Expedition: Fingers/Ghostly Trial - Part II - 23 July 2021

[Marullus]

Markd's wound continue to heal for a while longer (+8), but then cease their visible repair.

Bandy's deft eye and nimble fingers move among the displayed gravegoods and now corpse-less coffins, snatching up nine gemstones.

- a clear round-cut diamond
- a long quartz crystal
-a clear cushion-cut diamond
- a round, faceted ruby
- a clear yellow diamond the size of an acorn
- three polished onyx roundels
- a tear-drop shaped sapphire

He and Markd again survey the remainder of the room. The jewelry is simple cast rings, engraved bauhdic suns, and link chains more valuable for their gold metal than any artistic inspiration. You think you could fill a large sack with the gold items with a bit more time, but it will take almost 30 sacks to collect all the items of silver and copper (over half of it silver). Otherwise, there are numerous longswords, two-handed swords, and shields in the family tomb with various emblazons and crests, including those scattered to the floor by the opening of the coffins by the ghouls within. The shelves near the spectral figure hold a number of books and scrolls.

Hengist leads Allmond and the pair of clerics try to approach the flank of the ghost to force it away. The ghost is cornered, however, and begins looking agitated as they close in obvious threat as he still fears their divine patronage. It is clear that if they approach closer, from any angle, that it will overcome its fear and attack them once more.

Date: 3:10pm, 24 July 2021
Light: Allmond holding Markd's lantern (until 4:30pm)
Effects:
Injuries: Markd (minor wounds)

[Zhym]

"Let's take the gold and jewelry and the weapons and move on," says Fingers.

[onlyme]

MArkd agrees. no reason to spook the ghost any more, and we cannot carry the silver or copper anyway.

[Alethan]

Bandy agrees and puts all of the gold baubbles he can fit into a large sack.

[Marullus]

Allmond holds his position, keeping the spectral figure in ministerial robes at bay while the others go about looting his family crypt of all its valuable items.

The nine gemstones stowed in his backpack, Bandy sets about filling the large sack with golden gravegoods, searching the five open stone coffins, the display racks showing the family's prized items, and the goods scattered on the floor by the emergence of the ghouls. He fills one large sack, the gold all gathered. The silver and copper remains scattered in profusion.

Fingers and Markd agree to take the gold and weapons and leave the ghost to his scrolls, and also to leave behind all the copper and silver. They gather up a dozen longswords, eight shields with various versions of the Cleland family crest on them, six horseman's flails, four daggers, and eight two-handed swords.

Date: 3:20pm, 24 July 2021
Light: Allmond holding Markd's lantern (until 4:30pm)
Effects:
Injuries: Markd (minor wounds)

[Zhym]

"Dunno if we can carry much more," says Fingers, clearly pleased with that fact. "Should we head back to town to unload all this stuff? I know we still haven't figured out what the heck's going on here and how to end the curse, but there's no point hanging around if we got more loot than we can take back."

I'm assume we have as much as we can take? Or could we load up the mounts and still have room for some more?

[DavetheLost]

Hengist has three large sacks and a mule with pack saddle to contribute to treasure carrying

[Alethan]

Bandy is content with heading back at this point.

[Zhym]

With the gold and weapons gathered, Fingers's gaze lingers on the bookshelves. "Man. I bet wizards'd pay a bundle for spellbooks or magic scrolls," he says. "And the non-magic stuff might tell us how to remove the curse on this place."

He leans in close to Markd and whispers, hoping the spectral figure can't hear him. "You're pretty bad-ass with that knife. Whad'ya think—could you take him? With our help, of course? We've got him cornered and scared, so I bet we could get the first hit. Everyone could throw holy water, except that I'll use my special bow. He might not even make it past our first strike! I'd be right behind you—I mean, really right behind you, cause you're way tough and I'm way not. And I'd say if we take the ghost down with you in front, you oughtta get first choice of the loot."

"Whad'ya say?"

