Chapter 10 - Tomb of the Faceless ------------------------------

After much effort, the small-framed Aliana managed to drag the paralyzed ranger out of the dark, dismal shack and into the clearing. Sitting alone Aliana began to feel the cold, harsh weather even more than before. All seemed very quiet, except for the breathing of the Barkeep's horse, Moonbeam, and his constant shifting from one leg to another in the snow, under the weight of the unconscious survivor from Garetton.

As Aliana stared with worry and loneliness at the immobile warrior, she began to wonder if he will ever return to normal. She glanced at the three tombs wondering if she will have to continue alone, and dreaded the thought of that scenario. Aliana silently wondered if she could muster the courage to face this place alone.

She was startled from her contemplation as the winged cat landed on a short stone pillar next to the two adventurers and stared with its large yellow eyes at the mage and ranger. Aliana smiled and looked relieved to see the tiny feline.

Before the young woman could greet her new animal friend, the survivor began to scream and shriek, wriggling in the rope binding him to the horse. The transforming survivor's voice slowly became more and more inhuman. Aliana stepped a few paces away from the man, as Kan turned and hissed.

Aliana's gaze shifted woefully from the ranger to the winged companion. "Oh, Kan, what should I do? He sounds terrible." The lady mage wrapped her thin arms around her knees in front of her, wishing she was sitting in her father's tower again, with no cares or worries to deal with.

The Tressym glanced at the lady mage, and then returned to hissing at the man transitioning into undead form slowly and painfully in front of them.

The young lady stood hesitantly. "The barkeep said that they kept alcohol in the man to keep him calm, and that there are some flasks of ale in the saddlebags." She walked toward the struggling being atop the horse and opened the leather strap. She removed a flask and stepped back away from the screaming person.

She uncorked the flask and sniffed the strong ale, blinking her eyes several times from the potent fumes. "I hope this works. I would very much prefer the deafening silence again." She cautiously approached the man and tried to dump ale down his throat from a distance spilling half the flask over the saddle, but poured enough ale into the man to quiet him down for the time being. She threw the empty flask to the side, and ran beside the ranger. She looked purposely away from the frightening man.

Kan finally stopped hissing as the man fell back into uneasy slumber and cocked its head toward the young mage. Aliana grinned in return. "Oh, Kan. I'm so glad ye've come." She gently stroked the fur of the magical cat, and she purred loudly, rubbing her head against the mage's forearm.

The cat spun around suddenly, startling the lady mage. Aliana turned to see what caused Kan to move, and noticed that the cat is watching Velarus as he began to move his fingers. The young lady nearly let out an audible gasp of relief to see her friend and ally began to recover from his condition.

Aliana rushed to the woodsman's side as he tried to speak. The young man struggled desperately to move his lips and speak a few words. "G..g. get.getting m.m.my m.m.move movement.. b.b.b..back." The lady seemed relieved as Velarus steadily recovered. "I was concerned ye wouldn't. I mean, actually, I was scared ye would be in this condition for a long time."

Slowly the ranger gained some movement and attempted to right himself in order to sit up, but his limbs didn't respond correctly and he slumped back to a prone position. Aliana tried to help him sit up and held him steady.

With some difficulty, the ranger forced his facial muscles to contort into half a smile. "T.th..th.. thanks."

Gradually the young warrior regained his movement and his voice as the undead creature's paralysis subsided. The survivor started to stir again and Aliana was forced to administer another ale. This time the man snapped at the girl's arm nearly biting her flesh. The mageling dropped the flask spilling some of the contents on the horse. It whinnied and turned its head toward her. Enough of the liquid was imbibed, as once again the survivor fell to its silent, rasping breaths.

Velarus stood and stretched out his half numb limbs and rolled his head to stretch his neck. "I feel much better n.. now. We must find out what to do with the survivor. Renel mentioned something about the Tomb of the Faceless. Hast thou found which tomb this is?"

Aliana shook her head vehemently. "No. I dared not leave you in the condition you were in, and this is a frightening enough place even with both of us here for me to want to explore on my own."

Velarus shook his head slowly. "Do not be scared. Thy magic saved my life. It saved me from joining the inhabitants of this forsaken place." The woodsman looked at the various tombstones around the cemetery as he spoke.

Aliana seemed uplifted by the ranger's remarks, but her feelings were short lived as the survivor awakened after a short time and started to moan and scream in agony. The man's teeth seemed to have sharpened and he began to bite at the bindings that were holding him to the horse. The mage looked to the warrior with pleading eyes. "We have to find something! He is awaking more frequently and more violently."

