30 Nightal
The companions had finally exited Darhiir Woods onto the Clovis Fields. Wide open fields of winter resistance grass was dotted with muffled sounds of distant cattle. It was late, sun having already set, the moon full and highlighting the land with a soft glow. Alone on the plains was a wild grove between the Forest of Mir and the Ithal Road. On the edge of the trees was Mistletoe Keep. The keep itself was homely, appearing like an ordinary farmstead. The fortified building was two stories and constructed of earthen colored stones and wood. Plants and trees, once tenderly cared for, grew wild along the seemingly abandoned building. Attached to the back of the building was a three-story circular tower of red brick, its lower half covered in ivy and narrow windows crossed with bars. Surrounding the grounds was a tall unkept hedge fence marking the borders of the plots. Quiet climbing plants drooped from many a tree, and a range of magical flowers blossomed brightly despite the winter season. A few outer buildings rested closer to the forest, including a stable, a smaller looking house, and what must have been a greenhouse. Next to the greenhouse was a small well-maintained shrine to Silvanus on one side and a wrought-iron fenced area on the other. North of the keep, near the road were numerous huts of simple yet sturdy construction, resembling giant acorns, that constituted a tiny village.
Inside the grand foyer was revealed high ceilings and intricate woodwork that, despite the dust and cobwebs, hinted at a nature themed opulence now faded into history. A fountain, empty of water, sat in the center of the foyer. The air carried a subtle fragrance of lavender and aged wood, mingling with a mustiness. Several doors marked rooms, the kitchen and dining hall. A set of stairs circled up to the second floor, choked with cobwebs.
Jinx and Ariali had taken point, heading into the building first. The door hadn't been opened in years, the creaking of the hinges surely alerted anyone to the guests. The floor was covered in as much dust as the sheet covered furniture. The light streaming in from the door highlighted the disturbed dust motes.
"No point in waiting," Zyne quickly following the two girls, "they already know we're here."
Tahlethar looked back to Zarae and shrugged, following the dwarf into the building, then the drowess.
On the side of the staircase they spotted crossed swords beneath a bear's head mounted on the wall. There were numerous faded paintings of nature in the different seasons. Jinx took the first door on the left, which lead to a large dining hall. A chandelier hung over the long table; its candles were long spent. The door on the other side lead back into the kitchen. The kitchen was tidy, apart from the dust that covered everything. There was no evidence the people were escaping a threat. All the dishes, utensils, and cookware were put away. No logs were in the fireplace, and it was clean of soot and ashes. Ariali had taken the right side, finding several tiny bedrooms. The dressers held empty pitchers and bowls. They too were tidy, the beds all made, no evidence having been used in years. The study was large, nearly as big as the dining hall. Against the west wall stood a rolltop desk, north of which two leather-padded armchairs face a fireplace carved with images of wolves and stags. Draped over each chair was a wolf skin.
Upstairs Zarae found it much the same, empty, tidy, and dusty. There was an arched door that stood out from all the other doors that lead to offices or bedrooms. It was secured with a quality-built lock, an alarm, and a needle trap. That only got her more curious. Out came her tools and she quickly went to work on the lock. It took a few tries, the trap deceptively more advanced than it looked. The lock too took some time before the final click was heard.
"I don't think the owners would mind too much if we spent a rest here," the elf commenting aloud and wanting a night in a real bed. The dwarf agreed, hands on back of his hip stretching, his bones too sore from so many nights sleeping on the ground.
"You are not that old my friend," Tahlether chuckling at Zyne.
"All yall have aged me," he was quick to quip, popping his back to emphasize.
"No food in the pantry, cabinets, or cold cave," Jinx walking back into the large hall to join the boys.
"There were a few symbols of I think a nature deity," Ariali exiting the room. Her hands tracing in air an oak leaf.
"I saw a shrine to the Oakfather on the grounds. This once had to belong to a follower," the cleric confirmed.
"I figured tree-huggers would be living in, ye know, the forest?"
"They are not all as 'uncivilized' as you would believe," the ranger added with a slight annoyance.
"Aye," the dwarf agreed, then looking up to the second floor, "where's our dark elf?"
Jinx was already up the stairs, quickly spotting the open door that she guessed lead into the red brick tower. "up here," she called down over the banister.
