The Lazarus Expedition: Episode 09

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==Synopsis==
The party decide not to attack Cork to backtrack towards Scalesvale to get to Rithraheim. On the road the party end up in a fight with Cashius Silverbars and 10 of his minions. In the battle Vasher and Roy are slain, while Styrmir is knocked unconscious, but Cassian manages to kill Cashius.
Cassian and Styrmir (with their minion Mitts) return to Scalesvale and take control of Cashius's property. The exchange much of this to Lady Farseer in exchange for aid since they do not wish to remain here in town.
==Recap==
===Doubts Outside Cork===
The party are outside the trading post of Cork making their plans to infiltrate and take out the Ogre-Magi Leader. The working plan was to repel into the town with rope, but once they realise if they do that plan it will leave Vasher horseless, there is pushback to the plan. Vasher suggests just fighting their way into the trading post, which has the support of no one in the party. Vasher has doubts about his leadership if no one trusts his plan.
Vasher relents and decides the party should take the peaceful route and try to befriend the dwarfs of Rithraheim to gain passage though their tunnels, instead of attacking Cork to get funds and gear to take a ship. Mitts warns the party if they go back the road they came from they will encounters reinforcements from Cashius Silverbars who has been warned by the caravan that ran into the party. The party disregard this as a threat and start traveling back up the canyon path back to Scalesvale.
===Surprise Encounter===
The party round a corner in the canyon and run into Cashius Silverbars and his 10 minions. Cashius Silverbars demands the party surrender. The party don't back down so combat begins. Cassian mocks the former gladiator Cashius for his slow movement speed as a dwarf, saying they aren't in an arena.
After the two side exchange blows, Cassian get the first kill on a minion. Vasher on his horse, Scamp, becomes the focus of several of the minions. Styrmir shatters 3 minions to death at the rear of the fight.
Cashius joins the fight against Vasher, and knocks him off Scamp and cuts the prone Paladin's head off.
In the afterlife, Vasher finds himself waking up on a tropical beach at night. He sees a nearby hut and enters it. Inside is a bar with patrons inside. Vasher takes a seat and the bartender tells Vasher he is in Haven, a safe place.
Back in the land of the living Roy fires magic missile at Cashius. Scamp the horse is enraged and attacks Cashius. Cassian kills another minion. One minion loses moral and flees. Mitts also flees from the battle. Cashius focus his swings against Styrmir. Cassian is reduced to 1 hp.
Back in Haven, Vasher says he has unfinished business and wants to return to life. The bartender tries to console Vasher, but says that everyone only gets one life. The bartender shows Vasher the open barrel of water that has a view on the ongoing battle in the world. Vasher tries to reach into the image, but just disturbs the water. Vasher then notices at the bar one of the people there is one of the dead bandits that Cassian had killed. Vasher attacks the bandit but it has no effect. The bartender says they aren't a god, they don't have the power to bring anyone back.
Back in the living world the combat continues. Cassian injured one of the minions, who loses moral and flees. Scamp gallops away from the fight. Cashius knocks out Styrmir and kills Roy. Vika breaths fire on Cashius in vengeance.
In Haven, Roy wakes up on the beach and sees the hut. He thinks he was just dreaming the combat. He wants in the hut to see Vasher destroying things around him. Vasher and Roy talk, and Vasher explains to Roy that they are dead. Roy is in denial about the truth. Vasher prays to his god, Velmontarious, to right the injustice of his death.
Back in the living world Cashius murders the unarmed Plax. 
In Haven, Roy collapses on the ground and cries. Vasher changes his pray to Velmontarious to just help his friends escape. The god Velmontarious puts a hand on Vasher's shoulder. Velmontarious comforts Vasher, saying that he knows that Vasher hasn't given up and wants to do more, but that is what made Vasher the way he was. 
Back in the living world Cassian kills the last minion on the battlefield. Only Cashius, Cassian and Vika are left on the battlefield. Cassian demands that Cashius fight him like he fought in the arena, to give him a warriors death. Cashius who had been about to flee with his invisibility potion changes his mind. First Cashius takes out Vika, then he goes after Cassian.
Cassian and Cashius clash, but ultimately Cassian slays Cashius.
===Aftermath===
With the battle over, Cassian checks on his allies. He finds Roy, Vasher and Plax dead. Styrmir is alive & stable but unconscious. Mitts has fled the combat.
Cassian drinks a healing potion. He finds Cashius's potion of invisibility, as well as a line of of 50 platinum. Cassian puts on Cashius's half-plate armor. He also takes Cashius's great axe and cuts off Cashius's head. He also gathers the personal effects from the minions.
Cassian calms down Scamp and puts the unconscious Styrmir on the horse's back.
Cassian then takes the shovel and digs graves for Roy, Vasher and Plax. Cassian then offers a pray to Velmontarious for their rest to go easy, and that he will continue the quest, and asks for any aid that the god can provide.
In Haven, Vasher sees that Cassian and Styrmir survived, which gives him the peace to accept that he had died. Vasher consoles the inconsolable Roy. Roy is asking for his father. Vasher asks about there being a library here, and the Bartender says not at this place, but there are other places. Vasher thinks they aren't ready to go on. Vasher instead takes Roy to a basin to scry on what Roy's father is doing. 
