Chapter 11 – Dark Secrets -------------------------------------
Velarus examined the bloody corpse of the Hopper carefully. Its body seemed to be actual human flesh fused together in pieces from different body parts. It was a horrific sight to see such a thing, and made one wonder what kind of demented mind created it. "It must have used blood to heal itself or re-attach its limbs. We encountered it earlier on the road from the capital city. I managed to sever is leg at the ankle, before it hopped away," the ranger surmised.
The tall man scratched his head absently and nodded. He sighed aloud and added, "Perhaps we should burn it, in case it is animated again."
The ranger raised an eyebrow, not thinking it necessary, but they had nothing to lose in taking that precaution. "As you wish, Dorvin."
The two warriors walked to the perimeter of the cemetery and gathered some dry brush and set it beside the creature's body. They used a large branch to wedge under the beast and roll it into the nest of branches. The tall man searched the leather pouch at his waist for a flint and steel. He removed the items and a tinder box with some dry moss and crushed leaves inside. He began striking the quartz flint down the steel bar, causing sparks to drop in the tinder box. It began to glow and he blew on the material and held it toward dry twigs in the bed of wood. The moss and leaves began to burn, and soon caught the twigs on fire, and in less than a minute the whole bed of wood was engulfed in flames.
The creature began to melt away with the snow surrounding the makeshift pyre, warming the area around them. They might have enjoyed the warmth, if not for the horrid stench that wafted near the blaze. Aliana tried to ignore the whole affair, content to pet the magical cat and avoid the thoughts the fire conjured of the past few days of nightmarish events.
Velarus turned toward the ominous, dark stone crypt from which the creature had embedded itself. "Shall we find out what is within?" he asked with some reservation.
Dorvin nodded apprehensively and removed a torch from his back and removed it from the thick cloth in which it was wrapped. He crinkled his nose and approached the fire to ignite the torch. The warrior stood up to his full height, which stood nearly a half head taller than the woodsman. The tall man arched his back, trying to limber his muscles in case further surprises await the trio.
The ranger stood to Dorvin's right flank, and slightly behind the lanky warrior, as they entered the tomb. Aliana rose to her feet, and prepared her crossbow again staying several paces behind the two warriors. The orange glow filled the small chamber, revealing a raised platform on the opposite side with a stone bowl crafted as part of the stone. An intricate stone pattern formed in the center of the floor, with a symbol of a half skull surrounded by a circle, deeply etched in the center. Blood both fresh and dried was splattered everywhere in the chamber, even along the ceiling which stood a full body length above their heads. Most of it was concentrated beneath, and along the side, of the stone bowl attached to the raised platform. The smell of blood and decay lay thick in the air like a shroud.
Dorvin sheathed his sword, noting no immediate danger in the small chamber, despite the strange, oppressive feeling that seemed to seep from the dark walls. He stepped forward to examine the stone bowl and stopped abruptly. The lanky warrior shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose.
Velarus motioned for the mage to enter before noticing the trepidation of the other warrior. "What is the matter, Dorvin?" the ranger queried.
The tall man shrugged his shoulders and stared at the bowl, "I am not sure, as I approached the platform… I felt nauseas. Perhaps the sight of the creature and all this blood is getting to me. Though, I'm not usually that queasy." The man tried to move closer to the bowl, and his knees shook and nearly fell. He stepped back and regained his balance leaning against the wall for support. He looked back in confusion to Velarus and Aliana, who had just entered, "I can't seem to get any closer to that cursed bowl," he stated.
The ranger moved toward the platform and coughed, feeling the bile in his stomach rising. He stepped back quickly, and took a few deep breaths to clear his lungs. "What in the name of Hades is this?" he asked rhetorically.
Aliana stopped gawking at the bloody chamber and approached Velarus. She spoke up in a shocked voice, "It is some sort of foul magic that I do not recognize. Perhaps some sort of divine or necromantic spell cast upon that bowl."
