Lucian and Finn make their way back up the stairs to join their companions with Garrick, eager to take a more active role all of a sudden, hot on their heals. Seeking out Nyh Ilmichh's room, the party knock politely and the door creaks open, satisfying the atmospheric requirements of the castle. The face of Nyh emerges, followed by the rest of her, "Yes?". The party begin to question Nyh at great length, watching for any signs of deceit that may escape her lips. She tells them that she fully supports the alliance and that she wants nothing more than to see the end of Dragon Cult . Finn asks about the wound suffered by Rho Halthar and whether she knows of anyone who may have such a blade that inflicted it. Alas her response is unhelpful so the attention of our party's questioning turns to Cressa. Hoping to gain more of an insight into the poor slave girl. Although the information given is sparse, it is sufficient to exclude her from the long list of suspects. With as many questions as the party can think of answered they turn their attention to some of the other inhabitants of Nethwatch Keep and head off in search of Talivar Slane, Axandar Melitus and hopefully, some answers.
With a sense of renewed purpose the party stride down the stairs and manage to find their way to the room where they've been told they will find the Red Wizards. They enter the room and find Talivar and Axander along with their fellow red Wizards Mondren Faelix and Emantir Lysann the looks on their faces are anything but welcoming. Farraine, with his usual subtlety and tact walks straight up to Talivar and surprisingly asks to speak with him in private. The Red Wizard turns and strolls into his laboratory with Farraine following a short distance behind. With the door shut behind them, Farraine wastes no time in getting to the point and flat out asks the Wizard who he thinks may have committed these heinous crimes. The Wizard is just as abrupt in his reply, stating that all was well until Farraine and his companions arrived at the castle. Ignoring this inconvenient truth Farraine continues with the interrogation and discovers that the Wizard had observed Nyh outside of the High Wizard looking for something whilst he hid silently in the shadows, unseen.
Sigrid, in her wonderfully obtuse way decides that now is a good time to walk over to some of the flora, dotted throughout the room, housed in various plant pots. She bends down and whispers to the foliage, which surprisingly, whispers back. After a short while she returns to the rest of the group and tells them that, according to her helpful herbaceous pals, Nyh has definitely been here contrary to her recollection of recent events. Finn pauses a moment whilst his logic circuits spark to life in his brain.
"Wait, let's take a moment and consider what we know. We have a first person and first foliage sighting of Nyh loitering around the laboratory where a poison was taken and subsequently used in the murder of Khandur. We saw no trace of deceit from Nyh when she explained that she was in her room at that very same moment. She truly believed that what she was saying was indeed the truth, yet these two truths are in conflict with each other. Something isn't right here"
"The short one has a point," says Mondren, a hint of surprise etches his face, "There may be some magic at play here. If Nyh were here I would be able to perform a spell and see if her memories may have been altered in some way"
Finn and Farraine take one look at each other, turn and head out of the room to get Nyh. Knocking on her door once more, the pair explain the situation and ask for her to come with them so that the truth may finally be uncovered. Nyh is convinced by the pair and follows them back down the stairs to the waiting Wizards and the rest of the party. All eyes are fixed on Mondren and Nyh as he explains what it is he is about to do. Nyh looks nervous but shares the party's desire to resolve this mystery once and for all. Mondren moves closer to her and begins to mutter words of power, his hands making complex movements through the air. After a few moments his eyes widen in shock. "No, surely not.....it appears the Halfling's suspicions were indeed correct, your memories have been altered, but I sense you have been subjected to more than one spell, there is definitely the remnants of a modify memory spell here but there is something else....yes...Nystul's Magic Aura...interesting."
It seems that Nyh was responsible for the death of Khandur after all and she is not alone in this plot, someone, somewhere is pulling the strings. Nyh is overcome with shock, how can this be true, how can she trust her own thoughts and memories, how long has this been going on? With this important development our band of amateur sleuths decide that Thoss Tarek should be advised as soon as possible. Cressa, who up to now has done nothing worthy of narrative note, rushes out of the room in search of Nyh's Master. Nyh is still stunned and stands silently, tears begin to make their way down her pale cheeks. The rest of the inhabitants of the room wait quietly until the sound of hurried footsteps get gradually louder and louder. Thoss strides into the room and marches up to the party. Finn starts to explain all that they have learned, the role Nyh has played in events and that there is still a mystery mastermind to be unmasked. Thoss is furious with Nyh and immediately grabs her by the arm.
"Good work you lot, I suggest you head up to the Great Hall, The Zulkir, Umar Thoon wishes to speak to you, I will take this one to the dungeons for interrogation. I will get to the bottom of this."
