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Research Results
During the much of the month of Nightsun the party conducted research, trained, and prepared for their next travel south in search of the Tomb.
Here are the results of their research during that time.
Azraphael
During your time patrolling the countryside you discovered that the rumors that undead were coming from the north are indeed unfounded and untrue. While there is the Mirl swamp not far to the north, aside from some suspicious cultist activities rumored to exist up there, you have encountered very little undead in the area. To the south seems to be a different matter. Travelers from that direction report occasionally encountering feeble undead (zombies, skeletons, the rare ghoul) but there are darker tales of some powerful undead being that has visited several refugee camps further to the south, leaving no survivors nor bodies, and unfortunately, no witnesses.
Your character has also learned the following from the locals while traveling in the company of Tomas:
- The wight attack you fought in Batrimuir was the first appearance of undead within that city.
- Once, several decades ago there were numerous groups of adventurers who traveled south in search of an elusive tomb of vast riches. Only one of the groups that returned did so with riches. The leader of this group was one named Rornan Thurrock, a dwarven warrior.
- Some groups of adventurers headed north into the Mirl Swamps in search of a hidden tomb of an ancient sorcerer king. A tomb said to hold vast wealth and magic so ancient and powerful as to dwarf all modern research into the field.
- Rornan Thurrock disappeared after leaving again for the hidden tomb in the swamps far to the south. He left on his own after several years during which his behavior was described as erratic, reclusive, and obsessive. The only remaining companion of Rornan is a human warrior, now retired, that lives in the outskirts of Dalowere, a small town to the two days east of Batrimuir.
- Increased sightings of an unusually chill and thick fog have been reported on the southern side of the lake. Some travelers report seeing this same fog, but further to the south – even in places where such a thick fog should have been impossible.
- Very few natives of this land have heard of the name Lathidus, though some of the elderly describe a god of similar virtue named Praeliton.
- Many people believe that the gypsy like Hicame people are to blame for the recent troubles. It is also said that there was once an ancient sorcerer king who ruled the Hicame Empire until it fell into disfavor with the gods and was destroyed. These lands and some of their ruins still are visitable in the Plateau Lands to the west. Some people suspect a cult of these gypsies to be re-summoning the long dead sorcerer to bring about a new age for their people.
Sevnal
Finding a tutor for Ancient Arnor (1000 years past) was a difficult task but you were able to find a Hicame sage, named Selzount, that
possessed some ancient texts of unknown origin (cook-books, children’s tales, a book written on the art of fishing, a historical manuscript
detailing the purchases of a Hicame ruler over the course of 20 years.) Combined with Selzount’s rudimentry understanding of the ancient
tongue you spent a month in study with him and gained skill enough in the language that your own understand surpassed his by the end of
two weeks. You are not able to successfully decipher from ancient Arnor and cook Rock Scorpion a la Galerse (Galerse is a rare herb). Basil
makes a decent substitute for Galerse you have discovered.
While you spent your time with Selzount you brought with you copies of several books in modern Midden, which
you procured for the outrageous price of 400gp from a local merchant (unless you charmed or otherwise beguiled him to sell for less).
Unimpressed with your charismatic advances the merchant would not sell for less. The books you bought were as follows: The Missionary
Presence of Praeliton Within the Domicile of the Unfortunate (a study of missionary work among the poor), Tension and Relaxation
Techniques for the Modern Meditator (mostly non-useful to you as you are already a master of concentration), Political Systems of
the Kingdom of Tyel (a historical look at this neighboring kingdoms rulership and its system of vassals), and Supernatural or
Extra-Natural, an Exploration into Myth (a largely inaccurate account of purported ancient legends of which your character obviously had
better first hand knowledge of).
Your remaining week was spent searching out and finding a Tenerthor nomad who, in trade for your teaching
him the basics of Illyaunaya, was willing to teach you to speak Tenerthor. Unfortunately you didn’t have time to finish perfecting the language
but you figure you learned enough to passably speak it and improve on your own. Unfortunately, written Tenerthor texts are incredibly rare
and no one you found was able to teach you to read or write this language. This was not too distressing considering none of the Tenerthor you
met could read or write their language, leading you to the conclusion that not being able to read Tenerthor was not a required for the
impersonation of one…. Err…. What were you thinking, you’ve always been a Tenerthor….