The tall warrior flashed a puzzled look to the mage, "Necromantic? Isn't that some sort of death worship or something."
The white robed lady shook her head, lost in thought as she observed the stone object. "It is the art of magic that taps into the negative energies of the dead for communication, or to raise them from their death, into animated creatures, neither living nor dead. It is banned from practice from most civilized societies."
Dorvin nodded, "I heard fables of these undead creatures, though I never knew the name of the magic used in the process. Not sure why anyone would want to use magic on corpses. That seems rather sadistic and strange. Though, I don't like much in the way of magic at any rate, no offense to thee."
Aliana waved her hand to dismiss his apology, "Magic is not natural to most, but to some it is all they know. I was born and raised around the art. But necromancy is a perversion of magic and it requires a twisted, unscrupulous individual to learn its dark secrets."
Velarus shivered at the image of the undead creatures, specifically the purplish monsters that paralyzed him. The skin stretched so taught across its body that the muscle fibers showed in ripples from its shoulders to its bald head. The red dots within the orbs of darkness it used for eyes and the yellow stained fangs flashed in his mind. The evil grin it gave the warrior was etched forever in his memory.
"Velarus… Velarus," the mage called. He looked over to her, trying his eyes to focus in the dim light of the flaming torch. He replied, "What is it?"
"I was speaking, and ye seemed to be in a trance of some sort," the mage explained, worry etched on her pale face.
He noticed her expression and smiled as he spoke, "it is nothing, just the bad memory of my earlier near death experience. I am fine."
Aliana continued, "I was saying that this symbol on the ground is interesting. That half skull symbol would seem to be likely for a necromancer. But I haven't a clue as to what other patterns mean. I want to get Kan, but she flew away before I could enter and I don't think she wants to be in this tomb. I can hardly blame her, but perhaps Renel might recognize this symbol. I will try to coax her to come inside."
She strolled outside into the snow covered graveyard and the ranger turned toward Dorvin, who was on his hands and knees near the center of chamber. He lanky warrior motioned to the floor. "Have a look at this," he said with a twinge of excitement at his discovery. He held the torch near the lines along one of the symmetrical patterns in the floor. The flames seem to sway toward the floor where the groove was, like it was being sucked down, slightly. "There is something below this floor! Maybe another tomb or treasure," he concluded.
Velarus watched the fire's action and agreed with the logic. "Perhaps ye are right. I doubt another tomb would be so well concealed. But it might be anything, let us see if we can find a way to open it."
The two searched the side near the entrance, fearing to come close to the cursed bowl, but could not find any sort of button, or lever that might open the floor. They were about to give up as the mage entered holding the winged cat on her bosom. Kan turned its head toward the bowl and hissed, its yellow eyes becoming black as its slitted pupils swelled from the fear it felt.
The white robed woman pointed to the symbol on the ground, hoping to divert the cat's attention. Kan glared at the woman, its eyes still wide as if she was ready to strike something causing Aliana to pause, hoping the Tressym didn't lash out at her. To her relief, the creature's pupils diminished and it examined the floor and then extended her membranous wings and flapped them hard as she flew out the door to the middle of the cemetery.
Aliana was somewhat astonished at the reaction, but hoped that Kan saw enough to relay to the old sage in Dren. "Maybe we should go as well. Unless ye believe ye can open this hidden chamber?"
Dorvin shook his head, "Not yet! Adez could be down there," he stated loudly.
The ranger doubted that his friend was below. In fact, he felt certain that one of the undead creatures they fought was his friend. One of them seemed a bit larger and its teeth could have been half-orc tusks at one point after he thought about it. He did not want to mention this to the tall man, since he wasn't absolutely sure himself. "Dorvin, we have found no way to enter. Renel is a wise woman and I believe she would be our best chance. Besides, I have a few wounds in need of rest so that they may heal."
Dorvin glowered back to him in response, "Fine. Leave. We haven't checked the other side of the room," he stated with obvious irritation.