The second floor of the tower was a simply furnished bedroom. The walls were painted dark bluish black and speckled with white paint, made to look like the night sky. The stairs up lead to an observatory with a window facing each of the four cardinal directions. The floor was painted with large circular and triangular sigils. They were not unfamiliar to the drow who grew up where such were often used to summon demons. Zarae stuck to the wall making sure not to accidentally activate any teleportation circles or open any gates.
The others were coming up the stairs, some of their boots echoing. Zarae turned to halt the others before entering and disturbing the gem infused chalk lines. Jinx had a paw in the air above the drawn lines when she was stopped.
"Hold on," she quietly called over to the tabaxi.
Jinx spotted what she almost stepped on, easing her foot back on the other side of the chalk. Her arm went up instinctually holding back the elf from crossing. Ariali bumped into the cleric at the sudden stop and nearly knocked the tabaxi into the drawn circle.
"what in..?" Zyne stopped barely from running to the lythari.
"I do not know what or who?" pointing to the lines across the center of the room.
Tahlethar moved along the wall as he studied the markings, kneeling to a knee to get a closer look.
"Can you detect what it goes to?" asked Ariali.
He shook his head, "it would just tell me its magical and what school it's from."
the dwarf opposite side of the elves, "I don't think we got to worry too much," he pointed. There was a tiniest bit of the sigil disrupted. "someones' already disturbed it."
"Maybe we all just back out and leave the room alone?" Ariali offered, she already moving carefully back to the door.
"Maybe we can find some information in the keep that would let us use it?" Jinx asked. "If it takes us someplace we want."
Zarae surprising cautious, "And if it's a gate that brings in something?" she shook her head, not willing to think about what could come forth.
"We're already in trouble," the dwarf still pointing to the spot.
Each of them took a bedroom, deciding to chance resting here before the two-day trip to Darromar. They didn't find anything of use in the offices or bedrooms. The place had been cleared of all documents and ledgers. There were barely any books left in the library, and those were mostly fictional works. A couple of them took time to fill the small tubs and enjoy a bath. The others hitting the beds and falling into a deep sleep. None of them were alert enough to the presence wandering about the keep in the cellar.
Zarae was up first, as usual, and decided to recheck the heavily secured door in the back tower. Her tools hadn't been able to pick the lock, and the exhaustion hadn't helped. Now she'd been refreshed from her four-hour trance. It still took a few tries before the stubborn lock gave way. The door creaked open into a damp, cold, circular room. A four-foot-diameter stone cistern sat in the middle of the room. Next to the shaft sat a wooden bucket fastened to a coiled length of rope. The bottom of the shaft was veiled in darkness. But her superior darkvision could tell it descended to about 60 feet before the top of the water. Next to the stone wall of the well was a small gold locked engraved with a symbol she didn't recognize, the face of woman with wild hair. Inside was a photo of two children. She pocketed the necklace, hoping one of the others might recognize who it was. She turned to leave when from the depths of the well came a whispering voice, "Brorn! Where are you, boy?"
Another peek down the cistern, hand on the hilt of her sai, didn't reveal anybody down in the water. nothing that should be speaking. Another call for Brorn, softer this time came.
Takin the bucket and rope, she dropped it into the well, just in case the speaker was just invisible to her. it hit the water with a soft splash then bobbed until it filled. Still nothing.
"What are you?" she whispered.
No response came. Zarae was starting to suspect the spirit of one of the inhabitants was still around.
Zyne was up a little after dawn. It was the first day of the new year. Most dwarven communities celebrate the 1st of Hammer as the anniversary of the blessing of Moradin that began a resurgence in the birthrate in the Year of Thunder. He sent a small prayer to the dwarven gods, and a prayer to bless his flask of holy ale. He reached to the nightstand where his runed medallion and circlet had been set. However, the mithril chain was gone. His loud words of displeasure made sure everyone was now up, even the tabaxi. The door to the drow's room burst open, setting of the rigged alarm on her room.
"Where ye be, elf!" he called when he didn't see Zarae in her room.
Tahlethar stuck his head out the door, a questioning look on his face.
"Not ye," his tone bordering on rage, not even thinking about his clean-shaven face being shown to the others in the moment, "where's the dark elf?"