You have gained the following skills: Fishing: 8%, Ancient Arnor: (Verbal/Read and Write, era of 11,500): %84,
Cooking: 9%, Religion Praeliton: 4%, Meditation: 6%, Concentration: +1%, Heraldry of Tyel: 40%, Tenerthor: (Verbal) 28%.
Tomas
Most of your time was spent talking to people in bars and to the occasional authorities that would give you a moment of their time. A few
drunken warriors you met were able to tell you that they had once traveled south, like many others, in search of a vast tomb that was said to
contain several king’s ransoms. Among several items said to exist in this tomb are:
- A powerful staff said to give power over weather and to have vast electrical attacks and protections for it’s bearer.
- The “Throne of the Gods” upon which any who sit may be granted their most desired dreams. The thone is said to be made of gems and
mithral, and to stand over 20 feet in height.
- The Sword of Swords: A weapon of magical sharpness, made from the most precious of metals and a hilt fashioned from diamonds and
sapphires. While wielded this weapon cannot be defeated by any other swordsman. In fact, it is also believed that the wielder of this sword
can control any sword within sight as if he was wielding it.
From the refugees that have arrived in Batrimuir you learn that some powerful creature has been stalking the caravan route and killing
or abducting people in the night. One man claimed to see another ripped in two in mid air, the blood flowing into the air and vanishing before
it hit the ground. The refugees also have acknowledged that in the past there have been trips made by numerous groups of adventurers into
the south, where, in the swamps of the Great Basin, there is said to be a place of great wealth. It use to be that only those who couldn’t find
the tomb would return, or those who did would return shattered and beaten, but nowadays and for the last five years, no one has returned
from the swamps of the Great Basin who left in search of the Sorcerer’s Tomb.
You and Azraphael were also able to contact several other adventurers interested in investigating the undead
incursion, the rumors of plague, and the haunting tale of the legendary Acererak and his tomb – which seem surely to be all related to each
other. Your tales of glory certainly attracted the right kind of attention and several adventurers have decided to join your groups numbers.
Grunther proved quite apt at challenging the warriors who came. Among these adventurers were:
- A powerful Elfin Sorceress called Gwendolyn of unsurpassed beauty and natural grace.
- A very dangerous and skilled Haruchi warrior, named Xian, from the far west. An experienced martial artist, he seeks to challenge his skills.
His high standards of Honor make him dependable, his lawfulness is appealing to Azraphel, and though his weapons are strange, his skill is as
great as any of yours.
- A surprisingly dangerous mentalist. He is certain that he is not a spellcaster, but this man can do stuff with his mind that you wouldn’t
believe. He calls himself Yeule. You found him taste testing the brews at several of the cities bars. He wishes to come on the adventure merely
as it interests him. He seems to be quite intelligent and a very nimble and hearty man. His monastic past is not too unlike Xian’s.
- Guei – A female elfin warrior from the Northeast. Out of those troubled lands she has arrived in the Midden Kingdoms, a stranger, looking
to prove herself at her skills. She is deadly accurate with an almost certainly magical bow and wears a beautiful and rune ornamented suit of
plated chain, proof enough of her successful adventuring.
Your character has also learned the following from the locals while traveling in the company of Azraphael:
- The wight attack you fought in Batrimuir was the first appearance of undead within that city.
- Once, several decades ago there were numerous groups of adventurers who traveled south in search of an elusive tomb of vast riches.
Only one of the groups that returned did so with riches. The leader of this group was one named Rornan Thurrock, a dwarven warrior.
- Some groups of adventurers headed north into the Mirl Swamps in search of a hidden tomb of an ancient sorcerer king. A tomb said to
hold vast wealth and magic so ancient and powerful as to dwarf all modern research into the field.
