#34 - Homicides and Headlines

Excerpt from the Cypher's Codex: The Scrawlings of a Warforged Scholar

Doongul encouraged us to investigate the House of the Nine last night. He wanted to pay proper homage to Onatar. The House was not a temple, exactly, but rather a small home and inn run by
an older human couple. They maintained a shrine to the Sovereign Host and were glad to make the acquaintance of a cleric of Onatar. Everyone was pleased by the couple and their home, it was relatively inexpensive and they were even willing to forego a charge for myself, since warforged have no need of sleep. We decided to make it our headquarters for the duration of our stay in Graywall. We rented all four rooms in the house and requested the option to continue to ensure that the entire house would remain ours alone.

The next day, we were unable to locate the margoyle when we left the House of the Nine. Xoma failed to reach out to it mentally and sent Zots to find it. Zots was able to find the creature after some time; it was located outside Calabas at a gathering of gargoyles.

We went to the Golden Dragon Inn to meet with the House Tharashk inquisitive as Rendar had arranged the previous day. An orc in Tharashk garb was waiting for Rendar and immediately went to retrieve Jana from the enclave. We sat at a table and everyone else ordered some drinks—even Trug who held up his beer and shouted “Onatar!,” finally pronouncing the deity's name correctly. Doongul sat back on his stool and beamed proudly. We perused the latest published Korranburg Chronicle, which had been floating about the common room for a few days—it was more than ten days old but satisfying nonetheless. There was something about a scandal in Sharn, a ghost ship sighted in the waters south of the City of Towers, and even something about misshapen giants emerging from the Mournland.

More importantly, the incident at the Bookmark Inn got a first-page article ("Murder and Kidnapping in Korranberg"!) but little was known about it. It cited the death of two patrons—gnomes, of course—and that the proprietor, Wenrick, and several patrons had been kidnapped by unknown persons. There was the rumor that a cult had been involved.

Jana arrived at the inn, dressed in the light, worn armor of an experienced ranger.  Her demeaner was one of apprehension, not unlike a soldier before an offensive, and she walked towards us with a purpose. When she approached the table, I stood and graciously offered her a beverage.  This startled her, being offered a beverage by a warforged, but she recovered in time to demand that Rendar tell her what he knew.  And so the tale of our little band began, at times supplemented by the Chronicle article, which provided some context even if it was sparse on details.


In turn, Jana d'Tharashk told us what happened at Hahlo's House, the Jorasco hospice. Someone had murdered Hahlo d'Jorasco and two of his attendants. Hahlo's throat had been torn out, his body had been drained of blood then dumped on the roof of the building, while the others had been stabbed repeatedly with a small blade. Halbazar, of course, had gone missing, and we fear he may have been involved in this. The blood of the slain halflings had been used to paint foul symbols on the walls of the hospice, which their experts identified as affiliated with a daelkyr.

Daelkyr are extraplanar beings, creatures from beyond Eberron from the plane of Xoriat. Long ago, they led an invasion into our world and shattered the Dhakaani Empire but were finally rebuffed by the Gatekeeper druids, orc allies of the goblin empire. Though Dhakaan toppled, the daelkyr lords who were not driven back into the Plane of Madness were imprisoned deep beneath the earth behind Gatekeeper seals. According to Jana, a daelkyr known as Dyrrn the Corruptor was the one who had sacked the Dhakaani city whose ruins Graywall now comprised.

But Tharashk is the House of Finding and they pursued all leads. Jana told us that they finally consulted with the mind flayer Xorchyllic, Graywall's current ruler. Mind flayers are from Xoriat, were once lieutenants in the Xoriat armies, but Xorchyllic was found imprisoned beneath the city long ago, and set free, for some reason at odds with his former masters. He looked upon the daelkyr symbols drawn in blood and determined that they had been falsified. The conclusion: Someone is attempting to use misinformation, to blame a cult devoted to the daelkyr. Who really is our enemy? We believe they may be connected to the foul places we encountered in our passage through Khyber.

