Session 21 - Caverns and Catacombs

Half-orc fighter Phryne, half-elf druid Percival and half-air spirit Aubrey continued to explored the caverns behind the waterfalls, leaving their companions to attend to other business of their own.

After a painful failure to climb the first ledge, the three worked together to get up the cliffside into the caverns. Nestled into the cavern walls they found clues, if ancient of life within. They found an old chest with seven golden cat figurines, two daggers and a magical necklace. Phryne took the cat figurines, giving one to Aubrey, while Percival pocketed the necklace, while convincing his companions the cat figurines were magical.

On the next level the group snuck up on a group of bandits bickering over unlocking a large chest. Aubrey and Percival snuck up on them, but when Phryne followed she alerted them to her presence. She tried to intimidate the group, but the bandits, led by a buxom woman named Chesty Leroux along with her sister Flattsy and three men, attacked.

Flattsy and one of the other bandits dashed away and drew their crossbows, firing on the heroes, while Phryne and Aubrey charged into melee battle with Chesty and the others. Percival tossed off spells and Phryne quickly fumbled her way into battle, getting downed. Aubrey used his mighty monk training and downed one of the bandits before succumbing, but Percival raised his companions with his healing ability.

Eventually one of the lower bandits had fled, two of the men were downed and Chesty and Flattsy surrendered. Phryne allowed them to flee with the promise of kicking Chesty in the butt on the way out. The bandits explained that an elven manor had been robbed, and they were to move the chest out of the city to sell the paintings within. Within the chest were eight beautiful paintings depicting different portraits of beautiful semi-nude men and women of various body types and races. The paintings really were gorgeous, and seemed relatively new. At the bottom of the chest, crammed into the back corner, was a small, pretty pouch containing four tiny objects, maybe seeds or beans.

The companions cleared out the chest and decided, given their exhausted state, to return to the Palace of 1000 Pleasures to rest, collecting half-elf paladin Arindrake on the way, who had murdered one of the fleeing bandits and taken notes on the Necromancer Lord mosaic. Back at the brothel, Phryne called for a bath, then presented the wandering bard Merryweather with a cat figuring and a nude portrait of a half-orc woman. Merryweather promised to put Phryne into one of her songs.

The next day three companions returned to the Arcane Academy where they tracked down Urun, one of the Archivist Club members. They took her into an empty classroom and questioned her about the Archivist Club's interest in necromancy, and their use of the waterfall mosaic. She explained that the Archivist Club believed in the old ways, that necromancy was just as valid a topic of study as any other school of magic. They sought to find and preserve the scraps of necromantic information in the Archives. She explained that before they disappeared, Olli and Zachar were part of the Archivist Club, and that Olli had once performed a necromantic spell. Percival warned her to avoid the waterfall, for the dangers abound.

Next, the three sought out Head Archivist Eko and questioned her about the trouble with Olli. She explained he was an orphaned Highlander, and that he'd cast a necromancy spell, gaining the attention of the faculty. They'd met and decided to keep an eye on him, and help guide him away from the forbidden art.

Finally, Percival decided to approach elven Archmaster Erenae to question her about Olli. She explained that, shortly after arriving at the school from the Lowlands, the half-elven boy had cast a spell of *feigning death* on another student, accidentally. The faculty had met and decided a number of the department heads would keep an eye on him and teach him themselves, since it was powerful magic for one so young. Olli had never cast a necromancy spell since. She didn't believe he was the cause of undead attacks, for such magic was beyond a child. Erenae complimented Percival for his manners, and requested that, should his companions require anything of her, he be the one to come to her.

The heroes speculated on the connection between the Olli's Highland origin, the Necromancer Lord and the undead attacks. Could Olli be the descendent of some powerful necromancer? The Necromancer Lord? They decided to pursue their investigation further with High Priest of Xelion, Umi.

As they were cutting their way through the market district with the Grand Pentacle Temple looming before them, they came across a confrontation between a group of lower class elves and half-elves and some New Church of Apexion soldiers, who had largely replaced the town guard. The group had been caught scrawling "THICKET HAS SEEN WHAT YOU DID" in an alley. With Phryne hungry for a fight, Aubrey and Percival ducked into the crowd. She stepped forward and insulted the soldiers, who commanded her to leave them to their business. With a growing mob at the Champion of Excelsion's back, the guards hurried away.

ACTIVE QUESTS

-consult with the elves and half-elves the party saved

-Phryne is allowed to request a boon from the worshippers of Excelsion

-Figure out the source of the undead in the Port-of-Utopia Cemetary, continue the investigation of the Arcane Academy, meet with Grand Priest Umi

-Haeven has informally promised to help Master Gazek reach Elysium

-Gain an audience with the Elven Senate of Elysium to present what they know of the goblin activity (perhaps using Lady Aevara of Victor's amulet)

-Investigate the encroaching dark forces from the East for the forest spirit (party thinks that the magical and destructive properties of tealstone, these goblin factories and Ghazek from Gobelton have something to do with it)

-Escort Edlee to Elysium