As Nyh is escorted out of the room, our heroes head up to the Great Hall to meet the powerful Lich. The party enter the grand, spacious hall, Umar Thoon is not alone. A number of Red Wizards stand scattered to the rear of the room, beside the Lich stands an enormous, skeletal monstrosity and a more than significant number of Wights. Finn leans toward Lucian and whispers "Code brown". Umar Thoon looks on the party with suspicion and demands an explanation into recent events. As the party explain what they have managed to uncover there is a flurry of movement from the rear of the room and Nyh emerges from a hidden doorway, she is flanked by 2 Red Wizards, her eyes are glazed over, in her hands she is carrying something that causes the lesser undead near her to recoil, the Pyx. With her other hand she reaches into her robe and pulls out a dagger.
"It was them all along" she says, "I found this dagger and the Pyx in the Halfling's room."
"I knew it!" exclaims Zoran Gul rising from his seat in anger.
"Silence!" bellows Umar Thoon "bring the weapon to me"
As the party attempt to protest their innocence, Thoss Tarek appears from a doorway hidden behind a large tapestry, "Nyh is correct, she showed me."
With the Zulkir distracted and as she gets ever closer to him, Nyh raises the Pyx above her head and screams "Long live the resurrection! Rath Modar sends his regards"
It is at this point that things get a little chaotic. Sigrid is first to react and attempts to charm the Red Wizard and suggests she hand over the Pyx. With all the effort she can muster she manages to defy the powerful spell, recoiling in pain as she manages to resist it's power. She continues charging towards the Lich. Finn snaps into action, takes out his crossbow and squints down the sights, a squeeze of the trigger sends a bolt whizzing through the air towards the advancing Wizard. The bolt pierces her neck, blood spurts from the wound, dropping the Pyx her hand reaches up to her bloodied neck, her eyes, no longer glazed over, are instead filled with pain, sorrow and the realisation of impending death. She falls to the floor in an ever-increasing pool of red. There is an audible sigh of relief from the party. Seeing his apprentices lifeless body on the floor of the Great Hall, Thoss turns and flees through the doorway as Lucian bends down and picks up the Pyx. As he holds the object in his hand, Lucian can sense the trapped souls imprisoned within, begging to be released.
"Give it to me" demands the Lich
Lucian hesitates.
Finn shouts across to Lucian, "Thoss is trying to escape if you return the Pyx to the sanctuary the protections of this keep will return"
Lucian moves over to Sigrid and grabs her arm, uttering words of power they both disappear from sight. With editorial expertise Lucian and Sigrid reappear in the Pyx Sanctuary and rush over to where it was once housed and place it carefully back where it belongs.
Back in the Great Hall, Garrick, Farraine and Finn are in hot pursuit of the fleeing Thoss. Bounding down tight corridors they find themselves in a room and they are not alone. A number of undead notice their presence and begin to advance on the trio. Garrick is quick on the draw and casts a powerful spell. Before the undead take one more step they are reduced to smouldering piles of dust. Thoss is nowhere to be seen. They begin to frantically search the room for hidden exits or passageways out. Garrick uses his magical knowledge once more and seeks out the location of the robes of the Grand Inquisitor he closes his eyes in intense concentration. They snap open "He's outside, quick we have to stop him from reaching the teleportation circle"
Back in the Pyx Sanctuary Lucian discovers that now the Pyx has been returned the locks on the doors to the sanctuary have also clicked into place. Fortunately he is a wizard and he grabs a hold of Sigrid once more and the pair of them disappear in a puff of dramatic smoke. Cut to the Great Hall and a rather out of breath trio of Garrick, Farraine and Finn emerge from behind the tapestry as Lucian and Sigrid reappear in the centre of the room. The party gather together and come up with a plan to thwart Thoss's escape. Lucian places a hand on Farraine's shoulder and casts a dimension door once more and the pair disappear from sight. He's getting rather good at that. Sigrid transforms into a giant eagle, beats her massive wings and grasps Garrick and Finn in her talons and swoops off towards the front gate.