And here is further evidence. Not only was the hospice attacked and Jorasco halflings murdered, Vorgath—the half-orc trader we had visited a couple days ago—had been found, badly wounded but alive even more recently, after his shop had been broken into. The partial suit of armor—the ancient hobgoblin Dhakaani we'd found in the Khyber Cube beneath Paluur Draal and had sold to the man—had been stolen.

In plain terms, Jana believes a vampire or vampire-like creature was responsible. She demanded to know more about our experiences, who Halbazar was, and how we might be involved in this. House Tharashk, under the command of Baron Kundran Torrn d'Tharask (a distant relative of Rendar's!), was responsible for security in Calabas, so this attack had infuriated them. We agreed to keep her informed.

While Rendar was telling our story to Jana, though, I noticed a gnome carefully listening to our conversation. It was the female we'd met on our first visit to the Golden Dragon, Fherina. Wanting to carefully take control of the situation, I excused myself from the table and went to the bar. I asked the bartender for a beverage that would be suitable for a female gnome and he gave me a cup of sweetened wine. I walked to Fherina’s table, avoiding a direct route, intending to sneak up on her. However, while I was at the bar, prompted by a note from Xoma who also noticed her, Doongul loudly and aggressively made his way to Fherina’s table and was intimidating her into admitting that she'd been eavesdropping. His was a tactless strategy and she was reluctant to admit to anything under duress. I approached her from the other side and offered her the drink.  I set the wine in front of her and she looked me at me with great confusion.

It took her several moments to realize she was surrounded so she compose herself, but it was more than enough time for me to notice the bundle of papers in her lap before she hid them in her satchel—a recent copy of the Korranberg Chronicles, only a few days old. I asked Fherina about it. She stammered some response but Doongul was impatient. He demanded the paper. Fherina desperately tried to regain ground in the negotiation, offering the paper in exchange for a seat at the table with Rendar and Jana. Doongul continued to gruffly state his position, but I saw no reason to exclude this woman from the conversation. She had already heard all that had been said so far and we had learned nothing from her in that time. I wanted to include her at the table where we could better control the flow and direction of information. I accepted her terms, and before Doongul could argue, I grabbed Fherina’s bag from the floor, and the wine I had brought her, and moved it to my former seat next to Magnus. Having taken the initiative from her, even while giving her what she asked for, Fherina was again taken aback by the actions of the warforged in front of her, and quietly made her way to our table.

Jana demanded to know who the new woman was and before I could explain, Fherina offered up the broadsheet she'd been holding. The issue was quite new, dated to the 15th of Vult. It was now the 19th, so the paper was only four days old.  Fherina promptly informed us said that there was an article about us within, listing names and unmistakable details about each of our party. Doongul grabbed the paper when he returned to his seat and read aloud the relevant article.

SURVIVERS OF THE BOOKMARK MYSTERY OFFER MYSTIFYING CLUES

KORRANBERG — On Far, thirteen survivors from the Bookmark Inn incident returned on foot to the city in the company of one Kyress Ventoran, a professor from Morgrave University. Ventoran had discovered all thirteen in the ruins of Paluur Draal while on an expedition of archaeological research. Nine of the survivors were Zils who called Korranberg their home, while three comprised a Brelish family on holiday. Most have requested anonymity.

The inn’s proprietor, a Zil named Wenrick, had his tongue forcibly removed by the cultists during their ordeal aboard the airship that had stolen them away. Wenrick was sent to a Jorasco healing house, but not before conveying the essence of the crime to authorities.

Many of the survivors spoke of their trials and, when questioned, Professor Ventoran confirmed a few of the details herself. Allegedly, it was indeed a cult of the Dragon Below that had kidnapped them and taken them northward by airship for reasons unknown. In their company were malformed humanoids that gibbered and murmured words of madness. The cultists appeared to have wyverns at their disposal, a fact that especially worries authorities considering the beasts’ attacks near Oskilor back in the month Barrakas.

The survivors claim that several of their fellow captives—it should be noted, none of whom were Zils—escaped their bonds and defeated the cultists. In circumstances not yet clear, while control of the ship was wrested from the cultists, it was ultimately steered back towards the south only to crash land in Paluur Draal.

