courtyard. There he discovered that in the lower level of one tower the vines were twined around many skulls like those of people. Then one of the vines reached out and attempted to grasp hold of him. He looked into the tower and spied a creature he at first took for one of my kindred, clinging to the wall like a spider.

Zander stepped away from the menacing vine, warning us that it was a kind of plant known as an assassin vine, which was slow-moving but would attempt to choke us if it could gain a hold on us. The mysterious being climbed up toward Maria, hissing at her, while the assassin vine attempted unsuccessfully to reach me. Maria took flight under the influence of a spell that Reislin cast upon her and attempted to identify what the creature was, but it withdrew out of sight before she could determine that. I foolishly wasted some of the Dawnflower's might on the vine, forgetting that such a creature cannot choose its nature. The other creature reappeared and slashed at me with long claws but they slid off my armor. 

Zander meanwhile was wounded sorely by a third creature that moved very rapidly and could scarcely be seen. He was obliged to heal himself. Chahana had also been granted flight and now flew up to fire her bow at the wall-crawling creature, her arrow piercing it deeply. Reislin had managed to clamber up onto the wall herself and now the creature turned its attack on her, wounding her so badly that she fell from the wall onto the ground below. The creature then climbed out of reach. I slashed the vine that was still attempting to grab hold of me, and Maria struck it a final blow. The creature, which we had by this time assumed to be one of the dark fey, descended to the courtyard and disappeared among the trees there.

Chahana and Maria heard something give a sinister laugh from the courtyard, but I heard nothing. Zander climbed up the tree to get out of range of the swift and nearly invisible attacker. A small voice called out to him, "Come back! Let's play," but the creature, likely another dark fey, did not reveal itself. Reislin prepared to cast a spell to deprive it of its near invisibility should it reappear, while Chahana threw a flask of alchemical fire into the area the voice seemed to have issued from. Maria then had to put out the flames that threated to harm a nearby tree, at the same time casting a spell upon herself that she hoped would allow her to catch a glimpse of the fast-moving fey. 

When at last the fey reappeared Reislin did cast her spell upon it and it stumbled away. We all tried to converge on the fey, but it vanished from our sight again and no matter how we fast we ran we could not match its speed. 

With both of the fey fled, we began to explore the interior of the structure. In the center of the circular wall stood a much taller and more ornate tower which was also in better repair than the four towers that were connected to the wall. This tower still bore its many-pointed roof and had an intact door. But before we sought to enter it we checked the other four towers. One of them had a strong door that was barred from within, but because the wooden floors inside the tower had fallen into significant disrepair, Reislin was able to fly inside and have her invisible servant remove the bar such that we could enter. Inside Maria found a chest containing several items of jewelry, a sword, and a moonstone. 

The other three towers proved less appealing. One appeared to be thoroughly infested with rats, and one had suffered a partial collapse and was filled with rubble. The fourth tower had evidently been the home of one of the fey. It was disturbingly decorated with the carcases of small animals attached to the walls, or so we thought, until Chahana realized they were actually scalps. Stored on the broken floor above was an urn filled with gems. 

When we had satisfied ourselves that the outer towers held no enemies waiting to emerge against us, we turned our attention to the central tower. Reislin and I chose to enter first, being attracted to this relic of our people from long ago. As we stepped inside a violet mist filled the entrance. It had no effect on any of us, and we continued, Reislin eagerly ascending the ornate filigreed staircase past murals of our ancestors engaging in various pleasurable pursuits such as dancing and hunting. 

At the top of the stair we found a beautifully decorated chamber, its windows still set with glass. Then the clawed fey we had encountered below or one like him slashed at Reislin and she fell insensible to the floor.

Inside the room stood a woman, who at first resembled one of our own kind but when I spied her claws and fangs I realized she was no kin of mine. Chahana came running up the stairs behind me, and a moment later Maria also rushed in, warning me that the woman was yet another dark fey who would attempt to entrance us with her dance so she could drink our blood. Yet if we slew her she would curse us.

This fey woman attempted to cajole me into bringing the fallen Reislin to her with a promise to heal her, but I did not listen. I bent and let the Dawnflower's healing rays flow from my hand into Reislin's still body, but this did not revive her. She was not breathing. "You cannot deceive us with your lies," I said to the fey woman. She began to move about, attempting to enthrall us with her dance, but Maria engaged with the other fey, a grimstalker. I girded myself with Sarenrae's battle power and moved on the dancer. Zander joined me. Maria slew the grimstalker. The room filled with vines, which tried to wind about my legs and hold me fast. I struck the dancer several times, until I missed my aim and the vines trapped my limbs. Praise the Dawnflower, the dancer could not bite me. She tried to flee down the stairs but Zander leaped down ahead of her and blocked her escape. I broke free of the vines and set my blade into her flesh once more and that was the last of her. As she died I felt a wave of some force pass over me. Something is amiss with me, but I do not know what it is.

And Reislin is dead. 

Next: part 21: A Life Restored, A Life Lost