"We cannot approach the other side. We have no choice, I understand thy feelings but…" the ranger was cut off as the tall warrior walked toward the platform again.
"Dorvin! Ye mustn't," the ranger pleaded.
His words went unheeded and the warrior moved forward. He began to shake and could barely hold the torch in his hands. Before he could take another step, he doubled over, heaving the greenish grey contents of his innards all over the blood stained floor. Dorvin spit the remaining stuff from his mouth and tried to stand upright again, hoping to close the body length distance to the bowl. The warrior gritted his teeth and stubbornly pressed forward. Two short steps were all he could manage before he collapsed on the ground convulsing in dry heaves. He began to choke from the effects of constant heaving, coughing and gagging for breath.
Velarus was quick to take action, despite the danger. He moved forward as Aliana stood dazed looking at the lanky warrior curled up into a ball a few feet from the strange bowl. The ranger felt dizzy and began to crawl toward him, covering his mouth as he felt his stomach turning inside out. He reached his hand forward and caught a hold of the tall warrior's boot. Whispering a prayer to the goddess of the woods, he pulled with all his might and slowly dragged Dorvin clear of the bowl. They both slumped against the wall, dripping with sweat and their faces pale and slightly green. The lanky man licked his dry lips as he breathed heavily. Aliana removed her waterskin, uncorked the stopper, and poured some into Dorvin's mouth.
He drank the water, spilling some down his cheek as he gasped for more air to fill his lungs. He looked up with obvious embarrassment to Velarus and the mage. "I am sorry, that was foolish," he said as he hung his head low.
"I suppose I can't blame thee for trying to save thy friend. Do ye agree that we should return to the village now?" the fair skinned woman prodded, hoping he had come to reason.
The tall man wiped the sweat from his forehead as he nodded, succumbing to the idea of leaving the graveyard. Velarus stood up and offered a hand to the warrior, and he accepted. "I am sorry Velarus. Ye saved me from my own stupidity."
"I'm not sure I wouldn't have tried the same were I to lose a dear friend. No apology needed, though use more caution next time," he added in a fatherly tone.
The three walked out of the tomb and moved toward the raised section where Kan waited.
"Ye are wiser than thy years show, ranger. I shall seek out this sage and perhaps we all can find the answers we seek, for good or ill. Let me retrieve my horse from the forest path north of here."
"Ye did not come from Dren?" the ranger asked, somewhat surprised.
"No, I came from a path off the main road to the King's Forest. I was hoping to surprise Adez," the tall man explained. The thoughts of his missing friend began to fill his mind. He sighed and continued, "I shall meet thee at the gate there." He indicated the gate to Dren from which the ranger and mage entered.
"I think it best we stay together, all things considered," the woodsman noted. The lanky warrior did not argue the point and they skirted around the graveyard and down a meager path, towing the horse the innkeeper loaned them by its reins. A large, dark brown horse tied to a leave-less, snow crested oak tree whinnied softly as the group approached.
"Easy Esve, 'tis only me and some friends," cooed the man to the huge steed.
The equine creature turned its head and thick neck toward the other two and the smaller horse, as if studying them. The horse shifted its hooves to hold the weight of the tall man as he mounted. Dorvin extended his hand toward the lady, offering a ride. "Please, join me."
She shook her head hard, somewhat intimidated from the tall horse from her dubious expression, "Umm...thank you, Dorvin, that's extremely kind of thee, but I never really have learned to ride all that well, and that's sort of a...big...horse. I think I'd feel more comfortable walking. Thank you, though."
A slight smile crept across the nobleman's face at her expression. "She is a Waymoot Clydesdale, one of the finest horses in the realm, a gift from my father. She may look intimidating, but she is very gentle and kind." He paused for a moment as he twisted the reins around his hand. "I prefer to walk most of the time. In this snow, the extra weight helps the horse from slipping. Now Sarah, my sister, poor little thing acts like she'd die if her feet ever touched the ground. Still she's kind hearted enough to make up for small flaws."