The airship itself has been confirmed by the survivors as the Sky Talon, a private vessel whose owner, an Aundairian noble named Reltran ir’Harran, was counted among the captives but may have been complicit in the cult’s activities. Ir’Harran, a member of the Arcane Congress, is now in custody but was described as being “in a state of great delusion” at the time of his arrest. When the healers have finished attending him, ir’Harran and the Korranberg’s Aundairian diplomats will be questioned by the Council of Nine.

In the meantime, representatives from Houses Medani and Tharashk have also come forward, offering assistance in the investigation. The question is apparent, but none have declared it openly: Was this the work of a single, deranged cult or is there a larger threat to be concerned with? What was a wizard from the Arcane Congress doing in Zilargo, allegedly consorting with a cult of the Dragon Below?

While many questions about these crimes linger, the whereabouts and identities of the survivor’s true saviors have become the subject of speculation. Wenrick refused to impart any more information publicly, but our chronicles have questioned the other survivors and have gathered a description of the heroes.

Numbering among them is one Rendar d’Tharashk, a freelance bounty hunter whose business in the city remains unknown. With him was Cyzicus, a shifter with an Eldeen accent, and Doongul Ironfoot, a Mrorian who walked with a peg leg and employed clamorous magic. Magnus, one of the group’s two humans, was described as a barbarian, but none are certain where he came from; Q’Barra is one obvious possibility. Cypher, a Brelish warforged in their company, appeared more as a tinkerer and less as a soldier. Perhaps most memorably, a drow—dark elf of Xen’drik—in strange attire calling himself Xoma had joined them. Some of the Zils said that Xoma had stowed away aboard the Sky Talon to pursue the cultists.

Such a disparate collection of adventurers has led some of the city’s officials to speculate that the “heroes” were themselves complicit in the kidnapping. Was their involvement mere bad luck for the cultists or was it no coincidence that they had been in the Bookmark Inn that night? Had they known about the cult? The patrons of the inn refuse to believe in any conspiracy theories, insisting that were it not for the strangers’ actions, they’d have been sacrificed by the cult for nefarious purposes. One anonymous survivor even said, “I don’t think they even knew each other. But I’d wager they’ve seen some action before. Veterans of the war, maybe. But I’m not sure on whose side.”

The so-called heroes were last seen plunging deeper in the ruins of Paluur Draal, ostensibly to draw off wyvern riders who had pursued them. Professor Ventoran told the Chronicle, “I pray they are alive and well, and that they’ll read these words soon. And if they do, I hope they keep their distance for a while. There are many eyes on this city, and they know the key to survival is empirical.”

Curious words, for a scholar of Dhakaani antiquities, and Professor Ventoran had nothing more to say on the subject. Agents of House Lyrandar, whose docking tower should have known about the Sky Talon’s presence last week, could not be reached for comment.

Without discussing the issue directly, we concluded that the professor's words here were intended as a warning to us: Both "key" and "empirical" seemed an obvious reference to the Emperor's Key—which she might have known nothing about, but Wenrick would. Perhaps he divulged more to her.

Jana asked the gnome how she came upon the latest edition of the Korranburg Chronicle, as even House Tharashk did not have it. Evidently the Chronicle doesn't distribute as regularly this far out from the Five Nations. Fherina reluctantly admitted to having contacts within the local House Sivis chapter from whom she procured the Chronicle. She said that it would be publicly available within 24 hours. We realized that the article would out us within the city of Graywall—even worse than the minor infamy we had already achieved, and we discussed how to delay the inevitable release of the paper. Jana and Fherina agreed to try to delay the distribution of the article, using Jana’s authority in House Tharashk and Fherina’s contacts at Sivis. They left us for the Sivis message station and we headed back toward the Tooth and Nail smithy, agreeing to find Jana again if we discover more information.

