Returning to Arabel, the group makes contact with the bard that sent them on this little escapade. As it turns out, he was the front man for the local arm of the church of Tyr, who was looking for some closure in the matter of the village of Darkenshield and the annihilation of their priests. The church elders are pleased at the care with which the party has treated the fallen and the aid they brought to the battle of Tilverton. Treasures are divided and the group is stuffed with items and accolades.
Within a week’s time, the bard is back in contact with another job offer. At the meeting, he introduces a third party who names himself Gaspard. Gaspard is carrying a crystal ball, and it serves as the conduit between party and employer. They are tasked with entering a fortified keep and retrieving certain items that are the subject of an ongoing squabble over inheritance. Descriptions are given and locations to search are provided. As a show of good faith and a downpayment, the party is given a magical glove. Following the meeting the group returns their headquarters and is surprised to have a visitor. One of Goldpiece’s distant cousins has tracked him to Arabel, and he offers to join the party. After a prolonged interrogation, the group grudgingly admits him, though the mage and paladin harbor some doubts as to the timing and motives.
They round up their gear and head out – bypassing all the boring overland travel with a walk through the planes. Arriving near their destination, they ride and walk for three or four days before finding their target – a neglected keep near the edge of the Stonelands. A bit of scouting reveals Wyverns chained to the roof of the structure, so they decide to sneak around the side invisibly and use Passwall spells to gain entrance.
Once inside they begin exploring and within minutes have located the first of the objects they seek – along with some sort of flesh golem hary (swiftly slain by the elf). They descend into a large gambling hall and witness a spectral scene of murder and depravity. They contend with trapped stairs behind a secret door and return to the main floor. There they see a ghostly apparition that beckons to them to follow as it glides up a spiral staircase in the middle of the great hall. The group members glance at each other…to follow, or not?
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