Previously, the heroes spent time at the campus of the Circle of Magi to further develop a magic circle intended to trap and anchor Epidemius. They were aided by Esmeralda, headmistress of the Circle of Abjuration. Each of the heroes discovered what their source of power was, and which school of magic resonated with it. Ultimately, they acted on Quentin’s hunch that the Gravekeeper, a mysterious figure that was stalking the streets of Kingsport to collect the dead, may be a way in which they could anchor Epidemius in their trap.
Ninth Day, Second Ride, Autumn Twilight, 1262
(Silvermoon is waning, Bloodmoon is waxing, Darkmoon is waning)The heroes made their way through a nighttime Kingsport blanketed in snow. Their destination were the botanical gardens in the Ravensbourne district, a large park that was as close to wilderness as the city could muster, complete with dense growth, a selection of game, as well as several easy to stroll pathways for the citizenry to enjoy. At its centre stood a house of worship surrounded by a graveyard, where the heroes had heard rumour the Gravekeeper brought its collections.
Upon arrival at the graveyard it was clear that there were several necrophages that were roaming among the headstones. Quentin, undeterred, entered the graveyard and saw that the house of worship was empty and desolate. A strong odour of decay came from a small area in the eastern part of the graveyard enclosed by a decorative wall, and the necrophages seemed to emerge from there. In the south-east of the graveyard stood a large mausoleum whose entrance had been broken open.
Soon, all the heroes had made their way inside in search for the Gravekeeper, and it did not take long for the necrophages to start prowling closer, trying to encircle them. As the necrophages postured, preparing to attack, the Gravekeeper emerged from the mausoleum, shovel in hand, and wordlessly advanced on the heroes. What followed was a spectacular, nail-biting fight in which the heroes dealt with a relentlessly advancing Gravekeeper, completely indifferent to the suffering of the heroes, or its own, while the necrophages took advantage of the situation.
In the end, the heroes managed to defeat the Gravekeeper again, and watched it quickly whither away, though not without cost. Chakuq discovered that the enclosed area in the east part of the graveyard was filled with unburried dead, including what looked like several custodians and a crownsguard.
The heroes found that the mausoleum that the Gravekeeper exited from was open and accessible, a name was enscribed upon the keystone above the door; Garamond, the family name of Lyria’s first king. Ser William of Garamond was crowned king at the founding of Lyria in the 620th Year of the Crusade, some three millenia ago, during the Age of Fear.
Inside, the mausoleum had two sarcophagi on either side of a staircase that lead down to an underground crypt. The first level held alcoves in the walls where people were laid to rest. At either end of the corridor there were stairs that lead down to another another corridor, similarly adorned with alcoves where people were laid to rest, and to a single staircase which lead further down. Upon entering, Emrys had wondered whether it was a Garamond family crypt, but it soon became apparent that many people from all walks of life were interred there. Luca used Blackstar to illuminate the darkness, but rather than emit a light, the strange crystal atop the staff absorbed the darkness, allowing the heroes to better see their surroundings.
Maury Briscoe, baker; “And when the soil finally claims your limbs, then you will truly dance.”
Chakuq, who had taken the lead, overheard people ascending the staircase and called for the heroes to halt their advance. After a moment he bade them to halt and identify themselves. A trio emerged, identifying themselves as Valerie of Eastminster, Jon of Belstone Corner, and Dirk Cooper, each a member of the crownsguard who were there on orders of the queen to rid the graveyard of necrophages. There was something off about the three, and it was clear to all but the least observant. Neamhan, who had come into the mausoleum in the form of an enormous raven, decided to shift back to her trueshape in order to accuse the three of deception, as she had a funny feeling. In the meantime, some of the others had noticed that the crownsguard uniform was outdated, had missing insignia, and looked off.
Neamhan grilled the three, who had been terrified at her transfiguration, asking them why an “undead queen” would order the three to clear the necrophages from the graveyard. This seemed to steel the trio, and Valerie could barely contain her rage at her queen being so offended. After a heated back and forth the truth came out; the three served Queen Marianne, the current queen’s grandmother who was long dead. Neamhan asked what year Valerie thought it was, but she could not remember. Valerie said that the trio found that the mausoleum had been broken into and they went in to investigate. They found something down below, but she could not remember exactly what. She said she was very tired.