"What is it?" the elf stepping fully into the hall. When he saw Zyne's face, "what did she take?"
"Me medallion!" he hollered, "now if ye hiding her…any of ye hiding her…"
Ariali was out in the hall by then. She shook her head when his questioning gaze fell on her. then onto the tabaxi who was yawning and stretching as she opened her own door.
"Not so great to wake up to…" she paused midsentence when her eyes fell on the steaming dwarf.
"it's one thing to play fun pranks," the dwarf's voice raised. The drow was coming back into the building from being out in the yard. She hadn't expected to see the dwarf in the doorway and never seen him so angry. "but that medallion is not something to play about!"
Zarae stood very confused, but able to gather he was accusing her of something. She started to ask what, but was interrupted. Zyne didn't want an excuse for her sticky fingers. He just wanted his necklace back. He held his hand out, expecting her to hand it over.
Still confused as to what was missing, "this time. it was not me," in all earnest and surprisingly honest.
"don't ye play with me, girl. Give it back and we can let this go."
"I do not have anything of yours," getting a little defensive now.
"Just give it back. It means too much to him," Ariali trying to calm the situation.
"That one goes a little too far, even for you," Tahlethar not believing the drow.
Since she was dressed in just her shirt and trousers, she turned in a circle, then shook out her clothing to prove her point.
"Then let one of us pat you down, prove it is not on you."
"Aye. Search her belongings!"
"Now, wait," before she could stop the dwarf turning to head to her room.
Ariali stepped up to the drowess, "let me prove it and we can settle this quickly."
Zarae's eyes were shifting to a reddish hue, her anger at their accusations and now violating her personal stuff. She stood there defiant as the lythari was keeping her from heading to her room. Tahlethar was there to back up Ariali. Jinx followed Zyne to the drowess' room.
Zarae put her arms out, allowing the ranger to check her and prove she didn't have it on her. She did have a small locket in a pocket, which Ariali pulled out, handing it to Tahlethar.
"Why do you have a Sune symbol," the cleric started as he was opening the locket. "And pictures of human children?"
"I found that. In the cellar near the well."
The cleric and the ranger didn't believe the rogue.
Zyne emptied the drowess' bag onto the bed. There was the usual survival gear and her burglar gear, but among the tools was random items that made no sense for her to have: another locket that was melted shut, a small blue glass bird, a few signet rings, several silver engraved spoons, a warn out stuffed toy spider, an intricately carved wooden rose, a tuning fork made from a dark metal, a shard of perpetually warm obsidian, a pipe, and other bits and bobs. The shard of the sword and a broken sword hilt were wrapped in rags and a tight bundle of cloth was around two pieces of iridescent gem.
"Doesn't that pipe look familiar," Jinx picked it up. Sure enough it was engraved with the initials of T.R.
The dwarf shook the bag harder, just to make sure nothing else was hidden. He growled when his necklace was not among the random items.
Walking back to the lythari, elf, and drow, "I know ye did. And now ye afraid to admit it!" though the accusation was lesser than previously, he wasn't going to let this go now.
"Why do you have my pipe?" the cleric asked seeing it in Jinx's hands.
"That one might have been me," Zarae admitted. "Back at the cave we met at."
"I don't care about the blasted pipe," Zyne interrupted, desperation tinting the dwarf's voice, "I just need me medallion."
"I already told you. I have not taken it," thinking how to prove it. "I…how do you surfacers word these promises of truth?" since that was completely foreign to drow culture.
"I want to believe you," Ariali offered.
Tahlethar took his pipe back, a slight chuckle he quickly hid when the dwarf glared at him. "it's a prank item," then blew into the pipe, bubbles coming out the other end.
Zyne grabbed Zarae's forearm and started pulling her to her room, his grip strong, "if ye didn't take it," still doubting the drowess, "then what is all this? Or that?" pointing to the bubble blowing pipe.
She hesitated, which Zyne was taking as an admission of guilt, "alright. Some of those," indicating the items on her bed. The rogue had to hide her growing frustration. "Might found their way into the bag."
"It was on me stand last night and it's gone now. It had to been one ye sneaks. If it aint you," then slowly turned to the scout, then the ranger. Then turned back to the rogue, "but only one of ye got a problem."