- Rornan Thurrock disappeared after leaving again for the hidden tomb in the swamps far to the south. He left on his own after several
years during which his behavior was described as erratic, reclusive, and obsessive. The only remaining companion of Rornan is a human
warrior, now retired, that lives in the outskirts of Dalowere, a small town to the two days east of Batrimuir.
- Increased sightings of an unusually chill and thick fog have been reported on the southern side of the lake. Some travelers report
seeing this same fog, but further to the south – even in places where such a thick fog should have been impossible.
- Very few natives of this land have heard of the name Lathidus, though some of the elderly describe a god of similar virtue named
Praeliton.
- Many people believe that the gypsy like Hicame people are to blame for the recent troubles. It is also said that there was once an
ancient sorcerer king who ruled the Hicame Empire until it fell into disfavor with the gods and was destroyed. These lands and some of
their ruins still are visitable in the Plateau Lands to the west. Some people suspect a cult of these gypsies to be re-summoning the
long dead sorcerer to bring about a new age for their people.
You have also heard several reports that King Talodar has offered a bounty of one-thousand crowns to the party which forever removes
the spreading blight of undead and disappearances. That’s 25,000 gold pieces!
You've gained the following skills: Batrimuir City Familiarity: %17
Ratanna
You learned many things about the creature which killed Drake. This evil creature was not an undead imprisoner, but a terrible
undead being which sends forth its spirit, which you saw, from its layer and leaves it's physical undead body behind. The creature
is thought to result from a powerful evil psionic being whose spirit was drained quickly away. Only by slaying the physical body of
the creature can such a beast be utterly destroyed. Ratanna now possesses knowledge of how to destroy such a creature which requires
three beings of good alignment to chant a holy prayer to any god of good while disinterring the creatures physical remains. A stake
of silver is then used to secure prevent the creature's spirit from escaping (at which point if it's body was destroyed it would
become a spectre). The fresh blood of an innocent and a vial of holy water must then be poured into the skull of the creatures
remains to destroy the creatures spiritual body as well. The chanting must not cease during this process. A circle of protection
must be made about the remains of the creature before the process is begun to prevent it's spirit from escaping before the silver
stake can be driven home.
You also learn that this creature is unable to approach or harm an individual protected by a Circle of
Protection that was created by a priest of good. This circle is drawn with quicksilver (liquid mercury) and has a triangle within it
(same substance) at each of the triangles corners should be a lit candle which was made from beeswax and saffron.
The creature can be held at bay by a powerful priest who presents their holy symbol and it cannot cross
any portal which has been verbally blessed by a priest of good before the setting of the sun.
You also learned some things about Desatysso. He was not known to be evil. Desatysso occasionally entered into Batrimuir to
procure reagents or speak with adventurers who resided there. He was known to have mentally dominated the giants in the mountain
region, thus serving two purposes. It prevented the giants from attacking and raiding caravans passing between Maertrimor and
Batrimuir, and, it provided Desatysso with servants to guard his domicile.
Stories of Desatysso reveal that he possessed a magical font which would produce a refreshing
rejuvenation and heal those who imbibed from it. Desatysso was a recluse, said to have once taken a partner sorceress who later left
him because of his selfish habits. He was a master of elemental magic and was said to be quite knowledgeable of the various Elemental
Planes of Existence (Earth, Fire, Water, etc).
Finally, you learned more about the Cult of Tenebrous. Literally meaning "Darkness," the cult of Tenebrous
is a following of priests who worship Shistar. They are said to be avid scholars of the undead and the art of necromancy. In fact,
by some of your sources, you are beginning to think that the leadership of this cult of darkness are actually people who voluntarily
became undead. Apparently though, the organization of this cult is very disperse and so you have been unable to find a place of
worship or contact one of it's members despite the amount of time that you have spent at the task. Various sources have speculated
that this cult may be related with the strange shadowy mists recently, and increasing frequency, have been rising from the ground in
the lands to the south. There are also hints that a cult similar to the Tenebrous, avid necromancers, have recently begun a quiet
recruitment to increase their numbers.
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