06 - Graves & Giants
Last session: 05 - Marinas & Monkeys
Laying down for a bit...
After the attack on the docks, we decided to lay down for a bit, where we did some downtime activities:
Near the end of the downtime, Grappi came to share some intel he got:
↪ The Collars are looking for new lieutenants. A Bal is happening soon, where promotions will happen.
↪ Jil is alive, held in the main treasury (where she used to work).
Along that week, as Graath and Willum learned more about medicine with Father Thatch, they found out that he is not present at the Temple anymore and got captured, along all healers, alchemists.
They all have been taken to the Collars' HQ, as one of the higher ups seems to be ill.
Gathering thoughts with the sleeping dragon...
Nesvalyn finally emerges from his coma as nothing happened, to the point he thought that the Docks' fight was only yesterday.
From that, the rest of the party raises some questions about his coma and if it already happened (to which he couldn't really tell).
He mentioned that the last thing he recalls is being with Raina, but couldn't recall all the discussion, which raises questions about if it's really Nesvalyn and if he took a deal, which he seems to say no.
[Insight check] Nesvalyn seems really genuine and isn't much aware of what happens.
During that discussion, we hear a letter being slipped under the door. Upon opening, we smell a floral perfume and a delicate handwriting:
I need your help, meet me at my office. - Jonni
From that, the party keeps bantering a bit. Persy shows his new gear, and presents also the upgrade done on Willum's arm (he has the Vicious Spear attached instead of his rapière).
Willum used the occasion to explain how he lost his arm, and also how he met his son, as on the day of The Wyrd, a baby appeared on his doorstep. But there was also a dire wolf lurking around his house for a while, who was about to attack the baby. Willum decided to sacrifice his arm to save his (new adopted) son.
Nesvalyn made the remark that Willum's codename was actually his son's name, which Willum mentions that it shouldn't be a trouble for Ludwig, and it could be an hint to where to find him.
Foreman's request...
When looking for Foreman, we're heading in the North East of Saltspocket, which we notice an expansion of the neighborhood happening. Once reaching the workplace, Foreman greets us and asks us a favor:
They found a Giant's graveyard, where his team set a base camp in the first antichamber they found. However, they fled in terror as something seemed to have scared them.
This happened a few weeks ago (before the party arrived at Saltspocket).
Nesvalyn and Persy showed a certain enthusiast to explore right away this place, but we decided to check first Jonni's request, just for the sake of checking with her, even if we don't expect much.
Jonni's request...
Upon heading to the Jonquil's Delight, we noticed that the ambiance changed in town, as many magic shops are closed. We also have the feeling that the Collars are not running the town anymore.
When looking for the wanted posters (to keep track on the party's wanted status), we found out that they all have been torn down (probably a consequence from Nesvalyn's rally on the docks). We're assuming that the townsfolks are starting to raise against the Collars.
When arriving, we notice that the fish are gone, but the dead fish smell is replaced with a smell of sour milk instead, along some sticks on the windows.
[Investigation check - Pass✔] Reylynn notices they are folklore magic to keep Fey away.
The party enters the brothel. The young Aasimar is in the entrance instead of the minotaur. The young woman from last time is at the reception. We're heading towards Jonni's office, equipped and ready for the charm effects. However we don't smell that perfume that charmed us last time.
Jonni is waiting for us, where she is inclined to discuss, as she's requesting our help. The party (and especially Nesvalyn) is really wary against her, due to the intel she gave to the Collars, and the link with the wanted posters.
Hencefore, she's proposing to start anew.
Before discussing further, Nesvalyn confronts Jonni's sincerity, especially when it's related to the wellbeing of her business and the people under her (as he advanced the fact she is selling workers to the Collars).
She looks away and ignores Nesvalyn accusations.
From that, the other party members ask why is selling the workers.
She replies that with Lord Wringer's going insane, she "had no choice" but doing that.
[Insight check - Pass ✔] Nesvalyn finds that she's still lying to the regroup and threatens to leave as she's not that clean with the group. However, the party doubts Nesvalyn hunch.
From that, Jonni proposes to pay the group for protection. Willum doesn't even let her going further in her proposal, mentioning that we're not interested in that, and storms out. Nesvalyn follow just behind.
Before leaving, Reylynn mentioned the folklore elements outside the brothel, but got dismissed angerly by Jonni.
[Perception check - Pass ✔] Reylynn noticed a mushroom growing in the planthouse among the plants, as it seems to be out of place.
Once the interaction done (and the party a bit calmed), the party decides to head towards the Giants' Graveyard, starting Foreman's request.
Investigating the Giants' Graveyard...
When arriving on the site, we notice it hasn't been touched for a few weeks (confirming Foreman version, and they started the expedition before we arrived in Saltspocket).