Velarus sighed and nodded his head in agreement. "Aye. We must find the tomb, and how to use it." The ranger grabbed the ale and held the man's head steady, while pouring the contents down his throat. The survivor fought, but his grip held firm. Velarus tossed the empty flask off to the side and shifted his gaze to the three mausoleum structures. The ranger grabbed the horse by the reins and pulled him toward the first tomb. Aliana and Kan followed along silently behind them.

Aliana hustled to walk next to the ranger, making a wide arc to steer clear of the survivor. "Renel said there would be writing, I think."

The first mausoleum was nothing but a stone structure. The blocks were elaborately cut and quite impressive. Many designs graced the mausoleum; it seemed every wall had some kind of intricate drawing. The stone slab that acts as a door was conspicuously bare, and did not match the craftsmanship of the rest of the mausoleum.

Velarus scanned the structure and scratched his scruffy chin. "Hmm. This door appears to have been replaced since its creation."

Aliana glanced at the drawings and nodded absently. She walked around and noticed the images on the tomb depicted skeletons dancing. In the center of the west and east sides were different pictures; one was a sword, and the other was a rose. Above the door there was a crest, but the emblem had nearly been rubbed off.

The second mausoleum was even more grandiose than the first, and was the only thing in the entire cemetery that might be considered beautiful. It almost seemed to glow white with the snow. Upon the door a phrase in a strange language was intricately inscribed. Next to the door were etchings of cloaked warriors with swords of white standing ever vigilant beside the portal. On the west face of the tomb, there was an etching of a rack surrounded by laughing skeletons. There was another phrase written across the top in the same strange language.

On the east face of the tomb, there was a depiction of a warrior clothed in ragged robes. He bore no weapons but somehow the drawing imparted the impression that he was a warrior. His face seemed to have been rubbed off with some sort of abrasive. The same language was written upon this side, as above the door and on the opposite wall.

Velarus looked over the various drawings and was impressed with the artwork. "Dost thee recognize any of the writing, Aliana?"

Aliana gazed at the structure and ran her fingers along the words. "It seems to be a form of Celestial, but it's garbled or a different form or version of the language."

The ranger listened to the confusing explanation, but decided that any further explanation would derive the same level of understanding so he left the subject alone. "Dost thee think we should check the third tomb as well?" He looks to the third, which was dark, and foreboding. It contained an archway instead of a door, and the walls, unlike the previous two, were completely bare.

The warrior stared at the structure, which seemed to absorb the daylight into its dark recesses. "On second thought, I seriously doubt that is the tomb of Ilmater."

Aliana looked to the third tomb and shivered for a brief moment. "Ilmatri," she corrected. "Ilmater is the God of Suffering. But, I believe thy statement to be correct. It must be this mausoleum. I'm not sure what the script is but if I study it a while I may be able to figure out some of the text."

Velarus shrugged, "I'm a bit hungry anyway. Do what you can." The ranger walked over to a stone area and sat down cross-legged and pulled out some rations from his pack.

Velarus stuffed the last bite of his biscuit in his mouth as the survivor awakened and fills the chill air with his horrid shrieking. The man began writhing and twisting in the ropes trying to free himself. He stared at the ranger, his face blackened and twisted and his eyes flashed red. "Let me out." He panted heavily like a beast. "Releassssssse me!" His voice began to sound like a serpent.

Velarus watched in horror and struggled against the notion to kill this thing that was less than human and release it from its misery. 'No, he is still part human,' came a voice from within his conscience. The woodsman grabbed the last flask and tried to pour it, but the survivor turned his head to avoid the ale. "Come on! This will ease thy suffering!" It continued to twist and shake, trying hard to free its bondage. "Let.me. up! Untie. me!" The survivor growled.

Velarus grabbed the horse's reins and brought the steed closer to the tomb, hoping the power of the tomb would relieve the torment. As they neared the entrance, the survivor turned even more violent and began to convulse, making a haunting sound, something between a moan and a hiss. "OUT! Let! Me! Out! Now!"

The woodsman's face bore the exasperation he felt. "Maybe we should get him inside the tomb. Help me push the stone door out of the way."

The lady mage nodded and stared dumbfounded at the thrashing survivor.

"Aliana, come on, we must hurry." The ranger sprinted to the front of the tomb and pulled on the stone slab with all of his might, causing it to budge less than an inch. Aliana realized Velarus was struggling with the weight, and snapped out of her daze, and reached in to help pull. Together, after an extreme effort, the two slid the portal wide enough to gain entrance.