"I'm sure...Esve...is a very good horse. She seems like a good horse, anyway. I didn't mean to disparage her character." Aliana gave the horse an uncertain pat on her flank. "She's just...very large. Besides, I really don't mind walking. I didn't get much of a chance to take walks growing up, other than inside my father's tower, and I find I rather like walking through the outdoors." She looked up at Dorvin and said, "Ye have a sister, then? I always wondered what it would be like to have brothers and sisters." She appeared wistful for a moment and then continued, "Is Sarah older or younger? Do ye have any other brothers or sisters? Did ye get along, or did your...estrangement from your father carry over? Umm...I'm asking too many personal questions. I'm sorry. I don't mean to pry." The mage fell silent.
"Nay, ye do not pry. Well not to the extent of being personal. I have two older brothers, Gorm and Dells. Gorm is a purple dragon knight and Dells a prodigy wizard in trained at the Academy in Suzail. Sarah and Jonn are my younger siblings. Sarah married a merchant from Waterdeep and Jonn serves in the Cormyrean militia. And yes, they all shared my father's point of view. But I can proudly call myself 'Sir' Dorvin again, so the past matters little to me. What of thee, maid?" Dorvin cast a glance in her direction.
"I don't have any family left, at least not that I know of. I lived with my father, the wizard Tegyr Rivenspell in a tower near Asbravn, which is in the Western Heartlands, quite a ways from here. My father..." The mage wore a pensive and sorrowful look on her face as she continued, "...I...still believe that he was murdered by the half-orc in my sketch I showed thee. So I've really no one now, save those I travel with."
"Family is not limited to blood relatives. I have not heard of thy father, but I did spend some time in the Western Heartlands and traveled through Asbravn at least once that I can remember. I am sorry for thy loss," Dorvin added, thoughtfully.
Aliana inclined her head toward Dorvin as a gust of wind tossed her long, raven colored hair. "Thank thee. He was a good man, a kind and decent man and I still feel his loss deeply." The mage took a deep breath and raised a hand to dab at her eyes. She took her silver flask out of her cloak, unscrewed the cap and took a few sips of hot tea before replacing the cap and putting the flask back in her pouch. "So...ummm...Dorvin, if it still isn't prying...what caused the rift between thee and thy father?"
Dorvin rubbed his chin and ran her question over in his mind. "Ah, well I'll just say that in my youth I mistook my father's large heart for a weakness. I thought that he cared more for the people than for the law. This could be true, but I learned that it mattered not in the large scheme of things."
Velarus had been silent, walking the light brown horse borrowed from the innkeeper. He spoke up at the nobleman's statement. "So ye believe the law is above what is right for the people?" he asked as he narrowed his eyes.
The tall warrior responded, "The law is written for the people to help ensure the kingdom or village runs well enough that it can thrive."
The ranger shook his head, not agreeing with the nobleman's point of view. "It is rare to find a ruler that uses law fairly for all people. Most territories have laws that protect the king and his nobles, and do little for the common man. The rights of the working class are rarely taken into consideration. But, laws serve their purpose as long as they are just. Cormyr has mostly fair laws, but they cannot cover all circumstances, sometimes a law will be broken for a greater good."
Aliana nodded her head in agreement, "It would seem that laws cannot decide every situation and a good moral person should make the right decision regardless... I suppose. Though, I never got out much, only what I've read in the various tomes we possess on the subject. I must admit that I spent much more time with arcane works than political dissertations."
"The law should be followed in all cases. If a law is unjust it should be changed through the rulers not by the citizens. If laws were allowed to be dismissed on the whims of individuals then it would end up in chaos."
The group cleared the forest and saw the gates of Dren up ahead, just as dark clouds began to form in the afternoon sky. It appeared that more snow was ready to drop on the area soon. They stopped their conversation and decided to move quickly before the weather broke.