On our way out of the Calabas, I noticed the warforged Grapnel standing guard by two humans at the wall.  We made eye contact and Grapnel nodded slightly at my presence. I decided to walk to him to see if he had any news to share. As I approached, I saw that the rough men were looking at a notice posted on the wall. I asked about it and the men turned to me abruptly, incredulous that I had addressed them. With hands on hilts, they stared at me for a moment and then turned away; Grapnel made no movement at all. I read the sign: it referenced an event at the Arena in Bloodstone and a game called "Six Stones." I also noticed then that these humans were wearing cheap and worn clothes typical of Karrn. It was clear that these men were those whom had enslaved Grapnel. I spoke up again, louder and with more strength, “Ahh, a tournament of some type. Have either of you men seen this Six Stones competition before?” I am by most standards patient but the poor treatment of my fellow warforged by those worthless creatures was difficult to pass by.

This time I was trying to provoke the Karrnathi slavers. But the Karrns didn't give in to my tone, and my friends pulled me away from the encounter, not wanting to delay any longer.

#33 - Familiar Mysteries

As told by Rendar d'Torrn, a bounty hunter of House Tharashk

With prophecies presented and at least considered, we could at last turn our attention to the more immediate needs of our group. We were warned that while the servants of the Shadow had made good their retreat, it is known that we were involved in the attack on the Mockery. And in truth, while assaulting the temple, we did rest for a solid twenty minutes on the rooftops above the courtyard—where numerous harpies and gargoyles spied us.

Magnus in particular was warned that his new dragon-bone maul was a prized and signature weapon of Gray Garrack—himself a member of the Skinners gang. At Magnus’ request Sa-Jira set out to procure a carpet, or other fabric that the maul could be wrapped in so it could be transported with some discretion.

Enacting a ritual, Xoma identified the maul itself and found that it was a special weapon indeed. The inscription harauch (“fate” in Draconic) was found carved into the bone—which belonged to a white dragon—and the enchanted maul itself was named Defiler’s Dread. This seemed to mean something to Magnus, but the Seren barbarian did not say why. Xoma said that more secrets slumbered inside the weapon and could only be revealed with exposure to powerful magical cold—such as the breath of a white dragon or perhaps a potent elemental spell.

Xoma also sought to see if our host had the components he needed for his wizardly dabblings: more tattooing of his spells to his body, and components for a more complicated ritual. He seemed to have a singular mindset, and while he can be abrasive, he can certainly handle himself when it counts. It would take him hours to complete his work. And with Cyzicus speaking privately with Zerasha, the four of us decided to split up.  Overdue to see how Halbazar was doing, Magnus and I, escorted by Sa-Jira, made our way to Calabas.

Meanwhile, Doongul, Cypher, and Trug—escorted by Drix (our shapeshifting “friend,” formerly Drivinia)—went to the Tooth and Steel smithy.

The Tooth and Steel could be heard before seen, the sound of the forge carried out into the street. Upon entering, they could see the blacksmiths toiling, mostly minotaurs and shifters. Though, these shifters were not like Cyzicus—they were more piggish. Gorebrutes, they have been called. Drix asked for Szalas Jal, the oni proprietor. While wating for him to come from the back, Cypher inspected some of the silvered weapons the workers of the forge had made.

The nine-foot, blue-skinned oni soon entered, and looked at the trio curiously. Drix stepped up and handed him a scroll. Halfway through reading it he examined the group. Cypher put down the sword and stepped up with Drix, while Doongul spoke up. Szalas said he was almost finished with the lengthy scroll. When at last he was, the scroll dissolved away, and he began asking questions of Doongul and Cypher. When he seemed satisfied with his questions, he named the price for use of the forge—a magic item.

 Ever the tinkerer, or perhaps unwilling to relinquish one of his “treasures,” Cypher infused Szalas’s bracelet with a dazzling blue light. This seemed to amuse the oni, as he chuckled and said “a fine display” but he would prefer a material good. Cypher and Doongal stepped out quickly, and determined the only thing they could possibly give up—that they didn’t know what exactly it did—was the strange ring Master Ennet had worn. Doongal passed it to Cypher, and once he determined what it was he nearly hurled it away! The ring was in fact a living creature! A ring-worm, and it fed on arcane energies. I thank Onatar that Xoma didn’t pick it up—he likes to try on new magics, regardless of the understanding of them! Then again, Cypher liked his skin-suits well enough....