"I notice you did not look at Tahlethar," Zarae's tone edged with annoyance. "Or ask them to show their own belongings."
"Now wait," the bubble suddenly stopped, Tahlethar looking to the drow then to the dwarf. "My thieving skills are non-existent. And I understand the significance of the piece."
Ariali rubbed her forehead, thinking of a compromise, "alright. How about we all empty our bags."
"Easy for you," a soft scoff from the drowess, "you have no personal belongings to be violated."
Zarae missed the sudden glimpse of sadness in Ariali, but the lythari held that everyone should likewise empty their bags, even the dwarf to prove it wasn't missed in his own stuff.
Jinx offered to pat down Ariali, emptying her pockets. Ariali did likewise to Jinx, only finding a wooden carved crescent pendent necklace.
"Alright. Now you two," Ariali directing the boys to follow through.
Tahlethar and Zyne each patted down the other, neither finding anything incriminating. Zarae crossed her arms, waving to others' bags be searched. Ariali volunteered to go next, her simple cloth bag only held the basic necessities, her rations, waterskin, and, and a change of clothing all given to her from the companions or in the elven city. The shirt unrolled to reveal a set of fancy red underwear. Ariali quickly shoved it back into the bag, trying to hide her pink cheeks as she did.
Tahlethar bag was emptied on his bed next. Among his supplies and tools was a small pouch. Zyne opened to be blasted with the scent of the strong herbs. The cleric's face tinted red when they found his secret stash of herbal drugs. A habit he'd hoped to keep secret from the others.
The surprised lythari, "do you…use Skooma?" giving the cleric a second glance and a look of disappointment.
The dwarf mouthed a sorry to the elf upon the reveal of his embarrassing habit. He'd seen the cleric use it once, asked to keep it secret from the others. Tahlether tried several times to explain, finding he couldn't. He wanted to assure the others his judgment wasn't compromised. It wasn't an all the time thing. Mostly when he got overly strong emotions he needed to calm. This stash he'd gotten in Myth Dyraalis after learning of the loss of his beloved.
"So he's a little less honorable," Zarae changing the topic, "who is next?" looking to Jinx and Zyne. Secretly, she was slightly enjoying the others getting embarrassed.
Jinx hesitantly allowed her bag to be dumped on the bed next. Out came her supplies and gear, followed by a notebook that fell opened to a page with a sketch of the companions. Each person paired off with another, drawn with arms around each other, like a lover's embrace. A folded piece of paper with a heart on the outside fell onto the floor. Tahlethar picked it up, which Jinx quickly snatched from him to keep the cleric from opening it and shoved it into her pocket. There was no way to hide the dwarf's necklace in it, so their was no need to open the note in front of the others. Beside the sketch pad was a book on etiquette and proper behaviors in high society.
"Someone is a secret romantic," the rogue commented as she held the book up to allow anything hidden inside to fall out.
"There is no way I can shove the metal disk in there," snatching the book from the rogue and gathering up her sketch book from being seen.
Ariali motioned for Zyne to now empty his bag for the others to scrutinize. He had nothing embarrassing to be found, as his shame was on his smooth-shaven face. Which he remembered when he went to rub his chin. A quick casting of a cantrip and the appearance of a beard showed up on his face.
"You look nice beardless," Ariali leaned over and whispered as the others exited the room into the hall.
The then stood in a circle as Zyne stared down each person. "Shards! Then where is the blasted thing?" he finally shouted.
"Before yall blamed me," Zarae spoke after a long silence, "I was going to speak you that I think we have someone else with us," letting the Sune locket dangle from her fingers. "Someone who is less physical." She then waved the group to follower her to the cellar, pointing out the lock along the way down.
They entered the cellar each one looking down into the cistern, then waited for what the rogue claimed to have seen or heard. Then softly a calling for Brorn was heard by them.
"I went outside to the phalaren," trying to think of the word for graves. She then waved them to follow outside twords the greenhouse.
A seven-foot-tall wrought iron fence enclosed a small graveyard. Inside were four graves, each marked with an engraved headstone with the lettering partially eroded from the elements. The first was: HELUTHE LLISTIIN
Our Pride and Joy Lost Too Soon. The second: SYLPHENE LLISTIIN Beloved Daughter and Wife May She Find Peace at Last. The third: BRORN Hound of Llistiin Faithful to the End. The last one was blank of a name, just engraved with an oakleaf shape much like the symbol of Silvanus.