They see Lord Waystar is in the King's Court, meeting with other major families. Lord Waystar is arguing in favor of sending a second fleet to search for the missing fleet. The other lords are against this, thinking it is a waste of resources. Lord Waystar needs to know what happened to his son. There are threats from the kingdom to the north with King Arnold dead. Roy is touched by his fathers concern. He summons Vika and holds him. Vasher stays to console Roy.
===Back to Scalesvale===
Cassian finds Mitts and catches him up. The two leave with with Styrmir in the wagon being pulled by the donkey, and head up the road to Scalesvale.
Two hours in the journey Styrmir wakes up. He is told about the deaths of Roy and Vasher. Styrmir needs a moment, so the party stop. While stopped Styrmir casts some healing spells on himself. Cassian goes into some more detail about what happened. Styrmir offers a prayer to Felumbra for Roy and Vasher's souls safe passage though the afterlife.
The party then travel again, with Styrmir resting in the back of the cart. He looks at the books that Cassian obtained and they are ledgers that Cashius's had used. Cassian and Styrmir wonder if they can free all of Cashius's slaves now.
After a days travel the party arrive back at Scalesvale. Cassian is riding Scamp and Styrmir gets out of the cart to walk. On the way to the city gates, the party have drawn a lot of attention from Cashius's head & axe. The bandits outside the gate start to pack-up their camp and the gate guards are on alert with the gate shut. The guards on the wall insist to the party that Scalesvale has powerful clerics, and the party enter the town they are to be peaceful. Styrmir insists that they killed Cashius's in self-defence. The gates are opened and the party are allowed inside without paying.
The party decide to go to Julia Farseer for insight on what the can do next. At her estate the party, with Cashius's head, are allowed inside. Mitts follows behind the 2 heroes, carrying Cashius's books. The party are taken back to the room where they met Julia Farseer before, the room that looks into another room where Julia was last time. While waiting for Lady Farseer, the party toast to fallen friends.
Julia arrives on her side of the glass and speaks with the party. The party have no intention of remaining in Scalesvale and will continue their quest, while Julia can take over Cashius's local affairs. After much discussion Lady Farseer tells the party they should head to Cashius's colosseum and estate and seize what was theirs right away. Then come back to her to make a deal.
The party decide do go to the estate first. At the estate the party find that the servants are already looting the place. Cassian orders them to stop and return his things. The servants comply.
The party meet with the servants inside and start taking control of the estate, and have valubles delivered to Lady Farseer. Cassian then pays off the head of the household guard, "The Host" and have them to gather the guard to accompany the party to the colosseum.
At the colosseum they find that looting has been attempted, but a group of dwarven warriors has killed 4 looters. Styrmir uses thaumaturgy to loudly announce that "Lord" Cassian Wrynn has arrived, and all to submit. All the guards and people inside stand at attention.
The party enter the colosseum. Cassian puts on an act of showmanship, and asks for his wealth. Wealth and magic healing potions are brought up before the party. Cassian is told the potion he took from Cashius's was a potion of invisibility. The deeds to the estate and colosseum cannot be located, likely hidden someplace.
Cassian stays at the colosseum to keep things under control. Styrmir and 2 guards head back to Lady Farseer. While walking though the streets Cassian sees that he is drawing a lot of attention, even from those who are stronger than himself who are bidding their time. Styrmir arrives back at the Farseer estate and sees the delivery from Cashius's estate has taken place. Styrmir heads inside to get cleaned up and a haircut.
Cassian finds that Cashius has 15 children from many different people. 5 of them are at the estate. The eldest child, Little Jimmy, there is a 11-years-old boy. Cassian knows the speak with dead spell will give hostile answers to him, so he instead has Cashius's son ask the questions to his father (via a cleric).
: Q: Where are the ownership documents?
: A: In my heart
: Q: The location of any magic items?
: A: There are none.
: Q: What is "his heart"
: A: Where I was born.
Little Jimmy explains to the party that his father was born in Rithraheim, the dwarven city to the north. Cassian says Little Jimmy can keep the estate if they can find the documents. The party then give the rest of the questions for Little Jimmy to ask. He finds out that his mother is dead and that his father is at peace. 
==Haven==
In Haven Roy and Vasher have watched in the pool, seeing all that their friends had done. Vasher shares the secret backstory of Scamp. Scamp was Vasher's friend who was transformed into a horse by a ogre magi. His real name was Finnegan, and Vasher was trying to find a way to turn him back. Roy wonders if Scamp dies, will he come to Haven as a Horse or Human.
Roy apologises for holding everyone back. Vasher assures him that they held each-other back with their bickering. The two hug.
:As you embrace you can look out over the darkened skies with no clouds or moisture, just the stars that are out there. Across this small island, since there's water and you can kind of hear waves in the distance in other directions, the land is not quite jungly but it's it's verdant with some palm trees and some nice large bushesm and it's gently hilly with winding paths and small cobblestones that look worn by
time. You'll see a few other people wandering around the area. You'll see the bartender come through again when he says "it's slow out front". He lets you know that the two of you can stay here as long as you want um when you're ready you can move on lets you know that when you do move on you'll be able to look back on your life, look back and see the other various moments of your life. Kind of go through it and revisit it.''
==Experience==
4600 exp each (to Cassian & Styrmir)
Party level up to level 5.
Category:The Lazarus Expedition Episodes
Category:Save Or Die Episodes
Category:The Lazarus Expedition