The entrance is a big hole in the ground, being ~6ft deep, before leading to a tunnel.
The party enters the graveyard.
From what we notice, the corridor is pretty narrow for the Giants, but as we're smaller than them, we easily navigate through the way. We reach a spiral tunnel, leading to a spiral stair case, until we reach the first underground floor.
Floor 1...
We notice a low doorway on the right. We notice the aforementioned antichamber from Foreman's crew, where they started and stopped the expedition. We notice that the walls are covered in runes.
[History check - Pass ✔] Nesvalyn notices that the runes are carved (however they cannot be read properly, and other runes are painted, which seems to be newer). The recent runes appears to be old word warnings and curses, but the surprise being the content, they're not cursing trespassers, but cursing the buried ones.
[Passive perception] Upon checking, the lantern seems to reflect something shiny. We just found a big sheet of bronze (4x3ft) and it reflects and shine up the room.
[Arcane check - Pass ✔] Persy notices that it's not bronze, it's polished goldstone.
[Detect magic] This item is magic. (Illusion)
[Identify] It seems to be a junction of multiple magic sources, the conclusion being that it reflects more light than it receives (it helps illuminating a room with a small light source).
Along that, we decide to go further into this place.
Floor 2...
[Subterranean] We're around ~25ft underground.
Upon reaching the floor, we don't notice any runes on the doorway nor the hallway. Upon observing, we notice a big room (which is ~130ft in diameter), with bundles of leathers and furs. We suppose it's giants' "mummies" (or corpses).
We light up the room with the sheet of Goldstone, using the lantern and Persy's Driftglobe.
We count 20 bodies in this room, along some runes.
[History check - Pass✔] These runes are stoned carved runes, showing they've been there for centuries. They are denoting "The royal family of the Ice monkey tribe". Along that, we know that the giants have a culture related to spiritual animals.
[Perception check - Pass ✔] The room is colder here, and it got colder, as Willum makes the remark, the party it became cold enough to perceive their breath.
The party heads towards the exit from that. However, a massive spectral giant is standing in-between. It let go a spectral dark billow.
[Wisdom save] Everybody repressed their fear.
After being dealt by the party instantly when it appeared, it looks like the ghost sucked on itself upon dying.
[Investigation check] Persy is looking at the corpses, and they seem to have been there for a while.
[Investigation check] Persy starts to unwrap a corpse.
Another ghost gets out and shrieks (Only Nesvalyn fails his WIS save and gets frightened).
After dealing with the ghost, Persy is asked to avoid touching stuff from now on, and the party quickly banters about ghosts, and eventually knowing friendly ghosts.
Once the party gathered they thoughts, they dwell further into the graveyard.
Floor 3...
[Subterranean] We're heading down further over ~20ft. (currently ~45ft underground).
We notice no runes on the wall nor in the hallway again.
We see a much smaller chamber (for giants size) at the end of the corridor, with two statues of giants, with various pots, urns...
The party starts their way in.
[Perception check - Pass ✔] Nesvalyn found a trap before stepping on it.
[Investigation check - Fail ❌] Nesvalyn didn't found the origin of the trap.
[Disarm trap - Disarmed 🔓] The trap got disarmed safely.
Note to self: Nesvalyn, please don't forget about traps. You got lucky, thanks the Great Mother.
We resumed our way and reached that room.
[History + Investigation check] It seems to be a tribute chamber.
[Detect magic] 3 magical auras are in the chamber:
The magic items are distributed among the party, and tested the Crook of Conversation.
After this experiment, we're heading further down.
Floor 4...
[Subterranean] We're around ~100ft underground currently.
The staircase ends suddenly into a pool of water.
Persy goes check into the water, and the corridor is filled with water, showing no sign of light (aside ours). The staircase ends here (we reached the final floor).
If we want to go through the doorway, we'll have to clear the debris.
They are real (as they got touched by Persy).
Persy and Willum clears out the debris and opens the way.
Willum goes to check the other side, and finds an unflooded room (but filled with darkness), while Persy goes back and warns the team.
The whole party dives to that room. We find an empty chamber with three burned giants corpses.
[Divine sense] Undeads are around us.
[Perception check] Nesvalyn hears a soft sound of a woman singing.
As he warns the group, the singing intensifies and it is joined by two other women.
We see three beautiful spectral giant women: One is carrying a double-edged axe, another one has a sling, and the last one has a staff.
Once we try to break down formation, they change as skeletons in battle armor.
When we slayed the last ghost, the axe fell to the ground, and is still the size for a large creature. We investigate the other pile of ashes, where we found a silver diadem in the pile of the Sling one, and a pendant in the pile of the Staff one (which reveals a totem in a necklace).
Next session: 07 - The Frog, the Witch and the Bal