"Ye think a ghost stole me medallion?" the dwarf looking up to the drowess, not quite convinced.
Zarae shrugged, but to her it was the best answer.
"Bah!" then Zyne stomped back twords the house.
"What if we don't find it?" the tabaxi watching as their dwarf friend departed. The girls all looked to Tahlethar who shrugged, unsure how to respond.
Ariali headed back in, followed by Tahlethar.
"You really didn't do it?" Jinx asked Zarae who soon followed the other two elves.
She shook her head, "I did not even know he had a holy symbol."
"Holy symbol? What makes you think that?" the tabaxi asked.
"The priestess usually wear a medallion for their connection to Lady Lloth."
As Ariali and Tahlethar neared the house proper, they heard the dwarf hollering a few choice words loudly. The two elves in front looked at each other then took off running. Jinx and Zarae picked up speed as soon as they saw the two jogging for the house, then able to hear clearly the reason.
The dwarf stood in the foyer hall, hands on hips, foot tapping staring up at the bear head. The chain was hanging inside the bear's mouth, caught on its canines, dangling and spinning slowly as if it had just been put up there. As Tahlethar rushed in, his hands preparing a spell, he skidded to a stop, followed by the ranger on his heels. Eyes scanned up the wall until they fell onto the necklace. Zarae and Jinx were shortly behind, the drowess having drawn a dagger that had always been hidden on herself. When she spotted the object, she quickly clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. Zyne turned slowly to his companions, eyes narrowed and scrutinizing each person. His hand pointed behind him up at the bear.
His glare went first to the drowess, "easy to say you don't have it if ye put it somewhere out of your possession."
Still stifling the laugh by wiping her hand down over the bottom of her face, "I..did not," she pointed.
He grumbled a few words in dwarvish, taking a step forward. Ariali held her hands out to stop Zyne from advancing.
"It was recent," Jinx pointing out the movement of the mithril disk. "Like while we were outside," she offered as an alternative.
"I think I agree with out cat friend," the cleric added.
The dwarf let out a loud breath of frustration. Turning on his heels, he called forth the spectral hand to bring it back to him. When the mithril disk was in his hand, he gave a quiet thanks to Dugmaren Brightmantle, quickly pulling it over his head and shoving it into his robes.
"If I ever find out…" he let the threat hang, then pushed past them and headed to his room.
"You owe me," Jinx leaned over and whispered to Zarae.
The laughing gone, "no one will ever believe me," she mumbled.
It was late morning when the five were heading twords the small village around the Ithal Road. With the morning's antics, they walked in silence, Zyne in the back a little further from the others than usual. He was in a truly sour mood. Tahlethar suspected there was more to it than just the necklace and whether the drow had actually taken it. But he had advised the others to give him his space.
The village was tiny, made up of only a dozen huts. The largest building was a roadside log cabin inn of only one story. A sign on above the door read 'Llistiin's Watering Hole. Traveling from Mistletoe Keep, and thus from the forest, they drew a bit of attention. The cowherders still about in the hamlet stepped out when the children got rowdy. A burly man of greying hair carrying a spear, exited the largest of the huts.
"I'll do the talking," Tahlethar looking back to Zyne then stepped forward while the others slowed their pace. "Uluvathae," he started, "well met," greeting the only clearly armed human.
"Well met," less enthused and more confused. "Why do elves, dwarf, and…whatever she is," pointing to Jinx, "come from the Manor?" With the drow's cowl low over her face and piwafwi tight about her, the humans could only determine she was elven of some type.
"Just adventuring from the Wood," then clarified at his expression, "the Forest of Mir."
The spear armed man scanned each of the cloaked figures, stopping at the elf completely covered. "what's wrong with… your companion?" unable to determine if they were male or female.
"Old and sensitive to light," just like the cleric offered when they entered Almraiven.
"You expecting to stop for the night?" the man spitting out some chewed up herbs.
"Nope. Heading on to Darromar."
Another suspicious scan of the five, then he stepped to the side, allowing them to pass through to the road.