The woodsman wiped the sweat from his face with his leathered gauntlet and examined the small entrance. "The horse will not fit. We will have to untie the survivor."

Aliana tried to catch her breath from the exhausting effort of moving the heavy stone door. "Ye must be jesting… with me. Release… him?" The lady mage's eyes darted back and forth from the survivor to the ranger, sheer terror evident on her pale visage.

The ranger raised his hands to calm the lady. "Relax. I have an enchanted arrow that will put him to sleep and then we can drag him in. I just hope it works on him, seeing how he is becoming less and less of a man." The woodsman extracted a pure white arrow from his quiver and pulled back on the string and released the projectile toward the writhing captive. A small cloud with sparkling lights shrouded the shaking survivor, eliciting an overdue silence.

Velarus quickly untied the man from the ropes and carried him over his shoulders and into the dark tomb. He put down the body and tied the survivor's hands and feet together.

Aliana walked in and looked around the room and peered at the writing on the walls. "This is the same style of writing as on the outside."

Velarus stood with his jaw agape as the mage stepped into the deep shadow, away from the small sliver of dim light coming in from the open doorway. He looked into the darkness barely able to see the wall, much less writing. "How can you possibly read writing in the darkness?" The ranger lit a torch as she ignored his query and stepped into the shadows. With the new light, he observed the writing she mentioned, as well as a corpse encased in glass and wrapped in white linens. The body's hands and feet were tied with a red cord. There was a look of peace upon his face, as he held a sword atop his chest.

Aliana stepped back next to the ranger and sighed. "I can't make anything of the writings. I'm going to look again on the outside walls."

The ranger followed her out and faced a grove of trees. "I heard something in the woods," he declared. The woodsman scanned the area looking for the source of the sound. "It must have been an animal or something," he concluded. The ranger turned his attention back to the stone tomb and the mystical writing contained within. "Renel said something would aid us from this tomb."

The winged cat straightened up and lifted its head at the mention of its master, as it stood on the rooftop of the structure.

The lady mage walked up to the wall. She placed her silky shoe up against the wall and muttered a strange word. Somehow it seemed to stick to the wall. She placed the other foot, with the same effect. She continued her climb until she was on the roof. She sat down next to Kan. After a few minutes the young lady walked back down the wall. "Kan believes we should check out the raised area in the center of the graveyard."

Velarus looked incredulously at the mage for her wall walking feat and her declaration of speaking to the strange pet. "How could she tell thee? I thought that the cat was unable to speak with us."

Aliana smiled. "She can't talk, but she understands us. I simply asked where she thought we should be looking and she nodded toward the center area."

Velarus shrugged his shoulders. "Can Renel see through Kan's eyes?" Both Kan and Aliana nodded simultaneously in response. "Then maybe Kan can read all the scripts and Renel can decipher them."

The winged cat nodded and looked to Velarus. "I believe she agrees with thee. Kan, please read all the scripts on the walls, inside and out so that Renel may translate it."

The Tressym flew down and hovered, as she flapped her thin, membranous wings. The cat studied the writing and slowly examined the strange script upon the walls. After nearly a half hour Kan finished viewing all the script and returned to the center area.

The ranger turned to join Kan but stopped almost immediately. "There was a noise again. It was no animal." The ranger readied his bow and headed in the direction of the woods.

Aliana frantically loaded a bolt in her crossbow. "Umm...are you sure we should go looking for trouble?"

Velarus shook his head. "I prefer to face whatever it is on our terms and not the terms it would like." The ranger stopped and discovered tracks heading toward the run down shack. "A human, a bit taller than average, made these very recently. They head over to the shack. There wasn't a back door when I was in there, so whatever made this must still be there."

The lady mage stopped, but kept her crossbow trained toward the shack.

Velarus swung out wide to get a better angle to the back of the shack and pulled the bowstring taut as he did.

A tall man stepped from behind the building, holding his hands in front of him in a gesture of peace. "Ye have excellent hearing Sir Velarus."

Velarus looked perturbed at this apparent game. "Who are thee, and why are ye sneaking around a graveyard?"

The tall man smirked as he eyed the woodsman. "I should ask thee why thou art here. Why did ye place a bound man into that tomb?"

The ranger continued to point and arrow at the chest of the stranger as he replied, "We are helping this man. He is afflicted and is turning into a creature of undeath. The town sage told us that bringing him to the Tomb of the Faceless would gain his salvation. Our intentions are noble, and what is thine?"

The tall man shrugged. "Seems I should answer, or ye will fill me full of arrows."

The ranger narrowed his eyes at the tall stranger, annoyed that this intruder found this situation amusing. "Depends on thy response."

