Crossroads Episode 20: Hunters of the Hidden

## Synopsis

2 Highsun 1258 IC

Grigor lies dead before the party, standing over him are two figures wiping the blood from their blades. Stünislav Marekoi and Tasya Marinov.

The pair inform the party Grigor was not who he seemed and comes from Marestev, a very closed off and xenophobic part of Mütvia. They allow the party to investigate the body if they so choose but must leave the body for them to consecrate.

Beatrix inspects the body and finds a symbol of Onamar around his neck, the same seen on the soldiers in Cultrek.

Satisfied Grigor was a threat the party debate if they can trust these newcomers deciding they should team up for now and see where the road takes them, meanwhile Stünislav and Tasya prepare the body for consecration.

Tasya removes Grigor's head and asks Nep'Rixa to remove the tongue, eyes and ears from it. Nep'Rixa does so and casts Gentle Ripose on the head as an added measure. Now ready Stünislav consecrates the body burying it face down as is Mütvian custom.

Hearing strange growling sounds Wyrm spots a caustic wolf of the edge of camp, much like the ones that accompanied Keris Mawl back in the warehouse. Nep'Rixa and Wyrm take it down with ease, another appears behind them and again is swiftly delt with by Wyrm. Checking the surrounding forest, the party find no other threats and decide to get some rest for the night.

As the party settle down Beatrix, having lost her spell book in the blast, decides she must write down all the spells she can remember preparing that day before she can rest, Wyrm follows suit.

Writing on scrap paper he received from Stünislav, Wyrm spends the next two hours drawing out his new flip book. Beatrix has another idea, deciding to inscribe her spells on the brim of her hat and the inside of her clothes, the entire night passes by before she knows it. An hour after the rest of the party has woken she collapses, exhausted but her task complete. Nep'Rixa scoops up Beatrix and puts her to bed in one of the tents.

The party carry on with their own preparations while Beatrix rests throughout the day. Once evening comes and everyone now healthy and rested, the party decide it is time to investigate the door in the courtyard.

Once there Wyrm and Nep'Rixa look for traps in a bid to not repeat the blast from the previous night. They notice the glyph of a deadly trap inscribed at the top of the doorway. As Wyrm stands on Nep'Rixa's shoulders he tries to disable the trap, with the assistance of Kreel and Tasya they succeed and enter the chamber ahead.

Inside the path splits, a staircase leading down in the center with a corridor leading off to the left and right respectively on either side. To the left a dead end. The party decide to head tentatively down the stairs checking for traps as they go. As they reach the bottom Beatrix detects a form of magic as a loud sound and blinding light fills her head, after a couple of seconds things return to normal.

The party retreats to head down the right corridor instead. As they head down the narrow stone corridor they find a room with beds and footlockers, nothing of interest. They carry on and as they reach the end Wyrm notices an irregularity with one of the walls, knocking on it he inadvertently triggers the door to open. A locking mechanism commonly used by Mütvians. Inside he finds a viper arrow but nothing else of interest.

The corridor leads out to the room at the bottom of the stairs where the party had been only minutes before, to their right directly opposite the stairs a set of double doors can be seen along with another corridor in front of them. They decide to enter the through the double doors. Inside they find a small chamber with an alcove off to the left cluttered with chests.

Wyrm sweeps the chests for traps and loots them, inside he finds two daggers, a wooden shield, a composite short bow and a regular short bow. Beatrix and Nep'rixa take a dagger each. The rest of the party look around the rest of the chamber when suddenly the double doors slam shut. Fearing ghosts may be the cause Tasya spinkles salt across the doorway.

On the other side voices in Mütvian can be heard, the doors swing open to reveal a shimmering circle lying on the ground. Bolts of electricity spark off toward the corridor to the right and screams can be heard in the distance, then another.

A booming voice fills the area calling forth a harbinger to bring the sacrifices to the circle. The party realise the villiagers were not feeding the manticore after all.

A headless armored figure appears before them, a harbinger summoned from the soil of Mütvia itself.

*Synopsis written by Caffinated Viking, Proofread and edits by Svartemaya.*

## The Party

* Beatrix Qiroris - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Wizard
* Kreel - Lvl 5 Tengu Witch
* Nep'Rixa of Skor'Ritha - Lvl 5 Sadrath'il Cleric of Fayer
* Stünislav Marekoi - Lvl 5 Tiefling Redeemer
* Tasya Marinov - Lvl 5 Human Fighter
* Wyrm - Lvl 5 Goblin Rogue