Farraine and Lucian pop back into existence a short way behind a fleeing Thoss, who notices their arrival and tries to cast a spell at the pair of them. Fortunately Lucian is able to successfully counter it as Farraine begins to give chase. He reaches over his shoulder and retrieves one of his hand axes which he hurls at the retreating rebel but if flies harmlessly over his head. Lucian picks up his robes and joins the chase casting forks of lightning in the direction of their enemy. The Front doors of the keep burst open and the Eagle Sigrid burst into the courtyard, Finn and Garrick still dangling beneath her feathered body. Thoss turns and faces the approaching Farraine and Lucian and hurls a ball of fire in their direction which they barely manage to dodge out of the way of. Farraine laughs at Thoss's attempts as he brushes some smouldering leather off his shoulders and sprints after the Inquisitor. Lucian adjusts his robes and utters words of power, his hands balled into fists at his side. A spectral hand appears and attempts to grab Thoss as he runs past but the Inquisitor is able to dodge out of the way at the last moment. Looking back over his shoulder he commands Farraine to lie down. Farraine, against his will ceases his pursuit and calmly lies down a look of bewilderment at his own body on his face. Sigrid the eagle soars over the inner wall of the keep, hoping to head Thoss off at the pass as it were. Garrick leaps from her clutches and summons his spiritual weapon as he glides through the air. Hanging from Sigrids talons Finn manages to get a shot off at the fleeing Thoss, the bolt streaks through the air and pierces the enemy in the shoulder. He looses concentration and Farraine quickly gets back to his feet and resumes the chase. Once more Lucian moves the giant spectral hand and swipes at Thoss, the fingers close in around the Inquisitor and this time he is unable to escape. Our heroes close in on their quarry. Farraine takes out his sword, a bloodlust in his eyes. What happens next is not for those with a weak constitution. There is a blur of steel as Farraine's blade whirls through the air, each swiping arc outlined in blood. Bits of Inquisitor are launched into the air and land on the courtyard cobbles with a wet slap. Blow after blow connects, the Inquisitor howls in pain and then there is silence. Farraine, panting for breath, leans on his sword as he stands over a bloody pile of flesh and scraps of fabric. Lucian moves the large spectral hand and gives Farraine a high five, well sort of, it slaps his entire body.
Red wizards begin pouring our of the keep and join our celebrating heroes. "Try interrogating that!" says Finn, pointing at the pile of remains on the ground. One of the Wizards nods at another who jogs away and returns a few moments later with a shovel and a bucket.
"You are commanded to return to the Great Hall" announces one of the wizards.
The Party head back into the Keep and make their way to the Great Hall where Umar Thoon and Zoran Gul are waiting patiently for them. They are pleased with the efforts of the group in discovering not only the real culprit of this mystery but also foiling the plot to kill Thoon himself. Given the heroic deeds displayed Zoran agrees to the accord with the Lord's Alliance and they once more thank the party for their assistance. Mondren Faelix escorts them to their rooms where they gather their belongings and then outside to the teleportation circle outside of the walls of the Keep. As our five heroes step into the circle, with one final wave they disappear from sight.
In the bar of Trollskull Manor there is a familiar pop from beneath the floorboards Ozen smiles and puts down the tankard he was cleaning and heads down to the basement. There he meets the party and begins to collect and store their equipment. "Interesting quest I see sirs" he says, noting the blood-soaked armour of Farraine. Heading back up the steps he returns to the bar and pours out 4 tankards of ale with a smile and a tankard of water with a slight grimmace. The group enter the bar and take their seats at their favourite table. Ozen walks over with their drinks and sets them down in front of them. He bends down and over the Wizard and tells Lucian that Sister Garaele seeks an update as soon as possible. Lucian takes a long draught from his tankard and wipes the froth from his top lip. Standing up he heads out of the tavern and makes his way over to speak with her.
When the two meet up Garaele asks how things went at Nethwatch Keep. Lucian begins to explain everything that transpired, her face turns pale when he first tells of the murders and how they had nearly been framed for it all. He reassures her though that everything was resolved in the end and that the Alliance is intact. She sighs with relief and matters turn to the next pressing matter. It is finally time to lay Beef to rest, preparations are being made for the service to be held in the Temple of Lythander. Lucian thanks her for her assistance and returns to Trollskull Manor where is friends are a number of drinks into the night already, he has some catching up to do.
The day of the Ceremony is here, our heroes, bedecked in their finest armour and robes (Farraine's having taken a number of attempts to get all of the bits of the Inquisitor out of it), arrive at the Temple of Lythander. at the far end of the expansive room with it's high vaulted ceiling supported by ornate marble columns lies the body of the brave Beef on top of the marble altar. His sword, Midnight held in his hands on his chest. In the pews on either side of the central aisle sit a number of the Council members. The party walk up the aisle and take their seats at the front. Sigrid conjures 8 white doves that flutter over and surround the altar. Garaele stands and delivers a eulogy to the fallen hero after which she sets a silver pin, a symbol of the Harpers on Beef's chest. As she takes her seat Farraine stands and walks to the front, turning to face the gathered mourners. The usually linguistically deficient fighter delivers a truly moving speech as he describes the adventures he shared with the Bard and the deeds of the deceased, after which there is hardly a dry eye in the house. Offering up a silent prayer in conclusion Farraine slowly makes his way back to his seat. Finn is next to offer his own words of thanks to the Bard, his comment about how he always looked up to Beef produces a wry smiles on the faces of those gathered. When the ceremony reaches its end the white doves take flight and soar through the open doors of the temple. Garaele walks over to the party to offer her condolences and hands them a large portrait of Beef that will take pride of place in Trollskull Manor. And so ends the tale of Thalias, 'Beef' Stormthar
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