Necroshards, necroshards, evidence, and Elven tombs - 4th

Destroying the necroshard

Xune took a look around the former temple of Erathis and informed the others that they could destroy the necroshard here and now. A lot of work had to be done to reconsecrate the temple but eventually the Brigade was successful in destroying the necroshard once and for all in a flash of blue light. From here on, the Brigade would be look upon favorably by followers of Erathis.

The group returned to Rock Hammer, and gave the necromantic skull to Ce’Nedra. She was quite pleased with their efforts and was said to have some more work for them shortly.

The group also returned the money to Farian, he also was quite pleased to see them. From the looks of it, Farian seemed to be roughed up a bit, sporting a black eye. He thanked them again and scurried off to pay his debts.


A week off, a week of decisions

The Brigade reconvened at Nok & Nak’s and from Baern’s friend Keira, learned that the Arcane Academy looks to be moving in on the meteorite. Keira reported that the Academy leaders had been grilling Lucky Laxinilly about the cave and residuum as well as the hunter Jerek who first clued in Lucky about the drakes. Keria warned that the Academy would be moving in first thing in the morning to retrieve the meteorite.

The Brigade sprung into action returning to the cave and dealing with a large number of giant ants, slightly affected by the meteorite. It took Keira, along with several chanter helpers, almost two hours to safely remove it and stow it in the bag of holding.

Later it was learned that the Arcane Academy was furious about what happened.

The group considered going directly to Silverymoon to find the seller, but Keira talked them out of that for now, telling them to do it later.


Invitation to an Elven Tomb

While celebrating at the Stone’s Throw tavern the group happened across a sad and dour adventurer. A few beers later, the group learned that Halaskar was a part of an adventuring group called “The Fellowship of the Shining Spear” and that they had down work for a sage named Yatagan, and were in the High Forest looking for treasure. While they were there, they were attacked by a large quantity of orcs, killing the rest of the party save for Halaskar who managed to escape.

Halaskar asked the party to venture into the High Forest and retrieve the bodies of his fallen comrades so that he might be able to give them a proper burial. To help them, Halaskar gave the Brigade the map that Yatagan gave him.


Another necroshard?!?

The following day the Brigade checked back in with Ce’Nedra and she did indeed have more work for them. The next step in her project needed a necroshard. Xune’s jaw dropped as is was explained to her that they had just destroyed one. Ce’Nedra told them to come back in the evening while she researched for another one. When they did, she pointed them to the tomb of Darom Madar as a possible location of a necroshard, but warned them of a potential terrible battle they might have there.


An Investigation

Shagold of the League of Fighters had work for the group. Officer Greywind had contacted him with a strange request. A halfling named Jamven Gladenstone is accused of illegal activities here in Rock Hammer that include extortion and possible kidnapping and possible murder. The City Watch is not equipped to conduct such activities. The Brigade is to break into his house, find any evidence, and arrest the halfling and bring him back to the League of Fighters to be later turned over to Greywind. It was asked that this operation be conducted covertly as it is feared that Jamven might have contacts within the City Watch.

Xune asked if it were possible to get some positive things said about The Brigade to counter some of the negative things said about them regarding the alleged cheating the race. Shagold agreed to get the good word out.

The Brigade thought it wise to do this in the middle of the night, and then take off the following morning to the High Forest.

The house was easy to find as was the evidence inside. Dokanor watched the front door and while the rest of the heroes came out with the documents indicating Jamven had been behind all of these horrible acts, Dokanor had already knocked him out. He was thrown into a burlap sack and snuck back to the League of Fighters and turned over to Shagold. On the way, the Brigade made it sound like the group 500 Fights had captured him.


Tomb of Darom Madar

Without the directions from Ce’Nedra, they would have walked right past this tomb. The doors lead to stairs descending into the earth and it opened into a large tomb with a single sarcophagus and four statues in the four corners. Sure enough, a lesser Oath Wight appeared and battled with the heroes, bloodying each one of them before dying a second and final time, dominating several of the heroes along the way. Inside the Brigade found the necroshard along with several other magical items.

Xune took a look around and felt that this Darom Madar wasn’t evil when he died, but instead something happened (perhaps the necroshard) while he was dead that brought his spirit back as an undead.


The Eaerlann Tomb

Following the directions from the map, the Brigade discovered the entrance to the tomb as a lone orc filled up a dozen waterskins before heading down. The brigade followed and attacked the orcs that lay in wait.

After the fight, the heroes found the bodies of the other members of the Shining Spear and one of them, the dwarf rogue Joyin Bladebite, was still alive. Once they revived him, he was able to describe what happened. The orcs overran them, kills and tortured the others of the party and were about to do the same to him.

Joyin had overheard that the orcs had sent for a larger warband to aid them in pillaging the tomb, and they should arrive tomorrow. He said he thought the Brigade should do everything they can to stop the orcs from getting the treasure.

With a sigh, the Brigade trudged on. Baern easily recognized the function of the locked double doors and quickly tapped in a sequence of a star constellation to open the door to the rest of the tomb.

The next room of the tomb was designed to look like a forest, and in here were several oak brutes, an elm skirmisher, and an archer trap. Things got a little hectic, but the Brigade pushed on and made it through this room.

The next room was a false tomb. The Mirror of the Past was used and they party learned that manipulating the candlesticks in here activated a secret door that lead to the real tomb of Tarnruth.

Here they interacted with the spirit of Tarnruth and they shared her hatred for orcs and demons. She felt that they were worthy and she bestowed upon them her treasures. Baern, who was exceptional in the skill challenge, also gained the title Blessed of Earlann – Tarnruth imparts a small part of her essence with him. When Baern is in areas of dim light his eyes glow a vibrant blue. Also, elves instinctively note a timeless quality about him and are more predisposed to view him as a friend. And while in the High Forest, Baern may spontaneously experience flashbacks of Tarnruth’s life.


Back in Rock Hammer, many things happening

Xune took some time to explain to the rest of the Brigade how the Temple of Selune is working on a system of standards that repel undead over a large area (city wide) and that is why they needed the necrotic stuff.

Next, the group worked on the ongoing skill challenge of discovering more about the Church of Bane. This week they worked on learning more about the evil religion and talked to several people around town including Lurious Aela (a sage at the Lost Acolyte), Lisilsada (owner of Luruar Cartography), Troy Percival (Temple of Torm), and several members of the Arcane Academy including Erade Ashangor (wizard instructor) and Allen a’Dales (bard instructor).

The Brigade was successful and learned more about the Banites, and they have a bonus to discover followers of Bane that are hidden amongst the populace of Rock Hammer.

The group next ran into Terious of the Rock Hammer Reclamation. While he had no evidence on where he might be, the gave them a heads up and a description for a man named Lurash who is wanted for murder in Silverymoon.

Last the group went to talk to Lucky Laxinilly. Lucky was a bit irate with the Brigade over all the stuff with the Arcane Academy. The heroes finally told him about the meteorite and Lucky asked them if he could have his people look at it (to appraise its value) and for him to find perhaps a more suitable buyer. The Brigade agreed to this as well as a 20% cut for his services.

While they were here, Lucky had another job for them. Recently the Republic of Rock Hammer had commissioned the reconstruction an abandoned tower several miles from here, to act as a lookout. Officer Greywind and several of his men escorted a team of masons to the site. Recently one of the dwarfs, Sorik Orvash, returned and said that the they were overrun by a group of brigands. Some of them were humans clad in leather armor, their faces painted to resemble yellow skulls. The rest were clearly skeletons.

Sorik has offered to escort the Brigade to the tower.