"I am Dorvin of Dhedluk, son of Thiombar." The stranger replied, while bowing courteously.

Velarus lowered his bow, though with some apprehension. "I am Velarus of Birchwood, protector of the wilderness, Ranger of the Storm Horns." The ranger nodded his head as was customary in a greeting. "What business have ye in the Dren cemetery, Dorvin, Son of Thiombar?"

The tall man straightened his tunic and stepped closer to the woodsman. "I was looking for a dear friend, Adez. I received a letter some months ago that he had taken a position as caretaker of this cemetery."

"What did thy friend look like?"

Dorvin responded quietly. "He was a half-orc priest of Kelemvor, though he looked more human than orc."

Velarus shook his head. The description sounded similar to the man his friend was searching for. "I'm sorry. The only things we found moving in this place were two undead creatures that attacked us from within the caretaker's shack. They have been put to rest."

Dorvin nodded. "Well, I should like to have a look around, that is, if ye promise not to turn me into a pin cushion with thy bow."

Velarus smirked. "Thou art free to look wherever ye feel appropriate. Beware the third tomb over there. It is dark and sinister, and we fought a creature yesterday that retreated in this direction. 'Tis possible that it is within that tomb, and after our recent battle, I'm not prepared to risk a confrontation until we have rested sufficiently." The ranger waved to Aliana to let her know everything was fine, though she kept an eye on the newcomer as he approached her.

The mage looked up to the tall man. "Oh. Umm. hello."

Velarus walked over to the two. "Oh, yes, Aliana this is Dorvin. He's looking for a half-orc named Adiz, or Adez, something like that."

Aliana slung her crossbow back over her shoulder. "Please...umm.. Pleased to meet thee." She fiddled with her backpack and pulled out a parchment. "He didn't look like this did he? I am searching for a half-orc priest as well."

Dorvin took the drawing and looked it over. "No, Adez looks more human than this man. It is definitely not him." The tall man shook his head. "I'm sorry."

Aliana sighed and placed the paper back in her pack. "Thank you, anyway."

Dorvin walked toward the old shack as the two companions followed the flying cat to a large circular stone area, elevated five feet above the surrounding ground. Several weathered stone steps, layered with powdery white snow lead up to a stone archway. There was no roof on the structure, so the entire area was covered with a thin layer of snow.

Kan hopped up to the archway and into the middle of the area. The raised area was surrounded by several stone columns that held protruding skulls. They appeared to be torch holders of some kind, though no torches were fitted in them. A stone altar sat across from the archway and a stone tablet protruded upward from its center.

As Velarus and Aliana approached, they noticed that a hand is carved from the stone of the tablet. The palm is recessed into the tablet and the fingers protrude upward from the tablet. Two of the fingers appeared to have been broken off, but the remaining fingers were shaped as if they are grasping an object, though nothing was there and the fingers seemed to be clutching at the air.

Dorvin arrived after searching the buildings and came up to the altar the others were studying. "Adez is not here. What have ye found?"

Velarus shrugged. "This altar and stone tablet, it looks as if something should be grasped by the hand, though I can't find anything around that might fit it."

Aliana looked over the tablet and brushed away some snowflakes. "There is a Chondathan word here. It means 'silence' or 'peace'."

Kan paced around the base of the altar and began to meow. The lady mage walked over to Kan and looked to see what the Tressym had found. She brushed away the accumulated snow. "It looks like a drain." Aliana placed her face even closer to the drain. "There is a pouch hanging down in the drain. I'll see if I can pull it up."

The ranger looked in the drain and can only see darkness beyond the outside covering. He cocked his head slightly and stared at Aliana. "How in the Realms are thee able to see in darkness?"

Aliana looked back in a confused expression. "Can't everyone see in the dark?"

Velarus looked back at her, raising an eyebrow. "No. Humans can't without the aid of some sort of lighting either by torch or moonlight."

"Well, I can't distinguish colors without moonlight or sunlight, but I can see in black and white even in darkness. Ye are truthful, thy sight in darkness falters?"

The ranger sighed. "I wish it were not so, being in the woods in darkness it would be easier to have vision at night. But as it is, I rely on hearing and the little bit of light available."

Aliana bent over the grate and pulled up the small bag. She untied the bag revealing a small fist sized brass orb, with several metal plates riveted to the outer shell. "Interesting," she remarked while admiring the detail.

Dorvin looked over the mage's shoulders. "Well, what is it?"

The lady mage brushed the snow off of her white robes and stood up holding the object in her fair hands. "I. I'm not sure."