It was quickly decided that the cursed ring would be given to Szalas (with a warning of its properties), who asked of its origin. Pressed for something more than “on our travels,” Doongal revealed it to be from the Mockery’s temple. Accepting that, Szalas accepted the ring, and said someone named Ravid can be found in the back. Before departing, Cypher asked about recharging the wand of chain lightning. The oni took the wand and said he would look at it. Drix then gave Doongul and Cypher direction back to the Shadow and Calabas, and departed.

Ravid’s room in the back was a vast and dark chamber, with a single pool of light centered on his workshop, at which an elf in dirty artificer clothes was hunched over working on something. Also working was a small homunculus, tinkering on another of the elf’s projects. Beyond the pool of light Doongul could see a tarp covered some other, much larger construction—what would later turn out to be a warforged titan, a mighty construct apparently in disrepair.

Ravid sat up from the device he was working on when Doongul announced them. Confirming that the elf was indeed Ravid, they laid out a set of plans. Ravid commented on the plans, asked if they had time, and set to work.

I wished that while the blacksmith and artificers toiled, Magnus and I had more success.  Upon our return to Calabas, we could see a gathering of Tharashk orcs around the House of Healing. It seemed that they had set up a perimeter, and was...encouraging gawkers to move along. Revealing my dragonmark to one of the guards, I inquired to what had happened. He went off inside and returned, not giving many answers. An investigation was underway, murders, and all the patients gone!

My mind reeled. What of Halbazar? At this stage I did not want to reveal too much. While I wanted to get to the bottom of what happened, I was mindful that I carried the Emperor’s Key, had an excoriate possibly in pursuit of it (or us), and had a Seren barbarian standing next to me. Not exactly easy to stay unnoticed. Magnus suggested a bit of bar hopping, in an attempt to see what rumors cropped up about this turn of events.

We started at the Golden Dragon, but alas the halflings proved to control the conversation. We then proceeded to the Merry Marcher, run by a half orc.  This proved much more fruitful, as being frequented by orcs and half-orcs to begin with. We began to piece together that Hahlo, the Jorasco heir we’d left Halbazar with less than two days ago, had been found on the roof of the house—his throat ripped out and his body drained of blood. His two assistants had been knifed and left in pools of their own blood.  House Tharashk was under pressure to get this figured out quickly, and were reviewing papers, trying to figure out who was in Hahlo’s House when...well, whatever happened happened.

As we left the Merry Marcher, I noticed a paper, a copy of the Korrenburg Chronicle, upon which was frontpage news a murder, kidnapping, and rogue airship in the Bookmark Inn back in Korranberg—the very event that roped me into all of this. I’ll have to read it more closely to see if there’s anything that gives us away, or perhaps what might be safe for us to say. In any event, Magnus and I tried to think of something Halbazar might have taken with him, if given the opportunity. We settled on his “Infernal Halbazar” banner, and I used my Mark of Finding to pinpoint its location. But unfortunately it was still within the House of Healing. I left a note at the House Tharashk saying I had a friend in the House of Healing, and may have information regarding him if he is relevant to the investigation. We’ll see what becomes of that if they come to see me at the Golden Dragon.

Meeting back with the others, in addition to his new tattoo spells, Xoma had identified his new Xen’drik boomerang and discovered it had been crafted by drow elves of the Sulatar tribe and was bound with fire elemental. Xoma demonstrated a tiny bit of its power and Magnus was enthralled when it burst into magical flame!

Emboldened by the day and our newfound riches, we travelled to the Twilight Palace, an establishment by the combined efforts of the halflings of House Ghallanda and the elves of House Phiarlan. When we learned of the steep cost of staying there, all of us but Xoma went back to the Golden Dragon. Xoma needed privacy for one more complicated ritual.

The next day Cypher and Doongul continued working with Ravid and even looked over the schema Cypher had acquired below the ruins of Paluur Draal. At the end of the day, we all met again and Xoma had a new...friend. It seemed a bat, with decidedly gargoylish traits, but it also seemed to be dripping shadows as if they were water. He seemed delighted to have another pet, but I hope it’s more controllable than that margoyle he created. The bat was Xoma’s new familiar, and he introduced him to us: Zots.

In the meantime we wait, and continue to prepare for whatever may come next.