If that's a spectre, this would obviously be a high-risk move. But it might be worth it if we want to try to end the curse on the tomb instead of just looting and running.

[onlyme]

Markd shakes his head no. He is also ready to leave.

[Zhym]

"Oh, fine," sighs Fingers.

"If we'd brought a wizard, I bet he'd have fought the ghost," he grumbles under his breath. "Fine thing when a wizard's got more guts than a fighter."

[Alethan]

Bandy chuckles quietly to himself at the idea of Fingers berating someone for not being brave...

"Let's go find a brave wizard then," he says aloud.

[Zhym]

"We tried and couldn't find any," answers Fingers. He keeps looking at the bookshelves. "I wonder if those shelves hide a secret door." he speculates. "Maybe that's where all the good stuff is."

"Hey, do any of these corpses look like the ghost over there? Do you think pouring holy water on a ghost's actual body would put its soul to rest or something?"

Fingers is a big fan of bravery in other people.

Whether we stay may depend on whether the pack animals have room for more loot. If they do, I suggest we shift our load to the animals and keep looking around. Marullus said he expected us to be able to clear out the tomb this trip, so maybe there's not enough left here to justify going back to town and coming back later.

[Zhym]

I'm finally getting around to updating the map. Where are the shelves? The original room description said that they were on the east wall, but recent posts say that the ghost is blocking the shelves and that the ghost is cornered. How wide are the shelves? Where on the east wall are they?

FWIW, here is my current map. It's not quite accurate (I think the walls need to be 10' thick), but the general idea is about right:

Tomb Map.png (391.93 KiB) Viewed 468 times

[Marullus]

I expect you can fully clear out this tomb of threats. Separate consideration from if you chose to leave threats and/or are unable to carry all the loot. I need you to calculate your own group encumbrance and mount-load. Right now, you have a 60lb sack of gold and 282lbs of weapons lying before you, plus 1000lbs of silver and 700lbs of copper still gleaming around the room. You also need to consider anything picked up previously (please double-check what was found and what you actually took).

Faced with the question of who the ghost is, the answer is pretty simple. Markd is able to easily read the walls, which talk of Kelyr, Steward to King Farthegn, who was the first ennobled and thus patriarch of the Clelland family. Finding his coffin, it was not thrown open by a ghoul and repeats the epitaph from the memorial wall above: "sophisticated in his life, his love of politics and news a tribute to his family." It still contains the fragile grave dust that once was a many-millennia-old corpse.

ETA: Map
East wall is fine... think "corner opposite the door." They're on the rear end of the east wall.

Yes, 10' thick walls seems accurate from your observations in most areas.

[Zhym]

Yes, I meant clearing out the tomb of threats, not loot.

Fingers approaches Kelyr's tomb while keeping a wary eye on the spirit of Kelyr himself. He retrieves a vial of holy water and pours it over the dust of Kelyr's bones—unless the ghost makes any threatening moves, in which case Fingers backs off (and flees, if necessary).

[onlyme]

Markd stands ready, just in case.

[Marullus]

Fingers approaches the casket cautiously, holy water in hand. Markd holds both sword and dagger, ready in case of reprisal. Fingers uncorks the flask and begins carefully pouring the water onto the ashes -- the response from the spectral figure is immediate. A glowing wound appears on its shoulder and it shrieks a bloodcurdling noise! (-1hp) The ghost lungest towards the casket, startling Fingers and causing his to spill/pour less exactly than he'd like as he stumbles backwards, Markd stepping forward o interdict the spirit.

(Turning is ended, round 1! Markd has the option to draw its attack.)

Date: 3:30pm, 24 July 2021
Light: Allmond holding Markd's lantern (until 4:30pm)
Effects:
Injuries: Markd (minor wounds)

Holy water [1d6] = 1

[Alethan]

Seeing what Fingers is doing, Bandy removes his one remaining vial of holy water and dumps its contents on the ashes inside the casket as well.

[Marullus]

Roll 1d8 damage for holy water.