Velarus scratched his chin whiskers and looked to the orb and to the sculpted hand. "It looks like it might fit in the palm but without the fingers I'm not sure it will hold up." The group searched the area around, as well as the second tomb for the missing stone digits, but turned up nothing.

Aliana looked to third tomb. "Perhaps they are in the dark tomb?" She shivered slightly at the thought of searching in that foul crypt.

Velarus nodded reluctantly. "Yes, it is possible, but we are too weary to try and face the occupant of that tomb, if there is any."

Dorvin responded. "Well, I for one would like to find if my good friend Adez is in there. I am a capable warrior and have trained with a ranger as well. If ye will back me up, I will check the tomb."

Velarus looked solemnly to the warrior, hesitation evident, but reluctantly agreed to the plan. "Very well. Try to draw the creature out in the open. Inside, it will have the advantage."

The tall human nodded to his fellow ranger and then the trio slowly approached the darkened stone building. The tall human quickly drew his blade from his leather scabbard and held it in front of him. The temperature seemed to drop a few degrees as they neared the tomb. Dorvin removed a small shield from his back and secured it to his off-hand.

Aliana stopped short of the entrance and gestured and chanted a few words as her eyes turned silver. A metallic, shimmering glow enveloped her form for a moment, then faded as her eyes returned to their normal bluish hue. She caught Velarus glancing back at her actions and smiled. "I have some protection in case the creature decides to make me a prime target."

The ranger returned the expression, hoping that her arcane powers will keep her safe. He readied his arrow as well and watched as Dorvin stepped into the doorway.

Dorvin peered into the darkness. The small light from the open archway revealed the Bloodhopper sitting still on a pedestal at the rear of the tomb. "I see it. It appears to be sleeping or resting. Shoot him now!"

Velarus fixed his gaze on the creature, which was now moist and reddish, and not the crusty black figure that attacked them yesterday. The ranger concentrated and took careful aim. He released two arrows one after the other. Both of the arrows hit on both sides of the creature's chest, and this time sank into its flesh.

The creature opened its glowing red eyes and stared menacingly at the two intruders. It then jumped up above the pedestal near the ceiling and into the shadows.

Velarus noticed this ploy and refused to engage in the dark and give the creature the advantage. He prayed quietly to the goddess of the forest and then chanted a few words in an ancient language. "Venishar Kaminon plantir bloomais." The young warrior intertwined his fingers and moved his hands in a small circle as he spoke. Suddenly the weeds and vines inside crackled to life and twisted and grabbed up in the air.

The beast squealed in the darkness as the vines continued to grow longer and caught a hold of the construct. But after a few seconds it began to laugh, taunting the intruders as it scurried across a stone ledge high upon the inner wall."

Velarus grimaced and barked, "Dorvin, be careful the beast is moving about the ceiling." He dropped his bow and drew his rune-covered sword as he entered the tomb. The Hopper swooped down and swung its razor-like claws at the young ranger's face. Velarus jerked his head out of the way, but the claws still found his shoulder blade, causing warm blood to trickle down his muscular chest.

Dorvin stepped forward to attack the creature as it attempted to leapt back up to the ledge near the ceiling. As he moved closer though, he became entangled in the plant growth, locking his hands together.

The creature noticed his precarious position and swung its claws toward the tall man's shoulder. The creature cut a deep gash into the tall warrior, but the vines reduced the impact of the blow and helped free Dorvin from his restraints.

Both warriors moved toward the beast together, and it turned to run. Both warriors lashed at the Hopper as it tried to escape through the entrance. Velarus swung low and sliced through the creature's leg as Dorvin cut high across its ribs sending blood and flesh flying against the wall and into the snow. The creature's injured leg fell off leaving a trail of gore as it hopped outside.

Aliana spotted the creature and froze in place as it faced her then turned toward the woods. Gaining confidence as it hopped away, she steadied her crossbow and squeezed the trigger. The weapon bellowed out a loud 'thwang' as the bolt sped toward the target, striking the creature in the lower back. It gasped as the shaft punctured its spine, and fell face first into the snow.

Velarus and Dorvin ran out in pursuit, as the bolt hit the Hopper. They both slowed and stared at the motionless bloody pulp of a creature before them. The woodsman turned and winked to Aliana. "Well done."

Dorvin nodded in agreement as the two warriors cautiously approached the beast's still form. The tall man flipped the creature over with the flat of his blade. "That is one ugly looking... whatever."

Velarus chuckled as he wiped the blood off his shoulder with a cloth. "No argument from me. But, it won't bother anyone again. Hopefully we can find some answers in this tomb."