Neamhan wondered whether necrophages came from the likes of the three crownsguard, but was told by Emrys that they were born from people succumbing to eating the flesh of other people. Quentin also felt that the crownsguard were restless spirits being stuck and unable to move on to the afterlife. And Luca was reminded of the time the heroes stumbled upon Ser Florianus Ironwood on their way to Pinefall; that the present and the past were being mixed together somehow. The heroes decided to leave the three as they were unsure what to do with them.
The heroes descended further down and came to the a large crypt whose stone door had recently been broken from the inside out. There was an inscription on the side of the door, written in archaic Lyrian:
Beneath the bloodmoon’s crimson glare,
The keeper stands with sightless stare;
Black wings circle above his head,
The queen looks down where graves are spread.When plague bells tolled through choking skies,
Her curse was sworn as thousands died;
She bound his soul beyond his breath,
To serve her will past living death.Through rotting streets he walks alone,
He works by sign, by skin, by bone;
He lifts the lost from door and floor,
And grants them earth to ache no more.No fever dares to claim his skin,
Her magic seals the work he’s in;
Unlife sustains his digging hands,
As years erode his mortal sands.When last black wings have left the sky,
He is released as chains untie;
‘Til then he toils at silent graves,
So others live while he still slaves.
Beyond the door lay a large crypt which was partially flooded by what was likely water from the ancient waterways. Quentin, Chakuq, and Luca moved forward, while Astrid, Emrys, and Neamhan stayed further back. Chakuq took a moment to expand his instincts and gain an understanding of the water, and the crypt ahead of him. He felt the unmistakable presence of the undead, and took off his boots and rolled up his trousers before wading forth into the water. The water hid several smaller sacrophagi, while at the back there was a large sarcophagus that stuck out of the water, in a place of prominence.
Neamhan kept an eye on the stairs leading up and noticed that Virulencia had made an appearance. She immediately went to confront her while Emrys followed her. Emrys, curiously, initially could only hear, but not see Virulencia, but she revealed herself when it became clear Emrys knew she was there. Virulencia complimented him on his powers of abjuration. Neamhan demanded to know what Virulencia was doing there, and the Lady of Plagues said she was there for “her children.” This infuriated Neamhan who had felt tortured by the thought of children from the moment Virulencia suggested she might be a mother. Neamhan wanted to know who Virulencia’s children were, and she said it were the plaguemaidens. Then she demanded to know whether she was, or had ever been a mother. Virulencia, taking a perverse pleasure out of Neamhan’s anger said that if she were to return home, maybe, just maybe, she would be. When Neamhan lashed out that it was not the answer to her question Virulencia said that “when you deal with a devil, you learn to be precise.”
Quentin, Chakuq, Luca, Emrys, and Astrid had advanced to the large sacrophagus. Emrys had used his sorcery to allow some of the heroes to fly so they would not have to get their feet wet. The heroes had noticed the statues of celestial warriors nearby, and were shocked to find that the face of the central one was the spitting image of Réonan. At the base of the statue was an inscription just below the water which they found, with some sorcery, to read:
Here rest those watched over by Zerachiel, Angel of Dawn,
Guide of souls to final judgement.
Bearer of light, keeper of balance.
His watch is ended, his radiance remains.
This prompted the heroes to investigate the sarcophagus and they quickly found there were inscriptions on all four sides along the base. They read:
He kept the dead
So the living could endure.
Bound by ravens, sworn by choice,
He gave the dead their final voice.
Gravekeeper.
Cursed, yet willing.
He bore the plague,
And laid it gently to rest.
The heroes mused that the Gravekeeper might be benign and whether it would be best to not disturb him. Luca suggested that the Gravekeeper was neutral, but that which cursed him may have been benign. A choice was made to open the sarcophagus. Quentin asked the Raven Queen for forgiveness as the lid was pushed open, revealing a large skeleton wrapped in dark, black chains with sharp edges. A voice could be heard echoing through the crypt;
Though the earth and waters fade,
I will keep the watch I made.
When the soil and oceans fail,
Still my watch will not grow frail.
Though the world itself may bend,
I will stand until the end.
Though all ground and seas grow still,
I will keep my silent will.
He chose the curse when death ran free,
To stand where none would stay or go;
A keeper sworn to eternity,
Who buried fear so life could grow.
While the heroes listened to the ominous voice the water bubbled and roiled violently. Chakuq investigated the chains around the skeleton and tried to discern its nature, only to find that the chains were dark, though not evil, and were the focus of the curse. The curse itself felt dissonant to Chakuq; again, not evil, but not resonating with the symphony of life, of creation, of his people.