The guard shut the door behind the two knights, grunting something about sitting and waiting. Silence settled over the small granite room. It was empty except for a rectangular table with chairs, and a fireplace burning with a low fire to ward off the early summer morning's chill. A door was set into the opposite wall. The guard went and stood next to this door, standing straight and tall, his eyes forward, clutching his flintlock rifle.
The guard watched the two as they took their seats. One was a woman, clad in full plate mail armor, black in color. She wore an open-faced bat wing helmet, with a large opal set into the center. A red cloak hung from her shoulders. Her boots were of fine, black leather. Her eyes, sky blue and hard, briefly rested on the guard before turning away.
She was tall, taller than most men, and judging by her face, she had seen her share of winters. Her hair was long and thick and shockingly white.
She clutched a six-foot staff made of cold iron, with a knobbed head at either end. It was known as a staff-mace, and its name was Shatterskull. She leaned it against the table, reached up to remove her helm, and gently lay it down on the table.
Sitting, she removed her leather gauntlets, lay them down next to the helm, and sat quietly, back straight, head high, her eyes fastened on the door on the far side of the room.
The other was a dwarf. He stood a little over four feet tall, with a medium-length black beard and long black hair that he wore combed back from his forehead. He also wore plate mail, but his was fashioned of shiny, polished steel. He wore a bastard sword strapped across his back.
The guard was fairly new, so he didn't know these two, but he assumed they were Knights of the Most Holy Order of the Silver Staff. They both wore round, silver amulets around their necks decorated with the device of the Order; two staffs crossed in an "X" pattern.
Hearing footsteps approaching the room from behind the closed door next to him, the guard announced the person's arrival.
"Lady Everelda, Holy Paladin of the Most Holy Order of the Silver Staff," said the guard.
The door opened, and a woman entered.
She was perhaps in her forties, with brown hair and brown eyes. She wore her graying hair in a bun, and was clad in a purple robe decorated with golden embroidery. She had a pinched face, with ferret eyes and thin lips.
She smiled thinly at the pair, and bowed courteously. "Good morrow to you, Lady Sarra Bootblack, Guardian Knight of the Most Holy Order of the Silver Staff. Good morrow, Sir Gant Glintspear, Guardian Knight of the Most Holy Order of the Silver Staff."
Sarra and Gant stood and bowed in return, both saying nearly in unison "Thank you m'lady. It is an honor that you have called upon me."
The woman got down to business. "Lady Sarra, Sir Gant, know you aught of Spider Gates Cemetery?"
"A little," Sarra said. "It lies in the Merecage. We've never had trouble there before. Has something changed?"
"Not within the cemetery itself. But someone has recently taken an interest in it. A few days ago, a group of mercenaries made their way from Dinard to the cemetery. Our informants report they were in search of a "mighty artifact". Our records of the cemetery are far from complete, but we did find a reference to an ancient and powerful cleric of the Nightgod Grumokk who is buried there. His name was Bhavroth. He died over three hundred years ago. He was a Necromancer, who tried to create a kingdom of undead, so he could install himself as their ruler."
"So he was insane, too," Gant grinned.
Lady Everelda pursed her lips at knight for speaking out of turn. "Perhaps. But that has no bearing on the matter. Our records indicate that this Bhavroth may have been buried with an unholy staff, made of black obsidian, that gave him the power to create and control undead. It is possible that there is no connection between this band of mercenaries and the staff, but we cannot be sure. We feel that this staff will be safer in our hands."
"And you want us to retrieve it," Sarra said.
"Precisely."
Sarra bowed her head. "As you wish, m'lady. We will journey to this cemetery and search for this staff."
"Oh, if you happen to find it, Sarra, do not touch it with your bare hands. Do not let it touch your bare skin or any other part of your body. This staff is thoroughly and utterly evil. And be cautious. This staff may be sentient."
Sarra nodded curtly. "I am aware, m'lady."
"Then I give you your leave. Go forth with Mother Amandine's blessings upon your heads, and return victorious."